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pathetic-gamer · 3 months ago

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Can you say more on The Burning Wheel? The information on the site doesn’t distinguish it much from other TTRPGs that I can tell, aside from being a D6 system. What makes it unique and worth playing? (You don’t have to provide a huge rundown haha I’m just curious!)

Sure! I tried to keep this short and failed miserably, but I'd be happy to expound even more upon specific things later, if people want more :)

(Please note that, as with any ttrpg, it would be hard to claim any of the things mentioned here are wholly original to The Burning Wheel. It would be even harder to claim that no other systems have used these mechanics or philosophies in the 20 years since The Burning Wheel came out. I am not going to claim either of those things - its the combination of them and the play experience they have resulted in for me that make it unique, so that's the angle from which I'm writing this post.)

So. why is it worth playing? How is it different?

I could talk about the skill learning system, the war rules codex, the whole concept of versus tests vs bloody versus tests. But to me, there are two main ways that it stands out from other systems: its treatment of role-play as a mechanism, and the overall philosophy behind the game's design, including the concept of setting clear expectations.

(using section headers to break up the text lol)

How it uses role-play:

The most obvious thing to point out is that there's a whole set of encounter mechanics for social situations or debates (Circles checks, Duel of Wits, etc.) - sort of the epitome of crunchy role play. But thats not what I'm getting at! What I'm getting is the fact that good role play is integral to the way the game functions.

Let's go back, all the way to character creation: When you're burning a character, you selecting life paths (page to squire to knight, etc.) with their associated skills and traits, then tie them in a pretty bow with beliefs and instincts to guide the character's actions. All of these things feed into each other to make a complete character. Easy! Familiar! We all know how to make a character, even if the numbers and labels are different!

What really matters to this engine once you're playing is whether the character you're acting as matches what you built. If it doesn't, the rules nudge you to redefine your character until it does through systems of rewards, penalties, and consequences. You are rewarded for sticking to and acting on your traits, beliefs, and instincts through different types of points distributed and voted on by fellow players, which can be used to alter the course of events or turn the tide of a bad situation later on. If you're not living up to a trait, on the other hand, you can lose it and all its benefits. (Took the fortitude trait, but ran from trouble one too many times? tough luck! the other players voted to take away that trait and now you can't call on it in moments of peril.) The beliefs and traits of a single character can end up at odds with each other, resulting in characters having to make choices that in other systems might seem insignificant or carry few lasting consequences, but here may alter the function of your character.

It's not all punitive measures, btw! One of my characters caused problems for everyone else by refusing to put away a weapon when someone else was in danger, playing off of an instinct that states he draws his weapon whenever his master does. After the session, another player suggested everyone consider nominating the Brave trait for him the next time we update them. As a character-type trait, it has no effect when rolling dice but does mean that henceforth and forevermore, anyone who interacts with him will notice a sense of bravery. Delightful!!

Also, the beliefs of different characters are practically guaranteed to stray from one another at some point, which is the primary source of inter-PC conflict. Because the mechanics of the game encourage and reward sticking to your beliefs or following your stated instincts even when it makes things significantly harder or causes problems, you're much more inclined to do it. As someone who is terrible at not slipping back into the same kind of character over and over again, I think this fucking rules.

I'm playing with a group of people I've been gaming with for almost five years, and this has opened the way for much richer dynamics between our characters than any of the other systems we've played, in part because as players we're less interested in acting on concensus to drive the plot forward. Working as one unit simply isn't the goal, and if it was, we would play a different system that encourages and rewards that.

the game's philosophy, aka setting intentions and also reading rules:

Now we're starting to get at the philosophy behind the game's design: It believes you have to know why you're playing burning wheel instead of literally any other game. This isn't a system you play on accident. It's admittedly a complicated game with a LOT of rules. It asks for a huge amount of engagement from all of the players, not just the GM - something like inter-PC conflict can only work well if everyone is on the same page (figuratively, but also literally lol) and ready to help adjudicate rules, ask for tests, discuss intentions, etc. Dream scenario for a chronic rules lawyer lol.

Obviously any game will be more fun if everyone has actually learned the rules before they start playing, but this is one where it's extremely difficult (if not impossible) to play if most players haven't learned them, and deeply rewarding if they have. It really operates on the expectation that everyone is putting in work, and everyone has respect for the time and effort the others are bringing to the table.

It's hard to put a finger on how this all impacts play other than the obvious elegence of People Knowing What Theyre Doing, but on a purely emotional and meta level, knowing that everyone is investing so much time and effort to play a game with you is just.. idk, it feels special and makes the time itself feel even more valuable. In that sense, the satisfaction of playing the game isn't coming from the game itself, but is still shaped by it.

(In my mind, this is the #1 reason to try the game, but as @thydungeongal alluded to yesterday, finding people willing and able to do it is also the #1 hurdle to, like, actually having a good time. it would be completely miserable otherwise.)

Also, for a game that does not boast a collaborative nature the way some others do, it is honestly pretty fuckin collaborative lol. I don't know that this was Luke Crane's intention in designing the game, but closing out sessions by going through and grading everyone's work and giving each other glorified gold stars, you will inevitably end up discussing and dissecting things, learning from people's character work, and seeing where and how you can improve individually and as a group. It creates a table culture that values honest expressions of discomfort or dissatisfaction, and also of appreciation and celebration. It's after-care. It leads naturally into setting intentions and expectations for the next session. It just feels really nice!!!

That's obviously a table culture that can be cultivated anyway, and it's a practice my group has learned to be very intentional about facilitating, but it's just interesting how The Burning Wheel of all systems manages to support that. I think that's what the website means when it says playing this changes how you play other rpgs lol

So yeah, idk how much more to say and also I'm sooooooo so eepy and was like an hour late for work, so its a weird brain day. but there you go lol

#burning wheel #the burning wheel #ttrpg #tabletop games #☕️🥧#answer #pg plays ttrpgs #ttrpgs

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mrs-elsie-barnes · 1 month ago

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Chapter 23 - The Old Gods and The New

A Firefight or A Viper's Nest | Loki x Reader

Loki misses us and more threats descend on Tønsberg.

Warnings: continued angst from Loki, threats to the village and references to battles and war.

Dividers by @firefly-graphics and @reveriesources

Series Masterlist | Loki Masterlist | Masterlist

It took a long while for the shock of Jane’s revelation to set in, the small court just stared at her for a while, a strange breeze that came from nowhere seemed to drift through her hair so that it floated around her face in artistic waves.

“Well.” Brunnhilde said, shocked, “that’s quite the party trick, Jane.” Her lip quirked up into a smile as she looked her friend up and down before turning to Thor. “And you were going to share this information, when? I assume you must know?”

Thor opened and then closed his mouth, at a loss.

“Thor, she has your hammer.” Korg looked more confused than anyone. “I thought that was your magical hammer?”

“It is,” Thor grunted, looking more than a little betrayed. I still have Stormbreaker though, I am still as mighty and powerful as ever, do not worry about me.” He attempted a casual laugh but it came out as a weak cough.

“I’m sure that’ll come in very useful,” Brunnhilde didn’t move her gaze from Jane until she’d put the hammer down, the armour, hair and magical wind vanishing as quickly as it’d appeared.

“All this to say, Estrid, I’d be happy to come with you to save Loki. He saved my life, once, I thought he’d sacrificed his own life for mine and Thor’s. I feel like I owe him, even if he is still alive.”

You’d yet to hear this story, but you were even more determined to hear it with Loki present. There was still so much you didn’t know about each other, and the loss of him was still so keen, so painful. You needed him back, so you could discover everything there was to know and relish in everything you already knew him to be.

“Thank you, Jane, you’re a good friend.”

Jane reached out and squeezed your hand. “I suppose we have a rescue mission to plan then.” And you smiled for the first time since Loki had been taken because, for the first time, you thought there might actually be some hope of seeing him again.

Brunnhilde called a recess on your, admittedly, very casual court and strode into her back office, slamming the door. You weren’t sure if it was Jane’s admission that she too held powers similar to Thors, or that Carol wouldn’t be joining Asgard any time soon, that had led to her unusually emotional outburst. You’d known Brunnhilde only a short time, but she was always collected, snarky almost, releasing her emotions carefully out of sight of her court and her people.

You took a step, aiming to follow her. It must be very, very, lonely to have to keep a brave face all the time. Your own had been woefully unsuccessful, but you could at least offer her your support.

Thor touched your shoulder, tightening his fingers and drawing you back with his gentle strength.

“Leave her, Trouble, she just needs some time to - process.” He looked sad, tired, and for the first time you thought about what a toll this must be taking on everyone.

Korg slid a pint sized mug towards you, liquid sloshing over the sides, “it helps.” He offered.

You took the mug gratefully, lifting it to your lips and sipping expecting tea or coffee - spluttering you sat the mug down and looked at the smiling Kronan.

“This is mead,” you coughed.

“Yes, it helps.” And you allowed a rare smile to creep to sneak onto your face.

Loki had been alone before. He had fallen through space, probably time as well if he really thought about it, he had been cast aside by his family, made poor choices and been equally as punished by his father as he had Thanos. He had been alone and rebuilt his life on Sakar. But he had never felt the crushing weight of this loneliness as he did now, staring at his own gaunt reflection in the reinforced glass of his prison.

He had never before remembered your touch, his home had never had another dwelling in it that he felt such an affinity for and he hoped that you were still there, still safe.

Loki’s thoughts drifted constantly, even when he was with strangers at least he could talk to them. He had created quite the social circle alongside Thanos and in Sakar, though he did rather regret aligning himself with both rulers. Here no one spoke to him, no one even looked at him.

He remembered being alone on Asgard as a young boy, how thrilled he’d been when his mother had told him that her friend was bringing her own child. Someone of a similar age and disposition, who liked to read, who was learning magic, who enjoyed games. Loki had imagined someone like himself, a tall boy who he could hunt and fight with. He had been shocked when a girl had peaked around her mother’s skirts at him.

“Estrid, you very welcome here in Asgard. May I present my son, Loki. He has similar talents. Perhaps he could show you the palace.”

He had peaked between his mother’s skirts to look at you, hidden inside your own mother’s cloak. Loki had bowed, just as he’d been taught and looked back at Frigga for confirmation that he’d done so correctly. In return you’d stepped forwards, holding your dress and curtseying.

He had missed you dearly for many years and not even known that the ache in his chest was you. How had he let you out of his sight for even a moment.

You, who had brought him everything he’d been looking for, a go-between to soften the often difficult relationship with his older brother, a playmate that was on his side and, eventually, someone who saw him as he truly was. Loki closed his eyes, unable to look at his own sullen face a moment longer, and reached out to you again.

I miss you, my darling, and, though I would hate to ever be the cause of your distress, I hope that you miss me too.

Watching the waves in the harbour you felt a surge of magic, as if it had wound about your heart and tugged you. Looking back at your door the lantern light that, since Loki had vanished, you couldn’t bare to turn off, flickered and danced. The artificial light stayed where it was, but something more flared and jumped, slithering towards you. The fiery snake moved swiftly and your own calf appeared from behind you defensively. But you knew it wouldn’t harm you. With a smile you waved the calf to the side and allowed the snake to coil around your ankle and slink its way up your leg. Reaching down it coiled into your cupped hands and you held it close, allowing its warmth to sink into your chest.

“I miss you too, Loki.” You whispered to the waves, hoping they’d take your message back to him somehow.

The council didn’t pick up again when you returned to the Long Hall the next day. A walk along the wharf had cleared your head and a glimpse of Loki, even just his sedir, had given you the courage you needed to keep going instead of just staying at home and crying as you wanted to.

He was right, you were a Goddess, a Princess and you would act like one. Wiping a few tears from your cheeks you stepped back into the hall to be met with a familiar face.

The man was sat with Brunnhilde, the King in her throne, a worried look on her face. The older women were cooing and fussing, filling a trestle table with tea, mead, beer, biscuits, half a fruit cake, anything they could get their hands on. His blonde curls formed a halo around him, even in the harsh fluorescent light. His spear was propped against the table casually and, hanging up your own coat, you noticed his green cape on a hook.

Lugh.

He had found you then and, after all you’d heard about his friendship with your mother, you were unsure how to proceed. Embarrassed that you had argued with him so fiercely when he had cared so deeply for your family.

“Estrid.” Brunnhilde looked up, beckoning you closer, “I think it’s time we all talked.”

Lugh stood, offering you his chair, which you cautiously accepted.

“Thank you for not running, Princess, I believe you listened to the prophecy?”

Lugh took a chair opposite you, folding one leg neatly over the other and lacing his fingers together.

“Yes,” you said, warily. This was the first time you’d met without the panicking variables of your previous encounters. There were no Avengers or Gods to distract you. This was the Long Hall, Brunnhilde had been talking to him just moments before, and yet you couldn’t let yourself settle.

“So you see how this simple prophecy, possibly even just a dream, has caused so much…chaos.” He smiled slightly on the last word, taking a sip from his cup.

“You think it’s about me?”

“I know other people think it’s about you.”

Lugh’s casual demeanour was making your blood boil, fire danced between your fingers and your calf was back, nuzzling into your leg.

“And I also know what I believe, knowing your family and your history. I saw your raw talents as a mere babe.”

You stared at him, everyone did, waiting for him to go on. But he remained silent, waiting for your request. When you said nothing he raised a single eyebrow and sipped from his cup again. With a sigh, you gave in.

“Please, tell me.” Your teeth were gritted, fingernails digging into your palms. The last time Lugh had been given free reign to talk to you, it had ended with you storming off and, this time, there was no Loki around to cool your fire. You could still feel his cold touch in your memories, the way he surrounded you and doused you.

“Your gift,” Lugh pointed at the flames that sat above your skin, “you have been able to do that since I first saw you, swaddled as you were in your mother’s arms. It never burnt you, or her, but it kept others away.”

“Bres?”

Lugh nodded, “yes, Bres was already jealous, knowing you were not his, but he is not entirely cruel and had wanted to try for your mother’s sake. No one could get close until Brigid and Frigga tamed the flames. Bres believed you to be a Goddess of Fire,” at this Lugh rolled his eyes, “he always was so literal, such a bore. But the idea stuck, not just for him but with the Vanir as well. They wanted you to bring fire and chaos and Ragnarok so that they could seize power. So, naturally, Bres made a deal.”

“The betrothal.”

“Exactly.”

“But, when he came for me, he said I would be the Goddess of Lust.” Your brow furrowed, “there’s nothing in the prophecy about that.”

“You are correct, that was his intention. But he did not know you well, he believes he can control these things simply by being a King, forgetting that the universe has its own path, that gods forge their own way. Bres believed you to be a goddess of Lust because he wanted you to be, and then you seduced Loki -”

“I didn’t seduce him I -”

Lugh held up his hand, “child, do not fret on these details. You were but youths, you cared for one another.”

You mused on this idea for a while and Lugh allowed you the quiet of your own thoughts.

“If I’m not the Goddess of Lust, then what am I?”

“I can only answer for myself, child, for you have yet to ascend and truly come into your powers. But I believe you are the Spring, the way you forge through the darkness and bring new hope and life to those around you. It can be nothing else.”

Spring? You settled into the thought, it was kinder than Lust, yet, there was something wrong, something missing. It didn’t spark your magic the way Loki described enjoying mischief, it left you feeling hollow and empty. For a moment you considered arguing with Lugh, but he’d been so patient and kind it didn’t seem fair to push him away again.

“And now, child, we must think about the future and not the past. Bres resides on the cliffs of your home, on the very limit of Asgardian territory, and one of your court is missing. I must request that you come with me for protection while the warriors deal with this threat.” Lugh said, matter of fact, standing and brushing the tiny wrinkles from his fine clothes.

“Absolutely not.” You ground out, your blood cold at the thought of running again.

As if from a shadow Thor approached again, having left the two of you to talk privately. “Trouble, I really think it would be best if -”

“Thor, don’t, I know you just want to keep me safe -”

“We all want to keep you safe, Estrid. Come with me and we can wait for this to be over.”

“I won’t leave my people, I won’t leave my court, I am a sworn warrior of the Asgardian court and my place is here.”

“There will be no court if Bres unleashes hell upon you!” Lugh shouted, it was the first time he’d truly raised his voice in anger towards you and it made you shrink back, fire tingling at your fingertips.

“If you really don’t want me here, let me leave to rescue Loki. If you really want me safe, help me.”

Lugh cast a withering glance back at Thor, who shrugged his shoulders and looked over at you with a half amused, half indulgent, look on his face.

“Ah Trouble, you always know just how to twist things.” Thor reached over as if to pinch your cheek, but you batted his hand away, holding it out for Lugh instead, “do we have a deal?”

Lugh sighed heavily, “is this the only way you will leave? To go from one firefight straight to a viper’s nest?”

“It is, either stay here and fight Bres with me, or go with me to rescue Loki.”

“Then I shall accompany you to rescue the mischief maker,” he agreed, holding his hand out, “after all, this village will need all the heroes it can find.”

You had barely made contact with Lugh’s palm before an enormous bang rocked you from your feet, Thor caught you quickly, righting you as his armour manifested. With a half a thought, yours did too, the velvet and metal a reassuring squeeze against the echoing screams of the people outside.

Brunnhilde ran in from the kitchen followed by Jane, both in their armour, swords drawn, Mjolnir and Stormbreaker hovering near.

“What on Earth was that?” Jane shouted over the continuing rumble of noise. Clouds of brick dust billowed from under the doors and misted the windows.

The largest windows faced out onto the harbour and village square, where snow sludged over the edges of the quay into the freezing waves beneath. Now sepia toned from the stone dust the harbour was at least intact. Brunnhilde marched into the back kitchen where high thin windows looked into the alleyway behind but, with the right angle, she tilted her head up and peered at the cliff above the village.

“Fucking Bres.” She growled, storming from the kitchen, across the hall and out into the melee.

Thor was close behind with Jane on his heels, Mjolnir in hand.

The village was in disarray, rocks and mud sliding down the cliff edge had settled on the rooftops, an entire house had crumbled, its occupants thankfully free of the debris but sobbing in front of the ruins of their home and, from every corner, shadows and soldiers swarmed.

The cliff seemed to be covered in them, all carrying Bres’ or the Vanir banner, headed by Bres himself, flanked by a cruel looking man at his side, his eyes narrowed and a smirk curling the corners of his lips.

“I warned you,” Bres sneered, “I told you to come with me, welp, or you would suffer the consequences, I told you to know your place, or I would put you back there.”

“My place is here,” you shouted back over the chaos unfolding around you, “this is where I belong, these are my people and you will leave them.”

“Or what?” The Vanir beside him laughed, “I shall enjoy breaking you.” He leered, unsheathing his sword, and lept from the jutting rocks to the fallen debris below, getting closer and closer with each lurching stride.

You wanted to fall back, wanted your stomach to stop churning, but you held your ground, spear aloft and bursting with flames as he charged.

On signal from Bres the soldiers gathered closer and closer, the villagers backing up into the square where Thor and Jane corralled them into a circle behind them.

He was getting closer, so close, and you missed Loki so much, missed his reassuring touch, missed the feel of him beside you, ready to face any challenge, missed knowing he believed in you…but that belief, that knowledge, it didn’t reside with him. Your left hand unfurled, fire whipping from your fingers and curling at your feet, a wall of heat rising before you. He had told you enough times that you believed him, whether he was with you or not.

“Or, you disgusting pig, I’ll show you your place.” With a speed you didn’t realise you had, your left hand moved forward sending the flame snapping towards him like a bull whip. It cracked on the ground, cutting into the front of his leather boots.

“You little bitch,” he parried forwards again, pushing through the shield of heated air you’d created, his skin crackling and his sword clashing with your spear.

“Your argument is with me, leave the people alone.” You snarled, using your spear to push his sword back towards him.

From across the square you could hear Bres cackling maniacally, his own magic flashing as reflections in the windows, you could hear Mjolnir zipping past you and Brunnhilde’s battle cry as she pushed the soldiers back, towards the cliffs. Time seemed to slow, the sun hot on the back of your neck despite the grey clouds and biting wind.

He stepped closer, pushing through the shield despite the pain until he was nose to nose, flecks of spittle settling on his chin in his fury.

“I was promised a beautiful, lustful, bride and I have had to chase you across the universe and through the centuries just to discover that you are a wilful, disrespectful harlot.”

“So fuck off.” Your jaw hurt from gritting your teeth, but you refused to back down, stepping toe to toe.

“Like I said, I endured all that, and now I get to break you down too and I will savour every -” he pushed you backwards, “single -” his sword raised again, - “moment-”

Everything went black, the dull roar of fighting in your ears and the startled whites of his eyes as the darkness took over and then blinding light.

He had fallen back onto cobblestones, but there was no longer a Long Hall behind him, just more empty space, fields and trees, stones and even alpine flowers forcing their heads through the depth of the fresh snow fall.

“Where the fuck have you taken me?” He jumped back to his feet, sword out. Behind you Thor and Jane backed the last of the soldiers over the harbour wall with a splash before turning to see the empty countryside.

Beside you, Lugh placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, “you did it,” He smiled softly, “you summoned her cloak.”

The Vanir fled towards Bres, vanishing with a crack.

Loki felt a tremor deep inside, a stirring of a preternatural sense, something deep seated and startling. He had felt it only once before, although it had been very recent, when Hela had brought down the palace of Asgard and he had helped the people flee onto a rescue ship bound for gods know where.

It made him sick, roiled in his stomach and he marched for the windows, banging with all his strength.

“You must release me, Asgard requires my help. Release me! I must go and protect my people! Let me lose!”

There was no answer, only the subtle dimming of the lights and the echo of his own pleas.

<<Chapter 22

Chapter 24>>

#Loki #loki laufeyson #loki odinson #loki/reader #Loki x Reader #Loki fanfic #Loki series #loki marvel #Loki x you #Loki/You #loki fanfiction #Loki smut #The Old Gods and the New #loki fic #loki god of mischief #loki laufesyon x reader #loki of asgard #loki of jotunheim #loki angst

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marigold-hills · 4 days ago

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The Dark Wizard

preview! Wolfstar Howls Moving Castle AU a tiny little bit of the next work I’ll be working on. Posting will begin in December :) massive thanks to the groupchat for checking this over before I posted, you are the absolute best ❤️

✨✨✨

When Remus leaves his hometown, it’s not to seek his fortune, or adventure, or – gods forbid – love. He leaves because he’s a monster, and monsters do not belong in society. They belong in the Waste.

This is how it happens.

It’s May Day. The village of Hogsmead is abuzz with excitement. Revellers and drunks, lovely dressed up ladies and dapper gentlemen circling one another, for propriety's sake staying respectable distances away. The gentlemen whistling at the ladies, the ladies pretending to be aghast by the behaviour, covertly blushing and giggling.

It’s a perfect day. Sunny, warm, bright.

For Remus, it’s perfect for a different reason.

Everyone is too busy to notice their pockets getting lighter. Too buzzed to pay attention to the man dressed in ill-fitting clothes walking too close to others. A casual jostle is just this - casual. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to raise concern.

Remus has a few pilfered wallets in a hidden pocket he sewed into a stolen vest. It’s easy, this. He’s done it for years.

“My apologies,” he smiles at a man in a soldier’s garb, whose money pouch he just appropriated. This one feels good for more than one reason - the soldier was in the process of accosting a lady who did not seem pleased to be accosted. She takes the moment he gets distracted by Remus and ducks away. Remus would like to say that he makes sure to only steal from those who deserve it, but it wouldn’t be true.

Food is food, and money is money, and both are something he needs to live. Remus can’t get a job, on account of being a monster, on account of how many days he has to take out to recuperate and travel somewhere far enough to make sure he wouldn’t let himself loose on his quaint hometown of Hogsmeade. Since his parents’ passing, this is what he’s been reduced to.

He’s tall but can make himself look unassuming, with hair once golden-auburn and now grey from the effect of too many full moons. It’s perfect for this job, being easy to look over and hard to describe. He’s young but looks old. Feels old, too, but that’s not something for people to see.

Remus makes mistakes in this work so rarely that he doesn’t notice he’s made one until it’s too late.

He’s following a well-dressed man, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The man is exceptionally pretty, with short black curls barely skimming the tops of his ears and a gait like royalty. Remus follows behind him at a stretch, slow and careful, until they round the back of a seedy, dark pub and the man turns around like he is the one who set the trap.

Green eyes like poison.

“Trailing the Wizard of the Waste, that’s brave of you,” the man says with a voice that freezes Remus midstep.

Because he knows better than that. He knows not to go for the people who are dressed overly expensive, with rich black fabrics and shining peacock plumes in their hats. He knows chances are somebody is watching over the really rich. That the possibility of a greater payoff doesn’t compare to the risk of being caught.

And yet here he is: caught.

“Or maybe simply foolish,” the Wizard says. “You don’t look a fool, but such things can be so deceiving, don’t you agree?”

The way his eyes pierce through Remus: all he can think is he knows. Somebody knows. Remus has been found out.

He turns and runs, tripping over his own feet in his haste to get away. Remus remembers what the townspeople did the last time someone was found out. Remembers the stench of burning flesh.

He doesn’t look back once while he flees, not even when the Wizard shouts “my regards to Sirius!”, to his retreating back.

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tagging you lovely people who had previously been interested in future works - let me know if you want to be in the list for this one as well :)

@tealeavesandtrash

@moon-girl88

@hoje--aqui

@cocoabutterandbooks

@onion-sliced-apples

@prancingpony42

@digital-kam

@remoonysiriusly

@sweetstarryskies

@a-sunset-outside-my-window

@procrastinatingstuff

@annaliza999

(let me know if you do/don’t want to be tagged!)

#wolfstar #remus lupin #sirius black #marauders #dead gay wizards #fanfic #remus x sirius #marauders era #remus loves sirius #sirius x lupin #remus lupin x sirius black #sirius orion black #moony x padfoot #padfoot x moony #moony #padfoot #howls moving castle

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lxstfathier · 1 year ago

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Mi niña

Alejandro Vargas x Reader

Summary: its late at night, you can’t sleep, and a sudden knocking on your door interrupts your attempts to get some rest.

Warnings: wounds, blood, unprotected sex, p in v, oral (f! receiving), loss of virginity, creampie, age-gap.

A/N: i have never played the game, i just have a thing for military men heheh. Also, english is not my first language, so i apologize for any errors. Hope y’all enjoy this! <3

It’s almost midnight. Usually, you would be asleep already, dreaming about pretty animals and cute guys, but today is way different, you’re still awake, looking at the moonlight peeking through your window and a strange feeling lingering in your guts.

You try your best to not think much about it. Maybe is just your own anxiety acting up. So you move on your bed, over and over, closing your eyes and trying to find a comfy position to sleep. But no matter how hard you try, you just can’t get some rest.

It’s frustrating. You mind screams at you to fall asleep already, telling you that you need to get your energy back for another day of hard work around the farm. Come on, it’s your turn to feed the horses and cows at six in the morning, you can’t waste more time like this.

Suddenly, your own thoughts are interrupted by the loud noise of a vehicle pulling up in your property, right in front of your house, followed by the sound of the doors being opened and closed.

Of course, you knew your bad feeling was there for a reason, and now your heart is beating faster than ever. Who would be at your property at such late hour? The police? Robbers? Sicarios from a powerful cartel?. Who knows, but when a knock in you front door breaks the silence you feel as if you were about to faint.

You’re alone, there’s no one you can ask to go see who’s knocking, you can’t yell at one of your siblings to do it. Your family is away for the weekend, so you need to be brave and do it yourself.

You get out of bed and walk all the way to the front door, feeling your legs wobbly and you heart pounding in your chest, finally opening the door with your trembling hands.

Obviously you were expecting it to be some narcos, but, to your surprise, they’re not. Instead you have colonel Alejandro Vargas and his sergeant Rodolfo Parra right in front of you. Of course you know who they are, everyone in Las Almas knows them and admires them. And you would be lying if you said that you didn’t have a crush on Alejandro since you were a teenager, rubbing your clit every night to the thought of him for years.

And now you regret wearing that old shirt and shorts as pj’s instead of something sexier. But you shouldn’t be thinking about that, the only worry right now should be the reason for them to come knock on your door. You’re just a normal family who makes a living selling milk, you don’t have any issues with the law.

“Is there any problem?” You ask nervously, looking at the tall soldiers with their stoic expressions and powerful weapons on their hands.

"Ninguno, bonita. We’re just looking for someone, do you mind if we take a look around your property?.” Alejandro says, charismatic as ever. You could never say no to him, no matter what he asked.

“There’s nothing to see here, coronel, just cows and horses. But sure, go ahead and tell me if you need something.”

They both nod and get back to their job, going away to look around, seeing the empty corrals and the stalls full of sleeping animals, without a trace of the persone they’re looking for. And you stay near the door just in case, still very nervous and anxious even when there’s no reason to feel like that. Your trust them, they’re honorable men, they mean no harm, just let them do their thing and they’ll be gone soon.

A few minutes later, Alejandro comes into your house while Rudy keeps watch outside, checking every single room until he’s sure that you’re not hiding his target. Even though he already knew that you would never do something like that. He’s seen you around town too, always sweet and calm, doing your best to help your family with the little business, always trying to stay away from the violence.

That’s it. His work is done here. He needs to go look somewhere else, but, when he’s about to leave, you can’t help but notice that his right hand is almost fully red, dripping with warm sticky blood, making a mess on his uniform and gun.

“Coronel… you’re bleeding” you say, as if it wasn’t already obvious, and he stops dead in his tracks. How can he be so calm and collected with a wound like that?.

“It’s just a little cut, nothing to worry about” Alejandro shrugs it off. An hour before that’s what he thought, a little cut on his hand, nothing serious, he didn’t expected it to get bigger and become a bleeding mess.

“You should definitely worry about it. Come on, let me help you and then i’ll let you go”.

He can’t say no to you, specially when you’re looking at him with those innocent doe eyes. So he agrees, following you to your room and sitting on your bed, leaving his gun on the ground, waiting patiently while you run to your bathroom to gather all the necessary stuff to take care of it.

Once you come back, you take his hand on your own, cleaning his cut with a wet cloth, disinfecting with alcohol, putting some closure strips and wrapping all his palm with a bandage. You’re no doctor or nurse by any means, but you know how to help your animals when they’re hurt, which gives you at least a little bit of knowledge.

And Alejandro is more than happy to let you work on him. He doesn’t feel any pain, maybe for the adrenaline pumping through his veins, or maybe because he’s so mesmerized by your beauty that he can’t think of anything else.

“This should be enough for the night. The bleeding is going to stop, but you need to go to the doctor tomorrow, i guess you need some stitches” you say, smiling at him, feeling your cheeks burn. You had never been so close to him, and you can’t believe that you just got to help him without freaking out.

“Gracias” Alejandro murmurs, barely audible, looking down at his bandaged hand. “You’re too sweet. You shouldn’t be in this town, you deserve a better place”.

Any other person would have let him go away, leaving him alone to take care of his wound by himself, not wanting to get involved with such a troubled soldier. But you’re different. You’re kind and sweet and the most pretty girl he’s ever seen, so distinct from all the other shitty people in Las Almas.

“There’s no better place for me, i like it here” you answer. “I have my family and my animals… also, there’s no other place where i could find another handsome colonel”.

Alejandro doesn’t get it right away. Are you flirting with him? yes you are. But he’s never been good around women, so it takes him a while to understand what you mean, taking the hint only when you dare to place one of your hands on his thigh, something that he believed only could happen in his imagination, when he thought about you while fucking his fist late at night.

“No digas eso, bonita. I’m no good for you, go and find a nice guy your age” he says, even though he’s dying to kiss you, to feel your gentle touch again, to claim you as his.

“But i like you, Ale”.

“No quiero arruinarte”.

“You would never ruin me” you soothe him, moving your hand to his chest and leaning closer, staring directly at those beautiful brown eyes that you only used to dream about. “Por favor, i need you. Make me yours.”

That’s enough. Alejandro cups your cheek with his gloved hand and pulls you closer, his lips meeting yours, sweet and tender until it suddenly turns into passionate and lustful.

He tastes better than anything you ever had before, like fresh fruits in the summer, intoxicating all your senses. And before you know it you’re already straddling his lap, slowly moving your hips against his clothed bulge, trying to get some friction to relieve the boiling heat in your lower belly.

“I don’t have much time, bonita” Alejandro says, breaking the kiss, knowing that it’s just a matter of minutes to hear Rudy’s voice in his earpiece asking what’s taking him so long. “Take off your clothes for me, si?”.

You happily oblige, getting off his lap and stripping naked as fast as you can, all of your shyness long forgotten, wanting nothing more than to be a good girl for him.

“Qué pinche hermosa” Alejandro groans, admiring every single part of your exposed body, guiding you to the bed again, laying you on your back with your legs spread as he positioned between them, dropping to his knees to kiss your thighs and taste your soaking cunt. “Are you a virgin?”.

You squirm at the sensation of his tounge on your clit, and you have no idea how he managed to know that. Maybe your inexperience is way too obvious. “Si” you reply, tugging at his dark hair.

Alejandro swears that he could cum right there in his pants. Such a pretty girl? untouched? just for him to take? way too good to be true. He feels like he just won the fucking lottery. If he wasn’t in the middle of a mission, he would surely eat you out for hours until you can’t take no more.

But the clock is ticking right now, so he wastes no more time, undoing his pants just enough to free his hard length and then kiss all the way up from your tummy, your tits and finally your neck. “You sure about this?”.

“Si, Ale” you whimper. “I wanna be yours”.

He takes himself in his hand, positioning his hard cock to your wet cunt, the red tip prodding at the small entrance. “This might hurt a little bit, if you want me to stop just tell me, si?.”

You nod and Alejandro thrusts inside you, agonizingly slow, inch by inch, splitting you open until he’s buried to the base. The strange pain making you cry out his name and your eyes fill with tears.

“Fuck” Alejandro breathes out against your neck. “Such a good girl, taking me so well”.

He picks a steady pace, pounding your tight heat as if there was no tomorrow, going way faster than he would like to. But you don’t mind, you let him be as rough as he wants, whimpering as his thick cock abuses your walls, hitting your cervix with each thrust.

“Feels so good Ale” you moan. Now almost all of his weight on top of you, his gear digging into the soft skin of your breasts. The pleasure is too much, and you can already feel the orgasm forming in your belly. “M’ gonna cum”.

“Ah- Fuck” he grunts when your walls squeeze him harder, his gloved hand quickly making its way to your sensitive clit, rubbing it fast. “That’s it bonita, cum on my fucking cock, i wanna feel it.”

His words take you over the edge, squirming and moaning like a whore, your hole spasming around him and your nails scratching at the back of his vest, experiencing the most powerful orgasm of your life. And seeing you fall apart like that, just from his touch, makes him feel really close too.

“Where do you want my cum? huh?” he asks, chasing his high, thrusting harder into your poor sensitive cunt.

“Dentro, please ” you whine, too cockdrunk to think about the consequences.

“Si? you want that? you wanna carry my seed like a good little slut? Fuck- then i’ll fill you up until you’re dripping for days, and everyone will know who you belong to.”

His cock twitches and he comes undone, grunting like an animal, emptying himself inside your pretty pussy, filling your womb to the brim with his hot cum.

You both stay there for a moment, melted into each other, catching your breath. Looking at him with half lidded eyes, you caress his scruffy beard, so in love, hating that he needed to go away after such an intimate moment. And he hates that too, if it were for him, he would spend the night with you, praising your body and making you scream his name again and again.

You kiss one last time and Alejandro pulls out, getting out of bed, immediately fixing his pants and grabbing his gun, ready to leave.

“Will i ever see you again?” you ask. What if he was like those guys who only fuck you and then you never hear from them again?, just thinking about it makes you teary.

“Claro que si, mi niña” he answers, his gloved knuckles brushing against your cheek. “As soon as this hell of a mission is over i’ll come back to you. I promise.”

“Then i’ll be waiting” you whisper, but Alejandro hears it clearly. And once he has eased your fears, he gets back to work, going away as if nothing happened, walking through your home straight to the front door.

“Carajo Ale, por qué tardas tanto?” He hears Rudy’s voice in his earpiece, just like he anticipated.

But Alejandro doesn’t answer. He can only think about you. You got him under your spell and he’s already planning the next time, contemplating on coming back with a huge bouquet of flowers and a beautiful diamond ring to put on your finger.

#alejandro vargas x reader #alejandro vargas smut #cod smut #call of duty fanfic

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starlightsalvatore · 1 year ago

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salvation / klaus mikaelson x reader

heyooo - dabbling with a klaus fic hehe - should I do a part two for what they get up to after this? lmk!! and as always lmk what you think :) writing for the vampire diaries is very new to me so any feedback is appreciated!

salvation / klaus mikaelson x reader

summary: after a deadly encounter with a werewolf, an old ‘friend’ comes to your rescue

word count: 1.3k (short and sweet!)

warnings: mentions of blood, mentions of death, typical tvdu stuff

You shivered as Damon wrapped his blankets around you, gently sitting beside you as he held a blood bag up to your lips, which you accepted gratefully and sucked down rather feverishly. “Can I get you anything?” he asked, those intense blue eyes swimming with more emotion than you’d ever seen.

You softly shook your head, “the only thing you can do for me is to stop looking at me like that,” you whispered and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Alright, Miss Conceited, I’m not looking at you like anything,” he teased and you chuckled though it was immediately followed by a wince as pain reverberated through every nerve ending. “You should get some rest, okay? I’ll come check on you in a little bit.” You nodded as he left, letting out an exhale when you were finally alone for the first time since it all happened. You were putting on a brave face for everyone else, assuring Elena you were going to be okay and making her promise she wouldn’t come by the house for her own safety and you’d kept your goodbyes brief, joking throughout… saying things like it’s a miracle I haven’t died sooner, don’t look so sad, but in reality you were terrified. You weren’t ready, your life felt so... unfinished. You hadn’t truly loved anyone yet or even been loved, things were far too chaotic to even think about having a love life. The furthest you’d ever been from Mystic Falls was a family road trip to Texas for a reunion your parents dragged you to just before they both died.

Your dreams felt muddled, a mix of childhood memories and moments with your friends when shit wasn’t hitting the fan… it genuinely felt like your life was flashing before your eyes as you slept and you awoke suddenly unrested and straining to hear a voice on the other side of the door. “You know, one voicemail works just as well as a dozen.” It couldn’t be.

“No…” you muttered as the door opened, shifting to sit upright but failing as you grunted in pain, watching the blonde man slowly walk towards you and settle beside you. “No, this isn’t real, this is a hallucination.”

“I’m afraid I’m very real,” he replied, accent thick as he looked down at you and you poked his arm, stunned to find it wasn’t an apparition.

“Nope, this is- this is Stefan, or Damon and my brain is just playing some really evil twisted joke on me,” you coughed out.

“I’m offended, love. I’ve traveled all this way just to see you and you liken me to the Salvatore brothers,” he said and you blinked a few times as you accepted he really was here. “Playing with werewolves, are we?” he asked, fingers delicately brushing your shirt aside to reveal the mark just above your collarbone.

“Thought it was a golden retriever,” you rasped and he chuckled.

“Your friends downstairs were very adamant in my coming to save you,” he said and you smiled softly.

“Is that what you’re here to do, Klaus? Or are you going to dangle salvation in front of me before making a ridiculous demand?” you asked and he smirked. He always found you amusing, if not annoying at times, there was a point in which you had him completely wrapped around your finger… something you exploited to the benefit of you and your friends whenever it suited you. And he let you, time and time again, because the moments in which you’d allow him to be within your orbit, or accept the countless gifts he left at your doorstep gave him a glimmer of hope that one day you’d let him give you more. He wanted to show you the world, but you’d extinguished any of that hope he’d had by slamming the door in his face the last time you saw each other.

“I’m here to save your life if you’ll let me,” he answered and you almost rolled your eyes.

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch, love. I’m just here out of the kindness of my heart,” he said and now you did roll your eyes.

“Come on, Klaus. I know you better than that. There’s no such thing as the kindness of your heart because it’s cold and dead,” you shot back. “What do you want?” Your tenacity with him was always the most intriguing, you challenged him… made him want to be better but unfortunately with you it seemed there was nothing he could do to win you over.

“Perhaps I do want something, the question is if your life is worth obliging my simple request?” he proposed.

“Please do drag this out further, it’s not like I’m on a clock here,” you coughed out.

“I want you to take me up on my previous offer… in exchange my blood is as good as yours,” he said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

“My answer is the same as it was then.”

“I’m afraid there’s no door for you to slam in my face, love. Would you really rather die than allow me the honor of showing you the world?” he asked and you didn’t miss the way hurt seeped into his tone, though he was trying his best to hide it.

“Yes,” you answered, voice wavering.

“Perhaps I should let you suffer, consider it a delayed punishment for your continual disrespect,” he said and you chuckled.

“Then go ahead, Klaus. Doors over there,” you said, wincing as you shifted your position. “You never had any intention of saving my life,” you accused and now the hurt was clear as day on his face.

“Do you really think so low of me?” he asked and you shook your head.

“I don’t think of you at all.” you answered, hoping he wouldn’t see right through you.

“If that’s what you’d like,” he responded and as he stood to leave you’d never been more unsure, questioning if this was the right way to play it. Just as he reached the door frame you doubled over in a coughing fit, leaning over the side of the bed as blood dribbled from your mouth and he felt physical pain at the sight. He was back by your side in an instant, tugging you into him and placing his arm in front of you. “Drink, please.” You looked up at him through your lashes, but he just nodded, eyes pleading with you and you let your fangs sink into the skin of his wrist. With each gulp you felt your energy restore and the pain disappear. As you drank he brushed your shirt aside again to watch the wound heal for himself.

You pulled away but didn’t make any move to leave his lap, allowing him to keep his arms around you for a moment… but just a moment before you leaned back, “three months.” you said suddenly and you saw an emotion you’d never really seen from him… confusion.

“What?” he asked and you smirked.

“You had your terms, I’m negotiating,” you answered and you watched realization settle across his features.

“What changed your mind?” He couldn’t stop his smile from spreading into a grin.

“I was bluffing,” you said and his grin faltered. “Yet, you still gave me your blood without forcing me to comply… maybe that heart of yours isn’t as cold and dead as I thought.”

“I thought you didn’t think of me?” he asked and you shrugged.

“Maybe I do. You get three months, no more no less… that’s the deal,” you said, sticking your hand out for him to shake and when he grasped it he yanked you a little closer.

“Once we get started you’ll be begging me for more time,” he said with a smirk.

“Well, that’s up to you to prove it worth my time… but that’s all I’m promising.”

“That’s all I need, love.”

taglist: @caseysalvatore @minalblood (if you only meant to be tagged in my damon fics please let me know and I’ll adjust which taglist you’re on!)

#klaus mikaelson #klaus mikaelson x reader #klaus mikaelson x you #klaus mikaelson fanfiction #klaus mikaelson fan fiction #klaus mikaelson fluff #klaus #klaus x reader #klaus x you #klaus fanfiction #klaus fan fiction #klaus fluff #the vampire diaries #the vampire diaries fanfiction #the vampire diaries fan fiction

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whumperstorm · 1 month ago

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Suppressing Fire - Part 4

Content: Vampire whumper, defiant whumpee, mind control, death threats, loneliness, angst

This one is twice as long as the others lol

First/Previous/Next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the first two years, things remain generally the same. The hostility and abuse intertwined with the mundane of everyday life. For Kane, it's all leading up to something. Something big. And as it approaches, closer and closer, he begins to worry he's not ready. His human isn't ready. She's calmed down a bit compared to when he first got her, but she's still defiant. He still disciplines her with frequency. This is bad.

After hemming and hawing over what to do, he enters the human quarters. Before even feeding, he brings attention to the matter at hand.

"I'm laying my cards on the table. I need something from you."

-----

Keegan has gotten far too comfortable with her imprisonment over the past two years. She knows she has, but there's not much she can do about it. There's a few small opportunities over time where she thinks she might be able to escape, but then she remembers how miserable those two months of recovery with her ribs were, and she lets it go. Too risky. She needs something big.

So she copes. She fights back when she's feeling brave, then nurses the bruises she's given for the trouble. She takes out her anger on the poor abused punching bag and tries not to think about the outside world. Stay in the present. Survive each day and keep your head clear. It'll be worth it.

Still, she can't help but perk up when Kane makes a change to their usual schedule. He needs something and he's not just demanding it? She's curious now.

"Yeah?" She asks.

“There’s this… family reunion next week. Well, not just my family. It’s for all of the important families. Mine’s the most important, of course.” His face lights up with condescending pride for a moment before falling back into nerves. “We’re going, and I need you to behave. What's it going to take?"

That's a lot to take in. A family reunion for a bunch of rich vampires?

On one hand, Keegan is almost excited at the thought, even though she'd only be going as an accessory. She's always wanted to go to a fancy party. On the other hand, she hasn't been out of the house since the doctor visit, and just that short time was terrifying.

"What... exactly would I be doing at this event?"

"Oh, not much. Everyone brings their humans as a sign of status. So this- this is the first time I'll be going." Kane wrings his hands anxiously. "All the others will be under persuasion, obviously. All you'll need to do is follow me around, largely silently, and follow orders if given. It will be very easy."

Honestly, it doesn't sound too bad to Keegan. It'd be the first time a vampire hunter has ever observed vampire high society and (hopefully) lived to tell about it. But, it's clear Kane is anxious as hell about this, and willing to offer her something in return. She's not about to miss this chance. She bites her lip, thinking.

What does she want? She'd really like her stove back, microwave meals got old a long time ago, and she misses cooking. Or maybe some time outside? She's been breathing stale air for years. But no, there's something else. Something she needs, and this might be her only chance.

She straightens up, crosses her arms, and looks Kane dead in the eye. "Let me call my sister, and you've got a deal."

"Deal," Kane agrees instantly. "You may make one phone call, supervised, if you behave. That means you will act like a proper human in public. You will not stray. You will obey my orders. You will not speak unless spoken to. You will address me as Master or sir. You will show no signs of defiance or misbehavior. Are we clear?"

Keegan's heart leaps. He's actually agreeing to it? She grimaces at all the ways she has to submit to him, but it's basically meaningless in exchange for that phone call.

"Yes!" She says immediately. Maybe too excitedly, she doesn't want him getting used to this easy compliance, but she can't help it.

"Good." Kane tries to reign in his own excitement, maintain his dignity. His human behaving herself should be the standard, not something to get out of sorts about.

He has to be serious.

“Just know,” he adds, “that if you defy me publicly, I’ll kill you on the spot. I’ll have to, of course, for my reputation.”

"Of course."

The threat gives Keegan pause, not because she plans on being defiant, but because she's not very good at it. She tends to fuck up even when she doesn't mean to.

‘Just focus on the prize, Keegan.’

"Perfect." This might actually work. Kane might actually be presentable. "Now, your neck. I'm hungry."

---

The week passes in a blur. Kane has the human pick out a nice, classy dress from a catalog- he's never had an eye for women's fashion, and he supposes that at least one advantage of having a human with a mind of her own is she can make that decision for him.

On the night of the reunion, he's an utter nervous wreck. He chooses to drive, not wanting to mess his clothes up running and considering it more comfortable for both himself and the human.

"This has to go perfectly," he mutters, half to himself, half to the human in the passenger seat. "No funny business."

"I got it." Keegan insists for what feels like the millionth time.

She's got no idea what's making Kane so nervous, he's cagey about anything relating to his family. It’s making her nervous about what's in store. But, it's a reunion. A party. Whatever has got him rattled is probably some sort of petty drama. Keegan shouldn't panic. She'll follow directions, stay out of the way, and hope for the best. And, hey, the dress is nice.

They arrive just slightly early, exactly as planned. As they enter the decadent ballroom, Kane scans for his parents, but neither seems to have arrived yet. There are lots of other vampires here, though he knows many are still to come. He recognizes several members of his family and of other noble families, but no one he's close to. Each vampire has a perfectly hypnotized human beside them, and it only makes him more self-conscious.

Worse, he gets looks and whispers. He tries to fight the blush that he knows is creeping up his face as he looks around for anyone at all who he knows well enough to chat with.

Unfortunately, just as he's contemplating going to speak with his older sister, Eloise, despite her quite low opinion of him, a far less-palatable sibling approaches him first.

“Kane! What a surprise, I wouldn’t have expected to see you here in a million years!” Anton greets with his human in tow. He grins widely from ear to ear, fangs on display.

-----

Keegan can practically smell the old money of this place. Everyone here has an aura of importance and snobbery, only worsened by their predatory, vampiric eyes. All her fellow humans are dressed up like she is, but unlike her, have all been lost to persuasion. They couldn't have chosen their outfit from a catalog like she did. They're dressed up by their masters like dolls. Trophies.

Objects.

‘Why do they even bother?’ She thinks. ‘We're all just 'food' after all.’

It's awful. Keegan can't watch for long and looks down at her feet, shuffling after her own 'master'. She's so very grateful to have her mind intact, and since they can't feel for themselves, she'll endure their suffering for them. They deserve to be remembered and mourned.

A new voice breaks Keegan out of her thoughts. Kane's older brother, apparently. Keegan's hackles raise immediately when he starts talking. This guy is no good, it's written all over his face. Another very punch-able one, in her opinion. Maybe it runs in the family. Kane though, seems just as uncomfortable as she is and she hopes he'll cut this conversation short.

-----

“Hello, Anton.” Kane says through gritted teeth. “Yes, as you can see, I have a human now. No reason for me not to be here anymore, is there?”

“Yeah, I heard! Only took you a century!” Anton laughs. “I gotta admit, you’ve done well for once in your life, baby brother.” He claps Kane on the back, laughing again.

Kane is not pleased. “Well, no one gives a shit what you think.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, it was a compliment! You’re so sensitive. I mean it! Wrangling a human when you can’t use persuasion at all, it’s very impressive stuff! In fact, the result might be even better. This one’s been hypnotized so much that she hardly reacts even when uninfluenced.” He waved a hand in front of his own human’s face to no response.

Anton turns his gaze directly onto Keegan, eyeing her discomfort hungrily. “See, just like that. I like to see the emotion in their eyes. It’s so boring otherwise.” He leans in close enough for Keegan to smell his shitty cologne. “Having a good time, little lady?”

Keegan's hand twitches at her side, just barely keeping still. He is way too close. She leans as far away as she thinks she can get away with, face full of disgust. What the fuck. If this creep is related to Kane, what is the rest of his family like?? She hopes he can see the murderous intent in her eyes, in lieu of being able to act on them. ‘I'm not afraid of you, leech.’

She might be a little afraid.

Anton loses a bit of interest at her non-response, but the idea has sparked something as he turns back to Kane. “Maybe I’ll try training my next one without persuasion. I mean, it can’t be that hard if you could do it, right?”

Kane rolls his eyes, nudging his human away from Anton. “Thank you so much for that, Anton. Goodbye.”

“Aw, stop, stop, I’m half-kidding. Seriously, great pick. She smells delicious. I’ve just got to have a little taste. You don’t mind, do you?”

Anton takes a step straight toward Keegan and reaches for her neck.

Keegan's heart spikes with fear. She does not want this man touching her. Her hand itches for a stake she hasn't touched in years. Anton is clearly the bully type, and in this case she's the toy he's trying to steal from his victim. He could break her like a twig just to get at Kane. Luckily, Kane steps in and keeps him away, grabbing his wrist and continuing the conversation like her life didn't just flash before her eyes.

“I do mind, actually. If your human’s blood is of such lower quality than mine, I’m sure you can find a suitable replacement on your own, since you’re just so capable.”

Anton rips his hand from Kane’s grasp, the smile never leaving his face. “Of course, makes perfect sense that you’re so possessive of your very first human! Oh, I remember those days. Well, good luck, I can’t wait to see what Mother and Father think.” He smirks before sauntering off.

“Can you believe that guy?” Kane grumbles with a huff.

Keegan relaxes significantly when Anton leaves. "He was... something." Keegan says quietly. Oh, she has opinions alright but doesn't dare speak them outloud, even if Kane might actually share them. She glances around the room, seeing other vampires sharing their humans. It makes her feel ill. "Sir, are... others going to feed from me tonight?" Kane didn't let his brother, but it's clear they aren't friends. No one mentioned she was going to be a party snack.

"No. No one I would say yes to would be tactless enough to ask in the first place." It's an easy answer, one he doesn't have to even consider. The idea of Mother or Father asking to feed from his human is laughable.

Keegan sighs in relief. "OK. Thanks." She's sure it's not for her sake, but still. She's glad for it.

-----

After the encounter with Anton, Kane is too intimidated to try approaching his other older siblings who he's even less close with. He eyes the entrance as people come in, sticking anxiously to the wall, when he finally sees someone he knows well. Unfortunately.

Bellamy comes waltzing in, a human at his side, arm linked with his- and like Kane's own, obviously unpersuaded. “What is he doing here?” he mutters to himself, alarmed.

The entrance garners more gossipy whispers than his own, and that's when he realizes this could be good. “Wait. Wait, this is great, actually. He could take the heat off me.”

That is, until Bellamy locks eyes with him for the first time in decades, and Kane realizes he's screwed. He tries to take off, beckoning his human to follow behind him, but Bellamy catches up easily.

“Kane, my dear, it has simply been too long!” His voice is sing-songy and light.

“Fuck off, I can’t be seen with you! Why are you even here?” Kane hisses.

The woman at Bellamy's side looks to be in her thirties, and perfectly content to be here, despite full awareness of the situation. She waves at Keegan with a warm smile.

Keegan is happy to hide at the edges of the party. Avoiding any more conversation would make the night easier to get through. But of course it doesn't last long, when a vampire and his lucid human make a beeline towards them.

The human lady waves at her. Keegan stares dumbfounded for a moment before sending a small one back. She has so many questions. God does it feel good to look into another human's eyes. She looks kind. Too kind to be in this hellhole.

Bellamy looks genuinely hurt by Kane’s words, his eyebrows knotting together briefly before he regains his composure. “Oh, politics. Some people are hard to get a hold of, and this made for a fantastic opportunity. Though I was unaware you’d number among them tonight! Shall we meet in private, darling? We absolutely must catch up.”

Kane taps his foot, agitated. “Fine, just get away from me before people start thinking we’re together.”

The man winks. “Follow me in five.”

He and the woman disappear down one of the connecting hallways.

Having no one else to gossip to, Kane turns to Keegan. “That guy? He had his entire life handed to him on a golden platter. Cast away everything by refusing to take a human when he came of age. No one who’s anyone would be caught dead associating with him anymore. He was the eldest son in the most important family next to mine and now he’s an even bigger laughing stock than me! Ugh, of course he won’t even use persuasion on the human that he now apparently has. Has to fucking flaunt it. Can’t believe he’s showing his face here.”

Keegan can't tell if he's actually expecting an answer from her. She opens and closes her mouth a few times before settling on, "She didn't seem like she needed it, sir." What's so special about this vampire that his human is perfectly content by his side? Keegan envies her.

"Well, lucky fucking him." Kane responds.

-----

After a short while has passed, Kane follows down the same path the other pair had taken minutes ago. He weaves through corridors before they arrive at the storage room he and Bellamy would always hide out in when they were boys, boxes piled high around the two waiting for them.

As soon as they enter, Bellamy moves toward Kane with arms outstretched, obviously going in for a hug. Kane holds out a hand to stop him. “Cut that shit out. Why am I here?”

“Well, it’s been so long!” Bellamy exclaims. “It’s been, what, eighty-five years? Do you have a telephone, my dear? Marvelous things, humans do simply come up with the most amazing inventions. We should exchange numbers, keep in better touch!”

“Did you somehow forget what happened the last time we spoke?” Kane eyes the woman. “Why do you have a human? Finally come to your senses?”

“Oh of course, where are my manners?” He turned to Keegan. “My name is Bellamy Verta,” He gives a little bow, “and this beautiful young lady is Caroline.” He gestures to his companion with an extravagant flourish.

“It’s nice to meet you both.” she says.

“And who might you be, young lady?” Bellamy asks Keegan.

In stark contrast to the last vampire they spoke to, this ‘Bellamy’ almost immediately puts Keegan at ease. First of all, he calls his human by her name, Caroline. Keegan has never heard her name come out of Kane's mouth. Second, he's speaking directly to her. Not at her, or ignoring her completely.

"Keegan." She responds. Then with a quick glance at Kane, reluctantly adds, "...Sir."

"It's lovely to meet you, Keegan." Bellamy reaches out and shakes her hand, his grip soft and warm in mannerism, even if his hands themselves are a bit cold. "I do hope you're not finding this party completely dreadful."

Bellamy turns back to Kane. “As for your question, Caroline and I have a mutually beneficial relationship. She is no prisoner of mine, and is free to come and go as she pleases. She was kind enough to accompany me to this event, given the stringent requirements for entry. Thank you once again for this, darling.”

“It’s no trouble at all.” Caroline smiles.

Caroline is free? She's free, and she chose to be here. Surrounded by murderous vampires and their dead-eyed humans. Suddenly, Keegan decides she hates her. She's been forced into this hell against her will and here's another woman having a perfectly good time with the first vampire Keegan has ever seen that doesn't want to use persuasion. Why does she get to have it easy? She can't quite mask her disbelieving glare.

Well, maybe Bellamy could help? If... if this reunion goes smoothly at least. He and Kane have history, though they clearly didn't part on good terms. She wants to speak to him more but Kane is right there. His threat hangs over her head. Don't speak unless spoken to. So she stands there silently simmering in frustration.

It's obvious Keegan wants to speak. “Do whatever you want, there’s no one here I need to impress," Kane instructs.

“Perhaps you and Caroline can have a chat?" Bellamy suggests. "Dear Kane and I do have so much to catch up on, some of which are rather private matters.” He motions Kane to follow him to the other side of the room.

“Whatever.” Kane gives an exasperated sigh and walks along with him.

Caroline looks after Kane wryly. "Oh, he seems charming," she says, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Very." Keegan mutters.

She doesn't want to be a complete dick to this stranger, but she has to ask. As soon as the two vampires are conversing, she hisses, "How can you stand it? Being around all... This. Being around him. He's one of them!" Sure he's polite, but he's still a vampire. What if it's all for show?

Caroline smiles at her, pity in her eyes. "Bellamy is the kindest person I've ever met, human or vampire. In fact, in my experience, humans have been the more dreadful bunch." She gestures back toward the ballroom. "Most vampires aren't like this, you know. The stuck-up noble types. They're just regular people. Most haven't even interacted with a human in their lives, let alone hurt one."

That somehow makes Keegan feel worse. She really got the short end of the stick, then. ‘Don't fucking pity me when you won the vampire lottery’ She thinks sourly.

"I don't care!" She growls. "They're predators. They've ruined my life." She turns and kicks a nearby box hard enough that her foot stings. "Why do you get to be free?" She whispers.

The smile disappears. "I'm sorry, hun. But... Kane ruined your life. Bellamy wouldn't hurt a fly. Literally. When there's a bug in the house, I've gotta be the one to take care of it 'cause he's afraid of creepy-crawlies. Vampires aren't a monolith as much as humans aren't. Bellamy saved my life." Though sometimes, she finds herself falling into the trap of thinking of all of humanity as unsalvageable.

"I'm sorry things have turned out so horribly for you. I hope it gets better," she says sincerely.

Keegan wants to shout, to scream. Maybe this would be easier if she was chained up in a basement somewhere, so freedom wouldn't be standing just out of reach and mocking her. But Caroline is being so patient and kind. She has nothing to do with Keegan's suffering.

She deflates. "I'm sorry. I just- Seeing you here, happy..." she gestures vaguely. "It's a lot." Her lip wobbles. "You're the first human I've spoken to in over two years." The first person really, other than Kane.

"You're the first human I've spoken to in over a decade," Caroline admits. She steps forward, her heart aching for Keegan. "You look like you could use a hug. You want one?"

Keegan starts to cry. "...Please." She hasn't felt a kind touch in just as long. Only pain and harsh manhandling. "I wanna go home..." she mumbles, barely audible. It's pathetic, but she's so lonely, and Caroline is someone who will actually listen.

Caroline wraps her up in a warm embrace. "I'm sorry," she says softly. "I know everything's awful right now. Just hang in there. You never know where life will take you. Take it one day at a time."

Keegan cries into Caroline's shoulder, tightly gripping the fabric of her shirt. It feels good to be held. She doesn't want it to end.

"I'm t-trying." She sobs. "Thank you."

Caroline keeps holding her, as long as she needs, gently rubbing her back. She figures Keegan needs this.

-----

“I can’t believe, after everything you’ve been through, that you would just… subjugate someone like this! Look at her, she has bruises on her arm!” Bellamy gestures pointedly at Keegan. "It's awful!"

Caroline lets go of Keegan, turning to watch the argument. She places herself protectively between Keegan and Kane.

“She wouldn't have bruises if she fucking behaved!” Kane retorts. “I don’t know why you suddenly insist on acting like I’m lesser than the rest of my family when you were always the one to tell me I wasn’t. I’m a De Sang, this is what we do.”

“I didn’t mean–” Bellamy pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, “Why is it that the thing you want to live up to is their cruelty?”

“It’s not cruelty, it’s the way the world works! You’re the one who’s a freak.” Kane spits. “You just don’t want me to be happy! Now that I have a human, I can finally get the respect I deserve!”

Bellamy scoffs. “Oh, is that it? Are you happy now, Kane? I can see that sucking up to those pricks has made you so much less of a bitter, miserable person. You’re just the absolute picture of happiness!”

“I need. A minute.” Kane takes a deep breath and glares at Keegan. “Stay. Here.” He storms out of the storage room, slamming the door behind him.

Keegan holds her breath when Kane turns to her with fury in his eyes and flinches when he slams the door.

“I apologize.” Bellamy says, “That got out of hand. I do hope I’ve caused no undue trouble for you, Keegan.”

"It's ok. He, uh, only hurts me when he's mad at me specifically." She says, subconsciously rubbing the bruises Bellamy pointed out. "Which is often, unfortunately. You two used to be friends?" She can't imagine someone as polite as Bellamy wanting to be around Kane.

Bellamy looks to her apologetically, like he's embarrassed of ever having been Kane's friend. "When we were boys. I haven't spoken to him in eighty-five years. He's always been prone to bouts of anger, but not so explosive as he is now. Or perhaps, he simply never had the opportunity."

Keegan sighs. "He just didn't have a human to kick around yet. Thank you for at least trying to talk him out. I've never met a vampire like you before." She feels a bit guilty for calling him a 'predator' just moments ago, but hopefully he was too preoccupied to have heard it.

"I'm sorry my kind has left such a horrible impression on you," Bellamy says sadly.

Caroline nudges him. "Bel, isn't there anything we can...?"

Bellamy shakes his head. "I'm afraid not." Attempting to steal a human from this event would go poorly for all involved, he's sure.

Keegan wants to cry again. "If you could- I know it's a long shot and probably isn't worth it- but if you could keep trying?" God this is pathetic. "Keep trying to convince him?"

"Of course, dear. Of course I can," Bellamy promises.

It's not hard to anticipate Kane’s return, his stomping audible from a mile away.

“My mother’s here. We’re going back out.” he announces, grabbing Keegan’s bruised forearm.

“Kane, wait." Bellamy's voice is firm. He chooses his words carefully in an attempt to appeal to Kane's values. "Please. I know things got out of hand tonight, but none of that is Keegan's fault. She's only a human. Surely, violence against someone so much weaker than yourself is beneath you. You're better than this."

Kane hesitates. "W-whatever. We're going," he says, but his grip on Keegan relaxes just a bit.

Bellamy looks over to Keegan. “It truly was lovely to meet you, dear. I do wish you the best.”

'Just a human- so much weaker'. There's that awful talking-down-to again, but it works at least a little. She and her arm are grateful to Bellamy for trying.

"Likewise. You too Caroline." Keegan responds. Kane is pulling her back out before she can say much else, but she mouths a sincere "Thank you" as they turn the corner.

Caroline waves at her, sadness in her eyes.

-----

Kane leads her back out to the main room. In the few minutes they’ve been gone, the room has filled out with occupants. Kane lets go of Keegan, trusting her to follow him on her own. He walks up to an older vampire woman, dressed to the nines. “Hello, Mother!” Kane says, a huge smile plastered on his face.

“Oh! Kane, Anton was just telling me you were here!” Kane’s mother exclaims.

“I have a human!” he boasts, gesturing to Keegan.

“That’s very nice.” She nods, not even glancing at Keegan. “Finally catching up! Say, your one hundredth is soon, isn’t it? Maybe we could do something for it!”

“It was two years ago, actually!” Kane’s smile falters for a fraction of a second before returning to its chipper state.

“Oh, well, there’s always two hundred!” she says breezily.

“Yeah!” Kane agrees, glancing around a bit. “U-um, do you know when Father…?”

Kane’s mother smiles. “He was right behind me, should be here any second. Listen, I really would like to stay and chat, but there are so many people I need to speak with tonight.”

His smile really does fall then. “Oh, but I thought-”

She puts a hand near his shoulder, making the motion of a comforting gesture without actually touching him. “You’re doing good. Keep it up.”

Kane beams. “I will!” he nearly shouts as his mother walks away. “That went amazing! That went so well!” Kane enthuses as soon as she's out of earshot.

Did it? That was hard for Keegan to watch. If this is how they treat him, no wonder Kane doesn't talk about his family. She's glad to be ignored by Kane's mother, she wishes he'd stop showing her off like a trophy and drawing attention to her. ‘I'm not an object.’ She reminds herself once again.

Suddenly, all chit-chat dissipates as a new vampire enters.

He doesn’t look much different than any other vampire, aside from obviously being the oldest. He appears in his seventies, though he is likely hundreds, if not over a thousand years in age. But… there is something wrong about him, something any aware human will be able to feel. An energy permeates the room, a deep, human instinct screaming RUN, YOU ARE IN DANGER, YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW. This man, above all, is a predator made to hunt things like Keegan.

The human beside him looks dead, far beyond the entranced looks of everyone else. There is zero spark of life behind his eyes, yet he continues standing and breathing, moving along with the vampire like a puppet, clearly somehow alive.

Kane puts a hand to the center of Keegan's back and begins leading her in a beeline directly for the man.

"Father!” Kane calls, all excitement and nerves.

-----

If Death has a physical form, Keegan is sure she has just found it. This is Kane's father. This monster. The blood drains from her face and her entire body trembles. She's been scared before, sure. She grew up in a toxic, violent household and now kills vampires for a living. Fear has kept her alive. But she's only felt true, primal terror of this kind twice in her life. Once, when her mother's throat was torn out in front of her, and now here. At this moment, despite all logic, Keegan is sure with every bone in her body that she is not going to survive the night.

Kane pushes her forward as if to the gallows.

Kane’s father glances briefly at Keegan before turning his eyes on Kane.

The man sighs, shooting Kane a glare. “What is it?” His voice is deep and cold.

“I-I got a human…” he claims timidly, his confidence draining at the icy reception.

Kane’s father does not ignore Keegan as his wife had. Instead, he turned his gaze directly onto her, piercing red eyes almost digging under Keegan's skin. The man brings a hand to Keegan's chin and tilts her head to the side to expose her feeding scars, his skin devoid of warmth.

“Sloppy work,” he comments.

The only reason Keegan does not rip her head away from him is because she knows it would only bring about her demise that much faster. She doesn't blink, staring straight into his eyes. She feels like a child curled up in bed, watching the closet door through the darkness of the room. The moment she blinks the monster will get her. Her skin burns under his touch despite the cold of his hand. ‘Please, I don't want to die. Not like this.’

Kane rushes to defend himself. “I wasn’t, um, that good at feeding at first, but I figured it out! For the past year and a half, I’ve-”

Kane’s father puts a hand up to stop him, and Kane’s mouth snaps shut instantly. His other hand is still on the underside of Keegan's chin, so close to her throat. “It can’t be helped. Passable.” The man finally lets go of her, and walks away without another word.

Kane’s eyes are wide. “Passable…” he repeats to himself in awe, clutching his hands to his chest.

The rest of the night goes without incident, Kane seeming in high spirits. Anton does give Keegan a few glances as it goes on, but at one point he shrugs, as if to say ‘not worth it’. Kane attempts small-talk with a few other people throughout the night, who all largely disregard him. He spends a lot of time wallflowering by himself. Occasionally he starts chatting with Keegan, then realizes he shouldn't be doing that and stops, embarrassed. After a few hours, people start to leave. Kane only exits once his parents do. As they get back in the car, he grins at Keegan. "That went fantastically. You can make your phone call as soon as we get home. Well done."

Keegan doesn't match Kane's good mood. She takes a while to recover from the interaction with his father. She's shaky, and doesn't want him out of her line of sight. He seems fully uninterested in them which helps, but being trapped in the same building with such a threat is rough on her nerves. She stubbornly holds on to her poker face, keeping all her fear in her clenched fists.

Eventually she's able to relax, especially when Kane dares to talk to her a bit. At least he isn't a threat to her at the moment. It's all worth it in the end too, as he keeps his end of the deal. She lived through the night and she's going to get to speak to her sister for the first time in years! It's so exciting, and also a whole new kind of terrifying after so long without contact.

-----

When they return home, Kane removes his tie. "Go on," he says, nodding at the rotary phone sitting on a small table in the corner of the living room. "You've earned it."

He sits on the couch and picks up a book from the mug table.

‘I shouldn't have to earn it.’ Keegan thinks. She can't find it in herself to be mad though. Not right now.

“Ok!” She practically runs to the phone and begins to dial. She feels sick to her stomach with nerves. She doesn't even know what she's going to say. 'I love you. I'm alive. Are you safe??' Those are at the top of the list. But truly she just wants to hear Lohitha’s voice. It's been so, so long.

The phone rings for a while. Each one builds dread in Keegan's stomach. But it is quite early in the morning. It'll just take a minute for her to answer. Right? Keegan bites her lip. ‘C'mon, pick up. please.’

Finally, the line connects and Keegan hears shuffling of fabric and a quiet yawn. "Lohitha?!" She cries desperately. "It's me, Keegan!"

There's a beat of silence. Then a deep, male voice answers. "Who?"

Keegan's heart stops. "Wh- I'm... I'm Keegan Khatri. I'm looking for Lohitha Khatri? Who are y-"

The man interrupts her, tired irritation in his voice. "You got the wrong number." CLICK

The line goes dead. Keegan gasps. No. no no no. She knows that was the right number. She's had it memorized since the moment they moved to that address. But... It's an apartment. She didn't even THINK about that. Lohi wouldn't be living there alone, of course she'd move. Keegan was so caught up in speaking to her she wasted her chance like an idiot! Her eyes flood with tears and she slowly turns towards Kane. He said one phone call. One.

Kane can quietly hear the other line with his supernatural hearing, even from halfway across the room.

He looks up from his book. "I'm no conman, human. I'm a man of my word. One successful phone call." He looks back down and flips the page.

Of course. Kane's at least practical. She lets out a sigh of relief. Keegan is so anxious that she isn't thinking straight.

“Thank you…”

She's not sure how to contact Lohitha now. She could be anywhere. But there's one person who would possibly know. Her hunting partner.

She dials. Only two rings this time before an answer.

"Vivian speaking."

Keegan sighs in relief and smiles. "Hey, partner."

"Keegan??"

"Yeah Vee, it's me. I'm alive. Surprise?"

"What?? The fuck? Where have you been? We thought you were-"

"I was taken. Still am, but... he let me call."

"Oh my God. Ok. Where are you? I will get a group together and come after you I swear-"

"No- Vivian no." Keegan glances at Kane. "That's not- I'm ok. Mostly. I'm not calling for a rescue," ‘as much as I wish I could.’ "I need to know. Lohitha, is she OK? Tell me she's ok."

"Oh- yes! Keegan she's fine! She's been living with me. She's just fine."

Just like that, a massive weight is lifted off Keegan's shoulders. She finally knows. After all this time. Her little sister is safe. Tears of relief pour down her face. "-Thank you, Vee. Thank you so much." She cries. "Please, can you go get her? I need to talk to her. Please."

"Oh… I’m… Keegan she's not home right now. I'm so sorry-"

"What??" No. No. This can't be happening. She was so close!

"She's on a school trip. She won't be home for a few days! Is there any possible way you can call again?"

"No, this.... this is my only one." Keegan says in defeat. After all that... She can't even hear her sister's voice. Her heart is shattering. "Just... Tell her I love her? And I'm so, so sorry. I'm trying to come back to her."

"Of course. I swear I will. She loves you too. She misses you so much."

Keegan sobs. She can't take this anymore. "T-thank you. Please... please k-keep her safe."

"I won't let anything happen to her. You have my word." Quietly Vivian adds, "is there no way you can tell me where-"

"No. He's listening. I just needed... closure." It sounds so final. But she hopes the wording will appease Kane.

-----

Kane does not like the sound of ‘I'm trying to come back to her.’ If his human escaped, he would be the laughing-stock of the century. No one's human ever escapes. No one else's human has the capacity to even want to.

This is why he doesn't allow phone calls. It puts the wrong ideas in his human's head, makes her think she serves a purpose outside being his. The human on the other line keeps trying to plan a rescue, too. This is not good.

"None of this 'trying to go back' business," he reminds her, not looking up from his book.

Hot anger rushes through Keegan. She whips around, face still streaked with tears. "Excuse me for trying to comfort my kid sister who has lost the only family she has left!" She spits, then immediately flinches from her mistake. Fuck, she didn't mean to talk back, this is the worst time-

Kane gives her a deadpan look. "You're lucky I'm in a very good mood, human. Final warning. Behave." He waves for her to continue her call.

She's on thin ice here. She's definitely lucky. She turns back towards the wall with the phone.

"It's not an option, Vivian. But I'm surviving."

"I cannot sit back knowing you're trapped there." Vivian insists. Keegan can tell she's trying to get her to slip her a hint. But Keegan was never the clever one. There's nothing she can say that would not end badly for her or any humans that tried to rescue her. No hidden clue she can pass on.

"You're an incredible friend, Vivian." Keegan says instead. "The best partner. And I love you too. Tell the squad I say hey. Kick my dad in the balls if he tries coming around. Sober or not."

"Keegan you are not about to end this call. I will kill you myself-"

She has to end it. Vivian will never let it go and Keegan can't handle much more. "Lohitha has always wanted a dog, by the way. Goodbye Vivian."

"Don't you fucking dare-"

Click. Keegan places the phone back on the wall, hanging up. She stares unmoving in the silence that follows.

-----

Kane is honestly torn. He does feel for the human: he knows what it's like to be separated from the love of his family. He honestly considers giving her a second chance to call her sister.

But no, he has to stay firm. He is a person, the human is not. It's very clear that if the human talks to her sister, she's just going to be that more determined to get back to her. And he still remembers the horrible pain of boiling water from two years ago. A clean break is best.

"You can go back to your room now," he suggests in the awkward silence.

His human doesn't speak, doesn't look at him. She just shuffles back to her room, staring at her feet. Kane, quite honestly, forgets about the human's troubles soon after she leaves the room. He heads upstairs to his own room, giddy with excitement about the relatively-positive reception from his parents.

The moment the door is shut behind her, Keegan slides down the wall and cries. She doesn't care if Kane hears. She doesn't care about much at all anymore. Her heart has just split in two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry :(

Taglist: @whumpsday @not-a-space-alien @anomalys-taxonomy @what-if-i-just-did @dragonqueenslayer6

@jumpywhumpywriter @writereleaserepeat

#my posts #my writing #suppressing fire #last chance #kane & jim #keegan khatri #turning point for Keegan here

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amberinn · 1 month ago

Text

Hi I had a dream the digital circus was like a place where Caine could track your every move, no matter what the contestants would do they couldn't get away from him and his employees.

One day Pomni figured out a way to fuck it up somehow, there was a vending machine and since they barely got any coins (złote polskie) (PLN, my inner Pole prevails in my dreams it seems) to buy shit she decided to rebel and that she'll use a lockpick to break into machine a supply the whole group with beer.

Long story short she only got about one break-in (she grabbed the cookies, because they were closer to falling out) before an employee of Caine found her, but they didn't clock in that she was stealing shit per say.

They just sort of praised her for buying those cookies.

Pomni went to the group, and shared it with them at which point the group started insulting Pomni saying that with this sort of behaviour she could get them ALL in trouble (and for what? for a pack of cookies?)

And told her to confess to what she's done, so Pomni did do that.

Which lead to a punishment being a competition.

It was episode 7.

Pomni had them all drewn on a piece of paper, with her being the biggest one (taking half a page) because of her giant ass owl wings.

She grew paper owl wings in the digital circus too honestly.

They sprouted during the competition, which was about travelling through the entire world, before reaching the final dead room where someone was supposed to die. (No that's not what it was called, it did not have a name)

Pomni travelled very quickly, with her owl wings giving her speed.

The rest of the group did poorly, with Ragatha being the lead or so in how quickly they moved.

There were intervals, they went like

Pomni -> Ragatha -> Jax -> Gangle -> Kinger -> Zooble

Ragatha travelled through Egypt.

Pomni travelled through the entire world.

I can't remember where everyone else was, but basically everyone was always struggling in one location, while Pomni always made it to the next one.

At the end of it was Pomni's pov where she was in Egypt and she entered the final dead room first, Ragatha who also was there followed.

Soon enough everyone else started showing up.

There was an announcement one person had to die there, and then a wall opened to reveal a huge pit of lava.

Ragatha pushed Pomni into it.

Pomni was hanging on by a hand grasp onto the wall.

They've had a talk about something, a heartfelt one.

Pomni grabbed Ragatha and yoinked her with her into the lava pit (because she pushed her there)

They were both falling, but Ragatha punched/kicked some sort----- something physical Pomni off of her, and broke her glasses (red) and used them as a rope or so, somehow? to sort of grab onto the edge and then she yoinked herself onto the safe ground with their help. (Man, Ragatha should be at smash brothers frfr)

Pomni fucking dies.

They all make it out.

When they're back at their dormitories they talk about how fucking stupid it all was.

For Pomni to have to die for a pack of cookies.

Ragatha mentions over how Pomni is the bravest person she knows, and tears up with her red glasses being cracked n all, and having a bottom right piece straight up missing (small amounts of broken for saving her from the lava lowkey)

Zooble mentions to Kinger over how he could use the squiggly worm he's gotten, because the employees can't eat/handle things with cockroaches/cockroach particles

to write down valuable information or so.

because that is a form of rebellion in itself---

just a way more smart one?

Jax gives Ragatha a talk over how "Pomni's so brave, and nice, and ??? gorgeous, and Kaufmo's so fun, and nice and smart" and sort of makes her realise that she's had a crush on both of the dead participants.

It was a nice talk, Jax was nice.

Understanding sort of, you could say.

Like he knows they're all dying.

Like it's something he could expect, get.

(Ragatha's bi frfr, my dreams know what's up)

#the pomni fucking dies dream #and we learn ragatha has had a big fat crush on kaufmo and pomni #jax gives her a ted talk abt it #the amazing digital circus #tadc pomni #tadc #tadc jax #tadc gangle #tadc kinger #tadc zooble #tadc kaufmo #tadc ragatha #tadc caine #my ideas #my dreams #pomni x ragatha #buttonblossom

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chapel-of-rizztual · 1 year ago

Note

I was wondering if you would possibly do a regressed ghoul with mama Aurora, please? Maybe some reassuring snuggles after a difficult ritual?

❤️

The show was cut short. It was no one’s fault, the storm had just gotten too dangerous for them to carry on. They were all devastated, obviously, but it was the best decision to keep everyone safe.

They all kind of awkwardly stood backstage, not fully knowing what to do. The usual post show adrenaline wasn’t there, with them not being on stage for long enough.

Aurora watched as Mountain stormed off the stage, the scowl on his face was evident even Through the mask. He didn’t say a word to anyone, just grabbed Swiss by the hand and dragged him into his dressing room, slamming the door behind him.

Dew had laughed at him, saying something about ‘it should have been me’ and ‘pray for Swiss’ ass because he’s gunna need it.’ Rain had slapped his hand over Dew’s mouth before he could say anything else.

Aurora wasn’t really paying attention, she was too busy looking for the one ghoul missing. Phantom. He was her summoning brother, her twin flame, she felt the connection of his presence more then the others. Which meant she felt his absence more.

“Hey, has anyone seen Phantom? She asked, looking nervously around the ghouls.

They all shook their heads at her, looking around between them like they’d only just realised he wasn’t there.

“I haven’t seen him since he scampered off stage.” Rain replied to her, his hand still covering Dew’s mouth. “He ran off so fast.”

“Check in my dressing room for him.” Cumulus smiles sweetly at her as she speaks. “He likes to hide in there sometimes.”

Aurora takes off in the direction of Cumulus’ dressing room before anyone can say anything else.

Just like Cumulus had said, Phantom was on her dressing room, sat cross legged on the floor, picking fluff off the carpet. His helmet was still on but he’s pulled his balaclava down to his chin. He looked up hearing the door open.

“Mama.”

Aurora looked behind her to make sure Cumulus hadn’t followed her.

“Mama? You want Cumulus? I can go get her she’s just down the hall.”

Phantom pouts at her, shaking his head, making grabby hands towards her. “Mama.”

Aurora shuts the door carefully behind her. “Me? I’m mama today?”

Phantom nods, still making grabby hands towards her. She picks him up off the floor easily, she might be small but she’s strong. He wraps his legs around her hips, trying to bury his face into her neck but is stopped by his mask. He lets out a whine, pulling away from her neck with a sad pout on his face.

Aurora laughs lightly at him, swaying them slightly where she stands. “Why didn’t you take your mask off when you got off stage, bug?”

Phantom points to the buckle under his chin. “Tricky.”

“Ah, I see. Couldn’t manage it on your own?” She undoes the buckle easily with one hand, pulling his helmet off, throwing it onto the sofa that’s pushed to the side of the room.

Phantom shakes his head, fluffing his hair up and unglamouring his horns. He buries his head into her neck with a small sigh.

Aurora sits down on the small sofa, moving Phantom so he’s sat more on her lap, keeping his head buried in her neck. He lets out a contented sigh, nuzzling deeper into her, rubbing his cheek against her shoulder.

“What’s made you go so little, bug?” She runs her fingers through his hair, rubbing at his horns. “You don’t normally drop this fast.” Phantom whimpers into her neck, fidgeting a little. “Changed.”

Aurora hums in realisation. “Ah, the schedule changed.”

Phantom nods, rubbing his cheek against her shoulder harder. “I know, it’s hard when things change, huh?”

Phantom wiggles down a little so his head is resting on her chest. “Don’t like it, mama.” “Oh I know.” Aurora coos at him. “But you’re being so brave, are you? You didn’t even cry about it.”

Phantom gives a little chuff. “Wanted to be brave for you, mama.”

Aurora feels her heart melting out of her chest. “My brave boy, aren’t you?” She presses a kiss to the top of his head. “Hey, there’s one good thing about the show being over early.”

Phantom looks up at her with wide eyes, his pupils blown.“What?” Aurora squeezes him close to her, pressing another kiss to the top of his head. “It means we can cuddle more.”

Phantom let’s put a chuff that turns into a purr, snuggling deeper into Aurora's chest, rubbing his cheek against her.

“Oh, I knew you’d like that.” Phantom thrills, his ears flicking. “Want all the cuddles please, mama.”

Aurora rubs a hand down his back, rubbing small circles at the bottom of his back. “You can have all the cuddles you want, baby.” The two stay cuddled up on the sofa for a long time. So long that they both end up falling asleep, tangled up together on the lumpy backstage sofa. That’s how Cumulus finds them later and she can’t help pulling her phone out to take a picture of the cute sight.

#Regressed ghouls #thank you for the ask!! 💕#the band ghost #ficlet #ghost headcanons #nameless ghouls #aurora ghoulette #phantom ghoul #anonymous #my writing

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peachymilkandcream · 9 months ago

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Someone To Love|Part 2|Reiner x Jealous Reader

(A/N: It's kind of nice and out of my normal style to write a much more wholesome romance, but I can't say I dislike it. You gotta have the fluff with your angst. And since this is going with yandere Levi it's good to have a bit of a change of pace. Comment to be added to the taglist!)

WARNINGS: implied nsfw, depression, attempted suicide, violence, general angst, slowburn, lowkey love triangle with a happy ending, not a warning but Reiner calls you nicknames instead of y/n (because I personally can't stand it)

==============================================

It felt like the air had been knocked out of her lungs.

"An Island Devil?"

"I know, it's crazy, trust me I already know that. Especially after everything they did to Bertholdt and Annie. I don't know, I just feel...good about myself and safe around her."

She clears her throat, trying to keep the wad of emotion down in her chest so it doesn't spill out all at once. "And you say her name is Evelyn? I..uhm- tell me about her-"

Reiner leans back with a shy smile. "Well for starters she's short, really short, but she's also fun, and super sweet, an impressive fighter, and pretty on top of that. Like the ultimate package."

"How did you meet her?"

"When I was under cover she was one of the Scout officers, I didn't get to see a whole lot of her since she was part of Captain Levi's squad, but still. As far as Island Devils go she's one of the sweetest people I've ever met."

"Does she know who you are?"

Now Reiner frowns, apparently a sore spot for him. "Yes she does, when we fled I exposed who I was to her...and she said she hated me."

She tries to hide her relief with a deep breath, it wouldn't help anything to outwardly show how glad she was of that.

"So you'll never see her again."

"Until we return to Paradis to reclaim the Founder it seems unlikely." His mood changed, his tone becoming more and more depressed.

"That's too bad. She sounds wonderful."

"Yeah...she was." Reiner rests his elbow on the table, staring into the wooden pattern. "By now she's probably married off to Captain Levi, no screw that, why should I respect him with a title, to Levi."

"Who's Levi?" She didn't know who he was but if he was able to give Reiner closure with this unattainable crush she'd be thankful to him.

"Selfish bastard. Captain of the Survey Corps and man does he abuse that. Always unfairly punishing everyone and demanding respect." He shakes his head. "Creep watched Evelyn like some kind of sick stalker. There were many times I got punished for being anywhere near her. Asshole."

"Maybe you just didn't understand their dynamic?"

"Impossible, it was so obvious he was sick in the head. But no one saw it but me."

Bravely she reaches out to touch his hand. "It'll be okay Reiner, you can move on now. Forget about what happened their and live the rest of your life in peace."

"The rest of my life." He scoffs. "What short time I have left."

The thought made her wince, but he had a point. If she didn't try harder he'd be killed and they'd never have that life she dreamed of, even if it was for a short time.

"That's why you need to make the most of it."

Reiner nods, taking in her words. "You're right, sitting here sulking over what could have been won't get me anything but wasted time." A smile comes to his face. "Thanks kid, you always make me believe in myself."

She blushed a little at the nickname, even after all of this he still saw her as the same girl from their childhood. "No problem, you're my friend and I want to help you."

Reiner's face turns solemn again but before he can speak his mind a soldier comes up to their table.

"Reiner Braun, Commander Magath has sent for you."

"Right now? Is it urgent?"

"He said to come right away."

Reiner offers an apologetic glance before standing and hurrying to follow the young soldier, leaving her alone.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but she had a bad feeling about all of this.

#reiner braun #reiner x reader #reiner smut #aot reiner #reiner x you #reiner x y/n #reiner x oc #someone to love

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jinxquickfoot · 6 months ago

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20 Questions for Writers

I was tagged by @16woodsequ. Thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

82!! And that's counting the one-shot collections as 1 fic.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,572,787

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Still in Marvel, although I've had a few ideas around Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss that I probably would written if my MCU WIP list wasn't so impossibly long.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

The One Where Peter is Bucky's Weakness

Let's Whump the Spider-Kid and Friends!

The One Where Peter is Tony's Weakness

You're Always Spider-Man

The One Where Clint is Tony's Weakness

You guys really like it when I kidnap Peter Parker.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Of course!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The Worst Thing, it's the only ending I wouldn't call 'happy'. I labelled it 'bittersweet' instead, which I think is fitting. Actually Dollhouse also is a strong contender.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Let's Whump the Spider-Kid and Friends! teeters on the edge of soppy. Everyone is alive post-Endgame, Peter gets a prom with all the Avengers and his high school friends, and the Spider-Kid in question gets a whole month of rest.

In hindsight, I wrote that fic during pretty extreme burnout (that I am now thankfully over), and I can see my need for rest and care just bleeding through Peter in those final chapters. I'm so grateful we both got what we needed.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not for a long time, since the debates over Civil War have... if not settled, maybe don't hold as much interest as they used to.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Not yet, but I think I might be brave and include some Winterhawk smut in the Heart of Stone series.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Nope.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of. I've come across one or two with eerily similar premises and wondered, but I've never followed up. Tropes are tropes for a reason.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not a translation but Hair is Everything has a podfic!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Many! And tried to many at the same time which was a mistake, but I'm so glad I've gotten to work with so many incredible authors:

The One Where Clint is Steve's Weakness with @16woodsequ

The One Where T'Challa is Shuri's Weakness with @fluencca

The One Where Bruce is Thor's Weakness with @onwardmeteors

The One Where Peter is Peter's Weakness with @spagbol99

The One Where Bucky is Steve's Weakness with @usaonetwothree

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Winterhawk aka Clint/Bucky has my heart forever and ever, but I have a soft spot for Clint/Matt and Wanda/Vision as well. Outside of Marvel, I love reading for Stede/Ed, Husk/Angel, Caleb/Essek and Buck/Eddie.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you will?

If I've posted it, I'll finish it (I swear, I know I haven't touched the Whumptoberverse in three years). I do have an outline for something called the Amendment trilogy which I thought had some promise, but I've done so many Civil War Fix-Its now I doubt it has anything original to say these days.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I don't think my plot twists are too shabby, and I like to think that I find new things to say about well-worn characters and tropes. I'm also pretty damn good at structure, but that's because I studied and practised the hell out of it. Oh and occasionally I like to think I'm funny, especially when writing for Tony.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Sometimes I focus too much on getting a fic done than letting it breathe. I've been told several times the ending to The One Where Peter is Bucky's Weakness is disappointing, and I agree. I was ready to get out of there so I Game of Throned it instead of spending a good 5-10 chapters wrapping that fic up properly.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Short bits are fine if you pop the translation in the end notes. If not, I like to just say something like, "He switched to Russian [continues dialogue in English]."

19. First fandom you wrote for?

MCU and we're still going, baby.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

AH okay I want to include all those I co-wrote but that feels like cheating, because what I like about those fics is often what other people brought to them.

I used to say Budapest and that's still a strong contender. But I actually love The One Where Clint is Sam's Weakness, specifically the final chapter. The idea of mistakes and regrets and choices not making you who you are is a very personal thing for me. Clint saying "You’re my hero, Kate." might be my favorite line I've ever written in a fic. Sometimes the simplest ones are the best.

Low pressure tag: @fluencca @usaonetwothree @queenofalotofdifferentworlds @spagbol99 @teeelsie-posts

#ask list #fun!

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cutiedwaekki · 1 year ago

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blue hour

They say that the blue hour is a memorable moment, let's see what will happen to them after entering this forbidden amusement park.

Contain : weight gain ; rapid/magic weight gain ; tight clothes ; clothes ripping ; weight gain denial ; hybrid AU (at the end) ; NSFW ; not really a happy end for once

Welcome guys ! Uni is killing me but enjoy this fic that was in my draft fo a very looooong time haha

Honestly not very proud lf the end :/

stay tuned because tomorrow I will post something else too 🤭

Enjoy ♡

{💙}

The blue hour, the period between day and night when the sky fills almost entirely with a darker blue than the sky-blue of the day. More precisely, it corresponds to a short period of nautical twilight or nautical dawn.

But in this case, it's a curse that's best avoided. The rule was simple and everyone in town knew it: don't go to the abandoned faire.

I mean, sometimes it was open to the public on special occasions, but as soon as the blue hour approached, you had to get out of there.

What happened at the blue hour? People didn't know, it was almost as if people disappeared, but ... how could you disappear like that from one day to the next?

That was the question our dear boys were asking themselves. It was Yeonjun who came up with the idea of going there illegally, followed by Beomgyu, who agreed while the information was still processing in the others' minds.

-"I don't think it's a good idea" declared Soobin.

- "Come on, there's five of us, if something happens to one of us, we'll know what to do", reassured a determined Yeonjun.

And so, as the day drew to a close, they made their way to the fair when no one was watching.

It was beautiful and brightly lit from afar, yet gave off nothing scary to make them think about leaving or returning home to their daily lives.

As you can see, our five friends were very much of the day-to-day type and had had many unforgettable experiences since they were in middle school together. It was always the brave boys who got the ball rolling and the shy ones who followed, but they all ended up having a great time.

So when they arrived at the fairground, it was a moment of complete amazement. The park was lively and brightly lit, with fairground music playing in the background. The food stalls even had hot food!

It was incredible and yet so true.

-I think- but Taehyun was interrupted by Kai, who exclaimed that there was a carousel in the distance and decided to run for it.

- "Relax, everything's going to be fine" reassured Beomguy before drawing his friend towards the carousel.

He was right, he had to relax, there was nothing scary here after all!

{💙}

Yes, nothing scary when you're not approaching the blue hour. As the sky turned a darker shade of blue compared to the daytime sky, the blue hour finally arrived, and that's when the curse kicked in.

At first, there was nothing very remarkable, but if there was nothing visible, it was mainly because everything was happening in their minds. The first few minutes of the blue hour made them forget all worries and stress, as if they were in a state of ataraxia where happiness reigned.

All the attractions worked, but Beomgyu's favorite was the mirror maze, especially when, instead of his usual relfet, Yeonjun had a pig in front of him, which made his friend laugh, while the main cincerned, less amused by this, pinched the younger man's cheek, noticing that it seemed plumper than before... or maybe he'd just never noticed.

It's like Soobin who, after playing dart shooting, felt that his arms seemed heavier, as if there were no muscle and just fat, pure fat.

Or Taehyun who felt his steps were different as if he could no longer walk without waddling.

Huening was also caught up in the euphoria, laughing and doing all the attracrion he could see. He was acting like he'd never acted before; it was as if he was regressing mentally to want to do only two things: have fun and eat.

Because yes, food was omnipresent, but especially in large quantities. A small packet of popcorn was the equivalent of at least one size large.

Soda was unlimited, not to mention the hotdog stands that were always there and always hot.

Nothing wrong with that, right?

{💙}

It was only the beginning of the blue hour, because as the hour progressed, the sides effects intensified.

Although they didn't notice it, they were far too caught up in their ataraxia to notice that they were getting fatter, that Huening couldn't even get into the carousel without making the atraction creak loudly.

Beomgyu was becoming a veritable piglet in spite of having teased his friend earlier.

That Taehyun ended up waddling but ended up sitting on a chair to rest, but broke it and ended up on the floor.

That Soobin had become so fat that his belly was resting on the edge of the shooting range. Then he didn't even try to shoot any more - he'd realized it was no use - he'd become too fat for that, instead he was gorging himself on fairyfloss from the stand next door.

Finally, Yeinjun, who had initiated the idea, was the only one with any conscience. So when he saw that in the place of his flat tummy there was a massive belly in its place. His crop top was useless , not even to cover his man-boobs, which were also getting bigger by the minute. He tried to run to warn his friends to leave.

But, they all seemed so happy, so relaxed as if it were a constant climax lingering in their minds.

The idea that all this fat had magically appeared didn't even cross their minds, after all, what's so bad about this carnival?

-"But what if we *oink*- Yeonjun stopped in his sentence as he realized that he'd just grumbled like a pig!

But before he could realize anything else, a noise attracted their attention: Soobin's belly had become so big and heavy that it cracked the edge of the stand, sending him tumbling to the ground.

-"Soo, is everything all right?" Asked Yeonjun seemed to be the only one worried, while the others seemed to be a mixture of laughter and pig grunts.

{💙}

The end of the blue hour was approaching and there was nothing to stop them leaving, they had already become too big and stupid to try and escape.

Over time, they'd all become really fat, either breaking something like Huening, who'd managed to break one of the caroussel horses, or just breaking their clothes, ripping off their current clothes, which didn't fit them.

There they were, naked, fat but still wanting more. Yeonjun felt powerless, but eventually succumbed.

When he noticed a pig's tail growing on each of them, their skin turned pink and now they couldn't speak without snarling like pigs.

Now we knew what happened to those who tried to enter the fair during blue hour. Gluttony take possession of them.

{💙}

- "I don't believe you, it's impossible"

- "But I swear my brother told me, everyone who goes in turns into a pig!"

- "Give me an example then"

- "See Yeonjun and his friends? You know those clowns in high school who accidentally set fire to their class ?"

- "Ah yes! I even had a crush on Beomgyu, I remember.

- "And guess what, some said they went there and then we never saw them again

- "It seems impossible to me"

- "Believe me, anything is possible"

#weight gain #my fic #MY FIRST TXT FIC #WE NEED MORE OF THEM #txt chubby #my fics

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catofadifferentcolor · 1 year ago

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Terrible Fic Idea #75: Rhaegar Wins, but make it Le Morte d'Arthur

Having done two takes on what can roughly be called Lancelot-Guinevere AUs where things end more or less well for our heroes, I thought: why not go all out? why not have the affair be the downfall of the Targaryen Dynasty?

Or: What if Jon Snow, the infamous bastard son of King Rhaegar, had an affair with his aunt, Princess Daenerys?

Aka: The Duncan the Damned Fic

Just imagine it:

Everything follows canon until the Battle of the Trident, during which Prince Rhaegar slays Robert Baratheon in single combat, ending the rebellion. He leads his forces and those of the rebels who submit to him against his father in King's Landing - and is forced to kill the Mad King when he calls for the wildfire caches to be lit. Although everyone agrees he did the right thing, he's forever known as Rhaegar the Kinslayer and many whisper his line is cursed.

Ned Stark is severely injured trying to rescue Robert at the Trident and as such is unable to retrieve Lyanna from the Tower of Joy. Rhaegar sends Prince Lewyn instead...

...who returns with his three brothers-in-arms, a baby boy, and the bones of the King's paramour. It's hard to say which of the latter the King is most angry about. In the end he orders a great mausoleum built over the Dragonpit to house Lyanna's bones and leaves the raising of the bastard to his mother.

Dowager Queen Rhaella is thrilled to have another child to raise, regardless of how the babe came about. (She's less thrilled her son is so disinterested in the boy that it falls to her to name the child over half-a-year after his birth; she calls him Duncan, after her favorite uncle.) She raises Dany and Duncan together until Dany is old enough to be brought to court... and Duncan stays in more or less exile with his grandmother in the shadow of Summerhall as builders work to return he castle to its former glory.

Duncan is raised to knighthood by Oswell Whent, Rhaella's protector and lover during her self-imposed exile. While he does the job as well any could hope, he teaches young Duncan that getting the job done is more important than how you do it - in short, that gallantry is all well and good, but it's better to be dishonorable and alive than dead with a song.

And so the bastard prince who visits at the Red Keep for the first time in 298 has more in line with The Rogue Prince than any of his Stark forbearers. He's dashing, daring, and dangerous - the exact opposite of his half-brother Aegon, who is gallant and chivalrous and brave, but decidedly lacking the bad boy aura.

Meanwhile, Rhaegar hasn't given up on his prophesy. Deciding that his sister Daenerys must be the third head of the dragon, he arranges for Aegon to wed both his sister Rhaenys and aunt Daenerys, which causes many a discontent murmur.

Having been spoon-fed prophesy since birth, Aegon goes willingly along with his father's plan, but Rhaenys is less eager to be one of a pair of sister-queens and Dany...

...well, Dany takes one look at her bastard nephew, so different from his brother, and fancies herself in love.

Duncan for his part is more than a little peeved that his goodie-two-shoes half-brother gets all their father's attention and two royal wives. He choses to pursue Dany as much to get one over on the family that ignored him as any lust he may feel.

Dany and Duncan carry on an affair that is as much passion as it is destruction. It is deeply unhealthy for everyone involved and hits every unhealthy relationship milestone, from Duncan flirting with Rhaenys to make Dany jealous to Dany poisoning herself to get Duncan's attention back and blaming her rivals.

This manages to go on for about five years without anyone too important finding out - though Rhaenys suspects and at least one member of the court attempted to blackmail Duncan over it before succumbing to an accident - when several things happen all at once:

Dany and Rhaenys announce they're finally pregnant within several weeks of each other. Rhaenys gives birth first, to a pair of stillborn abominations with wings. Dany gives birth a short time later to a child that has such Stark looks its impossible to deny his parentage.

An argument breaks out between Aegon, Rhaegar, and Duncan which quickly grows heated. At the end of it Rhaegar lies dead, with no one quite sure whether Aegon or Duncan had landed the fatal blow. The brothers point fingers at each other and order the other jailed for kingslaying.

Things very quickly break down into civil war as both brothers vie for the crown. Duncan manages to hold King's Landing, but Aegon has Dragonstone and superiority of numbers. Even so, Duncan is ruthless and cunning enough that he just might be able to pull off a victory-

-or would have, if Dany didn't start working at cross purposes to him, their relationship very quickly falling apart without the danger and excitement to hold them together. Dany ends up betraying King's Landing to Aegon's forces during a siege, fully expecting to be reinstated as Aegon's second queen after the war ends. Duncan is killed in the fighting and Dany is executed for treason and adultery. Their son, Daeron, is kept as a hostage until he's old enough to be sent to the Wall.

Aegon manages to hold onto the throne for the rest of his life, but he's faced with more outbreaks of rebellion as people finally rebel against House Targaryen, their wars, and the taxes they've leveed to pay for those wars. What's more, Rhaenys never manages to give birth to a living child (some claiming poison, others claiming inbreeding), so that his only heir is his bastard nephew - who quite simply vanishes from the record before his tenth birthday. (Many historians believe he was killed, but there is a strong King Under the Mountain mythology that grows up around him.)

House Targaryen eventually collapses - not with a bang, but a whimper - when Aegon dies in his mid-30s after choking on a fishbone. Rhaenys tries to hold the throne in her own right, but years of fruitless childbirths has wreaked her health and she's very quickly captured, imprisoned, and quietly killed. The Seven Kingdoms eventually devolve into seven separate kingdoms, not to be reunited for another five hundred years.

Bonuses include: 1) Something fatalistic running throughout the narrative, with Rhaegar planning his whole life for an apocalypse that doesn't come - and allowing everything his house built to come to ruin; 2) The full gambit of toxic relationships, including but not limited to: Rhaegar treating Aegon from a young age as a hero in waiting who can do no wrong, Rhaegar treating Duncan as irrelevant to the plot for not being born a girl, and Dany and Duncan's deeply unhealthy romance; and 3) There being a moment after Aegon captures King's Landing where it's possible for Duncan to escape with his son and live to fight another day and in that same moment realizing Dany betrayed him... and rather than choosing to escape, is killed trying to get back into the Red Keep to kill the mother of his child.

And that's all I have. As always, feel free to adopt this bun, just link back if you do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

#plot bunny #fic ideas #game of thrones #a song of ice and fire #got #asoiaf #jon snow #jon snow is a targaryen #jon x daenerys #daenerys targeryan #rhaegar targaryen #rhaegar x lyanna #aegon son of elia #rhaenys daughter of elia #secret affair #secret relationship #unhealthy relationships

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