#and now i have all of the carnival outfits so yeah

[fisheito]

If you tracked my eye activity on that bliss promo pic with the tops it would be something like this

Making a major stop at topper

Before crashing into a ditch (yakuya corner)

[chukys-mouthguard]

surprised nobody wrote anything about cowboy rempe at the stampede. he looked 🙃. would love a written concept on bumping into him there and maybe he spills a drink on you but you end up getting dragged away and he catches up to you later on in the night and you end up dancing and maybe he even wins u a goofy prize playing ring toss or a corny game.🤠

step right up

1.7k words

pairing: matt rempe x female reader

genre: fluff

warnings: none

note: i didn’t not proofread so i apologize for any mistakes 🫶🏼

Spinning around the dance floor, you grabbed a hold of your cowboy hat, holding it tight to your head as you swayed along to the familiar line dancing song. Trying your best to pick up the steps from your friend as she was the expert of the group, always prepared to break out any line dance she can at the drop of a hat.

Throwing your head back laughing you opted for doing your own thing, moving to the music as you sipped your drink. You had forgotten just how fun the Stampede could be; drinks, live music, fair food and games. It was the highlight of the summer.

“Oh shit-”

As you’d done one too many spins you found yourself crashing into a taller boy, towering over you as his chest was smacking you in the face. Your drink spilling all over your shorts, thank god they were black denim and it wasn’t too noticeable.

“I am so sorry, oh my gosh. Are you okay?”

You smiled up at him, laughing as you wiped your hand on your shorts, drying it as best you could though it would do nothing for the stickiness that would remain.

“I’m okay, honest. I’m the clutz not paying attention to where I’m spinning. Are you okay?”

Looking up at him you’d not noticed before how handsome he was. His black denim jacket just tight enough to show off his build, paired with a black t-shirt and blue jeans then topped off with a cream colored cowboy hat. He had a mustache that you’d found fitting on him, though you normally weren’t a fan. Perhaps it just looked good with his choice of outfit for the night.

“Me? Yeah, I’m great, no complaints. Um, sorry about your drink, and your clothes.”

You shrugged it off, little did he know you’d not paid for the drink so you didn’t mind. As the boy went to offer you a replacement your friends were pulling you off into the crowd as a familiar song began playing.

Waving him goodbye he softly smiled, mentally punching himself for not being quicker to speak and get your name. As he watched your figure fade into the crowd he sighed, hoping that somehow he’d cross your path again.

“Matt, dude, you good?”

Ty appeared at the boy's side, offering him a beer as he tried to pinpoint what his friend was looking at. Not seeing anything but a sea of people he gave up, now standing in front of Matt to try and get his attention.

“Sorry, um, yeah. I’m good.”

Matt made a point to keep his eye on you, hoping he’d have another chance to make up for his clumsiness. To get your name and drink order, perhaps even your number. But as he saw you and your friends heading for the door, he knew that window of opportunity was closing.

“Ty, let’s head out, yeah?”

Ty didn’t bother questioning Matt, assuming he’d grown tired of the bar they were at and wanted to make the rounds. Matt’s strides were swift as he maneuvered through the crowd of fairgoers, Ty having to rush to keep up. Unsure as to why Matt was in such a hurry, with it only being eight o’clock and the fairgrounds open until at least one in the morning.

Suddenly Matt came to a halt, Ty finally catching up to him as he followed Matt’s eyes. Seeing you and your friends crowded around a carnival game that surely was rigged. The objective? Knock down the milk bottles without them falling off the pedestal, practically impossible.

“Ohhh, I see. You’ve got your eyes on a girl huh?”

Matt smiled, slightly embarrassed as he tried to shrug off his friend’s comment. Watching you point out a stuffed animal elephant holding a peanut that you so desperately wanted. The only way to win that prize was to be absolutely perfect in the game, but with several drinks in your system, Matt could tell by your first throw you weren’t leaving a winner.

“I spilled my drink on her Ty, I wanted to try and repay her, but she left the bar before I could.”

“Soooo you’re stalking her now to buy her a ‘sorry I’m a tall lanky clutz’ drink?”

Matt shot Ty a glare at his comments, leaning against a nearby building as he continued watching your failed attempts at winning your desired prize.

“Not stalking Ty, simply a man after something he wants. And I hate to say, I want her number. She’s beautiful.”

Ty flicked the brim of Matt’s cowboy hat, rolling his eyes as he found a spot against the wall to reluctantly join him. “Okay lover boy, so what’s your master plan to get her number? Star at her from afar all night and hope she notices your eyes burning a hole in the back of her head?”

You’d handed another ten dollars to the worker, getting another three chances at the prize you’d been listing over. A smile on Matt’s face as he watched your friends giving you a pep talk, laughing at how hard you were working for this prize. Though he admired your persistence for the plush that surely wasn’t worth the money.

“Well, that’s thirty bucks down the drain. I need another drink!”

Matt watched as you and your friends made your way across the path to a new bar, finding a place at the counter to order a round of drinks. Once the game had been available and reset, he walked up to the counter to take his chances. Ty rolled his eyes with a groan as he joined Matt at the booth, praying that he’d somehow get lucky and win so that the boys could get back to drinking.

“I do not come to the Stampede for carnival games dude, and you’re twenty-two years old by the way. Trying to win an stuffed animal elephant for a girl…who if I had to guess-”

Ty glanced back at you and your friends tossing back shots at the bar, turning back to Matt as he studied the baseballs to find the perfect one to throw.

“She’s definitely at least twenty-one, maybe if we are lucky she is older and can get you to act your age for once.”

“Newsflash Ty, she was just playing this same exact game so shut your goddamn mouth for five minutes so I can concentrate.”

Matt took a deep breath, stretching his arm a bit as if he was getting ready to pitch the final game of the World Series. Ty just shaking his head, praying that no one passing by was catching a glimpse at how embarrassing this scenario was becoming.

“Fuck!”

Matt’s first throw not even close to the tower of milk bottles, a soft chuckle coming from Ty as he tried not to add to his friend’s frustration. Simply giving him some halfhearted words of encouragement as Matt picked up his next baseball.

As you finished your second drink at the bar, you glanced out at the crowd passing by, a tall figure catching your eye at the booth of the game you’d just thrown thirty dollars at. Only for you to realize it was the culprit who had spilled your drink at the previous bar, mainly since he was the tallest man at Stampede and was too hot not to notice.

You watched as he handed over another bill to the worker as he was handed three more baseballs, his friend clearly fed up with having to watch the taller boy failing continuously at the game. Chuckling to yourself you’d ordered another round of drinks for your friends, keeping an eye on the two boys wondering how long they’d keep at it before calling it quits.

The next ten or so attempts continued similarly to the first, only getting slightly better as Matt had managed to knock over a maximum of two of the three milk bottles, though they’d not stayed on the table as was the point of the game. Ty had grown restless as he watched Matt reach in his pocket for another ten dollar bill, patting him on the shoulder as he decided to head over to the bar you were occupying and grab a drink.

“Hey! Is he having any luck over there?”

You smiled at Ty as he shook his head, throwing a shot back before he leaned against the bar to see Matt still trying his darndest to win you a prize.

“Well he’s doing it all for you, you know? He’s dropped like almost fifty bucks all to make up for your ten dollar drink he spilled on you back at the other bar.”

Your eyes went wide as you looked at Matt, seeing him hang his head as he’d thrown away another ten dollars in failed attempts. Needing to put a stop to things before he dropped a hundred dollars trying to win you a no more than fifteen dollar stuffed animal that you did not need in the slightest.

“Hey, cowboy.”

Matt turned to see you now next to him, a smile on his face as you were the last person he expected to see at his side.

“What the hell are you doing over here?”

“Isn’t it obvious, trying my luck at becoming an MLB pitcher.”

You laughed at his sarcasm, seeing a ten dollar bill in between his fingers and quickly reaching for it. Tucking it in the breast pocket of his jean jacket, leaving him with a confused look on his face.

“While I appreciate you embarrassing yourself at this carnival game that is surely rigged just to repay me for a drink…did you ever think of just buying me a drink?”

Matt scratched his head as he’d realized that would’ve been the logical thing to do, despite Ty telling him several times it had only gotten through to him coming from you.

“I mean, that would’ve been the more obvious route to take. But, I wanted to stand out I guess? Be different than just another guy offering you a drink?”

Nodding your head you smiled up at him, his smirk causing you to blush but luckily your cowboy hat hid your cheeks from him.

“And how did that go? Wanting to be different and all?”

“Wanting to be different ran me about fifty bucks.”

He awakedly rubbed his hands together, watching as you reached towards his pocket pulling the ten dollar bill from it and flashing it at him between two fingers.

“Well, lucky for you the drink I like will only cost you less than ten.”

[madelynraemunson]

CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT𓆩♡𓆪

(Book #1 of the Hellfire Gentlemen’s Club Series)

strip club owner!eddie x fem!exotic dancer!hargrove!reader

𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐀𝐔 18+ minors don’t you even dare

Chapter 013: Accept The Risk

“Are you ready for a good pounding, baby?” — Beat it Upright by Korn

↳ chapters: 001, 002*, 003** , 004**, 005 , 006 , 007* , 008**, 009, 010, 011, 012*, 013** , 014**, 015, 016**, 017, 018, 019, 020*

NSFW — aggressive!dom!eddie x submissive!shy girl, eddie’s daddy kink alive and well, size kink, spanking, dirty talk, overstimulation/crying, slapping, biting, hair pulling, choking, degrading, praise, wholesome fluff if you squint, unprotected p in v (unless you want a crotch goblin in this economy, WRAP IT TF UP), cream pie, squirting

word count: 2.8k words

“Don't pretend you're not fucking freaky, baby.”

♡

The door to the dressing room bursts open shortly after you shut it.

In storms an enraged Eddie, appalled that you shut the door in his face after he had walked so closely behind you. You attempt to act clueless, counting your tips and separating them to help tip out the staff in the back.

"Here's uhh, 20 percent for Argyle," you announce. "20 for Nance, 20 for you. I’m sorry, I almost forgot to tip you guys out.”

Eddie crinkles the money in hands, eyes refusing to leave you at this point in time.

His tear-ridden stare is all-telling. First, he’s had to hear you get fucked senseless by Steve, one of his best friends. Now, he had to watch you dry hump Henry into literally the next day — another best friend of his — in an outfit he chose for you and bought with his own money.

You really did it this time.

"And that just leaves me with my tips," you add tossing your tote bag over your shoulder. "Also helped Johnny close the register. Everyone else dipped out to bar hop.”

"And you're clocked out?" he musters.

"Well duh, if everything's done."

You're given no time to react when Eddie lunges at you, causing your bag to sulk to the floor, the straps burning your forearms on the way down. You begin to levitate upwards by the virtue of Eddie's throttling grip.

"OW!" you yelp. "What the fuck, dude?!"

Eddie cinches his arm around your waist and hoists you over his shoulders. His breathing is hard, audible grunts escaping from all the tossing you around like a rag doll. You don't attempt to wriggle free, because if you did you feel like your forehead would meet the hard floor.

You smack Eddie’s shoulder blade.

“Put me down, Munson!” you order. “I’m not playing.”

“Yeah?” he grits his teeth. “Well neither am I.”

It's like a carnival ride in the dark. You can't see in front of you or off to the side. You just know the room is spinning. Fast strobes of light shooting across your periphery as you try to make up the orientation of the room.

It is when you hear beads being pushed to the side, that you know Eddie has brought you into a private show room.

Without mercy, but ensuring you landed safely, Eddie drops you from his grasp. You flail recklessly onto the couch. It’s not until you’re out of his grip that you realize how freeing his restraint felt.

You prop yourself up with your elbows, blowing loose strands of your hair away from your face.

"Ow?" you repeat, this time flatly.

"You're insufferable," Eddie hisses, berating you with his injurious glare. His gaze fixes on you as one of his hands ventures about his own body, undoing his belt with just one quick swipe.

"Says the one who literally just tossed me into a dark room," you snap. "Have you any etiquette?"

"Shut up," he demands.

If Eddie was hard to read before, he’s certainly not hard to read now. Now it’s time for him to get even.

The silver parts of the accessory clinks as he chucks it onto the floor, eyes glued on you the entire time. You gulp as he edges closer.

He stops in front of you.

"That set was for my eyes and my eyes only, by the way,” he hisses. “Thought I told you that.”

“Hm, was this before or after you told me you didn’t want to commit?” you challenge him. “I don’t belong to you, Eddie, remember?”

“You got me there,” Eddie shakes his head bitterly.

He stoops down to your level, getting down on his knees. Eddie's unbelievably close now, a strand of his curly hair dangling in your face as he exhales hot air down your neck.

"Do you really wanna play that game?" he asks. There's a riddle in his question. "Do you?"

Your eyes meet his. They're darker than usual, not that you believed that such thing was possible. Dark. Longing. Frustrated. Forewarning.

And for a second, they flicker back to the gaze you're used to again. Loving. Careful. Respectful. Like the look of concern he flashed you when you were cross-faded in his van, asking for him to stay a while. Like the time he made sure you were good enough to dance after being assaulted by a customer. Like the time Billy came storming in, causing you to spiral into a full-blown panic. THAT look of concern.

Are you sure this is what you want?

It is.

"Yes," you gulp, consenting to whatever wrath of his you’re about to face. "Yes, I do actually."

And just like that, the animalistic gaze returns.

His throat bobs when he swallows as he verifies with you one last time.

"Yeah?"

You nod. "I said what I said."

Back to the scheduled programming it was.

It’s not long until Eddie throws himself on top of you, smacking his eager lips onto yours like it’s oxygen. You hungrily bury your hands in his hair, moaning as your tongue inserts itself into his mouth to lock itself with his.

Eddie groans and moves a hand to your throat, issuing a light squeeze while he grinds himself against you.

“Fuck,” you mewl, the second your lips break apart. “Needed you so bad, Eds. Needed you all night.”

“You aggravate me, you know that?” Eddie sighs, burying his head into your chest, kissing along your tits as he does so. He strokes your bicep lovingly as he kisses you.

“Yeah, well the feeling’s kinda mutual,” you attempt to giggle as tears of overwhelm trickle down your face. “The feeling’s mutual.”

“Do you,” Eddie pants as he unbuttons and tugs at your set. “Remember Heather? My lady friend.”

You nod between breaths. “Mhm. Why?”

“She — never ended things with me.”

There’s a slight pause on your end. “Oh?”

“She never ended things with me,” Eddie continues. “I ended things with her. All cuz I wanted to get to know you and it wouldn’t be fair if I kept her around.”

Your bottoms are off now and the top of your set hangs loosely at your abdomen. You chuck it off of you instantly, refusing to look away from Eddie as you do so.

“Wh-” is all you can get out.

“Why do you think I was so grumpy and irritated that morning?” Eddie questions, moving his lips up to press against your neck. “Huh? I was upset that Harrington got to you first. Didn’t wanna get in between you guys though…”

“Eddie…”

“And inviting you to BYOB night?” Eddie pants as his free fingers curl around your inner thigh. “I only ever invite the people closest to me. You were the only outlier that night. Feel like Steve knew right then and there something was up. But he chose to ignore it.”

His fingers trace your entrance but he keeps them there, kissing up and down your neck as you breathe deeply under him. You pout and tug at his jeans, aching to have him inside of you this very instant.

“And I didn’t intend on fighting your brother that night, and for that I’m so sorry,” Eddie sighs. “But I saw how scared you looked and how aggressive he was being with you, and I knew if I didn’t intervene it was going to be the last time I saw you.”

Eddie hands cup your breasts as he nibbles at your ears, sucks at your temples, and leaves gentle bites at the crook of your neck.

“I’m avoidant, and stupid, and dismissive, and a fucking idiot,” Eddie admits to you. “But I care about you so much. Believe me, Hargrove. I know how this shit looks. I’m just so scared.”

“Eddie…” you soothe him. “Eddie. Just shut up and fuck me already.”

His eyes nearly pop out of his head when he hears you say that. Eddie shakes his head in disbelief to oblige.

“Don’t gotta tell me twice.”

Grabbing you by the hips, he shifts to reposition you, sprawling you out on top of him. You grind yourself atop his stiff erection as his hands caress every inch of your body. Unable to contain yourself any longer, you unbutton his jeans and pull them down with his boxers, exposing his throbbing cock right underneath your already soaking cunt.

A small string of pre-cum leaks from his scarlet tip.

“How bad do you want me baby?” Eddie coos.

“So bad,” you whimper. “As bad as I was tonight.”

He can’t help but laugh. When you say that, Eddie’s tongue rolls sneakily around in his cheek.

“That’s really bad,” he comments with a shit-eating grin.

“Mhm,” you nod innocently.

“You know what happens to really bad girls though, right?”

“They get punished?” you guess. “AH!”

You’re given absolutely zero time to react again when Eddie slams himself into you. God, he’s huge. God, he burns. You wince in the most pleasure-filled pain you’ve ever been in your entire life as Eddie shushes you, thrusting slowly into your heat as he fingers your mouth.

“Good girl,” he encourages you. “That’s a good girl. Being so brave for Daddy, huh?”

You struggle to even nod, diverting all your focus to accommodating Eddie’s length and girth. He proceeds to rock into you slowly, intertwining a hand with yours with one hand, and letting you suck hard on his fingers with the other.

Slowly, Eddie slides them out of your mouth so they can enclose themselves around your neck. You whimper as he does so. And slowly but surely on your end, you feel yourself stretching to make room for him, the slickness of your wet, and already sore pussy aiding in the process.

“I need to piss you off more often,” you joke. “If it gets me punished like this.”

Eddie groans. “Please don’t. I hate seeing others have you.”

He pulls you into him and repositions you onto your belly, and lining himself up behind you.

“My two best friends?” he demands in anguish. He swoops in to plant gentle kisses against the back of your neck. “Baby, really?”

“I’m sorry,” you breathe. “I’m really sorry, Eddie.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how sorry you’re about to be.”

“FUCK!” you squeal as Eddie deals you a rough spank across your asscheek.

He smiles grimly as you moan into him, arching your back as you beg for his cock to ruin you some more.

“I need you Eds,” you groan impatiently, grinding against him like a cock-drunk whore. “Eddie? Daddy? Master? What do you want me to call you?”

“Sweetheart, you can call me what you want,” Eddie kisses up your jaw. “I’ve been yours since the day I met you.”

He shoves his fingers back into your mouth as he inserts himself into you from behind. You mewl as you take in that familiar stretch, surrendering to Eddie as he proceeds to drill into your cunt relentlessly. The screams you let out as you unravel underneath him are like music to his ears.

No one has ever been able to hit it this good. No one ever made you feel this good. Not your first love. Not your last boyfriend. Not Henry during the lap dance. Not even King Steve.

"Who does it like me?" Eddie asks. "Huh? Who fucks you better than me?”

"No one," you admit as you wail, hands gripping tightly onto the throw pillow on the couch. You pull it towards your chest to hug it for comfort. It’s like you can feel Eddie in your stomach. “N-no one — FUCK — no one does it like you, Eddie."

He twists your hair in his hands and pulls you upwards towards him.

“Who does this pretty little pussy belong to?” he demands. “Hm?”

“Y-you,” you answer. “It belongs to you.”

A shockwave spreads across your body as Eddie quickens his pace, making sure to hit the spongey part of your heat with every thrust. He stops at the last one, making sure it stays there just a while longer.

“Oh, shit!” you moan, digging your nails into the couch. “Fuuuck, Eddie…”

“I know…I know…” he soothes you. Eddie sarcastically shakes a head at himself at the crook of your neck. “That was a mean one, huh?”

Tears well in your pleasured-filled eyes.

"Aw, she's crying," he mocks you before giving your hair another firm tug. "Can't take me, sweetheart? Can't take my cock?"

Eddie's words, albeit cruel, were deemed just for the moment by his reassuring touches. The delicate rubbing was all you needed to know that it was him asking, "Are you okay? I can stop if you'd like."

But despite being fucked out, you couldn’t find it in you to tell him to stop. You wanted more, you needed more. To make up for all the ‘almosts’ that there had been. And there were a lot.

“Don’t stop, Eddie!” you chant. “Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop. Oh FUCK, right there…”

You feel him smiling to himself as he places you in a headlock between his forearms. With the newfound leverage he acquired, he pistons himself into you sloppily, a pleasure-filled groan escaping from his mouth as well.

“Oh fuck!” Eddie moans. “Fuck, you feel so good, sweetheart. Jesus fuck, you’re gonna be the death of me.”

Suddenly he pulls out.

You whine at the sudden retreat, turning and staring up at him with disapproving eyes. He chuckles.

“Don’t worry,” his kind smile reappears, only to be eclipsed again by that same dark gaze. “I’m not done with you yet.”

He releases you to pin you onto your back so he can pound you in missionary.

As he pistons his hips into you, Eddie whispers to you sloppy somethings, saying how much of a brat you’ve been all day and how he’s nowhere close to being done with you yet.

You feel a euphoric stretch as the crook of your heels dangle over Eddie’s shoulders. He reinserts his fingers into your mouth to muffle your screams. The overstimulation of all your senses are sure to drive you over the edge.

“Wish Henry could see this,” he tuts. “He’s probably fucking his fist right now at the thought of you.

“Ah!” you whimper. “You’re gonna make me cum, Eddie.”

Your core starts to tighten and your walls follow suit, suctioning themselves tighter around Eddie as your muscles squirm and pulsate against him.

“Little does he know his best friend and boss is fucking your brains out instead,” he heaves. “Fucking drilling you into this couch hm?”

He chokes you as he sneers, fucking you deep with a pace so fast you’re sure you’re seeing stars. Was this really happening? The air fills up with profanities and the sounds of skin slapping together, wet sloshes accompanying said slaps. You continue screaming Eddie's name as your legs dangle in the air. Eddie cups your breasts for maximum leverage.

"So fucking needy," he comments. "Never seen anybody get so dumb over some cock.”

"Fuck," you mewl. This was it this time. His words are going to send you over the edge. “I’m gonna cum, I’m really gonna cum. FUCK, EDDIE!”

"I am fucking, baby," he smirks down at you smartly. "Daddy's got you. All you gotta do is take me."

“Shit,” you squeal. “Holy fucking shit, I’m cumming!”

"Take it," he orders. "Take it like the slut you are."

"Oh, god,” your vision starts to blur. “I-I’m Daddy’s Little Cumslut.”

"Yeah, you are," he agrees, kissing your tear-filled cheek. "Mine and only mine.”

And suddenly, your legs tremble profusely as your body gives out on you. Eddie fucks you through your orgasm, not seeming to care when you drench his abdomen and thighs with your pleasure-filled juices.

“Holy fucking shit, I just squirted,” you gasp.

“Fuck yeah you did, baby!” Eddie chuckles. He kisses your forehead one more time. “Fuck, I’m getting close too.”

And soon Eddie’s moans fill the air as he finishes inside you. You grind your hips against his and ride him from underneath, milking him of the last of his seed. Eddie’s dick twitches inside of you in pleasure.

Eddie shoots you a hazed-filled look, one of adoration and lust.

“I’m really gonna let you ruin my life, huh?” he says as he shakes his head.

“It depends. Do you accept the risk?”

“Fuck yeah, I do.” he stares down at the puddle you two created have created on the couch. One mixture was already dripping down from the couch to the floor, and the other mixture is just now oozing out of you, now that he’s pulled out. “And did.”

You two help each other up from the couch and scatter to find the clothes you’ve aimlessly tossed around the room. When you’re fully dressed, you scan the room for some paper towels, so you can wipe away any evidence of you and Eddie staying behind long past closing.

"Might as well clock in," Eddie banters. "We've got a lot of cleaning up to do."

🏷️ tag list: @battymunson , @the-fairy-anon , @ali-r3n , @corrodedcoffincumslut , @bebe07011 , @mmunson86 , @eddiesguitarskills , @chelebelletx , @imonhereforareasonsadly , @eddies-trailer-babe @hideoutside , @motherfckerr , @jxpsi , @munson-magic , @lindseyj23, @sidthedollface2 , @manda-panda-monium , @elvendria , @micheledawn1975 , @hereforshmut , @siriuslysmoking , @nymphetkoo , @m-chmcl-rmnc , @justinelittlewoodsworld , @ahoyyharrington , @keepittoyourselftellnobodyelse @kellyxo1 @emsgoodthinkin @winchester-angel @chloe-6123 , @redbarn1995 @angietherose @kiyastrf94 , @purplewitchcauldron @kellsck

[queendarkwolvescolby]

Truth or Dare

Colby x y/n

Requests are open <3 :)

Warnings: Smut18+, unprotected sex, a potential pregnancy, heaving kissing, choking, handcuffs, drunken sex, biting.

You and Kat are at a carnival in Los Vegas and enjoying a nice alcoholic drinks, one each but that was enough to get you buzzed.

“Hey” Kat says. You giggle “What’s up?” You are clearly drunk and so is she.

“Guess who just moved here to Los Vegas and has a hot roommate that is soon going to be mine?” Kat continues.

You look at her confused as she points behind you.

You met eyes with this man and the world frozen, you were sober for a moment. His dark hair with the faded red, his black outfit with the chains bouncing on his legs, the rings on his fingers, and mmm the chain around his neck and how it would be swing forward and backward while he’s on top of yo-.

“Hello? Anyone there?” Colby says snapping you back to Earth. “She’s stargazing over you, she’s fine” Kat said giggling as she then looks back at Sam, the roommate she was talking about.

“Sorry, Hey Colbs. It’s been a while.” You say pulling your drink back up to your mouth.

“Hey, you and Kat are drunk so we will meet yall at the new trap house.” Colby says pulling you into a hug.

You hug him back as you feel his hand gently slide over your ass then he walks away waving.

“Wait, new trap house???” You said turning to Kat

“I’ll explain in the Uber” She giggles.

In the uber Kat explains that they bought the new trap house and everyone’s going to be living in there and blah blah blah.

At the trap house, already mostly unpacked and decorated. You enter the house and Colby greets you, “hey, wanna see my room?”

You look at Kat with a smirk as she nods. You turn back to Colby, “sure why not?”

He smiles and takes your hand leading you to his bedroom.

It’s pretty empty other than the furniture and a few other things. You also notice some empty white claw cans that look recently drank. You lay on his bed as he follows you and lays by you.

“So, what do you think?” He says inching towards you.

“Well, the floor looks kind of empty and your beds kinda cold.” You say moving towards him as well. “Let’s change that, clothes on the floor and bodies on the bed.” He says looking at your lips then back at your eyes.

“Go ahead, I know you want to” you say as you bite your lip.

“You’re right, I do” he said and with that grabbed your face and pulled your lips onto his. He passionately kissed you.

He got on top of you and slid his hand under your shirt up to your throat. As he placed his hand on your throat he slid his tongue inside your mouth.

Yours and his tongue fighting for dominance.

Y’all separate for air.

“I have been waiting to do this for years.” He said then starts kissing your neck, biting it as he goes leaving hickey’s and bite marks everywhere on your body.

“We’ve fucked before Colbs, I was your first and you were mine, and few more times.” You said giggling at the last part.

“Yeah but this time” he starts saying kissing down your chest, “I’m claiming what is mine and only mine from now on.” He says kissing down to your pants and aggressively pulls your pants and underwear down.

He circles your clit with his tongue making you arch your back and breath a moan.

He kisses back up to you while his hand slides back down.

He rubs your clit and whispers “Now baby girl, you’re all mine. This body, this heart and this love… all fucking mine.”

He kisses you while sliding a finger inside of you.

You moan into the kiss and your hand adventures into his pants.

God he’s huge. Trying to tease him, you barely touch the tip and he moans softly breaking the kiss. “Mmm, now thats not what I told you to do, now is it baby girl?” He says as he stops rubbing you.

He takes his pants off and pulls yours the rest of the way off throwing them on the floor. “Get on your knees for me.” He says demanding. You can’t help yourself anymore, it’s so hot you can barely think.

You get on your knees as he slides to the end of the bed where you are. He opens his hands as his cock flies out. “Suck it, baby girl.” He says looking into your eyes, burning your skin, it’s making you crazy.

You put the tip in your mouth and circle the top with your tongue. His head tilts back with a breathless moan.

“Now come on, we love noises now don’t we?” You say teasing him.

“Mm we sure do,” he says as he pushes your mouth down his dick and in doing that moans out loud.

You move your head up and down his dick as his hand was holding your hair and pushing your head.

He lets you come up for air but not for long until he grabs you slamming you back on the bed. He kisses you passionately, biting your lips and taking off your shirt.

You take off his and slide your fingers along his abs.

“Are you ready baby girl?” He said breaking the kiss and spreading your legs.

“Always” You say taking out his handcuffs and putting them on.

“Mm, you know me all to well.” He said grabbing the hand cuff chains that connected your hands and inserted his dick making both of y’all moan.

“Ahh fuck, your so fucking tight love.” He said breathing heavy already.

“Mm, your huge, so it’s not my fault,” you say teasing him.

“Now love, teasing is a brave move right now.” He said, slowly moving.

You moan, “Just fuck me damnit.”

“My pleasure.” He said, picking up the speed. Thrusting in and out hitting the spot every time.

His chain hanging over your face following his movement, his breath heavy and hot. His body sweating and so hot. His dick inside you, warm and throbbing. You never want this to end but can’t last forever and neither can he.

He grabs one of your nipples and starts sucking on it. You moan not able to contain any of the sounds.

“Babe, your so hot underneath me.” He says grabbing the cuffs with one hand and circling your clit with the other.

Both of y’all’s body’s moving together, his dick throbbing and moving in and out of you hitting all the right spots.

“Come on baby, cum for me.” He says slamming his hips into your ass with every thrust.

“T-together.” You manage to moan out.

He nods as he grabs your thighs lifting them up to get more of a handle and deeper into you.

“Ahh, baby baby, I’m gonna cum” He moans with heavy breathing.

“Me too, me too” You moan along with him.

“W-where” He manages to say.

“In-inside..” you moan as he bursts inside of you when a loud moan. With that feeling you, the feeling in your stomach bursts as well.

He collapsed beside you and you cuddle up to him as he cuddled back, both out of breath and extremely tired but satisfied.

Before falling asleep, you managed to say “Good night, my love.” You fell asleep right away.

He blushed, then kissed your forehead. “You know.. I think I’m in love with you.” He said as he looks at you before getting comfortable cuddling with you.

“Good night, darling.” He said, falling asleep with you in his arms.

You wake up being gently shook, “Come on it’s already the afternoon and I made breakfast.” Colby says as you jump up almost knocking over the orange juice on the tray.

Colby had made you a breakfast in bed thing.

“Calm down, it’s okay” Colby says gently.

“My head hurts..” You say calming down and holding your head.

“Hangovers are the worst” He says as he sets the tray on your lap and sitting next to you.

You look down noticing your not clothed. Blushing and embarrassed you look up at Colby.

He laughs, “Yea.. we did.”

You look down and he notices.

“You look disappointed..” He says clearly upset.

“It’s just that.. I’ve had a crush on you for awhile and wanted to move slow with you so I didn’t ruin anything with the group and with yo-“ You continue.

“Hey, hey,” he says cupping your face, “we still can, ok? I won’t say anything to the group and we can take it slow and from the beginning after today.” He says as he kisses your forehead.

Days go by and Colby and you get closer and closer but as a secret.

“Knock knock.” Kat says knocking on the door. You and Colby look at each other and then you quickly hide under the bed.

“Heyyy Kattt” Colby says suspiciously.

“Uh hey, before we do this game tonight, I need to ask a favor.” Kat says entering the room and cracking the door.

“Uh yea what’s up?” Colby replies.

“Can you kinda take it easy on y/n” Kat starts, “she kinda has a crush on you” Kat says with a little smile.

Colby tries not to giggle, “Yeah I can do that, maybe I’ll try to see if she’s the one, yknow.” Colby ends up saying giggling.

“Oooo okk” Kat said exiting, and Colby burst out laughing.

“Shut up!” You say as you kick the bed and move out from the bed. You put on Colby’s shirt, not noticing and your booty shorts.

Y’all head out to the living room and sit vertically from each other. Everyone was in the living room and already recording.

After some easy truths and dares, and the drinking increased, came the harder questions.

“Truth or Dare Sam.” You say smirking.

“Uh dare,” Sam said nervously.

“I dare you to kiss Kat.” You said smiling.

Sam and Kat both blush. Sam gets up and heads over to Kat and kisses her for a long ass time.

Colby looks at you and winks as you blush making him chuckle and look back at Sam.

“Ok, ok. We’re recording.” Colby says laughing.

Sam and Kat separate looking at each other, “ahem.” You clear your throat.

“Sam, its your turn.” You say taking another drink of your drink.

Sam smiles at you. Oh shit…

“Truth or dare.” Sam smirks at you.

“Uh. Shit..” You say knowing either one is gonna be bad.

“Dare.” You finally say.

“I dare you to call the last person you hooked up with and tell them you love them,” Sam smiles in his victory.

You look at Colby and he laughs. You give him the ‘your dead’ look but it doesn’t phase him.

“Come on, what are you scared??” Sam said teasing you.

“You know what, fuck it” You said grabbing your phone and clicking Colby’s name.

Colby’s phone rings and everyone looks at Colby and back at you then Colby.

“Oop” Kat said as everyone starts laughing and congratulating you and Colby.

You hang up the phone, “we aren’t dating-“ you start to say as Colby interrupts you.

“Yet, but..” He starts as everyone looks at him confused and he heads over to you.

“Would you do me the honors and be my girlfriend?” Colby says as he sits beside you and puts his arm around you, his face just inches from yours.

“Y-yes..” You say blushing as everyone cheers.

A/n: Hi guys, sorry it took so long, work has been crazy. I hope y’all enjoyed this and I was thinking about doing a part two with pregnant reader so let me know if I should do that and PLEASE request something so I can write something for yall! Hope yall enjoy, have a good day or night! <3

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

How would our favor Yan demon brothers be when seeing their lil sheep mc wearing something cute and modest for once when they have their human body back ( minus the sheep parts like her horns and fluffy tail )

Finally Barbatos has given you a more refined version of the potion and now you look like a normal human. Now you can finally get rid of all the immodest outfits they had you wearing because of your fluffy sheepy bits and horns. Finally able to wear the clothes you want to wear you proudly pose. 

“So boys? What d’ya think?”

“I’m happy for you, I’m sure you’ll delight in being taken more seriously.”

Lucifer will miss it 

just a lil’ bit

But nonetheless you are still the human he fell in love with from the beginning

And he’s not at all disappointed when he gets previews of the new (Y/n) calendar

Especially when you are willing to wear a copy of his normal outfit

“Now that you are back to normal would you like to try on this?

“Won’t get as much as those sheepy pics but this works too!” 

Mammon’s still excited 

You’re just so pretty 

He’s definitely getting outfits so expensive he’ll have to work to pay off for a lifetime

But it's worth it to see you walk by wearing what he’s got you

“Y-yeah I bought that for them! Of course, the Great Mammon has such good tastes! Y-you l-look half-descent a-at least.”

“Perfect! Now you really can be Ruri-chan! Properly this time!”

Leviathans elated

He’s been waiting for this day for far too long

He’s ready to recheck all your measurements as he preps the different cosplay he wants you to try

It is hard to style around your horns and wool without making it a part of the outfit

“Now I can properly get the (Y/n) experience!” 

“Good to know. Now I’ll be looking into making you part-cat next.”

Satan’s joking he’s not

He would often imagine what’d you’d be like without the sheepy bits

Of course, it just felt like an over-the-top censor bar 

But who is he to complain

Now you are unobstructed

“Here in the meantime, you can wear this headband and cattail. You’d look just fine.”

“Yay! Now wear this! What! This is going to make your little human butt look the  cutest!”

Asmodeus is not phased at all by the change

In fact, he was ready for it 

Already lining up the outfits in his closet that you could wear

And you are wearing it

Modest or not

After all you are a weak little human compared to the avatar of lust

“I’m ready to see all of you baby! Don’t run!”

“You don’t look like cotton candy now.”

For Beelzebub, Nothing’s changed much 

You’re still weak to him 

Still eating impossibly less than he

All he knows is that you no longer look like the carnival treat

You still look just as cute with food spilled on you

“I’ll help you clean up. It’d be a waste to not lick you this food up.”

*Yawn* “Doesn’t matter to me your just as soft.”

Belphegor feels really pleased

He always liked your more human parts

Especially your skin

He sleeps on wool and cotton all the time 

So he’s happy all of you are just you

Though he’d really prefer it if you didn’t want to wear clothes anyway

“You don’t need this, do you? Or your shorts, right? I just want us both to be comfortable before we nap.”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

playful dress miss raven

HI 🤡 I wanted to do some doodles of Miss Raven in her own version of Stage in Playful Land’s costume.

Yes, I was too lazy to color-- I drew inspirations for the outfit design from the female dancing puppets in Disney's Pinocchio (since the new event heavily references this film), Doll from Black Butler's circus arc, and ballet in general. The specific ballet I looked at was Coppelia; it's about a boy who falls in love with a doll (the creation of a mad scientist. His fiancé, Swanhilda, then impersonates the doll in order to win his love back. I thought it fit well with the idea of the "human puppet" motif of the Playful Dress series.

BONUS DOODLES:

I like to think that Miss Raven got dragged along for the trip because she was busy chewing the group out for sneaking off campus... then Kalim (bless him) thinks she's feeling left out, so he tells her to come with them! "The more, the merrier!" (And hey, Ferro and Gidel won't say no to another poor unfortunate soul for their amusement park.) "F-Fine! I'll attend, but only so I can keep a watchful eye on you all! I intend to write a detailed report on your transgressions for the headmaster to review when we return."

"Yeah, yeah. You say that now, but I bet you'll be like a kid in a candy store once we actually get there." Ace rolls his eyes. "You spend so much time with your head buried in a book--it'll do ya some good to kick your feet up and do something different for a change."

"Gahahah! It sounds like she's excited for Playful Land!" Kalim grins broadly. "We're going to have so much fun together!" "I will do my best to assist in the documentation of this trip, Raven Crowley-san," Ortho offers. "Pictures, videos... I'll record them all, so we won't forget this anytime soon!"

... Anyway 🤡 Miss Raven has to help babysit the idiots (while trying to mask her own childish wonder as she experiences an amusement park for the first time). Oh, and J word and L*ona are there, so 💀 more trouble for her...

"Heh. You're staring at that roller coaster with big, sparkling eyes. If you want to ride it, then just say so." Leona says it with a smirk, a lilt of smugness to his suggestion. "There's nothing wrong with a kid being a kid."

"I-I'm not a kid! I'm just... admiring the composition of such an imposing metal structure!! There is nothing like it in the natural world."

Jade chuckles. "Would prefer to partake in one of the many games they offer here? Ah, and should you ever feel peckish, there is a selection of carnival fare to indulge in: caramel apples, popcorn, cotton candy--"

"All foods which would result in terrible toothaches if consumed in large quantities! And games? We haven't the time to enjoy such leisures."

"Oi, eel." A scowl from Leona. "Shameless of you to cut into our conversation, isn't it? I guess without the octopunk around to keep you on your leash you think it's fair game to act out in front of an upperclassman." "Oya? I don't recall there being a formal chaperone for this trip, Leona-san," he replies easily. "Fufu, perhaps you feel the need to preside over your juniors in the absence of the usual pack you dole orders to."

"Here's an order for you then: back off. You're killing my mood."

"As you wish. Come along, Miss Raven. We wouldn't want to disturb our dear senpai." "Dragging prey around like they're puppets on strings," Leona snorts, blocking the path. "You go. The canary stays. Our business isn't finished yet."

"Business?" Jade continues to smile. "Oh no, I would never mean to interfere with such a thing--but it's not truly business you're interested in, is it, Leona-san?"

"Funny. I was going to say the same of you."

"... You're both talking as though I'm not literally right here!!"

[sluttywonwoo]

Congrats on 12k! :D

May I request “i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know.” & changkyun? Thinking of reader in a miniskirt too but whatever you feel like writing is best ^^

you hadn’t wanted to leave the house. your boyfriend did. so you’re out at this stupid carnival with his friends because you couldn’t convince him to stay in with you.

it was rare for changkyun to want to go out, and you would usually jump at the opportunity to drag him somewhere, but you had been feeling needy all day and you wanted to spend the rest of the night in bed with him.

“come on, we never see soonyoung these days. he’s been asking to hang out with me and the guys for weeks now. i can’t keep blowing him off.”

“fine, you go, then,” you huffed, flopping back onto the pillows.

changkyun made a face. to be fair, he didn’t know why you wanted to stay home because you hadn’t told him. and you’re usually the more adventurous one out of the two of you which likely made your reaction all the more confusing to him.

“no, he wants us both there. why’re you being such a brat right now?”

you mumbled something under your breath that he didn’t quite catch but he didn’t bother asking you to repeat it because he was already annoyed.

begrudgingly, you got up and changed into something nice (choosing to forgo anything underneath your skirt as a little surprise for later). changkyun kept his work clothes on and threw a leather jacket over his shoulders in case it got cold and then you were out the door.

he hadn’t told you where you were meeting everyone so when he turned into the parking lot for a fucking pop-up carnival you were beside yourself.

“did hoshi pick the place?” you mumbled.

“yeah, why?”

“no reason.”

you really should have asked where you were going or at least thought your outfit through a little better because now you’re on the swing boat ride with your pussy out. thankfully, your skirt is long enough to cover everything so there’s no risk of sitting cunt-to-seat with nothing in between, but you do have to make an effort not to flash anyone by keeping your legs pressed together for the entire duration of the ride.

you would’ve just sat out and watched the boys ride the rides all night but you love roller coasters and you didn’t want to be the lame girlfriend by not participating.

you would also never pass up the opportunity to hear your boyfriend scream like he is now. he’s holding on to your arm for dear life, shouting expletives at the top of his lungs as the pirate ship swings back and forth and you laugh maniacally.

he’s a little wobbly by the time it’s over and still has to cling on to you as you make your way out of the gated area. soonyoung’s already talking about what to ride next, dragging hyungwon by the arm in the direction of whatever it is. you and changkyun trail behind the rest of them as your boyfriend regains his balance.

“having fun?” he asks with a kiss to your cheek. his bad mood seems to have disappeared along with his ability to stand upright.

you nod. “mhm.”

“aren’t you glad we came?”

“eh, kind of.”

“what? what do you mean ‘kind of’?” he presses.

“i just… had other stuff in mind,” you sigh, avoiding his gaze.

“other stuff? that we’d do at home?” you nod again and then the lightbulb goes off. “oh, that kind of other stuff?”

“yeah.”

“well, we can still do that later tonight, baby,” he whispers.

“but i had already been so horny all day,” you mutter back.

“then you should have told me! i could’ve ate you out before we left or something.”

“you would’ve made me wait,” you argue. “you’re mean like that.”

changkyun smirks. “maybe you’re right. it’s what you deserve anyway for acting like such a brat.”

“i was only acting like a brat because i wanted your dick so bad.”

“stop, you’re going to make me hard,” he whines in your ear.

“that’s all it takes?” you scoff.

“it’s you!”

“maybe we should sneak off to the bathroom real quick?” you suggest, wiggling your eyebrows.

but to your dismay, changkyun shakes his head. “no, they’d definitely notice. we’re here to hang out with soonyoung, remember? we’ll just stay a little longer. i promise.”

you catch up with the rest of the group a few moments later, effectively ending the conversation. you didn’t have anything else to say to changkyun anyway and you can tell he’s a little worried about it. he thinks you’re pissed but really, you’re plotting.

you eventually pull him to the side after giving him the almost-silent treatment throughout the next two rides. he raises his eyebrows expectantly, looking relieved that you’re finally going to talk to him. instead of saying anything though, you grab his wrist and yank his hand under your skirt, pressing his palm against you.

“i’m not wearing any underwear. thought you’d like to know.”

changkyun’s mouth falls open. “this whole time…?”

“wanted it to be a surprise. i was waiting for the right moment to tell you.”

he seems to remember where you are and jerks his hand back to his side.

“and that’s now?”

“uh-huh.”

“fuck.” he sighs and puts his hands on his hips, looking back at his friends who are gathered by the funnel cake stand. then, decisively he says, “i’ll say goodbye to them, you go ahead. i’ll meet you in the car.”

12k celebration

[intertexts]

oh you wanna think about muse and trickster? yeah? it's been a while since I put a heartbreaking nhw post in your inbox <3 I know u love the prime dehumanization loss of bodily autonomy defenders. << im not even remotely trying to keep the acronym the same anymore. I've lost the plot. ANYWAY

briefly mentioned this before but because I loooove the aesthetic so much I think at least one important muse confrontation should happen in the tricksters city, specifically in the amusement park. make it like a fuckign scooby door episode everything is all abandoned and run down but as the wards are walking down a boardwalk or something all the lights flicker on and some distorted fuckign. carnival music starts playing and they find muse sitting in like. the rebar scaffolding or whatever in the ferris wheel. just like grinning chin in hands kicking his feet watching them. this image is so clear in my mind. some creep shit !!!! also its like when they first go to the spirit world to get tide back from.mal and end up in the amusement park. except ashe isn't with them this time

uhhhhhh also thinking about. downtime. when muse isn't out being destructive and causing chaos for funsies. like... does he have a bedroom????? does he eat does he sleep??? idfk !!!! I would assume he has to or else he'd fucking die but !!!! man the trickster is so far gone I don't think he even realizes his puppets are real people anymore. that's a fun little doll for him to play dressup with. literally never going 2 get the image of him braiding muses hair and like. putting makeup on him and dressing him in fancy little outfits out of my mind. making myself ILL. smile! good evening I'm gently placing the knife box in your in. << as I was going to type inbox I accidentally typed out inventory. yknow what I'm keeping it. knife box directly into your inventory. watch out they're RUSTY

GOD. THANKS FOR THE KNIFE BOX MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! knife box directly in my inventory!!! u know what this means is that now i can use them :3 <- has been drawing wards stuff abt this for the past two hours ^_^

this is so fucking good though yeahhh.... i love creepy carnival shit so much. he trickster probably Knows it's very over the top and horror movie creepy and just a little absurd. he's so fucking fun 2 think abt since he's literally always doing shit simply because it is funny to him. we can swing a trickster justification for anything probably. i bet he fucking saw traps people!! anyway. ashe isn't with them this time. except..... well. he kind of is. :(

I HAVE ALSO BEEN THINKING ABT DOWNTIME. FREQUENTLY. i guess. the answer to this is he lives however the trickster&co does. the image of him coming back in his fancy intricate little outfits to some disgusting nasty bloody industrial warehouse where they're posted up & always being this very jarring contrast to the gore and violence is really good. the image of him having a perfect doll bedroom and going through a fancy little routine half the nights when the trickster is in a good mood or feeling it & just. getting thrown on the bed & the door locked to pass out for a couple hours whenever he forgets or is busy is also really good. literally anything we do to muse makes me feel some kind of way man. i also have had the extremely vivid image of the trickster braiding his hair & chatting about all kinds of horrific things excited sleepover style to muse who is just. Visibly Not There in my head for so long. not even like he has to touch him, he could be making him do all these things for himself! he's literally controlling him! he just does it for fun!!!

anyway i think post-muse ashe should get to freak out very badly in a multitude of ways whenever anybody touches his hair. like i think he's touch-adverse in general (& miserable about it because he's also so touchstarved & his brain simply whites out in distress anytime anyone touches him because. literally the only person doing that was the trickster!!!!) but i think specifically his hair being messed with is a bad trigger for him. makes him freeze up n go nonverbal for hours. dakota knows that he's jumpy about touch but he still wants to do something for him & before the everything he loved them playing with his hair (its so long!! wibby & dakota think its so pretty!! virion's the only one who knows how to braid it because of his mom!! ashe melts into a puddle over it every time because nobody's ever done that for him before!) so he goes to just run fingers through it & ashe just. fullbody locks up and goes weird and still and silent & doesn't protest or fight back when dakota shakes his shoulder or smth and his eyes are distant and sort of dark and empty like virion's were most of the time when they first met him... maybe he wants to cut it a little bit just because he hates that it's been covered in The Ooze and he can't do anything with it without thinking about how the trickster would do the same thing but also he hates the idea of getting rid of the one thing abt himself that he really likes & is a little connection with both of his parents because of the trickster also, when he's already taken so much from him. (it does have to get gross and tangled and matted because he refuses to put it back or do anything to it for a while though. maybe virion helps him sort it out & it's slow and painstaking and miserable for both of them and they both feel better at the end of it.)

[hilariousrabbit]

Critic of Stage in Playful Land - The Worst Event in Twisted Wonderland

I'm not gonna lie, I had high hopes for this event. The cards were gorgeous, I loved the new outfits, and we even got new characters! I'm quite a huge fan of the gothic circus aesthetic, so I was even more hyped for what's to come. Of course the stakes would be high for something like this, but unfortunately...the execution of this event has completely brought it down.

This is gonna be a very long and angry critic, so beware! I might be mean too!

The translation screenshots provided are from Ekala on YouTube. TW: Insensitive portrayal of human trafficking

The first part of the event felt SUPER stretched out. I understand, the main cast may have been overwhelmed with homework and losing the basketball match against NRC. But I also feel like they could have summarized this quicker? Plus, Fellow Honest also talks A LOT. I know it was supposed to be extended flattery to the point where it became suspicious, but it was taking so long to get to the main point that I quickly became bored.

The character's reasons for going were also very strange...but let's focus on the Octavinelle twins for a second. Floyd and Jade wanted to visit the amusement park specifically because it seemed suspicious. The twins are seen as a very shady duo, and having conflict with an even shadier duo (Fellow Honest and Gidel) is bound to be something that would be super interesting to watch.

Similarly as to how Idia played a crucial part in the Masquerade event, I thought they would have a larger role in this story, and I was disappointed when they just frolicked around the amusement park. They're not the type to just walk right into a dangerous territory without a plan/strategy, and it felt really weird seeing that happen. With them doing no preparations for this situation whatsoever, it feels like a waste to even state that detail in the first place. Speaking of that...I had heard some other fan theories on the role Ortho would play in this event. Some speculated that he would be representing the puppet in this event, as he isn't human. But then again, none of that ends up happening in the event because there was no thought as to how these characters would be used. My friend made an interesting point about the character choice in this event. They speculated it was just the company gathering up characters that haven't been in many events before book 7 ended, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.

When the main cast was exploring the park, it was just filler content. Nothing interesting happened, at all. They explored the park that was filled with references from the Pinocchio movie. Now if this was any other Disney film, I would be like "Yeah alright, that's from the movie. That's cool". But if you know what happens in the movie, then it might be a different story. I was deadass filled with dread when they put the references in, and I was so uncomfortable. Especially during this scene:

Also this was uncomfortable to see. Like okay...I didn't need to know that.

Anyone who watched the Pinocchio movie must have known that something bad was bound to happen (most likely some form of human trafficking). So when Fellow Honest's intentions for selling guests as wooden dolls was finally revealed, the entire story went from 0 to 100 real quick. And not in a good way. I know the previous filler was supposed to put us in their shoes, and how we as the viewer could also get distracted from the carnival's attractions. However, there should have been a better way to transition these two contrasting moods of the story. Plus, I can't help but feel like this is an unnecessarily cruel twist compared to the original movie. When it comes to more darker/sensitive topics such as human trafficking, there should be some sort of caution as to how they portray these kinds of things. I felt like this was solely added for shock value to make up for the slow pacing in the first parts of the event, and I can't help but feel really uncomfortable about this. I also REALLY don't like the possible implications of this line:

The insensitivity of the topic of human trafficking is further fueled by how the chase is played out. They needed a reason for characters to be kidnapped one by one, and I know that's usually how these types of events play out. But considering the severity of their situation, I feel very weird about it. Also, the characters are unusually calm about being sold as a literal slave? And the topic is just not dealt with seriously at all.

Important Detail: The Playful Land theme park functions as a ship, which sails away from land as soon enough guests are lured into the park. This is literally a human trafficking ship, there's no sugarcoating this.

Another part I'm upset about is how Kalim dealt with the entire situation. I'm unfortunately used to Twisted Wonderland dumbing down his character for cheap laughs but this has really gone off the rails. Ace gave him a clear reality check. They were at risk of being sold as dolls to whatever rich freak paid money for them. It was clear that Fellow Honest wouldn't converse on the subject over a fancy dinner. Honestly...I need you guys to read this for yourself.

So when Ortho came back, why in the world did Ace apologize to Kalim? Sure, what he said was harsh but it was completely true! There was a real threat to these characters and it wasn't being taken seriously.

For some reason, every time there's a chance for Kalim to develop, all of that is just completely reversed. Even if this was an issue before the event was released, I also feel like the writers forgot one very important thing...

Kalim has literally been kidnapped before! SEVERAL TIMES TOO!

He was targeted several times because he's from a rich family, they were planning to do malicious things to him for the sake of MONEY. Literally, just like Fellow Honest! He should know better than anyone else how horrifying it is to be taken away from the ones you love, and having no idea what will happen to you. But noooo instead he went full on Steven Universe on Fellow Honest! I'm not even taking the excuse that he's desensitized to it because he was putting the lives of his classmates at risk by giving this human trafficker a fucking chance. While he's not the smartest in the group, his character IS compassionate. How did he give more compassion towards this stranger he met a day ago instead of his own classmates?! How did they botch his character this badly?!

Lastly, when Fellow Honest's reasoning is stated in the story...I really have no words. He engaged in human trafficking, because his former teachers told him that he wasn't a good mage? ...I'm sorry? What the fuck kinda reasoning is that?!

He's literally committing a random act of malice because of his own personal issues. I can't even say that he was merely projecting his hatred onto students alone, as there were other guests attending the park too! I don't know how old they are, or if they're even in school anymore, so these are literally just random victims to me! It looks like the writers attempted to add a tragic backstory for this character in order to get the audience to have some sort of sympathy for him, but this just makes him look fucking stupid.

During this event, he talks about school being worthless and about how he and Gidel had a hard time surviving because they didn't get an education. Like...he chose to drop out of school. Of course that would happen! What was he expecting?

This event made an attempt to go into class dynamics and it's just...oh my god. Let's do a character comparison for a second. Ruggie grew up in a poor area, but because of that he was always on that grindset. Instead of bitching about how educated people are entitled and snobby, he takes advantage of every opportunity around him. And this includes the education at Night Raven College! He even takes financial advantage of others if necessary! He doesn't mind working for others as long as he can get something out of it.

Now let's talk about Fellow Honest's unique magic. I'm not gonna lie, I do think that concept is pretty cool! However, let's take a look at how it's implemented in the event. Now this is where I get critical of this. Having an increased amount of optimism doesn't mean being dumbed down. I'm still confused on how none of the characters were at least a little bit skeptical when walking through the park. There were red flags all across the park, free food, surprise gifts, a whole ass outfit for free, and a freaking 10 minute roller coaster! It was clearly too good to be true, so I can't understand how nobody among the main cast doubted it even for a second?

Also the reasoning why a magic-sensitive creature like Lilia didn't sense his magic before is so bullshit. I'm sorry, they just needed a reason for him to not notice this in order to make this event work.

And then when the cast started talking about how great school was for them, and even offering him admission to Night Raven College... Sorry just a moment, I just need to...

He is a literal human trafficker, and they decided to sympathize with him because of his bad school past?! WHAT???

I'm not even taking the excuse that the main cast are based off villains. HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY THAT AT ALL?!?!?! HOW???

We don't know how many people he has done this to. It's clear that this isn't the first time this amusement park has hosted customers. If this was merely his first attempt by means of survival then it might have been a different story, but he's experienced at this. There's a good chance that he has turned people into dolls before.

And then after a super prolonged chase scene and even more battles, we get to Kalim going full-on Steven Universe on Fellow Honest. Then his employer deducts his pay because of the damages in the park...and he finally had enough. He frees everyone, asks them to destroy the park, and now he's a good guy and he's gonna open a school!

...

Now I'm confused about this for a couple of reasons. So first of all, how did his opinion of schools completely do a complete 180 after talking with them for a few moments??? Change in a character doesn't occur this quickly, and we've seen this be the case with multiple characters in this game. Even if this was meant to be rushed for the sake of this being an event story, not even Rollo had a change in opinions after his event! So what was up with this?

The second reason is that Jack specifically stated in this event that his brother can't use magic but is still attending school. Magicless people DO get educated, and there's many pathways for them to choose from.

They aren't barren from society like Fellow Honest thinks they are. Take a look at the people in Epel's hometown and in Fleur city, they're pretty happy! I don't think the concept of schools for lower magic users/non-magic users is as revolutionary as they're making it out to be, and I feel like this is a super last-minute decision on the writers behalf.

Another thing is that...

Fellow Honest has NO REMORSE AT ALL for what he did.

He wanted to quit because he just didn't wanna work for the higher-ups anymore, not because he actually realized what he was doing was fucked up! Yeah sure, he might be focused on his new goal to open up a school. But is he just gonna ignore the fact that he fucking SOLD PEOPLE AS DOLLS? HUH? How am I supposed to wish him well on his newfound journey when this entire thing is just left unaddressed!

I'm also confused about another thing. Fellow Honest asked the cast to destroy the amusement park after he freed them, promising to turn the park boat around to Sage Island if they did so. This caused the boat to sink, and Ortho had to push the entire park back to shore.

They were able to get back to shore before any serious damage was done, so can anyone tell me why Fellow Honest and Gidel decided to ride off into the sunset WITH the park? It's literally sinking as they speak! So...huh? Where will they even sail to? It's pretty hard to not notice a huge ass amusement park sinking like this in the middle of the Sage Island, especially when it's right beside the port! What is going on?!

Who the hell even wrote this? I can't with this event man...

I know the lesson of this event is to realize the importance of going to school and being a good kid like in the movie. However...let's step back for a bit. The target audience for Twisted Wonderland is young adults and teenagers, and the fanbase DOES consist of these people. I don't think they need reminding of why education is a privilege...? Pinocchio was specifically made to scare little kids, so it just does not translate well to their target audience AT ALL. While I do love Twisted Wonderland, I really do feel like this is their worst event yet. I hate how almost all the characters were dumbed down to make this story work, and I don't care if it was because of Fellow Honest's unique magic. When it comes to sensitive topics, Twisted Wonderland is usually good at portraying them appropriately. So I really have no idea what happened with this event.

I think the company saw the positive reception with Rollo Flamme, and decided that this type of new character was something to be implemented yearly. Surprisingly, Fellow Honest and Gideon seem to have a large fanbase in Japan...so they probably took the popularity of these characters as their next material to work with. This could have worked out wonderfully if they were to treat this like its own story rather than a remake of the movie, but unfortunately that's not the path they decided to go with.

I have never felt this way about any other event, and the urge to write this critic was STRONG. I have no idea whether Yana wrote this, or if another employee just decided to pull some last-minute shit with this entire event. Regardless, I'm praying to god that this is merely a one-time occurrence and that the next event will be better. I think for the sake of my sanity, I need to pretend this event doesn't exist.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on this.

[panjakes]

Hello my friend, I hope that you are having a good day! 😊 Well, For my first request, I wanted to see if you could do a headcanon with BTS x short black!reader (Short meaning like 5’2 in height and who’s from America with Trinidad and Tobago Caribbean roots/culture which includes the accent,food and of course Soca Carnival) who they date, want to marry and have children with in the future? ( You can choose how many kids each of them should have!)

-straight up loves everything about you.

-Your hair, your looks, your body, your style, your laugh, your culture. Everything about you

-Loves when you cook traditional foods for him. Enjoys it everytime

-Enjoys your company. Wants to spend every minute of his day with you

-Makes fun of your height

-tries not to laugh when you yell at him with your thick accent

-Always goes with you to celebrate carnival

-always has a good time watching you dance and celebrate

-Usually just sits back watches you have fun with the biggest smile on his face

-Turns you down when you invite him to dance

-Somehow you finally convince him and now your dancing on him

-All he did was stuff his face

“This is good! What is it again?!”

-Really enjoyed seeing you doing your cultural things

-Lowkey missed it when you two left to go home

-Talked about it everyday and how you two were going again

-Definitely started thinking of marriage after

-Wanted you guys children to be apart of both cultures

-Very much excited when you did fall pregnant

-Wouldn’t stop touching you

“Taehyung stop touching me!”

“Sorry… I can’t help it”

-There every emotion and craving

“Bae can you get me some hot Cheetos?”

“I don’t think you should feed our love child that”

-Immediately goes and get hot Cheetos(and more) after you attacked him with a pillow

-Stays up with you when the baby is keeping you up with its kicking

-Randomly asked how you felt about marrying him

“So, will you marry me?”

“Is this how you ask me?”

“…Yeah”

“Yeah why not?”

“Is that how you respond?”

-It was a very nice ceremony

-Wouldn’t stop crying and calling you his wife

“That’s my wife’s plate”

“My wife said she wants a Pepsi”

“Yeah my wife is having a baby”

-Still couldn’t stop touching you even at the party

-Wasn’t shameful or discrete about it

-Still made fun of your height even at the party

“Your dress is dragging”

“I know”

“It’s because your short”

“Okay taehyung” you say getting irritated

“I wonder if our daughter will be short”

“OKAY TAEHYUNG”

-Very excited when you went into labor

-was frantic while you were calm

-literally had everything packed and triple checked everything

-Held your hand the whole time

-kept telling you To be calm when he was STILL frantic

“Calm down babe it’s okay I promise!”

“Taehyung I’m fine!”

-Was very excited to hold his daughter for the first time

-Also cried when she started crying

-damn near wouldn’t let you hold her

-overall best girl dad ever

-you never made a bottle or changed a diaper

-but it was different with your second kid, boy was tired

-“Babe Tahari is crying”

-“Well go get him”

-“I’m holding Tatum”

-Still beat dad

-Type of dad to have one baby on the back and one on the front

-Holds both babies at once

-Likes to travel with your babies to both of your countries

-Feeds them Traditional food

“Eat it, its curry goat” he says pushing the spoon into your one year old daughters mouth who gladly ate it

-Dresses the kids alike ALL THE TIME

-“Taehyung they aren’t twins”

-“But aren’t they cute?!”

-Always matching family outfits. Color coordinated

-Overall very good dad and very good husband

@lelewright1234 I tried!!! I hope it was okay.

[sturnsyaper69]

Too much for you.

☆~ Chris and y/n meet for the first time at a carnival, were chris, and his brothers Matt and Nick were meeting up with a group of friends that brought more of their friends along. Later in the night, you and Chris build a strong bond, and you end up losing your viginity to each other that night. But you never thought you would see him again. Right?....

Warnings: swearing, smutt, pet names, virginity loss, drinking, drugs, unprotected sex, p in v, making out.

ALSOO BEFORE YALL START THIS IS MY FISRT SMUTT PLEASE GO EASY ON ME ALSO NOT THE BEST AT SPELLINGG

Your eyes light up as you step foot in the carnival. Your vision is filled with flashing lights and loud music screams and sounds of people having fun. The air was warm and smelt of corn dogs and cotton candy. "Holy shit this place is fucking huge" Cody let's out loudly. Cody has been your friend for as long as you can remember since primary, but oh, was he a character. he loved girls smoking and sex and he wasn't afraid to hide it. I giggle at his remark as he smiles at me. "So y/n what ride you eyeing up?" I point at a roller-coaster and begin yapping about how fun it looked "and- Cody Cody?" I say turning around to see him eyeing up a girl in a revealing outfit I roll my eyes "well looks like I found my ride for tonight" he says winking at me before walking over to her "Hey baby" his voice fades into the distance "okay nick texted and said there paying now" Kaleb says Kaleb is also gay say I asume him and nick would have somthing in commen. "Good I don't wanna wait here all fucking night" Rebecca snarls "oh shut up they won't be long" mya whines in meet with my other friends giggling and talking.

"Oh there they are," Kaleb says, putting his phone away as they approached us. I stare at them, walking over it was dark, and I couldn't see their full faces. "Oh my godd kalebb," nicks whines, giving Kaleb a big hug before chris and Matt dap up tjay and Cody basically most of the boys there. I have met Nick but not Matt or Chris before. I smile at Nick and hug him "hii nickk, I love you outfit." He smiles and looks at me "thanks y/n your fit look so cute!" he says smiling before wondering off. I see Matt walking up to me and I smile the lights bright so I see his face he was very handsome I mean nick was so they all where probably. He smiled and me. "Hey y/n? Is it?" Matt asks, giving me a hug "yeah! It is, and Matt? Is it chris?" I say giggling, not sure "yeah it's Matt. " Haha, he giggles before being called over to Rebecca. I hear a whine in the distance.

"Hmm?" The lights turn off, and everything goes black again. I see a figure walking up to me. "Oh hii nick is that you I can't see anything" his figure walked up to me stopping in front of Me he was tall and had a wide frame in golfing mine as he moved towards me as soon and I saw his figure I knew it wasn't nick or anyone I already mett "it's chris sweetheart" my heart kind of skipped a beat at his voice I gain my words back "ohh right sorry my mind went blank" I say giggling as he moved closer to me "oh its fine just a mistake" he say hugging me tightly. He smelt fresh, clean and had a fucking delicious Cologne on. I felt him breath in heavily he almost whispered slightly "mhm you smell nice, like candy " he says, chuckling slightly breaking the hug as he took a step back the light slowly turned back on and I almost fucking collapsed. He was the hottest boy I had ever seen in my life. His eyes were an icy blue, and he had perfect lips that sat so nicely. I wanted to kiss them right then and there. He had a silver chain that sat under his neck. His cheek bones tense as his eyes widen. His eyes trace over every inch of my face. He swaolled deeply as his Adam's apple strained through his neck, and his jaw clenched. I looked away, trying not to make the situation awkward, but he didn't look away from me. I felt his eyes scan me like lasers, that burnt right through me. "Fuck." He mutters just quiet enought for me to hear "what's wrong.. I know this is kinda awkward" I say looking up at him seeing him walk closer towards me "nothing I haven't been better your.... so beautiful" I blush slightly "thanks you chris you are very handsome yourself" I smile cheekily "come on let's go on a ride" he says smiling taking my hand as we giggle and run towars the rides.

Hours go by of me and chris having fun and building connections. We all leave and are in the nearly empty parking lot. "That was fucking amazing" nick says to the whole group "I don't know about you guys but tonight's just getting started "Matt say while holding Rebecca's waist before kissing her neck "yeah im not going home anytime soon" chris chimes in smiling at me "I mean Im down for yall to sleep over?" Kaleb says "YESSSS" Nick yells, and the whole group yells in excitement. "yayyy, you can sleep over, chriss!!," i say exited "YAAYYYY" chris says, tickling Me slightly, going hyper like he did all night. We all hope into our car, and Nick chris and Matt go into there's. "See you soon y/n" chris says smiling at me, as he hops into his car. We arrive home, and we all hope out. It's clear Matt and Rebecca are love birds, and they rush inside making out and go into Rebecca's room, slaming the door shut. I turn to chris and luagh he rolls his eyes "disgusting" he says pretending to throw up. I laugh at him "your so funny, chris," I say, and I walk up to the door as he holds it open. "After you malady," he says before walking in after me.

It's getting late, probably about 12:50, but you and Chris are still hitting it off. You guys have a lot in common, like loving animals and music taste. You guys watched the conjuring and ate a bunch of snacks. It's now 1:49 a.m., and you guys just stopped playing gta and fortnite. I luagh at one of his jokes as he smiles at me deeply "you know I really Like you y/n I feel like we're really building deeper connections" chris say meaningly I smile at him warmly "me too Chris I really love your personality and skmthing about you is beautiful. Not just on the outside but the inside, too. " Chris's eyes widen, and his hand rests on his chest."Whoa. No one has ever said something , meaningfully to me. Thank you so much, y/n." He smiles beautifully his teeth white as pearls as he stands up "arnt you getting tierd" he yawns "noo but we can go in my room if you want" I say "yeah im not tierd I just want to go to your room" he giggles.

Me and chris are lying on my bed when his phone dies he puts it on the dresser "tonight was fun as fuck" he says turning to me "yeah it was and it seemed like Matt and Rebecca really blew it off" I say smiling at him "he giggles "yeah she definitely blew it off" he laughs "so immature" I say nudging his giggling at his joke. After a while of silence "y/n"

"Yes chris?"

"Can I ask you a question. A personal one."

I swallow deeply, looking at chris to him, already looking at me. He smiles softly before his face drops back to a serious look.

"Yeah what is it"

"Have you ever.. like, have you ever had sex?"

My eyes widen as he says this. I stutter, "I never have.. have you?" I say, looking at him

He's already staring at me I turn away once again trying to avoid making ot awkward but his I can feel him staring at me "No I haven't ither" he says still staring "look at me y/n." I turn back to him being meet with him burning gaze "can I ask you a question" I say staring ar him "yeah you can ask me anything" he says staring intensely at me "have you ever kissed a girl before" he smirks and chuckles "yeah I have alot actually" he winks at me "what about you?" I smile slightly."No one, I've never really done anything like that. " he looks at me."What about porn. Do you watch it?" He says with his hand holding the headboard. His expression looked restless, and he never took his eyes off me. "I mean sometimes," I say, biting my lip giggling "whoaa dirty girl," he says, nudging me as he moves closer to me. "y/n." "Yeah.." I say, looking up at him. His lips above mine. "Do you want to lose our virginitys to each other?" I can't say anything but moan in response. He smirks and his lips come crashing down onto mine as he collapses ontop of me his legs squirm recklessly as his tounge plunges deep into my mouth cuasing me to moan loudly but he keeps going grinding his tounge on mine enjoying himself. His lips moving with mine I grind my tounge onto his and he groans his eyebrows furrow and he moans into my mouth and his hands touching me all over. he breaks the kiss gasping for air "baby tell me what to do to make you feel good" he says taking his shirt off then mine admiring my bare skin. His fingertips run along my cool skin. "Just please touch me please" I say begging him my hands all over his chest as he growled he dropped low and kissed my stomach making me whine my body covered in goosebumps. He stared up at me as he slowly took my pants off then my underwear leaving me in just a bra "come on sit up let me see your beautiful body" he says unhooking my bra with one hand as his other one support my back. My bra dropped leaving me fully naked. He groaned as he kissed my nipples I whined and squirmed. I felt a cold hand trail down my theigh near my aching core. gasping and whining as he sucked on My nipples his fingers trailed over my wetness and I moan his name loudly never feeling this amazing before "tell me when it feels right baby" he says before kissing me on the lips once more slowly pushing a finger into me as I moaned loudly "mhm I know sweet girl I know" he says before slowly pumping in and out of me a girn on his face as he sees how in control he is of me. My mind is blank and the air is getting harder to breath each thrust. And before I know it im screaming as he's kissing my neck giving me hickeys, ilwhile finger fucking me roughly and 2 of his long thick fingers stuff fucking raw. "Fuck.... chris I I'm gonna c-cumm" I whine as he pulls his fingers out of me I look up at his as he frantically unbuckles his belt and pulls down his jeans and boxer revealing his large hard cock. I moan at him as he pulls me to the end of the bed and smacks my theighs "open up honey I've watches enough porn videos to know what to do baby" he winks before lining his dick up to my wet pussy "tell me if it hurts too much okay gorgeous girl" he say kissing me on the cheek as I nod. He pushes the tip in as i whine softly biting my lip he pushing deeper chasing me to squirm moaning. Deeper. Deeper. Deeper. I'm limp and mouth wide open as I groan before moaning as he slowly starts moving the pain turns into good as I let out moans loud satisfied moans "mhm f-fuck" chris stutters his hands tremble as he grips the side of my hips "ahh this feels s- fuckk" he picks up speed and soon feel a knot in my stomach as I my moans become louder and louder before. "Fuckkk I'm cumming so hard for you chris" chris groans and spills into me with a loud groan and unsteady breaths and he shakes and brings me into a kiss as we both make each other feel good.

Chris pulls out with a grunt before laying beside me breathing heavily and kissing me on the cheek wrapping his arms around me "ill never forget you y/n"

3 years later....

Part 2 coming soon....

GUYS I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT FUCKING MAKING THIS AND I GOT LAZY BUT ILL POST PART 2 TOMORROW PLS COMMENT IDEAS IM NEW HELP

[jujumin-translates]

Event | Xmas PARK CARNIVAL | Chapter 1

Shop Worker: Thank you so much!

Sakuya: I really needed these new winter clothes, so having you come along was a huge help, Banri-kun. Thanks!

Banri: No problem.

Sakuya: Fufu, whenever I ask you to help me pick out clothes, it always makes me feel super fashionable right away.

Banri: You’re exaggeratin’. Well, guess it ain’t so bad hearin’ you say it though.

Banri: When we get home, I’ll think up some outfit ideas for the clothes we got today.

Sakuya: Really? I’d love that.

Sakuya: …Huh? Those mascot keychains over there…

Banri: That’s… the mascot for that amusement park in America that we helped out at before, ain’t it?

Sakuya: Yeah, that’s the one!

Sakuya: Weren’t you this red bird, Banri-kun? His name was Tony, right?

Banri: Yeah, you sure remember that well…

Sakuya: I didn’t realize they sold keychains from that amusement park over here.

Banri: Right? Maybe the park’s name has become more recognizable since then.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Banri: Oh, they’ve got a lotta decorations up. It’s all Christmas colors around here.

Sakuya: It really is. Seeing all these Christmas trees and lights on display gets me kinda excited.

Sakuya: I’ve spent a lot of Christmases with everyone at MANKAI so far, but…

Sakuya: I wonder what kinda Christmas it’ll be this time.

Banri: No matter what, I’m sure it’ll be as noisy as ever.

Sakuya: Ahaha, it is always pretty lively, isn’t it?

Banri: Hm? Over there, ain’t that…?

Sakuya: That’s… Mizuno-san!

Mizuno: Sakuma-kun, Settsu-kun…! What a coincidence, hello.

Sakuya: Hi.

Mizuno: Actually, I was just on my way to the MANKAI Dorms. I have a meeting with Director-san and Furuichi-san.

Banri: Oh yeah, Director-chan mentioned somethin’ about that this mornin’.

Sakuya: We were actually just on our way back there ourselves. Let’s head back there together.

Mizuno: Yes, of course.

Sakuya: Is your meeting with Director and the others a request of some kind?

Mizuno: Yes, something like that.

Banri: Huh, guess we’re probably not supposed to ask what it’s about yet then?

Mizuno: No, nothing like that. The two of you are likely related to it, so…

Sakuya: We are?

Banri: Now that you say that, I’m even more intrigued.

Mizuno: Do you remember that amusement park in America that you once helped out with a revival for?

Mizuno: It’s actually a request from that amusement park.

[ Next Part ⇢ ]

[obsidiancreates]

From Regular Wednesday To Regular Whimsday

(I still haven't watched past 41 in OUAW, I keep just restarting it, so for the OUAW gang this is just some unspecified time in the swamps of Hither.)

It starts with Witchlight, of course. A patch of mushrooms, a mysterious artifact that could reportedly "open doors to new worlds of possibilities", and the whims of a 20 year old with ADHD and the ability to write whatever the fuck xey want.

And so the artifact shatters in the patch of Witchlight, and Carnival LeCroux find themselves faced with six deeply confused, highly concerned, and bafflingly identical humans.

"Well this is diffrrrent," Torbek says, scratching his head. "Isn't it usually uuus who Witchlight messeees withhh?"

"Must've been that orb thing!" Kremy searches the mud below them by poking his cane around in it.

"Roman, what is this?" The human in the dark shirt and blue-striped tie asks the one in the white-and-red royal-like getup.

"Don't look at me." Roman points at a human with a similar but more elaborate outfit of green and black. "Whatever this horrid imagining is, it must be Remus!"

"Oh, thank you, brother, it is horrible here! But, I didn't do it! Maybe good ol' Daddo did? He's been a frog before, frogs, swamps-"

"Please, Patton would never bring us somewhere this gr-oss!"

"And I really only looked like that because we were talkin' about Frogger." The human in the lighter blue shirt with the gray covering tied around his neck says, wincing a little and adjusting his glasses. "Virgil? Do you know where we are, kiddo?"

"No." The human in the patchwork purple and black hoodie is tense, ready for either fight or flight (probably flight, based on his general vibe). He looks around, eyeing Carnival Lecroux. "And those guys seem way too active to be any imaginary constructs. ... I told you guys we shouldn't have let Janus convince Thomas to have another glass of wine tonight! We're probably in some... weird nightmare because of it!"

"Oh, blaming me, what a surprise." The final human- well, maybe not. While most of him looks human, half of his face is covered with scales. His cheek has a natural slit implying an ability to unhinge his jaw quite wide but only on that side (so he probably can't actually, because his other cheek would be completely screwed if he tried), and his eye is bright yellow with a slitted pupil.

"Slit pupil means he's venomous," Frost warns his friends. "Right, Gricko?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah. I've never seen a snake-folk before, though, actually."

"He's barely a reptile-folk at all!" Kremy points at the kind of-human. "Either fuckin' commit or don't!"

"Oh, okay, gettin' some strong language here! Let's uh, elt's tone that down, how about, huh?" Patton looks at Remus. "Kinda leaning towards this being you, now."

"What, like I'm the only one who swears between us?! Ro-bro here-" Remus slings an arm around his brother, who quickly shoves it off. "-is the one who came up with Bitchmas!"

"I was in a heated debate! I'm just very passionate!"

"You're a potty-mouth! Even more than me!"

"I have to disagree, Remus. Your deodorant alone is all the evidence I need to contradict you."

"Mmm, but does contradicting me really matter if no-one cares to pay attention, Logan?"

"Oooooh, they've got drama." Twig climbs down from Gideon's shoulders. "This is just like those trashy major images!"

"We are not trashy!" Roman looks at his brother. "Well, most of us are not trashy. And we are not from some... major image!"

"Roman, I don't know that you need to justify us to the imaginary child."

"I'm not a child! I'm a Twig!"

"As in your name?"

"Yeah!"

"Then those are not mutually exclusive concepts."

"Alright, alright, enough of all this!" Kremy points at Logan with his cane. "Y'all explain yourselves right now so we can get a fuckin' move on!"

"Boy, lotta f-bombs being thrown around by this guy." Patton plays with the sleeves of the hoodie around his neck.

"Why would I explain? The only possibility is this is happening within Thomas's mind, so I see no reason to-"

"OH, GREAT FLYNN RIDER'S SMOLDER! Logan, there is another possibility! A whimsical, fantastical, impossible possibility!"

"That... is already a contradiction within itself."

"We... have been TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER WORLD!" Roman strikes a pose, one arm aloft in the air and the other held close t his chest as he gazes up into the sky.

"That is absolutely impossible."

"Uh... I dunno." Virgil looks down at the mud and swamp ooze clinging to his boots and pants. "I do feel... weirdly solid, right now."

"Yes! Some kind of incredible magic has taken us OUT OF THE REALM OF PRETEND and into a true fairytale!" Roman's eyes positively sparkle.

"First of all, magic does not exist."

The entire Carnival Crew look at each other. These people are either completely insane, or from what sounds like the worst world ever. No magic is like no stones for building, no wood for burning, no air for breathing.

Logan continues. "Second of all, if we have been somehow transported, beyond all possibility and the very logic that makes up my being, where is Thomas?"

Gideon puffs on his cigar. "Quit talkin' between yerselves! Just answer Kremy's fuckin' question, man!"

"The... alligator-man did not ask a question. He told us to explain ourselves."

"Oh-ho my gods! He's worse than Frost!"

Frost doesn't show if he's offended or not. He simply goes, "Mmm."

"I don't care what you say, Logan-"

"Not new information to me."

"-I am going to treat this as a grand magical adventure! Clearly we have been taken away to a world of magic and monstrosities to fulfill some grand quest, and these uh... strange creatures, are the proverbial tutorial for our journey!"

Gideon leans down to Kremy's ear. "Can I punch 'im?"

"Not yet, Gid. But probably later."

"Mmph, fine."

Roman points at the other party. "My good sirs! We are the Sanders Sides, a group of uh- what's the word you use, Logan?"

"Fine, I shall play along until a reasoning more aligned with myself is presented by someone who will actually be listened to. The word I use is Metaphysical, it simply means not actually physical beings."

"Yes! Metaphysical adventurers from another world!"

Frost leans in, intrigued. "What exactly do you mean, you aren't actually physical beings?"

Logan speaks before Roman can give his own explanation- likely for the best, as the words 'Well, nerd,' were clearly to be Roman's next input to the conversation. Logan, instead, matches the energy of Frost with his clear explanation.

"Well, to put it simply we are personifications of various aspects of Thomas's personality and mental processes. Our main function, and reason for existence, is often to externalize an issue that would normally be resolved through an internal examination and investigation."

"Wow, that's uh- that's really quite interesting. And yet you all take on these uh, these-these roles, and personalities, beyond your intended representations?"

"Yes, and the... severity, of these individualizations has increased drastically over the years."

"So you've had a-a growth cycle! You've developed your minds to contain intricacies and um, and greater depth of character, literally."

"Well- yes, I suppose that is not an inaccurate way of stating it, but again we are not individuals. We are not actually capable of fulfilling many of the requirements considered for actual-"

"OH MY GOSHHHHH!" As Patton cuts Logan off with a joyous scream, Logan's huff of indignation goes unnoticed by all but the fascinated Frost. Instead, all attention turns to the creature who has stepped out of the bushes. Giant round eyes, soft and fluffy fur-feathers, a little beat that the leg of a frog is quickly swallowed into.

"I'm going to cry," Patton breathes, hands clasped up by his mouth.

Logan clears his throat and adjusts his glasses. "It is a very adorable creature. And apparently docile, which I assume means it's with these people."

"OH, of course she is!" Gricko throws himself at the adorable owlbear, clinging to her neck with a hug as she muzzles her face into his. "This is my daughter Hootsie, Hootsie T. Cutesie-Grimgrin!"

"Don't you mean pet?"

Gricko looks at Logan with horror. "No! She's my daughter, and a very bright little girl, oooooh Hootsie, he didn't mean it, they must not have adoption in whatever world he's from."

"What? Of course we understand the concept of adoption, but-"

"Well y'all said you ain't got magic where you're from, so it ain't too unreasonable to assume you're lackin' a buncha other stuff as well!" Kremy gestures at Logan with the ground-end of his cane, flinging swamp muck onto the human's shirt.

Logan sets his jaw and looks Kremy in the eyes while flicking the muck off. "Our world lacking in nonsensical magic does not mean it lacks basic concepts such as adoption. I was proposing a correction because, while it is clear anthropomorphic animal-human hybrids are a normalcy here, that... is just a bear with an owl face."

"Hey! You keep shit-talkin' our niece, I'm gonna punch you right in the body!"

"I am not-"

"AWWWWW, you guys think of each other as family?"

Kremy taps the eyehole if his skull cane topper. "Well, I dunno if-"

"Hell yeah we're a family!" Gideon grabs Hootsie, and by extension Gricko, and holds them both in a hug. "Been travellin' together so fuckin' long an' know so much about each other, what else could we be?"

"I mean we could be a group or uh-"

"Ooooooh, but Mr. Kremyyyyyy, Torbek thinks of you all as faaamily."

The screams of the entire collective, Sides and Carnival alike, could deafen someone unused to either party. Twig and Roman especially.

"Oh-ho, geez, man! We forgot you were here!" Gideon thumps Torbek on the back. "You gotta stop doin' that!"

"He does that a lot?!" Vigril, adrenaline leaving him, drops out of his pose to bolt and sinks deep into his hoodie. The words come out more like spittle, forcing their way through gritted teeth.

"Ooooh, Torbek doesn't mean to. People just forget Torbek exists."

"That's not a terrifying notion at all." Janus keeps his cane hoisted up and arm cocked for a swing, just in case. "There's nothing alarming about a seven foot tall glowing monster who can completely vanish from notice without even trying."

"I knew he was still here!" Remus twirls his morningstar and walks over to Torbek, burying his face in Torbek's closest patch of fur and taking a deep sniff. "You reek! It is delightful!"

"Oooooh- huh? Wait, reeeeally? You find Torbek deliiightfuuul?"

"Oh, abso-lutely! What is that smell, I have never whiffed it before! Is it your deodorant? What flavor is it called?!"

"Uuuuuuh, what's deodorannnt?"

Remus blinks up at Torbek with a grin absolutely carved into his face. "You're going to be my new best friend. Sorry Janus!"

"I don't care at all." Janus examines his "fingernails", despite the presence of his gloves. "The title means nothing to me."

"You love me!" Remus begins to literally climb Torbek. "Now let me see these glowing drug implants! This place is a wealth of new ideas!"

"Please do not encourage my brother," Roman says with a look of disgust.

"We ain't, I think he's just encouragin' himself. And trust us, we've tried makin' Torbek a little more presentable."

"Yeah! When he was all tiny in my inn, he got a nice bath and makeover! But it got ruined as soon as he fell out." Twig holds up her tiny satchel-sized inn for Roman to see.

"Your- oh, look at that! Now that is the kind of whimsy and fantastical magic I was looking for!"

"Speaking of looking, let's look for a way home." Virgil is no longer quite so pressed into his hoodie, but the hood is still up over his head. "What is Thomas going through right now? You guys said when I ducked out, things got bad. Now we're all gone!"

"Oh, sweet Tatiana's beignets, he's right! Thomas could be in serious peril!"

"That's assuming our roles as facets of his personality still apply to us at this moment. Given that we have physical forms-"

Remus's head snaps around and he shouts, "You're all aware of your own breathing!"

Everyone splutters and gasps and makes general noises of upset as suddenly Breathing becomes a conscious effort.

"And we've all got heartbeats!" Remus giggles and claps his hands as even more displeasure rings out, and he simply turns back to trying to part Torbek's fur around the implants and see the scars. Torbek shifts uncomfortably, but his ear twitches and his eyes glaze with a bit of relief- Remus is unintentionally helping scratch a few itches and clean some gunk from Torbek's fur.

Virgil has his hand over his heart. "Is mine supposed to be racing this much?"

"Well, everyone has a different resting heart rate, Virgil. Allow me to- oh my goodness. Ahem. No, that is likely because your, well, you, has spiked with Remus's comments."

"Hhhnnnnggg..."

"Okay, Virgil, now would be the time to utilize those breathing exercises you've taught Thomas."

"Little easier to say than do, Logan!"

"Well, simply try."

"Yes, and if the racing nature of your heart causes you other health problems, Gricko may be able to help." Frost gestures at the goblin who, when Torbek had frightened everyone, had dropped from Hootsie's neck and landed head-first in the soft muck of the swamp. Gricko puts up a single thumbs-up, still quite stuck and dazed, though his nose peeks out just enough for him to breath without worry of suffocation.

Logan blinks. "He, is your doctor?"

"Not exactly, he is uh- let me pull him out, actually, he may want to correct you."

Frost does not move to pull Gricko up- but up Gricko comes anyway, a shhhhhplop! following some invisible force yanking him from the mud.

"Oh, thank you, Frosty," Gricko says, his voice becoming mumbled and somewhat slurred at the last word. "Anyway! Um, yes, I am not exactly a doctor, I am a druid. I can help with some basics healings but not everything."

"Like Torbek's various raaashes."

"Ooooh, you have rashes? Where?!"

"Remus, you will get rashes if you touch them," Janus says, reaching up with his cane and swiftly pulling Remus down to the ground. "Having a real body means you can actually get diseases now."

"Oh, Janny, you're saying that like it's a bad thing!"

"Which means real, symptoms? Including things like death?"

"I still don't see the issue here."

"Okay. Does anyone have a leash?"

"Ooooooh, yes, please."

"Eugh."

[seas1mping]

Small comfort fic for my friend @sweetpayaso <3 love you big bro /p

Reena & Cade Bellamy Grossman | Cake Topper [PLATONIC], referenced Reena/LJ and Sweet Tooth CT/LJ

Umm I'm going to be using the boys from the previous one shot I wrote (Seth, Roman, and Randy) but they're only mentioned. Also Cake is in his normal human clothing, not the clown outfit!! :)

I wrote this watching fireworks for 4th of July I LOVE FIREWORKS RAAGGGHHHHH and then getting sick right after boowomp

----

Cake Topper didn't really know how long he'd been out there. They know when they got out there, the sun was at least partway up still. But the sun was almost under the treeline now. The door to the balcony creaked open, and Cake turned around.

Ducking under the doorframe, she brought out a plate of food, gesturing towards her friend. "Hey, Cake. You'd been out here for a minute so I just wanted to bring you some food in case you were hungry. I know meal time can be a lot with the boys, but we're all done now!"

He nodded, then shook his head. "Thank you, Reena, but I'm not very hungry right now." A lie, they were starving and that food looked good, but they had no interest in eating right now. Not with their mind where it was then.

She shrugs and sets it on the table set next to the door. Reena doesn't go back inside though, she goes up to Cake and puts a hand on their back before leaning over the balcony and watching the world with them.

"My hair is getting too long, I need to cut it soon. Randall has, like, an irrational fear of it." She laughs softly, tugging at the part of her hair that falls over her shoulder. Cake makes a questioning hum, tilting his head. "Oh, yeah, Randy hates my long hair. I think the little guy thinks it's gonna swallow him or something. It's kind of funny to watch."

Cake lets out a snickering sound in response, but it doesn't last long, getting distracted by his headspace again. "Reena, can I ask you something?"

She nods in response, looking over towards him. He looks at her with his brown eyes meeting her clashing ones. "Do you ever get that feeling that you just...don't like yourself?"

"Well I just mentioned my hair, so-"

"That's not what I mean."

Reena blinks, she can't remember if Cake has ever outright interrupted her before, usually changing a subject is common, but flat out stopping her is..not a thing.

She sighs, watching some construction happen off of the hill the house was on. "Yeah, actually. Here."

She points at her right arm, the amalgamation of Down Belowian on her otherwise human form is quite the looker. Jagged spikes up and down it, long, rough fingers. She points to the lighter lines carved into it on her hand.

"My best, best friends, who I grew up with in the palace, didn't have the same mutation that I did. My older brother was completely normal, and my little sister looks exactly like my dad. But I got stuck with this eyesore of an arm."

She flips her arm over, it's smoother on this side, but there are still tiny bumps on it.

"I hated my arm for most of my childhood. A constant reminder that I wasn't exactly 'normal'. I wore gloves, but they always ripped on the edges. I tried to wear long sleeves, but I would just get them caught on stuff. My arm was one of my biggest insecurities."

She looks back at Cake Topper. "But, you know what I did about it?"

He swallows thickly. "What?"

"I changed it. What was an insecurity to me, was a wonder for others. I had my friends draw out ideas for the etches I was going to have. Think of it like a tattoo, but you have to carve it on this stuff. Most of the etches on my hand are from the both of them. Except for...this one."

She points to the one on the inside of her arm, a mass of scratches and scribbles.

"It's my daughter Nari's name in my native language. You may have seen her before, she works at the carnival. She has the mutation I have, but on both arms!"

Cake recalls seeing a girl that fits the description somewhere, but he can't place it.

"Anyways, the moral of the story, I think. Is that no matter what you have, mutation, weird family, maybe something you have doesn't work right. You could always change it. And if you can't change it, try to make it look prettier, or at least bearable to see."

She then winks at him and laughs "But, to me, I don't see anything wrong with you, Cake Topper. I think you look just like you ought to. Jack seems to like looking at you, anyway."

Cake Topper looks away with pink cheeks. But he nods brokenly. "Uh! Yeah, thank you."

She bends down to him, which is a lot because he's like 3 feet shorter, but she looks at him at eye level and gives him a big smile.

"And if you need anything at all, please know that I am here, and Jack is here, and I would do anything to see that you are alive, safe, and well. Do I make myself clear."

Cake sniffles, they hadn't noticed they were crying when she finished, but they wiped their eyes and gave Reena a big smile. "Crystal."

She nods, using Cake a bit to push back up to her full height. "Now, come back inside, I bought brownie mix and I need help cracking the eggs. My claws end up puncturing them and getting shells everywhere, you know?"

Cake laughs, they've definitely had crunchy cake before, and knew that was probably what that was. "Yeah."

[ezlebe]

If you're still doing prompts - the roys and greg are all vampires but tom is not

“Are you nervous?” Greg asks, turning over the black and gold half mask in his hands, as he paces down the length of the room. “Like. You’re prepared, you know. You shouldn’t be nervous.”

Tom rolls his head back and forth, not quite looking back, and definitely not responding to the question. He threads a cuff link through his shirt, a flash of gold between his fingers, then reaches for the next.

“I mean, it’s…” Greg swallows, thickly, lifting and spinning a hand with a weak lift of his shoulder. “It’ll be easy?”

“What makes you say that?“ Tom asks, in a bright, biting chirp, as he reaches now for the cravat pooled on the vanity. “You didn’t have to go through the wringer, proving to every fang for seventeen generations that you’re worthy of low blood pressure, solar allergies, and eternal hunger – you just hatched.”

Greg grunts low under his breath. “Sort of? But they still tried to drown me when I was born.”

Tom looks up with a blink through his lashes. “What?”

“Because my mom like did it in secret, I guess?” Greg says, looking down while digging his fingernail into the leather edge of his mask. “So you know, I technically did have to pass a test. By like not dying from that.”

“What the fuck – ? No, I did not know that,” Tom says, voice pitching, as he wraps the silk around his neck with a derisive grimace. “I thought that… Jesus, Roman’s said as much, but I thought it was a fucking turn of phrase.”

“Oh,” Greg intones, briefly letting his eyes sweep the ground in discomfort. “Yeah, I mean – No? Obviously, it turned out okay. I don’t remember it?”

“And neither the fuck will I. You’re really not making me feel like I’m standing on any more solid ground,” Tom says, as he looks up, then he sighs, offering a jerk of his chin to gesture for Greg to step close. “Come here. The little chain is all looped across – ” He lifts his hands, gently tugging at the collar chain Greg is using in place of a tie. “There. Now you’re respectable.”

Greg peeks down at the edges of the antlers framing his throat. “It doesn’t look lame?”

“You’re insulting me, Greg,” Tom says, fussily straightening the rest of Greg’s shirt, down his lapels, then flicking at a closure on the vest. “I might not remember you, in an hour, but I think some part of me will just know I’m the reason you don’t look like a schlub.”

“That would be weird,” Greg says, though he’s got his own hopes about cracks in the spell.

“The whole ritual is weird,” Tom says, pulling away with a wide eye roll. He looks in the mirror to straighten his own outfit; it’s an antique silver one, so the space is empty next to him, proving it as little more than a costume piece for anyone else in the manor. “Forget your partner just to choose them, again? In masks? It’s a rigged carnival game – one of truest bullshit, considering the 100% divorce rate in the Roy cauldron.”

Greg feels a tight pull at the corner of his mouth, somewhat ducking his head with a weak lift of a shoulder. “Okay, so you – you’re ready, right? You, um – ”

Tom loudly sucks at his teeth, looking away from the mirror while stuffing his silk cravat into his vest. He stares for a few long, heavy seconds at Greg, then straightens, as he clears his throat. “If you ask if I’m ready one more time, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

“I-I only want you to pass,” Greg mutters, somewhat irked, and he feels like somewhere over the last couple weeks, as the final test snuck up, he started being the only one to care if Tom went through with it. He shouldn’t even be the one here with Tom getting ready. “Do you want me to go see what Shiv is wearing?”

“It doesn’t matter, bud. But hey, corner me about the rules, after they’ve lobotomized me, will you?” Tom says, rather than answering the question. “I don’t feel like getting sabotaged by the old ghouls on a technicality.”

Greg tips his head back and forth, imagining how it might go meeting Tom a second time; it’ll be different, at least, since he won’t know Greg’s a vampire, so he can’t – probably won’t make a joke about asking for a bite. “Will you… be nice?”

“I cannot possibly promise that, buddy,” Tom says, picking up the last of his outfit for the masque, a gold phantom mask, from the settee with a crooked smirk. He reaches out and claps Greg atop the shoulder. “You’ll just have to get over it.”

~

It turns out that Greg doesn’t have to explain it at all, because the basis is given to an enthralled Tom and another dozen mortal hopefuls at the masque. They don’t get the truth, since no one is told they’ve been put under a forgetfulness spell, only simply that they’re there part of a singles event and everyone is to exchange a token with their choice of partner at the end of the night. The tokens that Tom and Shiv share are a pair of fine bracelets donated by Caroline, which had been something of a contention, since Tom repeatedly emphasized a desire for a favor more like a silk ribbon.

Or Tom had said as much to Greg, anyway, who admittedly isn’t sure he told this to Shiv, or anyone else.

The whole pronouncement of the ritual by Ewan at the start makes Greg somewhat inexplicably queasy, a feeling that just worsens when Tom and the others are announced and file in at the entrance, so he’s relieved not to have to actually talk to Tom after he begins mingling among the party. He chooses, at first, just to watch Tom from some distance away, but then it starts to sting not to have Tom look back at him, so he begins looking for places that Tom wouldn’t be able to see him from to pretend that it’s just a coincidental sort of disregarding, not that Tom has no clue that Greg is his friend.

He does start to worry, almost an hour into the masque, when he catches on that it seems like Shiv is also in places that Tom won’t happen to see her. It actually seems as if she is outright avoiding him, and Greg grudgingly works himself up to asking about it, after catching her slipping away a second time from a room that Tom happens to step into in an evident wander.

Shiv is easy to catch when she doesn’t know she needs to be watching, though it does mean blood wine nearly ends up down Greg’s black and gold vest. She lifts her unoccupied hand, palm up, in exasperation. “What the fuck, Greg?”

“What are you doing?” Greg says, then winces, as the question emerges a little more sharp than he intends, if not particularly as harshly as he means it. “You’re, like – you’re setting him up to fail.”

Shiv stares back for a pair of tense beats. “I am not,” she says, primly lying, as she takes a quick sip of her wine. “The point is for him to find me.”

“The point is for him to fall in l-love with you, again,” Greg says, clearing his throat, as his voice threatens to break around the reminder. “But he can’t like do that, if you’re totally avoiding him. The whole mask and spell apparatus is the finding part, not like, uh, like a really mean hide-and-seek.”

“He’ll find me if he’s meant to,” Shiv says, a marked tic in her jaw, as her eyes dart away and then back up. “Maybe he’s not meant to.”

Greg feels something lurch behind his sternum. It’s not a fresh memory, exactly, but Tom had made some roundabout… metaphor in a stressful moment that seemed like he was perhaps out of love with Shiv, but that’s not particularly the point at hand. “Do you seriously want him to die?” He asks, because it only really matters that Tom qualifies to be turned before it’s too late. “For Tom to get old, or just sick, and… he’ll just to be gone?”

“No, you dick, but – ” Shiv exhales a harsh breath and glances down with a quick sweep of her eyes on the other side of her mask. “I don’t need you to understand. Fuck off, Cousin Lurch.”

Greg crosses his arms, scratching at his elbows while he shakes his head. “I want to, actually, be-because I suspect that – ” He clears his throat, “I think you don’t even love him, do you?”

“Fuck you,” Shiv snarls, fangs briefly emerging from her gums in furor. “It’s not about love. You don’t fucking get it, do you? How when you turn someone you’re fucking conjoined to them; you’ve got this pulling thing hooked into your fucking soul like a leech.”

“It’s only until they’re… better, or whatever,” Greg says, hunching into his shoulders, as he looks around toward the rest of the party, though no one seems to be paying them much attention. “It never sounded that bad to me?”

“So do it yourself, then,” Shiv snaps, offering a goading jut of her chin. “Shocked that wasn’t your first instinct.”

“I can’t!” Greg says, hearing his voice pitch, tightening his hands around his elbows while feeling his own fangs threaten to rush his gums. “You know you’reTom’s only – ”

A familiar tut sets lifts hair at the back of Greg’s neck. “I hate to interrupt.”

Greg peeks over with a wince to find his mom loitering under a nearby painting.

“Were neither of you listening to my dad?” Marianne asks, typically sarcastic, scratching at the scarf she has tied around her neck in a gaudy crimson. “Or is it just totally wrong impression?”

Shiv rolls her lips tight together, turning them exceptionally pale. “This isn’t your business, Marianne.”

“He said…” Marianne continues, then trails off, as her eyes roll and she tuts, “Not to quote, because I wasn’t listening that close, but I know it was something like ‘should Thomas Wambsgans court an attendant of the masquerade, they may take him as mate’, right?”

Shiv shifts her jaw, then sends a sharp glance up at Greg, as if he’s got any control over his mom. “So?”

“So, Siobhan,” Marianne says, using her wine glass to gesture in a condescending circle between the three of them. “He didn’t say: ‘should Thomas Wambsgans court Siobhan Roy’ did he?”

Greg focuses briefly on Shiv, wetting his lips before looking back to Marianne.

“Hell, our Tommy could court…” Marianne pauses, again, eyes lifting with some too-obvious weight on Greg, then hums a pair of notes, lifting her thumb over her shoulder to wag at the milling party. “Any dolled-up fang, and they would be able turn him tomorrow morning under the decree.” She takes a sip, sucking at her teeth, unashamed about showing her fangs. “You two are still young, but the whole point of these stupid parties was to be a meat market that trapped members of royal families in mildly compatible matches and add their blood to the mix.”

Greg furrows his brow, then rolls his eyes over his mom’s head.

“And Dad would just love to piss off duplicitous Uncle Logan with a technicality,” Marianne says, then gestures with the glass at Shiv with a slight dip of her shoulder. “No offense, hun.”

Shiv sneers while she takes a sip from her own glass.

Greg weakly cocks his head, because… that’s true, except Grandpa Ewan is also steadfast when it comes to digging in his heels to disappoint everyone. He chews at his lower lip, not particularly comforted, but that is fairly typical for getting advice from his mom.

“Now don’t get me wrong,” Marianne says, as her eyes settle and narrow toward Shiv. “I don’t think anyone will especially approve that you brought a potential this far into the fold only to turn chicken.”

“It’s not like I just – ” Shiv all but growls, then visibly swallows, jaw tightening beneath her mask. “That isn’t what happened.”

“Uh-huh. The whole kit and kaboodle isn’t for everyone, obviously,” Marianne says, gesturing at herself while rolling her head back and forth, then exhaling an ugly snort with a short lean forward. “Hell, I’ve heard a lot of stories out of the last year – very surprised m’ athair got the invitation to this masque.”

Greg feels a tightening in his shoulders. “Mom, shut up.”

“I’m just saying that a lot of trying got us to this point, so clearly there’s some forces here that want Tom in the cauldron, alright?” Marianne says, as she takes a step out of their small circle. She gestures away, down the hall beyond the milling guests. “Now, I’m off to go eat my ego and try to convince daddy dearest that changing some parameters here is his idea. You better thank me,little cousin.”

Shiv peeks up at Greg, then focuses hard on Marianne, defiantly cocking her chin. “I will when it happens.”

“Oh, ever the doubter,” Marianne says, as she turns away with a lofty scoff. “Tata.”

Shiv throws back the rest of her wine, then looks up at Greg. “Now you just need to find him someone he could want,” she says, tone rolling in a mocking lilt around the words. “How very convenient for you.”

“Me?” Greg says, hearing temper flare in his voice, ugly from the back of his throat.

Shiv narrows her eyes, staring back for a solid beat, then seems to literally swallow her words, as she shifts a long look to Greg’s right arm. She eventually exhales a sigh, as her shoulders roll back to square. “Yeah, Greg. You.” She throws her hair across her shoulder with a low, embittered laugh. “You’re the one… who cares so much.”

“But I can’t – ” Greg shakes his head, lifting a hand, and nearly knocks his mask off when he unthinkingly attempts to run his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to set him up with anyone else.”

“Other than me?” Shiv says, flatly, while her mouth lifts in a crooked sneer. “Right?”

Greg wets his lips, feeling his gut clench. “Yeah, uh -yeah, obviously, I meant you.”

Shiv is predictably the first between them to lose her patience. “Are we seriously going to fucking do this, Greg?”

“I guess?” Greg stiffly resettles his mask against his nose with a shrug. “I can’t like imagine to what it is you’re addressing.”

“Oh, you can’t?” Shiv sneers, voice lifting mockingly, as she leans forward on the balls of her feet. “That’s a load of bull. Look at what you’re wearing, Greg.”

“Okay, maybe, but not like…” Greg clears his throat, lifting his nose a little while chewing at the inside of his lip. “You know, like you brought a concubine to your commitment ceremony, anyway, making you seem like not particularly committed.”

“A concubine?” Shiv repeats, while fangs frame a sharp upturn of a hostile smile. “You’re barely three hundred, you don’t know what the fuck a concubine is.”

Greg drops his chin. “I obviously do, because – ”

A throat clears. “Excuse me, gentleman and lady?”

Greg stumbles forward and nearly straight into Shiv, who offers a small, shocked yelp, hands lifting up in his direction with a wide, startled expression flashing across her face. He makes sure his mask is straight, as he looks back, seeing Tom looking bemused between them.

“Are you two in the middle of – ?”

“Cousins!” Greg interrupts, tightly, shaking his head and briefly catching an aghast grimace beside him. “We’re just cousins. The, uh – the totally non-kissing kind.”

Shiv exhales an exaggerated gag. “What the fuck, Greg.”

“Glad to hear it,” Tom says, brightly and bewilderingly, then thrusts out a hand, first to Greg, then to Shiv, nodding between them with a friendly, polite sort of smile. It is odd to be on the other side of it, since this isn’t really an expression Greg gets very often, or ever, and a glance over confirms that Shiv is just as discomforted by it. “Nice to meet you. I’m Tom Wa – Or, just Tom, right? No surnames.”

Greg nods with a weak hum to echo the sentiment. He is very quickly confirming that he doesn’t particularly like Tom not recognizing him; it’s been two blatant missed opportunities for heckling, and the air feels a little empty for it.

“I just have been seeing you around, actually, and I want – ” Tom pauses, oddly shaking his head. “I wanted to – ” He abruptly inhales a sharp breath, interrupting himself while lifting a hand to his forehead in evident pain. “Fuck.”

“Tom?” Greg says, feeling his voice pitch tight against the back of his throat. He can’t remember Grandpa Ewan mentioning any side effects, but no one really tends to pay attention to how magic affects mortals.

“Is your head okay?” Shiv demands, her voice rising urgently between them.

“Sorry, hah,” Tom says, voice tight, as he stiffly attempts to dismiss the question. “I’ve had this little ache starting up since I got here, but it’s nothing.”

“Does it feel like you’re having a stroke?” Shiv asks, tensely, as she lifts her empty wine glass and curls close to her chest. “Or is it more like a migraine?”

“O-or an aneurysm?” Greg says, flapping his hands up near his own head with a high lift of his arms crooked at the elbow. “Like, your head is actively exploding?”

Tom glances between blinks to Greg and Shiv, slowly pulling his hand from his brow. He offers a crooked, bemused smirk. “I really think it’s just that purple liquor, but I’m… flattered at the concern.”

“Sure,” Shiv says, reaching up and scratching at her brow. She looks at Tom for a beat longer, then back to Greg, expression tightening and conflicted, then it smooths out. “Fuck, Greg, I – ” She shakes her head, as she takes a step away, plainly again hesitating on her heel, but eventually does take a full stride away.

Greg slowly, carefully looks back at Tom, only to see he’s staring at him, rather than at Shiv’s retreating back. He blinks and feels his face color, scratching at the base of his jaw. “I’m, uh – I’m sorry? Did you… were you trying to ask to dance with her?”

“Not quite…” Tom winces, making a toothy, near-parody of a grimace, before he peeks back up as his lips shift into grin. “Actually, I was talking to you.”

Greg stares back for a pair of beats, feeling heat prickle more sharply under the mask. “You were?”

“Is that okay?” Tom asks, raising the brow not behind his mask, seeming more wry than particularly concerned.

“Yeah? Y-Yes,” Greg says, exhaling a brief stutter. “Of course, that’s – ” He should like probably chase Shiv back down, but… Tom is looking at him. Just him. “Yeah. It’s totally fine.”

Tom stares for a markedly charged beat, then his head tilts, as he wets his lips. “You still haven’t told me your name?”

“Oh, sorry,” Greg says, sweeping his hair awkwardly across his ear. “Greg?”

“Greg,” Tom repeats, in a fond, familiar sort of lilt – and a bit of a shock, since he’s not supposed to remember him. “As in Gregory, then? Suits you.”

“Does it?” Greg says, lifting his brows, as he looks away with a jerk of a nod. “I-I mean, thanks.”

The main ballroom swells with music, as they approach, and is filled with dancers of varying talent; slow and clumsy, to quick and spinning. It’s a comfort not to feel pressure to perform well, since Greg isn’t a hugely talented dancer, despite the cauldron’s best efforts through exposure, and Tom can’t remember that means he has had centuries to fail to practice.

“Would you like to – ?” Tom gestures his hands in a position further up than expected.

“No, no… Um, you can lead,” Greg says, hesitantly reaching out to wrap his hand at Tom’s shoulder.

“I thought so,” Tom says, breezy yet pointed, while he tips his head with a marked smirk. His hand settles solid and wide against Greg’s ribs, holding there in a way far different from the usual poke and prods he affords in general. “You look like you prefer to ask where to point.”

“Hah,” Greg mutters, rolling his lips together with a jerky nod. He feels something unspool beneath his ribs, as he realizes it’s definitely Tom underneath all the polite action. He is, briefly, a bit irked that he’s never really experienced polite Tom before; he definitely should have been given the opportunity the first time, but it… is what it is, and sometimes the deep end is the best place to fall.

“The costume really flatters you, Greg,” Tom says, voice low, in plainly some, fairly successful, attempt to flatter, as they begin to move with the music. It’s as close as they’ve ever been without some pretense, so distracting and unexpected, and the degree of their touch almost, somehow makes Tom hard to hear. “I don’t mean the mask. The brocade here… it was a superb choice – it’s like we came all ready to match.”

“Oh yeah, I know,” Greg says, absently, as they glide and step around other dancers, only to quickly find himself stiffening under a dubious stare. “I – I mean, thanks, but I didn’t actually pick it out? I’m mostly ever worried stuff won’t fit.”

Tom narrows an eye. “Your date?”

“No,” Greg says, shaking his head, feeling a harsh croak at the edge of his voice. “No date.”

“Just making sure,” Tom says, quirking a brow, then he tips his head, as he glances around them at the rest of the dance floor. “You’ve been talking to a lot of pretty masks tonight.”

Greg feels his face color, again, and worries he’s going to have to find somewhere to feed at the waste of energy. “I guess… you know, it’s important to blend in.”

“It’s definitely a formal fucking event, like playacting one of the paintings in this badly decorated museum,” Tom muses, as the music slows, prompting them to move slower and somehow closer, as piano gradually swells around them. “But you agreed to a dance with me, didn’t you?”

Greg offers a small lift of his shoulder. “You’re pretty, too,” he mumbles, then immediately wants to swallow his tongue. “I-I mean… You’re handsome? From, uh – from what I can see.”

“I’ll take either,” Tom says, smirking, as he offers a cocky tilt of his head.

The song blurs into another, and they keep going, easing Greg into some space where he can pretend the masque is going well, rather than having totally fallen apart. He catches Roman and Connor at the edge of the floor, but ignores them, turning his head while instead concentrating on counting the warm puffs of breath across his neck. He can imagine that it’s actually going to work out, standing so close, hands clasped together, like it was supposed to turn out this way.

The tactic doesn’t quite work for long, as his thoughts regroup to form another attack. What if Tom gets pissed? It would be okay, maybe, if he wasn’t going to remember tomorrow. It’s not a lot of time to come up with an excuse for what’s happening that doesn’t just make it more obvious that Greg leapt at the chance to essentially ruin Tom’s chances at becoming part of the cauldron.

“Hey,” Tom says, as his hand lifts across the back of Greg’s shoulder with a squeeze. The music around them is fading quickly, and his voice is consequently barely a mutter, as he lifts his chin to speak in Greg’s ear. “You need a breather, there?”

Greg feels a bit like that’s giving up, but he manages a jerking nod. He looks down, when Tom tugs him by the hands they had been holding to dance, and sees Tom’s is squarer than his, but just as large, and realizes with a hard swallow that he’s got a lot of thoughts racing that he’s been trying to avoid.

It turns out that Tom had actually meant air, not simply stopping their dance, as he leads Greg out onto a stone patio. He even takes a deep breath of the cool air, remarkably literal, as he lets go of Greg to lean on a stone half wall.

Greg stares at Tom’s back, rubbing absently at the lingering warmth in his hand. He lets his eyes trace across Tom’s broad shoulders, then down the seam of the jacket to his waist. It feels a little more lecherous than it normally might, more one-sided, since Tom would usually look back, then they’d both look away and pretend they hadn’t shared a thing.

“This is going to make me sound like some hopped up stalker,” Tom says, after a few moments of staring out across the green; he doesn’t see it though, it’s just dark for him, and now always will be, which feels like another point of failure. “Or a fucking moron addled by romance novels, but I… I’ve been drawn to you all night. Like a super powered magnet.”

Greg feels his jaw actually drop somewhat open. “You have?”

Tom hums a low confirmation, then he turns around to face Greg with an exaggerated, puffing sigh. “But maybe you’re just that tall.”

“Hah,” Greg mutters, dropping his head with a weak tilt of his chin. “Maybe.”

“Honestly, though,” Tom says, stepping closer, pushing away from the wall with a frustrated gesture of both his hands. “It was like my eyes went right to you whenever we were in the same room.”

“Oh, I – ” Greg shakes his head, but he really can’t remember Tom looking back at him. “I didn’t notice?”

“I hoped you wouldn’t,” Tom says, mouth flattening, as he offers a dismissive, flapping gesture. “It was…” He laughs, low, “It made my head hurt just a little. Literally.”

“I thought it – ” Greg takes a frustrated breath, as he shakes his head. “You said that was the, like – the plum wine?”

“I haven’t had that much,” Tom says, really seeming not to care enough, though he might if he knew about the spell. “But I really don’t think it’s a fucking aneurysm. I just keep… thinking about Romans, for some reason, as in the emperors.”

Greg briefly forgets about his own concern, as a croak of a laugh escapes him. “Really?”

Tom hums a confirmation. “Did you know the emperor Nero had a legion of men over 6 foot?”

“No,” Greg says, shaking his head while biting at his lower lip. He wonders if Tom had been saving that up and has accidentally just ruined it for himself. “I thought Romans were… sort of short?”

“They were a bit prejudiced when they were writing about Gauls, yes,” Tom muses, rolling his head back and forth, as a familiar condescending sort of smirk curves his mouth. “But Nero is a hundred years after Caesar kicked them hard.”

“Right,” Greg says, nodding with a weak lift of a shoulder. “I, uh… I really only know the history I live through.”

“That’s a pretty narrow window, bud,” Tom says, raising a brow, as he offers a plainly judgmental tilt of his chin.

Greg feels a wry smirk pull at the edge of his mouth. “…Sort of, yeah. But it’s getting wider.”

Tom holds his dubious expression for a beat, then breaks into a laugh with a shake of his head.

Greg can’t help when the smile grows wide and unwieldy across his lips.

“Look,” Tom says, taking a step back, then forward, lifting a hand oddly across his chest with a short lean into it. “You can take it or leave it, but I feel like I’ve got…” He exhales a weak puff, dragging his teeth hard across his lip. “I have to ask if you’ll take the stupid thing I’m supposed to give to someone I like, as if this is some rose exchange in middle school.”

Greg feels his expression collapse with surprise, hurriedly closing his mouth before his instinctually erupting fangs are visible along his smallteeth. He can’t help but think that it’s only been a dance and a conversation to Tom, and barely that, yet he already wants to exchange tokens? Greg isn’t sure if that … Is that normal? It can’t be.

“I know, I know, it sounds like I’m taking the cart here, and the rules said at midnight, yadda yadda,” Tom says, pacing a few steps one way down the patio, then turning and walking back, his hands spinning between them in a fussy gesture. “But I already know you’re the only could-be I’ve met tonight that I want to see again.”

Greg wets his lower lip, offering a weak turn of his head. “Are you sure?”

“I am,” Tom says, a sincere, tight sort of smile pinching at his mouth. “I really am, but… My ego can take it, if you want to do a little more looking.”

“I don’t, really,” Greg admits, scratching hard, then yanking into the small hairs on the back of his neck. “An-and I do feel the same, really, about like knowing you and looking at you, but… It’s just, uh… It’s complicated?” He shakes his head, slumping down onto a stone bench that the night makes cold through his thin trousers. “I didn’t even… I didn’t think I’d meet anyone.”

“Look, how about – ” Tom kneels down, which is absolutely awful, and then he makes it worse by pulling the actual tokenout of his inner jacket pocket. “We just do it, then figure it out later?”

“I – I don’t have a – ” Greg gestures, at a loss, as he stares at the bracelet with a tightness growing at the back of his throat.

Tom spins the bracelet around his fingers. “You really didn’t expect to meet anyone tonight? You’re hardly ugly, Greg. I can’t see enough of your face, but I think you’re probably put together just perfect.”

Greg bobs his head while he exhales a weak croak to clear his voice. “Okay, uh-uhm – ?” He lifts a hand, clumsily tugging at the pins holding the chain across his shirt collar. He looks down at the antlers, then up, offering them. “Is this okay?”

“Only if you’re willing to part with it,” Tom says, quiet and sincere, then he breaks the tension with a small snort. “Those’re definitely more your style.”

Greg answers with a weak huff. He only has them because of Tom, who he had been shopping with when he had seen a similar set in a display apart from the other jewelry. He had been interested, but concerned they were silver, so waved off the offer to pull them from the case; he’d gotten a surprise weeks later, when Tom presented him a near identical set cast in platinum.

He weaves the antlers between the chain and leaves them bound at Tom’s wrist. The points dig into his skin, leaving little rosy scratches of pressure, but Tom doesn’t seem to notice. “You can give them back.”

“Sure, I can,” Tom says, then he wets his lips, as he seems to hesitate with the token in his hand. He narrows his eyes at it, then throws it onto the bench. “You know what? I hate that.”

“Um?” Greg says, staring at the bracelet on the bench.

“If we’re using whatever, you can take this,” Tom says, as he begins to pull at his cravat, yanking it from his throat and leaving it somewhat indecently exposed for company. Of Greg. “A traditional sort of thing, like a knightly favor. I can’t even remember why I have that… bracelet.”

“Oh,” Greg intones, nodding in a jerky drop of his chin.

“No, no – Up,” Tom says, as he shakes out the cravat, only to just as quickly twist it back up. “You’re looking naked now.”

Greg slowly tilts his head back, anxiously wondering if he can have a heart attack, because it feels like it’s making a go for crawling up his throat. The feeling becomes especially bad when Tom straightens his shirt, as he ties the silk around it, because it feels… just like it had earlier in the night when he straightened the antlers.

“That’s funny,” Tom says, quietly, as he finishes tying the knot.

Greg hums a confused note.

“I thought it was just your hands, but you run pretty cold,” Tom says, as his knuckles gently press against Greg’s jaw, swiping up to the point of his chin. “Are you chilly?”

Greg feels his eyes widen. “Uh – ?” He slowly drops his head, wincing while he looks into Tom’s openly curious face, as he fails to come up with an excuse. He finds himself swallowing hard, thud getting worse, then he leans in and clumsily presses his mouth to Tom’s before he can think any more about it.

Tom inhales deep, pushing back with a rock forward on the balls of his feet. He seems to nearly lose his balance, as well, hand flattening on the bench beside Greg, while the other that had previously been across Greg’s jaw settles heavily onto his neck. He turns his head, seeming to try to deepen the kiss, mouth opening in a gasp between them, only for their masks to clatter together with dull thunks of leather and metal.

Greg pulls away with a small duck of his head, a flush in his face that’s probably the worst he’s ever had it.

“God, these things really get in the way, don’t they?” Tom says, reaching up and knocking a pair of knuckles against the cheek of his own. He stands from the ground, shaking out his hands with a shuttering sort of a laugh. “I’m glad to have met you and all, Greg, but I must have been real lonely and schnookered to sign up for this costume party.”

~

Tom jolts awake to a sharp series of honk from a car outside the window and covers his face with a groan, only to feel a dragging weight across his wrist. He peeks open his eyes, staring blearily at a pair of familiar platinum antlers locked across their chain. “Oh,” he chokes, shoving himself up on the mattress in a fumbling hurry. “Shit. Shit.”

The hazy memory filters in and what happened, how it happened, is all good, in a way – maybe even edging into great – but it’s so totally fucked. He let his heart get in the way of a plan he’s suffered and bled over for half a decade; how goddamn romantic.

He slumps back, playing with the chain, and manages somehow not to immediately reach for his phone. It eventually rings, anyway, as he’s spiraling with his eyes following the spinning ceiling fan, and it nearly startles him into the other side of the bed.

“Thomas,” greets an aged voice, once the line connects, tinged with ever-present gripe.

“Sir,” Tom says, closing his eyes for a few beats; evidently, his failure is worthy of a personal boast from the great hermit himself. “Good morning.”

Ewan grumbles out a rasping sigh. “Congratulations. I have been…” He pauses, exhaling another lengthy breath. “Convinced that you’ve passed.”

Tom peeks up at the shifting shadows of the curtains and the fanblades. …He what? Wait, does that mean he’s –

“I do not envy your position,” Ewan continues, “Gregory is not particularly… accountable, so you will likely have to be very explicit with him during the acclimation period if you want your needs met.”

Tom covers his face with a hand, breathing hard into his palm, then cracks his fingers open across his mouth. He’s pretty sure his smile would put the Joker to shame. “Shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“I’ve been convinced of that, as well,” Ewan says, in a way that might be wry, if it contained any particular humor.

Tom taps his fingers heavily against the side of his cheek. “Could I risk it all by asking why the special case?”

“No special cases,” Ewan says, sternly, setting hair up on the back of Tom’s neck from miles away. “The masque was used this way for centuries, not wasted on a single potential.” His voice resettles into an apathetic note. “And Marianne is to be head of the family, eventually, she’ll need backing unrelated to my brother, when the time comes.”

Tom raises brows with a bitten back choke of laughter. He thinks Logan must love that succession plan, after spending centuries grooming his own spawn. “I can… understand that position.”

“Good,” Ewan says, decisive, “She will also schedule and handle your conversion.”

Tom thinks he hears a protest in the background, just before the line goes dead, which explains a lot – he’s a test in responsibility, how fun. He’ll be shocked if the upcoming most-painful-experience-of-his-life-bordering-on-actual-death is any more formal than her showing up at the door with Greg at some random time between today and two months from now.

He rolls the phone in his hand, then tosses it up, grabbing it, and switching between apps until he finds the right name to tap. The phone rings in his ear far longer than usual, and that’s to be expected, but it finally connects on what must be the final ring.

“Gregory, hello there,” Tom says, raising his voice over a familiar mumble attempting to greet him down the line. “Tell me, did I suffer a wet dream, or did you really kiss me like a damsel under the moonlight?”

“Um, I…” Greg sighs, and it’s too easy to imagine his conflicted expression while he weighs his options. “It was a new moon?”

Tom exhales a quiet laugh through his nose.

Greg continues to hem and haw, to some concerning degree. “Sorry.”

“Are you?” Tom asks, pitching his voice in a taunt, trying to cover the small lurch in his gut.

“Yeah? I… I want you to be one of us, too, but I –” Greg exhales, rasping and harsh, down the line. “I didn’t try hard enough to…” He pauses, again, then clears his throat. “To shift your, uh – your amorous attention.”

Tom shoulders the phone, looking down and toying with the chain at his wrist. “Have you talked to your esteemed head of bloodsucking bastards?”

Greg is quiet for a beat. “Like, ever?”

“Like today,” Tom says, rubbing hard between his brows.

“Oh,” Greg intones, then clears his throat, preemptively weedy in the act. “No. My mom said she would. I-I don’t think he’s… he’ll really care about what I have to say? I can try, though – I should try, I mean. Yeah.”

Tom can hear the same note that Greg had in his voice last night, as he’d put the chain around his wrist. “I’m getting offended by how much you sound like the world is ending, bud,” he says, quirking a brow with a short click of his tongue. He knows Greg kissed first last night, which is doing a lot to bolster. “Was it that bad last night?”

“No, Tom, but if you’d… You know, pursued Shiv, then it wouldn’t matter, because after the setting period, we’d – ” Greg stutters into a pause, somewhat hissing into the receiver. “We could’ve probably worked it out sometime in… you know, essentially forever, but you didn’t, an-and now…”

Tom scrubs his face and is astonished how Greg can be both naïve and an absolute viper at the same time.

“Shiv was… really lame, too,” Greg continues, low and as derisive as he ever gets, being an enormous, centuries-old killing machine ever concerned someone might overhear him being unkind. “She likes you, she said, but she couldn’t do it. She said it would be – be like, a suckling on her soul, or something, like she was scared of having a mate like that. She didn’t even want to give you a chance.”

Tom drags his lip harsh against his teeth, a bit stung, a bit annoyed, too, but not exactly surprised. “Would you?”

Greg is quiet a few beats, then exhales a sullen, offended grumble. “I gave you a token.”

“And…” Tom says, slowly, dropping his voice into what he likes to think is a fairly friendly sort of patronizing developed just for Greg. “I didn’t give Shiv a second glance when you were standing next to her.”

Greg is quiet for a few seconds. “I guess.”

“Honestly, I…” Tom shakes the chain back around his wrist with a tut. “I think Shiv and I might like each other about the same.” He rolls his eyes across the room to the door, then over toward the window, exhaling a humorless laugh. “We don’t even sleep in the same room, anymore. It was iffy that we even applied for the masque.”

Greg mutters something tiny and unintelligible down the line, but it sounds a little derisive.

“But I’m ecstatic to hear you’re not wary of having a suckling babe on your soul,” Tom says, spinning the antlers around his wrist, delicately trying to unwrap them without further turning his skin patchwork or bending a delicate chainlink. “Because I have spoken the grand poobah treant – I passed.”

“Y-You did?” Greg says, voice pitching through the speaker, plainly blindsided by the news.

“He also implied it was mostly so I could white knight your mother, but that’s…” Tom feels a wide grimace pull at his mouth. “Pretty far out, one can hope.”

“No, but he – ” Greg exhales a breathy, hitched laugh. “Like, with me?”

“Yes, Gregory,” Tom says, leaning his head up and wedging his forearm against the pillow beneath it.

“I, like – I’ve never totally drained anyone,” Greg says, in a quiet, thoughtful mutter. His voice pitches, “What if I can’t stop… What if I like kill you?”

Tom rolls his eyes, as a bark of laughter edges around his voice. “Could we have a single good thought this morning?”

“…Sorry.”