#I quite literally always have one of these things in my head

[phyrestartr]

Divine Favour | Sukuna x Kitsune!Reader (Pt.4 | END)

W/C 7.2k #NSFW, male!reader, top!reader, bottom!sukuna, ABO elements, heian sukuna, typical kitsune shapeshifting, jp mythology, canon typical violence, morally grey reader, unhealthy relationships, questionable relationships, power imbalance, ABO elements, gojo/megumi/yuuji/nobara cameos, yuuji/megu/nobara are early 20s, sukuna is controlling/possessive/obsessive, rough sex, not edited enough (oh well) Note: It's finally over (dies like Noctis)

tags: @kamote-kuneho @kamote-kuneho @nyanwko @kamote-kuneho @better-imagination-9 @3zae-zae3 @chibiduck @kiiyoooo @lukaijah @memedealer-exe @f0th3rr @boretheral @cicithemess @paastaboi @someone0vx

“Google says kitsune are usually attuned to one of the thirteen elements,” Nobara prattled, scrolling through the random Japanese mythology website on her phone. “Itadori, what's his element, huh?” 

Yuuji pursed his lips, face growing deadpan as he thought and quickly realized he had no clue.

“Uh…” 

Nobara grimaced. “Useless.” 

“Hey, I didn't know they were all, y'know, elemental-y, okay?! Jeeze!” 

Megumi sighed and shook his head. “We're supposed to be keeping an eye on him, not arguing about garbage you found online.” 

The two country bumpkins followed Megumi's gaze to where you snoozed under a tree. It felt a little strange seeing you donned in one of college's spare uniforms, but you seemed quite pleased by the modern take on fashion and aesthetic. Yuuji wondered if you'd take to modifying the plain, black clothes the way you'd done so in the past.

“Oi, kyuubi!” Nobara called as she wandered in your direction, much to the chagrin of Megumi. “I got a question for ya.”

You spared her a sleepy glance before sitting up and stretching with a wide, toothy yawn. It almost took the three aback, seeing how sharp and distinctly not-human your teeth were.

“You and everyone else, evidently.” You hummed and combed your tail with your fingers. “Speak.”

“Is it true that your kind are, like, elemental or something?” 

Megumi sighed as he rolled up beside her. “She means to ask if kitsune are elementally-attuned, whether it be to fire, water, earth–that sort of thing.” 

“I literally just said that!” Nobara hissed as she smacked Megumi's arm. The raven didn't react in the slightest. 

“Yeah!” Yuuji piped up. His face grew red as soon as your lazy stare flicked to him. “I-I, uh–like, y'know, fire. Or…you talked about fire?” 

“You are so tactless. It's starting to get sad.” 

“Can it, Kugisaki!” 

You smiled. “It's true, more or less. I was taught my sort usually falls into one of the thirteen elements: celestial, wind, spirit, darkness, fire, earth, river, ocean, forest, mountain, thunder, sound, and time.

“Then, there are the broadly ‘bad’ sort, nogitsune, and the ‘good’ sort, zenko. Most say only zenko reach total divinity, but that's not always the case.” 

“Yikes, so the bad kitsune can be gods too?” Yuuji asked as he sat down with you and pulled at the grass idly. “Isn't that, y'know, bad?”

“Gods are all inherently bad, as far as I'm concerned,” you said.

“Gojo-sensei mentioned you were one,” Megumi offered as he and Nobara sat, too. “A god. The people revered you.” 

You snorted and covered your mouth the way you might have if you had the long sleeves of a kimono to aid you.

“They didn't mind me. I don't think they particularly liked me, considering what company I kept.” You hummed and straightened out your sleeve. 

“Yeah, but…you're not him, so what's the point in hating you?” Yuuji asked, and you couldn't help but feel more weight and worry behind the words. 

“I don't care what they thought of me. I only cared about what the palace residents thought. They were my family, in a sense.” 

“Even Sukuna?” Megumi asked. 

“That's such a stupid question, oh my god. Boys are so stupid,” Nobara said with a deadpan.

You smiled, though, and kindly still answered. 

“Especially Sukuna.” 

“Hey, hey! Sorry for the wait!” Gojo called across the field as he made a show of sauntering on over before teleporting in the blink of an eye. “So? Are we all–oooh, are we gossiping?”

“What, no?!”

“No.”

“No.” 

Gojo pouted. “My students always leave me out. Thankfully, my sweet, pious, precious (Name) is nice to me!”

“You're late, Satoru,” you sighed as you stood, tying back your chopped hair into the tiniest of ponytails. “What is the reason?”

Gojo whined and trotted up to you, rubbing and petting your ears to bring you back to his side of the issue.

“It's not my fault! All the higher-ups are sooo annoying and yap sooo much!” He shuffled behind you and played with your three lush tails much like a toddler would. “Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy that's not gonna get mad at the Gojo Satoru?” 

You sighed and flicked your ear, thwacking him in the forehead with it. “Let's not waste any more time, cretin.

“What're we even doing, Sensei?” Yuuji asked, rubbing the back of his head after raising his hand like he was in class. “You didn't really tell us anythin’.” 

“Yeah, I thought we were just watching the fox until he had to go back in his cage,” Nobara said, arms crossed and expression sour. “Seems kinda stupid. He's not even a threat.” But Yuuji knew there was little truth to that statement.

“I'm guessing the meeting was about relocating (Name).” Megumi looked at Gojo. “So what's the plan?” 

–

The five of you walked endlessly through the vast forest surrounding the college. Your gaze traveled up sky-scraping trees, admiring the ancient song of life only you could hear through the soil and air. Wind danced across the verdant canopy above, scattering beams of molten sunlight across the forest floor and dappling the shoulders of the sorcerers before you with golden kisses–a sight you so sorely missed from your tenure at the palace. 

The land was not crying here. You'd heard the distant sound from the concrete jungle resting far below the rise of the college, and it shrouded you with jaded confusion and contempt for what had been done to the world in your stead; if you'd been smarter, wiser to the plans of one, could you have prevented this? Or were humans simply inevitable with their evolution? Perhaps it was up to the Earth to find the yang after the yin.

“Okay, this is it!” Gojo called, snapping you from your rampant thoughts. 

You looked to where he gestured, and found a simple building. It was reminiscent of the college in its design–modern, but clearly inspired by traditional architecture–and it looked fairly new. A bell attached to a rope stood at the forefront, as did a well for mortals to throw their offerings before ringing the aforementioned chime. Beyond that, the shrine lacked character and decoration. It was a clean slate. 

You blinked owlishly, and tilted your head. “This is…?”

“A shrine! For our new on-campus god! How fun is that, huh?” Gojo smiled, proud for a reason you couldn't decipher. “You get to make it home!” 

The younger three all deadpanned, looking between each other, trying to parse if their teacher was delusional or just being a menace to society and doing this behind the council’s back. Honestly, it was up in the air. 

“I–is that even–” Megumi tried, but gave up and rubbed his face instead. 

“So…(Name)’s gonna be, like, our resident god, or something?” Yuuji wondered, feeling his heart pitter patter just a little faster. 

“Haha! Sure, if you want to think of it that way.” Gojo smiled and looked toward the blank canvas of a shrine. “In exchange for divine favour, we grant sanctuary. Home. A place to call your own.” 

You didn't say much, but your tails swished and flowed as you stared at the humble abode–your humble abode–and inhaled shakily. 

“I suppose this will do,” you conceded, still too unwilling to give Gojo the satisfaction of knowing he'd touched your heart. “It's a bit stingy, however.”

“STINGY?” 

“Indeed. Now, begone–I have work to do.” 

– 

Sukuna reached for you when he dreamed. He didn't need to sleep, he had no use for it as he was now, but he convinced himself into the realm of the unconscious regardless, searching for the doorway leading to your mind. 

And he tried night after night, day after day, searching and sitting outside the palace of your inner realm once he found the entrance. The door was the same as the one leading to your chambers in your shared home; a simple, sliding door of wood and paper. Beautiful. Comforting. 

He knew the door wouldn't open for him, not yet; he deduced what may have happened, and what that would have meant for you all and himself as a result. He'd have to be patient. Wait for you to let him in to confront him, or seek his comfort. 

But he didn't expect the door to open so suddenly behind him, sending him rolling onto his back and staring upside down at the most magnificent sight he'd ever beheld–a kyuubi, sitting poised across the room, dressed in a haori several sizes too big, waiting with his back turned as candlelight flickered and lulled the room into a lazy, sleepy haze.

Sukuna righted himself and stood, spirit flailing and tearing itself apart in his uncontrollable want for you, for a desire to return back to the simplicity of this time. But he couldn't go back. Maybe he could recreate it. 

“Fox,” Sukuna murmured, excitement igniting the small, human body he'd been forced to mold his soul into. It felt so much worse in this form, his want being so much more fucking unbearable and burning a hole in his damn chest and skull. 

You shifted, head turning the slightest toward him yet refusing to give way entirely. But, then you stood, and Sukuna suddenly understood how you felt in the presence of his overwhelming power. 

You stood tall. Proud. Powerful. Your ears pointed towards the heavens while your tails fanned against the gates of hell when you turned to face that lover of the past, the one you held so dear for decades. 

Sukuna almost felt weak in the knees (or was that somehow Yuuji interrupting his delusions?) when bright red markings caught the light, shimmering in divine sparks of orange and teal in the firelight–and your eyes. Your eyes. They burned with higher purpose. With unreadable certainty and alien understanding. You made Sukuna's gut coil with need. 

“My Sukuna,” you whispered to the room. You took a step forward, and Sukuna eagerly met you the rest of the way. “You look so…small.” 

He looked up at you–yes, up--and admired your face and godly stature and just how fucking tall and unearthly and powerful you were looming over him. 

“Stuck looking like this fucking runt while I'm in his body,” Sukuna explained bitterly. He reached a hand up while he spoke, and you graciously leaned down to let his skin touch yours. 

An ache curled under Sukuna's skin, flushing his complexion with heat and suffocating him in those unbearable sorcerer uniform garbs. His pants strained too tight, his jacket and hoodie made his core swelter and his mind grow fuzzy. It was torture. 

“He looks so much like you,” you drawled, holding Sukuna's face in kind. You hummed with sympathy when he moaned and leaned into your touch, only abandoning his own rediscovery of your features to hold your palms against him, to indulge in everything so wholly you. 

“Forgot what I look like, huh,” Sukuna huffed. “This brat looks like a beaten monkey.” 

“So did you.”

“Hey.” 

“But I adored you anyway, did I not?” 

Sukuna scanned over your face slowly, methodically, wondering. 

“Adore. You mean ‘adore’.” 

“Perhaps.” You smoothed a thumb over his cheekbone. “It's been some time.” 

“You chose me. You belong to me.” Sukuna's lip curled as he growled and forced your hands into his skin firmer as though to leave scars. “Mine. Only mine.” 

Your lips quirked upwards and Sukuna pulled you down to kiss you. His voice reverberated between your linked bodies as your tongue licked into his mouth far enough to nearly make him choke. You kindly pulled him flush against you, wrenching more pleased, needy noises out of him with no effort at all. 

“You're as starved as Yuuji,” you whispered as his hands fumbled with your ornate clothes, yanking and pulling at them with reckless abandon. 

“Shut up.” His grumbling lessened just a bit when you eased your robes open, exposing your perfect skin to him once again. 

“I believe it'd displease you if I stopped talking, no?” You tore the clothing off the other's body as he pulled you down to the floor with him, suddenly so eager to submit. 

Sukuna scoffed. “I–just touch me, fox.” 

It was your turn to purr and keen, basking in the soft tremble of anticipation the all-powerful choked on as he spread himself bare beneath you, your garbs cascading all around him like a waterfall–only you would get to see him, chest heaving, eyes swirling with lust and need, hidden behind a curtain of embroidered flames.

“Poor thing.” You dug your nails into his hips and dragged him toward you, prodding your aching length against his unprepared heat. “You've been so long without touch. Without love. Do you still think it's meaningless?” 

The curse snarled, and you caught him by the throat, pinning him in place and jamming your other hand's fingers down his throat before he could bark back at you. And just that simple torture had the king's hips twitching and bucking, slowly falling into time with the rhythm of your digits slipping in and out of his bratty mouth. 

“F-fuck you,” he gasped once his mouth fell empty. 

You chuckled smoothly. “It's simply food for thought.” You pressed two fingers into him and worked inside with ease despite the crushing heat clamping down around you. You didn't know if his sweet, little body wanted you to stay put or fill him faster. 

“Fuckin'--annoying, shithead, bratty fox–” he cut off with a ragged moan as you pressed against his prostate and rubbed against it slowly, firmly, deliciously. His eyes fell shut and his brows twitched up, a vivid look of desperation and concentration making him look far too vulnerable and breedable for his own good. 

“It's strange,” you hummed, working him a little faster and jamming your fingers against his sweet spot over and over. “I never thought you'd willingly submit.” 

“I need it,” Sukuna growled, fisting his hand around his weeping length and stroking to the beat of your fingers. His hips bucked forward and back, unsure of what searing pleasure to lean into more; luckily for him, you were keen to up the ante. 

Your fingers slipped out and Sukuna snarled, crimson eyes snapping open to brand you with frustration. You felt the whip of desperate commands about to crack off Sukuna's tongue, so you wasted no time filling him back up, stuffing him beyond his limits. 

The man almost gasped, though it could have just been the force of your cock punching the air out of his lungs. You pulled him against you, seating him to the base with a little effort and brute force. You knew he liked the pain. Pleasure was closely acquainted with it, after all. 

“This is what you wanted,” you murmured as you rocked into him. 

The curse didn't know if you beckoned an answer from him, or simply stated the facts. So, he didn't answer you. He instead gripped onto your shoulders to keep himself steady while you effortlessly drilled into his core with each and every thoughtful roll of your hips. 

And it felt good. An uncomfortable, searing stretch accompanied the deep plunges filling him beat after beat. His body tightened and clamped down around you, forcing your length to rub against the weakest, most sensitive spots inside of him–places no one would ever dream of hitting inside the unruly king. None besides you, of course. You were different. Better than the rest. Fit to fuck and fill him if Sukuna so desired it. 

“(Name),” he groaned when you changed up the angle, aiming to rub up against the ceiling of his insides with every thrust. You tortured his weak spot, and made a casual show of forcing his stomach to bulge and distend whenever you bottomed out entirely, and Sukuna reveled in it. He wanted to be yours. Just yours. 

“You're so sweet when you submit,” you cooed, leaning down and nuzzling against his neck as you fucked into him harder and faster. “You should have done so sooner.”

Sukuna should have clapped Back, but he couldn't; he was too busy trying to angle himself to somehow get you deeper. He was too busy trying to pull you closer, to graft his thick thighs to your scar-riddled sides like a branch on a tree. He couldn't spare a single braincell on your arrogant Teasing when all he could think was, fuck me, fuck me, fuck me–

“Now he's lost his voice,” you sighed. “Such a pity.” Your hips hit particularly hard to punctuate, and Sukuna grunted. 

“Again,” he choked out. “Fuck me like that.” 

You branded a smile into his skin with a hum. “Are you sure? I won't stop if it's too much.” 

Sukuna opened his bleary eyes and spied your nine tails fanned out, cloaking the ceiling from sight. It felt like staring death in the face. Maybe he'd been in its clutches this entire time. Maybe he wanted–needed–you to be the end of him.

Your hand found his throat again, and Sukuna nodded as best he could, too overwhelmed and overstimulated to get words out of his open mouth–but grunts and groans had no issue bursting through as you left mercy by the wayside and destroyed him as thoroughly as he requested. You were, after all, a selfless god.

Sukuna's eyes rolled back as his head tilted in kind, mouth left agape as you burned him alive; every push of your body into his lit new fires, and every second you stayed connected, more of his soul exhausted itself before rising from ashes once again. The tightness coiling in his stomach grew unbearable and insatiable, hungering for more and more and more until–

“There's no shame in coming undone,” you cooed, your lips and fangs replacing the hand in his throat and peppering apologetic kisses. “Unravel for me, my love.” 

My love. My love. My love.

“Fuck,” Sukuna gasped. He clung to you, and you raised your head to kiss him, swallowing his strained noises to keep them a secret from the outside world and himself. 

He grabbed at your shoulders and arms as his head tilted back and a hoarse cry left him–just as his body clamped down and sent him over the edge, he realized pushing in and out had become more taxing. Perhaps because of his cumming, or perhaps because of the ungodly thing swelling at your base and ripping him open. 

You worked him through his high, never thinking of pulling away from him when he needed you most. Because this was bound to end. He was bound to wake up and feel cold where your hands now touched. He was stuck in the body of another with no hope of reaching you unless he somehow, some way turned the tables on all those weak sorcerers and broke free. 

But he would. He'd claim his vessel and walk amongst the new world, autonomous and untouchable. It was only a matter of time. 

–

Though Sukuna was selfish in chasing his own pleasure, he soon found immense satisfaction in yours.

The number of times he'd trap you against a wall and finger you until your legs gave out and your voice ran hoarse was too great to count. He couldn't help himself; that bewildered, wide-eyed look you gave him every time you were let go to fix your robes and catch your voice screamed, what was that for? And boosted Sukuna’s ego. He reveled in the glory of being the only one to do this to you, to being the one who forced you to lose composure. 

In his chamber, he indulged further. He'd work thick fingers deep inside of you while his other hands roamed and touched, stroking, pinching and rubbing wherever he deemed needed attention. And you were putty in his hands, absolutely melting into everything he did to you, even if accompanied by a shock of pain. 

Because you were a creature who only knew sex for the sake of bearing children. Beyond that clan using you in an attempt to create half-breed sorcerers, your primal nature influenced you to only seek out a mate for the purpose of bearing children, and not necessarily for pleasure. 

But Sukuna was the opposite. He never thought of siring children. He only thought of pleasure of another's body and the thrill of total domination over them, never the idea he'd suffer the consequences of an heir; he had those women drink a special tea to prevent that for a reason, especially when a handful had come to him, offering their bodies in return for fame and perceived power. 

With you, he could entertain the idea, however. 

Yes, the mere idea of watching you walk around the gardens, properly swollen with his children, with physical proof of his ownership and coupling with you, sparked something akin to greed in his chest. Though it was a little warmer than just that, admittedly.

–

Yuuji liked you. There was no escaping it, no denying it–he liked being around you. He liked your smile. Your tails. Your ears. The way you scared the shit out of him the first time you properly met. You were just…weird. Interesting. Kind of like Yuuji himself. 

But you were kind, too. The times he wandered out to meet you at your shrine to “check up on things,” or because he was bored, he always found you tending to your gardens, talking to the passerby wildlife, dozing at the entrance, and his heart would do something funny in his chest. 

Then his mind would rot until all he could see was you sprawled beneath Sukuna, singing the king’s praises while he fucked you into the tatami and bred you. 

It wouldn't stop there. Sukuna would taunt him, poisoning him with sinful thoughts and diabolic urges:

You think that fox'll give you the time of day? You, a petulant runt with not a shred of experience beyond your hand? Hah. 

Consider it a blessing--you'd probably cum too fast to enjoy him properly. You'd embarrass yourself to death.

I know you think about him when your hand's around your cock. You wish he'd warm it, no? Wish you got to watch his ass take you in? 

Go on, why don't you just try? Fulfill your fantasies! Maybe he'll act the part of a pious, pitying god and throw you a bone. 

Yuuji, for as airheaded as he could be, knew Sukuna wanted to indulge in you through his vessel. Or, he truly believed Yuuji wouldn't be able to hook up with you and live to remember it. Maybe he was right. 

But the young man thought you had a soft spot for him; he wasn't great at reading people by any means, but he thought you always gravitated to him before the others. You always held more warmth in your eyes when they fell upon him, and your preening touch constantly found him, your hands always smoothing out the creases of his uniform while deft fingers fixed his hair and pleated his hood into more attractive folds. 

Maybe your touchy-ness toward him was a culmination of your need to parent something. Yuuji didn't fully understand it, but Gojo mentioned something about you wanting children, but you couldn't have them. Not anymore. And so those urges manifested in other ways. 

But the young sorcerer wasn't so sure anymore.

“My Yuuji,” you cooed when he came to visit. “You're back again so soon. Is everything alright?”

Yuuji smiled and braced for impact, bowing his head the slightest bit to let you bonk yours against his in greeting. It really reminded him of the way cats would welcome each other. Thankfully, you didn't seem too eager to mark him with a dose of spittle, though. 

“Yeah, everything's cool. Just–dunno. Wanted to come see what you were doing, I guess.” The sorcerer shrugged and pocketed his hands after you'd finished lovingly headbutting him.

“Mmh. Well, I certainly don't mind the company.” You smoothed back his hair and fixed the wild flare of one of his eyebrows before stepping away and meandering back towards your shrine. “It feels like something's going to happen soon.”

Yuuji's stomach flipped. “Yeah? You think so?” He followed you, watching the hypnotic swaying of your tails and hips and ass–wait, wait, wait, no, no, no–

What? Am I wrong? Sukuna's voice purred. Looks downright breedable, doesn't he? He said it more like a want than a taunt, this time, like if he were in Yuuji's shoes, he'd jump on you and pick up where you left off. 

Shut up, shut up, shut up, Yuuji chanted, trying to calm down. Don't ruin this!

Ruin what? Your sad attempt at courtship, brat? 

Yuuji said nothing. Sukuna howled with laughter. 

“Natural disasters cannot always be predicted,” you murmured, bringing Yuuji back to the present. “And they can never be stopped.”

The younger frowned and rubbed the back of his neck as he followed you inside. “Eh, I mean…we can stop a lot with sorcery, can't we?”

“And if that disaster is born of sorcery? What then?” You snapped your fingers, and every candle in the room ignited with amber flame.

“Uh…I mean…” He sighed and rubbed his face. “I still think we can stop it. We'll figure out a way!”

You sure about that, brat? 

You laughed, soft and kind, bringing a smile to Yuuji instead of a ticked off frown. You had a way of settling his nerves and relieving the tension from tightly wound muscles. Is this the effect you had on Sukuna? Is that why he cherished you so much? 

“I admire your optimism, Yuuji. Perhaps I should aspire to be like you,” you said. 

Yuuji's face flushed. “E-eh? Wh–no! You're awesome the way you are! And, uh, you're–y’know. You're good!” Smooth. Eloquent. Exceptional.

You hummed and wandered further into the back rooms, allowing Yuuji to follow you to your chambers to relax. “Well, I'll trust your opinion, then.” 

“Okay. Yeah. Cool.” The sorcerer cleared his throat and messed with his hood as he followed your lead, admiring the tidy, comfy space you welcomed him into. Pillows and blankets were plentiful and all bunched together on a futon, so much like the nests Yuuji often saw in his dreams. It felt a bit…intrusive to see it in person. 

“Hey, uh,” Yuuji started, “I–can I ask something?” 

You seated yourself down across the small, simple kotatsu, and gestured for the younger to join you. “Of course.”

The sorcerer sat down across from you. “You and Sukuna. Were you guys–did you ever…y'know.” 

You tilted your head, curious. “Go on.”

“Were you, like, in love? Or something?” Yuuji's face burned red at the words. Talking about love was so damn awkward for some reason, especially when it had to do with Sukuna and the fox Yuuji himself pined for.

“Ah.” You tilted your head the opposite direction, and hummed. “I was in love, yes.”

Yuuji's chest ached. “Even now?” 

“Eternally.” 

“Do you want him back?” 

You didn't answer right away, and the festering pain spread from his chest to the tips of his fingers; of course you wanted him back. Of course you wanted your ancient, all-powerful lover back. Why would you ever accept Yuuji in his place? A weak, mortal being?

Before Yuuji could retract the question, you'd shuffled around to his side of the table and held one of his hands in both of yours. The younger couldn't bear to look at your face, and so kept his eyes trained on your elegant fingers smoothing over his rough, scarred knuckles. 

“I would not trade a soul that walks amongst the living for a soul that has already lived its life,” you said. “Sukuna has lived. And he has died. He may rise once more, but I do not seek to aid it; he chose to die in hopes of living forever. He must accept what his decision brings, as must I.” 

The storm inside of the sorcerer calmed the slightest bit. Sails no longer whipped and frayed; they caught wind and led his heart back to placid waters, though the depths of the oceans could always threaten future treachery. For now, however, Yuuji found safety.

“Man, you really are like Yoda,” He laughed, filling the room with renewed brightness.

You blinked owlishly. “Yoda? What that is, I do not know.” 

Yuuji laughed harder and clasped his hands around yours. “Nah, don't worry about it. It's a good thing, though. From one of the movies Gojo-sensei made me watch.”

“I would strongly advise against taking lessons from that man, Yuuji.” Your brow creased as your hands clutched his in a death grip. “He’s not normal.”

Yuuji grinned, then, and held your hands just as tightly. “Yeah, he's weird. But he's smart, too! One of the strongest guys alive, y'know?” 

“Even the strongest can make mistakes,” you said. “Even the strongest can lose, Yuuji. Always be careful, even if victory is assured.” Your careful touch graced the curve of his cheek. “I would hate for your visits to stop.”

The sorcerer's heart beat in double-time. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Me too.”

–

The leaves crinkled and rustled, flashing shades of amber and ruby in the dwindling daylight. Gone was the warmth of Summer's smile; now, the cold, fierce nip of Autumn cut through the air, whispering secrets about the first frost and what it would do to devastate the green around you.

But you were a god. A creature of fertility and good luck. And so, the grass did not die, and the forest did not wither under the coming winter's threats. 

It seemed your gifts could not reach into the depths of your soul, however. Perhaps you weren't to indulge in the privilege of what you brought the world--the mortal things around you could make use of a blessing from the divine, but could the divine themselves? Could you bring yourself a remedy to your loneliness the way you brought life unto the ground beneath your feet? 

You didn't know.

–

The end of October came, and the world trembled with the force of thousands of lives ending in misery and terror. You beheld it from your home, the sight of the clouds turning orange and red as hellfire devoured all. 

Bless me ‘n wish me luck! Gojo had said last time he swung by. Definitely don't need it, but you're my favourite cheerleader, y'know?

That was not too long ago, perhaps a day prior. Maybe it'd only been twelve hours ago since you last saw him. Three hours ago since you last felt his celestial presence upon the earth. 

“I would hate for your visits to stop,” you murmured, and your chest froze with the cold. 

–

Winter brought with it snow and darkness. Kuraokami had his ways of slipping his icy presence through the slivered cracks of wood grain no matter the time or place; the great dragon would be heard and seen if it was his final act upon the earth. 

Not even you could keep him out, the lesser deity you were. But you didn't mind the company; the cold breaths against your skin woke you from nightmares and empty blankness when you dozed and dazed, feeling the days slip by and blur together into one grey smear of solitary existence. 

Something had happened. Ever since the sky lit ablaze in a familiar scene of ungodly strength, you felt a shift in the state of existence. In your relevance in the grand scheme of the college and history. 

Your sorcerers lost their way to you, you realized. The cushions around the kotatsu stayed fluffed and untouched save for one. Five of the six clay tea cups gathered dust as they waited, hopeful, like you. 

–

You woke to the feeling of hollowness. It jostled you to consciousness, in fact; those two little unborn lives swirled and stirred, clawing at your stomach before vanishing in an instant. 

Maybe they'd grown too sick and weary of the loneliness and snow, too.

–

Sukuna had walked down this path too many times. And too many times he'd been unable to move, unable to claw his way out of the prison of his vessel to get back to you–but things were different now. 

He held a bundle of blankets close as he wandered toward a speck of verdant green amidst the snowy whiteness blanketing the forest, and remembered a distant past he yearned to return to:

Sukuna was a restless creature. He often distracted himself with challenges, duels, leafing through stolen knowledge of other clans–but, on rare occasions, none of that would appeal to his tumultuous mind. 

You always appealed to him, however. You, with your lavish tails, your exquisite appearance, your superior poise and prose, you always enthralled him, made him wonder and stare. 

Maybe it was because you were always doing something. If you weren't tending to his women, you were meandering around the palace, admiring trophies earned in whatever form they came in: art, weapons, bones. If you weren't doing that, you might be in the garden instead, fine-tuning the patterns drawn in the zen garden yourself and feeding the massive koi. If not that, then you might be asking Uraume to teach you to cook, or you could be fiddling with your loom or–well, it could be anything. 

Sometimes, you’d choose to  lay with Sukuna and keep him warm and content throughout the dreary haze of winter. 

You didn't hate winter yourself, no, but Sukuna most definitely did. The snow and ice were a pain in the ass, and they always threw the garden into a messy disarray of dead foliage and slushy mud that'd have to be tended to come springtime. And it was cold as hell outside. Who asked for that? No one. 

“My love,” you cooed as you stepped to his side while he stared out the window. “Glaring won't make the seasons change.” 

Sukuna scoffed. “That a challenge?”

“Not at all.” You reached up and smoothed his hair back, stopping pesky, rebellious strands from tickling his forehead. “I'd hate to see what you'd do in an attempt to play god.”

“I'm already a god,” he countered as he snatched your hand from his hair and looked down at you.

“Not a god of the seasons, I'm afraid.” You held his hand and pulled it down to kiss his knuckles. “But a god amidst men, nonetheless.” 

Your beast hummed deep in his chest. You had a funny way of setting his roiling soul at ease with your effortless praise and acknowledgement. 

“Knew there was a reason I kept you around,” the man purred, leaning down to touch his forehead to yours. 

You leaned up into the soft gesture like a cat too eager to be pet. “You'd be quite bored without me.” 

“No kidding. I'd go fucking mental if I didn't have you to entertain me.” His voice was a murmur, then, and softened even more when your warm hands cupped his cheeks like he was a priceless, fragile artifact: precious, special, breakable.

“Yes, yes, I go insane in your stead, loved one.” You touched your nose to his, then, before placing the softest of kisses upon his lips. 

A light, sighed grumble slipped past Sukuna's lips when your skin left his. It was his turn to nudge his nose against yours, earning himself a petal-like smile from his prized possession, before he blessed you in return, trying to match the kindness you'd met him with. 

You held the front of his garbs as you leaned up into him, and his hands all found their places on your smaller frame in return, pulling you closer, keeping you against him. He hardly wanted anything like this in the past before you came along and tore his mind and soul to pieces before hunkering down in the hollow of his ribs and setting up shop. It was aggravating. Captivating. 

“Come,” you softly beckoned, slipping away from his desperate hold and leading him back to the bundle of blankets and linens he’d learned to accept as a bed.

As always, he had no choice but to follow, abandoning his mad-dogging of the outside world to join you and the infinite warmth his personal Amaterasu brought him. 

“You’re lazy as hell in the winter,” Sukuna noted as he sat himself down in the middle of your nest and let you get to work adjusting blankets and such around the both of you for optimal comfort. 

“You're free to traipse off into the snow if you so wish.” You settled yourself by Sukuna's side and tucked under his heavy arms. “I will remain here. Warm. Dry. At peace.” 

Sukuna rolled his eyes and pulled you close to his side, squeezing a chirped purr from your chest. “Think I'll pass on the snow.” 

You smiled to yourself, feeling warm and content with the settling silence engulfing you as the snow engulfed the world. Winter was the only season where he'd stay by your side, so you often indulged in it, bothering him and sticking to him like a needy pet until spring inevitably rolled around to ruin your happy spell. Because Sukuna was more wild and feral than you. He had to go wander, to go fight. Otherwise, he'd have no purpose. 

Unbeknownst to you, he may have another purpose in mind. 

His hand breached your clothes and reached down, stopping just above your navel to your surprise. There, he drew gentle, thoughtful circles against your skin. You felt pulses of cursed energy flicker and feel, searching for something neither of you yet knew of. 

“What is it you're looking for?” You murmured, knowing full well what he sought.

Sukuna inhaled deeply and exhaled just as heavy. “How long does it take to get one god knocked up, huh?” He tutted and looked down at you, holding an annoyed look while you met him with doey, lovey eyes as you leaned into him more. 

“I'm sure you'll be the man who finds out.”

Sukuna grinned to himself and adjusted the lump of blankets he held. Arrogant pride blossomed in his chest alongside his bolstered ego; if he could do this as a mere man, what could he do as a curse? 

The king sighed as he breached the warmth of the halo surrounding your humble, comfy abode. He was getting sick of the shit weather in the games, all the cold and emptiness. Being near you was what he needed. 

“Oi, don't make a fuss,” Sukuna grumbled lowly to the whining duo he adjusted in his arms. “You wanna get inside or not?” 

But before he could make use of his newly freed arm, the doors slid open before him. 

And you stood there. Tired. Disheveled. Eyes big and hopeful, yet rimmed with disbelief and shock as you stared at your man and the package he brought to your doorstep. 

Sukuna would be lying if he said he didn't melt, too. Being here, standing firm and whole and so very real and untethered in the spot other sorcerers stood in their attempt to spirit you away from him–it was the reason for his existence. 

And so was your arms wrapping around him and holding him close. 

“Ho? So you did miss me, huh?” He hummed, looping an arm around you and pressing you closer to him. “Sure didn't act like it earlier.”

“I didn't wish to believe in something that felt untrue,” you murmured into his shoulder. “Even now, you're not…entirely yourself.” 

Sorrow stained the undertones of your voice. Whether it was for the fate of Fushiguro Megumi, or for the state of your lover, Sukuna did not know. 

But he was here. He was tangible. He was in control. Finally. 

“At least I'm here, yeah?” He said. And you nodded. 

You led him inside and into the room filled with comfort and warmth. Works of embroidery lined the once-unremarkable tapestries draping down from the ceilings and walls, and the wooden pillars now boasted intricate carvings in various states of completion. Seemed like you'd gotten quite bored in your wait. 

Sukuna sat with you, being the man to finally make use of the fluffed cushions around the kotatsu as he dragged it to your side to stay close. You needed it. He thirsted for it.

The bundle whined and cooed as soon as Sukuna’s ass hit the cushion, and he sighed. “Think you can take care of this, fox?” He teased, but felt a rush of something overtake him when he caught you with your ears perked, tails swishing, back straight as you stared down at the bundle. 

He eased them into your arms and, with shaking hands, you pulled back the wooly linen to find two perfect little treasures staring up at you with big, red-lined eyes. One held the colour of yours, while the other took responsibility for sporting Sukuna's hues, but both boys’ eyes glimmered with divine flecks of gold and amber. Their hair blushed with the colour of sakura petals, and two, itty bitty tufts of soft onyx ears dotted both of their heads like chocolate chips in strawberry ice cream. 

Two perfect kits. Your perfect kits. 

“You seriously wanted these things?” Sukuna asked, teasing and rude, but softer and warmer than the fire burning in your chest. “Gotta say, they're pretty fucking annoying.”

You swathed your tails around them and purred with the ferocity of an avalanche as you leaned into your partner and doted on the teeny tiny babies he'd somehow brought back to the land of the living. A part of you felt guilty for what this could mean. The rest of you screamed, I don't care. 

“Look at them,” You whispered, tracing the roundness of their cheeks with a gentle touch. “They're beautiful.” 

“Well, lookit who their parents are.” Sukuna chuckled and held you against his side, which you eagerly melted into. “Kenjaku had a plan for them too, turns out. Who woulda thought?”

“You never told me,” you said. “Why did you not tell me?” 

“You would've been pissed,” Sukuna said, voice matter of fact. “Better to just do it and reap the benefits later.”

You looked up at him, and found his gaze locked onto you. “That's quite selfish.”

“I'm a king. I can do whatever I want. I can have whatever I want,” He reminded you. “As soon as I take care of a few pathetic, loose ends, everything'll be in place. Right where it all needs to be. And life goes back to normal." 

Your heart did something funny when you read between the lines. “Must you–”

“Don't question me.” Sukuna grabbed your chin and forced you to look down at your snoozing babes. “You’ll lose this. All of this. You'll be left with nothing all over again if I don’t finish this off. That what you want, fox?” 

“You know the answer,” you murmured, too content to let him guide you and sway your reason. He tugged your chin toward him, forcing you to look his way again.

“Tell me anyway.” Tell me what I want to hear.

How could you refuse? 

“No matter the case," you murmured, soft as forgotten winter snow, "you will always have my favour, Ryoumen Sukuna.”

–

Forever to be loved, herein lays a God's young,

Imprisoned by none, held dearly by the Disgraced One. 

[steadybear]

“ 𝐥’𝐚𝗺𝗼𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞 𝗺𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐞 “

𝐩𝐫𝗼𝗺𝐩𝐭: 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝗼 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝗼𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝗼 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝗼𝐟𝐟

content warning: quite literally no warnings, married life, two old men, complete tooth-rotting fluff, male reader, dragon male reader, this is a part two, large family, a lot of sisters, most of this is character building, can they kiss already

" welcome back, caller @juiceedapplee! connecting your line as we speak! "

"Cornelia, do you happen to know where the Iudex has snuck off to? He promised he would meet with me for lunch."

You felt slightly bad when one of the many assistants around his office nearly dropped the stack of papers she'd been carrying and fumbled to stand at full attention. One of the many things the assistants around the building had yet to get used to; your near silent footsteps when you loitered around your husband's office.

Just as quickly as she nearly dropped her papers, you were lunging forward to support the back of the stack with your palms. She stuttered over her tongue for a moment, seemingly knotting it up in the process. It took her a second before she finally managed to spit out a quiet, "I believe his grace was headed down to the gardens, I overhead him mentioning it to Sedene around the time when he usually takes his lunchbreak."

There was a pause before you huffed out of your nose indignantly. "Without me? He knows I love lunch in the gardens." You helped her set down her stack of papers on her desk before giving her a quiet nod, "Thank you, Cornelia, tell Eunomia that I'll be joining him. I'll need to cancel my prior arrangements at the Opera Epiclese."

She nodded quickly, though, it wasn't as though you saw her nod with how quickly you turned on your heel to immediately head towards the residential wing again.

Before the attendant at the door could so much as give you a greeting bow, the doors were flung open as you rushed out into the endless pockets of color. "Neuvillette!"

It seemed even your own husband was surprised you'd showed up based on the expression stretching across his formerly blank face. He blinked a few times as you stalked towards the table. "You scoundrel, don't tell me you were trying to get out of having lunch with me!"

He blinked a few more times before the cup of tea he was nursing was set back down on the table, "I apologize, my dear, it seems our arrangements slipped my mind."

You huffed again, setting your arms on the back of his chair. "This simply won't do, as the Iudex you must always remember your promises." You tapped your finger on the wooden frame, tail haphazardly swinging back and forth by your ankles. "You even promised you'd set aside an entire hour to spend with me today."

He hummed again, leaning his head back onto your lower stomach. With his eyes closed, he pondered absentmindedly to no one in particular, "Did I really?"

You nodded eagerly, punctuating it with a verbal hum of agreement. "I remember specifically that you promised me because I had something I needed to tell you."

His brow raised curiously, eyes finally peeling open when you moved your hands tenderly to cup his shoulders. "Oh? Did you mention that you had something you needed to tell me when I promised you?"

"No," You squeezed his collarbones before retreating from his chair. There was a small bit of glee swirling at the bottom of your stomach as you watched him chase after your hands subconsciously. As you sat yourself down in the chair across from him, you added, "I thought it'd be best if I simply told you over lunch."

The way his eyebrows twitched indicated his vested interest in the matter. Instead of picking up his cup of tea again, his hand reached for a fork. "Really? Is it something you couldn't have shared while the two of us readied ourselves for sleep?"

You shook your head, reaching across the table to set out your own porcelain. With the saucer and teacup now making themselves at home in their appropriate spots in front of you, your other hand grasped the handle of the teapot. "No, I was afraid you would be far too tired to grasp what I was saying."

He gave a reserved smile in response, watching your wrist tilt at the perfect angle to pour your own serving of tea. "Surely I'm not as incapable as you say when I return home, am I?"

Your own grin crept up towards your ears cheekily, a terribly concealed mirth in your voice when you responded, "Oh please, you might as well be deaf when you get home. After hours of listening to everyone but your dear husband, you barely remember to say goodnight half the time."

You took satisfaction in the deep rumble emanating from his chest in response, "You're exaggerating."

You snickered at him in response, "Am not!" You plucked one of the many food choices laid out on a platter between the two of you off the plate and brought it to your lips. Before finally allowing yourself to indulge in it's flavors, you tacked on a quick, "Just last week before your trial presiding over the one couple who couldn't seem to keep their sticky fingers off their neighbor's jewelry, you forgot to give me a kiss goodnight."

He pursed his lips, his hand coming to rest under his chin thoughtfully for a moment.

You shook your head, "That's completely besides the point." You wiped the crumbs from your lip with your pocket square handkerchief, "I wanted to tell you I'll be taking a trip out of the capital."

He titled his head to the side lightly, "I don't see why you would need to alert me that you're leaving the Court, it seems every other day you're making a trip to Poisson to aide in the Spina de Rosula's operations."

You nodded, "While that may be true, I'm not just going to be making a quick stop into Rosula headquarters.

...I've decided I'm going to be visiting my family in the Western Slopes of Mont Automnequi."

He choked on his tea, automatically bringing a fist to pound on his chest.

You automatically stood up, looming over the table as you went to thump on his back to get whatever was lodged in his throat to clear out.

However, in response, he held up his other hand as though to stop you. When he finally managed to stop coughing, he immediately began the questioning, "What exactly prompted this sudden need to visit your family again? I understand that you're close with your sisters, but I remember you swore you wouldn't see your parents faces unless absolutely necessary again."

You snapped your fingers pointedly, "Exactly why I must visit this weekend!" You ignored the scandalized noise from your husband's throat as you continued. "My parents will be away from home to partake in a local farmer's market in a nearby town. It'll be one of the only chances I have to see my sisters without the interference of either of them."

It was as though he deflated into his seat at the mention of you leaving for so long so soon. "Surely, they'll be gone for long enough you can push the trip back. If you're truly going to be leaving for so long, I must get in as much time with you as possible."

You shook your head, "Only this weekend. They are adamant that my younger sisters not be expected to tend to any of their crops. They'll only allow Helene and Elise to work the fields and the two of them can only be expected to handle themselves for so long when they've never been forced to work the fields before."

He pursed his lips, crossing his arms, "Well, have you considered bringing your sisters to the Court of Fontaine instead?"

"What in the world are you-"

"Move, Helene, I wish to see the children."

In all of her shock, your twin sister didn't put up any fuss as you pushed her aside in favor of invading the walls of your family home. The small cramped hallway welcomed you, but a little bit too snugly. Your antlers had grown a couple inches since you'd last been inside, so had you funnily enough.

"Odette, Aurelie, Evangeline!"

You crouched to make yourself fit underneath the doorway to the main den, finally standing tall and proud in the main living room where the large family of eight you woke up to every morning often shared breakfast. It didn't take long before you heard a few pairs of footsteps begin to clamber down the staircase.

"Big brother's home!"

A head of pure platinum blonde hair bestowed by your mother's angelic genes was the first to bash itself into your stomach, a groan filling the room as your arms wrapped themselves snug around her little head to get the mini daggers stemmed from her temples off your stomach. Despite looking like a carbon copy of your mother, you sister inherited your father's short, stumpy, bull-like horns that curled forward towards her forehead.

You flicked her on the forehead playfully while your youngest sister all but danced at your heels and the third eldest, just barely brushing past the age of a young lady, stood and watched from the bottom of the stairs. "You're far too tall to be Odette, what did you do with my precious little sister?"

A gleeful giggle lit up the room as she squeezed her arms around your much bigger form. "Don't be silly, it's still me!"

Your own joyful laughter chimed like a bell in tandem with hers. She was still just barely young enough that you could lug her around like a baby. The fact brought a sad twinge to your heart, but instead of settling on it, you hooked your arms under her shoulders and twirled around a big circle in the air.

Evangeline, the baby of the family, tugged impatiently at the leg of your far too luxurious pants. "Me too! Me too!"

She looked similar to yourself and your father, the same hair and a similar build to all those that descended from his half of the family. The two big differences stemmed from her brilliant green eyes and the big antlers that were already growing from the crown of her head. As you set down Odette, you tapped your own antlers while you examined her. "Now look at those horns! Soon enough, they'll be even bigger than mine!"

Her own snickers highlighted the room when you gave into her requests for a turn spinning around in the air, setting her back on the solid ground after giving her a big bear hug.

Evangeline, when you left, had just been barely old enough to remember you as her older brother. She had been four, now, just barely hitting her ninth birthday. Odette had only been six, now eleven.

Then, there was Aurelie.

You turned to her standing at the bottom of the stairway. You might've expected her to have been joyful to see you again, but instead of a happy smile, there was a tight-lipped frown. She had the same color hair and eyes as yourself, your dad's horns, and a much more liberal tongue than your parents had ever cared for. Sheepishly, you opened up your arms in case she might've wanted a hug.

Instead of a hug, she offered an unforgiving punch to your bicep. You winced, only to then be taken off guard by her embrace. She'd been eleven when you'd left, now hitting the pivotal age of 16.

You cocked your head to the side, looking down at where she was burying her own bull-horns in your chest. "I missed you too?"

She clicked her tongue in response, muffled by the fluffy fabric of your cravat in her face, "You're an asshole for not visiting sooner, you know that, right?"

You whistled, "Dad would have your head for swearing. That isn't very ladylike, now is it?"

She pounded her fist on your chest again, smiling when you grunted in acknowledgement, "I should have your head for abandoning me for some rich snob in the capital, besides mom and dad aren't home."

"Hey, it wasn't even my decision," You pulled back from her hug to flick her on the forehead, "And I'll have you know Neuvillette is not a snob."

She rubbed the spot on her head, letting go of your plentiful coat to nurse the new red mark. You gave her one last squeeze before turning your attention back to your much younger, much more hyperactive, little siblings. Their first question was one that had you raising your eyebrows.

"Who's Neuvillette?"

You pursed your lips, turning to look at your twin sister who had finally trailed into the den after you. She shrugged sheepishly in response, "Mom and dad said it'd be best not to say anything to them."

You hummed, crossing your arms. When you finally settled on an answer, you held Odette's hand in yours, the other intertwining fingers with Evangeline, "Well, you know how in all your storybooks there's always a prince to save the princess from her tower or rescue her from the mighty, fearsome, and evil dragon?"

Both little girls nodded their head.

"Let's say I'm the princess," your smile grew when you heard their mischievous laughter, "and our parents are the evil stepmother that made me work all day in the fields so they could go and spend all their time doing other things."

Evangeline raised her hand, you nodded for her to ask her question, "Can we put you in a dress?"

Your twin sister cackled from the doorway. "HAH!"

Your cheeks flushed pink, "Maybe another time, Evangeline." You cleared your throat, "Anyways, so our parents are the evil step parents in the storybook, right?"

The two little girls nodded again.

"I get kidnapped by these evil people that want to hurt me cause I'm a dragon! " You pulled your hand from your sister's to place it dramatically on your forehead, "Even worse, our poor parents don't even know because they're busy doing other things"

There was an audible gasp between the two of them. This time, Odette interrupted without prompting, "If mom and dad didn't know you were gone, how did you manage to get away from them?"

You grinned, "That's where Neuvillette comes in!" You put your hand over your heart, playing up the dramatics, "There I was, being tortured over and over by these terrible people, and then, suddenly a beautiful prince shows up and he beats up all the bad guys!"

Evangeline immediately slapped her smaller hand on top of yours, shaking them back and forth excitedly, "And then you guys kissed and got married!"

You snapped your fingers, your own laugh filling the air, "Exactly!"

Odette frowned, "You got married without us?" She paused again, putting her free hand on her chin, "Wait, since you're the princess, did you wear the wedding dress or did Neuvillette?"

You shook your head, "Sadly, neither of us got to wear a big wedding gown that night. We both wore suits." You paused for a moment, seemingly thinking something over.

"Well, would either of you be interested in meeting him? I might be able to convince him to wear a wedding dress."

“Are you Monsieur Prince Charming? How come you didn't buy our big brother a nice wedding dress?"

Before Evangeline could say anything else further incriminating, you shushed her, "As sure as I am that you have a lot of questions for Neuvillette, you can ask them later. We have a lot we planned to do today and you need to settle into your rooms before we head out."

Before you could convince the two girls to leave, Neuvillette asked aloud curiously, "A wedding dress?"

Odette nodded quickly, "Yeah, if you were going to marry him without us there, you should've at least made sure that he looked pretty!"

Your face lit up a stark claret. Instead of answering, you cleared your throat loudly and motioned towards the large doorway connecting to the residential area of the building, "Come, come, Odette, Evangeline, you'll be rooming together in a bedroom next to Helene." You placed your hand on the small of either girl's back, silently pleading with your twin sister to bail you out of this little situation. From across the room, she watched silently. She was more than amused, only breaking her silence to laugh behind her finest pair of gloves. The pure white fabric seemed to mock the fact that you were being teased over a wedding dress.

With a fake sincerity dripping in her every move, she went to pick up the pitifully small bags that had been packed for their week-long stay in the Palais Mermonia. However, she was quickly stopped by a pair of attendants scrambling to pick them up for her. More surprised than anything, she stopped in her tracks and simply let them handle the group's luggage for them. She called your name in astonishment, "I dare say you're living the easy life, you don't have to so much as lift a finger anymore, do you? I remember having to get you to sit down next to the tub so I could pick clumps of dirt out of your hair when we were still-"

"Helene!" you hissed between gritted teeth, unable to hide the whine forcing the end of your statement to trail up in pitch.

She held her hands up in surrender, her heeled boots clicking against the tiled floors in tandem with the near-silent snickering. "Yes, yes, I suppose I can hold my tongue for your sake. Now, which way are we headed? Only just walking into the place makes me feel like I'm royalty, I simply cannot wait to see the bed chambers!"

Neuvillette could only watch on in quiet bewilderment as you walked your two younger sisters towards their guest room. There was a quiet patience in the way you presented yourself as they hung off of you. Even when they asked to be picked up, without a complaint you slung Evangeline onto your shoulders and silently put up with her tugging on your antlers while she all but squealed in delight at the beautiful, intricate tile and marble works.

It took Aurelie clearing her own throat before Neuvillette seemed to snap out of his daze. "It's a pleasure to meet you Monsieur Neuvillette, I'm Aurelie, fourth eldest of the family. It is a pleasure to call myself an in-law to the well-respected Iudex of Fontaine."

It took a moment to recompose himself, eyes still locked on your long gone frame disappearing behind the large doors. "Ah, truly, the pleasure is all mine. I've long anticipated meeting the newest extension of my own family."

Elise bowed her read respectfully, "I apologize if we aren't as informed in etiquette as you expected. I'm afraid we are only able to pick up so many manners when we live so far away from the Court."

He shook his head, planting the same polite smile on his face as he motioned for her to lift her head again, "You have been more than polite, there is nothing to be afraid of. After all, we are family, treat as you would your brother." He give a small chuckle, "I'm simply surprised to see my husband so spirited."

Aurelie immediately raised a brow, "Really? We've always joked that he's more like the family dog than our brother."

Without missing a beat, Elise swatted her younger sister up the backside of the head. "Aurelia, manners."

Despite having gotten in trouble with her older sister already for not holding her tongue, she held the back of her head bitterly, sputtering out a quick, "What?! He told us to act like we're family!"

She shook her head, disapprovingly. "That doesn't mean to completely drop all pleasantries-"

Their small bickering was cut off when a low rumble resounded through the room. They both turned to look at the source, quiet as they watched Neuvillette try his best to suppress his laughter behind his hand. "Really? I'm curious, how did he manage to earn that title?"

There was a quiet mirth behind his eyes, both girls holding their tongues quietly.

The younger of the two spoke first, "Well, he's just really cuddly, I guess? He always acted more like a dad than our own dad." She took a step further away from Elise before adding on a pointed, "That and dad always yelled at him for leaving holes in the yard during harvest season."

Her elder sister didn't bother attempting to correct her this time, simply sighing. "Well, I suppose if it's alright, I might as well exchange my own experiences. I was the one that watched him grow up." Aurelie perked up immediately, going to open her mouth, but Elise cut her off once again with a sharp tone and a raised hand, "But, I'll only tell you this once and I'm never going to let another word slip if I hear this gets back to him. He'll have my head."

Aurelia nodded quickly, immediately at attention as a wicked smirk overtook her usually demure features. "You should be excited, these are what we would call insider secrets."

Neuvillette nodded silently, quietly resting a majority of his weight on his cane. He was excited, but he didn't know if it was his place to let that show.

Elise took in a deep breath, before using her hands to smooth out any potential wrinkles in her bodice, "Once, our mother and father forgot my birthday during a terrible harvest season. All of our crops were dying and they ended up going to Poisson to try and find a miracle farmer from Sumeru to fix our calamity." Her own smile grew on her cheeks, "The night they left was the night before my birthday, and since our brother knew our parents didn't have anything planned, he tried to make me a special birthday breakfast but he didn't have any clue how to because he was only seven."

She paused before putting a hand over the bottom half of her face, "He tried to make me a batch of my favorite food, Conch Madeleines, but they ended coming out looking more like little pieces of oddly misshapen beignets." There was a sweet chortle that slipped past her glove, "I obviously knew that he tried to make Conch Madeleines since I had no interest in beignets, but when he swore up and down that they were beignets I didn't have to heart to tell him I knew they weren't."

She sighed, "He truly does care a lot for the people he holds dear, but he's a very proud young man and it often gets in the way of him trying to be sincere. If he'd told me that morning he'd bartered away his favorite toy sword to afford the ingredients, I would've taught him how to make them properly myself and he was more than aware of that. But he refused my help altogether and I ended up having to throw away a lot of the that breakfast because it was undercooked."

Neuvillette hummed, placing a contemplative hand on his chin. "Ah, I see."

Aurelie frowned, "Man, I can't even make fun of him for being a softie because you won't tell me anymore stories like this if I do."

Elise nodded in agreement, "Precisely, now let's go find out where those poor girls are holding him captive." She bowed her head politely once again, curtsying before grabbing her younger sister's hand, "If you'll excuse us Monsieur."

He nodded, "Please, call me Neuvillette. I hope to be viewed as just another member of the family."

"15,000 Mora?! This is insanity, this- this might as well be extortion!"

Your eldest sister sputtered as she stared at the price tag on the dress she was supposed to be trying on. Helene, on the other hand, twirled in her own gown. She looked into the mirror with a dreamy and far off stare. Her eyes were intensely focused on each layer in the train and the way they followed her every movement. "Oh, this dress makes me feel like a princess, are you sure this is truly alright to even be trying on?"

Neuvillette nodded, adjusting the cuffs on his own suit. "As much as I offered to chip in, your brother wouldn't so much as let me bring my wallet. He's insistent on being the one to fund all of this."

Elise bit her bottom lip, examining the price tag again. "Oh, but I couldn't think of asking my baby brother to pay for something so extravagant. I'm sure there are some less expensive options somewhere in this store."

Almost as if you had some kind of sixth sense tingling, you entered the room with your three younger sisters all in their own outfits. "Nonsense, I'm more than privileged enough to spoil you all for the day. Think of it as repayment for not visiting for five years."

Your twin sister had snagged a beautiful emerald green gown, each layer transitioning into a darker green until it gradually faded to black. There were silk shoulder length gloves in black that beautifully complimented her figure. Her bright green eyes stared into the mirror, absolutely in love with the way it hugged her curves and accentuated her waistline.

Your oldest sister chose a much more muted mauve color to try on, having always stated that she loved purple. It was a simple A-line gown with fewer layers and a cute sweetheart neckline that dipped into an ornately embroidered white bodice. "Oh but this money could be going to much better things. What about a new pair of pointe shoes for Odette? Or even new toys for Evangeline? Not to mention, Aurelia is thinking of attending school in the capital-"

You put your hand firmly on her shoulder, "Elise, as much as I love you, you have always been a worrywart. Try on the dress, I am not hurting for money. If you, Helene, Odette, Aurelie, or Eva need anything, you need only write me a letter."

She clutched the ballgown in her hands, still staring at it with a swirling sense of uncertainty.

You sighed, "If not for yourself, do it for me? Maybe I want to see my eldest sister feel beautiful in a new gown for once."

She huffed out of her nose, finally hugging the fabric to her chest with a sense of feminine glee she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a while. "Oh, alright. But consider this the first and last time I try on a gown this expensive."

You cheered along with the rest of your family, Aurelia grabbing her by the hand to lead her into one of the many dressing rooms in case she needed help lacing up her corset. Aurelia herself chose to avoid wearing a dress entirely. Instead, she wore a conservative pant suit with a flashy red coat and a high riding boots the same color.

Neuvillette took the opportunity to watch as you began to spin your younger sister around, Evangeline clapping in glee as she watched the two of you twirl around.

Odette had chosen a pure white gown, graced with white feathers on the front of the dress. She chose to skip gloves and even had a shorter dress to show the length of her slender, toned legs. When she'd been born, your mother had been so insistent she be named after the famed protagonist of Swan Lake she'd nearly divorced your father to ensure her love of dance would be carried on through the family.

Even now, as your family struggled to make ends meet with you gone, you always insisted on sending enough money to your parents to make sure your siblings were cared for. This included money that was specifically allotted to pay for each expensive pair of pointe shoes that your younger sister wore out when she would make the walk to the nearest city to study dance.

A new, pristine white pair of ballet slippers on her feet, Odette laughed with a shy glee as she rehearsed the steps to the Sugarplum Fairy's dance in the middle of the private room you'd rented in the high end boutique. Despite having two left feet yourself, your etiquette lessons finally served you right, allowing you the necessary grace to support her in her turns as you gingerly spun her around in her pirouettes.

Your husband let his posture soften when your youngest sister bowed to indicate the end of her little dance. He clapped politely, "You are a wonderful dancer, Odette."

You nodded, chest puffing out with pride as you rested your hands on her shoulders. "You truly are, mother is always more than proud when she writes of your accomplishments. You will make a wonderful performer when you sign on with a company."

She nodded shyly, suddenly bashful from the attention. It seemed Evangeline noticed the brewing tension in the air as she quickly changed the topic, jumping up and down with a cheerful, "Me next! Me next!"

Neuvillette also couldn't help the smile that rose to his face when you took your nine-year-old sister's hands in your own, twirling her around like a top while she giggled in her baby pink ballgown. The expensive sequins dragged against the beautiful tiled floors, and yet it seemed nobody in the room was able to hear the scraping over the noise of unbridled joy all throughout the room.

You, yourself, were in a new suit that was the same color you always wore. It was a little more extravagant than usual, something Neuvillette chalked up to you wanting to indulge a little bit while your sisters were in town. He had chosen a more conservative, but comfortable blue suit. He stated it would be something to wear around the Palais Mermonia when he didn't have any trials.

You couldn't deny he was still as handsome as ever... or that you were more than happy to gift him this suit.

He couldn't deny the way your sisters seemed to ignite a new spark in your eyes he hadn't had the pleasure of seeing before.

Aurelia and Elise emerged from their dressing chambers after caving and begging Helene for help with the corset. Elise seemed all too eager to hide behind your twin sister, but she couldn't seem to shield away from everyone's prying eyes. Speeding up the process, you yanked her out from her cover and spun her around in the beginning steps of the waltz. Evangeline squealed with glee; Elise all but shrunk in on herself.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she called your name, reprimanding you with a tremble in her tone, "You'll dirty the dress, We haven't bought anything yet-"

You nodded sternly, jokingly of course, "Well then, everyone gather up their things, we'll pay for them now so you can truly enjoy them."

Before she could voice any protest about the mind-boggling amount of money you were about to drop, she couldn't help but close her mouth again when she watched the two youngest girls all but skip towards their respective dressing chambers, all smiles. She only felt further cornered when the older girls did nearly the same, whispers and giggles the entire way.

With a sigh, she went to collect her own clothing in her new expensive dress.

You couldn't help the unadulterated happiness that was written all over your features as you approached your husband, still sitting in the corner observing everyone.

"I apologize if this isn't your scene, love." You gave him a chaste peck on the cheek, "I might be getting a little carried away."

He only smiled in return, hands coming to rest on the lapels of your coat. "On the contrary, I'm more than happy to see you get carried away." He gave a firm tug to straighten out any wrinkles, smoothing them out further with the back of his hand, "I haven't seen you this smitten with anything really ever."

"For being as expensive as it is, you'd think there'd be more of it."

You hid your laugh (and inconsequential agreement) behind your napkin with a cough. Neuvillette himself couldn't help the small smirk that appeared and then disappeared off his face just as quickly as it showed up.

You wiped the smile off your face with your fabric napkin before laying it in your lap once again. "Well, at the fancier upscale places like this, they cook things in small portions but then give you like twenty courses so you can be full and try everything all at once."

Aurelia frowned from where she was sitting, staring down at the small plate with barely anything on it. "That's-" She could feel Elise's hot glare beating down her back, "...not very intuitive. Why have all these small meals that are-" she paused again, thinking hard on her word choice, "-unconventional, when you can order one big one that you know you'll enjoy?"

You simply shrugged back at her, instinctively picking up your salad fork to pick at the green leaves in front of you. It'd been long enough in noble society that it came as muscle memory. You leaned in to whisper in her ear, "If you ask me, that's a much better way of doing it."

Her brows further creased her forehead as she looked down at the copious amounts of silverware set in front of her. Coming from a family that lived in the countryside, especially when that family usually didn't even utilize a knife unless they were cutting thick chunks of meat, she was more than confused. It seemed, so was the rest of your family.

Elise did her best to follow your example and Neuvillette's, picking up the smallest fork to her left. She pointed to the same fork in front of both of the younger girls, "This one, this one should be for salads."

Odette huffed, grasping onto the normal "dinner fork" next to it. "I don't see why I can't use this one."

Helene did her best to mediate, "Well, just think about it like this, if you could chose, you wouldn't want to mix your salad with your meat, right? You'd want to be able to have a fork for each and every food you tried so that then you could taste only that food, right?"

Evangeline was the next one to interject, "Well, I wouldn't want to cause that's a lot more dishes to wash."

Helene bit her bottom lip to stifle her laughter, she couldn't help the shift in her tone when she went to continue in her corrections, "Well, here, you don't need to wash the dishes. We just get to eat without worrying about it."

Odette's frown only deepened, "Well if we don't wash it, someone else will have to wash it, right? Why not just use the same fork so they don't need to wash more dishes than necessary?"

Elise pursed her lips, "That's enough with the questions, from the both of you. This is the proper fork to use, please use it."

Immediately, as soft-hearted as you were, you stepped up to the defense of your younger sisters. "Oh, don't be so harsh on them Elise, they're only girls, let them use whatever fork they want. I didn't invite you to the city to force you to follow rules everywhere you went."

The muscles in her cheek tightened as she held her own fork in her hand, she hadn't even dug into the food yet. "Well, I worry for if one of them manages to find a husband or wife that lives in the court. What if they grow tired of their lack of manners? Oh, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

You rested your hand on top of hers, "If their potential suitors have any problems with their lack of etiquette, they can take it up with their older brother. I will be more than happy to set the record straight."

"You can't really expect that you'll always be there, sometime the girls need to detach themselves-"

You put your hand up, setting down your own salad fork and picking up your dinner fork. You used it to scoop up a healthy amount of salad before shoveling it into your mouth. You chewed slowly, watching the horror spread over your sister's face. You then swallowed your food, "It isn't as big a problem as you're making it out to be." You turned to Neuvillette, "After all, you still love me all the same, don't you?"

He blinked owlishly a few times, his cheeks painting themselves in a soft pink that was barely recognizable under the dimmed candlelight atmosphere of the restaurant. "Oh- Yes, of course I do."

You smiled triumphantly, now opting to comfortably switch to using your dinner fork exclusively. "I rest my case, dear sister." Even if you would have to go back to being called a "cute countryman" for the night, it would be more than worth it if you could spare your sisters the embarrassment of feeling like fools.

Despite your more than clear demonstration, Elise protested once again. "Well, not all nobles are as understanding as Neuvillette. I don't want any chances to be ruined for Evangeline, Aurelia, Helene, or Odette just because they don't know which fork to use."

You hummed, taking another bite of food into your mouth. You wiped your lips with your napkin again, "I find it strange you didn't include yourself in that arrangement. I'm sure the girls can decide for themselves who they want to marry in the future since I've already been married off by mother and father, you only need to worry about the kind of man you wish to marry in the future."

She huffed, simply unable to drop the topic. You could tell there was true irritation dripping through her veins when you heard the audible smack of the end of her tail against the ground. "You know what I mean, I want them to have an easy life. If it means scolding them occasionally, then so be it."

You sighed, setting your fork back down in its appropriate spot. "Elise, as I said before, they're only girls. The moment they go home, the only fork they're going to be using is going to be a dinner fork. They're going to forget all about this little 'lesson'." You added on cautiously, "I wouldn't want any of my sisters to marry a man that would shame them for their less than well-off upbringing. As much as they may love him, if I see him so much as utter a sour word towards any of the three of them, I will have his head."

Neuvillette couldn't help but feel a sense of proud vindication course through his bones as he watched you defend your younger sisters so vehemently. Something in his gut compelled him to do something else to back you up, besides just sit there and nod his head. It would seem like he was too put on the spot to truly agree.

Hesitantly, he laid his salad fork down on the table.

While your sisters couldn't tell what he was doing, your eyebrows raised immediately.

He picked up his dinner fork pointedly, taking a bite of his own portion quietly. After properly chewing and swallowing, he couldn't help the bashful smile adorning his normally composed and refined features as he felt your gaze infinitely soften.

"I don't see any harm in it, let the little ones use whatever utensils make them comfortable. If they need to learn these skills later, I have full confidence they're bright young ladies who will have no problems grasping the concept then."

"Eva, Odette, what are you two doing still awake?"

That was the first thing Neuvillette heard when he was stirred from his sleep. Groggily, his eyes blinked open when he felt two different smaller weights shift onto the mattress. Where you'd previously been laid down, you now sat up with your back pressed against the headboard. Silk pajamas loosely hanging off your shoulders, you held a worn brown storybook in your hands. Evangeline cozied herself up underneath your arm while Odette remained seated in front of you on the bed.

It seemed you weren't quite awake enough to really register that there was a book in your hands, seeing as you stared between the two girls in half-asleep confusion. Neuvillette chose not to interfere in the moment between family, instead he opted to observe as the two girls waited patiently.

"Eva had a nightmare," Odette whispered, resting her palms on top of the aged and well-loved pages, "I tried to read to her, but she said it wasn't the same as when you or Helene did it."

With each little muffled thump of the end of one of their tails on the bedspread, he could see more awareness soak your expression as you absorbed your surroundings. You took a deep breath, rubbing the remaining sleep out of your eyes. He shut his eyes as you scanned over what should've been his sleeping form.

Your voice was lowered to a raspy whisper as you shifted around in the bed, "As much as I would love to read you a bedtime story, Neuvillette is in bed with us. We can go back to your room and read it."

At this his eyes fluttered open again, a sleep-steeped noise resounding from the back of his throat as he pulled himself to sit as well. He curved his back, all but purring at the various cracks the resounded from his spine. "There's no need to leave now, they've already made the trip."

You sighed, voice remaining much quieter than it usually was, "It seems I can never seem to get anything past you, can I?"

He shook his head with a small smile, motioning for you to hand over the brown hard back in your lap. You blinked a few times, not really able to process his request. He reached towards the lamp on the beside table, clicking the soft light on so the letters on the page became legible. You turned open the first page of the book, interpreting it as him gesturing for you to start reading.

With a small huff, he reached forward and set his own palm down on the book, asking for permission to take it from you. This time, Odette chimed in, "Are you going to read for us, Monsieur Neuvillette?"

You blinked a couple times, finally processing what he was implying. You squeezed your little sister with one arm, "Would that help you sleep? If Neuvillette read you a story?" You smiled at her, a little bit too tired to really censor the soft affection all over your face as you attempted to reassure her, "He has a very soothing voice."

Evangeline nodded quickly, just about burying herself in the sleeve of your sleep-shirt. She hung on your bicep like it was a teddy bear. Odette herself laid her head on your thigh, curling up into a little ball on top of your blankets.

Doing your best not to disturb either girls positions, you pushed the book into Neuvillette's waiting palms. He yawned into the back of his hand, doing his best to blink the sleep out of his eyes as he scanned the rather large print on the page.

It was the average children's storybook, more pictures than it was words. Still, he mustered up his best storyteller voice. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. Her name was Snow White."

Neuvillette paused, flipping to the next page. It seemed the sound of the flipping page further pacified the younger girls. "Snow White lived inside of a castle with her father, the King, and her mother, the Queen. But, things were about to change very soon." You remained silent as he flipped to the next page. "Snow White was very young when her mother died, but it was a long time before the King would remarry."

You delicately stroked your finger's across the older of the two's scalp, adding a flippant, "This was because the King loved the Queen so much he couldn't stand to so much as look at another woman.

He smiled as he once again turned the page, basking in the warmth of such a quiet scene. "Well, ultimately, for the good of the kingdom, the King ended up marrying a new woman, a new queen." He put both of his palms on the page of the book, deciding he too could add onto the story himself, "Now, the new queen was very beautiful, but she knew she would never be as beautiful as Snow White." Flipping to the next page of the book, his lavender pupils glazed over the text before adding, "Even though she knew this, she went up to her magic mirror and she asked it, 'Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?'"

It was a little bit before the two girls found themselves trailing off to the land of dreams. Your voice lowered to a whisper when you realized the two of them had fallen asleep on you, just like they always had at your home in the Western Slopes of Mont Automnequi. "Thank you."

Neuvillette's head tilted to the side curious as he set the book on the nightstand situated on his side of the room. "What for?"

You gestured with your free hand to the two sleeping children on your lap, "With story time, usually, they don't fall asleep this quickly." Your own voice slurred with a tired undercurrent. "I usually get to the end of the story and have to start making some stuff up."

He nodded silently, turning off the lamp at the side of the table off. "Do you need any help laying back down? I wouldn't want you to wake up with a sore back."

You shook your head, whispering back, "They're heavy sleepers once you can actually get them to bed." With this, you scooted around on the plush bed, slinking underneath the covers after carefully maneuvering around your sisters to ensure you wouldn't crush them. You reached your hand out of the little happy cuddle pile of draconic dreams, intertwining your fingers with his. You pressed the back of his cool knuckles to the side of your face, letting your eyelids fall over your pupils once again.

You pressed a sloppy, but almost ghostlike kiss over the band on his ring finger before letting out a sleepy grunt under your breath and pulling the covers ever tighter around yourself and your sisters.

He couldn't help but stare down at the three of you, a sense of domestic longing settling over his heart. This, he realized, was something he felt he couldn't do any longer without.

As of now, he was just about drowned in his work, but what he wouldn't do to have just a little more time to spend with you in moments like this. To have happy moments on the town, to see this entirely new side of you he had yet to explore.

His heart skipped a beat as he realized the two of you had an entire lifetime ahead of the both of you. A lifetime where you could share these moments forever. Every morning, he would wake up to your face. Every night, he had the blessing of being able to fall asleep listening to you breathing in rhythm with him. He could feel the warm of your face pressed against the back of his hand. Just little moments like these, you had decades, centuries of them just waiting to be realized.

Maybe the two you could share these tender moments with a family, a family you could start together.

there's a note on the side of the phone booth, read it?

" yes guys this is the result of begging me for mpreg u get a throw away line at the end of a fic "

my family scheduled our annual trip out of town and i was supposed to catch up on sleep in the car but the car that we rented has the most god awful seats for sleeping and i can't even lay down in the back seat cause my entire family is crammed in here

expecting to pull an all-nighter tonight pray for me and my sleep schedule y'all

i mean at least u guys get this fic early LMAO

ANYWAYS

i said i was going to post this yesterday but then mortefi called to me and i couldn't ignore him any longer. i fear that mortefi is my fill in for my wife jiyan while he is away at war (unattainable in game)

aside from that, i'm having fun with all my new little update pages and ways to keep you all updated on the things I'm working on. Picking out reaction images also always never fails to make me laugh especially when u guys keep sending mpreg to my inbox I DID THE THING ARE U HAPPY

I'm thinking of adding a regulars section onto my intro just because u guys dropping random stuff in my inbox deserves to be appreciated LMAOOOOO

but that's a problem for another day

mortefi is calling for me again i have to go attend to my side piece

- love, 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘵-19

[thefoxtherapist]

I just discovered your page because of your jiyan content... You write him so soft and honestly i love it.

If I may and it's not out of your comfort zone may I request jiyan with a reader who's partly mute? (For example: they are capable of speaking for short periods of times but it's painful and straining for their voice so they don't really speak)

I think it would be a silly idea if jiyan thought reader wasn't comfortable with him or disliked him but one day they randomly walk up to him and talk. (Maybe wishing him happy birthday? Unsure)

I'm glad you love it! That makes me happy to hear :)

And this isn't out of my comfort zone at all! I actually think its a bit funny, a lot of the recent requests I've gotten have some of my traits. I also find it straining and physically painful to speak. high five!

You'd been like this for long enough you couldn't remember a time you weren't. Speaking came with pains you didn't care for, and when you didn't have to speak, you figured you wouldn't bother. Maybe that was part of why you took up the undesirable position in the borderlands.

It was dangerous, but you enjoyed it nonetheless. Commands were clear, there was no room for miscommunication or back and forth. It was straight to the point and each mission was carried out with precision. That was why you enjoyed it so much. There was no need for a voice when the General spoke for you.

You looked up when the man in question approached you, his lance in hand, but held somewhat awkwardly behind him. Jiyan stopped in front of you and you looked up from your rations, raising an eyebrow at him. He paused. You tilted your head as if to urge him to say something. Literally anything at this point.

“You'll go out with squad three today to clear the clearing to the East.”

You straightened your head out and nodded, turning your attention back to the pitiful things you called food. But he didn't walk away. You sighed, lifting your head to look at him again. This time you tilted your head to the other side, waiting for Jiyan to continue.

“That's all.” He walked away.

Xiá laughed at you from nearby as she saw the manifestation of a question mark on your face, your confusion at the General clear as day. “I think he thinks you hate him.” But your fellow ranger’s comment only served to confuse you further. You didn't talk to anybody!

You groaned as you laid your head on the table. You didn't hate him! Honestly you quite admired him. But war wasn't the place for romance or crushes. Xiá stood up, stretching as she took the few steps towards you. She then patted the top of your head.

“Don't worry. Just tell him his lance is nice or something.” 

You lifted your head to look at her, thoroughly unamused. But she just winked, giggling as she skipped off. You'd think about it on your mission. It took a lot out of you to talk, but a few words shouldn't put you down for too long. And you usually got a break after missions.. 

Jiyan looked out at the barren land, arms crossed over his chest as he thought of the past, the present. The future of Jinzhou. The resonator sighed, golden eyes closing as the thoughts of possibilities overwhelmed him. He had too much to think about and yet he didn't want to think at all.

The man did his best to clear his mind, focusing on his breathing. 

Inhale.

Exhale.

“General Jiyan.”

A quiet voice broke his train of breathing and his eyes opened in alarm, he didn't recognize the voice. But when he turned quickly, preparing to summon his weapon. He paused. His eyes blinked wide in surprise. You? That was what you sounded like? Jiyan stood straight. Oh no. they sound just as cute. He mentally shook the thought away. 

“Yes?”

You rubbed the back of your neck, your throat already hurt. You looked at him, stepping closer so you were beside him instead. You followed his previous gaze, staring out at the barrens as well. It was always some level of dreary, but you'd gotten used to it. Anything to protect your home.

“I like what your lance turns into, it's a nice sword.” That was entirely so lame but you got really distracted by the tacet discords you ended up facing. Jiyan's expression softened as he looked at you. You came to him to say that? But your eyes remained in front of you.

“Thank you.”

You nodded, your hand moved from behind your neck to the side, massaging the tension quickly forming. “Does it hurt you to speak?” It seemed to dawn on him, a sort of surprise but quick understanding in his voice. You turned your attention back to him, a smile on your face as you nodded again.

“Oh.”

You reached up, patting his back despite the rank difference between you two. Jiyan cleared his throat, quickly looking away from you. You definitely had to take a mental snapshot. “Bye, Jiyan.” You let your hand drop from his back as he quietly said his goodbyes, watching you walk away from him.

Xiá was so going to make fun of you for this.

[mochinomnoms]

Silly scenario, but imagine something goes wrong in Alchemy, which results in Riddle getting turned into a fish, specifically a goldfish like a legit goldfish, not a merman. If Floyd were to find out, depending on his mood, he would either laugh or annoyed that his goldfishy quite literally turned into a goldfish. Now imagine Floyd carrying goldfish Riddle around the campus in a small tank. This was funnier in my head, I swear.

I'm so sorry, Riddle, because Floyd has the impulsive decision-making of a 2-year-old who just discovered free will.

He's dropping Riddle into his mouth and just barely registers, “oh wait, I probably shouldn't eat him lol” before spitting him back into the bowl.

If you wanted to take it on a much sweeter, shipping note, this would be a great opportunity for Floyd to show a much softer side to Riddle. I'm assuming that Riddle is still very sentient and aware in this new form, but maybe the others aren't aware of that.

This includes Floyd, for plot purposes of course, as he takes to carrying Riddle in a little baggy. Riddle's not happy, as he's been snatched from Trey and Cater's very dependable hands and is now being jostled around in this stupid eel's hands.

Imagine his surprise when Floyd, upon entering an unfamiliar part of Octavinelle, carefully drops him in a pleasantly cool, refreshing tank. It's a freshwater one, too, which doesn't match the rest of the waters surrounding the dorm. It takes a moment for him to realize that it's probably one of Jade's terrariums, perhaps gifted to Floyd, if the random knick-knacks like a small bouncy ball and a still wrapped lollipop were any indicator.

I suppose he could be fascinated with freshwater marine life, being from the sea. Still, it's much more well-kept than I'd expect from Floyd, of all people.

There's a few other small freshwater fish swimming in the small tank as well. They looked remarkably healthy and lovely, despite being mostly gray and silver. The filtration system looked expensive too, was this all really Floyd's doing?

“Floyd, did you really put Riddle into my tank?” Ah, never mind, this makes more sense. “I thought I told you after the last time, stop added things into my tank. And when did you add that candy?”

Riddle had never heard Jade speak in such an irritated tone, it reminded him of how Cater would speak with his older sisters on the phone. Siblings don't always get along, he supposes.

“Aw it's fine, the little guys love my decorations! And besides,” Floyd leaned down to stare at Riddle with his bi-colored eyes. They looked quite pretty, he'd hate to admit.

“I gotta take care of my Riddle!” Huh, Floyd never, if ever, called him by his actual name. “Sea Turtle and Seabream probably would've kept him in that stupid bag until he turned back. That's no good!”

Riddle watched as Floyd rested his head on his arms, gazing at him with an expression he'd rather not name as Riddle swam around in the water. He had to admit, the water against his scales felt quite nice, Riddle wondered if being in a merform would be the same?

“And I gotta make sure he likes the water, that way he'll agree to move into our home after we get married.”

WHAT

Riddle was glad that he couldn't do more to express himself other than fan and flutter his fins and gills, as he's sure Floyd would rub his sudden embarrassment in his face.

“Please, you have to confess for that to even happen.” Jade scoffed as he reached his hand in to pick out the toys and trash Floyd had left in the tank. “And that's if you get him to not hate your guts.”

“Jaaaaaaade! You're being meeeeean!” Floyd turned back around to wrap his arms around his brother's waist, letting himself become deadweight for Jade to drag as he tried to walk to the trashcan by his desk.

“You can't say nothing! You're in the same boat with your mate!”

“I am most certainly not!” Jade's huff was almost amusing, if not unsettling coming from him. “My darling is just shy, I need to be careful—”

“You're a scared little bitch is what you are.”

Riddle watched as Floyd immediately ran out of the room, Jade following right after him. He thinks he could make out sounds of crashing, but it was muffled from the water and glass. It took all but of a few minutes for a disheveled Floyd with a blood nose to zoom back into the room, nearly smacking against the tank as he fell to his knees.

“Sorry Little Goldfishie, didn't mean to leave ya alone. I'll stay with ya for a while until you turn back into my Riddle. 'Kay?”

Perhaps delusional lovesickness ran in the Leech family. Perhaps Riddle was also a bit delusional, as the fond look in Floyd's eyes didn't completely turn him off.

[lilacxquartz]

a bump in the middle of the night

oc male!demon × human female!reader

w.c: 1.1k

plot: a potential intruder sets midnight completely off and you learn just how dangerous he can truly be.

other works in this series.

—

The area I lived in was once decent, but now it was struggling.

A dwindling economy does that to a place. Most businesses that were once thriving were forced to close and those who could afford to leave, did just that.

Others stayed but they also struggled. I otherwise had the luxury of this apartment belonging to my grandparents so the mortgage was long settled, leaving me behind with only the regular bills to pay.

Most of the people that lived here did their best to just get by though, so for the most part it was safe.

But then the break-ins started to happen more often.

So maybe it was a blessing that I had a literal live-in demon cohabiting with me.

Keeping an eye on the things that went bump in the middle of the night.

Not that I could trust it. I still couldn’t bring myself to do so. Not one bit.

I woke up earlier during the night to a strange sound, though. I was a lighter sleeper than Midnight and would at oftentimes wake up to subtle sounds. This was initially annoying to me, but I quickly learned that as long as Midnight remained asleep, then there was nothing ever to worry about—so I always just dozed off again.

It was something about instincts, he said. If he’s awake during the night along with me, then that’s when I can feel worried.

I woke up to a noise just now, either way.

My eyes parted slowly, feeling the curl of his tail that looped around my legs. I could sense his breathing change and as he almost jolted awake. I shuddered at the sensation of his stare intensify at the back of my head as his body stretched, pulling me closer towards his chest.

Tonight, his instincts were on high alert.

“Quiet,” he whispered, noticing that I was awake too.

My voice remained hushed as I turned to face him, “Is someone else in here…?”

“Not yet,” Midnight replied, slowly bringing himself up to a sitting position, reluctantly letting go of me, “stay in bed.”

Something dangerous stirred within his presence and I harboured more fear for Midnight than the prospect of an actual intruder. It was as though his words were laced in something much more sinister, like a threat.

When the lock to the front door finally gave in, I could feel a change in the atmosphere almost right away. Midnight kept me grounded in bed by pressing his one arm behind him, locking me into place against the mattress. The way that he seemed to be guarding me felt territorial once again.

I remained deathly quiet as I felt the air continue to grow heavier; some type of droning sound playing from Midnight’s lips. His body reacted on instinct, almost, as his head jerked in slight movements—as though he was tracking something, or someone.

The hum slowly phased into a low growl, filling up the space with an unsettling aura that wafted through the confines of my home.

It was as though Midnight was making his presence known to send a warning.

People were reckless though. That’s what I started to understand after just a couple of weeks with him. Humans acted unpredictably, especially if influenced by fear.

So, perhaps he was just trying to strike enough unease into this person into leaving, but this didn’t seem to be the outcome just yet.

Midnight was gentle with me up until this very moment. He spent the last couple of weeks trying to gain my trust but he seemed to have a different priority right now. The way he seemed so tense during his investigation was quite jarring, especially now that he seemed hostile. Malicious, even.

Closer to an actual demon than ever before.

I felt afraid.

Noticing this, his demeanour softened for a moment, although it felt forced. He turned to face me, sensing my unease.

Cupping my face into his palms, he leaned in with a sedating kiss, “I’ll be right back.”

While his tone seemed calmer and while his touch bordered feather light, it was that same type of kiss that dulled my senses like all of those other times before.

Usually it was used as a nightcap for when I couldn’t get to sleep or for the earlier days when I couldn’t bring myself to relax within his company. However, it seemed to be for something else tonight.

Something seemed off.

His body language was different—almost erratic.

I drifted off into a fabricated sleep and phased on and off back into lucidity against my control. Certain sounds played in my mind, like screaming and low drawn out whines. Like bones waning and cracking. Faint imagery burnt into my mind of bloodied flesh and torn skin.

Under any other circumstance, I would have shaken that off as a vivid nightmare but it felt all too different this time.

Especially since the atmosphere since then felt even heavier than before and to an extent, almost suffocating.

My breath locked in my throat as I felt an anchoring presence settle over me, sinking me further into the mattress. I writhed just a little bit as my body tried to readjust into comfort, but I couldn’t move much at all.

I knew Midnight was on top of me, that much was clear.

I opened up my eyes once again, feeling the sedative finally fade. It was almost a jarring sensation, as if the ease washed away along with it. The air continued to thicken but now tinted with the smell of copper, my senses recoiling as something warm dripped from his lips and onto mine.

(Blood…?)

I couldn’t see him too clearly, but from the brief moments that the moonlight shone through the blinds—I could see it. He looked feral, almost as if he was drunk on something.

My breathing remained shallow as I felt some sort of innate fear settle deep within my core. I was starting to slowly understand why I felt so terrified in this very moment—my eyes widening in panicked realisation. I finally got it. My breath caught in my throat again as the dream-like stupor finally faded away, replacing itself with striking lucidity instead.

Midnight was savouring the taste of something.

Or someone.

Yet, despite catching onto my suspicion, he tried to brush away my almost overwhelming concern.

“Please don’t worry,” he cooed, that same soft tone returning as he finally settled, the one that carried the same facade as before, “go back to sleep, it will be okay.”

“But-“

“—the danger is gone, I promise,” Midnight purred as he stroked my cheeks with his fingers, leaning in closer as he licked the dried blood off of my lips, “in fact, the intruder isn’t just dealt with, he’s…”

“You didn’t?” I asked, finally able to say something. My voice sounded hoarse, almost dry.

Midnight simply smiled, his pointed teeth momentarily illuminated by the passing moonlight. He wasn’t going to elaborate even if he did suspect you knew. Instead, he fed you a cryptic response, sealed with yet another soothing kiss.

“Let’s just say that… he’s gone for good.”

[t0ast-ghost]

Season four of the boys is hitting my brain like a crowbar so I’ve got a couple more thoughts about the new episode

There’s gonna be spoilers for the episode, a bit of talk about the comics, and some only slightly bloody images, so be wary, be warned!

These are my thoughts during the first watch:

- When Butcher hit his head I actively gasped. My poor babygirl.

- I do like how they’ve made Becca meaner but essentially still her

- Frenchie. Break up with him.

- I’m glad Annie has more plot and scenes this season. I’m also glad that Firecracker is actually fucking with her. Their foundation is messy but the actual rivalry is coming together quite nicely

- “I had nightmares about that exact moment, and you can’t even remember it. It’s funny, isn’t it, how people can have such different memory of the exact same thing.” Oh my god this is such a good line. Like obviously not to the extremes of Homelander but kids can and will retain things that their parents won’t even remember. They make some parts of his character easy to understand because you can see that his actions are always impulsive and unhealthy and created by the ways he was raised and the environment he’s been surrounded by

- Okay that death was so so well done. It’s so emotional for Homelander because he’s seeing how people aren’t honest or caring until he’s threatening them. I can’t even try and decipher the “I forgive you” line because it’s so full of apathy

- Hughie and Kimiko teaming up is so special to me. I need more of them.

- HUGHIE GETTING V FOR HIS DAD??? CONFRONTING A TRAIN??? Discuss??? (There’s more thoughts later)

- Hughie saying that him and A-Train would be “good” if A-Train got the v for him is so heavy. It felt like Hughie trading Robin’s life for his dads. Or for his future? Like in order to move on he has to let go of Robin and that feels so awful

- I wanna state how easily and quickly they made me uncomfortable with Firecracker and The Deep singing. How is that so unreasonably uncomfortable?

- So uh. Yeah I’m not sure I wanna touch that scene…

- THEY PUT HUGHIE IN A SCREAM CHASE SCENE

- I literally screamed when Hughie killed him omg. This is what I’m here for omg omg my babygirl

(Here’s a behind the scenes stunt video on insta)

- Tala is so fair for that but when is she gonna become apart of the boys family?

- I think Annie is going to blow up. Like I think she will do something really bad.

- YEA BEAT HER UP ANNIE… okay maybe not the best decision but…

- WHAT THE FUCK

- Fun fact Homelander’s birth that Barbara describes is how Becca dies in the comics

- UM UM UM UM UM so uhhhhhh I suspected that Sage needed to give herself lobotomies for that reason (wish I said smt goddamnit) but I was not ready for a scene depicting a lobotomy that also implied it was like sex to her?

- Kimiko and Annie hug <333

- Hughie forgave him… now kiss

- “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hating anybody” YESS that’s what this is about!!! How fucking contrasting Hughie and Butchers views are on the subject of revenge and superheroes. Their situations are so very different from the comics and I like that both of them are (somewhat) healing. Hughie’s forgiven A-Train and Butcher is just trying to get Ryan safe. It’s less about killing for both of them in the show which I love

- I paused to write that before the “there’s enough here to save you too” OH MY GOD NO. No no. Nonononono. No.

- Hughie’s face when getting coffee? Mwah! Give him little kiss

- HIS MOM. KNOWS. ABOUT. V!!?? I mean. They couldn’t kill off Simon Pegg. He’s Simon Pegg! Just kidding I totally thought he was going to die. I wonder if they’ll give him the same kind of quandary Hughie originally got in the comics when Butcher forcefully injected him with V

- Perfect ending for Homelander’s visit home.

Interlude:

So I haven’t started the rewatch yet but two things about some characters of the last three episodes that actually didn’t make an appearance in this one.

First off I don’t think I mentioned this in my last post but I really like what they’ve done with Noir. It’s an interesting and corporate way to bring back the character that makes a lot of sense in universe

Secondly there’s a theory I wanted to bring to people’s attention. This video on instagram has the theory that Kessler is like Becca and isn’t actually real. Which I think is really neat. I’ll take it either way but it would make a lot of sense if he wasn’t since he seems to hold a lot of negative traits that Butcher used to have and is trying to grow from

Okay I lied, third thing cause it just got brought to my attention again; everyone who is making fun of Laz Alonso shut the fuck up. Thank you. I won’t be taking criticism on this.

Onto the rewatch:

- The first shot is of different variations of Homelander’s costume. Pretty cool!

- Second shot has two pictures of Frank and Martin working in the lab with Frank’s picture framed by a newspaper thats article makes no sense but has a lot of key words and phrases (could just be gibberish idk) the title on a separate article from the same newspaper can be read as “Drama class wins award” other than that there’s also some kind of document that’s the same kind of gibberish but it caught my eye cause it says “-orthward gay” … not sure what this means…

Camera then pans down to reveal a memo and news clipping. The memo is from Barbara to the staff and talks about how anyone who breaks the confidentiality of Project Odessa will be terminated and prosecuted. The news clipping is more gibberish with the heading “Nervous system mystery revealed” by Greg Gilmore (by gibberish I mean the first couple sentences are “Had men rose from down lady able. Its son him ferrars proceed six parlors.” And then continues on like that)

- I actually love the horror movie situation they find themselves in. It’s a creepy basement lab. The security cams go out. Communication to the outside world has been cut off. Then the devil arrives in the elevator. It’s done so well, things are set up perfectly. There’s even a sign that says “All activities monitored by video camera” and a box with the words “fire safety plan” (could be foreshadowing or I’m just connecting non existent dots)

- The picture of young Homelander with the scientists. It’s so horribly terrible and amazing

- Fudgie the whale is their last meal :(

- titties ahem I didn’t really pay any attention to the shower scene last time. That’s a terrible shower head in my opinion, I don’t like the way it sprays water- OH WAIT THE WIRM IS IN HIS SPINE????? He’s also got a bullet wound in his back. He’s also got a lot of nice freckles on his back. Oh the way Becca sits on the edge and offers her hand and he reaches to take it but grasps the edge of the bathtub instead

- Hughie’s mom seems so fucking casual in the scene where they’re deciding whether to pull his dad’s feeding tubes. She’s too relaxed and almost smiling? At least with her eyes. A lot.

- OH YEAH Gen V mentioned!

- ANNIE I LOVE YOU!!! Look at her face after she burned the president!

- Seriously though such a good Annie moment. She’s so confident with this and marches into the presidents’ office with a plan but by the end of this it’s all backfired and taken away from her. It shows just how fucking much Firecracker ends up affecting her

- I’m not going to be nit picky and go on about how Colin should’ve noticed Frenchie’s ankle because obviously he’d be checking and Frenchie wouldn’t’ve known to hide it before. But I am going to say that’s a Count Olaf ass ankle shot.

- Oh I love how it seems like almost a sweet moment between Sage and Firecracker when she says “we gotta look out for each other” but now you know Sage fully intends for Firecracker to get beat up by Starlight

- I was trying to figure out why Sage got the Deep to do her lobotomy. It’s not that Sage trusts the Deep or even likes him but I think it really is just kind of transactional for her. Like she knows what he wants and what will keep him happy, he’s the only one she’s really made a connection with other than Homelander and Firecracker, and he is not likely to want anything else from her or blab about it. Somehow he is logically the best one to do it?

- It’s great how much Annie really really doesn’t want Butcher there. And neither does Frenchie. Or M. M. Damn, my babygirl has pissed off a lot of people

- Homelander’s theme is so so good. The lone violin does something to my brain. It highlights his isolation and intimidation and fear so nicely.

- I do not know how some people didn’t know Frenchie was queer? I thought it was actually very obvious that in cannon he is bi/pan and polyamorous. Maybe that was just me…

- Just realized how this episode we have both Hughie and Homelander forgiving people. Dots connected! 😃👍 (I’m not dissecting this right now, what do you think I’m an English major?)

- I love all the Hughie and A-Train moments. There’s so much history between them and it’s so present in those moments so it’s interesting to see them have to let it go to help each other because I think they both realize that they’re both fucked up people who are trying to be good and they ultimately relate to each other in a way I don’t think either of them realizes

- Kimiko telling Hughie to let his dad die, to not use the V, is so so strangely powerful coming from her. She understands what it’s like to have V forced upon you, and to be saved by it time and time again. And although she’s now choosing it, she sees how Hughie’s dad probably won’t end up like her and will find it to be a curse

- Hughie tripping is such a loser move (lovingly) like I thought he got shot in the leg or smt but no he just trips. Like the little fail boy he is.

- I love Kimiko showing Hughie how to fight someone and protect himself and then later helping him walk away (it’s a little funny just because Jack Quaid is really fucking tall). She also gives him the motivation of ‘it’s not just about your survival, it’s about your dads as well’ she wants him getting through this and I cannot handle when the boys show care to each other especially when it’s Hughie and Kimiko

- Homelander’s need to be loved is really really really well set up in previous seasons. It’s the only thing that could control him and he doesn’t know it’s even happening for most of his life because he doesn’t know how to ask for it. The environment he grew up in wouldn’t teach him that and the environment he’s put in pushes away and punishes emotion and care. He started off wanting a family from work because it’s similar enough to the lab but no one there has hurt him yet or appears afraid of him. But as he realizes he can’t gain their care, that he can’t make a family, he leans on the fact he can take most of what he wants. But not love. Not true care.

I think eventually he begins to think there’s something wrong with him, but rather than facing that idea (the idea that he’s unlovable) he pushes harder on the idea he is perfect. He is better. Furthering his decent and pushing everyone even further away.

- Butcher and M.M’s ‘time to fill the audience in’ lines caused me to look up what an enema is. And then left the rest to my imagination. First, fuck you! Second that’s a very good device to use because sometimes not showing and leaving it to the audiences imaginations is the most horrifying (it’s their own private horror show)

- I’m looking at the scene where A-Train and Ashley catch each other and I have a feeling it’s going to play out as either Ashley betrays A-Train to win Homelander’s favour, A-Train betrays Ashley, or they betray each other. I’m fairly certain Sage knows A-Train is switching sides so I wonder if she’ll have a plan for when he gets caught.

I also have a feeling that by the end of this season A-Train is either going to die in some horrible way (maybe by Hughie, maybe Homelander, maybe Butcher even) or he’s going to betray the Boys.

If A-Train does die (pls please do not kill him please) I’m wondering how they’ll do it because his death in the comics wouldn’t make sense here and I feel like SuperSonic’s death was already an homage to that

- I wonder if Ashley’s floater will have any consequences. Like they took the time to set it up. Will Homelander comment on it later?

- The way he says “you called me squirt silly” is so so aughhh. This is probably another moment that Homelander remembers that seems so inconsequential to Marty. He was watched and humiliated all of his childhood and then he gets this one thing to himself and when someone discovers it they laugh, adding so much more humiliation. Anyway I’m um skipping the rest of this scene until Barbara shows up.

- Can we take a second to appreciate how fucking well Nancy Lenehan plays the character of Barbara. There is still so much fear to her character but there is no bullshit, there’s a lot of control in a situation where so little is available. She’s cold while still giving a kind of stern mothering vibe. She explains the situation, all the gory details as facts. Starting with “put him out of his misery” to “they were scared”, you could have left, and you were killing from the moment you were born. She knows begging will get her nowhere but she’s still very very afraid.

- Babygirl moment I will never get over. He fought for his life, he kicked and shoved and he won. How this man is alive is a mystery to me but I’m so glad :)

- Tala finally got to say what she wanted to Kimiko but the look on her face as Kimiko leaves is so.. unsatisfied. It’s not over between them, and maybe it hurts that Tala now sees her being kind and caring because that’s not what she got when she first met Kimiko. Maybe she still wants to get that ice cream. Probably not. Just theorizing about her character. Lemme know what you think

- The worm looks like it’s struggling. Maybe Butcher’s life is connected to its life?

- This episode is kind of like one gory scene to the next. You get Hughie and Kimiko killing, then Annie beating the shit out of Firecracker, then Butcher blowing up Ezekiel, and then you’re back to Homelander’s whole fucking slaughter, then it’s Colin beating up Frenchie, THEN it’s a LOBOTOMY, then it’s a nice little hug awwwe

- Barbara’s monologue. I can’t even touch on that. It’s too much for my brain but I’ve been seeing a lot of good posts about it.

- My heart is full after the Hughie and Annie scene. It is so full of love. Fuck OFF Dakota Bob.

- Hughie and A-Train sittin’ in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-

- “You fucking dog wanker” actually Butcher its dog welder and I wouldn’t compare anyone, let alone Hughie, to him

- Hughie getting told by Butcher not to cure his dad is also really fucking sad. Karl Urban don’t kill Simon Pegg! Instead join the USS Enterprise-

- Daphne tries to get close to Hughie and he rejects her cause he doesn’t feel comfortable crying in front of his mom. Hughie stop being relatable.

- He’s really cute when he smiles. I get it. But he’s also committed atrocities. You cannot fix him. (Which man am I talking about? You’ll never know…)

Here’s a link to the first one because if you got this far I guess you enjoy me talking about this

I’ll probably continue talking about this so if there’s more you will find a link to the post here

[ebonysplendor]

TOUCHSTARVED (Demo) 💔🫴

TL;DR: People are always saying "Touch grass" but even that might be dangerous in this scenario. If you thought Mike Tyson's hands were lethal, wait until you find out how our hands work.

Game Link: https://redspringstudio.itch.io/touchstarved

Notable features: Self-Insert, Multiple LIs, DnD vibe, MC backstory selection, Multiple endings/routes, Choice-Heavy Spiciness: 3.5/5 -- Nothing too explicit and no sex scenes or anything like that, but it does get pretty suggestive and there's some flirty jokes and comments here and there, especially with one particular LI LI(s) Red Flags: ...I mean, aside from one of them being a suspiciously smooth talker and the other essentially implying that they'd corrupt us, the biggest red flag is one of them having the cleanest pickpocket skill in history

Wanna know more? Meh, there's not an age limit, but the game pages does say it's for older audiences so, me personally, ... I'd say at least sixteen, but the older, the better. Anyways, let's get into it!

Okay, I'm sorry, but I have been coming across some damned gems lately!

Once again, this was one of the visual novels I downloaded forever ago, and what the heeeeeell, this was so good! Like, no, it was REALLY damned good. I'm not going to get into my ranting and raving like I tend to do because then the intro will get all long, but just know that, once again, I am geeked. Like, why have these game developers been going in so hard lately?!

I honestly have so much more to say, but I really want to get to the summary and the review portion, so I'm going to half-ass this intro and leave it here. That being said, this is NOT a yandere visual novel; however, it is a dark romance visual novel, so, it's still not the super teeth-rotting, cutesy, fluffy stuff.

Anyways, I'm going to tell you as much about the game as possible without ruining the game itself (like usual). Be mindful that, because it's a demo, there's not really an "end" nor is it even leading up to the end. The best way that I can qualify the demo is deadass...a demo. Like, it's a literal introduction and acts as a showcase to the rest of the game. More accurately, it flows exactly like how you'd think the prologue to a story would, "Chapter 0", honestly speaking.

Anyways, I'm done yapping; let's summarize. Just a heads up, though, it's gonna be a little lengthy, so...get comfy. All right, now let's get into it.

So boom.

In the spirit of keeping things as brief as possible: We're cursed, and that curse flows throughout our hands, front and back; it is for this reason that we keep them completely bandaged to ensure our own safety (kinda) and for everyone else's sanity. We believe that we can find a cure in this city called "Eridia", which is known to be this city of vast knowledge, and within this city of vast knowledge is this place called "Senobium". Senobium is where we're hoping our answers lie.

Lmao, I know that's a hell of an opener, but that's quite literally what's going on. We have been cursed since the start of forever, and we're essentially tired of feeling no sense of belonging anywhere, so we're trying to fix that; however, shit goes very left, very fast.

As we're on the way to this oh so great city of knowledge, we get hit with this ominous fog, and everyone who's travelling with us immediately knows: this is not good. No sooner than later, we're pretty certain that we hear someone getting killed nearby and the carriage that we were in is suddenly flipped over and blood gets shed very quickly. As expected, and for plot purposes, when the carriage got flipped over, our ankle took some extra damage which makes running a very unlikely option. Because of this, this terrifyingly dangerous creature wastes no time approaching us. Wanna see what it looks like?

That, my friends, is what is referred to as a "soulless", and it can rip you to literal shreds within seconds.

For whatever reason, this thing darts past us and disappears into the mist, but we don't ask questions; we just bolt behind the carriage for cover, and we're thankful that there is still someone alive after the attack. It would be much more comforting, though, if the guy wasn't praying, because that meant either one of two things:

We were very much so fucked, and he was trying to put in a good word for himself real quick before he potentially met his maker

or 2. We are very much so fucked, and the only thing that is applicable in this scenario is to pray and hope it disappears

but either way, we are very much so fucked.

That being said, we simply can't accept that. We don't pray, because we don't have the time. We've literally come too far to get taken out right outside the very city that holds our salvation, and that's all the reminder that we need when we see those city lights through the haze.

That reminder doesn't last long, though, because remember that soulless that vanished? Well, it came back, and the guy that was praying essentially brushed up against our hand, trying to get us to dip out with him because, duh, situation kind've popping off. Now, you remember that curse I mentioned? Well, our bandages kind've tore off during all of this ruckus, and all it takes is the slightest touch to make a person go from this

to this.

Yeah, so...not good.

Anyways, the situation essentially keeps escalating until we're one hit point away from death...but it never happens, because the next time we open our eyes, we see him.

Maybe we are dead, because hello~! Lookin' like an ethereal being in all of that white and attractive features! Like, gyatt DAMN. That is one fine ass angel!

Honestly, there are a lot of guys, and a lot of swooning, and a lot of introductions, so I'm going to kind've rush through those parts, especially since I don't want to ruin too much.

So, to get back on topic, essentially what goes down is that he -- his name is Kuras, by the way -- found us pretty much dead where the attack went down and brought us into the city to treat us. Now, this isn't because he's a hero or anything, but because he's a doctor and helping and healing is quite literally his entire thing, and damn, did he heal the hell out of us...suspiciously so.

Kuras tells us that, in Eridia, knowledge and secrets are what really fuels the area because it's so valuable. That being said, he can't get into exactly how he healed us so damn near perfectly. That also being said, he pretty much implies that the Senobium isn't all that's cracked up to be and that we aren't likely to find what we need there. Now although, we aren't fully believing of this due to desperation, he does point us in the direction of someone else. Some guy named Leander that we can find in some place called "The Wet Wick".

We follow Kuras' directions...but who the hell is--

--LEANDEEEEEEER~! HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~! ...Yeeeeah, this is the one I'm gonna romance first lol. Kuras is gonna have to chill for a second.

Anyways, we're here with Leander, and what happens here is...he is so obviously a playboy, but the man is smooth as shit. I mean, damn, the man gave us flowers as soon as he laid eyes on us and was talking about some "New here? I'm certain I would've remembered a face as lovely as yours". A classic playboy line, a fuckboy move, possibly, and I always manage to gravitate towards/pick them in these damn multi-LIs stories. Back on topic though, we ask Leander about the Senobium, and, much like with Kuras, he tells us that it's not only a taboo topic, but that the place is bad news.

That being said though, he's pretty confident that he's able to find an alternative to our ailment, but that we'd have to be willing to trust him a bit, which is a tall order considering the backstory we may have chosen. We bite the bullet though, because we discovered earlier that he was a pretty damn good mage, and we're really desperate. We give into his confidence...and it actually panned out well. So well, in fact, this man, once again, takes the opportunity to spit game and puts the gold in our hands next to the gold on his coat and be like "Look, we match". That man is smoother than damned butter, and I'm down bad.

Anyways, he gets us a room to sleep in for the night, and tells us to go explore, but be careful. So we do, and we run into this guy.

Yeah, so, remember that room that Leander got for us? This guy, monster, thing just swiped the key. Lol here we go...

The thing is, we could easily get it back, but something feels...off...about him. So, we play along with his game for a bit before we're just like "A'ight, can I just get my damn key?" but he kind've avoids the topic and, of course, our desire to reach the Senobium comes up. As expected at this point, he's flatly like "It's overrated" and to simply forget about it. Well, damn...

The encounter goes for a bit more before Vere -- we finally got his name after someone called him out for causing trouble -- leaves with the someone who called after him. Despite all that we've heard about the Senobium, we can't help but see it up close and in person to at least make the journey and trials and suffering worth it.

And we do, we make it there, and we see this figure there.

But when someone calls after us for gawking at the building, the figure disappears as quickly as we saw it. Aside from this though, a feeling of hopeless kind've takes hold and we're just...it's just like damn at this point, ya know? But then something kind've weird happens.

This red-eyed woman, who is clearly supposed to be dead as apparent from this gaping hole that she showed us on her body -- no, you don't get it. It was a literal hole that you could see through -- spoke of this seaspring that could cure, quite literally, anything. Not having much faith in the Senobium anymore, but still desperate for a cure, we follow the woman and receive directions to this mysterious seaspring and are told about some gang leader named Ais.

We get there, and we come to the conclusion that someone probably lives here. We call out, there's no answer...you already know where this is going.

BUT I DID NOT EXPECT THIS MAN TO BE THIS DAMN FINE. AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~! Okay, okay, okay, okay, so I'm going to romance Leander first, DEFINITELY this daddy second, and Kuras is gonna be my solid third. Okay, moving on...

He -- this is Ais, by the way -- pops up and scares the shit out of us. Actually, it wasn't him that scared us, it's his loyal pack of red-eyed soulless that scares the shit out of us, and for obvious reasons. Anyways, for the sake of trying to keep this from being longer than it already is, he's actually a pretty chill dude. Once again, he is also anti-Senobium, but he is straightforward in that, "Yes, that seaspring will literally clear up whatever you've got going on, but boy, is it going to drive you batshit crazy". Well, not batshit, but it makes you a part of this thing called a "groupmind"; that explained the red-eyes. Ais described it as "one big happy family in your head". Oh...okay, so...not a good idea. Guess we weren't as desperate as we thought. He gets one of his trained soulless to take us back towards the city.

After everything that had went down today, we decided that we should officially call it a night. On our way to the room Leander funded for us, we run into some...complications.

Ah, yes. Why would we have been able to just walk across the city and to our room? That would've been too easy. Any chance that this one is tamed, too, and Ais is just messing with us again?

Oh...oh wait...this one doesn't have the red eyes. ...Yeah, we bolt. What makes this whole situation worse though? As fast as we are running, this soulless is keeping up pretty damn easily. Also, did I say that this was the worst of it? It's not, it gets so much worse actually. Tell me why, in our panic, we literally ran ourselves into a dead end. Beautiful. What are the odds we'll survive this thing a second time around?

Pretty damn high apparently. Bless this person because we were about to get one-hit'ed!

They help us up and...wait...didn't we...?

Oh yeeeeeeah! This was the person from the Senobium! ...Damn, they're short lmao. That being said, we were all:

"Yo, you were at the Senobium!"

And they were all:

"So what if I was?"

Mmm...a feisty lil stallion. Big sass. I would be, too, if I was that short. Like, damn, they are not as tall as the baes. Kuras could take their ass out with one stomp if he really wanted to.

Anyways, they scold us about being alone at night and how it's not safe and all that. We follow them for a bit, and granted, we saw that they meant business, but it's still weird that if it's so dangerous, why were they travelling alone and why did they stop to help us?

"There was a bounty on that Soulless; you were just in the way. Not killing you isn't the same as helping you." Wha--?

Well, fuck you, too then! You get romanced last, Shorty McDouche.

We essentially get spicy back, and now, they're all blushy and shit as they start walking us back to our room. Yeah, take that shit, Mhin -- their name is Mhin, by the by -- but we don't have to deal with their sass for much longer because guess who comes along?!

IT'S BAAAAAAAE!!!! .....gyatt DAYUM Mhin is short. Then again, they could be taller than or the same height as us, but we did mention that everyone was significantly taller while Mhin was "Huh...they're shorter than I thought".

Anyways, they both escort us back to the Wet Wick, and wouldn't you know it?

Not only are all the baes here, but they all apparently know each other! All those different personalities hanging out together? Well, isn't that a wild concept. Even still, since they're all here...

Maybe we can get to know one of them a little better...

END OF DEMO LOL. Well...actually there's more after this, but of course, it depends on who you go to talk to. This is definitely long enough, though, lol; you'll have to play the game yourself to find out more, not to mention all the details I left out.

Whoo, FINALLY. The summary was long, but that was because the demo was long, and it had a lot going on. I swear I excluded so much detail, you have no idea, but guys...

When I tell you that this game was so good.

When I tell you that this game was so good.

FRIENDS. When I tell you. That this game. Was so. Good.

I don't think I can emphasize that enough, and I'm not even going to lie to you, at first, I was not feeling it. It's crazy to say that now, but I swear, I was not feeling this game at first, because it was feeling real Dungeons and Dragons, and as much I want to get into that...I can't. It just never vibes with me, and it's like I can't ever effectively get into it. That being said, it was rough at first, but then--!!

Listen. The story started storying, and the baes were baeing, and I was like, there is a visual novel to be played here. I knew it was a demo when I had started it, but when I tell you that I was legitimately upset when that "Thanks for playing!" message came up? DISTRAUGHT.

Anyways, my take on the game (as if it wasn't clear enough): it was great. Fantastic, even. It's just really odd how it flows like a fantasy story book but a DnD map at the same time, and yet they made it work so beautifully. The art style; those of you that have been rocking with me know how I feel about art style. Absolutely enthralled with the art. It looks straight out of one of those DnD campaign or character books. The baes! Don't get me wrong, all of them aren't my cup of tea, but the baes that I'm feening for?! Even the ones that I'm not feening for, honestly. They are sooooo handsome. Like, I want them al-- well, I want like 3 of them, to be best friends with 1 of them, and to throw hands with the other one lol. I mean, like, they're a'ight; I'm gonna have to get to know them because they a lil' too slick at the mouth lmao, but we all know that's probably going to be the sweetest of the bunch.

But yeah, this game is legit. Again, absolutely going to spend money on this one, if that's what the full version will entail. Now, just to add a bit of degeneracy...

IF THE DEVS MAKE THIS INTO AN 18+ GAME WITH A SPICY SCENE. MY SOUL. WILL BE THEIRS.

Okay, okay, okay, anyways, but like, the game really does have mad potential. Like, look at this:

You can pick your back story, and look at what it looks like when you pick your LI!

There are routes! You pick your LI by route! Can you imagine how huge this game is going to be if there are routes for each character and choices within those routes? I am literally so excited! Run me the full release, dev(s)!

Anywho, this post is waaaaaay long, and I could ramble way more about this game, but I shall not. If you'd like to give this game a playthrough yourself -- and I'm telling you that you need to -- I'll put a link to it right here for ya. If you'd also like, you can give the dev(s) that ever desperate "Please. I need more. This game is so good. I will literally sell you my lung and both of my kneecaps. I beg" and let them know what it is! Donations are also super helpful should you be in a position and mindset to do so!

All righty, that's finally all from me! Sorry about the length on this one, but there was so much that needed to be said, and I could honestly say more. For the sake of length though, I'll leave you with this:

Play this game, but also, please remember to drink water, don't be dumb, and hope to see you around~!

TOUCHSTARVED (Demo)

[wackpedion]

My Analysis of MSI's Royally Fucked

This is going to be a look into Mindless Self Indulgence's song Royally Fucked through the lense of it being about csa (child sexual abuse), if such themes are uncomfortable or triggering this may not be for you

before I begin, I will note that I will be using they/them pronouns to refer to the perspective presented in the song. This is because I don't know if Jimmy Urine is a victim of csa, I don't think he's ever commented on it and for all I know this is a song simply in the perspective/character of someone who did experience it, and its frankly not my business to speculate on his personal life and so I am keeping it ambigious when talking about the views expressed in this song.

Now let us begin, starting with the first verse:

They start off with cursing out some unnamed figure (likely their abuser), right off the bat painting a negative and hateful picture. And then there is the next line, which I think is very significant in setting the tone for the song

"Mom, Dad, why don't you finger me too?" Always sticks out to me when listening to the song, for how gross weird and especially overt it is. To me I think it signals a warped mindset they have from past abuse, that a similiar trusted adult authority figure has hurt them in the past and so such thoughts come to mind. If such a person has done something like that to them, why wouldn't there parents? It wouldn't be so abnormal or shocking.

Then follows the chorus, which is quite self deprecating.

The "I will never be young" line I think refers to how, as a child they never really got to be a child because of the abuse and trauma they suffered through, this is especially relevant to csa in where victims are subjected to adult things, and often told or made to feel more 'adult' (e.g. "you're so mature for your age"). And now having grown up to be an adult that window of time to be a child is closed and gone forever. They will never get to be young.

"I will never be loved" is a self deprecating thought that often derives from low self esteem, which is common among abuse victims. It is then followed by "I will never be wrong", which is a statement in relation to the past lines, stating that they won't or dont think these statements will be proven wrong. They won't ever be young, and they won't ever be loved, and they're not wrong for thinking that.

"I am royally fucked" refers to how they're fucked in the head from the abuse and trauma, and also how their current life is a mess because of the complications from all of that.

Onto verse two, it starts off with "love it, love it, love it, love it, you son of a bitch". To me it sounds like it's about how the perpretator took pleasure in the victims abuse, and how they hold further resentment for them for that.

Now this is where it gets interesting, "All of them dead now, let me be the same". I believe this has a sort of double meaning. For one the more literal one, in that the people who hurt and aided in their abuse are dead now, and they wish to die too. Suicidal feelings are common among victims of abuse. However I interpret this to be a sort of metaphor of sorts for moving on.

"All of them dead now" being that these people are gone, and they got to move on from what happened. Whether it be the more literal interpretation in that they got to leave what happened behind in/through death, or simply being gone and removed from the victims life and not having to suffer consequences for what happened, being as good as dead. The victim wants to be able to move past what happened too, "let me be the same", but is unable to, as shown by the line "fall on my knees" which invokes imagery of a broken down, vulnerable weak person.

The chorus follows and then there is this bridge

"Don't let them see me now, don't let them see me like this" expressing that they don't want anyone to see them as they are being now in the song, broken down and vulnerable. After this a final round of the chorus plays, reiterating their self deprecating thoughts.

And that concludes my analysis, I have been listening to this song on loop for several days and I wanted to put my thoughts down to share.

Some tags for the people who expressed interest in seeing my interpretation/analysis:

@ilovebeatingmywife @sourbombz @shinigamichan @infinitebearrreblogz @msi-obsessive

[creativegearsinc]

Things That Constantly Run Through My ADD Driven Brain Everyday

1. Gravity Falls

2. Darkwing Duck

3. My Own OC and Story Ideas

4. Batman and/or Spider-Man (it switches up a depending on the day)

5. My Boyfriend aka the Love of My Life

6. Whatever the Fuck Brennon Lee Mulligan is doing

[sysig]

Looking his very best, as much as he can anyhow (Patreon)

[johndonneswife]

not a sad ‘woe is me’ post so don’t send me weird messages but: the thing abt cycling through every ED possible and being bulimic for like 10 yrs & making yourself vomit up to 10x times per day on ur worst days is that your teeth and gums will eventually give out on you (bc it doesn’t make a difference if you’ve been good & it doesn’t matter how well you’ve taken care of your teeth for the last x years) and u will be 30 years old crying to your very sweet and kind dentist when she tells you about the 1 million things that are wrong with ur teeth

[thats-a-lot-of-cortisol]

Behind every great warrior woman is another woman who is choosing kindness. For now.

[widevibratobitch]

.

[lusalemaart]

[wtf-amiru]

when you start a new job and realize how bad the last one gaslit you

[idontknowiknow]

my number one fool proof way to get strangers to come up and chat to you: have a double bass with you on a late night train. Pretty much 100% strike rate