#those coffin stairs man

[ghostinthegallery]

Magnus Archives season 2 complete! (I guess it's time for spoiler warnings 🤣)

- Martin continues to be perfect and still must be protected at all costs. Absolutely in love with Jon, you don't bring a man that many cups of tea unless you want to get married immediately

-Jon you are a mess and I love you, but I'm gonna need you to get your shit together real quick so you can be worthy of Martin's love. That man is making your tea perfectly every time and I'll be you don't even NOTICE

- All hail Tim our bisexual king 👑

- SASHA 😭😭😭😭😭

- FUCKING ELIAS I KNEW IT

- Michael, you're a bitch

- Gertrude is awesome.

- Loved Jurgen's episode in particular. He's so soft spoken and polite talking about absolutely horrendous shit it's quite chilling.

- really enjoying piecing together all these tiny narratives in addition to the big main one. It's a fun little jolt recognizing a name and trying to place a story in the timeline. Or hearing something and thinking "yeah we are SO not done with that" (looking at you, fucked up space experiment)

-onto season three where hopefully the team will stop suspecting each other of murder long enough punch Elias in the kidneys (Elias is probably an aspect of cthulu or something weird. He's gonna have too many eyes. Or one big eye idk)

[not-the-cheese]

one sentence(ish) summaries of every magnus archive episode PART 2

(eps 61-110) thank u for the funny comments and tags on the last part i love u guys

the rest of these may take a while as i've caught up to where i am currently in the podcast but i will finish them like in a month i promise

----

61. the thrilling sequel to man does not open coffin: man DOES open coffin.

62. surely this doctor can find an easier way to scam people out of money than putting them in a little book.

63. THE DARK ATE MY BROTHER IN LAW.

64. this is possibly the plot of laura croft tomb raider

65. mmm crumchy

66. what's the opposite of an unboxing video

67. as close to a coffeeshop au as you're going to get from this podcast

68. Doctors hate him! Man REFUSES to die from tuberculosis!

69. your college's psych department has the worst idea ever.

70. reverse death note

71. not even death will stop this woman from taking the british subway

72. man doesn't want to be low key racist in his last moments before getting eaten

73. police versus the second coming of dark jesus

74. lady is haunted by an ad for coffee

75. mike crew says "uh fuck it let's just put this guy on a skyscraper forever"

76. ryan from buzzfeed unsolved breaks into a train yard and suffers consequences

77. you're not a enough of a bitch to be my real mom

78. man gets harassed by his cousin and then exorcises him

79. you know that chase scene in scooby doo with the doors

80. stupid idiot motherfucking jurgen leitner

81. i have been personally victimized by the sequel to the hungry hungry caterpillar

82. pov: elias threatens to cancel you

83. mannequin takes matters into its own hands after people don't like its pitch for a new window display

84. a hoarder put newspaper on my friend's face :(

85. hey there's maybe a little man upon these stairs?

86. man gets got by a squiggly thing in the dark.

87. plumber is so oblivious to spooky happenings around him that it possibly saves his life.

88. guys i think this guy likes to dig

89. lesbian investment banker finds a new, less evil job: arson!

90. guy who turns people's bones starts a gym where he promises not to turn your bones! (he is lying)

91. i was stalked by lightning for 10 years and i all i got were these stupid scars

92. jonah magnus is a bad friend // another day another elias slay

93. ocd is no match for purple fuzz

94. let the bodies drop gently to the floor let the bodies drop gently to the floor

95. im so sorry my brain refuses to remember what the war ones were about but i think one guy got gently kissed on the forehead so that's pretty nice.

96. diversity wins! the not-quite-human delivery men who stole your identity and business are maybe gay?

97. man gets gaslighted by an entire town about a hole

98. 🎶mister sandman bring me a dream, actually don't, please stay far from me 🎶

99. another one bites the dust

100. archival assistants face off against the general public (they lose)

101. jon finally levels up high enough to unlock an eldritch horror's tragic backstory

102. LOCAL MAN MARRIES BUG

103. peppa eats a clown and they cover her in concrete instead of congratulating her.

104. pennywise stole my brother's skin

105. it's world war z baby

106. Something Big Is In Space.

107. man is interrogated about the time he saw thomas the train roasts people alive and also sans is there

108. actor is stalked by mask who liked his monologue so much that it tells its mask friends to come watch.

109. sometimes a family is just a serial killer's daughter and that guy who maybe killed some vampires

110. yeah man those spiders be eating

Part 1 |

[littlexdeaths]

sometimes you gotta improvise, right?

older brother’s best friend eddie x fem reader

side note: eddie x reader have been sneaking around for about two & half months at this point so 🤭

it’s a recipe for disaster masterlist.

your brother was on to you.

he’d noticed something was up with you for a few weeks, but he chose to say nothing until now. despite how careful you and eddie were, sid was far more observant than either of you gave him credit for.

eddie had been over with the rest of the corroded coffin guys for a listening party. metallic’s newest album had come out a few days prior, and they all wanted to be able to listen to it together.

while they were all stationed in your family basement, you were laid out on your bed watching a movie. your family video had finally gotten some copies of ghost, and you couldn’t wait to rent out the first copy after your afternoon shift wrapped up.

the august heat still hasn’t subsided, and the stuffy air in your room had you feeling a little restless. so you paused your movie and wandered down to the basement in search of a cold snack. and maybe part of you just wanted to have an excuse to see your boyfriend.

when you first wandered down the stairs, they hardly acknowledged you. the five of them too enthralled in listening to the unforgiven to notice your presence.

everyone besides eddie, he always noticed you.

you meet his lingering gaze with a shy grin before you open the chest freezer, reaching inside to pull out some freezee pops. and your brother finally takes notice of you then.

“so, mouse. when’s that boyfriend of yours coming for dinner?” sid asks casually, and your whole body tenses up.

you grip the cold treat tightly in your fist, turning to face your brother with a look of feigned confusion.

“what boyfriend?”

your brother just rolls his eyes, “the one i heard sneaking out your window last night.”

you can see the slightly panicked look on eddie’s face from your peripheral but you don’t dare look at him now.

“i really don’t know what you’re talking about, sid.”

while he was merely curious before, now he’s starting to get angry.

“come on, i know you’ve got some secret boyfriend you aren’t telling me about,” sid huffs, eyeing the side of your neck suspiciously.

“and if those hickeys are anything to go by—”

“steve!” you blurt suddenly, before your brother has a chance to question you further.

“huh?”

“i’m seeing steve harrington.”

it’s like all the air has been sucked out of the room, and sid just stares at you in shock. he didn’t exactly know who to expect, but his high school rival wasn’t one of them. you can feel eddie glaring daggers into the side of your head, but you really can’t worry about that right now.

you were just praying that sid would buy your lie for the time being. at least until you and eddie could discuss how you were going to to go about telling him. so you weren’t exactly thinking of the ramifications of what said lie would bring.

but the next words that leave his mouth has panic filling your chest.

“well— harrington’s a dead man.”

[1toreyouapart]

What It Cost

****THIS IS A FICTIONAL STORY BASED ON REAL PEOPLE. 18+ ONLY. I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE PEOPLE OR MUSIC MENTIONED IN THIS STORY OUTSIDE OF LILITH AND SADIE AND MAYBE A COUPLE OTHERS. DO NOT READ IF YOU’RE NOT UP FOR FANFIC INVOLVING REAL PEOPLE***

Terrible summary: Five years since she last spoke to him. Since she last saw him. Now his face and his voice is everywhere. She can't escape him.

Five years ago Noah destroyed her and the life they had built. Now he’s back and seeking to make amends. As much as she wants to say that it's too little too late, is it?

CW/TW: Angst, mention of addiction, cheating. Mention of character death. Language. Smut (later on). PinV, unprotected PinV (wrap it before you tap it, friends), oral (f&m receiving). All smutty warnings happen later on, so I’ll update TW/CW warning labels as those parts are written and posted. If I forget anything, please let me know so I can fix it! Thank you!

A/N: Currently unedited. Sorry. 😬 Read at your own risk, I guess. 😅 Also no word count because I’m lame.

Part 1

Part 2-Noah

"Lilly's on her way." Nicholas dropped down in the chair next to him.

Noah's heart sank into his stomach. Five years of successfully staying out of her way was about to go to shit. At first he'd done it to make it easier on her. Or so he told himself. But after five years, he had to admit it was because he was nothing but a coward, too scared to face the worst mistake he'd ever made. Hurting her. He could still see the look on her face when he'd come home that morning.

The way those brilliant blue eyes of hers, bloodshot from lack of sleep and undoubtedly hours of crying, tracked his movements as he quietly went up the stairs to take a shower. The pain etched on her face. He'd never seen her so fragile. He'd left the shower and gone downstairs, ready for her anger. Ready for the fight that he was sure was going to happen after what he'd done. Instead he'd gone down just in time to watch her pull out of the driveway. No yelling. No screaming. No crying. She just left. And he did nothing to try to stop her. He knew what he had done. The final nail in the coffin.

"I should leave. I'm not needed here."

"Stop being a fucking coward. I love you, man. But you can't run from what you did forever. Been sober for three years now and you're still too chicken shit to face her."

Ouch. He was right, but ouch. Noah had made amends with everyone he had hurt during those years he had tried to drink himself to death. But the thought of facing her fucking terrified him. Before that last year he had been sure he was going to marry her someday. Shit, even during that last year of their relationship he had been sure of it. Up until he just kept fucking it up more and more, too chicken shit to face his own demons like a grownup.

"Does she know I'm here?"

"Yes. We all promised to keep you away from her unless she wants to speak to you."

Noah grimaced. Sure, he had known deep down that they all kept in contact with her. She was like everyone's little sister. He didn't expect them to just drop out of her life, or her theirs. She'd known all but Nicholas longer than he'd known them, anyway. That didn't stop him from feeling a little hurt by them keeping it from him for so long, though. They could have been honest with him. He knew he had fucked up. He had known the second he let another woman hang all over him that night. Knew as soon as he followed her out the door instead of going straight home to the woman that had moved all the way across the country with him. Bought a house with him.

The door opened and his breath caught in his throat, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. Palms sweaty he looked up, leg starting to bounce anxiously. There she stood, Jolly wrapping her up in a tight hug. Time seemed to stand still as she turned towards him, her impossibly blue eyes locking on his. No anger. No hatred. Not even a hint of an emotion in them. Just blank. Fuck.

***

Noah shifted uncomfortably, trying his best not to stare at her. Everyone was gathered in the backyard, a fire in the pit, sharing stories of Danny. All evening he had avoided being near her, though everything in him begged to touch her. It was enough to slowly drive him insane. All he wanted was to sit next to her. Hold her hand. Shit, just hold her. To hear her say his name again. But he couldn't do that anymore. He had given up that right.

Lilith's laugh filtered through everything else, and he was sure he was going to pass out right there where he sat, directly across the fire from her. Instead he took a sip of his water, if for nothing else other than a distraction.

"Noah, you have to finish telling them. I can't." Lilith interrupted his thoughts, her laughter echoing in his head. She spoke to him? Said his name? Oh, fuck.

"Jolly asked how she got the Thumbelina nickname," Nicholas whispered, knowing he had been too caught up in his head to know.

Noah smirked, remembering Danny telling him about this story on the phone that day.

"Danny stopped by when we were on tour to check in on her, like I had asked. Apparently she was too caught up in planting those flowers right back there," he gestured towards the flower bush she had planted all those years ago. "And when he said hi she threw one of the bushes at him, thinking he was an intruder." Noah couldn't help but join her in her laughter at the memory. "Danny dubbed her Thumbelina from that moment on."

Noah met her eyes from across the fire as they laughed together, and suddenly everything felt somewhat okay. There was joy back in her eyes, etched across her face. Her smile took over her face, breathing life back into her. He may not be the cause of it, but it was a sight he thought he'd never see again.

"Wait. I thought Noah gave you that nickname. Who started calling you Bambi?" Jolly interjected.

Noah choked on his water, sputtering at the nickname he had always called her. That was one of his favorite memories, though rather private. And not a story he was keen on telling without her permission. The way she had insisted that she didn't need him to help her up after the first time they'd had sex. How she had stumbled and flipped him off the second he said "You sure about that, Bambi?"

Lilith laughed. A full on genuine laugh that came from her toes. God, he had missed that sound. He had missed the way she never held back her true laugh. The way she laughed with every fiber of her being.

Jolly looked between the two of them, her unable to control her laughter, him hiding his face the best he could. Noah watched as realization set into his friends features, and quickly avoided eye contact with him.

"Awe, man! What the fuck?"

Noah couldn't hold back his own laughter anymore, joining Lilith. Jesus Christ, he had missed this. Missed her.

Tags: @haylaansmi @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard

[keeksandgigz]

it's you and me (that's my whole world)- day 1 of keeks's lover house series♡

Day 1 of my Lover House Series♡

♡rockstar!eddie munson x famous!fem!reader♡

allusion of smut, r and eddie are in a secret relationship, disgustingly fluffy, kinda sad and angsty<3

"the whole school is rolling fake dice/ you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes"

You don't know how much longer you can go on with this lie.

"A PR Relationship for the ages" it was called on every single tabloid, everyone knew it was fake. Yet, you deluded yourself nobody did.

You deluded yourself that nobody knew it was to cover up the disastrous encounter with the paparazzi, catching you stumbling out of a dingy club hand in hand with Corroded Coffin frontman Eddie Munson- your secret boyfriend. In those pictures he sported various lipstick marks on his face and neck. Your management team was furious.

To keep up the "American Sweetheart" image, you'd been persuaded to date some airhead quarterback, up and coming NFL star. And you'd tried, tried to hard to be able to establish something with this guy, but there wasn't much there there to begin with.

But you catch yourself running back to him. Every Wednesday night, he meets you at his New York apartment, adrenaline and fear thrumming within you as you enter through the back alley of his building.

Feeling safe in the comfort of his home, it's like a fortress where no one can reach you, a place where you can forget about the rest of the world and their demands and lay in his arms.

It's a swirl of lips, hands, tongues and limbs once you step foot in his door. The desperation to feel him as close as possible, starved for his touch, needing to feel him close. You seem to crave him with every fiber of your being as you often waste no time getting each other's clothes off.

Feeling the warmth of his skin, tracing the ink of his tattooed chest. He handles you with such gentleness and care that you can't fathom how a man like him could easily tarnish your image.

"Beautiful girl, missed you so much this week" he mumbles against the soft skin of your abdomen as he kisses down your body "Wednesday never comes fast enough, does it?" he chuckles, caressing the sides of your thighs, peppering kisses from the arch of your foot to your knee.

A slow tease, as it may seem, but in reality, it's just a way to make time go by more slowly, an illusion to grant yourself a longer night with him. A prayer to make your Wednesday nights never ending.

That's why you're tangled in sheets at 3 AM, while Eddie draws circles on your arm. "Y'know I don't mind having to hide, right?"

You sigh "I know, I just wish we could come clean, so I don't have to fake date that piece of shit" a gentle kiss is placed on your forehead.

"Soon, angel, I promise. M'fixing my image for you, so we can show up to your fancy events hand in hand. Everyone's gonna wish they didn't make shit up about us" he smiles, cradling your face in his hands. He is fighting sleep tooth and nail to be able to steal a glimpse, one more look, see how beautiful you look in the glowing yellow light of his side lamp.

"It's always gonna be you and me, baby" that's what he'd often say. A promise that things will eventually go your way.

It's too late to turn on the big light. So he allows himself one more touch, one more look, a caress.

Damning himself for falling victim to sleep, he looks at you one last time, already in the arms of Morpheus, as he lets himself sleep.

He doesn't hear you stir at 6 am, like clockwork. You grab your clothes and make your journey down the back stairs of the building, where your driver is waiting for you.

You look up. One day you'll get to wake up with him.

Day 2 is Reputation! Find the form here!

[dreamteammemes]

Out of context Gravity Falls quotes:

"Give me a hand with this coffin, will ya?"

"Sorry for accusing you of murder last week."

"I'm joking!"

"Right, like I'm gonna fall for that."

"The more you struggle the more awkward this is going to be for everybody."

"I can BUY and SELL you!"

"Aw, come on! BOO!"

"What am I doing?"

"You don't need to take your clothes off."

"Those cannibals are onto something. I taste delicious!"

"Tell my story!"

"Non-specific excuse!"

"Nice to meet you. Also, I think I am dying."

"I've been traumatized!"

"It's funny how dumb you are."

"You had me at shut up."

"I ate a man alive tonight."

"Race you to the bottom of the stairs!"

"Oh no, it's... happening."

"This is for your own good."

"My body is a temple! How dare you!"

"I AM THE GOD OF DESTRUCTION!"

"Oh no! I hope someone didn't die!"

"Too little, too late, ___."

"So this is an emergency."

"Who is it?? Have you come to steal my eyes?!"

"You're never gonna see it, ___. Never. Gonna. See it."

"Get this on tape in case I die or whatever."

"This is definitely not an accident!"

[rpgsandbox]

Announcing The Magnus Archive Roleplaying Game

Monte Cook Games and Rusty Quill, distributors of The Magnus Archives podcast, are pleased to announce the forthcoming The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game. Enter the archives yourself, investigating the supernatural horrors found in the podcast or those you create on your own. Work alongside Jonathan and Martin, Basira, Daisy, and the rest of the staff. Encounter the NotThem, the Anglerfish, or the Man Upon the Stair. Learn the truth of the books of Jurgen Leitner, the coffin that is also a pit, and The People’s Church of the Divine Host.

The 400+ page The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game is built on the well-loved Cypher System mechanics. The rules are specifically tailored to reflect the horror and the action of The Magnus Archives stories, with the effects of fear and stress taking a toll on characters—but also unlocking access to mysterious supernatural abilities. Using such abilities might save your life—but might also send you further into the clutches of the entities at the heart of such powers. Your character might even eventually become an avatar… but is that a good thing?

You’ll have to discover that for yourself.

Crowdfunding Soon!

The crowdfunding campaign for The Magnus Archives Roleplaying Game launches soon. Sign up to be notified of the launch and get an exclusive gift with your pledge: a Magnus Institute training audio cassette. What will you find when you put it into your tape deck and hit play?

Sign up to secure a free copy with a pledge at any reward level and find out yourself!

[poetryandfluffycats]

Monster ! - Kinktober

A/N: happy spooky season I finished this way quicker than expected so y'all can have it now

Pairing: Vampire Lord!Rei Sakuma x fem!servant!reader

Content: You, a maid in the Sakuma mansion, have been placed on direct service to the heir to the throne himself. On the night of Halloween, he calls you to his chambers.

Warnings: VERY SUGGESTIVE, servant and master dynamic, petnames(my dear, darling), biting, lots of blood mentions

Words: 2.0k

Story under cut!

Nighttime dawned over the Sakuma mansion. Fellow servants went to their quarters, the children were put to bed, and the house fell silent-save for the occasional howl of the wind outside. All was quiet in the house of the vampires.

Tip-toe, tip-toe, tip-toe. Your bare feet padded gently across the wooden floors, the red, velvety carpet of the stairs providing a nice cushioning and also protecting you from any splinters that peeked out from the old planks. This family and house had been around for centuries upon centuries, going almost as far back as the Tudor period, more so a castle than a home, and the Sakumas were the closest thing to royalty you'd ever encountered. When taking up your role as a maid, you'd been lucky to have been employed by such a generous and prestigious family.

Even luckier to be placed on direct service for the heir to the throne, Count Rei Sakuma.

Jet black hair, pearly white fangs, thin legs and a broad chest all hidden beneath layers of lace and frills, the eldest son who was yet to marry had every woman in the village wrapped around his finger, including you. He called, you came running. He wanted a glass of blood, you'd gladly offer up your own veins served in the fanciest glass in the house. He wanted a warm body beside him, you would jump into his arms no questions asked, no answers needed. Those were the simple facts of the life you lived, a life you'd be living till you dropped.

The lights of the castle were dimmed, reducing the usual glow of the hallways to a dull flicker. Only a few candles were lit at night time, usually outside the children's rooms to keep their minds at ease. You passed by the redwood grandfather clock outside the door to the library, the one that ticked silently throughout the nighttime. 3AM, the witching hour, when spirits arose and ghouls lurked outside the Sakuma doors.

It was only a rumour, but some elders of the house would whisper about how on the 31st night of the 10th month at the 3rd hour, the line between beast and human blurred, and the monsters you worked alongside would be at their deadliest.

Silly tales for young children was what you always regarded those stories as. You weren't scared of vampires or ghosts, working in the vampire kingdom would do that to you. Rei wasn't a monster, he was just a man who needed blood to survive.

"Count Sakuma? I come baring your evening drink, sir" You spoke softly through the door, knocking your fist against it three times and waiting for the response. In your hand, a glass of deep crimson, with two teaspoons of honey mixed in just as your lord liked it. "May I enter?"

There was silence from the other side of the door for a few seconds, but very quickly came the sound of rustling sheets and light groaning from the man inside. "Come in, my dear"

Darkness swallowed up the room as you entered. Rei sat still as a statue in his coffin, his body and modesty protected by a thin blanket that had pooled around his thighs when he sat up right. You had to strain your eyes to make out his figure properly, but those ruby eyes of his never failed to shine. At times you swore they were lighting up the room all by themselves, and during those times you had to mentally slap yourself for thinking such things.

Rei wasn't a monster, he was far too elegant for that. In his silk nightgown with newly washed hair falling around his shoulders and his pale skin glistening under the cracks of the moonlight through the curtain.

He was beautiful.

"Here you are, sir. I apologise if I woke you" You bowed slightly as you handed him the glass. He took it eagerly, his well-manicured fingers brushing gently against your own sending a wave of anxiety down your spine and all the way into your stomach.

Rei shrugged, pressing the glass to his lips and taking a long sip, "No bother, I shall not berate you for doing your job. Besides, I would hate to fall into slumber before getting to see my favourite servant"

You were no stranger to compliments from the Count, he did it to every woman in the building. For yourself, some of his favourite nicknames included 'darling', 'honey' and the most recent addition to the list 'my dear'.

He was a true flatterer, the ladies all ate it up like a five course meal. You could never quite fight off the urge to drop to your knees and beg him for more each time those sweet words of praise left his glossy lips. You were aware of how inappropriate that would be, and Rei was already on his fathers watch list regarding this flirtatious nature towards the staff, but a girl could dream.

Bowing once again, you felt a blush creeping onto your cheeks. Although vampires were know for their keen night vision and had the ability to sense emotions through the sound of the blood running through your veins, Rei always seemed to turn a blind eye to your embarrassing acts, acting as if he didn't even notice when your heart rate arose and your face turned a pretty shade of red-just like the liquid in his glass.

"Your compliments are greatly appreciated, my lord, but I'm not quite sure what you mean. I'm only a maid, a novice one at that. Surely I don't deserve such words" Your eyes stayed glued to the floor. It was carpeted with the finest wool money could buy, dyed the same burgundy as his eyes.

Rei tutted, waving a finger dismissively at you, "Nonsense, nonsense. Why would I call you down here if you weren't the greatest? Any kitchen hand could have easily made my drink and brought it to me, but you are the only one who makes it exactly to my taste. You are no mere maid to me"

He set the now half-empty glass down on his bedside table, shifting his legs and sitting criss-cross to make room for you in the coffin. His legs were long and his knees pressed up tightly against the walls of the small box.

"Come now, sit. Don't you think this is a wonderful night to enjoy conversation with your master?" Rei flashed a smile, his fangs peeking out from his gums. The sight sent a wave of warmth through your body, the same feeling you got when he grazed your hand with his own. "Unless, you prefer not to...?"

"No!" You accidentally yelped out, way louder than you had intended too. Clasping a hand over your mouth, you cleared your throat and lowered your tone. Get it together (name)! "Ah, I mean- no, I would love to stay"

A grin spread over the mans face, and you swore you could see his eyes twinkle just a tiny bit, "Thats a good girl"

Your hands were trembling when you climbed into the coffin beside Rei. Not out of fear per say, more so out of anticipation. You tired to ignore the hidden intent behind Reis eyes as he stared into yours, watching with too much interest as you tucked the skirt of your night dress under your legs. The orbs scanned up and down your figure like a hawk.

The air around you felt thicker in the small space. You weren't claustrophobic in any way, but in his moment you couldn't help but feel as if the world was closing in on you, leaving only you and Rei and the thumping of your heart against your rib cage. He was close, closer than he had ever been.

A shaky breath left your throat when he leaned in, his mouth just inches away from your own. The blood he just drank was still fresh on his breath, a strong stench of cooper and just the slightest hint of sweetness from the honey mixed in.

"Have I ever told you how much I love Halloween?" Rei hummed, his hand coming up to rest on your cheek. His thumb rubbed up and down on the flushed skin, his other hand being carefully placed on the nape of your neck. "Its the only night a year I may act freely on my urges, when my kind is worshipped by yours as they should be"

"Yes.... Count Sakuma, I'm failing to understand-"

"Call me Rei" He interrupted. "I have a name, I'd like for my darling to use it"

His lips were dangerously close to your neck now, leaving teasing licks all over the sensitive area. Your head was screaming at you to do something, anything! But was that something to throw him off, or to rip his clothes off? To scream and run, or to moan and beg? It was like a magnetic pull between your heart and your head were battling each other but they were both on the losing end.

All the confusion and convictions in your head came to a halt when Rei finally lost his patience and sunk his teeth deep into your flesh.

"Ah! Rei! Fuck!"

The pain was immediate and felt like a thousand needles filled with acid had been injected into your skin all at once. A burning sensation that you couldn't tell if you liked or absolutely despised. His tongue lapped up the blood that trickled out of the wound and he let out a chesty moan, the vibrations on your skin heading straight down to your core. With your eyes screwed shut and both pleasure and pain rushing through your body like the current of a raging river, the tears started to fall.

It was too much, so much. You'd never felt something so overwhelming in your entire life. Reis hand that previously sat on your cheek moved to your waist as he continued to suck, griping your skin tight and using all of his strength to pull you into his lap, pushing you downwards onto his crotch.

The sounds that left his mouth were borderline obscene, erotic, horrifying. An untamed beast had been unleashed from the depths of his soul and was feeding on you, it was a demon who only longed for the taste of a young ladies blood and the feeling of her flesh ripping apart in his mouth. This being, whatever it was, had no morals whatsoever.

You were basically a lifeless blob by the time he pulled away, gasping and pleading with noises that didn't make much sense. "Please... no more, I'm gonna pass out"

The vampire grinned, his fangs stained red and his lips swollen from excessive sucking. Blood ran down his chin and he licked it up with a pleasant hum, eyes rolling straight into the back of his skull. He was clearly in a state of pure bliss. "Good grief, it appears I've gone to far. You'll have to forgive me, its been awhile since I've indulged in feeding from the source itself"

Nodding, you pulled up one of your stiff arms to rub the wound on your neck. It stung, and two small holes remained from the bite and would probably stay there for the rest of your life.

"Are you alright? I will not hold you back if you wish to retire your position in the household, it is not my intention to make you uncomfortable" Reis voice had a hint of sadness to it, and his eyes glossed over with a certain tiredness you couldn't quite place. Had he been through this before?

You shook your head, trying to ignore the aching headache that came with it. "No! My lord-I mean Rei! This was the most intense pleasure I've ever experienced! I will not be leaving you anytime soon"

Rei grinned, a content smile that lit up your heart. You couldn't help but grin back like an idiot, and despite the fact that you were in no shape or form to move your body seemed to move on its own to press your lips against his.

"Then, I trust you will be returning to my chambers tomorrow evening?"

[adventuringblind]

Drive With You Forever

Chapter fifteen: Figuring it Out

Max Verstappen x Charles Leclerc x Lando Norris x Reader x Oscar Piastri

Chapter summary: The reader has a dream, books are burned, the reader gets sick again, but the doctors are nice this time!

Warnings: Every form of abuse is depicted in this story. Sickness, vomiting, fever, nightmares, panic attacks, graphic description of SA, child SA, Rape, unconsenual medical procedures, mild implied SH,

Notes: This is so long. I couldn't find a good stopping point, so I just kept going...

Previous <-

Masterlist

Why is everything so blurry?

The lights are swimming and she can't seem to find her footing. They world beauty her seeming to sway.

She blinks away the feeling, looking to find her center and figure out what’s going on.

“…test number six hundred and thirty four…” says a muffled voice from somewhere in front of her. A familiar voice at that. She hauls herself of the ground as her vision begins to clear up.

She’s still in the basement. Where did everyone else go? She scans the room in search of any sign that their comfort is near.

Her panic increases as she can’t see them. Her chest becomes heavy at the thought of being trapped here once again.

Then she sees his face. For a moment she locks eyes with him, but he passes right by here without a thought.

He keeps circling her wooden box of a bed. She must be in someone’s memory. She would says it’s her own but she doesn’t remember this. Or she does and she just locked in away.

She knew she was unconscious or incoherent enough that she could never quite tell what was happening aside from the feelings. Normally, pain. Sometimes, there were differences in textures. Occasionally, hands.

He’s working in her unconscious body. He sticks her body with all sorts of things she cannot name.

She doesn’t want to be here for this. She doesn’t want to see herself go through this. Feel those things again.

She runs runs up the stairs only to find herself back in the basement room.

There are so many people here. All of them dressed in odd looking costumes. It almost looks like a Halloween party but if the theme was pilgrims.

She sees her unconscious body again. This time layer out in the middle of the floor, bare for everyone to see.

Why are they taking turns touching her in such a way? Was the feeling of hands never just her fathers?

She feels sick. She thought the first time her body had gone through such a thing was the Max. It was different then. He was gentle and kind and he constantly asked if she was okay.

Again she makes an attempt at an escape. Again she find herself in the same room in a memory that’s not her own. Her father has been here in every single one. She assumes that it’s his memory, his connection to her amplified by her wooden coffin.

She’s sitting in the box, playing with strands of light that dance out of her fingertips. She looks at herself and there is no recognition. Her eyes are hazy and the motions feel robotic.

She’d always hated waking from these trances he’d put her in. No memory of what she’d done.

“It’s not enough! Why can’t I amplify your power?” He growls. He’s lankier in this memory then he was when he came to the paddock. His face less wrinkly and no grey hairs in sight. She must have been about ten if she remembered his appearance correctly.

Another man comes down the stares but her past self makes no movement.

“If she can’t bear a child we’ll be finished.” The figure is cloaked in darkness. His voice echoes through the room.

“I’m aware.” Her father spits.

“We need their power if we want to continue living.”

Living? She wondered at times how her father seemed to have knowledge beyond his years. The stories he’d shared about how her mother kept him young she thought was nothing more then a myth.

They are exploiting her. They need her. They need her body and power to continue to keep their supposed immortality.

How is that even possible.

“I’ve managed to make the constraints less.”

“Show me.”

She assumes that whoever this dark shadowy figure is, is in charge.

She watches as a rotten apple it placed in front of her unresponsive body. She still makes no move. Not even a sound.

“Fix it.”

Her past self obeys the command and lets the light dance around the the apple. It begins curling itself around the shape. She can feel the warmth through her own skin.

It’s beautiful in a way. How the light moves and repairs.

This time the memory fades away. The room shifting into something unfamiliar. She’d never see this place before.

It’s a wooden building. It feel hollow and smells of mildew. The men from before are once again dressed up, but they all look different.

They are doing what they did to her. Their terrible ritual. The women’s body in the center is unconscious, but she looks far different from her mother.

Aside from the hair. She’d seen picture of her mother. Their hair practically identical and now this woman’s is as well.

They take her apart as well. It's strange how they drink the crimson leaking from her. Her father was a human as far as she was aware. So why were these people acting like vampires?

Something, a woman’s voice, warm and kind, tells her to watch these men. Each one that takes instantly becomes younger. Any hints of wrinkles gone. Their hair becomes full and vibrant.

Then the scene vanishes.

Everything is dark and she doesn’t want to be alone in it.

The voice calls her further in, and she wastes no time sprinting towards it. The abyss seems to never end.

The voice gets louder as a ghostly figure comes into view. It’s familiar and it’s kind.

It’s her mother.

She halts in front of it. Just an arms length away.

“I can feel that you’re frightened. There is no need to fear me.”

“But you died.” Her voice is shaky and confused. She feels so small in comparison to the figure.

“It’s a connection we all share.”

“What are we?”

“Witches I suppose. Maybe a deity of some kind.” She shrugs. “You’ve been so strong to face this alone.” The ghost reaches to touch, and she finds herself leaning into it. It’s not cold but comforting.

“How were you making them younger?”

“It’s something inside us. Some drink out blood, others use sex, and when strong enough, it can even come from just a touch with someone you have a strong connection with.” She explains.

“What about my other powers then? Could you do that too?”

“That, unfortunately, was your fathers doing. The healing comes from your bloodline, the rest is something I don’t understand.” She sighs with a hint if exasperation. “I’m sorry, that I haven’t been there. You’ve managed to suppress more then I would’ve imagined.”

“I’m sorry I killed you.” Her eyes find her feet. The shame of why she is this way creeping back in.

The ghost leans down to her. “That was not your fault. That could’ve never been your fault and there wasn’t anything you could do to stop it. We’re not immune to death.”

She feels herself being dragged away and into the void. “No!” She screams. “Don’t leave me!”

The ghost reaches out to her one last time and kisses her forehead. She feels an energy she’s never had before flowing through her veins. It’s not scary though, it’s welcoming. “I’ve always been here and I’m not going anywhere.”

She can’t even register the tears as she falls into the void. The once welcoming feeling now morphing into the ones she felt earlier.

Hands. Needles. Whispers. Breaths. Knives. Teeth.

An endless fall into the fear she knows so well.

~

Lando is still awake despite everyone’s best attempts to get him to sleep. He’d been awake for almost twenty four hours. His eyes are heavy and he wants to succumb to sleep so badly, but he can’t. His mind refuses to stop thinking about every possibility.

This is why he’s able to react to the ear-piercing scream so quickly. While everyone else is stumbling around, he’s taking the stairs by two. Hanna told them to stay out of the room and let her rest meaning they were stuck in the downstairs room.

Of course Seb is at the door before him.

Seb opens in and Lando is bounding over to the distressed female. Her hands are clawing at her own skin to the point she’s drawing blood. Her eyes are screwed shut and her legs are trying to move her away from something even though she’s not getting far. Eventually she hits the headboard.

“Y/N, it’s me, open your eyes please love your safe now.” He whispers. It comes out shaky because he’s distressed but he knows he needs to keep himself as calm as possible.

Seb stands at the side of one of the beds. She’s feeling for an exit and will fall off if she keeps it up. He lets Lando soothe her. His whispers helping the screams to die out.

The other three appear in the door as well. Only for a few seconds though before they’ve dispersed to grab things.

Finally Lando coax’s her into opening her eyes. She’s still rubbing at her skin, clawing lines into it, but she sees him. “There you are.” He smiles at her. Her breathing is still massively uneven, but she lets him get a little closer. “Can I come over to you?”

She just stares at him. Then she just breaks into sobs. Her body freezing in its place as she attempts to curl even further into herself.

Whether she wants it or not, Lando is crawling own to her. Pulling her body into his chest and protectively wrapping him arms around her. She did this for him too. It’s where he learned it actually. She told him that ‘sometimes when we want to make ourselves small, it’s nice to have someone much to protect us’ so they all did it for each other.

She had no mercy on her skin and he’s thankful when Max comes in with bandages.

She starts trying to flail her body and fight them as they get them on her. Lando is constantly reassuring her through the whole ordeal.

Charles is the one to suggest music. Another noise for her to focus on while they try and get her cleaned up. He throws on his recorded piano songs that she’d taken pride in watching him create.

She does relax at the sound. Reduced to just choked sobs now.

Seb had to go check on his own children. They’d woken to the sound and had worried. He’d gone to reassure them with Hanna that everything is going to be alright with their sister.

She tires herself out in Lando’s arms. No tears left to cry despite her body attempting. “I remember." She croaks.

All of them freeze. They don’t push her to continue but they attempt to get comfortable. She uncurls herself but still clings to Lando like her life depends on it.

Oscar is drowsy from having his sleep interrupted and Lando can clearly see it on his face. His head goes into Charles’ lap and the Monegasque looks down at him endearingly.

Max is across from her but holding hands with the Monegasque like he’d been doing since Charles started trying to close himself off.

“Take whatever time you need, chéri.”

She has yet to look at any of them completely. Her face still mostly hidden in Lando’s shirt. “I’m sorry.”

They all look at her confused. Then at each other for some sign that one of them know why she would apologize. Then back to her with no answers.

“Why are you apologizing?” Lando whispers into her hair.

Her nails attempt to find her skin again but Max catches her in the act. He now sets himself beside her and lets the girl play with his fingers. Charles slips off a couple of his rings for him. She’d been fascinated with them and messed with them to keep her hands busy.

Her hands did it without Max even having to guide her. Though the rings don’t fit anywhere but his pinky.

“Do you remember Max, when you took me when is was just us two. Still no idea Charles would be joining us in a month and completely clueless?”

“Yes, it was a miracle I lasted as long as I did. How could I ever forget that.” He smiles at her.

She inhales shakily. “You weren’t the first.” She confesses. All four of them now understand what she’s meaning. They’d seen the videos. Why someone would ever record that was beyond them. They planned to burn the laptop if and when she said the could.

She looks directly at him now. “I feel gross.” The empty tear ducts only leave her with small drops of liquid. “I feel violated and like I’ve lied to all of you.”

“You have done nothing wrong here. You are a victim.” Max stops her before she can get any farther. “What they did to you was wrong and unforgivable.”

“We found videos and images on his laptop, amour. We saw.”

Lando can feel her starting to hyperventilate again as she struggles to get out of his hold. “We skipped anything that had you in it. It made us all sick and we couldn’t do that to your privacy. We did listen to your fathers monologues though.”

She instantly calmed down again. Her hands once again finding the rings on Max’s fingers.

“There so much more. Everything that I am. Everything I can do.” She hold her hands up for them to see and the mesmerizing glowing lights appear once more. “I’d forgotten about this. It’s beautiful. And it’s completely mine.”

“What do you mean by completely yours?” Oscar asks with a yawn. He’s exhausted but still trying to remain present for her.

“I saw memories of those who came before me. I’m some sort of magical being I think and it’s been passed down for generations. The healing and gift of immortality is mine. That’s from my bloodline. Everything else is the work of my father in order to expand on that trait and bring my mother back.” She explains. Even though the story is tragic, she seems at piece with knowing. Like she able to understand herself better now.

“Immortality?”

“My bloody and body heal. It has the ability to give back someone’s youth. That’s why they need me back, they’re aging now.” Once again, the feeling of hands crawls around her skin. She shivers lightly and tries to keep herself grounded.

“I couldn’t control it before now. My father had to go through extensive procedures before I could be of use to them. It’s like I turned it off. But I have it now if I want it. Or if I’m unconscious, I suppose.”

“We want to burn the laptop and some of the journals if you’ll allow us.” Proposes the Brit. He’s not sure that she’ll. Say yes, it maybe the comfort of the idea will help her to stay calm.

“Can we do it now?”

~

Seb and Hanna meet them outside at the fire pit. The kids once again tucked away into bed.

The fire is already raging. Books and computer in hand.

“They tried to burn us. Maybe this completes the circle in a way.”

They all take turns tossing things in and watching it go up in flames.

As her family locks hands with each other, she knows everything will be okay.

It most certainly doesn’t feel like it right now and she has more fighting to do.

But they’ll be next to her, fighting with her, every step of the way.

~

The very idea that a cult is after them sends Max's thoughts into overdrive. He wanted to go downstairs and discuss with everybody, but a certain Australian is clinging to him like he'll die if he doesn't.

Him and Oscar sleep the most out of the five. This is what he's become used to since he started staying with them. Mornings where the Aussie are curled up into him have become something he looks forward to.

Currently, however, he knows he'll have to wake him up if they are going to be productive today.

Max makes an attempt at escape but ends up just pulling Oscar with him. He mumbles and shifts a bit before opening his own eyes.

"Morning sleepy head."

"It's too early." Disgruntled groans follow the statement.

Max lets out a breathy laugh. "I know, you can go back to sleep if you want."

"But you're leaving."

"Would you rather me carry you?"

Max didn't know what he was expecting, but walking down the stairs with a sleepy Australian on his back wasn't it.

The fact that the sight brought a smile to the faces of all his lovers made the effort worth it. They join the other three at the table. Oscar looks like he might fall asleep on the table.

“How are you feeling?” He asks toward the female. She’s playing with her food and sitting with her knees tucked into her chest.

“She hasn’t kept food down yet.” Sighs Charles who’s sitting next to her. She scrunches up her nose when he says it.

Max nods his head. The ever looming sickness strikes again. “I think we should move.”

“Again?!” Lando rolls his eyes. Max already knows how much the Brit hates moving. They’ve moves so much the last few years that he’s come to despise it.

“Well, kind of.” Max leans back in his chair and the other four eye him expectantly. “I think we should closer to Seb and Hanna but also keep the Monaco apartment. That way we’ll always have somewhere to come back too.”

“Logical idea.” Oscar says to the table. "We could do that during summer break since it's coming up soon."

"For now, we need to decide if we should stay here or go back to Monaco."

The female looks at her food and then back at them. "I love it here, but I think Hanna and Seb wouldn't appreciate us doing things in their house."

"What does that have to do with this?" Asks Lando. Innocent. Pure actual innocence.

"Because someone can only go so long."

~

Charles eyes to female cautiously. She'd yet to keep anything down. Reduced to dry heaving every few minutes.

"You don't have to sit on the bathroom floor with me."

"Mm true. But I want to." He runs his fingers along her spine. It’s the only comforting feeling she has to cling to at the moment. Even as she’s back to heaving up nothing, he’s still comforting her.

When it passes, Charles leans her back against his chest. “Do you think it’s your powers?”

“Honestly? No.” Charles hums. He doesn’t push her to continue. He just continues to give her a feeling to ground herself with; his fingers now finding hers as she goes to play with his rings. “It’s the memories. Knowing what actually happened to me. It doesn’t feel real but I can’t escape the feeling of hands that I didn’t want on me.”

She heaves again. Harder this time then previously. Like somehow speaking it made it real and more intense. She leans back into him. “It’s not fair, Charlie. Especially to you four. How are we supposed to live like this?” Her voice is so broken. It’s a sound that will haunt him.

“Will figure it out, Mon amour. But first I think we need to get sustenance in your body.”

“What’s the point?” She groans. “It’s just going to come back up. I would eat anything if it meant I could keep it down.”

“I think I might have an idea.” Charles smiles down at her and kisses the top of her head.

~

Ice cream is his idea. The boys went out to get it and were diligent in avoiding people. The thought of their trainers finding out keeping them from just walking around like normal people.

Charles had dragged Max with him while the other two stayed behind to look after the female.

"I feel like we're on a secret mission."

"And yet you're drawing attention to yourself by ducking around the corners."

"Andrea will have my head if he finds out about this."

It took them an hour to get back. and things had gotten worse when they did.

Lando greets them at the door. They are thankful the Seb and Hanna took the kids out for the day. having the house to themselves makes this a bit easier.

"Oscar is attempting to force water down her throat. It's getting worse." There is a certain anxiety in the Brits voice that Charles can't ignore.

"What do you mean worse?" Max beats him to the question.

Lando runs a hand through his curls. "She's spiked a fever, and she passes while you two were done." He bounces on the balls of his heels. "Also, she keeps muttering in her sleep and it's starting to freak me out."

The three make their way up to the female. Charles grimaces at the sight. She's panting and drenched in sweat.

Lando is right. He can see her mouth moving frantically. Her eyes flicker back and forth behind shut lids.

"She fell asleep again. I got some water in her before she did." Oscar looks at her nervously. It's the same look he has whenever she's not doing well. Now they know better than to force him away from her. Last time they tried he didn't speak to them for a day.

"I hate to say it, but we're gonna need to find a way to get fluids in her consistently." Max sighs heavily. They all know it's necessary but taking her back to the doctors comes with so many risks.

"What about a private doctor?"

"Even then it would be risky."

Max ponders. They need to think of something or risk her dying of dehydration. "We'll try the emergency room and hope they are so busy they won't pay close attention to her bloodwork. like the did the first time."

~

Lando didn't think pulling Oscar away from her would be so damn difficult. He's been running the opposite direction of anything medical related since he got out of the hospital.

"Osc, it's just a few minutes to they can get her set up in a room." He tries to reason with the younger. "How about we go get some air and we can talk about this."

The Aussie finally gives in, letting his arm go slack. Lando almost falls over at the sudden lack of resistance.

He jumps on the opportunity to guide him out of the building. He keeps their fingers interlocked. Lando couldn't care less if the vultures pounce on them. He desperately needs to get them away from the anxiety inducing building until they can see her.

Charles or Max would probably be batter at calming him then Lando. But Max was the one who went back with her since he knows her medical history like the back of his hand and has the excuses they planned to use if anyone got suspicious. Charles is on the phone with Seb talking about what's going on.

That leaves Lando. The most anxious out of all of them.

"Wanna talk about what's going on in your head?" They continue walking, hopefully the air will do them both good even if it's a parking lot.

"It's hard to explain." Oscar admits. "It was terrible being drugged out of consciousness. And I thought I was dreaming, but she came to check on me. She bargained for my safety." Lando can feel Oscar's hands starting to relax a bit. He's not fighting so hard anymore. "Then, when we started to try and make our way out, she saved me again. She was exhausted and I had to carry her at one point but it was so cold and damp and dark. I just never want to leave her like that again."

Lando thinks back to when he stumbled across them. How Oscar kicked and screamed at them, the females body in his protective grip. Somehow, they'd kept each other alive, and now Oscar feels the effects of the trauma that has bonded them together.

Lando stops them next to a relatively secluded part of the lot. He spins around and places his hands on either side of Oscar's face. "I promise you that we're never going to let that happen again. We're going to figure this out. What they did to you both is not something I'll say I understand, but I hear you. You and her are safe, and we're going to do our best to keep it that way."

~

Seb stands in the doorway with Max and Charles. His daughter now, thankfully, awake with a broken fever. The unfortunate part is that there are about four doctors standing around her asking her questions.

They'd been very specific with the Max. Mainly because the Dutch refused to let them near her when they said there were irregularities in her DNA.

They won't do anything without consent.

Yet the boys are still standing guard. Max's eyes haven't left her body, and Charles is trying to keep him from slamming the door open and kicking all of them out of the room.

The doctors step away from and exit the room. Seb grabs Max's arm in an attempt to keep him stationary.

The interaction certainly doesn’t look like much. Yet Seb can see the way she tries to curl herself farther away from them. They don’t advance, just continue talking. He can’t help but admire the respect they have for the traumatized girl.

Three of the doctors nod at them and walk away. The fourth closes the door behind him and steps in front of sebastian.

"We're going to discharge her. We think it was a psychological response to something, but otherwise, she should be okay to leave."

Seb thanks the man. His chest is relieved of the weight sitting on it since he'd gotten the call.

~

They didn't go back to Monaco. Instead, they flew directly to Hungary. It was her request since she wasn't sure she could stomach multiple trips. It was only a few days earlier than they needed to be there.

Max had gotten his own hotel room this time. The place is massive and luxurious. It's not like it's shocking or that she's not used to it by now. Her mind just recalls a time when her and Max were in a barely standard sized room eating comfort food while avoiding Brad.

"I don't know you, but I am exhausted." Lando let's out a large yawn to further prove his point.

Max drops his bags and turns to face the group. "That's a shame. Guess you won't get to join us then." A playful smirk tugs on his lips. She's not exactly sure what the plans are, but with the cheeky glint in the Dutchmans eye she knows they are in for a long night.

~

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Tags: @styles-sunflower @purplephantomwolf @boiohboii @reblog-princess-blog @jayda12 @faithm120601 @eugene-emt-roe @lpab @yaaadii @80sloverry @spongebeck3101 @eviethetheatrefreak @chanshintien @vellicora @hollie911 @pretty-little-bunny382728 @be-your-coffee-pot @copper-boom

[sweetainwen]

ᴍᴀʟᴇᴅɪᴄᴛᴜᴍ [JJK]

Summary: trying to break free from a witch's curse was daunting, especially if it was a charade that would last until he had her to himself, but nothing was left unpunished by the rampage of a true walking curse, for every sin had to be atoned for.

Pairings: yandere duke witch hunter!Jungkook x fem!witch hunter?OC (you can think of her as Y/N)

Genre: made up world!au, supernatural!au, witch!au, yandere!au, smut

Disclaimer: this story is fictional, so each character is not as described in it.

Warnings: slight age gap (Jungkook 22 OC 26), obsession, manipulation, violence, blood, supernatural themes, burning at stake, major character death, murders, unprotected sex, fingering

Word count: 7.2+k

A/N: happy Halloween!

Tragic was life, bringing with it unexpected events that no one could prevent. The injustice of this filled hearts with sadness and helplessness, eyes that wanted to express them with tears but it was now useless.

Like her now gazing at the coffin of her third and brave husband being buried, passed away shortly after their wedding. People around her paying their condolences for the ill-fated event.

But she knew, knew how fear and judgments were hidden beneath them. She knew of the derogatory epithet that had been hung on her.

Their voices were loud, their looks piercing, their gestures blatant.

“She doesn't even shed a tear.”

“I wonder how it happened this time.”

“What a curse.”

The abyss dragged her down, shrouding her with its darkness.

However, his gentle hands brought her back up, firm and decisive, cutting that black thread that twisted overbearingly and undisturbed around her body.

As soon as she looked up, Jungkook’s tender smile calmed the turmoil that was taking over her, a hand squeezing her shoulder in comfort while the other was outstretched towards her.

“Let's get going, Minji. The air is getting very cold.”

She returned his smile with a more faint one and a slight nod of her head, resting her hand on his and letting him guide her out of the graveyard and to their carriage.

Her desire was only to marry and live happily, an accomplishment of almost every woman. She coveted that love as special as it was magical, for she had been deprived of it from an early age.

However, something prevented her from doing so.

The death of her first husband had been considered an accident, but that of her second husband a suspicion, and that of her third a confirmation.

Harbinger of misfortune, one glance was enough to cloud the poor unfortunate man's rationality, who acted rashly with a marriage proposal.

Whereupon those who fell victim to her beauty were cursed and perished.

The cursed woman.

That was what she was called by the townspeople, for there was a witch's hand in all these nefarious events.

A certainty due to the trails of magic found at the murder scene of her third husband.

“I am truly dismayed that you have been involved in this reprisal, my dear. We should have foreseen such an action.” The middle-aged man's sad voice reached her ears after they entered their mansion, being helped by the maids in freeing themselves of their coats.

“Do not blame yourself for this, my dear cousin,” she reassured, her palm brushing against his arm. “We are aware of who is really guilty. And I am confident that we will be able to find them, given our hunting abilities. The witches will not be able to escape for long.” Her hand rested gently on the cheek of the younger man beside her, whose doe-like eyes looked at her with concern and affection, before a sigh escaped her lips, “Now if you will excuse me, I shall retire to my chamber. I... need to be alone for a moment.”

The two men watched her as she made her way to the stairs, lifting her dress with her hands to prevent it from getting in the way of her steps, until she disappeared from their sight and they heard the door open and close.

The oldest cursed in a low voice, gritting his teeth, “Damn witches! If I could I would kill them all in one shot!” His gaze fell upon Jungkook, whose lips were pressed together. “Do everything to track down who it is.”

“Yes, father.”

“Just focus on hunting down these bastards, I will take care of the other family business.”

Jungkook nodded and before he began his task, his eyes drifted to the spot where his cousin had disappeared, and a sigh came out, his heart tightened with anguish at the memory of her worn-out appearance.

The fierce fury against her was personal, dictated by revenge in wanting to afflict of the same pain of losing comrades to the witch hunters.

What better way than to have a member of the Jeon, main duchy of the witch hunters' organization, as a victim?

And they had achieved their goal, with Minji pressing her lips together and tightening her grip on the reins of her horse at yet another shake of the head by one of their best hunters, Jin.

She could well hear the taunting giggles of those beings echoing through the forest even though they were concealed from their eyes, driving her frustration and anger almost to the edge. She was getting weary of the whole situation. And if she had to resort to different help, she would, even though she was reluctant.

She exhaled, "We will continue tomorrow. Going any further now will not yield any success. We will try another method."

Jungkook had not looked away from her for a second until he saw her pull the reins to turn around, followed by their second-best hunter, Namjoon.

"I knew they would curse us someday, but not that they would only come after one person,” Taehyung’s voice, another hunter, and the sound of the hooves of his horse on the ground to his left caught his attention, “They seem quite interested in your father’s cousin.”

Jungkook's gaze ended on her again, a knowing smile on his face, “They should never play with fire. It will burn them to death.”

Despite saying those words, hoping they would be heard by the tormentors, they were not getting their way, for the following days were a continuous search for them without success. And the one who suffered the most was Minji.

The frustration that was being shown on her face was not at all concealed, even if she tried to not let it get under her skin.

Her eyes that were slowly losing their vitality worried the most, for it was they that most captured people, that captured him as the first time he had seen her.

“This is Jeon Minji, a distant cousin of mine. She will stay here with us from now on. This is my son, Jeon Jungkook.”

He saw her get up from the sofa in their drawing room, walking in front of him.

The meeting was unexpected, since he had never heard of this cousin.

She curtsied, a smile tugging at her lips before stretching out her gloved hand, "Pleased to meet you, Lord Jungkook."

His hand moved on its own, taking hers and lightly placing his lips on her knuckles, “The pleasure is mine, Lady Minji.”

And the never-breaking eye contact allowed him to notice a gleam in her eyes that dazzled him.

That feeling had grown over time and did not appear to fade. It was as if he was enchanted and subjugated.

Like now as she watched the moon and stars, standing in the garden, the moonbeams over her figure making her ethereal and almost mystical.

“Can’t seem to sleep?” he asked, pulling a blanket over her shoulders to protect her from the chilling night.

She sighed, “Who would?”

“Would you like me to sing you a lullaby and stroke your hair?” he joked, a half-smile making its appearance.

She pressed her lips together to keep herself from laughing, the back of her hand lightly smacking his clothed chest.

He feigned hurt, pouty lips and knitted eyebrows, clutching the injured part.

“You big jester! It’s too late for that. I am no longer a child, but you have my gratitude.”

“Honored to be your jester, my lady.” A slight bow followed the last words, taking a small chuckle out of her.

A pleasant silence greeted them.

After the death of her first husband, their meetings had increased to be as close to her as possible and offer her all his support.

The more time they spent together, the more curiosity, affection, and attraction worked its way into him.

Her trust in him had improved so much that she was even able to tell him how her family had been exterminated by witches in an ambush.

She was the only survivor of part of his father's family.

There were many members of the Jeon family, but she had never been heard of except before that misfortune happened, in which news of an illegitimate daughter spread fast and unstoppable.

She was still a Jeon, it was a duty and right to help her.

“Worry moves your actions,” she spoke. Now face to face, Minji moved as many steps as it took to have their chests brushing against each other, “but you need not worry.” A tender smile graced her lips, her fingers caressing his cheek. “Despair will never cling to me, because I have you.”

A flutter came at those words and a pleasant warmth embraced his heart.

And he wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling her body heat through their fabrics of clothing.

"After losing everything, you and your father are really the only people I have left. My family."

He sighed, a glint of sadness in his gaze, “However, we are not enough for you.” Her features softened more, her heart throbbing restlessly at his reaction. “I am aware of the difference, yet you acted hastily. I know you want to get married, how you would like to create that family you could not have, but you did not even know them.”

“I would have as time went on.”

“It doesn't imply loving them.”

She did not argue back, mindful of the truthfulness of his words. Not all marriages had that happy ending. There were many different endings that could be reached. She knew that, but if she was held back by all these ifs and buts, she would only live in fear and paranoia.

The loss of that comforting warmth on one of her hips awakened her from her thoughts, finding it now on her cheek, his thumb gently stroking the skin of it.

“For that reason, you should look closer to you. And your eyes will see that the right person is precisely the one on whom expectations were nil.“

Silence fell. His eyes wanting to convey without more words what he wanted to say, and when they reached their destination, Minji almost lost her breath.

“I love you.”

She was completely taken aback, so much so that she could not find the right words.

Heart racing, thoughts jumbling together. She was happy.

She beamed and covered her mouth with one hand to hide it from the eyes of the young man, who, however, noticed it immediately.

And she decided to answer his silent question.

“This is outrageously embarrassing,” a little ashamed chuckle left her lips, “I… had a desire to get married so that I could forget what I felt, since… I believed that you could never reciprocate my feelings.” She began to speak swiftly, “I am aware that throwing myself into the arms of those men without having any knowledge of them was wrong, but I was sure it was the best solution to avoid a possible unintended consequence of my unrequited lo-“

Voraciously her lips were assailed by his, moving them gently and slowly, savoring and devouring with ardor that first impulsive kiss of theirs.

His fingers brushing her cheeks, her hands on his hips for support.

Pulling a short distance away, their eyes met, chests going up and down.

“You were totally in the wrong. Because I love you and long for you as if you are my breath. Marry me.”

“Your father-“

“Oh, my father would gladly approve of our union,” he chuckled. “His confession about me being the best husband for a woman like you was quite telling.”

She blinked in surprise, “Did he really say such a thing?”

“He says many things that are to your advantage, my dear.” He pecked her lips, making her smile. “We will find that witch and get married. I promise you.”

She nodded, her arms circling his waist and her head resting on his chest. He pulled her close to him, his chin on her head and a victorious, sly smile adorning his face.

Happiness was overtaking him.

Who would have expected such a turn of events? It was an opportunity he would not waste.

However, if he had realized it earlier, she would have been his before those bastards interfered with marriage proposals.

Resorting to this charade had been worth it anyway; he had been wanting to get rid of the worthless scums who had immediately ogled her shortly after her arrival for too long.

Witches were the enemy of humans. Evil beings who deceived you with their human guise. For that reason, the Jeon household became witch hunters for the salvation of humanity.

Making use of the grimoires taken from those beings, they succeeded in creating tools that allowed protection against them, to trap and execute them.

Even if they still existed after centuries, the Jeons would still fight. And Jungkook, now, was the successor to that duchy.

So, no one would notice that a human was to blame for those incidents if you tainted the crime scene with evidence against witches. Least of all Jeon Jungkook himself, the witch hunter.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” the young man on the ground shrieked in a strangled voice, the rope net that had opened from the ball attached to an arrow shot from a crossbow blocking his movements with electric shocks.

They had invaded his house, turning it upside down in search of something he didn’t know about.

His own friends were treaking him like a criminal, like a witch.

“They are here!” a hunter notified from one of the rooms.

Quick steps on the wooden floor before his gaze ended on Jungkook and Minji, the latter holding a grimoire and a voodoo doll, features distorted by betrayal and disappointment like the rest of those present there.

With glassy eyes and his heart pounding, he began to shake his head, “They're not mine! I could never!” Minji’s lips were quivering. “Lady Minji, believe me! I’m not a witch! Please!”

“Take him.”

It was the last thing he heard from Jungkook before he was dragged ruthlessly out of his own house toward his last breath, screaming and trying to wriggle out even against that net-like trap that thwarted him with pain.

His pleas would go unheard and the answer to his question about the reason for this dogged and unfair framing against him never given.

Loss of sanity and restraint was there when it concerned witches, and the Jeon's young successor was aware of this.

Finding someone as a scapegoat was not difficult either, finding someone else who had allowed himself to look at her more than he could as the culprit of the curse, fitting in manufactured evidence, had been easy.

If he had known his place, he would not have ended up at the stake, undergoing pain and pleading he was not a witch.

The shock the townsfolk had experienced in knowing that Jung Hoseok, such a kind and shy young man who had just moved from afar, had actually turned out to be one of those monsters had been severe.

For Minji, who had welcomed him gently to put him at ease and had even grown attached to him like a sister, it had been another loss.

She still recalled how he lowered his timid gaze and played with his fingers while talking, the selflessness he showed if someone needed some help, and the small smile of when he was asked or considered in conversations and jokes.

And as she and the others watched the flames that had now devoured him and left only a burned body, she wondered who she might or might not trust around her.

“My love…” his soft, gentle voice and his fingers intertwining with hers as a sign of comfort led her to look at Jungkook, “This view destroys our hearts, but you’re free now.” She flashed him a half-smile and was immediately engulfed in a hug. “I’m here. All is well. You’re safe.”

She held him close, the feeling of safety and warmth embracing her once again, “You are right. I have you. My soon-to-be husband.”

Ah, how he loved those words.

He was at the mercy of this victorious enthusiasm.

It seemed to him to be an illusion well devised by a witch for how much he still could not believe that he would finally make her his for eternity.

The fear of losing her had been swept away by the knowledge that he had her in his grasp.

She could not escape; he would not allow it.

She would have no reason to, either, for nothing connected the situation they had gone through with him.

Their lives would run smoothly. They would have children, see them grow up, and would tell them and their grandchildren about how magnificent their wedding day had been.

That white dress had made her look like a goddess come down to earth to tempt a man and enchant him for life with sweet words, gentle caresses and breathtaking smiles.

He had not resisted and with vows of love and a kiss, they had sealed that long-awaited union.

Her gasp of surprise and giggle when he had taken her in his arms had stirred his heartstrings into more chords of love and devotion.

And it shone through his eyes that did not leave Minji's for a moment as he removed the veil from her hair and then caressed one of her cheek.

“I still cannot believe that you are here, as my wife.”

She leaned her face into his hand, on which she placed her own, “Believe it. For I will be here with you until death do us part.”

Without another word, Jungkook pressed his mouth to hers harshly.

Her hand gripped the back of his neck, pulling him closer towards her. His hands quickly made their way around her waist and she could feel her breasts brush tightly against his chest as he continued to deepen their kiss and led her back towards the bed.

Both crawling up onto the middle, her back resting now on the mattress, Jungkook’s mouth continued to work against her own, his kisses becoming desperate, her fingers running through his dark locks. He groaned against her, lips finding the skin of her neck and trailing kisses up and down slowly.

She arched her back and spread her legs, his hips now comfortably against hers and the feeling of his hard bulge in his pants against her obvious. His hands lifted the skirts of her dress, fingers trailing on her skin light enough to send sparks and goosebumps down her body.

But a sense of stiffening was detected by Jungkook, leading him to break their lips apart to give her a questioning gaze.

“What is it, my dearest?”

A tint of red colored her cheeks in embarrassment and shyness, head lowering and hands tightening around the fabric of his clothing.

She was so adorable that he wanted to tease her.

“I… It won’t hurt again, will it? My former husbands had not been very… gentle. I’m afraid I…”

Silence fell in the room, but the rage lurking in Jungkook did not stop growing after those words.

They had been fortunate enough to have such a delicate and special flower in their arms and had instead decided to fill with pain and sadness that important bond between spouses.

Ungrateful pieces of shit.

A soft smile tugged at his lips, “Look at me.” She did. “I would never hurt you, in any way. I love you too much to commit such obnoxious actions.”

A slight nod of approval from her was all he needed to kiss her again, his hands shoving her dress up to expose her bare skin before trailing his fingers over her thighs and rubbing against her sensitive spot over her undergarments. She let out a soft gasp, goosebumps all over her body.

Taking advantage of this, his tongue swept in between her lips, playing with her own.

She gripped his hair as he tore her undergarments off, helping him kicking them off with her legs and hands. Pulling away again, her dress was next, pulling it up and leaving her completely bare under his gaze.

Lust filling their eyes and patience vanishing, he undressed himself quickly of his wedding suit, leaving his hardened dick on display.

Minji couldn’t help but look at him, almost losing her breath at how handsome he was. That hungry, dazed gaze made Jungkook completely insane.

She was looking at him.

Loving him.

A surprise gasp left her lips as one of his fingers slipped inside of her slowly, body hot and labored breaths.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered breathlessly, drinking in her beautiful face contorted with pleasure.

Leaning over, he bit down on her shoulder as he worked his finger inside of her, a moaning escaping from her.

“I’m gonna make you feel good,” he said in a dark voice, another finger starting to slowly push inside of her. “Make you feel how much I yearn to make you mine.”

She shut her eyes, his hot breath fanning over her neck, overwhelmed by his movements and hot body against hers.

His thumb pressed against her clit, sending more shivers down her spine as her hands gripped his hair and her back arched, hips rocking up toward his fingers.

“Jungkook-“

A breathless chuckle was his reply, “You’re so wet. You’re clenching so much.”

“Please- I’m-“

“Want to come right now? Or you want my cock to fuck your pussy? Mmh? Would you like that? Look at you, so ready to get fucked up.”

His vulgar words made her whimper more, his fingers bringing her close to her own release.

“Please, fuck me up, fuck me-“

The loss of his fingers made her grunt in disappointment, but a gasp of surprise left her lips as soon as she felt his cock pushing into her slowly.

He grabbed her wrists and brought them over the sheets, near her face, intertwining her fingers with his shortly after and kept rolling his hips back and forth as he was now buried deep inside her.

She looked at him, eyes half-lidded and everything around her disappeared.

She could only hear his fast breaths and see drops of sweat falling undisturbed along his temples, neck, chest.

His arms muscles flexing as they supported the weight of his body, eyes watching her with a glint of pure and primitive ecstasy

He was shuddering above her, showing how much she was making him feel fucking good. Bare. Hers.

A shift in his movements caused something inside of her to sent shots of electricity through her limbs and whimper in pleasure.

“You’re so good. Taking me so well.”

Pulling back from her body and then slamming into her roughly, it almost made her cry out in bliss.

Her legs hugged his hips, pulling him deeper inside her.

Clenching around his cock, she flashed him a lustful smile and his quiet grunts turned into moans as his thrusts became more erratic.

Dizziness invaded their senses and spasms ran through their bodies as Jungkook filled her with his seed, reaching their release.

Trying to catch their breath, he collapsed onto her, his face in the crook of her neck and her hand now stroking his hair.

He held her close, rubbing his nose against her neck, which made her giggle as she reciprocated the squeeze with a happy sigh.

The night was quiet while they enjoyed their proximity, but a sudden muffled noise caught Minji’s attention, her gaze ending on a black cat on the window sill glaring at her.

She reciprocated with a curious glance, but did not give it much thought.

The next few days she began to see him more often; he followed her wherever she went as if he were her shadow. So she decided to take care of him, eventually waiting for his arrival so she could cuddle and play with him. He was very affectionate for a stray cat.

Her heart melted like snow when the cat snuggled up on her thighs for a nap or just to be close to her, as he was doing now. The trust he placed in her filled her with joy. Getting it from an animal was not always easy, hence she was proud of it.

If she spoke to him, he understood. If her mood changed, he sensed it. A little moral support.

Her fingers passed gently through his fur, his purr widening her smile.

“You love that cat very much.”

Her cousin's voice rendered to a whisper brought her back to reality, the cup of tea between the fingers of her other hand now cold, sitting on a chair next to his bed.

Her gaze landed on him, seeing his softened features as he sipped his tea with his back resting on the back of his bed, the pillow making the resting comfortable.

“I do.”

She placed the cup on the undercup placed on the small nightstand to her right before reaching out her hands toward the cup and undercup he was holding out to her, the black cat coming down from her legs to wonder around the room.

"And Jungkook is still displeased."

She let a small chuckle escape her lips, "He is not some witch's familiar, the sphere would have reacted otherwise. Besides, Jungkook is displeased by anything that takes my attention away from him," she reminded him amusedly, setting the undercup and cup down next to hers.

“Oh! That young man is beyond smitten with you that he even wants to get rid of a cat! I wouldn't be surprised if one day he made all the animals around disappear.”

The man laughed wholeheartedly, enjoying the way his son was behaving out of his usual character. But coughing fits interrupped him, his hand over his mouth now smeared with his own blood.

Minji widened her eyes, concern again evident on her face as she knelt at the edge of the bed and handed him a handkerchief, wiping his hand with another.

He looked at her, a soft smile adorning his face, “You are such a kind soul, my lovely little cousin. I don’t see myself worried about leaving my son in bad hands. I’m glad you accepted to be his wife. It’s the best gift I could ever receive.”

She stood still, pain and sadness piercing her heart yet a sense of pride and gratitude followed those emotions at his words.

“Thank you, father-in-law.”

He caressed her cheek, tenderness and affection guiding his gesture, “Take good care of each other, all right?”

“Of course. Always.” She gave him a weak smile, “It’s better if I let you rest, I think I have stayed too long. I will visit again tomorrow.”

“I will wait for you, my precious daughter.”

And off she went, taking with her the tea cart carefully prepared by herself after placing the cups on it, the cat following suit.

After closing the door, she let out a sigh.

A few weeks after their wedding, as Minji and he were having their usual tea hour together, he had brought a hand to his chest before passing out.

Panic had risen, and when they had called the doctor, it was discovered that an illness had struck him.

It was incurable and nameless.

The despair and destruction she had seen pass across Jungkook's face had broken her heart more than the news had already done.

His complexion was pale, dark circles under his eyes, strength weakening, and some of his nights were sleepless.

Her cousin was dying and nothing could be done. Their helplessness was unbearable, but other than spending time with him, they could do nothing else.

He had taken care of her when she was left alone, welcoming her and engaging her immediately as if she was not a mistake of her father's with another woman. He had showered her with love, becoming a father and a brother.

She almost lost her mind.

But the appearance of that cat – which she had named Sese – had been a distraction. Jungkook was busy with family business in his father's stead, so he spent a lot of time in his office room. Caring for an animal helped keep her mind off that unforeseen tragedy, ignoring Jungkook’s disapproval.

The black cat was the witches' familiar. Deception and malice were part of them. Having one in the house brought bad luck, he had even come to believe that he was to blame for his father's illness.

This, however, was not possible, since if he had really been the bearer of misfortune, the protective sphere of the house placed on a pedestal in the basement would have counteracted his strength and prevented him from entering.

He was a normal black cat that she had chosen to take in.

Footsteps could be heard and she looked up, finding Jungkook coming her way with slow, tired movements.

“Is he sleeping?”

She nodded, “Likely. I left to let him rest.” He hummed and Minji approached him, her voice soft as she asked, “Do you want me to make you some tea?”

“What you have already prepared will be fine for me.”

“But it's cold.”

“It's still tea.”

“Alright, alright,” she exhaled before giving him a peck on his lips. “Go and relax a bit too. You need it. I'll join you right away.”

He gave her a weak smile, “Thanks, my dearest.”

Tired voice, slumped shoulders, dull eyes. His pain was palpable even now with his back to her.

She could understand him; he had lost his mother when he was young to a fall from a horse while hunting witches, and now he was losing his father to a disease.

She clenched her hands into fists.

It was not fair. They had begun happy days, their laughter filling the house, their fellowship with each other and even with the household employees.

She thought it would all end with the killing of the witch, but their family still seemed to be in the arms of a curse.

The organization was already mourning one of their important members, but when he actually died a few days later, no one could still believe that they were looking at his grave in the cemetery.

The rain and fog made the event more somber and unbearable.

Condolences and words of prayes were adressed to them with sympathy and compassion.

And the title of Duke had passed to Jungkook.

His obligations had increased and with them the pressure he perceived on himself because of the expectations other members now placed on him and the family business.

The incessant pounding in his head caused distraction and slowed his work.

And today was one of those days.

His vision was blurring and the hand that was holding the pen was trembling, the writings on those papers placed on the desk only meaningless ink.

He let go of the pen and with a sigh leaned back on the chair, rubbing his face with his hands to try to shake off the weariness.

A clink of something contrasting a surface awakened him, seeing his usual cup of tea on his desk and Minji at one side of it.

"Here's your tea, dear."

He reached out a hand toward her and Minji took it between hers, drawing her closer before wrapping his arms around her waist. His head resting on her stomach.

Her fingers began to run through his hair, slightly relieving his headache at which he breathed a sigh of relief.

He rubbed his face against her stomach.

She smiled, softened by his behavior considered childish, and let him be.

“Are you done with your work for the day?”

“Not quite. Unfortunately, I have a headache.”

She blinked, “Again?”

“Again.”

“Then drink, don’t waste time. You said it helps you get over it.”

“I will. Just let me stay like this a little longer.”

She snorted a chuckle and his heart skipped a beat.

He was so lucky to have her.

She supported him with simple gestures, understood when he needed something and assisted when he couldn't continue certain things himself.

She also declined every letter of invitation to tea parties to have a simple chatter with friends because she wanted to stay with him.

Everything about her was soothing. Her touch, her breath, her closeness. She was his main pivot. His life. His.

He couldn’t stop admiring and loving her.

And he was often caught staring at her like a fool and hearing her laugh every time she told him to stop was a cure-all.

For her he was also trying to like Sese, even though he was taking up too much of Minji's time. And she gently scolded him not to be jealous of a cat.

He probably was.

Normality was setting in again in their lives and he was over the moon.

However, something began to crack once again.

Minji was on the alert, often distant and silent. Whether at home or during meetings between members of the organization, or simply walking through the streets of the central city. Especially with him.

Anxiety and terror had mixed, shaping thoughts and theories that were taking root in his mind.

She was terrifying him. He was afraid she had grown tired of him. That she had a lover.

Just thinking about it sent him into a frenzy.

He had started having nightmares and the sleepless nights did not allow him to think properly.

And the discovery of her nocturnal outings fed his fear that was getting out of control even more.

She was not betraying him. She was not leaving him. She couldn't. She had no chance.

He had tried, he had tried to communicate, to understand the problem, but he had received no answer.

Every excuse was used to avoid confrontation.

This time he would wait for her to face the situation once and for all.

He saw her as she crossed the threshold of their bedroom with light steps so as not to make noise.

Her gaze had immediately focused on him, sitting in the chair by the window set at the left side of the bed. There was no surprise and fear of being caught red-handed; no, it was as if she knew someone was waiting for her.

Doubts crept more into him.

"Where were you?"

"I was thirsty, I drank some water."

"You were thirsty, you drank water,” he was mocking her as he got up, walking slowly up to her. “In your walking dress.”

He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face, the silent expressiveness in his eyes exposing his anxious thoughts.  hands shaking and slightly labored breathing.

He was so close that she could feel his ragged breath on her face. The quiet expressiveness in his eyes baring his anxious thoughts.

She tilted her head to the side, weirded out and irritated by his behavior.

“I put on the first dress I could find. Finding a suitable one would have taken time.”

“Can… Can we talk about it?”

“About what?”

“About how you’re lying to me.”

The snort she gave him left him stunned, the rope of sanity permanently snapping.

His heart began to pound faster, his trembling hands cupping her face. Despair clouded his mind at her faint mocking smile and no definitive answer.

He couldn't stand it. She was kind. She was loving. She loved him.

“What’s happening? Why are you reacting like this? Is someone bothering you? Threatening you? You don’t have to hide things from me. I’m your husband! I can help you!”

He was a mess.

He spoke fast, his voice quivering, and he felt like he was losing his mind.

It was exploding. He felt suffocated.

He took his head in his hands, his knees ending up on the ground, another headache suddenly occurring. This time heavier and more persistent.

His stomach burned, a lump forming in his throat until he vomited blood before falling sideways, a few splatters reaching Minji's dress.

She had moved a few steps closer, looking down on him.

Bent over, panting, shivering, frail.

“The tea has finally had its effect. Did you enjoy the nightmares? Probably of me leaving you alone. The twist is… you were always alone. I’m not your father’s cousin. I’m not part of your family. I am not a Jeon. Spreading rumors of an illegitimate child was a child’s play.”

Jungkook was gasping for air, tremendously shocked by what was happening. He looked at her, pupils shaking, face pale, jolts sweeping through his body.

"Too many questions you're asking me!” she chuckled, her arms behind her back with the fingers of one hand intertwined with the other. “My amazement at observing human greed will never end. Tearing books from witches and using them against them to feel powerful, killing them with no mercy whatsoever. Creating massacres and making children orphans. You have no respect for what you have. Truly deplorable.”

Anger was audible in her voice, her face disfigured with disgust.

“In two of those many massacres were the three most important people in my life. I am sure that the memory of a big wolf protecting a woman is not easily forgotten, as the sight of such a wolf is not every day occurrence. They were my parents. And I was watching with my husband and brother, hidden from your eyes under my parents' request. Shortly afterwards I lost my husband as well." A sinister glint appeared in her eyes, bending her upper body slightly toward him, "The pain I felt had been so immeasurable that I was burning with the desire to make you feel the same. You should have seen your father's face the day he died, when I revealed myself as a witch. My smile must have scared him a lot.” She smirked, “How do you feel?”

Betrayal was the only thing that was piercing his lungs and heart, immobilizing him from regular breathing and opening his mouth to respond.

Bitter tears began to stream down his cheeks.

“Nevertheless, I must admit that your obsession with me was a great benefit; you made access easier for me, and getting rid of those other lousy hunters didn't bother me at all.”

“Do you really have to tell him everything?”

The interjection of a dissatisfied male voice made her straighten up, but she didn’t take her eyes off Jungkook, whose attention was now on the young man who had stopped beside Minji with the black cat on his right shoulder.

“Where is Sese, brother?”

“On my shoulder.”

Jungkook saw the pet jump down and walk behind Minji.

He thought he would see him popping up from the other side, but what appeared before his eyes were boots. Looking up, he noticed pants, a shirt, and finally a face.

A face he had last seen burning at the stake.

“We should leave, I can't stay one more minute in this shitty place,” Hoseok grumbled, his arm resting on Minji’s shoulder. “I can still smell that damned burning smell and my skin being roasted.”

“You'll get over it.”

“You go to the stake next time, Yoongi.”

“What do we do now, Minji?” Yoongi completely ignored his  annoyed comment, addressing his sister.

Silence crept in.

They were watching Jungkook like a fucking prey. Like a trapped animal. And he was.

He couldn’t do much. He had been deceived.

“Burn everything down.”

As Minji uttered those words, his hand clutched her skirt in a desperate gesture, shaking his head.

He didn't care. He wanted his wife. His love. He didn't give a fuck about her being a witch or something else. He loved her. He fucking loved her!

“Don’t… Don’t leave me, please…”

“This bastard is desperate. Apparently, you left a deep mark,” Yoongi sneered, followed by a giggle from Hoseok.

Minji extended her hand in front of her brother, and he pulled out a hunter's knife taken from the house to give it to her.

“I told you destroying them from the inside would be more satisfying, brother. My role has more impact than yours. Even though women are witch hunters, they are still viewed differently than men. Taking advantage of this was essential. Look how they collapsed like a sandcastle. I hope you had as much fun as I did, Jungkook.”

The knife was held in mid-air above Jungkook, at heart level.

His fingers tightened on her skirt, pleading with his eyes not to, but she didn't listen. Instead, she released her grip on the knife.

And as if moved by an invisible force – her power – it cut through the air and pierced his chest, reaching his heart.

His eyes lost their vitality, his body stopped moving.

And the room fell silent again.

Some time later, the house began to catch on fire.

Yoongi hid and Hoseok took on the appearance of a cat again, while she warned the employees who lived in the house to get out.

It had been a wonderful sight in her eyes.

The flames that enthusiastically enveloped the Jeon house.

Bright, big, lightning up the night.

Like the witches who were burned at the stake.

It had all been so simple that it bored her.

When she discovered that her mixed blood could somehow nullify the effects of the witches' spells used by those humans, she realized that she could do something to destroy them.

And she was succeeding. After carefully studying the methods, observing the hunters, and strengthening herself, she had taken action.

Her brother was against it, he didn't want her to put herself in danger, but she assured him that it wouldn't happen. And here was the wonderful result.

She was thanking her father for being a werewolf, and the human stupidity in not having yet discovered the existence of other living beings with different abilities.

On top of that, the compassion they were showing her after this misfortune was truly hilarious.

Talking about how her late husbands, father-in-law and her distancing from society were the work of the successor to the dukedom, his obsession and fear of having someone take her away from him, how he started a fire and she ended up having to shove a knife in his heart in self-defense, it had been a theatrical show.

The Kim family even offered to host her. A kind family indeed, she had to admit. However, they had too much faith in the witchcraft that they detested so much, and she had once again entered another house of witch hunters without repercussions.

Humming as she sat at her dressing table in her new room, she looked at herself in the mirror, fixing some messy locks in front of her face.

"Jin, Namjoon or Taehyung? Who should I go for first?" she asked, eyes fixed on her reflection before showing an interested and pleased expression. "Oh, all three? Naughty."

After smiling one more time, she stepped out of her room, her reflection still adjusting her hair through the mirror.

Then she smiled, getting up and disappearing from the mirror.

A victorius and sly giggle echoing within the walls.

[iwritewhump]

Gravestone + cemetery

day 12 of whumptember

587 words

warnings: captivity, dead body

~

Whumpee pulls his jacket tighter around himself and exhales slowly. He gathers his strength and stands up. His legs wobble under him and he almost falls over, but somehow manages to stay upright. 

Exhaling heavily, Whumpee walks through the open door and looks back at the only place he’s been the past year. 

Dirt is caked on every inch of the ground, it’s a miracle the bottoms of Whumpee’s feet didn’t pick any of it up. Spiderwebs are in every corner of the room, each and every one of them full of bugs that have been sucked dry of nutrients. The windows cast a dull light into the room, illuminating the corpse rotting on the mattress. 

Shaking his head, Whumpee walks out of the room and leaves it behind him. 

With every step he gains strength and soon enough, he’s running. Running up the stairs from the basement dungeon Whumper had made for him, down the hallway and through the kitchen. 

He freezes. 

Police tape is across the doorway. The door jamb has been kicked in and the door lays on the floor. 

There are no police cars around, so Whumpee ducks under the tape and closes his eyes as the sun hits his face for the first time in months. Exhaling slowly, Whumpee soaks up the warmth from the sun until the cold deep in him disappears. 

For the next couple hours (days?), Whumpee sticks around the house. Mostly, he’s waiting to see who-if anyone-shows up. No one does, so he wanders. 

He somehow winds up at an old, rundown park he used to play on all the time. The swings look mostly sturdy, so he sits down and lets it sway in the wind. 

The sun starts to rise so Whumpee jumps off the swing, not wanting anyone to question why there’s an adult man on the swings. He’s not really sure where he’s going, but every step becomes easier. 

He’s standing at the gate to the cemetery. There’s a service and Whumpee, despite knowing better, walks up and stands in the back of the small crowd. He’s way underdressed, only wearing sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt with an old band logo on it and a jacket, but no one seems to notice. 

The priest stops talking and the sobs turn into sniffles turn into silence as everyone places a primrose on the coffin. Whumpee smiles, those are his favorite flower. 

He cranes his neck to see the name on the gravestone, but everyone is in the way. Reluctantly, he tries to nudge his way towards the front, weaving between everyone to satisfy his curiosity.

There’s only a small group in front of him now and he freezes. Whumper stands with his arm wrapped around Caretaker’s shoulders, her head resting on his arm. 

She sobs softly and stares blankly ahead with unfocused eyes. 

Whumpee tucks behind someone and turns around. Breath coming in quick bursts, he runs a hand through his hair and shakes his head. 

“You’re seeing things. There’s no way it’s him.” He tells himself. He peeks around the person he’s hiding behind and stares at the small group. 

Caretaker stands there, leaning heavily on…still Whumper. 

Why would they both be there? Who could bring them both together like this? 

Whumpee keeps his back turned to the small group and finds the headstone. 

He stumbles backward, hand over his mouth. The crowd doesn’t react. He falls to the ground and scrambles back a few more feet, staring at his name on the gravestone. 

[ourflagmeansheartbreak]

You’re losing me || wwdits Nandermo fluff

After killing Derek, needless to say Nandor could no longer think straight. He refused to talk to cameras and for two days hasn’t slumbered or feasted. He knew he had to do something. But wasn’t it too late? Nandor knew for over a decade to not get close, to not…

“Nandor” Nadja interrupted his thoughts and for that Nandor was more than grateful, “are you okay? You’ve been acting like a big American hamburger” it was making her sick being this nice, as she is used to screaming her way out of situations.

“I am okay, thank you Nadja” he muttered not looking away from the painting of him and his horse John, slightly dragging his finger through the hole Guillermo left with a dagger long time ago.

“Malakas” she yelled out, and rushing to him and forcefully turning him to face her, “you’re just like Laszlo, something’s wrong and then all of the sudden ‘yes, yes, very good, thank you’ “ she said mockingly out of anger. It’s not that she didn’t want to help, quite the opposite, she hated seeing her friends in pain. Especially Nandor. But the dummies never learned how to communicate, “now speak”

“I appreciate your help, Nadja” he smiled, “but I’m just alright” he let go of her and turned back to the painting.

“Fine, you don’t wanna talk, don’t. We are leaving now, but if you don’t think that when I come back I won’t sit down on your coffin until you speak, think again” Nadja stormed out, yet Nandor seemed unbothered.

Sometimes he’d look at the painting, dragging his finger around where the dagger used to be. Nandor felt like it was a big warning: a giant wall standing between him and… Guillermo.

It was difficult when he was just a familiar, then it was even more complicated when they found out he’s a vampire killer, and even more terrifying when he disobeyed and turned himself into a vampire.

‘Treat them mean, keep them keen’ is what he was taught. With his soldiers, with his wives and husbands, with his familiars. But Guillermo has never been keen. And that both intrigued and terrified him.

And it has never been in Nandor’s nature to be warm and cuddly. After all he was a slaughtering machine from his birth till now, and when he thinks about him, he wouldn’t love him either, a pathological people killer.

But he’ll do it. Everyone’s out of the house, except for him and Guillermo. And he’ll do it.

He launched himself down the stairs, nervously waiting to “accidentally” bump into Guillermo. And after standing there for solid 15 minutes, it seemed much easier in movies, he thought. He was just happy the cameras were out of the house with Laszlo and Nadja.

“Guillermo” he yelled out not being able to wait there any longer, “I need to speak to you”

“Yes, master?” He appeared as it seemed out of thin air right behind him, scaring him.

“How are you feeling, Guillermo?” He couldn’t think how to open, and ‘I would like to marry you’ seemed a little too forward. It was dangerous territory, if he rejects Nandor, he’ll most likely have to leave. And Nandor won’t be able to stop him as hypnosis no longer work on Guillermo.

“I have a headache” he nodded.

“I used to have those in Al Quolanudar whenever one of our wives would hit me at the back of my head with a rock” he laughed trying to release the tension.

“What?” Guillermo looked confused.

“My wives” he corrected himself, suddenly missing the camera to which he could uncomfortably turn to.

Guillermo looked at him with the look that could only translate into “you’re losing me”. “I’m losing you” Nandor thought back.

“I think I’ll go to sleep, master, I’m very cold” Guillermo muttered as he tried to walk past him but Nandor stopped him.

He slowly walked closer to the short man, with his right hand wrapping Guillermo with his cape. That’s better, he thought.

“Perhaps it is time you call me Nandor” yes, that’s great start, he thought.

“Okay” Guillermo blushed a little, although through that thick beard it was difficult to see. But Nandor could. He always did, “Nandor”

Nandor stood there, smiling warmly at the man, and Guillermo smiled back. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was smiling because he enjoyed his company, or because he was… feeling like he had to. There’s no going back now, he thought.

Nandor gently put his free left hand on Guillermo’s cheek and without waiting leaned in to kiss him. He almost forgot what it feels like to kiss a human, so gentle, so warm. And for a second there Nandor thought that his heart might start again for him. But that was over. He pulled away as he felt Guillermo not returning the kiss. And with that he might have just stab him with the wooden stake because Nandor didn’t want to exist.

“I am sorry, Guillermo” he muttered lowly, “I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. I never kissed anyone with glasses before” he smiled uncomfortably, retracting the cape from the man.

“Shut up” to his surprise Guillermo pulled the taller man in again. He must have just been taken by surprise the first time around, he thought. Although Nandor no longer wanted to think. He was watching his fangs carefully as to not bite Guillermo accidentally, slowly pushing the shorter man to the wall.

It was fascinating. The lips so soft and gentle and warm, Nandor could lose himself in the insanity that is this kiss.

“I don’t want to lose you, Guillermo” he pulled away to gather his breath, but the man pulled him back in.

“You won’t” he muttered back.

So unbelievably beautiful that kiss was. Nandor has never felt such… what’s the word? Love? Before. Most his suitors were non human, vampires, werewolves, lovers brought from the dead, and none of them had the heart like Guillermo. So kind, so warm, so…

“Nandor!” Nadja yelled out standing across the hallway, making them both pull away, “is that your idea of ‘im okay’?”

Guillermo was smiling uncontrollably as Nandor turned around, and if he could blush, he would be painted red by now.

“I told you I’m fine, Nadja. Now more so” he smiled back at Guillermo, making Nadja curse in Greek as she ran to her room.

////////////////////

I was bored. Wrote some fluff based on this fanart and ‘you’re losing me’ song by Taylor Swift. ITS NOT MINE! Found it on Pinterest. Their vk k_e_r_e_r_e_k, if you know the artists please comment their @, I really want to give proper credits to them. This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

[slow-writer]

TMAGP (and TMA, indirectly) Spoilers and Thoughts...

You have been warned...

I wasn't part of the original TMA crowd back when it was first airing. I'd heard mutterings of it, but never really thought much about it. To be honest, I probably wasn't mentally ready for it back then. Instead, my younger sister started listening to it last year and then kept talking about it until something she said made me go, "Y'know what? Okay. I'm in."

I ended up bingeing through it during work this past October, and holy sh*t. I fell down the rabbit hole hard. (Maybe, in this case, it would be more akin to running face first down those coffin stairs? I digress.) Being so new to it when everyone else had already been swallowed up by the sky, it was cool to dig into the Wikis that had already been made, to see the links and foreshadowing.

But now, it's the beginning of TMAGP, and I actually get to listen the day they release, to jump on here, or reddit, or tiktok, or wherever to be a part of the theorizing AS IT HAPPENS. And boy oh boy, I'm happier than Simon Fairchild in the stratosphere.

Do I have a notebook to jot down my thoughts as I listen? Of course, I do. Do I have multiple tabs open, some with ARG info, some with TMA info, and yet more with references to alchemical symbols and practices? Duh. Have I started my own spreadsheet for it all? Well, if you knew about my Lego Dimensions spreadsheet.... nevermind. Yes, I have.

But nothing beats being able to talk (or type) about it with other fans, like my sister, or those faceless avatars (lol) of the interwebs. And man, has my brain been CHURNING.

First, let me get out of the way that I wasn't able to take part in the ARG as it was happening, and my goodness! I'm so happy there are other people out there like me who were able to sum up and load it up for the rest of us to learn about. No idea how much of it will be *necessary* to unlock all the secrets, but I'm the kind who loves to know trivia just cos. And the details I am learning definitely pull me deeper.

Second, I feel like in the beginning of TMA, there was barely anything for the listeners to dig through. One guy working on behalf of an organization, trying to dig through seemingly implausible and overly spooktastic first-hand statements dating back centuries that are in crazy disarray from the previous archivist, and he's laying on a hefty helping of "this is utter balderdash, complete poppycock, and absolute piffle" opinion. It was a slow burn, something that (as an American, and being exposed to so much more instant gratification in storytelling than necessary) UK storytellers seem to be experts in, and was even more expertly done in this case, since so many little things had to eventually build up without listeners automatically assuming what would happen next, without them getting bored.

But TMAGP is already so full of so much extra stuff, so many little things (even before it was released) that we may all get BURIED in the sheer amount of data we think is vital. We're not listening to tapes this time, we're definitely listening via internet-connected devices, like computers, mobile phones, and security cameras. So, while TMA had old tape recorders magically appearing (or were they being dragged by hordes of spiders?) and switching themselves on so they could hear all the random happenings within the archive, TMAGP is no longer reliant on such hand-wavery. Whatever/whoever is listening can do so from anywhere to anyone they want. That makes the world of TMAGP

SO MUCH BIGGER.

Third, I know not everyone who listens to these things is like me (or, let's face it: us--there are so many fans doing regular deep dives on here, we should have our own categorization on the wiki). There are bound to be listeners who just leave everything at face value and wait for the story to unfold itself organically, and when it's done, it's done. But even as an adolescent, when I got into something, I did my best to listen to, watch, or read everything I could find on that very niche thing. At least for a while. (Hello, undiagnosed ADHD!)

So, I watched/listened to a couple interviews and Q&As regarding the new show prior to release. And while both Alex and Jonny have been clear saying you don't have to have listened to TMA to enjoy TMAGP, I kind of think just saying that is leading us TMA fans in a very specific direction. And I think it's very intentional, and that a lot of fans either haven't heard about it yet, or are choosing to ignore it.

They say that TMAGP is tangentially related to TMA in that there will be familiar themes, but

it's taking place in a completely different universe from TMA;

time in TMA worked differently (especially during the Entity Torturepalooza in S5) towards the end, so dates of events there may not line up with dates or events in this universe; and

the main or overarching theme is different.

In TMA, the story was "what makes a monster a monster?" As in, is there a line one crosses that they can't return from? Is it a physical manifestation, like it alters their appearance? Is it an action they have to take? And does that action have to be done willingly, or can it be coerced? Does becoming the monster to protect someone else, or to achieve a greater good... does any of that matter?

In TMAGP, they've already said that the story will be "what makes a person a person?"

The implications of that sentence are many and mind-boggling.

I first thought it had something to do with the idea of the humane (not human): kindness, empathy, compassion. The ties that bind us together as people (like being fans of a little horror podcast from across the pond) could be part of this.

But, now that we have 5 episodes out, and a metaphorical army of lore-deep-divers digging through every word and sound effect and episode title, I think we can truly start to figure out where we're heading.

Artificial Intelligence.

It struck me as I was re-listening to the first episode this morning. (I really am trying to fill out my spreadsheet in a semi-logical manner and with as many pertinent details as possible, really. That's the main reason I was doing that this morning. At least, that's what I tell myself.) We are hearing all these happenings over web-connected devices (don't think I don't see you, Alex and Jonny, and your oh-so-hilarious punning!), the OIAR employees are working on a modified business-forward version of Windows NT 4.0 that precedes Windows 95 that has a name that we interpret as 'Freddy' (or Freddie, depending on where you are in the transcripts), one of the documents from the ARG was a spreadsheet called 'Klaus' (which IS the name of the former IT guy Gwen's asking about because she heard/saw young Lena arguing with him), and we have at least 3 text-to-speech "voices" that Alice has given names (Chester, Norris, and Augustus).

All of that was running through my brain, and then I heard this passage within the first few minutes of the episode:

LENA - Nonsense. Sam is the only one who has had any cake so far. GWEN - And that was only because you practically forced it down his throat. SAM - No, no, it was… nice. LENA - People like chocolate cake.

People like chocolate cake? She didn't even ask her employees (all 5 of them at that time) what flavor they'd prefer, or if they'd want something else? No. She just knows a fact that "people" like chocolate cake, so of course, her employees--who are people--would like chocolate cake.

Almost like a computer following a logic-based workflow, perhaps?

Lots of people have been trying to figure out who in the office is the Big Bad, and many are saying Gwen just because of her ambition and her last name (Bouchard), but I think her name is a red herring. Others are saying Alice knows more than she lets on (and so many are hating on her, and I will NOT ABIDE THE ALICE DYER SHADE because I love her and I would very probably hide bodies for her) but I agree that certain things she's said are a little sus, though they really could just be her personality. I really have known some women like her, and they are some of my favorite people. (Plus, the fact that we now know that she's the most tenured employee at the OIAR--save possibly Lena--does make the brain churn some more.)

But with this line about chocolate cake, and how she was unable to join them at the pub, and how we haven't had a scene with her outside of the OIAR office, it makes me think that Lena might just be part code.

[Let me also add this really quick: I've seen A LOT of people trying to make the current episodes fit into Smirke's 14 +Dekker's 1, but I don't think the Entities as we codified them are what we're dealing with in this universe. I think trying to link everything back to that show will be a lot of wasted thought, because as they said, this isn't a direct sequel. (Do I think it's actually Jon, Martin, and Jonah--yes, Jonah, not Jurgen--trapped in the computer system? A bit, but it won't shatter my appreciation if the voices are something else entirely.)

Plus, I've seen others saying that the statements we've heard, while creepy, aren't all necessarily to do with fear. Most of them are about desires and obsessions.

The woman who wanted so desperately to see her dead husband again that she'd get scammed over and over to possibly resurrect him;

the person who wanted to spelunk an 'unsolved' site to the point of crime;

the woman who wanted to finally feel comfortable in her skin to the point of disfiguring herself;

the man who wanted so badly to climb out of his assigned station and achieve fame that he'd regularly 'feed' his violin blood from other people;

and the man who wanted to feel the same terror he felt when watching scary movies with his dad when he was a kid to the point of chasing down 'borderline illegal films' and ignoring LITERALLY ALL the red flags to the end.

I think that theory is the closest to what we may actually encounter.]

I've seen others on reddit saying they think that this series will be about the race to create the philosopher's stone--the stone that creates the elixir of life and, essentially, immortality. I think it's a valid idea. But, what if it went further than that?

Because with all the alchemical hints dropping in the show's logo, the ARG, and the 3-category system to the statements (yes, I'm keeping track) that could make one think of the spirit, the mind, and the body in alchemy....

What if they're trying to create life from software?

What if these entities or desires or whatevers have been working through some ancient busted code, feeding off statements from "real" humans experiencing strong emotions, watching the employees that work with it every single night, so they can create something as close to a human as possible from just wires and 3 decades of unreadable code?

Oh lord... it just occurred to me that--due to this being a HORROR podcast--they might need to collect a skin suit for the Not Quite Human. Is that what happened to Klaus? Ick. And now I'm hoping I'm wrong.

[questionable-intimacies]

DEATH and the Half-Breed

The girl with rabbit ears was savagely dressed with strips of frayed cloth, and her skin, caked in the dust of the road and the brown skin which was a misfortune of her birth, was crudely adorned with bestial fangs and little bones shaped into jewelry by a hand far finer than a half-animal, half-woman savage could ever hope to become.

Despite her half-nakedness, the heat in the bar was oppressive enough to draw thin rivers of sweat, which cracked into branches and tributaries across the half-breed's skin. Fine drops raced each other across taut, sleek flesh, and the eyes of the bar's other patrons tracked each moist rivulet's run across the half-breed's bare skin with relentless fascination. The garbage that passed for alcohol in the joint ran their races from chipped glasses down thirsty throats, and the heat shimmers in each man's mind took the shape of the half-breed's strong body in their pickaxe-ruined hands except for her face and the expression she makes at another man's mercy.

Despite the fantasies and the Sioux war drums beating heavily between their legs and the back of their brains, every man in that bar knew that the only kind of woman, even a half-breed, especially a half-breed, who would dare sit alone in a bar was the kind of woman protected by the kind of man who dealt iron fast and loud from his hip, instead of mining iron from the shits. A wise man knew that no woman was worth the loud, fast death that the iron from the hip gives, and only wise men survived in this kind of bar, built in the center of this kind of town.

"Heya! I'm Jaune Arc. Name's short, sweet, and rolls of the tongue."

Every man in the bar stared at the woman with fear now instead of lust. A Fool was going to die, but when fools died, they always needed a wise man to show them the way to the light. Everyone waited now to see which wise man would death volunteer for the job, for from the second floor of the bar, where quiet rooms were reserved for those who needed the silence for quiet deeds, Death's spurs came a-ringing as he walked down the stairs to the bar's first floor.

Death appeared somber and plain; that was how he snuck up on those doomed to die, which was why Jaune Arc didn't run but instead said to Death.

"Cardin Winchester. I was talking to the lady."

Cardin Winchester's eyes, steel blue, stared at Jaune from beneath the brim of a black hat.

"The half-breed knows her place," Cardin said as he pulled out Jaune's 'WANTED' poster from his grey suit jacket.

"Really, Cardin, you?" Jaune said as he placed his hand on the butt of his revolver.

"I'm the Undertaker, and the reward will pay for your coffin."

Jaune's pistol cleared the leather of his holster first, but the half-breed jumped from her seat and caught his arm before he could aim.

Cardin had the time, then, to fire first. Everyone heard one shot, but Jaune died with three red holes in his chest.

Jaune's reward was enough for three coffins. Cardin pocketed the cost and gave Jaune a six-foot hole instead. Death then left town for the gloomy horizon on a white horse; the half-breed girl, blood fresh on her bare skin and with love in her eyes, followed in Death's wake.

[angelynmoon]

"Sorry to interrupt the concert," Steve starts as he stands on the stage, Corroded Coffin's band frowning in confusion as a hat wearing boy walks over to Eddie and starts messing with his clothes, "but Eddie has no sense for dates and the official we hired is refusing to reschedule."

Steve pauses long enough to glance at a suddenly pale Eddie.

"So, as long as you don't mind, I'd like to get married to the dumbest rockstar on the planet, preferably tonight." Steve tells them.

It takes a moment for understanding to sink in but when it does they shreek with approval.

Within moments the crowd has shifted so there is a clear path in the middle and someone grabs Steve from the stage and crowd surfs him to the far end as Eddie's people take the stage and set up like this was a given, the official scowling as he stands next to Eddie and the boy they know as Dustin, one of Eddie's biggest fans, or, in certain circles, his favorite child.

The band shares a look before they begin to play, it's a song that has never been played in concert before, softer than any song Corroded Coffin has ever played, it sounds almost like a lullaby and the crowd feels undeniably privledged to be part of this moment as Steve walks towards the stage

It's only when he gets closer that he realizes that the stairs are off to the side and he starts to veer towards them only to be blocked.

When he reaches the stage several of Eddie's fans kneel and help steady him as he uses their bent knees as steps, as they offer their shoulders to lift him up to the man tat holds his hand out to him to lift him up onto the stage and leads them to the official that waits for them.

And in the silence Eddie's mic picks up their vows of devotion, through hell and bat bites, through comas and recovery, and promises to love one another through accusations of murder and being a cult leader.

And Eddie and Steve vow forever on a stage in the middle of a concert during Corroded Coffin's first big tour, surrounded by their family and the fans that would eventually be friends, because Eddie would never forget the men and women who handed his fiance up to him, who didn't mind that the concert they paid for was interrupted so he could get married to the man he had loved long before said man carried him out of hell after breaking his ribs to restart his heart, a heart he'd promised would only ever beat for him.

And if he smiled when he noticed how his older fans steered his Steve away from the young kids that were copying his husband's style, if he followed the wave that happened that drew his gaze directly passed all those young ones that never had a chance to where his husband danced with their youngest child along to the beat that thrummed through the venue, well, Eddie was a smart enough man to know exactly what those children wanted.

It was too bad that none of them could hold a candle to the man that had saved his life, who had held his hand through a coma and the long painful recovery that followed, who kissed his scars and still got angry at him occasionally for being a hero after he'd told him not to be, who'd throw his balled up dirty socks at his head and told him to do the goddamned laundry, who kissed him in the glow of a movie they'd seen a thousand times, who dragged him into a fancy dance when he came home from recording another song for an album, who loved listening to him play him to sleep but never asked him to.

No, the kids wouldn't understand that there were some loves that happened only once in a lifetime, and how lucky it was that Eddie got the chance to be part of it.

--

A/n: that wedding excerpt that I didn't promise you but wanted to be written.

[cat-esper]

Find the Word Tag

I was tagged ages ago by @ahordeofwasps

Tagging: @awleeofficial, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @pb-dot, and open tag.

Your words are time, voice, perfect, and control

My words are beat, cheat, fleet, and neat and I grabbed these snippets from The Zodiac Circuit.

Beat

Eleanor presses her forehead against his and they both close their eyes, Hector a beat after she does. It's something they've done countless times. "Nothing lasts forever, not the good or the bad. We just have to hold out a little longer." "Just a little longer," Hector murmurs. "And then we can be a proper family again. We'll get to pick out a school for Miranda and watch her make friends. We can invite your parents over for Christmas." "You just want their pies," Hector says. Eleanor smiles. "That too." "Maybe we should get a dog." "That's the best idea I've heard all day." There is movement from upstairs and I alert them through the speakers in the walls. "Miranda is awake," I say. "She'll be hungry," Hector says. "I have cookies in my suitcase." Eleanor snorts and pulls away from him. "She's getting a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The cookies are for after dinner. Come on, she's missed you. Everyday it's 'When's daddy coming home?'" Hector grins. "Then I'll just go upstairs and tell her the answer's today." It's a race between them to see who mounts the stairs faster. Hector wins and when Miranda sees him at the threshold of her room, she squeals and rushes on short legs to him. He kneels down and catches her in a hug while Eleanor looks on, smiling. For one moment, it's like the world is normal.

Cheat

"Rhys Valencya, what do you think you're doing?" Carmady asked in the tone of voice she used when Rhys was little and had been caught cheating on a test. The voice was enough to freeze Rhys and make her feel small and weak again and ashamed. Carmady took a slow step forward. "I trusted you, Rhys. I vouched for you. And this is how you repay that trust? By betraying your family?" "You killed my dad," Rhys said, the words getting caught in her throat so that the last syllable came out as a whisper. She swallowed. "If anyone's betrayed this family, it's you."

Fleet

The pod unlatched with a hiss and the lid rolled back. In those fleeting seconds, Rhys had time to imagine that the Church had hid the lich's body down here all these years and that she'd been tricked. That she would find herself face to face with a creature out of every San Frascan's nightmare. Then the lid retracted and what Rhys was looking at wasn't any horrible undead monster. It was a man. He didn't look dead at all, but he didn't look alive either. The pod had probably held him in stasis. He was light-skinned, with perfectly groomed brown hair, and he wore simple black and white garb. "Shit, it is a medical pod," Rhys whispered. How long had this been down here? How long had her family just kept some random guy in their basement? Lights flickered on inside the pod, activating...something. Rhys knew she should run, that whoever this was wasn't her business, but she couldn't stop staring. "Who are you?" As if he had heard her, the man's eyes opened.

Neat

The crypt always gave Rhys the shivers so she did everything in her power to avoid coming down here, even pretending to be sick once so she didn't have to help carry a body. Coffin shelves stood in neat rows, each nook home to the decaying dead. Bones upon bones were laid here, all around her. She could imagine them still conscious, just lying there in the dark with their sunken eye sockets and rotting teeth and long, bony fingers, just waiting for the lich to give the command: rise. She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. There was no climate control down here so it was cold and moist and smelled like sweet decay. Generations of Valencyas were buried down here along with all the hapless dead of the city, people everyone thought had been cremated. If San Frasca knew Carmady had kept all their corpses down here, they'd be furious. Any dead remains could be used by the Lich in his army. The only way to ensure that didn't happen was to completely destroy the remains so nothing but ash and the tiniest bone shards remained. Someday, Rhys too would end up down here, just another unwitting soldier waiting to serve.

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