#luminosity’s masterlist

[dollyyun]

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟔.𝟏

SYNOPSIS: The mystery behind whoever orchestrated the incident has yet to unravel, and the very same incident is the start of the palpable rift in your relationship with the four leaders. Things get gradually worse, and problems after problems keep piling up, especially having discovered a shocking revelation that causes you to develop mistrust towards them, but at the same time, you are caught in a dilemma where your mind and heart are in dissonance. In spite of it all, your heart still desires for them — the ones whom you have given your heart and soul to.

PAIRING: non!idols enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), semi-college au, adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WORD COUNT: 24.7k

WARNINGS: mentions of christianity, profanities, explicit themes, dramas, angst, sexual assault, coercion, violence, blood, mention of death, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, lots of crying, dubcon theme, smut.

PLAYLIST: Disturbia - Rihanna, Animals - Maroon 5, RUNRUNRUN - Dutch Melrose, Gods & Monsters - Lana Del Rey, Poker Face - Lady Gaga, The Heart Wants What It Wants - Selena Gomez, Church - Chase Atlantic, Right Here - Chase Atlantic, Circles - Post Malone, Kiss It Better - Rihanna.

PREV (PART 5) | NEXT (PART 6.2) ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

-smut warnings under cut:

smut warnings: unprotected sex (no!), meandoms!heejake, name calling, degradation, manhandling, mild bondage, blowjob, fingering, pussy slapping, edging, crying, squirting, creampies, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, threesome (kinda).

An excruciating pain plummeting into your head precipitously pulls you out of the dreamless slumber, drawing out a wince from your lips, while the gradual return of your consciousness enables you to feel an indescribable affliction that aches tremendously in every part of your body.

You force your heavy eyelids to pry open, and once you do, your vision slowly adjusts to the red neon luminosity that provides a dim setting of your surroundings before you finally gain clear-sightedness, in which the view beholds stagger you. Though you remain immobilised with your cheek pressed onto the floor, you are acutely aware that there are dozens of mirrors ahead of you.

Soon, the confusion fuzzing your head is eclipsed by fear, impelling you to hasten away, but even the simple task of lifting a limb exhausts you as your body feels like it weighs a ton. You can feel your immobilised body shivering from the sheer coldness despite being adorned in a wool cardigan, denoting the protracted duration of your unconscious arrival at this unknown place.

As you remain motionless on the numbing hard ground, questions begin to surface in your muddling mind ─ who was responsible for knocking you out cold ruthlessly and why have they brought you to this place? Most importantly, what did you do wrong to deserve this?

For a moment, you nearly fall tempted to concede defeat and succumb to the inviting darkness that threatens to consume you once more, but when you immediately spot your phone just a reach from your outstretched arm, determination sparks in your eyes before you decide to rally every strength and courage from your inner core. The next thing you know, you force your upper body to rise from the ground despite the incessant aches.

You quickly retrieve your phone while silently thanking whoever is your kidnapper for being foolish enough to leave your phone with you, be it intentionally or not. Your eyes are fixed intently on the phone screen while your trembling fingers are trying their utmost to remain cooperative with the firm resolution to call the first person that comes to mind.

“Come on.” You mutter to yourself as you press on Yunjin’s contact, desperation lacing in your tone before the sheer disbelief comes forth as you are unable to reach out to her because of the deficient network, possibly due to the location you are at. 

You try again as you raise your phone a little higher in hopes of gaining a better signal, and this time, you attempt to reach out to Wonyoung, Karina, and even the four men who no doubt will come to your rescue. A glimmer of hope tingles in your chest at the moment you are able to reach Jake as the signal stabilises, just nearly, but disruption returns before he could even answer your call.

You refrain from erupting into waterworks as you tuck your phone inside your pocket. Refusing to remain a damsel in distress any longer, the firm resolution morphs into one that has you miraculously regaining vitality as you find yourself rising from the ground, now standing on your feet. You curl your slightly trembling fingers into a fist, grasping the courage that fuels your determination to save yourself from whatever possible imminent loom before it gets you.

Swallowing enough spit to moisturise your parched throat, you begin the first step to your escapade venture with the intention to find any doors that lead to the exit, but as your eyes wander to the mirrors that no doubt provide illusions and tricks, your determination falters as you find yourself questioning your perception and sense of reality altogether, especially as you reach out to touch the cold surface of the mirror before you can even carelessly bump into it.

You retract your hand, your eyes darting to your surroundings, which only daunt you further due to the unknown labyrinth filled with infinite reflections and endless hallways. Your chin wobbles and your breaths go slightly uneven as you grapple with maintaining equanimity while the panic expands in your chest painfully. How are you even going to find your way out of here?

Still, you advance forward with your arms latching around your figure to provide a semblance of security in an attempt to alleviate your inner turmoil, while the hauntingly cold atmosphere only feels progressively oppressive, as though there is more than just one predator awaiting the right moment to pounce on you.

A wince leaves your lips just as you bump into a mirror, your fingers ascending to rub your throbbing forehead that only seems to worsen your persisting headache while your palm presses on the mirror to support your body just when you nearly stagger back. Forcing yourself to focus and return to the right track, you release a sigh before lifting your head, but just as you do, you are being greeted with a manly silhouette from a few distances ahead of you.

Whoever they are seems to be taking a step forward, and this time, the red neon illuminating the figure allows you to gain a clearer view of him ─ clad in an all-black ensemble with the hood covering his head, but what sends you a huge wave of relief is the familiar yet distinct red mask he adorned.

It is peculiar because, despite the compelling urge to run into his arms, something is strongly holding you back as you remain rooted to the ground. Just before you can call out his name, the small smile on your lips falters as soon as your eyes catch sight of a gleaming hunting knife in his hand.

“Jaeyun?” Amidst the palpable fear that churns in your tummy, confusion laces in the echoes of your voice throughout these hallways as you call out to the man who you thought wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. “Jaeyun, stop it. This isn’t funny.” You muster the courage to sound as stern as you can, but cowardice soon influences you at the moment he begins to advance in the direction of your transfixed figure.

A part of you wants to believe that Jake is simply trying to give you a good scare, just as he did on that one night where he embodied ghostface, but you should know better than to defy your better instinct, and so you heed it, turning around with the intention to flee from the man who you thought wouldn’t hurt you.

Little did you know that you had been too inattentive to your surroundings to notice an ominous presence looming over you from behind, resulting in you bumping into a solid figure that nearly sends you plummeting to the ground, but you quickly regain balance before you look up with your breath hitching in your throat when you recognise the silver mask he adorned.

“Sunghoon.” You utter his name in a splintered whisper as you slowly back away from him, discerning the malevolent mockery just by the mask’s visage alone. A whimper clogs in the back of your throat as you spot a vaguely familiar axe in his grasp, which he used on Devil’s Night and was dripping with blood.

“S-Sunghoon─” Just when you decide to implore him, stark terror strikes you as he raises his axe with the intention to attack you, drawing out a genuine scream of horror from you before you swiftly dodge his wilful aim as he brings down his axe with such skillful precision that you know your body would be butchered into half if you had remained standing in front of him.

Refusing to dawdle any longer, you pivot on your heels in the other direction and dash forward in trepidation, fleeing from your two predators. It is as though you have mastered adroitness in countering the illusionary as you manage to avoid bumping into transparent glasses and mirrors, but you are too concentrated on getting out of here, hopefully unscathed, to marvel at your agility.

Tears begin to accumulate in your eyes while anxiety tightens your chest upon hearing their footsteps echoing from behind you, spurring you to pick up the pace despite your temporary vitality on the verge of teetering as the effect of the unknown substance they injected into you gradually returns.

In the face of peril, the tempestuous hurricane of emotions threatens to sweep you away, each vying for dominance, but you know that you can’t be distracted. Just as you drift to a corner, a terrifying shriek tears from your throat upon the appearance of another predator, adorning himself in a familiar black mask.

You scream as soon as he swings the sledgehammer, aiming for your head before you deftly dodge his attack, only for him to hit the mirror at the side as it shatters. Amidst the fear pumping in your heart, heartbreak is palpable as you watch him in horror. He is relentless, aiming for your head with his weapon while you continue to elude him.

“Jay! Please! It’s me!” You decide to implore in the hopes of knocking senses into him while your voice blends in with the sound of shattering mirrors due to his aims. “Jay.” Your voice trembles while your throat hurts from inhibiting a bundle of emotions that threatens to implode.

Finally accepting defeat in your failed attempt to reason with him, you run in the other direction while silently thanking God for the multitude of hallways that allow you to choose either one to continue your escapade. This time, however, your depleting vitality impedes your coordination to elude your predators, as evident in your laboured breathing.

Exhaustion begins its descent on you, followed by the weeping as you finally allow the brimming tears to cascade down with strangled sobs leaving your lips. Could this be what the anonymous guy meant after those cryptic messages he sent you regarding your safety and whatnot? Could he have also known that the reason behind Jinae’s death was because of the four men who have each captured your heart?

You grit your teeth while unrelenting tears continue their descent on your cheeks as you inwardly berate yourself for stubbornly refusing to listen and heed your best friends’ words of advice and warning after all this time. Yet, your mind is battling an internal conflict with the rational part of you, which adamantly urges you to expunge any affectionate feelings you harbour for them, but you can feel it in your pumping heart; your love for them outweighs your rationality.

Unbeknownst to you, another impending danger is set off to inflict harm upon you as he sees the apparent exhaustion in your tapering pace and how you are preoccupied with wiping your tears languidly. Lacking focus, you accidentally bump into a transparent glass, resulting in you losing balance and almost plummeting to the ground if it weren’t for strong arms holding you steady from behind.

Instead of gratitude, you become highly alarmed by the touch of your predator while your widening eyes are staring at the mirror just a few distance away from you, which reflects your figures, allowing you to soak up the haunting image of the familiar white with a vertical red stripe on half of the mask. Instantly, you force your way out of his chilling grasps before turning around to face him.

“Missed me, sweetheart?” The familiar voicemod device he uses to manipulate the pitch of his voice brings you back to Devil’s Night, taking you by surprise, which is your first mistake, because just as you blink your eyes, you feel the force of his gloved hand ramming your head into the mirror.

As soon as you hit the mirror, you feel a splitting pain that has struck you deeply in the side of your head, while the brutal impact caused the mirror to crack in a rippling effect. You don’t even have the opportunity to recover when he clutches a handful of your hair into a makeshift ponytail to seize control over you, ramming your head into the mirror once more and this time shattering the broken pieces of the mirror that have been stained by your blood while a cry tears from your throat due to the agonising pain that eventually melds with the effect of unknown substances flowing through your veins.

The rough release from him causes your weakened body to collapse to the ground as your buckling knees have given up on you. You can feel warm liquid trickling down your temple before your eyes flicker at your reflection in the mirror, only to spot blood oozing from the wounds on your head as it trickles down your temple.

“Give it up, sweetheart.” Heeseung─ no, White says with a sickening delight in his tone as he revels in the way you are pathetically trying to crawl away from him with sobs leaving your lips. Before you can crawl any further, he stops you with his booted foot on top of your leg by applying pressure, prompting you to look up at him with sheer fright. 

“H-Heeseung.” You whimper out his name while he becomes enamoured by the sight of your pretty eyes glistening with tears as well as the crimson smearing your skin. “Please don’t do this.” You implore him in between fearful yet heartbreaking sobs amidst grappling with the torrent of emotions within you, especially when he is now holding a fairly long melee knife, the blade promising pain.

“On the contrary, I do need to do this.” He crouches down to your level, toying with his knife idly before bringing it to caress your cheek with the sharp tip, causing your heart to rattle against your chest. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this.”

Despite the fear, a palpable heartbreak carves the hurt that was punctured in your chest while you stare at him with glistening eyes of betrayal. “I should’ve known that you were going to make me end up like the girl you toyed with the same way you did to me. Jinae.” You choke back a sob, wanting him to hear the remaining last words from you if this is indeed your last moment.

“So you finally learned about Jinae.” The tip of his knife is treading dangerously on your neck. Although he uses the same voice-mod device, you can discern the cruelty in his cold chuckles, sending involuntary shivers down your spine. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. After I fuck you, I’m going to kill you and carve out your heart to keep it in a pretty box. I’ll store it along with my other prized possessions.”

“You’re downright mental!” You manage to find your voice as it comes out strong, but soon the dam breaks as you weep again. “How could you do this?! I thought I meant something to you! I thought you loved me─” In a blink of an eye, your head is turned sideways due to the impact of his slap on your now-stinging cheek, while the ruthless action only seems to amplify the splitting pain in your head.

“Shut the fuck up, or I’ll cut off your tongue.” He nearly growls out before seizing your chin, forcing you to look at him again while feeble sobs leave your lips. “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t foolishly invited and spread your legs like a filthy whore so easily, but I guess you’re just the same as your mother. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all.”

The mention of your mother manages to send you a jarring sensation amidst the splitting pain that threatens to consume you whole as you stare at him confoundingly. “My mother? What do you mean?” You dare to inquire adamantly, despite knowing that he can end your life with a single swift drag of his knife across your neck.

“How pitiful.” He lets out a faux sigh. “You have no idea the dirty secrets they’ve been keeping from you, but just know that your mother is not the devout Catholic you thought she was.” His answer is vague, and just before you can ask him for more elaboration, he makes the disapproving sound of a tut. “A mouthy thing, aren’t you? Even in the face of death.”

“The only mouthy thing here is actually you.” You have no idea what possesses you, but it may stem from the fact that he insulted your mother, and thus, you take him by complete surprise when you use your foot to hit him in the sack hard, resulting in him falling to the side as he groans out in pain.

You try your utmost to gather whatever strength is left in you as you rise from the ground before wasting no time in fleeing from him. “Y/N!” You hear him roaring in sheer anger from behind you.

This time, your better instinct strongly beckons you to go in the specific direction in which you feel a sense of anticipation that you’re most likely able to find the exit, but he is not far from you, as evident in the sound of his footsteps. A terrifying shriek is elicited from you just as his melee knife hurls straight ahead of you, nearly hitting your head if you hadn’t been on time to dodge it.

“You can run for as long as you want, but you’re not going to live to see the next day!” He roars out to you again, but you choose to ignore him as you navigate your way to find the exit, remaining persistent. Finally, after every twist and turn, you spot it while hope and relief mingle in your chest.

Before you can have your mini celebration in your head, a pounding pain plummets into your head, nearly impeding you, but you quickly refocus and proceed on while strands of your hair are stuck to your sweaty skin.

The passage of time appears to be slowing down, with the red neon luminosity encompassing you gradually fading into a blur, while the bright sign of 'exit' ahead remains a beacon to your fortitude, but your quest to the road of freedom grows languid as the eventual exertion dawns on your body.

Tears welling in your lower eyelids are a recrudescence of terror, parallel to your inner turmoil that remains unabating, and you feel as though it is eating you alive from the inside, dwindling the hope you so desperately clutch onto.

Your ears perk up at the sound of familiar, heavy-booted steps from not far behind you, eliciting a forlorn cry from you before you force your weary body to pick up the speed in spite of the unknown yet lethal substance streaming through your every fibre and returning to take its major effect on your whole being.

No, this is not how you imagined facing your demise. You never would have thought that one of your worst nightmares had manifested itself and plunged into your reality.

Your skull is throbbing painfully, with blood seeping from the fresh wounds that trickle down the side of your face, while your heart aches tremendously. A sob emerges from the back of your throat before waterworks cascade down on you, but you refuse to allow yourself to die tonight, not when you’re nearly getting the taste of freedom.

Before you know it, you use the force of your body to push the door open as it swings outward violently, and you continue to run on the asphalt ground, having no clue of your current location, while your heaving chest is starting to hurt with how ragged your breathing is that mingles with the sobs.

“Please.” You choke out, your tearful eyes blurring your vision, while you feel as though more needles are piercing into your skull. “Please let all of this be a nightmare.” You manage to whisper in between broken sobs, nearly succumbing to the hyperventilation that renders you unfocused on your surroundings as your body remains in a fight-or-flight mode.

The next thing you know, you bump into a solid chest that nearly has you staggering back if it weren’t for strong arms latching onto your trembling form. The moment your eyes meet his concerned eyes that soon blaze with anger, a frightful shriek tears from your parched throat before you push him away from you, as though he is a disease.

“Princess?” Sunghoon, whose head is fogging with confusion, frowns visibly as he sees the way you are looking at him as though he is a terrifying stranger.

The movements from Jake and Jay catch your heightened sense, prompting you to cower away from them as you back away. “Stay away from me!” You shout at them, the fear is palpable in the tremor of your voice, to which they halt their movements.

“Baby, it’s us!” Jay exclaims while trying his utmost not to give away the tempest of wrath that storms within him upon seeing the state you are in. 

“Lovely…” Jake takes cautious steps towards you, but even his loving, gentle tone is not enough to dispel the betrayal and heartbreak you are still reeling from.

“I said don’t come close to me! Please!” To see you hyperventilating as you sob hard hits them in the face, but what pains them is the terror you exhibit right now because they never wanted you to fear them as though they would really hurt you.

You turn around with the intention to run from them, but this time, Heeseung’s figure is a hindrance as he blocks your way. His hands find their way to hold you firmly while you attempt to thrash and struggle in his captivity.

“Let go of me!” You become relentless, your fear is now eclipsed by anger that stems from the fresh betrayal.

Despite the confusion upon seeing the blazing anger in your crystalline eyes, Heeseung remains calmly collected as he holds you effortlessly yet is unable for you to escape from. “Sweetheart─”

Being utterly overwhelmed and blinded by the maelstrom of pain, betrayal, sadness, and anger, you raise your hand and bring it down to land a harsh slap to his now-stinging cheek, shocking the other three from behind.

“Do you think this is meant to be humorous to you?!” The rage in your voice is unmistakable as it sounds foreign to your ears, but your focus remains on his face as he slowly turns to look at you while you are oblivious to the raging storms in his dark eyes. “Is this really your endgame?! Once you’re satisfied after fucking me, you'll kill me?!”

Heeseung’s deadly silence only seems to fuel your wrath, and so you begin to throw punches into his chest that don't even have any effect on him. “Fight back!” You scream in between sobs, tears relentlessly streaming down your cheeks. “If you want to kill me, do it now!”

“Y/N, stop.” Jake and Jay appear from behind, intervening as they grab you away from Heeseung’s defeated grasps while you continue to struggle and fight against their strong hold valiantly despite feeling debilitated.

“What are you talking about?” Heeseung’s calm voice manages to reach your ears despite the sound of your hysteria.

“Yeah, what do you mean by killing you, lovely?” Jake asks with a frown as soon as you shoot him a glare. “We would never do such a thing─”

Miraculously, you manage to escape from their grasps, and your glaring eyes penetrate into each of them. “Don’t lie to me! I know you’re the ones who kidnapped me and brought me to this God-forsaken place, and for what? To kill me!”

“We didn’t!” Jay objects vehemently, disbelief lacing his tone. “Why would we ever want to kill you?”

“Liar!” You retort before breaking down again, the sound of your cries only fuels their anger to hunt down whoever dared to hurt you. “If you weren’t the ones back there, then how did you even know where I was?”

“I installed a tracker on your phone. It’s the reason why we managed to track your location.” Jake steps forward, his softening eyes seem to balm your hysteric nerves. “But you have to believe us, love. We would never do anything to jeopardise your life.”

You open your mouth to speak, but a whimper comes instead as you feel the familiar pain plummeting into your skull, prompting you to clutch your still-bleeding head, and Sunghoon, being the nearest to you, holds you steady against him just as your body sways lightly.

“You’re still bleeding, princess.” Sunghoon murmurs, his gentle tone and his touch send you into a whirlwind of confusion. Disappointment seeps through him as you push him away while your mind is waging a battle of internal conflict, recalling the girls’ words about them, but at the same time, your love for them remains palpable, which only makes your head spin.

“Don’t touch me.” You protest weakly as you attempt to yank your arm from Heeseung’s firm grasp, but the substances injected into you that flow in your system wholly revoke the remnants of your vitality, rendering you debilitated as you find yourself leaning into him.

Without a word, Heeseung effortlessly carries you in a bridal style, with your whole body going limp as your consciousness slips away faster than you like before the darkness welcomes you once more.

“Gather all the knights from your respective houses. We’ll be having a meeting tomorrow morning.” Heeseung orders calmly, causing the three to exchange glances. “All of them, and not a single person is to be left out.”

“You got it.” Jake gives him a firm nod.

Heeseung catches Sunghoon and Jay’s eyes, and they immediately understand his deadly intent. “Find those fuckers inside and do what you need to do. Bring their heads to me.”

It turned out that no heads were brought to Heeseung last night, much to their discontentment. Both Sunghoon and Jay have conducted the hunt throughout the entirety of the place, not missing out on every nook and cranny, which took them approximately an hour just to find no one other than shattered mirrors alongside your blood. But the four of them have shared a mutual understanding and collectively concluded that the likelihood of who was responsible for what happened to you must have been orchestrated by their very knights, especially when they are more than aware that they have enemies even within their fraternity. It’s just a matter of time before those said enemies finally decide to drop their amiable pretences.

Hence, with the exception of those who are currently travelling abroad for the holidays, every junior and senior knight from their respective houses has been summoned to the meeting, which is highlighted as crucial. Those who dare to defy will, of course, face the consequences.

The cold atmosphere in the general meeting room is patently imbued with a palpable tension that derives from the four leaders as they stand before these suspected knights. The intimidation emanating from the four silent leaders seems to dominate the entirety of the fraternity in the room as the sound of their incessant chatter and exchanged conversations decreases.

“This meeting won’t end unless you come forth and confess that you did what you did.” Sunghoon raises his voice with a distinct authority that has almost the majority of knights feeling dreadful, especially as they recognise the signature callous smirk drawn on his lips. “We can wait all day.”

“Or better yet,” Jay toys around with the metal baseball bat in his grasp, evoking fear from some. The smirk on his lips mirrors Sunghoon's, while his eyes gleam with a familiar delight at his penchant for brutality. “We can do this the hard way by beating the confession out of you. Every single one of you.”

“This isn't fair! Us juniors did nothing!” One of the juniors, who goes by the name Taesan, bravely speaks for his fellow peers, earning him murmurs and whines of agreement. “At least I know I did nothing.” Taesan adds, his tone lacing with sincerity.

“Yeah. We weren’t the ones responsible.” Another junior, Jaehyun, says this as he stands next to Taesan. “As a matter of fact, the juniors were out partying at Sunoo’s crib last night.”

“Sunoo?” Jake looks over to the familiar blonde-haired male, who has been occasionally checking himself out on the camera phone. “Is it true that you hosted a party at your crib last night?”

“Oh, yes.” Sunoo, alongside Jungwon and Riki, doesn’t appear to be the slightest affected by the leaders’ intimidation, as he beams with a lopsided grin on his face, scrolling through the gallery on his phone before showing them a video. “Look! Seunghan went completely wasted and sprawled by the dance floor after puking up─”

“Dude!” Seunghan’s loud groan can be heard amidst the snickering amongst the juniors, while Sunoo shoots him an innocent smile.

“They’re all right.” Jungwon steps forward, drawing the four leaders’ attention to the intense conviction written across his features. “You told Sunoo, Riki, and I before that you have complete faith in us and trust us, so trust me when I say that the juniors were not the ones responsible for whoever captured and attacked Y/N.”

“Even if any of our juniors dared to, you know that I wouldn’t allow for this to pass.” Riki adds on, the austerity he exudes is clear in the way he casts a momentary yet warning glare at his fellow peers. “We know better than to mess with someone else’s prey.”

“Right, prey.” This time, someone else from the senior batch decides to speak up, drawing their attention to Choi Soobin, who adorns a smirk that is clearly a mockery as he stares sharply at the leaders. “It does beg the question: why do you care so much about your prey?”

“Yeah, who cares if she has gotten injured because of what happened last night?” Hyunjin scoffs, agreeing with Soobin. “Preys are meant to be hunted down by hunters, which is us.”

“I personally think that you should be grateful that someone else is doing the job for you by hunting and hurting your precious prey.” Taehyun remarks with a cynical smile that only adds more suspicion to the leaders. “Plus, she was probably hallucinating or even fabricating shit when she might be the mastermind behind the attack on herself.”

“Hallucinating?” Jake is seething with anger, taking the others by surprise with his unexpected shortness of temper. “You dared to spew shit about my girl, Kang? For fuck’s sake, she was bleeding out of her head! Who in their right mind would inflict harm on themselves?!”

“Easy.” Heeseung, with ease, holds back Jake as he places his hand on the latter’s chest before directing his sharp attention on Taehyun. “Congrats, Kang Taehyun. You’ve just become our number one suspect.”

“Y/N could’ve died if she hadn’t gotten immediate medical attention.” Sunghoon says, clenching his jaw as he tames the tempest of wrath within him upon the obvious agreement to Taehyun’s statements. 

“Even if she had died, why does it matter?” Hyunjin asks, and a smug smile dawns on his lips as he leans back on his seat leisurely. “I mean, look at what happened to Jinae. She was your prey, just like Y/N, and yet her death didn’t seem to affect you in the slightest.”

“Who is Jinae?” A collective murmur of confusion emanates from the juniors, including Sunoo, Jungwon, and Riki, whereas the seniors look equally dreadful, and some are sighing at Hyunjin’s idiocy.

Sunghoon and Jake exchange wary looks while Jay is more than ready to launch his attack on Hyunjin, but as they finally look at Heeseung, they find it surprising to see his calmly collected demeanour.

Hyunjin continues to run his mouth idly, not affected by the foreboding tension in the air. “Either way, you guys are going to end up killing your prey─” Seated beside him, Jeongin punches his shoulder in an attempt to silence him.

“Meeting dismissed.” Heeseung announces in a low rumble that this is enough to send almost all of them scurrying from the meeting room. His eyes meet Beomgyu’s for a fleeting moment, and yet, despite Beomgyu’s small smile, which he knows is supposed to send some form of supporting assurance, it only seems to stir his inner turmoil.

“We have two suspects. Taehyun and Hyunjin.” Jake informs his best friends once all the knights have made their departure except their three apprentices.

“Add Choi Soobin as well.” Sunghoon rolls his eyes in annoyance, followed by a disdainful scowl etched on his face. “Did you see the way that fucker smirked? I bet he’s involved too.”

“What are you guys still doing here?” Jay asks sternly, his attention directed to their three apprentices while they exchange glances with apparent curiosity in their eyes.

“Yeahh, you see, we’ve been wondering who the hell Jinae is. So we’re not leaving until you tell us.” Jungwon voices out, his face is devoid of any mischief as he crosses his arms over his chest. “And what did whatever Hyunjin meant earlier mean?”

“And how come we’ve never heard of this Jinae girl?” Sunoo frowns, his lips jutting into a pout. “I thought we were all the best of friends to share secrets!”

Riki, ever the most observant, whose sharp eyes are scrutinising the four leaders who have been silent, notices the sombre casting shadows over them alongside the irresolution written across their features. “This Jinae, the girl you’ve preyed on before, is dead. Isn’t she?”

For a moment, the air in the room shifts uncomfortably with palpable intensity. Heeseung catches Jay’s eyes and gives him a head nod before the latter steps forward with a sigh. “Since you guys are so annoyingly adamant, I’ll tell you the truth, but not a single word goes out to the others.” They don't miss the edge of warning in his tone.

“I don’t understand. If it’s the truth, then why does it matter if it goes out to the others?” Sunoo inquires rather bluntly while his eyebrow is arched inquisitively.

A muscle pulses in Jay’s jaw as he briefly looks away. “Because the truth is more complicated than you think. Come. Let’s head to my office.” Like a bunch of ducklings, Jungwon, Riki, and Sunoo begin to trail behind Jay without any objections.

“We should check in on Y/N.” Sunghoon tells Jake and Heeseung as soon as the others leave the room, earning him nods of agreement before they proceed to venture their way to your room with silence wrapped around them.

After you passed out in Heeseung’s arms, they wasted no time in bringing you to the hospital where Heeseung’s older brothers were working. Coincidentally, Daehyun and Jaesung were working night shifts when you were referred to the emergency department instead. To say the twins were shocked upon seeing the dire state you were in was an understatement, but nonetheless, they offered to be the ones to oversee you as their patient. You had only been admitted to the emergency ward after your wounds were treated and the drugs in your system were excreted, until Heeseung adamantly requested that you recover in the palace instead.

Of course, the older twins could never refuse Heeseung, and so here you are, currently asleep and tucked comfortably under the covers on your bed as Sunghoon, Jake, and Heeseung watch as Jaesung has just completed another medical check on you, especially since your body is still recovering from the drugs injected in your system. Their hearts ache upon seeing the white bandage wrapped around your head. They recall when Daehyun informed them last night that if they hadn’t brought you to the hospital sooner, you would’ve been in a coma or worse.

“She needs plenty of rest and sleep over the next few days since the drugs that were previously in her system strongly affected her body.” Jaesung informs them with a mask of professionalism that immediately recedes when his eyes narrow at his brother. “You owe me, brother. Now, care to explain what the hell happened?” Before any of them can speak, Jaesung heaves a deep sigh as he pinches the bridge of his nose. “For the love of God, please don’t tell me that you’re doing what I think you’re doing.”

“And what do you think we’re doing?” Sunghoon asks rather rudely, to which Jaesung dismisses since he has long since gotten used to the bunch being so ill-mannered, even towards their elders.

“You know exactly what I meant. Toying around with Y/N just as you did three years ago.” Jaesung’s lips press thinly while a sombre shadow casts over his features. “I understand that the preying has always been part of the devil’s knights’ tradition, but to the point where their lives are endangered─ don’t you think it’s too far? I don’t know what Y/N did, but she most certainly doesn't deserve to get hurt or worse.”

Heeseung scoffs coldly, his eyes are ablaze with seething anger. “You thought so lowly of us just because of what happened three years ago when we would never dare to harm Y/N.”

“Heeseung’s right. If we were the ones who harmed her last night, Heeseung and Jake wouldn’t have brought her to the hospital quickly.” Sunghoon intervenes before Heeseung can get further pissed off at Jaesung. “Besides, Y/N is different.”

“Y/N is not like Jinae.” Jake adds, his clasped hands raising to support the back of his head as he leans.

A humourless smirk plays on Sunghoon’s lips. “Yeahhh, our girl is not crazy pants.”

“Guys, the least you could do is to talk about the dead girl respectfully.” Jaesung shakes his head, expressing his disapproval, before he glances down at his wristwatch. “Since my job here is done, I’ll be taking my leave, and don’t forget to feed her the medication I’ve given you.” Jaesung pats Heeseung’s shoulder firmly before exiting your room.

“Wonyoung texted me earlier. She and the other girls will be coming over to visit Y/N.” Sunghoon breaks the silence, watching as Jake heads over to the bed and crouches down next to you, holding your cold hand in his to give a gentle kiss on your knuckles. Sunghoon tears his gaze away from you to look at Heeseung. “I tried refusing, but you know, Wonyoung being Wonyoung.”

“Let them. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have known that Y/N were taken by some fuckers.” Heeseung clenches his jaw while his callous eyes harden. The thirst for vengeance is palpable in his veins. He looks over to Jake, who remains by your side and whose longing eyes are tethered to your angelic face. “Jake, what’s the progress of cracking the code? It’s highly possible that whoever the anonymous texter who pestered Y/N before is responsible for this.”

“It’s getting nowhere.” Jake releases a soft sigh, and his shoulder slouches in defeat. “Trust me, I tried, and I even got extra helping hands from Sunoo and Riki, but it’s as if their firewall is made out of an impenetrable shield for us to hack through.”

Sunghoon’s phone chimes loudly in his hand, prompting him to look down at his phone screen. “Be right back. Wonyoung and the girls have just arrived.” He informs them before departing your room.

Jake places one last kiss on the back of your hand before standing, and he even reluctantly releases your hand gently from his grasp. He walks over to Heeseung, who appears to be in deep thought.

“Heeseung, what do we do when she wakes up? You’ve already seen how terrified she looked at us last night.” Jake sighs out in frustration as he brushes his long strands to the back. “I’m suspecting that whoever attacked her impersonated us in some way.”

“Our masks.” Heeseung blurts out as a bulb lights up in his head. He meets Jake’s storming gaze that parallels his wrath. “It makes sense. If not, why else would she be so afraid of us?”

Before Jake can voice out his thoughts, a knock on the door interrupts them, prompting them to look over to see Wonyoung, Karina, and Yunjin. The two spot Sunghoon behind them, who beckons them to give the girls some privacy with you, and they do, but not before one of the girls speaks to them.

“Has she not awakened since morning?” Karina asks sadly, the only one who doesn’t entirely have her guard up around them, unlike Wonyoung and Yunjin. Though they did inform the guys about the commotion Yunjin heard over the line last night that resulted in your sudden disappearance, that doesn’t mean they trust the leaders.

Jake shakes his head in response as the two are standing at the entryway. “She might be awake in the next few hours or so, hopefully.” He tells them curtly.

“Heeseung.” Wonyoung’s cold voice draws their attention while her unwavering eyes penetrate into Heeseung’s, to which his eyes narrow as he senses such hostility from the tall girl. “You guys may be the ones who rescued Y/N, but if I ever find out that you guys were the mastermind behind all of this, you’ll be sorry.”

“Is that a threat I sense?” Heeseung’s voice drips with callous mockery while a smirk plays on his lips and his eyes glint dangerously. “Careful, Wonyoung. You might want to remember who you’re speaking to. I can only tolerate much.”

Jake shields in front of Heeseung in case the latter decides to do something unpredictable. He casts a charming yet wary grin at the girls upon noticing how Wonyoung is fuming. “We can assure you, ladies, that we weren’t the ones responsible. We care for Y/N more than you think.”

“Oh, really? Do you really?” Wonyoung lets out a sardonic chuckle while Yunjin is holding the girl by her arm. “If you had cared for Y/N, you wouldn’t have preyed on her in the first place.”

“Enough.” Sunghoon intervenes with a low warning rumble, his stern eyes meeting Wonyoung’s. “We’re not here to fight you. We’re all here for Y/N, aren’t we?”

In return, Wonyoung scoffs before turning her back on them at the same time the guys do as they proceed to leave your room. The longer they are in the vicinity of the ones you called your best friends, the more they find them insufferable.

The sound of murmurs and the heavy dip on your bed rouse you from the deep slumber you were in before an incessant pounding pummels into your skull, causing your face to contort into a grimace, as well as a whimper that emits from you alarms them. You can hear them calling for your name, but they sound muffled as your mind decides to focus on collecting the fragments of the events that transpired last night, which eventually coalesce into one account.

You have been hoping that it was all just a nightmare, but the tremendous aches throbbing in your body as well as the splitting pain in your head counter otherwise. The sensation of a warm hand enveloping yours causes you to flutter your eyes open, to which you are greeted by the ray of sunlight filtering through the window that casts shadows across your ceiling.

Everything feels languid, even as you turn your head to look at the person who is holding your hand gently yet with familiar reverence. Upon meeting the tenderness of his warm eyes, a soft smile unfurls on his lips. “Hey, baby.” Jay greets you softly, his tone holds an unmistakable affection that is only reserved for you.

“Jay.” Your throat feels dry as sand as you whisper his name, longing, but at the moment he squeezes your hand in return, it is as though something in you has triggered off, prompting you to immediately yank your hand from his while your abrupt change of demeanour startles them.

A frown touches Jay’s lips before he attempts to reach out for you again. “Baby─”

“Go away!” You yell, tears accumulating rapidly in your eyes as you attempt to scoot further away from them until your back hits the headboard. Your body is trembling, emanating an intense fear, while your mind is in tumultuous chaos, as manifested in your irregular breathing.

“Princess,” Sunghoon, who has been sitting next to you on the bed, holds your arm firmly while his concerned eyes examine the borderline hysteria you exhibit as you are reeling from the transpired event that serves as a playback tormenting you in your mind. A frown pulls at his lips as he sees you struggling in his firm grasp. “Princess, it’s us.”

“Get out!” You scream in between sobs as tears descend on you. You are more than conscious to know that they were not the ones responsible, but you can’t help with your mind as the sight of their hands reminds you of the weapons their impersonators possessed and attempted to murder you.

“Sweetheart, you know that it wasn’t us.” The mellow tone of Heeseung’s voice miraculously manages to break through the whirlwind of hysteria you are in as you flicker your eyes at his towering figure by the bed. Despite his benign demeanour, you tremble under his gaze, recalling his impersonator's brutality towards you that nearly cost your life.

“I-I─” The words you wish to utter are stuck in your throat, and a whimper emits from you instead as you shake your head in protest while your chest feels encircled by pressure, rendering your breaths alarmingly uneven as though something is choking you. 

“Princess, hey!” Sunghoon holds you by the shoulders as he forces you to look him in the eyes, but your vision is in an unfocused blur while the sound of your irregular breathing gets frantic, and your pounding heartbeat is going rapid as it drums loudly in your ears. “I need you to calm down and focus on me.” But Sunghoon’s stern instruction only seems to worsen the situation as you weakly attempt to push him away from you, recalling his impersonator with the lethal axe.

Your surroundings feel disoriented, as do the muffled murmurs from them in the background. Finally, Sunghoon’s hands slip from your shoulders, only to be replaced by another pair of warm hands cupping your tear-stained cheeks. Before you can even jerk away from their touch, his gentle tone serves as a temporary balm.

“Breathe, love. Slow and steady.” Jake says so softly yet firmly, enough to draw your focus as you finally meet his warm brown eyes that hold an unmistakable affection amidst the solicitude. Your hysteria ebbs away at the moment his warmth touches you, and you begin to follow his guidance as you attempt to regulate your breathing, earning you an encouraging head nod from him. “That’s it. Good girl.”

“J-Jaeyun,” Your voice sounds hoarse as you utter his name brokenly. Another sob escapes you, rivulets continuing their descent on your vulnerable countenance. “Jae─”

“I got you, love.” Jake pulls you into his warm embrace, hugging you closely while you don’t hesitate to cling your arms around his torso, your face burying into his chest as you continue to weep into him.

Oddly, there are no ill feelings as they watch Jake, who has successfully managed to be the one to calm you down, comforting and holding you close. Only a huge wave of relief washes over them. Jay makes a gesture to Heeseung and Sunghoon, beckoning them to leave Jake alone with you, and they do before Heeseung, being the last person to exit your room, closes the door quietly.

With one arm around your heaving body, the other ascends to run his fingers through your soft locks and occasionally massage your head, careful enough not to come into contact with the bandaged area. He presses a gentle kiss on the side of your uninjured head before dipping his head down to kiss your earlobe and whispering, “I’m here. We’re all here. No one is going to hurt you ever again.”

You only squeeze your arms around him in return, while the sound of your weeping gradually ebbs as you continue to silently bask in the comfort he emanates, providing you with a blanket of security. The weight in your eyelids seems to be pulling down, and before you know it, you flutter your eyes closed as you slowly go lax in his arms.

You have no idea how long it has been since the moment you returned to your slumber, but long enough to be awakened by a strong arm encircling your waist and his hand cradling the back of your head as he tucks your face into his chest, prompting you to briefly glance up just to see Jake being asleep.

Your heart warms at how protective yet intimately he has secured you in his embrace, even as he is sound asleep. But then comes the cold reality as your mind recalls a certain memory you don’t wish to revisit.

“You have no idea the dirty secrets they’ve been keeping from you, but just know that your mother is not the devout Catholic you thought she was.”

Maybe you would turn out to be wrong, but you have a strong sense that whatever Heeseung’s impersonator meant is highly correlated to the four leaders, which also involve your mother.

However, the big question remains: Why would your mother be involved? And why did he speak in a manner that you would’ve assumed he knew your mother personally?

So many questions are throbbing in your head, and yet you know you should unravel whatever secrets have been kept from you sooner, even if it means that you’ll be destroying established trusts.

When the next day arrives, the compelling urge that derives from your fervid intuition for you to start the investigation beckons, resulting in your intrusion into the familiar yet prohibited part of the palace once again. With steely eyes of determination, you recall the distinct memory of when Anonymous’s instruction the last time enticed you to invade the forbidden, as you now find yourself entering Heeseung’s office.

This time, however, you could care less if either of them discovered of your abrupt rebellion, especially when your wilful mind is set straight with one ultimate goal, and that is to discover what sort of association your mother had with the devil's knights. Sure, you could turn out to be proven wrong, and the likelihood of you getting punished by Heeseung or any of them is high, but you adamantly wish to dispel your vehemence of curiosity.

Still, despite the steel of your resolve, your fingers are trembling slightly as they hover over the keyboard while your stomach churns with turmoil, but you immediately fix your composure, distinctly recalling Anonymous’s instruction the last time he enticed you to do this with the exception that you are now doing this of your own accord.

The familiar sight of the computer screen displaying files arranged meticulously in rows greets you before your keen eyes begin to search for the familiar folder named ‘001’, and once you do, you use the mouse to click on it.

Naturally, you expect a pop-up webpage that requires you to enter the password to appear again, but this time is different because, when you click on it, it reveals a few different files listed, bringing a frown to your lips and your face contorting into confusion.

Ding!

Your phone chimes in your pocket, and you quickly fish it out to check, only to be greeted at an eerie notification from an unknown number to which you have a strong inkling that it is the same anonymous as before.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: You’re welcome :)

Goosebumps arise on your skin, ignoring the fact that he is undoubtedly watching you, and you have no idea how or where. Instead of replying, you shove your phone back into your pocket and redirect your focus to the computer screen.

As your eyes scan these mysterious files, something feels odd as you recognise that some of the files are saved as images. Slowly, as you hover the cursor over the first file, your pulse drums loudly in your ears while your stomach begins to churn violently. Before you allow hesitation to seize you, you begin to click on it.

What greets you isn’t anything you expect. It’s pictures in sequence of your mother and the familiar face of Heeseung’s father in a car. The images seem to look recent, but the file's name states otherwise, as it was saved a few months ago.

Your eyes narrow at your mother and Heeseung’s father’s interaction, noticing how intimately close they are in the first picture, while the second picture looks like he is caressing your mother’s cheek with his eyes full of unmistakable affection. The third picture has you gasping in sheer disbelief, as they are undoubtedly in lip lock.

Haphazardly, you close the file and proceed to open another, and this time, you recognise Jake and Sunghoon’s fathers in this sequence of pictures, seated in a cafe with your mother. In the first few sequences, they seem to be catching up, and you would’ve thought that they were long-lost college friends if it weren’t for the fact that one of them embraced your mother in an intimate hug before the next image shows the other kissing her forehead.

You can feel the sheer betrayal and hurt squeezing around your pounding heart. You know you should not continue, yet you find yourself going through another file, showing images of Jay’s father and your mother standing on the porch of your home in an intimate hug as well as in a lip lock unabashedly.

“No. This can’t be true.” You murmur to yourself, distress is written across your features as you decide to close the file, unable to look at your mother’s unravelling infidelity any longer.

You don’t understand why your mother would do this when her declaration of love for your father has always been consistent, and most importantly, how did she know them?

It is as though something is beckoning you to the answer you seek as your eyes spot a video that looks starkly different than the others, and the date indicated on the file shows that whatever is contained in it is older than you think.

Swallowing down the bile of emotions harshly, you proceed to click on it and brace yourself, or perhaps you didn’t prepare yourself enough for what is presenting to you. 

“Oh my god….” You whisper brokenly as tears fill your waterline. More gasps emit from you, prompting you to cover your mouth with your palm. The longer your eyes remain fixated on the obscene orgy that their younger selves were engaged brazenly alongside their lewd noises, the more you feel utterly revolted, wanting to puke up as the churns in your tummy become intemperate.

Upon the atrocious revelation that entailed the dark history your mother had with their fathers, you decide that what you have just unravelled is enough as you quickly close the file and proceed to shut down the computer.

In a state of complete distraught, with tears flowing down your face, you continue to make your departure from the prohibited territory. Fortunately, the four of them are nowhere in the palace, as Jake texted you earlier that they had some business to settle. You wouldn’t know what to do if you had to face any of them sooner, or maybe you don’t wish to see them at all.

As you wallow in the overwhelming tumult of emotions on your bed, all curled up and underneath the covers, you weep. You can’t believe that your own devout Catholic mother would do this, but above all, confusion mingling with resentment and betrayal is directed at Heeseung and the rest for storing such videos, and for what?

You simply don’t understand what benefits them, as they keep this dark revelation to themselves. Had they known all the while that their fathers had always harboured some form of affection and lust for your mother, even back in their college days?

After having had enough of wallowing, you decide to head into the bathroom to wash your face. As you look at yourself in the mirror, momentarily grimacing at the visible exhaustion on your complexion, which denotes how mentally drained you are, a firm resolution hardens your once-bleary eyes.

You don’t have the heart to meet them or even to see a glimpse of their faces. You should’ve known that they were more than capable of anything, especially after killing Jinae. You feel genuinely sick and disturbingly uncomfortable at the thought of being around them any longer.

No longer are you able to withstand this incessant dread that crawls on your skin, and so with a heavy heart, you proceed to pack whatever minimal necessity into your sling purse before heading into the walk-in wardrobe to change your clothes into something a little presentable, but you end up choosing an oversized hoodie.

Biting down your lip harshly, you look down at your phone, where the screen displays your group chat, before typing away with your trembling fingers. 

Y/N: I’m going back to my dormitory. HEESEUNG: Why? SUNGHOON: Is something wrong, princess? JAY: Yeah, are you feeling too lonely, baby? We’ll be returning soon. Y/N: No, I just miss my best friends and I want to reconcile with them so I won’t be returning to the palace. Please understand. JAKE: Of course, lovely.

Arriving at the lobby of your dormitory gives you a whiplash as you recall when the lights fully blacked out before you were attacked and rendered ruthlessly unconscious, causing you to wrap your arms around your frail form before you hasten your steps to the elevator while you ignore the odd stares you receive from the other students.

However, with each step nearing the door of your dormitory, the nauseousness you forced yourself to keep at bay surges while your mind is still reeling in revulsion from the prior discovery. You wish to wash your eyes with bleach and erase the stark images of their obscenity.

With a shaky hand, you fumble with tapping your access key card on the smart lock, and once it chimes, you quickly push down the handle and open the door, haphazardly entering the household that is filled with distinct chatter from your roommates.

“Y/N!” Karina is the first one to spot you by the living room, but you overlook the genuine surprise written across their faces upon seeing your unexpected appearance as you dash for your room. You hear them calling for you, but you are too preoccupied with the pain of holding back your nauseousness.

Finally barging into your bathroom, you head for the toilet bowl before crouching down with your back hunched as you lean over to throw up liquid content into the bowl. It appears that the alarming sound of your retching reaches the ears of your best friends, and before you know it, you hear footsteps rushing from the outside to your bathroom.

“Oh my god! Y/N!” You hear Karina gasp loudly amidst the echoes emanating from your retching throughout these bathroom tiles, but you don’t turn around to see them as the pain from your stomach and your throbbing head consumes you, as does the pain that stems from the fresh betrayal.

“Y/N.” Wonyoung’s worried voice manages to break through before you feel her presence next to you as she assists you in holding your hair up to prevent the strands from getting in the way before you continue to puke for another time while Yunjin crouches down on the other side to rub your heaving back soothingly.

After what feels like forever, both Yunjin and Wonyoung assist you in bringing you over to the sink for you to wash your mouth, while Karina heads out to the kitchen to grab a mineral bottle for you. Yunjin and Wonyoung exchange confused yet wary glances at your resonating silence as they hold your frail body, walking out of the bathroom.

“Here.” Karina jogs into your room, one hand holding the bottle as she extends her arm towards you. Without meeting her gaze, you shake your head before taking a seat on your bed, with Yunjin and Wonyoung refusing to leave your side. Karina releases a sigh. “You need to hydrate yourself after throwing up nothing but water.”

“For that matter, why are you here?” Yunjin inquires worriedly, and her tone indicates that she wants to chide you. “You should be resting in the palace, and even if you wanted to come back here, you should’ve at least texted one of us to fetch you. What would’ve happened if you had fainted on your way here?”

“Jen’s right, Y/N.” Wonyoung places her hand on your tensed shoulder, taking notice of your loud silence and your avoidance as your head hangs low. “What happened? Are you feeling sicker than usual? Or are you─” Wonyoung pauses as her eyes widen, mirroring the same expression as Yunjin and Karina. “Are you pregnant?”

You barely flinch at the obvious wince in her tone as you remain reeling in pain from the betrayal. A part of you wants to confide in your best friends, but you also don’t wish for them to know the revolting truth about the history your mother had with the four leaders’ fathers, fearing that they would abandon you again out of sheer disgust.

“No. I’m not pregnant.” Your voice sounds scratchy due to all the puking that leaves a bitter acid on your tongue. “I um─” You pause, swallowing harshly as you look down at your trembling hands on your lap before you clasp them together, but the tremor in your voice remains. “I couldn’t stay there any longer.”

“What? Why?” Wonyoung asks, her tone sounds firm. “Did they hurt you? I swear if they hurt you─”

“They didn’t.” You shake your head, the instinctive urge to always defend them is still strong, which is perplexing because you know that you no longer feel comfortable being around them, and yet the emotional attachment you have towards them remains unchanging. You bite down on your lip hard, completely frustrated with yourself. “They’ve never hurt me, but I don’t think I want to be around them any longer.”

“But aren’t you in love with them?” Karina inquires, treading carefully with her words as she kneels down in front of you to get a better look at your face. She places her hand on top of yours. “Y/N, we don’t understand─”

A sharp sob leaves your lips, unable to articulate your muddling thoughts and feelings that are parallel in a tumult, and alas, the waterworks erupt with uncontrollable sobs emitting from you, prompting Wonyoung and Yunjin to offer you their comfort with their hugs while Karina holds your hand firmly. The three share the same sympathy despite feeling genuine confusion at your abrupt emotional breakdown.

“I know they wouldn’t hurt me, but─” A hiccup escapes you just as you manage to speak in between sobs. Wonyoung pulls you into her side embrace, allowing you to fall weak as you rest your head on her shoulder. “But I’m honestly scared. I really love them, and I don’t know what to do.” You continue, letting your established feelings be known to them, no matter if they vehemently disapprove.

“Y/N, if you really love them, then you should let them know.” Karina tells you, encouraging you with a small smile, but you shake your head in return.

“It’s complicated.” Wanting to tell them the truth is so close, but you force yourself to hold back. Instead, you resort to another path, and only you know that they wouldn’t do something so deplorable to you, or at least you hoped. You lean forward as you clutch your head with your elbows on your thighs, supporting you. “Maybe it isn’t love, or maybe it is, but what you girls said about Jinae the other night got me reevaluating my feelings for them.”

“It’s true that she died because of them, but Y/N, as much as we hate to admit it, we can see that they care greatly for you.” Wonyoung rubs your back comfortingly. “I think they love you the same way you do.”

Silence is all they receive from you for a moment before the sound of your sniffle comes, watching you wipe your tears away from your cheeks. You finally lift your head to look at the three of them, your nose and eyes red from the relentless weeping from earlier until now.

“I still don’t understand why they killed her, and how did she die?” You allow yourself to voice out one of the many questions lingering in your head.

“Initially, we didn’t know what to believe because of different speculations circulated on campus, but at the end of the day, it had been confirmed that Jinae did something to piss off all four leaders greatly.” Karina unravels, and it does seem like an uncomfortable subject for her to talk about, as evident in the grimace on her face.

“She was found dead in their palace.” Yunjin continues for Karina after a brief, sombre silence. Her lips press thinly while her eyes search for yours, seeming to be studying your expression. “But since they’re the sons of affluent figures in the eyes of the government, of course they were not arrested for committing another crime.”

“It’s one of the reasons why I despise them.” Despite Wonyoung’s declaration, her tone remains gentle as she speaks to you, matching the way she offers you a small smile as she tucks a hair behind your ear. “But I’ve long since realised that you couldn’t help with who you’ve fallen for, even if they turned out to be the ones I despise most.”

From your inner core, you are terribly shaken up by this new information. To be honest, you never really wanted to believe that the four leaders were responsible for Jinae’s death, but upon hearing the undeniable truth that she was found dead in their palace, it genuinely fucked you up in the head.

Tears well in your waterline as you look at them with a pained expression. “Do you think they’ll kill me just like they did to Jinae?” You ask in a splintered whisper, and you feel as though a vine has wrapped itself around your heart, squeezing it painfully with the jagged ends prickling you. 

“I don’t think they would ever do anything to hurt you, Y/N.” Wonyoung reassures you with her balming tone, but as she looks at Yunjin and Karina, you can see the glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes.

“What if you’re wrong?” A fallen tear trickles down your cheek at the agonising thought of your life being ended in the hands of your loved ones. “I did something, Wony. I broke one of their rules again.”

“What did you do, Y/N?” Yunjin inquires sternly, but you know that she is concerned for you. Yunjin flickers her gaze at Karina and Wonyoung. “Should we do something? I don’t know about you two, but I don’t want to risk anything concerning Y/N’s life.”

“Calm down. We’re only adding more panic and stress to Y/N.” Karina tells Yunjin with a disapproving frown before returning her gaze to your face, her eyes softening. “What do you want to do now?”

The thing is, you have already made up your mind about your next move. They see it in your eyes—the firm resolution that is familiar to them whenever you are determined to get what you want. “I need your help.” You tell them.

“Of course. Whatever you need.” Wonyoung gives your shoulder a firm squeeze.

“Yes. We’re here for you, Y/N.” Karina reaffirms this, earning nods from the other two.

You meet Karina’s eyes. “I need you to drive me home tomorrow afternoon. I want to visit my parents.”

The three of them exchange wary glances, feeling an immense sense of guilt after being the reason why your mother has practically disowned you.

“But why?” Yunjin dares herself to ask, her eyes studying your expression carefully. “I don’t mean to burst your bubble, baby girl, but aren’t you on bad terms with your parents?”

She is more than right, but frankly speaking, you’re still in contact with your father, whereas your mother refuses you. You don’t meet any of their gazes as you discreetly curl your fingers into a fist. “I have something important to confront my mother.” You say curtly, and just the tone of your voice is enough for them to avoid prying.

“Okay. I’ll drive you home instead.” Karina offers as she rises from the ground. She checks the time on her phone. “We’re actually planning to dine outside. Do you want to join us?”

“No, thank you.” You politely decline, giving her a weak smile. “I still don’t feel good.”

“I’ll check if there are any medications for you. Stay put.” Yunjin instructs you, like a mother to her child, before she walks out of your room.

“Rest, Y/N. We’ll buy some food for you.” Wonyoung tells you as she assists you to get comfortable on your bed, tucking you under the covers.

A faint chuckle leaves your lips while you hold back from crying again, feeling touched and nostalgic about this dynamic with your best friends. “I’m not a baby, Wony.”

“Nonsense, you’re our baby girl.” Wonyoung insists before pausing, almost as if she is contemplating whether to take back her words. “In a good, unrestrained way, of course.”

“What Wonyoung meant is that no matter what, you are still the same Y/N we know and love.” Karina adds, and it doesn’t help that you are gradually getting sappy as you smile at them with tears blurring your vision.

Not too long later, the whole of your dormitory is filled with complete silence as your best friends have left to dine outside. At first, you feel the familiar comfort of your old, homey room as you get snuggly under the covers, but soon, a profound sense of loneliness dawns on you.

Your eyes turn crestfallen as four handsome faces appear in your mind. There is no denying that you are already missing them, despite your rationality, which has given you a litany of reasons why you should not have given your heart to them in the first place.

Your phone buzzes next to you, and you reach for it to read the message from a certain individual.

SUNGHOON: Can I video call you? I’m already missing you, princess. 

Tears immediately spring in your eyes as you choke back a sob. The strong yearning in your bleeding heart consumes you. But you don’t reply to him, knowing that you’d only cave in to your yearning, and so you choose to sleep without any of their warmth embracing you that you have grown accustomed to.

Old habits really do die hard. It is something you have always done, ever since you were young. Throughout the two-hour journey from your dormitory to the town you grew up in, your fingers would occasionally ascend to fiddle with the silver cross in an attempt to seek a semblance of alleviation from your churning inner turmoil.

Unlike Wonyoung and Karina, who are currently settled in the backseat and comfortably sound asleep, you chose to forgo the calling of sleep that beckoned you, only focusing and thinking about any worse possible outcome of the impending confrontation, and you have no idea if you are being ignorantly foolish about this, which resulted in you remaining frozen in the passenger seat.

“It looks like your parents are having guests over.” Karina remarks as she leans forward, her folded arms resting on the leathered steering wheel. Her eyes trail over to you while you are staring at the same sight of four different car models parked on the massive asphalt road outside of your two-story house. “Do you recognise those cars?”

“No. Not that I know of.” You frown, your face contorting into confusion, and yet, your inner turmoil seems to worsen at the mere sight. You look at Karina, giving her a wry smile as you busily unbuckle your seatbelt. “Wish me luck.”

“Call us if you need some help.” Karina offers you an encouraging smile that does nothing to ease your incessant perturbation.

The crisp afternoon air greets you as soon as you exit the vehicle before making your way to the sidewalk. Your steps feel heavier on the concrete pavement as you feel daunted. Your palms are starting to feel clammy, to which you wipe them on your skirt as you now walk on the gravel path that leads to the familiar front porch of your humble abode.

A wave of nostalgia washes over you as your eyes flicker to the creamed wooden swinging bench on the front porch, alongside the lovely adornments. You recall the times when your father would find you seated there to wallow in sadness, which prompted him to accompany you and engage in talks with you in an attempt to cheer you up, or whenever you willingly helped out your parents in decorating the front porch to match the seasons. 

But the sentimentality that softens your features immediately fades away, only to be replaced by something so sour that embitters you as you vividly remember the picture of your mother and Jay’s father on this very porch.

The vehemence of resentment you now harbour towards your mother sets in motion, storming towards the ajar door and pushing it open as you break through the threshold, not forgetting to remove your shoes and wearing the house shoes you retrieve from the rack.

Your eyebrows arch inquisitively upon seeing four different polished shoes that no doubt belong to businessmen, before your ears perk up at the sound of chatter coming from somewhere in the living room. You amble further, but those manly voices accompanying their laughter evoke a tremendous dread in you. You hope that they’re not the ones you think they are.

Mustering whatever bravery you have left, you increase the pace, and alas, the sight of the four men being amicable with your mother appals you, causing you to flinch visibly as though you have been smacked in the face.

Upon your obvious presence in the room, all eyes are on you, each mirroring the other, filled with genuine shock, but your blazing eyes are fixed intently on your mother’s soon panicked expression as she rises from the single couch.

“I’m home, mother.” You announce your arrival calmly, and the word itself comes out of you as though it is poison, to which your mother flinches. A cold smile plays on your lips, wickedly revelling in the way she becomes flustered amidst the apparent panic. “Where is Dad, by the way? Does he know you have guests over?”

“Y/N Kang, I taught you better than to be discourteous.” Your mother reprimands you, but the tremor in her voice is palpable, eliciting a low scoff from you. Your mother flashes ingenuine smiles to the four men in distinct sumptuous suits as she heads towards you. “Forgive my daughter’s lack of manners. Please continue. I have to speak with my daughter privately.”

You fold your arms over your chest, displaying your defiance, while the coldness in your eyes mirrors your mother’s. “I, for one, feel that we should have our conversation here since, after all, it involved these intruding guests.”

“Enough, Y/N Kang.” Your mother is practically seething with anger beneath her composed demeanour as she holds your arm tightly. “I won’t tolerate this disrespect any longer. Follow me.” It is not as if she gives you a choice, as you find yourself being dragged by her.

Once you are out of their sight as your mother finally brings you to the kitchen instead, you yank your arm from her tight grip roughly, adding to the palpable tension that sizzles in the air before you meet her glaring eyes.

“How dare you even step foot into the house when you are not permitted to come home, let alone disrespect those four gentlemen? Do you even know who they are?” Your mother speaks harshly—nothing to the mother you once knew and viewed her as—because the woman standing before you is someone you no longer recognise.

“Should I know them? I mean, sure, they look classy and rich, but don’t you think it’s a little inappropriate to have male guests around while Dad is away for work?” You are more than conscious that you choose to cope with sarcasm, as your voice drips with mockery, which only fuels your mother’s indignation, as evident in the way she is fuming. 

“Don’t you dare teach me what is appropriate and what is not.” She snaps back coldly at you, and you can see it in her eyes that her firm, scowling demeanour is teetering due to the unceasing panic. Disgust forms a sneer on her features. “What do you know about morality when you’re the one who spreads your legs like a shameless whore for their sons?”

You ignore the pang of hurt in your chest, masking it with a humourless grin that smears across your lips. “Like mother like daughter, don’t you agree?” Your coy remark makes her go visibly flinching, and you know you managed to hit a spot.

Your mother quickly recovers with a glare, but her trembling hand is enough for you to be satisfied that she is feeling disturbingly antsy. “What are you talking about? If you’re here to show your insolence instead of sincerely apologising and redeeming yourself, then get out.”

“Oh, don’t feign ignorance, mother.” You sneer at her, unfolding your arms as you stalk towards her. “I know what sort of relationship you have with them. I know about you.” Your tone holds a tint of darkness that is foreign to you, but you are driven by the resentment towards your mother as you continue with the cruelty deepening your smile. “Ah, the lovely irony of whore-shaming your own daughter when you’re just the same. The apple indeed doesn’t fall far from the tree─”

A loud smack resonates throughout the kitchen as your head is flung sideways from the impact of your mother’s palm, and there comes the stinging pain on your cheek, but you refuse to allow the waterworks you have been keeping at bay to erupt any sooner, and so a chuckle leaves your lips instead as you slowly divert your attention back to your now teary-eyed mother.

“How could you stoop so low to disrespect your own mother?!” She raises her voice, and the betrayal in her tone elicits a disbelieving scoff from you while she continues. “You don’t know anything, Y/N Kang!”

“Don’t I, really? I’ve only recently discovered your infidelity, but I know for a fact that you had an immoral history with them! Yet you dared to chastise me for fucking around with their sons when you don’t even have the right to!” It has now become a screaming match, no longer are you bothered by the fact that they might hear you.

“Y/N!” Your mother gasps loudly as though you have just physically attacked her, but you are relentless, and this time, tears begin to spill from your eyes. “I am your mother! And you have no idea what I feel for them─”

“I don’t give a damn about your feelings, but for fuck’s sakes, you are a married woman!” The veins in your neck are protruding as you overpower her sound. A sardonic yet broken chuckle falls past your lips. “Oh, so now you want to remind me that you’re my mother, but weren’t you the one who declared that you no longer recognised me as your daughter? Because to you, I’m apparently a whore!”

You cut off your mother before she can open her mouth to speak, hurling your pent-up emotions, including resentment towards her, like shooting bullets. “You’re a hypocrite, mother!” You spit out while hot angry tears continue their descent on your face. “You condemned me for spreading my legs and fucking around, but you’re even worse! You sneaked behind Dad’s back to pursue your trysts with them! Do you even realise how disgraceful that is?!”

It seems that your words are impactful because this time, any traces of indignation in your mother’s firm demeanour completely dissipate, replaced by the fear and indignity dawning on her. Her lips tremble as she attempts to reach out for you. “Y/N─”

The fresh pain of betrayal and hurt consumes you as you back away from her. “Dad has always worked hard for this family, and no matter how busy he gets, he always makes time for us and for you.” You sob out at the same time she does. “I thought you’re in love with Dad. I thought you’re happy with him.”

“I do! I still love your father!” She defends herself, lacing with such desperation, and yet her declaration doesn’t deter you. “Please, honey, my feelings for your father have never changed, but you have to understand that my history with the four of them is something that is complicated. I still care for them, but the one that I truly love is your father!”

“But those pictures said otherwise.” You sniffle, wiping the continuous tears away from your cheek.

“What? What pictures?” She asks, confused.

“It doesn’t matter, but what matters is that you ruined what I thought the love you had for Dad was.” You manage to utter something in between the weeping as you stare at her with betrayed eyes. “I feel so fucked up because, throughout my life, I have known you as a doting mother who is a devout Catholic. You even instilled the teaching of Christianity in me, and yet what I discovered has ruined the version of my mother I viewed in my head.”

“I’m so sorry.” Is all she can utter, covering her mouth with her palm as she looks down due to the mortified realisation and sheer humiliation.

“Like what you’ve always said, seek forgiveness from God instead.” You say wryly. “Oh, and maybe seek forgiveness from Dad too, if he has yet to learn of your infidelity.”

“Y/N! Wait! Please, wait!” Your mother frantically calls for you just as you turn your back on her, wanting to exit from the kitchen, and she manages to grab a hold of your arm. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done what I did to you!” A sharp sob heaves from her, and the sound of it only seems to clench your heart. “I’m so sorry for disappointing you.”

Of course, you’re not about to forgive her just so easily. Without a word, you force yourself to escape from her flimsy clutch and hasten as you navigate your way around with the intention to leave the house, choking back more sobs before you cover your mouth with your palm.

Just as you walk past the living room, Heeseung’s father stops you as he calls for you, causing you to halt your steps before turning to meet his eyes. You hate how he is gazing at you kindly while guilt is written across his features.

“We admit that we overheard your conversation with your mother.” He pauses to look over his shoulders, meeting the others’ gazes as they nod their heads before continuing. “But don’t put the blame on your mother. Blame us.”

“He’s right.” Jay’s father steps forward, and it takes everything in you not to cower away due to the icy intimidation he exudes despite his neutral gaze. As you stare at the man, you can only see him as a pathetic excuse for a father who abused his son. “It was our fault. Your mother is a great woman, and she has always wanted the best for her baby girl.”

“Do you guys still love my mother?” You inquire sharply, wanting to get straight to the point. The silence from them and the way they avoid their gaze tell you all you need to know, which only brings a sneering disgust to you. “You are married, and yet you dare to love my mother? Do you think this is a game to you?”

“Y/N, I can assure you that nothing is a game, including our feelings for your mother.” Sunghoon’s father firmly counters, and you recall when Heeseung told you about Sunghoon’s father wanting his son to be erased from the face of this earth.

“I don’t care about your feelings for my mother or that you still love her, but please don’t ruin my parents’ marriage.” You plead in a cry, tears springing in your eyes once more before you cast them a withering glare. “Don’t fucking ruin my family just because yours are fucked up. I don’t want any of you to be around my mother like you always have.”

You don’t wait for their response as you flee from the living room, making your way to the door. After hurriedly putting on your shoes, you are ready to leave when the door swings abruptly open, revealing your father, who looks delightfully surprised to see you.

“Honey! What a pleasant surprise.” He stops as soon as he notices the tears staining your cheeks, the redness on your cheeks, and your lower lids from the relentless weeping. He cups your cheeks with his callous palms while his eyes go stern. “Baby girl, what’s wrong?”

You only manage a whimper in response as you shed tears silently. You open your mouth to speak, your chin wobbling with sadness, but it is as though you lost your voice, and with a heavy heart, you shake your head at him before gently pushing him away and running past him.

Yes, you hate your mother, but seeing your father after so long, you don’t have the heart to reveal the truth about your mother’s infidelity to him. You decide to sob out whatever is left in you, wiping your tears with your sleeves as you make your way to Karina’s car.

Forcing yourself to compose despite the annoying hiccups emitting from you, you startle the girls as soon as you open the door and shove yourself inside the car before slamming the door.

“That was actually longer than we thought.” Yunjin remarks from the backseat, oblivious to the sadness you emanate, but Karina, who has been examining you the moment you entered, is no stranger to the redness of your eyes and nose.

“Y/N, what happened?” Karina asks quietly, and her question draws Yunjin and Wonyoung's full attention before they lean forward to get a better view of your side profile.

You don’t meet any of their eyes as you lean back comfortably, your eyes gazing out to the window instead. “I don’t want to talk about it. Can we go somewhere else, please?” Your voice sounds hoarse from the crying and screaming.

“Of course. We know just the place you need.” Wonyoung chimes in hopes of livening the atmosphere in the car, but you remain the same. With a resigned sigh, Wonyoung’s eyes meet Karina’s with a certain knowing. “You know where.”

“I, in fact, don’t.” Karina replies as she proceeds to drive off from the curb, earning a glare from Wonyoung, but Karina, in fact, knows exactly what you need.

“So, do you feel better now?” Yunjin’s voice pulls you out of the stupor you are in, prompting you to gain full consciousness of your surroundings and spot Karina and Wonyoung making their way to your table from the restroom.

Apparently, the three of them thought that bringing you to the ice cream parlour, which is located near your campus, was a good idea and may lift your spirits, but honestly, you feel even worse. Never mind the fact that the strawberry cheesecake-flavoured ice cream tasted amazing.

“Ice cream won’t solve my problems, you know.” You state this flatly while Wonyoung and Yunjin return to their seats.

“But you love your ice cream, though.” Yunjin points out, earning hums of agreement from the other two. “Come on, you must’ve felt at least slightly better.”

“Alright, fine.” You concede, and maybe you do feel a little better now as you find yourself adorning a faint smile before your eyes glaze with gratitude as you look over to them. “Thank you so much for being my moral support. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Consider this as our apology.” Wonyoung grabs your hand to give it a squeeze. You notice the guilt in her delicate features. “We didn’t mean what we said to you before, and we shouldn’t have treated you like that.”

“Wonyoung’s right. We’re sorry for what happened.” Yunjin offers you an apologetic smile. “To be honest, we’ve missed you so much.”

“We’ve missed being with you like this, just us girls.” Karina adds, turning the once lively atmosphere in the parlour into a pensive sadness. “Let’s never fight like that again.”

“What happened in the past is already in the past, so let’s not dwell on it.” You reassure them with a smile before proceeding to engage in another topic, gradually losing track of time due to getting immersive to the point where you almost forget all sorts of problems in the back of your mind until the night has fully ascended.

“Is it possible to get full just by eating three ice creams?” Karina asks with a groan as she pats her belly while your arm is interlocked with hers. The four of you are currently walking along the pavement to make your way to the parking lot.

“Maybe it’s just you, but I can easily finish off five ice creams and still have room for other desserts.” Yunjin tells her, and a smug smile on her lips earns her a playful scowl from Karina, to which you chuckle as they proceed to engage in banter, and soon enough, you have reached the nearly empty parking lot.

“Uh oh. It looks like we have unwanted people coming this way.” Wonyoung’s remark prompts you to look at her, spotting the sternness in her face with her eyes looking straight ahead, which you follow as you turn your head just to see two familiar figures clad in leather.

Your eyes instantly meet Jay’s steely ones, and from his expression, you have a feeling that you may or may not be in trouble. Before you can speak, Wonyoung shields you from their sight, prompting the other girls to follow her protective stance.

“Move.” Jay’s cold voice cuts through the nightly air sharply, but his stern command doesn’t deter your best friends. “I don’t have time to fuck around with you. I said, move.” You flinch slightly at the hint of warning in his flinty tone.

“No.” Yunjin seems to match the level of his austerity, and as you try to take a peek, your eyes widen at the stark, raging storms in the glaring eyes of Jay, whereas Sunghoon’s demeanour appears to be collected, but you know that he is just as pissed off as Jay. “Why are you here?”

“We need to speak with Y/N.” Sunghoon answers, his vehement tone indicates that there is no way they are leaving unless they get what they want. “Alone.”

“Whatever you need to say to her, you can tell her now.” Wonyoung counters strongly, as she has her arms over her chest in an intimidating stance.

“Didn’t you hear him? He said alone.” Jay glowers at them, but they remain unmoving, to which Jay no longer bothers to conceal his detestation towards them. “Why the fuck are you acting like her bodyguards? For fuck’s sake, it’s not like we want to hurt her!”

“Do you, really?” Karina asks in an annoying mockery that has their eyes twitching. “You guys are beyond predictable, so we don’t trust you to be alone with Y/N.”

Before things can get worse between them, you decide to step in, moving out of their body shields and revealing yourself in front of Sunghoon and Jay, whose eyes immediately latch on your figure.

You offer your girls a small smile in an attempt to assure them. “It’s okay. You girls can go ahead and wait for me in the car. Besides, they won’t do anything to hurt me in public.”

You can feel the sheer disbelief emanating from Sunghoon and Jay as their eyes drill into the side of your face. You ignore them as your eyes meet Wonyoung’s, giving her a firm nod.

Wonyoung releases a sigh, denoting her resignation, before nudging the other two. “Let’s go.” She says, and they eventually acquiesce, but not before shooting the guys a withering glare.

As the girls make their retreat to the car, you finally shift your attention to the disbelieving males, and this time, there are no traces of austerity or callousness they exhibited in front of your best friends. Just noticeable hurt glinting in their eyes by your previous statement, but they composed themselves with the rare sternness patch on their countenance.

“Do you know how much trouble you’re in?” Jay initiates the confrontation, his steely eyes penetrate into yours. “You shouldn’t have done what you did. Have you forgotten that there are always consequences to your actions?”

Your lips press thinly, refusing to back down despite feeling gradually small under their dark, pinning gaze. Your arms latch around your form, feeling the chilly wind hitting you. “I don't know what you’re talking about.” You lie so easily, and yet there is a palpable tremor in your voice.

“Heeseung is furious at you, princess.” Though Sunghoon is just as austere as Jay, the softness in his tone is so unmistakable that it almost impels you to cave into your longing and run into the comfort of his arms.

“We’re furious at you.” Jay seems to correct Sunghoon’s statement, and you nearly deflate like a balloon under the intensity of his dark gaze as he takes an intimidating step forward. “We don’t know why you did what you did, but you better have a good, reasonable explanation.”

“Stop.” You force your voice to come out strong as you back away, just before Jay can reach out to you. Your glare of hostility throws them off, and it is as though they are back to square one with you. “I’m not going anywhere with either of you. Just leave me alone.”

“Why are you being like this? Did we do something wrong?” Sunghoon voices out his frustration, while there is a hint of longing in his tone. “Talk to us, princess. Don’t shut us out.”

You shake your head, fighting against your vehement longing for them. “I just think it’s better for us to distance ourselves from each other.” You utter a broken whisper as you look away from their confused yet hurtful gaze. The tumult of emotions threatens to come down on you, springing tears to accumulate in your waterline. “You guys overwhelmed me, so please give me the space I need. Tell Heeseung that I’m sorry.”

Just as you are prepared to leave, Jay grabs you by the arm, pulling you close to him until he has you flushed against him. Your heart pumps rapidly at the warm contact of his body on yours and the way his dark eyes bore into yours deeply.

“You’re not going to walk away from us until you tell us why you’re avoiding us.” He demands calmly, while the low rasp in his voice awakens a familiar flutter in your beating heart. You notice the way his eyes flicker at your parted pink lips briefly. “I don’t want to force the answer out of you, baby.”

“Just go away!” You attempt to push him away from you in the chest while he still seizes control over your other arm, so you struggle in his unyielding grasp. Tears prick your glaring eyes as you look back at him. “I don’t have anything to explain to you! I’m not even your girlfriend!”

“Princess, calm down.” You feel Sunghoon’s presence behind you before his hands land on your tensed shoulders, alarming you at the fact that you are now being sandwiched between them.

You remain adamant, shaking your head vehemently before trying valiantly to escape from their possession, but exhaustion dawns on you more quickly than you like. “Just please…” You plead, and your voice has a noticeable crack in the end as you are caught in a whirlwind of emotions.

Succumbing to defeat, you hang your head low, hiding the sight of you in tears from them, before you instinctively lean your forehead against Jay’s chest. “Please let me go. I don’t want to argue with you two any longer. I’m tired.”

Sunghoon resists the urge to wrap his arms around you from behind, and when his eyes flicker to meet Jay’s, he gives him a firm nod, causing Jay to loosen his hold on you, but you remain in a defeated stance, unmoving.

“Fine, we’ll give you the space you need, but don’t think for a second that this is the last time you’ll ever see us.” Sunghoon speaks in a low murmur next to your ear, his cold breath fanning your earlobe.

Sniffling, you finally look up and push them away from you. Avoiding their gazes, you hug yourself in an attempt to provide some warmth amidst the chilly wind. “Forget it. I don’t want to see any of you anytime, sooner, or ever.” Despite your declaration, your heart vehemently disagrees. “I’ve decided to revert to the girl I was before she foolishly allowed herself to fall for your charms.”

“Princess…”

“Baby…”

You muster the last of your courage as you glare at them through your teary vision, unable to see the expressions they wear. “Whatever we had before, it’s over. We’re over.”

You don’t give either of them the opportunity to speak or counter-remark, as you immediately flee from them, heading towards Karina’s car, where your best friends have been watching the entire interaction closely. As you shove yourself in the passenger seat and slam the door, Karina wastes no time in driving you off, and alas, you release the restrained waterworks.

You stayed true to your firm decision about reverting to the good Catholic girl you were before all the corruption you allowed to break you from the inside, because when Sunday morning arrives, you find yourself entering the familiar divine building alongside other churchgoers. Settling on a pew in the right aisle, you grab your bible from your tote bag and place it on your lap while your other hand clutches the rosary as you await the service to begin. 

It feels foreign to you to come back here after so long, but above all, stepping foot on these holy grounds evokes an immense guilt in you, and you feel as though you are undeserving after having your impurity ripped off due to your immoral willingness. Nevertheless, you know that those thoughts are whispers of the devil in order to lead you astray again.

As soon as the service commences, you attempt to direct your full attention on the pastor as he delivers his preaching, but your eyebrows furrow at the feeling of eyes watching you, nearly dissuading you from your focal point before you force yourself to refocus again while clutching your rosary.

Perhaps it is your paranoia at the possibility that whoever attacked you the other night is back to hunt you down, but you can’t shake off the feeling of eyes fixated on your figure, especially in the way the back of your hair rises and goosebumps on your skin hidden underneath your white cardigan that matches well with your cute white floral dress.

Okay, maybe you are being paranoid, and those eyes probably belong to people seated in the rows behind you since you are seated in the very first row, but you have this strong urge to turn around, and you do so slowly. As your eyes briefly scan these people, their focus seems to be on the preaching. Just then, you feel a burning sensation drilling into your face, prompting you to shift your eyes elsewhere.

At the moment your eyes lock with his, your breath goes hitched in your throat while your heart pounds hard against your chest. Seated amongst the other churchgoers somewhere in the backrow in your aisle is Lee Heeseung.

The bill of his cap does nothing to shadow the wicked glint in his dark, mesmerising eyes, and a devilish smirk plays on his lips. Your eyes follow the movement of his tongue gliding across his bottom lip, which is adorned with the familiar silver ring. Despite the forbidden arousal stirring in your core, confusion fills your head.

What is he doing here? At least to your knowledge, Heeseung has never gone to this church, nor is he someone who is religious, so his unexpected appearance greatly confounds you. Nevertheless, you force yourself to break the devilly yet heavenly trance from his eye contact, facing the front again.

When the service ends, you exchange polite greetings and farewells to the others in your vicinity before abandoning your seat to make your way through the departing people to greet the priest, and midway, you look over your shoulder to check if Heeseung is still there. A frown touches your lips at the empty spot where he was seen earlier. His sudden disappearance only seems to unnerve you.

You grace your countenance with a polite smile as soon as the priest greets you warmly. The thought of Heeseung immediately dissipates as you engage in a meaningful conversation with the priest. However, you feel weirded out upon noticing his lecherous gaze and how often he compliments your overall look, not forgetting the way his eyes linger on your revealing legs even though the length of your dress reaches just above your knees.

You inwardly shake your head and silently berate yourself for such ill-thoughts of the priest when he has always been kind to you. Besides, your intention is to make a confession entailing your sinful pursuits, and so the priest begins to guide you to the sacrament of penance while the church gradually becomes quieter due to the others’ departure.

However, uneasiness is gnawing at you while your stomach churns, noticing that something is indeed off as he guides you to a different route and the atmosphere gets ominous.

You bite down your lip, contemplating before deciding to act upon your better instinct. “Um..Father, from what I recall, this isn’t the way to the─” You are cut off when he grabs a hold of your arm tightly, feeling as though he has stopped the blood flowing in your arm.

“What are you doing?!” You try to yank your arm from his deadly grip as he continues to drag you with him into one of the rooms where the lights are dim, shoving you inside. Panic and anxiety expand in your chest as you feel helpless against his strength.

Something dark casts a shadow across his features as he looks at you, his lips curling into a wicked sneer while you grimace at the lecherous gaze of his. “I’ve waited a long time for this, for you, my sweet child.” He says so amorously, pulling you closer until his prominent bulge is pressed against your thigh.

“Get away from me, you perv!” You scream, trashing against his hold, no longer do you hold such respect for him. “Help! He’s trying to─” He slaps you hard on the cheek and shoves you to the ground, standing over you.

You choke back a sob while tears prickle in your eyes, not understanding why the priest would do this to you. Just when you think there is no hope, the door is violently pushed open, with the handle being wholly destroyed. Before you know it, the priest has been shoved away from you, manhandled by an imposing figure.

“You sick hypocritical fucker!” Jake’s enraged voice startles you as it reverberates throughout the room. When you look at the side, you gasp upon seeing Jake deliver brutal yet skillful punches to the priest’s face as he hovers over. “You dared to assault my woman?!” He roars out, making you go flinching.

Jake is seeing absolute red and becoming relentless. Another punch, and this time, you can’t bear to see the violence as blood begins to spill. 

You stand with shaky legs, getting ready to bolt your way out of here, but when another figure enters the room, you gasp again upon seeing a melee knife in Heeseung’s grasp while his eyes are ablaze with rampant storms. His focus is solely on the priest, who is being beaten relentlessly to the pulp.

You should be running away by now, but you remain frozen with fascination and horror as you watch the vicious element Jake revels in, as evident in the way he smirks. Clutching the nearly half-dead priest by his blood-stained shirt, Jake casts a glance at Heeseung. “Should we kill him off quickly or painfully slowly?

Heeseung mirrors Jake’s smirk as he toys around with the knife. “The latter is music to my ears.”

Your heart drops to the pit of your stomach at the dreadful realisation of their firm decision to kill off the priest. Sure, you now loathe the priest and feel completely revolted by his assault, but killing doesn’t sit right with you.

Just when Heeseung brings the pointed tip of the knife near to the priest’s bloodied face, you stop him with a plea, “Don’t kill him!”

The sound of your voice draws their attention in an instant, but the expressions they wear on their faces cause your stomach to churn unpleasantly. Jake scoffs, his gaze burning into your face. “You don’t get to decide the fate of this sick bastard. He fucking assaulted you, Y/N. He must pay the price.”

“N-Not like this. Please.” You try to reason with them, and a tear trickles down your cheek while you tremble with a palpable fear for them. “We can report him to the police instead. Just please, no killing.”

“You don’t seem to understand that you are in no position to make demands.” Heeseung says lowly, the warning projecting in the rasp of his voice while his dark eyes penetrate into yours. A cold smirk plays on his lips as he diverts his attention to you. “For that matter, you had the audacity to stop us and tell us what to do after what you did.”

“H-Heeseung…” You whisper in a panic, your tearful eyes bringing him a wicked delight as you slowly back away from him.

Heeseung stalks towards you, chuckling softly. “Oh, sweetheart, you didn’t think I’d forget your rebellion, did you? It’s time for you to face the consequences, and how fitting it is to punish you on these sacred grounds.”

Entering fight-or-flight mode, you decide to flee from them, bolting out of the room and navigating your way back to the pew since you had left your belongings there. You hear thundering footsteps from behind you, eliciting a fearful sob from you as you know that Heeseung is relentlessly chasing after you, and unbeknownst to you, he is catching up fast.

When you arrive at the crossing, you are greeted by a desolate sight, bare of any churchgoers. It is eerily silent too, with the exception of your harsh panting as you halt from running, needing to gasp for air while your chest feels tight. Running really is your weakest suit.

You spot your belongings at the previous spot you were seated at, and just before you move forward, the door ahead of you from afar opens, revealing Sunghoon and Jay sauntering into the church leisurely with equal boredom on their countenances, and in their manner, it is as though they are on the grounds of their territory.

“You two are just in time.” Heeseung startles you from behind, but your reaction in eluding him delays, resulting in you being caged in his possession with his hands seizing your arms now being interlocked behind you securely.

“Heeseung! Let go of me!” You struggle valiantly against him despite apprehension coiling within you, and when a rising anticipation at the feasible thrill of what they have in store for you stirs in your inner core, you silently berate yourself for nearly forgetting your morality.

Your eyes flicker to Sunghoon and Jay as they continue to advance forward, their neutrality at the sight of you being held captive in Heeseung’s possession confounds you. Nevertheless, you have no idea why you desire their help when they are probably in it too. “J-Jay, Hoonie…” You utter their name weakly, feeling dejected by their indifference.

“They’re not going to help you, sweetheart.” Heeseung chuckles lethally and softly beside your ear, sending shivers down your spine. “They’re here to take out the trash, and who knows if they want to watch us as well?”

“Heeseung, please.” You whimper out, fear is palpable in the tremor of your voice, and yet you can’t seem to put a stop to your stirring arousal in your core at the deliverance of your punishment from him. “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to.”

“Oh, but you did mean it, sweetheart. The camera in my office captured everything. You just couldn’t keep your pretty hands to yourself and stayed curious like the good fucking girl you were supposed to be.” He snarls coldly, evoking more dread in you that soon mingles with your unbearable arousal, causing you to discreetly squeeze your thighs together.

The commotion coming from the side prompts you to turn your head, and your eyes widen in horror at the sight of the fucked-up priest, whose face is close to wrecked with blood smeared all over, being dragged across the floor by Jake with ease.

“Thank fuck, you guys are here. He’s heavy as fuck.” Jake groans loudly as he releases the priest’s limb without any thought of gentleness when Sunghoon and Jay approach him. “Handle him, and I don’t care how or what you choose to do with him.”

“What did he do again?” Jay inquires rather uninterestedly, wanting this to be done as soon as possible.

“Sexually assaulted young girls for the past few years and threatened them into staying silent.” Jake lists them down, whereas you become genuinely appalled by the revelation. When his eyes flicker at yours fleetingly, you flinch slightly. “The fucker assaulted our girl too.”

“Say less. We’ll get the job nicely done.” Sunghoon affirms, adorning a smile that gives you the chills. You watch as Sunghoon and Jay drag the priest by his arms, seeming to be making their way to the other exit and leaving you with the very two predators you should be evading.

“Lovely.” Jake drawls out, his charming grin is a deception you recognise, while his eyes are overtly displayed with a mingling displeasure and lust. “Where are your manners, my love? We did save you from that pretentious bastard.”

“T-Thank you.” You stammer, your cheeks flushing pink with humiliation, under their burning derogatory gaze.

“Awww, isn’t she adorable, Heeseung?” Jake coos, his gentle tone dripping with mockery, as does the way he looks at you, akin to how a predator is ready to pounce on their prey before devouring them alive.

 Heeseung hums in agreement as he strokes your cheek in a hauntingly loving gesture. “You’re right. She’s so fucking adorable.” You hear the sneer in his voice before he directs his speech to you. “Just like how adorable you were trying to escape when you should’ve known that I’ll always win over you, sweetheart.” 

“I wasn’t trying to escape!” You accidentally display your defiance, denying the obvious truth, and you smack your lips shut together while berating your idiocy once more.

“So she lies as well.” Jake tuts disapprovingly. “The list just keeps adding. First, you broke one of our rules by trespassing on Heeseung’s office for the second time. Second, you didn’t want to see us anymore. Now, this?”

“Someone needs to be taught a lesson or two.” Heeseung chuckles darkly, eliciting an enticing whimper from you that goes straight to their cocks. “It really is fitting for our girl to be punished on these sacred grounds, right, Jake?”

“Definitely.” The sensation of Jake’s eyes raking all over you feels scorching. “Bad girls need to be taught some lessons, and it looks like our sweet angel has fallen. We can’t have you become bad. No, you need to be good just for us.”

It is really confusing. You are caught up in a predicament where the rational part of you beseeches you to follow your morality and refuse your awaiting predators, but another part of you, which you regard as corrupt, is pulling you to its side, lulling you to succumb to their depravity.

“Did you know that Jake was such a good boy, just like you?” Heeseung purrs in your ear, dripping with his seductive allure that projects in his husky voice.

You shudder lightly as you feel his wet muscle licking a stripe on your earlobe before speaking to you in a deceptive, gentle tone that belies familiar darkness. “Oh, yes. He even took his studies in religion to a higher level, which almost granted him the opportunity to become a preacher. It’s rather fitting for him to preach and correct the errors of your ways now, yeah?”

A whimper leaves your lips when Heeseung seizes your chin without any gentleness to forcefully turn your head to look at Jake, whose dark eyes penetrate into yours and bear such wicked intent, while a smirk unfurls on his lips as he stalks towards you.

“Please.” Your voice is barely above a whisper, while a tear escapes from the corner of your eye as Jake caresses your cheek in a hauntingly loving gesture. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to─”

“Oh, you’ll be begging for forgiveness, alright.” Jake chuckles coldly, no traces of his usual charming mirth are detectable. His thumb brushes across your bottom lip sensually before tugging it down, causing your lips to part open while you remain helpless in Heeseung’s impenetrable hold.

“I’m your fucking preacher now, and since you are so desperate to seek forgiveness, you’ll be confessing your sins to me while I fuck you until I decide when you can be pardoned.” Jake says so harshly, causing more tears to accumulate in your eyes. His dark eyes bear zero ounces of clemency, while his countenance reminds you of the night when he embodied a serial killer. “Now face the damn cross and get down on your fucking knees.”

Once Heeseung releases you, you know better than to delay further, following Jake’s instruction despite the humiliation descending on you before you finally find yourself kneeling on the ground and facing the imposing cross.

“On your fours, sweetheart.” Heeseung instructs firmly, his gentle tone does nothing to ease your frayed nerves. You swallow down a whimper as you reluctantly lean your body forward with both palms pressed on the floor, feeling exposed from the back since you are bare of any safety shorts.

You feel Jake’s hands manoeuvre from behind you, lifting the entirety of your dress to fully expose your ass, with your white lace underwear barely covering the expanse of it. You don’t have time to grasp the sensation of his callous palm landing on your ass cheek hard, as it sends you a shocking wave in a painful ripple through your body before he does it again.

“Ah! Jaeyun!” You yelp out, your body jerking forward due to the impact, before you feel fingers tangling in your hair to grab a fistful of your hair and apply enough pressure to pull your head to the back, making you face the high grand ceiling.

“I’m not hearing any apologies from you yet, lovely.” Jake tuts as he rubs the soreness of your ass cheek soothingly before taking you by surprise when he smacks it twice hard, eliciting a sob from you, and yet, you can feel your arousal staining your underwear as it leaks from your needy cunt. “I can do this all day.”

“Please! I’m so sorry! I made a mistake by breaking your rule!” You begin your confession, apologising through sobs as well, while tears are prickling in your eyes as he remains unforgiving in spanking you. “I promise I won’t do it again! Please! It hurts!”

“Oh yeah? If it hurts, then why are you so wet from your punishment, lovely?” He chuckles sardonically as he finally ceases the spanking, only for his fingers to migrate your lace underwear and stroke the outer of your cunt, where he spots a visible wet patch on the material. “Naughty, dirty angel. If you wanted to be punished like this so badly, then why didn’t you say so?”

You feel him releasing your hair, allowing your strained neck to rest. “I-I don’t─” A gasp leaves your lips at the moment Jake practically tears your underwear savagely and tosses it aside. “Jaeyun! My underwear─”

“Shut up.” Jake cuts you off sharply, earning him a dejected whimper from you while he loosens his slacks, freeing his erection that desires to be buried in your warmth after so long. “I’m going to fuck your sweet cunt, and you’re going to fuck Heeseung’s cock with your mouth. You’re going to take us both like the well-trained slut you are for us.”

It isn’t really helping when your cunt keeps clenching anytime either of them delivers their degradation to you, and it’s even worse when you are eagerly anticipating for their cocks and for them to ruin you once more.

“Come on, sweetheart. Open up.” Heeseung towers over your figure in front of you while your hungry eyes are staring at his erection, the pink tip is engorged. You part open your lips, inviting him to push his cock into your hot cavern, and he does. 

You try your best to avoid gagging as the head gets further away, grazing against the roof of your mouth. A pleasurable sigh leaves Heeseung’s lips as soon as you begin to fuck him with your mouth, your tongue swirling around the head before deepthroating him skillfully like a pro, earning you an approving rumble from his chest while his dark eyes watch you.

Seeing as you are too distracted with Heeseung’s cock, Jake smirks softly and aims his cock directly at your cunt, just for the head to rub against your slick folds, eliciting a muffled moan from your stuffed throat as the head continuously bumps your neglected clit.

Without any further foreplay, Jake thrusts the entirety of his length into you as your walls welcome him, despite the tightness that has him biting down his lips. The sheer girth of his shaft has you whimpering and moaning that are restricted by Heeseung’s cock, causing you to stop as Jake unyieldingly delivers his slow yet hard thrusts into your needy cunt with the walls fluttering around him.

Not satisfied with your performance, Heeseung grabs a fistful of your hair while your jaw goes slacken, and your teary eyes meet his stern ones. “I didn’t say you could stop, did I?”

You immediately shake your head at him before resuming, but it is getting harder to focus on Heeseung when Jake is fucking you from behind so deliciously as the sound of his thighs smacking against your bums resonates throughout these sacred walls.

“Oh, fuck, lovely.” Jake throws his head to the back, gritting his teeth at the delirious sensation of your fluttery walls practically vacuuming his cock, as though they never want to let go, prompting him to deliver shallow thrusts while picking up the pace. “You must’ve missed my cock that much, yeah?”

There is no possible way to verbally respond to him other than muffled moans. Heeseung uses your hair as leverage to fuck himself into your mouth; each thrust gets shallower as the head hits the back of your throat.

“Good girl. Take my cock like the champ you are.” Heeseung coos, admiring your tear-stained face and how sinfully innocent you look with your eyelashes fluttering as you look up at him while your mouth is stuffed full by his cock. A muscle pulses in his jaw, unable to prolong the impending orgasm as it reaches its climax. “I’m gonna cum, sweetheart. You know what to do, yeah?”

You nod your head, eager to please him, and hurl him to the edge as you play around the sensitive tip with your tongue before deepthroating him and going still as he finally cums into you while you gladly swallow every drop.

“That’s it. Oh, my beautiful sweetheart.” Heeseung continues to shower you with compliments that make your heart swell, whereas Jake feels neglected by your lack of attention.

As soon as Heeseung steps away from you, Jake grabs you by the hair and pulls it back while he fucks you harder yet precisely shallow, which has you nearly seeing stars in your vision.

“Oh God!” You moan out, lost in a haze of intense pleasure, with your eyes rolling to the back of your skull as he sets a brutal pace that you never knew you needed from him.

“No God, baby.” Jake rasps, his voice thick with gratification and his eyes darkening as he revels in the sweet sound eliciting from you, adding to the symphony of your sinful intercourse in front of the holy cross. “Only Jaeyun for you. I’m your God now.”

“Jaeyun!” You begin to blabber, deprived of complete coherence, as you begin to fuck yourself back on him, wanting to feel him deeply, and when the head manages to hit that spot deliciously, a loud moan tears from your throat. “Oh! Jae! Right there!”

“Right fucking there?” Jake growls as he tightens his grip on your hair, drilling his cock deep into you, and fuck, he feels it, the head hitting something spongy inside you while the repeated action of his draws out more moans from you. “Yeah? That’s your spot, lovely?”

“Please! More!” You sob out, completely delirious to the sensation of his cock that consumes your every sense, and unbeknownst to you, more than one pair of eyes have been watching you.

“Don’t be greedy, love. It’s a sin.” Jake chuckles, mockery lacing his tone, but his voice sounds nearly strained as his impending orgasm comes forth, rendering him teetering at the edge while his vigorous thrusts don’t let up. “Fuck. I’m going to cum in you, lovely.”

You whimper out while tears cascade down your cheeks, and at the same time, your orgasm hits you violently when his hips go completely stilled with his cock burying to the hilt, dumping his cum into your womb to mix with yours. Still, you feel dissatisfied, as evident in the way your walls go clenching around him like crazy, eliciting a breathy chuckle from the male.

Jake gently pulls out his cock from your nearly battered, fluttery walls, earning him a needy whine from you, which he clicks his tongue at. “Don’t worry, lovely. You’ll get what you want. Now get up.”

Slowly, you stand on shaking legs while your thighs and knees are evidently sore. Heeseung takes you by surprise when he grabs your arm firmly to guide you forward. Your confusion is mingled with immense guilt as you feel the weight of the holy cross glaring at you while he guides you until you reach the altar.

“Sit and lay down with your legs spread open.” Heeseung calmly instructs you, but you remain frozen, shaken from the core at the realisation of what he is about to do. “I’m not going to say it again, sweetheart.”

Not wanting to piss him off, you obediently follow his absurd instructions while ignoring the wicked thrill in you. As you sit on the altar and face the front, your heart nearly drops at the sight of Sunghoon and Jay, who seem to have been watching you from the spot where Jake had fucked you, while one of them is clearly recording you with his phone.

In a blink of an eye, Heeseung has you laid down on the altar, your legs now spread flexibly for their eyes to feast upon your cunt that pulsates with the incessant need to be stuffed full again.

“Greedy for more, aren’t you?” Heeseung looms over your vulnerable figure in front of you, whereas Jake stands behind you to bind your wrists above your head, denying you any possible defiance against what Heeseung is about to do. A smirk plays on Heesueng’s lips, seeing the heavy lust amidst your teary eyes. “It seems you’ve forgotten that this should be your punishment. I guess Jake didn’t execute your punishment properly.”

“Fuck you, I did.” Jake retorts, but Heeseung merely ignores him as his eyes trail to your pink, slick folds from both Jake and your cum. A breathy moan leaves your lips as his fingers stroke your throbbing clit before rubbing it for good measure, just to take you by surprise when he suddenly lands a sharp slap on your pussy.

“Heeseung!” You scream as he does it again painfully, and another comes that has you struggling in Jake’s firm hold while your hips jerk at the impact. You sob out, feeling your pussy being abused by his relentless slaps and teasing of his fingers, occasionally rubbing your aching clit, as though to edge you in an agonising way. “Please! No more!”

“No more? But you’re fucking wet, sweetheart.” Heeseung unfurls a soft smirk as he finally relents, just to slide his fingers down on your slippery folds that are coated with your slick arousal. “Gonna baptise you, pretty girl.”

“Our sweet angel just loves the pain, doesn’t she?” Jake smirks down at you cruelly, his eyes marvelling at how docile you are being displayed like this and how your legs seem to be spreading for more room. “Oh, you do want this, yeah? Fucking give it to her, Heeseung.”

You flinch again when Heeseung delivers one last smack on your drenched-reddened folds before he lowers himself to level with your throbbing cunt and wastes no time delving into you, his hands pressing on your inner thighs to keep your legs from closing.

You gasp at the abrupt intrusion of his wet muscle thrusting into your cunt, but as his tongue dances across your sensitive flesh, licking your every wall with his nose rubbing your clit, you arch your back as you move your hips in tandem with his expert tongue delving into your cunt and the way he teases your quivering walls with his lip ring. His cap has completely fallen off as he becomes utterly drunk in your sweet pre-essence, his hunger for your cunt is insatiable.

Jake watches as your angelic face contorts into pleasure with your eyes fluttered close and moans spilling from your lips that go straight into his now-twitching cock.

The slick sound emanating from your slick cunt is utterly obscene as it reaches to your ears, only turning you on more as does the

“Oh my god! Seungie!” You mewl at his uninhibited movements, ravaging you as though your pussy is his last meal. You feel him humming, sending vibration through your quivering body, before he drags his tongue across your slick folds to find your clit and sucks on your nub, setting your bundles of nerves aflame.

“Fuck!” You cry out when he bites down on your nub without any ounce of mercy before he laps it up to soothe the pain, and yet it is a pain you have grown to crave. “Seungie.” You mewl again, moving your hips sensually as his tongue expertly swirls and licks your sensitive clit, and you become wholly consumed by the pleasure.

Without letting up his tongue, Heeseung plunges two fingers into your sopping cunt, thrusting vigorously with primal abandon. The sheer intensity of his tongue and fingers hurls you to the teetering edge, your pleasure building to a crescendo while wanton moans spill from your lips, surrendering to the rapturous onslaught.

Your tearful eyes meet Jake’s, whose eyes darken with a primal lust as he watches Heeseung unyielding punishment to your sopping cunt, and you begin to feel it—the familiar white-hot sensation sizzling through you at the same time his fingers curl in you, hitting that spot unrelentingly. “I’m gonna cum.” You moan brokenly, sobbing.

“Do it, lovely.” Jake coos as he brushes away the messy strands from your face, his eyes hold an unmistakable affection amidst the lust. “Wanna see you squirt for us.”

With Heeseung’s one last flick on the nub, your orgasm comes crashing down like tidal waves, and your release gushes out messily with fluid while your body convulses uncontrollably on the altar as you sob out at the sheer intensity of the overwhelming pleasure. Just when you think he is done, his fingers resume fucking into you, even as you continue to squirt.

Heeseung looms over your figure, his face is demented with primal lust, and a devilish smirk plays on his lips. Your heart flutters at how good he looks, his sheeny nose and chin dripping with your slick essence while his hair is tousled and his dark eyes gleam with insatiable lust for you. You whimper as he roughly removes his fingers to deliver a slap on your wholly drenched pussy.

“Look at you. Being fucked and ruined by us on these holy grounds.” Heeseung's husky voice is laden with lust, while his dark eyes gleam with familiar corruption. He slaps your sensitive clit sharply, drawing out a cry from you as he continues to degrade you while you remain powerless against Jake’s hold. “You should be ashamed of yourself, sweetheart.“

“I’m sorry.” You sob out, unable to think straight as your mind has melted into a puddle, only wanting to succumb to the exhaustion.

“That’s right. Seek forgiveness only from us.” Jake says so softly, his caress on your cheek feels deceptive, and yet you lean into his touch, your lidded eyes struggling to stay open. “We’re your salvation, lovely. You need only us.”

You nod your head slowly, feeling languid, but just as you are about to succumb to the darkness that nearly consumes your every sense, you manage to spot them holding their phones, snapping shots of you, before you finally pass out on the altar from the sheer exhaustion.

As soon as you gain consciousness, the soreness in your lower region serves as a reminder of the event that transpired earlier in the holy church, and the recollection hits you with an unadulterated mortification as you remain numbly unmoving from the bed, facing the familiar ceiling that is painted in delicate tapestry from the soft glow of the moon filtering through your window.

You can’t help but feel surprised when they bring you back to the palace instead of abandoning you and leaving you half-stark naked on the altar, considering that you did displease them and how their cruelty was punctuated in the way they gave you both pleasure and pain.

Yet, despite the gratification that satisfies your longing lust for them, you are still caught in the dilemma of whether you want to be closer to them or to listen to your rationality and depart from their lives for good. Tears prickle in your eyes, frustrated at the clear dissonance of your heart and mind.

Not long later, you are freshened up. The whiff of your shampoo scent hits you as you march your way around to find them, your eyes hardening when you vividly recall one of them recording the entire obscenity in the church earlier, spurring you into confronting them while a stab of betrayal plunges into your heart.

After long minutes of searching for them, you finally found them across from the arcade room, where they are in the middle of playing billiards. The lighting in the room is aesthetically dim, exuding an air of allure, especially when the entire space is dominated by their tantalising presences.

You ignore the familiar jitters that flutter in your tummy at their distinct, sharp gazes on your figure, while the cold atmosphere feels oppressive, punctuated by the cadence of your rapid heartbeat. Ignoring the jitters, you focus on the resentment that stems from the betrayal, which has deeply stained the mistrust you have developed for them.

“I know you guys recorded and snapped pictures of me earlier.” The coldness of your voice is tinged with utter disbelief while your steely eyes glare at their seemingly neutral demeanour, with the exception of their equally callous gazes. A muscle pulses in your jaw, refusing to back down from their oozing intimidation. “I did not consent to any of it. So please delete them.”

Still, your sensibility has been hoping that they would listen to you since they always do, but the air of nonchalance exuding from their imposing figures shatters that hope, and the cruelty shines through in the way Heeseung smirks.

“We knew that you’d be confronting us about it, but we’re not going to delete them unless you confess to us about why you did what you did.” Heeseung says calmly, leaning his lower back against the pool table with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Oh, so you’re trying to blackmail me? Is this what you’re doing now?” You let out a disbelieving chuckle while you feel as though a knife has slashed your beating heart. “And if I don’t confess? What do you plan on doing with them, then? Posting and spreading those pictures and videos online?” You bombard them with rhetorical questions.

Heeseung narrows his eyes at this, and you notice a flare of protectiveness in his eyes. “No, sweetheart. We would never do any of that, because your body is meant for our eyes only.” He nearly growls out, as if the thought of anyone who dares to get a glimpse of your nudity enrages him.

Nevertheless, you scoff, rolling your eyes as you fold your arms below your chest. “That doesn’t change the fact you guys took them without consent from me!”

“How else are we going to get your undivided attention when all you’ve done is avoid and try to escape from us? Especially after knowing what your mistake was.” Sunghoon counters firmly, his eyebrows arching at you.

“That’s the second time you broke one of our rules, Y/N.” Jay remarks, the austerity he emanates reminds you of his father, to whom the elder managed to leave an impression. “We didn’t expect such behaviour from you.”

“Speaking of behaviour, you’ve become different after going through Heeseung’s computer.” Sunghoon points out. “Clearly, you’ve discovered something that led to your avoidance, princess.” You ignore the way your heart lightly flutters at the endearment.

“And we don’t usually give second chances to anyone’s rebellion, not even you.” Jake’s statement deepens the hurt in your chest, which springs the tears in your waterline, and when you look at him, he seems to regret the words left in his mouth before the steeliness in his eyes melts. He releases a soft sigh, settling on the single couch at the side. “Just tell us the truth─”

“I found out about our parents.” You cut him off sharply, trying your utmost to maintain your composure and not go all hysteric on them. You continue, even when the cold atmosphere feels foreboding. “I saw those pictures of them, and what disgusts me the most is that you kept an old tape of theirs─” You inhale sharply as you turn away from them, unable to continue when the recollection of that God-forsaken tape resurfaces in your mind.

From your peripheral vision, you spot Jay moving towards you rather cautiously. “Baby, we can explain─”

Your eyes are ablaze with anger and hurt as you return your gaze to them, every fibre of your being surging with unbridled tumultuous emotions that you have been keeping at bay. “What is there to explain?! That it’s beneficial for you to keep such sickening content?” You lash out at them, and fuck, you hate it whenever you are caught up in the haze of your anger, tears will always spring up in your eyes.

Jake clenches his jaw, his eyes storming dangerously with pique. “Lovely, if you just allow us to explain─”

You cut him off with a sardonic chuckle, which escapes you as your chin wobbles with sadness that derives from their betrayal. “Oh, I know. Those pictures and videos you took of me, you’re going to keep and jerk off to them just like you do to our parents’ orgy.” You can see it in their countenance—how greatly angered they are by your statements, which they deem false.

“Fucking hell, Y/N. Why would we jerk off to their sex tape when it’s meant for blackmailing our fathers?!” Sunghoon exclaims, his eyes in utter disbelief at your accusation. “Fine, if you want to know why, it’s because we’re going to blackmail our fathers once the time is right.”

“For what? Revenge against them?” You press on the matter, scoffing as you wipe away your tears. “I don’t care about whatever grudge you have against your fathers, but to involve my mother in your revenge scheme? How could you─”

“It’s not in any of your business, Y/N.” Heeseung’s low voice serves as a warning. His callous gaze seems to hurt you more. “You don’t have the right to question what we do.”

“It is when my mother is involved!” You retort angrily before sobbing, as tears are unrelentingly cascading on your cheeks. “If I had known that you were this deplorable, I shouldn’t have given my heart to you in the first place.”

“Baby.” Jay attempts to reach out to you, but you back away from him, shaking your head.

“I can’t do this anymore with all of you, and this time, I mean it when I say that whatever we had, whether I’m just your fuckdoll for you to toy around or whatever, we’re over.” You force your voice to come out strong, and yet you falter with the pain expanding in your tightening chest.

But Heeseung stops you just when you are ready to egress. “Y/N Kang, don’t you dare leave this room without taking back your words or─”

It is as though something so profound snaps within you as you whirl around to glare dementedly into his eyes. “Or what?! You’re going to kill me just like you did to Jinae?!”

This time, your strident exclamation staggers them into a complete silence that is deafening throughout the room, with the exception of your harsh breathing. The look on their faces dispels any lingering doubts about them being Jinae’s murderers, although it is not a telltale sign of guilt but rather something so cryptic as you scrutinise them for another time.

Nevertheless, your resolve remains unwavering, determined to get the entire truth out of them, wanting to listen to their side of the story of what exactly happened three years ago.

“No more hiding anything from me. Tell me the truth.” You demand, and the palpable tremor in your voice punctuates your qualm. Their deafening silence only seems to aggravate you as you clench your fist. “Why did you kill Jinae?”

“It’s been three years since her passing. Why bring it up now?” Jake deftly dodges the question as he looks away from you, his chiselled jaw goes clenching.

“How did you know about her?” Sunghoon asks sternly, his thick eyebrows furrowing at you.

“It doesn’t matter how I know about her, but I know enough that she was your prey, just like I am now. That’s why you guys targeted me in the first place, right?” Your resolve in the way you firmly speak slowly wanes as hurt flickers in your gaze at the dawning realisation. “I’m not anything special to you. I’m just your prey for you to fuck me over until you decide to end my life the same way you did to Jinae if I ever cross any of you, right?”

“Do you really think the worst of us, sweetheart?” Heeseung asks quietly, something that is akin to the hurt reflecting in your eyes glinting in his. “Do you really think that we would ever do anything to jeopardise your precious life?”

His questions hit you like whiplash as you blink away your tears, and a shaky breath leaves your lips, unable to think of anything other than the look in his eyes. Never have you ever seen Heeseung being hurt, especially by you.

Still, you don’t relent, acting upon your ego as you swallow the painful emotional lump in your throat. “Yes.” You answer shakily, looking away from them. “But by all means, you are welcome to prove me wrong. Until then, I don’t want to be around any of you because I no longer trust you.”

Like a bolt of lightning, you depart from the room before any of them can stop you, your hasten steps guiding you back to your room with the intention to pack whatever necessities and head over to your dorm.

You sniffle, wiping the remnants of tears away from your cheeks with the sleeves of your blouse, unaware of your surroundings to even hear heavy footsteps behind you that punctuated his vehemence in preventing you from ebbing away from his reach any longer.

A startled gasp tears from your throat when a hand latches on your wrist to spin you around. Transient confusion fills your muddling head. “Sunghoon─”

Without a word, Sunghoon manoeuvres you swiftly, being quite nonchalant in the way he does as he carries you over his shoulder effortlessly with one arm hooked around your waist for security before he advances forward.

You gasp once more before vexation takes you over, swinging your legs and delivering puny punches to his toned back in defiance. “Park Sunghoon! Put me down!” You squeal just as his palm smacks down on your ass cheek, causing your cheeks to turn rosier while the stinging pain of the impact renders your silence.

Not too long later, Sunghoon pushes open the door to his room and brings you over to his bed before settling down as you stand by the edge of his bed. It seems that he has already predicted your next move, because before you can dash for the door, he grabs your wrist tight and spins you around.

“Park Sunghoon─” You don’t have time to process anything when he yanks you into his chest and silences you with his lips slamming into yours.

The faint taste of cigarettes on his lips pervades your overwhelming senses, and just when you have every intention to push him away, the way he is kissing you dissolves your resistance as you melt against him like butter, reciprocating the kiss with equal fervour while your hands go winding in his hair.

Sunghoon manoeuvres you over his bed without breaking the lip lock. Your back is pressed against the mattress with him hovering over you as he kisses you like he needs air, prompting you to force yourself to pull away from his chasing lips.

The sound of your bated breath mingles with his as you gaze into his dark, penetrating eyes that swirl with unfathomable emotions. His hair is just as tousled as yours, tempting you to skim your fingers through his soft locks once more.

Before you can speak, he silences you again, capturing your lips in a kiss that is a reflection of the depths of his feelings for you while the fluttering butterflies remain in their wake.

“Sunghoon,” You manage to utter in between the kisses, your hands latching on his nape. You gasp when he gently nips at your bottom lip before placing a chaste kiss at the corner of your lips. “Sunghoon, wait─”

“Don’t leave, princess.” Sunghoon’s desperation is accentuated by the uncharacteristic softness of his deep voice, which throws you off guard, his lips ghosting yours and pressing a deep, tender kiss on your lips while his arm slithers beneath your back, hugging you close to him with a longing sense of raw intimacy.

You gasp for air as soon as he pulls away, and when your eyes flutter open, your breath hitches at the glinting vulnerability in his eyes. You swallow harshly, looking away from him. “You can’t change my mind, Hoon.”

“Please, I─” Sunghoon dips his head into the hollow of your neck, mapping his kisses on your skin, each a testament to his desperation and affection reserved for you and only you. You hear him whimpering, or maybe you heard wrong, but you swear something stirs in your fluttery heart. “I can’t bear the thought of you leaving for good. I need you, princess.”

“You don’t need me. You never had.” You whisper, choking back a sob as you are overwhelmed by emotions. Your feeble attempt at pushing him away ceases, and you surrender yourself to his addictive kisses on your neck.

“Just don’t leave.” He remains adamant as he murmurs against your neck before trailing his kisses upward and reclaiming your lips in a searing kiss. “Let me fix this, yeah?” He rasps hotly against your lips before forcing his tongue into your mouth, exploring every inch and dancing in an intimate tango with your tongue, eliciting a breathy moan from you.

His kisses and his touch feel like a scorching brand all over you, enticing you to succumb to his overpowering allure. Finally caving into what your yearning heart desires, you slowly wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him close to you and deepening the fervent passion in the exchange of your kisses.

Maybe it won’t hurt you to indulge your heart, but you know that, at the end of the day, you need to put some distance between you and them for the sake of your sanity.

Losing track of time since the moment you made out with him, Sunghoon now basks in the warmth of your arms in silence, his head comfortably on your chest while his cheek is pressed against the plumpness of your boob with his arms around your waist, never letting go of you. Your fingers gently treading through his soft locks lull him to sleep, and having fallen for your deception, he allows himself to drift into the realm of sleep.

But Sunghoon is roused awake by the missing warmth of your body and your scent, which he has grown addicted to. Sitting up on his bed, he ruffles his tousled hair in frustration, silently cussing himself out for falling deep asleep, as evident in the soft glow of the moon filtering through his room.

Just as he has every intention to go to your room, his door pushes open, revealing Jay. Sunghoon’s frown deepens upon seeing the sombre casting a shadow on his best friend’s countenance.

“Don’t bother. She left the palace a few hours ago.” Jay tells Sunghoon in a grave tone as he leans sideways against the doorframe. A muscle pulses in his jaw. “As much as I oppose the idea, maybe it’s better if we give her some space to think.”

“What if we lose her for good?” Sunghoon voices out his worst nightmare while his eyes harden. “We can’t lose her. There's no way in hell I’m about to let that happen.”

Jay opens his mouth to speak, but footsteps approach from behind him, prompting the two of them to look at Sunoo, whose face is adorned with a mischievous smirk while Riki’s countenance remains ever so stony.

“We have good news.” Sunoo informs them in a cheery manner, totally ignoring the grimaces on Sunghoon and Jay’s faces at his bright demeanour.

“Yeah? Unless it’s Y/N coming back, then fuck off.” Sunghoon shoots him a scowl, earning him a pout from the latter.

“Well, if you don’t want to know the identity of Y/N’s anonymous texter,...” Sunoo drawls out, smirking as he sees the obvious shifts in their demeanour. “Oh, yeah, we finally cracked the code. But before we tell you who, Heeseung and Jake are waiting for the both of you in Heeseung’s office.”

“Just tell us who the fucker is, damn it.” Jay says impatiently. “Is it any of the guys on our suspected list?”

Sunoo and Riki exchange glances. Riki releases a sigh before finally revealing, “It’s─”

TAGLIST: @aishigrey @kgneptun @b3tt7boop @smg-valeria @lhspeachie @enhaverse713586 @strxwbloody @firstclassjaylee @jwnghyuns @deobitifull @loumin908 @sousydive @pinkkami @skzenhalove @caravm @shinrjj @loljaeyunz @star4rin @darkjongsung @mlywon @yorukoshii @nshmrarki @lol6sposts @lilyuwon @enha-crumbs @slut4hee @capri-cuntz @kaykay11sworld @firesunflames @notevenheretbh1 @parksunghoonsgf @luvkpopp @superbbananananana @eastleighsblog @in-somnias-world @nyxtwixx @theresawtf @fuxktaekook @readbyjjk @yunhoswrldddd @fuxktaekook @bobaikeu @minjaexvz @heelariously @hoonsdrnkdzd

[whalesforhands]

giving gojo satoru too many kisses

There’s a certain charm to turning the tables on the great Gojo Satoru.

Without his sunglasses, there’s no denying just how beautiful his eyes were, their brilliance rivaling the radiance of a supernova explosion, a luminosity like no other.

“And of course,” Your hands hold a stellar gaze in your palms when you pull away from a peck to his kiss-riddled lips. “You’re the sweetest husband ever.”

It’s also in these moments that you realize how human he is, so soft and tender and sleepy as you press kiss after kiss onto his face, your overwhelming affection the culprit of the pink on his cheeks that remind you of a sunrise’s afterglow, his demeanor now something quiet, serene and tranquil as he gives himself to you.

It reminds you of how the sun and moon can be so intertwined, like an event horizon line teetering between the opposing two.

“Mwah!” You absolutely want to imprint the shape of your lips onto his face forever as you pull away, making it a point to exaggerate the sound of your kisses as you keep overriding his thoughts with your sweet smooches all over his face.

Just because he deserves every kiss he gets.

“Hngh…” His eyes are squeezed shut, his lips struggling to keep themselves from stuttering when he talks so that he can take every ounce of your affection in entirety, his hands on your waist starting tremble as he fights against his cuteness aggression.

“Honey…! You’re gonna kill me…!” His complaint dies on his lips when he feels you land your kisses onto his lips once more, his satisfaction being sated.

He’s chasing after your sugary-sweet lips with every kiss you press to his lips, needy hands going up to press against the back of your head in hopes of melting your bodies and moulding your lips together until the next galaxies rise and fall.

“You’re so pretty, Satoru.” Your giggles feel like they could illuminate his very sky, your words akin to a candied sweet upon his tongue.

And it makes him want to swallow you whole.

“Prettier than Suguru?” His lashes flutter open as your thumb lovingly rubs a tender circle onto his cheek, your touch so soft that it makes him want to wish for a gravity that pulls your hearts together until they collide.

So you take this moment to tease.

“Mmm…” A kiss to his nose that makes him laugh just a little bit sweeter, his heart just a little more at ease. Makes him swear that the love in his heart was going to travel faster than the speed of light when it came to you.

“Nope!”

“Meanie!”

So, he decides that an infinity with you sounds like it would be just enough for him.

masterlist

[b0ng05]

Pretty In Red - Amber Freeman

Smut MDNI 18+

---------------------------------------------------------

Word Count: 1630

Prompt: Amber Freeman comes home from her recent kill to find her girlfriend waiting for her with a pretty surprise.

Warnings: strap-on usage, fingering, oral, degradation, mentions of murder, lingerie.

Masterlist

Also, Not Proofread 💅

---------------------------------------------------------

A quiet almost inaudible dripping sound echoed through the large bathroom. The main light buzzing as it sheds luminosity on the horrors below. The once white tiles of the floor stained and puddled with crimson. Walls and mirrors splattered with fresh blood that sprayed along it. The metal clunk of a knife hitting the tiles brought Amber from her haze where she stood admiring her art in depth. Each slash and stab articulately placed along the man’s body, almost perfect. A sense of pride filled her chest knowing she took out the guy who had the audacity to flirt with her girlfriend. A smirk pricked the corner of her lips as she pulled the mask back over her face and picked her favorite knife up from the tiles. The knife had been a gift from Y/n, who was waiting for her back home. Amber rushed out of the house and into an alleyway nearby where she had hid her backpack. Hiding behind a dumpster, she stuffs the costume into her bag, successfully concealing both the costume, knife, and effectively, her identity. Once she got home, she didn’t bother sneaking her way upstairs like she normally would. Knowing her parents were both out on business trips, she had no one to question her whereabouts except her girlfriend, who was already aware of her homicidal tendencies. As she opens her bedroom door, she’s met with the sight of Y/n laying on her bed, half-asleep as she watches an episode of Criminal Minds. Amber can’t help the smile that crawls up her lips, seeing her girl cozy in her bed was one of the best feelings in the world. A privilege that she was proud and honored to have.

“I missed you,” Y/n mumbled tiredly, outstretching her arms for Amber to come cuddle. Amber lets out a quiet chuckle, walking over to her closet to switch into sweatpants and a different shirt before crawling to bed next to her girlfriend. Amber lays on her back and pulls Y/n into her arms, laying the woman’s head on her chest, softly stroking her hair. “I missed you too,” Amber whispers, kissing her girlfriend’s forehead. “What took you so long?” Y/n asks, nuzzling her head into Amber’s neck. “Things didn’t exactly go to plan. But I took care of it.” Amber vaguely answers, softly rubbing small circles on the woman’s back as a means of distraction. Y/n placed a soft kiss on Amber’s neck, leaning into her embrace. Her hand subtly trailing under the hem of Amber’s shirt to caress her stomach. Craning her neck up, she presses her lips against Amber’s in a slow but passionate kiss. Amber’s hand trails down from the slope of her back under the blanket to grope at her girlfriend’s ass. Thinking she would be wearing the pajama shorts that she normally would to bed, but in place was a lacy feeling that had Amber smirking into the kiss as she gently flipped their positions, pinning the woman beneath her. As their lips separate, Amber tugs the blanket off the woman’s lower half, revealing a dark red set of lacy panties. Ones that Amber had picked out for her on a trip to the mall weeks ago. “What’s all this for~?” Amber teases, a hum of amusement in her tone as her finger slips beneath the waistband to snap it back against Y/n’s skin. The sensation of Amber’s fingers trailing her exposed skin as well as the nip of the cold air had her feeling more awake, and more aroused. “Well it was supposed to be a surprise for when you got home~” Y/n muses, a playful mood arising. Amber lets out a soft chuckle, leaning over the woman to kiss her neck, her tongue trailing up to her earlobe that she took between her teeth in a playful and gentle bite. “How about you take off your shirt and let me get a refresher on how pretty you look in that matching set?” She whispers before kissing her jaw and leaning back, looking at Y/n with expecting eyes and an hungry amused smirk. Y/n bites her lip as she sits up, pulling the shirt over her head, revealing the matching lacy red bra. Small lacy embroidery just barely hiding her nipples beneath, making Amber go feral at the sight. Her girl lying beneath her, in lingerie that she picked out, looking so desperate yet still so shy to the feeling of eyes feasting on her.

Amber reaches her hand beneath the woman’s back, “You look so fucking sexy baby, but I think we need this gone.” She whispers, kissing Y/n’s chest as she unclasps her bra with ease. Amber’s lips greedily kiss at the woman’s chest before wrapping around one of her nipples, sucking and swirling her tongue around the nub as her other hand toys at the other. Smirking at the whines and moans emitted from the woman beneath her. She kisses down the woman’s stomach right to the waistband of her panties. Her hands teasingly and slowing trailing Y/n’s thighs. Her tongue playfully jolts out, licking a slow swipe down to the edge of her panties. “You look so pretty in red, Y/n/n,” Amber smirks, letting her hand trail higher to the wet patch that grew in the lace panties. Her fingers run along the soaked fabric. Y/n lets out a whine at the teasing feeling. “T-thank you, Ambs,” She breathes through a soft moan. Amber lets out a breathy laugh as her eyes dilate, she leans down to kiss her hip before tugging her panties down her legs. Amber licks her lips she leans down, and licks a broad strip up Y/n’s wet cunt.

Y/n lets out a soft moan, her hand reaching down to push Amber’s hair out of her face. “Taste so fucking sweet, baby.” She hums out against Y/n’s clit, the vibrations making a shiver run up the woman’s spine. Her hand tightens around Amber’s dark locks as the woman wraps her lips around her clit, sucking and licking with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes as she stares up at Y/n. Amber’s other hand trails up Y/n’s thigh, slowly teasing her entrance with a finger. Y/n let’s out a whimper, “Please, Ambs,” She whines. Amber smirks, suddenly thrusting two fingers into the woman beneath her, smug as she writhes at her actions.``So pretty, baby~” Amber whispers, speeding up her fingers to match the pace her tongue had set. Y/n’s hips bucked up in pleasure, which Amber ends by holding her waist with her free hand. “F-feels so good, Ambs~” Y/n whines, her thighs twitching as she grows closer to her release. “Feels so good Ambs~” Amber mocks, her tone high as she mimics the woman’s moans before letting out a cruel laugh. Her fingers leave the woman’s pulsing walls. “You think I’m gonna let you come that easy?” Amber chuckles, flipping Y/n onto her hands and knees. Amber pushes Y/n’s face into a pillow, giving her a better view of the woman’s soaked cunt.

Amber bites her lip and spanks her ass, Y/n letting out a surprised whimper. “You’re getting my strap for being such a good fucking slut for me.” Amber leans over to the bedside table, grabbing out a large strap, one that Y/n hadn’t taken before. Amber secures the strap to herself, letting out a soft moan at the smaller dildo on the inside of the harness that slipped inside her. “I need you so bad, baby~” Y/n whines, arching her back to try and gain the woman’s attention back. “Oh you’re gonna have me baby.” Amber smirks, rubbing the tip of the cock along the woman’s slit. She slips into the other woman with ease, but slowing down as she gets close to the base. Y/n’s legs begin to shake as Amber goes impossibly deeper inside her. A heat in her stomach that desperately needed to be satiated. “Please baby~ Fuck me~” Y/n whines, pushing her hips back against Amber’s. “Good fucking slut.” Amber chuckles before speeding up her thrusts, angling her hips to hit spots that made the other woman's vision go fuzzy. The sound of the skin colliding, moans and grunts filled the room as the bed hit the wall. Amber’s hand showed no mercy on the woman’s ass as she spanked her, the sight of her red skin driving her into a frenzy. She goes faster as she feels a heat begin to build up in her own core. “Fuck, you’re so tight.” Amber groans as she feels it get harder to thrust, but doesn’t let it deter her as she goes even faster. Y/n’s legs tremble as she feels herself on the edge of release. “Please~! Please let me cum~! I’ll be such a good girl for you~” Y/n blabbers, unaware of her words, only thinking about the pleasure that Amber was giving her.

“Be a good girl and cum for me, princess,” Amber grunts, feeling herself about to reach her own release. Amber speeds up her thrusts impossibly faster, Y/n cums around Amber’s strap with a loud cry of her name. Amber doesn’t stop, continuing to chase her own release, and with two more deep thrusts, she comes with a groan. She lays on top of Y/n, strap still buried in her cunt as she breathlessly kisses at the woman’s spine. Her hands softly soothing over the red handprint on the woman’s behind. “Round 2?” Amber whispers with a shameless smirk, reaching up to push the woman’s hair out of her face.

[trancylovecraft]

(KNY) YANDERE PLATONIC! KOKUSHIBO x SISTER READER: You, Shibou. I, Kokoro (CHAPTER NINETEEN)

Previous Chapter ☆♡☆ Masterlist ☆♡☆ Next Chapter

AO3 link

CHAPTER NINETEEN: "Your act is a ruse."

A cult is a group requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered deviant outside the norms of society, which is typically led by a charismatic and self-appointed leader who tightly controls its members.

SLASH!

The demons head was swiftly removed from it's neck, A splatter of blood erupting from the stump as the head hit the forest floor.

It hit the ground hard, Bouncing once, Twice and a final third before it rolled away into the nearby shrubbery, Bound to burn up into nothing but sundust.

It was killed in an instant.

In a blink of an eye it.. It was dead..

The girl was sat within the clearing of the forest, Fallen to the ground and her body beaten up from the attack. Her slayer uniform was ragged, Torn at the edges and covered head to toe in filth, A mixture of grime and blood staining on the fabric.

Blood dripped down her forearm. Haori sleeve rolled up to get a view of the monstrous bite mark now embedded into her skin, With entire intent to have ripped off flesh from her bones and scarf down the rest.

Shinobu's breath was rapid and ragged, Chest going up and down with her heart racing miles an hour. Adrenaline still coursed through her punctured veins, Not yet worn off from the promise of death that gone unfulfilled.

Eyes turned up to the girl that prevented it.

She stood there like an Onna-musha of old, The moonlight graced by her figure. The luminosity rolled down the reflective edge of her blade, Barely even coated in the blood of the demon she had slayed.

Shinobu's breath was caught in her throat, Watching as her dragon blue haori danced in the midnight breeze. Enraptured in her form as she turned around, Eyes like spotlights meeting with Shinobu's.

"Are you alright?"

Her voice just as resonating as she was.

"Y-Yes.. I'm fine, I.. I'm alright." Shinobu stammered out as she steadied herself, Grasping at clumps of grass below her. Shinobu watched as the girl walked towards her, A strange looking sword sheathing into a hilt.

"Your arm.. It's injured." The girl observed. She bent down and Shinobu stifled a gasp once the girl grasped her arm, Gently raising it to examine the bite-shaped puncture marks in her skin. Watching the blood trickle down from the wound.

Her eyes narrowed.

"A close call, I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner.. Do you have any medical supplies on you?" She asked simply as she reached out towards the wound, Her eyes unaverred, Almost as if she hadn't slaughtered that demon like it was nothing only a few moments ago. Shinobu raised a finger, Pointing towards her satchel lain only arms-length away.

"I-In my bag, I keep supplies on me at all times.." She sputtered as her arm was let go of, Watching as the girl reached out over to her satchel and begin to shuffle through the compartments.

She fished out bandages, A cloth and cleaning alcohol. Shinobu knew very well that she could've tended to herself, But she found herself unable to do something as the girl dampened the cloth with alcohol and began to press it onto the wound.

"Ah!" Shinobu gasped, Body jerking from the sudden burning sensation on her arm.

"Sorry.. I should have warned you." The girl apologised, Pausing momentarily. She only continued once Shinobu gave her the go ahead with a small nod, Letting her continue to disinfect the wound with the cloth.

Shinobu stiffened as it ran across her skin, Though much more delicately this time. The girl glanced back up towards Shinobu, Examining her face.

"My name is Fujimori [F/N]. Your name is Kocho Shinobu, Am I right?" [F/N] asked as she cleaned away the ichor. Her other hand steadied Shinobu's arm, The warmth of her palm radiating nothing but unusual comfort to Shinobu.

It was almost enough to make her calm down entirely.

That otherworldly warmth.. Shinobu almost leaned into it.

"Yes, That's right.. I remember you and that other girl from final selection.." Shinobu confirmed, Recalling her face from only a month ago when they had passed the final selection.

How could she not? [F/N] that other girl had wiped the board. Most, If not all demons in there were slaughtered by them and them alone.

"How did you do that- You.. You decapitated it so fast." Shinobu muttered to herself, Memories rushing back to her of that night in Final Selection. How the burning scent of demonic ash flooded the air, How the very person bandaging her arm had emerged from the wisteria scented by the overwhelming tinge of demonic blood.

Shinobu's breath was caught as [F/N] began to open up the roll of bandages, Humming.

"It was distracted by you and I had a pretty good angle, I guess." [F/N] said as she began to bandage up the bitemark on Shinobu's arm. Shinobu shook her head.

"That's not what I.." She trailed off, Her voice dying down at the pain of her wrenching heart. That demon almost killed her because of Shinobu's stupid emotions, They were what had almost lead her to her grave.

"Any other demons in the area?"

"A-Another inside the house, I think.. I didn't get too good of a look."

"Alright. Any other slayers with you that we should know of? Any slain?"

"N-No.. I came out here on my own. This.. This isn't an official mission."

"Any family we can get you back to?"

"No.. Not anymore."

[F/N]'s steady eyes softened, Just a little bit.

"I see." She said, Continuing to bandage her arm.

Kanae.

Kanae, Her older sister. It hadn't been long since Shinobu watched her bleed to her death, Not long since Shinobu screamed and wept over her corpse, The breaking sun shining on her listless face.

Her hand had gone limp in hers, Her eyes loosing that shine that looked at Shinobu so brightly before. Shinobu had been so distraught, So destroyed by her death.. She should've known that her emotions were gonna cloud her judgement.

Lead her here, All for some stupid form of vengeance.

"There you go, All done.." [F/N] said as she finally finished bandaging Shinobu's arm, Letting go of it to let Shinobu get a look at the treated limb. "You shouldn't go hunting demons without anyone aware of where you are, Don't do it again, Okay?"

Shinobu nodded, Her eyes trailing away from [F/N]. How stupid she was.. She wasn't thinking logically.

"I-I understand, Thank you for bandaging my arm.."

"Heeeey~!"

A high pitched voice echoed out from behind them.

Shinobu's eyes widened, Peeking behind [F/N]'s figure to see a girl prancing out of the busted down door of the house, The one the demon had previously resided in. She was flailing around a blood speckled sword in the air, A goofy smile plastered on her face.

She had hair the colour of strawberries, Both cap and flesh. Her cheeks chubby and rosy, There was no doubt about who she was.

"I got the demon inside the house! Did you get the one- Oh!" Mitsuri skittered to a halt once the chartreuse of her eyes landed on Shinobu's crumpled figure, Her shoes causing digs in the ground as she stopped infront of her.

There was a glint in her eyes, That smile she wore widened.

"You're Kocho Shinobu, Aren't you?" Mitsuri gasped, Her cheeks growing a hotter shade as she looked down at her.

Shinobu blinked, Nodding slowly.

"Y-Yes-"

"-Oh my gosh, I'm Kanroji Mitsuri!" Mitsuri exclaimed, Accidentally cutting her off as she waved to Shinobu. Mitsuri spun on her heal to face [F/N] who stood awkwardly off to the side. "We saw her at Final Selection, Didn't we, [F/N]?"

"Yeah, She was there." [F/N] responded, Nodding curtly as she watched the exchange between the other two.

"Of course, I knew it..! Oh my gosh, I could never mistake that haori!" Mitsuri beamed as she sheathed her sword, The one with blood still rolling down the tip to the edge. Shinobu shook her head.

"I-I'm sorry, I.. How did you both get here? I.. I wasn't aware there was any other slayers around.." Shinobu blurted out as her eyes shook, Just the same as her fingers as she grasped clumps of grass between them.

Mitsuri grinned.

"We saw you a little bit ago in the nearby village, It was complete coincidence that our mission was the same as yours!" Mitsuri explained airily, Ignorant to Shinobu's true intentions here. "You know we keep getting missions left and right with no break, Honestly! You should come along to see it sometime!"

Mitsuri gasped suddenly, Eyes widening that made Shinobu jump.

"Oh! That'd be so fun, It's just been me and [F/N]-chan for ages now, It'd be so nice to have another girl around!" Mitsuri clapped her hands, Glancing towards [F/N] who raised an eyebrow.

Shinobu's lips parted, Her jaw dropping. Was Mitsuri saying what Shinobu thinks she is?

"Wait, You want me to come with you..? Just like that? You don't even know me.. I.." Shinobu trailed off, Voice dying with her words. Her eyes were dead set on Mitsuri's who looked back at her with nothing but amicability.

"Of course you can come with us! It'd be fun and you can't keep going on solo missions, It's not safe!" Mitsuri exclaimed as she gestured towards Shinobu's injuries, Her wounded arm and the dirt across her face, Mitsuri looked at it with worry.

[F/N] 'hmphed' from the side, A sort of humour in her voice.

"Either run now, Or you're with us forever. Trust me, She's insistent." [F/N] mused from the side with a glint in her eyes, Watching as Mitsuri spun around to meet her eye.

"Hey! It's not like I'm forcing her!" She huffed, Shooting [F/N] a childish look.

Shinobu watched as the two girls began to bicker back and forth, Her heart still freshly thundering in her chest. Though she felt it begin to slow, Calming. Though the two girls in front of her fought, It seemed to soothe Shinobu's heart, If only a little bit.

She didn't know why, Maybe it was the simple silliness of such an argument, The light-heartedness simply being the confirmation that Shinobu was alive to see such a tone.

When offered, Shinobu gratefully took the hand that helped her up to her feet. That and the assistance when she found out her ankle was sprained, Both [F/N] and Mitsuri acting as crutches to hobble her to the nearby village for proper inspection.

Though Shinobu couldn't help but feel a little sorry, Sorry that the both of them had to hold her up by the armpits just to keep her steady, Sorry that if she was just a little stronger they wouldn't need to bother.

Come morning, Shinobu couldn't help but accept Mitsuri's offer, The one that asked if she would join them on their missions. Mitsuri seemed so excited to have another girl around, The joy near radiating off her.

[F/N] didn't seem to mind either, Even rather understanding when Shinobu held them back due to her dodgy ankle.

The both of them seemed like the golden standard to Shinobu, She didn't wanna let them down.

So when she was given the go-ahead from the village doctor, They set off down the pathway, Harked by the call of the crow to the next big thing. Shinobu trailed beside them, Skipping, Laughing, Contributing to the small talk.

She smiled too. One sweet, Disingenuous, Smile.

☆♡☆

"Hey.. Hey..! Shi- Hina, Are you okay?"

Shinobu blinked, Her eyes focusing back into reality.

Mitsuri's voice was full of concern as her eyes darted towards Shinobu, Her lips pursed together and a worried look shining in her eyes. Shinobu's expression was blank for a minute, Almost as if she was registering what Mitsuri was saying.

But she shook her head, Turning back to the path in front of her.

"I'm.. Sorry. I let my mind wander off again, How strange, That's unlike me.." Shinobu mumbled to Mitsuri, Who looked back at her with an unsure look in her eyes. Shinobu didn't mind it, Instead breathing in, The scent of Lotus growing ever more poignant.

They all continued on, Following on the trail of the woman that had came across them all. The one with the fruit basket swinging in her hands, The one dressed in all white with a kindly face to match.

She led them through the mountainside, Passing through the abundance of trees and frosted fernery. She guided them further and further into the maws of the woodlands where it got darker and darker, The sunlight barely peeking through the gaps in the leaves.

It was strange. Though the usual scents of melting snow and rife forest air were flooding their senses, A strange undercurrent of bitter lotus seemed to grow stronger and stronger with each passing step.

They were getting closer, Shinobu could tell.

That same scent was one she recognised. Not like the airy scent of the lotus blooming in a pond, Not like the subtle perfume [F/N] use to wear when she was still around- No.

It was the same smell that tinged the metallic scent of Kanae's blood when Shinobu came across her dying body.

She pursed her lips, Eyes narrowing just a touch as she followed on with the woman and her child.

No one dared to speak, No one had the guts to. Not even the usual chipper attitude of someone like Mitsuri was present in their midst, Instead a rather thick air surrounded them like a fog.

Kanao and Maika trailed behind them, Nezuko still safely nestled in the box that appeared to simply be luggage.

"We're getting closer.. Please, Keep in mind before you enter to cleanse yourself as soon as we get inside."

Shinobu's eyes widened along with the rest, The premises finally coming into frame.

And it was a temple.

A Buddhist temple with blood-red accents adorning the support beams, One's that held the tiled rooftops so high that they pierced through the spruce tree's surrounding it. The inside couldn't be seen too well, Stone-brick walls towered over the area like a pen, The inside unable to be seen even if Shinobu had stood atop Mitsuri's shoulders and then some.

The temple itself however could be seen along with the sister buildings surrounding it, All with tiles lining the rooves and the wafting smell of smouldering incense drifting out from the inside. Lotus, No doubt that had been where the scent was coming from. Mitsuri's nose twitched at it, Slightly.

Sunlight cracked through the leaves, Shining on the moss and growing sublimity within the cracks of the walls. Nature seemed to go wild here, Flowers flourished in alluring colours of flush and vivid bursts of rainbow.

Anthuriums among the ferns, Roses and hydrangeas among the gardenia's. Mitsuri couldn't deny that the revitalising air they gave off was calming, Neither could the rest of the girls approaching the tall gates only a good few metres away.

Shinobu however, She felt imposed by the sheer size of the place, Looking left and right she couldn't even see a corner in the stone fencing surrounding the area, Only view it disappear into the thick line of trees and shadow.

From inside they could hear far away chatter along with the sublime sound of sloshing waves, No doubt from a mountain river nearby.

It was.. Tranquil?

"Ah, I see you're interested in the architecture..!" The woman observed, Eyes darting over to Shinobu's wandering gaze. Her lips upturned. "While we do practice Buddhism here, Shintoism is also a firm core in our belief, So don't worry about differences in tradition and such.."

"I see.. I must say I am rather impressed by the construction!" Shinobu's smile returned to her face as she trailed along with the woman, Her eyes narrowing slightly. "It is rather large, Yes? I suppose it must've taken a long time to build.."

"Ah.. Yes, Though I wasn't here when our convent was first made.." The woman trailed off, A light smile on her face. "I suppose you may like to see some of the wonderous scenery inside, The ponds and the prayer hall's and the.. Oh! I seem to be rambling.. I suppose you may need to see on your way to meet our grace..!"

Mitsuri hummed from behind Shinobu, Her lips pursed.

"Our Grace..?" She questioned.

"Yes! It is important to make yourselves known to Our Grace, Tradition may I say.. If you are nervous I can assure you that he is upmost kind and welcoming." The woman praised, Her wicker basket swinging in her hand. "Of course, Folk of faith such as ourselves are to always be gracious to one and other, Even those who may not believe in our ways specifically.."

The person who must be in charge of this place, The ringleader running the circus. Shinobu had no idea who they could've been, However judging by the open communications with Hiyohara village it had to be assumed that they were charismatic.

Obviously, It fitted the profile of a cult leader anyways.

But for them to go be meeting with him, Some kind of glorified prophet? It made hearts drum in the group's chest, Just a little bit faster. The way she referred to them by 'Our Grace' certainly raised a few brows on cue.

"That's.. Lovely. It's nice that you have that sort of view..!" Mitsuri chimmed in, An awkward yet earnest smile on her face. The woman glanced back towards her, Nodding along to her words as she soaked them in.

She hummed.

"To be courteous and kind to others of faith, Even outside of our own community.. It is only apart of our good nature." The woman proclaimed softly, A sort of proud smile adorning her face.

Too proud, If you asked Shinobu. Who hummed politely as the woman spoke.

"And your own belief, This community.. What is it that you would call it?" Shinobu asked, Now walking next to the woman with an intrigued glint in her eyes. The woman glanced towards her child following beside her, Before looking back up with a soft expression.

"The Eternal Paradise Faith, That's what we call our doctrine.." She answered, Her voice prideful yet soft as she spoke.

The corners of Shinobu's lips twitched, Wrenching themselves into an even wider smile.

"What an interesting name.." She commented.

☆♡☆

"Kanae-nee..!"

The sun rose on the horizon, Cracking over the small town, Where the only thing heard was the strained cries of a young girl.

Shinobu collapsed onto the dirt pathway next to the crippled body of her older sister, Her hair splayed out and dampened with her own blood. Her eyes stared up towards the blue expanse above, Watching as the morning clouds drift away from her. A chilled breeze dusting her burning cheeks.

Shinobu grasped onto what she could of her older sister, Scalding tears bursting out from her eyes as she saw the blood pooling around her gut. Kanae barely registered her younger sisters presence, The delicate lavender of her eyes only now turning over to look at Shinobu.

A flicker still remained in them, One of recognition.

"Shinobu.. Y-You shouldn't be here, There's a demon.." Kanae sputtered, Blood spitting out of her mouth with each syllable, Her chest heaving with each breath. Kanae felt her head lifted and placed against a chest, An arm supporting her, A dull throb in her midsection.

Shinobu sobbed, Her eyes red and irritant as her hands ran over the wound.

"T-The demon's gone, Nee-chan- It's gone..! But you're wounded- Oh gods.. You're wounded!" She wailed. Hands twitching, Roaming, Mind racing as she tried to figure out what to do about her dying sister.

Every second it seemed like more and more blood spilled around her. Her uniform, Her hair, Her skin and her hands were all drenched in it. Looking down, Kanae's eyes narrowed.

"Ah, Would you look at that.." She stammered as she raised a hand towards her eyeline, Fingers shaking as she observed the strange red liquid trickling down them. Shinobu wept, Desperately begging, Praying, Trying to figure out what to do.

Kanae glanced towards her, The expression on her face softening as Shinobu sputtered out some string of words that Kanae just couldn't understand anymore.. Not over the ringing in her ears, Like resonating bells in a procession.

Kanae smiled, No matter how difficult it was to do now.

Shinobu was in pieces, Voices screaming across her mind. One wailing from her mind to her mouth, Another praying, Begging whatever god could be listening to save Kanae. And another- One screaming at her, Asking where her med kit was.

It was at home, Shinobu knew. It wasn't with her, Unable to be accessed.

Tears flooded down her face just a bit faster, Hands shaking as she let out choked cries.

"S-Stay with me..! You're gonna be okay, Nee-chan..! Backup is on the way.. I-It's on the way, I promis-"

Shinobu was cut off by the feeling of warm palms cupping her cheek, Weakly grasping onto them, Turning her to face Kanae. Shinobu found herself breathless once she saw her delicate expression, Peaceful, Comforting as she looked into Shinobu's eyes. She hummed.

"I-It hurts.. Shinobu, It hurts to see you frown like this.. Where is that smile I always loved..?" Kanae asked, Ichor trickling down her lips onto her chin, Lungs heavy and burnt. Shinobu could barely understand, Shaking her head.

"N-Nee-chan don't worry about me, You're bleeding out- You're injured-"

"I'm dying, Aren't I, Shinobu..?" Kanae cut in once more, Her ears ringing the ache in her gut. It was only now that tears began to speckle her eyes, Though the smile remained on her face, They dripped down her cheeks.

Shinobu couldn't answer her, Lips parted but no words emerged. It felt like too much, Heart ready to explode out of her chest as her eyes trailed back down towards her wound. Shinobu's breathing grew ragged, Wincing at the sight of her exposed flesh and pond of red within it.

How would she respond, How could she respond? There was no way she could have ever answered such a question, No matter how much time she was given. Shinobu wished she was given time, Time to think, Time to talk, Time for backup to arrive with the needed medical supplies to save her sister.

But the sun continued to rise over the horizon, The cool breeze continuing to run through the village streets.

And it continued to be silent. No footsteps rushing over to the scene, No yells of concern from the villagers or the backup that should have arrived by now. There was no one, Not even the demon that did this to her anymore, Just her and Shinobu.

She wept, Her voice aching as she spoke.

"..Who did this to you..?" Shinobu croaked, Gripping Kanae closer as she swept the matted hair out of her eyes. Her voice shook with both grief and rage, Grief at the sight and anger at the cause.

Kanae's eyes lowered, Her bloodied lips pursing.

"It.. It was a demon moon.. Upper Two, Y-Yes.. That was it." Kanae said slowly, A sort of sorrowed look running across her face. It was the first time Shinobu had seen such an expression on her sister's face, Such a sad little frown on her lips.

"I.. Upper Two.. Upper Two did this to you.." Shinobu accounted, Eyes searching, That sorrowed glint beginning to burn as she gritted her teeth. "Where did it go, Nee-chan, Where did it go..?!"

"It was so strange, Such colourful eyes.. Yet I saw no life behind them." Kanae recalled, Her brows furrowing as the memories flashed before her eyes. "It was sad.. I felt bad for him. He smiled and laughed like anyone else yet.. Such a pitiful existence, I couldn't imagine living like that.."

Shinobu couldn't comprehend Kanae's words, Just held her tighter. She was bleeding out, Her innards severed and her lungs aflame with frost.. Yet she felt bad for the demon, Felt pity for it-

Shinobu choked out another sob.

"N-Nee-chan.. Please.." She wheezed out as she felt the hands cupping her cheeks soften, Kanae's thumbs moving towards the corners of her mouth, Guiding them up until Shinobu was wearing a caricature of a smile.

"S-Shinobu.. Come on, Smile for me.. Don't look so sad, It doesn't suit you well.." Kanae whispered, Her fingers beginning to shake as she heard the ringing grow louder in her ears. The clouds in the sky drifting off further, The breeze on her skin no longer registering in her mind.

The thumbs holding up Shinobu's smile trembled, Shinobu's eyes widened.

"K-Kanae..?"

Her eyes, The light in them faded. Kanae just stared at her with nothing else to be found as her body went limp. A smile could still be found on her face, Blood staining her lips, The rising rhythm of her chest was no more.

"N-No.. NO!" Shinobu screamed as Kanae's hand fell to the ground, Her head fallen to the side. Shinobu hollered as she shook her body, Screaming, Crying, Bile rising at the back of her throat as she hollered out.

"K-Kanae- Don't leave me- Y-YOU'RE ALL I HAVE..! Kanae.. KANAE-!"

Footsteps could be heard pounding their way towards her, Rapidly hitting the ground but Shinobu couldn't hear them anymore over her wailing. She begged, Desperatley hollering out her sisters name.

Over and over like a mantra.

The smile remained on Shinobu's face. No matter how much retch fell down her chin, No matter how much it mixed with the saliva in her mouth as she screamed. It stayed firm where Kanae had fit it.

Like carved stone, It stayed etched.

No matter how much it cracked.

☆♡☆

Shinobu breathed out, A polished smile on her face as her eyes laid firm on the door in front of them.

They stood before a door unlike any other, Not like the usual Shoji used within the rest of the building they were lead into. It was made of actual firm, Polished wood that seemed scrubbed to shine like the ceramic pots surrounding it.

Shinobu had tried to peak behind the crack, However it was impossible to make out except for speckles of light and shadow from within. It left her with slight disappointment, Leaving her to step back and simply wait.

They had entered into the convent, The gates pulled open with a croak as they were lead through the courtyard. The woman was right when she said it was wonderous, The place was grand in design, Beautiful architecture spanning the entire grounds.

The pathways were stone and smoothened down, The tall buildings were decorating with talismans and statues: Maneki-Neko and Tanuki being a common design as they were littered across the decks.

People of all kinds roamed around the place, The population count of this place being higher than expected, Making the group share some looks. They all seemed to laugh, The women carrying baskets of fruit, The men hauling tools around their back as they bantered and children chasing each other in thrilling games of tag.

Shinobu had waved to one of them as they ran by, The smile on her face sharpening once they left.

But now?

The group had been led towards the main building, A tall construction that looked half-way between a Buddhist and Shinto temple. It had the imposing red arches leading up to the entrance, The rooves decorated in Omamori which was usually held on person, Now tangled from the edges like hanging wisteria.

It had spider legs expanding out from it, Running around the entire convent, Connecting to each sister building with long pillared pathways. Shinobu breathed out at the sheer size of it, Eyes narrowing.

How were they going to find the demon here?

As the group approached they were stopped by two monks, Both with shaven heads and dressed head to toe in a pure blinding white. The woman had walked up the leading stairs, Talking to them in a hushed whisper that Shinobu couldn't make out no matter how hard she tried.

Eventually they were let in, The monks parting as they were brought inside.

"Hina-chan.. What are we gonna do?"

That familiar voice cut through the air, Quiet but urgent.

"Go in, Greet the leader behind this place and then get to work." Shinobu responded, Her voice but a whisper in the air as she glanced towards Mitsuri. Mitsuri in turn frowned, However nodded and turned back to face the door.

Shinobu breathed out, Smile still remaining on her face. Maika and Kanao had been standing off to the side of the little waiting room they were brought into, Both sharing concerns and looks of their own.

Shinobu breathed.

It's not like this was going to be difficult, Shinobu told herself. Charming people was as easy as drawing a breath to her, It wasn't going to be tough to convince the leader to let them in, At least that's what she hoped.

CREAK!

The sound of a door opening rang out.

Bodies flinched at the piercing sound. Shinobu and Mitsuri had to quickly step a few feet back to avoid the opening doorway. Their eyes widened, Especially once a bald-headed monk stepped out the open-crack.

He cleared his throat, His kindly face observing them.

"Ah, Our guests.. All doing well I presume?" He began, A small smile on his face as he lightly bowed to each one of them. "Our grace is ready to meet you all.. I hope you are all ready to greet him?"

Shinobu and the rest of the group shared a look with each other before glancing back to the man.

"Of course..! We must thank him after all, He is giving us the time out of his assuredly busy day to hear our story..!" Shinobu smiled back at the man, Bowing her head slightly towards him. The man bowed back, Stepping further out into the room.

"Then I'll let you all through, Please, Be respectful once you enter."

With that the doors began to open.

A gust of wind hit their faces, Making them flinch slightly from the way it hit their eyes and moved their hair. Shinobu didn't have any time to focus as she was beckoned forward, The old monk guiding her and the rest of the group into the winding room waiting on the other side.

The lotus scent was almost unbearable here, A singe in their noses as they moved into the hall.

The entire area was lined with archways that reached the ceilings. Water rippling echoed out through the room, Flowing adjacent to the carpeted pathway they moved forward on. Shinobu's smile hardened.

And strangely enough.. It grew colder.

Like snow, The kind that burned at your skin and lingered on your shoulders even after stepping inside. It made a chill run down Shinobu's spine, Whose expression matched the frigid atmosphere around them.

Shinobu breathed out, Her eyes unfocused.

What was going o-

"Ah, Greetings to you all..! You are the travellers, Right?"

A voice called out to them, Echoing across the room.

Shinobu paused, Her eyes stinging from that putrid lotus that infested the air. The group around her- Mitsuri, Maika, Kanao- All of them going deathly silent. Shinobu subtly wiped away the tears boiling in her eyes.

Raising her head.

Heart pounding.

Breath stilling.

Eyes widening.

At the head of the room, Elevated above them on a cushion was a man unlike any she had seen before. Shinobu felt like time itself had stopped as her eyes examined him, Raking over him, Her heart near exploding inside her chest.

He lazed on the cushion like a resting lion, With a solid golden fan fluttering around his face aimlessly. He was dressed in the regalia expected of him. A black ribboned crown decorated in gold- Draped in a matching cloak over his shoulders-

"..You are the travellers requesting sanctuary, Are you not?"

Shinobu didn't hear that voice dripping in friendliness, Not over the ringing in her ears. She didn't focus on his pale hair, Or his even paler skin.

His eyes.

Such colourful eyes..

"…-We are! Yes, I'm sorry.. We're just a bit shaken from our journey- Your grace!" Mitsuri stepped forward, Her eyes darting back and forth between Shinobu and the founder. Her lips raised to form a smile, Bowing before him.

The rest of the girls followed her actions, Bowing down with her. The hand Mitsuri laid on Shinobu's back guided her down too, Her eyes connecting with Shinobu.

Shinobu.

She looked-

"Oh, I understand..! The area around here is quite difficult to navigate, You all must be very tired..!" The man proclaimed with a wide smile, The fan in his hand fluttering around. "Hm.. Not to mention the weather too.. I see.."

The man raised from his position on the cushion, His cloak sweeping behind him as he was gently brought to his feet. The group and the monks surrounding them watched as he bowed back towards them, That smile on his face remaining all the same.

"My name is Douma." The man, Now Douma said as he raised back up to his full towering height. The fan flicked over his mouth to conceal his amusement. "Though I hear you've already picked up on my title- How perceptive!"

Douma.

This man was no man- It was a demon- It was an Upper Moon, There was no doubt about it.

Mitsuri knew that Shinobu knew, She could see it on her face. Mitsuri swallowed, Her eyes filled with concern- Confusion- Fear- All mixed together as she observed the unforeseen reaction upon Shinobu's face.

But she swallowed back her emotions, A smile appearing on her face.

Mitsuri giggled a little, Trying to build some repour between the two.

"Ah- Yes..!" She responded as she happily brushed the hair out of her face, Trying her best not to freeze at the colour in Douma's eyes. Mitsuri raised from her bow along with the rest of the girls, All of them having varying looks on their faces.

Mitsuri swallowed, Her mind racing like a horse.

"..My name is Fujimori Umeko. Me and my sisters were travelling to Fukushima when our carriage broke down.. Ehm.." Mitsuri shook her head slightly, Trying to recollect her thoughts.

Instead she stepped a side, Gesturing to the rest of the girls

"My name's A-Asuna..!"

"..Kariya."

A moment of silence passed between them, Mitsuri glancing towards Shinobu.

"Hina..?"

Shinobu was breaking.

The look in her eyes didn't even seem human anymore, Akin to a body frozen in ice. The smile on her face was stretched to it's limits, Contorted over her muscles and flesh as she stared dead at the floor.

Sweat began to build on her forehead, A vein near popping in her brow. Mitsuri watched with widening eyes as her hand twitched, Reaching, Almost on instinct to the missing holder around her waist.

Douma's head tilted to the side, The fan spread across his face.

"Hina.. You.." Mitsuri's breath near caught in her chest, Her mind trying to comprehend what was happening. Never in her life had she seen Shinobu act like this, Never. Never this strangely- This different- Mitsuri felt like she'd stop working entirely.

Her eyes looked at the narrowing of Douma's, Fingers twitching.

Shinobu's mouth opened.

"Y-You're sick..!" Maika suddenly cut in, Quickly rushing to Shinobu's side. She rested a hand on Shinobu's forehead, Pretending to check her temperature with a skittish look upon her face. "Oh no.. She's burning up!"

Mitsuri blinked- Though quickly shook it off as she turned her attention back towards Shinobu.

"Oh my.. Do you think she caught something while we were travelling..!? It is rather cold outside!" Mitsuri quickly added as she moved a bit further in front of Shinobu, Trying to conceal the look displayed on her face.

They could hear Douma gasp, The fan flicking once more.

"Oh.. You poor thing..!" He exclaimed, His smile instantly turning into frown as he looked them over from where he stood above them. Mitsuri watched as tears already began to form in his eyes, Looking down at Shinobu like an injured dog.

"We.. We're so sorry. We had no idea that she came down with something!" Maika piped up, Her lips shaking as she spoke. "We.. had no idea"

"Oh- Hina.. It doesn't look like a regular cold..!"

"D-Do you think it's something else..? Oh my.."

"Hina.. You've always had such a weak heart..!"

Douma hummed, That expression of hurt and concern still lain upon his face as he stepped away and lowered back onto the cushion. He looked as if he was thinking, Almost processing their words with a heavy lump in his throat.

He listened to the girls converse, His frown deepening.

"Please.. It hurts my heart to see such pretty faces look so distressed!" Douma spoke, His hand raising over his heart, A frown still prominent on his face. All girls but Shinobu looked up at him, Their eyes flicking between each other. "What could I possibly do to assist.. I wonder.."

"W-We just ask if he could stay here- Just until our sister get's better..!" Mitsuri asked, Her voice dripping with desperation and need as she spoke.

Douma chuckled, Cocking his head to the side as his vivid eyes stared into them.

"Ah.. Of course, Who would I be if I did not assist those in need?" Douma spoke as his eyes lingered on Shinobu, Eyelashes fluttering as he rested upon his comfortable throne. "We have plenty of room here.. So I suppose it should be alright!"

Douma's eyes trailed over to some of the monks, The ones that were lingering in between the archways- He beckoned them forward with a single shake of his hand, Wiping away his tears with the other.

"Ah.. Please, Go prepare some of the guest rooms for our visitors..! Make sure to summon one of our doctor's too.." Douma ordered to which the Monks bowed, Turning towards the group of girls. Douma did the same, Looking at them with an understanding expression..?

"T-Thank you- Your grace, It means so much to us..! As soon as our sister gets better we'll get out of your hair..!" Mitsuri called out as the monks in white began to guide them back towards the doors, Shepherding them away, Though Douma's eyes continued to linger.

He giggled slightly.

"Oh no.. Feel free to stay here as long as you like! Enjoy the scenery- The art! Please, Treat yourself as if you're one of our own..!" Douma proclaimed with a smile, Hidden behind his shimmering fan as he watch them be pushed towards the door.

Shinobu could barely move herself, Only let her be dragged along by Mitsuri who tried desperately to keep her act up. Shinobu's fists clenched together, Knuckles almost bursting as she raised her head.

Shinobu gritted her teeth. Their eyes connected through the crack of the door, The one beginning to be pushed closed by the monks.

Douma smiled.

"Enjoy your stay here, Fujimori-san..!"

The door shut closed.

☆♡☆

"Damn.. I'm exhausted."

"At least the mission was easy, Yes~? No second demon to slay or lower moon to run into."

"I suppose so.. Still. I feel like I'm going to pass out at any moment."

The air was cool, The wind gently dusting across their skin, Leaving a faint chill in their wake.

The sky was a dark sea speckled with stars spanning the entire length, Clouds only daring to dust on the horizon now, Watching over the land so far below as the dots of village lights flared in the distance.

Two girls sat together on top of a mountain ledge, Not close to the ground but not yet touching the sky. They leant against the rough trunks of the tree's around them, Leaves swaying in the revitalising wind.

Shinobu's eyes looked out over the ledge, Her fuzzy eyes reflecting the moon and it's shine as she examined the far-away village. Her needle-like sword laid on her lap, Her hand grasping a cloth which she absentmindedly ran over the blade, Washing off the ichor.

[F/N] herself sat adjacent to her, Head resting back against the tree with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her dragon-blue haori flowed in the wind along with her skirt, A blank yet enraptured expression upon her face as she looked up towards the night sky-

Almost longingly.

"Mitsuri-chan should be back soon, So when she is we can start heading to the next village over and we can see if there's any food stalls open, Yes~?" Shinobu asked, Her eyes trailing towards [F/N] with a small smile on her face.

[F/N] nodded, Though her eyes never left the night sky.

"Sure, Sounds good.."

There weren't many words said after that. No, Instead the both of them sat in silence to examine the far off surroundings. Feeling as the wind danced across the entire area, From their hair to their haori's.

Shinobu breathed out for a second, The smile on her face lowering only slightly. Both of them felt rather exhausted, Especially due to the uptick in missions they've all been assigned- It seemed like nowadays they barely had any time to themselves.

Shinobu continued to wipe off what little blood was on her blade, Her eyes enraptured on the way in shone under the moonlight. The way the cloth moved against the nichirin felt practiced, Polished, Like she had done it a thousand times before-

When in reality Shinobu was barely ever able to pierce her blade through flesh, Wet the blade with blood and proclaim herself a completed bounty.

"Shinobu-san, Are you.. Okay?"

[F/N]'s eyes finally looked away from the night, Now staring into the eyes of Shinobu from where she sat. Her expression was softer, The stars above reflecting in the warmth of her eyes.

Shinobu blinked, The smile on her face raising once more as she glanced back towards [F/N]. The question made her cock her head to the side, Looking at her in confusion.

"..Of course I am, Why do you ask?" Shinobu responded as her voice rang out across the cliff's edge. [F/N] stayed quiet for a moment, Her eyes just resting on Shinobu's face, Almost examining it.

But she just slowly shrugged, Pulling her knees closer to her chest.

"It's just.. I have a kind of sense you know?" [F/N] admitted, Almost looking sheepish as she looked at Shinobu. "..I don't really know how to explain it, But I'm good at reading people I suppose. It might just be me, But.. You seem.. Angry, Maybe?"

As soon as the words left [F/N]'s lips, Shinobu stopped moving entirely. Her eyes didn't blink as she continued to stare [F/N] dead in the eyes, Though her own seemed blank, Smile still raised on her face.

But she collected herself soon enough, Blinking, Regaining her composure.

"..Where are you getting that from, [F/N]-chan? I'm not angry right now." Shinobu answered kindly, Keeping her head tilted to the side in question as she looked over at [F/N].

Of whom sighed, Scratching the back of her head.

"It's just.. I guess I can sense it, You know?" [F/N] admitted, Her eyes kept on her fidgeting fingers. "You ever get that feeling, The kind that you can feel throughout your entire body whenever you're around someone..? Like you can sense who they are- Or.. Maybe what they are, Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"No.. I don't think I do." Shinobu answered, Her voice gentle, An eyebrow raised only slightly.

"Oh.. I see." [F/N] muttered, Her knees kept close to her chest.

Shinobu hummed at her response, Eyes trailing back off to the far away specks of the village lights. Though her posture was relaxed, She breathed a little too much out into the air, Her jaw a bit stiff.

"So this sense you have.. It's telling you that I'm angry?" Shinobu questioned, Almost curious in tone.

"Yeah, It has been for a while now." [F/N] responded slowly, As if choosing her words. "I didn't want to ask in front of 'Tsuri, Because as much as she's our friend, She's.. Never really been the best with her words or.. Subtlety."

"Hm, I suppose you're right..!" Shinobu responded, Rather amused? "Mitsuri-chan always has been a bit.. Dramatic?"

[F/N] smiled slightly, Though it came off more awkward than it should have.

"You're my friend too, Shinobu-san. I want you to be happy, I.. Admire you and I only want you to be content with yourself.." [F/N] sighed as she spoke.

Shinobu's eyes however, Perked up.

"Wait- Wait.. You admire. Me?" Shinobu stammered slightly, Letting it slip through as she almost looked taken aback. Her eyes seemed to widen, Not daring to take them off the girl in front of her as if she had heard something.. Outrageous.

A sigh came out from [F/N].

"I mean, Yeah." She responded, As if she was pointing out something obvious. "You're smart, Smarter than I am. You make poisons that could kill so painlessly.. Or aggressively, All depending on how you choose. Besides. You're so good at talking to people, Honestly I wonder how you do it.."

[F/N] trailed off, Her words flowing out of her mouth until they could no more. Her eyes narrowed. Arms tightening around her knees. Shinobu couldn't even speak as she watched her head raise once more.

An awkward, Small smile on her lips.

"You don't need to tell me what's bothering you, Shinobu-san, But you don't need to tell me you're alright either.." [F/N] said, Her eyes connected with Shinobu's. "You're not alone. I know I'm not the best company, Not the best at words or.. Even just being a human being. But if I'm the best you've got right now, Then I'll do my best to listen. Only if you want to, Though.. Okay?"

Shinobu just looked at her, The breeze continuing to brush against her skin. Unblinking. Lips parted only by a slight. It was almost if the world slowed down even just a bit, Just sitting, Looking at each other from across the ledge.

Though Shinobu's eyes lowered, Her smile returning to her face. This time, Perhaps on it's own.

"..Mitsuri-chan is taking her time, Yes? We should go make sure that she hasn't gotten into trouble this time." Shinobu said with a hint of amusement in her voice, Her hand gripping her sword as she dusted herself off and began to get up.

[F/N] paused for a moment, But then nodded and followed her up.

"You're right. It's not like her to stay away this long.." She agreed as she adjusted the blue of her haori over her uniform, Tugged her skirt into place and settled her sword behind her back.

Both nodded, Beginning to make their way down the mountain. Both taking looks at each other when the other didn't.

No words were spoken, None were needed.

☆♡☆

"That was him, Wasn't it- Upper Moon Two..!"

The lotus smell festered like a plague in the air, Nipping at the eyes, The skin.

They had been lead through the halls of the convent, Through the shoji and the scenery. Past tapestries and talismans to be brought to a secluded section, Where they had been introduced to the sleeping quarters reserved for guests.

The group of four had been separated into two rooms, The monks then leaving them to go find a resident doctor for Shinobu's 'illness'. Mitsuri now stood off in the far corner of the room, Next to one of the two beds, Biting her nail in thought.

Mitsuri could barely understand what was happening. They had assumed that Upper Two had to have been feasting on the members, Perhaps was a sort of beast they had sacrificed their devout to- Something that could be considered common for demons, To find a supplying food source.

But for him to be the leader? A devout figure seen as nothing but good?

For him to be the demon, The Upper Moon Two-

"Shinobu-chan.. What.. What happened out there?" Mitsuri asked quietly, Her lips pressing together, Looking at the other woman from across the room with a hesitant eye.

Shinobu stood there at the far end of the room, One hand gripping the vanity, Facing the wall and staring dead into the wood. She just stood there, As still as the air around them. Mitsuri couldn't see her face from where she was, Just the back of her kimono and the hand rested on the table.

Though for some reason, The room grew colder.

More and more frigid by the second.

Mitsuri swallowed.

"..I know it was a demon, Upper Two- But what happened out there- It was like you just froze.. I.. I've never seen you look like that, Shinobu-chan." She continued slowly, Mitsuri's voice delicate as she spoke. Shinobu didn't answer.

"I-It was like I wasn't looking at you anymore, It was like I was looking at an entirely different person.. Shinobu-chan, Please, You need to tell me what happened out there..!" Mitsuri pleaded with her, Her voice quiet as if not to disturb anyone else yet it was desperate.

Shinobu stayed silent.

Mitsuri swallowed, Unsure of what to do.

It was like the entire room stilled. The ember in the lantern dimming, The croaking of the wood abnormally quiet. Mitsuri bit her lip, Knowing that Shinobu was probably in thought, Maybe she just didn't hear her.

Mitsuri took a step forward towards her, The floorboard creaking quietly below her sandals as she neared Shinobu. Mitsuri didn't even notice that she had stopped breathing, Slowly, Reaching her hand out towards Shinobu.

"Shinobu-chan.."

Mitsuri's fingers almost touched the fabric on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

.

..

…

"Okay?"

Mitsuri yelped out as her hand was roughly shoved off from Shinobu's shoulder. She stumbled back in surprise. Eyes widening as she looked up at her friend.

"Am I.. Okay, Mitsuri..?"

Shinobu's voice was low as she spoke, Her tone sickeningly sweet, Revolting, Enough to make bile spill out of a person's throat.

Shinobu. She looked back at Mitsuri with a smile that was painfully stretched from ear to ear, Her eyes wide and wild looking back at Mitsuri. Teeth gritted together as her expression contorted into a mix between a smile and a snarl.

"I.. I.." Mitsuri stammered over her words as she took a step back, Her shoulders raised to a peak. Shinobu's expression kept dead on her face as Mitsuri tried to figure out what was happening.

"You're asking me.. If I'm okay?"

The room grew colder like winter had found it's way into the room. What was happening? Mitsuri didn't know. Her eyes were unable to look away from the horrific sight that was Shinobu's toothed grin.

"Shinobu.. Chan..?" Suddenly Mitsuri felt like she was a cornered animal. Was she okay? What was wrong? Her smile.. Thoughts ran through her head like the wind outside crashing against the walls. She swallowed.

Mitsuri took a step back.

Shinobu took a step forward.

Before Mitsuri could even process a hand was tugging onto her arm, Grasping it as tightly as it could around her wrist. It was weak, It was frail but Mitsuri felt like it was steel digging into her skin in that very moment.

Shinobu giggled, But it sounded more like a hiss.

"You're so strong, Mitsuri, You know that right?" Shinobu said out of the blue, Her tone so disgustingly saccharine as she looked up into Mitsuri's eyes, Her own capable of melting flesh. "You're so talented, You're so skilled..! You can cut off a demons head just like that, So easily, Like their neck was simply paper.. I'm just so.. Amazed."

Mitsuri listened, Her head shook in confusion. Her breath began to pick up, Feeling her heart thrum in her chest. This was nothing like Shinobu, It was nothing like her at all. It was like looking into the eyes of a stranger-

A stranger that gripped Mitsuri's wrist like she wanted to dig her nails into it.

She swallowed back her unease.

"Shinobu-chan.. W-Where is this coming fro-?"

"You know.. I was never born with such incredible strength." Shinobu cut in, Not giving Mitsuri any chance to speak. "I could never slice a demon's head off like you do. All of that natural born strength.. I guess that's why you're considered one of the strongest Hashira, Right?"

Shinobu took a breath in, Shaky, Unsteady, Looking up at Mitsuri with nothing but wildfire in her eyes.

"You know, No matter how hard I train I'll still be known as the weakest Hashira, The only one whose so useless that they can't even cut off a demon's head!" Shinobu laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world. "You know the rest of the Hashira worked for that kind of physical power, Each and every one of them but.. You were just.. Born with it! Isn't that amazing how you can just look at me and think we're on equal standing..?"

Shinobu praised though it sounded like venom on her tongue, Burning, Acidic in Mitsuri's ears. Mitsuri shook her head, Her head beginning to spin as Shinobu stepped ever closer.

Her grip grew tighter on Mitsuri's arm, But not by much.

"I guess that's why I'm just so amazed by you.. So amazed that someone like you could ask if I'm okay." Shinobu breathed out, Her eyes piercing into Mitsuri's as she looked into them with ire.

"S-Shinobu-chan.. Let go of me-"

"-I mean you've been asking me that question for the past few days, Haven't you? Every. Single. Day." Shinobu laughed, Spitting out every little word like it rotted in her mouth. "Do you know how irritating that is, Mitsuri-chan~? How you keep asking and asking and asking and asking.."

Shinobu continued on as Mitsuri stood in shocked silence, Her lip trembling as she listened to Shinobu's voice crack as if it would break any moment now.

"T-The demon, You know it- Shinobu-chan- Please let go of me, What has gotten into you..-!"

"That thing killed my sister, Mitsuri-chan." Shinobu hissed out now, Not even concealing it as her smile wretched into a scowl.

Mitsuri's breath hitched.

Kanae.

Mitsuri hadn't met her but the stories she had heard were grand, At one point Kanae growing to be known as one of the strongest Hashira of their time. Shinobu had spoke of her sometimes, About her smile- About the way she spoke to people with the upmost kindness in her voice- The way she fought so gracefully on the battlefield.

But never about her death, Never. The topic was always shut down whenever it was brought up. It was figured to be a sore spot for both Shinobu and the Hashira that were old enough to remember her, The newer additions never bothering to ask out of respect.

But now?

"Shinobu-chan- I-I'm so sorry, I didn't know-"

"Don't." Shinobu hissed, Her expression darkening at Mitsuri's words. "Just don't. I don't want to hear your pity for me. It's already insufferable-"

Shinobu scoffed as she let go of Mitsuri's arm, Making Mitsuri stammer back away from her and grip the part where Shinobu grabbed her. Shinobu turned away, Her breath ragged as she paced about the room, Her footsteps hitting against the floor.

Mitsuri felt her hands shake, Trying her best to steady them as she breathed out. Her mind continued to race, Trying to find something, Anything to say to Shinobu- Anything that won't get her cut off or irritate her even further.

Mitsuri swallowed.

"S-Shinobu.. I'm not pitying you, I promise that- We are equal, You are because you're my friend..! You're amazing, You are strong-! Please, You need to listen to me..!" Mitsuri pleaded as she looked at her friend, Someone she has known for years.

Shinobu's laugh was cruel.

"No.. No, Mitsuri.. You don't get it. You don't get how lucky you are, Do you?" She asked, Shaking her head as she approached Mitsuri once more. Her footsteps making the floorboards creak, Making Mitsuri's breath hitch.

Shinobu's smile twitched, Her eyes burning into her.

"You had it good, Mitsuri. No one becomes a slayer because they had it good, Except for you. You never had anyone die in your arms, You never watched your family get slaughtered by demons. Never had to wash their blood out from your hair and still find bits of them under your nails the next morning."

Mitsuri felt tears begin to prickle in her eyes, Feel her lip tremble as she shook her head- Try to find anything to say.

But nothing came out.

Shinobu scoffed at her reaction when she heard no response, Her brow twitching.

"You didn't have it bad, Not like everyone else.. Not like Himejima-san, Not like Iguro-san, Shinazugawa-san- Not like [F/-!" Shinobu cut herself off, Her expression falling, Refusing to finish the name.

Mitsuri's eyes snapped up at the name, The one that made her heart skip a beat and clench all the same. Her eyes glinted with something almost like.. Hesitance, Feeling her stomach turn as Shinobu frowned- Frowned-!

But it quickly fell along with her expression, Slowly shaking her head.

"You didn't deserve [F/N], Neither of us did." Shinobu said quietly, Turning away from Mitsuri now as she looked nowhere in particular within the room. She scoffed. "But you know what Mitsuri..? You were right back then, You should have tried harder. You knew she wasn't doing well and you didn't do anything."

Mitsuri froze at Shinobu's words, Feeling like a punch to the gut made her expression turn crestfallen. She tried her best to keep her composure, To not break down when Shinobu was already doing the same.

But her expression began to crack, Beginning to chip at the edges.

"I-I know, Shinobu-chan, I know." Mitsuri spoke, Her voice gentle and trying it's best to stay levelled. "It's all I can think about, Every second of the day what I could've done to stop all of this. M-M'sorry.. Shinobu- I'm trying. I'm trying my best to make this right."

Shinobu scoffed, Turning around, Her glare burning into Mitsuri.

"Doesn't matter anymore, Mitsuri, Doesn't matter how hard you try. The only reason you're trying so hard to find her now is to get rid of the guilt of her death, Isn't it? But.. [F/N] is dead, And if she isn't- She's a demon by now and would tear either of us limb from limb without a second thought."

She stepped forward, Shinobu's voice grew low.

"The worst part is that I'd let her."

Mitsuri couldn't help but choke out, Tears burning in her eyes and threatening to spill over the edge. And they did. Tears trickling down her face made burns across her cheeks. Mitsuri sniffling only slightly as she listened to Shinobu's words.

They cut so deep, So very deep.

Mitsuri tried not to break as she hugged herself in her kimono.

The flame in Shinobu's eyes began to build once more, Her fallen expression building back up as she looked at Mitsuri with such anger unlike any other. Shaking her head she moved closer.

"She killed herself because of you, Mitsuri. You're the reason she's dead." Shinobu hissed, Her voice aching as she looked dead into Mitsuri's eyes.

"..I-I know." Mitsuri whispered.

Tears continued to spill down her cheeks, Sniffling as her expression broke more and more by the second. Neither of them spoke, Silence except for the small choked sobs under Mitsuri's breath and the ragged breathing of Shinobu.

Both just stared at each other. Shinobu's breathed out, Her eyes shrinking back only slightly as she stepped away from her. She swallowed, Trailing down to look at the floor as her head shook.

"Just.. Get out." Shinobu hissed quietly. "Go tell those.. Those monks that you're allergic to the bedding- Or something.. Just. Just get out of my sight..!"

"S-Shinobu..-!"

"Get out..!" Shinobu butted in once more. Firmer, Louder as she turned away to face the wall- Not wanting to look at her any longer as she stepped back near the corner of the room.

Mitsuri didn't need any more signs as sniffled, Wiping the tears trickling down her face on her kimono sleeve, Trying to steady her breathing. Mitsuri's eyes began to sting as she dragged her feet over to the sliding door.

She gripped the handle, Wanting to say something- Anything to Shinobu. But Mitsuri knew that she wouldn't get the results desired.

So instead she just breathed in, Trying her best not to cry any further as she walked out of the room.

Leaving Shinobu alone, Her expression unseen as the door shut closed.

[starrierknight]

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞

For you to like him, he doesn't need to be perfect—but he's pretty damn close to it.

MASTERLIST | AO3

wc— 3k

pairing— gn!reader x gojo satoru

cws/tags— acquaintances/flatmates to lovers, fluff, suggestive themes, satoru being obnoxious, ft. satoru’s happy trail, is it still counted as “body worship” if this is sfw

The silent hold of the wee hours left you with far too much to think about, if you do say so yourself. In this nocturnal solitude, you found yourself compelled to confront not only your thoughts, but the echoes of loneliness that reverberated through your cavernous chest, leaving your heart to tremble in the corner. The unrelenting grip of weariness rendered you captive in the cocoon of your bedsheets, their tendrils entwined with the threads of your restless musings.

Despite being a steadfast denizen of these late-night hours, tonight was different—an occasion when the relentless routine of surrendering to the purgatory of your bedroom had worn away at your resolve. The solace offered by the quietude was undeniable, and the shroud of darkness, a gentle balm for tired eyes—though not for weary heartstrings.

As you rose, the floor beneath your feet felt cool, sending a shiver through your body, and the door swung open soundlessly. The corridor awaited, a narrow passageway obscured by conspiring shadows so that you had to place a hand on the wall, trailing your fingertips over the plaster to find your way. The darkness here was thicker, pressing against the walls, and the only companion was the soft exhale of your breath. 

A faint light spilt from the slightly ajar door, a beacon that prompted you to squint as you approached. It became evident that Satoru must have left the lights on, a small yet comforting revelation. Upon opening the door, the kitchen burst into luminosity, momentarily dazzling you as your eyes adjusted.

Satoru had his back turned to you, doing the washing up, shirtless. His back was broad, as if carved out of marble, and toned to perfection. Though his face was obscured, he carried himself with a distinct air of confidence that only those of a certain beautiful visage have—all movements were deliberate, executed as gracefully as could be. He didn’t respond to your presence, nor did he turn around, continuing to wash the dishes as the gentle slosh of water and clatter of plates filled the room.

Your gaze swept across the kitchen, a subtle amusement dancing in your eyes as you took in the scattered evidence of Satoru's attempts to corral the week's accumulation of clutter. The peculiar surge of productivity in the late hours hinted at a shared restlessness, a tacit acknowledgement that sleep eluded him just as it did you.

Returning your attention to Satoru, a quiet fascination seized you as you observed the rhythmic dance of his shoulders. They gently sloped, guiding your eyes down to the graceful curvature that traced the arc of his spine. The muscles, flexing and contracting in harmony with his movements, held a hypnotic allure that further captivated your already-addled mind. 

The subtle rasp of your cleared throat echoed in the kitchen, a deliberate attempt to compose yourself and redirect your attention. The sound elicited a flinch from Satoru, his head tilting in acknowledgement without turning around. Your gaze wandered, initially fixating on his hands immersed in soapy washing-up water, then traversing the sinuous lines of his arms, the broad expanse of his shoulders, and back again to the rhythmic play of muscles along his spine. A fleeting imagination tempted you, picturing the sensation of placing your palm between his shoulder blades, curious about the palpable strength concealed beneath his skin.

Shaking your head to dispel the reverie, you took tentative steps forward, crossing the quiet expanse of the kitchen. Leaning against the cool granite countertop, your elbows found a resting place, and you propped your chin up on your fist. Your eyes remained fixed on Satoru, lingering on the meticulous yet effortless movements of his hands. A small, tentative smile graced your lips as you observed his actions, wondering if he could sense the unspoken sentiment in your expression.

Breaking the lingering silence, you mustered a simple "Hi," but it was met with a stony quietude. 

You wondered if speaking up was the wrong choice, but delirium and the ache to be close to another person had brought you this far. Satoru glanced over his shoulder, his gaze meeting yours with a slow blink. A subtle raise of his brow conveyed a hint of amusement, seemingly deriving pleasure from your visible unease.

His response finally fractured the silence, a sly smirk accompanying his words, "Enjoying the view, are you?" 

The low, husky timbre of his voice carried a weariness, likely a residue of a day spent teaching. It forced a certain softness to his tone, you thought.

You shrugged off his inquiry. "Sue me."

Satoru's response wasn't a hearty chuckle or a deep guffaw, but a light, breathy laugh that filled the quiet kitchen. There was a quiet amusement in the sound, and a trace of a smirk lingered on his face as he looked you over. Your heart responded with a subtle clench beneath your ribs, particularly at the sight of a faint shadow of a dimple on his cheek, carved there just to taunt. The moment, though fleeting, etched itself into the quietude of the night as he returned his attention to the dishes.

"What d'you rate it? A ten out of ten?"

Your response, offered with a playful quirk of your eyebrow, "You want me to rate you?"

Satoru's smirk morphed into a pleased expression as your gaze trailed over him. The contours of his skin, smooth and unblemished, seemed to glow like moonlight in the spill of light from the windows. Intrigued and sufficiently drawn into the distraction your company provided, he turned to face you, leaning against the kitchen cupboard. As he dried his hands on a towel, his arms folded across his broad, rippling chest, the subtle flexing of his pecs synchronised with each breath drew your attention.

"Come on, give me a score anyway. Out of ten."

After a moment's consideration, you offered a teasing response, "A nine." 

Satoru's amused countenance swiftly transformed into a scowl the moment your rating escaped your lips. His eyes locked onto yours, and he spoke with feigned indignation, "Only nine?"

The palpable teasing in his voice was accompanied by a puffing out of his chest, a subtle rise onto his toes, and a slight shift in his weight—an adjustment that added a touch of theatricality to his stance. His gaze fixed on you with an impatient yet expectant intensity, resembling a playful, albeit puzzled, puppy.

Your chuckle, a note of satisfaction in provoking a reaction, accompanied a dismissive wave of your hand. "Ah, I don't know. You're missing a certain je ne sais quoi."

The scowl on Satoru's face evolved into a lopsided frown, confusion and amusement vying for dominance on his expressive features.

"Je ne sais quoi?" he echoed, his head tilting in curiosity, a teasing glint in his eye. The amused twinkle hinted at his attempt, albeit futile, to resist giving you attention.

"Well... You're just a little too perfect, aren't you? Like a sculpture."

Satoru's lips curled into a cocky grin at your explanation. "And what's wrong with being a sculpture? People look at sculptures all day, right?" His smirk widened as he leaned in ever so slightly, a challenge lingering in the air. "Maybe you should do that, then."

Suppressing a grin, you bit the inside of your cheek, allowing your eyes to trail along the line of his left shoulder, up the side of his neck, and to his jawline. "I might," you mused.

The rhythmic rise and fall of Satoru's chest betrayed the subtle restlessness within him, his breaths a steady cadence of inhales and exhales. The heat radiating from his body made the glistening sweat on his skin all the more apparent. His lips, licked in a moment of contemplation, added an unintentional allure as his eyes momentarily darted away from yours. Every inch of him exuded an undeniable appeal, and your gaze couldn't help but be drawn repeatedly to the contours of his chiselled body, a clear testament to where your attention lingered.

As he shifted his weight onto his right foot, a cock of his hip added an extra layer of invitation. "I might let you," he declared.

"Who says it's a question of 'letting' me?"

"I do," Satoru shot back, his eyes taking on a steely glint as he jutted his chin in a clear challenge. The air crackled with tension as he asserted, "I'm not a pushover, and I don't take orders from anyone. If you think you're gonna boss me around, you're sorely mistaken."

The shift in his expression, from cocky to cold and steely, echoed through the space. Your heart quickened its pace as his gaze, those vivid blue eyes glinting like precious stones, locked onto yours. The challenge hung in the air, a silent dare.

Satoru's face transformed, breaking into a wide grin, and a warm laugh escaped him, lighting up the atmosphere once again. It was evident he had been playfully messing with you, and the realisation prompted a quiet laugh of relief from you, your cheeks flushing warm. 

"You got me.”

"You know me. I wouldn't say no if you were offering." 

His words, delivered in a hushed whisper, lingered in the air, barely audible above the rhythmic cadence of your breathing. Your gaze involuntarily drifted to Satoru's lips as his grin faded into a more contemplative expression. There was a subtle hint of shyness in his features, his cheeks now adorned with a magnificent shade of red as he shifted his weight to the other leg.

“Offering?” you queried.

Satoru's laugh, more relaxed this time, accompanied his response. 

"I'm not completely clueless, you know." His gaze finally returned to yours. "You were eyeing me up, weren't you? I didn't mind, though," he drawled, glancing down at his own body. "Well, I don't blame you." With a wink, he added a touch of assurance.

Suppressing a snort, you reciprocated with a wink of your own, much to his bemusement. Satoru's gaze descended from your face, lingering on your body for a moment that felt like an eternity before swiftly returning to meet your eyes.

"The attraction's definitely mutual, so maybe you should just c’mere and kiss me," he suggested, his words teasing, yet there was a genuine note beneath the surface.

"Who says I want to?" you countered.

"My ego, mostly—I'm the prettiest guy you've ever seen. Why wouldn't you wanna kiss me?" 

The familiar arrogant half-grin adorned his face as he tilted his head to the side, shifting his weight onto one leg and cocking his hip once again. When your reaction amounted to little more than a gawp, he theatrically fluttered his long, white eyelashes at you.

"C'mon, you know you want to..."

A stunningly triumphant expression illuminated Satoru's face as you walked around to his side of the kitchen island, leaning against it as you beckoned him closer. For a moment, he observed you, searching for any sign that your actions were merely a tease. Upon finding none, a cheeky grin spread across his features, and he took a step toward you.

Closing the distance, he stood in front of you, leaning in until your bodies were almost touching. "What are you waiting for? Kiss me already.”

Rather than yielding to the demand, you countered with a smirk, meeting his gaze through your lashes. Simultaneously, your hands rested on his bare, narrow waist, and your thumbs brushed against his skin. From such proximity, you could discern the faint marbling of bluish veins beneath his pale skin. 

Tracing the pad of your thumb along one of these delicate lines, just underneath his ribcage, you elicited a sharp intake of breath from Satoru. His chest rose and fell, hands clenched into fists at his sides. You could almost hear his heartbeat quicken—although, your own heart rebelled against your ribs to try and tunnel its way out of your chest and to him.

Undeterred, Satoru met your gaze without a hint of hesitation or shyness, a defiant smirk still playing on his lips. His eyes, those endless blues, were sharp as they studied your face—though his judgement was tentative. The heat from his skin warmed your palms, and you could see goose bumps forming on his flesh as it reacted to your touch.

"Is this okay?" you murmured in a sweeter voice.

Satoru, still captivated by the proximity, was brought back to the moment by the sound of your voice. Slowly, he opened his hands, relaxing a little. "It's more than okay..." he admitted, a smitten look adorning his features.

The exchange continued as he let out a quiet laugh, shifting his weight and allowing his free hand to caress your cheek, tracing along the line of your jaw. Leaning in, he pressed his forehead against yours, his gaze soft, and his touch gentle. Wisps of Satoru’s downy, white hair tickled your temples, tempting your fingers to comb through its softness.

"You're adorable," he complimented, a genuine smile gracing his lips, before leaning his head back slightly to get another look at your face.

Your fingertips, gently brushing against the white trail of hair just below his navel, drew a soft gasp from Satoru. His abs tensed at the touch, his cheeks blushing a deeper shade as a slight shiver coursed through him. In the ensuing silence, the only audible sound was the subtle intake of breath, a shared moment suspended in the quiet kitchen.

Satoru glanced down at your fingers, his body language a blend of tension and receptivity. Swallowing thickly, his eyes flicked downward momentarily before meeting your gaze again.

"What gives?"

"I take it back. You're a ten," you admitted, a playful twist to your tone.

Satoru laughed, his breath hitching before he composed himself. His response was light-hearted and teasing, "Why the change of heart?" 

His cocky grin returned as his gaze dipped down to your hands once more.

The soft brush of your fingers against the hair of his happy trail prompted a soft groan to escape Satoru's lips. His eyes shut, exhaling slowly, and his jaw flexed in response to the sensation.

"I found the one you needed," you declared smugly.

Satoru couldn't contain another soft groan at your touch. He licked his lips, swallowing, his gaze shifting between you and your hands as you continued to explore. His weight shifting onto his other foot, he adopted his best flirtatious expression. Leaning down toward you, his smile widened as he lowered himself to your eye level.

"You're lucky the feeling's mutual, then. So, about that kiss?"

His right hand cupped your cheek, and you instinctively leaned into his touch. The warmth of his palm, surprisingly soft, conveyed a sense of comfort, even as the faint scent of dish soap lingered. Time seemed to slow as your faces inched closer. Something citrussy, you noted vaguely.

“What about it?” you whispered.

"I'm sick of waiting for it..." 

The kiss ignited a cascade of sensations, a marvel that transcended the mere meeting of lips. His hands, so gentle, cupped your cheeks, their journey extending down to cradle the vulnerable expanse of your neck. Fingertips, like feathers, grazed the back of your hairline, leaving a trail of tingling warmth in their wake.

Soft, syrupy lips, vessels of unspoken words, melded seamlessly with your own. As the kiss deepened, your hand remained a steadfast companion on his waist. The caress, a silent declaration, pulled him incrementally closer, drawing him into your orbit. His hands, still cradling your face, mirrored the tenderness. Satoru, in response, leaned in, his lips maintaining their pillowy softness against yours, his entire body communicating a tranquil surrender to the moment—to you, if only briefly.

Your fingers, entwined in his whispery, silver hair, brushed away the few locks that always seemed to fall just right. As you both pulled away, the affection shared in that fleeting gaze lingered, plain for all to see on Satoru's face.

"And what would you rate that?" Satoru said breathlessly.

You hummed and wrinkled your nose, making a show of thinking it over. "A nine."

“Not a ten?" his voice was low and intimate. He brought his hands down to your waist to hold you, and you could feel the heat radiating from his bare skin.

"Well, I'm kind of banking on you to keep kissing me until I give you a ten," you murmured.

He huffed out a laugh as he shook his head, followed by a soft, ironic, “Of course.”

A mischievous grin adorned Satoru's face as he leaned in for another kiss, this time more intense, more hungry. Tilting his head, he skillfully avoided a direct alignment of his lips with yours, adding a delicious edge to the kiss. His tongue ventured, a slow exploration that gradually deepened, causing your breath to catch in your throat.

Your fingers dug slightly into his waist, a feeble attempt to keep your mind tethered before you lost it to him completely. Satoru's tongue pressed deep into your mouth, his grip on the back of your neck tightening slightly, intensifying the kiss. The softness of your lips pressed against his body allowed you to feel every sculpted muscle. The passion of the kiss remained gentle, not rough, yet the sensation left you craving more.

As you both eventually pulled away, a quiet panting filled the space. Your nose brushed against his jawline, a content smile playing on your lips.

"Still a nine?" he inquired, a teasing note in his voice, his voice quiet but carrying an undeniable edge of confidence.

Satoru shifted his hands to your shoulder, fingers lingering for a moment before crossing his arms over his chest. His warm breath caressed your face as he looked down at you. Pressing his forehead lightly against yours, he closed his eyes, savouring the touch.

“Still a nine.”

"Just you wait," he added, a promise whispered. "I won't stop until it's a perfect ten."

a/n: alternative title, “Gojo Satoru is so pretty he makes me stupid” haha. I wrote this to get out of my writing slump lolol. and ooooo first sfw fic on this blog!! how exciting :3 -> based on this ask!

this work belongs to STARRIERKNIGHT . please refrain from plagiarising any of my works and do not repost/translate/modify/copy onto any platforms.

[cdragons]

"La Vie En Rose" - Ikaris x Eternal!Reader

Summary: You and Ikaris are finally ready to take a big step in your relationship. The two of you hare details about yourselves to really show how much you two have loved one another throughout your entire existence and since the failed Emergence.

Warning(s): MDNI 18+, very heavy smut in the beginning, loss of virginity, Persephone!Reader/Sephia is demisexual, spoilers, talk of WW2 and its aftermath, mention of suicide, Druig and Kaety are mentioned, almost character death, author tries to talk about music but has no musical background

Author's Notes: I think this might be the longest Ikaris oneshot ever on Tumblr, with a whopping 9.2k word count. For context, I would go to this masterlist, and read the very first post. I would like to thank Grammarly for making sure I don't write like a hill-billy. A huge thanks to @ethereal-athalia for her help. A lot of these ideas could not have been done without her input. I hope y'all have a wonderful Valentine's Day! I also plan to make a Valentine's Day for Druig x Hecate!Reader

Inside the Ritz’s Suite Chopin in Paris, clothes were sprawled across the room. Your dress had pooled on the ground where Ikaris zipped it off you as soon as the door closed. His suit jacket and tie had been removed before you two entered the room. Despite how frantic your movements may have seemed on the outside, you and your lover knew that this moment had been long overdue.

The blue rings in his eyes thinned as his pupils widened at the sight of your strapless bra with its matching lacy cheeky-cut underwear and garter belt. After you ripped his dress shirt and buttons flew across the room, you marveled at the mass of muscle and heavenly skin by softly revering his body with your touch.

You traced every scar and line on his body as if handling a priceless painting. Ikaris sharply hissed at the feeling of your feather touch ghosting over his body. He responded by lifting you in his arms and wrapping your legs above his hips while he kept a firm grip on your soft, ample bottom. He felt your muscles tense before relaxing, and your body melted into his embrace as if the two of you were bodies were born to be together.

“I love you,” he whispered with each kiss he pressed on your skin. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“Ikaris,” you panted, “don’t stop. Please don’t ever stop.”

Trailing kisses down your neck, your lover never took his lips off yours as he carried you across the living room to the boudoir covered with pomegranate flowers. Laying your body gently on the goose feather duvets, Ikaris stood utterly captivated by how your hair framed your face like an ethereal halo.

The sight was nothing short of heavenly.

The luminosity of the moonlight shining through the overhead window gave your form a celestial glow. Your divine figure, added with the contrast of colors from the blossoms on the stark bedspread, made him wonder if this was all a wonderful dream instead of his cruel reality.

Sensing his fear that you were only an illusion, you sat up and took Ikaris’ hand from his side to press a gentle kiss on his palm.

“Ikaris, I am here. I am with you. We are together – now and forever, forever and always.”

Overwhelmed with happiness, your immortal paramour felt a mountainous burden topple down as the relief of knowing this moment was not a figment of his imagination. His Adam’s apple bobbed as tears welled up in his iridescent blue irises.

Ikaris brought his other hand to cup your other cheek before lowering himself to plant a feathery kiss on your forehead. He closed his eyes – savoring the feel of your skin on his lips as he tried to memorize the scent of your hair with the fragrance of the pomegranate flowers surrounding you.

“Ikaris,” you softly begged, “please kiss me.”

And who was he to refuse such a sweet request?

Pressing his lips to yours, Ikaris felt you lower yourself until your back was fully pressed against the bedspreads underneath them. No matter how much his lungs clenched for air, he refused to part for even a breath of air. But you softly pushed him back. Ikaris opened his eyes – prepared to ask if you needed to stop. But he stopped himself at the sight of your lust-filled eyes with the blush on the apple of your cheeks. You reached behind your back and unclasped the hooks of your brassiere before removing the rest of your undergarments.

Time slowed down frame by frame as Ikaris watched you further reveal yourself to him. A part of your hair fell forward to cover your breasts as you lowered your head and fixated on your gaze on the silky scarlet petal of the flower you rubbed between your fingers. Scars and marks dotted your body from battles between deviants in the past. Ikaris knew he was the only man you let see so much.

You sighed as you couldn’t help but feel like shrinking into the shadows as he stared.

“I don’t…I know I’m not as pretty as most of the women you’ve slept with. My body is a bit…, and I’m not as willowy and lovely as Kaety or Sersi. Even Thena is so beautiful and strong. My hips have a weird dip and –” You felt like crying for ruining the moment. “I’m making this so awkward – I’m so sorry.”

Ikaris quietly sat across you for a moment. Then he tipped your chin, and you were forced to look at his stern expression but heated gaze.

“Sephia, your body…it’s lovely. There isn’t a woman or creature more beautiful than you.”

You scoffed inelegantly, but Ikaris shook his head.

“I’m serious. Sephia, I – everything about you is so mind-bogglingly wonderous and beautiful. I have thought so since we first met on the Domo. Who could possibly have given you the idea otherwise?”

You leaned into his chest and let out a deep sigh. “It was no one in particular. I just noticed that men continually gawked at my chest whenever we settled into a new location. They would always stare when I wasn’t looking. Sometimes, when they were drunk, they would tug on my dress and comment that I was either too big or too small. It’s why I preferred to wear their clothing. I thought I attracted too much attention from my Olympian Attire, so I hoped to be noticed less in their garbs. I tried telling Ajak, but she told me not to pay attention to their actions since they were only curious. But it didn’t stop until I told Kaety.”

Hearing your explanation, Ikaris’ hold on you tightened. Once more, he was in your friend’s debt. How dare those lowly men cause you so much strife? Had he known of your troubles, he would have ensured that those fools feared for their lives. But he knew if you were aware of his thoughts, it would only push you away – so he remained quiet.

Instead, he planted a gentle kiss on both of your cheeks and whispered to you how honored he was for this moment. His hands caressed your thighs, and he had your legs straddled on his hips as he made sure you were comfortable on his lap. He let you take the lead by wrapping your arms over his shoulders and groaned at the feeling of you pressing his chest against your bare bust.

The way he moaned your name made your stomach clench. “Sephia. Thank you. I will show you how beautiful to me– tonight and every night from now on if you’ll permit me.”

You nodded your head against the crook of his neck. You didn’t trust your voice to convey your love for the man with you tonight.

But Ikaris needed more. “Say it, Sephia. Look me in the eye and tell me if you want us to continue.”

Taking a deep breath, you lifted your head to show your trust. “I want you to continue.”

Bringing you in for a heated kiss, Ikaris and you explored each other’s bodies with your hands as your lips were locked in a familiar embrace. He then trails kisses down your chin and travels down your neck and across the tops of your breasts. You wondered if he could hear how hard your heart was beating against the confines of your rib cage as you panted for air.

Ikaris used one hand to cup one of your flushed breasts covered in love bites and kisses. On the other, he put his mouth on your puckered nipple and swirled his tongue around the areola.

You slowly rocked your hips and whispered for more. “Ikaris, Ikaris, Ikaris – more, more, please.”

Your body was his paradise, and you were his angel. Everything about you – the perfume of your skin, the silky luster of your hair, the addictive scent of your arousal – it was both all too much and never enough.

Switching breasts to continue his services, Ikaris wondered if he could get you to cum without directly touching you down there. He felt emboldened by the challenge with the breathless praises spilling from your lips that were swollen and red from his kisses.

He traveled down to your navel while continuing to trace his tongue and lips across your skin until he stopped at your navel. Dipping his tongue into your navel region, your initial reaction was a giggle, but then he used both of his hands to reach for your abandoned mounds to massage them. The rough calluses on his fingers gave way to new sensations unbeknownst to you, making your laughter change to moans.

Arching your back, you called out his name with your sweet voice. “Ikaris- Ikaris! It’s too…it’s too much!”

As you arched your back, you pushed your chest further into his hands. He tendered cupped them before giving them a hard squeeze and then used his fingers to pinch your nipples. Twisting and tugging them brought tears to your eyes as the pleasure from the attention he granted to your bosom with the swirling of his tongue in your navel.

The feel of Ikaris’ hot tongue contrasting with the cooling spit from his saliva only added to your rapture. You felt your stomach tighten into an invisible coil as you clawed and grasped onto the bed covers to ground you. The coil became tighter and tighter until your lips started to tremble as your core clenched around nothing, and your mouth opened to let out no noise as your vision went white. Your body squirmed, and you clamped your legs to unsuccessfully quell the sensations.

Ikaris’ mouth traveled down to your nether lips as he removed his hands from your breasts to spread your legs and put them over his shoulders. Although the sight of the Eternals’ strongest fighter between your legs was certainly an arousing view, you couldn't contain snorting at the absurdity of it all.

Your cerulean-eyed beloved raised a quizzical brow to showcase his offended feelings.

“And what, pray tell, do you find so amusing right now, flower?” he asked in a monotone voice.

“I’m sorry-” you couldn’t stop laughing “-I’m so sorry – I just never imagined being in this situation with you – with anyone.”

He gave you a flat look for you to continue.

You went on with your explanation. “For so long, I have never felt this way. You- you aren’t the first person I’ve been with – romantically, at least – but I could never feel myself wanting to go further. It always felt like something was stopping me. For so long, I thought something was wrong with me. And then, after talking with Kaety and Phastos, I thought I might be asexual. But it hadn’t been until those moments we spent in the field outside the village that I- I felt a bond transform from friendship to what I didn’t realize to be love to- to this.”

You stopped laughing and lifted your torso on one elbow to reach him. You cupped his face with one hand, and Ikaris nuzzled his face into your palm – welcoming the feel of your silky touch. In your eyes, there was enough love to make the world outside this room disappear.

“I haven’t felt this way for anyone but you. It was such an unexpected surprise, but I wasn’t scared. I think it was because- well, despite everything, I never felt unsafe around you. Ikaris, the years I spent with you after Thanos’ Snap and before the Emergence were some of the happiest years of my life. I don’t think there are words to describe how much I love you.”

It was only when you stroked your thumb on his cheek that Ikaris realized he was crying. As Ajak’s most trusted and loyal soldier, he had an image of stability to maintain. Before his suicide attempt in flying to the sun, he could count the number of times he cried throughout his life on one hand.

The first was when a deviant managed almost to sever his spine. The pain was so terrible. It took the efforts of Ajak and Kaetlyn to stop him from bleeding out and close the gash, but not without a garish scar across his back.

The second was when you left him and what remained of the team after Kaetlyn and Druig left in response to the genocide of Tenochtitlan citizens from Spanish conquistadors. He was hurt and felt betrayed. He called you weak and naïve to believe that you, Kaet, and Druig had better judgment than Arishem for humanity’s future. While your leaving broke his heart, his sobbing resulted from the pained look on your face from his words. He cried for three days after your departure.

The third time was after he killed Ajak. It broke his heart to kill the one he admired and followed for so long. She wanted to stop the Emergence and stop Arishem’s Grand Design of the birth of a new Celestial. But to do so was to condemn you to a slow and painful death, and Ajak knew that. The Avengers destroyed your regained health when they brought back the rest of humanity.

Ikaris knew that destroying the planet you loved so much would have brought you more pain than your illness, but it was humanity that weakened you so much from the beginning. If the Emergence must occur, Ikaris was sure he could ask Ajak to convince Arishem to allow him to keep his memories. If he had, he would have been able to love you from the beginning of everyone’s rebirth.

But he failed, and it nearly cost him you and your sister. The memory Druig implanted in his mind would haunt him forever. It was so unnatural to see Kaety so lifeless, so cold. The sight and Aisling’s screams with Laoise’s cries made it worse.

The fourth was when he stood before Sersi as her frame kneeled atop Tiamut’s emerging body. You lay unconscious as you allowed your new leader to use your cosmic energy to kill the infant Celestial but also to use your body as a medium to use the Celestial’s infinite amount of cosmic energy to revitalize the Earth. Standing in front of his sister as she kneeled next to your body, Sersi was ready to accept her death at her brother’s hand. But Ikaris could not steel his resolve to aim his heat vision at her heart.

He could not kill his sister – not when she was the one person he could ever love as much as he does you. She was the only person who trusted more than anyone in the world. She knew all his secrets and was the first to realize his love for you.

Just as Kaetlyn was your sister, Sersi was his. And so all he could do was let himself be used to destroy Tiamut, give one final goodbye to his sister, and give you one final kiss before he flew to the sun.

Your voice broke him from his thoughts. “Ikaris? Are you all right?”

“Yes, flower,” he answered with a smile. “Thank you.”

“‘Thank you?’ Whatever for?” Your confused expression was so utterly adorable.

“Everything, I suppose,” he said while shrugging. “Sephia, you said you never imagined making love to anyone for thousands of years. But for me, it was all I could think about with you. As I said that night on the balcony, ‘I was made to love you.’ And I will say these words and show you how much I mean them for however long you permit me.”

Your heart sang out to his at his sweet words. You reached to pull him down for a kiss before whispering in his ear.

“Ikaris, will you make love to me?”

“Yes,” came his immediate answer. “But first, I must prepare you.”

“Has that not been what you’ve been doing so far?”

Your immortal worshiper gave you a lascivious grin in response. “My petal, this had only been the beginning.”

Your hands clenched his hair in a feeble attempt to get him to ease Ikaris’ feasting. But all your actions brought were him spreading your legs further apart. The feeling of his tongue flitting over your clit as he drove fingers to furiously thrust inside your cervix to the point of making you weep in ecstasy.

It started with one, then it became two. Soon, he added the third, and the pain from the stretch quickly drove you to a state of nymphomania. It didn’t take long for you to reach your peak, and it was far more intense than its predecessor. You felt your body spasm for a little bit before relaxing into the mattress as Ikaris languidly stroked your walls to carry out your climax for as long as possible.

This wasn’t the first time he had eaten you out, but it was the first time he could do so without interruptions.

As your essence spilled on his tongue, Ikaris let out an obtusely loud, close-mouthed groan, and its vibrations added to your overstimulation. Your body’s nectar was ambrosia worthy to be tasted only by gods. It was addictive enough for an Eternal such as himself to get drunk on it and crave its taste for all eternity.

He removed himself from the bed before frantically unbuckling his belt and stripping himself of his black slacks and boxer briefs. The way his shaft sprung out and its head hit Ikaris’ naval region made your eyes widen. It must have been around eight inches long, and the sight of it made you unconsciously clamp your legs close. It was pulsing dark pink with veins running along its length, and its head looked so swollen and red that it neared to purplish hue with a pearly white bead of precum leaking out.

You’ve seen corpses and anatomical diagrams. Kaety was the more explicit one out of the two of you. She had no qualms sharing even the most graphic details of Druig’s…thing.

But this was the first time you saw it in person, and you didn’t realize men could be so…big.

“Does it hurt…being like that?” you hesitantly asked as you reached forward to touch it. But he softly grasped your hand from getting too close.

Ikaris chuckled at your innocence. “It doesn’t hurt per se, but it is very sensitive. And if you touch it, I cannot promise you that I will last long enough to enjoy it.”

Kneeling on the bed, he carefully grabbed his length and positioned it just outside your soaking womanhood.

He cupped your cheek and brought your eyes to him. “Are you sure you’re ready for this? Don’t think about me. Do you want this?”

Looking into his eyes, you drowned in the overwhelming sea of love that was his beautiful blue eyes. You admit you still felt a twinge of fear. But more than fear, more than lust and desire, you felt safe. What you shared with Ikaris was more than how you ever hoped to feel with someone. It was real – what you shared with this man was true and went beyond physical attraction. Your bond with him had only grown stronger since his return; nothing would ever change that.

“I’m ready,” you whispered as you felt the increasing rate of your heartbeat. “I love you, Ikaris. With all of me.”

He positioned his cock until its head had just entered you. You sharply sucked in a breath.

“I’ll do my best to make it as painless as possible. Take a deep breath if you need to. I won’t move until you feel like you’ve adjusted to it. We can go as slow or as fast as you want. I promise.”

“I know,” you replied. “I trust you.”

He gently pushed himself inside you inch-by-inch. The stretch of your walls around his manhood was almost painful. He was halfway inside you when you asked him to pause with two thin trails of tears running down your eyes.

“I just -” you gasped, “- I just need a minute.”

Ikaris softly stroked your cheek before catching a tear under your eye. “It’s okay. Take all the time you need.”

When you nodded to show you were ready, Ikaris continued to insert himself inside you until he fully bottomed out slowly. When he reached his hilt, he let out a mighty groan and husky rasp as you took a sharp and loud intake of breath. Despite how well-lubricated you were, the stretching of your cervix to accommodate his size was more than you expected. Thankfully, your lover did not move for the sake of you being able to adjust to the feel of him inside your tight walls.

Ikaris propped himself on one of his elbows as he hovered above you. He bit the inside of his cheek to hold back his moans, but the feeling of him being swallowed by your warmth was more euphoric than he could ever dream it to be. He lowered his head enough to kiss away the tears from your eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered so sweetly. “This discomfort will pass, my love. I will not move until you are ready.”

Thank the stars he prepped you earlier. If he hadn’t, you weren’t sure you would have been able to adjust to the feeling of him inside you. It was the strangest sensation. You felt so full – as evidenced by the slight bulge protruding from your lower stomach – but the fullness was almost comforting.

It was evidence that you and your love joined bodies and became one.

You slowly wrapped your legs around Ikaris’ waist. Despite the discomfort, you wanted to feel as close and connected to the beautiful man hovering above you as possible. Soon, the pain lessened to a sting, and it dulled further before shifting to pleasure. It was not long before you craved the friction from Ikaris’ shaft moving inside you and slowly began grinding your hips against him to ease the ache inside you.

Ikaris could feel the fluttering of your cervix and your walls becoming more slick from your increasing arousal. Feeling your hips moving against him, he couldn’t stop the teasing leer at your squirming and the soft moans and whimpers leaving your lips.

“Does it feel good? I wonder how it would feel if I did this–” he pushed his hips to give a shallow thrust and reveled at the way your back was so beautifully arched.

Your cries were no longer laced with pain but adorned with shock from the unexpected pleasure.

“Oh? You like that?” he chuckled in smug amusement. “Fuck, your body is so responsive. You have no idea how much your sweet cries add to my ego.”

“I-Ikaris!” you stammered as you frantically moved your hips. “Please!”

“Please what, my flower?” he teased. “You know I can’t do anything until you provide explicit instructions.”

You wailed in frustration. “You know what I mean, you cruel man! I-I need you to m-move! I want to feel everything! PLEASE!”

Throwing all inhibitions to the wind, Ikaris gave you precisely what you wanted by giving hard, powerful drives. The squelch of your folds from each thrust was downright sinful and caused you to cry out his name. The slapping of his hips against your thighs, coupled with his gruff grunts and your high-pitched mewls, made for the most erotic symphony.

You felt so embarrassed by your reactions, but there was no use in holding back your reactions. You put your arm over your eyes to maintain some semblance of dignity, but Ikaris pinned it down to the side of your head. You opened your eyes to see if your lover was as out of control as you.

You were shocked to see how nearly black his eyes were, with almost no evidence of his lapis-lazuli irises. His lips had a thin, wet sheen of film covering them, and his hair was wholly tousled and unkempt from his usual militant style – a result of you running your fingers through it and yanking it.

“Oh no, don’t you dare cover your face,” he rasped. “I’ve waited for this moment for seven thousand years. All those years of watching those men stare at you with lustful eyes – every soldier, king, even fucking Thor. And I couldn’t do a damn thing about it – what right did I have to do so? But tonight- tonight, I ensure that you will never want anyone else but me.”

You shook your head. “No…only you- I only want you, Ikaris. I swear!”

“Gods, you’re so beautiful,” he cooed. “You feel so perfect – gripping me so tight. Do you feel as good as I do, my flower? Can you feel how I was made for you? As you were made for me? Can you feel how greedy your cunt is for me – I fit so perfectly inside you.”

The euphoria between you two reached such a crescendo that your bodies were frantically rocking against each other at an erratic tempo. You reached forward to cling onto his shoulders as you brought him in a close embrace. The only thing that mattered to you was the man above you and the love overflowing between you. The only thing that mattered to Ikaris was the feeling of you under him and knowing this wasn’t a dream.

The rest of the world disappeared, and the noise from the festivities of the City of Lights became white noise. The only sounds you could register in your lust-hazy mind were Ikaris’ hoarse groans and hushed gasps. The only sounds Ikaris could hear while in his bliss-intoxicated state were your breathless whimpers and sharp cries.

The two of you looked less like the gods humanity regaled in myths and legends and more akin to wild beasts. The sight of your legs tightly wrapped around Ikaris’ waist and the vulgar rings of the slapping of skin from him pounding into you was sinful. The feel of your full and soft breasts rubbing against his hard pecs only heightened the pleasure.

The familiar coil in your stomach returned, and its intensity was reaching a point of almost unbearable pleasure. All you could do was continue to cling to your lover with your nails dragging down his back as he continued to slam into you. Ikaris cursed under his breath at the feeling of your nails scraping long red marks on the skin of his back. He felt your walls start to tighten to show that you were reaching your peak. He increased his tempo to a relentless pace as he felt your walls continue to grip him.

With his newfound vigor, you became all the more aware of how he dragged each and every inch of his cock in and out of you. Your cunt wept at the way his new pace made you stretch even wider to accommodate for all of him. His rough patch of curls around the base of his cock hitting your swollen clit made your mind go blank.

“Ikaris!” you wailed. “Slow – slow down! I think – I think I’m going to – oh, FUCK!”

“Let go, Sephia,” Ikaris grunted. “I want to feel your cunt gripping my cock. I want to feel your walls creaming around me as your womb begs for my cum to fill so much that it leaks.”

Refusing to part from you, he snaked his arm to the space between your legs to press your swollen clit. The pressure from his fingers pinching your nub broke the dam inside you as your juices sprayed and soaked Ikaris’ manhood and naval region. Your back arched, and your legs trembled while the rest of your body pathetically spasmed from the intensity of your release. Your vision went white, and your mind was filled with blissful static as drool dribbled out of your mouth, hanging open at the sheer shock from the release of pressure.

When you came around him, Ikaris gripped the sheets so hard that he heard a faint rip as he felt a mass of textiles clump in his hand. If the fluttering of your cunt was heavenly, then the feeling of your walls clenching so hard around him as you sprayed your essence around him was euphoria. Using both hands, he unhooked your legs around his waist and spread them wide apart until your feet dangled by his head. The new position allowed him to reach so deep in you that he felt the tip of his shaft hitting the entrance of your womb.

He chased the end of his release as you senselessly babbled – your mind was too far gone from your climax, and all you could do was take all of him until he was done himself. It was not long until he felt his body tense, and he thrust himself into you to the hilt and came with a thunderous shout that echoed with your loud cries. The shift of all his weight ramming into the warm and wet hole that greedily latched onto him brought you a new sensation so pleasurable that it rocked on the edge of pain. The spilling of his hot seed inside your womb made you further cling onto him as tears streamed down your cheeks – as if melding your bodies into one being.

Ikaris completely let go of all of his tensions as he lay on top of you – panting for air. Your heart was racing as you tried to catch your breath. For a few minutes, the two of you only wanted to bask in the feel of you together in the aftermath of your lovemaking.

Not wanting to crush you with his weight, Ikaris gently tried to pry himself off you. He thought it would be best to grab a wet rag to help clean you or at least give you some water, but you refused to let go.

“I like feeling you inside me,” you whispered, your voice was a bit hoarse from your screams and cries.

His voice sounded more gruff than usual as he chuckled. “You shouldn’t say such things unless you’re prepared for another round. And by the looks of it, I think you’ve had enough for one night – especially for your first time.”

Ikaris stroked your cheek as he smiled at the sight of you. Your hair was tousled, and your skin was flushed to a lovely hue. There was not a patch of your neck that was not completely littered with red splotches from his bites and kisses. Your eyes were wet from the tears that streamed down your cheeks, and there was a small trail of drool from your mouth.

You were the very image of erotic perfection – only to ever be seen by him.

“…Was it good?” he hesitantly asked. “How do you feel?”

“I feel…at peace,” you replied after a few moments of thinking. “I don’t really feel any different from before. I certainly wouldn’t object to doing it again. But I just feel…content- and happy. Does that make sense?”

You felt your love’s feather-soft lips press against your hairline. “Yes, it does. But are you sure you don’t want to clean yourself? I know your thighs will feel…sticky in the morning if we don’t wipe it off.”

You shook your head. “No, I just want you here with me.”

“At least let me get you a glass of water,” he reasoned. “Believe me when I say you’ll be grateful for it in the morning.”

“Fine,” you relented with a pout. “Hurry back.”

He lowly chuckled as he lowered himself to plant a soft kiss on your temple.

When Ikaris returned with your water, he found you bundled under a cocoon of the bed’s sheets and covers. Shaking his head in amusement, he placed the glass on the nightstand on your side of the mattress. He carefully lifted the covers, not to wake you from your well-deserved slumber, and crawled under them before gently shifting your body in his arms.

As Ikaris closed his eyes and felt the beckoning lull of slumber reach him, he swore he could hear the tune of a trumpet blowing as a rich timber voice sang a familiar song that held a special place in his heart.

Quand il me prend dans ses bras Qu'il me parle tout bas Je vois la vie en rose

With a peaceful smile on his face, Ikaris dreamt of a dear memory. It happened in Paris only over seventy years ago. He recalls the day he first heard the phrase ‘rose-colored glasses’ as if it were only yesterday. Unbeknownst to him, you were playing the same memory in your sleep.

Paris in February 1948 was a less-than-ideal time. The weather was dismal, and the air was filled with smog and cigarette smoke. The snow surrounding him more resembled ash blown from a forest fire than frozen ice particles falling from the heavens. People were still hurting from the losses they suffered in the war. The industry was ruined, food was severely rationed, and housing was in short supply. The once luminescent City of Lights and her people were living in misery.

But Ikaris’ longing to see you was greater than his misery.

You had been visiting the graves of soldiers and victims across France every February since the signing of the Paris Peace Treaties in 1947. While there were thousands of unmarked graves, you knew the names of each fallen soldier and nameless body. The Earth whispered each person's tale as their blood spilled to the ground. You would breathe their name to a single red poppy before laying the bloom on the ground. It was too little while also being too late, but you wanted to show your thanks.

Your heart ached at the thought of anyone crossing over without someone remembering them. You walked these hallowed grounds because these brave men and women had fought for that privilege. You walked to honor and thank them.

It was what Kaety and Phastos would have wanted. It was what James would have wanted.

Feeling a sudden shift in the air, you did not need to look to know who had joined you.

“Hello, Ikaris,” you greeted your friend while still kneeling on the ground. “What brings you here?”

“I just wanted to see you,” he replied. “Is that not what friends do?”

You bitterly laughed under your breath. You finally stood from the ground to face your old “friend.” It hurt to see how beautiful he remained despite how he impassively stared at you – as if you meant nothing to him.

“Are we still friends?” you asked. “After everything?”

If your questions hurt him, Ikaris had not let it be shown. But he at least had the decency to soften his tone and look down at his feet, slightly admonished.

“I suppose I deserve that,” he answered. He looked up to face you once more. “Sephia, I…I missed you.”

A new wave of tears threatened to spill as you scoffed at his words.

“Cruel man,” you inwardly wept. “Cruel, cruel man.”

“Forgive me for my reaction,” you scornfully replied. “But I find that a bit hard to believe, considering how we left things between us last time.”

The last time you had seen Ikaris was over fifty years ago when he visited you in the small open field outside Kaety and Druig’s commune. It was your usual meeting place for the past two centuries. It was close enough to the village that Kaety still felt your presence but far enough to ensure your meeting remained private.

The first time he came, you were so happy to see Ikaris. You were terrified at the idea of him forever hating you for joining Kaety and Druig in seclusion. He had criticized you for going against Arishmen’s orders. He told you it mattered little of what you and Kaety did – humanity was doomed to fail.

The last you heard from Kingo was that Ikaris had disappeared from Earth. No one had seen him since Ajak sent all of you away – not even Sersi or Sprite.

His reaching out to you over everyone else meant so much to you. Perhaps it was selfish, but it made you happy to know your talks and meetings with Ikaris were done without anyone’s knowledge. Not even Kaety knew of his presence. You two would talk about the world that was changing around them while reminiscing about the world that had passed.

With each talk, you felt your bond with your friend strengthen. With each meeting, your attachment to Ikaris became more profound as you often craved to see him just hours after he left. Your feelings grew to the point where you could no longer contain them. It felt like you had laid your entire heart on the line.

“Would you stay here?” you softly asked. “Would you stay here with me?”

And then he left, leaving you in the field by yourself.

“Did you hate the idea–” you hastily inhaled to stop your voice from breaking “– of staying here so much? Could you really have not found any joy in what I do here for those people?”

Ikaris reached out to hold you in his arms.

“No,” he whispered in your hair. “No, Flower, that’s not it. I swear… I swear that’s not it.”

He should not have come. If he were a better man, he would have let you hate him until you could forget him. But he knew you were alone, and his selfishness won out in the end.

“Then why?” you cried. His shirt muffled your words, but your voice broke his heart. “Why did you leave? Why didn’t you come back? Every year, I waited in that field! Because I thought our friendship meant something to you! But you never came!”

“Sephia,” he explained, “I could have never been who you needed me to be for those villagers. I have nothing to offer them but my combat skills.”

“It doesn’t matter,” you tell him. “Everything you told me that night – you were right. It doesn’t matter what any of us do. Humans will destroy everything themselves. Just look where we are now.”

You and he looked at the thousands of white crosses that stood from the ground. You still had nightmares about the bodies surrounding you as hundreds of soldiers entered your tents – only to pass away from their fatal injuries. So many graves without names were men and women you treated before you had to bury them.

Kaety still woke up every night screaming at the horrors and abuse of the victims of Unit 731. What remained of the records of Ishii Shiro and his use of anthrax and the plague as biological warfare would haunt her for the rest of her life. Her thrashing had almost gotten to the point where she ordered Druig to sedate her if she ever accidentally hurt herself or him.

Phastos was practically left in a continuous catatonic state after leaving the site of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But during the times he came back, he could only weep out apologies to the millions of victims for his interference with humanity’s technology from the beginning.

“Was everything we thought we were building for nothing?” you asked. “Was this planet and its people doomed from the start?”

Ikaris only stood silently. He wondered if he was more cruel not to tell you the truth of Arishem’s grand plan after Ajak told him so long ago. But he wanted to see your smile for however long he had left. You were so proud of your creations, and rightfully so. Not knowing what else to do, he figured to let his actions speak more than his words.

“Can I show you something?”

He took you in his arms when you nodded. He lifted the two of you to a dark alley in Paris next to the Seine. The lights surrounding them with the people walking along the river bank made the night cold winter night less cold and desolate than the hopelessness you felt in your heart.

It was a pretty sight, but the view couldn’t have been the only reason why Ikaris brought you here.

“Look around you.” He spread his arms to emphasize his point. “What do you see?”

“…Litter and pollution?”

“Besides that.”

You tried to look harder. “Ummmm…people?”

“Exactly, people who are alive. A florist who sells flowers in the spring to young lovers because she wants to share the fruits of your labor with the world. Families who tour the Gardens of Versailles because they want to bask in the splendor.”

You understood Ikaris’ point. You were the one who tried to explain it all to him for so long, but everything seemed so hopeless now.

“Sephia,” he spoke your name to break you from your thoughts. “What you brought into this world was not for nothing. It never was. You are why people can find beauty and joy in the simplest pleasures.”

You wanted to say something – anything. But words failed to come to you. They always had during the most important events. Suddenly, you heard the melody of one of France’s favorite songs creep into your ear. You felt your Ikaris softly grasp your hand as he gently led the two of you to the direction of the melody.

It was a mixed jazz band playing in the middle of a packed Place Vendôme. They were playing La Vie En Rose.

The symphony of clarinets and flutes made for a beautiful melody. The saxophone altos, French horn, and trombone gave the song a homophonic texture. But the real star of the ensemble was the trumpet. It added a sense of joy and lightheartedness that so deeply contrasted the past decade.

“A favorite demon of yours told me this song was all the rage in France a few ago,” he quipped. “Care to show me why?”

You rolled your eyes. “You really need to stop calling Kaety that. She’ll bite your head off for being unable to think of a new nickname after seven thousand years.”

Ikaris took a few steps forward before turning to you and held out his hand. You only stared at it before realizing the meaning of his gesture. You stared at his face with wide eyes and a gaped mouth to represent your shock.

“You,” you choked out, “want to dance? In the middle of the square?”

Ikaris only shrugged. “Why not?”

“But…but, there’s just – there’s so many people around!” you stammered.

“That’s never stopped you before in Reykjanesskagi.”

“That was during the Maiden’s Day festival!”

“You know, you’re starting to hurt my feelings with how long you’ve kept my arm like this.”

You huffed out a breath in annoyance before you reluctantly reciprocated the gesture. Ikaris must have known that you wouldn’t refuse a dance, especially a dance to one of your favorite songs. You hated bringing attention to yourself, but you loved to dance. You didn’t know what it was – but you could always lose yourself in the notes as your body moved in tandem with the tune. Whenever there was a festival or celebration in any city where the Eternals were stationed, you and Kaety would disguise yourselves as peasants or low-born nobility to fade into the background. So often, you would lose yourself in joy that you would accidentally make flowers bloom around you, even in the harshest winters.

Des yeux qui font baisser les miens Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche Voilà le portrait sans retouches De l'homme auquel j'appartiens

Ikaris pulled you close to his chest. One hand was placed on the small of your back while one of your hands clutched on his shoulder. But the other was firmly clasped in his other hand. Before you began, you saw a few other pairs sway to the band. It eased your nerves to know that you and he were the only pair dancing in the historical square.

Quand il me prend dans ses bras Qu'il me parle tout bas Je vois la vie en rose

Il me dit des mots d'amour Des mots de tous les jours Et ça m'fait quelque chose

Everyone around you seemed to be dancing in slow, expressive, rhythmic steps, resembling an American-style bolero. Given the time and place, it was only natural that Ikaris took the lead. You were prepared to offer instructions, but he surprised you again by showing how comfortable he was in the role and steps.

“I didn’t know you could dance,” you remarked.

Ikaris looked slightly embarrassed as his cheeks reddened. “Sersi taught me. She basically threatened to castrate me if I refused to dance at a speakeasy we frequented in New York in the 20s.”

“Sersi?” you snorted out as he spun and dipped you. “Sersi threatened you? Our Sersi? Lying is a very unbecoming quality, Ikaris. I didn’t think you’d be one to develop it.”

“Oh, if only I could make up such a tale,” replied Ikaris as he grabbed your waist before lifting you without struggle. “Sersi’s can be downright terrifying if she wants to be. Ask Kingo – he’s the only other person who’s seen her like that.”

You couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling out of your throat. And as the band continued to play, you and Ikaris swayed, dipped, and spun for hours. Over three hours had passed by the time the band was finished for the night. When you stopped, all you could do was stare into your friend’s eyes in a rose-hued haze before a thunderous round of applause broke you out of your dreamlike state and into reality. A sizable crowd had surrounded the two of you – hoots, hollers, and whistles accompanied the applause. Your impromptu performance enchanted men, women, children, and even pets.

“Bisou!” called out from a random face in the crowd. It wasn’t long before the call became a chant.

“Bi-sou! Bi-sou! Bi-sou! Bi-sou!”

Feeling suddenly emboldened, you cupped your Ikaris’ face and kissed his cheek softly. The following whistles and cheers would have made you wish to disappear – had it not been for the sweet peck Ikaris placed between the furrow of your brow.

All of a sudden- without even knowing it at the time- the world seemed brighter, and the air started to smell like roses.

Ikaris woke up to the feeling of gentle poking on his cheek. Hearing the swallows sing and feeling the warm sunlight on his skin, he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so at peace. He turned his body in your direction before opening his eyes. He was immediately blessed with your bright eyes and sweet smile. Raking his eyes down your body, it looked like you wore his dress shirt from last night.

He adored the way it draped over your curves – especially with how it showed off your legs.

“Are you ready for your Valentine’s Day present?” you asked with poorly contained excitement. Judging by how your smile went ear-to-ear, you practically bounced out of your skin.

Ikaris furrowed his brows in puzzlement. “Was last night not my present?”

You rolled your eyes. “Why would sex be your present? I thought I made it pretty clear that I hadn’t expected the night to turn in that direction.”

“Well then,” he chucked in amusement over your flushed cheeks and pout, “what is my present?”

Your eyes shone in delight as you lightly kicked your feet against the mattress. “You’ll have to get out of bed for that! Come on!”

You dashed into the next room while Ikaris wrapped the sheets around him before locating his briefs and grabbing a pair of gray sweatpants in his luggage. Once putting them on, he stretched out his back and arms from behind the balcony window before opening it and letting in some air to freshen the room.

When he crossed to the piano room, he was mildly surprised when he saw you seated at the pianoforte. You pressed the keys to carefully listen if the instrument needed any additional tuning. Satisfied that the pitch wasn’t flat, you turned to Ikaris, who was leaning under the doorway.

“Are you ready?” you asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” he replied.

You positioned your fingers over the right keys while straightening your posture. Clearing your throat, you began to play at Adagio. Your body swayed to the melody as if you had become one with the instrument. Every key you lovingly caressed let out a note sounding so beautifully as if the music came alive just for you. You closed your eyes before you began singing.

Des yeux qui font baisser les miens Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche Voilà le portrait sans retouches De l'homme auquel j'appartiens

Quand il me prend dans ses bras Qu'il me parle tout bas Je vois la vie en rose

Ikaris’ eyes widened. Were you playing…had you –

But his thoughts were interrupted as your rich singing broke through his stupor. Your sweet voice was soaked in honey and laced with the roses from the song.

Il me dit des mots d'amour Des mots de tous les jours Et ça m'fait quelque chose

Il est entré dans mon cœur Une part de bonheur Dont je connais la cause

For a moment, Ikaris truly hated that his French wasn’t as proficient as yours. Had it been, he would have been able to appreciate your singing that rivaled the voice of angels properly. Was it possible for one to sound as rich and effortlessly fluid as sweet syrup?

C'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie Il me l'a dit, l'a juré pour la vie

Et dès que je l'aperçois Alors je sens dans moi Mon cœur qui bat

Your fingers lightly danced along the keys to give your voice a brief intermission. And for a few moments, it felt like Ikaris’ soul had returned to his body. And although he expected you to stop, you began to sing the English translation.

Hold me close and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose

When you kiss me, heaven sighs

And though I close my eyes

I see la vie en rose

Whereas the original French version required a slower and softer pace to grasp the ballad's meaning and beauty, the English version required a slightly quicker tempo. It brought a more joyful mood and tone compared to the lovely but melancholic French version.

When you press me to your heart

I'm in a world apart

A world where roses bloom

And when you speak, angels sing from above

Everyday words seem to turn into love songs

Give your heart and soul to me

And life will always be

La vie en rose

When you finished, Ikaris was once more completely and utterly entranced. You turned to face him with hopeful eyes. You long memorized this song since that night in Paris over seventy years ago. When you began to learn how to play the piano, you did it because you never wanted to forget the ballad’s meaning and how it touched your heart from that night on.

“You once asked me why this song was so popular,” you began to explain. “Édith Piaf wrote ‘La Vie en Rose’ in 1945 and released it as a single in 1947. The song’s popularity quickly reached global success as jazz artists began to sing its covers. Louis Armstrong played it on March 2, 1948 – at the same Jazz Festival you took me in Salle Pleyel.”

You stood up as you tenderly traced a single black key that released a soft C sharp when you pressed it.

“As you remember, all of Europe was in chaos and misery after the war. Everyone lost someone fighting. So many men and women who returned became shells of themselves. People were starving and homeless from the constant airstrikes. But Édith wrote this song to remind Paris to never lose sight of the happy times and good things in life. You shouldn’t forget the bad times, but you also shouldn’t forget to look at life without seeing the beauty of everything around you.”

You walked towards Ikaris before standing before him and wrapping your arms around him. You laid your cheek against his chest and smiled at his beating heart's steady and strong rhythm.

“That night- when we danced at the Place Verdôme- the song they played was stuck in my head for months. Whenever I felt sad or disheartened, I would put on the record I bought to listen to it. I know you have your doubts about humanity. You always had them, as had I. We were never the ones who loved humankind, especially after the atrocities they had committed. I hated what they did to the Earth, how much they polluted it, but – Oh, Ikaris. I made you cry again.”

Touching his cheek, Ikaris realized that he was indeed crying. That’s twice in less than twelve hours, a new record. Just what in Arishem’s name had you done to him?

He shook his head. “Never mind my tears. Continue.”

“Listening to that song, I finally realized why so many of our family kept faith in humankind. Kaety and Druig have their twins and remain in their village. Phastos and Ben have Jack. Sersi has loved and lost more than any of us, first with Jane, but now she’s with Dane. Kingo lives among them effortlessly and adores them. Even Makkari remains joyful because she keeps looking at life and seeing its beauty.”

You paused for a moment before standing only tip-toes to press a kiss on his nose.

“Ikaris, you don’t care much for humans. But that night, you reminded me why I did what I did in the war. You reminded me that there will always be people who will take comfort in the most simple pleasures- a rose’s bloom, the crisp bite of an apple, or even the sound of a child’s heartbeat. So, for just a few minutes, I wanted to give something to you the way you have for me.”

Words failed to convey the love Ikaris felt for you. All he could do was tightly hold you in his arms and never let go. For the first time since he came back, he felt it was alright to love you. That he wouldn’t pollute or ruin you the way he had done with everything else in his life so many times. Ikaris knew that it was his destiny to love you. But you- you chose him. You chose to love him. And that fact alone was enough to make him die without regrets.

“I hope children have your voice,” he murmured into your hair before facing you with wet eyes. “And I hope that they have your heart.”

He cupped your cheek, and you kissed his palm softly. “Only if they have your eyes and your art skills.”

Ikaris must have heard you sing your rendition of ‘La Vie en Rose’ a million times. You sang and taught it all your children— Laurie, Aggie, and Ari – on the piano or tucking to bed. But that first time he heard you sing it- that morning when the sun pooled into the room as pink roses and red asters suddenly bloomed- that will always be his favorite.

Thank you if you if finished the story! Let me know if you enjoyed it, and make sure to like, comment, and reblog!

Tagging: @ethereal-athalia, @valeskafics, @asa-do-your-thing, @arcielee, @lexyysworld, @hypnoticmistake, @jolixtreesunn, @tess-love, @she-wintersoldat, @vikingqueen28, @lilacliquors, @beananacake, @tesha-i-guess, @littledoveofchaos, @atjsgf, @littlewitchoftheweast, @fireinmoonshot

Let me know if the comments if you want to be included in future Eternals posts!

[thefandomdirtymind]

Yoo casual is so good please tell me you’ll do a part 3 🥺🥺

A/N IMPORTANT:  Hi there ! It's will be the last part for Casual so I hope you will like it ! Thank you to squirrelbait02 and imhenritz for the many ideas it had help me a lot ! Since it's the last part It's kinda long, I hope you will like it !

Casual Part 3 NSFW

Part 1 - Part 2 NSFW

OPLA - Sanji

Sanji / OPLA Masterlist and Coming Soon

* English is not my first language, I tried really hard to correct myself but, I hope you will excuse me if some mistakes are still there.

____

Your hand pressed against your mouth, counseling your cry as the tears were running down your cheeks. The luminosity of the small lightbulb flashing above your head, it seemed to you as if all the air of the tiny food pantry was instantly gone. 

Pushing your fingers further into Sanji's soft hair tugging gently on them, trying to not moan. You gave a glance at the perfect view you have of him, on his knees in front of you, one of your legs resting on his shoulder, as his face was buried against your warm core. His hungry mouth letting you no respite, others that muffle your scream and enjoy the ride. 

Panting heavily against the side of your tight, his chin wet with your arousal, as his fingers massaging that special spot inside of you. Your secret boyfriend gently sucked your clits between his lips, his tongue playing with the little ball of nerves until he felt your hips buckle and your orgasm struck you like a lightning. 

Fucking in the confined space wasn’t your idea, even if you should have been suspicious, the blond had lead you there under false pretense and you hadn’t been able to resonate him, or even yourself, that it was an bad idea. 

“ Fuck, Sanji please, please stop i’m too sensitive” You pleaded, his hot breath playing on your sweaty skin sending shivers trough your spine. 

“I only follow the needs of your pussy, look at it still so greedy for me mon amour” He chuckles leaving a hickey on your inner thighs. “ Would be a true shame to disappoint the body of * ma déesse” He whispered as he stood, pinning you to the shelves with his body,lifting your leg around his waist, his tips already brushing your folds. * my Goddess  

But the laundry room was your idea, and what an idea it had been. Not only for all the comfort of the fresh sheets and towels, but also the immense joy of making Sanji lose his English, making him whine in French as you found a new sensitive spot.

“Bordel, Merde, tu est si chaude, si douce. Continue n'arrête pas s’il te plait. Oui, comme ça, tu es magnifique. Arrête de rire de..bordel, mon changement de langue, ça resserre ta chatte et tu va me faire jouir trop tôt “ *

* “ Fuck, Shit you’re so warm so soft. Keep going, don't stop please, yes like that, you’re so beautiful. Stop laughing of, Fuck, my language switch, it squeeze your pussy and you will make me cum too soon “ 

Due to many years of hearing and talking with him, catching words here and there. You have developed a not so bad understanding of French, but still, for pure mischief purposes, you intentionally often lose words in translation.  

“ You want me to keep going and squeeze my pussy ?” You smirked, your hands steading yourself on his chest as your hips rolled faster, making his hands handle your ass more firmly, leaving fingers bruised as his eyes closed in ecstasy. 

Still,because of your brilliant idea. You had to try at all costs, for at least the last week, to not drop something on the floor due to the pain of your friction bruised knees. 

Being in love with Sanji was easy, like breathing or boiling water. Keeping your hand and mouth from each other was more difficult. Since your confession, in a moment of passion and his favorable reaction, turning your life in a more vivid shade of colors. A thought way less joyfull was still stopping you from enjoying the situation to its fullness. The revelation of your relationship to your father, dangling like the Damocles swords above your heads.  

Zeff wasn’t a bad man, even if his pirate reputation would push others to think otherwise. Yes, his boots were bloody as his reputation, and yes you will receive some kick if he found eggshell in your crème brulée. But your father was also the man who’s have save a young boy and lost his leg for him just because they share the same dream, a retired pirate who’s had open that restaurant in the goal of feed the sailor in need of food,even if it had grown to become a business a poor pirate without berries couldn’t afford, you knew your dad and lover would never let an human famish.He had also welcome you with kindness and a softness you wouldn’t deduce he possess when he had learn the dead of your mother. 

Sure, you had some resentment against him for a while, for impregnating your mother before coming back to his pirate life and never came back, even after she had written him a letter. But, your abandonment syndrome has now fully healed after years of being treated as not just his cherished daughter but also after finding him, late at night, a bottle of liquor in hand,his eyes full of tears, talking to your deceased mother, telling him how sorry he was and how wonderful you were.

And now his amazing daughter was preparing himself to strike him with the dagger of betrayal, because her and his little proteger, was in love and fucking in every hidden corner of his fish building. What could be worse ? 

Opening your eyes, the light of the rising sun filtered by your curtains, you could feel the sad and cold absence of Sanji by your side, as well as a strange sensation of heavy limbs and a slight nausea. A small discomfort who quickly became stronger as you tried to get out of your bed. It didn’t take you long, but not without some falls in the way, to reach the bathroom and empty your stomach. 

Downstairs, as Sanji was pushing the kitchen door, the feeling of your warmth still clinging to his chest and the faint smell of your lovely scent in his nose, the blond cook met the side gaze of his mentor, a strange smirk floating on his lips. 

“ You took some fresh air little eggplant ? “

“ I didn’t, but it seems it will rain. I can see gray clouds from the window, why old man ?” Sanji asked, taking a mixing bowl from one of the main kitchen islands.

“ Do you think you’re so smart that I can see the sign, little eggplant? “ The old man continu, cutting his portions of vegetables. 

Stopping his hand a few inches from the eggs,trying to think of the best strategy to adopt, the blond cook slowly takes the ingredient and joins the retired pirate on the counter.

“ What are you talking about ?” He innocently asked, trying to stay out of the trajectory of the long knife the father of his lover was holding. 

“ Did you think I didn’t notice that your room is empty most nights or I didn’t see you came back to it a wee hours only with your pants on ? I’m old Sanji, I'm not stupid.” Zeff said, putting aside the freshly cut julienne carrots, to take the mushrooms. 

“ Zeff... I…I can explain, I swear it wasn't intentional...we…it’s just happen” The younger cook confesses, stepping slowly away, vision of his future death by a butcher knives or deadly kick, way to close in his mind. 

“ Little eggplant, didn’t I teach nothing, that's how love works, it just happens ! So, hm, in which ship is she ? “ His mentor grumbled, misunderstanding the reaction of his sous-chef for an annoyance toward his out of character playful teasing. 

“ Ship…” Sanji processed, suddenly comprehending the misunderstanding. “ She hm…” 

But for once, sadly not for long, Sanji was happy to see Patty rushing in the kitchen, a concerned expression on his face. 

“ Boss Man, Y/N seems not right, we can hear her throwing up from the corridor upstairs.” The blue haired cook said

“ What ?! “ Both men asked, letting go immediately of their occupation. 

“ Sanji, send a waiter to the docked ships for an inboard doctor, Patty take in charge the brunch prep “ Zeff ordered, already in motion to go upstairs, his tone leaving no place to object. 

“ Yes “ Sanji replied, refraining his urge to be at your side, his mind flooded with concern, trying to see if he could have missed a clue of your illness this morning. But all he could remember was that you were peacefully asleep when he had left you,nothing apparently troubling your sleep.“ Beaulieu,Y/N is sick, go ask if one of the ships has a doctor and make it as quick as you can ! “ 

Nodding of the head, the trusted waiter takes his leave, almost running, the feeling that his slow walk could earn him some kicks not only by his boss but by the blond man too. 

----

Laying in your bed, cold sweat running down your spine,your mood darken by the strict restriction of your father to doing anything, you lift your gaze to the doctor.

The man, probably in his mid-forty you largely guess, was wearing square glasses and a brown suit who’s seem to have seen better days. If somebody had asked you, you would have assumed that he didn’t enroll voluntarily in the pirate life but had been snatched in it when an morally gray captain needed a doctor on board. 

“ Well Miss, I will only have some question before starting” 

“ Of course, but Doctor, isn't consultation supposed to be private ? ” You asked, shooting at Zeff, standing in the corner of the room, his arm crossed on his chest, a nervous look.

“ Well indeed it is usually the case…” The medical man confirmed, before shutting his mouth under the dark gaze of your father. 

“ I won’t let my sick daughter with a man I don’t know, doctor or not,” Zeff said. 

Knowing that you will never win this battle, you sigh and sign to the doctor to ask his question,trying to reply as best as you can. 

“ Now in a more personal topic I'm afraid but are you sexually active “ The doctor asked, glancing nervously at Zeff.

“ Of course not “ Your father starts to say, a chuckles on his lips, like if the question was about impossible things or myth.  

“ Yes…” You confessed, trying to avoid the shocked gaze of the old pirate as the man in the brown suit babbled about the possibility of pregnancy and tests.

You could swear that the next moment was the most embarrassing and worst moment of your life. Sit on your bed, vulnerable in your sickness and your pajamas, you had to endure Zeff interrogation. Trying to stay silent or opening your mouth to deny that your lover was a customer or that it was non consensual, preventing the chef from ruining his restaurant reputation. You stubbornly stayed mute as your father furiously exits your room forgetting all his big principles.   

----

“ WHICH OF YOU SAD WORM, WARM SHRIMP, FROZEN MEAT HAD TOUCH MY DAUGHTER ! “  Zeff shouted, passing the double door leading to the kitchen.

In an instant, the usually noisy kitchen, full of cooks and waiters preparing everything to start the day, felt silent, every eye fixed on their angry boss. 

Froze in place, mute like the others. Sanji was watching his mentor traveling the kitchen, his cold gaze scrutinizing each and every male member of his staff, finishing by him before taking a place in front of them. 

“ Nobody ? Then we will do that the hard way. Until I have a name your day will start with the rise of the sun. You had energy to have sex with my daughter, not anymore. Every morning we will do 25 to 30 laps around the restaurant, followed by push-ups and jumping Jack. If we still have time before the opening, lifting those potato sacks and barrels would be enough to make you want to confess. Then we will prepare and open that damn place ! Is that clear !?“

“ Boss man, it is not fair to punish the staff for the mistake of a stupid man “ Patty exclaimed, followed by the agreement of the other men. 

“ Then confess Patty or find me that failed soufflé of a man. Every complaint or protest will meet my kick or the cold water outside. Now get back to work ! “ 

Returning to their occupation, mumbling of discontent floating like swaps of bees in his guilty ears. Sanji makes his way to Zeff, his need of telling the truth burning his tongue. 

“ Zeff…” The blond advances, nervousness twisting his stomach. 

“ She will be okay, little eggplant.” The old man said, putting his rough hand on his shoulder“ the doctor was talking about doing some tests and coming back with them in a few days. I can’t say the same when I catch that slimy eel not good enough to make a pie“

“Test, what kind of test ?” Sanji asked, trying to stay in control of himself when stress was slowly eating him alive and desire to run as fast as he could upstairs made him feel as if he had stepped on a nest of ants.  

“ I’m not a doctor, little eggplant “ The old pirate replied, mistaking his little proteger concern for a kind of brotherly worries. “ But she’s a strong girl, it's not a few drops of blood or few tests who will wear her off. Now go back to your station, those orders will not prepare themselves and no creativity dishes or what you call them today, I already have enough problems like it is !” 

If you were strong enough to endure the necessary tests, Sanji couldn’t say the same about all the poor male staff members of the Baratie who had to suffer the rigorous military training of Zeff the next morning. Many, after a few laps around the platform, had fallen in the water or just collapsed after their second push up. It was true that growing under Zeff's umbrella, following from a young age his training to learn his kick technique, had given the blond a certain advantage. However, as he lifted his upper body for the fifteen time, sweat ran freely on his skin. The noise of another body falling behind him, making the wood vibrate under his hands, permit Sanji to briefly steal a glance to your windows, seeing your shadow play in the curtain. 

The previous day had been sort of challenging. Between trying to cook properly when all he was about to think was you but also secretly trying to sneak into your room, before having to quickly escape at the sight of Zeff guarding your door. His brain hadn’t stopped a minute to find a wait to finally see you. 

It takes two more days before an opportunity presents itself.

A heavy barrel on his shoulder, jogging between the kitchen and the outside. Sanji finally had his moment when Zeff, distracted by the spill of a sack of potatoes on the platform, finally stopped to look at them like a hawk to focus on the poor man who made the mistake.

Leaving the barrel among the others, Sanji sprints up the stairs, his already tired muscles burning. But, as he reached your door, entering as fast as he could before closing the door behind him, nothing could have stopped him. 

“ Sanji ! “ He heard you exclaim before feeling the mass of your body pushing him against the door and your lips covering his. 

Your time, stuck in your own room without being able to see him, hasn't either been easy for you. The nausea, more present than ever, didn't seem to stop soon and your constant fight with Zeff trying to at the same time protect and interrogate you usually leave you with a headache, making the situation all for the worst. 

“ I missed you so much” You whispered against his mouth, stealing kiss after kiss, only taking small breaks to take some air.

“ I missed you too,” Sanji said, wrapping his arms around you, kissing your forehead. “ Zeff had talked about some tests, are you okay ? “ 

Color slightly spreading on your cheeks, you slowly nod off the head against his chest. 

“ The doctor seems to think of a possible pregnancy “ You inform him, unsure of his reaction. 

You had taken some precaution of course, taking your pills religiously. But as the doctor informed you of the slim chance you still could have ended up pregnant, your mind had returned to the memory of your single mother, abandoned on his island. 

Yet, as you felt his arms tighten around your waist, you didn’t expect the pure expression of joy and adoration on Sanji's face.

“ Are you sure mon amour ? “ He softly asked, his thumbs making a slow circle on your lower back. 

“ It seems the most plausible thing for the doctor. But he wasn’t completely sure, it still could be some other things “ You replied, still unsure of how you felt about the situation. A baby was some really big responsibility and a full life changing experience you didn’t know if you were ready for.  

“ Imagine how adorable our baby would be,” Sanji dreamily said “ and the cooking talent he would inherit, I hope he will have your smile, I love your smile“ 

“ Sanji ,nothing is sure yet” You tried to resonate with him, still amused to see him already so invested in such an unsure situation. “ And we still hadn’t talked to my father, I would like to not mourn you before knowing the reason of my illness “ 

“Zeff will be such a grumpy grandpa, but I'm sure the baby will just have to look at him to melt his old heart” Your lover continu, lost in his fantasy. 

“ Sanji please” You laugh, your own heart melting to see him so happy. “ If my dad heard you before we talk to him I kill you myself “ 

“ We indeed need to find a way to tell him before he wears off the staff to death with his morning training. The waiter already had some difficulties carrying many plates at once or had to take off because of exhaustion. Yesterday one of the cooks had failed to lift a pot full of soup and had flooded the kitchen floor. But we have to prepare our words or the baby will probably not have sibling due to their father missing a precious part “

“ Losing that precious part isn’t indeed not negotiable” You joked your mouth finding once again his way to his. “ I love you, even if right now you reek of sweat” 

“ You never complained before” He chuckles against your lips.’ I love you too”  

“ Y/N I bring you your breakfast ! “ You heard the voice of Zeff tell from somewhere behind the door, making you both freeze in place. “ Come open the door please ! “ 

Acting quickly, trying to find a place to hide Sanji, you helped him to slide under the bed while you vaguely replied to Zeff. 

Once your breakfast tray is put on your bed, your father is clearly trying to make you feel better by cooking himself your favorite morning meal, and a small talk you fastly cut faking nausea. You slowly let go of the breath you didn’t notice you were keeping before noticing Sanji that he could get out. 

“ We really need to talk to him…” He said , getting up off the floor. “ I should leave before he notice I’m missing “ 

“ So it was you Little Eggplant” You both heard as the door slowly opened. “ Would you think I didn’t notice you never came back with the barrel ?“ 

“Zeff, i’m sorry, but we can explain” Sanji advances. 

“ Explain, explain ? How does that simply happen ? Love happens, little eggplants, but why does it have to be my daughter ?! Zeff asked, anger lighting his features as he stopped at only a few inches of the blond. “ Dad, we were about to talk to you I swear” You tried. 

“ Because Y/N is wonderful, kind, smart, beautiful and I love her, that’s why old man ! Sanji replied, anger coloring his tone. “ If you hadn’t send that man hunt disguise as an Marine training, we would probably tell you soon” 

Bursting in laughter, Zeff shakes his head. 

“ Why do you think I make all my men sweat like pigs, Sanji? I knew the smell would betray them one day or another and the only thing I would do then was follow them ! “ The old chef said, touching his nose “ But I should know it was you, I'm almost glad it’s you little eggplant…”

Taken aback, Sanji looked as his mentor then you, unsure if he had heard him right. 

“ What ? He asked. 

“ I’m almost glad it was you, you're a good man and you will be good for her. But don’t make my mistake. She will be the best thing in your life, even better than the All Blue” Zeff replied, any trace of anger gone. 

Your eyes fill with tears, wishing your mother would be able to hear him, you simply take Sanji's hand. 

“ Now I need you in the kitchen. Let her eat her breakfast in peace. The doctor is supposed to come back today for the result and I haven't decided yet if I still kick your ass for that” Zed simply said before exiting the room.   

---

You indeed heard about your test later in the day as the nervous doctor, his brown suit even more wrinkled than a few days earlier. Sit in your room with Sanji and Zeff, you carefully watch him pull out colorful vials, explaining to you their utility. 

“ Then, as you can see, the pregnancy vial hadn’t changed colors, so Miss Y/N isn’t pregnant. An overdose of stress or a radical change of habit could also be the reason for his nausea.” 

Nodding of the head, you thank the doctor, staying silent for a minute. 

“ Should I be sorry ?” You softly asked Sanji, knowing that the idea of your pregnancy had filled him with joy. 

“ Pourquoi mon amour ? “* He asked you, as Zeff coughed in the corner of the room. “ Why, My love? “ * 

“ You seem happy at the idea that maybe I was pregnant, but I'm not…” You replied, yourself  unsure of how you feel about the news.

Taking your hand in his, Sanji softly smiles, kissing the side of your head. 

“ It just means that when it will be time, we will have to try harder to bring that cute baby to life” He smiled ,chuckling with you as Zeff's cough became louder. 

“ I definitely should be back in the kitchen and forget I heard that” He said as he got up off his chair, letting you some privacy. “ Sanji, don’t make me kick your ass” 

-----

It takes some time for Zeff and the staff to be accommodated as your love. Of course, Sanji had received some cold shoulder about the Marine training. But, after a few weeks, the staff had started to smile while you shared even a crumble of affection or whistle when he caught you kissing.

Life in the restaurant ship wasn’t easy when he came to privacy, even if Sanji had moved his stuff in your room at the first chance he got. But, often, late at night or between two shifts, you still find a way to make beautiful memories in the most unusual of place. 

“ Love, where does that bruise on your shoulder ? “ Sanji asked one night, kissing your shoulder as you tried unsuccessfully to put on your pajamas,as your lover try for his part to  ruined your effort. 

“ I don’t know, maybe the dinner room alcove? You know when you had to bite my shoulder to stay quiet “ You joked. “ Or maybe the coat hanger yesterday ? I remember I had bumped against it when I came.”

Laughing at the memory, you shared a slow kiss, remembering that all this had started with a night of festivity and the idea of keeping it casual. As you lay in bed with Sanji, you knew that now that you had found that happiness, you knew you will followed him however he goes.

----

@alienstardust @phantasmagoricalzenith@downforsanji @faefanatic @strongindependenttrash @hi3431 @sunnanse @neko-loogi @theluckyplaces @simbaaas-stuff @ofherscarlettwitchyways @juskonutoh @buffkirby2020  @miomao-ehe

Join my Tag List

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Thranduil and Josie Pt. 163- Soul Seekers

Summary: Rahl gains strength. Josie experiences it in her very soul. She and Legolas speak of current events. Thoughts of Thranduil are heard by the Prince. The Elvenking finds an opening. The King and the Prince have words. A threat is made. Jace, Clover and Matthew enjoy breakfast until upsetting news triggers both Clover and the vampire. The dhampir gets a glimpse of new magic. Legolas faces unexpected feelings as he and Lola bond over shared concerns. The Prince also bonds with his sightful soul sister, but not in the way he expected.

*Chapter Warnings* language, angst,

Chapter characters: Thranduil, Josie, Legolas, Lola, Boromir, Leean, Narcisse, Rahl, Amara, Conde', Jace, Clover, Matthew,

Chapter word count: 6,080

Stories Stories Stories Masterlist

"Josie, Lola. It is best if we all go inside." Legolas proclaimed after his father's manic meltdown that triggered a chain of earthquake like effects all throughout middle earth.

The Black Rhun was still angry as white capped waves rocked and raced with the whistling wind and a sinister stormy sky of dancing lightning levitated low above ominous ocean.

"Legolas. What was that??? Jareth??" you panted, refusing to let go of the rail you clung to for a crutch.

Boromir had the same question in his panicked eyes and when they connected with Legolas's, the answer had become crystal clear to the man of Gondor.

"Please, my lady. Come inside. The conditions are not stable out here." replied the King as you still believed him to be, totally avoiding your question as he reached for you.

You refused to release the railing as Lola quickly took Leean inside with Boromir, for you suddenly caught sight of Stephane standing on the shoreline.

"No. Stephane. He's out there alone. Harker could be lurking!"

You still cared deeply for Narcisse, no matter what state of mind he was in, for it wasn't his fault.

Narcisse, in his altered state, stood vulnerable at the water's dangerous edge, flooded by flashes of lightning and happily hypnotized by it. He knew in that moment that the Elvenking was in fact alive and was no longer in the evil clutches of the goblin king. It didn't matter to Rahl, but it certainly did to Stephane who was unable to overpower the dark lord. What was still unclear though to both warlocks that were trapped in the same body, was if Thranduil was a product of Jareth's resurrected evil dead. Either way, the Elvenking was back and to put it quite simply, he was pissed.

"Narcisse!!!" you screeched as the howling gusty winds abused your body.

The man that retained Stephane's physical image, made no acknowledgment to your shrill call as he remained locked in the mammoth moon's blinding luminosity, as if he were being charged by it's incandescence.

"Ok, well maybe you'll answer to this." you mumbled.

"Darken Rahl!!!!"

Your tactic seemed to have worked. Narcisse slowly turned to you in an eerie manner and then, before your very bedazzled eyes, he vanished.

You released the rail and spun around multiple times, your eyes darting about the grounds for any sight of him. The wind ceased like it had simply been shut off by a switch and all went silent as if you were in the eye of the storm. Your attention quickly went to Legolas, who was now standing just inside the patio doors comforting both a crying Leean and Lola and then, there came a sound of flapping, like the wings of a very large bird.

As you whipped around, there in the moon's path, appeared exactly that. A white feathered species you couldn't place with the wingspan of a giant eagle's and it was heading right for you.

The raptor like animal screeched in it's descent and morphed into ribbons of black smoke as it landed and out of that vision swiftly walked a red robed man with long jet black strands and Stephane's face.

You froze solid, paralyzed from head to toe as his blazing blue orbs glared you down and he didn't stop. His long fast strides carried forth, right to you and through you as if he...or you...were a hologram.

Gasping loud and heavily, your eyes rolled back as your body followed suit and you found yourself slowly falling to the ground....and then, cool soft hands vigorously but gently caressed your cheeks.

"Josie! Josie my lady. Wake up." Legolas's frantic voice echoed through your head.

Your eyes fluttered open to see widened moonstone's and platinum strands flowing over you in the lingering breeze of Rahl's hit and run, for as you flung to your feet, the wicked warlock was gone.

"Where...what the hell was...where did he go??"

"Whom do you speak of? There...is no one here Josie."

"Yes?? Yes there was...I...you didn't see that??"

You gazed off in the direction Rahl been going to see nothing but an empty patio. Jesus, did you hallucinate again? No...no, it was real, wasn't it? It had to be. You had felt him. You could smell him, the pepper, as you clutched your dress and buried your nose into it. He had moved right through you...through your very soul.

"I...I have to find Stephane. I...I...ah...ahhh...CHOO!!!"

The sneeze was so powerful, it knocked you right into Legolas's arms. Now you knew it had to be real. The spicy pepper triggered your sneeze, just as it had when Rahl's panther form blasted his scorching breath over you, burning your nose just as it was doing now. You needed to confront Stephane, or...Rahl and you needed to try and coax out the man who loved you, the man who had the power help your fever dreams, per se. But first...

"Leggy...I...I'm really frightened." you admitted in a most vulnerable way as you gazed up into the elf's worried eyes, which wasn't about what his father had just done. It was about you. The Prince noticed something off about you and if Haldir had been there, he would have been the first to see it with his superpower of reading one's soul.

"That is quite understandable after what has occurred but..."

"No...not about any of that. It's...do...oh god...I don't even know how to say it. D..do..you think that...Jareth could have brought...."

Your words were ceased by Legolas's single word as his eyes darted to the forest.

"Amara..." he whispered with a grimace, for her scent burned his eyes as well, one that only his kind could pick up.

"What? Where??" you asked with a gasp as you spun around, but did not see her anywhere. "I..I have been looking for her! I think she knows where Garrett is. Amara!!!"

"I do not see her, but I can sense her."

Legolas knew that Amara knew he had returned and was watching him, waiting to collect on their arrangement. He also knew that she knew his father had caused the sonic like boom and that was why she was hiding. If there was anyone the Seelie queen feared, it was the Elvenking and it brought a slight curling smile to Legolas's lips, for he knew his father's hatred of her would soon unbind him to the fiendish faerie.

"Josie, please. We must go inside now."

"But...I need to speak to her! She's obviously here for a reason?? Garrett...I..I saw him with Kate in a vision and I..I believed it at first, but...he woudln't..he wouldn't do that and I think Amara knows something."

"Amara will not surface right now. Even she has fears. And the vampire is not my concern and should not be yours at this time, or even at all for that matter. If Kate is back, like you say, then it is not wise to be outside. Now, Josie, please...."

"Stop it Leggy. Don't tell me what to be concerned about. And...what even WAS that apocalyptic explosion anyways?? You never answered me. Surely, you must know something? When you arrived here, you said you sensed something in the air and now this happens less than a day later."

Legolas had never straight up lied to you, especially not to your face and the fact that he had to do it, had the power to turn his stomach.

"It was possibly Jareth, as you had asked." he rattled off as he walked to the opened patio doors so he would not have to look you in the eyes, for you would see his untruth through the windows of his soul.

You glanced behind you once more into the darkness, feeling uncertain that it had been the goblin king. Jareth was powerful, but was the wacked out warlock THAT powerful? The familiar vibes in the air were hard for you to ignore. This felt more...elvenly....and Legolas said possibly.

"Yeah...possibly. But...what if...."

You turned to the anxious elf lord with resumed thoughts of Thranduil that you were scared to reveal, which forced Legolas's lying eyes to meet yours after he heard you finish your sentence, not yet realizing you had not spoke them aloud.

"he brought Thranduil back?"

"If anything is possible, it is not that." he immediately responded, feeling that much to be true, for Thranduil had not been summoned by the book of shadows.

With gaping eyes, you slowly walked to Legolas, who had stepped inside and held his hand out to you. Your good hand slid into his and then you yanked him to the side once the door was secured.

"Legolas?? How...I...I spoke those words in my mind!"

His head tilted and his eyes narrowed, then widened when he recalled the other times this had happened, believing it to have either been the dark forest's trickery or his longing for you due to your prior separation.

"So it was real..." Legolas softly spoke as he gently touched your cheek.

"Leggy? What...was real? What just happened?"

"I..I have heard you before, calling my name. More than once."

Reality finally struck you as well. "Oh my god, yes. I...I have heard you too! But I was sure it was only a dream or vision of some sort, because I...I saw the orcs! I saw you fighting them. You were near the Celduin...which that is where it really happened and Boromir was injured. Leggy, how is this possible??"

"It must be that we both share my father's blood. I am just not sure why this has never happened until now or that it only seems to occur at certain times. It may be due to your shield, which you can control like myself and my father ca...could."

And Legolas knew that was exactly why his father was so angry, for blocking him out.

"Yes...I think you are right Legolas. When I am weakened, my mind is vulnerable as well. It makes sense now and...oh wow. So does seeing your grandmother, Carandolel! I...I saw her once when your father was visiting hers and Oropher's secret graves. She...she had came to him. And I saw her yet again. She...she is the one who pulled me from the ocean after I was knocked out of Garrett's arms. And at Lestat's too...in the mirror! She was with Thranduil! Legolas, we ALL share the same blood."

You smiled and then so did he. "We do. Josie...about my father..."

Due to the Prince's distraction, the Elvenking found a doorway into his son's mind...and soul.

"Yesss Legolas. About your father."

Being caught off guard by his father's intrusion, Legolas knew he had to quickly find a way to excuse himself, for he could not hold a feasible conversation with both you and the mad King's plausible words at the same time, nor did he feel right in doing so.

"Legolas??" you asked as he abandoned his words. "What about Thranduil?"

Leeanduil conveniently began to fuss and squeal as she stared up at her big brother, relieving him of his non-existent reasons to depart, for now he had one.

"Let me take her for a little walk through the halls, if that is alright with you Josie?" he quickly asked as he gently pulled the petite Princess from Lola's arms.

"Yes, of course Leggy. It will calm her after all this commotion. She loves spending time with you and she certainly seems to want you right now."

After Legolas left and before you decided to go look for Stephane, you stood with Lola to keep her company until Legolas returned and also to ask her about the young girl you saw earlier.

"Lola...is there by chance a little girl staying here or visiting, possibly about ten years old, reddish brown hair? She..she said her name is Rosie?"

"Hmmm. It does not ring a bell. I know of every child in this castle, even visiting ones. Why do you ask?"

You felt your stomach do a flip, realizing it was either another vision or a hallucination, but something inside your soul told you it was different, but different how?

"I'm just trying to figure out what's real anymore. My visions, dreams and such, they are changing. Lola...I saw her. I...spoke..to her. I've seen her before, long ago in a dream. Who could she be?"

"I'm sorry Josie. I wish I could be of better assistance."

The man who was told to you by Lola to be Conde', Francis's deputy assistant, approached Lola and offered his hand with a sweet smile.

"You could assist me my lady. Would you like to dance?"

Lola seemed starstruck by the tall, dark and handsome man's offer and quickly accepted.

"I'd love to."

You giggled as they left hand in hand and watched them dance for awhile until you suddenly felt this overwhelming urge to eat and strangely, all you craved was meat.

As you nitpicked through the buffet, choosing solely ham and chicken carvings, Legolas was off in his chambers, simultaneously entertaining his sister and trying to stabilize his father.

"Tell me my only begotten son, which storm was it that weakened your mind? Mine, or the one that brews between your legs for my Queen?"

The Elvenking calmly paced about his chambers with a wine goblet firmly in hand, continuing his charade of having returned to his old self, but Legolas had concluded long before his arrival in Dorwinion that it was a trick to reclaim his daughter.

"I assure you I suffer from no such storm and yours was received loud and clear."

"Is that so? Explain to me then, why my attempts to speak with you have been blatantly disregarded."

"There have been many happenings here, some that you are not aware of, that required my full attention."

"I am quite aware of where your full attention has been. Here....you say? That being of Lord Narcisse's realm and not on your return travel with my daughter? Or...Josephine as you were ordered to do?"

"Yes Adar. I remain in Dorwinion. Traveling is not safe for Leeanduil or Josie. Harker threatens the lands. He has killed many of Narcisse's men and Jareth's whereabouts are unknown as are any of the dead he has brought forth."

"Surely you do not wish me to believe such nonsense? Your proficient skills, along with Haldir's, the bowman's and Josephine's power are quite sufficient for travel."

"I disagree. Four of us, all highly skilled, myself, Boromir, Aragorn and Gimli were all attacked by Jareth's man made orcs and Boromir was severely wounded. Surely you do not want Leean to be caught in a war?? Haldir, Bard, Aragorn and Gimli are not even here. It is only Boromir and I."

"Tell me Legolas, have you informed Josephine of my existence as I have commanded? For surely, if you had, her love for her King would not keep here there."

"Surely, her love for her daughter would. She would not be so willing as you are to risk her safety. Although she had saved Boromir, I feel her powers are now not in tact and for unknown reasons, she has been concealing that from me. She has suffered greatly over your loss and it has taken an everlasting toll on her. She even believes Jareth may have brought you back from the dead as well and wishes to know my thoughts of it."

Thranduil's thoughts briefly veered off again to the words of your soulful letter and to seeing you crying. He also recalled your possible projection when he held and kissed you in Mirkwood's forest and he even recalled his own out of body travel as the white hart. Your reactions at both instances to seeing him, verified the grief you suffered that Legolas spoke of and he could only figure that you did not remember it or believe it to be real, which would explain why you still believed him dead, aside from Legolas not telling you the truth and the Elvenking...well...he did not care in the least for your pain.

"Preposterous. The spell of resurrection merely opens the door to life. The dead have a choice if they want to walk through it, for they know what they will become. Those of light become dark and those of darkness become death in itself. They become lost souls."

"How do you know this to be true?"

"Because even I would not choose such a fate."

"You would not? You relished in what Jareth had done to you and now you claim your own soul is yours again, but I do not feel that it is. Even in the Elvenking's natural darkness, he would not risk his Queen and daughter's well being. If you want Josie to know you are alive, why do you not inform her yourself? Is it because you do not want her to know who you are? For then, she would not wish to come and so you have forced me to do your bidding."

"You dare to question who I am?? Was my storm too subtle for you to know your place??!! If I have not received confirmation of your impending arrival by the rise of the sun, you will have confirmation of mine. I will come to reclaim what is mine and you, my insubordinate son, will suffer dearly."

Legolas then knew his father had closed the conversation and he now regretted calling him out, but by doing so, it proved to him just as he believed. Thranduil was not Thranduil. His soul was severely compromised and if he came to Dorwinion, all hell would break loose, mostly for you.

As the sun had set in middle earth, it was rising in the modern world of Manhattan with Jace and Clover awaking in each other's arms after their night of love confessions and sweet love making.

"Good morning my beautiful Clover." the blue and brown eyed warlock softly whispered with a smile as he kissed the ginger haired dhampir's forehead.

"Mmmm." she hummed as she stretched and yawned, squinting at the sunlight beaming through the stained glass window. "I gotta get used to not being called Raven. It's been years since I have went by Clover and it was a brief period since dhampirs grow so fast."

"Yes, well, batten down the hatches, for there is much more here to get used to. Come on. Take a shower with me and then I will show you the rest of the compound."

"You mean this old church?"

"Yes, but remember, I told you it's real contents are only visible to the warlocks unless we show you, which is what I said I would do. Chop chop. I smell Matthews cooking and I am famished after last night."

Jace wickedly grinned, slapped her ass and hopped out of bed, standing in bare form with his hand extended out, among "other" things.

Clover's grin matched his as she quickly took his hand and was pulled up against his growing girth, only to then be swooped up into his arms and carried off to the bathroom, laughing and squealing.

After an hour of more love making under the steaming stream of water, the two dressed and headed to the dining area where Matthew De Clermont sat, sipping on his wine. It was always 5 o'clock in a vampire's world.

The dark haired vamp's cobalt eyes gazed at a blushing Clover and then they rolled to Jace with his wet slicked back hair. One would have thought by Matthew's expression, that he did not approve of their obvious night of passion, but that was just his usual look, for he really had nothing to smile about, not for at least 20 more years when he would unite with Leeanduil. All in all, he was thrilled for his pal Jace, but even still...he was quite envious and lonely.

"Now that you both are....recharged...I presume you will be heading to Dorwinion as we discussed last evening over dinner?"

"Yes." Jace confirmed. "When the sun sets here, for it will then be daylight there. Speaking of food, what is that I smell?"

"Scrambled eggs, and an array of "undercooked" meats to suit the needs of our guest. Strength must be kept up for what's to come."

"Cheese. You put cheese in the eggs right Matty?" Jace asked with serious concern.

A slight and short lived smile came over Matthew's lips. "Sharp cheddar, of course."

"Hell yes!" Jace applauded and bolted off to the kitchen. "Hey! No biscuits and gra...oh, never mind, Found it!"

Clover giggled as Matthew resumed his resting bitch face, then pulled out a cell phone and began scrolling.

"What...is that?" she curiously asked, for she had never seen one before.

"You, my dear, have a lot to learn of the modern world. This is a cell phone. I can speak to others on it, out loud or by texting."

"T..texting?"

"You know, typing words? Like this."

Matthew held the mobile device out and demonstrated as he typed in her name.

Clover's blazing blues popped wide open. "Oh my. All I have ever known was the power of a pencil. How bad ass!"

"I'll tell you what's bad ass!" Jace happily attested as he sat a filled plate before her. "This! Babe, you gotta try the biscuits and sausage gravy. It's fucking killer."

Clover chuckled and rolled her eyes. "You and your biscuits."

"Damn straight. Although these are way better than KFC's. Matty here is a master chef."

The two ate with Jace scarfing down 3 plates to Clover's one while Matt enjoyed his wine. Once they were finished, the vampire then spoke as he looked up from his phone with dire eyes.

"There has been a change of plans for your trip tonight. We will all be going."

"Matthew? What is it?" Jace inquired with all seriousness to match the vexed vamp's face.

"I have word from my contact that other vampires, dealers to be exact, are sniffing around the area. There's only one reason for that to happen and that is the probability that they have picked up on Clover's scent."

"What??!!" Clover shouted in panic and flung from her seat.

"Easy, easy sweetheart." Jace lovingly said as he took her in his arms to comfort her. "I will never let anyone hurt you ever again. I put my life on it. Matthew, who is the contact?"

"Ryan. I don't think you have met him but he is a vampire I trust with my own life. Although, Clover, you may know who he is?"

'I..I'm sorry? I..I do not know of any vampires named Ryan. Should I? I mean, I have been imprisoned half of my life in case you have forgotten?"

"No, I have not forgotten. My mistake. Garrett must not have spoken of him."

"Garrett?? What the fuck does he have to do with any of this? Garrett hates me!"

"Hey, calm down." Jace firmly stated. "If Matthew trusts this vampire, then so do I."

"Ok?? But I don't trust Garrett!"

All the commotion triggered Matthew's blood rage. He stood so fast, slamming his hands upon the table, knocking one of the wooden legs loose and sending Clover's head to burrow in Jace's armpit.

"Enough! As far as I am aware, Garrett and Ryan do not speak. They have not seen each other in years. Now, do you want to live or die?? Prepare yourselves. We leave in the twilight hours."

Matthew was gone in the blink of an eye and Jace did as he was told.

"Come on. I need to show you some things as promised, and then we will prepare.

Down the steps, Jace led a frazzled and frightened Clover to the foyer of the old church that only showed a battered and broken interior.

"Ok." Jace sighed. "Try to remain calm. What I am about to do may look painful and scary, but trust me, I have done this many times and it only stings a a bit."

"Jesus Jace. Remain calm knowing death dealers are still seeking out my soul and also after what you just told me? What the fuck is going on?"

"Did I not just say trust me? I know what I am doing Clover."

"Fine. Have at it then." she huffed.

Jace then took out what looked like a pen to the dhampir. "This...is my stele that I told you about. The thing my father took from me. I told you I went back for it after you left with Thranduil."

"Yes, I remember that/ So, what's so big about it? Is it some kind of magic wand or something?"

Jace grinned. "Something like that. Watch."

He rolled up the sleeve of his black leather jacket and placed the tip of the object close to his skin. It then lit up as Jace began to burn some kind of symbol onto his forearm, which smoked and even made a searing noise that the tougher than nails warlock actually flinched over with a hissing sound.

"Jace! Oh my god, you're...burning yourself!!"

"It's alright Clover. I'm drawing the rune to show you my underground world per se. It will heal right up in seconds and look merely like a tattoo. Now, look straight ahead."

The old ruins of the church began to transform right before Clover's astonished eyes, into a futuristic world of things she had only ever read about in books. Technology and people were everywhere, mostly dresses like Jace.

"Oh...my...god..." Clover whispered, quite hysterically as she froze solid. "C..can...they...see us?"

Jace bellowed in laughter. "Of course they can see us silly. Come on. I'll show you around and introduce you to the people I call my real family."

"People? they're...humans?"

"Somewhat. They're warlocks and witches, just like me and you, well...minus the vampiness, but still just as powerful." he chuckled.

"So...that little gadget can do all of this? Hide you from the world?" Clover asked as they walked around the digitalized fortress that could have no way fit inside the simple two story church...but it did.

"It can and it can do much much more my lady. Do you remember when I told you I needed this to travel through portals? Well, this will open a portal for us to hit middle earth in 2.1 seconds. If I had had it that day in goblin town, Thranduil would have been eating our dust."

"So, that's what all those symbols are on your body? Runes? I can't believe I called them tattoos when I first met you. But wait...I...I saw one on Josie's neck...at Lestat's? How does she have one? I mean...she's..not your sister."

"She's still blood though. It must have been drawn on her somehow, most likely in a dream, from someone of blood trying to protect her. A rune placed on the neck signifies an intensified angelic power that one of light would wear. I saw it on her too but it was faded or dormant per se. Thing is, I'm pretty sure she knows nothing of what it truly is and I didn't have time to explain it when I had to explain being her brother. Let's just say, she's one super powered witch, even without the rune mark."

"Great...I'm definitely dead when she finds out what I've done."

"Hey, no. I won't let that happen. I'll talk to her, try to explain things on your behalf."

"Oh great, she'll just kill you too then."

"Alright, enough. I said I will keep you safe and I will. I love you Clover. Let's go mingle and what not to waste some time until twilight, then we will zap across the pond."

The castle party continued on into the night despite the earth's shake up and now you were dealing with Catherine's soul stealing glare from across the dance hall as she mingled with her son Francis and his Queen Mary. Still, there was no sign of Stephane. He was either avoiding the entire shindig or simply just..you.

When you returned to the hall and joined Legolas and Leean, Conde' and Lola were dancing once again.

The Lake Town deputy seemed to be smitten with her and possibly she felt the same, although you knew her heart truly lied with Legolas, but he had made it abundantly clear to you that his feelings were not reciprocated, still you tried once more to spark his interest despite the fact he had told you to drop it.

"Leggy. Doesn't Lola look so beautiful in that red velvet dress? You should ask her to dance too."

The blonde elf had always been a spitting image of his father, and in that moment, did he ever as his eyes narrowed and side eyed you.

"I know what you are trying to do. Did I not ask you to relinquish such attempts?"

"Oh, don't be a party pooper Leggy. It's just a simple question and a dance."

"A simple question of entrapment and a dance I would much rather share with you."

You sighed and turned back to Lola who now wandered off with Mary's sister Kenna after her dance ended.

"Well...I suppose you, me and Leean could share a dance?" you offered with a grin as you stared straight ahead, feeling Legolas' eyes burning in your direction.

He happily stood up, cradling Leean in one arm and extending his other to you.

"My lady. May we have this dance?"

"Why yes my lord, we shall."

You took his hand with a sweet smile and he led you to the dance floor and for not one, but two harp filled songs, the three of you danced and twirled as you and Legolas chuckled along with Leeanduil's giggles and coos.

Lola headed for a goblet of wine as Kenna went to converse with Bash. From what you understood from Lola, Kenna used to fool around with the deputy warlock and that is why she tagged along with Francis and Mary. You hoped that Bash's fancy of her would not deter him from going to find Delphine during the night when all turned in form the party.

As Lola was making her way back to you, she caught sight of a vision she wished she could unsee. Narcisse kissing Claude, Catherine's daughter, in a remote corner of the hall. If there was any way to stick it to his wicked ex, and even to you, that was it.

Lola was now between a rock and a hard place, for she knew you should know, but she had no inkling of how to tell you. Her gut was telling her not to, for she did not want to add fuel to the fire that was already burning between you and her employer. Also, she did not want to face Narcisse's wrath if she were found out to be the tattle tale. It would soon turn out though, that Lola wouldn't have to say a word.

The gigantic grandfather clock struck 10 o'clock, echoing through the ballroom and the people were getting more rowdy. You could clearly see that the real party was just beginning and you didn't want Leean around the all the noise.

"Lola, I feel it is time for Leean to turn in for the night. Legolas, would you walk them back to my chambers please?"

There was that side eye again. "Of course, but I will return after my sister is asleep." he duly noted with adamant eyes.

"You...do not want to feed her and tuck her in?" Lola asked, a bit confused.

"No, Lola. I do not. Is that alright with you??" you snapped, not even realizing you had.

"Josie? Are..you alright?" Legolas then asked, in which you huffed, rolled your eyes and walked away.

Legolas reluctantly escorted Lola back to your chambers where she decided to voice her concerns over your behavior that Legolas had already picked up on much earlier.

"Legolas, something...is not right with her. I realize she has been drinking and would not want to breast feed, but it is not like her to not want to put her to bed like she does every night."

"Yes, I would agree with you. I believe the night's earlier events have caused her great worry upon all that she is already suffering. A bottle of Mirkwood's water will be suffice."

"I just feel so bad for her." Lola sympathized. "Mostly everyone she loves is gone. Her King, her dad, Haldir, Garrett, her brother that she found out tonight is not her brother and now learns she has another brother she never knew about and then there's this whole Jareth and Harker ordeal and not to mention Lord Narcisse is also not acting himself. He freed that wretched Catherine which adds to Josie's distress. She was quite upset about something else earlier too and cut her hand on a broken mirror that I believe she herself broke. I just do not know what to do for her Legolas. She's so lost and...I..I love her like a sister that I've never had. She's...she's my best friend and I think she is keeping things from me and...She's done so much for me and I just want to help her and I can't. She won't let me."

Lola shamefully turned from the Prince and began to quietly sob.

Legolas laid Leean down and took Lola's hand.

"Lola...I can see how deeply you care for her. I do as well. All that you said is true, but I know she did not mean to be cruel to you. It's not in her nature, even with all she has endured, which is why I am certain something has happened to cause her behavior. You say she cut her hand?"

Lola's leaking blue eyes peered up into Legolas's and for a split second, he felt something he never deemed possible. Attraction.

"Yes...but...I tended to her wound and...it looked pretty bad. Infected maybe and the healing water...it..it burned her."

Legolas's brows pinched together in confusion and concerned thought. "Burned? It should heal."

Lola fell against his chest in full blown tears. "What is happening Legolas? What can we do??"

The stunned elf froze for a moment, not sure what to do but his instincts, or maybe even unknown desires, quickly took over as he brought his arms up to cradle the fragile crying beauty.

"I..I wish to take her and Leean back home where it is safe, but...that cannot be at this time. It is too dangerous to travel."

Lola sniffled and raised her head to meet his sorrowful moonstones.

"And...me too? She..she said she would take me with her, that I..I was family to her. I mean..if..that is alright with you, since you are now the King of Mirkwood. I..I don't want to be left here alone."

Legolas found his fingers trailing over her tear soaked cheek, like satin to his touch.

"When the time comes, you are more than welcome in my kingdom, lady Lola."

There was a silence and an intense stare that delved into each other's souls and then, a sudden urge perplexed the Prince. An urge to kiss the girl.

As he slowly leaned down to do so, Leean began to cry. Legolas swiftly snapped out of his trance and then backed away with baffled eyes.

"I..I will tend to her. Why don't you relax in a bath to calm you while I do so and when you are finished, I will go tend to her mother as well."

"As you wish Prin..I mean King..Legolas." Lola bashfully stuttered and scurried off with butterflies fluttering through her very soul that she had never known to exist.

Legolas cradled and comforted his baby sister as he fed her and while she suckled, her tiny hand came to touch her big brother's cheek. In that moment, soul to soul, through the windows of their moonstones, Legolas realized what a very powerful Princess Leeanduil would be as he was taken aback by a vision. A vision she had the power to show him. A power unbeknownst to him that she had or could have at such a premature age, for she was only less than 2 months old. A power she possessed to show him things she had seen and also, like you, things that were to come...and the vision was so unsettling, that he swore he would never speak of it. It was of you and your distant future that would change everything as he knew it....as you knew it....as his father knew it.

@redeemer46

[hisui-dreamer]

ode to the shinning sun

Pairing: Kalim Al-Asim x gn!reader

Synopsis: really, you struggled to understand how anyone could dislike him.

Tags: drabble, fluff, slightly poetic, reader is a simp for kailm, bot proofread

Word count: 619

Notes: wooo Kalim's birthday fic is here! i honestly hate that i'm writing so less now, but arghh there's so much stuff to do this summer haha

Masterlist

Your lover possesses a striking allure, embodied by his ethereal features. His hair, a cascade of pristine white, dances like wisps of moonlight, a testament to his unique and enchanting nature. Each strand, like silken threads spun from moonbeams, shimmers with an otherworldly luminosity. His eyes, like precious rubies gleaming with an inner fire, hold a depth and intensity that bewitches all who dare to look into them. Each gaze is an intoxicating blend of warmth and mystery, as if the secrets of the universe lie hidden within their depths.

Your lover is a radiant ball of genuine friendliness and cheer, effortlessly enlightening even the deepest shadows of your world. There's an undeniable charm in his ditsy and clumsy nature, each stumble and mishap only serving to enhance his endearing allure. You can't help but burst into laughter at his adorable blunders, eager to extend a helping hand whenever he finds himself in need.

Your lover, though many would not expect of him, has a mind that dances with agility, an intellect that gracefully navigates through the twists and turns of unexpected situations. Like a masterful choreographer, he orchestrates his thoughts with precision, unruffled even amidst chaos. His determination serves as a blazing torch, illuminating his path and shielding him from the shadows of discouragement. With unwavering resolve, he pours his heart and soul into every endeavour, his dedication a resplendent tapestry that inspires all fortunate enough to witness his relentless pursuit of excellence.

Your lover's considerate nature is boundless, like a gentle stream that meanders through the lives of those fortunate enough to know him. His empathy is a rare gem, sparkling with genuine warmth and compassion. Whether it's the effortless grace with which he holds the door open, or the tender strength he offers as a comforting shoulder to lean on, he consistently surpasses expectations, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of others. When he listens, it's as if time itself stands still, his undivided attention a sanctuary for the joys and sorrows shared in whispered confidences. The selflessness that resides within him is a radiant beacon of light, casting a soft glow that envelops your heart and never fails to draw a smile upon your lips. In a world that often seems chaotic and unyielding, his considerate spirit is a balm, reminding you of the power of kindness and the transformative beauty of genuine care.

Your lover’s eagerness to help others is one of your favourite parts about him. It is ingrained in the very fibres of his being, a natural instinct that drives him to lend a hand whenever and wherever it is needed. His cheerful disposition amplifies his willingness to assist, as he radiates warmth and kindness towards those around him. Whether it's a simple task or a complex problem, he approaches it with genuine enthusiasm, his eyes shining with determination. He wholeheartedly believes in the power of support and goes above and beyond to make a positive impact in the lives of others. No request is too big or too small for him, and his selflessness inspires those fortunate enough to witness his endless dedication.

You love how his naivety and obliviousness make him refreshingly pure. He never harbours ill intentions, and even when his words unintentionally wound, he swiftly offers heartfelt apologies, eager to mend any hurt caused. His heart, brimming with kindness, is incapable of holding grudges. Despite grappling with his own insecurities, he defiantly embraces a positive outlook, shielding his interactions from the corrosive touch of worry and suspicion. You find yourself in awe of his resilience, marvelling at his relentless pursuit of joy in every fleeting moment.

Your lover, is none other than Kalim Al-Asim.

Masterlist

if you liked this post, don't forget to reblog!

[dollyyun]

𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬' 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫

RELEASE DATE: Wednesday, 26th June 2024

PAIRING: enha hyung line x fem!reader

GENRE: 18+ (mdni), semi-college au, adulthood, reverse harem, dark themes.

WARNINGS: mentions of christianity, profanities, smoking, mention of drugs, alcohol consumption, violence, blood, murders, yandere & tsundere, manipulation, corruption, toxicity, heavy angst, dubcon themes, unprotected sex (no!), dom hyung line (rip), name calling, degradation, possible voyeurism, mild bondage, gagging, choking, blowjob, fingering, edging, manhandling, spitting kink, orgasm denial, crying, squirting, creampies, overstimulation, multiple orgasms, threesomes (twice), more to be added....

TEASER WORD COUNT: 1.3k

PART 1, PART 2, PART 3.1, PART 3.2, PART 4, PART 5 ✘ SERIES MASTERLIST ✘

The passage of time appears to be slowing down, with the red neon luminosity encompassing you gradually fading into a blur, while the bright sign of 'exit' ahead remains a beacon to your fortitude, but your quest to the road of freedom grows languid as the eventual exertion dawns on your body.

Tears welling in your lower eyelids are a recrudescence of terror, parallel to your inner turmoil that remains unabating, and you feel as though it is eating you alive from the inside, dwindling the hope you so desperately clutch onto.

Your ears perk up at the sound of familiar, heavy-booted steps from not far behind you, eliciting a forlorn cry from you before you force your weary body to pick up the speed, despite the unknown yet lethal substance streaming through your every fibre and taking its major effect on your whole being.

No, this is not how you imagined facing your demise. You never would have thought that one of your worst nightmares had manifested itself and plunged into your reality.

Your skull is throbbing painfully, with blood seeping from the fresh wounds that trickle down the side of your face, while your heart aches tremendously. A sob emerges from the back of your throat before waterworks cascade down on you, but you refuse to allow yourself to die tonight, not when you’re nearly getting the taste of freedom.

Before you know it, you use the force of your body to push the door open as it swings outward violently, and you continue to run on the asphalt ground, having no clue of your current location, while your heaving chest is starting to hurt with how ragged your breathing is that mingles with the sobs.

“Please.” You choke out, your tearful eyes blurring your vision, while you feel as though more needles are piercing into your skull. “Please let all of this be a nightmare.” You manage to whisper in between broken sobs, nearly succumbing to the hyperventilation that renders you unfocused on your surroundings as your body remains in a fight-or-flight mode.

The next thing you know, you bump into a solid chest that nearly has you staggering back if it weren’t for strong arms latching onto your trembling form. The moment your eyes meet his concerned eyes that soon blaze with anger, a frightful shriek tears from your parched throat before you push him away from you, as though he is a disease.

“Princess?” Sunghoon, whose head is fogging with confusion, frowns visibly as he sees the way you are looking at him as though he is a terrifying stranger.

The movements from Jake and Jay catch your heightened sense, prompting you to cower away from them as you back away. “Stay away from me!” You shout at them, the fear is palpable in the tremor of your voice, to which they halt their movements.

“Baby, it’s us!” Jay exclaims while trying his utmost not to give away the tempest of wrath that storms within him upon seeing the state you are in. 

“Lovely…” Jake takes cautious steps towards you, but even his loving, gentle tone is not enough to dispel the betrayal and heartbreak you are still reeling from.

“I said don’t come close to me! Please!” To see you hyperventilating as you sob hard hits them in the face, but what pains them is the terror you exhibit right now because they never wanted you to fear them as though they would really hurt you.

You turn around with the intention to run from them, but this time, Heeseung’s figure is a hindrance as he blocks your way. His hands find their way to hold you firmly while you attempt to thrash and struggle in his captivity.

“Let go of me!” You become relentless, your fear is now eclipsed by anger that stems from the fresh betrayal.

Despite the confusion upon seeing the blazing anger in your crystalline eyes, Heeseung remains calmly collected as he holds you effortlessly yet is unable for you to escape from. “Sweetheart─”

Being utterly overwhelmed and blinded by the maelstrom of pain, betrayal, sadness, and anger, you raise your hand and bring it down to land a harsh slap to his now-stinging cheek, shocking the other three from behind.

“Do you think this is meant to be humorous to you?!” The rage in your voice is unmistakable as it sounds foreign to your ears, but your focus remains on his face as he slowly turns to look at you while you are oblivious to the raging storms in his dark eyes. “Is this really your endgame?! Once you’re satisfied after fucking me, you'll kill me?!”

Heeseung’s deadly silence only seems to fuel your wrath, and so you begin to throw punches into his chest that don't even have any effect on him. “Fight back!” You scream in between sobs, tears relentlessly streaming down your cheeks. “If you want to kill me, do it now!”

“Y/N, stop.” Jake and Jay appear from behind, intervening as they grab you away from Heeseung’s defeated grasps while you continue to struggle and fight against their strong hold valiantly despite feeling debilitated.

“What are you talking about?” Heeseung’s calm voice manages to reach your ears despite the sound of your hysteria.

“Yeah, what do you mean by killing you, lovely?” Jake asks with a frown as soon as you shoot him a glare. “We would never do such a thing─”

Miraculously, you manage to escape from their grasps, and your glaring eyes penetrate into each of them. “Don’t lie to me! I know you’re the ones who kidnapped me and brought me to this God-forsaken place, and for what? To kill me!”

“We didn’t!” Jay objects vehemently, disbelief lacing his tone. “Why would we ever want to kill you?”

“Liar!” You retort before breaking down again, the sound of your cries only fuels their anger to hunt down whoever dared to hurt you. “If you weren’t the ones back there, then how did you even know where I was?”

“I installed a tracker on your phone. It’s the reason why we managed to track your location.” Jake steps forward, his softening eyes seem to balm your hysteric nerves. “But you have to believe us, love. We would never do anything to jeopardise your life.”

You open your mouth to speak, but a whimper comes instead as you feel the familiar pain plummeting into your skull, prompting you to clutch your still-bleeding head, and Sunghoon, being the nearest to you, holds you steady against him just as your body sways lightly.

“You’re still bleeding, princess.” Sunghoon murmurs, his gentle tone and his touch send you into a whirlwind of confusion. Disappointment seeps through him as you push him away while your mind is waging a battle of internal conflict, recalling the girls’ words about them, but at the same time, your love for them remains palpable, which only makes your head spin.

“Don’t touch me.” You protest weakly as you attempt to yank your arm from Heeseung’s firm grasp, but the substances injected into you that flow in your system wholly revoke the remnants of your vitality, rendering you debilitated as you find yourself leaning into him.

Without a word, Heeseung effortlessly carries you in a bridal style, with your whole body going limp as your consciousness slips away faster than you like before the darkness welcomes you once more.

“Gather all the knights from your respective houses. We’ll be having a meeting tomorrow morning.” Heeseung orders calmly, causing the three to exchange glances. “All of them, and not a single person is to be left out.”

“You got it.” Jake gives him a firm nod.

Heeseung catches Sunghoon and Jay’s eyes, and they immediately understand his deadly intent. “Find those fuckers inside and do what you need to do. Bring their heads to me.”

[aelinschild]

Paradigm; side by side

˙✧˖ March 5th: Surprise

Main Masterlist | Paradigm; side by side Masterlist |

SYNOPSIS: But shame appeared like a monster at his feet; he did not stop at noticing. WORDCOUNT: 742 WARNINGS: Cursing, horny Rowan again (This is a reoccurring theme)

Huge thank you to @throneofglassmicrofics for organizing! Make sure to check out other works over on their account!

He was sick. 

It dripped from the cracked open well of his mind. This carnal infatuation. Two fucking days at sea only chafed his hands further. Drove him to the brink of insanity with nothing but luminosity in its reach. Futile, his attempt. 

A near decade of solitude had changed him. Or maybe it was the woman across the hall.

Somehow his humanity had been stripped from being, flayed off bone like parchment. More animal than man, abruptly changing his being in the presence of another. Huffing, he drove the shovel into sun-warmed earth again. Splitting callouses on the wooden handle and welcoming the burn of slivers. It was a welcomed reprieve – the physical pain – to the dwelling in between cerebral tissues. 

In the swirl of his coffee, the drip of shaving cream as it swirled down the drain, even the goddamn seafoam teased him. Staring into them, eyes tracing over the natural patterns, before shifting and curling. Volume and peaks. He would catch a line – trace it as it flowed, morphed, connecting at an apex, rising into a cinch. He saw her everywhere. 

A part of him knew this compulsion was natural. That isolation crafts a certain brand of savagery. Hardly any shame in noticing. 

But shame appeared like a monster at his feet; he did not stop at noticing. 

Thud, thud, thud. 

It had been like holding a blessing, warming him through all atrophy. Skin, bloody and bruised, had all but screamed at him to touch. Bandage, or press into. Delicately trace serrated hide, peel back coverings. He still felt her weight in his hands. Hadn't fallen asleep until the weight of quilted blankets held a candle to her. 

Dirt fell from the edges of the hole, tumbling back in. Progress slipping away. Less so than if he had chosen to dig through sand. Its richness packed it together, congealing the salt water with decay as it sopped through the distance. He would need to dig deeper for any progress to be made today. 

It was an escape, an out. This craft he had taken up for the day. I need to build… head heavy and tongue laden. She had only nodded, eyes skirting his own, before tucking back into the sunroom. The gossamer skirt flowed along the worn floorboards. He hoped it would catch, shred the entire thing from her body. He would not be at fault for the natural world's intentions. But he felt sick for wanting them. 

-

He was wearing the shirt today. 

But it had been removed not too long ago, tossed into tall grass and nestled into Gaia’s clutches. The weight of it along sun-warmed flesh had been oppressive. Settling on him like tar, sticky and irremovable. It hadn't mattered anyway. 

The night had been so quiet. He had woken up thrice; checked her room once to make sure she hadn't run off in the night. The feeling had wormed around his mind, you scared her. Brutish and nasty in all lonesome glory when he towered over her. Pulse racing with fear, expelled into a rage. But she had been there. Nestled between blankets he had chosen. Cooled from windows cast open that he had built. Sheltered in the small canopy bed – a family heirloom. There was a strange sense of pride when he truly took in the sight of it all. 

That, and some darker yearning for permanence. 

Lingering on the thoughts would have led nowhere good, and so Rowan has risen before the sun to set off on foot towards the forest nearby. Acres of land penned in eternal ink in his mind's eye had led him to the collection of deadfall. Most rotted with sickness meant that the early cerebration had stalled in its rampage. A beast calmed, eye shutting with content and thumping back to its cavern. 

Eventually, enough solid elm was collected, and the walk back to Aelin- the house, was in part. 

To this moment, torrid heat lashing down on him as he stood unmovable. A sculpted portrayal of the lover scorned. Waiting for the moment when disdain, apathy, fuck, even curiosity morphed into something more. Until then, he would burn. Sun rays or gold-lined irises. It made no difference. 

Rowan watched Aelin rouse from bed, his spot in the tall grass a mighty vantage point to the moment between vulnerability and its nemesis. Like a predator stalking his prey, he did not move until she disappeared from sight.

Taglist: @mariaofdoranelle , @leiawritesstories , @renxzs

[intothegenshinworld]

C1 || The Legend of a Creator

✗ Previous Chapter || ↻ Next Chapter || ✦ MASTERLIST || ♪ PLAYLIST || ! PRELUDE/DISCLAIMER

『 "Let there be light." 』

...and light was.

THE DIVINE ONE dreams of nothingness.

A cluster of radiance rises from the east while a cluster of luminosity gathers on the west, painting an eternal twilight. Fragments—likened to the former yet complementing the latter—scatter across the sky to bequeath the morning grace and illuminate the evening gaze. Time has yet to flow yet life already breathes, unconquered by any unit of measure at the face of divinity. A bewitching alto flirts with a gallant bass, while the tenors of pandemonium courted the harmonizing soprano.

The choir sang together as They descend unto the water's surface, causing ripples.

One final note sustains, and it too fades.

『 I, begin carving the land and mountains 』

THE ASTRAL GODDESS has no tangible form, yet resembles a humanoid figure.

A mere will projected through a lucid dream, She moves according to the whims of her childish heart and pensive mind. From specters of light, desires beckon life into various shapes of existence. Her hands spread out and rise like a conductor about to begin an orchestral performance. The world stills obediently, and incandescent eyes flutter close with a deep inhale. A flick of the wrists turns Her palms up, and Her eyes snap open with a sharp exhale.

Just like that, the world moves again.

"Do you want a naptime story?"

"Yes, please!"

The divine conductor motions for an uprising and, by Her holy command, stone henges answer from sand like marble columns yet to be sculpted. Many sets of jagged rocks line up in random patterns to form dangerous cliffs. Landmasses took shape amongst barren dunes, blessing it with somewhat dry yet nonetheless fertile soil. Unrefined pillars were sharpened as mountains. A few sets of them softened to be hills and valleys, making way for something that is yet to come. Countless more transfigured into canyons and plateaus, occupying the shores of a desolate world where She walked with pride. Soft touches grazed the dancing grains, as Her feet dig into its cushioning surface.

As the beat and tempo changed by motions of the conductor, so did the land that transformed candidly according to the movements of Its creator.

How dull. She mused.

Thus, provoked by Her word, rain begins to fall.

The limitless blue sky gave parts of itself, dividing this unconquerable ocean into two.

『 Then, forge the cauldrons— 』

The Astral Goddess pauses.

Her hands gracefully lower to a forward push, tilting as if to scale. Clenched into fists, they cross over each other and pull back to chastely kiss the skin of delicate shoulders. It is a position reminiscent of a pharaoh about to be laid in their sarcophagus for the final departure. Alas, this goddess in human form is far from done with Her masterpiece.

Rather than halting like previously, the world seems to rumble in anticipation.

With a much softer and longer exhale, Her eyes narrow in glinting passion. Then, tight fists snap to their respective sides as if pulling a rope taut. They release only for the right to rise while the left lowers, dual cues assigned simultaneously. The movement is careful and deliberate yet holds a paradoxical flamboyance, much like the dance of a gypsy.

By Her will, the landmasses conformed.

"We're here, Sol. You're safe."

"Nothing will ever harm you, little sis."

The ground cracked open as sand falls to trenches that show burning hot lava. Distance is so far apart from the peak to the depths, showing only a line of vermillion left aglow. The rumbling turned into raging quakes, and soon, an eruption is nearly afoot. The magma was boiling, liquid fire beginning to run wild like turbulent rapids. This heat seeps into growing fissures, succumbing to the pressure which beckons forth and above.

Wrists bent and arms flailed to every other direction, persuading the elements to submit.

The Astral Goddess shapes the gaps between the landmasses. Her fingertips twitched like a master puppeteer at work. One hand rose to point to the sky, two fingers left to stand. It spun around to resemble an impromptu magic wand, before finally striking down and forward as if an order to charge.

What once was a drizzle turned heavier. A downpour precipitation of the sky's tears.

How lively. She mused.

Thus, encouraged by Her word, the sky poured until it could cry no more.

『 —that hold the oceans 』

The fiery depths are fed with raindrops, cooling the lava at the bottom. Steam erupts from the clash of heat and cold. The vermillion shades of liquid flame become black tar, until everything solidifies into an igneous rock surface. Throughout the process, the sands still run down as if within an hourglass and it fills the gap of the chasms alongside the rain.

The world begins to flood, and only the highest peaks serve to remain as landforms.

Tectonic plates now connect through seas and their shorelines. Waves sway and dance to drag against the rocks by the cliffs, heavy pebbles lining along the sandy coves. Continents remain afloat amongst the oceans, mountains standing tall as they relish the rainfall. Water feeds the soil which soon grows life that paints the landmasses green and brown. Flat muddy ground transformed into luscious plains, as orchards bore fruit and gardens sprung flowers.

Everything flourished while nurtured by Her caring touch and thoughtful guidance.

Amongst the sands, there is an oasis. Amongst the forestry, there is a meadow. Amongst the coves, there is a coastline.

Alas, there had been too much tears.

"Did you make new friends?"

"Be careful! Don't let them peck you."

The Astral Goddess concluded everything to be too scattered with neither grace nor finesse. By ruling of Her summoned scepter, She calls forth the might of both skies and seas. The holy staff spins to put the currents in motion, whirlpools abound and typhoons stirred by winds. The mountains brace against the calm before the storm. A discreet tremble vibrated against the soles of Her feet, yet She only smiled in doting reassurance.

How brave. She mused.

Thus, empowered by Her word, the storm brewed.

The lands, the seas, and the skies converge to make the world. By will of Her Eminence, this planet shall be reformed.

Therefore, spring passes so this complacent realm can experience the wonders of summer.

Alas, it is not the heatwave that awaits.

『 I project a storm 』

The Astral Goddess swiftly brings the scepter down as an unspoken command.

Lightning strikes and thunder closely follows in a raging uproar. The oceans sing louder like a choir of alluring merfolk and sirens. Scorchmarks imprint on countless areas, signatures of the mighty lightning's glow. The continents shake at the loud snarls of thunder, accompanied by untamed waves.

Then, autumn and winter arrive.

"Maybe we can visit again someday!"

"Maybe."

Viridescence is met with the passing of seasons, as what once bloomed have now dried and wilted. The ones that linger to brave the frost are encased in numbing ice. Morning dew halts upon its trail, and morphs as icicles by the breath of bitter cold. Mist and fog slither across the lands similarly to a corpse bride's ghastly veil. The steam becomes vapor which condenses from the compacting cold.

Then, the hailstorm began to descend.

Every drop of sleet hit with precision and accuracy, acting as the pottery wheel to Her Eminence while the land as Her clay. Everything bent and broke before being remade anew. The cycle repeats over and over again. When the sky ran out of clouds, pressure gathered below so a volcano can erupt and produce more vapor against the waters.

How dreary. She mused.

Thus, emboldened by Her word, the skies provided a more ruthless aid and called the winds.

『 A whirlwind of gales and torrents 』

The Astral Goddess danced blissfully.

Her tiptoes touched the torrential waters, rippling as whirlpools while executing one jeté to another. When She lands on a mountain peak or cliff edge, a playful fouetté is demonstrated. Being a supportive partner, the gales blow to help Her glide and flutter whenever a plateau is much too far. The currents direct a song to the rest of the elements that performed alongside their prima ballerina, reminiscent of the fairies with their sugar plum princess. Typhoons and hurricanes come together, either to destroy or to recreate.

1, 2, 3...

•

1, 2, 3...

•

1, 2, 3...

The hailstorm gains direction through the whirls of violence, yet calms by opposing breezes. The rays of lightning enlighten the gloom. The magma burns in embers which transition into an inferno beyond the ashclouds. Waves rise to heights that appear as monsters from the depths comparable to a kraken or a leviathan. It is the calamity before the dawn of creation, an enactment of genesis. It is a mass catastrophe of poetic irony in dramatic proportions.

This is chaotic anarchy before the unifying order...

...and it was magnificent.

『 Give TEYVAT its form 』

In Cosmogenesis, the realm is emptied.

Therefore, nobody was present to witness as its gateway displays a planet being born from a galaxy far away. The gaping maw vibrantly shines in a flurry of starlight and cosmic dust. It then beholds a world, so meek and so young, without even a solar system that kept it afloat. This celestial body is sustaining itself by the powers which lie within its epicenter. If anything, a new system was being born alongside it—perhaps even originating from it.

"What do you wish to see next, Sol?"

"Everything~!"

It began as a mere orb of light, changing colors like an indecisive child.

Then, a projection of divinity and mystique shoots out with radiant wings. The silhouette of imperial brilliance possesses a feminine bodice. Her luscious locks of hair waved like an ebony veil of the starry nightsky. This is a stark contrast to everything else about Her stature which sparkled. The planet in Her altruistic grasp is sculpted according to an old montage of memories and dreams. It transforms from a round beacon into a sphere that pulses with renewed vigor.

How precious. She mused.

Thus, enriched by Her word, creation begins to take its first breath and first beat. Upon Her palms, a gem brilliantly gleams amidst the starry void.

TEYVAT shath be thy name.

『 A cosmic array so vibrant 』

The Astral Goddess smiled triumphantly.

Her mystical figure begins to fade as She holds this new fragile jewel in hand. A young celestial body, It is the first of all Her creations that have yet to come and be born. Its sheer potential awaits discovery and refinement, both of which will someday be unraveled to a grand fruition. All it would take is patience with a touch of passion and determination.

"Little Traveler, wherefore art thou?"

Then, She returns from whence They came.

As if the universe welcomes Its existence, a galaxy surrounds It. Clouds of stardust kiss It in welcome, and vibrant gas of colors danced in celebration. The other stars twinkled in greeting from afar while Its sun and moon beamed at each other.

Long may It thrive in the cosmos.

『 Born, emerging from heat and flames 』

PRIMO STELLA pulses to the beat of The Divine One's heart, steady yet profound.

Alas, the heat continues to be repressed. It seethes like a fury that refuses to simmer down, yet also not quite willing to lash out. From the hearth of embers procured by the planet-star, pieces were shed like glass fragments. They revolve around the radiant core, glinting as ethereal light reflected upon each surface. White flames burn amongst the blues, searing as the shards took shape—all of them were spherical yet imperfect.

Each of these spheres were fed by the Primo Stella's gracious light. They shine like beacons, glimmer like diamonds. Resembling the art of blowing glass, every one is a masterpiece born from the heat and flames of a planet-star.

Then, in a blink, they all dispersed.

Amongst the magma of Teyvat's crust, the children of the earth and sky had risen.

A solar chariot brought forth heat and life which burned unlike any fire. It was an unmatched lord of daylight, piloted by stars which go unseen. Behind the wheels, ivory smoke take the form of clouds amidst the freshly painted sky. To provide life upon the land, Teyvat eludes the dreamy gaze of the starry void by donning this azure mask.

Following is the silver carriage that carried three: the ruling ladies of the night. The moons held different shapes, brimming with uneven luminosity—labelled as the quarter, the gibbous, and the crescent. Rule of sovereignty over the nightsky switches thrice before completing the lunar month with a full moon. In the world of Teyvat, there was no such thing as a moon coated in complete darkness...for the night must remain illuminated.

Thus, the overlords of heaven above reigned as the keepers of time.

Nevertheless, they are all mere husks wherein lies the holy grails of divine light. For the sacrament of wishes have yet to begin, all laid still upon the unreachable until sentience be giveth unto thee.

『 Withstand waves of destruction 』

The Astral Goddess takes a theatrical bow.

The world croons as if in applause, elements uniting to engulf Her within an encompassing embrace. It was strangely warming despite the chill. The winds surrounded Her in a gentle whirlwind. The seas spun along the same direction, as if to safeguard Her in a whirlpool barrier. A pillar rises from below, elevating Her to new heights. Magma and flame burst from the column, interjecting the intimate pas de deux between maelstrom and monsoon. Vines crawled and clung to petite limbs as well as long locks of wavy hair, blooming as decorative accessories. The sky is lit by the lightning's glow as frost and snow is condensed by the stratosphere. Her divine silhouette concludes the curtain call with a final fouette, and then followed by a flawless arabesque.

"Goodnight, my sweet little one."

Then, She disperses in fluttering curtains of aurora borealis. Some spiral as the rays spread across the ebony blanket, and a few fading into gray clouds of the night. Immaculate wisps playfully twinkle upon the capes, blending with the farther stars of Outer Space. These mischievous wisps hid in plain sight whenever the chariot rode, but remain constant as the cycles of the moon.

Meanwhile, the coalescence of elements found their respective places in Teyvat. It reached a pinnacle of clarity to never forget this momentous birth. The dawn of creation is something that will be engraved unto every lifeform which shall exist onwards.

From the sands, gigantic sets of pillars grew and were shaped into mountains. Some became valley and others softened into lower hills, all bearing the geometric lines of golden geo. Rain fell to water the dry dunes, bestowing oasis with the noble mark of hydro. Barren soil is then enveloped with greenery and life, showering the lands in wise dendro. Only then, the storm arrived as the pavane for the eternal electro. Sleet and hail were delivered by violent whirlwinds, accompanied by the torrential oceans in a collaboration of anemo and cryo. Then, beneath it all, flames burst forth with eruptions of ashes and magma as the proud regards of pyro.

Teyvat persevered as a meager kimberlite in pursuit of an ambition to become a diamond.

『 Unaltered in Heaven's wake 』

THE DIVINE ONE remained in darkness, having lost track of how long They spent in solitude.

Only memories kept madness at bay, taking a vague semblance of dreams. It filled Their heart with many wishes, a searing desire to live. Melodic blues are soothed by the calling of an abyss where stars and planets gleam amongst nothingness. A spectrum of twilight cloaked the dimension as a theatrical replica of a legitimate landscape. Alas, it lacked the will and quintessence of a true purpose.

Perhaps, with time, those will come too—

"We love you, little sister."

—and perhaps, that time amounts to ten years.

Unbeknownst to She Who Sleeps, the cradle burns with new life. The first star expands around Them, shifting into another form by the demands of She Who Awakened. The memories of one provides the guidance which enables the other to create. They waited in purgatory while months blend together as if they were mere hours.

From the light of a cosmogenic star, a planet has finally reached completion.

It is a surge of nostalgia, the explosion of heat and flames with sparkling stardust. Two delicate hands welcome the orb of life, shaping and painting it like a porcelain vase. A once in a lifetime phenomenon has imprinted itself unto the universe, taking root in order to thrive.

『 Time and space 』

SOLSTICE holds no clear recollection of the past ten years she had spent asleep.

Instead, she dreams of a vague memory when she was so little. Her body felt feverish and sore, overall uncomfortable. This greatly worried the twins as they thought she was not taking their travels well, perhaps due to her age. Lumine held her close while Aether activated the gateway of Cosmogenesis to summon an omnipotent presence. It was the first Outlander, the great Ancient amongst the Elders.

Elder Odin was his name.

His voice sounds as old and wise as his reputation has preceded. Nevertheless, the authority behind it stood strong and proud. It demanded respect yet chivalrously welcomed those who seek counsel.

"Your sister," he said, "holds unique powers like the few that came before her. It is something that slightly differs even amongst Outlanders."

Aether frowned, "You mean the fact she was born from a nebula rather than from a star?"

Odin grunted affirmatively, "Yes. This is just a phase and it shall pass soon. The fever is merely her body transitioning to accept that power little by little."

Lumine bit her lip anxiously before adjusting her hold on their youngest sibling.

"Is there any way to prevent these fevers from getting too bad?" She asked.

The Elder chuckled warmly, "It will likely be a rare event after this so fret not. As long as you keep her star—the Primo Stella, as I recall—sealed and near her, everything shall be good until her 16th year."

"What if the seal breaks prematurely?"

The Lord Elder is quiet for a while, creating a mild tension that made the twins shiver.

"Nothing good, I would assume." Odin answered.

He sighs, "It brings me great sorrow to tell. All other Nebula Outlanders have been lost, and so too their older siblings. We assume that they have all chosen mortality to permanently lose their potential, to not risk its unpredictable awakening. In solidarity, their siblings have likely joined them. Unfortunately, the price of such choice is the severance of their bonds to Cosmogenesis. Therefore, we hold no further records of them to speak as example."

The twins listen attentively, swallowing a small hitch of anxiety in their throats.

"Only one particular instance," the Elder continues, "was a seal prematurely lifted. They too—the Nebula Outlander involved and their sibling—have vanished from the watch of Cosmogenesis, as if having either perished or detached like the rest."

Aether and Lumine stared in astonishment. They simultaneously look at their sickly sister, hearts clenching at her heaving breaths.

"Alas," the Elder interjected, "you could be different."

"How so?" Aether asked eagerly.

"Not only is your sister a rare existence, but so are both of you—twin Outlanders and their younger sibling. There is a reason why Luciel brought forth more than one miracle."

Lumine tilted her head, "I don't understand."

"Someday, you will. Destiny finds a way."

The memory fades into soot, like a picture burning away to the greedy touch of fire.

From that same touch, she felt herself float. As a drowning sailor would perceive the surface, a light ripples just beyond her grasp. Her hand reaches up and the waves helped her get closer rather than weigh her down. The starry dreamscape was left in the abyss where the void previously cradled her.

It is a rebirth that she now can remember.

No supernova exploded from the depths of oblivion, but the sensation is strikingly similar. Unfathomable forces compressed within her being, impatiently trying to break free. It was a knot, tightening and tightening, until the rope finally broke.

『 Born, emerging from heat and flames 』

The Divine One can feel wings spread from Their shoulder blades, resembling satin ribbons made of fluorescent lights. A tattoo embeds unto the skin of Their back, tracking down the entire spine. Amidst the void where time serves no merit, They begin to transcend a plane of existence to divinity. A decade of slumber paves the path for spiritual resonance between Primo Stella and the child of Luciella.

Now, it is time to awaken as a whole.

The day has come to leave the void of dreams. The present beckons Her to listen. Much like Her birth in cosmogony, She is reborn through heat and flames of the star she bore.

"What are you wishing for, sis?"

"Anything."

Let thy fair lullabies of yestereve be replaced by thy mellifluous hymns of morrow.

Thus, from the shadows, She is revived.

『 Tempered by violent rays 』

Teyvat rejoices for The Creator.

A magical surge spreads across the sands, the seas, and the skies. No stone was spared, nay even a drop of innocent dew. Everything and everyone felt Their Eminence rise to the surface, henceforth all shall bow in humble delight. Elemental essence took form in sentient globes, a species of monsters living as condensed energies of the planet. Diamond ores sprouted wings to flutter across the continents, and flora bloomed amidst the saturated energies that lingered from the cosmic wave. The power that ran through the veins within this celestial body had bestowed animated existence, similar to an angel's breath. These ties that bind function as unspoken links to The All-Creator, as if weaving strings of fate by demon's blood.

To those whom bore witness, no words could attest their euphoria. The All-Creator was a sight unlike any other, a Grecian marble statue embellished with white gold and draped in silk.

Wings unfold, She grants divine light to all that witnessed the awakening. The seven elements had converged in a wild fugue which ironically tempered the celestial energy. Her Eminence descends to a bed of flowers where glowing eyes closed, not to rest but to regain cognizance of oneself. The holy wings dispersed into feathers of light, a thousand wisps vanishing as fleeting dreams.

From afar, a giant wolfdog watches shrewdly.

Heterochromatic eyes of sapphire blue and emerald green glower at the resplendent light. A furcoat of auburn brown swayed alongside the gales, mocking the novelty of pottery clay. Unlike his realm brothers, his purpose is not to guide but to observe. In turn, his territory is far more accommodating and leaves the planet plenty of means to communicate. If truly necessary, his presence can simply be an extension of disciplinary aid. When that is no longer required, he can fade back to the dull peace of nonexistence.

Thus, as The Creator was delivered upon the land, the colossal wolfdog sprints.

It is time to uphold his duty.

Then, Solstice snaps her eyes wide open.

『 Come, come see her withstand 』

It was an overall surreal experience.

Solstice barely registers anything around her as she woke up to this new world. There is a passing of soft murmurs that buzzed in her ears. It sounded as if something was cooing at her. Her sight is still mildly blurry, a case of drowsiness lingering which her eyes try to blink back. Some of her limbs feel numb yet she exerts the effort to regain a sense of feeling, at least enough to move. Nose twitching, she follows the scent of freshwater and the sound of steady running streams. She crawls her way through the blades of grass that oddly seem to part as she went.

Alas, with her muddled mind, the young lady failed to notice such peculiarities.

As soon as her hand touched water, Solstice did not waste a second to wash her face. Once she gained clarity, she hydrated herself after making sure it was clean enough for consumption. A breath of relief escaped past her lips, eyes closed in comfort. Rays of sunshine warmed her skin, bathing every pore with morning grace. Though her locks were tangled, they gave a lustrous gleam as drops of water touch the wavy strands.

The current location is filled with greenery yet not as imposing as a forest and jungle would feel. Walls of stone unevenly surrounded her from the eastside, judging by the sun's rise, curving around as cliffs of medium height. The plateaus smelled like flowers, and petals rained to decorate the unseen gentle breeze with an array of colors. Grass encompassed the ground in varying shades of green and cleared areas were coated in rich bronze soil. A number of flat stones are spread and scattered like unfinished pathways, accompanying a small orchard that range from thin bamboo trees to tall oaks. At the wayside, there is a river leading to a lake and waterfall at the heart of the curvature.

"Where am I?" Solstice wondered.

Immediately, she was struck with a bout of anxiety despite the wonderful landscape. This moment of unease displayed her inexperience in the wild. She tries to remember everything else that had plausibly happened which led to this predicament. Her mind was coming up with blanks, and she really wants her siblings to just be here.

That is it.

Her siblings...

As she always did, her first instinct was to call out for the two people that grounded her to security.

"Atti..? Mimin...?"

The lonely Outlander pauses in shock, touching her throat swiftly. Was that her voice? Why did it sound so unfamiliar, as if belonging to an adolescent?

At that realization, Solstice finally paid attention to the changes in her body. Looking down, her hands turned this way and that while flexing her fingers in demonstration. They were longer and more slender, reminding her of Lumine's hands yet less calloused—a stark reminder of inexperienced youth. She also notices that her hair was longer than how she last left it, likely reaching her knees if she stood up. At the moment, the wavy strands only trailed on the ground where she sat. Her eyes trailed towards her torso as her breath hitched upon finding the source of heaviness—a grown chest.

"Am I in Mimin's body?!" She exclaimed.

The astonishing conclusion made her crawl back towards the lake. Instead of seeing her older sister's reflection, a young adult version of herself stared back with hysterical confusion. As the water showed her the truth, fear ensnared her heart.

Solstice screamed, recoiling in horror.

Her chest heaved as she hyperventilated, panic coursing through her veins. Goosebumps slithered on the surface of unblemished skin.

"Calm down."

Aether's voice echoed from her memories.

"Calm down. Take deep breaths, Sol."

Solstice closes her eyes in an attempt to focus. She grasped onto the memory of her brother amidst a stormy night. It was the first time she experienced thunder and lightning in one of their travels. Lumine was out for a week-long commission, leaving Aether to care for their little sister. She can recall his warm embrace and the way he drowsily rocked her while sitting on the bed.

Then, he began to hum their old lullaby.

In unison with the distant memory, the young lady began to sing the verses under her breath. The mere sound was too achingly strange to be as real of a comfort as it ounce felt. It cracked here and there due to lack of use. Otherwise, it shook uncertainly like a lost child's weeping for a guardian to guide them back home. However, as the lullaby came to a close, a very miniscule hint of acceptance registered within the young woman.

This is her voice now.

Solstice hesitantly went back to the water, checking her reflection again. Her slender fingers pulled on her cheeks, pinching the skin and turning it rosy after letting go. She swept back her long fringes and leaned forward, squinting at the fine lady staring back at her skeptically.

"Is this...me?" She questioned.

A gasp escaped her lips as if hearing herself for the first time all over again, but calmer. She definitely sounded more mature and less pitchy, resembling Lumine yet much softer. Her eyes dampened a bit, slightly overwhelmed by these abrupt changes. It was partially due to hormones suddenly spiking as she has just recently awakened to this older body, sending it to a gradual overdrive.

Solstice shook her head firmly, determined to stay composed and on track.

"That's right, baby sis! You can do it."

Lumine's voice echoed in her mind this time, a sign of encouragement to push forward. It had always been that way. While her older brother protects and keeps them grounded, her older sister enables them to pursue things out of their comfort zones. It is also how the twins worked even before their little sister was born.

Aether pulls back and defends.

Lumine pushes forth and attacks.

Solstice is the anchor, their balance, and a pillar of support that provides rest.

"Now, let's keep moving!"

There is always time and method to adapt.

First is traverse. Never stay in one place for longer than necessary if she wants to make progress. It is always advisable to scout for safe routes that will lead to anything of value. The priority in this step is to seek an acceptable camp or shelter before night strikes, a time where predators are prowling.

Second is observe. Always know one's limits and never engage anything unless beyond certain it is not a threat. If required, only take a risk when there are no other options for survival. Trust is earned both ways when addressing strangers.

Third is forage and scavenge. Once a settlement has been decided, search for resources and provisions for tonight. If possible, gather as much supply that will last until tomorrow so full health is guaranteed for further travels. Being near a freshwater source such as rivers and lakes is always ideal.

Finally, repeat all three steps. In some cases, hunting is part of step two. However, as mentioned, it is vital to always assess the target before engaging. In such situations wherein confrontation is not an available option, use step three as a way to gather materials for entrapment.

With that in mind, the wayward sister regains the confidence to carry onward.

『 Waves of destruction— 』

Solstice wasted no time after regaining composure, running off to find her siblings.

It was a strange venture into the unknown that oddly felt familiar as well. Everything was so new to her yet a nagging part in her mind found this world to be nostalgic at the same time. Her current attire is not quite appropriate for a trek in the wilderness, let alone a hike in the mountains. Furthermore, this is the first time she is left alone to fend for herself in the wild. In the rare instances neither Aether nor Lumine could stay with her for a day, there would be an appointed guardian to babysit her—the rare close friends her siblings allowed themselves to trust and have. If they were in a world lacking a populace, she was given every resource she would need in their temporary shelter.

Now, the little traveler only has her wits to use every single thing her siblings had taught.

"I can do this," she nodded nervously to herself, "I'm an Outlander too! I can figure out a way to survive on my own...at least, until Atti and Mimin come back."

A pessimistic thought strays into her mind, placing doubts within her subconscious.

What if...her siblings do not come for her?

Solstice shook her head firmly to dissuade herself from believing such negativity. It may take a long time but the twins will come for her. They always will because they promised. Aether and Lumine never break their word once they have given it, especially to their little sister. Her faith in them is stronger than anything in the universe, rivaled only by their love for each other. Right now, she just has to endure and wait patiently until they arrive. Besides, she can never forget the basic skillset routine she has been taught to master since she could walk and talk.

The young Outlander did not know how long she ran but it was enough to start feeling hunger and slight fatigue. Keen eyes observe their surroundings yet detect nothing but trees. She has delved deeper into the forest, and she can hear running water becoming clearer to her ears. It is not the harsh impact of a waterfall from whence she came, but more like the softer flow of cold streams. That was her cue to make a beeline towards the sound.

Hopefully, there will be some fish she can catch or fruit trees she can climb to harvest. This body still moves a little clumsily due to the new height and weight added to her formerly small size. It does not help that she is currently barefoot and clothed only in a flowy dress. Nonetheless, she feels far from dejected about her circumstance. If anything, she is starting to reawaken her sense of adventure with excitement and anticipation.

Solstice pulled and cut a few strings of vines to tie up her hair. Then, she searched for a stick and stone she can sharpen into a spear. Her soft palms are likely going to get blistered by the end of the day, but a part of her relishes the possibility. It will be like an achievement for her age of independence.

"I'm coming for you, fishies!" Solstice exclaims.

The process was rambunctiously done yet she did not forget to pay respects in her mind. After all, she was reaping life in order to serve her own. Even for the littlest fish or the mightiest of boars, the twins raised her to respect each one.

Thus, she prayed.

"May thou spirit forever swim amongst purest waters, as thou body serve to sustain thy life of mine."

The young wanderer managed to catch at least one fish large enough to keep her full for tonight. A lot of berry shrubs were found by the riverbank, ripe and juicy for the taking. They function as good garnishes and tasty desserts. A campfire kept her warm and she was satisfied despite the splinters the firewood gave her. By the time she was all tuckered out, the moons reached the apex and her eyes eventually drifted shut in sweet dreams.

Unfortunately, the campfire fizzled out in the middle of the night. It was haphazardly made in the first place so it was to be expected.

Solstice shivered as her body instinctively curled up to a tighter ball. Unbeknownst to her, a few vines crawled to gather up more logs and arrange it on the campfire spot. A lone pyro crystalfly flutters ever so gracefully and lands on the lumber. It glows before releasing a small fiery burst, flickering away once the embers began to burn. The tree branch of the willow that provided shade for the sleeping beauty bent down like an extended limb. It stretched over the fire to feed it by shaking off a few leaves, and then returned to its prior position. The flame spread to devour the entirety of the logs, burning brighter in gratitude. The evening breeze warmed just as it blew from the seashores.

Teyvat wishes Its maker goodnight.

Solstice knew she was being watched.

If she had been sound of mind since the beginning, she would have noticed sooner. Alas, she needed time alone to regain her bearings. The moment she did, a piercing shiver went down her spine. It was neither hostile nor dangerous, just very meticulous and shrewd. This watchful warden followed her at all times, no matter where she went. Although, it seems to respect her privacy by theoretically looking away whenever she needs to relieve herself.

"Show yourself." She demanded.

Nothing happened.

Huffing irately, she tried for a different approach—a mannerly one.

"Please reveal yourself." She amends.

For a moment, nothing happened and she thinks it did not work.

However, there was the faint sound of rustling grass as the being took steps towards her. The pads of a paw swiftly passes, and then in a blink, a creature emerges. Whatever it was, the thing appears to be a huge quadrupedal animal. A single paw—almost the size of two human heads—steps out of the shadows, revealing dark brown fur that shines in bronze under the moonlit night. Thick black claws with sharp tips of white elongated to dig into the dirt. A mismatched pair of blue and green irises with slit pupils glares back at her, stern yet not unkind. It seems to emit flamelike tails at the end of its lashes, similar to the spirits of nature that guard the realm.

Apparently, that was all it planned to show of itself.

The second Solstice blinked, the eyes vanished—

—yet she still felt them watching.

『 —unaltered in Heaven's wake 』

It took a few weeks for her to learn.

Solstice was willing to admit that she grew up a little spoiled by her siblings. The twins denied her almost nothing and did all they can for her sake. It was not farfetched to say that she was sheltered in that sense, despite traveling to countless worlds. She was still disciplined when necessary, but being naturally optimistic yet mild-mannered helped avoid any scolding. Granted, she did not have the typical childhood that allowed her stability and friends—which likely played a part to her occasionally taciturn behavior. However, for the most part, she had everything she could need and want in life.

Aether and Lumine did their best to raise her well, which honestly was enough for Solstice.

Now, she has to educate herself how to survive alone and get the hang of things.

Being adventurous, Solstice sincerely did not mind this new arrangement. Of course, she struggled a lot with this sudden independence; but like always, her curiosity for the world made it all worthwhile. She did pay attention to how Aether lit their campfires, and how Lumine set up a temporary shelter. She watched attentively from afar whenever they set up traps or hunted, how they create fishing rods out of sticks and vines. All Outlanders were built to gather information like that for survival.

Honestly, what bothered her the most was her own body and its abrupt transition.

Outlanders technically do not have birthdays. They are all born in cosmogony, the center of eternity where time is an absent construct. There was no way to tell apart the days, weeks, months, and years from each other. Nonetheless, every one of them can feel a change in their bodies every technical year they turn older; and by hopping to their first world just as this subtle transition occurs, they can figure out their supposed birthday through that world's calendar cycle. These rites of passage will only stop on their 16th year, the pinnacle of maturity for all cosmic Outlanders. The Elders had told them that an Outlander will be capable of aging past that boundary at varying circumstances and in different rates of speed. Some could do it upon reaching their hundredth, thousandth, or even millionth world; and others only attain such ability after finding their true home. The oldest physical age that Outlanders have gotten so far—without giving up their immortality, of course—is 35-years-old, which applies to most of the Elders excluding Odin. It is said that Odin's physical form resembles a man in his late 70s.

Solstice stared down at her reflection on the river, filled with both intrigue and a tinge of fear. She had changed while asleep. From a child to a teenager, she deduced that at least a decade has passed. She reached the age of maturity while in slumber, and Primo Stella was no longer in the relic. The rattle is still kept on her person, but the star it had sanctified is long gone.

She distinctly recalls what fate may have befallen it, the day she got separated from her siblings.

•

Horrified, Aether and Lumine urgently reached out for their little sister. For that brief moment, even the small child felt that something went terribly wrong—a tiny mistake she never meant to happen. Solstice looked back at the twins and also reached out.

"Solstice—!!!" They cried out.

Alas, the moment she blinked, the world turned black and everything else felt like a dream.

•

Solstice bit back a grimace at the blurry memory, ashamed by her foolhardiness.

"Aether and Lumine said it was supposed to merge with me on my 16th year." She murmured, "Is that what happened? Or..."

She did not finish her thought and instead pursed her lips shut. A delicate hand reaches up, tracing the contours of her throat. Her voice has changed as well, losing its pitchy squeaks to a lower tone that seems more refined. It was very strange to hear this rich tone come from her. A part of her feels anxious and timid, as if she does not belong in her own skin; but it was not as if she felt like rejecting this body either, proving it is truly hers. Fortunately, she is now getting used to it the more she talked. Although, a fellow conversationalist would have made all of this a better prospect.

Speaking of which, this world is peculiar.

Solstice began to encounter more wildlife as she explored further. It is unknown whether her sheer inexperience or her love for animals held her back from hunting often. The general preference in meal routines seem to center on the fruits and vegetation she could pick. She can see that the expanse of the continent holds varying terrains. As of now, she has managed to visit a few beaches and traversed the majority of the jungle. At some point, she managed to settle down in a hidden cavern by a rapid creek that flowed onto a huge lake—the perimeters of which were surrounded by an orchard of fruit trees.

The location was too good to be true, yet she found it by following a kaleidoscope of crystalflies. The notion of finding a sanctuary through them was a little too convenient. Although suspicious, she knew better than to look at a gift horse in the mouth. Thus, she merely counted her blessings gratefully.

Time also passes inconsistently and a part of her is confused whether the climate is to blame. On some weeks, she felt as if the sun stays up too long; and on others, she felt as if it arrives too late. The cycles of night and day were weird yet—in all honesty—far from inconvenient. If anything, it was almost as if time itself aided her in getting a better schedule.

In fact, it was almost as if the sun was a personal spotlight that protectively looms over her.

It was three months later that Solstice made a very impactful discovery.

After finalizing a settlement for herself, she began to notice the peculiarities of this world—especially the utter convenience of resources. It is not so obvious that the strange occurrences warranted suspicion, only confusion. There has been a lot of times in her travels wherein an unexplained phenomenon occurs at the most convenient opportunity. In particular, this is applicable to whenever she is facing more trouble than she could handle.

Solstice can be rather clumsy with self-care due to her spirited nature. She never had to worry in the past since the twins were present to remind her or, better yet, dote on her. A rosy hue flushed on her cheeks in embarrassment at the remembrance, now realizing how much they really pampered her. It made her all the more appreciative of those days, and longing to experience it all again. Sometimes, these reveries can lead to serendipitous encounters.

Once, she spent too much time adventuring into the woods and neglected to bring food. As if to pacify the growls of her stomach, an apple fell on her head with a resounding thud. It came all the way from the tree by the ridge hovering above her, which was a little ridiculous. She could have sworn that tree was not in season to bloom. The lone traveler did not complain as she rerouted to reach the tree.

Imagine her shock when an entire blooming garden welcomed her at the top of the ridge.

On the following week, Solstice has reached a rather humid area. This was a section of the woodland that catered more to the tropical plants. The environment is either a marsh or a rainforest, with a desert on the farther westside. Sweat stuck like second skin as the climate bore down on her. Just as she was about to collapse from the heat, thunder bellowed from the skies and rain began to pour. It was not as odd since she was in a rainforest, but the timing was a little too abrupt. Alas, a bit delirious from the heat, all she felt was relief amidst the refreshing cold.

As they say, third time is the charm.

Solstice had gone hiking with her siblings countless times in previous worlds. She knows the protocol when trekking uneven terrains without a map, and what to do when stranded or trapped. A particular mountain range gave her quite the challenge amidst her explorations. There was a bunch of ruins spotted at one of the highest peaks, but it was practically unreachable from the rest of the hilltops. Climbing it from all the way to the base was impossible without proper gear. While Solstice knows Outlanders have wings, she has yet to either grow hers—as far as she knows—or control it to unfurl. She lost count how many times she had to retrace her steps after, once again, reaching a dead end. Dejectedly, she had to give up as she grew tired and night began to fall.

Then, the next morning, Solstice decided to try one last time to figure out how to reach the ruins.

Lo and behold, a stone bridge had formed.

The structure was honestly hazardous due to how it looked half-done. Fortunately, the foundations are stable and rigid. Only the overall appearance seems to be asymmetrical, as if a storm had ravaged the bridge while it came into existence. At that point, the young lady can confirm an astonishing fact.

This world bends to her will.

A zephyr blew, carrying a soothing hymn alongside the whistling gales. It sounded joyous yet almost timid, like a child meeting a new playmate.

"What is your name?" Solstice asked.

The question was instinctive, unbidden by rationality as the words escaped her lips. It just felt right to ask, to inquire the sentience of this world. The idea may be ludicrous but she can feel it now. A rumbling of the soil, a whisper from the winds, a rustle of the leaves, and a sway of the waves all communicated with her earnestly. Even her nights were comforted by the warmth of the fires that remained vigilant in the dark, fierce yet nurturing.

Teyvat, It responded to her unspokenly.

Solstice does not understand how effortlessly she can converse with this planet.

Her thoughts reach out to the world but It does not respond with words this time. Instead, It releases a faint pulse that sang to her very being—

—with a nostalgic chime.

She gasped, "Primo Stella...?"

Teyvat croons proudly, ecstatic to now be officially introduced to Its creator.

『 Sworn, stood by her [ siblings' ] place 』

Much like how Aether and Lumine pampered their sister, Teyvat catered to Its maker.

Solstice fully embraced the possibilities that this world had presented to her. Whether it be resources or entertainment, the planet responds by giving what It perceives she needed or wanted. Even time itself moved according to her whim. Day brings out the sun when she wishes to explore, and night brings out the moon when she wishes to rest. That tidbit finally explained the strangely uneven hours of her day-night cycles. The conclusion gave her a bit of a headache to deduce the accuracy of time, but she supposed it barely matters for now.

However, limits were put into place since Teyvat was still learning—much like her.

It only knows as much as she can understand of the universe. She vaguely asked for a book she has yet to read. It gave her one with blank pages because It did not possess the grain of knowledge she sought, a saddening thought. The revelation amplified the loneliness of her circumstances, but she tried not to retain that kind of mindset too long.

There are still so many questions about how this worked, and she found answers in the scattered ruins across the continent. Details she overlooked were hidden in the most unexpected nooks that archived bits of history. The few ruins she found told stories of creation rather than a civilization that had long past. Teyvat is a young planet that does not have much to tell, but one truth did make sense of almost everything.

She created Teyvat.

She did it while asleep throughout the decade.

Her Primo Stella cradled her after being separated from her siblings. It protected her and then gradually expanded into a world that can provide for her. The memories of the process are slowly coming back in clearer recollections. The images of her astral form dancing amongst the stars and commanding the elements to take shape—it all unraveled like a fairy tale montage. Every aspect of the planet took a hint of inspiration from her memories of previous worlds she visited with her siblings.

Her siblings, the twins...

The thought makes her wonder in hope.

"Teyvat," she murmured, "will you bring Aether and Lumine to me?"

Suddenly, everything went still as if time stopped and the elements silenced.

Minutes later, nothing happened.

Then, everything moved again.

Solstice knew the answer and a somber smile took over her countenance. Her trembling hands folded together over her lap, head bowed. Long fringes shielded her eyes as small droplets fell upon her pale knuckles, the scent of salt wafting in the air.

Teyvat hummed morosely, wishing to comfort yet unable to comprehend.

"I understand." She reassured shakily.

That was the first time she ever lied.

The Creator gave the wolfdog a name.

Invictus, to be unconquerable, is the honor of this entitlement. Words hold power, and even more so the names bestowed upon any lifeform. He knew not why his fleeting existence would even deserve a name, but he was in no position to question the will of this world's maker. However, he did wonder why The Creator would choose such a powerful name when She barely knew of him. Nevertheless, to show gratitude, he left resources in the Outlander's abode or somewhere along the common path. Whenever She felt lost, he creates trails as a helping nudge of direction. In slumber, he allows himself to approach and provide warmth; but he makes himself scarce just as quickly as dawn arose.

As his purpose entailed, he watched as the young lady—his ward—named Solstice began to learn. First was to survive in the wild, and the next was to speak with Teyvat. The experience was both enthralling and sobering for him, a matter which astounds him in some ways. He and his brothers hold no capacity to feel deeply, at least not for their own behalf. They are mere extensions of the three realms in Teyvat—the Mortal Realm, in his own case. He resolved to just let it be without further inquiry, unable to delve into further comprehension.

When the time comes, Invictus knew the girl would be ready.

Then, his departure will follow.

Despite his resolve, a part of him had wavered when Solstice wept. He felt raw yearning and grief as She spoke of Her siblings. That was the precise moment he realized that The Divine Creator is but a child, nearly as young as the world She had molded. This caused great concern within him, whether the right thing is to bestow the burden of reign on her petite shoulders. In his eyes, she has always been delicate due to her appearance; but now, her heart is clearly just as fragile. That had been the only time he ever questioned the term of his obligations as her distant shield—even though he desired to soothe her.

As consolation, Invictus approached the lonely Outlander once again when she slept. He bowed his head to ever chastely kiss her brow. In his mind, he gave a solitary vow.

Lord Aether and Lady Lumine will arrive in Teyvat, someday surely.

Heterochrome eyes stared up at the three moons, contemplating. Then, he turned to walk away into the night. In his ruminations, the wolfdog stood valiantly upon the highest mountain peak. He howls, protectively and defiantly, as a proclamation of his faith to The Divine One.

I, by name of Invictus, shall protect all souls within the Mortal Realm and preserve their bonds—

Then, his eyes of sapphire and emerald glowed with fervor. It demands power which Teyvat granted in turn, for the planet itself acknowledges his oath.

—until that fateful day arrives, wherein these three star-crossed siblings can reunite.

『 Dancing with astral grace 』

Solstice never stayed down for long.

Teyvat may not be able to grant her one true desire, but that was no excuse for slacking. In fact, she channels all her frustration into determination. From now onwards, she needs to do better by herself. Her powers became a good focus, as well as training for swordsmanship. The primary motivator is to achieve mastery of oneself in order to figure out her abilities and use them to hopefully reunite with Aether and Lumine. If they cannot be brought to her, she will find a way to bring herself to them. Of course, lacking a proper mentor makes everything a little tedious; but Outlanders never back down even with a handicap, and she is no exception. The sentient world even supports her by providing monsters that can be her sparring partners.

It was bizarre at first, especially the slimes.

The creatures do not emit any sort of ill will, but they attack once she has readied her stance. Whenever they are supposedly slain, it was more like they have dispersed. Then, after a few minutes, they always return with an array of fruits and berries to offer for her as snacks. Solstice has no idea whether it was still the exact same set of slimes but they at least do not hold a grudge. If anything, they all celebrate with her when she succeeds in the sparring sessions.

Most of them lack high intelligence but they are certainly challenging enough for a beginner like herself. They all have synergy, as if capable of team work just by instinct. It makes sense since they all attack as a group and can merge in bulks—only applicable for slimes of similar element—to create armors or transform into a bigger slime. Accidents do happen occasionally, wherein the monsters seem to panic comically whenever she gets injured. Their varied elements give different displays of emotion, showing the funniest sights.

That was another shred of knowledge that Teyvat had helpfully supplied: elements.

There are seven main elements that flow through nature's veins: anemo, the element that tames the elusive winds; geo, the element that governs the lands of stone; electro, the element that dictates the might of lightning; dendro, the element that nurtures the soil of flora; hydro, the element that controls the torrential waters; pyro, the element that sparks the wildest flames; and cryo, the element that thrives under the coldest reign of ice. With these seven, she eventually learns the value of elemental reactions which are the coalescence of the natural order.

"Hyaa—!"

A youthful warcry echoed as pyro breaks through a shield of frost. It shattered just as Solstice raised a pillar behind her to counter the recoil, propelling herself back into confrontation. In a swirl of anemo, lightning strikes accompanied by a splash. The conduit paralyzes surrounding foes as vines crawl from the soles of Solstice's feet. They clung to cryo slimes that tried to flee and, with a menacing glint in her eyes, she commands.

"Burn."

In a blink, the slimes of coldest ice melted at the face of infernal divine fury.

However, in another second, Solstice shivered as she approached the other slimes watching.

"I'm so sorry for killing your buddies!" She said.

The blob creatures only bounced with reassuring eyes that seem to connote happy smiles. To comfort their lovely girl, the cryo slimes were quick to return with help from the planet.

As such, Teyvat bent to her will once more as she slowly but surely mastered these elements.

Solstice fought with a sharp ferocity overlapped by the elegance of her dance. For now, her choice of weapon is the reformed vessel of Primo Stella—from a mere rattle into a noble scepter. It grew long via transfiguration magic, an acceptable length for a working staff in combat. In the field, the young lady resembled more a quick-footed majorette than a vicious mercenary. However, that did not lessen her capability as a fighter.

The stronger this Outlander grew, the farther she ventured into what Teyvat held in store.

Regardless of her childish heart, Solstice admits the merits of hunting.

Unlike the rest of her survival skills, this particular one is less honed than the rest. She did not like harming animals. Fishing was already a chore for her, which is why she stuck to a vegetarian lifestyle most of the time. It was unavoidable sometimes due to the demands of her own body. Lumine taught her that the bodies of Outlanders tend to need more sustenance after reaching full maturity, especially females. In a way, the life from the preys they hunt turn into essence that feed their magical abilities. It is not to an extent they devour the soul, but rather the remnants that linger in the physical vessel. She was so young when that lesson was brought up so she barely understood enough to recall it.

Aether reinforced that lesson by taking her hunting with him a few times whenever Lumine was busy.

Sometimes, a lonesome heart must be hardened in order to keep beating.

A bow and arrow set is always the preferred choice of weapon. It is less confrontational, yet precise and swift when delivering efficiency. Of course, it took her a while to truly master it; and in the end, Solstice remains strongly reliant upon her blades. Moving targets are very difficult for her, but she found it to be a good excuse to avoid hunting unless absolutely necessary. At worst, her trapping skills can get the job done when all else failed.

Henceforth, with a quiver of arrows on her back and a bow in hand, she ventured into the wild.

Solstice watched out for any sign of life that could lead to an animal. Bigger is better as it can last longer if she used the freezer method of the hydro and cryo slimes to preserve the meat. That means it will take longer before she needs to hunt again. With that in mind, she relies on the elements of Teyvat whispering guidance to her ears. It may be slightly considered cheating, but she honestly prefers to address it as part of her cunning.

Against the occasional doubt, she found solace in the vigilant gaze of Invictus. He feels like a keeper whom gives encouragement in his own way, and scolds her with a random snarl whenever she lets her curiosity grow too much. Despite the harshness, there was no judgment to be detected from it—only patience and understanding.

Soon enough, keen eyes spotted tracks leading to a meadow. It is a renowned spot to the Outlander, a famous area where she found dandelions in heavy abundance long ago. Crouching low, she silenced her steps and swiftly followed the trail. By sheerly raw instinct, her senses intensify as the hunt had become the focal point of concentration. It was a subconscious effect for all Outlanders on a prowl.

Then, she froze once target was in sight.

A majestic buck stood vigilantly beside an elegant doe. The male deer's antlers stood tall and branched wide, revealing that it may be quite aged. From the closeness, they are likely a mated pair yet no fawn in sight. For some reason, the lack of offspring eases the heart of this young huntress.

Solstice always preferred a quick death for those she hunts. Sadly, she has not mastered the bow to exert enough power and commit the precision of one-shot kills. In fact, she would say her skills for the hunt are below average. However, what she lacks in technique, she makes up in resourceful tactics. The terrain can be used to her advantage with strategic traps and manipulations. After all, she already knows the area like the back of her hand. For any hiccups, the planet itself shall bend to her will.

Henceforth, her first arrow was shot as a misdirection.

Animals are highly intuitive and show intelligence when self-preservation is at stake. Hence, they deduce options by analyzing their surroundings in the blink of an eye. Afterwards, they adapt and then it becomes a question of fight or flight. Deer are herbivores and are naturally the prey type rather than predator. Their course of action is thus usually to flee danger than confront. Stags can put up a fight by lunging with their antlers when cornered in close proximity.

Therefore, the young huntress kept her distance.

The first arrow removed directions for the two deer: its origin, for they know their predator hides there in wait; and its destination, due to their natural instinct to flinch away from the deadly projectiles that were thrown at them. Upon calculating which option is farthest from both, the stag and the doe chose said path to flee. However, even that decision has already been calculated by their huntress.

Solstice had placed traps which would assure that the deer would follow a linear route. That way, they can never entirely escape her even if she lags behind her targets. Nonetheless, she sprints as fast as she could with her senses at an all-time high. At some point, she swings herself up to a tree and prepares another arrow. Keen eyes sharpen to lock on target, ever patiently waiting.

Then, the second arrow is fired.

It activates a trap that blocks any other route but forward, slamming down high obstacles. Without a choice, the stag and the doe move towards the flowing stream. Alas, the huntress has another three arrows pulled back. The lengths are infused with a swirl of anemo to enhance the speed. The tip of the arrowheads glow with frosty shots of cryo. In a blink, a trio of arrows are simultaneously fired much faster than the previous attempts.

All three landed upon the stream in a triangular formation. The timing coincides the exact moment four pairs of hooves made contact. The two preys are paralyzed by solid ice as the cryo arrowheads froze the stream, and its cold grasp crawled along their flailing limbs. As the deer struggled to break free, they are distracted by the rustle of leaves.

A shadow loomed over them.

The last thing both animals saw was a huntress and her dual daggers.

Solstice hardened her heart as she lands the final blow, propelling her body into a spin to gain a faster and more powerful trajectory. She had stabbed her daggers unto the pair whose hearts shall cease to beat in her hands. Geo energy gleamed like molten gold upon the blades and then petrified the veins of life that had been cut, preventing any from bleeding out. The ice shattered as the water flows again, as if to cleanse the hunt. Quick as a fleeting dream, two bodies fell as a pair of lifeless heaps.

It was painless and clean...

...yet Solstice still felt tainted.

Crouching down, delicate hands gently slid lifeless eyes to close. It is an act of compassion as well as gratitude, accompanied by solemn prayer. A few dendro slimes sprouted along the riverbank and then extended the leaves of their flowers. With respectful holds of the large petals, the carcasses are carried back to camp by the bouncing blobs. The young huntress follows at a leisure pace, collecting her arrows along the way.

"May thou forever prance," she prays, "in everlasting freedom amongst meadows of paradise."

Solstice, for a moment, believed that a mated pair of souls passed by her. The aurora borealis shimmers in welcome like a mystical veil above for the recently departed fayths.

The forest echoes a quiet dirge.

•

•

•

That night, Invictus was gone.

Despite its abruptness, a part of her understood so she only spoke her sincerest thanks. There was no time to say goodbye, so she did not call it that.

Hopefully, they can meet again.

『 Still, withstanding time and space 』

Teyvat is a peculiar abode.

It was not the first time Solstice had landed on a sentient planet. She can recall a memory about one named Gaia, back when she was a much younger Outlander. The dwellers call themselves Cetra and can speak to the planet itself. Aether claims to hear the whispers of the earth, while Lumine claims to hear the songs of the sea. As for their youngest sister, she claims to feel the emotions of something called the Lifestream—as informed by the Cetra for the siblings. Everyone had been so shocked when the little traveler, at the tender age of four, was able to manifest this intricate power into solid spherical forms. It was called materia, which are memories of the planet and used to channel the lost arts. It spoke of Solstice's great aptitude for magic, especially one that simulates creation, as she was able to resonate with Gaia despite not being one of Her children. In fact, the two materia are composed of the planet's oldest memories: a black orb later named as Meteor, the epitome of nothingness; and a white orb later named as Holy, the designation of renewed creation. When the trio of siblings had left, both materia were surrendered to the Cetra—and, in retrospect, that may have been the only time they left a trace of their existence amidst their journey.

Solstice wonders if this world she had apparently created took inspiration from Gaia. She explored every ruin she can find, delving into dark caverns to uncover whatever secrets that lay hidden. Through each hieroglyph, Teyvat had told her of Its creation by divine grace of The Astral Goddess—an alter ego, specifically a projection of her powers. She scoured every mountain and crevice of the continent, before riding the waves to reach quaint islands. Whatever little history she can grasp, the young lady spared no effort to investigate every scrap of knowledge she can gather.

Now, the lone Outlander has a crucial decision to make: north, or south...?

Solstice sighed as she scurried hastely towards the tallest plateau. The scent of plum wafted in the wind as its petals colored the intangible. Plopping down on the vibrant grassland, she watched the stars twinkle on the nightsky. Despite the lively sight, a part of her thought the sky to be rather dull. It is a window to the Outer Space, embellished by three moons and fragments of starlight. Rather than a pitch black abyss, the colors of the cosmos beyond Teyvat can be seen flickering like an angelic halo. On stormy days, clouds of gray will cover the horizon. Then, as the solar chariot rode its fiery trail, everything will brighten in a coat of cerulean with puffs of white.

This sky is a protective shell created by opposing realms at the poles of Teyvat. Although, "opposing" in this context refers more to the fact that one is made of light while another of darkness. Regardless of contrast, these realms complement each other and coexist peacefully in one dimension—with a third one keeping balance at the middle.

The Light Realm of the north...

The Void Realm of the south...

The Mortal Realm at the median...

Solstice bestowed each realm their names after the memories of creation displayed its purview. Where she presently sat is the territory of the Mortal Realm, a paradise for all that is mortal—thus an apt name for it—yet welcomes any entity originating from Light or Void, as is the balance it represents. There were times she went to the borders where the realms sort of blend together. It was inconceivable to witness, a triad of realms existing as one conjoined world. The elements echoed that it was only made possible by a focal existence—The All-Creator, They who have awakened from slumber.

A rumbling growl snapped her out of reverie, looking sideways. There is a noble wolfdog staring back at her with eyes of shimmering crimson, alike to rubies and garnets. The beastly beauty stands tall enough to be the size of a mammoth, proud yet seemingly humbled by the mere presence of the petite woman amidst the grass. Its fur is sleek black, emitting an aura of phantom smoke that was fast to dissipate upon notice. A tail swayed in dignified confidence, not once touching the dirt of ground. A display of neutrality is most uncanny for this creature which thrives from bloodlust and primal dominance. It stalks towards Solstice whom smiled and inclined her head politely. The canine returned the cordial gesture as it purred pleasantly, almost playfully and teasingly. More of its sharp teeth gleamed as it seems to twitch a smile back at her.

"Well," she chuckled, "aren't you quite charming?"

She wondered if Invictus looked this gallant—but in shades of brown. It was dark when he showed his paw, but she recalls its shade of moonlit auburn by the firelight.

This one is relatively the same size.

A tender hand presents a trusting palm and was then met by a nudging snout. It combed through soft ebony cloak reminiscent of a fleece blanket amidst the winter cold. Ruby eyes glanced imploringly, a sly glint of alluring mischief beckoning the lady.

"Very well." Solstice giggled.

Thus, she stood and looked towards the south—where the world is most sublime at its darkest shadows.

"Will you escort me to your realm?"

The wolfdog howled haughtily.

A journey to the abyss began with a display of its neverending night. In far distance from the Mortal Realm, the chariot gave daylight that did not extend to the Void Realm. Nonetheless, a reaction can be observed as the deep darkness roused. It was as if every soul of nocturnal lifeforms took sanctuary in the labyrinth as soon as the sun rose to shine. As such, the void appears to grow deeper and thicker yet almost welcoming due to its familiarity.

Contrary to belief, Solstice did not stay in endless shadows. The wolfdog—to whom she gave the name, Morpheus—proficiently tours her around the limitless corridors of the abyss. Much like one can expect from the void, the place held no definite structure or form to draw direction. Only a creature of this realm can navigate its entire territory. Amidst the dark, there are doors brimming with light. Each one shows what is supposed to be the reflection of a different world. Some display nostalgic views of stars that have come and gone from magnificent yet faraway galaxies. The rest give picturesque displays of the territories in Teyvat's Mortal Realm. Solstice would occasionally reach out to these doors, yet an invisible and indestructible glass would prevent her from passing through the threshold.

Morpheus only shook his head as if in confirmation of her deduction.

"These worlds through the looking glass..." Solstice murmured, "do they envision the abyss? Or is it the abyss which stares back?"

She pets Morpheus behind his ears, smiling at the resulting purr. The young lady finds some strange comfort to his warming sound in juxtaposition to the coldness of his coat. Once she halted her motions, that was his cue to move onward.

Soon, they have reached a dominion that hits a little closer to home.

For Solstice, it was quite literal.

Morpheus lowers himself when she makes a move to dismount. He kept near like a loyal pup, feeling the tremble of his creator's knees. This is a domain that represented the heart of the dark abyss. It is a single circular platform amidst a starry void, the call of an ancient memory. On the surface at the center, a triquetra mark pulses in eager salute. If one could embrace their dreams, figments will manifest into existence.

"Cosmogenesis," she whispered, "this is...without a doubt...Cosmogenesis."

As if on cue, starlight gathered in clusters until they turned into a pair of sparkling silhouettes before her baffled gaze. The outlines are strikingly familiar, so achingly nostalgic that Solstice wondered about the time that has passed. Back then, at the beginning, the differences between the self that fell asleep and the one that woke up scared her. Everything felt just like a surreal dream until now, in which the weight of a full decade finally wore her down.

Because whilst her body and soul may have grown, her heart remained that of a child.

Tearful eyes blur her sight yet the smiles of Aether and Lumine retained all their clarity. They intertwine their hands together and stretched out the other to their younger sibling.

"Hello, Sol."

"Our sweet, little sister..."

Their voices tinkled gently like the old chimes of her rattle. It consumed her so painfully, a constricting boa that is just short of asphyxiation.

Then, as her hands touched theirs, the images of her siblings dissolve into starlight once again.

"Even if only as fragments of memory, our love stays true forever."

"We will always be here for you, Sol."

Solstice has been made aware, time and time again.

Teyvat was created by her through the powers which joined with Primo Stella. Her memories gave It form with the continent that mimicked the worlds she had seen with the twins. These diverse ecosystems have birthed wildlife that behave so similarly to beasts she had favored and adored. However, a part of her—the side so petulantly frustrated and aggrieved—believes that this planet cannot truly understand the complexity of emotional value...at least, not to an extent that It did not feel shallow.

This has proven her wrong.

Teyvat does understand. It may not be capable of granting her heartfelt wish; but It can work hard to provide her the home she yearns to have. Even if they are only illusions made by fragile memories and dreams, the genuine emotions which nurture Its existence can be neither denied nor forgotten.

Rendered to her knees, Solstice cried once more in homesickness.

"Goodnight, baby sis."

She misses Aether. She misses her older brother whom protected her from everything, and supported her in anything she dreamed.

"Sweet dreams, Lil Sun."

She misses Lumine. She misses her older sister whom told her stories of the stars beyond reach, and humored her whimsical imagination.

"I love you, Atti. I love you, Mimin."

"We love you too, Sol."

She just wants them back.

She loves Teyvat and everything It symbolized; but It is not the family she needed by her side.

A world without Aether and Lumine is just a barren dreamscape.

Morpheus bows his head to tuck her into his neck, a demonstration of his empathic solidarity. The fluff engulfs the weeping girl into a loving embrace. It is an affection she returned fully, even as she wailed for siblings whom—to be frank—cannot hear her.

Deep in the abyss, secret grievances are wordlessly confessed in tears.

『 Ever relentlessly, 』

As the Elders always said, what does not kill an Outlander will make them stronger.

It admittedly took a while for Solstice to willingly part from the Void Realm in the end. The domain managed to effectively simulate Cosmogenesis and it was so cozy for her. It may not have captured every detail, but the atmosphere was enough. The regions in the Mortal Realm are comparable to leafing through a bunch of postcards—stories of adventures that feed the spirit. Meanwhile, the Void Realm reminds her of family albums—every reel of photograph vividly shows precious moments within a still frame. Both are valuable yet the latter always weighs heavier on the heart for its personal bonds.

Surprisingly, it was Morpheus whom encouraged her to depart.

Thy final realm awaits thee, he seems to tell her with his expressive glare.

Solstice pouted sadly, shoulders deflating in mock disappointment. An adoring lick to her cheek breaks the facade as she giggles at the giant wolfdog. With a thankful smile, she mounts him again to ride back to the Mortal Realm.

Much to her surprise, another greeted them back.

It was another wolfdog but white, the antithesis of Morpheus yet rivals him perfectly in size. A pair of yellow eyes, resembling golden topaz, stares kindly yet stoically. Slit pupils dilate in silent ardor, a rare sentiment for what seems to be an entity of utmost amour propre. While Morpheus wears an obsidian furcoat of phantom smoke, his elegant counterpart amasses an ivory cloak of soft clouds. It had been sitting pristinely before they arrived, and remained poised when it stood to meet them.

Morpheus seems to know this fellow hound, or perhaps it only takes brief eye contact for them to be introduced. Either way, he entrusted his charge to this other beastly beauty before sprinting back to his home realm. According to him, the existence of his ilk are as ephemeral as most dreams in the waking world—a mere guide to the realm from whence they came, no more and no less. Now that she has no need of it, he is unlikely to emerge again. With that warning, the young lady—whose fondness he earned—felt melancholic after this farewell.

Perhaps, when she masters every aspect of her powers, she will see him again. On that fateful day, he will be part of her creations.

The auburn wolfdog, Invictus; the black wolfdog, Morpheus; and this wolfdog too will be another.

"Are you going to escort me to the Light Realm this time?" Solstice asked.

The canine bows gracefully with a reverent groan.

Solstice smiles in anticipation, opening her palm as a silent request. The creature rose to the test and pushed its head towards the proffered appendage, dignified yet ecstatic. In a blink, the Outlander found a fitting name for the colossal dog.

"I think I'll call you...Arcadius."

Similar to Morpheus, the newly dubbed Arcadius howled proudly.

Then, they were off to head north.

Unlike the abyss, the Light Realm is not untouchable by its opposing element. While the Void Realm lacks daylight since it is unventured by the sun, the Light Realm can resonate with both night and day. While the stars and the moons are constantly seen in the abyss, they are elusive amongst the brightness of the heavenly order in the north. It is also susceptible to the temperamental ferocity of storms, yet just as adept in shining a rainbow after they pass.

However, these directly contrasting realms do share three particular similarities.

First, both possess doorways to different worlds or various corners of Teyvat. While the abyss functions as a looking glass that shows the world it perceives, the Light Realm presents an idealized version of the respective dimension. These sets of conceptual ideals symbolize unified ambitions and aspirations, likely of the majority if not of the god that either created it or oversee its existence. Unfortunately, these assorted doorways are all inaccessible even to Solstice. It did give her a plausible idea, which sparked a hopeful anxiety in her chest.

Can she influence these worlds to leave a trail or message? If so, can she use that to help Aether and Lumine find her someday?

It is a curious endeavor for another day.

Second is the aurora borealis that connects the two realms and bridges over the middle one. It can only be seen above the region of frozen tundra within the Mortal Realm. In Solstice's first few weeks in Teyvat, she mistakenly and somewhat dismissively thought it to be the fictitious Rainbow Road that leads to a leprechaun's pot of gold—an old tale, as imparted to her by Lumine. Knowing Teyvat is an amalgamation of her dreams and memories, the connection may not be too farfetched. When Solstice asked, the wolfdogs provided disparate answers to her inquiry.

Morpheus claims that the aurora is a shelter for the souls of creation yet to be born. Essentially, it is a fabric of time and space which can also manifest as dreams for those capable of it. In a few other pious beliefs, it can be treated as the plane in-between the living and the dead—basically the preconception of "the other side" in subtext.

Arcadius claims that the aurora is an ultimate mix of the akashic records and holy grail, like an archive of Teyvat's unified knowledge. It is the accumulative testament that drives the world to progression and evolution. If every life is a cog in the gears of fate, the ties woven by the aurora borealis is the chain that drives them to move and connect. In some way, it is also a loom that weaves the threads of fate to complete destiny's tapestry.

Solstice would love to either believe in both, or just leave it as the pretty curtains of the celestial order.

Once again, her thoughts went to the likely eldest hound from not so long ago—Invictus. What would he have replied to her? Morpheus and Arcadius did not speak of their brother, mostly because they knew little about him. They did not exist simultaneously so they did not meet him, unlike the duo whom got to cross gazes. What they do know is that his purpose was slightly different from theirs, which explains why he insisted to keep his distance from Solstice to the very end.

The last similarity between the Void Realm and Light Realm is that they both lack a definite structure. The former is composed of darkness where nocturnal lifeforms thrive in shadows and illusions. The latter resembles an imagery to the phrase "heaven on earth" amidst the foggy mirage and a radiance that never fades whether it be day or night. However, they do possess a focal domain that functions as their respective hearts.

For the Void Realm, it was the central dominion of a starry void.

For the Light Realm, it is a floating isle amongst the sea of clouds.

Solstice tilts her head in speechless wonder at the ethereal sight. Her eyes never strayed as Arcadius glides up and then pauses once his paws touch the ground on the isle. It was quite barren, and unlike the blossoming paradise of the Mortal Realm. As far as the eyes can see, there is only dry land with spots of greenery due to weeds. A geyser at the middle fed streams of water to spread to ravines. They form a perfect cross by heading towards the directions of the compass. Each one becomes a waterfall raining upon the unseen bottom of the Light Realm, where nothing but thick mist lingers.

This dull wasteland is a stark contradiction to what should have been a piece of celestial heaven; but to the young Outlander, it could not be anything else.

Because the idea of "heaven" is built upon the basic fundamental notions of faith.

Where is faith to be had in a world entirely devoid of believers and worshippers?

She is the only one here aside from the monsters of lesser intelligence and wildlife of nature. As she turns to her companion, she is further reminded that Arcadius too shall soon fade to nothing. He, like Morpheus and even Invictus, is an evanescent guide without any standing to exist once their roles have been fulfilled.

However, the elements remind her of another truth.

It is thy birthright to ascend and conquer, thy destiny to create and prosper.

Solstice feels a familiar thrumming in her veins. It flowed freely, practically singing within her pulsing bloodstream. The surge is provoked by her desires as evoked by her heart. It caters to the divine will, eager to quell this ageless sorrow and loneliness.

If Teyvat could not bring the esteemed Lord Aether and Lady Lumine—

—then perhaps, a new family will suffice for now.

If henceforth be thy desire, then thy will shath be done.

As she closed her eyes to embrace this dormant power, the overflow became searing heat. It boiled in anticipation of release, yet not quite hurting her.

In response, the geyser bursts with more water as if a dam has been released. Below the isle, the oceans form a towering column that reveal the root of the geyser. The isle itself is flooded as water devoured every surface area.

A swirl of starlight gathers around Solstice, dancing in circles like pixies. Some gather in her right hand as it clenched into a fist. The relic of Primo Stella comes into being, an effervescent beacon reborn unto its sphere. Her attire is then transformed into a free-flowing white dress. Long wavy hair fluttered like an opaque veil, trailing behind her.

For Thou art The Divine One—

Eyes reopened, Solstice steps down from her wolf mount and Arcadius graciously stays. She walks barefoot and her golden anklets jingled. Rather than sinking into the flood, the soles of her feet remained above the surface as ripples form with every step.

Arcadius was just as unfazed by the running water drenching his paws in contrast. His sapphire glare is utterly transfixed upon this goddess whom created him. Within the remnants of his will, he lamented how neither Invictus nor Morpheus could witness this alongside him.

—only for Thee,

Before cloaks of white faded and topaz eyes closed, Arcadius clung to the vivid memory of Her...

Shath Teyvat bend Its knee.

...until it too was relinquished from his feeble grasp.

『 SOLSTICE ascends to reign. 』

『 Thy will forevermore only one, 』

Sunfall and Moonrise harmoniously danced, painting the world in eternal twilight. Fragments of light, the morning and evening stars, have scattered across the sky. Time has begun to flow yet life stood still in rhythms of soft heartbeats and slow breaths sealed in conches. The entire world is asleep yet The Divine One remains awake with loneliness as company.

The gales could spare no song to ease this solemn melancholy of Their Eminence.

Above the water's surface, They stood alone.

It has been a year since the birth of Teyvat, yet the young woman traverses by Herself. While physically grown, She stays a child at heart even with a brilliant mind. Her beloved siblings could not be wished unto Teyvat, not like many things in Its realms.

A distant bell chimes, henceforth She walks. The wind howls as the three moons glisten. The waves roar as the sun looms. Not once She faltered, for only rebirth awaits Thou Imperial Grace.

She walks with confidence, head held high to display nothing less than dignified elegance. Nevertheless, Her regal gait remains far from haughty arrogance or smug defiance. Every step ripples across the calm as eyes are kept close in mimicry of somber psalms.

A star falls before Her and morphs into an old relic, the former vessel of Primo Stella. It rests upon Her left palm as Her right hand runs along its intricate bodice. Fair fingertips brush against crystal, and by will, extends a toy into a weapon of range. The orb at the top produced luminous tendrils of incandescent splendor. They entwine to form an intricate pattern similar to a four-pointed celtic knot, enacting a starlight bloom. Like pixie dust, a trail of glitter flutters briefly behind its wake whenever it moved.

Beauty and grace, Solstice is the light.

『 いえゆい　のぼめの 』

TEYVAT sang as a choir of voices to serve as Her accompaniment. It delegated a language that was both local and foreign. On the other hand, the feeling of the message carried through the melody—one of reverent worship.

Meanwhile, Solstice hummed as an oxymoron lead.

Simultaneously, her body is the conductor of this orchestral performance.

Her limbs move fluidly as if she is learning a classic waltz or sway. Alas, she needs no partner other than the rhapsody that reverberated through the searing heat within her veins. Her scepter spun with the simplest flick of her wrists, a show of dexterous coordination by her fingertips. She first faced the moons which shyly peek behind the clouds, before basking the sun's warmth from its perch by the floating isle's end.

At the edges, columns of stone begin to rise from where the four ravines used to pour. Vines slither along the shaft like vipers, constricting in place as flowerbuds began to form. The top of the columns took shape as torches of vermillion flame, while a gloom of fog thickens in-between the pillars as crystallized shields. The waterfalls halted entirely, and for that one moment, the world held its breath.

Only The Divine One moved, with the grace and poise of a swan.

『 れんみり　よじゅよご 』

The lady in white paused as she took a deep breath.

Her right arm pulled back, rearing the scepter as if to strike. Instead, it spun over the back of her palm to adjust her grip to its middle. Swiftly, she brought it over her head with another baton twirl. Both hands now held the staff, spread evenly as if an offering to the nonexistent gods of Teyvat. Her feet began to tread farther—crossing deliberately over each other much like a cunning cat does—ascending to the podium that was once the isle's geyser, currently inactive. Its surface was covered by water, which now resembles glass to the young woman whom stood over it. Ripples formed beneath her soles, the only proof that it was not crystallized or frozen.

As Solstice reached her spot, her right foot lifted with a small kick. The short hop gave momentum to firmly plant said foot unto the water, yet it still did not submerge. Alas, the ripples it did form this time spread more urgently and evoked a wave across the isle's surface. The solitary girl bent backwards as she lowered her staff to her upper chest. Chin tilted upwards, her eyes closed while her arms pulled and then pushed in succession as her foot-pivot spun behind the other. She bends the knee as her torso bows forward, putting her into a crouching position.

Before the scepter can touch the water, adept hands slid closer. In a sharp motion, they alter its position to a vertical stance. Its bottom tip, in a show of control, grazed the water and steadied. Nonetheless, much like the wings of a butterfly, gentle flutters can create typhoons.

Therefore, when the staff disturbed the waters, the waves rose in command.

『 いえゆい　のぼめの 』

Raising her head, Solstice focused her gaze forward passionately.

Effortlessly elegant, she spun the staff while keeping a proper posture. A bit more carefully, she begins to stand back up as her arms once again lifted the staff over her head. Four of the main fingers on each hand let go, a pair of thumbs staying to hook the scepter in place. Eyes slid to a solemn close, head tilting up. The sea breeze blew tenderly, fluttering her long hair and carrying the scent of salt.

It was mesmerizing to witness as the rising tides followed, as if dancing alongside her. They surged like wild waves yet tamed to obey the will of a relic and its wielder. The geyser seems to produce more water again, a calm stream under the surface that starts elevating the Outlander whom rigidly kept upright. What was formerly a barren wasteland is now a magnificent aquaria displaying hydro vessels in various shapes of underwater fauna—fish, turtles, jellyfish, dolphins, manta rays, and more freely swim along the currents.

The tidal waves swirled, a hurricane or perhaps whirlpool in the making...

...and at its eye is Solstice.

『 れんみり　よじゅよご 』

The solidified pillars took its turn to rise and shine, literally and figuratively.

As if to rival the tides and reach for the skies, they extend to higher heights. The flowerbuds open into full blossoms, transforming into white petals and glowing ember corolla. The vermillion fires burned brighter and hotter, turning into a breathtaking bluish white. Their luminosity perfectly depicted the image of newborn stars. It is a complementary hue upon the flowers which also seem to connote a hint of periwinkle on its dainty petals.

Solstice resumes movement, wielding the scepter of Primo Stella with one hand again. The geyser also returned to its rambunctious nature, bursting a fountain of clear water. It grew as a rising stage in the shape of a hibiscus flower, while the dancer gave a series of twirls as she swung the elongated baton around her. The sphere's celtic knot halo shone as vibrantly as the sun. It gradually engulfs the lady in white and crawls on her skin like ink, whose power began to reach a climax.

Snowflakes slowly drift into the impromptu stadium, momentarily freezing parts of the pool. The frost created unique patterns but just as quickly melted back into liquid. As the lovely radiance swayed, the ephemeral ice acted like a prism of iridescence—and reflected upon its fragile state. The fall of snow was consistent with the winds that influenced it. Soon, it becomes like a meteor shower that leave imprints of frost before vanishing.

In hindsight, this scenery depicted the dance of sugar plum fairies.

『 はさてかなえ　くたまえ 』

Solstice pauses as the choral hymn transitions into a deeper octave.

The scepter twirls over her wrist once before she throws it upwards. It spins midair, ascending to greater heights due to sheer force. The pair of hands which previously held it now clasp together in prayer, determined eyes close to concentrate. Henceforth, she summons the core of her dormant powers—to envision, to dream, to create, and to enlighten. As she does, the hydro hibiscus expands to divide into seven bursting petals. The clear water begins to reflect across the spectrum, flashing from one color to another. It moves as if the petals dance beneath the young lady's feet, swaying and bouncing gently to not disturb her.

Above her, the scepter of Primo Stella freezes into a straight vertical. The magical knot brightens into a blinding white light, essentially becoming the North Star of Teyvat.

Meanwhile, the Outlander glows in the same intense radiance. Her long wavy hair is swept and blown by the whirlwinds, exposing her back. The familiar sigil, a tattoo that bound her soul to Primo Stella, emits an iridescent aura. Ribbon wings sprout from her shoulder blades, unfurling just as her eyes snapped open. However, this time, the whiteness of her sclera has completely taken over them without restraint.

Much like the three wolfdogs, her eyes produced mystic tails along fluttering lashes.

『 はさてかなえ　くたまえ 』

As the relic descended, Solstice caught it again with her left hand.

She repeats the series of pirouettes that had once been done, but now in reverse. What once gathered are now implored to scatter. Petals of the aquatic blossom steady into seven colors, an act of division from the immaculacy that is The Divine Light. These colors segregated as rays that burst forth to their respective directions. They head towards the Mortal Realm, where they shone upon a particular territory as if to proclaim it their birthright.

These lands react intriguingly to their presence, as if the raw elements embrace them.

It is a homecoming for new life.

Solstice nears the denouement of her performance, as does the hymn. She smoothly guides the polearm before her chest level. Both of her hands once again held the staff, horizontally as if she were entrusting it to another. A foot kicks up to step forward yet a little to the side, and her arms motioned as if to come hither. She kicks up her other foot to adjust her position, now facing sideways when her heels click into place at rest.

Then, in nigh slow motion, her hands tilt the staff downwards. The stance is somewhat reminiscent of a swordsman about to sheathe his sword into its scabbard.

Teyvat waits in anticipation.

The relic touches the hibiscus flower.

The seven lights are cut from its petals—from the original brilliance that had birthed them. Waves of the aurora borealis seem to flail in lively, jubilant celebration. These rays of light glided towards their destinations, blessed by The Creator's fayth.

Although having parted from The Divine Light, each produced a resplendence uniquely their own—and upon the territories of the Mortal Realm where they shone...

...seven draconic lords are born.

They emerge from the lands coated in raw elemental essence, saturating their designated birthplace.

As Their Esteemed Holiness smiled, the roars of Their newborn creations echoed across the realms of Teyvat.

These are the Seven Sovereigns.

『 Yet forget not thyself when done. 』

© intothegenshinworld || © starlight anon . Do not copy, repost, translate or take heavy inspiration from my content. Thanks for reading.

[scaralvr]

07. mystery man chapter seven to the secrecy of our confessions [masterlist]

synopsis: scaramouche decides to go to the music room to leave a letter of his love confession in your locker but instead, finds an awful surprise awaiting him.

"what are you still doing up?"

scaramouche was taken by surprise by mona's murmuring as she lazily sat up in bed. "none of your business," he spat and continued to write something on a paper. whatever it was that he was writing, it sure was alot. "turn off your lamp. some people are trying to sleep." mona said, her tone flat but demanding. fischl loudly snored and scaramouche rolled his eyes.

he made no signs of turning off the lamp anytime soon. mona clenched her jaw and turned it off herself, only for him to turn it back on. mona's eye twitched and she pulled on the chain of the lamp, the lightbulb's luminosity going out. as soon as scaramouche let go of his paper to try and turn it off, mona snatched it from his lap.

"GIVE-" scaramouche instantly slapped his hand over his mouth as fischl turned in her sleep. mona snickered, "i wonder what this is, hm?" she teasingly circled him with the delicate paper in her hands and scaramouche lunged forward to grab it but fell on his bed as she stepped out of the way.

he narrowed his eyes in pure anger, "you..." scaramouche ran and quickly grabbed onto it, but her hands were still on the other end. her smirk fell when she noticed the distress in her brother's eyes. "don't you fucking dare rip it. please." scaramouche begged through heavy exhales. mona's eyelids lowered and she let go. he sighed in relief and plopped onto his bed.

"what even is it?" she asked as she went back to her own bed, pretending not to care about the way he seemed like he would've cried if she ripped it. mona tucked herself beneath her blanket and scaramouche clicked his pen, "none of your business." she scoffed, "you barely tell me anything. c'mon, i won't tell anyone." scaramouche groaned underneath his breath, "why would i tell you anything? you're so annoying." mona hummed in agreement.

she shifted her gaze to the ceiling. "i'll tell you one of my secrets if you tell me what you're writing," mona suggested, causing scaramouche to look up from his paper. "why does it matter so much to you that you're offering something like that?" he sputtered out in bewilderment. mona shrugged, "i'm bored. so, will you take it?" scaramouche warily squinted. "okay, fine." he put his paper aside and faced her.

mona sat up in her bed and criss-crossed her legs. "remember the party i went to a few months ago?" she asked with a serious face. scaramouche rolled his eyes, "uh, yeah. the one at heizou's? i didn't speak to you for a week because of that." mona waved it off, "yeah, yeah, anyways, they hosted a seven minutes in heaven game and guess who i got stuck with." scaramouche pretended to look shocked, "oh my days, i don't know, that himbo, itto?"

mona leaned in and whispered, "kuki shinobu is such a good kisser, okay? no homo, of course." scaramouche furrowed his brows together and his jaw dropped, "kuki shinobu? God, you're such a bisexual." she threw a pillow at his face, yelling, "shut up!" fischl mumbled incoherent words, causing the twins to tense up.

"but that's that. now tell me what you were writing," mona said with a wide grin, giggles slipping out every now and then. scaramouche's cheeks flushed, "well... um..." he hid the paper to his chest, "what about i just tell you a secret of mine?" mona deadpanned and he groaned, "okay, okay." scaramouche pursed his lips in hesitation. "it's a love confession for (y/n)."

mona immediately squealed, "IT'S A LOVE CONFESSION FOR (Y/N)!?" she kept on laughing and scaramouche's face was painted a deep red. "shut up, shut up, idiot!" he hissed as a warning. but it was too late. ei slammed the door open, her eyes narrowed and her lips in a sour frown. fischl sat up from the loud noise of the door meeting the wall and she stupidly looked around in a half-conscious state. ei flared her nostrils. "go to SLEEP!" she yelled, startling all three of them as they panicked in response, "YES, MOTHER!"

"(y/n)!~" yoimiya giggled, clinging onto you. you smiled, "hello, 'miya. do you need anything?" you asked and the blonde suddenly got onto her knees, clasping her hands together. "(Y/N), COULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MUSIC ROOM DUTY TODAY!? I KNOW IT'S MY TURN BUT I REALLY DON'T WANT TO!" she cried out, scooching closer to you. you yelped, "calm down! there's people in the hallways!" yoimiya continued to beg, however. "PLEASE!~ I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU FOR A WHOLE MONTH JUST PLEASE!-" she's stopped short when you cover her mouth in a frenzy.

you sighed, "alright, i'll do it." yoimiya jumped up and hugged you, "YAY! THANKS SO MUCH!" she ran off and left you there, confused. as yoimiya rounded a corner, scaramouche slapped some money into her hand when she passed by. "thanks," he said, to which yoimiya replied with a thumbs up gesture, "good luck!"

"ah, i wonder what that girl is up to this time." you wondered, making your way up the stairs. unbeknownst to you, a certain student council president had his eyes set on you from the start. ayaka came out of nowhere, meeting you at the top. "(y/n), perfect timing!" she exclaimed and continued, "i need your help, i forgot how to use the hand dryers again..." ayaka murmured.

you chuckled, "alright, i'll come along." ayaka allowed you to go first and she peered at the end of the staircase, giving scaramouche the time to sneak into the music room. she quickly handed him the key as he swiftly brushed by. scaramouche closed the door behind him and didn't waste any time in finding your locker.

"239... 239..." he muttered, brows knitted together in concentration as he scanned the lockers against the wall. scaramouche's eyes lit up, "ha!" he fumbled with your code, which yun jin gave him, and swung the door open. he felt himself blush. he was looking through his favourite drummist's locker. the door was decorated with a variety of magnets, which held polaroid photos of you and your friends on different occasions.

a soft smile upcurved his lips when he found a photo of you as a child with ayaka and ayato, as it seems ayato was teaching you how to ride a bike while ayaka cheered you on. scaramouche was quick to snap out of it. "i'm such a creep," he winced, and was bound to place the letter in your locker when the doors opened out of the blue.

you looked around the music room with a blank expression. you sighed, "no one's here." you made your way to your locker and lifted up your hand to open it, only for another hand to place itself on yours. you quickly turned around at the sudden contact and dashing purple hues gazed into yours. "cyno!" you exclaimed in surprise. "that's my name." cyno said, removing his hand from yours.

scaramouche had his hand over his mouth, watching from the inside of your locker through the gaps. "you scared me!" you complained as you punched him in the arm. cyno didn't move, nor did he flinch. he just allowed the hit to happen and tilted his head, "i was wondering if you were possibly free this saturday? i would love to spend some time with you. it's been a while, after all." scaramouche narrowed his eyes, 'who does this guy think he is?'

you looked elsewhere in thought, "saturday? yes, i believe i'm free to spend a day with you." cyno smiled, "okay. so it's a date?" you gawked and your face flushed, "a date!?" cyno gently held your hand and pressed a soft kiss to your knuckles. "a date." he repeated and you swore your heart felt like it was about to pop out of your chest from the rapid beating. scaramouche's gaze darkened and a gasp slipped from his lips.

"i'll see you then, (y/n). we'll have alot to catch up on," cyno said, leaving the room and you as a flustered mess. you didn't reply and watched him close the doors. scaramouche didn't even notice the way he was clutching the letter so hard, it completely crumpled. you murmured, "how odd... it's not like him to ask someone out so abruptly like that. but it's cyno, after all." you tensed up when you realized. "HAH, WAIT! I'M BEING SO UNFAITHFUL TO MY TRUE LOVE RIGHT NOW!" you panicked, holding your head in your hands.

scaramouche was beyond confused. 'true love? hold on, that's right. they previously mentioned that they had a sort of liking for someone with two sisters. cyno, however, doesn't meet that standard.' he went into deep thought, surveying your behaviour. you paced back and forth as you mumbled words scaramouche couldn't hear, much to his dismay. "please forgive me for what i'm about to do, scaramouche. you'll still be my future husband... hopefully i don't end up falling in love with cyno," you whimpered and rested your head against the wall in defeat.

the puny letter scaramouche made became nothing to him. his eyes scanned the paper in his hands. 'how stupid.' he shoved it down his pocket, 'to think that (y/n) would ever give me a chance was insane in the first place. a nice person like that cyno guy made them weak in the knees with just a few words and he had the courage to give them a kiss. for all i know, (y/n) hates me just as much as anyone else does.' scaramouche tucked his bottom lip beneath his teeth, struggling to keep his sobs to a silence as tears poured down his cheeks.

"HOW WAS IT!?" ayaka, yun jin, hu tao and yoimiya were waiting for him outside of the music room when he exited. scaramouche didn't reply and his glare sent a chill down their spines. he walked past them and went down the stairs to leave the school as the bell rang. ayaka softly cried, "this isn't right... (y/n)'s infatuated with him. what went wrong?" yoimiya ran into the music room and examined your locker. yun jin and ayaka followed suit as yoimiya opened it.

hu tao frowned, "ugh. he didn't leave the letter." yun jin's eyes grew wide, "what!? but he was so set on doing it! he even got us involved!" hu tao slammed your locker shut, "it's obvious he chickened out." yoimiya yelped, "hey! you shouldn't say things like that, hu tao! maybe he just needs more time." hu tao crossed her arms and seethed, "you can't talk, 'miya. even if he did give (y/n) the letter and they accepted it, would we really want them dating him?"

ayaka stammered, "wh-what's that supposed to mean? we thought you wanted this like we did from the start-" hu tao slapped her hand on her chest, "oh, we? since when was it we!? you guys have always been like this! you never hear me out and it's clear you don't understand what a bad influence he is on (y/n)!" she shouted as tears began to peek at the corners of her eyes, "he's such an asshole, that's why! you don't know what he did to me!"

the three watched in shock as hu tao wiped her tears. yun jin slowly reached out to her, "hu tao..." but hu tao slapped her hand away and picked up her guitar case on the way to run out of the room. ayaka yelled in worry, "hu tao!-" she was stopped by yun jin holding onto her shoulder. "let her go, ayaka. she'll come to us when she feels ready." she solemnly said. yoimiya nodded, "yeah, don't worry! this isn't the end of our friendship yet..."

hu tao sniffled where she sat at the bottom of the stairs with her guitar on the floor. she continued to cry, not caring whether anyone could see her at anytime. "what are you doing, idiot?" the familiar voice of her older brother rang through her ears and she grumbled, "go away." xiao rolled his eyes, shrugging as he stepped down the stairs, "i'm supposed to be the one telling you that." he seated himself next to her and hu tao looked at him with teary scarlet eyes.

xiao hesitantly held out his arms and hu tao threw herself onto him, bawling, "i hate them! i hate them so much! they don't know how i feel and they would never understand all because (y/n) likes him so they'll believe i should keep quiet for their own good!" xiao frowned, "...they've been your friends since you were little, hu tao. i'm sure they wouldn't act that way if you told them about it. and recently, you've been telling me about the way scaramouche has changed lately. what happened?"

hu tao sourly added, "but seeing him like (y/n) made me feel so... so... disgusted! he doesn't deserve them, whether he's changed or not." xiao's shoulders raised, "you should give him a chance, hu tao. you should wait-" hu tao huffed, "wait until what? until he breaks their heart?" xiao put his hand on her head, "wait until you see the major changes. trust me, you'll know when a person has changed."

"kunikuzushi! how did it g-" mona startled when scaramouche shut their bedroom door on her. she stepped back a few times before kicking the door open. "leave. me. alone." he growled into his pillow, but he couldn't hide the cries releasing from his lips. mona leaned against the doorway, "oh, baby brother. did they turn you down?" scaramouche turned to face her, "no, are you stupid!? as if anyone would... would reject... me..." his sobs got the best of him and mona approached him with gentle tuts.

mona engulfed him in her embrace as she sat on the bed, "shh, shh..." she scoffed, "you're so ugly when you cry." scaramouche groaned and mona teasingly added, "can't take a joke?" she paused before continuing, "tell me what happened." scaramouche inhaled her scent. a light perfume that smelt of strawberries. he shakily exhaled and his words were in a broken form, "do you think anyone likes me? anyone who's not desperate enough to get in bed?" mona hummed, "of course, kunikuzushi. there's always going to be people like that."

"i don't deserve (y/n), do i?" scaramouche mumbled.

© scaralvr.

@meowlumi @beriiov @apr1cityyy @xtodorokismistressx @dollpoetwriting @bleedingwhiteroses222 @r0ttenhearts @sammy-hammy @atsukawolfcat @pooonyo @strawberryclumsy @emmaemoseila @kunikuzushiit @scaramouchesmoocher @lxry-chxnn @koiir @rvoulte @scarasaver @slash3rcore @sup-zfam @cotton-eee @twistedrxses @dameofthorns @ayamvirus @thinkingotherwise @jameineliebe @thenightsflower @lumpywolf @whatamidoing89 @strawbxrrytiger @sunfloens @one-offmind @angryhope @gyros-cum-sock @celestair @sixscara @bewithmecats @mikathasquirrel @kunisbeloved @asthespirit @itsyourgirlria @lunavixia @elysiasbae @bsd-goes-brr

[automeris-io-moth]

Rescue pt.2

Part one

Warm, soft light emanated from the crystals interred within the stones, and, as they walked further into the caverns, its glow grew colourful, shades, luminosity gained as if made on purpose, as if done with someone in mind, an outsider, of course, beasts need not the aid of light to move through their homes.

It was thoughtful, Other Hero thought, before procuring the rest of the way to be clean of such thoughts.

The entrances had little privacy to them, then again, in a place of rocks, crystals and stones, commodities wood brought, as doors were rare, rather opting for curtains, wool certainly stole from the merchants who dared pass too close to their caves.

Long was the way before the monster stopped. Opening with one arm the green bed sheets hanging by the rock on the edge, a wide, luminous room presented themselves behind it.

Something resembled a bed right in the middle of the room, nest-like with furs and cushions inside a hole made in the ground, around it decorations seemed carefully planned, a mirror and a table, clothes hung at one of the edges of the room, books piled up against two walls, and, with a panfñute between their hands…

“Hero!” Other Hero shouted, leaping forward to embrace the other the moment they crossed the threshold, arms tight and heart pounding.

They were so relieved.

Hero hugged them back, pressing their cheek in the other’s chest and breathing in.

“Hero, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know where you were,” Other Hero was quickly to apologise, tongue fast as they spoke, little effort to breathe “no one told me anything when I returned, I came as soon as I blackmailed it out of Teammate, I swear, I’m so sorry.”

The hug was tightened by the other, a reassurance, a promise of forgiveness both thought.

Other Hero could almost forget, in the comfort they found in the other’s presence, how the golden eyes of the monster were set right over both.

“I’m very happy you came for me, Other Hero,” Hero answered, finally pulling away from the hug “I’m sure you must be tired.”

They could not deny it, and still, whatever offer could come along with such observation, Other Hero felt hesitant to accept.

But Hero placed their hand in their face, soft and understanding, ignoring the sweat and the grime covering them, wiping away the dust in their cheek, and Other Hero melted.

“Allow us to host you for the night,” they said “allow me to repay your kindness.”

And without second complaint, Other Hero was lowered under the furs by the gentle hands of Hero, under the watchful eye of The King.

The moment to flee would come, they assured themselves, Hero was smart, they were resourceful, they planned ahead. Other Hero would play along if Hero thought that was the path to escaping.

***

Hero served the soup from the pot into three wooden bowls, one bigger than the other two, and set them on a silver tray.

“I do want to keep them,” they said, eyes fixed on the fire.

The monster, the King, Villain, hugged them from behind as they both watched the put bubble.

“They will not like that.”

“I know,” Hero answered, easily, “but you’ll help me, won’t you? Ease them, help them adapt.”

“I will if such you ask, my light.”

Villain nuzzled into Hero’s neck.

***

Fed and bathed Other Hero felt dazed in the softness of the nest, only half noticing the other figure slipping in beside them.

Soft hands pulled them close.

“Hero,” they called, almost nothing more than a breath.

“Yes, love?”

“I’ll get us out of here,” Other Hero said, promised “I’ll take you away and we can…”

Their thoughts slipped, came and went as the crackling fire and the humming Hero lulled them to sleep.

A kiss was placed on their forehead, and from the door, Villain smiled at both.

_

Part three

Masterlist

Okay second try to see if this thing appears in the tags, the post before the first try of this one doesn't show either but quite honestly it's too mcuh work

Sorry if you see this post two times, I'm just seeing if whatever's the problem is fixed itself (edit: it did :) )

[stargazerlover]

My Art

1. Diabolik lovers

Protocol outfit 1

Protocol outfit 2

Yui Sacrificial Bride Outfit

Yui Casual Outfit (HDB and MB)

Yui Casual Outfit 2 (Anime)

Yui Casual Outfit Color Swap

Yui Komori Outfit Color Swap 2

Yui Komori Lost Eden

Yui Chaos Lineage Blue Recolor

Yui Vandead Carnival

Yui Lunatic Parade

2. Bang Dream

Kasumi onstage outfit

Ran onstage outfit

Aya onstage outfit

Kokoro onstage outfit

Layer expose burnout outfit

Mashiro daylight outfit

3. Magical girls

Magical Raising Project Snow White Outfit

4. Akadama Drive

Swindler pink outfit

Swindler blue outfit

Original

Matcha Lover

My OC (gala version) Piofiore

Classic girl

Luminosity’s Starry Corner

Luminosity’s Planetarium

My OC main outfits #1

Kanon’s Jellyfish Dress(bandori)

Otome Games

Rinka bad apple outfit

Rinka good apple outfit

Alice Liddell Heart No Kuni No Alice

Clover no kuni no Alice

[luminosity09]

My Reviews

Mirror mirror twisted tales

D4DJ First Mix Anime

Diabolik Lovers English Dub