#because I do still miss Rylan

[izayoichan]

More Sulani memories. 🎶

[yichuuonvenus]

The Girl Who Cried Wolf- V

Ethan Landry x Reader

Tainted Love- Chapters

~Warnings~

Rape/Non-con, Loss of Virginity, Cock Warming, Dacryphilia, Knifeplay, Forced Orgasms, Corruption, Murder, Blood, Nightmares, Stalking, Underage Drinking, Attempted assault, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Forced Relationship, Isolation, Fingering

A/N: THE WAIT IS OVER IM BACKKK!!!

I hope y'all enjoy. I missed writing so muchhh omfg

You were walking to the dining hall, alone. You would've asked Tia to go with you but she was at the library studying for her exam. You particularly didn't want to bother her since it was just a few blocks away.

Plus you just wanted to be alone. To have a moment to yourself. You needed to think. It had been a month after Ethan was stabbed… since Rylan was murdered. It had been a few days since Tia told you about the break-in and ever since then you've been distant with Ethan. 

It made you feel like a terrible friend because in a way you were. Every time you thought about Ethan you thought about how he was stabbed, how he dragged his body, how he could barely breathe.

And yet… you were still distant with Ethan. It came from a place of fear. If you could push him away maybe he would be safe… but if he did do those things Tia said he might’ve done, then that's one less person you would have to worry about Ghostface. 

The thought of that being true had your mind feeling like it was going to shatter. On one hand, you couldn't see Ethan doing the things Tia told you. But on the other hand, did you really know Ethan? 

You felt as though you didn't know any of them. You knew quirks about Tia that she didn't even know because of the close proximity and Ethan stayed over every other night and being that close to someone is going to make you think you know them. 

Your mind was so scrambled about it and honestly, you felt like you were going crazy. It all confused you. It confused you to the point you needed to walk alone to try to clear your head. 

Maybe it was time to finally see a therapist. You had thought about when Sam started going. You knew then that you should've gone too but when Tara told you she wasn't doing it. You somehow believe you didn't need it either. You thought you just needed to move across the country to forget it all ever happened. To pretend it all never happened. 

You huffed and kicked a rock. You decided then to stop thinking or at least try to. You took a deep breath and tried to calm yourself by listening to the sounds around you.

Then it was disrupted by the sound of a person walking behind you. Their footsteps were so heavy, so harsh on the pavement. You couldn't help but furrow your eyebrows at how loud they were being. You kept walking until you heard their pace pick up. That made your stomach drop and your blood run cold. You couldn’t stop yourself when you decided to take a glance. You didn't even have a chance to think before your body instinctively started to run on its own. 

The ghost mask was the first thing you saw and you knew then that you were going to die. 

This was how it was going to end with you alone with no one. You thought about Amber and how she told you that it would end like that. You swore her laughs sang in the air, mocking you because you were going to die. 

The street lights did nothing to light up your path. The dim lighting did nothing to help you. All you had to do was make it to the dining hall. When you got there you could be safe. You could call Chad to come and walk back with you, that was if you could make it to the dining hall in one piece. 

Your chest felt like it was going to explode. Your heart was in your stomach. Your body couldn't stop shaking. You had to get to the dining hall. You needed to get to the dining hall. What felt like a short walk was now a long deserted road that led to nowhere. 

The only thing on your mind was surviving. Your ears were ringing from the heavy sounds of Ghostface’s steps. You begged a higher power to let you live. You didn't want to die, not yet. You had finally got out of Woodsboro. Your life was just beginning before Ghostface’s appearance. 

You collided with something causing the air from your lungs to rip out of you. Whatever it was had you wrapped around them. You screamed and tried your best to pull them off of you. 

“Y/n? Y/n! It's me! It's me,” the person said as they held your face. 

You opened your eyes to find Ethan. You couldn't have been more grateful as you cried into his chest. 

“What's wrong?? Why were you running?” He asked as he stared at the sidewalk. 

“They… the- Ghostface they it- I I thought I was going to die,” you cried in his arms. “I was going to die.”

“No no, I'm here. You're safe. There's no one here, Y/n. No one is here,” he said, trying his best to soothe you. 

You turned around and saw that no one was there. 

Had you imagined it..? No. You couldn't have. It felt too real. The sounds. Ghostface’s heavy footsteps. There was no way. 

You cried harder in his arms. Were you going crazy? Was your mind so messed up from last year that it configured Ghostface chasing you?

You didn't want to believe it. You couldn't because it was real. It was real. 

“It's okay… I'm here now, Princess,” his voice was above a whisper. His hands did all they could to soothe you as they petted over your hair. 

Ethan was always the one to save you. It made you feel awful because he had to deal with you. It was settled then that you were finally going to go see a therapist. You knew that the school had services for students so you could try to start there. 

. . . 

Ethan walked you to the dining hall and back to your dorms. You knew it was common decency but you were still very grateful. You felt like people would see you as crazy if they saw how you acted when you thought you saw Ghostface. 

You hugged Ethan as you stopped at your door, “Thank you again for walking with me.” 

“You don't need to thank me,” he said with a smile. He leaned on the wall next to your door. “I'm always here for you… you know that right?” 

You nodded and smiled back. 

He frowned a bit and touched your cheek, “Try to get some sleep, okay?” 

“Of course,” you said, leaning into his touch. Only then did he smile a big toothy grin. 

When he turned his back to you it made you think. It was then you unlocked your door and Ethan was almost to his room that you called out to him. He turned around and tilted his head. 

“Can… Can I stay over tonight?” You asked. You didn't know why you asked but it came out of your mouth. 

He smiled and nodded as he waited for you to walk to his room with him. You were nervous. You've been into his room a dozen times before but now… you were nervous. 

Your hands were fidgeting and you couldn't calm down your heart rate. You felt like tonight was a bit different from other nights and your gut was always right. 

Ethan opened the door to let you in first as he followed behind you.

“Do you need any refreshments?” It sounded so goofy coming out of his mouth that you only laughed and nodded. 

“Water, please.” 

His eyes felt like they were looking at you differently too. It's like they saw you as more than a weak pitiful creature. You loved Sam, Tara, and everyone from the friend group but they saw you as a baby that needed to be coddled. That needed to be shielded. Ethan's gaze now felt like they wanted to see more than a baby deer who'd been hurt. 

“So… where Chad?” You quietly asked as he handed you a water bottle. 

“He is staying over at Tara’s,” he chuckled. 

You giggled at that which had you rolling your eyes at yourself for giggling. It was kinda embarrassing how you were feeling with this boy next to you. 

“I need to go to the bathroom but you can sit in my room and wait,” he said. 

“Oh okay…” 

He opened his door and you walked in smiling at him before sitting on his bed. You felt awkward so you sat on the main edge. You stared at his new poster. It was the movie poster for Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. He had a knack for watching any scary movie. It seemed like nothing could gross him out. For you, however, you could never stomach them especially after... 

He walked into the dimly lit room and sat on his bed next to you. You stared at the ground before looking at him. His eyes were already on yours. 

“Do you want to watch a-”

It was a shock to you at first. Before you could even pull out a sentence his lips were on yours. You didn't know how to react, so you just sat there and waited. When he pulled back his head tilted at you.

You didn't know what to say. You didn't even know how to react… Your first kiss was with Ethan. In his dorm room. After you might've had a psychosis episode. It felt weird because you didn't even think that he liked you let alone kiss you. 

“Was that okay?” He asked. 

You didn't know what to say so you just nodded. He smiled before leaning in again but this time you dodged his lips. 

“What's wrong?” 

“Nothing… I just never kissed anyone before,” you quietly said. You didn't know why you weren't leaving or why you said what you said because truly you weren't comfortable with kissing him. Not now. Not after everything that has happened. 

“That's okay. We can teach each other,” he expressed with a smile. 

And to that, you only nodded. Then his lips were awkwardly on you again. You had guessed you were his first kiss too. You felt as though you couldn't feel anything but his lips on you. You tried to follow his lead but it felt too forced, too hard on your lips. 

Your mind became blank and when you came back you were on your back. Your pants were off and he was slowly pulling off your underwear. He was telling you how pretty you looked. How you wouldn't regret this because “he found things on the internet.”

You didn't want to go any further but you couldn't even bring yourself to move. When his tongue moved against your clit you clutched the sheets below you. You sighed as he kept licking and sucking on it. 

It was okay, right? Because you were enjoying it but you didn't even permit him, so was it okay? 

You didn't want an answer to that question. So you let it go to the back of your mind. 

You felt his hands keep your thighs open. He was strong which surprised you and it reminded you that he could truly do anything to you. 

When his fingers started to work their way into your entrance. You felt yourself tug at his hair and whine from the intrusion. 

“Ethan…” you cried softly. “Please.”

You knew then that he might've thought it was a plea for more rather than a cry to stop. His fingers were thicker and longer than yours and hit spots he probably didn't know were a part of a woman. It hurt you but at the same time, the pain felt good. 

When he started to go faster you couldn't control your pants, your pleas. You couldn't stop your hips from moving back and forth against his face. You let go of his hair to then grab onto a pillow to muffle your noises. You were terrified of the rooms around you hearing your cries. 

You press the pillow against your face moaning into it. It was soaked with tears and spit but you didn't care. You just needed your noises to be muted. Then he pushed you to your edge causing a loud cry to leave your lips. You had hoped that the pillow blocked out the noise enough. 

You couldn't open your eyes as you removed the pillow. They were hurting from how hard you squeezed them shut but when you finally found the strength to open them. You looked at Ethan who was gazing at you with a look you couldn't quite place. 

He was smiling. His lips were glistening and his cheeks were red enough that you could see them in the dim lighting. He moved up next to you to hold your face in his hands. 

“I hope you know how beautiful you look right now, princess,” he whispered into your lips. 

You cringed at the pet name now. You cringed when he pressed his lips on yours. The only time you didn't cringe was when he pulled back to lay his head down. You felt his arms wrap themselves around your waist pulling you close to him. 

It felt like hours before his breathing slowed and his grip slightly loosened off of you. You felt like you could breathe again. You pushed him off of you. You couldn't think clearly with him wrapped around you. 

You felt sick. Like you were going to throw up at any moment but nothing ever came out. Ethan took many of your firsts tonight without permission… but you never said no. It made you feel like you were the one in the wrong because you only nodded and went along with it. 

You didn't understand why he thought tonight would be the night. You didn't understand why you nodded your head. You didn't understand why you were still in his room in the first place. Overall you just wanted to forget tonight ever happened. You closed your eyes and felt yourself drift off. 

You could try and escape into your dreams but even then you would be in a nightmare. 

. . . 

He was gone when you woke up. You knew that because the door was open and the whole dorm was quiet. You still felt like a shell. you couldn't understand what had happened… and why it happened. 

You swung your legs over the edge of the bed and stared at the movie poster again. It was then you couldn't control it and ran to throw up. You thankfully made it to the bathroom in time. Everything that was in you the night before was out of your stomach before you had a chance to think. 

And to be honest, you didn't want to think about it. You picked yourself up and made sure to clean up. You didn't want Tia to see you like this especially when she was the one that even warned you. 

Maybe you should tell her? Would it be a good idea to? You just needed to see her and maybe then you would tell her what happened. So you left for your room. You had remembered the night before you left it unlocked. Tia was going to rip you a new one for that one. You knew for sure. 

But as soon as you opened the door you were greeted with blood.

All over the floor… Tia’s door was opened and her body was on the ground. The scream that flew out of your mouth. The way you ran to her. Your body was all on autopilot. You held Tia to your body as your next-door neighbors alerted your RA. You rocked back and forth as you stared at Tia’s lifeless eyes staring back at you. 

“Wake up… please. Please wake up,” you cried. You were trying to feel a pulse and yet there was nothing. 

It was all a blur as they took her away from you and as they took you to the hospital. 

It was a nightmare. It was all a nightmare that you didn't wake up from yet. 

But when you opened your eyes and saw the same white sterile walls you could never seem to leave. 

You laughed at yourself that you were foolish enough to think leaving Woodsboro would mean you could escape that same nightmare. 

Previous Chapter?

Next Chapter?

[evertidings]

Hi bestie I am asking my fave IFs around for this question

"What is one thing the ROs 🤭 want to hear, need to hear, and dread to hear from the MC?"

— [A] Devereux

want: “i’m on your side; i’ll be with you all the way”

need: “your passion is not a burden—it’s what makes you the wonderful person you are”

dread: “you’re too much for me”

— Blane Rekner

want: “you’re not a bad person”

need: “your trauma does not define you. it’s okay to still resent what happened to you, even if it was years ago”

dread: “you’re the reason [REDACTED] left you”

— N Alves

want: “you being in Blane’s shadow is not any fault of your own”

need: “you are not and do not need to be defined by other people. who you are is enough”

dread: “the only reason you stand out is because of other people—on your own, you truly are nothing special to look at”

— K de Vries

want: “you’re never truly alone”

need: “you’re not being punished for something you did, your immortality just is”

dread: “you think you’re protecting yourself but it’s actually the opposite—people dodge a bullet by not involving themselves with you”

— Rylan Villanueva

want: “you can just be yourself with me”

need: “i’m not going to run away if you decide to take off your mask”

dread: “no one you’ve left behind misses you—i know i certainly wouldn’t”

[ghostradiodylan]

Haven’t done a poll in a minute so, why not?

I know there was some anti-Ryan sentiment early in the fandom, which I thankfully missed, and I know some people are tired of Dylan now because he’s been so popular, to the exclusion of other characters.

My answer should be pretty obvious. 🥰

I really hope someone hate-ships them though. How romantic. 💘💘💘

Edit: Ooh I should have put options for if you don't particularly like one or the other but you ship them anyway. Like when your friend has a partner you don't love but you still have to admit that they're good together. If that's you put it in the comments!

[fuck-you-upmusicbracket]

Rylan (The National)

Is it easy to keep so quiet?/Everybody loves a quiet child/Underwater you're almost free/If you wanna be alone, come with me/Is it easy to live inside yourself?/All the little kids are high and hazy/Everybody's got nowhere to go/Everybody wants to be amazing

"It’s an autism anthem to me. All about not even trying to make yourself small but the world making you small anyway. You can project it onto any tortured soul with a heart of gold"

Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure (The Weakerthans)

After scrapping with the ferals and the tabby/Let you brush my matted fur/How I'd knead into your chest while you were sleeping/Shallow breathing made me purr/But I can't remember the sound that you found for me/I can't remember the sound that you found for me/I can't remember the sound

And when the voices died/I emerged to watch abandoned machines/Waiting for their men to return/I remember the way I would wait for you/To arrive with kibble and a box full of beer/How I'd scratch the empties desperate to hear/You make the sound that you found for me

"This song is a sequel to plea from a cat named virtute, still from virtute's perspective. it's set after virtute runs away, not getting the attention or care she needs from her owner. she talks about her time on the streets; hearing her owner calling for her, "missing steps in the street" as he searches under cars, calling for her, his "anger pleading in an uncertain key." living through the winters, watching the abandoned construction lot and thinking of her time with her owner, how she'd knock over beer bottles to get his attention, how he'd take care of her after she fought the stray cats outside and she'd sleep on his chest. the part that KILLS me though, is the repeating line; "the sound that you found for me." this is how virtute refers to the name her owner gave her; it's the sound he found to call her by. and the ending chorus of the song says that she *can't remember it.* she forgot the name he gave her. she can't remember the sound that he found for her."

"The song is from the perspective of a cat who runs away because her owner has fallen deeper into alcoholism and depression and is no longer taking care of her. As time passes she laments on the past and misses the days when she was loved, when her owner would "sing the sound they found for her" (her name.) it ends with her stating that she can no longer remember that sound. i can't listen to this song without feeling the urge to cry. it's almost soothing, like a lullaby. easy to break down to."

"This song is from the perspective of a cat that runs away from her owner, after his depression and alcoholism cause him to neglect her. in particular, it's about her forgetting the name he used to call her. (the good news is, this song is part of a saga of four songs ‐ in the last two songs, losing his cat is the push for her owner to start healing and doing better <3)"

Virtute the Cat... submitted by @shadybug + others

[mannerofwhump]

Till Betrayal Do Us Part #3 - Spy Time

first previous masterlist

Whumptober day 3 - a hair’s breadth from death | gun to temple | “say goodbye.” | impaled

note: Eric goes by he/him and Rylan goes by he/they

content: spy whump, violence, death threat, restraints

send an ask if i missed anything!

———

Eric noted the drain in the corner; the bare walls and cement floor; the way the room was well-lit. He noted how the door on the other side of the room was the only way out, no gap at the bottom to let in any light or sound. No gap to let out any screams. Soundproof.

His arms and legs were bound to the wooden chair he was sitting on. This wasn’t his first kidnapping, he was more bored than anything. It had to have been hours since he was brought here. The thirst was the most uncomfortable thing, but it still didn’t bother him that much. He’d been cocky, he guessed, to spy on the trainers from this very facility at the party without any kind of backup. But hey, they did him quite the favour. Once he got out, he’d have valuable intel of the layout of this building, as well as faces and names.

Really, this was a win.

Eric tilted his head up, looking at the lights. They were orange. Oh, it was really going to be disorienting when they stepped outside again. One inconvenience out of many. He looked up and up and back and back, stretching his head back as far as it could go and...

Thud.

Eric grunted when the chair met the floor. Ah, that’ll tell him not to be stupid as usual. Oh well, no regrets. He glimpsed the back wall from the ground, eyeing the restraints attached to it. Wow, lucky him! He’ll probably get a first-hand account!

The door slammed open.

“Ah, so you’re an even more of an idiot than I gave you credit for.”

The footsteps stopped beside him. Eric grinned up at the face looming above him. He caught a hint of anger there, masked by their efforts of looking unamused. “See, I understand why you think I’m one now, but what gave it away before?”

“Spying on us, planting a bug, and then getting caught.” The man—trainer—stepped out of his field of view, walking around the room. “That, is idiocy.”

“Who says this wasn’t part of the plan?”

“Because I hope we got bugged by someone who is at least smart enough to know how awful of a plan that is.” Their face came back into view. And so did their boot as it came hurtling at Eric’s face. Eric cursed when the boot connected with his nose, blood dripping from it over his face and onto the floor below. Well, that’s what the drain is for, he thought, and almost laughed.

“Is that...all you’ve got?”

The man smiled. “No, but I really wanted to do that.” He raised Eric’s chair so it was back to a sitting position. “And while I’d love to show you more, you really have to die now.” He took out a revolver, aiming it in between Eric’s eyes. The gun clicked.

“Any last words?”

Eric looked at the gun, looked at the man holding it, and grinned. He wouldn’t do it, he knew. He was far too valuable a source of information. “What’s your name?” Might as well get a little bit more insight of his apparent captor.

The trainer grinned back, a feral kind of look in his eyes. As if he enjoyed the challenge. “Rylan. Rylan Emery.”

“Pretty name.”

Rylan smirked, before rearing their hand back instead. “Pretty face.”

The butt of the gun collided with Eric’s temple, and all he knew was darkness.

———

Hey, it’s the other guy from before!

(i couldn’t resist a spy whumpee i’m sorry)

ask to be added to the taglist!

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast

@spookyboywhump

[cupcakecoterie]

@true0neutral - Hazel, half-elf cleric

@hyperewok1 - Remi, human paladin/warlock

@miaaoi - Farideh, dragonborn sorcerer

@lindira - Clarity, tiefling rogue/warlock

Marion - Ava, human ranger

Brian - Barnabus, minotaur fighter

@lovefrometernity - Rylan, wood elf sorcerer

This time we were missing a @fauxfire76 because health issues, poor sod.

Farideh, through a connection to the library at the centre of the Ice Maze as well as her own searching of the place the previous evening, figured out that the entire land was at least partly cursed. Speculation was that they were trying to taint or corrupt the land on the assumption that if enough of the land was corrupted, the heart of the barony would be corrupted along with it. There wasn’t much they could do about it at that moment, so they left before it could drive them crazy with nightmares.

Clarity was not having a very good time of it and decided to cut off her braid, because “I have no control over any of this but I can control my hair”. It was flagged up that if she got tired of long hair, Alisaie still has some of that serum with which she (and later Darvin) grew their hair back after fire damage.

They travelled for awhile, chatting, until a particularly bad blizzard blew in. Hazel mentioned a sort of shelter she’d seen on one of their trips, mostly in case of heavy rain or tornado, so they headed for that.

Alisaie, reminded of home by the weather, decided to go try to hunt up something fresh for dinner. Messaged Farideh (as least likely to flail) awhile later explaining that three frost giants were after her, and backup would be really really nice.

Most impressive bit of that combat was Remi making first use of her Wall of Fire spell. Which Alisaie used to best advantage by slamming one of the frost giants back into it with Thunderwave. (Though I was personally really bummed when the frost giant that Rylan hit with Blight made the save; given it’s the first time they tried to use it on something that wasn’t undead.) Additionally, frost giant did get its head stamped into paste by dire moose.

Given that frost giants don’t leave their homes unless something bigger and badder drives them out, and the dead frost giants had scars that the party didn’t leave, they figured that a dragon must be taking over more territory than just the capital of Grey’s Inn. And given that the other side is Kobrea-Val, the guess was that Varydel was trying to get around whatever protections Equitas has against usurping chromatic dragon nonsense.

Alisaie did get rabbits, though.

More on the way. So much more on the way. Still trying to keep this as brief as possible while capturing important / interesting moments.

[rylanpratt]

Baby Announcement || Melina & Kennedy & Rylan

Location: Kennedy’s apartment Involving: @kennedypratt @melinaxabrams @rylanpratt1

[[ Key: Bold: Kennedy, Italic: Rylan, Plain text: Melina ]]

Kennedy knew there was very little he could do to soften the incoming blow, but he was doing his best. He had cleaned his new apartment, made it as comfortable as possible, and had invited Rylan to see it. Seemed simple enough, except Melina was also coming. And he was ready to inform Rylan of that fact as soon as she arrived. Which was…right then apparently. Kennedy tried to smile as naturally as possibly even as his heart pounded when he opened the door, “Hey, honey,” he said warmly, letting her in. “I did just want to let you know, Melina will be here. I hope, um…” he flattened his lips into a flat line. “It’s important you stay. I’m sorry for the sudden news.” Rylan stood in the middle of her dad’s apartment looking around at the surreal setting. That they were spending time anywhere that wasn’t the family penthouse was still a hard pill to swallow, because when Olivia had been away that was where they’d watched movies and spent time together, not in this…clinical setting. Arms crossed over her chest she tried not to make it too apparent how much she was hating every second of this on her expression, but it was not going well. The bell ringing was a surprise, the ‘hi honey’ was even more unwelcome one, as a scowl settled across the girl’s brow. “You did just want to let me know she would be here as she walked in through the door, nice forward thinking.” Her tone dripped with anger as she eyed Melina, starting to feel an uncomfortable sensation at the back of her neck. Something was going on. “More news? Great. That’s what this situation was missing.” Rylan muttered. This was the last place she wanted to be right now. If she had it her way, she would just vanish in a hole in the ground and never come back. But that’s not how life worked, and unfortunately this was something they couldn’t hide any more. The way Rylan was glaring at her wasn’t new to the woman, but it still made her uneasy. “Rylan I’m really sorry about the ambush. But we both knew that you wouldn’t have agreed to this if we flat out told you what we wanted.” She tried to keep her tone neutral but it was hard. “There’s something your father and i need to tell you.” Mel looked over at Kennedy before she continued. “Im pregnant.” Kennedy couldn’t help it; he wanted to reach over and hold Melina’s hand. He wanted the warmth of her palm in his, to ground him and clue him in that this was real. That this was happening. But still he nodded, bracing himself for the words. He cleared his throat, heart pounding, before he jumped in. “We didn’t want to tell you until everyone’s health was stable. But it feels very real now and we needed to tell you.” Kennedy swallowed, trying to keep his voice stable but knew he was close to breaking—if not during this conversation then after. It all felt so heavy. “This is obviously unplanned but I am—“ he glanced at Melina before returning his eyes to Rylan. “I am really committed to being in this child’s life.” Struck silent as soon as the words had left Melina’s lips the model’s entire body went cold like someone had poured ice water down her back, the ground starting to move. Her vision blurred as her eyes almost entirely unfocused. Mouth dry, feeling nauseous, hearing her heartbeat in her ears. This…this had to be some kind of disgustingly misjudged joke the two of them were playing on her…right? Because if it was real she just…she would be…no this couldn’t be real. They would never. Laughing a little she looked between the two of them - hands starting to shake. “You’re fucking with me. Please tell me you’re fucking with me.” The note of desperation in her voice was easy to detect, like she was begging one of them to laugh it off and tell her they’d just been messing around. Except then her dad was saying he wanted to be in the baby’s life and Rylan felt like she couldn’t breath. Face draining of what little colour it had in it to begin with she started to internally panic, not sure how to express the tangle of distorted emotions she was feeling ride in her throat. She knew this was how it was gonna go. Telling her was going to go about as easy as a brain surgery. And judging by the look on rylans face, melina knew they were in for it. Shaking her head slowly when she glanced at Kennedy again before looking at the other girl. “No. No we aren’t joking. I honestly didn’t know until everything had blown up with the texts and our phones being hacked.” Wringing her fingers together, she looked down. “Rylan I’m so sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen the way it did.” Kennedy shook his head at Rylan’s disbelief. “I’m sorry,” he said, for what seemed like the millionth time. “Melina’s right. We never wanted this to happen. Not how it did.” He absently scratched the back of his wrist. “I’m sorry, Ry. I hope—“ he bit his own cheek. “If it’s possible, still, I—“ he looked between Melina and Rylan before shaking his head. “I don’t even know what to say. I don’t want to lose you, Ry. I’ve always meant that. And I’m still here to keep showing up for you, as much as I can.” Rylan's hand lifted into the air, ending up in her hair as she raked her fingers through it, no idea how she was meant to process this information. "You didn't...you never wanted...jesus fucking christ do neither of you know how to be fucking adults?" She exploded, like a coke bottle that had been shook and opened, the girl erupted. "Oh you don't know what to say, no fucking shit you don't know what to say, you make me come here and...and...fucking....this..." Gesturing to the two of them with a shaking hand with sweating palms. No wonder Melina had been in a loose dress at the SNL party. She should have known, she should have known this shitshow would be never ending. "As much as you can? Yes, i can imagine a whole new fucking child will keep you pretty god damn busy!" Rylan screamed, left hand swiping out towards the nearby table as she sent a set of keys flying with a loud crash. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, entirely out of her own control, seeing nothing but red in front of her. This had to be a nightmare. He was replacing her, with her, as if the cheating wasn't bad enough. He was going to have a whole other family while she was cast to the side like she'd always feared she would be, she deserved to be, it was finally coming true. Mel didn’t do well with the yelling. She never did. She usually has a cool exterior and when one of her clients flew off the handle, she was calm and collected. But this? Well needless to say melina was not okay right now. Rylan flinging the keys across the room made her jump as she tensed on the couch next to Kennedy. “Rylan, please. We didn’t plan for this to happen. It was one weekend where i didn’t pay attention.” And that was the truth. “You’re not being a replaced. That’s never the intention at all “ Kennedy tried to keep calm, but it was fucking hard, when he was watching his daughter’s trust in him crumble yet again. But he focused on what Melina was saying and nodded. “That’s right,” he said seriously. “That’s absolutely right. Ry, please know that I will never stop thinking of you as soon as I wake up and right before I go to sleep. That’s been the case since before you were born.” His voice nearly broke, thinking of how much time had passed since that moment of learning of Olivia’s pregnancy and yet—his mistakes continued to cascade. “I love you, kid. That’s never gonna change.”

“Stop, no, stop fucking telling me you love me, stop saying the generic shit you think you should be saying. And you…” She pointed at Melina, shaking her head with a sneer on her face. “You have done enough fucking damage to my family. You were meant to be my friend. You were meant to be my fucking friend.” Her voice cracked as she carried on talking, tears or outraged upset threatening at the back of her throat, everything feeling like it was closing in. Shaking her head as she took a shuddering breath in that didn’t seem to do any kind of good while her left hand clenched and unclenched in and out of a fist down at her side. “You have both ruined…I'm going to be sick...” Rylan muttered. Head swivelling left and right, her eyes zeroing in on the bathroom as she made a bolt for it, slamming the door behind her before she crumpled to the floor with a strangled whimper. Melina sighed as she looked over at Kennedy. Rylan was right in her feelings and honestly the fact that she didn’t try to fight her was the best case scenario. “Go talk to her.”she whispered as she patted his hand. “She shouldn’t be alone right now.” Mel kept her eyes on the door, not knowing what she should do right now that wouldn’t make everything so much worse than it already was. Kennedy knew Melina was right. He didn’t know how much longer Rylan would have her breakdown under his roof but he figured he was a better person to go. He took a moment to grasp Melina’s hand in his own and brought it softly to his lips, a selfish moment of affection, before he rose to go to the closed door. “Ry,” he said, knocking a couple times. “I’m here, okay?” Rylan felt tears start to trickle down her cheeks as she sat on the floor of the bathroom, attempting to get her breathing under control and failing. A shakey hand going into her pocket to pull out a blister pack of pills, shoving a couple in her mouth just moments before hearing her dad outside the door. Sniffing she wiped her eyes roughly so he would see her crying, looking weak in this moment the last thing she wanted. “I didn’t lock it.” She snapped, hands shaking as she returned the medication to her pocket before he got into the room, still fizzing with anger. “Shouldn’t you be checking on your baby mama, don’t want the precious fucking cargo to get fucked up like the last kind you made, right?” The words she heard hurt. They used to be friends and now she was once again on the receiving end of rylans irritation and anger, and she knew it was her fault. If she had just said no and walked away, none of them would be in this situation. Rylan would have her dad and none of this would be happening Kennedy took a deep breath and slowly entered, crouching down to her level. He winced at her words but shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said gently. “You’re not fucked up. You’re my baby. And you matter to me. This is about me and my own—“ he ran a hand down his face. “I don’t even know. But the proudest moments of my life are watching you in the world and that’s not changing.” He took a deep breath. “Even if you have to hate me for this, I will never stop loving you and wanting to talk to you and wanting to watch you blow the world away. That’s the truth.” “I am, I am fucked up, but I’m starting to realise that maybe it’s not my fault because look where I came from. Look who my parents are, a control freak and a fucking cheater.” As he called her his baby the girl scoffed loudly, shaking her head. Interesting choice of words that was for sure. “No, I’m not your baby anymore, you’ll have someone else to watch with pride now, congrats.” Using the edge of the sink to help her stand up on shaking legs she knew she needed to get out of there. Away from this because she could already feel herself losing it, she needed to be at a bar or just…anywhere that wasn’t here. No, she needed a bar. “I’m done.” Walking into the living room she looked at Melina with loathing in her wide charged eyes. “You’ve fucked up my family you fucking bitch. God help other ’friends’ when you fuck them all over for your selfish gain.” Was all the girl spat at the woman, swiping a glass off the edge of the kitchen counter as she passed it, sending it flying with a loud crash as it splintered into a million shards. Melina stood up as Rylan came into the room. The venom in her voice was apparent but she would take that over silence. “Rylan enough. I’m sorry okay. I never wanted any of this to happen.” She said loudly catching the girls attention. “But it’s done, and it’s happened. What we need to do now is figured out how we are going to get past this and move forward.” The last thing she wanted was Kennedy feeling like he had to choose but it seemed like that was where it was heading. “Please just sit down and talk to us.” Kennedy wished it was that easy. His heart shattered at the hopefulness of Melina’s words—exhausted-sounding, yes, but hope nonetheless. He knew Rylan. He knew when she was ready to run…there was little stopping her. Still. He appreciated the hope. “I won’t stop you from going, Ry, but seriously…if you wanna stay. We’ll be here.” He swallowed. “I always want you to stay.” “No, fucking no, back off.” Rylan snapped at Melina, hand coming up as she pointed at the woman furiously. “You don’t get to tell me what to do or when it’s enough. You are not my mother. You are some bitch who is fucking my dad because she doesn’t know what the word enough means. I don’t care if you didn’t want it to happen, I don’t care if you think we need to talk about it. You think just a casual ‘I’m sorry okay’ is going to fix all of this? Oh, Melina is sorry everyone so now everything is fine - it only took her fucking months to say it.” Putting her arms out wide as if addressing a crowed. She was already shaking but it seemed more pronounced now her hands were held out, visibly moving in the air. “Move forward? You think I’m going to get past this? I genuinely done know if you’re the most optimistic person in the world or just a total fucking idiot. This little self indulged circus you’ve both got going on though…” Now Rylan gestured between her dad and Mel, eyes darting from one to the other. “I want nothing to do with this, or with either of you. Not when you have been repeatedly lying to me - when you were meant to be my friend, and you were meant to be my dad, nah. You don’t do this shit to someone you love and especially not with the expectation that it can be sorted out with a conversation like you accidentally ate the last muffin.” The more she talked the more worked up the brunette was getting, voice scratchy as her eyes filled up with tears despite her efforts to stop it. Her mouth opened and closed suddenly like the was found to try and say something but there was nothing else to say. Not without her making things worse. “I’m sorry.” She whispered. Kennedy endured the storm from Rylan’s mouth, patient for its end, holding its hurt as much as he could. He deserved this; he knew it. He wished Melina could be shielded from it, but he knew that was a hopeless wish. He slowly nodded. “We’re both sorry,” he confirmed. “You’re right. We fucked up.” He took a deep breath. “You can still stay here. Or I can call you a car. Wherever you need to go. No questions asked.” Kennedy knew what he was offering, knew he was relinquishing control to her. But he was desperate to do one thing right. To care for her in some concrete way. “I want nothing from either of you. I don’t even know who either of you are anymore.” Rylan grabbed her bag from where it sat by the door, jaw tight with her teeth clenched. “Congrats on your new family you fucking home-wreckers.” Was the last thing she threw in their direction with a sneer before slamming out of the apartment with no idea where she was planning on going.

[lilac-den]

Who would you ship your RO's with from other WIPs?

Oooh...This is actually hard for me to answer 🤣

Zeus: Nathaniel/Natalie Sewell by @seraphinitegames. N has a pretty good understanding of people and Zeus would learn a bit more on proper social responses? The only issue would be on the moral code, where N probably has difficulty making the hard decisions while Zeus is prepared for it.

There's also E from @leo-interactive-fiction...But unlike most of us, Zeus would be too oblivious about romance to be torn up about the slow burn. :'D These two would take decades just to have their first kiss. But their route would be more meaningful, perhaps? 'Cause I can see Zeus being this protective, stoic partner to E's kinder, sweeter approach to things (Not to mention Zeus would kill E a lot faster with a lot of heart-pounding incidents, like carrying bridal style or commenting on how E has a good figure for their activity [combat/training, u pervs]).

Hermes: Yusuha/Yurui from @mage-parivir. They're flirty, kind and easygoing...but still part of the sinister organization?

I kinda imagine that Hermes still keeps a distance, but Yu just keeps interacting with them and Hermes would find it hard to say no. So while there's that line they shouldn't cross, it might ultimately end up being stepped over if romance progresses.

Plus - Imagine all the sweet, nagging patch-ups Yu will receive when Hermes is tending to their wounds or the fact this medic can kick ass.

Though, I do have this funny thought of Hermes being paired with Rook from @michaelbearmaxwell's Breach: The Archangel Job. Like - can you imagine Rook just woo the shit out of Hermes and Hermes is just going sus over how a person can be this affectionate/attentive/annoying to someone?

Of course, once it's realized that Rook is genuinely interested in them, Hermes would probably ease back a bit and be more receptive to him.

Dionysus: They would die (happily) in a M+D poly from @intimidatingpuffinstudios's The Soul Stone War. Just two assertive partners - one a flirty, cheeky gal and the other a hot, grumpy bee? Dionysus is just gonna be that one shy bean in the middle, turning hot and embarrassed from so much affection and attentiveness. (Not to mention that Dionysus is friendly and always looking out for the well-being of others.)

There's also the E+D poly and the M+S poly from the same game XD but I think in the E+D, Dionysus would try to invite Daelynn in bringing Eledwen through town in order to have her experience the joys she may have missed out on. If Eledwen wants to stay behind, Dionysus would bring something back for her and pull one out for Daelynn as a surprise?

In the M+S poly tho, Dionysus is that little squirrel who tries to collect interesting things - maybe what kind of colors the men like, or what sort of hobbies they enjoy. They're probably so invested over the collected information that Dionysus might be unaware of how obvious they are with their affection...

Ares: Hrmm......Rylan Villanueva by @evertidings. It'd be a cute dynamic, ngl - Just this tall, muscular agent letting this cheeky little bastard into his apartment through the window instead of using the spare key before Ares casually asks him if he's hungry.

Of course, given how bad of a cook Ares is, it's probably a(n unknowing) subduing method for them.

I would say more reasons to ship these two, but I feel that's spoiler territory ;u; hahaha...

Dolos: Dolos...That's a hard order, to be honest.

Because they're a bit complex for me, what they look for in a partner? Or who would mesh well...I think I'mma leave Dolos on the 'Unknown' side of things.

[izayoichan]

River: Well, that is a hard question to answer simply because it would be two different lives. I honestly cannot tell if I would be happy in that other life, there’s no way to know what if. There would have been a period in my life that would have been completely different. -he smiles softly at his son- and much easier for both me and your older brother. But this life right now, right here, after meeting your mom, and having you in my life too, I do not think I could be any happier. Liam: But you still miss him, right? River: Yes, and I always will. But that doesn’t mean I love you or your mom any less.

Liam: I know dad, it's just such an odd feeling, to want to know someone you could never have met. -they look up at their dad, smiling at him.- but also a good feeling in some ways. River: In what way? Liam: Well, that I can’t meet him is why I am here, and I am happy I am here. -they gently pet Felix who purrs in return- I get to sit here with you and talk about him, and we both get to be happy. River: Very true, little sunlight, very true. 

They sat for a bit longer, just talking about several things, River telling him some more small stories from when he and Rylan met, like how the nickname princess came to be, which had Liam chuckle. As the sky slowly changed color from its blue to a more golden hue though, he pulled his son up from the ground and headed back into the shelter to find his other sunlight.

Beginning - Previous - Next

[charaznablescanontoyota]

11 (drinks) + g3 crabs of choice

Eliot almost misses the knock on his door, when it comes. He's been working on mending at his cluttered kitchen table, sometimes mumbling along to songs on the radio, and the joints in his wrists and fingers are stiff when he stands to check the peephole. He cracks his knuckles, and reaches to unlock the door.

"What do you want?" he asks, when he opens it.

"No one's seen you in days," Rylan says. Sie's standing in the hall in hir battered old coat, boots wet with snow, a brown paper grocery bag dangling from each hand. "They sent me to make sure you're still alive."

"If I was dead now," Eliot says, "I'd be fine tomorrow."

"I guess that's true," Rylan concedes, with a wry smile. "Can I come in? I brought alcohol."

Eliot stands aside wordlessly. He has the sense that Rylan's not going to take no for an answer - but, to be honest, he prefers being checked up on by someone like Rylan, or Athena, or maybe even Quill. Someone who's not going to tell him how sorry they are, or talk around the fact that they all saw Ella burn to death on the field three days ago.

"I brought dinner, too. Not just drinks," Rylan says, once sie starts to unpack the bags onto Eliot's kitchen counters. It's like watching a magic trick. A big bottle of wine comes out, then something that might be rum. Then plastic containers filled with stir-fried vegetables, rice, fish, and a wide baking pan, covered in foil.

"What's that?" Eliot asks, nodding at the pan.

"Oh. Olive made it." Rylan peels back the foil to show him. "She called it rainbow cake? I'm not familiar."

Eliot's throat tightens. All at once, he's thirteen again, at his grandmother's shiva, cake and jam sticking to his teeth. He can taste the chocolate icing coating the roof of his mouth. He had thought that he would never have to sit shiva for anyone else, not as long as the city was still frozen.

"Tell Olive thanks," he manages, every word a struggle.

"Sure." Rylan pauses. "How are you?"

Eliot searches for the right thing to say, and comes up empty. There's no single phrase to encompass how he's feeling. He thinks Rylan might understand better than most, having lost hir husband to Monique's ice, but he still can't figure out how to communicate the depth and breadth of the grief inside him. How heavy it feels to carry. If there's a word for it, or a better way to shoulder it, no one's told him yet.

"Angry," he settles on, because that's something under the grief that he can grasp on, something that he can feel through the fog like a red-hot splinter in his chest.

"Good," Rylan says. Sie opens the cabinets above hir head, finds two mugs, and cracks open the wine. "Angry's a good place to start. Let's talk about it."

[leonstamatis]

for blasetober today: hey, remember how the lift won a championship in the most bonkers season of all time? remember how they won by being so bad it all looped back around? i love them.

--

It’s almost funny, is the thing. Or at least it’s uncomfortable to make everyone laugh behind their hands, eyes wide with confusion and maybe a little fear. They aren’t supposed to be here. There’s no reason for the Lift to have made it to the postseason at all with their record this season, much less the championships.

Terrell Bradley stands in the dugout, tinged with black and still smoking from the transition to the Shadows. The fax had been pretty rough to watch; Gerund is still vibrating from the feeling of the entire stadium quaking as the machine opened a hole under his feet.

But she’s giggling, too, tinged with something close to hysteria.

“Hey,” Silvaire hisses, but her own smile is infectious, “I thought you killed gods, not Garages pitchers.”

Gerund laughs for real at that, a full-body tremor, gripping her stomach.  It’s wrong of her to do, standing in the infield in front of everyone; she does it anyway. “And I thought you stole art, not bases.”

“I have a variety of skills.”

“That makes two of us.”

It feels like staying up past her bedtime. Like skipping horseback lessons to go exploring with her friends, if she had ever actually managed to get away with that kind of thing. Every single part of this has been wrong from game one through until the end. At least they’ve been consistent in their absurdity.

Rylan doesn’t really seem in on the joke, but that’s hardly unusual. Ey’s always somewhere else, half a world away behind eir slitted pupils and broad hood. Ey’d watched the fax go off with relative apathy, or at least it seemed that way, fingers tapping idly against the leather of eir glove.

“O’Lantern,” Gerund says. Not loud enough to startle em, but enough to knock em out of whatever universe ey retreat to when left to eir own devices. “You have to admit, this is pretty funny.”

“Likely not as fun for the Garages,” Rylan intones. Because ey’re a little bit of a goody-goody, and really, Gerund should have expected that. “We are here because of loopholes, not because of skill. What can you enjoy about winning by accident?”

“Literally everything,” Gerund says back. “Everything about this is the ideal scenario.”

Silvaire hums in agreement. “I’d rather win by mistake than lose while trying. The less I have to try now, the harder I can celebrate later.”

“And we will be celebrating,” Gerund says.

Rylan shrugs. “I won’t be.”

“You can go spend your evening talking to the ghosts.” Silvaire waves a hand. Under the stadium lights, her collection of rings and bracelets glitter like stars. “I refuse to miss out on the only opportunity I get to be treated like a champion after a good heist.”

They’ve been so busy talking that Gerund hadn’t even noticed the batters, up and out before Coolname has even thrown nine pitches. The game is over just like that, and she didn’t even see the ending.

Ayanna cheers, and it sets everyone else off. All at once, the Lift are cheering, laughing, collecting in one big pile on the pitcher’s mound. Rylan hangs back; Gerund doesn’t, tugging Silvaire along behind her.

It’s not a clean win. But it’s a funny one, and she’s okay with that.

[theneverfinishedstory]

10. Dark Skies

CW: Implied eating of humanoid people

Something tapped her nose. The tapping spread from her cheeks to her forehead and nose all at once. Mirage opened her eyes as more raindrops pattered against her face. The sky, only a few hours ago a bright blue with some puffy white clouds, was now a deep purple-black. Thunder rumbled when Mirage shot up. She glanced around her and saw the whole campsite was empty. The other trainees’ bed rolls were where they had left them. Mirage swore, grabbing her hat next to her bedroll, and got to her feet. She was late. 

It was time for the five trainees to prove their full fledged membership. A few days earlier, the five of them, Mirage, Josephine, Hayden, Ida, and Leonard had set out from Beggar's Canyon towards their mission’s hotspot. A band of werejackals had amassed quite a fortune from attacking wagon trains traveling between remote towns. Because of all the murders and robberies, that particular trail was abandoned. But rumor had it the werejackals still staked out the road, waiting for more travelers. More importantly, they sat on their mounds of treasure. Since it wasn’t doing anything good for anybody, the Caravan thought it would be perfect for the recruits to find it. The recruits were given a time to strike and Mirage had just slept right through it. 

“Shit, shit, horse shit,” she hissed to herself. 

She headed down the cliffside towards the outcropping of mesas where the werejackals’ hideout was supposed to be. It would be easy enough to find; Mirage just had to follow the old wagon tracks that were baked into the ground winding its way between the small mesas. It was the ground coverage she needed to make up for. As she ran, Mirage focused her inner energy and tapped into the wellspring Arabella and Ransom called ki. Like a jolt of strong coffee, Mirage felt her stride lengthen and she instantly covered more ground. She slowed her pace when between the mesas. The only sound she heard was her footsteps, an occasional rumble of thunder, and the increasing patter of raindrops against rocks above. 

About halfway through the pass, Mirage came around a bend. The bend led into a large open space, the rock walls of the two mesas now about fifty feet apart. Broken wagon wheels lay next to their snapped wooden axles and tattered canvas fluttered from the husks of wagon coverings. Barrel staves, the barrels themselves long ago torn open, were now rusted halos in the dirt. Close to the center of the wreckage, was a small fire. Two humanoid creatures hunched over it and spoke to a massive figure on the opposite side of it. From what Mirage could see, the creature had an animal like body but a human torso and head. There was a stack of humanoid figures next to it. Red eyes glanced over and saw Mirage’s horrified expression.

“Well boys, you must have missed one,” the voice said, clear as a church bell among the rain. 

“Nah, your majesty,'' a voice said near Mirage’s right side, “We’ve been tracking her since we heard her. These boots these fools wear sure are a dead giveaway, huh?”

Mirage struck out where she thought the person was. Her fist grazed coarse fur. 

“Tsk, tsk,” the werejackal said, already moving away from Miage. “Feisty. Mind if we play with your food again, your majesty?”

“Quiet, Rylan,” the creature ordered. “Come here, little one. Come closer. I want to see you up close.”

When Mirage didn’t move, the werejackal closer to her whispered, “Better listen, numbskull.”

Against her better judgement, Mirage slowly moved closer. She heard two additional werejackals join from her left as the original one on her right followed close behind. Five total and the monster on the other side. She racked her brain trying to remember if a monster was ever discussed in the mission briefing. All she remembered discussing were werejackals: basic humanoid creatures that worked in small packs. Mirage knew she would have remembered a mission involving a half mountain lion person. 

Now that she was closer to the fire, Mirage could see the mysterious creature. From the top up, she was the most beautiful woman Mirage had ever seen. Long gold hair hung in a braid on either side of the woman’s face. A jewel toned cowboy hat graced her head. Her cheekbones were sharp enough to cut rope and the red eyes, hot like embers, regarded Mirage carefully. She wasn’t wearing a shirt, just layers of necklaces, all gold and encrusted with turquoise, jade, and obsidian. Her sun-baked skin melted into the lower half of a mountain lion, but five times bigger. Four massive paws ended in bloodied claws and her lion’s tail flicked in the dirt. The rain did little to diminish the presence this creature had. 

“Who are you?” Mirage blurted out. “What are you doing here? You weren’t...this wasn’t… where are the others?”

“Others?” the creature repeated, her tone full of mockery. “You don’t possibly mean the four heroes dressed like you?” She leaned forward, adding, “Though you have a different colored bandanna.”

“Yeah, I mean them,” Mirage replied. “Where are they?”

The werejackals all around her started snickering, their high pitched giggles mixing with the next roll of thunder. 

The creature smiled and shushed them. Pointing over to the pile, “Care to join them, little one?” she asked. 

Further out, Mirage couldn’t make out who was in the pile of bodies, but now that she was closer, she saw them all. Hayden’s black boots they’d bragged about stealing, Ida’s hand woven belt, Leonard’s shaggy green hair, Josephine’s red bandanna; the bodies were her fellow recruits. Mirage stumbled backwards and looked back at the creature. 

“H-how? They were all trained, we are all trained-” Mirage said.

“Trained in the mysterious powers of ki, right?” the creature replied. “I happen to know a lot about ki and how to get into little peasants' minds that seem to work like you and yours formerly. Honestly, in hindsight I should have just commanded them all to serve me, but I was just so hungry. And a little tender meat is a favorite of mine. Turn one against the others and it is just a wonderful show with a meal afterwards”

The creature took something off the fire. Mirage watched as the hunk of meat disappeared into the monster’s very human mouth. While chewing, she sighed, “There’s two things in life I live for. Tender meat and treasure. Speaking of, y’all were trying to steal from me.”

“Y’all weren’t doing anything with it, nothing useful to nobody!” Mirage said. “Your money could help people, people who really need it.”

A pink tongue licked a bit of blood from the corner of the creature’s mouth. “Or I could keep it and admire it. Which I find much more appealing than what you suggested.”

“Your majesty, I hear people approaching!” one of the werejackals in the back hissed. 

The creature’s lips pursed. “Maybe that message they were sending did get out.” 

“Do we fight?” the werejackal to the right of Mirage asked.

“Let’s see what they want,” was the reply. “You, little one. I suggest you remain where you are but turn and face them.”

Mirage was going to tell her to go to hell but oddly enough felt her body turning away from the fire. She tried to twist back but couldn’t. Having her back to an enemy so unknown to her sent Mirage’s mind into overdrive. She tried to meditate and focus on breathing like Ransom and Arabella taught her to, but it wasn’t working. Giving up, Mirage opened her eyes as a dozen or so members of the Caravan came around the bend. Seeing what was before them, almost In perfect unison, they all shifted into fighting stances. 

A raspy voice shouted something over in a language Mirage didn’t understand. Seeing the orange kerchief, Mirage assumed it was Jolene, one of the Caravan leaders. The creature replied something back in the same language, the creature’s voice sounding unimpressed. The conversation picked up speed and increased in volume between the two and Mirage understood none of it. After what felt like an eternity, the strange compulsion to remain where she was, faded. Freedom returning, Mirage pitched forward and kept moving that direction, trying to put as much distance as she could between her and the creature. Arms grabbed her in a fierce hug and Mirage panicked, shoving the person away. 

“Eolian, it’s me,” Arabella said. 

She grabbed Mirage’s shoulders and forced her to stand still. The tiefling was panting and there was a sheen sweat across her forehead. Mirage stopped struggling but had to see behind her, just to check that she was still awake and not dreaming. The other members of the Caravan were walking forward, following Jolene towards the fire. The werejackals made room and scuttled closer to the creature as the monks sat down. Once seated, Jolene called out over her shoulder in Common, “McClain, Jericho. Get Eolian out of here. We’ll meet you when we’re done here.”

With a curt nod, Arabella guided Mirage the way she had entered the nightmare back out the wagon path. Arabella’s arm remained around Mirage’s shoulders as they walked. Ransom appeared on Mirage’s other side. The rain turned into a downpour. Hard packed, dusty dirt softened. Water streamed off each of the trio’s hat brims. Mirage, not able to see in the dark, found her boots caught on every rock and dip and valley the rain carved. But Arabella kept her upright as they continued on. 

Not able to keep it in anymore, Ransom whispered, “How the hell did you survive that, Mirage?”

Mirage felt her eyes well with their own rainwater, saying, “I slept in.”

[managingmymuse]

pizza

for writer's month 2021

day twenty-one: pizza

(original fiction | Sentinel universe)

The hotel room was depressing. An upper middle class sort of depressing, which should have felt like home, but somehow just made it worse.

I grabbed the remote and flicked off the TV. "I'm hungry. You wanna get some pizza?"

"What's pizza?" Rylan asked.

I wheeled around to look at him. "What do you mean 'what's pizza?'"

"I mean, 'what's pizza?'" he said. "I assume it's a food?"

For a long moment, I just looked at him. I glanced at Ablom, reclining in his corner chair like he owned the place. He looked comfortable, and not a bit incredulous, which probably meant that he didn't know what pizza was either.

"Let me get this straight," I said. "You've never had pizza? None of you?"

"Maybe you could describe it for us," Rylan said. "And then we can decide if we want some."

"Describe my ass," I said. I opened the desk drawer and rummaged around. Sure enough, I came up with a list of take out places recommended by the hotel. A place called Pizza Al's was prominent on the list.

I punched in the number, and was greeted on the third ring. "Al's."

"Can I get a large pepperoni?"

Thirty minutes later, Zippa returned from the hotel lobby carrying two pizza boxes in her outstretched arms. I'd have gone to get them myself, but you know, I was supposed to be dead.

The smell of garlic overwhelmed me even before I could open the box. "Oh my god," I said.

Zippa smiled her small, secretive little grin. "Down girl."

I mimed panting like a dog. How long had it been since I'd had honest-to-god pizza? Six months? A year?

Rylan and Ablom were exchanging glances. "I guess it smells good," Rylan said.

I put my hands on my hips. "You guess? You guess?"

Zippa passed out plates, and I went over to the box and cracked the lid open. A gust of warm air wafted up towards my face, bearing the scent of tomatos and cheese.

My mouth watered, but I clamped down on my hunger. I picked up the box and presented it to Rylan and Ablom with a flourish. "This," I said, "is pizza."

They stared down at it, with confused expressions on their face.

I glanced at Zippa. "Come on. Help me out here."

She pulled a piece out of the box and put it on her plate. "I don't think I've ever seen you be this excited about something that doesn't involve explosions."

I frowned at her. "Ha ha. Grab a piece."

That last comment was directed at the boys. With extremely dubious glances, they copied Zippa's movements. When all three plates had pizza on them, I dropped the box and got myself a piece.

It was halfway to my mouth before I realized that Rylan was staring. "You just... eat it with your hands?"

"Yes," I said, before taking a huge bite.

The flavor of sauce exploded on my tongue. My god. Tomatoes. Oh, how I'd missed you.

I was so absorbed in my own pizza that I nearly missed it when Rylan took a bite. His face scrunched up, almost as if he was processing what he was eating. "Hey," he said. "This is pretty good."

Ablom was still fussing over a long string of mozzarella. "You're sure it's food?"

"Just eat it," Zippa said. "Lori's going to have an aneurism."

I was, but not because of him, for once. Silvernas didn't have mozzarella cheese. Oh my god, how was I going to live without it again?

Ablom sighed and finally took a bite. An Ablom-sized bite, in fact. His eyes widened in sudden shock. "Holy shit," he said.

I laughed around my crust. "Told you."

He threw a napkin at me, and I retaliated. And though we were still in a blank hotel room, I found that the blankness suddenly became a whole heck of a lot less depressing.

[tar-oh]

Pick-a-Card!

So, I’ve decided to try out a pick-a-card. This is taking place of the daily cards from Thursday and Friday. It’s just a general reading, think of it as your daily card, except you get to choose a pile. You’re welcome to choose more than one, especially because some of them are kind of similar messages. Just pick whatever feels right! If you do pick, and it’s not resonating, try another pile. There is a chance there just isn’t a message for you in this pick-a-pile. If that’s the case, sorry! Maybe next time, or you can find another reader on here who resonates better.

Okay, so it goes:

Pile 1: Amethyst

Pile 2: Clear Quartz

Pile 3: We’re calling this the Pink/Gold Rock. I found it in an old jewelry box, and I’m still trying to figure out what it is.

Pile 4: Opalite

So, again. Pick whatever calls to you. You can have more than one.

Pile 1: Amethyst

New Moon in Aries, Waxing Moon, Ace of Wands, Wheel of Fortune, King of wands rx, 10 of pentacles reversed, Temperance and 5 of wands, and algiz. 

“I get so far, so fast.” - So Far, So Fast by The National

This pile seemed to be more work/creativity themed.

You're feeling inspired with new ideas. You're being advised to put these plans into action because you're on the right path. Though, you may be feeling impatient and want to jump right in. Maybe you feel that you're not quite strong enough to do so, but you are.  All that you want is possible, you just need to work for it. Remember not to go too fast and to take time out for your loved ones. Also, be smart with your finances in this time. However, things are in the universes hands, so luck is definitely on your side. For some, you may be meeting someone new. This can be romantic or platonic. They may be able to help you with these new ideas. For others, you may be dealing with an overbearing boss or authority figure. Stand your ground, but don't get too defensive and be kind (I know that really sucks because my first instinct is to chew someone out). But remember, luck is on your side, so all will work out in the end. Pile 2: Clear Quartz

Full Moon in Taurus, South Node, Ace of Cups reversed, Two of Pentacles, Queen of Pentacles, The Artist,  The Magician reversed, 7 of cups, berkana.

"I think about you way more than anything else." - Quiet Light By The National

"All the very best of us string ourselves up for love." - Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks by the National

Oh boy. I sense heartbreak in this pile.

The biggest message I'm getting with this pile is that you're doubting your self-worth. This could have stemmed from a situation involving a heartbreak. I think some of you may have been cheated on (take what resonates).

Others may have gotten into a relationship that seemed promising, only for it to turn out not so great. You may have rushed into things with unrealistic expectations, or found that it was hard to balance this relationship with the rest of your life.

And for others, you may be pursuing something or someone that is actually quite toxic. You've created an unhealthy attachment towards this situation or person, and you need to step back and reevaluate things. The lyrics from Quiet Light, "I think about you way more than anything else," as well as the card South Node suggest this. I'm not saying this is a horrible thing. We all have our obsessions. It's just that we need to figure out which ones are healthy and which ones aren't.

Whichever applies to you, there are a few things you need to know:

One, you need to take a step back and figure out what it is exactly you want. You need a plan. Whether this be a situation involving money or a person, you need to figure out what actions you need to take. Do not rush into things. It's not the time to do so.

Secondly, listen to your intuition. If you're with someone and something feels off, then this is probably not the situation for you. You need to slow down and listen. Chances are, you already know what you need to know, you're just not paying attention.

And lastly, the Full Moon in Taurus talks about Law of Attraction. I'm not going to get into that, but there's something it says in the guide book for this card that I think applies to this: "Value yourself and others will value you too." Trust me, I know how hard it is to get out of a depressive state. I've been depressed the majority of my life. However, once I started trying to be kinder to myself and tried harder to stop doubting myself, I found myself feeling better. I'm not saying this is the end-all-be-all, or that this is going to work for everyone (I think it would be total bullshit to say that, honestly), but what I am saying is that you can program your mind to be nicer. Yes, I still have bad days, but they're less frequent. Life is not all rainbows and roses, but with a little bit of effort, it can have a few more rainbows and roses.

Whatever situation you're in, I'm sorry.  Know this: There is a new start within this situation. You can choose to start new. You can choose to free yourself of this toxic situation. I think this choice gives you power. It won't happen overnight, but an effort can help it happen. You don't deserve to be in this situation. Know that you're not alone (like seriously, if you need to talk, feel free to dm me!) Know that "All the very best of us string ourselves up for love". So, again. You're not alone. Don't let this get you down.

Sorry if this was kind of heavy, but apparently it needed to come through to someone. Maybe this was what you needed to hear to realize what kind of a situation you're in.

Pile 3: Pink/Gold Rock

Full Moon, Seven of Swords, 3 of pentacles, Death reversed, The World, Queen of Cups, Four of Swords and Ansuz (A) rune.

"There's a little bit of hell in everyone." - Rylan by The National

"I'm addicted to the soundtrack. I need the noise."  - Don’t Know Yet by Silversun Pickups

This group has a habit of keeping bad habits. It's okay, we all are there once and awhile. The problem is that you've gotten too comfortable where you're at. You've been stagnant, resisting the change. But, the thing is, when we allow ourselves to become stagnant, we grow apathetic. Is that a life worth living? This refusal to let go of bad habits and even obsessions will not end this chapter of your life. Instead, you'll be stuck reading the same three sentences over and over and none of it is going to register in your brain. You need to work on letting go of the negative and allow change to come in.  

Some of you may need to work on forgiving yourself and others, as well as stop needing to do it all alone. You may need to collaborate with others in order to work through this change. Some of you are just being hardheaded and sneaky. Don't be that way. Honestly, just Death Reversed and Seven of Swords suggest this, but I also have a feeling that one of you needs to hear this. Circling back to the thought about not needing to do it alone, this applies to you especially. You need to be open about your emotions and thoughts. Work through this with someone else.

Others may need to take a break. Clear your mind. You're ignoring your intuition. Clearing your mind may help you quiet all those doubts you have, enabling you to trust your gut. 

Overall, however, a new chapter is beginning. The World and Full Moon signal cycles ending. You're in this stage. It's up to you to be ready. Do you want to keep going back a few pages to reread what you missed while you were repeating those sentences? Or do you want to be able to finish this book and start another one? You have everything you need available to you; whether it's within yourself, or by working with others, it's up to you.

Pile #4: Opalite

Full Moon in Aries, The Lovers, The World, Ace of Pentacles, Seven of Cups, The Tower, Page of Swords, Page of Wands, 8 of Swords, Hagalaz

"Don't you know, someday, somebody will come find you?" - So Far, So Fast by the National 

"Guardian Angel, what do you see? I have tripped on all of your signs." - Romance Languages #1 by Cold War Kids

You are so smart, but you're afraid of the unknown and that's holding you back. You're terrified of what the future brings, so you allow yourself to stay stuck in this mental cage. Living in your daydreams instead of acting them out. You have a curious mind, always striving to learn new things. You're also extremely insightful, and usually you're really good at communicating. But this fear is holding you back, making you feel unfocused and unable to use your voice. I see that some of you may need to make a decision about some sort of union. Maybe this is about the joining of ideas, or a relationship. Whatever this is, it offers stability and the end of a hard chapter. But, to get here, you need to take the blindfold off and free yourself. You're ignoring all of the signs sent to you that it’s time to change, and because of this you're going to experience a tower moment. You have built a foundation that is not stable, and it's going to fall down. It may come as some shocking revelation. Or something painful. I do think this tower moment is avoidable if you already know what this decision is and can act on it, but if not it's out of your control. Once it's happened be building your foundation back up. Just remember this: you're not trapped, you've only convinced yourself this. Hope something in this resonated! I spent a lot of time on this and now I feel like I could sleep for days :( Also, still really in need of more lyrics outside of The National...I swear there’s more in the deck, but those seem to really want to come out these past weeks!

[mannerofwhump]

Till Betrayal Do Us Part #2 - A Darling Surprise

first next masterlist

Whumptober day 1 - a little out of the ordinary | adverse effects | unconventional restraints | “this wasn’t supposed to happen”

note: Aiden goes by he/him and Rylan goes by he/they

content: whumper turned whumpee, pet whump, dehumanization, violence, brief drugging mention

send an ask if i missed any triggers

———

The first thing Aiden notices is that his mouth is dry. The first thing Aiden does is try to get the water bottle on his nightstand. The second thing he notices, is that he can’t. The second thing he does is open his eyes. The last thing he notices are the restraints. The last thing he does is panic.

Aiden tries to shout, but it’s muffled by the gag. His arms are useless and tied behind him. Frantic eyes search the room and somehow that makes it worse.

He knows where he is.

“Rise and shine, darling.”

He knows where he is.

He shouldn’t be here. Aiden’s supposed to be on the other side of the equation—the one standing and looming over the terrified pet. But here he is. Not that he’s terrified, of course. Or a pet.

It’s only because he was taken completely by surprise that he cries out when Rylan electrocutes him with a cattle prod.

“Eyes on me, now.”

His eyes immediately snap to Rylan’s, tear-filled eyes meeting smirking ones.

“I know you’re having doubts, Aiden. You’re scared. You don’t think you’re supposed to be here. But to, ah, reinforce the idea that you’re just a pet— mm you don’t need to hear the rest, do you? You already know it. We don’t need the introduction either, hm?”

Aiden tries to speak again, but the gag stops him. He leans his head back, frustrated—not scared, not desperate.

“Oh that’s no fun. I know it’s against protocol, but I’ll remove it just for you, ok? Don’t tell on me.” They put a finger on their lips and take off the gag. Aiden hates it. Hates that it hurts for Rylan to play on an old joke. They’d go against ‘protocol’ all the time and whisper to the other not to tell. He hates that the betrayal doesn’t only hurt physically. He hates that he’s scared of one of his only friends.

“Wh-why are you doing this, Rylan? We’re friends, aren’t we?” Please stop. Please pretend this didn’t happen and we can just go back to normal.

Rylan looks at him and… laughs. It’s short-lived but loud, like one explosive burst that had been itching to get out. Aiden flushes. “Were friends, to be exact. And even that is something of a technicality, but I can admit it was fun while it lasted. As for why? I just know you’d make a perfect pet. A fun little thing to train.”

Aiden wants to ask if it was ever real, but keeps his mouth shut. It’s not because he dreads the answer. He just thinks it’ll be smarter to wait until next time.

Rylan walks away and… oh, Aiden knows what he’s getting. He can’t help but voice out his concerns with a whimper. He can’t, he can’t-

They return with the thing in their hands. The collar. It’s one of the better collars—no spikes, no frills, no kinds of extra humiliation. It’s not even a shock collar. Just regular leather. But he still-

“I don’t want to.”

Aiden can hear the amusement in his voice. “Do you think you have a choice?”

“I just- please don’t.” He looks away, eyes stinging.

Rylan rests a knee on Aiden’s chest, effectively trapping him on the ground. He starts struggling, more than he had before. His efforts to push them away with his bound hands are fruitless. He doesn’t want the collar. It makes everything seem that much more permanent and he doesn’t want it.

“Get off of me,” he hisses, and for a while he lets himself hope that Rylan listened. But then the pressure redoubles, and he can feel Rylan’s breath on their ear.

“You do not tell me what to do, pet.” The collar is around his throat now. Rylan starts to pull it tighter-

“Trainer Emery please report to the director’s office.” Aiden had never been so glad to hear the familiar voice. It’s coming from the speaker inside every room and every hallway. The one that Aiden and Rylan had said made the facility seem like a high school, of all things. He was grateful for it now.

Rylan frowned, but got his weight off Aiden. He stood up, straightening his shirt. “Ugh, they never get the timing right.”—agree to disagree—“but don’t worry, I’ll be back.”

Aiden sighed in relief when Rylan left the room. The collar hadn’t been properly strapped, and it was still loose enough for Aiden to pull it off, even with his bound hands. He pushed himself up to a sitting position, leaning on the wall.

And…and suddenly, he felt the gravity of the situation. Without an immediate threat, his mind caught up with the panic that had engulfed him. His best friend had drugged him, kidnapped him, shocked him, and tried to put a collar on him. That had actually just happened to him. All in one day.

Aiden realized acutely how vulnerable he was. How entirely in Rylan’s control he was. He couldn’t even bring himself to have the will to escape, knowing how tight security actually was. It was hopeless. He was hopeless.

But hey, at least the collar was off for now, right? Small victories. He can allow himself that.

———

Rylan had always hated those speakers. It honestly turned on at all the wrong times, never allowing him to get any momentum going. Awful things.

They notice Oliver, the man who’d help him at the soirée, and slow down for a second. “Hey, is the other guy in that room?” They point at the door behind Oliver.

“Yup, last I checked he was still unconscious. Out like a light.” He chuckles to himself.

Rylan nods. “Good work.”

He continues walking along the bare hallways quickly, wanting to get back to Aiden. He’d planned this and waited for this moment for so long, how dare anyone mess it up for him? He enters the office without knocking.

Director Ashwood glares at them, but nods to the seat in front of her desk anyway. They roll their eyes and walk towards the desk, deliberately remaining standing.

“Cut to the chase, Ashwood. I’d like to get back to my toy, if you don’t mind.”

Ashwood pinches her eyebrows together, obviously irritated with their flippant attitude. Well, it wasn’t his fault she decided to call him in now. She takes a deep breath as if she needs it just to begin dealing with Rylan.

“You wouldn’t be acting like that if you knew how bad you messed up.”

Rylan raises an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“Your little pet, project, toy, whatever you call it—the one you brought into the facility—had a listening device in his jacket. We’ve destroyed it but I find that is still very concerning.”

That… Rylan’s face pales, and they gape. For once, they are rendered speechless. It takes a minute to recollect themself—barely. “I- what?”

“I’m saying you are an idiot, Emery.”

Rylan can’t quite bring himself to disagree yet. His shock quickly turns into anger however, and suddenly he’s fuming. Frustrated, and fuming. At Aiden. “That little- I’ll be right back, Director.” He turns around, opening the only door out.

“Don’t think there won’t be any repercussions for you as well.”

He nods quickly, and almost slams the door.

———

Aiden can’t stop trembling. His mind keeps making up increasingly horrible and pessimistic scenarios. I’ll die here, his brain easily informs him, or I’ll die in some other owner’s home. Thinking more does not help. He does it anyway.

He is so deep in thought and fear that he barely notices the approaching footsteps until they are right in front of him. The blood drains from his face when he notices Rylan’s expression of fury. He doesn’t know what happened but he hopes it has nothing to do with him. He hopes…

“You idiot!” Rylan kicks him in the ribs. “You damn idiot! How could you NOT NOTICE THAT YOU’VE BEEN BUGGED? YOU FOOL. YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING. LITTLE. IDIOT.” Every few words are accentuated with a kick. Aiden can’t breathe can’t breathe can’t breathe.

He can feel the hot tears spilling down his face, the horrible horrible urge to throw up. It hurts so so much and he knows something cracked inside him. All he can do is mutter incoherent pleas that even he barely understands.

He’s so confused and scared and confused. Why is he being hurt why is Rylan so angry what did he do so wrong?

Please stop, he tries to beg, please don’t do this. The words don’t leave, but it’s such a relief when Rylan does. Everything hurts. He’s hyperventilating which makes it hurt so much more but he just can’t stop. His ribs have to be broken, they can’t hurt that much if they weren’t, can they?

He flinches when Rylan grabs at their own hair and starts yelling, this time—thankfully—abusing the floor with their pacing. Aiden is inconsolable, and he thinks he’d do anything as long as he doesn’t have to go through this again. He’d wear the stupid collar, he’d literally do anything. He can’t he can’t he really, really can’t.

Finally, Rylan leaves the room. Aiden wishes he’ll never enter again.

———

wonder who that ‘other guy’ is🤭

ask to be added to the taglist!

@kira-the-whump-enthusiast

@spookyboywhump