#sphinx cleaner

[thatsbelievable]

[cr0w-28]

Sources say posting unfinished art helps you feel less anxious to post in general

I’m unsure if these sources are right- but I wanted to share my oc Sphinx. He works as a cleaner for riddlers hideouts

(Badly drawn gore under the cut)

[zooophagous]

Nadja is adorable, but how oily is she? I saw a sphinx owner on tiktok post a video where there was like. A brown spot on her (freshly cleaned) white bed like a dog had rolled in mud and then laid down, and she said it was from her sphinx laying there for an hour?? Are they just gross teens all the time or?

Nadja does leave grease spots if she needs a bath. She gets cleaned up pretty good by Egon, who likes to lick her, and everything else is contained by giving her a dedicated cat blanket that she uses.

I don't usually notice spots unless she kneads an area though. That sometimes leaves marks. Otherwise I have to pet her quite a bit to get any schmutz off of her.

I'm pretty on top of wiping her down with a baby wipe when I think she needs a touch up though. And the amount of ick they give off does have a genetic component. Nadja is a bit cleaner than most other sphynx.

[sonicasura]

Different Universes of Energy

After the multiple times of collecting energy being a goal/plot point in various Transformers media, I couldn't help but write this. A list that involves different energy sources from different fandom universes. The ones I'll be choosing are either very plentiful or have a large variety.

Marioverse

Oh yeah. We're starting with the series that has a clusterfuck of magical items. Mario practically beats everything on this little list from how many alternate power sources any Transformer can gather. Cat Shines from Lake Lapcat, Shine Sprites of Del Defino, Power Stars to Grand Stars found across the stars and the latest Power Moons scattered all over the world.

I ain't forgetting about the spinoff games either which has their own flavor for powerful collectibles. These are also the easiest to attain since there are many ways to acquire them. You can find one out in the wild, purchase from a store(Power Moons), win through competitions, etc.

Team Autobots wouldn't have much trouble following these rules. In fact, it's probably a fun break from the usual hardships as scavenging in the midst of a war is difficult. Getting coins is easy since coin blocks are common to find and some bots such as Bumblebee would find the games fun.

The Decepticons would have to follow things by the Marioverse rules though. I ain't joking either as there are many ways for inhabitants to send them packing. Powerups especially the Mini Mushroom, Mega Mushroom, Giga Catbell and Super Star.

One little Mini 'Shroom is enough to shrink Megatron to the size of a guinea pig then shove his ass into a cage. A bloke can become a giant through the Mega Mushroom or gargantuan sphinx via Giga Catbell and yeet Starscream across the kingdom. Can't forget the Super Star's invinciblity as Decepticons drop like flies thanks to pure rainbow power.

Every bit of technology in this universe is more advanced but also sometimes mystical. There's literally a vacuum cleaner capable of sucking up ghosts, go-carts that can ignore the laws of gravity, actual magic, to even stars that can grant wishes.

There's also the kingdoms who won't take invaders too kindly either. Bowser definitely gonna declare war and he's got a wide array of technology to pack a nasty punch. The Koopa King is quite a threat when you look at the spinoffs such as the RPGs. Plus he has teamed up with Mario multiple times should the need arise.

Speaking of the plumber, he definitely get involved alongside his friends. The Mario and Luigi RPGs to even Mario + Rabbids shows he can do more than just jump. Latter series literally gave him a gun which later got upgraded to dual blasters.

Best play nice or get your ass kicked by someone no bigger than your little toe.

Knackverse

Next up is the PS4 launch title series, Knack! There are two different types of energy sources that are very very abundant: relics and sunstones. Everything technological in this universe are powered by either one or both sources.

Sunstones are crystalized sunlight that can be found about everywhere. Caves, mountains, grass plains, and even in someone's backyard. They are often used to generate electricity whether through generators, electrical plants or even lamp posts.

Now relics are a bit harder to find. These can be found underground or in ancient structures so mining might be required. Relics produce relic energy which is often used to power vehicles, generators, weapons, etc.

Everything can be obtained without messing with the locals. Although either faction might have to go through a scrapheap to see how relics are used to generate power. They definitely be a bit confused for awhile as these ancient artifacts are essentially spun around akin to a hamster wheel.

Decepticons will have some very painful retaliation if they try to steal relics and sunstones from the populace. The Crystal Wars is proof that humans here act like space orcs but also still do. Ryder and Doctor Vargas literally threw hands with goblins the size of them. The same goes for the latter.

I don't think goblins would be too pleased with otherworldly invaders taking their resources either. Advancement in technology can also prove these aren't people to mess with. Airships are more common, vehicles don't drive on tires, there are tanks that can create forcefields and fire lasers.

Ancient goblin weaponry have been rebuilt. Every one remains a force to be reckoned with. Cannot forget about the people's protector: Knack. He has fought a lot of mechanical foes in various sizes(for both parties).

Decepticons will be fighting on his turf and that's a huge disadvantage on its own. Super Sunstones to grant temporary invinciblity, the Ultimate Move which can destroy barriers/forcefields, super moves that range from solar lightsabers to even a relic tornado. Knack is a crafty motherfucker and can pummel any Cybertronian who dares disturb the peace.

I'm pretty sure a relic haymaker to the faceplate will be hard to dent out.

JNDverse

Last but not least, we have Eco from the Jak and Daxter series. The closest in comparison to Cybertron's Energon from their respective origins but also diversity. Each has different unique properties depending on the color. Their origin being from a long lost civilization/creators now cascaded in mystery.

Eco is very abundant and manifests all over the world. The main source being Eco Vents which constantly spurts it out in a gaseous form. Large liquid pools can also be found but it's highly likely that its Dark Eco, the most corruptive of all types.

Crystals are another way to gather it so mining will be required. Even various wildlife drop eco upon death but not much. There are many ways to gather the stuff without stirring a fuss.

Huge advancements in technology is very common as the most common transport are hovercraft style vehicles like zoomers. Dune buggies are utilized in the deserts with some being capable of jumping large gaps or bust down fortresses from sheer firepower. Eco can also power weaponry.

Weapons powered by this natural energy can have all sorts of abilities that depends on the color. Short range shockwaves, gravity inverters, ricocheting bullets, etc. They don't lack on firepower especially if one has a Morphgun which can use all Eco types by switching cartridges.

Now the Decepticons will face retaliation by disturbing the peace but here it varies. Some cities such as Haven have too many civilians and incompetent military forces to properly protect themselves. *Looks at all the missions alongside lack of self defending NPCs in Haven*

Areas such as Spargus will retaliate immediately since EVERYONE has been trained to fight and is armed. It makes sense because most of the city's population are people exiled to the wastelands by Haven. Can't forget about the Demolition Duo.

Jak and his companion has tackled a variety of opponents including giant robots. The latter were made with Precursor metal which is very hard to break through and probably more durable than Cybertronian metal. Both had wrecked it.

Jak has a variety of Eco cartridges for his Morphgun but can also rely on his Eco Channeling abilities. He can transform into powerful forms through Light and Dark Eco. The destructive animalistic Dark Jak or the angelic time stopping Light Jak.

It's best to be wary unless you want a Dark Eco blast through the spark chamber.

That's it for now! Until next time folks, I'll see you later! Transform and Roll Out!

[birdzflycom]

Hummingbird Moth Size | Caterpillar, Guide

Mute collybirds (moth clear)

Hummingbird Moth Size Buy the great barriers of sphinx flies. The night holds poles, while butterflies dance in the light of day. You can find them in a variety of habitats, including open forests and outlying gardens. Colibri moths feed on nectar from flowers using a long, thin probe. They lay their eggs on plants. Caterpillars come in yellow, green, or sometimes brown. They often have a typical barbic tallow horn. Their appearance varies by species. These caterpillars eat leaves from plants. They enjoy goats, blueberries, and other members of the rose family. They rest in their favorite spots during the cold months. As spring arrives, they emerge like butterflies. The COMMOBIRD butterflies are vital for flowers. This policy supports flowers that need pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. These pollinators are often disappearing. Its long proboscis helps you access flowers with ease. This supports plants that may have trouble reproducing. This butterfly supports health and biodiversity. It helps ensure many plant species thrive. Massive Aubon protects local plants and habitats, which butterflies rely on. This connection is crucial for wildlife and conservation. By using strategies and a language management house, we can help our community. This support enables cleaners to shine and polish their skills.

Hummingbird With Flower Learn more about our work! How can you support butterflies? Adults can help by filling their gardens with native plants. This attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Musthtbird Fion Memmtbird supports the Audubon Mass, but we rely on our 160,000 members. Your support helps protect hummingbirds, butterflies, and pollinators. Read the full article

[aikya-kat-44]

Either a phoenix or a cat. Cats because they're my favourite animal and phoenixes mostly cause flight but also I think they're cool. Also an owl cos also flight and I want to scare people. If I'm going for keeping some of my human reasoning skills (aka if you also get given the brain of the animal you become) I'd choose a sphinx. Oh dear, look at the prime example of my indecisiveness above you.

Either this one space themed hoodie I have or my Ferrari hoodie ✨ (oh how lucky I was to get hold of that) and whatever pants look good to me in the moment. To compensate for my lack of outfit I will put as much jewellery as humanely possible on.

Witch, cause I'm bewitching /j. But also siren, but specifically one who never sings unless they loose control or have to since I can lure people in but don't like doing it.

It can't be put into words, but I put a lot of effort into it (and it looks good heh).

Plant based. I'm vegan (NOT a pushy one who judges non vegans, I would never do that) and I'm allergic to milk, so this is a no brainer.

Neitherrr! I'm strictly a cereal straight from the box type of person.

(To the person who said I give casually talks about murder vibes, well, here I am, casually talking about murder) First, assuming the target isn't subdued, I would punch or kick certain points on their body that apparently cause people to collapse on the floor and go unconscious, taking care to use just enough force so that they don't get visibly injured. Scratch that, first I would put on a hairnet, mask and gloves, and trick the target into going to a secluded place. Okay after the fighting phase I would inject them with anaesthetic if I had it, but since I probably don't have that I would use a combination of laughing gas (it's always lying around on the streets) and slipping liquid painkillers into their mouth. Then I would move them if I had to. Depending on who the target is I would murder them in different ways. If they're a nobody, I would simply poison them with more painkillers (or alcohol if we're outside a bar). If they're high profile or someone is looking for them, I would remove anything that won't be destroyed (I'm not making the same mistake as this one guy did with the dentures) by very concentrated hydrochloric acid around pH 1 (yes I will be able to get that) from them and then dissolve their body in the acid. I will use oven cleaner to clean up the area (it's a strong alkali so it will neutralise any traces of acid). Since the target is Elon Musk, I would do none of the aforementioned steps apart from putting on gloves and stuff. I would simply remove all brake fluid and coolant from his cybertruck and watch the death be deemed accidental. Obviously if this doesn't go to plan I have escape routes, backup plans, lies and disguises in mind. But actually I don't want to kill anyone.

Wow I disturbed myself (and probably all of you).

npt: @apologiesforthecreatures @eve-will-perceive @mer-acle @literallylink--who-tf-is-ravioli @kitty-meowskers @please-be-nice-im-sensitive @icantrememberwhoiwaslastdecember @bladevoyager +open tags

yk what I'll also do this get to know your mutuals cuz I thought bout it for a bit and I think I have to or I'll explode

get to know your mutuals♡

if you could be any animal which one would you choose to be? (can be fictional) (and you can explain why if you want to)

what would you choose when you're in a hurry and have nothing to wear?

are you a witch, vampire, fairy, dryad, siren or a mermaid and why do you think so?

what is your style?

regular milk or plant based milk?

which one do you put first milk or cereal?

fav way to kill someone? (idgaf if you never thought of it now you have to think of something and make it at least a bit cool I'm begging)

and I'll go first cuz I can

girl I wrote kinda a lot in these answers but I just had to brag about my fav way of killing people🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ and okay maybe it's kinda stupid that I'm also doing this game even tho I made it for others but who cares?

I can't choose but either a phoenix or a wolf cuz the allegory of both of these animals absolutely stole my heart

anything in my wardrobe that looks good (and it's almost always not adequate for the cold weather, I literally can wear a mini skirt when it's like 2°C outside and there are times when I am wearing a mini skirt and a crop top when it is 0°C and even when it was -3°C I don't care)

something in between vampire and a dryad cuz I feel like I would be a good vampire I don't know how to describe it but I just know and that's it and also a dryad cuz when I think of them they give me rather a messy and chaotic vibe which is def how I act and overall express myself so I'd say that I'm sometimes both sometimes one and sometimes the other

I'm goth so my style is overall gothic and / or cunty

regular but only 1,5% fat

CEREAL

sooo this is my fav way, first - pepper spray in the face so they can't see and therefore they can't run away, second - start scratching their legs with a pocket knife as hard as possible and try to find an aorta and cut there (making it even harder to run away), third - stick the same knife into all of their fingers (why not), fourth - knock out their teeth with a knuckle duster and finally - when they open their mouth trying to catch a breath from the blood and saliva running into their throat pour fluoroantimonic acid into their mouth and it's done! and I'll add that fluoroantimonic acid is called the most corrosive acid in the world ans if it touches the skin it causes huge damage and if poured into someones throat it'll burn the insides and kill. I think I'm really creative cuz I came up with this when I was writing one of my books and now I'm obsessed

tags: @n1eprzytomnadesperacja @niketas-s @r4tkisses @dawkacynizmu @gothicm0rph @slowacki006

and with question 7 rn I'm mostly thinking about one bbg ( @dawkacynizmu I'm looking at you ) cuz a bit after I came up with this question I thought that you might have an interesting answer

[laurenscharhagwrites]

I’m pleased to share that the May issue of Aphelion is up. It includes my poem, “Little Brown Changeling,” which is about our dearly departed Otter, who we miss so much. Thank you to editor Dan Hollifield and the rest of the Aphelion team.

Little Brown Changeling for Otter

I found a tiny creature in the vacant lot beside an abandoned hotel. I thought it was a kitten.  It was kitten-shaped and mewing. I searched the dry July weeds for a mother cat or littermates

but found none. The creature was all alone, so I took it home. Having no money for a veterinarian, I asked a farmer friend with a colony of barn cats to come have a look. She agreed that it was, indeed,

kitten-shaped. No mites, no fleas, just a little brown bag of bones, barely three weeks old, fur brittle and falling out from lack of nutrition. I know now that she should have been bottle-fed. I know now that I did

literally everything wrong. All I had to feed her was dry kibble. I wetted it down to soften it for her milk teeth. She gobbled it all up and wanted more. When I could afford a vet, he agreed that she was definitely

kitten-shaped, and we scheduled an appointment to get her spayed. When she peed under my bed, I asked her not to do it again. She listened very seriously, nodded, and honored my wishes. Then, when I gave her

her first bath in the sink, her paws grew webbed and powerful, her fur grew sleek, her pipe cleaner tail thickened into one more suitable for aquatic propulsion, and just like that, she was a baby otter. We had all suspected she wasn't really a cat,

or if she was a cat, she was an absolutely singular feline. The other cats made it clear she was not of their ilk, and I will never forget how joyfully she splashed and frolicked in the water. For a time, her favorite form was a bat.

Around and around the apartment she sailed on brown wings, whipping around corners to startle us, tiny fangs glistening as she laughed. She never grew very big, five pounds for most of her life, but despite my meager ministrations,

our little foundling thrived, her fur becoming burnished and downy soft. Then came her owl phase, golden eyes blinking in the darkness, rotating her tiny bird head to smile at us. I still have a brown feather from those years.

When she was frightened, she would become a brown crab with a piecrust carapace, scuttling sideways, pincers clicking defensively, and when she was feeling guilty, she’d move in a strange, hump-backed shuffle, eyes paling to yellow,

a hyena. If you’d dropped her in a barrel full of regular crabs or a cackle of hyenas, I still would have known her. Her distinct vocalizations were always the same regardless of shape. She trilled and cooed

when she was happy, snorted and chuffed when she was annoyed, chittered to demand treats, and at night, she became a little brown dormouse, snoring in her blanket nest. I saw her become a rat,

a buzzard, a monkey, a raccoon, a salamander. Her body would lengthen itself into serpentine form, and we’d have a tiny dragon on our hands, belching tiny flames like a scaly brown Zippo. In the water, she liked to be

a mermaid, though more of the Fiji variety than HC Andersen, with her mashed-in face and sargasso hair. She was a sphinx, a fairy, an elf, a manticore, a banshee, a gargoyle, a squinty-eyed gremlin, a goblin, a Gizmo, a Gollum, the world’s smallest

Wookie, whatever the hell Grogu is, and Salicious B. Crumb. She was the rarest of beasts, and like all fantastic pets, the day came all too soon for our little brown changeling to leave us and go back to her realm for good.

One final transformation, one final conflagration, and in a little brown urn, we keep her phoenix ashes. Sometimes, I still hear her singing, and sometimes, she visits me in my dreams, and there, at last,

she shows me her true face.

[gelu-the-babosa-multiversal]

The past remembered today-ML/DC-AU Crossover

I have consumed too much ML / DC crossover content, so I decided to contribute a bit with an idea that came to me while taking a shower (the best ideas come when I take a shower).

It is about Hawkman (Katar Hol) and Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol) knowing the secret of the miraculous and kwamis since ancient times (we are going to establish it in the time of the Egyptian Ladybug), I will use the lore of DCAU Justice League Unlimited (JLU).

This is just a brief explanation of how this UA works. If you like it, leave some FeedBack, Reblog, and comment. Besides that, if you write something about this, add me in a tag.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl were worshiped as gods at that time due to their appearances, so they were relegated to emperors. Meaning that they had many servants and maidservants. With the time of his reign, Shayera and Katar became more distant, they were losing affection for each other, this turned when one of Katar's most loyal servants informed him that his wife, Shayera, was dating one of the Warriors.

In those times, Katar met two warriors, humans as powerful as he. Their names were, the cat warrior Sphinx, and the ladybug warrior Ruby Beatle (they are not canon).

Unknowingly, both warriors were servants of the palace where Katar and Shayera lived. The cat warrior worked as a village marketer, and the ladybug warrior worked inside the palace as a cleaner.

Things happen. Keter decides to keep an eye on those warriors, their powers caught his attention, but what caught his attention the most was the warrior Ruby Beatle. Besides that, they fought with creatures that Katar had never seen.

Over time, Katar and Shayera met other similar warriors, one with the theme of Bee, another with the theme of Goat, another with the theme of dog, and many more.

The thing is, Kater had no love for Ruby Beatle but considered her a good friend. Both in her warrior form and in her normal servant form, Ladybug was there to comfort Katar, for what was going on in his love life (not knowing that Katar was an alien sent to conquer the earth).

After some adventures told in Egyptian mythology, they met the Order of the Guardians and know the secrets of the miraculous, also knowing the identities of the warriors.

Chaos soon broke out as the events described in the episode The Pharaoh and the combination of the episode Shadow of the Hawk unfolded. Although Katar and Shayera helped the warriors stop the portal to the underworld from opening, Shayera lost her life to poisoning. After Katar killed himself with the same poison, the two warriors became the new rulers of Egypt.

Since then, Katar and Shayera, reincarnate for centuries meeting new versions of Chat Noir and Ladybug. Being friends again even though CN and LB don't remember/know them.

But there was a period of time when they did not find new versions of the miraculous holders until they discovered the destruction of the temple in Tibet. They searched, without anything more than being able to do, without anyone to help them, and without any clue, they could only find a book that contained part of the secrets of the miraculous (not the same as Master Fu).

Well, until the Justice League was formed, they met two Parisinian heroes who looked a lot like ... old friends.

And yea, this is inspired by the #Mominette au from@nobodyfamousposts

[honourablejester]

Again, browsing back through my original stories and attempting to catalogue them. This is arranged by … mood, maybe, more than genre? Things of a similar feel, let’s say:

Fairytales:

With a Faerie Wild and Wary – fairytale. In a strange, otherworldly forest, a mischievous young woman meets a much more wary fairy

A Silent Companionship – fairytale. The story of a little river gnome and the much more grim and dangerous fey knight that she accidentally adopted

Autumn Fairytale – fairytale. A little family history about a grandmother who courted a lady elf knight in her youth, mostly with food

Cursed Blessings – fantasy. Basically what would result if, during the ‘fairy blessing’ scene from Sleeping Beauty, the fairies got a bit confused on the gender of the pair of children in question and gave them the ‘wrong’ stereotypical gifts

The Rain Witch – urban fantasy/fairytale. An exhausted and tearful young woman has a little breakdown in a rainy park, and then a witch happens

Dark Fantasy Westerns:

(This is a weirdly specific subgenre for me to have multiples of, but it’s a type of a mood?)

Angel Killer – dark fantasy western. You ever heard tell of the hunter with the angelbone knife?

Mr Shadow & Mr Sweet – um. Religious fantasy? Strongly inspired by Terry Brooks’ ‘Knight of the Word’ series. In a strange desert purgatory, an angel and his dark companion find a young woman in need of help reaching the light (or, well, a bus)

The Demon-Eater – mythological western? A young woman with a hole in her soul gets possessed by a demon and sets about eating it, only to be counselled/rescued by the little god in the thorns

Into Whitewood – fantasy western. A magess investigating a potential evil in a small town meets an odd old woman who knows more than she should

Scales Uneven and Balance Skewed – vaguely horror-western in which a tired hunter retires to a Badlands town and almost doesn’t notice that the town doctor is an equally tired monster

Science Fiction:

The Long Dark – old-school soft science fiction. Scouting for an exiled cityship along the galaxy’s edge, the crew of the crystal aethership Voidsong encounter a strange installation

Talaris – greek mythology meets science fiction. Hermes and Helios stand on a space station and discuss humanity’s first FTL mission beyond the bounds of what even they know

Historical Fantasy:

(historically inspired, really, not actually historical in any even approaching accurate way)

Castles in the Sky – dieselpunk fantasy fairytale. Two exiled fairy lovers stand in a world of iron and airships, fearing that the advent of a second world war will drive them back into the mists from which they came

The Statue – historical fantasy/romance. A bereaved and lonely regency-ish young lord fantasises rather vividly about the sphinx statue at the bottom of his garden

A Thief’s Challenge – historical fantasy. A semi-retired queen of thieves wants some comfort in her old age and so sets a challenge for her hand in marriage. Her oldest friend is first shocked, and then alarmingly enthusiastic …

The Rose Knight – vaguely French historical fantasy. A tired provincial nobleman in need of help comes to the capital to meet a famous spiritualist and champion, and comes within inches of royally botching the interview

Fraternity of the Maimed – sort of Victorian-esque urban fantasy. A woman being persecuted by an aristocratic vampire gets stashed with a manor house full of werewolves for safe keeping

High Fantasy:

Passing Through – fantasy. Roving mercenary Haleth gets chased into a haunted forest by an angry lordling, and meets a poor bastard even worse off than her along the way

Heartwood – high fantasy. A mercenary and her elven lover escort some diplomats to the edge of the wyrldwood, the border with chaos, and then said elven lover reveals some things about himself that he should probably have mentioned previously

Logistically Complicated – vaguely African-inspired fantasy meets a reverse Beauty & the Beast. The beautiful scholar prince of a conquered country is given in marriage to the monstrous warrior queen of their conquerors, and does his best to make the best of it

The Kingfisher – irish mythological fantasy. A dreamer awakes in the Otherworld, and gets some advice from Manannan Mac Lir on how to survive

Fantasy Humour:

Manners Saveth Man – fairytale fantasy humour. Just a sorceress and her dragoness friend ranting about the idiocy of ‘heroes’ who keep interrupting delicate and occasionally apocalyptic workings

The Witch Run of Gethryck – Pratchett-esque fantasy. The story of the annual witch run of a vaguely welsh-inspired province, and all the sordid gossip that generally arises from it

Lessons in Invocation – tiny fantasy fragment, on the subject of silence in the library and why it’s especially vital in a magical library

Urban Fantasy & Noir:

(again, it’s a consistent mood for me, shows up a fair bit)

Black Moon Blood – cosmic horror/urban fantasy. A vaguely cold-war era pair, a vampire and a distinctly off scientist, take out an installation of moon slugs for an occult organisation

Long Nights and Lord Save Us – urban fantasy. A team of modern monster hunters on a case, and then a little bit of backstory on the demon funhouse.

La Nuit – dark superhero noir/cosmic horror. A pair of small stories from the life of Etta James, a WWII ambulance driver who survived a hole in the world and the emergence of the Capes, ‘superheroes’ who range from the typical to the utterly lovecraftian

Night Shift – urban fantasy/superheroes/noir. A morgue cleaner goes missing, and the revenant she helped once gets a band of dark superheroes together to find her again

Welcome to Carogne – Redwall-ish animal dark fantasy. Various fragments following a blind doctor with a lot of secrets through the horrific criminal underworld of a city of rats

Cityside Fairytale – Dark little urban fantasy noir in which, mob boss or not, it is extremely inadvisable to piss off naiads when you live in a riverside city

Misc Genres:

(I love these, but they tend not to match much else I’ve done)

Loved Not Wisely – fantasy/tragedy/soulmate. A pair of soulmates reincarnate over and over again under a curse to destroy each other in each life unless they renounce their love, and have so far defiantly refused

A Reaper Come Lately – ghostly romance. An old woman dies, and finds her husband waiting to joyfully continue all their many arguments over the years

The Interrogator – cold war-ish dystopian fiction. A monologue on justice and mercy from an ‘interrogator’ for a fallen regime as he awaits execution

… I’ve had a few odd notions over the years, you know that?

[giuliafc]

Betrayal -- Chapter 19 and 19bis: Inside the Mind of a Criminal (snippet dal 30) + Pigella (LadyNoir July day 30)

<< 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 – 13 – 14 – 15 – 16 – 17 – 18 -- 19: Ao3 || FFN – 19 bis: Ao3 || FFN -- 20 >>

Betrayal Chapter 19: Inside the Mind of a Criminal

Written by: JuliaFC

Beta: Agrestebug and MyImaginationFlows

Summary: We learn the background story of Lila's father, Richard Sphinx, the new Papillon, and how he's going to be much, much worse than the first one...

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by (c) Thomas Astruc, TS1 Bouygues, Disney Channel, Zagtoon, Toei Animation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

TW: mention of extreme manipulative and obsessive behaviour and cruelty against family

Written for the "Snippet July" challenge of the Miraculous Fanworks Discord server @miraculousfanworks

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Well done, Lila. Now head back to the monk and get his staff. If there are more jewels like these, we need to get our hands on them!" Richard sat at the desk of his office, staring at the nothing in front of him. His elbows pinned on the wood of the desk, his face resting on the length of his hands. His body was wrapped in a purple and grey suit and a grey mask covered his face, making his green eyes shine.

Briefly, he broke contact with Lila's akuma and stood up; he slowly paced the room to the fireplace. His gloved hand picking up a photograph on the mantle, portraying a woman with short brown hair wrapped in an elegant blue tailleur.

He still remembered the day he'd met Melania, Lila's mother. She was a petite Italian lady who exuded elegance and genuineness at a celebrity party. She looked so out of place, and her cheerful smile was like a breath of fresh air in the hypocrite atmosphere of the ball room. He still remembered his burning passion, how much he'd wanted her—her and all she represented. She was the daughter of a rich Italian family of ambassadors, with excellent connections all over the diplomatic world he wanted to be part of. When his charming politeness managed to raise her interest, he thought he'd hit the jackpot.

Their story had been short but intense, their relationship the final tassel in the puzzle that brought him to the limelight. Before their engagement of 5 years ended, FERG, his company, was quoted in the stock exchange. Quickly rising to be one of the top companies in the market.

Everything was perfect. Then, Melania fell pregnant and had her baby. For reasons that Richard couldn't understand, she somehow started distancing her husband — him. He suspected that the accusations of him having committed several cases of fraud, and having caused several suicides, may have been part of it. But Richard had done it for her. Nobody else was important in his mind. He had to protect his family. He had to protect the people who mattered for him. How could Melania not see that?

"You're a heartless monster!" she accused him instead, when she tried to leave him and go stay with a friend; but he found her almost immediately and locked her up in her room.

The more he clenched his grip on Melania, the more the woman became distant, almost terrified. Eventually, she dared to ask for divorce and deny him the rights to see his daughter.

"His obsessive behaviour is harming me and my daughter! I'm afraid for our safety, Your Honour," she told the judge. "Only the money is important to Richard! He puts his company before the safety of his family."

Needless to say, she won the case. Since then, she kept as far away as possible and had tried to keep Lila away from him too. She had changed her surname to the plain Rossi, and changed her job many times. Until Lila was old enough to make her own decisions, she succeeded at keeping him away.

But Lila was a clever girl. Her thirst for power and her quest for attention were second to him. She knew what was important in life, that power and money were the only things that mattered. As soon as she had gained the use of a mobile phone, she contacted him (lying to her mother). They had been plotting against Melania ever since.

Now it was their time to obtain their aim. When Papillon trusted Lila to be his second in charge, Richard advised his daughter to gain as much information as she could about those powerful jewels that gave him power. Now all that hard work was paying off.

He squeezed Melania's photo in his hands, breaking the frame with his strong hold. How dare she run away from him? How dare she disregard his burning passion?

"You don't love me, you think you own me," shouted Melania when she left him, taking away his only daughter with her. "I don't want you to be a bad influence on our daughter. You terrify me."

How dare she. She was his wife, his other half, his property.

"You're mine. MINE. No judge can take you away from me."

He stared in a daze at the blood flowing from his gloved hands, where the shattered glass of the photo frame had pierced the skin underneath the suit. His eyes gleamed of madness. "I will be victorious. I will get the Miraculous of Ladybug and Chat Noir. And when I have the most powerful jewels in the world, you will come back. You will love me again. If you won't, I’ll force you to."

oOoOoOoOoOo

Gabriel closed his eyes as he placed a single red rose between Emilie's palms and squeezed her hands gently before closing the glass cover of her coffin one last time. He rested his hand on the glassy surface for an endless moment; the hand of Lieutenant Raincomprix falling on his arm way too soon for his tastes. He sighed and gave one last glance at the peaceful face of his sleeping wife.

"It's time to go, M. Agreste. Mlle. Sancoeur," said the officer.

They had spent a long time talking to SentiAdrien in Adrien's room. The boy had confirmed most of the wrongdoings that his teachers and friends had accused Gabriel and Nathalie of, and had pleaded completely non guilty regarding any involvement in his father's terrorist activities.. M. Raincomprix had decided to be safe, and was arresting both Gabriel and Nathalie.

"Mlle. Sancoeur will most likely be released when the heroes witness her double agenting, but better safe than sorry," said Raincomprix.

Gabriel glared at him as the officer moved his and Nathalie's hands behind their back and handcuffed them. He shot one last, languid glance at the blonde figure in the coffin, before having to follow Raincomprix and walk away.

To be continued… Day 30.2 — Bonus chapter

30.2 - Betrayal Chapter 19 bis: Pigella

Written by: JuliaFC

Beta: Agrestebug and MyImaginationFlows

Summary: Ladybug struggles to understand how to win against the vacuum akuma, but Volpina has to eventually face (temporary) defeat. (1687 words)

Written for the LadyNoir July @ladynoirjuly Day 30 — Rose.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey, Vacuum Lady, Aren't you tired of collecting dirt?" shouted Chat Noir as he used his baton to propel himself up. He smirked and added, "Probably not, since you've got Volpina with you. She's the biggest piece of dirt in existence!"

"How dare you," hissed Volpina and the Vacuum akuma at the same time before they both followed Chat Noir out of the way.

Ladybug gazed at the two akumas following her partner gratefully; then she put her hands to her temples and closed her eyes shut to concentrate. She picked up her communicator and dialled Alya's number.

"What's the plan, Ladybug? I saw Chat Noir jumping away with the akumas, I thought he may be trying to distract them."

"You were correct. Listen, Alya, I need you to use the water dragon. Water passes through surfaces so you will reach me in no time," whispered Ladybug to her Bugphone.

Alya smirked. "Right-o, I'm on it!"

Just seconds after their conversation, Ladybug saw water seeping through the barrier of books that towered in front of her. And, in a whirl of magic, Dragonbee Alya appeared in front of her. She wore a red outfit with the symbol of the dragon at the centre of her chest and curvy golden lines separated the red from sections of gold and black stripes. Her hair was combed in a twirly ponytail that looked like the sting of a bee. Ladybug didn't waste time and picked up her phone again, dialling Chat Noir's number this time.

"Chat, bring your whiskers back here immediately, before your transformation wears out!" she said before he could even say meow. With a gracious jump, her partner was again by her side seconds later.

"M'lady called?" he asked with a little smirk that Ladybug would have loved to take off his face with a kiss, but she knew perfectly well it wasn't the right moment.

"Alya, Chat and I’s timers are running out, we must be quick. Use the wind dragon and swoop us out of this alley and back on a rooftop."

Alya's eyes gleamed. "As you wish, Ladybug. Wind dragon!" Ladybug and Chat Noir were wrapped in a current of wind and next thing they knew, they were on a rooftop next to Nino (or rather, Thueban Jameel (1), as he has called himself), far away from the Library Maze but still keeping it in sight. The two heroes hid behind a chimney to release their transformation and feed their kwami without being spied on, and in no time they were up and running again.

"Okay now…before the akumas find us and we get stuck into that maze again. Lucky Charm!" called Ladybug. A red and black polka dotted single rose fell into her hands. "What?" she muttered, scratching her head.

"Are we going to declare our love to a vacuum cleaner?" was Chat Noir's snarky comment. But before Ladybug could say anything, the rooftop they were standing on disappeared and they all fell on the ground, facing yet another massive wall of books.

"Shoot! Here we are again…" cursed Ladybug.

The vacuum akuma reached them as well. "There you are, you fools. Did you really think you could escape? What a bunch of idiots! Tricksters, like that thief. I'll sweep you all away from existence. I wish I didn't always try to help people. I wish my heart hadn't been so kind. I'll take all the tricksters away, so maybe my boss will forgive me. I need my job!"

The four superheroes had to forcefully separate again trying to escape from the strength of the vacuum's sucking power. Before jumping off, Ladybug took a good look at the akuma and noticed that the akumatised object must be a book, which the victim was holding in her hand to create the vortex of sucking power.

Something in what the akuma had said was nagging at Ladybug. As she ran to hide from the vacuum, she went back to what the akuma had previously said: someone had stolen a book from her library and she was upset about it.

"What do you mean by trickster?" she asked when the akuma reached her once more.

A smirk popped on the victim's face. "That liar tricked me. He told me a sappy story about his family and convinced me to lend him the book without opening an account, but in the name of someone else. He promised me he was going to bring the book back in a couple of days. I'm too nice, too gullible. I wish all the tricksters would disappear!"

Ladybug's gaze fell on her lucky charm and her eyes widened. OF COURSE! How could she be that stupid to not realise before? She unified Kaalki and Tikki, becoming Pegabug. Then, with a smirk on her lips, she called for a 'Voyage' and jumped out of the maze, stepping inside the Couffaine's boat.

"Ladybug? Is there something wrong?" said Rose. That was a strike of luck: Rose was in Juleka's room, but her girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. "Jules is in the bathroom, if you're looking for her," added Rose when she noticed that Ladybug's gaze had darted around the room.

"No, I was looking for you, actually." She opened her yoyo and took out a pearl anklet. "Rose Lavillant, this is the Miraculous of the Pig. I need Pigella's help to win against this akuma."

Rose grabbed the anklet and put it on, allowing Daizzi to come out in a buzz of magic. "I still can't believe how cute you are," said Rose when she looked at the little kwami. Then, she muttered the transformation phrase and changed into Pigella.

It didn't take long for Pegabug and Pigella to find the vacuum akuma again, just in time to see Chat Noir being sucked in the vacuum when he got distracted by their arrival. The sound of Ladybug's scream echoed in the empty alley of books.

"You've got another one with you, Ladybug? I'll suck her in too!" drawled the akuma victim. But Pigella's gaze had a determined gleam.

"Why is your heart so full of sorrow? You should rejoice and be happy!" said Pigella with the sweetest of smiles on her face.

"Don't get close to me! I'm going to suck you in!" warned the akuma, but Pigella didn't just get close to her. She hugged her. The akuma was so baffled that she got petrified on the spot.

"Gift," murmured the pink superheroine and in a flash of light, a beautiful scene appeared in between the two girls, picturing a room full of books and everyone loving each other and being nice and friendly with each other. The akuma victim had tears in her eyes.

"Why are people so nasty? Why do people do wrong things, like lying or stealing? I want everyone to be happy!" The akuma leaned in Pigella's embrace and hugged her back, dropping the book that created the vacuum in the process. As soon as the akuma's grip on the book weakened, Ladybug caught it. She broke the book to release the butterfly, which she hastily captured, cleansed and released.

"Bye bye, little butterfly," said Ladybug as the white insect flew away in the sky. Then she picked up the lucky charm and threw it in the air, releasing the kaleidoscope of ladybugs. The instant Chat Noir reappeared, she was in his arms.

"I'm purr-fectly okay, M'lady," said the feline but this didn't stop the polka-dotted heroine from crying.

"Why do you always die for me? I don't want you to do that anymore!"

Chat Noir smiled softly as he hugged her tight, then he broke the hug to wipe her eyes and stroke her cheek. "I'm sorry, ma Buginette. I'll try to pay more attention, okay?"

"This new Papillon seems very dangerous, especially because he has a cunning fox like Volpina at his side. We need to pay even more attention than before!" said Ladybug as she hugged him again. He patted his hand on her back, gently drawing circles on the material of her suit.

"I'll be okay, as long as I'm with you," murmured Chat Noir into her ear.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"I'm very disappointed, Volpina." Richard's voice was tense as he spoke through the ethereal connection of the butterfly. "We were so close to achieving our goal, and now we have to start all over again! I've no time for losers!"

Far away on a rooftop, Volpina lowered her head and closed her eyes, clenching her fists. "I'm sorry, Father! I still have my Miraculous though, and the akuma."

She groaned thinking back at how Pegabug had immediately found the tracker she'd put on Su-Han's bag. She had completely underestimated how strong and skilled the monk was, and she hadn't been able to steal his staff. Besides, Su-Han seemed to have the annoying ability to see through her Illusions, which she really didn't expect.

"I will come up with a new plan to submit to you, Father, don't worry!" she said, seething in a low growl.

Richard's stern expression didn't soften. "You better. Did you get Melania to sign the document I gave you?"

Volpina took a paper from her pocket and looked at it carefully. It was a request to cease school and start homeschooling, signed by her mother. It had taken her much more than just a trick to obtain her mother to scribble her signature without noticing what it was all about. "I have it here. I told her that the school will be closed because of all the attacks and that I would stay with a friend of mine for some time." Pain flashed through her eyes as she added, "I doubt she would have noticed anyway, as busy as she is with work."

Richard smirked, hearing the hurt in Volpina's voice. "Worry not, my daughter. When we make the Wish, she will have all the time in the world to dedicate herself exclusively to us." His smirk widened when he felt the strength of her emotions. "Together we will succeed."

He cackled, and from her rooftop, Volpina sneered.

To be Continued… Day 31

Notes:

Thueban Jameel: "Beautiful Snake", from the Arabic for beautiful, "Jameel" (جميل) and the Arabic for snake, "Thueban" (ثعبان). (Thank you so much to my Beta, MyImaginationFlows, for her assistance with Arabic!) The peacock is the symbol of beauty, so I thought it would fit.

Author's Note

Hey! Here it is, this is a bonus chapter I had to write because the snippets didn't give me enough space to wrap up the battle and all loose ends. It's a second part for chapter 19, based on the LadyNoir prompt for day 30, "Rose". Let me know what you think of it.

I hope you will like it anyway and will leave me a comment. You know that comments are my bread and butter!

You're lucky today because you're getting even the epilogue and the end of the story. So… until I finish updating that, a temporary 'bug out'!

[witchcraft-in-wonderland]

Merfolks Curse (Pt.6)

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

"And how many words does she know?" Logan was holding Carly in his arms, she was asleep, it seemed that she enjoyed sleeping, when she and Patton werent singing songs, that's what she was doing.

"Almost a whole dictionary! She's almost as smart as you!" Patton said, shaking up the bottle of formula in his hand as he took Carly back into his own arms. Logan laughed, they'd been on their journey for three days, it was nice to get some relief from thinking about Roman, even if the thought of him never left his mind entirely. Remus was circling the outside of the ship in his much larger kraken form, he liked it better that way, felt safer.

"So hun, any trails?" Patton said, watching Remus from the ship.

"Nothing yet. . . but I'll find him!" Remus said, raising the top half of his body further up out of the water, eyes narrowing in concentration.

Logan walked down to his cabin on the ship, resigning himself to pouring over maps and books. The cabin had several books on mythology, but just the thought of it made Logan's stomach churn.

"Gods I miss him so much. . ." Logan said, burying his head in his arms.

"I cant believe I was so horrible to him. . ." Logan ran his fingers along the cover of a book on merpeople, and against his better judgement, decided to open it.

"Merpeople with golden scales are considered of royal status, and are much more susceptible to mutations such as sirensong or non-fish variation," Logan whispered to himself. He remembered the crescent moon shaped scales underneath Roman's eyes, and the golden swirls across Remus' arms and tentacles.

"That explains the crying," Logan said, running a hand over the illustration of a siren.

He flipped a few chapters ahead to the one that discussed a merperson's acquisition of legs, his eyes widened as he read.

"When merpeople develop strong romantic or platonic bonds with humans, they gain the ability to shift their lower-halves into legs upon reaching land. . . this ability is not available for those that have been rejected and overcome by the sirensong," Logan sat the book down and looked at himself in the mirror.

"Roman. . ." he thought back to Roman's fangs, the way his tail spiked after their first meeting, the glint in his eyes.

"Roman can't have legs. . ." he whispered, glaring at his reflection in the mirror.

Roman's day had been abysmal. The pirates had finally gotten him to the carnival, and sold him off for little more than it would take to buy cattle. He swam around a tank that, while marginally cleaner than the ships, was still dreadfully dark and cold. He didnt mind the children in his audience, most seemed to find him interesting, small round faces pressed against the glass, smiles plastered across them as they waved and cheered at him. He ignored the looks of the adults, they seemed bored, angry even, and some gave him looks that reminded him of sharks watching for their next meal.

"Alright fish. It's time to see how well you fit through a hoop." said the woman who had been sent to train him. He saw a large hoop at the top of the water, he knew what she wanted, but he was stubborn.

That is until he felt a sharp pain in his neck. He screamed, but all that came out was bubbles. He tried to keep himself grounded, but his body seemed to move on it's own, the air was cold, and the water much colder once he landed. He was forced through the round at least three more times, at one point while it was on fire, before he was allowed to stop. When he swam back to the front of the tank most had gone, but there was a new couple towards the back.

A man with a hat, tilted to the side of his face, and a black cape. He had his arm draped around the shoulders of a shorter man who was fumbling with the strings of his jacket. He was glaring intensely, it took Roman a few minutes to register it, but the glaring eye was yellow, and he knew someone like that, very well. He swam closer to the front of the tank, hands pressed against the glass, tail raised behind him.

Janus remained there until it was time for closing, Roman had begun to give up hope, until he approached the ring master.

"You say this merman of yours is a new edition?" he said, Virgil was still watching Roman, his own hands pressed against the glass.

"Just got him today, he's quite pretty isnt he, see the gold? He's royalty, to," the smile across Roman's captors face made his skin crawl.

"Well, kidnapping royalty is considered a major offense in out culture," Janus hissed. His arm pulled back, socking the rong master in the jaw before he could process the sentence.

Virgil grabbed a bat from under Roman's tank, Roman backed away from the glass as Virgil brought it down against it. Water rushed out, Roman with it, before being caught in Janus' arms.

He woke up in a more ornate tank, in what he assumed was Janus and Virgil's home. Janus was fussing over Virgil about something, all Roman could pick up was 'dangerous' 'capitalism' and 'baby' until he tuned out, it seemed to be private business, and Roman didnt want to pry so soon.

Janus seemed to notice Roman's conciousness.

"Well, funny seeing you again," he said as he walked over.

"It is funny, isnt it," Roman responded.

"Sorry about Virgil, hes got a lot of pent of rage at the moment due to pregnancy and whatnot," Janus seemed to notice the startled expression on Roman's face.

"Oh- hes trans," Janus said with a smile. "It was his idea for biological children, hes very happy about it," Janus seemed oddly calm considering the previous events. Virgil walked over to the pair of them.

"Dont talk about me like I'm not here Jan," he said, nudging Janus in the side.

"When did you get caught? Are you alright?" Janus continued questioning Roman as he dumped a few fish in the tank for him to catch.

"So you have a scientist boyfriend huh?" Virgil said, grinning.

"I wouldnt say hes my boyfriend I dont even have legs yet," Roman said, though it was hard to disguise the blush creeping up on his face.

"Well I'm sure he'll be looking for you, we'll keep an eye out," said Janus.

"I miss our little chats," Roman said, smirking.

"I do to, it was always a pleasure watching you get tangled in kelp leaves and yell that it was I who tricked you into a trap," Janus laughed as Roman's expression turned into more of a pout.

"Goodnight, Roman, we can talk more in the morning," Janus said, walking out of the room with Virgil trailing behind him.

"Goodnight you two," Roman responded, settling at the bottom of the tank to sleep.

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

Tag list:

@nerosdayinhell

@official-lucifers-child

@youtuberswithalex

@spooky-scary-virgil

@misunderstoodshadowling

@pretty-as-princey

@sleepy-sphinx

@meowthefluffy

@soup-stars-and-silence

@cemmy

@romanvirgil

@lallyphant

@seraphlies

@tssidesfamily

[lapis-lazuliie]

Top 5 Inside No. 9 twists?

aah dammit, sorry! i meant to answer this awhile ago, but i completely forgot about it >.>

1. cold comfort - like getting an ice cold bucket of water dumped on you. absolutely fucking chilling. and then the ending punches you w/ 'shine'. i love it <3

2. the riddle of the sphinx - god i just love the creeping madness the lads seed into their episodes (i.e simon says) and how this one goes from 'what the fuck' to 'WHAT THE FUCK....' in a matter of minutes is insane

3. to have and to hold - as reece said, steve is brilliant in this episode because jesus, he is; to introduce him as this man who's bored of his marriage to slowly reveal him hiding a very dark secret underneath all that.....and then the knife is pushed deeper into your gut as he's revealed to have taken the place of the cleaner. christ, this one stays w/ you

4. 12 days of christine - aaah this one is just depressing, man but incredibly well seeded and beautifully acted by sheridan <33

5. misdirection - i honestly loved this one. it's so clever, and so overlooked

[birdzflycom]

Hummingbird Moth Size | Caterpillar, Guide

Mute collybirds (moth clear)

Hummingbird Moth Size Buy the great barriers of sphinx flies. The night holds poles, while butterflies dance in the light of day. You can find them in a variety of habitats, including open forests and outlying gardens. Colibri moths feed on nectar from flowers using a long, thin probe. They lay their eggs on plants. Caterpillars come in yellow, green, or sometimes brown. They often have a typical barbic tallow horn. Their appearance varies by species. These caterpillars eat leaves from plants. They enjoy goats, blueberries, and other members of the rose family. They rest in their favorite spots during the cold months. As spring arrives, they emerge like butterflies. The COMMOBIRD butterflies are vital for flowers. This policy supports flowers that need pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. These pollinators are often disappearing. Its long proboscis helps you access flowers with ease. This supports plants that may have trouble reproducing. This butterfly supports health and biodiversity. It helps ensure many plant species thrive. Massive Aubon protects local plants and habitats, which butterflies rely on. This connection is crucial for wildlife and conservation. By using strategies and a language management house, we can help our community. This support enables cleaners to shine and polish their skills.

Hummingbird With Flower Learn more about our work! How can you support butterflies? Adults can help by filling their gardens with native plants. This attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Musthtbird Fion Memmtbird supports the Audubon Mass, but we rely on our 160,000 members. Your support helps protect hummingbirds, butterflies, and pollinators. Read the full article

[courtorderedcake]

Hallow : ch xx - CSSNS 2019

“The Goblin King was prepared to host the Darkness, stealing Fae women away to their corrupted lands underneath the ground as concubines. The Darkness chose another in his stead, but not before this selected vessel enacted a devastating attack in its vengeance, revealing its hatred & rage. The battle was a lesson the old kings had forgotten; never underestimate an opponent.

Many more lives were lost as they razed over any who dared defy The Goblin King’s will. Only the pure love of our rulers united in matrimony, breaking the Vorpal Dagger, sealed the darkness and the Goblin menace away. The light flourished under their fair rule, and the queen bore a child as pure as moon beams, swan feathers, and starlight. They lived happily ever after, and shall be written in history as Heroes for All Time.”

This is the history Princess Emma memorizes from the day she is born, paraded about and presented only with the highest protection. The palace is a cage she wishes to escape, desperately. Not careful what wishes she made, Emma discovers history is written by the victors - The Dark One has an entirely different version of the events that took place.

Read on AO3 here.

Rated E for explicit themes, Mature situations, and Fae fuckery.

Written for @cssns​

Ch xx / ?? - In which truths are finally revealed. 

Twisting the strange heaviness that was Arthur's engagement ring around her finger, Emma walked slowly down the corridors with a line of attendants behind her. The walk was stop and go, breathing as troubled as her mind as she tried to contemplate Killian's transgressions. 

How long had he been plotting if he managed to do this to her? The illness was something worthy of her hatred, but she could not bring herself to feel any anger when she remembered the way he had looked at her. His eyes had been so clear, the plea in them bright, sun catching ocean waves through fog. He had begged her to listen, and why would he stay if he had the dagger shard in hand? Surely he wouldn't take her life after everything they had gone through together. His revenge on her parents and her had fallen away… hadn't it? 

The tea she had earlier on Arthur's insistence twisted in her stomach painfully, her breath catching. Her lungs constricted, burning with effort, heart deafening in her ears until she was spinning, twirling round. 

"Mmm. Well," Killian smirked, pulling her close, bodies pressed together far more intimately than was required of a proper waltz. "Not that I don't love to hear the sad stories of the poor princess -" 

"Oh, come on -" Emma hissed, rolling her eyes and trying to pull away. 

" - but I would never deny you a chance to actually be kept on your toes." He dipped her low, humming something she could not discern, something older and much more jaunty. Spinning her with expertise across the small space, Emma fell into his lead if you could call it that. He didn't follow one style of step, and any stiffness was met with a complicated step she had to focus on, until she was laughing at the ridiculous over exaggerated styles he forced her to partner with. 

Both Killian and her were out of breath when he threw her into a wild spin, bringing her in close to intertwine her fingers with his. Emma breathlessly giggled, closing her eyes to clear the dizziness away, her eyes shooting open in surprise when she leaned forward and their foreheads met.  

Emma woke, sitting up and finding herself alone in a part of the castle she didn't recognize, standing with shaky confusion. 

"Hello?" she called out, almost slipping on a strange blue sparkling residue that surrounded the area where she had woken. "What in the -" 

"Princess, I'm sorry, I had no choice," Ali rounded a corner checking behind himself as her brows furrowed. "You need to hide; they're coming, Hades convinced them not to wait, and I can't control it very well - the call, the pull is too strong."

Ali doubled over, hissing lowly, and Emma stepped toward him with hesitation. "Ali? What is wrong? Are you alright?" 

"Emma, Arthur's not who you think he is." Ali pulled her aside, checking the space for any signs of life. He lowered his voice further. "Ask him about his heartache, and strife. He - Emma, no matter what he tries to charm you with, do not listen."

"But he's -" 

"I can't right now. They're coming, I have to -" He groaned, glowing a faint blue. 

"Ali, what is going on?" Emma reached for him, his sharp turn causing her to fall back. His eyes glowed a bright burning blue. "What are you!?" 

"I don't have time for this!" Ali yelled before disappearing in a puff of blue smoke.

Emma stood up carefully, confused as she looked around. Entering the garden, hands grabbed her from behind, sweeping her off her feet. 

"Put me down!" 

"Princess, what happened? Are you alright?" Arthur said, as she flailed in his grasp. "It's okay. I'm sorry for startling you, I -" 

"I don't know what is happening, I don't know what is going on!" Emma pulled free, standing shakily. "He turned blue, and he said, he said -" 

Holding her arm to steady her, Arthur tried soothing her, cooing softly. "Emma, you're not making sense, what are you talking about? Who said -" 

"You - He said you have heartache and strife?" Arthur stiffened, gripping her arm tightly. She winced, whimpering slightly until it turned into a cough. He let her go and she fell back, leaning against the wall. "What does that mean, Arthur? I know you were married, I know your wife is gone, but…" 

"It's nothing, darling. Really." He smiled, but even if she was without the gift of the Sphinx to know truths, Emma could feel the lie in his voice. "Come and lay down in your quarters. I've made you some more tea, and I'll help you get comfortable -" 

"I need to get to Jasmine; there's something wrong here. You're - You're not telling me the truth." Arthur's eyes went cold, before he softly smiled and approached. 

"My sweet flower, I have been avoiding the topic for fear of bruising your delicate petals. It's not a pleasant story." He swallowed hard, with a sigh. "Let me walk you back through the corridor. I'll tell you as we go, sound good?" 

"I don't think I -" Emma tried, but he was gripping her elbow tightly, pulling her through the halls. 

"I was very much in love with the woman I married. My Guinevere." He sighed, Emma trying to keep herself from falling at the pace he set. His grip was tight as he dragged her, weak noises of protest going unheard. "She didn't believe in me, or my dreams of what our kingdom could be. She wanted me to be proud of what we had, to live in the past relying on the strength of our people, not the strength of our steel. I tried to change her mind, but I know now that it was fruitless."

Emma pulled away, falling to the floor as she gasped for air. She stared hard at him, trying to will away the prickling fear that gripped her as his words rang with half truths. 

"Come on now, up you get blossom," he coaxed lightly, his sharp yank of her wrist fiercely violent in comparison. She yelped and his eyes darkened, narrowing dangerously. "This would have been much easier if you had drank more of the poppy flower I brewed, I didn't want to be this rough you know -" 

"Stop! Please -" 

"You women are so frustrating! You don't know what is good for you, come along." Emma attempted to scoot away again, trying to understand what he was saying. The tea in her stomach churned, the minimal amount still filling her with nausea at his strange comment. Poppy flower rang a bell in her mind, the red or orange blooms pulled apart by Regina in one of her lessons. What had they been making? "You're just like Guinevere, pushing me to correct your mistakes." 

His fingers tightened painfully around her wrist, the leer he gave as he looked down at her not befitting the Arthur she had been courting. The memory hit her like a punch to the gut. Poppies were used in sleeping potions, or to make someone drowsy and complicit. Arthur had drugged her. 

"You're mad! You've forgotten yourself Arthur, it's no wonder she left you if this is how you corrected her! How dare you drug me!" Emma snapped, his mouth twisting and eyes narrowing at her words. He chuckled darkly. 

"She didn't just leave me, she betrayed me, Emma. I don't take kindly to betrayal, and it was not my fault. They should have known. You should know now as well, so you," He pulled her up roughly to her feet, dragging her around a corner, "Know to listen ." 

He hissed the last words, and Emma felt sweat bead on her brow, the patterned floor below their feet unfamiliar. They were nowhere near her apartments in the palace, the corridor empty of any servants. 

"What -" The words caught in her throat, the question making Arthur grin as he caressed the ring on her finger with his thumb. 

"What happened to her? I killed her lover - one of my best knights too, which was a shame - then I killed our daughter, which was more accident than intentional. But Guinevere, I made her watch until she had a final choice to make."

Emma wrenched away, backing up as he advanced on her. 

"She could die by starvation, or fling herself from her room in the tower I locked her in." He laughed, as if he wasn't speaking madness, and Emma tried to keep upright. "By the third day she made her decision, and made the leap. It wasn't as clean as I'd hoped, but Guin always had a penchant for mess. I would hope you are cleaner, but our time together looks brief."

He seemed to frown slightly at this, but his eyes showed nothing but amusement. Emma threw the ring at him, unable to utter any words between her wheezing breaths. 

"Shhh, it's okay my sweet bud. Soon enough you'll be dead, we'll blame the Dark One for it, I'll gain your kingdom in your passing along with Agrabah, and the Dark One will be our one man army as we bind him to Excalibur." Arthur grabbed her face, pressing a kiss to her temple as she tried to push him away. Killian, they were going to hurt Killian and her people, what had she done ? He chuckled lowly at her panic, her squirms to get away doing nothing. "You truly were such a prize. It's just too bad that no one could ever love you more than your station. So much power in that title, truly far too much for a desperate naive girl like you. Now, come along. We are needed elsewhere."

He tugged hard as Emma fought, touch going from rough to brutally so in an instant. She cried in desperation, his fingers threading through her hair to yank her neck back, hope becoming a distant memory as she weakened. 

 *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

 The cell holding Killian was damp, the floor made of packed clay and damp sand that gave way to thick limestone blocks where manacle chains hung. Compared to the cell at the Royal Palace that had held him for what might as well have been eons, this was as flimsy as wet paper. The Darkness seemed to remind him of this on loop, but he couldn't hear it over the roar in his ears, the way Emma had looked at him from her bed like a stranger. 

She looked - Gods , she had looked - 

Arthur wanting to marry her so she could simply die had been so repulsively absurd until he had seen her. In the few days that had turned into a week's time, Emma had lost her coloring, her frame was skeletal, eyes sunken and chest almost concave. Wires and wards covered her, and he should have known, he should have been there by her side instead of ducking down hallways to prevent her from following. He had tried to lose her, and now he was to be successful, his heart breaking. 

He couldn't break out of his cell without proving his criminality, but if he stayed, she might - 

A blinding flash of blue startled and dazed him, his blinking unable to clear it from his vision at first. A man glowed before him, skin cracked like a bird shell, a bright azure light pouring from underneath. He wore a mask of twisted gray cloth and a thief's coarse linen tunic with breeches, but the eyes were unmistakable. Aladdin. 

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, I had thought you would -" He approached Killian, and Killian was out of the manacles within seconds, his fist hitting hard against Aladdin's stomach. 

"You piece of shit," Killian hissed lowly, Aladdin letting out a wheeze. "You triple timing, absolute piece of -" 

"They're… Bandits!" Aladdin gasped out, the blue breaking through his skin more. Killian stepped back, circling him slowly, watching his movements. Arcane energy prickled in the air, small pebbles rising from the floor. "They're coming to… Kill… Arthur engaged, so Hades pushed the attack to today… They want… Kill Jasmine and take -" 

"Bloody buggering hell - why would you ally with them? Was everything with Jasmine and Emma a ruse?" Killian asked, surprised how the accusation was filled with concern. "I swear to you, I won't let Emma die because you -" 

"You have to hurry… I warned her, I tried… I'm being pulled, compelled, I can't - Emma's with Arthur. I can't hold on - gah -" He groaned, the glow becoming brighter, more skin sizzling away as he burned from within. "Save Emma from Arthur."

Aladdin looked up, their eyes meeting, before disappearing in a puff of blue smoke. As soon as he was gone, Killian was in movement, nothing but Emma's safety on his mind. 

 *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

 The fist that came from seemingly nowhere broke Arthur's hold on her, sending her sprawling to the ground with a ringing in her ears. She could hear the sound of blows hitting flesh, but could barely lift herself to see her would be savior, if that was what they were. Then they spoke, and her heart beat in a strange uneven quick step. 

"Fuck," Killian ground out, his voice rough as Arthur grunted between blows, "You, 'Mate'." 

Pulling herself to her knees, Emma attempted to crawl from where the two fought. Managing to turn into a courtyard, her dress caught on a raised stepping stone, her body collapsing. Fatigue and sheer emotional exhaustion pushed her into tears, fingers digging into the dirt to pull herself forward even slightly. 

Strong hands helped her up, Killian looking at her with concern she hadn't seen from him in weeks. 

"Are you - he didn't hurt you did he?" he asked, and she laughed herself into a coughing fit at the ridiculous question. He seemed mollified at this, swallowing hard. "I left him in a heap. He'll never hurt you again, alright love? At least you didn't marry that monster." 

Emma snorted, her raw throat burning through coughs. Finally she felt it unclench, anger flowing through her to yell at his stupid face, with his stupid consternation that was far too little, too late. 

“Why do you care? Of all the times you have hurt me, belittled me, or made it clear that you despise me, why now do you care? Is he not better than Nil or leaving my family with no contingency?" Pushing him away with what little force she could, he looked surprised at her anger. Emma felt her chest constrict, but continued. "You have wasted no time making it clear that you don't want to know my plans should I die. Why now do you have the gall to say that you want a say?" Wobbling in the new space between them, she raised her chin in defiance. Killian tried to close the gap again, and she took a step back. 

 "I'm sorry Emma. You're right, I shouldn't - "

"Damn right you shouldn't. Damn right that you even being here still makes me feel…" She hesitated, arms wrapping around her frame. "You told me that you were leaving on Selune, and again once on your ship. What possible reason do you have to stay if but to hurt me at every turn, Killian? Why come back? You should have just gone when you were freed, and left me alone. You shouldn't be here. You caused all of this!" 

He carded a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "It's not - That's not -" 

"Why can't you let me go? What am I to you? Was I wrong to believe that you had any hope of redemption?" Emma tried to ignore the rasp of her voice as it broke, tears streaking hot trails down her cheeks. "Do you have any idea how much pain you have caused me?" 

"You can't marry him, Emma. You can't." He reached for her, but she flinched away, his expression turning from worry to a pained hurt she wanted to slap off his face. "You couldn't do that to yourself. You know that he would have never been a good king."

"He was better than Nil!" Emma spat. "You have no right to have any say in this, Killian. I will do what I see fit, for my kingdom and my family -" 

"Please, just listen -" This time when he reached out for her, she looked at him in disgust, shoving his hands away. He was a liar, playing her for a fool, his pleading and his unsettling worried stare be damned. Even if it was true, it was him - he had no right to lecture her on who was 'good'. 

"I have heard enough. You have nothing of substance to say to me, and no answers to my questions!" Emma shouted. 

"He's not the one from your dreams, he's working along with Aladdin, the fake prince Ali. I'm -" 

Cutting him off, she spun on her heel, jabbing a finger at him in rage. "Why should I believe anything you have to say? Why should I trust you when all you have done is hurt me?" 

"I never meant for this, I never wanted to harm you. Please, please love, you have to listen. I beg you, please -" A loud noise that sounded like stone against metal shook the fountain that burbled happily in the corner, smoke drifting out from somewhere deeper in the palace. 

"I refuse, I refuse to listen to any more of your lies. You are the last person I would ever trust. You disgust me. How can you even stand here knowing that you haven't changed at all, and that you are the same monster?" Killian's eyes widened at her sudden proximity, his posture going rigid. His hands that had been reaching for her pulled to his sides, his breath coming out in a sharp exhale. He seemed almost nervous, the air around them suddenly stifling. Emma took another step putting them toe to toe. Shoving him proved fruitless when he barely moved from the weak push, but was satisfying as she continued yelling. "How dare you say anything to me about Arthur, how dare you try and trick me again! We were never friends, you never gave one moment or kindness without thought of yourself, we were never -" 

His hands shook as he touched her shoulders, one immediately pushing back his hair in frustration as he leveled his gaze with hers. His stare was hard, intensely fixed as he seemed to fight himself. Emma raised her chin and he moved a hand to hold her face, her shiver as he cupped her cheek involuntary. His touch felt right, her heart skipping in a strange hiccup that felt so familiar and yet still foreign. "You bloody stubborn, obstinate, maddening woman. I'm not sorry for this. I won't be." 

She gasped into his kiss, forgetting her anger in the way he moved his mouth against her own. It was practiced between both of them which stunned her and made her heat past feverish in seconds, anger dissolving completely as his tongue pressed further. Emma knew this touch, knew the longing that she could feel in the way they tasted each other, barely able to pull away when all common sense said to push him back. There was no doubt: 

Killian was who she had been dreaming of. 

"It's you, it's always been you -" A resounding crash came from the other side of the courtyard, smoke growing thicker. 

"Go hide. Don't answer to anyone, and stay silent. I… I will tell you everything when you are safe."

"But -" Emma protested, still slightly dazed. 

Killian grazed his lips on her knuckles, then pressed a kiss there before pulling away reluctantly. "Go."

 *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Emma stumbled away deeper into the courtyard, and he stood prepared to fight even without a weapon. The Darkness had succeeded in destroying his feelings for her, but destruction was not enough. Like a flower with unseen and deep roots, his feelings bloomed again simply by being around her. The Darkness howled, and he let himself howl with it, filled with anticipation of the brawl to come. The first attacker turned the corner to the hallway, then barreled headlong towards Killian with sword raised. More turned the corner as he dodged the blade, his attempts to disarm the man for his weapons futile as the sword arced in the air to land in the courtyard while the bandit battalion continued to grow around him. He managed to steal a pole staff, disabling several of them until it was hacked to bits by an axe. 

He scrambled for another weapon until he froze, looking at a familiar face. 

Brennan Jones stood looking at him with contempt, his club raised again as he glared. Killian stared back as his father's sneer changed to the wicked grin he had reserved for beating both he and Liam; on days when he'd fallen into the bottle. He was skinnier, unkempt and underfed, wrong in his phantom form. It didn't matter when he brought down the club again, and Killian heard his own skull shatter. A bag was placed over his head as he was dragged, his father grunting with strain. 

Something shattered nearby and Killian was hit again and again, before he was pushed into a roll with a sharp kick. 

"We need him alive, bosses said so. Should still be weak from all that ink crap they made." 

"You can't kill him, don't worry. He was supposed to be in the dungeon, wasn't he?"

 "Where's the other piece? We need -" 

"It doesn't matter, they both attract the other. It's easy, and even if we don't get it, Hades doesn't care and Arthur has that sword thing." 

There was a deafening crash, his captors and father yelling as Killian was pulled away. His hood was removed, light and dust hurting his unbroken eye as he looked up into Emma's face. She held a sword that she let drag in the mess of carnage she had wrought. The phantom of his father approached as she looked up, heaving with effort to take a stance. Killian watched her block the aggressive attacks in awe as she stood in his defense, wavering with every blow. 

His father was going to kill her, he was going to run her through, adrenaline surging through him as he watched helplessly. Then in attack, his father lunged suddenly, fiercely growling in rage. Emma shifted her weight to let him use his power to her advantage, sending him through a thick clay urn in a clattering heap. Her knees buckled but she caught herself by leaning on the hilt of the sword, turning to smile. Killian felt a bark of laughter bubble up in his throat at her refusal to listen to anything he said, every bit of him trying to force out how he felt. Instead of listening to his gurgling whisper, Emma whistled, footfalls approaching from nearby, as servants joined her or ran past to safety.

"Emma -" 

She clapped a hand over his mouth as he let out a groan, his ribs shooting pain up his nerves. Soon, Iago and Abu were helping to drag him behind a thick hedge as chaos enfolded around them from more bandits coming from every direction. Servants screamed and fought, Emma looking worse for wear with every step as she defended them with weak blocks and parries until she could no longer, collapsing into sitting. With her finally among them, Iago finished drawing something in chalk on the ground. Silence fell over them along with a thick shadow, the murky bubble of safety swallowing the assorted Fae that hid with them in its thick mass. Emma leaned against Killian, looking down at his bleeding face with remorse. 

"You're going to be alright?" she asked, a hand shakily tracing where his eye socket was most certainly broken. He nodded, wincing and Emma smiled, looking as if she might cry. "I can't heal you. I'm so sorry, I wish I could. You're going to have to wait for the healers or…"

Or rely on the Darkness. The words she couldn't bring herself to say. 

He swallowed hard, nodding again. 

"Princess, you need to rest, you are safe in this shadow for the time being unless someone can undo Goblin runes. You were running a high fever before and -" 

"Yes, Iago. I know," Emma sighed. Glancing down at him again, he could see the dark circles under her eyes clearly, and the deep hollows in her face that caught shadow themselves. "I'll rest in just a moment, I just… I have questions I need answered. I know you're hurting Killian, but try, please?"

He nodded with a grunt of pain. 

"Did you mean to return the shard to me? Did you over power the Darkness?" 

"Yes," he managed to grit out. 

"Ali is… Whatever Ali is, he's a traitor?" 

"Aye. Thief."  There was blood in his brain, he could feel it, the swelling making sparks behind his eyes. "Aladdin."

Swallowing, he tried to gather his thoughts, a question burning on his tongue. "Am I… You think I'm a monster? Irredeemable?" 

Emma smiled softly, her eyes wet. She looked terribly sad, all because of him, his mind falling away to the obvious answer that would come. Yes. She was sad because of his cowardice, his misdeeds. Yes, he was a monster, him and the Darkness together. 

"No, Killian. You're not irredeemable when you keep saving my life. You are just…" She paused, searching for a word. 

"A bloody fool?" He suggested, and her small laugh through the watery smile she directed at him made his own lips twitch upward. She stroked his hair, gently pushing strands aside. 

"Did you… did you cause this?" Her voice was so small, but still so loud in his ears. Emma's hand pressed his to her chest, indicating her illness. His thumb ran along the jutting shelf of her exposed clavicle as she shuddered slightly. 

The words dragged out in a slur as he tried to make them intelligible. "Don't know, but… Maybe… yes? M'sorry, love."

"I forgive you. I have this feeling, I know it wasn't you. It couldn't be you." It was raining, drops falling on his broken face. No, they were tears, Emma was crying again, openly now. He reached his hand up further with difficulty to touch her cheek, finding it was hot to the touch, her fever in full force. Gently, she pressed the wet apple of her cheek against his palm, and he wanted nothing more than to stop her from hurting because of him. "Please Killian, forgive me for everything. I'm so sorry I got sick, I'm sorry you had to be alone with the Darkness, I'm sorry I keep dreaming of you like I do. I'm sorry for all of it, I -" she choked on a sob. 

"No," he groaned, and her coughing became worse. He tried to catch his thoughts, or put them coherently in a way she could understand, but thought was becoming more and more difficult. "Not accepted." 

"Please -" 

"Not accepted," he mumbled again. How could he accept an apology when she had done nothing wrong? 

"Killian, please…" she sighed out in a strangled breath. Her coughing began anew, a servant catching her as she fell where Killian could not lift his head to see, the world spinning into nothingness. 

 *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

It was never pleasant to fall into the Darkness when issues of mortality arose, and the sinewy bits of his body had to knit themselves back together, but it was increasingly unpleasant when the Darkness was furious inside him. It seethed, caustic as it boiled over his flesh and forced his bones back into place. It tore at muscle and dug into nerve endings just to stretch the pain out, watching the squirming of its vessel. 

However, Killian healed, and that was more than could be said of the princess. He had woken to healers bustling over her, a few pulling him onto a cot nearby while Jasmine barked directions hoarsely, but days had passed since the bandits had tried to stage their strange assault. 

They were all in a new area of the palace, walled off from potential further attacks and better guarded. Jasmine and her team were non stop motion and action as she made sure her people were safe. The truth was evident though, that Jasmine was beside herself, even as an investigation found that the bandits hadn't taken anything of value. Killian had heard whispers from servants that 'Prince Ali' had attacked the Sultana in cold blood, but he was not willing to press his luck at broaching that subject when his worries lay elsewhere. 

Foremost, his thoughts were preoccupied with Emma. He had not left her room even after her recovery, but he could not bring himself to follow through on his desires. The new space allowed for him to watch from a distance, to observe her from enough space where the temptation could be held at bay. He wanted to sit next to her bedside, to stroke her cheek, to gently push hair from her temple when it stuck as her temperature rose, to lay by her and hold her tightly. It was cowardice that held him back, however. He knew it, but the chance that she might hear him and ask what their dreams or that wonderful bloody kiss had meant during the siege caused immediate paralysis. 

Emma hadn't been lucid since the attack, her fever spiking multiple times while the illness raged on, unforgiving. Mostly she called for her mother, begged for relief from flames, and occasionally he thought he heard her call for him but it was ignored. She had a close call the last evening Killian had stayed, startling him when a loud noise began to ring through the room. Healers and medical attendants had run in, throwing aside everything as they worked to fix whatever was wrong, which Killian had only found out later was her body attempting to give out. After that, he struggled to stay near her when she clearly didn't recognize anyone close to her, let alone him. The temptation to hold her was overwhelming, the Darkness rapidly switching between unbearably loud or eclipsed by the need to be there. 

"Killian, a word," Jasmine said, crooking a finger towards him as she dismissed a crowd of servants. An Elven man and woman stayed behind, both wearing spectacles. Killian approached cautiously. 

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

Jasmine eyed him with the same wariness. "My doctors are puzzled by the princess and her illness. She's taken a turn for the worse I'm afraid. Worse still, with the bandit camp raiding our supplies, we don't have the means to keep up her treatment. We thought she might have weeks, but..."

"She's been unable to eat very much, her sleep is riddled with nightmares or waking hallucinations, her coughing seems to be caused by some sort of constricting force, but it is not anything we have experienced." The female doctor read notes off a leather-bound notebook, her voice trembling slightly. "Her magic is weak, growing weaker each time she seems to recover. It's as if there's poison in her veins."

"I'm afraid I don't know anything of importance," he managed to interject, though his mouth felt dry. He wondered why the Sultana and her small team seemed so on edge. "I've told everyone as much as I can, so I'm unsure of what more detailed information I can give -" 

"They are asking you to bring up to her what her plans would be if she were to expire in my kingdom, Killian. She's spoken to me about them, but not to you. She said before that you managed to avoid the subject. With Arthur gone and possibly able to create false statements about a proposal - " Jasmine touched his shoulder and he yanked away, staring at her as if she was mad. 

"She - there has to be more you can do? She's only a bit worse, not - I thought Arthur was misinformed or… But she was better, she was-" It hit him like a crushing blow, a wave that pulled you deep while simultaneously pushing the air from your lungs. "She can't be, we just - she just beat a creature Dragons could not slay, survived an attempted assassination by bandits! She was doing better, she said so! No, absolutely not. I demand to know what you are doing. She is sick and you are not doing enough! She can't be close to death, it's not possible -" 

"Yes," the female doctor said simply, her dark brown eyes looking at him with sadness. "She is. I'm sorry."

"We are trying our best m'lord, but she isn't responding to anything we do any longer. We had warned her that this day was coming, and she seems to be aware, but as her second you need to finalize her wishes. If she declines at this rate for another week, three at most -" 

"No." He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to breathe. "No, do something different, try something -" 

"We - we have m'lord. Her Majesty has given us every bit of her power to do so -" 

"Jasmine, can't you see what caused this?" Killian began to pace slightly, before turning to gesture in the direction of Emma's room. "Help her!" 

"I am, Killian. I cannot see what the cause is, that is in the past. I am as desperate as you are for another vision regarding the princess. Do you believe me an unkind host with all I have granted you?" 

He couldn't breathe, his fists balling as fingernails cut into his palms. "No, no, she can't die. I -" 

"You should spend what time she has left with her then," the male scientist grumbled. 

"What are you trying to imply mate?" Killian growled, "Because I'll -" 

"I don't mean to imply, m'lord. It’s just that she begs for you when we are present, and the kitchen maids say the only time that they have seen her calm is when you are visiting. An attendant said you shared an intimate moment in the attack, that several others corroborate." The man adjusted his glasses nervously, unable to make eye contact. "Sultana, I don't want to invoke his wrath, but…"

Jasmine sighed deeply. "You asked about the black handprint Killian, you made a point of it. You delayed treatment that could have kept her alive. You carry the title of Dark One, and the power of the Darkness. My doctor does not feel that your question is coincidental, and I… We need to know that you are on our team. Arthur, Hades and Ali - Aladdin - were traitors that I - we trusted. Their accusations of you are still concerning no matter their own actions against us. I need to know you're willing to help her."

Killian swallowed hard, carefully mulling over his words. He paused, and then let out a hiss of air. "They would be right. I don't know how I would have caused this though, unless it happened in the dreams we shared. I would never hurt her."

"But, you did."

"I'm aware of that!" he snapped, rounding on the doctor with a snarl. "I - I won't hurt her. It wasn't me who - I wasn't in control of my actions, and I have no recourse for that. If you can't help her, I'll find someone who will." 

Killian fled, the one place he wanted to be forbidden to him if he valued his sanity. But still, she suffered. Why couldn't they heal her? Her light was there, it could not be his fault; her light would crush any sort of stain like it was nothing. 

He needed to see her and see this illness for himself without worry. Under the cover of starlight, he moved into her room where she lay sleeping. She looked worse still, black creeping up her chest and different pads pressed against the dark blotches that seemed to be the worst. The Darkness had no understanding of his upset, or how much he wanted her, its insistence that he could not care deafening. 

It wasn't true though. 

"I don't know if you can hear me, or if you are even aware of me, but I… It's been so hard to ignore you. I hate myself for what I've done to you, and how terribly you’ve been hurt by the way I treated you. I was trying to push you away, I was trying to let you go, but I was so wrong. I've been so close to giving in and laying here with you, only to force myself to refuse your requests. You are my constant desire, I long to simply touch you, to feel your hand in my own. I miss you, I am so ashamed of my need for you... If I would have known, I would have never stopped anything at all. I'm so tired of hurting you, of not being able to make any decisions that keep you safe. So please, if you can hear me, please make the decision to live so I can keep trying."

Her voice startled him, Emma's eyes staying closed. "Am I going to die then?" she whispered in a cracked voice. 

He squeezed her hand, the slight smile she attempted pained. "Not if I can help it, love."

"I thought you must hate me, but you're here." The awe in her voice was like a blade. How could he let things go this wrong? "You're always such a hero when it comes to me. It suits you. It suits you more than the Darkness, even."

"A hero? No, you have it wro -" 

"You… You and I shared memories… I want to remember, but…" She opened her eyes, staring at him with adoration. His immediate reaction was to swallow the urge to scream, not at her, but at the unfairness of her looking at him in such a way. She was supposed to forget everything that had transpired. She had to forget. That wasn't him, it could never be him. Not with the Darkness staining his life. 

"What are you talking about?"

"You kept coming back for me, saving me. I wanted you to kiss me, and you tasted like sweet wine when you did. We danced again and again." She lifted herself, trying to stand and he pushed her back down onto the mattress. Tucking the thin sheets around her body, he tried to keep his emotion contained. Unable to look at her, he trained his sight on his sandals. 

"Emma - you shouldn't be getting up like that. You're very ill and need to rest." 

Emma didn't seem to hear him, suddenly crying out in pain as she wheezed, coughing in a harsh fit. When she managed to end it and gulped down air, she shivered as a sheen of sweat began to cover her skin. A small smile fell on her lips, her gaze shifting to dizzily fixate on his seat. She tried to reach for him again without grace, knocking over various bottles and untouched bowls of food. "Dancing with you made me happy… We should do that again sometime. Maybe later tonight at the Harvest Festival?" 

"You need to -" Killian stood to push her back onto the bed again, but she fell back on her own, her elbow buckling under her weight. The whimper she let out broke his heart, her muscles straining. 

"I'm burning. Killian, please make it stop. I want my Mom." 

"Shh, darling." Soothing her with a few hummed notes, she relaxed into dozing while he held her clammy hand in his. 

"Am I dreaming again? Or are you real? I miss you so much from what we were there. I miss how easily you -" Her voice ended in a gasp, coughing taking the rest of the thought. Killian tried to give her a bit of water in a small stone ladle laid out, but she struggled to swallow the liquid. He was struck by how small and how tired she looked. 

"Yes, love. You're dreaming." 

"I like the dreams like this. I miss you caring about me," Emma murmured in a forlorn voice. Killian let his lips rest against her knuckles. 

Speaking into her curled fingers, he let them muffle his words. "I do too."

"Why am I so tired? I miss the dreams that I could… "

"Because you need your rest, darling. Please, just rest. I'll be back soon." 

"Do you promise?" 

"Emma - yes. Yes, I promise." 

"Please don't break it, okay? I don't want to lose you." 

"I -" 

"I told you that I loved you, remember?" Emma whispered with a soft hum of a sigh. Killian felt frozen, the way she looked up at him, gingerly intertwining his fingers into her own. Her skin felt papery, but so warm against his. "If I'm going to die, you should know that I meant it. I meant it here too, all of you. I chose to see the best in you, and I see it so clearly sometimes - "

"You don't know what you're saying. You need to sleep, Princess. Go to sleep." She coughed again, but settled as he asked. 

Emma’s condition had worsened more than he could have dared to imagine. Her whimper of pain was raspier, her hand squeezing his. The urge to scream was back, the Darkness wondering why its vessel's eyes burned. If she died, he would never forgive himself. He’d raze Selune Isle to ashes; anything to forget about her. 

"You don't have to say it back. You don't have to feel it, either. Nothing unsaid between us. Nothing, now. I love you. I… " Her breathing evened out into hard exhales, sleep hard to ignore with how little oxygen she seemed to be keeping in her lungs. 

"I never stopped." He couldn't bring himself to say any more than that, to whisper a truth she should know, or to even think it, lest the Darkness hear his murmured admission. 

 *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

 In the early morning light, Emma lay still even as the sun tried to warm her sweaty forehead and the wind attempted to pull at her damp hair. She hadn't woken since the last time they had spoken, the night full of close calls and terror he hadn't known he could still feel. Killian sat by her side dutifully through it all, gently stroking her hand. The Darkness protested his urge to cry with venom, its screeching voice unable to break through his desire for her to come back to him. 

"Come back to me, love," he whispered. "I should have known when we fell from the sky into this world and I had to pull you from the water, that I would never have enough of you. I should have told you when you defeated Pan, or when you kissed me. I should have made it clear how I felt when we were reunited in Ursula's grotto, and how wrong I was. I should have whispered it like I wanted to so desperately when we danced on Selune, or I woke to you curled next to me. I should have told you that you were like an angel, when you in turn pulled me from my own hell, and I will forever regret not saying anything," Swallowing hard, he tucked a golden tendril of her hair behind her ear. "So, come back Emma. Please."

"Killian," Jasmine said from behind him. He looked up, and she crooked a finger, beckoning him to follow her into the courtyard area. He pressed a soft kiss to Emma's cheek before pulling himself reluctantly from her bedside. 

They sat in silence, a servant serving juices and a platter of various fresh fruit. Jasmine finally spoke after several minutes of both of them staring at the food but making no moves to taste it. 

"Killian, she's not going to last much longer," Jasmine said shakily. "Even if we could keep her alive, it would be cruel at this point."

Anguish and panic coursed through his veins. No. Not Emma. "What about the envoy you sent to Selune Isle, to seek out the Dragons?" 

Jasmine shook her head. "They have not let the ship into the barrier, even with our flags raised. My captain keeps circling and hoping someone greets him so he may request aid." 

"Bloody hell, they were in the process of making posts for this type of patrol but had not started." He laid his head in his hands, before standing abruptly and flipping the table in front of him. Jasmine watched, impassive, as he crushed grapes and figs among the shards of broken serving platters. 

The silence that came after, as he knelt in the shards of colored bowls and fragrant fruit, was interrupted by Jasmine's whisper. 

"Killian, Did you really hurt her?" 

"I -" He began, surprised when the word escaped him like a sob. 

"Don't lie to me," Jasmine whispered again, her voice grave. 

"Yes," Killian admitted. "I crushed her heart in a nightmare. I am the cause of her illness, and I'll do anything to help her get better. I didn't - I never meant for -" 

"It might not have been you, Killian, we don't know." Jasmine attempted to soothe, but he only barked out a cold, mirthless laugh. "It's not dark magic that is causing the strange blackness on her skin like you thought; this could be something else. Just because that happened -" 

"Tell me something, Sultana," Killian interrupted, scrubbing his face with his hand. "Is there a future you've seen, even a chance, that rids me of this curse?" The Darkness bit at him, protesting his question. He found he didn't care.

"I don't - I am still unable to see as much as I should," Jasmine said quickly before hesitating. "But… There is a future where you free yourself, yes. A few paths, almost all clouded by failure. The path I saw had you and the princess closely tied by the fates, her life in the balance."

"Because of course it bloody is. She’s going to die because of me -" 

"No - well, maybe, but not yet - there's still a chance. The path is longer, it does not end here. I am not able to see clearly with Aladdin's magic in my way. I am trying, but there's so much darkness…"

"Answer without sodding riddles, you are not a Sphinx!" 

"You said you would do anything to help her. Would you swear it instead on her name? The name of the woman I think we both know you lo -" 

"I swear on Emma, on my Swan, I swear it."

"Swear on yourself, Killian Jones, the man who is the Dark One. You must believe fully in your heart that you will save her."

"I…" Killian hesitated, swallowing hard. Taking a deep breath, he set his jaw. "I swear on myself."

Liar! You cowardly and pathetic shell of a man. LIAR. 

"Remember that, remember when you are fighting your worst enemy -" 

"Sultana!" A servant slammed the door wide open, looking at both of them in surprise. "Oh, I - uh -" 

"How dare you interrupt this!" Jasmine hissed, her eyes burning bright. "What was so important that ---" 

"It could not wait, my Sultana. I beg forgiveness, but it could not be delayed!" The servant threw himself at her feet, groveling. "Please, have mercy my Sultana! It is in regards to the sick woman, the princess." 

Both Killian and Jasmine glanced at each other. Killian stood, the servant beginning to quake with further fear as he stood next to Jasmine. 

"Who told you the princess was here?" Killian asked, his voice betraying his rising anger. "No one should know that, not a damned bloody soul -" 

"They named her by her first name! I swear! They say that they have a cure for the princess, and are friends of hers. They named you specifically Dark One, or Killian Jones."

Killian’s eyes narrowed, and he ground his teeth in thought, although his jaw protested. 

"Will you go? I can send sentries or an accompanying party," Jasmine said lowly. "If it's a threat we can -" 

"No. I'll go, and if I don't return, I don't return. If they have medicine for her, I'll find a way to get it. I swear it." 

Jasmine nodded, the servant handing an envelope to Killian before fleeing with a series of bows. 

"Let us hope that they are friends and not foes, with an actual cure for Princess Emma." Jasmine made a religious symbol with her hands, kissing the center. 

"I don't pray, and I don't hope." Killian brushed past Jasmine, without looking back. "If they don't have a bloody cure for my Swan, they won't have any prayers or any hope either." 

 *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

 Killian moved through the docks, and to their ship with practiced ease in the quiet alleyways he had discovered during his avoidance of Emma. The sandstone homes and terracotta steps that weaved to the sea were a fitting distraction for him to lose himself in, and a perfect metaphor for his jumbled thoughts. 

Who was it that wanted to speak to Emma through him? How did they know that from the thousands of ships moored in the docks of Agrabah, Emma had made a safe passage through the portals on the Jolly Roger? Who else knew? 

The thought of Nil sent a shudder down his spine, Emma's nightmare once again fresh in his mind. 

  You can keep her safe, but only if you fight for her. 

Only if you fight for your happiness, and yourself. 

 The quiet voice that was once blocked by the Darkness was growing bolder. 

 The Darkness strained against his constant pressure, snarling at his reinvigorated conscience. 

You can't save anyone, let alone your damned soul. I own you. I am you. You can't hold me back forever, and I will never go away. 

When you least expect it, I will destroy everything you love - all you have to do is let yourself relax. 

Holding his forehead in one hand, Killian pressed on, jumping on the deck of the ship with his sword drawn. Two Fae eyed him warily as he moved his feet into a fighting stance. He could not identify what sort of Fae or who they were, but they seemed to be close, the woman pushed behind the man with shaggy brown hair in a protective gesture Killian recognized as something he had done for Emma. 

The male counterpart rested his deep brown eyes on Killian, before smiling slightly. He bowed carefully, Killian grimacing and following the stranger with his sword's point. 

"You're him then? The Dark One? Killian Jones of the Blackwater?" the stranger asked. 

"Yes, and who are you?" Killian raised his sword higher, jabbing it as the man jumped back in surprise. "How did you come to know what -" 

The woman was heavy with child, which gave him pause until the man was throwing himself in front of her. He put his hands up, cowering slightly. "Is Emma alright? Did she remember to not use her magic? And you, did you take care of her? We warned her when she was under the rites, but it took longer than we thought to get here."

"You - how - " Killian faltered, but shook it off to straighten again, gripping his cutlass tighter. "I ask again: What business do you have with the princess?" 

"I'm Henry. I'm a friend I swear, and I serve fealty to her and the crown family. Emma is ill, yes? The Kitsune witch put some sort of parasitic creature in her; we told her this before we left to find you both. We sent her here to get help. We knew the Sultana could keep her alive and protected long enough for us to make our way here." Killian let his arm drop, the man relaxing without the blade in his face. "I have a spark of light magic I hold as a Hol guardian and protector of the realms. Time is completely out of control, and the Goblins are attacking pocket realms just like this one. Emma needs this to survive, and to fight back."

Henry produced a glowing ball of light that was iridescent in the sunshine. It sparkled like a faceted diamond as Henry held it. 

"I didn't know. Emma… she doesn't remember everything that happened, and she is barely holding on." Killian set his jaw, furious with himself. "I have to go, I need to save her."

The woman spoke, her accented voice drenched in exhaustion. "Thank you. We will seek passage again -" 

"Take this ship. It's stocked and ready to go, as I was…" Shame rose on his throat as he thought about almost leaving before. "Just take it. I'll save her." 

"You must know, this magic is akin to yours, Dark One." Henry approached cautiously, holding out the orb. The Darkness screeched, burrowing further into him, desperate to escape the strange ethereal glow the globe emitted. "The other side of the coin, the flicker of light that casts your shadow. Both have their extremes, and both can be addictive. Do not let her become blinded by the brightness as you cannot let yourself become lost in your abyss."

Killian let the spark fall in his palm, where it dimmed. He frowned and Henry clapped a hand on his shoulder. 

"Hurry, Dark One. Not only does Emma not have much time, but the longer you hold that spark, the more it will fade."

Killian gave no reply, sheathing his sword and turning in a single motion. The jump to the pier after launching himself off the deck was with as much grace as he could muster, his feet moving as soon as he had purchase, running as fast as his feet would carry him towards the palace. There was hope. He was absolved of one misdeed on his long list, and Emma would not suffer soon enough. Cruella had caused this, not him, and Emma had begged him to stay with faith that he was good, that he could be redeemed. She could be saved now, and he had faith she would be alright with the magic thrumming in his palm. 

It was a blur to her quarters, the sound of breaking glass chilling him. Someone was yelling, a strange blue smoke swirling around her quarters. People were on the ground coughing profusely as the shadow of a man pulled Emma into his arms. No, not just a man, his face visible as he turned. A thief Killian recognized at once. 

"Emma! No, wait -"

Emma's face was flushed against the thief's shoulder, her arms hanging weakly at her sides. She limply tried to reach out to Killian, but neither was fast enough when the thief jumped from the window. Killian ran to the window, terrified of how and where they had landed when there was a sheer drop outside, but could see no evidence of a fall from the balcony. A carpet whooshed past him as Jasmine ran into the room, Aladdin addressing them as Emma lolled in his hold barely conscious.

"We'll be at the Cave of Wonders, so don't dawdle. Especially since she doesn't have much time left." 

"No! Please, she's -" Killian lunged, almost falling the sheer drop from the balcony as Jasmine wrenched him back. 

"Aladdin, don't do this! Please!" Jasmine shouted, and Aladdin stared at her with a pained look crossing his face. The blue cracks on his skin had reached his chin and cheeks, tearing the flesh there. Emma had been right, the thief harbored magic that he clearly could not control. 

"You, Sultana, should know better than anyone that I have no choice." he said flatly. "Dark One, my Masters offer you a trade. Your life for hers. Make your choice."

"I - please don't -" Jasmine began, but Aladdin simply shook his head sadly, the carpet speeding into the sky. 

Killian roared with anger, his body full of a rage he could feel in every cell. Jasmine was barking orders hoarsely, people scurrying around behind him as he whirled to look at the Sultana. 

"Where did he -" 

"The Cave of Wonders. I'm responsible for this, and I'll do everything in my power to make sure you get Emma back." She touched his shoulder, looking surprised when he took another menacing step forward. 

"I said, where -" 

"I'll take you." Jasmine looked out across the desert, then turned to a few lingering servants. "We leave at once." 

Trying to pull away from him, he held her wrist firmly. "What is going on here? What happened with your thief, and why did he take Emma?" The growl of impatience and anger in his voice made Jasmine flinch, but she didn't answer as her brows pinched together. "Sultana!" 

Jasmine broke from her thoughts, carefully pulling away at the cage of his fingers to loosen his grip. "He was rambling the last time I saw him, and sick. He's a Djinn. Obviously fighting against his master's control on him, by the looks of it, which…" She paused, looking intently at his fingers. "He kept saying that he didn't want to hurt me, he didn't want to kill me, for me to run from him because the pull was too strong. He wanted me to end his life, and I didn't. I didn't believe him, and now, Emma…" 

Killian dropped her wrist, fighting the emotions that came to the surface, the situation eerily reminiscent. A master that demanded absolute obedience, and those caught in the crossfire being hurt despite every attempt. Aladdin had seen through him and the Darkness so quickly, catching him so off guard he hadn't seen the clear understanding the man held of his predicament. 

"The Carpets are ready, Sultana." A servant announced with a slight bow. "We will have to cross bandit blockades to get through to the cave, which Iago has located."

Jasmine nodded, turning to walk briskly toward another attendant that carried a hooded cloak as well as a knapsack. "The Cave of Wonders is the resting place of the Djinn All Father, or the Lord of Djinn. He can make people Genies, which is why he has been sealed away in a magical dungeon since my mother's death."

"So, this dungeon presumably is in all likelihood highly fortified by Jafar, Hades, and Arthur's men who have not one, but two Djinn?" Killian ran a hand through his hair, his jaw working. "We need a bloody army -" 

"One Genie. Aladdin. Who is down to his final wishes from the look of his degradation. The Djinn All Father does not leave his chambers or use his magic outside of creation for any reason, not since his daughter died resulting in his self imposed banishment." Swallowing hard, Jasmine stepped onto a carpet as it floated, Killian sitting by her side. "My mother. He is my Grandfather, and never stopped blaming himself for her fate, and my own."

The carpet rushed through the air, Killian's stomach immediately in his throat as their small group wove through the clouds. They were met with brief attacks here and there as they crossed what seemed like an empty expanse of cooked earth, none requiring a full scale assault. Unease prickled at the back of his mind when more than half of their original force had fallen behind to end small fights. This was clearly an ambush, but one that there was no choice but to fall into. The Sultana knew as well based on her terse expression when they drew near a a huge sand hill in the shape of a tiger. It's maw was opened wide, light beckoning from its throat where steps led down into the ground. They landed low as men swarmed from within, swords raised, yelling wild cries.

"Do not touch anything inside, Killian!" Jasmine shouted over the sounds of steel. "It's all enchanted to try and entice you - go straight to Emma." 

Killian gave her a nod, running to weave through the sparring crowd. The Sultana barked orders to cover him while he slashed through the first trickle of men defending the place, through halls filled with mountains of gold, through a banquet room of overflowing delicacies, all while curving deeper and deeper into the earth. 

Large, columned, doors that dwarfed him in size eight fold opened to a huge chamber lined with more columns. The floor was cracked in places, sand drifting from the ceiling to the floor making small hills or rocky platforms. On one flattened ledge, lay Emma. 

Her night dress clung to her skin, teeth visibly chattering while her eyes were screwed firmly shut. Warmth flooded Killian's chest, the strangeness of his heart both jumping out of and freezing in synchrony not stopping his feet from moving on their own accord to get to her. The shard rested on her bruised chest, his presence not acknowledged even as he touched her burning cheeks. Her breathing hitched when his thumb swept over a smudge on the apple of her cheek, the sliver of foggy green under her lashes the most precious thing he had seen in the stone halls varied treasures. 

"Kil -" Emma tried to whisper, but could not do so without coughing, her breath coming out in a rattling heave. Without grace, she tried to move closer to his body, instead falling back with a resounding thump. 

"Love, oh Emma, I'm so sorry." She moaned softly at the sound of his voice, clinging to him, the concave of her bosom barely moving from her shallow breaths. "Stop, stop trying to move, please -"

"You… You can't… Must… Go." Emma coughed again, before panting heavily. "Don't…" 

Smiling softly at her he kissed her temple, her surprised face making his own heart skip a beat. "You are too important to not fight for. For others to fight for. Henry found you a cure, love. You're going to be alright, you'll be just fine." 

"You… You don't… Even… Like… Me…" she gritted out. Closing her eyes, Killian held her close. "Couldn't stand... to... stay... even a… a… few minutes…"

"You're wrong. I should have stayed, and I wanted to more than anything. I didn't want you to get hurt - You weren't supposed to remember everything that happened when you were under the Kitsune's power, but you against all odds are. You're remembering, and I acted… I am a coward. I tried to avoid you because if you remember what happened, what transpired between us - "

"It's…?" 

"The dreams about us, the ones that you feel like you lived, like they're memories - they are real. They're what happened when you went through the Harvest ritual."

Emma tried to get out of his grip, pulling and pushing against his hands. She thrashed, her voice ringing in the space. "Why! How could you -" 

"Stop it, you're going to kill yourself. This is why, right here. Between everything happening, I'm going to hurt you, or you will get hurt because of the Darkness. Why don't you understand? Why don't you value your life like you should!" 

"I… I… don't want…" She hesitated, before looking up at him, her eyes wet and full of a deep sadness. "To lose you." 

"It's too strong, Emma. It's threatening your existence, and I am not strong enough to keep it at bay. I need to go, I need to stay away from you, if you and I are to ever be able to speak candidly about what happened. You deserve that much, and more."

Weakly, Emma whispered a rough plea. "Stay."

Killian chuckled lowly, trying to memorize her features. "I'll be happy knowing that you had a future, darling. Even if I'm not in it."

Pressing the spark against her sternum as he gave her forehead a peck, his arms wrapped around her to support her as she coughed. Emma doubled over, silk like threads escaping her mouth. She let out a muffled moan, gagging until she vomited a translucent, glittering, mother of pearl colored cocoon on the cave floor. Out of it, a black slug-like creature crawled with a familiar looking red nail stinger on its end, Killian crushing it immediately with his boot. The Kitsune had put one last creeping parasite into Emma, it's manifestation draining her to death to avenge its host. Repugnant, and very on brand of Cruella. 

Emma took a steady breath, the rattle gone. She glowed slightly, her power making his skin tingle. 

"Don't go with them, they aren't -" Emma tried to say something but was drowned out by the sounds of shouting from all around them. 

"What?" 

Arthur's voice was suddenly echoing around the cave. "Bind him with the ink."

"Killian, listen to me," Emma begged. Something burst over him, showering them with a spray of dark smoke. Killian tried to shield her, but to his great surprise found he was frozen in place. Emma touched his face in fear, her attempts to get her magic to work proving fruitless. "No, they're going to take you, that's what they wanted all along is you and the shard together -" 

She was wrenched away by several men, laughter echoing through the caves. Jasmine was thrown next to her, Aladdin stepping in front of them. His body was in pieces, skin melting away to sparking electric blue underneath. 

"Don't hurt them -" Killian bit out, Jafar sliding past him with a smirk. "I'll go willingly, just don't hurt them." 

Jafar laughed, a fist connecting to his face from the other side of his head. Arthur's voice oozed into his ringing ear. "Thought you might deserve that one, mate. "

Hades appeared in his peripheral, leaning down to hold up Emma's chin as her arms were held back. 

"This does put a damper on our timeline. Her being alive does not provide the Dark One the emotional turmoil we had initially planned on," Hades stated, his eyes flicking back to Killian. "We'll need to kill her here. Genie, please - "

Jafar scoffed. "The Genie is worthless for killing. He can't make anyone fall in love, bring back the dead, or kill anyone according to his code of honor. That's the only reason the Sultana still breathes." 

Aladdin looked down at the ground, Jasmine staring at him in surprise. 

"So, what's the plan then?" Hades asked, rolling his eyes. "We could take them to the compound which is a waste of time and resources, kill them here which wastes some time, or leave them behind to die here. There's no way out for the two of them."

Killian felt his voice loose before he could hold himself back. "No! No, please. I'll go with you willingly if you let them live, I swear it. I want to be rid of this scourge, and I will happily let you do whatever you want with me as long as you let them go."

Emma's head snapped up, her eyes wide. "No, Killian, what are you even saying? You can't be rid of it, they'll kill you -" 

A hand clapped over her mouth, her muffled words shrill. 

"We truly should keep the girl if she has this much hold over him. Imagine what torture on her would do for his compliance," Arthur mused, rubbing his scruff. Killian could see the bruising on his face from their last encounter, his eye still slightly purple. "I could also use her for the takeover of the United Realms -" 

"No. It's not worth keeping her alive." Hades shook his head, tone still methodical and cold. "My plan hinges on her death as a means of cooperation between the Goblins, United Realms, and the manipulation of the Dark One." 

"If you kill her, or harm her at all, I will never serve you. The dagger piece will never hold me, no matter how much magic you pour on me," Killian hissed, seething. He moved forward, striking towards Hades who had to lunge away. More of the black smoky substance was thrown at him, but he managed the best he could to fight it. "If you let them go, I won't fight. Only if you let them go."

There was a yelped curse from one of the men holding her, then Emma's voice pained and pleading. "Killian, no!" Emma cried, their eyes meeting. 

He smiled gently, as well as he could manage. "Let me die, or release myself from this torment, darling. Let that be the man you remember: The man who died the hero he wanted to be, for you. For us."

"Please, no. I can't -" Emma whimpered, the hand clapped back over her lips roughly as she struggled. 

"Fine. Deal taken." Hades nodded. Jafar scowled coldly. 

"Well, if we're discarding them here to be let go, Aladdin should also be left behind," Jafar drawled. 

Hades snapped his head to look at his partner. "What are you -" 

"Aladdin, for my second wish, I wish to be the sorcerer Sultan of Agrabah."

"No! You can't -" Jasmine cried out. 

A burst of magic surrounded her, her jeweled crown evaporating into dust, her clothes replaced by brown muslin. In a flash of light Jafar changed as well, his clothing embroidered in golden thread, the vest he wore covered in jewels. Upon his head sat a turban with a deep set ruby, the facets glittering like a crimson eye. "And as for our deal, for my third wish, I wish you were free of your binds as a Genie, living without your phenomenal cosmic powers. Be a Djinn no more." 

Hades groaned, his face full of obvious fury. 

Aladdin shimmered, the blue that had been eating away at him exploding outward as he fell to his knees. When he wobbled to his feet again, the fine clothes he wore dissolved to rags, blue dust shimmering over his skin. Jasmine blinked, her mouth opening in surprise. 

"You!" Jasmine pointed at Aladdin, a hand covering her mouth in shock. "But you're that peasant -" 

"I wanted to tell you Jasmine, but -" Aladdin started, sand beginning to pour from more gaps in the ceiling. 

"So you see, Prince Ali is merely a street rat. Just a bore, no longer so worldly, a weakling once more, brought down to size. As for me? " With his long, gnarled fingers he pointed to Jasmine. "I don't have to waste my time thinking of ways to kill you any longer. This will be a fitting grave for you, Sultana."

"No, you're not to hurt them, not to kill them as I said!" Killian grunted as he was dragged backwards, more of what he thought might be the same ink they had used before on the shard thrown in his face. It became hard to speak, his lungs burning from their inability to give him oxygen. 

"We aren't hurting them, and certainly not killing them, just as you desire Dark One." Jafar's smile was wide, crazed. "Leaving them here fits your requirements. If they starve in these caves, or fall prey to the many traps, it was not us."

Killian tried to struggle, but more of the substance kept being pushed on him, hands gripping him tightly as he was dragged back. He almost lost sight of Emma, but a captor dropped him without grace, and he could finally see her again. She was no longer looking at him, but instead stared at Arthur. 

Arthur approached Emma, his smile wide, lifting her chin. She pulled away in disgust at his touch, still unsteady as her hands shook. 

"You're just like Guinevere. Neither of you deserve me. You don't see my greatness; you're selfish just as she was. You could never have helped me wield Excalibur, or control the Darkness." He tugged on Emma's chain necklace, the protective enchantment giving way around his own force. It slipped from her neck even as she struggled, hanging from Arthur's palm. "At least I have this as a consolation prize. It makes it much easier not having to pretend to have feelings for you. All kingdoms for the price of the Dark One."

With a wave of Hades' hand, a golden elevator cage appeared around Killian and his captors. Emma shook her head, Killian frozen by the black concoction they'd thrown at him, the Darkness roaring with glee. She reached for the rising bars, reaching for him, her fingers wrapped tightly in his instead of caring about the shard like she should have - why him, what could he - 

"No, I can't say goodbye to you again!" Emma yelled, her face set in stubbornness. His limbs loosened, her magic weak but her determination strong, Jafar letting out a frustrated noise of disgust at her outburst. 

Killian came back into his body, clutching her hand tightly as her fingers scrabbled desperately trying to hold him. They parted, her scream of fury and sadness tearing at him. 

"I will find you, I will always find you! Please Killian, know that I will not ever stop until we are together again." 

The words gave him courage, his heart filled with pride and adoration. Emma would find him, he had no doubt. He would not let this place be her tomb. When he was able to move fully he rushed forward, smashing his forehead into the sorcerer's nose as hard as he could, grabbing the shard as they passed upwards into light of day. Pushing it into the abyss below as sand swallowed what was the entrance of the Cave of Wonders, Jafar bellowed out a noise, kicking him down and face first into the scorching sand. 

It didn't matter how many times the livid sorcerer kicked him or shouted to the skies, Emma would get her magic back. She would heal, they had the shard, and if he had any chance to peel the Darkness currently howling inside him away, he would take it. She would find him, free of his curse, and they would finally be together. 

  I can feel your doubt, boy.

  You know that you can't be free of me. Even in death, I remain. I am the constant in this body, you are just an echo. When Emma finds you again, I will have so much fun tearing her limbs off as the Dark One, without a trace of you left. 

  Nothing can save you now.

 "No," Killian moaned, as they dragged him through the sand, their camels forcing him to stumble blindly behind them. "No, never. Not Emma. No."

In the end, Killian hoped Emma would forgive him, and by some miracle he could be free. 

[ranger-njoyc]

3 Days Til Cottage Cheese

Day 13:

Theme: Journal (pt. 3)

Description: The Official Travel Log and Records of Seth Michael Sorenson, Over The Years

Details: So basically, there are only a few entries, and it should be extremely easy to figure out where on the timeline each of these entries are from. I only did books 1-2 for this one. I’m not sure I like this format, but this is just how I picture Seth’s journal to be structured.

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The Official Travel Log of Seth Michael Sorenson

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The Most Boring Exciting Summer in the World

I will be staying at Stan and Ruth Sorenson’s(grandparents, temporary guardians) house for seventeen(17) days while Marla and Scott Sorenson(parental figures) are on a seventeen(17) day long cruise.

Notes and Observations:

Interesting garden, lots of insects.

Stay in the yard? boRING!

Dale is pretty cool. Maybe one of these days he’ll let me come into the barn with him.

Speaking of the barn, what the heck would even need a space that big?

Lena is nice. Expert drawer, baker, cleaner, gardener, you name it. She seems to be good at everything.

Goldilocks is a cool chicken. Nice. I’ve always wanted a pet.

At the poolside today, the insects flocked around Kendra’s mirror. When we flipped the mirror over, they flipped it back around again. I’ve never seen anything like that before. What is happening?

WHAT THE FRICK IS AN OLD LADY DOING, LIVING IN A SHED ON GRANDPA’S PROPERTY???!!!!!????? She says grandpa knows she’s here… Can I tell him? I mean, but then he would know I went into the woods.

Hidden lake in the middle of the forest…? I need to show Kendra this.

Grandpa found out we snuck into the woods, I guess, but at least Kendra managed to get us a reduced punishment!

HOLY S fairies are reallllllll!

I’m gonna try to catch one

Awesome! Caught one.

Well… this is embarrassing. But I suppose I have to write it down for accuracy: I accidentally turned the fairy into an imp, which is a fallen fairy, and then the others took retribution and turned me into a mutant walrus.

Midsummer's eve is coming up soon, that should be exciting! Who knows what kind of cool creatures I’ll be able to see out the window!

i messed up

Okay, now that this is all over, I have to explain what I’ve been lacking the time to write down: So basically, short version, I opened the window which got everyone captured(besides Kendra and I), which led us to free Muriel, the witch who lives in the shack. Grandma Sorenson got turned back into a human, because she was Goldilocks(!?!?!) and then we went to save everyone. We all got caught, ‘cept my sister, and she visited the Fairy Queen and summoned a huge fairy army that stopped Muriel from releasing the demon Bahumat.

So, haha, yeah. Crazy summer, huh?

PS remember to bring a whole lot of batteries next time I visit!

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Errol Fisk and the Kobold                                                        

Errol Fisk(allyenemy) is a friend enemy of Fablehaven. He was  !NOT  sent by Grandpa Sorenson’s(grandparent) friend, Coulter Dixon(unknown), to help Kendra(sister) get rid of the Kobold(posing as Casey Hancock) in her school.

Notes and Observations:

I don’t know, something seems a little strange with this whole scenario. I’m sure Errol will help us figure it out.

Going to steal a statue tonight. Hopefully it will help Kendra with her kobold problem.

Got the statute, got rid of the kobold. Statue bit me. Ugh.

I might go help Errol with another mission that would help the Knights of Dawn.

ABORT MISSION ABORT ABORT

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Back at Fablehaven

I am staying at Fablehaven(magical preserve) with Stan and Ruth Sorenson(grandparents, caretakers, temporary guardians), Dale Burgess, and guests Vanessa Santoro(animal specialist), Tanugatoa Dufu(potions master), and Coulter Dixon(artifact collector) for an unknown(?) amount of time. 

Notes and Observations:

Vanessa is cool. I want to drive like that all the time.

Oh my gosh, why do I always screw up! Now I’ve got some demon trying to eat me…

So Kendra is fairykind. Cool, cool. The Sphinx is a cool guy. He sets me a little on edge, but I suppose he is quite interesting and helpful in a mysterious kinda way.

Ahhh, Tanu is awesome! His potions are so cool, I can’t wait to learn from him!

Coulter. He’s an interesting fellow. I like him, though. He never sugar-coats things, he just bluntly states everything. It would be kind of funny, if anything he had said was a joke…

Finally got to meet Warren today. He’s Dale’s brother, and he has been stuck in a catatonic state for several years. No one knows why. I feel really bad for Dale.

Someone is a traitor? But??? Everyone is so nice??? (Well, maybe ‘nice’ isn’t the right word). Everyone seems so loyal and devoted. It’s hard to imagine that one of them might possibly be working against us.

Coulter’s acting kinda weird…

OH MY GOD! You’ll never believe what has happened since the last time I wrote! I got eaten!!! In the cocoon thingie that Coulter had, I was eaten by a demon and pooped out! How exciting is that! Anyways, there was a lot that has happened. Let me write out a quick recap:

I went to Patton Burgess’s old manor and then from there headed to the cabin that Warren lived in.

I rendezvoused with Kendra, and then we went through the brownie doors, into the house. We talked briefly with Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson about our next course of action.

I went off to remove the nail from the revenant's neck, thus bringing Warren out of his coma.

Warren and Kendra went into the inverted tower and retrieved the artifact, and I missed out on seeing a huge flying panther!!

[talpup]

Crossroads: 4

Summary: Loss will make a person do terrible things they never thought themselves capable of doing. Things like wanting the mobsters responsible for your little brothers death to pay so badly you’ll summon a Demon to make it happen.

Maya did just that, but little did she know that the Demon would ask for her soul as the price. Or that when she refused give it to him, he would put her in the path of someone possibly much worse.

Kai is offering to help her but what he wants is so much more than her soul. He wants her everything.

Please remember, this fic is rated explicit and has warnings of sex, violence, and other possible triggers.  For a full list of story tags please check the fics AO3 (link to that at the top of my tumblrs homepage).

SORRY for the delay.  I recently started re-working and posting Lost Song, a fic that has beasts, spirits, and sprites with human forms. And focuses on a love triangle between Sphinx!Aizawa, Dragon!Kai, and Reader/OC.

*A bit of a reminder.  This is a 1920's au.  Though the term Mysophobia was coined back in 1879 there were a lot of things that people wrongly thought about it and how to best help those suffering from it.

4.1

Soon after he had sent Hari to follow Maya, Kai had ordered the severed head removed and his entire office scrubbed down.  Though he hadn’t touched the filth himself, he had the overwhelming need to get clean. Hives already starting to break out on his skin by the time he had reached his rooms, undressed, and started the shower.

Stepping out of the steamy bathroom, skin raw and red but feeling fresh and invigorated, Kai moved over to the wardrobe.  White towel wrapped around his waist, he looked over the tailored suits. It was silly.  Though he always took care of his appearance, he never really fussed over what to wear.  But he was now.

Maya had left him.  And though she would be coming back never to leave again, he wanted to do everything in his power to make sure she willingly stayed and accepted him.  Small as it was, part of that included how he appeared to her.  He reached out almost grabbing one of his finer suits but stopped.  What if dressing up wasn’t the answer but dressing down?  Maya, for all her beauty and intelligence, wasn’t a city girl.  She was from a wholesome country place.  It was one of the many things he first liked about her. What if a perfectly fitted, expensive suit wasn’t the answer and only made her feel uncomfortable rather than special?

Decided. Kai dressed, did one more important thing, and then made his way back to his office.  He passed the maid on his way in. “Everything cleaned?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Kai sniffed.  Even with the ornate plague mask the smell of harsh cleaner burned his nostrils and soothed him. “Did they tell you to pay special attention to the desk?”

“Yes, Sir.  I did just as Mister Shin instructed and went over the desk four times.”

Kai frowned.  The head had been on a platter.  It had never touched his desk. It was unreasonable to want an entirely new desk when the filth had never touched the wooden surface.

His mother's voice echoed in his ears. ‘It’s just a phase, Kai.  Quit being so difficult!  The doctor said covering you in the thing you hate will help.  No one is going to tolerate this peculiarity of yours.  No one will love you with it. Just be a good, normal boy and get over this already.’

Banishing the memory, Kai ordered. “Go over it again.”

Accustomed to and slightly afraid of her employer the Maid didn’t question or argue, simply turning around and doing as he commanded.

Kai sat on the sofa while she worked.  The very same sofa Maya had sat in.  He found himself comforted by that thought.  Somehow feeling closer to her despite her current absence. He had to get her back.  Hari would see she was brought back no matter what.  Though he hoped Maya came willingly.  It would be so much easier and pleasant for them both if she were willing.

When the Maid was finally done, Kai sat at his desk.  He felt a slight itch at first, but pushed the feeling down.  He had seen the woman clean the desk.  He didn’t need a new one.  The head had never even touched the desk.  As time worn on he was better able to ignore the itchy feeling until it was completely forgotten, his mind totally focused on his work.

“Kai.” Shin stopped at his Leader’s open office door.  He blinked, eyes widening for a fraction of a second before regaining his composure.  He had never seen his Boss so dressed down, rarely even seeing Kai with his suit jacket slipped off.  It was strange, disconcerting even.  Like seeing his favorite club dancer out of costume and on the street in regular clothes.

“What is it?”  Kai questioned, lifting his eyes from the orders he was writing.

Shin cleared his throat. “They’re back.  Hari’s pulling up the drive.”

Thrilled as he was, Kai didn’t show it.  Capping the fountain pen, he set it down on the desktop.

He got to his feet, exchanging his plague mask for the less sinister dust mask that would put Maya more at ease. His gloved hand moved to straighten his tie then remembered he wasn’t wearing one.  “Order me a new desk.”

“Of course.  What would you like me to do with that one?”  Shin questioned.

Kai passed the man, eager to greet Maya at the door. “Burn it.  Take it down below.  I don’t care.  Just so long as it’s gone by morning. It’s filthy.

“Yes, Boss.”  Shin nodded, coveting eyes fixed on the massive desk, wondering if it would fit in his corner station down below.

4.2

Hari put the car in park.  He hadn’t spoken to Maya the entire trip. And was thankful she hadn’t spoken to him.  What he had seen.  Her speaking to no one as he secretly followed her down the road to her house.  He had seen breaks of madness before but that…  He knew if he had to tell Kai.  What would the Boss say?  What would his Boss do? Was Kai so consumed with Maya that he would keep her?  Try to fix her?

Stepping out of the automobile, he went around and opened the door for Maya.  Numbly, she stepped out.

Hari grimaced at the state of her.  Stockings torn.  Shoes and dressed covered in filth from having walked the dirt road.  There were dried tear tracks marring her pretty face.  And her eyes were red and puffy from crying.  She was a mess.

Kai swung the front door open.  Glad as he was to have her back, he hadn’t planned on greeting her too warmly. Maya had hurt him.  Her ungratefulness at his gift, her venomous words, and running off the way she had should have see her receive a well deserved lesson.  But all his hurt and ire fell away the moment he saw her. She was so dirty.  Looked so broken and small.

Without hesitation, Kai rushed to over wrapping her in a protective embrace. “Sweetheart!  I’m so glad you’re back.  You never should have left.”

He could feel his skin begin to itch from being in contact with someone so dirty.  But this was Maya.  His sweet, beloved Darling. His concern for her overrode everything else.  He pulled back, gloved hands smoothing over her mussed hair.  She was such a mess!  What had happened to his beloved?  Why hadn’t Hari taken better care of her?

Sharp gold eyes fixed on his Lieutenant.

For a moment Hari could've sworn that Kai’s stern eyes glowed.  He swallowed, under his Boss’ angry, accusing stare.

Kai turned away. He would deal with Hari later.  Right now Maya needed him.

“Sir--” Hari was about to tell Kai about what he presumed to be Maya’s mental break when his Boss scooped the filthy woman up into his arms.  Hugging her in her state had been a surprise enough.  But picking her up… He fell silent deciding to wait till morning.  That was if Kai didn’t realize for himself before that.

“You’re home, my Sweet.  I got you.”  Kai murmured, caring her into the house and up the stairs.

Entering his quarters, he made straight for the bathroom, setting her down.

“Maya.” Kai pulled off the dust mask and gloves.  “Look at me, Darling.”

Maya simply stared at the penny title floor.  It wasn’t that she didn’t hear Kai’s voice, it was just so distant, her sense of loss overwhelming.  When headlights had blinded her, Hari stepping out of the car, Maya had felt relieved.  She might’ve lost all she had left of her baby brother but Kai would help her get her revenge.

She hadn’t thought to question why Hari was there or how he had found her.  Even now her mind was so dazed and dull from her loss that she let Kai move and undress her.

“Let’s get you clean.  You’ll feel better after a nice, warm bath. Loosing your home like that--”  Kai stopped.  His eyes lifted to Maya’s, cursing himself.

She had seen that he and Hari hadn’t spoken.  Knew that he shouldn’t yet know about her home.  If she caught the slip and questioned him…  Maya was clever.  Would she piece together that he had sent men to burn the place down days ago?  It had been done so she would have nothing to return to should she try and leave him.  And clearly it had been the right decision.

Thankfully Maya’s unfocused gaze was still on the floor.

Kai’s hands resumed.  This was his first time undressing her.  It should have been full of heated kisses and searing touches.  Her hands and eyes should have been on him, not dead on her lap, gaze on the floor.  This night should have gone so differently.  But he pushed the bitter thought down.  Maya need him.  She would undoubtedly be grateful for his care.  And the thought of her showing that gratefulness had him focusing on the task at hand.

Turning off the tap, he checked the bath water before lifting her up and setting her in the tub.

Maya sucked in a breath.

“Too hot?”  Kai questioned, dipping his hand in once more. He preferred near scalding water, and had made sure to temper his preference with cooler water for her.

Honeyed eyes watched her.  But she didn’t make another sound, her expression blank.

Deciding that the water was fine, Kai picked up a fresh washcloth.  Kneeling beside the claw foot tub, he lifted her arm.  The limb moved without resistance.  Dead weight in his hand.

He had let her leave figuring that seeing she had no place else to go would make her accept her place here with him.  But seeing her now, he wondered.  It cemented in his mind that she should never be allowed to leave again.

“Sweetheart. Look at me.”  Kai bid.  And to his immense relief and pleasure, she did.

Though her eyes were still glassy and unfocused, her head turned.

“I was worried about you.”  Kai told, brushing her tear-stained cheek.

Maya merely blinked.  It was like loosing her brother all over again.  It was possibly even worse as now she had literally nothing to remember him by.  Nothing but her memories.  She couldn’t forget him.  She would never forget him.

Kai’s eyes raked over her naked body.  He used the washcloth to clean her sweet face, gaze following the rivulets of water that ran down her neck and chest.  It wasn’t suppose to be like this, his first time seeing her disrobed.  He had fantasied about bathing with her.  Lovingly and methodically scrubbing each others flesh after a heated lovemaking.  But just because things hadn’t turned out the way he had planned didn’t mean… No.  He was trying to earn Maya’s love and trust, not force and break it.

This weak inner play of desire and focus of task tugged at him as he bathed her.  It couldn’t be denied that he was enjoying himself. She was just so warm and soft.  So beautiful.  So perfect.  And like this, she was almost doll like.  A perfect living doll for him to do as he pleased.

His hands and the washcloth lingered more and more as he moved from her arms and back, and worked up her legs.  With nothing but a soapy square of terrycloth between them, Kai’s hand moved up her inner thigh.  “You should never have left.  You belong here.  With me.”

Her body went taught, a sound between a grunt and a whine escaping her lips.

For a heady moment Kai thought she was responding to his touch. But a second later he realize that, while that might've been the case, it wasn’t in the way he wanted.

Maya’s noise hadn’t been one of pleasure but pain.

In scolding and telling her of her place, Kai had lost himself for a moment.  As he had done so, his fingers had dug into her tender, subtle flesh.  With silent censure, his hand released.  She would no doubt have bruises marring her lovely skin come morning.  Bruises that hadn’t occurred in heated amore.  Would anything this night go right?  At least he had her back.  But that was becoming an increasingly small comfort given the way he had imagined this night going down.  Especially when he wouldn’t have let her leave if he hadn’t been sure he would get her back.

With her legs and stomach done, Kai paid special attention to her chest.  There was no more pretending that this was just about getting her clean.

Maya shivered.  Goose flesh erupting over her skin.

Kai scrubbed all the harder around a perking nipple.  “Doesn’t that feel good, my Sweet?  To get and be clean.  We will be doing this from now on.  A man should take care of his woman in every way that he can.  And the ways I can take care of you, my Love.”

“Kai…”

“There she is.”  Kai smiled. “I knew all you needed was a bit of tending and stimulation to have you fully returning to me.  You had me worried, my Sweet.”

“The water’s cold.”

“No worries.  I’ll warm you up.”  He laid the washcloth over the tub and pulled the stopper, letting the water drain.

Rising to his feet, he grabbed a fluffy white towel.

Though she was now more with it, Maya allowed him to stand her up.  She felt a slight embarrassment at him drying her.  But her mind was still so lost in the events of the night that she did little to try and hide herself.

Reluctantly, Kai slipped a silk rode on her, tying it loosely around her waist. “Come, Darling.  Let’s move to the bed where it’s more comfortable.”

Maya followed, towel hanging over her shoulders.

Kai sat her down and sat behind her, hands taking up the towel to properly dry her hair.  “Feeling better?”

Maya hummed, drowsily.  It was so tempting to fall asleep, hoping that when she woke all of this would turn out to be a bad dream.

“I will always make you feel good.”  He breathed against her hair.

She shivered.

Kai set the towel aside and took up a brush.

Turning back to her, his eyes landed on the lounge beside the bed.  Or more correctly the book left on the lounge.  He had pulled it from his hidden stash to look it over for something to help should Maya prove difficult upon her return.  But Maya was being far from difficult, though she obviously wasn’t the only one having a hard time keeping a clear head.

His gaze flicked back to her.  She hadn’t seen it yet. With the love Maya had for books, she would’ve asked about it. Kai cursed his forgetfulness.  He would gladly give his Darling anything she wanted so long as it was safe and wouldn’t cause her harm.  But answers about that book. The contents in it.  Such things would definitely make her unsafe and potentially cause her harm.  He hadn’t even made Hari or Joi aware about that book or his past dabblings with it.  And his care for them was far less than his care for Maya.

He glanced at Maya, grateful that she knew nothing about such things. And silently vowed to do everything in his power to make sure she never did.

He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, tossing it over the book.  He always got up before her.  He would put it back in its place in the morning.

“My house was gone.”  Maya muttered, barely aware Kai had moved behind her, let alone taken off his shirt.

“You’re house is fine.”  Kai soothed. “It’s here.  With me.  This is your home.”

“Burned to the ground.”  She went on barely hearing what he had said.

Kai rested his hands on her shoulders. “Sweetheart. I know you see this as a tragedy.  Something that has greatly hurt you.  But perhaps it is a blessing in disguise.  That place wasn’t your home. Not anymore.”  He turned her to him.  “Your place is here.  With me. Forever by my side.”  His fingers tenderly brushed her cheek. “Your my girl, Maya.”

Maya’s heart clenched, tears welling with fresh tears. “Everything I had left of him was in there.  It’s like loosing him all over again.  I have nothing now.  No one.”

“You have me.”  His thumb brushed away a fat tear that rolled out of its banks.  “I have no doubt that it hurts right now.  But I will give you more than your justice.  I will give you everything.  You are not alone.  I will give you new, happy memories.  Your life with me will be so full of love and joy that you’ll forget all that you have lost.”

His words tumbled about in her head, their meaning barely registered.  All that mattered was that Kai was here.  That he had accepted her back.  That he seemed to forgive her justified but rude outburst.  And that he would help her get her vengeance.

His voice was deep and smooth.  Reassuring and alluring. Like beckoning sirens call, she was drawn to it.  Drawn to him.

She had lost everything that had ever meant anything to her.  Her brother. Her very reason for being.  The only picture she had of him.  The pillow and clothes that had carried his scent.  The house that he had brightened with his smile.  Filled with his joyous laughter.  It hurt too much.  If she continued to focus on it all she would break.  She couldn’t break.  Not until she had avenged him.

Needing to feel something, anything else Maya leaned forward and kissed her handsome savior.

Kai startled for a fraction of a second at her making the first move. But he recovered instantly. His arms wrapped around her, lips moving when hers didn’t.  Teeth lightly nibbled at her lower lip.  Tongue licking, seeking entrance.

Maya pulled back.  What had she done?  She had been angry at him.  Though sitting here she could barely remember what their argument had been about.  Everything had faded after the sight of the burned house.

“Kai…” She shouldn’t be doing this.  Encouraging him when he obviously wanted more.  But she had just lost everything.  And the pain and anger, it was overwhelming.  She needed to feel something other than heart-wrenching loss and rage.  And Kai was here.  He was willing and wanting, and just so handsome.

Kai’s heart and body was set ablaze by her tender kiss.  And now that he had had a taste he wanted more.  Needed more.  All this time he had resisted.  Held himself back not wanting to scare her away by demanding.  But she had made the first move.  And now that she had it would be perfectly acceptable for him to make the second, third, and four.

“Darling.” Kai’s hand buried in her hair, the other pulling her onto his lap. His lips were on hers, tongue pressing, all but demanding entry.

Letting go, Maya opened her mouth to him.  Her hands rested on his shoulders, neither pushing or pulling.

Leaving her breathless, Kai moved on to her neck.  Kissing and sucking at her tender flesh. Even though this night hadn’t gone the way he had planned, it would still end the way he had wanted.  Maya would be his completely.  She wanted him too.  She had made the first move.  Had kissed--  She had made the first move…

Kai pulled back, eyes sharp.  Expression stern.  “You’ve done this before.”

At his accusatory tone, Maya lifted her chin in defiance. The look was ruined by her quivering lips and shining, shame filled eyes.  “Only cause I had to.”

A different kind of fire ignited in Kai’s chest. “You were forced!”

Her hands moved to her robe, clutching the fabric closed at the base of her throat.  “Forced to survive and provide for my brother.  Rent was hard enough to make in good times.  When he got sick and I had to miss work to stay home and care from him…”  She took in a shuddering breath.  “I could've done without a roof over my head. But a young boy needs a home.  Stability.  I did what I had to to see he always had a shelter and enough food in his belly not to starve.”

Kai stared at her.  His teeth gritted so tightly together his cheek started to twitch. This beautiful, sweet creature.  His beautiful, sweet Beloved had her innocence stolen!  A part of her purity that should have been meant for him.  For him alone to have and take.

“Your Landlord.”  Kai spoke, the rage evident in his voice.

She nodded.

“Wha--” He cleared his throat feeling sick and murderous at just the thought of the question.  But he needed to know.  “What did he ask of you?”

“Enough.” Maya muttered, eyes downcast.  Too much, she thought.  But it had been for her brother.  She would’ve, and still would do anything for him.

She didn’t dare look at Kai. Would he hate her?  Find her disgusting and soiled?  She surely was both those things and more. Even if it had all been done for her brothers sake.  Kai was obsessed with cleanliness.  And despite the recent bath, she was far from clean.

Kai’s hands curled into fists. That man.  That sick, depraved villain had taken advantage of his Darlings situation and need to provide.  He had used it to force her to…  No. He couldn’t even think of it.  Couldn’t bare the thought of it.  His poor sweet Maya.  She had needed him and he hadn’t been there.  It further proved that she could never leave his side.  She was too good.  Too innocent and beautiful.  People would take advantage.  She needed to be protected.  He needed to protect her.

“Was he the only one?  This landlord?”

Maya nodded.

He would have him killed, Kai thought. He would send Hari--  No! He’s eyes fell on the shirt and the book beneath it. He wouldn’t send Hari. He would handle it himself.

Kai turned back to her.  “Did you ever get pleasure from it.”

“Of course not!”

“I didn’t mean it like that, my Sweet.  I meant--”

“No.” Maya said cutting him off.  “He never took the time to try. It’s the one thing I’m grateful for.”

“That he didn’t take your first orgasm.”  Kai said, warming to the idea.

“Please. I don’t want to talk about it any more.”

Kai hugged her against his chest.  He was definitely upset that he wouldn’t be her first; but he didn’t blame Maya for it. He, more than anybody, understood that sometimes one had to do unsavory things.

“You will never have to think or talk about him again.”  He promised, kissing her head.  “In fact, consider him gone.  As good as dead.”

Maya’s head raised at that.  It was one thing to seek vengeance for the innocent life of her brother, but something completely different to do so for herself.  “Kai--”

“Shush.” Kai hush, lightly kissing her lips.  He turned them and urged her to lay back.

“Kai! What are you--”

His hand glided from her waist to her hip, and down the silken skin of her leg.  “I told you to hush, Darling.  The only sounds I want to heard coming out of you’re pretty little mouth are sweet mewls as I show you.”

“Show me?  Show me what—ah!” “There it is.”  Kai sighed, a knuckle grazing up between her legs.  “That’s the sound I want to hear.”

“Kai…” This was too fast.  Too soon she wasn’t ready.  Didn’t want-- Her body tensed, his finger dipping further between her folds.  A jolt of electric pleasure rushed through her when the digit brushed her clit.  “There!  Oh!  Kai!  Please!  There.”

“Don’t you worry, Beautiful.  I know just where you need me.  Just what will have you singing and coming apart for me.” His hand turned, fingers dipping down to her entrance to collect and spread the first sign of her juices while the other tugged at the belt of her robe, undoing it.

Maya’s legs snapped shut around his hand.  No!  Good as it felt, this wasn’t right.  Kai was...obsessed.  She knew it.  Had seen and ignored it.

Nothing’s changed, she argued with herself.  You still need him to get revenge. You were willing to do this if he demanded before.  At least he’s gentler and more caring than that stinking, old landlord.  Its his caring that scares me.  It isn’t right.  Isn’t normal.

“Maya.” Kai’s voice held a teasing censure.  “I can’t please you if you don’t let me.  I need you to open those pretty legs for me, Darling.”

“I--” Maya stared up at him.  Behind him his shadow looked— She blinked. Whatever it was, was gone.

“Come now, Sweetheart.  Give me room to work and I’ll have you forgetting your own name.”

Forget. That was what she wanted, wasn’t it?  To forget the landlord. Forget all that she had lost when the house burned down.  To forget the sight of that severed head.  And drown out, replacing the screams and blood and death of that horrible day her brother died.

“Kai. Make me forget.  Please.”

Kai leaned over her.  “I will, my Love.  I will make you forget every terrible thing.  Everything but me and your life here.  We belong together, Maya.  Together, we will build a new and wholesome world where killings and fires never happen again.”

Her eyes widened.  This was wrong.  What he wanted was wrong.  The amount of death it would take to make his perfect world.  No one could live up to that standard.  Not even Kai himself.  Especially not Kai himself.

Her thoughts were driven away by his lips.  She sighed into his hungry mouth.  Legs spreading of there own accord as her hands gripped his shoulders. She had made a deal with a demon.  What more would it hurt to give herself to a devil of a man if it meant seeing her vengeance done? It wasn’t as if Kai had demanded anything of her.  He didn’t want her soul.  Merely to take care of and love her.  After all this time, it would be nice to be the one taken care of.

“That’s it, my Sweet. Give yourself to me and I’ll make you forget.  I’ll make everything alright.” His lips gazed up her neck to her ear.  “You’re never leaving me again.  You’re mine.”  His fingers pushed into her wet heat, thumb pressing tight circles into her clit.

Maya’s back arched up off the bed. “Oh!  Ka—Kai!”

“Such a pretty sound.  Make some more for me.”  His fingers curled, and she did.

Maya moaned and screamed his name as he worked her with long, thick, skilled fingers.

As badly as he wanted to kiss her, he wanted to watch her more. This was their first time together.  Her first time feeling such pleasure.  Such an event should be marveled at.  Committed to memory. It wasn’t as if they wouldn’t be doing this at least once a day from now on.  He could already imagine taking a long afternoon break, delighting fully in her after she had sat on his lap all morning, keeping him warm.

His cock thrummed at the thought and he grimaced at the wet spot that blossomed in his underwear.  He would satiate his own need soon enough.  But first.  “You’re so close for me already.  Tell me.  Do you want to cum?”

“Yes!” Maya panted, hips bucking up to his hand. “Please, Kai.  Please!”

“Say it.  Say the words.”

“I want to cum.  Please!”

“And who do you want to make you cum?”

“You! Ah!” Her nails dug half moons into his shoulders.

Kai hissed, muscles rolling at the sharp heady pain.  His fingers slowed, thumb lifting off her.  “Such a good girl for me.”  He hummed, smirking at the way her quivering walls tried to milk his fingers. “I don’t think you’re fully satisfied yet.”

“Huh?” She breathed, feeling light as a feather.

“Don’t worry, Darling.  I know exactly what will see use both satisfied.” He got to his knees and paused, lifting his slick coated fingers. Almost on impulse, he pushed them into her face.  “Clean those for me.”

Maya’s mouth opened to question, but as soon as her lips parted his fingers pushed in.  She made a strangled noise.

“Just use your tongue and suck.”  Kai instructed, assumed by her flustered blush.  He had just fingered her and was about to do so much more.  Cute as it was, she had no reason to be shy or embarrassed.  He would know and control everything about her.  She was his.

Maya’s lips closed around his fingers, doing as he said.  She had never tasted herself.  It was...interesting.  Not bad, but not what she would call good.  It was sharp, musky, and somewhat sweet.  A distinctive taste that she’d never be able to describe if asked.  With a start she realized it was a taste distinctly hers.  Her taste.

Her eyes flicked down, wondering what Kai tasted like.  No!  That was… Bad?  Good?  Disgusting?  Would he want her to use her mouth on him? It was something the landlord had like to have her do.  Though it hadn’t been her using her mouth so much as having her mouth be used.  Thankfully the dirty slob liked to finish on her face.

“So good for me.”  Kai murmured pulling his fingers free.  His hand returned to his belt, undoing it and his pants.  He caught Maya watching in interest and smiled.  He didn’t know anything about the scum that touched her but he knew he was better.  It wasn’t arrogance.  It was fact.

When his pants and underwear pulled down, and cock sprung free, Maya gulped.

He smiled at her expression.  “It’s alright, Sweetheart.  It’ll fit.  I promise.”

Maya doubted that.  It was long and thick. Just the thought of it being put in her made her legs and cunt quiver.

“Do you want to touch it?”

She shook her head, despite the desire to do so.

Kai frowned.  He grabbed her wrist and pulled it to him.  Before she could pull back, her fingers were being wrapped around his length.  It was even bigger than it looked.  Her hand appearing small, unable to fully circle around it.

“There’s a good girl.  See.  Nothing to fear.  I would never hurt you.  Your mine, Maya.  And I always take care of what is mine.”

As soon as he released her, she pulled her hand away.  Her palm missed the throbbing heat, feeling clammy and cool.

“Kai!” Maya squeaked as he lowered over her, propping himself up on an arm. “Please be gentle.”

“Of course, my Love.  I’ll try.”  His other hand cupped her cheek. “You made me wait so long.”

Days she thought.  They had known each other no more than two weeks.

“You must understand that I don’t like waiting.  But I did so for you. Because I love you.”  He frowned when she didn’t reply in kind.  He knew she loved him.  She had to.  She was here.  Giving herself to him.  She was his.  She had to love him just as much as he loved her.  “Say it, Darling.  Tell me you’re mine.”

Maya sucked in on her lips. She wouldn’t lie, so she did the quickest thing she could think of. Distract him.  Her head lifted, arms wrapping around his neck.

Kai hummed when her lips met his, her mouth eagerly opening for him of her own accord.  It was further proof of her love.  She was just shy.  Had probably never said the words to anyone that wasn’t family.  He scowled, kissing her in return. She better have never said such words to anybody that wasn’t family.

The taste of her filled his mouth.  It made him want to sample straight from the source, but his cock was aching.  He had waited so long for her.  He was done waiting.  There would be time enough to taste and claim every part of her later.

Taking himself to hand, he ran his length through her wet folds and pressed the head to her entrance.

Maya whined.  It wouldn’t fit.  It wouldn’t fit.  He was going to rip her apart.

“Maya. Relax.”

Gold eyes stared down at her.  Her breath caught.  She could swear that they had glowed for an instant.

He pushed in.

Maya gasped.

Hand lifting, Kai cupped her face.  She was so beautiful and sweet.  As badly as he wanted to sheath himself completely, he held back went slow.

Hips rocking, Kai’s thick length entered her inch by inch until he was seated fully in to the hilt.

“There.” Kai smiled, thumb brushing her cheek.  “I told you.  You should never doubt or question me, my Love.”  In fact, if she did so again he couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t be met with swift punishment.

“Kai.” Maya whined, the sound far different from the one moments before.

His pride swelled at her needy tone.  “Are you ready for me to move?”

“Yes. Please.”  She breathed.

Despite his need, he started a slow, sweet pace, letting her fully adjust to the feel of him.  As great as his need for more was, he didn’t want to hurt her.  Fingers rolled her nipples, his ears enjoying every sound she made.  Big as he was, he hardly needed to angle his thrust to hit the spot inside her, but he did, wanting to give her the most pleasure.

“Ka—ah—i!” Her back arched, toes curling.

Damn! She was so tight.  His perfect little darling. She was so good and pliant.  So obedient.  Well, almost.  There was one thing she had yet to do for him.  One thing he needed to hear her say.

His thrusts deepened, hips snapping against hers.  The sound of skin slapping skin mixed with her wanton cries.  It was beautiful.  She was beautiful. “I love you, Sweetheart.”

“Kai. Ple—please!  I—I need--”

“I got.  Just what.  You need.”  Kai said in-between thrusts. “But first.  Let me hear you.  Say it.”

“Say. What?”

“Tell me.  You love me.”

Maya’s eyes widened.  Her hands slid down from his shoulders to his chest, though she resisted the instinct to push him away.

Kai grunted, Maya tightening around him.  “Say it, Sweetheart.  Don’t be shy.”

She moaned, his hips grinding down, rubbing against her clit.

“Say it, Maya. Let me hear you.”  It was like a beast had been unleashed.  Kai had known he wanted Maya, but he hadn’t realized how consuming the need had been.  He more than wanted her.  More than needed her.  He needed her to want him.  Needed her to see him as her everything, just as she had become his.

His pumping hips slammed against hers making her breasts bounce.

Maya found it difficult to breath.  And not just because she was so close again.  It felt as if he were fucking the air out of her.

Kai’s hand moved between them, pressing against her clit.  He had wanted to be gentle.  Told her he would try to be. But pleasure was pleasure and she was being bad by not saying what he wanted.  On top of that, there were still her disrespectful words and reaction from earlier this evening.  She deserved a little roughness.

“Who do you belong to?”

“Y—you! Ah!  Ka—i!” Maya writhed beneath him.

“Tell me.  Who do you love?”

“You!”

“Say it!”

“I—ah! I love you!  Kai!  Please!  Please!”

Kai’s eyes practically glowed.  He had gotten what he wanted, but he didn’t let up. “That’s it, Beautiful.  Come apart for me.  Cum for me. Just.  Like. That.”

She screamed, nails digging scratches into his back.  Her orgasm heightened by Kai’s own.  His cock coming alive, spitting its hot seed deep inside her.

He hovered above her a moment, panting as they both came down from their highs.  Finally, he brushed her hair back.  “You did so good, my Sweet. Admitting your love for me.  I’m so proud of you.”

“I--” Maya paused.  He looked so happy.  Was giving her so much.  What was one lie if it gave him what he wanted while he gave her what she wanted?  It wasn’t as if she disliked him.  In truth, given time, she could see herself maybe coming to love him.  It was just all so new.  They hadn’t known each other for more than two weeks. It was better to let him believe, than hurt him and chance not getting her revenge.

You’ll regret this, a small inside voice told.  He’s controlling and obsessed.  But she ignored the voice.  So what if he was a little controlling and obsessed?  She was getting what she wanted.  She would do anything for her brother. Even if it meant lying in order to see the men who had taken her brother from her punished and dead.

Looking up at him, Maya smiled sweetly.  “I love you, Kai.”

This chapter was a tough one for me to get a handle on and write.  It's my first somewhat consensual smut with Kai, my first smut for him being a rape scene in my Chaos fic.  So any comments, thoughts, or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.

As always, an extra special thank you to @inorganicone2230 for their encouragement and friendship.  I couldn't have done this chapter without your help and input.  Heck, that goes for ALL my fics. Huzzah!  For 'proofreading'.  lol  Seriously though, you really are the best my friend.  THANK YOU!

Taglist: @shadynebula –  Hope you’re feeling better today.