#they get split up and in the mist of trying to find their friends werewolf meets DC bla bla bla

[bornsexyesterday]

Gfhfnfhfh not my head coming up with stupid darkwolf aus and not letting me fucking remember the thought I had

[philicheesecake]

To Hunt or to be Hunted (U.L.)

Synopsis: Warren goes on his first mission for the Unseen Legion after his initiation, and it doesn't go quite as planned. Eli the giant doesn't have Warren off of his sights just yet. Takes place before An Unorthodox Lecture.  Warnings: Language warnings, M/M, g/t halfsize, nonfatal unwilling vore

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Eli hated having to keep ahead of the hunting rotation with all the added stress of the possibility of falling behind. After a big setback, he had no choice but to lay low for a few weeks in order for all the other giants to pass before following the course on his own.

It was a bit of a problem when it was here in the mountains, where the larger species of giants served as a big threat that he had to avoid. Regardless, he managed to survive the next few weeks by laying low.

Week three after the incident, he picked up a faint scent on the wind within one of the mountain forests that seemed familiar, but upon following it, he found it led to a dead end. It belonged to a human. And that human better not be meddling with the wrong stuff here.

This provoked some thoughts of concern from the giant, and curiosity got the better of him.

He readopted his smaller camouflaged form and paid the old alchemist shop a little visit. Of course he was met once again with a shotgun held to his throat, and the alchemist didn’t seem too happy that he had been cured of the curse from last time they met. She was at least somewhat impressed that Eli hadn’t killed her Hunter friend. Upon asking her a few questions, Eli gathered all of the information he needed. And he was pretty pissed about what he found.

***

It had been three weeks since the first mission of the U.L. gone wrong. The time that had almost cost Warren his life getting wrapped up in the affairs of ravenous, savage giants. Warren has only narrowly escaped with his life due to the help of an unexpected ally. Even then the memory still gave him nightmares.

The way he had believed to have been betrayed as the terrifying fanged maw opened up before him, hungry, and awaiting to devour him whole. Even if he had been safe then, it didn’t alter the fear and terror of the memories.

The Unseen Legion had assigned him the mission to kill one monster in order to be allowed to join their ranks. Warren had stupidly chosen to kill a giant and failed at that task. Normally, this would make him instantly denied entry into the Legion, but his rare experience of the Banding ceremony and surviving it had served as a valuable source of knowledge they couldn’t waste. Before he knew it, he was an initiated member, and he hadn’t even killed anything yet.

Now for the moment of truth, they wanted him to kill a werewolf. Simple enough. It wasn’t anything as massive or powerful as a giant. This one should be easier, right? All he had to do was avoid getting bitten and use his silver knife, or silver bullets to deliver a fatal blow to the heart. No worries about getting eaten alive or any of that. He was sure he had some sort of PTSD from what happened with Eli and didn’t want anything like that to happen again.

He had searched for hours past midnight as he tried to follow what little he knew about tracking in order to locate the beast. The moon was high above the blackened dome, splaying it’s fragmented rays through the branches of the trees, glistening across the forest floor like glistening shards of glass that provided a hazy illumination. It only furthered the distortion of the shadows of the forest where the parts of the moonlight didn’t reach.

Warren’s lone silver ray from his flashlight beamed through the darkened forest to provide a small path of light like a tunnel through the walls of blackness. He had found his first paw print, but it was hard to determine whether it was fresh or days old. The U.L. Archivists had been tracking the hunting patterns of this particular wolf for a while now and we’re quite certain that it would be nearby. It seemed that they were right, but one could begin to only look at so many paw prints before hope of finding the real beast would begin to dwindle.

Suddenly a howl broke through the night. It was low and long, and split the chilled air that froze his breath. Warren paused, tensing in place for a moment. The nerves of the situation were beginning to settle in. There was a powerful mythical beast out there, and he was supposed to kill it. He drew out his pistol shakily, but stabilized it over his flashlight-wielding hand.

He turned a few times, trying to locate the source of the sound. For a moment, there was an eerie stillness in the forest. The shadows of the trees didn’t falter as their gnarled limbs caged him in bars of darkness that split the moonlight. There. Off in the distance, he could have sworn he saw a slight movement in the underbrush. But as soon as his flashlight shone towards it, it was gone.

A pause.

Each passing millisecond mounted the scene with more apprehension. Warren bated his breath, not daring to move just yet.

CRASH!!!

There was a sudden burst of motion that dove through the trees and pounded onto the foliage with a swift motion. It towered above Warren, easily twice his size. It was a mere shadow at this point. But then Warren saw the eyes. A glistening golden color that reflected off of the light animalistically. The eyes leered down at him for a split second before they were gone again.

Warren’s heart raced and he stumbled backwards, tripping over a tree root that protruded from the soil. He scampered backwards, fumbling as he tried to grab his flashlight again.

A giant.

What was a giant doing here?!

Warren had made sure to double check and triple check that the U.L. Was certain that their rotation had already passed before he could do his first mission. How had one slipped under their radar?

Warren lifted his pistol, still scooting on his back away from where he had seen it. The flurry of movement continued. There were growls and a sudden high yelp like an injured dog split the air. Something whooshed by as a large object was hurled into the air and crashed into the underbrush, just inches from where Warren lay. Warren flashed his light to the side, gasping. The werewolf lay there with matted grayish brown fur with long narrow lashes that had sliced it open. It wasn’t moving, but blood still flowed from the wounds.

Warren was shaking. He shined the flashlight back at where the giant was. His heart stopped. It wasn’t there. His breaths rasped in his throat faster and uneasily. Even in the cold, his palms were sweaty from fear, making it more difficult to grip the pistol properly.

There was another burst of movement. A large shadow swept over him with a flash of reflective eyes.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three shots were fired from the pistol, before the wind was knocked out of him. He was pinned to the ground. A massive hand bore down over his chest. Golden eyes glinted down at him like an animal's. Warren’s heart pounded in his ears and it took him a minute to react. He tried to aim the pistol back at the giant, but it was quickly twisted from his grasp. A low chuckle sounded, almost like a growl.

“Thought ya could be a big scary Hunter, now did ya, Kiddo?”

Warren froze, still shivering. That voice. “...Eli?”

The giant snorted. His face was still not visible through the shadows, and for a moment, Warren feared that he had guessed the wrong giant.

“Do ya really think that knowing my name will spare your life in the field?” The voice came back in a mocking chuckle, only confirming Warren’s assumption. “I know what ya did with the Unseen Legion. And you’ll never survive.”

Warren’s eyes narrowed. He brought up his hands to try to pry off the giant’s grip, but it remained firm and unyielding. “I— I have it under control! If you just let me kill that wolf—“

A cruel laugh broke out. Though he couldn’t see the creature’s face through the shadow, he could see its form quake with laughter. “Hunting is never that easy, Tiny. It could have been any other giant just now that jumped ya, and right about now, you’d be somewhere in their gut.” The giant leaned closer, his chuckles still heard as his warm breath wafted over Warren’s face.

Warren shuddered. “I’m trying, okay! Just give me a chance!”

The giant paused for a moment, a growling hum came from his throat in thought. And then the grip around Warren was released.

“Alright, Hunter. If you really think you can be part of the Legion, try to survive. Either beat me, or escape. I’ll even be nice and give you a head start. But if you fail, you suffer the consequences of what a real bad giant would do.”

Warren took in a nervous gasp, trying to scoot to his feet. “W-wait— no— you can’t possibly be thinking of eating me again!”

“Well, I did promise that the last time we met, ya know. That would be kinda embarrassing if I just… didn’t. Also, I can never pass up a tasty little snack.” Eli rolled his eyes, getting to his feet.

The giant lifted the little pistol and slid it onto safety before pocketing it. Standing, he was more in view with the pale moonlight that illuminated his features in pieces cut off from the shadows of the branches. His eyes were framed by dark stripes, not unlike the eye markings of a cheetah. His hair was dark and spiky. His fingers were tipped with long, sharp claws. Standing at his full height, he was 13’3, easily over twice the height of the small human hunter.

Warren finally managed to get to his feet, cringing at Eli’s words. “But—“

“Aaaand there goes your head start and you just wasted it.” Eli feigned a yawn.

Warren tensed, not waiting another moment to dash away in alarm. He pushed through the thick underbrush, weaving through the trees on the uneven trail. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, and his breaths froze against the moonlight in puffs of silver mist.

It was almost impossible to navigate in the darkened forest, and outrunning a giant that had evolved for terrains such as this, capable of sprinting at sixty miles per hour, made home seem slim. But Warren didn’t want to endure going through that again. Some part of him believed that with just a small stroke of luck, he might escape this.

He glanced over his shoulder for a moment to try to locate how close behind the giant was, only to find out, he wasn’t there. Where there had once been a towering creature, there was nothing at all. Nothing chasing him.

Giants were ambush predators.

Warren took in a shaky gasp, immediately feeling ten times more hyper aware of his surroundings. He looked ahead and ran faster—

THUMP—

A tree trunk slammed into his face. He should have been looking forward while he ran. He must have regained his bearings too slow. With a hand bracing him against the tree to try to stabilize himself to run again, he suddenly felt something warm wrap around his leg and jerk him backwards. Warren let out a yelp, quickly reaching out to try to hug the tree in order to resist being pulled backwards, but it was helpless since the grip around his leg was much stronger. He was dragged onto the floor, face mingling with the gross dirt and underbrush.

He flailed helplessly, trying to grab onto something. He reoriented himself, twisting in the grip to be positioned on his back, only to let him have a clearer view at the gigantic creature looming over him. The giant was on one knee, stooping over the small human, only really needing one hand to restrain him. Even crouched down, he was taller than a man was standing. His face was close, allowing a clear view of the glinting fangs as he drew back his lips in a hungry sneer.

“Really? That was pretty pathetic. I was going easy on ya, but you were beat by a tree. Pfft.” Eli’s voice came in a mocking chuckle.

Warren winced, panting with his heart still racing in his ears. “Eli… please don’t…”

“This ain’t anything new to a Hunter, ya know. Your defeat could be a whole lot worse. Once ya join the Legion, ya won’t last long. Not more than two missions I bet.”

The giant drew closer until his warm breaths could be felt on Warren’s face. From this close position, Warren could hear the giant’s stomach gurgle nearby in anticipation.

“Aww, sounds like someone misses you,” The giant chuckled teasingly.

The hunter grimaced, his breaths growing more rapid through his nose as he tried to hide his fear without much luck. He tried to pry the hand off of his leg, but his arms were soon gripped between Eli’s fingers and he was lifted off the ground, dangling before the giant’s face.

“W-wait— Eli I swear to god—.” He let out a yelp as his shoes were suddenly yanked off and he was held higher to dangle above the maw of the giant. “—Hey!”

“I don’t like eating shoes.” Eli said with a shrug.

“Well I don’t like being eaten!!” Warren retorted with a shudder. “Wh— WAIT—!”

The giant was clearly getting impatient. He pocketed the shoes and lowered Warren’s feet towards his mouth. Warren gasped, kicking and struggling in the giant’s grip. Another hand reached up to steady his feet, guiding them towards the giant’s hungry maw. His mouth chomped lightly around his socked feet and ankles, bringing them within the warm confines. Though he didn’t bite down, the pricks of fangs barred them in warningly, making it too dangerous to struggle.

Warren’s eyes widened, and he grimaced as he could feel the slimy tongue begin to soak his socks and feet as they were brought inside. A murr sounded as he could feel the tongue move beneath him, pushing his feet towards the palate as they were tasted, brought in deeper. A little more of his shins were brought into the mouth as his feet were pressed by the tongue and funneled towards the entrance of the throat.

Warren tensed up, jerking his legs as he could both feel and hear the first swallow. His feet were firmly squished against the palate and tugged into the tight, warm throat where he could already feel the slick muscles gripping at his feet to hold him in place. Warren panted, quickly changing his trajectory from trying to break loose from the grip, to clinging onto Eli’s hand to try to slow his descent. The hand only lowered Warren further into the giant’s maw as Eli began to swallow more rhythmically, making his way up to the thighs.

Warren was fighting at this point, terrified as he saw more of himself disappearing down the tight throat. He could see the bulge he made in the giant’s neck, moving slightly in-tuned with his struggles. He was practically sitting on the tongue now, and the throat had gripped him tightly enough to make it near impossible to try to pull himself out. Saliva soaked through his pants as the slick muscles gripped and massaged at him.

Eli’s hand began to let go of his arms, repositioning to brace him behind his back as he pushed Warren towards the throat. Greedy, pleased murrs sounded in his throat in a low growl as more of Warren’s form was accepted into his possession. Warren was shaking, forgetting in the moment that Eli probably wouldn’t hurt him. This only took him back to the dreadful memories from where he was swallowed the first two times. The encompassing terror that had encapsulated him then.

GLK—

There was a disgusting slick sound as the throat gripped him, dragging his hips into the tight folds. Warren panted, gritting his teeth in desperation as he tried to grip the hand that held him, trying to do almost a pull-up to hopefully pull himself free, or pause the giant’s efforts. Only for a mere moment it seemed to be working. Empty swallows rippled at his form, though he wouldn’t budge. There was a glimmer of hope. He was stuck! The way the muscles twitched against him uselessly was still disgusting, but at least he wasn’t going any deeper!

There was a choked, gagging sound coming from the giant’s throat as he struggled with Warren’s resistance. It only lasted for a moment longer before the hand let go and Eli jerked his head backwards. Instantly, gravity shifted, allowing Warren to begin to slide deeper again. He was now up to his chest in the fang-lined maw. With his hands free, he tried to push against Eli’s jaws to try to immobilize him, locking his arms in a stiff position to not get down further. From working up his appetite this whole time, his jaws were dripping with slick saliva, making it gross to contact it when Warren’s hands were there. He was now uncomfortably close to Eli’s face. The giant’s eyes were shut. An expression of enjoyment and pleasure played over his face. He seemed unphased by Warren’s attempts. Almost even indifferent to them.

Warren shuddered, tensing as he felt another swallow tug at him. It was a battle maintaining his ground by gripping Eli’s jaw to hold him in place. He only sunk in another millimeter. His second attempt seemed to be working better than the first. The only issue was how far he was in right now. Only a couple more swallows, and he was done-for. If he slipped, if Eli managed to remove his grip, he would be easily gone. Most of his body was now soaked to the bone in encompassing heat and slime as he was constricted and tugged at within the claustrophobic confines of the throat.

“Eli— stop— p-please don’t do this.” Warren’s protest came out in a breathless stammer.

The giant didn’t make any response, but lifted up his hands to pry the human’s little ones off of his jaw. “No—- NO—!” Warren pleaded.

GLK—

His chest was pulled into the throat and his head and shoulders were now within the giant’s slimy maw. He panted, trying to reach his arms above him to grab something— anything that would help him, but to no use. He winced as he could feel the fangs so close to pricking his arms. Fearfully, he looked down.

Through the dim moonlight, he could see the back of the mouth where the tongue had pinned and guided his torso into the more cramped area. The giant was heavily salivating at his taste, and out of instinct in order to slick down his meal enough to make him slide down with ease. Slick slime dripped from the roof of the mouth. Threads of saliva connected to his form, following his torso into the throat. He felt the tongue rise up beneath him, pinning him uncomfortably to the palate as it pushed more of him into the throat. His shoulders were now crushed into the tight space.

The muscle raised up to the roof of the mouth once more, squishing Warren’s face against the slimy palette. He squeezed his eyes shut to avoid getting slime in his eyes. Any hope of escaping was pretty much gone now. This was it.

Another loud gulp sounded around him as the throat gripped him, pulling him inside deeper. His face was now squeezed inside the tight muscular tube. He could feel his socked feet begin to press against a tight area before entering a more open space. He shuddered, feeling the swallows become more rhythmic now as they dragged him in deeper. More of his legs followed into the opening. He was only in up to his shins before his feet pressed against the opposite wall, but the stomach easily stretched to accommodate him as more slid in.

Warren’s chest was tight and he couldn’t breathe in the suffocating confines of the passage. He was completely at the mercy of the larger creature, as unsettling as it was. His hips and torso soon passed through the opening as well. His legs bent in order to fit properly into the small space, but he didn’t stop kicking. His struggles were easily viewed from outside as the giant watched in amusement. A growling hum was heard around him as his hands were finally squished into the tight throat and the giant enjoyed the sensations from the little struggles.

The rest of the little human finally slid inside, curling up in the tight, squishy environment. He immediately gasped for air, coughing a few times to get used to the thick, humid air that burned his lungs at first from the sheer temperature before he gradually got used to it. He could hear the giant take in deep breaths around him as well, as his airway cleared. He felt a firm pressure against his back and he scowled through grit teeth, aiming an angry kick at the walls.

“Y-you f-frickin’ monster.” Warren growled.  

“Hm?” The giant’s voice responded around him casually. “Oh wait-- were ya insulting me or addressing me?”  

Warren frowned bitterly, curling up tighter, knowing his struggles couldn’t get him anywhere anyways. The environment was hot and slick and gross, and he hated how the walls seemed to have a mind of their own as the involuntary peristalsis continually massaged at him. He could recall how quickly the sheer heat had sapped him of energy before, and didn’t like being weakened like this, despite already feeling the beginnings of it draining his energy.

At the lack of response, the giant chuckled, rubbing at the small form in his gut. He got to his feet, walking along through the forest. He quickly found Warren’s flashlight that he had dropped and scooped it up, putting it in his pocket.

Warren’s heart was still racing from the bad scare, but was beginning to slow down a bit as he tried to disconnect himself from the fact that he had just been eaten. He knew Eli wouldn’t kill him, so at least there was that small reassurance. He still hated this place no less, however.

“Hey kiddo?” 

Warren grimaced as he felt a jab on his back as the giant poked at him. “What.” the hunter’s voice didn’t sound too happy.

“How do ya feel about bein’ one of those lousy Hunters now? I’m tryina show ya that… It won’t work out. You’re just gonna end up getting killed. Ya know how easy it is to eat you?”  

Warren shivered. He pulled his arms up around his legs, tucking his head close. It was like he was trying to appear even smaller. “I don’t want to know.” He returned in a low voice. He sighed. “Monsters are just… stronger. But I can do something to stop them. I just need to try harder.”  

Eli let out a blunt laugh. “Do ya really wanna know how many people I’ve heard say that? And how they ended up?”

Warren didn’t respond. He grimaced as the stomach muscles churned slightly around him, holding him in place. He heard gurgles come from nearby. Just the silence accompanied by the slick, churning sounds of the giant’s insides were enough of an answer to Eli’s question.

Eli groaned, continuing to walk through the forest as he navigated the route with Warren’s scent on it.

“You’re being awfully quiet tonight. Where’s that fighting vigor?” Eli was clearly growing impatient, as he tended to enjoy feeling his victim’s struggles within him. Warren’s lack of a fight was just annoying to him.  

Warren sighed. “What’s the point? I’m not going to be able to get out of here until you let me anyways.”

Eli rolled his eyes. “Well you aren’t fun. Do ya even know why I’m doin’ this? I told you last time we met that ya have to take care of your sisters. What a good lot of takin’ care of I’m seein’ right now. Throwing your life away to fight monsters that you’re never gonna beat? Really? What do ya think they’re gonna do when you disappear one day and never return? Do ya even know how that’ll affect them?”

The giant’s voice raised to a booming volume around him, shaking the walls of the human’s fleshy prison. Warren winced. “W-why do you care?” The Hunter retorted.

“I DON’T. I couldn’t care less about ya pathetic little humans. The only reason why I’ve never killed ya has nothing to do with mercy. Don’t for a second think you’re too special to kill. I just don’t want some other giant or monster to go off wastin’ a meal that I spared. That’s lame.”

Warren was silent for a moment. Something about the giant’s words didn’t add up. There was still some curiosity on why Eli ever started sparing the lives of humans, but he knew how Eli resisted explaining last time and didn’t want to cause any triggers that could endanger him.

“I’m still going to hunt monsters.” Warren said quietly, afraid of Eli’s response.

“Then what’s the point in keepin’ ya alive now? Maybe I should just digest ya and get your death over with, since you’ll be getting killed on the job soon anyways.”

“N-- DON’T--!” Warren tensed up, flinching as he felt the stomach clench around him again, accompanied by gross gurgling sounds. He struggled in place, trying to reorient himself in the darkness. He was now sort of lying on his back, in a good enough position to spring a strong kick upwards where he assumed the lungs to be. “I s-swear Eli--”

Eli hiccupped as the kick came in contact with his lungs, actually hurting a bit. He pressed a hand against his stomach to immobilize his prey. Warren panted in the hot, close confines, finding it hard to breathe while stuck in this new position.

“What’s the point in letting you go, hm?”  

Warren shuddered, pressing his elbows out to try to free enough room for him to breathe. He panted for a moment to try to catch his breath. Despite being covered in slime, he was oddly sweating in the sweltering environment. It was exhausting to fight against the walls to struggle for breath.

“Be-- because…” He paused between breaths for a moment, thinking desperately. “L-look, just now you were-- were offering me a chance of practice to fight or sur-- survive being attacked by a giant--”  

“And you failed.” Eli quipped with an amused snort.

“I know-- I know-- but-- what if I kept trying-- you know-- you know a lot more about monsters than me. I could learn more about how to fight them properly, and how to survive. You hate the other giants, right? What if I was able to help?”

It was a strain to even gather breath at this point. He knew he couldn’t keep this up long, and his struggles only seemed to bring further enjoyment to his captor instead of persuading him to release him.

Eli raised a brow, lightening his grip slightly. He paused in his strides in the forest, one hand going to scratch the back of his neck in thought and the other to rub at the form of the little human in his gut, just thankfully with less force this time.

“You mean, like train you?”

Warren squirmed slightly, not enjoying the rubs against his side and feeling disgusted that the giant would gloat over him like a filling meal instead of a person.

“Y-yes.”

There was a rumbling hum around him, as if in thought. Then a chuckle.

There was no response for a while, and Warren laid there in the draining heat, already beginning to feel his strength leave him as the fatigue settled in.

After a while of movement (assumedly Eli walking), the stomach grew tighter, crushing around Warren’s form. Warren struggled at first fighting back and panting before his head was sucked back into the throat from the sheer pressure and he was brought upward. He was being released!

The convulsing muscles tugged him along, feeling even tighter than before, almost to the point of crushing his very bones. There were slick gagging sounds as light poured in and his head pressed back through the mouth. The scruff of his shirt was roughly grabbed and he was pulled the rest of the way out with disgusting slick sounds. Saliva trailed from his form, connecting to the giant’s mouth.

Warren gasped for air as soon as he was freed, shivering violently as he was re-exposed to the bitter chill of the air. After being in the scalding stomach for a while, the sudden change of temperature shocked his body. He continued to gasp, wiping his face and blinked his eyes open to look at the giant. He grimaced as he saw the threatening face so close. Eli was smirking down at him and raised a hand to wipe the slime off of his jaws.

“Well that knocked some reason into ya… hopefully.” The giant huffed. He lowered the little Hunter onto the ground. They were now near the side of the road where Warren had parked his car. “Also, word of advice; don’t ever park your car on the side of the road where you’re doin’ a hunt. The monsters can trace your scent right back to it and know which cars to watch out for, or even deduct where you life off of that… So yeah. Bad idea.”

Warren wobbled unsteadily as he got to his feet again, craning his neck up to look at the massive giant above him as he spoke. He just nodded stiffly, still shaky from the experience, but relieved that he was alive.

“Wait-- so you’re going to help me become a Hunter then?”

The giant shrugged. “Meh. Maybe. Dunno yet. I still don’t see much of a reason to help out any human, but I have reasons to help myself here.”

Warren furrowed his brow, still blinking blearily as his head was foggy from drowsiness at the moment. He opened his mouth to try to ask what these “reasons” were-- He didn’t want Eli to use this training as an excuse to keep on eating him. But the giant quickly spoke again.

“Anywho, you should probably get back to your sisters now. Don’t want them to get worried. Don’t worry, I’ll clear up the werewolf evidence.”

Warren groaned. “Wait-- but I need that werewolf! The U.L. needs it as proof--”

“You gotta earn your first kill. Doesn’t count if I do all the dirty work ya know.”

Warren sighed. He had a long way to learn to get good at this hunting thing. He dug into his pockets to pull out his car keys and grimaced as they were dripping with slime. “Ugh disgusting…”  

Eli smirked, offering a short pat to his fluffy hair condescendingly before he stopped, seeming to remember something. “Oh-- almost forgot this,”

He dug in his pockets, taking out Warren’s pistol and his shoes and tossed them over to the little man. Warren sputtered, quickly managing to catch them. His eyes narrowed at how carelessly the giant had just thrown a pistol at him, but at least it didn’t go off or anything. Warren shot a look at Eli uncertainly as he fumbled with his reclaimed items.

“Thanks.... Uh… You won’t use this whole training thing as an excuse to... you know… eat me again, right?” There was a slight waver in his voice.

The giant let out a short snort of laughter. “Alright, how about we look at it like this; if ya can actually escape me for once, ya won’t have to worry about getting eaten by anything.”

Warren’s eyes widened by a hair. He bit his lip and his eyes narrowed again. “F-fine.”

“Aw you get all cute when you try to act all fierce and stuff. Seeya ‘round Tiny.”

The giant stepped back, still smirking as Warren got flustered from his words, but he got back into his car with a sigh, dropping his shoes on the passenger seat and put his pistol into the glove compartment. He shot one last glance at the giant. “Don’t call me tiny.” Warren snapped back to the giant’s amusement. Without another word, Warren took a deep breath and began to drive away. He could see a small glimpse of the giant’s reflective eyes in the rear view mirror before he seemed to disappear at the edge of the treeline.  

Warren took in some deep breaths as he tried to wrap his head around what he had just agreed to. That giant had every reason to hate his guts. For all he knew, Eli might be toying with him to gain his trust. Warren was new to the whole Hunting thing, and already he must be breaking some sort of ancient rule not to team up with monsters. He really hoped that his judgement wasn’t wrong about this…

He would have to talk to Olivia about this later.

[for-gold-and-glory]

Weekly Events for Feb 8th to Feb 15th

Here are some events G&G Members will be involved in during the week. Or just events that I think are really cool and you should definitely go to. If you’re interested in joining these events just show up or send a message to Aegir, Lirilith, or Aedwen Or join our discord: https://discord.gg/dCRSWTx

Monday -  SUNcat Solidarity Night at the DRUNKEN MOOGLE! @ 9:00pm EST - Lavender Beds W12, P33 Thursday -  World of Light: Chapter 2: "Down, Drowned, and Disposed @ 7:00pm EST - Longmirror Lake, Il Mheg Thursday -  World of Light 2:  "You Want Thingamabobs? I've Got 20" @ 9:30pm EST - Venmont Yards, Khoulsia (Have Tempest Unlocked) Thursday - Radiant Plume Fight Night @ 9:30pm EST - Lavender Beds W15, P49 Friday - Valentoine’s Auction @ 9:30pm EST -  Mist, Ward 11, Plot 2 Saturday -  Garlean Weekly: Swarm, Salt, and Scourge Part @ 3:00pm EST -  Ala Gannha, The Peaks Saturday - Festival of Roses @ 6:00pm EST - Amethyst Shallows, Ward 9 Lavender Beds Sunday -  The Vault of Professor George Edward Cienfuegos and the Kingdom of the Crystal Dragon Skull, Chapter 2: The Wailing Woman in the Blue @ 3:00pm EST - The Ruby Price, Ruby Sea Sunday - Valentione’s Prom @ 7:00pm EST - Mist W13 P45 Monday - Treasures of Uznair: Ghosts of the Past @ 7:00pm EST - Roll20

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Monday -  SUNcat Solidarity Night at the DRUNKEN MOOGLE! @ 9:00pm EST - Lavender Beds W12, P33 https://savothesewercat.tumblr.com/post/642111570189631488/savothesewercat-savothesewercat-suncat - Music for Seekers of the Sun! Status: Open RP, please join us Type: Performance GM: Drunken Moogle!

Thursday -  World of Light: Chapter 2: "Down, Drowned, and Disposed @ 7:00pm EST - Longmirror Lake, Il Mheg -  After a quick cutscene at the Inn, the Sinners wake up to day two of their investigation. Okay, so the king has been murdered. There's several suspects. The Princess is a werewolf (or something of that nature). The twin princeses are both acting twitching. And the princess was secretly wed to a low born knight (Prince Veo's best friend) by one of the council members. There's a lot of motive flying around. Will they find the try culprit? Or get a game over. Status: Open to Fan of the Fae Type: Investigation GM: Aegir

Thursday -  World of Light 2:  "You Want Thingamabobs? I've Got 20" @ 9:30pm EST - Venmont Yards, Khoulsia (Have Tempest Unlocked) - Back on track! with the ability to breath underwater, the Sinners return to the First and Khoulsia. It's time to dive. A Kingdom under water... they find that and more under the waves of the Tempest. But something bigger is lurking in the deeps. They are about to stumble upon a threat perhaps even greater than what they set out to explore. Status: Open to World of Light Type: Adventure GM: Aegir

Thursday - Radiant Plume Fight Night @ 9:30pm EST - Lavender Beds W15, P49 - Ever wanted to chow down on some grub, and sip on primal’s blood while watching two of your fellows beat each other to a bloody pulp? Well, we don’t have actual primal’s blood but we do have the other two things and a pretty damn good substitute for the other! The Radiant Plume is a new tavern opened in the dusty recesses of the Shroud, once a dliapidated cottage revitalized and renovated for your pleasure! The upper floor of the establishment houses a simple tavern with hearty fare and a vast array of alcohols. Just below that in the depths of the Plume you’ll find an open arena that showcases bloody brawls for your enjoyment! Weapons can be used upon agreement and for a price (IC gil), just in case our more lawful patrons decide to cause a fuss, but try not to kill one another. Your mess, your problem. That’s right. The Radiant Plume is a completely neutral ground, where anyone can shed their moral bindings for an evening of bloodsport and a little bit of drinks and dining. The owners only have a few rules: You break it, you buy it. No unsanctioned brawls on the premises. If you kill it, it’s your problem.

Status: Open RP, please check the link Type: Social/Tournament GM: The Radiant Plume

Friday - Valentoine’s Auction @ 9:30pm EST -  Mist, Ward 11, Plot 2 https://discord.gg/VJmX5CEAAm - It’s time for the third annual Valentione Day Auction! With over 40 treasures on stage, it’s sure to be a night of love! There’s also a chance to win fabulous prizes! Jump in the discord to get a sneak peak at the auctionee’s profiles. Status: Open RP, check the link! Type: Date Auction GM: Ashemmi

Saturday -  Garlean Weekly: Swarm, Salt, and Scourge Part @ 3:00pm EST -  Ala Gannha, The Peaks https://fustuarium.tumblr.com/ - It isn’t an ark, it isn’t a temple, the Mhachi ship in  Pla al Anwyd is a biological weapon. And the sands counting down to detonation are slipping through the hourglass. The imperials rush back to the dig site to get answers. They’ve captured Xylmius as their prisoner, but will he be enough to lure the Rector from his guardian statue? And will stopping the Rector be enough to stop the count down? Status: Semi-Open, message Aegir Type: Investigation, Horror? GM: Aegir

Saturday - Festival of Roses @ 6:00pm EST - Amethyst Shallows, Ward 9 Lavender Beds https://aniew.tumblr.com/post/639951437100711936/in-celebration-of-the-season-of-love-the-festival - In celebration of the season of love, The Festival of Roses is set for Saturday, February 13, 2021, beginning at 6:00 EST/5:00 CST/3:00 PST! This event is set to offer a date auction, vendors, and a couples fighting pit, and we’re still looking for help staffing the event! In particular, we are looking for merchants or game booths with a Valentione’s themed twist! All vendors will have their own slide to be decorated as they’d like.We are also searching for interested healers for the tournament, and security to staff the event! We will begin accepting applications for the date auction soon. Status: Open, check the link! Type: Celebration GM: Livia Crane

Sunday -  The Vault of Professor George Edward Cienfuegos and the Kingdom of the Crystal Dragon Skull, Chapter 2: The Wailing Woman in the Blue @ 3:00pm EST - The Ruby Price, Ruby Sea - The adventurers split into teams with one heading to the Ruby Sea to investigate the whereabouts of one of the known Crystal Dragon Skulls. Gifted to him by a Hingan princess who ran away from the Empire with several ancient family relics, reknown collector (and Hoarder), Lord Tomo is said to have one of the skulls in his possession. But with a mysterious voice following them as they venture into the Kojin’s vault, the adventurers may find that they have more than spooky teleporting Garleans following them.  Status: Open to the Ruby Sea Group, if you would like to join and haven’t been sorted, please message Aegir Type: Adventure GM: Aegir

Sunday - Valentione’s Prom @ 7:00pm EST - Mist W13 P45 https://for-gold-and-glory.tumblr.com/post/642137657460293633/valentiones-prom-february-14-7pm-10pm-est-mist - The feverish young love, nervous and bubbling with enthusiasm, is a central charm of House Valentione.Come gather ye rosebuds with that spark of youth at the Valentione Prom! Various Eorzean academies are partnering with House Valentione to present the best social event of the season of love.Got what it takes to be the King or Queen of Valentione? Put yourself out there and run for the title! Get your prom photos taken, and enjoy the amazing music from DJ  Deast.! Share your prom night story with us! Post on your platform of choice and drop it in our Discord server! https://discord.gg/WJwjjVWWK4 Your story will be compiled into a storybook PDF with illustrations! Status: Open RP, please join us Type: Social GM: Rommie Monday - Treasures of Uznair: Ghosts of the Past @ 7:00pm EST - Roll20 - The Royal Puppeteer has tasked the adventurers with an important mission: to investigate rumors of the famed ghost ship, the Black Coffin, appearing on the coasts and ports of Uznair. Their investigation will take them into the bowels of the haunted Arrapago Reef, where the Black Coffin was thought to have run aground over 300 years ago. But the adventurers and the dead aren’t the only things inside the Reef, as they soon realize, they will have to dodge the lamia as well, as the Undead Swarm amasses for a massive besieged! Status: Semi-open, message Aegir to join Type: Adventure/Action GM: Aegir

[anchorsandadderall]

Hag Hunt

Author’s Note: this is a crossover with the Dead by Daylight video game. Which I recommend everyone obsess over with me.

Gas Heaven Autohaven Wreckers

The Beacon Hills preserve does something weird and horrible again. Nothing new under the sun. Stiles is just over it a little faster today.

“A forest! Can’t! Swallow! People!” he growls, punctuating each word with a vicious kick to a sturdy wooden post. Derek surveys the area around them, probably keeping a subtle nose on Stiles’ chemo signals to put a stop to it if he actually hurts himself.

“Hm,” Derek says, like he doesn’t really agree with that. Which is fair because the forest, well, just did. “Where did it swallow us to? This looks like a junkyard.”

“A creepy junkyard. Surrounded by creepy green mist.”

“And half of a bus.”

“And half of a bus!” Stiles grabs the post and tries to shake it viciously. It doesn’t budge. “Because this wasn’t fucking creepy enough without a gutted school bus! And this place is probably going to try to kill us like every other goddamn thing that happens because of that forest!”

Something slams into Stiles back, knocking the wind out of him as his chest hits the post. A hand in a worn leather glove clasps over his mouth. “Shut up,” a voice hisses into his ear.

Stiles can see a second person in his periphery, dressed so darkly that she almost disappears into the murk. “Jake.”

Strong hands yank Stiles around and slam his back into the post so he’s facing the dark scowl of some guy in a green hoodie that’s stained and halfway to ‘tattered.’ Something creaks above him, catching Stiles’ attention and making him look up. A heavy, rusted hook swings gently over his head. “Oh, great! We’ve got meat hooks too!”

The man presses his hand back over Stiles’ mouth. “Shut up! Some of us actually want a break from the hooks this time around!”

“Jake!” The girl beside presumably-Jake grabs his arm and shakes it. Jake whips around to her and opens his mouth, probably to say something rude, but goes absolutely still. The girl with the dreadlocks is also standing frozen, eyes locked over Jake’s shoulder.

Grrrrrrrrr

Jake turns slowly toward the source of the low warning rumble. Derek bares his fangs and leans in closer, red eyes in their full glowing state. “Don’t. Touch. Him.”

“New killer! New killer!” The girl turns on a flashlight in her hand and shoves it into Derek’s face. Jake yanks Stiles away from the post and shoves him into the girl, herding them both toward the sparse trees and scrub that were allowed to grow among the stacks of tires.

“Run! Run, now!”

Stiles opens his mouth to point out that his boyfriend only looks like a serial killer (and only acts like one when he has to but he probably won’t say that part), but two hands grab onto him and drag him into the maze of scrapped cars. Stiles is surprised by the strength in the pair of them, and stumbles over his own feet, trying to keep up with them to avoid just being dragged through the dirt. Turning a sharp corner, Stiles is shoved against a stack of heavy tires that don’t even budge under his weight.

“You’re just gonna piss him off, dude,” Stiles says, rubbing his chest. “Also, you’re a lot stronger than you look.”

“Everything pisses them off.” Jake grabs the sleeve of Stiles’ hoodie. “Red? Seriously? What were you thinking?”

Stiles bristles and slaps his hand away. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t get dressed expecting the forest to eat me!”

The girl elbows Jake, glaring at him. “He’s really new. Be nice.”

“I am being nice, Claudette,” Jake says, and Stiles makes a mental note that Jake is clearly a liar. He yanks the shoulder of Stiles’ hoodie. “Take this off. It’s going to get you on a hook.”

Stiles shrugs out of the hoodie mostly because he wants answers more than he wants to argue about it. “Okay, hoodie is off. Now… explain literally everything you’ve said since we met.”

Jake stares at Stiles’ chest. “Are you seriously wearing an actual target on your shirt?”

“Again where I didn’t expect to be here,” Stiles repeats. “And also, why does it matter? What are we hiding from in this creepy junkyard?”

“From whatever almost cornered us at the hook,” Claudette says. “He’s new, though. We don’t know what he does. But you can bet it’s something bad.”

“Oh, that was just Derek,” Stiles says, making a face as Jake pulls off his own hoodie and shoves it over Stiles’ head to hide his shirt. “He’s with me. He does…” Stiles wants to finish that sentence with ‘me, also’ but this is probably not the time for that. “Good stuff.”

“The guy with the glowing eyes and fangs was… a survivor?” Jake shakes his head and grabs Stiles by the back of the collar and hauls him away from the tires. “You’ve got a lot to learn here, but we need to keep moving and find the generators. Lesson 1 is that anything not human is going to try to kill you.”

“I think I know Derek, and he’s totally harmless and o-” Stiles gets cut off by a beefy arm grabbing Jake by the back of the neck and yanking him away. Stiles really does have the worst timing ever.

“Run!” Claudette tries to pull Stiles back with her, shining her flashlight in Derek’s eyes again. Derek snatches the flashlight away and snaps it off.

“Stop doing that.” He hauls Jake around to face him. “And you. Stop touching Stiles.” He shoves Jake away and turns to Stiles, wrinkling his nose. “What are you wearing?”

“I’m blending into the forest,” Stiles says, flapping his arms in the loose, worn sleeves of the hoodie. “My shirt was apparently too much like an invitation.”

“You smell.”

“Shut up. I’m camouflaged.”

Derek looks around the forest. “From what?”

“We don’t know. From you, we thought,” Claudette says, holding her hand out for her flashlight. “If we’re the four survivors in the trial, then it’s some other killer.”

“Look, I feel like you guys are continuing a conversation we weren’t here for,” Stiles says as Jake turns and heads through the maze of stacked tires and low scrub.

“You’re gonna need to learn to fix generators.”

Claudette sighs. “I wish Dwight were here. He’s better at them.”

Stiles opens his mouth to ask, yet again, what the hell is going on and why the hell they’re apparently fixing shit in the middle of a junkyard. He doesn’t get that chance because something happens, and Stiles’ brain can only quantify it as A Thing.

The green dust kicks up and there’s a throaty, inhuman wail. The thing that appears from the dust is human in shape, but bent and gnarled, standing at a strange angle. There’s a wide black space in her head that might be a mouth. It’s female. Or used to be. There’s a split second where the thing just stands there, solid on the ground and yet somehow feeling like it’s dangling from strings.

Stiles doesn’t notice the massive claw on her right side until she’s swinging it.

“Hag!” Claudette snaps on her flashlight as she’s screaming. “It’s the Hag, run!”

Jake grunts sharply as the claws hit him across the shoulder, spattering red on the white of the birch trees behind them. When Claudette swings the beam of her flashlight into the thing’s eyes, it stumbles and hisses. Claudette grabs Jake’s wrist and sprints into the piles of wrecked cars.

“Come on!” she yells. Derek grabs onto Stiles, pulls him up under one arm, and takes off after them.

“What was that?” Stiles asks as Derek catches up, running alongside Claudette. “Was that thing human?”

“Did she fucking look human?” Jake snaps. “She’s the killer this time!”

“What the fuck do you mean ‘this time’?” Stiles flails a frustrated hand at Jake. “You keep saying shit like this! How often do you end up getting chased through this place by monsters??”

“A lot!”

“Shut up!” Derek and Claudette say at the same time.

“She’s going to hear you!” Claudette hisses.

“And you’re both annoying.” Derek pauses just long enough to grab Jake and heft him up over his shoulder. Jake hisses and bites back the grunt of pain as they take off running again.

Claudette looks behind her and gasps. Stiles tries to see over his shoulder, but can’t see around Derek’s arm as well. There’s more footsteps, though, with an odd gait to them. It has to be the monster… thing. The Hag, she’d called it.

“Derek, faster. Faster, man!”

“We can’t leave her,” Derek hisses. Right. Derek can’t carry all three of them. Not a slight against his werewolf strength, more a lack of arms thing.

“We-”

“Take him into the jungle gym! Try to find a med, check the chests!” Claudette orders, then breaks away from the group before Stiles can ask what the hell any of that is and where they’re supposed to find a chest.

“Claudette!” he yells, just as she vaults through the open window of the shell of a bus and disappears. The strange footsteps taper off. “Shit. Where are we going?”

“In there,” Jake groans from up on Derek’s shoulder. The thing they run into isn’t a jungle gym. It isn’t playground equipment at all. It’s a long wall of crushed cars and junk, stacked unevenly so there are gaps in the middle of the piles, and more stacks of tires. And a rusted pickup truck still mostly intact. It appears to be mostly just a lot of places to hide, or a lot of shit to duck around while being chased.

“I don’t see a chest,” Stiles says, looking around as Derek finally sets him back on his feet.

“It’s a junkyard. Why would there be chests?”

Stiles pauses and considers that. It’s really easy to get sucked into these weird habits these people have. “Fine, whatever. I’m just gonna rip strips off my hoodie.” Which sucks, because he likes that hoodie. But he can’t use Jake’s filthy sweatshirt to wrap around an open wound. He’ll just kill the guy from an infection.

“I’m gonna go after that thing that was chasing us.”

Jake eyes the long strips Stiles produces from his hoodie. “Those are gonna be really easy to see.”

“No more so than your blood. Hey, find me a weapon while you’re out,” Stiles tells Derek, crouching beside Jake and dumping his homemade bandages on their new friend’s lap.

“Doubt there’s a bat around here. What do you want?”

Stiles shrugs. “Anything long and heavy. See if there’s a bigger flashlight or just a non-jagged piece of junk.”

“Just wait until you hear the screaming,” Jake growls, hissing as Stiles begins wrapping the bandages around the claw marks. “The Hag will leave her on one of the hooks. You should be able to get her down and bring her back.

“…Yeah, why don’t you go now,” Stiles says, because it sounds entirely nicer for Claudette if they just avoid that altogether. “Like now.”

“Gone.” Derek climbs through a window in the junk and Stiles hears his footsteps run off.

“You have to be quiet,” Jake says, gingerly sitting up and lifting his arm to give Stiles more room to work on it. “You have to run from her and avoid her.”

“What, you guys just let her impale you on hooks?” Stiles ties off a strip and grabs another one. “How are you still alive.”

“You have to fix the generators until the door out of here works.”

Stiles knows weird rules when he hears them. Beacon Hills has her own weird rules. You stay out of the woods. No one ever does a license check on Eichen House. New kids enrolled in the high school with no paperwork, no transcripts, nothing. The front office staff changed all the time. No one ever thought any of it was weird. Stiles thinks his is a little easier to brush off than monsters jamming people onto meat hooks, but his is not to judge. “Yeah, well… we’ll go fix them as soon as Derek gets back.” When in Rome and all.

“Just listen for the scream.”

The scream doesn’t come at first. There’s a lot of faint noises that aren’t human. Hisses. Growls. First they’re the click-y sort that the Hag made. Then they’re more of Derek’s sort.

Then there’s a scream. Long and dry.

Stiles presses his back against the heavy wall of junk behind him, perched under Jake’s arm, ready to haul him up and run if he has to. His legs ache from the tension coiled in his muscles but he holds the position. And his breath.

Claws jut in through the open hole in the middle of the junk. Stiles bites back a scream in the hopes that the Hag’s ears are in as bad of shape as the rest of her.

“Son of a… push on the back for me,” Derek growls.

Claudette makes a miffed sound. “Ew, no. Just carry it around.”

“Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

The claws wiggle a little, and then the whole goddamn arm comes flying through the window and flops onto the ground beside Stiles and Jake. Jake stumbles back across their hiding space until he falls back against the pick-up truck.

“Seriously, Derek?” Stiles unfolds himself and nudges the arm with the toe of his sneaker, taking care not to focus on the ragged bits at the end.

“It’s long and heavy,” Derek says as he climbs through the window after his prize. “Just like you wanted.”

“You think you’re funny, but you’re not.” Stiles sighs and grabs the arm below the shoulder. The flesh and muscle that was left on it is as leathery as it looks, but the bone is surprisingly sturdy. And heavy, thus the flesh-ripping claws.

“I’m hilarious.”

“Not.” Stiles hefts his new weapon over his shoulder. “Alright. Guess we’re going on a hag hunt.”

“Stiles!” Scott yells, hands cupped around his mouth to amplify the sound.

“Derek!” Isaac calls, then strains to listen in the dark forest. “Where the hell did they go?”

“I don’t know.” Scott scratches the back of his head in frustration. “They can’t just disappear, you know? But I can’t smell them!”

“They’re somewhere,” Isaac huffs. “Let’s just regroup with Erica and Boyd and-” Isaac’s mouth stops working promptly as the forest around them just… wobbles and bends and then some dark void pries itself open. Giant, spindly legs hook out of the void and strain on it, pulling the blackness open further. More legs throw four people out of the maw, sending them sprawling onto the forest floor.

“Aw, you don’t want to play now?” Stiles rolls to his feet, brandishing something long and jagged at the legs. “Not so tough, are you?”

“Is that… an arm?” Isaac asks, watching Stiles proceed to beat at one of the legs with it.

“I… think so? Who are they?” Scott gestures at the two people who run up to join Stiles. The girl begins trying to pummel the legs with a flashlight while the guy just proceeds to stomp on the ones holding the gap open. One of the legs grabs onto the misshapen arm Stiles is using and pulls at it. Derek grabs onto Stiles as he tries to play tug-of-war for the arm.

“Stiles. Drop it.” Stiles growls and loses his grip as Derek yanks him back. The legs immediately retreat into the blackness, taking the arm with them. The gap swirls closed, leaving the forest quiet and… whole again, with no tear through the middle of it.

“Scott! Isaac!” Stiles wriggles free of Derek’s arms and rushes over, pulling Scott into a one-armed hug. “Dudes, we have got a hell of a story for you.”

“Yeah, like where were you?”

Isaac nods at the two new people being herded over by Derek. “And who the hell are they?”

“We’ll talk about that on the way to my house. I gotta get my bat before we go back.”

Scott blinks and scratches his head, watching Stiles and Derek leave the clearing with the other two following them like ducklings. “…Back where??”

Stiles voice rings back through the trees, but Scott isn’t actually getting his answer, of course. “We’re coming for the rest of them, you spidery bastard!”

[lonelypond]

Casual Lunacy, Ch. 53

NicoMaki, Love Live, 2.8K, 53/?

Summary: Nico and Maki get some alone time.

Aftershocks: An Atonal Interlude

With as jumpy as Maki was during the day, Nico was always surprised to wake up and find the redhead so soundly asleep that not even Nico poking her, or shifting weight off her, or (most of the time) prying out a flung out limb from underneath the torso of a clingy girlfriend would stir the redhead. At some point, Maki had transformed back into human form, most of the bruises, scrapes and burns healed away. Maki snored as Nico eased her way out of bed, finding the t-shirt she’d pulled out of a drawer and a pair of fuzzy wool socks in the dark. After 3 a.m., no news from the parental Nishikinos, and Nico was restless, unsure of what had happened to Maki or her friends early in the evening, uncertain of how walking into the theatre and seeing Kashima would feel, just generally restless. And HUNGRY.  Nico knew as soon as Maki woke up, she’d probably be in search of a snack and both cooking and cleaning served the same purpose, calming Nico when there was too much to think about. So with a gentle breath of a kiss on Maki’s forehead, Nico headed downstairs to see what kind of pantry the Nishikinos kept.

Having accomplished the task of repurposing pancake mix to blueberry muffins, Nico had left them to cool, and invited herself into Maki’s music room, wanting to look at the music Maki had composed to Neruda again. Maki had written it for her, right, so surely no one could object if Nico pulled it out and played it herself. The Nico (and Neruda) by Moonlight folder was lying out on top of the bookshelf, so Nico opened it and sat on the piano bench, shuffling through the scored sheets to see if there was anything else Maki had been working on…

“How like you are to the longest kiss, Its fixed shock seems to nourish you, And its thrust of live coals, of fluttering flag, Goes…” Maki’s voice trembled nervously “throbbing in your domains…What if I was planning to surprise you?”

Nico glanced up, Maki was leaning in the doorframe, hair hanging down over her eyes, bathrobe loosely tied around her, but half falling off her shoulder. The werewolf was trying very hard to glare at Nico, but a huge yawn destroyed any non cute mood she’d been setting. Nico bounced off the bench and wrapped Maki up in a mighty hug, “Nico’s girlfriend is a genius composer.” Nico bopped a kiss on the end of Maki’s nose. Maki leaned into Nico’s hair and Nico could feel the smile.

“Nico made you muffins. You seemed like you’d wake up hungry.”

“I did. They smell wonderful” Maki nodded and looped her fingers through Nico’s, “Come watch me eat.”

The muffins were cool enough to just drop on the plate and Maki grabbed two for a start, to go with her mug of warmed milk.

“These are amazing.” Maki mumbled as she chewed.

“Nico had to unpancake them and spice them up...mostly cinnamon and crumbled candied ginger, since your kitchen has nothing…”

“We order in a lot. My parents go to a bunch of events every month and a chef drops off frozen meals.” Maki grinned at Nico, grabbing another muffin and wiping crumbs from her mouth, “This is so much better.”

“You could kiss the cook.” Nico teased, sipping her hot chocolate, glancing around the Nishikino kitchen, considering what she’d have to bring with her to make Maki a decent home cooked meal. Pretty much all Maki had was assorted caffeinated products, some candy, and a supply of candles.

“Later.” Maki winked, continuing to decimate the muffin fortress. “I’ve been so HUNGRY.” Maki groaned, “I lost track of how many transformations I went through. Everything was....” Maki pulled a muffin in half, “split...confusing.”

Nico, content to watch her girlfriend enjoying Nico’s cooking skills, let Maki finish eating before asking for anymore details.

As Maki swallowed the last bite, Nico put her mug down. “So what exactly happened to you?”

Maki grimaced at Nico's straightforwardness, taking a few seconds to stare sadly at the empty muffin plate, “Um…” Maki bit her lip, fang out, but her girlfriend was locked in too introspective a mood for Nico to get many clues.

More encouragement maybe. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to…but Nico will listen.”

Maki nodded her head, still staring ahead blankly, fingers rubbing at her temples as she tried to push into phrases that Nico could understand the dissonance that had confronted her senses. Maybe a painter could have shown all the levels but...Maki could hear Nico humming under her breath, it was something the future star of stage and screen had taken to doing when she was trying not to rush Maki with questions. But the humming had reminded Maki of a thought...

Maki stood abruptly, inspired, grabbing Nico’s hand again, dragging her back to the music room, leaving Nico standing while Maki pushed up the fallboard and began to play, her hands gliding over the keys at first, and pausing and then pounding across the piano, more drift, a lift from her seat and then diving into the keys to strike jarring, strident notes, then a quick trill, then a circular swing of the head into a pause to launch broadly ominous strokes with both hands, gentler touches and desperate strikes sounding with no real pattern…Nico twisted her own hands, she’d never heard music like this before, no way she was going back to sleep for hours as the notes, stripped of any familiar rhythm, bored into her ears. But watching Maki, radiating passion, unerringly precise, caught, completely absorbed in the storm she was creating, grace and melody warring with seemingly random lurching crashes of notes kept Nico from pleading with the musician to stop. When Maki did let her fingers fall silent on the keys and the quakes of music stilled, amethyst eyes, charged with emerald neon, swirling with haunted shadows, cried.

Nico couldn’t move, overcome with….reverence, like the deep of heart at prayer. Maki seemed unapproachable, aloof, so distant, face a pained carving in hard experience. But Nico needed to reach out, Maki was too alone, porcelain not marble...Hesitating, Nico spoke softly into the silence, which almost pulsed as it filled the places the music had painfully torn. “Did you…”

Maki shook her head, “Arnold Schoenberg. I learned it to study atonal music.”

“It was…” Nico debated whether to compliment the player or strike the truth, sliding next to Maki on the bench, searching the pain clouding Maki’s eyes, “awful.”

Maki surprised herself with a laughing grin, “Yeah, it was.”

Nico stroked Maki’s chin, gently, thumb teasing Maki’s lip, “You were brave.”

Maki gulped and nodded.

“You saved your friends. And Nico.” Nico shivered, remembering the stifling closeness of the coffin.

Reminding Maki of Nico’s peril was a misjudgement if Nico wanted her ribs unbruised because the werewolf jerked forward and threw her arms around Nico, practically driving them both off the bench, snuffling madly through Nico's hair.

Nico’s words were rushed as she tried to calm Maki, “Nico is fine, pretty girl, nobody hurt Nico, everything is okay, you’re home now, we’re home now, Nico is here…”

The Schoenberg still in her ears and the strange tingle of another existence lingering, Maki had a sudden fear she would wake up and be in a nightmare, again, alone, strange smells, dissonant sounds, no weight, no Nico…when the barrier had stopped her and there had been no trace of Nico anywhere in the strangeness she and Rin and Hanayo had been trapped in, Maki had felt a harder, scarring hit than any of Anju’s traceless attacks.

“Nico…” There was a frantic urgency in Maki’s voice as she threw her body into Nico, rolling them over and over as she kissed the sable haired dynamo desperately. Nico was trying to keep some control but when Maki took Nico’s hand and placed it over the curve of her breast pressing against Nico, whispering Nico’s name, kiss biting Nico’s lip in a the hastiest, messiest, sexiest way possible, Nico let her own primitive instincts take over, forcing the werewolf to stop long enough for Nico to regain control of their equilibrium, Maki’s neck no longer a moving target, but a bullseye Nico could hit with her eyes closed, nipping kisses that made Maki’s head roll back, mouth open, moans and whimpers filling the music room with a melody Nico preferred.

Nico had already gotten used to the feel of feather light, ticklish red hair sprayed across her face like a light mist of water. It did still occasionally trigger a near sneeze and as her face contorted, Maki rolled with laughter, pushing them both into the couch. Nico tenderly pulled Maki’s robe over her lover, the door was still open after all, but Nico knew werewolf hearing would have warned them of anyone’s arrival. Nico stretched out, one arm under Maki, thinking how nice it was to have this much space, to stretch, to think, to exist, without anyone crowding. Maki didn’t count, Maki didn’t crowd, Maki was a warm, gladdening weight reminding Nico of exactly how on top of the world she was. And that was a wonderful feeling after the frustrations of the earlier part of the evening, the idiocy of Kashima and company. Maki sensed Nico’s focus turning elsewhere and nudged Nico with her nose, human so not wet or cold, just a tickling tease to remind Nico she had an audience right there. Nico flipped up on her side, kissing the nuzzling Maki on the forehead, “All better, pretty girl?”

Maki nodded, a little shy, still uncertain about revealing so much vulnerability. Nico, head propped on her fist so her eyes were level with naked and nervous’s glowing amethyst emotional barometers, smiled softly, “You’re kind of amazing, Gorgeous. Nico still can’t believe how lucky she is to have you for her adoring girlfriend.”

Maki blushed and ducked her head. Nico held her closer, “Of course, Nico does have her own charms.” Emboldened by the way Maki melted into her, Nico couldn’t stop the self congratulatory train, “Maki would be lost without her Nico.”

Once again a wrong note, mixed with the brash smirk Maki found so irresistible, too close in time to the vision of a Nico not breathing and a small world of air that held no traces of Nico. Maki sat up, pulling up her robe, pushing off the couch to get to her feet, “You can’t just say that...why would you say that…” tears, so many tears from Nico didn’t know where, then a whimper as Maki shook her head, red flying everywhere, “I can’t do this…”

Nico’s heart started racing from panic, “What did I say, Maki? What happened?”

Maki was pacing, too fast, long legs flashing and distracting Nico from trying to figure out where the mood went wrong. Nico tried for an embrace, but Maki didn’t stop, one hand up. “Just don’t…”

“C’mon, Maki...tell me what’s happening....Nico was just teasing…” Nico forcibly adjusted her focus, watching Maki’s expression for clues, wondering what else she could say to maybe get a reaction from Maki that would explain what was going on.

Nico was just too close. How if Nico kept being so close could Maki process all of this? Nico joking about not being there, daring the universe with how fragile their connection was, the terror Maki felt at the thought of losing her, the fear now, knowing there were worlds without Nico and Maki had been there, needing Nico’s touch but not wanting to need it...if Nico was there, eyes full of a matching fear, an echoing future loss, fingers tingling even at the distance Maki was desperately trying to keep, the sanity of a solitude now impossible that Nico had blasted open Maki’s heart, pieces in every pore, skin rippling, want resonating. No, no, now music was resonating, Maki was at the piano, Neruda and Nico once again intruding in her head, taking over, driving out everything but impulse. Pounding impulse, pressing need, an absence ripped bare by Nico’s presence.

“Safe in the midst of Spring crazy with light in the cold, walking tranquil in the fire, lifting your petal weight in my arms as if I had never walked except with you, my heart, as if could not walk except with you,”

Then she whispered aloud, Nico’s presence forgotten as her fingers found the right notes, “as if I could not sing/except when you sing.” And then she played through the whole passage,

“Safe, crazy with light, tranquil in fire, singing….as if, as if never, never...except with you, except with you.”

“Never. Except with you.”  What had happened to the Maki before Nico? Before Neruda?

Maki wrote notes quickly on the score, then jumped when Nico’s hands dropped on her shoulders, “You would do fine without Nico, pretty girl. This” Nico tapped the sheet with her finger, “is genius.”

“It just happens.” Maki frowned, not looking at her lover, “I have to get it out of my head…”

“Good.” Nico played with Maki’s hair, keeping her tone deliberately light, “more room for fantasies about me.”

Maki almost shook off Nico’s hands, her obvious discomfort surprising Nico. Nico couldn’t keep the annoyance out of her voice, “What is wrong? What did I do?”

Leaning forward, Nico could see Maki’s eyes, the neon green an unsettling slow pulse around the werewolf’s pupils, mouth opening and closing several times. Then Maki took a deep breath and howled as effectively as she could as a human. Maki let her throat open and freed the fear, that this was the moment her need of Nico left bare the truth that she had no idea how to get back to neutral, to solitary Maki, to a Maki not lost in a swell of feelings and physical needs.

Nico tried to make sense of the emotions she could feel mashed up in Maki’s voice, the tension under her hands...there was withdrawal, isolation, uncertainty, searching...but here they were, both here together, safe, Maki had not even a thirty minutes ago, screamed out Nico’s name in cresting, crashing ecstasy...how had that become this, this feeling that Maki had taken herself somewhere else, somewhere Nico didn’t know and couldn’t find, but that wasn’t true, Nico would find Maki anywhere…not knowing what else to do, Nico hugged Maki as tightly as she could, whispering “Maki” over and over again, and waiting, feeling Maki’s hasty breaths as the werewolf tensed, possibly debating whether to stand or run or…talking was a new option for Maki, Nico realized, one the werewolf had yet to grow comfortable with. After several minutes of Maki’s awkwardnesss, the feeling that her girlfriend wanted to bolt, but...Nico let go and sat on the bench next to Maki, legs just touching.

“Sorry, pretty girl…I don’t know what I did but...” Nico pressed a long note.

Maki shook her head, hands clenched in front of her, “You’re fine...”

“What are you?” Nico questioned gently, choosing words more carefully than ever before.

A shrug, Maki’s head thrown back, tumbling curls of hair freed from gravity for a moment in a graceful sweep through the air, arms shaking out some of their tension.

After a minute of thought. “I’m tired, Nico.” She let her head fall on Nico’s shoulder.

“Yeah.”

Nico imagined a ghost of a smile. She wondered if she was right. So many things still to discover. But first, she needed to get Maki back to bed. And not in the sexy way.

“Nico will tuck you in.” Nico took Maki’s hand, glad to feel a warmth between their palms, as if the redhead had decided to close this sudden distance between them. “And sleep down here, if you want.”

“Let’s just stay.” Maki, head still on Nico’s shoulder, sounded years worth of weary. Nico needed to ask Rin and Hanayo for more details when she saw them.

“If that’s what Maki wants.” Nico reached across to stroke Maki’s hair.

“I do.”

A/N: This was meant to be a longer chapter, but no one wanted to intrude.

Take care!