#claude x ash

[blondeaxolotl]

Sighs, got inspo to draw them after seeing @nullbutler 's post about them, of all pairs, these two were the least I expected to end up drawing together but here we are

Here's the post in question, the ✨inspiration and motivation✨:

[blackbutlerfandomnerddomain]

This is Noel

He's a meek kind hearted lad who's very into music and cares deeply for his parents despite it's hard to be around them in public, like a opposite Brair

[thatanimewriter]

CAT'S OUTTA THE BAG.

➳ request: i can see you've almost hit the 20 request limit, so i hope this one still gets in in time 👀 can i request claude von riegan, dimitri alexandre blaiddyd, dedue molinaro, felix fraldarius and ashe ubert (seperately) sneaking out at night to meet up with the reader (preferably genderneutral), who they are secretly dating and getting caught by their friends/a friend? hope you have a lovely day and take care! <3

➳ character/s: claude von riegan, dimitri alexandre blaiddyd, dude molinaro, felix fraldarius, ashe ubert

➳ warnings: kissing and cringe love stuff, implied aftercare (dedue), use of darling (ashe)

➳ notes: SLAYYYY i love this request ;v; some of them don't technically catch y'all, they just figure it out

𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 / 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭  / 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 / 𝐰𝐢𝐩 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

── 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐄 𝐕𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐍.

hilda caught you guys because she was sus of you guys for ages and claude wasn't giving her anything

ended up staying up late to 'do work' and heard you guys talking in hushed voices

desperately tried to open her door without it making that giant ass creak

claude didn't really care if she caught you guys, he wasn't ashamed of you

he just didn't want to make it super public so you'd both get bothered by people

"i knew it!" hilda whisper screamed, pointing at you both with the utmost betrayal. "ah, you got us," claude said, shrugging casually and draping an arm around your waist to pull you close. "can't tell anyone though, i'll make a courtyard announcement about that one time at the ball-" "fine, fine," hilda sighed. "how long have you guys been dating?" you glanced at claude to ask if it was ok to tell and he squeezed your side lightly for permission. "nearly a year," you admitted. "WHAT?!" "shush, people are trying to sleep," claude tutted, shaking his head disapprovingly.

── 𝐃𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐈 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐘𝐃.

he's not slick, he's too awkward that dedue figured it out ages ago but decided not to say anything

he got asked about it while weeding the lawns and turned bright red the whole time

dedue really didn't care, he just wanted to know if there was a second person he needed to look out for

on behalf of his king, he might have to protect you as well

dimitri would appreciate it but he likes being your saviour :))

"you're dating [name], right?" dedue asked monotonously as he carded through the grass looking for weeds. "what? no... we're not together- not that i would hate it, but-" "i saw you both last night," he interrupted. "under the stars." dimitri's face burned at the notion of getting caught with his partner on a date, but he continued to work on his weeding. "don't tell anyone, please..." dedue smirked at dimitri's embarrassment and nodded. "looks like i'll be needing to protect someone else as well." "that'd be appreciated, but i'd like it if they didn't need such protection if i'm around," dimitri admitted, covering his face with his hand.

── 𝐃𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐎.

it was ashe who caught him actually

dedue was cooking something for you that night cause you pestered him to stay the night

ashe came in for a late night snack and saw dedue cooking and was confused because dedue doesn't like the thing he's making

turns out he's making it for youuu

ashe doesn't get it entirely but honestly doesn't want to know do he gets his snack, says goodnight and goes to bed

"dedue?" ashe called softly, holding a candlelit lamp in his hand. dedue turned from his work to look at the smaller boy with a gentle smile. "ah, what are you doing this late?" ashe laughed awkwardly as he made his way to the cabinets. "i could ask you the same thing," he responded. "i just wanted a midnight snack." dedue hummed at ashe's answer as he dished your food into a bowl and moved to quickly wash the pans. "isn't that [name]'s favourite?" ashe wondered, staring at the bowl. "indeed. they wanted something to eat, so i took it upon myself to get them their favourite," dedue explained. ashe nodded slowly as he processed the information. "so... are you guys dating?" he wondered. the silver-haired man simply smiled in response.

── 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐗 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐔𝐒.

he will skin sylvain alive if he ever blabs to anyone about your relationship

he can't be caught being soft, even just a little bit-

y'all are hanging in the markets n he saw you looking at a necklace one of the merchants was selling

he went back to buy it for you, but not without sylvain coming along and ruining it

mans isn't happy about being discovered

"hey man, didn't you already come to the markets earlier today with [name]?" sylvain asked, following behind felix as they mulled about the stalls. "does it matter?" felix bit back, shoving the red-head by the shoulder. he stopped in front of the stall you'd found the necklace at and forced himself to suppress a relieved sigh. "oh, that's the necklace they were telling me about at lunch today," sylvain commented. his jaw dropped as felix picked it up and handed the money to the merchant. "wait, are you guys a thing? is that why you've been staying out late?" "shut up." "dang," sylvain ran a hand through his hair with disappointment. "i was gonna ask them to dance with me at the ball, too- OW!" the man doesn't think his arm will ever feel the same way again.

── 𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐓.

he's so in love with you, you're obligated to marry this man because i said so

he's meeting up with you to have night time picnics, but oops-

ignatz is there painting the scenery, but IT'S OK

you'll get a cool cute painting of yourselves made by ignatz himself by the end of the night

he won't ever tell on you guys though, so your secret is safe and you get free art

"hello darling," ashe greeted, pulling you in for a hug after he set the picnic basket down. "are you ok?" you nodded and leaned in to give him a chaste kiss. "mhmm. did you make dinner tonight? it smells nice." he smiled at your compliment and laid the picnic blanket down for you to sit. "i did, i tried to get here as fast as possible so it'd still be warm enough," he said, settling in beside you. as the night passed and you began finishing your date, you both froze at the sound of footsteps. looking to the source, you awkwardly smiled as ignatz emerged from the trees. "i'm so sorry for not announcing myself, but i came out here to paint and ended up with this..." ignatz shyly handed you his fresh painting, warning you about the wet paint. you and ashe smiled softly at the image and thanked him for the painting. "i won't tell anyone, i promise!"

[tidbi-t-art]

So remember that poll I posted about Claurenz?

Yeah, this is completely unrelated

[ballad-of-birdy-lamb]

My Tbosas fanfic masterlist!!

My requests are open!!!

Of course, my request list/rules:

Request rules and list

Coriolanus Snow:

Romantic headcanons with Gender neutral reader

Coriolanus comforts gender neutral reader who is a tribute

Crush headcanon with Plinth! Female reader

Coriolanus looking through District Twelve for female! reader

Spending time with gender neutral! reader at the lake near District Twelve

Hurt comfort headcanons with male! Victor! Reader

Fluff to hurt/comfort headcanons with male! Reader

Lucy Gray:

Comfort fic in the arena with gender neutral reader

Romantic headcanons with female reader

Romantic poly headcanons with shy! Gender neutral! reader (ft. Billy Taupe)

Romantic headcanons of Lucy Gray exploring the woods with female! reader

If you were a boy - Lucy Gray x Fem! Reader fic

I'll hide you in my poetry - Lucy Gray x Fem! Covey Member! Reader headcanon & small oneshot

Sejanus:

Basic romantic headcanon with female reader

Female reader comforts Sejanus while he's in District Twelve

Sejanus Plinth x Fem! Snow! Reader romantic headcanons

Gender neutral reader angst with Sejanus after he's caught

Making peace with my inevitable death - Sejanus Plinth x fem! Reader romantic oneshot

Billy Taupe:

Romantic poly headcanons with shy! Gender neutral! reader (ft. Lucy Gray)

Mayfair:

__

Jessup:

Jessup Diggs x Fem! Affectionate! Reader x Reaper Ash separate romantic headcanons

Reaper:

Sejanus Plinth x Fem! Reader x Reaper Ash separate romantic headcanons

Jessup Diggs x Fem! Affectionate! Reader x Reaper Ash separate romantic headcanons

Basic romantic headcanons with gender neutral! reader

Fluff headcanons at a party with gender neutral! victor! reader

Are you sick of me? Would you like to be? - Reaper Ash x Fem! Crush Reader romantic crush headcanons

Dill:

__

Coral:

Coral x Gender neutral! Reader romantic headcanons

Intermixed romantic headcanons with gender neutral! Reader within District Four and in the arena

Mizzen:

Platonic headcanons with Male! Reader

Treech:

Romantic headcanons with friendly! Gender neutral! Reader

Won't you stay with me, my darling? - Treech x Fem! Tribute! Reader romantic hurt comfort fic

How pretty it is, I think I'm in love - Treech/Tanner x gn! Reader separate romantic headcanons

Lamina

Romantic headcanons with friendly! Gender neutral! Reader

Clemensia:

__

Tigris:

Basic romantic headcanons with female! reader

Dr. Gaul:

__

Brandy

__

Tanner

How pretty it is, I think I'm in love - Treech/Tanner x gn! Reader separate romantic headcanons

_______

This is all at the moment, there will be more added later when I get through the eight requests I have going already!!

Thank you all for your support, it's been very fun writing for this fandom!!

[justrandomselfships]

SECOND PART OF MY SCUFFLE SILLIES!!!

Commission status is in my pinned post!

taglist utc!

@lovehollyberry

@resident-cake-anon

@maynope00

@princesheepish

@n1rolankisser

@lapinbunwrites

[asperrusual]

3H x Tumblr

[nullbutler]

the cursed posting continues

[h0ney-gl0ws]

Fire Emblem Boys! Parenting Headcanons!

Here’s a short collection of headcanons of how the fire emblem boys are as parents! Includes characters from fire emblem engage and three houses!

Characters are: Kagetsu, Ashe, Claude, and Diamant

Word Count: 896 (approx)

Kagetsu: I saw a video of a man doing this challenge to hang from a pull up pole for 100s, and he did it with a baby strapped to his chest, yeah, that’s Kagetsu

Kagetsu would totally give his babies rubber knives and stuff for fun. He wants his kids to be powerful fighters when they’re grown up after all.

Speaking of that, Kagetsu would totally sword fight his kids once they’re old enough and have at least learned the basics.

Kagetsu when his kids are older: “Finally a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!”

Kagetsu sometimes would go too far during training sessions, and his wife(you ;) ) would have to tell him to reel it back in. Kagetsu would feel bad and let his kids win after that. Pretending to be real hurt by their hits and all that. “Oh wow! Look at how strong you guys have gotten! You’re able to take even me down.”

Kagetsu’s wife would totally step in to have some fun as well with play fighting Kagetsu. And it turns into a real fun family bonding moment. “Aghast, my own love betraying me?! How could you!” Lots of giggles from the kids during and after.

Overall, very good dad 9/10.

Ashe: Oh, you know he would just be the sweetest dad ever. Ashe’s kids would just be the cutest little angels.

He’d teach them how to cook and all teaching sessions would end up being a giggle fest in the kitchen usually with flour all over the place.

Ashe’s kid: pours 90% of milk on the floor and 10% into the bowl. Ashe: Great job buddy! :D

You know he would teach his kids to have the same morals as him. In that everyone deserves to be shown kindness and to have a second chance. He doesn’t shy away his past from them, and wants to make sure they understand how his late adopted father’s kindness changed his life for the better.

He really cant resist when his kids come home holding bunches of kittens or puppies, and even on one occasion a snake, and you’ll have to step in to be the voice of reason like “no you cannot keep 12 cats in our pantry, put them back.” Lolol

Ashe would give you the puppy dog eyes too when your kids start to pout, and it definitely didn’t work and you definitely didn’t keep one of the kittens

In conclusion, cinnamon roll dad 10/10

Claude: Claude’s not a regular dad, he’s a cool dad XD

He wants his kids to be comfortable on wyverns so he takes them flying often. You worry of course, but he always assures you he is right there with them, and they are perfectly safe. Plus seeing the kids excitement as they try to explain to you how cool flying is, eases your worry plenty.

Claude’s kids would end up being little rascals, running around the halls of the palace, playing pranks on royal staff. Usual rambunctious kid stuff.

Claude has almost certainly assisted in their little tirades, especially on the ones directed at Lorenz. He once got them to replace all of the sugar in Lorenz’s tea with salt. Claude got quite the earful after from him, but Lorenz couldn’t prove anything.

That’s not to say that Claude can’t be a responsible parent when he needs to be. If his kids were getting involved in something that would put them or others in danger, you bet the stern dad voice is coming out and he’s teaching them why they can’t be doing that.

Very nice dad overall, his family wishes he could spend more time with them, but I digress 7/10

Diamant: This one is a difficult one for me, as I try to portray them as the best dads they can be, however I see Diamant’s best as…rocky.

I feel like he would be overprotective, he’s very worried about anything bad happening to them. As a result of this he can be a bit overbearing.

On the other side of the spectrum, when’s he’s not being overbearing he can be distant. His anxiety over running the kingdom, and his own insecurity about being a father can cause him to push people away, and as a result you would be doing a lot of the parenting.

Of course all of these tendencies come from a place of love. He wants to be the best father he can, he’s just not great at navigating his emotions.

Every night, however, when your kids are tucked into bed you can hear him whispering stories about how great of a king his father was, and your kids fall asleep hearing tales of how amazing their grandfather was.

You also see them showing interest in his training. They love watching him train, and often times want to join him. which is great because he wants to teach all of his kids self defense. He wants them to be able to protect themselves when he’s not there after all.

In the end, his kids adore him even if he’s not the greatest parent at times, and you know that this is just another chapter of life you will be able to work through together. 5/10

[vikkirosko]

Can I ask Ciel, Alois, Sebastian, Claude, Ash Landers and Charles Grey with a child reader ?

Reader is the granddaughter of the Queen of England and the next in line to rule England. She's just a little 5 years old girl, but she's the brightest ray of sunshine in this world.

She's a nice child and wants to help her people. She is very close to the people, and isn't scared to go in the poorest part of London (but protected by Charles Grey and Ash) to give charity.

Ash is her butler and for him, reader is the purest soul in existence. He's just mad that reader loves to go to the Phantohive and Trancy mansion...

Thanks !

Platonic headcanons The Queen's granddaughter

♟️ Ciel Phantomhive x kid fem!Reader 👁

Ciel has always followed the Queen's orders. He was a real watchdog who took his job seriously, but of all the royal family, you were the only one who came to him personally. You were the Queen's favorite granddaughter and heir to the throne. Even if you came without an invitation, he could not refuse you, especially since if you came, you always came on business

You wanted to help your people and therefore came to him to help arrange events for the poor. He didn't understand why you always did it yourself and why you were even interested in it, because you were only five years old, but you really took what you were doing very seriously. You sincerely wanted to help people, and maybe that's why ordinary people loved you so much and hoped that you would really become their queen

Every time you prepared events together, you took full part in both the preparation and the event itself. Ciel saw how sincerely you smiled and how you really tried to help not only with words, but also with deeds. You never gave him orders, you didn't take advantage of your position, but you could ask him for anything, and usually earl complied with your requests

Ciel understood that the older you get, the more you will try to do for the people and the country. Perhaps when you get older, under your leadership, England could flourish in a way it has never flourished in all of history

😈 Sebastian Michaelis x kid fem!Reader 🐈‍⬛

Sebastian met you when you arrived at Ciel's. He knew that you were the queen's granddaughter and an important guest at the manor. He always prepared various treats for your arrival, and to his surprise, you always thanked him for it. He had seen many aristocrats, but you seemed to be one of the few who really sincerely thanked not only the owner of the manor, but also the servants for their work

Sometimes you brought small gifts for the servants, including Sebastian. He was surprised by this, but the more often you saw each other, the more he was convinced that your soul was bright and pure. For demons, such a soul was a tasty morsel, and under other circumstances, he would not have been willing to get this piece for himself, but now he had another goal. But that didn't mean that he would miss the opportunity to annoy the angel who was constantly by your side

Sebastian remained polite and courteous to you. He continued to play his role as the perfect butler, watching you try to help people. You were like the princesses from fairy tales, kind, innocent, eager to help the suffering. It seemed funny to him and he was sure that you would continue to keep your soul as pure

Maybe someday, he'll be able to see what kind of princess you'll grow up to be. But for now, you remained a child who tried her best to help her people. For Sebastian, your actions were something naive, but he wasn't going to tell you about it. He continued to watch you change and interact with Ciel, knowing that it could be beneficial

🗡 Charles Grey x kid fem!Reader 🍧

Charles has always done his job well. The Queen entrusted him with important matters, so the fact that she assigned him to be your protector did not cause much surprise. You were the queen's granddaughter and next in line to the throne, but at the same time you were just a five-year-old girl who needed protection. That's why Charles accompanied you every time you left the palace

You often visited the parts of London where the poor lived, and each time Charles accompanied you. He made sure that no one hurt you, because someone could try to take advantage of you and your kindness. You really tried very hard to help your people, and when you returned, you always took Charles to the pastry shops to thank him for once again keeping you company

Charles looked out for you and could take you to places Ash would never let you go. Charles knew that you had different positions in society and when you were with someone, he always behaved politely to you, but in a more relaxed environment, he became more relaxed and looked after you like an older brother who allowed you to be just a child, even if he knew that if Ash found out about it Charles would have been reprimanded

Charles remained a loyal knight to you no matter what. He protected you and accompanied you, no matter where you needed to go. You were a sweet and innocent princess, and Charles was your knight who was ready to protect you even when you became queen, taking your grandmother's place

🕷 Alois Trancy x kid fem!Reader 🌹

Alois has seen a lot of bad things in his life. People were cruel to him, and when he even had the illusion of power, he began to use it. When he met you, he was sure that you, who had a golden spoon in your hand since birth, would be the same as the others. You were the queen's granddaughter, and he wouldn't be surprised if you were arrogant even though you were only five years old. But he was genuinely perplexed when you turned out to be completely different from what he thought

You were kind and caring towards ordinary people, and for some reason you were kind to him too. Alois could act like a moody child with you, but you were still kind to him. You offered him to participate in charity events that you organized to help people, but he refused. But he liked the fact that you took care of him too

He saw perfectly well that despite the fact that you were friendly towards him, Ash, your grandmother's butler, who accompanied you, was clearly against you communicating. It was as if he knew the whole truth about his past, but he was trying to find a way to convince you that Alois was not worthy to communicate with you. It made him angry, but the fact that you were talking to him anyway calmed him down

More and more often it seemed to him that he was beginning to believe in goodness. You gave him a piece of your light, healed him with your kindness, and although Alois would never admit it, he even liked it. It wasn't often that he met people who would be so genuinely friendly to him, and he didn't want to lose you

👿 Claude Faustus x kid fem!Reader 👓

From the first look at you, Claude realized that you had an innocent, pure soul, one of the brightest souls he had ever seen. You came to visit Alois, but you always paid attention to the servants, which only allowed Claude to be more convinced of his rightness. He just couldn't afford to miss a soul like yours, but it would seem that absolutely everything was against his purpose

Every time you came to Alois, your escort, Ash, came with you, who tried his best to shorten your time there, and when Claude appeared in his field of vision, Ash tried his best to protect you from him. It was as if he knew who Claude really was and protected your soul from his attempts to get close. It made Claude angry, but he couldn't openly speak out against Ash

Despite the fact that Ash tried to prevent you from communicating with Claude, you still communicated with him. You didn't care that he was a butler and you were a princess. You didn't divide people into servants and aristocrats, striving to help everyone, which is what Claude used. But another advantage for him was that under your influence, his master's soul became brighter, gradually changing

Claude intended to try to get your soul while he had the chance. Perhaps if you were older, it would be easier to do this, but your soul will no longer be the same as it is now. That's why he wasn't going to postpone his goal for later, even if Ash was going to interfere with him further

🪽 Ash Landers x kid fem!Reader 🗡

From the very first day of your acquaintance, Ash realized that he was obliged to protect you. You were the brightest and most innocent soul he had ever met, and that you were worthy of salvation. The fact that the Queen entrusted him with taking care of you only simplified his mission. You were the queen's favorite granddaughter and the next in line to the throne, but you were still a child, so he just had to make sure that nothing would blacken your innocent soul

You often traveled to poor areas of London and to small villages where you helped people with food and money. He was pleased that you did it, but he always made sure that none of the sinners hurt you. However, there was something that he absolutely did not like. He didn't like the fact that you often visited Ciel Phantomhive and Alois Trancy. Ash was sure that their company was a bad influence on you and that you should not see them, because your soul could suffer because of this

Angel tried many times to convince you that two counts were not the best company for you, but you were determined. He understood that in your eyes they did not pose a threat, so he took it upon himself to protect you, especially from demons, for whom your soul was like a tasty morsel. Ash just couldn't let the demons get you

Every day it seemed to you that Ash was taking care of you more and more. You didn't pay attention to it, being sure that it was your grandmother's request. You didn't even realize that he wanted to protect you from everything that could blacken your soul. You were a princess who was worthy of ruling New England, and he intended to make sure that was the case

[blondeaxolotl]

Hitting you all with a quick fankids piece before I start drawing my kuro headcanons hehehe

and ofc a bonus doodle:

[thatanimewriter]

i can see you've almost hit the 20 request limit, so i hope this one still gets in in time 👀

can i request claude von riegan, dimitri alexandre blaiddyd, dedue molinaro, felix fraldarius and ashe ubert (seperately) sneaking out at night to meet up with the reader (preferably genderneutral), who they are secretly dating and getting caught by their friends/a friend?

hope you have a lovely day and take care! <3

you did make it in time! i just take forever to get around to requests when uni be happening ;v;

thanks for the fe3h requestt, here you go!

[zippidi-dooda]

Book of Harvest - I

Dearest Y/N,

'Ow ya been Trick? Did ye miss us? I hope ev'rythin' 'as been well. All of us 'ave been pretty busy, our acts get a lot of attention 'n more want to see us perform. Th' troupe 'as just kept on growin' since I last saw ye too, one lad in particular is very sensational, 'as an act all of 'is own. And on 'is firs' day too! Can ye believe it? Was in a bad situation tha' one. I'm glad we were able ta 'elp. Snake, tha's what we call 'im. Curious 'bout 'is act, are ye? Well, give us a visit and see fer ye'self, ye'll be amazed I tell ya. Of course, we'll let ye in fer free, couldn't 'ave made it 'ere without ya, after all, an' couldn't be more greatful. Th' least we can do as thanks so don't think 'bout protestin'  ya hear! Anyway, ye've been busy too, right? Wish ye weren't, ye deserve to sit back 'nd unwind more'n anyone. I'd love ta holiday with ya one day, maybe go s'mewhere away from all the bright lights 'nd starin' crowds. Somewhere peaceful. Over the hills and far away don' sound too bad, eh? But tell me, what's yer job like? Ye didn't give much detail in yer last letter an' I'm interested in 'earin' more. Oh, an' 'ow's yer father? Still workin' at the 'ospitals? Ye should bring 'im along next time ye visit, I think our doc would 'ppreciate the company o' another doc 'ere again. Wish I could write ye more but I'm 'fraid I'm runnin' outta space on th' page. I look forward to yer next letter and 'ope ye the best.

P.S. It took a while ta decide what to get ye, but I think I found somethin' ye'll like

P.P.S. The others pitched in an' insisted on sending this, so hope yer not disappointed 

-J

You chuckled, pressing your fingers to your lips as you read the letter. The writing had gotten smaller as the sender tried to pack the rest of what he needed to say onto the page. 

"Each time we talk you end up writing more and more," you smiled, picking up the wrapped gift mentioned. "I can't now, but I'll definitely stop by for a visit when I have time."

It didn't take even a second for you to peel off the brown wrapping paper from the small, rose decorated box. Inside, there was a glass, puff perfume bottle, a raspberry colored liquid swirling inside. 

You took a whiff of the rose scented elixir, a fond memory of your first meeting with the man signed "J" crossing your mind.

"This must have cost a fortune," You sighed. "I won't let it go to waste, but I really can't just take it without paying you all back. I'll have something for each of you when I see you, I promise."

"What are you muttering about, Dearie?" A familiar voice called from across the dark room.

You folded the letter, tucking it away in your corset, and spritzed some perfume onto your wrists and neck. Maybe you should spray some of the perfume onto the next letter you sent as proof you used it.

Smiling, you walked over wrapped your arms around this silver haired man's waist, cheek resting against his back. "My friends' letter arrived. They sent a gift this time too. It's far too expensive though, so I'm thinking of getting them something in return. Do you have any suggestions, Undertaker?"

The Undertaker giggled and pressed one hand on top of yours. "I'm sure you'll find something they'll enjoy."

You hummed in response. "And what kind of gift would you like? I can't get them something and ignore you, now can I?"

"Oh, you know exactly what I want, Dearie." The Undertaker spun around to face you. "And it won't. Cost. You. A. Cent."

He captured your chin between his thumb and forefinger, long, black nails etching against your s/c skin.

You sucked in a breath, face warming as he forced you to look up at him. 

He leaned close, that contagious smile of his growing wider and more snide as his thick bangs hung like a curtain around you, revealing a perfect view of his enchanting chartreuse eyes.

That unique shade of lime green was bestowed upon a rare, unlucky few, a ring of it mixing into the e/c iris' of your own. You used to see it as a signal of unending misfortune. Until you met him and he made bad luck appear as something to be controlled.

"... Undertaker ...." You uttered, eyes flitting to his lips.

He let out a low chuckle, his chest reverberating against your own. "Give me the choicest laughter! You know exactly how perfect of a gift that'd be." His usual cheery laugh returned and he cupped your cheeks in his cold hands, rambling about what a joy being able to laugh is.

You wanted to be upset with him for teasing you at first, but couldn't help laughing along with him.

"Well, I haven't got any jokes now, but when I find a good one, I'll be sure to tell you, okay?"

He giggled. "Of course, Dearie."

You leaned forward, leaving a feather light kiss upon his soft lips.

His smile didn't fade and he simply caressed your cheeks with his thumbs until you pulled away.

You stood in a blissful silence for a moment, gazing at him lovingly until you remembered you each had a job to do.

"How's your work going today?" You asked, turning your attention to corpse resting in the delicately carved coffin behind the Undertaker.

"Smooth as always." The man said, leaning against the wooden frame of the girl's eternal bed. "Quite the interesting one, she is."

"Oh? How come?"

Undertaker glanced at you from the corner of his eye, a smirk resting on his lips.

He was expecting something.

"Aw, I told you I don't have a joke right now. Can't you at least tell me about this?"

He hummed remorsefully. "Sorry Dearie."

"Please, Undertaker ...?"

He tapped a thin nail against his lips. "I suppose this time I can accept other forms of payment from you, Dearie."

You smiled and eagerly gave him a kiss. "So? What's her story?"

The man leaned down, brushing the girl's bangs away from her closed eyes. "All of my customers are so lovely. I do what I can to make them even more beautiful. Each has a unique story to tell."

Your eyes followed as his hands moved to adjust the neckline of her dress. He was always so careful and attentive when taking care of his cadavers. If they all could see how well fostered they were in his care, you were sure they'd be swooning in their graves.

"Such a rare case. This one might just be the first of many."

"What do you mean?" 

Undertaker scrapped his fingertips against the wooden frame of the coffin as he stalked towards you. The sharp, skirtch, skritch, skritching of his nails started a shudder that coursed through your spine, your ears rang and you squirmed, fisting your skirt in your palm.

His cheshire grin proved pleased with your reaction. "A very important piece of them is missing. One you have all your own."

"And ... what piece would that be?"

A gasp escaped your lips as he suddenly gripped your waist, digging one long, sharp talon into the soft, delicate flesh just beneath your belly.

Then he leaned close, lips grazing against the shell of your ear and he whispered, "the one necessary for starting a family of your own. U~ter~us."

You released a shuddered breathed before leaning as far away as you could, trying to pry his claw from your gut.

"That ... seems like hard work."

He chuckled and moved behind you, chin resting on your shoulder, arms wrapping around you, looking down on the poor soul who had the unfortunate removal.

"Indeed. Very few could have done such a fine job. I believe someone like yourself could have done it if the situation prompted for it."

"... Right."

The strange man pressed his nose against your neck, inhaling deeply. "You smell heavenly."

"So you like it? It's the gift I was given. Perfume. Rose scented. I'll have to ask where they got it so I can keep wearing it when it's all used up."

"If you'd like to, Dearie. Now, tell me, who's fortunate soul is under your care today?"

"Oh, you already know I can't tell you, Undertaker. But, since you did tell me a bit about your work, I'll tell you this: tonight's soul belongs to someone of very high status. Things may end up disasterous if I don't handle them carefully. Speaking of which, I should really get going so I don't get stuck with overtime. I've been on Will's good side for so long, it'd be a shame if I messed that all up now."

You pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before heading towards the front door, pulling on your caplet and tucking your baker boy cap into your skirt pocket.

"Dearie?" Undertaker's voice called, causing you to pause, hand lingering on the doorknob as you turned to him.

"Yeah?"

"Your soul is a precious one. Take good care of it."

Your heart seemed to melt at his words and you couldn't wipe the wistful smile off your lips as you nodded.

"Of course, Undertaker. See you in a few."

He waggled his fingers at you as you walked into the busy streets, shutting the door to his secret work behind.

You stood with your back against the dark wood for a moment, mind hazy with the Undertaker's smile and gorgeous eyes that partially reflected your own. 

"Ah, you truly don't know the extent of power you hold over me, Undertaker." You mused, biting your lip.

You shook your head in attempts to clear your mind of him, dusted off your long skirt, and started in the direction of the palace. Can't keep the Queen waiting now can you?

Maybe on the way back you could pen a reply to the troupe and look around for their gifts. 

That'd be nice wouldn't it?

Though you couldn't just get them one thing, Lord knows how they'd fight over it. But, what could you send that'd be enough for each of them?

Maybe some candy? 

They didn't have the chance to eat many sweets back then, so maybe they'd appreciate it now. Of course, you'd have to get them Funtom treats.

They are the best out there and not to mention their creator was sort of a fan favorite around here.

"Make note to visit Funtom after work," you murmured to yourself, turning round the corner. "Ah, sorry, excuse me."

You bowed politely towards the man you bumped into and continued down the road.

You didn't pay much attention to it.

But the man did.

He didn't say a word, golden eyes simply followed you until you disappeared into the crowd. 

...

Your soul ... it wasn't anything like the others he's encountered before. 

It was incomplete.

Instantly, his interest was aroused.  It didn't make sense how a soul could be not all there, but that was what made him intrigued.  It wouldn't fill him, no, but it would make for the most interesting meal he's ever had.  He could feel that it was seasoned with impurities and fears.  This made your soul delectable to him.  To his kind.

Yes, his kind.  

If anyone else like him were to happen upon you, they'd waste no time in trying to devour you.  He couldn't let that happen.

He wanted it. Your soul. You. For himself.

And he decided then and there that he'd do anything to have it.

°°°

It was dark by the time you had to be outside Victoria's window. The moon was full, shining brightly against the vast rooftops, a cool breeze blowing through the air.

It was a beautiful night out.

You'd need to spent a night up above the dusky streets like this with Undertaker sometime.

Picturing the moment, you smiled and unhooked your billowy skirt, slipping it off your feet.

You dusted off the pair of black slacks you always wore underneath and made sure your caplet was secured around your chest.

You took the cap from your skirt pocket and put it on, tucking all your hair securely inside of it. You tugged your black leather gloves on further, weilded your heafty death scythe and entered the queen's bedroom.

All was quiet as you pattered softly across the thick, carpeted floor. 

The room was neat and tidy, the gold tipped furniture glinting as you walked past, all of it no doubt due to the palace servants' diligent cleaning.

A room like this was a luxury not many had a chance to even see. It was gorgeous and serene.

But something was off.

You pressed on further towards the canopied bed.

The soul in here felt faint.

Red curtains rippled softly from the wind seeping through the ajar window.

You held your breath.

The queen was mighty important, reigning this long had to amount to something. Now, you were tasked with assessing whether she was a valuable living piece in society or if another could just as easily continue in her place.

A big weight on your shoulders, others' lives hang in the balance.

Did the other souls you collected always ebb like this? You couldn't recall.

You licked your lips and reached for the curtain.

One ...

Surely it was nothing,

Two ...

Right?

Three ...!

"She's not there."

You jolted back, spinning around to face where the voice came from.

In the far corner of the room you could see the silhouette of someone sitting in a chair. Their legs were crossed, the tips of their shoes glinting under the moonlight, the white hem of their pants swinging softly as they bounced their leg. 

The human soul you were sent for still lingered in the room, yet strangely enough, you couldn't sense the accompanying presence of this other person's soul.

You tightened your grip on your death scythe, "Who are you?"

"What's it matter? I'm supposed to be here. You are not." The person stood and began to walk towards you. "Though your type always assumes you're needed at a specific time in a person's life. What a nuisance."

They stepped into the light and you could make out the rest of their features. 

They were clad in a white suit with lilac and gold adorning them. Soft hair was dove white, their eyes a soft purple, gazing down at the black, ruffled doll sitting in their arms. A sheathed long sword lay at rest against their hip.

Against the rays of moonlight streaking around them, they looked almost angelic.

They looked up at you, a smile adorning their lips.

"It must irk you to have to leave so soon after making the trip here. But may you rest easy knowing I'm deciding to let you run free."

You'd have to deal with them to be certain, but duty first.

"How thoughtful. But, I'm afraid my orders are clear, sir."

You threw back the red curtains behind you and peered into the bedded cavern. 

There, laying amongst the fluffy pillows and heavy blankets ... wasn't a person in sight. The queen wasn't there.

That didn't make sense. You knew Victoria was in here. Her soul was faint, but it was in here.

The person chuckled and you turned back to them.

Were they hiding her?

"Where is she?"

"Oh, I've already told you she isn't there. As her devout servant it is my job to ensure her safety from any and all intruders. And it is in your best interest to leave now, I will not say it again, Half-ling."

Just who was this guy? 

You flipped through your bingo book, confirming the time and date of Victoria's death. Tonight at midnight. If you took any longer tiptoeing around the issue with this person you'd miss the scheduled time.

You pocketed the book again and glared at the person.

"Interfering with a soul is exactly what I don't need today. What have you done with her?"

Their smile fell and they narrowed their eyes at you. "Do you never heed sound advice?"

"I may not be allowed to interfere with your life if you're not on the list. But I still have a job to complete and I'd rather not do it with all the headache."

You hefted your scythe, took a step forward, and swung. 

Swish!

Immediately the person was behind you, a single hand holding onto the end of your scythe, keeping it in place. 

They were stronger than you.

You strained to bring it down, to get out of their grasp.

"Honestly, there is no end to the amount your type pains me." They tore the scythe from your grip and kicked you to the ground. 

Much stronger.

You grunted, quickly turning over and crawled away from them. Your back stung from the blow, forearms and knees burning from the sudden impact of slamming to the carpeted floor.

You kept your eyes focused on them as they twirled your scythe in their hand. The sharp blade glistened dangerously in the moonlight as they stepped forward.

"Quite the dangerous accessory for a young lady. You wouldn't mind my confiscating it, would you? Of course not."

You scowled and braced yourself, palms planted against the floor, leg stretched out to hit them. You spun quickly, then shot up in hopes of knocking them off their feet and gaining the upper hand.

"I'd think you'd have a little more manners than this."  

Their voice was a soft whisper in your ear. Soothing.

Right before they landed a heavy blow to your side.

You gasped, stumbling as you were thrown onto the bed, clutching your side. You already knew they couldn't be human since you couldn't sense them. And clearly they weren't reaper since they were hindering your work and didn't own those familiar green eyes. But they couldn't be demon either, or else they would've taken a swipe at your soul by now. So if not those, then what?

Red curtains were yanked from their mount with a chink! You'd need to end this soon before they got to you. 

Turn, throw the drapes, lunge, and reach for your scythe!

You acted swiftly, ending up behind them with hands secured around an item.

You brandished it at the person. 

Wait ... was that the doll?

You stiffened suddenly sensing a surge of Victoria's soul coming from it. But that couldn't be right, could it? The Queen was a normal human not a doll. Unless ... you looked up at the soul-less person in the room with you ... this being did something to her.

They tore off the sheets then looked around perplexed for a moment.  Then their eyes landed on their doll. And the air grew dark and still.

"Enough."

In one swift movement their hand was around your neck and they pinned you against the wall. 

"Let's see how you fare now."

And just like that, they let you go, leaving you coughing and heaving against the wall. They stabbed your scythe into the plaster, the flat of the blade gently kissing your ear.

They were even faster than you.

They grabbed a fistful of your hair, knocking your hat off in the process, and yanked you forward. 

"I don't take kindly to those who take without permission. I've come too far now to lose anything towards the likes of you or anyone else. It'd do me well to get rid of you. You are unclean beyond belief."

They were seething.

At this rate you'd just become another Jane Doe, an empty husk in the the ladder of the English empire. There was no way you could move fast enough to counteract them.

But then, they softened and lowered their hand to caress your cheek. 

"But I am a magnanimous being. And an angel must always give the wicked a chance to repent. I can help you, if you're willing to recieve."

You grit your teeth. "In your dreams."

They chuckled, dragging their hand down to your neck. With their teeth, they slipped the ash glove off their other hand.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice."

Then, they tugged on something you hadn't yet noticed adorned your neck.

And an indescribably pain shot through you, for a moment your mind seemed to numb and blank. You let out a guttural scream.

They hushed you gently, pressing the glove past your parted lips, muffling your cry. "Shh, sh. It hurts, yes? I must teach you obedience somehow. Don't worry, the pain will subside. Though I suggest you don't try to take off this ... pretty, little collar if you wish to avoid more anguish. Only I have the power to free you, much like I would free any other wayward soul from their wicked ways."

They released their hold on you, taking the fluffed up doll from your trembling hands.

One thought made it's way through the stinging haze: get away from them

You spat out the drool covered glove and yanked your scythe out of the wall with one harsh tug. Then, with bleary eyes and gritted teeth, you ran for the open window to escape them.

Only to come crashing to your knees with another anguished cry. The burning, stinging sensation pierced through your neck where the collar sat and was spreading through your entire body like wildfire.

It was unbearable. 

"You'll be punished for any action I do not warrent. Each time will become more painful than the last."

You tried to claw at the collar, feeling the coarse leather and sharpened spikes beneath your leather clad fingertips. But also feeling the same intolerable burn seeping into your finger pads. Aching hands reached for the clasp. But there wasn't one. The collar encased your neck completely, coiling around you with no way to get it off by any means of your own. And the longer you kept pulling at it, the more unbearable the pain was. You had to let go.

But the pain persisted.

"STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

The angel tucked the pretty doll in the crook of their arm, brushing back it's long gray hair gently. "You'll do as I say now, won't you?"

You nodded mindlessly.

Anything but that searing pain.

"Good, seems you can learn. There may be hope for you yet. I look forward to your cooperation, Half-ling."

And just like that, the blinding pain was gone. You slumped against the floor with a shaky breath, trying to get your bearings, scythe laying uselessly on the ground next to you.

They turned with a flourish, sitting back down in the plush chair once more, singing to the living doll in the most angelic voice you'd ever heard. Comforting the carefully crafted porcelain as if it was the most dear thing in the world to them. Listening, you could almost forget the intense pain they had inflicted on you just seconds ago.

But that was just it. 

Without the voice smooth as silk or tender hands softly caressing the plaything in their arms, this angel was simply a fierce monster, interfering with human life with no regard for the path they were originally intended.

"London Bridge is falling down, falling down ...,"

One of the fallen.

"Falling down ...."

[alexanderstarhero]

Don't reblog, just screenshot and tag your OTPs.

[crybaby-writings]

this is my first time using the poll feature, despite having it for a while and i have an angst/hurt/no comfort idea, but i have no clue who i should write for.