#so narrowing it down to two took a bit ww

[beelsjuicytitties]

made a ship playlist for jazz n the obm characters and wanted to share it lol

tracklist;

Lucifer: From Eden-Hozier, Francesca-Hozier | Mammon: Fair-The Amazing Devil, Hey Lover!-Wabie | Leviathan: Let Me Be With You-ROUND TABLE ft. Nino, Jenny-Studio Killers | Satan: Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop-Landon Pigg, LIGHT SHOWER-Melanie Martinez | Asmodeus: Closer-Tegan and Sara, Mary On A Cross-Ghost | Beelzebub: Strawberry Mentos-Leanna Firestone, Sweater Weather-The Neighbourhood | Belphegor: Arms Unfolding-dodie, Chasing Cars-Snow Patrol | Diavolo: Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy-Queen, My Heart Is Buried in Venice-Ricky Montgomery | Barbatos: Once Upon A Dream-Lana Del Rey, I Hear a Symphony-Cody Fry | Simeon: Can't Help Falling In Love-Haley Reinhart, I, Carrion (Icarian)-Hozier | Solomon: Work Song-Hozier, Rule #1 - Magic-Fish in a Birdcage

[cultgambles]

The Pro Hero Gala

Summary: Your first major outing as Hawks’ S/O turns steamy when his jealousy gets the best of him. 

Warnings:  n s f w ! , semi-public, not really use of pronouns referring to you, but u got a vag

WC: 2.3k!

Masterlist | Requests? open

“(Y/N),” Hawks whined, “We’re gonna be late! I’m sure you’ll look fine.”

“Alright, alright, I’m coming! I’m just trying to zip up the back of my dress,” you giggled back. 

“The Number Two can help you with that!” he all but burst into the bathroom, taking in your form. You wore a sparkling red evening gown, with a low back, high leg slit, and dainty nude heels. Hawks whistled, pressing cold fingers against your back, slowly zipping the zipper up. “Got a bit stuck there, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, thank you. You’re my hero,” you sighed sweetly, pecking him on the cheek. His suit was a deep black, so different from his usual tan outfit. His tie was red, almost the same shade as his wings.

“You’re gorgeous in that,” he said, taking your hand to lead you out, “but we’re going to be late if we don’t hurry up.”

“I know, I know. Just a little nervous maybe.”

“Don’t be, they’ll love you.” This was your first time at a Pro Hero Event, of course you were filled with butterflies. You definitely didn’t belong, especially just being a normal citizen. Maybe you’d look just as fancy though? “Stop overthinking, chickadee, just be yourself. Stick by me, and it’ll all be okay. We can sneak out later, if you’re really feeling it.”

“While I would definitely love too, I’m not sure your PR team or fellow heroes would commend that.”

Quietly, a jet black limo pulled up in front of your apartment building and the driver opened the door for the both of you. 

“After you,” Hawks smiled, “Ww would just have to find the perfect time.”

“You just wanna look at my ass, huh?”

“You got me.”

The ride to the event was filled with mindless chatter, soft jazz drifting through the air. Hawks reached out to your clammy hand and gave it a squeeze as you both stepped out of the coach. In an instant, camera flashes blinded your vision, tens of reporters shouting your name for comments. 

“Get outta here, guys, you’re making my baby jealous!” Hawks scolded lightly, a wing covering your frame. Inside was as lavish as you could have imagined, rows of chandeliers, butlers floating around, gold accents everywhere, and of course heroes everywhere. Hawks checked in at the booth, gesturing to you as his plus one.  “C’mon, let’s go say hi to Endeavor.”

You shook your head at his enthusiasm, “One day I’m going to lose you to him.”

“Maybe! But not soon. Not tired of ya yet, kid.”

“Maybe!” you exclaimed in fake shock.

“He got a tight little ass,” Hawks shrugged. “Hey-yo! Endeavor, this is my partner I told you about, [Y/N] [L/N].”

You held your hand out to the fiery man, “Nice to meet you!”

“Likewise, I’ve heard a lot about you, Hawks never stops talking.”

“That’s cute,” you coo to your boyfriend.

“I’m gonna get something at the bar real quick. Want anything?”

“I’m okay, thank you. Well, actually, maybe a martini, please?” Hawks nodded and gave you a quick pat on the head. 

Endeavor was already talking with some of his acquaintances and you were left alone for the time being. Soon enough, some Pro who you didn’t recognize made his way to you. 

He was really laying on the sugar, standing oh so close, his hand ghosting over the curve of your hip. You laughed along, as to not be rude. Little did the two of you know, Hawks could hear every sweet word the man whispered, his feathers puffing up slightly. 

“[Y/N], here, I got it just the way you like it,” he glanced at the other hero, “Hey man, haven’t seen you around before.”

“Oh yes! This is my first event since my debut. Half a year, maybe?”

“Congrats! Hummingbird, I heard Miruko just came in. Wanna go say hi? I know you guys got along.”

“Sure, baby,” you smiled, feeling his bitterness seep through his mask. “Nice talking to you!”

“Wai--”

“I leave you alone for less than ten minutes and you’re already cheating on me?!” he huffed, trying to hide a smile.

You sighed dramatically, doing a woe is me pose. “I just can’t keep them at bay!”

“How ya feelin’ for ya first fancy event?”

“Feeling a little better.” After twenty or so minutes more of mingling with everyone, the presenter stands at the podium.

“My Heros, I thank you all for attending this event, hopefully crime will just pause for this evening”--a couple people chuckled softly--“and have a wonderful rest of the evening. Please find your seats! Dinner will be served shortly.”

“Any ideas of what’s for dinner?”

“Not sure, I heard they hired American chefs, though. Where do you wanna sit?”

“Maybe over there?” you asked, pointing to an empty circular table.

“Lead the way, baby,” Hawks replied.

You and Hawks sat next to each other, facing the stage. Rumi across from you, and a couple others you didn’t quite know. As the lights dimmed, a familiar voice rang over your head.

“Mind if I sit here? I can’t believe all the seats were filled by the time I got back from the bathroom.”

“Ah, of course,” you smiled slightly. It was the Pro from before. Hawks huffed under his breath. The bread bowl made its way around the table and you leaned over to Hawks, telling him how much you love sour dough bread. 

“I like sour dough too!” the man next to you loudly said.

“It’s nice, isn’t it,” you agreed. C’mon, just leave me alone. Dinner continued, different groups putting on stage show shorts for entertainment. And with each comment from the stranger, Hawks’ attitude changed a little. His words a little sharper, eyes a little narrower. Of course, this was only noticeable to the trained eye. A spotlight shown on the stage, illuminating a row of women. Their beautiful display of the Thousand Arms Dance almost made you forget about the hand resting on your thigh. 

In two moments, that changed.

Dangerously close to your sex.

Rubbing small circles on the inner side.

“Hawks.”

“[Y/N].”

“What are you doing?”

“Enjoying the show?”

“Don’t play coy with me, you whisper yelled. 

“No idea what you’re talking about, songbird,” he purred, fingers prodding your sex through your panties softly. 

“Okay. I see how it is.”

“What ever do you mean? Don’t go ignoring Mr. New Pro over there.”

You looked around at the table, everyone enthralled by the dance. Mr. New Pro was cutting his steak into fifty tiny meticulous pieces. Weird. 

“He’s not even talking to me,” you snorted, “for once.”

“But you like the attention, don’t you?” You choked on your water.

“Hey, [Y/N], look at my meat,” the other hero said, gesturing to his plate. 

Hawks’ eyes twitched. “Need to go right now.”

“Show’s not over, it would be rude!”

“Right now,” he hissed, getting up abruptly and dragging you with him. “Dinner was good, but I really want dessert right now.”

The bright lights of the lobby made your eyes take a while to adjust. A supply closet door left unlocked, now your small haven with your boyfriend. “In there,” you pointed.

“You got great ideas, hummingbird,” Hawks praised, pressing you against the wall and kicking the door shut behind him. He gave you a quick kiss before kneeling between your legs. They rested on his shoulders, fingers digging into your supple thighs. “Be quiet, you don’t want to attract any unnecessary attention, do you?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Something about a bunch of Pros seeing you in such a compromising position piqued your interest. 

Hawks attacked your sex, sucking on clit before dragging a tongue along your folds. You threaded a hand through his wild blond hair. Even though you two weren’t dating for a super long amount of time, he was already a master at knowing how to please you. You chalked it up to his keen observation skills. 

His hot mouth brought you so close to your release until he pulled away suddenly. 

“Good girls don’t get to cum until they learn to not flirt with other guys.”

“Barely flirting!” 

“Not what I saw.”

He plunged a finger into your sopping entrance, massaging the spongy patch of flesh that made you throw your head back. 

“What did I say?”

It took you a couple seconds to find the words, to which he pulled his digit out. “No flirting?”

“Close, baby.” Hawks gently placed you on your feet. “Turn around.”

“I wanna see that cute face though,” you pouted. It almost cracked his facade.

“Well, I wanna see your ass pressing against my hips.” You bent slightly, placing your hands on the wall to brace yourself. “That’s it…” you heard his belt buckle come undone, pants dropping to the floor in a heap around his shoes. Hawks’ cold fingers moved your dress to the side, and slowly pulled your silky panties down.

“Glad I wore this dress?”

“You plan it?”

“Didn’t think it would be in the way when we got back home,” you shrugged. “Guess it works for any place, huh?”

Hawks breathed deeply, cock in his hand, running the tip between your ass cheeks. You pushed back, trying to get some friction.

“What are you not supposed to do? Get it right, and I’ll sink into that cute little pussy of yours. Otherwise, we go back to the ballroom, yeah? Dunno if I can handle it though, what, with what’s-his-face all over you.”

“I didn’t catch his name either,” you giggled before clearing your throat, “uhm...you said to not come until you tell me. I’ll be good. I’ll do as you say. Just please--”

“Since you said please,” he hummed, “easy to slide in since you’re so wet for me. Only for me. No one else.”

“Of course!” your walls stretched to accommodate his length. Hawks let out a low groan. “So tight…” 

You let out a high squeak, urging him to go faster. “Birdie, I...I can’t believe we’re doing this here…”

“A certain someone couldn’t wait..”

“I saw you getting pretty antsy too!”

“That little fucker had no business flirting with you right in front of me; and you. You allowed it, egged him on even,” Hawks growled in your ear. 

“Maybe..maybe I wanted a reaction out of you!” your sentence ended with a lit when his tip kissed your cervix.

“Bad move, kid, you know I’m not gonna go easy on ya. When I came back and he was all over you, oooh, I just wanted to kill the bastard. Hero status be damned. When he leaned a little too close at the dinner table, I just wanted to bend you over the table to show him that you’re mine.” Suddenly, Hawks pulled out of you, flipping you around to face him. “Look at me, beautiful.”

You struggled to open your eyes, Hawks’ pinprick eyes trained on your own. They were honestly set ablaze.

He looked beautiful like this: hair more tousled than usual, a bead of sweat on his temple, mouth panting and parted open. “Whatcha lookin’ at baby bird?”

“Just you,” you sighed contentedly, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him into a searing kiss.

You heard his wings ruffle, and his hips slammed into yours at a more fervent pace. Mmmffmmm, came out of your mouth. “I’m--close!”

Jealousy forgotten for the moment, Hawks nodded against the nape of your neck. “Hold on a lil longer. Can you do that for me? Wanna countdown?” he cooed.

“Y--yeah, okay,” your legs squeezed his body to yours impossibly tighter. 

“Five,” he moaned. At least he didn’t start at ten, that would have been an eternity.

When four came around, you ran your hands on his feathers close to his back.

Three. Almost there.

Two, and it’s so close to one. You felt like you’re almost going to vomit, but in a good way. A tightening just about to unravel.

“One, look down at me ravaging this pussy. No one else can do it as well as me, don’t cha know?” Hawks snarled. 

You peeked at where the two of you became one, his hand snaking around to rub at your clit.

“Hawks! Coming, I’m coming,” you moaned, his name falling off your tongue like a prayer. You briefly wondered when he would tell you his real name, but quickly coming to this moment when he spoke.

“Sing me my favorite song, songbird. You know I love to hear it!” His hips stuttered, wings flaring out (you loved that part) as he came, hot cum shooting out into your waiting entrance. Your pussy milked the rest out desperately as you both felt the aftermaths of your highs. He rested his forehead against yours. “I just wanna stay here.”

“In this closet?”

“No, dingus, with you,” he rolled his eyes, pulling out of you gently. “Round two back home?”

“Maybe nail me in the sky or something,” you suggested, pulling your panties up and shifting your dress around.

“Don’t tempt me,” he smirked, picking you up bridal style. He managed to fly out without being seen, and the both of you looked upon a sea of shining lights.

“I’m jealous you get this view every day.”

“It’s better with you, though,” he smiled softly.

“Hawks…”

“What is it?

“You’re hard again? Already?”

Hawks let out his beautiful laugh and you snuggled closer into his chest. “Can’t blame me that my baby bird just put that idea in my head!”

👉👈 hi this is my first smut since a lil while so hope you enjoyed it! Maybe tell me what you thought?

[circumstellars]

Hello there! Can I have a ficlet with dialogue prompt, 'What's making him scream like that?' for Five and Diego, or any siblings you like ;)

[Ok so this turned out slightly longer than intended, but I was able to blend it together with another idea I had for a follow up to this ficlet.

The context is that this is canon compliant in that it happens somewhere near the end of S1EP4, when passed out drunk Five is recovering in Diego’s bed.

Basically Five has an PTSD episode, or a night terror if that’s easier, and the line you prompted I rearranged and altered a bit to fit the scene, so I hope that’s okay?

In this addition to the canon, when they were little Ben begins to have trouble controlling the otherworldly monster he uses, and Five has made a promise he won’t let things get out of hand. Fast forward to S1, where Luther and Diego are taking care of him, but before Al comes to deliver Eudora’s message, and it is sandwiched between two Five apocalypse flashbacks.

So so so many thanks to @michlle, or @/kkie on TUA Adult Fan Discord server. She’s an amazing beta that helped me in a pinch! So the only reason my grammar is so much better than usual is entirely thanks to her.

Very angsty. Blood, just a snippet a violence. Brotherly pain all around, emotional suffering. Enjoy! I hope you like it.]

================================================

⟨p⟩=md⟨x⟩/dt=mddt∫∞−∞x|ψ|2dx=m∫∞−∞x∂|ψ|2∂tdx.­­­ 'It's a simple fucking equation, what is wrong?' His shaky fingers struggled with the chalk, accidentally snapping off one end against the concrete wall. Five swore, making a face at the broken piece of chalk like it spoke ill of his mother.

Oh god. Mom.  His face crumpled. 'The expectation values of displacement and momentum... obey time evolution equations analogous with,' a wet cough interrupted his deflated musing. He spun around and rested against the concrete he had been writing on moments before, before turning an eye to Dolores. '... the mechanics of Schrödinger’s equation.'  Dolores gave him a weary look. Five avoided her gaze. She didn't know. It's not like she had been forced to pick up quantum physics at age ten, and really, he had to forgive her for that.  The sun was powerful today, as it had been at least seventeen of the twenty-six days he'd been stuck in the apocalyptic ruins of his former city. It should have only been the end of April, if that newspaper clipping he held close was in fact the last thing to have been printed, but it felt hotter than middle July easily. The aggressive winds of mid-afternoon whipped all sorts of debris into his frail body and any exposed skin, and Five simply couldn't risk any injuries that could deplete his energy. He was on the cusp of fixing this, he could feel it in his exhausted bones.

He swallowed down the start of a painful sob, careful to steel over his expression. 'I know you said something about the farthest right term Dolores, but I'm not neglecting it,' Five chided, breathing into the dirty scarf around his face.

He turned around and scooped up the chalk he had rejected moments ago. 'The spatial extent of the particle wavefunction isn't smaller than the variation length-scale of the potential. You're clever, and pretty, but not that clever.' 

Five snorted at his own banter, smiling into the trails of chalk spilling from his hand as it ran across the rubble. 'Now, listen carefully this time...' --- Diego unceremoniously dropped Dolores on a nearby chair.  The fuck is this for?  He gave the mannequin an odd look. A few steps away Luther lowered their brother carefully into Diego's roomy, luxurious twin cot, rolling the sleepy, drunken Five so that he was resting comfortably on his side. 

Diego sidled next to Luther, joining him in looking over their tiny brother. Small, frozen in time for them both in memory and now, awkwardly, in reality too. The baby fat still very much clung to his still rounded features and made him look impossibly younger in a way that brought nostalgia roaring up the esophagus like heartburn. He was supposedly twice their age now? Diego scrunched his nose; to think this child, for all intents and purposes, laid here so serenely- so sweetly, dare he say it, looked like a boy who'd just tired himself out at school that day. Yet he knew, the moment Five sobered up, the illusion would crumble swiftly and without mercy. 'Funny, if I didn't know he was such a prick, I'd say he looks almost adorable in his sleep.' 

Luther snorted. 'Well, don't worry. He'll sober up eventually... and be back to his normal, unpleasant self.'

That's not good enough. 'Yeah - I can't wait that long.' Diego spun on his heel, intending to grab provisions. Five had about ten minutes of rest before Diego would be ready to forcibly pull him into consciousness with soda crackers and ginger-ale. 'I need to find out what connections he has to these lunatics before someone else dies.'

Luther didn't respond right away, eyes flickering to Five and back. He looked pensive, uncomfortable. Diego still hadn’t gotten used to the subtle changes in Luther's personality; it was disquieting the way he looks so much bigger than he used to, and yet now he seems so much smaller to Diego than he ever physically was. The big man had an air of constant uncertainty around him.

'That stuff he was saying before...' Luther began after a moment, 'what do you think he meant by that?' Diego glanced over his shoulder at Five's sleeping figure, curled up tightly in foetal position. His expression darkened in his sleep, and Diego frowned. 'I don't know...' The words came slowly, his focus narrowing in on his littlest brother. He turned quickly again, box of soda crackers forgotten on his dingy counter.

Five began to fuss, still unconscious, but his body began to shake some, and his entire expression was pinched in discomfort. Luther was watching Diego, puzzled, and followed his eyes back to Five on the cot behind him.

Then came the screaming.

Both Luther and Diego jumped back in alarm as the most harrowing, stomach-churning scream came from Five. He was folded into himself, clutching at his own biceps so hard his knuckles were bone-white. The screams that were coming from him sounded so raw Diego was sure he was damaging his vocal cords in some way.

Luther came down from his initial shock quicker than Diego and was at the cot in an instant. Diego held his breath, jaw fighting to unhinge. He was always quick in his reflexes, but something held Diego down and glued his feet to the floor. His body was alarmingly stiff with inaction.

Luther was gripping at Five, holding him as he jerked back and forth, scream after scream tearing through his rattled body. Over and over Luther tried to talk over Five, wake him up, continuously asking him what is wrong and 'what is happening Five? Can't you hear me?'

'W-ww-why is h-h-h-he screaming like t-that?'

Diego’s broken voice was swallowed up in the cacophony of Five's agonising wailing and Luther's panicked mantra of Five, Five, Please Five, Five!

Five's painful screams were tearing bloody wounds into Diego’s eardrums, and the sound of his little brother in such convincingly raw misery pulled terrifying tremors up from deep within his belly.

Go.

What happened?

Iego.

Five?

'-Iego. Diego! Diego!' Luther's voice hit him like an anvil. 'Hey?'

Why is he screaming like that?

All at once life moved forward with a start. Air sucked its way back into Diego's lungs and his attention snapped to his brothers. Five was no longer on the bed, but crumpled over on their large brother's lap, clutching not his own arms anymore but instead had all ten, trembling fingers gripped into Luther's jacket for absolute, dear life. Luther had a pained expression etched into his normally hard visage, and his arms came up to hold Five in place as gently as Diego had ever seen his giant brother move. It only dawned on him then, that Five wasn't screaming anymore.

Diego moved quietly, setting himself on the bed next to his brothers as silently as he could, almost as if he were afraid to spook an already terrified deer pinned between a rocky ledge and an oncoming truck. 

Mindlessly Diego laid his gloved hand to his little brother's head, cupping the back of it gingerly. Something heavy threatened to pull his heart into his guts, and the struggle disguised itself in the shadows of his expression.

For a while everything was deadly quiet. The pipes in the old building gurgled apropos nothing, the boxing business outside long closed for the evening with only Al's occasional footsteps any sure sign life still existed outside this hole he called home.

Diego couldn't hear much else, aside from the ragged breaths shaking Five's small chest. His eyes were still closed, creased with concern, delicate fans of black eyelashes twitching as his brain worked through whatever dark secrets Five hadn’t dared to yet share with any of his siblings. 

'Five...' but Diego’s voice aborted the words in his throat, and he met Luther's eyes. He found no answers.

What did you see, Five?

--- Day 42.

A rat scampered past Five’s feet and jumped into a pile of debris outside the remains of a nearby fast-food joint. He shaded his eyes with his left hand and looked over the large expanse of the now lifeless tundra he used to call home. The details of everything in the distance dissolved into the intensely hot horizon.

‘Today is as good a day as any,’ he said, exhaling loudly. Dolores agreed from where she was perched in her wagon. I’m ready.

Five ripped off his weighty, layered scarf and tossed it to the ground.  Today is the day. He was going to get back to his family.

He took another deep breath and ran over some calculations a final time in his head, his eyebrows pinching together with determination. Focus.

First, just a hum. Then, a moment later a spark. Five growled and redoubled his efforts, tightening his fists as hard as they would go, until the jagged half-moons of his nails cut right into the flesh of his palms. 

‘Come on!’  And then it appeared. Small, at first, but definitely, absolutely, positively the start of the vortex, undeniable as it began flickering into existence. It was immediately apparent Five couldn’t do this for a second longer than he had to; every muscle in his body was desperately working to help him rip a hole right into the material of the space-time continuum, and pain blossomed in every limb, one after another.

‘COME ON!’  The air around the wormhole became unstable, trying to escape the vacuum and whipping everything around Five into a frenzy. Dolores tipped over in her wagon, and Five nearly lost his grip on the material of time. He willed himself into ignoring her momentarily, letting out a howl as he pulled open the vortex as far as it would go. Five inhaled shakily, and let go.

I did it. There it was. He was finally going home.  Five’s knees nearly buckled underneath him as he was hit with a heady wave of excitement and relief. Luther. Vanya. Ben! Diego-- all of them. He was going to see them all again, today. Now. Tears spilt from his eyes, but he didn’t take any notice. There were flickers of life beyond the vortex, and then faces, and bodies, and Allison and Klaus, unmistakable as they filtered in and out of focus like the signal was dying on an old television set.  Five was animated in an instant and turned to grab Dolores. They had to go. Now.  He scooped up her feather-light body. ‘Leave it, Dolores! We don’t have time!’ He’d find her a new sweater once they were home. Hell, he’d buy her a whole rack of her own sweaters, anything Dolores wants, if only they got home right now.

And then the screaming came.

Five whipped around. 

Again. First one voice, then two. Many more joined them, and Five ran toward the wormhole. 

‘BEN!’

Ben? Five braced himself against the pull of the vortex, the air thin and difficult to pull into his lungs. It whipped around him with a force he’d never felt before, and his hat and goggles were snatched from his head and thrown well into the distance. The shrieking was getting louder, closer, and the images from the other side pieced together the closer Five inched into its grip. The voices were blood-curdling, and his whole body went cold with terror.

‘Diego, don’t!’

‘Ben! Klaus, get out of the way!’

‘BEEEEEEEEEEEENNN!’

‘BEN! WHATS HAPPENING!?’

‘BEN!’

No.

No, no.

He was going back, it was going to be okay. Five was going back, it was going to be okay.

It all happened within the span of three seconds.

The fuzzy images of his siblings running, screaming, blood soaked into their clothes, painted across their young faces – dripping from their feet as they scrambled away. 

Ben. 

Ben’s body dangling nearly fifteen feet off the ground, monstrous appendages thrashing wildly and destroying the surroundings with savage flings. 

Two grotesque limbs held his bloodied and mangled brother skywards, uninhibited by his terrified screams.

No. 

No. no. no. no.

No. no. no. no. no. nonononono-

‘Someone stop him!’

‘Klaus you can’t! KLAUS-‘

It felt like his skin was being flayed from his muscle. Five thought he might have been screaming too but couldn’t hear anything. All he knew for sure was the feeling of his molecules being pulled apart.

Everything was silent.  Like the deadness of space itself, for a fraction of a second, a microscopic fragment of time - absolutely nothing existed. Crunch.

The blood that hit his face hurt. And then someone pressed play.

Everything moved again and it knocked the wind out of his lungs. Five was violently thrown from the throes of the wormhole, sucked back into his own point in time and tossed several feet backwards into strewn debris. 

‘NO!’ 

The vortex he’d spent forty-two days working on was gone, just like that. Absorbed into the material of space, the deep wound he’d used every ounce of energy to create was now healed over in a matter of seconds, lost to some other dimension and out of his grasp. Ben. He’d promised him. He had promised his brother he would be there, that he would figure it out.

That Ben wouldn’t die. But Five let him. He watched the brutal final seconds of his brother’s life, his body torn into pieces by the beast he tried so hard to contain. Five wasn’t there.

He didn’t make it.  He had told Ben he wouldn’t let him die, but he did, and Five just watched it happen, unable to do absolutely fucking shit. The sun was merciless. It baked Ben’s blood on every part that had briefly touched the other side. It settled into the cracks of the tattered skin on his right hand, pulled at the skin under his eyes and on his cheeks – crusted where it had dripped into his mouth and over his tongue. When the trance that numbed Five finally broke, it was nightfall. 

He still sat on his haunches, a few fingers on his left hand barely curled around Dolores’ shirt.  And when it did, and his throat finally moved to swallow, his limbs twitching with overwhelming pain, and his chest trembling violently, the only thing Five could feel was the fiery strain of the unending wailing that tore ceaselessly from his lungs.

[stellahibernis]

Lan Wangji: Out and About

AKA Lan Wangji’s costumes in the Untamed, part 2/9

I’m back with my love for beautiful costumes, more screencaps than I actually need, and some wine, let’s have a look at Lan Wangji’s second (and first blue) outfit! As always, I’ll first write about the costume, and after that how it reflects where LWJ is in his character journey.

He wears this one in episodes 8 to 11 when he goes out on a quest to find more pieces of Yin Iron, trying to escape all the confusing feelings Wei Wuxian caused. Of course, WWX will not let him go alone, and he’s only a little bit annoyed about it.

The Costume

I called his first outfit simple but formal, and this second one is pretty much opposite on both of those points; the silhouette is less formal with one less layer and narrow sleeves, but there are more details, not to mention the fabric itself is less plain. Also, in-universe this outfit cost a lot, you’d feed the whole village for years kind of money.

Above in the first image you see the general silhouette, and below we have a bit more detail in view. (Also please appreciate the soft expression directed at WWX sleeping on the roof.)

The silhouette is a curiously mixed bag when it comes to practicality. The lack of another robe over the sash and the narrow sleeves make it easier for him to move about, appearing more ready to fight if needed. Then there are the long strips of fabric falling down from his shoulders front and back, that are the opposite of practical, and potentially risky, as we see when WWX grabs one of them at one point. They look great while he’s moving, though, which is a necessary consideration in costume design, and often overrides practicality.

I was wondering, by the way, about the hen and the egg situation, whether they put the strips of fabric so that WWX had something to grab, or if he was just supposed to grab something and they were conveniently there. I’m also amused that in episode 8 WWX says LWJ always dresses in white like he’s in a funeral, and he’s wearing blue 😅

The top layer made of the blue fabric is very sheer, you can see the white layer underneath through it, and the bottom part is slit up to waist for ease of movement. That’s common for the layer underneath the sash, you can see it best if the layer below is of different color like here, or from the way it fans out while sitting. With this robe it’s especially noticeable because the blue fabric is very light and easily moves at the edges of the slits.

There’s also the usual Lan Sect cloud embroidery done with white (or very pale blue, hard to say) thread on the lapels as well as the front panel at the bottom. Even though I call this one a blue outfit, there’s still quite a bit of white visible with the layer underneath, the sash, wrist bands, and some detailing.

As I mentioned in the first post, if he has narrow sleeves, there are always fabric bands wrapped around his wrists to finish the look, as you see below. I like that the crisscrossing of fabric happens both at the wrists and in the front of the sash (seen above), it ties the whole look together. In the image below you can also see the fabric in more detail, there’s this subtle pattern of two alternating blues, and it’s very sheer indeed, if you look at the seams. That one took a weaver a lot of time. (Also salutations to whoever actually sewed this outfit, fabric like this is an unforgiving nightmare, and it’s so easy to make the garment pull at the seams.) The lapels and the long hanging strips are made of a different fabric, there’s no pattern in it, and it’s maybe slightly heavier (would make embroidery easier, as well as help with the narrow strips to fall pleasingly. (Also you might have guessed by now that I really like the string talisman scene.)

Let’s consider some more details next from the following image. First, the new head ornament that he’ll wear for the rest of the flashback. This is probably my favorite of his formal hair arrangements (I have an extra soft spot for the laid back present time look we get to see at the Jingshi).

Then we get to the main reasons why this outfit cost an arm and leg, besides the sky high cost of the fabric: just look at the jewelry on his shoulders. On both shoulders there is one large blue stone, another slightly smaller, and a white stone in the middle, not to mention that silverwork. The largest stones are huge, and the same color as the ones hanging from his waist ornament, as well as the ones he wears with his final outfit, so we definitely have a theme there.  Anyway, expensive as hell, and they’re just sewn on the shoulders of the robes he decided to wear on a quest that likely would contain fighting. Also note the silver detailing at the lapel edges, want to guess if it’s made of actual silver thread in-universe? I would say yes, all things considered. Why spare the expense there after the jewelry?

Finally, I want to point at the layers at the collar, we can see four. There’s the top layer of sheer blue, then a layer of white (it’s mostly underneath the blue but you can see a narrow bit on the right, and obviously we know otherwise that the layer below is white. Then there’s another blue robe, and finally a white layer, which I think is the undershirt rather than another robe. 

I should point out that this screencap was chosen because of his tiny smile at WWX on his roof, you guessed it, another scene I like a lot.

The Context

As I mentioned in the first part, in general in the flashback when LWJ is wearing predominantly blue, he’s moving closer to WWX and motivated less by his duty to his sect, and this quest is obviously a key point in that. At the start, he’s perfectly happy to be going alone, he deliberately doesn’t tell WWX he’s leaving even though they both made a promise to Lan Yi to help prevent the misuse of the Yin Iron. Of course, he doesn’t get far before WWX shows up, and he’s genuinely annoyed there at the beginning, just note the frequency of him calling WWX boring. After all, he was hoping to put all the inconvenient feelings aside, and now it’ll be all but impossible.

Incidentally, when we consider Lan Sect in general, only those of higher rank can wear predominantly blue robes. They are those who are responsible for making decisions, and can be trusted to act independently. In light of that, it’s kind of funny that the blue in LWJ’s outfits is generally a sign of him moving away from his sect and toward WWX.

All throughout the quest we see LWJ being annoyed at WWX, but a significant change is that apart from the very beginning, it only happens when there’s a particular reason for it (like WWX grabbing a hold of his robes). LWJ is no longer annoyed simply by his presence (while he rather is annoyed by the mere presence of NHS and JC).

The binding talisman (or whatever WWX ended up calling it) scene is great, because on one hand, we get an absolutely amazingly annoyed look from LWJ (please see below, I’m still laughing), but we might also add that he doesn’t even attempt to break the talisman, just yanks WWX to come along with him. Also, after this he doesn’t actually protest WWX’s presence on the quest, and when the Yin Iron reacts soon after, they’re immediately on mission mode and actively collaborating.

In fact, this quest is when they at first start to become a unit. At the summer school we hear WWX saying he considers LWJ his equal, and while he considers the quest for Yin Iron their common duty, I don’t think he considers them partners in general at the time, and if asked, he’d definitely trust his family first. Similarly, LWJ is used to being independent, and hasn’t particularly looked for company, but during this quest we see him start to trust in WWX and rely on his skills.

The key point in all this is the fight against the dire owl in the forest, where they work seamlessly together. At the start, LWJ significantly asks WWX to put the protective net around the others, which is a clear signal that in this fight he trusts WWX to have his back, but not the others. This is a huge shift for him. Likewise, when the disorientation fog arrives and LWJ is much less affected by it (due to his practice in controlling his temperament, no doubt, which is a Lan Sect practice that WWX mentions helped him at the Burial Mounds in episode 22), WWX doesn’t hesitate to trust his judgment on how to handle the situation (closing his eyes, putting his sword away etc.) We know that WWX has a pretty lofty opinion of his own skills, as he later admits (for a good reason, I’d add), so completely relying on someone who is of similar age with him is a big deal and speaks of how highly he actually thinks of LWJ. It is a major shift where they take the first steps on the road to become the people each of them relies on the most out of everyone in the world.

Another key scene that demonstrates the strengthening of their bond is when they say goodbyes to Song Lan and Xiao Xingchen. There is a pause where LWJ stays looking after them, with yearning in his eyes, and WWX is the one to notice and to call him to go. There is a clear and genuine moment of understanding between them, perhaps of the conflict between freedom and duty, that is a challenge to both of them occasionally (albeit one that takes very different shapes for them).

Even though their bond is now starting to strengthen, the circumstances are pulling them apart, and for LWJ it’s the start of the pivotal conflict between his duties to his sect and his feelings for WWX. At this point, it probably isn’t a too difficult choice for him to leave once he knows the Cloud Recesses may be in danger, but it is obvious he still regrets the parting. We see it clearly on his face when he tells the sleeping WWX that he must go.

My personal headcanon, by the way, is that LWJ composes Wangxian on the way back to Gusu after parting with WWX, at least consciously so. It might have been poking around in his head even before then, but I don’t think he was ready to admit WWX’s importance even to himself any earlier, and I doubt he had his mind in the mood for composing after what happened at the Cloud Recesses. Not to mention, what was he supposed to do while traveling when there wasn’t a certain chatterbox around to fill the silence.

His return to home is of course not at all a fun time, and his duty to his sect calls him back hard. Hence the next time we’ll see him in all white, not having a good time at all at the evil summer school.

(Somehow this one became even longer than the first part?! On the plus side, I managed to cut down the amount of images pretty well, I originally had seventeen screencaps 😂)

(You can find the rest of this series via “lwj costume series” tag below, or through my blog contents page. I’d link for ease of access but the links made it disappear from tags, so. 😒)

[inventors-fair]

Pop Culture Commentary

Thank you all for your contributions this week! I’m really proud with the way that people took from a variety of shows, books, movies and video games. Fun contests like this are interesting because I gotta let my guard down and not take things so seriously.

With that in mind, here we go!

@ace-hobo​ — Rouse the Oathbreakers

Great rare tribal card. I like how it’s fairly low-cost and is a flavor win plus a really fun niche tribal build-around. When you’re reanimating, use “return,” see Angel of Glory’s Rise. Additionally, if you’re using MSE, shift+enter will allow you to put the attribution underneath the quote.

@cas-420 — Left for Dead

As a spell by itself, I like how powerful it is. However, I’m not sure I understand the name as it relates to the card; I know you wanted a connection with the game, but I feel that the connection is tentative. “Last Stand” or something would have been more appropriate. I don’t think you need “All” in that second ability, and you can just steal Angel’s Grace wording for the other part. Fun Orzhov card!

@dabudder​ — The Heart of Etheria

I love this card. It tells a story about legendary creatures, it tells a story about sacrifice, and it’s, no pun intended, heartbreaking. “Heart” in “Heart counters” doesn’t need to be capitalized, but “return” does. I feel that for storytelling it could also work better if the trigger happened at the beginning of your end step.

@dimestoretajic​ — Shepard’s Charm

This is a weird build-around-me. I think that despite the gameplay being a little weird to say the least, you use colorless mana effectively to show artifacts as machines of their own in this world. You were right about missing “token.” It happens, no biggie. I have the feeling that running multiple copies of this is a bit much, considering the strength of “gain control of all permanents” that would eventually happen. Oh, God, copying this...

@donutwraith — Unorthodox Summon

I’m afraid without context, I don’t understand this card at all. What is “sem?” What clearance? Also, why “Gentle Giant?” I know it makes sense flavorfully, perhaps, but it’s weird as an actual card type. Zero mana flash enchantments are... Dangerous, mechanically. I can’t think of any ways that it would be broken off the top of my head, but I can think of several players who’d be chomping at the bit to play it.

@emmypupcake — Louisoix’s Final Sealing

Great flavor. Cool moment. Very overcosted. Six mana for a narrow removal spell like this... Well, I’d rather run a board-wipe or simply a two-mana card that does the exact same thing. For such a high cost and with the legendary restriction, in the future consider other cards and their impact that they have for that mana, then see what other powerful effect you could add.

@fractured-infinity​ — Preservation // Ruin // Harmony

Are these the names of actual characters and events in the book? Not sure how to feel about that. I like how Harmony can be “destroyed” by your opponents chipping away at their own resources. Watch out for run-on sentences in “Ruin” with that first ability. Without the book context, I think the names are kinda banal, but that’s just me being a pretentious douche canoe. I’m sure that the books make them more effective.

Genex-P — Soylent Green is People

Great flavor connection! Remember that the quote attribution needs to go on a different line, and that when making Food tokens they have reminder text instead of rules text, see Bake into a Pie. Also, remember, a COMMA after the G, and exile a human CARD. Gotta be specific about these things!

@ghost31415926535 — Siege of the White Lotus

Really interesting enchantment! I love how it rewards multicolor strategies and turns all your stuff into the Avatar in their own special way. Flavorfully, it’s been a while since I’ve watched AtlA but there are other people who can tell me whether or not this checks out. I’m a fan of the card in general. Just remember proper capitalization and punctuation. There may be an easier way of wording this all too, but I like how it reads.

@gollumni​ — Imperfect Clone

Darnit, Brian. Bryan? Whatevers. I love this flavor, especially in context. I’m thinking of different ways to word it. “Until end of turn, target creature you control has the same base power and toughness as target creature you don’t control.” IDK, this card’s fun.

@greensunzenith​ — The Culling of Straholme

I love this card, and the only thing that bugs me, the ONLY thing, is that I didn’t know if that first ability “works.” Aether Storm shows that it does, and I should have done more research. Call this one an honorary runner-up. It tells a fantastic story about the option of destruction followed by the inevitable turning. Man, yeah, whoever’s reading this, this card’s getting added to the runner’s up. It was a really tough series of choices this week.

@haru-n-harkel​ — Passing of the Matrix

What an interesting card! I’m not sure what the Matrix is, but this card lets me show that it’s a mark of leadership, that it makes a creature legendary flavorfully, and that it’s not resigned to one generation. Not bad! You don’t need “target” in the first line, and don’t forget that when you do a quote, the name goes on a separate line.

@hypexion​ — The Turning

Pretty sure there should be an emdash between 8 and WW, but I forget. Anyway, funky little card you got here. I’m not sure why it doesn’t have a mana cost flavorfully, but I get how it works mechanically. Good on you for the wording of the activated ability. I’m not sure how something “turning” begets the flavor of destruction, though? Also, yadda yadda quoter second line, you’ve heard me say it thrice up there.

@ignorantturtlegaming​ — Yoshi’s Adventure

Well if this ain’t a flavor win if I ever saw one! Dinos, eggs, and humans. Really funky stuff. Three wording things. One: The second ability should be something more like “Whenever a Human you control dies, sacrifice ~.” Two: You don’t need to “Sacrifice an Egg you control,” just “Sacrifice an Egg.” Three: It should be “”This creature deals 2 damage to any target.”” instead of just “deal.” Other than that, great first submission.

@illharg-the-rave-boar​ — Shutdown

Ah, sci-fi. One day we’ll get there in Magic. Anyway, this card! I think that you could have stapled the “End the turn” line to the previous one, but aside from that, I think this card is super cool, a good mythic for this day and age. Pretty fun in a midrange-control build. I know nothing about the game, but I like the feeling of a forced shutdown that you present. Probably the best example of the genre we could ask for.

@juggernaut-is-a-metalhead — Blood and Thunder

This is a weird heckin’ card. The name and flavor text feel really disconnected from the abilities, though, which is a shame because mechanically this is an insane card that could be very fun in the right deck. The flavor the abilities present of “the world is breaking around me but with enough power I turn into a leviathan” is really awesome.

@kavinika​ — Sadeas’s Betrayal

Let’s look at the card Sudden Disappearance. With that, I believe this spell could read “Exile all creatures you control.  Return the exiled cards to the battlefield under their owner's control at the beginning of the next end step. Then, destroy all creatures attacking a player or permanent other than you.” You don’t necessarily need the combat clause, but I understand how it could be useful to prevent just blinking. Maybe if it destroyed any number of target  attacking creatures?

@koth-of-the-hammerpants — Holistic Assassination

9/10, but 1. Enchantments don’t tap, and 2. This feels like it would be very easy to abuse without a higher cost for returning it. Flavor’s interesting, card plays great, it’s a pain in the butt. Very fun.

@mistershinyobject​ — Zulf’s Fate

Once again, you return creature cards from the graveyard to the battlefield. Wording aside, I really like the dichotomy of this card. It’s a gristly fate that you presented quite well. There’s not a lot to say because the card speaks for itself, and that’s a strength.

@misterstingyjack​ — Shared Demise

I don’t really like the wording on this, as interesting as the concept is. I feel like it’s a bit much for one chunk of text. Maybe “fate counters” could work here? Like, when ~ enters the battlefield, put a fate counter on target creature, whenever a creature with a fate counter leaves the battlefield sacrifice enchanted creature, and when enchanted creature leaves the battlefield the fate counter creatures are sacrificed? I hope that makes sense. It’s hard to feel “clean” with the wording you have here.

@nine-effing-hells​ — Hydraulic Salvation

Neat little name! I don’t think you need to add “if you do” to that second mode. And on a card like this, I wouldn’t add the flavor text. I really don’t think it’s strong enough to add anything to this card. Flavorful use of Miracle, though.

@piecesofliquid — Tragic Reunion

This is a really cool card. Wording seems a little off, but you used flavor effectively to bring back two dueling characters. “You and target opponent each return up to one creature card from your graveyards to the battlefield. Those creatures gain vigilance, haste, and “etc.”” Great use of dual flavor text, even though I can’t quite tell who’s saying what. I don’t watch the show, thpt.

@shakeszx — I Am Iron Man

I really like how we got two Iron Man submissions next to each other, lol. Two things: It should be “tap an UNTAPPED non-Legendary creature you control,” and you need a shuffle clause at the end of the whole thing. Great idea, funky flavor. Feels more like citizens summoning a legend, but I like the notion anyway. It’s very marvel. Could be RW.

@shootingstarhunter​ — Inevitable Ultimatum

Having watched the movie, this card would have made more sense if it was an additional cost to sacrifice the legendary creature and it just destroyed all nonland permanents you didn’t control. Also, the flavor text should be in quotes. Aside from that, I really love this card. It’s an ultimatum that feels like an ultimatum. It’s appropriately costed and at the right rarity. So there we go!

@snugz​ — Good King Moggle Mog XII

What a name. This is a frustrating and flavorfully annoying boss card that I can imagine an AI playing as kind of an Arena boss fight. Fourteen power for eight mana is... Well, it’s not the craziest thing Magic’s done in the past, but the fact that it repeats, man. 10/10 for cute and game capture feel.

@sorustyitshines — The World Eater’s Ascent

I get that it’s an epic card, but “can’t be countered” isn’t really in the BW pie. Regardless, it’s a powerful boardwipe that, uh, doesn’t destroy enchantments for some reason? Not sure why, maybe it’s an in-game thing. Anyway, fine Commander card, good Evil Rise kinda thing. Overall interesting, but not my favorite in terms of execution.

@starch255​ — Enter Star Wolf

“For each of them, create a token that’s a copy of that card, except...” I think is the right wording. At least that’s how I grok it. Funky little card! I love how you used black Vehicles to create the evil spaceship feel. It’s a good sci-fi trope to have vehicles. The “four” is also a nice touch.

@teaxch​ — Claudius’s Plan

Now ain’t this tragic. Interesting card! I like how it only lasts for a turn, giving your opponent one turn to have the deathtouch brigade. Not sure exactly how a poisoned chalice gives EVERYTHING deathtouch, but what the hell, it’s Shakespearian, everything’s tragic, right? I think this card is pretty cool, would make limited fun.

@thegreateyebrows​ — Khert Fire

Hm, that might have to be a replacement ability. “If a spell or ability would target a permanent or player, that spell targets a permanent or player chosen at random instead.” “Whenever a player casts a spell, if that spell has no target, Khert Fire deals 2 damage to that player.” It doesn’t really need vanishing. If there are any rules people out there, tell me if my wording is off.

@tmstage​ — Cage the Traveler

This probably should be a rare for how niche the hate is, like Blood Moon, but the ability certainly feels mythic. I like this card a lot. I’ve never played destiny, but this card gives me stakes. There’s a “traveler,” akin to a planeswalker, and there’s something sapping them of their power, a primary antagonist with a goal and a mysterious identity. Bam, established. Not a bad job.

~

Thank you all for your entries! New contest tomorrow.

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Oblivion

PART ONE: RICH BORED KIDS

A/N: First of all lemme just say that it was my original intention to finish I See You before I dove into Oblivion, but Logan and my brain had other plans. So, proving once again that I am a slave to the characters that control me, here we go. This all takes place just before Logan takes William to the park for the first time, and the whole series is based on the song of the same name by Young the Giant.

Warnings: language, zesty cowboy times, all the horrible things that WW lets us get away with

Word Count: 2,015

You sighed with a roll of your eyes as she approached, the fingers of one lace gloved hand caressing her lips, the other perched on her hip. She was absolutely irresistible- to most visitors, on their first time in. But you’d seen it all before, and you had your eye on something else; someone else. You turned to the bartender who was in the midst of pouring your bourbon, and shook a finger at him. “Don’t waste the glass old timer,” you said as he paused, overgrown eyebrows raised questioningly. “Just leave me the bottle. Easier that way.” You reached across the polished wood bar relieving the old man of the bottle with a wink, and adjusted the wide brimmed black wool hat on your head. He nodded and shuffled off to wipe down glassware between serving other patrons. You turned back towards the room and leaned against the bar taking a long pull from the bottle in your hand, urging the amber liquid to do its job quickly so you could start enjoying yourself.

She continued to approach you- she had to, after all- the shiny material of her skin tight bodice picking up the dusty afternoon light filtering in through the thick window panes. You looked right through her, focusing on your target as she started delivering her spiel. She reached out, fingers grazing your shoulder with the grace of a ballerina. “You’re new,” she began, her sultry voice dripping from plump lips. “Not much of a-”

You held your hand up pressing two fingers to her mouth to silence her, all the while keeping your eyes locked on the man who had just emerged from a back room, still adjusting his fly. “Not this time, doll,” you said to the fishnet clad prostitute. This time I’m playing a different game. The girl smiled sweetly and left you to go after another prospect, and you smirked as your target made his way to a card table. Even though in here you couldn’t rely on clothing or jewelry to convey wealth or status, you could tell that he was from money- very old, very deep, very dirty money, you guessed. You could always pick a rich, bored kid when you saw one, always knew what it looked like when someone was spending that kind of money; you could see it in their eyes. No matter how alluring they may be, how attractive or confident or important they may seem, there was always a hollowness in their eyes. You knew because you owned a mirror and had seen that quality in your own reflection. He took a seat and reclaimed a tumbler of whiskey he must have left before abandoning the poker game for whatever game he was playing in that backroom. It was hard, but you peeled your eyes away from your target and trained them on the door, curious to see what brand of pleasure he’d been seeking back there.

You expected it to be that perky blonde one you’d seen at the Mariposa before- all tits and teeth as she flashed both around the room. You watched as the door knob twisted, and saw that you were right. Well, partially right. The perky blonde came out first, adjusting her corset strings, lipstick smudged from where your target’s thumb had been. But right behind her was an olive skinned woman with bony hips and long, slender legs, as well as a strapping brunette man, dressed mostly in black leather. Your smirk gave way to a full blown grin as you bit your bottom lip, gaze returning to your target. Oh, you thought, as his jet black eyes locked with yours. Oh, he knows how to play, alright.

You took another long pull from the bottle in your hand before pushing off from the bar with your elbows. Your boot heels clicked against the hard wooden floor as you sauntered towards him, enjoying the way his focus was falling from your eyes to your chest- to the way it was nearly spilling out of your black bodice- to your legs- carefully encased in black leather pants. You smiled at the way his eyes scanned the holster on your hip, at the way his grin spread when he noticed the bottle in your hand before coming back up to your throat, hidden behind a gingham neck scarf. You tilted your head strategically so that your long, thick braid would fall over your shoulder, and saw his eyes widen at the realization that he’d have something substantial to pull on. You pulled out the chair next to him at the green felted poker table and twirled it around so you could straddle the seat, resting your arms on the back. You set the bottle down on the table and looked right at your target. “You wanna deal me in, cowboy?”

He hadn’t realized that his mouth had fallen open, but you had, and you reveled in the little snapping sound as he bit the air to close it. You watched the muscles in his jaw clench, his neatly trimmed beard obscuring the view just a bit. “That depends, sweetheart,” he started shuffling the deck of cards with his deft, long fingers. “Can you afford the buy in?”

You licked your lips and narrowed your eyes at him. This is going to be fun. You’d been to Westworld plenty of times before, and at this point the whole thing was starting to become dull for you. Everything scripted. Everything controlled. It was still better than enduring the stiff boardroom meetings that your father and Erik were currently engaged in, which is why you always opted to spend your time in the park when they came to check on their investments. But the games were getting old, the storylines tired. There were lines of dialogue you had memorized by heart. You’d played the good girl and the bandit. You’d played the damsel and the daring hero. You’d spent time in Sweetwater and Pariah; hell, you’d even joined Ghost Nation out in the plains. Everything this place had to offer, you’d already tasted- shooting, fucking and drinking in every conceivable pattern. There was nothing you hadn’t done with or for or to a Host. A human, though, was something you hadn’t tried on any of your little adventures in the park.

You leaned forward further over the back of your chair to emphasize your full breasts, and dropped your voice. “I ain’t a sweetheart, sweetheart,” you lazily reached one hand up to tilt his hat back, getting a better look at those coal black eyes of his, as a low groan emanated from his lips at the forwardness you were showing. You had to be forward if your little game was going to work; you had to be just like one of them if you were going to get this lothario to fall for it. “And I can afford any ante.” You ran your fingers around the brim of his black stetson. “You callin’ my bluff, cowboy?” You let your voice drop even lower, laying it on thick, just like the Hosts were programmed to do when the target took the bait.

It seemed impossible, but his eyes darkened further, flashing obsidian as he reached up an wrapped his fingers around your wrist. You parted your lips and let them draw into a tantalizingly slow smile as he tightened his grasp. “How about we forget the cards altogether, sweetheart? I know a different game we can play.”

You rose from your chair, pushing your hips backwards to step over the seat in one fluid motion, your target’s eyes snapping to your ass just as you wanted. “Name’s Miranda, cowboy. I told you...I’m no sweetheart.” You turned towards the door to the backroom you saw him exit earlier. “How bout you, Cowboy? You got a name?” You looked over your shoulder at him, your braid falling down your back like rope. “I like to know who I’m fucking senseless, even if I’ll never see them again.” You licked your lips as he eagerly stood and dragged his chair out of his way.

“You’re gonna fuck me senseless, huh?” You could see the excitement in his eyes, but also in the tightening of his pants, and you nodded. “How bout you keep calling me cowboy...and if you make good on that promise to render me senseless, I’ll tell you my name.”

So he wants to play, too. “All in,” you said, using two fingers to knock over a stack of red and blue poker chips as you walked away from the table. The chips clacked together and spilled out across the table top as your target grabbed the bottle you’d brought over with you, taking a long swig as he followed you right back to where he’d just been.

As soon as the door was closed he’d grabbed you by the shoulders and pressed you roughly against it, lips finding the tops of your breasts as his fingers pulled at the knot in your scarf, shedding it so he could lick and nip his way up to your ear. His breath was hot and heavy with the smell of whiskey, and it made your eyes roll back and your chest heave.

“Thought I was the one supposed to be senseless, Miranda,” he teased, barely breaking contact with your skin, and you responded, swiftly wrapping one hand around the bulge in his pants, to which he hissed.

“Don’t rush me, Cowboy,” you whispered into his ear before taking it in your mouth.

He growled. “Yes ma’am.”

The rest was textbook. You pulled out all the stops and let him take control, and the game became trying to keep it together and not lose yourself in it- in him. It was incredibly difficult, though, as you couldn’t remember the last time you’d felt an ecstasy this blinding. Erik hadn’t touched you in months and even when he did you cringed more than anything. His hands always felt like sandpaper on your skin, his body felt heavy and blunt, like stone. Your target’s hands were softer, and warm, and they knew where to go and what to do, his body worked in tandem with yours, pressing but never crushing. Where Erik’s tongue felt like a gag in your mouth, or a bullet, this stranger’s felt like a breath of life, and you hungrily responded, relishing the thought of Erik’s face when you told him you fucked a real live human in his absence; the Hosts he could care less about, but you knew his pride would take a devastating blow when you told him about Cowboy, here. Your thoughts were cut short as you ground your hips down and looked over your shoulder at him, one hand wrapped around your rope of a braid, tugging slightly as your name...no, not your name...the name Miranda left his lips in a moan. “Fucking, Hell!” he yelled out as he found his release, and a wanton grin crept up your cheeks. I won.

“Hell,” you panted, climbing off of him and turning to face him, baring your naked form to his eyes. “Hell is empty. All the devils are here, Cowboy.” You knew the Hosts’ dialogue was often supplemented with Shakespeare, so if you were going to play the part you were going to play it down to the quotes. You sunk back into the bed with him, his arms coming around your body as he pulled you on top of him to smother you with another bruising kiss. You let him until you felt yourself grow dizzy from lack of oxygen. You’d blacked out plenty of times and knew the line you were toeing. Just as your vision started to go white behind your closed eyes, you bit down on his bottom lip, breaking the kiss.

He let out a low sound from the back of his throat. “Logan,” he said softly, almost too softly. Softer than you thought someone like him would speak to a Host...to anyone. “Call me Logan.”

You kissed his shoulder. “Okay, Logan.” You rolled your hips against his, eager to keep the game going. “How about round two?”

@something-tofightfor @my-little-dumpster-fire @suchatinyinfinity

Let me know if you would like to be added or removed from the tags!

[shadowdianne]

A one shot letnyour muse do it’s thing with wonderwoman (Regina) and Captain Marvel (Emma) prompt.

The worrying thing with my muse is that “it’sthing” can vary from angst to fluff to tease in just a matter of seconds Xd

Today, she was feeling like writing this :P

Also, anon, after I saw the prompt I decidedthat I needed to contact the lovely @italymystery-swanqueen and ask for a smallcollab with her. As always, she went beyond any expectation I could have hadand delivered with this amazing piece. If you don’t follow her already I’malready recommending her to you; her art is beyond fantastic and I’m ecstaticthat she took the idea creating this piece.

As an additional note: I’ve decided to not my hurtmy brain with the logistics of having Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman in thesame ‘verse -yeah, I know DC had its own CM but it’s very different from theone we have in mind thanks to the stunning Brie Larson and I’m definitely goingto stuck with her Carol Danvers Xd. So, the worldbuilding is more like several lineshere and there but nothing too deep into comics lore.

Ok, on with the prompt, thank you for it; Itruly hope you like it 😉

PS: Also, if you want to read a piece revolvingWW may I suggest the small one shot I did for wondercroft a little while ago?

(Peeps, please don’t repost the art)

“Would youwant to go out? After we finish this.”

Thequestion was almost swallowed by the sound of debris falling a few feet awayfrom where Regina was standing but the brunette kept her stance as Emma passedher, beams in full force as she killed another of the nasty worm-like creaturesthat had them surrounded.

“You thinknow is the moment to ask me on a date Captain?”

The blondehuffed at the use of her title but she didn’t have the time to properly rollher eyes as yet another two creatures lunged at them, their bodies a writhingmass of nerves and slimy muscles she was happy to deflect and punch whileshooting yet another beam. A satisfying second later, she did a twirl into theair and glanced down at the Amazonian who was already crossing her arms infront of her chest; a larger creature having decided to go for her. Which was,as the monster quickly came to realize, a big mistake: bracelets crackling thebrunette barely moved an inch as the impact occurred, the scent of singed meat addeditself to the stench of burned asphalt and corroded metal that permeated theair.

“Why not?”The blonde continued with their conversation as if nothing had happened, but hereyes were kept in the ground around them; hands tightened into fists at hersides as she kept one leg slightly bent: maneuvering so she didn’t miss anypossible leverage. “Is not like we get to meet each other aside from when theworld is about to end.”

In theground, Regina was barely able to hide a smile at that. As much as she thoughtthat a battlefield wasn’t the best place to have any personal conversation shecouldn’t help but like the brashness of the blonde. Narrowing her eyes at a movementat her left, she uncinched her lasso from her side and jumped, eyes flashing asshe was able to dodge the strike from the creature just in time.

Tying thenoose of the lasso around the creature’s body before it realized where she hadmoved to, she ducked just as Emma threw another photonic blast to it, carving aperfectly circle-sized hole into its body. Resuming her stance, feet spread andshoulders locked, Regina bite down on her bottom lip; the swarms that hadsurrounded them mere minutes prior were dwindling which could mean severalthings and not all of them good. Not like she had a way of knowing it; both oftheir comms had been lost in the battle at some point and she wasn’t going tostart searching for them in the middle of the chaos. But that was a concern shecould push from her mind for a little while longer. Rising her eyes towards theblonde, she chuckled slightly at the way the woman’s head was tilted to oneside, the light her hair and body radiated getting trap into the specs od dustthat floated through the air.

“Very much like the gods.”

Quite thestrange concept but one she didn’t her mind linger on it as she curved herlips: that comparison wasn’t one to have at the moment. Even though what she wasabout to admit definitely wasn’t combat material.

“You may havea point.”

Emma noddedenthusiastically at that but before she was able to answer to that a smallswarm of creatures dug their way out of the shaky ground at their feet. Mutteringcurses, the blonde angled her body down, singing as many bodies as she could asRegina put her guard up; dodging and kicking the ones Emma missed.

“So.” Theblonde finally said a few seconds later, her focus zeroing on Regina as thebrunette purposely kept her own eyes onto the ground. “What do you think? Howabout a drink?”

Regina wastempted to say “no” for a moment. Not because she didn’t want to but becauseshe wanted to see Emma squirm a little. The brashness was one she welcomed andenjoyed but she also thought that a little bit of teasing wouldn’t hurt to theblonde’s cockiness. About as she was to smirk and reply with a negative, a loudroar filled the air. Seemed like the rest of their team had found the mother.

“If wemanage to get out of here alive.” She began, willing her bracelets to buzz, herbody trembling with about to be spent energy. “I’ll take that date.”

She couldn’tsee the blonde but the radiating heat that came off her body grew a notch as thewoman rose higher into the air, the shadow at her feet growing more diffused.

“Deal. Let’spunch some monsters then.”

[harveyb-wabbit92]

Ivy’s new friend pt. 1

Warning this chapter covers the sensitive topic of Child abuse. You have been warned!

Takes place when Ivy is 10 she'd been living with Cayde for two months.

Ivy fidgeted as she stood in front of the class, feeling the stares of multiple eyes on her as the teacher introduced her. Why couldn't she stay in the tower?... she thought to herself she was home schooled before this! 

why did Cayde think this was a good idea? Her mind briefly played over what her uncle had said two weeks ago at breakfast "I'm not gonna be home enough to be able to teach you anything...beside it's close to the tower and in a nice sector! Trust me you'll like it."

The ravenette mentally cringed as she was brought back to reality as the teacher called her name. "Well Ivy introduce yourself." She said resting a hand on the girl's shoulder, the green eyed girl shrugged it off giving the teacher a paranoid look before turning to the class. 

"Um...I'm Ivy Kib that's all..." she said scanning the room for a place to sit or a least a way out. The teacher was taken aback at the girl's standoffish behavior. 

"Surely you have more to say than that?"  

"I Don't...And my names not Shirley."

"I...Excuse me/!"

"You're excused"

Ivy deadpanned the teacher's face turned red as she stepped out, While the girl scanned the room before finding a seat next to a boy sitting in the back, She mentally cheered as the class stared at the ravenette and whispered among themselves.

 "Black hair and freckles?...whats she trying to pull?" a girl sneered,"Did you see how pissed Ms. Grunewald was?" another kid whispered while few kids huddled or blocked Ivy from sitting next to them, Before stopping at the boy's table "Ew...She sitting next to Lukas Pukas!~" a boy said mockingly with a grimace causing a few kids to snicker.

Ivy paid no mind while the boy next to her flushed in embarrassment, sinking into his seat just then the teacher walked back in calmer and somewhat unnerved "She must have informed of��who my uncle...joy." Ivy thought to herself "w-Whose your un-u-uncle?" a quiet asked the ravenette blinked and turning to the boy next to her...had she said that out loud?

Lukas stared at his new seatmate expectantly; before the teacher cleared her throat demanding they pay attention. the two kids quieted down as she turned back to the board. "I'll tell you later." she whispered as the day wore on, It became apparent that Ivy wasn't looking for friends.

 She had made a few bullies one of whom a boy dipped her hair in paint during art class, the same boy tripped her during gym, luckily Lukas was nice he helped wash out the paint during recess and took her to the nurse, She learned Lukas was two years younger then her and had skipped a grade.

The big stand off came after school when one of the boy cornered Lukas for helping the weirdo! Ivy stepped in shoved the boy who started bragging and acting high and mighty because his dad was a high ranking Titian. Ivy blinked showing no emotion"And?" She said unimpressed.

 The boy snorted and ranted that she couldn't hit him! because his dad would beat hers, before roughly poking her."My dads dead." she deadpanned swatting his hand away a few kids awkwardly shifted as the boy snorted before poking her again "Heh... He must've been a stupid weakling-"

The boy was cut off by Ivy punching him in the nose there was crunch and the boy fell on his butt, for a few seconds he stared up at Ivy stunned that she actually hit him?!

 He brought his hand up to his bloody and obviously broken nose; tears welled in his eyes "DDAADDDY!!" he wailed jumping to his feet running off the school grounds. The other kids just gawked at her "Y-Y-you hit Elroy b-b-Bo-Bowens!" Lukas stuttered terrified Ivy cocked a brow.

"Yeah,so?"

No one e-ever h-hits him! his d-dad would-"

"What hit a little girl?"

"N-no b-b-but"

Ivy brushed it off and went to grab her school bag the others gave her and Lukas a wide berth "Trust me I'll be fine." she said unlike Elroy she knew who her uncle was and what he did for living. But, you don't see her going around being a spoiled brat about it! if she needed Cayde's help she'd ask! The two walked in silence till the cross roads came up.

Ivy took left while Lukas paused and looked at his...acquaintance? "ww-wh-Where are you g-g-going the residential block is this w-way." he pointed down the road, The ravenette winced "I don't live in the civilian block." she said scratching the back of her head.

 Lukas tilted his head befuddled as the older girl briefly glanced up his gray eyes followed her gaze and his jaw dropped "Y-you live in the t-tt-tower?" he stuttered Ivy nodded.

Lukas was floored families weren't allowed to lived allowed to live in the tower! even if one or both of the parents of said family were Guardians one would have to retire or the kids were sent to Foster or Latchkey! he shuddered at the last one "Is your m-mo-mom a guardian?" he asked curiously the girl shook her head "I don't have a mother...Just an uncle." she said gazing at her feet. the blond boy was even more curious.

"Y-you mentioned him, who i-is your uncle?" he asked before the girl could answer a voice cut in "Oh, you walked home yourself?" the two kids turned to the voice Lukas's eyes widened in awe as was Cayde-6 walking casually towards them. "I was just coming to get you." Exo said to Ivy patting her on the head the ravenette averted her gaze, When vanguard took notice of the little boy standing next to her.

 Cayde stared stunned before leaning in close to the girl's ear "did..you make a friend?" he whispered causing his niece to blush too mortified answer, the blue exo straightened up a bit "What's your name kiddo?" he asked Lukas snapped out of his stupor and shift uneasily due to his speech impediment.

"M-m-my n-na-name is Luk--Lukkk-..."

{Lukas looks scared, Cayde notices a large bruise on the kid's shoulder just barely visible from under his shirt.] 

"Take you time no ones forcing you."

{The boy seemed calmer, Cayde could see..was this kid wearing make-up? there was what looked like concealer on his left eye.}

" L-Lukas C-c-Chadwick." 

"Well, it's good to meet you Lukas. and thanks for walking my niece home."

The boy blushed "I-i-It's n-not that!" he threw his hands up Cayde smirked "I just playing wit'ya!" the exo chirped and gave the kid a light pat on the shoulder, Lukas's smile tightened painfully which the hunter noticed as the kid backed away "I Sh-s-Should be heading h-H-home now, B-bbye Ivy!" he yelled running off to the civilian block.

Cayde smiled and waved back before frowning and turning to his niece. "Hey..." Ivy looked up at him as he took her hand led her back to the tower. "Did...Lukas seem odd?" he asked his niece looked offended. "Not the stutter thing...he seemed off...scared." Exo explained the ravenette thought the day over; Lukas seemed a bit too nice...but, nothing really stood out.

"Not really I only just met him." she said her uncle seemed uneasy before sighing "Just...keep an eye on him okay?" Ivy nodded as they made their way down the road a nasally voice broke the tension "That's her daddy! that’s the one who broke my nose!" Both Cayde and Ivy turned to see a smug little boy with a bandaged nose and a pissed off Titan marching up to them. "You little brat I'll-"

Cayde cleared his throat and the father's face drained of all color once he realized whose kid he was yelling at "You'll do what to my kid, exactly Guardian?" the exo optics narrowed "Caydeguard?! I mean Van-6! I duh.. um-guh" Elroy's father tried to sputter out words before turning to his son.

 "Apologize Elroy!" he ordered his son's smirk contorted into confusion "b-But she hit me! I'm the hurt one me! she should apologize to me!" he whined stomping his foot, Cayde cringed expecting the kid to throw himself to the floor kicking and screaming! He then turned to his niece who just shook her head at the whole thing.

The vanguard  so had to thank Kib for Ivy's realist and blunt personality, "Don't make me repeat myself boy." he father pressed the bratty kid muttered out an apology, while Cayde just stared at the duo "What's your name?" he asked Elroy's dad who started sweating "Jacob Bowens sir." 

the hunter nodded "I'll be sure to put in a good word with Shaxx about you." Cayde said threatening edged in his voice that caused Elroy to hide behind his dad, Ivy's hand to tighten, as Jacob walked away scolding Elroy, stating that he might of just cost his dad a promotion! While Cayde turned to his niece.

"Mind telling me what that was about?"

"He dipped my hair in paint, tripped me in gym, tried to beat up Lukas...oh! and called my dad a weakling..."

"And then?"

"I cuffed em’ right in the nose."

Ivy huffed crossing her arms only yelped when she was suddenly hoisted up onto Cayde's shoulders "Screw the tower champ! We're gettin' Ramen!" He exclaimed surprising Ivy and everyone in the street "My girl won her first after school brawl! whoo!" He cheered running down the street! first since living with her uncle Ivy was smiling....

Meanwhile...

On the other side of the city Lukas had just returned home... not expecting anyone to be there that, was until he heard a cough and saw his dad calmly sitting his back to him. The blond swallowed hard and immediately went for his room! only to find the door stuck. 

"It's locked...I knew that'd be the first place you'd go.." His dad said darkly before getting up from his chair and advancing on the shaking boy "P-p-pplease d-dad no"...the loud music blaring from the bar outside drowned out the screams...

To be continued... 

[neurotrophicfactors]

For the writer's ask: 1, 25 36, and 55

Oh man! Thank you so much for sending me some questions!! :D More answers are under the cut because... it got long. 

1) Tell us about your WIP!

Well, y’all have read BTWH, so I’ll tell you about a thing I’m hoping to write when it’s done (key word being “hoping”). I actually thought of it before I thought of BTWH (before I listened to No Surprises and had a Revelation™). I want to make a Westworld cross-over. If you’re unfamiliar with Westworld, it takes place in a futuristic society (though how far in the future is left ambiguous) and it centres on a theme park that is basically a Bethesda game where you are the player character and you cannot be killed by any of the NPCs. All of the NPCs are synthetic humans called hosts, and the animals populating Westworld are synthetic as well. The NPCs all have a narrative that they play out, and you can choose to take part in it (or interfere) if you wish. Basically it’s an opportunity to live out all of your cowboy fantasies with no consequences. Without spoiling WW, I will say that there are hints in the last episode or two that there is another theme park revolving around feudal Japan (the logo SW was seen, and my guess is “Samurai World”). I want to write about Samurai World with Yuuri as a host and Victor as a guest who later becomes an employee, navigating the line between synthetic life and sentience.  

25) What’s your worldbuilding process like?

This question is quite appropriately timed because I’m actually planning to DM a Dungeons & Dragons campaign and I’m creating the world myself. The first thing I really thought of was: what is the geography like? Is it a large continent? An island? What kind of terrain do I want to depict? And then I also had to consider where the continent is located on the planet: northern or southern hemisphere? From there I was able to plan out the climate across the continent. In this case, I made the continent a long, relatively narrow landmass in the southern hemisphere so that it could have a wide variety of climates. The northern coast is a desert, the southern coast is tundra. There are volcanic mountains to the northeast and the south coast is mostly mountainous as well. Things like that. Knowing what your terrain is like can tell you a lot about the people who live there. For example: the people who live in the desert and the people who live in the tundra are the best sailors because food is relatively scarce in these regions and they rely heavily on fishing to get by. I’m not done building this world yet by a long shot, but this is how I’ve been going about it. When I was writing Dragon Age stories, I virtually always had a map of Thedas open so that I could try to gauge the landscape depending on the shapes of rivers and the shading on the map. 

36) Post a snippet

I sometimes write scenes out of context before I need them if I think of specific wording that I like (yes, I have a couple for BTWH, but I want them to be a surprise). Here’s a piece from the SW story:

Victor’s heart caught in his throat like a piece of glass,and with a shuddering breath he took hold of Yuuri’s hair and pulled the man’sface away from his neck, forcing Chris to look at him. Yuuri’s body heaved withgasping sobs and he shivered as Victor exposed him to Chris; the raw painsplashed across his features in flushed cheeks and skewed glasses, facestreaked with tears and snot.

“Victor, please,”Yuuri whispered, eyes closing against the vulnerability of it.

Without sparing a glance for him, Victor’s other hand, stillcurled around Yuuri’s shoulder, stroked his arm with a thumb. “Does this lookfake to you, Chris?” Victor hissed. “Lookat him!”

Yuuri bit his lip and Chris stared, loose limbed except forhis hands, which clenched and unclenched at his sides.

“He’s not real.” But green eyes shone with unshed tears,sprung forth from the sting of smoke or perhaps something more. “He’s notreal,” quieter this time, more like he was trying to convince himself thanVictor. Chris shook himself then, and when his gaze met Victor’s again, hiseyes were steel. He gestured at Yuuri. “We need to get him out of here.”

Victor nodded and released Yuuri’s hair, sliding his handsdown to grasp his forearms gently. “Yuuri, we have to go.”

Yuuri blinked through his tears, eyes listing toward thefire as it climbed like ivy across the walls of the inn. Around them, Victorcould still hear the clashing of swords and the shouts of men, but it was as ifthey were in a glass box looking out, the world still around them as all hellbroke loose just on the other side of the tenuous barrier.

“You and Chris go on ahead,” Yuuri said. “I have to find myfamily.” His legs shifted beneath his body as he went to stand, but Victorgripped his arms tighter, eyes squeezing shut with the ache of what he had tosay.

“Yuuri…” It came in starts and stops. “We talked about this.Your family… By now they’re…”

“I know.”

And the bitterness of it struck Victor, made him actually flinch with the force of it. It tastedof bleach on his tongue, sharp and alkaline. He made himself breathe.

“Then you have to know that there’s nothing more you can dofor them. Don’t throw your life away.Honour them by surviving tonight.”

The air rattled through Yuuri’s chest as it fell from hislips, and he glared into the burning wreckage of his home. When his eyes foundVictor’s, they had taken a piece of the flames with them, his brows drawntogether with fierce determination. His hands curled into fists. “I will avengethem.”

55) How do you manage your time/make time for writing?

My writing is sporadic. I will go days without writing a single word and then crank out a thousand or more in one go. Unless I’m on a really good streak, there’s really no way for me to really plan out the time when I’m writing. If inspiration hits me like a train, I’m writing even if I should be working on something else, but that hasn’t been the case the past couple weeks--largely because all of my writing efforts have been dedicated to academic papers. That’s why I’ve been doing so much art recently: I still crave a creative outlet, but I’m burnt out in the writing department for the time being. 

[rohanisnothere]

Smol And Tol: A Rachel and Mike romantic side story [Part 3 Finale]

A while has passed since Michael had to listen to Rachel’s long story of her misadventures in Psanctum sine they last met. Fortunately,the two have been done with handing out all the cool water bottles to those in need of it. Now they’re currently sitting beside eachother on the edge of one the city’s aqueducts,looking out on the late afternoon sky,the city basking in the cool red-orange light of the sun.                                                                                            Michael was silently enjoying the view,satisfied with today’s finished duty. He slowly looked over to his companion,who was far more interested in drinking the water bottle he had gave her as a small bonus for helping him out,even though it was basically black mail. Michael,and as any other pure bred demon,has lived for a long time,meeting odd and interesting characters along the way. But never has he met someone so odd and interesting as this girl before him. Its not like he took a fancy to her,atleast not to him,but for some reason this particular runaway has been bumping into him more times than any other person he has associated with.                                                                                                                          He can still remember the first time they met,when thieves broke into Connie’s apothecary shop at night and stole vials of Embrosia,a rare and highly valuable elixir able to flush out nasty sicknesses and prolong one’s stamina. Luckily he was just coming coming back from an interview he had with the press at the library. The thieves were running along the roofs of the apartment buildings,silently enough to not make too much noise. But Michael heard the commotion,not because of the thieves,but because of a loud and furious voice yelling at the top of their lungs and cursing colorfully at the thieves while chasing them. Michael saw her,a girl with pink hair chasing after the robbers on the rooftops,running as fast as she could. She looked petite even from a distance,and on her head rested a pair of horns that were spiked like a bull’s horns. She also had a small tail shaped like a spade colored red.                          Michael helped her out in catching the two thieves,who were a kobold and a tanuki.                                                                                                                          Afterwards,Michael saw the girl’s horns slowly retracted into themselves,making them look like a ram’s horns now. She thanked him and went back to the apothecary,leaving Mike on the street. They were too tired to ask eachother’s name,or even introduced themselves. Michael assumed she wasnt from the city since his mere presence didnt shock her or anysort of reaction a normal citizen of Psanctum would give him. That night marked the beginning of a bond that would last for the ages.                                                    Rachel noticed Mike just staring at her with a weird look,as if she was the most confusing thing ever. Growing uncomfortable,Rachel waved her hand in front of Mike’s face. “Hey,Mike,Hey,yoohoo is anyone there? Are you ok? Do you have brain damage?” Rachel started to snap her fingers in Mike’s face. Finally,he came to his senses and looked flustered.                                                                “OH-oh,Rachel,sorry, i was just thinking about something” Michael apologetically said.                                                                                                   Rachel gave him a suspicious look at him”It’d better not been something about me,cuz that’d be reeaaalllllllyyyy creepy and,well,wrong.”                                       Mike’s face went abit red”W-ww-what nO NO no! it’s just..i..i was remembering something.”                                                                                                              Rachel narrowed her eyes at him,but she decided to drop it and view the city from afar. Michael also went back to stare at the view,but he then asked Rachel a question that’s been on his mind.                                                                         “Hey,Rachel?”                                                                                                         “Hmm? What’s up?” she casually responded                                                         “I’ve been meaning to ask,Why did you run away from your home?Your family? I know what im asking isnt my business,but i’d like to understand why you did it.”   Rachel looked at Mike,then she looked down at the city.                                        “Well”,she started unsurely,”I guess you could say i wasn’t satisfied with things back home.”                                                                                                            “How? You’re of noble blood in Mara,born into a rich family with economic influence,servants filling in your basic needs and keeping you pampered,having almost anything you could want! And you’re telling me,a prince no less,that you weren’t happy with that?”                                                                                         Rachel growled a bit at MIke,her horns slowly moving up abit.                              “I didn’t say i was unhappy, i just felt like something was missing from my life” she responded a bit angrily.                                                                                     “Im sorry, i should’ve worded that more correctly. But,what exactly was missing in your life?”                                                                                                             “....Adventure.” Rachel wistfully said,slowly smiling at saying the word. She continued on.”Adventure was what i was missing Mike! All my life in Mara i lived in the coastal city of Cephalosanges,living in a manor and having everything i could ask for at a moment’s notice. Other kids would try to get to be my friend. But i knew that that was all ruse cuz i was loaded. The only true friend i had was my younger sister Yima. But as i got older, my grandpa would tell me and Yima stories about heroes and legends from our world and Earth. Stories of people slaying monsters,finding ancient ruins,conquering lands,the list just goes on!        I especially love the Odyssey.” she dreamily finished.                                            Mike looked at Rachel,finally understanding the mind of this girl.                          “So,after some time, i made a descision to see what the world has to offer me,and now im here” Rachel proudly said.                                                              “You mean to tell me that you traveled all the way from the southern part of the continent,ran away from home,and hid your identity,just because you were having a thirst for adventure?” Michael asked critically.                                            “Well,yeah kinda, i wanted to see the world outside of my home, so i decided to do it. And man was it worth it! I rode a wyvern for the first time in my life,tagged along with a bunch of mercenaries traveling north,became queen of the squirrels,ate a gryfin egg, climbed a giant mush-”                                                   “Wait wait,hold on a moment”,Mike interrupted.”You became queen of the squirrels?”                                                                                                                “Gaze upon the queen of all that is good in nuts and acorns!” Rachel said in a mock royal tone.                                                                                                      “Umm..ok,but how?”                                                                                                “I’ll tell you another time,but right now,Michael,you got to hold up your end of the deal,remember?”                                                                                                      Michael almost forgot about the deal,but he did remembered.                                “Ah yes,right. Well, Rachel,due to your circumstances and conditions of living,how does an apartment in the upstate area of the capital sound to you? With rent and utility expenses all covered by the Psanctum department of treasury?” Only silenced was greeted by Mike as Rachel simply stared at him with an open mouth. He knew she’d react like this. Slowly,Rachel walked over to him and looked up directly into his golden eyes.                                                     “You’re bullshitting me,aren’t you?                                                                         “No, i am being genuinely honest about this”                                                         ”And how am i supposed to know that? For all i could know you’re gonna sike me out and get a laugh out of it”                                                                              “Rachel”,Mike grabbed her shoulders gently,”I am not lying to you. I am a prince of Psanctum,son of the King Fortitudo III,on my word i am being very,VERY,serious about this.”                                                                                 “But,but i thought you found me annoying,and troublesome. You’d sometimes even call me a menace before”                                                                                ‘And im sorry,but now that i got to know you better, i can see why you act the way you do. And i dont want a citizen of this city to die somewhere in the slums because of my judgment on you.”                                                                            Rachel slowly smiled. “Im a citizen now?”                                                               “Well,not yet,but i’ll work it out with some of the city’s council to make you one.”    Rachel suddenly glomped Mike,almost causing him to fall off the aqueduct. Thankfullu he didnt. And after that night,those two would soon share more adventures with eachother than before,and develop a bond that would mean more then just friends.