#but god. could they not have tried to slay a bit... come on...

[kingofdinosaurs]

their symbolism compels me but they are so fucking ugly. sad 😔

[no-144444]

simple, easy life- m.verstappen

summary: an accident happens and max's life changes for the worst

pairing: max verstappen x fem! reader

warnings: main character death, death, car crashes

a/n: YUKI TO RB???? I MEAN SLAY FOR HIM BUT ALSO THE RB IS SHIT, AND POOR LIAM, AND I HATE REDBULL! (not u isack, yuki, max, or liam, but fuck u helmut marko u twat)

୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ

Realistically, cars were Max’s first love. You weren’t disillusioned to the fact that Max was a car guy in every sense of the word, and constantly made jokes that he loved his cars more than you. 

He’d never drive a car again if it meant you never got hurt like this. 

He had been sitting at dinner, the most regular experience, the night before the China GP, and your best mate, Hailee, called him sobbing crying. 

“Max, it’s Y/n, I have no idea what’s happened, but it’s bad. She’s in emergency surgery or something, they didn’t tell me. I just- GET HERE, alright Max. Get here.”

And she hung up as his world stopped. His entire world shattered because you were hurt, you were thousands of miles away, and he had a race tomorrow. 

“Are you alright mate?” GP leaned over and questioned, his voice low. 

“I have to go back to Monaco,” he announced, getting up from his chair and tucking his jacket under his arm, beginning the walk out of the restaurant. 

GP fumbled to follow after him, and the voices of Helmut, Jos,  and Christian calling Max back echoed through the restaurant. “Mate, what’s going on?!” GP shouted after him as they reached the streets of Shanghai. 

“It’s personal,” he answered. “Get Yuki to fill my seat. Have Pepe fill his. Done.”

“Max, Christian isn’t going to take ‘it’s personal’ as a response, that’s going on?” GP grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. “What’s happened?”

“Y/n’s hurt,” he admitted, looking down. “And she needs me.” 

His face fell, his jaw dropping. “My god, is she alright?” 

Max shrugged, emotion catching in his throat. “I don’t know.”

He'd never seen Max like that. He’d never seen him almost cry over a girl. He’d never seen him sacrifice championship points for someone, for anyone. 

“What’s going on Max?” Jos demanded, stepping out beside the two men. He placed a hand on the back of his neck, and Max tensed up. 

“I have to go back to Monaco,” he answered, his voice steady. “It’s important.” “Nothing’s more important than racing-”

“Y/n is,” Max interjected. “And she’s lying in a fucking hospital bed on the other side of the world, so yes, she’s more fucking important!” he argued, slapping his father’s hand away. “We have reserve drivers for a fucking reason. Use them.” 

And he walked away. Away to the airport where his jet was being stored, and he flew straight back home, catastrophizing the entire way. What if you were injured badly? What had happened? Had it been a drunk driver? Would you have serious disabilities? Would you have to take time off work? Which car were you driving, was it his? And the worst thought of all popped into his head; What if you were dead? 

He pushed it back as far as he could, but still, it stayed. Lingering like the smell of your goddamn perfume on his jacket.

୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅

All he could smell was antiseptic and a little bit of dread. It had been an exhausting 14 hour flight, one he couldn’t rest on. Max prided himself on being able to sleep through anything, and anywhere. That was not the case when it came to you. 

“And how do you know the patient?” the nurse asked, pulling him out of his spiral once more. 

“I’m her fiancé,” he answered, eyes glassy and heavy. 

“She’s just down the hall in room 8. Be aware, it may be a bit of a jarring sight, she’s hooked up to a few machines, and she’s in an induced coma,” the nurse tried to put it as softly as she could, but no one could make that sound good, not even Bruce Buffer. “Do you want someone to accompany you? I can come in, just for moral support?” she offered, seeing the way Max’s body language changed at her words. 

He chuckled sadly. “You’re very kind, but no. Thank you.”

She nodded and he walked on. He needed to do this on his own, mostly because he didn’t really know what he was walking into. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but he knew he was going to stand by you forever, if that’s how long this took. Though he hoped it wouldn’t. He hoped you’d pull through, get strong again, do all the things you wanted with your life. 

Be there with him while you both grew old, have you care for him even when no one remembered his name. 

Be in love. Get married. Have that small family you always wished for. 

୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅

You died at 1.33am. The universe was taunting him, clearly. He held your hand. He didn’t call the nurse. He just sat there for a few moments, trying to imagine a future without you. He fucking couldn’t. His whole life was centred around you, around you being in it. After F1 he would just stay in Monaco with you, spend his days watching his kids grow up. He would walk them to school in the mornings and bring you back a coffee from your favourite shop, maybe a cinnamon roll on a Friday, or everyday. Depends on what you’d let him do. He’d come in, coffees in hand, and bring yours to you in bed, or maybe in your office. Maybe you’d kiss him. Maybe you’d smile one of those perfect smiles of yours. Maybe it wouldn’t matter, because you both knew you had another chance the next day. 

And all of that was gone. You were gone. 

So what was meant to happen now?

He didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. 

But he had to. He ran through all the motions, he signed the paperwork, and he picked out the casket. 

But he should’ve been picking up the kids from school, holding your hand and kissing you, even if it embarrassed them. 

It should’ve been a simple, easy life. 

But it wasn’t.

୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ⋅୨ৎ

navigation for my blog :)

redbull & vcarb masterlist

[ladystoneshart]

random asoiaf social media headcanons:

dany would make those left wing politics/pet grooming videos on tiktok. think like "come trim my bearded dragons nails while we talk about what's happenning in meeren right now" she actulaly studies international politics and has experience with activism so the videos are genuinely informative but she still gets canceled multiple times for, amongst other things: coming from a rich family, abusing her exotic pets (she takes really good care of them) and having a weird boyfriend (more than once).

ramsay kinda blows up on tiktok for making weird and off-putting videos showing his torture basement and bone collection or some shit. everyone thinks it's an elaborate bit but then someone clocks one of his bones as an actual human tibia and people start investigating him on tiktok until the police gets involved. turns out he was an actual serial killer and straight up keeping a girl trapped in his basement. true crime girlies go absolutely nuts over his case and if you open tiktok right now you will see at least 5 different videos talking about it with that fuckass creepy music sound.

myranda royce makes those water mixing tiktoks (you know the ones people put a bunch of random syrups and like red bull in their water to make it "taste good" to the point it can barely be considered water anymore?) while talking about REAL LIFE GOSSIP without bothering to change any names. the only reason she hasn't gotten in trouble for that yet is because she is god's favourite.

jaime makes work out instagram reels on his local gym that are actually barely disguised thirst traps. brienne goes to the same gym as him and gets endlessly annoyed by his bullshit because all his "training advice" is fucking terrible and "uhm some people are ACTUALLY trying to work out here mr. prince charming so if you could PLEASE do this somewhere else I think we would ALL apreciate it" so he starts including her in his videos so she can give some actual work out tips while he just flexes his muscles and tries to look sexy in the background. 99% of his followers are gay men (but he starts getting some queer girls after brienne starts showing up).

I've already talked about cersei being a right-wing grifter/complete menace online but I think that would lead her to becoming this sort of problematic gay icon because she suffers from donald trump disease (simultaneously the worst and funniest person on planet earth). her insane remarks combined with astronomical levels of slay factor turn her into a stan twitter meme (think like a karla sofía gascón or trisha paytas hybrid monster) and she amassess a huge "ironic" following composed of people trying to goad her into (another) mental break down on instagram live and lesbians who are convinced they could fix her if she would just give them a chance (they could NOT). people make thinkpieces on twitter about how you shouldn't interect with her even as a joke because she's clearly a VERY mentally ill woman who thrives on attention but it's no use she's simply too slay to be ignored by the gays.

varys is just deuxmoi.

[dualogical]

Quiet remembers things in MoC. He remembers everything else, that is.

"Shit! Shit! What the hell was that? Who are we? What are we doing?" That was Paranoid, too tense to the point of looping back into distracted. He had heard all that before. When?

"There was a Princess, I think. It’s all so fuzzy. It hurts when I try to remember." Broken, living up to his name, even though there was another way, even though it didn't have to be like this-

'Not a Princess. The Shifting Mound.' He corrected, mind starting to reel with the information.

Collective confusion for half a second, shattered by the Narrator, of all things.

'Where have you heard that name?!'

He -- Quiet, he remembered that now -- tried to ignore the echo in his head.

'You jump to one of the floating trees and make yourself comfortable in the exposed base-- Really?! I don’t know how you came across that name, but you're here to slay the Princess who will end the world!'

"She can wait a few more minutes,' his voices needed, deserved the break, even without the memories threatening to overwhelm him. 'How about we rest here for a bit when nothing's chasing us?'

"Decider, we’re supposed to let her out. It’s really the only way this works out for us, if you think about it. She’s the one with power here. Nobody else can do much of anything," and that was Opportunist, beaten down by one of the cruelest iterations of Her.

They went quiet. Maybe they were seeing everything too.

This was far less one-way than it seemed. If he focused inward, if he let his eyes drift shut and dreamed, he could feel the tiny jerks and tugs of his Voices acting on him, and...

Even Cold, too regular to be noticed unless he actually focused, lost to sensory fatigue. Creeping up on him like ice.

A wave of memories assaulted him. His actual identity, the Princess', the one path when it seemed like Cold, not Hero, had nested close to his heart.

"So you did listen to me," Cold’s voice was usually monotone and deceptive in its softness, but approval was something Quiet had never expected from him.

"And he was miserable for it!" Smitten seemed to have regained life at the novelty, at the realization that the eternity of torture that they had suffered could pass. "Whatever vision that was, please don't let it come to pass!"

"How could you call that being unfeeling?" Hunted asked, "There was so much fear."

"You wrestled control away from everyone. Impressive," Opportunist said. "Good thing I've always been on your side. We can turn this around, aren’t we a God?"

As if karma had decided to fuck that voice over in particular, what they saw next was betrayal, in different ways.

Opportunist, Broken, Smitten. With more or less intent, but still.

"Are Icy, Loudmouth and I the only ones who didn't think the decider was a puppet out of the blue?! What's wrong with all of you?!" Stubborn, coming to his defense.

They kept coming. Eating and being eaten. Betrayal and being betrayed in turn. Submission and rebellion. Love turning sour. Pain for the sake of it. A cycle of pain that he kept perpetuating by choosing to go back go the beginning. But this construct had cracks, in the end. All those memories were a consequence of it.

It was his fault. It was his mistakes and failures that destroyed everything again.

And then the visions that, he knew, could come to pass someday.

Hero getting him to the Heart and they left as mortals, with him choosing to stay behind.

Killing Transformation and exploring a world with his Voices, always together. Or reaping the consequences of his actions. Hero was the most disturbed by that one, for some reason.

Quiet accepting Her request to leave as Gods and-

They reeled as the vision simply stopped being something their minds could interpret. Quiet felt a part of what he called his sanity crumble. Paranoid seemed fine.

'Enough data for you, detective?' he couldn’t help but ask, memories too fresh considering Skeptic’s metaphorical flinch.

"You've been doing this for a long time, haven't you?" Contrarian was uncharacteristically subdued, but having several lifetimes' worth of memories would make anyone slow down and process.

The question remained, now that they knew, what would they do with that information?

[spectrechosts]

Better Off Alone

The first chapter of my first longform story, posted in nine parts totalling 24,000 words. It's an 18+ story of an ill-tempered princess falling for her transfem knight while trying to rewrite her fate. If you follow this account you're going to be seeing a LOT of these two.

Full Series

Lunaeris was a princess, the youngest of six princesses of the Elven Kingdom, and she was very displeased with her life.

She lived in comfort, yes, all her needs were attended to- but she had no freedom. Her duty by birth was to be a political bargaining chip, and not even a particularly appealing one. She existed to be shopped around to the least impressive princes of other kingdoms, every royal family on the continent playing the shittiest game of matchmaker ever seen in the name of making some diplomatic gain off of their weakest heirs and heiresses.

It was, to put it lightly, pathetic. It made her feel like an object. So, when she got word that her father once again had someone for her to meet, she did what she did best.

She meandered.

She was years deep in an elaborate game of seeing exactly how far she could sabotage her own love life without being called on it, and she was very skilled. Spend far too long getting ready when she's been summoned? Why, she just had to be sure she looked absolutely perfect for her prince. Clothes painstakingly picked out of and put back into her closet, long white hair brushed over and over, to make the best possible impression. If they got off on the wrong foot because he was annoyed at waiting, well it just wasn't meant to be.

She sat in front of her mirror and began applying black makeup to her eyes. While she did style herself this way because she liked how it looked, she also liked that it made some of her particularly stuck-up suitors describe her as "dreary", "kind of off-putting", and- and this one was her favorite- "probably some kind of vile witch". Her father had only attempted to convince her not to do this once, and was easily persuaded otherwise when she pointed out that having a princess using their wares encouraged trade with the dark elves. Frankly, it was the most she had improved relations with another kingdom in her life, and she didn't even have to get married to do it.

Once she was dressed and ready, she strode out in search of more delays. At this time of day, she could swing by the gardens and waste at least fifteen more minutes.

Or at least she could have, had the king not intercepted her in the hallway.

"Ah, there you are! Come, we must hurry." He said, and Lunaeris begrudgingly followed.

"Is my suitor so impatient you had to collect me yourself?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"No suitors today I'm afraid. The sages have brought a prophecy."

"Oh." Lunaeris said, already uninterested. Her father loved prophecies, but she had always found them a bit finicky. Raised a lot of questions about free will- were the gods controlling everything they all did? Were they only *sometimes* doing so, and had now chosen to blight her specifically by removing any remaining shred of agency she had? She wasn't a fan.

"Oh yes, and it's a doozy. The demon king plans to kill you."

"….Oh." She wouldn't describe that as 'a doozy', exactly.

"Yes, but don't fret! the prophecy says he fails. A hero will arrive in your hour of need and slay him with a blade of purest sunlight! And then you and the hero are to be wed! All will work out fine in the end."

"Hm."

She also wouldn't describe that as 'working out fine'.

"But I know you have misgivings about prophecies, and I wouldn't want my daughter living in fear. And that's why I sent for a bodyguard to accompany you and keep you safe until the threat has passed."

"What?"

"You know the half-giants? From the mountains? One of their best paladins is already here to make sure no harm befalls you."

"Father, I hardly need-" Lunaeris tried to protest. This prophecy was already dreadful, she did not need a babysitter on top of it.

"I know, I know, you don't want a bodyguard, but this is for the best. Give it a week, you'll hardly even notice anything's changed."

"I'll hardly notice the half-giant stalking me in full plate?"

"It's amazing what you can grow accustomed to, given time." Her father paused as they reached the throne room. "Now, you've delayed long enough. I understand there is some degree of ceremony involved, a swearing of an oath, and then you may waste time as you see fit. With your new guard."

"Very well. Since they're already here."

They entered, and the king sat on his throne and gestured for Lunaeris to stand in the center of the room, next to the largest woman she had ever seen. Her bodyguard-to-be had to be almost eight feet tall, and as broad as an ox. She looked immovable in her armor, a monument of steel adorned with a cape of white satin over her shield arm.

"I hope we haven't kept you waiting too long. My daughter has a habit of getting lost in these twisting halls."

"Not at all, your majesty." The knight said, her voice rumbling out from her great helm.

"Excellent. Please, begin whenever you're ready."

The knight knelt before her on one knee (Gods, she still came up to chest height, how big were full giants?) and removed her helmet. Lunaeris looked upon her face, and found it strikingly handsome.

"If I may have your hand, princess?" She said, holding out a gauntleted palm which Lunaeris gently took.

Finding her new knight handsome was, obviously, unacceptable. She had long since accepted that love was not for her, and did not need to be thinking about kissing anyone's beautiful square jawline or tousling their short-hewn hair.

The paladin had already gotten started on some lengthy rehearsed speech while the Princess was otherwise distracted. Paladins loved their ceremonies. Despite this, she continued to not pay attention, instead focusing on the fact that what she had thought was more cape covering the paladin's back was actually a pair of white-feathered wings. She had heard some paladins had those, but couldn't imagine they could possibly lift her into the air. They did however, look very soft.

Perhaps she would let her touch them if she asked.

"-Holy Knight of the Seventh Monastery, do swear my undying loyalty to you-"

Shit, had she missed her name? It wasn't like her to get carried away in her imagination like this.

"-your burdens shall be my burdens, your sorrows my sorrows-"

It didn't help that whatever this oath was, it sounded not entirely unlike marriage vows. Not that she had heard many other kinds of vows to compare them to. It made her ears redden to think about it.

"-for as long as I draw breath, no harm shall come to you."

She waited for the knight to continue, but she had apparently tuned in towards the end of the speech. The king clapped his hands together and stood.

"Marvelous!" He said. "Don't you feel safer already?"

"Yes, much." Lunaeris lied, and hurried back to her room, paladin in tow. She hesitated at her door.

"These are my private chambers-"

"Of course, Princess. I shall remain out here, should you need me." The knight said, her voice once again muffled by the helmet she had at some point put back on.

At least that distraction was gone.

She shut her door and flung herself onto her bed.

"Fuck. Shit. Gods damn me."

Her heart was a fortress, constructed over years to be completely inaccessible to any who dared approach.

She did not get crushes. Especially not on giant bodyguards she didn't even want around. Especially especially not when she was now prophecised to-

She cracked her door open.

"Paladin."

"Princess?"

"Your sword, is it magical?"

"No, my lady."

"Do you cast magic on it? Some kind of sunlight enchantment?"

"No, my lady. I hold no magic beyond the power of my oaths."

"Very well. Carry on."

She nodded curtly and closed the door.

-prophecised to marry someone else entirely. It was unthinkable. It would ruin her. She would simply insist to her father that she didn't need a guard, or at least not this specific one.

She cracked her door open again.

"…Could you remind me what your name was, my knight?"

"Kallixenia, Princess."

"May I call you Kallie?"

"If that pleases you, my lady."

She shut the door again.

This meant nothing, of course. She could call Kallie 'her knight' and give her nicknames, she was still getting rid of her.

Tomorrow.

If she got around to it.

Fuck.

[megaawkwardhuman]

OK SO HI long time no see (er post? or at least post like this)

my brain worms have been on and off for a bit but THE POSTER FOR SEASON 6 HAS GOT THEM ALL FIRED UP

so as I do when my brain is doing zoomies I'm gonna point at things!

right off the bat OMFG I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

like the vibes here are just *chef's kiss* good shit right there

I know it's just typical wwdits promo stuff that guillermo has a wtf is going on what did I just get dragged into face but in this context with everyone looks like enamored to some degree with the house is giving character discovered big bad thing/the reason why things are fucked energy

also just over all love how guillermo looks here (like slay you horrified king <3)

WHY IS THERE 5 BATS!?!?

like ok only 4 of the main 6 cast are currently able to turn into bats so like HMMM?

save me vampire guillermo endgame vampire guillermo endgame vampire guillermo endgame save me

part of me only thinks that the bat is only there cuz guillermo used to be a vampire and the farthest bat is him moving on from wanting to be a vampire

buuuuuut that's not as fun so LET ME DREAM

speaking of the bats the grouping of the bats are ALSO interesting

just saying IF the 5th bat is supposed to guillermo that means the 2 paired off bats are probably nandermo given how they tend to stick together (I mean they're literally RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER in the poster)

now off the top of my head it could be referencing how nandor will be following guillermo as he tries to get a normal job or something like that next season (given that the lower of the 2 bats looks like they're going after the top bat who's going off somewhere away from the rest)

but come on we all know that we're low key hoping this means nandermo world trip part 2: it actually happens this time (like one bat is leading and the other is catching up)

if FOR SOME REASON isn't nandermo bats going off to do god knows what my only other theory is that it represents the guide and guillermo given that they're kinda outsiders?

eh still team nandermo bats

lighting go brrrr

that's it that's the comment

ok but like the house looks fucking evil here

I know they're prob going for a evil house on a hill/dracula's castle thing with that angle but with the way everyone is facing it and the way they all kinda look hypnotized by it the house ITSELF looks evil

the house is the real bad guy and controls everyone reveal next season!?!?! /j

and that's about all I have to word vomit for now

AHHHHHH CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAVE A FUCKING RELEASE DATE NOW

[her-ladyship-ariadne]

Hey!! Your reply to my (dagoth ur propaganda) post interested me, i haven't seen in TES lore that Dagoth Ur would have returned many times (i tried searching for that info at one point, it would've been useful in a story i was writing at the time) so i'm curious if i overlooked some detail?? 👀👀

so most of that was “devout tribunal worshipper larp”

but there’s definitely evidence for OTHER members of House Dagoth returning after they were killed. If you manage to talk to Ascended Sleepers, you can ask them about “understand nothing” and they say:

“You think what you do has meaning? You slay me and I am dead? It is just dream and waking, over and over, one appearance after another, nothing real…”

which I’ve always taken to mean that you can kill them, but they are revived by the heart. we can also tie this to Lord Vivec’s dialogue when you ask him about “to be a god”. She replies:

“…It is a bit like being at once awake and asleep. Awake, I am here with you, thinking and talking. Asleep, I am very, very busy. Perhaps for other gods, the completely immortal ones, it is only like that being asleep. Out of time. Me, I exist at once inside of time and outside of it.

continue

It's nice never being dead, too. When I die in the world of time, then I'm completely asleep. I'm very much aware that all I have to do is choose to wake. And I'm alive again…”

So I take that to mean that those connected to the Heart of Lorkhan are functionally immortal, returning to life some time after their supposed death, just like the Ascended Sleeper said. The *dream* that the Sleeper mentions is death. *Waking* is being alive again. For what it’s worth, Vivec calls the followers of Dagoth Ur “heartwights,” meaning they definitely have some connection to the Heart, even if they aren’t on the same level as the Three.

There’s also Dagoth Ur’s famous line, “I’m a god! How can you kill a god?”, which comes right after you beat him in the outer chamber, then walk into the Heart Chamber and he’s right there again. I’ve always taken this as “we kill him in the outer chamber and then he revives inside.”

So I definitely think Dagoth Ur *could* come back to life, if killed. Did he? Probably. We know that the Three made yearly pilgrimages to the Heart to replenish their power. We also know that Vivec defeated Dagoth Ur at least once in open battle. I think it’s likely that the Three would have fought and beaten him at least a few times.

[swmmi-kti]

The blind and the mute

DNI/BYF

Part: Two

Pairing: Gyomei x Kakushi fem Reader

Warnings: Death (look a kid dies).

You were not born mute. You weren’t you wish to speak at most moments. However You seemed to have lost the ability to freely talk when your family had been attacked by demons. 

You had Tried your hand at wielding a sword, But that was not your place. It was not what you were build for. For no amount of anger, sadness and resentment you held in your heart. You could never bring yourself to slay such pitiful beings. 

So you were a Kakushi. It was a rewarding job that you loved dearly. Helping wounded slayers and sometimes on the rare occasions if the circumstances were right, you saved a life. 

Truthfully that was all your skill could manage. You did survive final selection, you did slay demons. But you healed much better than you slayed. 

Your medical knowledge that your mother had passed down on you was a great thing to have. Especially when it came to the raw power of wild herbs. It helped make people’s pain and potential death be that much more avoidable. 

Maybe that’s why you got to be around Hashira so much more than normal. Sure its nothing to brag about. But you managed to catch the eye of the insect pillar. And on times where you could in fact spend time training under her. You did. 

She understood that you didn’t talk. She had seen that side before on her youngest adopted sister. She never asked what happened why you were here and not living a normal life. 

And even if she asked you could never recall exactly what happened. All you remember was screaming so loudly, that the moment you had awoken alive your throat hurt. 

Really there was no explaining. Unfortunately this happens a lot too. 

Nevertheless today was one of those days where you had learned a lot for today and Shinobu was letting you go. Deciding to take the usual route back you didn't expect to run into anyone. But that isnt how it works. 

You bumped into the stone hashira. Truly you didn't know how in god's green earth you managed to bump into such a unit of a man but well. Here you were. 

“Pardon me” he spoke waiting a bit for your response. 

You knew he was blind. Which now laid a bigger question. HOW in the world were you going to apologize to him? But without so much thought and maybe out of pure reaction you tried to speak. 

All that came out was a pathetic squeak. 

One that startled Gyomei!. 

“Oh! Are you running a cold? Perhaps you could go and see shinobu for that, It doesn’t sound good” 

You huffed in annoyance. You wished you had someone here to explain why you didn't respond. Or why you couldn’t. 

Really the only ones that knew of your condition was shinobu and Giyuu. Solely cause well he spend time around the insect pillar. You let out a frustrated huff of course coming out horse and unnatural. 

“Come lets get you there” 

Which you didn't know how to respond given the fact that well, he was guiding you back to where you just came from. You kept tapping his hand making the faintests of yelps but that didn’t stop him. If anything it seemed he kept pushing you. 

“Kocho. Sorry to bother you so much but it seems one of our Kakushi is sick” 

“Oh here let me- Oh! Y/n?” 

You looked at her. You smiled nervously as you shrugged at her. Signing to her that you tried to explain. But well how can you communicate when one you can't speak, and two he can't see what your saying. 

“Ah i see. Himejima it's alright. This is actually Y/n! You’ve never met but she actually can not communicate like us.” She looked at you asking you if it was okay before continuing.  “A demon ruptured her throat. We aren't completely sure if Y/n can talk yet or at all. But that rasp you hear is just gasps. Nothing a little medicine won't heal” 

Gyomei stood there. Perhaps a little dumbfounded? Yes he knew there are people that don't speak but he never thought about having to communicate with them. Not that it didn't cross his mind at all but he was also a man of few words. 

“Oh, Deepest apologies” he spoke, bringing his hands together clutching the beads he always had. 

“Y/n understands” 

You let out a huffed hmm nodding your head even though you knew he couldn’t see that. Signaling to Shinobu to apologize for the inconvenience that you may have caused. 

“Oh nonsense Y/n-san. Now remember to take your medicine companied by tea before you sleep” Shinobu spoke, patting your shoulders before you got the message. 

‘I’ll be going then. See you sometime next week And thank you for today's lesson’ you signed as you stepped around the Stone hashira and walked out for the second time that day. 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

That's how it was for so long. Making the smallest of sounds whenever you did get to see Himejima. And he greets you as well. You were content with this, However you got closer after one mission he had gone on. You were one of the few Kakushi to help the injured. 

You had managed to help the wounded and that's when you noticed Himejima lowered on a very very young body. Without thinking, without even telling your friend you booked it to him. 

There on the floor was a young boy. No older than your youngest late brother. 

“I’m afraid his wounds are too great for us to do anything” 

You saw this scene before when your youngest brother died at the hands of demons and to hell you weren’t gonna let them have this one too. You didn’t care. Yes, the wounds are great. His leg is sliced open and his gut is bleeding out. 

He already looks like he’s dying but you were going to try. Give every single lesson Shinobu gave you and put it to the test. This poor boy is already heaving close to death and you knew it. But you would be damned if you didn’t at least try. 

You pushed the stone pillar out the way which wow okay rude but also wow what the hell how are you so strong. 

These thoughts ran through his mind but in the moment of silence as he felt you and felt what you were doing he couldn’t help but admire your dedication. 

But one can only do so much. So as you hastily stitched the wound down and stopped the bleeding you watched as he stopped breathing. 

You couldn’t believe it, You didn’t want to believe it. It was like losing your family all over again. You couldn’t help how you cradled the poor boy. How his little head rested on your chest as you tried so hard to feel a heartbeat. 

But there was nothing to do. So you wept. There was no sound to your sobs, there was only the breaking sound of you trying to form words that possibly could never come. 

You didn’t even feel Himejima bring you to him. Didn’t feel how he held you as you cried. You couldn’t believe it. 

After that you never really left the butterfly mansion unless it was to help the wounded. But you often found yourself beating yourself up over what happened. However with this new life you found that Himejima stayed with you. Talked with you and tried to make you feel better. 

All you could feel was rage. Hatred. You felt all the things you never thought you could feel. How dare Muzan Kibutzuji take any more lives. Lives of innocent children and how dare you be so weak. 

To anyone else it seemed there was a new flame to the passion of learning the medical field. To Gyomei it seemed all that uncontrollable rage could finally be put at ease. 

Yes it didn’t exactly suit you. Your aura before was too calm too mellowed out by the years of sorrows and now all that followed was your rage. 

So he made it a point to always (whenever time served) to speak with you. To teach you how to let go of that rage in a healthy manner. You knew and he knew as well that no matter how much hatred lay in your heart for demons you couldn’t slay them. 

Today you decided to join himejima. He had invited you to eat with him today and Genya. And while you knew he meant well in easing your mind it kind of irked you a little. 

You were fine before. You would be fine this time too. But you figured it would be nice to just have dinner this time. Other times it would be techniques or what not. 

Stepping into his estate wasn’t uncommon but it wasn’t all too terribly common. However the smell of food welcomed your hungry form. 

It wasn’t long before you joined the two. Safe for Gyomei to assume that you enjoyed Genya’s company. 

Genya was a charm and while at first he was avoidant and even so after an hour he kinda barely spoke to you. You couldn’t help it, couldn’t help how your hand rested atop his head like how you would pat your younger sister. 

It was nice to be around someone that reminded you of home. 

Gyomei may not be able to see how anyone else does. But he can see it, sense how you two seemed to get along so well. Two souls that lost something. Two souls that found peace together. 

To be honest you wanted to thank Himejima, really. But how could you. Your medicine had managed to heal you but somehow it seemed almost impossible to talk. 

Everytime you tried solely to say your own name out of muscle memory you couldn’t it felt like it burned you. 

You hoped that perhaps if your medicine kept working than maybe just maybe you could show your gratitude to Gyomei one day.

[coraniaid]

Made a list of some various ways in which Kendra could have continued to appear in the show after Faith. Sorted roughly both in order of increasing impact on the plot and increasing suspension of disbelief required on the part of the audience:

Kendra stays dead, but somebody (ideally somebody who actually met her, but failing that just about anybody) brings her name up, in any context, after her last canonical mention on the show (by Cordelia in Faith, Hope & Trick). This is ... the baseline, surely. (Do you know nobody but Cordelia mentions her by name at all after Season 2? Or that there are multiple conversations in early Season 3 in which it's discussed that Buffy was wanted for murder but has since been cleared, but not one in which it is acknowledged that the person she was wrongly accused of murdering was her friend and fellow Slayer?)

Kendra stays dead, but the First takes on her appearance at any point (either in Amends or in Season 7). There's a lot of talk about how the writers were hoping to bring back Xander's friend Jesse for Conversations With Dead People, but I've never seen anything about them doing the same for Kendra, despite the fact that Kendra appeared more times on the show (and more recently) and clearly mattered far more to Buffy. And given that the writers insisted on recasting Nikki Wood this season (despite her original actor wanting to come back!), I'm not exactly inclinced to give them the benefit of the doubt here.

Kendra stays dead, but for some reason only known to the writers, Amy Madison casts a spell to make one of the Potentials look just like her for an episode. It is never made clear why Amy would do this beyond a vague desire to mess with Buffy, how she knew about Kendra in the first place, or what consequences -- if any - Amy ever faces after casting this spell. Somehow it's still only very slightly less stupid than the actual canon plot of Season 7's The Killer In Me (which, to be clear, this would not replace in my vision; randomy-evil!Amy does two very similar spells back to back, ideally in consecutive episodes).

Kendra stays dead, but -- in classic Star Trek Mirrorverse fashion -- the writers use some sort of magical contrivance to allow the Kendra from the Wishverse (who was, presumably, Called as a Slayer the moment that the Master killed that reality's Buffy Summers) to visit 'our' reality. (This isn't really within the rules as presented in The Wish, but if Vampire Willow can do it....). Imagine a version of Season 6's As You Were when Buffy doesn't have to try to justify herself to her shitty ex -- the man who left her to fight a god and die so that he could go and make Belize safe for missionaries -- but instead she has to come face to face with the perfect, by-the-book Slayer who died as a direct result of Buffy's last relationship with a vampire.

Kendra stays dead ... until Bargaining. Willow messes up her resurrection spell a little bit and accidentally brings back more than one dead Slayer. Kendra hangs around for the rest of the show and is understandably very confused throughout (in particular, she could have sworn that Buffy didn't have a little sister four years ago...). Maybe the Watchers show up again, after Kendra tries contacting Sam Zabuto for advice. Maybe Kendra reacts just as badly to being brought back from the dead as Buffy initially does (and, look, if she wants to follow Buffy's example and start a relationship with one of the monsters she's meant to be Slaying, Anya will be newly single in just a few months' time...)

Kendra stays mostly dead, but a certain academic at UC Sunnydale with ties to the US military has been hearing rumours and myths about "Slayers" from captured demons and vampires for a while now. Long enough to become curious, and to pull a few strings at the local morgue when the rumour mill tells her a vampire somehow managed to kill a Slayer. Said academic has been funneling government money to work on her own "perfect soldier" project for a long time, and what better test subject to demonstrate this work on than a Slayer of her own? It turns out that most of Kendra's memories are still intact, after a little bit of not-exactly-ethical post-mortem surgery gets her heart working again, and as luck would have it she's even been trained for years to follow orders and never question authority. She's perfect. Realizing that the name "Adam" was a bit on the nose anyway, Professor Walsh starts a new project in Room 314...

Kendra was left for dead by Drusilla, bleeding out and unconcious on the floor of Sunnydale High School library, but it turns out that modern medicine is a bit better than it was in Drusilla's day and Slayers have this whole enhanced healing deal that the canon show sometimes forgets about. Yeah, her heart stops a couple of times in the ER, which is enough for a third Slayer to be called as in canon (and Buffy might not know that Kendra is going to make it when she goes to fight Angelus or when she leaves town), but by the time Willow is up and walking around again, so is Kendra.

Kendra is alive at the beginning of Season 3, filling in for Buffy in Sunnydale while the other Slayer is living as 'Anne' in LA. After Buffy comes back, Kendra leaves town for another Hellmouth but still regularly makes cameo appearances every season. Faith is also there, just like in canon, and the fact that Faith should only have been activated as a Slayer if Kendra died is simply never addressed. (I mean, let's be honest, it's not like the show particularly cares about continuity anyway.)

[saints-who-never-existed]

Davechella Week 12: Hickey

In contrast to Goodsir's, this one was stunningly easy? I already listen to a lot of stuff that I felt fit the vibe and by the time I'd finished cherry-picking through my existing playlists, Hickey's turned out to be three times as long as everyone else's and needed significant editing down. How very Dave K.-coded of me, I guess?!

Ten Feet Tall - The Devil Makes Three Well, you walk around this town like it's holy land/ You got good-looking friends, you're a sharp-dressed man/ Been gettin' big, makin' me look small/ It don't matter to me, 'cause I'm a-ten feet, a-ten feet tall/ Yeah, it don't matter to me, 'cause I'm a-ten feet, a-ten feet tall Take a look at your foot, does it fit this shoe?/ Did you really ever think I gave a damn 'bout you?/ You ain't no messiah with your fancy friends/ So get your head out of the clouds/ And get your feet back in the dirt, my friend

Blood of Angels - Brown Bird I drank the blood of angels from a bottle/ Just to see if I could call the lightning down/ It hasn't struck me yet, and I would wage my soul to bet/ That there ain't no one throwing lightning anyhow Too many tries at tempting fate to call it over/ And you get to thinking fate's got different plans/ Like maybe, I'm not born to die but to bring darkness to the sky/ Pull that goddamn sun down anyway I can You could be right, they might come for me at night/ In angry mobs with torches bright outside my door/ For all my spite, I might never win the fight/ But I will rage against the light forever more

Ballad of a Prodigal Son - Lincoln Durham Two plus two ain't always four/ And sometimes black ends up white/ And there's a million shades of gray in between/ When you manage to shed a little light Whoa/ In the valley of the bones/ Whoa/ They're gonna rise up and head on home I've been in every patchwork revival tent from here to yon/ So brothers don't you recognize your own kin?/ I have returned like a prodigal son

Loverman - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Loverman! Here I stand/ Forever, Amen/ Cause I am what I am what I am what I am/ Forgive me, baby my hands are tied/ And I got no choice/ No, I got no choice at all I’ll say it again L is for LOVE, baby O is for O yes I do V is for loving VIRTUE, so I ain’t gonna hurt you E is for EVEN if you want me to R is for RENDER unto me, baby M is for that which is MINE A is for ANY old how, darling N is for ANY old time I’ll be your Loverman! I got a masterplan/ To take off your dress/ And be your man/ Seize the throne/ Seize the mantle/ Seize the crown/ Cause I am what I am what I am what I am/ I’m your Loverman

Hunt You Down - The Hit House I don't bring forgiveness/ I don't bring peace/ I've come to slay you/ Come to kill the beast I'll search the shadows/ You wear like a crown/ You know it's coming/ And I'm gonna hunt you down You can run/ You can hide/ You can pray/ But I'm gonna cut you down

Paris is Burning - St Vincent Enclosed in this letter there's a picture/ Black and white for your refrigerator/ Sticks and stones have made me smarter/ It's words that cut me under my armor They say, "I'm on your side/ When nobody is, 'cause nobody is/ Come sit right here and sleep/ While I slip poison in your ear"

Cold Bread - Johnny Flynn I can live with dying/ I can chew my bit/ Play panic to my senses/ And hijack my head/ It's the rhythm of moving/ And a rolling and a rattle/ Its a giving instead/ It's a well sprung bed We can roll around forever/ We can pray for all we've been/ We can knock it hell for leather/ We can call it all a dream/ All a dream Cold bread/ Cold bread/ We had

Maneater - Blue Eyed Blondes Then he tried to escape me, but I was far ahead/ I found a knife and took his life, oh god, how much he bled And then I cut him up in pieces, my handsome charming midge/ I sorted him in big black bags, and put him in the fridge/ Now I am a man-eater, in more than just one way/ He tastes like pig, but that's okay, I eat him every day Well, I know I had it coming, I knew I was a fool/ Cause he really made me trust him, and he really made me drool/ He made me feel important, he knew just what to say/ But you can bet your ass I really made him pay

Rats - Sunday Driver You've got an infinite disguise/ You've got the lights I won't believe/ Oh, say it to me again/ I'll watch the wide world working on a wide screen right before my eyes/ Round and around and around and around on the wheel We are the rats that run in the subway/ We are the mice that shoot the revolving doors deep down/ In the bowels of the earth underground/ Licking up the blood on the floor

Blackhole - Rachel Sermanni Even the soul can not resist would swallow the earth just for a kiss/ There's no hope there's no hope there's no hope we'll survive this/ Its a scary place to be but inevitably were gonna have to bite/ We know that we cannot see that we are walking into dark without a light We must inhabit all of the shadows/ We must crawl in to all the caves, we need to listen for the echoes/ For maybe someday, somebody is saved, somebody is saved You cannot stop it You will not stop If there were choices we might step off Its the fly by or a collision not our decision not ours to know/ Not ours to know This is a love song for a black hole/ These are the last remaining words, before we lose all self control

[fatuismooches]

Hi!!! This is my first time saying anything here, so yayyy! But I say that one ask from another anon talking about how Dottore had never recorded fragile!reader's voice before and then forgot what it sounds like, and my brain made some jumps and--

I like to think that sometimes, whether when Dottore is just working in the room while reader sleeps (I like to think that he's modified himself enough that he doesn't need as much sleep as regular humans) or if he's also in the bed with you, that sometimes, reader's sleeping form reminds him a little too much of when reader was in a coma. Or perhaps, even worse, and that reader's time had come while he was sleeping/working. Immediately, he has to reassure himself that you're not, in fact, dead, by either going to check their pulse and keeping his hand there longer than it needs to be (what if they die the second he takes it off??) or, if he was closer to them or sleeping with them (in the literal sense), by even just listening to it. And he tries to rationalize it with himself (bc he's so i denial, I already know it) by being like "noooo, i'm not worried!! I'm a great doctor, and I have nothing to worry about!! I'm just... checking for abnormalities!!" as if he isn't just doing it to make sure they're still alive.

Idk, the thought just popped into my head. He's lost them before without a chance of saying goodbye, and he never wants it to happen again, especially if this time they'll be gone for good.

I'd like to think that reader wasn't really aware of it until one night when he was making a little more noise than usual, and they woke up groggily to find him with their ear on their chest, desperately holding onto you as if you were going to die any second. And then the second he realized you were awake, moved off was like "Hello, I'm not doing anything sus whattt"

So now reader knows he does it, but allows it because they think it's kind of cute, but also because they know that he would never admit his fears.

Anyway, I'm kinda tired, so I don't know if this actually makes any sense. But slay!!

Thank you for feeding us Dottore content, and I hope you have a good day or night!!

You've known Zandik for a long time. So you are very aware that he has weaknesses. Yes, even though the scholar tried to hide it, his walls would slowly chip away during those late nights spent in the dorm or on expeditions. But Dottore? After you woke up, you wondered if Dottore had any weaknesses. Dottore seemed to be a man of no fear, but perhaps you should have expected that because what would someone as God-like as him have to fear now? He has much power in his grasp, surely there is nothing that could bother him. He's no longer the same Zandik you once knew, and that's okay really, but you just wonder to yourself sometimes. Little did you know Dottore's one and only fear was about you.

Il Dottore considers himself a rational man in every possible subject area. Yes, he does not allow himself to be swayed by anything as irrational as emotion and instead focuses on logic. Whether his final decision is cruel or unethical is not something he cares about. But you... you are the exception. You are the variable he cannot control. And so irrationality is one of the things he despises, swore to himself he'd never be a victim of, but here he was anyway. Succumbing to an irrational mindset is the last thing he thought he'd do.

Often times when Dottore sleeps with you, he doesn't actually sleep. He gets into the bed to appease you, because it brings you comfort, (your words) lays there for a bit until you fall asleep, and resumes his work. He is just far, far too busy to stay. But, nowadays, he finds it even harder than usual to say. Why? Because of his irrational mind, once again. He needs to know that you are alive. Which is a dumb fear really, you're not going to die, you're not going to leave, your body is stable (for now) so there's no need to worry. But he needs to know. He needs confirmation. You know. He really hates that you've done this to him. He hates it. But he can't blame you, only himself, because if he cured you already he would never have to deal with irrationality again.

Dottore is used to the quietness of a human heart, from his experiments of course, clicking his tongue in annoyance from how easily they died and feeling no emotion. But your heart, if your heart stopped... well, his madness would not be transcribed to paper very well, because it would be too hard to describe. But he denies that. And he especially denies it to you. He denies it, so that's why he finds himself counting your heart's beats per minute anyway. But now you know that even the great Il Dottore has a fear and weakness. After all, when it's only the two of you, he is only Zandik, the same man who fell hard for you all those centuries ago. But that's okay. You promised to always be there, even if he doesn't want you to be.

[zaahvi]

Hi!!! I would love to hear any and all hcs about the evanuris and the forgotten ones that you have!! If there's a lot, tell me your favorites :) please feel free to yap to your heart's content !!

ps I think your designs are so beautiful and thoughtful!! (⁠人⁠*⁠´⁠∀⁠｀⁠)⁠｡⁠*ﾟ⁠+

hello!!! thank you sm that's so lovely!! i am so glad you like my designs and are interested in my hcs :)

i got two asks for these so i am splitting it between the two!! for the first i answered with my forgotten ones hcs, with a little mention of the story of elgar'nan and the emotion wiped from memory. for this one i'll share some of my evanuris hcs.

i do indeed have a lot so i'm going to focus on the most fleshed out headcanons i have rn which are for dirthamen and falon'din! who also happen to be my favs alongside ghilly <3 who is also here a bit. if anyone would like to hear about the others just ask but i'm restricting it to those two for this post because otherwise it would get super super long!

previous -> forgotten ones hcs

The Twins

dirthamen was the original spirit; a spirit of purpose, to be exact. he was asked by elgar'nan to join him in creating a body, but his soul was conflicted. part of him was fascinated by it and eager for the knowledge he could discover in his new form, while another part wanted to remain as a spirit so he could continue giving guidance to people without any limitations that a physical form would grant. in the end he decided on making a body, and when he did, the two conflicted parts of his spirit shattered the one into two:

one part, "dirthamen", remained as he previously was, and favoured the pursuit of knowledge, as well as sharing it & teaching others;

the other half became twisted into despair, and clung to sites of death - elves slain by the titans' wrath - to guide their departed spirits back to the fade. he became known as falon'din, friend of the dead.

Falon'Din

falon'din found purpose serving as one of the generals in the titan war. being able to feel deaths and departed souls, he was one to take safer measures to preserve more lives. because of this he also discovered that the titans' deaths severed their connections to the dwarves, allowing them to develop their own wills (another hc i have based on this codex). he convinced the other evanuris to spare the dwarves whenever they slayed the titans, as he felt their passing too.

after the war:

with his role as general now redundant, and no more departed spirits to guide back into the fade, falon'din finds himself purposeless. he succumbs to his despair.

dirthamen tries to help him by encouraging him to find another purpose, or find distractions & coping mechanisms, but all are short lived. despite this, falon'din still tries, with each attempt at distraction becoming more desperate than the last, and he falls into bad habits very quickly.

it continues until he comes to a realisation: that he was content while carrying out his purpose to guide souls unto death. but with no dead to watch over, he could not fulfill his purpose anymore... unless he made some dead himself.

corruption arc!!!

falon'din grew desperate, and began capturing servants and slaves of other gods. elgar'nan and andruil were first (he hated elgar'nan because he blamed him for dirthamen's spirit splitting, and just did not get along with andruil at all), and then a rebellion outpost of escaped slaves was hit. one by one, falon'din would sacrifice them in his temple, and guide their soul into the afterlife. of course, a lot of them weren't exactly thrilled about the person who just murdered them trying to be a gentle guardian of death, and their refusal to follow him just made him spiral even more.

the gods grew anxious as more slaves disappeared. they noticed falon’din acting differently and grew suspicious. each of them sent scouts to his temple, and only dirthamen’s returned, stating the others were captured by falon’din’s generals as sacrifices. 

the evanuris became more defensive of their people, and falon’din mainly stuck to the rebellion. it was only when a group of his soldiers overpowered mythal’s forces and captured her slaves did she push for the gods to finally act.

// and that is where solas' story from the temple of mythal comes from! i haven't yet thought of the conclusion - as in, what happens to falon'din after they kick his ass at the temple. he definitely undergoes some changes that make him more muted to his own feelings (maybe some alternate form of tranquility?), and leans into that mysterious guardian of death persona more. as my favourite quote at this point goes: "He would become death, but used to be more."

Dirthamen

my favourite evanuris <3 i have a lot of thoughts about him and he is involved in a lot of my headcanons. but i'll focus on the big one, which i've talked about before because it was a pre-veilguard theory i had! link here if you're curious.

dirthamen's spirit fragment came into the world eager to gain new knowledge, and that desire always stuck with him. it just grew more and more as he gained more power, status, and good ol' hubris. he would do anything to know all there is about the world.

the rebellion

my theory was that dirthamen sort of aided solas' rebellion.

so in my headcanon, dirthamen's spies came across the rebels' plans against him and traced them back to their hideout (if anyone could, it's the god of secrets and knowledge) and dirthamen showed up there and struck a truce with solas (who didn't really have much of a choice honestly). the trade was that any of dirthamen's subjects could join the rebellion (and thus become free) if they wished, and in exchange dirthamen would get any knowledge collected on the other evanuris. the other gods, except mythal because she was also lowkey helping solas sometimes, ofc did not know this - yet.

ghilly

the other part of that theory is that dirthamen helped ghilan'nain make her experimental monsters (rather he supplied the funding lmao). the idea is that the briney grey goop from the horror of hormak is some sort of executor shit -> executors were attacking dirthamen's temple -> he fought them off and found the grey goop. ghil was eager to experiment with it and dirthamen was all for it. in secret, he provided her with any materials and test subjects she wished for, yes even people (while being in a truce with the rebellion!!! this fuckin guy!!!)

when ghil was offered godhood in exchange for destroying her creations, dirthamen wanted her to refuse; to let her creations live. but ghil didn't want to; she was born a mortal elf and had worked so hard to get to where she was. they fell out. dirthamen did tell solas, who could not stop ghilan'nain but convinced her to spare some of the sea creatures, at least.

betrayal time

of course, eventually, the evanuris found out that dirthamen (& mythal) were helping the rebellion. (haven't decided how they found out but i like to think it was ghilly because. friends to rivals ough.) because dirthamen wasn't against using the blight and mythal was, they were willing to give him another chance... if he took solas' lyrium dagger from his hideout and hands it to the evanuris. dirthamen, inclined to side with the more powerful party out of self-preservation (and protection of everything that is his), does so, and that is how the evanuris are able to kill mythal.

the story continues as in lore after that. there is a bit more i have about dirthamen post-black city... but this post is long enough already. i hope it wasn't too rambly! :)

[warsamongthestars]

( ye gods, a "not just striking TBB again" post )

There is, in fact, a consistent flaw when it comes to Star Wars media outside of the two trilogies ( I will never count the quote "Sequels"--even then only reason Prequels matter is because of The Clone Wars ).

It keeps, consistently, popping up. Its a theme at this point. The only media outside of the trilogies that's reigned it in and played as realistically as possible, was The Clone Wars show.

Even occurs in my favorite bits of Star Wars extended media, like the Dark Forces saga (OG video game series) and KOTOR (Prequel era Video Games).

Its not just a flaw, its actually a story blight. Meaning, if it occurs, and the situation and consequences are not taken into account, and worse, if its glorified in anyway--You have run into False Star Wars.

Because the underlying ideas of Star Wars, which started in the OG and thus are undeniable, goes against this one flaw, this one blight, that keeps popping.

... and that's the idea of repeatedly killing people.

There is a reason why the Prequels go so hard about Anakin slaughtering bandits, when slaughtering bandits is just an every mission thing in video games.

By the very definition of the Force, Everyone Is Important because Everyone is apart of it. Life is Sacred. Does not matter if, by story standards, they're nameless, does not matter what side they're on, you are never just not apart of it. Even the Sith.

Wholesale slaughter, for any reason, goes against the heart of that.

Slaying the Villain, is not and never will be a truth in the heart of what it means to be a Jedi. If a villain has to be slain, it is because no other option exists.

Its why it was so important that Luke goes in peacefully, when he confronts Vader, and by extension Palpatine. Its why he never took a life if he could help it, even in self-defense, after Empire Strikes Back. He was still impulsive, a soldiering life alters think about situations, but that's where his character conflict could've been on-going after the main story.

Its why the concept of Star Wars goes in with the idea of "Life is Sacred and everyone is connected, but what happens when War comes?"

The Prequel trilogy tried, but didn't explain it well.

The Clone Wars series does try harder, and it gets the point across better through interactions with the Clones, but because of the nature of what it is (is a show that is meant for general audiences) and it repeatedly had this bad habit of never questioning the "Good guys" unless it was from an antagonist or villain perspective--it had the grasp of "life is sacred" but never fully leaned into it, asked it questions, and gave it complex thought.

You normally wouldn't give it complex thought. Everyone knows that "Life is Good and Destroying Life is Bad", and that's where the potential genius of Star Wars could happen, even without the fancy space battles and space magic:

Life is Sacred, but What happens when War marches in?

( What happens to the War Hero who used to think Life is Sacred, but has spent so much time killing it in the name of "Greater Good" that nothing is sacred anymore? )

Life is Sacred, but what if you're just saying that because its easy to say it now, when there's no conflict? That, upon confrontation with a a hostile force, you go in guns blazing and swords out? Can't say that life is sacred after you've beheaded someone.

( What happens to the space monks that can sense souls, sense life, even from lightyears away, that, upon being told to go to war, they go to war with the idea that it is the "Greater Good". What kind of people do you have to be, to claim that life is sacred, but then sacrifice countless troops to a nameless unliving enemy. )

Life is Sacred, but what if Politics starts telling you it isn't? What if it tells you that people aren't worth the food in their mouths or the roof over their heads? That life has to be given a driven goal filled purpose, or it is otherwise meaningless and useless?

( What happens when you get told you're special, and that you can be trained, but it comes at the cost of home, family, and connections?That it meant you have to leave your loved ones to horrible fates? Because they're not special, and you're not allowed to connect to them anymore. )

Life is Sacred, but what if it can be mass produced? What if you can have an entire generation do exactly as you want, no matter how dangerous? Who will dehumanize themselves, in order to complete the task at hand?

( What happens to the trooper, raised to be a soldier from birth, who is explicitly trained to go to war, who has been robbed of any choice or option, beyond facing the adversary. What happens when the space monks tell that soldier that he has to die for the greater good? But will preach about how wrong it all is, to that trooper's face, but then do nothing. )

What happens, when you allow circumstance to tell you that life isn't sacred.

Easy. That's the point where you Fall.

... And its the point where a lot of Star Wars Media becomes a hypocritical mess where the only thing special about it, is the flashy effects and the icons.

Don't worry, they've been fucking up their own message since the OG. Star Wars has always been bad at being the Star Wars it wants to be, but, if you're going to blame something for being bad at something--you might as well extrapolate on what that something is.

After all, there's no point in hitting the nail on the head if you miss the nail and lose the hammer.

[random-doctor-on-the-internet]

Hello earthlings, your favourite aliens back! Well, not favourite, I probably don't even make it to the top fifty, but let a guy have dreams.

I am currently drowned in exams and two days late on my art commissions schedule, but I've just eaten coffee beans thinking it was chocolate (don't do that, kids) and decided that it's time for a new BSfLM.

@weirdly-specific-but-ok , tagging you because I haven't bothered you in a while. Read this coffee induced masterpiece and cry.

global cheering

So, since @randomvoices and @zonzolik asked about the cults, I'll talk about...well, the cults. And now, mortals, IT'S SHOWTIME. Neil Gaiman have your mercy, for the worst is yet to come.

global slightly worried cheering

Okay, buckle your seatbelts, here's the story of how I almost got dragged into a cult. Welcome to hell.

Alrighty-almighty, it all starts, as it will end, in some little russian town. You know, these little towns that seem to only exist to say things like "this famous guy was born there", "that famous guy tried to sleep there for a night but was met with a lot of suspicion", "that one blorbo on the net got dragged into a cult there", etc. You see what I'm talking about.

"But, Ash, why were you in this town?", you ask.

The truth is, I don't know. We were looking for a place to sleep, then God decided that my life will be a crossover between Florida News and those traumatic fairy tales from your childhood that you remember all your life, and threw me there. Hi!

So, we arrive there, it's late, almost everyone is sleeping, and we need to stay unnoticed for runaway reasons. The villagers, however, are not very eager to welcome two black haired strangers carrying an impressive amount of close combat weapons. After a bit of useless bargaining, we realised that it's time to pack our bags and hitch the road.

So, we get a loaf of bread for dinner and go away, trying to look very offended. Historians don't say if it was effective. We're almost gone when we see a guy who yells us that there's a small community of monks in the woods who usually welcome well minded strangers.

Sleep in a monastery is better than no sleep at all, we decide, and go in the woods. We arrive, the monks are nice even if not very monkish, they give us some mushroom stew and send us to sleep.

I don't know what they put in the stew, but we both sleep for more than three days. When we wake up, they're all nice, all seem very worried that we haven't woken up earlier. We apologize for abusing their hospitality and ask if we could do something to make up for it. We may be punk, but we have a heart. They happily agree and we spend an unknown amount of days alternating between enormous amounts of sleep and chopping wood, collecting flowers, brewing beer, and other monastery stuff.

We start thinking about leaving, but every time we mention it, they ask us if we could help with something else, and make clear that they won't tell us where they put our travel bags (with the guns inside.). Now that we live with them, we can see that they don't look like monks at all. Neither of us knows a lot about Christianity, but I'm pretty sure monks aren't supposed to wear flower crowns, sleep together, and sing songs about how Nature is a massive slay. They're hippies, we think, nice ones, and keep chopping wood.

They seem pretty excited about the full moon. Is God supposed to look at us through the moon's eye? Is God the moon? Were they secretly werewolves? Who knows. But they were acting very strange when we mentioned it. Told us that we need to see the full moon ceremony, that it will change our lives.

We help them decorate the woods, and put a small monolith around which it's going to take place. They ask Beez to pick a goat, because they're going to do a thing in our honour. Goat meat stew? Why not. Another 2 day-long nap later, it's the full moon. They give us white robes. Beez insists to keep all the things they haven't put away under them. The black-white combo doesn't look good, but it works.

We reunite in the clearing. As soon as the moon appears, they start singing. I don't know that song but it sounds metal. I'm joining them, stammering some lyrics about burning Christians. It fortunately goes unnoticed.

And then, the goat arrives. It's very clear that there won't be any stew. Beez looks at me. I look at Beez. And we run like our lives are in danger, which is probably true. Without the robes, we're almost invisible in the night. And we mindlessly run for dear life, two days of running almost without stopping. I don't know if they sent people after us, but they didn't catch us.

So, yeah, here's how we survived a moonlight cult, and people from said cult obtained two brand new backpacks, a dozen guns, perfectly done passports (it was awful to redo these without being found) and half a loaf of bread. Hope they remember us.

Remember, children, always trust suspicious strangers. Fun adventures might happen.

[echantedtoon]

Eclipsed Starshine(Yandere Kokushibo x Reader) Ch1 For Which The Heart Darkens With Want

An alternate route for if Kokushibo had given into his yandere tendencies earlier than expected.

(This is an alternate ending for In The Moon's Shadow. What if Kokushibo didn't leave? What if he instead stayed? What if his yandere tendencies had him do more than just slay people that night? It'll be answered here in this short story. But I want to make this clear-

0. THIS WILL BE VERY SHORT. Like at max two maybe three chapters at most.

1. This is a Yandere-ish story. I in NO way support any of that kind of relationship in real life!

2. This is a story with Demons from Demon Slayer so expect there to be some fighting, cussing, blood, mentioned killing, and other such things. Although they WILL be way toned down.

3. Kokushibo isn't going to be much of a yandere and more of having no idea how human relationships work but that's because Im not used to writing full blown yanderes. So the relationship will be non-toxic.

4. This IS an AU. So barely anything will be cannon.

5. If any chapters have warnings please read and heed them.

WARNINGS: Kokushibo is in pretty rough shape with bad wounds and some blood loss, mentioned blood, Kokushibo murders two rivals later, koku gets stabbed, mentioned killing/attempted murder, Y/n gets cut when someone tries to attack Kokushibo, Kokushibo breaks someone's hand, spicy-ish near the end, mentioning of a corpse, someone gets burnt to death in a house fire, yandere possessive themes, etc. Again I don't support toxic relationships this is pure fiction.

The song Y/n sings is A Thousand Years (Lullaby Version) by Christina Perri.)

Your breath hitched in your throat.

Quietly you stepped closer as and closer and CLOSER to the bush silently. Slowly behind the henhouse you went and stopped right in front of the bush. The wind blew swaying it's branches creepily and looked like thrashing arms. You grabbed a handful and silently and slowly pulled them back.

And you froze at what you saw-

The winds howled as the darkness crept across the skies. The darkness behind the bush shielded your form from the moonlight which cascaded down between the trees and clouds in the sky. The shadows danced and branches creaked as the wind blew them about. Like arms beckoning you closer to grab you away in their rough grip. Drag you into the shadows never to be seen again. You cracked an opening in the branches and looked out. The darkened sky looked out over the entire area. Tree branches swayed and night fell upon the ground. However you froze as your eyes met a sickening sight.

R E D.

The coldness of the air bit down hard on your skin, like painful bee stings pricking your skin. The terror far greater than seeing a thousand wolves sunk in. A hand flew to cover your mouth as a foul urge to vomit rose and a sickening copper smell filtered through the air.

RED!!

That was the color painted everywhere on the ground displayed before you. And there...lying face down slumped over was a man's body. A canvas for the color. Your eyes shrank in terror and your ears gained a ringing sound all on their own drowning out any noise.

A DEAD BODY.

In your backyard and lying right in front of your face. How-...How did this happen?! Where did it come from?! You wretched yourself away from the bush in shock and leaned over slightly. The urge to vomit riding as you did everything you could to keep it down. The bush branches snapping back into place hiding the sight from you. Automatically you gave a few coughs and gulped down air in an attempt to calm yourself head spinning. There was a dead man on your property! Oh gods! What if someone thought you were responsible for this!? You could be tried for murders-

Wait...

How did you know he was actually dead?

That one thought made you freeze in your tracks instantly. That's right...How did you know for certain that he was dead? You just merely saw him covered in blood with a gash on his back. Your head turned back to the bush. He...he could've been hurt and tried reaching your house for help. What if he was laying there suffering?! That thought perked you back up into going back to the bush and cautiously reaching out to slightly pull the branches again. The body was still there unmoving. It...sure LOOKED dead but you couldn't tell in the dark. If he was still alive..you had to help him. You couldn't just leave someone to bleed out. The unmoving form still remained unmoving even as you noisily pushed through the bush and stood right next to the head....It was definitely a man. You could tell by how Large the body was and how muscular the exposed skin was. In the limited moonlight you were able to make out long hair and bangs that mostly covered his face and he laid in a position that suggested that he'd collapsed by himself. But the question still remained...Was he still alive?

You hesitated again ...but slowly you reached over to the face laying on its side and touched the long bangs covering his eyes. It was .. surprisingly soft and silky to the touch and you slowly pulled it away from the face to examine it. The right side of a man's face greeted you. You nearly jumped back at what you saw.

"Oh my gods...KOKUSHIBO!!"

The demon that you had seen many times before, who had been patient despite the stigma and rudeness of the people who hated his kind, was before you. Splayed out on the cold unforgivable ground unmoving. His right eyes exposed from pulling his bangs back was closed obviously either unconscious or dead, and read streaks ran down his face in water dripping patterns from a cut on his forehead. However...that wasn't the strangest bit. Your hand instead went to almost touch his lips and flinched back feeling a weak warm breath blow across your fingertips. You reeled back in shock, hand to your chest, and jumping

HE WAS ALIVE!!

Hands grabbed his right shoulder and HEAVED. Barely moving an inch, but slowly the body turned, and with a thud he was collapsed onto his back. A shocked gasp escaped from your throat upon turquoise eyes seeing his front body. Oh gods...So much blood. His body was practically DRENCHED in the red color! And you found out why. He had the front of his shirt ripped to pieces to where it was barely hanging on over his shoulders. A large gash across his front from his left shoulder and ending just above his right hip was exposed to you. Definitely bigger than the gash along his back. And there was a third smaller gash along his right collar bone ending near his bicep. There was so much blood..How was he even still alive!? Wha-..What happened to him?! What caused him to get like this?! You reached out to touch it his neck for a pulse- But froze as a strong hand snatched you hand.

Six eyes opened up and gazed up at the blurry figure above him. Not making any sense of the blurry, spinning vision. Until the eyes rolled up into the back of his head and the last thing he saw was a glimpse of turquoise.

**************************************************

Warm.

Everything was warm once feeling returned to his body. Which was odd. He was lying on the cold hard ground last he remembered. Logic was of course the first thing to return to him. His thinking was always faster than his reflexes. Then the feeling of his body settled in. Warmth...but incredible aching, throbbing soreness. It throbbed and pained his body. Hmm..So he wasn't dead after all. It was too painful to be heaven and not painful enough to be hell, and too annoying to be purgatory. So he was still alive but had passed out for a short while. An acceptable fate. Now...where was he?

Eyes slowly opened themselves up to the world blinking rapidly at the light and his vision blurred until he could see...A one roomed house? It was mostly empty. A coffee table square in the middle, a picture frame or two holding a painting of someone on the walls, a basket in the corner, a shelf full of dishes and other small items, a fireplace with a fire currently going, and a few other bland things. Nothing that really stood out as anything important to him. But who lived here? Why was he inside? How did he get here? And who touched him?

Wait...This place looked familiar but his throbbing head couldn't pinpoint why or how.

His question was answered when the door opened and the figure of a woman in a blue kimono walked in. The smell of wood drew his attention to the logs she was carrying. Silently he watched as she slid the sliding door back closed with a foot before continuing on to the fireplace and proceeding to feed the fire the wood. He laid there silently staring at her legs as she worked, feeling too weak to look up just yet and not wanting to give himself away just yet. The sounds of a metal poker scraping against the fire appeared for a little while before it too went away and the legs turned to face him. They didn't move again for a long moment before he felt a hand touch his blanketed shoulder- Faster than either expected his left hand shot up to tightly grip a much smaller wrist and squeezed down just enough to get the other body to freeze.

"Who are you and where am I?"

His eyes turned upwards slowly tilting his head...and he gave pause at the shocked face staring at him. The soft features looking as if sculpted by an angel. Soft, warm, and very beautiful. Definitely a woman.

Wait a minute. He knew this troublesome woman.

You stared at him in shock at how fast the man moved despite the fact that he was still extremely hurt and had blood loss. He was extremely trained if he could react this fast. You jumped as he lightly squeezed your wrist. It didn't hurt, not at all, but you couldn't move. This man was obviously serious and probably still on edge from whatever happened to him. So taking a breath..you exhaled slowly to calm yourself.

"Calm yourself," you spoke holding up your free hand despite his face already being an odd calm, "Relax back. You might reopen your wounds-"

"Must we always meet at such ridiculous times?," he asked annoyed slightly, "How did you even move me?"

"This is my home. I found you unconscious outside last night and brought you in here, and let me tell you it wasn't easy. You're very heavy and I had to drag you foot by foot. I was so scared I'd open your wounds more."

You watched his eyes looking you up and down.. before he slowly let go of your wrist and lowered his arm back down but paused when he saw the white wrapped around his palm and held his hand out to look at the bandages wrapped around it. Before his eyes slowly looked down at his now uncovered torso and saw even more bandages snuggly wrapped around his entire upper body, over his right shoulder, and part of his upper right arm. A hand reached up to feel his head and again found more bandages wrapped around his forehead. The throbbing soreness he's been feeling throbbed from most of the bandaged spots. And a deep inhale made him aware of some kind of ointment or herbal treatment under them.

"...You have treated my wounds."

You nodded finally smiling at him. "I did."

He slowly looked back to you and blinked. "I wasn't aware that you had medical training."

"I don't. I only know so much because I accidentally cut my hands a lot when I carve soaps and candles." You held up your palms displaying the years worth of scars from cuts of all sizes you've gotten over the years from your job.

He hummed. "My sword. Where is it?"

"It's by the table. You were passed out so I didn't know what to do with it otherwise." He looked back to you. "Your shirt was also ruined but I managed to save your other clothes. They're washed and drying outside so you should be able to get them back soon."

"I see." Again he looked back to his body. "What of the state of my injuries?"

"You have a few large gashes across your back, chest, and shoulder here," you gestured to his torso. "But they're not deep at all and should heal rather quickly. You have a few cuts also but they're even smaller and should heal faster." You then frowned. "However I am worried about how much blood you managed to lose. There was so much. I honestly thought you were dead when I first saw you."

"I'll live," he said simply before sighing through his nose. "Is there anyone else that lives here?"

You shook your head. "No. Just me-"

"Where does that door there lead?" He pointed out the Smaller sliding door near the shelf.

Oh right. You never told him that whenever he was here. "Oh. That leads into my bathroom." You blinked before looking at him. "My house isn't that-"

You blinked at the man who was sitting up. ... Kokushibo was .. sitting up. The man was sitting up despite his blood loss- He sighed through his nose before pulling the blanket to drap around his shoulders and slowly struggled to stand up. Your jaw dropped in disbelief as he was able to stand up and turned keeping the blanket draped over himself. Eventually you shook you head and snapped after him.

"Hey! W-Wait a minute!" He stopped when you grabbed the blanket around him and tugged back. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"To bathe." He turned his head back to you. "Please bring me my clothes." He then tugged the blanket out of your hands and continued on his way. Grabbing a towel from the shelf and entering your bathroom.

You stood there stunned for a very long time opening and closing your mouth like a fish before you looked at the empty futon and then back to the door as the faint sounds of running water started up. ....HOW WAS HE ABLE TO STAND AND WALK RIGHT NOW?! HE SHOUDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO SIT UP!! But there he was. You were absolutely stunned to say the least, but did as he asked and got the clothes you cleaned from the line. You ended up just quickly shoving them inside closing your eyes and slamming the door back shut to give him respect of privacy. He still took his sweet time however and the next time he opened the door he was fully clothed minus a shirt. Steam escaped from the room behind him as he approached your sitting form at the table but he didn't even acknowledge you. Just reaching out to grab the sword off the table. He stood there examining the sheath of the blade with a calm face... before he paused. His eyes went wide as his arm flew to clutch his stomach as a wave of pain and dizzying nausea came over him. He stumbled two steps to the right before something grabbed onto him barely able to lift him up.

"I TOLD you! You're body's too weak to stand yet. C'mon. Come lay back down." You some how managed to hold up his heavy body just enough to make it back to the futon and help him sit down but he refused to lay down no matter how hard you pushed him to lay back so you gave up and just looked at him breathing heavily. "There. Now don't try that again. You need to recover."

His hair was down now completely cascading down his body and slightly wet covering most of his back but he still turned to you peeking through his hair. "It seems...so. I must take some time to recover."

"I also need you to remove your coat." He raised a brow at you. "To replace the bandages you removed. It'd be better if I treated them properly."

He remained silent but placed the sword on his lap and reached up to silently remove his black and purple checkered coat. You blinked but quickly looked away with red rising to your cheeks. Right! You'd better get those bandages. You were surprised at how silent and calm he was. Not once did he flinch or make a hurt face when you retreated his injuries. Only silently raising his arms and moving his hair when you wrapped new clean bandages around his torso red faced. He was...very physically fit. When you were finished he just silently pulled the coat back over his shoulders.

"You should be fine now but you should rest." He hummed in response. ".... Why were you behind my house?"

"Why do you need to know?"

You rose a brow. "Well considering I found a demon bleeding near my home and treated him without asking for payment in return I think an explanation would be the least you could give me."

"I owe nothing."

"Maybe not but it would be polite."

There was silence again before he said one word. "Fine."

You blinked before smiling. "Well good. Now-..Would you tell me what you were doing outside my home?''

He hummed again cracking an eye open at you. "Nosey aren't you?"

"Concerned is more like it. You'd be too if you found a bloodied man outside your home." You then glanced at the sword on his lap. "...Were you fighting?"

A large hand clasped around the sword in an instant. "....Yes." He settled on saying carefully after studying your face for a long moment. "I was engaged in battle before coming here."

Your brow rose. "Combat in the middle of the woods?"

"I prefer traveling without trouble following. The forest provides a peaceful cover. However I miscalculated an ambush. I will not make the same mistake."

Who attacked him? Other samurai? You've seen these men a few times while in town from the waring clans but never spoke to one until Kokushibo. "....But do I have to worry about trouble coming here?"

"...No. I have already assured that I wouldn't be dealing with them again."

You decided not to delve further into that. Wasn't your business anyways. At least you didn't have to worry about trouble showing up on your doorstep. You slowly closed the box containing your medical kit. "I'll have to buy some more supplies in town. ...Are you hungry? A full stomach would help you feel better."

He hummed again. " You're cooking beef stew in the fireplace." He nodded. "I will take it."

"And water." He again looked at you. "You lost a lot of blood. You need fluids and get rehydrated fast or else something bad might happen." You stood up and turned away from him. "I'd rather not have my guest collapsing on me again." Walking over to the shelf, you placed the box back. "You can stay here until you recover, but I think it might be a good idea if I had the village's doctor come look at you-"

"NO." You turned around blinking at him as he narrowed his eyes at you. "I won't have anyone else seeing me or knowing I am here. I will stay until I am well enough to walk within a week but until then no one else will know I'm here."

The intensity of the state he was giving you reminded you of a wolf staring at a rabbit. ..And you suddenly had a thought that perhaps you had better stay out of whatever business Kokushkbo had. So you nodded and he relaxed back but still stared at you. Watching as you set about getting him a plate stuffed full of rice and beef and whatever else you decided to give him.

"Thank you." He said plainly before just grabbing a pair of chopsticks to start eating.

"I hope you don't mind such a meager meal. I don't have exactly have access to top meat."

"This will be enough for now but I will need more later to fuel my body's regeneration rate." He said before just silently putting a chunk of the food in his mouth...and pausing before just looking at the food.

You noticed that and tilted your head. "Is something wrong? It's too hot isn't it?"

He was slow to respond. "No... It's quite good. I rarely have home cooked foods." Mostly he feasted on prey he caught these last few months between the battle fields and missions and home cooked meals like this were rare these days.

You smiled at him. "Thank you. If you're still hungry later then you're welcome to take more of it. If you can't move just ask me and I'll get you more." A jug full of water and a cup was placed next to him. "Here's some water. Drink some. I'm going to clean up the mess you made of my bathroom. Next time don't leave your old bandages next to the tub."

"My apologies."

He did not say anything else as you left to clean up the bathroom and dispose of the old slightly bloodied bandages he had wrapped around himself.

"Burn them."

You paused in the middle of carrying the small pile of bloodied bandages in your hands. "What?"

"Burn them in the fireplace." His eyes glanced to the fire. "It'll better for any trace of me to be cloaked for now." He took another sip of his tea before looking at your face calmly but seriously. "When you are finished, I want you to take the ashes from the fire pit and go outside. Cover any pools of blood I might've left behind with them. It'll mask the scent until the dirt fully absorbs the blood away."

"Mask the scent from who?"

"Anyone wishing to find me and finish what the others failed to do. Try not to let anyone see you do it."

You weren't exactly sure who these 'people' were, but you'd rather not risk it considering the spike of fear from his words. So you did what he asked with an approving hum from him. Throwing the old bandages into the fire until they burnt into ash and collecting the burnt out ashes and logs in a metal bucket nearby. He only watched silently still eating as you heaved the heavy bucket out of your house, around back, and where you found his collapsed body. Sure enough there was some red blood stained there from where he laid for who knows how long before you found him. Taking the still hot ashes, you made quick work of it looking around yourself to be sure no one else was watching you before all the red ground was covered up. Leaving you to scurry back inside to him.

He seemed pleased with your work and just finished eating silent before you began collecting the dishes he set aside once he was finished with it. He stayed like that for the rest of the day, just silently sitting there and looking like he was in deep meditation. You didn't disturb him still feeling strange from the intense look he gave you earlier. However you did comply with him when he asked for more food before retiring to the futon you set up. Not wanting to disturb him, you just pulled out a spare set of blankets from the shelf and curled up near the front door just in case you needed to jump out for whatever reason. However you woke up the next morning in surprise to find him sound asleep still.

Seeing as you still had a quiet morning to yourself, you quietly made your way out to go to work which wasn't too long a job but you thought that the man would've been awake by the time you came back. You were surprised to see that he wasn't. Instead he remained there in the same position you saw him in when you first got up. Long hair splayed all around him. But what caught your attention towards him was the twitching of his eyelids. He looked incredibly bothered by something. So when a hand touched his forehead, his eyes snapped open immediately to look at you.

"You're running a fever...It doesn't feel too high thankfully. I have some fever medicine in my kit. I'll give you some and you should feel fine later."

He merely hummed before closing his eyes back shut. "Do what you must."

You smiled and made to move..but paused. Removing your hand you stared at his bare forehead in confusion. ".... That's strange. Didn't you have a cut on your forehead?"

"You're mistaken." He didn't bother opening his eyes.

You stared at him before opening your mouth. That's not true. You DID treat a cut on his forehead but again you decided not to bother fighting him and again treat him with a herbal tea infused with the medicine. He opened his eyes and would've sat up to take the drink from you, but blinked as all of a sudden a hand pushed itself under his head and lifted him with extreme gentleness he'd never felt before. As if he was cracked glass and at any moment could shatter. Something warm and herbal smelling wafted over his lips as you cradled his head and held the cup to his lips.

"Here. Drink."

The eyes stared up at yours and how soft your features were... before they glanced at the cup, and slowly opened his mouth. It was enough for you to tilt the cup for him to drink taking great care to not spill any on him. Making sure to also give him breaks between gulps to allow him to breath until it was empty. He'll also need something solid in his stomach. Good thing you still had leftovers from dinner last night. He didn't make any moves to stop you from cradling his head and feeding him until he seemed to be full enough and you gently encouraged him to sit back up. You needed to treat his wounds again. He seemed to struggle to sit up by himself so you had to push him up into a sitting position before you could again treat him. He just remained silent and compliant throughout the entire process until he was laying back down and a cool wet towel was being pressed against his forehead.

"There you go. You should feel better soon. Is there anything else you want?"

"No. This should suffice."

You smiled at him again. "Well you should be well for now. I'll come back later and get you some more water after I finish cleaning the house. For now rest."

He looked at you closely. "You're doing your duties even while caring for someone else fully?"

"Well ..Yes. You're my guest, and I should be a good hostess but I shouldn't neglect my chores either."

"Hm. The markings of a devoted housewife." He nodded. "Your future husband will be pleased."

You paused blinking.. before slowly looking at him with a look. "I'm not seeing anyone for the last time.." His eyes looked back to you. "Really. I'm not. I clean my home and provide for my own person because I like independence."

His brow rose higher than before. "A woman living alone and supporting herself?" The eyes scanned you up and down. That was unheard of. "With how young and beautiful you are? A woman by your age is usually married or engaged to be married soon. It's unheard of to hear that you're not."

You paused. Before your face lit up a light pink at his words but despite that you shook your head with a frown. "No. I like living by myself and providing for just me. It's simpler and more peaceful."

"You do not want to be married? Or start a family?"

You gave a thoughtful look. "Well..I think it would be nice to settle down eventually, but it shouldn't be forced. Marriage is supposed to be about love for one another, not just what I look like."

"You haven't gotten any suitors?.. Outside of the man calling himself Sabo."

You shook your head picking up a bucket. "No. I have but most of the ones I've gotten have always been pushy or only wanted to marry me because they thought I was pretty or for some other selfish reason. Living on the edge of town helps but sometimes someone still comes here and try their luck. Some more pushy than others. A lot of the time they don't like hearing no."

Kokushibo silently seemed to be giving a thoughtful, considerate look to what you had to say. "I see."

He said nothing else as his eyes closed once again and you left to fetch a pail of water from your bathroom. If he wanted to rest then you wouldn't disturb him. Only rolling up your sleeves/bottom of your kimono before starting to scrub the floors. He remained still as you worked even as you moved furniture and pushed him and the futon over at one point to clean under him. He merely perked an eye open, before immediately closing it again unbothered by anything. Made no difference to you. You just continued to go about your business dusting, sweeping, mopping, etc. You again changed the towel on his forehead and fed him more later in the day but it wasn't anything special. However come the third morning he was there you started to think maybe demons were more supernatural than you thought. You had woken up as usual and gotten up but froze when you found the back door open and he was just sitting there already helping himself to what must've been the last of the large pot of stew and rice you made. How the heck was he able to eat so much? He noticed you before you could even say something.

"Apologies for devouring your food. If I wish to regenerate fully faster, I need more sustenance to sustain the energy my body uses to generate the healing process. But rest assured this only means I won't be a bother for you sooner."

You blinked looking at where he had been resting the day before then at him opening your mouth.. before just closing it. "It's..not a problem. You must be really hungry. I'll cook you a few eggs."

He only tilted his head slightly as you silently went over to make his bed, without complaining about it to him, before exciting the home to begin your work. A woman who didn't complain about things he did and just offered him more food without a second thought. The markings of a good woman who'd take good care of her husband and the home when he was away. However she seemed very stubborn minded about remaining single. She'd most likely die alone. He'd just finished the food you'd given him and you took his plate away with a smile when a knocking noise from the front door caught your attention. Kokushibo merely cracked an eye open from his meditative state. Neither of you moved and then the knocking came back again but louder.

"Who could that be?," you mumbled putting the plates to the side.

"A man." From the presence he sensed and by the smell, it was a male around the same age as you and from the smell of animals, he was either a hunter or was wearing some kind of animal pelts.

You hesitated looking at him both wondering how he knew that and a bit concerned. He said he didn't want anyone to know that he was here, but he didn't make any moves to hide or move out of sight...You supposed it would just be ok to answer the door, you just had to make sure to not accidentally show Kokushibo was there. So with a sigh you steeled yourself with a smile and walked on over to the front door, just sliding it open enough to peek your head out... before you blinked and your face frowned.

"What are you doing here?" Kokushibo's head perked up at the heavy distaste in your tone.

"I came to see the love of my life.~ Isn't it obvious?~ I missed you so much.~", came a gruff but young male's voice he'd never heard before.

Behind the door you placed a hand on your hip. "You're not allowed back in town. You were banned after you almost killed that elder a year ago."

"It was an honest mistake-"

"You got drunk and picked a fight with that poor old man for no reason! On top of that you dishonored your family and that was on top of the pile of horrible things you've done!"

"You don't live in town. This is just outside it, so I'm not breaking any laws." Kokushibo's head turned to the side and rose a brow seeing a hand caress the side of your head through the doorway. "I missed you.~"

SLAP!

The hand was harshly slapped away from your face. "GET OFF MY PROPERTY!!" You bellowed out at him in a tone that surprised Kokushibo could come from such a soft lady especially since he's never heard such a tone come from you. ''I don't know who you think you are but you're not welcome here! You're NEVER welcome here! You disgust me to no end! Now get off my property! I don't want to see you again!"

There was an instant reaction to your words. One of which being that you were shoved back harshly. Enough to send you stumbling back and falling to the floor as the sliding door slammed open and someone stepped inside. The someone was a man about her age maybe a year or two older with a few scars and clothing made from animal skins. Ah. That explained the smell of animals. He walked in initially with a smirk on his face but paused upon seeing the face of another man staring back at him calmly and silently. Except Kokushibo made sure that he kept his eyes under his hair, concealing his true identity. You shook your head scooting back from the new man entering your home and glared at him. The two men silently stared at one another before finally the first one sneered in anger and pointed at Kokushibo.

"Who the hell are you?!", he demanded.

"Who I am is not important for you to know," he responded back calmly only making the newcomer angrier.

"What?! Did you get married or something while I was gone?!" He snapped to you in question.

"So what if I did?!"

"SO YOU GOT MARRIED!?"

"Again that's none of your business! I don't owe you any explanation on what goes on in my life! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!"

The man didn't. Instead he snarled at Kokushibo who took his sweet time standing up and turning to face him. His calm expression beyond repair making him even more so.

"I believe she had asked you to leave this house," he spoke more calmly half lidded eyes staring at him. You looked up at him. Holy crap...he was a lot taller than he looked.

"Tch. And what right do you have to it?," he asked silently sizing the samurai up.

"None. I am nothing but a mere guest to this household however you are not. Now you had best be on your way. I would find it improper for you to stay any longer."

Perhaps it was the previous blood loss that had dulled his senses or the fact he didn't take this man as a threat (and to be perfectly honest he wasn't a threat at all) but when a hand shot out he stiffened awaiting the blow- However it-...Never came?

The smell of blood filled his nose after a body flew up and something metallic and shiny slashed across your face. A cut formed on your cheek. Pain exploded as you yelled out stumbling back until you collided with a body. Kokushibo blinked as you fell against him easily catching you in one strong arm as you gritted your teeth and clutched your cheek as a cut bled out on. Kokushibo slowly blinked as you felt tests start to stream down your face. Kokushibo slowly let his eyes grow wide before looking at the man who also seemed surprised as he held up a dagger.

"Leave him alone!," you bellowed out at the other man, "He's hurt enough! Just leave us alone! GET OUT! GET OUT!! GET OUT!!"

Well..that escalated rather quickly. He stared at the woman starting to cry in his arms then back to the man holding the knife. Her body was slowly slid until she was gently placed on the floor. Turquoise eyes blinked as he easily stepped over and placed himself between her and the other man. An unusual feeling of anger bubbling from his surface and he found himself wanting to do nothing more than smash this man's head open like a walnut. ..The sobbing continued behind him which made him give pause. Hmm. That would possibly escalate the situation to a much worse scale. Kokushibo decided he wouldn't be ending any lives.

Not now. Not today at least.

He chillingly looked back to the man. "You have been told to leave. If you don't wish bodily harm upon you, you'll honor the request."

The other man stared at him before daring to growl. "Who's gonna make me? You?"

"Obviously. Normally I wouldn't care of what business or purpose you have with her, but you attacked my hostess. I can't simply let that slide."

"I'm not going to let a woman order me around like a weakling. And I'm sure as hell not going to let you get between me and my business!"

An arm was raised up high and the dagger was raised only to be swiped down- And grabbed by a large fist faster than either could comprehend. Shocked eyes stared into the calm face, eyes hidden by burgundy hair.

CRACK-

Your body curled up on itself as a man's shriek echoed throughout the home. Pain wailing through his hand and up his arm shooting off like fireworks. The knife fell to the ground with a clatter by their feet as Kokushibo effortlessly and calmly crushed the man's hand. It was all a quick blur. His hand swiping from the hand to his neck, grabbing him by the throat and lifting up. You watched shocked as Kokushibo was able to effortlessly lift up the dangling man like he was nothing and walk him to the open front door struggling and wheezing for air grabbing at the calloused hand clamped around his throat. Until the samurai stopped just in the doorway.

"A man's place is to protect and provide for the woman he devotes his life to. Your proclamations of love are as empty as your threats. You are neither a man nor a worthy lover. It's only because I'm being courteous to my hostess that you live. She just cleaned last night and I'd hate to make a mess and ruin all her hard work. But make no mistakes. Should our paths cross again for whatever reason..." The calm eyes narrowed as the grip increased. "I will be the last thing you see before death claims you."

The man's body dropped like a ragdoll with a thud and a large gasp left his mouth followed by a current of coughs as sweet oxygen filled his lungs. He simply watched him wriggle and struggle like the pathetic worm he was before he was able to scowl and struggle himself away. He stood there until he was no longer in sight and then some before closing the door in front of him. Silence resumed for a long moment.

"...That was incredibly stupid of you." You blinked as he turned to look at you. "I didn't ask you to defend me and if you do it again I'll be sure it's the last time you do."

You ...just blinked. Staring at him as tears continued to roll down your cheeks before you scowled. "I-"

"Should be the one protected," he stated bluntly, "It's a man's job to protect the women not the other way around. You've already done me a great deed by feeding me, giving me shelter, and treating my wounds without a thing in return. I owe your safety at least in return." You said nothing as he walked on over to the shelf and grabbed the box you kept your medical supplies in. "Now treat the wound. It will be better if you did."

You wiped at your face before nodding. "F-Fine. But remove your coat so I can care for your wounds in return.''

"There is no need. They will be fully healed by tomorrow anyways."

That wasn't true. The gashes on him weren't deep but they'd take a long time to heal fully. "Even still, it'd be better to treat the wounds until they heal fully and I said I'd take care of you until you healed fully."

He regarded you for a long moment. "A woman who insists on treating others before herself...You would be an ideal wife if the right man wished to court you." You deadpanned at him. "Nevertheless I agree but treat your cheek first."

You didn't argue against that or when he suddenly pressed a cloth to your face to wipe off the tears and blood from your cut. Your eyes just widened as a hand tilted your head up to look at him and he continued working...a redness spreading across your face much to his inner amusement.

"Who was that man?" His voice made you jump.

"W-What?"

"He seemed to know you. Was he a past lover?"

You scowled in his hold. "He wishes. No. Not even remotely."

He hummed. "He seems to think otherwise."

"His family owns a successful fur trading business in town. Because of that he's very spoiled. He thinks he can get away with anything but last year he was exiled from town because he almost killed an elderly man after he got drunk and picked a fight with him for no reason. Everyone was tired of his selfishness."

"What is his business with you?"

"Nothing. His parents tried to convince me to make an arranged marriage between us as children and I guess since I've told him no he can't seem to get over it. But I'm afraid he might make good on that loophole." He hummed wiping around your cut. "Technically I don't live in town. I live just on the outskirts of it. So if he comes back here then he wouldn't be breaking the law.''

"And they never asked your parents for that?"

"I don't have any parents." He paused giving you a look of interest. "Years ago there was a wild fire in the area that burnt down a quarter of the town. A few people were killed in the flames. My parents were two of them." He watched as her eyes sadly looked back down to her work. "I was taken in and raised by a very nice older couple who didn't have any children. I'm forever grateful for their kindness especially concerning my boundaries. However now Nori has returned-"

"If he returns, he dies." You blinked as he seriously spoke. "I warned him. If he so chooses to not listen to that warning then he'll face the consequences of his own actions. I never go back on my word."

You blinked at him before pulling away red faced. "Y-You didn't have to do that."

"I did what my role entails." The rustling of clothing had you look over and freeze as his purple and black checkered coat dropped to his feet and exposed his torso to you. "Now you may treat me like you wanted." Your eyes stared at his toned chest- "It's rude to stare."

Jumping you scrambled grabbing your medical kit as he just calmly raised an arm to allow you to quickly pull away the old bandages and trying (and failing-) to not stare at his torso and his scars-...Wait. The bandages fell away from his skin and you froze staring at his wounds. Except..they weren't wounds. They weren't even scars! They were just light markings that looked extremely faded to the point that they were barely present. You just...stared at them.

Wounds don't heal that fast.

Staring silently you slowly looked up at his eyes. "Is something the matter?"

You opened and closed your mouth but quickly shook your head no. "N-No! You're healing up quite nicely! You were right when you said you'd be better in a week!" You offered a smile. "After this I'll make you some more food and drink. Do you like tea?"

"That's fine....You mentioned that you had no lover?"

You shook your head busing yourself by just removing his old bandages trying not to think too much about the mysterious scars. He... probably just had a rare healing rate. Or the wounds weren't as serious as you thought at first

"No. Nori was very selfish and any others weren't really what I was looking for. I'd rather make my own way."

"Would you ever accept a courtship?"

"Well...Yes. I might if the man wasn't interested in my looks or any other selfish reason. Like you for example. You don't seem to care much about those things. If someone as materialistic as you proposed to me or if I asked I would hope he said yes.Uh...N-No offense."

"None taken." He raised his arm higher looking over you carefully before closing his eyes with a hum. "Like me?"

"Y-Yes. But that's rare to happen-"

"I see."

Kokushibo did not leave when he stayed an entire week.

Your shock of seeing Nori near sun down left you just finishing bandaging him and cleaning up the small mess Nori left behind. Kokushibo took the dagger Nori left, but you had no idea what he did with it. He only returned to what he had been doing before Nori showed up, which was meditate for the rest of the day until it was finally nighttime. Kokushibo insisted on you taking back your futon and you still bring in shock just laid down staring at the ceiling until you fell asleep. You awoke the next morning to once again finding Kokushibo silently meditating in the corner helping himself to what must've been a full jug of water. Yesterday's events shot through your mind and you got up sitting up immediately.

"I see you're awake," he stared plainly, "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to sleep in the entire morning. I'm quite hungry."

You only gave him a look of annoyance before nodding with a sigh. "Alright but then I need to head for work."

"Is that wise?" He asked watching you stretch and get up. "Your cheek is still wounded. Someone might ask questions."

"I'll just say that I accidentally made a wild fox angry or something." You yawned again and he couldn't help but blink at your figure stretching out gracefully. "It would be more suspicious if I didn't show up to work."

"Hm. Understandable. Will you be cooking me a meal?"

You deflated only looking at him before sighing and moving to get him the food he asked for. If he was still recovering from the blood loss then he shouldn't push himself until he was fully recovered. He mentioned it would take him a week to recover right? Today was the fourth day so he'll only be here for another three days at most. Maybe he'd forget about you once he left. But for now you'd keep your promise and care for him. It was the least you could do after he drove Nori away. Hopefully that would keep him away too...

Oh how wrong you were about that.

You ended up serving him more eggs and fruit from the wild trees. He didn't seem to mind however and thanked you before taking it. Leaving you to just go about your work until retiring that night. As suspected your boss asked about the cut on your cheek, but she only scoffed and called you clumsy when you told her you had just fallen on sharp rocks. The next two days were relatively the same. He'd meditate or watch as you went about your own chores after you got back from work or to ask you to cook for him which you obliged. You also checked over his injuries only to find they had healed to the point that there wasn't even any scars left behind. You'd never seen anything like in on another man. Even your had small scars from burning himself on a stove or cutting himself on a carving tool. Perhaps he was born with fast metabolism that fueled his body's healing? Would be why he ate so much. You didn't bring it up. You were feeling relief on the seventh day. It'd be his last day here before he left apparently and you wouldn't stop him. However you weren't expecting him to ask you for a brush for his hair. Huh... come to think of it his hair had been worn down outside of the ponytail he had when you found it.

"I'll fix your hair for you if you'd like me to," you offered which caught him off guard as he blinked at you in light surprise, "I can style hair a little bit. My mother showed me how to, so I can put your hair back up if you want."

Kokushibo just slowly blinked again before closing his eyes with an exhale through his nose. "Do as you wish."

You smiled in return at him and went to fetch your brush. He didn't move but did lightly open his eyes when he heard you return and grab a strand of his long soft hair. It was soft to the touch and you took gently care in pulling apart the small knots you felt before even pulling the brush through the very bottom of the long fall of hair. He found the treatment acceptable so allowed it to continue. There was silence for a while as you hesitated until you spoke again.

"You have beautiful hair... You're a very handsome man."

He froze. Something soft and gentle touched his head which automatically made him freeze. His body instinctively standing on end and a thumb and finger curiously tugged gently at a strand of hair....But no hard metal comb yanked through his scalp. Instead two gentle hands caressed the strands and gently began to weave out the tangled big and small so slowly it didn't even pinch. A hum of a woman's patient voice sneaking through as she worked. The murmurs of a lullaby echoed and gentleness wafted with it.

Silence. Other than the lulling memories of melodies and the soft touch that was left behind.

"Heart. Beats. Fast. Colors and promises. How to be brave? How can I love when I'm afraid to fall? But watching you stand alone?" You gently pried apart two strands of burgundy hair as Kokushibo remained still. "But watching you stand alone, all of my doubts suddenly go away some how."

hands gripped into the fabric. He fell silent and didn't make any moves to stop her. When was the last time he ever felt such a gentle touch? He couldn't remember? Perhaps when he was a babe still in his mother's arms before he was snatched away into the harsh care of his father. Perhaps whenever His brother insisted on being kind to him. Maybe when he even indulged himself for the company of a woman when nights were particularly cold and hard. But this?..No. Never this. Never something so...intimate. A thing to share between lovers. His body went into absolute shock as tears weld up in those eyes and freely flowed down his face from the gentle treatment.

"One step closer. I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more. " You continued working through the hair which was surprisingly easy to brush through. "Time stands still. Beauty in all she is. I will be brave. I will not let anything anything take away what's right in front of me. Every breath. Every hour has come to this."

Arms lightly shook as she nearly completed her work and red eyes watery glanced at the blankets that covered him.

Pathetic.

That's what his father would call him if he saw this. The state he was in. The emotions his body shook and caved into. Stop it, stop it! Regain control of your body!! Do not allow your useless emotions to conquer your mind!

"One step closer. I have died everyday waiting for you. Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more. And all along I believed I would find you. Time has brought your heart to me. I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more."

You finished up and leaned back to look at your handy work. However he just slammed his eyes shut from view and snapped his head away so you didn't have any clue he was even crying. Instead you rose a brow. Wow. You weren't expecting a thank you but that was a bit rude of him.

"I'm finished," you told him even though he probably already knew that by now, "But I would like to get your bangs too if that's ok?" You leaned over more causing his body to visibly stiffen. "Oh. Are you alright?"

"..I am fine." He forced his body to relax with a sigh through his nose. Quickly picking up his haori he had taken off earlier and slipped it back on over his shoulders, briefly wiping his face off to cleanse himself of the proof of his weakness. "You may proceed and finish but do so quickly. I intend to leave tonight as per my plans."

"Do you think you'll be ready? I mean you were so hurt just days ago," you mumbled in concern shuffling to sit in front of him and gently grabbed the hair framing his face before running your brush through it too. "Why don't you stay one more night? You might feel better."

"No. I will leave once it's sun down. It's almost time anyways." She sighed and he cracked his eyes up at her. She was sitting in front of him now but looked at him once he grabbed your hand gently. "I have a question to ask you." She blinked her big shiny eyes at him. "That man from earlier this week, he wanted to marry you. I can see why you haven't accepted him, but why not anyone else? Why not just give someone your companionship already?"

You gave him a look before sighing. "Because there's no one who's shown me respect or at least interest in an equal partnership."

"And you would let that stop you how? I would see no benefits in waiting so long."

"Respect is earned not given." You firmly stated reaching out to again brush aside his bangs. "I hope for someone can get me to respect them not by intimidation, but by mutual respect. I want a good man. A strong man who doesn't see me as just a woman or a wife or something just to give him children. I want a man who sees me as an equal. As a person with my own mind. Someone to share our lives together. Not to put one above the other. I want someone better than what I was offered before."

"... Interesting. What would you say would make someone better?"

"I don't think anyone is better than anyone else unless they chose to be a bad person." You rose a brow. Why was he asking you this? "I don't think I'm better than you or anyone else. It's not that simple either however."

His gaze on you intensified. "Explain."

"I just said it's not easy to explain. You may have a higher position than someone like a homeless person but I would still treat you as an equal and with respect as long as I see you treating others with the same respect and equality. If you believe something like strength or wealth makes you better then that's your own flaw." What would be a good way to explain this in a way a demon could understand a human? "...A painter may not have the strength of a blacksmith but that doesn't mean they both can't create beautiful masterpieces. A florist may not know how to till the land like a farmer but that doesn't mean they can't grow beautiful plants. A teacher may not be able to win against the strength of a samurai but that doesn't mean their different skills makes one more important than the other.," You explained making him look up in awe at you. "You can lose skills, you can gain skills. There's always going to be people that do things better than you, and there's always going to be people that do things way worse than you. But that shouldn't define the worth of a person. Whether it be a man, woman, child, or even a demon."

He regarded you for a silent second before humming. "Then how do you define who is a good person?"

"That isn't as simple either."

"What do you mean?"

"Some people are just good. Some people are just bad....But a lot of times it's subjective to different people. Good people can do bad things especially if they think what they're doing justifies the greater good. Bad people can do good things if they want to, whether that's because they still have some kindness or because it's to get what they want I can't say. ...But most people I believe aren't inherently bad or good. Most fall in a place between."

"Then....What traits do you use to judge others if you yourself have done wrong?," he spoke to you.

You blinked surprised at all the sudden questions from Kokushibo but it was interesting to know that he wanted to know your opinion. "Well...Firstly Id admit what I did was wrong and not deny it. Secondly, I would judge someone else by what makes up that person." You gestured at him. "Their actions, their words, their morals, their personalities, and how they apply all of those things when interacting with me or anyone else. I'd also think about their point of view if I thought it would help me know how or why they would treat someone in a way."

There was silence afterwards for a long, long moment. You could feel him looking directly at you calculating, as he was trying to figure out how he felt about what you just said to him. You wordlessly went back to brushing through his bangs silently. That was another thing about Kokushibo you liked. From all of your interactions he never really pushed anything when you said no. He never yelled at you the way your boss did calling you foolish and naive. He never did anything Nori did. Oh definitely not. Sure he called you troublesome but it seemed more because of the strange ways you both kept meeting up. Ironic. The first and only demon you've ever met and he treated you better than a lot of people already did by being silent and just listening.

Your eyes gazed over at his still observing you and you really took a moment to really look at him closely. He really was rather handsome. If it wasn't for the fangs and extra eyes, he would've been no different than any other man. It's sad these simple features were ridiculed by everyone else. His eyelids closed on instinct when a hand reached up to touch his face but he stiffened shocked. Her delicate fingertips soothing over the soft skin, reaching over to trace the mark on his forehead. His open eyes instinctively darting to your hands caressing his features.

".... You're different from all the others." He visibly stiffened at your words. "Your structure is beautiful that way."

He stopped fully just ... looking at you yellow irises expanding wider.

You smiled. "Just by looking at you, you're very strong. I guess that's why you're so power-" You stopped once as two large hands just grabbed yours within their grip. The brush dropping to the floor with a thud. "-ful. Uh..K-Kokushibo?"

"Your eyes." He mumbled leaning closer holding your hands within his grip. "I have..never seen such color before on any woman."

You stopped in front of the lights shining on you just the right way to give him the impression you were an angel. A sight he was hesitant to leave when he bent down. Huh. And you were both closer than he remembered. Just a few inches from one another twinkling under the fire pit 's lights. And you blinked at the sudden closeness too. Face going a dim pink and a few chuckles from the moment escaping you. No one was here too. So it was just you two. Alone out here with nothing but each other for company. His mind felt completely blank and numb but in a good way, compelling him to reach his hands up and cup a cheek of yours something his rational brain wouldn't allow himself to do. Inches away now. You didn't move away.

He stared at the woman in front of him, this strange, strange woman with the beautifully flowing hair and the cute smile. If he was watching this as an outsider, he would've laughed at how they were literally just strangers less than a while ago, but right now it didn't seem any of that or anything else mattered. Not even the topic they had been discussing just a few seconds ago. The draft blew some and blowing some of that pretty hair into his face, which she immediately reached to pull away and Kokushibo made no move to stop her from doing that. Or removing the hand that now cupped his cheek. Maybe it really was a mutual madness they both shared or some form of chaos in their lives, but right now....With them being so close...And so vulnerable. It was only natural of course-.. It's what soulmates do-.. Of course they would since-...

Your lips just pressed for a few wonderful seconds before Kokushibo suddenly pulled himself away looking at you and breathing heavily. His grip on you tightening and untightening in waves as if restraining himself. His warm breath ghost over your lips and face warning them as he stared half lidded.

"I need to know that you want this," his usual monotone voice whispered out, "I need to know that you know fully what the implications of being with a demon will do to your reputation if they found out you let me stay here let alone kiss me. If anyone found out... You'll be exiled. Ridiculed. Shamed wherever you go if they know-"

His answer was her death gripping his head and pulling him close. Soft lips collided with his as he was again taken off guard.

"How many times is this woman going to surprise me?"

He made no comment back. Embracing the woman against his chest tightly and deepening the kiss. Yes. He could stay for one more night.

His eyes opened slightly half lidded. His embrace increasing slightly.

Yes. Then he had a few more things to take care of after.

***********************************************

Beware of things that go bump in the night.

Moonlight peeked out through clouds chasing the darkness away a little. Enough for someone to have a little sense of sight in the somber darkness. Most living creatures hiding away from view all warm and snug in their homes inside dens and hollowed out trees. Or if you were a human, you'd be found safe and sound in your house. Snug cozy and warm inside their soft beds in slumber until the safety of the sun next morning.

However one would not survive this night.

The walls didn't provide a sleeping man shelter. A door didn't stop the Moon's Shadow from sliding it open and stepping inside. Blankets couldn't hide the identity of the person within it's grip. The darkness didn't stop six eyes of hatred from seeing his form.

Oh look. He wasn't fast asleep like he expected to be in fact he was barely asleep at all. He was moving around in his sheets. Stacking two extra blankets on him for extra warmth against the cold. Even moving the futon ... dangerously close to the fireplace. The fire was small enough that it'd be out before morning but if it was even slightly bigger than it would surely catch the whole bed and eventually the house on fire.

Six orbs maneuvered to the stack of many logs by the fire pit.

Yes. Truly it would be a tragedy if the fire was bigger.

The shadow loomed over the now terrified looking man. Too shocked to speak out of fear, but not scared enough to grab a nearby pen and thrust it at the approaching abyss. The item successfully sank into flesh but the shadow hardly flinched. No screams or noises were had when a clawed hand wrapped itself around the terrified man's throat and squeezed.

"Quiet. You have no say in what you've brought upon yourself."

Hands uselessly grabbed at the clasp around his neck. Legs uselessly kicking out.

"Between us both, I was actually going to spare your life. Only place you outside and burn everything you hold dear to the ground and watch you have to struggle to actually work for it back like she had to do since your entire bloodline treated her so vile...but then you attacked me-"

Again the pen was sunk into him. This time the eyes did widened as pain fell from the still timid flesh that just finished healing.

"R-Rot in hell!" A hoarse voice wheezed out from under the fist. "She deserved everything that happened to her. If you weren't here I'd have her doing-"

A tighter squeeze ceased all air from his lungs. A different hand slowly reached down to pull the pen from his chest. "The moment you dared to get in my way, was the moment that sealed your fate."

Struggling was useless. Futile even. No matter. His fate would be the same as the other then. A hand brought him closer by the neck. This man disgusted him. His claims of having her to himself only furthered that disgust. He remembered her soft hands holding him, the same soft hands THIS PIG harmed.

"H E R L O V E B E L O N G S T O M E."

A warmth spread throughout the entire home as fireflies flickered around growing flames slowly moving from a futon to other parts of the home. Step after step a shadow took disappearing entirely from view. Their sights already focusing on another important fire burning brightly as the first scream of the town's people awoke.

A fire crackled in a bit of rocks. Feasting upon wood that melted into ashes in its grip. A sloshing of liquid heard as a gourd was passed exchanged from one hand to another. Warm skin of a hand warmed by the fire brought the sickly sweetened alcoholic drink to his lips. It burnt his throat in a good way that left him licking the burning sweetness from his lips with a snack, a sleeve wiping at his face as he did so.

"We shouldn't be out here," one man out of the six gathered around the fire commented. His face illuminated by its flames casting dancing shadows among them. "I don't like how quiet it is tonight. Listen...Not a bird. Not any beast. Not even the crickets sing their tunes tonight. I tell you it is a bad omen."

The man with the burning sweetness on his tongue sneered at his comrade. "Don't start giving me that talk about devils and inhuman monsters. I've hunted and camped in woods more silent than this since I was a child. The only danger you'll face out here is nothing but the usual teeth and claws of a wolf or a bear if you're really unlucky. I don't believe in such things."

The rest of the men only muttered in agreement with him or gave glances of weary. "Then we all share in your incompetent thinking by being out her while the moon wanes ordering bloodlust. And for what? A couple of measly game that hasn't even shown themselves." A stick was tossed in frustration to the fire. "I tell you the beasts were scared off by something far scarier. I say we take their warning and head home while we still have light to see by."

Another scoff. "A single fat deer would fetch more gold than two giant grizzlies on a good day! Are you really letting your fear blind you from what you could have?!"

"Perhaps he's right, Nori." Heads turned to the second oldest man of the group whom was staring at him with a thoughtful expression. "We haven't seen any hide or tail of the herd. Not even a footprint since we got here this morning. Even if there's no monstrous beast, it's obvious that the herd has moved out of the area. We should be home comforting our wives' worries and protecting our families from the dangers of others this night. We'll not be seeing anything here."

"BAH!!" The fire hissed in protest as liquid was spilt on thrown from the gourd splashing it as hot the ground. "You all are nothing but a lot of whimpering dogs catering to a woman's stupid fears! We should be looking more instead of lazing around where nothing is happening!!"

"You're lucky your parents hired us to tolerate hunting with you! After you got yourself exiled last year, you've done nothing but lust for a woman and then act like an ass when she rejected you!," the second youngest man sneered

The older man sighed once more. "Alright...We will give one last look around the area-" He said defusing the situation between the angry men. "-but afterwards we go home. I would rather have the warmth of my wife than that of the fire."

Grumbled were had. Murmurs were said. Footsteps crashed through the otherwise silent night. The light of the moon distorting everything with an eerie red hue as different men headed different directions. Splitting up to widen the search and make it back to dose the fire faster. Perhaps an unwise choice they would make.

Bushes and branches of the trees did not stop the ambition of one man whom stepped his way forward to a direction where the beasts drank their full of water. And the place he'd find a strong stallion or beautiful mare to take for his own. A good horse would put quite a good amount of gold in his pocket. Bushes and leaves scrapped against his body clinging for the briefest of seconds before letting go. No match for the body that marched onwards and onwards and onwards through the dark. Until he got nearer to his destination. A small sound reached his ears. The calming sounds of a running river. A few yards further away from was a break in the brush. Ah. A good place to hunt for the beasts. Lower now his body crawled along and closer towards the edge of the water. A clear view of the entire area.

The moonlight shown up on the deep moving water. Water so deep that the blackness cloaked how deep it was. There he sat as still as a rock. As quiet as a mouse. No noise but the water moving along to break the silence. No beasts could be seen however on the bankside. Irritation made a curse stir from his throat.

To hell with this! He'd get no prize tonight. The only prize he'd get was the woman in the morning. He made to move but a single sound stopped him in his tracks. A pair of eyes looked over and widened in manic glee.

"There you are."

The bushes rustled slightly making his eyes widen and approach. Surely there was a deer in there. A big juicy fat one he could sell for money. Oh the juicy meat and tender fur that would make a fine coat. Antlers big to decorate his wall with. Gold in his pockets. Food in his stomach. He finally stood just in front of the wriggling brush. Knife in hand ready to pounce. The bushes rustled. Eyes turned. His body froze. A torso of a man arose from the bush. Tall and strong looking and a mane of burgundy cascading down over his shoulders. A head turned with an eerie bone crackling noise as a frown embedded itself on its face. The moon illuminating deadly eye as horror beyond belief sat in.

"Spare the comments."

He watched the man's face contort into one of horror as he realized his mistake and became trapped as a large hand made quick work of grabbing the injured hand sti wrapped around in bandages, squeezing tightly making him cry out. In a panic the hand holding the knife struck out, the monster didn't even try to get away. The knife sank into his chest, and the monster didn't even flinch. The man stared in horror as a large hand reached up to yank out the knife without even a flinch. His breathing became more irratic as his body struggled harder to free his hands. He chuckled at the useless endeavors.

"W-What the hell?!"

"I'm afraid that won't work. I don't feel pain easily." The knife was tossed to the side. Useless.

"W-What are you?!" A voice of horror yelled out. "WHAT ARE YOU?!"

"Oh. There's no need to explain to you who I am. It's of no importance. However you do know of my location and for my safety I cannot allow you to live." The pressure increased on his hand making him cry out. "And I despise how you treated my hostess earlier in the week. With your meddling in my affairs...I can't chance you taking her away from me like you threatened."

Horrific realization flooded the pale figure. Blood freezing in his veins. "Y-You..."

"Yes. Gaze upon me for it'll be the last thing you see tonight. For tonight you're life is m I n e."

A metallic noise rang out as a glimmering sword of moonlight was unsheathed. Six eyes glaring at them with an unmatched burning hatred.

He still remembered how she looked when he had woken up. Still early in the night. Curled up sleeping against him tired and snug under the blanket. The warmth he felt when he pressed a single kiss to her forehead and slipped out without her even stirring. It would be the last time he would see her for a good while. She was weak, kind, and so so so vulnerable. How easily she was hurt by this pathetic worm of a man. Veins bunched up as a raged face of eyes bulged out at him.

"S H E I S M I N E."

A man shrieked alongside the deadly cry. Minutes later there was a rush of footsteps as bodies crashed through the brush. Five men eventually made their way to the river bank where the deadly cries rang from. But not a trace of a beast was seen. Nothing but a discarded corpse with his face twisted in horror.

[hanafubukki]

Not me listening to "Soldier, Poet, King" and having flash of Lilia, Levan and Meleanor.

Lilia being the "Soldier who carries a mighty sword". General Vanrouge can totally tear someone city if needed too.

Levan being the "Poet who weapon is his words". For the little we know on him, he's more an intellectual. He was a child that wasn't much brave, perhaps a bit of a scary cat/crybaby if we compare to Lilia or Meleanor. But Lilia said himself he was the one to "teach them a language humans could understand". Plus, even if he seems like a pretty chill characters, I have this fun headcanon of him being angry, with a lovely malleus cheeky-like smile on his face, and litterally tear someone appart with truth- No insult. No violence. Just him splitting so politly his venom on a rude character you're not sure if he compliment them and tear them appart-

And Meleanor being the "Ruler whose brow his laid in thorn", for the obvious reasons of the Draconia clan ressemblance the Maleficient, the witch of Thorns, but also because she is really the prettiest rose -with the most dangerous thorn. She is also royalty, and the only princess. She's also seems like a kind of divine entity for most of her people. Like Malleus. There's a little line between being seen as a god and as a monster when powerful.

Now- I don't have the drawing skills to do that. But the animation in my head is really good and touching, and "I need a tissue please-". With these three and memories of their childhood mixed to their tragedy-

- 🦋 Anon

Hello 🦋 Anonie 🌺🌻

Come here 🦋 Anonie, come here, I’m just going to:

The way I ran to listen to this song when I saw what you wrote! It fits them so much and I’m just…

General Lilia Vanrouge, even current Lilia, can and will destroy the city and anyone who tries to hurt what’s his, having magic or not be damned.

And then!! The poet!! Okay, okay, I was writing about a Levan theory today and yessss, this fits him so well! Levan, the future thinking, the one who pushed for talks between the humans and fae. This!! “Poet who’s weapon is his words” indeed!! Out of the three, Levan is probably the more calmed headed, and someone has to be when you have Meleanor and a young Lilia in the mix right?

I agree and I see Levan as the type to hurt with words. It can be figuratively and literally, words can hurt when spoken, but he is a fae and he does have magic, so I can imagine a curse mixed into these words as well…the other party none the wiser.

Everything you wrote about Meleanor is so true!! Also the whole “ruler who will slay your city” fits her so well, we know she’s powerful and she could have brought them all down. I mean her own soldiers fear her greatly, she is as beautiful as a rose but also as dangerous as the thorns from such a beautiful flower.

I feel you 🦋 Anonie, I wish I had the drawing/animation skills. The whole idea is so epic. Memories of these three together as children, and as time passes, they have to let go of their childhood.

One with a country on her shoulders, and two of them protecting the country as soldiers in their own ways.

Eventually for all three to meet tragedy as history continues…with one dead, one missing, and one living.