#the vampires would not fit in but that’s not the point

[thecheshireprincess]

Because all of two people said they wanted to read my newest story obsession, here's a sneak peek at my favorite chapter I've written . . .

Let me introduce you to:

The Game Itself

A Chishiya x childhood best friend reader (Niragi's sister!) fic

Content Warning: Mentions of an abusive father, mentions of reader trending toward a panic attack, canon-typical violence, curse words, Niragi is in here and is a menace

A/N: This chapter takes place well into the story, having already introduced many of the main characters and some important plot points. None of my own twists are spoiled by reading this chapter first, and I think it's the best representation for how this story will be 😘 I hope you love it 💕

You lean back with a sigh, relaxing into the plastic beach chair set in front of the glittering pool packed with bodies. The sun is high in the sky, and the citizens of The Beach are happily drinking it in. That's not the only thing they're drinking in, mind you - it's mid-afternoon, and the party is absolutely raging. The music is bumping, the drinks are flowing, and the people are doing what people at The Beach do best - celebrating life. It may seem macabre, to party the days away when you're forced to face deadly games by night, but honestly it feels kind of right when you aren't really sure how much longer you have left to live.

Chishiya sits at your feet, one arm draped lazily over your bare calves and the other holding him upright on the chair. As usual, his face is devoid of any emotion, but you know he is enjoying the opportunity to people watch and get some sun. Even he isn't a vampire, after all.

You spend a few moments studying the people yourself - many splashing around drunkenly in the refreshing pool water and others dancing uninhibited around its edges, everyone looking free as can be. How must it feel to not have to worry about anyone in the Borderlands but yourself? How easy it must be to not have the two most important people in your life stuck here with you, wondering if today is the day they're going to die.

You feel the familiar tight feeling in your chest start to build, and force yourself to shake away those suffocating thoughts - you simply cannot afford to panic here.

You turn your attention instead to playing with the beads adorning the straps of your emerald green crochet bikini. The suit was new, wearing it outside of your room for the first time today. It was special to you - Kuina had found it while she was out for a game last week, saying it had reminded her of your sparkling eyes. The gift made you feel loved, and the suit made you feel sexy.

Rolling the wooden beads between your fingers seemed to help settle your nerves. When your breathing finally returned to normal and the simple anxious task was no longer needed, you sigh loudly, covering your face with your arms and flopping further back into the chair. Bored.

Chishiya smirks, raising an eyebrow. The man very nearly laughs at the dramatic habit that was very you. "Bored already, hm?" He hums, "Coming down here was your idea after all."

"Yes, but I thought there would be more excitement" you whined, flailing your arms widely to accentuate your point. Chishiya sweeps his eyes over your form, looking at you with amusement.

He's about to say something more when he's interrupted by the arrival of two familiar figures - a nervous looking guy with shaggy black hair, and a fit, muscular girl with a cute bob cut. Chishiya squeezes your calf to get your attention, flicking his eyes toward them as they sit down apprehensively on two beach chairs across the pool from you. It was the two newcomers from the most recent executive meeting, and before that, your 5 of Spades game. Arisu and Usagi.

"So they decided to stay after all," you muse, sitting up in interest and folding your legs underneath you. You scoot your body closer to your friend, your thigh brushing against his, as you continue to observe the couple. You briefly wonder what had happened to his blonde friend, and the one they'd been trying to get medical help for. In a place like this, it's probably best not to ask.

The blonde turns his head to study your face, brushing a piece of hair behind your ear as he does, "I can't imagine that it would have gone over well had they declined Hatter's offer." You feel a slight shiver run down your spine at Chishiya's intimate touch. That's new, you note. He had brushed your hair behind your ear like that many times in your life, and only now does it take your breath away. You hum distractedly, still staring at the pair but suddenly feeling very far away from the events taking place around you.

You grin brightly, then, having noticed Kuina skipping over to them. She plops, likely uninvited, down on the chair beside Arisu, her unlit cigarette hanging characteristically in her mouth. There is no doubt in your mind that she was already teasing them about the relationship between them, despite having just introduced herself.

Kuina was confident like that, and you loved that about her. Well, except for when she was teasing you and Chishiya. You blushed slightly just thinking about it, wondering when you had started becoming so flustered about your best friend. You duck your head at these thoughts and pretend to study the sparkly manicure Kuina had given you last night.

You and Chishiya were still just best friends, right?

Within a minute or two, the air had turned from relaxed to tense, and your neck snapped up to find out why. Your discerning eyes land on the militants, of course, you really should have guessed. The hostile and generally power hungry group of The Beach's "personal protection unit" were filing into the party, sure to flash their weapons at anyone looking. The smart people were avoiding their gaze entirely, and the stupid (drunk?) people were openly gawking. You rolled your eyes, how typical.

Leading the charge onto the pool deck was Aguni, looking cold and calculating as usual, with your brother following close behind. Your eyes narrowed, having not seen him for a few days.

"Looks like you're about to get your excitement after all," Chishiya whispered, his breath tickling your ear. You took in a sharp breath in anticipation; the full militant corp was standing at arms looking ready to fight, at the pool. Could this mean the fall of The Beach could be coming sooner than you previously expected? Anxiety swirled heavily in your stomach, fingers subconsciously finding the wooden beads again.

You look to Niragi, the one person who would normally soothe your frayed nerves with just a glance, but feel even worse seeing the wild look in his darkened eyes. Had your relationship truly deteriorated so much in a matter of weeks?

Being all the way on the other side of the pool from them, you're unable to hear Aguni's request, but Niragi was quick to obey. He moved towards Usagi, pulling her roughly up to her feet.

You watch with widened eyes - had Aguni asked for Usagi? What would he even want her for? Nothing good, certainly. Maybe you overestimated his kindness and empathy the day he saved you in the 9 of Hearts game. Or maybe this place really does create monsters out of men - you could certainly see that in the long-haired man across the pool from you, once soft and caring, now swinging a gun around without a care in the world and physically threatening a girl not much older than you. Hell, you see it even in yourself, having been happy enough to let everyone but Chishiya die from the second you landed in this wretched place and started playing.

You're shaken from your reverie when Arisu springs up from his place beside Kuina to help Usagi. You groan in despair, knowing full well that your brother would only be further provoked; Borderlands-version Niragi has an extremely short fuse. Kuina also looks displeased, as though she'd literally just told them not to mess with them, which she probably had.

The people of the party are now definitely watching, but openly pretending not to be. If you didn't feel so anxious at the situation, you'd probably laugh at how nosy and indiscretion drunk people truly are.

You find yourself standing instead, ready to close the distance between your perch and where Niragi has now thrown Arisu to the ground, kicking him repeatedly in the stomach. You felt like throwing up watching the display. Memories flooded your mind of watching your father do the exact same thing to the tall man who was now delivering the blows. It was taking everything in you to not curl up in a ball crying like you always had when the two men in your family were fighting. No, this time you had to put an end to it. This time you would be brave and fight.

"You're going to try to save them, aren't you?" Chishiya mumbles in concern, knowing this scene was likely triggering to you. You knew he wanted you to stay out of it, but you just couldn't help yourself.

"I can't sit back and play victim anymore, Shiya," you whisper. You move swiftly around the pool, before you could lose your nerve or Chishiya could stop you.

"Niragi, please. They're my friends," you plead with the violent man, grabbing onto his forearm as he delivers another crushing blow to Arisu's ribcage. The people of The Beach were now actively watching the scene, fully invested in your family drama. You're unsure of why you called the couple your friends, when you just barely know their names. All you know is that you don't want to watch your brother kill the poor guy, and you definitely don't want to find out what Aguni had planned for Usagi. Or was it that you couldn't stand to see your sweet brother hurt someone the same way he had been hurt so many times in his life?

Niragi ceases his assault on the boy and rips his arm from your grasp. He gives you a full once over in the process, his cold eyes meeting yours for the first time in days. You feel real, raw fear filling your system, something you haven't felt since leaving your father's house for the last time 8 years ago. You'd never felt smaller in your life than you did now, shrinking under Niragi's brutal gaze.

Taking a shaky breath, you muster the shiniest, prettiest puppy dog eyes you can, peering up at Niragi through long eyelashes. "You won't hurt them, right? I'm friends with them."

Niragi continues glaring intimidatingly down at you, in what you realize is disgust. He doesn't address your concerns, but instead has something else to say.

"Put some fucking clothes on, you look like a slut" he spits fiercely, his pierced face now just centimeters from yours. The tight feeling in your chest had returned in full force, threatening to suffocate you.

You stumbled back as if he'd struck you - Niragi had never spoken to you like that. Your stomach dropped, and it took all of your willpower to maintain your composure. You obviously couldn't cry in front of all these Beach idiots, gaping at the two of you like you were the best soap opera in the Borderlands. You turn your head to escape his intense gaze, and put your tongue in your cheek to keep the tears from spilling over. You want soap opera? I'll give you soap opera.

Looking back up at your brother, you cross your arms over your chest. "What are you going to do, make me?" you implore him brattily. Niragi seethed, pierced eyebrow arching, looking like he was seriously considering slapping the attitude right out of you. You stand your ground, the way you should have every other time you've faced a monster like this.

As you and Niragi stare each other down, the initial cause for your dispute long forgotten, Aguni and the others have become distracted by Hatter's arrival. One side demanding peace, and the release of the newest members of the beach; the other begging silently for chaos to ensue. The tense atmosphere surrounding you indicates the balance of power between the two leaders was indeed in jeopardy.

After what feels like hours of strained silence, Aguni ultimately yields to Hatter. The Beach seems to collectively release their held breaths as Aguni and the militant corp flock away to another part of the resort. Usagi quickly tends to Arisu, leading him back into the building to treat his wounds and get to safety. Meanwhile, you have your own struggle for power going on.

Niragi still stands towering above you, obviously not in the mood for your games. He unbuttons his black and white collared shirt, draping it over your shoulders, "Go. Change. Not a request." His fingers wrap tightly around your forearm, aggressively yanking you towards the entrance to the hotel. The force that Niragi had exerted on you nearly sent you careening into the pool still glistening mockingly at your feet, but luckily Chishiya had appeared in just the right position to catch you. Unbeknownst to you, the two exchange a brief look before Niragi skulks off to find Aguni and his other lunatic friends.

The panic within you threatened once more to boil over and your brain simply shuts down - this day had been too fucking much. In your daze, you barely register Chishiya dragging you inside, away from the curious and scrutinizing glances of The Beach citizens. You were embarrassed, confused, and fucking mad.

Just as you passed through the swinging double doors and into the air-conditioned building, Kuina fell in step with you two. She let a reassuring hand fall on your shoulder, squeezing it for comfort. At her kind touch, you feel your carefully crafted resolve finally crumble to the floor. Chishiya knew immediately that you were done for, lifting you easily into his arms and allowing you to ground yourself in him. He carried you protectively the rest of the way to his room as your thoughts thundered around in your head like a wild storm.

You had been lying to yourself your whole life, Niragi had been lying to you your whole life. He promised that your family wasn't broken, that you weren't broken. You guessed it was too much to ask for you to remain untouched by your father's special brand of cruelty. That one day, you'd likely both become just like him.

And now Niragi had. He called you a slut, degrading an outfit that had made you feel beautiful. He embarrassed you in front of an audience. He grabbed you so hard you could see his fingerprints etched in your skin. He was just like him and this time you knew you wouldn't escape.

It was then that you knew - this game that you were playing was much more dangerous than you had initially realized.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

OKAY so I got a little carried away 😅 Yes this was supposed to be a sneak peek, but believe it or not it's not even the entire chapter 🤭

Who's ready for the whole story?

[cantfightmoonlight]

"You do realize you basically just said to go fuck yourself, right?" She pointed quietly out after a prolonged beat. "I really doubt you've been called half the shit I have," She countered, not exactly finding their situations at all comparable. He was the lovable and goofy coven advisor who was clearly more than accepted among his own not to mention his title instantly placed him in a position of respect among others. While her entire life was spent not quite fitting in. Being a resurrected vampire, the other vampires could never fully understand her experience and neither could the other resurrecteds. She was too much of a zombie to fit in with one group and too much of a vampire to fit in within the other. Just as growing she had spent her life being too white for certain circles, while simultaneously being too black. And whether it was intended to or not, certain insults, would always carry a deeper weight to it that wasn't so easy to shake, like how others were afraid of her for simply existing or showing the slightest bit of rage. Maybe the words were easier to shut out for some, but not always for her.

"You don't have to... I wasn't fishing for apology and I did lunge at your sister. I get why you were mad. I probably would have been mad too if it was Ben. Maybe not as outwardly explicit, but then again, who knows? I just think whatever was going on between Frankie and I was between her and I. She's a grown woman who can fight her own battles and I don't really believe that her being human and I not one changes that. But, I might be one of the only people in this town who thinks that, so maybe we just call it even at this point?" She mumbled under her breath. "Can I ask you something though... were you actually afraid of me in that moment?" She asked, remember what Aaliyah had said about the situation. "And if so... why?"

"No," She shook her head quietly. "That's okay. You can have it," She promised him as she held out the cupcake she had been holding toward him once more. "I don't even know why I took it," She admitted. She ate human food all the time which was probably why. Downing back a chocolate cupcake would at least help curve the cravings, but as she looked down at the cupcake with the singular candle in it, she realized if he didn't eat, it would likely go to waste at this point.

Most people were kind of assholes, he thought but didn't say. "Fuck em." It sounded better in his head, but lacked the level of care he'd intended out loud. "I mean.." He tried to explain. "If I listened to every awful thing somebody in this town said about me.." Even though she couldn't see him, the witch shrugged. "I'd probably be on the other side of this wall right now, too." Again, Jacob responded physically when Bri couldn't see him. He realized his mistake after beat of silence. "Yeah. It would've been, so I'm glad I didn't say it. Though, mostly cause you don't deserve it." No one did, he thought.

The explanation brought the clarity Jacob lacked. His inconsistencies in town led to lapses in social nuisances and events. Even present, he seemed to miss things while caught up in his own bullshit. "I didn't know that." It wasn't his defense, but an audible reflection. "I was sort of.. caught up in my own shit." His head shook. Once more, an unseen action. "Our relationship isn't the only once i've fucked up it seems.." Audibly, the witch sighed. His mind steel reeling over Rio. It was festering into something toxic. A reality he didn't want to admit, but would have to accept if he didn't want it to drive him insane. It was pointless to pine for someone who did not reciprocate. "I'm sorry they did that to you, Bri. I'm... sorry you ever felt that way." Jacob was quiet for a moment before adding. "I understand your response now, and I feel even worse for mine."

At the offer of something, he didn't know what, the witch appeared on the other side of the wall. He might've laughed at the partially smushed cupcake had Bri not had that expression on her face. Empty eyes that made the muscle in his chest ache. Maybe their pain was different, but agony was an experience he knew well. Jacob slid back into the floor. His knees to his chest this time, as not to drape over Bri. "Want to split it?"

[hermit-frog]

[mackthecheesy]

heres my take on "what if danny phantom met bruce wayne"

[brotherconstant]

Interview with the Vampire 1.03 "Is My Very Nature That of the Devil" 2.02 "Do You Know What It Means to Be Loved by Death"

[caramelldraws]

A girl dreaming of marriage and children

Aaand one year later: I added some colors!

[raventrigonsdaughter]

In a world of vampire glinda fanfictions(which i love) i'm a werewolf glinda truther

[casualcontingency]

There are still sooo many questions I have about Daniel’s timeline which largely go back to that memoir anecdote about the car seat and the Buick from S1E3.

The blurb on the back of the memoir itself makes the book seem like it only follows Daniel’s life in San Francisco, specifically when he lived in the Haight neighborhood. So, if we go by when car seats became mandatory in the US in 1985, his first daughter would have been born anywhere from 1974 to 1978 making her anywhere from 44-48 by the interview in Dubai. This would then put his second daughter being born in 1985 making her 36/37.

Both would likely have been long since married and/or divorced by then, so the talk Daniel and Louis had in S1E6 seeing them reach those benchmarks makes little sense. Daniel should have already seen those things. He could even feasibly have young great grandchildren by now from that first daughter.

So, this would then suggest that the daughter born in Paris in 1985 is the first child and the second one came much later and possibly with his second wife and is likely in their 20’s now. Which could still work with the “7 years” editor comment because car seats became mandatory in France in 1992. And this would make that conversation between Louis and Daniel work better (although still not great because even then there is still a high likelihood that both daughters could be married). But then WHY would that anecdote be in his memoir about his time in San Francisco.

And it still begs the question why Daniel and Alice were in Paris for so long, especially if the first timeline is the correct one and they had a 7 to 11-year-old daughter at the time which I find highly unlikely in that case. But this being their first child would make no sense either since how could the two of them afford the café lifestyle in Paris if Daniel is giving away his last $30 for drugs in 1985.

It must be an unintentional flub, right? And they just didn’t account for either how old his daughters would be when they scripted S1E3 or didn’t plan out the idea of the memoir/timeline well because even if one threw in the Armand/Alice stuff the timeline seems highly questionable because Daniel clearly did have at least one child with Alice either in 1978 or 1985 because there is no way his memoir would have passed scrutiny otherwise.

[summerscaries]

forever mourning the fact that claudeleine didn’t get to experience more fashion eras

[swordmaid]

anyway shri’iia’s epilogue outfit which is a mix of 1900s male stage costumes and also that one camp outfit mod. look at the ring hehe 🤭

[kinaesthetiqueer]

(follow-up to this)

having grown up in atlas, weiss is very familiar with the academy's team anti-frat policy and gets very hung up on just how much trouble they could get in if anyone thinks they're dating.

(which they're definitely not doing. no, sir. absolutely not, sir.)

so better safe than sorry.

(except winter has eyes. and also doesn't care.)

[animal-appreciation]

I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo I love you Potoo I love you great Potoo

[colinrobinsonscardigan]

There are so many perfectly good reasons to hate Twilight (the handling of Native American characters; the lack of weight given to creepy behaviour (especially Jacob's); the fact that 14-15 year old Jacob is written like A Whole Adult just because he's physically mature; Renesme) but the books being weird are not one of them???

They're vampire novels, which as best I can tell have almost always been weird, and none of it (with the exception of imprinting on a baby) is like that strange? Just saw a Youtube short of a person complaining about the sparkly stone skin thing, which if that's your bar for horrific I need you to go out and read one actually weird novel, or go back to watching like, the Vampire Diaries or something

[hermit-frog]

[moe-broey]

Not Real Boy - Harley Poe 4 This December - Ricky Montgomery.

Two guys who are like really really really really REALLYYYY NORMAL. About each other.

[allegra-writes]

Of course the writing juices start to flow at midnight. Of course. And of course what I wanna write is not my WIP but a Loustat serial killer au with knife kink. Of course.