#the cult of dionysus yeah...

[happy-thou9hts]

-I’m feeling devious! (๑>◡<๑)

-You’re looking glamorous! ٩(^ᗜ^ )و

[imsaunteringvaguelydownwards]

I think for once in my life I’m gonna try and not have a mental breakdown on new years, instead we’re gonna try living like it’s the 70s, we’re on drugs and we don’t give a fuck

[tmos-time]

Woe, music be upon ye, (check dms 'cause tumblr is throwing a hissy-fit about the link)

oooh, awake isnt my cup of tea personally but it IS a very pretty performance!!

[seeminglyseph]

I’m such a mess because I absolutely will get into a State where I start mapping the bloodlines of the royal families involved in the Trojan War and like. Even if once they were based on real people who have been mythologized, like… half of them have apposing lineages of you look hard enough.

But his might be an easier choice than “try to decide a timeline for myself to work with for my own project, of which events happen and when in my version of Greek mythology” which like.

Man. I cannot alway tell what order Zeus’ kids are born in. Even if I exclude the mortal ones.

Part of this is because I am not smart but other parts are like. Because. Man there is a whole lot of incomplete information that is hard to filter through. And I am unorganized. I’ll like. Freaking work on it. I’m becoming motivated. Yeehaw.

But first I need to immediately become asleep.

[xxswagcorexx]

!! love your god au

would love to hear more about it

cults and symbolism my beloved

omg....and i'll be glad to talk abt it!

anyways i think that ash is more an import god (so as a result a lot of his myths would be him coming from somewhere long away and plus. have a bit more influence as his cult would travel to more places) and since him and red had similar-ish purposes, ash would be a secondary figure that was worshiped in the cult (and vice versa), but they'd still be their own thing bc i think they'd tackle the same stuff but differently

like i have this image in my head that ash would be a sign of death/war, while red's would be about rebirth/physical strength--similar concepts, but different ways they tackle it as you'd be more likely to worship ash is you were a war general but you'd be more likely to worship red if you were a warrior ^_^ i think that's why they'd stay separate (also because i don't like the idea of them being split off from another god or merging into 1 god bc the implications of that are uh. swagdoons would Not work well with that i think)

but ya! :D i also like the idea of them being associated with the underworld somehow, i haven't thought of creation myths for them but i just think it would be sick as hell (ba dum tss) and fit their general vibes!

[gothsuguru]

BIFORMIS

you are all-consuming to yourself, and rightly so. you have many names and many faces, catching the light like a prism. you find joy in liberation. you contain multitudes. the world is a stage and you are a stage and we are all men and masks; and you understand. you throw coloured light on those around you, freeing them to see how good they look in green, and they come back again again again. revel in yourself, biformis, and never let them pin you down.

tagging: @neptuneblue @connorsui @storiesoflilies @mikichko @hayakawalove :3

i made a uquiz - of the many faces of dionysus, which is turned toward you?

[yovrnewromantic]

CULT OF DIONYSUS

billy loomis x reader x stu macher

Let’s get mischievous and polyamorous!

Or in which Stu Macher really wants to fuck Billy Loomis’ girlfriend, and he doesn’t feel the same

warnings: talk of smut but no real smut. billy and stu lowkey hate each other.

Dipshit: guess whos alone w your gf😊

               meeee 😩🍆💦

Billy’s phone pings in his back pocket. Frustratedly, he maneuvers the bagged groceries in his hand. Reaching to grab his phone, he expects a text from you, asking him to grab something you had forgotten to put on the list or a needy i love you text.

Instead, he frowns at the message on his homescreen. The IMS shadow covers one of his faces on the stack of black and white polaroids of you and him on his wallpaper. Quickly, he slides his phone open, typing furiously. 

What the fuck do you mean

Dipshit: 🤷🏼‍♂️

Stu.

Dipshit: srry gtg busy

“Shit,” Billy hisses, forcing a hand through his hair. It was no secret that Stu wanted to fuck you. Stu had practically begged him to just let him watch him fuck you— in person or on video—and he got on his knees attempting to somehow sway Billy to let him cuck you. 

Yeah, not going to happen.

The drive to your shared apartment feels agonizingly slow, an unrelenting doom gnawing in the back of Billy's mind. His knuckles turn white from their tight hold of the steering wheel.

Tires skirt as he swerves into the parking lot, heart racing much more than he would like to admit when he takes the keys out of the admission, front wheels diagonal on the yellow lines they're meant to be inside of.

His pulse is in his ears when he reaches the door, hands clumsy for the keys before he realizes the door isn't even locked. The acknowledgment sends a new sense of dread down his spine because ever since Woodsboro, you listened to him, and you always locked the doors.

With half the mind to grab the knife that he buried it in the potted plant in the hall to castrate Stu-- if he was even there and didn't just want Billy to kill him in his sleep.

The door creaks open deathly slow. Billy's boots are loud against the wooden floors as he steps inside, listening intently. His eyes are frantic, dancing to any open space for your presence. He doesn't see you.

"Y/N?" he calls, his voice steady despite his panic.

It's quiet.

What position does he have you in now? Tied up and gagged so you can't make a sound as Stu pounds into you. Billy swallows his own bile, hardly convinced to continue his search downstairs before heading to your bedroom. If he can get to the kitchen, he can grab a butcher knife and go Michael Myers on that motherfucker.

"Boo!"

He's genuinely startled when he turns the corner into the kitchen, taking a step back and staring at your beaming form with wide eyes. Standing in front of him, perfectly clothed may he add, you cackle, your entire body shaking as you struggle to point a finger at him, too consumed with pure unaltered joy. "I--" you wheeze. "I scared you. Finally, I actually did it."

Despite the small part of him that's a teensy bit pissed (any other day he's punching a wall) that you finally got the best of him, Billy smiles, hands seizing your waist to pull you into his chest so he can hold you after the stress of a lifetime. Your fingers slide across the back of his neck, and it feels like a glimpse of heaven: having you, his girl, and his girl only in his arms, grinning ear to ear.

His fingers find your chin and he makes you look into his eyes. "You got lucky, babe."

While you divulge into another laughing feet, burying your face in his neck, Billy closes his eyes in bliss, savoring the moment as he hugs you. Your bodies fit together like perfect puzzle pieces. You're okay. You're safe. You're his. Billy opens his eyes, sighing quietly. And Stu is nowhere in sight--

What the fuck.

Elbows propped onto the granite island; Stu is smirking like a dead man.

Arms locked around you, Billy stiffens. You pull back, and to your boyfriend's displeasure, out of his arms.

The kitchen is covered in white flour like winter had come early and a blizzard swept inside your windows. Stu's sweater is coated in the flour as well and now that he thinks of it, he can see the powder on your cheek.

"We tried to make cookies," you explain joyously, taking a half-glance between him and Stu. The latter saunters towards you and Billy smugly. "Stu's not very patient."

"Not at all," he purrs, throwing an arm over your shoulder at tugging you into him. You laugh, oblivious to the heated exchange that was happening just above your head.

Billy was going to kill Stu if he kept looking at you like that, his eyes flickering between Billy and peeping down your shirt. Goodbye to their sequel.

You break him from his reverie. "Billy, baby, where's the groceries?"

"Yeah, man. Where are they?" Stu tilts his head.

"In the car," he deadpans although he forgot about them in the first place, abandoning them accidentally. He grabs your wrist, tugging you away from Stu's grip, fuming. "Let's go get them."

THIS IS SO BAD. will def rewrite but seeing this in my drafts was giving me a headache

[aliteralchicken]

Tim: someone needs to go undercover but we’re running into a problem

Bernard: what problem? Can I help?

Tim: the people we’re investigating have a test before you can speak to whoever’s in charge that involves alcohol

Bernard: you gotta drink them under the table or something?

Tim: yeah but Dick, Jason and Cass are all lightweights, Damian’s too young, I don’t drink and no one else is available

Bernard: oh I can help, I’ll go

Tim: this guy is serious Bernard, it’s not just a shot or two

Bernard: I was in a Dionysus cult Tim

Bernard: there was a lot of booze involved

[alottodix]

OMFG THIS IS INCREDIBLE, ANOTHER SP X PJ ENJOYER FUCK YES

PJO x SP

Didn’t do all the characters cause my hand was falling off. Anyways I love sp and I used to love pjo; so I mixed em

[yuan4i]

45. double date

“i’ve been absolutely dying to go to this cafe ever since yn dropped that brunch pic on twitter!” kaveh squealed standing outside the cafe waiting for you and sethos. his hair was tied up in a low bun, with clips in his hair. his boyfriend raising an eyebrow and giving him a weird look. “seriously? being excited over such a trivial matter is awfully childish,” al haitham murmured under his breath. “whatever! anyways, do you think yn and sethos are running late?” the blonde asked, trying to make conversation. truthfully, kaveh was nervous. he was anxious to see his crush longtime former crush with another guy. not to mention that the entire week since exams had felt so stressful due to the number of quarrels he and al haitham had. “well obviously they are considering that they aren’t here yet.” the time was 2:15, however, the two of you were nowhere to be in sight. 

“... yeah you’re right… hey um, i’ve been wanting to talk about something important lately and if we have the time–” “oh my god we are so so sorry for being late!” there you were, running towards the couple. “sethos and i were getting ready and then i got distracted-” “we both got distracted babe. don’t put it all on yourself!” he chuckled at your out-of-breath state. “it’s fine! don’t worry about it! c’mon, let’s go in.” 

the four of you talked and chatted while waiting for the totoro bread buns. “so, yn! when did you and sethos meet?” the blonde across the table asked you. “at the party you two threw like two weeks ago! i was so wasted when we met and then we ended up kissing at haitham’s front door…!” you giggled, covering your face. “that moment was such a blur! he ended up giving me his number after tighnari caught us!” 

“aww that’s so cute–” “dating someone you’ve only known for two weeks is irrational.” al haitham scoffed. the table was silent. “... i mean sethos and i aren’t actually dating though?” you nervously laughed it off, then looked away out the window. “oh my god that was so fucking insensitive for you to say! you’ve been acting like a cold jerk ever since exams ended. just what is your problem?” kaveh exclaimed, standing up from the table and placing down his cash. “i’m leaving. i’ll see you guys around.”

CULT OF DIONYSUS ❀ prev ✿ masterlist ✿ next

al haitham x reader x kaveh SYNOPSIS  kaveh, al haitham and you are close friends and went to the same high school. but after your junior year, you left them and sumeru behind for liyue’s 2 year med school exchange program. now you’re back in sumeru for a class reunion and attending sumeru akademiya.

note : hii i'm acc so sorry for being so dead LMAO umm anyways, i wrote all this just now so lmk if there are any errors! i'll be trying to update at least once a week now bc i wanna finish cod before 2024 ends!! tysm for reading <33!

[nysus-temple]

Apollo & Dionysus [Part 1]

MAN. not sure if i know what i'm doing, they're very complicated and this won't be my only essay about them. But I've been delaying this essay for way too long, to a point in which I was close to crying about it.

Hope you enjoy, in any case, how i give you all the connections, both good and bad, of my favourite god figures from the Greek Folklore.

1. Karneia [Καρνεῖα].

One of Dionysus' main characteristics is how he's depicted with horns. It's part of his identity as a god, it's horns what (according to the Orphic hymns) made him look like Persephone's son. you can't take away his horns and pretend he's still Dionysus. Euripides knew that well.

Apollo, on the other hand, not many are aware that he sometimes was represented with horns, as well ! This festival, held mainly in Sparta, was to honor Apollo (and a couple of other gods but, he was the star of the show).

The reasons for why this festival was held vary; like Pausanias saying it was to calm him down so he wouldn't send a plague.

But, you see, the main reason this festival is mentioned here: the Spartans would stop any military activity to honor a horned Apollo, he resembled Dionysus during that time. And not only that, but he also was related with vines during it, and that's Dionysus sacred plant. Just like the laurel (or bay, i think it's called in English) is the sacred tree of Apollo.

Seeing Apollo with that plant, and harvesting grapes while having horns, has a strong conection to what Dionysus is.

2. Delphi's Oracle.

It's still Apollo's Oracle, wether Dionysus kept it while he was gone at Hyperborea or not. He killed Python, Gaia's big-ass snake, in order to get it.

But.

While Apollo had to leave during the winter time to go to Hyperborea, it was Dionysus OF ALL GODS the one who kept Delphi, and thus, his festivals were celebrated there.

On one side of the main temple, you could see Apollo with his twin sister, Artemis, and his mother, Leto.

And on the other side, it was Dionysus.

Dionysus wasn't related to prophecies, at all. Maenads did shenanigans during the time Apollo wasn't there.

But it's, you know... Interesting, that Apollo's most important oracle was kept by Dionysus during the time that he wasn't there.

With this, you should think "then, they're in good terms, right?" Yeah, well, they're supposed to be, there's nothing stating that they have a bad relationship, it's the other way around, actually !

But the next point... Is gonna leave us all confused.

3. Orpheus.

Or, as i like to call it:

And my favourite part of this essay, gotta say !

Orpheus brought many cults to the Greeks, according to Pausanias. Like the Eleusinian Demeter one, for example. And not to forget, Orphism gets his name from him, as well as the Orphic Hymns, obviously.

But, apparently, besides doing all that, at the end of his life, he claimed to not care about any gods, not even Dionysus, the main figure of Orphism, that weren't Apollo.

And his death was explained in a lost play of Aeschylus, one that two different writers describe; Eratosthenes and Pausanias, so pick your favourite:

P: 1. the maeneads saw Orpheus refusing to worship Dionysus, and killed him.

E: 2. Or, the interesting one: Dionysus saw that Orpheus devoted himself to Apollo and Apollo only, and got... Jealous. Jealous of his devotion to Apollo.

He was the one who started Orphism, the one who wrote many hymns for him. Seeing him being devoted to someone else than him apparently wasn't a good move. In this version he sent the maeneads to kill him, they didn't go for their own will, which makes it more peculiar.

I'm not writting down Ovid's version because it doesn't fucking count.

Plato also says some odd thingy, that "the gods imposed on Orpheus the punishment of dying at the hands of women for not having had the courage to die for love like Alcestis, daughter of Pelias, who had died in the place of her husband Admetus." ... Which, yeah, sure, I guess, whatever you say, buddy. We have to keep in mind Plato's texts are more related to philosophy than anything.

People always say it's Apollo the one who was envious of Dionysus' talents and parties, (for... some reason i guess) specially knowing how he had two of his muses related to him (tragedy and comedy) due to Dionysus being, after all, the god of theatre.

But, surprise ! It was the other way around. Dionysus was jealous of Orpheus' devotion to Apollo. "If you won't devote yourself to me, you won't devote yourself to anyone".

And, well, either because the sources didn't survive or because he wasn't considered his son in these versions, Apollo didn't do anything. In fact, we never see him doing anything towards Dionysus.

So, what now, Nysus? What was their relationship exactly, after all of this?

It's... Complicated !! Okay !!! This needs more research from my part, plus we all should keep in mind that, while all the authors mentioned here were Greek, they were different guys. You always need to keep in mind the place, person, era... All of that, before starting to judge how a dynamic between two gods work.

( If you enjoy my badly-written posts, please consider buying me a kofi ! You're not forced to, though, but please, reblog this post at least if you are gonna leave a like ! 💕 That's what will motivate me to keep working on my essays )

[grecoromanyaoi]

Idk how to phrase this but can you talk some more abt Anca's like general situation... I love hearing abt her already

yesssss omg so basically her grandmother lisistrata is the leader ("the master") of the cult of the stargazers. they are heavily based on the cult of dionysus, and basically believe the world is a play that the stars orchestrate for their enjoyment, and the most entertaining actors win a place of honor among the stars (become stars. badum tsss). they are batshit insane and have huge abuse n murder n drugs etc problems in the community bc the more "interesting" ur story is the better. also they base their logic and storytelling techniques and morals on the old plays, so they just fucking hate women (the general society is somewhat misogynistic, but its mostly in a strict gender roles way n not in a women r inferior way). lisistrata's son, mercuțio, was supposed to inherit her role, but he ran away from the cult with his girlfriend, leaving behind his older son, orlando. when anca was abt 15 her grandmother found them, murdered her son and kidnapped anca to the cult. when she grew up both her parents were p abusive n they were struggling financially n her house was a v unstable place n within the cult she was rich nobility, so p soon, altho after a good amount of grooming n gaslighting, she came to see the chain of events as positive. when she turned 19 (altho grooming her for it sooner) her grandmother turned her into some sort of a spy n borderline sw, where shes sent to learn ppls secrets (i was thinking abt finnic from the hunger games) so the cult could manipulate them n get better rights n benefits n support for her cult. her older brother, orlando, "fell in love w her" the moment he met her (when she was 15 n he was 31!! guards!!!!) n has a 4d chess type madonna whore complex abt her where he both thinks shes stupid n incapable n that he should take care of her but also that shes the most perfect woman in the world. his wife looks suspiciously similar to anca. theres also her "reeducator", damian, who is also certain hes in love w her, n both him n orlando r basically waiting for lisistrata to drop dead so they could marry her n make her into their pefect wife (docile housewife in a semi permanent state of pregnancy). basically almost everyone in her life is either psychologically, physically or sexually abusing her she just became so disconnected from herself - she learned not to form any opinions, to not moralize or think abt anything happening to her (if someone were to hit her shed think this is physically painful not this is bad or even this is harming me), to completely disconnect from her own body, etc. at the beginning of the story her grandma sends her as some sort of an embassador to the court n in order to seduce the crown prince, marin, who is actually the first person in her life to actually care abt her. so she starts learning abt herself n putting boundries n becoming opinionated n actually seeking out pleasuring herself instead of only other ppl (for example she starts exploring her bisexuality n actually fucking women, not just making out w them for mens amusement) n basically becoming her own person. im still not sure how her ties to the cult will end - i dont want to abolish the cult entirely, but i do want to 100% Get Her Out Of There yknow. so yeah tysm again. im so normal abt this story

[zeherili-ankhein]

Okay so turns out Nonnos wasn't the only guy who fantasized about India being a Dionysian territory cuz his book was so influential that actually many other Greeks of his time had this mindset that India was civilized BECAUSE Dionysus went and conquered India.

BUT... the "civilized" part contradicts with Nonnos' Dionysiaca, because there we see how he portrays India, which is very civilized. Yes he does mention tribes and other mythical people, but he also mentions large Indian kingdoms, apart from Deriades' territory. His mention of Indians using metal armor AND their comparison to the Bachhae's natural foresty weapons further tells us that Indians were already civilized. Yes, we were racialized as "black-skinned" and stuff, but overall from an architectural pov, we were pretty sound. Also wasn't there a whole ass mention of Morrheus conquering the fucking Middle East??? Not only were we civilized but we were apparently invaders too ToT

Now one argument from the ancient Greeks side can be made is that, in the Dionysiaca, even before Dionysus tried invading, we can see every Indian worship the Greek gods, including the "brahmans", funnily. But then the question arises as to who spread the Hellenic religion in India in the first place? Was there an invader/preacher BEFORE Dio? Ion think so. Also, Hydaspes was a Greek god, and so were the rest of the Indian river deities, AND ofc Deriades. So maybe this is rather a case of Greek mythoverse (like how for an Indian Christian there's just the Christian God in India as well as everywhere else in the world) rather than spreading of a religion amongst other native religions.

So idk why they considered India as civilized BECAUSE Dio conquered it. Like, that contradicts the whole book which mentions the conquest in the first place.

India — The place (mostly) everybody's fantasy place [it's a joke people I won't take any attack]

1. So Nonnos was finally able to spread his propaganda of Dio's cult (kinda... Ig... Since people just took the entire thing differently)

Also it's funny that people even AFTER reading the Dionyciaca thought India became civilized because of that invasion... lmao like whom did Dio fight them ToT

Ok the racialization is kind of funny ngl, idk why but it just made me give a 🥹🤌 face

This is what happens in modern fandoms too I suppose, they read a book and make up their own headcanons which DO NOT support the “canon” AT ALL

Also I'm confused, as to how many Indian rivers the Greeks knew for them to have Gods for all those rivers

I don't think there were any invaders before Dionysus, Nonnos was just really creative

The mythverse theory seems plausible tbh, maybe Nonnos ignored the native religion factor and just went with the Greek Gods only thing, and they it continued to happen like that

It's so funny that they read the epic and went “ohh yk what I think? Yeah the whole story would be better if the main plot of the book DID NOT happen” 💀💀💀💀

[thereal-moonknight]

Omg the only guy in the greek pantheon who's cool is Dionysus. Just don't get roped into his death cult. Anyway yeah stay as far away from the greek gods as possible, they're full of drama.

does everyone have personal experience with the greek gods or something?

[johaerys-writes]

Do you have a deity from Greek mythology that interests you most than the others deities?

This is such an interesting question! I think about Greek mythology a lot, and specifically about the gods, but tbh I don't think I have one deity that I'm drawn to more than the others. Like I love learning tidbits about Apollo or Hermes or Athena but I can't say that I have a particular preference for any of them. What I do find fascinating though and keep being drawn to is the relationship between certain deities and how that is reflected culturally, in the art or worship or attitudes of that time, like Aphrodite and Ares (love and war), Charon and Hermes (the ferryman and the psychopomp), or my favourites Apollo and Dionysus. These two gods individually are very interesting, but it is the connections they share in cultural contexts that I find more fascinating, like the fact that Delphoi was considered a sacred place for both gods, with Apollo presiding over the Delphic oracle and practices in the spring, summer and fall, and then handing over the oracle to Dionysus for the three winter months. The two gods were considered counterparts of each other in many ways, with Apollo being the god of light, prophecy, truth, healing, etc and Dionysus embodying the unpredictability, or temporary insanity, if you will, of the winter months (as well as the darkness of winter, since he was considered a chthonic god and had connections to death and rebirth). There are many other aspects of the two gods that sort of contradict and also complement each other, both in the way they were viewed and also the way they were worshipped. I just find that sort of thing incredibly interesting to think about.

Some other things I find fascinating re: Greek deities is sort of following the progression of worship and godly figures, which gods stuck around since the Bronze Age or even before that, which have been absorbed by other gods, which have been forgotten completely, etc. Poseidon for example seems to be one of the older gods, Hestia is probably one of the later additions, while several minor gods that are known to have been worshipped in Mycenean times were gradually absorbed and replaced by Apollo. I just find that super interesting idk why haha. I feel like since worship and religion was such a central part of daily life, it tells us a lot about the people practicing it and believing in it, their worldview, their attitudes towards life, the world, each other, etc, and the few things we know about local deities or cults might tell us more about the people of that specific part of the world too. Sometimes when you visit those areas you might even be able to see the connections, even though it’s been thousands of years since then. It's one of the reasons I love history, archaeology and the classics in general, because it allows you a glimpse into those people's minds through the things that were important to them and you realise that we're not that different, that people have always been people.

Sorry if this was a bit rambly lol but yeah there it is! I'm just super interested in all deities, since they were in a sense all aspects of each other and were embodiments of different elements of nature, life or the human psyche, while also holding their own individual cosmology. Fascinating stuff!

[tavyliasin]

Tricks and Treats in the House of Hope - An ATG Side Story, Halloween Special

Haarlep hosts a party with a number of surprises...

Pairing: Astarion/Halsin/Tav/Haarlep/Raphael SPICE Rating: 6/5 Content Warnings: Sex, Bondage, Double Penetration, Oral Sex, Biting, Blood, Vampire Bite, Aphrodisiac (consenting), Costumes, Brat Taming, Orgy,  Collar/Mild Pet Play,   

Spoilers Act 3 House of Hope (Mild) Canon Compliance Not in the slightest this was purely for fun. Other Notes What was meant to be a short Halloween special turned into 5k words of a very hot orgy scene which I had far too much fun with! Mood/Music The Cult of Dionysus by The Orion Experience, ORION, Linda XO "Orgiastic dances, Nymphs in trances, Yeah, we'll be the envy of the gods above. I'm feeling devious You're looking glamorous Let's get mischievious And polyamorous Wine and women and wonderful vices Welcome to the cult of Dionysus"

----- FULL CHAPTER BELOW THE CUT -----

Raphael moaned beneath the white sheet. By all accounts this was completely ridiculous, it barely even counted as a costume, but Haarlep had insisted ...

He had been made to keep his human form, brown eyes just visible through the roughly cut holes in the white cotton, the hint of his expression somewhere caught between pleading and anger. "You're not even-" he shuddered, keeping a tenuous hold on his composure, "in a costume, Harlot. "

"Of course I am, Archduke , do I usually carry a pitchfork?"  The incubus let a sinister grin form upon their lips, with a hint of sharp teeth. They were in their usual harness, which had been embellished with a few ribbons and charms to count as being different . Their tail flickered swiftly, striking the "ghost" on the behind. "Good," they drawled seductively, "do keep *moaning* like that and I might give you a treat when we're home."

Beneath the "outfit" that covered him, Raphael was, of course, entirely naked. Well, except for the cruelly twisted ropes, and the various little devices that Haarlep had attached. The incubus made a slight motion with their hand and the intensity of the toy increased, drawing a prolonged groan from deep within the cambion.

"Oh this is such fun~ We should do this far more often." Haarlep grinned wickedly, tying the ornate masquerade mask over their face before pushing open the door to the ballroom. "Now, shall we have you greet your guests?" ---

“This isn’t…do we have to?” Tav looked over her shoulder, the muscular elf holding the other end of the chain attached to her collar. It was very…secure.

“You wished to attend the party, my heart, don’t you think you should dress the part?” He tugged the chain slightly, just enough so she could feel the pressure on her throat. “It’s not like I have a particularly comfortable outfit either, though. I would question Astarion’s taste, but he made quite the offer.” He pulled the chain wrapped around his other chain, earning a small moan from Tav’s left.

“Well,” the pale elf just about choked out, “perhaps I’m having some second thoughts about that.”

The three of them were making their way out to the House of Hope, the invitation was one they couldn’t really refuse. Halsin was dressed head to toe in fine silks, a gold edged mask secured over his eyes and forehead, adorned with sparkling jewels and feathers. The fine cloth was struggling to contain his large form, and he was clearly railing against the ruffled collar at his neck every time he moved. He channeled his irritation towards his partners, however, and had to cast mending on his lower clothing all too often as their reactions continued to rile him up.

Astarion was dressed like a cat, tail protruding from a hole in some rather short and tight leather leggings, leaving most of his legs exposed to the cool breeze. His upper body was still permitted a silk shirt, to cover his back, but the front was left far more open than usual. A little…overexcitement had torn it open when getting dressed, the slight mark of a bear claw on his chest. His collar, a little joke from the druid, read “Meowstarion”.

Tav, on the other hand, was dressed in what might have been called servant’s attire, if said servant worked exclusively for Haarlep. She was almost certain that this was who had sent the outfits for her and the vampire beside her. The collar was sturdy but covered in frills, her top revealing her entire bosom and a hint of the leather straps of the harness underneath. She fussed with the hem of her skirt, desperately wishing for it to at least reach the top of the stockings that rose up to her mid thigh.

“Oakfather preserve me, my heart, I believe I made myself clear already.” Halsin yanked her back to him, wrapping his arm around her throat and growling dangerously in her ear. “Your outfit will remain as it is. I want to feast upon you with my eyes, and if you are very lucky…” He left the sentence unfinished, instead running his tongue along the edge of her ear. “Now, behave. ”

Tav whimpered, the heat rising within her to an unbearable degree as she felt the druid’s outfit straining once more with the effort of keeping his excitement contained. She couldn’t resist the temptation. She rose up on her toes and rolled her hips to grind against him, relishing the gasp of heated breath against the back of her neck.

“Do not tempt me.” He warned, suddenly pushing her forwards again. “We do not want to be late.”

---

Haarlep grinned as they looked around at their soiree. It was hellishly divine, they had truly outdone themselves this year with the gifts they had sent out. Even the gith and the half elf were dancing together seductively, neither of their outfits leaving much to the imagination. When the doors opened next, they felt the frustration rise from the cambion “ghost” next to them. They manipulated their little toys again, pinching just a bit harder… “Did you have to invite all of them?” Raphael snarled through gritted teeth.

“Was I meant to leave your favourite client at home? Take a good look at her, Archduke , don’t you want to greet her?” Haarlep’s tail slid up the cambion’s leg, lighting up his nerves with fresh desires. “I can’t have them-” he gasped, the tip of Haarlep’s tail now threatening to join the toy that already filled him, “seeing me like this!” The incubus leaned in close to where his ear should be beneath the white sheet. “But they can’t see a single thing, not with this sheet here. Just keep up your ghostly moans, it’s very in character~” They laughed, an edge of cruelty in their voice as they withdrew their tail once more. The little whine of disappointment was the cherry on top of the delicious treat they were savouring. ---

“Is Haarlep even trying? I thought they’d come up with something inventive… And…Good gods is that Raphael in a sheet?!” Astarion could barely hold back the laugh, stopped only by Halsin looping a finger through his collar and growling in his ear. “We are guests here, Astarion, so remember to be a good pet or you will be taken out into the alley.” He punctuated the threat with a hand at the base of the “tail”, giving it just a little push and drinking in the moan like wine. Astarion didn’t seem to baulk at the threat in the slightest. Instead he leaned back, seductively reclining against the druid’s broad chest and tilting his head back to nibble along the edge of Halsin’s jaw. “If you want to take me outside, darling, all you need do is ask. I can think of plenty that we can do in a nice quiet spot-” “Control yourself,” Halsin groaned, finding it ever more difficult to follow his own order, “or you will be spending the night alone.” He gave the other man a short shove, quickly casting Mending on straining seams once again.

Tav felt a little jealous, or she did until Astarion collided with her back. His theatrical act of holding on to her to steady himself was fooling nobody, least of all Tav, but she let him anyway. She ached for the touch, and the firm grip on soft curves was almost as arousing as the whisper against her neck. “Keep riling him up, darling, and we will have quite the evening ahead of us. I do hope you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight. Or doing anything tomorrow.” He chuckled, taking just the smallest bite just beneath where her dress exposed her shoulder, quickly covering it up again to hide it from their lover. The incubus approached them, a swagger in their step and a grin on their face a mile wide. “I’m so very glad you could all make it, and don’t you look delicious ~” They were assessing each of the three in turn, sampling the flavours of arousal that were emanating from them even at several paces distance. “There will be time for the grand tour later, but perhaps you should get something to drink first? You do look so terribly thirsty.” Their look was more pointed than the claws they gestured with, a table laden with fine glasses waiting to be taken. Astarion gave the fare a sideways glance, before looking back at Haarlep. “That’s not some kind of rotten trickery again is it? I am dying - again - for a good wine right now.” Haarlep summoned a servant, ironically wearing more than the outfit that was barely covering Tav, who brought a tray of drinks across to them. “No devil trickery here, you are all more than valued guests tonight.” They took a glass and passed it to the almost silent spirit beside them. “Here, even your most gracious host will take a drink, right in front of you.” “Wait,” Tav butted in, calculating several different equations in her head to find the angle they were taking here. “I’ll choose the glass he drinks from, that way we know you haven’t planted one safe one amongst the others.” “Feeling bold today, are we?~” Haarlep crooned, laughing at the audacity of their guests. “That’s fine by me, each of these are the same. Although having you choose the Archduke’s fate, what an interesting thought.” Unseen behind cloth, they upped their wicked game again, giving a brief moment of further stimulation to the cambion. Raphael struggled to prevent his legs from quivering. If it weren’t for the tight ring at his base, the cotton sheet would need to be replaced already. He looked towards Haarlep, eyes almost watering. “The sheet.” He tried to keep the tough edge in his voice. “The costume ,” Haarlep corrected, “of course, I forgot to leave a hole for your mouth. How careless.” They pressed the fabric to the skin of his face and neck, one clawed hand gripping his chin and pulling the cotton tighter. Their other hand traced a lazy line to find the edge of his lips. “Ah, here you are.”

Raphael silently cursed under his breath as the incubus did exactly what they wanted, like they always did. Their claw cut a slit in the cotton in a smooth little line, just enough pressure to drag across his lip but not quite enough to draw blood. They brought their face closer, gazing deep into his eyes like a twisted mirror of all his darkest desire. He could smell the hot cinnamon and perfume, the soap he had massaged into their hair just hours earlier… When those infernal lips came just close enough to his own to feel the heat, yet still denying him the slightest physical touch, he nearly broke his veneer of calm to take the kiss he craved. Haarlep drew back, very satisfied with the helpless look in the eyes of the so-called “Master of the House”, lifting the glass to the newly torn hole. “Drink up, Archduke , taste the fruits of your labour, the treat that the Little Mouse chose just for you. ” He knew it wasn’t poison. That would be pointless, you don’t sacrifice the pieces from your own side of the board without very good reason and something much better to gain. But he also knew Haarlep was not playing idle games. No, the bitch was playing for keeps and loving every second. He caught the Little Mouse’s eyes, and drained the wine without pause. The temperature was both cooling and warming, and that hint of familiar flavour lingering on his lips confirmed his suspicions. It is going to be a long night, Little Mouse, you should have been more careful whose den you walked into.

Tav watched Raphael, or at least the sheet she assumed contained him, drink the wine in one leisurely motion as Haarlep poured it into his mouth. It was almost impossible to make out his expression, but he didn’t keel over. It would be difficult to know if he were simply immune to a poison that would kill her, but she couldn’t seem to find a reason why it might be dangerous. “The ghost isn’t dead,” Astarion said simply, stepping past her to take a glass from the tray, “so if the wine is safe for one undead then it’s safe enough for another. ” Despite his bold words, his first sip was tentative. “Wait.” Halsin commanded. “Like a cat, if you please, Meowstarion.” He tugged the vampire’s chain, encouraging him to face him again. “Meow~” Astarion returned Halsin’s intense gaze and began to lap at the wine, first almost comically with his tongue dipping in and out of the glass, but after a good few sips his motions became slower. Purposefully seductive. The heat was rising in him once again, and it showed both in the provocative way he drank the wine, and in the pink colour rising from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. Tav was captivated momentarily, watching the indecent display. Her focus was broken by a clawed hand on her shoulder, the other reaching around her holding two glasses. Haarlep was close enough to feel their heat on her back, but did not touch her beyond the fingers just pressing on her shoulder enough to feel. “You should both have some too, you know. Slake your thirst, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the party.” The way they spoke should’ve been ringing alarm bells in her mind, but even just watching the way her partners were riling each other up was making her skimpy outfit feel like far too much clothing. Haarlep was not blind to any of this either, subtly inhaling the scent of arousal from the hint of sweat beading on her bare skin. They slid around her depositing the glasses in her hand almost without her noticing.

“Come.” Halsin commanded, almost too effectively as he gestured to Tav. She curled herself into his outstretched arm, leaning against his chest and cursing the layers of silks keeping her from the warmth of his bare body. He took the second glass from her hand, inviting her to watch their lover seduce them both now. Tav took a sip of her own drink, finding the flavour pleasantly fruity, with a slight hint of cinnamon and clove that would likely make some overpaid journalist write a full page about ages and barrels. “This is…good…” She muttered cautiously, feeling the delightful warmth seeping through her body, blossoming and spreading into- Oh, shit. She realised too late what the trick was. She could feel Halsin breathing more heavily behind her now, too, the effects of the incubus’s saliva disguised in the wine taking hold of all of them. She looked back at Raphael, wondering if she was imagining the sheet shivering…

Haarlep spread their wings, stretching out and allowing themselves a pleased little flutter. All around the ballroom, glasses were being drained. Even Tav, who had clearly worked out the ruse, continued to drink. I knew I liked you for a reason, Little Mouse, you step into my trap and continue to take the cheese. 

—

The soiree had been decorated and laid out to Haarlep’s very specific instructions. Heavy velvet curtains had been hung strategically, disguising the entrances to side rooms laden with cushions, beds, and even…tools… One by one they began to fill, the curtains drawing closed, except from those who preferred an audience. Shadowheart and Lae’zel looked as if they were fighting as they disappeared through a curtain themselves, though it was anyone’s guess as to what methods they were like to use or who was likely to “win”. Haarlep enjoyed listening out to that one particularly, it was…unexpected. Somewhere in a dark corner, a tall human dressed in an intimidating outfit that barely tried to hide a tapestry of scars lead an elf with a white raven into a room which had been laid out with their very specific complement of instruments. That one was Haarlep’s very favourite little friend, and they could tell the man with tentacle tattoos around his eyes would be the perfect playmate for him. The music they would make… They could dance to it all night. Other couples and groups slowly left the ballroom, aside from one pair who were simply dancing. Haarlep wondered if they should intervene, encourage them to drink if they hadn’t yet, but seeing the fiery Tiefling dance with the horned gentleman was in its own way endearing. They were enraptured with each other, in a way the incubus no longer wished to interrupt. They had enough of a banquet already. 

They turned back to their…plate? They had picked out their morsels with care, and seasoned them just perfectly. “Why don’t we all make ourselves more comfortable, follow me~” 

—

Halsin dragged his two lovers behind him, admittedly curious about the incubus and feeling a desperate need that perhaps even two hot bodies would not be enough to sate. His nails dug into his palms as he gripped the chains, the seams in his clothes finally forgotten and coming undone as he marched them into the room behind the devil and the ghost. Raphael walked alongside Haarlep, just half a step behind them, struggling to walk straight. It was maddening, his home, even his body being used by the bastard strutting without a single care in the world. But he was too lust-drunk to protest, and he knew he would end the night satisfied one way or another. In some ways that was worse, knowing that Haarlep was right and usually were, too. Tav stared in wonder, the room was positively decadent, and yet there were so many hidden secrets. It wasn’t Haarlep and Raphael’s usual bedchamber, this place was…different. A pool still sat behind screens on the far side of the room, healing was clearly considered a necessity. Remembering her prior experiences, that was almost a relief. Haarlep gestured to the bed, winking to Halsin. “Make yourself at home, I just have one last loose end to tie up .” Raphael moaned as the gag was pressed against his lips. His arms had been bound beneath the sheet the entire time, he was completely unable to resist, not that he had any intention. He wouldn’t admit it, but he craved this. He needed it. The incubus was extremely good at everything they did. He gave them just one crumb of recognition, a hissed whisper before he bit down on the leather bar. “Fine, Haarlep, do as you wish.”  “Oh, I planned to, Raphael.” The dropping of insulting pet names was as close to a declaration of affection as the two would ever get. There was no kindness in clawed red fingers that scraped against heated skin, drawing down the hooks from above and carefully securing them through tiny cuts made in the fabric. 

Halsin wasn’t sure where to look. He stood on the opposite side of the bed to where the incubus was beginning to make the moaning ghost float in the air, suspended by carefully placed rope, the cotton sheet just barely revealing what was beneath as the spirit was fixed facing the bed. In Between them, however, were his two personal pets, crawling onto the sheets as he tugged their chains to direct them. Astarion’s bare chest looked delicious, and Tav…the blush on every area of her skin was just as enticing. With a quiet rip, more seams were obliterated silks giving way to tense muscles and tenser-

Halsin didn’t notice. He didn’t care. He only wanted one thing. Well, three things, if he was honest. The two lovers on the bed, and the incubus who turned to watch them with a smile, their tail flicking upwards to make the ghost moan once more.

“Drink.”

The command from the druid’s lips reached Astarion’s pointed ears like a drug more intoxicating than the aphrodisiac-spiked wine. He didn’t need a second word.

Tav leaned back automatically, reclining against the soft pillows and tilting her head to expose her neck. Astarion approached her on all fours, crawling as cat-like as he could, swishing his hips to move the tail behind him. He could feel the eyes on him, and he was ready to put on a show. He nuzzled into Tav’s neck, the bell on his collar jingling next to the tag, and ran his tongue slowly along the line of her veins. The noise caught in her throat was almost enough to drive him to a frenzy, and he bit hard, relishing the latest sound to spill from her lips as heated blood poured into his own.

Halsin frowned, the vampire might go too far if he did not remember to rein in his lust-parched thirst. Haarlep caught his eye and simply winked, an unspoken thought passing between the two.

Astarion broke his connection to Tav’s neck as the fiend’s tail curled around his forehead and eyes pulling him back and taking his vision. Behind him, he felt the tail of his costume moving, quickening his breath as the weight of the druid settled on the bed behind him.

“He told you to drink, little kitten, not to kill. The Rat is not to be emptied like your last meal.” Haarlep growled a slight warning, while stroking the elf’s silvered hair.

“I was fine,” Tav gasped, longing for the fangs to return with their incredible heat and the edge of pain that drove her wild every time, “I can handle being a little drained.”

“You will need your energy, Rat. You are dressed as a servant, perhaps it is time for you to serve.” Haarlep looked her in the eye, the searing gaze of the flames carrying several levels of meaning. “Druid, handle your animal.”

Halsin wrapped a strong arm around Astarion’s chest, holding him tight but firm as he pulled him down the bed, stopping as the vampire’s shoulders were just below Tav’s hips. “This time, drink nicely. Just like you did with the wine earlier.”

Astarion thought for a moment about disobeying, but the druid’s hand was already at his “tail” again, stirring it in a way that made him moan loudly even as he began to dip his tongue with swift flickering motions, tasting Tav like she was indeed his favourite drink. Which wouldn’t even be an inaccurate sentiment…

Meanwhile, Haarlep had mounted Tav’s chest, their knees pinning her shoulders and arms to her sides. They licked their finger and held it to her lips. “Show me. You can handle a little more, Rat, I know what you’re capable of.”

The feeling of her lover’s tongue made her mouth open anyway, her breath seeking a quicker exit from her body as her nerves lit up. Tav obeyed the incubus above her, wrapping her lips around their finger, savouring the slight heat and cinnamon, relishing in the feeling of the aphrodisiac effect heating her entire body like a hundred fires lit within her all at once. Still…the look on their face…it was too self-satisfied. She bit down on their knuckle, drawing just the smallest drop of blood that tasted like molten iron.

Haarlep laughed. Somewhere behind them, Raphael rolled his eyes. He knew that sound, he knew it all too well. The Mouse was pushing her luck…but at least this time, it would work in his favour. His own finger still felt warm, the slight edge of pain carrying across through Haarlep’s connection. Using his form like this…it was exciting.

Halsin watched his pet go to work on his other love, not caring much about what the incubus was doing. As long as neither of his hearts signalled their wish to stop, he would continue to indulge all of them. And he was so very intrigued by the huge red wings spread out before him and the long tail curling of its own accord.

Astarion wiggled his hips, an invitation to the man behind him, knowing his usual…preferences. He moaned a little, letting the vibrations of his voice move his tongue more as he continued to savour Tav’s warmth and the way she would writhe beneath him.

The invitation was clear to Halsin, but he hadn’t decided exactly what he wanted… The tail was clearly still stimulating, so that toy could remain in place, but he needed something… The idea sparked in his mind as he saw the incubus sliding their harness to one side. The druid shuffled, glad of the huge bed space they had, and rolled onto his back. He pulled himself up the bed so he was right beneath Astarion’s hips, and tore away all the clothing in the way of his prize with his teeth.

The vampire yelped, almost stopping his work, but a swift grip on his rear put him back to work. Halsin did not waste time either, taking the entire length between his lips and working his tongue in maddening patterns across every sensitive inch.

Tav was in a similar situation, faced with the perfect copy of Raphael’s cambion form. She grabbed Haarlep’s harness and pulled them close, almost choking as she took them too deep into her throat too fast. The sensation, however, was intense. She stubbornly kept going, delighting in the words of praise that rained down from above her, encouraging her to keep going. She was almost certain she heard a spirit whining pitifully somewhere off to the side, too, but her mind - and mouth - were too full to give it a second thought.

—

Raphael hung in the air, eyes fixed on the scene before him. All four of them were ravenous, insatiable, and Haarlep was feasting on their desire as well as his own. They looked at him again, a wicked smile curling across their features, and finally gave the quiet permission for him to transform.

Red wings wanted to spread behind him, but Haarlep had planned ahead. Slack rope that had sat around his shoulders was now taut around the wings, preventing them from doing anything more but helplessly struggle. The rest of the bindings had just enough give to account for the growth of his body, and the only thing left free was his tail. He flicked it in the air below him, the end the only part sticking out from beneath the sheet. He knew Haarlep would have no time for him, so he curled the tail up between his own legs and took a grip to mirror what the Little Mouse’s lips were doing, eyes fixed on her every motion.

—

Mouths, lips, tongues, they all danced in the night’s soiree. Haarlep conducted the infernal orchestra, feeling an intense power flooding through them as their favourite Rat and her Vampire were both overcome by the waves of intense pleasure. They held back from their own precipice though, denying Raphael his own for now. No, that would be too easy.

Besides, the most interesting participant at the end of the bed had been too busy giving to receive. Haarlep sensed his would be the most delectable climax to sample, the sheer lust emanating from him was palpable even to those without the incubus’s senses.

Tav gasped for air, partly from having her mouth full for some time, and partly from the orgasm that had just ripped through her body without mercy. Haarlep moved off her now, kneeling to one side and waiting patiently for the other two elves to finish, drinking in the sight of the larger man taking every last drop from his pale lover.

“Do any of you wish to stop?” Haarlep looked over with a smirk, knowing the answer even as the others still licked the moisture from their lips.

“More.” Halsin nodded.

“Now.” Astarion gasped.

“Please.” Tav whined.

Somewhere above them, the "ghost" whimpered his agreement.

It took only a few minutes for Haarlep to reorganise things to their satisfaction. They lay on their back for once, arms behind their head, looking towards the three before them. “Rat, you should be prepared.”

Tav swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. But she was nothing if not determined. The incubus saliva had certainly helped. Behind her, Halsin and Astarion were readying themselves with scented lotion and careful fingers, and in front of her the incubus was licking their hand once again.

“Not for your mouth, this time, Rat. No, this will make things…easier.” They caressed her hip with one hand, whilst plunging their prepared fingers deep within her core.

Tav wasn’t sure she needed the extra lubrication, she was already a mess, but she soon felt the other effect of their saliva. Tense and heated muscles began to relax a little around his fingers, allowing for more to slip inside, stretching carefully. The groan from behind her told her that the situation there was hardly any different. The desire within her to be completely filled was becoming insatiable. The incubus merely smirked at her.

“You are so very delicious~” They whispered, so only she might hear. The words alone had her voice mingling with her heavy breaths, not forming any language but that of pure lust.

It wasn’t long before Astarion’s hands were caressing her back, his lips coming to meet her shoulders and kissing lines of affection up to her ear. “Are you ready, darling? For us?”

She nodded, understanding the meaning in his words. Haarlep guided her hips to above them, lowering her down carefully, slowly, so she could feel the friction of every ridge. Flush to their body, they were not done.

“Closer, Rat.” They pulled her body forward, leaving her exposed to the lover behind her.

She was grateful for the incubus’s ministrations now, as Astarion carefully lined up and gradually entered her, groaning himself as he felt the incubus against him.

—

Raphael watched on, almost impressed as well as overwhelmed by the phantom tight feelings gripping him harder than his own tail did, as the last of the four manoeuvred on his knees, entering the pale elf with a gentle care and delicacy. The “tail” had long since been discarded, but most of the clothes remained on. Well, except for the druid’s. Muscles, and more, had long since turned the fine outfit into little more than rags, only the ruffled collar and cuffs remaining in one piece.

It was an utterly debauched sight. He strained at all of the ropes, desperate to feel more, to be where Haarlep was, where any of them were. He was not entirely immune to Haarlep’s abilities, and it had been hours since the toys had been set to their dastardly work on his body. He needed more, wanted more, he tried to cry out around the gag loud enough for the others to hear but their own lewd sounds were drowning him out.

—

Haarlep glanced over at their captive, deeply satisfied with how needy he looked. They grinned wickedly as they licked the tip of their tail, curling it around beneath them. They were delighted with their work, seeing their favourite toy filled with not one but two of them, moving in tandem and making her feel every single nerve and muscle as she rode out wave after wave of pleasure from their motion.

The druid on the other side of the complex equation was adding to it all, matching the pace that the incubus set at every turn, taking his cues from them and savouring the pleasure of both of his lovers. Haarlep wondered, perhaps, what the man might be like on his own, but that didn’t matter now. They considered this a test of his worth, to see which would outlast the other. Perhaps not a fair test, as the elf only had one partner clenched around him, whilst Haarlep not only filled Tav but ground against Astarion inside her, their own tail teasing within them at the same time just to add to Raphael’s torture.

Indeed, Haarlep was almost completely overwhelmed. Every room in their halls was filled with a similar scene, pleasure echoing off the walls, seeping into every stone, heating the hells themselves far beyond their usual searing flame. For once, it became hard for them to hold back. This was their finest hour, their masterpiece, the culmination of multiple carefully laid plan coming to one excruciatingly delicious climax. — The ghost was the first to lose the game, spilling forth across the floor from where he remained hanging, breathless, helpless, and utterly satisfied. Tav had lost count of the amount of peaks her pleasure had reached, but when she felt the shuddering climax of Astarion throbbing inside her, her head damn near burst. The white hot pleasure was followed not long after by the incubus adding to it, pulsing through the aftershock and leaving her entire body weak. It would have been impossible to say who won between the incubus and the druid, as Halsin roared like a wild beast the moment he felt his lover tighten around him with his own release. He held on tight to Astarion’s chest, soothing him through the intensity, pressing loving kisses across his shoulders and neck even as he was overcome by his own mind shattering climax. 

— They almost collapsed in the aftermath, sprawling out across the bed, unable to form words, just sounds, the odd giggle as the intense pleasure subsided. Halsin gathered his lovers into his arms, one either side, and lay holding them close, soothing them and caressing them with gentle hands. Haarlep glanced down at the trio as they went to release Raphael from his bindings, even indulging him by carrying him over to the pool when his legs refused to stay upright. It took a while before the lovers on the sheets were ready to move to the healing waters, Halsin supporting them both with his arms around their waists, their own arms linking behind his back. Haarlep noted, with some approval, that the man didn’t even seem fully satisfied. They guessed he might well be able to continue far longer, had his partners had any ability to move at all. This would be something to consider later… They spent a long time resting, tending to each other, gradually coming down from the dizzying heights they had ascended to in Haarlep’s little game. By morning, a lot of exhausted but satisfied bodies were leaving through the portals, and barely any still had the clothes they arrived in. Fresh outfits had been laid out in each room, almost in anticipation of this very outcome. The sight of so many walking home might have been described by some as a Mass Exodus of Shame, but there was no room for shame in Haarlep’s domain. They smiled and waved, knowing their delightful little trick meant they wouldn’t need to feed again for weeks. Although, they wouldn’t mind a little treat …

----------- ----------- ENDING NOTES ----------- -----------

If you're wondering "where in the hells was Gale for all this", honestly? He might've been accidentally left at camp. He got a one shot and a side story sequel later so I consider that I have made it up to him now.