#this is borderline food gore

[ghostpepperworld]

Images of cake that aren’t liminal but somehow are liminal

[lordprettyflackotara]

hitchhiker || chapter two || the proxies

tw: mentions of murder, brief descriptions of gore

a/n: i’ve gotten a lot of love for this series and i just wanted to say thank you!! as a tribute of my appreciation i present a question: would you guys prefer this story on another platform ADDITIONAL to tumblr? i’ve gotten a few ask. i’m not familiar with ao3 but id like to learn if yall want it :)<3

<— chapter one

You had Toby absolutely mesmerized.

He swallowed nervously as he sat beside you in the diner’s booth. Brian had specifically requested the booth farthest away from everyone else. He sought out privacy, even when you curiously arched an eyebrow when he informed the waitress of his request.

Toby couldn’t help but admire your figure, your curves begging to be acknowledged in that slimming white dress of yours. The sight borderline made his mouth water. Toby shifted uncomfortably in his seat, refraining from anxiously chewing on the inside of his mouth. This would be the first time in years he would be eating in public. Usually he was never concerned with his appearance. That was until he met you.

Now he was slouched in a booth at a diner, a large bandage tightly secured to the decaying side of his face. You were kind enough to not stare, Toby only having noticed your eyes flickering to it once. You hadn’t question his ghoul gray skin or bandage. You didn’t stare at him like he was a freak. You just carried on the conversation like he was a normal person like Tim and Brian. He glanced over at Tim and Brian, his leg bouncing up and down under the table.

The four of you had been served glasses of water, the waitress apologizing and ushering to a different table. You began to unwrap a straw, before putting it into your glass.

“So, what do you guys do for work?”

The question almost made Brian spit out his drink. Tim elbowed his partner. “We’re private consultants,” He replied casually. You sipped your water, grabbing the lemon off of the rim. “Private consultants for what?” You asked, squeezing the juice into your water. Toby watched Brian and Tim carefully, both of them tongue tied. “K-kind of like detective-es. Just without the license,” Toby answered. He hoped you hadn’t noticed how shaky his hand was as he grabbed his glass. He didn’t bother with a straw, carelessly gulping down the water.

“Detectives? Thats nice. Hired by a private client I assume? One that’s behind the scenes,” You suggest. Toby exchanged looks with Tim, giving him a slight nod to suggest they go along with your explanation. “Yeah victims families sometimes aren’t satisfied with the police’s answer for disappearances or murders. They hire people like us to do some of our own investigating,” Tim replied. He hadn’t touched his water. The waitress returned, a small notebook in hand.

“What will you all have to drink?”

Tim gestured for you to go first.

“I’ll have a coke, thank you.”

You looked over at Toby, whose leg was bouncing under the table at a million miles per hour.

“Dr Pepper i-if you have it.”

The waitress gave a confirming nod, looking over at Brian.

“I’ll just stick with water.”

She nodded, her gaze landing on Tim.

“I’ll just have black coffee, thanks.”

Once she left, you were eager to resume the conversation. “Must be exciting work, traveling all of the time. I assume it’s all paid right? Like traveling fees and food,” You say. Toby couldn’t help but feel nervous around you, the brunette forcing himself to join the conversation. “Y-yeah it’s p-pretty nice,” He replied. He felt his neck begin to twitch, Brian’s eyes shooting daggers at him across the table. “You guys should meet my best friend Nova. She just became the lead detective around here,” You suggested. Tim exchanged glances with Brian. Toby clutched his cup, practically reading their thoughts.

They finally had justification for keeping you around.

The waitress came back, setting the drinks on the table. She clicked her pen as she brought out her notepad from the apron, the sound making Toby’s left arm twitch. “What will you have?” She asked you. You glanced at the menu, clearing your throat. Oddly enough it felt weird having all three of their eyes on you, watching you intently. “I’ll have the barbecue burger with fries, thanks,” You tell her. She took the menu from your hands, looking over at Toby. “I’ll have the same but with two burgers instead of one,” Toby said, giving her a small smile. The waitresses eyebrows raised, but she scribbled it onto her notepad without comment.

Her eyes landed on Brian, who hadn’t glanced at the menu. “I’ll take a veggie burger with no tomato, thank you,” He said simply, handing the waitress the menu. She turned to Tim, who was quick to dismiss her. “Just coffee for me,” He told her. Your eyebrows furrowed as the waitress walked away. You wanted to questions Tim’s denial of food, Toby quick to cut you off. It was far too risky to have you aware of his crippling insomnia. “So what d-do you do for wor-rk?” He asked you. You grinned shyly, hoping the heat that was dashing across your cheeks wasn’t visible. It was.

“It’s a bit silly but I want to be an actress. I’ve always dreamed of being up on the big screen,” You admitted, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. Tim sipped his coffee, listening intently. “For now though I work at Olive Garden. Just until I get my big break,” You finished. Toby stared at you in awe. He thought you deserved to be in every movie ever. Including the x rated ones. “You’ll be in Hollywood in no tim-me,” Toby told you, flashing you a big smile. His words provided you relief, Brian’s judgment written across his face. You could tell he didn’t want to be there. You returned Toby’s smile before turning back to Tim.

You had said something, Toby’s sight able to see your lips moving. But his hearing went dull, the diners lights flickering. He set his cup down on the table, trying to count his breathes. One. Two. Inhale. Exhale. This wasn’t real, right? It couldn’t be real. The Operator wouldn’t sought them out here, in such a public place. Right? His gaze landed past Brian, past the heads of the few other people left in the diner. Clear as day in the window, Toby saw a face. Or better said, a mask. He blinked and his breath became shallow as he took in the observers appearance.

Mangled jet black hair, now grown out past her shoulders. A snow white mask with black eyes stared back at Toby through the window, her eyes ominously hidden. Toby would recognize the faded white walmart jacket from anywhere.

What the fuck was Kate doing here?

Toby’s attention came back to the table as the waitress arrived, setting their food in front of them. He looked back at the window, Kate now gone. “You good Tob?” You asked. The brunette turned to look at you, silently shocked you cared. He nodded, giving you a weak smile. “F-fine just thought I saw something,” He replied. Toby shot Brian and Tim a look, one both of them were oblivious to. Did they not see the flickering lights? Brian was too invested in his food, while Tim’s attention was completely focused on you. Toby quietly picked up his burger, taking a bite. Man, you had good taste.

Toby was aware he was schizophrenic. He knew that when his mind went a little too into overdrive he’d see things that weren’t there. Over the years he had grown accustomed to it, making significant progress from his first year with the Operator. Sometimes he’d see his parents or Lyra. If he was in a bad episode he’d even be able to convince himself he was touching Lyra. Like she was really there. He hadn’t seen Lyra or his parents in years. Nor had he seen Kate in at least a year.

Kate the Chaser was a fellow proxy, who spent most of her missions alone. She was quiet and mysterious, never saying too much. As you continued to talk to Tim and Brian, Toby’s mind began to wander. Why was she here? He didn’t show any other signs of being in an episode. The colors in the diner were the same, no strange voices were whispering in his ears. Toby took another bite of his burger, his mind continuing to rack itself for an answer. Kate only came around for one of two reasons. 1. She was doing a favor for one of the Operators brothers or 2. She was there to check on the status of a mission. If it was option two, the three of them were fucked.

“What do you think Toby?” You asked. Your sweet voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “I’m sorry what?” He asked meekly. You pointed at his burger. “About the burger? It’s my favorite. They always have apple bacon,” You say. You were so peacefully oblivious, Toby’s scrambled mind feeling like it was glitching. “Very good, love b-barbecue,” He answered. He gave you a weak smile, dipping a fry into some ketchup. “So what’s your family like? They live out here as well?” Brian asked. Toby couldn’t help but feel unsettled, like they were being watched. Out of the three of them Toby was the least prone to excessive paranoia, but right now he felt like it was all too real.

“No I moved away from home. Originally I wanted to go to New York but I ended up here along the way. It’s the closest I can afford to the big city. Besides it’s not too far away,” You say, shrugging. Considering they were in Ohio, Toby concluded this to not be true. However you seemed to be trying to play off your own insecurities and Toby was determined to play along. “Where are you guys from?” You asked, sipping your coke. The lights in the diner flickered again. Toby’s eyes narrowed. “Alabama, nothing special,” Tim answered, earning a kick from Brian under the table. You took another bit of your burger, the sound of faint static flooding your eardrums. Your new friends didn’t seem to hear it, the three of them unnerved.

You decided to try to ignore it, a slight pounding sensation ensuing in your temple. You had no idea the other three heard it as well, four hundred times worse. Toby watched Tim’s head begin to pound, his adam’s apple swallowing as he tried to endure the headache. His gaze flickered over to Brian, his head twitching to the left. “Oh shit,” Toby muttered, dropping his fry. He grabbed the nearby steak knife, watching as Masky and Hoodie nonchalantly began to front. You looked over at Toby, who was shaking as he clutched the black handle of the knife. He was ready to defend your life with his own and a shitty steak knife.

“Tob? You alright?” You asked, eyes widening at the sight of the knife. Toby watched Masky and Hoodie carefully, waiting for them to attack. It was getting late, the four of them the only ones left in the diner. It wouldn’t be hard to kill you and the only waitress left. But you were so kind. So pleasant to be around. Plus, you smelled good. Masky frowned at the sight of you. If he could’ve had it his way he would’ve followed you home, disposing your body in a rancid dumpster. But he knew his place, the Operators request of his presence coming first. Masky dug in his pocket, Toby’s gaze darkening. He placed a wad of cash on the table, sliding out of the booth. “We have something we have to take care of. Why don’t you walk her home Toby?” Masky suggested blandly. Hoodie followed suit, hands dug in his jeans as he trailed after Masky. Hoodie’s lips curled into a cocky smirk, shamelessly checking you out. The duo left the diner quickly, leaving you and Toby dumbfounded.

“Are they bipolar or something?” You asked. Toby released the knife, trying to ignore your bewildered expression. A flash of white ran across the window, Kate’s presence confirmed. “S-something like that-t. Let’s get you home,” Toby suggested nervously. He ushered you out of the diner, anxiously looking around. He couldn’t spot Masky or Hoodie anywhere, nor Kate or the Operator. He sighed in relief, the cold night wind brutal. “I live down this way,” You say, pointing to down town. You wanted to question Tim and Brian’s odd behavior, but ultimately decided against it. Toby walked beside you, the orange street lights illuminating the path. He tried to be quiet, trying to uncover what they did wrong in his mind.

The cold didn’t bother him, but his eyes flickered over to you. You were a shivering mess, goosebumps littering your smooth skin. “H-here. Might n-not smell the best,” He said quickly. He slid off his signature hoodie, handing it to you. “But you’ll be cold,” You pointed out. Toby shook his head. “I don’t get cold-d. Here,” He insisted. Hesitantly you accepted Toby’s hoodie, sliding it on. It smelled like dirt, cologne, and a metallic scent you couldn’t place. “Thank you Toby,” You say, giving him a grin. Toby thought back to the dismemberment of the body. He followed the usual routine. Depending on the victim there were two possible routines.

One being what they called mystery. Toby would extract the teeth, slicing fingerprints and toes off of the victim. Next he’d scoop out the eyes, before slicing out the tongue. After that he’d cut off the head. He’d distribute the fingertips, toes, teeth, eyes, and head to Masky and Hoodie. The three would divide them up evenly, before going their own ways for the night to discard of the evidence. Toby had an all too familiar lake he preferred to dispose his in. The alligators there were practically his friends by now.

The other method, one Toby named chop chop. Or chop for short. His axe skills were utilized, each leg and arm, and of course the head, cut apart limb from limb. This method was recommended when the victim had been attacked from the front. The more raw mushy organs on display, the more likely the wolves would get to the body before a human did. As for the body parts, the proxies had been using barrels full of acid. It was a grueling process, but they were able to bury them in the forest without a long drive to discard of them.

For detective Winston, they had opted to use route two. Chop was quicker. Of course they used chop, wanting to see you as quickly as possible. That’s when it finally hit Toby: Hoodie had slashed his throat. His chest cavity and organs were intact. He was a detective in the force for years. He had a chest tattoo. Thats why the Operator sent Kate. The body had been discovered and identified.

“I know this isn’t the best part of town but it’s all I can afford right now,” You say. Toby snapped out of his thoughts, turning his attention back to you. You had taken his silent pondering as judgment. “I’ve slept in trees before, i’m sure y-your apartment is l-lovel-ly,” Toby told you. You subtly began to walk closer to him, purple neon signs illuminating the rest of the pathway. “It’s not normal I know but i’ve always wanted a tattoo from that shop,” You told him, pointing at ‘Ray’s tattoos’. Toby examined the shop, his eyes scanning over the multiple people getting tatted. He made eye contact with what appeared to be a biker, his gaze returning to you.

“H-how about I go w-with you sometime? I d-don’t have one,” He admitted. You gave him a sheepish smile. “I have one but it’s kinda embarrassing,” You confessed. Toby chuckled, following you into your apartment building. “C-can’t be that bad,” Toby replied. He trailed behind you as you entered the elevator, clicking the button to the fourth floor. “Promise you won’t tell Tim and Brian?” You asked. Toby nodded, preparing himself to see whatever exposure of skin you were going to provide him. Instead you leaned close to him, whispering into his ear, “I have a tramp stamp.”

Toby felt a shiver of ecstasy run down his spine, soaking in the sensation of your hot breath. “O-oh wow,” He blushed. You giggled as the elevator doors opened, walking to your apartment. You stood in front of door 401, turning to Toby. “I really do like you guys you know. Despite their social awkwardness, it’s nice seeing some new faces around here,” You say. Toby could hardly get enough of your praise, his imagination now playing with the idea of your tramp stamp. “T-thank you. We like-e you too,” He said. You gave him a small smile. “I don’t think Brian likes me,” You told him honestly. Toby pretended to play dumb. “Pfft, B-Brian’s just a l-loner. He didn’t like m-me either at first,” He replied. Which, was technically true.

You bit your bottom lip, your eyes flickering to your apartment door. You grabbed your keys, unlocking it. You were about to invite Toby in, the invitation on your lips. Just as you opened your mouth, Nova appeared in front of you. You jumped in surprise. “Nova? Holy shit what are you doing here?” You questioned. You had given Nova your key ages ago for emergencies. There she stood in her pajamas, a file in hand. Toby frowned at the sight of Nova. Why was she there? He wanted time alone with you. Why couldn’t he have you to himself for the night? “I’m sorry I know you were on your date but something new just happened in my case!” She said excitedly. Date? The word date made Toby’s heart flutter. His annoyance of Nova’s presence had temporarily subsided. Her chocolate orbs flickered over to Toby.

“Who’s this?”

You awkwardly turned to Toby. “Oh shit sorry, uh, Toby this is Nova, Nova this is Toby,” You say, introducing the two. Nova stuck out her hand, an apple watch secured on her wrist. “So you’re the hitchhiker,” She mused. Toby could sense her protectiveness of you. “And you’re the detective,” He replied, shaking her hand. The two of them purposefully gave the other a tight squeeze before Nova pulled away. “Alrighty then. Well i’d like to discuss this case with you before dawn,” Nova said, gesturing to the file.

“Of course of course,” You say awkwardly. You turned to Toby. “Here let me give you back your hoodie,” You said. Your fingers began to grab at the hem, Toby’s larger hand stopping you. You hadn’t realized bandages covered a majority of his hands until then. “Keep i-it. I’ll come get it from you late-er,” He told you. You could feel heat dash across your cheeks from his touch. You stood on your tippy toes, planting a soft kiss to his cheek.

“Thank you Toby. I’ll see you soon?”

Toby nodded affirmatively, wishing you a goodnight.

He shoved his hands in his jeans as he walked down the hallway, grinning to himself. You’d be seeing him a lot sooner than you thought.

—> next chapter

[i-ate-your-dog-srry]

●COMMISSIONS OPEN

ALL OF THE MONEY IS GOING TWARDS A DOG!

Explanation and more about the commissions ⬇️

Explanation/situation

This is a very complicated situation, sadly! For why I am suddenly in more need of money for the dog will probably get a bit personal.

I have been calling the dog Woody. He is the sweetest boy I have ever met, but sadly, Woody is in a neglectful situation. Borderline animal abuse. The man who currently owns Woody is to put it lightly, a huge piece of shit. Woody is currently starving and malnutritioned. Ontop of that, he has a BAD case of untreated arthritis and fleas. His owner doesn't care about him. He is left outside in cold weather (winter in CANADA). The owner doesn't care about where Woody goes, and he doesn't care to feed Woody. Woody is an old dog who can not care for himself. He is in constant pain/discomfort, and I haven't seen his tail wag ONCE. even at food and attention.

I'll try to make this quick, but it's hard to do so. My apologies in advance.

Woody is currently in my dad's garage. I am a minor, and I don't have much power to help Woody, but I'm doing all I can. I really love him. My dad is not a good person, and I want to take Woody to my mom's and let him live the life he deserves in a warm home with love and food. The garage is not heated, and my dad has no real concern for Woodys life. In order to help Woody, we would need to steal him from his owner. I have considered animal control, but sadly, this is a small, old-fashioned town. There isn't real animal control here. Only a pound, and they will not care. If they do take action (VERY unlikely), it will most likely lead to them putting him down. He deserves to live at least some of his life happily. Back on topic. At my mom's, we already have 4 animals And ontop of all the expenses that those animals come with, we would be adding more. We are not well off. Woody needs medical care for his arthritis and fleas, and we are already drained of extra cash from rescueing one of our other animals (Critter) recently. I don't want Woody to suffer anymore, and vet expenses are high. My mom has agreed to help Woody, but I can't just not help with the money. We are stuck in between a rock and a hard place, and the sooner I have money to help with the sooner, Woody is safe. I can only imagine how the cold temperatures are affecting his arthritis at this moment. I will keep this post updated.

Update/edit: Woody has put on some weight!! He is still underweight non the less but it is small progress! Sadly, I have found his ears are infested, but I am getting this handled! I finally have some pictures of him! <33 he also seems more happy!!! He is standing still more often, and he quite loves the attention.

Commission info

I am a minor!! If this makes you uncomfortable, I completely understand!!! I am a teenager in my much younger years. I just wanted to make that clear <3

A fully rendered art piece: $20.00

A flat colored and hard lined art piece: $15.00

A Hard lined art piece: $10.00

A sketch art piece is: $5.00

Bust, half-body, and full body choices add no charge it's simply an option :)

Adding another character to the art piece will add $10.00 onto the commissions price, and the price can be debated and talked about! :] If you are interested, please send me a DM, or if you have any questions about any of this, you can contact me any way you wish!

I do!

OC's, characters, light gore, Oc/Sona + Character, Oc/Sona x Character, lightly romantic settings/interacts.

I Dont do!

Heavy gore, NSFW, suggestive drawings, humans.

The human rule can be broken, but I can not draw humans well at all. So there is a large chance you will not get a very pretty drawing. I mostly draw things more like monsters/puppets/furrys, etc.

I only use PayPal and e-Transfer . D:

Please contact me in any way if you have any questions whatsoever about what was said or mentioned in this post! :3

Edit: DONT FEEL BAD IF YOU CAN'T DONATE!!! even a like is appreciated!! Thank you guys so SOSOSOSO SO MUCH!!!<3333

[c1eepypas1a]

Can you do some dark Dean Winchester smut? With an age gap, daddy kink, and virgin reader?

A/n: I can only try, this is my first smut pls don't make fun, plus I dunno how to do the writing color change thingy, cringe ahh title name (plus: this is fictional, I know it's fucked up but honestly I've been through shit like this, and if you don't like it, don't read it, there are multiple fics like this, I'm just doing what people want okay?)

Parings: dean Winchester x fem! Virgin!sub! Reader (I can do a male version if it's not supposed to be fem)

Warnings: age gap (dean is 29 reader is 18, daddy kink, dean forcing reader to call him daddy/dean calling himself daddy, non-con, pain for the reader, forced oral (m!rec), tit palming/slapping, slight choking, kissing, swearing, obviously Dom!dean and sub!fem! Reader, nipple play (for like a second), crying, blood (slightly yk since she's a virgin)

"Please, don't...daddy."

*gif isn't mine I got it from Pinterest*

*readers pov*

Me and dean have been friends for awhile now, he thinks I'm stupid, that I don't know about all the staring or lingering touches when he's fixing up my wounds, I hate the looks, I remember when it all changed, when he changed

*flashback*

I smile as I walk into my house with jo, I jump as everyone shouts surprise at me,my dad, bobby singer walks up to me "wow kid, the big 18, do you feel older yet." He smiles warmly and I smile "uh, yeah I guess." I giggle, dean makes a backhanded joke about me finally being legal,

Sam rolls his eyes "dude, your almost thirty, stop being so gross, you knew her when she was in pigtails." Dean grumbles and hands me a present, telling me to open it later when nobody's around and his hand lingers on my shoulder,

That night I open the gift dean gave me, a fucking vibrator, in the shape of a rose and a photo of him, gripping his clothed hard cock, I quickly throw it under my bed along with the vibrator and I pretend nothing ever happened.

*end of flashback*

I walk into the motel room, I look at dean who's binging through channels on the tv "where's Sam?." I sit down next to him, "gone to get food." I nod and I continue to watch the tv, dean lands on a horror movie,

My eyes wander to the hand he placed on my thigh, I don't move it nor I say anything and I get back to watching the shit gore on the tv, "you know sweetheart, sammy's gonna be gone for a while." He says in his usual flirty tone, his hand sliding more up, I push his hand back down, "so what if he's going to be gone." I say feigning my clueless tone, bile rises in my throat as I feel his eyes move down from my face to my tits, "means we could find other things to do then this shitty ass movie." He grips my thigh tighter, borderlining on pain "d-dean what the fuc-" I'm cut off by his lips on mine,

I try to push him away and get up but he pins me down and he tsk's "no, your not going anywhere, I've waited to fucking long for you, I'm not letting you go now." He smirks and starts to undo and push down his jeans "as much as I want your cunt, I'm gonna use your mouth first."

He manhandles me so I'm on my knees, tears sting my cheeks and he smiles condescendingly, "oh baby, you started this, this is your fault, parading in your short shorts and your tight shirts, wearing no bra thinking I won't notice." He says, gripping my hair with one hand and palming my tits and thumbing at my nipples with the other, against my mind praying for this to stop, my body reacts, my nipples getting hard and my cunt getting wet, he smirks at me, pushing down his jeans, leaving himself in his boxers, the imprint of his dick visible,

He stops palming at my breasts and pulls his boxers down, his hard cock slaps against his stomach, leaking pre-cum at the angry red tip, "open up for daddy." He smirks but I don't, I keep my mouth shut and he gets visibly annoyed, he grips my hair tighter and then his other hand closes my nose, "c'mon baby, you gotta breathe soon." He says in a condescending tone,

I try my hardest but I finally open my mouth to breath, he quickly shoves his cock down my throat, I gag and spit forms around my lips and his length, he lets go of my nose and I try to breathe but its hard, "you know, this all could of been avoided if you didn't play fucking coy with me.", he says as he practically skull fuck's me, gripping my face and hair, thrusting his hips roughly,

After about 5 minutes he finally pulls away, I take a deep breath of air,tears streaming down my face, he roughly pulls me up against him, his cock against my clothed stomach, he pushes me down and sits in between my legs, trying to push my shirt up but I twist and I turn to get away, "c'mon babygirl, the less you resist, the less it'll hurt your little virgin pussy." I whimper at those words,

After what felt like forever of struggling, he finally gets my clothes off of me, leaving me in my panties, "lace...it's like you asked for me to fuck you.", I cry at those words "c'mon baby tell me how much you want this, tell daddy how much you want his big cock to stretch you open." He grins sadistically, I stay silent and dean doesn't like that, I feel his hand strike my left breast, "say it!." He shouts in my face, I whimper and I finally speak with a scared tone, "i-i want d-daddy's big cock to stretch me open." He smirks, "that's a girl.",

"please don't...daddy."

That's all I can say hoping that will please him but before I know it he thrusts into me, pain shoots through my whole body and I start to cry again "awe, baby don't cry, daddy's got you." He says as he fuck's me faster, taking away the one thing I thought I could control, but I can't, I'm helpless as he takes it from me, I feel liquid down at my pussy and I look down, I notice the crimson liquid leak down my cunt,

"I fucking knew you would bleed, don't worry sweetheart, it won't hurt that much anymore.", he says as he fuck's me harder, it hurts, no pleasure from it, I beg for him to stop, I cry to god that it'll be over soon and before I know it, I feel him pull out and his cum spurt on my tits and stomach, I feel dirty as dean kisses me before he flops down beside me and cuddles me, like he didn't just destroy me, exhaustion takes over me, before I slip into sleep I hear dean mutter something and I fall asleep.

*the end*

(a/n: my first smut, I hope it was good, if there is any mistakes or anything you didn't like please tell me, I'm sorry it's so short, I wrote this at 1am.)

[weebsinstash]

When I say with my entire being in my heart of hearts that I know with certainty that this-this-this THING right here would do the absolute most unbelievable petty gross obsessive dahmer level shit to you

He's petty he's evil he's got a childlike fascination for seeing what breaks people down and I hate him I hate him I hate him but ALSO what that dick do tho? 🤔

Mahito is the yandere over here doing shit like imprisoning you for his own selfishness and perhaps genuine affection but making you live in absolute deplorable conditions because He's Not Fucking Human And He Doesn't Even Know How To Feed You. He locks you away and disappears for an entire day and comes back with like a single can of wet dog food that he watches you eat from a squatting position like 5 inches away looking at you like Harley Quinn and the egg sandwich. Motherfucker would take all your clothes because he wants to see more of "the natural shape of you" and then doesn't understand why you start shivering. Or he deliberately keeps you like that because he wants to see how long it takes you to crack and beg him for help. He wants to see the depths of your pride as you refuse to grovel, curious of the lengths you'll go, the limits of your body against the chill

This depraved fuck will do dehumanizing little emotional experiments on you where he does shit just because he wants to see how you think and feel and what you'll do and I mean like he'll do SOME REAL SHIT. I'm talking maybe he's stalking you and you can't fight or use cursed techniques and you think he's just like, a human shaped spirit or something who's just a trickster, he's not being violent or getting you alone or anything yet, and then you come home to your apartment one day and he's literally disemboweled your cat on your coffee table and he's playing with pieces of it and says you were giving it more attention than him and sits there pouting as you scream and even tries to like touch you or hold your hand or hug you with. The fucking blood covered hands. like he would be so fucked up on purpose, "awww do you need me to hold you? You're so sensitive but i dont mind :3"

This man out here like "wdym you want me to stay away from you, all I did was kill your cat kill your mom kill your neighbor kill your best friend kill your boss' cousins' landlords' newborn baby BUT WAS THAT REALLY SO BAD 🥺" and does something infinitely worse to scare/coerce you into tolerating his presence

I'm not really uh into body horror or gore but as a side detail I feel like. Uh. There's like a legitimate risk of him actually unintentionally REALLY hurting you and has to use his powers to heal you. Like the one good thing he does is if he were to have you on death's door or like horribly injured he could just. Fix it. He twists a limb in a way he doesn't know it's not supposed to go and breaks it and then puts you back together like a broken toy while ooo'ing and aaa'ing at the way your skin stretches over the grotesque misalignment. Dare I say the horror of "him putting things that are way too big or weirdly shaped in you" also yeah he's one of the things he's putting in you and he's got a really gross like fascination with learning all about that stuff

He's really living just to see how many different ways he can make you cry and how many different emotions he can get you to display, just absolutely dedicated to terrorizing you while also chasing his own internal weird repressed desire for his own sort of belonging. You could be sitting there sobbing and he's either borderline getting off on it or he's standing there MAKING FUN OF YOUR CRIES like deadass even fake crying back to you

And the worst part is he'll do all this fucking shit to you and then the night comes and he'll still be over here like "and you'll let me cuddle you while you sleep right? 👉👈" and he'll be doing that Every. Single. Night. And what are you gonna do, try and kill yourself? Have fun risking accidentally making yourself a Curse and being stuck with him basically FOREVER

[str8rat]

ISAT / FEAR AND HUNGER AU

WARNING BLOOD/GORE (BLURRED)

WARNING!! This post contains topics such as really bad relations with food, gore, eating disroders, cannibalism, death by stomach rupturing due to eating too much after starving oneself, extreme (deadly) allergic reactions leading to death, etc

This post is mainly dedicated to explaining Siffrin's eating habits during the loops, below you may find three unrelated situations

~ ~ ~

SIFFRIN'S COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD I;

The party finds themselves running out of food during their journey across the country. Days away from the nearest town, and with no animals or plants to forage due to the harsh winter, tensions rise. Odile, with her usual dry humor, smugly suggests that one of them could sacrifice a limb to keep the rest alive. The joke falls flat, given Isabeau’s already missing arm, causing her to quickly backtrack and apologize. However, the grim reality remains—such desperate measures aren't beyond the realm of possibility if their situation worsens.

Fortunately, they manage to reach the next town, exhausted and starving, but intact—no limbs lost to cannibalism! Food scarcity becomes even more pressing once they reach Dormont and enter the House, with Siffrin beginning his time loop journey.

At some point, Siffrin quietly stops eating altogether, insisting his portion go to his companions to prevent them from making desperate choices. Especially since his body seems to reset each loop, aside from the scars from each death. But his hunger, paired with his deteriorating mental state, begins to wear on him.

Dark, cannibalistic urges begin to gnaw at his mind, warping his thoughts, with intrusive thoughts haunting him every time he thinks about his own hunger. Due to him burning more calories than the rest of the party, the Wish Craft eating off on him, he also gets hungry much more quickly, and yet still tries to refrain from eating and "wasting resources."

During one of the loops, those thoughts overcome him. He tackles a party member to the ground, sinking his teeth into their arm in a horrific frenzy. But before the reality of what he’s done fully sinks in, time bends—resetting to just before the incident. It leaves Siffrin shaken, aware of how low he's fallen, how disgusting he is, borderline unforgivable, unable to meet any of his party member's eyes, haunted by the thoughts that still linger.

SIFFRIN'S COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD II;

Yet, not everything resets perfectly. Over time, Siffrin’s body begins to show signs of lasting damage from the loops, even aside from the obvious scars he recieves from each of his deaths. His stomach, weakened and shrunken from eating little to nothing, can no longer handle the amount of food his worried sick companions insist he eats during one loop.

His stomach, unable to bear the strain, ruptures, leading to a slow, agonizing death right in the middle of what was supposed to be their safe Snack Break Room.

After the loop resets again, Siffrin refuses to eat more than the bare minimum, terrified of re-living the same, agonizing experience again.

SIFFRIN'S COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD III;

Siffrin's discovery of his allergy to pineapple happens in the worst possible way—through a deadly, firsthand experience. Despite Loop's warning, he either forgets or dismisses it in a moment of carelessness, a mistake that comes with a devastating price.

The moment the acidic sweetness of the pineapple touches his tongue, an invisible force seems to clamp down on his throat. He feels the sudden constriction, his body instinctively trying to expel the fruit, but it’s too late. Siffrin’s throat begins to close rapidly. Panic takes hold as he gags, desperately attempting to spit out the fruit.

His body jerks, muscles tense, but nothing happens. He can’t breathe. His chest heaves in a futile effort to pull in air, but all that follows is a hollow, suffocating silence. His vision blurs as he just barely makes out his party trying to somehow help him, but it's hopeless.

While Bonnie is frozen in horror, eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears, as they watch their friend slowly suffocate because of the pineapple THEY gave him, Isabeau tries to hold Siffrin up the best he can, Mirabelle pushing Healing Craft after Healing Craft into his body in desperate hopes of it working. It does not. Odile, always the snarky and knowledgable, is frozen now, shaky hands hovering over the younger's body, her mind racing as she tries to recall any spell, any remedy, but all she can do is watch as Siffrin’s face turns a sickly shade of blue.

But then, as if in some cruel twist of fate, the loop resets. Siffrin is alive again, gasping for breath as he finds himself back in time—just moments before he made the fatal mistake. His hand hovers shakily over the plate of pineapple, the memory of suffocating fresh and vivid in his mind.

As his party questions if he's okay, if something happens, he is quick to put on a dismissing smile, face pale as he brushes it off. He reaches for the madeleines this time, trying to ignore his stomach churning in protest, as he forces himself to swallow the pastry.

mmmm yummy yummy yummy

[eaterofman]

I <3 You!: Serial Killer Yandere x Detective Reader

This was your chance to shine, to finally rise up in the pecking order... but have you bitten off more than you could chew?

The answer is yes, yes you have.

CW: Murder, Stalking, Obsession, Violence NOT directed towards reader, Manipulation, Mild gore/grossness towards the end

A/N: I have learned how to make aesthetic moodboards like the cool blogs. I am unstoppable.

Of course you took the case, why wouldn't you?

You were sick of being at the bottom of the food chain, forced to run meaningless errands and getting stuck with the paperwork for the rest of the division.

This was your big break. Finally an opportunity to prove your worth.

How hard could it be?

He knew you were watching him.. or at least, watching the aftermath of him.

And what a beautiful aftermath it was, specially tailored, just for you.

He hadn't known who you were before all this. He'd even been insulted at first when he learned the detective on his case was some nobody that'd been tossed on his kills like a stray dog being offered a bone.

He really had been planning on making you his next target, spitting on the face of the department that decided that he was so unimportant that his work was only deserving of an amateur. He'd show them what happens when he's underestimated-

...but you'd thrown yourself onto his case with a diligence he wasn't quite prepared for. You were taking him seriously, treating the lowlifes he brutalized as important as the rich bastards the rest of your department was worried about.

It was cute.

Despite your efforts, you were nowhere near discovering who he was. He wouldn't let you, at least, not until the time was right.

No, he would make you great, just as you would make him known, and then and only then, would he reveal himself to you. The two of you were so intricately connected after all, both of you unknown to the world around you.

By hell or high water, the city would know the both of you. He'd make sure of it.

You wearily rested your head on your desk, pressing your face into the wood as your eyes blinked in and out of reality.

You were tired.

You wouldn't admit it to your colleagues, you refused to show weakness. You knew what happened when sharks smelled blood in the water. Showing them, that after all these years of being relegated to coffee running and borderline secretarial duties, that you couldn't handle the first case you'd been trusted with?

No, you wouldn't let yourself be thrown back to the bottom again. You were going to prove your worth to the team.

But the disappearances weren't disappearances anymore. They were clear murders at this point, and they were escalating.

What had started as simple disappearances with no confirmed body had evolved into... statements, for lack of a better word. Brutalized bodies proudly displayed in a clear mockery of your efforts.

The killer was getting bold.

It seemed at first as though they were getting sloppy as well, a few times you had stumbled across a victim that had obviously been alive just a few moments before you'd gotten to them, blood still fresh and their eyes still hauntingly gleaming at you.

No, the killer wasn't getting sloppy. You weren't any closer to finding them then you were a year ago.

This was intentional. They wanted you to see it. Despite their brutality, they were careful, never leaving any trace of themselves behind.

The case had escalated to the point where the rest of your division had to acknowledge it. At first, your colleagues simply hadn't cared about a few disappearances of the city's less respected residents. It was practically a joke when they assigned you the missing persons case, like a wild goose chase you couldn't possibly in.

Despite this, you'd put your all into the case. Even if your colleagues didn't care about the occasional missing prostitute or tourist, you did. They were still people, even if they didn't make headlines.

Your division still didn't actually care about the people when they assigned a more advanced detective to your case. No, they cared about their reputation. A serial killer on the loose did not bode well for their public appearance.

You were happy that attention was now being directed towards what you'd known to be a problem since the beginning... but it was too little too late in your opinion. It wouldn't change the fact that lives were lost because you lacked funds and access to necessary equipment and time.

As your eyes drifted shut, you figured that even if this new detective took over your case completely, it'd be okay as long as the killer was stopped.

You didn't need to known, after all, you just needed to protect your city.

That was enough for you.

White hot anger broiled in his chest, threatening to explode as he paced his hotel room.

There was another man with you, another detective.

No, not a detective, a piece of trash that didn't recognize how important the two of you were.

The piece of shit thought he was better than you, than him.

After all the effort and work he had put into gaining notoriety, the fucking pigs had stepped in, placed an intruder between the two of you. Worse yet, an intruder who would surely take all the credit from you.

He wouldn't allow it.

As he eyed the two of you investigating the display he'd arranged for you from his vantage point, watching you be forced into the role of a sidekick, he played with the knife in his hands.

This would be his best work yet.

Just as you had feared, you'd been relegated to side work once your more senior colleague stepped in.

At least you hadn't been completely removed from the case, you supposed, but it had still been a bitter pill to swallow. You'd worked so hard, only to be pushed aside and undermined once again.

You wouldn't have even minded as much, if he'd at the very least listen to what you had to say.

Instead, you'd gotten lectured like a small child, chastised for not solving such a simple case.

You chewed on the words as you walked, coffee in your hands from yet another chore you'd been forced into running.

The bastard had even made you pay for it.

"Forgot your wallet my fucking ass..." you mutter to yourself as you stomp up the stairs to the small office your superior had claimed for the investigation.

Or at least, his part of the investigation. You typically weren't allowed to "cramp up his space" while he "worked". You were used to getting kicked out into the general shared office space to work on the additional paperwork he deemed himself too important to touch.

You knock on the door, hoping to not have to struggle to open it with your hands full of hot coffee.

But there's no answer.

Of course there isn't, god forbid he actually gets up off his ass and helps you for once.

You roll your eyes and go to reach for the doorknob... only for the door to crack open on its own. Huh.

You shrug, turning to hip bump the door open the rest of the way. Easier for you, you supp-

You're snapped out of your thoughts when you step in something... wet. Back still turned, you jump in surprise at the unpleasant sound of wet carpet smooshing up against your shoe.

"Ew, what th-"

You stop mid sentence, now facing the inside of the room. You drop the cups your holding in your hand, barely registering as the brown liquid mixes with the now deep red carpet.

There's blood everywhere.

Soaked into the carpet, splattered onto the walls, dripping from the desk your colleague is sitting at.

Or what remains of your colleague, at least.

Most of what was once him is now covering the small office space, you feel bile rising in your throat.

Even in your shock, it's hard not to notice the oddly pristine, brightly colored paper in the space where your superior's face used to be.

You refuse to step into the room to get any closer to it, survival instincts howling at you to not getting any closer.

But you don't need to, you can clearly make out the almost childishly placed paper cutout letters on the paper.

You feel your stomach contents finally leave your body, mixing with the other fluids on the ground.

The message of "I <3 You" mocks you from the other side of the room as you scream, falling backwards as your mind tries to process what you're seeing.

The killer was just here, had to have been you were only gone for twenty minutes at most and-

-and he knows you, you realize with dread.

You scream.

[psych0fatal3]

Laughing Jack SFW Headcanons (GORE WARNING)

Loves doing clown tricks. (with a gorey twist...) - Like making balloon animals but with your intestines, Juggling but with your eyeballs etc...

He's has a VILE sense of humour - Like he will joke about things that are just borderline sick to the point EVERYONE in the room is just staring at him like ''Wtf...''.

Everyone hates him (also pretty scared of him) - He's constantly tricking people and making fun of them. (bros the typa person to look you in the eye and start making fun of your face while laughing his flat ass off) The kids are also terrified of him, I don't see him being friends with them at all tbh.

Throws childlike tantrums - He will sit on the floor and start kicking and hitting things (and people) while yelling because thats just how he is. (Lotta people hurt)

He's very cuddly (when he's feeling nice) - He'll snake his arms and legs around you like a koala. It's quite nice considering he's very soft and made out of stuffing... unless he starts squeezing.

A very long tongue... - Like nvm being able to touch your nose, he can touch his eyebrows. (Cool party trick)

He can't sit still - I see him as constantly needing to move because he's just so ENERGISED. He'll sit their fidgeting with his fingers while shaking his legs or he'll stand there and step side to side or move around in circles excitedly.

Smells like blood and rotting food - He used to smell like honey and vanilla whenever he was colourful but now he's just... Stinky

He LOOOOVEES games - Hide and seek, tag, house, board games, dress up etc

He cusses a lot when mad - he uses child like insults when irritated though such as ''Dum dum'', ''Poopy head'', ''stupid head'', ''booger'' (Imagine arguing with him about something and he's just like ''You're such a booger!''. but when he's really mad he cusses aloooooottt...

[herprincess]

VELVET (some veneer) HEADCANONS

-had braces from 5th grade to the end of middle school

-favorite movie is mean girls but only watched it for regina and took ideas from her

-CHORUS 👏 KID

-mezzo soprano but leans towards soprano more than alto

-had a ragdoll cat named glitter when the twins were growing up

-my girl got her sm borderline personality disorder..

-pretty popular in high school

-she is actually the younger twin, but hates being known as such because it makes her feel inferior and pathetic, so she just lies about being older and veneer just goes with it (he will just tell the person she lied to after because he takes pride in being older)

-one time she let veneer curl her lashes because he wouldn’t shut up about it, and he accidentally ripped them all out

- she refused to go to school for weeks after that and smacked the shit out of him so she got grounded

-greys anatomy and slasher movie girl but veneer HATES watching them because he hates gore

-she loves angel food cake, and veneer prefers devils food, so they would always have a split cupcake cake on their birthday

-vel was the knife sibling and ven was the one running

-they used to steal lipglosses at walmart 

-cut her own bangs at age 8 and dragged veneer into it so they had some shitty bangs for about 2 years

-her favorite types of nails to get done is pink french tips

-middle name is vienna

-her and veneer’s birthday is july 25th ( dreamworks said they were leos if im correct)

-grew up as a dancer but was better at ballet than anything

-she also did gymnastics !!

-veneer did some basketball but eventually just did hip hop

-she was shorter than veneer growing up and grew about a *inch* taller than him in middle school and never stopped bragging about it

-#catperson

[siriusblack-the-third]

I really loved that Marauders Dark Academia post <333 I was wondering if you have any other Indian James Potter headcanons? About him or his family etc

Ohhhhh i have sO. MANY.

He does that thing where you slurp chai, click your tongue and say 'haaaaa!' Sirius and Remus give him so much shit for it for the first couple months, but then they start doing it and Peter finds it annoying and suddenly everyone in Gryffindor is being subjected to extremely exaggerated 'haaaaa!'s

He absolutely loathes it when people say British food tastes good. He gets into so many arguments with Peter about it because "come on, mate, that's the sweetest chai my mother makes, she's even skipped the ginger, how do you find it spicy?* "It has cinnamon, Jamie." "Cinnamon is fucking sweet, you little—"

He's obsessed with literature and poetry. Like, even obsessed is a mild word. People think Remus is the type to read books but no, wolf boy over there wouldn't touch a book if he didn't abso-fucking-lutely need to. James is the real bookworm— he got it from his Baba, who waxed poetic about Rabindranath Thakur and Vivekananda and Ghalib and Faiz Ahmad Faiz and told James that their writing was amazing and then there's this little boy reading under his covers with a little ball of not-so-accidentally conjured light which is how he gets his glasses before he even goes to Hogwarts.

He's three quarters Desi. His mother was from India, and his father was half Indian, because James' paternal grandmother was also from India. Specifically, both women were from pureblood Maratha lines.

He does the head movements. All the head movements. Sirius picks it up after spending literally all their time together, and Remus and Peter laugh themselves sick about it so many times, oh my gods.

Sirius learns Marathi, Hindi and Urdu from James' parents in secret and surprises James during the holidays after sixth year because he has the proper accent down and everything. James cries (but he won't admit it)

The Potter family, except James' paternal uncle Charlus and his wife Dorea, live in India till right before his 11th birthday, when the Indo Pak war breaks out. Then they move to England.

James has so. Many. Cousins. He can't remember the names of half of them and he hates how the atyas and the maushis and the mamis pull his cheeks when he visits the country, but he puts up with it because family is important to him. Also he loves playing with the toddlers and babies, they're fucking cute.

Loves kajal so much it's borderline unhealthy. There will always. Always. Be a line of black under his eyes, winging out slightly at the outer corners. Sometimes, when he's feeling himself, he will draw the wing out to a dramatic, bold style that makes the light brown of his eyes look so much more beautiful (Lily drives herself crazy over it).

Absolute pants at waltzing. He loves the music, sure (he can play almost every sheet of piano music he can find on the first try bc baby boi is a Pureblood brat /affectionate/), but he hates the dance style. He'd much rather wrap his ankles with ghungroo and dip his fingers into alta dye, because bharatnatyam is the ultimate dance form and you are wrong if you have any other opinion.

He was really good friends with the Patil twins' parents and family. They would get together to talk shit about the gore loka and Sirius would get mock annoyed that James almost never took him because "Jamie we're practically married already what the fuck mate"

He's really fucking good at maths and arithmancy, and he really fucking hates it. Stupid numbers and their stupid calculations kashyasathi kartoy mi he kay upayog tari ahe ka hyacha (marathi— why am I doing this is this even of any use) but he has a point to prove to snivellus and fuck if he isn't proving it. It also helps that his mother made him complete all fourteen levels of abacus (seven basic and seven advanced) by the time he was fourteen.

[teaberrii]

Chapter 6: Festival Fever

You've been Cupid for as long as you can remember. You've brought countless soulmates together, yet you've never found love.

When you're assigned to bring two childhood friends back together, it should be simple until you unexpectedly catch feelings for the mysterious and cold Ph.D. student, Dan Heng, the man with a soulmate… the man with answers to your past.

Dan Heng/You

Please be aware of the following warnings in this chapter that some people may find disturbing:

1. Small smut scene 2. Non-graphic depictions of violence 3. Depictions of gore... (I wouldn't say it's too graphic) 4. Small scene of non-consensual sexual contact

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

You close the closet door and look at your reflection in the mirror. The sun is shining brightly, and large, marshmallow clouds float slowly in the vast expanse of blue. It's a hot day, so you picked out your best summer wear. A pastel green, airy blouse tucked into your high-waisted black shorts. You're adjusting your blouse when you hear Pom knock on your door. Then, he opens it.

“Are you going to come and have breakfast or what?” You turn and see Pom leaning against the doorframe with a playful smile. “If I could offer my two cents… Dan Heng would think you look great in anything.”

You give him a deadpan look. “This isn’t about him.” Then, you walk past Pom and see the breakfast he’s prepared on the table. “Wow, Pom. You learn pretty fast.”

Pom sits across from you and smiles proudly. “Of course! Who do you think I am?”

After a short while, you say, “...I’ve been thinking about your theory.”

“You mean the one where you and Dan Heng are soulmates?” Pom asks, looking up.

“If we are, hypothetically speaking, why are we here to bring him and Stelle together?”

Pom puts down his fork, swallows his food, and says, “Maybe that’s part of the process. As you try to bring him and Stelle together, you and Dan Heng end up falling in looove.”

“Seriously, Pom.”

“I am being serious!” But, then, he sighs. “I admit it’s a little strange, though. If that’s really the case, wouldn’t that… feel more like torture?”

“...Do you think this is payback?”

“Payback? For what?”

"That man in my vision said they'd kill him because he wasn't one of our kind. Assuming he's talking about Young, perhaps… I got him killed."

"Hey, hold on," Pom says with a worried look. "It's way too early to jump to those ominous conclusions. There's no proof."

“I had another dream last night. Based on that… we continued to be friends. We knew the consequences.” You stab your food with your fork. “You said it yourself. If Dan Heng and I are supposedly going to fall in love, then this job will feel like torture.”

"Maybe this is just history repeating itself," Pom muses. "Maybe Young was in a love triangle between you and… Stelle." Pom leans forward. "I know you want answers, Cupid. But we don't have anything concrete yet. What we know is that you and a creature named Young knew each other in the past. That's it. That man you saw in your vision… there's also a possibility he's talking about someone else. I was only joking about the soulmate theory between you and Dan Heng."

“I know…”

“...But?”

You remember the conversations between you and Dan Heng. While you say you're friends, you're aware of the borderline flirtatious innuendos happening. What worries you, however, is that you're… enjoying it.

“I just don’t want to fall into a trap,” you finally say.

Then, you stand with your empty plate and head for the kitchen as Pom gives you a worried look.

When you and Pom head downstairs to meet your friends, you didn't think it's possible for Dan Heng to look even better than usual. His hair is stylishly messy. At least, that's the best way you can put it. His black t-shirt has a V-neck window to his chest, and it fits snugly into his fitted jeans that are slightly ripped at the knees and tucks into his black boots.

You see a watch on his left hand and a black belt. When he looks at you, your words are almost lost in your throat. When you get close enough, you get a whiff of his cologne, and your mind wanders to how good he’d smell if you got even closer…

You remember what you said about not wanting to fall into a trap, but when Dan Heng walks up to you, it’s hard not to look away.

“If you’re going to make fun of my clothes this time, I—”

"You look nice," Dan Heng interrupts without looking away from your face.

Pom looks from you to Dan Heng. “And no compliments for Pom? How rude.”

Dan Heng glances at him, and you almost chuckle when he doesn’t say anything, much to Pom’s shock.

After a short chuckle, Gepard asks, “Shall we go?” He looks at his watch. “March and Stelle should be there soon.”

You knew that March and Stelle would be coming as Dan Heng had asked if you’d be okay with them tagging along before you went to sleep. Of course, you said it was fine.

You and Dan Heng are following Pom and Gepard, who are walking in front of you, chatting about something when you notice a few girls glancing at Dan Heng as they walk by. Some even whisper amongst themselves with a curious look in their eyes.

“...You asked me if I knew someone named Young yesterday,” Dan Heng suddenly says. “Are you looking for him?”

“I thought I said not to worry about it.”

“You said you’re here because of me, yet it sounds like you’re looking for someone else.”

If you didn’t know better, it sounded like he was jealous.

“Has this been on your mind ever since yesterday?”

Dan Heng slides a hand into his pocket. “...I’m just curious.”

"You've been curious about many things lately," you joke. You can't blame him, though.

He turns to you. “...I guess I have you to blame for that.”

"I hope you accept my deepest apologies," you say, glancing at Dan Heng, who looks away with a light scoff and a small smile. “Anyway, I’m… not looking for Young. I asked about him because he’s, well, he has a connection to me.” You know Dan Heng is probably going to ask, so you quickly add, “Don’t ask what it is. I haven’t the slightest idea. The only thing I know is”—you stop, which also makes Dan Heng stop—“he looks exactly like you.”

You’ve held Dan Heng’s stare too many times to count. This time, however, it’s as if the world around you slowly starts melting away. You see no one but him and his blue eyes that almost compel you to step closer. Instead, it’s he who makes the move.

“...Then, perhaps he's the one who brought us together.”

His poker face never changes, which makes you wonder if he has any idea what he’d just said. From what you know so far, it's obvious Dan Heng has something to do with you. But as he has no idea about who you are or your visions and dreams of Young, it sounds like he’s—

You put your hand on his forehead, to his surprise. Then, you pull your hand back. “I had to check if you had a fever.”

“...My mind is clear. I know what I just said.” Then, he walks a few steps and looks over his shoulder with a ghost of a smirk. “Take it as you will.”

Does that mean he'll let you guess whether or not he was hitting on you?

It's the weekend, so the trains are packed. With different events and festivals around the city, it's no surprise that it's filled with young people and families. You want to get a spot near Pom and Gepard, but you and Dan Heng eventually end up near the corner of a compartment.

When a bigger man unintentionally tries to get into your personal space, you're close to elbowing him out of the way. Dan Heng moves in front of you, his hands on a metal rail above to steady him as he effortlessly blocks the man from squishing against you. He looks down just as you look up. Then, you turn around and look out the train window just as it leaves the platform.

When the train enters a tunnel, that's when you see him. Young. Standing where Dan Heng should be standing. His reflection freezes you in place as if scared that once you turn around, he'll be gone. Young's eyes are closed at first, but once he opens them, you're staring into the most beautiful green eyes you've ever seen. They seem to sparkle under the train lights. Then, you see his lips move, except you can't make out his words until…

“...We’ve finally found each other.”

Your eyes widen upon hearing Dan Heng’s voice. It’s so clear without the background noise of the conversations on the train. But that’s also when you see it. A thin gold chain you’ve never seen before around his neck.

When the train exits the tunnel, you see a full parking lot and a venue for a lively, bustling festival. You slowly turn around and see Dan Heng looking at you.

“...Did you say something earlier?” you ask.

“Would you have liked me to say something?”

You look at his neck, but there's no gold chain you'd seen on Young.

“...Where are you looking?”

You quickly look up, realizing that it might look like you’re staring at his chest window from where you’re standing. “Nothing. Sorry.”

Just as you turn around, you see Dan Heng's faint reflection in the mirror and question if you're starting to lose it or if Himeko lied to you.

Is Young really gone?

The train slowly rolls to a stop, and along with most of the people, you get off the train and start heading toward the festival entrance.

“Guys! Over here!”

March calls you over, and you see a young woman standing beside her. She's wearing a hat with a ponytail going through the closure and a black face mask that fits snugly around her small face. When you get closer, you recognize her. It's Stelle.

She immediately gives Gepard and Dan Heng a hug. You had to awkwardly stand back for her to do so. Then, she says hello to Pom, and finally, she looks at you.

“Hi,” she says. Then, quietly as if people around her will hear, “I’m Stelle.”

After giving her your name, you say, "Nice to meet you."

“I already heard a little about you from Dan Heng. You four are neighbours?”

“That’s right!” Pom says. “We live above them.”

Stelle looks at you curiously. “And you and Pom are… just friends?”

You raise a brow. “That’s right.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just… I’ve never heard of two friends, a man and a woman, living together before. It’s uncommon.”

Is she suggesting that she suspects you and Pom are something more? You think about explaining, but why should you? Your business is none of her business if you put it bluntly.

“Well, that’s what we are,” you say. “Just friends.”

As if sensing an awkward atmosphere, March loops her arm around Pom’s and swings her arm around you. “Are y’all hungry? Let’s get some food!”

Soon, you, Pom, and March are in line for corn dogs, while Dan Heng, Gepard, and Stelle are in line for some grilled squid.

“How long have you known Stelle?” Pom asks March.

“Oh, the four of us have been friends for a long, long time.”

You glance at Dan Heng, and you see a little smile on his face as he looks at Stelle. You look back at March, ignoring the feeling of a twist in your chest.

“I heard Dan Heng was the one who got Stelle into acting,” you say.

"Yeah! That's true. Stelle used to be really quiet. She wasn't very sociable, but she clicked well with Dan Heng. Maybe it was 'cause they had similar personalities."

"Huh… she wasn't sociable, but she went into acting?" Pom asks.

"She wanted to overcome it," March answers. "Dan Heng suggested she tried acting to become more extroverted. By taking on a new persona and all." She chuckles. "Honestly, we were all shocked when she agreed to it. But she did really well and got a career out of it. So, she's really thankful to Dan Heng."

You and Pom glance at each other. “How… close would you say they are now?” Pom asks curiously.

"Mm… You know those bonds where you haven't seen the person for a very long time, but after you get back in touch, it's like nothing has changed? It's something like that, I would say."

As Pom and March continue the conversation, you notice some girls looking curiously at Dan Heng and Stelle. Then, one snaps a photo, and the other leans over and giggles. You're not surprised that some people might've figured out it's Stelle. When you look at her and Dan Heng from afar, you admit they look good together. You quickly shake away the thought before it starts spiralling even further.

After getting your corn dog, you return to the group where Gepard suggests visiting the haunted house.

“Since we have six people, why don’t we go in pairs?”

“Ooh, good idea!” March says. Then, she loops an arm around Pom. “Dibs on Pom!”

“M-me?”

“Unless you don’t want to go with me.”

“No! That’s not it. I’m just… surprised.”

You and Dan Heng look at each other. Suddenly, your words ring through your mind: I don't want to fall into a trap. He starts walking towards you, but you quickly say Gepard's name, making him stop.

“...Let’s go together,” you say.

Gepard looks clearly surprised. “Me?”

You nod.

“Oh, um… sure.”

As you and Gepard walk away, you hear Stelle saying, “Guess it’s you and me, Dan Heng.” Then, a soft laugh. “Just like old times.”

“Ooh, what a cool theme!” March exclaims as all of you approach a large, medieval castle. Then, Pom grabs her arm, and she turns to him with a smile. “Don’t tell me you’re scared already.”

Suddenly, a loud, blood-curdling scream pierces the air.

"Oh, of course not!" Pom says, but his legs are already shaking.

“Don’t worry,” the person at the entrance says. “Our staff won’t touch you.”

“That's great,” Pom squeaks as he and March head inside.

Soon, a small group, including you and your friends, are inside. To set the atmosphere, one of the staff members plays a short video of the backstory of what happened at this haunted medieval castle.

A newly-crowned, pregnant queen took her own life after discovering her husband's affair. Since her death, the castle was cursed with a series of unfortunate events. Some went crazy and took their lives. Others became murderers.

When you close your eyes, you suddenly smell rotting and burned flesh. Your head starts to spin, and when you open your eyes, the world around you seems to be tilting in all different directions.

You hear Gepard say your name, and you turn to him.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah… Do you smell something?” you ask. “Like… rotting flesh?”

Gepard looks at you, confused. “I don’t smell anything. Gosh, now you’re scaring me.”

That's when you don’t smell it anymore. Is it all in your head?

“Forget what I said,” you say, forcing a small smile. “Let’s go.”

So, you follow Gepard inside.

Props of dead soldiers lie to the side. Some have swords sticking out from their backs. You even see a shadow of one that's hanging by a noose. There's even blood dripping off the walls and bloody handprints and footprints scattered about. Some of the floorboards squeak beneath you as you and Gepard cautiously walk throughout the castle. Suddenly, you hear a scream, and you instinctively flinch.

“What was that?” Gepard asks.

You feel someone grab your sleeve. “Are you scared, Gepard?”

He quickly lets go and awkwardly clears his throat. "Sorry. That just startled—"

Something comes crashing through one of the walls, and Gepard immediately lets out a short scream and runs further in. You don’t have time to call his name when the zombie dressed in a bloodied hanfu turns its head towards you.

You swallow and nervously clap. “Very realistic.”

But then, the zombie suddenly says your name and your blood runs cold. This… is a staff member, isn’t it? How in the world do they know your name?

“...You… You killed everyone.”

The zombie stumbles but eventually gets to its feet. Its neck cracks as it rolls its head to the side. You step back as it limps toward you. Then, you turn around, but the way you came from has disappeared, making your hair stand on end.

"...Pay..."

The floorboards creak and creak until... 

You feel someone's breath on your neck.

“You will pay.”

A hallway with many illuminated rooms appears to your right, and without a second thought, you run as fast as you can.

“Please… Please! Have mercy!”

You ignore the blood splatter that suddenly appears on the wall.

“Don’t do this!”

Another scream.

“My child… Please… At least spare my—”

The lights flash, and you see the silhouette of a head coming off.

“I can’t take this… No more… Stop the pain. I must… I—”

You hear the sound of metal entering through someone’s flesh. A gurgle and then…

Silence.

You stop running, slightly panting as you find yourself standing in darkness. There are no rooms. No hallways. Nothing that you can see.

Tears are starting to form in your eyes as you spin around. Where is everyone?

“...Dan Heng,” you say quietly without realizing it. “...Pom…”

And then you hear a faint giggle.

You turn toward where you think the sound is coming from and hear a loud, satisfied moan. What… in the world is that? You slowly make your way toward the sounds. Soon, you see a faint light like a crack in the door. You aren't sure why, but your heart suddenly drops into the pit of your stomach. Still, you dare to look into the light, and the erotic scene stuns you into complete silence and horror.

A man with a white ponytail has his hands on a woman's hips below him as he aggressively ruts into her. Yet, the woman's breathy moans and lewd screams clearly say it's more than satisfactory. Her breasts bounce with every thrust. Then, the man leans down and teases her hardened nipple with his tongue.

“...So fucking beautiful." The animalistic growl that came from the man's throat makes your body tremble.

You haven't the slightest idea who these people are, yet… your blood is boiling. Your heart is pounding a million times per minute. You clench your fists, knuckles turning white. The man grabs the woman's wrists and pulls her up and pins her against the headboard of the bed; he continues rutting into her with her legs raised all the way to his large, broad shoulders.

You want to look away, but your body refuses to comply. It’s as if it’s forcing you to watch this… disgusting scene unfold.

Suddenly, you hear the sound of nails scraping across a wooden floor behind you. That’s when you can finally move. You spin around and see the same woman you saw earlier on the bed on the floor. But this time, she’s no longer the curvy and sultry woman with a face full of pleasure. She's bone thin; her red and black hanfu is sliding off her body as she crawls. Half of her face is gone. The rest had a growing darkened pigment that was close to reaching her bloodshot eyes. As she crawls toward you, her skin starts peeling.

Once again, your body refuses to move. So, you close your eyes, hoping this crazy nightmare will end. But instead, you feel someone's breath fan across your face. And, when you open your eyes, you see her standing right in front of you.

“...How… does it feel?” Her voice is nothing but a hoarse whisper. “...I was a better fuck than you ever were.”

You’re sweating now. What in the world was she talking about?

“...He… never loved you.”

You finally step back, but when you hit something… hard, you almost don't want to turn around.

“You went too far.”

You recognize the voice. So, you turn and see the man from the bed looking down at you. He's naked from the waist up. His bottom half is covered with the bedsheet he'd been tumbling in. He grabs you by the neck and pulls you toward him until you're flush against his body. One of his hands finds your waist and slides underneath your shirt as you desperately struggle to free yourself.

“If I’d continued fucking you then”—his hand grabs your breast—”would you have started it?”

Nothing comes out but a silent scream.

Then, you see his piercing, golden eyes. “...Would you have started this war?”

He lets you go… but you never hit the ground. Instead, it feels like you're falling into a bottomless pit. His eyes never leave you as he watches you fall…

“...Cupid…”

Fall…

“...Hey… talk to me.”

Fall…

“...Open your eyes…”

Fall…

“...Look at me!”

Your eyes snap open, and the fog in your eyes slowly starts to fade. When Dan Heng's face comes into focus, your heart almost sings. He's standing close to you, leaning down so he's on eye level with you. For the first time, his expression isn't his usual poker face. It's one full of worry.

“...D-Dan Heng.”

"Everything's okay," he says softly, his thumb wiping a tear from your pale face. Then, without hesitation, you wrap your arms around him as the tears fall. He hugs you back, and your body slowly stops trembling. "...Everything's okay."

You bury your face into the crook of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne that settles your pounding heart. You feel his comforting touch on your back, reassuring you that you're not alone.

Once you slowly let him go, he says, “Let’s get out of here.”

You have no objections.

Your hands naturally find each other, and Dan Heng leads the way.

Soon, you come across a worried-looking staff member who also went looking for you. As they escort you and Dan Heng out, you find out Gepard had gone back looking for you when he ran off. However, he couldn't find you and headed for the exit instead. When you failed to show up, Dan Heng went looking for you while the others notified the staff members. It turned out you'd gone into a restricted area, but… nothing can explain what you saw.

“...Someone getting decapitated?” the staff member asks. “We don’t have something like that.”

There's no reason for them to lie, and looking at the concerned look on their face, you drop the subject.

When you and Dan Heng exit the medieval castle, Pom immediately runs to you. "What happened in there? Are you okay?"

“You look pale,” March says worriedly. Then, she takes out an unopened water bottle from her bag. “Here. Have some water.”

You take the bottle from her. “I’m going to sit down for a bit.”

“I’ll come with you,” Pom says.

Dan Heng never expected to find you standing alone in a blocked-off area. The staff members said it would've been impossible for you to enter as it was locked. But… it was the only place he hadn't checked. So, Dan Heng took it upon himself to pick the lock. And lo and behold, he'd found you.

What concerned him was that you were completely unresponsive. Your eyes had clouded over. It was like you were in a trance, a dream, an… alternate reality. It wasn't until he'd put his hands on your shoulders that your body flinched at his touch. Then, he gently cupped your face and said, "...Cupid…"

Something isn't right. He's already curious about you enough, but this… seemingly paranormal incident is alarming. Who are you? What did you see?

Chapter 7

Tag list: @suoshiii @lordbugs @lxry-chxn @seirenspinel @tanspostsblog @theprinceofkhaos @nqctre @lunavixia @akwardbiscuit

[catindabag]

TBOSAS on Crack ✨Character Info✨😌 (part 1)

⭐️❄️⭐️

For those who don’t know about my TBOSAS on Crack Alternative Universe, all you have to do is read [this] first to catch up. AND Part 2 is [here].

As for those who already read all my short takes before, here are some character ✨FACTS✨ about our favorite delinquents Mentors that are considered “Canon” in this joke!AU.

So let’s start with our ✨MAIN PROTAGONISTS✨ (AKA: Our four main idiot Mentors)

Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow ❄️ (AKA: The Poor Malnourish Looking Cabbage Boy From Corso)

Coryo knows 500+ different ways to cook cabbages and lima beans because of his irreversible childhood (war) traumas.

He secretly likes to trade his cabbages and beans at the Capitol Black Market for banned music albums that were produced centuries ago.

His favorite banned song is ✨Snow On The Beach✨😍!

Gardening, singing, sewing (because of Tigris), and surprisingly cooking are his favorite hobbies.

Drunk or not, Dean Casca Highbottom calls him ✨Crassus Xanthos Snow✨ no matter the occasion. However, it became a serious problem when Drunk!Casca literally thinks Coryo is Crassus (AKA: Highbottom’s former lover, drinking buddy, bestie boyfriend, & karaoke pal).

His favorite food is “whatever pie Ma Plinth bakes” for the Mentors that day. But the Plinth Apple Pie is the best pie.

He always likes it when Sejanus brings him extra sandwiches made by Ma Plinth.

Coryo and Sejanus were once the ✨Sandwich Duo✨ of their class. However, when Festus Creed joined and became their ✨Class Rep✨, he decided to rename them as the ✨Sandwich Trio✨.

Snow has a weird tendency to blame his broken bicycle every time he gets injured. Annoyingly, Sejanus has the same problem, but with a few extra steps.

He secretly wants to major in ✨Arts & Theatre✨ along with Felix Ravinstill, Gaius Breen, Juno Phipps, and Arachne Crane.

He once wanted to run for the position of ✨Class President✨. However, he and the rest of his classmates decided to vote for poor sensitive Felix because they just wanted to see another Ravinstill become the ✨President✨ of something.

Coryo can’t pass his physical examination no matter how hard he tries. According to the doctor, he’s just naturally thin and malnourish looking. In other words, he can’t become a Peacekeeper (much to Dean Highbottom’s frustration).🤣

He strongly believes that the Hunger Games could have been better and more popular if they recreated it into a ✨talent show✨ with a “no killing, no gore, no cannibalism” policy.

“HGASC” (The Hunger Games: Annual Singing Contest) was based on his stupid talent show idea in order to finally end the original version of the games. And also because he really wanted to win the Plinth Prize with his new best friend, Lucy Gray.

Coryo was the one who convinced the other Mentors to write and present their crazy paper proposal that will forever change the original concept of the games. And because everyone (even the Tributes) really wanted to shut up Livia Cardew and her stupid ✨Love Island✨ idea.

He is regrettably aware of his dead father’s past “affairs” with Dean Highbottom, especially the #Crasca4Ever ship that died years ago when Crassus married someone else not named Highbottom.

He once avoided getting a demerit and an expulsion letter from a very drunk Dean Highbottom by pretending to be the ghost of Crassus Snow.

He got hoodwinked (& borderline blackmailed) into seriously dating and marrying Sejanus after graduation by a scheming Strabo Plinth.

His crazy Grandma’am and cousin Tigris were quite thrilled to learn that their sweet Cabbage Boy will marry into money. And also because they won’t have to live in poverty anymore.

Coryo may deny it, but he actually came to genuinely love Sejanus & the rest of the SnowPlinth Fan Club. Their crazy ship even became the No. 1 trending news in all of Panem after their shameless stunt inside the Capitol Arena.

He accidentally and unknowingly made Strabo Plinth and Casca Highbottom mortal enemies, just because of their past romantic relationship with Crassus Snow.

His scheming grandmother is closely working with Strabo Plinth to secretly rule all of Panem under the ✨Plinth-Snow Dynasty✨😈.

He literally ✨gaslit✨ and ✨girlbossed✨ himself to become the next ✨First Lady of Panem✨ because of Sejanus.

Coryo only sees and considers Lucy Gray Baird as a good friend who likes music and nothing more. And because he was already apparently dating Sejanus Plinth.

He persuaded Lucy Gray to sing a duet version of ✨We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together✨ on the Lucky Flickerman LIVE TV Interview instead of whatever song she wrote for Billy Taupe. And yes, it was an outstanding performance and everybody loved it, except for Sejanus.

He really hates cannibalism and cannibals because of his war trauma, except for Persephone Price, just because she’s the girlfriend of Festus Creed.

Sejanus “Sej” Plinth 🥪 (AKA: The Very Rich Idiot Heir of Strabo Plinth)

He once bought a truck load of cabbages for Coryo’s family in order to impress him. Tigris was the only Snow who was genuinely happy that day. Meanwhile, Coryo fainted because of the smell.

The only reason why Sejanus learned to use a gun was because of his obsession to protect his beloved Coryo from future potential boyfriend stealing admirers.

Drunk!Casca Highbottom mistakenly calls him “Syllabus Plinth” than “Sejanus” every class roll call. Surprisingly, Sejanus never bothered correcting the Dean’s drunken mistake, because it might as well insult Strabo’s naming skills.

He got the most obvious humongous shameless crush on Coryo Snow since the day they first met. He also claimed that it was ✨love at first sight✨ after offering Coryo some gumdrops.

He is undeniably the richest student in The Academy next to Felix Ravinstill and Livia Cardew.

He almost persuaded his father to buy the penthouse next to the Snows (in order to live closer to Coryo). Luckily, Coryo begged him not to do such a thing because Arachne Crane’s family lives there (and because Arachne begged Coryo to talk Sejanus out of it).

He always brings an extra sandwich bag for his beloved Coryo to share with his friends. However, after meeting and befriending Festus Creed, he needs to at least bring a body bag full of sandwiches.

His favorite banned song is ✨Jenny, I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship✨😘.

Baking, bread throwing, and stalking Coryo are his favorite hobbies.

Not surprisingly, he was the first one who pursued and persuaded (hoodwinked) Coryo to become his official lover and fiancé. Strabo Plinth was even impressed that his idiot son “captured” a Snow.

He and Lysistrata Vickers were the ones who popularized and monetized the ✨Snowjanus✨ ship at The Academy.

Him and Dean Highbottom have an ongoing “shipping” rivalry, because Drunk!Casca genuinely thinks that Sejanus stole his lover (Crassus) from him. But to be fair, the Dean also hates Strabo Plinth for having a past romantic relationship with Coryo’s very dead dad.

He knows that his father, Strabo Plinth is secretly scheming with Coryo’s grandmother to rule all of Panem through the Plinth-Snow Dynasty. However, he doesn’t really care as long as his beloved Coryo is happily married to him.

Sejanus was actually the one who secretly locked Urban Canville in a bathroom stall to help Festus Creed win the ✨Class Representative✨ position.

He and Festus Creed are considered as the two greatest idiots of their class.

He once brought a rabid raccoon to Dr. Gaul’s class in order to scare her off. Unfortunately, it did not. Moreover, he actually impressed the insane woman instead.

In the Lucky Flickerman LIVE TV interview, he taunted and challenged Marcus into a ✨Dance Battle✨ to get sponsors.

He honestly got jealous of Lucy Gray and wanted to push her out of the way when Lysistrata told him that his beloved Coryo will sing a banned song with the weird Covey girl.

He strongly believes that the Hunger Games could have been recreated into a “Bake Off” between the Districts with a “no killing” policy.

He was the one who proposed the ✨Hunger Games: The Great Panem Bake Off✨ idea to the Board Officials and almost won their votes. He only got outvoted by Coryo’s ✨talent show✨ proposal because Marcus kept on complaining that half of the Tributes don’t even know how to bake a cake to save themselves.

His old dream/goal was for him to become a medic or doctor, but after officially dating Coryo, his new dream is to be the future ✨President of Panem✨

Lysistrata “Lizzie” Vickers 💊 (AKA: The Academy’s Secret Drug Smuggling Doctor)

She always uses the “My parents are famous doctors! I can do whatever I want!” card to get away with anything.

She is the Founder and President of the famous ✨SnowPlinth Fan Club✨ at The Academy.

Her classmates (except Palmyra Monty) always take her medical advice seriously. Even Livia Cardew can’t deny The Great Lizzie Vickers when it comes to health issues.

Felix Ravinstill teases her to become his personal physician in the future, since her parents are already working under his family.

Her dream/goal is to become the official physician of future President Sejanus and First Lady Coriolanus.😌💅

She and Sejanus were the ones who spread the ✨SnowPlinth✨ epidemic at The Academy.

Drunk!Casca Highbottom mistakenly calls her “Listerina Listerine Vickers” than “Lysistrata” every class roll call. Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t really care.

Her favorite banned song is ✨Bleeding Love✨.

Lizzie and Felix Ravinstill are considered to be the most responsible and well-prepared people out of their class.

Cooking, reading, and “Drug Experimenting” are her favorite hobbies.

She once attended President Ravinstill’s Winter Palace Party and stole all of the dessert spoons without anyone knowing. Afterwards, she sold them at the Capitol Black Market for some extra cash.

She was the one who proposed the idea that the Mentors should just play dumb in Dr. Gaul’s class in order to avoid her creepy grooming tendencies. Her idea eventually worked. However, Dr. Gaul now passionately hates them equally.

She likes to bring illegally manufactured drugs (AKA: ✨Miracle Pills✨) to school in the name of science.😈

At the zoo, she illegally smuggled the infamous “all-cure” ✨Miracle Pills✨ for Felix Ravinstill and Dennis Fling, just because their Tributes were sick and dying from respiratory related illnesses.

In the Lucky Flickerman LIVE TV Interview, She and Jessup performed an 80s aerobics dance routine. And yes, she got Jessup to wear tight spandex, lycra, and flexatards.

She is secretly a crybaby and would easily tear up if she sees an injured stray cat, but only Sejanus, Coryo, and Festus knows about that fact.

Lizzie is part of the Dean’s infamous list of students who would most likely become criminals if they weren’t rich AF. The only other Mentors who outranked her in that list are Sejanus Plinth (for stealing Casca’s boyfriend), Coryo Snow (for emptying the school’s food pantry), Androcles Anderson (for being a professional kleptomaniac), Dennis Fling (for smuggling and trading illegal “goods” at school), Iphigenia Moss (for slowly depleting the class funds to buy expensive makeup), and Palmyra Monty (for almost killing everyone at school with her family’s infamous deadly apple pies).

She supports Festus’ crazy idea to recreate the Hunger Games into a cooking show with a “no killing” policy.

Much to Lizzie’s surprise, Jessup (from District 12) was the only Tribute who rejected Festus Creed’s cooking show proposal, just because he can’t cook to save his pride, especially on LIVE TV.

Festus “Fest” Creed 🍔 (AKA: The Original Dumpster-Diving Idiot Foodie of The Capitol)

He likes to collect free food coupons for fun. And sometimes, he, along with Coryo and Pup would even shamelessly dumpster-dive for them after school.

He was originally the only idiot of the class, until Sejanus and him became good friends thanks to Coryo Snow’s involvement.

Eating, sleeping, and dumpster-diving are his favorite hobbies.

His favorite banned song is ✨We Can’t Stop✨🥳.

The Peacekeepers once warned him not to dumpster-dive (again) for garbage, just because his peculiar activities greatly disturbed his neighbors. However, he threatened them back by using Felix Ravinstill’s ✨nepotism✨ and family connections.😂

Everyone believes that he will eventually fail Dr. Gaul’s class, just because of how naturally stupid he acts around her.

He once told Professor Click that he lost his very important assignment through a double bike accident with Coryo Snow. However, nobody believed his weak and stupid excuse because he doesn’t even know how to ride a freaking bicycle.

He has the most obvious humongous crush on Persephone Price since they entered The Academy together. Moreover, he doesn’t really care about the “Maid Stew” rumors because “food is food” according to the Creed house words.

He will literally support and even fund the presidential campaign of Sejanus and Coryo, just because he wants to eat Ma Plinth’s divine cooking.

Drunk!Casca Highbottom mistakenly calls him “Fetus Creed” than “Festus” every class roll. He tried to correct the Dean, but Highbottom won every argument by blaming the Creeds for giving their son a stupid name.

In the Lucky Flickerman LIVE TV Interview, He begged Coral to do a mixed martial arts routine with him as her partner. Coral eventually agreed after watching a “Cobra Kai” banned video clip from his phone. They even wore the Cobra Kai uniform (made by Tigris) to impress the audience.

He likes to give a ✨Surprise Festus Bear Hug✨ to his fellow unsuspecting Mentors. Everyone (but Livia Cardew🙄💅) is fine with his hugging shenanigans.

He truly believes that a ✨competitive cooking show✨ on LIVE TV is better than Highbottom’s “killer kids game” because it will eventually revolutionize Panem’s food industry.

He confidently proposed and defended his ✨Hunger Games: TOP CHEF✨ idea (with a “no killing” policy) to the Board Officials. In the end, he came in third after Coryo’s and Sejanus’ proposals.

He also proposed another idea called ✨The Hunger Games: Keeping Up With The Ravinstills✨ much to everyone’s amusement.

Basically, his second proposal will follow the crazy luxurious life of the current President’s family members and make them more dramatic for all of Panem to enjoy. Meanwhile, Felix was seen sweating and quaking on his seat when he heard that Creed’s second crazy idea almost won by a small margin.

He tried to learn how to somersault with Coral as his instructor, but failed and almost broke his back. Surprisingly, he doesn’t regret the experience after seeing Coral and Mizzen laughing and choking on their own salivas after the incident.

Festus has collected more damaging secrets from his classmates than Livia Cardew and Arachne Crane could ever imagine. However, he doesn’t know how to use them for blackmail purposes.

He only won the position of ✨Class Representative✨ because Sejanus deliberately locked Urban Canville in a bathroom stall.

He is aware that he answers questions without thinking too much of it. Heck! He once stupidly proposed to make The Academy the new Hunger Games Capitol Arena (as a joke) after the failed bomb explosion incident. Dr. Gaul and Dean Highbottom very much wanted to strangle him that day.

Dean Highbottom regrettably gave up on officially expelling Festus from The Academy, just because no matter how many times the Creed kid received a demerit for breaking the rules, he still has the audacity to show up and attend his classes like nothing happened.

He will eventually challenge Tigris Snow to an epic dance battle in order to secure his position as the official ✨Best Man✨ at Coryo and Seji’s royal wedding.

[scalproie]

ngl i felt so sad when i learned that the mk story isn't about scorpion and sub-zero's rivalry. i feel like I would have gotten more into it if it was... there's also a weird disconnect between the gameplay and the actual story??? what do you mean these characters don't regularly disembowel each other?? they're supposed to be good guys????

I am BIASED as all fuck but litterally the best part of mk is when they focus on the borderline shakespearean storyline of the scorpion/sub zero rivalry, like yeah on a surface level its really silly but if you dare to dig a lil deeper, its a very compelling story about the rivalry of two clans, revenge, irony, deception, atonement, forgiveness, and even about fate considering how many times the three people involved have danced this dance.

But because mk wants to be dc sooo bad, they have to maintain the illusion of fairness in how the characters share the screentime, as opposed to a comic book approach where there is technically endless screentime to share and story to tell, a video game/movie/animated movie cost a lot more money, and as much as I love it, mk does suffer from a lack of focus as fuck (but then again, so does most fighting game lore until very recently with the most recent games that have a clear precise storyline)

The silver-lining about mk tho, is that it has 30 years of history behind it so if you choose to focus on a particular thing or dynamic, you have a pretty large amount of food to chew on.

As for the disconnect, yeah. mk's whole brand is the gore, its what made it famous back in the 90s, so to keep the brand, it has to keep the reputation of being as gorey in its presentation as possible even if the story itself has turned into smth more serious and fantastic instead. It does make every character morally grey tho bc yeah there are obvious "good guys" and "bad guys" but each and every one of them has the potential for incredible violence

[wonderland-productions-blog]

Knight in Dulled Armor: Ch. 9

Chapter 9: Asterian Emergency

Tw: Written Blood/ Mild Gore

Word Count: ~6,500

The tavern today is packed; with lots of people traveling in advance for the upcoming summer events in the surrounding cities. Many see it as an inexpensive alternative to larger residencies in the cities, while some prefer staying at a bar over monasteries or abbeys while traveling. 

I've been running food and drinks all day as well as managing the hygienic aspects of my job. With so much to do, I could certainly use more help but Hidorah could only do so much between cooking orders. I still haven't talked to him about Braiewood, and he seems to be avoiding me because of such.

Marietta was supposed to be here an hour ago, and she doesn't seem like the type to sleep in. Things have been difficult without her but I feel as though I've been waiting long enough. I go to talk to Kenrik who'd been helping manage tasks as well. "Kenrik, is there any way we can know if Marietta is coming in today?" I ask

"Well, she usually walks here with Hidorah. If she were sick he'd know, but he says she wasn't at home this morning. Might just have to send a search party." Kenrik explains. He lets out a whistle, calling for Kyzu. I see the dog jump out from Kenrik's room in the basement, settling beside him. "Do we have anything that has her scent? Bet Kyzu could find her real quick." he pauses, and I use the time to tell him that I have one of her uniforms. 

"Though, I'll want someone to go with, can't have Kyzu gettin' lost again." he continues.

There's a moment of silence while Kenrik decides on a plan. He strokes the stubble on his face and clears his throat, "Hidorah!". 

"Huh?" He asks, leaning on the kitchen door frame. 

"Would you two figure out who's going to stay here and who's going to find Marietta?" Kenrik asked us.

"As much as I'd love to go get Marietta myself, I'm not too inclined to do so with something that took a chunk out of me at one point," Hidorah says, glancing down at Kyzu. 

"I need to hold down the tavern at least somewhat, it’s a lot of work for anyone, let alone Kenrik. I wouldn't want to force my workload on him. We could stop taking food orders and just bartend, right?" I reason with them. Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable taking Kyzu alone and only held a small desire to keep to the tavern. 

At this point I see Kenrik lose interest and resort back to tending the bar. Despite the new bit of space between us, Hidorah decides to inch closer to me still.

"That's true, but I think Marietta would appreciate you going to find her more than she would appreciate me doing so," Hidorah says, putting his arm around my shoulder. He punctuates this with a squeeze to attempt to sway me.

"Why? Would she not appreciate a criminal stopping her and bringing her into work?" I spout, quickly shoving a hand over my mouth. I shake him off of me, crossing my arms, yet still keeping my chest compressed and posture low. I ease out a breath, exhausted at the idea of having this conversation now.

"Okay, I see what this is about. I get that it was super sketchy of me to run after seeing you with my wanted poster," Hidorah says, reaching his hands out toward me.

"Glad we both acknowledge your sketchy and borderline incriminating behavior. What do I owe you to admit that?" I dig further. 

"Listen, it is a long story but I assure you that if it will ease your mind I'll tell you. Tonight. Let's please focus on getting through this shift without Marietta right now. I am not in the mood to get reprimanded from Kenrik." Hidorah pleads though I say nothing. "Okay, what if I get Marietta? I can tell you don't want to be the one to go, and that's okay." He says.

I shrug, wasting no time fetching her uniform and tossing it to him. He leaves with Kyzu, giving me a wave as a send-off. I doubt it would take much time at all, Marietta most likely was just late after some early morning errands. Hidorah will probably run into her already on her way to work. 

I keep up with drinks and cleaning at tables and booths while Kenrik runs the crowded bar. While they were gone we'd told customers notice of no chef being on duty at the moment, and most didn't have an issue with waiting until they returned. That is, except for one man truly set on having lunch here. Luckily Kenrik recognized him when I explained his concerns. He was a regular and meant it when he told us he had no other means of eating based on where he was staying and his work schedule.

Kenrik humored the man he considered to be a good friend and took an exception to the no-order rule. While I appreciated witnessing this kind act, it did mean that I had to man the bar as well as my usual area. For a short time, I'd been manning an entire tavern by myself with the sense of accomplishment peaking above the large amount of effort it took to do so.

Running back and forth between sections of the tavern was stressful, doing my best to memorize drink orders, run them out, take empty glasses, and clean tables. Though there were other tasks I only needed to do once or twice in the growing timeframe such as sweeping and washing empty glasses. 

Kenrik finally arrived from within the kitchen, setting the food down at the counter. I wipe my brow with my uniform collar, push on, and head back to my booths. I decide to take a small break to dispose of trash and maybe get a bit of wind to cool me down. After dumping the trash into the larger container behind the tavern I head back onto the patio. I lean over a wooden beam, letting out a sigh as pressure releases from my sternum. 

My quiet rest only lasted a moment before sound erupted from the desert. I hastily turn my neck, seeing a large black smudge in my vision like an ink thumbprint smeared at the corner of a page. I fling my arm up to an erratic wave, seeing several silhouettes on the horizon, and excited to know my remaining day was about to get easier.  

 I couldn't be more wrong. The more seconds passed the closer they were bounding toward me, unleashing a tremendous foreboding feeling settling within my gut. Something is wrong, though I won't know fully until they arrive. I wait with bated breath until they reach the porch.

A panicked flurry whips around us, shouting from Hidorah and Marietta blending together into a cacophony of meaningless noise. "What is going on?!" I shout, both of them quickly looking at me while on either side of Kyzu. Marietta grabs Kyzu's neck, pulling her over to turn her side toward me.

A hefty shining mass sat on the large dog’s back. Two metal gloves enveloped the beast’s neck, desperately clinging to it despite heavy shaking emanating from them. Val sat hunched over the back of the beast, seemingly weak and fatigued. A rickety string of breaths echoed from his helm. His armor seemed glossier than usual, though it seemed strange to have such old damaged armor waxed.

That was when I saw it, the gloss slowly running down the armor. A drop tapered off, dripping onto the dry sand beneath. Red. I felt my heart sink, trying to muster up something before panic consumed me entirely. "Get him inside!" I yell, pulling on Kyzu to make his way through the doors. 

"Elaine, do you care if we put him in your room? I need to treat him." Marietta says with a panic in her eyes. I nod my head, following close behind. 

"On the bed, quick," I say, making an attempt to steady the situation. Everyone does their best to support his weight before setting him on the bed with a small thud. "Aghh. Please..." Val gasps. 

"I'm sorry! What-" I try to say, but Marietta cuts me off.

"We need to get his armor off. I need to see the wound, I've narrowed it down to his torso." She explains. 

"Your torso?" I ask Val, a worried expression plaguing my face. 

He does nothing but give me a weak nod and further grip my bedsheets. 

"We'll need to sit you up to get your chest plate off, won't we?" I ask, putting my hand behind his head to support it.

I am met with another weak nod. 

"Hidorah, sit him up, will you?" Marrietta asks flatly, the small jumps in her voice showing much more than what her calm tone indicates. 

He does so immediately, doing nothing to warn or brace Val for what is happening. My eyelids lock shut for a moment at the thunderous, grunt-like sound that followed. I spare no time to squeeze behind him and begin to unfasten his chest plate. I attempt to pull it off on one side with the shoulder plates now clanking against the gauntlets. I pull one off, revealing scuffed and stained dark leather gloves. I hastily make my way to the other side and do the same.

They clatter to the wood floor and I couldn't care less. I'm fairly sure Marrietta didn't squander this time and was rounding up her medical supplies. Hidorah on the other hand seems to be waiting for instructions. "Tell Kenrik what is happening, I'm sure he'll want to know," I tell him, making sure to look him in the eyes as I say it.

I finally am able to slide off the chest plate, trying not to nudge him so much so that it would evoke pain or discomfort. I take the armor to the corner so that it won't become a tripping hazard since we'll need to move often. I come back, finally noticing the gray long-sleeve tunic he wore. It stretched tight across his large chest, a part of it clearly wet and dark around his left side. It clung to his torso, the warm blood slowly seeping through more and more. My shaky hands scaled both sides of his shirt until finally slipping under the lip. I position myself more evenly in front of him, having to nestle against him between his spread legs. 

I never accounted for him being such a large man, seeing how small I look compared to his colossal frame. Even with him sitting down I was still only around eye level with him now.  His shirt fabric scrunches as I lift it up to reveal the wound. Not wanting him to need to lift his arms in his condition, I stretch the base of his shirt behind his helm at the nape of his neck. I’m careful not to tear the fabric on the horns that protruded from his helm. This provided us with enough area to work as well as kept his arms in place and covered. I am faced with the body I'd seen in the bathhouse days prior. A scarred, evergreen complexioned skin on a built frame yet again met me in poor conditions.

I start to stutter out an apology upon seeing him stare at me through the slit in his helm, "I'm, I'm sorry, I feel awful about vi-violating your privacy, even if it's an emerge-" He cuts me off, grabbing my hand. His leather gloves were obviously softer than his gauntlets, so I’m not sure why I now feel so surprised by his warm touch. 

"You're very quick. And gentle. Thank you." He says through gritted teeth, struggling to maintain such a soft-spoken tone.

Without any notice, Marietta grabs my wrist and guides me to the side to make room. She pushes him back, Val now lying on my bed propped on a couple of pillows. A gasp escapes him, though his wound is much more visible now. I see her search the wound, most likely examining for an exit wound, debris, and possible cause. 

Her brow furrows, "I need space to work, this wound is deep, and penetrates further into the abdomen, possibly into an organ." I take her advice and leave the room, my hands shaking and suddenly cold. 

I do my best to start sweeping again as if I wasn't occupied with more dire matters moments ago. A hand on my shoulder startles me, "Elaine, look around. I closed the tavern. Those who are still drinking can finish up and leave, the only ones who need to be here are staff and people who rented a room." Kenrik explained. "We'll open back up once things are handled, alright?" he assures me, and I nod. 

I take a seat next to Hidorah at the bar, settling in to wait. He looks just as anxious, his fingers running through his hair as his other hand supports his head. He nudges his elbow on the countertop, hunching lower to the bar. "Are you that nervous?" I ask. 

"About Val? A bit, but I have a lot on my mind right now." Hidorah says, turning his head to face me. His hand pressed against his cheek, squishing his face and causing one eye to squint. I purse my lips, getting ready to speak but holding off. My mouth shuts, not wanting to press further.

“Do you think there’s any chance you could heal him?” I grimly ask, already knowing the answer.

“I’ve been trying to heal everything from bruises and burns to cuts on me and my friends. Nothing is working. I think my body produced just enough magic to heal me in a panic.” he sadly explains.

"I think we'll have a bit of time while Marietta is... busy, with Val, so to speak. Trying to stabilize him. So, why not break the tension? It’s not like it’s not a good time for it, better to pile it on and get it over with. That way we'll at least be able to face each other at work after this." Hidorah tells me. He takes his head out of his hand and sits up at the counter. 

"Alright, well. Get to explaining then, I'm sure it’s a very long and very reasonable story as to why your face was plastered all over old wanted posters in Braiewood. Somewhere you should not be if you were a fugitive of sorts, and then proceeded to run when you saw that I had one of said wanted posters." I say to him.

"Okay, well. Luckily you're right. As usual, Elaine. You see, I actually have like, the best reasoning there is. But first..." He paused, looking at me with a smile and placing a hand on my back, "Could you pour me a drink?" 

I scoff, getting up regardless. I uncork a small, blue bottle of wine, not wanting anything that could debilitate him in small amounts. To my surprise, it pours a light blue into the tall thin glass I've set out. It was reminiscent of some of the berries Hidorah had served me during the apology breakfast he’d made me. 

He takes a sip, "Ahh,". 

"Hidorah," I say, eager with him to get on with the story. 

"I know, I know. Alright. Let's start from the beginning I suppose. Of my criminal record, I mean," Hidorah says, rubbing the base of his neck over his shoulder. I let him continue, giving him a nod. 

"I had made a living exporting Elven goods into very profitable areas, elven culture, and tourist shops in large, wealthy cities. My cut was enough for me to live very comfortably, but I was a bit reckless with money. I was barely out of my teenage years and at the time this was completely legal. The issue was that, eventually, many elven cities closed their doors, with the nation of Braiewood at the front lines of this embargo." He says coldly.

"What would cause a large elven empire to just... stop the exporting of their goods? Close their border like that. Braiewood used to hold a booming economy just a few years ago, didn't it? It was very well respected, was it not?" I ask, wondering if the book I'd gotten would touch on the subject. 

"Oh, I don't know. Say, the disappearance of an important Aramooran political figure with evidence tracing back to elven goods?" He says, creating a tension so thick in the air you could cut it with a knife.

"Hidorah, did you kidnap someone?!" I say, whispering with panic in my voice. 

"What? No! Do you remember when I mentioned Marietta's family history?" 

"Yeah, that she was a pri-" I stop. That she was a princess. Hidorah chuckled as he saw the pieces click together in my mind. Hidorah had sold products to Aramoor, Marietta's home kingdom. This product was left as "evidence" in her home when she had gone missing, not because she was kidnapped, but because Marietta had become increasingly restless in her place with inherited fame and fortune. 

She emancipated herself and became a baroness through her own work, as she'd mentioned to us before. Because of her disappearance, the blame was placed on someone of elven origin. With Marietta still working here and this embargo still in place, the already fragile state between the two nations had divided further. 

"So, were you alone tried for her disappearance as the exporter of the found evidence?" I ask.

"No, my name was thrown around but there wasn't substantial evidence of my presence, and for good reason. I had only met her a few times, and it was in her city and we kept our interactions short and sweet, despite my fascination with her. I was actually tried for the illegal exportation of elven goods and they stacked some issue regarding immigration status on there too." Hidorah said, now refusing to make eye contact.

"So you continued exporting despite the trade restriction? Makes sense if it was your only income. Wait, hold on, fascination?" I ask.

"Well, as I mentioned before, they also got me for my immigration status. While I continued selling product, even with the law change, I often stayed outside of Braiewood. I figured since I was out so much I'd stop paying my rent and would find a place back in Braiewood once I finished my large inventory. I'd sell what I had, then be done with it and find a different job. Since I no longer had a residency in Braiewood and had cut my lease just before the embargo, by new elven laws, I was no longer allowed in my own city. Still, since I was for some reason claimed as the owner of a legal business, I was allowed within Elven territory on business terms, now only supposed to sell within the area." He pauses, taking a moment to breathe. 

"As for the fascination aspect, I started staying at the tavern most nights. Not because it was cheap or in a good location, I mean, look at this place. It was because while I was still selling in Amoora shortly after the embargo, I asked Marietta where she was staying to keep a roof over her head. After all, I'd picked up on who she was at this point. No one without enough coin to fill a pool would stop every other day to buy expensive exported goods. She said she was working and living here for the time being. I sold everything as fast as I could. The tavern seemed like the perfect place to stay if I couldn't be in Braiewood."

"It must have been strange for her to reside in a nation she no longer meant anything to for so long." I pin the thought for later, "So, are you allowed in Braiewood or not?" I ask, drawing attention back to the topic.

"I'm pretty sure I'm just not allowed long-term residency, but their laws are confusing." He sighs.

"It sounds like it, I actually just got a book that goes over things like this. We could take a further look to see if there are any loopholes to get you back there if you want. It's just in my bag... that is in my room." I say, fading into nothing toward the end. Never mind, I suppose. 

"Well, honestly, that is a pretty good reason to be wanted but still in the city. But... why did you run when you saw me?" I ask with still one question lingering in the air. 

"Oh, yeah, I'll admit I panicked on that one. Last I saw you, you were upset at me because I kind of chucked something at your head. It seemed like you might have followed me to Braiewood, and the wanted poster in your hand as you sat in the window solidified that fear. I ran, thinking were stalking me. But when I came back later I heard from Kenrik you left on your own and had no way of knowing where I was going." Hidorah confesses.

"Huh, an interesting coincidence with both of us heading to Braiewood and me finding an old wanted poster on the ground. Well, I'm really glad that's cleared up, I wasn't looking forward to working with a convict." I scoffed. 

He nods, the silence settling in once more between us. Even with our own discourse addressed, thoughts of Val's condition slipped into my mind. We'd been talking for a while, but still no sign from Marietta that it was okay to answer. There wasn't much to do but wait, I feel guilty trying to entertain myself in an attempt to ease my mind of worry. Hidorah offers me a drink, and I debate having one to steady my nerves. "It'll do you some good, loosen up. Marietta was able to heal that massive wound that Kyzu calls a nibble on me and Val's wound is nothing compared to what mine was. Val is a big, tough guy. He gets wounds like this fairly often in his line of work." He tells me, already pouring a drink. 

"So all we really can do is wait, isn't it? I mean, Marietta will treat him until he either stabilizes or..."  I say, trailing off. 

The waiting was some of the worst I'd ever had to go through. The tension, the nerves, the thoughts of Marietta treating Val. I shake the last from my mind, refusing to admit that this bothered me. A selfish, nonsensical thought. She was much more qualified than I was to treat him, I barely had any reason to be worried. We hardly know one another, Marietta knows him much better than I do on every account. I set my head on the counter, feeling a weight heavy on my shoulders. My eyelids flutter open and shut, eventually succumbing to the exhausting feeling.

I wake up my name being yelled across the tavern, having to unbury my head cradled in my arms on the counter. Marrietta stood in my open doorframe in bloodied clothes. "I don't think I'll be able to get him stabilized." She says in a monotone expression. 

"What are you doing in here? Take all the time you need, I-" I try to continue, but she cuts me off. "Val says he wants to speak to you. He's been pressing it. Apparently, I need to leave the room for a moment. I examined the wound and on every account, it looks fatal, it's amazing that he wasn't dead when I found him on my way to the store this morning. Go." She says, maintaining the composure in her voice but not her face. She discreetly wipes a forming tear from the corner of her eye.

I step into my room, closing the door behind me. I approach him from the edge of my bed, standing over his weak, now pale body. "Elaine, I was near Asterian territory when this happened. A guard saw me and questioned my reasonings for being there.” He tells me before falling silent. Val sucks in raspy breath, his helm making it sound all the more hollow. 

“I told him I was passing through the area when I was then asked about you. I said nothing, but he claimed your disappearance could be linked to me. After I was uncooperative in being detained I was attacked, and my horse fled." Val says.

"Val, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen. I have no idea how-" He cuts me off, his helm turning toward me after saying this. 

"You have no idea how they've connected us? You have no contact with your family?" He asks.

"No, the only way they'd know is if someone had recognized me with you in the area and told them directly," I say, trying to assure him.

"Elaine, even if I survive this, no one here is safe. I was attacked with no evidence toward me. If they find the tavern they'll burn it to the ground. We need to take preventative measures. I wouldn't want to force your hand back into a dangerous family, but know the tavern comes first." He cuts through.

"No, I understand. There was no way for me to emancipate myself under Asterian law, it was selfish to assume I'd be able to start new with no effort to find me and I'm so sorry for dragging you into this. I wouldn't even be alive without you, and you've been so kind to me throughout my time here..." My voice breaks apart, and I feel tears rolling down my cheeks. I desperately wipe them away, trying to pull myself together.

"No, don't cr-" Val jumps into the conversation, sitting up in my bed. He lets out a grunt before continuing. "Don't cry." a thinly gloved hand wrapped itself around both of mine gently. I feel him attempt to squeeze, with nothing more than a muted grasp shining through. He collapses back to lying down. My heart aches to see him so weak. 

"I don't want this to happen, but I don't think I have a choice, Elaine," he says, glancing down at his torso. He stops for a moment, his breath so soft I can no longer tell if it’s there. I can't see his eyes to determine if he's fighting sleep, sending me into a light panic. I wait a moment, with him giving no indication if he is asleep. Then another, still nothing. Anxiety builds when I still can't monitor his breathing, I finally decide to take a step.

I put my ear against his chest, bracing one hand on his uninjured waist side and the other on his chest. I shift myself a bit with bated breath until I finally hear the softest, fastest, "Thump, thump, thump." He was alive, but his accelerated heart rate most likely meant he was moments before death. I curl his shirt in my fingers, trying to hold back any tears I could. 

"What are you-" he says, cutting himself off with a muffled cough, his voice just above me. I go to jump back but feel a hand clutching my waist. 

Increasingly shallow breaths. He was close to death, possibly mere moments away. My shaky hands grip his clothes. I swipe my face across his shirt, trying to wipe away stinging tears while in his grasp. I begin to sob, not trying to unpack or judge these feelings, and instead take them as they are with such little time left. I know I like him. And he likes me. He risked his life to pry my body from the desert so I, someone he didn't know, could live. He's sweet, and kind, and I'll never get to know more about him or look forward to an unexpected visit from him at the tavern while working again. 

Something strange begins to happen as I sit with these feelings. A light flicks its way around the room, growing, shifting, spreading in the air. A bright, fiery, familiar luminance dancing around us. I feel a pain in my side, burning deep within my flesh, I clutch it, pulling away from Val and slipping to the floor. It burrows its way further, finally nestling halfway through my body. The pain slowly fades to a throbbing ache, far more tolerable than the stabbing pain prior. 

"Elaine!" Val shoots up from my bed, attempting to pull me from the floor. I look up, seeing that some much-needed color has returned to his previously pale complexion. The way his arm gripped my shoulder showed a return of some strength. I stumble upwards, bracing my arm on Val's knee to get up. The jolt upwards shook his hair from his helm, thick black locks now flowing down his shoulders. I glance at his waist, his deep, bleeding wound has become a gnarly, scarred-over scab, but the bleeding has stopped. 

"I don't- I don't understand," I tell him. 

"Well, it seems to me that you’re magical, Elaine." Val says, pausing for a moment for breath, "I owe you my life."

"It's alright, I already owed you mine." I try to force a chuckle.

He looks at me in silence for a moment, then it clicks that he must have been making a confused expression beneath his helm. 

"When we first met, in the desert; you saved me from the Feijugh," I explain.

“I suppose I did. I owe you my life, and you owe me yours.” He laughs.

“That’s right, what do you suppose we call us? Even?” I respond.

“If we both owe each other our lives…I’d call us married.” He says in a tone I couldn’t tell was joking.

“Is that what you’d figure? I suppose it makes sense,” I laugh, trying to gauge if he’ll return the demeanor. 

“It would take care of your family issue, too.” He says, gesturing to me and going to take a drink from the bottle I still had in my bag. 

“How so?” I ask, more genuine than joking now.

“Asterian laws don’t allow royalty to wed with commoners or foreign citizens, and if they were to, they’d be ex-communicated from their family. It's happened enough in your line, don’t rule it out.” He says.

“Hmm,” is all I can muster for a moment until he adds on.

“You’re classified as missing right now, not eloped. There is not one article saying you ran away to elope, however, there are many stating missing. If you were found by your family married to… someone like me, then you’d be quietly cut from your family, so as not to draw attention to the masses with a taboo, alluring story. No mess, no problem, just a quiet, mutual understanding between family and your new freedom.” He says.

I have no idea how to respond to this, I’m overwhelmed by feelings, to say the least.

“You must forgive me, I’ve… lost a lot of blood. I understand if I’ve been incoherent.” He spits out, quickly getting up to leave. He hides a grunt, muffling the sound of pain shooting through him.

“You’ve got your armor here, and you still seem hurt. It's a nasty scab, you should still be monitored to make sure it's healing properly. Also, your shirt is still partially off.” I say.

“Yes, right. I think I'll need to strip down to clothes. I can’t stand the weight of my armor right now.” he says, sitting on the bed again. He starts to unfasten his greaves. He decides to keep his helm and boots on, since I doubt he’d had any other shoes on beneath other than footwraps. He waits for a moment, and I decide to fetch Marietta to examine the now scabbed-over wound.

I open the door to see her already waiting with a poor attempt to hide a disgruntled look on her face. She flashes a small smile, not being able to muster it for long as she approaches Val. She pushes down on his collarbone, guiding him to lie on the bed. She brushes her fingers over the rugged patch of skin, and I hear Val’s breath hitch. 

“Did you… cauterize this?” She asks straight-faced as if already knowing the answer.

“No, to be honest, I’m not sure exactly what happened. How does it look?” I ask, unable to form a proper response. It seems the shock of the situation was still settling in.

“It looks as if it’s been healing for about a while now…” She pauses, her eyes locked on his abdomen, “As if we were able to stabilize him. What exactly happened here?” 

I struggle for words, Val sees this and chimes in, giving his account of the story.

“Elaine, why did you shout and fall to the floor?” Her tone was so blunt and cold that it felt as though I’d done something wrong by saving his life. 

“There was a quick, sharp pain in my side, but then it faded to a dull throb moments later,” I tell her.

“How does it feel now?” She asks.

“It’s difficult to describe, it's more of a warm constriction now. Like if you were to put a hot compress on my body. The warmth runs deep, halfway through me, I’d say.” I manage. 

I see Val put his head down when I say this, making me wonder what occupies his thoughts. Marietta nods, turning toward me.

“Elaine, do you mind showing me your waist?” she asks.

“Where would I change? Val is in here and I can’t go anywhere else…” I sheepishly point out. 

“We could try the bathhouse, but it’s still open, so there’s no guarantee of complete privacy either way. Val? Do you think you’ll be able to leave the room for a moment?” She asks, obviously skeptical and only humoring me. 

He pulls his shirt down over his chest, further adjusting his clothes before getting up. He braces himself this time when getting up, clearly trying to be careful. He takes a few steps before stumbling to the floor in front of the doorway. 

Marietta and I each jolt to aid him, but he interjects by jutting his palm out toward us. 

“I’ll just…look away then?” He says, embarrassed. He manages to get back up onto the bed without much assistance. 

“Um… How do I know your eyes are closed? It's difficult to guarantee without being able to see your face, you know.” I say with an awkward chuckle. 

“Well,” He says, grasping for his helm. My breath hitches, waiting in anticipation, even Marietta can’t take her eyes off of him. 

He takes his helm in his hands, twisting it around until we can see the solid back of his helm without removing it. 

“Can you breathe like that?” I say without thinking. He responds by putting his thumb up in my general direction. 

It clicks just then that Val… is a bit of an idiot. Or at the very least holds an obscure sense of humor. My mind flashes back to watching him sweep the glass pile in my room for minutes on end in awkward silence. No, he’s an idiot. Despite this, I still feel a warm glow radiating within me whenever I even see him. Why was this? 

My attention breaks back to Marietta when she begins lifting the skirt of my tavern uniform. I attempt to shove away the feeling of embarrassment, knowing that it was for good reason. Finally, she hoists it up past my waist, giving a small gasp. 

“What?”

“Look for yourself,” Marietta says, pulling fabric to the side to reveal a large, bright scar on my waist. It was the same color as the light that permeated the room when I was alone with Val.

“This is unlike any healing magic I’ve ever seen, even in elven areas. I don’t know what to deduce from this.” She looks mortified as she speaks.

“I’ll need to discuss this with my family. If I go back then I- then we won’t have to worry about another attack like this either. I had no idea I was capable of magic, on every account I shouldn’t be.” I say, racking my brain with possible explanations. 

“But what abou-” Val says, stopping when Marietta shoots him a glance. 

“But what about what, Val?” She says, stepping closer to him. “Nothing, I didn’t say anything.” He says. She leans in close, holding his helm at either side. She turns his helm around, attempting to make eye contact through the dark eye slit in his helmet. He continues his silence.

“Well, if you’re sure you didn’t say anything,” she says. She lingers in the doorway before leaving, “Val will have to rest here until he’s able to at least support his own weight. I hope you two don’t have an issue with that. Could be hours, days, even weeks.” She says dryly. 

“Anyway, I’ll tell Kenrik that it isn’t an emergency anymore and that he can feel free to open the tavern up again. You’ll be able to work, Elaine?” She asks. I simply nod, staying quiet and reserved after her strange demeanor. I dare not say anything about the headache I can already feel forming. 

I go to leave my room when Val stops me. I am once again reminded how his unarmored hand felt so much different; softer, warmer. I pull my attention to him. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I said. I don’t know why I did, and I’d never want to make you uncomfortable. I assure you that I was just thinking of ways to help.” He says quickly, trying to shove the topic off. 

“I understand,” I say, holding onto his hand still over mine. I run my thumb over his thinly gloved knuckles. “You were bleeding out, I can’t expect you to think too clearly. I think it's sweet that you were still trying to aid me in such a weak condition. If you’re feeling well soon, I think I might need an escort into Asteria, family issues to discuss and all.” 

He nods, letting his hand slip from mine. As I sneak out the door I look at him, “You know, you should really try to be more selfish sometimes.” I chuckle. His kindness is what has gotten him into such a troubled situation, I think preserving himself would do him better. 

[transparentkittenheart]

Inwas tagged for bg3weddingseason by @gale-force-storm

This is an Astarion x named Durge ramble. 💉💉💉

Astarion x Vienna

1: Weddings or something else?- What do the characters think about weddings or marriages? If not a wedding, would they acknowledge their relationship in a different kind of ceremony?

Vienna and Astarion were both discouraged from thinking about marriage, or really anything domestic. Astarion being a spawn under Cazador didn’t leave any room for anything but borderline delusional fantasy. Thoughts of being rescued and romanced were snuffed out within his first few decades of slavery.  At the same time Vienna being a Bhaal spawn meant that any marriage would be purely a power play, and even that wouldn’t be a necessary step in her life. Her fantasies were kept drenched in violence and gore, romance was hardly interesting to her.  

However, after the two of them are freed from their former masters, as well as their tadpoles these once ridiculous ideas don’t seem so ridiculous anymore. 

Astarion would be the first one to really consider a wedding. His pet names for Vienna are often in a possessive: My dear, my sweet, my love. To be completely honest there's a bit of selfishness in his mind. He wants Vienna all to himself, and he wants everyone else to know that. Being able to say “That's my wife.” is extremely appealing.

Of course Astarion has sweetness as well, he genuinely wants to see Vienna dressed so prettily. She's so beautiful already she would be a picture really, unreal; an ethereal hellion. She would deserve to experience a wedding, something that they were both denied as an option for both of their entire lives. 

Vienna doesn’t let herself consider it. She’s content with how things are. Her druidic philosophies tell her that most creatures don’t wed, and what is she but an exceptionally odd creature? Is someone like her even really deserving of something so domestic? Surely not. 

It's only when Astarion starts planting the idea that she begins to really give it thought. They pass by dress shops with wedding gowns in the windows. “Ah, don’t bother looking at that one my dear, it's tailored so poorly. Honestly, it must be someones sorry first attempt.” and “You would be such a treasure in that one don’t you think?” It’s anything but subtle, and all she can do is nervously nod or shug her shoulders.

It would take her a while for her to really feel comfortable with Astarions occasional pushes of imagination. Given enough time though, she gets excited to play these little games of his. “Which one of these do you think would look best with blood dripping down my neck?” As she motions towards the puncture wounds that have since become permanent scars from the constant use. Marriage is finally something she can envision. 

 

23: Honeymoon - Does the couple take a honeymoon anywhere?

The two of them are both from Baldur's Gate and despite both of their hardships they still love it there.

They do a lot of nightlife activities. Go to music shows, clubs, bars, fancy places to eat for Vienna (Astarion used to get jealous watching her eat, but he really enjoys it now.), Astarion cheats at gambling which they both find to be incredibly hilarious. The two of them aren’t able to leave the underdark very often so they make sure to stock up on luxury’s they both miss. Clothes shopping, specialty  soaps, lotions, food and tea items that are difficult to get. They also spend a lot of time at the beach or on a cliff side. Wherever they go, shenanigans follow. 

During the day the two of them rest, canoodle and generally laze about. Perhaps they get visits from their old companions. They definitely get too much room service to the annoyance of the employees. They don’t tip, and honestly the two of them look a little uncanny, wide eyed in the dark with curtains and blankets nailed over the windows. They give the staff the creeps, and the crew definitely draw straws to decide who needs to cater to the couple. 

Astarion unquestionably leaves the Underdark responsibilities to someone else for the next few weeks to the dismay of everyone. He gives them a sending stone and tells them to contact him if things get out of hand, but he immediately stuffs it in a drawer at the inn they’re staying at. If the stone gets too loud Vienna chucks it out the window and Astarion applauds her for it. “Ah, bravo my love, you certainly know how to respond to a cry for help.”

[skullaton]

Chapter 5: Uh oh!

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8

Wally Darling / GN Reader

Rated: M

Summary:

The city is full of people. Then why did it feel so lonely? Memories of clinking bottles and dazzling neon lights flickered through your mind. Misty, car filled streets with humans, but no humanity. A bridge and a phonebooth. And a sweet voice that wanted you to come home. You’ve wandered too far, and you don’t know how to get back. But don’t worry! You’ve made some friends from a colourful town that can help you!

TW: Childhood trauma, scopophobia, alcohol references, gore, non-sexual intimacy

AO3 link: here

Wally logo by Clown

The rest of the day you spent at Howdy’s, helping him clean and close up shop. Every time there was a spare moment, he made sure that you were okay.

As if you were a fragile kid that will cry at any moment.

Your fears earlier seemed to have made him on edge, and you almost felt bad for all the ruckus you caused.

Once everything was all tidied and in their proper spot, you stood outside the shop with Howdy. He jingled some keys anxiously. “You sure you want to go? We can always stay back, if you want.” You felt a warm flattery heat your chest. The gesture of him willing to stay back to make sure you’re alright… The love was borderline overbearing.

“No, I’m good! I swear!” you put your hand on your chest while another did a scout salute. “I talked it out with Wally. I was just,... having a moment, I suppose.”

Howdy gave you a relieved smile before nodding in resolve. He locked up the shop for the night before you both made your way to Julie’s place.

“You have your toothbrush?” He tallied off on his fingers.

“Yes,” You patted the small linen bag that was slung over your shoulder.

“Tooth paste?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Spare clothes?”

You shot him a blank look. His face flushed as he ran a hand over the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“You don’t need to dote on me, you know?”

He billowed out a sigh from his nose. “I know. I just feel like I have to look out for you ever since you came here.”

This caused your deadpan to melt into a warm smile. You nudge your shoulder into his arm, which barely made contact with his elbow. “Thank you, Howdy. I appreciate it.”

He offered a small smile as he looked down at you. “Don’t mention it, kiddo.”

“Still not a kid.” You pouted.

“Whatever you say, young grasshopper.”

You playfully swatted one of his arms, laughing and joking for the duration of the walk.

It wasn’t long before you made it to Julie’s. You can already hear the rumble of laughter and music on the other side of the door. The front yard was littered with toys and half-inflated balloons.

You inwardly took a big breath to prepare. Oh, this is going to be chaotic.

Howdy took the initiative to open the gate to the chaotic world of Julie’s home.

The scene before you was already something out of an unsupervised kid’s play date.

Julie, who wore an oversized robe and a cane, stood on top of a sheeted table. Frank was next to her, looking miserable, adorned with a jester hat. They were playing out a scene from a show that you haven’t seen before. Before them was Sally, who dramatically called directions like a theatre director.

Maybe this was her play they were rehearsing?

In the opposite corner, you see Eddie, Barnaby, and Wally doing an arts and crafts project. Eddie was trying his best to teach Wally how to cut snowflakes, but after every round, Wally would flatly ask, “Like this?” 

It warranted Eddie to give a defeated sigh and gently coo a dejected, “...No.”

The fragrant aroma of food and sweets wafted through the tiny home. You can spot feathers ruffling behind a corner, which you could only assume was Poppy making something delicious.

Julie was mid-sentence in rehearsing a line before she noticed you next to Howdy. She released a dramatic gasp and tumbled off of the table with a crash . It didn’t seem to have affected her much, because she was barreling towards you hands first.

She launched herself at you in a tumbling hug, knocking you straight on your butt with a thump .

The air got kicked out of you as you tried to speak, “Hi, Julie.”

“I haven’t seen you in FOREVER!” she was nuzzling your stomach, her words only coming out in a muffled mess.

“We saw each other a few days ago.”

“THAT WAS FOREVERRR AGO!”

You chuckled, placing a hand on her head to tousle her blonde locks.

She gasped for air and flung herself back onto her feet. She tugged you up while she excitedly talked. 

“We have so much planned for tonight! Like dress up, truth or dare, movies, and maybe even…” she looked over the group of friends with diabolical eyes, “... spin the bottle!”

You hid the growing grin behind your hand. Her excitement was contagious, you’ll give her that.

Right when she was about to drag you off to Gosh knows where, Poppy popped her head out of the kitchen for an announcement, “Food’s done!”

Julie had immediately forgotten what she was about to show you and ran full sprint to the kitchen, giggling all the way. Meanwhile, the rest of the group just casually got up from their position to check out Poppy’s spread.

You followed the group to bear witness a table filled to the brim with different food. You can see some basic foods, like salads, hot dogs, cakes and cookies. But then there were more… stranger concoctions. Was that… jell-o fruit salad? You held back the disgusted look that was tempting to surface.

“Anything catch your eye?”

You jumped in your skin as you faced the blue haired perpetrator that was suddenly next to you. Releasing a huff, you pouted, “Wally! Don’t scare me like that!”

He gave you a cat-like grin, “I was here the entire time!”

“Well, make yourself known!”

“I just did.”

You rolled your eyes and giggled at his nonsense. You could never be mad at this easy-going bastard.

Everyone had queued up and got their fair share, then seated at a dining table to enjoy their meal. Wally sat next to you, while Barnaby sat on the other side. You happily munched on the warm food, humming contently.

Barnaby was off making some abysmal dad jokes in between bites of his hot dog. Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. This was almost idyllic. Like… a long lost family get together that you never experienced before.

Was this normality?

Was this what you were missing throughout your whole life?

You stole a glance to the yellow puppet next to you, observing him leaned back in his seat, watching his dog friend with droopy eyes. 

However, he didn’t touch anything on his plate.

You gave him a gentle nudge before leaning in to give a concerned whisper, “Are you hungry?”

Without looking at you, he shook his head and whispered back, “Ate before I came here.”

You nodded and went back to your own food. Seemed reasonable enough.

Not long after, Barnaby gestured to Wally’s full plate. “You gonna finish that?”

The shorter man shrugged and offered the heaping plate to the dog, who in seconds just wolfed it down.

“Barnaby’s always hungry for more,” Wally continued muttering back to you.

“So you got it for him?”

He nodded.

That… melted your heart. He’s so considerate of his friends, it made you want to burst.

**

After helping Poppy clean up, the night’s activities were going into full motion.

Julie and Sally brought out a giant chest, clothes and accessories rupturing out of the sides.

“Guess what time it is,” Julie was practically exploding, hopping in place.

“Oh dear,” Frank hid his face.

“Dress up time!!” Sally squealed.

There were some cheers in the crowd of friends, and a few pointed sighs.

“I will do everyone’s hair,” Julie started, hands flapping as her elation grew.

“I’ll pick out everyone’s clothes!” Sally continued.

The monster puppet looked over to the man. “Wally, did you want to do makeup?”

Wally gave an indifferent shrug, smiling all the same.

The girls cheered at the ‘approval’ he gave them.

The trio went through the members of the community, giving each person their own personal flair. … They weren’t kidding – they really were professionals at this.

Frank was now wearing a baggy sweater with a turtleneck underneath. A pair of large glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, and his hair was parted in the middle. You didn’t want to say it, but he looked like a puppet version of someone in a K-pop boy band.

Eddie had a giant power suit with slicked back hair. His fleece skin practically sparkled with glitter!

Barnaby wanted clown make up and garb, so the trio reluctantly obliged.

Poppy had frilly bows in her fluffy feathers. Her eye makeup was to die for, with dramatic wings and pink and purple eyeshadow.

Howdy’s hair was slicked back as he wore a 1920s pinstripe suit. You dared to call him a gangster at one point, and he shot you a glare. You almost wondered how the girls have a perfectly tailored suit for his limbs, but that’s a question for another day.

“Now you!” Julie was dragging you to the couch.

“O-oh,” you tried to fight her tiny grasp, finding it futile. “You don’t have to! I’m happy as is!”

“Nonsense, you need to feel good too!” She shoved you down into the plush throw pillows. You reluctantly leaned back, glancing at the yellow puppet man next to you.

“Do you trust us?” His words were a low, soothing monotone. Any edge you felt eased down. You gave him a nod.

The monster girl took that as consent, starting to work her fingers through your hair.

Wally organised his pallets, preparing himself to get closer.

Suddenly, you felt a weight on your lap that wasn’t there before.

Wide-eyed and surprised, you are now face-to-face with the pompadour puppet. You scooted even further back in your seat, as if to give you more space from the encroaching man.

“U-uh! H-hey!” you desperately were trying to look away from him, embarrassment burning your cheeks, “You didn’t do this to anyone else!”

He blinked. After a long moment, he leaned back and tilted his head, his lower half pressed against your knees. “Human skin is different. I only wish to get everything right.”

He watched you sweat underneath him before he started speaking again, “May I continue?”

Your heart hammered in your chest as you asked yourself… How did you feel about this?

Although it looks scandalous, it seems like he is taking it from a practical approach. Besides, everyone was chit chattering away, like this was normal behaviour.

You let out the breath you were holding and rested into the pillows, eyes trained on Wally’s sleepy, easy-going gaze. In resolution, you nodded.

He smiled wider, features softening. Before you knew it, you felt the coolness of the brushes on your heated skin.

All while he blended your foundation and contoured your features, you couldn’t help but notice the tiny details about him. When he concentrated, his ‘brows’ would crease and his smile would tense.

The most notable thing about him is his scent. The biggest note you can smell on his clothes was sweet, cinnamony apple spice. It was like he was a walking apple pie! The aroma itself was enough to calm even your worst anxieties.

“Your skin leaks,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“That’s oil.”

“Your skin has gasoline?”

You tried not to giggle at his obliviousness. “No, humans just produce sweat.”

He hummed in consideration before picking up an eyeshadow pallet. You closed your eyes and let him do his work. The tactile feel of your hair being played with, as well as the smooth brushes gliding across your eyelids was enough to lull you into a state of relaxation.

“Do you like eyeliner?”

You didn’t respond, far too at peace. Wally took your silence as compliance.

After he was done with your eyes, he went to ask another question, “How about lipstick?”

This one you were a bit uncertain of. You slowly blinked your eyes opened and hummed in consideration.

Then you felt a sharp tug on your chin, causing your eyes to lock onto Wally’s.

He didn’t wait for you to respond. Differing from his usual laid-back self, this time he took initiation.

“Red’s going to look really good on you.” He stated flatly as you felt the creamy lipstick roll over your lips. His fuzzy fingertips pulled at your bottom lip, giving him better access.

His assertiveness caught you by surprise. But what you didn’t understand was that pooling warmth in your chest. Your stomach was doing flips of excitement at the simple action.

You must be really losing it.

The weight on your lap alleviated as he stood at his full height.

“Sally’s turn,” he stated nonchalantly as he walked away.

It didn’t give you time to process what he said, or any of your foreign feelings. There was an overexcited star giggling maniacally next to you, pulling you up. She dragged you behind some privacy curtains that were in the corner of the room.

You quickly realised any form of struggle would probably just make the situation last longer.

You let her throw whatever outfit she had in mind on you, her fingers deftly working at the fabrics.

When she was done, she shoved you out into the public, announcing with an overzealous ‘Ta-daaa!’

Everyone in the room gazed at you with wide eyes. Suddenly, there was a rambunctious cheer, the walls practically vibrating from their elation. You self consciously giggled and bowed your head in thanks.

You stole a quick glance at a mirror next to you.

You couldn’t recognise yourself. You looked like you were going to some red carpet event.

You didn’t not like it. They really did your features justice. Every one of your insecurities was hidden away, and all of your strong points were accented.

**

The trio got ready with the help of each other.

Sally wore a billowy dress with stars and moons, with hair extensions pinned to her shining crest to resemble a fringe.

Julie opted for an 80s inspired look, mirroring a femme version of Frank’s outfit.

When your eyes landed on Wally, your heart fluttered on its own. He wore a crimson suit with a blue necktie. His eyelids were dusted with a shimmery red eyeshadow.

He looked absolutely stunning.

Your mouth had opened to speak praises, compliment, hell, anything. But you were left dumbfounded, staring at the dapper puppet. 

Before you can say anything, Julie interjected with the new plan of action. “Truth or dare!!”

Everyone got into a circle, sitting on various bean bags and chairs around the room.

Truth or dare went as well as you expected it to. Everytime it was Frank’s turn, he would try to pressure you into a ‘truth’. Even if you picked ‘dare’, he would still flip the words as if to ‘dare you to tell a truth.’

You had to kindly tell him that’s not how the game worked.

Barnaby always picked dare, and hilarity insured. At one point, he ate a whole bottle of ketchup.

You wished you never saw that.

A turn had landed on Eddie, with Julie being the chosen. She was grinning from ear to ear, rocking back and forth with excitement.

“Eddie, truth or dare!”

Eddie straightened up, putting on his bravest face. “You know what? This time… dare!”

All previous rounds, he only did truths, and most of his answers were pretty mild at that. A dare was definitely stepping it up for him.

Julie’s features bordered on demonic. She squealed, “I dare you to kiss Frank!”

A chorus of ‘oohs’ filled the friend group, with Eddie sitting shell shocked in the middle.

Frank shifted uncomfortably, a deep blush highlighting his grey cheeks. “N-now, hold on a moment.”

He had shuffled on his knees, closing in on the mailman. Frank placed a gentle hand over his large mitts. “You don’t have to be pressured to do anything if you feel uncom–!”

Just like that, Eddie’s mouth was on Frank’s lips.

Frank sighed contently and leaned into the kiss, savouring the closeness.

Barnaby was the first to wolf whistle, the rest of the neighbours celebrating with a round of applause. Julie was howling something along the lines that she got her best friend to kiss someone. It all faded into the rambunctious noise.

You giggled at the scene unfolding, watching Eddie finally pull apart from Frank. Words of adoration and love tumbled out of his lips for the frowny man. Frank, all the while, was a weeping, happy mess, peppering the larger man with kisses.

Watching the sweet moment made your insides soften.

The sweetness reminded you of someone else.

You dared a glance at the suit wearing Wally and noticed something.

He was looking at you too, eyes half-lidded and a lopsided smirk hugging his dashing features.

Your stomach somersaulted with nervousness. How long was he watching you?

While everyone was distracted, you decided to scoot closer to him. “Some event, huh?”

“About time they confessed to each other.”

You placed your chin on your palm as you dreamily looked him over. “Yeah?”

“Every time I hung out with either of them, they were wishy-washy about the other’s feelings.” He shrugged, never losing eye contact with you. “It was sort of obvious how they felt about each other.”

It felt like he was talking about something else then Eddie and Frank debacle.

There was a stillness in the air between you and him, like any misplaced word would ruin the perfectness of the situation. Each second passed and you both leaned closer and closer to each other.

Wally’s hand extended to yours, offering it. He decided to break the silence, “Come with me?”

At that moment, you would follow him to the ends of the world.

You took his hand, and he silently led you away from the boisterous crowd.

You both stepped outside into the night of the neighbourhood. Stars painted the brilliant navy sky like a perfect mural. There was a coldness in the night air, but the exhilaration of being with Wally overridden any of the feelings.

He stood in the centre of a grassy field as the full moon illuminated both of you in a pale limelight. The look he gave you was something close to ethereal.

“Dance with me?”

You held back a giggle, “But there’s no music!”

He eased you closer, holding both of your hands. He started humming for you, aiding you in having the case of the giggles. You caved finally, placing a hand on his shoulder pad while his other hand went to your waist. Both of you swayed to the distant nightly sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking.

“You don’t need to have music to dance,” his monotonous voice was barely above a whisper.

“But it does make it easier,” You purred back.

His smile grew before he started to ‘sing’ a song. His singing, although more similar to actually just talking with intonations, was sweet nonetheless.

“You look quite divine tonight,

         Here amongst these vibrant lights.

              Pure delight surrounds us as we sail,

                     Signed, yours truly, the whale.”

The closeness was unbearable now. His breath was on your skin, and yours on his.

You let the enchanted melodies of the night sweep you up in the whirlwind of feelings. You let yourself have this ounce of happiness that you deprived yourself for so long.

The feeling of Wally’s felt lips was against yours, moving with you. You hummed contently as you let the blissful feeling envelope you whole.

The thralls of kissing made you unaware of how the time passed. Or how the grass was now tickling your back as you both made your way to the ground. Your arms snaked around the back of his neck while he propped himself up on his palms.

When you both finally separated for air, Wally made sure to do a comically loud ‘mwuah!’

Endless giggles tumbled out of both of you, part nervousness, part exhilaration. As you looked over his shadowed face, you noticed the red lipstick marks you left him.

“Nice lipstick,” you gave a breathy compliment.

“Thanks. Always wanted to try this shade.” He offered another peck, enunciating another ‘mwuah!’

A pleasant quietness lulled over both of you. He opted to rest his head against your chest, ear pressed to your sternum. You gingerly traced circles into his back as you both cuddled under the starlit sky.

“You have a drum in your chest,” he remarked quietly.

“That’s my heart.”

“Can I get closer?”

You glanced down at the man, who’s fuzzy fingers were tugging at the hem of your top, eyes wide with curiosity.

A heat burned your face as it dawned on you what he was suggesting. Your heart thundered in your ribcage, begging to be set free.

You tried to rationalise this. He just wanted to know how a beating heart felt up close. No funny play, at all. Just like the makeup incident.

You decided to reluctantly nod, vision flicking up to the dark sky above you. You couldn’t dare to look down as you felt his downy fingers touch your bare skin. This whole ordeal was embarrassing as is.

Right when his palm was flat on your sternum, a long, tense moment passed between you too. He could probably feel how fast your heart was beating, how your chest rose and fell with each passing breath, the clamminess of your skin.

“Why haven’t you committed yet?” his voice was low.

You swallowed hard, eyes still boring holes into the sky. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve done everything to make it hospitable for you. Yet, you’re still doubting.”

Your brows pressed together in thought. That’s a heavy question, alright.

While you were searching for an answer, you noticed something in the sky. All the beautiful stars had vanished, being replaced with an inky black void. A darkness loomed over the sky, cloaking the valley in darkness.

“Why don’t you want to stay here?”

That’s when you felt a sharp pain intrude on your chest.

Your eyes shot down at the indescribable burning sensation that radiated from your skin. 

You wish you never looked down.

Wally’s hands were at your chest, clawing open the seams of your skin.

Wait, seams?

Your vision burned as you saw the fleshy bits of your own torso being ripped apart, though nylon strings dangled from the ends. Despite the overwhelming agony, you dared to look even further.

You expected to see viscera and gore, but all you were met with was fluffy cotton and wool.

Fear coursed through your veins, leaving the icy feeling of dread pitting in your stomach. You desperately tried to clamber away from the invading force, but found it futile. He weighed far too much, and he was far too deep inside of you.

He was elbows deep into your chest cavity, digging out the residual fluff inside of you. He was rambling nonsense - not that any of this made any sense to you.

“Maybe I should remake you again – ugh, but I want to keep your heart!” Just then, something deep in you was being touched. Your heart thrummed against a soft hand.

“This is the best thing about you! I don’t want to lose it.” he pouted, enjoying the pulsing organ underneath his touch.

You felt your head go light, your vision blurring into an array of colours. You barely managed to whisper a plea. A quiet, desperate, “Why?”

You can barely hear him through your encroaching slumber. A soft, delicate, “Because I love you.”