#The adventures of Caleb and Pop Pop

[jellyfishforest135]

Mace just loving on his grandbaby

[always-just-red]

Multi headcanon request please. The LIs touch their s/os' breast for the first time, but it's an accident. However, instead of getting mad, she gently scolds them "save that behavior for when we're alone".

You always give me such great requests tehe, I had the absolute time of my life with this one. Did mini fics again! Featuring this time: a baking class with Xavier 🍰, a check-up with Zayne 🩺, pottery-making with Rafayel 🏺, casino night with Sylus 🎲, and a VERY serious study session with Caleb 📚

Innocent Little Mistakes

L&DS Boys x Reader

Summary: In which the boys are all menaces, surprising literally no-one 🥰

Genre: Humour

Warnings/Additional tags: female reader, inappropriate touching (but make it ✨COMEDY✨), PDA, slight suggestiveness, established relationships

| Word count: 600-750 words each! | Masterlist | Opt-in to my taglist here!

Disclaimer: Characters belong to Love and Deepspace. All work is my own, so please don't repost or plagiarise!

Xavier ⭐

One more strike and you’re out.

You furiously mix the bowl of cake batter under your arm, all too aware of the chef watching you from across the room. You don’t know why he’s looking at you— you’re not the problem. The problem is beside you, measuring out an ingredient you don’t actually need.

“What’re you up to, Xavi?” you ask with a nervous chuckle, trying not to sound suspicious.

He looks up at you, blue eyes as warm as the oven that’s making everything feel too hot. “Measuring,” he declares with a smile.

“That’s great, sweetie.”

Don’t ask. Just leave it.

Every other couple in the class look sickeningly in love— trading ingredients, utensils, and lingering gazes— all in perfect harmony. Meanwhile, you have a ticking time bomb for a partner. First there was the egg incident: a rogue egg from your table had somehow ended up under the foot of the man one counter down from you, slipping him over and twisting his ankle. Then the man from the couple behind you slipped too: on a butter wrap Xavier had sworn he’d thrown away.

Funny how so many of the things from your counter are going on little, deadly adventures.

You shoot Xavier another wary look. He glances up. Smiles. You smile back. When the cake batter’s done, tipped into the tin and tucked into the oven, you move onto the icing. You whip it up in a minute, lifting a spoon from the bowl and dragging a finger through to taste it.

“Xavier,” you say, nudging the bowl across to him, “mind putting a little more sugar in this? I need to start tidying up.”

“Sure,” he beams.

He can’t mess that up, right? You don’t want to exclude him. With a soft sigh, you start to reorganise your work station: making space for the cake you’re going to decorate. Xavier’s voice interrupts you, sweet like the sugar flowers you’re sorting through:

“How’s this?”

You turn, and the moment you do, something cool scrapes your collarbone. Xavier was holding out a spoon— too close— and it tips at your contact, spilling sticky white icing down past the neckline of your apron and shirt. You feel it, inching down your skin, between your breasts.

You’ve been stunned into silence. Xavier is staring down too, lips parted, spoon still mid-air.

“Don’t just stare!” you find it in you to scold, glancing about for something that’ll help you clean up. “Help me—”

That’s when you feel it: something warm on your skin. Your gaze shoots down and Xavier is wiping his thumb through the mess on your chest. He lifts the icing to his mouth. Pops it past his lips.

“Xavier!” you exclaim on a whisper.

His eyes had fluttered closed, but they open again. His lips are still on his thumb as he looks back at you. “Mmm?” he hums around it, like he has no idea what you’re talking about.

That face is so devastatingly innocent, but you’re not falling for it. You cross your arms and glare.

“You want some too?” Xavier translates.

Before you can stop him, his thumb is on your skin again. “Xavi—!” you protest, but then that thumb is in your mouth, overwhelming you with sweetness. Except… it’s not all sweet. You frown as Xavier’s hand moves away, your nose wrinkling with disgust. “Wha— why is it salty?!”

“Wasn’t it salty already?”

“No! Xavier, what did you…? You can’t just—!”

“Are you okay?” Xavier laughs so lightly it’s almost a giggle. “You look… warm. What are you thinking about?”

He’s leaning against the counter now, cheek settled in his hand. He has the countenance of an angel and he knows what you’re thinking about. His free hand plays with a salt shaker on the counter; it doesn’t look anything like the sugar.

Behind you, someone clears their throat.

…

You walk home from the bakery class a lot earlier than planned, having— and you’re quoting verbatim, here— ‘crossed a line’. Xavier’s at your side, a bowl of icing in his hands that no-one dared take from him, and he hums pleasantly to himself as he lifts a fingerful to his lips.

“You did that on purpose,” you grumble, and it’s the first words you’ve said in a while.

He smiles like butter icing wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

Zayne ❄️

“Zayne, c’mon… it’s not that bad.”

Lower half cocooned by the blankets of a hospital bed, you give your doctor a lopsided smile. He doesn’t grace your statement with a response— at least, not an intelligible one. There’s a tiny hum, to let you know you’ve been heard. There’s an even tinier frown, to let you know he was not amused.

So you got a little scraped up by a Wanderer— it happens! With your own frown, you regard the pulse oximeter that’s biting the end of your forefinger. You wiggle it, even though Zayne had instructed you to keep still. The tiny screen flashes and flickers. He writes… something down on his clipboard, and it feels needlessly dramatic.

“How would you rate the pain you’re currently experiencing?” he asks.

“Zero. Zilch. Nada. I feel great, actually.”

More scribbles for the clipboard, which means absolutely nothing good.

“I mean it, Zayne. I’m fine, really. I don’t even know why Xavier brought me here. Like, what’s the point of first-aid training if you’re just gonna dump someone in the hospi—”

“Please be still.”

You’d started gesturing, and Zayne stares across at the monitor on your finger. He sighs, which you don’t think is professional, then reaches to press a button on it, restarting its progress. You’re obedient this time: sitting still as he goes back to his beloved clipboard. That sigh sounded tired.

The oximeter bleeps. Zayne glances up. Makes another note.

“There,” he says, his eyes still trained downwards as he reaches across you to retrieve the device, “was that really so—?”

The words stop in his throat when his hand brushes your chest.

Just a graze, but his fingers hover guiltily for a moment before correcting their course: homing in on the oximeter, pinching it open. Zayne doesn’t meet your eyes as he returns to his writing. There’s a faint blush on his cheeks that definitely isn’t professional.

This is amazing. “Did you just—?”

He gives an adorably slight shake of his head.

You gasp anyway, utterly scandalised: “Doctor Zayne! You took an oath.”

“Stop.”

“Here I am, weak from blood loss! Vulnerable!”

“Stop.”

“What sort of an establishment is this, hmm? What other twisted, sordid things go on behind the—” and it’s at this moment you catch a glimpse of a familiar figure— “ah, Doctor Greyson! Doctor Greyson! In here, please!”

The man had been passing through the ward, though he stops at the sound of your voice. “Oh, hello!” he greets, peering around your privacy curtain, “Zayne mentioned you were in! It’s good to see you. Well, not good to see you here, but— you know what I mean! How are you?”

“I’m shocked,” you witter on, because you’ve no time for pleasantries, “shocked, I say! Just now, this man here had the audacity to—”

A cold hand clamps over your mouth.

You are— actually— shocked. You blink at Greyson, eyes wide; even he looks like he’s seen a Wanderer riding a bicycle through the hospital. After a moment of tense, awkward silence, he does that face you know so well. His ‘nope, I’m not going anywhere near whatever this is!’ face.

It’s not a surprise when he backs out, leaving you and Zayne alone once more. Your doctor’s hand is still over your mouth, breaching all kinds of ethics, and oh, how the mighty have fallen. This feels like victory. When Zayne’s hand finally drops, you’re grinning.

“Had your fun?” he asks quietly, looking back to his notes.

“Have you? Or do you wanna have another...?” You waggle a finger at your breasts.

Zayne’s mouth is a tight line, and he doesn’t dare look up. Something is scrawled on the clipboard and you get the feeling it’s a distraction. Your very important doctor is writing very important things. Definitely isn’t scribbling nonsense. He clears his throat, then stands rigidly, his face sombre.

Did you take your joke too far? Your heart starts to have some kind of episode as he walks away, and the stupid machine you’re hooked up to says nothing about it, which is typical.

But Zayne still stops at the curtain. Glances over his shoulder.

“Ask me later,” he says with a gentle smirk.

Rafayel 🎨

“This is just like that old movie.”

Rafayel hums a familiar, vintage tune as his hands cradle yours, guiding them up and down, up and down, as a wet clay vase spins beneath your touch. Everything about your partner is relaxed: his fingers, lazy and precise, and his head, settled comfortably on your shoulder. The song is so close to your ear that it tickles.

How the hell is he so calm? Your eyes are fixed downwards, brow furrowed with the sort of concentration you’d usually save for disarming a bomb. Your fingers feel clumsy and dangerous. Your head hurts. It doesn’t help that every other couple in the pottery class are stealing less-than-subtle glances your way: isn’t that—?

Yep! The Rafayel. Creative genius, ‘Da Vinci of our time’ Rafayel, and here you are, ever a moment away from destroying his latest masterpiece.

“Raf, stop…” you mutter, because he’s still humming away, distracting you.

“Okay!”

The song stops. You don’t think Rafayel has ever co-operated so quickly. Which means…

“Woahhh,” he sings quietly, privately, and right on cue, “my love… my darling… I’ve hungered for your—”

“Stop!” you hiss under your breath, untangling a hand from your project so you can swat at his face.

“A long... lonely— ah! — tiiiime!”

The vase is already folding over on itself, collapsing into a sad, soggy heap as Rafayel half sings, half chuckles, catching your hand so he can launch a counterstrike. A wet finger brushes your nose and you gasp, wrinkling your face in indignance. Then you wriggle your hand free, going in for another swat. The artist’s head has left your shoulder. The arms around you are suddenly attacking.

There’s a kerfuffle of hands, slick and sticky with clay. Slapping each-other. Trying to outmanoeuvre each-other. One lands on your chest with a thwap!

You both go deathly still.

Rafayel has stopped laughing, his body a marble statue behind you; you think his breath has actually gone. When his hand lifts away from you, it’s like a delusional cat slinking away from a crime: if I move slowly enough, I’m completely invisible.

What isn’t invisible, however, is the crude clay handprint he leaves behind. You stare down at it, mortified. “Raf!” you scold, and oh gods you hope nobody saw what just happened.

“I didn’t—” he begins, and he’s staring down over your shoulder, too. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Don’t just sit there!” You shoo him away, one hand hovering in front of your chest like you’re not wearing anything at all. “I need something to—”

“On it!”

He can fix this. He can fix this. He practically falls off the seat you’d been sharing as he unwraps himself from you, stumbling up onto his feet. His hands are on his hips as he catches his breath; it had taken a lot of effort not to end up on the floor.

With a glance about, the artist spies a nearby cloth. You see the ‘aha!’ moment— the relief in his eyes as he turns towards it, on a mission. Your hero.

There’s a soft smack!

Rafayel freezes, pink creeping into his cheeks.

By the time he looks down over his shoulder, eyes widening at the bright, wet handprint on his ass, you’re already salvaging your clay vase— moulding it back into a workable blob as you hum an old song, completely innocent.

Sylus 🩸

“So… what are we spending our winnings on, sweetie?”

“A diamond as big as me,” you whisper.

“Is that it?”

Hmm. “A diamond as big as you.”

“Now you’re talking.”

Sylus chuckles, as rich and intoxicating as the alcohol he swirls in a glass as he stalls before his next throw. No-one would dare rush him. His other hand toys with a pair of dice, turning them over each-other, making them waltz about his fingers. The ministrations are practiced, experienced, and— glancing around the craps table— you’re not the only one who’s noticed.

One woman is utterly mesmerised. She takes a sip of her drink, swallowing thickly, and you like to think (delusionally) that you’ve never quite stared at Sylus as shamelessly as that. It isn’t her fault, though. Every person at the table is fixated on the man beside you, and it’s not just because they’ve got stakes in whatever he rolls next.

Sylus doesn’t own this casino— as far as you know— but he acts like he does. He places his bets. Smiles when he wins and smiles wider when he loses, as though in on a private joke. Everyone wants to know what it is. You inch closer to Sylus. Ask loud enough for them all to hear: “What do we need again?”

We.

“A nine,” he answers.

There’s a soft clack as the dice go still in his palm. He’s staring down the forest-green battleground you both stand at the head of. “Here,” he says, lifting his hand towards you, “blow on—”

He’s misjudged the distance, because his fingers collide with your chest. One of the dice rolls from his palm, tumbling down past the neckline of your dress and into your cleavage. It’s cold, but you don’t flinch. You look down in slow disbelief. Then you look at Sylus.

His crimson eyes are fixed on where the die disappeared. He glances up with a sheepish grin. “Oops.”

Oops? Your gaze is a knife at his throat and he thinks if he’s cute enough, you might not use it. You narrow your eyes and purse your lips. Wanna try that again?

Sylus’s laugh is awkward, but he isn’t a coward. “May I just—?”

His hand comes towards you, and though those fingers were never actually going to commit to that little suicide mission, you still slap them away. “No!”

He pouts, splaying the same hand expectantly. With a sigh, your fingers delve beneath your neckline, fishing around for a second. You present the die with an uninspired flourish, and it’s warm when you drop it into Sylus’s open palm. His fingers close around it. He’s smirking to himself as he turns back to the table.

“Lucky die,” he muses under his breath.  

“What did you just say?!”

Louder: “I said ‘lucky—”

“You’re a dead man, Sylus Qin. D-E-A-D. Dead. You hear me? The moment we get home.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sylus nods dutifully; he’s not going to argue with that particular judge, jury, and executioner. He tosses the dice across the table and they clatter as they roll— the same, indifferent timbre as the chuckle in his throat. Everyone goes silent when they judder to a stop. Everyone leans in, fractionally.

A six and a three. Nine.

The gathering around you give a tentative applause. No-one really knows what just happened, least of all you and Sylus. You both stare at the dice, eyes wide, as a casino employee slides stacks of chips in your direction. Neither of you move when the dice are passed back, too.

It’s your turn, but Sylus has been throwing for you. He reaches forwards to collect the dice— starts to toy with them idly again, but it’s more pensive than last time. They clack, clack, but his mind is far away from them. Ever so slowly, his gaze inches towards you, pondering a silent question.

He’s not looking at your eyes.

Your arms cross. “Don’t even think about it.”

Caleb 🍎

“A Gelidus Dentis.”

Caleb’s voice makes you jump so much you almost drop your pen. “Huh?”

He’s stood behind where you’re sat, peering downwards. “It’s a Wanderer.”

“Yeah, I know it’s a Wanderer, Colonel Obvious. I meant why’re you talking about it?”

“Because it’s the answer? Duh.” He nods at the open textbook in front of you, and your gaze drops.

You’d practically been falling asleep reading through the practice question: some hypothetical about the aftermath of a Wanderer attack. Somewhere with a cold climate. Victims with ice burns. Multiple lacerations. Blah blah blah— you’ve got the idea.

“Please,” you dismiss as Caleb returns to his seat next to you. “It’s a Hoarfrost Wyrmlord. Easy.”  

“Nah.” He shakes his head. “I’ve seen one of those guys. That’s not it.”

“Oh you’ve seen one? Big whoop. I’ve killed one. Try, like, twenty.”

He tuts sympathetically as he goes back to his own work: some reports that’re definitely way too confidential for a public library. “Then it’s gonna be really embarrassing when you find out that I’m right and you’re wrong, pips.”

You scoff, making a point of writing out ‘Hoarfrost Wyrmlord’ as confidently as you can.

“Gelidus Dentis,” Caleb lilts in a sing-song voice as you flick to the back of your textbook.

You’re gonna shove your correct answer right in his face, you just need to find it. It should be right… here! Section Three. Question Twenty-Two. The Wanderer responsible is most likely a—

Fuck.

“I told you,” Caleb sings quietly again, signing his name on the bottom of a page, then turning it over.

“It was a Hoarfrost Wyrmlord.”

“It really wasn’t, but it’s cute you still hide your mouth when you’re lying.”

Your hand had lifted subconsciously in front of your lips, and you throw it back down on the textbook. “Oh, shush!”

“You shush!” The measureless galaxies of his eyes are back on you.

You slap his arm gently. He slaps your arm gently. You try to slap at his face, which means he tries to slap at your face. Soon enough, you’re both flailing your hands like two cats determined to bop the other.

Caleb’s paw lands on one of your breasts, and he doesn’t have time to regret it. With an indignant gasp, you give his chest a firm smack!

He stares at you in disbelief. You clear your throat, brushing down the fabric of your shirt as if the matter has been settled. Then you pick up your dropped pen. Okay! Question Twenty-Three: You’re called out to answer a distress signal from deep within a tropical rainforest...

“What was that?” Caleb asks.

You sniff. Say under your breath: “Tit for tit.”

“Come again?”

“Tit for tit,” you shrug. “That’s the saying. That’s how it goes.”

From the smile on his face, Caleb’s delighted. “Uh… I don’t think that is how it goes, pipsqueak.”

“Oh yeah? Hope you’re ready to look like an idiot, then.”

With a hmph, you reach for a spare piece of paper. Fold it in half. Write something brief on the outside, then on the inside. Caleb watches your pen move, quietly enamoured. There’s a click as it retracts. You hand the paper over.

Caleb’s face wrinkles, but he still handles it like it’s sacred. “Totally official dictionary!” he reads from the front. Then he opens it, continuing: “Tit for tit. Noun. If Caleb cops a feel in the library, then I get to… hey now—” he frowns— “this doesn’t seem very legitimate.”

“You dare question the authority of the Hunter’s Association?”

“I do,” he nods. “I do dare. Yeah, you see… look at this.”

He scribbles something down in your dictionary, then passes it back to you. You raise an eyebrow but relent, reading the new addition out loud: “Deepspace Fleet. Proper (awesome) noun. Has absolutely every right to question the authority of the Hunter’s Association.” You toss the paper down. “Whatever.”

Caleb sniggers victoriously as you try to get back to your work. When he doesn’t stop, you give his chest another slap. The sniggering dies out. The space between you goes quiet.

Then he reaches— smacks one of your breasts back. You look up, eyes huge.

“Oh,” he chuckles, “I think I’m gonna like this little arrangement.”

[nchant6dkitty]

Ghost Caleb . Who started as your imaginary friend since childhood. Someone who you could talk to as a lonely child. You're too shy to make friends and mostly isolated yourself from the other kids, preferring to enjoy your own company. You could tell him anything at all and play pretend with him all the time. He was always happy to go along with your plans. He was always fun to be with. Always finding new ways to make everyday an adventure or at least interesting for you.

Ghost Caleb. Who was always by your side and let you cuddle with him and give you hugs when you needed it. He would bring you snacks and always made sure you were fed and rested well. Where did he get them?. It was his little secret. He also helped you with your homework when you needed help. Teaching you things you didn't understand and ruffling your hair as he complimented or praised your intelligence and encouraged you. He was like an older brother you never had. A little annoying but nonetheless endearing.

Ghost Caleb. Who made much of your childhood fun as he could and protected you. Taking care of you when your parents or care takers neglected you. He got mad at them when they lashed out at you during their bad days or were harsh to you. Using his ghostly powers to move or break things to startle or scare them back. Your parents couldn't see him or hear him and that's exactly why they should be scared of him.

Ghost Caleb. Who liked to read with you and sing lullabies to you and hold you close when you couldn't sleep or had a nightmare. He would whisper sweet nothings into your ear and gently stroke your hair and tuck you back in bed , staying with you as you held onto him with your little hands till you fell asleep.

Ghost Caleb. Who was always protective of you. Scolded you when you carelessly got yourself hurt but would help you afterwards, sticking bandages to your wounds as you sniffled or cried, sulked or even if you stubbornly said you were fine. He always took care of you when were sick or hurt. He couldn't let you be on your own when you were so clumsy.

Ghost Caleb. Who went to teach a few middle school kids a lesson for daring to bully his little pipsqueak. Only he got to tease you. How dare they make you cry and feel bad about yourself?. The next week, you arrived at school, feeling dread only to find that said kids were avoiding you and keeping a distance and couldn't even make eye contact with you. Hell, two of them even apologized to you later. You still could never figure out why. Well, at least they left you alone.

Ghost Caleb. Who you took as your imaginary friend began to feel a little neglected, lonely and possessive when he noticed you began to hang out with other kids more and even bringing them home for sleepovers. You went to their house to hangout and you called them your best friend. Wasn't he enough?. Why would you need those boring kids for? . He thought he was your best friend. He always made sure to follow you and your little new friends from a distance. Just to make sure you were okay and that you were actually having fun. He couldn't help but feel the slight ache in his chest when he sees that warm smile of yours that only shared with him.

Ghost Caleb. Who tried to get your attention and ask you to hangout with him whenever you were on your phone too much or were watching too much TV. "You're gonna get brain rot from being on that phone too much, pipsqueak. Come on... There's something I want to show you outside " he said when he snatched your phone away. You'd protest but follow him anyway. Sometimes you did have more fun with him than playing those video games all day. But don't tell him that or his ego would pop.

Ghost Caleb. Who noticed how fast you were growing. Feeling like a proud parent and older sibling. He also noticed that you having some problems seeing him or hearing him when he tried to get your attention. You spent more time with your friends, on the phone, doing other things that you liked. Did you not want to hangout with him anymore?. Were you ignoring him now that you didn't need him ? Or did he upset you about something ?. He didn't know but he couldn't help but still stay by your side as usual.

Ghost Caleb, whose heart shattered when he one day realized that you couldn't see him or hear him anymore for some reason. Was it because you were growing up?. Was it because his purpose for you had been served?. You only talked about him in passing when you mentioned having an imaginary friend as a kid but you couldn't recall much about how he looked like. Just a blurry face in your mind, you said.

Ghost Caleb, who went back being what he was before. Nothing but a ghost. A lost soul. Unheard, unseen and untouchable. The world changing and passing him by while he was stuck. Stuck in the same realm of ever unchanging, unseen realm. He still stayed by your side. He couldn't help it. It was all he could do as he watched you grow up and forget him. Shoved away, like the drawings you drew of both of you in the attic.

The lad boys as ghosts would be interesting. So far, I haven't seen ffs on it. Had the idea so I wrote it. Wanna write for the others too. Do I do part 2 for this?. My dead writing soul has awoken from the abyss cuz of this new fandom. Lol.

[subtlenighttribute]

You’re Not a Swimmer?!

Selkie AU | Reader x Selkie!Sylus, Selkie!Rafayel, Selkie!Zayne, Selkie!Caleb, Selkie!Xavier

Fluff | Humor | Comfort | Beach Shenanigans

Another request done again :D

---

The day was warm, the water was glittering, and you were feeling adventurous so you decided to go for a dip—until you took one step past your knees and promptly turned right around.

From the rocks nearby, five sleek heads popped up at once.

Sylus. Rafayel. Zayne. Caleb. Xavier.

Five dramatic seals. Five twitching whiskered expressions of horror.

Rafayel let out a sound that could only be described as a scandalized gasp. Caleb chirped like he’d just been told the sky was falling. Sylus launched himself out of the water so hard he slid halfway up the sand before flopping over dramatically.

You blinked. “What?”

Sylus chirped at you in alarm. Rafayel flopped onto your towel like he was fainting. Zayne just stared in what you could only assume was silent judgment.

Xavier circled behind you, giving the occasional pointed splash.

“…I didn’t drown, guys,” you said, confused. “I just… don’t know how to swim.”

Four seals promptly faceplanted.

Zayne slowly tipped sideways and didn’t get back up.

---

🐺 Sylus

Takes it very seriously. Like, tactical training seriously.

Sylus immediately began demonstrating. Not seal paddling—actual strokes, like he thought he was in a lifeguard instruction video.

He circled you like a sleek white missile and nudged you toward deeper water. When you resisted, he dramatically flopped onto the sand and rolled like he was trying to show you how easy it was.

You giggled. “I don’t think that counts as swimming.”

He glared. Then splashed water at your feet and pushed a floatie toward you like a grumpy swim instructor who had definitely printed a waiver you were supposed to sign.

---

🫧 Rafayel

Wants it to be cute and romantic. Ends up chaotic and soaked.

Rafayel floated beside you like a sea prince, gently nudging your hands. He tried to teach you by circling you and lightly brushing his flipper against your wrist like, elegance will simply flow into your body.

It didn’t.

You slipped.

He panicked and caught you with his whole body like a soggy beanbag.

You ended up flat on his belly, floating awkwardly while he tried to spin and show off, but the current flipped him upside-down and he absolutely panicked.

Now you were both drenched and tangled in seaweed.

You gasped, clinging to him. “You okay?!”

He chirped weakly and puffed a bubble. That was a yes.

---

🪨 Zayne

Deep sighs. Immediately assumes this is going to kill him.

Zayne stared at you for a long moment like you’ve been near the ocean THIS LONG and NEVER LEARNED?!

Then he paddled to the shore. Looked you dead in the eye.

And started digging a trench.

You blinked. “What… are you doing?”

He looked at you. Then the water. Then you again.

Zayne had created… a training pool. In the sand. With a slope. With natural sea foam. Somehow perfect depth.

You stared at his creation and whispered, “How.”

He blinked like: use it.

You used it.

It was great.

---

☀️ Caleb

The “let’s just jump in and figure it out!” method.

You should’ve known.

You were still ankle-deep when Caleb leapt from the waves like a dolphin with too much energy and grabbed your hand in his mouth (gently!!). He tugged.

“Caleb—Caleb, no—CALEB—!”

You were launched forward with a yelp and landed face-first into the surf. He spun, flapped excitedly, and chattered like you’d just won a medal.

You coughed. “I wasn’t ready!”

He immediately smooshed his face to your chest and chirped apologies.

You glared.

You forgave him.

---

🌊 Xavier

Surprisingly patient. Until he’s not.

Xavier waited until the others were exhausted. Then he slowly surfaced beside you like a sea spirit summoned by frustration.

He gave you one look. Then slowly dipped under and began swimming in lazy, hypnotic loops around you. His movements were soft. Luring. Calming.

You…followed.

A few flailing motions later, you were doing it—actually staying afloat. Your heart soared. “I’m swimming! I—!”

Xavier bonked your butt with his nose.

You shrieked.

He did it again.

Now you were flailing, laughing, and accidentally splashing him. He ducked under and disappeared.

You turned.

He emerged from the water two inches in front of your face and stared.

You screamed and fell over.

He chirped. You could feel him laughing.

---

Back on the beach...

After two hours, several accidental submersions, and one water-soaked granola bar for lunch, you flopped onto the towel, exhausted.

All five seals piled around you, proud and smug and very soggy.

You were damp, bruised, and ridiculously happy.

“…I kinda learned,” you muttered, yawning.

Sylus bumped his head against your shoulder in approval.

Rafayel licked your cheek.

Zayne brought you your water bottle (somehow).

Caleb tried to bury your feet in warm sand.

Xavier just rested his flipper lightly over your hand, cool and quiet.

And you knew—next time you hit the water, you’d have the best, weirdest, most dramatic swim team in the world.

[crxlrei-888]

LOVE AND DEEP SPACE HAREM

@crxlrei-888

art not mine

ᯓᡣ𐭩 lnds x reader

ᯓᡣ𐭩 nsfw/18+

ᯓᡣ𐭩 violence

❛ i dont mind being shared.. ❜

❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆❀⋆

In the quiet evening of Linkon City, the air had the scent of blooming lilies, and the soft hum of distant crickets provided the only music. Inside Gran's quaint cottage, the gentle tick-tock of the grandfather clock echoed through the hallways, a rhythmic lullaby for the night.

Gran, with her silver hair and a shawl wrapped around her shoulders, dozed peacefully in her favorite rocking chair, the steady creak a testament to years of comfort it had brought her.

Caleb, tall and fit, his black hair styled in a way that made his purple eyes pop, had just returned from his long journey. Farspace had left him with a newfound sense of adventure, but also an unexpected craving for the familiar. He stepped into the house, his heart racing with excitement to see you - his childhood friend. He had thought about you often during his travels, and the anticipation of your reunion had fueled many a lonely night.

You on the other hand, had been busy preparing dinner. You had always been a good cook, and tonight you wanted to make something special.

"You sure you don't need any help there, (Y/N)?" Grandma Josephine asked peering at the oven, " I see you're going all out."

"It's been so long," You blushed, putting the stove on. Finally you put the last curry to be prepared and all that's left to do is tidying up, "I want to show him I prepared all this on my own."

"Ah I see..." Grandma pouted, " You don't want me to take any credit at all... as if I don't exist."

"Oh Gran!" You laughed, kissing her forehead, "Don't think like that."

"Mhm," Gran smiled, "I'll at least help you clean up. Is that fine?"

You nod with a blush.

"Good. I was going to help you anyway." Gran starts wiping the dishes, "Have you given Caleb a hint of what you wanted to tell him all these years?"

Your thoughts swirled around an oath you had made to yourself before Caleb had left for work at the Deepspace Aviation Administration — to confess your love to Caleb when he returned. But you had no idea how he'd react. Would he feel the same way? Would it be awkward? You hoped not. You missed him alot. Probably too much you could handle.

You've both grown up seeing each other's flaws and strengths. Nothing was unfamiliar to the two of you. You grew up together as two adopted kids for Gran, living under the same roof and all.

He worried about you alot. Wayyy too much. Even if you guys weren't dating or anything official- everyone else would think otherwise. Gran would even tease the two of you - she was like your number one shipper from the start. Caleb never left you alone and you'd always follow him.

But what if things changed now? What if he changed after working? It's possible maybe he found someone he likes at work?

Someone he didn't need to take care of?

Suddenly the door opened and a familiar voice snapped you out of your daze and your heart skipped a beat.

"Pipsqueak! Gran! Guess whose back!?"

You dump the soap filled dishes back in the sink and jolted out the kitchen startling Gran who laughed at your instictive reaction. Your legs didn't stop until you reached the open door where the purple eyes young man stood gripping unto several gift bags.You launch yourself at him, wrapping your arms around his torso which caused him to step back as you tackled yourself in a hug.

"Hey Hey hey! You'll break the gifts!" Caleb panicked, his fingers barely holding all the gift bag handles as he held his posture to stand. He smiles as you snuggle into his chest.

"Shut up." I mumbled into his shirt, "Are you saying the gifts are more important than me?"

"Of course not." Caleb laughed, wrapping his arms around you, gifts still in his hands, "But my ribcages are. You're squeezing the air outta me pipsqueak!"

"Hmph!" You shove him aside and fold your arms. By the time, Gran had already entered the room as she pinched his and your cheeks.

"You two never change will you?"

"Nope." You both say in unison but his eyes locks on your (E/C) eyes and you smile at each other for no odd reason.

The dinner was a delightful affair, filled with laughter and Caleb's experience at work. Gran listened with rapt attention, her eyes gleaming with pride as you listened attentively, inspecting each word that left his mouth - you know... in case he let a slip of word of a possible girl he likes back at work.

"Gideon forgot to get his girl some gifts" Caleb explained while chewing a piece of pork chops, "So we went shopping."

"Aw~" You smiled. The thought that Gideon's girlfriend getting spoilt was sweet. She was a nice girl. You only met her once.

Back at Caleb's and Gideon's graduation. She was really pretty and had an adorable and childlike personality. Caleb points to gifts on the couch, "Got a bunch of things for you and Gran, pipsqueak. You haven't even opened one yet."

"I'll open it after dinner."

"You open gifts when you receive it! Maybe you should've opened it when I arrived! There's a bunch of cool pretty stuff!"

"Sorry."

"Haha- But seriously, you better check it out before bed. I took a loooong time hand picking everything for you."

Gran smiled as she watched the two of you. Two of you stared at each other, longingness and comfort in each other's presence. Soon however you realised you were too focused on his lips moving that you weren't listening to a thing.

"Hey (Y/N) ? You good?" He blinked, waving his arm at your face.

"Yeah!" You say flustered and hastily look at the empty plates on the table, "I'll clean up!"

Gran's eyelids grew heavy, she excused herself to bed. Caleb offered to help clean up, his eyes never leaving you.

The moment the door to Gran's bedroom clicked shut, the air in the kitchen changed. The tension between you grew palpable, a silent symphony of desire. Caleb's gaze traveled down your body, taking in your figure and the way the soft light kissed your skin. He had always found you attractive, but tonight you looked absolutely irresistible.

Feeling his gaze sharply runs a tingling sensation up your back as you stood at the sink. You wore a tube top with your mini pajama pants that flared out just bellow your butt. You wore this plenty of times, however, something made you a little nervous about wearing it today.

"That pj... is looking quiet small pipsqueak?" Caleb raised his eyebrow, setting down the bowls, "You better get bigger sizes next time."

"Are you telling me my size is a problem?" You flushed pouting.

"You did gain a bit of weight...pfft" Caleb tried to hold in his laugh which pissed you off. Immediately you grab hold of the washer pipe of the kitchen sink and spray water in his direction. Swiftly he raised his hands causing the water to stay mid air. This annoyed you even more - he was using his gravitational evol!

"Nice try." Caleb smirks. You start chasing him around the kitchen counter while the splashes of water remained mid air.

"You're mean!" You hissed annoyed glaring at Caleb who grinned cheekily.

"How's it my fault you're gaining weight!?"

"I haven't gained weight!"

"Your Hunter uniform probably squeezed everything to perfect shape but that mini pj's ain't cutting pipsqueak. I can clearly see your panties."

"Liar."

"Your (F/C) is flashing for me." He teases, raising his brows amused.

You flushed a shade of red embarrassed. He wasn't lying. You consciously tug at your hem of your pj pants, it was still failing to cover your panties.

"Look at you all conscious now." Caleb teased, "I've seen your panties before. Matter of fact they used to be in the laundry - I remember drying them too."

"CALEB!"

"Hey shush!" Caleb meekly put a finger on his lips, "Grans sleeping."

"Hmph!" You folded your arms defiantly causing him to gush at your cute reaction.

Cheekily, he deactivated his power, causing the water that was in the air to fall on you. Your drenched (H/c) clasped onto your face, as you felt the icy water rush along your skin as you gasped for air at the sudden splash.

His laughter filled the kitchen, your own following soon after. His chest heaved as he calmed down and throws a towel on your head. Casually, like back in your childhood, his fingers massaged into your scalp. The towel tangling strands of your (H/C) hair and he pats your back.

"Let's go to the lounge. I'll dry it off like the good ol' days."

"I'm not a kid anymore." You whined but Caleb was already shoving you towards the lounge.

You huffed in defiance, sinking into the soft sofa and allowed him to continue as he stood behind the sofa.

"Not a kid anymore but you got an attitude like one. Why don' you open the gifts now"

You held your tongue from retorting anything and decided to open it anywhere.

As (Y/N) picked up each gift, your heart raced. What could they be? The anticipation grew with every box she uncovered.

First gift was a novel book - Kitten by S.

"Oooo," You raised an eyebrow, turning the pages, "Have you read the book?"

"Nope." Caleb chimed, "Apparently it's the latest romance novel in Linkon. Author remains anonymous yet owns the biggest library in Linkon. Heard no one's ever seen him."

As I flipped the pages, the breeze smelled faintly of distant lands. I lay it down and dig into the next gift. A stuffed animal that seemed to hold a secret life of its own.

"Awww this is a cutie!" You hold out a mini penguin over your head and Caleb laughs.

"Just like you! " Caleb cheers and puts the towel over his shoulder, "Check the last gift. You're gonna love it!"

Your hand reached out and grabbed a box.

Your cheeks burn embarassed. A sleek, black device, nestled in velvet, that could only be one thing. The room grew still, the only sound the crackle of the fire. You looked up at him, her eyes wide and unsure. Caleb's smile faltered.

"Oh crap-" he said cursing himself as his ears turned red.

[dipperpepper77]

You are Caleb. You do not Count. (Caleb’s Story) NSFW

Tags: AFAB reader, (again read with English accent), SO FILTHY, slight angst, V!rgin Caleb, NSFW in-front of a mirror, Submissive Caleb until the end, (Gideon is your brother)

Daffodil: Unrequited love. But, also the rebirth of new feelings. Hope and Optimism.

"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I love and admire you." - Jane Austen.

“Gentle reader. I wish to inform you of something that came to my attention”. Whistledown places the pen down. How can you write a paper without the affections of a certain individual popping out on every page? This is supposed to be an anonymous scandal sheet where the writer can lay out their frustrations. Being in the shadows carries the weight that being in the spotlight does. But, in every sheet… lay a clue. One person's name is written meticulously in the core of the sheet. Nothing but praise. It’s hard to miss. As if Whistledown regarded that person as a saint.

“Oh, that color is horrid!” “Poor thing. Mama must’ve bought the cheapest fabric for that one”. “Yellow? That’s hideous. See it’s a shame to hide attractiveness in the most beastly of vibrant colors”. “Exactly! The right color would make that one shine compared to the rest of the siblings”. 

Another sheet was written. Fingertips full of pen ink hidden in light gloves. Oh? But, news that the scribbler’s beloved was engaged? To someone who had deceptive motives? No can do. Whistledown was the first to crack the case. Making them separate. It was definitely not to keep their beloved single.

The scribbler’s best friend kept getting in the way. See… it’s hard to explain that their best friend is Whistledown AND in love with their sibling? The nom de plume (pen name) was a hard secret to keep. Even more so when this best friend was seen conversing with radicals. The queen believed that the friend was Whistledown. Whistledown HAD to expose their dear friend. Then… the papers stopped. Until they were confronted. 

“Really… Caleb? No wonder our family was praised so much. Why Y/N was praised so highly.” Gideon let out a scoffed laugh. “And what? You just happened to know that Rafayel was after our wealth? No wonder you wrote about it… but, throwing me in the dirt? Mr.Whistledown… you outdid yourself. I won’t give away your identity. But, disregard me as your friend”.

It all broke Caleb from within. Before then he overheard conversations with you and the other bachelorettes. “Caleb? Why on god's green earth would I marry him?” His heart was sore and tired. It needed a break. Even when you two danced at a ball once. He spoke to you gently. “You say… you wish to meet a l-lovely man. I’m… a man.” You laughed. “You are Caleb… you do not count.”

His nom de plume came to a halt. He spent so much time listening to Gideon’s ramblings and going insane over you. The adventurous Y/N. The biggest headache of your brother Gideon. But, the biggest dream of Caleb. Now that he lost his friendship with Gideon he had very little. He scrambled to get his money. Buying new clothes to put himself on display and finally settle down. 

He walked into the ball in a dark caramel tux. It made his violet eyes shine even more. His brown locks styled nicely. Every woman was in awe of him. The fabric of his blazer accentuated his muscles, his nice thighs showed off in his trousers, and he was the epitome of everything a perfect man needed to be. You walked over to him. “Caleb? Y-you look incredible.” He nods. Ignoring you somewhat. As the night progressed, Caleb retired early. The spotlight was overwhelming. You walked with him. “Caleb… wait! Are you upset with me?” His body halted. “Pip-... Y/N. I heard what you said at the ball. What a ridicule I felt…” You froze. A couple of people walked past. “Let’s talk in private”. “So you can’t be seen with me? Don’t worry Y/N. I won’t embarrass you any longer”. He left. 

There was only so much he could do. Conversation wasn’t his strong suit. Much preferring to be in the shadows with Gideon and talk rather than mingle with women. But, now they are pursuing him and he couldn’t even have a proper conversation. So, he found himself asking you for help. You were quick to agree. Trying to save your relationship with your childhood friend.

He was sitting on the couch of your home’s calling room. Fiddling with his fingers as you spoke. “You and Gideon are still quarreling? That’s beside the point… I’m sure you two will be alright.” You paused. “Now. The most effective form of flattery is through compliment”. You motioned for him to give it a try. He cleared his throat. “W-well… the rouge on your lips. It’s all I can admire. For a simple kiss-” he coughs. “I’d say something like that.” You nod. A blush creeps its way to your cheeks. “Very well. You know enough.”

He did everything according to plan. But, he still found himself feeling empty. They weren’t you. He took deep breaths. About to leave when a hand stopped him. She was not a duchess but a Lady. A woman who preferred the quiet. She would suffice. She chuckled at his jokes. Unphased by how… inexperienced at conversing he was. 

Was this jealousy? The way your eyes burned holes into the woman. No? He’s just Caleb. The same Caleb you grew up with. So why did you dream of him?

A rumor started to hit that you were teaching him to romance women. He felt utterly humiliated. Coming to speak to you in the dead of night. His eyes were puffy from crying. Desperation came through as he spoke. “I beg… kiss me. For I may die without being kissed.” You swallowed a breath. “Caleb… you know that’s not true.” But, he pleaded again. You nodded softly. Leaning into him. You kissed him so softly. Pulling back you felt your heart beating faster and faster. He pulled you back in. Kissing you harder. Tongues intertwine with each other. Your hand nuzzled into his hair. His hand gripping the fabric of your nightgown. Groaning into your lips. You both pulled away and he rushed off. Leaving you to touch your lips with your fingertips. He collapsed on his bed. (NSFW). His trousers were too tight. A slight wet stain seeped through the material. 

The woman he met was not bothered at all that he got lessons on romancing. She found it cute. But, also hated the way you seemed to linger. Or the way he always found a way to ignore her to go to you. So she finally spoke up. “You seem to be a wonderful man… but, I can not live in the shadow of Y/N”. He rushed to his carriage. His heart was in his throat. But, he didn’t notice how you followed. Entering the carriage with him. He scoffed. “You got your wish Y/N. I’ll be an unmarried man who gets ridiculed.” You shushed him. “Caleb let me speak!” He waited. “I love you… it took me a while to recognize it. But, I feel the same.” You kissed him. His breath hitched. As if he believed he was dreaming. He leaned in. Kissing you back with the same intensity as the carriage continued. 

- NSFW START-

You kissed tenderly at the base of his neck. Moving softly until you found that sweet spot that made him whine. He was so utterly inexperienced when it came to women or the pleasures they could bring. Especially in his household. With everyone so nosey. He didn’t even know the pleasures HE could bring out of himself. Your hands unbuttoned and unzipped his trousers. Earning a soft gasp of your name. He was so utterly pathetic when it came to you. His drawers are stained in a clear sticky mess. You rolled them down. Keeping them on his thighs as your hand slid to touch and trace his abs. Your free hand pumping his length as he whined into your hair. His breathing got more and more labored. Your touch… you. He felt his body in absolute ecstasy. Your hand gathers more precum before pumping the tip. “Y/N… ha- Hold on!..” His pleas went to deaf ears as you continued. Putting your plump lips to kiss the tip. He was done for. Painting your lips and chin white as if he were trying to give you a new shade of lipstick.

- NSFW END- 

When you finally arrive home. You chuckled into his neck. “We are as good as engaged now. You’re mine.” He would never disagree. He smiled the brightest he’s ever smiled as you told your families of your engagement. Your mother loved him dearly. Gideon grabbed him by the wrist leading him to another room. 

“Really Caleb? IT COULD’VE BEEN ANYONE BUT MY SISTER”. Caleb sighed. “I know… but, I've always loved her”. Gideon ran his hand through his hair. “Does she know about your identity?” Caleb shook his head. Gideon gave him three days to confess. Three days after the wedding. 

You showed Caleb to the house you’d be moving into after the wedding. The manor was beautiful. More so that he would be living with you. It just needed to be worked on. Caleb couldn’t help but go on and on about how worthless he felt. He felt he didn’t deserve you. You moved him to the big couch. The huge mirror faces you both. “Look into the mirror Caleb”.

                                                           -NSFW START-

You worked your hands to take his clothes off. Stripping him until he was completely naked. He swallowed hard as you got undressed as well. “W-we should wait till…” you bit back a laugh. “We already disregarded the rules of the ton.” You straddled his lap as your hand gripped his chin. Keeping his eyes on the mirror. “Keep your eyes there or I’ll stop.” You slid him inside. His hands gripped the fat of your hips as he let out a scream of pleasure. “Y/N!” You kept riding him. Kissing his face so lovingly. The base of his cock forming a ring of cream. He let out choked sobs. Gripping and scratching at your thighs. “I-I’m… HA!” He came hard. He came way too early. Sobbing as he tried to apologize. Only for you to kiss his temple and smile.

-NSFW END-

The wedding was the happiest day of Caleb’s existence. He was finally yours. You both were the happiest newlyweds. Nothing could ruin that right? That was until he finally decided to write again. He was headed to the printing press. It was in between the ton and the less-safe areas. He did not realize you followed. Until he heard a soft scoff. “Really? Here I thought I was being a good wife.”

You two have been in turmoil. He felt his heart in his throat constantly. Always wanted to explain but knowing you needed your space. But, he got blackmailed. Thus, you two spoke in order to figure it out. He ended up confessing his identity to the ton at the next ball. Earning him praise from the queen. Who found it fun to have a competitor. 

You found comfort in his writing. Realizing that he just needed the outlet. Gideon and him made peace. Their friendship is saved. Encouraging you two to reconcile and so you did. 

You held him as he laid his head on your stomach. You kissed his forehead softly. “Pipsqueak… may I try something?”

                                                     -NSFW START-

You ended up underneath him. His strong arms went under your thighs to keep your hips up as he used you as a toy for his pleasure. His whines contrast with the way he fucked you. “One more baby… I promise.” You were a mess of liquids. Spraying constantly as Caleb dragged orgasm after orgasm. How was this the man you taught how to flirt? He used you like a doll (Doesn’t matter your weight, height, or anything. That man will toss you like a bean bag). Pulling your hips into his length over and over again. Your squeals and clawing of his back only encouraged him. “ONE… FUCK!... J-Just one more”.

-NSFW END-

Caleb had three gremlins running around him as he wrote. His fourth child settled on his lap. He watched to see if you weren’t looking. Wiping his ink-filled hand on the baby’s black outfit. “I have eyes, Caleb..” Busted.

“Dearest gentle reader… missed me?”

Dip's note: HIII! Hoped you enjoyed :)

UP NEXT: Defenses will Crumble (Rafayel’s Story)

[ourlittleuluru]

Little Xavier's tiny adventures!

This time, a pop up event to meet big Xavier! ૮₍♡>𖥦< ₎ა

Of course Little Xavier made his rounds to visit everyone~

Sadly, Caleb is too far behind the fence... Little Xavier couldn't take a photo with him u-u

And of course! The big board!

Look at the two stars ♥(ˆ︶ˆԅ)

We also caught a little bonus! Mephisto visiting his dad and showing full support! (ㅅ´ ˘ `)♡

[little-glitter-kitten]

I Think The Apple's Rotten Right To The Core Pt. 1

Prologue: As your brother, Caleb always took great pride in the fact that he was always the first to notice the little things when it came to you. When you were hurt, when you were sick, when you were lying or keeping a secret. What will Caleb do when he notices just how much his precious little adopted sister has grown? Can he fight the filthy, rotten feelings threatening to ruin all he holds dear?

(Caleb x Reader, no use of 'Y/N, AFAB reader, size difference.)

TW: Pseudo-incest, dub-con, possessive Caleb, Obsessed Caleb, Yandere Caleb.

YOUR POV:

You beamed at your Grandmother as she recounted her latest adventures in knitting. Any other 22 year old would have zoned out by now, but you were feeling nostalgic. It had been twelve long, gruelling months since you had been back here in your childhood home, and you were more than happy to soak up what little time you had with the ones you cared about.

The past year, you had been thrown yourself head first into your Hunters exams, much to the detriment of your mental health, so being back home was the soothing balm your soul didn't realise it had needed. You giggled as Grandma began laughing, recounting some silly mistake she had made in her latest knitting escapade that had delayed the finished product by nearly two hours. Wrapping your hands around the warm mug of tea, you inhaled its comforting aroma as your eyes scanned the photographs and knick knacks that lined the walls. You smiled to yourself, content in the fact that nothing had changed. You were home. The only thing missing was...

"Caleb!" Grandma exclaimed, rising from the chair as fast as her aching joints allowed her to.

"Grandma, be careful." He laughed, his deep voice edged with concern as he ran to the older woman's aid, helping to her rise from her chair.

"Oh, stop your fussing, Caleb."  She smiled fondly, embracing the tall man in tender hug. "I can take care of myself."

Smiling at the antics of your two loved ones, you quietly got up and shut the door your brother had left open in his rush to help your Grandmother.

"Still know how to make an entrance, I see." You teased, walking back to the kitchen table where Caleb and Grandma were standing, his arm still wrapped protectively around the older womans shoulders.

"Still jealous that I'm quite clearly the favourite, I see." He shot back with a warm smile. Lifting his eyes from the elderly lady under his arm to you, his smile faltered for a split second before the cheesy grin was back on his face. "Come here." He smiled, lifting his other arm out to you.

Smiling back, you walked over, slotting yourself under his proffered arm, feeling quite small against the 6'2" man.

"Did you finally get that growth spurt we thought you missed out on, pipsqueak?" He smirked, poking your ribs. "You almost come up to my shoulders now."

Scoffing, you push yourself out of his grasp.

"Caleb, you still can't help yourself, can you?" Your Grandmother sighed fondly as she shuffled back to her seat at the table. "I would think you'd have outgrown your childish need to torment your poor sister."

Looking back at Caleb, you can't fight the urge to poke your tongue out at him after hearing your Grandmother come to your defence.

Caleb stood there, smirking at your petty antics, his eyes scanning you down and then up again. "She looks big enough and ugly enough to defend herself now, Grandma." He scoffed. "Still need dear old Granny to protect you, pipsqueak?" He mocked.

"You'll be the one who needs protecting soon if you don't shut up." You shot back.

"She's right, Caleb." Your Grandma smiled proudly from her chair. "You are looking at a fully qualified Hunter."

"In that case, I better behave." He raised his hands in surrender and chuckled. "I'm going to go up to my room to put this bag away."

"Oh, Darling, that reminds me..." Your Grandma said, looking at you. "Your bag is still by the front door. Go pop it up in your room."

You looked at Caleb expectantly and he shook his head. "Like I said, 'Miss Hunter', you're big enough now, go do it yourself.

Giving an exaggerated sigh, your trudge over to where you had dumped your bag and slung it over your shoulder, following Caleb up the stairs. Caleb turning left and the top of the stairs to put his bag in his room, you followed the hallway to the door on the left at the end.

Opening the door, you sighed contentedly. The room was still exactly how you left it, right down to the plushies and tchotchkes. Placing your bag on the bed, you flopped back and stared at the photographs you'd hung on your ceiling from various periods in your life.

"Feeling nostalgic?" A deep voice rumbled from the doorway. Lifting your head, you notice Caleb leaning against the door frame.

Flopping back down, you continue your perusal of the memories.

The sound of boots, muffled by carpet make their way over to you before your almost bounced off the bed. Looking over, you see Caleb laying next to you, scanning through the photos on the ceiling.

"Remember that day?" He smiles, pointing at a photograph of a sullen 8 year old boy in fairy wings and cowboy boots.

"I still can't believe you let me dress you up." You giggle. "My fashion sense was horrid."

He dropped his hand to his chest, looked at you and gave a small smile. "Looks like it's improved now, though."

You scoff at his attempt at a compliment and go to smack his chest. You're caught off guard when his large hand, wraps around yours, gently but firmly. He looks at your joined hands with a small smile.

"Seriously though." Caleb told her "I am really proud of you."

"Not your annoying little sister anymore, huh?" You giggle.

"Yeah, I've noticed." He muttered before clearing his throat and standing abruptly. "Come on, before Grandma starts looking for us." He smiles and offers his hand.

[critter-genfic-events]

Pop Pop! This week we have nine awesome fics focusing on one badass human monk, Beauregard Lionett! We’ve got drama and angst as well as chaos and humor, all of it well worth a read.

Check them out under the cut, and don’t forget to comment and kudos if you enjoyed them!

Lionheart by tfm (49068,Mature) Warnings: Child Abuse, Explicit violence, Usual Violence as in Canon Pairings: Beauregard Lionett/Yasha Nydoorin

AU where they are shifters, but Beau isn't and tries to fit in. Also, her family issues are pretty more serious here

Reccer says: The angst and how it focuses on Beau trying to be loved/useful by the Nein while not realising that they would all kill for her in a heartbeat. Also, it captures the character voices so well that at times it feels like the original campaign

Especially the Lies by operafloozy (7800,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Astrid Beck & Beauregard Lionett

Of the stories Astrid tells, and the truths Beau learns.

Reccer says: I love the way that the fic has Beau fight through the disappointment and keeps her integrity

Take Me Instead by Professor_Rye (4171,Teen) Warnings: human traffickers and claustrophobia Pairings: Beau & The Mighty Nein

The Nein are vigilante heroes in a Modern no Magic AU, going after human traffickers. Beau acts as bait, then regrets it

Reccer says: I liked it

The Heart External by BeatriceEagle (103670,Teen) Warnings: implied child abuse (including sexual abuse). Pairings: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast

From the author: "Six months ago, Beau adopted a teenager who loves the Cobalt Soul, but can't stand her. Ten minutes ago, Caleb accidentally summoned his own teenage self into his living room." (This is about half-Caleb-focused and also features OC kids pretty heavily. I do adore the Beau of it all, but I also would understand completely if you decided this doesn't fit what you're looking for!)

Reccer says: Incredible premise + exquisitely accurate characterization + pain + healing

bait your hook, lover by justlikeswitchblades (4566,Not Rated) Warnings: None Pairings: Fjord & Beauregard Lionett

Fjord and Beau have to pretend to be married for a Cobalt Soul undercover job.

Reccer says: Amazing premise with a fantastic twist at the end

so jump and i'm jumping (just a human) by phenomenology (11453,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Beau & Caleb

AU where Caleb couldn't get the collar off after the events of the Apogee Solstice. Beau and Caleb travel to safety on foot.

Reccer says: An amazing hurt/comfort adventure story - I love the sibling bond and trust between them.

counterweight by BeatriceEagle (17466,Teen) Warnings: Past sexual assault and torture, graphic depictions of violence Pairings: Astrid Beck & Beauregard Lionett

As Astrid struggles to share her story with Beauregard Lionett, a Volstrucker attack strands the two of them in the middle of the Pearlbow Wilderness, relying on each other to carry an abjured-asleep Caleb to safety. Well, it's one way to give a deposition.

Reccer says: I love the interplay between Beau and Astrid here - from Astrid's point of view, but so much of the focus is still on Beau, and how she's trying to get Astrid to trust her

“I… wait.” by TiamatZX (1000,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

While ascending the steps to the Throne Roost on Darktow Isle, Beau has a bit of a panic in wondering what to do about it. Takes place during 2x43, “In Hot Water”

Reccer says: I liked it

Stillness of Mind by TiamatZX (650,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Basically, what happens during 2x86, “The Cathedral”, when Obann tries to take control of Beau’s mind, and how she breaks free from it.

Reccer says: I just love “The Cathedral” and any stories tied to it, as it’s my favorite Campaign 2 episode.

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

We'll be back on the fifteenth with One Shots, followed in December by fics focusing on Imogen, and then character studies after that!

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit! If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

[jellyfishforest135]

[astravates]

for @recitedemise || cont.

Caleb arches a single eyebrow, hidden smirk playing upon his lips as he watches Gale frantically react to their current predicament. Not much of an adventurer now, are we, Mr. Dekarios? The once prestigious archmage is unlikely to maintain his composed demeanor for long in the presence of the Mighty Nein, with vibrant personalities and wild antics. Much like this.

“You're panicking for no reason, magier.” With a calm demeanor, he wipes away the beads of sweat forming across his forehead before retrieving his worn spell book from its holster on the side. “Neither of us are equipped to dig ourselves free. We would be better off resting for the evening—either our friends will find a way to reach us first, or we will free ourselves in the morning.” This blazing heat would not do though, Caleb thinks to himself, flipping through the pages of his book in search of a particular spell that would provide relief without draining him of his energy.

Ah, here we go.

“It has been a while since I’ve cast this, but it should assist with the heat.” Caleb's hand rummages through his components pouch, the soft rustling of materials filling the air. His fingers brush against various objects until finally, they come across a small, familiar crystal bead. He takes it between his fingertips, relishing in its smooth texture and cool temperature.

Gently placing the crystal bead on the ground, the wizard begins his ritual. Within a minute, a ten-foot dome of glowing amber encircles him—the temperature in the magical shelter drops significantly, a comforting and protective sanctuary for two mages. Perfekt. Caleb's tousled head pops out of the dome, a playful glint in his blue eyes and a mischievous grin on his lips. “If you are going to walk around with your clothes off, at least come inside here.”

[scattered-shadows]

As seen on my FF.net Also seen on my Ao3

Following the events of fifth year, a new adventure awaits for Norah Lee. Boys, exams, school events, common room parties, and old foes outside of Hogwarts. Even battling pensieve guardians was easier than this.

Main Pair: OC / Ominis Gaunt Genre: Adventure/Angst/Fluff (it's a little of everything, tbh)

KEEP IN MIND: Characters are aged up (even if the story's got them in sixth year) to make it more appropriate. Time period is leaning towards the modern day so in case you might find anachronisms in the dialogue or references, this is why. This may also be quite a lengthy fic too.

BE WARNED: Social anxiety, mentions of blood and injury, grief, drinking, kissing but nothing more than that, death (this is Hogwarts Legacy, after all)

P.P.S: Hufflepuff partay! Spin the Bottle so there's kisses involved. Snuck something in for the Poppy/Imelda shippers too. Ominis and Norah being idiots part 2. Amit drinks his romantic troubles away.

Masterlist

Chapter 20

It's 2AM and the city is sound asleep But the scene keeps playing to the groove of my heartbeat

"Does everyone want to know what the rules are in Spin the Bottle?" Charlotte declared as many of them gathered in a circle. "Or do we need to refresh it for many of you?" A sly grin was plastered on her face, especially as she saw Norah, Ominis, Sebastian, and Amit taking their places after being coerced by Henry and Natty. Poppy and Andrew were already sitting across from each other in the circle, exchanging knowing looks. No doubt Poppy had told him the rules of the game, which they never got to play when it was first introduced.

"Alright then, remind us," Eric Northcott raised a brow as he sat down.

"This is an enchanted bottle," Charlotte brought out what looked like an ordinary soda pop bottle from the table behind her. "It'll spin, and whoever is on both ends of the bottle, well," Her grin grew wider. "Will kiss."

In real life, I would stutter With you in technicolor At 2AM in my head, we're bound to meet

Amit's cheeks turned a shade of pink, but he wasn't the only one. Norah suddenly felt anxious at the thought. She spotted Caleb and Adele come in, hurrying to join the rest of them that were already seated.

"I'll bet a few chocolate frogs Norah's going to get a lot of boys wanting to be on the other end of the bottle," Imelda was enjoying the spectacle that would unfold as soon as Charlotte would say it would. When Norah looked over, having overheard her, she gave a thumbs up.

"That seems like regular spin the bottle, doesn't it?" Caleb was confused.

"Revri, you need to pay attention," Charlotte blew a raspberry at him, making him shake his head. "It'll spin yes, but it won't just point to people sitting across from each other. It can also point to the others out of your line of sight. Ready?"

They all agreed, and Charlotte spun the bottle, getting out in time before the bottle started pointing at anyone.

I don't want anyone to wake me up I fall asleep, it's never been so fun I know it's wrong but it's true I like the things that we do in my Bad dreams, bad dreams Bad dreams, bad dreams

"Merlin, this is interesting," Natty looked on as the bottle finally pointed to a Gryffindor and Slytherin. Both of whom crawled to the middle to exchange a shy kiss followed by cheers and claps from everyone else. The pair sat back down in their places with ruddy cheeks.

Norah noticed Ominis fidgeting in his place next to her. "You okay?" His cheeks were a little pink.

"Yes, Norah, I'm fine," He said, almost in a whisper. "I didn't think this would be an outcome of the game."

"Muggles play this at parties a lot," Norah chuckled. "Especially muggles our age. It's a way to get close to whoever you fancy. At least for many of them."

I'm still on stage, and you're watching me count the stars Then I eat you up like milk and Lucky Charms In real life I'd be patient Fantasy adjacent So I indulge the sum to see the parts Fuck you, I love you, I need you

The bottle stopped to point again to Leander and Nerida, who gaped at each other and exchanged amused expressions. Leander reluctantly made the crawl toward Nerida, who took the initiative and kissed him. They also pulled away with red cheeks. "This never happened," Nerida pointed out.

"Agreed," Leander nodded, laughter erupting from everyone else. "Merlin, so this is what that game is about."

Sebastian looked over at Norah and Ominis, who were focused on the bottle that was spinning. The dilemma remained, even as he had overheard her conversation with Natty in the Room of Requirement. Norah was under the impression that Ominis liked Anne, but more importantly, that Norah liked Ominis. And he himself knew, that Ominis liked Norah too.

The cheers suddenly grew louder when the bottle suddenly pointed to Poppy, and, to the surprise of Andrew and many others, to Imelda. Norah gaped at the choice, grinning at her fellow Slytherin, who didn't seem to be phased by it. Oohs and aahhs erupted when the two girls had given each other friendly pecks and Poppy making sure to double the affection she showed Andrew, who was still shocked.

"That changes everything," Everett Clopton grinned, seeing everyone get increasingly excited when the bottle spun again.

I don't want anyone to wake me up I fall asleep, it's never been so fun I know it's wrong but it's true I like the things that we do in my Bad dreams, bad dreams Bad dreams, bad dreams

Everyone took a break from focusing on the game to the rest of what the Hufflepuff house had to offer in the party they hosted. The music grew louder, making everyone dance in their places while in conversation or while eating whatever snacks they could try. Garreth was preoccupied in giving everyone cups of his brew, looking pleased when people liked it and wanted more.

"Ah, Thakkar," Garreth eyed the Ravenclaw as he approached the table. "Care for some? You look like you could use a swig."

Amit suddenly noticed Samantha, who was talking to some of their fellow housemates in one corner. At the same time, he also noticed Nellie, who was already trying to climb up the mantel to the increased cheers of some Hufflepuffs, who had already consumed several cups of the strong beverage.

"Yes please," He said, reaching for a cup for Garreth to pour some of the alcoholic drink into. He downed it all in one go, to the surprise of the Gryffindor boy. Amit wrinkled his nose. "That is strong. I want another."

"Alright then, but too much can play tricks on your head," Garreth warned, pouring him another. "Probably get you drunk."

"That's what I'm counting on," Amit mumbled as he closed his eyes at the taste.

Relive the sin in REM And do it all again

Norah was helping herself to a few pasties at the very end of the table where the food has been on display. Several others returned to sit in the circle again to continue playing the game. Perhaps to wonder who they ever get to kiss if the bottle pointed at them at some point. She caught Garreth looking at her, and she waved as he gestured for her to have some. She shook her head, not wanting to get tipsy just yet.

"This party's different this time," Sebastian noted, his mouth still full of food.

"Yeah, who would've thought Imelda would get what she wanted," Norah chuckled upon remembering, making Sebastian stare at her. "Oh come on, you must have known."

"I did, but I didn't think it was Poppy," Sebastian grinned, looking over at the girl herself, who already excused herself to leave, passing by a few of the members of their house team. "Well, that might have knocked her down a peg."

Norah laughed. "Maybe, and also she's got a complete team for this year. I wonder when the first match is going to be."

"Possibly before the Yule Ball. I heard the teachers are already taking bets as to which house is winning the Quidditch cup this year," Ominis appeared, having overheard their conversation. He came after some prodding from Henry about Norah.

"Take this chance, Ominis," Henry reminded him as soon as he was sure Natty was out of earshot. "Otherwise, she might get kissed by someone the magic bottle's pointed to."

Norah chuckled. "Who are they betting on? Everett Clopton's got himself the newest broom, by the way."

The blonde took a careful bite out of the pasty he was holding. "That might be true, but it's on Gryffindor as usual, and Slytherin, of course. I heard Professor Weasley say it's going to be a battle of pride between Adele and Imelda."

Sebastian and Norah looked impressed. "Adele did tell me that her time was what Imelda had to beat before I beat Imelda's," She said.

The two boys hummed in confirmation. "Wouldn't expect anything less. If you were related to Alexandra Kang, you'd have big shoes to fill," Sebastian commented, glancing at the girl, who was talking with her fellow teammates. Norah and Ominis nodded.

"She must have a lot of pressure on her shoulders, but she certainly didn't seem like it when I talked to her before," Norah recalled, remembering the time she got caught coming out of the secret passage that led to the werewolf tapestries. She finished the last pasty she was holding and took a drink of butterbeer.

While the music had continued playing, Norah saw everyone simmer down in chatter when she realized the bottle was pointing to her. The enchanted bottle spun again in front of her, only for it to stop in front of Eric Northcott, followed by whispers and expressions of surprise amongst the students. Ominis felt his heart skip a beat, and a kind of sadness came over him when he realized the result. Sebastian had also felt even more crestfallen, especially as the Gryffindor boy - whom he remembers Norah bested in Crossed Wands - looked like he had won something.

Charlotte, on the other hand, looked slightly annoyed but defeated nonetheless. Nerida, who was actually dating Eric, looked intrigued and even exchanged knowing looks with Grace, who eyed Ominis. Natty and Henry looked shocked as well, the two of them breaking into clapping and cheering.

Norah laughed as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Better luck next time Garreth," She teased, with the freckled redhead grinning and giving a thumbs up. If Ominis wasn't going to be her first kiss, at least Eric would be, she thought as she approached him, calm as ever, to let Eric plant a soft peck on her lips. The two of them fist bumped as they pulled back, with Norah returning to her two friends, and Eric with his friends and Nerida.

"That seemed fun," She said, feeling even more calm. "Now that the bottle's already pointed to me, I'm just going to watch if you two get pointed at. Anne might've enjoyed this."

"She would have, but I don't want to see that," Sebastian cringed in disgust at the thought, while Ominis laughed.

"We might scare whoever it is away," Ominis added. "But parties seemed to be so much more bearable when she was with us. We'd be in the corner and Sebastian would be trying to flirt his way through the drinks table."

Sebastian glared at his friend. "I don't flirt with just anyone. Besides, it proved effective when I finally got them to move away from all the butterbeer and the food."

Norah took another drink of butterbeer, mentally kicking herself for having been the first one to bring up Anne. "I'll just get myself a pint of Garreth's fizz-beer."

I don't want anyone to wake me up I fall asleep, it's never been so fun I know it's wrong but it's true I like the things that we do in my Bad dreams, bad dreams Bad dreams, bad dreams

Norah managed to find a little corner in the midst of the merriment and sat down, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by their conversation. She looked on at the rest of the game that was happening, amused at the next set of people that the enchanted bottle was pointing to.

She was even more surprised when the bottle pointed to Adele, followed by it pointing to Sebastian. Both of whom looked completely shocked, but the initial surprise disappeared when the two of them confidently kissed each other. The Gryffindor girl, in particular, even cupping his face for good measure, and it was met with louder cheers. Sebastian seemed to enjoy making the spectacle as they pulled away, hitting high fives before going their separate ways.

"There you are."

She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Ominis, his wand pointing at her. Norah cleared her throat and shifted a little when the blonde sat down next to her. "Enjoying the party so far?"

A smirk formed on his lips. "Especially as Sebastian kissed Adele? Definitely. She took him by surprise, reminds me of your first duel with him."

She nodded. "I didn't see that coming, but I'm not completely surprised. It's that Gryffindor courage."

"This is one of the rare times I wish I could see without my wand," Ominis said, stifling a laugh. "He must've been so red afterwards."

"Oh he was," Norah laughed, making him laugh as well. She took another sip of her drink then glanced at him. "You must miss Anne a lot, huh?"

"Hmm?" Ominis hummed, tilting his head toward her. "Oh, I do, from time to time. The adventures you had with Sebastian in fifth year definitely made me think of her a lot."

She nodded. "...Are you thinking of asking her to the Yule Ball?" There it was. Norah wanted to confirm it, no matter how much it might hurt.

The blonde seemed taken by surprise at the question. "Me? Take Anne to the Yule Ball? Sebastian would kill me, pun intended."

Norah stared at him, then poked his side. "Too dark, Ominis," She said.

The action made him laugh, and it prompted her to keep doing it, tickling him. The sounds of his giggles like music to her ears. It was rare to see Ominis laughing like this. "Alright, alright, that's enough, Norah," He caught her hand, slightly warm from the butterbeer she was holding.

His heart was pounding as his hand enveloped hers. Henry's prodding seemed to help. All Ominis needed to do next was to hold her hand properly, lace their fingers together. He could only hope she couldn't feel his heartbeat through his hand if it was possible. This was all he wanted to do, keep holding her hand and maybe let her rest against him.

"Really, Ominis," She said quietly, cheeks ruddy from how gentle he was in holding her hand. "Are you taking Anne to the Yule Ball?"

"No," He replied, clearing his throat. "I never thought of asking her in the first place even if I've written to her. As much as I care for Anne, I don't think of her in that way."

There it was. The answer she wanted, which took Norah by surprise. She looked down at their feet while taking a long drink of butterbeer. "So...there was something else I wanted to talk to you about, but I never got around to asking."

Ominis tilted his head toward her again, and he swore their faces were a little too close this time. "What?"

As the music grew louder when the group decided to end the game, it made Norah lean in to speak near his ear. "Those letters, when you summoned me, what were those about?"

Ominis could feel his cheeks heat up even more. It reminded him of his previous dream. But before he could answer-

"Hey, Amit's gotten sloshed, we should probably take him back to his common room or something," Sebastian suddenly came in, making Ominis let go of Norah's hand.

"The most we can do is bring him to the door, we can't exactly go inside the Ravenclaw common room," Norah said.

"I'll do it, he's had far too many of Garreth's fizz-beers to drink," Henry suddenly came over to them, followed by Natty, who looked just as concerned, but was holding the hangover tonic she took from the freckled redhead. "We'll bring him back to the common room to get some rest."

As Henry and Natty went back to fetch Amit, the Ravenclaw boy had already passed out near the Hufflepuff house chest. Nellie was sitting by him, fanning his face.

[rainbowcaleb]

Well I have 4K about a Pygmy owl Frumpkin babysitting adventure but you know about that one! So instead I shall deliver a snippet from a fairytale.

He brushes aside the fallen leaves that crackle into dead flakes to fall back to the forest floor. The glass shines unearthly, like mirrors in water, reflecting moons more than suns. Caleb knew he had found the right place.

With a great heave, ah! some brawn can coexist with brain, Caleb pushes the coffin lid open.

A tiefling lay draped in rich velvets. Purple skin plum fine, looking too alive in death to be anything but magical. Eyes rimmed with gold. Embroidery on the fabric around the figure some scroll of language Caleb cannot comprehend.

Shall he give his kiss?

Surely nothing will go amiss.

He leans in with a stiff back, suddenly the moment seizing his body with the sheer power of what this could mean—

He crosses those last inches, and the eyelashes of the tiefling flutter, with forest wind, with Caleb’s breath—

He presses his lips to the forehead. He doesn’t want to risk more, risk his heart—

The gold rimmed eyes pop open, sudden, too sudden, a loud gasp between them both scattering the birds.

“Caleb?”

“No. Yes. How do you know me?”

[litfeathers]

The Fabulous Adventures of Mister Rabbit and Missus Wolf

Here, have some cute parental Witteclaw shenanigans.

Inspired by the legendary @pinkgolfcart and this goddamn masterpiece.

————

Every second that ticked by was pure torture.

Every minute felt like hours.

It was impossible to get comfortable.

Everything was simultaneously too hot and too cold.

And the pain…

Evelyn winced and wiggled in a plush bed, pulling a blanket over her restless body before immediately shoving it back off with a frustrated huff.

She groaned and pulled a cool dishtowel back over her eyes as she tried to stay as still as possible.

“Being pregnant and about to pop is the worst possible time for a migraine. Just…relax…everything is nice and dark…ohhh, that’s better. It doesn’t hurt so long as things are nice and quiet-”

“EVELYN!!! EVELYN, LOOK!!!”

“OH SHIT, OWW OWW OWWWWWWW!” she hissed with a violent twitch.

“…oh, sorry, I’m just excited. Let's try that again, nice and soft this time.”

The enthusiastic voice cleared his throat.

“Evelyn, look!” he whispered.

She winced, slowly removed the dishtowel from her eyes, and glanced at the doorway.

A pair of small wooden carvings were poking their heads around the doorframe, peering in at her with a pair of fangy wooden grins.

“I made a few more toys for the baby!!! Look! This is Mister Rabbit, and this is Missus Wolf!” Caleb announced proudly, poking the upper half of his face into the doorway as he waved around the two carvings of…well…a rabbit and a wolf.

“Adorable,” Evelyn murmured, spinning a quick spell circle to cool off the towel some more before setting it back onto her eyes. “That’s actually quite cute, Caleb.”

“How is the headache?” he asked softly, padding into the room and kneeling by the bed as quietly as he could.

“Monstrous,” Evelyn whispered. “And I’m so uncomfortable. Three days. Only three days left…”

“Oh, Eve,” The bed shifted slightly as Caleb leaned onto the mattress to check on her. “Is there anything I can do?”

“I’ll be fine,” she murmured. “Stop fussing.”

“Are you sure? Do you need soup? A healer? More blankets? A massage? A book? Some alcohol-free apple blood? A nice-”

“What I need is rest and quiet, dear.”

Caleb frowned, slowly lowering his head to rest his cheek on his arms as he watched his wife for a moment.

“I’m so sorry you’re uncomfortable,” he said, a tiny bit of guilt starting to creep into his voice as he glanced at her round stomach.

“The nature of being with child is being uncomfortable,” Evelyn said with a soft laugh. “I’ll live.”

“Oh. I know, It’s just…”

“What?”

“I have been feeling a bit guilty.”

“What? Why?”

“Because…I’m…sort of…the one who did this to you?” Caleb said with a wince.

“I’m doing this because I WANT to be doing it, you silly loon,” Evelyn whispered. “We both wanted this. Quite badly, might I add. And it will all be worth it when we get to meet her. Now stop fretting! You may keep me company, but…shhhh!”

“Ahh. Sorry. I know I talk a lot. And I know I can be intense. And-”

“Caleb!”

“Oh, right. Sorry!”

After some tossing and turning, Evelyn finally slid into a fitful nap.

Her husband reached out to stroke her cheek as she slept, his eyes shining with utter adoration.

————

Evelyn woke up some time later, so disoriented and out-of-sorts she felt like she had slept for centuries.

But her eager husband practically kicking down the bedroom door immediately reassured her it was indeed still the Deadwardian Era.

“She’s awake! Good evening, sleeping beauty!”

“It’s…ugh…already evening?”

“Well, the sun’s still up, so…good almost evening is more accurate. How do you feel?”

“A lot better, actually. Not one hundred percent, but the worst is gone.”

She wound up and chucked the damp dishtowel across the room.

“Screw it. I’ll get that later,” she said with a big yawn and stretch.

“Oh no you don’t! I’ll get it.”

“…my hero.”

“Are you in too much pain to be hungry?” Caleb asked, tossing the towel over his shoulder. “I’m completely starved!”

“Yes, I think I can manage to eat. But didn’t you have supper already?”

“No, I waited for you!”

“Oh, sweetheart…"

“Don’t worry. I already put on a roast. It will be done in about an hour,” he said proudly. “Hopefully you like it.”

“I’m sure I will. I always do. An hour is perfect. That will give me time to return to the land of the living.”

“Good! And I know exactly what my adorable wife needs while supper cooks!” Caleb said eagerly.

He slid to the bed and leaned in with a slow, devious grin as Evelyn warily glanced up into his looming face.

“Oh, no,” she whispered.

”SHE NEEDS…” Caleb purred, slowly disappearing below the side of the bed.

“Caleb...?”

“She neeeeeds…”

“Caleb, I SWEAR…”

“SHE NEEEEEEDDDDSSSSSS…”

“Caleb, please.”

“She needs SOME EVENING ENTERTAINMENT.”

“…oh no.”

“Oh? It looks like an acting troupe has rolled into town! How fantastic!”

“...for fuck’s sake.”

“And our players are putting on a production of The Fabulous Adventures of Mister Rabbit and Missus Wolf? Even better!”

Evelyn let her head fall back to the pillow and gave the ceiling the most deadpan, completely done stare she had ever given anything in her entire life.

“Just get it over with,” she sighed.

Caleb slowly poked up over the side of the bed, a huge mischievous grin on his face.

He started walking the toys back and forth across Evelyn’s stomach, complete with sound effects and dialogue.

“Tra la la la la la, tra la odelay!” Caleb sang. “This is Mister Rabbit! What shall he do today?”

“Oh no. Not the songs.”

“Wahey Wahoo hullabaloo! And here is Missus Wolf! What will she do?”

And a completely done Evelyn laid there like a dead log, listlessly letting her husband use her whole body as a living stage, her face getting more and more deadpan as the “play” went on.

“…and then the rabbit goes ‘aaaa noo don’t eat me Missus Wolf! I’m an innocent man!’” Caleb wailed in a squeaky falsetto. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“This is my life, I guess,” Evelyn mumbled. “I chose this. I did this to myself.”

“I can tell you’re enjoying it!” Caleb whispered smugly.

The corners of his wife’s lips twitched.

“Ahh! I see that smile! There it is, peeking out at me like the sunshine from the clouds after a week of nothing but rain!” Caleb gasped dramatically, leaning in close as he paraded the toys across her collarbone.

Evelyn groaned and sat up slightly. “Dear, could you just-”

“Oh. Sorry,” Caleb said softly, pulling the toys back. "I didn't mean to annoy you, I just thought-”

“Give me Missus Wolf,” Evelyn said, deep and deadly serious.

Caleb’s face brightened in a wide grin.

“Rowr, I will get you, Mister Rabbit! How dare you, raiding the Mayor’s garden? Villain! Thief! I shall make you pay!” Evelyn growled, waving the wolf at the rabbit. “According to the town charter, page ten, article nine, subsection twenty-five, it clearly states thou shalt not munch on thine neighbor’s greens!”

“You just made that up! There’s no subsection twenty-five!”

“Oh, are we suddenly a lawyer? LOOK EVERYONE, WE HAVE A LAWYER HERE!”

“But…but…but…”

“That does it I’M GOING TO EAT YOU.”

“AA NOOO spare meee,” Caleb squeaked, throwing the back of his hand to his forehead as he fell to the bed next to Evelyn. “I am innocent! INNOCENT, I TELL YOU!”

“RAWWWRRRRR!”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

They violently slammed the toys together over and over, giggling and growling in each other’s faces until they were nose-to-nose and showing teeth (and to be honest getting way too into it).

With a final mighty toothy snarl, Evelyn shoved the wolf at the rabbit and pretended to rip it to shreds while Caleb shrieked in pain.

“I win,” she gasped with a satisfied grin. “I don’t think Mister Rabbit survived the disemboweling. But if he did, the beheading surely finished him off.”

Caleb nuzzled her flushed cheek, breathless with laughter.

“Well, that was fun! Would you like a quick walk before supper? Are you up for it?” he huffed. “It looks like there might be a beautiful sunset. Let’s go to the top of the hill to watch it!”

“Alright.”

He held out his hand and gave Evelyn a brilliant smile.

“We’re going to have so much fun playing with her. I can’t wait,” he said softly. “Although…we might need to go a little bit lighter on the outright violence for a while.”

“She’s a Clawthorne. She’ll love it.”

They burst out laughing again

They left the house hand-in-hand, going slow for Evelyn’s sake, fingers entwined and holding on tight like they never wanted to let go.

————

“MUM!!!”

A tiny strawberry blonde witchlet frantically tore down a set of stairs and into a cheerfully cluttered living room, clutching something to her chest.

“MUM! MUUUUUUUMMMMMM I’VE MADE AN AMAZING DISCOVERY! LOOK!” she yelled.

“What have you found, Ava?” Evelyn asked, putting aside a book to smile at her daughter.

“Toys!!! They were in the bottom drawer of my bureau, under the blankets! May I play with them?”

“What?…oh. Let me see them first, please?”

“Here, Mum!” Ava said, handing over two carvings. “Do you know where they came from?”

“Oh, Titan. Yes, I do,” Evelyn said softly, clutching them to her chest before turning to give Ava a watery smile.

“This is Mister Rabbit,” she said, her voice shaking ever so slightly as she placed the toys back into her daughter’s outstretched hands. “And this is Missus Wolf.”

Ava grabbed the carvings, eagerly pouring over and touching every little whittle and painted detail with tiny fingertips.

“I love them!!!” she cooed, laying on her stomach to start parading the wolf and rabbit on the living room rug. “They’re so cute!”

“I’m sure Da would be very happy to know you like them,” Evelyn said softly. “He made them for you before you were born. I looked for them for years. I’m so glad you found them.”

“DA MADE THEM?!”

Ava squealed and clutched the carvings in a hug.

“THEN I LOVE THEM EVEN MORE!!!”

She started playing again with even more gusto.

“May I play with you?” Evelyn asked.

“Yes!!!”

“Now, this is how you play,” Evelyn said, dropping to her knees and gently taking Missus Wolf from her daughter to walk it across the floor. “Grr! Mister Rabbit, I shall make you pay for stealing the Mayor’s prized dragon’s tooth lettuce! I shall make you pay…by EATING YOU!”

The witchlet gasped.

“Ava, you must now protest this injustice and declare your innocence!”

“Nooooo! I’m an innocent man!” Ava wailed, deadly serious. “AA, NOOO, spare meee!”

She glanced up at her mother with a wide gap-toothed grin.

The grin slowly slid off her face.

“Mum? Why are you sad? Did I play Mister Rabbit wrong? I’m sorry.”

“No, sweetheart. You just…you played him perfectly.”

Evelyn scooped Ava up and pecked her on the forehead as the carvings looked on from the floor, their fangy grins just as sharp as they had been when Evelyn had first seen them poking around a doorframe.

“…you played him absolutely perfectly.”

————

I just think it’s important to mention that Caleb was singing some sort of Redwall type nonsense at the start of the play (I’m talking about this sort of thing lmao).

Thanks again for letting me use your comic as inspiration, Lune! I had a lot of fun with this!

[dhampiravidi]

(ignore this) spotify wrapped '23

just me using this post to type my Spotify Wrapped so I don't have to keep going back to that page 😅 I like the stats but also I have ask memes riding on this--

if you feel like using a song title as a prompt, go ahead!

Top Genres:

Pop

Alt Metal

Modern Rock

Pop Punk

Rock

Top Song: "bloody mary (lady gaga) - sped up version" by sped up viral; played 203 times

Top Artist: Bring Me the Horizon (in the top 0.1% of fans); played 5550 minutes (no surprise there)

Other Top Artists(?)

Bring Me the Horizon (peak listening month: September)

Fall Out Boy (peak listening month: August)

30 Seconds to Mars (peak listening month: August)

Måneskin (peak listening month: September)

Dua Lipa (peak listening month: September)

Total Min: 42, 427

Then I temporarily switched to SoundCloud for a better deal, hehe

Top Songs, 1-100

bloody mary (lady gaga) - sped up version by sped up viral

Heartbreak Feels So Good - Fall Out Boy

AmEN! (ft. Lil Uzi Vert & Daryl Palumbo) - BMTH

Love Again - Dua Lipa

Let's Get the Party Started - Tom Morello, BMTH

Stuck - 30STM

Grown Man - Marshmello, Polo G, Southside

BABY SAID - Måneskin

No Love in LA - Palaye Royale

Just Pretend - Bad Omens

Black Hole - We Came As Romans, Caleb Shomo

What You Need - BMTH

Shakira Bizzarap Music Sessions, Vol. 53 - Shakira, Bizarrap

All Around Me - Envied by Angels

Start the Fire - Jamie Bower

Bad Habits (ft. BMTH) - Ed Sheeran

Woman - Doja Cat

Bones - Imagine Dragons

SUPERMODEL - Måneskin

maybe (ft. BMTH) - Machine Gun Kelly

Heat Waves - Glass Animals

Enemy (from "Arcane") - Imagine Dragons, JID

Warrior - Atreyu, Travis Barker

Strangers - BMTH

Unholy (ft. Kim Petras) - Sam Smith

Running Up the Hill - Our Last Night

The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie - RHCP

One Day the Only Butterflies...(ft. Amy Lee) - BMTH

Beggin' - Måneskin

God's Menu - Stray Kids

I Ain't Worried - OneRepublic

Happy Song - BMTH

Records - Weezer

Paralysed - Jamie Bower

Transylvania - McFly

I Wish - Skee-Lo

Pump It - Black Eyed Peas

Parasite Eve - BMTH

Say So - Doja Cat

The Worst in Me - Bad Omens

Blackbird - Alter Bridge

Teardrops - BMTH

Drowning - Atreyu

fleabag - YUNGBLUD

Shockwave - Marshmello

Shadow Moses - BMTH

Alejandro - Lady Gaga

I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE - Måneskin

You're Going Down - Sick Puppies

DiE4u - BMTH

Teeth - 5SOS

Best Things in Life Aren't Free - The Unlikely Candidates

Fancy - Iggy Azalea, Charli XCX

IDGAF - Dua Lipa

CODE MISTAKE - CORPSE, BMTH

Sunshine - OneRepublic

Ghost - Badflower

Animal I Have Become - 3 Days Grace

Contemptress - MIW, Maria Brink

Monsters (ft. Demi Lovato & Blackbear) - All Time Low

Wonder Woman Main Theme - Tina Guo

maybe (ft. BMTH) acoustic version - Machine Gun Kelly

Levitating - Dua Lipa

Pain - Jimmy Eat World

Die Young - Ke$ha

Angel - Theory of a Deadman

Lost - Linkin Park

Come as You Are - Nirvana

Dark Passenger - MIW

Betty (Get Money) - Yung Gravy

La Tortura (ft. Alejandro Sanz) - Shakira

I'm Good (Blue) - David Guetta, Bebe Rexha

Renegades - X Ambassadors

Judas - Lady Gaga

Hips Don't Lie (ft. Wyclef Jean) - Shakira

Save Me - Remy Zero

The World I Used to Know - We Came As Romans

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT - Elley Duhé 

Two Against One (ft. Jack White) - Danger Mouse, Daniele Luppi

Here We Go Again - Pixie Lott

Astronaut in the Ocean - Our Last Night

Tribute - Tenacious D

Follow Me - BMTH

Lose Control (ft. Ciara & Fatman Scoop) - Missy Elliot

Dani California - RHCP

House of the Rising Sun - Five Finger Death Punch

In the End - BVB

Cake by the Ocean - DNCE

Last Resort - Papa Roach

Attack - 30STM

Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

High Enough - K.Flay

Behind Blue Eyes - Limp Bizkit

Kings and Queens - 30STM

Been Away Too Long - Soundgarden

Lived a Lie - You Me at Six

Los Angeles - Sugarcult

Sundial - Wolfmother

Broken Generation - Of Mice & Men

Round & Round - Selena Gomez & The Scene

[sevenworldtales]

The Box

There was nothing particularly special about the box. Made of old, worn wood, it was a rectangle about two inches tall, five inches across, and four inches from the scratched steel of the front latch to the bubbly oxidized iron of the back hinge.

Kelly Drummer looked at the box intently. It sat on the shop table in the dusty, disused basement.

There were tools and guns on the walls, some ratty furniture, and a workbench, where Kelly’s family used to make custom gear for their heists, she knew. Most of it hadn’t been touched in over twenty years.

Kelly stood maybe a meter from the box. Caleb, her nephew, stood on the opposite side of the shop table.

“How did you get it?” Kelly asked.

Caleb grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know. What matters is we got the thing. C’mon aunt Kelly, call up Dominic! Let’s get paid.”

Kelly was past disapproving of Caleb’s activities. He was a grown man. She knew it was hypocritical to chastise him over this. Maybe she was just jealous that he was able to get the box without her help.

“Wait, how do you know about Dom?” Kelly inquired.

“After you bailed on me, I went to Mama. She told me everything.” Caleb said. “They’ve been after it since before you were born. Did you know that?”

Kelly knew.

Mama was Kelly’s mom, Caleb’s grandmother. Kelly’s sister Brittany died from birth complications when she was eighteen. Caleb was a few weeks old, and Kelly was only eight. Mama raised Caleb like Kelly had a younger brother. Now he was twenty and Kelly was almost thirty. He had known the truth a long time, and began calling Kelly “Aunt Kelly” to mess with her. Somehow it just stuck.

Mama was always gonna be just Mama. Mama had been on the straight and narrow since Brittany died, but the rest of the family kept up with old habits.

Mama had met Kelly and Brittany’s father while working a heist in the 90s. Armored truck. They had a forty five minute long highway chase, got to their rally point, ditched the first car in a tunnel, and got out in a different car before the checkpoints were set up. They conceived Brittany that night, or so the story went.

Now Pop was in jail, Uncle Timmy was there with him. They got popped on a job when Kelly was a kid. Their father had his then-six-and-sixteen year old daughters run interference with airport security as he and his brother attempted to break into a secure hangar.

They had no clue the storage on site had pressure sensitive flooring. They each got twenty-five years. The cops never put together that the two adolescents were a coordinated part of it.

With Pop and Timmy in the can, a lot of the old relatives made their way to other crews, or even other lifestyles, as was the case for Mama.

She used to say she hoped it would skip a generation, and that Kelly and Caleb would stay out of that world. In the last few years, she had become more nostalgic. She told the stories with less guilt and regret, and more of a sense of adventure, like she had when Kelly was younger. When Brittany was still alive.

The box, which sat on the shop table, in the basement of Uncle Timmy’s dilapidated house was something of a “one that got a way” for Mama, Pop, Timmy, and all the extended family that had been around in the early days. In the time since, the legend had only grown.

Kelly grew up hearing stories of their near-miss attempts to steal the thing. She had heard about their mysterious cousin Dominic, who had a patient, wealthy buyer lined up and ready. At this point, every other crew they had heard of had made the attempt, but the box’s owner had a penchant for counter-theft.

Beyond traditional security, the man who had until now held possession of the box, Juan Garshin, was known for misdirects, duplicates, and non-lethal countermeasures.

Garshin’s pranks, games, and industry-savvy security left the impression that he was himself a current or former professional thief.

In one such story, uncle Timmy was nearly decapitated by a power saw that jutted out from the wall of the vault.

This was within a building owned by Juan Garshin, but they never could have proven that. There were shell companies, as well as a long line of management consulting contracts that led from Garshin, to the building in which Timmy found the legendary item.

The saw stopped within millimeters of his neck, then retracted. Timmy returned to the family with the box. They had heard that opening it was risky, but they did it anyway. In it was a note that said “lucky you”. Or so the story went.

Most of the family interpreted that as “You’re lucky I programmed the saw to stop short of killing you, oh and this is a fake”. Kelly had adopted Mama’s theory: the note pertained to the box itself. Timmy was lucky, not because of the saw stopping short, but because the box that he opened was a fake.

It was rumored that the box held some magical power, or dangerous item, within its simple wooden frame.

Most of the Drummer clan chalked all of that up to myths and superstition. Mama had always told it with a bit more openness. Maybe Kelly couldn’t think about it objectively because all of this information had been presented to her as childhood stories.

Kelly looked, unsure if it was the genuine item, but afraid to open it, just in case.

Something about her look made her thoughts clear to Caleb.

“So I suppose we should open it and see if it’s another fake”. Caleb said, grinning.

He turned the box and began to open it.

“Wait Caleb!” Kelly cried.

As soon as Caleb opened the box, Kelly saw a deep blue glow emanating from within. She couldn’t see what was inside. Caleb looked directly at it.

“Oh it‘s-” he started, “it’s a uh,” he looked at it intently, with puzzlement, and a hint of a smile. “Can you believe it just has one of these,” he trailed off “one of these things. It’s just a …”

Kelly shut the box. Caleb wobbled as he stood, steadying himself with an arm on the table. He stared at the now-closed wooden box. There was a beat. Kelly looked at Caleb, Caleb continued to stare, wordless, at the box.

“Caleb?” Kelly said. She bent down to look up into his eyes and snapped in front of his face. He blinked, but other than that remained still, his eyes trained in the direction of the box, but unfocused, almost cross-eyed. He began to drool.

Kelly walked around the shop table and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Are you fucking with me?” She paused. Caleb remained still and catatonic. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” She asked insistently, “What is in there?”

Caleb looked up. His eyes still glazed over. He looked in her direction, but his gaze still seemed un-focused, like he was looking past her to something very far away.

“What is it? What is in the box Caleb?” She asked, fear and worry now dominating her voice.

He spoke quietly. “Caleb is in the box.” He walked to the wall, slowly and calmly, and grabbed the revolver off the rack. The one Timmy kept loaded.

Kelly didn’t even think Caleb would know that. He’d only met Uncle Timmy at prison visitation.

She sidled up to him. “Caleb, what are you-“

The sound of Caleb shooting himself in the head was deafening. Between the loss of hearing and outright shock at what had just happened, Kelly also noticed dust fall off of the ceiling and every other surface in the room.

She looked at Caleb’s limp and lifeless body, tears in her eyes. What would she tell Mama?

She looked to the box. The real box.