#it’s autumn themed! been trying to only build with my switch set to around then to help

[yeehawbvby]

Ooooh would you show us your acnh island??

Hmm I use my real name on there so I can’t give a DA, but I’m happy to post screenshots!! :3 I hope it’ll suffice

I restarted somewhat recently, but I’ll put what I have so far under the cut. It’s not much in the grand scheme but it’s a lot of screenshots lmao, and I’m really proud of it so far!

My house interior (went super grandma-core with the main room cispvoeokvlemckd also I’m sorry for forgetting to turn off the HUD on the last room ;;u;;) :

Entrance/RS:

Misc:

[shoutogepi]

Midnight Masquerade

Todoroki Shouto & Shinsou Hitoshi

word count : 8.6k

[  ✘ (nsfw 18+) ] 

themes : DUBCON, YANDERE. MFM threesome, vampire!todoroki, vampire!shinsou, spanking, praise kink??... double penetration, blood play (hello they’re vampires)

bio : You attend a masquerade ball in hopes of finding a bachelor on Halloween night… only to get much more than you originally bargained for. 

author’s note : This fic was inspired by one of my fav movies when I was younger! Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman (2004), in which Dracula hosts an exquisite masquerade ball, full of masked vampires.  

side note : Happy Halloween!! I didn’t have time to edit/beta this fic, so it may be a little choppy/rough.. but I’m about to leave for my Halloween party and I wanted to get this out on time so!! please try to enjoy, and I apologize if this is not up to my usual standards. <3

 ─── ・°* ﾟ✧:* • ｡ﾟ:*･☽･*: ｡ﾟ•*:✧ ﾟ*°・ ───

🅈ou received an invitation to a Halloween party… and that was about all the information you had to go off of. What awaited you at this gathering, you had absolutely no idea. The envelope had simply arrived on your doorstep at the beginning of the month, no messenger in sight.

This invitation, scrawled in perfect calligraphy and sealed with the kiss of a stamp upon wax, proved to be even more puzzling when you attempted to uncover its origin. And while you had asked around to anyone you could possibly think of— your friends, family, neighbors, hell, even your mailman— you found no one who could give you any answers. It seemed that you, for some reason, had been issued this invitation, when no one in your primary social network else had.

What was even more peculiar, was that a gown and a pair of heels had arrived two weeks later, in all senses more luxurious than you had ever seen, and tailored to your exact size and measurements. Just from lifting it out of the box, you could tell it was expensive. And as if that hadn’t been enough of a gift, a necklace and earrings that dazzled nearly enough to blind you arrived just a few days following the dress. Finally a last package arrived a few days before the party, containing an intricately-painted mask that tied the whole outfit together. Each of the gifts had a card laid across the top of the tissue-enfolded contents, signed off from your inviter and now confirmed “secret admirer, S.H.”

The enigma of it all perplexed you. You liked to tell yourself that a smart girl like you would never go to such an event, considering you had no clue who had sent you the invitation, let alone such extravagant gifts. You told yourself that you had no obligation to go, that it would be ill-advised to show up without any further information than the address, date, and time.

But someone had clearly gone to great lengths to impress you, and you couldn’t just ignore that. Curiosity burned bright inside you when raked your brain for potential inviters, and as you came to more and more dead ends, your intrigue grew with every second the event stayed on your mind.

You spent every day leading up to the party thinking about it, flipping back and forth as to if you were going to attend or not. Even on the night of, you spent a ridiculous amount of time switching between deciding on going or staying home, taking short bursts of either frantically getting yourself ready, or sitting down and scrutinizing the situation.

You ended up arriving at the address scrawled at the bottom of the mysterious invitation an hour late.

Although you had planned to just hail a cab thanks to your indecision, you were surprised to find a sleek, black Rolls Royce waiting for you at the entrance to your building. The driver, donned in a crisp black and white tux, sported an elegant mask across his face, and wordlessly opened the door for you, bowing and gesturing for you to enter. After a moment of hesitance, you decided it would probably be best to just get into the car— whoever had requested your presence had already gone to such lengths as to cloth and bejewel you— it only made sense for you to arrive in a vehicle that screamed as much wealth as did your outfit.

What you had not expected was to find the location of the event to be a rather estately manor at the border of the city. The driveway twisted through an ominous wood to reach the massive home, and rather nastily-spiked wrought-iron fences guarded the border of the property, looming metal casting eerie shadows against the overcast evening sky. You found yourself wondering briefly what exact purpose the metal lattice served— both sides adorned with rough silver spikes. Traditionally gates were meant to keep things from getting in… it was peculiar to you that they were double-sided.

It was certainly curious, but your eyes were quickly torn from the gates as the car ventured closer to the maleficent abode, your heartbeat beginning to pick up as you came nearer to the grand entrance. There was a gorgeous fountain laid between two sets of curved stone staircases, both leading up to the tall, mahogany doors at the dead center of the manor. The car came to a stop just before the fountain, and you spent the small moment your driver took crossing over to your side and opening your door in breathless anticipation.

The cool, dry October air felt heavenly against your exposed shoulders, the tops of your breasts just peeking out of the neck of the beautiful, sleek gown you’d been sent. The autumn chill did wonders to calm the thumping of your nervous heart, and as you climbed the stairs, your fingers trailing along the cold balustrade, you took a deep breath. When you chanced a look back toward the car, you found it had already disappeared, and a pang of uncertainty rang through you once more. Yes, this was definitely uncharastically brash of you— you still had no idea who could possibly be the one to invite you to such a prestigious soiree— and yet, you found your nerves crackling with excitement, barely able to contain your jittery disposition.

Two more men, also hidden beneath tuxedos and blank masks, bowed as they pulled the heavy wooden doors apart, revealing the bustling affair that lay inside. You were shocked to find so many bodies within just the first glance of the interior— it was a magnificent foyer that was ten times larger than the tiny apartment you had become so accustomed to, a sea of masked party-goers that ebbed and flowed with the live, string-quartet on the stage in the far corner of the room. Countless couples waltzed and spun across the middle of the room underneath humongous crystal chandeliers, all glittering and shining with the low lighting of a thousand candles, by far more fire hazards than you’d ever seen. It was quite a culture shock to you— you had never before been invited into the fruits of such luxury, this level of wealth as mysterious to you as the cryptic sender of your invitation, S.H.

And though this was your first time indulging in the pleasures of such extravagance, you looked like you belonged. You were sure that the outfit this mystery persona had given you to wear tonight was worth far more than the rent you constantly worried about making, and so you fit in quite seamlessly with the crowd of silk-enveloped, gem-encrusted faces, perhaps even going so far as to stand out. The soft silk of your pashmina tickled against your arms as it sat snug around your lower back, curled around your elbows and seams brushing against your hips. The thick necklace— more of a collar, really— sat heavy against your chest, each diamond shining brightly, leading to a large teardrop-shaped pendant of brilliant amethyst that hung perfectly in the middle of your chest. The ornate mask you’d been given concealed the top half of your face, bright ruby gems adorning along your eyes and matching your dress’ deep rouge to an impossibly perfect degree. Initially upon receiving such gifts you were suspicious of their authenticity, but standing now before such a display of affluence, you were certain they were real. The jewels and fine linens gave you a false sense of confidence, and after a moment of absorbing your astounding surroundings, you tentatively began to make your way into the party.

For a while you wandered around by your lonesome, but you didn’t really mind the solitude. It was a refreshing change of pace, and you admired each symbol of wealth you came across. The grand room was decorated with no expenses in mind— rich velvet curtains hung across the walls, tied back with gold corded tassels to allow the cold moon’s luminescence to shine down into the hall. Massive oil portraits lined the walls, each frame depicting a different person of undoubtable esteem, each in their own respect poised yet handsome as the last.

Your eyes wandered to the last two photos on the wall, both of them shockingly attractive in their own ways. One had wild, violet locks and a sultry smirk, the others’ hair split down the middle with tousled red and white, mouth set in an indifferent line. What stood out most to you was the emotion conveyed in both their eyes— it was cold and callous, sending shivers down your spine.

As you turned away from the portraits, you were met with a server, who offered you the silver platter he was carrying as he bowed. Tiny steak tartares, garnished with a red wine sauce and a sprig of herbs; the sight made your mouth water and you thanked him as you took one with the classy little fork he handed to you. Just as you turned your attention back to the portraits before you, you jumped at the discovery of a figure standing beside you.

He was tall, your head coming just above his shoulder, even in your four inch heels. He donned a crisp tuxedo of his own, but his bowtie was left undone, strips of fabric hanging loosely around his neck. Though there was a mask covering his face as well, you instantly recognized the purple flumes of hair, your surprise evident as you let out a small gasp. He didn’t seem to notice you, his eyes set on the frames above your line of sight, but he then began to speak, his deliciously deep voice taking you again by surprise. “Rather rare,” he spoke, quiet yet clear, eyes still scrutinizing the art before the pair of you.

“E-Excuse me?” you asked for clarity, wondering when exactly this man had appeared, and why you had not noticed such a captivating presence by your side.

At the sound of your voice, he turned his gaze to you, lazy violet eyes inspecting your figure without much attempt at concealing his blatant inspection. You bristled at his audacity, but soon found yourself relaxing as your own eyes wandered the length of his lithe, cut figure. It wasn’t your fault, you reasoned— you had just been admiring this man in his photo and now he appeared before you, looking even more delectable in person.

“The hors d'oeuvres,” he explained, eyes dropping to the forgotten disc of tender meat perched at the end of your fork. He let his gaze wander across your chest before he met your stare again, that same smirk coming to rest on his supple lips. “And such beauty as yours, of course. It’s unparalleled, Miss…?” he trailed off, angling his head to the side as he awaited your response.

You thanked him and told him your name, watching as his smirk only seemed to grow, something mischievous shimmering in those enticing amethyst orbs of his. He leaned forward and ducked into a slight bow, long fingers taking your free hand hostage as he brushed his lips against your knuckles.

“Shinsou will do, for now. Delighted to be acquainted,” he murmured as he pulled back, letting your hand drop and a brief silence fall on the pair of you.

Your eyes wandered to the portrait, then back to your new acquaintance. “That’s you, right?” You inquired, looking up at him through your mask. His bored eyes pierced yours as you met his gaze, and you felt heat accumulate in your cheeks. “What incredible artwork, I don’t think I’ve met anyone that’s posed for an oil painting— was it hard to sit still while it was being made?”

“Not at all,” he replied, taking a sip of the hammered-metal chalice in his large, gloved hand. “The fruits of life sweeten with patience, anyway.”

You wondered briefly if it was his first time posing for this kind of painting. Never had you met anyone who would want— or could afford, really— to commission such a painstakingly realistic portrait of themselves. How much it cost, you could not fathom, and did not care to discover. “So this is your party, then?” You continued after he made no further attempt at conversation.

He nodded, that smirk curling the corner of his mouth again. “You’re an observant little thing, aren’t you?” He remarked, sipping again from his cup. His words were rather rude, and you frowned before you shrugged them off, dismissing them in an instant. You weren’t really surprised by his smug comment, though your displeasure must have been visible because he immediately steered the conversation in another direction. “Are you enjoying yourself? May I get you a drink, my honored guest?”

It was a little off to you how his demeanor changed just like that, a flip of the switch, really— but you were thirsty, and you were curious to see what kind of expensive refreshments were available, so you found yourself nodding with a small smile of gratitude on your lips. He mirrored your smile before he mumbled something about returning soon, his figure swallowed up in the sea of masked faces.

Finding yourself alone once again, you went back to inspecting the portraits, happily humming to yourself as you enjoyed your hors d'oeuvre. You looked around the party, searching for that same waiter, wanting to grab a few more of those delicious bites while you had the chance.

It was then that you met a distinct set of eyes across the room, a white mask with delicate swirls decorating his handsome face. However much the mask concealed his face, there was no doubting that he was the other man from the portrait behind you— his hair was a stark giveaway— half of it scarlet and hanging loosely atop his brow, the other half a shocking shade of white, pushed back to give him a devilishly intimidating aura. Your throat tightened up as he began to make his way toward you, slowly but surely closing the distance between the two of you.

You couldn’t help but wonder if either of these men were the one who sent you your invitation— if one of them was to thank for showering you with such extravagance, for allowing you to dip your toes in the enticing pool of luxury. But you were not allowed to ponder the thought, for in no time at all the man in question stepped before you.

Without even a single thought, your body automatically shifted into a curtsey, and you blinked in surprise as he bowed his greeting in return. He didn’t give you a second to question it, lithe, gloved fingers taking hold of your hand and bringing it to his mouth. His lips were cold to the touch, and your hand trembled slightly as he let go.

“Todoroki Shouto,” he introduced himself, his smooth, deep voice resonating through your body. Something about him made you feel incredibly hot, yet you couldn’t take your eyes off of him. It was strange how much he seemed to affect you— almost supernatural. At your stunned silence, he smirked ever so slightly, shifting his head to look down at your shorter figure. “Your name, love? It would be rude of me to refer to you as the most alluring woman in the room the whole night, no?”

Flustered you were caught off guard, you quickly told him your name, adding on it was a pleasure to meet him.

“Y/N, hm? A beautiful name. It suits a woman as breathtaking as you.” He continued, and you could see how satisfied he was by your bashful reaction. “I can assure you, the pleasure is all mine.”

You smiled hesitantly at the man before you, unsure how to respond to his blatant flirting. With the momentary lull in your conversation, you looked over your shoulder to eye the painting once again. Todoroki watched your curious gaze like a hawk, unbeknownst to you. When you looked back to him, you smiled as you pointed your thumb over your shoulder. “Is that—”

“Would you like to dance?” He interrupted, folding your smaller hand in his and taking a step backwards into the dancefloor.

Panic coursed through you— you didn’t know how to dance, or at least, you didn’t think your ballroom skills would be nearly as good as his and everyone else’s here. Yet somehow when you opened your mouth to politely decline, instead came out, “I would be honored.”

With wide eyes you were guided into the center of the room, his other gloved hand coming to rest at the curve of your waist. Your hands found their own way into position, one on his shoulder, and the other wrapped tight around his as he began to steer you around the room. You were shocked to find yourself matching each of his steps, your feet moving in perfect harmony with his. But when you looked into his eyes, a trickle of horror ran down your spine.

He was looking directly at you, two-toned eyes boring into yours with unbridled desire, and some other emotion mixing in to create a frightful end result that could only be described as hunger. Yes, there was no mistaking it— that was hunger in his eyes— for what, you did not know, but somehow your body was aware that whatever it was, you were in for quite the night.

“The dress looks simply appetizing on you, love,” he whispered in your ear, chilling the blood in your veins just like that. “Were you surprised to find it fit like a glove? You look so angelic when you sleep… I hated to disturb you, but it was gratifying to know how much you enjoyed my touch...” His lips brushed against your dangling earrings, and a shiver ran through your body as he inhaled across the skin of your neck.

“Y-You—” you stuttered, eyes widening with realization. Had he— had he taken your measurements? He’d snuck into your bedroom? When? Why? You didn’t even know this man— why would he have taken such an interest in you, how did he know where you lived,  and why— why was your heart beating out of your chest at the thought of him seeing you in your sluttly little pyjamas? You knew there was something off about this, but never could you imagine this would be the turn of events tonight. You were terrified, and yet ashamedly, a small part of you was pleased to know a handsome and powerful man as himself had gone to such lengths to woo you. There was no denying it… even though your stomach was tied into knots and fear sat like a stone in your belly, a white-hot, irrefutable desire had sparked to life between your legs.

“Not just me...” he murmured, the tip of his nose dragging against your temple before he dipped you down towards the tiled floor right in tune with the crescendo of the music, your back bending in his grip. Now upside-down, your heart skipped a beat as you recognized Shinsou staring the pair of you down from across the room, that same smirk on his lips as he raised his chalice in contempt. “You’ve met Hitoshi, correct?”

You were only spared a moment to piece it all together, that tight feeling in your stomach only twisting further. S.H… it wasn’t the name of one suitor, but two— Shouto and Hitoshi. Two rich and powerful men that both tricked you into coming to their home, and you had fallen for it— practically serving yourself to them on a silver platter. You were no better than a damn steak tartare! You wanted to face-palm, to smack yourself for being so naive, but you found that your body was not your own; you couldn’t control yourself, couldn’t even speak, and all you could do was continue to dance with the horribly attractive man whose trap you had strolled right into.

Had they drugged you? Was it that accursed steak tartare? But then, wouldn’t you have passed out, or your limbs stopped working? How were you not missing a single step with Todoroki right now, spinning when he led you to spin, and willingly stepping into him when he pulled you back into his embrace.

“What… What are you going to do to me?” Your voice was shaking, even though your body moved more confidently than ever as the pair of you strode across the marble floor. “How is this happening?” You added, feeling quite small as the target of not one, but two predatory gazes.

Todoroki took his time to answer you, wordlessly twirling you in his arms as the music then came to a stop, a new melody beginning just as the previous one faded out. “Whatever we want, I suppose,” he answered, his gloved fingers traveling up your back to grasp your chin, forcing you to look into his chilling gaze. “But don’t worry, love… I don’t think you’re going to hate it all that much.”

— - — - — - — - — - — - — - —

It was only an hour later that you were being led to the other side of the mansion— away from the music and festivities, and away from the false sense of protection the crowd provided. Todoroki walked in front of you, and Shinsou’s hand rested casually on your hip as he walked beside you. Your palms were lined in a thin coating of sweat, your growing fear causing your pulse to skyrocket. You knew that you were about to understand why they had fooled you into coming here, and though you had pondered what terrible fate they had chosen for you for the past hour, your mind was completely blank. You could only watch as your feet moved one in front of the other, your body once again under their spell.

Whatever it was that they were doing, they somehow had complete control over you, and they had forced your body to dance with the both of them for the entire time you’d been there so far. It had created some fake relief as whatever it was they had planned was pushed off for the time being, but you couldn’t indulge such relief, and your nerves were more heightened than ever. You reached your breaking point when you entered a dimly-lit bedroom, and the door closed behind you, lock clicking into place.

“Please,” you pleaded, your body moving to stand in the middle of the room, right before the four-poster, canopy-laden bed. “Just tell me what’s happening, I can’t move a single muscle…”

Shinsou frowned, gloved hand coming up to discard his mask. Your breath caught in your throat— God, even if he was your captor, you couldn’t deny he was handsome. He slowly approached you, fingertips tracing along your jaw before removing your mask as well. He sucked in a small breath of air, violet eyes dark with a foreign sentiment. “Relax, baby… We’re just gonna make you feel good. We’ve wanted to make you feel good for so long now…” His eyes dropped to analyze your lips, entranced by their color and plushness.

“But… Why can’t I move?” you reiterated, and your eyes widened as Todoroki’s presence noticeably pressed up against your behind. The feeling of his body against yours sent your heart hammering, and you swallowed as you considered your options here— there was really only one means of escape and that had to start with you tricking them into freeing you from their spell. Licking your dry lips, you meekly added, “What if I… wanted to make you feel good, too?”

“Fucking Christ,” said Shinsou, who took a step backward, his palm coming to run across his face momentarily. He seemed on edge, anticipation distinctly painted across his rugged features.

Meanwhile Todoroki took his time to answer, considering your choice of words thoughtfully. “We have a lot planned for you… but we need to re-energize before we can do anything, love,” he replied simply, his voice low in your ear. He pulled off his gloves, cold fingers catching on your jaw as he turned your face to meet his. You whimpered as he leaned into you, and before you could make a single word, his lips claimed yours, cutting off any chance at a rebuttal.

You didn’t want to admit how good his mouth felt on yours, but you couldn’t ignore the butterflies that burst into your stomach as he kissed you— they were not the result of any foreign spell. Shinsou groaned as he watched Todoroki’s tongue slip into your mouth, actions getting more fervent as the dual-colored man’s fingers slipped around your head, cradling your face against his. His lips attacked yours, slotting against them and tongue wandering between the gaps. You gasped when something sharp pricked your bottom lip, automatically pulling back, your hand coming up to touch your lip.

Bright red stained your fingertip, and you looked between the evidence of your injury and the cause of the wound, eyes widening as you took in how dark Todoroki’s eyes had become, canines elongating into sharp fangs. Bewildered, you stayed frozen to the spot, unable to do anything yet again as his hand swiftly wrapped around your wrist, yanking your hand to his mouth and wrapping his lips around your finger. The feeling of his tongue swirling around the digit made heat flare in your core, even as terror began to pump through your veins. His other hand gripped your hip roughly, pulling your body flush unto his.

The desire to scream out in fear came quickly, but you found no sound came out of you when your mouth opened. Your head still turned to Todoroki, you didn’t anticipate Shinsou coming up in front of you, only noticing the other man when his tongue stroked across the tender skin on your neck. Your body stiffened as the wet muscle slid along your throat, your eyes wide and petrified.

“There you go, just relax...” Todoroki groaned, leaning in to suck on your broken lip, his tongue petting over the fresh wound gently. It stung, but at the same time it felt very intimate— something you had never done before that had that heat building in the pit of your stomach.

A set of fangs pricked your neck, Shinsou’s lips fluttering up toward your jaw. You loathed how soft they felt, a distinct contrast to the sharpened enamels that suddenly descended into your flesh. You cried out, unprepared for the searing pain that shot through your body. Your skin felt like it was throbbing, sizzling from the unwelcome heat and pain mixing together.

“Shhh, love,” Todoroki cooed, laying a gentle kiss on your open mouth. “It won’t hurt for long…” He continued to suckle on your lip, beautiful eyes staring deeply into yours as he cradled your face. The thin ring of iris around his blown pupils shone brightly in the low light of the flickering candles, brilliant aqua and stormy gray contrasting, mesmerizing you and momentarily taking you away from the pain of the fangs lodged in your throat.

Shinsou was moaning against your neck, Adam’s apple bobbing as he took his fill from your bloodstream. His hands were gripping your waist tightly, fingers wandering up your back to curl your body closer to his embrace. You were so out of it, so lost in the taller man’s gaze, that you almost didn’t register the growing hardness pressing into your inner thigh. Shinsou was gently rutting against your leg, pressing his crotch onto you as he held your limp body with surprising care.

The sharp pain of his fangs in your neck had transformed into a dull throb, your body slowly numbing to his bite. It wasn’t long before Shinsou drew back, tongue roving over the flesh puncture marks that laid on your throat. His tongue hurt at first, but the second and third swipe of the strong, wet muscle felt increasingly good, and you hated how your thighs twitched together at the feeling. Apparently the two of them knew you would be experiencing this effect, for they both started to move you backwards, wandering closer to the bed.

You could hear Todoroki get onto the mattress before the pair of them maneuvered your body to join his, lifting you up and setting you down onto the plush comforter before him. His hands slid to your front, down your stomach and perched on your hips, pushing them back so your ass met his crotch. Your eyes went wide as you felt Todoroki’s erection poke into your ass, and Shinsou chuckled darkly as he, too, crawled onto the bed.

Although you opened your mouth to speak, no words came out, and the purple-haired vampire before you winked as the smirk on his lips only grew. There was still a trickle of your blood tainting the skin on his chin, and his fangs poked out as he grinned at you.

“You missed some,” Todoroki stated, voice a bit rougher than it had been downstairs. Your head turned to look at him, but you found his gaze was not focused on you— he was looking straight at Shinsou, eyes darkening and teeth elongating into points.

“Saved it for you, have a taste,” Shinsou replied nonchalantly, scooting closer to you. The space between the two men’s mouths closed and you gasped as you watched their lips collide, a moan tumbling out of the man supporting your back. That horrible heat burst between your legs, your mouth watering as you saw Todoroki’s tongue slips into Shinsou’s mouth, their fangs clicking as they brushed together.

Shinsou chuckled as he pulled back, Todoroki’s tongue wandering down to trace the line of your blood that streaked down his chin. Shinsou looked at you as he grinned, clearly happy that their kiss had such an effect on you. “You taste so good, baby,” he complimented, and you whimpered as heat burst in your cheeks.

It was shameful how much this was turning you on— a monster straight out of a fairytale was here in front of you, feeding off of you, able to end your life he re really wanted to in probably just one swift bite— and yet your pussy was drooling all over your panties for him, an uncomfortable dampness collecting between your thighs. You couldn’t stop your hips from wiggling, but as you moved back from Shinsou, you pressed up against Todoroki, who let out a throaty groan. The swell of your backside pushed against his hard cock just right, and you gasped as his hands suddenly jumped to the hem of your dress, pulling it to rest at the tops of your thighs. Your pussy twitched as the cool air rushed across your sticky panties, and you mewled as one hand drifted up to squeeze your breast, the other slapping gently over your panty-covered clit.

Shinsou’s hands glided down your waist, large palms running over your hips before he grabbed your thighs, yanking you to the edge of the mattress as he fell to his knees. Kneeling between your legs, he chucked again as he inspected the wet patch on darkening the front of your underwear. His thumb met your slit and he traced it up and down a few times, grin splitting his smirk as you unintentionally let out a moan.

It was then that Todoroki’s fangs sliced into the unmarked flesh on the other side of your neck. You cried out, the pain just as stringing and intense as Shinsou’s bite had delivered. But you weren’t left to focus on it long— Shinsou pulled your underwear to the side and dipped a thumb into your soaking folds, rubbing up the length of your slit once again. The direct contact made your toes curl, your slick folds parting with ease as the ample evidence of your arousal allowed his finger to glide through without catch. He hummed as he rubbed his thumb against your clit a few times, violet eyes flicking up to see your eyelashes fluttering across your cheeks, Todoroki’s lips latched to your throat as he took his fill from your sweet bloodstream.

Todoroki’s fingers curled into the top of your dress, and he pulled it down to reveal your tits to the cool air, your nipples instantly perking up and standing at attention. The red and white haired man moaned as he sucked on your throat, his forefinger and thumbs capturing each nipple and twisting the sensitive buds.

“Fuck!” you whined, immediately embarrassed that you hadn’t been able to hold the expletive in. But neither of the men seemed to share your sentiment, the pair of them moaning softly in response to your noise of pleasure as if encouraging you to let out even more.

Shinsou smiled as he pinched the sides of your panties, yanking the material down your thighs and off your ankles before separating your legs and inserting himself between them. He gave you no warning as his tongue suddenly licked a flat stripe up your slit, rolling around your clit perfectly at the end of his journey. Your legs tensed as they closed around his head, a hot puff of air escaping you as Todoroki finally pulled off of your neck with a broken gasp. His breathing was ragged as his tongue lashed over the fresh marks, the repeated action having the same, dizzying sensation that Shinsou had elicited. Then Shinsou’s tongue was wiggling across your clit, alternating between sucking on the sensitive pearl and lavishing it in vicious swipes of his strong, wet tongue.

Meanwhile Todoroki was ripping off his clothes, revealing his broad, sturdy chest in all its glory before he yanked at the zipper on your spine, sliding your dress over your shoulders and tossing it onto the floor. Your bra was next, leaving you in just your sparkly heels and your glimmering gems.

You could feel both pairs of eyes inspecting your naked body, Todorki’s hands returning to tweak at your nipples while Shinsou thrusted his tongue inside your quivering hole. He moaned as his tongue probed at your insides, sending vibrations through your core and causing your legs to tighten around his head. Pleasure was coursing through you, overwhelming the urge to scream and run that had been all you could focus on just minutes ago. But your pussy was dripping for the both of them, and Shinsou was savoring every drop as he animatedly lapped at you— never before had anyone so enthusiastically eaten your cunt like this, and his zeal only made you leak onto his mouth even more.

You had been so focused on the man in between your legs that you only recognized Todoroki had fully unclothed himself when he moved backward, easing your head back so you lay flat on the mattress. Your pussy twitched violently on Shinsou’s tongue when you caught sight of Todoroki’s cock standing long and thick, tall against his carved abdomen, his expression dark as he shuffled forward.

“Open your mouth, baby,” he instructed and you obeyed immediately, as if you couldn’t follow his instruction any faster. Your eagerness made him smirk, and you made sure to keep eye contact as he rubbed the tip of his heavy cock against your sealed lips. But suddenly Shinsou started to attack your clit with new fervor, tongue flicking across the bundle of nerves repeatedly.

You couldn’t stop the moan that flew out of you, and as soon as your mouth was open, Todoroki pushed forward, shoving his cock deep into your mouth. You choked at the sudden intrusion, but he only grabbed your throat with one hand and thrust into your mouth even rougher than before. He didn’t seem to care much about your comfort, your heartbeat skyrocketing as the need for oxygen started burning in your lungs.

Todoroki pulled his cock out just in time for you to gasp in a few breaths before he rammed his cock back inside, powerful thighs pinning your head to the mattress as he leaned forward with hands on either side of your waist and head hung while he uttered a quiet moan. “That’s right, love. Go ahead and suck my cock… I want to hear you choke on me, naughty little thing.”

A wanton moan slipped out of you, his cock filling your throat to the max, and his rough, determined thrusts causing your pussy to flood even more. Shinsou was still licking at your cunt purposefully, tongue sliding around your folds and over your clit as he sucked and flicked it to your liking. You started to become more vocal as pressure began to build in your stomach, your hips writhing wildly underneath his pinning grip as Todoroki used your mouth to his liking. Your eyes rolled back as you felt your high approaching, unaware of Shinsou slowly but steadily undressing himself while he suckled at your puffy folds.

Todoroki’s thrusts became slower but deeper suddenly, and you swirled your tongue around his swollen tip when his hips receded. You were caught off guard when Shinsou’s lips left your cunt and instead his teeth sunk into the soft skin on your thigh, taking another sampling from your veins. This time, the initial pain was much duller, and it quickly faded into something concerningly pleasurable. There must have been some higher-level effect at play here— there was no way that such gleaming fangs stabbing into you and feeding from you should feel that good. Yet it undoubtedly made your toes curl, bliss spreading through your body like wildfire through dry grass. It only increased when a long finger slipped inside of you, a second entering with ease as they began rubbing inside of you gently. You could feel Shinsou moan into your pillowy thigh, the noise only making your cunt itch for his attention again.

You let out a desolate whine when both of the men suddenly pulled away from you, your pussy hotter and wetter than ever, and your cheeks dribbling with your saliva as a result of Todoroki’s face-fucking. It was then that you realized Shinsou was naked, too, your mouth watering at his visage; his cock stood thicker and shorter than Todoroki’s, but both of them were punching well above average, muc to your delight.

Todoroki slipped off the mattress and Shinsou walked around the edge of the bed, the pair switching and settling in reverse positions. Shinsou stroked your cheek sweetly, capturing your attention as he smiled down at you. You craned your neck to press a kiss to the leaking tip of him, your tongue poking out to swipe the salty bead of pre-cum that lay there. Your eyes went wide when you felt the telltale smoothness of Todoroki’s cock splitting your slick-drenched folds, his hands settling on your hips before he grabbed them, rutting his own forward and causing his cock to push halfway into your tight hole. The stretch made the both of you gasp, your wet, little hole hugging his large cock snug as he began to move his hips.

Shinsou had enjoyed the intimate moment but found himself getting impatient, slapping his thick, oozing cockhead over your lips to grab your attention once again. You looked up at him with wide, starry eyes, your mouth opening for him to glide his cock into your mouth. “Good girl,” he murmured, eyes fixating on the way your lips wrapped around his girth, the way his thick veins looked rolling against your tongue. Your cheeks hollowed in attempt to satiate him, but you instantly cried out when Todoroki’s hips slapped flush against yours, shoving his cock inside of your cunt entirely.

The impossible fullness that bloomed in your stomach was delectable, and Todoroki began to thrust into your slippery cunt at a reliable, hard pace. He let out a guttural groan as he watched his cock disappear into your slick folds, the heat of your pussy overwhelming him. He lifted both your legs over his shoulders, making sure to grab one of your ankles and pulling it upright so your leg was fully extended. Then, his fangs broke the smooth skin on your calf and you whimpered at the feeling. It felt so good to have him suck on your skin— to feel your blood flowing out of your body and into his eager mouth. It was sick, but you couldn’t think about it at the moment— couldn’t find any fault with the two monsters that were taking you to cloud nine.

“Fuck, just like that,” Shinsou mumbled, eyes flicking up to watch a rivulet of your blood strike down your outstretched leg. When he looked back down towards you, your eyes were closed and your brow scrunched, an indication of the pleasure that was ebbing through your body thanks to the cadenced swing of Todoroki’s hips. “You’re such a good fucking girl,” Shinsou praised as he threw back his head, his fingers carding through your hair and tugging gently at your roots.

Just as the three of you seemed to find a rhythm, Todoroki pulled out abruptly, making your mouth part in a whine, Shinsou’s thick member springing out of your wet cavern and into the cool, still air. The purple-haired man hissed in annoyance, gritting his teeth as he looked to the other man to scold him, but quickly his irritation melted as he watched Todoroki flip you so your stomach lay flat on the sheets. Then, he hiked your ass into the air, your body moving along with him with such cooperation that the pair of them shared a look, haughty smirks stretching on both their lips. It was their secret that they had stopped using their mind control on you, and it seemed you were the only one that continued, blissfully unaware. Perhaps you didn’t even realize… perhaps you didn’t care.

It didn’t matter, really— Todoroki lined himself up with your dripping cunt, taking no pause this time as his cock speared inside you once again. You moaned as you reeled forward, your fingers gripping into the duvet harshly as your body tightened up from the delicious intrusion. His long, thick cock felt like magic inside of you, each thrust brushing a soft spot nestled deep inside of you and stimulating you further.

Shinsou jerked himself off lazily as he watched your facial expressions, trapping his bottom lip between his sharp teeth as he registered the erotic ecstasy painted across your beautiful features. After a minute of allowing you to focus his accomplice’s hard cock, he pressed the tip of his own to your lips. You immediately opened your mouth, taking the flushed member between your lips with restless reception, tongue rolling around the swollen head. Shinsou sighed, half-lidded lavender irises watching you begin to eagerly bob up and down his length. He thumbed over a drop of blood that had rolled down your throat, catching Todoroki’s eye and offering his finger to the other man, who happily took the digit into his mouth and sucked, tongue soaking up your life essence as his hand wrapped around Shinsou’s wrist to steady himself. They both chuckled as you moaned loudly, Todoroki’s free hand clapping across your ass cheek and causing your cunt to clench down on his cock.

“You like that?” he teased, grabbing your flesh and shaking it, watching your ass jiggle before striking you again, a few smacks in succession. You could only gag and moan in reply, Shinsou’s cock thrusting into the back of your throat. The purple-eyed vampire gripped your chin with his calloused, cold hand, keeping your head in place as he began to fuck your face. Suddenly Todoroki spat onto your behind, his saliva wetting your puckered hole before he shoved his thumb inside of your ass, the unexpected stretch sending fresh bliss through your body as his cock dragged against it through your walls. Tears were beading on your lashes, the combination of the lack of oxygen, the attack of your g-spot from Todoroki’s cock, and the sharp pain of his hand across your ass all sending you hurtling towards your high.

With a shriek you came on his cock, your cunt wringing snug around the heavy member that just kept pistoning into you, angling your hips so the head pounding into that sensitive, spongy spot again and again. Todoroki groaned, taking his finger out and both his hands now squeezing at your hips as he continued to fuck you, offering a few more slaps to your ass as you trembled in ecstasy. While your head was still filled with the euphoric fog of your climax, Shinsou pulled out of your mouth, nodding to Todoroki, who wordlessly understood. The mismatched vampire hooked his arms around your knees, heaving you up against his chest and spreading your legs far apart enough for Shinsou to slide between them.

You were still catching your breath as Shinsou reached for Todoroki’s cock, slotting his thighs between the other man’s and positioning his length so that his slick-covered head rested right at your asshole. You gasped, your arm bending to dig your nails into Todoroki’s shoulder as you looked behind at him, catching his lustful gaze down at you. Shinsou then began to sloppily kiss your throat, his cock rubbing against your glazed, ravaged opening as his hands ran across the curve of your ass, landing on Todoroki’s waist behind your hips. The both of them entered you at the same time, your vision dotting with white spots as the stretch from both sides took your breath away. They both managed to slip inside, fully seating you onto their laps as you trembled, your stiff nipples brushing against Shinsou’s toned chest.

Todoroki nibbled at your ear as he began to pump his cock inside of you, filling your ass with each thrust and stimulating you as he rubbed himself against Shinsou’s cock through your walls. “So tight, love…,” he murmured in your ear, the prick of his sharp fangs on your cartilage sending shivers down your spine. His tongue wandered out and he traced the tip of it against the column of your throat, brushing over the leaking puncture wounds that laid there. “So sweet… can’t help myself,” his words turned into a savage moan as he sunk his fangs into your skin, the pain washing away abruptly as Shinsou, too, started to push his hips into yours.

Shinsou groaned, one hand coming to caress your chin as he claimed your lips with his own. His tongue entered your mouth and wrestled with yours as his tempo began to pick up, his cock stretching your cunt wide and sending waves of pleasure through your core. When he pulled back, you were both panting, your breasts heaving with the rapid rise and fall of your chest. It was then that Todoroki pulled away from your neck, gasping in a breath of air as his fangs glistened scarlet. Shinsou took one look at him and crushed his mouth to his, your holes clenching around their lengths as you watched your blood be exchanged between their ravenous tongues. The pair of them were moaning, and so were you— unable to keep the noises of pure pleasure inside as you watched them make out.

Your blood was dripping down Todoroki’s chin, and you couldn’t stop yourself from reaching over and grabbing his jaw, ripping his lips away from Shinsou’s and instead placing your mouth on his. He growled in approval against your lips, his tongue battling yours as he sought to dominate you, the distinct flavor of iron filling your mouth as you tasted your own blood. Shinsou took the opportunity to sink his cuspids into the other side of your throat again, and your jaw fell in response, Todoroki’s tongue seizing control of yours immediately as he grasped the upper hand. Both of them were full-on fucking you now, your holes warm and wet, quivering around their thick cocks as the brought you closer and closer to your high yet again.

Only the sound of your heavy breathing and the slapping of your skins filled the air in the room, the music of the party drowned and far away as the three of you were otherwise occupied. Before you knew it, you were clenching on them again, your body seizing as your orgasm ripped through you, all the air in your lungs vacuumed out of you and your toes curling into the air. Your fingers fisted Shinsou’s wild violet locks, your nails digging into Todoroki’s jaw as you tumbled through the throes of your climax, euphoria rushing through your bloodstream and straight into Shinsou’s awaiting mouth.

The sweet taste of your oxytocin, your drug-like ecstasy, sent him straight into his own orgasm, his hips pushing flush against yours as he roared and his cock spurted thick white ribbons deep into your womb, his seed pouring into you and filling you to the brim. His chiseled body trembled as he emptied himself inside of you, his fingers bruising your skin while he gasped and moaned. Your holes clenched as you milked his cock, and suddenly Todoroki, too, groaned loudly behind you. His hands squeezed your flesh as his cock spurted hot cum inside of you, his abdomen flush against your ass as he crushed your body to his front.

The three of you sat there on the bed, your bodies covered in sweat and remnants of your blood, breathless and still as you came back down to earth. Shinsou’s lips trailed along your neck, Todoroki’s fingertips sliding across your skin with gentle care as they pulled out of you. Their seed dribbled down your thighs as they maneuvered your boneless body back onto the pillows, your eyes fluttering closed from the pure exhaustion and the lack of blood in your veins. Each of them laid back on either side of you, their cold hands wandering over your skin and causing goosebumps to rise, their eyes roaming your body in pure adoration.

“You did so well, baby,” Shinsou murmured into your hair, pressing his face close to yours as he sighed and inhaled the sweet scent lingering from the blood on your skin.

“So well-behaved for us,” Todoroki added, wrapping an arm around your middle as he, too, nestled closer to your limp body. “Go to sleep, love… you deserve some rest.”

You hummed at their praise, tired butterflies flapping their wings in the pit of your stomach. Your head was fuzzier than ever, bliss weighing heavy in your bones as your breathing steadied. Filled with post-orgasmic content, the idea of fleeing that seemed so wonderful just an hour ago now sounded distasteful, your body comfortable lying on the silken sheets, pressed between your two lovers. As you faded into a blissful sleep, you could hear the pair talking lowly, making plans to keep you here with them in hushed voices.

 ─── ・°* ﾟ✧:* • ｡ﾟ:*･☽･*: ｡ﾟ•*:✧ ﾟ*°・ ───

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so sorry if that was rushed at the end!! hope you enjoyed, and Happy Halloween!! be safe out there <3

➥ masterlist

𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 © 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐩𝐢 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝.

[sandpumpkin]

Written for the wonderful @burnthoneymint​​  ‘Come and play’ birthday event!

My prompt was ‘Person B gives Person A a gift, which is handmade because Person B couldn’t find anything Person A might like’ 

I am an idiot because I was in festive mode. I wrote more a christmas style gift o(╥﹏╥)o I didn’t realise until I was almost done. And now I’m worried..because I chose Family times rather than reader insert...you know I should check up on rules more frequently when I’m doing stuff like this. 

BUT here we are! 

Family Festivities

Toto Land was forever a hive of activity, with the homies bringing life to all matters of mundane objects and the townsfolk being genuinely lively and jolly people and with the ever changing scenery. When seasons changed so did the local cuisine of the islands. Food changed to compliment the weather and so did the buildings. Gingerbread houses were re-decorated to fit the seasons and new chocolate statues erected to match. Autumn was the best season some would say, the rooftops were frosted with red, yellows and browns creating a myriad wave of sparkling ambers which represented the treetops. Smells of pumpkin pies, apple strudels, cinnamon buns and with the milder weather casserole and stews flowed through the air of the towns. 

During the seasonal changes, Katakuri made an extra round to ensure everything was following smoothly. 

The most chaotic time of year was the switch between Autumn and Winter. The end of year festivals were fast approaching and everything had to be bright, bold and spectral, if they wanted to win the best decorated island award. Katakuri towered over the townsfolk who all greeted him pleasantly as he walked by. The smell of freshly baked mince pies and fruit cake filled his nose. “Minister please, take this.”

“Sir and this.” 

He always ended up with so many new snacks and treats to try, he often sent guards back ladened with boxes of biscuits, pies and cakes. 

Katakuri had a terrible sweet tooth, as did most of his family. He appreciated the change in flavours, complimentary hot drinks that paired well with these desserts made him look forward to his  Meriendas even more but with the extra patrols and work, his meriendas were fewer and far between which did not do well for his mood. 

The only downside to this time of year were his siblings: notably the younger ones.

The gifts he receives from siblings which feel thoughtless, bought for the sake of vying for attention and favour from him. All the same gifts of food. Which usually he wouldn’t mind but the gifts were simply bragging rights for the siblings: who bought the biggest present, whose gift was grander, more delicious. Katakuri appreciated the gifts none-the-less not letting the sweets go to waste but some things he couldn’t enjoy their flavour or texture knowing how little thought had been put into purchasing them. 

Another long day was coming to an end, the sun had started to set behind the winter themed rooftops and candy snow began to fall. Katakuri was feeling the hungry pangs from missing not one but two snack times, but the problems just hadn’t persisted today. Sighing deeply, he crossed a bridge over a river of mint syrup.

“Brother! Brother Katakuri.” he was met at the other side by Brulee, it was rare to see her out of the forest she secluded herself in. 

“Brulee, is there a problem?” he questioned. She shook her head and smiled warmly at him. The scar across her face always stabbed him in the heart, a scar caused by him and yet she bore him no ill will. If there was anyone Katakuri trusted in Toto land, it would be Brulee. With siblings being at each other's throat for one thing and another, it was nice and relaxing to have someone that genuinely cared. She produced a large package from one of her mirrors. It was wrapped in bright pink wrapping, tied together with black ribbon and a delicate bow on the top. 

“Here.” she said, holding out the gift for him to take. 

Katakuri took the package with one hand, the wrapping crinkling loudly under his grip. He stared at the package vacantly for a moment before looking up at his eagerly awaited sister “May I open it?” he questioned, it wasn’t quite the day for opening presents yet. 

“Of course. I hope you like it.” she said, watching him excitedly. Katakuri tugged at the bow and teared open the wrapping paper. The feeling of shock ran through him, he pulled out a long hand knitted chunky scarf in black and pink to match his usual wear. 

“To keep you warm dear brother.” Katakuri held the scarf carefully in his hands feeling the soft wool it was made out of, smiling beneath his spiky scarf. He glanced up briefly from the scarf and noticed all the plasters around her fingers, she had sustained such injuries making him a gift and he hadn’t gotten her anything in return. 

I am truly no better than my brothers. 

 Sensing no one nearby, Katakuri removed his scarf quickly, handing it to Brulee as he promptly and carefully wrapped her scarf around his neck making sure it was secure around his face. His eyes widen in well hidden surprise. He instantly felt warmer from the evening chill, he had had his usually black and white scarf for quite some time and it was probably not as well insulating as it used to be.

“Do you like it?” she asked, nervously awaiting his verdict.

Katakuri nodded “It’s warm.” he replied simply, “I didn’t- I didn’t get-”

Brulee laughed “you needn’t get me anything in return dear brother, that's not why I made it.”

Katakuri felt a little ashamed, she had always been there supporting him even if it was his fault she was scared. What can I offer in return? What can match this kind of gift?

Taking a quiet deep breath, Katakuri scratched the back of his head “Will you join me for my Merienda?” he felt like it wasn’t nearly good enough to thank her for such a gift  “I have too many new treats to sample from the townsfolk.” he rambled. 

When was the last time I allowed someone to see me eat?

“I would love to dear brother.” Brulee smiled brightly “I have some delicious peppermint chocolates that Pudding made too.”

“Thank you.” he said, his hand reaching to linger on the soft scarf “I don’t deserve something this precious.”

“You do.” Brulee stated firmly, almost a scolding tone to her voice “You keep us so safe, you look out for all of us siblings. I just wish I could do more to help you.” Brulee smiled, “thank you, dear brother.”

Katakuri closed his eyes as he smiled under his scarf. He rested a hand on top of Brulee’s purple hair “you do more than enough already.” the siblings headed back through the town enjoying the sights and smells that often reminded them of simpler times when they could just be children and everything was a little more magical.

Maybe one day. One day all of us siblings can enjoy a moment like this. 

[the-goddess-of-mischief-writing]

꧁Midnight Masquerade꧂

Description; A masquerade becomes the perfect time for a monster to stalk its prey. But what if the heroine knows the villan?

Pairing: Pietro x reader

Rating: Mature

CHAPTER NO/ONESHOT: Oneshot

Word count; 3.230

Warnings; Kinda entering the thriller genre, a bit of fluff (?)

Author; @the-goddess-of-mischief-writing

A/N: So this is my little piece in @sdavid09 halloween's challenge and I had the prompts "Scooby Doo" and M.J's "Thriller". Though this isn't only an entry in the challenge, but also my way of introducing a new character I'm going to start writing for. I took a new and kinda differente approach with this fic, so this isn’t how I characteristically write and honestly I don't really now how it turned out. Maybe I'll do a part two or just leave it as this is, we'll see. Nevertheless, hope you enjoy this little work xx

MASTERLIST

Autumn. From where you came the season didn't bring much more than chilled temperatures that nipped at every part of your body, no matter how much or little clothes you wore for the time of year. The only thing differing it from the snowy winter though was the colours. Leaves painted in every colour between green and red, making the forest look as if it was on fire. The otherwise dull coloured buildings, speaking of an ill-favoured state, blended together with the third season of the year, as the smell of earth and heaviness of rain was present. 

Those scents reminded you of your home more than ever as you now walked through the mist coating the streets outside. Goosebumps spread across your body as the wind ruffled the leaves enough for them to fly. A curse left you as you hugged the coat closer around your body, damning the wind for penetrating your scant pieces of clothes for the season. As well as your friends, for the night stroll that you now needed to take.

"Miss, your costume is pretty", the tiny voice surprised you to a stop. As the masquerade mask covering your face also entered your outermost vision, you need to tilt your head downwards to find the owner of it. As soon as you did, you saw a little girl standing there, with illuminated wings and brightly coloured clothes. Her face was painted as well, but unlike yours which aimed to look somewhat regal, it accentuated the costume she was clad in.

"Oh, uhh thank you", you mumbled, unsure if the little girl heard you as another gust of wind fittingly blew by, although seemingly she did. With nothing but a giggle in return and a bright smile, she skipped away to catch up with her mother, who had stopped not far behind you as she noticed her daughter wasn't with her.

You followed the pair for a few seconds, unable to not notice a few dozen other people roaming the streets as well. It seemed that everyone below the age of fifteen was out and about in silly costumes, knocking on each door of the houses in the scary decorated neighbourhood.

The ghosts, mummies, fairies and other creatures and costumes were what reminded you that the outfit you felt was bothersome walking around in, looked unusually modest. Aside from the black lace mask covering your face, there wasn't much more which differed your outfit from any other party clothes.

You sighed, continuing forward to reach the new place your friends said they meet you at, while in the background hearing voices gleefully exclaiming trick or treat. Everything reminded you that here, autumn didn't only bring a change of season, but Halloween as well. You were not used to it, in fact, you had never experienced it until now.

"Hey Y/N!" Along with the call of your name, came the honking of a car and if you hadn't recognised the voice, the rapid sound would have helped you figure out that it was your friends.

"Oh stop it you pest!" You shouted back, laughter lacing your tone, at the man behind the wheel.

"Won't stop until you're in this car missy!" You openly laughed at the way Jake, from his position in the driver seat, leaned closer to the open window on the passenger side to holler at you.

"Can't you see I'm on my way", you answered, almost entering a jog to reach the car to stop his irritation of the whole neighbourhood.

Thanks to your hurried steps, you soon jumped in the backseat, though the person already sitting there didn't give you much time to close the door behind you before throwing themselves at you. Automatically you encircled them, naturally knowing who it was by their display.

"I see you went for the devil after all", you said, regarding the brunette opposite you as you parted. Noticing she matched her deep red glitter dress with devil horns, while a red mask covered her upper face.

"Seeing as we aren't going to the ordinary college party, I thought I could try a classic in a different style".

"Stop lying to yourself Lily, we all know you picked that dress because it made your butt look good", turning to meet you from the passenger seat was Emma, a short-haired blonde.

"And perhaps that's the second reason", Lily stated, though before any further comments could be made, you felt the jolt of the car as it jumped forward.

"Anyways, welcome to the Mystery Machine", Jake said excitedly, though you couldn't miss the blonde rolling her eyes at her boyfriend's comment.

"He's waited to say that since we began heading here", you chuckled at the way she said it, an act that only grew when she swatted his shoulder after a smart comment he made.

"Hey, hey! Don't hit the driver, right Y/N?" You glanced up to meet Jake's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"I want to arrive at our destination and survive, so perhaps don't hit the driver, which for further information, also is your boyfriend Em".

"If anything that gives me the right to", she said sarcastically, which made him make a pouty face and lean in to kiss her. With a giggle, one that made you smile at their exchange, she pushed his head away while saying eyes on the road.

Although the ride was anything but short, your company and their storytelling of previous Halloween's, made the journey pass quickly. Soon enough, you pulled up to the estate-like property, already filled with cars and people flowing through the entrance.

"Geez, they really went all out this year", Jake's eyes strayed from searching for a parking spot for a few seconds to eye the bustle outside. You heard Emma mutter a there, showcasing an empty lot for you to take which her partner immediately headed for.

"When don't they go all out", Lily shrugged before continuing " Though this year you made a valid effort to match the theme, compared to earlier", Lily gestured to the hair Jake had coloured green for the night and the black tailcoat he wore. The man addressed was momentarily busy parking the car, so he only hummed as recognition to her words, but if he gave any further affirmation once it rocked to a stop, you didn't know as you hurriedly opened the car door.

Once stepping out, your mouth dropped open, before a gleeful smile took over. You heard the chatter of people passing by and watched their choice of clothes, the cocktail-dress code for the masquerade impossible to miss.

"You look like an eager puppy", you hadn't noticed the rest stepping out of the vehicle, but Emma's word you heard. Turning around you saw how she had matched the Joker her boyfriend dressed as. Patch-work jumpsuit in black and red followed her body, mask a bit more excessive then both your own and Lily's, as her face was covered in a joker masquerade mask.

"Don't tease her Harley, I'm the Joker for the night", Jake had come up to draw her close to his side, half of his face hidden behind a grinning mask.

"With jokes like that, I'm going to dump you".

"I know you won't", he said, the banter between them continuing as they took the lead towards the house, you and Lily following behind them. You felt exhilaration starting to pump through your veins and your mask gliding up as you couldn't contain a smile. Your undivided attention made the man following you with his gaze, go unnoticed.

You felt how the dress stuck to your skin as you made your way out from the dancing crowd. Since you arrived, you and your friends had busied yourselves with drinking and dancing. Up until this moment you hadn't parted from each other, though the suffocating atmosphere now prompted you too. You excused yourself to get through the crowd, knowing the exit to the garden was on the other side of the mass.

It didn't take long until you got to the door and opened it, doing so you were met by a cold autumn gust. Although it was probably barely noticed by those inside, you felt it envelop you like a counterproductive blanket. The sensation made a shaky sigh escape you, a sound which was swallowed by the noise of the door closing. Hugging your form your eyes closed momentarily, taking in how your bodily temperature steadily lowered. Something about it was comforting, feeling how the hotness disappeared though never fading to freezing. Even though you could hear the music from inside, it was nice fleeing it and the crowds for a few moments.

Taking a deep breath, you slowly opened your eyes while tipping your head backwards, following the fog the exhale then created. Not until it dissipated fully, did you refocus to watch the night sky. It seemed to be close to midnight if the full moon shining brightly from above was any sign to tell from. It cast a cold glow over the garden you stood by yourself in, that was what you had thought at least.

It caught you off guard, heart jumping as you hastily switched to look towards the source of movement in your peripheral. Far to your right, at the end of the patio, a man stood, almost hidden in the shadows. It was his dark grey suit, with few other lighter details, that made him blend so well against the wall of the house, yet the thing deceiving him was his hair. Light, almost verging silver, became a beacon of his presence, nearly as much as the shining mask hiding the majority of his face. His gaze had been heavily set on you the whole time since you noticed his presence and only thanks to this, could you see what the piece shielding his face resembled, a wolf.

As your eyes flickered up to meet his eyes, a pair you couldn't see but feel, you started to feel how the cold grew palpable. It was if the temperature dropped several degrees and a creeping feeling begun to spread in your body. It was then, instead of just having his head turned to you, his whole body did. However, the swift motion didn't stop there, as he didn't waste a second before walking towards you.

You couldn't read it as threatening, yet the way he closed the space between you without saying anything made you unsure. The door you had exited through was still nothing but a step away, as you hadn't ventured further from it, but you were paralysed. Even though you wanted, you couldn't move, merely stare at the man who already had crossed the halfway point to reach you.

It was when he started passing the windows, the flickering lights from inside illuminated his features enough for you to see him clearer. He was tall and well built as he moved with grace, although at the same time it seemed to be a restrained speed. You noticed a stubble on the visible part of his jaw, yet before you reached his eyes, you blinked and when looking towards him again, your jaw dropped.

He was gone.

There was no trace of him even being there in the first place. You started to doubt your sanity while stepping forward. That was when you felt it, a hand on your shoulder. Frightened you jerked away from it, scream dying in your throat as it closed from the sheer panic wrecking throughout your body. However, instead of being met by a silver wolf, you saw a shocked devil.

"It looks like you've seen a ghost", your hand was still placed over your heart and you felt it race from the jump-scare you just got. A relived, albeit airy, chuckle left you seeing Lily stand there, eyebrows scrunched at your reaction.

"From how you appeared from nowhere, I might as well have done it", you tried joking. Earning a laugh told you that you succeeded.

"Well you disappeared, so I came looking for you", you smiled, ever the caretaking friend she was.

"I needed to cool down, too sweaty with the crowd inside".

"Understandable, but you better come inside again", she reached for your hand, about to make you follow her, but not before exclaiming "God women, your freezing!" You wanted to laugh at her outburst, although the uneasy feeling in your stomach of being watched irked you to look behind you instead. As expected, no one was there.

From that moment and onwards, you couldn't let go of what happened. The man had disappeared into thin air, something you couldn't find any explanation to. Though that was not everything, ever since then, you felt observed. The feeling of having a glare in the back of your neck never ceased, yet every time you turned, you couldn't find anyone looking your way. It made an uneasy feeling settle in your body, but you tried pushing it away, knowing your easily spooked mind most possibly played a part in the trick your brain now played on you.

You had since then also joined the dancing crowd, at the moment throwing your head backwards, singing along the lyrics. You moved along the bodies, eyes closed to delve into the sensation of letting go. Even though you hadn't touched a drink since returning inside, you had had a few glasses earlier. Not enough to lose your reason, but plenty for renewed energy to develop.

Suddenly you felt how someone bumped you, harsher than acceptable even for the setting you were in, to which your eyes shot open. You were to turn around and tell the person off, yet something else caught your eye. Through the crowd, you could see him again. Silver mask reflecting the neon lights, yet none reached his eyes. You blinked, but in the second people had moved in the way and he was gone.

"This can't be real", you shook your head, though it was then you felt the burning feeling of eyes on you once more. This time you didn't hesitate to start turning in a circle to find the onlooker and when you did your eyes widened.

You had turned the opposite way of how you originally stood, something which would've taken minutes to walk. No matter if you walked through the dancing crowd, or around it. Yet there he was. The quickening of your pulse wasn't noticeable, not until the music started to fade to give room for the pounding in your ears that was. As heads began clouding the vision of him again, you tried to peer around them, as well as standing on your toes. Still, you lost him a second time.

It felt like someone played with you by now or you were going insane. At that instance, as it was triggered by your thought, you felt your body stiffen and straighten. Your body was hot, but you felt a coldness spread from your core. You recognised where the feeling came from, horrified you slowly turned to look the way it came. His mask shone in the dark, yet you could see nothing besides from it, the rest of him drenched in darkness.

"This can't be real, this can't be real", you uttered to yourself while turning and exiting the crowd and continuing down one of the corridors.

You knew Halloween was the night of terror, but never had you thought you would end up in a thriller. There must be a reason for everything, you thought, yet you had no explanations of the events you had witnessed.

Continuing to move forward, you heard the music fade behind you and your steps echo filling the silencing space instead. The empty space resonated each of your heavy steps loudly, the thought almost stopped you. There was no way your heels would give away that deep and loud of a noise. Intensely you listened, noticing how the sound followed yours perfectly, hitting the ground with the pace of your soles, making it sound like a further echo of yours. But it wasn't, someone else walked behind you.

The growing panic quickly crossed the threshold of fear, making you bolt. You zoned out, only focusing on putting as much distance between you and whatever was behind you that was humanly possible. You didn't dare look back, only held your gaze fastened on the door of the toilet, which had been your original goal.

It felt like the distance never ceased then all of a sudden, your shoulder connected to de door, while hand turned the handle, making you crash trough it. You stagger into the polished room, still not forgetting the door was wide open behind you. With all your weight you threw yourself at it, fingers finding the lock as soon as it closed with an echoing bang.

Your breath had turned shallow, shaking att both in and exhale. In a futile attempt, you tried holding your breath to silence the sound of your breathing. You stared at the door, attempting to hear if whatever chased you still was outside or worse, trying to break in. You realised that if it succeeded, there was nowhere left to run. However, besides your ragged breaths, it was silent, almost to silent.

It was then the impossible happened, you felt a cold hand wrap around your wrist. A choked sound was the only possible noise able to leave you. Biting your lip, you tried to quite the cry that wanted to escape, as well as your tears which were threateningly close.

You prayed this was your imagination, but you knew it wasn't as you felt the one being behind you step closer. You didn't need to turn to feel the looming feeling, which made you insignificantly curl into yourself.

"Y/N", unprepared for the sound of a voice, a whimpered left you, while you covered into yourself further. Your fear clouded your thoughts and not until his voice had echoed in your head multiple times did you realise, you knew that voice.

Though fear still gripped you, you slowly turned, eyes wide as you saw the mass of a man now standing before you. It was impossible to see anything more than his form in the dark, so you reached behind you, fumbling to find the light switch. Flickering to life the sudden source of light blinded you momentarily, though as soon as your eyes had adjusted, you looked at him once more.

Though his mask still covered most of his features, the light revealed many traits you hadn't seen before. His hair, which you had thought was silver, was dark brown at the roots, matching the stubble covering his jaw. The blue of his eyes shone from the cuts in his mask, seemingly crinkled in the corners. That was when you recognised him.

You recognised those blue eyes which you had gazed into so many times before. Those blues that could shift from shining brightly, to dangerously opaque. The ones you had left when moving from Sokovia, from him.

It was like he was bound, thus as you reached towards him, he stood perfectly still. You found the laces to his mask easily and with a few tugs, the tie loosened and the disguise fell from his face, hitting the floor with an unbothered cling.

"Pietro"

Taglist; @flowerchild1216 @haven-in-writing @krystallynx​ @sdavid09​

[succubusphan]

Rain

Summary: When their dinner date gets ruined, the boys need to find a way to make it work.

Rating: G

Tags/warnings: Slice of Life, Introspection, Domestic Fluff, very mild angst.

Word Count: 2.9k

A/n: This was written in collaboration with my friend @schnaf!!! Thank you joining me in this crazy project and making it so much fun to write! may the next time not take us as long (lmao).

Read on ao3

‘Oh no. This can’t be true.’

Dan walks towards the window and pushes the curtain aside gently, looking up to the grey sky with a frown. A light drizzle starts to fall and he can’t contain a disappointed sigh. He runs his fingers through his hair, leaving it more wild than it had been. This was not supposed to happen. After being hauled up inside for so long due to quarantine they had decided to have a beautiful romantic dinner under the stars - in the comfort of their own balcony - but it seems like the weather forecast had been wrong again. ‘Awesome.’

All of a sudden, there are hands on his waist. Arms around him. A body behind Dan’s. Phil’s voice right next to his ear. “You look like a grumpy old farmer. What’s the matter?”

Dan leans back. For one moment, he closes his eyes, just enjoying being close to Phil, just taking in his warmth. Hey, he could just focus on that, that’s pretty nice too. But… It’s not what they planned. He sighs. “Look.” No more words needed - Phil just needs to look outside. The trees are rustling in the wind, moving forward, moving backward. Little dots are turning the grey wood dark, drop by drop by drop. Not the best setting for a dinner outdoors.

Phil sighs just as he did. “We can still make it work,” he says, pressing a kiss to Dan’s cheek and tightening his embrace for a moment. “If you still want to.”

He always does that. He tries to find the positive in every situation, not letting Dan sink into the darkness that his mind can be sometimes, but he doesn’t push - at least not more than he knows Dan can handle. He likes to remind Dan that he has a choice. That he can be sad sometimes, that he can give up on a day without being judged by his partner. “Of course, I was looking forward to your amazing cooking skills.” He snickers as Phil tickles his tummy, trying to move away from him, but damn, Phil forced him into a corner, blocking the way out with his body. Dan squirms, but Phil is relentless. Only when Dan begs for mercy, Phil lets go of him.

Dan catches his breath, then he turns around to face him and -

Ah, shit. He really did pick an attractive boyfriend, he can’t help but notice over and over again and looking at Phil right now… his hair is a mess, it probably already was even before his attack, but Dan’s struggles to break free didn’t exactly help. His cheeks have turned red, he’s still out of breath, but he’s smiling and he’s so giddy and happy and -

Oh, how lovely it would be to take this man out on a date. Even if “out” only meant their balcony. But no, the weather gods had other things in mind. Other things, like putting some dark clouds over London and some in Dan’s head.

And still, Phil managed to make him laugh.

“Thank you,” Dan mumbles, pressing his forehead into Phil’s shoulder with a small smile on his lips.

Phil presses a kiss to the top of his head with a sigh. “Thank you.” Phil grabs Dan’s hand and brings it to his lips.

Dan feels breathless. Phil is not a man of many words, but they don’t need them to communicate. Dan knows exactly what he is saying because it’s what he keeps repeating to him: ‘Thank you for being you, thank you for being with me, thank you for all these years.’ Sometimes it’s hard to accept those words, so Phil tends to leave them unsaid, but they know. “Love you,” he whispers without looking up.

“Love you too,” Phil says softly, but before Dan can even kiss him, Phil smirks and slaps  Dan’s ass, breaking all sort of romantic energy in an instant. “Go get fancy while I take care of dinner.” 

Dan rolls his eyes at Phil, but he decides to spare him the scolding. Instead, he nods and leaves in the direction of the bedroom.

An hour later finds Dan fully dressed, hair still wet from the shower and Phil attempting to whistle as he cuts a good amount of veggies to put onto the pan. 

Dan leans on the kitchen island, watching him try to arrange everything neatly over the stove when a lightning makes them both look in the direction of the balcony. “Shit,” he says but before he can add anything else, the thunder finally lands, making the entire building shake. And then, just like that they are standing in a dark kitchen.

“Phil?”

It’s not like he’d gone completely blind. Their lights may have gone out, but it’s not fully dark outside yet. There’s a faint glow coming from outside that is only obscured by the clouds as they rush past the moon. Dan still can see silhouettes, he still can see Phil a few feet away from him. Yet, it’s his first instinct to reach out for him.

No objection from Phil’s side. “Yep. Over here.”

“Well, then - move your ass this way.” Dan orders him, a grin on his face. Of course, he doesn’t wait for Phil to rescue him, of course he moves towards him at the same time. They meet in the middle of the kitchen island, Dan takes Phil’s hand immediately.

“Is the power out?” Dan asks. Now that they’re so close he can even make out Phil nodding.

“Seems like it. Wait -” Phil reaches behind him, trying out the light switch. Dan can hear the little click, but - nothing happens.

He thinks back to the Manchester flat, their first home together. They had learned many things about being grown ups there. One of the first lessons had been: ‘always check if your neighbors have power during a black out.’

With a tentative hand running on the counter as he walks, Dan silently guides Phil towards the window. The light drizzle they had seen before has evolved into pouring rain. The London sky is pitch black save for the moonlight. “Fuck,” he says, pressing his forehead to the glass. “What now? We can’t cook without power.”

“Well,” Phil looks out the window towards the grill. “I have an idea.”

Dan follows his line of sight and frowns. “You are not cooking outside in the rain, Lester.” 

“It will be fine!” Phil says, already turning his phone light on and marching in the direction of the bedroom. 

Dan follows him with a huff. “Phil,” he stomps his foot like a toddler. He knows he looks ridiculous but he doesn’t care - besides, Phil can’t actually see him. 

“Aha!” Phil says holding up his shoes. “Get some candles that don’t smell absolutely horrendous together. We are having a candlelit dinner.” 

“Fine, but I don’t want you cooking in the fucking rain! What if you get struck by a thunder?” 

“I’m not cooking outside, so I won’t. Don’t worry about it.” Phil says, pointing his phone light towards his own face to show an evil little smirk.

Dan huffs and flashes his own light into each of the dresser drawers and finds two autumn themed candles. ‘It will have to do.’ He turns around when he hears Phil rush past him. ‘I’ll kill him. I’ll divorce him, and then I’ll kill him.’

As he returns to the lounge, he finds the balcony door open and Phil pulling the grill towards him, leaving it right on the limit with their living room. “What are you doing?”

“I’m setting the fire, putting everything in with the lid and staying inside.” Phil smiles, clearly proud of himself for having such a good idea. 

“You are … mental.” Dan shakes his head fondly.

Phil crosses his arms with a laugh and wiggles his eyebrows. “Or am I a genius?”

Dan shoves him gently. “Definitely mental.”

Phil tries to wink but fails miserably. “Let’s get this show on the road. You set the candles and the table while I cook.” He slaps Dan’s ass again.

“Keep the smoke outside - if you can get it going that is.”

Phil rolls his eyes at him. “Anything for you, babe.”

Thus, they both set off. Dan takes care of the table as Phil told him, shooting a glance at his cook every now and then. He’s doing surprisingly well - sure, the maniac laugh when he manages to light the fire is a bit concerning but well, that’s Dan signed up for when he doubted Phil’s glorious idea, apparently. Not half an hour later he can smell the vegetables and damn, his mouth is watering. Now if Phil could hurry up… He’s hungry.

It doesn’t take that much longer until Phil is ready to serve his creation. There’s a tiny little curse when he tries to put the grilled vegetables on a plate; another, this time more audible curse when he almost stumbles over a cable on the floor, but then he reaches the candlelit table. Dan inspects the plate’s content while Phil sits down opposite of him.

“Wow. Looks amazing,” Dan admits without shame. Sure, he was poking fun at Phil before, he also was actually worried about him messing up, but… He’s really happy with the final result and not ashamed to let Phil know.

Phil grins at him, the proud smile of - a cook? No, it’s more than that. It’s the proud smile of a cook who just saved his starving boyfriend. “Yeah, right?” But then, his expression softens and he reaches out to take Dan’s hand.

“I know. It isn’t a romantic dinner under the stars. And a candlelight dinner would be more romantic if we weren’t forced to do it. But still… Better than nothing, isn’t it?” Phil asks and Dan looks at him, at his caring smile and -

He sighs. “I was quite the drama queen, hm?”

Complaining about the circumstances whereas Phil took matters into his own hands… Damn, he feels actually bad about it. Phil looked forward to this evening just as much as he did but he had to deal with Dan’s mood on top of the weather problems.

Phil just shrugs. “You were upset. But rightfully so. As long as you’re happy now…”

Dan lifts his head. Phil’s smile is so sincere… It’s okay. Everything is okay. Things didn’t go according to plan but hey, they’re here, they’ve got some food and most of all, they’ve got each other.

Could be worse.

So instead of assuring Phil he’s alright, Dan decides to prove it. He leans over, picking up a bottle he placed under the table before. The dark liquid sloshes backwards and forwards, clearly visible behind the green glass. “Got us some wine. Should be a good match.”

Phil’s face lights up - it turns into a giggle when Dan tries to hold the bottle like a beauty YouTuber trying to present an oversized eyeliner. The giggle is still in his voice when he comments on Dan’s surprise. “Awesome. That’s just what I need right now. See? Told you we’re going to be alright.”

“Of course we will, Bub. We always are.”  Dan pours them both a glass and raises his for a toast. “To us, to our story and our future.”

Phil clinks Dan’s glass with a smile. “To your talent, your heart…” he pauses for effect, “and that perfect ass.”

Dan snorts and dips his fingers in the wine, flicking some directly onto Phil’s face. “I hate you.”

“Ah! Bitch!” Phil wipes his face with one of their white napkins in retaliation; he knows Dan will have a fit about later. “I hate you more,” he says sweetly.

Dinner is over in a flash. The power is still out, but their hearts are happy and their tummies are full of Rosé, so when Phil proposes to relocate to the piano, Dan doesn’t object. They bring the candles along with them and after placing them around the piano, Dan takes a seat and presses the button to turn it on.

“Any song requests?” He asks Phil, placing his fingers on the keys. Ah, he really doesn’t want to get sappy, but… He likes that feeling. The moment when you’re about to start making music…

“I’ll take whatever you pick.” Phil appears right behind him, apparently kneeling because he wraps his arms around Dan’s waist, resting his head on Dan’s shoulders.

Dan turns his head to look at him. “I don’t know if I can play if you’re clinging to me.”

There’s no expression of guilt on Phil’s face. Quite the opposite - he tries to make it seem like Dan annoys him. His little giggle gives him away, though.

Still, he’s quite demanding. “Make it work.”

Well, if Phil insists… His fingers run along the keys without a thought. Then he starts playing  ‘Pyramid song’.

It just takes the first few notes for Dan to drift away. His fingers seem to move on their own, finding the correct keys right away because they’re so familiar with them, his head is silent - it’s as if the music swept away every single thought in his brain. It’s just him, the piano, the music - and Phil. Phil’s arms around him, Phil’s body pressed against his back, the steady lifting and lowering of his chest.

Then, Dan stops. Damn, he doesn’t know how to finish the song. He could go on for a bit, but he’d reach the point soon when he didn’t continue learning it 

And thus, the moment of peace is over.

It’s always been like that. Every other song he can think of, he never finished learning. That seems to be a constant in his life; the only constant besides Phil. 

Speaking of Phil: He gets up to sit beside him and places his hand on Dan’s, giving it a little squeeze. “Teach me.”

“Sure. I’m the best teacher in the world.”  he mumbles, his eyes still fixating on the keys. “I never finished learning any of the songs I play.”

“That’s not true,” Phil says matter-of-factly. “You learned the song for the tour.” 

Dan smiles - Phil’s right, he did. He just needs to remember that it’s ok to not finish every single project. Damn, he could never doubt his boyfriend, especially when he is looking at him like he is the most talented man on this planet. Dan knows that’s not the case but…

He doesn’t need to be; he is good enough. He can do this. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Ok, put your fingers here. No, wait.” He demonstrates the fingers placement for Phil. “Like this.” Phil adjusts his hands and Dan runs his fingers on his boyfriend’s softly. “That’s it, good.” Dan turns his head to look at his student, but Phil doesn’t return the gaze. He’s focused on his fingers, on the fingers placement Dan just taught him. Damn, he really wants to learn this - and moreover, Dan is actually able to teach him. Just like Phil let him know - he can do it.

Dan feels a pull in his stomach; he - he just can’t resist the urge. He leans over to kiss Phil on the cheek.

Now, Phil lifts his gaze. Just for a brief moment, just for a short smile, then he returns his attention back to the keys. And Dan does so too.

They play the song together quietly, Dan adjusting Phil’s fingers with a smile when he misses. 

Then, it gets bright all of a sudden. The lights turn back on, the fridge starts humming.

The power has returned, making them blink as they try to adjust their eyes. Phil removes his hands from the piano to reach for his long forgotten glass. “Well. That was nice.” he takes a sip of wine.

“Yeah.” Dan smiles, pouring himself a new glass and silently offering Phil a refill.

Phil hands him his glass. “Do you think we can get a piano for the house?”

“What’s wrong with this one?” Dan’s eyebrows disappear into his hair as he returns the glass.

Phil shakes his head. “Nothing, I just thought you would prefer a more traditional one. Like the one in the old apartment.”

Dan sips on his wine and hums. “It’s not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all, along with a gas stove.”

“Ah, probably.” Phil smiles. “But I did make the grill work.”

“I never doubted you.”

Phil pokes Dan’s stomach. “You did, you’re just saying that because you were wrong.”

“Of course not, I was only joking, Bub,” Dan says with fake innocence.

Phil squints his eyes but finally lets it go. “As long as we continue the piano lessons in the new place…”

‘Okay, okay, game over.’ How could he insist on keeping up the bant when he feels so giddy all of a sudden? If he can’t keep himself from smiling like a fool? “Of course.”

It doesn’t matter if their date nights get rained on. It doesn’t matter that he’s not the best pianist in the world, or if he can’t always keep the darkness at bay.

In the end, it will always be just the two of them. Phil will always be his companion through life; even if he ends up burning the house at one point or another.

[hermionecorfields]

As Alibi’s new series We Hunt Together airs tonight, Hermione Corfield confesses all on nature versus nurture, why this crime drama is really a love story and how she learnt to love reality TV.                                                        

By Laura Rutkowski, Staff Writer

Writer Gaby Hull has a knack of taking cat-and-mouse stories and turning them on their head. Last year, we described her ITV drama Cheat as a “stand-off between two cats”. With her latest series, We Hunt Together, plenty more traps are set (for mice – literally – and for people), with the “characters trying to one up each other and catch the other one out”, says star Hermione Corfield (Rust Creek).

Hermione plays “hustler” Freddy Lane, otherwise known as “premium girl” Zara Thustra, who works in the sex industry, operating hotlines and attending paid-for dates set up through so-called dating apps. As one of her dates is about to assault her, Babeni “Baba” Lenga (Dipo Ola, Baghdad Central) steps in and beats him up.

But this story is not as cut-and-dried as it seems and it certainly spits in the face of the “damsel-in-distress” trope. Freddy is out for blood and has a “set of ideals she strongly believes, whether they’re illegal or not”, whereas Baba is a former child soldier, with the “ability to kill engrained in him”. And that’s exactly what Freddy later enlists Baba to do – to kill her attacker.

Hermione says director Carl Tibbetts explained early on that he didn’t “want the scene in the alleyway to be the whole reason why she commits that killing. It’s got to be in her core to want to commit a crime like that”. Freddy is cunning, charming and deftly glib when DI Jackson Mendy (Babou Ceesay, Guerrilla) and DS Lola Franks (Eve Myles, Torchwood) come knocking to question her about the crime.

While shows including Killing Eve and The Fall operate under the detective/criminal dynamic, We Hunt Together offers “a study into four different psyches”. The two couples, one involved in a work partnership and the other embroiled in a True Romance-style relationship, are fundamentally dysfunctional. “However unconventional,” Hermione says, “it is a love story.” She adds, “Crime and murder are almost the background noise to the individual struggles.”

We Hunt Together tosses around that age-old question of nature versus nurture and delivers a fresh perspective on the dilemma. For one, Jackson doesn’t believe people are masters of their fate, he believes they can’t control their actions – leading to the cheeriest inspector you’ve probably ever seen on TV.

So when the damaged do damage, does that mean it’s not really their fault? “There’s a degree of responsibility obviously and I’m not saying Freddy’s blameless at all, but a theme throughout is that everyone’s doing their best with the brain they’ve been given and the circumstances they’ve been given,” says Hermione.

As your mind grapples with that debate, get inside Hermione’s head with one of everything from the entertainment world that she’s loving right now.

TV show: Normal People

Find it in Catch Up > Channels > BBC iPlayer

It’s beautifully shot and brilliantly acted. It was such a deep one that I came away every single time emotionally exhausted. I’ve been waiting a long time for Succession season 3!

Box Set: Call My Agent!

Find seasons 1-3 on Netflix

It’s a French TV show and it’s about the ins and outs of a talent agency in France, trying to keep it afloat and people pinching each other’s clients. There are subtitles – I do speak French, but probably not well enough to close my eyes. I’d like to think I’m getting there.

Film: Ema

It’s not the Autumn de Wilde one [Emma, starring Anya Taylor-Joy]. It’s about a couple where an adoption goes wrong. It tears their household apart and the music is composed by Nicolás Jaar, who is one of my favourite artists. I re-watched The Grand Budapest Hotel. Wes Anderson films are such a comfort for me.

App: PictureThis

My newest app, which is kind of nerdy, is an app that can identify plants. You take a photo of a plant and it immediately identifies it. I’ve been doing some gardening and my garden has sprung up from stuff I planted two years ago. I forgot what I planted, so I’m going around working out what everything is.

Video game: The Sims 4

I don’t normally [play video games], but I’ve gotten into The Sims 4 again, which is one of the biggest time-eaters I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s a lot of fun, but that’s the only game I’ve ever played. It’s classic. I feel like everyone’s regressing into their childhood selves at the moment.

Podcast: Off Menu

Ed Gamble and James Acaster basically do a dream meal [with guests]. For news, I always listen to The Daily and Beyond Today. I enjoy journalistic narratives that take you through a story. The New York Times’ Caliphate is about this woman [Rukmini Callimachi] going to where ISIS strongholds used to be and collecting documents that have been left behind in bombed buildings.

I watched Tiger King, which was amazing, and I listened to the Wondery podcast of that ages ago. I really enjoy true crime ones, like The Dropout and The Shrink Next Door.

Documentary: For Sama

It’s about the fall of Aleppo and the Syrian War. Another one is Honeyland, which is about a woman in Macedonia who’s a beekeeper in the middle of nowhere. It’s such an amazing insight into a life you’d normally never see.

Guilty pleasure: Reality TV shows

Reality TV shows are definitely my guilty pleasure, because I do always feel significantly guilty when I’m watching them – for ages I’ve fought it. Film and TV is my job, so I guess there’s an element of it not being linked to my work and I can switch off.

I was in the States for a bit and I watched The Bachelor while I was there, which I’d never seen before. I do watch Love Island. It’s just people being people. It’s so interesting to see how people react in those scenarios. It’s like Big Brother in seven different forms.

When is Alibi’s We Hunt Together on TV?

We Hunt Together airs on Alibi/HD (CH 126/212) on Wednesdays at 10pm, with the first episode screening on 27 May. It is also available for 30 days in Catch Up > Channels > Alibi.

(Source/Font) HERE

[audreyprovostya]

Welcome back. I switched art programs; I went from photoshop to clip art studio (which I adore). But it sure didn’t adore me, since whenever I booted it up, the pen would lag like crazy! After a few weeks bouncing between sweet-talking and threatening my computer, and sometimes banging my head against my desk, I finally got it to work. It’s a tentative truce, but I’ll take it. I’m still getting the hang of it. 

This time, I’ve decided to review An Enchantment of Ravens, by Margaret Rogerson, a fantasy romance novel dealing with themes such as forbidden love, appearances, and humanity.  

The story centers around Isobel, who lives in a small town with her aunt and sisters where she earns money by painting portraits. But her paintings aren’t just for anyone; they are highly coveted by the fair folk; dangerous immortals versed in magic and trickery. Soon, Isobel must prepare herself when she receives her most dangerous client yet- Rook, the prince of the autumn court. But when she accidentally makes a mistake in the prince’s portrait, he drags her into the world of the fair folk to pay for her crimes. Along the way, they must rely on each other to survive, and the relationship that springs forth could prove far more dangerous than any other monster they might encounter.  

I inhaled this book. It took me only one day to read it because I was addicted. I so thoroughly enjoyed it that I’ve already added it to my list of favorites. There are many things to praise, starting with the most notable aspect of the story- the romance. 

At first glance, it seems typical enough for the genre; a regular human girl falls in love with a dark, mysterious, mystical guy. I happen to be a sucker for this trope, which is what drew me to read it, to begin with. But it goes beyond just that. Isobel is a generally likable character. She doesn’t fall prey to what most people would expect of female romance leads, who fall in love with their abusive and/or manipulative love interests. While Rook can be those things, they are presented as flaws, not reasons for why he’s attractive. It is through their interactions that the two become friends first; him by dropping his cruelty and her by dropping her defenses. Once the masks are off, then Isobel truly gets to know him, as opposed to when she thought she knew him, perhaps even loved him, earlier in the story. What’s more, she discovers and then accepts Rook’s imperfections. While he lets go of his beastly attitude, he still remains as such under the disguise he wears (I’m also a sucker for the beauty and the beast trope). It’s especially poignant that an artist who has spent most of her life recreating perfect beauty falls in love with someone who isn’t as such. Rook isn’t perfect. He’s more human than anything, and he learns to love that about himself because Isobel knows what true beauty really is. She sees Rook’s humanity. 

What I also really admired was Rogerson’s use of descriptive language. She creates an enchanted wood with a sinister side, and the images are so well articulated I can clearly see them in my mind’s eye. The Barrow Lord in particular was the most lovingly constructed monster I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about. She describes it as a hulking, lumbering creature with an unbalanced hobble, filled to the brim with fungi nesting like larvae in the sac of its stomach. One quote caught my eye- “Its flesh was the skin of a decomposing log, riddled with disease and fungus. It’s head, a hollow bark cave with two empty sockets from which a pair of mushroom cluster grew, wiggling about on long stalks with a life of their own” (Rogerson). This sentence pulled me out of the story, but only so I could properly admire it. It’s what writers do- we geek out over descriptions. Rogerson uses language like this often, especially to make beautiful comparisons that help build her characters. 

At the same time, I also was left wanting more to the story. More character development, more backstory, and more world-building. 

Firstly, I would have liked to see Isobel have a stronger emotional connection with her artwork. The story clearly states that being an artist is dangerous because of the fair folk, and she clearly takes the risk so she can protect her family after her parents were killed. I would have liked to see her experiencing more sadness, anger, or trauma from the experiences she had as a child, and how it would have affected her relationship with Rook and the painting she makes for him. 

The story also emphasizes craft as a uniquely human experience, and delving into the act of creating more could have wedged a poignant divide between Isobel and the fair folk she encounters, while bolstering her growing connection with Rook and the humanity they both share. 

Secondly, I was not a fan of the beginning of the book. I felt that it was too long. Isobel spends a lot of time with Rook painting his portrait, and the two are very friendly with each other over the few months it takes. It comes to the point that after she finishes and he leaves, she feels that she has fallen in love with him. It was clever, though, that Isobel’s mistake would put them at odds with each other enough to truly get to know one another. Perhaps Rogerson was trying to make a statement on the typical storylines of young adult romances by first emulating them, and then outright rejecting them. However, I felt that it wasn’t necessary to the overall plot. This part slowed the pacing of the book down a little too much, when I really wanted to get to the action. 

Next, I would have loved to see Rook’s court. Throughout a good portion of the book, Rook and Isobel pass through the different lands very quickly, and there isn’t a whole lot to see; they are literally walking through the woods, rather than experiencing fair folk society. We do finally get to see it in the spring court, which was wonderfully detailed. However, I would have liked to see Rook in his full power and authority; it wasn’t clear to me that he was one of the most powerful of his kind; a ruler, and thus expected to be a pinnacle of inhumanity. Not only that, but it would provide a great opportunity to explore his differences with his own kind. Rook spends most of his time with Isobel, so we don’t get to see all of the interesting rapport between him and the other characters. 

Lastly, I felt that there was wasted character potential in Hemlock, the huntress who was after Rook. It wasn’t clear to me why she was after him. At first, it was interesting, because the two seemed to have a deep history. However, it was never explored. Along those lines, much of Rook’s past wasn’t truly explored either. Rook wears a necklace that represents his previous love, also a mortal woman. This seems to be the source of Rook’s more human tendencies; what sets him apart from the other fair folk. However, not even her name is revealed. I would have loved to explore the nature of their past relationship and how it formed Rook’s character. 

Perhaps all these issues stem from a much larger need; the book should have been longer. I was so invested in knowing this world and these characters, but by the end, I was left wanting to know more about them. I think the story would have really benefited from being a series, rather than just a novel. The characters were so full of life, the romance was so honest and strong, and the world was so malevolent yet beautiful that I just hungered for more. Thus, I’m eager to read more of Rogerson’s work!

Author’s Website: http://www.margaretrogerson.com/