#arachnitect

[yahoo201027]

Day in Fandom History: July 29…

As Tribore parts ways with the Crimson Light and reassembles the Resistance, Mooncake gets taken by an unknown enemy from the ship, causing Gary and the crew to go find him in the nether reaches of space. “The Arachnitects” premiered on this day, 5 Years Ago.

[finalspaceteamsquad]

Are you really willing to endanger everything for him? I don’t know. I’ve lost so much, and I can’t lose him, too. But, Gary, all is already lost.

FINAL SPACE 2.06 - The Arachnitects

[smashboy]

"Woah, I can taste my eyes!" -H.U.E., "Arachnitects," Final Space.

[nyktomorphia]

Mab's Drawlloween Club - Spooky Self-Portrait

(The Arachnitect again, because what other persona was it ever going to be?)

[historyhermann]

LGBTQ Representation Shines Through in Final Space

Ash gets her new form from Invictus in Final Space

On May 8, Final Space, the mature animated comedy, drama, and space fantasy by comedian Olan Rogers, revealed that a character in the show’s main cast was a lesbian. While this surprised some fans, the episode, and the show as a whole, has proven to be one of the best representations of LGBTQ characters in mature animation for some time.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress, and Wayback Machine. This was the third article I wrote for The Geekiary and in some ways I'm proud of it still, although I became more critical of LGBTQ representation due to the somewhat hostile response to this on the Final Space subreddit, which resulted in me stepping away from the Final Space fandom, and barely staying a fan of the show. It was originally published on June 30, 2021.

Final Space, which premiered in February 2018 on TBS and began to air on Adult Swim starting in 2019, has been praised for its cast selection, comedy, originality, and uniqueness, with some reviewers even comparing it to Adventure Time, BoJack Horseman, or even Futurama. It begins by centering around an astronaut named Gary Goodspeed (voiced by Rogers) who is finishing up his prison sentence for impersonating a space guard, in an effort to impress a girl named Quinn Ergon (voiced by Tika Sumpter). He meets an alien which he names Mooncake. With both pursued by the evil Lord Commander (voiced by David Tennant), they travel across the universe.

They meet people along the way, such as Gary’s past-and-current love interest, Quinn, two cat-like aliens named Little Cato (voiced by Steven Yeun) and Avocado (voiced by Coty Galloway), a humanoid alien named Ash Graven (voiced by Ashly Burch), and another alien named Fox (voiced by Ron Funches). This motley crew tries to figure out the secret behind a realm known as Final Space and more about themselves in the process.

Burch, a former writer for Adventure Time, voiced Enid, a bisexual woman in OK K.O.!: Let’s Be Heroes, a non-binary Gem woman named Rutile Twins in Steven Universe, consisting of two Gem women, a lesbian woman name Lainey in The Loud House who has a girlfriend (Alice), Molly McGee, the Thai-American protagonist of the upcoming all-ages animated series, The Ghost and Molly McGee, along with various characters in Glitch Techs, Adventure Time, and We Bare Bears. This makes it all the more interesting that she voiced a LGBTQ character in Final Space.

By the third season, Gary and the ship crew, who entered Final Space to save Quinn, are trying to leave, but face challenges along the way from powerful beings known as Titans, the newly reincarnated Lord Commander, and a cosmic entity of an undetermined gender named Invictus (voiced by Vanessa Marshall).

The eighth episode of the season, titled “Forgiveness,” revealed that Ash is a LGBTQ character. In the episode, she is grieving over the death of her brother, Fox, who was killed by Gary, but only because Invictus forced Gary to stab him, by possessing his robotic arm to carry out the horrifying killing. Trying to let out her anger, she comes across Evra, a genderless being voiced by Jasmin Savoy Brown.

In real life, Brown is a queer, and biracial, woman. In the episode, Evra keeps changing her form before she finds a humanoid one which pleases Ash, who blushes at Evra. Both sit together watching lights across space which resemble the aurora borealis, holding hands, together, in a romantic and heartwarming moment. Following this, she begins to repair her relationship with Gary.

In addition to the episode directly showing that Ash is a lesbian, in an earlier episode, "Arachnitects," she says everything about prom brings her to a "dark place." This includes getting rejected by a man named Jordan Hammerstein, declaring she hates him with all her guts, hinting at her sexual orientation, which is not "ambiguously bi," as some have incorrectly assumed, but lesbian.

Evra and Ash bond in an episode of Final Space, an LGBTQ moment.

In a podcast discussing the episode, Rogers confirmed Ash as a LGBTQ character, and noted that while they were unable to hire LGBTQ writers due to their limited budget, they would in the future. He also said that although he pushed for having an episode focusing on another characters coming out, instead of Ash, other writers, and David Sacks, argued for an episode about Ash.

Rogers said that Sacks, a co-writer for the episode and co-developer of the series with Rogers, wrote the episode while going through a lot of personal trauma and from a place of "two souls connecting to each other." Even so, Rogers said that he would have liked to pace the episode better, but that the episode was "deeply personal" and came from coming from a meaningful place. He also described Evra, whose name he came out with, as a genderless shapeshifter, a "lifeform trapped in Final Space." He added that if Final Space has another season, then he would like to expand the relationship between Evra and Ash.

This is not the end of the story for Ash. She helps the crew by contacting her stepfather, Clarence to open a dimensional gateway. While he is successful, despite the fact her idea was initially rejected by other crew members, in the process, Clarence is killed, as others try to get revenge on him due to their anger at him.

Clarence, in his life, had an ex-wife, several wives who have since died, two adopted children (Fox and Ash), is implied to be in love with a character named General Cataloupe, and had a crush on Gary’s mother, Sheryl Goodspeed. Rogers, in a Reddit comment, confirmed Clarence as bisexual, but also said there is a "gay character on the show" which would appear in Season 3, obliquely referring to Ash.

While some could say that Clarence’s death means that he embodies the age-old bury your gays trope, over 50 characters have died during the course of the series, meaning that Clarence is not the only character to die. Even so, he is generally very selfish, meaning he is willing to cheat others, and is obsessed with money, which some could call stereotypical. Even so, he says, in his final episode, that he learned what he did was wrong, and wants to make up for his past mistakes by helping the crew.

As the season progresses forward, Ash is undoubtedly traumatized, like the rest of the crew, by the destruction of Earth due to the Lord Commander becoming a titan and emerging from the planet's core. In the final episode of the season, Ash pledges her loyalty to Invictus, the being which gave her dark energy powers and a new appearance halfway through season 3, declaring her friends to be traitors.

Ash pledges her loyalty to Invictus in Final Space

Even though, at the close of Season 3, Ash is now an antagonist, and a villain, arguably, she does not fulfill common stereotypes or tropes. She isn’t a token lesbian or a "butch lesbian," both listed as tropes by TV Tropes. Instead, she comes closest to the trope of "Psycho Lesbian," which the site defines as lesbian characters who are "exclusively psychotic and villainous," even though lesbian characters can be as screwed up as any other character.

The manipulation of Ash, as such, has a strong parallel to what Zhan Tiri, as the Enchanted Girl, does to Cassandra "Cass" (voiced by Eden Espinosa) in the final season of Tangled. This is strengthened by the fact that Cass is lesbian-coded as noted by The Mary Sue and, more prominently, by an openly lesbian storyboard revisionist for Tangled, named Amber Vucinich, as she pointed out in a series of tweets last year.

Both Cass and Ash are complex characters. Neither are one-dimensional, but have troubled pasts and experience trauma, trying to work through their feelings and thoughts about others in healthy ways, and, at times, destructive methods. They both engage in morally grey actions.

As for Ash, her alliance with a villain is no accident. Invictus plays on triggers for Ash's trauma, just as Zhan Tri does with Cass. These triggers can rear their ugly head, at times, with people lashing out, blaming others unfairly, retreating, or having their emotions flair, as it does for those who experience post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What Ash is going through, whether she has PTSD or not, is not unique. The lives and memories of every Final Space character are scarred with tragedy and trauma. Ash has come a long way since her first appearance in the beginning of Season 2, as an odd and strange girl, becoming more confident in herself and mature. She is currently over 19 years old, with Evra helping Ash grow as a person. Hopefully, Evra will help her recognize that she is in the wrong by allying herself with Invictus, and that she can change for the better, even if this takes a long time, on her own terms.

There is one more LGBTQ character in Final Space who has an important recurring role: Tribore Menendez. He is the leader of the Resistance and is, like Gary, voiced by Rogers. Some say he is genderfluid in part because of an episode where he notes that his species flips gender twice a year, and the fact he has a child named Quatronostro (voiced by Oscar Montoya), an alien who only speaks Spanish.

Rogers has called Tribore "narcissi-sexual" because he "loves himself a little too much." Tribore ends up saving the crew in the final episode of season 3, opening the dimensional portal, allowing them to leave Final Space. Even so, his character, which is a bit annoying and obnoxious, may be a bit stereotypical,even as he can be a competent leader and fighter at times. Rogers also admitted that Tribore, along with Clarence, is not "good enough representation for LGBTQ community." I can't agree more. Furthermore, Val/entina Romanyszyn in Gen:LOCK, who comes out as genderfluid in the show's fourth episode, and is voiced by Asia Kate Dillon, a pansexual and non-binary actor, is much better representation than Tribore by a long shot.

If a fourth season of Final Space is produced and aired, hopefully, Ash is redeemed, working to win back the trust of her friends who she doomed to their deaths. The next season will likely show Little Cato as a gay character, something which Rogers supports. In fact, before the episode “Forgiveness” aired, in comments on the official Final Space Twitter account, he noted two LGBTQ characters in Final Space in upcoming episodes, saying they tried to do their best.

Knowing what we know now, we can piece together he was saying that Sacks advocated for Ash be shown as a LGBTQ character, while Rogers advocated for someone else (Little Cato). In any case, Rogers said that the door is open for Ash's lesbianness to be expanded in a possible fourth season, and promised to "bring up Little Cato again in the writers room." This would be a boon for fans of gay Little Cato and a positive to have a main character of an animated show be gay, especially a mature animated series.

Recent years have shown a gay couple of two secondary characters in Disenchantment (Odval and Sorcerio), the LGBTQ characters in Magical Girl Friendship Squad (Daisy and Alex), a genderfluid character in Duncanville (Mia Abara), and a possibly bisexual character in Star Trek: Lower Decks (Beckett Mariner), in recent years, to name a few. With the whole hullabaloo around the recent Q-Force trailer, Final Space has the possibility, and promise, to move forward mature animation in a better and more inclusive direction.

© 2021-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[villains4hire]

What makes me.

Something in your mind, unknowingly, delayed to you in how it relayed as you helped Ash from afar. Though at some point, when you could no longer act? It would synchronize back up again when she could no longer talk in narration. Knowing the truth all at once of what was about to happen in a flash, something that had finally bled out as not all of it was controlled, or entirely well-minded to begin with, delusional even.

Well, let's get through the clichés and get this over with and out of the way I guess and I don't want pity, I don't really deserve it I think- I do... appreciate the people who have been willing to forgive me, and I don't blame those who don't. After all, I was born a monster even beyond other monsters like Invictus told me, offered time and time again a second chance or offered up like a sacrificial beast, only knowing how to consume, how to destroy. But why are we here?

->"Well, you can't escape fate of what's coming to you, my other dad taught me that."<-

In the depths of space, where all things converged for this multiverse, as even with Invictus gone? The damage of his prison torn asunder and what he has done had remained, tears in reality beginning to seep out, dimensions stretching in all directions, things unperceivable by the normal human eye as in ever-changing colors melted, turned, twisted, stretched, there in the vastness of it all but not, all that shouldn't be, but is as growing darker, yet brighter as blurs, distortion in the stretches of space remained a dying silent agony of stars in the dead cold of what was once Final Space, beyond what anyone could ever truly describe, other than in insane ramblings. Yet still, someone, or more like a group of people with the artifacts gathered and the Arachnitects there themselves for once as well, already having explained what needs to be done. Bolo, the Star-Weaver and Great Architect of Space, must return and the bridges and connections to the other endless multiverses repaired, as they had lost the tools long ago in the Titan Wars to repair reality and bridge it once more to the endless dimensions and universes outside this near infinite, yet possibly dying one. Though they could take a chance, things may stabilize on their own or even reconnect, but they had the means. So there was no point in not trying, right?

As our multiverse is at risk of dying out completely, but it's only a risk. Sorry, again, but I don't leave things to chance anymore, hope is a stranger to me, action is my friend. And with so much at stake, everything we've done? Given? Could all just be gone one day? Just like that? I think you know by now where this is going.

The crew had gathered everything they needed, Ash simply floating in the middle of it all with Mooncake, next to the power conductors of the great spherical rings to summon them but also power the device. The voidling petting him gently as he made little 'oomph-pahs' and other noises as he usually did. Ash sighing as eyes narrowed, the little green creature rubbing cheek to cheek concerned, "Heh, it's okay, little buddy. We'll see this to the end together, alright? You ready?" A confirmed noise from him after lying one more time to Mooncake, she'd gently place him upon her head, the two swirling with combined energies, a dance of green and purple hues as she had gritted her teeth, two high-tech conductors beaming toward them both that began to drain her as the duo started to glow with intense power. Far more than what they could both do without exertion alone, Mooncake helping Ash by being the key to her now with their bond they developed, yet didn't overshadow what they both had with Gary.

I was always a Pariah, tragedy followed me like a plague, the people around me suffering, many by my own hand, while I remained oblivious for so long, that even being around you, would cause things to go wrong or even the most tragic events you've had in your life with me in it, fitting for a monster I guess. Why hadn’t I seen it before? It was only when awakening did I realize it that became so clear, so clear to everything that I had done, so clear. I- I don't deserve redemption at the end, I was terrified of what was going to happen to me after helping Gary kill Invictus, but I think I was more afraid of hurting you, and them, honestly. It's why I ran as far out as I could, I knew I would've ripped you apart like so many others. Losing control and seeing the world forever in that new, but still somehow old eye of mine, the one I always had whenever I closed my eye when I only had one, they were my biggest fears, but now? If it breaks me at the end of it all? I think I'm fine with that so long as it didn't hurt you anymore, that it was the least I could do after all of this.

I've been holding you back anyway, haven't I? I always did.

Even if you refused to admit it, it's better this way.

Sparks starting to fly out from Ash and Mooncake as they began to charge up together, large planet-sized spherical rings began to materialize from seemingly nowhere down below, moving slowly into position then starting to spin, a titan-sized gap in the center of it for how the Arachnitects planned to stabilize this multiverse and then bring back Bolo all in one fell-swoop- Gary notably making some kind of 'Halo' remark, but Ash didn't know what he meant. The emergency fail-safe had been activated, yet they didn't nearly output enough power or energy with the losses the Arachnitects had suffered. Ash thinking of the times that kept her going, every memory of what had kept her sane. A tendril sprouting from her back, slowly creeping up to her head as it wasn't enough, the rings starting to slow down, starting to fail, reactivating them again in time was not an option.

I'm sorry. I never wanted any of this, but I'm so weak to it now.

That of all the worlds I've broken, the dreams and people I've consumed like the monster I once feared whispering to me and all the hopes and people I've gorged myself on? All the pain that followed me to you.

That I hated being a burden to you, that I was so disgusting and yet you smiled for me, letting me think it was all okay, that we were going to be different. But I learned that the hard way you were wrong, not until I did this for us, as you can't escape fate sometimes.

That I hate I just enjoy it now, even when I wish I didn't.

That I hate this is just a part of me now, isn't it?

That it was always who I was deep down.

That I tried so hard to get better, but it just wasn't enough.

That I'm sorry, I wasn't strong enough.

I'm sorry.

I just wanted to be something that could be loved.

A quiet distorted 'sorry' let out, the tendril spiriting Mooncake away to Gary's side one final time as she let out an all too familiar, damning cry mixed with rage, pleasure and mind-breaking agony as it began to ring out in a cacophony of distortion, promising to tear everything apart around her as energies shook the spinning rings for a moment, the Arachnitects silent, ignoring the pleas and confusion of the crew on the comms to them after Mooncake had done what he needed to- knowing she'd destroy him going any further as sinew, flesh, shifted and twisted in gut-turning snaps as that head and body threatened to rend apart, pupils twitching. There was only one chance, and it was now or never again, as tears nearly began to flow. Ignoring anything on being said to her through her communicators as that resolve shined like a now glowing, blackish purple beacon as she convulsed holding on, strands in her mind becoming undone, those eyes snapping shut, focusing and clawing herself through that seemingly endless hell to see tomorrow after almost letting herself slip.

I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I can't repeat it enough for me to make up for it, but it was always going to end this way, wasn't it? I'm going to probably not come back from this, that I'll have to break our promises of a future together. But for you? I think I'm afraid of what comes next the most, that having to go forward with what I've done, that I could hurt you all over again. But that for you? I want to try again, that we'll go back together when I open my eyes to see you one more time, even if it's the last, I'll no longer be afraid.

And now if I was going to be anyone's sacrifice?

An image in your mind of a smiling, adoring face looking up at you, innocence in that eye.

That it could be for you, the one who kept me safe, the one who saw something in me, even when I no longer could after all I did to you and so many others, that without you? I would've given up on ever trying to come out of what I thought I deserved, that I was never more than what I was supposed to be, how it was supposed to end, it was you who showed me what I could be.

That it's always been you.

Always been you.

Always.

That body began to shake, growing in size, purple cracks even in that slowly, but surely mutating form, far too young as a being of infinite unknowable, horrors and powers, countless eons too early to carry out the task, but there was no time. Not anymore, as the screams of the girl you knew slowly replaced by the monster she was always meant to be, a wounded, raging beast backed into a corner no matter what you seemingly did after the one time you had let her go again, something snapping in that mind. The strands of fate began to unwind, as it always had as you could only watch, hers closing in around her to be sealed in what was hidden away like her true, yet hated, insane father before her in the end, no matter what happened as it threatened to condemn them from the very start- something you somehow saw in a flash of the future of what is or simply could be. Yet something unseen shattered it from your sight, unknowingly using your help as well while unyielding, following her all this time even beyond his death. Something in her nature willed him alive even if far, far away, lost forever yet never truly gone as the spirit was willing, yet not as strong as a Titan's; it was admirable nonetheless. Whatever, whoever it was?

Something kept her to hold on for you...

Something...

->Unbreakable<-

That he and you kept the strands of fate and its cruel machinations in check.

The unsung dirge of dreams in her new choir.

Yet again an image flashing into your mind, that eye looking up at you as all you could make out at the end was 'you'. But you could probably spell out the rest at what came next.

And that because of everything I've done to you, I carry those hopes, those broken dreams and the countless lives. That even with love, I can't change what I am, but it's why I can do this.

That he was right, I am a monster among monsters.

That form rapidly changing, horns sprouting as a purple flame above her head appeared, the woman quickly not resembling who she once was, other than her face partially- taking a sleeker, more refined visage as the markings of the new inheritor burned a lit on her chest. Now in control, the roars unyielding as a claw decisively grabbed one of the conductors to ground herself as the rings began to rotate faster in gyration, arcs of yellow lightning striking across the broken cosmos from the divine bands, now moving as intended, space nearly rupturing as it began to ripple. The creature raging but struggling all the while to keep a grip as mandibles began to form, that glow unceasing as her face for a brief moment could still be seen.

->I am the hope I stole from you<-

->I am the broken dreams I've taken<-

->I am the countless lives I've consumed<-

->I am the end<-

But on my own terms now, that you gave me no matter what I became.

Because do you remember what that spells?

What I became because of you?

Another image, your gaze downward to her as she embraced you, only wanting to smile for you so you could as well.

->You taught me that&lt;-

In what was beyond what was hidden away, past what I could see anymore.

That I could give it back in a new world and the only thing I ever wanted with you again.

That only I could do... that only a monster could...

Because...

YOU'RE ALL...

->Ẃ̴̯͚̩Ḩ̵̦̺̣̙͕͇̪̫̈́̾̈́͂́̕A̷̧̹̖͙̼̱͖̲̙̲̠̔T̴̬͐̄́ ̴̮͎͂́̓̾̽̀͘͠M̸̧̧͉̣̙̟͍̝̮̏͒̈́̾͂̓͜ͅȂ̸̧̧̩̣̣̞̺̬̝͉͕̰̘͐̃͂ͅK̵̗̠͈͉̬̟̠̜̣̝͗͛̎̂́E̷̢̱̥̺̪̬͓̟̬̺͔͖͉̿̾͊̈̇͒͂͝S̵̝̆̐̈̍̓̒̍̈́̉̋ ̷̡͎͖̜̓̃̄̇̑̾̔M̵̢̛̫͔̺͇̥͍̰̄̓̓̃̅̈̃͗̊̓̋̚͘͝Ȅ̶͕̟̜̬̪̠̰̥͓̪̮̞͕̋̽̔̐͋̎̾͜͝&lt;-

Those damning eyes shooting wide open, no longer afraid as that other claw shot forward as it locked onto the other conductor, the struggle with infinite power over even if just for a moment, the agony increasing ten-fold as that unnatural throat was ripped raw in the beastly screams now mixed with blood. The creature could no longer talk as she assumed her full form as glowing, siphoning tendrils sprouted from her back and a lizard-like, yet smooth chitinous tail from the back of her lower waist as mandibles fully shifted. A beyond abominable visage appeared, eyes bleeding to anyone who dared to look at the trailing, unperceivable darkness in strands from their body, reality distorting around her shape as their rage let out in countless shockwaves, powering what would be thought to be impossible without the tools of the creators, yet what is creation without destruction- the two concepts cannot exist without the other, even if one is not immediately seen. So with fractures of purple cracks now breaking out in ripples across their arms and into their body, refusing to let go as one final eldritch, thundering roar blasted out that shook the multiverse, forcing the reconnection with the help of the rings, Bolo's form appeared and ripped near instantly from what reality had already deemed what was done, the Titan gasping to life to catch his bearings, coughing and immobilized in a daze as countless flashes of power still continued, unable to stop herself. What should've been impossible, was never a question for something that should not be, but is.

But by only what you were willing to give.

What you were willing to let go.

In that final moment of unknowing will, she had moved to release from the conductors still sapping her, actually able to start shrinking down, her face and original body beginning to be exposed... but did not move, that consuming gaze stared down at her mutated arms that no longer obeyed as drool and blood came from her maw that began to reform into mandibles, "I can save them." A whisper not her own of something that was no longer there, long destroyed as images were made to flash in her mind, memories came crashing back, struggling with a false phantom, starting to thrash in panic.

But she wasn't strong enough, she never was, was she?

She could never let go that easily.

But there was more than one way to stop it.

Ash's head started to shake back and forth, those eyes widening, darting wildly to the side as an arc of purple energy shot out from her tendril at the ship she didn't even realize had come so close, yet dodged in a swerve nonetheless- realizing in horror they came from her. Her body forcibly began to twist back, the loud humming of a ring in her ears, hyperventilating as those eyes began to dart to Bolo, the ship, seeing somewhere else, in another time, the surrounding life delectable as Ash realized she was blacking out, pushed beyond her limits.

It was always going to end this way.

But on her own terms now.

What she was made to do.

->Sacrifice<-

That devouring mind ruptured her own body across multiple points in that breaking, wild sight, agony tearing herself apart into clarity in one final death cry back into a series of screams of the girl you knew again, violently and without mercy telekinetically mutilating herself to stop what she could no longer keep contained that was crackling out inside of her, arms and claws bursting in violet gore, finally letting go of what she kept together as countless cuts and snaps fractured out in shrill, rabid yet crying desperation as her overwhelming, distorted nature no longer threatened to consume all nearby, the resulting explosion of energy silenced her, sending her like a comet into and through several dying stars, then finally into a desolate planet as a visible crater from space was made from her impact.

The crew and those who cared, quickly light folding to where she had crashed, Ash did the only major task that had been needed of her left.

Only Final Space and its endless journeys and dreams remained.

All of it was finally over for what threatened existence at least.

Even if it wasn't what they ever imagined or wished for in the end, they had taken back what was rightfully theirs.

But at what cost?

...Well, it was time to say goodbye to her.

Even if it was only for a little while.

[elastica1995]

UGH SO in final space season 3 when they finally get to final space and find quinn (i swear i’m going somewhere with this) she’s secretly suffering from some unknown disease called “final space poisoning” which affects all living creatures in final space and wait let me back up so all timelines flow into final space through a breech in dimensions caused by invinctus let me back up invictus is a omnipotent being who lives in a prison dimension concealed within final space because invictus is everything that is evil and infected the titans who wait let me back up titans were created by the arachnitects wait let me back up the arachnitects are big huge spiders (but in space) anyway they created the titans to build and protect dimensions so anyway when the titans reached the end of the universe invictus infected them with its evil so bolo (last uninfected titan) sealed final space off from the rest of the universe so they couldn’t wreak havoc but he was put in a prison by titan oreskis (dick) so anyway because final space is sealed off from the rest of the universe then time and space stop moving and final space becomes stagnant as river water would and slowly poisons any organic material within it. this is. a complicated way of saying that final space poisoning happens to me if i’m bored for too long.

[the-letter-horror-lover]

Welcome to the Phantomhive's

SilverFlameAlchemist

Summary:

You had never thought, with your background, your upbringing, that anything like this would happen ever happen to someone like you...

Reader/Various - Separate Summaries inside.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: Arachnitect

Summary:

There was something in his tone that made you want to agree, even though you weren't sure what it is you'd just been asked to do, and you looked back at him curiously. His expression was still calm, but there was something in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Alright then." You whispered.

Claude Faustus/Reader

Silky architect, for insect possession.

A confection collection!

And when a prize flies into your web,

You’re grinning while spinning its dizzy death…

You twirled in time to the music, letting yourself be lead around the room by the boy you were dancing with, not missing the way his gaze continued to stray away from your face and onto someone on the other side of the room from you.

“Am I so very boring that you need to look for amusement somewhere else, Master Trancy?” You asked coyly, smirking at him.

He turned those unnaturally bright azure eyes onto you, smirking right back. “Oh, no, no! I assure you that you’re quite fascinating in your own right, my dear… I just want to make sure I know where everyone is, should anything untoward happen.”

You arched an elegant eyebrow and feigned surprise. “And what would lead you to suspect such a thing?”

He winked. “Well, when one keeps the company of so many… Unsavory characters…” He trailed off, and you grinned at his implied meaning.

“Well then, how considerate of you to keep an eye out for us.” You replied, curtsying deeply as the song came to a close and he pulled away from you.

He smiled sweetly and winked. “Who said I was doing it for everyone?”

You managed to swallow your laugh and blushed lightly on cue, making your way over to the side of the room and through the door out onto the balcony, deciding air was in order after that particular ordeal.

Sneaky, scary, wily, wary,

Looming from your woven looms.

Eyes a’ beady, mouth a’ greedy,

Poisoning within your ring…

You tilted your face back to look at the sky, breathing in the cool air of fall, enjoying the way the crisp breeze trailed over your bare skin and made you shiver slightly. It was a pity you had to stay inside for the ball… You would have happily danced out here in the moonlight if you had been given the chance.

You felt a hand land lightly on your lower back and jumped slightly, turning to look at the intruder, a rebuke on your tongue, but you stopped when you saw who it was.

Calm golden eyes looked at you with curiosity as Claude kept his hand on your back, the other tucked behind him. “I’m afraid you might get cold if you remain out here any longer, Madam…” He said softly, inclining his head just a little.

You blinked at him, smiling slightly. “I actually quite like this weather, but I thank you for your concern.” Assuming that would be the end of it, you turned to look back out over the moonlit landscape, and shivered for an entirely different reason when warm breath swept past your ear.

“Really, Madam, I must insist.”

There was something in his tone that made you want to agree, even though you weren’t sure what it is you’d just been asked to do, and you looked back at him curiously.

His expression was still calm, but there was something in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

“Alright then.” You whispered.

Leggies tickle, fangies trickle,

Stirring in alluring lace.

Spin your shroudie, bundle proudly,

Trapping and a’ wrapping prey.

You shuddered as fingers flitted over your skin, paying special attention to every place that made you sigh softly into his shoulder. Teeth that were entirely too cold and lips that were entirely too warm traced over the places the fingers hadn’t reached, and you felt like melting as the attention continued.

You struggled to make noise, but the whisper he’d pressed to your lips when you entered the dark room always resurfaced to the forefront of your mind, and you found yourself incapable of any sound other than the encouraging sighs that kept his fingers fluttering over certain sensitive patches of skin.

“You will forgive me, Madam,” another hot whisper brushed past your ear, “but I find myself incapable of allowing you to return to the party…”

And you found that you could forgive him, because who could possibly find a party better than this?

Little palace of your malice,

Filigree of treachery.

Callous rapture in your capture,

Viciousness! Deliciousness!

Hallways and doorways were navigated in the dark, and hands continued to cling as you two found your way deeper into the mansion’s interior, searching for a place you could be alone from prying eyes and curious party-goers who found themselves lost in the unfamiliar territory.

Claude directed you by the waist, hands holding firmly while he let his mouth keep you distracted from the world whirling past. You hardly had time to breathe, let alone think, and you found it to be a welcome distraction.

A door clicked shut behind you with finality, and you looked up into shining golden eyes.

“I think you’ll find you are quite capable of complimenting or critiquing my technique as you see fit now.”

You tried your voice, able to manage a soft query. “Where are we?”

“Somewhere no one is going to bother us, Madam.”

Silky architect, for insect possession.

A confection collection!

And when a prize flies into your web,

You’re grinning while spinning its dizzy death…

"Arachnitect" by: Kristen Lawrence

Chapter 2: Goodbye

Summary:

But it wasn't enough to know that… It was never enough to see the look of apologetic regret he would give you as he slipped away again, back to the society and social circles that would never permit you two to be together.

Ciel Phantomhive/Reader

Chapter Text

I’m everything you know, be it friend or foe,

I’m the burning in your throat when you swallow.

You felt a rush of adrenaline as you were pulled down the hall by the hand clutched tightly around yours, a grin spilling over your face before you could stop it. This was what you had been waiting for… These moments the two of you stole in between meetings and parties…

The moments you knew he was yours and yours alone.

And then you spit me out, your stomach full of doubt,

Now you’re faking every word out of your mouth.

You knew from the beginning that it would never be able to last. He had a fiancé; you had an estate that your father had left you. There were always complications that you knew would never be overcome unless you both really wanted it.

And as much as you wanted it, you knew he would never leave Lizzy. Not now.

So you spent those moments in delight and delicious knowledge that you were breaking the rules, but as soon as it was over, he was pulling his appearance back together as though nothing had happened, and leaving you alone in his bed.

Oh you won’t let go, it’s all about control,

Understand, I want to lead you not follow.

The more stress he was under, the more often he asked you over for tea, the more times you accidentally stayed too late and were invited to spend the night, the more time you two shared together, tucked away in his room and pretending as though the rest of the world didn’t exist.

You loved those days. Loved the way his eyes would trail over your face, taking in every little detail, loved the way his hands would lose themselves in the sheets around you and arrive on your skin in gentle caresses. You loved seeing him so at ease with you when he never let anyone in this close.

You loved him.

But you hated the way his features would contort into guilt when he realized what he’d done. When the realization that he’d fallen again, and there was no denying he cared about you, liked you, even, because you were the only woman he ever wanted in his bed.

But it wasn’t enough to know that… It was never enough to see the look of apologetic regret he would give you as he slipped away again, back to the society and social circles that would never permit you two to be together.

Now I don’t wanna stay, and I’m running away,

Don’t you hear me when I say; Goodbye, so long, nice try, I’m gone.

You felt so sorry to see the town house drift into the distance as you moved off into the night and put the young earl behind you. You needed time and a place to think, and your estate in the country gave you both.

So you’d vanished off and told his butler to give him the letter you’d written weeks in advance in the morning with his breakfast, and you hoped everything would just turn out alright.

Because as much as you loved him, and as much as it killed you to leave, you knew it was the right thing to do.

I won’t forget the way you made me feel,

I won’t regret running away from here.

You wrote him letters while you were away.

Letters that told of how you felt, how you wished you could have told him sooner, told him to his face how much you cared. Letters that would have put authors to shame with their eloquence and beauty, detailing every moment you’d noticed something about him that everyone else had missed.

Letters that you left in a box he’d given you for your birthday.

Letters that you could never bring yourself to send, because you should have told him to his face; and pieces of paper, eloquent or not, were far too little, much too late.

You kept up with him in the papers, and laughed every time he pulled off a particularly stunning exploit.

You cringed every time he sent you an invitation to a ball or party, and you cried when you handwrote the replies that told him kindly and cordially no.

Now it’s there to see, you’ve forgotten me,

Ever since I was the prince among the thieves.

You stayed away for three months, shutting yourself off from the world and only sending out for things by way of your servants, letting them tackle society in your stead, because you still didn’t want to think about what the approaching season would mean.

You received another invitation, this time to a masquerade ball, and you finally caved and replied with a very straightforward yes, and told him that you would be leaving your estate directly, hoping that he’d understand, and meet you there…

But when you arrived, ushered into your house by a maid who cursed the London weather, you found only his butler, who was looking almost smug as he handed you a letter and told you that his master was sorry, but he had had a previous engagement.

You took the letter with a smile painted on with care, and told him that it was really quite terrible that you hadn’t been able to see the young earl as well.

You didn’t read the letter. You put it into the box with the missives of your own, and pretended like it didn’t exist. You didn’t want his excuses or apologies. You just wanted to feel his hand holding yours again.

So you hold me down, strip away my crown,

Can’t contain me knowing all the truth I’ve found.

You held your chin high as you entered the ball that evening, hoping against all hopes that midnight would find you in a shadowy hall with your lips preoccupied. But as you slipped in, unannounced, you realized that was unlikely.

The hall was full of bejeweled ladies, all tittering behind their fans as they watched the young earl make his way around the room, cordiality incarnate as he spoke to the more important figures in the room, and nodded in passing to those he was less well acquainted with.

His eyes never landed on yours, although he must have recognized you despite your mask, and you felt your heart shatter as he flirted and flitted through the crowd.

You huffed out an annoyed breath, determined to make him feel much the same, and purposefully walked into him on your way to get punch. You apologized profusely, whisking yourself off again before he ever had the chance to whisper to you, and flirted your way across the room.

You caught him looking at you after that, and you couldn’t help but smile. There was jealousy in his gaze.

Always thinking small, helping me to fall,

Now your jealousy and hate consumes us all.

You tried not to yelp as a hand closed over yours in a familiarly tight grip and tugged you away down a dark hall. Your heart started to pound as his footsteps sounded solidly against the floor and the music from the ball started to drift into the distance.

You stuttered out some half-hearted objection before he dragged you both through a doorway and claimed your mouth with his own.

You could feel the anger in him as he held you close. His grip was possessive, and you felt chills course down your spine at the thought that he’d become jealous because of your game. Because you’d dared to try and win some other man’s favor.

You reminded him that this was his party. That he would be missed.

He reminded you that he was doing this for you, and you decided not to argue that point. You let him pull and tug and curse your corset strings, because you’d missed him as much as he had missed you, and you needed to know that he cared.

And as he whispered into your ear that he would be expecting you to stay the night, you knew he did.

You think you see the world, but you see nothing.

Time is only going to make it worse in the end, so I’ll say goodbye again

You found him in his study with your box on the desk before him, the letters in his hands. He looked at you with an expression you’d never seen before, and you felt yourself fall all over again.

He asked if you’d read his letter and you simply shook your head.

You’d forgotten it was sitting in there, keeping the others company, and when you saw the sadness enter his eyes, you realized you never should have left it unopened.

You started to apologize, but he stopped you before you could, instead handing you the letter and walking out.

You started to cry before you even opened it, and you sobbed once you’d finished it off.

Don’t hit me with your fears, I don’t think with your ideas,

You’ve missed what I’m about, I earned my way out.

He’d left Lizzy.

He’d turned his back on society’s good thoughts of him in order to ask you to marry him, and you realized that all that flirting last night had been his attempt to make people believe he’d left Elizabeth in order to find a new fiancé; not pick his paramour as his wife.

You realized that when you’d flirted with the others, he thought you’d read the letter and turned your back on him.

And that explained why he was so jealous and angry and oh.

You ran after him. You ran until you found him and threw yourself into his arms, because this was what you’d wanted, right here.

He chuckled and asked you if that was a yes.

You told him it most certainly was.

And in the end, I’ll say goodbye again.

"Goodbye" by: SR-71

Chapter 3: Head Over Feet

Summary:

A small frown marred his features for a moment before it vanished again. "I must warn you, though… I already have guests staying with me." Your gaze traveled across the room to where the two darker skinned men were standing, watching the world whirl past in awe. "Yes, I am aware…" You smirked slightly. "I think it would be a pleasure to get to know them better."

Prince Soma/Reader

Soma/Reader

Chapter Text

I had no choice but to hear you

You stated your case time and again

I thought about it...

Throughout the years, throughout the balls and teas and smiles and curtsies, you’d always managed to keep your head down. People knew who you were by association, recognized your name, but never really paid attention to what you did out in the world, and you wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The Phantomhive family wasn’t the only one with ties to the underworld, after all.

Not that you were the one who took carriage rides to shady parts of town in the middle of the night, or the one who pulled the strings like a puppet master and made all your marionettes dance.

Of course that wasn’t you.

You were the only daughter of a nobleman who’d recently passed away and left you a considerable inheritance. You were the now highly-sought-after young lady with money and no mind to marry. You were the special guest of Earl Phantomhive himself at this most recent gala, and you were the woman who was trying not to roll your eyes in sync with your host at the monotony of the evening’s festivities.

“How do you manage to attend these things on a regular basis?” Ciel asked you softly as you took a turn across the dance floor with him, trying not to grin at the looks you were receiving from the other young ladies.

“I grin and bear it.” You replied with a sly wink.

He rolled his eyes at that, but you caught the tiny smirk that flitted over his lips as the song finally swirled to an end, and he saw you back to your seat. “I believe, if it is not to forward of me, that it would be most beneficial if you spent the night.” He murmured as he stood next to you. “I know those headaches of yours can be quite crippling, and I would be a terrible host if I let you simply make your own way home.”

You smiled brightly up at him. “How kind of you, Earl Phantomhive, but what am I to tell my footman?”

“Oh, I would be more than willing to see you home myself tomorrow, once you’re rested.”

The banter that passed between you wasn’t exactly necessary, you knew what Ciel meant when he said you should stay and you knew he would take you home, but to the casual observer it would seem as though your conversation was completely above board, and no one would ever be the wiser.

The fact that you were not only one of Funtom’s number one investors, but also a very good friend of Lizzy’s, helped alleviate the amount of gossip that traveled throughout the gentry about yourself and Ciel.

“What a kind offer,” you replied with a smile, “I would be most honored to accept.”

A small frown marred his features for a moment before it vanished again. “I must warn you, though… I already have guests staying with me.”

Your gaze traveled across the room to where the two darker-skinned men were standing, watching the world whirl past in awe. “Yes, I am aware…” You smirked slightly. “I think it would be a pleasure to get to know them better.”

You treat me like I'm a princess

I'm not used to liking that

You ask how my day was...

Normally when you made your way down to breakfast, Sebastian was waiting to pull your chair out for you, a pleasant smile and good morning on his lips, and you would return the greeting before tucking into whatever meal had been prepared.

But this morning, unlike every other morning in the Phantomhive household, you were greeted by a large grin and a pair of golden eyes staring intently across the table at you. “Good morning!”

You blinked at the Prince sitting across from you, wondering why on earth he was looking so thoroughly chipper this early in the morning. “Good morning.”

He stood and moved around the table in order to tug your chair carefully out for you, still smiling brightly. “Did you sleep well?”

You moved your gaze from the chair, to his face, back to the chair, and then blinked twice in quick succession before you sat down. “Quite well, thank you… Did you?”

He slid your chair in perfectly behind you, following your movements smoothly. “Well enough, I think, but perhaps not long enough.” He was still smiling as he moved back to his seat and plopped back into it. “And I suggest you get to the sausages before Ciel comes and eats them all.”

You smiled at that, and poured yourself a cup of tea. As you lifted the cup to your lips, the sudden realization that an Indian Prince had just pulled your chair out for you made you freeze in the movement, and stare blankly at him as he continued to devour the aforementioned sausages.

He noticed and looked up, blinking. “Is something the matter? I know Agni isn’t as used to your English teas as he is to our own, but I thought he’d…” He trailed off as you set your teacup back down with a soft clatter.

“Forgive me, your highness; I believe my headache just returned.” You stood and he swiftly followed suit, although a little more clumsily. “If you see Ciel please tell him I’ve returned to the room he provided for me.”

As you hurried out the door, trying not to look back, you missed the soft whisper that was directed your way.

“You can call me Soma, you know.”

You've already won me over in spite of me

And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet

Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are

I couldn't help it

It's all your fault...

You blamed Sebastian for what happened next.

It wasn’t exactly his fault, but you took pleasure in blaming him anyway.

If the bloody devil had just kept his mouth shut, then you would never have thought twice about what Soma was wearing, or what might be lurking just beneath the fabric, and you wouldn’t be in your current predicament.

But no. Sebastian had found it necessary to mention a thing called Henna that apparently was quite the thing in some countries.

India included.

And now you couldn’t take your eyes off the richly colored clothes of the boy across the room from you, and you were blaming Sebastian for it.

The idea that, lurking on that wonderfully dark skin just under those wonderfully bright clothes, there might be filigree patterns trailing over the Prince’s skin made your mind whirl with the possibilities, and you really couldn’t help the images that came to mind.

Sebastian was blamed for that too, because he’d found it necessary to also mention the types of patterns most often used, and you thought that Soma would look excellent with lacy veins of dark brown swirling over his skin.

You averted your eyes for probably the thirtieth time that afternoon, and you heard Ciel snort softly from his seat across the table from you. “You realize that you’re going to lose if you don’t pay attention, don’t you?” He asked softly, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

“You do realize that I can do more than one thing at a time, don’t you?” You shot back.

He smiled placidly. “I had no idea you were capable of undressing a Prince with your eyes and carrying on a game of chess at the same time. Wonders clearly never cease.”

You felt the flush rise into your face before you could stop it, and Soma’s voice sounded across the quiet parlor. “Ciel, what are you doing to your poor guest?”

“Oh I hardly think I’m the one behind it,” the blue-eyed boy replied with another smirk, “it must be something else bothering her.”

You would have kicked him under the table if you’d thought you could get away with it without Soma seeing you, but it wasn’t possible. Instead, you looked back at the chess board and tried to calm your breathing. You snatched one of Ciel’s knights, which you imagined he might have let you have, and then glared at him. “Your turn.”

He frowned slightly, studying the board, and you tried not to stare too much as Soma calmly and gracefully bent over the back of Ciel’s chair and stared at the black-and-white board as well.

“You’ll have to teach me how to play some time.” He said simply, shaking his head.

And oh. Oh.

Your eyes had darted to the neckline of his shirt when he’d bent forward, curiosity getting the better of you when given such a perfect opportunity, and you felt your heart start to flutter in an unhealthy way when you saw the tail end of a swirl of darker brown over one side of his chest.

Your head swam for a moment, and from what you thought might have been a very long way off, you heard Ciel tell you that it was your turn.

“This will have to wait…” You managed to mumble, struggling to your feet and ignoring both hands that were offered to you. “I’m afraid I’ve just developed the most horrible migraine.”

Ciel’s smirk could have curdled milk, but Soma merely looked concerned, and you wondered if you fainted if he’d be able to catch you.

And you decided that sort of thinking really wasn’t healthy and you should stop it at once before you actually did faint.

Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole

You're so much braver than I gave you credit for

That's not lip service...

It was the small things with Soma. The little looks he’d give you across the room or the dinner table, the way he would look like a hopeful puppy when he asked you to play a game with him, the tiny gifts that would magically appear on your bedside table without warning when you’d return from a day out with Ciel.

It was comfortable, whatever this was, and you’d smile and laugh and thank him softly in hallways when no one else was around.

He would wave it off, say it was nothing, but you could tell that it meant something to him when you returned the attention. Meant even more when you got him something in return, and were then subjected to exuberant hugs that should honestly never be given to someone like you by someone like him.

It was the nights he’d knock on your door in order to say goodnight, and linger there a little longer than was strictly necessary just so that he could be around you, that made you smile until you fell asleep and sometimes even dream of him.

And when you were awake and not about to fall asleep, he would be right there, always smiling, and you decided that was the best thing for him, because you never wanted him to have to see the side of the world that you or Ciel did, because someone so full of light shouldn’t be subjected to the shadows.

But when you came back to the house and collapsed into a chair, he was right there to cheer you up, and you thought that maybe that was his way of being brave, because no one had ever tried to take you on right after a job, but he could, because he had something none of them had ever had.

You are the bearer of unconditional things

You held your breath and the door for me

Thanks for your patience...

“It’s… It’s never half-way with you, is it?”

A pair of confused golden eyes met yours, and there was a frown line forming between his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

He was perched on the end of your bed, clearly attempting to keep his hands to himself, and had up until then been staring intently at the cards in his hand.

“I mean,” you said softly, leaning forward to place a card onto the playing field, “that you don’t do things half-heartedly. If you decide to do something, you do it all the way.”

He smiled. “I thought that was a good thing? There are a lot of people nowadays that aren’t so dedicated.” He played a card atop yours, gaze returning to the game.

“I’m not denying that,” you hastened to explain, “it’s just a little surprising is all.”

“Why?”

“Because you seem like the sort of person who could be as careless as he wanted, but you aren’t.” You smiled slightly. “You actually care about the people you meet, even though you’d be within your rights to just pass over them.”

“I’m not a crown prince, you know.” He muttered, going a bit pink at the praise. “It’s not like I’m even a prince here, either…”

“But you’re still a gentleman, and that’s what matters.” You smiled brightly. “I mean really, how many woman can brag about the fact that they’ve had the door held for them by a prince?”

He chuckled. “Not many, I’ll give you that.”

You leant forward, surprising him, and pressed a kiss lightly to his forehead. “Thank you.”

“For what?” His voice was barely above a whisper, and you couldn’t hold back a smile.

“For everything, Soma.”

He suddenly beamed at you. “You called me by my name!” He grabbed you by the shoulders and pulled you into a hug, his hand of cards scattering across your bed. “Finally, you called me by my name!”

You laughed into his shoulder, trying to find a way to hug him back without falling into his lap, but he suddenly held you away at arm’s length, cheeks once again dusted pink.

“You… You wouldn’t mind if I stayed, would you?”

You blinked. “Of course not. Why would I…” You trailed off, noticing the way his blush merely got brighter. “You meant spend the night, didn’t you?”

He gave you a shaky nod and you smiled sweetly.

“How could I resist you, your highness?”

He huffed, folding his arms over his chest and pouting cutely, and you instantly laughed and leaned in closer in an attempt to kiss away his frown.

You were quite successful.

You're the best listener that I've ever met

You're my best friend

Best friend with benefits

What took me so long...

"Head over Feet" by: Alanis Morissette

Chapter 4: Candyman

Summary:

He had the sort of golden blond hair that made you want to just run your fingers through it, and as he turned to look at the bartender, you caught the glimmer of his azure eyes and felt your stomach do a rather impressive double back flip. And then he stuck out his tongue at said bartender, and you saw the tattoo that graced it, and you practically melted into the floor.

Alois Trancy/Reader

Trancy/Reader

Chapter Text

He got those lips like sugar cane

Good things come for boys who wait...

Normally when you went out with Lizzy, you stayed away from the bars and clubs, and went shopping like ordinary girls of class.

But tonight, as fate would have it, was anything but normal.

First there had been the lack of chauffeur for you and the blond, and then there had been the cab and Lizzy carrying around actual cash, and then there was the moment when you realized that this was going to be one of those nights, and you resigned yourself to being toted around like a tiny puppy in a handbag by the energetic blond before you.

"Lizzy, where are we going?"

"Out! Come on, this'll be fun, I promise!"

You wondered how on earth a boy like Ciel was engaged to a girl like this, and rolled your eyes skyward. "I'd noticed that, dear, I meant out where?"

She blinked those big green eyes of hers at you like you'd just asked what her favorite color was. "Just… Out. Come on; show a sense of adventure, would you? It'll be fun!"

You sighed softly. "I know, but I'm worried you might have too much fun."

"How could that possibly happen?"

"You've never gotten drunk before, have you?"

"Huh? No, why?"

You slapped a hand over your eyes and instantly saw a drunken Lizzy dancing across the bar top, giggling the whole way. "Never mind. But when I say we need to leave, we leave, okay?"

She smiled brightly, taking this as your consent to being dragged to every dive on this side of town, and nodded once. "Okay!"

You tried not to groan as you imagined all the trouble you'd be in when you finally found your way home, and you decided that it might not be a bad thing for Lizzy to spend the night at your house, so that she would have a chance to sleep off whatever she decided to put into her system.

With this plan firmly in place, you sat back up and smiled brightly at her as she dragged you from the cab and towards a store.

Might as well have fun while it was still there to be had…

I met him out for dinner on a Friday night

He really had me working up an appetite

He had tattoos up and down his arm

There's nothing more dangerous than a boy with charm...

The day flew past in a blur of color and sound and before you knew it you'd started the crawl across the pubs on this side of town, and you really hoped that you'd be able to keep your friend from getting too out of control.

The first stop was completely normal, contrary to the rest of the day's events thus far, and Lizzy just wanted to try pub food. So you ate greasy, but totally delicious, food of peasants and tried to ignore the looks you were getting from the boys around the room.

Lizzy asked what they were staring at.

You grinned and told her quite plainly that it was her.

She turned four shades deeper than a tomato and poked at her sandwich before she had the nerve to look back at a few of them.

And suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, you realized that the only way you were ever going to get her home in one piece was if you called in reinforcements.

Ciel, unsurprisingly, showed up the instant you mentioned Lizzy and bars in the same sentence, and when she'd hit her second sip of beer and found it didn't agree with her, he helped her to the bathroom.

It was in their absence that you noticed the boy across the room from you. You'd caught glimpses of him moving back and forth through the pub, but once Lizzy was gone, you had a pretty good view of him.

He had the sort of golden blond hair that made you want to just run your fingers through it, and as he turned to look at the bartender, you caught the glimmer of his azure eyes and felt your stomach do a rather impressive double back flip.

And then he stuck out his tongue at said bartender, and you saw the tattoo that graced it, and you practically melted into the floor.

It was while you were trying to get over the fact that there was a tattoo on his tongue, gaze still glued to those vibrantly blue eyes, that he turned and noticed you.

He winked, tipping his glass towards you, and you managed to return the gesture just in time for Ciel to come back with a pouting Lizzy. Ciel looked between you and the blond at the bar and smirked. "Someone you know?" He asked as he helped Lizzy back into her seat.

"No, no…" You smirked slightly. "But that might change…"

Ciel was about to object when said blond slipped over to you, ignoring both Lizzy and her fiancé in favor of smirking right at you. "Hey, I was just wondering, are you doing anything later?"

Well, you had to give him points for being direct about it. "Not that I can think of."

He grinned. "Good. There's a place I know just a few blocks over… It's fun this time of night, if you think you'd like to try it out…"

You smiled sweetly up at him. "I'd love to." Ciel started to interject, but you kicked him under the table before he could and continued to look up at the blond. "I came here by taxi, though."

He smiled just as sweetly back at you. "Well I brought my motorcycle, so it shouldn't be a problem." And to top off the sweetness of his smile, he offered you his arm. "We can leave now, if you'd like."

You instantly stood, taking his arm and letting him lead you towards the door.

He took me to the Spider Club at Hollywood and Vine

We drank champagne and we danced all night

We shook the paparazzi for a big surprise

The gossip tonight will be tomorrow's headline...

Given that all your blond had to do was nod at the bouncer to be allowed into the club, you decided he probably came here often. Quite often, considering the way he knew his way around and managed to walk you over to the bar without having to dodge anyone even once.

He pressed a glass of champagne into your hands before you could protest, and clinked his gently against yours before he downed it in one gulp. You stared at him for a moment before you followed suite with a shrug, earning you a grin from him.

"I never caught your name." You managed to not yell into his ear as you leaned in closer.

"It's Alois," he replied in much the same manner, although he found it necessary to gently tug your hips forward towards his, "and I have to tell you, I never come here unless I plan to dance."

You smirked up at him, rather enjoying the way those azure eyes glided over you. "Well then, I suppose I'd better come with you before you turn into someone else's ride home."

He looked injured, placing a hand over his heart. "Me, abandon you? How could you think it?" You laughed as he grinned and tugged you out onto the dance floor, quickly spinning you into his arms and swaying perfectly in time to the slower song that was currently playing.

Alois could move.

You were hard pressed to collect your thoughts enough in order to actually follow his lead; distracted as you were by the way he twisted and turned in time to the rhythm of the music, a grin ever-present on his face. It didn't seem to matter what sort of song it was, either, he could adapt to any genre and instantly fall into step.

And as if his hips, which were uncommonly narrow and entirely too attractive for his own good, weren't distracting enough, there were times when he'd bend just the right way and you'd be able to see down the front of his shirt, always blurred by speed and the flashing lights, but promising of soft, smooth muscles and the cries that you could elicit if you had half a chance.

And with sudden determination, you decided that no matter how offended and appalled Lizzy might be when she found out, you were taking this boy home. Tattooed tongue and all…

Especially the tattooed tongue.

Well by now I'm getting all bothered and hot

When he kissed my mouth he really hit the spot

He had lips like sugar cane

Good things come to boys who wait...

Boys shouldn't taste as good as Alois did. It just shouldn't be allowed.

They also shouldn't be able to reduce you to goo with nothing but their taste and smell, and really, it should be illegal for anyone to kiss as well as he did, no matter their gender or age.

It didn't help that his fingers, which were exceptionally determined little explorers, managed to find every place that made your skin prickle pleasantly, and it was hard to keep paying attention to where you were directing him as you drove him backwards towards your room.

Oh yeah, and there was that. Who walks backwards that well in boots anyway? Who wears boots that well, period?

The purple coat, something else that was attractive against all laws of reason, was removed and deposited somewhere near your living room couch, your jacket soon following suit. Then there was the obvious problem of your shirts, which were dispatched with lightning speed thanks to one of his explorative hands giving your skin a break.

Then there came the boots.

The ridiculous, would-look-stupid-on-any-other-guy, lace-all-the-way-up-the-front boots that encased his legs up to the knee and made you want to scream with frustration when you realized that those black skinny jeans of his wouldn't be coming off until the boots did, and that was quite possibly a feat that was beyond even Hercules himself.

Alois actually laughed when he noticed the look on your face and pulled you onto the bed so that you hovered over him. "Relax. I wasn't planning on going anywhere for a while, if you want me to stick around."

"You'll have to, given the absurdity of your laces."

He smirked slightly, leaning up to catch your lips with his own again. "I think I might, if only to see you make those faces of yours some more… They really are too cute."

You gave him a look. "That doesn't resolve the problem of your boots being convoluted and completely impossible to remove."

That same smirk slid onto his lips as his blue eyes burned a little more brightly. "You know they zip off down the back, right?"

You brightened instantly.

He's a one stop shop, makes my cherry pop

He's a sweet-talking, sugar coated candy man

A sweet-talking, sugar coated candy man...

"Candyman" by: Christina Aguilera

Chapter 5: Undisclosed Desires

Summary:

You quickly made friends, and when Ciel paired you off to run errands for him, you most often found yourself in the company of one man in particular. And if you'd ever caught the smirks Ciel sent his butler as the two left the room, you might have begun to suppose it was on purpose. As it was, however, you missed the smirks exchanged and believed it to simply be luck that continued to put you together with the man you managed to get along with so well.

Lau/Reader

Lau/Reader

Chapter Text

I know you've suffered,

But I don't want you to hide,

It's cold and loveless,

I won't let you be denied...

Your upbringing in good English society had certainly not been the easiest one, but you didn’t hold how the private tutors your parents had hired treated you against said parents themselves.

You grew up knowing that you had to sacrifice certain things in life in order to get what you wanted, what you needed to survive.

Being the only heir to a large estate had not been as much of a difficulty as you might have once imagined, and when your parents passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, you decided you wanted to do something wise with the money and businesses they’d left you.

And when you wanted something done in England, there really was only one person you went to.

When you’d first gotten involved with the Phantomhive family, you hadn’t quite known what to expect. There were rumors, of course, and you always had at least one ear open to such gossip, but you knew how to tell the difference between what was based in fact and what was pure conjecture.

You were smart, and it was one of the reasons why Ciel Phantomhive had agreed to let you join his company in the first place.

In a manner of months, however, you’d gone beyond simple investor, and Ciel had taken you into his confidence to meet the other members of, what you liked to call, The League.

It was an odd assortment of individuals by any standard, but you somehow managed to feel right at home among the rag-tag group, and promised Ciel that he would not regret your inclusion into the ranks.

You quickly made friends, and when Ciel paired you off to run errands for him, you most often found yourself in the company of one man in particular.

And if you’d ever caught the smirks Ciel sent his butler as the two left the room, you might have begun to suppose it was on purpose.

As it was, however, you missed the smirks exchanged and believed it to simply be luck that continued to put you together with the man you managed to get along with so well.

Soothing,

I'll make you feel pure,

Trust me,

You can be sure…

Whether out on an errand for the Earl or not, whenever you went places with Lau you felt… Safe. The China-man would always give you those slightly silly smiles and take you by the hand, stopping you before you went around a corner or tugging you gently in the correct direction when you were in an unfamiliar part of town.

The offhand manner he used with everyone and everything was a nice change to the way Ciel acted, and you liked the more relaxed air Lau always managed to exude, even when clearly under stress.

There was a soothing, calm atmosphere that seemed to follow him wherever he went, making it easier to carry out your orders or to relax once you’d successfully completed whatever task had been set to you.

Lau made you feel like you belonged, no matter where you happened to be at the time, and you liked that he never pressed you for information about your past.

There had been so many people who’d wanted to know about your parents’ deaths, and you’d never been ready to talk about it when the questions had been put to you.

You didn’t have to verbally dance with Lau, because almost by instinct he knew what subjects to avoid and which you enjoyed. He could laugh in the middle of Ciel’s occasional interrogations of you and demand that he leave you alone in a way that didn’t make it sound like a demand at all.

And any man who could do that deserved a great deal of respect.

You trick your lovers

That you're wicked and divine,

You may be a sinner,

But your innocence is mine...

When you needed a place to let your mind unwind, somewhere not inhabited by either Phantomhives or your own estranged family, it was Lau you turned to for a place to rest.

And although you often wondered what an Opium Den looked like, that was never the place he took you.

He claimed ladies like you didn’t belong in places like that, and when you tried to ask why not, he would give you a signature smile and say, “you just wouldn’t mix well.”

So he took you to an apartment he kept in the city, and just by glancing around, it was easy to see it was his.

The colors swirled around the room like currents in an ocean, and the faint hint of smoke still lingered about the place even though he always swore that, “I never bring my, ah, work home with me.”

It was there that you forged your fondest memories together, spending hours doing nothing but sitting in each other’s company because that was all you needed to feel comfortable with him.

And when you did talk, it was always about things that no one else had ever thought to ask you, because others would see them as childish even though they certainly weren’t.

He was the first person to ever remember your birthday and give you the one Funtom toy you’d secretly been trying to get your hands on for the past month because it was just too cute to pass up.

And when he handed it over, his eyes opened long enough to take in the look of pure joy on your face before they slatted shut again, and that smile went from being soft and pure to silly and frivolous once more.

You slept with the stuffed animal at your side that night, running over the glimpse of soft smile you’d managed to see before it had vanished again in your mind as you drifted off into sleep. And although you never told him, you imagined that he knew.

I want to reconcile the violence in your heart

I want to recognize your beauty is not just a mask,

I want to exorcise the demons from your past,

I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart...

When Lau started escorting you about, even when you hadn’t been given an occupation from Ciel, you didn’t think twice about it because he’s presence in your life had become so commonplace.

It was like having your best friend follow you around and make soft, snide comments to you when he knew you needed a bit of cheering up.

A best friend that, should you require it of him, could do any number of things to help you escape the world and whisk you away to paradises he created with a snap of his fingers.

He could do anything for you, and although he never said it outright, there were always gestures and comments that led you to that conclusion without any doubts on the matter.

Lau would have turned the world upside down if you’d asked him to.

At first, you’d assumed the reason behind it was akin to the reason he kept Ran-Mao around, because he saw you like a sister. Because he wanted to be sure you were kept close enough to keep an eye on in case anything went wrong. Because, for whatever reason, he cared about you.

But you weren’t the one he pulled into his lap, weren’t the one he took back to his Den, weren’t the one he gallivanted across the town with on a whim.

You were the one he watched like a hawk and never let out of his sight, the one he would steal away from the world when you needed rescuing, the one he always treated with the greatest of care, as though you might break at a moment’s notice.

“It isn’t that I don’t trust you, my dear,” he’d whispered to you one night as you’d fallen asleep in his apartment, cradled gently against his chest, “but I don’t want anyone else breaking my precious little doll.”

And whether or not he knew you could hear him, you appreciated the sentiment all the same.

He might have been a strange man to everyone else, and certainly tricky to get to know, but it was always worth it for the way he treated you and treasured you, and made sure you were always safe.

He treated you as if you were breakable, because he was well aware of the fact that you were.

Please me,

Show me how it's done,

Tease me,

You are the one...

It had been a perfectly ordinary evening in autumn when he’d caught your wrist as you walked by and tugged you down into his lap as he sat on one of Ciel’s couches.

Almost without thinking, you wrapped an arm around the back of his neck and arranged yourself more comfortably in your new perch.

Although Ciel had been far too busy going over the details of his most recent case with Sebastian to notice it right away, you caught the sly smirk on the China-man’s lips and the slight flutter of his eyelashes as he glanced over at your face and then returned his attention to the young Earl.

It was the same perfectly ordinary day in autumn, although a few hours later, when Lau gently pulled you to one side before you entered the dining room in the mansion and smiled blandly at you. “We really must do something about that dress of yours, my dear,” he breathed the next words by your ear, and your cheeks flushed at his tone, “I can hardly appreciate your figure to perfection when it’s bundled under all that fabric.”

The dress in question he produced as a substitute never saw the outside of your bedroom, but you couldn’t help but giggle at the sentiment behind it.

You refrained from wearing dresses with bustles when you knew you’d be in his company, and he continued to pull you into his lap with a good deal of unnecessary flourish just to make the fact that you now sat there all the more obvious.

Lau continued to tease you about your taste in clothing, and you continued to tease him about his.

The day you found him standing outside your door in a tailored suit and exceptionally flowery cravat was the day you knew you were in love.

“You didn’t have to wear that ridiculous thing, you know…” You muttered into your teacup, unable to take your eyes off him as he sat across from you.

“Oh, I know, but I decided that I might give it a try, just for a day.” He frowned at his coat sleeves as though the deep, peacock blue buttons that rested there had personally insulted him. “I must say, though, I find it rather constricting.”

You licked your lips, wondering if there was any comment you could make in return that wouldn’t end up sounding completely inappropriate.

“I noticed you haven’t worn the dress I procured for you as substitute for your usual attire,” he pointed out, the hint of a smirk creeping onto his lips, “why is that?”

“You know very well why,” you replied with a huff, “my nightgowns offer more modesty than that thing you call a dress.”

His eyebrows floated up his forehead. “Really now? I hardly believe that to be true…” The smirk was no longer a hint, but an obvious truth. “I would have to be convinced through unshakable evidence.”

You stared at him for a full minute before his eyes fluttered open to stare at you, burning brightly in the light streaming in from the window.

“Would you be able to provide me with such evidence, or will we be forced to call a truce on the subject and separate, unsatisfied on all accounts?”

There were only so many things you could say no to in the world; and the look he was giving you combined with his tone was not one of them.

“I believe I can prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt,” you replied softly, setting down your cup and standing, “if you’ll follow me.”

“To the ends of the earth, if you asked me.” He replied; standing and offering you his arm. “And certainly to your bedroom.”

Please me,

Show me how it's done,

Trust me,

You are the one...

"Undisclosed Desires" by: Muse

Chapter 6: Smooth

Summary:

There was something reassuring about being in Agni's presence, and no matter what cool demeanor he may have put on, you knew there was heat running just below the surface of him. A heat you would have loved to curl yourself around and never release.

Agni/Reader

Chapter Text

Or else forget about it

Oh, let's don't forget about it

Let's don't forget about it, yeah

Oh, no, no

Let's don't forget about it…

You’d grown up as a child of high society, given every luxury that money could afford and showering you with both fame and fortune.

Your parents had forged their fortune through import and foreign trade, and it was by these means that you saw a great deal of the world as you traveled with them.

Your adventures were limited to Europe while you were still young, but once your parents deemed you old enough; you were allowed to travel abroad as well.

It was these long trips that you enjoyed most because the cultures were so very different in those countries than they were in yours, and it was wonderful to see the different rituals and art and people.

Through your travels you’d gained not only knowledge and experience but also wisdom with how to handle different peoples and countries. As the only heir, you would take control of the company when your parents died, and as much as you detested the idea, you were not naïve enough to think they would live forever.

The other thing you’d discovered while traveling, was your favorite place on earth.

For a long time before you traveled abroad when anyone asked, you would say that your favorite place was England; your home.

Once you had set foot outside of Europe, however, that opinion quickly changed.

India was your favorite place, now, and whenever your father went there on business you went with him to enjoy the wonders that it provided.

The colors in India were brighter, bolder, richer than any color you could find in England. Everything, from the sky to the tiniest little bug, was more alive here than at home, and you fell in love with the place the first time you set foot on its shores.

The air was rich in a way you hadn’t known air could be, and when you breathed it in, you felt as though you were richer and bolder for it.

And the people there were the handsomest you had ever seen.

With skin darker than yours by shades varying from gentle mocha and hazel brown to darkest ebony, and eyes that burned like stars in a night sky, they were breathtaking in the sheer difference from everything you had ever been used to before.

India was the place you always promised yourself you would remain in business with, no matter what came, because you refused to give up this country to something as trivial as economy and convenience.

You would not abandon the one place you had always been accepted with open arms, no matter what storms had come before.

You would stand by this brave, bold country, and they had promised to stand by you.

Man it's a hot one

Like seven inches from the midday sun

Well I hear you whisper and the words melt everyone

But you stay so cold...

When you had gone to India, you were always sure to bring things back with you. Little trinkets to give to your family or friends, and whenever Lizzy saw you come calling, she instantly knew why.

This time, you had found her to be at the Phantomhive manner, and after a good deal of fussing by Lizzy and Sebastian, you were all seated outside in the warm summer air.

Tea was currently being served, and you watched Lizzy intently as she carefully opened the box you’d presented her with once she’d been seated.

“Oh, it’s lovely!” She giggled over the bracelet you had brought her, quickly slipping it on. “What’s it made from?” She asked, inspecting it closely.

“Jade,” you answered promptly, pleased to see she was thrilled by it, “and I knew you’d want Ciel to match, so I brought him something made from it too.”

The young Earl bristled, his fingers stilling against the ribbon holding his box together. “I beg your pardon?”

You laughed at his expression, leaning forward to put a hand on his arm. “Do relax, Ciel, I didn’t get you a bracelet too.”

He gave you a calculating look before he finished opening the box and stared at what was inside.

You never stopped loving seeing that look on his face. The surprise mixed with genuine enjoyment and gratitude.

“Thank you,” he breathed after a moment, removing the jade cane-handle from its resting place, “it will look quite nice, I think.”

Lizzy frowned slightly at it. “Oh, but it’s not cute!” She gave you a look.

“Oh, but Lizzy, an Earl should never look cute. At least,” you smirked over at him, “not openly.”

He shot you an annoyed look before he presented the handle to Lizzy for inspection and watched her instantly squeal in surprise over one of the tiny carved elephants that adorned the side of it. “You always bring us things from India, but you never keep anything for yourself,” he observed, “why is that?”

Memories of one of the last handsome young men you’d seen there flashed through your mind. “I’m afraid the things I would like to bring home wouldn’t make the trip.” You replied evasively.

Ciel gave you a knowing look and smirked. “Well then, perhaps we can fix that.” He nodded to Sebastian, and the butler moved back into the house.

“Ciel,” you raised an eyebrow at him, “what are you planning?”

“Nothing you won’t enjoy thoroughly, I promise.”

You were about to question him further when a voice called out to you and your head snapped up to look across the patio towards the doors into the house.

Sebastian was smirking as he walked back to his master’s side, you noticed, and just behind him was a boy you recognized. “Soma!” You cried, practically flying out of your seat to meet him half-way in a tight hug.

“Ah! I did not know it would be you when Ciel told me I would be meeting an old friend today! How have you been, it has been too long since we last spoke!”

You laughed, pulling back far enough to look him over. “I’ve been quite well, Soma, thank you.” And then you recognized the man standing behind him.

Agni looked like he wanted to hug you too, pale eyes full of emotion and light as they gazed at you over Soma’s shoulder. “Hello again, Miss.” He breathed softly, inclining his head and breaking the stare he’d been directing your way.

“Agni,” you resisted the urge to tip his chin back up and hug him as tightly as you had Soma, “it’s good to see you.”

He was smiling when he looked back up, you noticed, but Soma was talking and dragging you back towards the tea table, so you followed his lead, returning the soft smile.

The entire afternoon you tried not to grin too brightly, and you thanked Ciel properly with words and a look he knew conveyed so much more. The thing you really missed when you left India was the people, and Soma and his butler more than made up for everyone else you’d had to leave behind.

As you talked to Soma, you realized that Sebastian had relinquished serving rights of you to Agni, and you tried not to melt on the spot when his rich voice asked, “Miss, would you like more tea?”

There was something reassuring about being in Agni’s presence, and no matter what cool demeanor he may have put on, you knew there was heat running just below the surface of him.

A heat you would have loved to curl yourself around and never release.

My mu equita

My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa

You're my reason for reason

The step in my groove, yeah...

While Ciel tried to keep Lizzy entertained enough to not interrupt you and Soma as you discussed your favorite place and laughed at the stories you shared, Sebastian hovered by his master’s chair, and Agni hovered by his.

He would smile at the stories being told, and occasionally comment or corroborate Soma’s story when requested to do so, but his eyes never left your face.

And you didn’t have to look up at him to know, you just did.

The first time you’d met Soma was in India, and Agni had stared at you then as well, although not as openly. At first you had assumed it was because you were English, and he was unaccustomed to foreign visitors, but he didn’t stare at your parents.

He ducked his head respectfully to them, as was expected of a servant in aristocracy’s presence, but you he’d dared to look at directly.

You’d thought it strange, but had dismissed it when you left, and had forgotten it entirely until you next returned, and he did it again.

Soma didn’t seem to notice, so you thought it best not to mention it, instead gently broaching the subject to the butler himself.

“I apologize, Miss,” he’d touched his forehead to the floor, tone soft as he whispered against the palace tiles; “I meant no offence in my gaze. You are quite captivating, Miss, and I merely wished to take in your beauty.”

Eloquence born out of serving a prince and having to apologize often, you’d assumed at the time, but something about it had struck you. “You find me beautiful?”

“Many here do, Miss, but they were not as impertinent as I with their eyes.”

You’d resisted the urge to giggle. “Raise your head, Agni.”

He’d done so, sitting back on his heels with his gaze averted from your face. “You may punish me as you see fit, Miss, my prince has instructed that I serve you as I would him.”

You’d reached out to touch his cheek, smiling when he didn’t flinch. “I am not mad, Agni, and I will not punish you; I merely wished to know why you were staring.”

That was the first day you’d ever seen him blush. “Your mercy is unwarranted. I should not have stared.”

“But you did, and I was not offended, so we shall speak of it no more.” You stood, smiling at him again. “Now, would you be so kind as to show me the gardens? Soma has told me they are quite lovely.”

Today, now, back in Ciel’s garden under the summer sky, Agni was still staring.

But now you knew why, and every once in a while, you’d stare right back.

And it's just like the ocean under the moon

Well that's the same as the emotion that I get from you

You got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah

Gimme your heart make it real

Or else forget about it...

Lizzy left just after dinner, promising to come by again soon to see you and thanking you again for the present. You’d waved her off from the steps, and then returned inside to play chess with the young Earl.

Ciel went to bed long before either you or Soma, and as the clock over the mantel slowly inched closer to dawn, you caught Soma yawning and demanded he go to bed.

“But I want to stay up with you!” He complained with a sleepy pout, barely keeping his eyes open as he slouched in his chair.

You’d rolled your eyes, laughing softly. “Agni, see him up to bed, won’t you?”

Soma opened his mouth to complain, but Agni dutifully scooped him up into his arms. “Of course, Miss.”

You giggled as they left, and you stood and slowly made your way out of the parlor as well.

Despite your desire to sleep, you ended up following Agni as he took Soma up to bed, and once the prince had been deposited safely on his sheets, his butler turned to look at you.

“As there is nothing my prince will request of me until later tonight, is there anything I may do for you, Miss?”

The question caught you off guard, and you stood staring at him for a moment before you opened your mouth. “I would appreciate it if you saw me back to my room… There’s something about this house at night that I do not trust.”

Agni smiled, bowing his head as he slipped back out the door and closed it behind him. “I understand how you feel, Miss.”

The walk back to your room was made in no great hurry, and you took your time moving through the darkened halls and writhing shadows of the mansion.

You walked in silence, except for the occasional creak of floorboards beneath your feet, and you didn’t want to wake the rest of the house with any comments that might be made too loudly.

The silence suited you both well, though, and there was nothing uncomfortable to it. Agni had an air to him that made it impossible to feel uncomfortable in his presence, and it was one of the many things you liked about him.

You tended to gravitate to wherever he was, whether Soma was in evidence or not, and the longer you spent around him the harder it was for you to eventually leave his presence.

A gentle touch to your arm pulled you out of your thoughts, and you turned to see Agni looking concerned, a hand on your arm and the other on the door just to your right.

“Is this not your room, Miss?” He asked in a whisper.

You blinked, realizing you’d been about to walk right past it. “Ah! Yes, yes it is. Thank you, I must be more tired than I thought.” You replied, just as softly.

Agni opened the door with a smile. “A good night’s rest will resolve that problem, I believe.” He ushered you in gently with a hand on your waist, and you slipped past him and into the room.

The door closed behind you, and for a moment you thought that he’d left before you could say goodnight, but then his voice breezed past your ear in another whisper.

“May I do anything else for you, Miss?”

You wanted to tell him that, yes, there was something else, but you held your tongue, reprimanding yourself for letting your thoughts get out of hand again. “Thank you, Agni, but I believe I’ll be fine.”

A contented hum rumbled into your ear, and then you heard the door open again, a soft whisper floating across the still night air to you. “Goodnight, Miss.”

You turned around quickly, and noticed that he’d waited for you to do so. “Goodnight, Agni.”

A smile that tugged at you was just visible in the gloom, and then he was gone past the solid wood of your door, and you wanted nothing more than to run after him.

Well I'll tell you one thing

If you would leave it'd be a crying shame

In every breath and every word I hear your name calling me out

Well out from the barrio you hear my rhythm on your radio

You feel the turning of the world so soft and slow

Turning you round and round...

The days that followed were filled with pleasant memories and wonderful moments.

For a week all you did was sit about the mansion with Soma and talk, Agni always hovering close by with his eyes fixed on you and that same smile haunting his face.

And you seemed to be the only one who noticed.

Or, at the very least, if anyone else did notice they made no comment, and for that you were relieved.

Agni’s position as butler made no difference to you, he was an extraordinary and wonderful man, but his position to Soma did make a difference.

You would never want to come between them in any way, and if you fell for Agni, you were sure Soma would notice.

Correction, if you made it apparent that you already had fallen for him.

Because there was no denying it now, not after a week spent in close company with him and trying not to blush or giggle like a schoolgirl every time he sent one of those smiles your way, or whispered something into your ear.

And Soma, so blissfully unaware of the whole situation, would merely continue to smile and share stories of what had happened since you’d last seen each other.

But the night Ciel informed you that he would not be home for dinner, having to go take care of some business in town, you felt your stomach drop because your reason for holding back was now disappearing into the distance in a carriage, and you were in the large house alone with the man you loved and his master.

You found you had no appetite at dinner, and for some reason you found it came as no surprise. “I apologize, prince, but I am not feeling well.”

Agni was instantly at your elbow, a frown in evidence. “Is there anything I can get you, Miss?”

You waved him off distractedly, trying to forget the way his breath had played with the hairs on the back of your neck. “I’ll be quite alright, I believe, once I lie down. Keep an eye on Soma, I’ll be fine.” You reinforced this with a smile, and exited the room with a straight back.

But once you reached your room you collapsed onto the bed and buried your face in a pillow. Any longer going on like this and you might explode from the pressure.

A little while later, you’d drifted off into sleep, and didn’t awaken until a warm hand landed lightly on your shoulder, an even warmer voice speaking softly to you. “…Miss?”

You blinked up into concerned slate eyes and quickly sat up. “Yes, Agni, is anything the matter?”

He shook his head, expression clearing. “My prince asked me to bring you something to eat; he believed you might be hungry now, so I fixed something mild.”

You noticed now the tray sitting on your desk. “Thank you, but I’m afraid I still have no appetite for it.”

“What is bothering you, Miss?” He pressed, eyes reverting back to their previous emotion. “Are you unwell?”

You chuckled. “I suppose you might say that. But do not concern yourself with it, Agni, I’ll be fine.”

“I must concern myself, Miss,” he replied gently, “my prince instructed me to serve you as I would him.”

You blinked. “But that was years ago.”

“He never took back the order, Miss, and even if he had, I do not believe I would have been able to obey it.” The hand not keeping him propped up on the edge of the bed landed lightly atop yours. “I care for you, Miss, perhaps more than I should…” It was only the second time you’d seen him blush, and you committed the image to memory. “Please tell me if I am being too forward.”

You would have laughed if you hadn’t been so busy pulling him forward to press a kiss onto those eloquent lips. “Believe me, Agni; I doubt you could be too forward.”

A chuckle rumbled through him, and you felt like you might melt into the covers around you. “I am pleased to hear it, Miss, but you must tell me when to stop or else I will certainly get carried away.” He looked into your eyes and you saw that heat you’d always known was there rushing through them.

“I’m not sure if I will want you to stop,” you managed to whisper softly, “but if I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”

His smile was as bright as the sun, and nearly as blinding. “Jou Aagyaa.”

And if you said this life ain't good enough

I would give my world to lift you up

I could change my life to better suit your mood

'Cause you're so smooth...

"Smooth" by: Santana

Chapter 7: My Boy Builds Coffins

Summary:

And just like that, oh so quickly and simply, you'd realized you were in love. And you hadn't a clue how you'd ended up there with no more encouragement than a wide smile and a set of long nails digging gently into your side as they kept you close.

Undertaker/Reader

Chapter Text

My boy builds coffins with hammers and nails

[gildedhiraeth-blog]

♦ « :[(  ​@arachnitect  )]: » ♦

{(:🖊️:)} “ Tried... Tried “

The person ( thing? ) mutters having not enough energy to put up an appearance that melts with the crowd, they feel every bit a pile of goop that they look like right now as they slither close to the side. Sticking close towards the shade away from everyone knowing how ill certain Quirks are seen out here and seeing something that looks like it came from someone’s nightmare sure is going to get someone to call the Heros! 

Maybe they should get caught? Maybe the Hero’s will let them nap in the station or something, that would be nice. Not likely since they tended to rake up trouble where ever they go. There goes that train of thought for rest. 

 All of their eyes closed, they did not realize that they just bumped into someone. Black goop splattering onto the ground that shows off more of the golden hued bones underneath the mass of goop. 

{(:🖊️:)} “ Eh...? Ah, sorry “

[ludicinm-achieved]

@arachnitect liked your post “¦ Considered to eat a fried spider.”

Staaaares. "Food?"

[onxyo-blog]

@arachnitect <3 for a starter

“Is this your plan? Seriously? Do you really want to get caught?” Ryuu snapped, conjuring a creature to throw at the police to distract them. The Villain frowned underneath his mask, thankful that it covered most of his face and hid most of his expressions. “What if the Heroes arrive? We’re screwed if that happens.”

[yahoo201027]

Day in Fandom History: July 29…

As Tribore parts ways with the Crimson Light and reassembles the Resistance, Mooncake gets taken by an unknown enemy from the ship, causing Gary and the crew to go find him in the nether reaches of space. “The Arachnitects” premiered on this day, 4 Years Ago.

[finalspaceteamsquad]

FINAL SPACE 2.06 - The Arachnitects

[an-ordinary-roach]

@goath-man  replied to your post ““who is that handsome roachie?~””

“I don’t know, maybe you should ask yourself cause I only see one handsome roach there.”

@arachnitect  replied to your post ““who is that handsome roachie?~””

"You of course~"

@anothercracker replied to your post ““who is that handsome roachie?~””

"Are you looking in a mirror?"

“Golly you guys, I wasn’t talkin bout mee! It was Ezekiel but um, ya guise aren’t wrong!~”

[mightqvirk-blog]

“Ah, my lunch.” He’s never been one to cry over spilled milk, or in this case, spilled ramen but still. He’s super hungry from training so much lately so when he bumped the other and he just lost grip of his cup of ramen. Stares at the noodles on the ground and sighs. “I should’ve been watching where I was going, sorry!” // arachnitect, starter !!

[herosname]

arachnitect replied to your post: "If you get in trouble on the streets and there's...

Izuku Midoriya just gained villain street cred pass it on

Minor villains love the kid and his anxiety just rockets every time cuz it’s like

How did this happen???