#LU Rhythm

[tentimesthecourage]

So I haven't written in a while, but I was looking through my docs and I don't think I ever posted this.

Have fun

A deep shuddering breath escaped the shivering male as he leaned against the other one’s shoulder. He could barely keep his eyes open any more and he felt so cold.

“Guess this is it…” He murmured softly. “Didn’t think it would end like this…” His eyes trailed over the others before him, unable to make out the details of them. Perhaps that was a good thing… he doubted they’d want him to see them in such a state.

They had won… it was finally over… but at what cost?

None of them were making it home alive.

If he tried hard enough, he could hear the faint murmurs of those having their final conversations in the air, but he paid them no mind. 

“I… want to say that I’m afraid… and honestly, I am… I’m terrified… I’ll never see my friends again… never see her again… never see you again… I don’t know what happens after you die but… heh… I guess we’ll all find out together…” He managed to swallow, the coppery taste in his mouth barely caught his attention

“Thank you… truly… for being there for me… you made this journey more bearable than I could have ever imagined… I wish… I wish that you had been able to go home… that you could have seen her… you deserved to have a peaceful life… and instead you got dragged into this…”

With more effort than it should have ever taken, Rhythm managed to shift and turn to cuddle into his side, well aware the body beside him was colder than his own.

“I love you, Sky… I hope you knew that…”

---

Everything hurts… Rinku wheezed softly, he had a lung punctured, he was more than sure. It was a wonder he wasn’t dead already, but he knew it was coming.

He felt the weight on his chest shift and managed to look down at Four, covered in just as much blood as he was and shaking softly. He reached up and entangled his fingers in the matted hair causing the older to look up. Rinku was too tired to grimace at the injury over the other’s eye.

A matching mark, their enemy had claimed.

He cupped Four’s cheek and the other leaned into him with a shaky sigh.

“We’re… we’re not gonna make it…” It wasn’t a question.

“No.” He answered it anyway. Four gave a wry smile.

“It’s too bad… I was really… l-looking forward to that wedding… to have you take my name…”

A quiet breath of laughter escaped him, “Who needs a wedding… We’ve been married since you accepted my ring…”

The smith managed to push himself up on shaky limbs and move up to brush his lips against the younger male’s one final time.

“Till death do us part…”

“Not even death will take you from me…”

“I love you....”

“I love you too…”

[aikoiya]

LoZ LU - The Rhythm of the Universe

I hc that if Cadence of Hyrule's Link, Rhythm/Tempo (I like Rhythm best, but Tempo also works, so he'd likely respond to both), were part of LU, he'd be something like August Rush. Able to hear the music in everything & able to play just about any instrument after just a bit of experimentation. Though, this particular Link just outright enjoys it.

Keep in mind that Caladbolg is a two-handed weapon. It big! And it deals high damage. However, it wouldn't be his only available weapon by a long shot. Surprisingly, he'd also have the Kokiri Sword (which would likely get a reaction from Time), which is only one-handed, allowing him to also use a shield at the same time, & even deals more damage than Caladbolg. Where Caladbolg shines is in its extra range, being a Longsword.

He also has Fragarach, which is a Broadsword that can pierce shields, thereby making it very useful against Darknuts & Iron Knuckles, though it deals middling damage. Then, there's Impa's Naginata, which both poisons enemies & heals the player after every 5 foes defeated (which basically makes it a Life Steal weapon). The Hylian Flail does little damage, but it also has good range & knockback.

Also, when Tempo, Harmony, Cadence, & Octavo were sent forward in time, it was specifically to the Downfall Timeline. To not long after Time was killed. It was their defeat of Ganon that made it possible for the Sages to seal him away later.

Anyway, his sense of Kairos & rhythm would also be near perfect & he'd likely be oddly in-tune with the overall rhythm & resonance of the universe. And his pattern recognition skills would most likely be on point, able to figure out almost any enemy's fighting pattern very, very quickly.

I also see him just having a naturally strong talent for acoustomagy (music magic). Also being able to memorize just about any song just from hearing it once or twice.

Seriously, the College of the Sword Bard vibes on this man is absolutely ridiculous. He's also just more innately in-tune with magic. I could see him figuring out how sound waves interact with the world & using that to create spell songs of his own. Ones that utilize things like acoustic levitation, acoustic hydroremediation (purifying water through sound), healing, & causing plants to grow faster.

These are actually things that sound waves can actually do even without magic, just generally on a smaller scale, so channeling magic through sound would likely do even more.

Though, the acoustic hydroremediation might cause Rulie to have hope for his own Hyrule. He may even ask Rhythm to teach him how.

Rhythm has a bit of a fascination with weapons that double as musical instruments or musical instruments that double as weapons. Things like maceracas, a bladed battle-lute, ect. He can also be very musically experimental when he wants to be.

He's taken up woodwork & amateur metalworking to see just how creative he can get with making musical weapons. Some have been hits & others misses.

... What if he was the one who made the Wind Waker??? This would fit well with my idea of the Wind Waker having a song that, when played, can turn it into a sort of Rapier of the Winds. While it'd be a sword, it would work similarly to how Artemis used the Wind Waker, but if it were happening while she was using the Rapier. But I imagine the wind cutting through enemies rather than blowing them away or confusing them. Working something like Sectumsempra spell from HP if it had a wind effect.

(Not quite satisfied with the guard. Also, I based the design on some of the parts found in the Instant Armory app. If you like to make items & weapons, you might wanna check it out to get a bit of inspiration.)

The green gems are Emeralds, which are very rare & are known to be imbued with Wind Magic.

When in this form, the Wind's Requiem, Song of Passing, Song of Storms, Wind God's Aria, & so on & so forth, will all result in an offensive attack. Wind's Requiem & Wind God's Aria will both boost the rapier's default wind slice attacks, the Aria taking on a similar power to a Skyward Strike, though of both Divine & Wind Magic. Song of Passing will depend on if it's day or night & the phase of the moon. Daytime means a strong wave of Light Magic (Solar specifically), night will create a Twilight (Lunar specifically) or Shadow Magic strike. However, Shadow Magic will only come out under the new moon. Song of Storms will infuse the rapier's blade with a charge of Lightning Magic.

Basically, it makes this a very versatile weapon. Anyway, there are other songs, but these are the ones I thought of off the top of my head.

The Wind Waker may have been a gift to his dear friend, Harmony (who he knew had a certain inclination towards the use of rapiers & magic), which has since been passed down in the Royal Family as an heirloom. However, it's offensive capabilities have been forgotten.

My thoughts are that the Chain initially believe that the 2 aren't the same one, but a while after Rhythm shows them the Rapier of the Winds, Wind gets into a situation where a monster was comin' in hot. He already had his Wind Waker out & he wasn't sure if there was enough time to get the Phantom Sword out. So, in a panic & without even thinking, he did the directions above & his Wind Waker turned into the Rapier of the Winds, thereby proving that it was, indeed, the baton that Rhythm made.

Anyway, Rhythm's fighting style would also probably be just innately dancelike & would be able to bounce back quickly from most any mess up. Think if Capoeira used swords. In that even if he does mess up, he's able to make it look like he didn't. Which results in him being very good at course correcting & creating new strategies on-the-fly mid-fight in a way that makes it look intentional.

However, he'd also be prone to timekeeping as it helps him think. If you've ever seen Akeela & the Bee, she does something similar. This results in Rhythm tapping, sometimes unconsciously, when he's bored. He also tends to hum or whistle when he's happy. At the same time, he's also... fantastically bad at stealth.

He likes birds & birdwatching. He's prone to whistling back at them. Often mimicking their calls. He's actually very good at bird calls.

He's also just optimistic by nature, has stupid good hearing &, if he were to train that way, I think he'd be able to develop a type of echolocation. (However, I don't think he'd ever think to try.)

However, due to being so in-tune with nature & having such good hearing, he can get overwhelmed with sensory input, especially if he visits Castle Town.

The first few times he's there, he's overstimulated by all the sounds, the talking, the screaming, everything. And he'd likely make a break for the woods to just calm down as he takes in the more peaceful & manageable rhythm of organic life there.

But leaving for the forest isn't the only way to be able to calm down when confronted with all the noise of Castle Town. Another way is for him to take a deep breath & find the music in that too much the way that August did. Instead of resisting it, take a moment to let it wash over him so his mind can compartmentalize it & identify the beat of the city's heart.

Though, that'd most likely be something he'd have to learn to do over time.

Once he's able to recognize the beat within the discord of the city, it's easier for him to acclimate to it & refind his own inner rhythm & allow it to exist alongside the city's, admittedly, more cacophonous beat.

Even then, Rhythm would likely see it similar to concerts in that it can be exciting, but a bit much at times & he'd likely go out to the forest & tune into that in order to decompress.

The city isn't a bad or disharmonious sound. Just a new one that can be a bit loud & difficult to get used to, is all.

And once he figures it out himself, I see him being the sort to help teach any other Links who also get overwhelmed with the hustle & bustle how to not let it get to them either.

Rhythm doesn't sing often, because he's shy about it, except for when he's completely alone or with someone he loves & trusts. However, when he does sing, it's, in a word... heavenly.

Also, he has an odd ability to translate a situation or something he or someone is going through into song as he finds that it makes it easier for him to process things. This also results in him both being one of the most empathetic & emotionally mature of the Links with some of the best coping methods, as well as giving him something of a Vibe Check ability.

Also, I hc that he was Time's father (though, if that's the case, his nickname being Tempo could be used as a cheeky nod to that). That Rhythm likely died during the Hyrulean Civil War. That he died of an arrow through the back of the skull due to having missed a beat in battle. (I know that in the manga, Time's dad died of an ax through the chest, but tweaks happen.) I also believe that his death at that time was not the plan. I think that, at the very least, he was supposed to guide Time through his adventure rather than Navi. But his death put a spanner in the works & destiny does what it can to make things turn out... at least somewhat manageable...

... Fudge... Imagine him singing "Remember Me" from Coco with his wife to baby Time before leaving for battle for the last time... Then imagine Time's mom singing it to him alone in her last moments beneath the Deku Tree...

Imagine Rhythm joining the Chain, perhaps a few months before his wife gives birth & him humming the song & Time's just like, "?!?!?!"

And he has absolutely no understanding of why other than the melody being hauntingly familiar & it invoking a feeling of unconditional love in him that echoes with some far off memory that's so fuzzy it's like looking into a thick fog. But in a way that causes his heart to ring with a note of sad longing & loss.

Yet he doesn't understand it at all.

I'm thinking about how Moses could remember the melody his mother sang to him as a baby in "Prince of Egypt" even before meeting Miriam. Remember how he whistled the tune to himself as he approached Rameses, who was hiding in the shadow of a statue?

Like that.

Perhaps he really remembers it, or perhaps it was unconscious.

Anyway, had Rhythm been able to be a dad, I imagine him being similar to Greg Demayo-Universe in a lot of ways. Just, ya know, a more fighty one who can actually be strict when he thinks it's necessary. And will go out of his way to educate his kid.

So, I think that'd show up here in an au where he joins the Chain.

---

Alt Idea: Before going to fight in the Civil War, Rhythm escorts his wife & infant son to the Kokiri Forest & asks the Deku Tree to grant his family sanctuary so that he may protect his home without needing to worry about them.

Here, Rhythm still dies, but his wife lives & she becomes sort of like the Wendy for the Lost Boys. As such, she's able to raise Time &, as a result, he's much more well-adjusted.

It's even possible that, because of this, the Master Sword does not put Time to sleep for 7 years due to him being more developmentally mature.

2ndary Alt Idea: What if there was a timeline where Rhythm had seen the sort of people that Kōme & Kotake were & he was like, "nope, I ain't leaving this kid here with them"?

Then he steals Ganondorf away & he ends up Time's older brother. Maybe Kōme & Kotake try to get Gdorf back & things spiral.

Maybe Rhythm kills the Twinrova? Maybe the Twinrova kill Rhythm & take Gdorf back? Don't know.

LoZ Linked Universe Masterlist

[raycatz]

You ever think about how the chain has to change their step sizes and like general gait in order to stay together as a group?

Like, I imagine Four walks with purpose. He's a focused lil guy- he's got places to be. But Time's strides have got to be much larger than his. When traveling as a group they must have all had to readjust.

Four and Time side-by-side walk animation but every couple steps Four has to do a skip hop or a lil jog to catch up. Also consider Four walking normally but Time is taking itty bitty steps.

[tibtew]

limbus characters rhythm gamer tier list

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

childhood birthday party games and the strange magical quality of light (only in the afternoon)

I want to stay in this August limbo

bending over backwards just to keep it together

how far can I bend before I have to break

we'll never find out because nothing has to change

orange sunlight earlier nights golden mornings

no need to say goodbye when the sun is burning us alive

they call this the dog days and I still haven't figured out why

maybe it's the way dogs hate to see people go

maybe it's all that love to give to anyone who will have it

summer is going to end eventually and seasons are gonna change

but right now we're playing limbo

bending under a pole to see how far we can go

and it doesn't have to change just yet

~ L. T.

[hibiscusbabyboy]

My Vancouver - Victoria trip

(The Elena era)

(August 27 - September 4, 2023)

[spicymcbean]

Wild: What's a computer's favorite beat?

Wild: An algo-rhythm!

Rhythm:.....

Rhythm: I hate this place

[triplechain]

[developer's notes: this is for a friend's AU/idea technically but hey it still fits]

out of context developmental things for this nonsense, pt. 18

briefly featuring another friend(?)

[wutheringmights]

I was wondering, in CTB when Wind uses the command melody, do you see it as Wind being able to inhibit the body of the individual he’s commanding, exerting full control, or that he can only ‘direct’ the person where he wants them to go and what to do, but the person retains the ability to speak.

Also, when Wind uses the command melody in the test training session, was that the first time the rest of the chain realized the wind waker could do that (aside from Wars, where it is explained he didn’t know). The Wind Waker always seems like a really op weapon

The command melody gets harder to execute the more body parts he wants to control and the more unwilling the victim is. If Wind is trying to control someone who desperately wants to break free, he might not bother trying to keep them from talking when he needs to focus on not breaking the spell.

Wind using the command melody during the test was the first time the Chain realized he could do that. Wind's smart enough to not show his hand too quickly, especially when everyone else seems to be pretty secretive.

[diorchids]

size kink, luke castellan.

cw: size kink, piv, slight breeding kink, swearing, & more

luke castellan who has the worst size kink.

he would wrap his toned arm around your body while you talked to other campers, softly rutting his cock against you.

he would softly guide your legs apart, practically salivating as your glistening cunt was revealed to him.

the way your glossy eyes would bounce back and forth from his fat cock inside of you to his face full of desperation made him want to fuck his babies into you. your eyes rolled out copious amounts of tears to cope with the pain of his thick cock practically ripping through your tightness.

his large hands knead your breasts, sucking and licking your nipple. he loved how big his hands were on your bouncing breasts, whispering every night how much he loved cumming all over them.

you writhed and mewled under the assault of your wet, sweet, tight cunt. "stretchin' me out real good, lukey?" you tried to talk to him, but you stuttered and blabbered as he dumbed you down with his aggressive thrusts in and out of your little cunt.

he would plant his large hands on your stomach, seeing his fat cock bulge up into your tummy. "look a'that, got my cock all in you,” he groaned, “takin’ me so good, lettin’ me fuck my cock in your—pussy..” as he played with your puffy clit.

he tapped your chin, wordlessly telling you to kiss him. a clammy hand softly gripped your neck, practically wrapping around it completely before you pathetically lifted your head to bring your slick lips to his mouth. he was impatient, pursing his lips before kissing you harshly.

your salty tears roll down onto your collarbones, running down your chest as he thrust roughly, pressing his hand on your lower stomach. you could never get used to his cock, always mewling and crying when he forced it into your hole.

you looked so small underneath him, hands shaking and trembling when you tried to hold his face. “so small, baby,” he practically moaned. he loves your size and how small you are compared to him, yet how much of his cock you could take.

he pushed himself into you occasionally, not wanting to hurt you. you were practically being ripped open each time he thrusts into you.

“‘s like that, take all of it. so good, fuckin’ you so good, hm?” you nodded dumbly. drool pooling in the corners of your mouth, trying to speak but only letting out incoherent noises and cries.

“lu—mmh, g’cum…” you said, practically seizing under his flesh.

his hands roamed over your body, cupping your breasts and tweaking your nipples. he loved how sensitive you were to his touch, always twitching and writhing to accommodate the overwhelming feeling of warmth all over you.

feeling you tighten around him only served to make him go even harder. his pace quickened, his hips slamming into yours in a primal rhythm. the head of his cock, thick and unyielding, repeatedly poked up in your tummy.

“pretty baby—can’t take it no more?” he taunted you, sloppily kissing your face when you arched your back off the bed.

the sound of your flesh slapping together filled the room as luke continued to take you with rough, hungry strokes. his cock was a blur of thick, veiny flesh as it plunged in and out of your tight pussy, stretching you to the limits. it hurt so badly, but you just had to cum.

a thick white ring formed on the base of his cock, serving as proof of your arousal. he cooed in your ear, “doin’ so good, cum f’me.”

and that you did.

he held your waist in his hands, holding you in place while you thrashed and cried, your tummy releasing the burning knot in it.

he didn’t stop thrusting, he still wasn’t done. feeling you reach climax only fueled his lust. he groaned low in his throat, his hips pistoning faster and harder still.

the thick head of his cock almost pressed deep against your cervix, sending wave after wave of pleasure coursing through your small body. “couldn’t take it, no? pretty pussy feelin’ so good.”

his hands gripped your hips tightly, holding you down against his relentless assault. he loved you more than anything, but you both loved how he treated you; fucking you dumb, forcing his fat cock into you.

“mmmh, s’ good,” you cried out, the corners of your mouth twitching with satisfaction while your juices coated his cock in your stickiness. he loved seeing your cunt react to him, serving as a lubricant for him to slide in easier.

he bit his lip and tightened his hold on your hips, thrusting hard and deep into you once more. "'s it, baby," he groaned as his cock jerked violently, sending streams of hot cum flooding into your tight, hungry cunt. “takin’—me so good.”

you eventually got up and felt his warm cum dripping down your inner thighs while he slipped his big shirt on you.

[tentimesthecourage]

I fell bad for not knowing, but who's Rhythm???

Love your ideas for Rinku and Four by the way, they're amazing!!

Don't feel bad, it's okay!

Rhythm is the Cadence of Hyrule Link! He's a shy boy who's been adopted by Sky, Wild and Rinku as a baby brother.

Also thank you, I'm glad you enjoy them!

[late-draft]

I am fully convinced that Azulon really did order Ozai to kill Zuko.

Azulon's characterization was concise but very precise in the short time that he had on screen - he seems slow to move but very very sharp and cruel in anger, trapped in his own mind. He adored Iroh, additionally because Iroh embodied all of Azulon's desires for what his heir should be - powerful, clever, cunning, gifted in his understanding of rhythm in war and combat. Never showing all of his cards. "Slayer of the last dragon." (Unfortunately for Azulon, he didn't predict that Iroh would later aid in the dismantling of their imperialistic construct!)

Azulon was old. Clearly very old. I can easily see how he would not be viewing reality as clearly as someone younger would. He was already floating mentally among stories of legends and legacies, and in his mind it was Iroh who was going to be fully successful after him. When Lu Ten died, all that mattered was Iroh's pain. Azulon would absolutely order the death of his younger son's first born son, to punish him for what Ozai was attempting to take from Iroh. Azulon didn't much care for the little show Ozai was having his children perform for their grandad, regardless of how talented little Azula was anyway. If push comes to shove, Azulon probably believed Iroh would either have more descendants, or Ozai would have more descendants. One of those would inherit the throne later on - or at least Azula, in case of the opposite.

[urhoneycombwitch]

im gonna be at work for high night 🙄 so save my self-indulgent idea for later lu

reader who keeps hitting the snooze button on their alarm and groans knowing they need to get up for work but they just really cannot find the motivation to. The bed is warm and they're so comfortable and what's the harm of calling out....

Eddie who notices they're still laying down, eyes closed and in that fighting off being awake state and he knows there's only so many snoozes they can hit before they're definitely going to be running late so he sneaks under the covers....

and he doesn't come back up again until reader is awake, a tired, but satisfied smile on their face as they blink up at the ceiling. He presses some kisses to their lips/cheek/neck, slick and smelling like them, going "Hi, pretty. Ready to get up now?"

nauuurrr anon 😞 we will miss you but hope u see this after ur shift 💖 eeeheeeeheeeheee I’m literally kicking my feet behind my back sleepover-style giggling at this. that ellipses is so sinister I gotta help it out

+18 mdni

cw: R receives oral + fingering while sleeping (has been previously discussed as a 👍), somno, Eddie’s a soft!dom

___

Eddie’s always so attentive to your needs and state of being- he’s naturally super empathetic. by no means a morning person himself, he learns quickly that the rhythm of your day is usually set by how you wake up.

he’s dealt with the consequences of you having been off to a bad start, before- it takes a huge amount of cajoling or kisses or swinging by the diner for waffles to shake you out of a grumpy funk. and based on the way you’ve been tossing and turning this morning, you’re about to have the most miserable work shift ever.

what he doesn’t have this morning, though, is a lot of time- waffles will have to be for another day. he’s got an even better idea for a sweet wakeup.

he moves slow, weight in his hands on either side of your sleeping frame, kissing as he moves down your body. first to your bare shoulder. then to the side of that pretty nightie’s strap. one for your pebble nipple, peaking through the silk.

Eddie trails his kisses down- one on your stomach, one for the bump of your cunt- pulling the sheets away as he goes.

with fingers nimble and dextrous, he feels for the band of your underwear while keeping his eyes on your face, careful to pause if your expression changes. the goal is to keep you pliant, for this next part…

he gets his head under the edge of your nightdress, pussy fully exposed to the eager lappings of his mouth. with one hand on your stomach to keep your center grounded, Eddie slips the middle two fingers of his other hand into your slippery cunt.

a soft shift of your hips, a whimper, and Eddie moves his hands with your pelvis, using the momentum to dip and catch your clit in his mouth.

he follows with his head as your hips sink back down into the mattress, sucking hard on your beating clit as he goes.

you must’ve been having a dirty dream, ‘cuz you’re already so tight around his fingers, slick pooling in his palm. he laps noisily into your cunt, wet squelch of his fingers bringing you to bleary consciousness.

“whuh- uh- oh fuck, Eddie-”

your legs jerk close on impulse, trapping his head between your thighs, and Eddie thinks he might’ve died and gone to heaven. fully clothed, about to cream his jeans from eating his girl out. sure, he’s down to meet god, but can it wait a second?

“was dreamin’ you- ah, yeah, there- dreamin’ of you doing this to me. fuck…” your voice ends in a hoarse rasp, your hands shooting into Eddie’s hair, tugging at the roots.

he ruts into the mattress, cock leaking steadily into the fabric of his briefs, humming with pleasure against your clit.

your back arches off the mattress, he hears that tell-tale, breathy little gasp, and you’re gone- clenching around his fingers like a vice, flooding against his pistoning fingers.

he’s gone just as soon as you, coming in hot spurts with each upstroke against the quilt below, moaning into your pussy.

he kisses a sticky trail back up your body, sliding your nightie strap into place, loving and firm- “morning, princess. go take a shower, and no complaining. as a thank you for the wake up gift- ‘kay?”

you wouldn’t dream of complaining, nodding easily to his command, sleepy and sated smile on your face. your arms reach to encircle his shoulders, and Eddie leans in for a kiss- he tastes like you.

[miasmaghoul]

sooo.. how do we feel about swiss fingering transdew in the passenger seat

"Why me?"

Swiss tilts his head, spinning a heavy set of keys around one finger.

"Why not?"

Dew raises an eyebrow, gestures at the guitar in his lap, the papers spread out on his bed.

"Oh please," Swiss scoffs, pushing himself away from Dew's doorframe and striding into his sunlit room. It's a gorgeous day, early spring, the sweet scent of the rose gardens wafting in on the breeze. "You're tellin' me you'd rather practice than go for a joyride?"

Dew snorts, crossing his ankles and adjusting his beat up old acoustic. It's true that he's been at it for a while now, since just after breakfast, but this solo has been giving him shit and he's determined to nail it before their next group session.

"I don't think taking Sunny and Lus to the grocery store counts as a joyride."

Dew strums out a few chords while Swiss flops into his desk chair, leaning it back onto two legs. It creaks under his weight.

"Maybe not," Swiss concedes, unbothered, "but you could still come keep me company."

"What, the girls not enough for you?"

"They would be," Swiss replies with a shrug. "If they didn't spend every trip making out in the back seat."

Dew snorts at that - Swiss has a point, Sunshine and Cumulus are not ones to keep their hands off each other in any context. Still, he grumbles.

"C'mon, Sparky," Swiss goads, scooting his chair closer so he can rest his elbows on the mattress, propping his chin in one hand and prodding at Dew's knee with the other. "Don't make me beg."

"But I like it when you beg."

Dew throws Swiss a wink, and Swiss reciprocates with his best puppy dog eyes. Big and wet and completely irresistible. Dew sighs, throws up his hands in mock defeat.

"Fine, fine," he grumps, setting his guitar on the bed. "But I'd better get something outta this."

Swiss grins, delighted. Pats Dew on the thigh as he stands, shoving the chair back under the desk.

"I'll tell Lus to buy that spicy jerky you like," he offers, and Dew gives him a little ooh.

"The cheese too," he insists, shuffling to the edge of the mattress and reaching for his boots. "The one with the habaneros."

"Yeah, yeah," Swiss chuckles, heading for the door, "but warn me before you eat it, I'm not sleeping with you on cheese night again. I learned my lesson."

Dew hurls a pillow at him, and Swiss scampers into the hall with a boisterous laugh. The little ghoul works on lacing up his boots, and makes a mental note to never tell Swiss when it's cheese night.

Twenty minutes later they're on the road, and as the breeze blows through his hair Dew wonders why he was so reluctant in the first place.

It's a gorgeous day, sunny and hot, but not enough to need the a/c. They're flying down the highway in Copia's ancient whale of a car, the windows down and a Judas Priest cassette blaring through the speakers; Swiss belts out the chorus to Breaking the Law while Dew taps out a matching rhythm on the outside of his door. In the back, Cumulus provides backing vocals while Sunshine dances in her seat, and Dew can't help the massive grin that splits his face.

It's a 45 minute drive to the nearest grocery store - the one downside to the abbey being so remote - but the trip passes quicker than he expects. They're trundling into the parking lot before Dew knows it, Swiss killing the engine and groaning through a solid stretch. Dew flips down the visor, looks in the tiny mirror and makes a displeased sound at the state of his hair.

"Okay," Cumulus pipes up from the back seat. Dew peers at her in the mirror, not missing the fresh hickey just below her ear. "I have the list, I have our allowance, I have..." she pats at her chest, searching the pockets of her denim vest, "ah, and I have my phone!"

"You got my snacks on that list?" Dew inquires, working at his knotted ends. Cumulus makes an affirmative sound.

"Sure do," she lilts, leaning forward to dangle the paper in his face. "Jerky and cheese, as requested."

"Get some of that chocolate I like too," he mumbles, "the dark stuff, with the salt." He turns his head to give her outstretched hand a quick peck. "Please."

"You got it, sugar," she giggles, tucking the list away. "You two coming with us?"

"No boys allowed," Sunshine and Swiss say in unison, and the lot of them chuckle. It's a known fact that Dew isn't a fan of crowds and that Swiss can't be trusted around free samples, so in the car they will stay.

"Besides," Swiss adds, leaning across the bench seat to throw an arm around Dew's narrow shoulders, "I got good company right here."

He nips at Dew's ear and the little ghoul elbows him in the side, hard enough to make Swiss yelp. It turns into a quick little slap fight, a moment of playful stupidity that Dew will never admit to enjoying as much as he does.

"Play nice, kids," Sunshine chides when they break apart, resting her chin on the back of their seat with a toothy grin. "Or mommy won't bring back any treats!"

"Gross," Dew complains, but settles anyway. Goes back to working the kinks from his golden locks. Sunshine leans over the seat to plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek and Dew squawks in protest.

"Aww, but you I thought you loved calling me that!"

Dew shoves her away, suffers through a chorus of snickers while his cheeks go pink, and resolutely avoids looking over as Swiss. The girls get their things together and then they're clambering out of the car; Sunshine glues herself to Cumulus, laces their hands together, and together they stride across the parking lot to the hulking monolith that is the grocery store.

"Mommy, huh?" Swiss pipes up moments later, and Dew groans.

"Shut up," he grouses, giving up on his messy hair and slouching down in his seat. "It's her thing, not mine," Dew lies. "Besides, I've called you worse."

"Can't argue that," Swiss lilts, stretching his arm along the back of the bench seat. "Remember that time you called me Mr. Army?"

Oh, does he, and Dew really doesn't want to think about that right now. Thick fingers tease their way into his tangled hair, blunt nails scratching against his scalp.

"You were the one that put me in a schoolgirl outfit," Dew huffs, crossing his legs for reasons totally unrelated to that particular memory. "I can't be held accountable for anything I said."

"I just never thought I'd get anyone but Rain to call me that," Swiss murmurs, a lascivious grin sliding onto his face. Dew looks at him from the corner of his eye, unwilling to lose the pleasant pressure of Swiss' hand in his hair.

"Rain? Really?"

"Oh yeah," Swiss says, converational. His hand moves to cup the back of Dew's neck, and oh is that lovely. "Wanted me to spank his ass raw and tell him what a naughty boy he was while he said it. Poor guy went off against my thigh before I could even get him on my cock," he sighs, wistful. Swiss turns his head, fixes Dew with that vulpine smile. "You were a nice surprise."

The little ghoul rolls his eyes, and really hopes Swiss doesn't notice him squeezing his thighs together. He has nothing further to say on the matter - or, at least, nothing that won't get him into trouble - so he stays silent. Enjoys the way Swiss' thumb rubs the spot just behind his ear while he watches humans mill about the lot. Families and individuals both, with arms full of paper bags holding untold goodies.

For what it's worth, Swiss doesn't keep talking either. He's not quiet, still humming out a tune Dew recognizes but can't quite place, but it's comfortable. The sun's hanging high in the early afternoon sky, a gentle breeze flowing though the still open windows, and Dew would be lying if he said this wasn't a nice way to kill time.

"What's on your mind?" Swiss asks a handful of minutes later, giving his neck a squeeze. "You're never quiet for this long."

"Oh you're one to talk," Dew chuffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can't remember the last time you shut up for more than five minutes."

"Pfft, sure you can," Swiss insists, that large hand dipping into the collar of Dew’s t-shirt, callused fingertips drifting over his skin and dragging a soft sigh from his lips. "I'm pretty sure I don't talk that much when you're sitting on my face, spitfire."

Dew scoffs despite the tingle the words force through him, a warm feeling settling into his belly. He turns his head to give Swiss a look, an incredulous eyebrow raised.

"That's the only example you can think of?"

"No," Swiss shrugs, "it's just the one I'm thinkin' of right now." The other ghoul licks his lips in a very intentional way, and that tingle hits again. "I guess deepthroating Mount counts too, but -"

"So the only thing that keeps you from yapping is having someone's junk in your mouth," Dew interrupts, nodding sagely, "noted."

Swiss laughs, loud enough to get the attention of a few people loading their car nearby. Dew shrinks in his seat.

"Like you're complaining."

He shifts in the seat, scooching closer. Dew squints at him, suspicious, but doesn't protest. Not even when Swiss gets close enough for their thighs to touch, for the other ghoul to drape an arm around his neck and let that huge hand rest on his chest. For Dew to soak in his spicy cologne and for Swiss to rest his chin on a bony shoulder.

"Besides," he rumbles, nosing at Dew's temple, "we both know you love my yapping."

"Love is a strong word," Dew mumbles, tilting his head when Swiss nuzzles his neck nonetheless.

"Mm, I don't think so," Swiss hums against his jaw, stubble scratching at his skin in a way that makes Dew's eyelids flutter. "Don't think I missed that little leg squeeze when I was talkin' about Rain, baby."

Dew groans, gives him a little shove. Far from enough to dislodge the other ghoul, more of a nudge than anything else. Token protest. Swiss huffs out a soft laugh, kisses his cheek.

"That's what I thought," he coos, licking at the shell of Dew's ear to draw out a shiver. The hand on his chest finds a nipple through his shirt, and Dew has to bite his lip to keep from making a sound. Curse Swiss for knowing every one of his weak spots. "Can't hide from me, Sparky."

Dew hates that he's right, and hates even more that - even in a place like this - Swiss can get him riled up with so little effort. Dew bounces his leg, takes his lower lip between his teeth while he scans the parking lot. There are people everywhere, but none close enough to see them - a fact Dew is very thankful for when Swiss sucks his earlobe and gives one of his nipple piercings a tug. Any closer and they might hear his moan.

"Fuck," Dew grunts, squirming in his seat, "ugh, you bitch."

"Such language," Swiss taunts, tracing the tip of his tongue along Dew's pulse point. "Lucifer, you're so easy."

Dew growls as best he can, human glamour be damned, and it just makes Swiss laugh again. It's a shame he can't argue - Swiss and Aether are the only ones who have such an effect on him, and they both know it perfectly well.

"Aww, gettin' all hot and bothered already?" Dew tries to shake his head, but Swiss kisses his throat and it doesn't get him very far. "Don't lie, firecracker. I can smell it on you."

Of course he can. He always can. Dew sighs as his eyes slip shut, sagging into the seat as Swiss slowly but surely teases the spots that make him start to sweat. Swiss' other hand lands on his thigh, stroking tight denim until Dew’s legs uncross. He walks two fingers up the inseam of the little ghoul's jeans while he trails wet kisses along his jaw, and Dew really can't help the soft sounds it all wrings from him.

Then that wandering hand sneaks under his shirt, lifts it up to expose his belly, and Dew jolts.

"H-hey, wait," he breathes, fists balled at his sides. His eyes crack open despite the way Swiss continues to work his chest, his throat, his ear. He watches Swiss' talented fingers trace his happy trail, dip into his navel and disappear up his shirt, and when Swiss rubs at his bare nipple Dew has to clap a hand over his mouth to hide his moan. "Shit, Swiss -"

It's muffled by his palm, and Dew's eyes dart around the parking lot as Swiss pulls away. Fixes him with hooded eyes and a crooked smile.

"Hm?" Swiss tugs both piercings at once and Dew shudders. "Something wrong?"

"You - oh - fuck, Swiss some...someone's gonna hear, someone's gonna - nngh - gonna see -"

"So?" The hand under his shirt runs ticklish trails down his belly, makes the muscles there jump. Swiss nibbles at his collarbone and Dew makes an embarrassing gurgling noise. "You like being watched and we both know it."

That may be true, but Dew thinks there's a difference between Mountain spying on him through a crack in the door and being fondled in a public parking lot with the windows down.

Swiss' hand finds his belt then, and Dew throbs.

"Fucker," he bites out as Swiss unbuckles him, other hand still expertly working his chest, and Dew flushes at the dark chuckle Swiss lets out.

"Maybe later," he croons, kissing the hinge of his jaw. "I got other plans for you right now."

Swiss wastes no time it getting his belt out of the way, quick to pop the button and tug down his zipper. Dew's narrow chest is heaving by the time Swiss hooks two fingers into the band of his boxer briefs. The other ghoul gives him a cruel smirk, snaps the band against his skin, and Dew sucks air through his teeth.

"Better keep it down, baby," Swiss speaks against his ear, liquid silk. "If you can, that is."

That hand worms its way into his underwear, slips down between his thighs, and Dew clenches his teeth so hard his jaw cracks.

"Mm, what's this?" Swiss glides the tip of one finger through his folds and Dew's thighs tense. "So slippery already. Just from this?"

Swiss tweaks his nipple, licks a nasty stripe below his ear, and Dew really has to work not to choke on his own tongue. His fat little dick throbs against Swiss' palm, and Swiss sounds absolutely thrilled about it.

"Oh, someone's excited," he teases, one thick finger prodding at his hole. "It's already tryin' to suck me in," Swiss sing-songs, and the little ghoul's shoulders sag.

Dew whimpers when he pushes the tip inside, clenching around an intrusion that feels far too good for how slight it is. He can't stop looking at everyone wandering the parking lot, trying to stay on high alert for the slightest hint of undue attention but struggling more and more with every passing second. Swiss wriggles that probing digit further inside, up to the second knuckle, and then there's sudden pressure on it front wall that has Dew's back arching off the seat.

"Fuck, fuck," he wheezes, hands flying to whatever he can reach - one paws at Swiss' shirt, the other gripping his forearm. Feeling the muscles shift as Swiss' finger works him open, groaning at the gentle stretch. "Oh you bastard."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, sweetheart," Swiss breathes, palming his stiff clit, and Dew's breath catches in his throat.

"Can't believe you're - oh shit, oh - fuck, can't believe I'm letting you - ah!"

Dew bites his lips shut as Swiss curls his finger just right, muting his cry and fighting to keep his eyes from rolling back. Clamps his thighs around that massive hand until Swiss chuckles in his ear, swirling that digit and making the little ghoul's eyes cross instead.

"You're so pretty like this," he rumbles, a second finger tracing around the first, spreading slick. "All shy. Makes you even tighter," Swiss tells him, and Dew clamps down even harder. Why is it so good? "Wish I could get you in my lap right now," his breath is so, so hot in Dew's ear. "Get you to sit on my cock and see how quiet you are then."

Dew shivers head to toe, legs spreading at the thought alone, and Swiss leaps at the opportunity. Pulls his first finger out only to slide back in with two, and there's no possible way he could stay silent through that. He turns his head just in time to sink his teeth into Swiss' shoulder, howling his pleasure into cotton and flesh, and Swiss groans right along with him.

"That's more like it," he praises, kissing the top of Dew’s head while he pants and shivers. "Gonna be a quick one, isn't it?"

Dew nods as best he can, moaning into Swiss' shirt when he rubs the heel of his hand in slow circles over his pulsing clit. Doesn't pull back until he's sure he can control himself, gasping when Swiss crooks his fingers but biting back the whine bubbling up in his throat.

"Y-yeah," he admits, thready. He can't be bothered to look out the window anymore, staring only at the bulge Swiss' hand makes in his jeans. "Fuck, just do it, fuckin' make me."

"Well, since you asked so nicely," Swiss lilts, one last taunt, and then the only sound filling the space around them is the wet squelch of skilled fingers plunging in and out of his tight little body.

It's perfect - the curve of Swiss' digits, the pressure against his sensitive little dick, the way Swiss rubs at that one spot inside that has Dew going boneless against Swiss' side. Huffing hot into his shirt, hair falling into his face and wafting in the breeze still flowing through the open windows. He can't stop grabbing at Swiss - his shirt, his arm, whatever he can reach. Skinny hips rolling against his palm in search of more, more, driving Swiss' fingers as deep as they'll go.

"C-close," he spits far too soon, every inch of him on fire and wound tight as a spring. Swiss gives his closes approximation of his usual purr, and Dew's thighs quiver. "Like...like that, just like that, shit -"

"Yeah?"

The hand still torturing his nipples stills, presses flat to Dew's chest. His fingers feel so perfect Dew can't handle it, on edge and covered in goosebumps.

"Give me a squeeze, baby," Swiss instructs, and Dew does. Clenches hard around those two wonderful digits and Swiss seems to predict the sound it'll drag from him, because the hand on his chest flies to cover Dew's mouth and catch his wail. "Fuck, that's my good boy," Swiss huffs, breathless in a way Dew adores even through his haze of pleasure. The other ghoul holds him close, keeps his mouth covered, and Dew scrabbles at the arm working him. "Now let me feel it cum for me."

Dew loses all sense of rhythm as Swiss curls his fingers one last time, hitting something that puts stars in his eyes and wrenches harsh moans from his throat, and with one perfect roll of Swiss' palm against his clit Dew's gone.

He's drooling against Swiss' palm when he comes down from the highest high, sweaty at his hairline and his cunt still snapping around Swiss' fingers. Holding him inside with the little ghoul rides out the aftershocks, breathing hard through his nose and blinking with one eye at a time. Swiss is muttering all sorts of nonsense into his hair, a litany of praise and wonderment that Dew cannot for the life of him understand but appreciates anyway.

Soon enough sensitivity sets in, and Dew hisses against Swiss' damp palm. Reaches up to peel his hand away with shaky fingers, squirming until Swiss gets the message and pulls out with care. There's a gush of warmth that follows, soaks into his briefs, and Dew heaves a sigh.

"Unholy shit," he slurs, collapsing back into his seat like a mound of jelly. "What the fuck, Swiss."

The other ghoul chuckles, and Dew rolls his neck just in time to watch Swiss pop his messy fingers into his mouth. Listens to Swiss suck them clean and groan at the taste of him.

"What?" He licks slick from his palm, exaggerated passes of his tongue that Dew finds himself fascinated by. "You said you wanted to get something outta this, right?" Dew blinks at him, brows scrunched together as he tried to make his brain work. "Just granting your wish, Sparky."

Swiss gives him a wink, and then he's leaning in for a quick kiss. Just a peck, really, before he's fastening Dew's jeans and putting his belt back into place. Smoothing his hair as best he can before he scoots back behind the wheel, lacing his fingers behind his head. Dew's fully back by the time he's done, very aware of their surroundings once more and ever so glad to see their activities seem to have gone unnoticed.

"Just in time, too," Swiss comments, nodding towards the store. Dew squits against the sun and sees the girls just leaving the building, Sunshine's arms full and Cumulus carrying what looks to be a single bag of chips. They're bumping into each other and giggling, Dew can tell even from across the lot, and his own smile curls into place.

"Damn," he laments, sitting up straighter. "Guess you'll have to wait 'til we get back for your turn, huh?"

He turns to give Swiss a playful wink, and finds Swiss looking...he isn't sure. Smug? Maybe? Hard to say.

"What's your problem?"

"Nothin'," he shrugs, eyes wrinkled at the corners. "Just find it funny that after so long you still don't know what you do to me."

Dew blinks as Swiss reaches over to grab his wrist, guiding to his crotch and -

"Oh no fuckin' way."

"Tell anyone and I won't eat you out for a month," Swiss threatens, but Dew's too busy enjoying the sizeable wet spot beneath his hand to care.

"We're ba-ack!" Cumulus calls once they're in earshot, and Dew gives Swiss a squeeze before he pulls back. Licks at his palm while Sunshine loads up the trunk, just to make the other ghoul suffer a little bit more. The back doors swing open and the girls slide inside. "You boys have fun without us?"

"Oh, Lus," Dew tells her, rifling through the cassettes in the glove box with the tang of Swiss still coating his tongue. "You have no idea."

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

also idk enough about music and how this works to explain it but there's a very specific way Pete Wentz plays bass and it's so fun to single out in a song and listen to it

[losticaruss]

chronicles of narnia: prince caspian will forever be a tragedy to me, especially in the way the movie presents it. it opens with peter, desperate to return to the respect he deserves (or thinks he deserves), a fully grown man trapped in this child's, this stranger's body, still adjusting to the life he'd long since forgotten. he gets into a fight because it's natural to him. don't they realize who is he is? not selfishly (a little bit selfishly) he expects people, his siblings, the crowd, to be with him in battle. it's another battle to him, and edmund, lovely edmund, young edmund, edmund who was 12 and on the verge of death, edmund who loves his siblings the most one could ever love your own blood, is in the fray with him, and they fall back into the rhythm they were used to back home- back in narnia, and lucy and susan are screaming at them to stop, and edmund and peter see the soldiers coming home from war, and all they wants is to go back with them, and they understand how these soldiers feel, shell-shocked and distant and they want to fall into line with them, but they're kids and they're fighting other kids, they're not undisciplined, they're unadjusted. nothing changed but so did everything.

and they hop on the train and none of the pevensies want to talk about what happened and they end back in narnia and they're finally back in narnia they're home on the beaches of their home and it's a joy so grand that there's nothing they can do but go back to being kids- again, and they find cair paraval, and everything's gone- and the chessboard that edmund loved, the chessboard he played on when he first beat peter, is gone, there's nothing left of it, and they fall through the ruins like ghosts. here's the dining hall, the ballroom. remember this, lu? it used to be your bed. do you remember when you were so homesick you begged me to stay with you until you fell asleep? do you remember the way the garden bloomed in the spring? and they fall naturally in step into the dais, empty, not even the familiar sound of their shoes clacking against the polished floor. everything's gone now, of course it is. they knew how time worked in narnia, but it didn't happen to them. how could it move on without them? and they make their way into the lower floors, peter naturally falls into the trait of the leader, hes the first to forget the world they came from, but edmund, clever edmund, desperate edmund, brings a torch. he doesn't say how he packed it in his bag every day, how he packed it and prayed that they'd return. and everything is still there, in that room. nothing prepares you for seeing statues of your face- not your face, but what will be your face, what used to be your face- cracked and covered in moss. their crowns are there. everything is there. peters sword returns to his side, and it's the first time he looks complete since they left narnia. and they adventure- how much had changed? the trees are so much taller. how long now had they been gone? it was natural for narnia to have moved on, but they were meant to move on with them. peter tries to bring his siblings through his usual shortcuts, through an overpass, far from the well-trod paths that had cropped up since theyd been gone. he can't have been abandoned by his home, not so soon.

but he was. and there's a kid here, claiming to be the new ruler of narnia. who is he? he looks so young, and susan is looking at him and he's... looking back? and the civilians are looking at this stranger, this kid, like he's supposed to know what to do. had he even fought a battle? he rubs his beard- and is blocked by the bare skin of his chin (of course it's not there. he forgot.) and peter wants to be the bigger person, he's the high king, that's how it should be. but there are all these emotions he hadn't felt before- he thought, not in narnia at least. and he doesn't want to be the bigger person, he finds. stop looking at him like he should know what to do! he stands up to take over- his people forgot about him. he left and they forgot. and he sizes up this child as he speaks- high king peter of narnia, he says. the magnificent. and there it is, he thinks. the familiar look, shock, awe and- confusion? that's a new one- but not incorrect, as he realizes his situation.

he wants to be recognized how he used to be. the pevensies have returned to what they were, the warrior, the archer, the diplomat, the healer. and this new one, the one who wanted to be all four at once so desperately it made ed look wise. and finally- finally he gets his chance to shine, where he belongs, on the field, against The Enemy. of course, not how he'd like it, not in broad daylight, sword and armor gleaming, but it was the smart move. and he's filled with these emotions- not dread, or worry (maybe a little worry), but excitement, and everything is pounding in his head and the adrenaline- he forgot how good it feels- and he leads the army, his army. he's the warrior, the high king, and for a night, the people remember, they remember the golden age. and ed is brilliant, and peter can't help but grin with glee as he sees him pull of a maneuver that pete knows took months of training.

and then the hoards come and they're losing- they can't be losing, this was his chance! he's right, he's the king this was his chance to show them. and he cries for a retreat but it's too late- he was a fool, he watches his army, the army who trusted him, he watched them be slaughtered against the gates that had sealed their fate. he watched the blood spray and stain the metal, oozing between the stone bricks and he just stares. and it's all he can do and he wants- what does he want? to say he's sorry? to save them?

no- no, nothing like that. he should be in there with them. he should be gutted like the rest of them (a hero's death, not this cowards life). he went in too fast, too proud, he knows that. but to have these innocents follow him in willingly, blindly, and he's the one to make it out? it's unforgivable.

and then he's given another chance. a fight- a duel, to the death. he leaves the arena a victor, or he dies a martyr, and everyone forgets his sins of the night of the ambush. and he fights the best he can, he loses his helmet, he's injured and he can hear death whistling it's grim tune, and he almost doesn't pick up his sword, and he sees edmund, lovely edmund, young edmund, with hope in his eyes- with faith in his eyes, and peter knows, he certainly doesn't deserve the life he's been longing for, but he picks up his sword because his little brother, his little brother who almost died, whom he loves with all his heart and so much more. and he accepts it. he realizes he won't get it back, his golden age, but he can fight for edmund, for narnia. and he fights. he fights and he fights and he fights.

and when it's over he breaths the sweet narnian air, and he clasps the hand of caspian, another brother, not a blood one, nor a narnian one, but one of a deeper connection, deeper than any love, and he sees susan smiling. the pevensies and caspian are celebrated like kings, and the pevensies help caspian, still a child, overwhelmed with all this love, they guide him through it, preparing for the many days in the future when parades and celebrations fill the streets, and the people adore their rulers- their king.

it's their last time, he tells the others. once they leave, him and susan can't return. there's more on the other side, the other world, another way to return to narnia, to Aslan, and he doesn't share the fear in his heart. another way, but not this way. not through his home, where he's surrounded by it, drenched in it. not the same not the same, never the same again. they could stay, of course, says a foolish side of him. but not, they couldn't, it's stupid to say so. his mother- had he forgotten his mother so soon? she would go mad with loss. his golden age, it's come and past, and narnia moved on without him, and he steps through to the train station, not to his home, (no. he can never go home again.) and susan follows him, and she grasps his hand, a look shared between the two of them that she understands. and peter, one last chance to be the bigger person, he sees her loss and he squeezes her hand back. edmund and lucy they think they understand, and they grasp their elder siblings hands, and it's comforting, but peter and susan know, they know they won't understand, not until it's their turn, they won't know how empty it is, how lonely it is in this world.

so yeah. it's a tragedy