#I don’t have enough captures with monkeys here

[corusgames]

𐬺.*༄ Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut

Iki Island babies! + this outfit, which I mashed together for the early Iki missions and then ended up being surprisingly fond of and never taking off??? (Wolf of Tsushima mask 🔛🔝 I fear)

[elvhensinner]

Fuck Around & Find Out

Kwon Eunbi smut 4.2k words Tags: Honeymoon sex, (Just got) Married, "Soft" & "Wholesome", Roleplay, Musk, Bondage, Very thick Eunbi T/W: Noncon, R A P E, Mindbreak A/N: I had a hard time proofreading this so pardon some doodoos and lack of eloquence at some parts ✌️

"Hey there, hubby." Eunbi squeals at that last bit, unable to contain herself as she welcoms you to the honeymoon suite. You linger at the full smile she had on before your eyes devour tonight's entrée.

You think back to all the pictures you have of her. You can't imagine any one of them topping your view tonight; Kwon Eunbi in her wedding lingerie.

A fine white mesh barely obstructs the sight of her legs.

A garter belt that connects her girdle to her thigh highs.

The thinnest of lace straps holding up her lace bra.

Asides from 'wedding night', you detect a theme for her attire: 'Clothes so tight that she's popping out', evident from plump parts of her body constricted here and there, practically eating the straps enveloped by the pudge of her body.

'Dummy thicc' worthy of the name. You couldn't wait to rip off what little clothes she had.

Tonight truly was a magical night, for besides finally getting married, tonight of all nights was when she finally decided to succumb to your bondage kink.

“Nnngghhhh” Eunbi whines, snapping you out of your trance. Squirms, even, probably from the lack of action on your part. “Hubby, I don’t know if I could hold this pose any longer without combusting.” There it is, her fluffy demeanor that contrasted her dynamite body. You remember why this is the first time she's agreed to this. Her legs attempt to cover her crotch area, but all it does is tighten the ropes around her shins.

“Seriously, I’m dying of embarrassment here. M-maybe you can take a picture so it could last longer.”

You take out your phone and fill the silent room with the sound of camera shutters. All angles of her beauty splayed out were yours to capture.

Once you leaned in closer. Your nose was immediately enchanted with her fragrance. Probably lotion. So elegant and warm. Almond shea body butter, if you remember correctly. Probably even applied a little extra, judging by the sheen of her skin. You get carried away and produce an audible sniff, making her giggle.

You've had enough. Her scent was the final nail in the coffin. The heat in your loins dictate your movement. In A Flash, your monkey suit drops to the ground.

“Are you ready to start, hubby?” she didn't need to ask twice. With just your boxers covering you, you bring your knees up to the bed and inch your way between her legs.

Your raging hog was already aligned to her crotch area, ready to rip off all the fabric in between should it need to, until she interrupts you with a clear of her throat.

“O-oh you must be the plumber… M-Mister plumber, could you give me a hand?” She pled with such a submissive, squeaky voice, stopping you in your tracks.

You were fully aware of her roleplaying kink, but you didn't think she'd bust that out tonight. 'Happy wife happy life', you thought, getting off the bed so you could reach her side to indulge in her fiction.

“Woah, what's happening here?” You said with a distorted, indistinguishable voice. Her nose flared, probably due to the comedic pitch you chose.

Getting her bearings back, Eunbi gets back in character "Well.. you scared my boyfriend... he thought you were my dad so he fled."

"Mmhm... and he's the one who tied you up?

"Yeah, b-but only 'cause we were trying something out... Could you help untie me?" she said in the tiniest, cutest voice. Even roleplaying she cant help but be all soft.

"Sure, sure" you said, as your fingers finagle the rope securing her arm.

"He's a lucky fella for you to agree to this." Once you’ve had your fill of hearing her whimpers and her small voice thanking you for untying her, your hands abandon its play pretend and lightly touching her arm. Tracing her wrist down to her arm. This made Eunbi twitch in 'shock'.

"Well it seems like your boyfriend's not coming anytime soon, so maybe I could replace him-"

"No please." She says in panic "I just really need to be untied."

"Mmhm sure you do" Your hands travel to her exposed tummy and rub her mid section sensually, making Eunbi bend her body to avoid the plumber’s curious hands.

“S-sir… could you please just focus on untying me?”

You filter out her words, too busy with groping the glory of a tied up Kwon Eunbi. You decide to tease her main attraction; her boobs. A pair so voluptuous that merely pinching her bra strap and tugging on it caused them to sway around with gravity.

It was moan after moan for Kwon Eunbi, clearly enjoying this too much. She dives deeper into fantasy:

“No mr. plumber. Those... those are for my boyfriend.”

“Ngghh.. I wore this for my boyfriend, but the filthy plumber’s the one enjoying it”

“Please don't do this. I dont want to be a disloyal girlfriend."

Spitting out more and more words push you past your tilting point. You pry a finger on her bra strap and —unlike the playful teasing from before— you retract your hand hard, making it snap. With her tits in the air, you dive in.

“S-sir sir sir, please unhand my ooohhh fuckk…. please, not my boobs, they’re my boyfriend’s favourite”

“Mmmh I can see why” still by her side, you had to make do with just one tiddy. Your hand grips and kneads, focusing between fondling her globes, and using two front fingers to flick her nipples to kingdom come, earning bigger and throatier moans from the tig bitty lady.

“He must be the luckiest man on earth to be able to fondle these tits every night. Do I fondle your boobs that same way your boyfriend does?”

“Fuck, I love this so much, baby-”

“E-ehem” you try and snap her right back into sticking with the script.

“I-I mean no. You don't do it the same way as my boyfriend. He usually kisses me while he fondles me…” her mouth tilts to your direction, already expecting your lips to touch hers. You fight off every instinct to give her plump, cherry-colored mouth a good frenching. You had other plans to escalate your night together.

"Y-you're not gonna fuck my face, now, are you mr. Plumber?.." She says, knowing full well that that was always how these nights of lust begin.

"Fuck it? Naaah, I'm gonna paint it." You reposition, having her beneath your wide-spread legs. It was too much for you. The lingerie, the roleplay, everything. You didn't mind an early exit, you just knew that your cock is gonna start ripping your boxers if you don't take it out and jerk it until your sweet release.

"Noooo my boyfriend never paints my face. Please don't do it mr. Plumber, sir. Anything but that, I hate ittttt." with your knowledge of her preferences, you knew she kinda meant that. 'I guess I'm fulfilling two of hubby's fantasies tonight... but he better pay me back later' she thinks to herself.

She hears your wet cock being jerked just above her face. Wanting to encourage you to make her eat your dick instead, Eunbi extends her neck to reach your member with her mouth. She only manages to place small kiss on it, however. This makes her she gasp and break character "Oh my..... You're so hard that its throbbing so so thick, baby."

You didnt have time to reply, your prejac instantly jets out to warm Eunbi's face. Wanting to respond in a manner that's genuine to the roleplay, Eunbi sounds out 'distress' and 'no's', but at the same time.

You moan through your high and finish covering every inch of her face with white. Eunbi's tongue curls to your dripping cum to get a taste of your addicting cum, but

"You must have skipped the pineapple juice tonight, huh, hubby?" she breaks character yet again, but this time you pay no mind, you had your heart set on which hole to paint next.

"I hope you like missionary." You knew she liked it. Loved it, in fact. Her doubts wash away with how her heart skips a beat. Her giddiness skyrockets when you remove yourself from bed and position right between her tied up legs.

Hiking her panties to the side, you make quick work with clipping your fingers inside her cunt to search for her beloved pleasure spot. Once you find her rough spot, you double, triple, down on it. Even using your bicep to bring her to bliss as fast as you can.

Kwon wails at this point. Slowly breaking her voice to show you how much she's close.

"You remember how I got into my bondage kink?" you suddenly ask out of the blue

"Y-yeah... mmmmhnnngghhh" Eunbi's cunt was a freeflowing faucet of wetness at this point "Your friend-- fuckkk-- he told you all about it and-- and..." she loses herself in pleasure, so much so that she slurps the mixture of drool and cum weighing down near her chin. "And you've been into it ever since-- Tell him I said thank you."

With one hand you continue murdering her cunt, while another reached up towards the tits you love.

You knew exactly how she liked her chest being played with: Using your index and middle finger to play with her nipples. Similar to rubbing a clit. Exactly the same fashion you fondled her breast a few minutes ago. Such knowledge over this woman was how you knew that her contorted face wasn't one of pleasure, but of discomfort.

You were all the way hard again, in a position to penetrate her soon. This makes you feel excited —finally this honeymoon suite will see some real action. This idea couldn't help but excite you, turning your gentle massage into an eager peppering. Using your thumb and index finger, you pepper away at her nipple. You were amazed at their elasticity. Too amazed. You tug and tug to no end, wanting this night to never end.

“Oh my… mr. plumber, that's not how my boyfriend usually does it... ughhh..... fuckk.... you’re so different from him and… Fuck…. mr. plumber’s being so rough with my tits. My boyfriend... h-he loves to treat me soft, but youre doing such a better job” She said in the most unconvincing of tones.

"Oh my.. you're ruining my body mr plumber- ohh.. oh-okay... wait.. fuck... ZUCCHINI"

You were surprised, she uses her safe word. It was quite a while since she had used it, but you knew exactly what it meant, so you retract your hands.

"Aww but we were getting to the good part, little miss helpless girl."

"You can drop the fake voice... ah fuck.... that one was.... that one was a little too much, Paul" She finally states a name. After her confusing mixed usage of mr. Plumbers, babys, boyfriends, and hubbys, it was quite refreshing to finally hear her mouth produce a name. Eunbi was panting, and had sweat building up on her forehead. She was set on wanting to throw in the towel with fulfilling your fantasy.

"Help me take off my blindfold." She said.

Not wanting this to end, you place both hands on her chest to pleasure her nipples the right way "No... nngghhh, Paul, its not about my tits. You've been acting weird all nigh-" she was interrupted.

Eunbi feels an inch of your cock enter her, as should husband and wife on their wedding night. Fireworks go off in your head, feeling her perfectly primed pussy on her wedding night. You were stunned. At a loss for words. This was amazing, until Eunbi had to ruin it with grunts of pain.

"you're not Paul......" she asks with labored breaths, trying to accommodate your size

"Shhhh with how well I know your body so well, I might as well be-"

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU???" Eunbi starts to squirm, trying to get you off. You give her the respect of seeing who you really are.

"Let's just say, Paul's had pretty loose lips recently."

"What the hell do you mean? Who the fuck are you?! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME. PAAAAUL! PAAAUL, WHERE ARE-" you grab her cheeks with one hand, squishing them to make her stops.

"How the hell do you think I know how to touch you?"

"Paul put you up to this?" Eunbi had pleading eyes looking up at you.

"Well yes and no... In his defense he was just trying to brag about how much 'you melt from his touch'. With accompanying pics and videos, I might add. Your man sent one too many pictures that it wasn't hard to track you down. You'd be amazed by how easy it is to find things via reverse image search. From that point, its simple math. Tux + Wedding + some alcohol for good ol' Paul."

"Where's, Paul?" she said in an assertive voice

"Shhh, its not polite to talk about other people in bed. Don't worry, with how much I know about you, you might as well continue roleplaying."

"Untie me, you pig." she says

"Not a chance, cow" you grip her tits hard, making her nipples bugle out off the gaps of your fingers. With some micromovements, your skin teases her nubs of sensitivity, making her go still.

"You... you're the reason Paul suddenly wanted this out the blue..." she pieces together.

"Hey, Its not my fault he's such a copycat. But hey, I ain't complaining"

With a clear painting, Eunbi's brain fires off at every direction, feeling every emotion, and wielding rage like a steel hammer. Eunbi doesn't care if you tease her nipples anymore. With all her might she sways her body, powers her limbs, screams at the top of her lungs, everything she needs to get herself out of the ropes she put on herself. This made you unhand her and simply sit back.

"I don't see what the problem is. I know your body. Just pretend I'm the same size as your new husband's and it would be like I'm Paul-"

"You shut your mouth. Your cock is nowhere as big as Paul's." she bites back, not even bothering to take a gander at the snake between your legs before continuing her struggle.

It was quite a sight, the woman who left nothing for your imagination was squirming in vigor, producing a sight of nothing but pure sex. The way her tits sway and her pussy clenches was magnificent in and of itself.

With the lack of intervention from the outside world, it seems like Paul wisely paid extra for the soundproofed room. Easing the final worry of your crime.

You give Eunbi a chance, sitting down in between her legs and allowing her to walk out should she succeed in breaking free.

With a smile on your face, one of the reasons you loved bondage unfolds itself in front of you.

There was nothing more delicious than seeing the fighting spirit of a woman. Mustering what little ounce of hope they could, wishfully thinking that Yes. I can get out of this.

You thank the heavens for convincing Paul to opt for the premium ropes. They were certainly holding their own against the thrashing of a grown woman.

You palm Eunbi's pussy, making sure that each one of her struggles would cause her thick labia to grind agaisnt your hand.

"For someone who claims they wanna get free, you sure are grinding your pussy on my hand hard. Hahahaha" Eunbi has grown deaf and numb from your games. She only had one thing in her mind right now.

Your phone camera reads 30 minutes. Watching her go through the motions of anxiety and action has lost its charm. With a final attempt to break free, Eunbi flexes all her muscles to no avail. She drops her limbs, defeated.

You hear her huff and puff, probably exhausted from her hour long clenchings.

Having your fun, and having little to no action for yourself for the past half hour. You get back up on your knees and close your phone.

"Hey, A for effort." you said, laying flat on her body as you hug her, cusping her cheek and looking at her straight in the eye. The fury in them lights a fire under you. Your first attack shall be on her neck. Diving right in, you inhale her scent and mix her sweat with your saliva.

She smelled so good just earlier, but now she reeked of her natural musk. It was like her profuse sweating pushed all the fragrance out of her skin.

With how hard you pressed your face to her body, you could feel the pores on her skin. From her jaw to her armpit to the area around her boobs, you had to make sure you inhaled every essence of her porn body. Your exploration took you to every curve of her torso, every divot, every crevice, smelling the fear and pheromone that pierced through the lotion she wore for Paul tonight. Eunbi squeals to no end, graciously adding background music to your manic deed.

"Where are my manners" Your hand glides around her top, gathering spit and sweat. Well lubricated, you insert 3 fingers inside of her in an instant. Eunbi's body tenses up and makes your hear the beautiful sound of ropes tighten once more.

"You sick fuck" she says in a weak voice, obviously trying hard not to give you the satisfaction of her moans. You knew her body, so you knew how to touch her.

"They say that some rape victims often forget everything that happened to them due to the trauma. Here's to hoping you don't forget how good I am in bed." you laugh, as you continue to violate her birth hole.

After teasing her; bringing her to the edge and then stopping, edging and edging and edging, you decide that its time for your own pleasure.

'Missionary, her favorite.' You think back to Paul's notes, as you take position. “Now lets see just how deep I’ll get"

You lay your cock on her, your base rests on her entrance. while the cockhead all the way up, sizing up how far you'll reach. Eunbi’s eyes almost pop out upon looking down and seeing how the tip of your cock easily reached her tummy.

"Please... stop..." she said as you got off her and aim your cock on her leaking cunt.

"You should have told your husband that." You take your phone and show you all the pictures and videos that Paul had been sharing to you all this time. The delicious trust that he had for you was endearing. Or was it ignorance? Perhaps the anonymity made him think he was bulletproof.

Distracted from your phone, was the best time to pierce Kwon Eunbi, “Don’t worry. If it wont fit, then I’ll make it fit.” Applying pressure, Eunbi groans and starts to let you hear her weeping.

"Heey hey..." You comfort her pretty little head, wanting her to calm down before you say "Remember to open those legs wide for me, Eunbi. I’m not as big as your husband, remember?” you chuckle, a glint of mercy shows from your joke, one short-lived as your patience grows thin. You spread her legs yourself, so far off to the point of pain.

You wanted her to be tight, you wanted her pussy to grip your dick so hard that it could turn to diamond. But what Eunbi had in store for you? Was much. Much. Better.

Your cock laced with precum only had to push past her puffy labia. From then on, your cock was a key that perfectly fit the lock of Eunbi's pussy. Amused, you leave her pussy, and try entry again. Paul's woman weeps from this, again and again you repeat your actions, as if she were built for nothing but your amusement. Seeing her, you wipe her tears and give her a smile. With your cock withdrawn from her depths, you nod your head, as if asking a question. Eunbi shakes from left to right. You sigh and exit her tasty cunt. Looking like you were discouraged.

Such a ploy paved the way to seeing her fill up with hope and drain back out. You weren't letting go of this one. Eunbi's pussy has got to be one of the fattest pussies you’ve ever pounded. Her pussy was perfection. The little bend of your cock allowed you to grind your swollen cockhead to what little gap her filled pussy had left.

Eunbi started to ease her agitated expression. In fact, the both of you did. It felt Like Heaven for the both of you that you two had a couple of dumb, mindless faces.

"Heey, look who's here. Its your hubby~" you snap her out using another one of your ploys, a bait she gladly takes as her head flicks to the door.

Your free hand guides her head to face yours. “He's in front of you, silly~"

"No no, you're not-" you spit on her face

"Yes I am. Go ahead, call me hubby”

“n-no…” preparing to spit once more, you decide consent was nonsensical at this point.

“But wifey~" disregarding her disapproval, you go ahead and steal the moniker from their relationship “Its our honeymoon~”

She had nothing but eyes filled with fear and tears whilst staring up at you. You slow down your ravishing, eventually putting it to a halt.

From the moment your cock entered Eunbi, you've been noticing how much her volume increases whenever your cock kisses a certain part of her insides.

Face to face, you watch her react to your ace in the hole. Its not like your were jackhammering her. No. You simply pressed your cock hard on her special place. Same position, same angle, full sustained strength. You swear you could feel her wall bumping outwards with how much your cock was pressing on it.

Like a madwoman, Eunbi shouts with the entirety of her being. The escalation from calm to panic was exquisite, from her eyes shooting open to her screech pushing past her throat.

"NOT THERE! OH PLEASE DEAR FUCKING GOD NOT THERE!!!"

she screams lies past her teeth. Eunbi's reaction was so visceral. As if possessed, her body lifts off the bed, not mindful of her arms and legs secured. You graciously accompany her upwards, making sure to stay connected.

Her disgruntled moans were continuous, leaving a constant gap on her mouth. An invitation you gladly accept, sucking out both breath and spit; as if you needed anything more to remind you that you own her tonight.

Cock in. Mouth together. Your fingers reclaim its rightful plush throne atop her boobs.

Your core was about to give out with your current position, still applying pressure on her sweet spot. A few more swipes on her nipples were all it took for you to finally reap her sow. It looked cute, the way she orgasms. A muscle from the V lines of her hip spasms in and out. Your cock was compressed to no end when Kwon Eunbi's cream tries and tries to push your member out of her. Her condensed nectar engulfs her cunt and then your cock.

"Hu...bby....." Eunbi finally says, with her body still suspended mid-air. The line between love and hate fades, and along it, Eunbi's sanity. Nevermind the fact that she was calling for help, you choose to believe she's finally yours.

You guide her bum back to bed, seemingly necessary with how her face and body froze, and her pupils vibrate. After much consideration, you decide it was time to meet Eunbi in heaven. Your hips only had one goal: To resume fucking her. Thankfully, bucking your hips forward didn't make her squeal anymore. No whines nor moans were left. Just anguish 'love'.

It seems like she's finally broken 'warmed' up to you. Without restraint, you fuck her glorious pussy, still ladened with her own cum, bottoming out so hard that what little voice she had left couldn't be heard over the squeaking bedframe.

"Since Paul loves these so much. I'm gonna help them grow. Even. Bigger." You grip her tits. Grip. Truthfully, no word will ever do justice to the roughness your hands show her tits. Using them as handles, you chase after your orgasm. Wanting to finally pay back Paul for all the times he's sent you pictures of Eunbi, each one leading you to this moment. A gift that will reveal itself 9 months later. A gift that will make Eunbi's already-bountiful bosom blossom. The gift of life.

Lights almost go out as your virile cum pushes past her cunt and squirts straight into her womb. It was fireworks. The perfect punishment to Paul's mishap.

You lay in bed. Using one of Eunbi's meaty arms as your pillow. She was still tied up, but that didn't stop you from cuddling the woman as if she were yours. You look below, thankfully, hiking her panties as high up as the fabric can hold prevented your baby batter from leaking out.

You trace her belly, excited about how much larger it will be in a matter of months. Looking at her face devoid of emotion —no will to live whatsoever— you give her a kiss goodbye, and a rub on her head for doing a good job at being such a good toy for you tonight.

You leave, with your number on her phone, and her state a shriveled husk of a woman.

You pass by the room you had put Paul in before making sure he was drunk as all hell. It wasn't even locked. Bastard was just out of it.

You scoff. Walking a little taller as you think to yourself

'Fuck around and find out.'

Reason why I wrote this smut: For the Nth time, my close friend has bragged about his "catch of a girlfriend". I didn't think jerking off to his gf's pics (the ones that he himself sent) was enough of a punishment, so I wrote a fic about it too. As I'm writing this, I am intoxicated with the idea that everyone who jerked off to this fic is in a way jerking off to his girl 😋 Whenever I was stuck in this fic, I was totally thinking of how I'd fuck his girl.

Welp this certainly took a dark turn... I am honestly shocked at myself with how this one turned out. And I say "turned out" because this had a different draft and story line before I moved it over to Tumblr to polish it. I think the pressure of not wanting the storyline/ending to be same the as Doggy Cam's (where its revealed that the idol actually likes) got to me. Lol! But hey, at least I got noncon off the list now! Hoping to move on to a fluffy smut after this cause it was legit "...oof what did I write" for me by the end of this one 😅

[darlingshane]

mountain lion

Matt Rayburn x F!Reader

Summary: After a bad day at work, you're winding down in bed when you get an unexpected visit.

Content/Warnings: 18+, Explicit, Fluff, Smut, Making Out, Vaginal Sex, Mutual Masturbation, Food, Pet Names.

Word Count: 1,5k

A/N: A little thing I wrote for✨BEARDTHAL BASH✨

— Read below or at AO3.

Wrapped in the comfort of your cozy blanket in bed with the lights off, curtains drawn; the blue light of your phone illuminates your face while you mindlessly scroll through your usual apps to erase the awful day you've had at work from your mind.

It's almost midnight when a strange thud coming from the living room makes you jolt from your resting position. As you sit up, you put your phone down, keenly hearing the sharp whistling of the wind as if it was sneaking through a small crack of a window. It’s followed by the distinctive sound of muffled steps over a rug, and another cracking sound that makes your heart pound faster.

Wondering if you’d left a window open earlier, you quietly stand up and slide the door of your closet to collect a baseball bat, just in case. Wielding the bat with both hands, you use your foot to carefully open the door to your room. There's a barely audible screeching from the hinges that make you stop in your tracks for a moment before stepping into the hallway.

As the anxious throbbing of your pulse rises to your throat, you don't turn on the light but use the dim lights of the porch that glare through the front windows to guide you toward the living room. Mustering as much courage as you can and measuring your steps along the hallway, when you reach the end of it, you find a slouched, bulky shadow behind the couch.

Tightening your grip around your weapon, you swallow and get ready to swing hard. As you throw the bat back, the shadow turns its face to the side, and at the very last second you realize that it’s your boyfriend squatting down, his hands busy with something you can’t see on the floor.

“Jesus Christ, Matt! What the hell are you doing there?” you chide, lowering the bat.

“Giving you a heart attack, apparently. Sorry, sweetheart.”

“I thought you were a mountain lion or something. I almost club you to death. Did you use the window to break in?” You go around him, put the bat down, turn on the light, and shut the ineffective window’s latch.

“Forgot my keys.”

“Then knock or text like a normal person. Don’t use a window as an entryway.” You glance down now that you can see better, and find that he’s untying his boots and taking them off.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry, Baby. I wanted to surprise you, but…” he trails off, standing up in his funny socks with monkeys. “You should fix that latch, by the way. It’s dangerous to leave it like that.”

“Yeah, tell that to the knucklehead of my boyfriend,” you scoff under a heavy breath. “I’ve been meaning to fix it, but I didn’t have time today. What are you doing here anyway? Didn’t you have work tonight?”

“Shift change. Thought you could use a little pick-me-up,” his hands land on your hips, and through the thin fabric of your shirt you capture the cold of his palms as he pulls you closer. His lips, just as cold, print a soft kiss on your cheek.

“Oh, I need a big pick-me-up, alright.”

“Well, you’re in luck, cause this big mountain lion brought you something,” Matt extends his hand to the couch and picks up a box filled with donuts from your favorite bakery. “But if that’s not enough… I do have another big pick-me-up.”

“Don’t you mean big prick-me-up?”

“See? You’re feeling better already now that I'm here.”

“Yeah, after I almost killed you.”

“C'mere, Sugarbutt,” he sits on the couch, leaves the box open on the coffee table, and pulls you down onto his lap.

Draping your bare legs sideways over his thighs, you lick your lips and reach to pick a mouth-watering chocolate donut covered in sprinkles from the box.

One of his palms glides up your thigh, making your skin rise into goosebumps as you take your first bite. Then you hold the donut up to his mouth and Matt takes a big chunk of it, licking your fingers in the process.

You burst into laughter, seeing how some of those rainbow sprinkles stick to his beard.

“What?”

“Nothing. You look adorable,” you keep chuckling, picking them one by one from his hairs.

“I love seeing you laugh like that,” he squeezes your hip delicately. “I was worried after our little conversation earlier… Do you wanna talk more about it?”

Your expression changes with a small shake of your head, resigned, “there's no point. I'm just glad you're here. I've missed you.”

“Missed you too, Baby.”

With a tender smile on his face, teeth pressed on his bottom lip, Matt watches you finish your snack with delight. Soon after, he seals your lips and claims the sweet aftertaste of your kiss. The hairs of his beard are coarse around your mouth as his tongue slots between your teeth. The tip of his tongue gently dances with yours, slowly wishing your troubles away, swirl after swirl. Matt has that power. Just being around him makes you feel ten times better. And on days like this, you're beyond grateful that he's part of your life.

Your craving fully switches from sweet to spicy as your mouth demands more of him. You shift on his lap and straddle his hips, using the advantage of that position to rub yourself against him.

Grabbing your ass, his fingers are already warm when they sink into your skin as you earn a good swelling behind his jeans, and a deep hum of his throat that tastes awfully divine in the void for your mouth.

“I'm ready for my big pick-me-up,” you gasp for air after pulling away from his lips. “Bedroom.”

Your boyfriend doesn't think twice before lifting you up. You wrap your legs around his waist as he carries you back to the warmth nest of your bed.

He quickly rids himself of his clothes as you remove your panties and t-shirt and slip with him underneath the covers.

Laying on your side, facing each other, your mouths automatically are drawn together again, like opposite magnetic poles. His arms cocoon your body, keeping your skin flushed and warm against his chest. The light feather touch of his fingertips on your back makes you shudder. A nice buzz takes over your body as one of his hands slides between your legs. He caresses your mound using his whole palm for a long moment before letting his fingers focus on your clit. He collects the arousal pooling in your folds, using that slickness to trace circles around that hard little bud.

You can't help but hum in delight at his wonderful touch.

Enjoying yourself, in return, you wrap your hand around his length and pump leisurely, matching the eager excitement coming ablaze in your core. The higher he takes you, the more oomph you put into your hand.

When his fingers are fully coated in your juices, two of them invite themselves into your opening.

“Damn, sweetheart. You're fucking soaked,” Matt purrs and with a twirl of your tongue you lick-clean those dirty words from his luscious lips, as your grip tightens around his firm shaft.

In and out, he explores the tenderness of your walls for a minute, driving you slowly out of your mind, while your hand feasts on the more-than-generous size of his erection.

“Matt,” you sigh and moan as the temperature rises beneath the sheets.

“I got you, sweetheart,” his fingers pull away and lift your leg, tucking it over his hips, so he can feel that heat around his cock. You let him go at the same time, hug his torso instead, as he guides himself inside you.

Laced around the other in the most intricate but comfortable knot, you lose track of where your limbs start and where his end. Matt is all kisses and nibbles and fingers and beard scratches all around your skin as his hips roll slow, basking in the slickness and pressure of your opening.

You mark your teeth on the flesh of his shoulder and groan as your core reaches the surface of that maddening, crucial point. All your muscles seize up at the threat of orgasm when his thrusting comes sharper and quicker. You can feel the throb of his hard-rock erection, desperate for a release.

One of his hands clutches the curve of your ass, keeping your hips in place, so he can tip you over that sweet edge in that final effort. You can't hear yourself think, or have any thought at all, over his grunts and the muffle sounds of his skin slapping against yours over and over. Chasing that thrill, you give yourself complete to your body's urgent need for orgasm. The next second, a wild wave of pleasure seeps through every pore of your body, touching every nerve, making your legs tremble as Matt pours his seed in the depths of you at the same time.

You both stay still, woven in that position, as your breathing recovers.

One of his hands finds your face, frames your chin when his strength returns. “I love you, baby,” he whispers at the corner of your mouth before capturing your kiss oh so deliciously slow, it makes your heart swell ten times its size.

“Love you too, mountain lion.”

[googleitlol]

AAAAAA This took longer than I wanted, life has been wild. I was planning on showing more of the Yellow-Robe Demon arc but with how long this took I'm just gonna give you guys this instead. Maybe if I ever decide to put this on AO3, I can include more of it but for now, this has been LONG overdue

Dove Masterlist:

Doubles

“There is no way this will end well for us, you know.”

You roll your eyes from behind Zhu Bajie, the pig demon carrying you on his back as he soars over the sparse clouds of the chilled night sky. Everything had been alright after Sun Wukong left– for a little bit, at least. Everything went wrong the minute your friends became involved in a royal debacle between a kingdom and a powerful demon. The demon, called Yellow-Robe, had kidnapped the kingdom’s princess to be his wife. After that princess aided you in rescuing Tripitaka from her monstrous husband, you and your friends agreed to help save her and dispose of her captor.

Unfortunately, things had gotten out of hand the minute Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing left to defeat him. Wujing was captured instead, and to make it worse, Yellow-Robe tricked the king and his court into thinking Tripitaka was a beast. You and Ao Lie had nearly defeated him, but you alone were not enough. With enough berating, you managed to convince Pigsy that the only course of action now was turning to the only disciple Yellow-Robe had yet to meet. You only hope he will go back with you.

“There is none that monkey hates more than the two of us.” Bajie persisted, and you roll your eyes at his pessimism.

“Will you cease your whining? I am sure Sun Wukong will understand and agree to return with us.” You try your best to reassure him, though your belief in your own words is shaky at best.

The demon huffs. “And if he doesn’t?” You frown, your companion voicing the concern that’s been picking at you skin since you started flying to the Monkey King’s mountain. What if he refuses to help? With how his involvement in the journey ended, you’re not sure what it might take to convince him to come back.

“…He will.” He has to.

It’s difficult to see much once you reach Flower-Fruit. With the cloak of darkness, you’re not sure where to begin your search. After a second, you’re able to land by and begin the trek uphill. While he was still with you, the Great Sage often mentioned his home.

All you had to do now was find it. “He said the entrance was behind a waterfall, didn’t he? If we find running water, we can follow it upstream and hopefully it can lead us to him.”

“Hmm…” You turn when you hear Pigsy’s voice a little ways behind. “Perhaps we can cover more ground if we split up?”

His smile makes it clear that he isn’t digesting the tired look you give him. He isn’t fooling you with this proposal, no matter what reasoning he conjures to justify it. You know he will likely wander off somewhere and leave you to do all the talking, he’s too afraid of Sun Wukong to confront him head on. Maybe he’ll find a cosy little space tucked away somewhere to doze off.

In all honesty, you would rather Bajie not be around to accidentally set off the Monkey King with his nonsensical ramblings. It also didn’t help that you had to listen to him all night during the flight here, and you feel completely done with the demon at this point. “Fine.” At your agreement, the pig perks up. You gesture over in one direction. “I will go this way, you go the opposite. If you find him before I do, try not to give him any more reasons to be spiteful.” You warn.

“You think so low of me, I have a silver tongue!” He argues, to which you can’t help but chuckle.

“I would say you were right, but I’d rather not waste my breath lying.” You sigh, making the pig demon look back at you in surprise.

He gives a shout as you begin walking away. “Hey!” His clear irritation makes you snicker. He played a big hand in his master banishing Wukong, so some light teasing was the least of the punishments he could receive.

You don’t acknowledge the pig any further, instead moving deeper into the mountain. Crickets sing their songs in the safety of shadows as you move, the croaks of hidden frogs overlap one another. Even with the veil of night blanketing the mountain, you can see the beauty of the landscape before you. Several of the trees you pass are ripe with fruit, bushes are peppered with bundles of berries, and in some areas you have to shift into a dove to get through the dense greenery.

It’s only when you hear running water that you perch on a low-hanging branch. You take a moment to listen for where the sound may be coming from before following it. It takes you only a few seconds to fly your way over, transforming back once you see the stream of water running downhill. 

The moment you do, something lets out a startled noise from the opposite side of the water. Squinting, you notice a flash of brown behind the trunk of a tree. Is it an animal?

It peeks out from behind the trunk, the curious eyes of a young monkey following your every move. You subconsciously smile at the timid creature. “Hello, there.” You greet, but the monkey remains still as a statue. After a few moments of being subjected to its little stare-down, you tear your gaze away and spot a mango tree on your side of the stream. You take a fruit before holding it out to the monkey. “You don’t have to be scared.”

The little monkey looks between you and the offering before disappearing behind the tree again. Then, ever so cautiously, the monkey emerges on the ground behind the tree. The creature takes a few careful steps closer, reaching the edge of the stream. Now closer, you can see some scarring on the side of the monkey’s faze, by her ear. She manages to hop across the water, undeterred despite how she was missing a large portion of her left arm.

You frown for a moment as she approaches, kneeling down to greet her. Taking out a small dagger, you cut the mango in half, offering it to her. “Here you go, take it.” Part of you understands her skittish nature now, as she quickly grabs the half and runs back to keep her distance. You wonder what could have happened to give the poor monkey those wounds.

With the monkey still watching, you sit on the ground and take a bite of your half of the mango, the little simian watching as you do. After another bite, she slowly approaches again. It takes a little time, but eventually, she’s at your feet again.

“You are a brave one, aren’t you?” You smile, offering your hand to the young monkey. Her head tilts with curiosity, and she puts the mango back in your hand, making you laugh. “No, that’s yours.” You hand it back to her and give her head a slow pet.

She chitters at that, and in a flash she’s climbing up your arm and onto your shoulder, holding her mango in her mouth to get up. The picture of the little monkey right in your face with mango hanging from her mouth makes you giggle. She starts to eat with you, her tail wrapping around to the other side of your neck for support. You tend not to see many other monkeys on your travels, and the glimpses of the ones you do see in the treetops rarely approach like this little one. She seems much too young to be on her own, though. Could she have a mother nearby?

As if to answer your silent inquiry, you start to hear more chattering in the treetops. A gasp escapes you the moment you look up from the sheer number of curious eyes looking down at you. More monkeys begin to show from the trees, sharing little hoots and hollers between themselves before a small portion of them move to meet you as well. Some smaller ones that try to follow are dragged back, supposedly by their mothers, while the others hop across the stream.

“Wow, there’s quite a few of you, huh?” Were they all hiding before? The few that approach you tilt their heads, their seemingly synchronised curiosity makes you smile. One brave soul hops onto your lap, snatching your half of the mango from your hands and biting into it himself. “Hey!”

The first monkey on your shoulder gives a little shout, and the newcomer chitters back some sort of argument before continuing to eat the stolen fruit. “Count yourself lucky that I think you’re cute.” You mumble with a smile, resting your hand on the monkey’s head to give the thief a little scratch. The monkey begins to lean into your hand as you coat him with affection. “I don’t suppose any of you could lead me to the Water-Curtain Cave? I need to find some simian royalty.”

Unsurprisingly, none of them answer. In fact, many of them start to retreat back into the shadows. In just seconds, the only ones still there are the two on your shoulder and lap. A twig snaps from behind and you whip your head back to find the source of the noise. Is someone else here? Could it be–

The monkey in your laps hops away, shouting as you jump to your feet. The one on your shoulder climbs down to face the newcomer as your face contorts in confusion.. “What the…” Your words trail into nonexistence, confusion stopping them before you can speak. A stranger standing as still as a portrait, their eyes stare into you, their expression as concerned as you feel. But how else can you feel, when you’re staring at yourself?

Everything from facial features to clothing, she looks like an exact copy of you. There’s barely any time to process the lookalike before she turns to run deeper into the trees. “Hey, wait!” You call out, giving chase to the new you. Leaving the monkeys, you chase your copy past trees and around bushes, jumping over exposed roots and ducking under low-hanging branches.

No matter how fast you go, you can’t seem to catch up to her, though she never seems to make out of your sight. The second you shift into a dove, and you follow suit, taking flight and manoeuvring between leaves and branches. She makes a few tight turns that you’re able to follow, right until following her into a small clearing where she vanishes completely.

Now, more confused than before, you perch on a tree to scope out the area for any trace of her. What was that? It looked just like you… could have been an illusion? Or maybe a trick of the eye, a hallucination? What else could explain a second you? In all your life, you have never seen something so… odd. These past days have been stressful to say the least. Even before the stress of Tripitaka being captured, your life has been nothing short of chaotic since this journey began. Perhaps now it is starting to take its toll on you. Part of you had been wondering how long it would take for you to snap. Maybe this is it.

Before you can ponder any longer, you’re tackled out of the tree from behind. A small noise of surprise escapes you as you’re forced to meet the ground, hands keeping your small form stuck beneath them. You transform back to your original state but your assailant is ready for the change, grabbing hold of your arms and keeping you pinned to the ground. You try to push back but whoever this might be is strong, supernaturally-so. "So, you're looking for the Monkey King?"

The stranger chuckles as you pause, attaining your focus. "Why waste your time with him?" The weight keeping you down lightens, and you're able to get back to your feet.

Standing, you're now able to see your would-be attacker. It's another monkey demon, his build similar to the one you were looking for, maybe a bit leaner. His hair is black, eyes an unnatural violet. His arms stay close to his chest, crossed, with a lazy smirk stretched over his face.

Though, what catches your attention the most are his three sets of ears.

You don’t let the oddity throw you off guard. “Who are you?”

“Someone who can help.” He shrugs casually, one arm dropping to rest at his side while he holds his other out to you. “That is, if you’re willing to give me a chance.”

You eye the gesture with suspicion. “Do you expect me to believe that? You just knocked me out of a tree.” You scoff, though it only seems to amuse the stranger.

“I ask that you pardon my actions, I meant no offence. I could not pass up the opportunity, you were just sitting there…” He trails off for a moment before chuckling, almost sheepishly. “Sometimes my impulses override my judgement.”

He moves around you as he speaks, circling. You follow his movements, refusing to turn your back on this demon. “I doubt you want to waste time debating my actions. Your friend might only have so much time.” His words make you frown. “How long do you think that poor monk has before that king decides to kill that evil ‘tiger’, hmm?”

“How do you–?”

“Maybe the Yellow-Robe Demon will find where they’re keeping him and eat the Golden Cicada before the humans have a chance to do anything themselves?” He ponders with a small grin, stopping to watch your face contort in surprise. “I know a lot more than you think, Dove.”

You take a moment to stop yourself from snapping back with harsh words. It's obvious that he seems to be looking for such a reaction. “Then do you know where Sun Wukong is?” You ask, and one of his six ears twitches at the question.

“I do.” He replies, his expression never shifting from this smug look as he takes a step closer. You refuse to move back, and notice that aside from the differences you’ve already picked at, this monkey demon also stands a bit taller than the Monkey King.

He stares down at you for a bit, his eyes drifting over each of your features. You almost want to squirm under the intense gaze, uncomfortable. “Well?”

Your voice seems to snap him out of whatever was making his mind drift, and a chuckle rumbles from his chest. “I apologise, you might say I am in awe at the moment. I have heard about you and your pilgrim friends, however, being with you here feels different than what I expected it to be. I suppose hearing about a person is different than seeing them yourself.” Has Sun Wukong spoken about you and the others? It would not surprise you to hear if he had complained about the whole ordeal to his subjects, they must have all been curious as to what happened to their monarch.

“I have heard that you are quite cunning,” He continues, Leaning down a bit to whisper as if it were a secret, “tricking the Monkey King into wearing that circlet? I thought that was an admirable feat.”

You step back at that, regaining some space between the two of you. The reminder of your previous actions makes your skin crawl. “I’m sorry to cut your admiration short, but like you said, I do need to hurry. If you do not intend on helping me, I will be leaving to find Wukong myself.”

Stepping to the side, you move past the demon to continue your search. However, after just a few steps, the monkey is at your side again. “You should know, Sun Wukong is not the only one that can help you.” He smiles, and you roll your eyes.

A scoff slips through your lips. “Oh, really?”

“I have quite a handful of abilities, well-suited for your needs.” He continues. “I can take on that demon with as much ease as the Monkey King, save that Tang monk of yours– not to mention I can be much more well-mannered than the Great Sage.” You can’t help but let out a quiet laugh at that. Did Sun Wukong let all his subjects speak about him like this?

You glance over to the monkey with a smirk of your own. “Your words are sweet, but I would be a fool to take the word of a stranger who attacked me upon meeting. I would rather take my chances with the monkey I know than one I am unfamiliar with.”

The six-eared demon is silent for a few moments, and when you look over to him, you can’t seem to decipher his neutral expression. However, it does not take long for him to regain his grin and shrug. “It is hard to argue with that. It’s wise to choose what you know over what you do not.” He stops walking, his head shaking seemingly in disappointment. “Though, I should mention, your monkey is in the other direction.”

Seriously? You bite back a groan, though the tired look on your face is enough to get a laugh out of your tagalong. “I can take you to him, though he may not agree to go with you.” He voices what you already know. You might have come out here only to be sent away, this trip might all be for nothing. What, then?

“If you would rather not risk it, you have another demon at your disposal here. Just ask, and we can grab that pig demon you brought with you and go.” He offers, and you frown. Why does this stranger seem so insistent on joining the pilgrimage? Everything about this demon, it all felt off. Wrong.

Even if nothing was wrong with this demon, it would not change your answer. The possibility of Sun Wukong refusing to come back may be great, but that doesn’t mean it can stop you from trying. “With all due respect, Sun Wukong was chosen for this pilgrimage. He is the one I have come for.” You step closer to the demon with a smile. “So, please, lead the way.”

The demon scoffs a bit, his clear chagrin quickly wilting into a smirk before he shakes his head. “…It is difficult to feel disappointed with that precious aura of yours.” He leans down at you, a little too close for comfort. “You’re quite a treasure with that ‘gift’ as you call it.”

He stays like that for a moment, his eyes narrowed in seeming-amusement. It feels as though he’s watching for some sort of reaction, some sort of crack to your resolve. You refuse to show any, and with a grunt, he turns back and calls over his shoulder. “I am glad to be of service! Allow me to show you to our Monkey Majesty.” You roll your eyes at the nickname before following the six-eared monkey.

The two of you travel for some time in silence, so long that the dark sky starts to lighten just slightly. Part of you wonders if this is all some convoluted trap, but you eventually dismiss the idea. He already had his opportunity to do something if that was really his goal. From initial contact, it’s clear that any sort of fight on your own would weigh well in his favour, and with just the two of you, there’s nobody that would ever know what happened. It doesn’t mean you trust him, you still need to be cautious, but at the moment it seems as though he is keeping to his word.

Maybe he thinks helping you will convince you to accept him on the journey, which you still feel confused over. Perhaps he thinks it could be a way of getting close to Tripitaka and taking him for himself? Your thoughts are put on hold as he calls out over his shoulder. “Tell me, beautiful, why are you so intent on bringing back Sun Wukong?”

“It sounds to me like you already know the answer,” You do your best to pretend you didn’t hear the nickname, “we have to save Tripitaka.”

He pushes out a breath of air. “Sure, but you have others you can rely on for that.” One ear twitches slightly, and he turns to continue being your guide. “That Bodhisattva of yours would do anything for the little girl she found in that burnt-down house, why not go to her?”

His words make you pause, your eyes betraying your previously-composed expression with your surprise. You never mentioned how your master found you. None of the other pilgrims knew, not Wujing, not Tripitaka, and definitely not Sun Wukong. How could he know? “Who told you–?” “Like I said, I’ve heard a lot about you and your friends.” Even without seeing his face, you can hear his smirk, and it sends a shiver down your back. He knows so much about you, and he’s just carelessly throwing this information around in idle conversation! What else does he know? You continue to follow him and whether he cares for your concerns over his knowledge or not, he doesn’t show it. “But that’s beside the point. Why come looking for this demon for help out of all the people you know?” He asks again, ducking under a low-hanging branch.

“Don’t you loathe him?” He digs, and you glance away, gaze drilling into the ground in front of you as you follow. You would not say you loathe the Monkey King, he was actually becoming a little more bearable before his banishment. “Your journey has been so much quieter without him there.”

“Why do you care?” You frown, looking back up to face the monkey demon.

He looks back at you with eyelids dropped in an almost bored look. “I like to be entertained, especially by the hijinks of my…” He glances to the side, “…beloved king. I speak for many of my brothers when I say we were troubled by his disappearance.”

He pauses before meeting your eyes again with a twinkle in his eye that screams mischief in the same look you have seen from Sun Wukong so many times. “Luckily, you and your merry band of pilgrims are exactly the excitement I have been missing in my life. But enough about me, you’re avoiding the question.” He smirks, and you stop yourself from grumbling. “You do that a lot, huh?”

He’s right, though you would have rathered he just kept rambling on and forgot about how the conversation started entirely. Mostly because you have an idea of the answer he’s looking for, though you’re not entirely sure it was true. Even if it is, you would never admit it out loud. “I told you before, he was chosen for this journey. He never should have been sent away in the first place.” You frown to yourself, unable to help but relive the events in your mind, how terrible of a disbandment it really was.

Despite your own feelings, the demon laughs. “I see.” You watch him in confusion as he continues guiding, seemingly dropping the conversation entirely as he approaches a larger bush.

“See what?” He doesn’t respond, instead parting some of the leaves and leaning closer to the shrubbery.

He chuckles a bit under his breath, voice now a whisper. “Your friend seems to have already found Sun Wukong.”

“What?!” You race to his side, peering through the opening he holds open to see none other than Zhu Bajie sitting with Sun Wukong on a large stone. Are they just lounging about?! “That little– ugh!” Has he even told Wukong about Tripitaka and Wujing?

Before you’re able to jump out and confront the two, you pause upon taking in another look at Sun Wukong. He is laughing hard at whatever the two are discussing, in seemingly much better spirits than when you went your separate ways. You’re unsure if you have seen him like this before, or perhaps you’ve been so caught up in your vendetta against the King, you never cared to pay attention to his well-being.

You’re so caught up in the difference in Wukong’s demeanour, that you find yourself caught off guard again when your guide clears his throat. Only when you look up to give him your attention do you realise how close you are, just inches apart to share the space and look through his little window. “Oh, sorry.” You just catch the demon’s small smile before you step away. It’s been a long night, and you’re beyond tired after dealing with this entire situation.

Speaking of, you create your own space to spy through the bush, annoyed by the sight of the two brothers chatting like they were old friends catching up with all the time in the world. If it was not for Ao Lie being injured, you never would have dragged Pigsy here. You have to admit, though, Bajie really must have been telling the truth about that silver tongue of his, otherwise you would think that Wukong would have the pig roasting over a fire by now.

With a sigh, you mentally prepare yourself for confronting the two. “At least this saves me the time of finding a lost Pigsy somewhere else on the mountain. Thank you for the help– huh, I guess I never actually asked for your…” You turn back to your guide, only to find where he previously stood now vacant. “…name.”

A chuckle comes from behind, but when you turn in its direction you only see the whir of a figure, a shadow amidst the trees. You try to scan the area for a trace of the demon, but he is nowhere to be seen.

That was… you aren’t entirely sure what that was.

As creepy as it was, you have no time to ponder it, not when Tripitaka is still waiting for you. You come out from behind the bush, quickly moving to meet the two disciples. “Sun Wukong!” You call out, and the two turn to see you steadily approaching. Pigsy’s eyes widen and he lets out a nervous chuckle while the Monkey King– surprisingly– smiles.

“Dove?” He looks a little surprised, though seeing you doesn’t seem to put a damper on his mood. This is a good start. The monkey slides off the stone they were resting on, to stand and greet you. “Brother, how could you forget to mention you brought along a little birdie to visit me?” 

You rest a hand on your hip as the pig looks frantically between the two of you. ‘Haha… We, um, got separated when we arrived.” He laughs nervously, making you roll your eyes.

“Spare him your lies, Bajie.” You glare at your companion before looking back to the Great Sage. “Sun Wukong, we have come to ask that you return with us to help Tripitaka.”

He laughs softly, side eyeing Pigsy as understanding dawns over him. “Oh, I see.” The pig shrinks beneath his glare before the Monkey King turns his attention back to you. “You want me to return? For what? So Master can give me another head-splitting migraine?” Your frown lessens at the mention of the circlet, and he continues with a chuckle before you can retort.

“You two are fortunate I am in such a gracious mood. Come share some wine with me back in Water-Curtain Cave, then I can send you off together. Wujing must be having a difficult enough time on his own, dealing with demons.” The King shrugs. “Or maybe they’re all sharing a bowl of rice and maggots together, who knows?”

Did Bajie not tell him anything?! “This is not some joke! Tripitaka needs you–”

“Really?” He interrupts you, crossing his arms as he gets closer. “Because he made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t.”

You start to feel annoyance pricking at your skin. You remembered how stubborn he is, but it is still frustrating to deal with.“This is serious, Wukong.”

“So am I.” He stops in front of you, his amused smirk now gone. “Besides, I thought you hated having me around. What are all those things you’ve called me again? Impudent, brazen, callous? I thought your misery was made all the worse the day I entered your life.” You cringe as he uses your own words against you. That is what you called him, what you told him.

You are unable to meet his eyes, looking away in shame. “I am sorry if my words have offended you in the past, but we do not have the time to–”

“Ah, I did not say you could speak.” Your head whips back to face him as he cuts you off, your guilt quickly being overshadowed by irritation. He cannot be serious.

“Excuse me?!” You glare at the Great Sage, who only grins at your reaction. “You do not tell me what I can and cannot do!”

“Yeah, I do here. Or did you forget?” He scoffs playfully, clearly amused before leaning closer “I’m King, Dove. It would do you well to remember that.” His grin stretches out even more as he speaks, his eyes egging you on.

Your glare sharpens as you attempt to reign your anger in. As much as you might like to bite back at his oh-so-cocky words, that isn’t what you’re here for. Saying anything to make him angry will only ensure that he does not return with you, and this entire trip will have been a waste.

When he sees that you have no retort, he lets out a small but content huff and turns back to Pigsy. “Thank you for coming all this way, Brother, but maybe you should take this one back to Master, hmm?” He walks back to the pig demon, gesturing back to you. “I hate to see her feathers get all ruffled like this.”

He snickers at his own joke as he walks past his brother, the pig going to speak but unable to say anything. You start racking your brain for what to say to make him stay, he is obviously in no mood to listen to either of you, but what can make him stop? What can you say to get him to…

Your mind goes back to that day in the orchard, just before that bone demon. All his questions you shut down, avoided. That stranger was right, unfortunately, you do that a lot. Just as Sun Wukong is about to disappear into the trees, you sigh. If this is what it takes to get that nosey ape to listen, then so be it.

“The reason I don’t eat peaches…” You say loudly, making the monkey pause. “…I was embarrassed to say it, because I know how petty it sounds. I… I don’t eat them because of you.”

Pigsy looks between the two of you, a little confused, but Sun Wukong did stop. His back is turned to the both of you, but you see his ears perk up ever-so slightly. You take it as a sign to keep going and walk closer. “I was there for the peach festival. Guan Yin planned to give me a peach of immortality, so I would live long enough to see this journey through.” You hold your arms close to your chest, smiling a bit at the memory.

“I had never felt so happy before. I think, in my mind…” You look down at your arms as you think of how to phrase what was in your mind. “I thought it was her way of saying I was worthy. That I had earned an eternity at her side once the pilgrimage was over, caring for others the way she had taken care of me.

“And when we arrived, you had already taken everything.” Your smile fades as you look back up to Sun Wukong. His head is turned slightly in your direction, though you can’t see his face. “The peaches, the wine, Laozi’s elixir! You took every and all methods we had! I was in the jade palace because without immortality, it was my master’s solution for living until the time came to accompany the Tang monk. I only was ever allowed to leave so I could say goodbye to my friends on their deathbeds. I spent everyday there waiting for when I could begin the journey and guide Tripitaka to the west so I can prove myself and I cannot even do that anymore because the monk was locked away by a king after this demon transformed him into a tiger and–”

“WHAT?!” You barely have time to blink before the Great Sage is in your face, his hands holding your arms in a tight grip. “Why didn’t you lead with that?!”

“It’s all I’ve been trying to get through your thick skull since we’ve been here! I told you Tripitaka needs your help!” You argue, recovering from the whiplash of how quickly he appeared in front of you.

His eyes widen a bit as you speak, his nose scrunching up as his hold tightens, almost hurting. You don’t even have the time to complain before he shakes his head and looks back at Zhu Bajie with a grave glare. “You. Follow me.”

“Yes.” He squeaks, nodding quickly while his brother looks back at you.

Before you can ask him to let go, the demon throws you over his shoulder. “What are you– put me down, Wukong!”

“What, do you want to walk up the mountain?” He snaps sarcastically before jumping up into the sky. Pigsy follows after, and in seconds the three of you approach a wooden bridge leading into a waterfall. 

The bridge leads through a parting in the water, and only once the three of you are in the cave behind the falls does Sun Wukong set you down. You start to smooth out your sleeves from where he had been holding your arms previously as two monkey demons greet you all at the entrance of the cave. Now on the inside, you see how much larger the cave really is. A sheet iron bridge arches over running water, leading to a grand stone palace. Moss and flowers gave colour to the area, several trees sprouted from the ground, their leaves touched by the morning’s light that seeps in through cracks and larger openings from above. Over the entrance to the stone palace is a banner proclaiming, ‘The Flower-Fruit Mountain Rebuilt, the Water-Curtain Cave Restored – The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven’.

“Draw me a bath, quickly.” Sun Wukong addresses one of the monkeys, who quickly runs off to follow his orders.

Pigsy frowns with a befuddled look. “Seriously, a bath right now?”

“Master likes cleanliness.” Wukong is quick to reply. “I would like to clean up quickly before I see him again.” He admits, albeit quietly.

His words immediately catch your attention. Does this mean… “You’re coming back?”

The demon gives you a look you cannot fully digest, conflicted between concern and a simmering anger. Eventually, he sighs and looks back at Pigsy. “You two seem so desperate to have me return, and if Master is in trouble, of course I will help. I will need to talk with some of my generals before I go. The last time I left without a word, there were some… troubles that my people encountered.”

He glances at you again, his frown deepening. Before you can ask what might be wrong, he addresses the remaining monkey demon. “Take my brother to get some food while he waits, and have a bath drawn for her as well. She stinks.”

“Excuse me?! Have you smelt Pigsy?” “Hey!” The pig demon barely has a moment to retort before he’s guided away into the stone palace.

Now alone, Wukong takes your arm in his hand again. “Dove, what did he do?”

“What?” You frown, now feeling completely lost from the whiplash of everything that has happened in the last minute.

“That coward, his stench is like a blanket over you.” He explains, as if it would help you to understand what he might be talking about.

Could he be talking about that stranger? “The six-eared demon?” “Yes!” He puts energy into the word that makes you take a half-step back. “What did he do?”

“He guided me to you and Pigsy, why?” You frown, feeling your stomach become unsettled from his tone.

Wukong’s eyes feel as though they could burn into your head, you feel as though you can see his mind racing, but whatever he’s thinking remains a mystery to you. “…I can have someone show you where to go, we can talk more after we leave.” He lets go, walking past you towards the iron bridge. “And, Dove?”

“Yes?”

“I–” He cuts himself off, glancing back at you with a troubled look before turning back. “I’ll be back.”

[lotusconstellation]

“Shy Confessions” Pt. 1

Reborn Sun Wukong x Gn Reader

Story by: @queenofroses22

Written by: Lotus_Constallation

When hearing about the great tales of Journey to the West, you’ll often hear the stories of the great and all-mighty Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong. The great sage equal to heaven, the celestial monkey that was born from a stone and set off to cause mayhem amongst anyone that crossed his path without any concern or hesitation.

You would also hear about the laughingstock of heaven and, honestly, of hell as well. The tales of Zhu Bajie, also known as Pigsy, a man who used to be a heaven official but made the mistake of refusing to believe he’s lightweight when it comes to alcohol, leading to his banishment and being cursed to be a pig demon for all eternity.

It’s also no doubt that you would hear about Tang Sanzang, formally known as Tripitaka, the powerful yet peaceful monk who had set off to fulfill his destiny!

There is also Sha Wujing, also known as Sandy, there’s not much about him but everyone knows he’s a water demon who fought courageously.

And finally, Ao Lie, the white dragon horse, who was also disguised as a white horse for Tripitaka to ride on while they make the hellish adventure to get those scriptures.

All of the people I have listed so far are very obviously well known. Some more than others. All have backstories worth mentioning even if there isn’t much. However, what if I told you there was one other person who, too, followed the demons and the monk on their journey, but you won’t find them in any stories. Not even a brief mention of their name. And that’s because this person was no one special. I apologize profusely, but those are the words I’ve heard from time and time again when I would ask why this person isn’t written down in history like the rest.

Surely, if they were a part of The Journey and were brave enough to follow the rest down the path of chaos and destruction, with a high risk of death, and trusting your life with 3 demons, that in itself is special, no? Unfortunately, people don’t see it that way. If you do not have some sort of spectacular fact about yourself that would capture the eyes of a dozen citizens, then you are nothing but a worthless little pebble under someone’s shoe. It’s a harsh reality.

However, that is why I am here! I am here to tell the tales of {Full Name}, Whether people like it or not, Because I firmly believe that they too deserve to be written down in history, just like the rest! And who knows, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two, but enough chit-chat, Let us begin!

𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

This story starts with a small village that sits just at the bottom of a mountain. And on this mountain, lived a vicious demon.

The demon had been around for what felt like centuries, and often loved to cause havoc amongst the town’s people. The demon would poison the soil so nothing would grow, destroy stalls, steal from said stalls, smear mud and dirt on any clean laundry, and would run people over with a mysterious carriage. People of the village constantly prayed and prayed to any god to take care of this demon, but upstairs always remained silent. Eventually, after realizing that no one was going to save them, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Chaos could be heard from a mile away as the townspeople shouted over each other.

“We must slay this demon!” Someone from the crowd shouted.

“With what?! Pitchforks and dainty knives? We’ve all seen what this demon is capable of, what we have won’t do shit!” Another one rebutted.

Throughout all this chaos, a rather average looking person stood off to the side, trying to share what they had to say, but their hushed voice was drowned out by all the other booming voices in the room. It’s quite funny, really. This person, {Name}, spent– heaven knows how many hours practicing what they were going to say, was also the first few to show up, only to be pushed into a corner. And no matter how much they tried to step through the crowd or raise their voice, all their attempts were futile. Eventually, {Name} let out a heavy sigh, before making their way through the crowd to leave through the front door.

Upon stepping outside, {Name} felt the spring breeze gently caress their skin, they inhaled deeply, letting the faint smell of blossoms ease their mind. It was a rather peaceful evening, despite all the ruckus going on in the house behind them. The air wasn’t too hot or too cold, flowers were starting to blossom from all around, the petals and their scent being carried by the wind, and the sun was just starting to set over the horizon, with the skies becoming a mixture of blue, orange, and a dash of red. Honesty, all of it was a sight to see, but sadly, everyone was too frightened to pay it any mind. Who could blame them though, really. With this demon who’s caused nothing but constant dilemmas and chaos for heaven knows how long, it’s no wonder everyone here would be in distress all the time.

{Name} sighed heavily once more before rubbing their temples, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. All the commotion, and the sudden sound of glass breaking was truly starting to get on their nerves. Unfortunately, however, it had always been like this, whenever the town’s people would try to talk about getting rid of this demon, it always ended up getting physical, and In the end, getting nowhere. Honestly, all of it was ridiculous and {Name} was starting to get irritated by it. I mean, that’s why they attempted to be a part of this meeting in the first place. They thought maybe, just maybe, they could take some initiative and try to have everyone think rationally for once, and not be so hostile and rowdy.

Though, I guess looking back on it now, it was stupid to think someone so bashful and run-of-the-mill as them, could make a difference. If they can’t even fake the confidence to take matters into their own hands. Then hell, what good are they? The thought alone made them feel…useless. {Name} tilts their head back, in a poor attempt to keep the tears from falling. However, the tears trickled down their face regardless. Embarrassed by their current state, {Name} took off towards the direction of a nearby forest. They didn’t know where they were going, they didn’t think of how close it was to nightfall. All they could think about was getting to a safe place to let out their woes without any judgment.

𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

The labored villager continued to run throughout the unfamiliar territory, making impetuous twists and turns for heaven knows how long, trying their best to jump over fallen logs and moss covered rocks, and unaware of their ankles getting little cuts from open thorns and sticks.

{Name} continued on until they found a spot behind a tree, sinking down to the floor as they finally let go of all their sorrows. They didn’t want to continue living like this; Living in constant distress, with nothing ever being solved because everyone was already so stressed out and exhausted from this blasted demon. I mean, what did the people in the village ever do to him? Why must he keep coming back to attack everyone — even children? Is there some sort of unknown history we were all unaware of? Does the demon know something we don’t?

Whatever the case may be, {Name} just wanted it all to end. They couldn’t take another second of living in that village; where the people do nothing but scream and yell at each other and don’t take a second to just think rationally. There needs to be a change before this demon eventually gets bored of terrorizing everyone and does something worse. {Name} wanted to be that change. But they were foolish enough to think that would ever happen. “Why?” {Name} spoke. Their voice low and raspy from crying so much. They looked up at the starry night sky, unable to realize just how long they’ve been crying for. “Why must this happen to us? What did we ever do?” {Name} honestly didn’t know who they were talking to, or if they were even talking to someone at all. Hell, it would be a blessing in itself if their voice was even loud enough to reach anyone. “We have done everything. Prayed, made offerings, dedicated ourselves to you,” {Name’s} voiced a little louder, their face contorted with anger. “So why do you choose to ignore our pleas? Are we simply not worth your time?” A gentle breeze passed by, but {Name} paid it no mind as they waited for a response, a voice. A comforting breeze will do no good, it will not just magically make up for the constant neglect from the Heaven’s. {Name} knows they shouldn’t dare think this way, they know such thoughts would poison their soul, but they felt like they deserve some sort of proper response from someone. Their childhood had been damaged because of this vile creature, they watched as their parents went from kind and caring folks to aggressive and hostile ones. They used to welcome {Name} with loving arms, often trying to encourage them to be more confident in themselves, to not be afraid to stand up for what was right. But slowly, over the years, they started getting more…aggressive and uncaring towards {Name}.

Out of respect, I will not mention the things they have done. Though, I will say that it unfortunately got to the point where {Name} had become very skilled in tending to wounds.

The lonesome village felt another tear prick at the corner of their eyes, their head dropped as the fresh set of tears left little stains on their clothes. Please, just send someone, anyone, to take care of this demon. I would do anything in return, I promise.

…

The rapid crackling of leaves suddenly reverberated around the forest, {Name} nearly jumped out of their skin when they heard it. The lonesome villagers quickly wiped the remaining tears from their face before attempting to see the source of the noise.

From where they were, they managed to see a tall, humanoid figure running as fast as they could, the figure was wearing all black colored clothing so they could’ve easily blended in with the night. The only reason {Name} could see them was because of another figure dressed in all white colored clothing that was lazily thrown over the other one’s shoulder.

“WUKONG!! SAVE ME!!” The person in white yelled.

Without thinking, {Name} got up from their spot and started chasing after the strangers to the best of their ability. Their name wasn’t Wukong, but regardless the stranger was in trouble.

𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

The figure dressed in black was fast, {Name} will tell you that. The figure was jumping around while also making unexpected turns—which threw {Name} off a bit—all while the person in white continued to cry out to someone named Sun Wukong. Which, {Name} had no idea who that was, but they’re assuming Sun Wukong is this guy’s friend. Though, what’s a bit strange is that this guy, despite crying out for help, made little to no effort to fight against the person who was holding him captive.

After what felt like hours, {Name} managed to follow the figure to a cave that was located at the top of the mountain. {Name} heaved while trying to force themselves to walk further up the steep hill. Once at the top, they leaned up against the entrance of the cave, trying to catch their breath. “I wasn’t built for this shit,” they thought.

A moment or two had passed before {Name} looked further into the cave, borrowing the faint moonlight, {Name) couldn’t help but sigh in awe.

The cave was covered in foliage, with a few small waterfalls that flowed down from a few openings in the walls, and the moonlight only gave the place an ethereal glow.

(Artist: Unknown. Source: Pinterest).

{Name} was astonished, never in their life have they ever seen something as elegant as this. It all made {Name} ponder about their own life choices. From their younger years, there were always these rowdy kids who always dismissed the adults' concerns and went as far as they wanted into the woods. The kids offered for {Name} to join them one time, but they timidly refused. Now looking back on it, Perhaps it wouldn’t have hurt to accept their offer.

After what felt like an incense time, {Name} carefully moved towards the cave, the light from the moon slowly warning the further they went, relying on the tiny luminous blue flowers that scattered throughout the cave. As time passed, {Name} couldn’t help but grow more nervous. I mean, what were they going to do? How were they going to save this stranger from someone who could be armed and is undoubtedly stronger then {Name} was, when just prior they were sitting in the dark crying because they can’t even get their voice to go up an octave or two.

Honestly, the smartest thing to do would’ve been to go search for this “Wukong” guy but nOoOo, they just had to prove themselves.

Sighing heavily, {Name} continued on, trying to ease their mind by taking in the scenery. Whoever that black-clad man was, and as horrible as it sounds, {Name} was glad this was the place the man led them to. While they walked, they suddenly came to an opening with a bunch of stone staircases leading in all different directions, leading to multiple different rooms. {Name} was about to walk past it before a rather rejoiceful voice echoed throughout the room. “How lucky, How lucky I am today!!” {Name’s} blood ran cold, they recognized that voice. It was the demon. {Name} had followed the demon back to where he lived!

…

Shit.

End of part 1!

I really hope you and Queen enjoyed it. I can’t guarantee when the next part will be out, but keep an eye out 👁️

Love you all!!

[ghostofskywalker]

Almost Disasters

Tech/Reader

Fictober Day 30 of 31

Words: 838

Summary: Your beloved attempts to put together a surprise for you. Nothing about it really goes to plan. 

@clonexreaderbingo square: cooking

Clone Troopers Masterlist

You should have known that something was afoot when Crosshair asked you to help him with some errands one morning. You liked Crosshair, and the two of you didn’t have any bad blood, but it was certainly out of the ordinary for him to seek you out and ask for your help with something.

But the errand was more than just a simple ration run, and it seemed that two people would be the best fit, so you didn’t even bother questioning it, just letting the rest of the team know that you were going and heading off.

The whole thing turned out to be a task for Cid, and it was for the two of you to capture the (monkey-lizard) pet of a rival parlor owner. And of course, it meant that things went badly almost instantly.

The owner was stupid enough, but the monkey-lizard itself was a horribly deranged little creature. You had to dodge its talons and teeth several times, and Crosshair even attempted to knock it out with the butt of his rifle. Of course, nothing worked.

“Maybe you should have asked Wrecker for help,” you said, panting in an alleyway behind the parlor after finally wresting the little monster into a cage.

“Somehow, I think that would have been worse if he was here,” Crosshair said, looking equally tired and slightly annoyed. “We might have been able to capture the thing, but sneaking in would have been more difficult.”

“That’s true,” you said, gingerly reaching down to pick up the carrying case. Your captive hissed loudly as you hoisted it into the air, but there was nothing more it could do to cause mischief at this point, and you were grateful for that.

After dropping your new friend (though that honorific was certainly up for debate) off at Cid’s, you and Crosshair made your way back to the apartment where the Batch had been staying, and a strange gut feeling meant that you could instantly tell something was wrong. The scent of burning food filled your nostrils the second that the door opened, and you were immediately concerned about what had happened while you were gone. “Good, you’re home!” Hunter said, as if he had appeared out of thin air. “How was Cid’s assignment?”

“Is everything okay?” you asked, completely ignoring his question.

“Yeah, we’re fine!” he said, but the sound of a crash from the kitchen didn’t really instill much confidence in you about the truthfulness of his statement. He had to be hiding something, but you had no idea what. “Why don’t you go take a nap?”

You opened your mouth to respond, but before you could speak, you heard something else from the kitchen “Kriff!”

The shouted expletive was the final straw, and you rushed into the room to see Tech, Echo, and Omega standing there, all with looks of shock on their faces. A bowl was laying on the ground with what looked like frosting spilling out of it, and there was a blackened, singed mass that you suspected might have been a cake at one point today on the stove. You couldn’t help the laughter that spilled from your lips, despite the scene of disaster that you had walked into.

“Cyare!” Tech said quickly. “What are you doing back so soon?”

Suddenly, every strange part of the day made sense. Crosshair asking for your help, your boyfriend not even batting an eye when you told him that you were going of on a sudden assignment, Hunter’s weird insistence that you take a nap, and you would even be willing to bet the strange errand Cid had sent you on was nothing but bantha-shit. Clearly this was some kind of surprise for you, and now you had completely ruined it (though technically, it might have already been somewhat ruined before you got home).

“Crosshair and I finished our assignment from Cid,” you said. “What was going on here?”

“We were trying to surprise you,” Tech said bashfully. “Clearly it didn’t really work out too well.”

Despite the fact that he was covered in flour and frosting, you walked over and wrapped your boyfriend in a hug. “That’s okay,” you said. “I don’t need a fancy cake to make me realize how much I love you, I already know.”

He just smiled as you leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips, which was rudely interrupted by Echo and Omega shouting “ewwwww!” in unison. You just rolled your eyes at the teasing (that you knew didn’t actually mean anything) and pulled away from Tech.

“How about you change into clothes that are less covered in food and we go take a nap?” you asked.

“I think that sounds like an excellent idea.”

Did you feel a little bit bad about leaving Echo to clean up the mess that had taken over the kitchen? Maybe you did, but the idea of snuggling with Tech was way more enticing than cleaning up spilled frosting and disposing of that burnt cake. 

- the end - 

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[kafkaoftherubble]

神祗的庐山真面目

//Forms and Names

I have always wanted to write three After God essays!

The first one came at the tail end of Chapter 58 discussing Ahu’az and Yako.

The second one was something I’ve always wanted to do—an interesting mental framework to analyze Tokinaga Sachiyuki.

Now comes the third essay, ironically, the first After God ramble formulated in our Discord conversation. Hahaha. The last essay in this series is the actual first one that started it all, @orange-peel-candy!

This essay concerns my speculations and hypotheses regarding the gods’ forms... and The Man Stronger Than the Gods.

Be warned: spoilers abound up till at least Chapter 58 (a.k.a. the last chapter I read!). It's also a very, very long read.

What Do We Know So Far?

I am a two-bit detective-scientist wannabe. Before we start to speculate, we should lay out some of the facts that we already know. I hope I didn’t get any facts wrong because I’m mostly going off from memory, which is pretty corrupted from things like work, daily life, Buddhist Philosophy (yes), science, Neon Genesis Evangelion (I’m disappointed in myself for this), the likes:

Chapter 1

Out of the four, we know three gods’ animal forms.

Vollof is a rabbit,

Ahu’az is a rooster (yes, calling it Chicken God was me being an ass),

Orokapi is a snake.

Did ya notice something?

----

Chinese Twelve Zodiac – the Calendar

Wikipedia

The zodiacs are used by the Chinese as a calendar system, which assigns an animal to a respective year following a twelve-year cycle [1]. The sequence  goes like this:

鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗、猪

Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar

Vollof, Orokapi, and Ahu’az are part of this group.

So, my bold first hypothesis is that—

All of the IPOs introduced to us will be animals from the Twelve Zodiac.

I assign a modest 78% confidence level toward this hypothesis since all three we have known have come from this group.

From here, let's go through these queries:

Are the other gods also animals from the Chinese Zodiac?

Where does Allula fit in this, if the Chinese Zodiac theory is true?

Is there anything about the Chinese Zodiac, such as myths and philosophy, that may serve as story hints for certain characters in the story?

Particularly, is there some basis to make a hypothesis regarding The Man Stronger Than the Gods?

----

Query #1: Are the other gods also animals from the Chinese Zodiac?

Well, we don’t actually have that many IPOs teased other than our 4 known gods. The only one we have, here, is the furry paw. Let’s look at it again:

Chapter 1.

Hypothesis 1: This is a tiger. [50% confident;  0.85 x 0.78 = 0.663; 39% overall confidence]

Hypothesis 2: This is a dog. [50%; 39% overall]

Hypothesis 3: This is an animal not part of the Zodiacs [22% overall]

Both a cat and a dog have 5 toes in their front legs (and 4 in their hind legs). But a cat’s dew claw is much closer to its other claws. A dog’s paw, meanwhile, has the dew claw being much farther away [2].

From Hepper.com.

This mystery IPO’s claws are certainly close to each other—including its dew claw. That makes it resemble a tiger’s claw more (Hypothesis 1, or H1). Another piece of circumstantial evidence is that this IPO was walking past a street filled with stray cats. If the IPO was a dog, I don’t think these cats could be this chill.

Nonetheless, H2 has good grounds, too. For what little we see here, the paw doesn’t show a tiger’s typical strip, and the tail is a little too bushy for a tiger. There’s also the fact that these claws aren’t protracted despite not being required during a stroll. A dog’s claw doesn’t protract [2]!

We can even explain away the cats’ relative calmness by positing the IPO as invisible to their eyes, kinda like how they can’t be captured by cameras.

Nonetheless, H1 and H2 have strong enough standing. Whether a tiger or a dog, neither conclusion will counter our zodiac hypothesis.

----

There is, of course, a 22% confident hypothesis where the IPOs do not actually follow the Zodiac convention.

This opens up a lot more options for our mysterious IPO—a wolf, a lion, a cat, etc.

There is also this little panel you’ve helpfully pointed out:

Chapter 44.

There appears to be a fish IPO in this panel, which is not part of the Twelve Zodiacs. The only true aquatic animal among them is the dragon, or龍 (long)。

If the fact that a Long is actually an aquatic animal is new information to you, I’ve once written quite a bit about it in (yes, I know. Why does this bro yap so much?) an essay for a good friend explaining the origin of the dragon’s orb. Long story short: dragons are seen as the kings of the ocean and storm.

There isn’t much hard evidence to refute this “fish” IPO. One suggestion (thanks to you) is that maybe the “fish” IPO is just an NPC and that all major IPOs will be of the zodiacs. Another suggestion I can think of is that, similar to how Vollof turned from a “bear” to a “rabbit” in execution [3], the “fish” IPO might be revised to another animal among the zodiac gang in the future.

One last thing to add to the Zodiac theory in general: apparently, there’s already another IPO planned with horns [3].

Three Zodiac animals with horns have yet to be featured: the Ox, the Goat, and the Dragon. It’s another piece of circumstantial evidence, but all of it together still builds a pretty good case for the Zodiac animal hypothesis.

The way to falsify this hypothesis is to wait for more IPOs to be revealed. Mr. Furry Paw, Mr. Horn, and, potentially, Mr. Fish—all three can prove or disprove this hypothesis.

For the rest of this essay, let’s consider the Zodiac Theory true.

--------

Query #2: What Could Have Been Allula’s Animal Form?

Allula’s floral form is actually a pretty interesting symbolic choice, which you noticed. She’s a poppy flower, right? The source of opium—one of the royalties of addictive narcotics.  A really apt form for the god who introduced drugs to everyone else.

Nonetheless, this did not mean Allula had always been a talking one-eyed flower. She could very well have been an animal just like her other brethren.

According to Orokapi, Allula’s current form is a grotesque chimera of fleshes borne from the gods she had eaten. This tells us that she didn’t originally look like hair that’s been stuck in a pipe leading out from a bathroom hole.

Chapter 50

What are the animals among the twelve zodiacs that could possibly be Allula’s original bestial form?

H1- Predators: Tiger and Dog. These were the two possible candidates for Mr. Furry Paw as discussed in Query #1. Could Mr. Furry Paw be Allula?

I don’t think so. Allula has been banished into reincarnating as Waka for quite some years, and when that happened, she’d already been losing her original form and gaining her chimeric look. Hence, it’s likelier that Mr. Furry Paw was another IPO!

Then what about omnivores, like Rat, Boar and Monkey (H2)? This, to me, seems more possible. Rats are certainly seen as repulsive and disgusting eaters. Monkeys are a bit harder to square since their “stereotypical” trait(s) in the common interpretation of the 12 Zodiacs don’t really fit Allula all that much, barring intelligence (more on that later).

---

My highest confidence level (about 50%) is on the Boar.

Boars are commonly seen as animals representing gluttony in East Asian culture. They technically eat anything edible and non-poisonous.

Here’s the thing: boars can develop a taste for raw meat [4]. And they have no problem eating human flesh or pig flesh! The most common incident of cannibalism in pigs is when the sows and gilts eat piglets, called “savaging.”[5].

Now, Allula is no mother, but she’s the only known god who eats other gods. An opportunistic eater with no repulsion toward the flesh of its kind. A cannibal.

A piece of circumstantial evidence: The Boar is seen as the intelligent animal among the Twelve Zodiacs, often similarly to how one envisions the Monkey. Allula has, in a lot of interactions, demonstrated frightening analytical capacity and intellect. She often uses it as a means of manipulation:

towards the other gods, she used drugs—something they had no idea about and became addicted to.

toward Shion, she managed to charm the girl with the combination of her eyes… and more importantly, her words.

She best displayed her intellect in Chapters 54 and 55. There, she worked out what she believed Tokinagawas up to accurately enough that he was reduced to near nervous breakdown. That’s the sort of skill in choosing conversation responses I wish I have, so I can make the NPCs in my game cry like a bitch.

Conclusion? I think Allula being the Boar seems far more likely if the Zodiac hypothesis is true. 

-----

Query #3: Is There Anything About the Zodiac Hypothesis That Could Be Used to Understand After God’s Worldbuilding + Gods etc.?

The Twelve Zodiac was used as a calendar system with a twelve-year cycle. In other words, the zodiacs are associated with time [1]. Besides that, it’s cyclic. The Year of the Rat (first among the zodiac) follows the Year of the Boar (last among the zodiac) [1].

Both of these are already related to a character who isn’t said to be an IPO but is nonetheless completely intertwined with them—our boy Tokinaga Sachiyuki. Creating time loops to bring himself to his desired development is a known ability of his, isn’t it?

Keep that in mind.

Now, I’m gonna introduce to you Taoist/folk Chinese deities associated with the Twelve Zodiac:

Tai Sui, 太岁 (literally “great year” or “great age”).

Like plenty of Taoist gods, these deities originated as stars observed by Chinese astrologers—in this case, they’re the stars opposite Jupiter and are also in a 12-year orbital cycle [6].

Tai Sui are considered generals taking orders from the Jade Emperor (the lord of the heaven in Chinese mythology). They are the zodiac animals’ masters. Throughout dynasties, the Tai Suis’ numbers have multiplied into sixty of them, each mastering one animal while corresponding to one of the Five Chinese Elements (五行: fire, earth, metal, water, wood). There is, however, one Tai Sui General who is the boss of all Tai Sui; this one has no governing year [6].

That’s, of course, the Chinese’s side of things. In Japan, Tai Sui is consolidated into a single deity [6], in the form of Tai Sui’s full title, 太歳星君 (“Lord of the Tai Sui Star”)。

Tai Sui is so important and revered in folk divination that people whose zodiac animal sign is the same as the deity are said to be “clashing with Tai Sui” (犯太岁). Take the Year 2024 as an example: this is the Year of the Wood Dragon, so it is governed by the Wooden Dragon Tai Sui. Everyone whose animal sign is the dragon (no matter the elements) is therefore “clashing” with him, and superstitions dictate they appease the god because their overall luck has already tanked by the virtue of this clash.

What does this tell us?

It tells us that a Tai Sui is “stronger than these zodiac animals.”

Tai Sui, the god of time. Not linear time either—cyclic time. Who does this remind you?

More circumstantial evidence for your consideration:

The word associated with “time” is in Tokinaga’s name, 時永。 This is similar to how the word related to “time” is also found in Tai Sui, 太岁。 The difference, however, is that 時 technically means “hour,” while 岁 means “year.”

The pronunciation for 太歳星君 is Taisai Seikun ( たいさいせいくん) in Japanese [7]. The initials are T.S., which matches Tokinaga Sachiyuki. You can almost wonder if Tokinaga’s name is chosen to mirror the name of this calendric time lord.

You might think this is the end of Query #3, but there’s a speculation I want to put forward based on the Tai Sui Hypothesis.

“We Have Seen the Man Stronger than the Gods”

Chapter 49

Allula claimed that she and the other gods had seen The Man Stronger Than the Gods/God Killer before—a long, long time ago. 700 million years ago, to be exact.

Here’s the thing: Tokinaga is only 28 years old.

The big upheaval of the IPOs from the North Pole happened 30 years ago. Hell, modern Homo sapiens evolved from merely 300,000 years ago. My math ain’t no Olympiad level but methinks this math doesn’t check out.

That’s not all. Tokinaga’s power comes at the cost of body degeneration. How did this blud—whose body started to look like lichens-ate-it just by rewinding time a little to his last save point—manage to survive this long?

Another odd thing: Allula somehow does not recognize the God Killer when she sees one. Why? Why doesn’t she recognize what could possibly be the only Homo Sapien on the planet at the time? If that man was Tokinaga, wouldn’t she recognize him right now?

Tokinaga’s response to Allula’s assertion is also grounds for intrigue. He was there for a negotiation; the odds of him feigning ignorance were not too high. So why was his response “What are you talking about?” instead of knowing silence?

Why did he react as though he was stunned to hear Allula’s revelation? Was the God Killer she mentioned somehow… not him?

Granted, there are many plausible reasons to explain these odd points. We don’t know the full scope of Tokinaga’s powers. Maybe he could erase someone’s memories if he wanna (sure. Sure. Sure. Sure. Sure. Doubt. Doubt. Doubt. Doubt. Doubt). We don’t yet know what parts of the power system, such as reincarnation, are like in this story.

---

God Killer (singular?)

If Tokinaga’s aspect as the time-bending God Killer is inspired by Tai Sui, then the speculation I want to offer is that there is more than one God Killer across history.

Japan etc. and even common Chinese folks might think that there’s only ever one Tai Sui Lao Jun/Taisei Seikun, but there has always been more than one Tai Sui in the canonical myth. Tokinaga could very well just be one God Killer who exists at this time. The one Allula and fam saw back then was another God Killer.

I originally wanted to make a joke that this God Killer was from the Australopithecus genus—the hominids before our Homo genus. The problem is… the earliest Australopithecus hominin existed 4.2 million years ago. That’s not even close to Allula’s “700 million years ago.” Bro, who the fuck did these gods see? Fucking Xenu?

The nature of God Killer(s) is largely shrouded in mystery by this point in the manga, so again, any reasonable guess is as good as another. I’m not even particularly confident in this speculation, but it does lend nicely to our last query…

----

Query #4: What speculations regarding “The Man Stronger Than The Gods” can we make from this?

Although this is the last query and hypothesis in this essay, it is actually the first I’ve ever made since reading After God months ago.

The thing that kickstarted this was in his name.

As someone who’s immersed in Thai and Buddhist-Hindu myths, his name was eye-catching for featuring the word “naga.”

Britannica. This is an artistic depiction of Nāga in Thai style.

Nagas are, briefly, divine or semi-divine beings—sometimes half-human and half-serpents, sometimes basically sea serpents [8]. In common translations as well as general understanding, however, nagas are understood as dragons.

They are often associated with bodies of water.

The origin of the nagas is closely related to snakes. In Sanskrit, nāga is one of the many terms for “snake,” and the earliest concept of nagas is cobra-like [8].

These three key points are bolded because these traits are shared with the East Asian concept of the Long (龙) as well. According to Yuan Jing, a Chinese archaeologist researcher, the origin of Chinese dragons (which other East Asian long are derivative from) likely evolved from a snake or a crocodile [9]. For example, artifacts recovered from the Taosi Archeological Site (陶寺) in Shanxi showed Long that pretty much just looked like snakes [9]. This connection is also speculated to be why “dragon” is positioned next to “snake” in the Twelve Zodiac. The dragon and the snake are kin.

And who, my dudes, is Tokinaga’s dearest friend?

Even an East Asian dragon’s “connection to the body of water” can be seen in Tokinaga’s character traits—chiefly, his avoidance of bathtubs and his strange discomfort with showers. You might correctly point out that it’s odd for him to be written as repulsed by a “body of water” if he’s indeed related to East Asian dragons, but a big theme of Tokinaga’s personality intrigue is the fact that he’s in discordance to himself. His self-hatred originates from his inability to resolve what he detests and what his “nature” desires. He’s like an Asian dragon who hates water.

Oh, but there’s more to this hypothesis. Much, much more.

-----

Fake Ancient Scripts That Repel Evil

Chapter 31

Well, the characters on his loincloth-ass mask seem pretty likely to be 日本, “Japan,” to me. You're not even trying, Orokapi.

We know that the eyepatch hides Tokinaga’s empty left eye socket where some of the deterioration is found. So what’s the character on his eyepatch?

The eyepatch, interestingly, was framed nicely within the last panel as Tokinaga dropped one of the earliest hints about the God Killer.

I’m gonna go and guess it’s based on “竜”, or “dragon.”

It’s that, or 龟, “tortoise/turtle”.

How do we decide which of these is likelier? Well, show us the hand!

----

It's not a hand, you dumbass. It's a claw.

Chapter 42

This chapter is the first time when we get to see the claw that haunts Tokinaga. It features really sharp nails and scaly skin. Below are a tortoise’s nails.

Animals.net

The nails in a tortoise appeared to be closer to each other that our mysterious claw up there. The claw is also far leaner in the panel, compared to the more bulging (thicc?) look of a tortoise’s foot.

Based on this, I think the odds that the claw belongs to a tortoise are lower than our alternative: the East Asian Long/dragon. But do we have more proof?

---

How many nails does a Long have?

Five claws may seem ubiquitous in more modern drawings of the dragon, but it’s actually a relatively new invention during the Qing Dynasty [10]. In truth, for the longest time, the dragon has had three claws—and the dragon types that were most likely introduced to Japan are the three-clawed and four-clawed Golden Dragon (金龙), both popular during the Tang Dynasty.

Baidu. Tang Dynasty dragon-adorned mirror. Try to locate its claws.

Now, we can combine both knowledge.

Tokinaga claimed that these fake scripts are used to repel evil.

One of them is found in his eyepatch. A writing that may very well be 竜.

What is this eyepatch guarding against?

The thing that is frequently drawn to be close to his left eye is the mysterious claw. A claw that can be reasonably suspected to belong to a dragon.

Does that eyepatch repel... or seal a dragon?

Chapter 55

No matter what it could be, it still points to one general direction:

Tokinaga has a lot of connections to a dragon.

-----

Verdict

This is a combination of all of our hypotheses to form a pretty damn bold speculation about The Man Stronger than The Gods.

Tokinaga may be a God Killer, not the God Killer. He has aspects influenced by Tai Sui and dragons—a mythical beast that is also one of the Twelve Zodiac.

We already learned that there are actually a lot of Tai Sui deities, with 5 governing a single animal of different elements. So, if the hypothesis is that the God Killer is not one person but many people...

Is Tokinaga a dragon-related God Killer? Similar to a Dragon Tai Sui?

-----

Last words

This has been an insanely long read, but it covers a lot of the speculations and theories I have had about After God thus far. There’s a lot we don’t know yet, and it’s always likely that I get a lot of stuff wrong. I have a specific image for that occasion:

Ajin.

Nonetheless, it’s been really fun trying to Allula out the story with what we have so far, and I’ll be really stoked if even a small part of all of this comes true!

Let me know what you think in the comments or tags! I love responses and add-ons; I read ‘em all! They make my day.

Thank You For Reading My Ramble! I hope this has been an eye-opening thrill for you!

P.S. To people who recently followed me for After God content: welcome to my garden! I do have to tell ya—I’m not very prolific an essayist due to my general lack of time. I also write essays for a lot of other things too—this is the last of my After God Three Part essays, and I haven’t had any planned after this. So, yea! Please enjoy what I've cooked for now! Ahahaha.

------

Citations:

Chinese zodiac. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac

Cat Paw vs. Dog Paw: Vet-Verified Differences (With Pictures). Hepper. https://www.hepper.com/cat-paw-vs-dog-paw/

Inspiration for Vollof (summarized). On Tumblr (Thanks, Ko!). https://www.tumblr.com/kossanctuary/756356794456113153/inspiration-for-vollof-summarized?source=share

What Pigs Can (And Can’t) Eat: Ultimate Guide. Savvy Farm Life. https://savvyfarmlife.com/what-pigs-can-and-cant-eat/

Normal and Abnormal Behaviors of Swine Under Production Conditions. Pork Information Gateway. https://porkgateway.org/resource/normal-and-abnormal-behaviors-of-swine-under-productions-conditions/

Tai Sui. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Sui

太歳星君. In Wikipedia. [In Japanese] https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%AA%E6%AD%B3%E6%98%9F%E5%90%9B

Nāga. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C4%81ga

世间动物千千万，为何是它们被选入十二生肖？《澎湃》。[In Chinese] https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_24694111

中国古代的龙，到底有几个爪趾？《百度·文艺时光》。[In Chinese] 中国古代的龙，到底有几个爪趾？ (baidu.com)

[fever-project]

Time for the Pokémon AU! His outfit is the same, just without any armor and now with a straw hat. And look at his shiny Hydrapple! I couldn’t really figure out the proportions 100%, but they look cute and that’s enough. They get little chin scratches <3 Alt version with an outline under the cut, as well as some lore. Enjoy.

So to start, in this AU, Orgepon takes the place of Skull Kid in Majora’s Mask. Yes, I know that doesn’t line up with Orgepon’s story in the actual Pokémon universe, I did not care. It’s my AU, my monkeys. But yeah, everything is mostly the same as the original games. The Koriki are a Pokémon, because Pokémon=species in this AU. They’re Grass Fairy types. I’d imagine that this makes Time feel more out of place, especially since he can’t do any of the moves his Koriki brethren can. Also, because of the Fierce Deity Mask, he now is a Normal Fairy type, when most Hylians and Humans are just Normal type.

I’ll put his team here, just so you guys don’t have to go to the link’s teams post to see. His Pokémon are: Masterpiece Sinistcha called Mocha, shiny Hydrapple called Apple, shiny Gholdengo called Goldie, and shiny Kingambit called Samurai. He likes shinies just as much as I do, but he has the time(heh) and patience to actually hunt for them. He has Apple with him in the drawing. Time uses Safari and Quick Balls only for his Pokémon, he’s one of those people ya know? Like me🧍‍♂️

Haven’t given any more thought to the actual LU story, like how it would work with Pokémon, but I’d image that Time would fight the corrupted Pokémon with his own Pokémon, since he didn’t have his sword on him. He needs to capture at least two more Pokémon to have a full team, but he is full of indecision. He has a Shiny Charm, and Wild also has one and can make shiny rates up sandwiches, so they both hunt for shinies to add to their teams. All of Wild’s new Pokémon is going straight to his PC/Sheikah Slate. Time doesn’t have one of those, so he hasn’t really been catching Pokémon much haha.

[witchie-writings]

ALRIGHT. I hope you don’t mind me requesting human ones since I don’t really have any scenario ideas for a cybertron partner..But bayverse megatron with a human pet that likes to sing and dance to pass time? (Since I doubt there’s much anything to do when held captive by Megatron lol)

Definitely an interesting scenario! Hopefully these headcanons suffice. C: (they're a little short, sorry about that! not proof-read.)

TW for abuse and all that, typical of Bayverse!Megatron

Being the captured pet of Bayverse!Megatron is its own punishment. The grueling agony of being nothing more than a source of sickening entertainment was, in itself, a tragic fate, but there was some enjoyment for themselves the human manages to scavenge - the art of music and dancing.

It allowed them to reign in their sanity from the brink of frigid shadows; whatever style or form of dance they chose allowed them to express their inner woes, sometimes followed up by lulled tunes of their own voice to go along their wispy serenade. They never dared present their craft to the warlord out of fear, however. It was a secret they kept close to their heart as it was the last bastion of sanity they had left, but it didn't take long for Megatron to find out about the hidden art. And honestly, he found his pet's antics amusing.

He wasn't swayed by the human's graceful and determined steps nor found their voice particularly pleasing, but he found a twinge of enjoyment watching his pet be unaware of his presence at first and thinking they were able to keep their "secret" under wraps. It made them look like a fool, trying to hide their passion from the crimson gaze of the infamous tyrant when he had knowledge of their acts and what they did behind the veil. 

Definitely would have them perform in public, no matter if it was uncomfortable for them or not (though he'd find a sadistic glee in them being consumed by dread because of the publicity). While they danced and sang, he'd probably have some of the Decepticons shoot at their feet or narrowly avoid stabbing the poor human with their digits - anything to get their heart pulsing and blood rushing through their body, tinting the canvas a rosy hue before it quickly bled into a light scarlet. Expect a lot of snarky and degrading comments as well, both from Megatron and those that he rules over. The human is practically a dancing monkey to them, and oh, how hilariously ridiculous they looked to them.

Now, this isn't strictly restricted to this ask, but should any Decepticon actually harm the human during their performances, Megatron does actually get pissed and terrifyingly quickly. Whatever mocking statement would die in his vocal cords and out comes a raging beast of fury and hatred; if there is one thing that the warlord despises, it's when someone else damages his property, especially one that is valuable as his human pet. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find such an entertaining bag of flesh amongst billions of squirming insects? The human is a rarity! (And only Megatron alone is able to harm the fleshling, no one else)

The Decepticon that harmed his pet is swiftly dealt with, though it wasn't a particularly clean kill. Megatron has quite the sadistic imagination.

Other than public performances, on particularly boring days the warlord might have the human perform something more personal for him alone, but the mockery and danger would never cease here. If anything, it's more refined and precise, making the words sting and burn with a searing intensity to a point one could feel it upon their skin. Megatron's words would sink deep alongside his assaults - bruises here, a few cuts or gashes here, nothing too fatal, but enough to satisfy his own sickening fantasies and to relish in the suffering he inflicted upon his pet.

In short, being able to sing and dance might have made the human's life more of a hellscape than if they didn't possess the ability or hobby. They're placed on this bloody pedestal and make a fool out of themselves, all for the sake of the amusement of others. At least they're granted some form of protection, though I doubt it's any better.

[pearlsinmyhair]

༄ breath of venus ༄

chapter two ~ taken

word count: 3.2k words.

WARNINGS: cannon-typical violence. guns, arrows, knives, etc. there’s a fair amount of cursing in this chapter as well. mdni. there’s a sentence where a dead body is mentioned. if the scene in avatar two of the children getting captured and the fight after eclipse disturbs you, then refrain from reading this chapter.

Glossary:

seze’awkx- literally “cliff flower”. it’s a plant used by navi healers.

yayo- bird

syaksyuk- monkey like creatures of pandora.

skxawng- fool. idiot. moron.

tsakarem- a training tsahík

olo’ekte- a training olo’eyktan

tsmuke- a more affectionate form of ‘sister’. ‘sis’

༄

“I have never understood where the line is drawn, between sacrifice and self-slaughter.”

Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall

༄

Venus dug her knife deep into the ground below the flower of the seze’awkx plant, being careful not to harm the stem. It was a herb that could be used in many different ways depending on what was selected. The roots could be drained to create a tea to soothe aches. The stem oozed liquid that when mixed aided in healing riti bites. The flower petals, however, were the most useful. The soft blue petals could seal up a wound.

It was what Venus had hastily grabbed when she was injured while taming her ikran. She had pressed the flower into her bleeding side just as her father appeared next to her, and the blue color camouflaged the blood well enough.

A drop of sweat dripped down her forehead, but her hands were full. She pulled a cloth from her bag and wrapped the root system of the plant, making a root ball to safely carry it back to High-Camp.

She stood, flicking the dirt off her fingers and pressing the back of her hand to her temple. It was maddeningly hot on the Hallelujah mountains at this time of year. In the dense foliage, there was no breeze to relieve her torment.

She pulled a flask of water from her pack, taking a moment to sip and listen to the forest around her. There were soft chirps of yayo and distant calls of syaksyuk, and it calmed her to hear her home as it was before the chaos of war.

Almost as if the war wasn’t raging on.

Almost as if she wasn’t on the same mountain that her father and Miles Quaritch once fought.

She shivered at the thought.

While her thoughts drifted, a sudden scream of joy launched her into panic mode.

She bolted through the trees, jumping over logs. She climbed up a tree with practiced ease and looked down.

And there they were: Lo’ak, Kiri, and Tuk. Walking and talking as if they weren’t in an active war zone that their father had strictly forbidden them from entering.

She jumped down into a bush, watching her brother tease her baby sister. She scowled.

Skxawng. You don’t even realize that i’m here.

She stepped out of the leaves and grabbed his shoulders from behind. Tuk screamed, Kiri jumped back, and Lo’ak stiffened.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she hissed, turning her brother forcefully.

“We just wanted to explore!” he explained, eyes wide with shock as he recovered from her sneak attack.

“And you brought Tuk with you? Into an active zone?” she asked, glancing between Kiri and Lo’ak.

“She would have screamed and cried if she couldn’t come! We didn’t want her to snitch!”

Venus almost cackled.

“Did you even stop to think that maybe that was a good indicator that you shouldn’t be here?” she hissed, leaning down so she was eye to eye with Lo’ak.

“Then why are you here?” Kiri asked bravely, straightening up. She withered when Venus’s hardened gaze turned on her.

It was moments like this when Venus looked most like her father.

“I have permission from the Tsahík. You have no such clearance. You will go home now, before I call it in myself.” she said, staring down her two younger siblings. She gave Lo’ak a shove.

“Get out of here. There are a million places for you to explore that are not here.”

Lo’ak glared at her, turning and walking away. Kiri at least had the intelligence to look sorry. Tuk grabbed her hand.

“I’m sorry, tsmuke.” her baby sister spoke, looking up at her. She sighed, pressing a kiss to Tuk’s forehead.

“Stay out of trouble. Promise.”

Tuk nodded.

She listened to them walk away. Only when their footsteps faded into the sounds of wildlife did she turn back to her final task.

She had purposely saved the last plant for last. It was a fungus that preferred dark and moist areas, and it particularly favored more…human conditions.

The plant that she needed grew at the Old Shack. It had been months since she went this close. Her mother and father had taken her there when she was younger to see it.

But as she pulled a fern aside, she froze.

She dropped into a crouch, carefully pulling her bow off her shoulder.

At least six avatars circled the wreckage of the final fight, picking apart metal and plants.

She reached up to her comm to call it in.

“Lyle, see if you can pull some data off that dash cam.”

Her blood ran cold. Her hand froze halfway to her neck.

Because she knew that voice. How could she not? It had haunted her dreams for years, never leaving her alone.

It’s not possible.

But then again, demons don’t exactly die, do they?

Her thumb was a breath away from pressing her com when Lo’ak’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“Devil dog, devil dog this is Eagle Eye. Over.”

Oh, she was going to fucking murder him.

She listened to the exchange as she pulled an arrow from the quiver at her back, carefully and quietly docking it.

She pointed it right at the hell hound in the clearing.

“Son, you listen to me very carefully. You pull back right now. Do not make a sound. You get the hell out of there. Move! You copy?”

She listened to Lo’ak agree before she tapped in.

“This is Palalukan to Devil Dog, do you copy?”

“I copy, Venus.”

“I have eyes and an arrow on one of the avatars right now.”

Silence. She could practically see her father and mother exchanging a look.

“Venus, hear me. Do as I just told your siblings. If you shoot, you will alert them that you’re there.”

She took a deep breath.

“Dad…it’s Quaritch. Quaritch is at the old shack in an avatar body.”

Dead silence. She watched as the soldiers filtered out of the clearing. She never once allowed the arrow’s aim to move from Quaritch’s head.

“Venus, get the hell out of there now.”

“Copy that.”

She started to stand right as a scream rang out.

Shit.

“They have the kids.”

“Venus do not engage, I repeat do not engage-“

She turned her coms off.

She ran over the ground, quick and silent as the predator her call sign came from.

What she would give to have her thanator siblings running with her.

She scaled a tree, a sudden burst of deja vu hitting her as she once again looked down.

Her siblings were on their knees. She docked an arrow once more, pointing it down at the man holding Kiri.

“Show me your fingers.”

She fought the urge to hiss as Quaritch approached Lo’ak. And Lo’ak, her brave and stupid brother, gave him two middle fingers.

She felt a surge of pride and fear.

They didn’t know the truth of these soldiers. They didn’t know what they had done. What they had to atone for.

“You’re his.”

Her tail lashed.

He turned to Kiri this time, gesturing for her to do the same. When she didn’t, he drew his blade.

Venus dropped from the tree, hitting Quaritch clean across the face with the body of her bow. She swiped his leg, throwing him off balance enough to dodge his fist and jump onto a rock.

She turned, pointed her arrow at his head.

It was moments like this when Venus looked most like her mother.

The soldiers had their guns drawn, pointing them at her. She did not fear the bullets.

She hissed. Quaritch cocked his head to the side.

“Careful now, sweetheart. It won’t just be you and I that go down if you let that arrow fly.”

He raised his gun, pointing it to Lo’ak’s head.

Her brother looked at her with wide fearful eyes.

For Eywa’s sake, why did you have to come here today?

Venus wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to break her bow in half.

She could distantly hear Tuk and Kiri shouting at her. She blinked.

She was stuck in his eyes. Her eyes? She couldn’t tell.

Snap out of it, Venus.

He raised a brow. She gritted her teeth.

Fucking damn it all.

She pulled the arrow forward and he lowered his gun.

She dropped her bow and one of the soldiers walked over with cuffs.

He was young, younger than the others. He wore sunglasses to cover his eyes. To hide? Maybe. Few others wore the protective lenses.

She tried to look through them as he approached, but she only saw her own reflection.

He cuffed her hands behind her back, pulling her over.

He pushed her down by her shoulder onto her knees. She couldn’t tell if his grip was gentle, or she just wasn’t resisting.

Interesting.

Some of the soldiers lashed their tails, uneasy. They did an excellent job at concealing their feelings. They were marines after all. But na’vi bodies are very expressive, and she watched how their ears would flick back at Tuk’s whimpering, or how their tails would flick when Kiri flinched from her handlers rough hands.

So maybe demons do have consciouses.

Quaritch strolled over to her. There was a flash of recognition in his eyes. “Do I know you?” he asked as he leaned down to look at her.

She spat in his face.

He wiped her spit off his cheek with contempt, glaring down at her. She could see Lo’ak grinning in triumph. She cut her eyes at him.

Stop that.

He straightened, masking his face.

She caught Lyle’s eyes.

Do you remember me?

He cocked his head to the side. He reached up and pulled his sunglasses down, looking at her over the rims.

He looked the same and different. Being blue suited him better. She could see from the way his gaze flicked over her face that he was figuring it out.

It had been fifteen years since the war. And Venus was far older than fifteen. And she was clearly hybrid, with eyebrows and four fingers. There was no way she was Jake’s by blood.

She could pinpoint the exact moment that he knew.

He straightened, looking at his Colonel.

“What are we doing here, boss?”

Quaritch sighed, still glaring at Venus.

He reached up to his com.

“Iron Sky, Blue One, Actual. We are standing by for extract, over. Be advised we’re bringing in high value prisoners.”

༄

It was raining. The soft pitter-patter of drops usually lulled Venus to sleep. The thunder is like her friend, her mother would say when the children could not sleep. Venus would stay resting soundly.

But now, Venus never felt more awake. She doesn’t think that she’ll ever be able to sleep to the sound of rain again.

Tuk had screamed and cried when they wouldn’t let Venus hold her. Quaritch had relented enough to let her hold Venus’s elbow while her hands remained cuffed.

Her ears were swerving. Her parents were excellent trackers, and the soldiers behind her had vastly underestimated the anger and vengeance of her mother and father.

Lyle was holding her cuffed arms and she had caught him looking down at her a few times. She watched his eyes dwell on the little plastic shell and the white button braided into her song cord. She wondered what he made of her. The girl he once held in his lap and blew raspberries at holding a bow and hissing like a hunter, almost as tall as he was.

He last saw her when she was three. Now she was eighteen. A hell of a large gap.

Her ears pricked, a sound breaking her from her thoughts. A chirp. A yip that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

She glanced at Lo’ak and nodded. Tuk’s hand tightened on her arm. Kiri started praying.

“Be quiet!” the man holding her younger sister hissed.

If he survived, Venus was going to skin him.

The call was loud. Tuk started to cry.

“I said shut-“ an arrow flew into his face. The soldiers jumped into action. Venus took advantage of Lyle’s distracted state and ducked down between his legs.

They had been foolish enough to leave their legs free. If they ran, they could just shoot them, right?

She pushed her wrists against a piece of ripped metal on the wreckage of the AMP suit. She sliced her cuffs open, the sharp metal kissing her skin.

She grabbed Tuk and sliced her cuff off. She pushed her sister to Lo’ak, who had already found a way to cut his own bindings away.

“Take her! You brought her here, you will take her away!” she shouted over the gunfire. She watched them run, Kiri following swiftly after them.

She grabbed a gun off of a fallen avatar, turning just in time to block Quaritch from grabbing her.

She slammed the rifle into his shoulder, the unexpected impact making his hands move away from her. She hissed, running and jumping over logs. She dropped behind one, cocking the gun and firing.

Her position on using a gun over a bow was mostly the same from when she was younger. A gun was unforgiving and quick, but it made for efficient attacks on multiple targets with only the pull of a trigger. Venus still believed that a bow and arrow was superior. She had taken down many a gunship with just one arrow before.

But as she shot at the camp-clad avatars, she was grateful that they were able to nab assault rifles and AKs from their raids.

She lept back from her hiding spot, moving behind a thick tree trunk. If anyone passed her, she would shoot them. She would assure that her family was safe.

She saw her father as he ussured Neteyam away. She made eye contact and nodded.

I’m right behind you, Dad.

He ground his teeth, looking at her with uncertainty before disappearing into the foliage with her brother.

The gunfire gradually ceased, and Venus guessed that Quaritch was sending his soldiers out to search rather than fire blindly. She strained her ears for any sound, struggling over the sound of thunder and rain.

A brush of a fern, the sound of rocks pushing together as weight shifted over them.

She cocked her gun and turned around the tree.

And a hand closed around the base of her queue.

She let out a scream, her finger tightening around the trigger reflexively and firing a few shots into the ground.

The soldier unceremoniously dragged her by her braid, through mud and over logs. At one point her loincloth caught against an arrow that protruded from a soldier. She dropped her rifle in the scuffle, and instead slashed blindly with her knife. There was a soft inhale of pain as she hit his forearm, and she strained her eyes to look at him.

But his grip kept her head firmly down. Her feet dug into mud uselessly, and she thrashed like a wild animal. Pain from her queue shot down her spine, but she ignored it.

Get away. Get away. Get away.

He dragged her into the clearing of the Old Shack. The sound of an aerial engine beat against her eardrums, and her throat burned with screams she couldn’t hear.

“Ja! I need a fucking sedative!” the man holding her shouted, and she watched as a man rushed over with a med pack.

The man grabbed her under her arms and sat down behind her in a futile attempt to hold her down. He may have been a fully grown navi male in his prime, but she wasn’t far behind. She bucked back into him as the man named Ja pulled out a syringe and pressed the needle to the skin of her neck.

She whipped her head to the side, not only smashing her captor’s nose but also breaking the needle. Ja hissed in frustration as the lights of the copter streamed down onto them. She kicked Ja in the chest, sending him onto his backside.

“Fuck, Lopez, hold her still!”

“I’m trying!”

She almost grinned in triumph, but then a weight went down on her legs, restrained her from kicking. A hand cradled her face and firmly tilted her head to the side. She met eyes with Lyle Wainfleet right as the cold sedative was injected into her neck.

“No” she murmured. Lyle looked back at her evenly. She tried desperately to remain calm, slow her breathing. But she was wheezing, and her head already started to feel heavy.

“Let it go, V. It’s over. It’s done. Let it go.”

She was ashamed when she realized she was crying. She wasn’t supposed to cry. She wanted to hiss and spit and kick. The three soldiers looked at her with curious expressions, ears quirked up like attentive children. Lopez and Ja glanced at Wainfleet, wondering what the hell was going on. A warm numbness was spreading through her limbs.

Her eyelids fluttered, and her body went slowly limp.

“No…” she muttered right as darkness overtook her vision. She saw her siblings behind her eyelids, looking at her as they realized that she couldn’t protect them.

She saw her father looking at her with disapproval, disappointed that she had been rendered so weak so quickly. She felt her heartbeat slow and the lull of sleep calling to her.

She was dimly aware when someone hoisted her over their shoulders, and they were lifted into air. She felt the wind of the copter's blades against her hair, battering her ears.

Eywa protect them. Please.

She sunk down into warm, black nothingness.

༄

Neteyam was running. Running faster than he ever had before. He reached the clearing right as Venus’s body was taken into the flying machine.

He aimed an arrow at the monster holding her. The demon that had caused so much pain.

He knew his name well. He was the enemy in every story, the man that his parents had taken down before he was born. He pulled back the arrow right as his body disappeared from view.

He was too late.

His sister was taken.

He called for his ikran right as the arms of his father circled him. He screamed, begging Jake to let him go, to get Venus, to save her.

He was olo’ekte. He was supposed to protect his people. He was supposed to protect his sister.

He didn’t know when his screaming turned to sobs, but he knows that at one point Neytiri started holding him and crying with him.

Jake looked up at the sky.

A father protects. It’s what gives him meaning.

He had allowed Venus to stay back and protect her siblings. He had seen her take her position. He had watched her fire into the darkness, a child soldier. A girl made a woman by war. He had allowed, no, endorsed that transformation.

And now he paid the price.

A father protects.

And he had failed.

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tag list~

@avatar4eva @lisedanie

[snickerzanddoodlez]

Do you ever like….imagining character death scenes? Not because you’re sadistic or anything but because it’s so fascinating to imagine how other characters would react?

So anyways as everyone here knows I am a Bigslie shipper, here is my angsty potential death scene

I may write this but feel free to do so yourself if anyone wants to??? And like please tag me??? We need more Bigslie angst so here is my contribution

Mr. Big and Leslie have been working on some huge mind control thing, as usual…..however, something goes wrong, and two key details in the plan get messed up:

1. The “goal” of the mind-controlled people didn’t translate well upon the device’s use, and instead of specifically trying to capture Wordgirl (or something along the lines) the device causes its victims to become generally violent.

2. Leslie ends up affected by the device as well.

Mr. Big would probably panic. He would even if Leslie *wasn’t* under mind control, but the fact that the one person who tries to calm him down is no longer able to do so is not helping. In this more violent state, Leslie would most likely turn on him.

He’d, of course, flee. One because Mr. Big has never seemed to fight….at all (in Rise of Miss Power he uses a ray, and in all other instances Leslie is the one to attack or he uses some form of trap) and two because he wouldn’t want to fight Leslie, of course.

To be fair, I don’t think that Mr. Big would be incapable of taking Leslie in a fight in this state. Leslie is completely out of it and most likely wouldn’t be as great of a fighter as she is when in a clear mind, and Mr. Big is like….a big dude. But I truly think he wouldn’t want to hurt Leslie.

Yeah, he’s self-centered, but watch Yes Monkey and tell me that he doesn’t care about her. He does.

Nevertheless, I don’t imagine he could really get away from her. Leslie is absolutely much faster than he is. We never see how they get anywhere in Big Headquarters (I don’t think, anyways) so I assume there is an elevator and probably a flight of stairs. An elevator is a big risk, seeing as if it doesn’t close before Leslie catches up to him he’s now trapped himself in an enclosed space with her, so the stairs are probably the best bet.

Again, I don’t think he’d really be able to get away. Leslie would catch up and, in this state, attack him. I don’t doubt that he would try to defend himself, but along with being a bad fighter overall I imagine he would try his best not to hurt Leslie.

That’s a fight he wouldn’t win.

We have a few possible outcomes here:

1. Mr. Big is killed by Leslie. Leslie may die shortly after the fight due to injuries sustained? (I doubt you’re too focused on getting medical care when you’re brainwashed.) but who knows

2. Wordgirl destroys the device, but it’s too late. Leslie is un-brainwashed before he dies but is unable to save him.

This is almost as cheesy as a Dr. Two-Brains scheme, I know, but we don’t get enough Bigslie angst around here.

[niadrawsstuff]

“Benched” (At Your Service AU version)

another infodump so i’m not gonna go into too much detail into some of these

In the au, both Macaque and MK follow the gang to the Lantern City. Similar to the canon episode, they find out about the talent show and the third ring. And just like in canon, Macaque will do whatever it takes to get the third ring, to get as far from the Lady Bone Demon as possible. He doesn’t let MK know that, of course.

The gang still performs in the talent show, and Tang still goes after the third ring. It wasn’t after he made in the lantern when the shadows started to change as a familiar monkey shows up.

Macaque goes and taunts him, and Tang smacks his hand away and runs and reaches for the ring. And then, at the last second, a familiar figure wearing a headband appears. Tang immediately realizes who it is before getting kicked in the stomach.

Tang hits the walls of the lantern hard and collapses. MK perfectly lands on his feet as Macaque praises him. MK looks down and notices the ongoing performance, and sees his friends. He felt his face showing a small smile, it was nice to see that they were having fun-

His eyes flashed blue as he shook his head, he had a mission to do. Macaque notices the kid watching the performance, and gets an idea.

“You know kid, your friends seem to be having a lot of fun. I’m sure it’d be nice if you joined them, don’t you think?” At that, MK gets the message and smirks. They needed the rest of the rings after all. MK shares one last glance at Tang before leaping down.

The whole scene with Tang and Macaque continues on without MK. Macaque sends MK towards his friends so he doesn’t hear about his plans to use the Samadhi Fire for himself, to get away from his Lady.

Mid- performance, Wukong’s ears perks up as he senses something, or someone? He briefly looks up, only managing to see someone dropping down towards them. Wukong barely has enough time to warn the others before the mysterious figure finally landed, creating a powerful blow that sends half the crowd flying.

When the gang picks themselves up and the dust finally clears, their hearts drop as they recognize the mysterious figure instantly. MK simply wipes the dust off himself as he turns toward the group, with a sickly smile on his face.

“Hey guys! You guys looked like you were having a lot of fun down here! Unfortunately though, I gotta cut your little show here short. My lady needs something.” They were about to speak up, before MK interrupted them, “And don’t worry, my Lady changed her mind. We’re not gonna capture Wukong. However…”

“…I’m gonna need you to hand over the rest of the rings.”

At that, the gang froze. They stood there, unsure of what to do. How did the Lady Bone Demon find out about the Samadhi Fire? Did MK told her willingly, or did she managed to find out herself?

There were only sounds of the crowd’s panicking as they exited the theatre, as the gang continue to stand frozen. That was, until Mei finally found herself taking out her sword and getting into a stance, her sword trembling slightly. “We won’t let you take them.”

MK simply chuckles, taking a step further. “Always so stubborn with you, huh Mei? Oh well..” His hair begins to turn white as ice begins to form around his knuckles. “Hard way it is.”

The gang begins to duke it out, while with Tang and Macaque are having their brawl in the lantern. One fight scene later, and the gang manages to escape from MK. And Tang miraculously manages to escape from Macaque and meets up with the gang (cough cough Pigsy catching him cough cough)

since MK interrupted the gang’s performance, Pigsy never got to do his big finish (sorry pigsy😭) and the lantern never lit up. Tang still manages to access his powers and get the ring tho dw

Back with Macaque, he manages to pick himself up when he turns around and sees the kid standing behind him, causing him to jump. “What the heck, kid? You tryna give me a heart attack or somethi-“, he pauses himself when he noticed the kid just kept staring at him blankly, his eyes glowing blue.

Suddenly, all the lights in the city burned out, including the lantern itself. The lantern began to fill itself with a blue hue, whispers began dancing around him. It wasn’t until a voice began to speak when Macaque realized, she’s here.

A blue mist began to surround him as the voice continued. “You were to retrieve the rings of the Samadhi Fire, and yet you failed?”

MK knelt down. “My apologies, my lady. I tried to stop them but-“ “Do not worry, my child. You have done your best. I expect you to not disappoint me next time.” LBD responds to him in a calm and sweet tone, to which MK sighs in relief and stands back up, his eyes continuing to glow.

“As for you, Six-eared Macaque,” LBD’s voice returns to that of uncouth and scornful as she addresses the monkey. “I expected better from you. It would seem that you are rejecting the path to destiny, and so there will be… pain.”

Blue chains immediately rose from the ground as they begin to wrap around Macaque, holding him up. MK simply watches all of this go down, that blank look still plastered onto his face.

“NO! I’ll bring you your Samadhi Fire! I won’t fail you again, I swear!” the monkey begs, struggling to release himself from the chains.

“Really? Very well then. It would seem that there is still time to correct your failure.”

A blue mist begins heading straight for the Macaque, striking him right in the chest. He doubles over in pain, as the chains release him. His eyes begin to glow blue, his arm begins to cover in ice.

“Bring the fire to me. I will grant you my aid, my power in this final trial.”

Macaque lets out a painful scream as the power of the Lady Bone Demon rushes through him, half destroying the Lantern City in the process.

“But make haste, or I will leave nothing left of you.”

[actress4him]

Querencia 15 - Park Day

The enthusiastic response I got on the last piece I posted helped motivate me to keep going! This is the actual chronologically next chapter, coming in a month or two after Mind Control. Enjoy!

Taglist: @darthsutrich , @inky-whump , @painful-pooch , @pigeonwhumps , @bookworm2107

Previous | Next | Masterlist

Contains: referenced mind control, referenced parental abandonment, fear of abandonment, broken bone, a couple more warnings in the tags to avoid spoilers here

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Things have been fairly normal since the whole “supervillain getting in Jamil’s head and making him attack everyone” incident. Dagger is still a near-weekly problem, along with Meltdown and whoever else he happens to be hanging out with at the moment. Other villains come and go, too, some low-level Supers like Reaper and Gibbous, along with non-Super nuisances that the team does their best to curb, too - bank robbers and muggers and kidnappers and such.

No one has heard anything from or about Luna. Then again, no one had heard of her before the incident, either. Which means she’s probably still out there, and could very well be biding her time until she can strike again. None of them ever really talk about her, but Liliana can feel anxiety hanging in the air that wasn’t there before, especially on poor Jamil’s part.

Luna knows exactly where they live, what they look like without their masks on. Probably knows their names and where they work, thanks to rummaging through Jamil’s brain. So not only could she easily return, but she could also tell others the information she learned. They don’t know who she might be associated with. They managed to pin down Reaper one day and quiz him about her and any other new villains in town, but he was less than helpful on the subject.

Even if they could track her down and catch her, Liliana has learned from snippets of conversation that they really have nothing to do with her. It’s something she’s never thought of before, but one reason that there are still so many supervillains around is that there’s no way to arrest them. The government likely could detain them, but no one trusts that it would be humane or that the heroes wouldn’t also be captured in the process of trying to hand them over. Just the thought of the government locking them up makes Liliana sick to her stomach, villains or not.

Normal jails can’t handle them. Normal courtrooms can’t, either, in order to convict them to send them to jail. And no hero wants to be in charge of locking them away themselves, even if they did have the space and technology.

So all they can do for now is damage control, really. Try to stop their crimes as often as they can, try to disrupt whatever plans they have. She doesn’t envy the team their jobs. Between supervillains, regular criminals, and their day jobs, they’re constantly busy.

Every other Saturday, though, after everyone who’s working gets home, they make it a point to go do something together. Since Liliana’s been with them they’ve seen a couple of movies, gone to an arcade, had a picnic, gone to the mall, and eaten out at restaurants a few times. Every experience is a huge deal for her, though she tries to make light of the awe she feels. It’s just been so long since she’s done such normal, fun things. Sometimes she feels like she’s watching someone else’s life.

Today, they’re at the city park. No one can remember whose idea it was to start with, but “the children” - as Quinn likes to fondly dub Nari, Alex, and Jamil - went crazy over the thought of playing on the playground, so here they are. It’s late enough that all of the actual children have gone home. Jamil is trying out every slide, while Quinn judges Nari and Alex in a series of competitions on the monkey bars. Liliana watches everyone from the side, a small smile on her face, but every once in a while she glances over at the empty swings.

Swinging used to be her favorite. Especially on park or school swings like these, with the long chains that could take you so high you felt like you were flying. She and Mila used to see who could go the highest, and try to swing themselves right over the top bar.

It feels silly and childish now. She can’t swing herself right now, anyway. She healed another broken rib - on Nari this time - earlier this week, just a couple of weeks after the pain from Alex’s had finally faded. So there’s no way that she can pump the chains on a swing.

Still…she could just sit in one. That won’t hurt anything. Glancing over at the chin-up contest again, she makes her way over and settles into the plastic seat, gloved hands gripping the chains loosely. Her toes just barely reach the ground, giving her enough leverage that she can give herself a little push. The swing rocks gently. Liliana watches her sneakers as they brush across the dirt, back and forth. She pushes again and swings a little more. Such a simple motion, but it brings so many childhood memories flooding into her mind.

“May I give you a push?”

The sudden question makes her jump and look back over her shoulder, though she recognizes the voice. Jamil is standing behind her with a smile on his face, cheeks flushed from his adventures down the slides.

“Oh, um…y-you don’t have to, I’m…I’m fine.”

“I know I don’t have to, but I’d like to, if you’d like to swing. If not, I’ll leave you be!”

Now her mind is at war. She automatically wants to say no, not wanting to inconvenience him or make him do things for her.

She also really, really wants to swing.

Somehow, without her actually deciding what to say, “Sure?” slips out.

“Alright, hang on!”

Suddenly, she’s flying through the air, and it’s exactly how she remembers it. Colors rush by as the wind blows her curls back off her shoulders, then tangles them around her cheeks again. She grabs onto the chains tighter. Her legs automatically fall into a pumping motion, toes pointing out at the horizon, her eyes bright with exhilaration.

Yes, it pulls at her rib a bit. But she finds she doesn’t really care.

She’s been swinging for a few minutes, oblivious to anything else around her, when another voice breaks in. “Hold on tight, I’m coming through!” A set of hands grab the swing by her hips and shove forward, higher and faster until she’s sure she actually is going to go over the top bar, or more likely, fall out the back of the swing. She squeals in shock, though this sensation is familiar, too. Then she’s dropped abruptly, her stomach following the motion, the swing’s momentum twisting it back and forth as it reaches the bottom again.

Alex is turned around watching her, laughing. He’d come up from behind and grabbed the swing, running all the way underneath it.

Her brother used to do the very same thing, back when she was small enough he could lift her.

“Did I scare you?”

“A, a little.” She’s smiling, though. She can’t help it, even with the pain in her side and the melancholy of missing what used to be.

These people…they treat her like a family should. Better than her family ever did, though she feels like a traitor for thinking it.

She shouldn’t fall for it. If her real family taught her anything, it’s that what seems like love and care won’t last and can’t be trusted. If her own flesh and blood eventually turned on her, then she can’t expect people who were strangers a few months ago to be any different.

But right now, she’s shoving those thoughts deep, deep down. She can worry about all of that later. Right now, for once, she’s going to let herself enjoy the moment.

Nari is shoving and punching Alex and playfully fussing at him for scaring Liliana, and Jamil has jumped up on the swing next to her, standing on one foot and pumping with his arms. She doesn’t move from her spot, just keeps smiling and watching their antics. They’re so full of life and joy, even with the stress they constantly face.

Before long Quinn takes up Jamil’s position without a word, and she’s swinging again. Alex and Jamil balance on the seesaw, attempting circus tricks, screaming like girls when Nari uses her power to make the metal move beneath them, which sends her into fits of laughter.

It’s late when they finally pile into Quinn’s car to head back to HQ. Everyone is tired in a contented way. Alex leans the passenger seat back practically into Nari’s lap, claiming he’s going to take a nap, while she kicks his headrest repeatedly and threatens him. Quinn clears his throat loudly, though, and quiet falls to let him focus and not overwhelm him with sound in the small space.

Liliana leans her head back and watches the moon out the sunroof. Her hands are tucked between her knees to keep her arms from brushing up against Jamil and Nari, who each lean into their respective doors to give her more space. It’s…peaceful. She’s pretty sure she hears someone snoring. She could fall asleep, too, honestly, which is surprising for her since she doesn’t usually feel comfortable sleeping unless she’s alone.

The motion of the car does lull her into a near-dozing state. Her eyes are closed and she’s absentmindedly trying to picture which turn they’re taking when someone gasps and the car suddenly jerks to one side. Liliana’s eyes fly open and she sits up abruptly. There’s a bump and a loud popping and hissing sound, then the car is swerving uncontrollably, headlights sweeping back and forth across the empty road.

The seconds seem to pass in slow motion. Her hands are gripping the seats in front of her, eyes fixated out the front windshield. A cacophony of screams and shouted words fill the car as the steeply sloped side of the road looms in front of them, cutting off abruptly as they tip over the side and begin to fall.

Gravity inverts, and for a moment she’s weightless before being slammed back down. Her temple smashes into something hard and unyielding. Images are swimming through the darkness around her - a cracked window, slumped figures. A beam of light making her wince and turn away.

Someone groans. The car shakes as a door is forced open.

“This one’s still awake.”

“Here, use the syringe.”

There’s movement around her, the click of seatbelts unbuckling too loud in her ears.

“Wait, why are there five?”

“What?”

“This one, who is she? She’s not one of the usuals, is she?”

“Doesn’t matter, just grab her.”

Something is very, very wrong, but she can’t make her body work to do anything about it. The darkness outside is creeping closer inward. She feels her seatbelt loosen and a pair of hands latch onto her, but the darkness closes in completely before she can protest.

[archer300pr]

Bone Servant Au

Hey everyone!! Im so glad so many of you enjoyed my Bone Servant Au! Thanks for sticking around!!

This is part one of a two part story.

Taking place after DBK’s corruption by LBD(s1 ep10), Wukong’s fears and worries get the better of him after Mk’s explaining what happened to his sworn brother. Mk gets so annoyed and angry with his dad that he spoke in anger at both his parents…

Enjoy the story and stay tune for part 2!

~~~~~

“I don’t know what to do, guys! Dad has been so over protective of me since the whole thing with DBK!” Mk said as he took a sip of his smoothie. Giving a ‘Im Sorry I mentioned your dad’s embarrassing situation’ look at Redson. He just shrugs and Continues to drink his beverage.

“I don’t know, Mk. Maybe your dad has a point…that blue thingy you told us about really spooked the others…especially your dad.” Mei replied at she sat on the side of her bike. ”Even Gramps told me to be back by 5 and he’s normally very chill”

“From what I researched from the tomb, it had a familiar power from the outside but in the tomb there were scriptures explaining what the creature was.” Redson said catching the attention of both Mei and Mk. “But the writing is faded it had to have been there for more than 100 years give or take”

“Ok sure that creepy blue thing is out and about but my dad is literally on my ass spying on me everywhere! Watch..” As soon Mk finished he looked at a hawk that sat on top of a building. The golden color hawk looked flabbergasted and flew down at an alleyway, revealing the disguised king, gazing at his son.

Mk groans while Red son and Mei stare at each other. The king made his way to his son, niece and nephews. “Hey kiddos! What you three up to?” Wukong asked as Mk looked away embarrassed. “We were just hanging out” Mei awkwardly told Wukong. “Oh well….that’s good”

“Yea Dad…we’re just chilling…”

“Aaand are you done with work for the day?”

“Gee I don’t know….am I? Tell me dad am I?”

Wukong looked nervous at his son as Mk looked furious at his father.

“WELL, it’s been fun guys but Im gonna head out… see ya guys later” Mk said while dragging his dad away from his friends and from the public eye. His friends looked at one another worried about their friend/cousin. “Noodle Boy may not understand what is happening… but this power that is free is very dangerous…” Red son says as he gets ready to leave.

~~~~~

“DAD, ARE YOU INSANE?! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME?!”

“First of all don’t shout at me, Im your father. Second im just looking out for you…”

The father son duo kept arguing as the pig demon kept an eye on them in Mk’s room in said person’s house. He was worried that thing might go out of hands. “Brother Baije” the chef turned his head to see a beautiful lady with pink hair and in a modern day outfit. “Sister, Thank gods you’re here….they came in in this angered state; I hate to leave you with them like this but my restaurant-“ the woman held Pigsy’s shoulders. “Go, don’t worry.” Pigsy leaves and The woman enters the room closing the door.

“What is going on here?” She asked both father and son. They looked shocked to see her.

“Rinrin what are you-“

“Brother Baije called” Rinrin said in her true form, a pink monkey demon with long hair and tail.

“Mom, Dad keeps invading my privacy. He’s been on my ass for weeks!”

“Xiaotian, don’t disrespect me!”

“But you are!”

“ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!” Rinrin yelled at the two. “Both of you calm down. Please...Xiaotian, you understand your father is looking out for you, yes?”

“Yeah but-“

“One moment…Wukong I understand what you want to do but Xiaotian is capable to protect himself from whoever and if he’s in trouble hell call us”

“But Rinrin” Wukong gets close to his wife and he whispers to her alone. “If the Lady Bone Demon captures Xiaotian too…I would never forgive myself...” Wukong looks at her eyes and grabs her hands.

“Dad Im asking to give me space!”

“I get it, Xiaotian but its too dangerous for you to be out and about”

“Wukong..”

Mk glared at his father. He can’t believe how much his dad distrust him so much. Like sure when he was a kid his parents didn’t leave him alone since he was a kid. But now? He’s 16! He can fend for himself and he has powers of his own given to him by his dad. He felt hurt.

“Dad just tell me truth… tell me you don’t trust me”

“What? No no no of course not! I trust you, Mk”

“THEN WHY ARE YOU NOT LETTING ME BREATH?!” Mk shout at Wukong with tears in his eyes. “THATS THE ONLY REASON!! I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! I GOT RUYI JINGU BANG!! I GOT YOUR POWERS!!” As Mk yelled he took out his staff set it next to his bed

“XIAOTIAN THATS NOT WHAT IM GETTING AT”

“THEN WHAT!!”

The king bit his cheek. Mk wasn’t ready for this level of threat, that’s why he protects him so much. He isn’t letting the story repeat itself. He lost Liu’er, his little brother he wasn’t going to lose his son!

“…So… it’s like that, huh?”

“Mk-”

“You know what forget it… You don’t trust me…that’s fine”

Wukong looked at his son, a bit hurt by what he was hearing.

“You don’t trust me…and feel that you made the wrong choice”

“What” both his parents said in unison at their child’s claim.

“Yeah that you choose the wrong successor, the wrong kid to be your child…”

It hurt him to see his parents like that but he couldn’t help but telling them how he felt

“Xiaotian…No no no baby… We never made the wrong choice…we made the best choice of our lives” Rinrin told her son with tears in her eyes. “We love you, Xiaotian…” she grabbed her son’s face

“You were never a wrong choice, not as a successor…nor as our child” Wukong told his son next to his wife

“Then why does it feel that I was!” Mk shouted at his dad.

“You’re not, MK…You’re our pride and joy…you’re our kid-”

“YOUR NOT MY DAD!!”

His parents were in shock at his comment. Mk realized what he shouted and removed his mother’s hand from his face. He heard his mother sob as he went to the window of his room.

“X-Xiaotian, Wh-here are you going?”

“Out…too cool off”

“Xiaotian don’t go-”

“Why?! So you can stalk me more?!”

“Xiaotian, Its not like that…L-lets talk-“

“N-Not now…Leave me be…”

With that Mk jumped out of his window and turned into a hawk and flew away. With tears in his eyes he heard his father in the distance.

“XIAOTIAN COME BACK! XIAOTIAN!! SON!!!”

~~~~~~

Mk landed in a dark part of the city, in a sketchy alleyway behind a theater. He didn’t knew where he was but he didn’t care he just wanted to be alone, to calm down and apologies to his parents. He said all that at the heat of the moment.

“IM SUCH A SCREW UP!!” Mk yelled as he punched a metal barrel leaving a dent. He didn’t care who heard him. “…Im…Im a horrible son…Dad didn’t deserved that…Gods Mom has to be crying a lot…I’ve never seen dad so broken before…Heh who would’ve thought that the Monkey King could end up like that?”

Unbeknownst to Mk, a Shadowy figure appeared behind him, holding a small lantern, hanging from a small pole in his hand. His dark chuckles was heard by the young prince, he froze at the chuckle.

“Hehehe ehh, not me that’s for sure~”

The boy turned around and faced the man before him. He looked similar to his dad but darker colors and wore a dark cloak with red clouds.

“D-Dad?”

Hehe that’s a new one… many people confuse me with Wukong…no one has called me Dad before…or none that I know of~ but we’d be here all day so~”

With that the mysterious figure made the lantern float and made it glow a purple light. It blinded Mk’s sight, he covers his eyes as the light grew.

“Sorry kid…nothing personal…this issue has nothing to do with you but with Sun Wukong…so do me a favor and rest”

And with that the light that shone brightly at the young prince disappeared. Leaving a mark on the ground where the prince once stood.

“Now…we wait for Sun Wukong” The dark figure spoke as his eyes went from a familiar golden glow to a icy blue color.

[aparticularbandit]

I misunderstood the original prompt, so here is this one as a separate thing.

Wanda is used to a lot of things where her children are concerned.  A lot of things.  Billy complains about his brother’s shenanigans all the time – whether that’s Tommy pantsing him or stealing his controller or reaching over and pressing the buttons so rapidly that Billy can’t do anything – and Tommy constantly calls Billy a snitch – because, as Agatha often reminds her, he is.  But it isn’t just complaints; both boys have been in the habit of jumping on her back from the time they were very young: Billy stopped as he grew up, thinking himself a little too mature for that (but not so mature that he won’t crawl in bed with her for cuddles when he thinks that everyone else is asleep), but Tommy still does it from time to time, speeding from out of nowhere and jumping on her like a spider monkey.

Or, uh, not a spider monkey.  Wanda hasn’t seen those movies.  They certainly aren’t a guilty pleasure of hers, and she definitely doesn’t sometimes watch them in the early hours of the morning after the boys are asleep and cry until she needs to blow her nose.  And she definitely hasn’t roped Agatha into reading the books with her at least once – and more definitely didn’t sit while Agatha poked fun at it the entire time when she could get words through her constant, constant chuckling turning laughter turned cackling.

So Wanda expects someone to jump on her back eventually.  It’s only a matter of time.  When she feels the hands on her shoulders, she bends, arms moving behind her to grip her son’s legs as he settles into place.

…only to be more than surprised when something – someone – much heavier than her ten-year-old boys lands on her back. Their legs tighten around her waist, and Wanda hunches forward, stumbling, as her back immediately complains at the extra weight.  “Get off get off get off—”

“Oh, hon, I’m as light as a feather!”

As soon as Agatha says it, the additional weight on Wanda’s back lightens. She straightens up and turns her head to see the frazzle haired witch grinning at her.  Her lips press together, and she immediately drops her grip on Agatha’s legs.  This doesn’t help.  Agatha just wraps her legs around Wanda’s waist all the tighter.  Wanda lets out a sigh, glances down, and begins to rub her hands along Agatha’s thighs.

Agatha’s breath comes fast and hot against the back of Wanda’s neck.  “Babe—”

Wanda comes up with the idea on the fly and shoves Agatha up against the nearest wall.  She hears a startled little exclamation before she says, voice rough, “Let go.”

“You’ll let me fall—”

“No, I won’t.  Let go.”

Agatha’s breath comes hot on her neck again, but her legs loosen their hold on her waist.  Not entirely, but enough for Wanda to twist in her grip so that she faces her.  Agatha’s eyes widen before her lips curve upward. “I like this better, hon.  This is a nice surprise.”

Wanda presses her more firmly against the wall, and Agatha’s legs tighten around her waist again.  She leans forward until her breath runs warm against Agatha’s lips.  “Don’t jump on my back again.”

“Why not?” Agatha asks, running her fingers through Wanda’s hair and pushing it back out of her face, carefully tucking it back into her untidy ponytail. “You’re rewarding me quite nice—”

Wanda pulls away from the wall, and Agatha starts to slip.  She tightens her hold on Wanda’s waist, eyes wide and afraid.  It only takes a moment for her startled breathing to still.  Then Wanda raises her brows.  “Don’t. Jump.  On my back—”

“Got it, got it.”

Only then does Wanda relax, does she lean forward to capture Agatha’s lips with her own, does she press her back against the wall with one hand curving easy beneath her shirt.

[i-am-still-bb]

Day 1: power outage OR first meeting

DarkHawk, T

Ao3

--

Jim jumped when the kitchen door slammed open with a blast of arctic wind and swirling snowflakes that were more icy pellets than fluffy, pillowy flakes. Arms full, Ross struggled to kick the door closed until Jim grabbed it with both hands and forced it back into its frame and turned the heavy iron bolt.

“Nippy?” Jim asked conversationally as he helped remove shopping bags from Ross’ arms so that he could set things down and take off his coat.

“Fucking brass monkeys,” Ross swore.

Jim started pulling items from the bags. “How was it?”

“The store or the roads?”

“Yes.”

“A disaster.”

“Which one?”

“Both.” Ross sighed as he hung up his coat, hat, and gloves that had started to drip as the snowflakes melted. He sat down to start prizing chunks of ice from the laces of his boots.

“I’ll take those,” Jim held his hand out for Ross’ boots.

“Thanks.”

Jim deposited the boots next to the fireplace with its shimmering coals—just in case—and returned to putting food away.

“How were they disasters?”

“Hmm?” Ross was stretched out on the chair, long legs in the way, arms crossed across his chest, and eyes closed.

“The store and the roads,” Jim prompted.

“Oh,” Ross groaned as he stretched from curled shoulders to stretched toes before relaxing and opening his eyes. “There must be at least four inches of snow on the ground already and it’s only been two hours.”

“Fuck,” Jim whistled. He peeked out the window over the kitchen sink. It was fogged up and covered in melted droplets. From here it did not look that bad. But he could see the thin layer of snow that had already accumulated on the 4x4. Swiping at his phone screen he pulled up the weather radar. “And it’s only just started.” The wind what whistled as it came around the corner from the field seemed just a little bit more ominous. And Jim was more aware of the leaking around the window; he could almost feel a breeze and he definitely felt the cooler air that always hovered near the windows.

“Yeah. We’ll probably be snowed in for a bit. I wouldn’t be surprised if we lost power.”

“I did notice the lack of perishables.”

“That wasn’t on purpose. There was nothing left. The coolers were empty. The only milk that was left was soy—”

Jim pulled a face.

“—I know, that’s why I didn’t get it, and some flavored coffee creamer.”

“I’d rather use that powdered stuff that we use when camping than use soy milk.”

“Well, there is plenty of the powdered stuff. I’ll just have to fetch it from the shed. Later.”

Just then the power flickered off. They both stared at the light fixture in the silence that only the lack of power could bring, no humming refrigerator, no forced air coming up from the vents. The power came sputtering back on a moment later. It was on just long enough for the oven, the microwave, and other appliances to beep their complaints about the incorrect time before it went out again with a POP.

“Well,” Jim said.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll get the flashlights,” Jim thumbed on his phone’s flashlight.

“I’ll close the curtains, vents, and shut up the rooms we won’t be using,” Ross grumbled, hauling himself to his feet.

“Hey, you know what this means?” Jim asked, a sparkled of mischief on his face.

Ross’ tone was sharp. “What?”

Jim raised his eyebrows. “Don’t be like that. It’s not all bad.” He closed the gap between them and curled an arm around Ross’ waist. He could still feel Ross’ body heat through his thick green sweater.

Ross opened his mouth and started to list the reasons why it was that bad.

Jim made an admonishing noise. He brushed his nose against Ross’ neck. “Everything is going to be closed,” he said softly, forcing Ross to quit his grumbling so he could listen. “No one will be able to visit until the roads are cleared.” A brushed kiss to the hollow spot beneath Ross’ jaw. “No work.” A kiss that lingered on that spot just behind Ross’ ear. “Nothing to do, but lay in bed in front of that fireplace and—”

Ross turned his head to capture the next kiss. He groaned quietly as it stretched on.

When it ended it took him a moment to open his eyes. “We should…” he started to say quietly and without conviction.

“Close everything up? Make sure that we’ve got flashlights and batteries? Enough firewood?” Jim offered cheerfully.

Ross huffed as they separated.

“Necessities first, then this,” Jim gave Ross’ butt a quick squeeze with the hand not holding his phone.

“Tease.”

“You like it!” Jim tossed over his shoulder before he disappeared into the cellar to search for flashlights and anything else they might need for the time being.