#as gold as the ginkgo trees

[localplaguenurse]

Now I come into your ask with my usual deranged horniness//HIT

You've done the wifey seeing their past self bc ley line anomalies but consider.... wifey meeting past Morax

Do I want wifey to be sandwiched by Morax and Zhongli and this is my excuse? .....Maybe

wasxdfcghvhjbj but fr imagine past Morax being like, so this is life after winning the archon war (or even retiring from archonhood) hmmm and being so smitten with wifey like damn future me scored I want them <3

(Wifey can barely handle ONE Morax let alone two)

This has not been beta read. Also read prev leylines fic for context because I'm treating this as a part two.

Few mortals travel to Guili Plains these days. It's been a few decades since blood was last shed here, as it's been a few decades since the end of Liyue's Archon War. By now, new plant life has already begun to prosper, though the land still bares noticeable scars.

You're fortunate enough that your body is still youthful, if only because the body of a twenty-one year old can walk off a rough trip better than a fifty-three year old's. The grass is lush enough that any old cuts in the ground are obscured, making for some pretty frequent tripping hazards. You're glad you wore your painting attire, as it would kill you to get grass and mud stains in your nicer clothes.

You've talked with Morax a handful of times about Guili Plains, notably if he was comfortable with you or your children exploring it as you know this place holds a lot of his memories, good and bad. He has told you he is okay with you exploring, so long as you're careful and let him know when you'll be back. You've yet to have any issue with his conditions, save for maybe being careful, but it's not your fault that there are so many hidden cracks and gashes that you always stumble at least once when you visit.

Picking your various pencils and brushes up out of the grass, you look up and pause.

Of course you recognize the figure ahead of you, resting next to a large boulder. What shocks you, though, is the state he's in. The white of Morax's cloak is stained red, as is the tip of the polearm propped up next to him. You freeze up, a hand covering your mouth, before you quickly make your way over to him. What is he doing here. Why is there blood? How much of it is his? What happened?

"Morax?!"

His head snaps in your direction, and something about the harshness in his face stops you in your tracks. He's never given you this look, not once. You've seen him upset and angry but not like this. He stands up, and when he steps forward, he towers above you.

He tilts his head, and though he seems irritated over your intrusion, he also seems... confused?

You snap out of it and step forward, grabbing one of his arms. "What happened? Are you okay?"

He pulls his hand back immediately, taking a step back. He stares at you, almost bewildered, before a smirk cracks across his face.

"Aren't you a bold little mortal..."

The growl in his tone sends a shiver up your spine. You open your mouth to say something, but then you absorb his words.

Bold little mortal.

You two have been married for going on thirty years now, and have had a brood of five children now. He doesn't refer to you as a "mortal," but by a slew of more endearing pet names. Not only that, but he's never taken an almost patronizing tone with you like this.

It clicks.

This isn't your Morax.

Well, not yet. You have a flashback to the incident at the monastery, where you had comforted your former self. To have Morax first and foremost not recognize you, but also refer to you as a little mortal is indication enough of this. Not only that, you can see he has fewer scars on is body, and the ones he does have seem fresher. Whatever happened at the monastery is happening again.

Morax leans down, seemingly amused by your bewilderment. "Hm? Oh, has the cat caught your tongue, or however you mortals use that phrase? You were so confident in approaching me, so what's changed?"

You clear your throat, and you consider how you want to phrase this explanation. I mean, this is just a memory of Morax, seemingly. You don't have to interact with him, but you also want to.

You figure it's better to get this out of the way.

"I'm your wife."

"..."

Morax tilts his head back and quite literally roars with laughter. You feel it thundering in your chest as he hollers. He wipes a tear from his eye, still chuckling, before he grins down at you.

"You are quite possibly the most confident or most foolish mortal I've yet to meet," he says, "and I truly must thank you. I haven't heard a joke like that in years."

You sigh, turn around, and move your hair away from your neck to expose the mark he left there. "I don't quite know how to explain this," you tell him, "or why you are here, but you're a younger version of my husband, and I am your future wife." You let your hair back down and turn to him. "W-We got married near the end of the Archon War, and you claimed me maybe a year later."

Morax looks you over, analyzing your attire, your figure. He circles you, like a wolf sizing up its prey, taking in every detail of your appearance.

"While I admit that you are a rather pretty little thing," he purrs, "I hope you take no offence when I ask why I would marry a mortal woman."

"There's a small village, it's maybe a week's travel north from Mt. Tianheng," you explain, "it has an even smaller monastery. It has an orchard full of ginkgo trees and a shrine dedicated to you. There's a seal put in place to keep the village safe from demons and the Archon War."

Morax pauses.

You continue. "The shrine was broken, and since I was shrine caretaker, the blame was put on me. My abbess..." You look down at your feet. "My abbess gave me to you as payment to fix the seal... You... You would later on kill her for mistreating me all my life."

"... How?"

"You turned her to stone," you say, "and then shattered her body like pottery."

"Hm... I admit, that does seem like something I would have done," he says, "and your knowledge on the shrine lends credence to your story. Still, I have difficulty believing you could be my little wife."

"Why is that?"

He chuckles. "You're very small compared to me. Most mortals have difficulty handling my... form, so I highly doubt you would fare well..."

You blush, but find yourself chuckling with him. You cross your arms. "Considering I've given you five children, I think I handle you very well."

It's Morax's turn to be surprised. "Five...?"

"The last pregnancy was twins," you tell him. "We have two sons, three daughters. They called you baba, and some of them still do. Our oldest, Yānjiáng, calls you father nowadays."

"You gave me... five children?"

"I can show you the stretchmarks."

Morax's face is void of emotion as he considers your words. He stares at your face, looking for any sign of dishonesty or perhaps delusion. Surely, you must be delusional, approaching the Warrior God like this, with no fear and claiming to be his future wife and mother to his five children. He doesn't find any, which is even more bewildering.

After a moment, he smiles. There's still something slightly mocking to it, as though he thinks you're lying, but there's a softness to his expression as he regards you.

"You weave an interesting and truly unbelievable story, little mortal," he states, lifting you chin with clawed fingers, "though I must admit, I'm intrigued. I suppose I will have to find you in the future to see if your story holds any merit."

Morax leans down to kiss your forehead. When his lips disappear, so does he, along with his bloodied polearm. You touch your forehead, and still feel his lips lingering on the skin.

The encounter leaves you with artist's block, simply unable to focus on recreating the scenery. You gather your thoughts and things, and begin to head home. You weigh in your head if you want to tell your Morax about the encounter, if he'll believe you at all. You know he trusts you, but that's still a strange claim to make.

... You're definitely going to ask him to do the growl voice more, though.

[geopsych]

That time of year when the ginkgos are laying down the golden carpet.

[theroadtofairyland]

Lost Thoughts

Watercolor on Black Paper

2022, 22"x 30"

Ginkgo biloba Tree

[eth-ve]

crocheting <333

[welcometoteyvat]

 xingqiu, gold accents, ginkgo leaves, the light golden color tea gets in sunlight

hu tao, also gold accents, mahogany wood, smoky things, spider lilies unfurling in the dark. but it would be cool to edit her art so it’s more high contrast (darker outfit and hair) with stark black plum branches against winter snow 

chongyun, white, clouds, wisps of chill wind. fluffy things and a big fur coat

majority red palette ningguang would also be cool

and of course, zhongli with gold orange. old man can’t beat the geo lord cor lapis soulmates (ambiguous relationship) with azhdaha allegations

[hiddendesignsgb]

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[crystalflygeo]

Surrogate eggs ft Zhongli + fem!reader

cw/tags: Egg-laying/Oviposition, semi-plublic sex, multiple orgasms, slight fingering, overstimulation, dirty talk, breeding kink, Zhongli has a dragon tongue, praise kink, sex toys??, improper use of geo (can you tell I love that tag?), pet names, some pain??, aftercare.

notes: I disappear for a week and come back with this absolute FILTH omg. It really is just almost 2k of egg-laying made sexy because I am a degenerate and want nothing more than Zhongli filling me up with eggs <3 sorry not sorry.

Having a 6000 years old dragon ex-god as a lover sure meant you were already more or less used to a certain… spice in your life.

But this, this was certainly new.

“Ah- Zhong- Hnnhg!”

Your legs tremble as a newborn fawn as you stray off the main path and lean against one of the golden ginkgo trees by the side, panting and whining softly.

“Are you alright dear? You look quite flustered.” Zhongli curiously trails after you, hands behind his back, perfectly poised. As if he wasn’t the one making the cor lapis eggs in your pussy vibrate and tease your insides. “Do you need to rest? We’ve barely reached the base of Qingyun peak.” He asks, an amused smile on his lips.

“B-bastard.” You huff out with a pout and immediately feel the vibrations intensify. “O-Oh… fuck-”

Three. Three small polished cor lapis pieces in the shape of eggs, warm and snug and deep inside you. They shift and rub against your sweet spots, pulsing at his will ever since you stepped foot in Jueyun Karst, at first it was an odd sensation but soon enough your panties were soaked, juices running down your legs as you struggled to keep standing, sweet noises coming out of your mouth that only made Zhongli’s gaze darken.

“Zhongli…” You cry out.

“Yes, darling?”

“S-stop… mmh”

“Oh? But you seem to be enjoying yourself so much.”

“Stop… playing dumb.” You grit your teeth, clinging to the tree for dear life. The vibrations calming down to a soft hum, a gentle fucking not unlike his cock. “Please I’m-” You whine again.

You feel his finger softly raise your chin and your hazy half-lidded eyes were met with glittering gold, his diamond pupils mesmerizing and his stare soft and affectionate but also domineering, commanding, and full of lust.

“What do you need, my dear? Tell me.”

You choke a moan at his authoritarian presence, shifting and rubbing your legs together as the pleasure robs you of your strength. “P-please… Zhongli, make me come, please I n-need- It’s not… enough.”  

His eyes shift to the side as he seems to consider it for a moment and you almost mewl for his attention, eyebrows knitting together trying to steel yourself.

“Alright.” He concedes, and leans forward to kiss you softly.

Well, at first.

The geo eggs inside you start to shake and vibrate more intensely and you gasp at the sudden rush of stimulation, Zhongli holds you and pulls you closer, taking the chance to snake his long dragon tongue into your mouth, quickly deepening the kiss and set on devouring you.  

“Hmpnnng-” He swallows your moan as you kiss back the best way you can but it’s suddenly so much- too much- you’ve been teased and edged all the way and he’s- he’s just-

Your body shudders in his arms and you let out a high-pitched noise as you climax. Your insides squeezing and milking the toys inside you, dragging on the pleasure for longer and you cling onto him as your legs threaten to give up. Bliss, pure bliss. And he hasn’t even touched you proper yet.

“There we go…” His rough voice mumbles as he breaks apart the filthy kiss, his hands rub at your hips and you vaguely realize the geo eggs have stopped again. He carefully maneuvers your pliant body until you’re both sitting on the yellowed Liyue grass, his back resting against the tree while you sit between his legs, your back pressed to his chest.

He spreads your legs and holds them open with his own, you blush heavily as you realize his intentions, hiking up your skirt to reveal soft thighs and wet panties to the world. The flimsy fabric is soaked and clings uncomfortably against your pussy, more so as you feel the soft breeze.

“W-wait… right here?”

It is true that barely anyone ever enters Jueyun Karst but it was still risky. A lost adventurer, a lone merchant… you weren’t that far from the main dirt path, anyone could walk in and see you… exposed like this.

Your insides clenched, throbbing around nothing but the eggs inside of you.

Archons you really were depraved.

Zhongli rubs your inner thighs comfortingly before pulling your panties aside, his long gloved fingers skim your heated pussy lips and rub at your hole as it twitches wildly in response.

“Zhongli…” You moan weakly. “I’m so full.”

“I know, you look so pretty with my eggs inside you. Breathtaking.” His other hand rubs circles on your navel. The warmth within the geo energy sent through him spreading heat in a sensual way. “How about you push them out for me and we can be done. I’ll take you home so you can rest, my precious mate.” He nuzzles you.

“W-wha…” You mumble dumbly, but instinctively lean to his touch.

“They’ve been inside you long enough, and… we’ve had our fun.” He explains, kissing at your jaw. Two of his fingers easily sliding inside you, making you jump. “Don’t you think it’s time to let them out? I want to see you lay them.”

Pressure builds in your gut and you nod, biting your lip. Her works those sinful fingers in and out of your pussy slowly, scissoring them to stretch you a little and you moan. Not that you needed that much preparation with the recent orgasm and your… activities early that morning.

After all, those eggs had gotten in somehow, hadn’t they?

Only a few moments later and you feel ready, panting rapidly as if you truly were going into labor yet at the brink of another orgasm, you weakly pulled his hand away “H-Hold me…” You mutter heatedly. Zhongli kisses you softly and you take a deep breath.

And push.

The first egg slides down freely inside you, rapidly moving until it catches at your entrance, it burns a little but feels so good, lightning up pleasured nerves in a way that had you mewling before the stretch disappears, coming out alongside your spilling juices and onto the grass.   

Zhongli doesn’t hesitate to slip his fingers back into your heated core to soothe the sore muscles and play with your pussy a bit more, rubbing over your raw clit to make your hips stutter and your legs shake trying to close.

“That’s the first one, two more.” He says softly, his chin resting on your shoulder as he obviously stares between your legs entranced. You flush at his actions. “You can do it.” He encourages you, elegant fingers spreading your folds lewdly and soaking in your essences.

The whole experience is making you dizzy.

“I-I just… I just need a moment.” You pant, groaning and shifting your position a little so you’re less sitting and more lying against him, lifting your hips slightly and offering him an even better view from above.

“Just imagine the real thing. There will be more of them, slightly bigger and thrumming with elemental energy.” He growled softly against your ear. “Our children. Our clutch.”

It’s just dirty talk. It’s just dirty talk and it sets your blood on fire to hear it. You know his base draconic instincts are going haywire with the idea and archons you want that. You want that so badly.

Another egg stretches your hole and you can only imagine what it looks like as it slips and spreads you open. “Ah- Ah!” You toss your head back, let out a long moan and strain the muscles of your stomach before finally it slips out.

“Good girl.” Comes his smooth baritone in the form of a praise. You sigh in relief, rutting against his fingers as reward. You see slick threads of your juices all over on his gloves, the shiny eggs and your pussy, connecting everything together in a mess of a shiny cobweb. It’s obscene.

It’s so hot.

“Just one more, darling.” The ex-archon soothes you, possessively rubbing at your navel once again although you feel something’s different, like something shifts a little inside you. “Though, I feel this one is just a little bigger… closer to the real thing.”

Your eyes widen.

“No, no, no, you did it on purpose… just now… m-make it smaller again, please!” You shake your head frantically, digging your nails against his arms and squirming against the feeling of his fingertips dancing around your folds.

“Shhh, shhh” He cooed, kissing at your neck. “You can do it, I know you can. Consider it… practice.” You can practically feel the smirk Zhongli presses against your skin.

“I already came so much…” You whisper, tears in your eyes. “Zhongliiii…”

“You got this.” He kisses your temple. “Just one more. I want to see that sweet pussy stretch around my egg, please?”

You groan at his filthy words, hips snapping against phantom stimulation as your pussy quivers. You brace yourself and breathe in deeply before squeezing your eyes shut and doing your best to push against the overstimulation. Your hole stretches impossibly wide, widening against the grit of the egg and pressing against your clit making you keen. It rests there a few seconds, heavy, solid, before finally popping out with a wet squelch, dropping right by the other two, and you scream at the excruciating mix of pain and pleasure.

For a moment you can’t even breathe, much less speak as you rest a little. Black spots dance in your vision and your ears are ringing. When you come to again Zhongli is desperately peppering you with kisses, caresses and praise. Hugging you close and growling dark promises into your skin.

“-did so well. My little mate. My perfect mate. Want to breed you for real. Fill you up. You’d give me wonderful little half adepti. So good for me. Truly worthy to be a dragon’s mate. Should keep you in my nest. Love you so much-”      

Sluggish, you close your legs and pull down your skirt clumsily, ignoring the soreness and sticky feeling as your body sags against him in exhaustion.    

The dragon is practically purring, having mellowed down a little yet obviously pleased after having you bear his eggs, albeit fake ones. The intention is there… as well as the possibility for the future.

“We should go to the abode, you deserve a good rest. I’ll clean you up and get you something to eat and drink, hm?”

“Just a little more, Li.” You mumble tired. “It’s warm and cozy here…”

He chuckles and pets your hair. “Alright.”

[songsofadelaide]

Asleep Among Endives

Chapter 2 — The Sun

In the summer of 1997, the fledgling clan head of the superpower Gojo Clan fancied you a playmate, one headstrong enough to disregard the warnings about befriending a little god who might ensnare you with a curse. When you first met the young Satoru, everything around you turned a lovely sky blue. Little did you know that the very same thing happened to him, and you painted his life in shining gold-like sunlight.

[A Gojo Satoru x Reader fic, ongoing]

cw/tw: childhood trauma, implied/referenced child abuse, naoya being a little creep wc: 10.2k. ✾ Fic Masterlist ✾ Chapter 1 ✾ Chapter 3 ✾ ~Interlude~ — In the Quiet

— The Sun.

~ 1997.

It is said in the old times that a child is assumed to be a person of God until they reach the age of seven. By then, a little one should have a foundation of their soul and a heart of a human. Why was it that you only had a faith shaken by the very person who raised you and a heart hardened by your strange circumstances? 

About a month before your seventh birthday, Lady Suzuna tasked Kazuya and Chiemi to extend invitations to the children and young heirs and heiresses of the different sorcerer families. Seven was the perfect age to make friends and create lasting bonds, the most perfect opportunity to connect with other sorcerer children with similar experiences. It was an auspicious day for a birthday celebration as well, and what better way to commemorate your birth than formally announcing you as the official heir to the Koganei Clan leadership?

A day before the celebration, every servant in every corner of the ancient traditional home was busy preparing the Koganei Estate for the ingress of guests from sorcerer families and the clan's business partners alike. Everyone seemed to be in a constant state of movement while you and your mother leisurely walked around your home, the softness of your padded footsteps seemingly fading into the background of your family's busyness. 

"This tree was a gift to the city from our family back in the 1920s. It's grown remarkably well over time, but it is different from the rest of the ginkgo that line Meiji Jingu Gaien. The leaves of the trees outside fall and grow according to the season while ours remains the same all year round. I suppose we can attribute it to our cursed energy. Unlike other sorcerers, we make use of our power by healing, not so much exorcising," Suzuna stated, your smaller hand in hers as you took your time to walk around the estate's private gardens. The perennial aged ginkgo tree that has been there for as long as you can remember towered over your forms. Summer, spring, autumn, winter— regardless of the season, this tree remained alive and flourishing, its golden leaves constantly raining on this particular part of the estate. The tree has seen the coming and passing of former clan leaders, and you had no doubt in your mind that it will surely still be here by the time you pass away as well. "It's beautiful but resilient."

The afternoon breeze was cool against your ankles, the wind gently blowing through your striped yukata as you took measured steps beside your mother in this sectioned-off area of the garden. There was a sacredness to the tree's age now, and the family gardeners probably didn't want guests and strangers wandering in here and causing any hurt or damage to it.

"Otome, tomorrow is your birthday. I know you would have wanted to celebrate the day of your birth with your family— your real family… Which is why I asked Kanade-san to assist with tomorrow's preparations. She and I will help dress you in your celebratory clothes."

"Oh…" Your grip on the older woman's hand tightened, though you tried to hold your calm expression. "Th-Thank you very much for your consideration, okaa-sama."

"What did I tell you about your emotions, my girl?" The older woman shook her head, a slight tsk leaving her lips. "Your eyes are shining. I can tell you're about to cry tears of joy."

"I'm sorry," came your only response. Lying to her was never a good idea when the truth is already blatantly obvious to her. 

"I'll forgive you just this once since it's your birthday," Suzuna stated, a small smile gracing her painted lips now. "Ah, here she is."

Her comment made you look up from your path, and you felt her slowly turn you the other way, a kind hand on your back as she eventually let go of you. From across the garden stood your mother— the one who gave birth to you— in a muted mustard yukata, the family's standard servants' attire. 

"Good day to you, ojou-sama," came your birth mother's greeting as she bowed before you and the lady of the house. "And to the madam as well." 

"You may approach," came Suzuna's soft command. She gave you a gentle push toward the other woman. "And you may greet your mother." 

You tried desperately not to let the excitement show in your steps, but your sprint betrayed you as you happily hurled yourself into your mother's open arms. "Okaa-chan!"

The two women couldn't blame you for your reaction. You were only a child, still so clueless about the weight of the crown about to rest on your little head. And yet there was a certain maturity now evident on your face, the warmest of smiles on your lips as you hugged your birth mother. You happily buried your face in her chest, feeling the beat of her heart against your cheek. 

"Oh, how you've grown, my little love…" Mustard sleeves enveloped you in a warm embrace, but you did not cry even though you wanted to. You couldn't bring yourself to, even though her words were so similar to what your… stepmother— I suppose I could call Suzuna that— said mere moments ago. "Strong and lovely, just like our ginkgo tree."

Summer nights were like a spell itself. Something about the balmy weather and the trilling of the cicadas often drew people into some kind of trance. You were no different from those under summer's thrall even though you were born in this season. In fact, summer's magic seemed to be even more potent now than ever. On the night before your birthday celebrations, you found your little feet walking towards your family's secluded garden, the one where the ancestral ginkgo tree stood, towering over the still and silent estate. 

You had no idea what time it was, but you were awakened by the sound of soft crying coming from the foot of the tree. It was strange that no one else could hear it except you, even more so now that you were face to face with the weeping figure. 

It was a woman, one you haven't seen in the estate before. She did not wear the standard servants' attire but instead donned a lovely kimono in the shades of bamboo and sunrise. Something about her felt otherworldly as she paid no mind to your approach, her face concealed in the sleeves of her dress. 

"Are you all right? Why are you crying?" You asked her, though she did not respond. "Please don't be sad…"

The phantasm stilled at the sound of your concerned yet inquisitive voice, her arms slowly dropping to reveal her face to you. 

"You can see her?" Came a voice that was very much real this time you nearly jumped from your spot in shock. 

"O-Okaa-sama!"

Still in her sleepwear similar to yours, Suzuna approached you, mere steps away from the base of the tree where the crying woman stood. "Answer my question, daughter." 

Spirit sight is the most basic technique a child can develop before being able to fully harness cursed energy. At the same time, it is the most important skill a sorcerer requires in order to be able to harness cursed energy. 

"Yes… I-I only came here because I heard her, okaa-sama. No one else but you came to see her, too…"

"There is no need to be so nervous, daughter," Suzuna stated as she placed a hand on your head and gently ruffled your hair. "Do you know who she is?"

And children from sorcerer families who lack the most common ability that should be known to all sorcerers are no better than the average person. 

You shook your head in response to her question. 

"You and I descended from a pathetic man. We come from a long line of desperate people who wanted nothing but to prove their worth, even if it meant breaking the hearts of their loved ones," she said softly, holding the crying woman's gaze as she took your smaller hand in hers once more. "Uesugi Karui married for love and received nothing but heartache in return when she couldn't give birth to a child with Koganei Masahito's gift."

Uesugi Karui… You've heard that name before from one of your mother Kanade's bedtime stories. Karui was the first wife of the clan founder who bore him many children, all of whom he cast aside in favour of bastards who were fortunate enough to inherit his prized reverse cursed technique. Masahito's bloodline branched off into numerous families, and even Suzuna herself couldn't determine from which one she originated, even though she was certainly born into the main family. 

She could not relate to Karui's plight. How could she? When she herself decided to take a lover apart from her own husband out of sheer desperation. She sighed to herself, prompting you to look up at her. "I suppose I'm no different from that man, too." 

Karui's presence, after lying dormant for so long, only seemed to solidify the theory that she was here to curse the existing Koganei Clan, even though it has been hundreds of years since she last possessed the name. Suzuna last saw her when she was just a child herself and she had no guiding hand before like you did now.

"I know we aren't the only ones who can see you, but we are the only ones brave enough to ask," she told the unmoving phantasm, still rooted in her position at the base of the ginkgo tree. "Are you here to curse us? To curse… this child?" 

The spirit of the weeping woman moved ever so slightly, her approach toward you blocked by your stepmother. Suzuna shielded you from Karui by taking a step forward, hiding you behind her skirts. "If you're going to curse someone, curse me instead. This child is…"

Karui slowly shook her head in response to the other woman's statement. She moved to touch your forehead, smiling as you laughed at the ticklish cold that was her cursed energy. "It's true that I married for love, and even if I were to return to those days, I would not have it any other way."

Uesugi Karui was not at all a vengeful spirit, but simply a ghost still in unrest. 

"There are things you regret, Suzuna. Some of which are already far too late to take back," the lovely phantasm stated, the sadness in her eyes softening to a rueful expression. "However, it is not too late for her."

"I…" Suzuna's voice cracked. "I did what I had to do, as did you…"

"But did you do it out of love? Your obsession with duty will drive you to your grave early," Karui told her. "I am not a vengeful spirit, but there is a greater chance of that happening to you if you do not temper your expectations." 

Your mother's hold on you tightened ever so slightly. 

"I lived for many more years even after danna-sama passed away, and though my children and I were looked down on because none of them possessed their father's gift, I made sure to fill our home with so much love that they had no time to pay attention to every terrible thing being said about us," the phantasm stated, holding her hand out to you. You looked up at Suzuna once more, who only nodded at you in response. "I do not pass on any curse to you, young Koganei born with the gift. All I ask is for you to live your life with so much love that you have no room in your heart to curse anyone else. Not even your mother who gave you away, not even this mother of yours who has been cruel to you, not even your sister who wishes for your unhappiness, and not even those who wish to possess you for themselves." 

Karui's hand was cold as ice, yet there was a gentleness to her touch when she spoke to you, lulling you to sleepiness. You could not recall how you found your way back to your bed that night. When you awoke the following morning, your fingertips were freezing even though it was a rather warm day. 

"Good morning, ojou-sama," came an even warmer greeting. You smiled as you felt a gentle hand over your forehead, brushing away the hair that fell over your eyes. "Happy birthday to you."

The servants weren't any less busy despite all the preparations made yesterday. When the day of your seventh year finally came, it was time for the main family to do their job— welcoming and receiving their guests. While the Lady Suzuna was busy ensuring you were dressed in your very best for this day, it was her family who became the face and front of the clan, and she relied on her husband to hold the fort while she was still away.

Kazuya's father, Kaminari Kyouya, is the second-born son of his own sorcerer clan, one rich in magicians who practised lightning sorcery. He and Suzuna were childhood friends and he chose to marry into the Koganei Clan out of his great love for her. In fact, he loved his wife so much that he was willing to look the other way when she decided to have a child with another man. 

Kyouya and his children stood dutifully just outside the estate's genkan, warmly welcoming every guest that arrived with presents and blessings in tow for the heir's birthday. While Kazuya imitated his father's mild demeanour, Chiemi was growing tired of having to greet people she didn't know. She tugged at the older man's forest green hakama, looking up at him with wide and innocent eyes. 

"Papa, can you carry me?" She asked him, punctuating her question with a very sweet-sounding, "Please?"

He knew that this child wasn't his, yet he loved her all the same. How could he not? She had the very same eyes as her mother, the same ones he first fell in love with so long ago. He scooped up the little girl in her pink kimono and nuzzled her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Of course, my little Chi. Are you tired? We only have to do this for a bit more, then we can go back inside." 

Suzuna stepped out of the genkan to join her family in welcoming their guests. She wore an elegant kimono the same shade of forest green as her husband's attire. "Kyou, you ought to stop spoiling Chiemi. She's already five."

"Mama's being mean again, papa…" Chiemi buried her face deeper into the crook of her father's neck.

"I know, Chi. Don't worry about her," Kyouya murmured in reply to the girl with a pleased smile on his face. Perhaps five was already a bit too old to be carried, but he couldn't resist his daughter's pleading adoration. "We've been standing out here for quite some time now, Suzu. Besides, I don't mind holding my girl for a little while."

"That's not the point," Suzuna tried arguing. "Chiemi, you—"

"Oh, hush, you. Guests are arriving, so let's not argue here, please," he said with a chuckle even though he wanted to silence his wife. "Smile, Suzu. Here come the representatives from the Tokyo Saenome Clan."

And she did so, equally amused and equally annoyed at her husband's dismissal of their exchange. She greeted their guests pleasantly and it took her some time to realise there were only three of them by the entrance. "Now where did Kazuya run off to?"

The clever boy slipped away in the middle of his parents' bantering. Kazuya paid no mind to the servants bowing before him as he passed by them, his steps on the redwood engawa loud and impatient. He was eager to find you before any of the other guests did and was more than pleased to find you just about to step out of your room.

The shoji slid open, and you walked out with a measured step, not at all used to the weight of your outfit for the day— a crimson kimono embroidered with hundreds and hundreds of golden ginkgo leaves being blown by the wind.  

"Oh, Kazu-nii!" You happily greeted the older boy in the same forest green hakama as his father. 

"Happy birthday, Otome. May you always be blessed with good health and happiness all your days." 

"Thank you very much, Kazu-nii," you replied to him with a bow, remembering your stepmother's instructions from earlier today. Bow with gratitude. 

"This is for you," the boy handed you a gold-coloured omamori you recognised as something from the Meiji Shrine near your home. "A present, for good fortune." 

"Oh, thank you! I promise to treasure this," you stated rather excitedly before safely tucking the amulet into your obi, making it another accessory in your already intricate outfit for the day. 

"Bocchan, it's time for Otome-sama to see her guests," said the servant who assisted in dressing you. He recognised her as your birth mother. She wasn't in the standard servants' attire this time but in a kimono the colour of sunrise, the image of an aged tree with falling golden leaves printed on its front folds. 

Ah, the boy thought to himself. The older woman's dress was more similar to yours than his family's ensemble, even though you were part of his family. Then again, it was no secret to jujutsu society that you were not Koganei Suzuna's blood-born child, but one from the branch family. 

Kanade smiled at him. "Would you be willing to escort her to the audience hall?"

"O-Of course, Kanade-san!" Kazuya replied, an embarrassed expression on his face as he turned to meet your expectant eyes. He feigned a cough into his fist and offered you an elbow. "Shall we, then, my sister?" 

"Mm! Let's go!" 

You were aware that the celebration was by no means a simple one, but a grand honouring of your birth and your role as the future leader of your sorcerer clan. However, you couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the large number of guests that arrived to personally greet you today. The estate shoin was filled to the brim with unfamiliar people both young and old in more traditional attire in various colours and degrees of formality, and they rose to their feet to clap for you as you stepped into the audience hall in your brother's arm. 

The rumbling applause gradually died down as you took your place in the centre of the hall, surrounded by your immediate family— Suzuna, Kyouya, Kazuya, Chiemi, and your birth mother, Kanade. The two women each gave you a kiss on your cheek, while Kyouya gently placed an ornate glass kanzashi on your head. 

"Many happy returns of the day, Otome-chan," the older man greeted you with a smile, to which you replied with another. 

"Thank you very much, otou-sama."

The Koganei servants started to bring in the food and drink, allowing the older and elderly guests their meal as the children lined up before you, smiles on their faces and gifts in hand as they prepared to greet you. You felt no different from the hina dolls that adorned your family home, visitors paying you homage like a tiny goddess reborn from so long ago.

You sat seiza right in the middle, the sleeves of your crimson kimono reaching the golden tatami floor as you remained perfectly still, giving your newfound friends the occasional bow of gratitude as they approached in a neat line. You thanked each one who presented their gift to you, each decision made with great consideration for your person— Porcelain tea sets, freshly-made ichigo daifuku, a calligraphy set with a bottle of golden ink, a rose-coloured kinchaku, a tortoiseshell kanzashi— the presents piled up by the minute, but the line was disrupted by a dark-haired boy with the sharpest brown eyes, closely followed by a family attendant with a large ornate box in hand. 

"Happy Birthday, young lady of the Koganei house," he said with a smile. The boy wore a pressed white dress shirt underneath his navy blue kimono, and he effectively blocked your line of sight to ensure he had your full attention. "I am Zenin Naoya, son of Zenin Naobito. It is with great honour that I present to you a gift from our family."

The boy you only knew from your mother's narrative has finally made himself known. He was only a few months older than you, but he spoke with the eloquence of an elderly man with the hint of an old accent that slightly irked you. 

"Thank you very much, Zenin Naoya-sama," you stated with the same measured bow you gave everyone as you received the present from his servant. You were about to set it aside when he spoke again. 

"I would like for you to open it before everyone."

His statement prompted you to turn to Suzuna, who only nodded at you from across the room. Seeing her confirmation and the fact that she was still keeping an eye on your conduct reassured you, so you delicately unwrapped the present before the boy. It was a beautiful silk kimono the colour of flint, and finely embroidered with bright orange thread were the detailed feathers of a bird— which at first you thought was Suzaku, but upon closer inspection was something else entirely.

"That is Nue, one of the shikigami of our family's Ten Shadows Technique," Naoya stated rather proudly. "While I don't possess the technique and I am unable to summon it, that won't stop me from appreciating its beauty and said ferocity."

Talkative was the first impression the Zenin child left upon you. He was evidently proud of his heritage, but what good is all of that showmanship if he's rude to everyone else?

"It's beautiful, indeed. You have my gratitude for such a lovely present. I understand you took time off your day to visit me on my birthday and you wish to speak with me more, but it would be rude of me to hold the line even longer when every other guest here did the same as you," you replied to him with a pleasant smile that visibly flustered him. You lowered your head to a bow as Naoya slowly stepped away from you, cheeks flaming red in both embarrassment and infatuation, not that you were aware of the latter. 

"Huh. So he really was a brat," Suzuna murmured to herself as she watched from afar how you handled the very entitled Zenin child and put him in his place. She had her drink in hand as she sat across her husband and son, who were conversing about something else. A small hand gently tugged at her sleeve. 

"Did you say something, mama?" Asked Chiemi, who looked up to her with a measured head tilt that anyone would find adorable. 

"Nothing at all, Chiemi," the older woman replied, smiling as she tucked away a lock of her daughter's curly hair behind her ear. "Have you… greeted your sister a happy birthday today?"

"…Do I still have to? So many people are here for her already!" The little girl said with a pout. 

"I'm sure your greeting would mean a lot to her, Chi-chan," Kazuya piped in on his sister's conversation with their mother. "Look, Otome's about to take a step outside for a bit. Why don't we go see her?"

"I don't wanna!" 

Chiemi was fine left alone in a corner, Kazuya knew that much. Though he knew jealousy played a part, he still had a difficult time fully understanding why his sister felt that way about you. Whatever you had was given to her as well, even though you did not ask for any of it yourself. There were times Chiemi was given more, but it did not matter at all to you. You were happy to see that she was happy, and that seemed to incense her even more. 

Today was the only day you were given more than her and she tried to be on her best behaviour… Yet even after receiving the harshest scolding of her life about a month ago, nothing could stop Chiemi's ever-growing rage over her own family's preference for a daughter who shared no immediate blood ties with them.  

"Fine. I'll greet her. I'll greet her so you can shut up about it, onii."

There was little Kazuya could do except follow his little sister with haste as she got up and hurriedly trailed you out of the audience hall, the look on her face foreboding chaos.

"Chiemi!"

You were already a bit spent to notice the younger girl's approach. It wasn't at all easy sitting perfectly still and you overestimated your capability to remain in the same position for the rest of the day. As you stepped out of the hall and into the redwood engawa to take a moment to breathe and stretch your tired legs, you found yourself suddenly pushed from behind and falling off the edge of the walkway, the speed of your descent only quickened due to the weight of your outfit.

"Ojou-sama!" Came the panicked cry of your mother, who hurriedly tried to reach for you as you tipped off the engawa. 

"Chiemi, no!" Kazuya exclaimed as he eventually caught up with the girl in the pink kimono, encasing her in his arms to prevent her from acting any further. He was moments too late, however, as he found your figure lying face down on the ground. 

The fall wasn't that far, but it still hurt. You tried to make sense of things as they were unfolding at the moment, not at all letting your sister's actions affect your judgement. You expected her to pull a stunt like this today and you were right to think of your reaction thoroughly beforehand. "Okaa-chan, please take her away before people start to notice." 

"Haa?! Who do you think you are ordering people to— A-And don't you dare touch me, you—" 

The sound of Chiemi's shrieking complaints was drowned out when an unfamiliar voice asked you, "Are you okay?" 

You raised your head and found a slender hand outstretched to you. You grasped it and allowed this person to help you up on your feet again despite not knowing who they were. "I'm fine. Thank you very much."

It was a boy with eyes as blue as the clear ocean and hair like starlight. He held your gaze long enough for you to forget what just transpired, the intense and ethereal look in his eyes taking you someplace else— It felt like you were standing in the middle of the ocean, frigid snow blowing across your face yet it didn't hurt. More than anything, the sound of the waves and tides was comforting—

"You have some dirt on your face," he said, his voice pulling you back to reality and the incident that just occurred between you and your siblings. He brought the sleeve of his pale blue yukata to your cheek. "Ne, Kazuya, if this girl truly is as important as you say she is, why are you letting that kid smack her around?"

The unnamed boy's remark seemed to anger Chiemi even further, and she thrashed in her brother's arms. "I-I'm not just some kid! I am Koganei Chiemi! Koganei Suzuna's true daughter, the beauty—"

"Blah, blah, blah. Is that it? You expect people to bend over backwards for you just because you're pretty?" He rolled his eyes at the younger girl. "I'm not into whiny little brats like you."

"W-Wait, Satoru," came Kazuya's sudden plea. "Please don't—"

"I'll pretend I never saw anything here, but I suggest you keep the feral animals in their cages," stated Satoru, the boy in the blue yukata. He pulled something from out of his sleeves and handed it over to you. "This is for you, Koganei girl. Happy birthday."

He found his way up to the audience hall and eventually disappeared into the crowd. You opened the slender box in your hands, evidently mystified as you laid eyes on his gift: a set of prayer beads the colour of the clear ocean.

The Lady Suzuna patiently waited until evening, until all the guests have been sent off, to handle the incident that occurred between you and Chiemi earlier in the day. Other family members knew better than to get in the way of the matriarch's warzone-like discipline. 

"How many times must I tell you, Chiemi? You speak out of turn and expect everyone to be gracious with you, is that it?" She stated, her voice calm and firm even as her daughter squirmed away from her grasp. "You're fortunate Otome made the right choice to send you away rather than stoop down to your level of immaturity."

You begged for lenience for the younger girl but were faced with the older woman's fury just as much as she was angry with her own daughter.   

"Okaa-sama, please… This… solves nothing. You said it yourself. She'll just keep on hating me…" You pleaded, writhing in agony as you clutched your stomach after being kicked away. You were not able to defend yourself well this time. "I promised to never curse anyone, not even her…"

"I will beat the anger out of Chiemi until she understands that she is not the only daughter I have," the older woman said, her palm landing angrily on the younger girl's bottom. "I asked her to behave herself for one day—"

"Koganei-sama," came the voice of an elderly servant from outside the room. "My apologies for interrupting… There is a messenger from the Gojo Clan waiting for you."

"What?!" Suzuna hissed. Why the Gojo Clan of all people? She had no answers and only grew even angrier at the thought of you misbehaving yourself before the son of the prominent clan. "Otome! Did you do anyth—"

"I-I didn't—!"

"If I may, my lady," the servant continued. "It seems their young master has taken an interest in Otome-ojou. Satoru-sama is inviting her to the G—" 

Satoru wants to see me again? But why?

"Leave us!" The older woman commanded, to which the servant replied with a faint acknowledgement and the scurrying away of padded feet. She slumped to the floor, dropping Chiemi in the process. She was obviously at her wit's end now and she needed answers. "You spoke to him?"

You sat up and straightened your back, taking a deep breath before responding to her question. "Yes, okaa-sama. He— Gojo-sama— helped me to my feet when I… fell off the step earlier." 

"That child is not your ordinary boy. His birth changed the balance of the jujutsu world. He is like a little god," Suzuna stated, a sigh of exhaustion leaving her painted lips. "And you, a little goddess in his midst."

This wasn't news to her. Gojo Satoru isn't the first boy to show an interest in her heir. However, she had no idea whether or not this invitation was truly from the little god himself or if it was the working of other elements. 

"Normally, you would be allowed to visit another clan's residence, but we're talking about one of the Great Three Sorcerer Clans here…" she started. You sat quietly as the older woman rattled out fact after fact. You were so focused on self-preservation that neither of you noticed Kazuya slip into the room to take Chiemi away again. "…And not to mention that bounty on the boy's head… Then again, the Gojo Clan is said to live in an impregnable fortress."

No matter how silly or boyish that whim may be, it would be foolish to send her there on her own, Suzuna thought to herself, long and hard before she eventually turned to you. 

"I told you before that I tire of making all the decisions here. That's why I'm asking you now— What do you want, Otome? Do you wish to see that boy again?" 

But you knew it wasn't just a matter of wanting to see him again— though admittedly, you actually did. So you answer her question truthfully. "I would like to meet him again, if that is all right with you, okaa-sama." 

It was a surprisingly wise answer, proof that you still considered her word above your own desires. She beckons you to approach, her hand gently gliding through the hair over your forehead in order to push it upward. "Then I suppose we do as the little god requests." 

Yet an epiphany washes over her all of a sudden as she holds you in her arms. Who does that child think he is? Asking for my heir, of all things… "…Or maybe not."  

The shoreline was covered with a carpet of freshly fallen snow. It wasn't at all cold, though, as you traversed through the snowscape, your feet sinking deep with every step you took. There was someone walking a few steps ahead of you, a hand reaching out for yours. 

"Ngh…" You groaned to yourself as the sunlight of the new day filtered through the shoji leading to the garden just outside your bedroom. 

The little god that was Gojo Satoru was in your dreams that same night for some odd reason— he and his hair like snow and starlight and those eyes that seemed to see right through you— 

"Hey, are you awake already?" 

Huh. He sounds so real here, too… No, I could have sworn I was awake— "Huh?…"

"It's rude to keep your guest waiting, you know."

Wait, what?

You bolted up from your futon, your comfortable sleep cut short by the quiet arrival of the boy that was in your dreams mere moments ago. "Y-You—!"

"Hello, Koganei girl," said the boy who was seated on the tatami right beside your bed. He was very much here and very much present in your bedroom right now. "Good morning! I thought you'd never wake up!"

"Wh-What are you…" You stammered at him, rubbing your eyes until stars appeared and blinking— "You're really here!"

The shoji slid open, with Kazuya storming into your bedroom. It was only then you realised they were in matching white gi, which could only mean— "Satoru! You said you'd train with me first thing in the morning!"

"Whoops! I did say that, didn't I?" Satoru stated before eventually shrugging at the other boy. "But you knew I came here for her first and foremost, Kazuya."

"That's beside the point! I— Oh, good morning, Otome!" Your older brother paused from his declaration when he saw you finally up. "You remember Satoru, right? He'll be staying here for a week."

"That's because your mom didn't allow you to visit me," the silver-haired boy said with a pout. "But I'm here now. Aren't you glad?" 

"Huh? Oh, uh…" 

"Satoru!" 

Kazuya's impatient huffing prompted the other boy to rise from his seat. He moved toward you slightly, as though he wanted to reach for your hand but decided against it. Instead, he beamed at you rather confidently before eventually declaring, "Let's talk later. I'm just gonna wipe the floor with you brother so he'll leave me alone."  

"Is that so?" Your brother responded with a laugh as they exited your room, their boisterous, boyish laughter filling the still-quiet halls of the estate. You rose from your futon and opened the shoji leading outside to the garden, where you were greeted by the glare of the morning sun and your family's perennial ginkgo tree.  

You weren't brought to the little god's home like he expected. That wouldn't stop him from seeing you again, though. So instead, he came to yours. 

The estate became a hive of activity once more after Suzuna agreed to play host to the young heir of the Gojo Clan not long after your very first encounter. It was no surprise that the boy was spoiled rotten by his own family and the Koganei tried its best to keep up with his every wild and wily demand. Fortunately, Satoru did not ask for much apart from time with you. 

A lot of time, to be precise. 

Satoru agreed to stay over at the Koganei Estate on the condition that he trains with Kazuya every morning and follows his exact same daily routine. Kyouya remarked that he was a surprisingly diligent pupil despite his mischievous overtone.��

He had the most attentive eye on you when the two of you shared lunch in the dining hall that day. 

"G-Gojo-sama, is something—" You nervously started as you sat across from him. He cut you off as soon as he heard the way you addressed him.

"Satoru," he stated plainly. "That's my name. Don't call me Gojo-sama because it's like you're referring to my father or some other old fart."

The boy sat across from you, happily helping himself to a bowl of piping hot rice and carefully deep-fried golden brown tiger prawn tempura. The yukata he wore now had a pattern of navy blue seigaiha, reminiscent of the tides and waves in your dreams.

"Koganei girl—" 

It was your turn to interrupt him. "My name is actually…" 

You gave him your name. It embarrassed you how easily it rolled out of his mouth, like he's known it all his life. 

"Your hairpin," he said, pointing to your head. "Did you know that it's a tsukumogami?" 

"What?"

Your stepfather's gift to you was a delicate glass-blown kanzashi. When you pulled it out of your hair to inspect it more closely, you saw the fine craftsmanship and the intricate azure blue beads and gold trimmings that adorned it. Though you were certain you were holding it carefully, the hairpin fell to the tatami floor, followed by a gentle stream of cursed energy that seemed to emanate from it. It didn't take long for the object to finish its gradual morphing, taking on its human form as the legends say. 

A woman in an elegant azure kimono now sat before you, a tender smile on her face as she met your curious gaze. "You're friends with a very shrewd boy, child of Suzaku. Though I suppose nothing can get past those mystic eyes of his." 

"O-Oh!"

"You may call me Marin. I have served your family for time immemorial as a guardian spirit of sorts. My presence has been restored for this very purpose: to serve as your protector in times when your family cannot," she stated, prostrating herself before you. "It would be an honour to accompany you on your life's journey, aruji-sama."  

"I… I'd like to know this first," you started, trying to hide the quell in your voice. "You called yourself a guardian spirit. I've never heard of you before, though…"

Marin raised her head, the same kind smile on her face even as you questioned her. "That is because I was sealed away, only to be awakened once my master awakens as well. And it has been… three hundred years since I last saw my master, the one who possesses Suzaku." 

"Otome is not the same master you served before, tsukumogami. She might possess the same ability as your old master, but she is a different person altogether," Satoru interjected. 

"I am well aware of that fact, little godling of the Gojo family," the woman stated. "That is why I wish to accompany her on her life's work— in order for us to have a better understanding of each other, and for me to glean more knowledge about the world at present… If she will have me, of course."

"Of… Of course, Marin-san! I… I would be honoured to have you as well!" You told her, taking her hands in yours. The guardian spirit was evidently touched by your trust. It was pure and child-like, a currency in itself that is absolutely priceless. 

"I thank you, aruji-sama. Remember you have only but to call me and I will be there," she replied, lifting your hands to her lips in reverence. "For now, I bid you farewell. I am only an arm's length away from you. Always."

Marin's cursed energy condensed itself once more, housing itself in the elegant hairpin until nary a trace of her human form remained. Satoru lifted it from the tatami and scooted over to your side, pinning it back to your pulled-up hair. 

"Thank you…"

"Huh. You're really like the sun," he said. You couldn't help but cock your head in confusion at his statement, earning yourself another one of his boyish grins. "You know that sorcerers like us have different kinds of energies, right? We can see and even sense traces of it… but it's different when you touch. I… don't normally let other people touch me, so I was surprised when I held your hand and saw that instead." 

"That?"

"It was said that when you touch someone and you see colours, you're touching that person's very soul." 

What? "Really?"

"When I held your hand yesterday… It felt like I was looking at numerous rays of the sun. It was all golden! But my eyes didn't hurt at all."

"Oh…" 

He suddenly raised a hand to his nape, a sheepish expression gracing his features. "Did you… see any colours when we held hands?" 

"I saw the sea… and snow," you told him truthfully. "Like a splash of blue." 

There was a curious twinkle in his eyes when you spoke of the vision from yesterday. He looked… rather pleased with himself.

"I'm glad that's the case!" He stated, his confidence returning as he happily rocked back and forth, not at all making an effort to mask his giddiness. "I'm really glad I came here! Even though I have to spend most of my mornings with Kazuya…" 

So he came seeking answers, you thought to yourself. Satoru grew surprisingly warm and comfortable around you afterwards. He remained a diligent student to your stepfather for the rest of his stay as well. He gladly sparred with Kazuya now and even let him win on occasions, though he took no pleasure in going easy on him. Satoru was a prodigious child and Kazuya soon came to realise that even if he mastered Raiden and his inherited Lightning Rod Sorcery, he can never best a little god born perfect. 

On the other hand, Satoru wanted nothing to do with your sister, even though she insisted that they started off on the wrong foot. 

"That boy is so… enamoured with you, my girl. It's rather strange," Suzuna absentmindedly commented as she permitted you to exit the room through the shoji leading to the garden, where the silver-haired boy spent most of the afternoons waiting for you to conclude your basic studies with your mother and governess, his excitement not at all waning as the days passed. 

On his final evening at the Koganei Estate, Satoru slipped past the night patrol and hurriedly made his way to your bedroom, his mischievous, catlike smile glimmering in the dark of the night.

"Shh," the boy with hair like starlight raised an index finger to his lips. "Let me stay here tonight." 

And he spoke. Even as the moon hung high in the night sky, he spoke about anything and everything that came to his mind, even though you had no idea what he was talking about. Despite his sheltered existence, Satoru was intelligent and worldly, and he spoke of things you had yet to see outside your gated home, things he wanted you to see with your own eyes, things he wanted to see with you— to experience with you. You. 

"Do you want me to come back for you when we're older?" He asked, no longer embarrassed by the yawn that left his mouth. He lied down beside you just outside your futon, your small hands slightly touching. 

"Or maybe I'll find you," you replied with a small smile on your face. You were sleepy, but the thought of him leaving tomorrow gave you the strength to fight back the urge to drift off into a dream. 

"Fine by me," the boy nodded, a grin on his face that eventually widened into another yawn. 

Satoru fell asleep first. The only thing that mattered to you was the fact that he was there— the one who touched your soul and saw sunbeams. Perhaps he was waiting to meet you in the space between dreams and the waking world. When you reached for his hand, a tender wave of calmness washed over you, just enough to lull you to sleep as well. 

When morning came, neither of you was bothered by the sound of thundering footsteps through the estate halls, the panicked whispers of "where could he be" being passed around by family members, sorcerers, and servants alike. 

It amused Suzuna, who knew exactly where the little god was— unbothered and sound asleep right next to her child, the one who touched his soul and saw the sea and the sky— their tiny fingers warm and intertwined. 

~ 2004.

Your life as the young heir of the leadership of the Koganei Clan was composed of many hours of learning and training from your mother and family elders, as well as a series of encounters and misencounters with the different children of the numerous sorcerer clans both major and minor. Many grew to respect you and your presence at gatherings, saying you earned the right to sit at that table with all the hard work you've put into becoming a worthy heir, while others remained ambivalent that a girl would be a clan leader. When you turned fourteen, Lady Suzuna started taking you with her to clan leader gatherings. The invitations to such meetings never ceased and became a part of your life as well, earning you allies and opportunities to continue proving your mettle.

When wintertime rolls in, signifying the start of the new year, the venue for clan leader gatherings is reset, and the representatives of sorcerer families near and far converge to Kyoto— the heartland of jujutsu society— to the fortress-like estate of the esteemed Zenin Clan. 

Zenin Naobito inherited leadership of the Zenin Clan from his elder brother in 1999, shocking onlookers that the role was passed down to a sibling and not to offspring. But upon closer examination of their circumstances, it only made sense for the leadership to be passed on to someone who excelled in sorcery and had a knack for politicking. 

Naobito's nephews— the rugged and apathetic Jinichi, and Toji— did not fit those qualifications at all. Toji, most especially, since he was known to have been born with no cursed energy at all, making him an anomaly in his own family. He seemed to exist outside the cycle of cursed energy and his senses made up for his lack of it. 

Toji has since left the Zenin Clan on his own accord. Whatever is known about him now is considered lore— and most of the time, fiction. 

Esteemed as they were in the eyes of everyone in jujutsu society, none of their living family members have inherited their most prized Ten Shadows Technique. Naobito was said to have conceived his youngest son, Naoya, as a final attempt to manifest their family's truest hope of regaining their power from ages ago. Alas, that was not the case at all, for his son inherited a form of sorcery so ghastly similar to his that it felt a bit like mockery. 

If it was any consolation, Naoya was exceedingly intelligent and gifted in his own right, perhaps even more talented than his older brothers. Naobito saw in him a strength that reflected his own— and the smarts to go with it. It was too bad his own pride and entitlement spoiled whatever personality he had. His ongoing infatuation with the girl who possessed Suzaku did not help his moral argument, either. 

It was never his character to patiently wait, but he did so with you. Naoya tried to mask his elation with anything other than that when he saw you enter the shoin with your mother. 

Ah, the strange thing you did to his silly little heart. His uncle Jinichi chuckled at how motionless he stood next to his father. He followed the boy's line of sight and—

"Don't look at her, you dirty old man," Naoya hissed at his uncle. He couldn't blame the older man, though. The way you carried yourself now was even more refined than ever— to think that you could improve even more from that time you put him in his place— and that sprig of gladiolus tucked in your hair… 

Naoya imagined himself backing you into a corner, the sheen of your gold kimono dissipating as you fell into the shadows of the more quiet parts of their estate—

"Does your father know you're a horny little shit?" Came his uncle's remark, followed by a low and rumbling chuckle. It was a joke meant to sound like an insult, but the boy's enraged expression only meant that Jinichi was spot on. 

You could sense eyes on you from across the grand audience hall, and you were greeted by Naoya with a smile, one you hadn't seen in a long while. He looked surprisingly antsy in his spot beside his father and uncles, turning in your direction every once in a while. The meeting was an exchange of views between leaders and was meant to be boring for the youngsters. All of it will make sense in the future, Suzuna whispered to you earlier. 

A recess was called and you took that as an opportunity to stand up and stretch your legs. And perhaps encounter someone… 

That someone you had in mind was not Naoya. 

He greeted you with the same eloquence and warmth so akin to his father that it felt like you were talking to an older man. "Hello, Otome-san." 

"Naoya-sama," you replied to him with a low bow. "It's good to see you again." 

"It certainly is. And seein' you here is such a delight because you are definitely a sight for sore eyes," he stated. 

"Oh, um… I'm glad to know I brighten up the room if that's what you mean." 

Pretty, pretty, pretty— For Naoya, you were so devastatingly pretty that it killed him inside not to have you to himself. He wanted to hold you. "That is entirely true and exactly what I meant. You… Has anyone ever told you that you'd look so nice as a bride? Not now, exactly, but…"

"E-Excuse me?" 

"You're fortunate to have a brother capable of handling things in your family in case you must leave in order to marry," Naoya continued with his seemingly half-brained monologue, only for it to be cut short by your sharp interjection. 

"I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen at all," you replied to him, correcting his misconception about your presence there today. "I stand here before you as your equal, an heir to a house of sorcery." 

You tempered your emotions, keeping them in check in hopes they won't show on your face. However, it got the better of you when Naoya tried to reach for your hand and you suddenly took a step back. He recognised that look on your face as one of horror and disgust. 

Disgust, of all things. One single look made him feel entirely pathetic and hurt and his bruised ego wanted to make you feel just as bad. 

"I see. So that's how it is. You do know the entire reason why yer family still exists is because of your mother's a sycophant. In case you didn't know what that means, it—"

But you had the same sharp look in your eyes, not at all deterred by the fact he veiled his comment with an insult. "I know what that means, Naoya-sama." 

"Everyone in his meeting is aware of what kind of person your mother is, you know. She'd have done everyone a favour by handing over the reins to her husband or her son. It won't be long 'til your family is driven to its own ruin by her own making, and I'll be there when she puts you up for bidding— the heir of a family no better than that of insects—" 

Thwack. 

It was a strange feeling. You did not punch him in the face with your dominant hand yet he was sent two steps back. 

"You—!"

"You called me the bride of a family of insects yet you can't seem to get me out of your mind," you said, the adrenaline pumping through your body as you seized the collar of his dress shirt. "If this is how you intended to win me over, you are pathetically naive."

You pushed him off the engawa and jumped at him while he was down, preventing him from thrashing away from you. 

The unearthly shriek that the other youths heard from the outside of the shoin prompted them to rush outside, everyone present surprised by the scuffle that was ensuing between the girl in the golden kimono and the young master of the house.

The boy had a hand in your now-messy hair as you sat atop his finely-clothed figure, driving your fists into his face in a blind rage. You were hardly an image of gracefulness right now but you were too incensed to give a fuck. 

"Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you think you can just call my family trash and get away with it?! I'm not just a pretty face like you say I am, you piece of—"

You were quickly pulled away from the dark-haired boy by your fellow young ladies, who struggled to pull you back as you tried to rip away from their hold with nothing but fury boiling your blood. The young Zenin boy got on his feet, seething as he was held back by his clansmen from approaching you again.

"This isn't over, Koganei!"

"Grow a fucking backbone, Zenin!"

The scolding you received when you arrived back home at the Koganei Estate was unlike any other. Princess as you were in the eyes of your clansmen, Suzuna considered your recent actions as inappropriate for a future clan head and had you punished for it. The ripped and dirtied kimono from this morning's incident was taken off of you and cast into a fire despite your protests. 

Suzuna was tired. It had been far too long since she last admonished you for something. You were doing so well, after all, following her example and learning from her firsthand. She knew within herself that any corporal punishment she would mete out to you will only embolden you further. 

The two of you sat quietly in her den, the very same place where she would often discipline you as a child. She ordered not to be disturbed by anyone in order to fully understand what was running through your head that afternoon when you decided to smack Zenin Naoya in the face. 

"I have no words for what I just saw, Otome," she stated. "What… What exactly happened back then? Why on earth did you punch Zenin Naobito's heir, of all people?" 

You sat seiza, silent and dignified like she always instructed. Your lip was split open and you could taste salt and dried blood on the tip of your tongue even though you did not open your mouth to speak. 

"You don't deserve the prestige that comes with the position if you're going around acting like a wild boar!" 

"I know you've said time and again to accept everything thrown at us with grace, but I cannot! I will not… I will defend our family's honour even with my bare hands! I…" You shouted back, fists shaking as you tried desperately to swallow the lump in your throat. You have mastered the art of holding back your tears out of fear of upsetting this woman, your mother— Lady Suzuna, but the rage that made your blood boil spilled carelessly in your words. "Zenin Naoya told me that a family led by a woman will only be driven to its own ruin, that we're only fortunate enough to still be standing because of your own pandering to the elders of jujutsu society! He called the Koganei trash! He— How dare he discredit what you've done for this family!…"

Once again, you amaze your mother with your quick wit, though she expected you to act more wisely. The fact that you were defending your clan's honour was not lost to her, but that mattered little now after the tussle that transpired. "That was nothing to lose your patience over, Otome. I told you that getting upset over trivial things is—"

You looked at her with furrowed brows and disbelief. "It wasn't trivial to me, okaa-sama! He insulted you! To that extent, he's insulted our whole family! Why are you being so nonchalant about this?!"

Suzuna wanted to implode. Seeing your untapped rage finally reach its tipping point forced her to evaluate you as her heir, but more importantly, as a person. Your progress— who you are now— is exactly who she wanted you to be. You had better control of your emotions now, a firmer grasp and understanding of the power of your tears, yet she wished you handled your anger better than just throwing your hands at other people. 

And other people happened to be the honoured son of one of the Great Three Sorcerer Clans. 

"Because at the end of the day, we small, insignificant clans are powerless against those giant madhouses. They don't like seeing difference,  anything out of the ordinary— they most certainly do not like seeing women fighting back. No matter how skilled you grow…  Those— Those men can crush us, Otome."

The tremble in Suzuna's voice broke your spirit. Did she not defend this family in her own way? If your self-preservation meant pandering to those above her, she still did so with grace and poise, embodying the beauty and resilience of the ginkgo tree your family takes so much pride in.

She sighed in exhaustion, both physically and mentally. "That brat was obviously infatuated with you. I could tell from the way his eyes followed your every movement. You could have just accepted his compliments…"

You prostrated yourself before her, lowering your head until it touched the tatami. "I'm truly sorry, okaa-sama. I thought I defended our honour but all I did was tarnish it with my rashness. I will accept any punishment doled out to me as you see fit." 

"That won't be necessary. You… did what you thought was right. It wasn't, but you believe yourself to be entirely justified. Keep that conviction of yours, Otome. You have that thing you said that brat didn't," Suzuna shook her head in defeat, a small smile gracing her face despite knowing you were in deep shit. "A backbone."

In the morning that followed, as you were having breakfast in the dining hall with your family, a message of apology and a single box of delectable Royce' Nama Chocolates were delivered by a Zenin messenger. You awaited retribution but all you received was a sweet and a sorry. 

"Naobito-sama sends his regards— and his apologies for Naoya-sama's poor treatment of the young lady Koganei," said the Zenin messenger as they handed over the box of candy to a Koganei servant. "In line with this, Naoya-sama is inviting the young lady Koganei back to Kyoto—"

"No," you stated plainly.

Suzuna nearly jumped from her spot as you conversed with the messenger at the genkan. "O-Otome! What are you saying?!"

Oddly enough, the more you rebuffed Naoya, the more he seemed desperate to ensnare you.

"If Naoya-sama truly wishes to apologise to me and mend our strained relationship, he will come here to the Koganei Estate in person to see me," you told the confused Zenin messenger. "That is all." 

They left in haste carrying nothing but your response to their master's measly excuse of an apology. 

Chiemi couldn't believe her eyes. You were never one to make demands of anyone and it annoyed her to see you acting so audaciously. To see you acting just like her mother, fitting into your role as heir like a snug mitten.

"You've grown awfully confident with yourself, onee-sama. Naoya-sama has done nothing but woo you for the last few years and yet you still punched him in the face," she piped in. "I take it he said some awful things about our family, but he was definitely just teasing you. I suppose you think you're above him now—"

"…t up…"

"What?" She asked, her nose crinkling at your inaudible response. "See? That's the thing with women like you. You always forget your place…"

You couldn't bear to listen to her droning until she said something that made your blood boil once more. 

"Oh, I know! Why don't I go to Kyoto in your stead? We are sisters, after all, and Naoya-sama might find my company more pleasant than you—"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up! For once in your life, shut up, Chiemi!" You screamed at the other girl's face, shaking her shoulders so hard that she dropped to her knees in total shock. All those years of tormenting you and you finally snapped at her. "You can hate me all you want now, but you will thank me eventually! I'd never marry that man even if Suzaku himself commanded me to! And I'm not about to let you waltz into your misery, either!"

Author's notes: — I am once again apologising for this chapter's length. I wanted to keep on expanding and expanding this universe further and accidentally hit 10.2k words. — I think Naoya being a little creepy in the final part of this chapter is pretty on-brand. Don't get me wrong, I love him a lot. I just happened to love Gojo more. We will see more of Naoya in the coming chapters and continue breaking his teeny little heart more. This is a work in progress, one which I am very happy to be writing! This is also my first time actually posting a full fic here, so please let me know if there's anything odd. You can get in touch with me on Twitter or here at Tumblr @SongsOfAdelaide if you wanna drop me a line or something! ~ Mari / SongsOfAdelaide ♡ ♡ tag list: @woozzz

✦ Asleep Among Endives Masterlist ✦

[cassandralie]

Good Omen's Ms Cheng: Reading Into Every Little, Probably Irrelevant Detail

So, I've noticed three things about Ms Cheng. Her name, her clothes--which change upon arrival at Aziraphale's ball--and her earrings--which don't.

Let's start with her surname. As far as I know, we didn't learn her first name, so the name Cheng is what we have to work with. But what does it mean?

Well, according to Behind the Name, Behind the Surname, and Google Translate, there are several meanings, depending on which character is used--I don't think we were shown this.

So, we have "completed, finished, succeed", "sincere, honest, true", and "rule, order, regulations" for the meaning.

And what do the possible characters themselves mean?

There's procedure and sincerity, which we already knew. But there is also journey,

and become.

It's also worth mentioning the similar and related name Chen, meaning "exhibit, display, old, ancient."

Old and ancient might be relevant, considering Good Omens is a show about ancient, immortal beings, God included (though suspiciously absent from Season Two).

So what significance does Ms Cheng's name have, if any?

Is it meant to imply that God has become Ms Cheng? Or maybe that the Metatron's plans will be completed and succeed?

Does the meaning 'sincere' imply we should trust Ms Cheng? Or is it an intentional misnomer, like Honest John, the lying fox in Pinocchio (pulling the strings, anyone)?

Or maybe it's just a common Chinese surname, so Neil Gaiman picked it because he liked it. Maybe the actress, Crystal Yu, chose it upon being cast in the role.

Now let's look at Ms Cheng's two outfits.

The first outfit is a dark green, almost black, and looks like it is made of of leather or something with a sheen (lol) to it.

Does this mean Ms Cheng is a demon/evil? After all we see Shax wearing something similar with green light in Hell in the next scene.

Or is that just a coincidence?

The second outfit still has green, but lighter, and also other colors, like orange and yellow (well, yellowish green), and appears to be leaves--possibly, ginkgo leaves, specifically. Ginkgo trees are native to China (though they predate China by hundreds of millions of years) and can live for thousands of years.

What's the meaning of the color green? It's associated with envy and greed, both sins, but also with good luck, hope, life, and plants (which is the pattern on her shirt at Aziraphale's party).

So it's still ineffable what this implies, if anything, about Ms Cheng.

Now, finally, let's look at her earrings.

The earring appears to be gold with a blueish/greenish stone. The gold part is a circle with a line through it, which is reminiscent of the no/stop symbol🚫, which also means empty/null, and diameter.

Could the no/stop symbol be an indication that we shouldn't trust Ms Cheng or that she (whoever she is) is being stopped?

Or could the diameter meaning be referring to the earth, because Ms Cheng is God and She's got the whole world in her hands. The earring does sort of look like if you squint--or like God has dropped the earth, if the greenish/blueish rock is meant to represent the earth, and the gold circle Her arms.

The earrings also resemble the Greek letters Phi (ϕ) and Theta (θ), which are used in math.

Phi represents the Golden Ratio, among other meanings. Phi and the Golden Ratio are present in the Bible including in Noah's Ark and the Ark of the Covenant.

Theta (θ ) is a symbol used to denote the unknown measure of an angle. Pretty Ineffable, right?

There's also this:

"In Lacanian algebra, Φ stands for the imaginary phallus and also represents phallic signification; -Φ stands in for castration."

Which, is a longshot (though perhaps cut short), but what if it means God has been castrated of Her Power, and that is why She is in Human form as Ms Cheng, and also not narrating, speaking to any of the characters, or intervening.

So, do Ms Chengs earrings have any meaning? Or is their meaning null?

What about her name and her outfits? What does everyone think?

[twistedeuphoria]

This one's for you Let me paint it how I want it, babe Yeah, that's what love is You can take it all out on me When you're with me Be honest

Scene: [Merak] - Puff 'n Pour [Merak] - Vinyl Storage [Merak] - Record Player White [Merak] - Timeless Tales dust bunny . miyabi skybox (build) dust bunny . hazel nook . large sofa . pg dust bunny . hazel nook . rug . natural dust bunny . hazel nook . small sofa . pg dust bunny . hazel nook . blanket trunk dust bunny . elowen lounge . tassel ottoman dust bunny . blackwater decor . hide rug . cream dust bunny . sage nursery . leather ottoman dust bunny& con . serenity . olive tree dust bunny . lemon plants . potted tree . large dust bunny & con . serenity . coffee table dust bunny & con . serenity . potted branches dust bunny & con . serenity . collector's shelves . style b dust bunny & con . serenity . collector's shelves . style a dust bunny & con . serenity . blanket basket dust bunny & con . serenity . carved wall art dust bunny & con . serenity . collector's shelves . style c Apple Fall Books - Arrangement 16 Apple Fall AI Artwork: Sunrise Blossoms Apple Fall Botanical Mirror - Gold Apple Fall AI Artwork: Ginkgo Study Fancy Fall Mariposa Protea Flower - Peach

[localplaguenurse]

you asked for it!

so. imagine, a couple (hundred) years later when wifey's gained some more confidence and everything. morax is entering another rut and he's been just unbearable, getting real touchy in public. so of course, a bad doggy needs to be taught a lesson. wifey ties him up, restrains his wrists (and morax is more or less compliant because this is the first time they've taken the lead like this and he's curious.) and then it begins. the edging. they give him a blowjob, only to stop at the very peak. then 15 minutes later, again, they leave him hanging at the very edge. this continues until morax effectively loses his shit, breaks free and fucks wifey into oblivion. he can't focus on anything but release, he's chasing that high and knotting wifey over and over. he's been a bit wild during his ruts before but this is the first time that he's straight up incontrollable. by the end of it wifey's muscles are straight up jello and everything's sticky and wet and the whole room smells of sex and morax's smoke. and they're lying in each other's arms (wifey's back to morax's chest) and morax is still pumping his hips, albeit much more softly now because he's let out most of that steam. he grabs wifey's cheeks and they look up at him with bleary eyes and he's like "how's that for a lesson?"

Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that’s why I simp on company ti- oh my god.

You might wanna hit up beta because you two. You two think alike.

Yeah I don’t think I can add to that! That’s a whole prompt on its own. Poor wifey but they kinda brought that on themselves (worth it in their eyes).

Wifey’s literally just limp by the end of it. They literally pass out as soon as Morax finishes up, so he has to take care of them and clean up and... oh. Oh wow that’s a lot to clean up. How did they not pass out sooner?

Wifey wakes up and their legs are super achey, it’s a miracle they can even feel them, and Morax kinda has this look like a misbehaving dog like “I. I might have gone more overboard than I thought I would. Sorry...” Wifey promises they’re not mad, but is secretly planning to do that again as punishment. Or to get fucked until they see stars again. Both are good.

[geopsych]

The ginkgo leaf, designed on Pangea before the continents separated over 200 million years ago, is still one of the most beautiful designs on earth.

[mordmortis]

ginkgo stuff - yanjiang (left) and my own spin on abyss wifey (right)

characters belong to @localplaguenurse and their fic as gold as the ginkgo trees !

[eth-ve]

that’s the cutest pfp I’ve ever seen

Thank you!! I made it as a break from the Lihua drawing I was doing :D

Also the Ginkgo brainrot is real. I have been drawing the entire Ginkgo fam as chibi profile pics

[anxious-changeling]

Monster!Reader Enjoys Fall with Monster!Rohan, Johnny, and Joseph

I’m loving the cold nights rn 🙌 finally some cool air in Texas!

Dryad!Reader x Centaur!Rohan

Fall always made you giddy with delight at the lowered temperature and the way it reflected on your hair. Normally a steady green color your hair had been turning gold like your trees leaves. Even your partner Rohan liked to you with your golden strands more than usual, and he loved to style it for you with numerous accessories.

Most people thought Rohan would be the worst partner with his snarky personality. Honestly you’d thought that too when you first started dating, but you found out just how wrong you were! Thoughtful dates and gifts while also spoiling you with expensive gifts. He had basically bought you a new wardrobe that fit your aesthetic!

You weren’t all too surprised when he offered to take you on a day trip to the country, and he promised you’d like his surprise. After a hour or two by train he offered you a blind fold and a soft yet secretive smile. As he led you through town to a forest trail you couldn’t help but wonder what he had planned.

Finally he pulled you to a stop, lifted your blindfolded, and watched as surprise filled your expression. It’s your tree! He had lead you to your tree decked out with lights and a picnic spread! Squealing you leapt wrapping your arms around his human half embracing him with pure joy.

“I saw you felt a little under the weather and I knew you’d love to visit your home tree.” Rohan mused as he lead you to sit down on the picnic cloth. Taking his time to kneel down and grab the bags he had strapped to his flanks, and before you eyes emerged all kinds of foods. All of your favorite dishes and deserts, even your favorite drinks!

A romantic lunch beneath your ginkgo tree with Rohan was an item you’d had on the bucket list for a long time. No matter the wish Rohan always strives to make yours come true, and you couldn’t ask for a better partner. Afterwards you and Rohan playfully played under the tree even rolling in its crinkly leaves.

Years later Rohan would show you a drawing he’d made of that day. A day where joy shone in your eyes and your cheeks burned red with glee, and a day that Rohan fell even more in love with you. A day to celebrate and remember.

Dullahan!Reader x Siren!Johnny

You loved to scare your boyfriend. He always made this little funny shriek when something caught him off guard! So while he was away you made big plans for a scare that you knew would scare him senseless!

Johnny hadn’t expected to come home to a fully decorated haunted house, and watched as fog crept out of the door of your house. He briefly contemplated turning around to avoid the fright he knew you had planned. Your undead status gave you a distinct upper hand over living peoples pranks.

His superior hearing couldn’t even hear a breathe nor heartbeat, and the creepy music made his hairs stand up. Creeping inside he was met with the strange scene of your dinner table littered with silver food covers.

Letting out a relieved chuckle wheeled closer to the table calling out, “This is a little obvious for you hon” An ominous giggle rang out from the table and Johnnys instincts kicked into overdrive. One by one he lifted the domes but instead of your head he was met with mouthwatering dish after dish.

Finally he reached the last and largest one yet when he yanked off the cover a paper laid there that said, “look up.” As soon as his head cranes up he shrieked as your head came swinging down cackling with glee. His heart pounded and he pouted up at you playfully breathing, “god you’re such an ass.”

He always expected the scare to be obvious and then got the wits scared out of him at the end. You couldn’t help but laugh as Johnny clutched his heart before calling your body from the other room. Your fingers nimbly undoing the straps that allowed you to swing down, and you quickly made sure to snap your head back on.

On any living creature Johnnys voice would have a trance effect and his scream would’ve deafened you. Your undead status protected you from any effects cause by a sirens power therefore making scares fair game! Johnny loved the anticipation and you loved to see him startled by yet another prank you’d pulled off!

You both chuckled before taking a seat at the dinner table to enjoy the food Johnny had slowly uncovered. Making idle chatter Johnny listened as you explained the mechanics that went into the he prank. In turn Johnny told you how he’d accidentally charmed coworker Diego at the Steel Ball Ranch.

A happy Halloween for the both of you!

Familiar!Reader x Werewolf!Joseph

Your witch was honestly starting to piss you off a little bit. They knew your contract required you to have full moons off for very specific reasons! Who wanted to spend time with their boss when they could be with their very loving partner?!

If the witch held you any longer you’d honestly think about grabbing some cyanide for their evening tea. But noooo they had insisted on your assistance with some magic that’d be strongest on the full moon. Never again.

By the time you finally managed to escape your witch the moon sat heavily in the sky, nearing its apex. Racing home you pulled into the driveway only to be knocked down as soon as you hopped out. A large bristling figure growling menacingly above you that you didn’t hesitate to growl back at.

An excited whine greeted you as the figure started showering wet kisses down onto your face. Laughing you pushed them off and looked over to see your boyfriends transformed form play bowing happily. He always loved taking this form and playing with you, and honestly you loved it too.

With a grin you shifted into your true form the equally giant form of a hell hound. Returning his play bow you chased him around the yard, paws scorching the earth black where they touched. Bounding back and forth playing heartily as the moon made its journey across the sky.

Finally you laid panting against the ground feeling once more like the puppy you had been hundreds of years ago. Joseph snuffled your ear and nuzzled happily into your side as you watched the moon.

Soon her journey would end and she’d take your boyfriends true form with it. Once again you’d have to wait until the next full moon to play with him. Both of you ran abnormally hot so the chilled fall air didn’t bother you, even as he started to transform back.

A horrible and painful transformation that he always said your natural heat eased. So you wrapped yourself around him tightly and hoped his muscles would relax further and make it easier.

He laid there panting with exhaustion but he still gazed up at you with such loving eyes. So you chose to lay there with him and watch the sunrise. Basking in one another’s presence you’d never forget the hundreds of sunsets you’d watched with him.

[romanceyourdemons]

Favourite setting/descriptive piece in your writing?

i won't lie, i usually add the setting descriptions in the second draft so i don't have all that many on paper right now, but i do like the description that is this draft's opening paragraph

In the daylight, the leaves of the ancient ginkgo tree in the small and tidy courtyard would have looked like a thousand pieces of gold, but, illuminated as they were by the light of half a moon, they seemed as black as ink. The pair of leaves the autumn wind teased away from their branch were the only moving things in this courtyard so bitterly early in the morning. They fell like scraps of cut hair, and yet their golden color flashed out as they sank into the glow of the linen-glazed window of a study overfilled with books and half-meaningless artifacts.