#Wolves without teeth spoilers

[keltherealone]

// objectified wolves without teeth spoilers / objectified episode 57 spoilers (kinda)

Parents

[dearieshima]

determined

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷feat. xavier is determined to get your virginity before leaving philos.

His hands gripped your thighs hard enough to bruise, holding you open for his relentless assault. "Look at how deep I am," he panted, watching as he pistoned in and out of your tightness. "Look how well we fit together."

c.w spoilers to xavier's myth, dubcon, groping, scummy!xavier, coercion/manipulation, cherry popping, handjob, fingering, licking fingers after jizzing on them, jealousy, 4k+ words, halfway proofread

On the night of Xavier’s Gladius ceremony, he returned to the palace with a newly discovered understanding. Amidst the celebration, he pulled his father, the king, aside for a private conversation. He presented an irregular protocore to his father, its life force still pulsating in his hand.

“Shouldn't the protocore warrant a formal inspection?” Xavier asked, voice laced with suspicion.

“The lightblade deemed you worthy,” his father replied dismissively, his fingers absently tracing the protocore.

Xavier pressed, “Is there no need for formalities? Or are you unwilling? A heart was once in this protocore–am I mistaken?”

A flicker of tension tightened the king's jaw as he pocketed the protocore. “...I knew you'd catch on.”

The king immediately caught Xavier off, witnessing the disgust in his son’s eyes. “However, it is a necessary duty of the crown prince. It is also the king's responsibility.”

Xavier's mouth widened, and for a minute he stood there in silence. He then turned sharply, storming out without looking back, ignoring his father’s calls. His decision was already made.

He strode into the crowded hall, hoping to shake off his father’s gaze when he spotted you. His eyes darkened.

You were laughing at a joke some man had made, holding a flute of champagne. The dress you wore barely skimmed your knees, and Xavier noticed the man's eyes were fixed and imaginative, longing to see it up to your stomach.

You were a lamb among a den of wolves. If he left too soon, the pack would descend upon your fresh meat. He couldn't leave Philos without sinking his teeth into you first, marking you as his territory to warn others until his return.

He maneuvered toward you, brushing off congratulatory pats and embraces along the way. At one point, Jeremiah slung an arm around his shoulders, only to be harshly shrugged off, as Xavier’s focus remained locked on you. Jeremiah noticed his gaze and, not wanting to interfere, took a long sip of champagne and slipped away.

When Xavier finally reached you, he wrapped a hand firmly around your arm, his eyes flashing a silent warning to the other man.

“Come with me.”

"Hm? Why?”

Xavier's jaw clenched, his frustration mounting. Did you not notice how the other man had been ogling you?

“I have something I need to show you. It's urgent.”

Without waiting for a response, he guided you out of the ballroom, his hand gripping your arm firmly. He guided you out of the ballroom and steered you through the corridor of the palace, his steps determined and purposeful. His hand remained on your arm, his grip firm and possessive. When you reached his room, he ushered you inside.

You perched on his bed, still holding your champagne, swinging your legs. “So?” you asked, a playful smile on your lips as you twirled the drink in your hands. “What’s so urgent?”

Xavier shut the door with a soft click, then slowly turned to face you, a strange expression on his face. He reached over, took the flute from your hand, and placed it on his dresser. “Don’t drink that.”

You frowned, almost pouting. “Hey!”

He ignored your protest, “he could’ve slipped something into it.”

He strode to the window, pausing. “Besides, I want you clear-headed for what I’m about to show you, that's so urgent.” He pulled open the curtains, revealing a brilliant, star-studded sky. The sight drew you to your feet, and you stepped over, awestruck.

Xavier stood close behind you to make space. His chest brushed against your back as he rested his chin on your head, his warm breath fanning over your hair.

“There’s one more thing I want to show you,” he whispered, voice low in your ear. He pointed upward, guiding your gaze. “See? Just above the dipper—that’s the star of our planet.”

A smile tugged at your lips as you spotted the tiny glimmer in the sky, remembering your talks about eloping there. You’d joked about it, but seeing it now made your heart ache with a longing. “It’s beautiful…”

Xavier chuckled, the low sound making your skin tingle. He wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer until your body was pressed flush against his.

Your breath caught, your heart thudding wildly. “X-Xavier…”

He held you tighter, his hand splaying across your waist. "You should be more careful," he murmured. "Don't you realize how many men in there were looking at you the same way I was?”

“The way you…?”

“—Like a piece of meat.” He was unaware he was contradicting himself. “You're too naive and innocent, and they were preying on it. If I hadn't taken you away..."

He leaned down, his lips just inches away from yours. He hesitated, as though he might ask permission, a question lingering in his darkening gaze. It died as he closed the distance, his lips capturing yours in a gentle yet assertive kiss. He drew you closer, his tongue exploring with confident ease.

He was desperate; you could feel it in the way his body pressed against yours, in the way he kissed you as if he was starved for you.

You melted into the kiss, your hands lifting to cradle his face.

Encouraged by your response, he gently lowered you back onto the bed, his forehead resting against yours as he followed you down. His body pressed against yours, and you could feel the deep, unspoken yearning in his touch.

“Xavier—” Your protest was cut off as he deepened the kiss, his lips capturing your voice, drowning any resistance as he poured himself into the moment.

You was a bit tipsy, the alcohol lowering your inhibitions, making you pliant beneath his touch. Xavier's lips trailed from your mouth to your neck, leaving a blazing path of desire on your flushed skin. He pushed you down, straddling your hips as he drank in the sight of you splayed out before him.

“X-Xavier…?”

Your clothes were rumpled, your hair tousled, your cheeks stained with a becoming flush. Xavier swallowed hard, his pulse racing as he finally had you right where he wanted you. This was what he'd been fantasizing about, dreaming of, for so long. And now, with you soft and willing beneath him, he couldn't hold back any longer.

His hands roamed your curves, slipping beneath your clothing to caress the silky skin beneath. He needed to feel you, all of you, with no barriers between you both. His fingers found the zipper of your dress and tugged it down but you pushed his chest, knocking him out of his delusion.

He blinked, as if surprised you would do that.

"What's the matter?" He murmured, his voice gruff. His fingers toyed with the hem of your dress, pushing it up, revealing more of your skin.

"X-Xavier..." You repeated, flushed. You scooted further into the bed, away from him until your back pressed against the headboard.

He followed, his hand slowly trailing back up your thigh, sending shivers through your body. "It's okay," he whispered, his voice coaxing. "No one has to know. It can be our little secret." His fingers reached the hem of your dress, slowly inching it up.

“N-No…” you stammered, reaching down to hold your skirt in place. “I… I don’t…”

Xavier’s face fell, his fingers curling into the fabric, his expression a mix of confusion and hurt. “You don’t want this?” he asked, voice low. “I though…–You were kissing me.”

“You kissed me back, you let me…” he continued, his voice trailing off as he looked away, shoulders slumping. “Why did you let me, just to pull away?”

You bit your lip, feeling a pang of guilt. “I… I didn’t mean to lead you on. I thought… it was just a kiss. Then it got too fast…”

"Too fast? Why was it too fast?" He glanced up, his brows knitted in frustration. "We've known each other for a while. We're alone. Why are you acting so shy all of a sudden?”

"I, I don't know..." You whimpered. "I don't... I don't know... Xavier, I…”

"You don't know, you don't know," he repeated. "You've been teasing me all this time, sending me mixed signals. And now, when I'm finally giving you what you want, you're pushing me away?”

You opened your mouth but closed it again, struggling to find the right words. “Xavier, it’s not… I just… You’re a prince…”

His lips pressed together, eyes dimming, reminded of the title he hated. "I'm a prince, so what?" His voice was soft, almost resigned. "Do you think that means I can't have you? That I don't have any feelings? That I can't desire you like any man would?”

“It’s not that… you're just…” you stammered, cheeks heating. “You’re meant for someone else, Xavier…”

"Someone else? Who are you to decide that? I don't want someone else, I want you. I've always wanted you." His expression softened, though his frustration was clear. He traced circles with his thumb on your foot. "Don't you want me?”

You bit your lip, finally looking up at him. “I… I like you, Xavier. More than… than I probably should.”

“Then why push me away?” he asked, voice thick with disappointment. “If you like me… then let me have you.”

“I… I don’t know, Xavier…”

He sighed. "You don't know again. Why don't you know?”

"Because I'm scared, Xav…”

"You're scared?" he echoed, his eyes softening. "Scared of what? Me?” Perhaps you've heard the rumors of him frightening away any students who showed interest in you; his father who showed an interest in your heart.

"N-No, that's not true," you pouted, fumbling nervously with your fingers. "I... I've never done it... This before... I…”

"So... you're scared because it's your first time?"

You nodded, feeling your cheeks heat. “Yes…”

He remained silent for a moment, his fingers lightly caressing your hand. "I didn't know," he whispered, though it was a lie. In truth, he was well aware. It was he who had kept you pure, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to claim your innocence for himself. He would never allow another man to take what rightfully belonged to him.

“But Xavier… I’m not sure I’m ready…”

His body tensed again at your refusal. He wanted you, and he was determined to ease your hesitation.

"Why not?" he asked, his voice warm and reassuring. "You like me, I like you. You don’t want anyone else, and neither do I. Wouldn't it feel right to do it with someone who’s been by your side your whole life, someone you love and could trust, instead of a stranger?"

He held your gaze, "those other men... they wouldn't take care of you like I would. They wouldn't be gentle–they wouldn't take their time with you. They'd just use you, Y/N.”

In your silence, Xavier took it as a small victory. Seeing you listening to him, processing his words, gave him hope that he was getting through to you, that you were listening to his reasoning. He pushed forward, continuing in a low, husky tone.

"They wouldn't treasure you like I would. They wouldn't make love to you the way I would. They wouldn't want to... to protect you, and cherish you, like I do.”

He could see the hesitation in your eyes, feel nervousness in your body as his fingers continued their path up your thigh, caressing your skin softly. He leaned in closer, his face mere inches from yours, his voice a low plea.

"Please... let me show you what it could be like... with me.”

Xavier's lips slowly melded into yours, breaking the final barrier of your resolve. His tongue brushed softly against your lips, testing, seeking entry as he drew you deeper into the kiss, making it clear he wanted all of you. When your mouth opened, he slipped in without hesitation, claiming the moment entirely. He explored each part of your mouth, tasting and savoring, leaving no doubt of his intent. His body pressed against yours, his weight grounding you, pinning you with a warmth that left you breathless.

His hands roamed your body, caressing your skin. He gripped your hips, pulling you closer to him, as if trying to merge your bodies into one.

He could feel your body trembling beneath his touch, the way your hands clung to his shoulders, trying to anchor yourself. He reveled in your response, the way you whimpered and mewled in his mouth, the way your body reacted to his every touch.

The heat of his mouth seared your skin as he trailed kisses down your neck, each one more intense than the last. Your head lolled back, giving him better access as he nipped and sucked, marking you as his. The sting of his teeth on your sensitive flesh sent jolts of pleasure straight to your core.

His hands roamed your body with a desperate urgency, as if he couldn't get enough of you. They slid under your shirt, caressing the smooth skin of your stomach before cupping your breasts. You gasped as he rolled your nipples between his fingers.

"G-Gentle…" you whimpered, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Sorry," he murmured, his voice rough. "I'll make it up to you."

His hands roamed your curves, one cupping your breast through the silky material. With a swift tug, he pulled the dress and your bra down, freeing your breasts from their confines. They spilled out, immediately pebbling without the warmth of your bra.

His eyes darkened with lust as he drank in the sight of you. He wrapped his arms around your lower back, pulling you flush against him as he dipped his head to capture a nipple between his lips. He suckled greedily, his tongue swirling around the sensitive bud.

His other hand came up to massage your neglected breast, kneading the soft flesh. He switched between your peaks, lavishing each one with attention until you were writhing against him, desperate for more.

Xavier released your breast with a wet pop, a string of saliva connecting his lips to your nipple. He trailed kisses up your chest, between your breasts, along your collarbone, before capturing your lips in a searing kiss. His tongue delved into your mouth, stroking against yours as he deepened the kiss.

One hand tangled in your hair, angling your head to give him better access. The other slid down your side, over the curve of your hip, before dipping between your thighs. He cupped your mound, his fingers rubbing slow circles over your clothed sex, inciting a hiss from you.

"You're so wet already," he smiled, his voice a low murmur.

He hooked his fingers into the sides of your panties, slowly dragging them down your legs. You lifted your hips to assist him, the cool air infiltrating from the open window hitting your heated skin. “X-Xavier…”

He smiled as he saw how wet you were. He spread your legs apart and ran his hand along your inner thigh, spreading them wider. "So pretty," he whispered, his eyes locked on your glistening pussy. He reached out and rubbed his thumb over your clit, making you jump.

“Relax," he whispered, his voice gentle. His touch became firmer, his thumb slowly rubbing circles over your hot, swollen nub. He watched your face intently, memorizing every gasp, every flush of your cheeks, every dilation of your pupils. "Have you touched yourself before?"

You nodded.

"Show me," he demanded, his voice low. He wanted to see what you liked, what you didn't. He wanted to know everything. He brought his other hand up to play with your breasts, pinching and rolling your peaks as he continued to toy with your core.

You peered up at him incredulously. "Xavier…–!"

"Please," he whispered. "I want to know. I want to know what you like, what feels good. Show me, please." His touch was hentley, coaxing.

Slowly, tentatively, your hand drifted downward, brushing over the soft curls at the apex of your thighs. Xavier's breath hitched as you parted your folds, revealing the glistening pink flesh beneath. "That's it," he encouraged, his gaze locked on your movements.

Your thighs clamped shut around your plunging fingers, but Xavier forcefully pried them apart. "Keep them spread," he instructed.

You let out a desperate whine, groping your breast as you frantically pumped your fingers in and out of your dripping slit.

"Shh," he soothed, his eyes never leaving your hand. "Add another finger. Stretch yourself for me."

"I-I can't..." you protested weakly.

He nodded his head as he slowly pushed one of his alongside yours, stretching you deliciously wide. "Yes you can," he breathed. His digit trailed down to join yours, stroking that spongy sweet spot deep inside. Your pussy clenched and fluttered around the stretch.

"Right there?" he asked, his voice low. He crooked his fingers inside of you, pressing against that spot over and over again. He watched your face contort in pleasure, your mouth falling open as you gasped. "Come for me.”

Your back arched off the bed as ecstasy crashed over you in waves, your inner walls clenching around his fingers as you reached your peak.

His dark eyes were transfixed, watching with rapt attention as his hand worked you through your release, prolonging your pleasure until you collapsed back against the sheets, spent and trembling. Slowly, he withdrew your slick finger from your dripping core and brought them to his lips. His tongue darted out, curling around your fingers as it lapped your essence, his eyes fluttering shut in bliss.

He leaned down and kissed you hard, his tongue sliding into your mouth so you could taste yourself on him. His hands flung to his pants and began to unfasten his belt with eagerness.

As his pants fell away, your eyes widened at the sight of his impressive manhood standing at full attention. The swollen head glistened with pearlescent drops of precum, the color a striking contrast to the milky smoothness of his skin. Prominent veins ran along the underside, pulsing with his heartbeat. He was magnificent, a work of art sculpted by stars itself.

"Sit up.”

You complied, your movements languid as you propped yourself up on your knees. Your breasts swayed enticingly with the motion, nipples pebbled and begging for attention. His eyes roamed over your body hungrily, drinking in every curve and valley.

He took your hand and guided it to his throbbing member, wrapping your fingers around his impressive girth. "Touch me," he breathed, "like this.” He showed you, moving your hand up and down his length.

As your fingers closed around him, he let out a low groan, his hips thrusting forward slightly. "Just like that," he encouraged.

You swallowed hard, a mix of nerves and excitement coursing through you. "Is this okay?" You asked softly, his length growing even harder in your grip.

"Squeeze a little tighter," he instructed, his voice strained with pleasure.

Focusing intently, you squeezed just as he asked, marveling at the way his shaft pulsed in your palm. Your eyes were glued to where your hand met his flesh, watching in fascination as you pumped him, his swollen head disappearing and reappearing with each stroke.

He hissed through his teeth, his head falling back. "Just like that," he praised. His hips jerked forward, his body tensing. "Harder," he groaned. He brought your other hand up to play with his balls, showing you how to gently roll and squeeze them.

He gripped your wrist, his breathing growing ragged. "Keep...keep doing that," he hissed. He thrust into your hands, his movements growing jerky. "I'm… I'm going to..." He broke off, his whole body convulsing as he came in your hands.

He threw his head back, tendons straining in his neck as he gulped. Releasing your hand, he gripped his own thighs, fingers digging into the firm flesh.

You gazed at your palm, glistening with his copious release. Mimicking his earlier actions, you brought your hand to your lips, tongue swirling around your fingers to lap up every drop of his thick, salty essence.

His eyes were riveted on your display. With a sigh, he asked you to lay back once more. Seizing your hips, he yanked you towards him, his face flushed and debauched, mouth agape. He reached out and gently spread your thighs, stepping between them, the swollen head of his cock nudged against your slick entrance.

“Condoms…!” You cried out, “Xavier, what about–”

"Shh, don't worry about that now," he said. "I'll pull out, I promise.”

His hungry gaze raked over your quivering form, committing every dip and swell to memory. "Don't look so nervous," he crooned. “I'm right here.”

"Be gentle..." You breathed. “Please.”

He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. You were adorable. "I'll be gentle.”

His fingers delved between your thighs, parting your slick folds to reveal your glistening entrance. He groaned at the sight. "So pretty.”

He then rubbed his thick head against your wetness, coating himself with your fluids. He pressed against your hole, his hips slowly pushing forward. He watched your face, his own contorted in concentration. "Breathe in," he instructed softly.

And before you actually could, he thrusted in.

“A-Ah!”

Tears streamed down your face as he gradually pushed deeper into your tight heat. He paused, allowing you a moment to acclimate to his impressive girth stretching you open. His fingers tenderly caressed your cheek, wiping away the salty drops. "You're doing so well," he praised softly. "Just a little more." With one powerful thrust, he hilted himself fully inside you, breaking through your barrier.

A sharp cry escaped your lips at the sudden sting of pain mixed with overwhelming fullness. Your nails dug into the sheets as you gripped them for dear life. "Wait... ngh... I can't..." you whimpered, trembling beneath him.

Xavier captured your mouth in a searing kiss, swallowing your cries. "Shh, you're okay. I'm all the way inside now," he murmured against your lips. He held still, letting you adjust to the intense new sensations as your body stretched to accommodate him. "Open your eyes. Focus on me and you'll forget the pain."

"Hmgh..."

He began to set at a slow, rhythmic pace, his hips gently rocking against yours. He grunted each time he bottomed out inside you. "Look at me," he commanded gruffly. "Open your eyes and look at me." He reached out and gently tilted your chin, forcing you to look up at him.

Your body clenched around him, the initial sting of pain gradually melting away into waves of pleasure. A breathy moan escaped your lips as you felt yourself surrender to the newer sensations.

Xavier's face tightened, and his head fell forward between his shoulders. "God, when you do that…" he hissed through gritted teeth. He continued to pump his hips, his rhythm growing faster. "Wrap your legs around my waist," he instructed hoarsely. "I'm gonna go a little faster."

You complied and wrapped your legs tightly around his waist, pulling him closer. When he mentioned he was going to pick up the pace, you weren't prepared for the relentless pounding that followed.

Bracing himself on his hands, he began to ruthlessly slam into you over and over again. Leaning down, he claimed your mouth in a rough, dominating kiss, muffling your desperate moans. His hips moved like a machine, driving into you with animalistic cruelty.

"G-Gentle...! Mgh–! P-Please!" you whimpered against his lips.

But Xavier was lost in his own pleasure, ignoring your pleas as he continued his merciless assault on your body. "You can handle it," he huffed. Gripping your hips, he adjusted your position, allowing him to plunge even deeper inside you. "You're too tight… I'll be gentle after I'm finished breaking you in."

"X-Xavier…! Xav–Ngh!"

He reached between your legs and grabbed your wrists, pulling them above your head as he continued to ravage you. His face was a mask of intense concentration as he continued to thrust into you, his hips moving like a piston. "You're so loud," he hissed, his voice thick with passion.

"Xavier! Xavier!"

His thrusts slowed to a torturous crawl, allowing you a moment to catch your breath before he hoisted your legs up onto his broad shoulders and folded you nearly in half. The new angle allowed him to plunge even deeper, the thick head of his cock kissing your cervix with each powerful stroke. Your back arched off the bed as your arms wrapped around his neck, nails digging into his sweat-slicked skin. A strangled moan tore from your throat.

His hands gripped your thighs hard enough to bruise, holding you open for his relentless assault. "Look at how deep I am," he panted, watching as he pistoned in and out of your tightness. "Look how well we fit together."

"It's too much… please... please..." You babbled, your voice hitching with every thrust to your cervix. "Xavier... it hurts…!"

"It's supposed to," he grunted. "It feels good, though, right? Just bear it a little more. I'm almost done." He let your legs drop, pushing your knees to your chest as he pounded into you.

Your nails raked down his back, leaving long, ten crimson trails in their wake. Xavier grunted in pain, his face contorting as he thrust into you harder. "Mark me all you want," he huffed. "I'll mark you right back." He buried his face in your neck and bit down hard, sucking on your skin as he continued to thrust into you.

"Ahh! Yes! Fuck!" you cried out, your words dissolving into incoherent babble. "You prom–eh…! you promised…!”

Xavier's eyes were closed, his face buried in your neck as he fucked you without a care in the world. The sound of his hips slapping against yours echoed in the room, mixing with your screams and pleas. "God… fuck, fuck," he chanted to himself, his voice muffled against your skin.

"You're so meannnn," you whimpered, drawing out the word as a sob caught in your throat.

Xavier's eyes flashed, dark and feral, as he lifted his head. "I'm mean?" he growled, voice dripping with mock hurt. His fingers dug into your hips as he pulled you flush against him. "You're the one getting off on this, aren't you? I can feel how wet you are." To punctuate his point, he reached between your legs and rubbed your clit roughly, making you gasp and arch into his touch.

He gripped your chin firmly, forcing your gaze to meet his intense stare. "Look at me," he commanded, voice low and dominant. "I want to see those eyes glazed when I make you come undone. When I claim every inch of you as mine.”

Xavier groaned, his thrusts becoming even more brutal. "You're gonna make such a pretty mess."

The words were like a match to gasoline, igniting the inferno raging inside you. With a keening cry, you shattered, your walls clamping down and bursting as ecstasy consumed you.

Xavier's eyes widened as he felt your walls clench around him, your orgasm triggering his own. "Ah! Yes…–yes!" he cried, his hips stuttering. With a final, brutal thrust, he buried himself deep inside you and came, his hot seed spurting against your cervix.

Xavier let out a low groan, his body trembling as he filled you. His grip on your thighs loosened, his hand caressing the marked skin gently. As he came down from his high, Xavier's pace slowed, his hips rolling forward in shallow thrusts as he milked the last of his release into you.

Your eyes fluttered shut, the world fading away until only the pulsing pleasure remained. With a final shuddering gasp, you surrendered to the overwhelming sensations, your consciousness slipping away.

His arms wrapped around you, holding you close as you went limp beneath him. He peppered your face with gentle kisses, his touch at odds with the rough way he'd just taken you. "Shh, sleep now," he murmured softly, "You did so well.”

As much as he didn’t want to leave, he gently began to slip out of bed, his body trembling, spent. He pulled the blankets up around you, making sure you were wrapped warmly before crossing the room to close the window. Quietly, he turned to his closet, carefully reaching for his lightseeker uniform and slipping it on, moving with a gentle but determined grace.

He searched for his sword, finally spotting the star-tasseled handle hidden under the bed. Just as he reached for it, he felt a soft weight on his head, your hand, draped sleepily over him.

He froze, worried he might've woken you–worried he would have to explain he wasn't abandoning, but saving you–, but then you let out a soft, contented snore, and he couldn’t help but smile. Slowly, he lifted your hand, pressing a tender kiss to the back before leaning down to brush his lips across your forehead, damp with extertion.

“I’ll be back soon,” he whispered, voice barely more than a breath. “I love you.”

[see-arcane]

My Criticism: the erotic bond of Thomas and Orlok and the romantic/sexual bond of Ellen and Anna deserved more focus. (But that's also my thoughts on the various Draculas). Happily surprised they gave some sexuality to the newlyweds it literally never happens with Dracula media

I think that for the amount of time and the focus of the story, Eggers fit in as much as he could without it overshadowing the main core of 1) Orlok targeting Ellen and 2) Thomas and Ellen being in love and headed for tragedy. And yes! Eggers lets these newlyweds be truly in love and hot for each other! It's like what we deserved with Jonathan and Mina for 127 years, very nearly! :')

SPOILERS BELOW

That said, I do think that short of a real kiss with Ellen and Anna, Eggers gave us a decent 'what-if' of what Mina and Lucy might have been like if they both made it to marriage (bar Harding not quite measuring up to Arthur Holmwood standards, loving husband and father though he is). They are both married young women now and Ellen is rooming under Anna's husband's roof. It'd be tricky to have anything properly raunchy go on, but we do at least get that scene of Ellen laying in bed with Anna!

Before the Orlok business happens. Augh.

As for Orlok and Thomas...oh, but there is a lot to unpack there.

To be clear, this is very much not Dracula and Jonathan's weird predatory thing. It is another, weirder, semi-callback to The Lighthouse kind of thing. At least in the vein that the brief homoerotic flints of interaction we get there--

The slow dance scene where the two men who hate each other almost share a kiss, only for the younger man to recoil in panic.

A scene of insults and accusation where the older man describes the younger as having eyes like a lady's.

--lean on braided elements of homoeroticism, homophobia, and violent/elder masculinity baring its teeth at gentler/younger masculinity via comparisons to women.

Or, to be frank, even as Orlok is bitter at Thomas being the man Ellen chose despite their 'covenant,' it isn't just the bitterness of, "She chose another man over me!" but, "She chose a weaker, younger, effeminate man over me!" Which paired perfectly (horribly) with his running theme of being a psychic rapist. Orlok is the more masculine man. Thomas is, in his eyes, the lesser, effete competition. Why, the boy may as well be a woman himself.

Cue Orlok taking a route with Thomas that we never see him take with any other man in the movie. He preys on Thomas in the exact same way he would eventually do to Ellen at the climax. The only dignity he leaves the young man with is that he does not strip him as he feeds--only Orlok is naked, crouched and feeding at Thomas' breast twice. The first time being the result of getting almost obscenely aroused--literally or hungrily--at the sight of Thomas' thumb bleeding. All we get to see there is Thomas' terror under sudden paralysis as Orlok closes in. And the next time we see Thomas is him, not on the chair where we last saw him, but sprawled on the floor.

On his stomach.

Dressed, true. But with his face and front down. Already bitten at the heart.

Then, in his last scenes with Orlok, we see him actively try to kill Orlok in his box. Orlok stops the attack, tracks him down to the locked room Thomas has hid in--a room in his own castle! which he could unlock!--and purposefully uses a trance to make Thomas open the door. Just as he trances Thomas into laying himself out on the bed, locked and afraid in his own body. Orlok falls on him, feeding again at Thomas' chest, loudly and deeply draining what sounds like a horrific amount of blood.

(There's a comment to be made about the reversal of taking in bodily fluids, but we'll skip that for now.)

In the midst of this, Thomas is treated to a vision of Ellen in Orlok's place. Seeing it, he looks almost docile. Welcoming.

Orlok, naked, drinks and drinks. And leaves him on the bed.

Instead of slaughtering him. He doesn't even call the wolves to him once he's finished to eat the leftovers.

Which I find strange, considering that in a future scene, Orlok muses aloud to Knock that Thomas yet lives. As if he's surprised. Did he have the wolves on a mental timer to come after Thomas by daylight? Or did he think that, despite Thomas' heart still miraculously beating, he had drained enough blood to assume the young man would die on his own?

Or.

Was the surprise not that Thomas was alive, but alive and human? Not the undead, like himself, like he planned to make Ellen?

It doesn't add up to have the wolves only appear by daylight to spook Thomas out of the window--if Orlok was so concerned about technically keeping his hands clean of murdering him and so keeping the covenant with Ellen technically not a thing of theft, he could have absolutely let the wolves in that night to finish the job and be sure Thomas was torn to pieces. Instead, Thomas is intact come sunup, the door left open to the wolves...

...who only come running and raging up to him once Thomas proves to still be alive and awake despite how he passed the night. Can't be undead if you aren't dead first. This, combined with how Thomas states later on that he still feels Orlok's shadow/hold on him, seems to imply that Orlok didn't want to just kill Thomas off. He seethes about Thomas so deeply that he would rather see the young man under his heel forever just as he means to keep Ellen under his thumb and mentally assaulted at every opportunity.

If Ellen is Orlok's prize for desire's sake, Thomas is Orlok's conquest made out of pride. 'Making a woman' of Ellen's chosen man. Hell, he puts the words in Ellen's mouth when he tugs a mental string in her to get them fighting. Despite Orlok only ever mentioning the technical truth of Thomas 'selling her for gold' (with a contract he could not read and assumed was for a commission and a completion of a house sale), Ellen somehow has the knowledge to accuse Thomas of 'falling into Orlok's arms'--when, in fact, Orlok mounted Thomas and did what he did.

...

......

.........

Which brings me to the grimmest point of this whole fucked up mess which I really truly hope is Not the Case.

Orlok had his puppeteer hands in both of the Hutters. He was obviously leaning heaviest on Ellen, but he had his grip on Thomas too. So I have to wonder.

How much of the sex scene between the Hutters was entirely their will?

What if Orlok, in full voyeur fashion, pulled even more strings to make that sudden feverish intimacy happen? Ellen says aloud that they will show him their love. Is it a show only Ellen wants them to put on? Or is it Orlok, once more violating his victims by proxy? Either way the shock-vision of Ellen weeping and vomiting blood cuts the mood immediately--however real or imagined it was--and both Hutters snap out of their haze to embrace.

No no no I am unclean

Nonsense I love you I love you

Something else for Orlok to watch. A little knife-twist from his face-to-face with Ellen--You cannot love--and fuel on the martyr fire for Ellen, who heard from Orlok that he would kill all she loves, including Thomas, if she refuses him--in another life, another threat: (If you make a sound I shall take him and dash his brains out before your very eyes.)--though the villain could have killed him a dozen times already. But she cannot take the gamble.

All of which is a very very long way of saying that while Orlok's main focus is definitely on Ellen, there are signs of another stranger hate-attraction with Thomas. The opponent he wants in full submission versus Ellen, the runaway bride to coerce into being his equal.

tl;dr: They're just not that into you, Orlok, let it go

[talking-objects]

uhm..so

TW brief mentions of suicide!! (also spoilers)

i have some theories..

assimilated might go to wagyu, pale horse proved hes practically gone but it could go to someone else.

citrus or spool might die, in a teaser we saw citrus stabbing bodypillow ( i think) if this kills bodypillow citrus won't have food since they're stuck or bodypillow will kill one of the two. (citrus might also fly off and kill someone else we know)

if I recall I got a warning on objectified during school mentioning suicide, I wouldn't be surprised if sharps commits

she doesn't seem to be pleased about life.

minty might also die, brandy got violent and seeing the "vein" things in his eyes he might get delirium and target minty.

dynamite could get assimilated seeing how wolves without teeth ended with him getting chased, but mushroom couldn't do anything (she was busy having a panic attack or something) and Chester mentioned in a video that dynamite would be dead without her, maybe he runs away and loses her resulting in his death?

ok theory time over, i want thoughts and other people's ideas if anyone wants to bring up their own ideas and theories pleasssseee do

dragonscale could die to drugs maybe?

[lunarthecorvus]

Kaz Brekker/Inej Ghafa Major Character Death fanfiction recommendations

part of Lunar's soc fanficiton rec series

-------------------------------✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧----------------------------------

Slipping away by @ven-brekker

Wordcount: 1,689 Chapters: 1/1

Characters: Inej Ghafa, Kaz Brekker

Tags: Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Blood and Injury, Kanej - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Pre-Canon, Touch-Averse Kaz Brekker, Whump, Major Character Injury

Author's summary/notes: “Keep talking, Wraith. Don’t slip away from me.” “But it’s what I do best.” - Six of Crows, Ch. 12 Inej waits for her Saints to finally have her. My summary/notes: Now this fic is the of major character death whump. There is no ambiguous ending its a death fic to its end. It cuts deep and would definitely fulfill the death fic mood. It HURTS and will make you bawl.

---------- ☾₊ ⊹

for once, my teeth bleed for you by @pbandjeremiah

Wordcount: 1,903 Chapters: 1/1

Characters: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa

Tags: this is upsetting, Major character death - Freeform, Post-Book 2: Crooked Kingdom, Mix of Show and Book Canon, Hurt No Comfort, kaz and inej loving and respecting each other SO DAMN MUCH, i'm sorry this is sad but like, married kanej, shadow summoner kaz, kaz is a grisha

Author's summary/notes: For once, Kaz Brekker didn't have a plan. For once, it was going to cost him all that he had. Kaz and Inej are put on trial for murder and crimes against Ghezen. Neither of them are going to survive this. My summary/notes: This was one of the first kanej death fics I read and I still adore it now. It really shows the lengths kanej will go to protect and respect each others wishes.

---------- ☾₊ ⊹

our youth will take the blame by @pinspec

Wordcount: 3,612 Chapters: 1/1

Characters: Inej Ghafa, Kaz Brekker, Jesper Fahey, Wylan Van Eck

Tags: Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Denial, Canon-Typical Violence, Angst, Sad Ending, Protective Kaz Brekker, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, kaz is so in love with inej it actually hurts, neither of them can say 'i love you', please don't sue me

Author's summary/notes: A mission goes badly wrong, and amidst the carnage Kaz fails to save his Wraith. My summary/notes: This shit hurts. Just everything about this hurts. However in my opinion the ending provides a sense of comfort at least...

---------- ☾₊ ⊹

she was supposed to come back by maryadmitrievnalikesundays

Wordcount: 2,840 Chapters: 1/1

Characters: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Wylan Van Eck, Jesper Fahey

Tags: Character Death, Death, Grief/Mourning, Madness, Descent into Madness, Insanity, Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ambiguous/Open Ending

Author's summary/notes: She was always supposed to return. That was the deal—eight months at sea, four by his side. Eight months of letters and news clippings with her name saved in the locked drawer in his desk. Eight months of yearning, working, killing, waiting for her to come back and give it all meaning. And then The Wraith would roll into port, and the Ketterdam clouds would break, and the King and Queen of the Barrel would walk back home together, hand in hand. But ten months have come and gone since her last departure. And the sky is thick and dense with clouds, and the only thing in his hand is a knife. —— Or, the one thing that could push the Bastard of the Barrel past his breaking point. My summary/notes: I'm not kidding you, the title is enough to make my heart hurt. Be warned that this as depictions of very bad mental health, in case of any triggers <3

---------- ☾₊ ⊹

Who lives, who dies, who tells your story by leehab23

Wordcount: 4,717 Chapters: 1/1

Characters: Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey, Wylan Van Eck, Nina Zenik, Matthias Helvar

Tags: Sad with a Happy Ending, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Character Death, Some mourners some funerals, I just really think this whole city would go to pieces without him, Some rule of wolves spoilers related to Nina, Book 2: Rule of Wolves Spoilers, Minor violence in the beginning, Minor obstruction of correspondence at the end, somewhat happy I promise, or at least I think so

Author's summary/notes: He continued on, speaking of Kaz’s good deeds, of the great man that lay in hiding behind the terrible one. Of Kaz’s legendary brains, unbelievable grit, and overwhelming impact on the city he called home. As he spoke, he noticed movement in the back of the crowd. Fighting? Fleeing? Wylan couldn’t tell. The ripples grew wider, men and women tripping over themselves to move away from the center of the street. Suddenly a path cleared, as though the crowd had been cleanly torn in half by the point of a sharp knife. “Inej,” Jesper breathed. OR: All of Ketterdam is left reeling in the wake of Kaz Brekker’s death. Despite his frequent objections to the concept, there are mourners and a funeral. My summary/notes: When reading kanej death fics I have noticed that there is less Kaz death fics compared to Inej death fics. So if you're in the mood for a Kaz death fic (I have been many times, don't ask me why but I find it so interesting reading Inej's reaction to Kaz dying). You will feel Inej's pain and it hurts so much. And this fic has Nina helping Nina through the pain and them bonding over dead partners..

[absolutefilthimsosorry]

Spoilers for DnP Incohearent!!!!

I’m having so much fun trying to solve these that I made a list to keep track! Message if you can help me fill in any I’m missing or if I’ve got any wrong!!!

Also lmk if you see any I’ve missed!! I’m going to keep updating this and have it unrebloggable but you can reblog this post to have a link to it!

These are all gathered from this post and this post so check the notes on those first to try to solve them then look here if you need answers!

Sow march cheer ray = so much cherry

Wee nay urn for uke oye yer tub = we’ve never fucked on youtube?

Ta fold in fig = the golden pig

Feed hay hid eho = vday video

Tat he won ape hit morse him he = daddy want a bit more simmy

Watt ken ice hay = what can I say

North key bus teabag king = naughty busty baking

Fool tie enter nit hobo / fall tie mint her nepo moe / fault aye mint earn are ohm owe/ foul thyme inch hermit hole mold = full time internet homo

Cumin mile aid deed or = come in my ladydoor

Hum hay zinc tan = amazingdan

Elven ower fug sedge own = eleven hour fuck session

An berry moth ribeye adam stir = and every month we buy a hamster

March rest array = Manchester eye

Cyst herding yell = sister daniel

Add a ding teps = editing tips

Cop dubai khaki luna = topped by kakuna

Late eat tore = ladydoor

Half tugger etch two eggs cyst = have the courage to exist

Perish she end wink = Parisian twink

Coal ten big/ goal then pick = golden pig

Cyst ordain yell = sister daniel

Train youth inks = try new things

Gay mean moss/ gain ink mass = gamingmas

Soften need = soft and neat

A wools lied = owl slide

Topper bought them hill = top or bottom Phil

Coat fit firenze = golf with friends???

Few ours pig meow fits = viewers pick my outfits

Read less tar = red lester

Eye eight soup igloo = I ate super glue

Insight youth era too walls = inside you there are two wolves

Mine amy stan = my name is Dan

Clap hella = glabella

Hiss teeth rent = hits different

Eel eyes apron kay kiss = Eliza pancakes

See pram haze ink bra jet = super amazing project

Feels lie yawn = phils lion

Fuel ease snot dawn fair = Phil is not on fire

Jaw shush ear son = josh hutcherson

Ball bull him tour food = bauble in your foot?

Sure eck = shrek

High ate dust = hiatus

Add a dink deps = editing tips

Ga hay shoom air age = gay shoe marriage

Pope eat plate aim = poppy playtime

Eat aches stu = it takes two

Goo gal few ed = google feud

Baze ick lee eye meg ay = basically I’m gay

Ko min yout ti ew = coming out to you

Ender knit subvert grew oop = internet support group

Phylis turn yar a sheen yes = PHIL LESTER YOU’RE A GENIUS

With Audi intern yet wean ed brr wood halve mat = without the internet we never would have met

Gum ban yins drool I’ve = companions through life

Reed sons wide answer flail = reasons why dans a fail

Ewan dam ah some are reed = you and Dan are so married

Denver sis fill/ Denver cis full = Dan vs Phil

Or lawn huffing = all or nothing

Dunk rye core raft = don’t cry craft

Mortal jester roam and thick/ Morph adjust row antic = more than just romantic

So wall how debris poll light = swallow to be polite???

Oar hinge art = orange heart

Foray virgo em = forever home

Chai reel loop/ share real oob = cherry lube

Cad boyd anne = cat boy dan

Far turf ill lip = father philip

Tess lit hen ink = the slittening

Forth house indie rolled or touches = four thousand year old tortoises

Hey moth swish roundup floating = a month without uploading

Jam march let pet tea an farms = Je mange les petit enfants

Day lion howl tour = Dalien Howlter

Ima let all kit = I’m a little kit

Feel pearl lays shell ter = Phil plays shelter

Fewer blue key app ending = viewer spooky happenings

Hell low iam tour reel = hello I am Toriel

Laugh tuh gey mile kuh = left to get milk

Villas eek wreck why vuh = Phil’s secret wife

Footy strain gin said dent = ___ strange incident????

Snow core play sum = snokoplasm

Nope puts cereal sleeping mage innit = no but seriously imagine it

Tear rip pulling flu hence = terrible influence

Jeff why eye aisle hike vague liner = fyi I like vagina

Eggs intense all cry cis = existential crisis

List of contributors

@fletthewreck @dandp @deadandphilgames @manchesterau @thephouseplants @awrfhi @jonsaremembers @rachosaurusrex @dapgolf @dan-whoell @dnphobe @dreamingalto @steveandscraggy @phanbeats @danandfuckingjonlmao @pepper-pastry @yonpote @un-interactive-introvert @spaniel-trowel @sisterdanieldyke @queerdnp @morganadelacour @amid-fandoms @spectral-kitkat @goingpheral @angelzonearth @wdapteo @2009phan @dansevilpianotea

[purble-gaymer]

Why was meta knight eating the waddle dees in the flesh and bone au? I'm assuming sword and blade was because they had found out. Is he still murdering and eating people or has he stopped?

Sorry this au is very interesting to me

no need to apologize! i will take any excuse to talk about this au.

why does meta knight kill? there are a few reasons for this. one is how he was raised: within this au, he stays with nightmare far longer than he does in my main timeline. because of this, he’s raised as part of nme’s army, as a monster. he has to fight to survive and to avoid punishment for not being “good enough.” he is nightmare’s prized possession, after all, so he can’t go disappointing him.

another reason that’s technically a bit of a spoiler (but i’ll tell you anyway) is there’s a spell branded into him to make him more aggressive. this is something nightmare did as he got older and began fighting with the other monsters. astrals by nature are peacekeepers and protectors, and of course nightmare doesn’t want that. this brand is present all throughout his life, and though he learns to manage it better with the gsa, it tends to come out in combat.

finally, there’s his biology. after nightmare plucked him out of space, he was given the opportunity to play with his genetics a bit. he did what he could to remove the astral’s natural peaceful tendencies and replaced them with what he considered to be more fitting. unfortunately for meta knight, one of these tweaks made him more carnivorous than astrals tend to be. it wasn’t a perfect adjustment, however, and it created more of a dependency than just a craving. his mental state will start to deteriorate if he goes too long without the necessary nutrients, making him even more aggressive and beast-like than he already was.

now back to the present—the trip on the halberd to nme’s headquarters was long, boring, and not exactly filled with the best quality food. though this is also something he’s learned to manage better, meta knight still found himself teetering on the edge of a breakdown when he got back to dreamland. usually he’d fly to whispy woods and take out a few squirrels to deal with it, but his usual diet of forest critters wasn’t working this time. without anywhere else to turn, he acted on instinct—those waddle dees are probably filled with delicious, fatty meat, right? and they can hardly even defend themselves. there’s so many, no one will even notice.

after leaving dreamland, he ends up on another continent on popstar and claims an abandoned house in a little seaside town. he hunts and sells his catches at the local market for a living, though he also spends plenty of time in the woods taking out deer and wolves purely for the relief of ripping them apart with his teeth.

he doesn’t kill anyone else—no need to worry. he won’t be making that mistake again.

[wingedshadowfan]

i have to say tho [hell bent, ninth house sequel spoilers] the scariest part of hell bent for me was when the fucking wolf in hell quoted scripture back at turner

The wolf’s lips split, showing its jagged teeth, its black gums. It was smiling. “If a thief is found breaking in,” it said, the words rolling like growls, “and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him.”

it was horrifying proof that they wouldn't get away with what they were doing, there's really no good or evil, just rules and they were the ones not playing fair, breaking the rules by trying to steal darlington's soul back - and that this fact allowed the wolves to stop them without consequences, since a price is to be paid for all wrongdoings

[oldfangirl81]

Brightside, Chapter 1

Fandom: Teen Wolf, 9-1-1: Lone Star

Rating: Mature but don't go beyond canon violence

Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski

Summary: One week before Iris goes missing Carlos is assigned a new partner that is a transfer from California. He is a bit of an odd one.

(this will also become a fix it for S4 finale)

Notes: Spoilers for S4 of Lone Star and Teen Wolf Movie in only that Eli Hale exists. I decided Carlos should have some different back-up. And another character to vent my annoyance about Detective Grier through. Derek and Stiles are pre-slash for a while, it is complicated. Stiles knows Eli exists but hasn’t met him, only talked on the phone. And I like magical overpowered Stiles so keep that in mind. Gabriel Reyes was a human born into a pack, he gets tapped by the Texas Rangers when there are supernatural cases. In my world pink wolfsbane is a bit like poison ivy to wolves, irritation and rash causing.

Inspiration: Brightside by Halestorm

Fake a smile, And self-destruct, Count it down, Four, three, two, one, I'm over it, All the bullshit, And this fucked up world, I'm living in, Where everything, I'm choking on, Is supposed to help, And keep me hanging on, Yeah, ain't it fun, So enjoy the ride, 'Cause life's a bitch and then you die

So I keep looking, On the bright side of life, 'Cause it only gets darker, We all need something to keep believing, So I keep looking, On the bright side of life

~

Stiles frowned as he was about to brush his teeth for bed. The protection spell on his new partner Officer Reyes was triggered, it indicated a head injury that could have been fatal without him having tipped the balance. What in the world was the other man up to. He should be at home snuggled up with that hot paramedic fiance of his. Then Stiles sighed realizing that maybe Carlos Reyes was a little less by the book than he’d originally thought. If someone thought a person he cared about was lying Stiles would be investigating in his off time. Stiles was just glad he hadn’t got in pjs yet as he grabbed his keys to go rescue Carlos.

It didn’t take Stiles long for him to arrive at the neighborhood they’d found Iris earlier. Closing his eyes focusing on narrowing down Carlos location. Stiles shouldn’t have been surprised it was the house that looked pretty and perfect. Those houses always did seem to hide the worst sins inside. Knocking on the door Stiles could sense two life signs in the house currently. After a moment he heard steps towards the door and an older woman opened the door. Her eyes widened upon spotting the man’s police uniform.

“Hello, Officer. It is very late. What seems to be the problem? I was just about to go to bed.” The woman was trying to appear calm but Stiles could clearly see signs of anxiety.

“You have two choices, hard or easy.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Oh I’m pretty sure you do. Easy means you quietly let me arrest you and allow me to give aide to my partner. Then we all three wait patiently for the rest of APD to come arrest you and…” Stiles paused for a moment glancing at a picture on the wall behind her. “your son for all your dirty deeds, finally get some justice for his many victims. Or I can do it hard way. You won’t like that.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about. I’m going to have to ask you to leave if you don’t have a warrant.” She swallowed hard not letting this young officer trick her into harming her son.

“See, I don’t need one when an officer is in distress. You took my partner. Both his fiance and I would like him back without further harm. NOW.” Stiles channeled a bit of Sourwolf’s attitude as he stepped into her physical space cause her to back up. Slamming the door behind Stiles threw up perimeter wards so that the killer couldn’t sneak up on him.

“Get out of my house! You are going to upset Darryl.” She tried to open the door to push Stiles back out.

“Oh? That would make my day. I love upsetting killers who target weaker members of society for their prey.”

She tried to physical attack Stiles head on in desperation. It didn’t take him long to slap restraints that had been made with mountain ash just in case.

“That was very dumb.” Stiles pushed her to walk into the kitchen where he felt Carlos showing signs of coming back to consciousness. “What is your name?”

“Trudie. You are very rude.”

“Oh no, a serial killer’s mother thinks I’m rude. My fragile self-esteem will never recover.” Stiles pushed her into a chair and used a bit of magic to keep her stuck there until he released it. Now he felt more comfortable focusing on Carlos who was starting to groan in pain. “Oh good the dumbass who didn’t think to get back up in the form of his partner is alive.”

“Stilinski?” Carlos tried to figure out what was happening. Last he remembered was discovering the tunnel that the person who abducted Iris could have escaped through. “My head is killing me.”

“That is to be expected since Old Mrs Bateman hit you in the head with a shovel at least once before dragging you into the kitchen. I’m not sure how many times she probably knocked your head into the wall too.” Stiles looked over at the woman who didn’t say anything but she was crying silently. Stiles touched Carlos using a bit of magic to heal Carlos enough so that his pain would be less but not enough to raise suspicion of not being injured enough. “I really don’t want to get assigned a new partner. I might not like them as much as you. So in the future...CALL ME FOR BACK UP BEFORE GOING INTO A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION!”

“Uh, sorry?” Carlos was unsure how to react. He didn’t think his new partner liked him much. Stilinski talked a lot but rarely actually said something. And Stilinski was either extremely professional or a sarcastic shit to everyone. Almost everyone. Carlos did over hear a phone call on their first shift where Stiles was genuinely nice to who ever was on the other end.

“Yeah, not good enough. But I’ll let your fiance really lecture you on not risking your life when there is help available.” Stiles grabbed his knife slicing the restraints from Carlos hands and feet. “Stay put because I don’t know what other damage she did.”

“Is she the one who abducted Iris?” Carlos now remembered why he acted so brashly in the first place.

“No, she is just mommy dearest to the killer. And like a good mom she was cleaning up his mess by doing away with you.” Stiles sighed. “I’m calling it in because we’ll need both locations searched because we don’t know how long he has been active. And we know there is at least one body in this house.”

“W-what?” Trudie gasped. She was certain the pantry door was closed at the moment. But that was exactly where the other cop walked over too and opened it. Darryl’s latest victim fell out with a soft thud.

“It is over, lady. I’d stay quiet until you talk to a lawyer at this point if you are just going to keep denying reality. You shouldn’t have fucked with my partner.”

“How rude!”

“Fuck off. You covered up numerous murders and attacked my partner. I don’t give a flying fuck about how my language upsets you.” Stiles glared at her before calling Ranger Reyes directly. “Gabriel, we have a problem.”

Carlos eyebrows climbed up as heard his father’s voice over the phone. How the hell did his new partner know his dad enough to have number programmed into the phone.

“Dad and you can now complain next time about your kids not getting back up and getting abducted.” Stiles held the phone away from his ear as Gabriel yelled.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY SON WAS ABDUCTED!?! HE WASN’T EVEN ON SHIFT TONIGHT!”

“Dude, would I be calling you so casual if he was still in danger? He has a bit of a head injury that might need stitches but I got here before worse happened. On the positive side he did break a serial killer case that APD was dismissing because of the victims. If you can notify the officials channels and send paramedics too. The killer is Darryl Jones. His mother Trudie Jones is the one who abducted Carlos because he was dumb enough to explore a crime scene after hours without backup.”

Carlos cringed at Stiles glared at him while tattling to his dad. It was a good thing he was to old to be grounded.

“Yeah, I’ll call his man. I haven’t yelled much. Figured TK deserves that privilege.” Stiles nodded at something Carlos couldn’t hear before hanging up.

“You know my Dad?” Carlos wonders if he woke up in another reality. Stilinski hadn’t mentioned at all this week knowing Gabriel Reyes.

“Long story I can tell you later when we don’t have an audience. Now what is TK’s number?”

“Who is TK?” asked Trudie sniffling.

“His paramedic fiance.”

“Oh weddings are lovely. I’m sure she is beautiful.”

“TK is a guy. But is hot.” Stiles shrugged at the glare Carlos gave him.

“Oh I do love The Gays.”

Stiles blinked before just shaking his head staring at Carlos who rattled off the number.

“Hello?” The phone had only rang twice before TK picked up.

“TK? This is Officer Stilinski.”

“Oh god. What happened to Carlos? He was supposed to be off already.” It was clearly TK was going through worst case scenarios. It made Stiles want to kick Carlos in the shin hearing the worry but the man was injured enough.

“Deep breath, TK. Your fiance is a certified dumbass but he’ll be okay. I’m just not sure what time he’ll be getting home. It depends how long it takes the Rangers and APD to clear us from the scene. He is injured but not to serious, he might need some stitches.”

“WHAT?! Can I talk to him?” TK was throwing on shoes and grabbing keys planning to head out once he knew where to go.

“He was hit in the head with a shovel at least once. Officer Reyes decided it would be a good idea to investigate where Iris Blake was found without backup.” Stiles handed over the phone to Carlos.

“Babe?”

“Hey TK, look I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-”

“Carlos, I was upset but I also shouldn’t have gone to see Iris without talking to you first. But Babe, how did you get hurt? And I’m coming to you.”

“TK, no, you don’t need too. I’m not that hurt. And Officer Stilinski is watching me closely until everyone else arrives. He called my Dad.”

“He knows your Dad?”

“I know Owen too.” Stiles commented looking up from examining a cupboard that was making Trudie very anxious. He frowned sensing something with his magic before turning to the older woman. “Seriously? You seriously let your son store his serial killing trophies in your kitchen? Gross.”

“Carlos, did he just say serial killer? YOU WERE ATTACKED BY A SERIAL KILLER?”

“No, I was attacked by a serial killer’s mother. I guess. I’m not fully sure where a serial killer came into this honestly. I was unconscious for a bit. But I’m serious TK, you don’t need to come all the way over here. Just wait until I know which hospital I’m getting dragged too.”

“Too late, I’m already in the car on my way to you. Are you really okay at the moment?”

“Yeah, I promise. I guess I’ll see you in a bit then.”

“Alright, I love you.”

“Love you too.” Carlos handed the phone back to Stiles. “Do you know everyone in Austin?”

“Nah, I met Owen a long time ago in New York. I haven’t talked to him since I arrived.” Just then Stiles felt someone cross his wards. “Did you call your son earlier?”

Trudie pressed her lips together without saying anything.

“Stilinski, talk to me, what is wrong?” Carlos started trying to move but his balance was slightly off.

“Stay. I have this handled.” Then Stiles eyes got even wider. “Wait. Well fuck. So Carlos what do you know anything about your Dad’s family?”

“Is now really the time to ask me ice breaking questions?”

“I mentioned it for a specific reason. I need to know how freaked out you are going to be if I start throwing magic around.”

“Are you sure that you weren’t the one hit with a shovel?”

“Cute. No. But we have a werewolf attempting to sneak past my wards.”

“Werewolves aren’t real. I don’t see you having any silver weapons.”

“Silver comes from a mistranslated text a long time ago. There was a family who became notorious for killing werewolves, their last name meant silver. However I am going to hand you the gun with wolfsbane bullets. Shoot if he gets to close to you.” Stiles could tell Carlos still thought he was delusional.

Trudie gasped when this cop seemed to know what her son was already. He also seemed more than ready to kill or injure her baby. Trudie tried to make a sound to warn her son but found her voice wouldn’t work. She glared at the cop she had heard called Stilinski.

“Oh fuck you, like I thought for a second you wouldn’t warn your demon spawn the moment you had the chance.” Stiles shifted again sensing the man coming in a back window.

“Stilinski, this is crazy. Werewolves and magic aren’t re-”

A roar was heard as the door flew open there stood a man. But he was a bit more than just a normal human man. He had claws, fangs and glowing blue eyes. Carlos had the safety off the gun before he registered what he was doing.

“Hey, Reyes, this is a positive. He isn’t an alpha werewolf, just a pathetic beta.” Stiles knew those words would cause Darryl to snap further.

With a roar the man launched himself at Stiles who had picked up a cast iron skillet. Even Carlos had to wince at the sound it made connecting to the werewolf’s skull.

“Bad doggy, no treats for you.” Stiles brought the frying pan down two more times for good measure knowing how tough wolves could be.

“What the hell,” Carlos couldn’t but whisper.

“As I said our killer was a werewolf.”

“You killed my boy!” Trudie started sobbing able to speak again now that her son was unconscious.

“He isn’t dead. Just unconscious. He’ll recover unless he attacks again. Then he goes down for good.” Stiles growled, his flashing red briefly.

“Are you a werewolf too?” Carlos couldn’t believe he was seriously concede ring that werewolves were real.

“Nope. I’m a Spark.”

Trudie gasped in horror. Oh no, what had she done. Her father always taught her to avoid Sparks but especially avoid angering Sparks.

“What’s a spark?” Carlos asked glancing over at the woman and then Stilinski.

“I am.” Stiles smirked but then his phone rang. Cursing softly he answered the call. “Hey Derek, what’s up?”

“Really?” Derek’s sigh was loud. “Are you okay? I felt you tap into the pack bond a minute ago but it felt more annoyance than fear or anger.”

“I’m fine, Derek. I guess I just wanted a little reassurance when I took down a beta with a frying pan.”

“Are you turning into Flynn Ryder?”

“Derek, serious question but when did you watch Tangled? And why didn’t you watch it with me?”

“Eli made me watch it a couple of years ago. And I didn’t know I was supposed to not watch any movies without you.”

Stiles pouted for a moment before hearing sirens coming closer. “Look, I gotta go. The situation isn’t a code red any longer. I’ll call you later to fill you in, okay?”

“No.”

“What do you mean no?”

“No, you can wait to fill us in when we get to Austin.”

Stiles paled looking more than a bit panicked at that. “What do you mean when ‘we’ get to Austin? Why are you coming to Austin and who is ‘we’?”

“I’ll talk with you in the morning, Stiles. Goodnight.”

“Don’t you. Goddammit he hung up on me. I am sprinkling pink wolfsbane in his underwear drawer.” Stiles made a note in his phone.

“Was that your boyfriend?” Carlos asked waiting for the sirens to finally reach them. “He sounded worried.”

“Not my boyfriend.” Stiles sighs frowning trying to figure out why Derek would come to Austin and who would he bring with him. “It is a very complicated thing.”

“Carlos? Stiles?” Gabriel came running in through the open door with his gun drawn.

“Hey Gabe, you are going to need to take charge of the scene right away. We have a serial killing wolf whose human mother helped cover up his decades long crimes. She is the one who abducted Carlos.”

Gabe paused glancing down at the unconscious killer before giving his son a once over for any serious injuries. He had never really wanted Carlos to become involved in the violent side of the supernatural world. Carlos only ever really had interacted with the mystical side of the Reyes family. Granted Carlos didn’t know they were actual mystical and not just strangely superstitious.

“Hey Dad.”

“Hey Carlitos, I am sure you have questions. I’m sorry this is how you found out about the full spectrum of my job. I never wanted this for you.” Gabriel secured Darryl with werewolf proof cuffs.

“THAT IS MY FIANCE IN THERE AND I AM A PARAMEDIC. I KNOW HE IS INJURED NOW LET ME PAST!” An impressive growl from a human could be heard.

Stiles stuck his out to where the patrol officer was trying to get TK to leave. “Let him in. I don’t know where the ambulance is but he can examine Officer Reyes while we wait. The scene is safe currently.”

TK rushed into the kitchen falling to his knees by Carlos seeing the blood still flowing from the cut on his forehead. “Babe?”

“Hey TK, it really isn’t that bad. You know head injuries look worse than it is.”

Stiles snorted knowing how much worse it could have been without his added protection. He stepped back to fill Gabriel in on what he had discovered since the initial phone call. Now earlier in the day Stiles had not had the pleasure of meeting Detective Grier by a quirk of chance. But her luck had just ended as she walked into the room.

“Oh hell no.” Stiles hauled off and punched her, the nose breaking satisfyingly under his fist.

“WHAT THE HELL OFFICER STILINSKI?” yelled both Carlos and TK.

Trying to stop her nose from bleeding. “Lovely to see you again, Stiles. How is your pup these days?”

“Fuck you. What are you doing working in Austin? The Calveras are not friendly with other hunting families.”

“Stiles?” Gabriel frowned trying to figure out what he missed.

“Her married name is Argent. She is Stefano Argent’s widow and former partner.”

“Detective Grier, is this true?” Gabriel was livid that there was an Argent in Austin that nobody knew about.

“What does it matter to you?” The Detective was frustrated that someone knew her past. She had ignored protocols for entering the terriotory for a reason.

“Maybe because he also thinks a murderous witch like you shouldn’t be on APD?”

“I was protecting people. I followed the code.” She glared at Stiles like he was a cockroach she wished to smash.

“Bullshit. The only Argents that ever followed the code was Alison and Chris. And even that is arguable.”

“We will be talking later, Detective Grier but for now get the hell out of my crime scene and case. I’ll be talking over the serial killer case that you had dismissed.” Gabriel couldn’t help but wonder if Grier had taken Iris seriously if his son wouldn’t have to had to pull such a risky move to prove Iris was telling the truth.

“I take it that it would be pointless to try to press charges for assault?” She glared at Stiles.

“Be my guest. I can always go back to bounty hunting.” He crossed his arms not amused. He would call Danny later and have him do a deep dive because why was she in Austin too.

She let out a huff of annoyance and stormed out of the house.

“Did you really have to punch her?” asked Carlos while TK was trying to clean his head wound with the kit he brought with him.

“Oh trust me, she deserves a hell of a lot more. I know of at least one orphan because of her hand.” Stiles looked at cast iron skillet with longing.

“What in the hell is going on?” TK could tell there was a lot going on that he didn’t have enough of the pieces to make a picture with.

“Focus on taking care of Carlos right now, TK. Then later Stiles and I will come over to your house to explain everything.”

“You should ask Owen to come too. He knows some of it.” Stiles said reluctantly. The problem was once Owen knew then Stile’s Dad would also know which department he is attached to now. They hadn’t talked in over a year after their last fight. Any further discussion was put on hold as paramedics had arrived. So had Gabriel’s special team for the forensics and to take the suspects into custody. It was a busy next couple of hours for everyone. Especially since several couldn’t stop their minds from being focus on other things.

TBC

[coricatchthorne]

In exploring the landscape of queer, self-pub erotica (which I will be joining MONDAY!!), I came across several people recommending “Omega Required” by @dessa-lux. It was a fun read, as a newbie to all things alpha, beta, and/or omega. Minor spoilers so I can talk about some stuff I liked! 

There’s a lot of softness in this book; enough that it’d be easy to reduce it to comforting gay werewolf fluff (which it has plenty of, and we love it. Baths. Dinners. Cuddles. Playing tag with the neighbor kids.) But there are teeth, too. We find out that our omega lead, Rory, is traumatized right away; sick, coming out of a string of bad relationships, and lacking loved ones to support him. By contrast, alpha Beau seems like a fairly put-together fellow; he’s a sweetheart, he’s working to be a doctor, he’s got savings and a plan. But Beau’s also devoid of a supportive community, and has his own trauma: personal, familial, and societal. All this makes it very hard for Beau to ask for help, which is both relatable and ultimately drives the book’s central conflict.

The worldbuilding here impressed me. A lot of thought is given to how werewolves fit into the larger world, how people think of them, and what rules, systems, and organizations have arisen in response to their existence, without that feeling obtrusive or distracting. This also feeds into the story’s focus on community and marginalization, and how those things impact intimate connections on all scales: with lovers, family, neighbors, colleagues, or even patients. There’s a lot about internalized self-hatred as a maladaptive protection mechanism, and the ways it impedes our ability to build and nourish those intimate connections. And there’s a lot about the ways in which partnership is built, including both leads needing to cultivate connections outside of their romantic relationship in order to have a stable foundation to build a connection upon.

Also, there’s some tasty hot sex. The biological essentialism of the world and the werewolf nature of the leads allows some fun horny bits; no heats (that’s a plot point), but lots of moon-related urges and our leads navigating the ways those impact their budding relationship. I liked how this let the author push the characters together physically sooner than they would have done otherwise, and showed how that both helped and hindered their connection. This gave some welcome onscreen spice while still letting their romance have a slow-burn feel, despite starting off with a literal marriage of convenience.

Like I said, this was a first for me, but this book made me want to venture deeper, both into Dessa’s catalogue and the world of wolves and alphas and omegas and more! Check it out here!: https://books2read.com/u/3yEDRV

[yagurlhere]

Welp...

Wolves Without Teeth and Murder Drones' final episode come out tomorrow...

and I will be in pain.

Oh God, the curiosity...

Oh God, the spoilers...

Also, planning on posting a sort of rant-vent tomorrow related to Objectified, thought would be fitting cause as said above, the new episode comes out tomorrow.

Also, still need help with the ChatGPT thing.

[incorrect-web-novels]

The Demon Prince Goes to the Academy, Chapter 623

(Rambling under the cut - CW: spoilers, state violence, character death, war, classism mention, fantasy racial prejudice)

Something I'm finding very interesting about this novel is how anti-government and war it is, despite multiple main characters being royalty and nobles. They explicitly state multiple times how the government is not there to protect the people at all - it's meant to prolong the state, no matter the cost. It showed how the Empire couldn't feed the dying refugees, but they could easily kill them once they were desperate.

"The purpose of a nation is not the realization of justice or good intentions, but the preservation of the nation itself. There is no justice, relief for the poor, or charity in a vanished nation. If there's a single absolute priority a nation must protect, it is the nation's own existence. That's all."

- Charlotte to Reinhardt, ch.474

The riot was brief.

Thousands of guards were killed.

But within just a few days, hundreds of thousands of refugees were slaughtered.

The empire had trampled on the burgeoning frustration, asserting that violence belonged solely to the state.

Fear subdued and repressed everything.

But ultimately, all legitimacy vanished.

Everyone knew that it was a lie that the empire existed for humanity.

The brief riot returned as a massive massacre, and the raging mobs were forced to hold their breath, overwhelmed by fear.

While the empire couldn't support the refugees, they could kill them all within days.

- Chapter 609

The reason the Demon War started was due to mutual distrust, the fear that the other side would strike first, and it’s repeated by Duchess Yellena de Grantz, the classist mother of a main character who wants to protect her daughter:

Duchess Grantz spoke to me as if scolding a child.

"Do you intend to convince the sheep inside the fence that the hunger of the wolves and foxes outside is inevitable? Even when you don't know whether they're wolves in dog's skin, do you plan to let them in simply because they haven't shown their teeth to me?"

I had no answer to the Duchess's words.

Eleion Bolton was not a wolf.

The Duchess knew that.

But she was scolding me for bringing someone into the fence without knowing whether they were a dog or a wolf, thinking there was no need to kill them.

Someday, I would bring a wolf in dog's skin into the fence.

That's what she was saying.

- Chapter 622

This is immediately compared to Eleion Bolton, who participated in the war due to the human fear of demons. I really hated the Mass Guilt of the main characters before (and still kind of do), but it fits with the theme here - judging and killing others without proper consideration, succumbing to fear, will leave you with regrets once you realize what you've done rationally. Bertus de Gardias himself realizes that he "doesn't have the qualities of an Emperor" because he tried to protect his nation (and sister) by condemning and doubting Reinhardt for not being human & he can't abandon Ellen

- Chapter 514

And Reinhardt also admits he doesn't have the qualities of a king. He does not kill others even after they've gone against his wishes (like with the Gate Incident). He decides to accept them, no matter what sins they've committed. He is in direct opposition with the Empire because he's a threat as the Demon King and the Empire's prejudice against demons, but he's in direct opposition of his own role as a king that should only protect his country because he protects the people. He accepts the fear and injustice as he lives among humans and after. Even knowing the people around him would kill him if they knew his identity, he still loved and cared for them

"Fear and terror, you don't abandon them. Instead, you face them while embracing that fear and terror. That's what courage is."

- Luna, ch.495

"'A truth that divides everyone only leads to everyone's downfall...If that's the truth, it's better not to know.' If this problem could be overcome with just my own injustice, I'd accept the injustice."

- Reinhardt to Kono Lint about the Gate Incident, ch.541

Idk I just think the whole "letting dogs and wolves into the sheep pen" can be compared to quite a few IRL social justice issues & I agree with the narrative so far

Anyway, read DPA for its dissection of religious and government institutes... haha jk... unless 👉👈...

[scrambledlikeeggs]

After making muffins (and waiting for them to cook) I present a Joel centric secret life fic:

Up The Wolves

words: 0.5k

Tags: Joel centric, character study, secret life spoilers

Desciption:

Joel had found that dogs were better allies than none at all, without their smell, their touch, their insistently, stupidly loyal stubborn

Or: Sometimes it takes 5 seasons to undertand something.

As blood runs red so does the river.

'Hi Bdubs,'

Scott. Of course him.

It was inevitable to be killed in these games.

Scott was strong, but he was sly and smart and the regeneration from his allies death wasn't going to wear away fast enough but joel couldn't seem to find it in him to think about that. His mind is still reeling over the recently fallen. A sword plunges through his body for a final time.

At least he died trying. If he died in vain, at least he did not die alone.

The first game, his house had burnt, he had betrayed and been betrayed and then was left with only dogs to follow him and nothing left to lose.

(He couldn't seem to shake them, didn't understand why they stayed, all sharp teeth and soft ears their presence a constant, a comfort)

The next one game only been more. Joel meant it in every sense of the word. More death, more fire, more blood but somehow even less company (Joel had found that dogs were better allies than none at all, without their smell, their touch, their insistently, stupidly loyal stubborn nature the cave stayed damp in a way that never seemed to dry). The red eyes, the paranoia, the chase the hunt, the death then dying once again. He may have had sharp teeth but he was no king of dogs.

Double life. Well, he had not been alone but it certainly felt more like an obligation than a choice. The relation was cremated, beached, and then burnt again. Something about that period (6 weeks or 6 months?) was all-consuming, the fear, the blood lust, the feelings of two people's emotions and pain in one rather than sharing the burden both he and Etho bottled it up. Maybe that was why the rage seemed all the more potent. They were chasing wind by the end. They were selfish at the end. At the end they died how they lived, by going up in flames.

The last game he'd had allies, idiot friends he recalls with a smile. He knew he would not win but he would die trying to have fun. He stood at their sides failed and laughed and failed again and again. But in those final few hours, he couldn't help but feel abandoned. Or was it that he had run away? He'd died with a smile, worried and shaking but there nonetheless was accompanied by a dry laugh in his throat that sounded like a bit like a bark.

This game, dogs ran rampant. He'd done this before.

Every corner one sat with eyes wide, mouth taut, and muscles tense. He hated them.

His home was still burnt but he fell back onto something stronger: a bond. It managed to survive the blood and blame and flames that eat and eat and eat so what was left Joel knew would really last. He still craved the chase, the hunt, the blood, but that of his allies did not seem to appeal. When he'd died it had not been in glory but neither vanity it was with trust that it would be together.

So when Scott's sword cut through the body in front of him, when Scott's face was smiling on the other side. Joel knew he couldn't have done it.

Just a few hours earlier a dog had set off a trap, insistent and stupid and loyal in their desire to protect.

Joel still hates them, he hates them even more, but a part of him thinks he can understand dogs a little better now.

I’m not over the mounders.

no joke (nor a surprise).

they still did their question at the start of a session

they kept reassuring each other that they were together till the end

bdubs and Joel died together

JOEL IN AN ACTUAL ALLIANCE

BDUBS FINALLY GETTING OVER ETHO

PEARL FINALLY BEING FULLY ABLE TO TRUST THAT THESE GUYS HAVE HER BACK

Pearl wanted one of them to win

(so did I)

BUT SCAR WINNING AHAHSHSJNDHDJD INSANITY

[see-arcane]

Why was Count Dracula Old at the Start?

Hello, Dracula enthusiasts, I have a question for you. I’ve read it before, so feel free to give spoilers in the tags/replies, but I cannot be bothered to skim ahead and double-check, SO:

Does anyone in this book club know exactly why Dracula was an old white-haired dude when Jonathan showed up and only bothered with his bloody spa treatment when he was about to leave? I honestly don’t remember if this was explained in the book or not. Until it’s disproven, my only guesses for now are

1. He wanted to appear elderly and benign to Jonathan, so he fasted to look old. (But then how do all the Brides look fresh despite their stints between kid meals? I don’t see Drac keeping them fed and not himself, even for a ruse. The guy is just a touch self-centered. That big blood buffet in Jonathan’s last castle entry suggests he gorged himself like a tick, though—out of necessity or celebration or just because he couldn’t bear to leave without finally taking a draught from Jonathan? I’m 50/50 on it.)

2. While it’s speculated that he was Vlad the Impaler pre-vampirehood, it’s not quite stated outright if he is. Or, more importantly, just what his hocus pocus was to do some self-made monster transformation. All it mentions is vague sorceries and alchemies and such, but that would imply he A) Was not Vlad at all, but one of the myriad Dark Ages warriors who went by Dracula or a variation, B) Might have been Vlad, and the historic guy who was killed on the battlefield was a stand-in mistaken for him, or C) Either way, Dracula was an old man when he did his magic and that elderly state is actually his default look when not indulging regularly. If the whole blood diet thing is a twofer deal of eternal life/regained youth, maybe it was performed in the first place to return to his prime.

3. Transformation is kind of a big thing with Dracula. Not just age wise, but with bats, wolves, assorted beasties in general. He could have willed himself to seem older. Again, to seem like a kooky old man to Jonathan on arrival and get his guard down. But it seems a little superfluous.

4. A combination. One that ties into his desire to pull up stakes—ha ha—and sink his teeth into—HA HA—England, the beating heart—HA—of Colonization Station. We see him giddy in his longwinded diatribe to Jonathan about the glorious era(s) of war, bloodshed, and conquering. We see him ‘take care of’ (and chide) his implied harem of Brides who he doesn’t interact with more than twice. And there’s that comment about ‘Never loving’ from the girls, which Dracula huffs about, looking to Jonathan and them as he insists he has and can love. All of which is while Dracula is already in full teaboo mode. All England, All the Time, Love Me Some London.

Why? The obvious reason is that the Count has recognized that land as the chokehold country it is, having its fingers in all kinds of global network/colony pies. A great place to start drumming up his own empirical hold. Fun. But again, why bother, Dracula? You’re Dracula! You’re immortal and supernaturally gifted and rolling in ye olde gold and can snatch up any pretty young thing you want! Why bother throwing yourself into Conquering and Bloodshed II: Transylvanian Boogaloo?

I think the frank answer is: purpose. Call it a hobby, call it a passion, call it a fixation, call it some big demoniacal imperative to (suddenly) put vast swaths of new blood in his thrall..!

But at the bottom, it’s just a reason to climb out of the coffin again.

Because I think Old Man Dracula has been letting himself age—or imposing that form on himself by will alone—for a very lo-o-ong time. He isn’t really ‘old’ after all; he’s ancient. An Alexander the Great who conquered death itself and has existed long enough to see the shine come off all the wonders he’s won for himself. Wealth and blood and beauties and power and enough generations of terrified locals under his thumb for them to Know Not to Fuck with That. And that…gets dull. A century, maybe two, maybe three into the King of Vampires game, it all just runs together, doesn’t it? No plans to make. No goals to fulfill. No flavor of terror or ecstasy or, hell, simple interaction to engage his brain and guile.

So he stews and stews, imposing the guise of the weary old man on himself, only bothering with his collection of vampire companions as a matter of routine. And isn’t that something in itself? As monstrous sexual predator-coded bogeymen go, only taking three babes for keeps seems an awfully low number. Almost as if he couldn’t be bothered to gather more. Not when they and everything else bored him. Even blood bores him; he takes an odd sip here and there, but what’s the point in putting effort into the game? He lets himself fade on the outside, even as his power keeps on ticking within. I bet he sighed every time he bothered to jump some hapless traveler and exsanguinate them, sans relish.

But then it occurs to him—Well, you won’t break out of this funk rotting in your castle, Count. Get back out there! See how the world’s progressed! See new places, eat new people! Start planning a conqueror’s holiday. You deserve it, champ.

Which is why I think Jonathan met the most young-blooded geriatric giant in the world when he got to Castle Dracula. The Count was on the brink of returning to his young-old self because now there would be a reason to get dressed up and devilish again. He even got to get all the rust out of his mentally menacing muscles with his good friend, Mr. Jonathan Harker, a fresh face from the land he meant to pounce on, totally, gloriously unprepared and unaware of what he was dealing with.

In short, I think Old Man Dracula only happened because he was also Depressed Immortal Bastard up until that point and had, counter to his ladies’ verve and diet, been very listless until he decided to dust himself off and go drink in England. But again, if anyone else knows for sure why he seemed that way at the start, please feel free to point out what section to look at. Hell, maybe it was somewhere in Jonathan’s early entries and I just missed/misread it.

Of course, it could just be the secret 5th reason, ‘Bram Stoker wanted a visual representation of blood making the Count younger and the age-down via blood drinking was an easy display,’ but I want to hope/know it’s a more nuanced reason Just Because

[argentsunshine]

part 3 of my tma au! this time goro akechi is a normal person who has normal thoughts all the time

--------

wolves without teeth

wordcount: 5,785, chapter 1/1, complete summary: Akechi's plan is simple. All he needs to do to make it work is to make Akira Kurusu trust him, and let him ensnare himself in Akechi's web. warnings: T rating for mentions of violence and body horror, cws manipulation, blackmail, minor body horror and violence, discussion of scars and past injury, minor references to cults, human sacrifice, and gore characters: Kurusu Akira, Amamiya Ren (Persona Series), Persona 5 Protagonist, Akechi Goro, Shido Masayoshi additional tags: the magnus archives au, Minor Body Horror, mentions of gore and violence, Mentions of Cults, mentions of human sacrifice, discussion of scars and past injury, major spoilers for the magnus archives, joker kills a guy, akeshu are not together, but theres something going on there, and there will be actual akeshu later in the au, it's there enough that i thought people would get mad at me for not tagging, Manipulation, Blackmail

(link in rb!)

[orbital-inclination]

Molten Dream thing Update 2

*crawls out of a cave, wheezing*

I’m almost done with the one shot! I am sooo close I can see the finish line. Miffed that it took me a month to get this far but I. Am. Almost. There!

tiny snippets/spoilers under the cut

------------- The crunch of pebbles underfoot. A splash. Dream didn’t move.

“Dream.”

His jaw ached. Dream unclenched his teeth and counted the steps he took. One. Two. Three. Water reached his ankles before he felt close enough to reach for Nightmare’s hand. He was afraid Night’ would be too angry to help him up, but Nightmare grabbed his hand and without hesitation, pulled.

------------- “I found time,” he insisted. Softly. “You read to me at night, remember? We couldn’t sleep because the wolves were-“ “They howled loudly in late summer. I remember,” Nightmare said bitterly. “You worked late into the evening to help the villagers harvest their corps in time for the autumn equinox. The preparations lasted for weeks. I wouldn’t see you until well after sunset.” The tendrils on his back coiled in on themselves, uncomfortable. Nightmare was getting upset. “But it’s always about you, isn’t it?”