#howtoserveaman

[greatkingofthewest]

Hold Me Tender || AU

It had been twelve years since his world ended, perhaps fifteen or sixteen since the collapse of civilization as he was born into. He was one of the increasingly small demographic that could tell you what it was like back before the blasts, even if he couldn’t begin to really grasp what was going on at the time. Not that he truly knew the world back then. What teenager bent on high scores knew the world? He could have laughed now at how important exams and college were back then. He could have, if he found himself capable of it anymore.

Now he wasn’t a child anymore. He was a grown man of perhaps thirty years of age, likely just a little more. He was tall, broad shouldered enough to make a good resting place for a shot gun and rifle that had been faithfully kept since the moment he came to understand their worth. They were his sword and shield in this new world that lost twice as many souls as were gained in a day.

It had been mass panic when the wars broke out. There had never been a single person that could reliably say who started first. Famine had long been ravaging even supposedly first world countries and it came as no real surprise when the first cities were first cleaned out. He only knew these things like a child would know the Capitols of all the countries in Africa, some cold and distant information that meant little. The Five Year War, as some called it in certain regions, was, for him, spent behind walls paid for by his family. While the world fell apart, money kept him safe and isolated until food stores were depleted and families had to venture out or starve in the face of overpopulation.

And then the walls fell.

Paimon looked down at his dusty feet for a brief moment while he adjusted the black fabric of his tactical mask to ease the pressure under his eyes. He was entering a new city now. Everyone would notice his entrance and he could never be sure of how quickly threats would present themselves. Men on motorcycles in a time of overwhelming shortage of fossil fuels were never good news. Paimon knew his reputation likely proceeded him: the masked bounty hunter with the coldest brown eyes that never missed his mark, riding out with the body on his bike the same day. Paimon, they called him, and Paimon he called himself.

He walked his bike in, the multiple locks on his gas cover making solid noises when it went over a large imperfection in the road to accompany the sound of his secondhand cargo pants protesting the weight of bulging pockets. Although most in the residential area fled into their homes as he went through the outskirts of the city, a few brave souls kept watch over the lone stranger intruding on their supposed peace. He gazed cooly from behind his sunglasses as parents ushered their scrawny kids to safety at the sight of his confident advancements.

The display of such affection was bitter to him. He hadn’t touched a single living person in so long, hadn’t spoken but to receive bounties for kills. Since that day that never faded from his mind, he hadn’t known what it might be to hold someone in his arms again. He couldn’t anymore, even though he had started to feel crushing loneliness in these past five years since he realized he deeply longed for something more than just this purpose he now served. It was too late. He knew it was. With this dangerous life he led and what his mask covered, he held no chance even if he managed to overcome the burning ice in his own heart that caused himself to retreat from others the way they retreated from him. He was just so fucking lonely, even knowing the futility of the feeling.

Even now, he wanted to leave this city and move on to his ultimate destination. If it wasn’t for his need for extra rations due to not wanting to waste gas with heavy loads, he wouldn’t be here. He needed to stop for a drink to ease his weariness and pick up light rations for the last leg of his journey. Two more towns on the old map and he would find the man detailed on the reward ad. Another stack of money, another addition to The Box.

But first, he would take advantage of his stay in the city.

Night was not too far away when he arrived, leaving him enough time to find a good place in the city to stash his motorcycle and locate the most impersonal venue to drink at. He knew he found the place when he could hear the thudding music through the walls as he approached the brick building. As he descended the stairs to the basement emitting such toxic sound waves, he pulled the hard wire mask down in favor of a thin balaclava that had a slit just long enough for him to drink without revealing his face. The snugly fitting cloth clung just above his cheekbones and right under the dip of his brow so that his sharp features were no step down from the stern definition of the metal mask. All this happened quickly in the shadows before he emerged into the neon flashing lights of the sweaty club with a hand running through his dusty hair so that his unkempt bangs would fall where the mask did not hide the skin above his eyes.

In a place like this, no one was sober enough to question a person like him. Such a packed place offered the right sort of solitude that allowed him to buy a bottle and lean against the wall of the back booth to watch the writhing bodies on the dance floor. What a waste of electricity this fiasco was but he knew that, to the men and women on the dance floor, it was what kept them alive. They had drugs and amps that vibrated your very bones and he had a job. Little difference it made. Yet watching them rub against each other and even be stepped on in the throng of bodies made Paimon envy them a little. He couldn't ever join them.

He had been watching the dancers for an hour at most when he saw a man approaching from the corner of his eye. No weapons of consequence seemed to be visible in the outline of his pants so Paimon allowed the advance. "Twenty for a round next door. Boys, girls, others. Interested?" The stranger advertised without shame, long fingers reaching down to touch the table.

A whorehouse. He felt vague surprise at how brazen this man was to sell his wares to someone like him. Then again, what did it matter who his customers were? Someone like him was someone worth asking. Paimon felt suspicious but this place shouldn’t have been any direct threat. Why shouldn’t he go in? Money wasn’t an object for him, considering he had credit with most governments big enough to start law enforcement. It would be quick, just going in and leaving. No, it was a foolish risk to take.

... But, if he indulged today and rid himself of this pain, wouldn’t it be a benefit to him in the long run? He could quell the distractions inside him with someone inconsequential. Couldn’t he?

Casting his eyes briefly about for sign of a hidden threat, he stood from his isolated spot and made the silent gesture for the man to lead. There was no funny look in response as he was led away from the club to the nearby brothel that reeked just the same. The music still seemed to vibrate his ribs as he entered. "What kind?" The man asked to only silence in response. It didn't matter. The man seemed to understand his lack of preference and took him to whoever was available.

No one would say that the man that had taken down crime lords and renowned killers was jumped in a brothel, he thought to himself as he pulled the metal mask over the balaclava. His eyes were alert as he was brought to a door like any other in this place. “You can lock the door yourself and I can’t open it without a key. Enjoy him.” The man said simply as he opened a door for him to step through, closing it behind the armed man without much but an issued order to the waiting prostitute.

Without turning, Paimon locked the door before he allowed himself to stop scanning the room in favor of looking down at the man waiting for him. Paimon, clothed in a leather vest that clearly had bulletproof material sewn in behind it, face still obscured in full but for his eyes by dark mesh material, and almost messy black hair spilling out over the hem of the balaclava, shifted to hook his thumb under the straps of his weapons with the intent of placing them in the corner. Ready but out of the whore's reach, in case of a bad situation.

He almost couldn't believe he was doing this.

[amusicas]

Intermezzo [AU]

He raised his hand a little to get the bartender’s attention. The man was gruff looking and moved with all the agility of molasses but he got the hint and slowly made his way over to him to refill his glass. The whiskey was rather hard in his opinion and bitter in the aftertaste but added a comfortable buffer zone between the outside world and his own mind. He was only on his third glass but the effects were not to be denied. In this environment he was more than thankful for them.

The club he had picked out had been rather difficult to find, wrong address and route included. It was a very long shot from what he was used to by now, too, but not uncomfortably so. The lights were dimmed and flickered from time to time, soaking the parlor in reddish hues. The neon and mirrors on the walls helped to add a surreal touch to the decor. Everything looked softer and warmer than it was, hiding what ought to be hidden and showing off all that glittered.

Places like this weren’t rare but rarely talked about. In their society, one that was footed on solid monogamous partnerships ‘till death do you part’, those without a predestined significant other were often seen as second rate. No one wanted to admit it openly but there was a certain amount of discrimination involved. Amduscias, who spent a lot of time among politicians and high society, knew what they thought about the matter. And such clubs were mainly marketed towards singles. People who had lost their other half, who had walked out on the deal or hadn’t simply found the person they were meant to meet, yet or still. They came here, to work or to buy.

It was advertised as an exotic dance club but even Amduscias didn’t need to check the comment section of the forum he had found online to figure out that this dancing of theirs was just a front, a way to show off the goods. It was a brothel, in short. He had known that when he had walked in and found it proven when he watched a man disappear upstairs with a busty brunette who had put a lot of effort in her fake giggles.

That was what he was here for as well. To get drunk on cheap booze and find himself someone he could spend a few intimate hours with. Sure, he could have gotten that in better establishments. With his social status he might have even received a discount in the high-end clubs. But that was the last thing he wanted.

Even here he didn’t seem all too eager to dive in. The first two girls who had approached him, all flirty pouting and drawled compliments, he had hesitantly refused. It was quite ovious to everyone involved that this potential customer was new to the scene. At least they didn’t seem to grudge it him that he needed to give himself some liquid courage first.

He only needed to remind himself of why he was here. Wasn’t he tired of the real world that waited for him at home? Of only being regarded as an inconvenience and a pet that needed training? A misbehaving arm decoration? He wouldn’t endure that for another moment.

Oh, he wasn’t expecting to find a remedy for his life’s shortcomings here, not at all. He just needed a break. He just wanted to be someone else for a while, someone with no loveless house waiting to swallow him up again, and no oppressive soulmate eager to cut another part out of him. He just needed to remind himself that he hadn’t actually become a puppet on strings as his ‘husband’ had.

His lips found the glass again and once more he let the burning drink fill his mouth and run down his throat. He felt much warmer already, maybe a little hot even. That might as well be due to his nerves, though. He couldn’t just sit here forever, he knew. It didn’t help his tension, however, to think that he had no experience whatsoever in this field. Just the thought let his heart beat faster.

In the past he had never felt attracted to anyone and meeting his soulmate in the form of a stuck up businessman hadn’t changed anything about that. By now he didn’t think that would change anymore. But he could recognize beauty and the warmth of touch. It had somewhat alienated himself at first to think that he was deliberately going out to cheat on his partner, even if it had been a partnership he had never freely consented to. After the second glass of whiskey that feeling had vanished, though. Pai’s comments from last night still circled in the back of his mind. Oh, like his dear mate would give a damn. So why should he?

As soon as he had finished his drink he would approach someone. Definitely.

[hisatonement]

Carnival AU open

The caravan was small and wooden, a cylindrical home painted in reds and purples with a sign outside that advertised 'Draig the Mystic'. Dennis felt a little too small for such a grand name, they had to give him a magical sounding stage name because 'Dennis the mystic' didn't exactly carry the same weight.

He had been seeing the dead for years, and had a knack for reading peoples auras, so it was a no brainer that he would learn tarot, how to read tea leaves and how to use a crystal ball. He had just about gotten by by holding seances and reading palms on the street, until he was picked up by the traveling circus. He couldn't refuse, it was a regular job and a place to live. He kept to himself mostly, he enjoyed his peace and quiet, didn't have many friends amongst the other carnival workers due to his reclusive and shy nature.

Another day ends and Dennis was feeling rather pleased with his work. There were plenty of customers coming in due to Halloween fast approaching, and almost every customer had been sent away happy with their fortunes. He was just cleaning up and putting his crystal ball away when he hears a knock at the door. “I'm sorry but I'm closed for the night, you should come back tomorrow if you need your fortune told.” he calls out to whoever stood behind the wooden door.

[nonquiegoeram]

Sleepless nights

The room was dark except the bright light from the computer, hitting Deans bothered face. Sam was off... somewhere and Dean was alone on this hunt. If one could call it hunt. He had a feeling there was nothing there and that he was just hunting shadows. But some part of him wanted it to be something, just to get his mind off things. Of the problems. Outside the sun was slowly raising over the horizon but the thick motel curtains kept the light out. The hunter had gone through hundreds of pages during that night and was unable to actually rest. It had shifted through researching this so called case and researching the angel problem. The Knight of hell problem and nothing got him anywhere.

With a loud sigh he leaned back on the chair, rubbing his face. With one hand rubbing over his eyes the other reached out to grab the whiskey glas, only to find it was empty. Glancing over at the bottle he shut the computer together. He was out of alcohol and that was a sign of it being time to sleep. But just as he was about to get up there was a loud knock on the door. With quick steps the gun was collected and he was silently moving towards the door, opening it just a little bit to see who it was.

[bravenotstubborn]

The Choice, The Gift || AU

Ah, what a night.

The blond vampire smiled carefully, casually circling the loud dance hall from the floor above where he could observe the human world below. Lestat could smell the sex and snuff on the whores that waited on the stairs with their pimps, chest and shoulders exposed in invitation to those drinking and gambling the night away. A place full of life and abandon.

Now, it was no party of the aristocracy, the place he truly thrived in, but in such places he found no shortage of offers. Halls like these were a banquet for him. All tempting, all delicious. However, he was not in the market tonight. He had already eaten for the time being and was far too entranced by a particular young man with bright red hair.

He had been watching this one for quite a while now. At first, he had considered him for a drink but that thought wasn't as appealing as others he had. The man's thoughts and actions were a delight. Full of abandon and waste despite how lively he was. How could he resist?

It was very late into the night when he finally decided to approach him, descending the stairs in his excessive manner of dress with a mind to start a very interesting relationship. Whatever came of this little game, it didn't matter. He was only following his desire for excitement.

[alternativexcovers]

Safe In The Dark [AU]

Bent over his papers, the young prince sat in the courtyard and ignored the bustle that surrounded him. The curtilage was made up of a great square of green with a white marble fountain at the center. The glistening water gave off a comfortable coolness that was very much welcome in the heat of the summer months. The air was arid and the sun scorching. A hostile climate for most, except for the people who lived in it.

Amduscias counted to the latter group but still he needed to keep himself thoroughly covered when he stepped outside. Whenever a breeze swept through the airy corridors it was like relief to him. His form was wrapped in rich fabrics and stiff textils, adorned with the insignia of his family. Even his head he kept hidden under layers of cloth. Like this there was barely anything to see of him but the eerie brightness of his eyes.

On any other day he wouldn’t have bothered leaving the chambers during high noon but this was not any other day. The whole palace was brimming with people. Servants rushed back and forth, carrying tapestries, painted vases and other luxury goods. Even the kitchens, which usually were all but deserted during these hours, were stuffed with cooks and assistants; all of them working at full force to create new dishes, desserts and playful arrangements for the entirety of  more than three hundred guests. Even here you could hear the unwilling shrieking of the animals they were planning to slaughter and cook.

Amduscias glanced over at the two peacocks that stalked through the grass not far from him. “You guys better watch out,” He told them but his advice went unheeded. He was rather glad to be out here, really. All chambers available were assigned to one royal visitor or other. He disliked meeting new people. He disliked their stares and questions, the greedy look in one face and the alienation in another. And for all of this, the upcoming event should have filled him with dread.

But how could it have? The day after tomorrow wasn’t just some random entertainment his father hosted for prestige’s sake. It was the crown prince’s eighteenth birthday. You counted as a man at sixteen but at eighteen you were ready to take on the duties that came with manhood. Marriage, war and taxes, to name a few.

Amduscias was not the crown prince. Amduscias was not even part of the line of succession. He was well aware of that but considering the responsibilities he escaped due to it he couldn’t feel bad about it for long. Amduscias was not the child of king and queen despite his princely title which was a sign of his parents’ love more so than his status. He had been taken in as an infant, an orphan they had found on the steps to the washhouses. So he was not going to be king. But his brother was. It was Asmodeus’ party and therefore Amduscias was looking forward to it. Also because those events always offered the opportunity for a lot of unsupervised drinking and misconduct he usually wouldn’t get away with as a figure at court.

He finished another set of music notes, all of them lovingly drawn on the parchment, and set the ink down. His shoulder was already aching from the stiff position. He’d prefer stretching out in the baths right now, or in a lounge. When he reached over to pick up the next paper, his gaze fell on the shape that was sauntering towards him. He was smiling now, even if only his eyes could have shown it.

“Did you finish your dress appointment with Mother early or are you on the run?” He called out to Asmodeus.

[dukegremory-moved]

Welcome sxtri, asperitasrex, owlprincestolas, howtoserveaman

"And here I was expecting my return to go unnoticed. What can I do for you, your highness?"

[greatkingofthewest]

Good For Business||AU

Pai Nguyen was the employee every businessman wanted: he was loyal, hard working, without complaint, almost over qualified, and so respectful he might as well have a plastic coating and a tag stamped 'collectible' to ward off less worthy hands. He had been known to be upright and incredibly intelligent, versed in multiple fields aside from business and biology but uninterested enough in others to tarry near the watering hole.

His boss was currently mourning his shift in loyalty that, though his work was as impeccable as ever, caused him to stop working overtime except for the most necessary projects. It had cut down on his surplus productivity and yet he was still on the top of his department's charts.

Why did he come home from his very well paying job to clean a place he called home that his name didn't appear on the deed of?

For Solary, the head of the PR department at the big pharmaceutical company they both worked at. It was no office romance, by any standard, and it never interfered with either of their work but still the rumors flew of the quiet and subtly kind Quality Inspection Chief falling head over heels for the cold and beautiful bastard that was the PR Chief. They spoke but they didn't know a thing. They didn't know what it looked like when Luzifer Solary smiled.

Pai had come home before his lover at the usual time to clean the house and cook for him. It was all part of the routine. He came home at the standard time, put up the groceries, cleaned, sorted the mail, did the small repairs he had been able to research online, took out the trash, and put on a healthy dinner. He did everything that could ever be done in the house to make sure it was a comfortable for the man he called his boyfriend but had never exchanged declarations of love with. However, he probably did love Luzifer. Those precious moments every once in a while... Yes, he probably did love him.

He turned down the stovetop and removed the pan of slow cooked chicken from the oven. Glancing at his watch, he moved to the bedroom to change his clothes. Before moving in, he had simply rolled up his sleeves a little at home and remained fully dressed until it was time for bed but now he dressed more welcoming. He thought carefully and wore loose slacks with various thin cloth tanks to appear casual and comfortable. It was his goal after 5 pm to provide a welcoming home environment, including making himself as available as possible to his blue eyed lover.

Like clockwork, he stood before the door as a key slid into the lock. On time, as usual. The door opened and Pai couldn't help but smile at the face that was revealed. "Welcome home."

[amusicas]

Waking Up In Vegas || AU

His fingers ran along the rows of ivory and ebony, nearly stumbling over themselves in their hurry to hit the right keys. This was a fast paced piece, one of his favorites, and it required all the skill he had amassed in his years. At this point the musician could hardly control his own actions anymore and just let the tune play out, trusting that he wouldn't fail. He went through the studied routine of movements, time and time again amazed by the complexity of the music he could coax out of the piano in front of him without deliberately choosing to.

But it was never quite good enough, wasn't it? When he had first come to Las Vegas he had been just as starstruck and overly zealous as many young artists, out to make a name for themselves. He had been convinced he would get a record deal before half a year went by. That had been three years ago. --It wasn't that he didn't put himself out there. No, he played the part of the confident musician just waiting for the spotlight to find him with as much vigor as on his first day. He went to every audition, laughed at all the jokes, smiled at everyone, gave his absolute best. Always. And all he got in return was a regretful shaking of heads and a saddened assurance that he was indeed incredibly talented but he was 'just not what we are looking for'. 

Which brought him to where he was now. Amduscias had stumbled upon the job offer by lucky chance. He had been in desperate need of one, truth be told. His apartment's quite racking rent, far away from the hustling and bustling of the inner city, was bleeding him dry without a steady job to pay for it. He had little education to show for, too. All he knew how to do was music. They always needed musicians in Las Vegas, that wasn't the problem. But they needed renowned musicians. And he was far from that. So when he received this opportunity he had practically pounced on it. It was a night job, of course, but that could hardly bother him. Aside from his artistic work Amduscias had nothing in his life to occupy his time. No friends to call him during the day, no family members, no one really. He liked to think that was for the best. He hadn't moved across the whole country to stay in touch with his past now, had he? 

The song ended without him paying much attention to it. His hands had simply kept on playing as they had hundreds of times before. He was somewhat surprised that he had zoned out like that but what did it matter? He shook out his hands to rid himself of the tingling sensation in his fingertips and reached for the glass of scotch that was waiting for him on the piano. Meanwhile more and more guests were filing into the building.

The pianist watched them crowd the room. Somewhere in the back of his mind something was retreating behind its walls as he observed the painted faces and revealing clothes that were unwittingly paraded before him. The sounds of laughter and conversations were washing over him and made his throat close up right after his insides turned into nervous knots.

Maybe as an act of defiance against his own unbidden reaction, maybe out of thirst, he grabbed the by now empty glass off the piano and rose to his feet. The illuminated bar was like a beacon of light to him as he navigated his steps through the growing crowd. He smiled politely at everyone around him, laughed apologetically when he accidentally bumped into a shoulder and side-stepped with all the grace at his disposal to not run into whoever's path he had just crossed. 

Eventually he reached the counter and even managed to claim a seat for himself. The drink would have to wait, though, judging by the whirling the bartenders had to do to keep up with the orders that were shouted at them by people that were clearly already intoxicated. Amduscias ignored his surroundings and hoped for them to treat him with the same forced ignorance. He would have to perform the usual routine sooner or later, yes. But he preferred later. When he was drunk and no longer cared.

[hisatonement]

"Alright. How much?" (Everybody wants to get into Dennis' pants)

Dennis eyes up the man and takes a step forward, putting on his fake smile, "$50 for each favour, $200 for the night." he rattled off his prices as he did to every man that came his way, "may I ask, why would a handsome man like you want to spend time with someone like me?" he asks, stepping a little closer and reaching out a finger to trail the man's chest. It was a legitimate question, he was curious.

[nonquiegoeram]

It's a long road to Hell without no soul || Closed

howtoserveaman

Who would have thought he'd be there again. Hell. What a joke. Well maybe not so much as a joke. Hell was no joke and being back there was the worst thing that could have happened. The second he had realised where he was, on the rack, he wanted to just disappear. Kill himself. Anything. But being already dead, it was hard. impossible. But this time, nothing came as a surprise and it was more of a inner fight if he should just give up straight away, accept becoming a demon and cross that bridge when it came to it, or be as stubborn as he always was. But the offer didn't come. Not at first. And the smell of burning rotten flesh, the constant pain of having your own skin ripped off became to much to quickly. Maybe it was because he knew there was a way out and this time there was no way it would end with the same disaster as last time. Maybe he knew what he expected from his time in hell but man all he wanted was to get off. 

Every day was the same. Having his soul ripped to pieces by the hands of demons, laughing and having the time of their life. The great Dean Winchester, the one who escaped, back in hell. There was no going in easy, no soothing. Nothing. This was a wicked payback and all promises about having his soul saved for heaven was slammed into his face. This only had one outcome and it was nothing he wanted. And the stubborn hunter hissed and spit, snapping to the demons to do everything from going to hell to fuck off. All seeming to trigger the worst. Some days were worse than others, being the test subject for new kinds of tortures...

And what felt like years passed. The pained screams from other souls became like music to his ears, the smell that burned through his nose stopped bothering him. But the pain, the pain never disappeared. Never got easier. And the stubborn and proud hunter soul just grew more and more tired. If it was possible for a soul to dissolve itself and just cease to excist he would have done that. But it was impossible, and all of this because he was stupid enough to go after a freaking demon he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against. Among the painful screams leaving him, and the thoughts of just giving up, he remembered Sam. Sam and Cas. Had they found his body yet? Were they looking for a way to save him or had they decided to give up? Hope that he had gone to heaven and burnt his body?

For a moment he had turned off. Disappeared into his own mind. Memories that were slowly fading, falling to pieces infront of him. All stripped off togheter with flesh and skin. But there, among the daily sounds off hell he heard a familiar voice, dragging him back to the awful reality that he was in. Opening his eyes he let out a long sigh. Finally... A way to be saved...

[greatearlofhell]

howtoserveaman replied to your post “Gimme an Asmo/Furfur child for the giggles.”

Asmo sitting here calling "Delusion!" over at Furf.

(Furf yelling “HYPOTHETICAL” right back at Asmo. XD)

[bravenotstubborn]

Father of Beasts|Prince of Darkness

"All completely impossible." He muttered to himself. It was insanity. Demons? If demons, then Satan. If Satan, then God. And that just brought up all the age old questions Lestat had never wanted nor cared for.

[iagama]

The water washed away overhead as she hid in another cresting wave. She could see them now: two creatures on the shore, both hiding in bodies smaller than themselves. It frightened her, in a way, that she recognized neither right away. But she told herself that she simply had to come closer. So why wasn't she moving?

The spray flaked through her view as a surge of seawater washed through her. She felt as though the tide was urging her on, but of course the tide did no such thing. It had as much of a chance of dragging her back into the depths. The only thing that held power over her was herself. What was the verdict?

She swam closer, washing ashore in the surf until she was almost parted from it. She had so wished for a spark now, a push of warmth that showed her that she was gaining strength and confidence, the energy to leave the ocean and step onto the beach. She could see him now. The other... No, he was no creature of the sea. She felt that he was immensely important just as well but she only had so much attention to give. She needed to concentrate on one thing at a time and her priorities were quite clear. 

She had expected to feel a burst, an excitement, relief and joy, as soon as she laid eyes on her beloved. But her heart ached instead. It ached, hollow and longing, and was burning itself away in silence. And she felt fear, Asmodeus' words still ringing in her ears. What if he couldn't take her back? 

The serpent shivered numbly, frozen in her spot. He looked so strange now, so different. She had not expected to see him in a human form. Somehow that made her hesitate. But it was him. It was him. This was one of those things where you expected them to be different. You didn't expect them to play out the way they did. But in the end you realized they couldn't be any other way. 

She loved him. She loved him, she loved him, she loved him. It was calm and tentative and demure, now that she was faced with the chance to speak to him. But she loved him so much. It broke her heart just to see him, so much older than she was. All the years, the lifetimes she had not been able to spend with him. Everything she missed, everything she never knew, it all came crashing into her now. What could she say to him? What could she do? She was not prepared for this. But neither was he. 

Another wave crashed into her, and this time she felt the force on her skin. She felt the sand beneath her, the currents around her body. Now. Move now or be gone forever. With more effort than she knew how to muster she rose from the sea. 

She narrowed herself down to a human form and straightened up, sea foam brushing against her legs. The eyes of the other one, big soft eyes, rested on her as she walked towards them. Under his gaze she felt herself wane. She didn't know how to read it. Could he see her at all? He didn't seem to react for a long time. The leviathan shivered and forced herself to keep her head up. His eyes were on her at all times, something ancient and wild at the core of his stare, but her eyes were on the creature in his arms. 

Even with the wrath of God at the base of her neck she had not felt so afraid. The other one gave her mate a light nudge, said something to him to draw his attention. But his eyes were still on her, as though he was waiting for something. Maybe she was, too. She felt like she didn't fit inside her form, felt herself waver. But her feet were in the sand, leaving prints for the world to see. She was here. 

Look at me. She stared at the male serpent in front of her. Look at me. Please, I am here. I am here. I couldn't find you before but I am here now. I am sorry it took so long. --She wanted to speak, to do something. 

"Leviathan," The other creature said in a confused tone of voice, now for her to hear as well. She wasn't sure if he was addressing her mate or herself or if he was just posing a question. 

She was glad of it either way for she had forgotten every word she had ever known right then and there. 

[chamael]

x

“Do I really need to blow up Dubai again to prove a point?”

“That depends entirely on how fragile your self-confidence is. --But in any case, I was merely using a figure of speech. If you took offense, at least know that none was meant.”

[neighborhoodnecromancer]

I killed the engine, feeling the last rumbling vibrations of the motorcycle beneath me fade away. It had been a long journey and every bit of metal practically glowed with warmth. My hair clung wetly to my helmet as I yanked it off, gulping down the fresh, cold air.  Had it really been almost a year? I rarely, if ever, returned to a place once I had left. A hushed tip-off from an old acquaintance and a pair of grunts on my doorstep had sent me running without even a backward glance. I stuffed my bags full, locked up the apartment with all the furniture still inside and threw my cell phone in the nearest dumpster. I had done it before and I would probably do it again. The downsides of being a hunted man.  But being in such a hurry, there had been a lot of people I had left behind and a lot of things I had left undone. Normally, that didn't bother me. But this time, it did. And even though I hadn't meant to, I found my bike travelling familiar roads and certain people on my mind. However, I had no idea if they were thinking about me as often as I was thinking about them.  The real question was, what kind of welcome would I receive if I did see them again?