#till human voices wake us

[silkbox]

That chair got me good, so I’m obligated to return the favor. 

(fanart for a fantastic shadowgast fanfiction called till human voice wake us by the illustrious @ariadne-mouse)

[blueoctopussss]

I'm working on an illustration for Mermay of Caleb and Essek inspired by @ariadne-mouse 's fic 'till human voices wake us' (so lovely, you should definitely read it, I've wanted to make a drawing for it for a while and now seemed like a good time!).

However, when I was working on the sketch I kind of just had a vague line between them of where the other arms would go, forgot about it, finished most of the linework, and now I'm not sure what to do with them!

I'm open to some suggestions, and I made a poll with some of my ideas. Feel free to elaborate in the comments or tags if you think they should be doing different things. I can easily use the lasso tool to move them farther apart/closer together or adjust the angle to make different poses work. I will also adjust the arms that are currently drawn as needed (please ignore the hands currently; I did not want to spend a lot of time on them until I was sure I liked the pose!).

Posing is one of the things I struggle the most with in art, and having an underwater scene where gravity has less of an effect means there are even more options so I appreciate any feedback I can get.

I hope to have the illustration done maybe next week (by the end of May for sure!) and I will post it here then!

Thank you!

[pasdetrois]

The one I love has been a foreigner from his first hour He is a man out of centuries long gone

Forugh Farrokhzad, from "The One I Love" (tr. Jascha Kessler, Amin Banani)

[alfgifu]

Fic analysis 13. Keeping score

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48605707

Word count: 2,148

Chapters: 1

First posted: 15th July 2023

Summary: 

It was the nature of the Great Game Aurieleteer to make extraordinary demands on its players. The rules were brutally simple, but the moves were breathtakingly intricate.

Circe of Aiaia had, at one time, prided herself on the efficient elegance of her stratagems.

How and why this came about

The second prompt challenge was on the subject of taxes, which is surprisingly fertile ground in the Nine Worlds. I had already decided to make use of the challenges to circle round as wide a range of characters, settings, and subjects as possible. I liked the idea of writing Raphael and Circe (for me their odd relationship is the best and crunchiest thing about Till Human Voices Wake Us), and the whole setting seemed perfect for a historical escapade that (as a bonus) allowed me to vicariously set the world on fire.

I had a rule for myself that I was going to complete [x] amount of my long fic (this varied over time) and the prompt fic was the last thing I wrote that week, which meant it was quite often written on the Saturday afternoon before the deadline. It became something of a joke that I would say, every week, that I wasn’t sure if I’d be taking part that weekend because I didn’t have any ideas - and then I submitted something, generally at the very last minute.

What worked and what didn’t

It was charmingly easy to insert Circe into a real historical event as perpetrator, with a bit of cursory research on Wikipedia and the pattern of a hundred Doctor Who episodes to imitate. It was even more satisfying to allow her to set fire to a government building and destroy centuries worth of meticulous record-keeping (cover your ears, Cliopher).

The flexible nature of the Great Game Aurieleteer in the books is highly convenient for fic. The players set one another tasks and can name some constraints but the nature and length of the tasks and the extent of the rules they put forward can be entirely plot-convenient.

What I learned from writing it

It’s incredibly satisfying to write a character whose moral code is distorted in ways that let them be entirely callous about most other people. They get to be scary and violent and enjoy it, and there’s a huge freedom in just going with that and not restraining wicked impulses. 

I also learned that very few other people are interested in writing or reading fic based on THVWU… for nearly a year this was the only THVWU fic on AO3; this summer someone uploaded a Raphael/Eurydice filk but otherwise Raphael and Circe only appear in fanfic where they cross over into other parts of canon.

That makes sense - THVWU was Goddard’s first novel and it’s full of dense allusions to various other authors, plus a mythological framework inspired by the kind of mid-C20th CS Lewis christian vibe, both of which can be understandably off-putting. There is a lot of potential in the world building though. I’m not sure the Great Game can ever exactly be made to make sense but it allows for some fun scenarios.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"[Once in solitary confinement] you start thinking about what to do now. A false sense of energy and hope seizes hold of you. Wasn't it my friend Laurie who devised about fifty different things you can do in a cell to keep your mind occupied? I can only remember two of them. [I could do] exercises. ... but it doesn't keep you going for long. Oh then, there's the Bible. Why not make up your mind to start reading it from beginning to end? Or make a study of one book? The book of Job? The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. But Job wasn't in solitary confinement. Good God, he wasn't even in prison, the lucky soandso.

You start reading, but you find you can't concentrate. Your mind wanders away to the people outside. I suppose the V.J. [Visiting Judge, who ordered punishments like solitary confinement] is looking forward to sitting down to a nice lunch. Meat and white bread and pastry, I'll bet. I hope it ties knots in his guts. Jesus Maria. How did you ever let yourself get in this position? And you make a resolution then. Never again. If it ever looks that you might get arrested, rather shoot your way out. They took you away, the police did, and locked you up. And now the screws have done it again. Take him away and lock him up. Theme song of all authority for 1,900 years. And getting worse now. Take the derelict away and lock him up.

Outside, in the world which you left behind you ages ago, there are people actually walking about the streets wondering what they'll have for lunch, worrying about some silly business problem, thinking what a time they're going to have that night with some girl. Girls, my God. While you squat here, like some bloody animal in the half-dark.

Or in the country. Actually in the country near birds and trees. Grumbling about having to milk cows. It's almost unbelievable. They ought to throw their arms round the cows' necks and hug them for the privilege of being free to milk them. Of being free to touch them. Of being free.

I'm so tied to my farm, writes one cow-cocky in the paper, that the only difference between it and a concentration camp is the height of the boundary fence.

You damn fool, you crazy bastard, you lying hound. You can go out and eat grass, can't you? You can drink the milk, you can get down on your knees and suck the cow's teats? You can do anything, you fool, you're FREE.

Try sitting in a cell in semi-darkness reading the Book of Job on an empty stomach. Try praying to God for the minutes to go, just a little quicker. Try having the smell of your own pisspot in your nostrils night and day. Try waiting through interminable hours for night to come so as you can steal a little enjoyment from a smoke as thin as the lead in a lead pencil; hoping to God a screw won't pass by and smell you out. Try being a derelict in solitary confinement. Try getting into such a degraded state that a bit of cheese, shoved under the door by a friendly cleaner, seems like one of the miracles of Christ. Try those things just once. Then get down on your knees again, but instead of sucking teats, thank God you're alive and on the right side of the walls."

- Ian Hamilton, Till Human Voices Wake Us. Auckland: Auckland University Press, 1983 (first published by private subscription, 1953). p. 65-66.

[I've read a lot of prison memoirs this year, with many more to come. This may be one of the best. Hamilton was a conscientious objector in New Zealand-Aotearoa during World War 2, a pessimistic socialist humanist, a playwright, and sheep farmer. This may be one of the best, just raw but well-directed anger, utter contempt for polite New Zealand settler society and for what he viewed as a growing bureaucratization and dehumanization of society. I thought this bitter anger directed at people who use metaphors of imprisonment lightly to describe minor incovencies.]

[erinaceina]

Carefully adds Raphael to the shelf of blorbos who need a hug and a nap…

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

I love this little spirit kitty you can find sitting with a regular kitty in Treviso... who is she...

[lunairka]

Till Human Voices Wake Us is a masterpiece

I just finished reading Till human voices wake us by the incredible mousecookie. It is fantastic, mesmerizing, I genuinely can’t recommend something more. It has captivated me for months, and I am incredibly glad I got to come along for the ride.

If you, like me, love the ocean in all its dangerous and intoxicating glory, sirens/mermaids, fantastic characterization, STUNNING illustrations. Then this is the fic for you

ITS SO GOOD YOU GUYS AND ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITES PLEAAASSE ALLOW YOURSELF TO READ THIS UTTER MASTERPIECE !!!!!

[straye]

🖤 :3c

send 🖤 and my character will answer about yours. : ACCEPTING !

attractiveness:

repulsive / hideous / ugly / not attractive / unappealing / not unattractive / meh / no preference / ok / mildly attractive / nice looking / cute / adorable / attractive / pleasant on the eyes / good looking / hot / sexy / beautiful / gorgeous / hot damn / would tap that / perfect / godlike / holy fuck there are no words.

personality:

grating / irritating / frustrating / boring / confusing at best / awkward / unreasonable / psychotic / disturbing / interesting / engaging / affectionate / aggressive / ambitious / anxious / artistic / bad tempered / bossy / charismatic / appealing / unappealing / creative / courageous / dependable / unreliable / unpredictable / predictable / devious / dim / extroverted / introverted / egotistical / gregarious / fabulous / impulsive / intelligent / sympathetic / talkative / up beat / peaceful / calming / b0adass / flexible.

how likely they would have sex with them:

not if they were the last person on earth and the world was ending / fuck no! / never / no way / not likely / not sure / indifferent / I’m asexual / maybe / probably / it depends / fairly likely / likely / yeah sure / yes / would tap that / hell yes / fuck yes! / wishing that could happen right now / as many times as possible / we are already having sex.

level of friendship:

never in a million years / worst of enemies / enemies / rivals / indifferent / neutral / acquaintance / friendly toward each other / casual friends / friends / good friends / best friends / fuck buddies / bosom buddies / practically the same person / would die for them / true friends / my only friend.

first impression of them:

i hate them so much / i don’t like them / i don’t trust them / they annoy me / they’re weird / I’m indifferent / meh / they seem alright / they’re growing on me / truce / I think I like them / I like them / I’m not sure if I trust them / I trust them / they’re cool / they’re genuine / I think we’re going to get along / I really like them / I think I’m in love / oh fuck they’re hot / I love them.

current impression of them:

i hate them so much / i don’t like them / i don’t trust them / they annoy me / they’re weird / I’m indifferent / meh / they seem alright / they’re growing on me / truce / I think I like them / I like them / I’m not sure if I trust them / I trust them / they’re cool / they’re genuine / I think we’re going to get along / I really like them / I think I’m in love / oh fuck they’re hot / I love them.

[r3starttt]

GET IT HOT

CW: car sex. use of strap. fingering. sub! ellie. good girl, babe.

Traffic had been beyond horrifying today. You've had a long exhausting day, and you've prayed to any divinity to let you get home quick, to just cuddle and have a nice night with your girlfriend. Ellie begged for the same thing after having a tough day with clients at her job and then being all day burning due the sun and traffic, taking ages to pick you up and then ages to get back home.

She read your face the moment you got in the car, so you've got the privilege to get some sleep until you two arrived home. Which was for nothing because she had to wake you up before she even got the two of you out for traffic. She got bored and anxious and felt like exploding if she didn't hear you yapping about anything.

Eventually traffic faded, but there was still a long path before you even got near home. And your yapping didn't help at all, she was mad.

You could tell by how her hands ran through her hair, almost ripping it off. By how her fingers would grip the steering wheel, by how she would groan or mumble slurs to all those stupid humans driving like shit. She was hot, you were hot.

So, after overthinking it, you decided to wait till you got home. Ellie had a hard day too, and it wouldn't be any fair to make her put more effort for today, you could wait.

"Fuck" she groaned, throwing her hands to the air, not so accidentally slapping the flesh of your thighs. "What?" You whispered, trying to distract yourself from losing it.

"These fucking- everyone's fucking stupid- look!" Her grip tightened, making you squirm underneath her. There were some cars making a mess, how the fuck did these people got their license?

"Shit, m' sorry" the tone of her voice lowered, harshly moving her hand away. You furrowed your brows, letting out a small 'huh?'

"I was ripping your leg apart" she chuckled. Your hand traveled to hers, moving her to where it was just some seconds ago, making sure it'll keep in place. "Nothing you haven't done before, no worries"

"Seriously?" You rolled your eyes "what?" She laughed at you, slacing a cautionary glaze at you and then shifting her eyes back to the road. "Though you've had a hard day?" You shrugged "same for you"

She clicked her tongue "shut up" your fingers grabbed her hand, moving it closer and deeper to your inner thighs. You crossed your legs, feeling your panties stupidly wet.

"You sure?" She replied, cocky as her usual temper. Suddenly, all the anger she had from all day faded. "How's that?" Her fingers moved to the middle of your cunt, rubbing circles above your clothed clit. You whined 'good'.

"Yeah?" You nodded "If I slid my fingers like this, how's that feel?" Her middle finger slid over your arousal, deeping it just enough to make you clench around nothing. "Good, feels good"

"Come here" the red light illuminated your face. Your body, almost as a reflex, leaned towards her. Her lips pressed against yours, Ellie could not be craving you more.

"How're you this wet already?" She mocked "what have you been thinking-" You interrupted her, giving her one last kiss before the light turned green.

"Lean back" so you did, opening your legs wide and nice for her. The palm of her fingers moving your panties aside, letting her digit dance in between your cunt. It only lasted some seconds before she introduced her fingers inside you, smiling at how you clenched at her feeling.

You kept on bucking your hips closer to her hand if even possible, eliciting that sheepish smile, full of adoration. Fuck she couldn't have any better view.

The cold air hitting your bare legs, her fingers curling so deliciously inside you. The wetness and obscene sounds filling the silence between both, some groans and heavily sighs coming out of her too. You felt your stomach clenching at it.

She couldn't do much, and it was more than frustrating. To see how your hands gripped on anything you had near, how you tried to push her away whenever it got a little bit too much. See your legs closing, feel how damp her hand was getting. She couldn't wait.

So she pulled over. "Come on, sit on my lap" her hand pulled off your cunt, almost too abruptly. You whined at it, still doing as she asked you to. "Yeah, good girl"

"Look at you" she chuckled "kiss" your lips pressed on hers in such a messy desperate kiss, feeling your tongue dancing against hers, the drool escaping your mouth and to your chin.

"Pull it out" your hands grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her closer until she didn't let you "I know you feel it, pull it out"

You wanted to ask, stupid, knowing you already had the answer. She was always so considerating, wasn't she?

Your nails dragged along the hem of her t shirt, rolling it up right before her chest. You got rid of her belt, letting out the strap.

"Sink on it" your knees moved up hers, finding a better position. Just as the tip touched your arousal you let out a humiliating whimper, already so desperate for her. "Feels good huh?" She mocked.

"Now sink all the way down" she filled you just right. Without realizing you were already clenching around it, too focused on resting your weight on her, pressing your hands over her shoulders. You looked at her eyes, searching for a hint of pleasure coming out her. Ellie simply replied with a 'mhm'.

"Good girl, take your time, babe." you could hear how wet you were, moving up and down her lap. Her nose brushed your neck, holding your lower back, guiding you as you ride her.

Once you got yourself comfortable you started to speed your movements, hearing your arousal becoming more wet at your every move. Ellie kept on letting out repetitive pleads. The friction on her clit started to her way too overwhelming.

She pulled your shirt off, immediately meeting your nipples with her mouth, dancing her tongue on each of them. Her hips started to buck into you, making the friction for both stupidly perfect.

You felt your cunt clenching, a contraction on your whole body, all accompanied by her pretty whines, her tongue making a mess on your breasts and her drool covering your nipples.

"Cum for me babe" you asked her, harshly grabbing her pretty face, already messy, and pressing your lips against hers, feeling your inner thighs get covered by your juices. "Can't- Can't, fuck-"

Her mouth opened very slightly, whining at your mouth. Fuck she was so pretty. Her fingers gripped tightly at the fat of your hips, letting the pleasure invade both your bodies.

That until she caught her breath, letting out a sheepishly laugh per usual, shushed by your lips on her temple. "Love you" "love you too"

[ariadne-mouse]

Essek and Mercaleb in the style of Maginel Wright Enright's 1912 illustration in The Mermaid's Gift (under the cut):

And the fic link, for the curious: till human voices wake us

[captain039]

PART 6 Blood, Fur and Magic

Vampire Viktor x reader x Werewolf Jayce

Warnings: Vampire things, werewolf things, light swearing, possessiveness, smut, sexual, intimacy, poly relationship, angst, violence

Previous part <-

It’s strange, being so close to two people at once. Viktor has taken up sleeping on your bed, well not sleeping, simply going into a meditative state, he always says a soft good morning to you when he feels you stir and it always makes your heart beat quicker. Jayce hasn’t stopped working in his room turned lab, sometimes in the middle of the night he’ll crawl in under your sheets, wrap his arms around your middle and press his head against your heart before he falls asleep easily. It’s become natural between the three of you to wake up together till you notice Jayce isn’t himself. He stays up all night, he’s tense and flinches at anything and he’s easily irritable snapping at either you or Viktor.

“Full moon” Viktor mutters next to you on the couch and you frown.

“It’s a full moon tonight” he repeats a frown on his face.

“What do we do?” You mutter.

“Nothing” Jayce says or rather snaps as he comes out of his room. He looks horrible, dark circles under his eyes tension radiating off his body.

“What do you mean nothing?” You say turning so you can look at him.

“I mean you’ll both stay here and do nothing” his eyes glow golden and his breath comes out in short pants.

“Jayce” Viktor says standing up and moving to him. Jayce watches him like a wild animal before Viktor cups Jayce cheek. Jayce melts eyes closing and nuzzling into Viktor’s hand just like you saw in your vision, only this time he’s human. You stand too feeling your magic gently thrumming in time with his quick pants.

“What do you need us to do?” You ask as Jayce opens his eyes to look to you.

“I’ll go down to the undercity, I know a way in, I’ll lock myself in the venting system caves like I’ve always done” he says moving Viktor’s hand from his face.

“Jayce that isn’t safe” you say and he growls making you flinch. He instantly looks guilty and somehow you can see him with pinned ears and a tail between his legs. He walks over and presses his forehead to yours muttering a sorry.

“I’m sorry I can’t let you get hurt. Either of you” Jayce cups the back of Viktor’s neck and tugs him closer.

“Jayce you won’t, you can’t” you say.

“Tell that to this thing inside me” he grits his teeth eyes still glowing.

“Jayce I’ve seen you in my dreams, my visions before you won’t hurt us in that form” you press.

“You don’t know that, you’ve had that vision once” he says and you can’t deny with logic.

“Let us come with you, just to guard” you suggest.

“No you’re not getting it” he snarls voice more beast than man.

“Jayce” Viktor says his voice low and thick with his accent and something deep responds inside you and it makes Jayce flinch.

“She is trying to help” Viktor says voice softer now as Jayce burrows his face in your neck. You sigh softly gently massaging his scalp with your fingers giving Viktor a worried look.

“You need to stay” Jayce mutters.

“Ok” you whisper.

Jayce doesn’t get any better, his anger and tension worsens and he leaves without word after dinner. You’re at a loss, you feel a coil in your stomach and you know Viktor can feel it too, but you respect his wishes. By midnight you can’t handle it, you pace your room the runes on your arms glowing brightly like your magic knows this isn’t right either. Viktor sits in the lab and you burst through the door.

“We’re leaving now- right now” you say.

“He told us to stay” he says but you know it’s forced.

“And I don’t give a damn I won’t let him suffer alone down there like some rabid beast!” You snap your magic flaring with you. Viktor’s eyes darken as he materialises in front of you, you don’t think you’ll ever get used to that.

“You are still injured” he nods to the cast on your leg and you frown looking at it. You forgot about it, forgot you broke your leg, the pain has been none existent.

“It doesn’t hurt” you say.

“Not now it doesn’t” Viktor says and you glare frustration in your eyes.

“I’m fine, Jayce needs us!” You snap at him magic humming with you.

“I’m leaving with or without you” you say and storm to the door. Viktor materialises again beside you.

“You don’t know the undercity streets. I do” he says and you sigh in relief and nod.

Walking to the undercity is hard in a cast you get frustrated at it magic thrumming under your hooded jacket.

“Take a breath” Viktor whispers leading you into an alley way. You sigh and take a small breath.

“I want this thing off” you gesture to your casted leg.

“It’s not fully healed” Viktor mutters his fingers brushing over your jaw. You sigh and relax against him as he leans in closer his lips ghosting over your forehead.

“Good girl” he mutters before kissing your forehead gently before leading you back out into the undercity streets. You follow him hand in hand trying to not draw attention to yourself, Viktor leads you lower and lower, through twists and turns you wonder how anyone can navigate here. He leads you to a large cave entrance lined with metal hut mostly overgrown.

“This is where the tunnels begin” Viktor says.

“I can feel him” you say even though it sounds impossible, the magic in you can sense him.

“I can too” Viktor mutters. You head inside looking at the glowing rocks on the side finding them beautiful. You walk for a while before you see shedded torn clothes on the ground and a loud roar echoing in the tunnels.

“Jayce” you whisper already rushing off. Viktor calls your name as you rush cursing the cast you wave your hand down a flash of magic and the cast breaks off making you stumble.

“Easy” Viktor’s quick to catch you and you stare at your leg, there’s no scars no indicating of surgery or anything.

“Fascinating” Viktor says.

“Can you stand?” He asks and you nod as he lets go and kneels. His hands gently trace your leg where scars should’ve been but there’s nothing, only the glowing runes.

“Rest on it” he says and you do, it feels back to normal.

“Did my magic somehow heal me?” You ask as he stands.

“It’s possible” he says as a low growl echos through the tunnels again.

“He’s close” Viktor says and you nod. You walk a little awkwardly with one bare foot but manage you follow the growls you see a few dead rats along the way till you spot a flash of fur.

“Jayce!” You yell and the beast turns around. He’s bigger than you realised, easily you and Viktor combined, he’s tall too even with his crouched position. His tail flicks behind him, you see his hackle raised along his neck and down his back as he stares at you both with golden eyes. You see Jayce in there, covered by this beast.

“Jayce, it’s us” you step closer and he growls. You hold your hands up in a surrendering gesture and watch as his ears perk forward but keeps a snarl on his face. You feel your magic call to him and his snarl slowly leaves a look of curiosity in his wolf like features as he lowers his hackles and sniffs. You lower your hands still walking closer before you reach a hand out to him. He’s still tense but he lowers his snout sniffing at your hand and wrist before something snaps in him. You see your magic send out a gentle blue tendril that floats around him, his eyes following it before he leans down and nuzzles into your hand.

“Jayce” you whisper softly lifting your other hand to cup his furry face. The beast lets out a small purr like noise as he lowers himself more for you to scratch him.

“I knew you wouldn’t hurt me” you whisper and he lets out a small whimper trying to nuzzle closer.

“You’re massive though” you laugh softly and listen to the playful growl he lets out.

“Jayce?” Viktor asks still behind you and you turn to him. Jayce’s ears perk up before he walks closer to Viktor, he sniffs before he lowers himself pressing his large face to Viktor’s forehead.

“You’re beautiful, my love” Viktor whispers and you feel your heart skip a beat as Viktor gently lets his wolfish face. You smile softly at the intimate scene before a rush of pain hits you. There’s a clenching sensation in your body like someone has your spine held in a fist and you collapse to the tunnel ground in a cry. Viktor’s by you instantly in a shadow of smoke and Jayce whines loudly rushing over.

“What’s wrong?” Viktor asks worried as your eyes flash with visions.

You see Zaun taken over by a powerful man, red and black robes who lives in a dark mansion casting Zaun into darkness, shadows of smoke and red dripping blood and a flash of a fanged smirk. Then you see Piltover, there are no people only guards with a wolf symbol on their chest, you see a man in a gold and white long coat and a flash of golden eyes and sharp canines. You see hundreds if not thousands dead in a pit forgotten, you see a side of each city exploded in the middle covered in a strange whispy blue fog.

“Accept the bond” I voice says.

You gasp and come out of the vision, you cry softly at the pain slowly leaving your body, you feel Viktor hold you close and Jayce’s large wolf head on your lap. Your hands go to his head fingers going through the fur as you cry softly. Those men, Viktor and Jayce on either side of this land, all that death and decay. You hold Viktor’s hand in your free one and gasp and tremble.

“Breathe, you need to breathe my sweet” Viktor says soothingly as you try to control your breathing.

“That’s it” Viktor says softly.

“In and out” he prompts.

“I saw something” you say panting as Viktor frowns and Jayce’s wolf head turns to you a little more in your lap.

“Zaun, in shadowed darkness and blood, ruled by you” you say to Viktor tears in your eyes and he frowns.

“Piltover in gold and white armour with a wolf head, no people just guards everywhere led by you” you look to Jayce his ears flattening as he nuzzles into your hand more.

“A large explosion in between the two city’s, with a strange blue wispy fog, like my magic” you say breathless feeling Viktor wipe your eyes.

“And words, accept the bond again, what bond though? I don’t know what it means” you let out a small overwhelmed sob.

“Is that our future?” You cry.

“Take a breath” Viktor orders gently and you shake your head till he cups your face forcing you to look at him. You sigh and take a deep breath.

“Good, this vision you saw is with me and Jayce?” He asks and you nod.

“Accept the bond” he ponders thoughtfully as Jayce whines in your lap.

“Your whining isn’t words” Viktor snips lightly and you smile weakly.

“We’ll talk about it once we’re home ok?” Viktor says and you nod making a surprised noise when his lips press softly against yours. Jayce begins to lick your hand and you let out a small giggle and disgusted noise.

next part ->

[mx-pastelwriting]

Raison d'être

(Post-War) Cooper Howard x GN! Reader

Summary: Your marriage had been ripped apart by Vault-Tec, only to be sown back together 200 years later.

Warnings: Slight Angst, Established Relationship, Sad Reuniting, Soft Cooper, Kissing, Hugs

Heavy as your limps were walking through the dry desert powered by adrenaline born from the pain that pulsed through your arms. Having broken from the glass pod, waking from a long slumber, only guessing it was for a long time by the open vault door showing the desert land with no human life to greet you.

Finally arriving at a small, worn house, having your sights on it a mile back. Hoping no life lived behind the broken boards of wood, with slow motions made your way in, looking around for anything to use as a weapon.

Yet finding nothing, not even a piece of the wood that once held the place up. To your luck, nothing sprang with life, letting you relax under a roof after the sun's harsh rays ate away at your skin for miles. Sitting on the worn-out couch, feeling every limp break down, welcoming more pain, not being able to move taking up the time with looking about seeing empty food cans, beer bottles, and small glass vials. 

Quickly your thoughts pulled away, now fully on the noise of footsteps outside, hearing the mysterious person cruse before the door opened, only for them to quickly notice your broken existence.

Many emotions mixed on the man's face, seeing his skin looking as if it had healed from burns. Though that wasn’t what stood out the most, seeing his eyes widen with his mouth opening agape, he stepped forward allowing you to see his saddened eyes.

Feeling as if they were familiar, having memories of those pair of eyes loving, comforting, and desiring you. As quickly as the memories came, so did the eyes turn to anger, drawing their gun on you. “You’re not real,” he says through tightened teeth. Hearing the accented voice sparked familiarity in you, once again reminding you of the man’s existence.

“Coop?” You choked out, dry as your throat was the tears that welled up in your vision didn’t stop your throat watering with cries. "Coop, is that you?” Asking through cries, fighting the pain that screamed through your body in getting up from the couch.

Standing there in shock watching your attempt to get to him, lowering the aim of the gun moving in a fast motion, wrapping his arms around you. Squeezing tight, allowing choked sobs to roar out of you, the memories of that day came back, having been scared the moment you saw Cooper’s face when the vault door closed on him, having pushed you in, sacrificing himself never thinking you would be back in his warm embrace.

The same embrace you gave to him in the past, whether it had been loving or comfort from the world of his career shunned him, you stood by the man you loved. Your husband.

“I thought you-“ A sob stopped your words, but thankfully he spoke, “I came by every day, hopin’.” He whispered hand on your head, keeping you close. “I stared at the vault door till I couldn't.” He went on, only letting you in a little on the pain he went through, yet here he was alive. 

Breaking away from the tightness of the embrace looking at each other, seeing the familiar handsome eyes you fell in love with all those years ago. “You haven’t changed a bit,” he says, smiling, returning the same while looking over his new features, falling in love all over again.

“I know I ain’t the prettiest, but-“ Not letting him finish the self-doubting words with your lips, returning the kissing, Placing a hand on his scared cheek, causing his pull to tighten as if he had waited for this moment for years, living on just for you.

A/N: Let me know if ya’ll want a part two!

Hello, I hope you enjoyed if there is any grammar mistakes or misspellings sorry about that feel free to let me know in the comments, have a great day/afternoon/night!

𝙏𝙖𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩: @emoguardian

[lordprettyflackotara]

till dawn || eyeless jack || the finale

SMUT. MINORS DNI. 18+. this one’s a lil fluffy not gonna hold you guys. i’m so sad to see till dawn end :’) but all good things must come to an end eventually. i think down the line i will create a bonus chapter, but for now this is the end of till dawn. love you all. mwah!

bonus part is here

Knock knock knock!

A groan of annoyance left your lips, your senses resuming as you regained consciousness.

“Wake up fuckers! You owe us waffles!” Ben’s cheery voice flooded your ears, his voice echoing down the hallway outside of Jacks room. You sighed, rolling over and shoving Jack awake. A confused snore escaped his lips, his eye sockets finally opening.

“Huh?”

“Ben wants waffles,” You sighed, flopping back down onto your pillow. Unfortunately you both had lost one too many rounds of mario kart, resorting in a wager of cooking breakfast to end in Ben’s favor. Jack groaned. “Okay Ben give us five minutes!” He called. You rubbed your eyes, looking over at the window. The sun had just reached above the trees, the sunlight beams streaming across the room. A triumphant Ben continued down the hallway, whistling proudly.

“Holy fuck, what time is it?”

Jack chuckled, sitting up against the headboard.

“I told you we’d only have till dawn before someone showed up at our doorstep about breakfast.”

He was right, but converting to rising at the early hours and staying up late was exhausting. You rolled over lazily, your back turned to him. “Have none of them ever heard of sleep schedules?” You grumbled. Jack couldn’t help but chuckle, your settlement into the mansion one that occurred with ease. Your charming personality and ability to cook won everyone over, even the proxies.

“We live in Slender’s mansion babe, we’re lucky the sun even rises here,” Jack replied, pressing a soft kiss against the back of your head. Slenderman’s reaction was a completely different story, the explanation of your existence the longest tale Jack had ever had to explain. Letting humans know about creeps existence was grounds for exile. It was forbidden to make spectacles out of themselves, even if the long term plan was for you to become a creep. (Which, it was not even an option to Jack.)

Becoming one, losing that grasp on sanity or facing an unfortunate fate of torture and death could never be planned though. Unless of course you were Jeff, then you knew how to create an arch nemesis. Jack would never want that for you, which he explained to Slender. Out of all of the mansions residents and outsiders, there was not another creature like Jack. A creature that went into an animalistic heat and needed to mate. Slender knew this and that led to his approval.

Another factor that Slender considered was that Jack was the oldest and wisest. If he was to entrust anyone to bring a human into the house, it was him.

Jack curled up beside you, your back pressing against his chest. “Sleepy this morning are we?” Jack asked teasingly, peppering kisses on your neck and shoulder. You chuckled, moving yourself closer to him. “I would’ve gotten better sleep if someone hadn’t kept me up all night,” You replied. A mischievous smile spread across Jacks lips, his hand slithering down to your hips.

“If it makes you feel any better i’m sure Clockwork didn’t get much sleep either,” Jack said, his lips refusing to stray far from your skin. His hand slithered further up your skin, slipping under your nightgown. You bit your bottom lip, Jacks fingertips lightly tracing your skin. “Thats gonna make a terrible first impression,” You sighed. Clockwork didn’t frequent at the mansion, leading to you never officially meeting her. Having her room be next door and hearing you beg for more? Not exactly the best first impression.

“There have been worse my love. When Jeff first came here Slender tried to make him a proxy. He tried to burn the mansion down,” Jack said, cupping your heart. Your thin panties blocked him from complete access to your cunt. Your breath was becoming shaky, your thighs opening more for him. He inhaled deeply, the smell of your arousal hitting his nostrils. “You just can’t get enough can you?” Jack teased. You groaned softly as he rubbed more harshly against the fabric.

“Of you? Never,” You replied, satisfied to feel Jack push your panties to the side. His lips attached themselves to your neck, his boner poking you from behind. You could feel him suck at your skin harshly, purposefully littering your neck with as many marks as possible. “I’m going to keep looking like a wounded puppy if my neck stays forever purple,” You chuckled, gasping as his fingers rubbed up and down your wet slick. You bit your bottom lip, two of his digits dipping into your cunt.

“My wounded puppy,” Jack snickered. He curled his fingers inside of you, your hand finding its way to his aching cock. He gasped as you palmed at the fabric of his basketball shorts, slipping your hand underneath the waistband. “Not sure if we’re doing to have time for this love,” Jack admitted, even if he didn’t want it to be true. You moaned in response, pumping his shaft as he finger fucked you. “It can be quick,” You offered. You bit the inside of your cheek, refraining from moaning louder.

“Please,” You whimpered, sealing your fate. Jack grinned, the two of you eagerly switching positions. Jacks back hit the soft mattress, licking his lips as you straddled him. Your panties had been discarded, his shorts and boxers pooling at his ankles. Jack was never one to not be in control of sex, even with you riding him. Sometimes he’d let you pretend you were in control, if he was feeling nice enough. But each time you got a bit out of line, Jack was quick to put you in your place. However, he couldn’t deny how ethereal you looked riding him.

You lowered yourself onto his cock, both of you exhaling in relief as he bottomed out inside of you. The shape of his cock bugled from your stomach as it always did, a subtle, very hot reminder that he was much bigger than you. Jacks hands found your hips, leaning forward to kiss you as he guided you. You groaned into his mouth as you rode his cock, his tip hitting your g spot. Playfully you grabbed his shoulders, pushing him back onto the bed. Jack admired your breast bouncing as you chased your high, riding him like a wild animal.

Your body over time came to crave Jacks almost identically to the way he craved yours. (He couldn’t help but wonder if scientifically his cum had altered your hormones.) You smiled lovingly as you looked down at Jack, his facial expression one of contentment. The sun had risen higher, hitting his face at a flattering angle. It highlighted his sharp jawline and round nose. “What’s so funny?” Jack asked. You shook your head, continuing to hold your sinful noises in the best you could as you rode his cock. “You just look so handsome like this,” You complimented.

Jack blinked, “What, under you?”

You giggled, playfully slapping his shoulder. “No EJ, with the sun shining on your skin,” You replied, rolling your eyes. Jack leaned forward, wrapping his arms around your back. He completely and utterly adored you, your flattery and complimentary of him meaning the world. “You look even better, so beautiful taking my cock like this,” He huffed, snapping his hips upwards. You whined as he began to move faster, taking control. You buried your face into the crook of his neck, biting down on his skin to control your noises.

“Thats it, bite me as hard as you want love. Mark me,” Jack panted, his cock abusing your cervix. He was tempted to say hell to breakfast, flipping you over and fucking you senseless like the animal inside of him craved. But he knew you cared about his roommates opinion of you, even if to Jack he wouldn’t consider them friends five out of seven days of the week. Your teeth sank into Jacks shoulder, a subtle growl escaping his throat.

Something about seeing you so primal, but so desperate to keep quiet made him pound into you harder. You could feel yourself getting closer to the edge, a trail of saliva dripping down Jacks shoulder as your teeth clenched around his skin. You whimpered, your hands tangling themselves in his hair as you came on his cock. Your walls spasmed around his shaft, a deep grunt escaping his lips as he came inside of you.

You released his shoulder, grimacing down at the bite mark. “Holy fuck, I don’t know where that came from,” You panted. Neither of you had moved, Jacks gaze moving to your breast. “Neither do I, but it was pretty fucking hot,” He admitted, kissing your breast.

‘Waffles! Waffles! Waffles!’

The sound of Toby and Ben chanting from downstairs made you chuckle. Jack could hear them slamming their silverware down on the kitchen table, the sound making his ears twitch. You slowly slid off of you, whimpering as your walls squeezed the air. His cum slowly dripped down your cunt, the sight the most satisfying sight to Jack in the world. He laid back on the bed, propping himself up with his hands behind his head.

He admired you as you brushed your hair, throwing on clothes. You were so focused, Jacks staring going over your head. It wasn’t until you were ready, turning around to find Jack undressed and unbothered. “What are you doing? Ben’s gonna come through our radio any minute now if you don’t get dressed,” You say. Jack rose to his feet, bringing your back against his chest. He towered over you easily, resting his chin on the top of your head.

“How did I ever get so lucky?” He murmured, pressing a kiss to your head. You giggled, examining your stomach. “Do you think you’ll ever get me pregnant one of these days?” You asked curiously. Jacks eyebrows furrowed, his large hands resting on top of yours. “You do know that’s scientifically impossible right?” He asked. Yeah, maybe his cum was seeping into your hormones. Or maybe your brain.

“Yeah it’s still a nice thought though,” You shrug. Turning around you wrapped your arms around his neck, admiring him from below. Your eyes were dancing with curiosity. Tilting your head to the side a simple question left your tongue, “If I somehow did, you’d want to keep it right?”

Millions of thoughts soared through Jacks mind, ones mixed with the joy of parenthood and ones of terror. Would the fetus become a demon just like him? Or would it be as beautiful as you? What would it eat? Would raising a child in a mansion full of monsters from its worst nightmares be sustainable? But as he looked down at your puppy dog eyes, your orbs flickering back and forth as you awaited an answer.

Creeps had never procreated before, successfully anyways. It would be a first for all of them, especially Jack. He wanted to believe there was a piece of him that wasn’t an organ eating monster. One that could raise and love a child that was a mixture with the person he loved the most. He was almost sure he would’ve gotten you pregnant by now, with the amount of times he’d locked you into the mating press alone.

Truth was Jack would give you whatever you wanted, even if it was most likely scientifically impossible. “I want whatever you want my love,” He purred, pressing a tender kiss to your temple.

Bang bang bang!

“EJ learn how to keep it in your pants and pour some batter in the waffle maker instead!” Ben called.

You giggled, Jack sighing as he pulled on his pants.

“And in the mean time we have Ben.”

“We most certainly do and that’s enough for me.”

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"....most of the members of the Howard League [of penal reformers] haven't been to jail and they don't realise the boobhead's fighting for a cause when he commits a crime. It may be a bad cause and he's probably unconscious of the fact that it's a cause at all but that's what gives him his drive and the more purposeful character he is, the greater number of crimes he'll commit. When Antonio Martini had a big gun-battle with the police in Sydney, the first thing he asked for after his capture was an newspaper to see if he'd hit the headlines. Most people would call that crazy egotism but most people haven't been in jail. The psychiatrists would talk about the patient bringing off an coup against his father and that's only one facet of the truth. At the back of all this is the directly-acquired knowledge that, in the present condition of civilisation, all government is bad and the only honourable thing to do is to fight it.

If Martini wanted a theory to back him up he's got it in two words of Lord Acton's, power corrupts. But he doesn't want a theory.

The Howard League struggles for alleviation of conditions. One side of me agrees that it's all very right and proper that a boobhead should get a bit of cheese occasionally. The other side revolts. It's encouraging the rot to continue eating its way in; it's dragging a lot of red herrings across the trail. This isn't necessarily perfectionism. Those old women of the Howard League, the Controller is supposed to have called them. When I see earnest women with glasses and protruding eyes, kicking up a dust about the boobheads only getting a quarter of a pint of milk a day, all I can think of is their innocence and all I can see is a picture of a lot of well-meaning dogs barking at the foot of the smaller trees, while at the top of the giant of the forest sits the well-fed dragon, smoking his pipe and whistling the theme tune of Strawberry Blonde between draws.

Most members of the Howard League still consider the boobhead as an unfortunate member of society; [Superintendent] Obie's name for them at Wenukai prison camp was the derelicts. The way the Bludger [the Superintendent of The Hill prison] thought of them too. The difference between The Bludger's idea of a crimmo up at The Hill, and that of a Howard League higherup is nil. Where they tangle is over the question of treatment. The Bludger wanted the tough way and usually managed to get it. The Howard League member tries in vain for the soft way. It's true that The Bludger puts a few more tough babies on the market, but the H.L. higherup would produce a far larger number of broken-down bums, without purpose, without direction, without energy, almost without life. At least the people know there's something up when the bullets start to fly, whereas they could pass thousands of broken-down bums with their sanctimonious Hoses in the air.

This isn't an argument for tough treatment of prisoners; I'm just trying to tell you a boobhead's a human being, not something in a test tube. You say you know it?

Well you must have imagination because there are lots of people who don't. ... The human voices band isn't built into the radios now, that's all.

So my objections to alleviation of conditions isn't just perfectionism. When the people are able to think of the boobheads as human beings, alleviation of conditions won't apply. Amongst the many different sorts of men who've landed in jail there is one fairly common factor. Owing to one cause or another, usually in early life, their energy has been mainly turned usually into the chanel of destruction. They're not unique in this respect, the we all should know, but usually they've been singled our because they've chosen their own path instead of being surrounded by herd of cobbers, all thinking alike. The energy of one man burned towards destruction is a terrrific thing, that picture of the Gadarene swine wasn't exaggerated. You can't stop energy like that, certainly not with an extra quarter pint of milk a day or some fruit in the morning to keep the bowels open. Your only possible chance it to divert it. So if you're a Howard League member, or even just an ordinary person of goodwill, uninhibited by the idea that there shouldn't be any criminals in God's Own Country, anxious at times to do something about the boobhead, the best thought to have is about the problem of how to turn energy from destruction into creative channels."

- Ian Hamilton, Till Human Voices Wake Us. Auckland: Auckland University Press, 1983 (first published by private subscription, 1953). p. 138-140.

[I’ve read a lot of prison memoirs this year, with many more to come. This may be one of the best. Hamilton was a conscientious objector in New Zealand-Aotearoa during World War 2, a pessimistic socialist humanist, a playwright, and sheep farmer. Just raw but well-directed anger, utter contempt for polite New Zealand settler society and for what he viewed as a growing bureaucratization and dehumanization of society. His frustration here that many good liberal penal reformers, especially in the mid-2oth century, were and are fundamentally just a gentler version of the wardens and tough on crime folk he butted up against confirms my own impressions and research.]

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

rook has many very normal person behaviors such as stopping to pet a kitty while ignoring this ill or maybe dying man in the streets next to it