#the filthier it is the more plot and feelings are involved
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#any time i try to write smut more often than not#the filthier it is the more plot and feelings are involved#i would say this applies to#ac fic: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum#ac fic series: the pleasurable suffering of desmond miles#but we all know#im talking about that desmond x basim fic im writing right now#oh my god#it's 13k!!!!#whhhyyyy#i just wanted basim to get fucked#i ended up searching for specific types of dildos instead#google i swear#if you start suggesting i buy sex toys#i will uninstall you
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Falling for a God
A/N: Forgot to properly post/format this fic, so here ya go ya filthy animals (ok but i wrote it so Iâm filthier)
AO3 Link
Pairing: Loki x Reader
Word Count: 7.1k
Rating: Explicit (18+)
Summary:Â âTell me, does being touched by a god make you nervous? I can feel you quivering, are you afraid?â Loki pauses, then leans down until his lips are almost touching your ear. âOr is that arousal I sense?âYou have a huge crush on Loki, there's lots of sexual tension, y'all fuck. That's the plot.
âNat,â you whine. âI feel like youâre not even listening.â You prance to the front of her, spinning around to walk backwards.
Natasha rolls her eyes. âWow, are you sure you arenât pyschic?â She keeps up her brisk pace, and you nearly trip over yourself trying to keep up.
âThatâs so rude!â You exclaim, but canât hold back a giggle. Despite her cold demeanor, you know that Nat is just messing with you. Shooting a quick glance backwards, you decide that your path is clear, and return your gaze to your friend. âYouâll tell me if Iâm about to run into something, right?â
With a wry grin, Natasha gives you a thumbs up. You beam at her. âAnyway,â Â you continue. âI started watching this new TV show last night, and it is so, totally awesome. Thereâs this guy, and he has these badass powers, and heâs fighting this girl, and she has-â
Thump.
A small oof escapes from your mouth as your back collides with something solid. You pitch forward in surprise, and yelp as you try to stabilize yourself before you fall. Large, warm hands grab your waist, tightening around you to keep you from toppling over. You sigh in relief as your frantic heart slows to a normal rhythm. âWow, thanks,â you say, and spin around to reveal the identity of your saviour.
Piercing blue eyes meet yours, and your breath catches in your throat. âCareful, pet,â Loki murmurs softly, a sly grin spreading across his lips. His hands slide off of your waist, making contact with the sliver of skin between your shorts and your top on the way. An involuntary shiver creeps up your spine, and you bite your lip.
The reaction doesnât go unnoticed by the ever-perceptive trickster, and his eyes flash with surprise. âAre my hands really that cold?â Loki teases. âPerhaps you could help me warm them up.â His tone is playful, but thereâs something deeper underneath his banter that makes you think heâs actually flirting.
You can tell that your cheeks are red, and you choose not to respond to Lokiâs question in fear of making an even bigger fool of yourself. A stammered apology tumbles from your lips, and you look back towards Natasha with a look of betrayal. She grins and shrugs. âI forgot to warn you. Oops.â Your mouth drops open. That scheming little devil. She knows about your crush on Loki, and she still allows you to make a fool out of yourself?
Your interactions with Loki were sparse, to say the least. Aside from a few casual conversations in a group, you had barely even talked to him. Still, he captivated you from the very first day he arrived at the compound. He was exactly your type; tall, dark, and brooding. Aside from Thor, most everyone gave Loki a wide berth, hesitant to forget the battle for New York. You, however, didnât see a villain. You saw pain behind those blue eyes, and could empathize with Lokiâs behavior. You knew all too well that it hurt to live in someoneâs shadow, and sometimes acting out was a cry for help. Granted, Lokiâs outbursts were far more drastic than yours had ever been, but it was more or less the same on a base level. And, the fact that he constantly had a witty remark on the tip of his tongue never ceased to entertain you. The man liked to hear himself talk, and damn, so did you.
It takes you a second to realize that youâve been staring. You clear your throat awkwardly and look to the floor, eager to hide your discomfort. âUm, thank you for catching me,â you manage. When you look back up, Loki is wearing an odd expression. His pretty eyes are narrowed, searching your face. The scrutiny only embarasses you further. âWell, see you around!â WIth that, you dart around Loki and scurry off. Natasha follows you, snickering softly.
When you reach the common area, you plop yourself down on the couch and groan, throwing an arm over your face. Natasha sits down beside you. âSmooth,â she says, drawing out the word obnoxiously.
You remove your arm from over your eyes and give Natasha a withering look. âSo not funny.â
Nat positively cackles at that. âOh, come on,â she says. âHeâd be an idiot to not at least have a thing for you, I mean, youâre smoking! â She looks you up and down. âNice rack, too.â
A giggle bursts from your lips. âNat. Oh, my god. Stop objectifying me.â
Shaking her head, Natasha replies, âMe, objectify? I would never.â
That earns her an eye roll from you. âSure. Anyway, can we please change the subject? Iâm sick of talking about my embarrassing Loki crush.â
âWhat does âcrushâ mean?â
You freeze. Now that was a distinct voice. âThor,â you choke out. âWhen did you get here?â
Thor walks up behind the couch and swings himself over the back, making the poor piece of furniture creak in protest. He settles next to you, effectively sandwiching you between him and Natasha. âJust long enough to hear you discussing my brother. Now, will you please enlighten me on this strange Midgardian term?â
Before you can shut him down, Nat pipes up from the other end of the sofa. âIt means she likes him. Romantically. Sexually. â
The temptation to throw yourself onto the floor wailing is high. Instead, you opt to beg for your life. Still embarrassing, but slightly more productive than throwing a tantrum. âNat!â You screech. You turn to Thor with pleading eyes. âPlease, donât say anything to him.â
Thor furrows his eyebrows. âWhat an odd expression. Youâd think that the word âcrushâ would be associated with something negative.â He places a big hand on your thigh. âIf what Lady Natahsa says is true, then why would you not tell my brother? He is quite vain, you know. Iâm sure he would be delighted to know that a beautiful woman is attracted to him!â
You groan and bury your face in your hands. These Asgardians will be the death of you. âItâs not that simple, Thor. What if he rejects me? Iâd never be able to show my face around him again!â
Thereâs a pause, and then Thor asks you in a much gentler tone, âIt seems as though you care for Loki a great deal more than you are letting on. Are you really afraid of embarrassment, or is it the heartbreak you fear?â
Youâre glad that your hands are covering your face, because the way the color drains out of it at Thorâs question would have given you away. âNo,â you mumble through your fingers. But heâs right, you do care for Loki more than youâd ever admit. His image ran through your head at night when you were trying to sleep, and his voice was what came to mind when your fingers were between your legs and you were pretending they were-
You rub at your eyes, then look up at Thor in desperation. âPlease, if you really care about me as a friend, youâll keep this secret.â You shoot a look at Natasha. âYou, too. I may not be able to take Thor in a fight, but I could kick your ass.â You know you sound like a pathetic teenager, but youâre past the point of caring. You were perfectly happy admiring Loki from afar, and didnât want to get your hopes up just to be met with shame.
Natasha scoffs. âAs if.â Before she can continue. Thor holds up his hand.
âLady Natasha, I believe we should stay out of this. I have done a great deal of meddling in my brotherâs life, and Iâve learned that even the best intentions can cause disaster when Loki is involved.
âThank you, Thor,â you say gratefully, relief evident in your voice. With a tired sigh, you hoist yourself up from the couch and turn to face your friends. âWell, I think Iâve had enough excitement for today. Iâm going to hibernate, see you next spring.â
Natasha giggles and blows you a kiss goodbye while Thor scrunches up his face in confusion at your joke. Oh, well. Maybe heâd understand Midgardian humor one day.
*
Thunder rages outside your window while you toss and turn. You roll over to glance at your clock, and scowl when it flashes â3AM.â Giving up on the prospect of sleep, you opt for creeping to the kitchen for a midnight snack. Your bare feet pad down the carpet, and you shiver slightly at the cold air of the hall. Goosebumps rise on your bare legs and you start to regret your decision not to put on pants.
To get to the kitchen, you have to walk through the common area, and for a moment you linger just outside the entryway. Thereâs a soft glow coming from the corner of the room, and you mentally groan, hoping itâs one of the female inhabitants of the compound. You werenât too excited at the idea of walking past one of the guys in just a sleep shirt and underwear. Still, your mission for food is not one youâre willing to give up on. Taking a deep breath, you step out of the hallway and into the room. And nearly pass out.
Across the room, perched in one of the loveseats, is Loki. Heâs sitting with his legs curled underneath him, thumbing through a book. You consider darting back into the safety of the hall, but youâre too late. Loki has already noticed you, and is now staring far too intently for your liking. Suddenly feeling very exposed, you tug on the hem of your shirt, trying to pull it further down your legs. âSorry to disturb you,â you whisper, afraid to break the deafening silence. Loki raises an eyebrow at you, then turns back to his book. You arenât sure if youâre relieved or disappointed when his gaze leaves you.
Not wanting to linger in the entryway any longer, you make your way across the room, keeping your eyes down. As you pass Loki, a loud clap of thunder booms outside, and already being on edge, you yelp. Startled from the deafening sound in an otherwise quiet room, you stagger, falling backwards onto the loveseat. Right next to Loki. The sofa is small, and in your splayed out position, youâre almost half on top of the god.
Loki flinches away, and you immediately begin to apologize. âI am so sorry. I donât know what happened, I guess I just lost my footing. Did I hurt you?â As you talk, you push yourself off of Loki and cower into the other side of the loveseat. Some more rational part of your brain urges you to get up, give him some more space, but you donât listen. As embarrassed as you are, youâre not quite ready to give up this closeness to the object of your affection.
With a huff, Loki straightens himself and gives you a cool look. âYou did not hurt me, mortal. I was simply surprised.â Then, having composed himself, he smirks and sets his book on the end table beside him. âI suppose it is only natural to have weak knees in the presence of a god.â
The comment lightens the mood, and you find yourself relaxing next to him. âYouâre right, Thorâs thunder does make me a tad unsteady.â
At that, Loki stiffens, obviously having not expected you to return his teasing. For a brief moment, you feel proud. Then, something changes in his expression, and he scoots closer to you. His hand finds your bare thigh, and the contact sends butterflies through your stomach. Loki senses your restlessness and gives you a predatory grin. âIs that so? Are you telling me that this,â he squeezes your thigh, and you gasp. âDoesnât make you feel...faint?â His voice is low, and he almost purrs the last few words.
You fight hard to keep your breathing even, not wanting to give away just how flustered you are. The heavy weight of his hand feels heavenly, and you can feel your panties grow damp. God, you hope he canât smell it.
This predatory tone is so much different than the playful teasing that you usually receive from Loki. Youâve never seen his blue eyes so dark, and the unfamiliarity of it all tightens your stomach.
Taking your silence as a challenge, Loki presses himself even closer to you. His fingers creep up your leg, closer to your underwear. âTell me, does being touched by a god make you nervous? I can feel you quivering, are you afraid?â Loki pauses, then leans down until his lips are almost touching your ear. âOr is that arousal I sense?â
Fuck. A full body shiver skates across your skin, and despite your best efforts, a small moan breaks free from your throat. Lokiâs hand feels like a brand on your thigh, sending waves of heat up your body. The warmth pools between your legs, and you canât help but shift a bit. Knowing that your panties are the only barrier between your soaking heat and the sofa, you arch your hips ever so slightly to keep from soiling the cushion.
Of course, your small movements donât go unnoticed. Lokiâs eyes are hooded as they rake across your bare legs, and you can hear his breathing get a bit heavier. He looks up at you, pupils dilated. âOh, pet, look at you. Barely even touched, and already-â
Heâs cut off by the sound of footsteps echoing through the hall, headed in your direction. Loki curses softly and reluctantly draws his hand away, then moves as far away as the small sofa allows. Your skin aches at the loss of contact.
The interrupting strangerâs footsteps approach the entrance to the common room, then carry on past. You let out the breath you didnât know youâd been holding, thankful that you wouldnât have to explain anything. Something tells you that, while thereâs nothing going on now, sitting with Loki in the middle of the night might raise a few eyebrows.
You and Loki are alone again, but the moment has passed. Whatever spell that had overcome the two of you is gone, and all thatâs left is a quiet room and a dim light. âI apologize, I believe I have overstepped,â Loki says, and for the first time, he sounds...unsure. His voice has lost that arrogant confidence that it normally carries, and he sounds like a child that has just been caught stealing cookies from the jar.
You bite your lip and risk a glance at Loki. Heâs still pressed against the opposite arm of the loveseat, and is avoiding your eyes. Without the atmosphere of desire from before, now you just feel...awkward. Sighing softly, you rise to your feet and make your way to the hallway. You pause briefly in the entryway, and breathe out a âgoodnight, Loki.â You donât wait for a response, instead turning and trudging back towards your room.
As you flop back down in bed, you replay the nightâs events over in your mind. It almost feels like a dream, and youâre having trouble believing that Loki, the God of Mischief, had actually come on to you. It didnât seem plausible. Youâre just a plain mortal, nothing special, no powers. Sure, your combat skills could rival Natashaâs, but besides that, you canât find anything about yourself that would attract a god.
Eventually, you decide that maybe Loki was just horny, and you were in the right place at the right time. You did walk out without pants on, after all. No matter the reasoning, you know not to expect a repeat occurrence, given how regretful he had seemed afterwards. Tears brim in your eyes as the reality of the situation hits you; Loki regrets touching you. It seems that your crush was one-sided, and even though you werenât surprised, that didnât mean it didnât hurt.
*
Things are tense around the compound. You creep around corners, terrified of accidentally finding yourself in the same room as Loki. And it seems that Loki is taking the same precautions, because you havenât even seen a glimpse of him since that night. The ache in your heart from his rejection still keeps you up at night, and you still find yourself pining over him like a lovesick idiot.
Ever the observer, Natasha catches on quickly. âAre you really still embarrassed about bumping into Loki?â She asks after cornering you in the kitchen. âYouâre not acting like yourself, and it is beyond obvious something is bothering you.â
You groan at her around a mouthful of a granola bar. âAre you really still thinking about it?â You counter.
Nat rolls her eyes. âPlease, itâs hard to pretend it didnât happen when youâre playing this stupid cat and mouse game. I see you check every room for him, I canât believe you even care that much. He barely even touched you!â
A piece of your snack shoots down your throat with your gasp. You double over, wheezing and coughing. Natasha slaps a hand on your back, sighing. When you finally catch your breath, you glare at Nat. âYeah, maybe thatâs the issue.â
You immediately regret your words as a fire lights itself in Natashaâs eyes. âWant me to help?â
âNat, hold on. No thanks-â
âShush, trust me!â To your dismay, Natasha is already on her way out of the kitchen when she finishes hushing you. You whimper out a half-baked protest, but your friend is long gone by the time the words leave your mouth. Fuck, youâre so screwed.
LIfe  was very quickly becoming a stressful game of hide and seek. Youâd resorted to spending most of the day in your room, hoping to avoid Loki, and more importantly, Natasha. Youâre not sure what she has planned, but it canât be anything good. As weeks pass by with no incident, however, you begin to drop your guard. Maybe sheâs taking pity on you.
Itâs around noon when you get the text. Itâs an all caps message from Nat, pleading with you to at least hear her out before saying no.
Thatâs a terrifying text. Iâm listening.
Nat: I may have bragged my way into a drinking contest with Thor, and I need a teammate to make it fair.
You want to try and outdrink Thor????
Nat: I want US to outdrink him. I convinced him that itâd be more balanced if it was 2 to 1.
You owe me.
Nat: :)
It was a terrible idea, but maybe a nice night of getting hammered is just what you need to break you out of your funk. Despite your initial reluctance, you find yourself getting excited. You hadnât really relaxed in ages, this would be a good thing.
As the hours pass, you start to get nervous. Itâs been so long since youâve gotten properly drunk, and you seriously doubt youâll be able to keep up with even Natasha. Still, a promise is a promise, and you have far too much pride to chicken out now.
The clock reaches nine oâclock, and you sigh. Showtime. Before leaving your suite, you set several glasses of water and a bottle of Advil on your nightstand. If youâre going to fuck over your future self, you might as well try to ease her pain. You take a deep breath and spare a glance over at the mirror against your bedroom wall. You had opted for something comfy, but cute; an emerald green dress that stopped just above your mid-thigh, and fell off of one shoulder effortlessly.
Okay, so maybe you had wanted to get a tiny bit dressed up. Youâre sure Nat will tease you for it, but sometimes a girl just wants to feel pretty.
A bit breathless from those pre-competition nerves--yes, a drinking contest was that serious--you make your way to the kitchen. As you round the corner, you stop dead in your tracks. Sitting at the bar Tony had insisted on installing, is Nat and Thor, of course. But next to them, perched delicately on one of the stools, is Loki. He wears a look of disdain, as if this entire competition is beneath him. You hope he canât tell how badly you want to be beneath him.
Natasha gives you a wicked grin as Thor waves you over, his smile far more innocent-looking than Natâs, though youâre sure he had a part in this. Cursing your terrible friends under your breath, and yourself for falling for it, you trudge over. Naturally, the only stool left is the one on the end, directly next to Loki. You gingerly hoist yourself up and slide onto the seat.
You stubbornly keep your eyes on the counter, not daring to even glance up at Loki. Itâs obvious from the way heâs angling himself away from you and towards his brother that heâs regretting that night, and doesnât want to be near you. You donât blame him, humans must seem like animals compared to gods. The reality is that you were a mistake to him, and you just needed to accept that and move past.
Breaking the awkward silence, Thor produces a jug of what looks like beer from god knows where. He grins and gestures to it grandly. As he opens his mouth to speak, you cut him off. âHold up! I thought this was two against one? Loki being here makes it unfair.â
Natasha rolls her eyes at you. âYeah, I may have bent the truth to get you to come out. Itâs teams of two, but we have a handicap. Our drinks and shots count as twice the actual amount, and theyâll be drinking Asgardian mead. So,â She smirks. âNo more complaints, letâs do this shit.â
You swallow nervously at the mention of shots. You could hold your liquor fairly well, but you and shots had...history. Nat knew how touchy you got when you were drunk, and how much of an oversharer you tended to be. Though you have to admit that her plan is almost flawless, youâre still unimpressed with her shenanigans. Sheâs pretty much set you up to embarrass yourself.
You twiddle your thumbs in your seat as Natasha grabs a bottle of Svedka from behind the bar and begins to pour the beginning drinks. Following her lead, Thor pops open his jug and splits it between two large glasses, then passes one to Loki, who sighs in apparent boredom. He shoots you an unreadable look, then grabs one of the shot glasses that Natasha filled and slides it your way.
With a mumbled âthanks,â you gingerly take the glass, and look at Nat and Thor. Thor raises his glass. âMay the better warriors win!â He announces, then tips back his glass. You roll your eyes at the word choice, but bring the shot glass to your lips and throw your head back. The liquor goes down rough, but you manage to keep your poker face and grit your teeth against any retches.
âThe lady can drink!â Thor bellows, wiping at his face.
You shrug, wanting the spotlight off of you. âUm, I went to college?â
Before Thor can question you, Natasha cuts in. âHello? I took it just as well, whereâs my applause?â
âNatasha, you are not a lady,â Loki deadpans. Nat glares and pours herself another shot in response, throwing back the second one just as easily as she had the first. She then points at you. You canât help the laugh that bubbles up. Despite everything, Loki was still Loki, and he still had your heart. It seems that the tension between you and Loki dissolves after you laugh at his quip, and he relaxes his stiff posture.
You sigh in relief and reach for the bottle to refill your own glass. This time, it goes down easier. That is, until the burns travels past your stomach, right down to between your legs. You squirm in place at the unexpected burst of arousal. Still, you should have been ready for it. Alcohol has always gotten you a little worked up. It was your mistake to believe you could fight it.
Despite the setback, you keep up with your teammate as the night goes on. Shot after shot, broken up by the easy conversation that emerges as the liquor continues to flow.
Youâre not sure when the competition was forgotten, but you soon find yourself splayed on the couch next to Loki, laughing hysterically at some story heâs just finished telling about Thor in his youth. You look over at him, hazily trying to center your double vision to properly admire the god. His cheeks are flushed red from the alcohol, and he looks more relaxed than youâve ever seen him.
Loki glances over, catching you staring, but youâre far too intoxicated to be embarrassed. Instead, you hold your gaze, waiting for a reaction. Loki smirks, then eyes his brother with annoyance.
âBrother,â he says, voice a lazy drawl. âI believe weâve won this contest, wouldnât you say?â
Thor cocks his head, then widens his eyes in understanding. âOh, certainly! In fact, I think it would be necessary for me to walk you back to your quarters, Natasha.â
Natasha begins to protest, but it dies on her lips as her gaze flickers between you and Loki. âWhat a gentleman,â she purrs, only swaying slightly when she rises from her seat. âLead the way.â Taking his outstretched hand, Natasha stumbles down the hall with Thor, giggling excitedly.
Now that itâs just the two of you, you expect things to get awkward, but find that youâre still just as comfortable. âWell, I guess I have to bow to the drinking champ,â you slur, sitting up to give a half hearted bow.
Loki throws his head back and laughs. âYou,â he manages between snorts, âare far more fun to be around than most others on this planet.â
You scoff and wave your hand dismissively. âYouâre only saying that âcause I bowed to you.â Chewing on your lip, you let your eyes drift back over to Loki. In your drunken haze, he just looks so...comfy. Before you realize what youâre doing, you slide over to lean up against him. Lokiâs surprisingly warm, and you sigh contentedly, letting your mind wander back to how his hand felt running up your thigh.
The arousal from earlier that you had forgotten about rears its head, turning your sigh into a shaky exhale that is not at all subtle. The air feels thick, just like it had on that one stormy night, and you press yourself closer to Loki, unable to resist how good his body feels against yours.
Loki freezes for a moment, then seems to force himself to relax into you. His arm snakes around you until heâs holding you comfortably against his side. For one brief moment, you start to wonder if this is a good idea, given how things had ended in the past, but the intoxicated part of your brain tells the sober part to go fuck herself, and then youâre speaking without thinking. âDo you want to walk me to bed?â
Oh, shit. You canât believe that just came out of your mouth. A wave of sobering panic hits you, and you untangle yourself from Loki and shoot up from the couch. Before you can flee, however, a pale hand grabs hold of your arm, stopping you in place.
Loki gets up, then moves his grip from your wrist to your hand. âI think that is a lovely idea. Allow me?â With the hand that isnât holding yours, he gestures toward the hall. Well, that was unexpected. You try not to giggle in child-like excitement, and instead nod hurriedly.
Your heart speeds up at the feel of his hand in yours, and you start off down the hall, letting Loki pull you towards your suite. Caught up in trying to navigate the titling floor, you donât notice that youâre being led the wrong way until the two of you come to a stop at a door that definitely does not belong to you. You look up at Loki in confusion. âThis isnât my room.â
âI know,â Loki growls, then opens the door and whirls you both inside. When youâve recovered from the swift movement, you manage to pull away from Lokiâs grip.
âWhat-whatâs going on?â You say, attempting to sound stern. Loki stalks towards you. Instinctively, you back up, until youâre pressed against the wall with Loki boxing you in.
Loki presses his hands to the wall on either side of your head and sneers at you. âWhatâs going on?â He mocks. âIâve craved your body under mine since long before our little nighttime meeting, and I have run out of patience for games.â He leans in and presses a kiss to your neck, grazing you with his teeth. Just like before, his playfulness has given way to a domineering aura, but youâre not complaining one bit.
You barely suppress a full body shiver. âBut,â you protest weakly. âI, I thought you regretted it. I mean, you never said anything about it, so I figured...ohâŚâ you trail off into a soft moan as Loki roughly licks up the side of your neck, growling.
âAnd when would I have gotten the chance?â Loki pulls away from his assault on your skin to look you in the eyes. âYou have been avoiding me for nearly a month.â Those blue eyes are staring daggers at you, and you realize that thereâs hurt behind all that frustration.
Your mouth goes dry. Heâs right, but the eye contact from his smoldering stare is making you forget how to speak. Fumbling with your words, you cast your gaze downwards. âYeah, I guess I have. But with what you said after we were interrupted....I thought you were uncomfortable with what happened.â
A dark chuckle spills from Lokiâs lips. âThe only discomfort you have caused me is the nights I have spent spilling over my own hand because I could not have you. â
You gasp softly as Lokiâs words send a wave of heat through your overheated body. Loki takes that as encouragement, and presses himself closer until his lips are grazing yours. âTell me you donât want this and Iâll leave,â he mumbles, eyes hooded.
Your response is to surge forward, hands flying to the back of his head as you roughly pull him in to kiss you. You both groan at the contact. The kiss is anything but gentle; your fingers are tangled in Lokiâs hair, tugging harshly, and you can feel his teeth nipping at your bottom lip. It was far better than you could have imagined, and the dizzying pleasure of it all has you feeling drunker and more sober at the same time.
Before long, the room spins as Loki lifts you and hoists your legs around his waist. He kisses you breathless as he walks slowly down the hall towards what you can only assume is his bedroom. Thereâs a giddy part inside of you that squeals with excitement at being carried like that, but itâs quickly overshadowed by lust as you and Loki reach his bedroom. He tosses you onto his king sized bed like a doll, then kneels on the floor and yanks your ankles until your bottom is almost hanging off the bed.
Loki slides your dress up and nuzzles the inside of your thigh. âI could smell your arousal the entire night,â he says, nearly purring. âMay I taste?â
You sit up on your elbows and stare down at him, face flushed with mild embarrassment at his face so close to your soaked panties. Dumbly, you nod, words failing you. Loki growls his appreciation and hikes up your dress, taking a brief moment to admire the soft fabric. âYou look absolutely ravishing in green, Iâve wanted to tear this off of you since the moment I laid eyes on it.â And then heâs sliding your panties down your legs and plunging his tongue into your heat.
A ragged gasp tears its way from your throat and you throw your head back. You feel the grin form on Lokiâs lips against your skin, and a fresh gush of arousal flows down your thighs. Loki eats pussy like itâs an art form heâs been perfecting for ages. His lips tug at your pussy, worshipping every fold like itâs the last meal heâll ever have. You open your mouth to make some joke about his silvertongue, but all that comes out is a pathetic whimper as Loki drags his teeth lightly across your clit.
It isnât long before the pleasure reaches its peak.You fight hard to keep your legs from clamping around Lokiâs head, but you canât help it when you crest over the edge of orgasm. Your muscles lock up, your back arches, and you scream. White hot euphoria explodes from your core, spreading through your body like venom. Lokiâs tongue works you through it, slowing to wide, long strokes as you begin to come down.
Youâve barely recovered when Loki rises from his knees and crawls up your body, coming to a stop when his face is inches from yours. His eyes are hooded, and his glistening lips are parted to allow frantic, heated pants to escape. âPet,â he hisses, leaning down to nuzzle into your shoulder. âYou taste sweeter than the fruits of Asgard.â He bites at your collarbone, making you shudder in your post-orgasmic haze.
Still out of it, you sluggishly fumble at Lokiâs belt. âWanna make you feel good, too,â you mumble and lick your lips. Loki bats your hand away, shushing you.
âDarling, there will be plenty of time for that later. Right now, I need to feel you.â He grabs your shoulders and drags you up to the pillows, so that youâre lying comfortably on your back with him hovering above you.
Your heart skips a beat at the mention of âlater.â So this wasnât just a one-night stand? You donât have time to process that, however, as Loki barely gives you a moment to breathe. He sits back on his knees, straddling your waist, and with a wave of his hand, youâre both stark naked. Your hands twitch, wanting to cover yourself. Being naked in front of an attractive man has always intimidated you, but the fact that Loki was a god made it worse. As if sensing your sudden shyness, Loki leans in to kiss at lick at your breasts, and brings his hands up to pin your wrists to the bed. You sigh in pleasure, insecurity fading with every hot swipe of his tongue, not even wanting to struggle against his hold.
Loki lowers himself to grind against you. His hard cock slides against your dripping folds as his narrow hips press into yours. Both of you shiver, and you arch your hips to bring him closer. Loki growls against your skin and sits up. He lets go of your wrists, roughly grabs your waist and angles it to meet his. âReady, pet? I canât wait, I need to have you.â he breathes, eyes locked on yours.
Like a deer in the headlights, youâre frozen, anticipation coiling tightly under your skin. Slowly, you nod. Loki wastes no time. He smirks, then slides himself into you, the stretch burning in the loveliest way. Your heated groan mingles with his, and when Lokiâs hips come to rest against yours, he falls against your chest, panting. You appreciate the time he gives you to adjust; Lokiâs cock is thick, and longer than anything youâve ever taken, and you can feel it throbbing desperately within you. Now that heâs released your hands, you bring them up to thread through his soft, black hair. He closes his eyes and leans into your touch, nearly purring.
âTell me when, love,â Loki grits out, fighting to keep his voice steady. The shakiness in his usually smooth tone is arousing to no end, and you can feel yourself clench around him in approval. Lokiâs hips twitch at the fluttering of your walls, and though youâre more than ready, you decide to torture him a bit longer.
You bring your legs up to wrap around Lokiâs  waist, pulling him closer. He shivers, but keeps his composure, remaining almost statue still. His concern for your comfort makes your heart swell, but you want to see him lose control. âYouâre so big,â you whimper out, the alcohol in your system quelling the embarrassment youâd usually feel when talking dirty. You press your face into Lokiâs neck, grazing your teeth along the pale skin there.
With a deep growl of barely kept composure, Loki rises up to rest on his elbows, desperate eyes searching yours. It seems that being the God of Lies gave Loki the ability to see through your cruel game, and his expression turns dark, though the neediness is still blatant. You shift nervously as he stares you down, already regretting your mischievousness. âFeeling playful, are we?â Loki asks.
Your mouth goes dry at being caught and your core tightens around him again, earning you a flutter of his eyelids. âIâŚâ you trail off, eyes drifting to Lokiâs parted lips. Watching you gaze, Loki grins at you.
âOh, pet. I think you may be confused. You are mine to toy with, not the other way around.â With that, Loki leans down to crush his lips into yours. His tongue forces its way into your mouth and you whine around it. While his tongueâs distracting you, Loki takes his chance to begin pounding into you at a ruthless pace, and you break away from the kiss to throw your head back and shriek out a moan.
You feel utterly wrecked, stomach clenching and nerves alight with pleasure as Loki continues his assault on your body. Your eyes are squeezed shut, so his teeth nipping at your jaw come as a surprise, sending a whole new shockwave of sensation down your neck.
âYou feel so fucking good, pet,â Loki moans, his voice quickly losing its characteristic steadyness. He sighs out something that sounds suspiciously like a whimper, and brings one of his hands down to toy with your clit. Your legs tighten around him involuntarily. âA-ah, fuck,â Loki grits out, increasing his pace.
The pleasure is overwhelming, and the unhuman speed at which Lokiâs pounding into you leaves you no time to catch your breath. Moans and whines erupt from your mouth in a constant stream, and Loki keeps his mouth hovering above yours to drink them in. âI wanna cum,â you whimper as Lokiâs assault on your senses continues.
âThen cum, pet,â Loki groans, hips stuttering. â Cum for your god.â
You keen, writhing and chasing your high. As you climb up to your orgasm, you are met with a startling realization that Loki has already ruined you for anyone else. No human man could match the fire that heâs set upon your nerves, the blinding pleasure that mounts with every thrust and kiss. With that settling into your mind, you finally reach your second peak of the night.
Your eyes try to flutter shut, tears brimming at the corners as you wail Lokiâs name again and again. Through the haze of your climax, you notice Lokiâs muscles begin to tense as he nears his orgasm as well, and you force your eyes to stay open in order to watch him come apart.
Watching Loki cum is almost like a second climax. He speeds up impossibly, mouth hanging open and eyes barely able to stay focused on you. âYouâre mine,â he growls out. Choked moans fall from his lips as he nears the edge, and you rake your nails down his back to encourage him.
âCum in me, please, I need it, make me yoursâ you ramble breathlessly.
âOh, fuck, I-Iâm so close,â Loki manages, voice breaking. You continue to coo pleas and encouragements at him, and the way his eyes roll back at your wrecked voice gives you an intoxicating rush of pride. Finally, with a whimpering moan, Loki stills, cock pulsing within you and hips twitching as he pumps you full of his cum.
Loki slumps against you, still moving in aborted little thrusts, as if he canât quite stop fucking you just yet. The weight of him on top of you is heavy, but not unwelcome, and you take the time to bask in the euphoria of having just slept with the god youâd pined after for so long.
âThat wasâŚâ you start, words failing you.
âDivine,â Loki finishes for you. He slides his cock out of your pussy, and with it comes a gush of warm cum that youâre sure will stain the sheets. He rolls off of you, then guides you onto your side so that he can pull you up against him.
You werenât expecting Loki to be the âcuddling after sex,â type, so having him spoon you was surprising, to say the least. He nuzzles his nose into your hair, and you find yourself wanting to fall asleep like that; comfortable in his bed and safe in his strong arms.
Still, thereâs a nagging question that wonât let you fully relax. Not wanting to expect too much, you brace yourself for the worst and open your mouth to speak. âLoki...what does this mean for us?â
Loki tenses behind you, and your heart breaks at the assumed rejection as he begins to pull away. âAre you...are you not mine? I thought this was-Iâm sorry, I must have misunderstood. Forgive me.â
This time, your heart breaks for a different reason. Loki sounds so hurt, so unsure of everything, and you can hear a scared little boy behind that velvet voice. âNo!â You nearly shout, turning around to pull him back to you. âI want to be yours, I promise,â you say as you tug Loki back into your arms, running a soothing hand down his back. âI just wasnât sure if thatâs what you wanted.â
The relief in Loki is visible as he relaxes into you. âLove, I am yours as much as you are mine, do not doubt that.â
The pet name brings a smile to your lips. âI wouldnât have it any other way,â you reply happily. Heart full, you roll back over so that Loki can snuggle into you again, and finally let your drowsiness overtake you. You catch a faint, âI love you,â just before you drift off to sleep, and though it could just be your mind playing tricks on you, you know that you love him, too.
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Please Fix the Story pt 26 - The Higher Realm
The Higher realm continues. So close to the end!
Master post linked here
Enjoy!
______________________________
Time passed, but it was difficult to tell how much. Time worked so differently in the different realms. How long did we really spend trying to save one lower realm? Minutes? Decades? It felt like no time and forever. Adonis and I traveled to lower realm after lower realm, fixing the stories, stabilizing the world before heading back to the higher realm.
Some lower realms were easy, if a bit annoying, such as the high school dramas. In those I would often play the âaverageâ new girl at a school. I would meet new people, and was supposed to go on to have romance, betrayals and coming of age realizations. I quickly realized that befriending all my supposed romantic leads instead of dating them, reconciling with my rivals instead of humiliating them, and pushing towards success all together was a much more satisfying strategy. Fortunately, graduating valedictorian with a happy and psychologically healthy group of teenagers often stabilized worlds that had been torn apart by half-baked character design or infighting between rivals.
I took calculus so many times that I could recite lessons in my sleep, but at least the worlds were saved. Despite our success, however, Adonis was often frustrated. He had his own vision of how we were to save these realms. His plans almost always involved us dating, making the high school romance âsuccessfulâ.
I refused.
He had been a lot more likable since our first meeting, and I was able to consider him a close friend and ally⌠but I felt uncomfortable at the idea of even pretending to have a romantic relationship. It was definitely a more difficult route to stabilize the world without a romance, but I chose it every time. Adonis pouted and complained, but couldnât argue with success, and I was successful.
Some lower realms were more difficult. In particular, zombie apocalypse stories were my least favorites. The worlds often couldnât be stabilized until a cure was found or humanityâs survival was assured. This meant that Adonis and I sometimes spent decades within these realms, working to build armies, or teams of scientists. There was hardly ever any running water, which meant showering was few and far between.
My unwashed self was made even filthier by my absolute failure at using anything with range. Bow and arrow, guns⌠anything that would keep me out of the gore, I couldnât hit even the largest of monsters. Fortunately I picked up a sword with relative ease, which allowed me to fight⌠but this also meant I got covered in rotten blood and guts.
I hated zombie worlds the most.
Realm after realm. We worked constantly, spending very little time in between in the higher realms. Adonis would often try to use those moments to push his ideas regarding fate and the higher realmâs story, but as soon as I rejected him, which I did every time, he would simply scowl and pull us into the next lower realm to save.
It was getting old.
âHow many lower realms are there?â I asked one evening as we recovered from our latest mission, rubbing my sore shoulder where I had taken a blow in the last sci-fi alien battle. The wounds disappeared with the realm traveling, but my mind still could feel the wound, projecting the pain long after I had left that form behind.
Adonis leaned back in his chair, his grin a little too bitter to be a natural expression. âHow many unfinished stories are there? Infinite, Bel. There are infinite lower realms. We will never be able to save them all. Not like this.â
âItâs not like thereâs a lot of options.â
âThere are options. You just donât want to hear them.â
âWhat, this fate you keep talking about?â I sighed, closing my eyes, tired. â It sounds like a terrible idea.â
âItâs not.â His voice was quiet, but the intensity shown through all the same. âItâs our duty. Everyoneâs survival depends on it.â
âBut what youâre saying is: we follow along some sort of scriptâŚâ
âFate.â
ââŚfate⌠here, in the higher realm. And that is somehow supposed to fix the lower realms?â
He chuckled. âYouâre oversimplifying it, but pretty much. We follow our fate, and the heroes of the lower realms will find their happiness tied to ours.â
âWhat if they donât want that ending? What if they donât want that happiness?â
âOf course they do! Everyone wants a happily ever after with their destined one.â He snapped. My eyes flickered open to study his enraged expression.
âI donât.â
âYouâre selfish!â
I shrugged. âAm I? If youâre right, we submit to fate here, everyone in the lower realms gets an automatic happy ending⌠but most of those worlds arenât breaking because they donât have a happy ending. They need a wider world, different ideas⌠and what about the side characters, even the villains⌠what about their happiness?â
âThey donât matter.â
âWhy not?â I raised an eyebrow. âJust because theyâre the villains?â
âTheyâre evil.â He stood up, trying to tower over me. An intimidation tactic, one that might have worked before weâd spent countless years fighting in life-or-death battles together.
âHave you met the heroes and heroines of some of these realms?â I laughed. âTheyâre not much better. I donât think these roles are as clear as you would like them to be. And I donât think you and I having a happy ending together, and forcing a simplistic âand they lived happily ever afterâ on all the lower realms will actually fix them. In factâŚâ I stood up, and he stepped back slightly at the danger in my tone. âI bet we would break them all the more. Are you really so foolish as to think that saving a universe of worlds would be so simple?â
ââŚâ Adonis was gritting his teeth, his hands clenched so tightly the knuckles were white. But I didnât back down. Didnât step back. I knew he wouldnât hit me. He wouldnât dare step out of the role he imagined himself to be in. Wouldnât dare cross a line that might ruin his chances at the happy ending he seemed to crave so desperately.
ââŚâ The silence stretched on between us. We were at an impasse. He wanted to follow fate. He wanted clearly defined roles and rules to follow. And I?
I wanted freedom.
*** Soul transfer 11% complete. ***
Itâs been forever since I last saw those words⌠I thought it had disappeared. For some reason, I felt a deep sense of relief at the glowing blue sentence. Something within me had frozen during these many trips to the lower realms, but finally it was growing again.
âThe next world is waiting.â Adonis spoke up, his tone flat. I noticed an odd shifting of his gaze, a reluctance to meet my own, and felt a sense of unease.
I wonât like this next world. I cracked my knuckles and gave him a thumbs up. Well, no sense running from a challenge.
We left.
______________________________
I woke up in a luxurious canopy bed. Staring up at the fabric , I raised my arms and have a cheer.
âYES! NOT A ZOMBIE WORLD!â
On the downside, the setting appeared to be a more primitive era, medieval at best, which meant no running water, but at least I appeared to be noble or wealthy.
At least if I suffer, Iâll be clean while I do it!
âPrincess?â A young woman dressed as a servant entered the room, seeming very confused. âAre you all right? I heard you yelling.â
I smiled brightly at her. âNo worries. It was just a nightmare.â
She visibly relaxed. âEven so, you seem in a much better mood, if I may say so.â
âReally?â
âYes, you havenât broken a single thing this morning.â She, unfortunately did not seem to be kidding. âIâm so glad youâve accepted your fatherâs decision.
I didnât have my characterâs memories yet. I needed to accept the mission first. In the meantime, acting too out of character could destabilize an already poorly functional world.
âIâm still⌠thinking it over.â I spoke up cautiously.
âItâs not so bad, your highness.â She smiled at me. âMost young girls feel a little uneasy when their father arranges their husband. But youâll be happy. I just know it.â
Arranged marriage?
âAfter all, Prince Harold is reported to be a true gentleman, a might warrior, and a handsome young man!â She sighed dreamily. âAny woman would be thrilled for a chance to be his bride.â
âIâm. Sure.â I spoke through gritted teeth, the satin sheets crumpling in my grip. Adonis, when I find you, Iâm going to make you regret every life decision youâve ever made⌠and the ones youâve only considered making. What kind of lower realm did you land us in? As I plotted my revenge, the mission screen popped up.
**** NEW WORLD: A Divided Kingdom****
This is a romance fantasy story featuring a prince and a princess from different kingdoms, putting aside their differences to save the world.
âI already donât like this.â I muttered.
The Princess Alaire of the Yenlar Kingdom was a clever, independent woman, horrified at the idea of an arranged marriage. Prince Harold of the Bestion Kingdom felt differently. He fell in love at first sight and vowed to woo the young maiden. The couple was different in almost every way, and seemed destined to bicker and fight.
âThen how about we donât get married?â
But fate had other plansâŚ
âOf course it did!â
A terrifying beast threatened to destroy both their kingdoms, and to survive, the political marriage had to go forward. Uniting the kingdoms, and therefore their armed forces, was the only way to save their people.
However, despite the happy ending, the first book was not well received by readers and the trilogy was abandoned due to poor sales. The reason given was that the romance was âforcedâ and unbelievable.
Your mission is to bring a satisfying end to the story, while making ensuring the survival of both kingdoms.
**** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION? ****
YES? NO?
âQuick question.â I spoke quietly to the glowing words in front of me. âDo I have to marry the prince to ensure an ending?â
The kingdoms will not unite without the political marriage.
âThat wasnât what I asked. I asked if I HAVE to marry the prince. What if I can save both kingdoms without a political marriage?â
The stability of the world is all that matters.
âNo lecture on the necessity of fate?â
**** DO YOU ACCEPT THIS MISSION? ****
YES? NO?
I grinned. âSure. Letâs do it.â
As the words faded away, I jumped out of bed. My head spun slightly as I accepted the memories from the poor princess of the original story.
She had not been happy.
She had dreams, ambitions. The Kingdom of Yenlar allowed for women to inherit the throne, and as the firstborn she was ready to take over from her father, to rule her nation. She had spent her entire life preparing. Studying law, economics, warfareâŚ
And all of it had meant nothing in the end.
She had begged for a political treaty. One that did not involve marriage. The Kingdom of Bestion had refused to even discuss it. They stated that there was too much distrust between the kingdoms to move forward without some sort of permanent assurance. Even the threat of annihilation from the ancient beast of legend wasnât enough to have them reconsider. That wasnât the full story, though.
Later she discovered that Prince Harold had seen her at a party. He had supposedly fallen in love with her at first sight, and became determined to marry her. He had learned of her plans to marry a minor noble, one who would support her position on the throne without causing an imbalance of power within the nobility. He had no chance, as far as she was concerned. The threatened destruction of their people was just the perfect opportunity to force the matter.
She had lost all power. Becoming a figurehead, a beautiful statue beside the true king, Harold. He ruled over both nations with an iron fist, treating her own people more harshly, much to the approval of his staff. She slowly became bitter and deranged, watching the destruction of the people and the nation she loved so dearly.
Beyond the end of the first book, when the realmâs story ended, she had attempted to poison him and failed. Harold had been disappointed, but felt that she still had use as a figurehead. They faked a stroke, and kept her mute and weak with poisons. A lovely doll. A perfect figurehead.
âŚis this a fantasy or a horror? Sheesh, no wonder the trilogy wasnât going to sell. I shuddered, still standing awkwardly next to the beautiful bed that had belonged to a lovely young woman.
I will change this story. I spoke silently to the memories, feeling a sense of relief that didnât belong to me as I did so.
First, letâs try to reason with Adonis. He and I had worked together in multiple realms, side by side. We were friends. We may not see eye to eye when it came to our approach towards fate and the lower realms, but he had never forced me to do something I didnât want. He had always respected me and backed off when I said no, even if it made him unhappy.
Hopefully this time will be the same. I thought uneasily. Hopefully he will listen.
______________________________
âNo.â His tone was gleeful, but his face was calm, towing with a silver goblet rather than meeting my gaze.
âAre you joking?â I leaned forward, keeping a gentle smile on my face to fool the guards and our fathers who sat on the other end of the enormous dining table.
âIâm perfectly serious, Princess Alaire. Our kingdoms face certain doom at the hands of the ancient beast. The only way to survive is to work together. We can only work together if we trust each other. The only way the Kingdom of Bestion will trust the Kingdom of Yenlar is with a marriage alliance. Itâs out of my hands.â
I reached forward and took the cup from his hands, forcing him to look at me. âWhy are you forcing this, Adonis? You know it didnât work out so well for the originals.â
âCareful Princess.â His eyes glanced over at the nearby guards. âYou donât want anything to destabilize the situation further, now do you? Better to act as a proper princess should.â
âAnswer the question. This plan already failed. Why do you think it will work?â
âSimple.â He leaned forward and plucked the goblet back from my hands. âWeâre different. You may not want to admit it, but we have spent lifetimes at each otherâs side. Growing up, going to school, facing enemies, fighting together⌠we could make this work. It would be a wonderful ending.â
âYou know what happened to Alaire after the first book.â
âI would never do that to you.â
âBut you are.â I growled, wishing I could punch him. âYou are trying to make me a beautiful figurehead, just like Harold did to Alaira.â
âWe would rule side by side.â
âWhat use is that promise, if you are already ignoring my wishes and forcing me to do this in the first place?â
He shook his head. âYou have to trust me. This is the only way we can defeat the monster, and stabilize this realm. Weâll save this world. Together.â He smiled. âItâs our fate.â
I threw a plate at him, forcing him to fling himself on the floor to avoid injury. Walking out, I ignored my fatherâs shouts of rage. Picking up a bag I had packed ahead of time, just in case, I changed into some light armor, grabbed a sword, and headed out into the forest.
If I couldnât win by a political alliance, I was going to find another way to save the world.
I was going monster hunting.
I searched Princess Alairaâs memories of the legends and stories, going out in a northern direction towards the area known as Death Valley.
As I marched onward, my thoughts wandered over the time I had spent since I had woken up in the Higher Realm. I couldnât help but feel disappointed with Adonis. He might truly think that he was saving the world by insisting on going through with the marriage, but his lack of willingness to even consider other options was frustrating. He was the only person consistently by my side through every one of these worlds, someone I considered a friend, and being unable to rely on him served to make me feel all the lonelier.
My mind briefly touched on the assassin of the first realm, Liam. I had thought with his comments and actions that he had known about my mission⌠that he might be from the higher realm too. But no matter how much I looked for him, no matter how much I hoped to see him again, I never did.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he was someone from the lower realm, and Iâll never have the chance to see him, to thank him.
I felt a sense of despair. How long can I keep doing this? Is this why Adonis preaches following our fate so much? Is he as tired of traveling, tired of the missions and the different lives? Is he just hoping to end all this?
I sighed, keeping moving. Iâm not that tired, not tired enough to sacrifice my freedom. Not yet, anyways.
It took several days of traveling. Fortunately from my years of experience in zombie worlds, I was well prepared to survival in the wilderness. At least here the rivers were clean, allowing me to bathe occasionally. Finally I was at the entrance of the valley, staring up at the pillars on either side.
There were ominous words carved deeply into the stone.
Only death lies ahead.
I stared at the words silently for a few moments, and then shrugged.
âStill better than marrying Adonis.â
I moved forward.
______________________________
The valley was dark, a deep fog settled in permanently, apparently unaffected by the weather beyond its borders. Dark twisted purple trees rose all around me, their roots tearing through the earth desperate searching for nutrients. The valley was quiet, suffocating in an unsettling silence. My presence there felt like an intrusion, my instincts screaming at me to run away, to escape.
I kept moving.
There were no other signs of life. But I knew at least one other being lived here, the reason why nothing else dared to.
The Ancient beast.
There were no descriptions of it in the legends. Just that it was deadly, enough to take on entire armies. And that it was terrifying.
I feel like I should have seen something by now, if it was so large. I sighed, sitting on one of the trees, staring up at the mountain ahead of me. Shouldnât it be easier to find an enormous beast that terrified an entire world?
âŚ
Wait.
I looked up, struggling to see the top of the mountain in front of me.
Iâm in a valleyâŚ
The mountain moved up and down, with regular motions.
There shouldnât be a mountain here.
It was breathing.
I drew my sword, inwardly despairing. I had underestimated the sheer scale of the monster. I had thought it would be the size of a house, an elephant. Instead it towered stories above me, unimaginably large.
I was doomed.
There was a rumble as the beast in front of me shifted. I couldnât tell the shape, just an impression of scales and spikes. Slowly, something lowered down in front of me, stretching forward in all directions, filling my vision. I saw teeth larger than my own body, the white of them contrasting with the dark fog around us. As I prepared myself for my death, an eye opened to stare at me.
It was a beautiful dark blue.
ââŚâ
Suddenly, I felt relief. It was incomprehensible. I was standing in front of an ancient beast, enormous and terrifying, and instead of fear and dread⌠I felt safe.
I raised a hand, almost despite myself. âHello there.â
The eye blinked. I comforted myself that it hadnât eaten me yet.
âI think you look awesome. Iâm Princess Alaira from the nearby kingdom of Yenlar. I actually came here to kill you, to protect my people⌠but now I realize that you could crush me like an ant, and that was a bad plan.â
The eye blinked twice. It seemed more confused than anything.
âI have a much better plan, if you would be willing to listen to me.â I let out a laugh, slightly startled at how⌠villainous it sounded.
*** Soul transfer 20% complete. ***
The creature let out a sound like thunder. I felt that it was laughing too.
______________________________
The wedding was this morning.
I was surprised as I drew near to see the party going. You would think that after I disappeared, they might have canceled or delayed it. I assumed that Adonis had felt sure that I would agree with him in the end. That I wouldnât be able to let the world end just because I didnât want to marry him.
Well too bad, buddy. This princess has a different plan in mind!
I could see him, standing on the elevated stage before two thrones, waiting. I couldnât see his expression from this distance, but I imagine he was barely hiding his worry. Alaireâs father and Haroldâs father were also waiting on the platform, their postures betraying their impatience.
âLetâs get this party started!â I yelled.
ROOOOOOOAAAAAAR!
The ancient beast let out a triumphant roar as he flew closer and lowered his head, letting me jump down onto the platform before landing behind me, a large, threatening mountain of a creature.
âAlaire?â The king called out, confused. âWhat are you doing?â
âHello, Father.â I also nodded to Adonis, who stared back.
âWhat is this?â
âYour daughter is a witch!â The King of Bestion shouted, drawing his ceremonial sword. âShe betrayed us!â
âHold on, father.â Adonis held out his hand, stopping his attack. âIâm sure itâs not what it looks like.â
I grinned.
âNope. Itâs exactly what it looks like. Iâve teamed up with the Ancient being. Weâre friends now.â I gestured at the monster high above us, who let out a grim chuckle, shaking the ground. âSo now I make the rules, got it?â
ââŚâ
âIâll take everyoneâs stunned silence as happy agreement! Now, first rule: Wedding canceled.â
âWhat?â
âWhat?â
âYou canât do this!â
The three other royals on stage shouted simultaneously. I simply pointed again at the enormous creature.
âI can do whatever I want. The big scary monster behind me says so. Next, the kingdom of Bestion will surrender to me, as will the kingdom of Yenlar.â
âYou want to rule the world?â Adonisâs gaze was⌠disappointed. I grinned shamelessly. âNope. But hereâs the thing: Our kingdoms face certain doom at the hands of the ancient beast. The only way to survive is to convince the monster not to kill us. The monster only trusts me. So I have to rule both kingdoms.â I shrugged. âItâs out of my hands.â
I threw his words from earlier back at him, and felt satisfied as he winced in recognition.
âWe⌠surrender.â His words were quiet, defeated.
âYou unruly child!â My father tried to shout, but a roar from the monster above us silenced him. He quickly surrendered too. I accepted both surrenders, quickly organizing the meetings to bring our governments together under one rule. Fortunately, the princessâs years of study served me well, guiding me smoothly through the process.
______________________________
I had one more confrontation with Adonis, the night before the coronation. He was escorted to my rooms by guards, saying he had a request. I hesitated briefly, but allowed him in, waving the guards behind the door so we could speak freely.
âWhat was that?â He shouted as soon as they had left.
I stayed sitting, forcing myself to be calm. âI fixed the story.â
âYou ruined everything! Even if it stabilizes this world, it will ruin it in the long run.â
âSays you.â
âTrust me.â He threw up his hands as he paced back and forth. âEverything will go a lot smoother if you STOP CHANGING THE STORY.â
âI thought that was why we were here, though?â I sighed, leaning back in my chair and cleaning my nails with a blade. âTo fix the lower realms, to save these worlds? That requires change, right?â
He paused in his movements, glaring at me. âStop acting stupid. These worlds are broken because they didnât follow the rules. We have to follow them perfectly.â
âI donât want to though.â I shuddered. âNo offense, but if the story is going to require us to have a romantic relationship, Iâm finding an alternate solution.â
âThatâs what the story requires, you have your role to play. You know the consequences of not playing the right part.â
I sighed. âNo, thereâs always different paths to take. Youâre a good friend, and Iâm glad to have you by my side, but thatâs different than love.â
ââŚâ
âYou clearly donât love me either, so why are you making such a fuss about this? As long as we complete what we came here to do, thatâs all that matters, right?â
ââŚâ
âRight?â
Adonis stepped closer to me, his atmosphere slightly threatening. âWhy are you so different from what you are supposed to be?â
âWhat are youâŚ?â
âWhy canât you just accept.â
His hand grabbed my wrist, the grip painful.
âyour.â
He pulled me closer until our faces were inches apart. His bright blue eyes were blazing with anger as they stared into my own.
âfate.â
Letting me go, he walked away, putting some distance between us, before turning back to face me.
âThis lower realm is stabilized. We should return.â His smile was cold. âThe next mission is a little different from our previous ones. Weâll talk about it later.â
ââŚâ
âAnd next timeâŚ?â He laughed, a bitter sound. âYouâll play your part whether you want to or not.â
THUD.
The blade in my hand threw through the air, stabbing into the wall inches from his face. I smiled cheerfully as he looked back at me, shocked.
âTry touching me again, and Iâll cut off something youâll miss. Weâll discuss missions and roles again in the higher realm, but for now?â I rang a bell and guards came in, escorting him out. âI have a coronation to plan.â
______________________________
My coronation was held outside so that the Ancient beast could stand behind me. It seemed cheerful, letting out victorious roars and swaying from side to side. The people cheered as well, seeming a lot happier than I expected them to be. I guess theyâre relieved that they wonât be eaten by the giant monster? I wondered idly how I was going to incorporate the creature into the day to day life of a monarch. For an odd reason I had very little doubt that the monster would stick around.
However, all my plans came to nothing. As the crown was placed on my head, bright blue words formed in the air in front of me:
100% complete.
**** You have finished the mission! ****
It was time to go.
At little sad, I looked up at the ancient monster above me. âThank you, friend for your help. I wish I could stay with you longer.â
A mournful cry echoed through the world. It seemed to understand that I was leaving. Before I could say anything more to reassure it, the world around me shimmered and disappeared.
Only to reveal a furious Adonis standing in front of me.
âHappy now, Your Majesty?â He sneered.
âOof, someoneâs still a little angry that I used an ancient monster conquer the world. Believe it or not, Iâm sorry that Iâve hurt you. But you know why I did what I did. Letâs talk about it in the morning.â
I walked away, feeling his glare on my back long after I was out of sight.
______________________________
When I woke up, I realized that I couldn't move.
I panicked, struggling to move my arms and legs, only managing to turn my head slightly. Enough to see Adonisâs smug expression as he sat by my bed.
âItâs time for our story to progress, Bel.â His smile was strange, twisted. I couldnât talk back, I shook my head slightly side to side.
âIâm the hero, you are the heroine. If the relationship between us canât be advanced by working together, than it must be forged in adversity." He reached down and picked me up, carrying me out of the small cottage I had arranged for myself and into the castle courtyard. Whatever drug he had injected me with was slowly wearing off, and I struggled in his arms, finally able to shout.
âPut me down!â
To my surprise he did, and although I struggled to stay upright, I kept my balance and glared at him.
âWhat are you planning?â
He sighed quietly. âIâm tired of always being the one to compromise. Itâs time for you to make a sacrifice, Bel. Iâve avoided this so far, worried that progressing our story this way would kill you, but it seems that it is our fate that we take this risk. Itâs⌠unfortunate. I do very much hope you donât die.â He paused, trying to smile at me. âDonât worry. Itâs only temporary. Iâll come and rescue you soon.â
âA sacrifice?â I felt cold, even as I stood in the warm afternoon sun. My thoughts were slow to form, possibly a side effect of the medication. âWhy?â
He shrugged. âThereâs an order to everything. Rules. Law. They are all that stand between us and pure chaos. No one can ignore them. Not you. Not even me.â
âThen sacrifice yourself, asshole! Why send me?â
He shrugged. âItâs your role to play, not mine. Your fate.â
âScrew fate! I donât care if you say itâs temporary or not! Friends donât sacrifice friends!â I was furious, still weak and feeling helpless.
His hand reached out and brushed my cheek, the touch freezing my skin. I wanted to move away but I could still barely move, only managing to glare at him. âDonât look at me with those eyes. Itâs not my fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame the story.â
âAdâŚâ
âSorry, you must accept your fate.â I felt a pinch in my arm, the stick of a needle as he injected something into the muscle. Immediately darkness overwhelmed me.
âWe all do.â
Everything faded into darkness.
______________________________
When I woke up, I was in a strange world, surrounded by forest. I lay on my back, still feeling weak, fury coursing through my veins.
Adonis and I had worked well together, despite arguing multiple times in the past. But now⌠any goodwill I had towards him was gone. He had betrayed me. Knocked me out and sent me to somewhere dangerous, somewhere I could be killed, just to follow his precious fate. To get the story he wanted.
âAre you lost?
I looked over at the source of the voice. It was a tall young man with dark hair, wearing grey, non-descript clothing. He kneeled down next to me, and I found myself staring into dark blue eyes.
âSeems a good description for my current situation.â I smiled despite the dizziness. âNice to meet you, Stranger.â
He grinned, reaching out a hand to help me up. âCall me Liam.â
Liam? Could he be�
ââŚNice to meet you, Liam.â I laughed. âOr should I say: nice to see you again?â
*** Soul transfer 25% complete. ***
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Consider this a pilot episode of Heaven Has A Road But No One Walks It, aka The Happy SongXueXiao Roadtrip Story, aka these three live past Yi City and have to deal with their many messy issues.
This whole section will likely be rewritten by the time I get there in the actual story, but for now, this is the first slice I wrote for this story. Enjoy!
---
The further into the mountains they went, the denser the fog grew, dimming out the daylight. Thick cloying tendrils swirled between the trees, and the cold air left clothes damp and skin clammy.
While the two taoist priests suffered the discomfort with elevated dignity, Xue Yang spat increasingly colourful curses at the surrounding landscape. It was perhaps a sign of their silent agreement that neither of the others chose to ask him to stop. That, or knowing that any complaints would likely only make the swearing filthier.
The light was so dimmed and desaturated it was impossible to tell the passage of time, and no landmarks would tell how far they had walked. It felt like many long hours, and normally during such adverse conditions they would usually have stopped and rested by now. But unpleasant as though walking was, spending the night in the soaked forest would be more unpleasant still. And so through unspoken agreement, they grimly pushed on.
The light seemed to be dimming by the time they finally reached a crossroad, and they stopped at a sign too withered to read to consider their alternatives. The moment their footfalls stilled, the heavy silence of the woods became all but deafening, another wave of thick fog rolling down the mountain.
âFuck,â said Xue Yang conversationally, if only to spite the quiet, and the sound of it was almost welcome.
âThe lower road seems to lead to a village,â stated Song Lan through the talisman-link, folding aside overgrown foliage to get a better look at the marker. âWe could stay the night there.â
The other two nodded, the thought of spending the night indoors definitely a more inviting one than camping out in this dripping wilderness.
âDoes it say how far?â asked Xiao Xingchen, and there was the briefest scuffle as the other two jousted to move more branches aside to read the sign first.
âSign's too worn down,â Xue Yang muttered. âLooks like no-one's been through here for some time.â
Xiao Xingchen opened his mouth, no doubt to suggest finding out through walking, but closed it again with a frown and turned his head.
âDo you feel something strange?â he said, even as Song Lan turned sharply and said âI saw something move.â
Xue Yang, even at the best of times a tightly coiled spring of killer instinct, was already lunging, vanishing into the fog with a small sharp blade flashing in his hand.
Standing back to back, some things too ingrained to ever go away, the mist swirled heavily around them, painting phantom figures with thick strokes of white ink that faded into nothing as soon as one turned. Pursuing the movements at the corner of his eye, Song Lan looked sharply left, then right, then back again, desperately trying to determine whether there was an actual real threat out there, or if three grown cultivators (well, two and whatever the hell Xue Yang was) were only jumping at shadows.
When the silence stretched out and nothing else moved for several long breaths, he and Xiao Xingchen finally stepped apart and cautiously sheathed their blades, though left their hands tensely on their hilts.
âWhere did Xue Yang go?â Xiao Xingchen asked, and even after all this time it wrenched at Song Lan's heart to hear the note of concern - and even moreso that his companion tried and failed to hide it from him.
âTrying to stab the fog to death. I'll go find him,â he muttered, trying to ignore the look of relief and gratitude on Xiao Xingchen's face as he stomped off the path in the direction Xue Yang had vanished.
He didn't have to walk far to find Xue Yang standing still with his head cocked, listening to the quiet, only moving his head slightly to look at him as he approached.
âAnything?â the man asked, and though his voice held his usual sneer, he was clearly on edge. Song Lan shook his head in annoyance.
âNothing. Where did you get a blade?â
The sneer tugging his face further into a horrible lopsided grin, Xue Yang finally turned to look at him.
âI picked it up. People leave just about anything around for you to find, if you look hard enough. And since you refuse to give me Jiangzai back, I have to have something to defend myself with, don't you agree?â
I could return it buried through your guts, he thought, and allowed the sentiment if not the words to transfer through the talisman, making Xue Yang laugh in delight.
âGive it to me,â he said sternly, holding out one hand and clenching the other tighter around Fuxue. Xue Yang just laughed again, twirling the little knife around his fingers once, making no move to hand it over.
âOh come now, daozhang. Reason! What if there had been demons or evil spirits in the mist? How would I defend myself? Or you two? How could I protect your backs without a weapon?â
âI'd rather have a hundred evil mist demons at my back than you,â he rasped, an almost physically unpleasant laceration through the talismans. âGive me the knife. I won't ask again.â
Fuxue was halfway out of its sheath though he couldn't remember consciously drawing it. His eyes flicking to it, Xue Yang clearly noticed, too. Just a glint of wariness flashed across his features, then they twisted into another wider sneer and his mouth started to open, and mercy on his soul he would cleave him clean in half-...
They both froze at the unmistakable sound of Shuanghua being drawn, echoing loud and sharp through the mist but distant, too distant, and then Xiao Xingchen was calling out in alarm.
Like a single entity they turned, springing back toward the road and the sounds of battle. White robes in white mist, it was almost impossible to see Xiao Xingchen until they almost ran into him, and harder still to see the attacking enemy. It wasn't until a choking tendril of fog snaked itself around his leg, then another around his waist, solid, snaring him, that Song Lan realized with horror that the enemies weren't in the mist.
It was the mist, and it was twisting and writhing straight for Xiao Xingchen.
***
Itâs a good thing I have no intention of actually writing proper fanfic for this headcanon, because then this scene would make the worst first installment, seeing as how it takes place a generous portion into the actual plot.
...
Anyway, yeah. Part of my Everyone-Lives-Post-Yi-City-Headcanon roadtrip story.
To repeat; I did actually start writing this story. Itâs on AO3 now, called Heaven Has A Road But No One Walks It. Enjoy?
Two of the three characters involved loathe each other passionately, though they are trying to keep it down in front of Xiao Xingchen, to avoid upsetting and hurting his fragile resurrected soul.
They have also devised a very clever little talisman network that allows Song Lan to talk to the others, lack of tongue aside.
Unbetaâd, so take it for what it is.
#the untamed#mdzs#the untamed fanart#the untamed fanfic#mdzs fanart#mdzs fanfic#xiao xingchen#xue yang#song lan#xiao xingchen fanart#xue yang fanart#song lan fanart#silvydrawstheuntamed#the happy songxuexiao roadtrip story
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Birds Of Wonder Blog Tour!
Birds of Wonder by Cynthia Robinson : âOne August morning while walking her dog, high-school English teacher Beatrice Ousterhout stumbles over the dead body of a student, Amber Inglin, who was to play the lead in Beatrice's production of John Webster's Jacobean tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi. Barely able to speak, Beatrice calls the police. That is to say, she calls her daughter. Jes is a detective with two years of experience under her belt and a personal life composed primarily of a string of one-night-stands, including the owner of the field in which Beatrice has found Amber. In addition to a house and a field, Child Services lawyer Liam Walsh owns a vineyard, where Amber Inglin, along with a handful of other teens who've had difficulty negotiating the foster system, was an intern. Set among the hills and lakes of upstate New York and told in six vibrantly distinct voices, this complex and original narrative chronicles the rippling effects of a young girl's death through a densely intertwined community. By turns funny, fierce, lyrical and horrifying, Birds of Wonder probes family ties, the stresses that break them, and the pasts that never really let us go.â
This book looks super intriguing and I canât wait for itâs release! To celebrate itâs release, I have an interview with the author and a sneak peek excerpt from the book!
________________________________________________________
Interview with Cynthia Robinson!
What inspired you to write Birds of Wonder? When I was in my mid-teens, a girl was foundâmuch as in the opening chapters of BIRDS OF WONDERâin a field near my house, by a woman walking her dog. Girls found in fields are presumed dead, and that was the case here. The girl, eerily similar in appearance to me, had been raped and strangled, and her arms amputated. This violent crime shook up my smallish Tennessee town for a good long timeâmy mother didnât want to let me out of her sight. And it clearly impacted me, remaining deeply lodged in my subconscious for, literally, decades. Many other concerns and events informed the novelâs conception, often relating to exploitation of and/or violence against women, but the central kernel was the finding, so many years ago, of that young womanâs body, in my home town, where âthings like thatâ âdidnât happen.â
What advice would you give readers interested in reading Birds of Wonder? How should they approach the story?
Donât expect a traditional crime novel or psychological thriller all the way through. It does start out that way, but then���purposefullyâveers off into other territory. Be ready for a few tough moments. All justified (I believe and hope) by the plot.
Who are your favorite authors you like to read and/or follow?
I read everything by Kate Atkinson. Love Javier Mariâas (in Spanish), and Lola Loâpez Mondeâjar (ditto). Noy Holland, Kazuo Ishiguro, Rabih Alameddine. James Lasdun. Â And I could go on, but I wonât!
When do you find the time to write?
My sweet spot for writing is in the late afternoon to early evening. Ideally I get 2-3 hours (daily). Obviously, sometimes this isnât possible, but I try to carve out a spot, even if half an hour, each and every day, so as not to lose contact with my work.
How has career at Cornell Univiersity influenced your writing style?
For a good long time, my academic career kept me from writing fiction at all (or, perhaps more accurately, I allowed it to do that). No more! In the positive column, my work as an academic (both as a teacher and a researcher) has given me focus and discipline, a deep knowledge of the past and of other languages and cultures, and a treasure trove of material I am beginning to tap only now. My published (or soon-to-be published) fiction, for the most part, has steered entirely clear of the academic sectors of my life and knowledge, but I am changing thatâŚ
What are you working on now?
a novel set in a hotel in Bloomsbury, in London. The protagonist is a ghost. It circles themes of loss, regret, love⌠It time-jumps, it uses figures from the (in)famous Bloomsbury Group as secondary characters. If I say more, I might jinx it, but I really am loving this project. Itâs in its fourth draft, and I very much hope to deliver it to my agent toward the midpoint of the current calendar year. I believe that there will be short fiction spin-offs from this project, but for the moment I am focused like a laser on getting the draft in shape, to where I want it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Read, lots. And then read some more. Find the process that works for you (mine involves whiteboards and note cardsâŚ), which will take some experimentation. Find the schedule that works for you, and stick to it. Ass-in-chair is the best way to get words onto the page. You might decide you hate them, and you might even erase them, but you will have written.
We noticed you're very active on Instagram! What sorts of photos do you like sharing?
Iâm not a Bookstagrammer in the sense that I have some sort of system for reading and reviewing books. But most of my posts (except for the bunny part â the bunnies speak for themselves, or I often put words into their mouthsâŚ) do have to do with books and reading. Iâm a very visual person, and so enjoy coming up with creative compositions that help to express, visually, what I feel about a particular book, or where I am in my reading process of it. I read like a writer, which means cannibalistically, always out for something that inspires me or helps me solve a particular problem, so my IG is maybe a bit chaotic compared to the pages of others. Iâm also trying to include more literature from Spain, or from the middle ages, not to burden people with boring stuff, but just to introduce a little variety and wider awareness into my feed. Anything you donât like, you can scroll past! I also am thinking about how to incorporate references to music that I associate with certain books or reads⌠just starting on that right now, so itâs still just a kind-of mess in my head at this point!
_________________________________________
Sneak Peek Excerpt!
Edward painted girls. Girls, in fact, were his discovery. He found them, mostly in magazines, the filthier the better. They had to be white, so the light could shine through the skin, not just on it. His chosen ones, he cleaned up. Heads and shouldersânever bodies. Faces framed by billows of hair you could sink your face into, necks like warm, slender columns of marble, clavicles bowed like a birdâs wing, the hollows dark and secretive. With every passing week, his girls were inching closer and closer toward perfectionâaccording to his particular definition of the termâfrozen in that exquisite moment between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, when molecules and cells twine themselves into lustrous hair, clear pink nails, skin like butter and cream. His girls, though idealized--his gallerist wielded the adjective like a bludgeon; Edward would have bet his nonexistent retirement savings the woman had never read Platoâwere also heart-stoppingly close to real. Each eyelash a whip of three-dimensional beauty, skin textured to believability, inviting touchâheâd learned a thing or two from his days as a photorealist, his girls looked as though they might burst right off the canvas. But they were frozen there, in space and in time, in the moment he had captured, saving them from the inevitable slideâfrom perfection there was nowhere to go but downâinto the prosaic, the everyday, decay and decrepitude. And his girls represented a sacrifice. Up until two years ago, heâd had a good gallery in MidTown. But then heâd been doing something the art world recognized, derivative though it was. A well-known critic had even attended Edwardâs MFA showâhe now wrote for the The New Yorker; Edward kept a notebook of his reviews, penning dissenting comments, precisely and in red, in the margins. The man had hailed his work as a new twist in Photorealismâmeat-packing district diner scenes, transvestites after theyâd been clubbing all night. The later the betterâthe baggier the under-eye circles, the redder the zits and the scars beneath the makeup. His work had been lauded because of the outrĂŠ subject matter (it was a cheap shot and heâd known exactly what he was doing when heâd taken it). Following the criticâs review, heâd begun to sell, at first only a trickle, it was true, but heâd been on his way, even a couple of musems had bought small pieces, and eventually he was living decently on the sale of his work, the leaner times supplemented with the steadiness of underpaid teaching. But then had come the epiphany. One summer evening after an openingânot his, but an artist also represented by his gallery, theyâd been a kind of fraternity back then, now they all avoided himâheâd followed a golden-haired girl through the park, the dying light on her skin wouldnât let him do otherwise. Even though heâd lost herâand heâd had no idea what heâd have said even if heâd caught up to herâby the time heâd reached his studio, heâd known he couldnât keep doing it.
Cynthia Robinson is a writer and art historian based in Ithaca, New York. Her short fiction has been published by The Arkansas Review, Epoch, The Missouri Review, Slice, and others. She is Mary Donlon Alger Professor of Medieval and Islamic Art at Cornell University and has recently, following a very long hiatus, returned to fiction with her first novel, Birds of Wonder.
Birds of Wonder will be available via Amazon and other fine booksellers on February 20, 2018. To learn more visit cynthiarobinsonbooks.com and connect with Robinson on Goodreads and Instagram.
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