#spicy lil devil man

[nyxanine]

Jen picking Matt up like an angry kitten was just so fantastic, 10/10 no notes

[lalathemediterraneanmermaid]

What do ikeprince suitors smell like? Pt. 1

Have you ever wondered how our pookies would smell or what perfumes woulds they wear if they were real? Because I do, and it almost keeps me awake at night. But don't worry, I'm here to satisfy your curiosity. I've assigned each IkePri suitor scents and perfumes based on information from the routes and, of course, mainly on the vibes they give me.

Sariel Noir

The Palace Devil definitely wears a complex yet sophisticated perfume, with a fresh and spicy top note and a warm, woody base.

Notes: mint, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, vetiver and tonka beans.

Perfumes he might like:

Five O'Clock Au Gingembre - Serge Lutens - His favourite

Spicebomb - Viktor & Rolf

Noir Extreme - Tom Ford

(He also has the Miss Dior perfume, courtesy of Clavis, but he keeps it because he secretly loves his troublemaker lil baby, but ssshhh.)

Rio Ortiz

The Puppy Butler uses a vibrant and cheerful perfume with fresh floral vibes and a sweet warm base.

Notes: mandarin, sweet lemon, neroli, orange flower, peach and amber.

Perfumes he might like:

Light Blue Intense - Dolce & Gabbana

Orange blossom - Jo Malone London - His favourite

Versace Pour Homme - Versace

Keith Howell

The Gentle Stag goes for something more fresh and citrusy with a heavy heart of herbal spices and aromatic herbs on top of a woody base.

Notes: bergamot, yuzu, basil, clove leaf, vetiver and cedarwood.

Perfumes he might like:

Neroli Portofino - Tom Ford

Bleu de Chanel Eau de Parfum - Chanel

Colonia Club - Acqua di Parma - His favourite

Emerald Thyme - Jo Malone

Forest Lungs - The Nue Co.

Silvio Ricci

Our Haughty Jingler Jangler is definitely tied to the ocean (and alcohol). I feel like he would go for something fresh and spiced with a sophisticated warm base. Also, he's a bougie boy, so he has a lot of perfumes. He doesn't have a favourite perfume, because he loves the layering technique, he is unique and doesn't want anyone smelling as good as him, period.

Notes: Ron, mandarin, bergamot, mint, nutmeg, cardamom, amber, musk, ambrette seed, sea salt and sea moss.

Perfumes he might like:

Bvlgari Man Extreme - Bvlgari

Allure Homme Èdition Blanche - Chanel

Wood Sage & Sea Salt - Jo Malone London

Herbal Aquatica - Montale

Fougeres Marines - Montale

Virgin Island Water - Creed

Un Jardin en Méditerranée - Hermès

Seahorse - Zoologist Perfumes

Gilber Von Obsidian

This pookie The conqueror beast smells like the blood and fear from his enemies, just kidding. He probably likes winter fresh like scents with some herbal and floral notes on top of a woody base. Something that dries out warm and kind of sweet.

Notes: Sweet basil, fennel, neroli, winter daphne, blacktea, rum, amber and vanilla.

Perfumes he might like:

Noir Extreme - Tom Ford (He probably stole it from Sariel while visiting his boyfriend bff Chevi)

Terre d'Hermès - Hermès

Viking - Creed - His favourite

Silver Mountain Water - Creed

Kagari Amagase

We still don't know much about this dorayaki lover kitty (Doraemon is that you?) so this is just based on assumptions. We know he is competitive, he seems elegant and sophisticated at first sight and has stolen the hearts of the fandom with those feline eyes. So I feel like he goes for citrusy and fresh scents, with a bit of spice an sweetnes on top of a warm and sensual base.

Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, ginger, cherry blossom, white floral, ylang-ylang, cinnamon, sandalwood, amber and musk.

Perfumes he might like:

Gabrielle - Chanel

Premier Figuier - L’Artisan Parfumeur

Zen for Men - Shiseido - His favourite

Especially Escada - Escada

Azel Radwan

We also don't know much about Tanzanite's God. But we know that he is a God, and ethereal, and beautiful, an slay, and a God, and mysterious, and a God, maybe broke (but we still love him), and he is a God. We can't forget that he is a God, 'cause he is a God, just in case you didn't know he is a God. He definitely smells divine, aromatic and warm, maybe kind of spicy with white florals. He gives me vibes that he has a huge collection of arabian perfumes, 'cause he a sassy.

Notes: ylang-ylang, lotus flower, bergamot, jasmine, violet, frankincense, amber, oud, musk, tea, tonka beans and vanilla.

Perfumes he might like:

Royal Oud - Creed

Oud Wood - Tom Ford

Interlude Man - Amouage - His favourite

Reflection Man - Amouage

Royal princess Oud - Creed

Mukhallat - Montale

Borneo 1834 - Serge Lutens

Matthias Asbrink

Again, we still don't know much about him, but we do know that our cold boy is a firm and strict protector of law and justice. I don't know about you, but I feel like he smells like a breath in a snowy mountain at midwinter, refreshing, almost freezing. But he is elegant, discreet and sophisticated. He might seem cold but I'm sure he is warm and cozy on the inside (and a little freak iykyk). If I had to describe his scent vibe in a sentence it would probably be "like drinking a hot chocolate in front of a fireplace after a morning in the middle of the snowy mountains of Northern Europe."

Notes: Snow, cypress, honeysuckle, cardamom, bergamot, iris, lavender, clove, vetiver, cedarwood, leather, cinnamon and chocolate.

Perfumes he might like:

Homme Intense - Dior

Aventus - Creed

Silver Mountain Water - Creed - One of his favourites

Black Orchid - Tom Ford

Chocolate Greedy - Montale

Man In Black - Bvlgari

Glacial Essence - Bvlgari

Gentleman - Givenchy - One of his favourites

Snowy Owl - Zoologist Perfumes - Another favourite because you gifted it to him. You thought it was cute that the cold man from the north that has an owl as his crest deserved a perfume cutely named "Snowy Owl".

Penguin - Zoologist Perfumes

And here it ends part 1 of "What do ikeprince suitors smell like?". Stay tuned for part 2 with our iconic princes of Rhodolite my dearies. Love you all!!!!

[notiddygxthgf]

4. Taste Like Nicotine

★ pairings: aki hayakawa x fem reader

★ ❝ Go back to Himeno. ❞ ❝ No. That's not what you want. ❞

★ c.w.: suggestive themes, drinking (more content warnings and tags)

★ a/n: HELLO AGAIN MY POOKIE DOOKIES!! IM BACK AGAIN. bc i have nothing better to do atm and i wanted to give yall a lil sum sum before i moved away to uni. please excuse the pacing of this chapter -- this fanfic was supposed to be a oneshot and uh... now its 160 pages in google docs LMFAOOA.. things get spicy in this chapterrr! so yeah anyway, you know the drill, keep me entertained -- keep your funny little comments coming, I absolutely love reading them. You guys motivate me to keep going! Love yall

★ w.c.;4.1k

shameless ; chapter index

THE OFFICE WAS QUIET, the hum of fluorescent lights and the occasional rustling of papers the only sounds that broke the silence. You were alone, finishing up some last-minute paperwork after hours. The mission had gone surprisingly well—no casualties, a rare feat in your line of work. The team had even managed to kill a large Devil containing a piece of Gun Devil Flesh, a significant victory. Yet, instead of joining the others to celebrate, you had chosen to stay behind. Partly to avoid any awkward encounters with Himeno, but mostly because you felt restless, unable to shake off the events of the past few days.

As you finished up the last of your reports, you glanced at the new message on your phone.

HIMENO| you didn't come tonight.

Typing...

YOU

| I didn't think you'd wanna see me after the stunt I pulled.

HIMENO| I dont, but I wanted u to know that everyone is talking abt u

YOU

| ??

| wym

HIMENO

| your shadow didn't come tonight, either.

Typing...

YOU| look, himeno, ive actually been wanting to talk to you about that

| would you be able to meet up and talk it out?

HIMENO| id rather not honestly.

| ur a grown woman and i cant stop u from doing what u want

| but just know that people in pb. safety talk

| dont mess up a relationship with a perfectly good man for aki

| u should leave him for someone who can actually give him what he needs

YOU| I understand that I've hurt you, Himeno, and I'm sorry

| I have no intentions of being with Aki.

HIMENO| good

| dont get him mixed up in ur fucked up marriage

|  he doesnt deserve that.

You sighed, pocketing your phone. There were certain battles you simply couldn't win. This would undoubtedly be one of them.

It was late, and you knew you should head home. You gathered your things and made your way down the dimly lit hallways, your footsteps echoing in the emptiness.

As you passed the breakroom, you heard voices. One familiar voice, more specifically.

You slowed your pace, not wanting to intrude but curious enough to catch a snippet of the conversation. The door was slightly ajar, and you could see two figures inside.

"You look desperate, dude," the unknown person said, barely audible. "It's not attractive."

"I'm becoming ridiculous," Captain Hayakawa said, his voice low and strained. "I'm losing hope."

"Hope of what? Convincing a married woman to break her vows?" the other person retorted, a hint of incredulity in his tone.

Are they talking about me? You asked. You knew the answer. You simply did not want to confront it.

Hayakawa sighed. "I thought she would call me by now," he admitted, the vulnerability in his voice making your stomach churn uncomfortably. "I just... there was something there."

There was a pause, then the other person sighed, his voice softening. "God, you are ridiculous." After a moment, he added, almost reluctantly, "Shit, sorry, man. I know you like her."

"No, you're right," He replied, a note of resignation following his words. "She doesn't want to speak to me. I'm driving myself crazy waiting for someone who's never gonna call."

You felt a knot tighten in your stomach, guilt and confusion swirling together. You hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but now you couldn't just walk away without feeling a pang of something—regret, perhaps? The slip of paper with his number, still in your possession, weighed heavily in your mind. You had been avoiding the situation, avoiding him, and now it was clear how much it had affected him.

Aki's words echoed in your ears as you stood frozen in the hallway.

He was right; you hadn't called him. You hadn't even acknowledged the note, too caught up in your own turmoil and guilt to consider his feelings. Now, hearing him speak so openly, you felt a rush of emotions—sympathy, guilt, confusion. There had been a moment between you, an undeniable spark, but you had chosen to ignore it, to pretend it didn't exist.

When would it all come crashing down – your efforts? This whole situation?

The conversation in the breakroom continued, but you couldn't listen any longer. You turned away, your heart pounding. As you made your way to the exit, you couldn't help but replay Aki's words in your mind.

He had been waiting for you, hoping you would reach out, and now he was losing hope. Fuck.

He had been waiting for me.

The idea thrilled you, for some strange reason. Maybe because you hadn't felt desired like this in years – it made your head spin. But another part of you was terrified—of what it might mean, of the complications it would bring, of the impact on your marriage.

You couldn't help yourself. You did what you always did. You ran away from him.

You knew you couldn't avoid him forever, but for now, you needed time to think. .

7:45 PM

Typing... 

Hey. |

Typing...

Hello, |

Typing...

How are you? |

Typing...

Hey. They're taking me out for drinks tn as a sendoff party. I think you should be there.

SENT.

YOU | Hey. They're taking me out for drinks tn as a sendoff party.

I think you should be there.

| At the Sip-n-savor in downtown Tokyo

Seen 8:00 PM .

The night went on without a flaw. The atmosphere was infectious, and you had been trying to let loose, drink in hand, as you chatted and danced with the others. But as the night wore on, a sense of unease settled in. Maybe it was the drinks, maybe it was the memories of the overheard conversation in the breakroom, or maybe it was the subtle disappointment that someone hadn't shown up.

Excusing yourself, you made your way to the bathroom. The mirror reflected your flushed cheeks and slightly smudged makeup. You sighed, turning on the faucet and splashing some water on your face. As you washed your hands, you found yourself thinking about Aki.

Despite everything, a depraved part of you had hoped to see him tonight. You had been both relieved and disappointed when he hadn't shown up—relieved because it meant avoiding an awkward conversation, disappointed because you had been... well, actually looking forward to seeing him.

As you touched up your makeup, you couldn't help but reflect on your own conflicted feelings. You were married, committed, and yet, Aki had stirred something in you that you simply couldn't stand to ignore. It was confusing, disorienting. You weren't sure what you felt more strongly: guilt for being drawn to him or frustration that you couldn't just let it go.

"Ugh," You groaned, pressing your forehead against the sink. "'M g'nna be sick."

Feeling a bit lightheaded from the drinks, you decided to step outside for some fresh air. You left the bathroom and – completely drunk – maneuvered through the crowds to the nearest door.

The cool night breeze was a welcome relief against your warm skin, and you leaned against the balcony railing, taking deep breaths. The city lights twinkled below, and you watched them in a daze, trying to steady your thoughts.

That's when you saw him.

Aki was just entering the party, his sharp suit and dark hair making him stand out immediately. You felt your heart skip a beat. Then another. He was killing you.

He came, you thought, a strange mix of emotions flooding you. Relief, excitement, and that persistent undercurrent of guilt all tangled together.

He spotted you almost immediately and made his way over. As he approached, you couldn't help but think how painfully gorgeous he looked, the dim lighting casting a soft glow on his features. In that moment, he seemed almost like a knight in shining armor, a figure out of place in the lively, chaotic setting of the bar.

"Hey," he greeted, his voice smooth and warm, a balm to your nerves.

"Hey," you replied, trying to keep your voice steady despite the fluttering in your chest.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, a slight concern in his tone. "You're not cold?"

He always seemed to be worried about you and the weather. Still, the chill felt nice against your hot skin, oddly enough.

I missed you, you didn't say. You didn't even think about it. You knew that in a day you would be back on the train and all of this would just be a bad dream, anyway.

You shook your head, a small smile playing on your lips. "No, I just needed some air. It's a bit stuffy in there."

Aki didn't respond immediately, and when you turned your head up to look at him, his expression was unreadable. The noise from inside the bar seemed distant, the world narrowing down to just the two of you in that moment. You felt a tug in your chest, a pull towards him that you couldn't explain, couldn't deny.

"Did you pregame the bar, or something?" You laughed quietly. It felt nice, being able to pretend nothing had ever happened between the two of you and just... enjoy each other's company. "You smell like beer."

"I was having a few drinks with my roommate before you texted me," He answered. Then, looking out onto the street, he added, "He told me I shouldn't come tonight. Said you're driving me crazy."

"So, why are you here, then?" You asked.

He looked at you. "I think you know why I'm here."

There was a brief silence, comfortable yet charged with the unspoken. You glanced at him, noticing the way his eyes lingered on you, soft but searching. It was the same look he had given you in the seminar, the museum, everywhere else, and it stirred something deep inside you.

You hated the way he made you feel.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked you. His voice was as deep and rich as ever, and you had about half a mind to take him up on the offer.

You shivered. You knew it wasn't from the cold air. It was him – the smell of him, his cologne, the distinct scent of nicotine that let you know he had just finished smoking a cigarette. It was an aroma so unique to him that you had grown to like it.

You were looking at his lips before you knew it, giving way to a craving you couldn't explain, "I'll try a cigarette, if you have any."

He smiled softly, reaching into his pocket and flipping open a carton of cigarettes and a lighter. He placed a cancer stick between your lips, and you felt a part of you die a little. He struck the wheel of the lighter, bringing the cigarette to life.

You coughed so hard that you nearly hacked up a lung. It had been years since your last cigarette.

Hayakawa stepped behind you, cupping a hand around your elbow, sliding it up your arm, your wrist, your fingers before he plucked the cigarette from your digits.

"First time?" He asked, warm voice hot against your neck.

"Wanted to give it a try," You shrugged. You didn't know what, exactly, had gotten into you. It seemed that with every sip of liquor you took lately, you crept closer and closer back to your old self. The sort of liquid courage that made people make very bad decisions. "Sorry. I'm a little," You waved your hands around yourself, trying to gesture 'drunk' without actually saying it.

"How brave of you," He murmured, pulling a hit from your cigarette and exhaling. He was the picture of sin – face flushed with alcohol, messy bangs, pink lips wrapped around a cancer stick. He was so pretty it hurt.

"I'll try it again when I'm sober," You offered.

"When?" He asked, breathing smoke out into the air. "Where?"

As persistent as always, you thought. Still, you didn't necessarily mind the attention anymore. You told yourself that it didn't matter – you would be out of here soon anyway, and everything would be far behind you before you knew it.

"Why is it that every time I'm inebriated... God tests me by throwing you in my way?" You laughed, Truly, you wished you had considered the implications of your words a little more before you had said them. "Just as I thought your manners had improved since the party. You behaved badly, then. You know that? Very badly," you hiccuped. "You should be ashamed of yourself, throwing– hic–throwing yourself at a married woman like that."

He didn't acknowledge your drunken ramblings, and he also didn't deny the fact that he had been doing exactly that – throwing himself at a married woman.

"Hardly my fault," He breathed out. "I just can't seem to resist you."

"Don't worry," You replied, eyeing him up dubiously as he pulled another hit from what was left of your cigarette. "I'm leaving tomorrow. Won't have to worry about resisting me after that."

"I know," He answered back. "Selfishly enough, I spent the last few hours wishing your train got delayed one more day, or something like that," He exhaled, then snuffed his cigarette out on the balcony, "Still, I'm glad I could see you before you went home."

"I wish I could say the same about you," You replied before you could stop the words from coming out.

He poked his tongue through the inside of his cheek, retorting, "You're gonna sit here and act like you didn't invite me? Like your eyes didn't light up like a child when you saw me pull up?" He turned around, commanding even more of your attention, standing at least a foot and a half taller than you. "You wanted me to come tonight."

It was true. That's the worst part. Everything he said was the truth.

"So that I could say goodbye," You said with remarkable finality, "I'm leaving after this."

You hadn't originally planned on leaving so soon, of course, but you wanted to get the hell out of here before you made another bad decision.

"Already?" He asked.

"You're the one who ran late," You replied. "This ends tonight. I'm going to say bye to everyone else, then I'll be gone."

With that being said, you made your way back to the door. You would go inside, bid everyone farewell, collect your belongings, and then–

He called your name before you could go back inside. You froze in place.

"Am I misreading the signals?" He asked.

You sighed, turning around one last time to clear the air, "This has to stop, Aki. You make me feel like... like I'm guilty of something."

He implored you, "What do you want me to do?"

"Go back to Himeno," You answered, a biting undertone seeping through your words. You were undeniably bitter about the whole situation, and under any other circumstances, you would have tried to be a good sport, but...

Himeno's words were a heavy weight on your heart.

'Don't mess up a relationship with a perfectly good man for Aki.'

'You should leave him for someone who can actually give him what he needs."

You could never be what Aki wanted. He wanted all of you – not just a week of you, clearly. You were married, and you couldn't let all of that go over a guy you'd been toeing the line with for what seemed like ages.

He was a young man. The fact of the matter was that you were a grown woman. A married one.

"She's a sweet, kind woman," You continued. You felt like you were going to be sick just being near him. Unknowingly, tears began to prickle at the corners of your eyes. "Go back and beg her to forgive you. Go be with someone who wants to be with you. Who can be with you."

"No," He answered simply. There was an intensity in his eyes that frightened you, like he would die without you, as he continued, "That's not what you want. I think we both know that. I refused a mission in Hiroshima to stay here with you. I planned to let go of another one in Beijing," He swallowed, "I can change my mind, and you'll never see me again."

"If you have any consideration for me," Your voice was a shuddering whisper, like someone could walk out any minute and hear the two of you going back and forth. "Any semblance– a shrivel of compassion, you'll give me back my peace."

He shook his head, "I can't. You know I can't. You've consumed every inch of my peace, every inch of my mind. How can I give you your peace?"

Fair point.

You had nothing to say to him. So, silently, your vision blurred with tears, you glared at him. Glared and frowned like that would make you believe he was the sole contributor to this issue. Then, again, you turned on your heel and went for the door. You entered the bar quickly.

He followed not too long after you, "I'll go to Beijing, then."

"No." You said. Your teary-eyed fury caught the eyes of more than a few confused bar patrons. "I don't want you to go."

Everyone was looking at you. Seriously, everyone. Your old coworkers, the bartenders, everybody.

You swallowed down your pride, bowing down before them all. "Good night, everyone," You said. You plucked your purse and your jacket off of the barstool. "Thank you for everything. I'm leaving."

Ignoring the confused looks and hushed whispers from the patrons, you exited the bar, your mind a whirlwind of emotions. The rain had started to fall, a soft drizzle quickly turning into a steady downpour. You barely noticed, too wrapped up in the turmoil inside your head. The cold, wet sensation of the rain soaked through your clothes, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. You just needed to get away, to clear your mind.

But of course, Aki followed after you. You could hear him calling your name, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. You quickened your pace, almost running, your heels splashing through puddles as you made your way down the block. His footsteps pounded behind you, matching your speed. You couldn't escape him, couldn't outrun him.

Finally, he caught up to you, grabbing your arm to stop you. "Wait, can we please talk?" he pleaded, his voice breathless and desperate.

You turned to face him, rain pouring down around you both. His hair was plastered to his forehead, his suit jacket soaked through. The intensity in his eyes matched the storm, a fierce determination that made your heart ache. You met his gaze begrudgingly, not wanting to deal with this, not wanting to deal with him.

"Have I really been imagining all of this?" He asked. He sounded broken. "Is it really all in my head? Tell me if it's a lie. Tell me to leave you alone. Tell me you mean it—all of it," he paused, taking a shuddering breath. "Or tell me the truth."

You swallowed hard, the weight of the situation crashing down on you. "I don't know how to feel, Aki," you finally admitted, your voice barely a whisper. "I'm trying to be good, but you just keep fucking—popping up everywhere. And you say these pretty things to me, and," You choked back a sob, struggling to find the right words. "I can't help myself around you."

"Running from your problems won't make me go away," he said, stepping forward to put his hands gently on your waist.

There was a long pause as you stood there in the rain, staring at each other. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you. The storm, the bar, everything else was just a blur. You were tired—tired of running, tired of the confusion, tired of pretending that everything was fine when it wasn't.

He added, "You can't run from your feelings."

This time, it was his eyes that dropped to your lips. His tongue darted out to dampen his own, and then his eyes flicked up to your face. When he spoke, his voice was huskier than before, as if it had been tainted by an emotion that hadn't been there before. Was it lust? Passion? Whatever it was, you wanted more of it.

Your eyes widened. Your mouth had run dry. You didn't know what to say. Even being like this right now -- as close as you were, -- was against your wedding vows. This was wrong, and you couldn't do that to your own husband.

Your own husband who loved you so dearly.

Your own husband who left you hanging so many nights on end.

Your own husband, who acted as if he couldn't care if you lived or died.

As if he had sensed your train of thought wandering, Aki placed two fingers beneath your chin, lifting your face up until he was the captor of all of your attention. Him and him alone. Not your husband, but him.

"I could treat you like a princess," His eyes wandered down to your lips again, but this time there was an unspoken hunger within them. "All you have to do is ask, and I'm yours. I already am."

And, God, what a fool you had been in uttering the words, "Don't toy with my emotions. You don't want me."

He paused, awaiting something, anything. His eyes pleaded with your own, luring you in with promises of pleasure and happiness. Gently, he grabbed your hand, placing it over his breast, right above his heart.

"I want you so badly it hurts," He breathed, "For a night, for a day, for a week..." Aki closed the gap between the two of you – brought your faces closer together. Closer, until you could feel the warmth of his calm breath fanning out against your cheek. Closer, until he uttered, "As long as you'll let me have you."

"Aki, I can't-...." You paused. Yet, still, you never moved. Your body betrayed your words, dilated pupils and trembling hands giving way to your internal dilemma. "This is wrong. You know I can't do this."

You were being a hypocrite. You knew you were. One spare glance down at the placement of your hands on his chest -- one over his breast and one looped around his tie -- and you knew he could tell you were only putting up a front.

"I know," he murmured softly, words practically dying beneath the volume of the rain, "But I can't stop thinking about you."

You folded. Your eyes dropped down to his lips one last time, and that's when you knew he had already won.

Fuck it.

"Fuck you," you muttered, feeling a surge of reckless abandon.

Without thinking, you reached out and pulled him towards you, crashing your lips against his in a desperate, frenzied kiss. It was messy and wet, your tears mixing with the rain, your hands tangling in his hair as his arms finally wrapped around you.

The kiss was filled with all the pent-up emotions, the longing, the frustration, the desire. It was passion, it was anger – it was tongue and teeth and lips smearing your lipstick over the lower half of your face. It was two black holes finally colliding after circling around each other far too long.

"I can't make sense of it. I want... you," you sighed, pulling away, voice trembling, "I don't know what any of this means anymore. I don't know what to think."

"Then don't," he whispered, his breath warm against your lips. He tasted like cigarette smoke, beer and mint gum – a flavor so utterly addicting that you couldn't seem to get enough of it. "Don't think. Let me take you back to your room."

You hesitated, the reality of the situation hitting you. This was crossing a line, a line you couldn't uncross. But as you looked into his eyes, saw the same turmoil reflected back at you, you felt your resolve crumble.

You were tired of pretending.

"Okay," you whispered, your voice barely audible over the rain. It was a final, resigned acceptance, the last nail in the coffin of your restraint.

You were tired of running from the inevitable.

a/n: dont hate me. LMFAOAOAOOAOA. i had to! i absolutely loved writing this chapter and i loved writing tipsy obsessed aki. i headcannon that he's a touchy needy bf and no one can tell me otherwise. i think you all know what happens next. im not sayin nothin tho. hehe. ANYWAYYYYY LMK WHAT YALL THOUGHTTTTT i look forward to hearing it!!! lmk what yall wanna see in the next few chapters/over the course of the story. and if youve already watched anna karenina (or read, in which case... how...) shhhhhh youve seen nothing. muah! x

credits: UNKOWN ATM. I found the cover pic on pinterest unfortch. If you know the artist, please let me know, so I can credit them properly for their work!!! This is NOT MY BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGGG. I obviously do not own csm or anything related to it. please do not reproduce, copy, or translate my works anywhere. dont fk w me im a bruja.

also: come find me on my wattpad if u wanna interact more!

taglist: @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505 , @acethebrave , @mitsuyeahhh , @sleepysnk , @enneadec , @noaabean , @em1e , @drakensdarling , @bertholdts--butt , @satanlovesusall666 , @mitsuwuyaa , @noctifule , @scaraphobia , @ask-the-insect-hashira , @lovingranchturkeyweasel , @bontensbabygirl , @slvdsjjk , @novacrystalli , @hanmastattoos , @kodzuksn , @hqtiny , @ohmaiscool15 , @redlittlequeen , @leivane , @goldeneagles-posts , @yeahblahlame , @no-oneelsebutnsu , @cookiesandcreammy , @cawwn , @the-haitani-baton , @littlelovebug98 , @armani78 , @mindurownbussines , @kokos-property , @violetmatcha , @hp-simp505

wanna join the taglist? | shameless ; chapter index

[sil3ntfr34k]

Birthday Bakugou Headcanons

Yea I missed his birfday and he might be mad at me but it’s bbabygirl we still gonna write something

• Probably says some shit like “Oo I don’t like surprises” but then will act disappointed when you tell him your plans for him

• I.E.; Don’t tell him about his birthday plans

• You and the entirety of Class 3-A are going all out to make this the most outlandish and ridiculous birthday party of his life purely because y’all wanna annoy him

• Cut scene to you basically dragging him all around the city after school to stall time so everyone can set up the decorations

• As SOON as you get that “We’re ready” text you gotta drag him back kicking and screaming because he’s overstimulated. Bakugou is DREADING stepping a single foot into the dorms because he just KNOWS something is up

• As expected, as soon as Bakugou opens the door; everyone screams and pops those streamers directly in his face, which is quickly followed with a couple of deadly explosions

• Thankfully most of the decorations survived 💪

• You better believe that cake is big asf, big thanks to Sato who whipped it up in the kitchen for Bakugou 🙏

• All the girls had to cook the dinner bc NONE of the boys can cook expect Bakugou, and it would be rude to make Bakugou cook his own birthday dinner. The girls made him some spicy mapu tofu with some bottle labeled as ‘Devils Tears’. The color is a bright red to show how spicy it is, but ofc Bakugou is still going to complain it’s not spicy enough

• Bakugou resents having to open presents, way too nervous of how he’s supposed to react. At least when he’s with his parents they don’t expect much of a reaction since they know he’s pretty stoic.

• Calls every present he gets shit, but still gets defensive if anyone tells him to regift it. He appreciates the gifts, he just has a hard time giving reactions most people want.

• Still doesn’t stay up late for the party. WILL just stand up and go to his room to get ready for bed.

• Cue everyone following him to his room because they don’t want him to sleep yet, it’s Friday man just stay up a little longer!

• Has to blast everyone out and lock his door.

• What no one knows is that he actually does stay up longer, he just wanted some alone time to recover and actually enjoy his presents and kind letters. He probably just skimmed over the words at first, but now that he’s alone and can think straight he takes time to read each one carefully

• Might be a little OOC but he probably cries JUST A LIL BIT bc he’s never had so many care enough about him to throw him such a big party AND want him to stay up with them

• If he got games or something, he’ll stay up and play them for a bit. Same with manga and other trinkets, like exercise equipment and small figurines (of all might)

•Bonus points if someone gives him a personalized gift like a drawing or hand crafted sculptures. Is low key a WEAK SUCKER for personalized items

Okay that’s all I can think of

[dolce-tenebra-toscana]

La squadra's spice tolerance, from highest to lowest 🌶🌶🌶

1) Formaggio 🧀

Cheese man has the highest tolerance among his teammates, can easily eat a whole chili withput breaking a sweat and actually enjoys spicy food. However he has to remember to control himself when he makes " Aglio olio e peperoncino ", last time he sent one of his friends at the er ( more on that later 👀 )

2) Pesci 🐟

I know it's surprising, but pesci actually handles heat like a pro! His nonna and mamma are very fond on heavily seasoned cooking and they taught Pesci that a high tolerance to spices means you have a strong and warm heart.

He may not handle coffee, but he can easily eat a whole jar of 'nduja by himself!

3) Melone 🍈

Now Melone is more fond on sweet and sour than spicy, but his tolerance is actually kinda high! He can't actually explain that to himself and other to be honest cause he rarely eats spicy foods but when he does, you won't hear him complain that much; just some " ooh, maiala scotta scotta!!" Or " Deh che gliè un piccantino sto troiaio?"

4) Illuso 🔍

Now we are reaching the bottom of the pit, and illuso's sensitive tastebuds get a real kick in the shins whenever he eats spicy! Which is weird since he really likes pepper, but put even just a lil pinch of chili powder more than it supposed to be in his plate and he'll complain all night about how is tongue is " ruined forever "...such a drama queen

5) Risotto ✂️

You want the big scary capo out of your way for 2 hours? Make thai food for dinner, or even just season his pasta with the blandest chili powder you can find; you'll see him caugh and cry in no time.

His iron deficiency and his low spicy tolerance are a deadly mix and the only thing it can help him in that case is a 2 hours nap after a good ice cream, poor capo he tries his best when he goes to resturants tho 🤣

6) Prosciutto 🍖

No. Just no, take that f*cking devil dandruff away from him. Not only he can't handle spicy food, he hates it from the bottom of his heart! This includes both ethnic and italian foods, his refined palate only allows sophisticated and delicate flavours inside his mouth....and then smokes Malboro but that's beside the point! You'll never even see Prosciutto eating spicy food...but if you do prepare to see him run to the bathroom to throw up.

7) Ghiaccio 🧊

Tastebuds of a 3 year old child? Y e s!

Ghiaccio can't even SMELL the chili powder in the air that he starts gagging and caughing like crazy!! Even pepper has to stay away from his plate, and no joke he'll straight up punch you if you even dare to put something like that nearby his plate. And yes, he is the poor guy who went to the ER after tasting formaggio's food; apparently the nurses were afraid cause he looked like a rabid dog screaming blasphemies, crying, salivating and spitting....not a good sight at all.

In conclusion, Ghiaccio will have " spezzatino e polenta " grazie~

Pesca has the highest tolerance of the group, the boys saw her eating whole chilis like popcorn and were kinda freaked out 🤣

[modern-inheritance]

WIP Game Response

Buckle up buttercups!

@demiaseranmage tagged me in the game below, and I didn't want to clutter up the thread it was in so I've plopped it all here. And when I said it's gonna be messy, I just meant there would be a lot. It's actually really a good thing for me to scroll through everything and see what's been left on the backburner! So thank you for the tag!

Rules: Make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! Then tag as many people as you have WIPS.

Here we go. In NO particular order, but grouped by the variety of docs I contain them all in…

Shorts 2:

Denial (requires a better title but I enjoy thinking about Egypt when I tinker with it)

“We’re finding workarounds, focusing on healing things to the state they are now rather than a full renewal. That’s not caused problems yet, but it’s…trial and error.” “Oh?” “...He thought he killed me the first try. Both of us had a bit of a breakdown.”

Short Shorts:

Again! (a frequently revisited concept that has never born actual full stories or shorts)

Voluntary Recall

Vanir

Nerves (kinda abandoned ages ago)

Standalones/Standalone documents w/ a single concept:

AXF First True (the spicy!) DONE!

Wardbreakers

Invaders Story Bits (the animatic which had to be abandoned due to file loss!)

EXA Attempts (continuously revisited as the fancy strikes)

For a Future Story

Debrief

Escape pt 2

MIC Gil'ead Bits (frequently revisited, where I keep all the actual Gil'ead stuff and concepts rather than the flashbacks and Recall episodes)

Short (this is just a random collection of bits and pieces of the time directly before Arya leaves, drawing in Brom, Oromis and Glaedr and later Rhunön to the family drama)

The Meadow (I’m not sure I like the direction this was going now that I’ve looked at Arya and Fäolin’s relationship again, but it’s a concept I will revisit I’m sure)

Fireside (holy shit I forgot about this one it’s just bits and pieces of dialogue from what I wanted to do for the MIC version of the fireside chat Eragon and Arya have in Brisingr surrounding Fäolin, her experiences in Gilead, etc. and I’mma have to look at this again later.)

Things not yet in a document:

Arya vs Unkie KiKi

The origin of Arya’s stomach scar, and the potential issues it brings up with a LOT of things but I need to do more biology and healing research

The joke of how Arya got her eyebrow scar, because hell if I know where she got it, and she ain’t tellin’ ME either!

Glenwing’s encounter with the Forsworn trained group that left him his facial scars

Eragon’s first facial scar and him wanting to keep it

Haircuts. Soooo many haircuts. 

What happened in Thornwell/Brom’s rages

So. Many. Magic system. Concepts!

The Wolfcats/Squaddies and the adventures Arya has learning to adapt like the humans do

Arya, Squaddies and The Tank

Sabotage Runs/No Man's Land Hauntings

A subset of dwarf music that is musically similar to our Bluegrass but with a bit more rough Appalachian style (thinking ‘Devil Wears a Suit and Tie by Colter Wall) and the pop of a lil bit of rough swing (‘Old man of the mountain’ by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) and instead of being called ‘Bluegrass’ it’s a genre called ‘Slate.’ Because blue slate, bluegrass, slate is commonplace in some metamorphosed areas in the mountains…. Look I have a geology degree, I need to use it for bad jokes sometimes, and I’d love to see if this wild mix of styles would fit together musically one day.

So many interactions between Arya + Fírnen and Murtagh + Thorn. 

JEsus chrIST, Arya’s buried self hatred and guilt issues, especially surrounding Selena’s boys and their dragons

Brom’s own feelings of guilt around Arya’s imprisonment despite both of them knowing full well that he couldn’t have done anything but put himself, Eragon adn Saphira in danger if the ‘rescue’ went any other way.

‘Suffering’ from EPIC the Musical being inspiration for Arya having an induced and influenced hallucination by Durza ending with a similar vein of ‘[Arya] Fine, but only if you answer a question or two/ [Durza!Glen-Fäolin mix]: of course!/  [Arya, with a bared tooth smile] What’s my name?’

THERE ARE SO MANY MORE I PROBABLY CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER I HAD

There is so, so much of MIC that is never shown to y’all because it is never developed past the concept or in-the-brain stage, or it just falls apart, or I hit a wall, or the mojo disappears and i’ve lost the spark for that idea and can’t bring myself to just word vomit it out into the blog because I had/have a decent story set up and waiting. 

I don’t really have anyone to tag really. Not right now, but I’m definitely saving this for a new thread one day to ask all my friendly chatty people. Y’all can ask me about these, literally ANY of them. Because if you don’t there’s a fair chance they won’t ever be completed lmao.

[jean-dieu]

For the KC Ask Game!

Raphael: 8, 10, 11, 29

Lazare: 2, 5, 10, 20

Ziel: 10, 12, 14, 19

Nym: 19, 26, 27, 29

Damn spyri, that's a lot of asks hehe. Thank you so much ! (Since there's no universe were I could picture Nym being the KC, I've chosen to answer his questions on other characters :))) RAPHAËL :

8. What do they desire the most?

Answered there!

10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?

Hmm... Though choice. Raphaël enjoys good food, but he's not very picky. Anything well cooked and tasty enough will please him. However, I'd say the spicy pastry will be one of his favorite as he really likes anything spicy really. And because it's funny: The Demon Slayer Soup, something he refused to eat as a kid because soup=yucky ... Until his mother started calling it "Demon Slayer Soup", then he was sold, and he's still into it as an adult. "Eat your soup to grow big and strong to fight demon" He remembers his mother's words every time he eats one.

11. For martial KCs, favorite weapon? For spellcasters, favorite spell?

Answered there! (short answer: scimitars of course)

29. What would their domains be after a potential ascension?

Answered there! (short answer: Martyrdom, Self Sacrifice, Duty, Devotion)

26. Did they separate from any companions? Why? (Consider killing a companion too for this question)

Wenduag and Camellia. RIP to both but Raphaël doesn't have time for your bullshit.

19. How did they feel during their time in the Abyss?

Out of place. He was miserable. Being Lawful Good in the Abyss was hard enough like that, but Raphaël is a hell-spawn, his tiefling heritage coming from Devils and not Demons. At best, he has ties with a Lawful Evil plan, and being in a Chaotic Evil one was hard for him. His Lawfulness his natural to him, and his Goodness is an ideal he sets from himself, striving to become a better person everyday. Being in the Abyss was a challenge for him as he was trying very hard to not just lash out at every scenes, actions, events he deemed terrible.

LAZARE :

2. How do they feel about Areelu Vorlesh?

Answered there!

5. Do they have a family? If so, what kind? Do they miss them? Do they still have hope to see them again?

Lazare is the son of a noble Chelish man of the Jeggare family and an Andoren half-elf prostitute.

Of course, he wasn't really planned. His mother was even in denial of her pregnancy until his birth. Not being in the right state of mind to raise a child, but still not wanting to abandon him, she and her colleagues decided to raise the child together.

So... Lazare was raised in a brothel by 12 women, all of them being his mother in his eyes. He's very closed to them, and he misses them dearly. Despite his surroundings not being a suitable environment for a child to grow up, he considers his childhood to be a happy one as he was loved and cared for, and he longs to come back to see his peculiar, not-so-little family again.

By the way, he only learns as a young teen which one of his mother was his biological one, and he didn't take it very well at first, feeling like he's been lied to. However, he has long learned to accept the truth, and understand his bio mother's choices, and he's just glad everything turned out well in the end.

10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?

I really think Lazare has a special feat called "sugar rush" that gives him bonus when he has just eaten sugar. He's really into anything sweet, so I'd say the Blazing Parfait and the Skullberry Pie!

20. Which event of the crusade traumatized them?

Answered there!

27. Favorite animal companion?

All of 'em! Lazare has place in his heart for all kind of animal companion… But he can't help but have a bit of a soft spot for the pipefox. It's just so goofy.

ZIEL:

10. What would be the meal that give them a little ability bonus?

I'd say a good Midnight Soup as it would make him feel all cozy, and an Acorn Pie as it would remind him of his father bringing him a lil pastry after his Church's office.

12. What is their alignment, and why? How do they feel about it? Do they change alignment at one point?

Chaotic Neutral. Ziel's very focus on his own survival, and he's just hoping to manage to get through his problems unharmed. He stopped believing in justice, laws, institutions and government when he was a teenager, and he's now often purposefully and almost out of spite causing chaos around him just to piss off guards and all. A "No gods, no kings, fuck you all" and "fuck it we ball" kind of mentality. He starts out very neutral, not very keen on helping people unless it really doesn't ask much. But really, he's just trying to survive in a city that's very hostile to him, and despite having been raised an Abadarite, he grew very bitter, even hating the church of Abadar after what they did to his faithful father.

He will not change alignment, but will go from very neutral to good leaning. I can't portray him as switching to chaotic good as he's still very much interested in the well-being of his closest friends and companions more than in the fate of the world, but he grows softer and more ready to help, leaving his older bitterness behind him and starting to embrace being a nicer person overall.

14. Which companion is their closest friend?

Ziel has always been quite a lonely boy as a whole. Not much friends as a kid, even less as a teenager as he was purposefully acting like a prick to push people away ("They can't hate me for what I am if they hate me for what I do"). It will probably take time for anyone to bring the tiefling out of his spiky shell, but I could see Sosiel managing to. Offering to paint his portrait would just make him laugh at first, thinking the cleric is just messing with him, but when he understands he's just being honest, he'll realize Sosiel just sees him as anyone else, and it's nice for a while. Sosiel would be like a big brother to him... And Seelah would be the big sister. He's essentially a little brother going through a phase, just needing a bit of help to become a better version of himself. He'd go along well with Woljif for OBVIOUS reason, as he would be the one endorsing his terrible ideas. Oh, and despite the lack of formal education past a certain point, Ziel's a very smart and curious lad, and he LOVES pushing Nenio as far as he could, ready to make things explode for the sake of "science".

19. How did they feel during their time in the Abyss?

Not good at all, and it's mostly because they're a pitborn tiefling. Ziel constantly felt like the Abyss were bringing the worst of him, and driving him crazy. Also, Ziel doesn't have much answer regarding his heritage. No one really does, anyway, or they never told him. His birth was a surprise, albeit an unpleasant one, but still a surprise. He doesn't know why he's a tiefling, and why he's ... Quite peculiar even among his own kind. He just settled for the explanation of being some kind of residual product of the corruption of the WorldWound despite feeling like it couldn't be just that. Like Woljif, being in the Abyss brought him the answers he never had and was desperate yet scared to have. Ziel learned his peculiar appearance and lack of information was due to the fact he's merely an experiment of some abyssal scientist who was messing around with demonic blood, mixing them before forcing it into an unborn infant to see what such a weird combination would produce. Ziel will kill them out of rage, and will be very close to lose his mind at such a revelation, feeling like he's nothing more than some messed up experiment, barely a mortal, and not even really his father's child.

Eventually, the only one who will be able to get him out of this state will be his father who will assure him that he really, really doesn't give a shit about it all, and that no revelation could erase the years they spent together and the fact he raised him.

29. What would their domains be after a potential ascension?

Misfits, Self-Determination, Individuality, Standing up for yourself, Perseverance. Ziel's journey is mostly about becoming proud of who he is and stopping to self-sabotage himself. He stops hoping for acceptance among people who will never accept him, and instead embraces who he is. He stops pretending to be someone he's not, both accepting his qualities and his flaws, and he learns to accept his more vulnerable side. After ascension, he'd be a figure people cast aside from society for any reasons could look up to, encouraging them to not look down in the face of adversity and to never settle for less, as well as pursuing their dream, fighting back, demanding to be shown respect, and reclaiming their place in the world

[esoterium]

Tag Nine People You'd Like to Get to Know Better!

I was tagged by @illustrious-beauty

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑(𝐒): dark/deep teal (think that deep blue green color in crystal clear lakes where it gets really, really deep), green, purple, burnt orange

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑(𝐒): i used to love spicy stuff but not so much anymore. lately i've been sticking with savory flavors or tangy stuff. i do love an occasional sweet, though! especially this time of year.

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂: the cure, blue october, him, peter murphy, bauhaus, siouxsie and the banshees, tori amos, my chemical romance, pink floyd, matchbox 20, florence and the machine, mumford and sons, afi, type o negative, lady gaga, heilung, nine inch nails, grateful dead, dave matthews band, lots of broadway, skid row (sebastian bach only), danny elfman, johnny cash, eminem, post malone, ozzy osbourne, um.. i really really love music so it's hard to pick. the cure's my favorite band of all time. blue october and him follow really close. same as peter and mcr. all the other ones are loved and there's like a ton of others i could list but i'm cutting myself off. rofl!

𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: congratulations by blue october

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐄(𝐒): ghostbusters, beetlejuice, sinister, the devil's rejects trilogy by rob zombie, dracula, interview with the vampire, clive barker's lord of illusions, the greatest showman, american psycho, moulin rouge, insidious, silence of the lambs, the conjuring, psycho, night of the living dead, quills, deadpool, captain america: the winter soldier, iron man, captain america: civil war, thor: ragnarok, what we do in the shadows, step brothers, elf, get out, warm bodies, renfield, the matrix, shaun of the dead, and so so many more. lol!

𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐄: bram stoker's dracula (again)

𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒: dexter (we ignore that wtf lil season they put out a cpl years back cause no), the walking dead (kinda the same anything after season 9/10 cause wtf), sons of anarchy, true blood, x-files, six feet under, bates motel, hannibal, criminal minds, ahs: murder house/asylum/hotel, glee.

𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒: sons of anarchy (again)

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆: about to start dracula 2013 (slipped away from me once before so starting over) and prolly penny dreadful, otherwise not currently watching any series. only murder docs for sleep. :X

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆: does partners threads count?

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍: keeping my sanity through a bathroom remodel and threads.

Tagging: anyone who follows me. cause lemme learn more about ya! just tag me so i know ya filled it out!

[arjaandsimoni]

The Devil in the Details

Sammi’s Apartment, a Hollow adjacent to Covington Kentucky

Stephy blinked slowly, surrounded by softness. He heard voices, but he couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. He reached up and felt over his throat, hissing in discomfort as he felt bandages under his fingers, then raised his arm shakingly to see his wrists, seeing the same, before letting it fall back down to the mattress with a flop.

He saw something move out of the corner of his eye, then turned to see Grabkins the goblin standing there with a red potion in a glass bottle. He almost started, until he recognized it was a decoction of hedge fruits rather than blood, then nodded and opened his mouth for it.

The goblin pulled out the stopper, holding the bottle so the liquid flowed past Stephy’s lips, and he slowly felt life return to his limbs. It wouldn’t heal him right away, but it would speed things up so that his recovery would take days instead of weeks.

“Glad ta see yer back with us Princess.” nodded the goblin as he let the bottle drain, then took the empty vial away and walked around the corner to where the bar area was. “M’lord. Yer sibling is awake.” he called around the corner.

The voices stopped, then two figures walked into view. Prince Samuel was there in his usual finery, the changeling boy looking satisfied and more than a little relieved (though he was trying not to show how much.) The other one however made no attempt to hide their emotions.

Tex quickly walked to his bedside and knelt down next to it, the young man wrapping his arms tightly around Stephy as he took a deep breath. “Thought we’d lost ya’ll fer a minute there lil’ filly…” he whispered.

“Oh come now Prince Cowboy. Astaroth was clearly intending to use Stephy’s blood for his research, he wasn’t about to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Still, taking all that blood did you no favors my dear…” chuckled the prince ruefully, sitting on the bed next to Stephy, “You blacked out in the back of Tara’s truck halfway back to Covington… yesterday.”

Stephy coughed weakly. His throat still burned where the iron had touched him. “… did Mom get him?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

Sammi frowned and shook his head. “Mother has her agents scouring the area, but he has gone to ground. A vampire and a mage, he must have had several boltholes prepared in advance. Truly I have rarely seen her so furious. I almost pity Astaroth once she finally catches up to him.” he grinned wickedly at the thought.

Tex released Stephy and straightened up, his hand going to the fae princess’ as he gave it a squeeze. “I sure as heck don’t… after what he did to my Stephy I was ready ta stake th’ fucker myself.” he growled.

Stephy shifted uncomfortably as he felt the raw emotion coming off Tex, Sammi whistling and fanning his face, “Oh my… you may want to turn that down a hair, Stephy’s constitution isn’t what it normally is right now.” he warned.

Tex hesitated, then saw Stephy’s reaction and winced apologetically, taking several deep breaths as he tried to calm himself down. In his weakened state Stephy’s changeling nature would try to harvest whatever glamour it could to restore himself, but emotions that ran ‘hot’ like anger wouldn’t exactly be easy to handle right now. Like eating a plateful of spicy food after suffering a stomach virus.

 “Shit… sorry darlin’… I’m okay now… just… when that thing grabbed ya ‘n ran inta th’ sewers…” he shuddered. “I’m alright! I’m alright…”

“… Its okay Tex…” whispered Stephy, his eyes still showing a deep bone-tiredness as he lay there, his voice raspy. “… but… I heard something in his lair… I know the name of the new prince…” he glanced between them.

Sammi raised his eyebrow, “Oho? Do tell my dear…” he nodded, leaning in as Grabkins returned with a fluted glass full of what looked like some sort of champagne for the prince, though the bubbles formed complex patterns in the liquid rather than simply going to the surface.

“That’s great news darlin’… if we know who he was as a human, we might be able ta find somethin’ to use against him!” grinned Tex.

Stephy shook his head weakly, “… guys… he might not have been human… Astaroth said his name was… ‘Al…’” he gasped out.

There was a tinkle of glass and a splash as the champagne glass fell to the floor from Sammi’s suddenly numb hands, the princeling’s eyes wide as Tex’s eyebrows rose so high they threatened to vanish into his hairline.

Tex and Sammi shared a look, then Sammi nodded, “Go home, wake Natasha and Nicu, and call Nelen. NOW. Grabkins and I will tend to Stephy’s wounds.”

Tex nodded, then gave Stephy’s hand a squeeze and leaned in, kissing his forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I can darlin’.” he whispered, then he jumped up and ran to the door, throwing on his coat before disappearing out into the snow. He wanted to stay by Stephy’s side badly, but there was only one Al they knew of who could cause chaos on a city-wide scale like this…

About an hour later, Jaipur India

Nelen had his phone pressed to his ear, the mage still in just his pajama bottoms. It had been nighttime on that side of the globe, and he had been in bed. He was annoyed to be woken up, but as soon as he heard that name, he was wide awake!

“Tex, you’re CERTAIN that he heard this guy call the new prince that?!” he demanded, “From what you said Stephy was really out of it, he might have heard wrong…” he warned.

“Dammit Nelen I know mah filly wouldn’t say it unless he was sure!’” came Tex’s voice from the other end.

Nelen scowled, his palms beginning to itch where Merihim’s old scars were. He knew that it was likely he could have escaped the Wild Hunt, or at least survived the attack to some level. Even if they did kill him they wouldn’t have ‘killed’ him, just destroyed his corporeal form and sent him back to Hell. He always knew, deep down, that he wasn’t finished dealing with his demons yet.

Nelen scowled, then glanced towards Arja and Simoni’s room. “Look, I’ll have to convince Arja to come. If I come without her then the first damn stalker who shows up is going to get char broiled and as much as I would REALLY love to see that…” he took a deep breath and sighed, “… it still counts as murder.”

As he said this he became aware of something near his legs. He looked down to see a small girl with long black hair and one huge green eye looking up at him, the child wearing a purple cotton pajama set. She looked like she could be about three or four years old, though in truth she was only one year so far. ‘They grew up so fast’ wasn’t a metaphor with her species it seemed. They likely had to grow up fast to survive in the old days and it just never changed for their biology.

“Poppa?” asked Scylla sleepily, rubbing her eye, “Why yellin’?”

“Hang on Tex, gotta be a dad.” he said, then Nelen knelt down and put his hand on her head, stroking through her hair. “Grown up stuff kiddo, go on back to bed or your mom will give us both a smack. Don’t worry, dad’s got this.” he nodded with a smile to his daughter, then looked around and saw a pair of eyes in the corner watching them. “Hey Midnight, can you keep Scylla company until she falls back asleep?” he asked.

The eyes vanished, and then a Cheshire kitten with all black fur appeared sitting atop Scylla’s head, cocking its own head at him, then nodding. Unlike Dawn and the rest of her siblings, Midnight rarely talked and was easily the best at turning invisible on demand out of the others. Scylla giggled at the kitten, then picked her off her head and held her in her arms as she nodded at her father, then walked off back to her bedroom.

Nelen smiled. Scylla was a literal monster to raise, half-human and half-cyclops but with a Fullmoon’s genetics. They didn’t know if she was going to wind up like Simoni or Loren yet, she was still very young, but even if she didn’t inherit the physical prowess of the Clan she had her mother’s muscle… and yet there was never a time she treated the Cheshires with anything but the utmost of care and gentleness despite her ability to already punch holes in walls without trying.

… then he stopped smiling as he remembered what had almost happened to her, and what his haste and desperation to contain Merihim nearly caused. He put the phone back to his ear, “I’ll be there. Might not be for a couple days, but I’ll get Arja to come if I have to drag her by the scruff of her godsdamn neck. If this is Al then we need to shut him down, hard.”

Sammi’s Apartment, the Next Day

Stephy was sitting up in bed now, still looking weak but doing better than he had been. While his life hadn’t been in any danger Astaroth had taken a lot of his blood and the iron burns were certainly not helping matters.

Sammi had to return to Arcadia to obtain the incense burners that had been used to restore him when they discovered his unusual condition. Sammi was not like normal changelings. Most were taken by the Gentry as adults, or at least older children, but Sammi was snatched right out of his cradle as an infant.

Growing up in Arcadia made him more powerful and knowledgeable than the average changeling, but it came with a price. Having lived there so long, his body was now dependent on the glamour of the realm to stay alive. He could manage time in the mortal realm as long as he had a steady source of glamour and access to his apartment, which existed partially inside the confines of the Hedge, but he would have to regularly return to Arcadia or risk losing his powers, and eventually his life.

Sammi was well over a century old now, as far as he could tell, and his unnatural youth required the magic of Arcadia to keep going.

The incense burners were set on either side of the bed Stephy occupied, a sparkling blue smoke drifting lazily up from them. The smoke smelled of pine and spruce, and of something he couldn’t quite place… a nostalgic smell that smelled different to everyone and spoke of precious things lost and the memories they left behind.

Stephy took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, the bags under his eyes had shrunk from before and the bandages had been removed from his wrists and neck, though the skin there was still noticeably red. “So, you got through to Nelen?” he asked Tex.

The cowboy nodded, “Yeah, as soon as I told him that it could be Al he was all in. He says he gotta get Arja out here too so it might take a few days to convince her, but he ain’t gonna leave this one lie.”

Stephy nodded, “Good… that’s good…” he sighed, “Because we’re going to need him. Both Astaroth and the Monster got away, and they know who and what we are.”

Tex sighed, “Yeah… but… we’ve got a few backup plans. Mom is heading back to Texas now.” he nodded as Stephy looked up at him quizzically.

Tex grinned, “She knows she can’t stay with all this shit goin’ on, especially now that th’ vampires know where we live. She’s called into th’ school citing a family emergency and is flyin’ back out to Grandad’s ranch today, ‘n ‘we’ll’ be going with her.” he nodded.

They looked up at the sound of footsteps to see Sammi walking into view, the fae princeling wearing an elegant blue dressing gown and holding a glass of something probably quite alcoholic, and possibly hallucinogenic. “The ‘you’ that are going with her are two of my goblins, glamoured to look like yourselves. Meanwhile, you two will in truth stay here so we can prepare our own battle plans.”

“Mom ain’t happy ‘bout leavin’ me behind… but… well she knows damn well I ain’t gonna abandon ya’ll.” nodded Tex, giving Stephy’s hand a squeeze, “But she’s got nothin’ of her own ta fight with besides a pistol, ‘n those vampires can dodge bullets.”

Stephy nodded at that, the princess settling back into the pillows as he took another deep breath of the glamour infused incense, feeling a tingle of power going up and down his limbs. It wouldn’t be much, but the idea was that it would restore him gradually as his body recovered enough to allow it.

“Speaking of, we need to deal with those four that are either pulling the Prince’s strings or believe they are while Al manipulates them…” nodded Sammi as he sat down at the foot of the bed. “Astaroth is not an option for us yet. If mother’s agents cannot find him I daresay we’ll not be able to, and Thomas and Walter could be anywhere… nevermind that we don’t even know what Walter looks like… which leaves…”

Stephy winced, “The Mill Creek Monster…” he nodded. He was not looking forward to fighting that thing again.

“Quite… that one however, I was able to track down…” grinned Sammi, “My goblin Reynard was quite eager to redeem himself after showing up here battered and bloody, so he led a scouting party to this Mill Creek and…” he chuckled, “While he certainly had some comments to make about the smell, they are reasonably certain they have located where his haven lies.”

Stephy sat up at this, then winced and leaned back again, “Really?” he asked.

Sammi nodded, “Oh yes. Reynard is an expert tracker, and whats more… there were no guards. No ghouls or anything. Perhaps a creature like him does not want them, or perhaps he can’t find any potential recruits that won’t just run away screaming.”

Tex nodded, “So… what’ll we do?” he asked.

Sammi leaned back and took a drink from his glass, shivering a bit at the heady concoction as it went down his throat. “Mmnn… well… Natasha and Nicu will mind your home for now… but while they wished to assist, I suggested that we make a go of it with just Lupe by our sides. Now that we know where he makes his lair, we can strike him at a time of our choosing…” he grinned, “… namely, daytime.”

Tex grinned back, “I getcha… stake th’ vampire while he’s nappin’!” he nodded.

Sammi chuckled, “Correct. If the vampires are watching us, and we have to assume they are, they’ll see Tara leaving town and ‘both of you’ going with her. This will get their guard down. They’ll believe you are fleeing rather than face them.” he nodded, turning to look at Stephy, “That gives us time for your recovery from what Astaroth did to you. Once you’re at full strength again, we make for Mill Creek and sort out our rodent problem.” he grinned.

Cincinnati Ohio, a hidden basement beneath the Hilton Cincinnati Hotel, that night

Astaroth paced the room, grumbling under his breath. Not only was his main haven compromised, but he had also lost all his tools of research and most of his sire’s stockpile of blood. His backup haven under the Hilton had really been meant to be more for when he couldn’t make it back to Ft. Mitchell before sunrise, but he hadn’t expected to need it to become his main hideaway.

There had been a couple mirrors hanging in the haven. He had taken a hammer to them as soon as he’d arrived and melted the shards. Unlike the legends, vampires could see their reflections by and large and it helped to sort out a knot on a necktie... though some couldn't. Natasha couldn't due to her own shadow manipulation powers causing light to behave oddly with her (she also couldn't show up on cameras either, or at least not well.)

“Blast it all… a changeling whose keeper came to their rescue? I’ve never heard of such a thing! Normally the idea of seeing that creature again terrifies them.” he scowled, compulsively touching his pendant. “A mortal enemy I could wait out, go into torpor if I must… but an immortal faerie?” he sighed, “Well, if nothing else, my ghouls can at least gather as much raw iron as they can, and one of them works for that machine shop on Steger. They should at least get me SOMEthing…” he nodded to himself.

He sighed, then gasped as he felt a chill breeze, his head snapping around until he saw the vent in the wall. The heating system for the hotel had kicked on, but it wasn’t producing warm air yet. Astaroth frowned, gripping his pendant. He hoped his agents had gotten word to Walter. They may need his strength soon.

Next Story

Previous Story

[rainbowcarousels]

5 and 11 for the writer ask thing 😊

What's something you've researched but haven't incorporated into your fic?

I do a lot of spicy research so I know what I think peoples kinks and fetishes are so I can use them as and when without needing to research it at the time. However, I usually end up using aspects of it so I'm not sure it counts. What would be new for Armand in the Devil's Minion era is probably the most recent one? Like finding out that he probably has no idea first hand how tomatoes taste was a wild ride.

For FF7, I did a ridiculous amount of research on bird wings (because for those unitiated, the chaotic redhead over there literally HAS a black wing rather than Marius being a dramatic lil shit about it) but I'm neurodivergent. The amount of times I have fallen down a rabbit-hole of research could result in a ridiculous amount of fic.

Is there anything important in your fic you think readers have missed/overlooked?

I know this is probably VC focussed but man there is one thing in JBSWM that no one has ever noticed and that is that my mega chapter for Halloween has a countdown to meeting Jenova. It counts from ten down to one across the 25k or so words of it and it's subtle, but I thought it would be a fun thing to put in there.

In VC, I think it's that Daniel only ever mentions one social media (instagram) and there is a reason for this. This is because I knew I wanted Louis at some point to introduce him to facebook and have them both find it really funny that Louis knows more than he does about something modern, though how modern FB is, that's debatable. I just think Louis probably posts like a plant mum and joins goodreads groups, so it's his social media of choice. Another part of it is that the books exist in universe and I don't know what Daniel would make of twitter opinions or tiktoks about the important people in his life, though I do feel like since Tumblr is so down with monster fuckers, he would be right at home here. The important part being that in the stars verse, at least where we are, he hasn't read Blood & Gold yet and in the words of River Song, spoilers!

[twilightmalachite]

Love Letter - Prologue 2

Author: Umeda Chitose

Characters: Yuuta, Hinata

Translator: Mika Enstars

Proofer: Kirin

"I mean more than that, though. We’re regarded as one of the strongest units now! Don’t you want to show that off too?"

Season: Autumn

Location: Yumenosaki Academy Garden Terrace

Hinata: What for lunch today… Should we make our own food instead? What do you think, Yuuta-kun?

Yuuta: I already bought a meal ticket for the super spicy mapo curry! Topped with hot chilis…♪

Hinata: Bleh. Just hearing that made my mouth hurt…

I’ll get a pork curry with grilled veggies, then.

…Anyways, isn’t it shocking that there are doubts about holding Chocolat Fes?

Yuuta: It’s insane how things happening in a country we don’t even know is affecting our idol activities.

Hinata: Funny, it does make you think how the world is so connected~, huh. Welp, it really gives you a new perspective of things…

So Chocolat Fes will either be held like it was before, or it will have to go under some changes.

Being the one of the strongest units, shall we consider which path we’ll go with?

Yuuta: Yes, indeed. As one of the strongest units, asked personally by the student council. ♪

Hinata: It’s next year, there’s still time left until then. Though, since we just heard about it, how about having a lil’ brainstorm over Chocolat Fes during our meal?

Yuuta: Even though nobody knows of the morrow, won’t the devils laugh?[1] Though I guess just thinking about it is fine. We can come up with some ideas as we talk.

Hinata: Okie~! ♪ Lemme go first, then.

Chocolat Fes is an event where you make the audience happy and deliver love from the idols, right?

That’s why I think the most important thing is to get as close as we can to those who came to the live shows, to reach their hearts. Thoughts?

Yuuta: To keep in line with the spirit of the event? I think it’s good, but doesn’t that seem like something a newbie unit would be doing already?

It’s their first participation in Chocolat Fes, they’ll stick to the general gist of the event without doing anything too bold.

Plus, Chocolat Fes is an event where even AKATSUKI does fanservice on the stage, any unit would just be following suit.

If possible, I wanna think of what only we can do. I want to think of something that can only be done by us, because only we can do it.

Hinata: Hmm… But even if we do something similar, don’t you think we’ll be able to give our performance our own unique oomph?

Yuuta: I mean more than that, though. We’re regarded as one of the strongest units now! Don’t you want to show that off too?

Like putting together a luxurious set, like Valkyrie does! Wowing the audience with a spectacular performance unprecedented in the history of Yumenosaki!

Hinata: …Let’s talk about somethin’ else real quick. The topic being, how to solve the sweets conundrum!

Yuuta: If it’s possible, I want to avoid using sweets other than chocolate as much as we can, otherwise Chocolat Fes will lose its flair.

The image of chocolate is so strong at this point, if we switch to another candy, it’ll probably have a huge impact on the event… or something?

Hinata: Sure, we’ll decide on something new, but… Chocolate is for Valentine’s Day! When you think of chocolate, you think of Valentine’s Day!

Yuuta: Honestly, wouldn’t the easiest way to get chocolate supplied be to just disregard the relationship between Yumenosaki and the manufacturer?

Hinata: Maybe. Vice Prez has no connection at all with Yumenosaki, so if we ask him, we might be able to get some cacao supplied in secret through a different route.

But something like that would be a shameless way out. We can’t, it wouldn’t give a good impression to the rest of the students…!

Yuuta: Man, but we’d just be procuring chocolate at the request of the student council. I want them to praise us, saying we did a good job~!

Hinata: …Oh, how about preparing chocolate-scented cards? We could write letters on them as messages!

Delivering feelings to your fans is perfect for ChocoFes…♪

Yuuta: I see where you’re coming from, but isn’t that a bit too pathetic? It seems no different than something a freshman would do.

I wanna do something more flashy, something the strongest unit in Yumenosaki would do!

We’re the only unit enrolled in Yumenosaki that’s also affiliated with CosPro, after all…

I wonder if we could put our all into a pitch to the agency to get the Vice Prez’s cooperation and some extra funding?

Hinata: What would you wanna do with the agency’s help and an increased budget, Yuuta-kun?

Yuuta: Well, umm… Uhh… So we could make a luxurious set, or something…?

Hinata: Yeah, you mentioned earlier about a luxurious set like Valkyrie’s. What else were you thinking?

Yuuta: Urggh… I still have to come up with a concrete idea of what I wanna do for the stage and set.

Hinata: So all your ideas are still as soft as marshmallows, huh…

We can’t seem to find anything we can agree on here, can we? I feel if we keep going, we’ll just be stuck in a loop of not coming to a conclusion…!

Yuuta: I feel so too. And our curry will get cold at this rate…

Hinata: Then without further ado, let’s dig in! There’s still time until Chocolat Fes, who knows what’ll happen ’til then.

We’ll just have to keep our ideas in mind, and we’ll talk about a plan as we find out more!

You’re right. The fact we have differing opinions right now doesn’t mean we can’t eventually combine our individual thoughts together.

Hinata: That’s true…

Well, come to me if you run into any trouble with planning or getting approval from the Vice Prez! I think I’m a bit more experienced with those sortsa things.

Yuuta: Yeah, yeah. As we’d expect from our ever-so-reliable unit leader.

…Alrighty, let’s switch gears and eat! Sorry to keep you waiting, my super spicy mapo curry…♪

Hinata: Me too! Time to dig in~, pork curry with grilled veggies…☆

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Referencing the saying “speak of next year and the devils will laugh”; basically “speak of next year’s events when the next year comes”. A similar English saying is “don’t count your chickens before they are hatched”, except on a year-by-year basis.

[madchild-dennis]

Now Episode 4:

You know if they didn't push them so hard, they would be the glue that help make that monarch relevant. But they pushed and pushed till they pushed them out. (Their loss). Now watch God push them out too 🤣🤣

Awww I'm glad she was happy and calm

I definitely remember watching the wedding and the guests arrive. Oh yea I was surprised there was a black pastor. It definitely felt more spicy and less bland.

Oh YEA THE GOSPEL CHOIR!!!

I definitely space out after they reach the alter until the pastor, and the Gospel CHOIR of course.

Oh wait I think I didn't watch ALL of it just the walks and guests and and the highlights. Timezone difference I guess. But I think I'd be working. To can catch it.

Yea MEGHAN was PERFECT for tha family in EVERY WAY! She was what would make them relevant. But SIGH!!!!

Oh my heart. I didn't know about that fire. Especially knowing the fact that there were complaints ignored that caused so many lives lost and lives displaced. Sigh. 😢😣

Oh sounds VERY FAMILIAR!!!

They are threatened so they try to box you in or make you irrelevant. Did it with Diana who did NOT have a husband beside her to fight with and for her and now M but she has H. I wonder if that's where my parents GOT their rule book. No wait that sounds like if its not the royals who they got it from it must be the TRUE MASTERMIND (he isn't even a mastermind just a copy and paster and think it'll work again) behind it: THE DEVIL. The devil isn't even that smart to do something new when trying to whisper in these people ear about trying to take down someone. Like NOT ONE CREATIVE BONE 🙄😑

Bruh I remember when it happened an Di saw the articles and the ones showing the ridiculousness.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 bruh the DEVIL IS NOT EVEN CHANGE THE WORDING...They dubbed her the Antichrist or a version of it too? 🤣🤣🤣. The DEVIL is so NOT creative. Bruh and these people who let the Devil use them are SOOOOO CLUELESS. My gosh man.

Yea we saw it too.

😢☹️😟💔

I love Doria man 😢

Awww don't worry Harry we forgive you and you should too. I bet if they fought from inside then there would have been more problems.

I agree Harry. TAKE THEM THE FUCK ON!!! FIGHT THEM!!!

Nope they didn't care to stop it.

I wanna hear this, BECAUSE I REMEMBER hearing about a feud over and over again about the brothers and their wifes. Especially,

I want friends like that 🥲😢...sigh

Awww I remember the tabloids reveal she was in NYC for the baby shower. Sigh. Awww. They completely shattered such a beautiful thing.

Awww

Awww H looks so happy. About his baby boy.

Yes, normal people WAIT until the parents are READY. I remember reading articles commending it though. Because of health or how comfortable the mothers are or not are right after birth. But I also get it from in the ancient days. Because they wanted to SEE that the Monarch is still fine. That the new heirs were born healthy and the wife aren't lying to the King or the royals lying to the masses. You know how they were were like especially Edward VIII chopping off heads and fighting for the throne 🙄.

Oh yea I remember that 🙄🤦🏾‍♀️. Sigh.

Yesss he's HER baby.

Awww. The nanny seems so FUN.

Awww look at Archie

Awww I love the nanny.

He's so cute. Cute lil Archie.

*applause* ok Maya Angelou

Oh yea the first time we saw Archie in public.

Oh yea I remember this. The interview we all see it. And how relieved that someone was asking if she was ok. We all saw it in Canada 😢😭

Yea we saw it. #WELOVEYOUMEGHAN

I remember this.

Now with everything I feel it even more than just being a new mom. Because of EVERYTHING she was going through PLUS being a NEW mom. 😭😢

Yea tabloids were NOT speaking for us. The masses.

😅 I love the song/instrumental at the credits...YOU DON'T OWN ME!!!

[muraque]

How will your First Date with your FS will go?

Pile 1 -

(The Moon, The Fool, The High Priestess, The Wheel of Fortune, The Chariot, Justice)

I think on your first date with your FS you will be very hesitant, almost feel nervous to the point that you feel "something would go wrong" ? , this date might have been planned out suddenly after you guys have been talking for a while and like they asked you out and you immediately said "yes!" (u might have been the one to actually were waiting for them to ask u out xD), but i would say both of you will be innerly panicking from heart attack. And i'm seeing that you are checking yourself infront of the mirror every minute if your clothes are okay or if your hair looks messy? (look don't worry, your FS will love you from the minute they saw you, they don't care whether you wear pj's that night, they would be pleased neither way) . This will happen when two of you are in the beginning stages of your relationship, i feel like you'd change how you'd actually see relationship because of this person... (very good healing is what i seee) oh and i would say i'm getting this vibe that you guys would go to this expensive restaurant,riunion or even to someone's birthday ! when i was channeling i was totally getting this scene from Spy x Family (episode 2 ) where it is called "Securing a Wife" XD. And be sure to respond to their energy and to their text, talk back because even if you seem seem to be enjoying the date i see you that you are not saying much, almost presurring yourself not to say much because you would make a mistake .... no no no, this person would actually prepare even a month before they ask you out, even their friends know that they had many sessions to build their confidence to go to you. They would protect, care and improvise they would really lookout for you, they want you to feel safe but they would be on their head lot about if they've done something wrong because you'd be really making them anxious on the date xD, be sure to be open with them honeyyy----

Pile 2 -

(The Tower, The Chariot, The Hanged Man, The Sun, The Stars, The Judgement)

It seems like your date with your FS would be boiling spicy !, i'm hearing that this date is going to be filled with so much adventures ! they wouldn't even give u a time to think when it comes to asking you out? (They'd be like "hell yeah, you need this grab my hand") it's like you are making a deal with the devil somehow hahahha, they'd be very attentive to your needs like i'm getting that vibe where they'll be eyeing on every little thing you do (lil stalkerish but also i'm getting that they try to control or manhandle situation so you need to draw boundaries with them at that part) This makes me think you guys would be going to somekind of party, event, bar even to rock concert ! (take it as how it goes with you), and more specifically Coachella vibes ... like your spouse wouldn't just plan to stay one day w you, they will plan whole travel or even a get-away to just to see you happy (and be with you more days ahem)... Man this dude is so workaholic to the part where you get stuck if they really need you or so ? :(, it's like they are doing all this so they can actually provide for you, they've grown up in a family that didn't gave them all the basic needs and love they wanted so they love the person how they want to be loved. That's why they are so much into the idea of having so much fun w you !,

Pile 3 -

(8 of wands, Ace of wands, 6 of wands, 8 of swords, Knight of Cups, 6 of pentacles, The Emperor)

Weww, Your FS is someone who you can depend on...like i can see you straight going back to your home to spill some tea about what happend during your work/school and they will be in all ears. like you guys love speaking ear to ear to each other, like it is screaming to me have chaotic yet chill you guys can be. But on your first date i get that you guys like to wear something casual daily but for this occasion definitely seeing you two dressing to impress. those gold earrings, black suit (dress) is gonn make everyone's jaw drop to the point they can't look away from you guys. So i see that you guys would be going on museum, art, performance (I'm getting Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake to be specific). After the whole thing i see you looking at your spouse with Shrek cat eyes like "i'm hungy" like this person gets you, understand you at another level to the point they will be prepared(provider alertttt). They'd be flipping their car keys like "MCDONALSS?" sheesh... they love you in every moment, like every strange or flaws you may have they'd be appreciating every piece of it. (I'm getting big SHAWTY I got it, y'know)

Pile 4 -

(Knight of Wands, 8 of swords, The Hanged Man, 3 of wands, The Emperor, The Strength)

YOO, i think Your first date with your FS will be so sudden that it wasn't actually a date in the first place?, like you guys will be at this riunion of work meeting or christmas party everyone you know will be involved somehow and someone will be hitting you on you significantly by making a move like, getting you a drink, giving you things and your FS is pissed like really pissed because even if they respect you and look at you from afar they see you in uncomfortable situation where the person hitting on you can't leave you alone. They'd be really coming in swooping you away, like gentleman/graceful woman way... like they'd introduce themselves to you and offer you to stay with them ... AND WHAM... like you'd be very interested like they'd be your new sunlight, star you'd look up to ... they are very career focused and you guys would start talking about the work/school or anything you'd be interested in and from that part you guys might ditch that place go somewhere else.... hahahaha like (what kind of korean movie is this?) This relationship will be filled with full of respect for each other, like you guys click right on from the start, like if u had to murder someone they'd be right back at ya with a shovel (i'm kidding) ....

[delirious-donna]

Who's your King? [Shikamaru Nara]

an: the lovely @uchihabbynic asked for a Shiki story with some fluff or angst, I decided to give you both!

pairing: Shikamaru Nara x female reader s/o

warnings: SFW, angst, lil hurt/comfort, grieving, dark emotions but with a happy ending, I promise

Masterlist

It was that time of year once again.

You didn’t need a calendar to know which date was fast approaching. It was easy to tell from the flip of a switch attitude change from your man.

Shikamaru went from cool as a cucumber, ‘let me rest in peace, you pest of a female’ to moody, withdrawn and downright rude.

You understood – you really did – but it was still hard not to take his vicious comments to heart. He had always been a sharp-tongued devil, his words were chosen with expert care and he rarely said anything he didn’t mean, but this was different.

This was not Shika teasing you about your tastes in movies, rolling his eyes at being coerced into watching yet another ‘bullshit’ animated story meant for children, as he so callously said. Nor was it him biting back at your attempts to embarrass him in front of his friends. He had an amazing knack for turning the cute fluffy stories you told of him into debauched snippets of you melting at his feet because of said fluffiness.

You could practically envisage the snide smirk as he takes a drag on his cigarette. His dark eyes alight with humour as you wish for a hole to open in the floor to swallow you up. The shared laughter of Ino and Choji is enough to make you groan and slap a palm to your face.

Shikamaru was always doing this to you, making you squirm in embarrassment until he was reaching an arm around the small of your back. Tugging you into his side where you could hide your flushed face in the crook of his neck. The familiar smell of his tobacco along with the spicy body wash he used settled the worst of your shyness but turned it into something else entirely – something warm and fluttering.

He knew what he was doing, Shika wasn’t known as the lazy genius of Konohagakure for nothing. He was already calculating at least fifty moves ahead of you. Likely determining exactly how he was going to make you scream his name when you both crashed through the door to your shared apartment later that night.

But, it wasn’t like that, not this time.

Crash!

The sound of many things smashing into the wall of Shikamaru’s closed office made you jolt upright. The tell-tale clatter of shogi pieces clattered to the floor along with a strained curse from the raw throat of the man hiding himself away. His way of trying to protect you from his wrath.

He would never hurt you, not physically. The raven-haired male was deathly afraid of saying something he would later regret. Priding himself on never acting rashly, at this time of year, he couldn’t count on his mental fortitudes to stop himself from letting loose the bladed words from his lips.

It wouldn’t be for the first time that he found himself begging for your forgiveness. The mere sight of him on his knees, hands grasping at your waist, his anguished face pressed into the softness of your stomach and the way his voice tried not to break as he spoke, it was not something you liked to remind yourself of.

Shikamaru was the strongest man you knew, he trembled before no foe but he had cowered at the thought of you leaving him. It reinforced why you had fallen in love with him in the first place. He was the sweetest, most caring person in your life but to outsiders, it was hidden beneath the thin veil of his indifference.

A veil that served to protect him.

Within Shika beat a tender heart, one that valued actions over mere words alone and left him vulnerable to those who might act to hurt him. Only those closest knew the true Shikamaru Nara, the man that would go to extreme lengths to ensure the welfare and happiness of his dearest and nearest.

You were lucky enough to have been granted access behind the mask, and now you sat squarely in the centre of his heart. He told you that you sat atop a gilded throne, untouchable on your mighty pedestal and you melted at the sincerity of his words. They were infrequent, those soft words, as he chose to demonstrate his affection through his actions instead but you remembered them well – they were branded into your memory for all of time.

Knocking softly at the door, you waited but no answer came. Your hand lingered on the handle before pressing down and finding no resistance. You took the fact that it was not locked as an invitation to step inside.

The room was dark despite it being the middle of the afternoon, the heavy drapes pulled haphazardly across the windows behind the desk that you knew rather intimately. You stepped gingerly around the littered shogi pieces, yet your eyes never truly left the frame of Shika seated in his chair.

He looked a mess.

His head lifted from staring into the depths of his desk and you almost gasped at the haggard condition he was in. Darkness crowded under his rich chocolate eyes, evidence of how little sleep he had managed these past few days. His ebony hair, normally held tight in his trademark ponytail was loose around his shoulders, it was lank and clearly hadn’t been combed in a while. Tightness stretched the skin across his bones, highlighting his cheekbones and making him look gaunt and haunted.

It all clenched at your heart. Shikamaru was suffering and he refused every offer of help.

“Leave me alone,” he said, voice hardly above a low whisper and refusing to meet your eye.

Anger prickled at your flesh, the sensation springing to life seemingly out of nowhere to take root deep within your soul, spreading with hastened steps to your extremities.

A torrent of fire burned in your veins and stung your muscles. The pit of your stomach was a writhing mass of angry snakes, each with their own desire to lash out and bite at the person you claimed to love above all others.

Your face twisted into a scowl, absolutely furious that he would bat away the comfort you longed to gift him with. There was no need for him to suffer alone – he wasn’t the only one suffering – this was selfish and you had had enough.

“How do you think he’d react if he saw you like this?” you shouted, not caring for the shrillness of your voice nor the volume.

“You look like hell Shikamaru and I am sick of this bullshit. This whole ‘I am alone, no one else is hurting as much as I am’ shtick. It’s pathetic! You were not the only person to lose him. What about Choji and Ino? Kurenai? What about me? I teach Murai for fuck sake, I look into the face of Asuma every damn day and I miss him too.”

The pained expression on his face spoke volumes; your words had found their mark and sliced into that precious tender heart without thought for how he would react. All that worry over him hurting you and instead, you had practically stabbed him in the gut, each word twisting with intent to cause maximum damage.

A hand flew to your mouth as you recoiled from your own words.

Eyes that were glazed with tears watched you take the two faltering backward steps to reach the door. He swallowed loudly, mouth set into a grim line as if desperately trying to hold himself together and his fist tightened around the familiar silver lighter held in his hand.

You ran.

~

Darkness crept over the neatly maintained grass, the colours of the sunset shone upon the memorial stone that you couldn’t properly look at. Too ashamed to face him, even though you should. You should be apologising to the man that had lost his life before his time.

You missed him.

It was impossible not to, even though you had not been as close as Shika had been. Asuma held a burning presence, you always knew when he had entered a room and he had always been kind to you.

Now here you were sobbing in front of his grave at having made his most talented student look at you with such torture in their eyes. You were meant to protect him from that, not cause it.

How were you ever going to look at him again? Would he end things knowing now that you were nothing but a heartless shrew?

So much pain, so much heartache and what bothered you most was that the majority of your thoughts were about you, not about the memory of Asuma. It wasn’t right, and you had had the nerve to call Shika selfish.

A throat being cleared shook you from your miserable reverie. Glancing over your shoulder, Shikamaru stood, watching you with an undefinable expression.

His hands were deep in his pockets as he looked down on you. You swallowed past the sudden lump in your throat.

He had cleaned up, showered and shaved away the dark stubble that had lined his cheeks and chin only hours prior. The downy soft strands of his hair were secured within his ponytail once more, and he wore a clean outfit - grey denim jeans, a white t-shirt and a black hooded zip-up sweatshirt.

“Thought I might find you here,” he drawled.

Shika braced a hand on the ground before lowering himself to sit near you, not touching as would have been normal but close enough that his hand could reach out if he so wished.

You said nothing, not knowing what you could even offer at this point.

The familiar sound of the silver lighter being flicked open repeatedly filled the silence.

“You were…” he hesitated for a second, “not wrong.”

He held up a finger, putting an immediate halt to the words of denial that were on the tip of your tongue.

“I was acting selfishly. I know that I’m not the only one who misses Asuma.”

Shika’s hooded gaze strayed to the memorial behind you, he tipped his head as if bowing in reverence to his departed sensei.

Cool fingers brushed against your wrist, rubbing where your pulse beat erratically. He was sitting directly in front of your face before you could blink.

He regarded you with a soft smile, a thumb reaching out to wipe away the tears you hadn’t realised had resumed falling from your puffy eyes.

“Decided to visit Ino and Choji,” he looked away with a slight grumble, “they agreed with the little speech you gave me. In fact, Ino was probably even more ruthless than you were.”

“Shika, please,” you groaned in shame.

“Went by Kurenai’s house too, we’ve been invited to dinner so you best stop your tears soon. I’d like my pretty, happy girl back, please.”

You hiccuped at the plea, at the slight tug on your wrist. His chest was warm as he enveloped you, the spicy scent of his skin tickling your nose in such a soothing way.

You didn’t deserve this, he should be mad instead of comforting you.

“I’m sorry,” he said with his lips against your temple.

Cutting across his words, you stammered out, “It should be me apologising, I said some horrible things.”

He laughed, a dry chuckle that was likely accompanied by a roll of his eyes, except you couldn’t see them as he held your head to his chest.

“Will you ever let me finish when I’m talking? You’re such a troublesome woman.”

You smacked at his arm, the lightest of taps and yet he still dared to let out a feigned ‘ouch’, making you giggle.

“Mm, least I can still make you laugh,” he murmured into your hair.

It was nice sitting here with him, back in the place you had longed to be for days. Content in his arms until he offered you Asuma’s lighter to hold.

“You remember what I told you Asuma-sensei said to me before he died, about how important it was to find out who your King was and to defend it at all costs?”

You nodded, letting your fingers curl around his bicep as he spoke. The feel of the heavy cotton grounded you, along with his heat and scent.

“Well, for Asuma it was the children, especially Mirai and I vowed to protect him in Asuma’s stead. But, I’ve been thinking in these past few days.”

He paused for a moment, clearly collecting his thoughts as he watched you turn over the silver lighter in your hand.

“I agreed with him, children are the future and should be protected so they can flourish into a strong and healthy next generation. Yet, I think I have my own King now, someone that means more to me than anything else.”

Shika’s finger tucked under your chin, lifting your face so you were looking at him. His lips were inches from your own, minty breath washed across your face and your lids fluttered slowly at his closeness.

The kiss was bittersweet, a reunion that was tinged by sadness given your location and the reasons that brought you to this moment.

“You are my King, and I will never lock you out again. I promise,” he whispered.

The light was mostly gone by the time you had composed yourself.

More sweet kisses were shared and happier memories of Asuma were told. You both offered your respect to his memorial, lighting a last stick of incense before you tucked your tired body into the side of Shikamaru.

Your fingers interlinked as he guided you back into the heart of the village, heading towards Kurenai and Mirai’s house.

“I assume you still plan to watch over the children and Mirai?”

He scoffed, “with your help, of course.”

“Hmm, smartass,” you cooed, lifting to your tiptoes to press a kiss to his nose.

“You got that right.”

[nabesthetics]

“The ghost is gone, but I am still haunted”

*switches from thirst to angst to a sprinkle of softness on top* Parkour!

800 words of complicated post-route Dragoat feelings. You could say Alastor is having a hard time.

A lil spicy, but nothing actually happens, much to Lucio’s frustration.

(also I haven’t written anything in a while so this is more of an attempt to stretch that creative muscle)

---

“Luci–mmmph!”

Alastor could barely finish muttering out Lucio’s name when the man’s lips were on his, the clawless golden gauntlet on the back of his head holding him close. There was an urgency, hunger to the kiss, the kind of passionate need of someone reveling in every hasty touch and muffled moan. Alastor was pleasantly surprised to discover that Lucio did not seem to tire of him as quickly as he anxiously anticipated.

Instead, some of that hunger felt stronger with each passing day.

With a quiet growl that made Alastor’s blush spread all the way to his neck, Lucio pushed him to sit down on the bed of their now shared guestroom, immediately settling next to him, any moment of separation seemingly unbearable. Even through two layers of clothes Lucio felt hot, almost feverish against the magician’s body that was still recovering from a fight that decided the fate of the entire world. His mind was foggy, nearly drunk on his partner’s intoxicating scent. Alastor didn’t know what to do with his trembling hands, eventually burying his fingers into smooth golden locks when Lucio pulled him into another, open-mouth kiss.

Then another.

Then another, until both of them were out of breath, needing the air but unwilling to part any more or any longer than necessary.

Alastor had no idea if his own kissing was even any good. It was all new to him – on practice, anyway – the movements, the tongue, a few brief playful bites – a trick he admittedly picked up from Lucio himself. For a rare blissful moment he didn’t care, only reaching out for more.

But no matter how badly he yearned for that “more”, when Lucio’s right hand slipped under his shirt, the sweet fog of want in Alastor’s mind began to dissipate. No matter how good Lucio’s mouth felt on his neck, the thoughts returned to him one by one, a barrage of doubts and fears haunting him like another, much more malicious ghost.

This won’t go well. He won’t be satisfied with me. I look like a mess. I don’t really know what I’m doing. He’s got experience with people who look better, feel better, are better. He expects more.

When Lucio pushed him down further onto the bed-cover, an obvious erection pressed against his thigh, all Alastor felt was a cold pit in his stomach.

I’m not enough.

“L-Lucio– w-wait, please…”

“Whuh??”

His shaky voice must’ve given away his distress because in a moment Lucio propped himself up on the alchemical arm, breathing heavy and brows furrowed as he was searching for something on the magician’s face.

“Are you hurt?”

Ever fretting since Alastor collapsed in the crimson halls of the Devil’s realms. Oh how he wished that fatigue or pain would be the only thing making him pull away from his confused almost-lover. Alastor couldn’t hold eye contact for long and turned to stare at a wall as he carefully sat up, embarrassment and guilt quickly setting in.

“No, no, I just… I can’t do this,” he cringed slightly instantly after saying this, realizing how bad it sounds. “I-I mean, I can’t do this… now? Yet? Sorry.” he sighed the last word in frustration, struggling to explain himself.

Wrapping his arms around himself, Alastor risked a glance at Lucio, who looked a bit like he was presented with an advanced alchemical puzzle together with a refusal.

“You don’t want… sex?” he asked, as if the sole notion was hardly comprehensible to him. Alastor felt like there was something else hidden in the question that sounded a bit more careful than usual, but he couldn’t determine what it was.

Alastor shook his head, taking a few attempts before he could muster an answer.

“I– N-no, it’s not— It’s not that. I’m…”

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment. He couldn’t explain everything that was going on in his head – some parts he barely understood himself. The feelings of being insufficient, the disconnection and disdain he sometimes felt when looking in a mirror, the exhaustion from nightmares during the nights and worse memories during the days.

The fears of this relationship not lasting. Of it being fake.

“I’m not ready. I need some time, that’s all.”

Lucio was always terrible at hiding emotions, disappointment and frustration definitely not being exceptions. Still an attempt was made with an uneven smile and an arm around his shoulders, slowly easing some tension from the magician’s body with a simple touch.

“It’s fine, Al.” For once, Alastor appreciated the lie. “You don’t need to look this miserable about it, you know.”

The magician let out a short startled laugh – he must have resembled a sad kitten at some point, it wouldn’t be the first time Lucio made that comparison. Seeking comfort, Alastor uncoiled his arms from himself to wrap them around Lucio instead, careful to avoid frustrating him further. For now, simple physical closeness had to be enough.

“Y-yeah, I know. I’m s— thank you.”

[just-a-creep-babe]

I'm back?? Creeps with a really go with the flow, devil-may-care, Not afraid of death, Chill SO? [EX: *meets creeps* Wow, okay, this is my life now I guess. || Same stuff as always! *helps hide body* || You wanna fly into the Bermuda triangle and live to stream it? Heck yeah, she'll bring spicy sour patch kids. || Don't worry! I'm still in shock! Can't feel a thing! || '*does something stupid* we survived? Brilliant. Love it when that happens. ] Thanks!♡

~Requests are closed but commissions are open~

Masterlist: x

Slenderman

Jfc—why?

He’s already worried about litcherally everyone else in the mansion, now you too?

He is Quite Concerned™️

Lowkey more concerned for you over the others but that’s a given tbh

Honestly questions how tf you’ve manage to make it this far without dying

He makes it his personal mission to keep you safe at all costs—no matter what

So on the bright side, you sort of inherit this ancient eldritch being as a personal bodyguard!

But on the not-so bright side, said being just doesn’t let ya have any fun around here >:/

Will physically restrain you from doing something stupid so you don’t get caught up in anything dangerous

Starts considering giving you a curfew or smthg because even he can’t keep up with the stuff you get pulled into

But he respects you too much for that, ofc, so he just begrudgingly accepts that you’ll keep doing you—no matter how irresponsible or dangerous it might be :”)

Still loves you despite the heart attacks you nearly put him through every other day :)

Jeff the Killer

This 👏mans 👏will 👏love 👏you 👏forever 👏

At first, admittedly, he’s a teensy bit put off by your nonchalance because how can someone actually be that laid back all the time??

But once he adjusts to it & realizes that you aren’t, in fact, faking it for whatever reason, he’ll be completely & utterly enamored with you

Like,, he can do a bunch of stupid shit & drag you along into it & you won’t freak out??

Sign 👏him 👏up 👏

Loves not having to worry about you sanity tbh—there’s no need to hide all the dangerous crap he does because he knows you won’t worry ^^

And homeboy most definitely will take advantage of your go-with-the-flow nature

He’s got a taste for danger & doing stupid shit—how could he not bring you along with him?

If/when y’all get caught & put in trouble tho, he’ll take the blame so that you don’t suffer for something that was most likely his idea

Jeff? Doing the right thing? It may be more likely than you think 🤔

It still sometimes unnerves him just how chill you are with everything, but hey, he can’t let you outdo him in badass-ness, so he’s guaranteed to incite plenty of chaos to prove himself; it’s bound to be an exciting time uwu

BEN Drowned

Oh he is sO down

One of the perks of being dead? He probably can’t die again

So there are absolutely no limits to the insane shenanigans he’s willing to pull off

The fact that you’re just as down to clown makes thing so much better

It gets to the point where someone constantly needs to keep an eye on the both of you so you don’t accidentally end up dying

Cause BEN (and bless his soggy soul) as much as he loves you, tends to forget how fragile human beings can be

So it’s up to the others to make sure your lack of self-preservation doesn’t get you killed

But your fearlessness & nonchalance is like a breath of fresh air!

Things can get a teensy bit boring when you’re immortal, so he’s more than happy to have a badass s/o by his side who’s down for pretty much anything uwu

Y’all get into a bunch of stupid, dangerous & probably illegal shit—but he wouldn’t want it any other way 😘

Eyeless Jack

Similar to Slendaddy, this mans is Concerned™️

He will constantly check you over to see if you need to get patched up because he knows you’re a danger magnet

But at the same time, he doesn’t wanna be too overbearing

Like he definitely has this live & let live mentally (prolly in part due to his diet) so he‘ll try not to bring up too often how nervous he is about your safety & well-being

You’ve accepted him as he is, part demon and all, so he feels like he owes you the same

Even if it does scare the shit out of him because my god what have you gotten yourself into this time??

He’s kinda like a worried mom tbh—he’ll pack you up a lunch & send you off with a “be safe, don’t do anything dangerous, say no to drugs,” and stuff, even despite knowing you probably won’t listen

Homeboy just wants you to grow & experience the world for yourself :”)

Still, he’ll ask the others to keep an eye out for you & to not put you in too much danger

And he’ll totally sometimes follow you from the shadows just to make sure you’re staying safe skdjsjdlsjl

He’s a protective demon boi, what can I say? :)

Masky

He’s,,,, pretty impressed actually

Thinks your nonchalant attitude is kinda badass

Of course he still gets worried, but he’s also prone to forgetting how fragile most people are

His pain tolerance is pretty dang high, so he doesn’t always realize certain things can hurt normal people. Badly

He’ll feel super bad if you get injured with him, but at least homeboy will try to make it up by giving you plenty of sweets & cuddles uwu

He might try to give you a stern talking-to so that you’re more careful, but he knows it won’t stop you from being you

Still, overall, he thinks it’s pretty sweet that you’re down for, like, anything

Will probably wanna take you with him for jobs sometimes—just cause he can & it probably won’t traumatize you too bad :>

Just don’t tell slender

Thinks his bold little s/o is damn cool & lowkey brags abt you all the time uwu

Hoodie

He thinks it’s pretty funny lmfaoo

Is torn between being worried & wanting you safe while also desperately wanting to just be like “fuck it” and do a bunch of stupid shit with you :”)

Will probably take advantage of how you don’t worry much to tag you along in his shenanigans

But at least he’ll make your safety & comfort his utmost top priority uwu

Honestly, he admires how chill you are with shit that’s pretty traumatizing—it’s almost funny that you’re just as brave as he is, considering his line of work and all

It’s,, kinda intriguing to him; homeboy will maybe wanna psychoanalyze you a lil 👀👉👈

You’re just so interesting, he can’t help but be a smidge fascinated 👁👄👁

Really wants to be able to make some good, wild memories with you <3

He’s honestly the perfect balance of protective & adventurous at the same time

Just wants to please his little s/o and keep them safe & happy while fulfilling their need for wild shenanigans :>

Ticci Toby

Oh boy

He is the same

Together, y’all are chaotic af

The creeps know not to leave you unsupervised because shit will go down

The utmost chaotic duo in need of constant watching over & patching up ngl 😅

Seriously, the others are damn near always worried about babysitting you two because you’re both danger magnets

And it doesn’t help that Toby has no concept of danger and/or pain

He’ll try to be super sympathetic if/when you do get injured, but poor boy will be clueless af as to how to help

So more often than not, he’ll end up using himself as a human shield to protect you from danger to make up for it

Either way, y’all get into so much shit, it’s unbelievable

Kinda perfect together but like,, in the worst of ways lmfaooo