#and it felt like I never got to let any of it digest y'know?

[alertarchitect]

Sorry if this meanders a bit, I'm writing this as the thoughts go through my head early in the morning running on maybe 3-4 hours of sleep, tops. I do have something I want to say here, though, so if you want to see my rambling then please continue.

I used to feel terrible about missing out on live events, both in-person and online. Like I can't support a creator whose work I enjoy, especially the less well-known niche creators, as much as I wanted to. But I had a realization last night...

My best friend and I both really enjoy the work of WayneRadioTV and his friends, and last night he did a livestream involving a social game the two of us play - Tower Unite, of you're curious - where viewers could get involved in some capacity. I'm not fully sure, though, because despite the excitement, I had something else going on; an online date with my boyfriend.

See, I got him Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam as a part of his birthday present, both because he was interested in it and because I wanted to go through the games and share with him what is unironically one of my favorite sci-fi franchises out there, despite the reputation it has as a "bro game" with all of the toxic bullshit associated with it thanks to it pioneering online console multiplayer and the, rightfully deserved, reputation that brings with how early-mid 2000s multiplayer lobbies were. It's a way of showing him something that I genuinely adore as one of my more consistent hyperfixations, and sharing with him a part of what has made me, me.

And that's where the realization came in. Yeah, it came about because of me having something else going on, but honestly I don't think I would've had the energy for something as intensive as a high-energy livestream like that without some adverse affects to my mental state last night with everything I currently have going on. So, here's that startlingly simple realization that should've happened far sooner, as it would have helped me immensely in our current capitalist hellscape of subscriptions and content churn and all that other bullshit - you don't have to experience something immediately, or even within a similar time frame as others, to enjoy it just as much. Just because I was too young to ever see some of my favorite bands live at their peak doesn't mean I'm "less of a fan." Just because I'm not binging every show that catches my interest doesn't mean I like them less than someone else.

The time at which you enjoy something, and your method for doing so, does not determine how much you like it.

I think that is honestly an important message we need to spread around now. We have all of these games with FOMO-based systems, their battle passes & shit, all of these movies and shows that get released and stay up for a couple months before getting dropped as a tax write-off (looking at you, Warner Brothers, and how you treated all of those Cartoon Network shows we adored and your fuckery of discarding Wile E. Coyote vs. Acme for tax breaks), all of this relentless content churn. It's the reason we get burnt out so hard on things we used to love - instead of having a world where we pace ourselves, and enjoy things in a way that still lets us enjoy it afterwards, we still have this mindset leftover from the days of only getting maybe one new episode per week of a show, or maybe 2-3 big movies a year, or being fine waiting for sequels to games instead of demanding them to be released immediately - watching things as they were released. Before the explosion of streaming services due to the pandemic, that was more sustainable. You got a bit of new stuff on regular or semi-regular intervals. You had a chance to savor what you saw, to process what happened, and to theorize and work on those theories for fun. Now we get so much, so often, with the expectation of something new every week not being a new episode of a show, but a new series entirely to binge. Things appear, get talked about, and then get discarded more quickly than ever. Hell, the original foundations of this site, the fandoms, don't even last anywhere near as long anymore as the bulk of people find something, engage with it for a short time, and move on. It's to the point where the only fandoms you really get to see stick around like they used to are the ones that already existed - your Trekkies, your Whovians, your LotR nerds, and even the ones that only came about a relatively short time before all of this content churn bullshit, like the Undertale, Homestuck, and Critical Role fandoms. Now the years-long communities like that are relegated to the existing works, the old reliables, and literature fandoms like The Locked Tomb where the very nature of it necessitates longevity thanks to how long it takes to write a novel.

It's relentless. But it doesn't have to be.

We live in a world that prioritizes this content churn, but y'know what? Fuck that. Fuck these big companies that try to sell you a monthly fee for what was once a one-time purchase. Of course, try to still support smaller, indie creators where you can - small-medium size streamers, those YouTubers who make video essays that take so long to release they have to rely on fan contributions in between them to survive due to lack of ad revenue, smaller film productions, etc. - but don't feel the need to do so when you can't afford it, either in terms of how much energy you have (like how I would've been absolutely fucked had I attended that livestream I mentioned at the start of this due to the high-energy nature) or monetarily. Hell, enjoy those big shows and movies too, but what matters most is that you don't - or at least shouldn't - have to enjoy them at breakneck speed.

Pace yourself. Give yourself room to breathe. Take some time to enjoy your content, and to have fun with it, goddammit! There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Hell, if you're someone that derives enjoyment from waiting for all of a show to be out just to binge it, go ahead - but maybe you don't need to binge-watch something new every week. It gets tiring. But at the end of the day, it comes down to this:

Leave time for the discussion. Yes, enjoying the content is fun, but picking something up and then moving on almost as quickly misses the point of why we love these fandoms so much. The content churn gets in the way of us getting to do our thing of talking about our passions, theorizing about them together, infodumping about them to our friends. Give yourself space to talk about it. You don't need to see every livestream from that streamer, you don't need to watch all 10 hours of that new Netflix show in a day and then watch another one the next, you don't have to watch every movie you're interested in like a marathon of back-to-back productions, you don't need to beat every level of that video game in your first sitting. And that's okay.

[lovries]

COULD YOU STAY WITH ME?

featuring. the demon brothers (lucifer, mammon, leviathan, satan, asmodeus, beelzebub, belphegor).

summary. you find it hard to sleep at night after a traumatic incident at RAD, you don't really want to be alone tonight, and quite frankly they don't want you to be either.

warning. gn! reader, sharing a bed/sleeping together (nonsexual), hurt/comfort, injury (mammons), using these prompts.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── LUCIFER

After nearly being eaten by a group of demons, you had trouble sleeping— I mean, who wouldn't? If it hadn't been for Lucifer, you would currently be being digested in some demon's stomach! He thought you would be okay, but when he saw how exhaustion seemed to drip from your very being, he realized that your psyche may be a bit more fragile than a demons.

You were getting ready for bed, likely another night of staring at your ceiling to prevent nightmares from invading your sleep. Just as you're about to get under the covers, you hear a knock on your door.

Despite knowing it wasn't the demon that threatened you, your gut wrenched at the idea of him seeking you out. Hesitantly, you opened the door to see... Lucifer. You let out a shaky, relieved breath. "Hah, it's just you... Can I help you?"

Lucifer just stared down at you, his brows furrowed together, a frown residing on his face. He stayed silent for a few seconds, although it felt like several minutes before he finally spoke.

"You don't have to pretend to be fine, if you need me to stay I will."

Your eyes widened a fraction, a bit shocked to hear his words. You sheepishly glanced off to the side. "You don't need to do that-"

"But I will." He was quick to cut off any thoughts of rejecting his offer. "I will, if it's you, I don't mind in the slightest." It was hard for your heart not to skip a beat or two at his genuine and kind words. Inhaling slowly, thinking it over, you open the door for him.

"Well... If its you," You steal his line, and he chuckles, "I suppose I can't refuse." With that, he enters your room, and you had the best sleep you had in quite a while.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── MAMMON

Mammon tsked as he finally finished bandaging up your wounds. Today in one of your shared classes, the professor brought in a dangerous Devildom creature and accidentally lost control of it, which lead to it attacking you.

"Ya should've dodged it." He grumbled, shaking his head. "Havin' me bandaging ya up- I'm The Great Mammon, y'know? I don't got time for this stuff..." Despite his harsh words, you knew he was just concerned for your safety. His hands were shaking the entire time he was bandaging up the claw marks on your arm.

Standing up from his kneeled position, Mammon dusted himself off. "There, all done. I'll be goin' now, see ya tomorrow, human-" However, you caught the sleeve of his jacket and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "W- What are ya doin'?"

"Could you, well..." You felt a little embarrassed to ask, especially since you were usually kicking him out of your room, but you just knew you'd have a hard time sleeping so... "Could you stay? I'm still a little shaken from earlier so-"

He's already slipping off his jacket, throwing it over to where his shoes were kicked off earlier. He shooed you over to the other side of the bed as he got himself under the covers. He was thankful for the darkness of your room, as it hid the blush that was burning his skin.

"I'll be here the whole night, 'kay? Nothin'll get ya while 'm here." You smile softly at him— that smile that never fails to fill his stomach with butterflies. He just rolls his eyes. "I just don't want ya to be complainin' tomorrow about how tired you are, s-so don't get the wrong idea."

"Thank you, Mammon." You press a soft kiss to his cheek, before scooting away to give him more room.

It's safe to say that Mammon was the one who didn't get any sleep that night, not with the way your sleepy voice and that gentle kiss invaded all his thoughts.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── LEVIATHAN

Leviathan only knew one full-proof way to get something bad off your mind; playing videogames! So of course, after you went through something so traumatic at RAD, he invited you over to play a bunch of videogames. It would at least take your mind off of it for a little while. He frowned when you yawned, preparing for you to leave him like you did every night.

Except this time, you don't move from your spot. You can feel his stare, he's basically burning holes into the side of your face. You glance over at him and he quickly looks away, his ears turning red. "Uh, i- if you want to go, you can, don't worry, I know it's not c-cause you hate me or anything. You're tired, right?"

You chuckle weakly, almost in a defeated manner. "Well, actually..." You trail off, eyes trained on the controlled in your hand. His stomach churned at your pause, were you going to say it was because you hated him? that you actually did find him a yucky otaku creep? He shouldn't have assumed just because you claimed you liked him in the past! He flinched as you spoke again, "Can I stay with you tonight? I don't wanna be alone right now."

Levi's breath hitched— this was like something out of a dating sim! If only he knew the right option; well, he'd certainly choose something along the lines of...

"Y- Yeah! Sure, I don't mind." The way your shoulders relax, and relief washes over you, fills him with a small sense of pride. Did he make you feel safe? His heart was racing! His palms were almost so sweaty he dropped the controller, but he managed to hold on. "Uhm, you can take the bed, i- if you want? I can sleep here, or on the ground, or-"

"Or, you could maybe lay with me?" It was comical, the way his face ignited in a bright red blush.

"Ah, yeah! O- Or I could do that!" Please have mercy on his soul.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── SATAN

After what you went through, Satan couldn't fathom the stress and anxiety you felt, so he thought he'd do something nice for you! Perhaps to make you feel more comfortable, take your mind off things, remind you that not all demons are the same.

Classical music hummed softly throughout his room, he reserved his favorite chair just for you, prepared with hot chocolate and a warm blanket, along with several books he knew you'd enjoy.

And that's how you spent your day, reading with Satan, occasionally talking about the novel that you were reading, enjoying the never-ending hot chocolate (he cast a spell so that it'd refill continuously).

It wasn't until it reached late into the night, knowing you should try to go to your room and sleep, that Satan could see how restless you were. He quietly watched as you hesitated on moving— if you asked to stay with him, would he let you?

Satan decided to calm your nerves by asking first, "Do you wanna stay with me tonight?"

You whipped your head over to look at him, shocked that he could read your thoughts— although, after a second, you weren't too surprised. Satan always seemed to know exactly what you were thinking and what you needed. "How do you always know?" He chuckles, scooting over in his bed to allow you some room.

Getting comfortable, you're curled up into his side, and he wants to tease you for being like a cat, but decides against it. "Y/n, please know that you're always allowed to stay here, with me, whatever the reason may be."

He waited until you were fast asleep before closing his eyes himself, a gentle smile on his lips.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── ASMODEUS

Asmodeus was humming a tune to a new song he was obsessed with, doing the finishing touches to his skincare routine, when he heard a knock on his door. He knew instantly that the only one who could possibly be knocking at his door was you.

Throwing it open, he smiled brightly. "Y/n! To what do I owe the pleasure?" He leaned against the doorframe, waiting patiently as you fiddled with your pajama shirt. He had a suspicion as to why you were here; after all, he knew just about everything that happened at RAD, and your little run in with a not-so-friendly creature was one of those things.

"Will you sleep with me?" Asmodeus' eyes light up at the double meaning, chuckling at your flustered face, "I- I know how that sounds, I just mean— I feel safe when you're with me."

My, my, you sure know how to capture this demons heart. Asmo nearly swoons at your words; he makes you feel safe? him? he was certain anyone else would've chosen one of his brothers to keep them safe, but you choose him? You're truly just the best!

"Of course I'll sleep with you!" He winked, he couldn't help but tease you a little bit. Your flustered face was one of his favorite things, you know? When he can tell you've grown frustrated with him though, he puts his hands up defensively. "In a completely innocent, nonsexual way. Don't worry, darling, I know what you meant."

Asmodeus looks over his shoulder, before glancing down at you. "However, let's sleep in my room, my bed is much comfier." You couldn't disagree, his bed was practically a cloud. "Come on, lets get you a face mask before we lay down!"

He most definitely took pictures of you curled up in his arms, fast asleep. And whilst he'd usually post them on Devilgram, he added these to his private photos. Your adorable sleeping face, and the fact you felt most safe with him, were for him to see and know only.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── BEELZEBUB

Beelzebub was coming back to his room from getting his usual late night snack, when he stopped by your door. He thought, maybe if you were awake, you'd be hungry? He wouldn't mind giving you a little snack if you were. He knocked on the door gently, only for you to open the door with tears in your eyes.

"B- Beel?" You try your best to hold back your sobs, not wanting to make Beel worry about you, but it was too late. He pushed past you and entered your room. "Beel? What are you doin-"

He's upset with himself. He should've been with you that day, should've protected you from all those bullies. He looks at you, his heart clenching tightly in his chest. "Tell me what I can do to make it better?" He says solemnly, "I hate seeing you cry." You wipe at the tears, sniffling a bit.

"Can you just... stay here? A- And hold me?" Beel would hunt down every last bully and tear them limb-from-limb if you asked. He scarfed down the rest of his snacks (accidentally forgetting to offer you one) before climbing into your bed and holding his arms open for you.

"Come. You need to sleep." You nod, sniffling a little more, wiping away the stray tears. You got under the covers, and Beel pulled you tightly against his chest, his hold on you firm and comforting. What you thought would be another restless night thinking of the threats and the possibility of them following through on said threats slowly faded with your consciousness.

There truly was something about Beelzebub and his big, strong arms, his warm and loving aura, that made all worries slip away. You finally managed to fall asleep after a few sleepless night.

꒰ ♡ ꒱ ─── BELPHEGOR

Trudging your way to the familiar area, you find Belphie asleep in a pile of blankets and pillows. Your feet had carried you there without you even realizing, only truly knowing when you nearly tripped over a stray pillow. You sigh, you suppose this made sense. Whenever you were having nightmares, you always somehow found your way to Belphegor.

"Mmm..." He stirred from his sleep, sensing your presences. "What do ya want?" He yawns, forcing himself to turn over so he's facing you properly. You sit down, playing with a blanket.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" You ask, trying to appear nonchalant, but Belphie could tell something was off. If he recalls correctly, Beel said something earlier about an incident that happened yesterday at RAD. Well, if Belphie did remember, he didn't show any signs of it. He closed his eyes, and let out another yawn.

"Yeah, sure, don't care." With that, you maneuver your way under the many blankets, your body soon finding Belphie's and cuddling into him. As much as he wanted to get back to his peaceful slumber, worry was eating at his mind. He groaned, looking down at you. Damn you, making him care about you.

"Ugh... So... Like... Why?" You look up at him, raising a brow at his vague question. He rolled his eyes, "Why'd you like, come to me?" He hates that he can feel his face growing warm. Your own face was heating up, but he didn't notice.

"I don't have nightmares when you're here." Well that's probably because he chases away all your nightmares, but he'd rather die than tell you that. He nods, before going back to his usual lethargic self, lazily wrapping an arm around you and pulling you close.

"Hmm 'kay, well, go to sleep now. and don't even think of waking me up again, got it?" This time you nod. The two of you having an incredibly peaceful slumber.

﹙ thank you for reading! have a wonderful day! ﹚

[kouchabu-archive]

Hajime Shino 4☆ Feature Scout 2

Title: President Grass and Pizza

Writer: Suika

Season: Summer

NOTE: I EXPLICITLY PROHIBIT USAGE OF ANY PART OF MY TRANSLATIONS ON ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO AI.

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Rinne: (Hehe, today’s my lucky day!)

(Who knew I'd bag a big win in the slot machines today! Ain't that enough to make up for my losses this month?)

(I thought that of course I'd come home and celebrate, but I pro'lly got carried away and bought too many ingredients.)

(Well, not that I need to worry about leftovers when Niki's right there.)

(I gotta get back quick and let Niki—… Hm? That guy over there is…)

Hajime Shino-kun from Ra*bits, ain't it?

Hajime: Amagi-senpai? Hello~

Rinne: He~ya. Thrillin' to know that you remember this li'l ol' me's name.

So, what're ya hidin’ in the grass for? Up to somethin’ sneaky?

Are you buryin’ treasure or somethin'? Ya look like a little puppy digging like that~

Hajime: Oh, no. I just came to pick these up.

Rinne: Huh. Your bag has…some leaves and grass?

Hajime: That's right! I got quite a lot of them ♪

Rinne: Pickin' up wild grass, huh… Why?

Hajime: ? I'm going to eat them, of course?

Rinne: ………Ah, I got it. I can see what you're up to now.

That's for a TV show, isn't it? You should've told me earlier~

Hajime: Oh, this isn't for TV though? It's just that I got a craving for it since it's been a while since I ate these so I went here and got some.

Rinne: ………………

(From what I remember, aren't Ra*bits supposed to be a popular unit?)

(Well, not as much as UNDEAD or Akatsuki from the same agency but… each member seems to be goin’ strong in their own way, right?)

(So to see him here picking up grass like this… Never thought they're in deep shit that they can't even properly keep their stomachs full.)

'S that so? But ain't Seisoukan fully stocked with food? There's also lots of snacks in the ES break room, yeah?

If you're havin' trouble finding something to eat, ain't those better places to search in?

If anyone sees their precious idol foraging for grass in a place like this, that's not really a good look with the public, y'know?

Hajime: Trouble finding something to eat…?

Ah, no! You've got it wrong! I'm not gathering grass like this because I'm having trouble with money!

When I got on the phone with my family, we happened to talk about how we used to eat grass a lot when I was younger.

And then I just suddenly craved that nostalgic taste so I came here to pick these up. I normally eat properly, so please don't worry that much about it~

Rinne: Oh, so that's it? You made me uncharacteristically nervous for a sec there.

Hajime: I'm sorry for making you worry.

Rinne: Nah, don't mind it. My fault for jumpin' to conclusions so fast.

In fact, those grass growin' out there are delicious too. I also used to forage for them back when I was a li'l boy so I get ya, Hajime-kun.

I even used to go to the mountains to pick up some edible wild plants.

Thanks to that, I got some basic stuff down when it comes to edible grass. This one and this one can be eaten. This one's not. This one's edible too, but it's not really good.

Hajime: Wow! You didn't miss any! You're really knowledgeable about them!

Rinne: Hehe, told ya right? This ol' me won't ever lie ♪

This one's tasty if you blanch it a little. And this one's something that only Niki could munch on.

Hajime: Huh?! Shiina-senpai can eat this? I had an upset stomach when I ate this one by mistake.

Rinne: Yeah, same here. After eating it, I felt like dyin' the next day—couldn't move at all. But that guy's all fine and dandy.

Maybe it's got somethin' that only his stomach can digest. He's the one who cooked it, after all.

Hajime: Shiina-senpai is really good with cooking, isn't he? ♪

Rinne: Yeah. That guy's real good with his hands when it comes to food. Everything he makes is delicious. When I get home, I'll have him cook for me; that's why I got a lot of stuff here with me.

Hajime: Oh, that's indeed a lot. Let's see… Cheese, ketchup… There's also salami and basil… Are you planning to make pizza?

Rinne: Spot on ♪ Niki's pizza's always bangin', y'know? I end up eating too much if I don't watch it.

Hajime: Fufu, that's wonderful! Are you celebrating something today?

Rinne: Celebrating? No, not really…

Hajime: Huh? Is it okay to eat pizza on a normal day?

Back in my home, I was taught that pizza is a treat that you only eat on special occasions.

Rinne: Oh, is it now?

My bad, my bad. You're right, Hajime-kun. Of course, today is a special day~

And it's somethin' so important that we can't ever, ever forget about! None other than President Pizza's birthday!

Hajime: President Pizza's birthday?! I never knew about the existence of someone that great!

Rinne: You don't know him, Hajime-kun?! Man, that's really, really bad.

Hajime: W-What's wrong with it…?

Rinne: When it's President Pizza's birthday, everyone's gotta feast on some pizza.

If you only knew about it today, then I guess Hajime-kun never got to eat anything these past years, huh…

If that's the case, then it ain't good if you don't eat all those years' lost servings of pizza…

Hajime: All those years' lost servings of pizza… Are you saying that I should eat 17 years' worth of them?!

Rinne: Ah, then what I have here won't be enough. I gotta get back and grab some more ingredients, huh…

Hajime: I can't possibly eat that much!

Can't you do something to help me?! If I eat that much pizza, I'll end up hating it!

Rinne: Pfft… Ha…

Kyahahaha! Your reaction's takin' me out, Hajime-kun!

Hajime: This isn't a laughing matter! Uuu~ what am I supposed to do now?

Rinne: Don't ya worry your pretty li'l head. I was just messin' with you. That's a lie.

Hajime: A lie..? From which point was it a lie?

Rinne: Everything startin' from President Pizza's birthday.

Hajime: So, uhm… I don't have to stuff myself full of pizza until my stomach explodes?

Rinne: Yup. President Pizza doesn't exist.

Hajime: T-Thank god…

Rinne: I didn't expect you'd just take all of that without even questioning me.

You gotta put it in your head to suspect people a little more from now on, 'kay? Shino "Majime"-kun~ ♪ [1]

Hajime: Geez, you're so mean to deceive me like that, Amagi-senpai! You really scared me back there!

Rinne: Come on, sorry for bein' like that~

Oh, got it. As an apology for messin' with ya, lemme treat you to some pizza.

Hajime: …Are you sure you're not lying this time?

Rinne: Kyahahaha! Talk about a fast learner! Ya immediately got on your toes and suspected me! You take things so seriously. You really are Majime-kun, huh?

Hajime: M-My name is "Hajime"!

Rinne: Yessir~ Come on, let's bounce back home and have a feast! ♪

And while we're at it, let's use those grass you picked and make some wild grass pizza!

Hajime: W-Wah, please don't just drag me around, Amagi-senpai!

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Translation: Sophie

Proofreading: Ara

NOTES:

[1] “Majime” / まじめ = lit. means as a person who’s earnestly sincere and honest, and therefore takes things seriously at its face value. It’s a syllable off Hajime’s name, which makes it funnier given how Rinne has a penchant for giving silly nicknames to people he encounters.

Also can I just point out how Hiiro, who’s actually Hajime’s classmate and therefore theoretically closer to him, calls him “Shino-kun” (last name) while Rinne calls him “Hajime-kun” (first name) right off the bat. I just think his shamelessness is hilarious LOL

[hazbinextgeneration]

Housed Hearts Ch5 Protecting Investments

(Warning: A random REALTOR attempts to kidnap Rose. Art's by me.)

-THIS SPANS OVER A FEW WEEKS-

Rose did indeed call in later that night and casually ask if there was any REALTORS located in her neighborhood. She was surprised when the person answered no. That either meant that Mr. Maison Talo wasn't registered with their systems or whoever was researching this place was doing a bad job of doing it. Either way she decided not to out Maison just yet. If he himself hadn't made himself known to the Mayor's office then he probably had his reasons...Then again maybe no one else knows about him being a REALTOR here. She could potentially let innocent people get eaten or put them in possibly danger if she didn't at least leave a message. She needed more time to think about this or how to approach this subject which... Wasn't exactly easy. Anyone else would obviously point out that it would be better to tell someone and she'd be inclined to agree to that but...There was something holding her back. Perhaps it was out of courtesy that he hadn't literally tried to pluck her off the street. True he tried to convince her to come inside for very obvious reasons but he hadn't done anything that made him an out right threat or danger to herself. And could Maison really be a threat if he only tried to eat people by convincing them to step inside his house? But what if eventually his hunger got to the point that he did do something extreme? All these questions were making her head spin. But eventually she had an idea. Why not ask for the opinion from a fellow REALTOR about it all?

"Gee, pal. That sure sounds like a problem you got there."

"No kidding. The problem is that he hasn't done anything..yet. But with the current REALTOR problem and him being hungry enough for me to literally hear his stomach growling ALL THE TIME I'm not too sure how long he's going to last. At this rate he'll either starve to death or snap from hunger." 

Currently she sat down on Heim's fleshy sofa and held her head in her hands after she made him finish digesting a giant box of food she brought over. Heim's lure laid dormant but his voice echoed throughout the area.

"If I told this to anyone else that would possibly put Maison in danger if he isn't already. That's why I wanted to ask your opinion. What do you think I should do?'

There was a long silence before eventually he spoke again. "Gee..Uh..I'm not sure. Never heard about anything like this happening before ta be honest."

Rose groaned facepalming. "The main problem is that he's hungry and obviously not eating enough. That's worrying me the most. His urge to eat might eventually take over his ability to think clearly. How do I fix that?"

"Well...I'm not sure about him but for me it's always been pretty simple. I'm not a really big house so it doesn't take a whole lot to keep me full, and you've been feeding me a lot of extra stuff so I don't really feel like human flesh. Y'know?"

She slowly nodded. "That's true..but you don't rely solely on me to feed you. You can get food yourself that isn't human flesh and you get a giant serving each month." She specifically remembered all the fast food containers that once littered Heim's lawn. "You're also not as high strung on your pride as he is, and like you said you're not addicted to the taste of human. I don't know so much about him."

"Well....The main problem is him being hungry right? Why don'tcha y'know just give him food too?"

"I don't know if me feeding him will make him let up on eating humans...but keeping him from starving himself would probably be better for everyone involved in the long run." She looked up with a sigh. 

"Then what are ya gonna do?"

"....I'm going to make a call to Ivy and then I'm going to go shopping."

The drive back from Heim's felt a lot more stressful than usual and the giant basket of freshly bought food sitting next to her felt heavier than normal. How was she supposed to break the news to someone that he was now within the Mayor's REALTOR systems? That phonecall to Ivy was difficult to get through. Even though Ivy assured her she'd done the right thing, Rose couldn't help but still feel guilty about it all. However there was no going back now. She only hoped Maison wouldn't be too made and forgive her eventually. Eventually she had arrived in front of the familiar home and got out. Now the real weight of the basket was known to her arms which felt noodly compared to the rock in her stomach. She stood there for the longest time before inhaling and steeling herself in order to gather the courage. And walked up to Maison's door. With a firm hand she reached out and knocked loudly on the door to make her presence clear to him. He had to be home. She didn't see any lure cord leading out from the door. She stood there for a long moment waiting before eventually the doorknob twisted and the door opened revealing the man inside.

Maison blinked down at her before smiling as expected. "Ah. If it isn't the buyer next door. I wonder what brings you this time. Have you changed your mind about coming to see my new decor?"

"I'm not going inside." She was blunt before taking a breath and relaxing herself as much as she could. "I came to talk to you about all the stomach growling I've been hearing."

He blinked. "Ah. A noise complaint. I do apologize if it's bothering you, but some things are out of my hands."

"I know...And I'm here to fix that." He looked confused until she forced the giant basket of food into his arms making him stare at it for a long moment before looking back at Rose in confusion. "I spoke with one of my bosses. She's from the Mayor's office." That got his attention real quick as his eyes snapped open widely. "I really didn't want to tell anyone!" Rose quickly held up her hands. "I promise you I didn't! But by this rate I was worried you'd starve or try to do something dangerous."

He continued to stare blankly at her before slowly looking back at the basket then back to her. "You...worried about me? Forgive me for being so blunt but there's really not a lot of people whom really are. I'm fact most humans wouldn't probably mind seeing me wasting away."

"Well I'd rather NOT see someone die of starvation. Just because you're not human that doesn't mean you don't have a right to eat. To LIVE." He again looked up surprised at her statement. "Look. Whether you like it or not you need food and you're not getting it by your own methods. You may not want my help or anyone else's but if it means you won't starve then I can live with that. Starting next month you'll be in the Mayor's program and start getting regular feedings. I'll be the one who's going to give them to you since I called it. But you can still be a REALTOR. By all means!" She threw her arms out. "Keep trying to get buyers! Do whatever you usually do! I won't stop you from trying to do what you've been doing for years! But what I won't do is sit by and watch you starve yourself for your pride...I am deeply sorry, Maison. Really I am. But I'll make it up to you. Until you can get your first feeding next month, I'll give you a few bags of food myself. It probably won't fill you all the way, but it'll certainly help with your hunger." She heaved out a heavy sigh before crossing her arms getting that all off her chest. "Now..What do you say about it?"

Maison couldn't speak. He just...stood there stunned continuing to stare at her for a long, long...LONG moment of silence. Before he eventually looked down at the basket he held. Maison hummed before he reached inside eventually. Rose watched curiously and silently as he shifted through it slowly as if inspecting everything. Once and a while he'd pull out a random cucumber or pineapple and held it up closer to his face narrowing his eyes before moving on. Eventually he stopped and stared at it again. Then without saying a word, he simply turned around and dumped the entire basket out onto the floor. A series of thuds and thumps rang out as they all scattered about but Rose blinked as fleshy red tentacles reached out to pull them further into the depths of Maison's body similar to Heim's fleshy limbs. Her eye widened before she smiled as he turned back around and held the basket out to her. 

"I will...accept the terms of this new arrangement, but only because you came to me and we're honest with me." He rose a brow at her happy expression. "Considering you hold up your end."

She nodded before taking the basket from him. "I will! Don't you worry! I'm more happy about the fact you're not going to die from starvation or something!" He blinked as she smiled wider. "Thank you so much for letting me help you, Maison."

He still stared at her before he cleared his throat and turned away feeling an unfamiliar warmth lighting up his whole body. "Well...If it means avoiding an untimely death, then I suppose I could look past any grievan-CES?!" He froze when something quickly threw their arms around him squeezing in the quickest of hugs before letting him go and backing away just as quickly.

"Then I'll bring you back more food tomorrow after I work! Is there anything specific you like?"

.... Maison slowly blinked realizing Rose had quickly hugged him and blinked again. "I...nothing specific comes to my mind. Perhaps a few..fish sandwiches. I don't believe I had them for a long while."

Rose nodded. "I'll definitely be getting them soon. You won't be disappointed I promise!"

He only hummed. "Well...I suppose we'll see."

Rose kept her promise. But he supposed he wasn't around whenever she stopped by because when he did return from finding some hopefully interested buyers near a train station, he found a large box waiting for him on his doorstep and inside again was a rather large assortment of random vegetables and strangely enough a random small paper bag. Upon further inspection he had found exactly two filet o'fish sandwiches just as she promised. They smelt like a few hours old. So it began. He'd return random times in the day to either food already waiting for him or Rose showing up with a bright smile to deliver it right to him. He was skeptical at first. Of course he was but...he couldn't deny this little arrangement was clearing up some hunger pains he's been feeling for a while. And then his first feeding came and...it wasn't...too bad he supposed.

But it was still a little embarrassing and degrading that the number one REALTOR was getting assistance from someone.

Seriously! He could've done this on his own!! ...But he supposed the benefits of having a clear head without having hunger nag at him was worth it all. He certainly was thankful for the newfound clarity. It made conducting business a lot easier! However he wasn't expecting to run into a peculiar sight while looking for potential buyers. He figured a newly constructed apartment building in town was the perfect place to scout out people looking for new places to live. And what better way to stir up a few new buyers than to advertise himself to people currently looking for a home? If he's lucky he'll at least get one of two buyers. However he wasn't expecting to run into a certain red haired woman while there. He saw Rose but she didn't see him.

She was a little busy pulling out what looked to be young flowering bushes from the back of that old pick up truck of hers and  handing them over to a man who took them from her and placed them on the small lot of land in front of the new apartment building. ...Oh. She must've been delivering some flowering bushes to be planted in front of the apartment complex. She had mentioned that she worked for a rather large greenhouse after all. She didn't notice him however as he stood across the road and up from her. Naturally she wouldn't notice him as she was working. Eventually she had the man (probably the landlord for the apartment complex) sign a form presumably for the delivery of said plants before turning away from him to close the back of her truck. Ah. Good. She'd be done soon and he could work in peace. ... However a figure caught his eye and it was one whom was quickly approaching her with a familiar looking tube like cord dragging behind them.

....He quickly decided to approach.

"Hello there!" Rose jumped and whirled around to stare at a random man just standing there smiling widely at her. "Such a lovely day for a drive! No doubt you've been scoping out the fancy new complex constructed right here in our beautiful city of work!"

She blinked at the new comer before smiling and waving him off. "Oh no. I'm not looking for anything. Besides I already have a house. But I'm sure you'll find someone interested eventually." She politely said before turning around.

Only she was flung back around and grabbed harshly by the arm which had her freezing in her tracks. "Ah. But I have a small business deal. Just. For." With each word he added emphasis. Gripped her harder. And tugged her farther towards him. Her eye widened. Pupil shrinking as he stood closer to her now. "You."

Rose stood there frozen as her breath picked up. And a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She squealed and snapped her head around to face the newcomer along with the stranger and both froze at a figure much taller than the both of them. A strained smile stretched across the face of a REALTOR.

"Pardon me." Rose never felt such relief seeing a scary figure looming over her. "But that happens to be my dear provider you're so roughly grabbing so rudely." A firm pull instantly removed her from the man's grip and against Maison's side whom leaned over to almost get in the man's face. "You'll excuse me if I protect a few of my investments."

The man stared at Maison wide eyed, then at Rose, then back to Maison.. Before frowning but calmly taking a few steps back and eventually turning to walk away entirely. She waited until he had completely disappeared into the crowd before sighing in relief and halfway leaning against him.

"Maison." He stood right back up and released his grip on her shoulder to return his usual position but remained frowning as she turned to look up at him. "Boy am I glad to see you. What are you doing here?" Her head then turned to where the man had disappeared off to. "And who was that?"

"THAT my dear provider happened to be the barbarian of my kind you've heard so much about. The ones who wished to swoop you up for none other than a cheap appetizer." A shudder of horror went through her. "As for me I was merely working and happened to pass by seeing a fine young lady being pushed around by a barbaric fiend. I couldn't pass by knowing that my dear provider was in danger."

Rose gave a sigh before looking back up to him with a smile. "Well I sure am lucky you were passing through. I think you just earnt yourself a couple more fish sandwiches." He chuckled at her smiling. "I'm serious. Who knew that handsome face of yous could be so scary.~" she half playfully half flirtatiously giving a playful push to his side 

He blinked at her motion before clearing his throat and turning his head away to hide the faint pink on his face. "Well...You ought to be more careful especially in these times. I wouldn't want my d-dear provider to be harmed."

"Did you just stutter?"

His smiling strained. "....The fear must've worried you silly."

Amused not she nodded. "Uh huh. Alright. Well thanks again but I think I should be getting back to work  before my bosses yell at me for being late."

"Ah. Perhaps you could give myself a call when you do. I would want to know if my provider was in need again."

"That might be a good idea but I don't have your number."

"Never fear. That is easily curable!" With that he quickly swiped his card from his pocket and held it out to her. "Here you are! Just be sure to write it down before the card disintegrates."

She rose a brow amused. "Well.. I've been asked for my number a few times but this is the first time a man's offered me his." Maison again paused as she plucked it from his with a playful smile. "We haven't even had a first date yet. Although I guess I have taken you out to dinner with how much I feed you.~"

"N-Now cut that out!"

Rose only giggled again at his flustered state.

[echantedtoon]

Housed Hearts Ch5 Protecting Investments

(Warning: A random REALTOR attempts to kidnap Rose. Art's by me.)

-THIS SPANS OVER A FEW WEEKS-

Rose did indeed call in later that night and casually ask if there was any REALTORS located in her neighborhood. She was surprised when the person answered no. That either meant that Mr. Maison Talo wasn't registered with their systems or whoever was researching this place was doing a bad job of doing it. Either way she decided not to out Maison just yet. If he himself hadn't made himself known to the Mayor's office then he probably had his reasons...Then again maybe no one else knows about him being a REALTOR here. She could potentially let innocent people get eaten or put them in possibly danger if she didn't at least leave a message. She needed more time to think about this or how to approach this subject which... Wasn't exactly easy. Anyone else would obviously point out that it would be better to tell someone and she'd be inclined to agree to that but...There was something holding her back. Perhaps it was out of courtesy that he hadn't literally tried to pluck her off the street. True he tried to convince her to come inside for very obvious reasons but he hadn't done anything that made him an out right threat or danger to herself. And could Maison really be a threat if he only tried to eat people by convincing them to step inside his house? But what if eventually his hunger got to the point that he did do something extreme? All these questions were making her head spin. But eventually she had an idea. Why not ask for the opinion from a fellow REALTOR about it all?

"Gee, pal. That sure sounds like a problem you got there."

"No kidding. The problem is that he hasn't done anything..yet. But with the current REALTOR problem and him being hungry enough for me to literally hear his stomach growling ALL THE TIME I'm not too sure how long he's going to last. At this rate he'll either starve to death or snap from hunger." 

Currently she sat down on Heim's fleshy sofa and held her head in her hands after she made him finish digesting a giant box of food she brought over. Heim's lure laid dormant but his voice echoed throughout the area.

"If I told this to anyone else that would possibly put Maison in danger if he isn't already. That's why I wanted to ask your opinion. What do you think I should do?'

There was a long silence before eventually he spoke again. "Gee..Uh..I'm not sure. Never heard about anything like this happening before ta be honest."

Rose groaned facepalming. "The main problem is that he's hungry and obviously not eating enough. That's worrying me the most. His urge to eat might eventually take over his ability to think clearly. How do I fix that?"

"Well...I'm not sure about him but for me it's always been pretty simple. I'm not a really big house so it doesn't take a whole lot to keep me full, and you've been feeding me a lot of extra stuff so I don't really feel like human flesh. Y'know?"

She slowly nodded. "That's true..but you don't rely solely on me to feed you. You can get food yourself that isn't human flesh and you get a giant serving each month." She specifically remembered all the fast food containers that once littered Heim's lawn. "You're also not as high strung on your pride as he is, and like you said you're not addicted to the taste of human. I don't know so much about him."

"Well....The main problem is him being hungry right? Why don'tcha y'know just give him food too?"

"I don't know if me feeding him will make him let up on eating humans...but keeping him from starving himself would probably be better for everyone involved in the long run." She looked up with a sigh. 

"Then what are ya gonna do?"

"....I'm going to make a call to Ivy and then I'm going to go shopping."

The drive back from Heim's felt a lot more stressful than usual and the giant basket of freshly bought food sitting next to her felt heavier than normal. How was she supposed to break the news to someone that he was now within the Mayor's REALTOR systems? That phonecall to Ivy was difficult to get through. Even though Ivy assured her she'd done the right thing, Rose couldn't help but still feel guilty about it all. However there was no going back now. She only hoped Maison wouldn't be too made and forgive her eventually. Eventually she had arrived in front of the familiar home and got out. Now the real weight of the basket was known to her arms which felt noodly compared to the rock in her stomach. She stood there for the longest time before inhaling and steeling herself in order to gather the courage. And walked up to Maison's door. With a firm hand she reached out and knocked loudly on the door to make her presence clear to him. He had to be home. She didn't see any lure cord leading out from the door. She stood there for a long moment waiting before eventually the doorknob twisted and the door opened revealing the man inside.

Maison blinked down at her before smiling as expected. "Ah. If it isn't the buyer next door. I wonder what brings you this time. Have you changed your mind about coming to see my new decor?"

"I'm not going inside." She was blunt before taking a breath and relaxing herself as much as she could. "I came to talk to you about all the stomach growling I've been hearing."

He blinked. "Ah. A noise complaint. I do apologize if it's bothering you, but some things are out of my hands."

"I know...And I'm here to fix that." He looked confused until she forced the giant basket of food into his arms making him stare at it for a long moment before looking back at Rose in confusion. "I spoke with one of my bosses. She's from the Mayor's office." That got his attention real quick as his eyes snapped open widely. "I really didn't want to tell anyone!" Rose quickly held up her hands. "I promise you I didn't! But by this rate I was worried you'd starve or try to do something dangerous."

He continued to stare blankly at her before slowly looking back at the basket then back to her. "You...worried about me? Forgive me for being so blunt but there's really not a lot of people whom really are. I'm fact most humans wouldn't probably mind seeing me wasting away."

"Well I'd rather NOT see someone die of starvation. Just because you're not human that doesn't mean you don't have a right to eat. To LIVE." He again looked up surprised at her statement. "Look. Whether you like it or not you need food and you're not getting it by your own methods. You may not want my help or anyone else's but if it means you won't starve then I can live with that. Starting next month you'll be in the Mayor's program and start getting regular feedings. I'll be the one who's going to give them to you since I called it. But you can still be a REALTOR. By all means!" She threw her arms out. "Keep trying to get buyers! Do whatever you usually do! I won't stop you from trying to do what you've been doing for years! But what I won't do is sit by and watch you starve yourself for your pride...I am deeply sorry, Maison. Really I am. But I'll make it up to you. Until you can get your first feeding next month, I'll give you a few bags of food myself. It probably won't fill you all the way, but it'll certainly help with your hunger." She heaved out a heavy sigh before crossing her arms getting that all off her chest. "Now..What do you say about it?"

Maison couldn't speak. He just...stood there stunned continuing to stare at her for a long, long...LONG moment of silence. Before he eventually looked down at the basket he held. Maison hummed before he reached inside eventually. Rose watched curiously and silently as he shifted through it slowly as if inspecting everything. Once and a while he'd pull out a random cucumber or pineapple and held it up closer to his face narrowing his eyes before moving on. Eventually he stopped and stared at it again. Then without saying a word, he simply turned around and dumped the entire basket out onto the floor. A series of thuds and thumps rang out as they all scattered about but Rose blinked as fleshy red tentacles reached out to pull them further into the depths of Maison's body similar to Heim's fleshy limbs. Her eye widened before she smiled as he turned back around and held the basket out to her. 

"I will...accept the terms of this new arrangement, but only because you came to me and we're honest with me." He rose a brow at her happy expression. "Considering you hold up your end."

She nodded before taking the basket from him. "I will! Don't you worry! I'm more happy about the fact you're not going to die from starvation or something!" He blinked as she smiled wider. "Thank you so much for letting me help you, Maison."

He still stared at her before he cleared his throat and turned away feeling an unfamiliar warmth lighting up his whole body. "Well...If it means avoiding an untimely death, then I suppose I could look past any grievan-CES?!" He froze when something quickly threw their arms around him squeezing in the quickest of hugs before letting him go and backing away just as quickly.

"Then I'll bring you back more food tomorrow after I work! Is there anything specific you like?"

.... Maison slowly blinked realizing Rose had quickly hugged him and blinked again. "I...nothing specific comes to my mind. Perhaps a few..fish sandwiches. I don't believe I had them for a long while."

Rose nodded. "I'll definitely be getting them soon. You won't be disappointed I promise!"

He only hummed. "Well...I suppose we'll see."

Rose kept her promise. But he supposed he wasn't around whenever she stopped by because when he did return from finding some hopefully interested buyers near a train station, he found a large box waiting for him on his doorstep and inside again was a rather large assortment of random vegetables and strangely enough a random small paper bag. Upon further inspection he had found exactly two filet o'fish sandwiches just as she promised. They smelt like a few hours old. So it began. He'd return random times in the day to either food already waiting for him or Rose showing up with a bright smile to deliver it right to him. He was skeptical at first. Of course he was but...he couldn't deny this little arrangement was clearing up some hunger pains he's been feeling for a while. And then his first feeding came and...it wasn't...too bad he supposed.

But it was still a little embarrassing and degrading that the number one REALTOR was getting assistance from someone.

Seriously! He could've done this on his own!! ...But he supposed the benefits of having a clear head without having hunger nag at him was worth it all. He certainly was thankful for the newfound clarity. It made conducting business a lot easier! However he wasn't expecting to run into a peculiar sight while looking for potential buyers. He figured a newly constructed apartment building in town was the perfect place to scout out people looking for new places to live. And what better way to stir up a few new buyers than to advertise himself to people currently looking for a home? If he's lucky he'll at least get one of two buyers. However he wasn't expecting to run into a certain red haired woman while there. He saw Rose but she didn't see him.

She was a little busy pulling out what looked to be young flowering bushes from the back of that old pick up truck of hers and  handing them over to a man who took them from her and placed them on the small lot of land in front of the new apartment building. ...Oh. She must've been delivering some flowering bushes to be planted in front of the apartment complex. She had mentioned that she worked for a rather large greenhouse after all. She didn't notice him however as he stood across the road and up from her. Naturally she wouldn't notice him as she was working. Eventually she had the man (probably the landlord for the apartment complex) sign a form presumably for the delivery of said plants before turning away from him to close the back of her truck. Ah. Good. She'd be done soon and he could work in peace. ... However a figure caught his eye and it was one whom was quickly approaching her with a familiar looking tube like cord dragging behind them.

....He quickly decided to approach.

"Hello there!" Rose jumped and whirled around to stare at a random man just standing there smiling widely at her. "Such a lovely day for a drive! No doubt you've been scoping out the fancy new complex constructed right here in our beautiful city of work!"

She blinked at the new comer before smiling and waving him off. "Oh no. I'm not looking for anything. Besides I already have a house. But I'm sure you'll find someone interested eventually." She politely said before turning around.

Only she was flung back around and grabbed harshly by the arm which had her freezing in her tracks. "Ah. But I have a small business deal. Just. For." With each word he added emphasis. Gripped her harder. And tugged her farther towards him. Her eye widened. Pupil shrinking as he stood closer to her now. "You."

Rose stood there frozen as her breath picked up. And a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She squealed and snapped her head around to face the newcomer along with the stranger and both froze at a figure much taller than the both of them. A strained smile stretched across the face of a REALTOR.

"Pardon me." Rose never felt such relief seeing a scary figure looming over her. "But that happens to be my dear provider you're so roughly grabbing so rudely." A firm pull instantly removed her from the man's grip and against Maison's side whom leaned over to almost get in the man's face. "You'll excuse me if I protect a few of my investments."

The man stared at Maison wide eyed, then at Rose, then back to Maison.. Before frowning but calmly taking a few steps back and eventually turning to walk away entirely. She waited until he had completely disappeared into the crowd before sighing in relief and halfway leaning against him.

"Maison." He stood right back up and released his grip on her shoulder to return his usual position but remained frowning as she turned to look up at him. "Boy am I glad to see you. What are you doing here?" Her head then turned to where the man had disappeared off to. "And who was that?"

"THAT my dear provider happened to be the barbarian of my kind you've heard so much about. The ones who wished to swoop you up for none other than a cheap appetizer." A shudder of horror went through her. "As for me I was merely working and happened to pass by seeing a fine young lady being pushed around by a barbaric fiend. I couldn't pass by knowing that my dear provider was in danger."

Rose gave a sigh before looking back up to him with a smile. "Well I sure am lucky you were passing through. I think you just earnt yourself a couple more fish sandwiches." He chuckled at her smiling. "I'm serious. Who knew that handsome face of yous could be so scary.~" she half playfully half flirtatiously giving a playful push to his side 

He blinked at her motion before clearing his throat and turning his head away to hide the faint pink on his face. "Well...You ought to be more careful especially in these times. I wouldn't want my d-dear provider to be harmed."

"Did you just stutter?"

His smiling strained. "....The fear must've worried you silly."

Amused not she nodded. "Uh huh. Alright. Well thanks again but I think I should be getting back to work  before my bosses yell at me for being late."

"Ah. Perhaps you could give myself a call when you do. I would want to know if my provider was in need again."

"That might be a good idea but I don't have your number."

"Never fear. That is easily curable!" With that he quickly swiped his card from his pocket and held it out to her. "Here you are! Just be sure to write it down before the card disintegrates."

She rose a brow amused. "Well.. I've been asked for my number a few times but this is the first time a man's offered me his." Maison again paused as she plucked it from his with a playful smile. "We haven't even had a first date yet. Although I guess I have taken you out to dinner with how much I feed you.~"

"N-Now cut that out!"

Rose only giggled again at his flustered state.

[trashytummiez]

I don't know if I've ever asked you, and if you're not interested just ignore me, but would you maybe write some stuffing content for Giriko? ;w;

It took you a while but you eventually made it back to your apartment and his hideout with his order. The murderous chainsaw now had before him what had to be enough fast food to feed about a dozen people by the time you laid out the meal. Yet here Giriko was about to cram it all down his gullet like always.

And you couldn't be more into it.

"Fuckin' finally. I'm starvin' here!" Giriko complained and rubbed his stomach as it growled impatiently.

"Party-sized orders take a while for greedy chainsaws," you teased and sat down besides the villain.

Giriko scoffed and unwrapped his first burger. He licked his chops eagerly and opened wide giving you a nice peak at his pearly white fangs which he used to chomp down onto his burger. That had to be a solid half of his burger munched in one go. He chewed down on that very sizable portion of burger making his cheeks bulge out. Then he clenched his eyes shut and swallowed hard. You watched a thick lump press out of his throat and vanish past his broad chest. The way his throat squelched made your cheeks heat up.

The chainsaw smacked his lips and downed the rest of his burger in no time. He got to work chomping away at his next. Like a greedy pig Giriko had no pause between burgers. He was just chomping away and downing it in about as short an interval of time as his last burger.

This steadily became a pattern for the gluttonous maniac. He was practically shoving burger after burger right down his gob and demolishing it in just a few bites. Those incredibly attractive and perfectly sharp fangs Giriko had allowed him to get food down in a very quick pace.

With so many burgers getting scarfed down all at once the impact it had on Giriko's tummy was pretty blatant. His usually lean stomach was starting to press out against his sleeveless whitish tan shirt. It very quickly started getting rounder the more he ate. So much so that Giriko's shirt barely managed to contain his tummy after a while.

Your eyes struggled to pull away from Giriko's growing belly. Especially when you heard it begin noisily churning to get to work digesting so much food in one sitting.

On top of all of his burgers Giriko had a six-pack besides him to help wash all that fast food down. After swallowing such an insurmountable amount of food in one go the chainsaw cracked a beer can open and guzzled its contents like a pro. You watched his throat throb with each hefty gulp he took. Beer was rushing down his throat so fast you guaranteed he could school anyone in a drinking contest if he wanted.

It wasn't even a full forty seconds until that can was drained. Giriko crushed the can against his forehead and lazily tossed it aside while also gulping down the last of its contents. About a second later Giriko burped so hard the couch quivered.

BRRUUUUOOOOOOORRRRRUUUUURHP!!!!!!

"Excuse you," you uttered with an intense blush on your cheeks.

Giriko lazily smacked his lips and grinned cockily. "Y'know ya LOOOOOVE...it...ahhh..."

It wasn't immediately clear to you if he meant to burp the word 'love' in your face but the way he sighed after suggested he certainly wasn't embarrassed by it. And the way your blush grew worse suggested you weren't especially bothered either.

He quickly went back to stuffing himself with more burgers. His pace had slowed down a little bit clearly he was starting to get full. But even in an overstuffed state the vile chainsaw was still munching down fast food faster than anyone you'd ever seen eat so much junkfood at once.

The swell in Giriko's belly only continued grow rounder and heavier. His shirt started riding up and revealing his bare tummy. Giriko was stuffing himself so fast that it rode up enough to start peaking at his belly button. Not that such a thing bothered Giriko. And it damn sure didn't bother you either.

Giriko paused to take another beer break. He cracked another can open and chugged its contents down. Even with how much fuller he was getting Giriko never flagged in the beer chugging department. Like before he sucked that can dry in under a minute crushing it against his forehead and lazily chucking it next to the other can.

"You know there's a bin right there," you said pointing to an annoyingly unused trash bin not too far away from Giriko.

Giriko's only response was a heavy burp.

BWOOOOOOOOORRRRRP!!!!

He grunted but shook his head dissatisfied. The chainsaw thumped his chest a few times until he made himself burp again. This one was a lot louder than the last one and gave him the relief he wanted. He sighed afterwards and slumped back.

"Fuck..." Giriko moaned rubbing the incredible swell in his tummy. He was looking really bloated but nonetheless shrugged and continued.

You watched Giriko's belly grow bigger and heavier. It was getting so bloated that it was really weighing down on his jeans. His shirt rode up completely to reveal the entirety of his enormous round tummy. The deep acidic noises you could hear bubbling from its depths were a clear sign that Giriko was well past his limits if his tummy was digesting that heavily.

It was so big and inviting from all the burgers and beer cans that you couldn't help rubbing it while Giriko finished the rest of his meal. Your hand rubbed circles all across that vast bubbling tummy. The roundness of it was absolutely perfect with a considerable heft in Giriko's lower stomach where everything was being digested. His tummy felt so warm from the intense digestive process which gave his normally tight flesh a much softer texture. It meant every time you patted his tummy there was a ripple in his flesh.

He cracked another can open and guzzled it down. But Giriko was so full that he actually had to stop halfway into chugging just so he could burp and make more room before chugging some more. You heard him burp again into his can as he chugged the rest of it. When he hiccuped loudly his big round belly jumped a little with a thick slosh that left him groaning and left you blushing.

It was clear that he was a little drunk despite having anything but an empty stomach.

You kept rubbing his belly to soothe how upset it was from his gorging and to help ease his stomachache enough to let him eat the rest of his food. His belly was getting so heavy that you worried his pants would burst at the seams if you didn't help him. So you fumbled with the waist of his pants and undid both his belt buckle and pants button. Giriko's big fat stomach spilled out freely from the space you'd provided it which made it bounce heavily between his legs. Girikko moaned in euphoria at how liberated he felt while you thought your eyes would bug out of your skull.

That certainly helped give him the second wind he desperately needed.

By the time Giriko was finished he almost looked like he was pregnant just with a deepened but shallow belly button and some intense sloshing erupting from his enormous tummy. With a lifeless groan Giriko slumped into his seat and held his hugely stuffed belly with both hands to unleash a massive burp.

BRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUURRRRRAAAAAAAAAAHPP!!!!!!!!!!

You blushed even harder both from Giriko's burp and the way you felt his tummy ripple with the gas.

"Good one," you praised and patted the side of his giant tummy. It jiggled with each pat you gave.

Giriko hiccuped loudly from the pat then again. His tummy jiggled heavily with each hiccup he gave. He moaned and wearily nursed his aching tummy with both hands rubbing up and down his thick rounded sides.

"Unnnnngh...Hic! Woof...m'so FUUUUUUUUUULL!!!!!" Giriko moaned hiccuping again and eventually burping the last word of his sentence out.

You gave his tummy a light squeeze and caused another huge burp to blare out of Giriko's mouth.

"Unf...shit..." he moaned after. "Feels like I'mma fuckin' puke..."

"You won't," you said confidently and kneaded your fingers into the middle of his massive belly pushing into Giriko's belly button. You knew the way Giriko's tummy operated after watching him stuff his face just a few times. You were trying to push some gas out of his belly and resorted to pushing hand against Giriko's belly button deeply.

Giriko winced but then unleashed a huge deafening burp that easily dwarfed any he'd let out yet.

BWWWRRAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUURRRHHHOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAAAAHP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your face couldn't get any redder when you felt his tummy ripple violently with that massive expulsion of gas. It ripped out of Giriko so long it could've been ten seconds for all you knew! You could pick up the scent of beer and digested burgers which wasn't the most pleasant scent in the world but it was worth it to hear a burp like that.

Giriko's eyes glazed over as his head rolled back with a moan of utter relief. "Fuckin' shit I needed that...whew..." Giriko moaned and slapped his belly with really boastful relief. His big fat tummy rippled heavily at the slap and made himself hiccup again. He was too full to care.

You just continued rubbing his massive tummy and occasionally kissed at it.

"I can't believe how much this thing can pack away," you praised getting a hold of his tummy and giving it a light jostle to hear it gurgle and slosh heavily.

The sloshing upset some of the pressure still brewing in Giriko's stomach. But the chainsaw grinned wickedly. When he felt the gas rushing up his throat he held you by the chin and made you look up at him just in time for Giriko to unleash a throaty burp right in your face.

HHUUUUUOOOOOOORRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHPP!!!!!

Your eyes widened as the warm gas pelted your face stinking of beer and digesting burgers. If you had any snide remarks they quickly left your blank mind as you sat there red as a ripe tomato.

Giriko shamelessly smacked his lips and grinned. "Never underestimate how much this bad boy can pack away," he said patting his glutted out tummy for emphasis while you savored the sounds emanating from his belly with his pats. "Now keep rubbin'. I didn't eat half yer fuckin' body weight in all this greasy shit fer nothin'."

You very happily complied, rubbing that massive belly well into the night and savoring every rich sound that tummy made from the deepest blorps to more of Giriko's burps.

He wasn't right in the head but then again neither were you so it ended up being a match made in hell that you wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

[lampmeeting]

F L O Y any pairings you want!!!! I’m so happy you quit!!!??

ME TOO i had such a nice day hahaha :') thank you!

any pairings i want huh?? oh boy let's put this under a cut hehe

(abigaar, magnate, chickles and nategaar)

"F" for fake dating - ABIGAAR :3c

tyr and skwisgaar keep in touch, and aww he's such a sweet dad figure. always wanting to know about skwisgaar's upcoming "concerts" and prying cutely for information about anyone skwisgaar's involved in ("saws you on reds carpets with a pretty blondes girl. you dates her? brings her to swedens, i cooks dinner!") it's nice, but skwisgaar for some reason doesn't have the heart to tell tyr that he doesn't exactly DO dating, so he puts him off and puts him off.

this gets more pressing after doomstar. skwisgaar starts feeling the guilt for avoiding visiting the man who's been trying to make a real fatherly effort for the last couple years. but he doesn't have anyone in mind to bring "home" to tyr's house. groupies aren't exactly an appropriate choice, he decides. but he tells tyr he'll come to visit with his girlfriend.

enter abigail. in charles' absence, she stepped in to manage the band ("just for the time being. it's not permanent." but she's not exactly actively helping them look for another candidate. as much as she wants nothing more to do with dethklok after the whole kidnapping thing, she can't seem to shake the feeling that she's meant to be there with them right now, that her continued presence in their lives is important somehow)

she notices skwisgaar seems distracted, off his game, and after a weirdly ungood practice session, she takes him aside to ask if he's all right. skwisgaar's never been great at being aloof around her, she cuts through his bullshit so fast, so he just admits it - tyr wants to meet his nonexistent girlfriend, and he doesn't know what to do. "needs to finds someone whats ams, y'know, classy. preskentsable. a nice girls."

abigail's listening to him intently. she's dressed in a classy blouse and pencil skirt, the jewel of her necklace resting below the dip in her collar. she looks very...presentable, doesn't she? skwisgaar swallows. and abigail is very nice...

"someones...smarts. goods to talks to, likes how we ams talkings rights now, evens."

abigail tilts her head at him curiously.

"maybes, uhhms...someones whats has beautifuls brown hairs? and ams nameds...aaabigaaaails...?"

she snorts a laugh into her hand. well, she has been desperately needing a vacation, and she knows skwisgaar won't try anything untoward... what could go wrong?

(this can also blend into Bed Sharing when they arrive in sweden and realize that tyr has put "the lovebirds" up in his guest bedroom...with only one bed)

--

"L" for Love at First Sight - MAGNATE

pre-preklok. magnus is (or, err, was) a moderately well-known local musician in phoenix. at 34 years old, though, he's kinda worn out his welcome. he never made it big, he's bounced between a dozen bands over the last 15 years, and now there are cooler, younger musicians coming up in the scene and man magnus just feels so old and bitter. maybe he should just give up music. what has it ever done for him except lead him to heartbreak after heartbreak (professional and personal)?

he goes out one night by himself. there's this new death metal band he's been hearing rumblings about. apparently the lead vocalist is like ten years younger than him and is definitely gonna be Somebody someday, and magnus is in a mood to drink and feel real fucking sorry for himself.

the opening band sucks, but then Abyssal Carcass takes the stage and the vocalist is broad-shouldered with long, silky black hair pooling over his shoulders and obscuring his face. he holds the mic in a massive fist, and when the first song starts and he opens his mouth to roar, magnus' heart nearly forgets how to beat. he's enchanted. that voice is so unlike anything he's ever heard before...he wants it. he wants it for himself. he wants to write songs for that voice. he wants to hear that voice in his ear, saying his name.

he doesn't see the man's face until after the second song when the vocalist finally stands up to his full height and rakes his hair back with a lift of his beefy arm. chiseled features, strong jaw, green eyes. magnus doesn't know if this is love or lust, maybe it's both, maybe it's jealousy, maybe he's just a sad old man wanting what he can't have.

after the show, magnus is visibly drunk and hangs around to catch the band before they leave. the vocalist sees him, and oh shit, he recognizes him. "oh shit, you're magnus hammersmith, right? from witch visions?"

"and servitor. and alchemical castration. and..." magnus blanks. too drunk. "...others, i presume."

the vocalist laughs deep and warm in his chest, and fuck... yup. magnus has it bad already.

"hey, ditch your band tonight. let's get outta here, you and me." magnus slings an arm around the guy's huge shoulders. "tell me your name again, bud?"

"oh, uh, nathan."

"nathan! nathan. lemme buy you a beer, nathan. i got a little business proposition for you."

--

"O" is for Opposites Attract - CHICKLES

preklok! charles gets a call from a near-hysterical toki in the middle of the night that pickles has been in an accident. clipped by a car while trying to jaywalk downtown, and now he's in the hospital having emergency surgery on a fractured leg. this is about a year after charles starts working for them, maybe just a few months after magnus' departure and toki's hiring, so everything's felt really stressful and up in the air, and NOW THIS.

charles of course gets dressed and races to the hospital to make sure pickles is being taken care of properly (no other reason, he's simply concerned for his client). pickles gets out of surgery, he's busted up real bad but he'll heal just fine the doctors say as long as he rests properly and keeps off his feet. easier said than done when it comes to pickles, and just a few days later charles swings by the apartment to see, to his horror, that pickles has drugged himself up and is trying to "walk it off" and still practice drums with the full kit. the others, it seems, are perfectly fine with pickles' attempts to do this.

in the interest of the band's future, pickles' leg needs to heal properly. he needs rest, relaxation, healthy meals. so charles does the only thing he can think of that will keep pickles safe from himself: he invites pickles to stay with him until he recovers.

of course pickles makes a terribly messy roommate and complains every step of the way, and charles is strict almost beyond reason. they end up getting into a huge argument about it, and charles finally breaks down and admits that no he's not doing this to make pickles' life miserable or teach him a lesson about wandering drunk through the streets, it's because he CARES about him damnit!

charles freezes, certain he's overstepped every boundary he's ever set for himself professionally and personally, and then pickles just sniffles, smiles, and says, "you...really care about me, charlie?" ;~;

--

"Y" is for Years of Friendship First - NATEGAAR

i mean...this has to be nategaar, right?

they've been fast friends ever since skwisgaar auditioned for dethklok, when nathan and magnus and murderface all looked at each other and went "YUP" simultaneously. the two of them just vibed. maybe it was nathan's penchant for short, easily-digestible words and phrases, and skwisgaar's minimal english at the time. magnus and murderface were both wordy motherfuckers, and skwisgaar would normally tune them out. but talking to nathan, or even not talking at all, always came easy. and musically they were so aligned nathan thought magnus was jealous.

bandmates came and went. years passed. so much happened, so much changed. the near-breakup of dethklok, the events of doomstar, the takedown of salacia. the dust settled. dethklok was no more, the spell of their success broken, their god powers depleted, sacrificed in the final battle.

nathan still makes music. he has to. it's not quite as angry and dire as the stuff he used to write, but he likes it. and skwisgaar likes it, which feels like the most important thing. for some reason, when the others all went their separate ways to live their lives apart from the band, nathan and skwisgaar couldn't leave each other. at first nathan told himself it a professional thing. they were just so accustomed to making music together, so of course they'd want to keep doing that. but they eventually realize they're spending all their time together even outside of working on the music. and nathan's slowly moving into skwisgaar's house. and sleeping over a lot. and helping skwisgaar make breakfast. and if they hug a lot it's just because they're such awesome friends. and if they kiss a little, well, guys in europe kiss all the time, right? who cares.

a couple years later, when nathan's mother jokes that he should visit and "bring that husband of yours with you", the two of them look at each other and realize... oh. ohhh.

[hyenahunt]

Jun Sazanami - 5* Feature Scout: Traversing the Wilds, Towards the Horizon - 2 [END]

Writer: Umeda Chitose

Season: Autumn

Characters: Jun, Hiyori, Nagisa

Proofreading: royalquintet

Translation: hyenahunt

Jun: Those strong feelings I've always held in my heart... they haven't changed one bit, even throughout all my idol work nowadays.

Hiyori: You're late! I've had to start practicing all on my own, you know! Come now, Jun-kun, I want you to join me and get dancing right away!

Jun: Seriously? You're the one who suddenly called me over without any explanation—you're always doing whatever you want~!

[One hour later...]

Hiyori: Yes, yes ♪ Today we're perfectly in sync as always, aren't we? What fine weather ♪

Alright, Jun-kun, here's a towel and some water, just for you. Go on, accept my kindness!

Jun: They were already in the room, dammit.

But anyway, why'd you suddenly call me over? We didn't have any lessons planned for today, right?

Hiyori: I simply had a lot of free time on my hands—

...or so you expected me to say, didn't you?

Jun-kun, you're keeping a secret from me! You've got something of utter importance that you aren't discussing with me, don't you?

Jun: ....Sorry?

Hiyori: Jun-kun, you're so dense! Didn't I tell you to discuss your personalised outfit with me, once your turn came up?

And why, you ask? Aren't I your partner, Jun-kun? Aren't I your Ohii-san you respect so much?

You could say I'm even your senior in getting an outfit! Surely there's no one in the world more suited to advising you than I am...!

Jun: You say this with your whole chest, but I don't think I mentioned a thing about this to you. Didja hear it from Ibara?

Hiyori: Something like that ♪ Now then, what kind of outfit do you want to wear, Jun-kun? Go on, you can tell your Ohii-san anything... ♪

Jun: I'm seriously stuck on this, so please don't make fun of me for it, alright?

I talked with Mashiro-kun and Kagehira-san just now about it, but...

Coming up with something not in Eden or Eve's image but in my own, or rather an outfit that gives off my energy... I've been having a hard time trying to figure it all out.

Hiyori: …………

Jun: I'm pretty sure you've got a good idea of my past and all, but...

That gloomy past I spent as a nobody at the bottom of the barrel makes me who I am today.

Those strong feelings I've always held in my heart... they haven't changed one bit, even throughout all my idol work nowadays.

And that's why... um... I thought maybe I could express those feelings through my outfit, but then I got tripped up by another problem.

I've got fans who like me and cheer me on, but what if who they're actually fans of is specifically Eden and Eve's Jun Sazanami...

So I've been thinking maybe they'd be happier if I wore colours more suited for my unit than for me—

Hiyori: ...What, you mean that's it? That's what's got you stumped, Jun-kun?

Jun: W-What's wrong with that!? I've been seriously having a crisis over this, y'know!?

Hiyori: What a silly goose you are, Jun-kun... Developing your idol skills isn't all there is to it—you should develop your emotional awareness, as well.

You got all up in your head back when you had your hyena stageplay role too, didn't you?

Jun: Uuugh...

Hiyori: One would never guess it, Jun-kun, but overthinking yourself into a rut seems to be one of your bad habits.

You may have taken on the role of a hyena prince that one time, but right now, Jun-kun, you seem exactly like an armadillo!

Jun: A-an armadillo...?

Hiyori: You curl into a ball with your head in your hands, and your train of thought seizes up! There's no way you can run free in the wild like this!

And if you shut yourself away into your shell, not only will no one else be able to see you, but you'll lose sight of yourself, too.

Round and plump things are charming, yes, but when you're an idol, you must bask in the gazes of the people and show your brilliance.

Jun: Umm... I suck at reading between the lines, so can't you just spell it out for me~?

Hiyori: Fufu, impatient, aren't we? All the same, while I believe you've come along splendidly, the fact that it seems I still have much to teach you does put me at ease... ♪

With that, I'll ask my first question! How's Reimei Academy been [like] recently?

Jun: Why're you asking me questions when you said you'd teach me...? Umm, let's see...

Even Kazehaya-senpai told me that I'm the current hero of Reimei Academy, so the sense of recognition feels a lot more real, I guess...?

Hiyori: ... Jun-kun, you really are rather fond of Tatsumi-kun, aren't you?

But well, I'm more than happy to hear you're being appreciated!

Alrighty then, next question! Out of the jobs you've taken lately, which one left the strongest impression on you?

Jun: That's gotta be the stageplay for me. It was a real valuable experience, and I feel that by toughing it out through the performance I've really broadened my perspective.

Hiyori: Yes, yes, you did a brilliant job in learning from that experience! Well then, what do you keep in mind whenever you work?

Jun: Let's see... My work as Eden, or Eve, or Lilith or even when I go solo are all a lil' different from each other, but...

At heart, it's gotta be getting seen as an inspiration or goal for those who are just like how I used to be—

And maybe I kinda wanna be someone who can help others pave their own paths.

Hiyori: ... Indeed ♪

You wanted to become an idol, Jun-kun... and here you are now, your dream come true.

Keeping up in practice with me, holding out throughout our various jobs and recognising your own growth—you've come along so well that you can succeed in all of this.

Jun-kun, the virtue that's brought you this far is your hyena-esque determination and ambition. I've told you this before, but...

Those strengths of yours are deeply rooted within you—they're what give you merit. As long as you continue to hold them close to your heart, they'll last you your whole life.

Jun: Ohii-san...

Hiyori: Still, no one can say for sure what's in store for you now that you've become an idol. That's something you'll have to think about yourself, as you go about your days.

Jun-kun, the possibilities in front of you are endless... and one such way for you to express all that potential is through your personalised outfit.

You wouldn't want to let hesitation and indecisiveness hold you back, would you? Not when it concerns your own potential and self-expression.

Jun: ...It's gonna take some time to really digest all this complicated stuff you're saying, Ohii-san, but...

So what you're saying is.... if I've got it in me to become any kinda idol, then the only way my outfit would be worth it is if it'd suit that future version of me, no matter how I turn out.

... or something like that? Did I get that right?

Hiyori: If I were to confirm it, then it wouldn't be your answer but rather my own, no?

But if it's an answer that came from your own mind, and it's one that you yourself believe in, then that would be more than enough... ♪

[Several days later...]

[Location: Seisou Hall Common Room]

Jun: (I was so caught up brainstorming my personalised outfit over lunch that I'm cutting it real close for time. ES may be nearby, but I can't afford to stay here any longer...)

Nagisa: ...Jun, wait. You forgot this.

Jun: Oh man— I forgot the most important thing for the meeting. Thank you, Nagi-senpai.

I don't have my name written on the cover or anything, but you still knew it was mine, huh?

Nagisa: ...I figured it was yours once I looked inside it, Jun. Both the writing and the art felt like they'd be yours.

Jun: I feel kinda embarrassed that you saw, actually... Sorry for my cruddy drawings and the scribbly mess inside.

Nagisa: ...Why do you apologise?

...Jun, perhaps you may feel that you're standing in the wilderness, but...

...you can turn those surrounding plains into a land rich in harvest, or even into fields full of flowers. Within you, there's a path that continues towards such a future.

...That's the feeling I got from looking through your notebook. I'm looking forward to seeing how your outfit turns out, Jun.

Jun: ...Hehe. Thank you, Nagi-senpai.

If you can say all that about it, then there's no way it won't turn out all right~

This is the very first step I'm taking in my new journey forward. Mark my words: Jun Sazanami's gonna show the world all the potential he has~!

✦✦✦✦✦

← prev ✦ all ✦

[capri-ramblings]

Hiii~ I love your writing and simply adore the way you write Vil! I wanted to request scenarios of Yandere! Jade, Vil, Azul and Cater having their darling 'willingly' return to their side after being given an opportunity to depart (i.e. an open door, or someone coming to get them) or just going to their side if you've done the escape thing before. I apologize if that's vauge or has been done before. You're wonderful~

Firstly,I'm sorry this took very long despite it being one of my earliest asks, and secondly,since I've written a couple of Azul works, I hope you don't mind me omitting him from this one, it's just that with Jade's plot I felt like I would've written it a bit too similar if I included Azul. And thirdly, This is my first request with a Cater feature in it uwu ♥️ give him some love ya'll our magicam senpai. Hope you like it, Twisty! (*´ω｀*) Vil is a Character I find kinda hard to write for but I'm happy you find him satisfying 🤧

Requests under works. Please refer to Pinned post before sending one in.

[ W e l c o m e H o m e ]

Vil Schoenheit

When you slammed the giant mahogany doors behind you, breathing ragged and worn, the sound of familiar footsteps descending the stairs made you lean your head against the door before turning around to see Vil.

His perfectly lined brows were arched, haughtily if not unbearably unimpressed. He was wearing his nightwear, the gentle colour of the satin material made him seemed as if he was glowing underneath the beam of the crystal chandeliers.

"Did you like the fresh air?" He asked, hands gracefully trailing over the marble railings of the stairs.

"Rook mentioned a crescent moon appearing tonight."

You let out a sigh, defeated and dry.

"If there was,I must've missed it. You know me,Vil. Always in a rush."

He didn't let it pass his lips but you knew he wanted to scoff, to mock your response and degrade you as he often did.

"I take it the open space wasn't to your liking?"

Vil stopped at the foot of the stairs and he had this knowing look in his eyes. It almost seemed smug.

"No,I mean—" Your voice trailed off,gaze lowering as you replayed the scene in your head.

You had found a chance to escape,to run from everything Vil had imprisoned you in, and for half a moment, you were free. Your legs carrying you through the open air as your feet finally came in contact with soil after so long of staying indoors. You caught the whiff of the rose garden behind the Manor and the gates of your nightmares were right in front of you.

All you had to do was push pass it, and freedom was yours.

But then you stopped. Your feet halted and the sudden silence overwhelming you at that moment brought a sense of dread to your system. How long has it been since you've last seen the world? It shouldn't sound so... soundless,right?

"Past the gates and you're free."

That's what you told yourself. What you attempted to tell yourself. But the crushing weight of returning to a society that didn't seem to even recognize your absence made your want to hurl yourself away from it all. At least Vil kept his eyes on you, and maybe a life where you were doted on was far better than a life where people simply forgot about you.

"Use your words, Daffodil." You looked up and Vil was already looming over you, his hand propping your chin up as his thumb trailed over your lips.

"Didn't I teach you how to talk?" He was cooing,coaxing you to place yourself in his arms, and it worked. You leaned into him willingly and gently began closing your lips over his thumb.

"I made a mistake. I want to come home,Vil." You sounded so genuine, so soft. It made him wanted to place you on his lap and have you ride the erection building up underneath his clothes until you couldn't form proper words anymore.

But he held himself back. Tonight was not the time. There would be other times for him to spill his seed inside of you, for now, he should indulge in your submissive acceptance.

"I'm always here for you, Daffodil."

Jade Leech

Jade had kept you in his home under in Coral Sea for so long that when you finally pushed pass the ocean's surface, the thick air of the land almost choked you.

The fins on either side of your neck hissed at the contact and your eyes squinted from the intrusion of the the sunlight. You actually had to bring one webbed hand to shield yourself from it.

Everything felt so different. So foreign. Your scales bristled in annoyance. Was this the world you so craved before? The world you actually lived in before Jade turned you into his own kind?

Maybe you felt differently about it then, but now, all you wanted to do was dive back into the comfort of the sea. Where you truly belonged.

And back down you did go, and immediately after submerging into the water, your scales glistened and your fins flapped happily against your skin. The coolness of it all washing over you pleasantly.

When you reached the entrance of Coral Sea, Jade was there, dutifully waiting for your return. You wanted to rush over to him, aching for the familiar contact of another mer against yours,the human air felt so pungent after all. It really did feel like you were a fish out of water.

Ah,but the whole reason you went up to see was because you had an argument with the mer-male. Swimming over to him so eagerly would just be telling him that he was the sound one in it.

So,you kept your pace slow and deliberate, until Jade extended his hand and you took it in yours.

"Was the world big enough for you up there?" He asked, the slight hint of laughter lacing his words as his gaze fixated on you.

You pursed your lips and sighed, expression grim.

"Maybe a bit too big. There weren't any humans of any of their ships, but it smelled like there was just a crowd of them earlier..."

"Oh? But don't any of it feel familiar to you? You used to live up there too once, that's what you said, right?"

You knew he was going to bring up the argument sooner or later, but for Jade to bring up a subject this quick meant he really was annoyed by your outburst earlier. But could he blame you? He had a tendency to hover over you like a mother octopus with its brood and though he has given you many freedoms ever since he was convinced you weren't going to run away again, it still felt a little suffocating.

"I wouldn't have said it if you just let me be for once." You snapped, brows furrowing as your arms crossed over your chest. You swam further ahead of him too then turned back to face him. A small act of stubbornness.

"This is all I want" You pointed to the slight distance between you and him. "I'm not going run away again or throw corals at you. I just want to have my own space. Don't you trust me?"

Jade did. He did trust you now because you've finally shown him that your life above the sea was a mere past you couldn't even properly project into your own memory. He's waited so long for this too and when you were throwing your words at him earlier, he thought he'd have to keep you on a leash again, the notion of letting you swim above was hard for him to digest because if you hadn't fully converted into the form he's given you then Jade had made a mistake and he would've risked losing you.

But he didn't lose you. You came back to him. You asked him to trust you.

The smile curling on his lips then was one of deep endearment for you and when he swam to your side, you swore you could feel him glow.

"Of course,I trust you,my angel reef."

Cater Diamond

He was soundly asleep, curled in his thick blanket when he felt his bed got weighed down as someone slipped in-between the blanket and him.

Cater half yawned, half uttered an incoherent "What?" before he recognized the oh so familiar curves of your body pressing against him and the scent of the new shampoo he'd just bought for you lingering in your hair.

You were clinging to him, head nuzzling into his chest and hands gripping the side of his arms as if your whole life depended on you.

He smiled in the dark then. He had left his front door unlocked purposely after all. Call it a trust fall test.

"Hey,this is my bed, y'know" He murmured, lightly inching away from your touch as he rubbed his eyes. You simply pulled him back towards you, your form curling into a slight ball as your legs came in-between his. It was such an intimate response. Did you know what you were doing?

"Hm, it's gonna cost ya a lot more rent sleeping here with me, y'know? Are you okay with me charging more?" He was leaning into you now,his warmth making your squirm underneath him. You understood what Cater meant when he used the word 'rent', but you didn't move away or started crying like you used to do before. No, you felt more accepting now, Cater could feel it in the way your body seemed to yearn for his.

He couldn't help himself from chuckling though. The sight of you all needy for him was immensely adorable, he was half tempted to snap a picture, but then it would've ruined the mood wouldn't it? It's fine, he could settle with imprinting this memory in his mind. This moment of victory of his.

"Suit yourself then. But I gotta ask why are you so cold, cupcake? Did you take a long walk outside by yourself without your coat again? It's near winter, y'know. You could've gotten sick."

Not as sick as he was but that wasn't the point. The point was that you did decided to take advantage of the front door being left unlocked, and you did try to run away, but only to realize how dark and eery the neighborhood seemed for someone who wasn't all that accustomed to it. How each passing sound lurking in the shadows of the alley made your skin crawl and your throat dry.

It was terrifying, you realized then standing in the darkened empty street. And when you heard the wind breeze through the chilled air, you subconsciously held out a hand, searching for the familiar grip of Cater.

It was weird. An unsettling feeling you were aware you shouldn't oblige to, and yet, you had never felt so happy to have been inside Cater's house. To be held by him. To hear his voice. It was like you were falling into a trance of madness.

Oh,but isn't that just love in its purest form?

"Hold me,Cater" You whined, burying your face into his chest, earning a small laugh from the male who wrapped his arms around you and placed a chaste kiss on your forehead.

"Sure thing, cupcake."

[bluepenguinstories]

Happiness Overload Chapter Thirty-One

My acquired genie, Mephistopheles, and I underwent our mission to escape from the clutches of this strange and mysterious underground facility. I know what you're thinking: a genie? Really? Look, if I can accept the strange, so can you.

I had to stop for a second. Despite having my fill of food and, in theory, having recovered from my whole ordeal earlier, I was still short on breath. I slammed my fist against the wall, not caring if a soldier or some kind of artificial intelligence or security system heard.

“Damn it all! I don't know where the hell I'm going! I'm just running and for what? Everything looks the same!”

“HAVE YOU TRIED NOT RUNNING?”

I glared at my involuntary companion.

“Thanks. That's such a great idea. I'll walk and enjoy the scenery that's trying to kill me. That'll help me escape much faster.” I was still frustrated. “I'm sorry. You've been amazing, I just don't like that I don't feel like I'm in control of this situation. You could say I'm like Mavis in this regard, but I don't like not knowing. Y'know?”

“I KNOW! AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE LOST, IT WON'T MATTER IF YOU WALK OR RUN SO MAY AS WELL WALK!”

I had to pause and make meaning out of the shouting I was presented with. “Hmm...yes...if I run, I might miss something vital. Not to mention, as lucky as I've been, I'll still get killed if I'm careless. But if I assess my surroundings and find something of use, I might just be able to get out of here.”

“YAY! I SAID SOMETHING GOOD!”

I stopped slouching and stood up.

That or I'm just trying to make meaning out of something without meaning.

“Come on, let's get a move on,” I motioned to the cute, yet intimidating creature.

As I inched my way through every metal wall, doing my best to make note of any potential traps and tricks, listening to the sound of potential footsteps, my companion floated in the air without a care in the world.

An ambassador at a press conference took to the stage.

“I would now like to take a moment to decompose,” he began, and never continued. He passed out at the podium. Everyone applauded. I was there when it happened. I was in the front row, chewing bubblegum.

When I left the conference room, I noticed a faint scent of bubblegum fill the halls. It reminded me of my youth and how mother would always make the best bubblegum pies. This led me into a stupor in which I began chewing on the walls; they all tasted like her pies. I was in a lucid state, having felt something so clear that it was like my whole life before had ceased to exist. I knew this was going on elsewhere, differing experiences, though how I knew, I did not know.

No such activity. Further breath of release, relief. I turned to my companion and whispered.

“I need a weapon.”

“WHY?” She continued her loud cheerful voice, even as she asked a question. I say 'she' as if this thing wasn't a 'they' or 'it' or anything at all.

“I need something to defend myself. I can't be happy if I'm dead, can I?”

“SURE YOU CAN!”

I wanted to slap myself. I wanted to slap this creature as well for yelling in this endless series of corridors when danger could be lurking any which way.

“Come on. It'll make me real happy if I have something to defend myself with. Case in point, what if a few soldiers come running and they want to kill me?”

“THEY CAN IF IT MAKES THEM HAPPY TO!”

“Okay, but what if I want to kill them?”

“EVERYONE IS KILLED! YAY!”

“Okay, but hypothetically speaking, what if it's not killing me that makes them happy, but trying to kill me and it's not killing them that makes me happy, but just having something to fight them with makes me happy.”

“SAY NO MORE!”

In my hand appeared a metallic wrench-like object.

“What? A taser?”

“ACTUALLY IT EXPANDS SO YOU CAN SLICE ANY OBJECT, BE IT A POTTED PLANT, OR SOMEONE'S LIMB! IT'S JUST LIKE CUTTING A CUCUMBER! BEST PART IS IT LEAVES A CLEAN CUT, LIKE A CAUTERIZER! WHICH MEANS NO BLOOD!”

No blood...an effective weapon...I was caught in a daze of wonderful words.

“That...sounds...AMAZING! Thank you so much! I could kiss you right now!” I burst into excitement. I felt as if tears of joy would start streaming at any moment.

“YAY!”

Not even giving it much thought, I did the next thing I could think to do and leaned up to Mephistopheles' cheek and kissed them. I regretted doing so and turned away; rather than their cheek feeling like that of a person's, or any other animal, or any kind of physical sensation for that matter, it felt like I had touched the feeling of love itself and it was such an overwhelming and wholesome and menacing and wrong sensation.

We continued walking through the halls. I didn't stop to look at the creature. I was grateful for the weapon and that was about it. The silence was starting to get to me. It was killing me. Nothing trying to kill me was getting to be too much. While I didn't want to acknowledge what was next to me, I felt I needed to fill the air with something.

“Can you tell me something?” I asked, continuing to walk and not look them in the eye.

“WILL IT MAKE YOU HAPPY?”

I thought about it. My knowledge of genies was limited, but I've consumed enough media in my lifetime to know you had to be mindful of what you said.

“I'm not sure, but I want to know anyway.”

“OKIE-DOKIE!”

Wow. I couldn't believe it was that easy.

“Is Blanc...” I was having trouble saying it. “...are they dead?”

“YEP! AT LEAST A FEW TIMES! THEY'RE ALSO ALIVE!”

My eyes widened. “Wait. Really? How is that possible?”

“MULTIPLE UNIVERSES!”

Whatever came over me, a nerve got struck.

“I'm talking about the one I knew! Did I see Blanc die in that fire?”

“YEP! SURE DID!”

“I see...”

There was a moment of silence. I couldn't stand that.

“What about Mavis, then? Will she be fine?”

“I CAN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES!”

“Damn it! I need to go back! I need to do something, then! I don't want anyone else dying when I could have saved them!”

“THAT WON'T MAKE HER HAPPY!”

“But she'll be alive! What am I supposed to do?”

“KEEP GOING!”

“But...”

I started to turn around. I wanted to run back. Try to find Mavis. Try to save her. From whatever might come her way. Yet, I stopped myself.

“Why were they at the facility? Why weren't they safe with you?”

“THEY WANTED TO SAVE YOU!”

That's when it clicked. It might have played out the same way had I decided to run back to save Mavis. Or maybe it wouldn't. Maybe if I died, she would live. I wasn't sure what options I had and Mephistopheles wasn't giving me any promises.

“I bet you told them 'I can't make any promises' too...”

“NOPE!”

“I'm fine, though! I'm alive!” I slammed my fist against the wall. “Blanc, you idiot...”

After a deep sigh, I had one more question.

“Can you tell me what ever happened to V--” I was about to finish the name, but stopped myself. “Never mind. I should just let ghosts die, right?” I winced and tried at a smile. However numbed to it all I was, I knew there were tears streaming down my cheeks just thinking of these people.

“IF YOU'RE CURIOUS, THERE'S A ROOM BEHIND THE WALL!”

“Whoa, really?”

I started feeling around for a hidden block to push, or a button, something. It all felt like the same metallic wall. Nothing was revealing the room, if this fairy or genie was even to be trusted. I thought of giving up before my strange companion chimed in.

“HERE YOU GO!”

The wall slid open to reveal a room with several monitors, lockers, and a desk. It wasn't unlike Mavis' room, or the eccentric Dr. Chekhov's.

“Thanks,” I groaned.

“HAPPY TO HELP!”

Inside, I saw a button along the wall and pressed it, already having a good idea what it would do. The wall slid back in place and I let out a sigh of relief and sank to the floor.

“I've got everything in my favor right now, but I still don't think I can do this...”

Mephistopheles just did their usual floating about. I would have loved to peer inside that mind of theirs, but something told me there wasn't much to peer into. That, or the opposite; that there would be too much to digest and I would lose all sanity in the process. Luckily for me, I had my doubts I even had much sanity left to retain.

We sat at a dockside past midnight, the two of us. Her red hair shone through even in spite of the darkness, accented further whenever the light of a nearby lighthouse would pass.

I turned to her, I could tell she was nervous. Even though she played it cool during the day, I knew her well enough to know that deep down, she was just a huge awkward mess. I couldn't help but laugh about how flustered she was.

“What's so funny?” Velvet asked, not seeming to appreciate the humor of it all.

“Your face!” I nudged.

“People have told me I have Resting Bitch Face, but sheesh, I didn't need to hear it from you.”

“I like it! It's cute!”

“That's even worse!” She whined.

We laughed together and enjoyed the quiet sounds that would be made this time at night. Aside from the roar of the ocean, there was the occasional car that zoomed past and angry drunkards ranting at the sky. Some may have considered being out so late when the activities past dusk were not safe ones. Assaults, muggings, you name it. Somehow, though, it just made the whole thing more beautiful to me.

I remember the first time we sat at our usual spot, she asked me if I was afraid.

“Not at all,” I had told her. “I'm used to it.”

She shivered, though I wasn't sure whether it was the cold, nervousness, or a generalized fear. I suppose the last two were similar enough.

“How?”

I shrugged. Didn't I already give her the answer?

“Anything that could hurt us could do so any time of day.”

“That doesn't make it right...I'd rather live in a world where I can be safe.”

At the moment, though, she wasn't afraid of the night. Nervous, maybe, but I think she sensed what I would tell her.

I leaned over and squeezed her, hugged her tight, then kissed her several times on the cheek, and one on her lips. I could tell they were a little chapped. This time of year, it was approaching winter...

“Thanks,” she sighed, and held my hand with both of hers.

“You know, one of these days, I'm going to disappear.”

I just went right out with it. I could have eased in, but I didn't believe in such a thing, anyway.

“What do you mean?”

“I'm not a fan of staying in one place. I get restless. One of these days, you'll just stop seeing me. Don't take it personally, it's just who I am.”

“But what about us?” She protested. I just laughed. Might have been insensitive of me, but maybe I was just as nervous as her to be so forward with the truth.

“Just enjoy this while you can, then. What's happening right now doesn't change who I am.”

“I could follow you, though! I don't mind where you go, I can endure it!”

I shook my head.

“Not so sure you could...”

“You don't know that! You don't know me at all, ch...chump!” There she goes, nervous and trying to sound tough.

“You should stay where you're at. Continue your studies. You've got a future ahead of you, I'm sure of it.”

She didn't cry, she didn't argue further. She retreated to her silence. This wouldn't do, either. I stood up and pulled her up with me.

“Come on, let's dance! I think I hear the otters!”

There may not have been any otters and I knew she didn't really know how to dance, but it was past midnight and there was a full moon, so we had nothing to lose by enjoying our company together just a little bit longer.

The lockers weren't difficult to open, in spite of the advanced code keeping them locked. There was always a way to open locks and no amount of security would stop me.

First one opened, just filled with useless junk; tupperware filled with meatloaf and piles of porn mags.

“...Ew. They still make those things?”

I shut that locker back up. I was sure the meat, however gross it was, could have come in handy in case I got hungry again, but I wanted no part in that.

Second locker had just what I needed: a prinny outfit.

“This might disgust me even more than those magazines...”

“IT'S FUN TO DRESS UP!”

I gulped. Fair enough, I guess. There was one time I recall hearing about how Blanc dressed up in a Prinny armor and fooled other soldiers (or in this case, hired mercenaries) into thinking they were one of them and said how Euphoria was their daughter and it was 'take your daughter to work day'. Maybe if I did the same, I could get out of here scot-free.

After slipping into the armor, I trudged out of the room, not even bothering to look at any of the many monitors. Maybe one of them could have told me the way out. I wasn't thinking about every little step at the time, though.

Just outside of the room, back into the halls, I heard the heavy footsteps of several soldiers.

“Crap...they spared no time, huh?”

I still had the slicer, or taser, or whatever it was with me. I had the armor, though not one of their weapons. I should have been safe enough. When they appeared from around the corner, I spotted three, maybe four of them. I let them march told me with their weapons in front of them.

Charisma, don't fail me now.

They each pointed their guns at me, each one possibly as large as my entire body.

“Guys, guys, it's cool!”

They were standing right next to me now. The one who stood in front of them all was so close that it felt like a dragon puffing smoky breaths down at me. The soldier turned their head up, motioning in the direction of Mephistopheles.

“Who is that?”

“That's my daughter! It's Take Your Daughter to Work Day, don'cha know?” I wasn't sure why I had to include that last part. I had never been in Minnesota long enough for it to have left an impression on me.

“False. That was six months ago. The punishment for lying is death. The punishment for harboring unauthorized personnel is also death. No exceptions.”

“Well fuck!” That was a bust.

I lifted my right leg and kicked high enough to knock the soldiers' chest, then shoved them into the other two. No, three. Fuck. Again. There were more soldiers than I counted. No, not four. Five.

The others, who had missed the impact, fired their machine guns at me. I was grateful that the armor was impervious to their weapons, though by that logic, it meant I could steal their gun and do no damage to them, either.

“Think, Velvet, think...”

Even if the bullets weren't affecting me, the impact was enough to knock me down as well. I fell back into the adjacent wall. Next thing I knew, two soldiers stood over me with their feet raised, ready to step down and smash me.

I reached for the taser and drew it out. With a forward slash, both of their foots were chopped clean off from their lower legs. I picked myself up and chopped up their lower arms next.

“Whoa,” I marveled at it. “This thing really is nifty.”

Still more shooting. More soldiers. Not all of the shots fired were at me.

I turned to my chipper companion.

“They're firing at you too!” I shouted.

“ARE THEY? I DIDN'T NOTICE OVER THE SOUND OF HOW HAPPY I AM!”

Indeed, how would that creature have noticed? From what it seemed, none of the rounds even registered. Not a single one got close enough to so much as graze the genie.

I shook my head. There were still things I may never understand.

I managed to charge at the other soldiers, grab one of their guns, and beat them over the head with it. Under normal circumstances I doubt I'd even be able to lift such a thing, but I was not under normal circumstances, as evidenced by the power of the Prinny armor.

After slicing away at the remaining few, there was but one on the ground, still breathing. Actually, I think they were all alive, and just unable to move. I drew a sigh of relief and removed my helmet. Risky maneuver if another soldier were to come and shoot me.

“Ribbit-ribbit,” the remaining soldier groaned.

“...What?”

I removed their helmet and the first thing I noticed was green skin.

Aliens?

“NOPE!” Mephisto answered. “FROGGIES!”

“That makes zero sense, but after all I've been through, what does it matter?”

I walked past the croaking frog-soldier. I'd have more questions, except I didn't care for the answers.

Hop, skip, jump. All was quiet on the Polo front, yup yup!

I could have really gone for some flies, or ay GRUB at all! Hunger was a gay fro's worst nightmare. Or maybe it was straight frogs. Wasn't sure which was worse. Sure hoped Gumby was okay. Sucks having to leave such a brilliant axolotl behind. Oh, the tortured mind of a genius! He must've been going through H-E-C-K HELL!

Marco, too! Actually, Marco could rot and die a horrible death for all I cared! Actually, if not for Marco, I wouldn't be alive, so I guess I owe him that much. Plus, a big bro is a big bro. Or something, yo! So Marco could die just a little.

“Oh, to meet such cute froggy girls,” I sang to no one in particular in my staticked voice as I made more hops, skips, and jumps. My voice box was weird as HECK but without it...well...HECK, yo!

Taking off the suit proved to be a little difficult, and while I was in the process, I overheard the cheerful little cherub chastise me.

“YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T DO THAT!”

“Why? I might get killed?”

“IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY, GO AHEAD!”

“If I die, I may as well die wearing something comfortable.”

While I was almost getting myself out (I just had one leg left...) I paused and had a thought.

“You know, why can't you just whisk me out of here?”

“BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T MAKE YOU HAPPY!”

“Fuck that! I think I would be very happy to be out!” I retorted.

“SURE! BUT NOT SO SUDDEN!”

I shook my head. “Some genie you are.”

“NOT A GENIE! BUT IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO BE CALLED ONE!”

“Happy this, happy that. I just want peace.”

“NOPE!”

I wanted to roar, kick, scream. But I already knew none of those things would make a difference.

“What do you know, anyway? Does my unhappiness make me happy?”

“YEP!”

I was out of the suit and on my feet. For something that liked to bring joy, she sure knew the right places to hurt.

“That...doesn't make any sense.”

“YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW IT MAKES SENSE!”

Hunched. My hands balled into fists. Head down. I was ready to fly into a rage. But instead of fight, it was a flight; I ran ever forward. I didn't know what would come for me, if anything. I didn't know if I would ever find a surface, an escape to this whole ordeal. Something was just telling me I needed to run and keep running.

Multiple paths. I took a left.

Another fork, a right.

Still unknown. There were moments I could have figured out where I needed to go. That room. She, they, Mephistopheles, whatever other names that being went by, pretty much gave me the opportunity and I used it for other means instead. It wasn't just an unconscious decision, was it? Yet I had no answer of my own for why I chose to opt out of such answers. All I knew to do was move and that's all I would do.

That was, until I reached a dead end. Dead end, or another door. What was it with me and doors? Sheesh.

“Can you tell me where it leads?” I turned my head, but dared not look their way.

“YOU ALREADY KNOW!”

I groaned. “I really don't...”

The door slid open and I walked through. There could have been a trap that could have killed me instantly. I no longer cared, but for the record, I was fine. I didn't step on any panels. No lasers struck me down. No poison. Nothing.

What I walked into was a wide, open area, like an arena. Rusted pipes made up the walls. I began to cough. Then again, maybe the air was poisoned with the rust from the walls. What illuminated the space, I couldn't be sure of, but what was clear was the darkness at the other end: where I had to go next.

I began to run, until I noticed a sound that stopped me in my tracks.

“Hop! Skip! Jump!” Came a sound not unlike the being beside me, but just a little more tinny, metallic, like a voice coming from a radio. Accompanied the voice was plopping sounds, until the dread came into view: the frog-humanoid Mavis and I had encountered before.

Another hop from the genetic hybrid and I took to the defensive.

“Another move and I'll turn you into frog fractions!” I barked and held out the slicer my partner had given me.

“OMIGODILOVETHATGAME!” They opened their mouth and the words came pouring out.

Maybe not for the best, but my dropped my guard, out of sheer confusion.

“You can talk?”

“Yeah! It's SO cool! By the way, YO! I'm a GIRL!” She, or rather, the thing she pointed to said, excitement and all. What she pointed to was some sort of device around her neck. “Name's Polo, YO!”

I waved, too weakened by the confusion I faced. “Hi...Polo.”

She waved back with her stringy little arms and her long tongue that flapped about.

“BY the WAY! I could NEVER get past that text adventure part, YO! Could you???”

“I...uh...I guess?” I shook my head. “Look! I'm just trying to get out of here, so if you don't get out of the way, you're done for!”

She made one more hop, which freaked me out. I swung and flailed the slicer about but of course, it did nothing, as I was still too far from her.

“Oh! OH! It's YOU!”

“It me,” I growled. I reminded myself of the Hulk at that instant.

“OYO! You and that other girl were SO CUTE! OMIGOSH!”

“Thanks...” I replied, before being reminded of all the things Polo could do with that tongue of hers. I remember Mavis' ankle being in pain and how far that tongue stretched for. If Polo wanted to, I was sure she could jump far enough to land right on top of me and swallow me whole and yet here I was thinking I had any sort of defense against her. “So am I free to go or what?”

Silly me. Thinking I should have asked such a question when I was the one at a disadvantage. As if this frog lady was some kind of cop and I had been pulled over.

“Hmm...” She lifted a leg and stuck it in her mouth. “I really shouldn't, YO! Buuuut...You're, like, REALLY cute! Soo...”

I started to walk forward, even if I couldn't really trust that thing.

“Buuuuuuuuuut...on the OTHER hand...DAMN, YO! I want a FROG GIRLFRIEND! WAAAA!”

“DONE!” Echoed the being which I had forgotten about. This time having appeared as a statuesque figure in a robe with long and pure white feathered wings and a crown of olive branches. The being held a harp and struck it, though no sound came from the harp. I turned back to Polo to see another frog-humanoid just beside her in a stunning polka-dot dress and longer limbs than Polo (who herself looked more like a fat Yoshi than a frog).

“WHOA!” Polo looked at the figure. “Thanks! This is...It makes me so...HAPPY!”

“OF COURSE IT DOES!” The harp-strumming goddess spoke.

Polo paused. “Wait...you're...Euphoria? You're that ANGEL! OHMIGOSHYOUARE!”

“HI!”

I started to slink past the greetings between the strange beings before Polo stopped me.

“Y'KNOW! My brother's gonna be PISSED if he knows I let you go!”

“Well, I don't know your brother, but he sounds like a real dick,” I remarked. Not only did I not know her 'brother' but I was not interested in finding out.

“Yeah! He is!” She laughed, though it was more like one of those speak and spell toys saying 'HA-HA', if that makes any sense. “Anyway, SEE-YA!”

I picked up the pace and started to bolt, but then I thought of something.

“Hey, if you see Mavis, you'll let her go too, right?”

“I can't make ANY promises, YO! She might be SO cute I might wanna EAT her!”

“Damn it!” I told myself I needed to run back, find her, take her with me, something. I knew we could have escaped together. Why would I have wanted that when we were so willing to kill each other when I met her? Was it because I understood the terrible things this place had done to her? I didn't think that was it. It was just who I was that wanted her safe.

“You should probs go 'fore I change my mind, YO!”

Damn it, damn it, damn it all! I cursed myself as I ran. I'm such a fucking coward.

Passed that room, far past it. Narrow halls continued, but looked and smelled further of rust. I still had no idea where I was going. I wasn't sure if that floating being was still with me. Just in case they were, I asked:

“Am I getting any closer to getting out of here?”

“SURE! IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT!”

When I turned around, I didn't see the same sight I was used to seeing.

I had the BEST of thoughts!

“I've always been the one doing the swallowing whole, but I've never been eaten. Now that we're girlfriends, you think you could devour me?”

WOW! I was surprised my voice box could say that SO eloquently!

My girlfriend stood next to me and croaked.

If this relationship was going to work, we would need to COMMUNICATE!

Lucky for ME, I was BLESSED with not only a GIRLFRIEND, but also an ANGEL! Euphoria must've heard me, because my acquired frog girlfriend opened her mouth real wiiiiide.

What I was met with was not the same floating person I had come to expect, but instead, something more like a spiral. Not floating, either, but not on the surface of anything. As if it occupied its own space outside of what should have been visible. No, not only that, but it wasn't even really a spiral, but a miniature black hole, devouring itself. But I didn't think that to be correct, either.

Colors flickered. Single flickering dot, on and off, that's all it was. All they were. You could say the dot was 'colors' but it seemed more like a singular color, yet one I didn't know of. Some kind of amalgamation of all the colors in the visible spectrum, yet none of them at all.

“Just what are you really?”

“I'M THE EMBODIMENT OF HAPPINESS!”

That sounded both right and wrong from what I've seen of them thus far.

“If that's true, why does it hurt being around you?”

“YOU SURE LOVE ASKING QUESTIONS! HERE'S ONE FOR YOU! WHAT IS IT ABOUT HAPPINESS THAT HURTS YOU?”

“It doesn't. My turn: why do you look like that?”

“IT'S WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY! WHEN YOU SAW ME BEFORE, YOU SAW WHAT MADE OTHERS HAPPY TO SEE! IF YOU SHOULD ASK ANYTHING, HOW ABOUT WHAT IT IS ABOUT THIS FORM THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?”

“It doesn't,” I shook my head. Well, 'makes me happy' may have been the wrong word choice...

“It's because it's just an emotion, a fleeting feeling. As all emotions are.”

“AS ALL THINGS ARE! SO WHY NOT ENJOY IT?”

“I do, when it comes, and you can't say I don't. Because I do. Got that?”

I wasn't sure how it started. That I was playing twenty-one questions with an incorporeal being.

“GOT IT! SO HOW ABOUT LETTING IT LAST A LITTLE LONGER FROM TIME TO TIME?”

“We both know the answer to that! Because I wouldn't know what to do if I did! So how about you tell me, huh?”

“I CANNOT ANSWER THAT FOR YOU, SILLY! WHY DO YOU SAY YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO? THERE'S NOTHING TO DO BUT BE HAPPY!”

“And that's wrong! Don't you know that?”

“I DON'T KNOW THAT! ALL I KNOW IS HAPPINESS! SO TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG ABOUT THAT?”

“Because! I've abandoned people, people I care about, I've let them die! I let them go off and then the next thing I know, they're gone, and if I had done something, they wouldn't be dead, but I repeat the same thing with the next person I end up caring about! I go off without a care in the world and if I hadn't gone off, then they'd be alive, but the bottom line is, people I meet die and it's always my fault!”

“YEP! THAT SURE DOES HAPPEN! BUT SO WHAT?”

“So what? Did you not hear –?”

“YOU CAN'T CONTROL OTHERS! JUST AS YOU GO OFF ON YOUR OWN SOMETIMES, SO DO OTHERS!”

“Yes, but my mistakes! If I didn't fuck up so bad so many times in my life, others would be alive, I'm sure of it! I could be happy!”

“YOU COULD BE NOW!”

“But I haven't earned it! I've done terrible things!”

“WHAT IF I WERE TO TELL YOU THAT BLANC ASKED IF YOU WOULD BE OKAY WHEN AND I TOLD THEM THAT DYING WAS OKAY AS LONG AS YOU WERE HAPPY!”

“...Is that supposed to make me feel any better? “MAYBE! MAYBE NOT! BUT MAYBE YOU'RE STILL ALIVE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT YET HAPPY!”

“That's, like, the opposite of an aesop. But fine. Let's play that game. You make others happy. Make me happy so I can die.”

“WOULD YOU REALLY BE HAPPY, THOUGH, IF YOU DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL IT?”

“I don't care! Just work your magic!”

Around me were multiples of the color that flickered. They made up the walls and the floors, the ceilings. Even my fingertips seemed to have traces of them.

“This whole place...is you...”

The way it contorted itself, changed its layout, its image. It all had to be the work of this thing, if it was even real. I had no proof of that, no evidence, and yet I knew just from being around these lights that it was the case.

“YOU MAY UTILIZE ME AND YET YOU DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL ME!”

“That's because...I...!”

The word 'guilty' repeated itself on the walls, ceiling, floor.

Wow, really laying it on thick, huh?

Not to say that the word was written on every surface, but it replaced itself with the surfaces. I wasn't even sure if the word meant anything any more or if it was just that creature's way of tormenting me. Whatever it happened to be, I wasn't having it.

The word repeated itself in a continuous loop, so that it would make sure it was the only word I was allowed to see. To the point that I wasn't sure if the word even had meaning anymore. My brain could think nothing but 'guilty, guilty, guilty' and of what, I couldn't have told you.

“BECAUSE I HAVEN'T FINISHED WHAT I SET OUT TO DO!” I screamed into the words themselves, ran past them, and up a flight of guilt where a hatch lay, made of more guilt. I pushed it open and found myself in a blazing desert. Sand sank in and I pulled myself up, unsure of what had transpired.

I looked down the hatch, nothing but darkness. The hatch itself was a steel grating. It must have been heavy enough that I shouldn't have been able to lift it. Yet here I was, standing in the middle of who knows where in the state of what I presumed to still be Nevada. No one was beside me and I couldn't even think of what parts of my time down there actually happened.

Sweat manifested, dizziness set in. My feeble self closed the hatch, then fell to the ground. Soon I would pass out of heat exhaustion, or just a general sense of disorientation. I was sure of it.

[vampiricalthorns]

Part of Your World

Okay, so some of you might have read this oneshot before, as it as was posted by winglessvampire 13/03/2017. I’m winglessvampire (also known as Nico, hi!) and yeah, blog got terminated, what are we gonna do? Repost and hope I gain back my amazing community. Enjoy!

Nico had a problem. A serious problem. He had been dating a mortal boy, Will Solace, for over seven months and he was panicking. To any other person, that wouldn’t seem to be a big problem, apart from the fact that he had used the word ‘mortal’ to describe his boyfriend. There was one problem. One serious problem. He wasn’t a mortal, like Will. He was a vampire hiding in the normal world.

“Nico? Honey, are you okay?” Will Solace said, sitting down on the couch before pulling Nico onto his lap. “You’re a little pale. Are you feeling okay?”

Nico ran his tongue over his carefully hidden fangs. He was thirsty; he hadn’t gotten any fresh blood for almost two months now. Nico had tried really hard to ignore his vampire needs since he had started to date Will. He was scared. What if Will broke up with him if he found out?

“I’m fine,” Nico said, closing his eyes, letting the sensations of Will’s fingers running through his hair soothe him. “Just not feeling well.”

“Do you know why? Do you feel nauseous as well?” Will asked gently, putting the back of his hand against Nico’s forehead. “You’re cold. I mean, colder than usual.”

Nico bit his lip. “I’m just not feeling well. I can handle it. Promise.”

Nico bent over the toilet, vomiting for what felt like the twentieth time that day. He was nine months into his relationship with Will and they had recently moved into a small apartment together. He was happier than ever and loved Will a lot, but he rarely got blood these days. And it was starting to become a serious problem. He often got more exhausted a lot faster than usual and he had started to react negatively to normal, mortal food. His body depended on blood to be able to function the way it should. Without blood, his digestive system reacted badly to normal food and made him throw up. It also tasted a lot worse than it should.

And Will was noticing more too. He was constantly worried about it Nico, it felt like. Nico kept telling him that he was fine, but deep inside he knew that he was not. He needed fresh blood and fast. His body was shutting down.

Nico was pulled out of his train of thought as Will crouched down beside him and moved his hair away from his pale, sweaty forehead. “Nico, you are not feeling well, and we both know it. Do you need to get checked out by a doctor?”

Nico almost laughed. No doctor could figure what was wrong with him - unless they happened to be a vampire themselves, of course. But he didn’t laugh; Will would think that he had lost his mind. “Will, I promise, I’m fine. It’s probably a dumb food allergy.”

“If you say so,” Will sighed. “But I still worry about you, Nico. You know that you can tell me everything, right?”

“I know, Will, I know,” Nico said, standing up and taking a sip of the water bottle he had brought with him into the bathroom. ’Just not this,’ Nico thought.

He was ten months and one week into his relationship with Will when it happened. He had taken the day off work because he wasn’t feeling well and now he finally understood why.

He had gotten out of bed to get something to eat and had collapsed on the kitchen floor when a searing pain tore through his body.

’Shit, shit, shit,’ Nico thought. ’Not now. I … I need to tell Will. He finally needs to know.’

Nico tried to move back to the bedroom to get his phone so that he could call Will and tell him to get home, but he didn’t make it that far. He didn’t get any farther than the couch before another round of pain ran through his body, setting his blood on fire. He whimpered and crawled onto the couch, curling up in a foetal position. ’Please come home soon, Will.’

After what felt like an eternity later, Nico could faintly hear a key turn in the lock and a door opening. Finally. He knew he couldn’t have been more than two hours since he had first experienced the pain, but it was intense and slowly getting worse and worse, hitting him with a new wave around every ten minutes.

“I’m home!” Will called as he kicked off his shoes and put his bag on the floor next to the shoe rack before walking into the living room. He didn’t sense anything different until he saw his boyfriend curled up in pain on the couch.

“Nico?! What’s wrong?” He ran over and placed the back of his hand against Nico’s forehead. It was icing cold. “Nico. You need to tell me what’s wrong. You’re freezing.”

Will sat down and pulled Nico into his lap. Nico closed his eyes and licked his lips. “You’re going to hate me for this, Will,” Nico whispered, the smell of Will’s blood overwhelming him.

“Shh, I could never hate you, Angel,” Will said, running his fingers through Nico’s hair. “Do you know what’s been making you sick the whole time?”

“I … I’m not normal, Will,” Nico said slowly, failing when he tried to keep his voice even. “I … I am a vampire.”

Will blinked. “Please say that again?”

“I’m a vampire, Will. I drink other people’s blood and don’t handle sunlight. That’s why I haven’t been feeling well lately. I haven’t gotten any fresh blood in almost five months. I did it because of you. I didn’t want you to know, so I avoided drinking blood. I thought I would be fine, but it backfired. I can’t eat normal food without throwing up if I don’t get blood and if- if I don’t get blood soon, I’m gonna die. So I don’t know-”

Will interrupted him. “Take from me. Take blood from me. Will that help?”

Nico stared blankly at him. “Will, I can’t take blood from you. It’ll hurt you and I don’t want you to be hurt.”

“But you’re hurting and you need it. You said that you would die if you didn’t get any blood soon. I’m willing to let you hurt me a bit as long as you survive. I’ll start bringing home blood from work for you. We can handle it, Nico. I know we can.”

Nico looked his boyfriend dead in the eyes. “Are you 100% sure that I can take blood from you?”

Will nodded. “Of course. I don’t want you to die on me. I love you.”

Nico pressed a short kiss to Will’s lips before moving his face over to Will’s neck, licking one area before gently biting down, pulling away just enough to talk. “I won’t turn you into a vampire, I promise. Also, you should probably close your eyes and not talk while I do it.”

He felt strong hands wrap around his waist. “Go on, sweetheart. You need the blood.”

Nico took that as a go ahead and he bit down again, feeling the warm, fresh blood spill onto his tongue. And he wasn’t going to lie, that was probably the most delicious blood he had ever tasted in the 21 years he had been on this planet.

Nico let out a small moan and started to drink, being careful to not take too much. He didn’t want to make his boyfriend sick or potentially kill him if he got careless with the amount he drank.

A couple minutes later he pulled away and licked the bite marks he had made in Will’s neck before looking up at Will. “Did I hurt you?”

Will smiled gently down at Nico. “Not really. It stung a bit at first, kinda like when you get a small shot at the doctor’s but it didn’t hurt. And it helped a lot that I could, y'know, kinda feel you get better. I felt your body temperature rise. It’s almost like a normal human’s now. Though, I suppose, you will always have a lower temperature, won’t you?”

Nico nodded drowsily; he had gotten sleepy from drinking the blood. It had practically been a full meal for him. He finally felt full. Gone was the feeling of feeling weak and sick all the time too. “Thank you. For everything. For staying with me. For saving me. For letting me drink your blood. For loving me.”

The blond picked up Nico and carried him into the bedroom, laying him down on the bed and covering him with a blanket. “No problem, darlin’. I’ll always love you, no matter what.“

He waited until his boyfriend fell asleep before kissing his forehead and cuddling up next to him, slowly drifting off into a peaceful to the sound of the vampire’s slow and even breath.

Please consider supporting me via ko-fi (link in bio)

[cianmars]

Kiddo Chapter 23

AO3

FF

Emma woke up a few hours later, her name being gently called by her mommy, she woke slowly taking her eyes minutes to open.

This time when she woke she was cuddled up on her mother's chest, she could smell her mix of shower wash and perfume. Sometimes when she woke it took her a while to come back to herself and remember how she had gotten there, but not today, she remembered it all: The emotions she felt, the memories, being held by her father even as she tried to hit out at anything, including him, and the comfort and love her mother had shown her when feeding her – something she would have been mortified even thinking about a couple of months back, but now it felt natural and comforting, she knew she was safe. She felt as though she should be embarrassed, or ashamed or something, but even that was gone as though her parents had taken the feelings away. She had never had that feeling before, not fully, the feeling any child had when they knew that their parents would take care of all of the monsters in the world.

"Morning sleepy head." Mary Margaret greeted fondly.

"Hi." Emma said quietly. She kept her head close to Mary Margaret's chest as she felt her mother stroking her hair. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"Hey, hey, hey." Mary Margaret soothed. She kissed the top of her head as she sat them both up, she manoeuvred her so that she was still lying against her chest but she could see her face. "You don't have to say sorry about anything, you did manage to give your daddy one hell of a bruise where you clipped him though." As she joked she saw the look of worry on Emma's face and frowned. "Don't worry, baby, that was just a joke, your daddy's fine."

Emma looked around and realised David was not in the room, she bit her lip and felt bad, despite her mother telling that it was all okay. "Where is he?" Her voice was quiet and sounded like she was close to crying, though she wasn't sure why. More and more recently she started to feel as though her emotions were quicker to change and just so much more.

Mary Margaret kissed her head again and stroked her thumb down Emma's cheek. "He's just making you some lunch, that's why I had to wake you up, you need to eat something before we have visitors." She began to run her hand through her hair she automatically started to rock her from side to side. "I'm worried about you, we both are, me and your daddy."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, I won't do it again."

Mary Margaret sighed and turned Emma on her lap to face her, she noticed David walking into the room to see if Emma was up yet, he saw his wife's face and he settled down on the bed beside them. "Emma," she said both lovingly and concerned, "please stop apologising to us. You don't have to say sorry for what happened. But you do have to tell us what happened, you really scared us, we don't want to have to see you that upset again."

Emma bit her lip not sure what to say or how to say it.

David took hold Emma's hand, he stroked his thumb over her knuckles, then he dropped a quick kiss onto the top of her head. "Emma, you can tell us, it's safe to tell us anything, we'll believe you."

"I…" She sighed frustratedly. "I used to live with a foster family, they were supposed to be really nice, they were for a couple of days… but then they weren't… Y'know peas are yucky?"

David and Mary Margaret both chuckled, weakly, they knew that any story about Emma's foster parents (especially one which had followed Emma's mini-breakdown) would not be a happy one, but they knew how much Emma hated peas. Emma's wording of her hatred was also adorable.

"Yeah, I know your hatred of peas, or anything green."

"Unless it's candy." David added fondly.

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face, Mary Margaret had only once asked her if she wanted peas, when Emma had told her firmly that she hated them Mary Margaret had never offered her them again. Even when the curse broke and David had been cooking them dinner, he had made sure not to give Emma any, just because they accepted that it was something Emma didn't like. "I told them that I didn't like them." She said quietly. "But they didn't listen to me… they told me I wasn't allowed to leave my booster 'til I ate them, or they said so. I was in there for a long time… They didn't let me out for two days…" Her voice got quieter and quieter as she talked, outlining the break synopsis of what had happened, and her eyes watered until she was sniffling.

"Oh baby." Mary Margaret breathed out. She pulled Emma closer to her and led her head upon her daughter's. She shook her head wordlessly, she didn't know how to make it right, what words could magically fix everything. There were no words as she felt her daughter shuddering breaths as she began to cry and after only a couple of seconds she began to cry too.

David balled up his fist, on the hand which wasn't holding onto Emma's still, his nostrils flared, and his heart ached. He knew that this was only the tip of the iceberg. There was more hurt to come that day when they would watch her memories. He unclenched his fist and wrapped his arms around his girls. Tears began to roll down his cheeks and he started to cry along with his wife and his daughter.

They sat on the bed in an almost perfect huddle for ages, until the tears ran out, and dried. Eventually they pulled away so that they could see one another but they stayed close.

As Emma rubbed her eyes David and Mary Margaret shared a look above her head about something they had talked about while Emma had been sleeping.

"Em," David said as gently as he possibly could, "me and mommy need to talk to you about something else too; you're not in trouble or anything, it's just something which is important, and we need you to tell us the truth."

Emma's eyebrow's furrowed, she was never really a huge fan of serious talks and they seemed to have a fair few nowadays, still she nodded her head. "Okay." She said quietly.

David looked at Mary Margaret, and nodded his head, letting her lead.

"You don't feel five anymore, do you?" She asked knowingly, outright, they had realised this for a while but they didn't want to voice it.

They were too worried that if they voiced it they would come true, but it was coming true anyway, so why would that matter? After Emma had fed without hesitation or complaint Mary Margaret and David knew it needed to be addressed. It was not uncommon for children to be breastfed until they were about three or four in the Enchanted Forest, that had carried through to a lot of people in this realm too, Mary Margaret had realised when she started to go to the mommy and me group with Neal. But five was definitely too old for Emma to be so accepting of it, and physically and mentally Emma was acting younger, much younger than she had when she first deaged.

Emma slowly shook her head, her nostrils twitched and mouth wobbled as she was forced to admit it, she had realised more recently but she had buried it away not wanting to think what it meant. "No." She whispered.

David cupped the side of Emma's face with his hand, he was a product of his very loving and affectionate childhood, he brushed his thumb along her cheekbone underneath her eye. "You feel like you're two ages, right?" He watched her slowly nod. "How old is the youngest age you feel? Do you … do you know?"

They knew her only too well, Emma realised. She would usually try to pull away, to not look at him, instead she leant into it her head firmly against it and looked into his sea blue eyes. She shrugged her shoulders a little. "Three, I think… I know that I'm three, but I feel littler like two."

David nodded his head as he digested that information. "Maybe like a young three year old." He suggested sharing a look with Mary Margaret.

"That makes sense." Mary Margaret agreed. "I've heard it happens a fair bit in children who had a rough childhood."

A rough childhood seemed to be an understatement, David thought, but he and his wife were trying particularly hard to not show the full extent of their heartbreak over Emma's past so she wouldn't feel guilty over them knowing her past. "Okay, I think that it's time you had some breakfast."

"It's lunch." Mary Margaret pointed out with a smirk, she glanced down as Emma moved about and settled into place on her lap so that she was comfortable. Mary Margaret smiled gently down at her as she cuddled up to her, she liked seeing her so unguarded and loving.

Emma smiled at her mother's snark, though she was surprised that most of her day had been taken up sleeping and she still felt sleepy, when she was feeling much better with her cold than the day before when she was also sleeping all the time. "Uh huh, mommy's right."

David playfully rolled his eyes and glared at Emma, he tickled her sides, and couldn't keep up his playful glare when he heard her giggle. "Mommy's girl." He teased. "Well, it's breakfast for lunch, with really really chocolatey pancakes… unless you'd rather have a sandwich or something boring…."

"Pancakes please!" Emma shouted eagerly.

David and Mary Margaret chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Pancakes it is." David smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, he stood from the bed and checked on Neal before heading out to the kitchen to finally put Emma's pancakes on.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret and David sat on the couch overjoyed at the sound of their children's laughter which was filling the entire loft. Emma was sat on David's lap sideways facing Neal who was sat supported on Mary Margaret's lap.

"Peek-a-boo!" Emma pulled her baby blanket off of her head and erupted into giggles as her brother did the same thing.

After they had had their lunch together, Emma's breakfast for lunch while her mother and father had a salad and grilled cheese respectively, then David sat in the living room with the two kids – he stared down at the kids lovingly as Emma played and put on a show for Neal with a couple of the new toys – after Mary Margaret finished putting away the new clothes and some of the toys both upstairs and downstairs she joined them on on the couch.

David chucked the blanket over her head as he smiled. "Oh no, where's Emmy gone?" He said playfully for the benefit of both his son and daughter. "Is she under the table?" He looked under the table, making Emma giggled and wiggle, and Neal giggled just as much but at the sound of David's silly voice and Emma's giggling. "Noooo…. Is she behind the curtain?... No… Oh no Nealy, I think I might have lost her, what will I tell your mommy?" He and Mary Margaret forced themselves to hold their laughter as Emma giggled hysterically and Neal joined in. David suddenly pulled the blanket up off of her head, making her hair static a little and follow the blanket into the air before dropping back down. "Ohh, there she is! " He pretended to be surprised. "Thank goodness, I thought that I'd lost you, I didn't know what I'd do…"

Emma wasn't sure why she found it quite so funny, it wasn't exactly live at the Apollo, but to her it was hilarious. "You're silly." She managed to get out through her giggles. "You'd be in trouble with mommy if you lost me." She told him.

"Too right he would." Mary Margaret agreed.

David shrugged his shoulders pretending to be breezy, and pushed back the memories of all of the times he had lost her, in a way he had again but he had also gained a new Emma he wasn't sure he wanted to go. "I'd have to go to the shelter where I used to work and find a puppy and name it Emma."

Emma sat bolt upright as excitement ran through her like electricity. "Can we get a doggy?"

Mary Margaret winced, she wasn't against dogs, not in the slightest – she had fond memories of seeing her family's hunting dogs when they were puppies, and she knew David had grown up with dogs on his family's farm. But her eyes darted around the loft, the living room and dinning room were both filled with Emma and Neal's things, along with the few things she and David had which weren't packed away. It was already looking crowded, and was only set to get more so, they had negotiated that Emma needed something to keep her at level with the table which wasn't a booster seat so were having a highchair delivered. If Emma stayed a toddler, and with Neal growing more every day, the loft was only going to get more crowded. It was only really built for one or two tops. "I think a doggy," she picked up on Emma's use of the word, "needs a lot of room to run around in and to play, and they'd need to be able to go outdoors. We'd have to wait to have a bigger house to get one." She spoke carefully she didn't want to rule out ever having a dog, she knew how much her husband loved them and Emma seemed to be the same way with Pongo, but she also knew that the loft was Emma's first home. They would have to move of course, whether Emma was big or small, but it would require a careful conversation with Emma about it.

"Oh," Emma felt torn between really wanting a dog of their own and never wanting to leave the loft, "okay."

Mary Margaret ran her hand through Emma's hair. "You know, Henry's really looking forward to seeing you." She told her with a smile. "I spoke with him earlier this morning, he misses you."

Emma smiled but then frowned and looked worried. "If I can't be big again will he hate me?"

David and Mary Margaret shared a look, it was such a young way of wording and thinking about it, and there was an insecurity which Emma would never have voiced through a question. David rubbed soothing circles onto his back while Mary Margaret stroked her hair, her brother cooed in their mother's arms, he kicked his legs and tried to reach for her as though copying their parents.

"He could never hate you." Mary Margaret told her honestly. "He knows that if it does happen, if you change completely, it wont be your fault."

Emma brought her thumb to her mouth to her mouth, she caught herself at the last moment and didn't put it in like she usually would, but she did start to chew on her hangnail. "He'll be sad." She said quietly.

David shared a look over Emma's head at Mary Margaret. "He might be," he said cautiously as she was too smart to lie to, "but he knows that no matter what happens he loves you and that you love him. You'll be in each other's lives no matter what." He pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head. It was hard to try and figure out how they would all feel and react if the change was permanent, they would all still love her of course but everything would change, especially for Henry. But the more time passed it was hard to imagine Emma ageing up again, and if she did if she would there be lasting effects? Though judging from all the research, they had done so far, there was only one way to change back and that had only worked once, it was too big a chance to take and they would not risk her life.

There was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret stood up with Neal in her arms and walked over to open the door. David stood up, swinging Emma onto his hip, ready to greet their guests.

Emma led her head down on David's shoulder, her stomach fluttered as the door slowly opened and the downstairs of the loft was filled with the noise noise of her mother and her mother's step mother saying hello to each other.

David glanced down at Emma's blonde curls cascading down to her shoulders and his own as she led her head, with his free hand he rubbed circles onto her back. "It's okay, kiddo, I'm here. You wanna just stay with me?" He asked her quietly, he both watched and felt her nod, he smiled gently and kissed the top of her head. With people who weren't Mary Margaret, himself, or Neal, she was obviously even more shy. He hoped she would warm up to them a little, especially Henry, but he didn't mind holding onto her for as long as she wanted or needed it. "Okay, that's no problem. I'm gonna say hi to them, if you don't want to it's okay, they'll understand."

Mary Margaret glanced back at over at David and Emma, when she stood back to let Regina, Henry, and Elsa inside, and shared a small smile when she realised her daughter was being shy. She turned her attention back to their guests knowing that David could handle the toddler.

She wrapped her arm around Henry, being careful of Neal, the teenager was fast becoming taller than her but like any grandmother she could still see the child he had been. "Hello sweetheart."

"Hey grandma." Henry grinned as he felt her press a kiss to his cheek. "Mom brought pie."

Regina smiled and nodded, in greeting, and indicated to the two pies in her hands. "Don't worry, only one of them is apple, the other is berry."

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes jokingly at her. "Uh huh, I think I play it safe and go with the berry, I'm not sure if I've annoyed you recently."

"Yeah, I wouldn't chance it grandma." Henry grinned the charming, and cheeky, smile he inherited from David.

Regina rolled her eyes. "You're both terrible." She turned to Elsa who seemed to find the family's jokes endearing. "Don't listen to them Elsa." She placed the pies down on the table. "Elsa, this is Mary Margaret, my stepdaughter I was telling you about."

Elsa smiled and shook hands with Mary Margaret. "It's very nice to meet you. You have a lovely home here." She said glancing around the loft, even though she was a stranger to them she could still feel how homely the place was, she felt welcomed immediately.

"Thank you very much, it's small, and a little crowded… but it's our home." Mary Margaret smiled back, with more people there and all of Emma and Neal's things it suddenly seemed smaller. "My mother had some relatives in Arendelle, she and my father visited sometimes, on diplomatic missions and to visit relatives, I always wanted to see it." She saw the genuine smile on Elsa's face at the mention of her home, but she also saw the sadness in her eyes, she wasn't sure how she was going to get back – Mary Margaret remembered how that felt when the first curse had first broken. She lifted Neal up slightly to introduce him. "This is my son Neal. And my husband David." She held her hand out to gesture to her husband.

David smiled, showing his pearly whites, he held out his hand to shake the queen's cold one. "It's a pleasure to meet you. One of my friend's from back home lived in Arendelle, I met his fiancé once, she was from there too- though I doubt that you'd know them."

"You will have to tell me about them later, perhaps I will know them, I try my best to know as many people as possible." Elsa smiled kindly. She looked to Emma who was shyly looking back at her, she was tucked incredibly close to her father, they were obviously close she had never been that close with her own father. "Hello." She smiled gently as Emma hid closer against David.

David cuddled her closer and smiled back at Elsa on Emma's behalf. "This is our daughter, Emma."

Emma stayed half hidden against David, she raised her hand in a half hearted wave to the visitor to their home, she seemed to be nice enough but she felt safer the closer she was to David. "Hi." She managed to squeak out, only just audible.

David and Mary Margaret shared a smile at their daughter's behaviour. Their look changed and Mary Margaret led Regina and Elsa over to the kitchen to talk to them about Elsa's story, David threw his arm around Henry to hug him. "Hey there, my favourite grandson." He smirked at his own joke, he thought it never got old, despite how many times he said it.

Henry rolled his eyes, without jest or irritation, his eyes kept flickering to Emma as David led them to the couch and they sat down, Henry on one side, David with Emma on his lap on the other.

Emma glanced at Henry when she realised it was just them (and David), she relaxed some, but bit her lip remembering their conversation about how Henry might feel in the future they had been having shortly before Henry, Regina, and Elsa had arrived. Her nerves swelled in anticipation of what was to come.

Henry felt a little unusual seeing how his mother was acting, it was unusual enough before when she was clearly much more of an adult, now she wasn't. Regardless, she was his family, he loved her. "Hey Emma." He smiled at her, it was clear that he was related to David and Emma from the trademark Charming smile he had inherited, the one which put people at ease – it worked on Emma as he watched her look at him and stop trying to hide herself against David. He shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "It feels a bit weird calling you mom." He admitted.

Emma gave him an understanding smile back. "It's okay, I get it." She didn't say it but it would have felt weird being called mom right then, when her mind was mostly younger, she had felt guilty over it, she gave Henry a small understanding and embarrassed smile which she hoped showed him what she was thinking.

Henry reached out and gently squeezed her hand. "Me too.' He told her, and he meant it, they still had enough of a connection to be able to know what the other was thinking through a look.

David carefully stood up and moved Emma to sit on the couch beside Henry in one fluid motion. He placed his hand on the top of her head when she looked up at him, worried about where he was going, he smiled gently down at her. "I'm gonna help mommy make everyone drinks and talk to Elsa, you and Henry stay here, I'll get you both drinks." He watched her nod her head when she understood that he wasn't going far. He looked at Henry who was staring at Emma, luckily Mary Margaret had told Regina how Emma was acting before they had got there to make sure Emma's behaviour wasn't a complete shock, but seeing one of his mother's act like a toddler was something no one could prepare for. Henry was holding strong though. He always did. "You want a soda, kid?"

Henry looked at his grandfather and smiled. "Sure, I'm not sure that mom will let me, you know what she's like with sugar."

"I'll sneak it around her." David promised with a wink, he knew Regina wouldn't really mind as it was going to be a hard day for all of them a soda was the last thing on any of their minds'.

When David left them Emma and Henry started to talk, Henry talked to her about his school and friends, and some things he had done with Robin and Roland whilst spending time with him and the Merry Men. And Emma talked to him about anything and everything, when he told her that the unicorn hoodie she was wearing was cool she opened up a lot more, she began to talk to him about the toys Ella and Thomas had brought her.

Henry noticed her sounding more and more like a kid, a toddler even younger than Roland, but at least she still had her memories so he happily talked to her about movies and some cartoons he had watched when he was younger. He told her that he had been visiting his horse more often too, and that he was hoping to go riding with David soon, and that perhaps Emma would be able to go with them one time.

"Are you sure you wanna see the memories?" She asked him eventually, she grown very serious all of a sudden, or as serious as she was currently able to get.

Henry nodded. "I wanna know about your past, about your life, I know some of it but I… I wanna know more, I wanna know it all… In case you can't tell me one day. There's So much I don't know about my dad…" He told her gently. He hesitantly placed his hand on his hand on her back when he saw her look guilty. He wasn't sure what to say to make it all better, he knew that she knew that he was aware of the feeling of inevitability that things were about to change, irrevocably. He was probably more aware than she was, he saw his other mom working hard to try and find a way, Elsa had been trying to help too, she had read all the books in Arendelle about magic in her own search to control hers… but even she seemed to be stuck on how to help Emma.

Emma leant against Henry, before long she was curled up against him, he had cuddled her back – they hadn't always acted like a conventual mother and son, but now they seemed more like brother and sister, or uncle and niece (which was technically true, Henry was her step-uncle, as well as her son).

"I've gotten really good at riding my horse." Henry told Emma, he beamed as she looked at him with great interest. "You'll have to come and see him sometime."

"Yeah!" She knelt up with excitement in her eyes, but the excitement was shadowed with nervousness. "…But they're really big…"

Henry realised suddenly that Emma was nervous so he smiled reassuringly at her, it was second nature to him to want to help her feel better, and he was good at it. "I'm sure Gramps could come with us? He taught me how to look after mine, and he has his own, maybe he could teach you how to ride it too?"

Emma's nervousness disappeared and she grinned back at him nodding her head. "Yeah, okay, and we can get ice-cream sundaes too."

"Sounds good to me." He grinned back. "Hey, Em?" He picked at the skin around his left thumb nail. "You know if you get changed to stay like this forever… you know I'll still love you… right?"

Emma threw her arms around Henry's torso and buried her head against him. "I love you too, Henry." She felt him wrap his arms around her and squeeze her gently. "I don't wanna leave you," she told him quietly, "or to forget who you are. I don't wanna lose you."

"You're never going to lose me," Henry promised looking down at her face, "I'll always be here for you even if everything changes. You're my family, just as much as my other mom is, and Grams and Gramps and Neal."

Emma nodded her head as she continued to lean against him while David, Mary Margaret, Elsa, and Regina walked in. In their hands were mugs of hot chocolate, the smell of cinnamon drifted up from the mugs, both Mary Margaret and Emma had passed on their love to it to the rest of their family, even Regina had given in to drinking it, and Henry had made Elsa try it as soon as they had met. David had hold of his and Henry's mugs, Henry's was in the mug with marvel superheroes on as they all knew his love of comic books, and David also had the sippy cup Emma had been using this time full of hot chocolate and cinnamon.

David sat beside his daughter and grandson, he looked at them in concern as Emma climbed onto his lap, he held up the mugs and cup so that they were way above her head. "Careful kiddo, I don't want to get you burnt." He told her gently. He handed Henry his drink as Mary Margaret strapped Neal into his bouncy chair. "Are you kids okay?" He asked them, passing Emma her drink, he tilted his head to the side as he looked at his grandson wanting to make sure that he was okay.

Henry smiled, he could see his grandfather trying to play it cool but the concern was obvious, he nodded his head to him to show that he was getting that his grandfather was actually worried about both of them. "We're okay Gramps." He promised. "Hey can we go to the stables one day? Me, you and Em? I wanna show her my horse."

"I don't see-"

"And ice cream!" Emma chimed in, interrupting him, with a big smile which turned a little bashful when her family started to laugh.

David chuckled and squeezed his arm tighter around her for a second. "Okay, I don't see why we can't go do both one day." He grinned knowing that both Henry and Emma wanted to spend time with him – he was glad of it, especially now he could remember how heartbroken he (and his wife) was not to have them around when they were in the Enchanted Forest and Henry and Emma were in New York.

They all chatted as they drank their hot chocolate, David figured out that Elsa knew his friend Kristoff and Anna who he had known as Joan, was her sister, he offered to help in finding her, starting with the next morning when he promised to start a search party, only for the morning so he could get back to his family – he didn't want to have to leave Emma for too long, or for Mary Margaret to be stuck with a baby and toddler/adult Emma for too long.

Eventually Regina crouched down in front of Emma and David, she looked intently into Emma's eyes and held onto her hand, she glanced down at the yellow cast which was starting to look a little grubby but she knew that it would be off by the end of the week so she didn't say anything. "Emma?"

Emma knew what was about to happen now, she bit her lip, and spoke quietly. "Yeah?"

"Are you certain that you want to do this? I need to make sure, because once we start this we all have to watch it through from start to finish, as we do it'll copy it onto another dreamcatcher which can be replicated," she noticed Emma look a little confused and realised that she should probably amend her vocabulary around her, "we can make more of them – that way if you or your parents or someone else needs to see it again they can."

Emma could feel her heart beating faster in her chest, she squeezed Regina's hand slightly without meaning to, and she felt David rub circles onto her back. She nodded her head, willing herself to be brave, as her parents had taught her to be. "Okay. I'm ready."

Elsa volunteered to watch Neal, she didn't want to intrude upon the family, Henry moved from next to David and Emma to sit cross-legged next to his other mother. Mary Margaret scooted over to sit beside David and Emma, she gently took hold of Emma's hand when Regina let go of it. David pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head and wrapped his arm around her waist to give her extra security as Regina pulled out the dreamcatcher, he shot an encouraging smile to his grandson, he gave him a look to let him know that he didn't have to watch if he didn't want to, but he nodded his head and smiled bravely to show that he was planning on watching it all the way through.

"Okay, I altered this so that we'll all be able to see Emma's memories so long as we hold onto this, but it will feel as though we're there – we'll see her and her memories from an outside view watching her, but we'll smell what she smell, hear what she hears, I've managed to block any pain she feels but we'll still see it." Regina explained carefully she waited for them all to acknowledge that they heard and understood before she let them all take hold of the dream catcher. She waved her hand over it.

They stayed sat in their places, David and Mary Margaret on the couch, Regina and Henry on the floor, and Emma cuddled on David's lap. But their minds were transported.

~OUAT~

They were in a room about the size of Regina's office in the town hall, but it was very different. The floor was just wooden floorboards there were a few thin rugs dotted around but they were as shabby as they were thin. There were about seven beds piled into the room which smelt of cheap shower gel and disinfectant. They found they were following a small boy without actually moving.

"Pinocchio." David realised. He stood holding Emma on his hip and his other hand was clutching his wife's, beside them was Regina and Henry.

"He looks how he did when you went through the wardrobe." Henry said to Emma as he took hold of Regina's hand. He had been in the foster system, if he hadn't been adopted by Regina he could have ended up in a place like this.

Mary Margaret suddenly gasped as August climbed up to look down at a baby in a crib. "Emma." She breathed out as she looked down at her baby wrapped in her baby blanket, she looked like a tiny new born which meant she was probably around three or four months old. She looked back at her older version of her baby in David arms and smiled at her. "You look like a smaller version of Neal."

David smiled too and squeezed Emma as he looked down at baby Emma who stopped crying as August pulled faces down at her. "Just like him, but with your mommy's eyes, just like now."

Emma smiled gently but she held tightly to David. "I don't remember this." She said confused.

"We're going through all of your memories," Regina told her gently, "even the things you don't remember or you've remembered wrong." She continued looking around the room, clutching Henry's hand, she felt immeasurably guilty that Emma ended up there because of her, and relieved that Henry did not have to.

They watched as the foster home man, Mr Raskin, told August that nothing there belonged to him or any of the foster kids.

"He was just trying to fix Emma's crib." David growled. "He had to live in this 'Home', he didn't get a choice, this is the furthest thing from a home there is. He has nothing. He looked down at Emma, already heartbroken at what he had seen, he cuddled her closer to his chest. "You… You had nothing."

Emma shrugged her shoulders, she didn't want to make him too sad, she knew this was one of the highs of her childhood. They watched August talking to another boy from the Home, and Emma found herself wishing that they weren't watching her memories, she couldn't make her family any sadder or guiltier than they were right now. But they were stuck. So she buried her head against her father as they watch August leave Emma.

None of them could blame him. He was a kid. He didn't deserve that level or responsibility.

By the time Emma looked up, they were with the family who had adopted her. Other-Emma sat on the ground playing with a doll she looked only a little younger than she was now, maybe six months younger. On the two couches were Susan and Bill Smith and Emma's social worker Petunia was on the other. Susan was obviously pregnant.

"It's okay, we understand, sometimes these things just happen." Petunia was soothing the couple.

"We would keep her… but with this new baby, and all of Emma's health issues, and she's at a difficult age…"

Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed as the woman trailed off. Emma was simply sat on the ground playing, angelically, she noticed that the house was in pristine condition – it wouldn't surprise her if the lady just meant that Emma didn't put everything in its perfect place in the house.

"It's okay," Petunia was saying, "it's easier to move her now before you finish the final stages of the adoption, plus this way you can relax a little before your baby's born." Her voice had turned excited and Emma's prospective adopters had joined in looking excited. "Do you know what you're having yet?"

"We don't know yet, we wanted it to be a surprise, but Bill is hoping it'll be a girl."

Bill was beaming as they all continued to ignore Emma. "What can I say, I want a daddy's girl." And they all laughed.

"Emma." David said quietly looking down at her.

Emma was watching herself on the floor. "I thought that they adopted me." She said quietly. "They… they didn't… they didn't want me."

Mary Margaret was blinking back her tears, she wrapped her arms around Emma, and by extension David. "Emma, I'm so, so, sorry. They're the ones who missed out. They didn't deserve you."

Henry recounted a conversation he and Emma had had when they first met. His eyes didn't leave the Emma who was sat upon the floor. "It all gets worse after this," he asked Regina quietly, "doesn't it."

Regina wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulders and pulled him into her side. "I think it does." She said gently, she knew it would hurt Henry, but she wasn't going to lie to him.

They all watched as a confused Emma was ushered into a car with a backpack with just a couple of outfits inside of it, some pullups, and no toys.

Next they were in a house which had them all, bar Emma, recoiling at the smell of the place.

They all heard the whimpering as they stood in the dirty, run down, living room.

"Shut up!" A deep voice bellowed.

A man came storming out and through them, literally through them, he was the source of the bellowing. They would have expected some man with a cartoon villain vibe – a moustache, an evil smile, pretty much any villain from any movie ever. But he seemed just like anyone else, he was obviously drunk, and very angry – but otherwise he looked just like anyone else.

Emma whimpered.

David's head snapped down at her and quickly placed his hand on the back of her head to pull her close to his chest to hide her face from having to look at the place. "It's okay kiddo, it's not real, you're okay baby." He soothed.

Mary Margaret looked up at David with worry, her hand went to Emma's back and David moved his, so Mary Margaret could rub circles onto her back. "It's okay baby," she said in an equally soothing tone as they were drawn forward, "mommy and daddy are here."

Henry took a breath in as he saw Emma sat in a booster seat at a messed dining room table, a plate of peas sat in front of her. "Mom." He realised that she must had been sat there for at least several hours, judging from the smell of urine from near her.

Mary Margaret automatically moved to the toddler, who was maybe six month older to the Emma she knew as her own who David was currently holding onto, she moved to try and get Emma out of the booster but her hands passed right through her and the Emma in the booster continued to sit in place whimpering quietly.

"You can't touch her," Regina placed her hand on Mary Margaret's back, "I'm sorry."

Mary Margaret nodded her head and tried to blink away her tears, but she couldn't, so she went back to her husband and daughter she went back to rubbing Emma's back and David wrapped his arm around her.

They carried on watching Emma go through foster family after foster family, each one more abusive and neglectful than the last each one lasting a few months before Emma was taken from the place. By the time she was five she had been in more foster homes and group Homes than any of them would have thought possible, the group Homes were anything but homely, and they tended to specialise in emotional abuse, bullying, and neglect, but they couldn't get the sight of Emma being beaten to a pulp, hit with a belt, and having various bones broken, out of their heads.

Emma kept her head hidden against David, but she still had her other senses, and the memories played out in her mind. She just kept her eyes squeezed shut, and so long as David's hand stayed on the back of her head, and Mary Margaret's hand carried on rubbing her back, she could keep herself from crying. They could all feel how scared she was in all of the memories.

By the time they hit Emma's 7th year of life they could feel her hopelessness. They watched her being abused in her children's Home and her running away. As Emma sat shivering around a trash can, burning a picture book to stay warm, Mary Margaret took Emma from David's arms.

"I'm so sorry baby." Mary Margaret whispered to Emma as Emma buried her head in the crook of her neck. She found herself rocking Emma slightly as David stroked her blonde curls and the husband and wife carried on watching as Emma talked to a teenager they recognised as August.

"Mommy." Emma whispered in a whimpering way, she wanted to say that she didn't have to say sorry, or that she loved her, but she couldn't say anything more than her mother's name. She just hoped that she got that, and judging from the kiss her mother pressed to her brow, she did.

They watched as Emma went to the police and changed her last name to Swan after August's hope speech.

Then they watched the rest of her memories, both good and bad, many more bad than good. And many, many, many more abusive and neglectful homes than good ones. They watched the rest of her childhood play out, up to Emma living in her car at the age of eighteen, and buying herself a cupcake for her birthday, one of the very, very, very few birthdays Emma had ever celebrated.

"Happy Birthday Em." The new adult said to herself.

When she blew out the candle they were all transported back to their bodies in the loft.

~OUAT~

The loft was silent, even Elsa and Neal who were sat at the table were silent, Mary Margaret took a loud and shuddering breath breaking the spell.

Henry stood up, unable to hide the tears in his eyes at his mother's pain, he quickly left the room. Regina placed her hand on Mary Margaret's knee, comfortingly, before she left to follow Henry.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret said gently when her daughter didn't move a muscle, she placed her hand tenderly on her cheek.

As soon as Emma heard her mother's voice full of love Emma couldn't control her emotions anymore. She burst into tears.

"Oh, Emma, baby." Mary Margaret couldn't stop herself from crying any longer either, she felt her husband wrapping her up in his arms, his strong and safe arms. She was not surprised when Emma twisted to cling onto him, she knew Emma felt just as safe in his arms as she did. She ran her hand through Emma's hair as she tried to soothe her crying while crying herself.

"I'm so, so, sorry Emmy." David said through his tears, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head then one to Mary Margaret's forehead ignoring the tears which were streaming down his cheeks onto her pale skin.

The three of them sat there, entangled into one person by their closeness and shared emotions, until all their tears ran out.

~OUAT~

Regina found Henry out of the barely used fire escape. She paused for a moment not sure what she was about to say to him. Then she stepped forward, placing her hand on his back, as he stood holding onto the railing looking out onto the surrounding rooftops. She knew it was probably a bad sign that he wasn't sitting down, his jaw was clenched as he was lost in his thoughts, it reminded her of what she had seen of Baefire, or The Original Neal as she had taken to calling him in her head.

Henry quickly wiped his eyes on the sleeves of his hoodie then looked over at his mother.

"It's cold out here, you need a coat, you'll catch your death." She told him she waved her hand and suddenly Henry's coat and scarf was on him, she couldn't help but wish that magic had been in the town when he was younger, and much harder to wrestle into a coat.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips at the totally maternal comment. They both stood there looking over the town. It was so much prettier, the windows were frosted up, and there was frost making the rooftops sparkle. He knew that she was giving him time to sort out his thoughts but he didn't mind it, he actually quite liked being able to talk things through with her, there was no pressure to talk if he didn't want to.

"You always made sure I had amazing birthdays." He said eventually. "Even when I didn't have loads of friends, you made sure I had presents and we sometimes went to places, and there was always plenty of food and a big chocolate cake which lasted weeks."

"Of course." Her brows furrowed, it was the least she could do, but she knew what he was going to say next.

"Emma, my other mom, she… She never had that. She had like three cra- rubbish birthdays where she got a cupcakes with half of a wax candle on them. She had toys which had been used by like eighty different kids before she got to sometimes play with them. She was hit, and called names, and just abused! She didn't get a childhood. She was only a couple of years older than me when I was born. She was still a kid."

Regina brushed her hand through his hair. "Henry, she wouldn't change a thing if it meant she wouldn't have you. She loves you."

"I know, but…" he took a deep breath, he shook his head as he tried to get rid of the memories in his head, "….She has a chance now. If she doesn't change back she can have that with Grams and Gramps. She can have birthday presents, and will always know that she's loved, and she won't have to keep food hidden under her bed which she thinks I don't know about."

Regina frowned. "Why does she do that?" She hadn't noticed Emma having particular problems with food, other than it being the diet of a toddler… which was fitting now.

"It's not like that, it's in case she suddenly is not allowed food, she knows that Grampa and Grams would never do that but it's an old habit I guess." He shrugged.

They stood in silence for a moment. Digesting what they had seen and what they had talked about.

"But Henry, sweetheart, if she does stay like this, she won't have her memories of you. They'll be completely different. You'll probably still have a relationship with her in the fake memories, and your grandparents would always make sure that you're always in her life, none of us would have anything else…. But you'd have lost her. You lost your father not long ago." She said gently.

"I know… but I'd still have you, I always do."

"You always will." Regina wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "We're still going to look for ways to help her turn back, but if she doesn't, if we can't find anything then we'll all make sure you're in her life. You'll always be her family."

"…I mean technically I'm her step-uncle."

Regina sighed deeply looking a little pained. "Please, don't remind me."

"Hey, I didn't mention that you're her step-grandmother too." He joked lightly before growing serious again. "She's always trying to get people their happy endings, maybe this is her chance to have her happy ending, it's not like she doesn't deserve one."

~OUAT~

The evening was a rather quiet one. They made pleasant conversation but the gathering was far from jovial, Henry was quieter than usual, and Emma was extremely quiet and clung onto David at all times, she only let go of him so that he could go the bathroom and at those times she clung onto Mary Margaret.

Elsa managed to bring a small smile to her face by showing her her magic. Magicing up kickass ice cream for dessert, after Regina's famous extra-cheesy lasagna, and apologising for the cold and snowy weather as it was her fault – Emma told her that she enjoyed the snowy weather – which was really as much unprompted conversation they could stir up from her.

Eventually Henry, Regina, and Elsa left, it was Monday the next day so Henry had school. Emma let go of her father long enough to give Henry a sleepy hug before curling back up against David's chest. David hugged his grandson and promised that they would meet up in the week after school one day to go riding – just the two of them, and that they'd sort out having a day of riding with Henry, David, and Emma – though Emma would have to ride with David due to her size. Mary Margaret made Henry promise to visit in during the week as she didn't get to see him in school as she wasn't working there with Neal being so young, he agreed so long as there were cookies for him. Mary Margaret naturally agreed, she told Elsa that she'd do some research to try and find Anna, and promised to call Regina as soon Emma went back into her young mindset so they could capture her fake memories.

By the time Mary Margaret closed the door behind their family/guests, and checked to make sure Neal was still fast asleep, Emma was half asleep curled on David's chest. She bent over a little and met David's lips with a soft kiss when he looked up at her. "You go take a shower and I'll get our girl ready for bed, I think we could all do with an early night, and this way you won't be rushing to grab a shower in the morning." She stated quietly.

" 'm not sleepy." Emma mumbled jerking her head up. She felt the vibrations of her father chuckling against her ear so she moved her chin was resting against his chest so that he could see her pout at his laughter.

"Of course you're not, kiddo." He smirked and kissed her forehead. "But I'm sure you'll want to be getting into some comfy jammies. You can sleep in our bed with us."

Emma bit her lip but nodded her head. She didn't want to be upstairs on her own in her gigantic bed. "Okay."

Mary Margaret smiled and took Emma into her arms, she couldn't resist smiling when her husband quickly pecked her on the lips once more, before darting into the bedroom to grab some pyjamas and then take control of the bathroom.

Mary Margaret cuddled Emma close to her chest then kissed her forehead before she sat down on the ground with Emma. "How's that cold of yours, missy?" She asked with a smile.

"It's fine," Emma told her frowning when her mother sat her on the ground, not because she was sat her on the ground so that Mary Margaret could sort out the pull up to help her into, but because she was no longer in her arms. "It's better with ice cream."

"Uh huh, sure it is." Mary Margaret giggle. "I'm sorry you had to relive all of that today baby. I'm sorry you had to go through it at all." She told her softly as she helped Emma into the thick pullup.

"It's not your fault mommy." She said genuinely as Mary Margaret pulled on some blue and red star socks which matched the bottoms of the Minnie Mouse pyjamas Mary Margaret had dug out for her. "You're not like them."

"We never would be like them sweetheart. Ever. I promise."

"I know." She watched Mary Margaret's face disappear as the bodysuit was pulled over her head, then the rest of her pyjamas were put on her. "I don't wanna talk about it anymore… please."

"Okay." She picked her up into her arms again and stood up and started to walk from the living room to the master bedroom.

"Wait! Where's my…?" She trailed off looking around the living room from her mother's arms.

"Your blankie and lion are in the bed still sweetie." Mary Margaret told her knowingly. She resumed her walking and sat down on the bed with Emma still in her arms. She passed the lion to Emma and wrapped her blanket around her. "So, your daddy's going to be working tomorrow, what do you want to do?"

"Erm…. I don't know." She shrugged leaning heavily against Mary Margaret. "Eat cookies?"

Mary Margaret chuckled. "Well I'm sure you can do that, but how about we actually make them first?"

"But you said I can't cook and I'm not allowed to cook ever, ever, ever."

"You can't cook on your own, but you can help me, I'll teach you how to make some cookies. Ones which will go perfectly with hot chocolate."

Emma smiled. "Is Elsa gonna make it snow more?"

Mary Margaret smiled down at the excitement in her tired eyes. She reclined back against the pillows, still able to hear the shower running, she was fairly certain Emma would be asleep before David finished showering and shaving. "I think she doesn't have to, it's winter time anyway, but I think it might snow soon." She knew from being in Emma's memories Emma had had a few snow filled winters but she had never even had warm clothes let alone a warm coat. But she still seemed to adore the snow. Mary Margaret couldn't help but be amazed at how Emma hadn't been turned dark against the world after all she had been through.

Emma led against her mother's chest fighting sleep for some minutes. "Is daddy gonna be at work all day and night?"

Mary Margaret smiled, she supposed it might feel like that sometimes when there were things going on. "No sweetie, just the morning time, he has plenty of people in the station to help him he's just starting everything off. We'll have our girls' morning together then we can go to Granny's for lunch all together."

"Nealy can be in our girls' mornin' too." She said through a yawn. "You can teach him to bake too."

Mary Margaret smiled at Emma's need to include baby Neal. "A morning with my perfect babies sounds perfect to me." She started to run her hand through her daughter's hair and hum a lullaby her own mother used to sing to her – on the occasions her mother would be able to settle her to bed not Johanna.

David walked into the master bedroom running his hand through his hair, curls had already settled into the damp hair despite his best attempts to dry it before that happened. He smiled at the sight of his wife rocking their daughter and humming to her, as though sensing his eyes on her she looked up, ad his smile turned even more loving. "Is she out?" He asked but didn't reach the end of his sentence without Emma shaking her head no.

" 'mm 'wake." She mumbled bliking her eyes hard to keep them open. She missed the look between her parents but looked at David as he lifted her into his arms.

"Stubborn girly." He said fondly.

Mary Margaret stood up and kissed Emma's cheek. "Night baby."

"Not sleepy."

"Uh huh, well, if you're not I'll see you once I've gotten out of the shower. If you fall asleep before that then I'll see you in the morning baby."

Emma reflexively curled up on David's chest as soon as he reclined back against the pillows on his side of the bed. "Mommy said we get to go to Granny's to get lunch."

David smiled down at his daughter. He knew she was just trying to force herself to stay up to prove her mother wrong now. He started to rub circles onto her back, he could feel the scar from where she was hit with a belt, it had been horrific then, but now that he had seen it all happen it was even worse. He had been helpless to stop it in Emma's memories, all he could do was hold Emma tight. "That sounds good, maybe Ruby will make you a chocolate milkshake."

"You have to stop working for lunch then come home with us."

David paused rubbing her back for a half second. But continued before she noticed it. "Emma, I promise you that I'll only be there in the morning. I'm not going to be gone all day. I'd miss you way too much to do that." His words must have alleviated any anxiety she was feeling about him being gone as he felt her relaxing more against him.

"I'm gonna miss you too…. I don't want you to go." She whined.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh. It's okay." He said soothingly to make sure she wasn't about to cry. "I'm going to miss you too, and I don't want to leave you, and Nealy, and mommy either. But Elsa's looking for her little sister, I know you'd be very upset if you lost Nealy, and I know that when we find Anna you'll love her- she was my friend before I met your mommy, she loves chocolate too."

Emma nodded her head then yawned loudly "Chocolate's s'good." She mumbled.

"It is." David agreed soothingly knowing that she was close to sleep. "I'll go to work and you can play with mommy and Nealy, then we'll all have lunch together, then I need my girl's help getting groceries because you're the best at remembering what treats are the yummiest."

Emma yawned again but couldn't find the energy to speak so just nodded.

David started to quietly sing a lullaby his own mother had sung to him when he was young, which had come back to him when he had heard his wife humming not long before, knowing it would be enough to tip her over to sleep.

Mary Margaret re-entered through the curtain not ten minutes after Emma had fallen asleep. She stopped at Neal's crib and finished the baby out, he was awake and ready for his next feeding, but she didn't want him waking Emma up. She sat down on the bed beside her husband and settled Neal into position as David turned the television which was still in their room on and flicked the volume to low before he found the latest episode of Brooklyn Nine Nine.

"Has she been asleep long?" Mary Margaret asked looking down at her daughter and husband as lovingly as she did her son.

"Nah, about ten minutes, but she's completely out of it." He gently tugged Emma's thumb out of her mouth but it found it's way back in there almost immediately. "I had to reassure her again that I'm only working in the morning."

Mary Margaret tutted in sympathy. "Aw, poor thing." She shook her head lovingly and received a confused look from David. "She's such a daddy's girl."

David chuckled gently but didn't even want to say otherwise. He was very proud of Emma being a daddy's girl, especially as she was very close to killing cursed him, not that he blamed her – he did hurt her mother after all. "Well, I told her I'd take her to get the groceries with me – I figured we could pick up some things she needs now she's acting younger."

"That's a good idea, I'll write you a list." She carefully moved Neal over to the other breast, quickly and efficiently, Emma might be fast asleep right then but his screeching could easily wake her. "Though I know why you're really going."

David heard the teasing in her voice and couldn't help but grin. "And why's that?"

"Because Emma's cuter and is much more charming so she can get treat around me better than you can."

"I think I'm pretty charming." He smirked knowing exactly what her response would be, it would set up his next line perfectly.

"Uh huh, and what gave you that idea?"

"Well… I did charm you into having two kids with me."

But Mary Margaret didn't miss a beat as she smirked down at him. "That's only two times."

"I also have countless death threats from the dwarves who seemed to have a knack for walking into our tent when we were at battle…"

Mary Margaret couldn't stop the laughter from spilling out then. "My favourite time was when they chased you around the camp stark naked."

"Hmm, how bizarre, that's definitely my least favourite time." He countered but continued to smile.

Once Neal finished feeding Mary Margaret placed him back in his crib then climbed into bed. Her husband wrapped his arm around her and she led her head on his chest in it's usual place – luckily Emma had decided she was most comfortable on David's right side not his left, she didn't think that she would be able compete with Emma over this, Emma would certainly win.

They watched their show until the episode had finished, then David clicked the screen off, the two led in the dark but neither could sleep. Emma was on their minds, both her past as present, but her future seemed to be dominating both of their thoughts.

Mary Margaret eventually broke the silence. "That time portal was about having a second chance at things, maybe this is Emma's second chance, maybe she stays a toddler and we get to raise her."

"She wouldn't be constantly putting herself in danger, or feeling the need to hide things about herself, she wouldn't have to put everyone else's happy ending's in front of her own." David agreed. "I'd miss adult Emma, but it's not like she'd be changed completely."

"No." Mary Margaret agreed though neither one of them wanted to lose either Emma. "I guess we just have to figure out which would be best for her…."

"Elsa's not?" He trailed off, bringing his hand up to stroke her short black hair.

"No, she's only heard what Regina has… she doesn't know of any way…." She sighed gently as she fought to keep her eyes open. "We'll have a meeting with any magic users we know here, or people who might have heard of ways to help, I think we have to decide from there: Regina, Elsa, Belle, Gold, Blue, Nova."

"We should ask Hook and Grumpy too – Grumpy knows a whole lot about fairy dust, and Hook's about a thousand years old so he might have heard something in his travels." David agreed. "But there's nothing we can do about it right now." He kissed her crown.

Mary Margaret smiled softly at the sensation of his warm lips on her cold skin. "You're right." She yawned before tipping her head back to kiss his lips. "Goodnight honey."

David responded in kind to the kiss before settling down and closing his own eyes. "Goodnight my love."

[vorezma]

Guzma and Plumeria vore: Helping Out a Friend

{Hello again tumblr: I'm back with another short drabble.

So, I recalled seeing a post/comic/art somewhere at some point about someone voring their sick friend to give them a warm, safe, humid place for them to relax and thought it was kind of a cute idea, so I decided to give it a shot.

Here's a drabble where a sick Plumeria is lovingly vored by a somewhat nervous Guzma and finally gets some rest after days of dealing with a nasty cold.}

"AHHHHH-CHOO!"

Plumeria groaned as she sneezed again, the Admin slumping down on her bed, pulling the blanket up over her head as she sniffled.

She heard the door to her room slowly open, her blanket being gently lifted up shortly after, a familiar hand sliding a new box of tissues under the blanket for her...

A hand that she immediately grabbed by the wrist, a familiar voice whispering, shakily:

"Jeez Plumes, you gave me a heart attack."

She wiggled her head out of the blanket, yellow and pink strands of hair laying haphazardly over her face as she looked up at Guzma, pleading:

"Don't go."

Guzma sighed.

"Plumes, not to be rude or nothin, but you're sick. If I stay in here with you I'm gonna get sick too and then who's gonna run the team, huh?"

The Admin just scooted closer to the edge of the bed, clutching Guzma's arm now.

"Guz you know I ain't gonna be okay on my own: I'm gonna go crazy if I'm stuck in here all day...I got stuff to do..."

Guzma moved closer to the bed, carefully wiggling his arm out of her grip and pulling the blanket back over her again.

"What you gotta do is SLEEP: I can handle all the stuff you gotta do. Just rest, okay?"

He went to move back towards the door, only to have Plumeria reach an arm around his waist and pull him closer to her again, tiredly arguing:

"Can't sleep: I'm cold, my nose is all screwed up, and it's too bright. My eyes hurt..."

She pulled him even closer, Guzma sighing: jeez, she's always stubborn when she's sick, always wanting to get up, unable to rest, always bustling and busy...

He couldn't ask for a better second-in-command in the world but JEEZ she never could relax, could she? Not even when she was sick...

He gently rested his hand down on top of her head, brushing a few strands of hair off of her face as he asked:

"What do you want me to do, Plumes? How can I get ya ta rest?"

The woman was silent for a while, holding Guzma around his waist, hanging half off the bed, bracing her head against his stomach...hey, wait a minute: that gave her an idea.

"I got a stupid idea, Guz."

"What's that?"

"You wanna eat me?"

"...you serious?"

She looked up at him, explaining:

"I figure it's warm, dark, quiet, kinda humid so my nose won't be as messed up...and I'd be there to ask if you needed help picking up all my work."

Guzma sighed, shaking his head.

"I ain't gonna ask you for help, Plumes, but are you sure you wanna be stuck in my gut for a while? Like is that ACTUALLY gonna make you feel better? Not make ya more sick?"

The woman weakly shrugged.

"Worth a try. Plus I don't think you're really gonna complain."

"Yea, yea..."

Guzma grumbled, gently unhooking Plumeria's arm off from around his waist and helping her back up onto the bed before stepping out, returning with a big towel, laying it out on the bed next to her as he explained:

"Gonna send you in with this: don't want you gettin too wet or grossed out."

Plumeria sighed, responding:

"Guzma I've been in your stomach dozens a times now, I ain't worried about it-"

"You gotta be comfy if you're gonna sleep, and being all sticky and wet ain't comfy."

*sigh* "Fine."

Plumeria sat up, leaning into Guzma's hand as she was shrunken down and picked up, the woman not resisting as she was carefully tucked into the towel, Guzma's voice rumbling in her ears as he asked:

"You need anythin before I drop you in?"

"Nah. I'll let you know if I do."

"Alright..."

Plumeria snuggled into the towel as it was closed around her, the Admin attempting to stay comfortable as she felt Guzma swallow the bundle of cloth, the woman only really adjusting once she felt the world around her stop moving and heard the familiar background noise of Guzma's heartbeat above her and the ambient groans and gurgles of his stomach around her.

The woman moved around in the dark, wriggling until her head was poking out of the towel just a little bit, taking in a deep, long breath of the damp, warm air and hearing Guzma talking to her as she got settled:

"You okay in there Plumes?"

"Yea," she cooed, "this is good."

"Good to hear."

She could sense the tension in the air after that statement, the woman being able to tell, even from in here and without any body language to go on, that Guzma was nervous about something.

"...are YOU okay, Guz?"

He stuttered a little, explaining:

"I dunno: I always feel weird eatin you. I'm always worried that it ain't comfortable for you or that I do it too much..."

Plumeria sighed, wanting to comfort him, the Admin making sure her tone was honest and reassuring:

"I wouldn't have asked you to put me in here if I didn't want to, Guz: you're okay."

She heard him let out a relieved sigh, the woman relaxing further as she felt him rub his stomach for a moment.

"That makes me feel a lot better...anyway, get some sleep. And if you need anything, yell."

Plumeria yawned, responding:

"Right back at you: if you need help with any of my chores or need to know how to do em, yell."

"Uh huh," Guzma replied, Plumeria not needing to see his face to know he was rolling his eyes, "just focus on relaxin, pal."

With that, he turned toward the door, pulling it closed behind him.

"...ah-choo!"

Plumeria sneezed again, but this time her nose didn't flare up with nearly as much pain, the woman able to clean her dribblings off on the towel and go back to focusing on the world around her.

Guzma's stomach growled from time to time, and although most would probably find such sounds ominous, Plumeria had long since gotten used to them and knew it wasn't in Guzma's power to digest her, anyway.

Those soft gruggles and groans had long since turned into calming, welcoming white noise for her, and she let her body relax, her head propped against the edge of the little nest she'd made for herself in the towel, feeling the sway of Guzma's body as he moved from place to place, hearing the muffled tones of him giving orders and helping the grunts out with things, all of them completely unaware of how close she really was...

She sighed: it was nice to be invisible for a moment, she thought, to not have to deal with the continual needs of the team as she sat here, completely shut off from the world.

Yes, she could definitely get some more rest here than in her room.

"..."

With time, Plumeria was lulled closer and closer to sleep by the warmth and gentle swaying of Guzma's stomach, the Admin closing her eyes, finally letting the heavy, calming veil of sleep overtake her, make her slowly slump down in her towel nest, hearing one last round of gurgles before finally dozing off.

---

The next morning, Plumeria was feeling pretty good, letting out a pleased yawn and stretching as she walked into the kitchen, finding Guzma sipping on some Tapu Cocoa as she passed, going to make herself some breakfast.

She felt a little more human today, less stuffed-up and in pain, and, according to the thermometer, her fever was pretty close to breaking.

"Morning, Guzma," she said, smiling as she put the thermometer away and reached for stuff to make breakfast...

And she nearly dropped the carton of milk she'd pulled out of the fridge as Guzma suddenly and loudly-

"AAAAH-CHOO!"

...sneezed.

She turned to him, noting how tired, pale and, well, SICK he looked.

"Don't tell me..."

"Yep," he sniffled, obviously clogged up, "I caught your cold."

Plumeria sighed. Of course.

The woman jumped as Guzma sneezed again, splattering some of his Tapu Cocoa onto the floor.

The Admin strode over, draping a towel over the mess, Guzma letting out a little groan as she felt his forehead and yep, he was definitely running a temperature.

"Jeez Guz..."

To her suprise, the man smiled up at her, his tone playful, joking:

"Well, y'know what they say: you are what you eat."

He chuckled, Plumeria rolling her eyes as she helped him back up the stairs and to his room, getting the boss situated and tucked under the covers, his cocoa left for him on the side-table, a cold washcloth draped over his forehead, and a fan brought in to keep him cool.

"Ya ain't got to do any of this Plumes, you gotta-"

"What I GOTTA do, Boss, is make sure this team is running nice and smooth, and that ain't gonna happen if you don't get better. SLEEP."

She heard Guzma groan unhappily as he nestled into bed, Plumeria making sure to turn off the lights as she left, hearing a faint request as she went to leave...

"Plumes?"

"Yea?"

"Thanks."

She smiled, quietly replying as she closed the door:

"Right back at ya, Guz."

[apairofcrepeswiththerarestape]

When we got back from our fantastic vacation to the American Southwest our guts were pretty much ruined. Perhaps it is my semitic genealogy that has gifted me with an inability to digest spicy foods, but regardless of the reason the cuisine of New Mexico was only agreeable on the tongue. However, being on vacation means that you throw most of your usual dietary restrictions out of the window and oh boy, did we throw those restrictions out of the window. It was a real fire down below situation and it was just as enjoyable as both the Steven Seagal film and Bob Seger songs (that is to say not enjoyable, even ironically) of the same name. So when we got back I started looking for a recipe that would bring peace to the troubled areas of my gastrointestinal tract, something that could be at the least spice neutral. Luckily The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child offers almost nothing that could be judged as "spicy", french cooking is the realm of gravies and sauces and dairy, my god, so much dairy, I feel like it might be cost effective to buy an actual cow to serve this project (I could not keep a cow in my apartment because my landlord will not let us have pets (there is a very dumb joke about cow and veal and the size of New York apartments but I will only suggest it because you all can put the other parts together if you want)). The other thing that went outside of the window during our trip were vegetables, it seemed like every meal we had was meat and cheese and peppers and some sort of sad ass lettuce, so this week's recipe had to cover that too. Looking for a non-spicy vegetable based entree appropriate recipe seemed like it would be hard but it wasn't, after mere minutes of searching I discovered Casserole of Creamed (non spicy check!) Carrots (vegetables check!) with Onions and Garlic (things that I like that were not required but I'm always psyched to see in a recipe check!) or much more elegante in french Carottes a la Concierge! 

Unsurprisingly I had to buy a bunch of carrots for this recipe so I did. I went to the fancy supermarket so I could weight out the 1 1/2 pounds of carrots that I needed. It turns out that's three large carrots, information that would be useful in some sort of return to agrarian carrot based economy, but is mostly useless. I got those carrots, an onion (the recipe calls for 1/2 pound but I was just like this one onion felt like a half pound so deal with it me, the person who's going to eat all this onion) and some beef stock (which will join the other thing of beef stock I bought a while ago in our fridge), milk, some eggs and some whipping cream, so I was well on my way to eating something that would not be spicy at all! Look at those ingredients! This thing was only going to tax my lactose issues, but I have pills for that.

Toting all this home in a paper bag that tore partially on the subway home got me ready to cook some chill ass creamy vegetables! I'm not going to lie, cooking this stuff was very chill! I cut up my carrots and onions and threw them in a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and let those dudes cook slowly for 25 minutes partially covered. I jumbled them around every now and then and after the 25 minutes were up I threw a mashed up clove of garlic in there and let that all get acquainted for another 5. Then I tossed a tablespoon of flour in there and did some more jumbling and let that heat for another three minutes. Then came something that in the past would've been nerve racking but perhaps it was the chilness of the vegetables or my lingering vacation spirit but heating up some of the beef broth (1/4 cup) to boiling and pouring that into the off heat vegetable stuff and then doing the same with some (3/4 cup) milk was a dang breeze. As I remained v chill and not a total control freak, I casually dropped in some salt and pepper, a teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of nutmeg. I did not get stressed about the relative size of pinches throughout the eras, like how big were people's hands? Does finger size increase pinch size? No, I did not think about any of that as all that simmered uncovered for another 20 minutes. The last step was to blend together a couple egg yolks and 4 tablespoons of the whipping cream in once final symphony of dairy products then throw that in the mix and swirl it around on low heat till it got thick but not coagulated (I never want the word coagulated anywhere near my food). I chopped up some parsley (two tablespoons) and sprinkled it on to continue the illusion of that this was something healthy and not just a bunch of dairy with some carrots and I was done.

These carrots (and dairy) were excellent and chill and very spice neutral! I would even say spice negative, like any lingering spice issues were eradicated by this recipe! Though after over two months of doing this I have noticed that a lot of this food kind of tastes the same! Like these carrots tasted a lot like the fish from earlier if you just replaced the fish with some carrots, if that makes any sense! I'm not mad, these tastes are good and I am into them! Also any human who ate this food all the time should be a dead or at least very not active human, like a close to dead, not a zombie or like a sick person, just like a like walrussy type, y'know? Anyway, these carrots were good and my stomach is back to normal and New Mexico is great and you should visit and I can't believe their whole power grid isn't solar by now but that's a story for a different project! So make this Casserole of Creamed Carrots with Onions and Garlic or more hilariously Carottes a la Concierge! See you next week!

#tdandjulia #casseroleofcreamedcarrotswithonionsandgarlic #carottesalacaoncierge #newmexico #spiceissues #antispice #ivegotapillforthat #walrussy 

[vengefulartist]

Thank youuuu! I'm just very jealous as well, and a few months ago it got out of control and I would initiate fights over every little thing that made me feel like I was losing my place, either other girls, or a love reaction on facebook or just comments. Like literally everything. It was a nightmare for me because I always felt like I was not enough and I could lose my place to anyone but also to my SO bc it made them feel like I didn't trust them and also it isn't healthy --

- fighting everyday over little thibgs that didn't even matter. And I knew they were stupid but it just affected me so much I always ended up making a huge deal out of it. I'm very self aware that being jealous is not the best trait. And my SO is literally the least jealous person I've ever met, so he couldn't really connect with my feelings and that made me explode more y'know? Now I feel like I've truly come a long way, I recognize things don't have a whole subplot to them -- and I feel way more sure about my place in life in general as well as my so's. I'm still jealous and I sometimes can't help my lil 15 minutes of quiet and some slip up pouts in public when something happens but I can tell not everything is worth a fight over. And I don't fight with my so anymore. He recognises that some girls will always rub me off the wrong way, like a couple I'll never fully digest, but neither he has to alienate anyone nor I be resentful of anyone near and I justI feel so relieved I've come this far but I also wanna maybe go as far as I can, bc to a point it's just who I am. I'm glad you're the same bc you understand!!!! Any tips on your experience? And thank you for listening!!!Jealousy tends to root in on our own insecurities. As we grow and go through life its easier to notice what is a real problem versus something trivial. In my own experience I’ve had do work on my rational thinking and situation evaluation. I tend to work it on a strike count before I really let it stir and bother me. (i.e. If i see one thing, it wont bother me but patterns of the same thing that keeps happening will.) However, I am also really awful at confrontation so I tend to stew a lot longer than should be accepted. Looking through a situation at every angle usually eases my mind without confrontation. It’s a tricky road to be on since a lot can trigger these emotions without any solid cause. It’s almost like it initiates our bodies immediate flight or fight response. I wish I had a better way to put all of this but feeling out a situation and being level headed will get you a lot farther for your own mind. Also recognizing how people act or think will be very differently than yours is also a good assessment tool to have. But don’t ever be hard on yourself for taking those 15-20 minute breathers because it’s still a stepping stone to where you want to be. Gather facts, look at whatever problem is ahead objectively and really think about their own thoughts behind it. 

[vorezma]

Reader x Guzma Vore: Trying It Out

{Hello there tumblr! 

So, I recently opened up this little vore-centric Guzma blog here, and thought I'd start it off with some fluffy reader x vore...which also happens to be my first real foray into writing vore. Oh boy.

Anyway, premise of this drabble that you're Guzma's S.O. and you've heard rumors about his supposed voracious abilities and want to see them first-hand. He's apprehensive at first, but it eventually devolves into fluff and reassurance for the both of you.

Anyway, have this short little thing, and if you want to interact with a big fluffy pred Guzma my ask box is open and so on. Hope you have a nice day!}

"Heh, c'mon babe don't rush me."

Guzma chuckled as you pressed against him, hugging and staring up at him with a big smile on your face and an expectant glint in your eyes: finally, after weeks upon weeks of you asking and pleading and bargaining and persisting with him, Guzma had finally agreed to let you experience his abilities.

"Still don't get why you even WANT to do this, [name]" he admitted, raising an eyebrow, "pretty sure most folks'd run away screamin instead of tryin somethin like this..."

Despite his confusion, he smiled as he returned your hug, pulling you in close:

"...guess you ain't like most people though, are ya babe?"

He chuckled again, craning his neck down and planting several kisses along your neck and face, giving you a small peck on the nose before he continued:

"Aight, so, first thing's first: if you're feelin weird or want out at any point just yell, kay? I'll be able to hear ya so don't worry about that."

You couldn't hide how the already huge smile on your face got even bigger as he looked down at you, the Team Skull boss giving you a little smile in return, cooing:

"Heh, guess I'm just keepin you waiting now, huh?"

He licked his lips, finishing:

"Let's get on with it."

You felt a strange sensation suddenly take hold of your body: it wasn't unpleasant, just jarring, flickering between nausea and a slight ticklish feeling...

And you quickly found yourself shrunken down, tiny and held in Guzma's hand for just a moment before-

You were pushed into his mouth.

You were just the right size, small enough that you had enough room to splay you arms and legs out without danger of being accidentally bitten down on, yet big enough that the space felt cozy, comfy, even welcoming.

You felt his tongue beneath you shifting, the light filtering in from between his slightly parted jaws illuminating the roof of his mouth above, his teeth ahead of you, and his tongue below.

You let out a pleased sigh as he slowly moved his tongue side-to-side, gently moving your tiny form back and forth as he carefully, cautiously tasted and toyed with you a little: it wasn't often he got to use his abilities, especially with someone willing, someone who actually ENJOYED this kind of thing, a fact that he still couldn't wrap his head around...

But here he was with you in his mouth, Guzma feeling an odd kind of happiness, having someone he loved trust him enough to let him eat them.

"Mmmmm..."

You felt his pleased hum rumble through you, you letting out a hum of your own, happy that Guzma seemed content with you being in here so far...and seemed to be enjoying this too, at least a little bit.

"Ahhh, ahah..."

His amused, good-natured laugh was muffled by you being in his mouth, Guzma still bewildered that you hadn't cried out for him to stop or put you back to normal yet, that you seemed quite alright with the situation...

You, in the meantime, heard something from deep down the dark, waiting chasm behind you: a distant gurgle, the rumble of a waiting, empty stomach.

And you knew it wouldn't be long before you were brought straight to it.

"Mmm..." *glurk*

Guzma tilted his head back, you sliding down and then past the back of his mouth, him swallowing you whole, his throat muscles doing the rest of the work as you were slowly pulled and pushed along by powerful yet warm, squishy walls, hearing his heartbeat increase then decrease in volume as you passed his chest, eventually taking a short fall down into...

His stomach.

It was pitch-dark, as you had expected it to be, but feeling around you got a good sense of your surroundings.

The space was pretty big, with plenty of room for you to maneuver around and get situated as you liked. Your bae's stomach was slowly, softly undulating as well, occasionally growling with a low but welcoming groan and, as Guzma had assured you, there was no stomach acid, no threat or danger here...

Just a big, warm, damp and squishy place for you to relax.

Before long your exploration was interrupted by a familiar but muffled voice coming from outside:

"Can ya hear me [name]?"

Yes, you called out, hearing the sigh of relief that flowed out of Guzma's lungs as he replied:

"Ah, good: wanted to make sure you were okay in there...speakin of which, you ARE okay, right? Like, ya don't want me ta cough you back up, right?"

Yes, you replied again, leaning back, reclining against the softly moving, warm stomach wall as he continued:

"Heh, nice...if ya need anything all you gotta do is yell, kay? Other than that, enjoy your stay at Chez Guzma I guess, eheh."

You heard him chuckle, gently curling up against his stomach wall, closing your eyes and enjoying the strange amount of comfort and peace this place brought, listening to the sounds around you, the faint, distant noise of Guzma's heartbeat easing you closer and closer towards sleep.

As for Guzma himself, well, this was quite nice, he had to admit.

Why was it that him eating someone, never to digest, never to keep always satisfied him more than actual food?

He could never tell...but hey, he wasn't complaining.

He sat down, reclining back in his chair, relaxing as he watched some videos on his laptop, gently rubbing his stomach from time to time as he enjoyed the sensation of having you in his belly, finding an odd amount of peace, reassurance in your presence there.

In a way, he supposed, this could be considered a great sign of trust and an expression of a particularly close bond: you trusted him enough to let him literally EAT you, and while you're inside him he gets to completely surround, envelop and protect you to from the world, embrace you not just with his arms but hold you closer to his heart, to the center of his being than ever before...

"...huh."

Y'know, now that he thought about it, he could sorta see why you liked this stuff after all.

~~~

By the time you woke up, you were in Guzma's bed, dried off and gently tucked under the blankets, back to normal.

Guzma walked over as you yawned, the man sheepishly apologizing for coughing you back up without asking first: he admitted that he'd gotten worried about having you inside of him for a long time and was concerned that if he took a nap too he wouldn't hear you if you wanted to get out...

You assured him that it was okay, and after he seemed to accept that you weren't unhappy on that front, he began to flurry you with questions about the rest of the experience:

"How'd you like bein in there? Be honest with me babe..."

"It wasn't too wet or gross, was it? I can send you in with a towel next time..."

"It didnt scare ya, right? Don't wanna scare ya, y'know: that's the LAST thing ya boy wants you to feel, I ain't ever wanna scare you, babe..."

You answered each of his questions patiently, eventually pulling him down onto the bed with you, hugging and nuzzling him, reassuring him that, yes, you had enjoyed it, yes it comfortable, yes you had felt safe and secure and weren't scared at all...

And that you'd love to do it again.

"Ah jeez..."

Guzma blushed slightly at that particular statement, him clearing his throat before continuing:

"...you really are somethin, you know that? Ya hear that ya boy can literally fuckin EAT people and your first instinct is to ask and try it out and THEN, when ya finally get out, you tell me you wanna do it again..."

He smiled, giving you a little nuzzle as he hugged you close.

"...heh, ya really know how to make me smile, [name]."

He gave you a kiss on the forehead, keeping you held close as the two of you snuggled up together.

"I love ya, babe."

You kissed him back, returning his nuzzles: you loved him too...

Inside and out.