#vampkira au

[dragonsinkwell]

*kicks down the door* I’ve been waiting for this! Can I kindly request a kiss under the stars for your vampkira au~? Whether it’s a confession or longing kiss I’ll leave up to you, darling~. Much love! :*

*Akihiko voice* I’ve been waiting for this!

Honestly, even though this has taken me stupidly long due to a ton of reasons I’ve been looking forward to this request so badly. Like, ever since you sent this in I knew exactly what scene this was meant to be; I swear to you Ren came to me in my heart and told me to the finest detail what happened here. It takes place after this request (one which is a little sad for those who haven’t read it), during the vacation Reader has to take during her recovery. Cute road trip with a vampire boyfriend ahoy, with the first stop being stargazing in the Japanese countryside!

“And as if proof that people never really change throughout history, it’s said in some of the stories about him that because he didn’t accept any other female lovers, given that his heart still belonged to his late wife, Orpheus was torn to absolute shreds by women who ganged up on him. Celebrity culture at it’s finest, am I right?”

“Poor dude needed some bodyguards,” you tiredly mumble out after you snort with amusement at that question. Sounds exactly like how people act these days, foaming at the mouth trying to get attention. If this actually happened and it was modern day, you wouldn’t even blink at a guy getting mobbed to death because he wouldn’t even flirt with the women demanding it. Another normal Thursday. “Not sure how that got stuck to a swan constellation, though. You sure your memory isn’t getting crossed, old man?”

A quiet laugh is your immediate answer along with a pat on your head, causing you to swat at your companion sitting next to where you’re lying. “I’m getting there, you impatient padawan. Don’t start planning for a retirement home yet.”

This is what gets a real laugh out of you, along with a choked “Nerd.” Before this trip, one you never thought you’d take, you could not have guessed Ren was so into modern culture, but being in his company day in and day out as you traveled across Japan has taught you a lot about your lover. Maybe you should have figured it, given how well he blended into the populace, but you have to begrudgingly admit that you were behind in that department yourself and that clearly biased your assumption.

“But the swan part is because that’s what some people say he turned into after he died,” Ren says, voice laced with mirth at your retort while watching you settle back into the grass with a yawn after your fit of giggles. “After the Muses placed his lyre into the sky, Orpheus became a swan and was set into the sky beside it. I have to admit Cygnus has other stories for it, plenty of people have been turned into swans, it’s a little weird actually, but I like this one the best.”

Your drowsy gaze looks back up into the canvas of the night sky. Ren pointed out the pair of constellations he was musing on about earlier in the evening, which is how the conversation lead here. Both are fairly easy to pick out now that you know where they are, each holding one of the brightest stars visible from Earth as a part of them. Cygnus is huge, a giant swan flying through the heavens, with Lyra sitting right above it from where you are on the grass. Earlier in the night, when he first described them to you, you’d found it hard to picture them properly, but now you find it so easy to imagine their namesakes: a lyre given honor among the stars to memorialize the one who owned it, only to have said owner placed to rest there himself not long after.

You can’t help but think about that fact. What would it be like, sitting up there and looking down on the Earth without end? The idea of ‘forever’ always unsettled you and this is no different really. It feels more like a punishment for Orpheus to be put there too, and not even as a human able to do what he enjoyed. “It’s gotta be lonely,” you murmur on instinct, without thought, before stretching an arm up as if reaching a hand out to help the man-turned-swan.

Ren replies with a questioning hum, and out of the side of your gaze you see him shift to look down at you as you retract your arm.

“Well, you know. Stuck up there by himself, not even able to play his own instrument even though it’s right there.” It breaks your heart. After everything he did he was left there to rot. “All by himself, separated from the love of his life, forced to watch the world go on without him.”

A soft silence drapes itself over you both at your tragic remark. It definitely wasn’t the angle that Ren read it as, that’s for sure. You have to wonder if you’re being pessimistic again; admittedly, he is right that you do that a lot. All the same, you have difficulty translating it to something kind. Maybe it’s because you dislike that kind of time, maybe as a vampire it’s easier for Ren to read it differently. Who knows.

“That would be hard, yeah,” Ren replies, starting to comb his fingers through your hair, clearly in thought. This is a topic that is a bump for you both, but one you’re used to. “But most of the stories, bar Plato the bitter bastard, don’t leave it there. Usually they give it a happy ending. How could they not, when it’s a tale of love. His body might be placed among the stars with his instrument, left to remind us of his story, but his soul went down to the Underworld to reunite with Eurydice. The two of them got to be together again, and Elysium is where they get to be forever.”

Enjoying the simple touch of Ren playing with your hair and soothing your scalp, you can’t help but close your eyes and trying to picture that instead of the cold loneliness that was your first vision for Orpheus’ fate. To spend unending time with the woman he loved enough to walk into the Underworld without hesitation, that doesn’t sound bad at all. It makes you wonder what…

No, nope, you aren’t going to go there. You know where that thought was going and that alone leaves a sickeningly bitter taste in your mouth which stops you in your tracks. It is not a topic you want to grace your head at all tonight, spoiling all the warmth filling your heart and soul. To distract yourself, you blurt out the first thing that comes to mind from where Ren left the conversation. “What did Plato do?”

“Pissy brat wanted to say that Orpheus didn’t truly love Eurydice because he didn’t kill himself when she died to stay with her,” Ren says with a derisive snort and you can’t help but echo it. “As if suicide is ever a way to show love.”

You scowl. “Pissy brat isn’t strong enough title for someone who believed something that horrible.” Even with how muddled your mind is for the night, only awake enough to enjoy the moment and participate in the conversation, the thought that someone, anyone would actually write a piece bragging about that sort of view upsets you greatly. “I’d be so angry if I was Eurydice and Orpheus did that. There’d be so much yelling; honestly I’d hit him for it. Beat him right out of the Underworld and back again.”

The threat gets a laugh out of Ren. “Even with him as an Argonaut, I think you would have the advantage.”

“Damn right I would,” you grumble. After all the supernatural things you’ve dealt with in your life so far, you don’t have a lot of doubts you could beat up a hero of old, whatever divine problems they worked around; you haven’t gotten this far in your career on handouts after all. “What a brain-dead claim, that a man not killing himself to stay with his lover doesn’t love her at all. Absolutely disgusting. I should find a way to bring back Plato as a ghost and banish him as cruelly as I can.”

“Shh, don’t get too wound up tonight, you’re on leave from work remember. Let that moron stay where he’s at,” Ren chuckles down at you softly, returning to his gentle petting before you wake yourself up with rage. “No one would listen to that anyway.”

“Good. I don’t want anyone to do something so dumb.” His physical affection works like a charm against the troubling topic, soothing you right back into deep relaxation you both came here for. Honestly you can’t deny how weak you are to it, melting away all of your budding anger.

Before you grew this close with Ren, back before you knew who he was, and then while you two were still enemies (on your terms, for the majority of it), you never once would have thought that such a simple touch could have such a strong effect on you. And yet, here you are melting into this humble gesture without any chance of resistance. How could this feel so nice? So peaceful?

It makes a hazy thought float across your mind like a feather in a breeze if Ren would like this feeling too.

“Y'know, I could be happy watching over you from the stars.” The statement slips out of your mouth and you don’t even realize you’ve spoken at all, half-lidded eyes gazing into the sky and mind a half step off from slumber. It only hits you when you feel Ren’s fingers stop and you lazily turn your head to look at him to see why and find him gazing down at you with a soft surprise.

“Could you, now?” There’s something in his voice that strikes you as odd. It’s bright and has that thread of sass that he carries with him, but there is a tone that you can’t describe hiding in it. Not sadness, and not disbelief, but one that makes you feel the need to reassure him.

So you do. “Yeah.” The thought of Orpheus sitting up there burdened you with the thought that it would separate him from his love forever, but this? To be able to quietly watch over your love? The idea sparks something in you. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

For a long moment there is only a peaceful silence, the cool spring breeze, and the two of you frozen there in space, but in an instant it changes; Ren leans down for an electric kiss, powered by the feelings your vulnerable honesty inspired into him. For being short and sweet, the kiss is dizzying and when he pulls back you can’t help but lay there watching him despite how badly you want to sit up and chase him.

“You won’t have to,” Ren whispers, and it’s only now that you notice the sparkle of tears gracing his eyelashes here in the moonlight, but when he continues it’s with a smile, “because that would imply I won’t take my own walk to bring you back.”

[dragonnan]

Halloween fic post - Zombies!

For all my love of zombie stuff I only have this one fic - probably due to the inherent tragedy of the theme.

This one-shot was inspired by the writings of a fellow author, VampKira, who created some spectacular zombie fics!  Links to her works are included in my story.

Tell Me a Bedtime Story, Daddy (Psych)

Summary: Zombie AU Warnings: Blood and gore, violence, death of major characters, suicide Rating: M

[dragonnan]

Awww thank you for the rec!! *huuuuugs*

I’ll add my faves as well along with a few specific authors:

Am_I_Zombie - As the name implies the majority of his stories are zombie themed and get WAY dark. Lots of major character death. Yet for all that are freaking STELLAR stories and utterly fascinating.  I still shudder remember the elephant...

DinerGuy - Very prolific, very smart writing with a few trips into AU but primarily canon-fic.  Her stories are sometimes co-authored with ZedPM who is also an excellent writer.

JR88fan - LOVE her fics; especially the two stories revolving around Jack Spencer and how crap of an uncle he is while showing, exactly, why Shawn finds him so much fun. It was everything I could have ever hoped we SHOULD have gotten from the series (alas the show legit forgot Jack even existed - thank goodness for fanfic!)

Two of my favorite writers for shorter whump fics are Kirei and NoirCat

Okapi - writers extremely thoughtful stories and will dig into more than just Shawn and Gus.  At least one of her stories gets deep into some psychological stuff with Lassiter. 

silverluna - Speaking of psychological - luna is one of the best writers in that area!  She focuses a lot on Lassiter and Shawn’s sorta friendship along with a massive dose of trauma for both.  Her stories are also long so there’s plenty of hours of reading!

Psychrulz - Still want psychologic stuff? Look no further! This writer was a professional police psychologist for many years so she knows what she’s talking about in her fic!  Aside from actual accuracy the stories are AMAZING!! Lots of whump and several stories that deal with head trauma as well along with one of my favorites, A Bitter Pill, that explores Shawn as actually being ADHD and how medication could affect him (fanon has long believed him to be ADHD and canon kinda seems to support that as of “Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark”).

Redwolffclaw - A majority of her works are crossovers with Moonlight and Chuck.  I hadn’t watched either series until I started reading her fics and of course I then got hooked on them as well! Want some delicious angsty whumpy vampire Shawn?? Look no further!

SydneyWoo - My best friend and sometimes co-writer I ain’t including her just because I like her.  She’s also freaking EXCEPTIONAL! And Then The World Blew Up is still one of the best, most angsty Psych fics I’ve read and will always make me tear up.

Texasartchick - Her career as a cop gives her a great perspective to portray Lassiter and Juliet (two of her favorite characters obviously lol!). Her stories are nice and long and very in-character.

windscryer - Again, LOTS of fics and some fantastic crossovers as well!  Lots of whumpy stuff, angsty stuff, and humor galore!

VampKira - Any rec list of mine will ALWAYS include this author.  She was one of the first people I can remember reading when I initially sought out Psych fanfic.  She is the biggest influence to the darker aspects to my own work and remains an influence to this day.  A lot of what you’ll find in her works stems from her career as a psychologist in a correctional facility.  

Hi! Love all your psych content 💖 Do you have any psych fic recs? Anything with kidnapping, whump and smart shawn would be appreciated. Thanks!

Haha, anon, that’s every Psych fic written.

I don’t know which you’ve already read but here is my starter pack:

1. The first Psych fic that got me hyperfixated was The Longest Day by LitteFairy and I highly recommend binging ALL her work. (She’s also on FFN if you prefer that format.)

2. Binge all of CollegeKid’s work.

3. If you’re not new, I’m sure you know the almighty Psych queen @dragonnan (hi Tan!) and if you are able to digest heavier sensitive material I’d read her work too, starting with For the Record, This Was Not My Idea.

4. Also this fic deserves so much credit but the author hadn’t uploaded it on Psychfic, which was the main source of the fandom’s work, so it’s not as well-known: Watch Me Bleed. It’s peak Shawn!angst and it’s about him coping with loss and guilt. (Don’t worry, neither of the main six die.)

5. Look through all my Psychfic Favourites and FFN Favourites (cause some of the FFN ones are not on the former). There are hundreds of absolute gems.

6. You can read my own fics too but they’re a decade old and embarrassing af 😂 FFN | Psychfic

Thank you for the compliments btw 🥰

[dragonsinkwell]

P5 AU Week Day 7

And, here we are folks. Honestly I’m surprised myself, I didn’t actually think I could do it, write for a whole week (not that I did? technically? two of the days were doubles) after so long. But I’ve had a lot of fun, and it’s been great both writing myself and seeing my friends playing with AUs too. Today is, as far as the official choice goes, supernatural/paranormal hunter!AU, which means the starting ember of this whole blog: Vampkira!AU.

Remember to go check out and thank @p5auweek for this event, and if I may ask, go check out some pals: @akirakurusuimagines and @classywritings! They’ve both written some fantastic stuff this week, and you should go take a read!

Sitting next to you like this, barely a week since your last encounter where you cracked one of his ribs and came millimeters away from shooting him in the head, is a very bizarre experience for Ren. The memory of you from that night still burns bright, and to see you now, wilting before him as you confess your own history of sins in trying to work out why he hasn't tried to kill you, nearly makes him wonder if this 'you' is a different person entirely. Ren knows very well you are not, that there are many pieces to a person, he simply did not expect you to be such a puzzle.

Honestly, he still can't believe his barbed question worked, that asking you why your righteousness didn't extend to him would strike you so deeply. Ren was certain he was going to die that night, and it was an attempt at one last blow. Still, he remembers the broken expression that blinked across your face for an instant, the way you began to tremble. It's almost funny how much that hurt him to see at the time, even after the fight you two had; Ren likes you, still thinks you're interesting, especially for a Hunter, and despite being shocked at the whiplash the fight caused, there is something in him that aches when recalling your reaction. Maybe it's because you aren't always that honest with your feelings, always badgering him away when you seem to enjoy his company, and seeing your heart displayed for even a moment felt precious; maybe it's because you listened to him, taking his question seriously even when he didn't mean it, and giving him a chance where the two of you might get to work things out, a chance he has not gotten often in his unusually long life.

Though, Ren can very easily confess to himself he didn't understand your question until now. He didn't realize that you came from a background of crime, did not know that you thought he already figured it out and that is the reason you asked why he hadn't targeted you. Truthfully, it's easier to go after criminals who show off or make it easy to catch themselves, even though he sticks to more ruthless criminals, versus little ones like petty thieves that can get caught by police quite simply. And besides, who would have expected you to be a criminal at any point in your life? You're always so resolute when it comes to doing what you think is right, but it seems that trait stems from being gifted your own second chance.

Speaking of second chances, perhaps you have a valid point. Maybe you weren't the only one who needed to change their approach tonight.

“I really didn't know,” Ren murmurs, taking a small peek back over at you. Hidden away on a rooftop like this, unseen by the whole city, you look so small leaning against the wall behind you as you sit, shoulders bent with the weight of your own memories. It's strange, even at your weakest before this, you always came off so strongly and now it is impossible to not see you as the child you told him about: left by the wayside and tricked into a life of cruelty, only to realize she had become a monster herself. “I've never thought to check into your background. I don't do that.”

“Well, you know now. So what'll it be?” is your grim reply. You turn your head to look at him then, and there is a darkness in your expression that causes his eyes to widen in shock. There is no mistake, you expect him to turn on you; the stern resignation you exude makes that exceedingly apparent.

Do you really think that low of him? The thought burns for a second, until Ren puts it out, trying his best to see things from your view and thinking about how he can make you see from his. You've been harmed before, let down and betrayed, and he knows that feeling quite intimately. Plus, what is the point of coming this far in a conversation to try and work towards a better ending than enemies only to throw it away now? “I'll have to do some thinking of my own, it seems. You've taught me some things tonight I need to learn,” he muses, watching with a spark of amusement how your mood shifts, clearly stunned at his choice. Ren softens his voice here, not wanting to scare you off now that you're on uncertain emotional ground, “I wouldn't mind learning more from you, if you'll let me.”

[dragonsinkwell]

Uhm, I have and android so I can't see the symbol for "tracing fingers against your muse’ skin or over a scar/other" but if you can do that one with vampkira and a little bit of angst because the reader has been badly wounded and is still recovering, while he ponders over the reader mortality and how they are going to cease existing as time goes on (sorry if this is really a handful or you just don't feel comfortable doing it, you are free to ignore this if you want!)

Mmmmm, angst, one of my favorite flavors of fic, and with such a good idea as the seed. And no worries at all, dear Anon, I’m surprisingly comfortable with most things I can see being asked, and this is a perfectly okay request. Goodness knows I’ve already written two rather gruesome pieces so far, so a little consideration of mortality is a very safe topic~

Which also has me giving a small warning that while there’s no super gory descriptions, there’s some talk of serious injury and death/mortality so of either of those is bad for you, find some nice cute stuff to read and treat yo self instead.

If there was any one crowning reason for Ren to be glad for the form of immortality he’s been granted, his absolute distaste of hospitals would be very, very close to the top of that list. The barren, ‘soothing’ neutrality of the decor; the strict smell of cleanliness and sanitation only mostly able to cover the whiffs of blood and sicknesses he was unable to catch; the endless, unceasing drone of activity that seems to buzz through every room and hallway; all of it fills him with a unique sense of discomfort that causes him to avoid them at every opportunity. Oh sure, if he had fewer scruples hospitals made for exceptionally easy hunting grounds with so many people very literally bound here after all, but they evoked such unease that he wasn’t even willing to use them to catch his favorite prey, criminals, when it made them easiest to corner.

All this knowledge would understandably lead one to ask a very important question: Just why, then, was Ren making his way through said hallways, picking his way single-mindedly up floors and through intersections, passing room after room?

You, of course.

Ren has to admit that he doesn’t entirely know all the exact details of how you ended up here, you’d been too injured and out of it on pain medication for the last couple weeks to fully recount the fight you’d been in, but he knows enough to fuel his constant worry. It had been Akechi, of all people, who called him at the time, which was already a huge red flag that something went terribly wrong. Your fellow hunter said he caught sight of the emergency flare you sent up at the time and was able to find his way to you, only to catch you covered in blood and in terrible shape. After getting you shipped off in an ambulance Akechi had called him, letting Ren know what happened. At that point things blurred; Ren remembers getting to the hospital, remembers not being allowed in the operating room, remembers the first time they let him see you, bandaged, hooked up to every machine in the room, and completely unconscious, but so much of it runs together in a mess. Somewhere in there you’d come too, and after a couple of days and during a moment between doses of pain medicine you’d told him enough of what happened that he could piece together most of the story; you’d been dealing with an extremely angry spirit that possessed this kid’s mother and as you were working on getting it out of her to banish it, the ghost forced her to stab you several times. While you’d managed to finish the job, sending a flare was the only thing you’d been able to do after.

And, granted, you were healing well now, having been sent to the hospital in enough time to ensure a good recovery (so long as you follow directions, he’s heard you been warned on multiple occasions), this whole event has left a heavy mark on Ren, he has to admit. Every time he picks through these halls, up to your room, this swirl of thoughts comes right back. Not that it could ever make him stay away, even with all the trouble of finding ways to make it here during the day and withing visiting hours.

Despite your door being open, Ren still knocks on the door-frame to announce his arrival as he walks in. He hears the shuffle of sheets and the quiet whirr of your bed as you raise it. “Sounds like someone’s awake. Were you waiting on a special someone?” he teases lightly, trying his best to chase off the gloom.

As he pops through the curtain used to grant you some privacy from the hallway, Ren can hear you scoff quietly and it brings a small smile to his face. Even here and now you still keep the slightest guard up around you. “Maybe if he didn’t like to show up so early,” you grumble with exactly no force behind it. “Was thinking about taking another nap; the nurses keep coming in at four to take blood and then I can’t get back to sleep. Need to take some etiquette classes, they do.”

Ren watches as you shift into a more proper sitting position now that your bed is arranged for it, laughing quietly at your toothless complaints while pulling the chair in the room to your bedside as carefully as he can. He’s quite glad you were given a single room, honestly. No fussing with worrying about a roommate. “Oh? Maybe I should pop in at four myself, see about catching a snack or two, hm?”

“You better not.” Ren’s laugh grows louder as you scowl at him with all the energy that you can muster. However, despite your pout, as he sits down at your bedside you scoot as close to the edge as you can with the railing still up. “Besides, none of these drugs could be good for you.”

“They wouldn’t do much I’m sure, though you need them more than I do, so I think I’ll hold off on the snack visits,” he quips back softly with a small smile, before slipping his hand between the rails to lace his fingers with yours. When he does, he also catches the way your grumpy pout fades into a far softer expression, a tender hybrid of contentment and peace, and for a solid moment all of Ren’s fears are brushed away. You’re okay. You lived to fight another day.

Sadly, they don’t stay gone for long.

With a quiet sigh you relax, eyes drifting shut as you rest. “The doctor says I’m patching up okay. She’s a little nervous about some of the internal stitches still, given how close the knife got to my organs, but it just means I need to be extra careful for a while even after I get discharged. No work, though, not for a few months since I can’t exactly limit it to desk work.”

The thought of you going back to this same job immediately knocks out any sense of cheer from Ren’s heart. He knows he can’t say anything, you’re a grown woman and regardless of the danger you enjoy this job, but the love he has for your causes him to wish you’d consider retiring. In its own way it’s hard enough to know without a doubt he’s going to outlive you, needing to worry if he’ll even get much more time to enjoy your company is a whole other issue. Not to mention this was a stark reminder that there’s a terrifyingly high chance you’re going to die violently. No passing away in your sleep in your old age, just the likelihood of being murdered by one of the creatures you’re hunting down.

Before Ren’s mind drags him further along that train of thought he continues the conversation as best he can think to. “So no work for a while? You got any plans then? What are the odds I could talk you into going somewhere with me? Just the two of us. Maybe a nice vacation in a quiet little nature spot, or a cute little town with a hot spring,” he asks quietly, brushing his thumb delicately over your skin. He can think of hundreds of places to go, and truth be told he’s wanted very badly to get you to take a vacation for ages now. If he wasn’t so emotionally distraught over this incident, Ren might have even found it funny that it took you being forced to take time off to get in any relaxation at all.

“I’d have to check how long before I should travel more than from one room to the next. As it is, it’s still rough getting out of bed,” you say with another pout. “But after the staples get pulled I can’t imagine it would be too much longer before I could get out of Tokyo. Might even be something she suggests after I don’t need more check-ups.”

Silence settles over the pair of you then. You’ve spoken your piece for the moment, and Ren can’t exactly decide where to take the conversation from here. He doesn’t want to bring up the content of his thoughts, given his fear is at the forefront of his mind right now, but that leaves Ren with nothing much to say. You have enough to deal with your healing process as it is. You don’t need the added pressure of his concern. More than that even, this topic has broken the surface a few times already and your stance hasn’t budged an inch. ‘I could not bear a life lived by taking others,’ you stated with perfect clarity and doubtless sincerity the last time Ren broke down to ask. ‘Making my peace with your choice has taken all of my doing, but I could never make peace with myself. I… I love you, but you cannot ask me again. Please, understand.’

So wound up in trying to pry his mind away from this topic Ren completely misses the way you begin to look at him, eyes narrowing with a suspicious scowl. What he does end up catching is the way you pull his hand inward with a quiet sigh, placing it on your side. Granted, several layers stand between his hand and your skin, but his imagination is vivid with what your skin normally feels like, mostly smooth, but speckled with scars of various sizes and age, and how the stapled incisions must interrupt it, doing their best to hold your skin and muscles shut. A physical testament to the ordeal you’ve recently survived among the littered remnants of those you’ve already conquered. Even now he can’t help but smooth his hand over it, barriers be damned, wishing he could sooth whatever pain it brings.

You meet Ren’s gaze without hesitation as it snaps up to meet yours. Beneath the quickly fading gruff annoyance there’s an emotion he can’t quite name, one too complex of a hybrid, but it’s soft and all for his benefit. “I’ll be fine. Most of the trouble was getting all the muscles to stretch enough to make up for the tissue I ended up losing, but that’s taken care of. Maybe this is the roughest recovery I’ve had to suck up, but some pissy ghost that wants her great-great-granddaughter to get a divorce just so she can find some sugar daddy isn’t going to take me out even if I have to claw my way back to life.” That image is so believable and funny in it’s own way it causes Ren to interrupt with an exceptionally quiet chuckle; he can very well picture you telling some ghost to pack its bags without you as you leave it in the dust. “Look, what I mean to say is… I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, okay? You’ve dragged me out of my shell this far, so you’re stuck with me until long after I’ve gone grey, alright? You’re not going to shake me off this easily so, you know, just… just smile every now and again for me until I get out of this horrifically boring room. That’s all I ask.”

Stunned into complete silence at your forwardness, a spectacularly rare treat in any occasion, all Ren can do is watch the blush start to creep across your face as you suddenly find your hand and his far more interesting to watch than his face. He can’t say he wasn’t being stupidly obvious because he was, he just didn’t expect you to want to bring it up. And yet…

“You promise I’m stuck with you? I’ll hold you to that, you know,” Ren murmurs, never once taking his eyes off of you. It’s true that no matter what happens he has to prepare himself for your inevitable passing, and regardless of how it approaches, the thought fills him with a sorrowful dread. He loves you, as rough and inexperienced a lover as you are, and the reality that it can only last as long as your life does (barring any upsets, of course, he’s not blind and stupid to other things coming between you both, though he honestly believes in the best case scenario so much does he love you) is a heavy weight to carry.

And yet…

As you manage to force your eyes back up to meet his, as your expression melts into a pure and gentle smile, Ren can’t help but mirror it down to the very core of his being. So he can’t have you forever, but you want him around now and for the foreseeable future. Today and tomorrow and every day you have left, you seem to have every desire to share with him; a day for each of the heavy thoughts eager to weigh down his heart, a day each to replace them with a memory far kinder. There will be more times just as difficult as this, he knows, but to see you right now, despite all your pain smiling so lovely at him, it’s hard for Ren to give any of the dark thoughts a second look.

If Ren can’t have you forever, he decides, he’ll make this time spent with you worth that much time instead.

[dragonsinkwell]

4 for Vampkira please! :D

4. Best places to kiss on their body

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I like your style.

There’s a few places worthy of note. First, Vampkira totally adores getting forehead and cheek kisses. Adores them. And he’ll happily reciprocate the gesture. You wanna hear him let out the closest you’ll ever get to hearing him giggle? Surprise him with a kiss on the cheek and prepare for a war of affection.

You want something both saucier and sassier? I got you covered my friend. Give him a taste of his own medicine and lay some kisses on his neck, right at the base above the collarbone. He’ll have the time of his life goading you on before turning the tables with a playfully stern “Let me show you how it’s done.”

But, if you want to skip right to business, sneak on up behind him (a term used in absolute looseness because he’ll know you’re there), embrace him from behind and give him a kiss at the very nape of his neck. You won’t find any sass here, and there’ll be no mistaking your intentions. ;^3

[dragonsinkwell]

13 for Vampkira please 😉😉😉😉😉

13. What gets them flustered 

Ahaha, my pleasure.

Despite his seventh-grade drama class tendencies, Vampkira is surprisingly easy to fluster, though you’ve only got a couple seconds to catch it. Honest and unexpected sentiment is the fastest way to break his facade, especially when it comes from a specific, notoriously gruff hunter he’s quite fond of. It will take a little more work, but you can catch him off guard with more casual play, just know it would 1) last even less time, given he’s had quite the bit of time to learn how to keep his mask up and 2) definitely initiate a reverse offensive where he’ll do everything in his power to fluster you back.

But we’re just gonna drag this guy and honestly, any and every moment of soft gentle affection will fry his undead circuits faster than a noonday sun. Especially non-verbal forms. Lean up against him during a quiet moment alone? He can’t quite blush but there is no mistaking the flash of bashfulness across his expression. It’s in the way you can cut his hilariously over-dramatic rambling short by slipping your hand into his, and the resulting pause as he regains his bearing to cover his flustered state up.

[dragonsinkwell]

⛄ for Vampkira please ;)

“What do you mean you’ve never built a snowman? Not even as a kid?”

The way Ren gawks at you, as if you’ve transformed into some wild beast of legend, causes an embarrassed blush to overtake your face, and despite the rush of heat, you’re driven to bury your face deeper into your scarf. He doesn’t need any more ammo to hold over your head. So what if you haven’t built a snowman before! Surely there are plenty of people who have never done that, what makes your case so special? “It’s silly, and it’ll just melt in the end anyway. Plus, I’m too old now. I’d rather leave snowmen to the children at this point.”

“'I’m too old to have fun,’ says the woman who isn’t even an eighth of my age,” Ren taunts, closing the small gap between you two, reaching over to pull the scarf away from your face. You bat at his hand fruitlessly, earning a laugh from the vampire in front of you as he watches your display of bashfulness. “And everything is silly and will vanish in the end if you leave it long enough, so learn to loosen up a little. Building a snowman isn’t going to suddenly revoke your hunting license or however you all decide your credentials.”

If you weren’t completely loathe to verbally agree with him, you might have acquiesced here and now, because in a way Ren does have a valid, if slightly nihilistic, point. However, much like every other time he coaxes you into trying something new, sweet-talks you into venturing out of your little hermitage, you feel this innate need to dig in your heels and resist. You don’t know why, or more accurately, you don’t like thinking about why this is.

“Come on, a single snowman won’t hurt your image, I’ll even make one with you,” he proposes with a pleading tone.

And yet, with the same certainty that ensures your hesitation with each new experience, the soft and mild expression Ren wields with deadly precision consistently stops you dead in your tracks. Despite his sharp tongue and razor wit, the more you get to know his innermost personality the more you find of this irresistible gentleness that renders your protests mute. In the warm glow of the lights that kept the park trail from being pitch black, his tender smile is sweet as honey, and the longer you gaze at him, the harder it becomes to rationalize any more attempts at denying his appeal.

With a muted sigh you allow the remaining belligerent tension to drain out of your shoulders. “I’m only going to make the one, okay?” you mutter, not quite able to meet his gaze as you speak. Though you are well rewarded when you glance at him to see his reaction as Ren’s face breaks into a stunningly bright grin.

[dragonsinkwell]

Hello dear!! "I want the k" nr 15, maybe vampire AU? With Ren of course❤

Mmmm, a good prompt (I say as if I don’t think all the prompts I’ve gotten are good). I don’t know exactly why this turned out so long? I took these kiss prompts wanting something short and sweet but this just ran wild because I love the set up as much as the payoff and I can only hope you do too, dear Anon.

As a major city, Tokyo rarely can be called anything but lively, even at impossible hours of the night whole districts remain flush with neon lights and human activity, people coming home after many hours of work and school, or leaving to start anew, but there is one obstacle that can very well stop this round-the-clock buzz: nature. And though a storm of this caliber cannot cause a complete halt, it has left the streets nearly empty, drowning out what little noise the occupants could make with the sound of falling rain and occasional cracks of thunder, flashes of lightning rippling across the cloudy sky in their wake. All across the metropolis people and animals forced to be outside scramble for shelter, finding any reason to delay their departures.

A perfect night for a leisurely walk home if you’re allowed to give an opinion on the matter.

Deserted streets make it that much easier to take your own pace and relax, though you have no fear with regard to wandering alone at night even at the city’s busiest, there’s a special sort of peace here on your own. It’s very much like having the whole place to yourself. The steady beat of the rain makes a music all its own, blanketing everything with a soothing hush. And, for this brief interlude, the air smells clean enough that you could be fooled into thinking you were no longer in a smog-covered city. Instead of leaving you a shivering mess, the cold wind is bracing, and invigorates you like nothing else. Truly, here in the midst of a storm that leaves so many fleeing for cover, you feel vibrant and alive. Which might explain why you feel so mellow when you spot a very familiar silhouette lounging under a closed store’s overhang, taking refuge from the weather.

“Forget an umbrella, did you?” you ask once you’re close enough, stopping in place as Ren turns to face you, clearly startled. It makes you smile ever so slightly, after all you don’t often get to catch him unawares.

But he’s mastered the art of recovering, and his surprise is quickly masked by his trademark easy neutrality. “Well, not at the start, but I seem to have misplaced it on the way back.”

Only now does it fully sink in that Ren is wearing his ‘stealthy’ hunting outfit, a frankly ridiculous getup for any sort of task taking place outside of a theater, though you do note he has, for the time being, forgone his mask. Even as the sudden mental recognition of the gravity of his errand run leaves a faint sour stain on your mood, as even now there is a part of you that cannot fully accept the necessity of the lives he takes to sustain his, you’re still able to find a wry amusement in how, for once, his strange fashion sense might actually be of a little use.

“That overcoat is more than heavy enough to make up the difference, I’m sure.”

He snorts, clearly unimpressed with your commentary. “Only until it soaks through. After that it’s heavy and wet,” Ren remarks dryly. To prove his point, he grabs a bit of the fabric between his hands and wrings out what water he can. “What about you? Strolling about like you’re heading to a spring picnic.”

“Maybe I am,” you say with a smile, giving your umbrella a small twirl for emphasis. “It’s just a bit of wind and rain, nothing that’s going to bother me any.”

Unsure of where to take the conversation, an awkward silence drifts over you. You’re far more accustomed to the days of constant banter; now that you and he are on good terms (in your words, Ren believes this is far too modest a phrase, considering how close you two have actually become) you struggle to keep up. Small talk has been about the only socialization you’ve had for years, so this budding relationship is unfamiliar territory. Your first instinct is to do what you’ve always done, end it here and go about your merry way. He’s a grown man, and can take care of himself; you don’t need to baby Ren.

However, your second thought chases at the heels of your first, weighing heavy on your heart. Yes, you could leave him to his own devices and know he will be okay, but while once upon a time that would have been justification enough, you don’t want that. Despite his tendency to use his benevolence to tease you, he means well when he ‘meddles’, and you want to return the favor. Except there is one problem: you don’t know how to say it.

Voice laced with concern, Ren interrupts your thoughts. “Something wrong? Why the sour face?”

Only at his mention do you realize your expression has twisted and you swiftly straighten it out. You’re supposed to be figuring out how to express your concern for Ren, not making him worry for you.

“No, I just…” You swallow the lump in your throat and shift your weight from one foot to the other, trying to piece the words together without sounding like an absolute moron. Thankfully, he’s patient, allowing you time to gather your thoughts. “I uh… I was wondering if… if you wanted me to walk with you…”

What a stupid way to ask, you chide yourself as your gaze darts away, trying to focus on anything else as a distraction. Your face burns with embarrassment at your clumsy attempt. Because you’ve looked away, you miss the way Ren watches you, a proud fondness written on his face.

“Are you asking if you can walk me home?”

“W- well, yes,” you say quietly, still unable to look at him directly. “If you’re okay with that.”

He chuckles softly, amused that you even had to ask about such a thing. “I’d be grateful,” Ren murmurs, stepping near. “Besides, when would I ever turn down a chance to spend time with you?”

To keep him from flustering you more, you shift the umbrella in your grip, signaling that he can get under it. While he does move in close to you, he takes you by surprise and gently plucks the umbrella from your hand, before quickly maneuvering around you so he stood between you and the street. As you arch an eyebrow in surprise he speaks, answering the question on the tip of your tongue. “What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t? I’d never hear the end of it from Arsene if he caught me treating you less than perfectly.”

“You’ve already earned a dressing down about your clown suit,” you grumble, doing your best to deflect from how you are most certainly glowing with bashfulness. Besides his questionable attachment to his dramatic flair, Ren is just as fixated on his mannerisms, a trait clearly inherited from his mentor. “Really, just because you have that coat doesn’t mean a sleeveless shirt underneath it is a good idea.”

He lets out a breezy laugh as the pair of you start walking. It’s not the first time you’ve poked fun at his choice in clothing, and you both know it won’t be the last. Not that he minds, you always pout so cutely when you disapprove of his attire, although that is his secret alone.

The trip itself is pleasant, blanketed by a comfortable silence. Something you’ve learned as you get to know him is that when he isn’t being a gadfly searching for a reaction Ren is a quiet man. You enjoy that, however. As far as you’re concerned it’s enough to be able to bask in his company, and the knowledge that you can find this balance of comfort with him soothes so much of the nervousness you carried into the new stage of your relationship. The sound of splashing footsteps is the only thing that carries over the steady fall of rain as you two travel. Due to the size of your umbrella, large enough for two, but only barely, you have to walk right beside each other, and thus every so often your shoulder brushes his, and despite the fact that the fabric of his coat is still rather damp, you still catch yourself wanting to lean into that slight touch each time it happens.

It takes some time to even get near his place, just shy of an hour at the relaxed pace you travel at. You recognize the layout as you get close, taking side streets and moving away from any major roads. The narrowness works in your favor, keeping the wind from blowing the rain about and insulating you from the cold. When you’d first tracked down where Ren lived, you rather derisively referred to it as a slummy neighborhood, but the area has grown on you over time, convincing you of a quaint, off-beat charm.

Soon enough, once you’re nearby, you make it to the small alley where his apartment is located. It’s a tiny thing, barely large enough for the set of stairs leading to the door, and honestly the apartment itself isn’t all that much bigger. You’re positive that Ren can afford a nicer home, though you have no idea what line of work a vampire would hold to provide such wealth, something better than a converted attic loft hardly big enough for one above a cafe tucked in a forgettable section of the city. But he insists that he wants to live here, that he enjoys the atmosphere and the neighborhood.

“Looks like this is my stop,” Ren says quietly, turning to face you while being careful to keep you sheltered from the rain. There’s that softness again, in the way he gazes at you, that makes you want to hide.

“Be careful next time, okay? I’m not always gonna run across you, you know.”

Ren lets out a thoughtful hum as he steps a touch closer. “Are you sure about that? We do have a knack for bumping into each other. And I quite like being saved by you.”

“'Saved’? What are you, a princess?” you ask, and the thought of him playing damsel-in-distress is so realistic that it flusters you once more.

“Not usually,” he purrs, and it’s too late by the time you catch the low thread of mischief in his voice. “But for you, I’d gladly play the part. After all, a princess gets to reward her rescuer, hm?”

You don’t even get a chance to retort. No sooner do you manage to process his words and try to formulate a response of your own, than you find Ren has moved in, free arm wrapped loosely around your waist pulling you close. There’s an instant where you catch the lopsided grin gracing his lips before he presses his mouth against yours in a sweet kiss. He keeps it clean, but lingers for a long moment before pulling away, watching with great glee the way you curl into him and bury your face into his chest to hide your embarrassment.

Your cry of “What was that for?!” is muffled by the fabric of his shirt and your awkward position, but Ren notes cheerfully the way your voice cracks ever so lightly. Do you have any idea how cute you are? Now that he feels comfortable knowing he hadn’t been too forward, Ren shifts his arms to hold you better. It means putting the umbrella at an angle where it doesn’t quite cover you both, but he hardly cares when the payoff is being allowed to hug you this way.

“That was your reward, of course.” When that fails to draw a reply, he continues with a teasing lilt. “Was it not enough? You’re welcome to stay over so I can express my thanks properly, my brave knight~”

The very obvious implications of his statement causes you to choke on air, and you pull back enough to let him see your reaction while trying to stammer out an answer. You’re still trying to get used to kissing him! It’s not that you wouldn’t want to do more, but the last relationship you had was while you were still in school! “Wh- I mean- I… um-”

Mercifully, he seems to understand your plight.

“At least warm up with a cup of coffee before you go,” Ren soothes, granting you another peck on the lips. “Dry off a little bit. You’ve got quite a walk home and I don’t want you catching a cold.”

This offer relaxes you. For all that he enjoys teasing you, you’re most grateful that he knows when to let off. You do enjoy this weather, true, but it is a bit chilly now that you’re a little rain-soaked. Not to mention how good his coffee-making skills are. “That sounds nice. Thank you.”

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #51

Wow it’s been a while since I worked on a daily practice. But I’ve been so inspired on the Palace fic I’ve been spending a lot of time working on that, alongside getting all your requests started. Today we’re revisiting the vampkira!AU because I had a good scene come to me and it’s really all I want to write right now. Look forward to a few more requests this week~

Inokashira Park is, unsurprisingly, rather devoid of people at this time of night, not that Ren minds. While he does enjoy people-watching, he's here for a purpose, and the park being relatively deserted means it will be that much easier to go unnoticed. Ann and Makoto mentioned that they were going to come foraging, apparently even here in a city park there were some interesting reagents that popped up, and Ren was curious and asked to come along. However, this would be an awkward thing to explain to any non-magical passersby, so all the better he had to wait until after dark.

Even though he's only here for an errand, the walk to the appointed meeting spot is pleasant, the late-fall air is crisp and cool, a breeze rustling through the drying leaves. Ren hasn't minded moving into Tokyo, the bustling city is a never ending treat of experience, but sometimes he misses the slower pace of life he's lived in smaller towns. Maybe after he has his fill of this life, he'll move somewhere quieter for a time. With all this lifespan there's no reason to shy from variety, after all.

Ren turns down a small side path next, heading deeper into the park. The first few minutes of walking is just as uneventful, but a ways in he picks up on a rather concentrated magical signature. It's muddled and he can't pick out what it could be without getting closer. He pauses for a moment, deciding if he wants to investigate, or if it's even safe to do so, but his curiosity wins out. Ren cautiously continues down the trail, stopping again once he gets a visual on what's waiting before him.

Dozens of crows are sitting or swooping about the area. His first instinct is to look for a body, because what else would attract the attention of so many carrion birds, and he finds a very familiar one among the crows. In a subversion of his own expectations, however, the body is not only still alive, and completely healthy, it's also you, sitting on the wooden fence like a high school delinquent. On your lap is perched a brown paper bag, from which you pull a handful of fries that you then toss to your corvid friends. The look on your face is a soft, almost tender one, something Ren has never seen you display. And yet, as he continues to observe you, he's reminded that you are more than a young woman feeding wild birds. To be able to conjure this many familiars... He is well aware that you are a terrifying force to be reckoned with, the image of you standing above him with your gun is one that never strays too far from Ren's mind, but this is beyond belief. This gives birth to a whole new trepidation in him, even as he knows that you've agreed upon a truce, despite your distaste of his vampiric nature.

For a long moment he debates picking a different route to his destination, a quick peek at his phone tells Ren he has time to spare. However, he decides that he wants to know what you're up to here with all these crows. You've got to be doing more than just feeding them. As he grows close, the birds closest to him quickly take notice of him, turning to face him one after the other. You, on the other hand, seem to be unaware.

Or, so he thinks until you speak up. “Ignore him. Goodness knows I try to,” you mumble as your expression sours, pulling out another handful of fries without looking up at your 'visitor'. The birds actually obey your command, turning all their attention back to you and your offerings.

“Not even a hello?” he teases, walking closer while carefully stepping around the crows. “Or an introduction? You've met Morgana, so who're all these fine familiars?”

He's not sure if it's just his imagination, but some of the crows look at him and puff up in what looks exactly like pride. “They're not familiars; I don't do those. And that's only because you made him spy on me.”

Not familiars? Ren doesn't believe that at first, not in the least. What else would cause such a spike in magical presence? He narrows his eyes and squints at you, trying to discern if you're being honest with him. “These crows are pretty powerful for normal animals.”

“Because they aren't normal. Some alchemist got sloppy with their experiments and contaminated some crows on accident several years ago. That's these guys and their chicks. Smarter than the garden variety, which is saying a lot, but they make good informants. I feed them decent food and they keep me up to date on what goes on in my district that's all.”

Well that would explain it, though there remains a nagging doubt in his gut.

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #13

So, talking with @gremlindesu gave me an idea for this and I know I’ve been gushing about the Palace!AU but also, never forget the Vampire!AU that is king of my heart because these two losers are perfect and I love them so! much!

By the time you get home you're thoroughly exhausted, despite having a relatively tame day. It only entailed a few easy calls, two different possessions and small summoning mishap, and a handful of errands done to make the most of your time, but after weeks of keeping a rather exclusive evening schedule, the sudden shift to being up during the day was tiring. Instead of getting home at this time, you would be closer to leaving for the day. That's the price you pay for your job, you suppose. Every career has its drawbacks.

And you seem to have run into another one of those drawbacks. Now that you're inside your house, you notice a pair of familiar shoes sitting on the rack by the door and sigh audibly. He would show up tonight, wouldn't he? You gingerly remove your own shoes and put on your house slippers. Might as well get this over with quickly so you can finally get to bed.

“What are you doing in my house?” you question as you walk into your living room. Ren's made himself comfortable on your couch, watching some late-night shopping program. You aren't even surprised so much as annoyed; he's always finding some way to get under your skin.

“Aw, I just wanted to visit a little, but you weren't home, so I thought I'd wait for you.” He gives you his best display of innocence as he turns to face you. “So, how was work, honey?”

If you didn't want to avoid damaging your home, or worse, anger your neighbors, you might have shot at him to try teaching him a lesson. But you don't want to deal with any more repairs or cop calls, and especially not today. “Believe it or not, but I didn't give you a key to my house so you could show up whenever you please. If you must come and bother me, you have to call and ask first.”

He finally stands up and walks over to you, seemingly pleased as punch. Probably knows how fed up you are. “So it's okay if I come over more often so long as I call you?” His words make you sigh again. You walked right into that one, didn't you?

“Correction: I gave you the key in the event that if you somehow require my assistance, and then call me, and I give you permission to come over, you can do so without breaking into my home and worrying my neighbors again.” There's a headache brewing in your skull. It's been a long day and dealing with Ren's teasing is only wearing you down further and further. Sometimes he's not so bad to have around, but you just aren't feeling it right now.

Ren doesn't quip back immediately, the way you expect. Instead, he's studying you, brows furrowed in concentration. He leans in a little and tilts his head to the side. “Did something happen today? You smell anemic. Are you hurt?”

Dumbfounded, you stare at him blankly for a moment, but you think you know what's he's referring to. “First of all, you need to stop saying things like that, it's weird. Seriously. But if you must know all of my damn business, there was a blood drive at the police station today. I always go if I'm eligible for a donation. That's all.”

“Blood drive?” he cries, looking for all the world like you just announced you planned to elope with Yusuke. “You have my number, don't you? If you wanted to give some blood away, I'm right here!”

The vampire looks so appalled it's hard to stifle your laughter. He's reacting like he caught you kicking blind kittens. “I didn't just give it away,” you manage to say between chuckles. “It's a medical donation. You know, to save lives. Why would I let you have it?”

“I have a life; you could save my life.” Now he's moved on to giving you his best sad-puppy look, batting his eyelashes at you like a children's princess. “Can't I get even a taste, dear hunter? Please?”

“I'd sooner let you tell me what to do for a whole day, so no,” you scoff. You're not eager to let him get his fangs into you, literally here, but with no exception for the metaphorical idea either. He might be tolerable on the rare good day, but you're not enthused about being a snack if you can help it.

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #33

Back to the, now properly tagged, Vampkira!AU, which I feel deserves an actual introduction. Back when Akira Kurusu was the only name we had, I ended up drafting a whole story plot with him as a vampire and the other PTs as different, traditionally ‘Western’ monsters/creatures, a sort of foil to the work-in-progress Yokai!AU. The whole this is essentially a love letter to one of my favorite tropes: enemies to friends to lovers. Why is it still Vampkira? Because it sounds way better than Vampren, that’s literally it. However, I’ve been tooling around with a more generic vampire!AU that is completely unrelated, so that’s the breakdown there and hopefully the tags help keep them distinct.

But today’s piece is set near the end of the eventual Act 1, where things finally come to a head and it becomes very obvious something will have to give. Spoiler: they talk shit out like adults because it’s only Act 1 but boy do they have to work for that rather tsun friendship.

“Shut it,” you hiss, bringing your gun back out and aiming it squarely at the man beneath you, “I don't want to hear about justice from you.”

There was no mistaking the faint telltale haze of fear on Ren's face, though you wouldn't have known him well enough to spot it before, and it made your stomach churn. You had to kill him, no matter the traitorous hesitation in you. How could you let people die for a hollow justification at the hand of a vigilante simply because you were lonely? This was the right thing to do; this is what it cost and you would bear it regardless of your desires. In an attempt to silence the man and steel your resolve, you put more weight on the foot pinning his chest.

“Hypocrite,” Ren accuses with a gasp, too exhausted and hurt to put up more than the barest struggle. He knows an opening when he sees one, however, and out of options he takes a gamble. “You're no better than me, hunter.”

Your reaction is instant, he can see the way your jaw clenches and eyes widen, but because of this he misses the pressure on his chest disappear. By the time he notices you've moved your foot, it connects with his side in a vicious kick that leaves him in agony and gasping for air.

Fury is all you can taste as you stalk over to his new position and kneel over him, keeping the barrel of your gun trained at his face. “You use your victims' crimes as an excuse for your improper judgment, going outside the law and killing them without so much as a chance to pay for their misdeeds. Don't you ever compare us!”

“And how many chances have you given me?” he spits, trying desperately to manipulate the odds back into his favor. “Am I so inhuman that I can't be offered the same?”

The finger you held on the trigger twitched a fraction and Ren's flinch was unmistakable. How dare he! Your ideals couldn't be swayed; you were righteous! But just as you open your mouth to retort, a sickening cold settles in your gut. In the place of words you grasp your gun ever tighter and try desperately to summon the strength to do what you set out to accomplish. Your views were irreconcilable; one of you would have to give to coexist the way your heart had begun to desire. It wouldn't be you. It couldn't.

A moment passes, and your own hesitation makes you flinch, warrior instincts fully convincing you to prepare for a counterattack that does not come. The chill of realization spreads into your veins as you stare down at Ren. He had been human once, hadn't he? Just like your mentor, like the people you hoped to save. Just like you. If you'd stand up for even the most wretched person to face a fair trial, if you would defend the right of all mankind to a chance at redemption, then was it unthinkable that you might owe Ren the same? You didn't even know if he'd had a choice in his new state of existence, so who were you to judge him?

Slowly, you rise to your feet, though your aim never wavers. “You're right,” you say, the words leaving a bitter aftertaste in your mouth. A stoic numbness overtakes you; the strange swirl of emotion leaves you feeling distant and sick. “You're right, and I hate it.”

Steel eyes snap wide open as Ren gapes up at you, clearly taken by surprise at your admission. When he doesn't move, not even to respond, you re-engage the safety on your gun and holster it.

“Why am I more deserving of life than the people you kill? Next time I see you, I want an answer. If you don't give it to me, you're dead.” As soon as you finish speaking you turn on your heel, not bothering to wait for any reply.

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #14

So, one, we’re back to  my beloved vampire!AU today (And yes, I have an addiction to AUs and shit, sue me. They’re fun and they let me do cool things) and two, there’s a wee bit of... cheating, today. The first paragraph was more or less pre-written (by me, obviously) but I really wanted to expand this scene in my drafts but I didn’t want to just post the ‘new parts’. It seemed like a really awkward starting point and tbh I want everyone to know how big an asshole vampire!Ren is at the beginning of the story because he’s terrible and I love him dearly.

You're being mocked, and with such intensity it takes every ounce of willpower in your body to not launch yourself at the grinning man who is slowly becoming your most hated foe, physical restraints be damned. No, you can't call it a simple grin; it is a look of triumphant smugness that sets your blood boiling, steel eyes alight with glee and a smile wide enough to place his elongated canines on full display. To keep from inducing a rage-born aneurysm in yourself, you turn your attention back to his latest attempt at running your patience ragged: the simple cup of fragrant coffee sitting on the table next to you.

"Ah, that's right," he says, the edge of laughter in his voice unrestrained, "How inconsiderate of me. Here, allow me to help you."

He sweeps over to where you're sitting to stand before you, picking up the mug and bringing it to your mouth. You're seriously considering refusing entirely, but you have to admit it would be unwise. No point digging an even deeper hole for yourself tonight. You open your lips a tad, just enough to take a drink. With a carefulness that surprises you, Ren tips the cup gently so you can safely take a sip. To be frank, you expected that he would just spill it all over you, so the fact that he's being so delicate takes you by surprise.

“Well, how is it, dear hunter?” he asks as he pulls the cup away and sets it back on the table. For a second he looks completely earnest, like he actually cares what you think about his coffee. You don't buy it for an instant.

You lick your lips while you consider the coffee itself. It's just shy of being too hot to enjoy, but it's... not bad, actually. Not nearly as bitter as you were preparing yourself for, given that there's no cream or sugar in it. Smooth, and rich in flavor. In another situation you would have savored this coffee immensely. However, you aren't at a nice cafe leisurely enjoying yourself, you're handcuffed to a chair in a now-dead man's apartment being humiliated by an overgrown leech. “The coffee's alright,” you state blandly as your mouth pulls into a frown.

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #29

So, today is the actual streak breaker because while I have written today, I was out of the house for most of the day and I didn’t finish the request I was working on. In lieu of posting a half-assed practice, I’m going to call this a mulligan and offer a first-draft Halloween special I wrote for my vampire vampkira!AU a few months ago. Not perhaps my best work, as I think I’ve improved at least some since then, but I still enjoy the idea of what I was trying to do.

You're halfway through the variety show you've been watching idly when you hear a knock at your door. For most people, someone coming to the door at this hour of the evening would be a terrifying event, a harbinger of bad news in some form. For you, however, it was a nuisance. Certainly you didn't get many visitors of your own, working nights had it's perks and you honestly didn't accrue many friends, but those that did knew better than to drop by unannounced. This was your day off, a special time to relax and unwind from a job that never really allowed much downtime. If your guest couldn't even send a courtesy text, you weren't going to give them the time of day.

Except, whoever it was obviously hadn't been taught any manners at all and continued to knock. Three curt knocks followed by a stretch of silent waiting, only to repeat the process. It's enough to drive you mad. You're petty enough that you consider waiting it out, even if the thought of enduring this violation of your 'Me Time' is enough to give you an ulcer, but ultimately you decide to get up and tell them off. Because it was an off day, you regrettably weren't armed to the nines, but that was the point of magic you suppose. Spells didn't quite have the intimidation factor of a loaded gun, though they were just as good at keeping you safe, so you give no thought to being worried.

You make your way to the door quietly, and wait for one of the pauses before unlocking it as silently as possible and opening it. Upon seeing just who's been bothering you, however, you're hit with an instant and overwhelming sense of regret for even trying. Before you stands a familiar man with fluffy, black hair, and slate eyes glinting deviously from behind his signature black-and-white mask. It's not just the mask, he's wearing the rest of his ridiculously un-stealthy 'disguise' too.

“Trick or treat!” he exclaims upon seeing you, tone light and jovial. You're frozen in disbelief, caught completely unaware, and Ren gives a pointy-toothed grin at your obvious shock.

A quiet moment passes before you take a small step back and shut the door in his face with a quiet firmness, locking it before turning to return to your seat and resuming your TV binge. Even though you'd considered that he'd pull a gag of some sort today, you found yourself unprepared mentally. Perhaps your misguided optimism for a restful evening blinded you to this most obvious of traps. You don't even make it four steps, however, before you hear the locks come undone and the door opens behind you. A soft, resigned sigh leaves you as you hear Ren enter and re-close the door. You made a mental note to get a chain lock one of these days.

“That's breaking and entering, you know.” There's no point in reminding him, he does as he pleases regardless of your intervention, but you do anyway. Besides, it's easier than admitting you were getting a little lonely.

“You say that every time I come to visit you. I even knocked this time!” he says with a laugh, walking over to where you stopped and pulling you into a quick hug. You huff quietly, but lean back into him all the same, glad he can't see your blushing face at this angle. “More importantly, you never gave me an answer. Do I get a treat or can I trick you?”

Instead of an answer, you carefully pull yourself out of his embrace and walk into your dining room, with Ren following closely. There's a small convenience store bag that you left on the table, and you reach into it, pulling out a small plastic pouch filled with a deep red liquid. You toss it to your companion wordlessly, watching eagerly for his reaction. You've been sitting on this plan for almost the whole month, and you expected great things.

Red-gloved hands catch it deftly, and he takes a moment to inspect his gift. The second he recognizes the treat for what it is, his cool demeanor melts into complete dumbfounded surprise and it's your turn for a mirthful chuckle. You'd bought and held onto a bag of fake candy blood, just for this occasion, and his reaction was priceless.

“There ya go, kiddo. Happy Halloween,” you say with a proud smile. It's not often you get to ambush him, so you're entirely pleased with yourself this evening. He deserved a good joke at his expense every once in a while, for all the times he did it to you. Even considering the good terms you two were on, the dynamic of your relationship was still defined by a great deal of good-natured trickery and banter.

Ren recovers with a chuckle, thoroughly amused. His smile is soft and affectionate, but there's a sharp, playful glint in his steel eyes that tells you he's not going to take this laying down. Which is a very good thing; for all your bristling, you'd been growing bored just vegging out in front of the TV. “I'm still quite fond of candy, but this isn't exactly the treat I was hoping for. Well, one good trick deserves another, as they say.”

“Not feeling your age yet, huh? Alright, I'm game. Give it your best shot.”

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #37

After a weekend of rest, back in the game with some more Vampkira!AU. Tired, so less chatter tonight but enjoy y’all.

When the shock finally wears off, Ren sits up with a pained groan. After all this time without engaging in a proper fight with you, he'd forgotten just how hard you could hit. For all his mocking, you were a competent hunter, and he can't put the realization that you were seconds from ending his life out of his mind. What exactly set you off, anyway? The last time he'd seen you, sick and pouty, you seemed no more upset than usual with his teasing. How could he reconcile that memory with the image of you just now, snarling with a cold fury, pretty face shadowed with a haunted determination?

A sharp sting in his side causes Ren to flinch; you must have cracked a rib when you kicked him. Nothing he couldn't patch up with a little magic and rest, but it was a testament to the seriousness of your intentions. Gingerly, he stands up and brushes himself off. That's not the problem, he decides. He knows the reason you gave for attacking him, but he can't fathom why you felt it necessary. What did you expect him to do, not eat just because it would cost a life? Raking a hand through his tussled black hair, Ren grimaces. Did you really value him less than the criminals he hunted simply because he was a vampire? Could you be such a petty person?

No, if that was true, why would you have taken his question to heart the way you did? He hadn't even meant to ask it; the query was intended to hurt you and make you back off. Instead, you looked him in the eye and admitted to your mistake, even going so far as to allow him a chance to consider his options. The sight of your back as you walked away was fresh in his memory; not once had you ever given up the fight first. That was his job, neither willing to kill you nor let you kill him, while you were the one left howling for him to “Get back here and fight me!” as he fled the scene.

[dragonsinkwell]

Snippet #2

So today’s writing is inspired by this prompt by its-just-a-writers-thing. I didn’t use the prompt proper because this is part of an AU I have in the planning stages and ten years is a long time, but it’s a good prompt for sure! This vampire!Ren AU is a good part of the reason I’m doing this project; I’d like to write a full story for it but I’m so bad with letting myself procrastinate. You’ll probably see plenty with these two over the months, I love this idea to death.

Glancing through the peephole in your door only confirms your suspicions, and for a moment you seriously consider ignoring the person knocking at your door out of spite. You know better, however. If you don't answer the door, you won't get any peace until sunrise. With a resigned sigh, you begrudgingly open the door and peek out. Even though you know it's Ren, it's still strange to see him out of his over-dramatic mask and jacket and in plain clothes. “What is so important you have to bother me at my home?”

If your hostility fazes him even a little, Ren doesn't show it, maintaining his cheery, canine-baring smile. “Aw, I was just coming by to introduce myself. We're neighbors after all.”

“Look, I know they say the memory is one of the first thing that goes in your old age, but you need to get this straight, you dusty relic. I hardly wanted to get to know you in the first place, and I don't even want to think about you moving into the neighborhood,” you snap. “Please, just tell me what you need, or, if you don't actually need something, leave me alone.”

He laughs at you and your grip on the doorknob tightens. What a pity it wasn't around his throat. “Don't be so mean, I thought after that little heart-to-heart we became friends? So, is it so wrong that I'd stop by and see how you're doing?”

You don't like when he says 'friends'. The last time you had those it was a mistake, and you weren't about to make it again. “We're not friends. I'm still not even convinced I did the right thing letting you go.” While it was true the vampire had begun to change his methods, it was still incredibly difficult for you to reconcile your morals and his. His insistence on being constantly and, to your personal mortification, not entirely unpleasant company didn't make keeping your distance any easier. All you wanted was for life to go back to normal.