#i felt. so ancient. i'm not even old. i'm YOUNG! and i felt so old.

[jeankluv]

The tale of the fox and the knight - Satoru Gojo | prologue

summary: You have been living all your life in almost isolation due to your true nature, one your parents want to hide and protect you from anyone finding it. But when the spring of your 20 year your parents grant you the wish of being able to walk around the city, you meet him. Your doom. Satoru Gojo, a white haired knight whose intentions in your eyes are unkown. And whose presence in your life will change everything, from how you see the world to your way of being.

tags: enemies to lovers, blood, eventual smut, Gojo is pretty rude at the beginning, betrayal, fantasy, magical creatures, angst, injuries, heavy language

notes: this is the prologue of an upcoming series I have in mind, but I’m not sure if I should continue or not. And since I don’t have chapter for this weekend I decided to share it with everyone. So pls give me your honest feedback with this new story of mine

materialist | ch. 01

jujutsu kaisen materialist

“So you know your mission.” The king said.

The white-haired young man smiled proudly. “Of course his majesty.” He bowed. “Kidnap the princess and bring her here in one piece. Still don’t understand why you need a useless princess, does your wife not…”

“Satoru Gojo, do not push your luck. I like you but that doesn't mean I'm not afraid to cut out that tongue of yours.”

He rolled his eyes, not giving importance to the king’s words. “I will depart tomorrow morning.” He said and with a final bow he left the throne room.

Satoru Gojo, he was an orphan, he lost his whole family when he was 8. His family used to be a Nobel and prestigious family due to their abilities, they were well respected by everyone in the kingdom, until that tragic night where everyone was killed, everyone except for the 8 years old boy.

The boy only remembered one thing and it was a flag. The flag from their enemies, the Zerua kingdom.

After finding out about the terrible incident, the king took the young boy with him and raised him as one of his new knights, they couldn’t lose his powerful abilities. So the years started to pass and the boy’s hatred towards that kingdom only grew bigger, his heart was full of rage and he only wanted the royal family to suffer.

Now as a skilled knight, he was going on a mission to kidnap the princess of Zerua. Satoru didn’t quite understand why his king wanted her, apparently she was a helpless princess, rumors said that even a butterfly was stronger than the princess of Zerua, so for Satoru the mission was pathetic, he didn’t understand why he had to bring her to their kingdom, surely she would passed out before reaching the limits of their kingdom.

But that’s not something that Satoru Gojo cared about, in fact, if she died, he would be more than happy to drop her lifeless body in front of the king. But apparently that could not be it and she needed to arrive at the castle in one piece.

The white-haired man walked through the extensive hallways, feeling how the paintings of ancient monarchs pursued him with their gaze, as if they wanted to know every movement and every action that the young man was going to choose.

He went out to the patio and was finally able to breathe the fresh air, with the footsteps of his boots echoing on his way to the barracks where the rest of the knights were.

The eyes of the vast majority of his companions rested on him, Satoru knew that it was envy that everyone there felt. They envied that he was the strongest and the king's favorite.

“So why did his majesty called you?” A deep voice talked to him.

“Why would I tell you?” Satoru smiled provocatively.

“Oh c’mon Gojo just spitted out.” The pink haired one rolled his eyes.

“Sukuna… Don't pull my tongue.” Satoru released his belt and leather vest. “The only thing I’m going to tell you is that I won’t have to see your ugly face for a while.” He grabbed his old jacket, which had a couple of holes sewn badly, and turned around.

“Where are you going?” Sukuna asked him. “You're going to say goodbye to your darling…”

“Sukuna shut your mouth or I'll cut your balls.” He looked over his shoulder at him and Sukuna laughed.

“Alright man.” He l raised his arms asking for a truce. “Enjoy your night Satoru Gojo.” He said turning and walking away as he laughed.

Satoru rolled his eyes and began to walk out of the castle, with an apple in his hands, his destination was clear and Sukuna was right with his words. He wished he could spend a night with his favorite girl. A mischievous smile appeared on his face as he thought about it, but it quickly disappeared when he remembered that he had to leave for Zerua and would therefore be away from there for quite some time.

The aroma of roses mixed with tobacco hit his nose as soon as he entered the place. The place was packed with drunks and partiers who must have had nothing better to do. But his mind eliminated all those and settled on a figure. Long blonde hair, green eyes and a slender figure, Stella. She and Satoru had begun to have intimate encounters when one night they were both alone in that place.

Theirs had never been anything more than sexual desire and that was how they both wanted it. Also, they weren’t exclusive from each other. Because they didn’t care, there was nothing else between them that sexual desire.

Satoru would never give his heart to anyone, he would never fall in love.

“Are you free tonight, beautiful?” Satoru whispered when he got near her.

“Oh Satoru!” She said surprise. “Didn’t expect you to come tonight.”

“Well here I am and…”

“Satoru, I’m sorry but tonight will be impossible.” She looked at him with sad eyes.

“What?” Satoru said with surprise.

“I’m meeting another person tonight.”

“Stella…”

“Satoru, we are nothing so you cannot say anything.” She said.

“Yeah I know… I just… I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Leaving?” Stella looked at him confused.

“The king wants me to go on a mission and I will be leaving.” He explained. “I will probably be out for months, don’t know how long.”

Stella smiled with a curiosity reflecting her eyes. “And where are you going?”

Satoru shook his head and took the beer Stella was offering him. “Can’t tell you.”

“Oh…” She pouted. “That’s a shame. Maybe someone finally steals your heart.” She mocked Satoru, knowing he didn’t like that idea.

Satoru made a disgusted face and put the beer aside. "I'd rather be taken prisoner by an orc and kept in his swamp for years, than fall in love with someone from Zerua." Stella smiled widely when Satoru said the name of her mission destination. “You are clever.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “What can I say?” She laughed as Satoru rolled his eyes. “So Zerua… that’s quite interesting.”

“The king ordered but I hate the idea, those people…”

“Oh c’mon sad boy, I’m sure it will be fine.” Stella said.

“Whatever.” He stood up, giving one last drink to the beer. “Wanted to have a goodbye night but… doesn’t matter.” Satoru turned around.

“I hope the stars guide you and you are able to return safely, Satoru Gojo.” He heard Stella saying.

Satoru moved his hand saying goodbye to her and he stepped outside the old bar, looking how the sky was already dark.

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

The sunbeam hit you right in the eyes, causing you to turn around trying to continue sleeping. But your peace did not last long when the door to your bedroom opened wide, letting your maids enter.

The voice of the one you consider your best friend echoes through the room. “Princess, it's time for you to get up.”

You thrashed around in the sheets, shaking your head. “Utahime…please.” You begged.

Utahime sighed and approached your bed. “C’mon princess, spring is beginning and the flowers are blooming.”

Your eyes opened and looked at Utahime with a special glow in them. "I can leave?"

Utahime bit her lip and you immediately knew what her response would be. “You can go to your personal garden, but…”

“But there's no more of that, I already know.” You sighed in resignation.

You got out of your bed and followed the same routine as every day; bath, get dressed and then go out to your private garden.

Once your bluish dress was on and your hair was tied with a pretty white bow, which let some subtle strands fall from your forehead, you left your room. Followed of course by Utahime, she was your most faithful companion, your friend, really the only one you had ever had.

Utahime grew up in the castle, her parents had worked there and your parents had let Utahime grow up with you, you were both of the same age.

At 15 she began to work for you, but you hated that term and you hated the concept that your only friend had to be at your command. But Utahime had insisted, that she did not care, that she was fine with it, but you knew that she aspired to more and that in some way wanting to serve the royal family as a thank you for all the help they had given her and her family, was cutting her own wings.

You glanced at her briefly and bit your lip, you knew your friend too well and you knew she wasn't happy.

“Princess?” She called you out loud.

“Huh?” You looked at her. “Oh… I was just thinking.” You smiled.

“Princess, I know it bothers you that you can not leave the castle but…” Utahime began but you cut her.

“I was not thinking about that Uta… I just…” You sighed. “I know you are not happy serving me.” Utahime looked at you and then away from you. “Uta please tell me, tell me what you wish to do. I will do everything to help you.”

Utahime sighed and started playing with her hands, a sign of nervousness. “I… I wish I could… work as a designer…” Your eyes shined looking at her and with a big smile forming on your face. “But that’s not…”

“I will talk with my parents.” You stood up from the seat you were and walked towards her. “I will make sure to send you to the best school and then you will make my dresses and I will…”

“Princess please, calm down.” Utahime took your hands, trying to stop you. “It doesn’t matter, alright? I’m happy with you.”

You bite your lip. “You are not… so don’t tell me it’s okay.”

“Princess…” She sighed.

Your conversation was suddenly interrupted, as the door of your private garden opened. Making the screech echo through the room and causing your gazes to turn to see who it was. Your eyes narrowed and you felt an overwhelming urge to roll them when you saw that it was one of your parents' advisors.

“Princess…” He bowed his head when he got near you. “Their majesties want to meet you.”

“Alright…” You sighed, not really wanting to see them. “We will keep talking about it.” You looked at Utahime.

Utahime didn’t say a word, not because she didn’t want to but because she knew that responding to a member of royalty could lead to punishment. If you were alone, it wouldn't matter, you would never complain about it but Utahime knew that the others wouldn't allow it and could report it to her superiors.

And she couldn’t risk losing everything she had achieved, not when her mother needed medicine and she was the only one bringing money home. But you didn't know that and Utahime didn't want to worry you with her worldly problems either.

You looked one more time to Utahime and then left the place. You walked before the advisor. The sound of your shoes echoed throughout the hallway, nothing else could be heard in the place except for those shoes of yours. A few years ago those hallways were filled with laughter and kids playing around, now there was no sound.

Ever since your coming off age ceremony something changed, your parents started to be more strict about you, they already were when you were younger but now, you could barely meet anyone. Friends? Utahime was the only one and because she was a trusted person, but for the rest, you didn’t have any.

And you knew why was all this, but it was pointless, you couldn’t hide forever your true nature and the family secret everyone has been trying to keep away. Eventually someone would found out. And… well you were a bit terrified.

Your mother used to tell you, not very kind stories about what could happen to you if the wrong people found out. It terrified you but you didn’t want to waste your life in that castle, not meeting the world, not meeting new people.

“Their majesties, the princess is here.” One of the soldiers spoke.

You heard the faint voice of your father speaking, telling you to enter. The big door opened, giving you passage into the throne room, where your parents were seated each in their place and their advisors were on either side. But your eyes fell on a figure you had never seen before, he was tall, much taller than you, and his hair was white as a snowy day. His back was to you, as you walked towards your parents, you saw how he was standing, with a straight and composed posture, as if waiting for an order.

Your name echoed in the room and your eyes looked at your father, who was carefully touching his beard. “We have some news to give you.” Your heart rate accelerated, was that boy who was now to your left going to be your fiancé? No, you didn’t want that. “You will have a personal escort, so you can go out a little more.”

They both smiled and you looked at them stunned, processing their words. “What?” You whispered.

“That’s right, darling, your father and I talked about it and we have decided to let you go out in the kingdom, as long as you are accompanied by at least one guard.” He pointed to the boy who was at your side. “He is Satoru Gojo, he has been practicing and under surveillance for 9 months to become your guard and he has passed all the tests with flying colors.” You looked at the boy in surprise and your breath hitched when you met those blue eyes, which almost reflected your face.

“It’s my pleasure to serve you, princess.” He took your hand and kissed it.

You felt a shiver go through your body, not sure if it was because those blue eyes were penetrating you or because you felt something weird on his smirk.

“The pleasure is mine Sir. Gojo.” You made a small reverence.

“Please you can call me Satoru.” He gave you the most radiant of the smiles.

“Oh…” You broke the eye with him and looked away, to your parents to be more exact. “So… that means I will be able to go outside?” Your eyes shone brightly thinking about what it meant.

“Yes. But remember you always have to be with Gojo.” You nodded. “Good, then that’s everything. You can leave.”

“Thank you father!” You smiled brightly and turned around.

You felt the presence of the white haired man right behind you. From that moment on, he would become your shadow. But also your downfall.

Comment if you wanna be tagged in the future tag list

[mtchee]

My Chosen Beloved - [Zhongli] GN

blurb:

In ancient Teyvat, you worship your Lord of Geo as much as the next villager. When you hear that you're cursed by something unknown, your fears are only confirmed when you're given to your Archon as a sacrifice to save your village. Only, it turns out you're not quite the sacrifice you thought you were. OH, turns out, you're to be wedded to your Archon. Except, since arriving at his hidden chambers, you've seen neither hide nor hair of him. Only his pet dragon, Morax, lazes about in the mountainscape to accompany you. Welp, new best friend! Even if it is a sassy lizard. What... What do you mean, he is the sassy lizard...

cw: not edited, second-person-pov, kinda chaotic [name], sugestive at the end, arranged (??) marriage trope except he arranged it, Zhongli is a little shit, i think he's slightly OOC im SO sorry, dragonli, young Morax?? but not quite, ancient teyvat au (kind of), swearing, might do a part 2

| masterlist | genshin impact collection |

[4.0k]

"Cursed!?" You cry out in horror, "I'm cursed!?"

"Not cursed, dear one," The sweet old lady hums, swishing around your cup of left over tea leaves, "just marked."

"Oh, oh good," You feign relief, "so I'm a target."

"Oh hush you," The tea reader swats you over the head, "you fret too much. Besides, there's more I've yet to see..."

You grumble to yourself under your breath, rubbing your sore spot with a pout before sitting and waiting for the rest of her verdict. The woman hums lowly, a content smile on her delicate old features as she keeps her eyes trained on the semi-warm yunomi cup in her hands.

"Ooh, would you look at that," She hums happily, "a crescent star--how wonderful. You will have an unusually large fortune happen upon you..." she swishes the cup once more, "and... ah! And these are... indeed! Health and happiness shall befall you! Though beware, a great sacrifice must you omit in your coming days for this to be achieved."

You sigh to yourself quietly, smiling softly with a shake of your head, "Thank you, grandma."

You place a small pouch of coins atop her tattered, velvet cloth table as you move to stand.

"Ah, ah, ah!" She tuts, eyes wide as she stares at your tea leaves, "my child... I see that someone has their eye on you; beware of whom it is that you trust, deary. Not all things are as they seem..."

You feel a shiver crawl up your spine, and you squeak; you feel your soul levitate.

You gain a cold sweat, "T-Thanks, granny..."

"It's no problem, child!" The old lady beams, positively ignorant of your terror, "come back anytime. It's always such a joy to read for you..."

"Aha, yes. I-I'm sure..." You wince, smile strained, "um... goodnight, granny."

"Goodnight, dear one!"

You're quick to leave the quaint tea shop, placid smile immediately dropping into one of panic. Ever since you'd gone up that stupid magical mountain or whatever, you'd felt these odd shivers down your spine, like someone was watching you.

Constantly.

Or, nearly constantly. It usually stopped when you got to your house--at least this stalker had some decency. 

It certainly didn't help that there was an apparent raid being planned on your village, an attack that you'd all been warned about by an anonymous.

It was a curse of sorts, unleashed by an old enemy of your land's beloved Archon, Rex Lapis. The main city of Liyue is only small at this time, and the adepti, each to their own, have additionally been busy with protecting the various other scattered villages around the land.

You were given fourteen days to figure out a solution. 

Now, there's only three left. 

You shudder, once again feeling a pair of eyes glaring into you from archons knows where, and you let out an angsty huff, crossing your arms over yourself. 

"Great," You crinkle your nose, "now I'm even more paranoid." 

"A WHAT!?" 

Ah, what a wonderful start to the morning, with two days left before the presumed attack. 

The whole village gathers with murmurs of concern, pity, and fear.

In seeing no other way to prevent the attack, the town elder had announced a last resort solution, as provided with help from the adepti.

A sacrifice is to be made and sent to the stone mountains where it is told that their Great Lord and his dragon reside. A sacrifice must be made to their Archon in exchange for protection from the oncoming curse.

And with consultation from Adeptis Cloud Retainer and Moon Carver, you were chosen to be the offered one. 

"You want me to be a WHAT!?" Your eyes practically bulge from your head, and a panic rushes through you, thoughts spiralling as your heart tightens painfully in your chest.

Your outburst garnered further chatter from the rest of the town, some shouting their concern for you, others in protest of the decision made--but ultimately, it wasn't up to them.

The adepti themselves had chosen. 

Your ears rang with a high pitch, gaze hazy as you grew dizzy, struggling to breathe.

You couldn't hear what anyone else was saying--and quite frankly, you didn't want to, nor did you care.

A further immense feeling of fright pierced through you, causing your knees to buckle. It was those eyes again. 

'Dear archons,' You thought to yourself fearfully, 'am I going to die?'

The next forty-eight hours went by too fast, consisting of preparation for your departure, where a group of villagers would later escort you to the mountains and present you at its base before returning home.

And where you would be left alone, alongside barrels of fruit and meat offerings, and baskets of their finest silk and gold.

Then, it would be up to their Great Lord to make the decision. 

And so there you had been, fearful and adorned in opaque silks and fine threads, arms and legs decorated with pretty golden jewellery for an extravagent yet elegant appeal.

Your heart stuttered painfully in your chest, breath uncomfortably stuck in your throat as paranoia and terror consume you simultaneously. The feeling of eyes being burnt into your form had never left, and they had never felt so intense until then.

Staring at the mountain base with your back to the open field behind you, you felt your very soul ice over as a dark shadow swallowed you. You hadn't dared to look back, eyes wide with your skin pricked, breath stagnant as your base most instincts went wild; run.

But you felt you were dead before it had even approached.

You don't remember anything from that point on, only recalling a behemoth silhouette drowning yours before everything went silent and dark.

You had fainted.

But freedom! You cry in your mind, finding yourself awake inside a palace worthy bedchamber. You weren't eaten! Yay! CELEBRATE FOOL.

You notice a soft quilt upon you, its fabric smooth to the touch. Your hands tremble ever so slightly, nerves recovering from being shot. You swallow thickly, unsure of what to expect as you observe your surroundings.

The room is heavenly. Much grander than even the nobles in the nearest city, the room is vast and elegant, with artworks and calligraphy engraved into the stone walls. Cor lapis illuminates it all, along with the plentiful golden intricacies.

An elaborate archway to your left is separated from your room by a semi-sheer curtain, and you can hear the ever so soothing tinkling of water. A bathroom.

Placed along that same wall is a beautiful vanity and smaller archway separated similarly to the other. You can spy a more than generous number of hanging fabrics and neat, polished crates--a wardrobe.

The opposite side of the room displays practically half a library. Gorgeous bookshelves line the walls with ornate pillars and decorative foliage, a grand desk situated nearby with an equally as exquisite chair. The floor is covered by a soft carpet, accompanied by various cosy and inhumanely large pillows.

Nevermind, you must have been eaten, because this looks like heaven.

Mouth agape in bewilderment and disbelief, you slowly slip out from beneath the covers, tip toeing along the cool flooring into the middle of the room.

Your eyes graze over everything, and you're tempted to throw yourself indulgently into the giant pile of pillows just begging to be laid on.

Yet you restrain yourself because where the hell are you.

The large door across from you looks promising.

It takes a good hard push from you before it opens, though once it does the doors part for you effortlessly on their own. You pause, peeking out into the hallway skeptically before actually stepping out.

The door shuts quietly by itself one you're out of its way.

Interesting.

The corridor itself is daunting, both in size and extravagence. One side leads to an archway concealed by a thick red curtain, whilst the other reveals an opening into what appears to be a sun room.

Well, that looks promising.

Like everything else, the area is expansive and elegant. Sunlight bathes everything in a soft, golden glow, and water trickles pleasingly from ornate divets in the high stone walls, following a painstakingly carved path down into a rivet in the ground that outlines the floor plan.

Looking up into the high ceiling, your mouth drops in awe at the crystal clear glass encasing. In an octagonal, dome shape, the largest panes showcase stained glass designs, threading rainbow highlights here and there.

Thriving vines decorate the roofs edge, neatly climbing down the walls and curling around the spaced pillars that hold it all together. The plantation has been carefully placed as to not obstuct or corrode the ornate architecture.

In the centre of the room is a mound of silks and pillows with gold trims and intricacies, a large serpentine figure curled atop the delicate fabrics gracefully as it slumbers.

What.

Pause.

A dragon.

A fucking dragon.

Morax, Rex Lapis' dragon.

And you know it's Rex Lapis' dragon because who fucking else would have a dragon.

Your mouth drops in absolute horror at what you've stumbled upon, and you start to backtrack in silent terror when the slumbering creature begins to shuffle.

You internally curse yourself as the thing emits a sleepy grumble that vibrates the floor before locking eyes with you.

It blinks drearily, lazily yawning and smacking its maws before learning towards you with lidded amber eyes and a grounding purr.

You've been frozen in utter fear for the entirety of its slow awakening, and it huffs warm air into your wide eyed face once its levelled with you.

You let out a frightened squeak, blinking rapidly to recover from the assault while the serpentine creature rumbles contently. It looks... entirely unbothered by your presence.

You can't quite tell what it's thinking, its eyes watching you ever so intently, yet with a peculiar fondness that has you puzzled.

"He.. Hello, dragon," Your voice cracks, and you take a hasty bow to make up for it, "uh! Morax. Um, am I... aren't I suppose to be, uh, eaten..?"

Morax blinks at you cluelessly.

"As, uh, in sacrifice?"

The dragon huffs at you again, though this time much more sharply, as though offended. An odd keen gets stuck in its throat as it tilts its head before shaking out its mane.

Then, Morax leans towards you again with a grumbling coo, as though attempting to soothe you before nudging its large muzzle at your chest.

You stumble back from the unexpected contact, but the being only prods at you again until you gently guide its nose away with both hands. It retreats back into the rest of its curled form, watching you expectantly.

You reach a hand to where Morax had been poking, touching the thick cor lapis pendant situated on your chest in the shape of the geo symbol, secured by a deceivingly delicate looking gold chain.

"Oh this?" You look down at it from your awkward angle, "is something wrong with it?"

Morax lets out a curt grumble, not in warning or any form of vexation, but as a sort of prompt. Not quite.

You furrow your brows, "Then... does it mean something?"

Its grumbles again. Closer.

Your mind blanks, and you stare back at the beast that just blinks at you slowly. It makes no more sounds to edge you forwards, nor anymore mortion to aid your thinking. Instead, it watches you patiently, expectantly. Fondly.

"...You wanna... you wanna tell me?"

Your features flatten when the dragon emits an exaggerated yawn, crossing its massive paws and laying its head down upon them.

"Oh, you've got an attitude, you know," You frown at the mythical thing, and it closes its eyes teasingly in cheek.

You look at your pendant again. It had been provided by the Adeptis, and passed onto the village chief for when the chosen had been annouced. Then it was later given to you at the end of all your preparations, and you've been wearing it since.

Funnily enough, your preparations were similar to those of your wedding traditions--the older women fussing over your appearance while the men gathered gold and jewels to toss and offer up in symbolizing a rich, fruitiful future for the beweddeds.

The pendant is a similar heirloom typically passed from the more forthright intended to their beloved, as a way to show both their devotion, and their will to provide and protect.

The heirloom is usually something that represents the family from which it is given, as the receiver takes on their last name.

But your pendant is the geo symbol, your Archon's insignia.

Holy freaking shit you're wearing your Archon's insignia and it's not a vision.

Your stomach drops.

"O-Oh my god!" The pendant drops back into place on your chest, and you stare wide eyed at the serpent that daringly matches your panicked gaze, "I-I'm our Lord's intended!?"

"You're my one true friend Morax. But don't tell anyone I said that, that's kinda sad."

You distractedly scrub the dragon's scales by his neck, having moved on from his claws. You're dressed in thin bathing silks that cling to your figure from the water, parts of the fabric sheer upon your skin. You're not bothered though, it's only you and the dragon in this huge manor.

For the week or so that you've spent here, you've seen neither hide nor hair of your dear Archon. One part of you is curious as to why, seeing as this is his abode, though the other shudders at the prospect of running into him in person. You're still not mentally prepared for that.

You don't know how to talk to a god! Let alone how to your god--and that's not even mentioning the fact that you're technically supposed to be married to him.

Yeah. You've figured it out now.

No, you had not been sentenced to your death. No pain or any form of violence has been inflicted since your arrival, unless you want to count the dragon tormenting you with the fluff of its tail.

Stupid dragon.

Speaking of the damned creature, you've taken solace in its company. Although non-human, the dragon is a sentient being of its own, and though large and very much built for battle, Morax has been nothing but patient and gentle.

Ever so aware of your smaller being, the dragon has been careful with its every motion, bending its languid body elegently and fluidly to accomidate you. Even in a playful mood, Morax takes great care not to jostle you or startle you so.

You've claimed the overgrown reptile as your best friend in claws!

Morax had preened at the proclamation.

"Has our Lord been taking care of you? I haven't seen him once since I've been here. Do you think I've scared him off?" You snicker, wringing out the soaked cloth in the floral water you're seeping in, "ah, yes. As I am everything he should fear in a spouse. A merciless tongue and a non-existent sleep schedule."

In the furthest depths of this absolutely insanely huge manor, palace or whatever, is an opening in what you presume to be the back of the mountain.

Walls opening into a magnificent waterscape with a lazy lake and picturesque waterfalls, vines and flowers and brush decorating the scene with giant trees overshading parts of the water.

Morax snorts at your accusations, nostrils puffing non-aggravated smoke.

You move on to delicately rinsing the dragon's mane in parts, fingers sifting through the long, smooth fur to untangle any knots.

"Is he kind?"

From its once sleep tempted state, the beast perks up, opening its eyes to gaze at you. Sensing Morax's confusion, you give a tender smile while you brush a hand through its mane and over its scales.

"My betrothed, our Lord," The dragon croons softly, leaning its massive head down to rest its chin on your lap as you chuckle bashfully, "only you and the adepti know what he's really like. When he's not attending his duties, I mean."

You swallow thickly, worry glazing your eyes before being swiftly masked by a ginger smile as Moraz nudges you.

"I just... to be wedded to our Lord is just a fantasy. Who could I ever amass to in comparison to our Archon? I... don't think he will be cruel. But," Your eyes flutter to the side unsurely, "I don't want to live a lie."

Your heart pangs in your chest, and you slow in your movements which begin to cease. The water ripples around you at each notion, the air still and serene. Yet, despite the peace, you feel burdened.

No, not burdened.

Your brows crease in thought.

Perhaps dejected.

Although you have yet to meet, you've been provided with an abundance of wealth. It's evident your Lord is the spoiling type.

Your room is just one example, full of things you love and could lose yourself in for hours, alongside a wardrobe full of clothes you could only ever have previously dreamed of.

And you have the entire mountain to explore to entertain yourself--and it's not as though you were trapped.

You've gone flying with Morax twice now, and further explored the wilderness surrounding with the dragon's protective supervision. If you so truly wished, you could leave these hidden chambers to go elsewhere. To be honest though, you don't trust yourself to be able to find your way back.

The food is plentiful. Visiting the kitchens each morning and night, you find a feast is laden. And during the mid-day when you're hungry, or the late hours when you're peckish, the pantries are stocked in abundance.

A warm breeze caresses your shoulders, and the sound of the water trinkling melodically echoes a tranquil tune.

Morax purrs at you, and your smile saddens as you speak a dismal truth, "I will forever worship our Lord, not just for what he has provided me, but for him in all his existence. Though I admit, my heart will carry the dual burden of heartache."

The dragon blinks at you slowly, before reeling back in all its grace with a low croon. Its eyes are lidded, looking down at you in fondness and something else you can't quite place.

You puff a breathy laugh, reaching up a hand to cup the scales on its cheek. Despite the comically drastic size difference, the mystic being leans into your touch with a rumble.

"Thank you, Morax," You murmur, awed, "but I could ask nothing more from our dearest Archon who has given so much already. I only pray that someday he will find the one with whom he can truly return their affections."

A disgruntled huff escapes from the amber dragon's maw, and it shakes its head before leaning down to carefully press its horned head against yours.

A smile traces your lips, sincere gratitude oozing from your being as your eyes slip shut, nuzzling back against the smooth and damp scales of your mythical friend.

Another kind brush of air kisses your skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. From behind your eyelids, a bright flash of light is muted, though you pass it off as naught.

Suddenly though, the scales you had cupped fit much better in your palm, a sensation much softer gracing your fingertips. Your brows furrow slightly as you feel the weight of the dragon's physical presence decrease. The water around you ripples greatly, though the atmosphere itself remains undisturbed.

The winds swoop gracefully as always, musical water cascades still singing their dream inducing tinkles while the scent of the surrounding natural flora soothes you.

You hear a gentle rumble, though much softer than the dragon before you. Your eyes gradually open, slinking up to lock onto the ethereal man leant into your loving caress.

Your gaze drifts to his nose, and then his lips, observing his attire that consists of layers of intricate brown and golden silks that float atop the water's surface.

And then you gasp, meeting eternally wise amber orbs that stare into yours knowingly.

Your muscles tense and your stomach drops, and you stumble back, almost tripping in the water.

At your sudden lurch in movement, the devastatingly handsome man fixes his arms around you, a gavelly chuckle sending a flush of heat to the tips of your ears as he pulls you flush against him.

"Y-You! I--" Embarrassment in all its forms overwhelms you while your beloved Lord himself stares down at you with lidded eyes, exuding elegance and unwavering strength just as he stands.

You don't dare look him in the eye, gaze latched shamefully onto the intricate details laced on the garment covering his chest. Your shame only increases once you notice the opening in the fabric that reveals part of his chest.

"M-My Lord..!"

Humiliation causes tears to prick at your eyes painfully.

But the dragon--his dragon, he is the dragon!

Heavens above, how utterly foolish could you be!?

Weeks you have spent confiding and bumbling about with that damned beast had you spilling the deepest depths of your heart and innermost being.

You would have never behaved in such a trecherous manner had you known it was your Lord! How disgusted he must be with you. How offended he must feel for the ignorant things you have speeled!

You clench your eyes shut, almost trembling in his grasp.

"My.. My most sincerest apologies, Lord Rex Lapis. I-I must avow that for each word I have spoken I never did intend-"

"Whatever do you mean, my love?" His voice is warm and low, a pleasant gravel that slinks into your ears like honey.

Rex Lapis--Morax, your very Archon who is one in the same, pulls himself back to admire you with fond eyes. Though his gaze is ever intense, the emotion he expresses is more than palpable.

His touch is tender, careful but full of longing, "Perish such nonsense from your mind. I, apologise, dear one," He leans down hopefully to meet your gaze, "for startling you so. And for withholding my true self for so long."

You flutter your eyes open, swallowing shakily when he smiles at you oh so adoringly.

"To be honest, I was... nervous. Unsure as to how you would perceive me."

"You? Nervous?" You incredulous tone has him breathe out a laugh.

"Indeed, dearest," You flush at the endearment, able to process it past your panic this time, "it is not everyday you are intended to a God. Now though, I see I should have been the one to welcome you first and foremost."

In contrast to his gentle touches and patient tone, a familiar cheeky twinkle sparkles in his eyes, "To think you thought you were a meat offering."

You blink up at him, horridly aghast at the mention of your initial misgrievances.

Forgetting your prior reservations about him as your Lord, no longer heeding your behaviour to such, you recognise that mischevious glint just as on the first day you had arrived.

A sense of relief floods your being, and you gradually untense in his tender grasp.

Though you're still unwilling to let him off unscathed.

"Who's the one who had me snatched up on such short notice?"

A sense of sheepishness has him ducking his head in self awareness, nodding acceptingly and in apology. A pink tint lines his fair cheeks at that.

But then he glances down at your drenched attire, and his flush deepens as a desire much too long forgone has him turning up his cheek a little more than he normally would.

"Well," He clears his throat distractedly, "who wouldn't at such a delightful temptation, hm?"

And then it's your turn to feel flushed.

Although he had left you lonesome in you first few weeks of stay, he more than made up for it in the coming nights.

And in response to your apprehensions and concern in being wedded to a God, he addressed them directly by providing you with an adoring reverence than even celestia would envy.

And he continued to do so, for the many years that would come.

For he had chosen you; his one and true beloved.

[bluecollarmcandtf]

Too Old to Trick-or-Treat

When the doorbell rang, I did not expect to be seeing an 18 year-old standing on the doorstep. Nevertheless, I grabbed my bowl of candy and greeted him with my best Transylvanian accent. The handsome young man flashed me a winning smile and stuck out his chest.

"Trick or treat!" he charmed, "It's Brandon from down the street. By the way, that vampire costume is sick!"

I rolled my eyes, "Brandon, aren't you a bit old for trick-or-treating?"

"What's it to you, dude? Aren't you a bit old to be dressing up?" Brandon laughed, "I'm just killing time 'till my friends pick me up."

A small sigh escaped my throat. Brandon's friends were as careless as he was. Countless mailboxes had been smashed over the last few months, and I had a sneaking suspicion of who was responsible. Brandon may put on a good performance during the day, but he was quite the rebellious vandal at night.

"Wait here, Brandon. I have something special for you..."

"Hope it's a king-sized candy bar!" he called as I slipped back into my house.

With quiet steps, I retreated back to my study, where I kept all my ancient texts and spell books. My family has practiced witchcraft for centuries, and I knew just the thing to help Brandon grow up.

"Here you are, Clark Kent," I said, handing the young man an enticing little pastry.

"Damn, that looks good," he gasped before scarfing the baked good down, "That was the best cookie I've ever had!"

I smiled inwardly and leaned against the doorpost to watch. Brandon looked confused when he suddenly noticed a stinging sensation in his stomach. He groaned in shock as his stomach rumbled louder and louder. He held his belly nervously and looked at me with panic.

"Woah, what was in that thing?"

A loud belch bubbled up his throat and sounded out of his mouth. All his thoughts and worries seemed to leave with the air from his stomach because his face slackened immediately after the burp. He kind of slumped back into a relaxed standing position, and a physical transformation began happening all over his young body.

His gut gurgled and bubbled outward as his spine stretched taller. Mass seemed to spawn all over his frame as his metabolism rapidly aged. The skin on his face seemed to sag and age as wiry hairs burst out of his cheeks.

"Wow, you've aged quite well," I noted, suddenly stunned by manly body wearing a tight costume in front of me.

Brandon seemed to snap out of his stupor, and glanced at his surroundings. Something seemed off to him. He was unaccustomed to his sudden change in height.

"What just happened?" a much deeper tone surprised the young man.

"You needed to grow up, Brandon."

"What?" he began to notice his new body with panic, "Why am I fat and hairy all over?"

"This is just your body in 20 years. I just made it come a lot faster."

"Woah! Dude, change me back," he begged, "This is gross! God, I look just like my dad."

I chuckled at the guy. It's not so often you see a grown man like this in a tight Superman costume, whining like a child. I decided I might have him stick around for a little bit.

"I'm not changing you back," I explained deviously, "But I will change your thoughts..."

"What?" he scoffed.

"... It'll be easier for you to accept your new body if you have a new mind to go with it. It's not like you can go back home or hang out with your friends looking ike this. Can you?"

"You can't change my thoughts-"

"Babe, get back inside!" I suddenly chastized him.

He looks confused for a moment. A whole minute passed where his brain seemed to be loading the new information, and then said, "Ok, babe."

"I love the costume on you, babe," I add, patting his round gut, "Even though you've packed on a few pounds since our wedding."

Brandon blushed beneath his hairy face and felt his chest self-consciously. He looked embarrassed about his heavy frame.

"You know I like a little pudge though," I added, "Hey, while I'm on candy duty, do you mind cleaning out the gutters in the back? The fall leaves clogged them up again, and I know how you love taking care of things around the house."

"Sure thing, babe," he gave me a peck on the cheek and steps down the hallway.

"You really are my superhero!" I called, watching his big ass move in those tight superhero pants.

"And you're my evil villain," he heartily laughed before stepping outside to do what I asked.

It was going to be nice having Brandon around for awhile. I was determined to teach him the pleasures of a mature and stable lifestyle. Sure, he' was taking care of all my yardwork and house chores for the next few weeks, but I really just did this for his own good.

I was ready to train him to be the perfect little husband, and part of that involved enjoying that tight superhero costume he's squeezed into at the moment.

[lint-beetle4]

Can u do a Macaque x Female reader smut. The scenario is that they had some history and dont want the group to know(but they eventually find out). One night, Macaque and reader talks and they let out how they felt ever since they split. " Like even though I was mad at u I still loved u" or like "When it rained I remembered how u liked it". Then they just make love knowing they missed each other.

Old Scars (Macaque x Fem!Reader Smut)

The Guardian and The Warrior were like the stars and the moon, their light reaching where The Sun's rays missed, casting the world in their protective glow

This story is as old as time itself, yet many failed to realize that as the sun and his shadow grew, the stars twinkled weakly compared to the light around them

So, as The Moon chased The Sun, the stars were left to glow in the dark sky, forever to wait for the cold moonlight to return with the sun's rays

You and Macaque were old, ancient in modern times

Of course, that meant you naturally found each other when empires were thriving and the world seemed big, gravitating towards the other as immortal beings

Yet, something happened between the two of you, something that led to you leaving Macaque's side and away from Wukong

In the modern age, you found him again, surrounded by new friends and old foes

You wanted to run from him, but you couldn't escape his ears. He still remembered what your heartbeat sounded like

So there you were, surrounded by strangers while two pairs of eyes looked at you with such melancholy--deep down, you wondered if death would set you free from the pain you've lived through

"So, Monkey King--this another enemy of yours?" Pigsy sighed, turning to you with a tired gaze. "Look, you're gonna fight, do it outside my shop, will ya?"

You averted your gaze from the surprised monkeys before you, shaking your head with a nervous smile. "No, no, I just smelled the food from your shop. I--err--wanted to buy some noodles."

Pigsy perked up, shock evident in his face. "Oh--Well, you have any preferences in your noodles?"

"No, this is my first time trying them if I'm honest." You chuckled, remembering the lands you've traveled during your life. "I'll have whatever you think is best."

"One house special then."

As you waited for the food, you felt more eyes on you, a group of familiar energies before you. Macaque looked away, almost hiding behind Wukong as a young man turned to the monkey.

"Monkey King?"

Wukong sighed, still looking at you with those pathetic eyes. "It's been so long. Where do I even begin?"

"By letting me eat my food," You shrugged, grabbing the hot bowl. "You haven't changed a bit, Great Sage. I see Macaque still hides behind you as well."

Macaque remained unresponsive to your quip, and you merely ate in spite of it. Wukong stepped closer to you. "Where have you been all this time? I couldn't find you anywhere after--"

"Sorry, but just--not here, Wukong." You set down your chopsticks, eyes boring into the shadow behind him. "I'm trying to eat."

A girl stepped up to you, eyes naively curious yet her voice confident and strong. "So, what your deal with those two?"

You fought back a laugh. "We just have--a complicated past is all. Macaque and I were a team, partners. But, I was too weak to stay by his side. I'm not powerful like him and Wukong."

"It wasn't like that." Macaque growled, glaring at you. "You never came back-- We needed you."

"You didn't need shit, Liu-Er." You stood up, broth sour on your tongue as you paid for you meal with a hefty tip. "Neither of you did."

You left the building quietly, returning to your home.

The presence of The Warrior was obvious to those who knew him--you were no exception. Turning your head, the glowing eyes of your shadow widened, Macaque emerging strangely quiet.

"You needed anything?"

Macaque sighed, a growl underneath his throat. "Look, I just--the argument--everything that happened I just--"

"You what?" You snapped, eyes glaring daggers into the agitated simian. "You didn't mean to leave me behind, fueled by your petty anger towards Wukong? You didn't mean to attack Wukong's master, leaving me alone--?"

"He left us first!"

"The moment Wukong was freed from that mountain-- the moment you laid eyes on him again, you went mad!" You shouted, voice quivering against your will. "You died for a cause that didn't exist. You died trying to send Wukong to his old ways."

Macaque practically snarled. "He killed me."

"I know." You whispered, hugging yourself tightly. "I tried to stop you. I tried to save you from yourself, and you pushed me away."

"You hurt me, Macaque." You shuddered. "And because I couldn't stop you, you got killed trying to be a monster."

"It's just like you to take the blame for something that doesn't involve you." Macaque scoffed. "The world has been brought to its knees more than once, but now you show up, spewing your self-pity?"

"You said it yourself--You didn't want to see me around anymore." You sighed. "Plus, Wukong wasn't too pleased that I didn't tell him about your plan. I didn't want to be a memory lingering over his head, so I simply just--left."

"Oh please, you know Wukong loves to see you." Macaque rolled his eyes. "...I didn't mean it."

"What?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I didn't mean to push you away...You were right," Macaque's gaze lowered, his shoulder tense. "I was a fool to try and convince Wukong away from his journey, and I paid the price for it."

"That day--When I left, before I--" Macaque sighed, gritting his teeth. "Before that, I was so afraid of losing you. I was angry at Wukong--at myself, but I was afraid you'd join Wukong and leave me behind."

Macaque reached out, gently grabbing your hand. "I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want to be forgotten."

"When Wukong told me everything," You smiled sadly. "It was raining... like that Sun had hidden itself away, allowing only darkness in the world. I was--I was--I felt like I lost everything that day."

"I didn't see Wukong again after that, and--" You swallowed harshly, tears emerging from the corner of your eyes. "Every time it rained, I knew I wouldn't see you again either."

You felt strong arms embrace you, squeezing you gently. "I came back."

"I saw--" You laughed. "You certainly made an entry with how much property damage you caused."

Macaque smiled fondly, nuzzling into your hair. "What did you expect? You know I have a knack for the dramatics."

"I missed you so much." You kissed the shadow demon's cheek. "I could never stop loving you, y'know."

Macaque cupped your face, pecking your lips. "Neither could I. I'm so glad to have a second chance with you in it."

In a flash, Macaque had taken you to your bedroom, kisses and light nips littering your neck.

You chuckled beneath the increasingly desperate monkey--only you could get him so worked up with a few words. Macaque tore off your clothes--actually ripping a hole in one of them to your dismay-- hands fondling your body, squeezing your breasts as another traced circles into your hips.

You jolted as Macaque's teeth lightly bit around your nipple, tongue soothing you quickly. The shadow monkey was meticulous in showing his dedication to you, biting at you collarbones and shoulders and rubbing at the soft skin in your inner-thigh.

You gasped lightly as his finger entered your pussy, stroking the inner walls with pressure that you out of breath in an instant. Macaque entered another finger, stretching you slightly as his scissored the two appendages, curling up to find the sensitive spot that made you moan loudly.

His hand drilled into you, fingers digging into your walls while another hand help your hips down. You grinded against hand, practically screaming his name as you felt his tongue lap at your clit, his mouth sucking it lightly.

Your body felt light, drifting through the waves of pleasure that were rising in your core. Feeling your pussy tighten against the fingers that abused your g-spot, you whimper lightly, hips trying to grind deeper into them.

Macaque's voice was by your ear, familiar shadows stimulating your clit and hugging your body, "Go on, cum for me. Let me hear that beautiful voice of yours."

You moaned deeply, feeling your orgasm wash over you almost painfully. You breathed heavily as Macaque pet your thighs comfortingly. You looked at lover, seeing his flushed face gleam at you warmly.

Eyes drifting, you saw how painfully hard Macaque was. Lifting your heavy body, you laid Macaque on his back, crawling over him as your second wind slowly came to you.

"I've craved you for so long, my shade." You smiled, stroking Macaque's cock as he looked at you with wide eyes. "Eternity could pass, and I'll still crave you more."

[witchybitchycrybaby]

A secret so sweet

Davos Blackwood x Aeron Bracken

Warnings: none except this being a tooth rotting fluff, Davos is so in love

Words: 2k

✨✨✨

The meadow at the boundary of House Blackwood and House Bracken lands was a place that held many secrets.

And most important of all of them was Davos Blackwood's and Aeron Bracken's secluded meeting spot. Nobody ever really went there; in truth, not many people even knew of the meadow. Except these two boys, of course.

For it was here, under the cover of ancient trees and blooming wildflowers, that they had found solace in each other’s arms, safe to do whatever, not caring about a thing in the world.

On this particular afternoon, the air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the gentle hum of insects. Davos and Aeron lay together on their cloaks in the grass, Davos with his head on the other boy's lap. He hummed with content every time Aeron brushed his fingers through his dark, unruly hair.

Davos couldn’t take his eyes off Aeron; maybe it was because of the dreamy smile on his lips, or the love and affection in his gaze. Maybe it was the way in which the sun caught in his golden hair, making him look like an angel. Davos' very own angel here on earth.

Gods, wasn't he just the luckiest man alive.

“You’re so beautiful,” Davos whispered, his fingers gently tracing the line of Aeron’s jaw. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

Aeron smiled, a blush creeping up his cheeks. "And you're incredibly cheesy as of late. What happened to your dark, impulse demeanor, hmm?"

"Well, it so happens that I'm in love," Davos said and leaned on his elbows to be closer to Aeron's face. Their lips brushed ever so slightly, sending electricity through their bodies, when he added, "I'm utterly, helplessly and completely in love with you, Aeron Bracken."

Aeron's breath hitched in his throat at the confession, and blush grom earlier turned into a more crimson shade. "Oh, you're such a sap, Blackwood," he whispered and crushed his lips against Davos'.

At first the kiss was hungry and fierce, burning bright like fire. There was urgency and desperation in it, as their hot breaths mixed together. Davos reached his hand and rested it on Aeron's neck to keep him even closer. He, in turn, pressed his hand on the small of the other boy's back, making Davos arch into him.

Davos was on fire. It was like an inferno, and only Aeron had the power to make him feel it; no one else had ever ignited this kind of flame within him. Every nerve in the dark-haired boy's body responded to his lover's touch, making his body sing only for him.

When they finally broke the kiss, both of them moaned at the lack of contact. Davos' hand moved from Aeron's neck to his cheek, softly caressing the skin there.

"Is it even legal to kiss someone like that?" Davos whispered. He really wasn't sure if his voice would crack, not when Aeron looked at him like that.

"Only if you're ready to commit the crime again."

As Aeron leaned in again, wanting nothing more than to feel Davos against him, they heard rustling nearby. They froze, their hearts beating and panic flashing in their eyes. As they heard more rustling, they quickly pulled apart, breathless and startled, only to see Davos’ younger cousin, Elias. The ten-year-old stood at the edge of the meadow, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Davos? There you are!” Elias called, stepping forward.

Davos felt his heart sink. He felt overwhelming need to shield Aeron's body with his own, hiding him from his cousin's eyes. It was, however, a bit too late for that now. “Elias, what are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice shaky.

The young boy tilted his head, looking between Davos and Aeron with innocent curiosity. “I was looking for you. Mother said you were supposed to help with the horses. But… who’s this?” He gestured to Aeron, who was also standing now, his face pale with fear.

"Um, this is... This is Aeron," Davos stammered, his mind racing to come up with any kind of excuse. "He's... a friend."

Elias' grin widened. "A friend, huh?" he said, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You two looked pretty cozy for just friends."

Davos felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Elias, it's not what it looks like," he tried to explain, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue, but the younger boy wasn't listening.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Elias asked as if he didn't hear his cousin, his tone full of innocent curiosity.

Davos felt as if the ground under his feet opened up and threatened to eat him alive. His heart hammered in his chest and he couldn't help but to shot a quick, panicked glance at Aeron. He looked so scared and Davos wanted nothing more than to shove his cousin in the bushes and make him promise to never tell anyone. He'd use violence if it were necessary.

But then little Elias said something that made Davos' mind stop in it's tracks: "It would be really cool if he was. You two look nice together."

For a moment, the world stood still. Davos stared at Elias, dumbfounded, as if the boy had just spoken in a foreign language. Aeron, too, looked equally stunned, his wide eyes reflecting the same disbelief that had Davos in its grip.

"It's... We are... We..." Davos stammered, not really sure what he was supposed to say.

"Yes, we are, kind of, together," Aeron said, saving him from further embarrassment. He then placed a hand on Davos' shoulder reassuringly. The feeling of the truth being finally spoken out loud was almost dizzying.

"Kind of?" Elias rised his brow in question. He then glanced at their cloaks lying on the grass and his mind connected the dots upon seeing the characteristic pin in the shape of House Bracken sigil. "Are you a Bracken?"

Davos could feel the frustration boiling in him. It's over; Elias will tell everybody and they'd be done for. He couldn't even imagine the severity of the punishment that will be imposed on them. He stopped breathing when he realized that his own cousin just put Aeron in danger. Oh, when he gets this little shit in his hands...

"I thought Brackens were supposed to be mean and dangerous. But you don't look mean and dangerous," Elias said looking at Aeron with his head cocked to the side.

Davos swallowed hard and glanced at Aeron for help. Any help. This couldn't be real, right? He was just dreaming right now, nuzzled into his lover's side, and this nightmare just conjured up to scare the hell out of him.

But Elias just shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I don’t care,” he said simply. “I’m just happy that you’ve found someone who loves you, Davos.”

Davos faltered, but Aeron's strong hands held him still. This was too much excitement for one day. The relief that washed over Davos was quickly followed by a new wave of anxiety. “You can’t tell anyone,” he said urgently. “No one can know about this.”

Elias nodded solemnly. “I won’t tell,” he promised. “I swear.”

One of Aeron's hands found it's way to Davos', intertwining their fingers. “Thank you, Elias,” he said softly, squeezing his lover's hand. “It means a lot to us.”

Elias beamed, clearly pleased with himself. “Can I stay with you?” he asked. “I want to get to know Aeron better.”

Davos hesitated, but Aeron shot him a quick glance and once again squeezed his hand. “Of course you can,” he said. “I’d love to get to know you too, Elias.”

They sat back down in the grass, Elias setting down between Davos and Aeron. The younger boy looked up at Aeron with wide, curious eyes. “So, how did you and Davos meet?” he asked.

Davos groaned internally, but Aeron just smiled. “We met in the forest,” he said. “We were both out patrolling the boundaries, and we ran into each other. We started talking, and… well, it just happened.”

Elias nodded, satisfied with the answer. “That’s nice,” he said. “Davos doesn’t talk about his feelings much, but I can tell he really likes you.”

Davos felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. “Elias,” he muttered, trying to keep his composure, “you don’t have to say everything that comes to your mind.”

Aeron chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “I think it’s sweet,” he said, nudging Davos with his elbow. “It’s good to know get to know some more about you."

Davos groaned, out loud this time.

Elias grinned, clearly enjoying the situation. “Davos is always so serious,” he said in a conspiratorial tone to Aeron. "And doing some silly things too. You should have seen him when he tried to impress a girl by climbing the tallest tree near Raventree Hall. He got stuck halfway up and had to be rescued by Benji!"

Aeron burst into laughter, the sound warming Davos' heart. He then looked at him with a mix of affection and amusement. "This does actually sound like something you would do."

Davos buried his face in his hands, feeling his ears burning. “Elias, you’re going to make him think I’m a complete fool. Why do you have to bring that up?”

Elias giggled with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Because it's funny! And because Aeron should know all sides of you."

Aeron wrapped an arm around Davos' shoulders, pulling him close. "I love hearing more about you," he said softly and kissed him on the cheek. "Even the embarrassing parts."

Davos peeked out from between his fingers, meeting Aeron's eyes. The genuine love he saw there made his breath hitch in his throat. "You do?"

"Of course," Aeron reassured him and leaned in to kiss him again. "I actually find them adorable. It’s all part of what makes you, you."

Elias watched them with wide eyes, clearly fascinated by the display of affection. "You really love him, don't you, Aeron?"

Aeron looked at the younger boy with a gentle smile. "More than anything," he answered once his gaze came back to Davos' face.

Davos felt his heart beating faster. He didn’t care if Elias embarrassed him in front of Aeron. All that mattered was that Aeron was here, by his side, loving him despite his flaws.

As the sun began to set, Elias didn't stop talking and shared with Aeron most of the stories from Davos’ childhood, much to Davos’ embarrassment and Aeron’s delight. “Did you know,” Elias said with a mischievous grin, “that Davos once tried to ride a sheep? He thought it would be faster than a horse.”

Aeron shook his head, his laughter echoing through the meadow. “I can just imagine you chasing after that sheep.”

Davos couldn’t help but smile, despite his embarrassment. “I was just a kid,” he protested weakly.

"A kid with great ambitions," added Aeron smiling brightly at his lover.

Elias smiled, satisfied like a proud mother. “I think you two are perfect for each other. Even if Davos is a bit stubborn sometimes.”

As the evening wore on, the three of them lay back on the cloaks, watching the stars come out one by one. Elias had fallen asleep, his head resting on Davos’ shoulder. Aeron snuggled close to Davos, their fingers intertwined.

“You’re amazing with him,” Aeron whispered, his breath warm against Davos’ ear. “He adores you.”

Davos smiled, pressing a kiss to Aeron’s forehead. “And I adore you,” he said softly. “I’d do anything for you, Aeron. No questions asked.”

Aeron smiled, his eyes shining with love. "Just love me," he said simply. "That’s all I’ll ever ask."

"In case you haven't noticed already," Davos chuckled. "I love you with every beat of my heart and every breath I take."

As they lay there in the meadow, wrapped in each other’s arms, Davos knew there was no greater joy than loving Aeron, no greater happiness than being loved in return. His heart, his soul, his everything belonged to the boy who had stolen his heart and made him whole.

[oliversrarebooks]

The Rare Bookseller Part 67: Fitz's Last Show

Previous > Masterlist > Next

tw: mind control, kidnapping threat, abuse threat

September 1905

The old theater smelled of makeup and mothballs, sawdust and sweat, and Fitz couldn't be happier to breathe deep of it. It was the first show he'd done since getting kidnapped, being sold to Lex, and negotiating his way into his heart, so to speak. It was undeniably strange to be back here in the wings, with performers and stagehands bustling about, after all he'd been through.

The ordinary world of ordinary humans… how many of them knew about the supernatural permeating the city? Did any of them? Would they live and die not knowing that vampires were very real and very dangerous, that they could be snatched up at any moment and have their lives turned upside down forever? Would Fitz have died without this knowledge if he hadn't happened to pick Miss Lily as a volunteer that night?

Truthfully, now that he was back among humans, it almost felt as if his life among vampires was a distant dream. Almost, because Lex had promised he'd be in the audience. Because he knew that after the performance ended, he'd return to the manor and to Lex's bed, to comfort each other as they slept.

For now, he was enjoying the swish of his cape and the feeling of shuffling cards, waiting for his cue. He was following a respectably talented pair of acrobats -- a high-energy act, and that meant he should aim to keep the energy high as he launched into his own act.

Soon enough, the applause had settled, and Fitz strode onto the stage as though he were born there. "Tonight, I will present to you the most ingenious marvels of modern times," he declared in grandiose manner. "I will demonstrate to you the mysterious arts of clairvoyance and levitation passed down in my family from ancient times, power which modern science is at a loss to explain. All I ask of you is that you listen and watch carefully…"

It was nonsense patter, of course, but if he said it in a regal and convincing manner, the audience would be rapt anyway. He pulled out his deck of cards with a flourish and began to shuffle rapidly, scanning the audience for a volunteer for his first sleight-of-hand trick.

Of course, he couldn't help but notice Lex seated in the front row, looking up at him with an encouraging smile. It took all his willpower to not simply call on Lex as his assistant, but he had to be patient and enlist him for a surprise later on. Instead, he used the tried-and-true method of choosing an attractive young lady in a fetching dress to appear on stage, knowing that it would make his show that much more captivating for a good portion of the audience.

Even as he went into one of his oldest and most well-practiced card tricks, he found himself glancing over at the audience for Lex's approval. Not that he needed it -- after all, he'd already received Lex's blessing to go back on stage -- but…

Well, perhaps he did need it. The thought of Lex finding his false displays of magic embarrassing was too much to bear, especially since he knew that Lex would swallow his real criticism and damn Fitz's show with fake praise. Well, then, he'd have to execute his magic well enough to genuinely impress a vampire of legend.

Maybe someday he could work mesmerism into his act. Wouldn't Lex be surprised to find the tables turned on him! He could just picture the look on his face, even if it didn't actually work. Yes, he'd certainly have to try that.

For now, though, he had to stay focused on his sleight-of-hand, pretending to pull an endless string of scarves from the lady's ears. This trick was less about finesse and more about dramatics and timing, and he could hear the validation of laughter from the audience. Oh, how he craved that, the feeling that all eyes were on him, that he could make a crowd gasp and laugh and shout.

"And now, I'm going to need another volunteer for my big finale!" he said, making a point to swish his spangled cape as he swept his gaze over the audience. He closed his eyes and feigned deep concentration. "I'm searching for someone with the potential for magic… someone open-minded to the world of the supernatural… someone with an aura of power…"

With a dramatic flourish, he "randomly" pointed right to the place he knew Lex was sitting. Lex glanced around and mouthed "really?" as Fitz beckoned him up to the stage.

Lex shuffled his feet and fidgeted, and Fitz realized with growing delight that he was shy on the stage. It was absolutely adorable. "May I have your name, my good man?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

"Alexander," he said, the look in his eyes asking Fitz where he was going with this.

"Splendid! It's good to meet you, Alexander. Isn't he a handsome one, folks?"

Lex's expression froze in embarrassment as there were cheers of approval from the crowd. "Is he married?" yelled one young lady in a bright pink dress, to general laughter.

"I'm not married, miss, but I'm also not available," said Alexander awkwardly.

"Aw, shucks!"

Fitz couldn't be more delighted at seeing his vampire squirm. "Now then, Mr. Handsome, if you'll sit on this chair for a moment…"

He launched into more meaningless patter as he set Lex up for his levitation trick. It used a clever mechanism where the "assistant" was lifted up by a platform concealed by his clothes and the magician's careful placement. The platform was being operated by a teen-aged stagehand, and Fitz gave him a thumbs-up and a wink to signal that it was time.

Lex, for all his embarrassment, played his part very well, laying on the platform and allowing himself to be lifted, as Fitz picked up a hoop covered in ribbons and waved it around his body. The audience was eating it up, too -- it was a great crowd, easily won over, and Fitz felt as though he could burst from joy at the applause as he finished up his act.

"Wasn't he wonderful? Let's give a hand to my very handsome assistant, Alexander!" said Fitz, flinging an arm around him and encouraging the crowd's raucous response. Oh, how he had missed this, the feeling of adoration, the knowledge that he had lifted spirits.

"Is this really necessary?" Lex asked quietly.

"It's extremely necessary. You did fantastic. And --"

Heads were turning to look at someone walking up the aisle of the theater, approaching the stage. He was dressed in an old-fashioned suit, and his mannerisms were stiff and unnatural, as though he were a wind-up doll. With all eyes on him, the strange man stopped directly in front of Fitz and held up a single, flawless red rose.

"For your performance, Fitzwilliam de Hastings," said the man in a dull voice. "My master sends his regards."

All of Fitz's joy and good cheer evaporated, replaced with cold panic. He found himself frozen to the spot, as frozen as he would be if Lex's sire were here himself, unable to even speak. The thrall, seeing that Fitz was not moving to take the rose, set it down on the stage and walked away with the same unnerving gait.

"Fitz!"

Shivers racked his body. His palms and knees hurt. His vision blurred.

"Fitz!" A hand shook his shoulder. "Fitz, wake up. Please wake up."

Fitz opened his eyes, not sure when he closed them. He was curled up on the stage, and he couldn't remember why. He must have collapsed to the wood floor. His head felt dizzy.

"Here, let me help you up," said Lex, picking Fitz up in a way that looked like he was helping with support. "You have to leave the stage for the next act."

"The next act…" he said in a daze. The lights dimmed. He was backstage.

"Where's your dressing room?"

"Umm…" He couldn't think. He felt almost like he was dying. Was he dying?

"His dressing room's down that hallway, third door on the left," said a nearby helpful soul.

The next thing he knew, he was being set down in a rickety wooden chair, and Lex was looking into his face with deep concern. "Fitz. Fitz, are you with me?"

"Uh -- "

Fitz was pulled into an embrace, his face pressed against Lex's shoulder, as Lex rocked slowly and hummed. With no resistance, Fitz felt his muscles unclench as he sank into Lex's embrace, allowing himself to be soothed.

"It'll be all right, Fitz, I promise," Lex was saying. "I won't let him take you. I won't."

"Take… take me?"

"Shh, don't worry about it. Just rest for a minute. Can you rest for me?"

He could rest for Lex. He didn't have a choice, with that insistent song in his ear. It felt good to lean into it, to close his eyes and let go.

When he next awoke, he was in a carriage, laying across Lex's lap.

"Oh good, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy." His voice croaked, and he realized he was parched. "Thirsty."

"I'm sorry that there's no water for you here, but we'll arrive at our destination before long."

"Where are we going?" He sat up enough to look around, trying to ignore the way his head spun. "What happened to the stage? My show?"

"I'm afraid you passed out at the end of your show, but the audience loved it up until then," said Lex.

None of this made sense. There was something nagging at the back of his mind, something he needed to remember. "The rose… your sire…"

"Yes."

"Then that did happen."

"Yes. But as I said, I'm not going to let him take you."

The questions crowded Fitz's mind. "Is he trying to take me? Is that why he sent his thrall?"

"Apparently so."

"How did he even know I was performing?"

"I don't know. He has no interest in vaudeville performances and variety acts, so I thought your show would be well beneath his notice. Perhaps I should have known that nothing is truly beneath his notice."

Bile rose in Fitz's throat, and he briefly felt like he was going to pass out once more. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to kill him tonight," said Lex with grim determination.

"Tonight? But didn't you still have preparations to do?"

"There was a note on the rose," said Lex, pulling a small card from his pocket, which Fitz impatiently snatched from his hand.

The card was written out in impeccably perfect handwriting in dark blue ink.

Alexander,

This winter, I will be arranging one of my infrequent galas so as to appropriately remind vampire society of my presence. I will, of course, require appropriate entertainment of the highest quality. To that end, I require the return of my newest thrall so as to have sufficient time to undo his current, unacceptable training and cultivate him into something worthwhile.

While I understand this is less time than the year you were promised, my thrall's recent appearance in a vulgar, tasteless show aimed towards our inferiors forced my hand. I truly had no choice but to put an end to this farce. So as not to unnecessarily waste my time or yours, your punishment will be initiated tomorrow evening, when I arrive at your manor to reacquire my thrall.

Regards, the Maestro

"Why?" said Fitz with his hand shaking. "Why does he want me so badly? Why do this?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me!"

"It doesn't matter!" said Lex more forcefully. "I have the entirety of the vampire guild under my spell. The night is still very young. There's more than enough time to round them up and execute on my plan."

"What if it doesn't --"

"Fitz." Lex stopped his mouth with his hand. "It will work."

Fitz slowly, helplessly nodded as Lex removed his hand. "It will work," he agreed, because what choice did he have? He couldn't bear to think about what would happen if it didn't.

He'd somehow managed to put it from his mind, hadn't he, the pain and the cruelty and the terror. The hold that Lex's sire had on his mind and body, the way he casually demanded his own spawn cut out her tongue. The way he was hell-bent on destroying everything Fitz was in order to turn him into an obedient clockwork doll.

How had he forgotten so easily? It was one thing to confidently declare that he wanted to have some fun before his doom; it was another thing when the fun was over and the doom was staring him in the face.

It was out of his hands, now. All he could do was trust in Lex to protect him.

"Where are we going?" he said, glancing out the window. It was an unfamiliar part of town. "Are we headed to the vampire hunters' guild?"

"Not yet. I need to put you somewhere safe first. We're going to Lily's house."

Other plans flitted through Fitz's head. He could head to the railway station, flee on the soonest outbound train. He could go to the docks and gain passage on a ship going anywhere. He could steal a car and drive it west or south as far as he could, finding a sunny town where vampires didn't roam.

Pointless fantasies that he wouldn't pursue, because his fate was bound to Lex's now. He knew that on a deeper level than rationality. He knew that, even if he were capable of voicing the thought, the vampire would never let him go. He knew that if Lex were to let him go, he wouldn't accept it.

Lex pulled him into an embrace and cradled his head on his shoulder. "It'll be all right, Fitz. I'll finally put an end to my sire, and this time tomorrow, we'll both be free. No one will hurt you again. I'll make sure of it."

"I know, sir. Lex." he repeated numbly, the words like ash in his mouth. He wanted to believe it so badly. But even with all of the work he'd put in to gain Lex's affection… no one had ever truly protected him. Not when it was difficult, not when it really mattered. That's why he had always made sure he was able to protect himself. But there was nothing he could do against Lex's sire.

He didn't want to think about it. He couldn't bear to think about it. Instead, he grasped Lex's shirt and pulled him in for a hard kiss. It wasn't about love or passion, but a shield against the terror, a diversion before the grave. Lex returned the kiss mechanically. He seemed colder than usual.

They broke apart as the carriage came to a stop, tumbling out in front of a sensible brownstone. Lex knocked on the door, and there was no answer. "C'mon, Lil," he muttered as he knocked again and again.

Just as Lex was starting to despair, the door was opened by a plain-looking woman in a cheerful orange frock. "Oh, Lord Alexander, sir," she said. "My madam is indisposed right now. Could you come by at another time?"

"Tell her it's an emergency. It can't wait."

"Very well, sir." Nellie disappeared back into the house without closing the door, allowing Lex and Fitz to enter.

The place was filled with frippery, ornaments, and knick-knacks, frilly curtains and floral couches. Fitz didn't have much time to look around before a very annoyed Lily emerged from upstairs, dressed in a thick robe with a towel wrapped around her hair.

"What the hell is so important, Lex?"

"Our sire is coming for Fitz tomorrow."

"Oh." Her annoyance made way for recognition, and then returned. "But what do you think you're doing here, then?"

"I'm killing him. Tonight."

Lily groaned. "You can't be serious."

"I'm absolutely serious."

"I know you don't want him to have Fitz, and neither do I, but if you barge into this recklessly you're just going to get everyone --"

"It's not reckless! I have a plan, you know that. I've been working on it for months now. I have the entire vampire hunters' guild."

"That won't be enough," said Lily, shrinking in on herself.

"It will be. He's not invincible, Lil, no matter how much he likes to convince us he is. Even he can't ensorcel thirty humans at once, and a silver knife through his heart will end him the same as any fledgling. It only takes one."

"So is that what you came here for? To help you kill him?"

"No. I need you to keep Fitz safe while I do my work."

Lily glanced at Fitz, then back to Lex, with fear in her eyes. "If I do that, he'll know I knew what you were going to do."

"He won't, because I'll end him first."

"But --"

"This isn't just for Fitz, you know," he said, taking her shoulders. "This is to protect you too. I don't want you to have to live in fear of his tortures any more. You wouldn't have to cut out your tongue, or burn yourself, or let him carve upon your back, not ever again. I know I've failed before, but I can do this. I won't fail this time."

There were tears in the corners of Lily's eyes as she looked up at Lex. She spent a long time considering, then -- "Fine."

"You'll keep Fitz here?"

"I will. And I'll hope to hell that you succeed, because if you don't, you know we're all in for it."

"I know. Thank you, Lily. This means a lot to me." He pulled her up into a hug, which clearly caught her off guard her before she returned it.

As Lex let go of Lily, he took a small wad of bills from his pocket and pressed them into Fitz's hands. "Listen, Fitz. If I'm not back by sunrise, I want you to go. Take this money and go as far as you can, as fast as you can, before the next sunset. If you do that, he may not be able to find you easily."

Fitz stared down at the money, surprised that Lex would even consider an escape route. "But then how will you find me?"

"If I win, I'll find you eventually. If I lose… you won't want me to find you," he said. "It's only a precaution. Tomorrow night, we'll celebrate any way you like. And I'll take you anywhere you've always wanted to go. Where would you like to go first?"

"Well… I've always wanted to visit the Far East someday."

"Then that's what we'll do." He embraced Fitz tightly. "I love you, Fitz. No matter what happens, don't ever forget that I love you."

Fitz's breath caught. Lex had never said it outright like that. And all Fitz wanted to do was deny it, deflect it, laugh it off. Because he'd never known love as anything but a way to control people. Lex valued Fitz's blood, and the way he was able to make Lex laugh, but…

He simply couldn't make a deflection the last thing he might ever say to Lex. So instead he said, "I love you too."

And Lex kissed him fiercely, backing him up against a wall and almost knocking over a shelf of ceramics in the process. Fitz was helpless against it, drinking it in.

Lex was gone.

"You're welcome to any of the spare rooms. I board thralls here all the time. Feel free to use the kitchen and the downstairs bath, too," said Lily. "I should be returning to my bath myself. Might as well be freshly washed for this."

"Might as well," said Fitz. Perhaps he would take a bath too. It wasn't as if he would be able to get his mind off of Lex and his mission for even a moment until Lex returned.

Lily turned to go back up the stairs, and Fitz couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger. She was the one who had put him here, after all. She was the one who had stolen his previous life away, a life that was probably going to run off the rails and end badly sooner or later, but still his own. "God damn you," he said before he could think better of it.

She laughed. "What have I done to deserve that? Introduced you to the love of your life?"

"Oh, not much, just the kidnapping and enthrallment and selling me to the highest bidder. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in fear of becoming the plaything of some ancient vampire."

"And if it weren't for you believing you could win against me in a bet…" she said. "But still, damn me if you want. I'm already damned hundreds of times over. What's a little more?"

She walked back down the stairs and looked Fitz in the eye as though she were searching for something. Fitz couldn't help but flinch away, expecting her to cast one of her spells on him again, but instead she stepped back after a moment. "I think you can survive it, you know."

"Survive what?"

"My sire. If he takes you, don't even try to fight. Don't try to resist, don't defy him. Hold on to whatever piece of yourself you can, and sleep as much as you're able."

"That's the same advice as you gave me at the auction house."

"And it's still true. I should know. I survived him. You can too."

Fitz wasn't so sure about that. He could still remember the horror of Lily leaving the room to cut out her tongue at her sire's behest. Even if he did survive in some way, would he be like her and Lex, still beholden to the Maestro's every whim whenever he so pleased?

"You don't think Lex will succeed, do you?" he asked.

Lily's eyes dropped. "Well, you know, I don't ever get what I really want in life. Do you?"

"No."

Previous > Masterlist > Next

Maybe everything will turn out fine.

Next week, Oliver visits a vampire speakeasy.

@d-cs @latenightcupsofcoffee @thecyrulik @dismemberment-on-a-tuesday-night @wanderinggoblin

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[yellowbunnydreams]

The Blood Runs Thicker ~vampire!William Afton x F! Reader~

~Yes yes, you read the title right. I'm that maniac who is going to write about a slightly more perverse maniac than usual. This was slightly inspired by stumbling across some of the ancient parts of the FNAF fandom and fanfics in general (Remember Vincent and his toast?), and that weird period in fanfics when everything was either set in the apocalypse, adoption fanfics or vampire tagged. And I saw that and went 'what if our favourite murder man got the vampire treatment?' So here we are! May write more to this, but I just wanted to write something different and potentially a bit humorous and dark in places compared to 'Bunny Ears'.~

Tag-List; @ruh--roh-raggy

CW:Minors DNI, (18+ ONLY), Female Reader, legal age gap (Reader- 20's, William - 50's), acts of violence, biting, knifeplay, blood, blood-drinking/licking, vomiting/retching, mention of dead children, anaemia. The suit stays ON

You weren't entirely sure why you had taken on the job at Freddy Fazbear's pizza, but you supposed it was a little bit of your morbid curiosity that had driven you to a place like this.

You were too young to have grown up with Freddy's, but you knew of the dark rumours and mysteries that surrounded the place and the company that had tried to sweep it all under the rug repeatedly. Missing children, presumed dead, whispers of haunted animatronics, a killer in a mask who evaded capture and death repeatedly no matter how many times he was burned to the ground. It had piqued your interest, so when you had seen the ad in the newspaper for a night-guard at the old location, you couldn't help but jump at the chance.

Shining your flashlight around the main dining area, you swore that shadows moved on their own accord in the dingy room. Clearly once a place of joy as prizes remained unclaimed in the prize counter, birthday hats lined the tables on faded confetti patterned table-cloths like they were simply waiting for the party to turn up despite the thick dusty cobwebs that strung between each of them. Even the spiders had long since passed away.

Heading back to the security office, you plopped yourself down into the office chair, hearing it creak slightly as your weigh settled into it. Wheeling over and throwing on the breaker to get the security system up and running according to the instructions that had been left for you. The woman in the careers office where you had gone to express you interest seemed shocked when you'd agreed to take the job.

'We have to legally disclose that there have been...disappearances...with the previous guards.'

But something had called you there, and you weren't going to ignore that siren song of curiosity.

Flicking through the monitors, you noticed that one of the animatronics had moved its head slightly, looking towards the camera instead of straight ahead. A smile quirked at your lips as you looked at it.

"So maybe you're not so worn down after all this time after all." You murmured softly, wheeling over to the door and checking the corridor for any signs of them moving towards you yet, but spotting nothing of the sort. Humming quietly as you pushed yourself back to the monitors. Pausing as you saw that all three of the main stage animatronics had turned their heads towards the camera instead, lifeless eyes boring into your soul as your hands hovered over the controls.

"Are you trying to talk?" Whispering to air as you felt a chill creeping down your spine. Almost as if you were being observed, although the theory was ridiculous and you knew it logically. Head tilting as you looked at the animatronics, trying to figure out what made them suddenly pay attention.

The sensation of being watched grew stronger, making you turn around to confirm to yourself that you were alone in the tiny office. Seeing nothing but dust and faded posters from the hay-days of Freddy's that had remained miraculously intact after so long. Checking the cameras again, you noticed that the bear had moved off of the stage. How it had done so silently was anybody's guess, but you assumed it wasn't natural, whatever it was. Looking down the hallway again as you wheeled yourself over, you could see two white pinpricks in the darkness, slightly taller than you thought the bear was perhaps. But you hadn't exactly measured them in case you had to compare by animatronic height and eye colour to determine who was knocking at your door.

"Alright, so Freddy's coming to play with me." Voice soft as if it would disturb things that weren't there should you speak any louder. Checking the monitors again, noticing that the other three seemed to be moving about a bit more, moving through various places in the restaurant as if searching for something. Looking closer however, you realised that they weren't quite searching, rather, the way they positioned themselves, it was like they were trying to move away from something you couldn't see.

Where there more ghosts than you had heard from the stories? You weren't sure, but looking back down the hallway, your heart pounded uncertainly in your chest as you noticed that the eyes were closed in the dark. Barely lighting enough to notice a slight flicker to them as they stood on the edge of the darkness ending at the end of the hall. Almost as if it was afraid of the light.

Glancing back at the monitors, you frowned as you counted four animatronics on the screens. Freddy and Bonnie looking towards the cameras, Freddy's head tilted slightly and mouth partially open as if to say 'look at me'. Your eyes flickered back to the hallway, back to the monitors. You were staring at a fifth, one you hadn't seen and that had moved as silently as the grave, approaching when you weren't looking.

Motion at the edge of your vision forced your eyes away from those piercing silver ones, watching the light catch the glint of something metallic at around mid-thigh for the thing at the end of the hall. Confusion written on your expression before it moved a little more, revealing the long thin edge of a blade in the light.

It felt as if your pulse suddenly stopped as your body froze up in fear. More so than the thought of animatronic monstrosity coming to kill you, this thing was too human, too real.

Leaping from your chair, you slammed the door shut as you saw the thing moving towards you quickly. Screaming slightly as the weight slammed into the door and made you slide across the floor despite all your body weight pressing against it. Hearing something like a low growl glitching out on the other side of the wood as it seemed to crash into it again. Your boots sliding across the tiled floor as you desperately threw your weight against it, panic making bile rise in your throat as you struggled to breathe whilst adrenaline set in.

It stopped throwing itself against the door, and you wondered if it had gone. Before the part of the door next to your head exploded in splinters, making you scream in shock, another punch coming through and finally revealing a glove-like yellow hand. The fingers all too articulate as it reached in and started to grab for you, forcing you to move away and release the weight pressing back against the door.

Finally, you were forced away from the door and it slammed open, hearing the wood crack as it slammed into the edge of a filing cabinet. Your eyes wide as you remained on the floor, breathing heavy as you watched a yellow rabbit standing in the doorway. The white eyes boring into you, seeming to flicker over your face with a low chuckle as it watched your fear. The knife in it's right hand twirling around with some skill as it stepped slowly towards you, menacingly.

You decided in that moment that you weren't going to die in a corner like a coward.

Yelling, you managed to push yourself to your feet, launching your much smaller size and weight against the thing's stomach, hearing something like a grunt and then a sickening click of metal before the sound of it ripping through something soft. The rabbit suit doubling over in pain as an electronically mixed scream ripped from within, lacing over the very human one from within the suit. You didn't want to know what had given way as you managed to shove it to one side slightly, writhing your way past it and into the dining room.

The other animatronics were nowhere to be seen, and you were grateful for that as you ran for the front doors, trying them and swearing that they were locked. Your keys in the office where the screams had stopped. You weren't turning back however, and you turned around, searching for your next exit. Spotting a corridor with the 'fire exit' sign faintly lit up over it, sprinting towards it as if it was your last hope.

Until a searing pain erupted in your thigh, making you scream and fall harshly onto your stomach and shoulder, grunting as you hit the floor and knocking the wind out of you. Looking at your leg, you saw the knife sticking out of your thigh, hilt deep and you swore you could feel it scraping your femur as you tried to weakly move the leg. Hand hovering around it as you wanted to pull it out but you knew it would potentially bleed you out if you did.

Looking up, the yellow rabbit stalked towards you, you noticed one of the pieces of its ear was missing, giving it an oddly lopsided look, and the fur around the muzzle had somewhat worn and decayed, leaving a permanent grin on it's face.

"Well well, aren't you a pretty sight for sore eyes?" It's distorted voice chuckled, wheezing slightly as you noticed that blackish-brown staining had started to seep onto the suit from the bottom of the torso, whatever you had heard snapping inside clearly striking flesh and making it bleed.

"Please, please don't." You begged, still trying to crawl away and screaming as it moved unnaturally quick again, grabbing onto the knife in your thigh and pulling. Tears streaming down your face as you sobbed, feeling the adrenaline mixing with so many other things in your body as you tried to beg for your life. Only eliciting a chuckle from the rabbit as it looked down at you, crouched besides your weak body as twisted the knife, making you see stars of pain as you cried out again.

"Oh but I was just getting started. It's been a while since anybody's run from me. You've really made me want to hunt, but you did hurt me." It spoke darkly, pulling the knife from your thigh and making you cry out, hands automatically moving to the wound and trying to stop the bleeding. "You know, I think you punctured a lung, you little brat." You could hear the wheezing more clearly now that it was closer, that sickening sucking, crackling sound that you instinctually knew was the sound of death.

"We'll die together then." You laughed bitterly, spitting at the suit before you heard the laughter rising from it's chest. A full blown laugh that glitched out the voice box inside and made it double over itself eerily before the person inside the suit was wracked with coughs, watching bloody spittle coat the teeth of the suit as the person inside clearly wasn't joking about you taking out their lung.

"Oh sweet thing, if only it was that easy to kill something like me. You've just picked how I'm going to kill you instead, that's all."

You shrieked as one of the heavy knees planted into your thigh, crushing your fingers beneath the weight, feeling the warmth of your own blood blooming against your jeans and the fabric of the suit, making your fingers slick with it. You watched it toss the knife to one side as it forced you to lay on your back, your breath being restricted by the heavy weight of it's hand on your throat as the other hand worked on ripping your blouse open on one side. Exposing your shoulder to it. Confusion running through your woozy, adrenaline overloaded mind before its hand adjusted on your throat. Forcing you to look the other way by gripping your chin and exposing your neck and shoulder to it.

Clicks could be heard from just above you, and as the weight bore down on your smaller body, you whimpered. Feeling sudden warm breath against your neck before a slick tongue ran up the side, making you squirm uncomfortably as your hand weakly struck out at the suit. Hearing a chuckle next to your ear as you swore you felt the brush of stubble against the sensitive skin of your jaw.

"It's nothing personal, you understand don't you? I can't help myself when I have something so pretty to eat right infront of my face." The voice was no longer distorted, but rather deep and gravelly, sending a cold chill sliding down your spine as suddenly your enemy was all too human, too alive. Heart pounding wildly in your chest as you still continued to fight. Hands scrambling for purchase, your one free leg kicking out and trying to catch anything to maybe force the crushing force off of you.

The breath was back at your throat, the feeling of stubble brushing your throat, hearing an animalistic snarl before the hand on your chin moved to cover your mouth. Filling your nose with the scent of old fabric and faintly hot pennies as searing pain flared down your shoulder and neck. Making you scream into the hand as you felt the hot wetness against your skin, almost like the man in the suit had his mouth clamped down and was biting into your shoulder. A sucking sensation against your skin, head feeling light and eyes beginning to roll back before the weight suddenly lifted from your body. Allowing you to suck in desperate breaths as you struggled to orient yourself with what was happening.

Retching, you heard retching and more clicks, the shuffling of fabric. Trying to sit up, you managed to prop yourself onto your elbows before you collapsed onto your side instead, able to faintly make out in the dim lights of the restaurant as the man in the suit knelt by your side. Retching as he clung to his stomach. The rabbit's head sat up on a table nearby and what you could now see was a glove discarded onto the floor. His fingers in his mouth as if he tried to dig the taste of you out of his mouth, prompting a weak chuckle from you. His eyes snapping over as he growled lowly. Baring bloodied teeth, his canines perhaps longer than you would have thought, but your vision was still swimming.

He crawled over to you, picking you up and making you groan despite the fact he kept you sat on the floor for the most part. You could sort of make out features as you struggled to focus your eyes, seeing a masculine face and the dark hair around his mouth, now smeared with red. He shook you harshly, making you weakly whimper.

"What the fuck did you take? You taste disgusting!" He hissed, making you furrow your brows and chuckle despite the fact that you wanted to close your eyes.

"I....I don't think humans are meant...to...consume...human blood." He shook you again, making you groan as your eyes rolled back and he shook you again, fingers digging into your shoulders with bruising force as you felt his tongue run against your neck again. Shuddering at the feeling before you heard him spitting.

"You're fucking anaemic? Great, my first victim in two weeks and I get the anaemic with the bad diet."

"Hey!..." You quietly protested, brow furrowing more as you still tried to fight against the insinuation that you were somehow lower quality than his other victims.

"Hold on, little stupid blood-bag. I'm not going to let you go to waste, you have to pay me back for the fucking lung." The voice growled and coughed again, making you feel the warm splatter across your face as he didn't bother to cover his mouth. Feeling the arms slip under your body and your head span more as you seemed to be lifted up. Groaning and going limp as you felt tired. Too tired to keep your eyes open, and cold suddenly too.

The rhythm of his steps made it all too easy to close your eyes however, and you didn't remember anything else as you laid in his arms life a bloodied sacrifice to some old-god.

[nyxyxx]

Godly Desires - Part 5

Disappeared for a while for holidays and stuff. Happy New Year folks. This chapter is quite short but the good parts come next so that's exciting. (Also with a little bit of lore hehe). I. II. III. IV. V. Warning: This series will contain yandere content and religious themes.

"The City of Wind"

-

In the woods, stirring from its ancient slumber was a darkness so wicked and vicious, the very life that surrounded it began to wither and decay, rotting away from its presence alone. This darkness, it had a mind of its own, yet had no name to accompany it. Perhaps it once had a name, but said name has been long lost in the archaic oceans of time. Sunk deep within the waters of the world, lived a name so egregious, that uttering it would only bring about misfortune.

There was a prophecy to be told about this darkness. An ancient prophecy, one that was older than the gods themself. A legend told from within the land, an old story that was soon to be unearthed. Though this story would very soon present itself, discovered in the depths of the sea, now is not the time.

"It is the calm before the storm, my love."

-

"Stop right there!" A young girl emerged from the trees and promptly ran towards you. Dressed in red, white and brown, alongside the pyro vision at her hip, it was the ever-so recognizable Outrider Amber. She stood in front of you, with an air of justice and gentleness. "May the anemo God protect you, stranger!" She announced, suspiciously gazing over your strangely dressed self. "I am Outrider Amber, of the knights of favonius, and who are you?"

"Oh uh...I'm [___]"

Amber simply stared at you in silence, looking a lot different than her typical self. Almost like she was thinking really hard about something, but also staring at you. Noticing how weird she was being, she kinda just turned away from you, her ears tinted a little pinkish.

...

There was somewhat of an awkward silence following. You gave her a fake name, as Diluc had mentioned it may be a good idea to do so, though you found it to be quite strange. Still, this was just way too awkward. Why wasn't she responding? Did you already do something wrong?

"Oh um...right. Where was I..." Amber snapped back into her usual persona, and thus you carefully explained your situation to her, keeping a few things hidden, but otherwise being truthful. She seemed to relax after a while of talking to her, even opening up a little bit.

"If you'd like, I can take you to the city, there have been lots of monsters in the area recently." She said, a little bit shy. It was uncalled for, but since she was offering you her company, you accepted happily.

Reaching the gates of the city, you glanced up at the sky. Though you had seen Mondstadt many times it looked so much more beautiful in person. Maybe your dream just had such great detail to it. Amber hastily showed you around, though it was mostly unneeded, as the entire city felt so familiar, to you. She quickly mentioned that she had to get back to work, and hoped that you had a good time while you remained in Mondstadt.

You couldn't help but shake the feeling that there was something that you were missing. Some important reason that you had to come here. Like you had been sent here for some purpose that you can't quite remember. You tried really hard to think of what that could've been, but attempting to do only led to your head hurting.

Well, you were here anyways. You might as well try and find something fun to do. So, swallowing those strange feelings, you decided to try someplace that might be interesting. The local tavern, perhaps.

-

Taglist: @justyoureader; @mmeatt; @iamapotatoe; @clavichordcleffa; @yu-ulda; @c3rtifiedsimp; @eravariety; @vianitry; @dulcedelechenginamo; @reveihehe; @liansh3ng; @angelofdarkness2; @yarabutterfly;

[numba1hateer]

Ranting:UgiGiugi "Fanfic" Moments that truly disgust me. PT 1

⚠️Trigger Warning⚠️

I decided to redo my shitty ranting because the ones I did, if I'm honest, felt very rushed.

Don't mind my shitty ranting.

Julia, though , is 25-29, and yes, Julia should be 29 and Guilia if I remember correctly. Julia is to be born on June 30 and Giulia on June 30 by the information on her fanfics. Yes, being at this grown age surprisingly, the headmaster allows Julia to get "basic household necessities" excuse, but when does that cheapskate of an ancient crow willing to do that?? And ugigiugi confuses me with her school uniform. She says everyone thinks she's a boy yet wears a skirt in some of her pathetic excuse of tracing since she's so fucking lazy is some of them she wears pants or a cardigan?? Huh? I haven't ever seen her wear that other stuff ever again because that's how lazy she is. And also why is she even wearing a school uniform even though she already went to college?? The headmaster would kick her out like he did to Yuu at first, but since Julia is an old fart I believe he would've never let her near the boys or school or even teach there because based on the information she posted in her fanfics she worked at a nursery which is why she proudly calls herself an educator yet having 0 qualities of one typical egostical maniac.

I don't understand what's with ugigiugi making Julia 25-29 kiss everyone?? It's gross and SA like she made the leech twin do to her old ass. Or those Diasomia shit she did hugging or making sebek give her a kiss on the cheek or the damn forehead I don't remember but like what's up with her pedo ass being affection with Malleus ,Lilia,Silver,Sebek practically everyone?? Azul, the leech twins? Or when she made Ace and Deuce kiss her. Or also being affection with Idia and Ortho and Leona,Jack or making Rollo "Fall in love with her" bruh Rollo don't deserve none of this he's a traumatized dude actually the majority of the boys are none of them deserve this she ooc the shit out of them to fit her disgusting "world" as ugigiugi calls it. She also kisses them and hugs them respectfully, I can see them dying of cringe and file a restraining order against her.

Now I do believe Sam, Divus,Trein, and Ashton would not want Julia on school grounds at all because of her old ass she older than Sam too.

If you don't get this bullshit out, my face, Guilia.🤢

Sorry, but back in reality, Julia. Lilia wouldn't want you near Malleus or Silver, even Sebek. Leona is far too young her for you Julia 🤢 and no Malleus wouldn't hurt Leona just for your ass nor would Leona hurt him just for your egostical maniac self. Respectfully, if you lay your hands on Leona, he would laugh and in your face Julia and get ur ass arrested for hella shit.

This feishizer, I swear. 🤢 this shit is mad disrespectful.

Bro went from that spider dude to Seth, Horus?? to jack to Leona to Malleus and Lilia to the Azul, the leech twins and Idia and Vil and Rook to Kalim, and then Rollo and the others shit I can't at this point bruh.

If you don't get this bullshit out my face.

Nepo baby type shit. That's makes me wonder how does Julia feed grim? Does he have canned tuna every day? Does he go to the cafeteria every day? And what's funny, she has kids with Malleus and Leona and Lilia. How tf does she feed them?? Or do the servants and nannies have to do it, or does Lilia do all of it?? Mf what?? But what I can tell is that "Julian and Aurora," especially "Aurora," seem to have inherent her egostical maniac from shitty tracing. And that's mad disrespectful to have a kid with Leona and name him Seth. 🤮 and then Fauna and Flora, bruh, I can't 🤮

This is funny because the traced art of her Egyptian fanart of the corn stand. And how tf does she survive in the twisted wonderland cafeteria?? How will she survive the food anywhere or from the events or from the cultures of Sunset Savanah or Briar Valley?? Ain't no way she gonna make them cook pizza for her every day because that's her favorite food?? And then saying she got an eating disorder . Why is she glorifying this shit I can't no wonder her traced ass looks sicks asf and her "kids" look sick asf too

Ight that's all for today, folks

[i-llo]

The whole beeing soulmates thing

Beetlejuice × Fem O/C

Click here for more informations about this fic

Chapter 2

Synopsis: Sophie lives a normal and happy life in the 80s, she never worries about things beyond her reality, until weird dreams started to haunt her – flashes of faces and places she didn't recognize, and a strange gothic girl shows up with even more disturbing informations. What she can't figure out is that she's trapped in an endless cycle of death and rebirth, always ate the age of 25, and that her destiny is undeniably connected to Beetlejuice in some way. Centuries before, they should have met, but a cruel tragedy separated them and now the Deetz and the Maitlands, headed by Lydia, are determined to give Beetlejuice a chance of redemption, finding out about Sophie's forgotten past. As they try to reunite these two destined souls, something is trying to prevent this from happening, at all costs. Between ancient secrets, an inexplicable connection and they running out of time, Sophie and Beetlejuice finally have a chance to undo the curse that keeps them separated and trapped in this world.

Notes: Beetlejuice's medias will be mixed up (these works do not belong to me and all rights are reserved), so we'll use a lot of information from the 1988 and 2024 movies, but using the personality of the characters from the Broadway musical. I'm looking for someone to help me with beta reading the English translation.

Act 1, prologue: A Promise in the Shadows

It was a particularly cold night, a deep darkness, as the moon struggled to reveal itself through the thick clouds. The holwing wind made the trees sway, groaning in the gloom. In the open-air cemetery, where the silent witnesses of old times layed, the unease sense was almost palpable, a desolation that seemed to envolve the place with every wind blow.

Sophia, with her heavy dress and silent steps, had just revealed herself in the light of a nearby lamp, leaving a narrow alley, accompanied by a strong and austere man. Sophia's father, Edmund, was influential and feared in the region and was returning home with her after a social event, however, he decided to slightly divert his path for a short round. His concern for his family's property and investments led him to inspect the cemetery, now neglected and disturbingly exposed, three years after the start of the Black Death.

Among the rotting bodies, Beetlejuice moved with disconcerting intensity, searching for anything valuable, as soon as a cart unloaded, he moved to this new location. His carefree and irreverent behavior was evident as he manipulated the corpses with an almost frenzied dexterity. His eyes, darkened like two black spots on his face due to the low light, were an almost savage sight, his actions did't went unnoticed by passersby.

Sophia's father advanced with firm and quick steps, approaching Beetlejuice with an expression of absolute disdain. “Even the lowest scum have learned to respect the dead, what do you think you're doing?” he shouted, his voice resonating with an authority that seemed to fill the cemetery.

The thief, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, slowly turned around, a disdainful smile on his lips. "Me? I like to think that I'm giving a better destination to things that they will certainly no longer use". His voice full of sarcasm, directly challenged the power that Edmund represented.

The tension was palpable. As he continued to make ,threats and try to intimidate Beetlejuice, Sophia, hidden in the shadows, felt a mixture of fear and inexplicable fascination. Despite her father being an imposing figure, the strange young man faced the situation with a confidence that delighted her. Sure, the desecration of the dead made her shudder and the smell was unbearable, but there was something morbidly magnetic about the situation. Beetlejuice showed no signs of submission, instead, he continued to work, completely disregarding the presence of the intruders. Sophia, despite her natural shyness and respect for her father's suffocating presence, couldn't take her eyes off him. The way he challenged the established order was fascinating.

---

In the upcoming weeks, Sophia's life became a silent search. Observing Beetlejuice from distance, through the windows of her residence or during discreet walks, she began to feel a deep curiosity, along with a new kind of anxiety. The way he defied norms and lived freely enchanted her. Every sight of him was a mixture of wonder and desire, a desire to escape the restrictive and controlling life she knew, and he was the representation her feelings, as if all her inappropriate thoughts formed a whole new person. Finally, after the torturous weeks that followed, Sophia decided to act, she could no longer return to the confines of her existense, not after that encounter in the graveyard. She would run away and find Beetlejuice, she intended to confess her feelings and then they could run away, with her dowry's money that she would bring hidden, they could start a new life, just the two of them.

However, what that young woman could never imagine, was that this was also the day of his honeymoon. After meeting and marrying Dolores, an enigmatic and seductive woman, in a matter of days, joining together in a profane celebration, just like them, the moment came for the consummation of the vows. Dolores, however, had planned something dark: poison him to take his soul and ensure her own immortality. Sophia ran hurriedly through the deserted streets, the cold wind hurted her face like small cuts, while the sound of her own footsteps echoed in her nervous mind. Every corner felt like a eternity and every noise from the street seemed amplified in her troubled head, but the confidence in her feelings and her perfectly put together plan drove her forward, with her heart fixed on one person.

When Sophia arrived, she found the most horrific scene, Beetlejuice was dead from poisoning and with an enraged expression due the betrayal. His body was already pale and cold. Rage that resulted in Dolores' brutal death by axe, the woman's body was completely dismembered, causing blood to spread everywhere, soaking all the floor. Sophia then walked over, heartbroken and with eyes full of tears, kneeling beside Beetlejuice and crying over his limp body, the feeling of despair and desolation growing every second, "I love you" she whispered, her voice weak and broken by pain, almost inaudible. “And I promise that I will love you in every other life, we will meet again, and no matter what happens, I will never forget you.” Sophia's lament seemed to echo through the village, the sound of crying and sharp sobs, her promises of love and devotion caught in the darkness of that night.

---

Sophia's father after finding out what had happened, warned by his employees, was furious and decided that the situation needed to be resolved quickly and effectively. To protect the family's honor and avoid any scandal, he arranged a marriage for Sophia with Anthony, a man who was as cruel as rich, known for his brutality and power. Sophia's marriage to Anthony was the realization of her nightmares, he was ruthless and treated her with scorn, isolating and keeping her locked up, away from any possibility of escape and under strong physical violence. Sophia's life alongside Anthony was full of suffering and fear. Anthony, interested only in her wealth, constantly mistreated her. A few months after their wedding, Sophia, now at the age of 25, was brutally murdered by Anthony, who had already completed his goal and no longer needed her. Her life was ended short and filled with abuse, a cruel act that sealed her fate.

After Sophia's death, a heavy air enveloped the room, as if the world was suspended in dark mourning. That seemed to announce the sadness of an unfulfilled promise, in the dim light, the cycle of life and death continued. Time advanced until a baby's cry broke the silence. Her new life began as a child again, eyes opening to a world that was at once so familiar and so new. As the seconds passed fast, memories of her past life began to emerge, like scattered fragments of a distant dream. The love and the promise made to Beetlejuice, the losses and the very curse that now followed her, became clear in her mind. She slowly understood that she was doomed to repeat her story, trapped in an endless cycle of reincarnation, always seeking to find the one to whom she had promised eternal love, and then she heard “Welcome to the world, Olivia”.

[bltngames]

A Better Late Than Never Look at "Knuckles"

Note: I get pretty casual with spoilers as I go.

So after consuming 5 out of 6 episodes of the Knuckles show when it was new, and then waiting two weeks (I was busy with other things!) to watch the finale, I think I'm finally in a place where I can talk about how I felt about it.

From the earliest adopters, I'd heard that this show was trash. Some went so far as to call it one of the worst things in the Sonic franchise, period. 

It's not the worst thing in the Sonic franchise. I don't even necessarily think it's bad. But I would also struggle to call it good. It's... a little more nuanced than that.

The story brings us back to Knuckles the Echidna in the weeks following the end of the second Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Having helped in the defeat of Doctor Robotnik, Knuckles finds himself restless. He's a big mish-mash of different barbarian, viking, and warrior stereotypes, and he can no longer quench his thirst for combat, something that's starting to drive his friends crazy.

Knuckles convenes with the spirits of his ancestors (Pachacamac, played by Christopher Lloyd) and learns he must take on an understudy and train them in the ways of the warrior, much like his father did with him. However, we also learn that Knuckles is now the last of his kind (something the movies never elaborated on, I don't think) and thus his understudy has to be someone from outside his species. 

Pachacamac tells Knuckles to seek out Wade Whipple, the dopey deputy of Green Hills, Montana, and educate him in the ways of the ancient Echidna warriors. Wade recently lost a bowling tournament to a particularly snarky 8 year old girl scout, and so Knuckles and Wade go on a road trip to the National Bowling Stadium in Reno, Nevada so that Wade can reclaim his title, conquer his battleground, and become a true warrior.

Right away, there's a lot wrong with the Knuckles series, and most of it happens in the first three episodes.

Though we should be used to it by now, how fast and loose the movies play with Sonic game lore is pretty annoying. In the years since that second Sonic movie, we've seen the release of the Super Mario Bros. movie, and while that's not exactly a perfect movie in itself, it is maybe one of the most faithful and respectful game adaptations ever released. 

The Knuckles series building a twisted Frankenstein of Sonic game lore now feels increasingly frustrating by comparison, especially as it rewrites the movie's own history in order to borrow from the more story-heavy games. The first Sonic movie shows us a whole tribe of Echidna warriors trying to capture a young toddler Sonic for unknown reasons. Though it's been almost two years since the last time I saw it, when Knuckles is introduced in the second movie, I don't think it's ever mentioned he's the last of his kind. We just know he's looking for Sonic for the same nebulous reasons the rest of his tribe were hunting him down in the first movie. The "Last Echidna" stuff comes from the games, and now it eventually gets mentioned in this series.

As a sidebar: I'm aware there's an off-hand piece of dialog in the Sonic 2 Movie Prequel comic that mentions Knuckles is the last Echidna, but that's a flimsy promo comic and none of it feels canon to me. That comic also has a cameo by the Chaotix and features way more Sonic environments than the movies ever will, making it feel disconnected to the actual movies.

Like it's fun, don't get me wrong, but it's also like when the Spider-man games based on the Sam Raimi movies would bring in characters from the comics, like Shocker or Mysterio. You KNEW if the movies ever dealt with those characters for real, they'd be completely different from what was in the games. The promo comic casually mentioning Knuckles is the last Echidna may as well have been nothing more than fluff for all anyone knew. 

In fact, it gets mentioned in the Knuckles series that The Owl Tribe -- the same creatures who we saw protecting Sonic in the first movie -- have apparently exterminated the entire Echidna race. It's only been, what, seven years? Eight years? So what's going on there? Who are the good guys? Who are the bad guys?  The Echidnas apparently wanted to kill Sonic, and the Owls were willing to commit genocide to protect him, and this all seems like some pretty heavy stuff for a series that still refuses to define what this "power" everybody has actually is.

It feels extra obnoxious considering the proximity to the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie, which is openly an adaptation of Sonic Adventure 2. There's more than a little Echidna lore that needs to be set up in order for parts of that game to make sense (if it ever did), and it's obvious they have little interest in carrying that forward in the movies, content instead to make up their own lore. And what we've seen of that so far doesn't necessarily seem to be better, it just seems to be different. Like they dug themselves into a hole and now have to dig back out in a different direction -- more damage control to cover for that first movie twisting up the source material.

Ultimately it ties back around to the fact that I don't think this is what Sonic fans were hoping for. There were a lot of directions to take a Knuckles solo project, and they made it into a road trip buddy comedy between two of the weakest characters. Movie Knuckles is a one-note Klingon stereotype and it feels like Idris Elba is sleepwalking through a lot of this chest thumping "heart of the warrior" stuff.

And Adam Pally as Wade Whipple was okay in small doses, but he wasn't exactly breaking new ground as the bumbling small town deputy. Putting these two guys in a box together is kind of a bad idea.

And for the first three episodes, it is. Wade and Knuckles have absolutely zero chemistry together. Most shows would have a little hint that these two guys like each other, but it's more that Knuckles wants to train Wade for selfish reasons (satisfying his ancestors) and Wade is kind of a dumb puppy who does what everyone else tells him to, sight unseen. 

We also get new B-tier villains for our B-tier show, who swagger in like they missed the audition for their gig on Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (no shade meant towards my sentai fans in the audience). They're GUN Agents, either current or former, and have apparently been selling weapons tech to a genuinely dangerous killer only known as "The Buyer."

Actually, another small sidebar: it was kind of strange to see Knuckles rated "PG" (for some mild swearing), but Paramount+ constantly inundate me with advertisements for Dora the Explorer, Minecraft, and The Loud House. This is actually my first, real, honest exposure to The Loud House, both in its cartoon and live action form. It feels like a show made for the whitest children on earth and if I have to see that little girl with the shrimp bowl fart again I'm going to throw my TV into the street.

Anyway, Knuckles: for the most part, the villains only really exist to remind us that this ties to the Sonic the Hedgehog movie universe while also providing goons for our heroes to fight. 

If I'm being real, I was actually a little confused by the presence of the GUN Agents. The Knuckles show is kind of bad at establishing whether they still work for GUN or not. We do get a scene where they go rogue, but it's never clear if they're just overachievers who get results, or if they are actual card-carrying bad guys who are breaking off for a solo career. I just figured they were here as a flimsy setup for the third Sonic movie.

Mostly, though, it's a lot of fluff. Knuckles or Wade gets into trouble, and they accidentally stumble out of one bad situation into another, over and over, for a good 90 minutes. Very few jokes land, it doesn't feel very funny, it's a confusing mixture of new lore and stuff borrowed from the games, and it feels like the show is a mess that's constantly spinning its wheels. 

Wade, now branded as a fugitive for being seen fighting GUN Agents (again: current or former?), accidentally and conveniently finds himself at his mother's doorstep seeking asylum. On the jewish holiday of Shabbat. Now, I'm not jewish, but it seems like Shabbat can happen on literally any Friday, yet the Knuckles series treats it like an annual holiday like Christmas or Halloween. Regardless, it seems like Wade happens to catch his mother on a Shabbat where she's already preparing a big meal, since Wade's older sister, an FBI agent, also happens to be in town. Which is also weirdly convenient. Wade, feeling like he can't disappoint his mom, sits down and they have a meal together, only to be assaulted by bounty hunters looking to claim the price on Wade's head.

This episode starts a kind of turning point for the Knuckles series. Over an hour into this three hour ordeal, and it finally provides some threads of character development for Wade Whipple. We learn his estranged father is a legendary bowling champion, who will also just so happen to be at the big bowling tournament Knuckles is ushering him towards. Knuckles has a cozy moment with Wade's mother, and we learn more about how much she hates Wade's father for breaking up their family.

The fourth episode finds Wade facing down yet another bounty hunter. Earlier I mentioned Wade lost a bowling tournament to an 8 year old girl -- specifically, he lost a placement match for a bowling team known as The Renegades. The captain of The Renegades is a man known as Jack Sinclair, and when he rejects Wade's entry into the team, he casually mentions a bounty hunter gig he runs on the side. Now, Jack's back to claim the $100k bounty, and Knuckles has decided that it's time for Wade to solve this problem on his own.

Ultimately, this means Wade is forced to convene with Knuckles' ancient ancestors for himself, leading to, of all things, a rock opera in a spectral bowling alley where we learn more of Knuckles' origin. If the Shabbat dinner episode finally budged the needle a little bit, this rock opera episode is the kick in the pants this series should have opened with.

We get Wade in a Knuckles costume, a puppet of Knuckles' dying father that's definitely a reference to Archie's controversial Sonic writer Ken Penders, dancers in owl costumes, and a genuinely impressive prop of a "Fire Demon" (Iblis from Sonic 2006) operated by an entire squad of bodysuit actors. It's a lot of fun and I even found myself starting to laugh at the jokes! It only took, what, two hours?

As the rock opera explains, after Knuckles watched all of his friends and family get slaughtered by the owl tribe, Knuckles wandered the galaxy, hopeless. Knowing he was the only one who could protect the master emerald, he challenged this fire demon to claim the power of The Flames of Disaster. The demon nearly killed Knuckles, but by keeping the warrior's spirit in his heart, he summoned the strength to defeat Iblis once and for all and claim The Flames of Disaster as his own. Thus, Wade learns that a warrior's true strength comes from within, giving him the push needed to have a final showdown with Jack Sinclair. 

And then something else weird happens: the final two episodes of the show turn into something completely different. 

In my opinion, the more the Knuckles show gets away from Knuckles himself, the better it gets. Even though I thought the rock opera origin story was great, the less we have to worry about their jumbled up lore, the better. And these last two episodes of Knuckles get about as far away from the Echidna as they can get, turning into a late 2000's sports comedy in the vein of something like "Balls of Fury", "Hot Rod" or "Blades of Glory." Except here, the stand-in sport of choice is bowling.  

It's actually pretty funny how much the previous four episodes just stop mattering entirely. Like, the bounty on Wade vanishes. Being a wanted criminal (former or current) has no bearing on his ability to attend the bowling tournament despite apparently being national news not even 48 hours earlier. It's never mentioned or brought up again. 

Knuckles almost exits the show entirely. He spends most of the final two episodes relaxing in a hotel room, leaving Wade to carry almost literally everything else by himself. We get introduced to Cary Elwes as Wade's father Pistol Pete, who summons the same level of ham and cheese we last got from him in Robin Hood: Men in Tights. 

And... It works. It's not the greatest thing on earth, but compared to where this show started, once the bowling tournament kicks off, it's literally the best part of the whole series. The jokes get even funnier. We get all these different themed bowling teams, everybody in special costumes, with dumb names like "Ball Busters" and "Split for Brains." The editing gets really energetic and creative, too, with lots of flashy split screen cuts set to music. 

It feels like somebody had been sitting on a decade-old bowling comedy script and dusted it off for these last two episodes. It stops being the Knuckles show and starts being the Wade Whipple show, and is surprisingly better for it. 

But then, that's not entirely true. It's still the Knuckles show, and almost begrudgingly, they have to make up a reason for Knuckles to have a big fight at the end. It's almost funny how blatant it is -- there's so much focus on Wade's showdown with his Dad that when they cut back to Knuckles it feels kind of forced. Like they realized Wade is getting all of the pathos and character development but they still needed to show Knuckles doing something, anything, so here's a big robot that needs punching. 

It's not terrible, and Wade eventually joins him, tying into his overall journey of believing in himself and becoming "a warrior", but it does feel kind of tacked on regardless. There's this general vibe of the show getting lost in the bowling tournament and then going "Oh, right. That guy."

Listen, I'm not here to evangelize this show. It's kind of an inconsistent mess. It's jammed full of obnoxious needle drop musical interludes, there's tons of REALLY blatant product placement, and just like with the previous two Sonic movies, whenever it makes direct references to game lore, it feels more pandering (and increasingly sloppy) than anything else. It takes its sweet time expanding on both its title character and his poorly chosen side kick. A lot of it made me cringe more than laugh. 

But it does eventually hit a stride and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the back half of it. You can really see the show start to find its footing once you hit that Shabbat episode, and by the end of the rock opera, Knuckles had finally won me over... by getting further and further away from Knuckles himself. 

And... that's not really a great endorsement, now is it. 

[silviakundera]

Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red-Moon Pact Ep 1-3

I love me some xanxia, so I'm jumping in. I've been PROMISED a happy ending so there had better be. Don't fuck with me cdrama!!!!

Anti-human fox spirit clan ruled by 3 terrifying women, I like them already

The scene of calculation of costs to raise a human child 😂😭

He's the descendant of a Dongfang clan who have extra special spiritual blood... as dangermousie has so eloquently argued: magical girl!! \o/

I don't really get what anyone's deal is in this drama, like why the different factions hate each other and the significance of the Grief Tree and why anyone other than the foxes care about it.... But that's standard for me with xanxia. I don't try too hard to work out the details & don't really worry about it. Xanxia is supposed to be pretty & have fantastical VIBES & I want the main couple to have a happy ending. Making plot coherent sense is a bonus, not a requirement.

Very much enjoying Gong Jun as the Extra Special™ orphan human raised among fox spirits, playing straight all the standard tropes regardless of gender. Makes everything fresh & fun.

His obvious crush on the 1,000 year old fox clan leader makes sense (anyone in his position would!). She's gorgeous, powerful, and is his benefactor. Distanced enough that she would have been perfect 'safe' crush material as a kid... But now he's all grow up

As an immortal fox, the 16 years this human child spent in their clan must have felt a blip in time. So it also makes sense she still doesn't quite understand him. It may have been the majority of his existence, but it's less than 2% of her lifespan so far. If we apply that timeframe to a human life, it's about 1 and a half days. 💁

FL sets up ML to be able to have a cathartic murder party with his parents' killers, even assigning some to stall them in a appropriately whimsical fairy manner. Crush worthy.

Him walking around all bloodsplattered later brought me back to Word of Honor.

I know he's supposed to take back over the Divine Flame Villa but I don't want him to! Stay with the foxes! (tho if this goes the traditional route, the magical girl will regain her powers & family legacy and the stern, ancient immortal love interest will soften & retire from their responsibilities to accompany their young sprite.)

All the awards to the makeup crew. Gong Jun looks the part PERFECTLY. He has this dewy look of fantasy maiden protagonist. The soft lipgloss, the bangs, the makeup softening his face! The flowing clothes. It's not too much, it feels just right. A++ 💯💯

The plaintive sad eyes ML keeps giving 👏

We already knew from Eternal Love that Yang Mi can capably play an immortal who feels distanced from mortal concerns. But this isn't a retread of Bai Qian, who was unrestrained and relished life's pleasures.

I expect that our standard love trial sidequest in the mortal world will be instead those 3 stories we saw on the trailer. If that means we can avoid amnesia & drama for the otp, sounds good to me

The white fox plotline is going to be incredibly annoying, I can tell

The big black cloud of evil lady who appears to be our Big Bad feels like another Miao Luo from Eternal Love of Dream

It's giving Belle !

[radiocurrency]

I'm 29, im not old, but have been out for half my life and also through multiple identity changes so let me tell you when i DO feel old. When I interact with teen/young queer folk. I feel ancient and Grandma like 😂 Young queer folk bring me so much joy and honestly to reflect back on what I felt like at that age and to see so much tenacity, bravery and hope in them make me want to weep like a small child with happiness. If half the shit I went through contributed even an iota to you living a better life than it will have all been worth it. I love you all and I'm glad we walk together.

[oh-no-its-dragons]

The Right Questions

"I didn't tell you I would answer any question you asked because I like fucking with you, Violence." Xaden's tone was harsher than he meant it to be, or maybe it just felt like his thoughts were echoing off the stone hallway around them, Either way he needed to make the point.

"You did it knowing damn well I wouldn't know what questions to ask!"

"And I said you were smart enough to figure out the right questions."

Violet groaned. "Gods, why can't you just tell me what I need to know?"

"Because you *need* to ask."

Something in the way he said it made Violet pause. They'd had this argument before, so why did it feel like she was missing something? Something more than just 'the right questions'?

"I need to ask," she repeated out loud, slowly. "You're not the only one who tells me I need to figure things out for myself, either. You keep secrets like a dragon."

"Silver One, I'm not sure this is the time for compliments," Tairn interjected, but Violet frowned and ignored his distraction. 

"If it was just you, I'd just decide you were an asshole and get on with it," she told Xaden, "but it's not. And okay, sure, Tairn is… Tairn. But Andarna…" Violet shook her head. "What keeps you from telling me?"

"Some things are not mine to share."  Xaden said it carefully.

She walked quietly beside him as they climbed to the flight field. Instead of getting frustrated, she tried to pull together what all of them had said to her at different points. "Are they… the dragons' to share? Like feathertails?"

"Some of them." There was excitement in Xaden's voice now, just a small note of it. He rarely seemed to let even that much show outside of the bedroom.

"Keep going," Andarna's voice rang through. "I knew you were the right one."

"Do dragons just agree to keep secrets? Or are they actually bound somehow, so they cannot share unless we ask the right questions?"

"Technically that's also not mine to answer." Xaden didn't have to, though, because Andarna's energy felt like the young dragon was bouncing on her heels.

Violet had started to pick up the rhythm of his answers now, slotting in the things he wasn't saying around the things he was. "Are you bound somehow, Xaden? You're not telling me because you can't?" 

He visibly sagged in relief. "That's exactly it, Vi. You can ask me anything and I'll answer to the best of my ability within the confines of what I'm able to say."

Out on the flight field, Violet couldn't help noticing the way Sgaeyl was looking at her and then at Tairn- there was some unspoken conversation going on there. Sgaeyl didn't look happy, but they were shielding the conversation from her- and from Xaden, judging by the way he was looking at both of them.

"Mom and Dad are fighting again?" Violet offered. 

"Something like that."

"So is there a… a vow all of the Empyrean is under?" There was a term Violet was reaching for but it was an old one and it took her a minute to find it. "A geas?" She was sure Andarna was still listening, and sure enough the younger dragon answered.

"I knew you'd figure it out," Andarna's pride was evident.

"But Xaden, why do you have the same geas?"

"Sgaeyl had her reasons when she Chose me, things she needed a rider to help with. A rider who she could bring into certain confidences, but that meant binding me to the same magic."

"It must be ancient magic." There was a sharp wind all of a sudden.

"Older than Navarre."

[butterfrogmantis]

Religion is a bit tricky in the Butterverse. Since humans exist, human religions exist, and some are even referenced through Smurfs and other characters. But unlike certain universes, there isn't one 'true' religion or god. Instead, there are 4 true deities - Mother Nature, Harold, Father TIme .. and Death.

Also CW for some messed up stuff right here

Mother Nature and Father time are pretty well known and honoured, even worshipped in some cases. Harold is looked to as the man in the moon as as symbol. Death is. An interesting figure. Smurfs - or any race for that matter - don't have a personal connection with Death the same way they might have a tea part with Mother Nature because seeing Death in of itself is an omen. And they sort of like it that way. Death is an enigma. Feared or respected, Death is neither kind nor cruel. It is simply inevitable. Indeed, it's the only true equal of the world. At least, for most.

Necromancer Smurf was born in an ancient village to a village doctor and a village mortician. Even as a child there was something a little bit different, he didn't talk for years after the expected time for the first word ceremony, didn't play with the other kids, and had an odd fascination with the gruesome elements to his parent's work, including the graveyard business. The Smurfling's father died unexpectedly whilst he was quite young, and even then he showed very little emotion to the loss of his father. He'd been in the room when it happened, supposedly felt the presence of an omnipresent figure. His fascination with the death itself far outweighed any grief he may or may not have had.

His obsession become more sinister - strange things kept happening. Animals going missing, random bones disposed of in the garbage around Smurf village. And as a teenager, the worst of all was uncovered. Necromancer was caught graverobbing at his father's burial sight - and when questioned, simply responded that he simply needed a body to work with, and his long deceased father clearly wasn't using his.

Necromancer was placed into solitary confinment, and his hut raided. The Smurfs doing the search told horrors of jars with organs, bones, someone's pet that had gone missing last week, clearly dead but somehow breathing … very unsmurfish things. The Smurf leader moved to banish Necromancer for good, but his mother, who had been suffering for years after the loss of her husband - and in spite of the horrors her son had committed, protected him best she could. Both of them became outcasts in their own society, but for Necromancer he didn't care. Perhaps his biggest mercy was when his mother finally passed a few centuries later, he left her grave untouched.

But his appetite for defying death wasn't through, not by a long shot. He could reanimate animals and even plants for certain periods but he needed something bigger, better. He knew the village would exile him as soon as he touched one of his own so he sought through records in the public library until he discovered, by chance, an old journal belonging to a pirate Smurf named Captain Bluebeard, amongst who's stories was a retelling of a great treasure heist, and a lift of a young pirate who was lost on the island and who's body wasn't recovered. This was the opportunity Necromancer needed - a deserted island and a lone body he intended to reanimate. This could be his finest hour.

-----

Short intermission now to listen to Rafflesia talk about the types of undead! :)

-----

*"You may not know me, Skeleton Smurf. But I know you - do not be afraid. Although the nature of your existance defies me, this was not your fault. My quarrel is with the one who's lifeforce sustains you, and in doing so has prevented us from meeting. In my kingdom, you were a worthy subject"

Skelly looked up at the empty eye sockets of the crow skull upon Death's face.

"I was in your kingdom? Then perhaps .. you could tell me who I was?"

Death sighed, seeming almost apologetic.

"I'm afraid … that might compromise your current situation. I do apologise, there's little in my power to help you as you are now. But that is not why I am here, Skeleton. I may no longer have the power to bring you back to my kingdom, but I am still a diety. And since you have been wronged in many ways, I would like a chance - however slim - to make it up to you."

Skelly looked curious, so Death continued.

"I am offering you a wish. A single wish, to be used at any time. Know that there are some things even outside of my power. But as long as holds, or as long as it takes, you have this promise"*

Skelly meets Death ,, part 2! They have a gift for him.

Death, Necromancer, Rafflesia and Skelly are mine / Franchise The Smurfs

[intertexts]

@stuck-in-the-ghost-zone WOE. NHW TRIGGER EVENTS BE UPON YOU.

-dakota was young-- maybe a bit older than in canon-- & out in the city with his parents when they all got caught in the collateral of an attack by some member of the slaughterhouse 9 (my impulse is siberian or one of the other messy ones) & dakota got lost and separated from them. the emotional state associated with his trigger isn't really even the horror of finding what was left of them. it was before that-- the sudden terror and panic and desperation of losing them and searching for them and not being able to find them in the crowded, violent packed rush to get away. he was up close to the fight when the heroes got there because he wouldn't leave without his parents (he's like. nine years old!! of course he won't :( ), close enough to be sprayed with hot blood, & saw firsthand the wanton violence and gore of it all & was half terrified because of it & also because he just saw her gut someone like cutting through soft butter. and he can't find his parents. that bone deep terror of oh, i'm *alone* & knowing that something dreadful is happening and you're not there and you don't even know where it is or where to be but you feel it in your gut. there isn't a thing in the world he could do to find them or help anyone. that was it. & also the other big part of it is how fucking sudden and out of nowhere it was. one minute you're having an awesome afternoon n the next minute it's a waking nightmare.

--virion saw his father betray the rest of his team in cold blood. he grew up around capes-- his parents both headed the independent team the greats, & the rest of them were always around the house n helped raise virion his whole life. he had so many cool aunts and uncles who did awesome hero work with his parents!! think new wave if it wasn't a torment nexus. he was never allowed out with them, except on patrol sometimes, but he never really had a burning desire to be a cape? he enjoyed being on the other side of it-- they all taught him how to shoot and fight hand-to-hand and resist mind shit & all of the unpowered parahuman response type shit, everything they knew so he could take care of himself. it was good. eventually he started sneaking out to watch their fights & shit, see what they do and how they do it. as much as he didn't want to be a cape, he couldn't just sit and do nothing! the last fight he snuck out to watch was the final confrontation between them and the real, dangerous warlord embedded deep into their city-- the lich. he shouldn't have come. it was so dangerous. they'd have been so mad. he saw their big confrontation and all the bluster and everything. saw his dad shrug and apologize to their family and toss down his weapons. it was a trap, of course, and the first time virion ever wished he had powers, realized how fucking useless his pistol and taser and flares were useless in this situation. he watch, helpless, as they all were quickly and brutally and unceremoniously killed, so efficient that the lich must have studied them for a very long time. or had inside information. he triggered from the bubbling cocktail of visceral betrayal and horror and wanting, above all, to have the power to do something, anything to help his family-- wishing, for the first time, that he was like them, and being frozen powerless.

--william is a bit more complicated (partly bc i want to learn more about deadwood and double check that all my assumptions r correct) but he triggered from the isolation. living somewhere that hated him, where it felt like there were threats in every tree, every aisle of the ancient grocery store, always something awful and malevolent behind him. & the social isolation too, especially. being alone and mostly friendless and wanting to get out, not sure if the awful things he's seeing are real or not, if he's just irreparably fucked in the head or he's living in hell, or what. everyone thinking he's fucking crazy. that always being the only thing he's ever known. anyway. he fell. i still have ambiguous thoughts as to the intentionality of it, as in canon. he didn't die, here, though. just-- mostly died. landed fucked up, bone poking out where it shouldn't and stuff, couldn't move. lay there for hours, knowing that no one would come, knowing that deadwood was still fucking toying with him even as he lay numb and in excruciating pain and bleeding out. anyway he triggered when they found him. <3 & yes it is extremely important that it was when they found him, not before. do u get what i mean?