#and i just want to point out that if gilgamesh is held accountable for his fate only crimes then

[typemoonconfessions]

[akampana]

25, Caster Gilgamesh with Arturia.

Archer Gil heart might be with Enkidu, but maybe Caster gil heart, who got over the loss with a harsh lesson, can still hope to find solace in those emerald waves inside Arturia eyes?

25. “I want you to be happy. And I would love it to be with me.”

CasGil X Arturia

this is connected to that other drabble you're referring to, No. 11 Gilart :)

_____

"You would dare make even a king plead, King of Heroes?" Arturia seethed, crushing her sword's hilt as she pointed Excalibur at Caster's throat. "Do not humiliate me further. Leave."

"I will not," the older one insisted, letting the blade slide just past his collar. "The same way you will not strike a man unarmed, Arturia."

The king flinched at the sound of her name in that familiar voice. After all the months that passed, he could still disarm her with just that.

"Don't," she whispered, her voice quivering like a leaf in autumn, barely clinging on to its branch.

"I am asking you, Gilgamesh," she managed as her heel clicked against the cold walls. "Leave, please. You have taken enough from me."

A gentle hand brushed the tears from her cheek, caressing her face the same way he did on temple grounds once before.

"The sins of my younger self are not my own. You are no fool, you know this. You know me," Caster stressed, willing the words into existence because he knew them to be true. The wise king was not so careless to toss aside one treasure in favor of another. He learned to see the beauty of each.

"This is the third time I've heard your voice say you love me—"

"Yet, the first time it was I that delivered those words and not that hedonistic idiot," Gilgamesh said, trying not to let his irritation take over. The king leaned forward, his headdress slipping from his hair as he pressed his forehead to hers.

Arturia stared straight into his eyes, a pair of rubies whose splendor she'd long memorized. Her gaze traveled downward, to the lines below his lashes that his younger self lacked, then to lips that spoke words less harsh.

There was a time Arturia would have been ready to believe him—the other him—maybe even debate that silly proposal he threw out every now and then. But that time had long passed. The person she was back then was dead and buried, six feet under together with all hopes she might have had of meeting Shirou once again.

"Gil," she enunciated his nickname, which she'd been allowed to use to differentiate him from his duplicate. "How am I to believe that I am more than something expendable in your eyes?"

Slowly, her hands crawled up his vest, pressing lightly on his chest to keep him from coming any closer.

"How can I believe that it truly is me that you want, Caster?"

The wise king of Uruk let out a long breath, anger brimming in his iridescent red eyes. He didn't think his hatred of his youthful self could go any further, but right now it was reaching a record high.

"I forgive your lack of faith, on account that it was myself that shook its foundations, but..." he trailed off, enveloping her hand in his. "However strong my efforts to distance myself from him, at our core we remain similar. There isn't a King Gilgamesh that does not want as strongly as we do, nor one that ceases pursuing his desires."

Her nails dug into the fabric of his vest, threatening to rip the fabric, but Caster stood steadfast.

"You expect me to believe you on account of that? Then you are no different—"

"I am," he interrupted, holding her chin so that she faced him.

"My younger self pursued you because he wanted a queen. He wanted you to fill a void that something he lost had left," the king declared.

"I want you to be happy," he said, finally, meeting her wide green eyes with his scarlet ones. "And I would love it to be with me. Therein lies our difference."

Gilgamesh held Arturia as her guarded heart let down its walls, circled her once stiff shoulders in his arms as the anguish that once held her upright crumbled into dust. King and King sank onto the unworthy floor, sitting amongst the rubble of her hate and doubt. But no matter. Together, they could make foundations that were stronger, built in trust instead.

Arturia whispered her response to his confession, touching her lips to his. Gil told her he wanted to make her happy. She, without fear, believed him.

[fuwafuwamedb]

New Horizons Pt 8 (Hakuno, Gilgamesh)

Previously, in New Horizons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

___

Be nice, Siduri had said.

Be nice! As though he had any options. The woman had clearly been exaggerating.

There was no way in this realm of existence or her own that she had missed him. Gilgamesh found himself shifting only slightly, finding the woman stirring in his arms.

Any movement would mean that Hakuno would wake up. He would have to face the reality and her response to being in his arms. The last time that had happened, they had been in his bed. He’d given into the temptation of her person and kissed her lightly, not even on the lips.

The worst part about this was that he was tempted to indulge her.

Enkidu had ruined him.

She wasn’t extravagant or flawless. She held no overt appeal that drew one in. Like that damn game he almost never bothered to pick up, there was just something about her that hook him in. She had that fact that had him now holding her in his arms, stroking her hair softly, and glancing at his office as he tried to think of something, anything else he could do while holding her.

While holding her.

What was he going to do about this?

The thunder clapped loudly outside though, making Hakuno stir in his arms. Those brown eyes were opening, her gaze drifting up to him only for those lips to lift upwards.

“You woke up,” she yawned, moving to sit up.

Well, sitting up meant that she was straddling his waist, looking down at him. The sleepy woman’s hair was in disarray, her hand rubbing lightly at her eyes as she looked around and gave another yawn.

“Did Siduri come back? I felt so bad about not bringing something to go with the muffins I made you. She said she would get some coffee. If she didn’t, I can just-“

“She brought them.”

He held up her cup, watching her accept it and smile softly at the cup.

That was it. No complaints, no threats about whether or not it should be good. Hakuno just held the cup as though she had been handed some great contract or jewel. She held the cup in both her hands and tentatively sipped it, her whole face brightening.

“Oh! It’s so good! I want to make something like this someday! Siduri did such a good job.”

“The baristas at the coffee shop made it,” he pointed out, grabbing his coffee before he lost his damn mind. He wasn’t comparing this woman. She didn’t need comparisons done. She wasn’t like the rest of the world outside in that big storm.

A single sip had him closing his eyes in appreciation.

Warmth and caffeine were hitting his senses. The rain didn’t seem so bad with the feeling of energy in a cup going down his throat. This required no words, no thinking.

It was just a damn good cup of coffee.

“Here,” Hakuno offered, pulling a muffin from her basket and holding it up for him. “I think a pumpkin muffin would go really well with these drinks. Mine’s really sweet and tastes a lot like chocolate!”

His was far more bitter, but he didn’t turn down the pastry. No, rather, he leaned forward and bit into the delicacy, watching those cheeks flush slightly with color. Her cooking though…

Good gods, when was the last time he had tasted something like this?

Had he ever tasted something like this?

There was the typical pumpkin of course, but she had added other things to the plump pastry in her hands. There was something in it that just enhanced that flavor. There was something added in just the right amount to not overshadow the taste that he had been expecting. It made the large bite that he’d taken seem so insignificant.

His coffee was set down. His hand was covering hers, bringing that muffin back to his lips for a second bite.

To say it complimented the store bought coffee was a gross understatement.

It made up for the lack of elegance. It brushed aside the imperfection and the bitterness of the coffee, leaving him to stare into those deep, brown eyes.

A third bite was taken.

She looked fascinated, enthralled. One would have thought that they were lovers with the way she looked at him, for he’d never seen anyone make an expression like that while looking at him. The woman glowed, her smile so damnably easy on the eyes.

“I did my best,” she told him, as though there were problems with her efforts.

Damn you, Enkidu. Damn you straight through that former hole in my apartment floor.

He wrapped his other hand around her waist, pulling her in closer.

She was still on him. She must have felt it, felt the damned curse that she set upon him whenever she did those strange expressions of hers. His mouth was coming close to hers, leaving her to glance up a him.

What was that, she had asked before.

He pressed his lips to hers.

Hopefully, someone had taught her.

She had come to his office. He was not accountable to anyone in these four walls.

He was not accountable for what spells this woman cast upon him, earth born or video game born though she may be.  

[tasnimkwritersdiary]

GENRE FICTION COMMENTARY

"A short story is a different thing altogether – a short story is like a quick kiss in the dark from a stranger." (King 1985)

In class, we learned that short stories don't need to be super dramatic. They can be about something slight, and that revelation somehow changes things. You can describe it as seeing a story from the corner of your eye, rather than a full picture. 

The four genres we are currently studying within this module are Crime, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and some sub-genres that fall in between.  

Fantasy is a part of speculative fiction, and elements of fantasy can even be found in early texts such as The Epics of Gilgamesh (Gilgamesh 2100 BC). Common conventions of the fantasy genre include the use of magic and supernaturalism. Fantasy often relies on the reader to suspend their disbelief, and put aside what they know to be ‘real' in order to fully submit to the world of the story.  

Favourites such as Lord of the Rings (Tolkien 1954) are often associated with fantasy, however, contemporary fantasy also includes dystopian literature, which is hugely popular right now. For example, The Hunger Games (Collins 2012) and The Maze Runner series (Dashner 2013) are popular YA fantasy which have achieved commercial success.

There are also many sub-genres of science fiction, such as punk (steampunk, cyberpunk etc.), Hard vs. soft sci-fi, post-apocalyptic fiction, which were outlined in Jim Clark's lecture. Whilst world building can be very technical within this genre, it is important not to use too much jargon or unnecessary information about your world, as it can take away from the readers belief (Novum), e.g. time travel.

Isaac Asimov, the writer of I, Robot, believes that ‘Science fiction can be defined as that branch of literature which deals with the reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology.' (Asimov 1981).

We are learning about horror right now, however, I have written horror before. Some elements of horror stories are a dark mood and atmosphere, exploring the darker side of humanity, unexpected incidents, violence and gore, etc. In addition to this, Gothic horror is often very sensual.

It is important to consider that genres are constantly evolving, and elements of the genres mentioned are constantly in flux. What is popular right now may not be popular in a few years, or on the hand, it could have a cult status like Dracula (Stoker 1897).

The trouble with genre is that it can be restrictive or formulaic for writers whose ideas may not fit neatly within the confines of a certain genre, in which case writers can consider their work as literary fiction. When showing our writing to publishers, it may be off-putting for them if our work isn't easily marketable. 

On the other hand, fitting within a genre can also be useful when categorising a book in a bookshop or online. It is easier for target audiences to find our books if they fit into a genre, but they can equally get lost amongst of other books within that genre.

In her book ‘Writing short stories', Ailsa Cox writes that ‘The short story is a protean form, encompassing infinite variations, and just like the novel, shading into other genres' (Cox 2016).

My short story is about a twenty-five year old man named Saeed, who is being held captive in a small, bare house in an unidentified location. This first-person narrative voice follows the reader through his daily routine of eating, sleeping, writing etc. His compulsive habits frame him as a strange character, but I want the reader to feel sympathetic of him. He describes his parents as mute but menacing, claiming that he would be instantly killed if he ever tried to escape.

My story falls within the crime genre and is a psychological thriller. Writer David Lyons, who recently held a workshop with us regarding psychological thrillers and their current popularity, gave us an insight into some common features of this particular sub-genre. Crime fiction often deals with mystery, suspense, tension etc. Psychological thrillers deal with all of these things too, however, they often focus on the mental state/mind frame of the narrator more so.

I am currently writing the second draft of my short story. Taking into consideration the elements of a short story, I am now working on further developing my characters, theme, setting, conflict, plot, and P.O.V. All of these elements are important in my eyes, but because I'm using an unreliable narrator as the protagonist of my short story, P.O.V. is the most challenging element. I am trying to keep my character believable and relatable, without making him predictable or dull. His strangeness is what causes intrigue, and will hopefully keep the reader wanting to know more about him and his situation.

The conflict begins as an external one, with man vs. man (his parents who he believes are holding him captive), but ends up being an internal conflict all along (man vs. self).

The unreliable female narrator is massively popular right now, with novels such as Gone Girl (Flynn 2013) and Girl on the Train (Hawkins 2015) having major success and even becoming award-winning films. However, Stephen King is arguably the king of psychological thrillers when it comes to literature.

In light of the times up movement, author Stephanie Merritt wrote an article on how the ‘cult' of the unreliable narrator must be stopped. She writes that ‘writing a woman who is off-kilter… might inadvertently reinforce a stereotype of neurotic women, slaves to their biology' (Merritt 2018). Whilst I don't believe that the problem is that severe, I do see a pattern in the unreliable female narrator, and understand how it can feed into the stereotype of the crazy, untrustworthy woman.

With women's experiences with sexual predators being in the limelight right now, is it clever to portray women and their testimonies as untrustworthy? I believe in considering real-life situations in my writing, which is why I decided to use a male unreliable narrator. Rather than having ‘Girl in captive' which sounds more like the titles that are already on the market, I am naming my short story ‘Man in Captive'. 

This was more common in the 90's/00's with books/films such as Fight Club (Palahniuk 1997), and The Talented Mr Ripley (Highsmith 1999), both of which were highly popular. The character of Tyler Durden in Fight Club has some similarities with my character, in the sense that they can both be seen as cynical characters facing the unfamiliar, and the fact that they are both unreliable but this isn't revealed until the end.

The relevance of my short story within this current political and social climate is that it does not add to the masses of books written from an unreliable woman's point of view. In addition to this, it also normalises the idea that men also suffer from mental health problems, and that not all of these illnesses manifest in the same way.

When comparing the novels mentioned about with my short story, they have some similarities. For example, this quote from Fight Club, "Everyone smiles with that invisible gun to their head." (Palahniuk 1997) carries the same sentiment as one of my narrator's lines ‘We're all one bad day away from driving off a cliff'. Pessimistic narrative voices are also common in many psychological thrillers, but not all.

I've also taken the idea of captivity, where in many films and books, girls and women are held captive rather than men. The idea that it is an adult man rather than a child, is again, uncommon. 

In regards to structure and plot, I did a lot of reading and research around short stories and how they differ to structuring or plotting a novel, but this quote by author Isobelle Carmody sums up what most texts explained. 

‘Short stories do not say this happened and this happened and this happened. They are a microcosm and a magnification rather than a linear progression’ (Carmody and McNab 2013).

As evident earlier on in my writer's diary, my initial ideas were too complicated. They had too many characters and too much action. The subtlety and unique nuances that make a short story a genre in its own right, rather than a condensed novel, were being lost beneath huge plot lines and complicated structures.

In order to capture a moment in time, I start my story eight months into the captivity of Saeed. I have two current versions of my story, one written as a diary. I'm not sure which one I will submit yet. 

I also have currently written two endings to my story. In the first ending, there's a frantic knock on the door, and behind the door are his parents, who embrace him. Behind them are the police. He's been missing for eight months and his parents tracked him down through his Amazon account deliveries, where he ordered food and other necessities in bulk before his captivity. It turns out that he had been holding himself captive. He says he doesn't recognise these people posing as his parents, but they show him pictures. He doesn't trust them and lashes out. The short story ends with him in a psychiatric ward. He doesn't understand why this woman who calls herself his mother is crying.

The second ending is more subtle, where he hears a cat meowing outside of his front door. Knowing that his parents would be angry if he touches the door handle, he hesitates. But then he remembers back to his childhood when he used to have a black cat, so he opens the door and steps out. The cat is in the front driveway. He takes his first step out of the house, picks up the cat, and goes back inside. He opens the curtains, opens all of the doors, and it is revealed that there are no parents holding him captive. The story ends there.

I favour the second ending more, however, I am still receiving feedback from my tutors and my writing group.  I agree that ‘A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it' (Poe 1846), and the second ending aligns with the strange mood of my short story more, rather than the first ones dramatic ending.

I also considered Freytag's pyramid (Freytag 2004). For example, in the second ending, the exposition is setting the scene of a day in the life in captivity for Saeed. The inciting incident and rising action are very subtle, along with the climax, where he hears the cat and opens the door. The falling action is the internal battle between whether he should leave or not. The resolution is open-ended, as we don't know what happens after he opens the door. In a way, the resolution is his decision to open the door.

Looking back, I probably should have decided on whether to write diary extracts or not or which ending to go with, before writing them both. However, writing two versions of my short story, as well as alternative endings has allowed me to experiment more with short story writing, and gain a better appreciation to find just the right balance of everything when writing a short story.

In the current world where twitter fiction, fifty-word stories, even six-word stories are popular, I believe that it is a great time to write a short story. It is something that people can read in a few hours on their day off, or on a very long lunch break. 

I could self-publish my short story on Amazon, or use my social media accounts to share my story with people who are already familiar with my writing. There are publications such as Ambit Magazine and Dark Lane which I could submit my work to, however, many places that take submissions often ask for specific genres or word counts, so I will have to make sure that I fit the criteria. For example, Dark Lane specifies well-written, literary ‘weird' tales, and they dislike blood and gore (Dark Lane 2018).

I will consult with my writer's group and lecturers to figure out which would be the best route for me, however, I am still looking into magazines that take short story submissions. I could even ask to publish the opening of my story in the CovWords magazine, and then post the rest on my blog so people can read it for free. As a novice writer, this may be a good way to receive feedback on my writing from readers before submitting to publications.

REFERENCES

Anthology Submissions (2018) available from <http://darklane.webs.com/anthologysubmissions.htm> [2 March 2018]

Asimov, I. and Zimmerman, R. (1981) Asimov On Science Fiction. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday

Carmody, I. and McNab, N. (2013) The Wilful Eye. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin Children’s

Collins, S. (2012) The Hunger Games. New York: Large Print Press

Cox, A. (2016) Writing Short Stories. 2nd edn. Abingdon: Routledge

Dashner, J. (2013) The Maze Runner Files. London: Random House Children’s Books

Freytag, G. (2004) Technique Of The Drama: An Exposition Of Dramatic Composition And Art. 2nd edn. Sacramento: University Press of the Pacific

Flynn, G. (2013) Gone Girl. London: Phoenix

Hawkins, P. (2015) The Girl On The Train. London: Doubleday

Highsmith, P. (1999) The Talented Mr. Ripley. London: Hutchinson

King, S. (1985) Skeleton Crew ; Different Seasons. London: Little, Brown

Merritt, S. (2018) The Cult Of The Unreliable Female Narrator Must Be Stopped | Stephanie Merritt [online] available from <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/19/cult-women-unreliable-narrators-literature-film-feminism> [2 March 2018]

Palahniuk, C. (1997) Fight Club. London: Vintage Books

Poe, E. (1846) The Philosophy Of Composition [online] available from <https://www.eapoe.org/works/essays/philcomp.htm> [2 March 2018]

Sandars, N. (2000) The Epic Of Gilgamesh. London: Penguin Books

Stoker, B. (2014) Dracula. New York: Penguin Books

Tolkien, J. R. R. (1954) The Lord Of The Rings. London: HarperCollins

[fuwafuwamedb]

Mr. Phone Sex Man (GIL POV) (Hakuno, Gilgamesh)

Enkidu was sneaking out of work again.

Not that he blamed the being, he’d sneak out too if he had a woman like Shamhat waiting at home for him. He hadn’t missed the way that the being had looked at their phone. He hadn’t missed the way that the being had been murmuring to someone while heading to the usual closet to hide in.

They’d been ready to leave the moment they had arrived and now, with clearing their schedule, they were heading home.

He smirked though, dialing Enkidu’s number onto his new phone and holding the phone to his ear.

The moment that they answered-

“What are you doing right now?”

He said it more like a sex caller, just for laughs.

What sounded like a large cat growled nearby on the other end, making him stop. A female’s voice answered him.

“I’m looking at a great beast,” a droll voice told him. “He has the most majectic mane I’ve ever seen, a great strong jawline, and I’ve seen him tear apart countless enemies and devour them.”

Well…

Sitting down at his desk, Gilgamesh found himself smirking a little.

The woman didn’t give two shits about this being a possible sex call. How interesting.

“Oh?” He asked.

“He has the greatest body, all muscle with great claws that I’ve attended to personally.”

“You did?”

“Mhmm. Utu appreciates being attended to. He’s a good lion.”

The name had him laughing. That was a name he hadn’t expected. Didn’t most people name their lions dreadfully boring names these days? Or after countries where lions live?

Utu though.

And she sounded so darn proud of her beast on that end of the line.

Probably a zookeeper. What strange luck I have.

“Tell me of his teeth,” he insisted.

“Oh, great chompers,” she praised. “Although he’s no good at holding the toothbrush. Talk about a fault. The beast has no idea how to hold his toothbrush. Don’t get me started on his catnip.”

“He’s an addict then?”

“Terrible addict.”

Her lion grumbled near her, loud enough to be heard on his end.

“You should see this oversized housecat,” the woman told him, “already begging me for his fix like I’m some kind of dealer. He wants to roll in the ‘nip all day. I bet he wants a box too. Expecting me to provide him a shelter from the outdoors just so he can tear the walls down.”

“Dreadful,” he leaned back, watching a few of his accountants arguing with his secretary to see him. He waved them off, needing another minute.

This wrong number had gotten interesting.

“The worst. Thank the gods this beast knows I’m a sucker for assholes.”

Obvious she was a sucker for assholes. She was remaining on the line with him, someone regarded by many, including that of Camelot Enterprises, as the largest asshole in all the land. Of course, that could have been because he was cutthroat with his Uruk Incorporated.

He made most believe him to be an actual god.

“How sad,” he purred. His eyes were following after the accountants now rushing around Siduri. He didn’t have long to tease this woman. “I’m sure your family must be disappointed. I’m afraid I cannot relate.”

“Says the man who calls during the middle of the day to do what? Have phone sex?”

So she did think it of him? He snorted.

“Absolutely not. I’m simply calling to have a conversation about a catnip addicted, desperate lion with majestic manes and grooming habits attended to by a rather average sounding woman.”

She’d hang up and sob. She’d get pissy. She’d-

But the woman on the other end all but purred her next words to him, having him pause.

“If you flirt with me any harder, I may come right here in the lion exhibit.”

“Climaxing at work,“ he started.

“Don’t give me that, Mr. Sex Voice. A woman has to be able to finish her workday.”

She hung up on him.

Well…

If she desired to finish her work day, then fine.

He made note to recall in the evening.

His roar sent the accountants back out of his office. His temper at Enkidu leaving him the work with the marketing team for the weekend had all of the interns quivering.

There’d be no games this weekend.

They had merchandise to sell.

It was later, looking out at the glimmering lights of the city, that Gilgamesh found himself dialing her number again.

“Hello?”

The voice sounded almost tired.

“Ah,” he purred, “my Lion Tamer answers.”

“Mr. Sex Voice again. Did my first taunting not work?”

Sex Voice? That was a new one. Then again, so was calling a woman back without ever meeting her. He settled himself upon his throne of a seat near the window, loosening his golden robes and listening to that oddly melodious voice.

Had it been like that earlier? Perhaps he had been too busy to notice.

“I was so amused I decided to subject myself to another round of your banter,” he told her simply. “How were the lions? All limbs still in place?”

Tell me you’re deformed, he thought. Tell me how the lions have stolen a finger or arm. He could be vain.

“I was licked to death after I hung up. Utu was incredibly jealous that I was spending so much time talking to you. He insisted to remove the memory of you from my mind. It almost worked too. Damn, you should have seen him in that catnip.”

He smiled despite himself, trying to cover his grin with a hand, “You gave him the catnip?”

“The whole container,” his woman told him. “The lion was higher than a kite.”

What a shameful woman, he thought. “What kind of zookeeper are you?”

“I’m a vet.”

Impressive.

He had seen a vet before. In fact, he had one on retainer, usually coming for his pure bred that was currently fluffed and stretched out upon his bed.

A vet for large animals though- “Ah,” he told her. “wanted to get paid?”

“I appreciate having money in my pocket sometimes.” She was doing something on her end of the line. It sounded like she was cooking. “But Mr. Sex Voice, I don’t believe you got any work done. It sounded like you were jacking off to my talk about Utu.”

“I was thinking about some average looking woman actually,” he told her. “I was imagining her slammed against my office desk and moaning loud enough for the secretary to hear.”

“An office grunty, does your boss know that you’re jacking off in your cubicle.”

Oh if she could see his office.

He’d seen mightier women than her fall.

He could easily pay her salary for a decade with his month’s salary. The very thought had him laughing a bit.

The ignorant could say such amusing things.

“Woman, there is no boss. I am the leader of this company.”

“I hear compensation from your end,” she sang.

He choked on the wine he had picked up and sipped at.

“I assure you,” he growled, “nothing lacks in my regard.”

She was humming skeptically.

Was this truly a vet or merely Enkidu having a go at him?

He looked around at his place again, noting that his home computer had a message on it from Enkidu. The being was trying to video call him right now. He would need to answer that at some point soon.

Then again, the being had left him for Shamhat.

“So,” he went on with his sultry voiced vet. “What are your plans this evening, Ms. Lion Doctor?”

“Entertaining a very bored man sitting in his tiny apartment.”

“I’m sitting at home, actually.”

He gestured, as though she could see him.

“Home alone on a Friday night. You poor thing,” she lamented sarcastically. “Are your usual strippers taken? It’s so sad. I feel like you’ve got all the best strippers in town on speed dial.”

“Oh, but then I’d have your number,” he countered.

“I don’t know how to tell you this, but you do have my number.”

Shit. She was right about that.

He wondered if she’d be so sarcastic while sucking him off on her knees in his place though. He laughed at the mental image of two gleaming eyes glinting in amusement. He could almost imagine some plain woman on her knees before him.

She’d definitely be a plain thing. The more beautiful they were, the more sensitive and unwilling to trade barbs with him like this they were.

“What does a vet do on a Friday night?”

“Dinner dates as a third wheel, Karaoke with noise cancelling headphones firmly in place, quiet nights drinking wine and eating cheese on the couch.”

Boring.

Try again, he thought.

“Virgin,” escaped his lips.

“Says the phone sex man.” The sound of a television was coming on over on her end of the line. “It would seem I need to go.”

“Date?”

He’d find her and make the man broke.

“Dead phone. Apparently, technology says you’ll have to just imagine me taunting you until you cum.”

Oh, he had to call back now.

“I will call back,” he vowed.

She hung up again.

He looked out at the city and thought about her for a long time. He closed his eyes, ignoring his computers and his devices so that he could think about how much he had enjoyed her breaking up of the monotony.

There was nothing that fun in his life right now.

Things were always contained, straightforward. They lacked a zest that this woman seemed to have so easily thrown over him.

He’d call her back in the morning.

The morning had him running into his office again though, listening to the marketing team describe the fragrance and show him a meek looking model.

“Pathetic.”

He watched them defend their slogans, arguing that it would be effective, but it didn’t have the bite it needed.

It wasn’t arrogant and bold.

A smell for the senses?

Scents that made sense?

He could have had Enkidu come up with something better in an instant.

The being wasn’t answering their phone though. They were taking the weekend off, according to Siduri.

Perhaps he should have answered those video calls.

He threw the things from his desk, sitting atop it and looking out at his view, dialing the only number that would calm him now.

“Good morning, Sex Voice.”

He held onto his desk, barely keeping himself contained. “Already awake?” he asked.

“Back with Utu. He seduced me greatly so I’m back in his habitat, trimming claws and checking bloodwork.” She cooed towards Utu a moment, a sound that made him loosen his grip on the desk underneath him. “I’m sure a man like you would not know of Saturday shifts.”

“I’m sitting, annoyed, in my office.”

He didn’t need to tell her that.

However, saying it aloud made him feel the fool. It had him actually sitting down properly at his desk now, calming as the woman on the other end of the line clicked her tongue at him.

“Ooh, did one of the interns learn that you have phone sex while they’re working?”

She had him chuckling with that. “Actually, we’re working on a marketing proposal.”

One that was going to be immediately destroyed when he was done with this call.

Screw the branding nonsense. He had no need for this marketing idea.

The woman hummed at him though.

“You seem very focused,” he told her. “No catnip for Utu today?”

“I thought about it,” she told him. “But you know how addicts are. Sometimes you have to ween them off. You have to make them face reality. Hitting me up for a fix won’t fix things. Besides, Utu has a musk to him that should be left alone, free of catnip and whatever else he rolls in.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Oh yeah. He’s a king, after all.” Gilgamesh held his breath as he heard her next words. “A king should always smell like a woman’s next meal.”

His eyes went to the slogans that the interns had come up with.

A king should always smell…

He was laughing.

What was it about this woman, he marveled, scribbling down her words. “I  might use that,” he warned.

“What? That kings smell like a woman’s next meal?”

“Yes. It beats the marketing team.”

“Mhmm. Are you going to drape yourself over a chair and hold the bottle in hand, letting your hair be a bit unkempt to show that you’re both capable of ruling and getting down and dirty?”

“…Want a second job?”

He’d hire her in an instant, letting her pick her own benefits and salary start. With the sarcasm and wittiness she showed, she’d have an instant talent for his marketing team. Siduri would love her. Endlessly.

 “Cheer up, Phone Sex,” she told him, ignoring his offer like the strange mystery goddess that she was. “You sound more upset than Utu is about his ‘nip.”

He had his slogan and instructions written out and leaving his office with Siduri. He turned, sitting on his couch in his office and talking to her longer.

He called her again that night.

“Nothing on a Saturday night?” he asked, grinning in pleasure at the woman’s availability to him. She was his, wholly.

He was good at acquisitions too.

He ate his fine meal, stroking at his cat, Ninsun’s, head and listening to the woman tease him.

He called again from the gym, delighting in her quips about his strength while he warmed up and prepared to meet and wrestle with Enkidu.

He called her again in a traffic jam, letting her voice pour over him like the finest of wine.

Again and again.

Siduri dialed her up for him after a tense meeting, simply closing his door and directing his staff away.

She complained of monkeys that refused their medications.

She doted on Utu over the phone to him.

She just-

He stared out at the heavens as he stood in his condo and stroked Ninsun’s fur, listening to the woman yawn loudly.

“I’m falling asleep, Mr. Phone Sex,” she confessed.

“Dream of me then, Lion Girl.”

He could almost hear her smile on the other end of the line before the call ended.

His lips pressed to the dark fur of his Ninsun’s head, finding himself calmer than he had ever been before.

He’d have to find his Lion Tamer soon.

He’d have to bring her home.

[fuwafuwamedb]

If you're still doing this i would love to request gilkidu with 38 (but not the angsty way, more like we were at the mall and she ran away and now i can't find her) with baby gudako or hakuno (which one you prefer)

LET’S DO BOTH! 

_________

“Okay, so,” Gilgamesh wrinkled his nose a little, noting their coming closer. “I lost the baby.”

Enkidu gaped at him. “You… You lost Hakuno?”

Gilgamesh groaned, “the infernal imp crawled off on me when the woman at the jewelry counter was discussing their wares with me! If anything, she should be held accountable for doing this!”

“And Gudako… Gil,” Enkidu wheezed. “You lost them both!?”

“That pestilence disappeared near the next store, which Hakuno and I were heading over towards,” he replied dismissively. “They are mongrels-“

“Damn it, Gil!” Enkidu looked around, trying to think. The two were seven and four. They wouldn’t get up to too much trouble. They were old enough to speak and be understood. They’d know to go to a policeman to be taken back and an announcement to be made over the intercom. Gudako would probably only set one thing on fire…

Dear Ninsun, she’d probably set something on fire.

Again.

“Gil!” Enkidu glared at the man shuffling his bags around, dropping the garments he had purchased into his gates. “Gil! We’re not supposed to be doing that! Gudako and Hakuno will be pissed to learn of this when they return to normal!”

“They’re fine,” Gilgamesh replied. “They’ve been this way for a month. At the rate we are going, we shall be raising them until they reach their original age once more. In the meantime, I will enjoy their lack of supervision.”

They should never have agreed to this. Gilgamesh was as ornery as ever.

They hopped on their feet a bit, looking around and thinking. Where would the two girls go? Where would they have wanted to visit?

Enkidu dragged the king along, heading to the directory and perusing the listing.

Clothing was out of the question.

The king had taken the liberty of having his own field day with the two being young children once more. His adornments went over moderately with Hakuno and piss poor with Gudako. Gudako had fun flinging the jewelry back at the king and Hakuno made faces when he wanted to take pictures. What’s more, the two enjoyed pairing together to avoid his clothing sprees and gift times, often ducking under other servants.

Atalanta took great pride in protecting them.

The food court wasn’t high on the list.

Although they liked eating, neither felt overly inclined to splurge.

Well…

That wasn’t necessarily true.

“There’s a cinnamon roll shop down the escalator,” Enkidu told the king.

“Ah- Hakuno will be there.” Gilgamesh grinned. “Excellent thinking, Enkidu. What about Gudako?”

“We’ll find her after we collect Hakuno,” the being replied, sprinting for the escalator. The two of them took the stairs down two at a time, Enkidu’s gaze flickering to the small store. Sure enough, they could see the small child beaming for the sales person giving samples, earning another sample.

No doubt it was another, considering the sample toothpicks in her other hand.

“HAKUNO!”

Gilgamesh rushed ahead, wrapping his arms around the small girl and pulling her up into his arms.

She splattered the roll sample in his face.

“Damn it!”

“Enki!” Hakuno reached out for them, earning a smile from the being as Enkidu came and pulled the girl from the king’s arms. Leaning in, Enkidu licked some of the frosting and grinned.

“I see. They had samples, did they, Hakuno?”

“Gilly said I could come after he was done,” Hakuno told them, cuddling against them a little more. Her gaze went nervously to the king, who was accepting a napkin to wipe his cheek off and tossing it at the salesperson.

“You shouldn’t have left, Hakuno. This means I will have to punish you,” Gilgamesh told her simply.

“How long did you wait?” Enkidu asked the girl.

“The big hand went from up to down,” Hakuno told him.

A half hour.

Enkidu gave the king a droll look. “You lost Gudako and spent a half hour talking about jewelry and making this girl wait? Gil, she’s like four!”

“She should have been more-“

They took the man’s wallet, handing over the card to the counter lady and pointing to a small container of the smaller rolls for the child. “Two of those, please.”

“She’s been so good,” the lady told him. “She didn’t cry or anything. She just smiled to our helper and politely asked for samples. She helped encourage others to try them as well. You should be very proud.”

Enkidu smiled, nuzzling the little master to themselves. “She is a precious little one. I am quite pleased.”

The woman handed Hakuno a small cup of lemonade. “For the good work,” she told Hakuno. “Remember to keep being helpful.”

Enkidu mouthed a quick thank you before turning and pulling a now arguing with a salesperson Gilgamesh away.

“You got her a drink?!”

“She earned it,” Enkidu told the man. “Let her keep it.”

“This is pathetic. Where is that other brat?” Gilgamesh looked around, brushing off his cheetah print jacket and huffing. “She’s the cause of all of this, Enkidu. We should have left her with that useless cat woman and rider.”

“Atalanta and Achilles wanted a break from watching her. She can be a handful,” Enkidu replied evenly, looking down at Hakuno. The small girl was humming, eyes closed as she sipped at her drink.

At least one of them was happy.

The king glanced at her as well, his smile slowly returning before he moved in closer, poking her cheek.

“Do you understand, Hakuno? You are the only one who is worthwhile, despite your plain and now chubby little face. Your pseudo-sibling is nothing more than a pest. Stay with your king and uncle Enki.”

Those brown eyes glanced over at him.

“Gil, could you stop pinning the two women against one another? It’s hard enough when they’re grown up and trying to politely argue over what fights you will be involved in.”

The man shrugged, “I am informing her of her talents, few as they may be.”

There were talents that they were more than happy to point out with the king, few as they may be. Enkidu smacked the king on the back of the head.

“Just help me find the other kid and let’s go home.”

“Fine.” Gilgamesh looked around before motioning at one of the clothing stores. “Let’s check there.”

“Really, Gil?”

“I can shop while we’re at it.”

Enkidu groaned, but the girl in their arms was wiggling.

“Hakuno, please-“

“Enki! Enki!”

The two looked down at the girl in their arms. “What is it?”

“I know where Goo-dah-k-oh went!”

She rolled the name as she said it, bringing a smirk to the being’s face.

“Where did she go,” Gilgamesh asked.

“Water slide.”

They both paled.

Within the mall they had chosen to roam around in, there was a great slide, starting on the sixth floor and ending on the ground floor. This slide wove through many of the stores and flashed a variety of colors, fascinating guests and intriguing kids.

Upon their entering of the place, Gudako had noticed the slide immediately, tugging at their robes and asking to go there. Well, it was not something a child needed to be running around in- or sliding in this case. Enkidu had taken one look at the multi-story death trap and had turned the child down, telling her that they could go to a water park another time.

Gil glanced up towards the sixth floor and groaned. “Pest.”

“Gil- Just go press the button for the elevator.”

They’d find the girl and be done with this.

Enkidu returned Hakuno to her own feet as they entered the small space, trading her the drink for the cinnamon rolls, watching her move over to Gilgamesh’s side and offer the first choice to the king.

“I do not want one,” the king told her.

“You had no food,” Hakuno told him, pouting. “You gave me a nice necklace. Take one.”

He gave her a look for a moment before kneeling down and selecting one of the small rolls from her box. He plopped it into his mouth and wrinkled his nose. “They’re overly sweet.”

“That means they’re good.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek before coming over to them. Enkidu looked down and followed the king’s lead, kneeling down and accepting one of the rolls and a cheek kiss from the girl.

Gilgamesh didn’t even notice, smirking and looking out at the mall area.

So smug over a child’s attention.

Enkidu slipped over to the man, pressing their lips to the king’s other cheek.

“What are you doing?” He growled, glancing over at them.

“You gave me lots of nice things. You needed one,” Enkidu replied, smirking.

The man’s face tinted a light pink, his eyes rolling before he glanced over towards the mall again. “Insolent friend of mine.”

“You aren’t arguing,” Enkidu replied.

The doors opened and Enkidu looked down at Hakuno. “Take one of our hands, Hakuno. We’re going to go get Gudako.”

The girl looked between them before Gilgamesh rolled his eyes.

“Enkidu, she cannot hold both our hands. She’s going to cry like last time.” The man knelt down and pulled the girl into his arms. “Remain with me, little master. Enki is being unreasonable.”

“Thank you, Gilly.”

“Mhmm,” the man grunted a little, nodding them out.

“HAKU! GIL! ENKI!” Gudako waved from the line, a set of children crying around her. “I got closer to the front of the line!”

A selection of security guards were around the girl, one of them earning a kick in the shins from the girl as she looked up at them all.

“You’re in for it now! My servants are gonna kick your ass!”

“She said a bad word,” Hakuno murmured.

“She did,” Gilgamesh replied.

“Gudako is ours,” Enkidu declared, pulling the girl into their arms and sighing. “She’s recently adopted and having trouble fitting in. Thank you for finding her for us.”

“She should be kept under closer watch,” the guards told them.

“Yes, sirs.”

“She harassed the other kids. We will need to ask you to leave.”

“We are leaving now,” Enkidu replied.

“What?” Gudako squawked, gaping at them. Her fists pressed against their chest. “No! That’s stupid! We’re gonna fuck you up! We’re gonna bend you forward and stick-“

Enkidu covered her mouth, ignoring the bite as he smiled at the guards. “Excuse us while we leave.”

“See,” Gilgamesh pointed at Gudako as he looked at Hakuno. “Take note, Hakuno. You will not behave like that for me. You need to remain good and give sweets to myself and Enki.”

“Okay.” She leaned against the king and earned a cuddle from the king.

“Gil, we’re going to talk about babysitting when we get home,” Enkidu growled at the king.

“You know you’ll never get to that point.” Gilgamesh replied easily.

They’d try.

Maybe this time they wouldn’t get distracted.