#also making the avatars so easy to kill just humanizes them too much to me which i think is the opposite of what was trying to be done

[youmustfixyourheartt]

fucked up what happened to mike crew.

[cloudcountry]

the burdens of royalty

Genre/Tropes: Established relationship, MC and Diavolo are married.

Summary: the weight of both the devildom and the human world are on your shoulders. if it wasn't for diavolo, you would have given up a long time ago.

Author's Comments: diavolo has a very tough job. every time he said he adores mc or that one time he confessed his love to them i panicked because thats so much. its heavier than the brother's "i love you" because hes ROYALTY and its a lot of take in.

i also find myself thinking about what his affection means for mc in the long run. i mean, surely diavolo has suitors. there are obviously higher up demons like the brothers (and maddi, that one witch that pursued diavolo so aggressively it was...icky.) for diavolo to actually pursue mc, i can't imagine what would happen when those same demons figured that out. if they were to make their relationship official or even get married, mc would probably need a bodyguard 24/7 because demons are OBVIOUSLY not chill with humans (like every single brother threatening mc and especially belphegor, although his circumstances were different because they involved lilith.)

anyways i'll be quiet, i hope you enjoy C:

~~~~~

It wasn’t easy being you.

Your now husband would always tell you that being him wasn’t easy, but now that you share the burden of his position, does that not also apply to you?

It came as quite a shock to the entire Devildom the day your engagement was announced—to think, the Prince of the Devildom, marrying a human! The demon aristocracy would have had your head if they weren’t so terrified of Barbatos. You were called many things (a manipulator and a cheat being among your favorites. Really, the higher ups in demon society would know too much about manipulating their way up the social ladder.) It was like they could comprehend that you just wanted to be with the man you loved, and that race and position and titles meant absolutely nothing to do with it.

If nothing else, you suppose being human was the easiest thing they could target. It shielded Diavolo from most of the backlash, at any rate. The last thing you ever wanted was for the public to lose their trust in him (and never give his ideals for the three realms a chance.) The fact that he only wanted the best for them seemed to fly right over their heads, as if Diavolo was just as untrustworthy as you, the foreign soul from another realm.

You, now their ruler, too.

But that’s exactly why you had to clench your teeth and bear it, bear the shimmering dresses and horned guests and Barbatos breathing down your neck so nobody would even think of attacking you. Snide remarks about your clothing of choice were met with “my husband picked it out, actually,” comments about how delicious your flesh smelled were ignored but met with a stern glare from your bodyguard, greetings that sounded so fake and that were obviously meant to butter you up were laughed at just as falsely.

Is this what it meant to be a royal?

“I apologize, My Liege. This ball runs til midnight. I assure you that you may retire to your chambers once this is over.” Barbatos whispers, strategically whisking you away from a group of demonesses muttering to each other and staring at you.

“Thank you.” you try to smile, but it probably seems like more of a wince than anything, “My feet are killing me. And the guests are just as bad.”

He smiles back sympathetically, and although he isn’t touching you at all, you can still feel the warmth emanating from him. Though the Avatars of Sin fear him, Barbatos has always been nothing but kind to you. You wonder if it has something to do with Diavolo, or if he really is that cruel. You suppose it doesn’t matter, whether you’re naive or not, because the fact of the matter is that you have the man Barbatos is loyal to encased in an eternal matrimonial vow. There is no way Barbatos would attempt to harm you.

“I will run you and My Lord a bath once this event is over.” he promises, and you can only sigh with relief when you notice he’s lead you outside, were the amount of people is nowhere near what it is inside, “Do you have a preference for which aromatherapy scent I use?”

“Use whichever one Diavolo chooses.” you reply, knowing he’ll be just as tired.

Barbatos laughs, a sound so full of mirth it makes you happy, too.

“I am sorry if that was out of line, My Liege. I was just amused by the coincidence. My Lord said to select whichever scent you would like.” Barbatos chuckles.

You find yourself laughing too, despite how nasty the demons around you treat you every time you hold one of these balls. It’s so sweet and considerate and just so Diavolo. You wish you could hug him right now and thank him for always trying to be a better man for you. He doesn’t seem like he will ever realize that he’s enough already, which simultaneously warms and breaks your heart.

He really thinks too highly of you. You’re not that special.

Barbatos leads you to a bench and gestures for you to sit. You do so without complaint, and before you can say anything he’s on his knees and massaging your calves. You feel yourself heating up in the face (because you still feel like he shouldn’t be doing these things for you), but you’ve learned a while ago that he takes pleasure in serving people. So you let him do his thing.

Part of your flustered state is also embarrassment, and despite your best efforts you cannot stop your eyes from darting around the gardens to check if anyone is paying attention to you. Thankfully, they all seem enraptured by an illusionist hired for the event who’s stationed in front of the grandiose fountain. He keeps making wispy demonic figures swallow running humanoid figures whole.

You’re used to this.

Another servant comes by, one by the name of Marie Anne. You know her well. Diavolo has always been very kind to her, offering her a life away from the downright cruel aristocratic family she had before. You don’t know the details, and you don’t ask. It’s not your place.

The demoness curtsies and smiles, offering you a bubbling glass of Demonus. It can’t get you drunk, but it can be refreshing. You take it and thank her. Her cheeks turn pink and she curtsies again before scurrying towards the crowd of demons watching the illusionist.

It’s funny how some demons could be so kind and others so nasty. There were many similarities that they have with humans, whether they wanted to admit it or not.

You tell Barbatos that he can stop now, and he halts his motions and stands up immediately. You’re still not used to being pampered in such a way, so you thank him. He only smiles and tells you it’s not necessary.

“I believe this is why the servants are taking a quick liking to you.” he muses, “I hardly think they would be this receptive if My Lord had married a witch or a member of the aristocracy.”

“You really think so?” you say, feeling your cheeks burn again from the praise, “I…I’m not doing anything special.”

“A simple thank you goes a long way, My Liege.” he hums, a content smile on his face as he stands beside you.

You suppose he’s right. After all, you’ve only heard (and seen, you think bitterly) terrible things about the aristocracy. They’re rude and impatient and only ever think about themselves when it comes to policies that affect the entire Devildom. If they didn’t fear Diavolo so much they surely would have attempted to overthrow him by now.

Too bad, you think smugly, staring at the insolent illusionist again as he makes a smokey human child scream at a demonic creature emerging from an equally smokey closet, He would destroy all of you if you even tried.

You feel immature for the thought only seconds later. You’re a ruler. You need to get your act together—you can’t be just as bad as them.

“My Liege, it’s almost time for the first official dance of the night.” Barbatos bows to you, swooping his hand gracefully towards the ballroom, “Would you like to reconvene with My Lord?”

“Please. I thought I would never get to see him tonight.” you groan, attempting to walk off the slight cramp in your calf as you follow Barbatos back into the fray.

The second your shoes hit the shiny flooring and make that click clack sound, there are shimmering eyes drawn to your form. They snap away as soon as they look, though, and whether it’s disgust or fear of Barbatos you don’t know. It doesn’t matter though, because finally you’ll get to see your beloved after he’s been mingling with the aristocracy all night. It isn’t hard to find him either, because amidst all the other clumps of beautiful demons you can clearly see an even bigger clump closer to the center.

You don’t even have to mumble awkward ”excuse me’s” as they all step aside for you (mostly for Barbatos though, as he’s leading the way and they’ve already made it plenty clear that they do not respect you) and before you know it, you’re standing in front of your beaming husband and a rather disgruntled Lucifer. He looks about as comfortable as you do in your formal wear, though he doesn’t show it. It’s too bad you know him well enough to see past his facade and pick up on all his little mannerisms he would never allow anyone else to see.

You spare him the teasing right now.

You try not to feel self conscious as you take your place by Diavolo’s side, a soft giggle leaving the lips of the demon you kiss goodnight every evening.

“Hello, my dear.” he whispers in your ear, stooping down to kiss your hand, “I’m pleased to see that you’re well. Have you been enjoying the festivities?”

Lie. Lie until you’re alone with him and can finally be yourself again.

“Yes, it's been lovely.” you lie through your teeth, a single drop of sweat sliding down the back of your neck as hundreds of pairs of eyes bore into you, “Barbatos has been most helpful. I’m incredibly thankful for him.”

Diavolo lights up like a little puppy dog at the mention of his butler’s name, and lets another loud laugh escape him. Despite his cheerful demeanor, you can still feel the hateful glares being directed your way. In the periphery of your vision, you can see Lucifer glaring right back at the demons behind you, and that gesture alone warms your heart. You are safe with these demons. Things will get better.

Even if better is in a few hours, when you and Diavolo will be in bed and he’ll spoon you and hold you tightly and whisper words of love and affection into your ear until you fall asleep. You discovered his habit for sleepy rambling relatively quickly after the wedding, and eventually you couldn’t sleep without it. If it wasn’t for his love, you surely never would have gotten this far with interrealm relations. If it had been anyone else, you would’ve given up.

Diavolo was the definition of shoot for the stars. He truly was an amazing demon.

“My dear.” he coos, eyes crinkling at the edges as he smiles that cheesy grin you know all too well and love far too much, “May I have this dance?”

He stretches a hand out for you to take, a symbol of how you two are bridging two realms together. Some of the people here tonight may think that’s the reason you two are doing this, that it's a diplomatic display to marry each other, but they’d be wrong. You know Diavolo isn’t the type to do something like that.

It’s like the demons in this palace tonight can’t understand that you two just love each other, and that's that.

And so you take his hand.

He sighs, a blissful sound that you know only you can produce from him, and sweeps you across the dance floor. His hand on your lower back is firm and unyielding, but it’s not possessive. Even when you were still living with the demon brothers, he never once overstepped any bounds.

Part of you wished he did.

It wasn’t just him that had wanted you two to spend time together.

You suppose that doesn’t matter anymore, not when his grip is so sure, not when his heartbeat is pounding in your ears as you rest your head against him, not when the demons and demonesses are moving out of your way. You know the respect is short lived and that they are only doing this for Diavolo, but that doesn’t stop you from enjoying it for now. Moments where a demon steps aside for a human are few and far between, but with you and Diavolo working together, you hope it will become more common.

“I love you.” you whisper to him, the words quiet enough so that only you two can hear them. You aren’t ready to declare such a vulnerable thing on your own, not when these demons have the strength to rip you apart.

And so Diavolo helps you, just as he always does.

“I love you more than anything.” he declares, his voice as loud as a blaring trumpet, a sharp contrast to your softness. You feel your face begin to burn, especially when you hear a murmur ripple through the crowd, but you cannot stop the wobbly smile on your face.

“Disgusting.”

“A human? Really? How will they rule us?”

“It would have been better if we stayed with our own kind.”

“What is Lord Diavolo doing?”

The ballroom begins to buzz and you feel yourself growing less and less sure of yourself. There are tears pricking your eyes, but you will them away. You cannot let them win.

And then, you see Diavolo’s form ripple. Wings sprout from his back and horns protrude from his head and there’s an uncharacteristically stern glare on his face as he fixes his malice at who you can only assume are the perpetrators.

You feel safe.

Maybe it’s a farce.

Maybe it’s make believe.

Maybe it’s temporary.

But Diavolo’s dream is possible, and you believe in him.

You just need to endure the burdens of royalty for him—the burdens he’s been bearing by himself for far too long.

[teyamsatan]

Illicit Affairs | Chapter VIII: My Tears Ricochet

Pairing: Neteyam x Human/Avatar!Reader

Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter IX Chapter X

Synopsis: All secrets are revealed and both you and Neteyam have to live with the consequences of your actions.

Warnings: pure angst, mentions of death, mental illness, addiction, self-injury, limited mentions of Y/N, did i mention angst, angst and more angst?

Word Count: 10,3k words (the first couple chapters were 3k, how did we get here??!)

A/N: This chapter killed me a little inside. I cried multiple times writing it, so I guess fair warning. I wanted really badly to build strong, round characters who had flaws and strengths and strong reasoning for acting a certain way/doing certain things. I wanted to write this story from both character's perspective, so it is clear that in life, each person will think they are right, that their reasoning was the correct one, when in reality, we are all a little right and a little wrong in everything we do, and it is always worth trying to see things from the other's perspective. We are coming towards the end of this first series, so I hope you enjoy this chapter and the rest of this journey. As always, thank you so much for everyone who engaged with it, I loved reading ALL of your comments and replies, they really make my day.

(Also, I feel like I am playing my own little game of "how many Taylor Swift and OG Avatar lyrics/quotes/references I can reasonably fit in a story without it being obnoxious" and I can't tell if I'm winning or not.)

I didn't have it in myself to go with grace Cause when I'd fight, you used to tell me I was brave And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I stayed Look at how my tears ricochet

You registered the girl asking you if you were alright, but you couldn’t see in front of you, the entire room spinning like the inside of a mirrorball. You felt your body rise from where it was sat next to Neteyam’s, and shakily made your way out. Neteyam’s mate. Neteyam’s mate was next to you, asking you if you need help. It all got too much, and you lunged your body forwards and threw up on the ground next to your tent. You were panting, trying to somehow get a grasp on your mind and push the hurt aside, enough so you can see and hear the world around you.

“I’m fine. Thank you.” you manage to blurt out weakly.

You heard more commotion, and faintly made out Jake’s voice and his arm on your shoulder, trying to bring you back to them.

“Neteyam, what the hell happened?”

You didn’t hear Neteyam speak. He was quiet and you were glad. You didn’t want to hear his voice, not now, and not for the rest of your life.

The world came back to focus eventually, and you spit aggressively trying to get rid of the taste of acid in your mouth. You removed Jake’s hand from your back, and left. The thought of speaking or even looking at any of them was too much to bear. You ran, harder than you ever had before, back to where you just came from, the Ikran nest in the village. You immediately recognised your own, beautiful, gold and white, pure, unlike the rest of this world. Neyn (light colours, shades of white)… fitting name, you thought. You made the tsaheylu quickly, and without a second thought, took off.

FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF STAGE III: DEPRESSION

You had no thoughts as you flew above the forest and made your way towards the general direction of the Hallelujah mountains. You realised you didn’t know where you were going, you didn’t know how you were going to find your way back, but it didn’t matter. Were you even going to ever return? There were no tears, no sadness, just emptiness. The pieces of your heart broke so finely they turned into dust, blown away in the wind of the night. Eventually you found the mountains, easy enough to spot, even in the darkness, the fluorescent flora marking the territory with an easy-to-see glow. You flew like this, for enough time that your lungs were running out of breath and your skin felt battered by the wind, but you kept going. You felt so free, so weightless. There was a calmness to your thoughts that you haven’t felt in years, probably since your mother died.

You saw a distant mountain that looked brighter than the others, and you made your way to it and were amazed to find a little cave in it, bright and colourful, a little piece of heaven on a planet that was heaven in and of itself. Neyn landed softly on the edge of the mountain and you dismounted effortlessly and approached her head, giving her pets on her neck, to which she cooed gently. She was the only friend you had, you realise. You were all alone.

“Neteyam, what happened?”

Neteyam was dragged in the tent by his dad, who was fuming. No matter what feelings his dad was feeling, they couldn’t compare to Neteyam’s anguish and terror. Why the hell was she there? She just had to wait another couple of hours and this would have never happened.

“She was patching my wound up when Tiongli came in the tent, announcing to the world she is my mate. Said mother told her about my injury.”

“Don’t you dare blame this on your mother, boy.” the Sully patriarch’s nose was flared, eyes looking at him intensely with anger and disappointment. Neteyam’s eyes filled with tears, and he felt his heart hurting so much like the gash was there instead of his arm.

“I was going to tell her tonight, dad. After dinner. I was going to tell her everything, and I was going to ask her to be my mate. I was going to come to you both and ask you to undo the engagement. I understand that a year and a half ago I gave up on her, I did it for a reason, I thought there was no future for us, and that we were hurting each other. But things have changed. She has changed. She’s going to be one of the people soon and I want her to be mine.”

“Neteyam, you can’t undo the engagement. You have known Tiongli your whole life, her family’s been expecting this since you were both young. You gave your word before Eywa, son.”

“I love her, dad. Do you understand that? I have loved her all of my life. It killed me having to leave, it killed me knowing there was no future, because she was human. But she’s not just human anymore. I was willing to go through with this for the sake of the village, for the sake of the family and the future, but if there is any chance I can have the love of my life by my side, instead, I will cling on to it for dear life. Mother was betrothed to uncle Tsu’tey, and she gave that up for you. It was done before Eywa, and she didn’t care. Because she loved you and she knew that was enough. She gave up being Tsahik, her birth right, so she can have you. I will not give up on her, dad. Mother wouldn’t have given up on you.”

“I have to find her. I have to make this right.”

You were sprawled on your back, feeling goosebumps form along your limbs from the cold grass. You were staring at the sky, noticing the bright stars you now knew were actually bright death sentences, each of them beautiful and devastating. Will you even still be alive when they come? Will everything you have gone through these few months matter? Will everything you have gone through in this life matter? All the pain, and the hurt, and the grief, just so you can die at 18 from a virus. The universe was cruel, you thought. It was a fitting end, though. Meaningless and daft, like your entire life was. Born on a planet you were not made to be able to survive on, your real planet a long-forsaken dream you will never experience for yourself, surrounded by nature that could kill you in an instant. Alone, never fitting anywhere, orphaned by human diseases: cancer and greed. Left to fend for yourself when you were just ten, learning to navigate a life that only seemed to want to clobber you to the ground whenever you thought you finally could stand up again.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel, not anymore. You wanted to fight for something, for the chance at life, or at retribution, or at love. You were dying and Neteyam killed whatever hope remained in you. They all did. Norm, Max, Jake, Neytiri, Lo’ak, Kiri, Spider, all accomplices, all aware, all willing to lie to your face for weeks with no remorse. You thought you were good at spotting liars, now you just knew how little you knew about everything.

The pain in your soul mirrored the one in your body, as you felt the morphine wearing off and your human body struggling to keep the mind steady for the link. You had to bear it, because this pain was more manageable than the one you knew waited for you in your human form, when you would be alone in a dark room with only your nightmares to keep you company.

With a sigh and a peer up at the sky, you hoped whatever comes after death was better than the hell you’ve lived in the majority of this life.

Neteyam waited the whole night in your tent, waited for you to come back, becoming increasingly worried as the hours passed and you didn’t show. He wanted to go and look for you, but knew that as soon as you got on your ikran, the chances of finding you were thin. He would go to the lab as soon as dawn broke, but for now, he was praying that you would just burst through the tent opening so he can talk you down.

He fucked up, badly. He cringed at the thought of how much he seemed to not be able to get anything right when it comes to you. Everything he did or didn’t do ended up hurting you more, the only thing he didn’t want, the only thing in the world he continuously tried to avoid.

He was consoled by the fact that he would have a lifetime to make it up to you. He will not give up trying, no matter how long, no matter how hard, he was determined to win you back and keep you, forever.

As you made it back to your human body in the early hours of the morning, you regretted waiting so long, as your body was in indescribable agony, the likes with which you didn’t know was possible for the human body to ever experience. Your heart was beating a mile a minute, you were sweating bullets and every bone and muscle in your body throbbed with enough intensity to make it almost impossible for you to get up from the pod. Everyone must be asleep at this hour, you thought. You had to make it to your bed, you had to get at least a couple of hours of rest if you were going to live to see another day. As if you were taking the Iknimaya again, you made your way form the lab to the medical ward and injected another dose of the morphine in your system. There was no going back now, you were too far down the rabbit hole to stop and why put yourself through more unnecessary pain when this will all be over in a few days anyway?

You crashed in your room for a few hours and quickly made your way back to the pod before anyone else was there to talk to. You started the linkpod by yourself and got in without hesitation.

Waking up in your Avatar body was a strange experience, as you were still in the Hallelujah mountains where you fell asleep last night. Neyn did not leave you, you noted, and she was peacefully resting next to you, cooing softly in her sleep.

“Hey, beautiful girl. Time to go back. It would be useful if you knew the way.” you pet her gently, trying not to disturb her. She woke up and pushed her snoot in your chest, and you felt it swell for this animal that you had an unbreakable bond with; you were grateful you had done the Iknimaya and at least gained a life companion from that horrible day.

As suspected, Neyn knew where to take you, and in about an hour you made it back to the village. You dreaded it, dreaded the inevitable interaction, but you knew you had to go back at some point and inform them of your whereabouts.

It was still early, so the village wasn’t quite bustling with energy yet. You quietly made it back to your tent, which you found empty. You grabbed your bow and arrows, knife and gun and a couple extra magazines. You didn’t know if you were going to be back. As you were making your way out, your head bumped into a large, muscular chest.

Fuck.

“Where the hell were you all night, kid? None of us slept a wink last night worrying.”

“Out.”

“What the hell do you mean out? Out where? You leave without telling, you don’t come back the whole night, do you have a fucking death wish?”

You laughed at the irony of his words. He caught your arm as you were walking away and pulled you back forcefully so you can face him.

“You are not going anywhere.”

“Let go.” Jake raised a brow at your words. He was not used to being spoken this way, you realise.

“How long?”

His grasp on you loosened, and his gaze softened when you peered up at him through eyelashes to which tears clung.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Kid…”

“How fucking long, Jake?”

He let go of your arm at your curse, which had never been directed at him before.

“Watch your tone, kid.”

“You made me feel like shit for learning to shoot guns without you. It made you feel bad, right? Knowing I purposefully left you out of something you could have been useful at, something we could have bonded over? I hurt you, by pushing you and Neytiri away for so many years, and I am sorry for that, but you have never, in your life, tried to understand me. So you gave me shit about something you didn’t understand, and I hurt so much inside at the thought of all I gave away by my reluctance to trust, to love, to let people in. So I changed. I let you in. I was here, everyday, acting like a perfect little daughter for you, the daughter I knew you wanted. Strong, capable, skilled. I let Neytiri in. I started calling her mum in my dreams, and although the guilt for my own mother gnawed at my insides silently, I was also relived, to finally have a family again, or for the first time.

You made me love you and break down these carefully constructed walls so you can be comfortable and sleep well at night for not breaking your promise my mum, and then you fucking stabbed me in the back.

I trusted you, Jake. You fucking lied to my face for months. Every time I asked where Neteyam was at dinners and you told me he was practicing, every day you plotted to get me out of the village as early morning as humanly possible and get me back after everyone else was fast asleep, I knew it in my heart you were lying, but you were all so good at it, I thought I was going crazy. But no, it was all a carefully planned ruse to not find out you made me come here and be part of the people just to watch the man I love belong to someone else without even a chance to decide for myself how to feel about it.”

The fight brought out the rest of the Sully family out of their tent, and they were all watching you now, concern and sadness displayed across their beautiful faces.

“You all lied to me. Looked me in the fucking eyes and lied to me, every day, multiple times a day. You were supposed to be my family.

The humans are coming. I will be here. I will stand and fight, you know I will. I will be your little soldier, and be who you made me into.

But I want to make this perfectly clear. As far as I am concerned, you and I, we are done. I am done.” You looked at every Sully one last time, and left.

You were no longer delightfully numb, but burning with anger and earth-shattering sorrow as you stalked away from the village, leaving everything behind. Your eyes were blurry with endless tears, mourning this life and this family that you managed to gain and lose within the span of a few weeks, reeling from the wounds within your heart that never had a chance to mend before being opened again, over and over. You didn’t want to go back to the lab, knowing Neteyam was most likely looking for you there. You couldn’t go to the clearing for the same reason. You had no home anymore, no place in this world, once again. You could only think of one place to go, one place where no one would ever look for you.

Your knees were shaking furiously as you walked, and you were scared of another flashback that you would have to ride out by yourself, but it never came. You just walked, crying and panting from all the pain the last 24 hours brought, and eventually you made it to a place you never thought you would ever see again. The clearing looked peaceful, with rays of light penetrating through tree branches, creating Mandalas on the ground that you found yourself tracing with your eyes.

In the corner, lay a decrepit exo suit, and you made your way to it, settling on the ground next to it. You knew now this exo suit belonged to your dad, and you removed some vines that grew on top of his name, Gideon Barlowe. A beautiful name, you thought, and your mind wandered to the past, a past way before you were even born, and wondered what your grandparents did back on Earth. Did they encourage their son to leave his own planet in pursuit of planetary colonisation, monetary gain and murderous acts? Did they know? Did he know? Was he like that his whole life, or did he start off fighting the good fight, and was corrupted by the jagged and monstrous lifestyle? You wondered if this was what he has always dreamt of doing, or he had secret dreams of being a painter, or a gardener. Did he play guitar, too? You snored sometimes, did you get that from him? You had so many questions for this man you shared half your DNA with, but have never met. For the man that died on a planet far away from home, alone, with no one to mourn him.

Was that going to be you? Would Neteyam remember you in 20 years, when he would tell stories about his childhood to his kids, when he remembered the good old times? Would you get a Na’vi send off? Or were you going to be buried somewhere in the forest, for someone to stumble upon in a distant future you would no longer be a part of?

Sobbing uncontrollably, you heard yourself speak in between wails. “Why am I here? Great Mother, please tell me there is more to this life, there is more to life than this, because I cannot do this anymore. I am so tired. I have tried to keep going my whole life, even when I wanted nothing more than to cease to exist, blissfully collapse in an ether where I didn’t have to feel anything anymore. I kept going because I wanted to make my mum proud, I wanted to honour the body and life she has given me. I am trying so hard, but I am really fucking tired.”

A little past eclipse, you arrived at the lab, and used the keycard you remembered to bring with you. You hoped Neteyam would be gone by now, in case he was trying to find you here. You made your way through the hub and into your bedroom, which looked tiny in your Avatar body. You realise how uncomfortable it must have been for him to be here so often, then cursed your brain for making you think about such things. Your Avatar body needed a bed, so you walked slowly to where the other Avatar bodies usually were laid to rest for the night. There should be an empty space where your mum or Grace used to sleep. It didn’t take long for you to wake up back in the linkpod, as with most nights recently, you were barely able to maintain the neurolink by the time evening came.

Max was waiting for you. “Neteyam came by. He’s been looking for you, said you left the village yesterday and didn’t come back. He was worried sick.”

You didn’t answer him, as you slowly got out of the pod and tried to steady your feet on the ground, harder than it seemed when the entire room was spinning around you.

“What happened?”

“The mate you all hid from me for weeks came announcing herself in my tent as we were just about to kiss.”

“Any other questions?”

You didn’t wait for a response before you made your way out of the room, stalking towards the medical ward.

As you retired to your room for the night, you noted the morphine was not working as well as used to anymore. You sat on the bed, looking at the arm that was getting blue at the amount of needle holes it had, and you knew then you didn’t have much time left. Maybe a couple of days. A couple more days of this. And then it would finally be over. You gave it a fair shot, this life thing. You couldn’t say you felt particularly sad at the thought of it ending. You pressed play on your vintage record player and let yourself sleep.

“Even on my worst day, did I deserve, babe, all the hell you gave me?

'Cause I loved you, I swear I loved you, til my dying day”

You spent the next 2 days in a haze, drugged out of your mind, waking up before eclipse and leaving to your dad’s grave and sleeping in the woods until the night, barely able to make it on your own two feet. Even in your human body, Neyn recognised you, and stood by you, which gave you some peace of mind. You made sure to bring her fruits from the lab, and she cooed warmly as she settled next to you.

When you made your way back that night, Norm was waiting.

“Where the hell have you been? Everyone’s been looking for you for 3 fucking days.”

You removed your oxygen mask and made your way to the room, where he followed you. You were in so much pain you couldn’t see straight.

“I am talking to you!” he took you by your arm and spun you around. The motion made you instantly sick, and you struggled to keep down the fruits you shared with your ikran.

“Let go of me, Norm.” you had no strength in your body anymore, so it took you awhile to shake him off.

“You look like shit. What did you do?”

You managed to make it to the bathroom, where you shut the door behind you and got in the shower. Fortunately, for you or him, you couldn’t tell, Norm was gone when you came out.

The next morning, you woke up desperately searching for pain relief and didn’t know if you were going to be able to make it to the ward before your knees would collapse on themselves. You were shaking and dizzy, out of your mind with agony and walking to the bathroom felt like the most intensive workout you have ever done. You peered up at yourself in the mirror and were scared at the eyes watching you, rabid and wild, like an injured animal waiting to lash out. It was too much for you to bear, and before you could even think or rationalise, you felt your fingers curl into a fist and make contact with the cold glass of the mirror, shattering in dozens of pieces, and it made you weirdly happy to have a visual representation of how your soul felt. The instant pain of the all the wounds the smash caused also gave you a weird sense of euphoria, and you realised it was taking away from the pain in the rest of the body, which was only able to focus on one agonising sensation at a time. This felt like a kiss by comparison, and you knew then you could go on a little longer, you could continue with the rest of the day.

Norm came bursting through the door at the loud crash.

“What the hell happened? Are you okay?”

You came out of your bathroom, blood dripping all over the floor as you made your way to the bed, sitting down on it.

“Leave, Norm.”

“What?”

“Leave.”

“What the hell has gotten into you recently. you are rude and brash, and you hurt people’s feelings with no remorse. This isn’t you.”

“What the hell do you know about me, Norm?” you say, laughing bitterly.

“Ace, stop.”

“You don’t know anything, Norm.” you kept going, the fury and hurt getting the best of you, once again, your need to destroy everything in your path as a way to cope with your own heartbreak winning by a landslide.     

“Did you know I have needed pills to sleep and to live a normal day-to-day life since I was 13? I have been slowly depleting our sleeping pill and benzodiazepines inventory and replacing it with multivitamin pills I found in one of the drawers. I mean thank God none of you suffer from anxiety or panic disorder or need help sleeping cause I would have been busted so long ago.”

You laughed mockingly at his shocked face, jaw so close the floor now you could trip on it on your way out.

“Did you know I am about a week and a half away from dying after I accidentally smashed a vial of infected blood and got it in my mouth?”

You stand corrected, you think now his jaw was close enough to the floor to trip on it.

“Did you know I have upgraded from a pill addiction to a full blown opioid addiction in order to not collapse on the floor in excruciating pain because of the way this virus is eating at my insides? Yeah, yeah, that’s right. We’re almost out of a whole vial of morphine after I injected it in my veins every day for a while now.”

He had no words. “That’s about right.”

“I do know one thing you do know, though. You know that Neteyam had his mate announcement ceremony that day I took off. You were there to see the two love birds announce their love and pledge their commitment to each other the one day I was not there. And that’s why you were acting shifty. You know about that. And somehow you forgot to tell me, every day, for weeks. How does that work out, Norm, hmm?”

“I felt so bad for snapping at you a couple of days ago. I felt like a horrible fucking person for hurting your feelings. I should have been watching my back, instead.”

You got up from your bed and started walking towards the door.

“If I were you I would not linger in a room with poisoned blood dripping on the floor for too long.”

You found some paper towels at the side of your bed and wrapped them around your bleeding, pained hand, and with that, you left.

After you upped the morphine you usually took, you went to the lab and prepped a hood for some more experiments. Work was a good way to get your mind off things, to mindlessly do something that had a purpose other than driving you to the brink of insanity.

You heard a loud banging noise coming from the entrance, and you had a sneaking suspicion you knew who it was. You heard Norm open the door.

“Is she here?”

“Yeah, but Neteyam, I think you should go. She’s not in a good place, and I really don’t think doing this will end well for either of you.”

“I don’t care, I have to talk to her, I have been looking for her for 3 fucking days.”

You heard the door to the lab slide open and hissed at the man you knew would be trying to come in, realising hissing in a human body doesn’t have nearly the same effect.

“Get the fuck out, Neteyam. This is a sterile room.”

“I don’t fucking care about the room, Atan. Where the fuck have you been? Please come out so we can talk.”

You threw your head back and laughed, really laughed.

“You really are delusional if you think there is any way in heaven and hell I would want to hear anything you have got to say. The time for talking was a couple months ago, Neteyam. The time for talking was the first day I got my Avatar body, where in addendum to telling me you own my ass now, you could have also sprinkled in the fact your are now mated with someone else.”

“I am not mated with anyone, for fuck’s sake. Just come out so we can talk, please. I will explain everything, please!”

You stopped what you were doing and looked at him, for the first time since that day. He looked exhausted, anguished. Deep purple bags under his eyes, that were burning red where the whites should be. He has been crying. Good, you thought. He looked panicked and miserable and desperate for you to give him the time of day, for you to allow him to explain the unexplainable.

You sighed and your heart constricted in pain. Neteyam will not be happy until there was nothing left of you, until he took everything from you. At the same time, you were curious, morbidly curious as to what has actually happened, what led to this moment. You knew he loved you. You knew that much, but it didn’t seem to matter in this moment, as he broke your heart for what felt like the thousandth time in your short life.

“Go to the clearing, I’ll come when I’m ready.”

You half considered just leaving him there to wait, abandoning him just he did to you. You finished splitting your cells and treating them, and in about an hour, you went into the linkpod and took your Avatar for a walk in the woods. You reached the clearing shortly, as it was close enough that even child you could do it without getting too far away from the building.

You saw him standing there, his back turned to you and his legs submerged in the river that was rushing violently downstream. It was a cold day, and rain was trickling down your body like shivers from a kiss. There was tension in the air, and you knew a storm was coming. You could practically feel the charge in the atmosphere, and were expecting thunder to start any minute now, ready to mirror the agony in your soul.

“I’m here.”

He didn’t speak for a while. Just stood looking at the river, deep in thought.

“So many of our moments throughout the years happened here. Remember when I taught you to swim in the river? Now, in retrospective, that was a bad idea since the water kept taking you away, to the point I had to wait at the end so I could catch you in my arms, like you were a baby.”

You winced at the memory.  You thought you could do this. You felt numb in that lab, numb on the way here, but as soon as your eyes focused on him, tears starting pooling in your eyes and pain overtook your body, that you tried to counteract by wrapping your arms tightly around yourself. He’s caused you so much hurt, so much grief in the years he’s known you. But he was also at the forefront of most of your happiest memories. You could fill endless manuscripts with the beauty of his love, that shone so brightly over you your whole life. He was the light in all the darkness and you honestly didn’t think you would have survived this journey without him.

That is why this hurt so much, why your body was convulsing on itself in insurmountable grief. And also why you owed him this much. Owed him this conversation, and the right to explain his point of view, that you were still unfamiliar with.

“I remember. I remember even at the time, thinking this was a good metaphor for our relationship. Life kept sweeping me off my feet, but you were always there to catch me, before it could take me away. I had so much faith in you back then, you were a fact of life, like the eclipse. You were the one person in this world I thought would never hurt me.”

“Fuck, Y/N, all I did before I left is hurt you.”

“What are you talking about?” You were confused at the turn this conversation took. What did he mean? You couldn’t recall a single time Neteyam hurt you before you left. Sure, you would fight and bicker sometimes, but it was a normal part of any relationship, you thought. And he always made it up to you, would always come to the lab and sit with you with flowers he collected or trinkets he found in the woods, always holding you and kissing your forehead to make sure you were over it before he had to leave. Fighting with him was ironically one of your favourite things, because you knew the aftermath was the closest you ever felt to being in heaven.

“I almost fucking killed you. Or have you forgotten? Have you forgotten how I manipulated you into getting on top of an ikran when you were just a 13 year old human and almost watched you die? Have you forgotten I took you to the woods and raced you to your dad’s remains? I was a walking magnet for disasters in your life and I was tired, so fucking tired of watching your life fall apart all around me. I had to watch you learn to walk again, limp because of my actions, for years. I had to pull you out of flashbacks and nightmares you developed because of ME. You were always fine in the woods with Lo’ak or Kiri, but everything bad that has happened to you happened around me.”

He was crying, panting and angry, at himself or you or the universe, you couldn’t tell.

“I thought that if I left, you would be ok. I just wanted to protect you. My whole life, all I have wanted was for you to be ok. But it seems no matter what I do, I keep fucking up.”

You had no words to speak as you lay there, listening to him letting you in to a secret you have spent so many months agonising over. The reason for his departure haunted you for a year and a half, even when you refused to think about him, about it, it was there, constantly emerging from the depths of your subconsciousness, taunting you in your dreams. Why? Why? Why?

Because he wanted to protect you?

You didn’t have time to process all of this new information, before he continued.

“The night you found your dad, I was shaken to my core, in a way I have never truly been before. I was so heartbroken, for you and for myself, for knowing this will haunt you for the rest of your life. I went home and mother found me, and told me that maybe I can’t help you in the way I’ve always wanted. That maybe it’s better for you that I remove myself for a while and leave you room to breathe and heal. So I did. It took me a long time to get the strength to do it. Every time I thought today is the day, I would see you and you would smile at me, and we would sit on your bed and you would read to me or play me songs or just be there, just you and me, and I couldn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. You were everything to me, my light in all the darkness.

A year later, you sang me the song and you were smiling at me singing it, and I knew you were confessing feelings we have both felt for years and couldn’t say out loud. And I knew that if I stayed, whatever we had would escalate past the point of no return. If I stayed, that would be it. And that’s when I decided. I thought I was doing us both a favour. I knew it would hurt you, just as much as it hurt me, but I thought the pain would subside in time.”

You were crying now, you realised, tears falling silently and effortlessly down your face, with no intention to ever stop, instantly washed away by the pouring rain. There were no sounds, no sobs or wails, or panted breaths, just the sounds of rain and hopeless, soft cries and muffled sniffles, for the man in front of you, for all that you have lost, for the past you shared and the future that you would never have.

He got up from where he stood and turned around to face you. He walked towards you until he was so close to you could feel his breath on your face. His stare made goosebumps appear on your entire body, so earnest and desperate, so full of intensity for the words he was trying to convey to you.

“It didn’t.” He said, at the same time you thought the same words in your mind.

“A few years ago, mother and father told me I would one day have to find a mate. They knew and I knew it was expected of me, but I always put it off, so they eventually dropped it. I learnt later they both knew about us, so they didn’t push me into anything until they felt I was ready. A few months after they realised I decided to leave, they started bringing it up again. I didn’t want to hear it, but they said it was time, as I had refused for years longer than what was acceptable in the clan. I met with so many girls, all from good families, all healers in training, all wrong. Beautiful girls, smart girls, skilled healers and singers, and it was like looking at the grey walls of your lab. I felt nothing, I felt sick just thinking about it, like just the thought would be betraying the memory of our bond. Eventually, I told them they can decide. Grandma can decide whatever she thinks is best, and, as Tsahik, I would listen to her voice and wisdom, and do my duty to the clan. She chose Tiongli. I knew her growing up, and we were friendly, so I tried to make an effort. I would go to her tent, and she would show me her training sometimes, I would let her heal my wounds and imagined it was your hands touching me instead. I visited her family and paid my respects, and had dinner with them whenever they invited me. I hoped in time, I could learn to care for her, to lessen the distaste in my mouth whenever my family or the clan talked about the future, about the ceremony, about the life I was supposed to lead that I hated even the thought of.

And then, one day, my dad sent me to get Lo’ak from the lab. I was so scared of knowing I would have to see you again. It had been so long, and so many feelings gnawed at me on the walk there, terror and anxiety, guilt and longing. But then I saw you, and there was only one feeling: love. Like no time had passed at all. I knew then I was going to love you for the rest of my life, and that will never change. That was my fact of life, my eclipse.”

He slowly took your face in his hands, and his thumb was caressing your cheek trying to wipe the tears and raindrops that were falling mercilessly. You saw his face slowly getting closer to yours, and you knew you should pull away, you should remove yourself from his grasp before the kiss was going to remove the last ounce of happiness from you. You knew what you had to do, knew that no matter what information or answers or justifications he would give you today, they wouldn’t matter. You should pull away, because there is no future, no hope. But you couldn’t. You didn’t know what waited for you in the afterlife, but if there was any chance you would have your memories, you wanted this kiss to haunt you forever, to remind you of the life you left behind.

His lips touched yours so gently, it felt like a whisper. Like a hug, tender and warm, it was so different than your first kiss. Tears were still running down your face as your lips moved, entangled with his and begging for more. Your hands went to his chest, to his neck, to his back, just touching him, trying to memorise his body, this feeling. You wanted so much more, you wanted to be his, you wanted to feel him, you wanted him to own you, like he did your heart, which has been his your entire life and will still be his after your death.

You were a mess of wet tangled limbs and panted breaths by the end, and eventually, he broke the kiss to look at you through teary eyes.

“I love you, I will always love you. I am so sorry.”

“I love you, too.”

“But this doesn’t change anything, Neteyam.”

“Thank you, for finally telling me why you left. For giving me some closure for something that has plagued me for so long, it became a constant part of my nightmares. Thank you for having my best interest at heart; it couldn’t have been easy to leave, if you didn’t want to, it took a strong heart to do something that hurt you for what you thought was the lesser evil. But it doesn’t change anything.”

“You left me. You broke me. And you never gave me a chance to make my own decisions. To figure out for myself what was the path forward. I have NEVER blamed you for my misfortunes. The ikran ride is still a beautiful memory to me. You made it a beautiful memory. If it weren’t for your quick thinking, we probably would have both died at the hands of Toruk. You saved my life, Neteyam. You carried me home and stayed with me while I was having surgery, you stayed with me after, while I recovered. You pulled me out of the worst panic attack I have ever had when I found my dad, and you rode out so many of my flashbacks, I have lost count. You weren’t the cause or the common denominator of these events, I was. I am the one plagued by misfortune and hurt and death. Not you. And if you tell me you had to leave to save your own peace of mind, I would respect that. I don’t know anyone in this world who can take this, take me and all the shit that follows me everywhere I go. I don’t blame you.

But if you tell me that you did this for me, that I can’t accept. I didn’t ask for any of this. You gave me no choice, and no say in this relationship, in our shared life. You just left. I deserved better than that. And I deserved better than to find out about a mate after months of lies and manipulation and deceit. I don’t care. I don’t care if you are going to say that you didn’t want it, or you were going to undo it, or that you’ve always loved me and never her. I don’t care. You lied to me, you manipulated me. You accused me of fucking your brother as you were promised to another woman that you hid from me for months. I do blame you for that, and I will never be able to forgive you.”

“Please, Atan…I will tell her no. I will tell her -.” he was sobbing now, his hands still on your face, pleading.

“No.” you slowly took his hands in yours and removed them from your face.

“I think you should do it, Neteyam. She is a good girl, she will make a good Tsahik, and a good mate. Your mother was right, there is no future here - there never was. I love you, so much. But I think you have broken my heart one too many times. I am done.”

You turned your back and walked away from him and the life that was lost - forever.

You were completely soaked when you arrived in the lab, and you went straight to the Avatar laying room and cried. Cried until it felt like no more tears could possibly come out of you. You cried yourself to sleep and then cried in the pod, on the way to your bedroom, and in bed until your human body eventually collapsed from exhaustion. You cried in your dreams, in which Neteyam was kissing you and touching you, doing all the things you were silently begging him to in your mind just a few hours ago.

Eventually, nightfall came, and you had to get up to do the rest of your experiments and top up your analgesic. Ironically enough, you were making real progress on your work. You found a combination therapy that was showing incredible potential in slowing the virus down. It wasn’t enough to stop and eradicate it, but it was enough to give people more time and hopefully give the scientists more time to find a cure. It wouldn’t help you, but maybe you could still help others.

At some paint through the night, as you were making up some reagents, Norm bursts through the door holding a bunch of equipment and some pills, you realise. He puts them down on the bench behind you and speaks.

“Right, stop whatever you are doing, right now.”

“I am in the middle of something.”

“I don’t fucking care. Stop, now.”

You were taken aback at his words and attitude. Norm never got mad, or lost his composure. He was so most well balanced person you knew.

You put the pipette gun down and turned around to face him.

“I still need to adjust the pH on this.”

He ignored you while he prepared the myriad of little gadgets he brought with him. He motioned for you to take off your lab coat, and you rolled your eyes in annoyance, but did as you were told regardless. You were too tired to argue anymore.

He raised the sleeves of your top until they couldn’t go any further up your arm and put a blood pressure monitor on you. You felt tension as its sleeve tightened around you painfully, but eventually it gave out with a puff, and you heard beeping as the machine finished its reading. You looked to your right where the monitor lay, and saw red lights flashing, letting Norm know your blood pressure and pulse were dangerously low. His eyes widened slightly at the sight, but he held his composure, removing the gadget from around your arm and putting it away. He then read your oxygen levels, which you saw were constantly dabbling between 89 and 90%. Not good, you thought. No wonder you could barely breathe anymore. Norm cursed silently under his breath, trying to not let you see him, but if there was one thing you were good at, it’s reading people. Well, you thought you were, at least.

“Did you do any tests on your blood? How is your complete blood count looking?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Why the fuck not, Ace? It’s not like you don’t know how to do it.”

He was angry, really angry. You’ve never seen Norm this angry, you’ve never seen Norm acting this way towards you.

You just shrugged. With a huff of annoyance, he took your arm and prepared a needle and syringe to collect some blood. He gulped and you could see tears forming in his eyes when he looked at the violet bruises and needle holes that were plastered along the length of your brachial vein.

“Just didn’t get around to it.”

“You didn’t - Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

“What medicine have you been taking? Did you take the Relenta, or the combination therapy we have been working on?”

“Neither.”

You swear you saw Norm’s entire body enter a catatonic state and he turned so red you were worried he was going to release steam out of his ears.

“You have been sick for a month and did not take anything, none of the treatments we have been working on?”

You couldn’t look him in the eye anymore, finding comfort in the pattern of the tiles on the floor.

“I can’t believe you. I didn’t peg you for someone who would just throw their life away meaninglessly. Your mum had to die because we didn’t have a way to treat her illness, and here we are, with a solution that YOU came up with for your own illness, and you will just not even try?”

You were quiet, not really having a way to rebut his questions.

“Fine. We will start you on the combination treatment tonight and take it from there. There’s other things we haven’t tried yet and I’m sure -“

“NO.”

“I’m not asking you. I’m not letting you fucking die.”

“Why must you always fucking try to fix everything, Norm? Some things can’t be fixed. I don’t want the fucking pills. I am done. I want this to be done.”

“So you’ll just die? Is that what you’re saying? You want to die, and not even fucking TRY to see if there is more to this life. Goddamn it, Y/N. I thought having the Avatar would help you realise life is worth living, there’s beauty in this world beyond the walls of this lab. You got your first kill, you did the Iknimaya, you’re going to become one of the people. Don’t you want to see what your future holds? Don’t you want to live to see yourself grow up? Fall in love, start a family. There are more guys in this world than just Neteyam.”

You gave Norm a dirty look and got out of the lab.

Neteyam felt his whole body reel after your conversation. It didn’t change anything, he thought bitterly. He thought explaining it to you, allowing to see that he had good reasons for his actions would allow you to forgive him, to at least allow him the opportunity to make it up to you through time. You left, just like he had so long ago, but there was a finality to you that he didn’t feel then. Back then, he always had hope that a miracle would still be possible, one in which you got an Avatar, healed and loved him, forever. He wanted to love you forever, but his apology and explanations were not enough.

He lost you, again.

He spent the night flying on his Ikran, just flying and letting the rain soak his thoughts and hurt away. He just wanted to disappear. He wanted the rain to melt his bones until there was nothing left of him but the memory of happier times.

In the early hours of the morning, he made it back to the village, trying to hide his cried out eyes and calamitous grief. He was dreading having to talk to his parents, to explain to them what happened, to have to go through with Tiongli and this future he didn’t want and will have to suffer through for the rest of his life. He didn’t have time to worry about it too much though, because, as he managed to get to the tent’s entrance, he heard Norm’s voice and his dad’s, intertwined with his grandma’s voice rising above them.

“It won’t work. Eywa will not allow her to come back.”

“Why not? She has taken her Iknimaya, she has completed her kills, she has spent her entire life in the village’s service, trying to help the best way she knew how. If she doesn’t deserve this, who does?”

“It’s not that she doesn’t deserve it. It’s that she doesn’t want it. She doesn’t want this, Norm. The Great Mother will not transfer the conscience of someone with no future.”

“But maybe if this happened, she will realise that she wants to live. Once she’s rid herself of her weak body, of this disease, maybe she will -“

“The Great Mother’s word is final. She will die, because she wants to die.”

Mo’at’s voice rang in his ears so hard he thought his eardrums would pop.

She doesn’t want it.

She will die.

What were they talking about? Who would die?

No… it couldn’t be. No, the Great Mother wouldn’t be so cruel.

He didn’t wait to hear the rest of the conversation, running as fast as his feet could carry him back to the lab. He reached soon enough, he was faster than most other people in the village, and started knocking on the door of the lab with all his might.

“Y/N, OPEN UP, I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE!”

Eventually, Max came to the door, through which Neteyam burst without consideration for the tiny human next to him.

“She’s not in, Neteyam. She left before any of us had a chance to say anything.”

“Was she in her Avatar body?”

“No, the body is in the den where they sleep.”

He didn’t bother thanking the man, as he turned on his heel and started running again. She was there, had to be.

It was still raining, the clouds relentless as they released drops that poured gently down his face and body, and Neteyam thought the Great mother was crying, mourning the love being washed away like a pebble in the river of the clearing, just like he was.

You were there, of course you were. A current shocked Neteyam at the sight of you. This was the first time he has seen your human body in months, and he found it hard to reconcile the image of you he has known all his life with this current one. You were incredibly thin, so thin, whereas a few months ago he could trace your muscles, he could now trace your bones. You were pale, almost ashen, and the hair that he once spent so long admiring was now brittle and dull, obvious even as it was, wet and clinging to your back. You looked lifeless. He felt a lump form in his throat and tears pool in his eyes that were still not dry from all the pain this day has brought.

You didn’t notice him yet, your human ears much less sensitive than your Avatar, so you were just sitting on the riverbank with your chin resting on your knees, which were brought to your chest and your arms wrapped tightly around them. You were looking at the water, and it was like you weren’t actually there. You were in your own world, far from here, from this hurt.

“I was going to ask if it was true, what I heard Norm talk about in the tent today, but I think you’ve answered my question.”

Neteyam saw you flinch, and it felt like even that brought your weak frame pain. You were trembling when you looked at him, and your face made his own drop in shock. Your beautiful features, the blush in your cheeks, the glimmer in your eye, the pink of your lips, your animated expressions or raised eyebrows, were all gone. Your eyes looked glossed over and numb, your face looked ghostly and sunken, and Neteyam swore he could trace every blood vessel on your forehead and neck. The sight of you made whatever happiness or hope he had left dissolve and trickle down his bones, until it reached the ground where it was eventually buried, never to be seen again.

“I didn’t think I could make myself any clearer, Neteyam.”

“tell me it isn’t true. Tell me he’s lying; he’s making it up.”

“What part?”

“All of it.” Neteyam was angry now, trying to contain the temper rising in his chest.

“Tell me you’re not dying.”

“Norm has a big fucking mouth.”

“Can you for once in your fucking life just answer a question? This is fucking serious!”

You winced at his words, then struggled to get up, but did eventually and fully face him. The state of you hit him like bullets, piercing and scraping at his every organ, leaving bleeding wounds behind.

“It’s true”.

Crack, crack, crack. 

“When?”

“The night you gave me the guitar. I was so busy being in love with you I forgot to put the proper protection on, and I smashed a bottle of infected blood. It got in my mouth, in my nose.”

“I thought you were working on a cure.”

“Haven’t found it yet.”

“But you said you have something that kind of works, something to give people more time.”

“I’m human, it doesn’t work that way for us.”

“So, you’ve tried.”

You weren’t looking at him anymore, just staring at the ground in front of you, somewhere next to Neteyam’s feet.

“Tell me you have fucking tried.”

It thundered aggressively as Neteyam said that, and he saw you once again tremble at the loud sound. You have never been a jumpy person. You were the bravest person he knew. You were the strongest person he knew. It was unspeakable having to watch you now, sitting meekly in front of him, when just a few days ago you took the Iknimaya, taking the climb to the toughest tests known to the Omatikaya, doing it like it was nothing, just another day for you. To know that this is what was hiding underneath, this is what you hid from all of them, made him both impossibly miserable and strikingly enraged at the same time.

“TELL ME YOU HAVE TRIED.”

“NO, OKAY?? NO, I HAVEN’T FUCKING TRIED.” You were sobbing now, your tears washed away by the rain and wind as soon as they fell down your cheeks.

“Why?”

“Because I am tired. I want this to end.”

“I thought you were happy. I thought you were better. You seemed better in the Avatar.”

“I was better… in the Avatar. Because that wasn’t my life. That was just a beautiful dream, while my life was the never-ending nightmare. It was easy to pretend in that body. It was easy to be the version of myself everybody wanted me to be. But I have to live with the real me every night. And I don’t want to do it anymore.” The more you cried, the more Neteyam’s blood boiled in his veins.

“That’s such fucking bullshit.”

“You know what I think?”

“I think dying is fucking easy. It’s your easy way out.”

You looked up at his much larger frame incredulously, and he saw how your mood was starting to mirror his own.

“What did you just say? You think this is fucking easy for me?”

“Yes, I think it is. I think all you’ve done since your mum has died is take the easy way out. Put everything and everyone in your little bottom desk drawer, keeping everyone at a distance. Do you know how much mother and father suffered every time you refused to come out, to come to the village? My mother cried herself to sleep at the thought of you alone in that lab, at the thought that you preferred that soulless, empty place to her, to us. Did you know that?

You have not once opened that drawer, not once dealt with anything. All you do is numb yourself down, pretend you are fine and the issues you have suffered through do not exist. Well guess fucking what, Atan? They exist. And until you deal with that pain and let it pass over you and through you, you will always take the easy way out.

You have made me feel like the worst person in the world, for leaving, for lying to you. But what the fuck have you done, huh? You lied to me about dying, for weeks! About dying! What, was I supposed to find you dead one day and that was it? That was what I deserved from you, after all the blood, sweat and tears I gave you? You said I took your choice away. You wouldn’t have even given me a choice to say goodbye to the love of my life before you fucking died!

I left you for a year because I wanted to protect you, you are leaving permanently because you refuse to fucking deal with the pain and hurt I know you feel deep down inside. You had a choice. You could have come to the many people who love you, love you unconditionally, and told us, and let us in, and let us help you. You could have gotten help, taken the pills, fight your damn hardest to make this work, to find a cure, for the life your mum gave you, the life she would have to watch you throw away. You have a choice now. To want to live, to want to fight through this and come out the other side a new, better person. To let me love you, let people love you. To do the consciousness transfer and be with me, and be happy, forever. And you’re choosing this.

You are a coward.”

Neteyam turned on his heel and walked away, before he got a chance to see you collapse on the ground, giving your last few breaths in the place he used to imagine both of your children laying in his arms peacefully while you sang them to sleep.

Tag list (I hope I didn't miss anyone, thank you so much for asking to be tagged <3): @nuhteyam @eywas-heir @fanboyluvr @mashiromochi @puffb4ll @sassy-persona @simp4ff @mommyneytiri @inomoikawa @jackiehollanderr @jaysarchiv3 @meivap @dakotali @hlhl99 @eskamybeloved @erenjaegerwifee @winchestertitties

[nikosamaki]

When you call them "Old Man":

Lucifer:

It’s like the ICE water you splashed to his face, because he didn’t expect to hear that from you (You know, you’re supposed to be his LOVER and now, you Fucked Up :(. To be honest, it doesn’t bother him, because everyone –his brothers- call him with that title –sometimes he hates of being the ELDEST son and says: “WHY ME?”- so, he just stares at you with narrowed eyes; then sights –he hoped that you learnt your lesson, but did you? I don’t think so!- and leaves you when you’re confused 😕, which makes you to think: “Am I in DANGER now?? God helps me!”.

Mammon:

WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?? You… you called THE GREAT MAMMON OLD MAN? HOW DARE YOUUUUUUUUUU?? –definitely he took it as a OFFENSE! And now here we are, you have to make it up (It’s easy, after all we are talking about MAMMON). He’s pouted and will stay there till you apologize –he’ll act just like a DOG and WILL get through it EASILY… LIKE A DOG (So don’t be that much nervous).

Levi:

“LOL… Look WHO calls WHOM “Old”! I’m young in Demon Ages, but it doesn’t mean it’s same in Human Ages… LOSER!!," (NOW you feel OLD, don’t you? It’s a PAIN in YOUR ASS). Nevertheless, we can say he DOESN’T give fuck to it –he’s an OTAKU and heard a lot of nonsense things, so… But if you COMPARE HIM with SOMEONE ELSE; just DO NOT do it, because he’s avatar of ENVY! –it’s going to be the same story just like Satan!

Satan:

HOLY COW!… JUST RUN till he doesn’t EXPLODE!! (You put your life in REAL DANGER… Just shout LUCIFERrrrrrrr & PRAY –if you can. Now there IS a question: “Are you going to be ALIVE?”… OF COURCE NOT! You ARE ALREADY DEAD!! Now you’re a MEAT in his sight) -in other words, GOD BLESS Luci that has SELF CONTROL, if he hadn’t had, we all could have been DEAD long ago! And thanks to him, he will SAVE you… If he arrives there SOON!! :/ . Well, if Satan had caught you up sooner than Luci arrives –or if he even is aware of what’s happening there-, you should have thought of two things:

1= How would you like your FUNERAL be? Simple, Gorgeous, etc.

2= If you were VERY LUCKY, he’ll PUNISH you –DON’T think it’S GOOD… because we’re talking about Satan’s PUNISHMENT!! It still equal with DEATH!!. He will teach you a BEAUTIFUL –also with PAIN- lesson! (You know what kind of punishment I’m talking 😙😉… The Naughty One).

Asmo:

What the FUCK you said????? –Asmo is NOT polite when it comes about his Beauty, so watch your language-, How COULD you?? –he’ll get MAD as much as Satan gets!! You better RUN!. I know you don’t expect that he could be dangerous or threatening –because he seems the weakest brother among them or is-, but dear, when youk cross the lines –especially RED lines-, you SURELY are DEAD!! (Don’t worry, he WILL make sure you’re beautiful in the GRAVE). You should NEVER UNDERESTIMATE any of them, after all, they’re DEMON!

Beel:

“Old Man?… Hahaha, Is it edible? If not, Goodbye 👋 ” . . :/ He acted so CALM, in other hand, it was inconsequential to him! –OPPOSITE of his brothers!!!- He didn’t even get ANGRY , let alone to KILL you! (How on the Devildom??? It freaks ME out). But if you INSULT to his FOOD –even he doesn’t own it-, he’s MORE dangerous than Satan! So NEVER EVER take the risk, because Luci may CAN’T save you!!

Belphe:

“So what? Have you seen the ELDEST son –addressed Luci-?" And continues his sleep :/ (Why ARE the last two brothers so carefree and easygoing? WHY?? I don’t enjoy it 😐 Too MUCH Boring 💤 ) He doesn’t even bother himself to think what you said –I guess so- and won’t get angry if you insult to ANYTHING! –except Beel, he’s his RED LINE!.

Diavolo:

“Come on, I’m not OLD; I’m a Baby Boy!!” (WTF he said?? Oh man, my mind is going to BAD thoughts, you too? What he meant? Believe me I'm NOT a PERVERT, but what he said was… ). To be honest, he doesn't care to what YOU -I emphasis YOU again- call him, like :"Daddy, Baby, Honey, ladder and so on" (Don't ask why I called him LADDER…) In conclusion, he WON'T get angry for such a nonsense things like it 🤗 -he's really Understanding (I can cry now 😭).

Barbatos:

"You think so? Then I'm sure you love OLD MEN more than Young Men, aren't I? 😊" - that shitty SMILE on his FACE, DEFINITELY something IS WRONG; I bet you. If it wasn't, I'll change my GANDER!!-, now he said that, you just feel embarrassed and be like: 😳 (This emoji; I couldn't describe your face, so…). The feeling you have is included: "A lot of Shame, Awkward and Horny! (Don't tell me you DON'T know why not getting HORNY, dear ;) )". And like Dia, he won't get angry but he'll TEASE you a lot '-'.

Simeon:

"In the name of God, Who dared you to say I'M OLD?? I shall end his life! 🔪"… CHILL OUT DUDE!! -he's even worse than Satan, who would ever thought??-, you're an ANGEL and supposed to be calm and cute and adorable, but not DANGEROUS! WTF? (I'm sure Simeon is a DEMON in ANGEL's disguise 🥸, DO NOT let you guard down). You will never dare to say him his OLD or if you did, you'd face with your beautiful destiny…

Luck:

Because you DON'T want to BREAK his HEART, you just put him in exception list (How could you DO IT???).

Solomon:

"Oho… Me.. OLD?? You sure??"; With these words, only THESE WORDS, you give him up 🥲 (Now, I kinda understand how he made pacts with Barb and Asmo), because you don't want to figure out how spooky -PAINFUL- it could be, DO YOU? If you do, even GOD CAN'T HELP YOUUUUU!! (Just love your life, please)

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

Avatar fandom on TikTok is scaring me so I am going to teach you all media literacy if it kills me. 

I steadfastly believe that the Neytiri/Quaritch/Spider trio is the most interesting and layered character development JC has going for him rn. Ya’ll not having the basic human empathy to understand Spider or Neytiri’s povs is freaking me out. 

First, Neytiri. Neytiri is someone who has lost half her family, half her clan, and the only home she’s ever known to an oppressive colonizing force. Quaritch is the physical representation of all that pain and loss. He had not only killed countless Na’vi, killed Grace, tried to destroy their connection to all of their ancestors, and is the person who destroyed her home and killed her father, he is also the person who almost killed Jake. He also in a way, represents Jake’s betrayal. We forget, but Jake did betray Neytiri. He stayed with the Omaticaya knowing what Quaritch and Parker Selfridge had planned for them, feeding them information about their home and their strengths, and she forgave him, but Na’vi mate for life and he didn’t disclose that vital information beforehand. Jake was working and spying directly for Quaritch. He represents that hurt. For her, Spider is like a ticking time bomb. He is around her kids and she can’t ever feel safe with this child, this human child of her worst enemy who has caused all of the worst things in her life, in her life and with her family. She tolerates him for her kids but that’s it. I think her mindset totally makes sense, and I really hope she’s able to see past his parentage and accept him! 

Spider is a child. He is not responsible for the actions of his parents, obviously. He has spent his entire life being raised by people that really don’t want anything to do with him. He has been basically a burden his entire life. The scientists were forced to keep him because he was too young to send to Earth, and the Sully’s were not equipped (and did not really try) to take on a human child. They are basically his family, but they don’t treat him as such. Everything that happens with Quaritch is Stockholm syndrome times 10000. And the opposite for Quaritch, which is Lima syndrome. This kid has never had an adult show him care or affection, and now he’s getting it from a weird reanimated clone of his father in a kidapping/hostage situation. Quaritch’s first move is to take Spider from torture. He says you can come with me or you can be tortured. He conditions him from the get go, that’s bad stuff here is good stuff. Even more importantly, in Spider’s eyes he saves his life from Neytiri. I would LOVE to know later if she intended to kill him (pls check out my post on my opinion on the significance of the cut on his chest) but regardless, Spider thinks she did and that Quaritch saved him. Regardless of his motives and how bad of a person he is (irredeemably sorry Quaritch girlies), Spider can’t leave him to die. It’s such a hard decision for him, but he’s a kid and a good person. One who values life like all Na’vi are taught to. And he still leaves him to go back to the Sully’s, who have not bothered to even try to be concerned about him outside of the kids. 

I’m not even gonna get too far into Quaritch, because I know there’s a lot of Quaritch stans out there now which does boggle my mind. But, as awful of a person as he is, he is a super super interesting character in this movie. In the first movie, he is a blatant representation of racism and colonialism in the worst sense, in a way that makes him a great villain but not a very layered character. He is a foil for Jake, showing us the worst of Jake in an outside antagonist. It’s easy to forget by AWOW that Jake used to have a similar mindset to Quaritch. Placing Quaritch in the body of those he fears and hates the most I think is a very fun twist. But what I really loved was his fear of Neytiri and how much that is highlighted in the film. The way he looks at her arrows is just spine chilling, and I can’t wait to see her kill him again because I can’t see it culminating any other way. 

The other thing relating to this is Spider’s fear of Neytiri. Her mistrust and fear of him had been a block in his life basically since birth. Her kids love and accept him as a brother easily, and Jake keeps him at arms length for Neytiri (which is a whole Jake issue but we can get into Jake another time). Neytiri stands between Spider and the family he’s always wanted, and him seeing her fight and just backing up in fear before she grabs him is so good, just a great culmination of all events. What I’d love to see from it is Neytiri and Spider having to come to terms with their fear of the other in order to move on and create a family unit. A son for a son, right, Quaritch gets Neteyam killed so Neytiri, Quaritch’s biggest fear, gets what he wants right now, which is Spider. 

[wszczebrzyszynie]

I'm sorry that you're not liking tma. Is there any specific reason you're not liking the direction?

hmm. nothing to be sorry for? the 3rd season came with a lot of... fairly simple answers to all the mystery that surrounded the first two seasons (especially season one, which i really liked, but season two is also okay). as much as i like gerry, his episode really ruined any unease i had while watching the podcast; it was never scary for me personally, but some episodes definitely were more tense than others, and now i feel like that tension is a bit lost... it doesnt play on the "fear of the unknown and unexplainable" anymore

also the fact that they just... killed off characters like Leitner and Mike (whos my favourite so far so you can see why im upset. i love the vast its my favourite kind of horror) after setting them up for the past season(s), right after giving them voice debuts... i dont think Leitner shouldve ever appeared in the show in person, and Mike shouldnt have died from a simple gunshot? the avatars and how they work seem to be a mystery not only for me, but also for the podcast itself... but maybe it will get clearer in the next 80 episodes or so. i think making avatars this easy to kill is a bad idea and takes away a lot of the horror factor. it humanizes them too much in the wrong aspect

[wildgeese98]

I got a sunburn yesterday so now I'm thinking about how so many of the things that keep us alive can also harm or kill us in excess.

And of course because of the TMA parasites in my brain that got me thinking about whether avatars and other manifestations can take in too much fear.

It seems like most don't feed all that often. Every couple weeks or months seems to be enough. What if an avatar found themself in a situation where they could feed off fear continuously for a extended period (before the apocalypse when this becomes the norm). A slaughter avatar finds themself in a warzone, a creature of the buried stumbles upon a group of miners trapped underground, etc.

I like the idea that they could get overfull with fear. That too much fear too fast might start to get uncomfortable, even painful. Especially for those who were once human, it might start to physically harm them, cause their body to degrade or mutate.

Maybe once they reach a limit of how much they can consume the excess fear starts to feed back and make them afraid. Circling back around to being fed on by their power like they would if they abstained from feeding.

I also like idea that overconsumption of fear over a long period could start whittling away at the humanity they still have. Most avatars can pass as human, but maybe too much fear will start to erode even that facade. They become even more thoughtless and beastial, forgetting how to even fake humanity.

A bit like what happened to Daisy, though in her case that was caused by the opposite, long term deprivation. But I think it could follow the same principle. After so long with no fear, any amount was enough to overload her. So for someone who feeds regularly a huge excess would be required to get the same effect. They have a tolerance built up.

Just some casual musings. TMA is fun because it doesn't really have many solid rules about how things work, so it's easy to toss your own bullshit in there if you want.

[jello-bbq]

Near Death

(Platonic! Tsu'tey x Avatar! Reader) (Platonic! Jake x Avatar! Reader)

< They end up getting hurt in the forest and have to meet the healer for the second time on their second day. (2.2k) >

Blood and injury warning? The story's getting wacky and incredibly slow. Can anyone please tell me where to go from here. Do I put them in a near death scenario for kicks or what. Part 5

Planning for your death isn't easy. Especially not if you figured it out on your own as you're being led into the woods to said death.

The arrows were there. They were sure because they looked away and back multiple times to check if they were hallucinating which wouldn't have been unusual. Some rational part of their brain tried to get some sense into them.

Tsu'tey would probably teach them to hunt. A rational thought.

He could be preparing for the worst-case scenario of them getting attacked while in the woods. Also rational.

He could be luring them out into the woods to kill them and dispose of the body easily. Definitely irrational.

And yet another annoying part of their brain argued otherwise. He hated them. That much was clear. And they covered him in mud the day before. He also kept quiet all throughout dinner, arriving late and leaving early.

Yeah, he definitely planned to kill them.

It didn't help that as soon as they saw the direhorse information on horse riding flooded their brain again. Or that Tsu'tey insisted on speaking solely in Na'vi now. Information swam around uselessly with their thoughts, nearly overwhelming. A reminder that human brains weren't built to hold so much.

Strangely though, the need for a plan slipped their mind, accepting death almost too easily.

"We stop here."

They snapped out of it, mentally trying to swat away bits of information.

Tsu'tey slid off his horse, taking the bow and arrows out of the pouch.

They hesitantly followed and dismounted. Target practice, their mind kept screaming. Something told them he wouldn't easily miss so unless he wanted them to suffer, they would at least die instantly.

Though they had no doubt he would want to make them suffer.

He motioned for them to follow, and to keep quiet.

Not to worry, they thought, corpses can't talk.

They went after him as quietly as they could. Mimicking his stance. Copying where he placed his feet.

Involuntarily, their mind began to wander again. What would they miss from life?

Yogurt, for sure. God, they hoped Norm would find their secret stash. At least he could benefit from the yogurt packs when they were dead.

Sunlight. After being kept in labs for so long, they'd always loved the feeling of sunlight on their skin.

Many other things, things their mind skipped over in their magnitude.

What would they get from dying?

Tommy. Their heart almost froze. They had forgotten about him. Had they chosen to? To forget him as if he hadn't been the first to ever treat them with human kindness? At least in death, they would be with him again.

"This is not the time for daydreaming." He whispered harshly.

They agreed but it just couldn't be controlled. People have tried, they thought bitterly.

He had stopped a few feet ahead, probably feeling their absence. It only took a few steps to get them back in their spot behind Tsu'tey. Following ever so silently.

"What are we doing?"

"It was suggested that I take you along to hunt before teaching you the bow."

Suggested by Mo'at probably. The Tsahik called him up during dinner, which is why he left early. At least they weren't going to die.

"I'm going to hunt?"

He scoffed. "Bad things are the only outcome of that. You would only manage to hurt yourself and be more of a burden."

They rolled their eyes. He could have just said no. They went to retort but Tsu'tey hissed at them to shut up. He drew his bow as they looked on, confused. They hadn't heard anything.

His arms were tense. Stance perfect. Breathing even. Everything about him screamed 'look at me! Mr. Perfect!'. They didn't know how to feel about that yet.

The forest echoed with sounds of animals. They saw Tsu'tey's ears twitch. He adjusted his aim just the slightest bit, then released the arrow.

Briefly, they recalled when they were on the other side of that arrow, and as they stepped past a few plants they saw what could have been their fate.

A yerik lay bleeding into the moss. The fans on its head retracted. Dead. A clean kill.

Tsu'tey bent over it, whispering thanks to Eywa and pulling out the arrow.

A neurotoxin. They remembered what Grace told them. The Na'vi coated their arrows with a toxin that killed their prey easily.

"They usually travel in herds." He said as he hauled the hexapede up and began walking back to the direhorses. "If you somehow manage to make a clean kill, you will be ready to complete your iknimaya."

He looked back at them and scoffed. "I do not see that happening in years. Sky people cannot learn."

For a moment, it felt like he was saying that to himself instead of to them, which was stupid of them to assume. He said it so bitterly.

They didn't blame him.

"I was told to teach you the bow but fresh kills are always brought back to hometree immediately." He strapped the hexapede to his horse, then handed them the bow and a few arrows. "I will show you the training area on the way. Do not hurt yourself before I am back."

They rode slowly through the forest until he stopped and pointed to a spot through the trees. They could barely make out the clearing and the mounted targets. "Go. There is food there if you get hungry."

And so they went, letting the direhorse graze as they stood in the small clearing. There were painted targets in the trees. Hanging off branches. Tucked beneath leaves. Sticking out of bushes.

Sky People cannot learn. They didn't know why that bothered them so much. They wanted to learn. This was all because they had been stupid enough to get captured and Jake bargained for their safety. They'd been going to the lessons because what else could they do?

But now, they wanted to learn. They wanted to learn and get a clean kill. Complete their iknimaya. Why? They thought of Tommy, but would deal with that question later.

The bow felt too large for them which made sense considering how tall Tsu'tey stood. They examined the arrows, which lacked the glowing sheen of neurotoxin on the tips.

They wanted to learn, so they would gamble. "Archery." The word gave that familiar itch in their brain but this time instead of fighting the information, they let it flow.

How to hold a bow. What different arrow tips were used for what. They let the information sink in for a long moment. Then, they wiped off the dripping blood and aimed.

The first shot missed. Knowledge was one thing. Application, another. They failed horribly at application. The second shot missed. And the third. The fourth at least grazed the target.

They tried not to let it deter them, walking through the undergrowth to retrieve the arrows. They rolled up a cloth to stuff in their nose, and they tried again. And again. And again. By the third round, all the arrows would hit the target. By the fifth, the arrows would hit inside the circle.

They decided to take a break then and move to the shade, sweating buckets from the sun.

They realized that Tsu'tey hadn't come back yet. He went off early in the morning and now the sun told them it had to be near noon.

"Where the hell is that guy?"

Something smelled nice. They looked around, spotting a net bag that they could swear hadn't been there before. It held some fruit and dried meat. They remembered Tsu'tey did say something about food, so they helped themself.

They wiped at more blood and decided to wait until he came back before continuing.

By noon he still hadn't come back.

So they shot some more arrows, getting closer and closer to the center.

Sometime after noon, they hit the arrow right at the center. Laughing in shock, they dropped the bow and ran to the target. Right at the center. "Holy shit."

They laughed again, almost considering going back to the lab to get a camera.

"That took you long enough."

They turned. Tsu'tey dropped from the trees. He examined the arrow, nodding ever so slightly and yanking it out.

"Do that again. Five times. And then we will go."

His tone left no room for argument but for once they had nothing to retort with anyway. They took the arrow back, picked up the bow, and shot it.

It hit right beside the center.

They nocked another arrow and pulled the string back.

"Hold your form."

He walked around them, examining how they stood. How they held the bow.

Briefly, he let his eyes wander to the blood-soaked cloth he'd seen them change five times. And then to their fingers which had all but torn open from the bow's string. The string itself looked stained red.

He nudged the back of their ankle. "Move that forward a little." He straightened their arms, assessing everything. He even stood in front of the arrow to look at their face, which had them raise their brows.

"What? Are you looking to get shot?"

He scoffed. They realized he did that a lot. "You close one eye when you aim, do not do that."

"You've been watching me the whole time and didn't think to tell me that?"

"It was you who took so long to hit the center." He moved to the side. "Aim and shoot."

They did, and hit it dead center."It was that easy the entire time?"

"It only seems easy because you have been doing it the whole morning." That almost sounded like praise, or a compliment, they thought. Almost. "Again. Four more times."

They nocked another arrow. Keeping his bits of information in mind, they didn't realize how calm their thoughts had become.

It didn't take long to get the four remaining center hits.

When they shot the final one, they found themselves grinning and turning to him. For praise? Affirmation? They didn't know.

But Tsu'tey smiled ever so slightly. So slight it felt like they imagined it. "Good. We are done for the day." He turned to walk into the forest, not saying anything even as they got on their direhorses and went back to Hometree.

Not knowing what to do after getting back, they went to wander off, only to get stopped by a hand on their shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

They looked around, confused. "I thought we were done for the day?"

Tsu'tey sighed. "You are injured. Injuries must be treated." With that, he dragged them to the healer's tent.

Someone sat in the tent getting a wound stitched so they waited by the entrance.

They figured Tsu'tey would leave after getting them to the tent, but he took the spot beside them and waited as well.

When the wound had been stitched, the warrior thanked the healer and bowed to Tsu'tey before leaving, murmuring a greeting.

They'd never really considered Tsu'tey's status before. Future Olo'eyktan. No wonder he was so uptight.

They were dragged over again to sit in front of the healer. "Another bleeding nose, have you been getting into fights?"

They felt surprised that the healer would talk to them. That first time, she had only talked to Tsu'tey. Then again, she probably didn't realize they knew Na'vi.

"No ma'am." They thought about how they could explain it.

"What is it then? Is the cause unknown? A sickness?" The shape of her brows furrowed.

"It's-" How could they explain? "It's kind of like- it's very hard to explain."

"Try."

They looked at the healer, who had begun grinding something into a paste, considering what to say. "It's normal, I bleed all the time."

The healer looked thoughtful. "That is not an explanation."

"No, it's not." They were very aware of Tsu'tey listening and wondered if they were ready to share it with two people so quickly. Especially one who hated them already. "It is not something people like hearing about."

The healer let them leave it at that. She gave them another bitter drink and cloth for the nosebleed.

When they took the cloth, she paused and took their hands in hers. "You have been learning the bow." She looked up. "You should also learn to take breaks."

They smiled slightly, avoiding her gaze. The healer had something about her that made them feel safe and looked after. Suppose that's what makes her a good healer, they thought. "Sorry."

She took a paste and began lathering it gently over their fingers.

It tickled vaguely, making their nose scrunch. The healer looked at them in question.

"It tickles." They smiled, missing the falter in her eyes.

She smiled back, wrapping the digits carefully in cloth. "Move them for me." She flexed her fingers and motioned for them to copy.

They flexed their fingers until she was satisfied. Then, unexpectedly, she took their hand again. "My name is Zeyko, I have a feeling we will be spending a lot of time together."

They introduced themselves as well, returning the smile Zeyko gave them. "I'll try not to get hurt too much."

Zeyko watched as they got up, bowing slightly before turning to walk away. She called out after them, "something tells me you cannot help it."

[slushanddusk]

DSMP as TMA Fears

Saw a lot of people do this and I decided hey, why not have a go at it myself!  Multiple options for some people, final decision next to the name.

Tommy - The Lonely Exile is what sticks out most to me about this, he was just alone for so long.  He thrives on human contact and socializing, so The Lonely might not be a good fit for him if he actually was meant to be thriving.  But I could see him getting taken by The Lonely while in exile.  I don’t see any other easy option for Tommy.

Tubbo - The Extinction Not fully because of the nukes, but that does play its part in my choice here.  Tubbo is also terrified of failure and messing up, which is exactly what happens when he’s president of L’manburg.  The destruction he is powerless to stop leads to the absolute decimation of L’manburg.  I could also see Tubbo as The Corruption, which plays into his affinity for bees.  He’d never be alone and have the company and love he’s been seeking for.

Ranboo - The Spiral The Spiral deals with a lot of themes about madness, losing control, hallucinations, and similar things.  This is so related to what Ranboo experiences- the hallucinations of Dream’s voice in his panic rooms, the worry that he’s going insane and doing things he can’t remember while he’s Enderwalking.  It’s so Spiral.

Wilbur - The Desolation I wholeheartedly agree with putting Wilbur down as The Desolation.  He’s incredibly self destructive and he destroys his relationships during his exile spiral.  He was happy with the destruction he caused after the 16th.  Although The Spiral is tempting for various reasons.

Dream - The Web It’s not really a surprise that Dream would be an avatar of The Web.  He’s manipulative, and despite there being other characters that are manipulative (namely Wilbur), Dream is probably the most controlling out of them all.  He needs that control and it terrified of losing it.  Everything he does is some sort of plan, even when he gets put in the prison it’s revealed that he asked Punz to betray him and that he knew he would be let out by Techno in the future.  Everything he does is part of that bigger play for control- even if in the end, it fails.

Sapnap - The Desolation I’m not sure Sapnap really could become an avatar of The Desolation- he may just care about his friends too much for that.  But I’m totally tunnel vision on the arson here.  He loves arson!  He is just one to set things on fire.

George - The Lonely He’s almost always alone, never in the conflict or important events.  During the 16th he was isolated from everyone else building a house in peace.  He’s scared that he will be alone and is constantly dreaming of his friends leaving him out.  He doesn’t realize he’s isolating himself by sleeping so much, and even puts his fear onto others by making them scared that he will abandon them.  Example of that being George not showing up to the elections with Quackity, abandoning his friend when he needed it.  Other than that, something VERY convincing would be that he’s tormented by The Spiral.  How else can you explain his crazy dreams?  They’re a product of The Spiral- I swear.

Techno - The Slaughter I’m a bit on the fence about this and The Hunt, but if I had to choose it would be The Slaughter.  He isn’t all about mindless killing like The Slaughter is, but I don’t know if The Hunt fits him much more.  The most Slaughter thing about him must be related to how he acted during the Festival before the 16th- how as soon as he got a taste of blood from executing Tubbo, he turned on the rest of the crowd as well with a murderous hunger.

Philza - The End Phil completely fits The End.  I don’t have a very detailed reason for this alignment other than the fact that he’s a passive person who only acts when it’s the right time.  He is always calm, wise beyond his years, and doesn’t act violent except when it’s deemed to be the correct time.  End avatars are often passive, and the only time that comes to mind where Phil is fighting a lot is Doomsday.  His crows are even considered to be a sign of death.  Other than this, I absolutely adore him as an avatar of The Vast.  I think he’s at least touched by it, if not somehow having a stronger connection.  Mostly related to his wings and the vast emptiness of the End dimension he has connections to.

Quackity - The Stranger Quackity is a struggle who I’ve redone a few times now, but I’ve decided on him being an avatar of The Stranger who is touched by The Hunt.  He is very Hunt-driven, especially with his absolute “Us vs Them” mentality- seen most clearly in The Butcher Army when they hunted down Techno to execute him.  He has severe Flesh tendencies as well with the way he brutally tortures Dream and how he acts throughout the Butcher Army arc.  He still is very tied to The Hunt though, even if it’s simply in the way he thinks.  Besides that, he’s an avatar of The Stranger due to his uncanny “almost human but clearly not” vibe.  Imagine his face as a mask and the scar is just a crack in it.

Karl - The Eye Karl may be the most complicated character in this post, simply because I’ve decided to dive deeper into his lore than I was willing to do while originally making these alignments.  Karl is an avatar of The Eye- travelling and watching these stories of the past and future unfold before him, but he doesn’t do anything to change it.  Unrelated to The Eye, we bring in the other aspects of his time travelling- The Inbetween and The Other Side, which relate to The Spiral and The Lonely.  Other aspects of his time travelling and the emptiness of these strange dimensions he’s trapped in are reminiscent of both The Spiral and The Lonely.  Karl himself is a very Spiral-like character, with even his appearance giving a chaotic and colourful Spiral vibe.  The memory loss he’s afflicted with and him forgetting his fiancé was so Lonely it hurts.  Put simply, an avatar of The Eye tormented by The Spiral and The Lonely.

Niki - The Spiral Feels like we have quite a few Spiral related people in here!  Niki feels like she would be tormented by The Spiral while she’s in her library.  She self-isolated, started sleepwalking, and became extremely self destructive.  She even started hallucinating from insomnia.  Another one for Niki is The Desolation, which may just be me fixating on her burning of the L’mantree and the way her isolation and downfall is incredibly self-destructive.

Eret - The Lonely Eret seems like he may be a good option for The Lonely, since he has been referred to before as “The Lonely King” or titles of that sort.  Eret is actually a fairly lonely person, after they betrayed L’manburg they were shunned by their former friends and in reality had been manipulated by Dream into becoming King in a land where that role held no real power.  My only other idea for Eret would be under The Eye.  It’s not the most creative, though I did need somewhere to put them.  I think her role as historian for the SMP played into this a fair amount.

Fundy - The Lonely I think the fear that fits Fundy the most is The Lonely- and he is often alone.  Fundy is manipulated into joining Las Nevadas and previously when he tries to relate to Ranboo and share his point of view, he is yelled at and told that he doesn’t understand.  He’s isolated in a cabin in the woods after he leaves the SMP until he’s dragged in the casino, where in reality he is still alone.  Everything he does is a call for attention because he is so ignored.  Other than this, I have many other reasons for various fears, starting with The Spiral.  A lot of people on the SMP tend to have strange experiences related to sleep, and Fundy is yet another one of them.  He has nightmares that he can’t control that predicts a horrible future of destruction and fear which could be related to something like The Extinction as well, but I link them to torment caused by The Spiral.  Maybe he’d even be related to The Eye because of the prophetic quality to the Dreams. The Hunt calls me because of his animal features, but he doesn’t really fit it except for his role in the Butcher Army.

BBH - The Corruption I don’t know how he couldn’t be an avatar of The Corruption with the Egg quite literally being like a weed spreading across the server and him being its closest servant.  The Red Banquet was some sort of ritual to bring forth The Corruption but it didn’t work because other avatars showed up and ruined it.  Besides The Corruption, Bad gives off very strong vibes of The Dark.

Hannah - The Corruption With her relationship with plants involved I feel like The Corruption makes a lot of sense, as well as her secret alliance with The Eggpire and heavily under the influence of the Egg.  The Egg was feeding off the people around it almost like an embodiment of The Corruption itself, and I can’t see how it wouldn’t be something related to The Corruption.

Ponk - The Corruption Ponk was extremely involved with The Egg plot.  He is corrupted by the Egg and in my mind that’s still a direct manifestation of The Corruption.  There’s really not much else that can be said about him except for a connection to The Flesh.  He’s probably touched by it, mostly because of what happened with Sam cutting off his arm.

Purpled - The Hunt Like Philza, this one doesn’t have a full explanation.  Purpled fits The Hunt in a strange way, especially due to the fact that he is a mercenary.  He silently plots against Quackity for a long time before he pins him down and threatens him for information.  When Quackity can’t give him what he wants, Purpled kills Quackity’s best friend.  Absolutely ruthless.  He fits some sort of murder entity especially because that’s his whole job, and a mercenary needs to hunt down their target. Punz - The Hunt Like Purpled, he’s a mercenary, a hitman.  He was touched by The Corruption during the Egg plot but never fully became an avatar of it.  He seems like one of the most human, so I don’t think he would even be a full avatar.  He is likely touched by the Hunt as well, but not fully taken by it.

Slimecicle - The Stranger Somewhat close with The Flesh, I think The Stranger really fits Slimecicle.  He looks so human but is clearly not, and the shapeshifting, lack of bones, and overall slime features are very Stranger seeming.  He also is very reminiscent of the episode in TMA where there are a bunch of Stranger “students” learning how the body works because they aren’t actually human.  That’s just Slimecicle.  However, slight Eye vibes due to how he’s watched the server for years and knows so much of the history despite not physically being there to interact with.  That also gives off Stranger energy though.

Skeppy - The Spiral So many characters have been The Spiral but I swear it makes sense for Skeppy.  He makes crazy mazes and watches people suffer and fail.  He tricks them into doing what he wants and entering his strange builds where the entire thing has actually been a prank so that he can laugh at them the whole time.  He likes messing with people and their perceptions, pretending things haven’t happened and gaslighting people just for fun.  He’s so Spiral it isn’t even a competition at this point.  Touched by The Corruption due to the Egg plot.

Jack Manifold - The End Tell me it doesn’t make sense for mans to be an End avatar when he literally crawled out of hell after he lost all his lives.  He’s definitely touched by The Slaughter or something upon his return from the afterlife, as he returns set on revenge with nothing else in his mind.  He starts lashing out and gets extremely violent and plots to kill Tommy because he believes that he’s been wronged.  He fits the angry and violent portion of The Slaughter, but no way could he have gotten out of the afterlife without being an End avatar, so that’s my justification.

Awesamdude - The Buried Sam is so incredibly Buried it’s amazing.  He fits the definition in more ways than one.  He’s pressured and suffocated by his job as Warden- so much so that he even starts to lose himself and his morals.  Other than that, the prison itself fits as a domain of The Buried.  It’s suffocating and a trap, no way to get out and pressing in around you.

Foolish - The End I don’t know that much about Foolish I’m not gonna lie, but relating to him being a totem of undying and the vagueness of when he said he “used to be a totem of death”.  He’s also quite passive, as is the nature of End avatars.

Antfrost - The Hunt Ant has a very good way of making others fear the chase.  During the Egg arc he hunted down people and tried to find people to lure back to the Egg so he could trap them.  His species being a cat is also interesting because Hunters tend to have animalistic tendencies or characteristics, and cats are also predators.  During the Egg arc he is influenced by The Corruption.

Schlatt - The Web Schlatt is an extremely manipulative character.  He loves power, exiling those who oppose him from his country and belittling anyone else who threatens his control.  He manipulates Fundy and punishes Niki for standing up to him, trying his best to take away any power that others may have against him.  He knows how to cause chaos and deliberately does- he even got Dream onto his side with the book (an artefact of the End). He drinks himself to death instead of letting the enemy kill him, ripping away their last shreds of control.  Addiction itself is also a mark of The Web, something that’s extremely present in Schlatt.  He does have some Eye tendencies, an example being how he knows that Tubbo is a spy, but he still uses that information to further manipulate and pull along his victims.

Puffy - The Slaughter Puffy has some very striking Slaughter qualities to her.  Despite her violence not being entirely unmotivated, it is unexpected and unpredictable.  She herself is discomforted by this type of violence, but when Foolish is killed in front of her, she reacts like no one was expecting and with a murderous rage.  She tries to restrain herself from violence, so it builds up inside of her and releases in extremes.  Upon finding out Ponk is involved with the Egg, she burns down his house.  Her violent reactions scare even herself.  Other than this she was touched by The Corruption, though it didn’t get a complete hold on her.

DreamXD - The Eye He knows everything, watches everything, and is a literal god.  What more do you want from me?  He’s almost like a physical manifestation of The Ceaseless Watcher itself.  He does still act like The Spiral when related to George’s dreams and the way DreamXD seem to gaslight and manipulates him.

Drista - The Stranger Drista has a very Stranger vibe to her.  Of course the mask she wears and how she only shows up sometimes and has a very mysterious vibe.  The Stranger is also the antithesis to The Eye, which creates a sort of balance between DreamXD and Drista.

[goremet-chef]

its so cute i need to. ramble okay

in creatures of sonaria like. man. a year ago at this point? i made friends with someone and like. just by chance, they decided to add me to their pack and let me kill with them and like. I WAS NERVOUS im not known for. my social prowess 💀 but they liked me? and they added me as a friend and idk it was nice. like it was a group and i was kinda in the group? even if i was mostly quiet the whole time, i was still helping and covering for them yknow?

i didnt play for a while, i went from like. playing daily to playing monthly but i started playing again and i remember i think they invited me a few times to come play like with the roblox invite function but i wasnt online at the time and so. IDK i didnt think anything would come from it yknow? but. when i joined their server on accident, they added me to their pack immediately and said hi and im like SHOCKED. did i matter enough for them to like. feel the need to say hello to me and invite me to hang with them? IT. its happened more and more, i like to play with them whenever i can and i get nervous maybe im annoying them by joining them all the time but they always invite me and say hi, and its to the point where other people in the group also say hi to me and it

you must understand! im a fucking loser man, im not someone people get along with, im painfully awkward, i feel like an alien trying its best to act human okay. but it feels good, it feels like. NORMAL. we arent serious friends like i dont know shit about them, probably never will honestly i just like to wreak havoc with them. ive always been afraid of like. INFILTRATING a group, thats what it feels like!! whenever im accepted anywhere, im so terrified im latching onto false hope, im scared that im forcing my way in and im too happy to really see it. but. they say hi to me and they mess around with me and they JOKE WITH ME like. OKAY!!! im still quiet like 90% of the time but they know alright im busy playing the game, its not like i have much to say anyways!! its fun to be. social? like im too scared, fearing itll go so horrible wrong and bruise my already quite small and fragile ego, so when it goes RIGHT?? idk i just wanna. ramble about it cuz

i joined today and one of the other members said "YAYY looksee" and it. MY HEART... i like all of them cuz i hang out with them enough like. i really only talk to the one who has me added since they will actually say things to me directly but i feel like im opening up more? just a little, im still shy but. IDK knowing theyre like getting used to me? yay looksee?????? teehee!!!!!!!!! idk why it makes me so happy, i guess im easy to please if you show me the slightest bit of. positive acknowledgement im absolutely giddy. the bar is on the floor 💀 but i dont care!!

when have i ever made a friend on roblox? ive been called slurs and insulted and told to kill myself more times than anyone has ever like. tried to be my friend 💀 i get it, im not very welcoming, its not like i try to be. im friendly sure, but quiet, and if im in any sort of social interaction (which can range from someone speaking to me and not going away after they say what they wanted to say to literally just. something cute, like someone sitting with me or giving me some food) i cant handle it (i scream and close the game as fast as possible, my heartrate goes up im BREATHING HEAVILY IM SCARED... it was nice but. terrifying!!! i feel the obligation to stay and thats too big of a commitment OKAY... roblox creature you must understand)

ITS A LOT FOR ME OKAY.. and i mean. i know how my roblox avatar looks, ive been told its cringe enough times for one lifetime, im tired!!! i get it. catboy with a skirt ooo so scary. that boy is a faggot, yeah yell it louder at me.

the worst part about that is like. IT HURTS... i know i shouldnt care about what a child on roblox says to me in creatures of sonaria trade realm, but lord! it hurts. i dont socialize, ive had enough bullying!!!!! ive done my time IN SCHOOL. alright thats enough im good on the bullying. idk im just weak i guess I CANT HANDLE IT. im not good with confrontation, i wont come up with a witty response, ill just sit and wait for them to get bored from me ignoring them and leave me alone. ITS ROUGH. especially cuz its ALWAYS about my avatar, i look gay i get it, thats the point.

im a very like. ive spent TOO MUCH TIME kicking myself down over 'cringe' alright. i literally lost my interests and passion cuz i was scared of being cringe, wanted to fit in better. it made me MISERABLE. im very pro cringe i love it cuz? its only cringe if you suck, things that are 'cringe' i never find cringey even a little bit, cuz i like it when people are happy. but. i find it hard not to be a little embarrassed. its ROBLOX i get to look however i want!! i love silly roblox avatars okay, i dont want to be embarrassed about mine!!! im not a confident person, i wear it around because i like the image of this stupid catboy clothes on a very man shaped man alright looksee is my pride and joy i give him a little kis. but maybe they get the wrong idea? idk. i dont think so, i think they just dont like how i look. whatever. also my avatar matches with my friends really well so. its iconic to me!!!

still, like i said. its why i try not to play social games alone on roblox, im scared to be bullied i will admit 💀 if my friend was there, she'd tell them to kill themselves for me!!! but. shes not always there. i literally panic anytime someone runs up to me directly i sigh and say 'here we go again' cuz im waiting the imminent insults alright. IM TIREDDD so tired. they dont get him like i do. hes an avatar ive DRAWN before hes just an oc at this point, i wont ever change him cuz i like him but . sometimes it gets hard!!!

im so off topic here i just. NEED TO RANT A LITTLE cuz it. it does genuinely bother me but im too scared to like. VENT ABOUT IT to any of my friends cuz im absolutely sure some of them would roll their eyes, its just a game!! game is important to someone like me, game is the closest i come to like. living in a real social world, of course its important to me!! game is the easiest way for me to interact with strangers and not die of a panic attack immediately after 💀

WHATEVER im yapping i love to yap but. idk i just wanted to talk about it, im still so . it feels good to know that even if im weird and quiet, im not so weird and so quiet that people want to avoid me all the time. theres SOMETHING about me that they think is cool enough, like. well. i can overthink if i want to. maybe theyre adding me into their pack out of pity? maybe they dont actually like having me around but they feel too awkward to like. they feel like its gone too far now? in too deep? or maybe. im not as awful as i think i am!! maybe im weird and offputting but its okay :]

LISTEN. maybe this is normal for everyone else but its a big deal for me oky. ITS HUGE ACTUALLY. like just to have a mindless video game buddy? someone i dont even like. I DONT EVEN KNOW THEIR PRONOUNS BRO thats how little i actually converse with them but. like its not serious its just a little treat for myself, a little thing i can have. shaking like a chihuahua right now. its embarrassing to be so excited about it but. i dont do this sort of thing ever really, maybe im getting better? even if im not, ill still enjoy it

[samethyst01]

A Mother's Love: Chapter Five

“Mom, why can’t I go explore right away?”

“Coraline, we need time to get settled. It’s a new start for us, and it’s going to be a little tough to acclimatise.”

“Why don’t you come help me set up my work things in the study?”

“Okay…”

Like a jolt of electricity, the memories from thirteen years ago flooded into Coraline the moment she touched the wall. Every step taken was another look into the past, every surface a sudden burst of emotions and nostalgia. There was that carpet that refused to stay flat, the leaky boiler room with mysteriously labelled switches, the damp on the walls, the mould in the corner of the ceiling. Around the corner was her father’s office, still dreary and drab, though with a considerable upgrade to both its hardware and its software.

The kitchen was the same too, and she could smell the distinct aroma of cooked meat from the oven. Lunch was on the way. Upstairs, the bathroom was far cleaner than the insect-swarmed days of old, new tiles added to the walls and an updated shower curtain with pink and yellow floral patterns. Coraline turned the tap and out poured crystal clear water. Her parents’ bedroom was quite similar to how it used to be, plain duvet covers and plain curtains and the same framed pictures of the three of them together on vacation. It was a comforting familiarity.

Coraline’s father had helped bring her luggage up into her room, and the two had shared an awkward hug before he excused himself downstairs, giving her some time to adjust. The place hadn’t changed much since she left, all her toys and stuffed animals still hibernating in the large trunk, the picture of her and her school friends back in Pontiac still resting face-up on her bedside table. There were a couple posters she had added in the preceding years after moving in, mostly Adventure Time and Avatar: The Last Airbender. She ran a finger across them and felt like a kid again.

After unpacking, she collapsed onto the bed and stared up at the cracked ceiling. She was surprised not to feel so afraid of her home, the core of her trauma, but her motivation to kill that which haunted her overshadowed her fear of it. At least, it did for the moment. She turned onto her side and for a brief moment, so brief she must’ve imagined it, she swore she could’ve seen that damn little doll again. Her eyes refocused and that horrible flash of yellow and blue was gone.

She growled softly to herself, frustrated with these apparent visions. She needed to be absolutely centred for her plan to work, a plan that had barely even come to fruition in her mind. Getting to Ashland was the first hurdle, and she had managed that. And then… she shuddered at what she had to do next. Next, she had to open that door. The door in the living room, once hidden before being unlocked by her younger, more naïve self. She had no key, having tossed it down the well, so she would have to improvise.

After that… what then? If she could somehow reopen the portal, would that give the Beldam exactly what she wanted? Would it give her a way to escape the Other World, or perhaps just a path straight to Coraline, the unfinished meal she had let slip from her grasp thirteen years ago? Regardless, opening that door would also reopen all the horrors Coraline had tried to bury, and once and for all, she would have to end the Beldam’s story. She had never killed before, not that the witch was any more human than an insect, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy.

The Beldam might not have been at her strongest, but that guaranteed nothing. Even in her weakened, arachnid form, she was still otherworldly, horrific, and entirely twisted by the fabric of the Other World. Whatever monster she was, wherever she came from, and whomever she had been before it all, it was imperative she died before Coraline left Ashland, and stayed dead. She would have to make sure of it, burn the body if she had to, douse it in holy water, gather every priest in the country to exorcise it of evil and confirm, absolutely, that the Beldam was nothing more than a husk.

After staring at the ceiling for what felt like an hour, Coraline sat up and changed into some more comfortable clothes. They were more suited to her younger self, fit for treacherous gardening and exploration into the unknown. She headed for the door and looked back at all her things, many of them still inside the big chest in the corner. She raised her finger.

“If I see any of you turn into buttons… there’s going to be trouble.”

******

A friend at college had once told Coraline that chicken was as bad for her as red meat, because of the conditions most chickens are subjected to in battery farms. She argued that the trauma they suffered directly linked to their quality after death, which was pretty odd, since battery farmed chicken was likely to be processed anyway. Coraline always found that girl so strange, even considering all the bizarre events of her own life, and she would always remember her, even after graduating.

The thought popped into her head when her mother laid out the meal before her, roast chicken and potatoes, with vegetables straight from the garden and homemade gravy. It looked positively divine, and was a far cry from the less than appetising meals she received back in the day.

“She wouldn’t let me make something.”

Her father chuckled as he adjusted his glasses and sat down. Coraline smiled, and studied the man for a moment. There was something about him that seemed slightly off. He hadn’t aged a day, his complexion still the same pasty grey, his glasses a little lopsided, his hair messy, still wearing one of his Michigan jerseys. It had been six years and he hadn’t grown any older. He looked far more tired, for sure, but that meant relatively little when compared to his physical appearance. It was like time had stopped around the Pink Palace.

“I wanted to treat Coraline, not torture her!”

Her mother sat down opposite them. She, too, appeared to have stayed the same. Obviously she wasn’t wearing her neck brace anymore – that came off when her injury had healed – but she was still wearing the same knitted sweater, with bags under her eyes and slightly greasy hair. Their perfect agelessness was unsettling, in a way, as if the house and maybe all of Ashland was in stasis. Coraline was the only one who had changed. Was it because she was the only one who left?

“This is perfect, you guys… thank you.”

“It’s been so long since we last saw you. You didn’t even call.”

Her father poured himself a glass of water, and a twinge of guilt spread through her body. She hadn’t called. Why hadn’t she called? Six years had gone by and not even once had she made the effort. Why? She must’ve tried, at least once, surely… so why couldn’t she remember? Her mother didn’t say anything, just picked up her cutlery and began to eat. Coraline sighed exasperatedly.

“It’s complicated, dad.”

“Complicated how? I mean, come on, I can understand a call once every couple weeks, a month at most, but six years? The only reason we knew you were still alive was because Wybie at least had the decency to talk to us!”

There was a tense silence around the table for a few moments. Coraline’s mother, usually the more outspoken of her parents, was silently staring at her plate as she ate from it. Her father’s face was twisted in confusion and dismay, as if the answers he so desperately needed were just always out of reach. Coraline mustered up her courage before facing the truth.

“I’m sorry… I really should’ve called, but… but I couldn’t face it. Not after everything that happened.”

At her words, her father’s confusion only worsened, and he looked to his wife for answers. She just gave him a sideways glance and shrugged. He turned back to Coraline and stared at her expectantly.

“What are you talking about?”

Coraline sighed heavily and began eating at a rapid pace, muttering between mouthfuls.

“You wouldn’t understand…”

Her father made a noise of frustration before looking down at his food in defeat.

“No… I guess I wouldn’t.”

Her mother looked to be on the verge of tears. Coraline felt terribly guilty, but she couldn’t bring herself to spill everything that had happened thirteen years ago, especially now that she couldn’t even trust her own memories. She had been certain that she called. But it seemed she was as neglectful as her parents had been all those years ago, which, in a way, led to the events that sparked everything. The guilt didn’t go away, but it was muffled as Coraline thought of something that might spark some memories in her parents.

“Do you remember the little door in the living room?”

Her mother raised her eyebrows.

“The one you were obsessed with? What about it?”

“First of all, I wasn’t obsessed with it. Second of all, I just wondered if it was still there.”

By this time everyone had finished eating, so Coraline’s father stood up and began tidying their plates away, putting them on the tabletop to be cleaned momentarily.

“Well, of course it’s still there. I was thinking about knocking down the bricks at one point but the key disappeared ages ago.”

Coraline tensed slightly. If her mother or father had torn open that door, God only knows what might’ve come of it. She had never tried to knock those bricks down, and if she had, what exactly would she find? An empty space? Another portal? It likely didn’t matter, as the door was closed and locked and there was no way to enter through it. The well was the only accessible portal, and to get down there would take some considerable effort. She hadn’t exactly planned for that eventuality, but she’d figure it out somehow.

“I never got to see it, this mystery brick wall.”

Her father commented as he opened the fridge and brought out a cheesecake. Her mother leaned in slightly and lowered her voice, which was rather unlike her. Her hand gently gripped Coraline’s, who looked back at her mother with a perplexed expression.

“Did something happen with that door? Is that what you meant?”

There was something about the way her mother said that that unsettled Coraline. Did she know something? And the look in her eyes was feverish, filled with fresh terror, but it lasted only a second. After that second, it was gone, and her mother was just back to being a worried parent. Coraline shook her head.

“It’s nothing, mom. I was just curious.”

Her mother nodded amicably and her father sat back down, cutting each of them a slice of cheesecake. Coraline glanced out the window and for a second so brief that it might as well have been quicker than a blink, she saw a figure in the distant mist.

She wondered if exploring outside was the best idea after all.

*******

In the absence of rain, Coraline felt comfortable venturing outside. The mists had barely parted, but

There was a convenient path laid out for her along the edge of the garden.  The air was cold, so she

had wrapped a coat around herself for warmth. It wasn’t her old yellow coat, the one that had grown

far too large for her, but she imagined herself wearing it. The thought gave her a bit of comfort. She

wasn’t wearing her swampers either, her whole aesthetic having shifted ever since she left Ashland.

Wybie always said he missed it, but Coraline explained to him that it was just a little too strange for

her. Besides, it’s not like she had ran out of colour, she had just taken a more subtle approach.

As the path curled, Coraline could make out the edges of the garden, dead plants scattered about the plot in droves and the cobbled ground cracked in several places. This place had always been a bit of a mystery to her. In the Other World, the witch had moulded it to look like her “daughter’s” face, that sickening display just another of her ploys to get Coraline to love her, and fall in love with the world she made. In the real world, though, it still retained her shape, and the resemblance it bore most, oddly enough, was her real mother. She had considered this for a time, as she had so many details about her past, and eventually came to the conclusion that it must have been constructed to resemble the original owner.

Coraline had done some research on the Pink Palace since her departure from it. Apparently, it had been built as Ashland was being settled in 1852, and it was built for the town’s founder, an unnamed woman who was thought to be a seamstress. Very little was known about this woman, and the only details the records showed was that she lived alone, and had no children. Coraline had done a lot of thinking to go alongside her research, and as much as she theorised about how this woman could have some connection to the Beldam, or might possibly have been her before she found or made the Other World, it ultimately didn’t matter.

Whatever humanity that thing might’ve had at one point in time, over a hundred and fifty years ago, it was anything but human now. There was no way to appeal to its better nature, its mercy, for a predator has naught but hunger, and its prey cannot bargain with it. The only escape is death, the death of the victim or the monster. Coraline wasn’t planning on dying, but she knew she’d have to adapt her strategy if she wanted to kill the Beldam. If starvation wasn’t enough, she’d behead her, dismember her, burn her alive, whatever it took to be sure she was permanently gone.

As she circled around the house, Coraline suddenly felt droplets of rain hitting her face. She looked up just in time to see the downpour begin, torrential and mighty, and with a quick step she sheltered herself under the house’s porch. That put a damper on her plans to explore, and she could already see mud beginning to form on the ground. She sighed heavily and stomped back inside, shaking off the rainwater and running her hands through her hair. Instead of going out, she would probably just have to sit in her room and strategize.

Things were still awkward with her parents from lunch, and Coraline couldn’t help but have this distinctive, almost acidic feeling that something was not quite right with them. Or, perhaps, it was with her. The guilt of not having called for so long was eating at her, and she couldn’t fathom how she’d been so callous. If there was a call, nobody could remember it. Biting her inner cheek, she headed upstairs and flopped onto her bed, after tugging off her boots and throwing them to the side. She was getting back into her old habits.

She spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about what to do when she crossed the tunnel, and before she knew it, it was already time for bed. She undressed and put on her pyjamas, before brushing her teeth and checking on her parents. Their bedroom door was closed. She sighed in disappointment and returned to her room, tucking herself in. What a strange feeling it was to miss them when they were only a room away. They must’ve felt just as awkward as she had. All she wanted, though, was to diffuse that tension with a hug and tell them how sorry she was.

Without the Cat to keep her company, Coraline simply clicked off her light, rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. Sleep would bring respite, or at the very least, it would prove to be a convenient transition from that day to the next. She found herself pondering on how strange sleep was, like a form of time travel filled with hallucinations, and that pondering sufficiently knocked her out. She entered into a deep, dreamless slumber, floating in a placid ocean of void, endless and stretching out in every direction until the end of time and space itself.

******

Coraline awoke in the wee hours of the morning, which was not really morning at all, still dominated by the dark and the night. What woke her was a subtle scratching sound at the window, and she thought for a moment that the Cat had finally arrived to talk with her about her plans. But when she tried to sit up, or roll over, or even move her hand, she found herself quite incapable. Her eyes widened and she tried again to move, only to find herself completely frozen, her eyes the single functioning body part. Was this… sleep paralysis?

She’d heard about the condition before, and was sure she’d never suffered from it, and never could, yet here she was. Her eyes darted over to the window to try and make out the source of the ever-loudening scratching, only to find no Cat outside her window. Instead, a long, needle-like object was carving something into the glass, slowly and inexorably, one letter at a time. Coraline’s breathing intensified as she could make out a word in the window, sliced delicately into it by that old horror she was sure she had destroyed and drowned at the bottom of the well.

Screaming wouldn’t help, and she couldn’t even open her mouth, a dull whimpering noise echoing behind her paralysed lips. Nothing worked, she couldn’t even shut her eyes to stop the nightmare from invading her. When the monster hand’s work was finished, a shadow slipped across the wall and Coraline felt cold, sharp points drag across her scalp, a quiet snickering filling the silence left behind by the scratching’s departure. It was all she could do not to die of fright on the spot, her eyes slowly focusing on the window and realising that the word carved into it was ‘darling’.

She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t cry out. She couldn’t fight off the evil. All she could do was lie still, her chest rising and falling rapidly, as a shape began to loom over her. She knew what it was. Its long body stretched down, past the foot of the bed, its carapace twitching in staccato and its arachnid limbs pinning her in place. She couldn’t see its face yet, still shrouded in darkness, but she felt a metallic hand brush against her cheek and tuck strands of hair behind her ear. It raised up and gently poked her on the nose, and in the shadows she could make out a luminous, jagged smile filled with nothing but hungry malice.

There was a moment of quiet terror, where all was still, and Coraline prayed that her torture would end. That moment seemed to stretch into eternity. Then, at the height of agony, the shape leaned down towards her and the Beldam’s cracked porcelain face came into view, her button eyes sewn back into place and gleaming in the low light. That horrific grin began to part, and Coraline felt something like breath against her nose, the stench of sawdust and mould overcoming everything. And then the Beldam spoke.

“See you soon.”

Coraline lurched upwards with a scream, control over her body returning to her. She clutched at her chest, hyperventilating as her eyes darted around the room. The witch was gone, and so was the paralysis. She looked over at the window, only to see it completely unblemished, not a single horrid letter carved into its surface. Steadily, she slowed her breathing, taking as long as she needed to calm down. She wasn’t calm, and wouldn’t be for a long time, but she was steadfast. Her parents hadn’t heard her screams, and if they had, they were choosing not to run to her.

A subtle meow drew her attention back to the window, and outside it, she saw a familiar black shape. She sighed in relief and got out of bed, heading to the window and opening it up. The Cat was perched on the windowsill, and he stared at her blankly as she picked him up and carried him inside.

“Just a nightmare…”

Coraline sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands. She was still shaken, despite the horrors having ended.

“No. It was her.”

The Cat’s voice caused her to look up and over at him. He licked one of his paws pensively, and she was forced to admit in that moment that he was right. There were no coincidences with that creature.

“Just because she can show you things doesn’t mean she’s as she appears.”

“Are you saying she can’t hurt me here, in the real world?”

The Cat nodded his head.

“It’s all part of her game. She still thinks she can scare you off. She’s more afraid of you than you are of her.”

With a quiet scoff, Coraline sat up and put on her slippers, grabbing her phone as she did. The Cat raised his proverbial eyebrow and jumped after her.

“You ever heard of being safe, rather than sorry?”

She turned on her phone’s flashlight and headed downstairs as quietly as she could. She headed for the kitchen, and in the kitchen was a locked cupboard. She searched through the key draw and took out a small silver one, using it on the cupboard door. Inside were some housework tools, chief among them being a crowbar. She remembered her father putting these tools in this cupboard, and very pointedly telling her not to open it unless he asked her to. She was a little offended that he thought she was still too young for that kind of thing, but in the present she thanked her past father for keeping such things so safe.

Grabbing the crowbar, she marched with purpose to the living room. The Cat watched from a distance, his eyes narrowed in intrigue, though still wary. What was she planning? Placing her phone on the floor, its torch facing up, Coraline dropped down to her knees and placed the crowbar’s hook between the little door and the wall. She fixed it securely in the gap between them, before wrenching with all her might. The door strained and creaked, and the Cat’s hackles raised slightly in anticipation. Coraline wrenched harder, grunting as she put everything she had into it. The door made a pained splintering sound, cracking at the edges, before it suddenly swung open.

Coraline made a sort of pitiful scoffing noise and sighed shakily at the sight. Just a bunch of bricks. The Cat slinked up beside her and pressed his body against her frame to comfort her. She stroked his head and thought about what to do next. Knock down the bricks? She’d probably just find an empty apartment beyond it, as was expected, but that just made her angrier. It couldn’t end like this, so soon, without closure. No, there would be a finale, there would be a final confrontation with the Beldam, and she would win, and she would answer all the questions that had burned since the day she discovered this door.

With a quiet huff, she stood up and stormed out of the room, the Cat following dutifully behind her. As she took her eyes off it, the door began to close, and a light glowed behind it. Quiet scratching echoed through the house, and to accompany it, the pitter-patter of tiny feet and the clashing of brass.

[krys-loves-otome]

for houki, ophelia, maddie, and miri: 1, 3, 12, 18!

Questions About Creating Your OCs

1. What was the first element of your OC that you remember considering (name, appearance, backstory, etc?)

Houki: Since she and Ophelia are both transplant MCs from a different game (Seven Kingdoms: A Princess Problem), Houki's initial build in that game (as she was my 'playing the first time blind' kinda MC), had all her stats pointed towards her high intelligence but not in much else (as most of the questions I answered all pointed towards the intelligence stat, and you can't go through a stat raising game only focusing on a single stat, ya need a balance, hon). Not intentionally, but it's still one of the first things that comes to mind when I think of her

Ophelia: After learning the ropes of the game (through a second MC build after Houki), I then started the build for Ophelia, my third MC. Her initial setup in game was called the 'Ambitious Widow', an MC who climbs the societal ladder to gain more power through less than savory means. Through choices made, you can choose for her to be a victim of circumstance or be an active perpetrator of her villainy, and, me being me, I took the softer path in making her more of a victim of circumstance. Despite all the rumors, she didn't kill her husband, that's always been my hard line for her, her innocence in spite of everything else.

Maddie: Her age, has been there since the beginning. She's one of my game avatars , turned into an OC like Abby and Clara (the first one of them actually), but her age has always been a factor even before her creation. Maddie being in her 30s was made as a dig at Sirius's age always being a butt of some joke and I just gave a middle finger to the ageism and made my Alice older to spite it.

Miri: My way of how I would give the Sheep MC a human form, so her design came first.

3. How did you choose their name?

Houki: Hotohori's wife's name from Fushigi Yuugi. Just really liked the name for her.

Ophelia: I wanted a tragic feminine name and what better place to look than to Shakespeare? Plus, Hamlet's Ophelia has fascinated me for the longest time though I could never put into words specifically why. Fun fact, Ophelia's other sisters are also named after tragic female figures in Shakespeare's canon, because I wanted to be funny and clever.

Maddie: Baby name generator gave me the name Madeline and I thought that was nice and it stuck.

Miri: Since Obey Me plays a lot with using biblical names and names that have Christian symbolism with them, I wanted to follow suit by giving my MC a biblical name, but felt that Eve, Mary, and their variants (Eva, Evie, Marie, Maria) were a little too on the nose. So, I used a generator to help, coming across the name Miriam, sister of Moses who helped him realize his heritage and ultimately helped him to free their people from slavery, and the name stuck, especially with the initial setup of my MC having a more sisterly-like relationship to the Demon brothers.

12. What have you found to be the most difficult about creating art for your OC (any form of art: writing, drawing, edits, etc)?

Houki: Meshing her story with IkeSen's story. Lots elements you have to think about that make her story different from IkeSen's MC's story, like, when I think about doing IkeSen's prologue with Houki in mind, how she helps Nobunaga escape, meeting various other suitors, and things that would be different, like personalities, backgrounds, things like that.

Ophelia: Same problem with Houki, meshing her story with IkeSen's story, like where her motivation for her family goes when it becomes apparent that it won't be easy, if at all possible, that she would be able to return home. She kinda falls apart when her motivation is taken away, plus she's not always mentally stable in her home game either, so keeping her motivated to move forward isn't the easiest task.

Maddie: Keeping her powers consistent and (more on my part) learning how to draw different body types. Always have to remind myself that Maddie's power only works on inanimate objects and not on living, sentient things. Plus, along with her age, I wanted to give her a bigger body type, but I haven't quite mastered that yet.

Miri: Skin tone consistency. She's a fairly new OC so it's normal that I haven't mastered all of her elements yet, but her having darker skin like Mammon, Simeon, and Diavolo, starts me to think more about skin tones, how warm and cool colors and their signature colors can come into play (Simeon with cooler colors, Diavolo with red tones, and Mammon with gold tones). With Miri, since she's based off of Sheep MC's design, I add in pinks and purples to her color scheme, but still trying to figure out her base colors.

18. What is the most recent thing you've discovered about your OC? Houki: She's gotten more gremlin as time has gone on.

Ophelia: Maybe not the most recent, but she does have a touch aversion for kissing specifically.

Maddie: She is three days younger than Sirius, thanks to the magic of random date generators.

Miri: She might have the smallest platonic (maybe romantic?) crush on Diavolo, but knows it probably won't go anywhere because gotta keep those relationships between humans, demons, and angels impartial and all that nonsense. Plus, he's the prince of Devildom and she's a regular human (albeit with magical powers and …questionable heritage), but still, probably won't go anywhere… right?

[thevoidcannotbefilled]

One of my fundamental issues as Annabelle is written is that... she's not a person. Or more accurately, you could replace her with a walking talking spider or a person possessed by spiders, or something to that effect and it would be the exact same role in the narrative.

Thing is, I don't mind if she's mostly Web. I think that makes sense for an avatar of it. The more you're in it, the more you lose yourself, the more you let go of your natural impulses and can be guided by your entity. I also find the idea of giving yourself up to the Web due to seeing your own insignificance within the world fascinating (maybe especially now where there's so much happening in the world and personally being able to do nothing to stop the bad in it. There's a temptation to give into that misery). The Web is also a huge parallel with Jon's entire journey. Any character who embodies the idea of inevitability, the choices within lack of choices, and feeling small in a complex world should be a huge deal! In a way, her character is everything Jon would hate himself to be. And while I personally don't like taking her statement literally, the fact she parallels her backstory to Jon to mess with him shows how much she directly can get under his skin.

But...

1) there isn't a major moment where she does anything to have an effect on Jon that's related to who she is as a person. There is no shining moment where she and Jon have an understanding or see each other beyond just barebone avatars. And that's because...

2) Annabelle doesn't want anything. As much as the idea of giving herself up to the Web is fascinating... she just doesn't want anything from it. No side schemes to use the Web to counter productively get a better future. No setting up her own manipulations by twisting the final plan. No sense of giving herself up to the Web for protection. Not even "Jon make it easy and just do what you need to do. Then the fear can go away".

She has no motivation. Nothing. Because at the end of the day, all she does within the plot of the show is make sure the Web can do its plan. That's it.

Ever since I saw the line where she was okay with dying to make sure the Web's plan went into fruition it just made me so sad about her character. Oliver makes sense; he is an End avatar, that's his whole thing. His entire journey was learning to accept the monster and the messed up fear the End was teaching him.

But Annabelle? I can see where the whole "I'm just one small step to this plan" mindset is but... for every other avatar there has been some examination of their humanity. What motivates them. Who they are and so on. Season 4 and season 5 explore their complex existence where even if they're hurting people they still have wants and desires. There's something driving them to do what they're doing. Oliver is part of the exception but his exception proves a point in his horror. Even Jonah for how horrible he is, has desires that can be graciously translated to "he never wants to die and wants to make sure no one can ever kill him".

Annabelle doesn't have any of that and I'm not 100% sure why she was written that way. Yes, she wants the Web's final gambit to go through, but idk, its just so odd to me to have an actual person in the role she plays in the current story when a puppeted character could do the same. If there was an examination of the idea of letting yourself go to a higher force for some sake, then that would be something. But as it stands, Annabelle Cane is an awkward character that is too much of a person on the narrative to reliably be seen as just a person possessed by spiders but not enough motivations or want in the narrative to actually be one.

And that's just disappointing more than anything else for a show that's otherwise so good at having wonderful layered characters.

[ice-cream-nekogirl]

Obey Me Brothers X MC as Couples on TV Shows/Movies I've watched

Lucifer X MC

Klaus X Cami- The Originals

The passion, the sincerity, the way a human, Cami inspired goodness in Klaus, one of the most dangerous vampires in the world at the time. Just like how MC became a good influence for Lucifer, the most infamous demon of all time. Lucifer of course puts his family before everything, but he considers MC family too and truly grew to love MC like Klaus did for Cami.

Mammon X MC

April X Andy- Parks and Recreation

The sweetness, laughter and overall safety is exactly what Mammon provides for MC, just like how Andy, a lovable goofball, can make the dour April actually crack a smile. No one takes the guy seriously, sometimes not even April does because it's hard to. MC can tease Mammon too since he makes it so easy, but it doesn't stop Mammon from loving MC anymore than he already does, and it's clear MC loves Mammon dearly too.

Leviathan X MC

Sheldon X Amy- The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon is a total nerd who has very few friends and even fewer people who can tolerate his quirks, until he meets Amy. Leviathan, a shut-in otaku, had zero friends prior to meeting MC, who not only tolerates his quirks but loves him for it and Levi returns the feelings since he can be his otaku self with MC.

Satan X MC

Grace X Judd- 9-1-1 Lone Star

Everyone confuses Satan for Lucifer or compares him to so, and naturally that adds to Satan's bubbling pit of barely concealed rage and inferiority complex, but MC helps him see past that. It reminds me so much of how the troubled Judd finds his solace in the loving Grace, who comforts and heals his spiritual wounds.

Asmo X MC

Wade Wilson X Vanessa- Deadpool

Before he met Vanessa, Deadpool just did his thing, fooled around and didn't take anything seriously. Asmodeus, the Avatar of Lust lived up to his name, but fell in genuine love with MC, who loves Asmodeus rather than simply lusts for him.

Beelzebub X MC

Grey Worm X Missandei- Game Of Thrones

A quieter love compared to the other pairings in Game of Thrones, Grey Worm's love for Missandei is pure and sincere, admiring her for her own talent and Missandei is fascinated by Grey Worm's strength and character. Beel wants to protect MC but admires their strength, just like how MC also admires Beel for his own strength and loyalty.

Belphegor X MC

Tate X Violet- American Horror Story: Murder House

Tate and Violet's love story is toxic, that's undeniable, but damn they are one of the most tragic, passionate love stories of all time. Tate's love for Violet was sincere and Violet's love for Tate was just as sincere even though he did horrible things to her family. Belphegor did some pretty awful things to MC, even killing them! Yet Belphegor truly loves MC, and despite everything, MC seems to love Belphegor just the same.

[bakubros-boo-thang]

Disrespected Devil

Wordcount: -4K

Lucifer x F!Reader

Summary: When you disrespect the demon king, Lucifer is forced to say goodbye to you.

Genre: Angst, smutt, slight fluff, but tbh just angst

A/N: So another first. Not only my first time writing for the Obey me fandom (I have a major Obey me brain rot), but also my first time writing angst and I felt depressed after finishing this (which I did a second ago). I love Diavolo, but I needed a reason for the goodbye to happen so even if his dad is the villain, he is the one to execute it... Hope you enjoy this story.

Warning: NSFW, mentioning of being paralyzed I guess.

‘’What’s with Luci today?’’ ‘’He looks more pissed of than usual…’’ ‘’He probably listened to classical music too long and forgot his homework.’’ ‘’Lucifer forgetting his homework will never happen, but if it did he would look like this.’’ Hearing all those whispers during dinner time is nothing new for you. Tonight is different though. You know why he’s mad and you know who’s the blame. But it’s not as if you don’t have a reason to be just as upset. As dinner slowly ends you know there is only a small gap to avoid a situation. ‘’Beel, how about we go bake something for later this evening?’’ You say, as you cling onto the huge redhead. You know that food is a trigger and you know that this is the way to hide from HIM. ‘’Alright, sounds delicious!’’ He doesn’t seem to notice the way you hold onto him for dear life and the same goes for the others. Clearly, they’ve gotten so used to you that it’s not even necessary to be by your side 24/7. It’s not as if they know tonight will be the last time they see you. It’s a small moment of weakness and you feel your heart clench by the thought of leaving those boys. It’s enough to make you lose your grip on Beel's arm. Enough to bend over, because it physically hurts to leave them behind and enough for Lucifer to finally notice you and come to your aid. ‘’Beel, I think she ate something wrong. No cake tonight, I will see her to her room.’’

And with that, he scoops you up and takes you upstairs. Of course, your room is not an option. It’s way too close to the other rooms. No place to yell. No, Lucifer’s room is soundproof. Made for his nights spent with loud classical music and also made for the occasional screaming match with one of his brothers. As he enters the room, he carefully puts you down on his bed. ‘’Are you feeling alright, Y/n?’’ He says as he lays his palm against your forehead. The feeling of sadness is gone, already replaced by nerves. You know what’s coming. You know you won’t hold back. Will this be your last fight with Lucifer? The question never makes it to the surface, because the moment you nod your head in ensurement, Lucifer opens his mouth. ‘’Good, because you have no idea how foolish you acted today.’’  As mentioned before this room reminds you of the occasional screaming matches he must’ve had with his brothers, but never with you. Pissing Lucifer off is easy. You’ve done that plenty of times. Even made him show his true form, but making him scream, that is something you never achieved. Still, it is worth the try. Tonight is your last chance. As you get up you take a look at his face. What faces you is the cold expression he usually shows when he’s done with someone’s bullshit. The expression you have already mirrored back to him. ‘’So you are going to ignore me?’’ I’m not going to answer him. ‘’Are you serious?’’ I am not going to say a word. ‘’Should I spell out what you did?’’ Don’t say a thing. ‘’You just signed your death certificate.’’ His voice cracks and even though it’s far from the scream you aimed for. It’s still the first sign of emotion from the man you care about so much. ‘’Diavolo didn’t seem upset by what I said?!’’ You can’t help but talk louder. especially after being silent for the past few minutes. ‘’ As if he is going to kill me? ME?! And ruin the bonds that are being formed with the humans?’’

You can feel the tears in your eyes, this fight might’ve been about you being disrespectful in some way, but for you it was different. All this time getting closer with all the brothers. All this time loving them. All this time being there for them. It made you realize that the only one who made it difficult was him. With every step getting closer to each other; there were always a few steps back. An obsession with keeping up appearance, an obsession over a promise he would keep no matter what, an obsession with being a stuck-up asshole; That was Lucifer in a nutshell for you. And still, you couldn’t help being drawn to him. As a moth drawn to a flame. Even when the flame could easily kill the moth. Just as easily Lucifer could kill you. And it’s not as if he hadn’t tried that before. ‘’Y/n, You disrespected his father. I had to bargain for you to even leave the castle. The first time I trusted you enough to take you with me alone. And this is how you behave? You know what he wanted to do to Belphegor…’’ You know this story is his weakness. The reason he ended up becoming the lapdog of his so-called best friend. Still, it only makes you more upset to hear him say it. Even when you can hear the slightest hint of emotion in his voice; his eyes stay just as cold as usual. ‘’He is your best friend, isn’t he? He is my friend too, right? You always do this Lucifer! You always get mad over things and it never solves anything. You get mad at me for having fun. You get mad at me for trying to help. You get mad at me for trying to get closer to you. You don’t share things with me! Maybe Diavolo should’ve locked me up. Might as well get myself killed; it’s not as if you never tried to kill me…’’ Your voice is loud as you speak, but his silence is louder. He just stares at you and then it happens.

It’s not that you’re scared you’ve seen his true form before. It’s just as beautiful as him, but it’s also something that happens when he’s full of rage, just as that one time he tried to kill you. You can feel yourself freeze under his gaze. You can feel yourself moving away from him until you reach the headboard of his bed. Still, he moves closer. Until his lips are inches away from your ears. No screams, only whispers; what a way to say goodbye. ‘’DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON?!’’ You are so shocked by the volume of his voice, the bass it carries, that it takes some time to realize he has more to say. Your ear is beeping as he moves his lips away and locks his gaze onto you. ‘’DIAVOLO IS NOT THE FUCKING PROBLEM, Y/N, HIS DAD IS. YOU INSULTED THE KING OF DEVILDOM IN FRONT OF HIS SON AND MULTIPLE WITNESSES. DIAVOLO CAN’T DO SHIT ABOUT THAT.’’ Only now do you notice the way his hands are gripping your arms; The way his expression has changed from cold to almost desperate. ‘’That guy has only been able to do what his dad wanted. Our friendship is real, but if his father told him to kill me, he would do it without hesitation. Do you really think he would think twice about killing you? IF HE WOULD KILL ME -HIS BEST FRIEND- IN AN INSTANT?” You notice the tears in his eyes. Lucifer is screaming and crying, but this isn’t a win. Before your heart breaks again, his arms are around you and his face is hidden in your neck, but that doesn’t stop the words. ‘’I had to send you away. I had to be cold. They know I care about you, but not to this extent. I had to pretend it was for the sake of the bonds. After you left I had to beg on my knees for your survival. I had to beg. The avatar of pride begged someone on his knees. It was all Lillith over again…’’

There is nothing you can say to fix this. It might’ve slipped your mind while you were there. But you were surrounded by royalty. What might’ve seemed innocent for you, was clearly a lot for them and now you had to leave everyone you loved behind. You can feel the tears fall from your eyes. “I’m sorry Luci, I truly am.” It won’t help, but it’s the least you can say as you look up into his eyes. He is still in his true form, but even with his wings all spread out, he has never looked more vulnerable. There is a sad smile on his lips as he caresses your cheek. “I know you are, you fool.” He says with no trace of the rage he had before. “ I don't want to leave you all…I don't want to leave you!” You know that you sound like a small child that already knows he lost and that’s exactly what you feel like. “It’s too late for that now, Y/n. Diavolo gave me tonight to say my goodbyes.”  You try to distract yourself by focusing on his raven colored wings. “So that means I can’t say goodbye to the rest…”  The pain is back. Never being a fool with Mammon, never dressing up with Levi, doing make-up with Asmo, reading books with Satan, eating with Beel or sleeping with Belphie.  You can’t help but grab your chest again. “Are you okay?” Lucifer is supporting you within seconds as he asks the question. “No I’m not, but atleast I get to say goodbye to you.”  And as you look up he leans in and gives you a tiny peck on the lips. “I’ve wanted to do that for quite some time.” He lets out. You can’t help but smile as you pull him back towards you. “Let's make it a proper goodbye then.” You whisper as you pull him back to your lips.

It’s not like it’s your first kiss with Lucifer, but it’s the last and that’s what makes it so much more special. It’s the combination of mutual sadness and desperation, the hint of rage still brewing somewhere deep inside the both of you. He knows your body, the way it will arch when he pushes you all the way down onto the bed. The tiny gasps when he starts kissing your neck. The way you look away when he starts kissing all the way down your body. ‘’Please keep looking at me, dear. I want you to see how much I am going to miss you.’’ It’s enough to make your heart flutter, the way he starts to attack your core with his tongue right away. It’s obvious he is in a hurry, but even with all the sadness, it’s the best way there is. You can’t help your moans; You’re lucky his room is soundproof. He’s fast, maybe too fast, but with everything that’s going on, it’s the best you can get. And that’s what it is. The best, because within a few minutes you can feel yourself starting to reach that point. The knot in your stomach tightens. your hands end up in his hair and with one loud moan, you erupt around him.

‘’I know that Mammon claims he was your first… in multiple ways… and not to discredit my brother, but I intend to be your last in all of them.’’  He says as he looks at you while he licks his lips. Him saying those words, the way he just made you lose your mind. It feels good, after all the fighting, teasing, kisses and losses , you’re with the man you love. You don’t want to ruin the mood. You’re really trying, but the moment you hear yourself thinking about loving him, about leaving him, about leaving his brothers, you just break. The tears start to form in your eyes and as you try to wipe them away you feel something on your arms. Lucifer. His eyes are cold again as he moves up to face you. ‘’Don’t hide your tears. I am just as sad.’’ He takes a long look at you, lets out a sign, and lays next to you as he caresses your back. ‘’I don’t want to play the ‘’Who has it worse’’ game, truly, I don’t want to, but in all the years I’ve been in heaven and hell, you’re the first human to have ever make my blood boil. Both from nerves and anger nonetheless, but losing you. Losing the one that made my family whole, the one that makes me feel all these emotions, the one that I love, hurts.’’ You can’t help but raise your brow. when he notices your expression he lets out a laugh.

You feel his hand grab your chin and suddenly your lips are only inches apart. ‘’I know you love me, Y/n. I’ve always known. Falling for you, was what surprised me.’’ You can’t help, but roll your eyes at him. Trying to ignore the way his hand feels on your back. The way it slowly moves it’s way to your hips. ‘’You know I do love all your brothers quite a lot too…’’ You say with all the confidence you have left. ‘’I know you do, but still I am the one that has you laying here. Practically begging for more.’’ He let’s out a chuckle as he pulls you closer. ‘’Let’s end this conversation, there’s not enough time.’’ And with that he’s on top of you. You know there isn’t much time, but when he starts to unbotton his shirt it’s as if time slows down. Of course he notices your looks and can’t help to give you a sly smirk. ‘’Don’t worry your next.’’ Is all he says as he takes his shirt off and starts tugging on yours. After your shirt is taken off he takes a look at your body and all you see is adoration on his face. ‘’I want to see all of you.’’ It makes your body flutter. ‘’You’re absolutely breathtaking.’’ He whispers. All this praise makes you feel weak. You try to grab his face, but as you put your arms up they fall down. You feel weak. Not because of his words, but something else. You see Lucifers expression change, the adorations is switched to concern, then back to concentration and before you know it he scoops you in his arms and makes you straddle him.

He’s looking at you, but not really. Obviously talking to himself. ‘’He wanted to be sure…’’ And as he says it he’s back. Back to giving you a sad smile. ‘’What’s going on?’’ Is all you let out. Is all you can let out, as you feel your body weighing more and more. He notices you getting weaker, making sure your settled between him and the headboard of the bed, before he speaks again. ‘’I think it’s time… Barbatos must’ve cast a spell… something that gave us a time limit. The probably knew it would be hard saying my goodbyes to you. Now I’m forced to make haste, just to make sure you’re safe.’’ You can’t even respond. You can move, but barely and all you can do is watch as Lucifer grabs his shirt. As he moves away from you, you’re sure of it. No this is not the way we’re going to say our goodbyes. It needs to be on our terms. Of course those words never leave your lips, but with all the power you have you reach out to him and as he looks back you let out a: ‘’No...not like this.’’ And maybe it’s the few words you’ve spoken, or the way your arm is trembling from all the power it takes to hold on to him, but he crawls back to you. His face is right above yours and if it’s not your eyes making it obvious what you want, you’re mouth will do. ‘’Take me…’’ It’s not a lot of words, but with the face you’re making and the fact that you guys were just in the middle of it, it doesn’t take much guessing. You can see that he’s thinking about it, obviously worried for you, but you can see his eyes change the moment it clicks.

His wings ar still there and you wished you could touch them, feel them one last time, but you should be lucky by what you can still get.’’I used to be a rebel, so why not know.’’ He laughs quietly before he lays you flat on your back.  ‘’I’m going to take care of you my love, promise me to let me know when it’s too much or when you want to stop.’’ You nod your head and you know that your eyes tell him all he needs to know. How bad you want him, how even when you were able to just talk normally, you would want this goodbye to be said only in silence. His body is hovering over yours, his hand touching your neck, giving you goosebumps. ‘’Does this feel nice?’’ he whispers as his hands move towards your breasts. You can only let out a tiny gasp and that tells him enough. ‘’I wish we had more time…’’ Is all he says as his finger enters your core. The moan that escapes you is loader then the both of you would’ve expected. As he continues to stretch you out with one hand, his other starts to prep his cock. ‘’Wish I could… do that for you.’’ You manage to say. You can’t keep your eyes from him. The way he’s hovering over you. His finger inside of you and the way you can’t do anything except for your stares, moans and gasps. ‘’All I want is to feel you right now, my love.’’

And with that he places the tip right in front of your entrance. He makes sure your faces are only inches apart and as he slowly slides into you, his arms make there way to your sides. He’s holding you as he bottoms out in you and the only thing you can do is let out a long moan. He starts moving slowly, tender, putting all his love in every trust. He’s the only one speaking from time to time. ‘’I love you’s’’ and ‘’You feel so good’ s’’ are filling the room. All that praise, all the love in his eyes. The fact that he’s not only literally hitting all your spots, but also the spots in your mind, is what does it for you. You feel yourself unravel under him. You’re so close, that you start to tear up. Your eyes are filled with tears, mostly because of how good this feels, the fact that you’re making love on stolen time, but also because the time is probably running out soon. Lucifer never increases his speed. When he notices your tears he quickly wipes them away and as his hand caresses your swollen cheek he whispers:  Don’t cry, my love, let us enjoy these last moments.’’ And just as he is about to give you a kiss on the lips you whisper a soft ‘’Love you Lucifer.’’ You notice his eyes being red as well and it’s devastating, but it feels so good. the way he keeps a steady pace has you reaching your peak and these final ‘’I love you’s’’, the final kisses is all you need to feel yourself tightening around him. He’s close too, because the moment he feels you tighten around his cock he gives you one firmer stroke and that’s all he needs to cum inside of you. He falls next to you and quickly takes you in his arms. ‘’I wish we could stay like this forever. I would sell my soul… but I guess in some way my soul has already been sold.’’ And all you can do is give him a sad smile before your eyes close.

Lucifer knew that it was time. You were starting to feel cold, too cold. After putting on some clothes and making sure you were fully clothed, he grabbed the coin Barbatos had given him. ‘’Use this before the time runs out.’’ So he had warned him for the curse. He knew he couldn’t be mad at his friends. He couldn’t be mad at you, he could only blame himself. He had shown his weakness by loving you. But you loved his brothers, loved him, despite all he stood for, without any shame. And even with the way it felt like he was going to lose you forever, it still meant the world he had the honor of getting to know you. The moment the coin was thrown a portal started to form and as he grabbed your cold body the darkness swallowed the two of you. As he opened his eyes he saw nothing, but darkness. It took a few minutes to notice that he was in a room. It must’ve been yours, because he noticed a picture of you next to a bed. He was going to take the picture, he was a rebel after all. As he tucked you in, he was at a loss for words. So all he could do was give you one last kiss on the forehead. Not being able to stop the tears falling from his eyes. ‘’Goodbye, my love…’’ and as the darkness was about to swallow him, he couldn’t help but leave one more thing behind. A raven feather, just for good measure. Returning to the Devildom was going to be almost as hard as leaving you here. He was once again going to be the villain in yet another story… the story of how he lost you.

You wake up to sunlight. Too much of it. Why aren’t your curtains closed? Wait, you have to get out of bed, it’s your turn to cook for everyone. Everyone? You live by yourself… right? It feels like you had a weird dream, but you can’t remember it. All you feel is sadness. As if you’ve lost something or someone important. The pain hits you so hard that the moment you try to stand your legs give out and you lay on the ground as tears fill your eyes. It hurts, but you don’t know why. As your hands try to find some grip to get up, you feel something soft. A feather. A raven black feather. It’s weird, but it feels comforting. Before you can help yourself, your lips are already on it and even when you should be grossed out by it, you plan to cherish the little trinket...

[dreamkidddream]

Hiya~ Can I request quote 9) "Are you jealous?" for Lucifer in Obey Me! pretty please😊

This was so much fun to write! Luci know that he gets jealous but never wants to admit (his jealousy is worse than Mammon but you didn’t hear it from me 🤭) and sorry this got kinda long! Reader is gender neutral!

TW: suggestive/spicy themes, but nothing extremely graphic is mentioned

Prompt: “Are you jealous?” with Lucifer!

Lucifer is pissed.

He’s tapping his foot, and constantly checking his phone, waiting in his study for you to either walk in or call him. It’s late, and you’re still not home yet. He asked his brothers where exactly you are, and when Asmo told him that you’re out with the same “friend” you seem to blow all of them off for some time now, it just makes his mood turn even more sour, the scowl on his face deepening.

Now, Lucifer is not opposed to you making friends, as long as they aren’t a threat to you, his family, Lord Diavolo and the other exchange students. He understands that it’s very easy for you to connect with others, intentional or not, and he encourages it to a certain extent. However, this same “friend” that you’ve been increasingly been hanging out with for the past couple of weeks is starting to rub him the wrong way. Of course he’s met this “friend”, a classmate from your Seductive Speechcraft class (which just made him feel more unease with you being with them), and they seemed harmless enough (for a demon at least). Annoying, but harmless, at first.

Then began the constant need for your attention.

It started with the messages and calls under the guise of studying, the “innocent” demon begging you for help so that they can pass the class, and you being the naive nice human that you are of course obliged their request. Then it escalated from once a week, to three times a week, to almost staying after school every day just to “help”. He didn’t like that, as it’s him or his brothers that always walk you home every time, and this demon (who he found is Yuki, a demon who feeds off of sexual energy nonetheless), is messing with the routine, but he kept his cool and forced his brothers to do the same. He- They weren’t happy about this, but at the end of the day, you’re still coming home to him- them, and nothing is changing that. Not to mention how he made sure that someone had their eyes on you, whether it’s Mammon, Beel, or even himself (which he preferred).

Until Yuki decided that you need to hang out more, without him or his brothers.

That’s when he made it known of his dislike towards them, and dislike is putting it lightly.

You started to come home right at dinner, right before Beel devoured your plate. Mammon obviously voiced his displeasure aloud, with the others silently agreeing or making passing comments, but Lucifer would just shut the conversation down before anyone gets too upset, mainly for himself. He doesn’t want to lose control over something trivial like this, he can’t, he won’t- he’s well above some minuscule pest like them, and it would be a waste of time and energy to be worried about someone who is clearly below him!

He’s already irritated with Yuki integrating themselves into your everyday life, but he’s also trying to fight the increasing sinking feeling in his stomach the more you both bond.

The more you two become more than acquainted with one another, the more Lucifer tries to fight and hide this feeling. He buries himself in more paperwork, practically locks himself in his study, avoids anyone’s questions or concerns, and has become overall snappier than usual. He’s even snapped on Lord Diavolo, Lord Diavolo of all people!

(Granted Diavolo just thought it was overall stress, so he just simply laughed it off, but it didn’t go unnoticed by everyone, including you).

Now Lucifer is not stupid, he’s a very intelligent and powerful demon, and he doesn’t have to say it to be known. He made sure to do some research himself on Yuki, and didn’t put anything past them. You’re still surrounded by demons who wouldn’t hesitate to swallow you whole if allowed, and some are still desperate enough to try anything, so he’s very cautious with others being around you.

Which leads to now, you being out again with that demon at The Fall. Ever since, Lucifer retired to his study, constantly checking his phone for any updates. He refused to look distressed in front of everyone, and he knows that you’re smart and not so gullible, you’ll be okay, you had to be.

It’s well going on 1 in the morning, and you still haven’t answered any of his calls and texts? You swore that you would always answer him, so something had to happen. What exactly were you doing? What exactly were you two doing? We’re you okay? Are you safe? Has that Yuki tried anything with you?

Were you two doing anything now?

All of these questions swirling around in his head, his worry only adding on to his frustrations and building tension going through his body.

He already marched down to the door, coat forgotten and tie undone, flinging it open and scowl so deep that his fangs were bared. That Yuki better hope that you come home in one piece and spotless, or else he will make sure that they regret being alive-

He couldn’t wipe the surprised look on his face when he made eye contact with you, who was matching his own expression, hand frozen in the air mid knock.

“Lucifer? What are you still doing up? Are you about to go somewhere?” His expression quickly morphed to one of high distaste, the irritation displaying clearly on his face and his grip tightening on the door.

“I was still awake waiting for you. Have you forgotten how to use a phone, or are you too good for one now that you’re with your ‘friend’. And I remember specifically telling you to let me know when you leave, did I not?”

“Oh. Well...my phone kinda died, but I was already on the way home and-”

“By yourself?! Do you know how irresponsible that is? Do you forget that you’re a mere human?”

His irritation is rising to pure anger at this revelation. So that demon didn’t even have the decency to walk you home? To make sure that you arrive safe? And yet you still have the nerve to spend time with them and practically ignore him?!-

“Well- um, Lucifer? Lucifer!”

He snapped out of his murderous thoughts, and stepped aside to let you in.

“Come inside now, it’s late, and we have much to discuss.”

Your face scrunched up, showing confusion in how he’s acting. You know that’s he mad about your phone being dead, but he’s mad enough to leave the door barely hanging on its hinges? But you knew that arguing or pointing it out would just make things escalate, so you just stepped past and began to make your way up the stairs.

You can feel his eyes bore into the back of your head, but you just didn’t understand why. It’s about more than just your phone, it seemed like he’s been on edge for awhile now. You want to approach him, to ask him what’s wrong, to have him open up, but of course Lucifer being Lucifer, it was to no avail.

You racked your brain as he lead you to his room and began the “conversation” about how irresponsible you were being (really it’s just him getting whatever he needed off his chest and not you giving any input). Was it because of you going out so late? No, you didn’t drink, you and Yuki stayed together the whole night, and you let him know hours before. Was it Yuki? Now that you’re think about it, he has been frowning more it seemed like every time you brought up their name-

The pieces are starting to fit together now.

Oh my Diavolo.

You couldn’t stop the words escaping from your mouth before you could realize it.

“Lucifer, are you jealous?”

He choked in the middle of his sentence, and the room went quiet. You’re pretty sure that you can’t even hear him breathing, and his face just went entirely blank, no expression whatsoever.

Oh no, you broke him-

A gust of wind erupted, so strong that you had to shield your eyes for a second, and when you removed your arm, you were met with massive black wings and a very enraged demon.

“Excuse me?”

You stepped back until you stumbled onto the bed, as he stalks closer and closer to you.

“Care to repeat yourself?”

You knew better than to respond, and you felt frozen on the bed. You also know that Lucifer won’t attack or try to kill you, but it didn’t take away from the fact that he has moments where he’s very intimidating, one of those moments being now.

He’s looking down at you like a predator would to its captured prey, his ruby eyes glowing deviously in the dim room. He didn’t stop moving until he was on top of you, caging you in.

“Me? Jealous?” He scoffed. “I am the Avatar of Pride, the most powerful being in this house, yet you assume that I’m jealous of a demon that’s beneath me? You insult me, MC.”

He took hold of your chin, “Do you not remember what I said when we made the pact? You are mine and mine alone. Not anyone else’s, but mine.”

You felt like your nerves were getting the best of you, but you couldn’t force yourself to tear away as he leaned closer. He sealed his lips against yours in a heated kiss, one that you gladly accepted, not before uttering the words that made your heart race even faster.

“Maybe I should remind you of who you belong to, hm?”

—-

“Had a fun night, MC?”

“Yeah, it was”, you coughed in your hand. “Very nice, very fun. We had a great time.”

“Hmmmmm...you and Yuki or you and Lucifer?”

“Asmo!”

He giggled, “I’m just saying dear. I don’t sense the pent-up sexual frustration from Lucifer anymore, and he seems back to normal and even relaxed. Though I must say MC, I wish that you had spent the night in my bed instead.”

“Of course you do Asmo.”

“Besides, I would have covered your hickeys much better-”

“ASMO-”

“MC, are you ready?”

Speak of the devil and he shall appear has never been more true than now, as Lucifer appeared behind you both, placing his hand on your shoulder.

“Huh? Oh, yes, sorry.”

“Eh? Where are you two going?”

“Out.”

“And without me?!”

“Yes. Now, leave us be”. Lucifer moved his hand from your shoulder to your own hand, leading you both out the door. You two had plans for the day after the...eye-opening talk from last night, and he didn’t want to waste anymore time than he already had.

Bonus:

Asmo waited until he heard the door click, and then quickly whipped out his D.D.D. to text Yuki. He knew that the plan was going to be a success! A tense Lucifer made things more difficult for everyone, and he has too much pride to open his mouth so he decided to step in and team up with Yuki, who already knew about the whole ordeal.

Lucifer was already on the edge of snapping and letting his primal instincts take over anyway, so Asmo just gave him a little push in the right direction.

Thank Diavolo the plan worked, or else it would be hell for them both. He did owe Yuki some exposure on his socials in exchange for this and backing off of you now, but it was well worth the trouble.