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fangirls-fanfiction · 5 months

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Chapter 15 hehe

♦️𝙻𝚞𝚌𝚒♠️

The sisters slammed the door open, making Porkrind jump from the nap she'd been taking while waiting on customers.

""Porkrind!"" The sisters said in unison.

"Cup-brats..." She rolled her eyes, leaning her head on her hand. "Come back to annoy me after being gone for three months?"

"Has it really been that long?" Cuphead asked, picking Lucas up from getting into things.

"Yep... Too bad, isn't it?" Porkrind's eyes rolled to the ceiling. "What's with the mutt?"

"He's our dog! Isn't he cute?!" Mugma'am ruffled the tuft of fur on his head.

"Strangest dog I've ever seen. Do they usually come with horns?" She asked skeptically.

"Uhhhhhh..." Cuphead looked to her sister for help, Mugma'am quickly changing the subject.

"We need dog food, a collar... Uh... That kinda stuff. Do you have anything?" Mugma'am quickly asked.

"Nope." Porkrind answered immediately.

"Could... Could you check?"

"Nope."

"Come on, Porkrind! You gotta have something!" Cuphead whined.

"Isn't there a pet store in the city? Like, away from here? Where you can't annoy me?"

Cuphead grumbled, Mugma'am placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Queen Dice didn't specify we had to shop at Porkrind's." She said as quietly as she could, though it proved to be quite fruitless.

"That scamming pain in the ass sent you? Where exactly are you two staying?"

"Uhhhhhhh—"

"That's not important, Porkrind, we'll get out if your hair." Mugma'am pushed her sister toward the door.

"You know what, girls, why don't I go check and see if I can find something for your sweet little pup, and we can make a deal."

"Uh—"

"Ok!"

"Cuphead I'm not too sure if we should— "

"Don't worry, I remember what Dice told me, I won't let her scam us." Cuphead whispered, excitedly heading back inside.

♠️ ♠️ ♠️

Somehow, at some point, Old Scratch and her right hand woman ended up on the lounge in the demon's office. Sharing a drink, it surely helped with the Devil's nearly blown circuit. She leaned her head upon Dice's in complete tranquillity, even so, something was on her mind. Something she was just so unsure of.

"Dice... You know they're going to find out sooner or later, don't you...?" Lucifer asked, keeping her eyes glued to the bourbon in her glass.

"Who will find out about what, honey?"

"That lady at the orphanage. She's going to find out that I lied... Hell, we can't keep this from the girls. What am I supposed to do? Ban them from going outside?" The Devil frowned.

"You've grown to care a lot about them, haven't you?" Queen Dice teased, though the Devil didn't find it very funny.

"Answer the question, Dice."

"Right—" Dice cleared her throat. "Well, we're always here if they need us... They know that. And I'll fight that woman and win if she comes by again— And you know I would."

"Yes, but that is how it works... They're 17 with no caretaker..."

Queen Dice shifted positions, the Devil sitting up to look at her girlfriend, the woman blinking as she pondered. She sipped at her drink, stringing together a plan. Her green eyes looked to her Boss as she still pondered.

"What?" The demon tilted her head.

"I'm just thinking... You know, the girls have made home here..."

"Dice." The Devil warned her.

"If they're up for adoption... I mean... I don't see why we couldn't." Dice continued.

"Dice you're not serious, are you?! Wh— Why would they want to stay here?" The Devil asked.

"I'm just sayin, maybe we could... Y'know... Keep them... Just a thought..."

"Dice..."

"Oh come on! Don't tell me you haven't thought about it! Not even once?!"

"Of course I've thought about it! But... I dunno..."

The office door swung open, grabbing their attention.

"Cuphead! We can't just waltz in like we own the place! You gotta knock!" Mugma'am scolded her sister.

"Oh... Right."

"Did you get all you needed?" Dice held her hand out for her change.

"Yep! And I even have change!" Cuphead smirked proudly, reaching into her pocket and handing Dice a single one dollar bill.

"That's it?!"

"Hey, you didn't specify how much change you wanted." Cuphead placed her hands on her hips.

Queen Dice grumbled, unable to argue as she did not in fact give the sisters a specific amount of money she wanted back.

"Porkrind scammed you, didn't she?" The Devil smirked.

"She didn't scam me!" Cuphead frowned.

"Yes she did." Mugma'am rolled her eyes.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not—"

The sisters suddenly stopped at the sound of a low growl as the Devil gripped the bridge of her nose. They knew very how easily the demon's anger could get out of control.

"The Boss has had a rough day, why don't you two go downstairs and... Do something." Queen Dice said calmly, the girls nodding as they left the Devil's office.

As the door clicked shut, Dice turned back to the demon. She sighed, leaning her head in the woman's shoulder as she stared at her drink, running her finger around the rim at a slow pace.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just... Overwhelmed..."

"Well, we don't have to do work for the rest of the day if you'd just like to relax." Queen Dice put an arm around her girlfriend.

The demon looked up at her, pausing as she made eye contact with Dice. Blinking, she didn't say anything, but she didn't need to;

"Or if you want some time alone, I can leave too."

"Noooo." The Devil whined quietly, burying her face in the crook of Dice's neck.

"Ok, ok, I won't go..."

Queen Dice pondered at what she could do to help cheer her up. Looking around the room, Dice's eyes fell on the demon's desk. Piled with endless paperwork in an unorganized mess, Dice could see how it could be overwhelming at times. She couldn't help but think that even just looking at the desk made the Devil feel overwhelmed and frustrated.

She pulled the demon closer to her, placing a kiss atop her head. The Devil's tense body immediately relaxed, shifting slightly to sit in a more comfortable position, still sitting right next to her girlfriend.

♣️ ♣️ ♣️

The sisters didn't speak one word to each other on the elevator ride down. Both because they were simply upset with one another and the fact that they felt guilty for making the Queen of Hell's mood even worse.

"How do we always manage to make things a million times worse?" Cuphead sighed as she once again tossed the puppy's toy for him to chase.

"We don't always make things worse... Do we...?" Mugma'am asked.

"Maybe it's just us... Elder Kettle didn't like us fighting, neither do Dice and Devil." Cuphead crossed her arms, ignoring the puppy when he brought the toy back and dropped it.

"Well, that's just it," Mugma'am picked up the toy and tossed it, the dog barking happily as it ran after it. "Maybe it's just because we fight so much... We can't seem to agree on anything."

"That's not true! You're the one that doesn't..." Cuphead stopped, Mugma'am frowning. "I guess we do fight a lot..."

"Let's promise not to fight as much." Mugma'am held her hand out to shake.

"Fine by me."

They both looked over the to Hellevator, Henchwoman walking out and sighing rather loudly, unknowing that the sisters were right in the throne room. Taken aback by seeing them, she immediately attempted to look more positive and optimistic.

"Is everything ok, Henchwoman?" Mugma'am seemed to have noticed before she hid it.

"Who? Me? Absolutely! Things couldn't be better than... Than they are now..."

"Something's wrong, and I think I know what!" Cuphead smirked.

"No! It's not what you think! I swear I'm happy for them! S— Sure I love the Boss, but I would never want her to be unhappy and..." She stopped, judging by the sister's facial expressions, she was quite off about what she thought they meant.

"What...?" Cuphead looked at Mugma'am. "I just thought you were tired from work. What are you talking about?"

Henchwoman froze in place, she was completely petrified. And the worst part was, she had no idea how to get out of this situation. She'd always been bad with secrets, even her own, she'd always wished she knew how to lie to people as easy as her boss could.

"Look... I'm... I swear that I'm happy for the Boss and Miss Queen Dice but... I... I..." She drifted off, sighing as she glanced back to the ground. "Being around the Boss for thousands of years has given me a chance to really get to know her and... And appreciate her... And..."

Two loud gasps got her attention as she drifted off once more.

"You're in love with her, aren't you?!" Cuphead asked, giggling.

"Th— The Boss?"

"You can tell us, we won't judge." Mugma'am spoke sincerely.

"I— I mean she's... She's wonderful... Sure, she doesn't have a very good understanding of emotions and how her actions can affect others... But... I dunno, there's something about her that... That I can't help but like..."

"Like or love, Henchwoman?" Cuphead snapped, getting annoyed.

Panicking, Henchwoman looked between the two of them, trying to find a way out of this. With no way out, she buried her face in her hands.

"Henchwoman, just answer the question!"

"Cuphead stop!" Mugma'am took her sister by her shoulder. "You're— We're upsetting her."

Cuphead opened her mouth to argue, Mugma'am frowning, reminding her of their deal. They turned back to Henchwoman, the purple imp uncovering one of her eyes when she noticed they weren't yelling at her anymore.

"You don't have to tell us, Henchwoman." Cuphead sighed. "We're sorry."

Henchwoman uncovered her face completely, sighing as her gaze fell to the floor.

"We shouldn't have pressured you to tell us what had happened. That's your business, not ours." Mugma'am went on.

"Yes." Henchwoman blurted out, quickly covering her mouth to stop the words from tumbling out.

The sisters gasped, turning to look at one another before turning back to Henchwoman. They both smiled, getting excited much to the demon's dismay. She frowned, creasing her eyebrows as she lowered her head. The sisters frowned, realizing the exact circumstances.

"Now she'll never know cuz I was too much of a coward to tell her before..." Henchwoman spoke bitterly.

"Is this why you've been so down?" Mugma'am asked.

"Is it obvious?"

"Yeah kinda."

Mugma'am elbowed her sister in the ribs, Cuphead glaring at the other.

"I guess I'm just upset cuz I know I'll never have a chance with her now..."

"Hey, don't be sad, who knows, maybe you'll... You'll find someone even better than the Devil." Mugma'am tried to lift her spirits.

"That shouldn't be too hard." Cuphead mumbled.

"Don't be rude." Mugma'am snapped quietly back.

"Thanks girls, but I think it's a lost cause... Love just... Isn't somethin that works out for me." Henchwoman shrugged. "But let's get somethin straight, you two don't tell The Boss or Queen Dice about this, alright?"

"Tell us about what?"

The three of them yelped, turning to face Queen Dice, who had just exited the Hellevator with the Devil.

"Nothing!"

"We weren't talking about anything!"

"Who's Cuphead?!"

Queen Dice raised an eyebrow, looking between the three of them. Smiling sheepishly, the three others stood in uncomfortable silence as they stared up at the other.

"Alright, you three obviously don't wanna tell me, and I'll respect it." Queen Dice rolled her eyes as she and her girlfriend headed down the hallway to the Devil's bedroom. "The Boss and I will be back later."

When the door clicked shut and they were completely out of earshot, the three of them sighed, relieved that they seemingly hadn't caught the whole conversation.

"That was a close one..." Henchwoman sighed. "Anyways, you two had better not tell the Devil 'bout this."

"We won't." The girls said in unison.

"Swear it."

The girls hadn't exactly ever seen or heck, even heard Henchwoman get angry before. Even with her boss. For someone who spent most of her time with the literal Devil, she didn't seem to lose her temper or get annoyed with her as Queen Dice or even the sisters did. There didn't seem to be one mean bone in Henchwoman's body. Seeing her get angry and upset at her secret potentially getting revealed was definitely surprising and a little unnerving.

"We swear we won't tell!" Mugma'am threw her hands up in defense.

"Yeah, we'll keep your secret."

"Good... I don't know what I would do if she ever found out... Now I have to go finish my duties for the day."

The sisters watched Henchwoman slump out of the room and down the hallway, off to do some of her many chores for her Boss.

♥️ ♥️ ♥️

“Uhm… Ruby…?”

“No.”

“Diamond?”

“Surprisingly, no.”

“Hmmm… It’s a gemstone that’s cherished… Can I have another hint?”

“Really?” Queen Dicr stopped playing with Lucifer’s hair momentarily, receiving quite a spit frown from her. “I’d give it away if I gave you another hint.”

“Pleeeeease…?” The Queen of Hell looked up at the woman from her lap, giving her the very best puppy eyes.

“Ugh, fine. It’s blue.”

“Uhhh… Agate!”

“No.”

“Aquamarine?”

“No.”

“Sapphire?”

“Bingo! There ya go!”

“Yay! I win!” The Devil laughed. “So that’s your middle name… Queen Sapphire Dice. I’m still surprised it’s not Diamond.”

“Well… I supposed it’s because that’s my mother’s middle name; Duchess Diamond Dice.”

Lucifer snickered again.

“What’s so funny?”

“Her initials… Are— Are D.D.D.” She giggled, covering her mouth in an effort to be quiet.

Queen Dice rolled her eyes, smiling while she shook her head.

She once again stopped playing with the demon’s hair, moving to her face, moving her hair out of her face. All the while her Boss just kept on giggling about Dice’s mother’s initials.

“I take it this is helping your stress?”

“It is… Thank you… You’re so smart, Dice.” The Devil reached up and cupped the other’s face.

“Anytime, Dev.”

The Devil paused, lowering her hands in thought.

“What? What is it?”

“Can I tell you something, Dice?”

“Sure, anything.”

“So… Back when I was… Y’know…” She drew a circle above her head in the air to represent a halo, Dice nodded, immediately understanding. “Anyways, I was… I was referred to as Lucifer… But I also had nicknames back then… Sort of like I do now…”

“Where is this going?”

“Everyone close to me back then called me Luci… No one’s called me that for eons…”

“Not even Henchwoman?” Dice tilted her head.

“No, not even Henchwoman.” The Devil shook her head.

“It’s a shame… It’s a pretty name…”

“Uh-Huh… So… I just wanted to say… You… You can call me that… If you want to.”

“What? Luci?” Dice asked.

Lucifer smiled, a tear forming in her eye before she quickly wiped it away. Sighing, she closed her eyes.

“Yeah…”

“Alright then Luci, you beautiful, beautiful being.”

Luci chuckled, her eyes still closed.

“Luci, my love.”

#welcome back to the casino au #fanfiction #cuphead au #genderbend #humanized au #the devil cuphead #luci morningstar #queen dice #devildice #cup sisters #cuphead #mugma’am #henchwoman #porkrind #<< she’s in there just a lil bit #tw angst

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chevvsgotanumbrellatattoo · 3 months

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Aces

Story Technicals:

-Synopsis: The Boys try to use their powers on you, to no avail. Little do they know, you are Ace.

-Written in second person for inclusivity of all kinds! :D

-Slightly excesssive use of italics because that's apparently how I write emphasis *vampiric shrug*

-Word Count: 3,768

-Also why is writing people flirting so. freaking. hard.

♠️Soapbox below intro, fic below soapbox&references. Please read the soapbox, it explains certain bits of the fic <3 and asexuality ♠️

(banners courtesy of cafekitsune!)

HI BEANS!!! Gods, this fic has been in the works for a hot minute. The idea came about and is fully credited to @checkitoutmikey! I love this idea and I really really r e a l l y wanted to do it justice. There's so much misunderstanding about asexuality and Aces that I wanted to clear the air a little via fic. (I find that sometimes it's easier to grasp a concept if it's written using characters you know!)

Alright. Soapbox time.

As an Ace (a person who identifies as asexual), I have based this on my own experiences, stories I have heard, and I have fact checked things I wasn't 100% on, such as the black ring—♠️Please let it be known that, according to this webpage, the black ace ring did not come about until 2005, but for the purposes of this fic, it felt like an important piece of information to include.♠️ This being said, this part of the fic is not time accurate. Sorry, Santa Carla. *another vampiric shrug*

I really poured my heart and soul into this fic. I want to spread awareness to those who may not know about asexuality. I was in high school when I found out that there was a word for what I was feeling. It was revolutionary to learn that there wasn't anything wrong with me. It was so, so freeing. If my words can be the medium that introduces someone out there to asexuality and lets them know that they're not broken, then this fic will have served its purpose. As a bonus, I’ll put a few resources below that I find exceptionally helpful for learning about asexuality (please feel free to reblog with more resources or, if you'd rather, you can DM me the sources so I can add them to the post!).

Okay, okay, I did play on the cake cliché (because, at least in my case, it's TRUE), but aside from that, I think I explained things pretty accurately and cliché-free. I know there’s a lot more information I could have included (see: dragons), but then I would be writing forever and this would never get posted and let's face it—we all need a dose of our gay 80s vampires in this year of 2024.

If you have someone who expresses their aceness to you, accept them and support them, for the love of cheese, crackers, and rock box tapes. Not experiencing/experiencing very little sexual attraction in a society that basically runs and prides itself on sex can be incredibly isolating and depressing. Disclosing this information to people takes a hel of a lot of energy, bravery, confidence, and trust. Allow us to disclose this information to the people we choose and DO NOT do the job of coming out for us. Not all of us want or can come out. Respect our boundaries and we'll remember the effort forever.

We are not broken. We are not faking it. We are valid and there is nothing wrong with us. You are not alone.

Resources:

♠️‘I Am Ace (Advice on Living Your Best Asexual Life)’ by Cody Daigle-Orians ($15-$20 on Amazon, around $10 on ThriftBooks)

THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER BOUGHT WITH MY ADULT MONEY. Essentially a handbook on everything (or almost everything) you've ever needed or wanted to know about asexuality. I think everyone needs to read this book at least once in their lives. It explains asexuality so thoroughly and concisely without being bitchy or conceited. Daigle-Orians shares his experiences throughout the book, and it was incredibly validating to know that I wasn't alone in some of these experiences.

He also touches on aromanticism! Cody Daigle-Orians has Instagram, YouTube, and a webpage: ♠️Instagram ♠️YouTube ♠️Webpage

♠️Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN)

An absolute fount of knowledge about all things Asexuality (and occasionally Aromanticism!). Their Tumblr answers Asks semi-often, too! ♠️Website ♠️Tumblr

Trigger warnings (in order of appearance) ⚠️:

David smoking cigs

General cuss words

Being cat-called / harassed by Surf Nazis (the Boys protect you, don't worry)

Does kinda/sorta include a microaggression (‘don't know til u try it’ one)

Unwanted pet-name ("doll face")

Talk of David eating any future cat-callers

The Boys attempting to use powers of persuasion on you (Da-da-da, does not work)

The topic of consent/non-consensual sex coming up because the MC asks our undead idiots (/pos) if they understand the concept of consent (they do)

The MC being worried about the Boys thinking they're ‘broken’ (THIS ISN'T POSSIBLE BC ACES AREN'T BROKENNNNN)

Marko hitting the MC with the ‘plant’ microaggression bc bro is cute but he can be a little dense (it hurt to write, trust me, but idk. something in me felt like it was important to show the Ace's side of microaggressions, especially the ones that come from people who are genuinely trying to understand)

If I missed any warnings, please let me know! I always try to cover anything that could even be partially/potentially triggering, just in case!

WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, HAPPY (belated) PRIDE MY DARLINGS AND MOTOR BABIES!!! ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!

🥳🥳🥳🥳

Combat boots. Grippy jeans. Band t-shirt. A flannel that barely hugged your hips since the knot was coming undone. You tightened it, flashing a wicked smile at your boys.

"Finally decided to show up," you sauntered up to the four, taking your time crossing the boardwalk.

"We've been waiting on you for 10 minutes." David exhaled cig smoke with each word.

"I know." You smirked. You rolled your eyes at his unrelenting glare—the glare you knew was fake because you knew this ringleader little vamp was secretly so so excited to see you—and pecked his cheek. "I got caught up in traffic."

"You ride a bike."

"Motorbike. And unlike some," you fussed with his coat, just to have an excuse to touch him. "I have to follow traffic laws. Can't have me dying on my way here, huh?" He brought the cigarette close to his mouth, but you pushed it away, planting a kiss on his warm, nicotine-tinted lips. You felt him tense, surprised, but soon relaxing into it. Pulling back, you took his face in your hands. Taking the kiss from him early was slightly amusing. "I'm sorry. It happens."

"C'mon, David! Don't hog the kisses!" Paul whined. You grinned, bouncing over and tackle-hugging Paul, pressing kisses all over his gleeful face.

"There's plenty, Paulie!" You relished in the sound of his giggles. His pale face grew colorful due to his bright smile. "So! What chaos are we committing tonight?" Your wicked little grin finally broke David's frown.

"Cotton candy, carousel," Marko matched your grin with his own. "Paul wants to check out the live music."

"The sax guy's back!"

"Jewelry store got a new shipment, too. Might swipe you somethin' nice." Dwayne purred into your ear, pulling you from Paul and to his chest. You shuddered at the sound and the feeling of his nose against your neck. You moved, grinning up at him and making a smile break across his face. "Hi, sweetheart."

"Hi," a giggle slipped from your throat. You felt yourself being yanked into another solid frame: multi-colored patches and blond curls. "Marko!" You could hear his grin laced within the Italian he muttered into your ear. He knew damn well you couldn't understand him, but he didn't care, and nor did you. You found it endlessly attractive.

"Let's go fuel up." He said. You nodded, allowing yourself to be pulled away by the hyper blond.

Waiting in line for funnel cakes, David and Dwayne watched in silent amusement as you and the terror twins kept pinballing off of each other's energy, talking about which rides to go on before the live music. Finally retrieving 5 of the fried treats, you parked yourselves on a railing, chowing down and laughing over nothing.

"I can not finish this. One of you want it?" You held out the plate. David—still licking the powdered sugar from his fingers—held out his free hand, demanding the plate. "You just barely finished yours, David." Again, his hand beckoned the plate forward—the stoic vampire equivalent of grabby hands.

"David fuckin' loves funnel cake. Don't try to stop him." Paul snickered. Now satisfyingly snackless, you stood and stretched, popping your neck and scaring the shit out of Marko. A whistle interrupted his retort.

"Hey, baby, come over here!" Surf Nazis. "We got better snacks than those boys do!" Gyration followed by loud cackling. You rolled your eyes, perching next to Marko.

"Pricks." You huffed. You moved your foot, heel pressed into Dwayne's shoulder to stop him from standing. "Leave it alone. They'll get bored."

But they didn't get bored. Instead, the gaggle of Surf Nazis made their way over. Your silent seething held your vampires in place. You ignored the group until they spoke.

"Why don't you come spend some time with real men?" The ringleader tried to slide close. You put a foot up against his chest, stopping him.

"I know how I like my men, and honey, you're not done cooking." Your voice was ice, eyes boring holes into his skull. Snort from Paul. The other Surf Nazis chittered.

"How do you know if you've never tried?" The ringleader wouldn't give in.

"I don't need to drink poison to know the taste will be bitter." That wiped the smirk from his face. You pushed him away, dropping your foot and staring him down. He, once again, tried to come onto you.

"Look." You stood. "See this ring? It means I'm a member of the Black Ring Society. We have a very specific set of qualifications that allow us entry. These qualifications make us immune to mortals' pathetic attempts at enticing us with their corporeal form, such as the pitiful display you're putting on now." David choked on his drink, trying not to laugh. The Surf Nazis all looked dumbfounded.

"W-What?"

"I don't wanna ride your dick. Go away."

At this, Dwayne stood. Your cleverness was clearly wasted on these idiots. The other three stood around you as well, prepared to pounce while simultaneously providing a silent, yet protective, barrier.

"This isn't a fight you want to start tonight." Dwayne growled. You heard Marko popping his knuckles for effect, ready to knock the lights out of whoever approached him first.

"You don't know what we want." A lower Surf Nazi got stopped by a higher up.

"Yes we do, and you're not getti-"

"I'm not a piece of meat. I said no." You raised your voice, cutting Paul off. "If you and your cohorts don't leave, I will call for the boardwalk officer." You knew the officer wouldn't be pleased to see you and the boys either, but the Surf Nazis loved their beach time too much to risk it.

"Watch your back, doll face." Defeated, the ringleader sauntered off, his crew following behind. You huffed, leaning against the railing again.

"You okay?" Marko looked at you. You shrugged.

"Let's go ride some rides."

Several rides into the night, your mood had improved considerably. Paul practically ripped your arm from its socket dragging you to the music stage. Settled in a sandy little corner near a fire bin, you waited impatiently, but your thought process was interrupted by an arm snaking around your waist.

"Feeling better, darling?" David.

"Yeah. I get shit like that all the time." You shrugged, leaning into his embrace. "Don't worry. Nothin's happened."

"If it does, I'll murder them and eat the entrails." He promised, an unlit cig perched at his lips. You took it before he could light it. Confusion rippled over his pretty features. You hated when he frowned.

"Wait this once? The smells out here are a lot right now." At your unintentional puppy face, David couldn't find himself able to say no. He slid the nic-stick back into the carton, contenting himself with holding you close. Despite the bodies and fire nearby, there was a distinct chill in the air. You burrowed into David, wrapping yourself in his coat. He chuckled, moving you in front of him and cocooning you in the extra fabric. Now warm, you grinned, burying your face in it. Hints of cig smoke, mints, and pilfered cologne reached your nose, soothing the overworked sense.

"If you wanna be so close, why don't we go back to the cave? I'll keep you warm, kitten." His voice was low and gravelly. He pressed a tiny kiss to your ear, smirking. "You're so sweet, I could eat you up like a funnel cake." With that, he nipped your ear. You laughed, but frowned. He was puzzled to see confusion on your face.

"We came for the music, though. Why would we go back to the cave?" You looked at his dumbfounded face, lost. You didn't have a lot of time to dwell on this thought because the crowd of people around you erupted. The music was starting.

****

An hour set! It was amazing. You danced with the four respectively, the music fueling your soul in a way that funnel cake couldn't. Paul was so giddy and happy he got to see "sax guy" again.

"C'mere, peaches." He twirled you to him, catching you in his arms. His nose brushed yours, mischief in his eyes. "I prolly got some dance moves left that you've not seen."

"Is that so?" You laughed. "I think I saw them all on the dance floor." You broke free of his grip, moving to cooler air. Dancing had replaced all chills with sweat. To your astonishment, Paul looked dumbfounded as well, glancing at Marko and David. "What do you boys wanna do now?"

"I can think of a couple things." Marko purred, grabbing your hips and pulling you into him. "You look so good in those jeans, baby. I'd love to draw your pretty curves in 'em." His forehead to yours, you got lost in his eyes for a moment. He tightened the flannel at your middle, hand traipsing up your side a bit, but you grabbed it, seamlessly sliding out of his grip, giggling. You were riding a concert high, eyes sparkling. Marko looked surprised, but Dwayne took your hand.

"How 'bout a milkshake?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds delectable!" You grinned. It had been too long since you had had a milkshake. The other three looked positively shocked. You giggled, sliding up to David. You hooked his chin with your finger, closing his pretty mouth. "You look like a bunny when your mouth hangs open like that, luvvie. Keep it up, and I'll kiss your little teeth." David blinked, looking at you. He smiled now, moving to peck the appendage at his chin.

"You heard 'em, boys. Milkshakes await," he raised an eyebrow, taking your hand. You laughed, moving back over to Dwayne and letting him drape an arm around you as you walked.

The small diner was crowded, but thinning out. Four of you slid into a booth, Paul taking the odd seat at the end of the table. The waiter was clearly overwhelmed when they came up to you, but you assured them that you were in no hurry.

"You're doing great," you smiled. They relaxed a bit, smiling. They looked close to tears.

"What can I get ya?"

You ordered the milkshakes with ease, laying dramatically on Dwayne as you waited. He rolled his eyes, but moved his arm to support your weight. Marko and Paul bounced off your energy, but overall, the four just seemed… confused. In an attempt to combat their frowns, you reached up and squished Dwayne's stoic face in your hand, making him smile. He moved your hand, wrinkling his nose up at you. You tried to grab his pouty little face again, but he pretended to bite at your hand, making you laugh outright.

"Okay!" You sat up.

"Silly little pretty one." He teased, pressing a kiss to your head. Your heart melted, beating twice as fast. "If you want a kiss, just ask."

"Maybe I will," you grinned mischievously. He rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Here ya go!" The waiter passed them out. "Enjoy!"

"Thank you!" You answered for the boys, who were already sipping on the sweet drinks. You caught David's eye, giggling slightly.

"What?"

"Chocoholic." You accused. He kicked your foot lightly under the table, biting back a grin.

"As opposed to… what did you get?" He frowned at the sprinkles on top of your shake.

"Birthday cake," you unsheathed your straw, taking a huge sip. The vampiric grabby hands returned. You couldn't save your drink from him as a brain freeze settled behind your eyes. It thawed out just in time to see David's face wrinkle up.

"No." He slid it back to you, shaking his head. You laughed.

"Chocoholic."

"Cake fanatic."

"Thank you!" You fake gasped. He pretended to ignore you.

"Maybe once we're done here, I can show y-" Marko shoved a napkin in Paul's mouth, cutting him off.

"Do not ruin their cake obsession." He quipped, ignoring the coughing fit he sent his brother into. Once it passed, you looked at the rocker.

"What were you saying?" He squirmed slightly under the glares of the others.

"Just askin' if you wanted to go to the cave, peaches." He stirred his milkshake around sheepishly, not looking up from the sweet confection. You frowned.

"What is it with the cave tonight?" You pressed. "You all have been dying to spend tonight on the boardwalk, but you keep trying to get back there." You frowned at your milkshake now, upset by the confusing conversations scattered throughout the night. Dwayne nudged your arm, getting your attention.

"You know about our.. specific dietary tastes, right?" He started. You nodded. "And that we have… certain… qualities?"

"Well, yeah." You had no idea where this was going. You were in public. They could get caught talking about bloodthirst and powers out in the open. "I saw David make a Surf Nazi eat a slushie covered pretzel from the trash last week." The vamp in question snickered at this, half-hiding his face in his treat.

"That skill set in particular, persuasion.." Dwayne was trailing off a lot and it was kind of irritating. You huffed. He got the message. "It includes relationship things. Partner things." He brushed your hair from your face.

"What do you mean?" You weren't getting it.

"We've been flirting all night." David said flatly. Dwayne scoffed at him, a 'really?' look on his face. "What was it you said? ‘Enticement of the corporeal form?’" Heat flooded your face as you fidgeted with your straw, staring at the treat.

They were hitting on you.

"So the cave… you wanted.. alone time." The idea repulsed you. You were all massive flirts, but the thought of that made your stomach flip. The milkshake in front of you no longer sounded appealing. "If this has all just been a game for you four to inevitably get in my pants and then eat me-"

"Relax." Marko stopped your words. "If that were the case, we'd have done it by now. We love you for you, baby." His bluntness took you aback, but you noted the gentleness in his voice. You still squirmed at the idea.

"So… what? You've been trying to make me… have sex with you?" The word was revolting. You hated the taste.

"I was teasing. At the music, when you were wrapped up in my coat. I had no intention, really, but it didn't work on you." David explained.

"You used your powers on me???" You hissed. He nodded curtly, earning him a violent kick to the shin. He visibly winced, nearly spilling his milkshake.

"They didn't work!" He hissed right back. "All of us tried it."

"All of you?" Rage settled in your veins. David biting your ear. Paul's 'dance moves.' Marko's comment about your jeans. It all made so much more sense.

"We weren't going to go through with it!" Paul insisted. "Really. The only reason we did it was to try to figure out why they aren't working on you." His puppy eyes ripped at you, but you ignored him.

"They didn't work?" You raised an eyebrow.

"Mine did, but it didn't take much to convince you to get a milkshake." Dwayne piped up. He sipped on his drink lightly, clearly enjoying that he wasn't in the kill zone.

"Don't think you're safe." His smirk dropped. "What the hel makes you think I want to have sex?” You pointed this question at the ringleader, staring him down as he rubbed at his shin.

"You're so fuckin flirty, peaches! We all just.. sorta assumed-" you smacked the back of Paul's head.

"Idiots. Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you can't joke about it." You stood, taking your milkshake to the counter and getting a to-go cup. You paid and left, sitting beachside as you finished your treat. It was quite a while until the boys found you. When they approached, you didn't acknowledge them.

“Can we sit?” David asked. You noted the slight embarrassment behind his voice, but nodded. The four perched in the sand, antsy and guilty looking. Simply put, they looked like drenched little bats—upset and shivering under your cold gaze.

“We're sorry, peaches.” Paul actually had tears in his eyes, bless his undead little heart. “We should've been honest with you.”

“We were mostly confused why they weren't working, and you ended up being the guinea pig.” Marko added. “They always work on Surf Nazis and nosy adults and annoying eight-year-olds, but not on you. Not… not for that.” You tensed.

“Which is still the most appalling, downright nasty thing any creature could ever do! Have you even heard of consent?”

“We have! We know, peaches!”

“Trust us, Max drilled that into our heads way before we turned.” David said quietly. “We shouldn't have used our powers on you, kitten.” David apologizing. That was one for the history books. That didn't excuse anything though.

“Don't do it again or I swear-”

“We swear.” Dwayne cut you off before your voice got louder than the waves. “On jaguars and funnel cake and the rock box and pigeons.” He held out a pinky. You looked over all four of them; genuine regret poured from their vibes, heavy and thick and sludgy. You turned away from Dwayne, looking instead at the ocean.

“I want to know why.” Your voice was icier than David's irises.

“We told you, we don't know.” Dwayne sighed. “It worked when you wanted to learn to skate but were too scared to initiate. Which is the only time we've done it outside this!” He added quickly, recoiling under your glare.

“Yeah, I remember. It was ‘cuz I told you to. I knew I was too much of a wuss and didn't wanna back out.” You relented. You listened to the waves for a few minutes, the five of you thinking.

“Babe, what was that thing you said to that Surf Nazi earlier?” Marko asked. You frowned.

“Uhm.. oh, that. It's a long-winded and overly clever way of explaining my ring.” He still looked confused. “I was telling them that they couldn't seduce me with their bodies because that type of thing doesn't interest me.”

“What does that mean?” Dwayne asked slowly. “You don't.. you don't feel attraction?” You were about to be mad, but the genuine curiosity and want to understand on his face calmed the wave of rage down to a small ripple.

“Not sexual attraction, no.” You said. David looked bewildered, to say the least. You laughed lightly, your grin confusing them more. “I'm asexual.”

“Asexual? Like plan-”

“You idiot, of course not!” You kicked Marko. “It means a person who experiences very little or no sexual attraction. In my case, I experience none. The entire concept of sex feels too… vulnerable and invasive. So for me, I'm sex repulsed. The entire notion makes me anxious and nauseous.”

“So what about... romantic attraction?” David piped up. “You aren't just playing us, are you?” He almost looked hurt. The wall you put up softened a little.

“Boys.” You smiled weakly. They were truly trying to understand, they just didn't have the information to do so. “Of course not. Sexual attraction and romantic attraction are very different. You can still want the romance without the sex. The lack of romantic attraction is called being aromantic. You can be aro/ace—which is just lingo for aromantic and asexual respectively—or you can be one or the other. Or neither. That's also an option.” They chuckled.

“So you're still with us?” You smiled at Paul's sheepishness.

“I'm still your partner, yes.” You said. The air got less tense. “Did that answer your questions?”

“Most of ‘em.” Marko said. He was still rubbing his arm. “Still doesn't explain the persuasion not working.” You thought about this for a moment, fidgeting with your flannel.

“You were trying to convince me to.. have sex with you, right?” Your stomach flipped at the idea. Color rushed to their translucent faces, but they nodded. It clicked. You grinned. “I think it didn't work because you can't make someone feel something they aren't hardwired to feel. The idea wouldn't stick because I don't feel that attraction.” Realization flooded the air. The vibe lightened.

“What about the ring?”

“It's a symbol for asexuality, a way for us to show our pride in public in a quiet way. A way for other aces to see and recognize each other. A black ring on your right middle finger. For aromantics, it's the same concept, but a white ring on your left middle finger.” They nodded, small smiles on their faces. A thought tugged at your brain, making your confidence and smile drain right out of you. What if you messed things up by explaining? The boys must think you're weird or pining for attention.

“You don't think of me differently now, do you?”

“How do you mean?” David asked.

“Just.. thinking I'm weird… or confused... or broken.” You looked down, embarrassed and afraid. Their silence was deafening. It would be easier to deal with if they just started yell-

“Of course not, peaches.” Paul's voice left no room for argument. “We don't think you're broken or weird. You just experience the world a little differently, and that's okay.” Your head shot up, looking at him. The other three nodded. A weight left your chest, forcing air into your lungs as your brain forgot how to breathe. They didn't think you were broken. They didn't think you were weird or looking for attention or confused. They saw you for you. Pressure pooled behind your eyes, blurring your vision before a blink sent the warm water down your face.

“You mean it?” Your voice shook and you hated it. The four looked stricken with worry and a deep sense of care.

“Of course we mean it, darling. We love you for you.”

“Thank you for trusting us with this. We know coming out can be hard, but it means a lot that you explained it to us.”

“We won't tell anyone, promise. That's information that is yours to disclose to whomever you choose.”

“We're still here for you, darling, that hasn't changed.”

******

It had been a few weeks since you had explained asexuality to your protective vampires. True to their word, nothing changed, and that small but incomparable fact made your heart soar. For the first time in a long time, you felt validated. You felt seen. You felt accepted.

Your pride grew even more when you noticed Paul start to wear a black ring on his right middle finger. From then on, you were a bit more loud and proud about your aceness.

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