#black butler alter

[thecatcollectivee]

[alicenpai]

forgotten playthings, forgotten child 🧸

Jack from my series Lost & Found Children 🤍🖤

i hope to showcase more of my ocs in 2024 hehe! im FINALLY getting around to finishing art i left to rot in my folders (the pandora hearts drawing last month being one of em). if you saw the WIP of THIS particular drawing 2 yrs ago... no you didn’t 💔

my charas are very personal to me, but tbh ive always been a bit hesitant to share their stories. over time i realized ... it’s kind of a shame to not make art from one’s heart. which is something i regret a lot year after year whenever i make my yearly art summary reflection. i'm like damn i need to make more emotionally evoking pieces!!! so i'm gonna keep going in 2024 with that in mind ❤ i have to admit, although this drawing started 2 years ago, and there's a lot i would do differently if i were to supposedly draw it now - this concept goes pretty hard.

the final drawing stayed pretty close to the original concept which im so relieved for! i think part of the reason why i left it on the backburner for so long, was the fact that i included so many details, and i was unsure of how to colour the "background". (not to mention stuff like cons & real life getting in the way).

i'm glad for discovering a really handy watercolour brush, it's helped me a lot in my last few drawings, bc i dont have to colour in each detail. especially since the witch hat atelier: eternal ephemera zine piece i did. otherwise if i coloured this back in 2022 with my usual method, i'm pretty sure i really would have included a shading and highlight layer for each individual toy... HAHAHA. much to think about

oh yeah and in the last few days of drawing this i was listening to some visual kei bands. i love how some of the band members literally have been performing since like the 90s or something and DO NOT AGE and are literal vampires. every so often i fall back into visual kei (you can tangentially thank aggretsuko although yes i know it's not the same). and i kind of realized. i like Jack's edgy design so much because he looks like. a visual kei esque vampire.

[dadbastiandisaster]

What is it about Black Butler that sticks with you so much? Like, I read all of death note about the same time as I watched Black Butler for the first time, and much as I have boundless love for the series it just didn’t alter my brain chemistry on the same level as Black Butler did. I have a another friend who has broadly moved on from a lot of her old fandoms but is still in the kuro fandom. What is it about kuro?

[silentfcknhill]

Vincent Phantomhive Theories (That Butler, Nursing)

Ok this is kind of a tangent so bear with me, but because I really love Vincent Phantomhive as a character I've been thinking a lot about the little bits we do get to see of him, and that chapter about him and Ciel cooking with Diedrich in particular.

Heavy spoilers below.

So on the surface it seems like just an innocent slice-of-life chapter that also serves to give a little backstory on Ciel's home life and his connection to inheriting Rachel's asthma. But as we learned later, not everything was as it appeared in this chapter. Namely, for one, it wasn't even Our Ciel at all cooking with Vincent but his twin, which was foreshadowed by the mysterious line about not wanting 'fake brothers' at the end.

Knowing this and that everything in this series usually has a hidden meaning, I began to wonder what other little insights could be gleaned from those seemingly innocuous moments. Especially about Vincent in particular, because there are some other oddly important-seeming panels and dialogue that went unresolved as of yet just like the 'fake brothers' line did until the twin reveal.

And because I love to overanalyze, that one simple little moment of Diedrich telling him his food sucked actually opens up a whole lot of possibilities about both characters that go much deeper than Vincent being able to cook or not. It started off as a funny thought experiment of whether he sucked at cooking, but then the implications started popping up behind each hidden door of possibility.

Normally it could be said 'it's not that deep', but I think we've established with this manga that it very much usually is that deep. I haven't seen anyone suggest some of these things, namely the cricket-match conspiracy part, but if it's already been done I apologize.

I have seen people point out Vincent's potential shadiness before but it usually wasn't fully fleshed out in terms of his motives, and the posts were usually done by people who seem to be criticizing Vincent. My post is a bit different because I love him either way and this is more just a character analysis weighing the possibilities.

So in case anyone else is interested, here are some of my thoughts on what the different possibilities are for why Diedrich said Vincent's cooking was bad and what they could mean for the characters on a larger scale. In no particular order:

1) Vincent's cooking was not great but also not terrible and Diedrich overplayed how bad it was due to being a grump. Definitely possible, Vincent claims to have never cooked before and that is probably true because he grew up very wealthy with cooks, similar to Ciel who is shown to not even be able to tie his own shoes properly without Sebastian.

Then again, Ciel is also a child and his parents died before he could even be trained to do stuff like shoot a gun properly since Sebastian taught him all that stuff in the flashback to their first days of the contract. Vincent likely would've been much more independent than Ciel, even as a rich man.

That said, it is possible that Vincent is capable of doing things but chooses not to. Diedrich also comes from wealth but he admits to enjoying cooking himself, while Vincent is shown to be good at getting other people to do stuff for him such as getting Diedrich to make him food in school when he was sick (that instance was likely partially a troll tactic to demean Diedrich since he hammed it up and made Diedrich physically feed him too which was surely not necessary).

If he got used to making other people do stuff for him like cooking, then it stands to reason he had no practice and might not be great at it. Diedrich is also a negative nelly so chances are he would jump at any imperfection in a dish that he knows very well and is attached to from his homeland, and he is always looking for an opportunity to take Vincent down a peg. It matches their bickering banter in general.

2) His cooking was actually as good as, or even better than Diedrich's, but Diedrich couldn't and wouldn't admit it consciously. Possible since Vincent claimed to use the recipe precisely, and if that was true then it should have been at least just the same as Diedrich's quality, so whether the dish was objectively good or bad doesn't matter because what matters is that if Vincent did indeed follow the recipe and did not make mistakes then it would have tasted the same as Diedrich's, so it would be what Diedrich subjectively considered good.

Diedrich is a perfectionist so it's possible nothing would've been good enough to earn verbal praise, and he is also so tsundere that he is loath to give a compliment, especially to Vincent. If this option is true then it might have even annoyed him that Vincent cooked a perfect German meal because Vincent is not only not German but he was British, and the Germans considered them to have bad taste in food.

So not only was he annoyed that an Englishman showed him up at his own forte, but that it was fucking Vincent who was effortlessly perfect at everything once again, and he didn't want it to go to Vincent's head by admitting another of his natural talents, especially since Diedrich had probably worked hard and put effort to get good at cooking while Vincent was treating it flippantly.

This is supported by the fact that Diedrich blames Vincent being British for his shitty German cooking. It was true that there was a huge cultural difference due to food preferences of England being considered 'bland' by the rest of Europe, and those of Germany being considered more 'tart/flavorful' in England. Their differences in culture are brought up multiple times through complaints from Diedrich and teasing jokes by Vincent, as well as the tense behind-the-scenes frenemy rivalry between the two countries being a big part of the manga plot overall.

However, this cultural difference can't be the sole reason for Diedrich insulting the food because if Vincent actually used Diedrich's recipe and didn't make mistakes then it wouldn't matter if he was not German, it should have been just like the German version and Diedrich wouldn't have noticed any difference.

3) His cooking was terrible on purpose and he did it to troll Diedrich so he'd have to make it all himself. Seems to be within character for Vincent for sure when it comes to Diedrich because he likes to mess with Diedrich's head in general and make him do a lot of extra work. It wouldn't have been motivated by laziness though, because he spent just as much time making it himself the first time, so if it was intentional it was done as a power play to remind Diedrich he was still his 'fag' (assistant) and he could make him do anything at any time.

Plus, he seemed more motivated by playing house than actually making a good meal for Rachel himself anyways, as he seemed to steal credit for it when she asked so he clearly didn't care about needing to make it himself. With this option, he would've had to covincingly fake what seems like genuine shock when Diedrich told him the food was gross, but that is also not uncharacteristic of him as a master liar and manipulator by reputation. More evidence of/context for this theory is used to possibly debunk #4 below.

4) His cooking was terrible by accident because he thought he was following the recipe but messed it up. This is possible due to seeming legit shocked when Diedrich told him that it was bad, but his reaction may have been a little too shocked and coy to be real. Also, he is usually shown to be competent when actually trying and if he were that careless in his tasks and unable to pay attention to detail then he wouldn't have been 1) entrusted with such an important position by the Queen in the first place, and 2) able to carry out his duties with such skill and precision that it earned him a reputation for exactly that.

The potential debunking of this option is where we get into conspiracy territory. Depending on your interpretation of him as a character, it is not entirely clear the extent of which his symptom of being distractible is real versus just an act to manipulate people/get them to do what he wants and then claim ignorance later. Since his sister Francis claims he was always a bit irresponsible even in youth, it could possibly be both...though she is also not the best judge of responsibility since she's so strict that to her everyone is irresponsible. Still though, it's possible he might be a bit in his own world but his convenient cluelessness at certain moments could be exaggerated and used as an excuse, particularly with Diedrich.

Or the whole entire thing could be an act. In fact, the main example of his forgetfulness was the whole 'forgetting about the Prefect meeting back in school' thing, and that easily could've been an elaborate game to get the end result he himself said he wanted on the boat: Diedrich as his 'loyal German dog' aka slave. If he skipped a Prefect preparations meeting, he knew Diedrich would have to do all the work, which would make him angry and confront Vincent. He purposefully made it even worse by trolling Diedrich by pretending to nap during the school day and on the lawn no less, which they were not supposed to be laying on, and by breaking more school rules such as calling Diedrich by his first name. He knew all this would provoke the bet that he knew he'd win through cheating/outsmarting, like Ciel later does in the Public School arc.

This theory is given more weight when you consider that Vincent deliberately commented on how all Germans must be rude if Diedrich is, which he figures will provoke Diedrich into making a similar blanket claim about his dormitory which he can pretend to get offended by and have a justification for the bet. It would be hypocritical for him to get offended by Diedrich stereotyping a whole group otherwise, when he himself had just done the same thing first. I have seen people say he was just being a hypocritical jerk, but it seemed more deliberate and calculated to me. Like Ciel in the Blue Cult arc when he put on the whole concert as a misdirect to catch the group dumping bodies, and tbh in most arcs, the Phantomhives are known for their Xanatos gambits and misdirections to get what they want.

There was probably a reason for everything Vincent did in the flashback, because Vincent is usually shown to be very outwardlt kind and supportive to everyone but Diedrich. He is a gentle, passive father who cannot bear to discipline his children. He compliments people on their insecurities like Ann's red hair. He even was very polite to Baron Kelvin despite his friends being rude to Kelvin. So why would he act differently around Diedrich? Because if he wants to get control of a mean man, then he has to earn his respect first by speaking his language.

But why did he even want to gt control of Diedrich in the first place? Well, maybe he was tasked to. The whole plot being a request from the Queen makes sense considering Vincent is seen reading a mysterious letter with what looks like her insignia after the cricket match in the gazebo and right before Diedrich approached him about what his request is.

She is shown making power plays against Germany throught the franchise by setting up her German cousin Georg von Siemens to be unalived at Ciel's party to stop Germany from advancing their tech to match England's, and also in the whole Emerald Witch arc which takes place in Germany and involves the German military and their building 'cold war' with England and her interest in Sieglinde as a weapon for England's benefit.

Notably, Diedrich was forced to intervene against his own country in this arc due to the loyalty he owed to the Phantomhives, so it's very possible he was intended to be used for purposes like this and that is why the Queen wanted Vincent to set that pawn up for the future if needed. That might've been the reason he was at that school to begin with, he might have been undercover like Ciel was. This would have been only a couple years after his mother, the former Queen's Watchdog, died and so he was probably eager to live up to the expectations placed on him and would have done anything to succeed.

Diedrich even seems to be aware of being used for this purpose, which explains him being so depressed he developed a stress-eating addiction and why he seemed resentful of his friendship with Vincent, and Vincent's family in general who he still can't get free of.

Vincent asked Diedrich in the flashback to look after Ciel if he died, and Diedrich even asks if this was an order. It would seem weird for a friend to ask that unless they felt obligated/coerced. It would also make sense why he said he was almost glad Vincent was dead in the scene with Undertaker, the 'almost' meaning 'if only he didn't live on through his son and I was actually free of this debt'. That's why he always compares Ciel to his dead father in a negative way.

Not to say he and Vincent weren't actually friends on some level, if anything it seemed they had a lot of past sexual tension and possibly some unrequited feelings on Diedrich's part that he is still resentful over due to Vincent leading him on. But I do think his friendship with the Phantomhives was not balanced, as referenced by the 'Unbalanced Triangle' chapter title with him, Vincent and Ciel on the cover, and that he was most assuredly being used to some extent.

If this is the case and the whole school cricket thing was one of Vincent's chess games, then it's also why Vincent deliberately pretended not to know what he would make his request when they first made the bet, because he knew Diedrich would never agree to it but would have to honor his promise later if it was already made because Diedrich took rules and obligations so seriously.

If this all was true, then it seems that pretending to be bad at cooking would be just another ploy, as listed in theory #3 above, albeit with lower stakes.

5) Somehow he has a reverse Midas Touch with food and is so terrible at cooking that he was able to butcher the meal despite actually honestly trying and successfully following the recipe to a T without making any mistakes. This seems unlikely from a realistic standpoint but could be used in fiction for comedy purposes since fiction doesn't have to make sense entirely. It would seem a bit odd for Vincent though because this is never shown to be the case otherwise and he is not portrayed as a butt-monkey character but rather a frighteningly competent one through reputation and the tangible results of his actions that we see proof of.

6) Alternatively, the seemingly comedic moment could've been a red flag for something deeper, as most seemingly lighthearted jokes are in this series. Foreshadowing of what? This is where we get back into conspiracy town. Well, the bad meal could have been symbolic from when Vincent mentions the most important ingredient in a meal is love, and Diedrich questions his ability to love at all.

If Vincent is telling them that love is the main ingredient in a meal and yet can't cook it properly, he is basically confessing as much in his own words, hence the special attention Yana paid to show his smirk of acknowledgement after Diedrich questions his potential to love and how there is no protest from Vincent or any follow-up at all and it is left 'hanging' like Ciel's 'no fake brothers' line before the twin reveal. Nothing in this manga is left hanging forever, the clues are always there and there are no such things as coincidences in this series.

I don't think Vincent is incapable of love entirely, but I do think he was very repressed and emotionally isolated due to preparing his whole life for his role as the Queen's Watchdog, meaning he couldn't safely get attached to anyone lest anything happen to him or the other person. He also seems to have trauma around attachment from losing his mother when he was 15 and having to take up the very job that killed her, knowing at any time he could be next if he failed in his duties (and it's entirely possible this is exactly what happened and why he died).

Keep in mind the meal he was making was not only for Rachel, but to nurse her back to health while she was sick. Because his marriage to Rachel was arranged by her and Ann's father, while I do think he began to care for Rachel as a companion over time, it seemed more of a platonic co-parenting marriage of convenience type situation. Vincent makes comments indicating his infidelity at various points, such as offering to flirt with 'German beauties' with Chlaus.

This is why Diedrich commented on the lack of love in his marriage, because he knew Vincent personally from when they were kids and knew how hard of a time he had opening up to the vulnerability of such an emotion. The bad taste of the meal might have confirmed Diedrich's seemingly irrelevant comment earlier and it's possible that Vincent's bad meal was a manifestation of the lack of actual romance in his marriage and/or his fear to open himself up to love in general.

Aside from just the love and marriage aspect, since he is partially non-human and Undertaker is his direct ancestor (father or grandfather etc) then Vincent's soul is probably 'tainted' by darkness to some extent, so that could also explain why something so intrinsic to human life as food/eating would not come naturally to him. The Phantomhive line is constantly referred to as cursed and not supposed to exist, likely as a result of Undertaker breaking shinigami code by interfering with life through procreating.

While he is half-human, the bad cooking, if it was real, may be a nod to his connection with death through being half-shinigami and/or marked for death already by fate. So of course he can't put his 'heart and soul' into making a meal if his heart and soul are cursed with flaw. Any result of a 'soulful' endeavor on his part would naturally reflect his true genetic and spiritually tainted nature.

[anewp0tat0]

was talking to my bro @docmartensanddietcoke and they then encouraged me to share the artbreeders I had made of these characters a couple months ago when I was first inspired to try the website our for myself. it was cool, and photoshoping them post-download was even more fun honestly, love photoshoping. but I forgot about these and didn't think of posting them. welp, here you go, whoever wants to see! *table slapping noise*

ah and ofc, my thirsty thirsty bro, since you have asked me for this before and I feel like I owe you it, here's one for you. have your Ludger, even if our mental images of him may be different idk, you know him way more than I do😅 I tried!

[cciieell]

Ciel Phantomhive fictive, bodily 19

This is a blog for me specifically, though some more of us MAY talk occasionally since this is the only blog we have where we are openly proship and generally "problematic"

My DMs are open for friends and sourcemates alike, so are my asks (anon is on as well). Please feel free to ask for our discord as Tumblr is horrible with giving us notifications.

DNI / info

> if you post a lot about other ships involoving Sebastian (that isn't sebaciel), it makes me a bit uncomfortable.

> I'd prefer to talk to people 18+ body-wise.

> I am not interested in discourse or drama. It'll be a waste of your time to attempt to start anything.

[sweetpeauserboxes]

[id: a light pink userbox with a red border, and red text that reads “this user has a sebastian michaelis alter ” on the left is an image of sebastian michaelis from black butler. /end id]  

[astrolab0s]

I am being harassed /lh /j - C

[thatgirlonstage]

Okay I’m too tired to keep listening to Dark Heir but I’ve got a whole bus ride home so I’m going to spin Black Butler thoughts at you all.

(Idk how coherent this is, I’m sorry if it’s rambly my brain is SO dead but it wants to Talk so)

I’m thinking about… the gradual build of Sebastian’s fear that he could actually lose Ciel, as we go:

The asthma attack in Circus Arc: not ultimately serious, but a danger to Ciel’s wellbeing Sebastian had not been aware of and cannot easily fix

The fight on the Campania, where Sebastian is very seriously injured himself, to the point where he’s in danger of losing Ciel to Undertaker because he can’t physically stop him from being taken,

Which leads into THIS fucking moment in school arc:

which is entirely fueled by Sebastian’s fear that Undertaker will snatch Ciel out from under him, AGAIN, because he did it before

AND THEN GREEN WITCH ARC HAPPENS, where Sebastian gets within literal minutes of losing Ciel to the gas, and WOULD HAVE if Sieglinde hadn’t been there or hadn’t been willing to help them

And still in Green Witch Arc, even AFTER Ciel has physically survived, Sebastian nearly loses him anyway because he backslides so dramatically into a PTSD episode that it nearly voids their contract

All of which is why by the time you get to the Blue Cult Arc, Sebastian is so genuinely afraid he might not be able to protect Ciel that the scent of blood from a single needle prick makes him do. This.

And now, with bizarre dolls getting ever more advanced and better at hiding from Sebastian’s senses and the whole police force mobilized against them, I’m very ready for Sebastian in Brighton to be doing everything short of wrapping Ciel in 19th century bubble wrap. I’ll frankly be shocked if he lets Ciel out of his sight for more than five minutes.

But the thing is. The thing is. Narratively, there isn’t much further you can ratchet up the stakes for Sebastian (at least until you get to the moment of truth with the contract and eating his soul, which is a different conversation). Ciel being put in danger or hurt again isn’t going to do all that much to alter their relationship at this point. Sebastian is already about as whipped as the poor guy can get.

What would be a change, is Ciel nearly losing Sebastian.

There’s been—for obvious reasons—much less risk and fear on that front. There has been some build for it:

Red Butler Arc, encountering reapers, Ciel sees Sebastian fight an enemy who can actually hold their own against him for the first time (and while I don’t think this is confirmed, I suspect Grell’s chainsaw eating his shoulder is the first time Ciel sees him get injured for real (as opposed to allowing himself to get shot and playing dead just for the sake of being a dramatic bitch))

Curry Arc, Agni successfully fights Sebastian to a tie (which is why I’m VERY interested to see if Soma turns back up in the Brighton arc as well, feat. angry Kali powers)

[The murder arc is a fake out, because Ciel knows he’s fine the whole time]

On the Campania, Ciel sees him get very badly injured. This is the one and only time Ciel has real cause to fear for Sebastian’s safety, as such.

And since then, while Sebastian isn’t quite untouchable, he hasn’t really suffered any serious injury or physical danger to himself. There have been defeats or fights that didn’t end perfectly for him—such as the school arc fight—but Sebastian hasn’t been existentially threatened. Ciel, I think, still has pretty high confidence that worst case scenario, Sebastian can always just pick him up and make a run for it (indeed, part of the reason things got so bad on the Campania was because they were trapped on a boat). And even if Sebastian couldn’t save him, Ciel—to the extent it’s even occurred to him—doesn’t have a lot of reason to think he couldn’t save himself.

This is now the second time Ciel has lost everything—his title, his name, his home, his safety, his dignity and respect. The first time was worse, obviously, but he’s got to be feeling the similarities.

The first time, Sebastian pulled him out of his despair by offering him the power to escape.

Now, the second time, he at least still has Sebastian by his side. A Sebastian who is going to be laser-focused on protecting Ciel from all possible threats.

But what happens if Ciel thinks he might lose Sebastian too?

[thefatedthoughtofyou]

{ I bring you Sacrificial Virgin!Steve, Demon!Eddie, and Ghost!Robin for your tables. Take this and feast my friends.

I woke after 3 hours of sleep suddenly possessed with this idea and had to get it out of me immediately before i went back to sleep for a bit. Shits crazy. }

Warnings: death, blood, gore, demony things.

The Harrington's are an old family. Older than Hawkins itself, some say. Their manor sits on a hill, overlooking the town, keeping an ever watchful eye on the people below.

Steve has always been alone. No friends. No girlfriends. His only company the maids, and butlers, and tutors, all of whom float through his life, never constant, always different, no connections to be made. His parents make sure of it. He is to be pure. Always. Until they need him.

Unbeknownst to them, Steve has made one friend. A lonely soul, lost and scared, stuck in the halls of Harrington house after one of their many sacrifices. Her name is Robin. She's skittish at first, frightened of him.

He understands. And he waits. And a few months later she comes to him. They lie in his bed, and she talks to him. Tells him about the life she had in Hawkins. Tells him what it's like to live. She is cold to the touch. Steve barely notices.

They strap him to the table on his eighteenth birthday. He'd known it was coming. It was the only logical end to the life he'd been living. His family and their followers, dressed in their dark robes, looking down at him, but not seeing him.

Steve doesn't struggle. He lets them take him. Lies there and looks up into the eyes of a girl none of them can see, and hopes it will be fast. That it will end. Then he can be with Robin and they can find a way out of these halls, and out of this town, and be together, forever.

He doesn't cry. He doesn't make a sound when the knife sinks into him. His blood leaks onto the marble beneath him, his body going cold. Colder. He keeps his eyes on Robin as she smiles sadly down at him, her fingers laced with his though he can't feel it.

The room goes black. Suddenly. Like the light is banished by something unseen. His parents and their rable gasp, scattering out of Steve's sight. He hopes their afraid. And then a voice, otherworldly, fills the room. It's words bring a warmth to Steve that he's never known, it blooms in his chest the way his blood blooms across the floor.

"Why have you summoned me?" The voice says, edges of each word crackling with heat.

"We offer sacrifice." His fathers voice, it's shaking, he's afraid, Steve feels a sick pleasure roll beneath his skin. He hears the new voice make a sound. Disapproving.

"Ah. I see. You think you've summoned me." The voice is deep, and if Steve's not mistaken, amused.

"We- we have summoned-"

"Ah ah. No." His mothers trembling voice goes silent as this new thing cuts her off.

"You've done no such thing." It says. Steve hears footsteps. Hears gasps roll through the room like a wave.

"The boy, is the one bleeding out on the alter, is he not? He... summoned me. Not you."

Steve can see, suddenly. He can see the whole room, and the creature, or is it a man? He can see them all as if it's a play on a stage. He can even see himself, naked and bleeding. And Robin, crouched behind the marble alter, hands still firmly in his own.

"You think yourselves strong enough? To summon me? Without any bloodshed of your own." The creature pushes into his fathers space, Steve's stomach twists in sick pleasure as his father cowers before it. It shakes its head, disappointed.

As Steve watches it move from person to person, assessing, he can't help but find the beauty in it, in him. He looks a bit like a man.

Skin paler than moonlight, except at the hands, his hands are stained pitch black, the inky color crawls across his skin to his elbows. The nails on his fingers are pointed, and dripping, though Steve can't tell with what. And there's something behind it, a tail, Steve thinks, pointed and tipped black.

The creature grabs at his mothers white dress and she recoils at the stain he leave behind.

Steve smiles, a rare thing, in these halls, but he does it. He lies there, bleeding, and he smiles at his mother's discomfort. And this, of all things, draws the creatures attention. His head twitches in Steve's direction like he'd made a sound. Though he hadn't. Though he rarely does.

The creature moves closer. Stands beside the alter and looks down at him with pitch black eyes, and smiles with too sharp teeth. It snaps its inky fingers and the bindings holding Steve fall away. It moves two fingers across Steve's forhead, pushing his sweat soaked hair away from his skin.

"Oh Steven. What have they done to you?" It whispers, and the warmth in Steve's chest burns like coals in a furnace.

"Tell me what you want. Anything. It's yours." The creature, the man, the demon, for Steve knows it to be true. They've summoned a demon. No. He, has summoned a demon.

The demon rests his sharp fingers over Steve's barely beating heart, and waits for him to answer. He swallows, thickly, his throat clicking from underuse and death creeping up on him slowly.

"Kill them. Kill them all." Steve rasps, his throat burning, his chest aching. The demon smiles down at him, and winks.

"It would be my absolute fucking pleasure." The words drip from his blackened mouth like syrup, sticky, and sweet. And then Steve watches, barely able to lift his head now, as the demon tears them apart.

His parents are last. Cowering in the corner like scared children as this demon they've wished for descends on them with a burning fury and covered in blood. They whimper and recoil as he crouches in front if them, tail swishing madly behind him.

"You were given a gift. Eighteen years ago. A gift from the darkness." His voice is shaking now, his hand too, as it reaches toward them, pointing accusingly.

"A gift you begged for!" The shout rings through the nearly empty hall, the force of it extinguishing the candles littering the floor. Steve finds he can still see through the darkness.

"You begged us for this gift. And then you spent the next eighteen years neglecting it. Neglecting him." Steve can feel the demons rage, like it's his own, perhaps it is.

"There is no forgiveness. Where you are going. You will burn. And you will scream. And no amount of begging, shall grant you anymore gifts." His inky, bloodstained, hands reach out and grab their faces, his pointed nails sink into their skin.

"Not in this lifetime. Nor the many after it, that you'll spending screaming for mercy." His face seems to split then, his smile impossibly wide across his cheeks.

"We do not grant mercy in the realms of darkness and fire. We grant only what is deserved." There's a growl, low in the demons throat, as he rips the Harrington's from this world and sends them to the next. A sick squelching sound follows it as he removes his hands from the mess he's made. He's back at Steve's side shortly after that.

"Why- who-" Steve stammers, reaches up weakly, he can't catch his breath.

"Shh. Don't speak. It's alright." A warm, dry finger, presses to his lips. Steve's chest aches to feel more. Anything else this creature will give him.

"You don't have long I'm afraid. But I have an offer for you." The demon's voice is soft now, almost human. His features are smoothing out too, the blackness fades from his eyes and skin until there's just a man standing next to him.

"What it is?" Steve asks, his breath hitching, not enough air left in this world for him.

"Come with me. Stay with me. Forever." The demon places his hand on Steve's chest and it burns again. Steve gasps, squeezes his eyes shut against the sting of it. And then the pain is gone. It's no longer hard to breathe. He isn't cold. And he feels a hand in his. He opens his eyes.

"She can come too." The demon is smiling, and looking directly at Robin. She's smiling back, and squeezing Steve's hand.

"I can feel you." Is all he can think to say.

"Yeah no shit dingus. You're dead." She says, and launches herself at him. He catches her in his arms and laughs with her, it echoes through the empty halls like music. She pulls away, looks at him, softly.

"Whatever you decide. I'm with you." She pats his cheek, hops off the alter, and goes to stand by the window, looking out into the darkness that shouldn't be there.

"I'm Eddie, by the way." The demon says, he kicks at the ground with his toe, rubs at his neck.

"What kind of demon name is Eddie?" Steve blurts, his eyes going wide. Eddie laughs, and it too, sounds like music.

"It's just my name. So what do you think? You wanna come with me?" The demon, Eddie, asks, his fingers walking along the edge of the alter, eyes on the floor.

"Are you nervous?" Steve asks, his hands dropping to his lap, and he realizes suddenly that he's naked. As soon as the realization hits him, he no longer is. Black sweatpants appear out of nowhere, soft and warm around him.

"Better? And I am. Nervous." Eddie says, tugs on Steve's pantleg genlty.

"Thank you." Steve whispers, not sure how to take the fact he's made a demon nervous.

"I'll always take care of you. If you come with me." His knuckles press into Steve's thigh.

"I've been waiting a long time for you. Wasn't really planning on meeting you like this. Disappointing." He shakes his head, glares off into the corner where the remains of the Harrington's lie in a bloody heap.

"You've been waiting for me?" Steve asks, his fingers twitching with want to reach out, to take Eddie's hand. Eddie nods, bites his lip with a sharp fang, and then looks up at Steve.

"I have a fondness for shattered broken souls. I used to be one, after all." He smiles sadly, and Steve can't stop himself, he reaches out, takes Eddie's hand.

"I think I've been waiting for you too. I just didn't know it." He squeezes Eddie's hand. Eddie smiles, reaches up, tucks a strand of hair behind Steve's ear. He leans forward, forehead pressed to Steve's gently.

"I made you so perfectly. Made you everything they asked for. Everything they wanted." Eddie drags his nose along Steve's, whispering into the space between them.

"And they hurt you. And broke you. And left you all alone. When you should have been with me." He nuzzles into Steve, both of them pressing into the other. Eddie's words slam into Steve's chest with shattering force. Eddie made him. A gift for his parents, all those years ago.

"I would've never left you if I'd known. What they'd do. And by the time I realized, it was too late to take you back. Even demons have rules." Eddie pulls back, cradles Steve's face in his hands.

"I'm sorry. All I could do was give you a friend. But I'm- it wasn't enough I'm so sorry." A tear falls down Eddie's cheek, steaming as it rolls across his skin and fades into the space between them. Steve's chest feels warm again, hot like a fire being kindled behind his ribs. He grabs Eddie's shirt and yanks him forward, presses his lips to Eddie's hard.

"It was enough. She was enough. She was perfect. Just what I needed. And now I have you, too." Steve kisses him and breathes the words into his mouth until he feels Eddie accept them. Feels Eddie wrap himself around him, his skin buring where it touches Steve, making him feel alive.

Near the window, Robin smiles at her shoes.

"Can I keep you?" Eddie whispers the words into Steve's neck, his sharp nails pressing into Steve's back as he pulls him closer and closer.

"Yes. Keep me forever. I'm yours. All yours." Steve whispers back, his dull nails clawing at Eddie's shirts, trying to get him closer, he'd climb inside him if he could. Eddie growls into his skin, possessive.

"Let's go home." He whispers, and they're gone. All three of them.

The light returns to the Harrington house. Bright dawn sunlight beaming in across bloodstained floors. Bodies scattered in heaps and piles around a blood covered alter.

The town of Hawkins forgets all about the Harrington's, for the most part. And their strange son who never left their hallowed halls. But all towns have their legends. And some nights, when the moon is new, and darkness reigns, they say you can hear screaming.

In the halls of Harrington manor, you can hear voices, screaming for mercy. And if you listen closely, right at dawn, they say, you can hear a chorus of voices, haunting, and beautiful, and laughing, as they answer.

"No."

[wackyharpy]

Merchant's Daughter (Part 2)

God! Aemond x Human●Fem! Reader

Summary: In order to ease the wrath of one of the Gods, the girl among humans is chosen to be gifted to him.

Part 1

To find more stories — masterlist

A/N: I know you've been waiting for it. So here is chapter 2, finally. Want to express my gratitude for your likes, comments, and reblogs. I appreciate it! Love you, guys! Enjoy the story :)

P.S. English isn't my native.

Warnings ⚠️

NSFW, sexual content, typical treatment of women those times, she/her pronouns.

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

The man of her father's age opened the gates and kindly smiled at her.

"Welcome to Ēbrion, my lady. The residence of the God of Murk and Affliction — my lord."

She examined the pale complexion of the man, who wore perfectly ironed and starched white shirt with a black suit. His skin was pallid as if the blood no longer rushed in the veins. The man was acting as an alive human, though, there were doubts whether he was one.

"Who are you?" She cautiously inquired, still considering if she could trust him.

"I am a butler, my lady," the man was still smiling warmly.

"What is E... Ebrion?"

"Ēbrion," he pronounced it correctly and went on explaining, "this is the name of the castle, my lady. It means "dusk" in the Valyrian language."

Valyrian — the language of Gods.

The butler took her case and pointed at the lane with his thin arm. She made several uncertain steps walking into the territory of the castle. The gates behind her started closing by themselves what surprised her a little.

"Why is the castle named like that?" She curiously looked at the man and then turned her glance to the great piece of architecture in front of her.

"Due to my lord was born at dusk," she heard the butler's soft voice behind her back. "Please, my lady, may us come inside. Dinner is already awaiting for you, along with a hot bath. You must be exhausted after the journey."

She felt someone's presence the whole dinner as if an invisible person were in the room together with her, hiding stealthily. Somber aura hung over making the air in the castle humid. Although, it could have been her nervousness, and heightened temperature of the body due to her anxiety.

Massive walls were decorated with modeling, ornamented in pretentious paintings of mythical creatures and flowers; pictures in wooden frames adorned the rooms. Events of Gods' and humans' history were depicted on them. At times, it seemed the characters on canvases revived — expressions were altering on their faces, their eyes were watching her with the penetrating gaze. Here and there muted fragments of their conversations were echoing across the halls.

The servants of the castle were moving around ghostly — once they were working in one place, then, after a blink, there was no one in the room, the servants quickly were shifting to other places.

When the girl needed explanation or help, miraculously the butler appeared near her. A moment she turned her head, he vanished as though he weren't there initially.

Who were all these people serving the God of Murk and Affliction? Ghosts? Corpses who came to life? She doubted that someone ever would provide her answers.

She had been staying in this bleak place for a week and hadn't ever met its owner. Each day was gloomy and dull, the atmosphere outside was constant. Once in a while, it was drizzling — at those moments chilly spirit was sweeping through the halls, and the girl was hiding in the chamber, allocated for her, under the thick blankets.

The longer she had been staying here, the more dreadful anticipation of the meeting with the God became. She couldn't comprehend why he still hadn't appeared in his residence. But, she had a horrible feeling the moment she would meet him, it would be the most terrible encounter in her life. It seemed as if it were easier to face the Death than the God of Murk and Affliction himself.

One evening was especially murky. Since morning it had been pouring, so the whole day felt macabre. The poor girl had low spirits — there was no joy in here, nothing to do, nowhere to go, nobody to speak to.

The servants had prepared a hot bath for her. While she was lying relaxed in the tub, pleasant water was soothing her strained muscles, several women were readying her bed, changing usual white linen into black one with red intricate patterns on it.

After, they dried her with soft towels, brought her a beautiful transparent nightgown to wear, something unpleasant tugged and then dropped in her abdomen. Her mind gave the cue that tonight was going to be the encounter. Their lord was coming back home, and his servants were preparing Ēbrion to greet him with lush tables full of mouthwatering dishes, polished floors and decorations, and the main gift who was standing in this chamber.

Her.

Now she realized why her bedroom was in the remote part of the castle — nobody would hear her voice, her screams, her calls for help. As though there were somebody who would safe her.

"My lady," the servant gently took her hand and led her to the bed, helping her to get onto it.

"Please, lie on your back, my lady."

She did as she was asked. Her breath caught in her lungs — the feeling of terror was capturing her body slowly.

"What are you doing?" The girl jumped terrified when the servants grabbed both her arms.

"Please, my lady, you have to lie on your back," the woman's gentle voice asked her again.

Be obedient.

The girl gulped and lowered herself on the duvet. She was trembling, as a small leaf ready to fall on the ground in late autumn, while her wrists got tied to the headboard. A silk bandage covered her eyes — according to the servants' words, it was an order.

And there she was lying, alone, on the fresh and still cold bed, her arms attached to the headboard with ropes. She relied only on her ears hearing attentively what was happening around. The baldachin made of heavy fabric was completely closed. She was in the utter darkness.

Anticipation was eating her from the inside. It felt as if her heart could jumped out of her chest because of how afraid she was.

The echoes of someone's steps were audible in the corridor, reaching closer and closer to her chamber. She strained her body and tightly clenched her legs — was stiff as the violin's string.

All at once, the doors opened and she heard heavy male breathing, and loud stomps of leather boots. She tried to produce no sounds as though he didn't know she was here.

The God knew everything since the moment the convoy entered his lands. His henchmen saw her every step in the mist — vultures, ravens, trees, serpents, the fog itself. Everything and everyone felt foreign presence of a stranger, a human they'd never seen. And he already knew her name — the wind had whispered him.

The girl heard clatters of the crystal jug and goblet, and then quiet pouring of the liquid.

"Do you know who I am?" She heard a deep voice rumbling right from the chest. It felt dangerous and spellbinding at the same time as if looking at the volcanic eruption and hearing grumbles that come from the inside of the mountain.

"God of Murk and Affliction," her own voice sounded pathetic that was natural for such a miserable human she was.

"Remember it. I am a God, you are a human. A little pitiful human."

The baldachin opened suddenly revealing her small body to him worn in transparent fabric. He, without any shame, was staring at her young untouched body smelling her scent — dulcet and virginal.

The girl began moving, yanking the ropes, pulling her legs. Her heart was beating as a bird in the cage, fluttering small wings with the hope to escape. Unfortunately, there was no way back, no way home.

The God's large palm wrapped her thin neck pinning to the bed, his long nose grazed the side of her left cheek reaching her ear.

"Be a good girl for me. If you appreciate your life, be obedient," he whispered and left a light kiss on the earlobe.

She was incapable to breath, her body felt numb due to fear — the girl was lying still on the bed praying to remain alive after this encounter.

But who was she praying to? The Gods who themselves suggested to send her here?

She became alone, abandoned by humans and Gods who knew, who saw, who heard everything from above. They didn't care. One mortal girl was not a big deal.

The night had been dragging a long while, darker than it had ever been in any place of the world. It felt like infinity until the dawn. The infinity with his hard cock between her quivering legs, his heavy breathing and rumbling growls and moans.

She felt sticky hotness between her thighs — blood mixed with her juices and his semen. His strong hands left bruises on her innocent body, he bit her with his sharp fangs, penetrated her with rough thrusts. It was pleasure and pain she was experiencing. Her fleshy insides were fluttering because of exhaustion, but for the God it wasn't enough. He interchangeably used his shaft and long digits exploring the girl's interior.

Her crying didn't halt him, her moans encouraged him to keep on moving.

He examined every inch of her body craving to know all her cavities, convexities, and curves. He played with her breasts, nibbled her nipples, smelled her hair, and teased her clit.

She was different, unlike the Goddesses he had laid with. He sensed purity in her which he was devastating with his sinful actions, wicked tongue and perverse, constantly seeking for fulfillment dick. He adored her hot blood that could be heard rushing in her veins, he relished her taste feasting between her legs for hours till she couldn't take it anymore.

Everything was his from then. She belonged to him and only him.

He took her almost every night, and when the daylight touched the floors of her chamber, the servants always fetched her hot bath and breakfast. The God bestowed her with rich dresses made of heavenly fabrics and precious jewels that no mortal queens or kings ever possessed.

She was his own little human.

She was a good girl for him, and according to his promise he once made, she enjoyed only pleasure in bed. The God allowed her to explore the castle and the territory outside as a gift for her obedience.

Daily she had been spending time in the library, in the garden, or riding a horse in the surroundings of the castle. Her white stallion — a present from the God — was her loyal friend ready to take her anywhere she desired.

The girl was scared no more. The God's henchmen were watching her, the woods were protecting her from the possible danger that may have come from outside of his possessions.

She felt save and secure. Once she came here as a slave, a toy for the God, now she became his girl who he cared for and cherished.

***

The girl was bouncing on the God's hard cock standing on the hands and knees. Light breeze was tickling her nude body, sweet scent of grass and flowers enveloped the space around them.

Since her appearance here, the God's lands has changed reasonably. Thick fog has gone from Ēbrion to the borders of his possessions hiding them from the world outside. The sky wasn't overcast anymore allowing the rays of the sun to elucidate the territories around.

"My Lord..." she moaned loudly.

He gripped her hair tightly accelerating his thrusts.

"My Lord... Aemond! I need a break. I can't take it anymore," her ragged breathing showed her tiredness.

The God groaned, and grudgingly came out of her hot insides. She stretched her body on the blanket, closed her eyes enjoying the warmth of the day. The woods around them were shuffling. How much time had passed since she arrived in here? She didn't remember.

The days and nights blurred, time had no sense for her anymore. Once she was cut from the world she was born in, left forsaken in the unknown place, but now it seemed to be just a memory of long ago times.

In front of her was sitting her beloved man, the God who was spreading his wrath in the world, but sought love and appreciation in her hands.

Her dear Aemond.

"Are you tired, my love?" He took her arm and kissed it.

"A bit, my lord," she smiled, exploring his sturdy body with her curious eyes, and stopping her gaze at his thick cock patiently waiting to be buried deep within her walls again.

"Hmmm..." He thoughtfully rubbed her abdomen. Something began sparking in his good eye.

"What are you thinking about?" She half rose up on her elbows.

"Want to breed you, my love. To conceive a child with you," lust was heard on his tongue. He leaned his face closer to her, his silver hair glistening in the beams of the daylight.

"Do you want a half-God child from a mortal woman? I'm not even a queen, just a merchant's daughter."

An astute smile appeared on his face. He delineated her cheek with his long finger, then gently kissed her full lips.

"I don't want a half-God child. I want you to give birth to a God." He whispered into her mouth, and then pinned her to the blanket with the weight of his body.

She gulped and asked surprisingly:

"How?"

"I will make you my wife. My Goddess."

With these words he pushed his hard cock into her entrance, catching her moan with his lips.

[ulquiorrapleasecallmetrash]

Can I request Undertaker from Black Butler x female witch reader who can't die? She's probably known Undertaker for 400 years now, and they're married.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

Undertaker with a Witch! Reader Headcanons:

Fandom: Black Butler

Genre: sfw headcanons

Rated: G

Warnings: none

Admin Harmony🐯: I hope you enjoy this!

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

✿ The one thing that Undertaker would think when he first met his witch s/o is  that he thinks she is interesting. 

✿ He never really believed in witches and magic before so there was a short time when the two of you met he thought she was lying.

✿ But once she uses magic to prove to him that it actually exist he is amazed. 

✿ “How do you manage to do that?” 

✿ So you will have to explain to him about magic and how to do. 

✿ Will become more intrigued by it.

✿ will also watch you do your rituals with complete support and interest.

✿ would totally give his hand at magic as well.

✿ If he is able to do magic then he would so do magic with you. 

✿ Would also want you to show him how to do all kinds of different types.

✿  What also really intrigues him is that that you are immortal. 

✿ He has a a thing with immortality and death so to find out that you are also immortal he would want know exactly how can you be? 

✿ If his s/o wouldn’t mind he would totally expierment on her (in a safe way obivously.)

✿ He is still impressed by your magic skills and enjoys how useful it is. 

✿ loves watching you perform it and has interest in the ritual part of it. 

✿ Would also enjoy you explaining your alter and the things that are on it. 

✿  Would gift you a whole bunch of occult stuff. 

✿ plenty of spell books, candles, and supplies for your spells,  stuff for your alter will be gifted. 

✿ He will pay so much attention in what you like. 

✿ I mean he always has, even 400 years ago. 

✿ Once they are married, nothing is really different than when he treats  you when you first met. 

✿ he wont admit but he is super happy that you are immortal. 

✿ he will admit it, but not for a long time and only when he is a little bit more emotional than us

✿ I generally think undertaker as a husband is the same as when him and her date except he is more possessive, jealous and cherish her even more now.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

[tinfairies]

The Fairy Garden

My Ko-Fi

Commission Directory

My Art Tag: tin art

My ask box and DMs are always open for people to come chat or be horny little freaks!

Requests Closed

Don't like it? Block me!

Don't be a cunt.

Dark content including rape, self harm, suicide, murder, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, necrophilia, cannibalism, incest and bodily fluids will be present here.

My only major boundary is scat. It just doesn't interest me.

Bestiality and pedophilia are entirely off the table. Yuck.

I do not consent to my writing or art being translated and/or posted to any other website or being fed to AI.

I go by Tin or Lu, I'm 23 years old.

Filthy American 🦅*eagle noises*

I am bi, enby and more fem presenting. I use any pronouns but use she/her by default since it's just easiest. (what I'm used to)

I represent myself with bears, tigers and orange cats.

About Lu

Lu's tumblr

Lu is similar to an alter ego or imaginary friend if you will. I blame shit on him and project my problems onto him. I use him so I don't have to feel negative emotions. He is my punching bag.

Lu is me and I am Lu and I am in full control of my actions and words.

Lu is represented by black dogs/wolves

I "talk" to him and he "talks" to me

Fun Facts

I have 2 kitties named Mercury and Jasmine and 2 leopard geckos named Mister Man and Dracarys

I do lots of art, I used to write a lot but I haven't had the muse for it lately

Mentally ill but who isn't these days (we live in a society fr)

Kink Stuff

Bisexual, switch. Lots of nasty, icky kinks.

BDSM, pet play, age play, knife play, cnc, dumbification, and piss are some of my top kinks.

A mommy dom, or a ma'am but I like being called daddy and sir too. I love puppy and kitty subs and littles.

I am a kitty sub and a little sometimes.

I like being a brat.

I can be a mean dom or soft dom depending on what my sub wants

Fandom List

(this list updates frequently and you're always welcome to pop into my ask box or DMs to talk about these fandoms!)

Anime/Cartoons: Hunter x Hunter, Death Note, Fruits Basket, One Piece, Black Butler, Hazbin Hotel, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Ouran High School Host Club, Princess Jellyfish, Bungo Stray Dogs

TV Shows: Supernatural, The Boys, Gen V, Alice in Borderland, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Criminal Minds, Percy Jackson, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Movies: Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, MCU, DCU, X-Men, Slasher/Horror Fandom, Star Wars, The Last Unicorn, Repo! The Genetic Opera, Twilight Saga, Phantom of the Opera

Video Games: Left 4 Dead, Fallout, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Borderlands, Resident Evil, Dead By Daylight, The Sims, Stardew Valley, Red Dead Redemption, Animal Crossing, Boyfriend to Death, The Price of Flesh, Sally Face, Fran Bow, Night in the Woods, Fear and Hunger

Misc: Creepypasta, Marble Hornets, Homestuck, The Vampire Chronicles, Lychee Light Club

Other Interests

Art, writing, history, archeology, anthropology, architecture, vintage era, edwardian era, medieval era, dinosaurs, cryptozoology, speculative evolution, science, mass tragedies, chernobyl meltdown, cults, fashion, historical fashion, horror, true crime, music, musicals

My Hunger Games/TBOSAS Masterlist

My One Piece Masterlist

My Hunter x Hunter Masterlist

My Old Masterlist

[bcofl0ve]

Invisible String (Part 1)

(part 1/9)

ship: austin butler x fem!reader

summary: a summer fling when you were working on the set of the shannara chronicles turned your life upside down with a positive pregnancy test after austin returned to the united states. a pregnancy test, and a daughter that you never told him about. until the elvis biopic found him back in your orbit and forced you to face the music.

word count: 2,600

authors note: yes i know the shannara chronicles was filmed in new zealand but this is my au and i can do what i want so we’re pretending it was filmed in queensland. covid also doesn’t exist in this story, because i said so, hence the filming schedule being one of my own making.

i live for comments and love talking about my writing, pls feel free to pop me an anon anytime!

xxx

April 23rd, 2020

"You interested in working in film again?"

You raised an eyebrow at your best friend sitting opposite you on the couch, pausing short of tossing more popcorn into your mouth from the bowl between you.

"Is there a reason you're asking?"

She chuckled, lowering her voice and leaning over to you, a playful smile on her face.

"A little birdie told me that one of the lighting assistants at Elvis had to resign because of a family emergency and they’re desperate for a replacement.”

Leah was clearly getting a kick out of this, and you wanted to kick her for it. Knowing Elvis was filming in your area and that there was a non zero chance you'd run into Austin on the street was enough of a headache, let alone having to skirt around him on a daily basis.

"I can't work there, you know that." You said flatly, and Leah only shrugged, cocking her head.

"Do I? It's just tech work, not like you'll have to interact with Austin that much anyways."

"That," You started, nudging your head towards a framed photo of you and Cora on the coffee table. It was taken on her fourth birthday, the blue eyed little girl sitting on your knees, head of blonde hair tucked into your shoulder. "happened when I was just doing tech work. I can't Leah,"

It wasn’t that you’d take any of what happened that 2015 summer back, you were quick to tell anyone that your daughter was the best thing that ever happened to you. But some things, her father in particular, were better left in the past.

"How much are you making right now?" Leah asked, pulling out her phone as she talked. "Because this is what Elvis is paying."

Your eyes widened when you saw the salary listed on the email she’d pulled up, nearly triple what you were making at your current gig running lighting for a local news station.

"You go, you do your lighting thing, you come home. If you wear a hat and your bluelight glasses Austin doesn't even have to know you're there."

---

April 30th, 2020

Against your better judgment you inquired about the position, and Leah must’ve been right about how depeserate they were for a replacement because you got a call within a few hours asking for the earliest date you could start.

You followed Leah’s advice of trying to alter your appearance just enough to maybe pass as someone else to Austin, your hair tied up and pushed through a baseball cap, tan rimmed bluelight glasses that you typically saved for long hours on your laptop perched on your nose.

And the get up wasn’t even necessary. You’d spent your first day helping with lights for scenes with Tom Hanks in a conference room setup, overhearing that it was a dance rehearsal day for most everyone else. By the time the day was over ditched the glasses and cap, assuming you were safe from running into Austin at least for the time being as you put equipment away.

"Hey there.”

You could've screamed when you heard his voice from right behind you, flinching and dropping the cords you were wrapping.

Austin was apologizing as you turned around, and you swallowed as you got a good look at him. He looked drastically different than he did four summers ago, his hair short and black as opposed to the blonde waves that used to fall at his shoulders. His face hadn't changed much though.

The blue eyes that matched the photo of your daughter on your lockscreen made you want to bolt, but the window of opportunity for that quickly shut as he kept talking.

"I just," He started nervously, pushing a hand through his hair. "Y/N, right?"

"Yeah, that’s me." You said and forced a smile. Austin laughed.

"Okay good, this would be so weird if it wasn't you. It's been, what, four- five years? Wow,"

He gave you a one over and you hoped the flush you felt wasn’t showing up too obviously on your face.

"And look at you, Mr. Presley himself." You tried, leaning back against the table as Austin let out a breath. "I'm still wrapping my head around it all. But how you've been?"

"Not too bad,”

Your phone buzzing saved you from thinking of what else to say, except the voice of Cora's day care coordinator on the other end was the last thing you wanted to hear right now. Austin was still standing there when you hung up, something you hated because now you were close to tears and could think of about twenty ways this whole debacle could go from bad to worse.

"Everything okay?"

Austin’s voice cut through your panic, and exacerbated it.

"That was my daugher's daycare.”

The words tumbled out of you before you could stop them, heart hammering in your chest as you kept talking, snatching the cords you'd dropped off the floor and putting them back on the table in a frenzy. "She said something about stitches, St. Vincent’s Hospital. My car's in the shop, I need to get a Lyft,"

There wasn't one rational reason you were telling Austin any of this, just that you were a panic talker. You recognized somewhere in the haze of worry that you needed to stop talking before it bit you in the ass, though you recognized it a little too late.

"I'll drive you."

Those three words snapped you back to reality like a rubberband, and you shook your head as you brushed past Austin to walk away.

"You can't do that, you'll get recognized,"

You were already past him, but heard him rustling through his bag and before you could protest anymore there was quiet "No, come on," and he was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, a hand on your back as he ushered you in the direction of the parking lot.

---

The car was quiet as he started driving save for the heavy breathing you were barley managing to get under control. Austin pulled to a stop at a redlight, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he spoke lightly.

"So you have a daughter now?"

"Yeah who apparently cracked her chin open on the playground.”

You didn’t mean for it to come out so bluntly, mumbling an apology that he told you not to worry about. The rest of the drive was silent.

When he pulled up to the hospital you jumped out the second the car slowed enough for you to do so, spotting Cora’s daycare director in the lobby and making a beeline for her. Assuring you she'd only left Cora alone long enough to meet you, she took you down the hall to her room.

And you didn’t notice Austin had followed you in until you saw the other woman’s eyes widen when she brushed past you to leave.

"Hiya," He said, southern accent intact and you'd find it funny if you weren't all standing in the hospital for his daughter that he didn't know existed.

Leaving them both in the hallway, you rushed into the hospital room so fast you didn't bother to shut the door behind you. Cora was groggy from sedatives but reached out when she saw you, tear stains still on her cheeks.

“Mommy, ouchie,”

"I'm here baby.” You said as you scooped her up, kissing her head and pulling back to look at the line of stitches in her chin. "I'm sorry you got hurt,”

"Who's that?"

She interrupted you, pointing a finger towards the open doorway. Austin was still in the hallway, except the coolness he'd had with the daycare director was gone and replaced with a look that you’d spent the last four years terrified of. His pupils were enlarged, hand over the bottom of his mouth. He dropped it when he realized you were looking, but his expression didn't change.

"That's just a friend from work who drove me here," You said through the growing lump in your throat, unable to look back at him. "I'll be right back, okay?"

After setting her back on the hospital cot and covering her back up with the provided blanket you walked out of the room, remembering to close the door behind you this time.

“You don’t have to stay, I have to call someone to pick us up anyways because she needs a carseat,”

You tried to steer away from the inevitable, but Austin didn’t waste any time.

"Y/N, how old is she?"

His voice was tight and you couldn't bring yourself to look at him, staring at the floor like you could will it to open up and swallow you.

“Austin,” You managed to croak out, and the indignation you could feel radiating off of him made your eyes sting.

"You know not answering is an answer in itself, right?"

Forcing yourself to look up, you squeezed your eyes shut and back open, hoping it was enough to keep yourself from crying in front of him. "I can't do this here." You started. "I need- I need to get her home. If your number hasn't changed l'll call you when she's in bed,"

He nodded, giving you a terse “Alright then.” before turning to walk away. When he disappeared around the corner you let a few tears fall, wiping them away and feeling nauseous as you pushed open the door to go back to Cora.

---

Your head was still spinning by the time the doorbell rang at eight o’clock that night. And when you opened it to Austin you cleared your throat, bringing a hand to grasp the doorframe.

"If you're going to yell at me we need to take this outside, Cora's asleep." You said and his eyes widened a little.

"I'm not gonna yell at you."

Your back was to Austin after you let him in, but you could sense him looking around. There was evidence of your daughter everywhere, photos on the wall and toys you hadn't had the energy to pick up given recent events scattered around the floor. When you reached the kitchen and did turn to look at him he was popping his knuckles.

Taking the bar stool you pulled out for him, he sat as you walked to the other side of the counter.

"So she's gotta be four, right?" He started before you could say anything, eyes falling away from you and to a photo on the wall. "And she's-"

"She's yours."

You cut him off, biting the inside of your cheek. "If you want a paternity test we can do one, but that summer, there was no one else."

"Workin' on Elvis, were you just hoping we never ran into each other? I don't get it." He stated, gesturing aimlessly.

"The friend who sent me the application practically had to force my hand, I didn't want to. But the money, this is more than I'm making anywhere else, being able to send Cora to a good pre-school in the fall,"

You hated that your voice was shaking, along with your hands, where you’d clenched a fist without realizing it.

“I decided it was worth taking my chances."

"And when you found out you were pregnant- you didn't think to call?"

The truth was that you had thought to call, briefly. But a tabloid hard launch of Austin getting back together with his ex girlfriend came before you bring yourself to dial his number.

"When I found out I was pregnant you were back in the states and back with Vanessa. What was I supposed to do?" You said, and you would’ve been a lot louder if you didn’t have to worry about waking Cora up. "Hey I know you just left, but you need to leave your girlfriend and fly back across the globe because the techie you had a fling with is pregnant."

"I would've."

You shook your head, shooting back bluntly.

"You wouldn't have."

If he truly did feel differently he didn't argue, chewing on his bottom lip for a beat before he spoke, his voice a degree softer. "You said her name is Cora?"

"Cora Jean. Thought she might go by CJ but she corrects anyone that tries, "I'm not Cee-Jay, I'm Cora.””

You couldn’t help a little smile as you imitated her, and felt your shoulders relax when you saw the hint of a smile on his face too.

"Who's there mommy?"

You turned when you heard the familiar pipsqueak voice of your daughter, your eyes finding her standing in the mouth of the hallway rubbing her eyes.

"Remember my friend from the doctor's? It's just him Cor, you can go back to bed."

Cora squinted for a second to verify that herself, walking a little further into the light. Satisfied with the confirmation, she rubbed her eyes with the hand not clinging to her stuffed koala.

“Night night mommy’s friend,” She said sleepily, giving a small wave.

Austin waved back, and you didn’t know if he’d wanted you to hear the quiet “Goodnight baby,” he said in response but it made your chest tighten either way.

"I don't want to keep you from her," You said when she’d disappeared back down the hallway, looking at your hands folded together on the table. "But having her splashed on the cover of People in some scandal story, paparazzi outside our house, that's a part of why I never told you."

A “part” was underselling the amount of nightmares you’d had from the time Cora was still in-utero about waking up to the fallout of one wrong person finding out about her parentage. You were sure there were people who drew their own silent conclusions , but you’d only told your mother and Leah yourself. The two people who you trusted wouldn't tell a soul.

How careful you’d been didn't stop your heart from stuttering when a stranger's eyes in the grocery store lingered a little too long though.

"I don't want that for her either. We're," Austin said gently, reaching a hand across the counter and laying it over yours. "We're gonna figure this out. You and me."

You nodded, wanting more than anything to believe that that was still possible after all this time.

----

Sleep didn't come easy for you that night, your mind racing as you laid awake staring at the ceiling. Just when you started to feel too tired to physically stay awake much longer, your phone buzzed.

Apparently Austin couldn't sleep either.

If it's not too much could you send me some photos?

You sat up a little, eyes heavy as you swiped open your phone, going to your camera roll and thumbing through the album labeled Cora Jean. The photos you chose ranged from across the years. Cora sitting in her high chair at only a few months old, grinning at the camera through the food covering her face, the two of you in your mom's backyard at her second birthday, a little video of her first dance recital, a photo her daycare had sent you her during art time, paint smeared across her nose.

When you texted the final selections, an ache bloomed in your chest as the gravity of it all finally started to sink in. Tugging the covers over your head, you willed yourself to crash and forget about everything for just a few hours.

xxx

[amyunshader]

Lookism x LCF crossover prompt (1)

I have a few ideas, so there will be several parts!

For now, here is the LCF cast for this Hunter-Hunting mission, all living in a huge luxurious villa outside of Seoul:

GoD used recordings of Cale’s battles to create a drama, The North Commander, released before Cale’s arrival into the world – supposedly entirely made beforehand with personal fonds of the rich foreign young master. (altered the face of the people a bit)

Cale Henituse:

Famous model and actor (that one role in the Northern Commander). Tattoos over his back shoulders (drops) and over his heart (shield covering the World Tree root dagger scar). Very mysterious and popular. Filthy rich.

In this world, 99% of all powers are sealed up, except for the Vitality of the Heart, which on the contrary is overworking and hypersensitive: it can't bear with pollution nor industrial food > make Cale cough up blood whenever he takes a bite or come across a car (my hc prompt from a while ago). Because of that he hardly ever goes out of his house, and always with a mask. Exclusively eat Beacrox’s cooking

Ron Molan:

Cale’s butler and manager.

Choi Han:

Cale’s bodyguard, tho without his sword. Look seventeen. Smug to know more than the Molans about the world, but also get super stiff whenever a camera turns to him.

Beacrox Molan:

Cale’s cook, and as such the only one to legally carry around knives.

On & Hong:

Appear by Cale’s side in kitten form, use their human form to investigate / run secret errands outside.

Raon Miru:

Since this is a modern world, he can’t be seen at all as a dragon, or doing any magic, so this is the one and only time that for convenience, he takes a human form.

This adorable chubby 7 ys old has jet black hair and jewel blue eyes.

As he based his features his appearance on Cale's, he resembles him a lot.

The public believes that he’s Cale’s natural son – there are wild theories about the circumstances around his birth (when Cale was 14-15?), fanned by Sui Khan. There’s that one time Cale said Raon was his kid, and never bothered to clarify afterwards.

Since he can’t do (much) magic here, great and mighty Raon learns about technology instead, becoming without much surprise a genius hacker and gamer

Sui Khan:

Pestered Cale to come when he heard about the world – to achieve his dream of being an actor.

Super popular child actor, supposedly Cale’s pupil. Hold social media account about HHH (HenituseHouseHold) – nicknamed HenituseHottieHouse

(there’s that ranking that Cale = handsome / Sui Khan = pretty / Raon = cute)

Pretends to the viewers that they played dice over name calling (explaining how Cale calls SK hyung, CJS calls Choi Han uncle, Raon calls Cale Human)

Choi Jungsoo:

Supposedly Sui Khan’s personal bodyguard. Really just came to watch the shitshow. Either tagging around Sui Khan or sparring with Choi Han.

[butchniqabi]

What are your favourite aspects of sci fi? Themes, tropes, specific stories, anything that comes to mind

i love so much about scifi,,,the unique and creative ways people talk about present day problems and institutions, the way people envision futures. i love dystopias i love utopias i love it saur much! as for specific stories, i (unfortunately) really like harlan ellison and ray bradbury (fun fact, my grandma's friend used to drive him around because he hated it himself) also octavia butler despite our adversarial relationship and ursula k le guin, i hate hg wells, philip k dick (previously mentioned friend was his girlfriend for a time), and adolus huxley. i think i spelled his name wrong but i dont care to check the proper spelling. i love holistic critiques, i love when critiques take into account intersectionality and how things like race, gender, ability, and class all interact with one another. less "this white man experiences subjugation despite all odds, isnt that crazy?" those narratives are usually written by white men and i really do not give a fuck anymore. i think a lot of Iconic Sci Fi is just...uninspired and/or ruined by its own limited perspective. sci fi i love involves involved world building that doesnt feel the need to overexplain and kind of throws you into the experience.

some random sci fi media i enjoy: altered carbon, another life, the southern reach trilogy (stan annihilation!), event horizon, the left hand of darkness, vaster than empires and more slow, the ones who walk away from omelas (basically a lot of ursula k le guin...), the veldt, the episode "far beyond the stars" from deep space nine, the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, the spacesuit, moon, -all you zombies-, no one will save you, the girl with all the gifts, special dreams in which you exist, the thing, kindred, and how long til black future month

did you know while i was refreshing my memory and looking up sci fi books, google labeled th white's the once and future king as sci fi? thats so real.