#scene rewrite

[pinkandpurple360]

What if this conversation continued??

Stolas: I’ve found myself with feelings 🥺for him 🎻 and I’m not sure it’s a mutual thing

Asmodeus instantly feeling bad vibes: Well. I admire that your expressing your lust freely and so blissfully ignoring all collateral damage and humiliation you’ve brought to your entire family! Admirable! But. I’m not giving you an elixir to force love out of this guy. Lust that’s forced isn’t lust at all, the pleasure is artificial. It’s sick. Sin must be chosen. You feel me?

Stolas nervously chuckling and defensively putting his hands up: ohoho noo 😅neeever that~ Ahem. This imp has a business he runs, I know your citizens are some of the few who can traverse the human realm freely and legally, I was wondering if you could find a way for him to do so too?

Asmodeus, awkwardly: ohh uhhh Stolas my heart bleeds for you 😐 but my partner-business partner, Fizzarolli, hates your imp guy, Blitzo right? Yeah. Hates. Him.

Stolas: He does? But why?

Asmodeus: (Ever heard of boundaries dude?) Not my story to tell, or yours to hear. Id help if I could but I can’t. Sorry. ok bye.

Stolas, leaving but still lingering around the room awkwardly cause he’s not used to hearing “no”: 😔boohoohoo…

(A beat, Asmodeus gets a text from froggy, he smiles, but then the more he thinks about Fizz and their consensual partnership, and thinks about the subtextual conversation he’s just had, it drops, as an eerie feeling begins to dawn on him. He holds off on answering for a moment)

Asmodeus: Hey. Hold on just one minute Birdy.

Stolas: ?

Asmodeus, threateningly: What, pray tell, do your little feelings for and sexual trysts with “this imp” Blitzo, have to do with his business, his ability to access the human realm, and my citizens?

Stolas, pissing himself and backing towards the door: W-well you see it, we both agreed to, we h-had this ar-arrangement, I-came up—we both came up with—wh-

Asmodeus, unnerved by this sudden radiating guilt: Excuse me? What is the nature of this so called “arrangement?”

Stolas: Getting our “kink on” hehe, as it were…

Asmodeus: Despite the fact he is an assassin, not an escort? Correct? You’ve failed to answer my question on why this is in any way adjacent to formal business. Or my heavenly problem.

Stolas, sweating: Well w-we…I permit him-legally!—to access the mortal realm and in exchange once a month…I!! Now I know how this sounds, But it’s not..This can’t get out alright it’s not—

Asmodeus, enraged but then slowly smiling, disturbingly calm: Not legal whatsoever? A death sentence to all involved? A blatant disregard for the value of a priceless ancient Ars Goetia artefact your father gave to you, and of your duties to your family? Your daughter and heir especially? You “permit” him to run a business, and going by the ashamed body language I witnessed, he is coerced, by nature, into giving you sex? Is that a fact?

Stolas, sobbing, mascara running: you have to understand my pain!! I was so repressed! Caged! No one had ever wanted me that way! And my bitch wife and arrogant brother in law, they—demand divorce ‘compensation’ but I don’t owe anything-

Asmodeus: As. They. Should. And I’ll do you one better, “itty bitty” Birdy Babe😃 (A fat subpoena is slapped in his hand:

neglectful mishandling of a priceless Goetia heirloom,

neglect of duties, neglect to educate his heir

fraudulent business transactions

sex trafficking of a secondary citizen of pride ring - approved to be legitimised as a regular citizen for court by King of Lust, Asmodeus Goetia)

NOW GET. THE FUCK. OUT

[parachutingkitten]

Skybound Scene Rewrite, but there are actual character arcs and themes that follow through and stuff

Aka, the lighthouse scene: Bad Ending

The heavy evening air came in warm and salty from the windows. They both knew a battle was imminent, but there was nothing left to do but wait.

“I want you to have this.” Jay gingerly handed the full teapot to his companion. “If anything happens to me, use the Traveler's Tea to get yourself out of here. He's convinced he's going to marry you. If that happens, nothing can stop him.”

Nya’s face soured, as she slumped back, hands gripping the strap which now held the tea to her body

Jay’s face puzzled to match her’s, trying to read her emotions. “Uh...um...you're upset. What did I say?”

Nya sighed. “It's nothing you said. It's just...both of you seem so convinced you see a future with me.”

Jay reached forward to place her hand on her shoulder. “Well, the good news is, we already know which one of us is right.”

Nya jerked herself away, groaning. “You really don’t see that as a problem?”

“What?!” Jay stood back defensively. “It’s not like I’m wrong!”

“Don’t you see how imposing you’re being?!” Nya pleaded with him.

“I’m not being imposing, I’m just stating the facts!” Jay stressed. “I don’t get what I’m doing wrong! Where is all this resistance still coming from?!”

Nya’s eyes narrowed, fiery adrenaline now rushing through her body. “Oh, you’re unsure why the girl you claim ownership of won’t stop resisting you?”

“I get it,” Jay sighed, rolling his eyes. “We had this whole blow out, and you couldn’t choose between me or Cole, you were confused, but it seems that decision is pretty easy to make now, isn’t it?”

“It was never about choosing between you two-”

“Then what was all of this for?!” Jay wave his hands around, his body tensing up again.

“Being able to choose!” Nya screamed back. “To be able to make a choice!”

“Well guess what, your choices are now pretty limited.” Jay narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward. “And I’m the only one you’ve got left, so I don’t know why you’re taking so long to decide.”

“I don’t have to choose you.” Nya folded her arms.

“I don’t think you’re getting it. There’s no point in delaying everything with this defiance period.” Jay continued, exasperated. “I saw the future! You were with me! It’s going to happen!”

“I know!” Nya yelled back, tears beginning to leave her eyes. “I know, I know already! I knew before you did!”

Jay paused, his anger still writhing. “What?”

Nya wiped away tears, her voice lowering. “I knew. I already knew.”

Jay’s face furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean ‘you knew’ you didn’t-”

“You think Zane’s the only one on the team getting visions?!” Nya cut him off. “The universe told me, a long time ago.” She turned her back to him, her shoulders hunching as she held herself. “The night I met you, I had the most vivid dream. So tangible, that I knew it had to be a premonition… and I was with you.”

Jay’s mind raced, struggling to process the new information. “So you knew, the whole time we’ve known each other? Through the dating, and the Cole situation…”

Nya turned back around, but her eyes still refused to look back at him, now swollen and drowning. “You couldn’t talk the day I met you,” she smiled. “So the first time I heard your voice was in that dream.” The tears started to slow as she recalled the memory. “I didn’t recognize where we were, or even really know what it was we were doing, but I remember feeling so happy.”

“That’s all I want.” Jay slowly moved forward, making an attempt to grab her hands. “I just want you to be happy.”

Nya ripped her arm back, wiping away more tears. “No you don’t, Jay.” She shook her head. “You want you to be happy. And you think you need me for that to happen.”

Jay thought for a moment, still uncertain what all of this meant. “You said you were happy in the dream. Doesn’t that mean you’d be happy with me?”

“You know what, maybe one day I would be, Jay,” she shrugged. “But even if I do end up with you eventually, and it does make me happy, you know what I know for sure?” her eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. “You don’t make me happy right now.”

“Nya-”

“I’m serious!” she snapped back, straightening up. “I don't care what the future holds, you're asking me to be in a relationship with you right now, and that is not something I want right now. I don't know how you can't get that through your head."

"And, what? I'm just supposed to wait around for you to change your mind someday for some undiscernible reason?"

"You're supposed to stop! I hate being around you when you’re all starstruck and pushy like this. I hate the way you look at me. I hate having to endure all your endless attempts to impress me, and I hate having to pretend like it didn’t happen, or be seen as the jerk for pointing it out! And I hate having to tell you no, repeatedly, constantly, in as many ways as I can think to, only for you to ignore it, and continue to treat me like a video game you just haven’t figured out how to win yet!” Nya’s rage faded, a few more tears falling down her cheeks. “I hate being around you, and as much as you might feel you need me, I do not want you.”

Jay stood there, unable to accept the words being thrown at him, but unable to rebuke them either.

“And you know what?” a strict confidence entered Nya’s voice as she moved closer. “The man I knew in the dream would have respected that. He would have stepped away a long time ago. So, if you can’t do that-” her finger pushed forward, resting on his chest as her eyes stared sharply down into his, delivering with them a certainty of her words. “Then you are not the man I marry.”

[thatmunsonboy]

Steve: are you flirting with me right now?

Dustin:

Robin:

Max:

Eddie: dude, I have a broken bottle to your throat while you’re pressed against a wall-

Steve: SO?! MY QUESTION IS STILL VALID!

[five-bi-five-mind]

OMG do you think whenever you have the time you can make a "date morning" fic of jj x fem!reader reference to episode 2?!

Date Morning

Fandom: Criminal Minds 

Pairing: JJ x fem!reader 

Words: 1.6k+ 

Genre: Fluff & Smut

Summary: My little rewrite of the date morning scene. Only, it is way fluffier and way more gay.

Warning: top!JJ, bottom!reader; fingering (r receiving), a little bit of overstimulation.  

(gif not mine; credit to creator)

When JJ walked into the kitchen to grab her morning cup of coffee, she was surprised to see you had already prepared it for her, as well as breakfast. Time with her has been fleeting, so despite your hatred for early mornings you got up anyway and prepared her favorites just to spend more time with her. You were even feeling a little more upbeat despite not being a morning person. The one reason for this: date night.

No matter how busy your wife was, JJ usually sets aside time for date night. And date night meant you actually got to get out of the house and sit across a fancy dinner table with the love of your life. No kids, no work, just you and her and an air of romance to enjoy the spark you still felt any time she looked at you with all the love in the world shining bright in her eyes. 

Sure, you didn’t get much time with her, but you still saw that look any time she watched you walk into the room. The only thing was, her job was getting more demanding and some big, ongoing case was pulling her away even more frequently. So while you saw that look of love, that’s about all you were getting from her. When she was home she was exhausted, often going straight to sleep after a long day of work. You missed her, you understood and would never tell her to limit her work when you knew it was her passion, but that didn’t mean you longed for more time with her. It wasn’t just you either, you knew your kids missed their other mom. But still, she made up for that with quality time for them when she was home and had the energy. That also just meant less alone time for you two to connect. Even though your heart swelled at the happiness that time with the whole family brought, you craved alone time with your wife.

JJ’s arms wrapped around you from behind as you were busy paying attention to plating the food you just cooked. Her lips pressed against your cheek and you couldn’t help the warm smile that spread on your lips. 

“Hey you,” JJ breathed in between soft kisses placed to the side of your neck. 

“Good morning,” you answered as you turned in her arms. “I made us breakfast.” Usually JJ did that in the morning. As you weren’t one for cooking much either in the mornings, you were grateful for JJ to take on this job. But since the boys were staying at their grandparents for a couple days, you felt you could handle breakfast for two. It was much less stressful than cooking for the whole family.

“I can see that,” JJ chuckled. Her nose nuzzled yours before she leaned in for an innocent kiss to your lips. She pulled back a moment later, a soft smile across her face as she gave you that breathtaking look you loved so much. “What’s the occasion?”

“Well…” Suddenly, you felt nervous to admit you wanted more time with your wife. “It’s date night, but I thought I could start it off with something special a little early.”

“Date night?” JJ frowned. 

“Yeah, I made reservations at that fancy Italian place you like.” The nervousness doubled as you saw the look in her eyes change. Confused by her reaction, you waited for her to say something. 

She just stared at you for a moment, a guilty look written all over her face before finally speaking. “I have to go into the BAU today.” Your face automatically fell and you couldn’t hide your disappointment quick enough. “We have that case.” JJ offered and you unfortunately understood. But the crushing feeling of disappointment still weighed heavily on you as the daydreams you’ve had all week of this alone time with your wife slipped through your fingers. 

“Hey, hey,” JJ took your face in her hands. “I’ll make it up to you.” 

You nodded, but in the back of your mind you couldn’t stop the thought of when she’d even have time to do that. 

“Please, stop making that face, baby.” JJ pleaded, her thumb stroking your cheek gently as she continued to hold you in place. 

“It’s just… it’s date night.” You didn’t know why you were repeating it. Your intentions weren’t to make your wife feel more guilty than she already felt, but the disappointment you were feeling was just overwhelming and you were struggling to hide it. “We haven’t spent much time, you know, alone. I miss you.” You said the last three words in barely a whisper and realization dawned on JJ finally.

The truth was, she missed you too and she found herself craving you in those lonely nights where her job sent her off to stay in hotel rooms. She didn’t realize just how much it hurt you too to not have that time you both needed to feel close to each other. JJ knew at that moment that she had to fix that. She needed to make an effort, despite her horrible work schedule, to consistently have this time with you. But the question was how…

And then it dawned on her. She didn’t have to go into the office for a few hours, opting to go in later in the day since she had a long night ahead of her there. And since she had time to kill, maybe she could skip her morning jog, skip breakfast (even if she was grateful you went through all the trouble) and seize the opportunity she had in front of her. 

“What if…” JJ slowly started to grin. “We turned date night into date morning.” She leaned in and ghosted her lips across your neck, making you tilt your head with her hold on you so she had better access.

“Date morning?” You repeated, your mood suddenly shifting at the implication of it. 

“Mhm,” JJ mumbled against your skin before tenderly nipping at your neck.

“I think…” Your voice cracked as you spoke, the feeling of her lips on your neck already causing you to squirm and press your thighs together. “I think I could be on board with that.” 

“Good,” JJ gave you a devilish look before pulling back, taking your hand into her own and leading you both to the bedroom.

———————————————————

What took you almost an hour this morning, JJ undid in basically two seconds flat. Your clothes were strewn across your bedroom and your back was pressed against the mattress. You were sure your hair was a mess from the way JJ tightly tangled her fingers in it when she kissed you and what little makeup you put on was absolutely ruined by now. What with the fact that JJ was pushing you fast to your second orgasm already and going at a relentless pace, causing you to bury your face into the pillow to muffle your uncontrollable moaning.

But did you even care about all of that? Absolutely not. Not when your wife was rocking her whole body into you with the movement of her fingers, making them pump deliciously harder and deeper each time. She had your legs hooked around her waist as she moved and that plus the combination of her bare skin against yours had your eyes rolling to the back of your head. 

She was grunting on top of you with each snap of her hips as they followed the movement of her fingers. Her muscles flexed as she moved and you were in awe of the strength and stamina your wife was showing so early in the morning. You really weren’t a morning person, but with the way JJ was so eagerly all over you, it was clear that she was. 

Your eyes rolled back and your head fell limp onto the pillow as you felt her push you to your limit, adding a third finger and curving them just right. After making you cum once you took her so well, and she was quick to tell you just how good you were being for her. You never got used to the way she would talk to you. Your face flushed immediately the moment she whispered the words “good girl” into your ear as a moan broke through your lips and echoed through the room. You whimpered at this and felt yourself get even wetter at the cocky smirk she gave you before doubling her efforts. 

With each stroke of her fingers you felt your walls tighten around her again. She was pushing you embarrassingly close to your second orgasm already. Having fucked you throuch your first, only barely slowing down before picking up a brutal pace. You haven’t even gotten a chance to catch your breath. Tears even began to form in your eyes at the growing feeling of overstimulation, but you didn’t tell her to stop. Not when she was begging for you to cum for her again, not when she was groaning in your ear about how much she loved feeling you cum on her fingers. And when she bit down on the sensitive part between your neck and shoulder paired with a rough stroke of her fingers inside you, you felt yourself fall over that edge again with a long, desperate whine. 

Finally, JJ slowed her movements until she completely stopped and slid her fingers out of you. You watched with hooded eyes as she sat up, straddled your waist, and licked her fingers clean with a groan. 

Her hips began to rock steadily now against your own as she sat atop you. With a satisfied smile she looked down at you and simply said “we should do date mornings more often.” 

Yeah, you were definitely on board with that.

taglist: @leecravesdeath @daddy-jareau @olliethedonut @zoomdeathknight @desperate-gay

Join the taglist here

[pinnithin-writes]

The Hunter Hesitates

Scene rewrite of the Gandrel encounter in Act 1, written from Wyll's point of view. 2223 words. Read on Ao3.

Every great adventurer has moments in their life where time seems to stand still. They’re elusive, ephemeral moments, and one has to be paying close attention to catch them. A thread frays from the tapestry of time, and something about the brain and the heart and the way the world is positioned allows one to reach out and grasp onto it, to hold it for a few seconds and render those seconds ineffectual against the pellucidity of space and matter.

Wyll had experienced a handful of these moments, and they had always been spontaneous, unexpected things, moments he caught by accident but remembered in acute clarity. One such time was when he was eight years old at his favorite fishing spot, his legs dangling over the open air between the Wyrm’s Rock bridge and the Chionthar. He could still vividly recall the dappling of light reflecting off the water, the chill against his skin, and thinking to himself that he was experiencing every Summertide day that had ever happened and ever would happen all at once. 

A few were not so pleasant. Time had also frayed for him the day his father returned from Elturel. Even now he could hear his words, pick out the abject horror on his face in perfect crystalline detail, the scarlet Flaming Fist banners fluttering behind him. That exchange had only lasted a few seconds, but in Wyll’s mind, he had been seventeen for centuries, rooted to the spot with a devil breathing down his neck.

Sometimes Wyll felt he was still timeless, still seventeen, still eight or ten or twenty-four, stuck on the axis between the person he once was and the person he now spent his waking days justifying.

Much of the past several years had been a comparative blur of memories, and he could not recall a time since his exile when the world around him slowed to a halt, allowing him to chart every detail like a fractal of clarity bursting in his occipital lobe. He expected it would happen again one of these days, the next time unbearable pain or childlike awe compelled the world to still – whenever that may be. As of late, not much in his life had afforded him a glimpse at the ephemeral or the elusive. He’d been much too busy chasing after the reputation he’d created for himself, and it was hard to stop and look for frayed threads on the tapestry of time when the song of blades and the scent of blood occupied his senses. 

At present, the chase was on pause. Or at least delayed somewhat, while he wandered the Sword Coast wilderness in search of something to alleviate the awful wriggling behind his eye. The mind flayer had even slipped it in behind his good eye, which somehow added insult to infection. Finding advocatus diaboli was still his priority, and he still kept his nose keen for the stench of sulfur, but he had to consider the needs of the group now, and the group, frankly, did not care overmuch about tracking down a war devil. Which is how Wyll found himself calf deep in swamp water searching for a hag instead.

The sun-soaked wetland had revealed its true nature to him through some fortunate glimpse through its illusory veil. A nudge from Mizora she would expect repayment for, or perhaps he had just gotten lucky. In either case, it was a precarious walk; they stepped delicately around redcaps and rotting remains and razor traps half-submerged in black, murky waters. Wyll could feel the utter weight of the lives lost in this place, the warm wet air clinging to his skin like dead fingers. This was a corpse bog, a hag bog, and he had half a mind to turn around and walk in the other direction had those boys not charged in headfirst after their sister. Gale, Shadowheart, and Astarion were uncharacteristically silent throughout the trek, matching the swamp that decomposed furtively around them. The slosh of water and the buzz of flies were the only sounds, a supernatural quiet that promised pain to those who broke it.

Happening upon Johl and Demir’s bodies, fresh and bleeding, finally set Wyll’s nerves tingling with that danger-sense cultivated from spending years on the Sword Coast’s fringes. There was always a certain threshold of peril about his life, but he had developed an eye for what tipped a threat from latent to immediate. His hand went to the hilt of his rapier of its own accord and his heart rate quickened.

Up ahead a dilapidated shack squatted in the mists, waiting patiently for them to wander into its mouth. Danger radiated from it like a beacon, so powerful it muffled a closer, secondary danger that Wyll nearly missed. A man stood on the nearby hillside, dressed in traveling clothes and bearing a heavy utilitarian crossbow on his back. He seemed perfectly ordinary, save for the strange, sickly-sweet smell about him - and the fact that he was camped in such a forsaken place to begin with. But this man’s presence wasn’t so indicative of danger to Wyll as Astarion’s sudden change in behavior was.

Astarion possessed a very high level of danger-sense for someone who should be a predator, Wyll observed. It hadn’t been more than eight hours since he’d caught the elf trying to make a meal of him while he slept, and he was still processing that night’s implications. The world was coming to strange times indeed to see a vampire walk in sunlight, and stranger still to see that vampire willingly travel with the Blade of Frontiers. Wyll’s neck ached, and he tried not to dwell on it. Ultimately, he had offered himself up both as a way to spare the others and to monitor Astarion’s activity – returning to sleep after learning his true nature would have been impossible otherwise.

He should have killed him. That is, the Blade should have killed him, but Wyll had not, for reasons inexplicable even to himself.

It had been a rather sobering experience for Wyll and an intoxicating experience for Astarion, but in the morning the elf was still treating him the same way he had before, wrapped in niceties like a sheathed dagger wrapped in leather. He had been courteous and thankful, saying exactly the right words necessary to assuage everyone’s suspicions, quoting from the same script the lords and politicians back home studied. Wyll knew better than to take people like him at their word, so he kept a close eye on his actions, instead.

Still too early to tell, he had at least been cooperative thus far. Astarion had begrudgingly complied with Wyll’s decision to plunge into the corpse bog, just as he had complied with his promise to assist the refugees. Much of his behavior compared to what Wyll knew of vampires didn’t fully make sense to him. Yes, he was manipulative, but it was blatant to the point of caricature, rendering it nigh ineffectual. There was an alertness about him, Wyll had noticed, a trademark watchfulness often observed in the eyes of hunted creatures. Always the first to anticipate an ambush, the elf’s vigilance had been literally lifesaving on more than one occasion.

No matter how complicated his opinion of Astarion might be, Wyll had grown accustomed to the pale shadow at his shoulder, so it was something of a surprise to feel him step abruptly away to approach the figure on the hill.

A pause to exchange glances with Shadowheart and Gale – they looked as perplexed as Wyll was – and he followed suit. The man introduced himself as Gandrel, and he remained genial and composed in the face of Astarion’s flippant bigotry. A fellow monster hunter? Wyll let the grip on his hilt relax, but he paid mind to how Astarion stood as taut as the bowstring on his back. The fact that he stepped forward to speak with the hunter before Wyll could even open his mouth made him reticent in his responses, and he chose his words carefully.

Then Gandrel uttered Astarion’s name, and Wyll suddenly noticed that glimmer of a frayed thread of time, that indicator of the ephemeral, visible to him after so many years. Before he could speak another word he tangled his fingers in that moment and yanked, hardly daring to breathe as everything slowed to a crawl in between his heartbeats. 

He felt the wound in his neck, still throbbing at his pulsepoint, where Astarion’s mouth had been only hours before. The cavity of his sinuses carried the sweet wet decay of plant matter, the bodies that quietly rotted around them, and the stranger’s repulsive powder. A line of sweat slid between his shoulder blades as he perspired in the balm. His companions at his back vibrated the air with their tension, watching, breathless, as they all realized Gandrel’s quarry stood right beside them. And Astarion, oh, Astarion’s face held a prey-fear, an animal fear, there and gone in a blink as he covered it with a signature smirk.

Wyll processed this all in the space of a few seconds or years as time caught in place. He needed more information before this encounter became one or more of their deaths. Gandrel mentioned the hag of these lands, indicating he could see through the veil also, past the shimmering sunlight to the black water lapping beneath. What else did the gur see?

Considering this, Wyll eventually found his voice. “And when you find this ‘Astarion,’” he asked warily, “you’ll kill him?”

“Not this time,” Gandrel explained. “My orders are to capture him.”

Dread crossed Astarion’s eyes for the briefest of seconds, and Wyll only caught it because he was looking for it. Whatever awaited the elf in Baldur’s Gate, death seemed a preferable alternative.

Wyll then remembered himself, remembered his role. Perhaps he could defuse this. Was this really worth the chase? Astarion was only a spawn, after all, and didn’t pose the same threat a true vampire did.

Aforementioned spawn’s words became knives as he retorted, “I don’t know. I’m sure a vampire spawn could still rip your throat out if he felt like it.”

Wyll had to rein in a longsuffering sigh. As Gandrel launched into an explanation of why a spawn was indeed a most deadly quarry, Wyll took stock of the company he kept. Shadowheart’s quiet, calculating presence lingered at his shoulder, likely running the same numbers he was. Gale tactfully kept silent, but he’d proven to be the type who follows the group’s decision when push came to shove. If this were to become a fight, the odds were in Astarion’s favor, provided the Blade was on his side.

The Blade certainly was not on Astarion’s side, but Wyll was still making up his mind about it. He straddled a precarious line between defending his principles and defending an ally - an ally he had bared his neck to only the night prior, an ally he had given his word to protect. Time continued to crawl. Things were never as simple as he’d like them to be, but with all factors taken into consideration, he knew one thing for certain: a cornered animal will kill, and there was little one could do to stop it.

It was Wyll, not the Blade, who spoke next. “Interesting. Astarion, what do you think?”

He had to admit it was rather satisfying to watch Astarion completely freeze in place. Even his breathing stilled. Wyll could feel his grasp on the frayed edge of time loosening, and he watched in fascination as everything began careening into motion. He saw the disbelief cross Gandrel’s face as the façade fell away with just a few words. He felt the restlessness of his companions, tensing to defend themselves. The bog decayed around them, hushed and waiting.

As they all hung suspended in time, Astarion angled his head ever so slightly in Wyll’s direction.

“May I?” he asked lowly.

Now it was Wyll’s turn to be surprised. He had expected Astarion to spring into action the second his cover was blown, but instead he’d asked permission. He’d asked his permission. The restraint was unexpected, but not unprecedented. He was letting Wyll keep him in check, fighting against every instinct flooding his nervous system, just as he had allowed Wyll to push his newly warmed body away from his exposed throat. Wyll found himself remembering the complicated backward glance Astarion had given him the previous night, a storm of unsaid words aimed over his shoulder. This is a gift, you know, his measured voice echoed. I won’t forget it.

He could still back out of this, but Wyll realized he didn’t want to. Later he would justify himself, as he was so well trained to do. He would come up with a hundred reasons why it was the practical decision - how the monster hunter would only track him down later, how his companions would have been collateral damage, how someone who turns to a hag for help can’t be trusted to do the honorable thing - but none of those crossed his mind in that evanescent moment. Something had simply shifted between him and Astarion, and he followed that shift like a dance partner’s lead.

He let go of time and it raced to catch up with the world. He nodded. 

[nottoofondofgaypeople]

Can we have the scene from the baby showers with Laurance, Garroth and Aphmau in the street Laurance has fake proposed to Aphmau to get Zane off their backs as gay as humanly possible.

Also if I can be greedy can we have Zoey coming to fetch them from the Irene dimension as gay as humanly possible

A 2 for 1 deal huh? I'll be real with you, I was gonna make these be in the same post, but upon going back to the first episode of season 2 I have so much to do with that scene that it's going to need to be its own post. You'll still get both scenes, but the second one needs more time to cook the delicious angst I know you feral beasts all crave.

scene takes place in episode 56 before the polycule has gotten together and is much more a moment of realization for all three of them (largely Garroth). All of them know Laurance loves Irena, and she gave him a very hesitant answer in response. So they aren't together, but aren't not together? I don't get it either.

Silence lingered as Zane walked past. All three of them waited for the sound of his door closing. Laurance waited a second later before he spoke.

"I'm sorry," He finally whispered, but the final sound came out like a laugh. "I'm so sorry--"

"Don't," Garroth started, letting out an uneasy breath. He glanced up at Laurance and... Smiled. It felt really nice to smile like this. "You saved Lord Irena's life, again."

"Yeah, you did," She muttered. She was never more grateful that Laurance was blind and unable to see how much she was blushing. And how shaky her hands were. The silver bracelets on her wrists clanking together might have given it away. "I-I'm amazed you thought of that."

"I just heard him threatening you, and I couldn't stop myself. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable."

"No, no, Laurance you were perfect!" Irena reached forward, placing her hand on his shoulder. It was like second nature. She was never physical with him before, but knowing he was blind made it easy to just fall into the habit of having a hand on him. "It worked, right? You bought us some time."

"Yeah..." Garroth let out a sigh as he glanced between them. There was a thumping of his heart, but it didn't feel like jealousy, as he expected. It was the same kind of feeling he got when looking at Laurance in the academy. The same kind of feeling he got when Irena put on a flower crown. At the same time. "I would have never thought of that."

"I've heard Zane's voice before, but I had no idea the High Priest of O'Khasis was so..." Laurance looked to where he thought Garroth was. He was wrong but it's the thought that counts. "Cruel."

"It's okay. You acted when my anger got in the way of my judgement and saved my lords life." Garroth looked up to Laurance, the sound of his helmet the only indication to the blind man that he'd moved. "I can't even begin to express my thanks to you, Laurance." Warmth spread across Laurance's cheeks, a rush of life he desperately needed. Even if he was blushing and grinning like an idiot, even if it was the most obvious thing in the world, he made it known how much Garroth's words meant to him.

"Me too," Irena cut in, her left hand nervously twirling loose strands of her hair. "I'm really sorry you had to be in this situation at all, but you saved my ass. Again."

"That's just what I do for you, my love." Irena rolled her eyes and gave Laurance a slight smack on the shoulder, but it only made him start laughing again. Garroth expected something still, some sense of envy. The only envy he felt was that he didn't know enough about flirting to join then. But he wanted to.

"I honestly wish he had done something to directly harm a member of Phoenix Drop," Garroth admitted almost sheepishly. He took a deep breath, and instead leaned against his shield and tried to take on a cooler demeanor. "Then I would have really done something to shut him up." Laurance gasped in a sort of fake horror, in a way that Irena had heard Cadenza do before. It made her giggle, and that made Laurance giggle in turn. It did not make either one of them want to kiss the other, definitely not.

"Careful Garroth, you know what happens to villages that step out of line. We're lucky we stayed small enough that O'Khasis just took notice."

"Right. I'm not seriously thinking of doing anything that rash. Just wishing for it."

"Can't fault you for that," Irena agreed with a breathy laugh. An uneasy feeling started to settle in, one Laurance was determined to fight off.

"I feel I should make it clear, I have no intentions of marrying Lady Irena, either. That was just a ruse to get Zane off our backs."

"Aw, that's too bad!" Irena pouted out her lip and spoke in an exaggerated tone. "And here I was about to plan and decorate the entire thing."

"Oh really? And who would officiate it?"

"Not Zane, that's for certain."

"Y'know, Castor is a shaman. He might have the power to officiate." That earned Laurance a smack on the shoulder that made all three of them burst out into giggles. And now it was Laurance's turn to be absolutely elated to hear the sound of their laughter. To hear it come from a genuine and wholesome moment, compared to the cruel mocking laughter he became used to in the Nether. To remember that he was loved.

"Keep up with those suggestions and we'll get divorced before we can get married!"

"Oh, my love, you wound my heart with your cruel words. Whatever can a poor, blind poet do to recapture your love?"

"Quit being such a romantic might be a good start," Garroth shot in playfully. The words could have come off harsh, jealous, even biting, but his tone was loving. His tone was practically dripping with love. Garroth didn't realize it, but Laurance sure did.

"I can't help it."

"He really can't. But it's fine, because I can always get back at him."

"And how do you plan on doing that, my love?" Irena reached up and ruffled his shaggy hair.

"I could always have Cadenza dye your hair again. She'd just say she's redoing your roots, but maybe it's a completely different color and you wouldn't even know."

"She would do it too," Garroth agreed.

"Don't egg her on!" Laurance defended. "My darling fiance already threatened to dye my hair blue."

"And what if Cadenza actually took my suggestion?" Irena's sing songy tone made Laurance raise an eyebrow as he tried to look down at the likely smug expression of the woman leaning onto him.

"She didn't."

"She did." He tried to look to Garroth.

"She did." Laurance's eyes widened in fear, and his hand suddenly went to his hair, bringing it in front of him before he pouted slightly. Right. He still can't see.

"Please tell me you're joking." Unbeknownst to Laurance both Irena and Garroth glanced at each other, and even if his face was hidden, she could practically see the goofy grin plastered across his face. She really wished she could see him. Irena gave him a raised eyebrow, and Garroth just shrugged his shoulders, leaving it up to her how far they would take this bit.

Laurance's hand reached for Irena in a more desperate manner than she expected, which was enough for her to break. The moment Laurance held her hand, she burst out laughing, not blind to the way his fingers danced over the pulse point on her wrist. Seconds later Laurance and Garroth were laughing with her, all three of them simple elevated into the feeling my one another. It was a genuine moment of sincerity and peace, desperately needed after the events of the past few days, and the anxiety Zane had brought.

It was an honor in Garroth's eyes to help in making Irena and Laurance laugh. He was overwhelmed by their love, clear and obvious for anyone to see, even more so that they allowed him to be a part of it in some way. Some perhaps foolish part of him wondered if he could truly love them both, and if he could love them in turn. For now, Irena swept around Laurance and hooked her arm in his.

"How about we get back to the party, my oh so charming fiance and his dashing blue hair?" Irena suggested, though the final comment earned her a groan from Laurance.

"You two better be joking about that or this marriage might actually end before it begins," He shot back.

"Don't worry Laurance, she didn't actually dye your hair blue," Garroth assured him. Irena fully pouted, sticking out her tongue.

"Thank you Garroth."

"Yeah, thanks Garroth for ruining my joke!" For a second he couldn't tell if her anger was sincere or not. Until she reached for him, grabbing at his elbow and dragging him so he was also arm in arm with her. "As a punishment, you're now required to come into Kiki's barn with us and enjoy the festivities yourself." Garroth looked down at those amber eyes and... he couldn't ever say no to them.

"Whatever you say, my lady."

[marinerainbow]

@wicked1will0sparkles I know you suggested Grimhilde could be the Jessica to Poppy's Roger in an AU (and I'm definitely writing something for that!), but imagine if it was Shiny who got to be the Jessica of the relationship (I say that like she isn't already XD)

I'm thinking that maybe the weasels are looking into some case that the girls are somehow related to. Maybe Shiny is the one being convicted of murder after having to 'deal' with a particularly nasty patron from the club, and Poppy is trying to prove her innocence. And they get separated, just like Roger and Jessica did, while they're both trying to figure everything out, too; Shiny taking matters into her own hands, and Poppy teaming up with the people she thinks can help.

Also, just- in general, I can definitely see Popshine in Roger's and Jessica's scenes. Shiny explaining that Poppy makes her laugh. Poppy defending Shiny and finally losing her patience before getting hit by bricks. Poppy writing Shiny a love letter!!! I had to try re-writing some of the scenes with them XD

Warnings for some cursing. And murder mention.

~

Poppy watched from the side of the van as the weasels entered the building, worry written across her face as her fingers dug into her palms despite all the guns and knives the Toon Patrol carried with them. She definitely didn't want to be anywhere near whatever was going to happen to the guy they were after, the one who was supposedly behind Shiny's framing, but being out here on her own acting as a 'look out' didn't sit right, either.

What if Shiny was in there? How could she stay out here while the man who hurt the woman she loved was in there? She couldn't just stand here doing nothing!

'Deep breathes, Poppy.' The rabbit kept reminding herself, taking in the shaky breaths that didn't at all help her anxiety and brimming anger right now, 'They need a look out. You have to help them now... We're just one step closer to proving Shiny isn't a killer. Just focus on that...'

Inhale... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale... Stay calm. Stay rational. beep the horn twice if you see or hear anything. That was all she had to do. She couldn't flake now-

WHACK!

Everything went black for the horror toon, and her unconscious body would have fallen onto the concrete ground. If it weren't for the one responsible for her concussion catching her in her arms.

"I'm sorry, baby!" Shiny whispered, feeling her heart ache for her honey bunny as she carried her body to the red convertible parked around the corner, just out of sight from anybody who might peak outside the windows- which was a good thing, considering the commotion Shiny could hear from the building. She didn't need a stray bullet to hit Poppy, "I promise I'll make it up to you when this is all over."

After securing Poppy in the trunk of her car, the soft look in the performer's eyes turned merciless before she set her sights on the complex where that bastard was. It was high time to clean up this mess.

~

"Come on!"

It wasn't everyday that Smartass took orders from anyone, or let his patrol do the same. But it seemed like tonight was an exception as they all followed her out of the alley, no questions asked.

They all turned a corner, but came to a sudden stop. Shiny's eyes somehow grew wider and flashed a lime green when she saw the state of her wrecked car. Or rather, the fact that her trunk was open and empty, "Poppy? Fuck, where'd she go!?"

"Poppy?" The pink suited weasel repeated, looking at Shiny incredulously as she looked around her car in a panic, as if the rabbit in question was somehow hiding in the rubble, "That dame ran on us back at-"

"No, she didn't!" Shiny whirled around with an even meaner look on her face than before, causing Stupid to step back nervously while Psycho decided to take a sniff around the wreck. She was this close to popping that shrimp a new one, "I was keeping her in the trunk to keep her safe!"

...

"Keep her safe??"

Shiny narrowed her eyes at the smoker before huffing and looking away. She didn't have time to argue about her lack of options. Not with Poppy and the real murderer on the streets, "We ain't getting anywhere in my car. Where's your guys'?"

"Oh! It's gone!"

"WHAT!?" Whipping their heads towards the direction that Stupid was pointing, everyone could see that their van was not only stolen, but the street looked like an utter mess. More so than usual. Like someone was driving like a maniac. Or an idiot. Psycho cackled, finding this situation utterly hilarious for reasons mostly unknown, while Wheezy pulled out a few new smokes with a shaky hand. Greasy groaned and muttered some spanish curses to himself, and the proud smile on Stupid's face melted when he saw his boss' ear twitch, "... SON OF A!-"

"Calm down, Smartass. It looks like it was just Poppy." Shiny, slightly calmer now with her theory, sighed as she glanced to Psycho. To which the loon nodded as he recovered from his laughing fit; either that nose of his was somehow able to conclude this, or he just agreed with her theory. Either way, Shiny was willing to take it, "Pops isn't the best driver. She must be at her wits end if she's stealing."

"THAT'S SUPPOSED 'TA MAKE ME FEEL BETTER HOW!?"

"Mierda. You could say she's a better lover than a driver." Greasy, of course, couldn't stop himself from stepping beside the dancer and making such a comment. Though the lack of a perverse grin on his mug and the more sarcastic tone in his voice showed he was getting just as frustrated as his team was. And was the only reason Shiny only rolled her eyes at him as opposed to sending him a death glare.

"Better than you could possibly be, I assure you."

Apparently though, Greasy wasn't upset enough not to let out an offended huff and look down at the lady weasel incredulously, "I'll admit, senora, she's a cute one. But what could make you say such a thing?!" Was that rabbit not as innocent as she looked?? Oh, he was gonna have to get her secrets when this was all over... It could be part of her payment to all of them for doing this damn job.

For the first time that evening, Shiny's lips quirked up in a small but loving smile before she sighed and crossed her arms. Not at all bothered by Greasy's disbelief as she looked at him straight in the eye, "She makes me smile. That's what."

~

"Tie 'em up! We'll handle 'em later."

Despite Shiny's resistance and Poppy's attempt at a rescue- bursting into the building with the tommy gun she had found in the weasels' van, before getting yet another smack to the head- the two women were forced back to back and bound together. It was that God forsaken proof toon rope too, so neither of them could try to pull any toony tricks up their sleeves to get out of this bind.

Shiny snarled and even tried snapping her teeth at some of the goons, especially at the ones who seemed to enjoy subduing them a bit too much. That didn't stop them, of course, and Poppy's pleading of them to back off of the weasel was only met with mockery. But it wasn't taken any further than that, fortunately. And the two were left alone when the brutes walked away.

Poppy tried to control her fearful trembling. She knew that Shiny was terrified as well, even if she tried to hide it; she had to put on a brave face now while their fate was looking grim. Despite her efforts, though, the only thing that managed to calm her enough was when Shiny's fingers intertwined with her own, "It'll be ok, baby. We still have each other."

Poppy looked over her shoulder to face Shiny as best as she could, her brown eyes filled with dread and heart sinking for her lover. How could Shiny still remain calm and comfort her during this time? Why did any of this have to happen? Why... Why wasn't she able to save the woman she loved? "Shiny... I... I'm so sor-"

"Shh. Don't focus on that." Shiny insisted softly, regarding Poppy with the warmth and care she had just for the rabbit. Though she knew that Poppy must be able to see her own fear as well, and squeezed the rabbits paw lightly for both of their comfort, "... I'll be honest with you, Poppy. I'm not sure how we'll get out of this one. So we can't waste time with unnecessary apologies."

Her ears pinned back at the reminder, but she didn't try to finish her sentence. Shiny was right. She didn't want to spend their possible final minutes in self-pity. Right now, she just needed to take a deep breath, and she had to focus on Shiny now, "I'm sor- I mean... I-I love you. Shiny. You're truly the most amazing woman I've ever met. I mean it." There was no possible way to tell Shiny the depth of her love for her. Not in the small time frame they had at least. But this was a good start, at least.

However, instead of returning the 'I love you', Shiny just raised a single brow down at her, "Hm. That's funny."

"What's funny?"

"You just told me you've never looked in the mirror before, though I swear I've seen you do it every morning."

God. Even after everything, even despite the grim reaper knocking on their door, Shiny still had the time to make her heart sing and illicit laughter from her. Of course, it didn't make her completely forget their situation, but it was enough to get Poppy to look up into her eyes adoringly and let the rest of the world fade away, "How are you so charming and lovely all the time?"

"'Cause I've got the right gal, darling." Shiny's heart felt like it was melting, witnessing the pure joy and love Poppy had for her right now. It always did. But right now, it felt even more impactful than the first time Cupids arrow struck her. Thank God weasels were drawn with long necks; she still had to crane her head back, but it was worth it to be able to plant a kiss on Poppy's temple and hear her happy squeak, "You ready to find out what's on the other side for toons?"

Shiny already knew what Poppys answer was gonna be. Even with the serene look on her honey bunny's face, "No."

At that, Shiny let out a small, dry chuckle. She found no humor, nor was she trying to be sarcastic. It was just all she could do at this point while Poppy held tightly onto her paw. It was all either of them could do now, "Me neither."

~

This is all I've got. I wanted to write more scenes, but I couldn't figure out how to write them! (I STILL don't know what the major plot happening behind the scenes in this AU is or why Shiny was framed. How could I write the scenes that involved all the exposition or Doom?? 😅) but these were still fun to write! ^^

[blinday]

Mai: You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you.

Azula: You should've-

Mai: I didn't finish.

Azula: ?

Ty Lee: ??

Mai: Ten times zero is still zero. I don't fear you, I just believe what he's doing is right.

Bonus:

Mai: If not the war, your family is seriously fucked up and I'm glad he left.

Azula:

Mai: Now, you know what? I love you more than I resent Zuko, and ten times ten is one hundred.

Azula: *tearing up* M-Mai-

Mai: Come on. Let's get out of here and wait for this mess to solve itself. They don't deserve you. *hugs her*

Ty Lee: *joins the hug* Yeah, let's have some fun! I'm tired of this!

[supernaturalcharlie11]

Still very much thinking about Multiverse of Madness and hoping I can watch it again within the next few days. I was kind of surprised that they did not utilize the fact that AU Wanda was trapped in her own body with the Scarlet Witch in control. Don't get me wrong, the scene with Professor X was great, however, it didn't lead to anything. This is me changing that ;) Enjoy my rewrite of the fight in the space between universes, where they tried to recover the Book of Vishanti.

[yoelarmas04242003]

Ride of The Doors (my version)

Bowser was running into the hallway, carrying both Kiyi and Mario. “Glad you came back, Mario.” Bowser said. “Someone has to take care of you, you big Shellhead.” Mario said, patting Bowser’s hand. Screaming can be heard, until it’s revealed to be Peach charging towards Mario and lunges to the red capped mustachio. Knocking him out of Bowser's grip.

“Peaches, I really can’t talk right now…” Mario protested, as Bowser grabbed him by the wrist, unintentionally dragging both Mario and Peach across the hallway floor.

“Mario, if you don’t tell me what’s going on right now! We are through! You hear me? Through!”

Mario hastily spoke, “Okay, here’s the truth! You know the kid that they’re looking for? Bowser let her in! We tried to send her back, but Krabs had this secret plot, and Zanza is right behind us, and he’s trying to kill us.”

Peach growled venomously, “You expect me to believe that pack of lies, Mario Mario!”

Kiyi peeked over Bowser’s shell, and burbled happily, “It’s-a me, Mario!”

Peach screamed in alarm, letting go of Mario, as he was being dragged into the scare floor. “I love you, Peaches!”

Peach turned around and saw Zanza and Sargent Guy going after the duo. “Look out you…” Zanza bumped into a cart of scream canisters. “…idiot!”

Peach glared at the blonde male. Meanwhile, with Mario and Bowser, the two push through their fellow coworkers. “Look out! Coming through here!”

Bowser issued, “Sorry!”

Mario urged, “Make way! Move it! Hurry up! Hurry up!”

Bowser takes the keycard out of Kiyi’s costume and swipes through the slot on the console, anxiously waiting for it to arrive. Zanza and Sargent Guy entered the scare floor. “They there are!” Zanza pointed to our main trio.

Mario and Bowser were nervous as Zanza made his way through.

“Attention, all employees. Zanza has just broken the all-time Scare Record!” Peach spoke through the P.A system, causing an impromptu celebration. “What? No, I didn’t.” Zanza tries to say as the other video game villains cheered for him.

“Go get ‘em, Red Knight!” Peach hung the intercom receiver back onto the wall, knowing she’d played her part.

Kiyi’s door shows up from the shaft that leads into the vault. Mario points towards it, “There it is!”

Get off of my cape! Let me through!” Zanza growled as he pushed through the cheering crowd. Bowser gasped as he saw Zanza approaching him. Making a hasty decision, Bowser slammed his fist onto a red panic button, causing a massive door recall.

“Bowser, what are you doing?!” Mario asked, as Bowser ran to the door station near him, and grabbed onto the frame. “Grab on, Mario!” Bowser said as the door was getting ready to return to the vault. Mario grabbed onto Bowser’s tail, “Are you out of your…” Mario said as the grabber rose up, “…MIIIIIND?!”

Zanza finds the duo high up, so he climbs up another station's grabber and clung onto that station’s door. The doors start to head back into the vault, with Mario whimpering during the whole thing, the doors went through the shaft, “Bowser, what’re we doing?!”

“We have to get Kiyi’s door and find a station!” Bowser explained. “What a plan, simple, yet insane!” Mario commented, while unbeknownst to them, Zanza is still after them as he hopped to the door in front of him. The doors exited the shaft and into the vault, a massive room that contains millions of doors, that leads to every corner of the globe; United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Hati, Jamaica, Peru…

“Whoa..” Bowser couldn’t believe the sight, but Mario was more apprehensive. “Oh, boy.”

Soon, they were approaching a booster that was on the conveyor track. “Hold on!” Bowser warned as their door went through, sending it speeding down the track. The door raced through the conveyor track like a hi-speed roller coaster, going through twists and turns. Bowser and Mario, along with Kiyi, were screaming at the top of their lungs, with the latter having the time of her life.

“Don’t look down!” Bowser yelled as their door went through a raised section of track. It wasn’t long when they saw some doors going downhill, Bowser and Mario gasped as their door went down into a near vertical drop. Bowser and Mario screamed in terror, while Kiyi screamed in joy. Bowser noticed that the indicator light was going on and off as Kiyi was screaming in her aforementioned joy. The drop soon led to a twisted section of track which curves around a post.

“I’m gonna be sick! I’m gonna be sick!” Mario chanted as they curved around the post. “Oh, no!” Mario said as just up ahead, doors were being switched to different tracks. “No!” Bowser shouted as Kiyi’s door was switched to one track, while theirs was switched to another, same with Zanza. “Kiyi‘s door?! Bowser shouted, while Mario tracked it and pointed to it, “There it is! How are we supposed to get to it now?”

Soon, their door stopped in a dark corridor made from nearby doors. “Oh, it’s a dead end, Bowser!” Mario laments as Zanza appears on the row next to them. Mario gasped, “There he is!”

“Make her laugh!” Bowser ordered Mario.

“What, Bowser…” Mario tried to protest.

“Just do it!” Bowser urged, and Mario relented as he reluctantly punched himself in the face. “Ow!” Mario yelled in pain, but this got Kiyi laughing. Her laughter echoes, powering every single door in this massive vault. Zanza was riding a door that was sent to this row. “Get it open!” Bowser exclaimed. Mario got the door opened and inside, with Bowser following suit. “Here he comes!”

“Give me that kid!” Zanza yelled as he lunged towards the door that our heroes entered, but ended up smacking against it as it closed. Meanwhile, Mario and Bowser exited a beach house, with the former taking in the scenery, “Why couldn’t we get banished here?”

“Come on, we gotta find another door!” Bowser said as they went to another beach house a few steps away. Bowser exited the door and stopped himself from falling off. Bowser looked around frantically, until he spotted a familiar bamboo door. “Look, Kiyi’s door!” Bowser pointed it out. Bowser, then climbing to the door on the row above him. Opening the door, Bowser went inside the room associated with that door. Mario looked behind and saw Zanza hot on their trail. “There he is! Hurry up! Hurry up!” Mario panicked as he shimmied up the door frame. “Give me your hand.” Bowser said as he stuck out his hand. Mario tries to take Bowser’s hand, but slips off the frame, luckily Bowser catches him by the ankle, and pulls him inside. As soon as the door closes, Zanza comes out of the tropical door.

Meanwhile, the three were in a Japanese household, and stopped at a paper door, Bowser was confused, until Mario hastily advised, “Come on! Come on! It slides! It slides!”

“Oh, right, right, right!” Bowser slid the door open and they ran across the room. The next door they exited was moving along on the conveyor track. “Jump! I’m right behind you!” Mario calls Bowser. Bowser jumped to a door on the track below, and with Mario following suit. The three came across a balcony and they dropped onto it. They soon run to a door undergoing some maintenance, as Bowser finds Zanza still hot on trail. “Hurry up! Keep moving!” Mario urged. Bowser opened the door and urged, “Get inside!”

Mario hopped into the door, but due to the door lying flat on the ground, his trajectory was changed, as he fell into a French household. Landing onto the floor, Mario was confused, “That was weird…”

Bowser jumped in, but ended up landing on Mario. “Mario?” Bowser wondered, until he heard some muffled yelling, along with an angrily pounding fist pounding the floor. Bowser then realized that he was sitting on the poor guy. “Sorry, buddy…” Bowser apologized as he pulled Mario back on his feet, albeit a bit dazed, but he recuperates as they head out. Zanza, already on the balcony and went through the French door, he growled when he got in. Zanza emerges from a door moving along on the conveyor track, he was about to jump to another door, but the door suddenly slammed in front of him, leaving bits of his blonde hair sticking out. The door slammer was revealed to Mario.

“I hope that hurts, God boy!” Mario taunted as he jumped to the track below him, joining Bowser and Kiyi. “Great job, buddy! We lost him!” Bowser congratulated his pal, until Kiyi suddenly slipped from Bowser’s arm with a scream. “Kiyi!” Bowser exclaimed, as Zanza suddenly showed up with Kiyi in his grasp. “No…” Zanza pulled out a pin that caused the hook to let go of the door and send it into free fall.

“Nice working with ya!” Zanza called out to the falling duo. The door was plummeting fast as Bowser screamed, “Get it open!”

“I’m trying!” Mario exclaimed.

“OPEN THE DOOR!!!” Bowser yelled as Mario got the door to open, he went in first. Once he went in, he grabbed Bowser. “Come on, get in here!” Mario yelled as he pulled Bowser in, and shuts the door moments before being smashed upon impact. Zanza jumped from the hook to another door as Kiyi cried in fear when being held by Zanza.

A flatbed cart with doors and door parts stacked on top of it moved, until Bowser and Mario burst out of it. Bowser and Mario looked around the balcony, where they saw a familiar holy dressed figure riding a distant door. “There they are!”

Bowser raced to the edge of the balcony, over to more moving doors. The koopa balances himself on the railing, hoping to catch up with Zanza. Mario asked, “Bowser, what are you doing?! Bowser!”

Bowser hopped to a passing door, behind the god, with Mario doing the same. They rode along as Mario urged, “Looks like we caught the express, pal!”

“Do you see them?” Bowser asked Mario. “Straight ahead!” Mario pinpointed where both Zanza and Kiyi are, prompting Bowser to hop to another passing door. Meanwhile, Kiyi squirmed in the god’s grasp, but he only tightened it. Bowser dropped to the door on the track below him and dropped to a second one, but he slipped, causing the door to tilt. A passing group of doors slammed against it, alerting Zanza. Bowser fixed his position as Zanza entered the door he was riding. Bowser swung the door, and used the momentum to break into the room, finding Kiyi.

“Dragon!” Kiyi greeted her shelled guardian.

“Kiyi!” Bowser cheered, as he was about to pick her up. Zanza kicked Bowser in the face, causing him to dangle off the bottom of the door frame for dear life. The god stood over the koopa, both evilly and triumphantly. “Look at everyone’s favorite villain now, YOU STUPID PATHETIC WASTE!!!” Zanza shouted as he kicked Bowser’s left hand off the door frame. Kiyi whimpers in fear as Zanza shouted, “YOU'VE BEEN NUMBER ONE FOR TOO LONG, KOOPA! NOW YOUR TIME IS UP!”

Zanza stepped on Bowser’s right hand and pushed it an inch. Kiyi’s fear was soon replaced by seething rage. “AND DON'T WORRY, I'LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE KID!” Zanza finished as he grinded his foot into Bowser’s hand. “No!” Bowser winced.

“YAAAAHHHH!!!!!” Zanza yelled out in pain as he was pulled back inside, revealing to Kiyi sitting on his shoulders, holding onto his blonde hair. She yanks on Zanza’s blonde hair, causing him to yell out in pain with each yank and she flies him into a bookshelf, in which he slides down against. Bowser, meanwhile, pulls himself back up as Kiyi flies Zanza into another wall, causing him to go low to the ground, where she notices a baseball bat, grabs it and proceeds to use it to beat him in the head with it. Kiyi hopped off as Bowser grabbed and restrained Zanza, Kiyi growled at him.

“She’s not scared of you, anymore.” Bowser said to Zanza as Kiyi kept growling, then smiled. “Looks like you’re out of a job,” Bowser smirked as Zanza gulped.

We then cut to Mario propping a door against a railing, and then opening the door. “All right, let’s see the old stuff here, pal.” Mario spoke like an umpire, as Bowser swung Zanza back and forth.

“No, no, no, no, wait, please, don’t! Don’t!” Zanza panicked.

“Hum baby. Hum baby. Here’s the pitch…” Mario continued his baseball style speech.

“NO!” Zanza yelled as Bowser chucked him through the door. Mario instantly closed the door as soon Zanza went inside. “And he is… OUTTA HERE!!!” Mario announced.

—————————————————————

Meanwhile, in a cabin in the woods, the lights turned on, revealing both the kid’s and Zanza’s silhouettes. “Momma, another slasher got in the house again!” The kid pointed to a silhouetted Zanza, which cues in the mother’s silhouette. “Another slasher?! Gimme that shovel!” The mother told her kid, who obliged by giving her the object of choice. “Come here!”

The mother whacked Zanza, who’s getting another butt whupping for the second time. “Yeah, momma, get that slasher!” The kid cheers for his mother, who kept whacking Zanza, highlighted by his cries of pain.

—————————————————————

Meanwhile, Bowser punched the indicator light, shattering it, effectively putting that door out of commission. Bowser then gestures to Mario, “Care to the honors, Mario?”

“With pleasure…” Mario accepted, and he tipped the door over the railing sending it into free fall, where it got smashed upon impact. Kiyi waves in a taunting manner and blows a raspberry at the end. “That’s right, Kiyi, you beat him.” Bowser congratulated Kiyi. “Come on.” Bowser advised.

The trio finally made it Kiyi’s door after all of the madness that just happened. “Okay, Kiyi, it’s time for you to go home now. Behave yourself and be a good girl, okay.” Bowser told Kiyi, until they opened it, revealing other doors stacked behind it. Mario gasped, “Oh, no.”

“The power’s out. Make her laugh again.” Bowser exclaimed, gesturing to Kiyi. Mario stood on the conveyor track. “I got a move here, it will bring down the house.” Mario said, as he jumped, did a flip, and that resulted in a rather… painful landing. Bowser flipped Kiyi’s hood back and apologized, “Sorry, she didn’t see that!”

“What?!” Mario exclaimed, pulling himself up, shaky in the legs after that rather… painful landing. “What did you do, forget to check that her stupid hood was up, you big dope?!”

“Uncle Mario, try not to yell at her. You know that we need her to laugh.” Bowser said in a sing-songy voice. “Right!” Mario said, sheepishly. He chuckled and said, “Hey, Kiyi! Just kidding! Look!”

Mario slammed the door on his cheeks, squishing them in an attempt of making a silly face, and spoke in gibberish by his puckered lips. Kiyi was not amused as Mario continued, “Funny, right? Huh? See what the…”

“These are the jokes, kid.” Mario said in annoyance. “Whoa!” Mario exclaimed as the door suddenly lurched, and started to move along on the conveyor track. “What’s happening?!” Mario asked. “Hold on!” Bowser advised.

[lilyoffandoms]

Guinevere Drabble - Lancelot x Guinevere

For the anon that said I gave them permission to send a prompt and send one requesting on expansion of one of these scenes where MC attends Lancelots wounds. Your ask disappeared between last night and this morning 😭 But warmed up to your prompt request.

Warnings & A/N: Not quite what was requested but I was caught off guard when there was no lingering effects to ya girl straight up punching someone in the jaw. So have this morning warm up extended scene.

She smiled as she watched him look behind each and every spot in her room for any sign of danger. If he was as thorough at ensuring her safety, how thorough would he be in other things?

She let her mind linger on those delicious thoughts for a moment longer as he bent to look her bed before shaking her head free of those dangerous thoughts.

“Your room is clear,” he said seriously as he stood and dusted himself off. “You will be safe tonight.”

“Thanks to you,” she smiled.

“It was the least I could do. It is my duty to ensure your safety after all.”

“Well then, thank you for taking that duty so seriously, Sir Lancelot.”

“It is my pleasure, Princess.”

They stood staring at each other a bit longer before he cleared his through and looked away.

“I should-“

“Of course,” she said, sadness lacing her voice.

“Good night,” he paused as if he would use her name, before completing his sentence with, “Princess.”

“Good night,” she held out her hand for him to kiss.

“Princess,” he gasped as he reached for her hand and tenderly took it between his, turning it over in examination. “What happened?” he asked.

“Oh, it must have been when I punched Lady Brusen- ouch!” she winced as he moved her fingers.

“You should have said something.”

“I am fine,” she reassured.

“You should not have been put in a position where you need to be defending yourself.”

“I am fine,” she laughed.

“Though it was rather… impressive,” he grinned, holding her gaze before letting her hand go and stepping away.

“You should see to that. I will send for someone.”

“I am fine, Sir Lancelot. I am not so weak as to need a bruise looked at.”

“You should not be bruised.”

She smiled as an idea dawned on her.

“I will agree to my hand being tended.”

He smiled and moved to call a servant but paused when she called out to him.

“If,” she smiled as he turned around, “you are the one to see to it.”

“It would be better for someone else to attend you,” he said quietly, eyes widening with surprise as another emotion flashed before he shoved it down behind his walls.

“And yet I imagine you’ve dealt with the caring of wounds more than almost anyone within Camelot. Would you deny your future queen the best care?” she smirked. “Would you deny me your care?” she asked more quietly.

She watched him war with himself before turning to the door and to talk to the servant before returning to the room and leading Guinevere to a chair near the fireplace. Her hand in his as he turned it over agin and again. His thumb rubbing tender circles here and there that were not entirely required nor entirely innocent but to anyone else it could look like a knight inspecting her injured hand.

“Thank you, Tessa,” he nodded to the servant who brought bandages and clean water into the room.

He took the cool water and washed a cloth in it before wrapping it around her fingers. Holding it in place as he let the cool water and herbs soothe her swollen hand.

She watch as he worked in silence. Practiced hands seeing to her needs. Stolen glances between calloused, yet tender touches until he had her hand wrapped neatly and securely in clean, dry cloth.

“There,” he said softly and set her hand back in her lap, his still holding it gently.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she looked at their linked hands before glancing up to find him watching her. “But I request one more thing of you to truly make me feel better,” she smiled slyly.

“Anything. You have only to name it…,” he hesitated with her name on the tip of his tongue, “Princess.”

“You forget the best medicine.”

“And what is the best medicine?” he asked hoarsely.

“A kiss. I thought everyone knew about that.”

There was a moment hesitation as he fought to keep his walls carefully built before he raised her hand to his lips, and turning her hand over, kissed the inside of her wrist above her bandaged hand.

She gasped at the soft, warm touch of his lips to that sensitive spot.

“Better?” he asked.

“Much,” she sighed.

And she watched as those walls built back up as he straightened up and nodded silently to her before walking stiffly to the door.

“Good night, Lancelot,” she called to him. A plea in her voice to beg him to stay or say anything or keep those walls from being built back quite so high.

Pausing, he glanced back at her and said, “Good night, Princess.”

And with a smile, he left her with a small bit of hope that his walls were at least capable of being surmounted.

——————————

Choices Tag: @storyofmychoices @peonierose @aallotarenunelma

[overdevelopedglasses]

Tojoctober Day 4 - Claws

(I became such a Strange Shape)

Alt title is from “Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)” by Fall Out Boy

In writing stuff for Tojoctober, I found out that I love writing scenes from different character's perspectives. There's not too many of them, but here's the first! Featuring the best bean from Yakuza 0, Tachibana :)

(Yakuza 0 Spoilers for Chapter 14)

—-------------------------

Tetsu Tachibana and his ally Kazuma Kiryu are on the run from the Dojima family. As key players in the Empty Lot conflict, targets are painted on both of their backs, and seemingly nowhere is safe. However, if they can stay alive for a little longer, Tachibana and his allies will win.

And that’s all the motivation he needs.

The pair ascend the stairs out of the underground they occupy into the little patch of land that is Little Asia. They glance around for a moment, before Tachibana turns to the other man.

"I cannot stay in Little Asia any longer. Kiryu-san, let us hurry to West Park."

"To where Makoto is?" Kiryu asks, making Tachibana's heart jump. His sister.

"So long as Dojima is after the Empty Lot… Nowhere is safe for her. The only way is to hurry and process the paperwork for her to release ownership."

Kiryu nods, understanding the situation, and the two men begin to walk out of this sector of Kamurocho.

Before they can leave, Tachibana senses danger. They shouldn't go this way. He halts his movement.

"What is it?" Kiryu asks, confused.

Tachibana knows this sensation crawling down his spine. It's all too familiar.

"We're being watched," he says under his breath. 

"What?"

The two men glance around the space, and Tachibana sees him. A man, similar to him, but much more sinister in nature. Tachibana opens his mouth to shout, but it's too late. The man fires his silenced pistol and the bullet lodges into Kiryu's shoulder.

Kiryu grunts and winces, and a second bullet goes into his thigh. Another cry of pain echoes from him as he falls to the ground. Tachibana, panic and concern welling within him, runs to Kiryu's side.

"Kiryu-san!" He helps Kiryu to his feet, before ushering him to some cover. Tachibana still feels the stare of the man on the rooftops. He's pretty certain of his identity, and perhaps who he works for. While maneuvering Kiryu in front of him, Tachibana registers the sounds of metal straining and clanging against buildings: the man, or rather, the assassin, is headed towards them, rapidly. Who knows what that man has with him, besides a gun. Knives? Claws? Bazookas?

Ok, maybe not that last one.

Tachibana rests Kiryu on one of the steps. He attempts to ascend the stairs and glance out into the open, but is met with several bullets about to blow his head off.

Not a good idea. 

Instead, he shifts his focus to Kiryu, grabbing his hand to get his attention. "There is no worse adversary." 

"You know him?" Kiryu asks through heavy breaths.

He hears the assassin start to approach. Not much time. Which meant…

Tachibana lets go of Kiryu's hand. He stares down the hall, trying to get his wounded friend out of his vision.

"I saw him once, in the mainland mafia. He is the most effective hitman I am aware of. His name is… Lao Gui." Tachibana raises his voice slightly, and the man, now confirmed to be Lao Gui, stops in place. 

A bit of time bought.

"Lao Gui?" Kiryu asks, in confusion.

"The murder of the Empty Lot appeared amateur to such a perfect extent the police focused entirely on you. That takes a professional." Tachibana realizes something, a bell going off in his head. A possibility, definitely. "For Lao Gui, it would be simple."

"What's that mean?" It's clear to Tachibana that Kiryu's mind was too racked with pain to process thoughts beyond their base level. 

"If an assassin of his caliber is working for the Dojima Family, it's almost certain he's the one behind the killing you were framed for."

Kiryu looks at him with a pained expression.

[Come out, Tachibana.]

Tachibana's ears perk up, the second language and third voice piercing his mind.

[I was ordered to take you, not kill you.]

Take me? Tachibana thought. What the hell was the plan? Torture? Worse?

"What's he saying?"

Right, Kiryu doesn't speak Chinese.

"His aim is to capture me alive." Tachibana focuses his thousand yard stare to Kiryu's wound on his shoulder, then his leg. He's in no shape to fend off Lao Gui, and there's no way Tachibana could do it without getting a claw to the skull.

"Kiryu-san." Tachibana starts, a pit of dread forming in his stomach. "In our current condition, we cannot hope to run from Lao Gui, let alone fight. However…" 

Tachibana picks up a piece of shattered glass. Getting a glance of his face, Tachibana is a bit startled on how at peace he looks. Especially with what he's about to do. 

"You should be able to escape alone."

Tachibana looks at Kiryu, his pained expression mixing with surprise. The sight almost makes Tachibana eat his words.

"Please, take care of my sister."

He takes one last look at his most steadfast ally, and turns to walk back into the open, and face his destiny.

"Tachibana, don't!" Kiryu's cries only hurt Tachibana's heart, as he comes face to face with Lao Gui. 

He takes the piece of glass that he grabbed, and raises it to his neck. This wasn't his first rodeo, if running around with Oda taught him anything.

[Behave yourself, and I will stay alive for you.] Tachibana speaks in his native language.

[The other man is not in my contract. He is nothing to me]. Lao Gui responds.

He means something to me. Tachibana thinks, but knows that any back-talk would result in a claw wound. Would rather not feel that sensation today.

He gestures his head to walk away from this place, and proceeds to walk out of Little Asia. Lao Gui follows right behind him.

Tachibana hears those claws unsheath as he also hears movement from the stairwell. It's those muffled movements that claw at his heart, but hope also swells with it.

Kiryu will be okay.

Kiryu will find a way to save him.

And soon, Tachibana will see his sister.

[sochawrites]

The eyes of the Boogeyman – SPOILERS

gender neutral reader first person pov reader is Michael's child scene rewrite canon-typical violence

"If I can't have her..." were the last words the guy on the ground mustered before he plunged a knife deep into his throat. What an amateur, I thought, still not understanding why the Boogeyman let him live and help him with the murders. 

I was standing in the shadows, out of Laurie's sight, silently laughing at how pathetic she looked after pulling the weapon out and then being screamed at by her granddaughter. They were all so stupid, so blind. 

She claimed that she saw the evil of Myers in Corey's eyes, that he hold the same dark gaze in them. Too bad she spent so many years obsessing over a locked-up man, rather than giving more thought to her surroundings. She might have had a chance to expect what was coming for her tonight.

My mother was a nurse in Smiths Grove Sanitarium, first meeting Michael while working under doctor Loomis, and falling for him at the first sight. While the same couldn't be said for Michael, he somehow certainly gained some sort of affection towards the nurse after a few years, opening up in his way, and allowing her to learn how to understand him in a way no doctor ever could. This 'relationship', after the doctor's death, lead to me being born, and although she never said anyone who my father was, it seemed like all the staff already knew, all of them except the doctors. I heard it all the time from other nurses every time mother took me with her, "You have your father's eyes!". I was allowed to enter his cell with mom when she was doing checkups on him, for that little family time, if one could call it that, just never when the doctors were around. She taught me how to read him too, preparing me for the time that had since already come.

Looking at the body on the ground I allowed my mind to wander to the memories of my sparse meetings with Corey. 

I was on the way to the basement of my house, fully prepared to scold my poker face of a father for bringing yet another victim inside, just to see that he let the guy live, and escape, almost ramming into me on his way out. But there was no need for me to question father about what just happened, the way he stood told me all I needed. He didn't know it either.

I kept my eyes on the guy, learning his name and the fact that he needed therapy, just like everybody else in Haddonfield. His meeting with Allyson Nelson was interesting information, but nothing father would know about. 

Disappointed, I returned home, just to be met with him presenting a cop as an offering to the Shape, hoping in becoming something of an apprentice. I scoffed at the sight, why would father ever give over his mantle to some random guy, someone so careless and incompetent, when I was right there, his own child? oh, how mistaken I was.

And the audacity he had for claiming the mask for himself...

I was actually quite sad that it wasn't me who took his life away. No matter, father was here, taking back what was rightfully his. While reaching for the knife, Corey's body began to shake violently. I tightened my gloved hold on my own blade, ready to strike and deal the final blow, just to be stopped by the Boogeyman's cold stare as he broke the boy's neck. Stay concentrated, be observant. 

The sound of a lock brought our focus to the kitchen, where the microwave was now turned on as well. Laurie Strode was on the move.

Father let me go first, it was clear as a day to me that she was hiding in the pantry, I motioned to my father to wait, while I walked to the so-obviously prepared distraction to turn it off. 

We both made our way, walking in sync to keep my presence a secret for a while longer. I stood to the side when the door flew open, the woman launching forward, knocking fathers blade out of his hand with an extinguisher. She was about to lend another hit, but I was quick to stab her side and twist the knife, making her drop the item and turn around while screaming in pain, backing right into the Boogeyman's arms, only then realizing her mistake. 

With her head being pulled back and hands held behind her, she looked into my eyes, it took her a second to figure out who I might be. She wasn't scared, more so just angry and in pain. Good. "Want me to hold her for you?" I asked, though he didn't need my help as he swiftly swapped his hand from Laurie's hair to her neck, to which she instinctively jerked her hands too. With a now free hand, father ripped my knife from her side, fast to slice deep into the older woman's unprotected middle, guts spilling out, and stabbing the knife into her ribcage a few times before pulling it out for the last time and dropping her body on the bloody floor. She was sure to bleed out now. 

"NO!" a sharp voice of protest pierced the air. Allyson has returned just a minute too late. Full of adrenaline, she mindlessly threw herself at the Shape, but I was more than happy to wrestle her off of him myself. 

She hit the ground hard enough to stun her for a while, so I reached for the knife father had previously dropped and cut open her throat, thick hot liquid coating our surroundings. I wanted to let her know this wasn't personal from my side, but what was the point, she was a dead girl walking now anyway. With that line of thought and the sound of police sirens in the background, I plunged the blade into her heart, ending her life there and then. 

It was time to go home.

[khonshuscondemned]

scene study/rewrite of The Argument at the end of Ep 2 between Marc and Steven

Fandom:  Moon Knight (TV 2022) Warnings:  No Archive Warnings Apply Characters:  Marc Spector, Steven Grant Additional Tags:  Moon Knight (TV 2022) Rewrite, Episode: s01e02 Summon the Suit Summary:

(There’s a deep ache somewhere buried far behind his eyes, like he’s been banging his head against a wall for hours. Thoughts are hazy and move too quickly to follow coherently, though he does try to piece together what had happened between his palms pressed against the glass window of a public bus and …wherever he’s found himself now. This turns out to be a mistake- everything is a blur and his heart rate (that still hasn’t quite yet had time to settle since Jackal II) skyrockets once more upon being faced with two unknowns, past and present.

Something’s.. not quite right.)

[insomniac-dormouse]

Izuku knows how to keep Eri from killing him. He knows how to withstand her quirk. He knows how he can protect her. Still, he hesitates, braces himself, if only for a moment.

It’s going to hurt.

Deku activates his quirk.

Full Cowling 100%: It’s blue-green light bending and blasting off his form. It’s all the casual power All Might ever had and more, held wielded in his unsteady hand. Tremors consume him under the sheer magnitude of this compounded strength, even as it slips from his control like water in his palms.

It’s only a second; the promise of everything he could be, everything he could do for people.

And then it shatters.

The burst of golden energy, the solidity of the child at his back. He feels it. And then he doesn’t.

Because, his world is exploding.

His bones break, an unmistakable feeling, then they piece themselves back together, smoothing out like an ironed sheet. His skin unravels, his muscles mincing, his blood splattering. And then they all just race back into place like a snapped rubber band. His skull and everything inside is pulsing as it pops like a balloon, lapsing his perception into blinks of nothing. It’s more than he ever expected. More than he thinks he can handle.

But, he has to. Deku has to. For Eri.

He won’t fail her again.

The pain is overwhelming for the first few seconds. He holds his tongue to keep from screaming, grits his teeth as he tries to sync his quirk to Eri’s. He wrangles enough control to let it fluctuate, dropping and raising to her own lack of control.

And let it never be said that Izuku Midoriya had anything less than an extreme tolerance for pain, because it only took those first few seconds of fighting to stand, before the pain of his constantly breaking body became background noise.

Deku takes a step, a walking mosaic. And he flies.

[biohazard-inevitable]

This is just a small self insert drabble fic rewrite of the scene where Astarion first drinks your blood except its me and my self insert and him and it gets a little bit horny at the end, no sex, but very homo-erotic blood sucking and heavy flirting, i kinda went off the rails towards the end lol,

This is just pure self indulgence , so dont like dont read!!!

At first, Astarion hadn’t thought much of his tiefling companion. He held the all too familiar air of a haughty nobleman, and he most certainly held the naivety of one with the way his bright smile shone towards others, regardless of situation. A pillar of charisma trying to woo his way into the hearts of others to gain something, a mere act that the vampire knew all too well. He was certain that false curtain would fall the very moment he found out the truth about his new companion, the secrets that lay behind the pale elf’s sealed lips and the eternal hunger that was wrought upon him.

He spoke lie after lie behind a docile grin to gain the tiefling’s trust, eventually beginning to call him by his name, Zayne, rather than “the tiefling” as it became more apparent that they would have to travel together to find some sort of answer for the parasite wriggling behind their eyes, though he was thankful that Zayne hadn’t probed into his mind even though he very well could have. It was a subtly decency that Astarion hadn’t quite expected of the cunning noble, but a decency he was thankful for regardless.

Although it all seemed to be going quite smoothly, the vampire’s hunger grew, and not being accustomed to spending nights near so many defenseless warm bodies left him feeling more than a little curious about what the blood of a thinking creature would be like. He had only ever dined on beasts previously, but never something that could talk back to him, or gods forbid beg him for mercy. Though he knew his temptations would only be his downfall, as certainly nobody would trust him if they discovered him, let alone found him drinking from one of the party members, but Astarion’s curiosity only grew in his resistance to the matter, until he couldn’t resist any longer.

Zayne had become the unofficial leader of the group, so drinking from him would be either the best plan of action or the worst. The others were more twitchy, more likely to wake certainly, but a nobleman? They could sleep through anything, at least he hoped as he quietly crept over towards the tiefling’s sleeping form by the waning coals of the fire, knowing that if he was discovered he’d certainly have a stake through his heart or worse, a slow agonizing death by the hand of the powerful mage. The best option was to be quick and gentle, and hope to the gods that he didn’t wake, as Astarion’s curiosity became far too much for him to ignore any longer.

Too unfortunately for him then was the crinkling of distress and hiscomfort from the nobleman’s face as his tail lashed about in his sleep, rousing himself from a nightmare while Astarion’s bright ivory fangs hovered mere inches from the man’s neck. Crimson red eyes swiftly flicked upwards to meet with ethereal blue irises hovering in their inky abyss of a sclera, wide in shock and most certainly horror as the gentle moonlight glinted off of Astarion’s fangs which he quickly withdrew, shrinking back on himself with a soft curse under his breath before panic rose to batter at his chest and he frantically began backing up.

“I-its not what it looks like I swear!” Asterion stammered, hands flying up to brace himself for an attack that never came, his eyes sheepishly avoiding any contact other than that of the ground’s gaze lest he anger the tiefling any further.

“A vampire, how facinating…” Came the calm, almost light-hearted tone as Zayne stood to face Astarion. “You know, I had my suspicions about what you may be hiding from me, but I would have never guessed a vampire was what you were!”

“I’m really, really sorry, I wont hurt you, honest! I-I’ll even pack up and leave so I won’t bother you again just please- please let me go and you’ll never have to see me again, I swear it!” He grovelled, tears quivering around the corners of his eyes out of fear and humiliation.

“I’m not going to do anything to you.” The nobleman spoke softly, with that same gentle grace he treated so many others with, cautiously stepping closer as if the vampire would startle like a newborn fawn. “You can still leave if you want, or, stay, and if you need to, you’ree free to have a bite.”

“Wh- really?” Astarion flubbered, hesitantly peering upwards finally at the tiefling’s gentle smile as he searched for any hint of deceit, though he found none. “You’re not going to drive a stake through my heart or bear a cross and scream holy verses at me until I hiss and run to cower in the shadows?”

“Now why would I do that to such a pretty thing like yourself?” Purred the tiefling, his tail swishing softly behind him not too dissimilar to a feline’s swish of curiosity. “Besides, surely you realize what I am? I’m no stranger to dealings of the darker kind.”

It was in that moment that it finally clicked for Astarion, all the spells and the way the nobleman held himself, the things he recognized and the charasmatic nature, he was a warlock, not merely a simple mage. Part of his soul likely belonged to some terrible beast from the hells, and yet he carried himself like he was pure and innocent. Perhaps it would be best to string this man along, make him feel like he’s got everything firgured out while Astarion stayed one step ahead at all times, guaranteeing that he would remain a powerful pawn instead of becoming a dangerous enemy.

Quickly, Astarion attempted to compose himself, straightening up slowly from his feeble cower to stand with what little regality he still held as he continued to converse with the nobleman.

“I see, well, sorry to have awakened you- um, that offer for a bite was merely metaphorical, was it not?” Astarion laughed awkwardly as his wrists fell in a loose gesture, his deep crimson eyes still unwavering from Zayne’s neck as he spoke, deool building up and wetting his tongue, forcing him to swallow to keep his hunger at bay. “I mean, surely you wouldnt want to be seen fraternizing with blood leaking from your neck, right?”

“Oh you’re so sweet, actually pretending to back off once I woke up.” Cooed the tiefling as his steps continued cliser, a clawed fingertip threatening just beneath his chin, tilting hit upwards to meet his gaze. “But yes, that offer is still on the table. We’ve been traveling for quite some time, and if I’m not mistaken, you haven’t fed in a while. Surely you must be so exhausted.”

It was true, Astarion realized with the familiar painful twang of his lethargic body, practically screaming for him to tackle the man in front of him and drain him for all he was worth. He was too close, far too close, his breath ghosting upon Astarion’s own neck and for a moment, he himself felt the prey cornered by the predator, a position he wasn’t entirely unused to, but one he certainly wasn’t expecting from anyone else.

A soft blush rose to his cheeks as the tiefling moved in closer, his neck tilting to bare itself towards him and Astarion felt it even harder to resist, his hands raising to grip onto the tiefling’s shoulders like a desperate vice as he tried to hold his focus on the tail that swished back and forth like a hunting cat’s.

“Go on, you’re free to bite if you need.”

“W-why are you letting me do this, theres got to be a catch…”

“Mm, I guess I just thought you were cute, so I wouldn’t mind, plus, it’ll make you stronger, a better fighter for me, I dont see the harm in it.”

“I could drain you dry you know, kill you on the spot.”

A soft shuddering gasp escaped Astarion’s throat as he felt those clawed fingertips softly tighten around the curls at his nape.

“Oh I’ll make sure you won’t. I know how much you want this.”

And he was right, Astarion wanted this more than anything, and finally, he caved.

Leaning forward his fangs brushed cautiously against the tiefling’s neck as they sesrched for the right artery, eventually finding it and plunging just deep enough to puncture, but gentle enough as not to sever as the blood bubbled up to the surface and Astarion’s lips locked tightly around the wound as he began to suckle the contents from the noble’s willing neck, still confused as to why he was allowing this but grateful nonetheless as he continued to feed until he was unceremoniously yanked backwards before he could entirely loose himself to the taste.

“Easy now, I’m staring to get a bit woosy now, but that felt good. And I’m sure it was for both of us.”

Astarion could do nothing but solemnly swallow what was left in his mouth as a small dribble rolled down his chin, the tiefling quickly swiping his thumb over it with a cheeky grin as he released Astarion from his grip.

“You’re free to have more though, some other night when I’m not as drained.” He spoke with a sly wink, turning to leave Astarion and head back to his bedroll. “I’m sure we’ll both enjoy it even more next time.”

Astarion’s face burned at the implication, and as hunger continued to gnaw at him from within, he couldn’t help but feverishly wonder just what he had gotten himself into.