#until the snake calmed down and slithered away

[heyclickadee]

I’m probably less afraid of venomous snakes than I should be. I mean, they’re dangerous, of course, but the best way to avoid being bitten is to just give them a wide berth. It won’t always work, because they’re hard to see, and a person will sometimes, tragically, not see a snake until they’re stepping on it. But they’re not malicious. There are aggressive snakes out there, but they’re fairly rare, and it’s not as though they go out looking to bite humans, because we’re too big for most snakes, let alone venomous snakes, to eat. When, for example, rattlesnakes snakes bite, they bite because they’re threatened, surprised, or scared. They’re just trying to defend themselves from something much bigger than they are, and which they perceive as a threat. Rattlesnakes even warn you to get away before they bite you most of the time! They’re so polite! Like, sorry I disturbed you, little guy—let me back up and move out of your way. No reason to panic.

I am, however, terrified of water snakes. Like. Oh? Is that a sea snake? Cool, cool, cool, it’s not even going to have to bite me because I’m going to give myself the benz by panicking and pulling the wrong tab on my scuba vest so I shoot up to the surface like a cork. Ditto for water moccasins (though let’s be real, if I find myself in the water with a water moccasin I’m probably also bumping into an alligator).

[thesharktanksdriver]

Being Jason Todd's kid (Platonic)

Warning: at the beginning y/n has a shitty mom and neglectful (+abandoning them) plus a mention of Jason’s death of being beaten

You knew for a long time your mom didn’t love you, even your young 8 year old mind could tell

From the way she looked at you with disdain and disgust

She was still your mom though so you loved her

Loved her despite the yelling and sending you to your room with a granola bar as your dinner

It was fine

Everything was fine

All you had to do was keep doing your best to make her love you like in the books you’d read at school

So you did your best to appease her

You’d bring her the sticks that would create the smelly wisps of smoke that would stain her gnashing teeth as she yelled at you

Or bring in the amber coloured drink in glass bottle she liked

You tried it once cause the tap didn’t make water anymore but you didn’t like it

It felt as if it was burning your throat and tongue as it slithered down your parched throat like venom from a snake

When she feel asleep on her chair you’d place a blanket around her but left the tv on

She got mad at you cause of that the first time

You made rules in your mind on how to properly dance around the tiggers that would make her angry

Some you didn’t really understand as to why she got angry over it but you avoided it anyways

Just keeping quiet and silently going about your day to make her as happy as you could

She never took you out much, often leaving you at home when she’d get groceries or went to work

But as a surprise she told you that you’d be going with her to carry the bags

It was night, but you didn’t mind it much since you’d always preferred it

Made getting your mom the smelly sticks easier when it was the man at the cashier at 711

Eventually as you walk further into the city with her you see that your in an area you’d never been before

It’s scary, really scary but you don’t say a word

You don’t say anything when she tells you to wait at the curb beneath a streetlight as she walks off

Cold concrete kissing your palms as you sit there, a lone 8 year old waiting

Still wearing pyjamas and barefoot as the cold chill of the night began to set in

It’s nothing you can’t handle, besides she’d be back soon

She said she would

And if your actions were right you couldn’t break a promise

She’s just taking awhile is all

Maybe it was busy!, yeah that had to be it

People were just busy shopping cause they were at work in the day

So you wait some more

And some more

And now your shaking as you hug yourself

You can’t go home cause you don’t k is the way back and your afraid to leave incase she came back and got mad

There’s a slight chatter sound as your teeth clatter from how much your shaking

The tears feel so cold against your cheeks that you swear they might become frozen to them

There isn’t any noise except for the occasional honk streets away, the night is calm

Until there’s a marsh crash and curses come from the alleyway across from where you sit

It makes you go still and tense

Until a man exits it wearing an odd red mask with glowy eyes

He stumbles out and curses with a weird almost electric sound to his voice before he locks eyes with you

“Oi kid!, what are you doing out so late and alone?”

He takes as step forwards and you scoot back a little bit, still shaking as he now notices how your not wearing much on a cold night

He takes off his jacket

“If I give you my jacket will you tell me your name?”

“I heard I’m not supposed to talk to strangers…can you tell me your name?”

At this nods and as he got closer you dont back away like before

You let him place the large jacket over your shoulders, it’s big and bulky and reminds you of a blanket with the fluff on the inside

He says his name is red hood, something that makes your eyes light up with familiarity

You’d heard about him from your mom watched the news, mentions if the name but never what he looked like

There was also something with him and Batman? But you didn’t really know a lot about it from the snippets you heard

“Does that mean your a hero?.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say that. But close enough”

“That’s cool, mom said that hero’s were a sham. I always thought their cool, I’m y/n by the way”

“Kid how old are you?, what are you doing out here?”

You go to hold your fingers up to show him but you don’t remember what’s past five

Mom pulled you out of preschool saying she’d Homeschool you but never did

Whatever you had learned was from tv and the limited books you could read

You begin to tear up in frustration

“Hey it’s ok kid. Second question then, what are you doing out here”

“Mom said she needed groceries and she let me come this time so I can carry the bags. She said that I had to wait here till she’s come back”

He goes rigid at that but you don’t notice

You curl up in a ball and zip up the coat around you

Now properly protecting you from the cold except for your feet

“Mr hood can you wait with me. I don’t wanna be alone”

“Sure thing”

So he sits himself beside you on the curb

To pass the time he pulls out a small book labeled “pride and prejudice” and begins reading it to you

It’s nice having someone to read with

He uses different voice for different characters, giving them posh accents that make you giggle

But as time ticks on he notices how your shoulders droop more

Along with your smile

Eventually he stops reading and puts his book away

“She said she’d come back…she’s coming back right?”

It sounds so broken as you ask this, you turn your head to look at him and he sees your reddened eyes that have tears lining them

The only sounds you can make are choked sobs and sniffles as the masked vigilante pulls you into a hug

You grab onto him tightly, small hands digging into the metal plating of his armour

Afraid he’d leave as well just as everyone else in your life did

“Do you have a dad you can go to?”

“Mom said he left because of me…so I don’t think so. Do you think if I go home she’d be mad at me?”

He feels his heart shatter a bit at that and he doesn’t know how to respond other than gently rubbing the back of your head

Jason at this point in his life knows he’s not in the best place to care for himself let alone a kid. He’s a walking corpse back from the dead, wanting to get revenge as his mind unscrambles itself day by day

But as you sob he knows he can’t let go

Those memories of his mother staining his mind along with the sound of your crying

The betrayal similar to this where she willingly led her child to a certain death

He also doesn’t trust the foster care system nor any system for a matter of fact

He’s seen his share of messed up kids that have been created through them

So in that moment Jason makes an impulsive decision he wouldn’t ever regret

“Do…do you wanna come with me then?. You gotta keep my identity a secret though, k?”

“O-ok Mr hood”

“Just call me Jason kid”

Yeah so first couple weeks Jason struggles since he hasn’t exactly looked after a child before

Your an independent kid from the conditions you lived in before but that makes him worry quite a bit

Especially when you have a small snack and call it a dinner

So he just takes small steps, and also reads parenting books…a lot of them actually

He still has to set you up a room so he lets you take his bed while he sleeps on the couch

It’s easier that way cause he’s afraid of accidentally hurting you while having a nightmare

Which he still gets quite frequently

You don’t seem to mind, just thanking him for sleeping in a nice bed and having blankets that properly keep you warm

Before you came along he kinda just got takeout but he knows that isn’t the healthiest thing so he actually starts cooking

He’s pretty decent at it due to helping Alfred and for like the first time in your life you have a proper meal

You have to hold back tears and it makes his heart crack a bit at the sight

Jason hires an online teacher before sending you to school due to the fact your a bit behind in what a child your age needs to know and he doesn’t trust that Gotham is safe enough yet

Speaking of which he’s protective, like real protective for good reason though

He’s still running around at night with Bruce chasing him along with Gotham being a cesspool

So it’s safe to say that it’s not exactly a safe place for you

Won’t admit it but he purposefully buys you clothes that are red cause he thinks it’s cute

Especially if you say you want more red cause it reminds you of him

100% makes it a tradition to read a chapter of a book to you each day and teaches you to read better through it

He gets better from time and experience

Whenever he comes home battered and angry he makes sure to take his anger out on something before he heads into the apartment

He doesn’t wanna accidentally scare you or snap by accident

You try to help him with his wounds (as best as an 8 year old can) and he melts

Another thing that makes him melt is when he walked in on you trying on his helmet and leather jacket

He laughed and then played with you before putting on some ABBA that y’all danced to

It takes awhile but once he gets your room set up he’s really proud and happy with himself for once when seeing your smile

It was when you thank him that you accidentally called him dad

You freeze and go to apologize but he just hugs you

And you feel tears hit your shoulder

“No it’s ok, yeah I’m your dad now kid”

When your about 10-13 he sends you to school since your properly caught up and he thinks it’s probably best you make friends

He’s already at this point gotten you a fake ID with a new last name since he knows if you have Todd then Bruce is gonna look into it

While he isn’t trying to get revenge anymore he’s still not on the best of terms with the old man

A metaphorical wall between them that leaves Bruce at a distance

Jason likes it this way though since no one knows about you

Giving you a relatively normal life

Now that your a bit older he shows you some of his favourite tv even if it’s still not the most age appropriate thing for you to watch

But as long as no one knows you can watch Buffy but shhhh

Loves binging series with you but also enjoys watching movies as well like lost boys

He’s got a soft spot for older films that will probably be transferred to you

Oh and murder mysteries like knives out (Damn you Bruce)

You don’t remember your birthday so he uses the day he found you as it

And at this age he goes 100% on them

Like guess whos gonna go see hadestown?!?

By god he loves you so much, like goes from big intimidating vigilante to gentle little shit when he gets home

Sometimes you try to stay up late to be awake when he gets home

You usually fall asleep and it always makes his heart warm and fuzzy at the sight of it

Definitely takes you around on his motorcycle and makes you your own helmet to match his

You best bet your gonna be the fucking coolest kid in school with the leather jacket he gets you

He teaches you how to defend yourself and stick up for others

And not to let people step over you

Sure he gets some calls from the office but when he hears little Tommy was being a dick he’s taking you to get Dairy Queen and a pat on the back

You also get a lot of his sass as well

Like you’ve gotten in trouble several times for being a smart ass to terrible teachers

He affectionately calls you “little shit” “ankle bitter” “kid” and “brat”

In return you tease him for having white hair and calling him “old man”

At this point he hasn’t told you about Bruce and his revival but you know he has something against Batman

And for now he leaves it at that since he would prefer to tell you when your a bit older since your still a kid

No matter what he’ll get it into your head to NEVER become a hero or vigilante

Seeing him come home battered and bruised is enough to convince you of that though

Along with that he also teaches you about picking and choosing fights and when to know that you should get help

He doesn’t show up to pta meetings at Gotham academy cause he’s kinda scare Bruce is gonna be there and have some questions

There have definitely been some times while taking you out for something that he narrowly avoided his family

Speaking of which despite them not knowing about you, you actually know about them

Jason actually entrusts you with the information that their the bat family to you since he knows you won’t tell anyone

Even if you did it would sound like a kid spouting off fun theories

You once called Nightwing a dick for a joke and he turned around all confused until he realized what you said

When you told Jason he laughed his ass off about it

Every year for Halloween he lets you borrow one of his spare masks and y’all go out for trick or treating

At the end of it you guys have a tradition of eating some of your spoils of candy on a rooftop overlooking Gotham

When you become a teenager he’s surprisingly really good at dealing with you

Partially because Jason’s still a grungy teen at heart lol

Y’all don’t really have misunderstandings since he puts effort into making some communication is key

Unlike with Bruce who he feels never tried to see his viewpoint Jason makes sure to see your one on topics and issues

But that’s the rare case you guys actually have a discussion like that

Jason actually really happy if you start dating and isn’t really bothered by it?

He knows you can handle yourself and trusts your judge of characters unless he gets reallly off vibes about them

Like serial killer kinda vibes

Then he’s stepping In

If you do have a bad break up though he’s 100% taking you to egg that persons house

And the he takes you to a nice dinner while you both shit talk or if your not feeling up to that he gets ice cream and y’all watch your favourite happy movie

Whatever career you want to pursue you can bet that he will support you

He’s your biggest cheerleader and if it came to it he’d get Pompom’s to prove a point

If you don’t know where you wanna go that’s fine as well!

He doesn’t fucking know what he’s doing with his life either lol and he certainly doesn’t have a conventional job (that’s for sure)

He’s super happy if you begin experimenting with different styles especially if it’s something kinda alt, grunge or punk

Cause then you both can match and he can give you some of his old stuff he’d think you like

At this point in your life he’d be really happy if you share some of your favourite music with him

He has a lot of range and versatility in his playlists but he isn’t as up to date with modern music as he’d like to be

He’d probably really like Doja cat, tame impala, Lovejoy, and Mitski

God if you show him Mitski expect to one day find him crying whilst listening to it

If you ask him what’s wrong he’ll just say “it’s one of those days” (Me)

Speaking of which, this is the time where Jason actually opens up about why he has nightmares so often and why he hated Bruce

It’s definitely a bit jarring to hear about him being beaten to death and then revived

And you definitely get a bit upset that Bruce didn’t do anything to really get revenge on the joker

Though you know your view is biased from being Jason’s kid and watching him growing up have full on horrific nightmares that would make him wake up screaming

How his mom betrayed him as well

It’s a big thing for him to talk about since he usually prefers to not relive those memories in his mind

But he knows that you’d learn eventually and he’d prefer if it was from his mouth

For him to tell about his trauma when he felt that both of you were ready

You feel closer to him in heart

And you hug him like when he had found you all those years ago

And Jason finds himself content

Any concert you want to go to he’s probably tagging along since he enjoys those type of events

Even if it’s for a musician that isn’t his favourite

He finds any hobby you have or anything you wanna collect

Cause he wants you to be happy and even if he doesn’t get it per say seeing your smile makes him understand

If it’s something he also likes though then be prepared cause your sharing that collection with him

And you both are gonna geek out over shit

He still reads to you as a small tradition you’ve both continued since him taking you in

Just you snuggled beside him in a cocoon of blankets as he reads a book of your recommendation aloud

A vinyl playing on a low level in the background

That alone pushes him to never give up when on patrol

He has you to return to, he has someone who he cared for more than his own life

The only bit of normality he has in his life after being thrown into the bubbling green waters of the Lazarus pit. Coming back as a broken and lost man hellbent on revenge and lingering rage

And of fucking course it’s during one of these nights as he’s reading Carmila that Bruce and Dick decide to drop by

“What the?!- Jason who the hell’s that?!?”

“Do we lie orrr?” “Can’t lie to em kid, their like living lie detectors” “those don’t even properly work though, you can cheat them easily” “it was an analogy”

“Can still hear y-“

“Shut up dick”

“They know?”

“Yeah well…of course I’d tell my kid about you guys”

“I’m an uncle?!?. How long have you had them?!?, how?!”

“How old are they?”

“I’m right here you know, Stop talking as if I’m not you geezers”

Haha yeah….Bruce is having a crisis realizing he’s technically a grandpa now

Hurray

There are like 2000 things going on in his mind right now and he definitely needs a chair to sit down on

He’s still in his costume so his emotions aren’t really showing but you can definitely tell he’s not ok by how he’s leaning against the wall looking kinda faint

He happy but at the same time he’s kinda upset that Jason never told him

Like, you’ve had a kid for years and never told me, your dad?!?

Jason definitely needs to have a talk with him and explain his side of the situation (which you practically force the two of them to do)

He’s kinda akward around you but not in a bad way, moreso in the “so kiddo what do you kids like these days” kinda way

He’s missed out on countless years of your life and didn’t even know you existed up until now and now your suddenly revealed to be his grandkid

He has like years of birthdays, Christmas’s, Easter’s and every other fucking holidays to catch up on

He starring holes into you by accident and your dad has to lightly smack his arm to tell him to stop lol

He means well though and you know that

Meanwhile Dick is ecstatic cause he’s an uncle!!

He’s already ready to brag to everyone he knows about it and be like “pshh that cool but I’m now an uncle”

Bro’s sitting beside you and asking everything about your interests and achievements

It’s kinda sweet since he’s just nodding along adding “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” every once in awhile

It reminds you a bit of a golden retriever

But with that also comes the little devil on your shoulder tempting you to mess with him a bit

And you do so

“I have the best insults from here to metropolis”

“Want to prove that?”

“Sure. I bet you have so much ass hair that when you have diarrhea it comes out as filtered water”

They quickly learn you have Jason’s mouth if not worse

Wither you or Jason realize it or not your both alike in more ways than one

[r0-boat]

So..... About that Naga Baizhu? ¬v¬

Snake Man becomes a snake

read all about it!

Naga!Baizhu headcannons+Short drabble

Cw: kidnapping,

Sfw

Cut for length

It all started when a white snake You saw it cowering in fear as to heartless teenagers poked at it with sticks. Pulling at the poor thing's tail even as the creature tried to escape. They had it trapped, Tormenting the poor creature, not until you chase those nasty people away, picking up the white snake gently. The poor thing was hurt and scared You kept it with you until it was ready to be released. When you released the whitesnake it's lizard in the grass and before it disappeared into the bushes It stood up looking at you with its big Ruby eyes flicking its tongue at you You could almost swore it thanked you before rushing into the underbrush.

Your house was connected to a lot of foresty land in the backyard so you are used to seeing wildlife... But you are not expecting the visitor you'll have this morning.

You're not sure how he got into your house. Maybe you accidentally left your back door unlocked.

You heard voices as you were waking up.

"are you sure this is the one?"

"Yes, they saved me a week ago, they're perfect for you."

"All right I'll start burning the blend."

As the blend burned the scent of lavender sage and a mix of other herbs hit your nose. Calming you, as you just woke up you already felt like you were falling back asleep. Barely opening your eyes You could sort of make out the two.

You almost thought you were dreaming when you saw the white snake the same white snake and hearing that same voice from her once again. "They're waking up."

"Don't worry The blend should put them back to sleep."The man next to her said His eyes liquid gold pupils like a snake as he looks down at you His green hair matching with the green scales on his hands I see brushes your hair back caressing your cheek. "Go back to sleep my dear." His voice warm and smooth like honey.

___________

Baizhu had been looking for a mate for a while now, but since Fall Baizhu was too busy taking care of other wild hybrids to worry about finding a mate for spring. So Changsheng to get upon herself, She was careless wanting to see her friend happy She separated from Baizhu's side slithering out of his cave. She didn't mean to be gone for so long.

However, her search was highly fruitful. She found a nice human, a human that took care of her, patched her up, and saved her. The caring hands in sweet smile reminded her of Baizhu. After getting yelled at by an angry, worried, sick Baizhu, his anger softened when Changsheng spoke about what you had done to her. Changsheng is a somewhat prickly character, so listening to her talk so extensively about you made him interested to meet you.

Baizhu knew humans had different mating rituals and knew full well that humans are not a... Intense, as the dominating aggressive Nagas. As much as his species fantasizes about how weaker humans are to them and how they are the perfect mate because of it but very little have the temperament to deal with the relatively complex emotions that humans have.

Baizhu was different. He was not as aggressive or dominating as members of his species. But he was not certainly considered weak either.

The way he took you back to his cave was regrettably something he could have done better. But for some reason, you took it rather well. You are more interested in his snake companion and Baizhu's snake body (which he was happy to show you.) He thought you would fear him. He thought you would run from him. To his surprise, if you'd let you go, you would even visit on your own accord. And you did! You are a strange one. But he liked that about you. He thought he understood humans more than anyone

I references species a lot, but the truth is that Baizhu is the last of his kind. Even with his dear white snake friend being the last, Naga hybrid was a lonely title, so he was so desperate to have you.

Baizhu is obsessed with your human anatomy; He's never seen humans this close. He plays with your fingers, rambling on about how your body looks similar up until the waist—squeezing your legs, wiggling your toes, feeling your smooth, squishy scalist skin. He wants to see if your body will react just like any other female Naga. He wonders what your body would do if he kissed you hot and heavy.

He doesn't mind if you touch him too, He knows that you're curious about him just as much as he is about you. He warns you that his skin is rather sensitive and he does shudder with Even the lightest of your touches. Eucharest his cheek honey hold your hand while nuzzling into your palm his lips gently touch your hand his golden gaze piercing through you.

Naga's are always considered more aggressive monsters, possessive of their mates, and highly protective. Baizhu is on the calmer side, more docile; however, during spring, when his more... Animalistic urges come to the surface, He gets more demanding of your attention—practically hanging off you, desperate to mark you with his scent. Baizhu tries to hold back a lot of his urges, not wanting to hurt you or scare you. Even if you accept his advances, he is still hesitant and tries to be as gentle as he can before fully succumbing to lust. When the cloud over his mind finally lifts seeing your bruised and bitten body, he takes care of you like any good mate and doctor would.

You were surprised how quickly you became Baizhu and Changsheng's heat pack. Baizhu would try to wrap his coils around you in any way when he's doing anything, especially when it's chilly. He'll literally cling on to you have as much of his skin touching yours as he can. This is not inherently sexual to him. He just likes the feeling of your warm body directly touching him. He tries not to admit it, but he gets pouty when Changsheng is being warmed by you but not him.

[verefex]

Kraken's Cove

Short story where a stowaway meets the kraken himself, who turns out to be less scary than he initially thought.

Content warnings in the tags. Enjoy!

On a vessel cruising along the open seas, hid a stowaway. Tucked under a tarp in the dinghy that hung suspended by ropes and pulleys off the side of the traveling ship, a man rested quietly. After perusing the food, drink, and trinkets from the ship’s stores, he gathered up his haul in the small rowboat and hunkered down for the journey.

Swaying comfortably back and forth, suspended off the port side, Raphael, as the stowaway was named, was quite used to this sort of life. Sneaking his way onto sailing vessels docked at ports, he made his living by stealing. It was dishonest work, he knew that. But as he would often say, “pay your debts with the topsail”, fleeing across the wide seas was the life he was forced to choose.

Seagulls cried overhead as the ship’s wooden hull creaked and cut through the waves, lofty sails billowing in the sea breeze. The sun shined brightly in the blue sky overhead, not a storm cloud in sight over the deep, open ocean; a sailor’s dream.

That is, until a deafening impact sound is heard against the ship’s hull.

Almost immediately, the crew sprung to full alert, scrambling on the deck to man the sails and cannons. Raphael threw the tarp off of himself and held fast to the rowboat’s sides, green eyes wide under his headband and dark, wavy hair.

“That’s my cue.” He muttered as the ship’s crew prepared for attack, completely unaware of their rowboat quickly but silently being lowered into the water by the pulleys.

Raphael was no stranger to close calls and narrow escapes, it was often how he departed from his seaward journeys. From borrowing dinghies to diving into the foamy waters below and swimming to shore, he reveled in the calmness that came with the long journey. But for now, he was not about to go down with the ship.

“Kraken! It’s the kraken!” The voice of the captain bellowed from the decks. Raphael paused, holding fast to the ropes that suspended the rowboat over the disturbed waters below.

Now, it was common knowledge that sailors often told tall tales of sea monsters. Months at sea will do things to ya, was the common response, coupled with the solemn shake of the head. Ships went missing all the time, though that didn’t necessarily mean they were sunken by a leviathan.

And yet, as Raphael peeked over the side of the boat, staring deep below the waves and foam, he spied what could be described as nothing but an enormous snake.

A tentacle.

In a panic, Raphael grasped the ropes and shimmied the boat back up towards the deck, trying to get as far away from the water as possible. Though, as he approached the railing, his cover was nearly blown as a crew mate leaned over and pointed at the gargantuan form below the surface.

“Shit…” the stowaway hissed as he ducked back under the tarp just in time. His heart raced as he realized he was trapped between the deck of the ship and the watery grave just below.

The ship rocked suddenly, and the deck erupted in shouts as the monster’s tentacles surfaced, bright blue appendages thicker than a man was tall. Either side of the ship was grasped suddenly, one on each side, snaking upwards slowly.

Raphael peeked out from the tarp, unable to believe his eyes. The hull creaked and groaned under the weight of the massive tentacle that slithered along the surface, almost meticulously, like it was feeling around for something.

He was not about to stick around for this hellish leviathan to sink the ship. Such a giant creature would not be interested in a tiny rowboat, he wagered with little hope.

Two whacks from his cutlass, and the ropes were severed. Raphael held fast as the rowboat dropped off the side of the ship, plummeting to the ocean below. He landed with a painful splash that jolted his entire body, nearly stunning him for a moment.

The sounds of cannons above him startled him into scrambling along the seats and deploying the oars. He whipped the boat around and started rowing, watching as the enormous ship was dwarfed by another pair of tentacles rising out of the water below.

“Those old sea dogs were right, huh!” Raphael exclaimed as he rowed further and further away from the commotion of the fabled sea monster. As he had hoped, the leviathan busied itself with the ship, leaving him with another successful escape and quite a tale to tell once he reached shore.

However, as he rowed on, he grew quite tired of fighting the large waves with just two oars. He wasn’t sure if he had gotten anywhere by his own rowing, or if the currents and wind carried him. All he knew was the sailing ship was no longer in sight, and neither was any sign of a landmass.

With the sun still bright, the man grew weary, clad with only a black and white shirt, dark pants, and tall leather boots. He stowed the oars and covered himself with the tarp, shading his weathered skin from the sun as he sorted through his provisions.

“More than a week’s worth, so long as this thimble doesn’t sink.” Raphael said as he rationed the food and water that was already smuggled away for the ship’s journey. His only hope now was to find any sort of land or ship that would rescue him before his water depletes.

Since the act of rowing was tiresome and nearly useless against the waves, the stowaway, now captain of the dinghy, resumed the act of hunkering down under the tarp and letting the waves carry him wherever they may lead.

The rowboat drifted for hours, rocking this way and that, a tiny speck in the vast blue ocean. Thankfully the weather was calm and the temperature mild, though favorable conditions never lasted as long as you’d expect them to on the open ocean.

As the sun was nearing the horizon, painting the sky with orange and purple hues, Raphael uncovered himself and leaned back in the boat, taking small sips from his canteen and enjoying a rather unripe pear. He laughed to himself, thinking of how it’s possible that he was the only survivor from that ship, and they had no knowledge of him even being onboard.

As he finished off the core of the pear, Raphael felt an ominous rumble rattle his body. He grew tense and gripped the sides of the rowboat as he not only felt it, but heard it, somewhere deep under the waves. Something immense.

“Oh, no.” He said shakily as a cloud of bubbles erupted around the boat, a phenomenon that often occurred along with a large pod of whales preparing to surface. Raphael flung the oars out and rowed quickly away from the bubbling water, not about to let his dinghy be capsized.

The small boat did not get very far before something surfaced, not a whale or a tentacle, but a face.

A giant, human-like head surfaced before Raphael, as water poured down their dark blue-streaked skin. Bright yellow eyes peered at the castaway, set on a masculine face with long silvery-blue hair and an array of fin-like structures on either side of his head. A massive, towering head.

Raphael stared up in shock momentarily before letting out a terrified scream. First a kraken, now a giant? The odds were not in his favor today, though the oddities certainly were starting to pile up.

The giant, treading the water as he loomed over Raphael and his rowboat, tilted his head and let out a chuff, a rumbling puff of air. An enormous hand rose underneath the boat and lifted it in his palm just as wide as it was long.

The giant opened his lips and said ‘I mean you no harm’, but to Raphael’s human ears, all he heard was a deep, throaty rumble.

“Don’t eat me, don’t eat me!” Raphael merely shouted in response, huddling in his boat that was now captured by the steady hand of the giant. Enormous navy blue fingers with thick claws curved above his head, as wide as a tree.

The giant’s lips curved into a smile, yellow eyes glowing patiently. He held Raphael and his little boat in his right hand, lifted up and out of the water and closer to his enormous face.

‘I am not going to eat you.’ The giant growled. ‘It’s alright. You’re safe.’

“I-I don’t know what you’re saying… are you speaking? Can you understand me?” Raphael said from his captured boat. The man, dwarfed by the giant’s hand around him, stared quizzically at the giant’s glistening face.

‘Yes. Though you may not understand my words, I am speaking your language.’ The giant said calmly, closing his eyes as he nodded and mouthed his words in an exaggerated fashion. Raphael couldn’t help but notice the giant’s mouth was lined with sharp fangs, with a curiously buttery yellow interior.

Raphael started to feel a little more at ease in the ocean giant’s hand. He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t drowned or eaten yet, but the mere premise of being held captive by the towering man was unnerving.

“It must be giant monster day. First a kraken, then you? A giant? A… god?” Raphael said as he gestured to the enormous man.

The giant, named Sithero, let out an airy laugh as he leaned back and lifted the tiny man in his hand higher above the water, giving him a better view of the leviathan’s body. The same blue tentacles that wrapped around the ship rose out of the water around Sithero’s torso, slithering about and swirling the sea.

Raphael stared down for a second, leaning over the side of the boat from within Sithero’s palm. The rest of Sithero’s body began to surface, and the giant angled his hand in a way that the human within could observe the massive length of his tail.

“...You’re the kraken? What on earth… you’re like a mermaid, a giant one… a giant mer… man? I suppose?” The human exclaimed as his eyes trailed down the length of the kraken’s body. He was covered in fine blue scales of varying shades, with his belly and chest lighter in color. From the waist down, his body became elongated, ribbed with hard scutes. He was so large, in fact, that Raphael wondered if he could see the end of his tail at all.

‘I’m Sithero. What are you called?’ The kraken rumbled as he raised his other hand and pointed a clawed finger at the human in his palm.

“What, what’s that about? Me?” Raphael said shakily as the very large kraken pointed and rumbled something at him.

Sithero smiled calmly and pointed at himself. ‘Sithero.’ He growled, emphasizing each syllable before pointing to Raphael again.

“Sss… Slith. Slither. Sith?” The human said, twirling his hands around as he sounded out the guttural growls.

‘Sith… air… oh.’ The kraken hissed.

“Sithero…” Raphael said, and the giant nodded in approval.

“Okay, we’re getting somewhere. Oh, I’m Raphael.” The human said, feeling more comfortable as their strange conversation went on. “Gotta say, I did not expect to be talking to the kraken that, um, attacked our ship.” He said, avoiding to the fact that he was a stowaway, not that Sithero would really care.

‘The ship is fine. I was just saying hello.’ Sithero growled a deep laugh as he waved his other hand in a greeting motion.

“Hello?” Raphael said quietly, waving back. Sithero smiled and chuckled at his new tiny friend.

‘Where are you headed?’ Sithero asked, shrugging his shoulders and gesturing to the vast ocean.

“Uh, I got here by ship. Now I don’t quite know where I am, or frankly, what’s going to happen to me.” Raphael sighed, stretching his arms backwards.

‘I know a place. You can rest there, it’s getting too dark for humans.’ The kraken rumbled and nodded gently, bringing his other hand up and cupping Raphael and his boat.

“I don’t suppose you have it in you to carry me somewhere?” Raphael asked hopefully at the enormous creature, seeing a glimpse of his own reflection in his eerie yellow irises.

‘Yes. But you mustn’t panic.’ Sithero rumbled as he opened his mouth slightly and rubbed his bright-colored tongue along the edges of his teeth.

Raphael winced, leaning away from the giant’s mouth that was quite close now.

“Woah. Hey. We’re on a first-name basis now, you can’t eat me.” He said, clutching the sides of the rowboat.

‘That’s not my intention. Truthfully, you will drown unless I do this… so relax.’ Sithero growled as he angled his head backwards and pinched the boat between his fingers, gently tilting it towards his open mouth.

Raphael, upon seeing the enormous yellow mouth below him, immediately began to panic and flail wildly in the boat that was slowly tipping. “HEY! Stop, stop!!” He shouted, eyes wide at the sight of the kraken’s fanged jaws.

‘If you don’t stop flailing, I might actually bite you.’ The giant growled and tilted the boat upside-down above his open mouth.

Raphael, as nimble as he was, managed to wedge himself under the rowboat’s seats before it was completely tipped over. He wrapped his arms around the boards with just his legs dangling, whimpering as his provisions fell down onto the sea monster’s tongue.

“Cripes…” The man groaned as he gripped onto the board like his life depended on it.

Sithero blinked, expression blank as he closed his mouth, tasting the tiny crates and flasks that fell onto his tongue. He eyed Raphael one last time before gently tipping the boat back upright.

‘Alright. Plan B.’ He rumbled before angling the boat bow-first towards his mouth.

“Don’t… don’t you dare.” Raphael blurted as he righted himself in the bottom of the boat before being plunged into the kraken’s mouth.

The man screamed as the entire rowboat was taken in, sides banging against the monster’s teeth that encircled the cavernous jaws.

Sithero calmly wedged the boat inside, using the tip of his finger to push the stern just past his incisors, which closed together. Raphael was completely sealed inside, along with all of his belongings.

The air inside the giant’s mouth was humid, smelling of seawater. Raphael hunkered down in his little wooden boat, eyes wide as he took in the situation. Though the kraken’s mouth was shut tight, the interior of his mouth glowed a faint, soft yellow. It was quite beautiful, Raphael found himself thinking, as the ridges of Sithero’s palate above him were dotted with bioluminescent photophores.

“Quit messin’ with me… are you gonna eat me or not?” Raphael shouted from within the giant’s mouth, gripping onto the boat as if it was about to rock back towards Sithero’s gullet.

Instead, he was rocked forwards as the kraken dove under the waves. The leviathan took his little friend along, safely sealed in the air pocket in his mouth. His enormous body arched past the waves as the end of his tail raised above the water, then was gone.

Sithero kept Raphael in his jaws for the ride, traveling swift and deep. Though his movements were heavy, he leveled his head carefully to make the trip as comfortable as possible for the human. Deep rumbles of reassurance echoed in his spacious mouth, where Raphael sat hunkered down on top of the giant’s tongue.

Time went on, and Raphael started to relax as best as he could in the humid mouth of the kraken. He hadn’t been swallowed, and instead remained on Sithero’s tongue as the giant carried him into the depths.

“I suppose… this is necessary. I doubt I can hold my breath as long as you.” Raphael said as he laid back in the boat, staring up at Sithero’s upper palate.

Sithero, after a short while, came to an enormous submerged cave. His long body just barely fit through the entrance as he slipped inside, using his limbs to push along the rocky sides to propel his huge body swiftly, until emerging into a large chamber.

The kraken huffed as water dripped from his hair, dispelling droplets from his nostrils as his head and shoulders surfaced from the seawater onto a smooth stone surface in an air-filled cave. He leveled his head and opened his jaws, allowing Raphael to finally breathe in fresh air after being trapped inside.

“Ah, freedom!” The stowaway exclaimed as he stumbled along the boat, looking out from the giant’s teeth encircling him and his vessel.

Sithero rumbled in amusement as he pinched the end of the small boat between his thumb and forefinger and slid it and Raphael out of his mouth. He carefully placed it on the floor of the cave and yawned, stretching his arms and back as he arched his head back.

Raphael, still adjusting to the dim light of the cave, fumbled about in his boat, rocking the frame a few times to determine the stability of the surface. He was painfully aware of the fact that he was surrounded by damp rock, the sheer mass of the kraken’s body as it towered above him in the darkness.

Tentatively, the man swung his leg over the the side of the boat and planted it on the surface. He stood on both legs, glancing around slowly.

“So uh, where did you bring me? Y’know I’m not terribly fond of spelunking…” Raphael said as he stared up at the huge, glimmering figure above him.

Sithero’s eyes and photophores that dotted along his body glowed in the low light. The giant hummed as he reached out into the darkness, rummaging through piles of debris. He picked out a lantern delicately between his claws, handing it to Raphael, who took it into his hands.

“Ah, you’ve got a hoard of some sorts?” The man said as the lantern lit up to his surprise, illuminating the immediate area. His eyes widened as he was greeted with scattered remains of ships, masts as tall as trees with the sails still attached. They were carefully placed against the wall of the cave, each one laid out in all its splendor.

The man’s knees began to buckle at the sheer sight of so many shipwrecks, displayed like trophies in the kraken’s lair. Accompanying the masts were the ship’s figureheads, the intricate carvings of ladies and dragons and other mythical beasts that adorned the bow of sailing ships.

“So… I can only imagine how these all got here.” Raphael said rather quietly as he swung the lantern around, only to be greeted by the enormous face of Sithero, who was peering at the man curiously.

“Geeze, you’re huge.” The man whispered as he held the lantern up to the giant’s face, who was smiling softly.

‘I collect them, that’s all. Better here than rotting in the water.’ Sithero rumbled as he reached out and picked up a mermaid figurehead, gazing at it fondly.

“They are quite pretty… I bet there are some famous ships that wrecked here. You know the navy would kill to get their hands on these, right?” Raphael uttered as he set the lantern in his rowboat and rummaged through his damp provisions.

‘They’d kill me regardless. That’s why I disarm cannons and harpoons when I visit sailing ships.’ Sithero uttered as he flicked a detached cannon along the surface of the cave with his fingers.

“Ah, I can’t imagine those would do much damage to something as big as you.” The man said as he heard the heavy clang of iron.

Sithero laughed, a deep rumble that shook Raphael’s bones. ‘I don’t underestimate humans! You little things can pack a punch.’ He growled as he leaned in close to the wary man, who stiffened up. The kraken’s breath tousled his brown hair, which was slicked back with a green and white bandana.

“… You’re so big, though. I mean, look. Your tooth is bigger than my head!” Raphael said as he pointed at Sithero’s lips, where a canine poked out.

Sithero curled his lip up to reveal the full length of his canine, which shone brilliantly in the lantern’s light. ‘This is true. I could bite you in two with one snap.’ The kraken growled as he clicked his teeth together, which sent a shiver up Raphael’s spine as he glimpsed those white teeth flashing in his vision.

“You don’t… plan to eat me after all this, do you?” Raphael uttered, feeling absolutely minuscule in his little wooden boat underneath the giant’s gaze.

‘That depends, do you consider the ride in my mouth as being eaten? It’s the only way you’ll be able to exit this cave.’ The kraken grinned as he licked his lips with his yellow tongue.

“Hey, I really don’t want to go back in there. I know it’s what kept me from drowning, but…” Raphael sighed, glancing at his provisions soaked with the kraken’s saliva.

‘Feel free to try another way out.’ Sithero growled as he looked down at the man’s supplies. Curiously, the giant picked up Raphael in his boat and lifted it up to his eye.

“Hey, easy!” The man yelled as he was rocked by the momentum of being lifted.

‘Is your stuff ruined?’ Sithero asked, eyeing the cloth sacks on the bottom of the boat.

“That’s just my food… well, what’s left of it. The bread is probably all soggy, but as long as the rum is there… aha!” Raphael exclaimed as he produced a green glass bottle filled with spirits. The man popped the cork and took a swig straight from the bottle, sighing happily once he removed the glass from his lips.

‘Humans are always drinking that.’ Sithero chuckled, holding Raphael in his wooden boat.

“I suppose they don’t make bottles in your size. Good thing, too, cause I’d be swimmin’ in it.” Raphael laughed as he kicked back in the boat and continued drinking.

Sithero couldn’t help but smile as he cupped the boat in his palm, eyeing the human inside of it. The giant tilted his head, observing the interior of the rowboat, suddenly getting an idea.

‘Come here.’ He growled, using his other hand to pinch Raphael’s upper body between his thumb and forefinger. The man exclaimed as he was lifted out of the boat and placed directly onto Sithero’s palm, holding tight to his rum bottle.

The kraken placed the empty boat on the cave floor and turned his gaze to the human in his hands, suddenly feeling very warm at how small and delicate he looked, laid out on his palm, barely half the length of his finger.

Raphael sneered up at the giant, briefly attempting to stand up before flailing and falling backwards, spilling a little rum on himself.

“Gah… you big beast... I didn’t ask to be in yer hands!” Raphael blurted as he wiped the rum off his shirt, glancing up at the giant’s piercing gaze.

Sithero merely chuckled, rumbling deep in the back of his throat as his soft gaze took in the man’s form.

“Ah, to hell with it. You’re pretty nice, for a sea monster. Besides, if I’m gonna be eaten, I wanna be drunk.” The man grunted as he sipped his rum.

‘You look very relaxed.’ Sithero uttered as he held his hands steady, with one cupped under the other. The giant was mostly submerged, with just his upper body resting on the rocky cave floor, propped up by his elbows.

‘I’ve never held a human like this. It’s… nice.’ He rumbled, awed by the sight of Raphael leaning against the base of his fingers.

“Ya keep looking at me like I’m… a doll or somethin’. S’weird.” Raphael hiccuped from his lack of inhibition.

‘Don’t tell me you have a problem with the way I interact with tiny things such as yourself.’ Sithero laughed. ‘I’m aware that humans consider me to be frightening and dangerous, while I personally consider humans to be delightful. I think you should be grateful that I’m holding you this way instead of drowning you a thousand feet under the sea.’

Raphael blinked, staring blankly up at the rumbling giant. By now, he was able to understand the enormous kraken’s growling manner of speech. However, the alcohol was slowing his cognitive thinking more and more each passing minute, leading him to respond with a simple “Fair enough.”

Sithero smiled, regardless, and cupped his hand loosely around the human as he pulled his hefty body further onto the cave floor. Raphael grumbled as he was closed in by enormous fingers while the giant made himself more comfortable, turning onto his back and propping his body up against the cave walls.

The kraken sighed as he leaned back, leaving his long tail submerged in the dark ocean water while his upper body relaxed and cupped Raphael in his hand, which rested comfortably on top of his stomach.

Raphael, in drunken bliss, hummed as he was held by the giant. He laid back in Sithero’s hands, his head nestled neatly between the cracks of his fingers. The man sighed, feeling the warmth of skin underneath him, the rush of the giant’s breaths and gurgling insides.

“Hey, I forgot yer name. Sithy.” Raphael muttered through flushed cheeks, his rum nearly gone. “You’re pretty swell. I ain’t got a home or family or whatnot, so this is a nice treat… s’like I’m in a fancy rich bed. Heh heh.”

‘Sithy, huh. I kinda like that.’ The kraken chuckled. He then leaned forward and carefully plucked the nearly empty rum bottle from Raphael’s hands with the tips of his claws. ‘And, that’s enough for you.’

“Gimme that…” Raphael groaned as he reached for the bottle, which promptly disappeared in the giant’s mouth.

‘Hmm.’ Sithero rumbled as he rolled the open bottle on his tongue, spilling the contents out and onto his taste buds. ‘You made it seem so much tastier than this.’

“It IS tasty. Don’t guzzle my rum!” Raphael grumbled as he wobbled onto his legs and attempted to scale Sithero’s torso.

‘Careful.’ The giant growled as the drunken man ignored him, stumbling his way up the firm musculature of his abdomen. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’

“Gimme my bottle back…” Raphael slurred, clinging to the giant’s pectoral. The slope of the monstrous man’s chest proved difficult for the small, drunk human to navigate over.

Amused, Sithero leaned back all the way, laying flat on his back to allow Raphael to stumble along his body. With the bottle still in his mouth, Sithero tilted his head up and opened up slightly, allowing the determined man to see the prize within reach.

“Ya don’t take a man’s rum, Sithy…” Raphael grunted as he stumbled against the giant’s lips, feebly reaching into the open mouth with the bottle resting in the middle of Sithero’s tongue. With a gentle tilt, Sithero scooped Raphael inside his mouth with the end of his yellow tongue, rolling him onto the center.

Once Raphael got a hold of the empty bottle, he groaned, hugging it to his chest and rolling over inside Sithero’s mouth, curling up where he laid and promptly passing out.

Sithero, with his mouth slightly open, breathed evenly. His tongue quivered as Raphael’s small body curled up on top, unbothered by the saliva. He slowly shut his mouth, cupping his tongue to give the human space inside. He was so much smaller without his boat, something Sithero was painfully aware of. How easy it would be to swallow him whole, he thought.

‘Raphael.’ Sithero rumbled, his tongue shifting as he spoke, which stirred the inebriated man. Raphael responded with grumpy grumbles, no longer coherent or aware of his surroundings.

Sithero sighed, deciding that it was inevitable, now. After all, Raphael climbed right into his jaws.

With a tilt of his tongue, Raphael was slid down the center, his unconscious body passing the giant’s tonsils, entering his esophagus.

A gentle gulp, and Sithero tilted his head back and squeezed Raphael down his throat. The man groaned as he was swallowed, his body engulfed by wet flesh that slid him easily down the giant’s gullet, though not much could be done to slow his descent.

Sithero sighed warmly, placing the tips of his fingers against his neck as Raphael went down, forming a solid bulge underneath. The kraken growled, humming softly as the warm little human was taken into his innards.

After a little while, Raphael had been squeezed down the entire length of Sithero’s esophagus, where he was slid into a warm, wet chamber within the giant’s ribcage. The man gasped a little and moaned as he suddenly felt sick to his stomach after being tipped upside-down.

He had been swallowed, yet Sithero knew he was safe. The kraken’s stomach was multi-chambered to fill his enormous body cavity, with only the lower portion unsafe for passengers. Satisfied with the feeling of a warm, living body squirming in his belly, the giant set his head back on the ground and stroked his stomach fondly.

‘Nothing for you to stumble on and get hurt in there.’ Sithero uttered as he traced his finger along his abdomen. ‘Just don’t be mad at me when you wake up.’

Raphael passed out not long after, blissfully unaware of his surroundings, sleeping rather soundly and comfortably surrounded by soft flesh.

The night went on, though the two were far from the stars. Under the waves and buried under earth and rock, the underwater cave was a safe haven devoid of sunlight. Only bioluminescent plankton, algae, and jellyfish provided any form of light.

Sithero was first to awaken, his massive form turned onto his front as he arched his back in a stretch. The giant rumbled softly as he placed a hand on his stomach, feeling the tiny presence of Raphael inside, still fast asleep.

The kraken took the opportunity to gather the rest of Raphael’s belongings, placing them carefully into the wooden boat, along with some trinkets and treasures from the shipwrecks. He then picked up the boat and placed it inside his mouth, taking care not to swallow any of the tiny human objects.

Sithero slid his huge body into the pool of the cave, sinking below the surface and back into the tunnel towards the cave entrance. His yellow eyes adjusted to the light that illuminated at the end of the cave, indicating that morning had come.

Still holding the rowboat in his mouth, the giant emerged from the cave and swam upwards, surfacing along the rocky cliffs of the landmass above the submerged cave that he called his home. Gulls cried as the kraken’s enormous head scanned the coastline before heading towards a sandy beach.

Sithero huffed as he heaved his monstrous body onto the sand, removing the boat from his mouth and placing it gingerly on the shore. He blinked calmly, placing a hand on his stomach again, determining the best time to let Raphael out.

‘Are you awake?’ Sithero growled, patting his stomach. A soft squirming inside of him told him that the man was at least stirring, no doubt hungover.

“Ughh…” Raphael groaned, rolling in the glowing interior of the giant. He opened his eyes briefly, shutting them quickly when he was met with nothing but soft yellow hues.

‘As much as I don’t mind this, I think you need fresh air.’ Sithero sighed as he straightened his back and flexed his stomach, the soft folds compressing around Raphael as it pushed him upwards and into the giant’s esophagus. Not long after, Sithero leaned forward and allowed the human to slide into his mouth, completely soaked in saliva.

The giant held his mouth open, allowing the cooler air to fill the inside, chilling Raphael awake. The man woke with a jolt, eyes wide and dizzy as he took in the frightening view of enormous, sharp teeth encircling him.

“Oh, god.” He uttered, covering his eyes with his hands, incidentally bumping the empty rum bottle against his skull.

Sithero calmly tilted his head down and slid the human onto his palm, who was still clinging to the bottle. ‘Hmm, you got your rum back after all.’ The kraken chuckled.

“How… much did I drink…” Raphael groaned, tilting the bottle upside-down and dropping it in defeat. He wiped his forehead and neck, wincing at the gooey saliva coating him.

‘Nearly all of it. How do you feel?’ The kraken growled as he peered at the soggy man in his palm, expression softening at how disheveled he looked.

“I… I’m fine.” Raphael groaned as he rolled over in the giant’s palm, averting his gaze from the morning sunlight. “How long was I… in your mouth?”

Sithero blinked, unsure of how much Raphael remembered from last night. Did he have no recollection of climbing directly into his jaws and promptly going down his throat?

‘Ah, a good while. You should wash off.’ Sithero uttered as he turned and placed Raphael on the sand beside the water, who stumbled directly into the surf, submerging his entire body as he fell face-first.

Sithero watched the man slump into the ocean, jolting as he reached for him and promptly plucked his limp body out of the waves.

‘That’s one way to get clean, I suppose…’ The giant grumbled as he held Raphael between his thumb and forefinger, letting him drip onto the sand below.

“I’m awake, I’m awake…” Raphael groaned as he squirmed in the giant’s fingers. “You… ugh, you ate me, didn’t you?” He uttered as he pointed a finger at Sithero’s enormous striped face.

‘I don’t know what you mean.’ Sithero chuckled deeply as a tiny finger wagged at him.

“You swallowed me!” Raphael blurted.

‘Ah, that I did. Big difference.’ The kraken replied.

“What d’ya mean? I was in your stomach, you tellin’ me that’s not eatin’ me?” Raphael retorted, wriggling defiantly, though weakly.

‘You weren’t digested. Silly thing.’ Sithero rumbled as he set Raphael on the seat of his rowboat. ‘I intend to keep you safe, and that is what I did. Now settle down, drink some water.’

“What water? All I got to my name is…” Raphael trailed off as he looked down at the floor of the boat and saw that it was filled with a generous pile of assorted treasures, from necklaces and coins to daggers and swords. His green eyes glittered with delight.

“Is this all for me?” Raphael asked up at the giant, his tone vastly sweeter than before.

‘Yes, don’t go spending it all in one place.’ Sithero rumbled as he stretched up and glanced around, scanning the horizon for ships.

“I dunno what to say… this is all so… it’s enough to get me some land and my own ship!” Raphael exclaimed as he pored over the treasures. “How could I ever repay you?”

Sithero shrugged as he returned his gaze to the gleeful human. ‘No need, I enjoyed our time together, after all. I only ask that you visit me, should you find yourself in this area again.’

“That’s more than fair… are you leaving, then?” Raphael asked up at the giant, who leaned close to him and smiled.

‘Does Raphael want me to stay?’ The giant chuckled, more so when Raphael’s face flushed pink.

“I-I don’t wanna keep you… I also enjoyed our time together, though perhaps the rum is to blame for part of that…” Raphael said as he stared at the giant’s enormous lips.

‘Don’t worry, I know just what to do with a drunken sailor.’ Sithero winked, and Raphael’s heart sank into his chest.

“… Any chance you got rum on you?” He said shyly, rubbing his hands together in his lap as he looked up at the giant.

‘Sadly, no. Make sure you bring enough for me next time, though.’ Sithero said toothily as he tapped his enormous finger on the end of Raphael’s boat.

“So, tonight?” The man said, holding his breath in his chest.

‘Tonight.’

[bluegalaxygirl]

Obsession's Grip (Zosan X Reader) P1

Plot: After saving some of the straw hat crew from a prison, the crew help takes a young man away so he can have a fresh start in life. He's shy but seems to grow attached to Reader in an unhealthy way.

Warning: Snakes, Bad language, Violence and Making out.

Reader is Female (Sorry), Zoro X Sanji X Reader, Poly relationship, established relationship. Reader has the ability to control the snake tattoos on her arms that come alive when she commands, they can change size and are connected to her emotions.

P2 - P3 - P4 - P5 - P6 - P7 - P8 - P9 - P10 - P11 - P12 - P13 - P14

You couldn't blame your three crew mates for getting caught by marines, it was a stupid plan to begin with and your surprised only Nami, Usopp and Brook got captured, the only thing your hating at the moment is the prison your currently in. A place designed to disorientate prisoners if they escape, it's a maze of cells, random rooms and dead ends but thanks to the help of your snake's sense you managed to navigate the halls to find your crew mates. Your snake slithers in front of you using its tongue to smell out for Nami's perfume as you run behind it taking on anyone who gets in its way so your snake can focus, kicking the legs out from under a marine you kick him into another sending the two tumbling into a cell which you quickly lock with the keys they dropped. A yell of fear calls out from down the hall getting you to run towards it, you may have lost sight of your snake but you can feel where it is so found it easy to run down the halls until the large snake is in sight. Its tongue flicks in and out of its mouth while glaring into a cell, a small low hiss coming from its closed mouth letting you know it not happy "Calm down will you" Nami's voice yells out as you walk towards the cell soon seeing your three crew mates tied up and a young man in a janitors uniform trying to unlock Brooks sea prism cuffs with a key "I-i'ts huge" The young man panics his eyes fixed on your snake while his hands fiddle with Brooks cuffs trying to get the key in while his hands shake. Patting your snake it clams down at your presence as you walk into the cell earning happy cheers from Nami and Usopp "Sorry it took so long" You smile bending down to pick up the key's on the cold stone floor before unlocking the cuff on your two friends.

The young man looks you over before looking back at your snake still fearful even though its no longer looking at him instead its now looking down the hallway for any trouble while smelling the air. Once you've uncuffed Nami and Usopp spring up giving you a tight hug which you happily return "We're so happy you came" The two cry into your shoulders making you sigh while rubbing their backs, still seeing the young man struggling to get the cuffs off due to his shaking hands you know you have to calm him down. "Don't worry, it won't hurt you" You calmly state making the young man jump a little at your words before giving you a nod starting to calm down. Unlocking the cuffs and letting them drop to the floor, Brook takes in a big breath before sitting straight up causing the young man to jump in shock "I'm alive... well half alive, yooohooo" he calls out making you giggle a little while helping your friends up "Thanks for the help" Usopp smiles patting the young man on the back who shots up to his feet "I-its no problem, I-i'm glad i could help" The young man gulps before looking at you again, your snake pokes its head through the cell door to nudge your back wanting to get moving "Right, we should get going" You agree with your snake pushing its head out of the cell as you walk out into the hallway, your three crew mates follow but Nami looks back at the young man who's fidgeting with his hands. "Well come on, we made a deal, you get the key's, and we take you away from here" the navigator sighs annoyed at the young man but you place a hand on her shoulder while pointing to your snake "Hop on and I'll sort this out" The navigator nods at you heading over to your snake to sit on its back while Brook and Usopp sit on its large head.

Stepping into the cell you can now get a better look at the young man, he's timid to say the least and can hardly meet your eye, he's beyond skinny and his skin is pale indicating he hasn't been eating right and probably doesn't see the sun all that often. His hair is greasy and pulled into a large bun that looks very tatty showing he doesn't take care of himself or that he can't, It breaks your heart a little since he looks more like a prisoner than a janitor. You know if Zoro was here he would tell you to just leave him but you feel sorry for him, and he did make a deal with Nami so you at least have to try. "Thank you for your help in saving my friend's, i know my snake is scary but it won't hurt you" You smile hoping to get the young man to calm down a bit, but he still doesn't meet your eye "I'm Y/n, what's your name?" You ask as the young man slowly starts to relax around you "I'm... Percy" He finally replies's starting to look you over, giving him a kind smile you hold out your hand for him to take "It's nice to meet you Percy, now come on, let get you out of here. Our Cook's the best in the world, he'll happily make you what ever you want to eat once we get out of here" He hesitates for a moment before slowly reaching out and taking your hand, walking him out of the cell you help him onto your snakes back before sitting behind him since you didn't want him to fall off in his weak state. Patting your snake it nods before slithering off through the halls, the walls and cells go past in a blur due to how fast it's going and despite the sharp turns the ride is smooth.

It isn't long until you see the sun light shining through the large metal gates that Zoro cut open long ago, the sound of fighting outside becomes louder and louder until your right on top of the fight "Hay Guys" Brook and Usopp yell from your snakes head while waving their hands to get the crew's attention, Luffy punches a marine into the water before turning to the giant snake heading their way "Their here" The captain yells getting the rest of the crew's attention while waving back to his friends with a laugh. Franky is quick to rush back to the sunny to start steering the ship and get their escape ready while Luffy, Robin, Chopper, Zoro and Sanji take on the last of the marines. "Keep heading to the ship" You call out to your snake not wanting it to stop and say hi, it nods slithering past the crew as they kick, slice, punch and slap the marines aside making an easy path for your Snake to slither though. Once on the ship your snake lets everyone off while looking out to sea, a marine ship is heading your way so it lets out a loud hiss giving the crew a warning. Nami's quickly run up to the wheel taking over from Franky before giving orders "Brook, Y/n protect the ship, Franky fire back at the marine ship, Usopp help the other get on board" She yells out steering the ship starting to turn it away from the prison's port, nodding to you snake it nods back blocking two cannon balls with its body and head managing to knock them into the water while Brook slices another two in half. Seeing Percy standing on the deck you quickly push him down to the floor not meaning to be rough but you know he'll get hurt just standing there like that "Stay down, i don't want you to get hurt" You state calmly before standing back up and looking around the deck.

The others aren't back yet making you worry but you soon find the reason why, Usopp is still kissing the grass on the Sunny's deck happy to be back "Usopp, stop kissing the ship" You yell at the long nosed man picking him up by the back of his shirt and pulling him over to the side of the ship, confused at first the sniper doesn't understand what you want until he see's the situation ahead of him. The crew still on solid ground are fighting a new wave of marines who have made it out of the prison making it hard from them to get back without someone getting hurt. "R-right, leave it to me" Letting the sniper go you turn to your snake soon hearing a loud bang, The sunny fires back at the marine ship managing to break its mast slowing its speed but with its cannons still intact Brook, you and your snake are struggling to stop the constant cannon fire from damaging the ship. You coat your hands and arms in Armament Haki hitting cannon balls that fly your way as Usopp fires his green star aiming it at a small gap between the crew fighting and the marines on land, large carnivorous plants break out of the concrete grabbing onto the marines with their vines and mouths. "Franky hurry up and take that ship out, You guys get on board now" Nami yells out since the ship is now in the correct passion to get out of the situation, with one last cannon fire from the Sunny the marine ship breaks in two, unfortunately before it starts to sink the ship fires everything they have to stop the Sunny. Several cannon balls fly at the ship two being cut down by Brook, while two others hit your snake as it tries to protect the ship from damage, unfortunately one got past the two heading right for Percy.

Running quickly you tackle the young man out-of-the-way leaving the cannon ball to hit the stairs, rolling on the floor you soon come to a stop as the others finally make it onto the Sunny, Nami yells out a quick warning before pressing the butter for a coup de burst. Everyone hangs on tight to something as the Sunny launches into the air getting further and further away from the prison, grabbing onto the mast bench you hold onto Percy who's laying under you, the young man wraps his arms around you trying to hold on until the ship finally crashes back into the water. Sighing in relief you lift yourself off the young man who watches your very move with wide eyes, standing you push some hair out of your face before holding out your hand to him "You ok?" You ask giving him a concerned look but that soon turns into shock as he shoots up to sit on his knees and hug your waist burring his face into your stomach "Thank you, thank you so much" Percy cry's into your stomach, before you can comfort him angry storming footsteps get your attention "Bastard, get off her" Sanji yells his eyes burning into the young man who's holding you while raising his leg "No, no, it's ok" You hold your hands out managing to stop Sanji from kicking Percy across the ship, the cook looks at you in confusion as the others walk over to see what the fuss is about "Urm? New friend Y/n?" Luffy asks searching his head but you sigh and try to pull the young man off you, despite how weak he looks Percy has quite the grip and hardly budges as you try to unlock his hands that are wrapped tightly around you "N-No not quite... please let go, your safe now" You laugh nervously while looking down at Percy who's refusing to budge "Oi, the lady said get off, now" Sanji growls slamming his foot onto the ground right next to the young man while grabbing the back of his shirt as a warning.

The sound of thin metal dragging along the floor get you to look over seeing Usopptrying to stop a very angry Zoro from walking over "he helped us out, he got us the keys to our cell and out cuffs, we said we'd take him with us... he's just scared there no need to kill him" Usopp tries to explain while slightly panicking placing his hands on the swordsman's chest but the sniper just slides backwards as Zoro continues to walk over his sword scraping along the floor next to him. Hearing all the ruckus Percy looks up from your stomach his eyes meeting yours before he turns to look at the blonde man growling behind him still gripping his shirt and then over to the pissed off swordsman, the young man's eyes widen at the murderous look in the green haired mans's eyes. "He's a marine... Let go, or I'll cut your arms off" The swordsman growls stopping in front of you and Percy while shoving Usopp side and pointing the tip of his sword in the young man's face. Percy gulps and finally lets you go letting you step back and away from him "Are you ok my love? Did he hurt you?" The cook asks running over to you and cupping your face in his hands starting to look you over for any cuts or bruises but you take his hands and shake your head "No, i'm fine. He's just scared" You try to explain while pulling his hands off your face. Luffy walks right up the Percy and looks him over with a hum before smiling "Thanks for helping my friends, I'm Monkey D Luffy" The captain holds out his hand for the young man to shake.

Still in shock Percy keeps his wide eyes on Zoro but takes Luffy's hand to shake it "I-I'm Percy" Sanji glares not liking the man being on the ship while wrapping his arms around you waist, but he can't go against the captain who seems to like the young man "Are you sure your ok my love?" The cook asks pulling you into his chest, wrapping your arms around his neck you place a light kiss in his lips "I'm fine really" you reassure hoping to ease his worries, it was quite uncomfortable having the young man cling onto you like that but then again you did save his life, and he's away from that prison, he's just grateful. "He's not a marine, please put it away" Usopp sighs while rubbing his head finally managing to get a word in after Luffy has finished talking Percy's ear off but the swordsman doesn't budge "Then what is he then?" Chopper asks as he tries to hide behind Robin's leg who laughs at him since he's doing it backwards "He's a deserter" Nami calls out coming down the stairs and over to the group hoping to explain and calm everyone down "Listen we'll explain all this later, for now we need to fix the ship and i need a drink" The navigator sighs while rubbing her head, Luffy jumps up with a big smile while taking Percy's arm dragging him up with the captain "Sanji, can you cook up something, mainly meat" The captain laughs while dragging the young man to the kitchen some of the other starting to follow in agreement. Sanji sigh and places a kiss on your lips before reluctantly letting you go, Zoro groans putting his sword away and making his way over to the two of you "I don't like this" He states only for a hand to be placed on his shoulder "You'll understand later... I'll give you five minutes Sanji" Nami smiles with a wink walking past the three of you and to the kitchen.

Sanji gives her a big smile while swaying a little hearts appearing in his eyes, happy that he didn't have to rush away from you "Thank you, Nami-Swan" Sanji happily calls out after her watching the navigator walk into the kitchen and close the door. Zoro takes a step closer wrapping an arm around your waist, his eye looking you over as you run your hand up his chest and to his cheek, leaning in you place a soft kiss on his lips which he quickly deepens by shoving his tongue into your mouth. The slight giggle you let out gets Sanji's attention, turning the cook smile at the two of you while stepping closer wrapping his arms around the two of you and placing a kiss on your neck and then one on Zoro's. Pulling away you smile up at the swordsman "Must have been one hell of a fight" You tease while biting your lip making him groan and tilt his head from side to side "Its was ok" he states earning a laugh off Sanji who shakes his head and leans up to place a kiss on the swordsman's cheek "Please, you were having so much out there" The cook comments, Zoro smirks while crashing his lips onto the blondes, the two hum in unison as the swordsman shoves his tongue into Sanji's already slightly open mouth, their kiss goes on for a while and its then you notice your Snake hovering over Franky. The Cyborg sighs looking over the smashed up stairs while patting your snakes head who had lowered it as an apology "Hay you did a good job protecting the ship pal, don't put yourself down" The cyborg give your snake a big smile before starting to work. "Baby, your not paying attention" Zoro nips at your neck making you jump slightly at his sudden action.

Sanji rubs your side with a small laugh pulling you in closer, so he can lightly place his lips on yours, "Sorry" You mumble against his lips before lightly biting his lower lip, the cooks smile gets even bigger while opening his mouth for you, letting your tongue in it moves around with his. A light hum leaves your lips feeling content in this moment but soon you have to pull away from the kiss panting for air, your snake lets out a hiss behind you patiently waiting until you were done before nudging your arm wanting to go back. Turning you hold your arms out letting your Snake pressing its head into your chest as you rub the sides of its face "You did such a good job" You praise lifting its head up so you can kiss its snout, the swordsman smirks while rubbing his hand over some slightly damaged scales on your snakes neck "You really took a hit there bud but its nothing you can't handle, right?" Zoro asks earning a nod and a proud hiss, your snakes can heal very quickly so it'll most likely take a day for it to fully heal. Your snake nudging your arm again asking to go back so you pat its head while nodding your head giving it permission to go back, the large snake shrinking as it wraps around your arm starting to turn back into a normal looking tattoo. "Come on love, lets get you some tea" Sanji smiles placing a kiss on your temple while taking your hand starting to lead you over to the stairs, the swordsman kisses the side of your head and places his arm around your waist following close "I need Sake" Zoro mumbles making Sanji sigh and shake his head "One cup, we need you sober in case the new guy causes a problem" Despite the long annoyed groan the swordsman lets out he didn't argue back, he knows for once the cook is right, but he won't admit it.

[ms-oswald]

emmenez-moi | aemond targ.

author's note: this came to me abruptly while the song played live in a crowded restaurant - at a work thing of course. I just had to write it down. I don't believe it's been done before - i could be wrong - but either way, hopefully it's a good read. It's a tad long I guess? with angst (of course) and some smut moments so MDNI please. a big thank you to @arcielee for being my soundboard and being my second pair of eyes - my darling aemond guru 💜 Lots of love and stay safe 💕 {divider credit to dearest @arcielee}

      The cool air flowed across the city's midnight sky, unbothered by the civilians that remained awake in its path. The pavement, tainted in traces of cinders, rumbled under Parisian light – Her glow hiding the scars of abrupt abuse. 

The smoke slipped down his tongue, grazing his partially parted lips before it escaped, its exit resuscitating calmness in his muscles. The cigarette dressed his fingers with faint flare, its exposed edge simmering in the dark, while he rested against the brick wall where his ears were inundated with camaraderie echoing from the other side. 

He was patient – his stature nonchalant – while the world moved without him. 

Only when a gush of light struck his shadow did he move, turning his head to the door as it opened.  

A smirk reached the corners of his mouth as he puffed his smoke; the club lost another body to the shadowed alley, its brilliant glow brief as her presence came forward.  

She was then violently pushed away, her arm constricted with sudden pressure as she softly landed against him. 

The sudden movement left her breath stuck to her throat – fearful.  

Panic surged to the surface, etching its marks across her irises until she finally realized who had taken her captive; a relieved sigh left her lungs, her shoulders dropping as she slapped him his chest, his hold on her loosening.  

“Waiting in the dark like a big bad wolf, Aemond?” The coy smile to her lips, she took his cigarette for her own as she slightly pushed him away. Refusing to part completely, his fingers caressed the fabric of her coat before drawing her close again, switching places with her back pressed against the wall. 

He did not speak, his fingertips simply hovering over her cold cheek while his gaze bore into her with a depth that weakened her knees – even without light, the brightness in his eyes left her in awe, a drop dipping in faint fright from its severity. The sharp allure of his jaw, the crooked tilt of his lips – the way he would hold himself, pride slithering through the pureness in his blood, prejudice shadowed in his steps – in his breath. 

She took a drag of his smoke, her red lipstick staining the tip; he snaked his arm around her waist as he stepped closer, ridding of the shy distance that split them. She then breathed out, snuffing the air into his face with the smell of tobacco hitting his nose. He let it pass, the scent unbothered to him as he leaned forward, his breath tickling her ear.  

His whispered words fluttered her eyes closed, her head leaning backwards from the slacked muscles in her neck – he quietly chuckled before placing his hands at her jaw, capturing her lips for his own. 

The weight of his body pressed against her, he felt the way her chest expanded at his touch, the stroke of his tongue languid with her own.  

The cigarette dropped on the ground, her fingers finding his vest as she latched on, her nails digging into the fabric of his uniform. 

The slight tug her way, his left hand slid down her neck to her chest, sneaking under her coat where his thumb grazed her breast over her dress; a strained gasp echoed at the back of her throat, the sound swallowed by his tongue. 

He parted ways with her lips, the bright red color smeared across their skin, and dragged kisses along her jawline and down her neck – soft presses to her pulse left her mouth slightly parted as she sucked in a breath. She felt his teeth grazing her flesh, his hand trailing down her dress in an excruciatingly slow pace, his movements taunting her – flirting. 

She murmured his name, the syllables caught tightly around her chords. 

She called for him again, his name spreading warmth down the pit of her stomach – her voice causing his skin to rise under the thickness of his coat.  

The slow steps gently hastened in speed with his lips touching every inch he could reach, the desperate need to feel sated heavy under his bones. 

She rested her hand above his right, his palm warming her cheek; he slowed down, eventually moving away from her just far enough to feel the tickle of her sigh against his mouth. 

He remained mute still, heavily breathing as he nestled his nose to hers, feather glimpses of wanting caress. All the while, his other hand slid towards her hip and further down until he grasped onto her skirt, scrunching the fabric in his palm with a light tug.  

Her eyes stuck to his own, she followed the silent command, helping him as he lifted her leg to rest around him. His fingers – as devilish as his stare, found refuge under her dress as they crawled across her limb; a faint grunt rumbled at the back of his throat, the feel of her skin-colored tights bothering him.  

She bit her bottom lip in response, quickly glancing downwards before tilting her head back up. 

“Careful, officer.” Her voice low, sultry, she grabbed the lapel of his coat and pulled him closer, the exhalation fanning over his lips with her gaze glinting a spark of mischief. “Or we might get caught.” 

He huffed a slight chuckle, the corner of his lips skewing upwards. “It has never stopped us before.” He leaned further until he could kiss her again, his teeth quickly grabbing her bottom lip – a tease. 

She sighed against his touch, his fingers digging into her thigh while she felt his other hand snaking to her backside, pressure to her cheek. She tightened her grasp around him, her mind lost to the way he was holding her – always wanting more, hunger guiding his movements. 

Resting between her legs, he pressed himself further against her, a need to mold every piece of clothing and muscle into her; a gentle shift of his hips to her own, she whimpered into his mouth, her voice once more swallowed by the greediness of his tongue.  

She abandoned his coat for his jaw, her arms residing across his shoulder before her right grabbed a handful of his hair at the back of his head, the feel of the gel slick across her fingers. 

Months had passed since they first met – since they found each other amidst a crowd, since she started to plague his mind, the cries of occupation and war becoming but mere non-diegetic sounds. 

      The room boomed through music and chit-chat, clinking glasses and dancing steps. The crowd was heavy as the night grew darker, titillating excitement spread through sips of alcohol and floating tobacco. 

He was quiet, the wine swimming in his cup as he listened to the ruckus spread across his table; it was not his first choice, the company of people unwelcomed on his shoulders. 

He took a sip of his drink, the content as mundane as his evening.  

He placed it on the table and leaned against the back of his chair, a silent sigh slipping out.  

He watched as his compatriots were entertaining themselves, rowdy and intrusive, while the rest of the public minded their business, shying away from the oppressive uniforms – even the band had barely grazed his ears with interest. He was but a shadow, an observer, waiting until he could make his swift exit. 

His attention drifted, slipping into an abyss until he was forcefully pulled back, vines trapping his mind for his eyes to follow where he needed to go; she stepped onto the stage out of his sight – her voice, his siren call back to reality. 

Her presence grand, she swept the table people to the dance floor, her voice lustrous – enigmatic when stringing along a lighthearted melody. 

He tilted his head her way, struck, intrigued; her subtle hips movement – hidden under her dress – her gentle grasp of the microphone as if delicate, had left him in a trance, capitulating under her supremacy. 

His gaze did not go unnoticed, his eye unmoving as she caught him staring. She lingered, a hidden smirk moving alongside her lyrics, a faint eye roll sliding under her brows. She held the way he looked at her, enraptured by the intensity of his stare – devotion through observation coloring his hue. 

It had turned unfortunate when he was pulled away from her, the noises at his table catching his unwanted attention. Looking to his right, he saw one of the other men pull a waiter forcefully by the arm, trapping the worker to listen to the soldier’s request. 

He caught onto some of the words that were exchanged, the drunken air palpable around him.  

With the waiter escaping, the comrade relaxed back into his seat, taking a sip of his drink without a care in the world.  

An annoyed sentiment settled in the pit of Aemond’s stomach – he clenched his jaw as he turned his head back to the stage, the small patch covering his wounded eye hiding the table from his periphery. 

When the applause came along, she disappeared – the entertainment proceeding without her voice; his heart sunk slightly into his chest, a ghost of disappointment hiding behind his gaze. A sigh escaped him, pushing him to lean against the back of his chair before he reached for his pockets, searching for a smoke. 

Without paying attention to the movements around him, he placed the cigarette between his lips ready to light it when he made a sudden stop to the sound of a female voice. Looking up, he saw the singer stand between him and the one that had called for her. 

A casual stance, she played with the men surrounding the table – an act she wore to hide the disdain she felt for them; she was part of a play, repeating the same scene every other night. 

But the face dropped when undesired touches were made to her body; the one who wanted her attention had stood at his feet, taking command of her personal space as he spilled flirtatious comments her way. She grew uncomfortable, though hid it as not to track discord amongst the officers. 

She tried to laugh it off, continue with the game while taking the smallest steps backwards. 

Aemond noticed – his eye fixated on the conversation that lied in front of him. His cigarette toyed between his fingers, his leg absent-mindedly shaking against the ground as it hid under their table.  

A hand to the small of her back, a glass of champagne was forced to be held by her delicate fingers as she was subtly tugged towards her intruder – unwilling.   

Aemond stood to his feet, his unlit cigarette crumpled to the ground and forgotten; his presence caught his circle off-guard, the other men eyeing him with a shadow of annoyance. 

“I think you might be pushing your luck, Kamerad.” He stood tall, a calm tone pushing his words, though traces of their severity tainted them. 

The other man only scoffed, attempting to incite laughter around the table. 

Aemond did not look away. He took one faint step towards the woman, subtly reaching for her arm as to pull her from the officer. 

The growing suffocation coming from both sides, she abruptly broke from their grasps, cursing at them while forcing herself out and throwing the contents of her glass in the man’s face.  

He stifled a smile as his eye was cast downwards, the disgruntled sight from the comrade amusing him.  

      She stepped out into the night, leaving behind the smothering air that filled the club. 

She took a moment for herself, a breath of fresh air resting in her lungs as she stood still.  

But the minutes were short, her body stiffening at the sight of a body lurking in the shadows. Her eyes stuck on the unknown figure, she instinctively reached her pockets, her fingers grabbing her penknife. The weapon whipped into the open air, its blade pointed back at the dark shape. 

Hands in the air, he walked forward, his sign of surrender grazing her view. She did not move, her glare harshened by his presence as it peered from the way his coiffed hair was slicked back, to the patch covering his left eye down the tail of his cigarette, burning softly. 

He remained calm, his blue gaze fixated on her. “You can lower your weapon. I won’t hurt you.” 

“Was it necessary to hide in the dark like that?!” Her annoyance seething through her teeth, she exhaled her uneasiness, though its roots remained attached to her fingers; only when her chest depleted, she eventually lowered her arm, placing the knife back into the comfort of her coat.  

Once out of sight, she smoothly picked his cigarette out of his grasp and placed it between her lips, kissing it without remorse.  

He had been awe-struck by the abrupt takeover and simply watched her with a light huff chasing the air out of his lungs. He followed with a step towards her, his height forcing her neck to slightly tilt back, the heels to her feet almost reaching him.  

She tilted forward, gently blowing the tobacco his way with the toxic fumes tickling his nose; she had hoped such a gesture would push him away, her hand at unrefined behavior leaving her be.  

A darkened smile carved into his cheek, crooked as it stretched his lips.  

Unyielding, she sharpened her stare, unwilling to back away and let him win – her challenge unrelenting. 

Adamant and fearless, she would not cower away from his kind.  

She flicked the unfinished cigarette to the ground, her stare remaining stuck to his. The ashes sprawled by his boots, her foot crushed the skin against the pavement. He had followed the object’s trajectory, a light chuckle trembling at the back of his throat as the flecks of embers died in the dark. 

She had taken this chance to glance toward the patch covering his left eye. A reddened scar had stretched beyond the cover, intruding the skin from above his brow down his cheek. 

Curiosity had taken over her movements, her fingers attempting to reach the mark when a sharp pressure around her wrist stopped her. 

He had lifted his eyes back up to her when he saw arm stretched slightly; he caught her mid-air, stopping the intrusion to his bruise. 

At a standstill, he held her for a few short moments, the staring contest continuous until she finally broke free from his grasp, her arm dropping.  

She huffed, a slight frown settling across her face as she shook her wrist lightly. “Tight grip for a German. Trying to prove a point, officer?”  

He chuckled at her words – his simple response – his lopsided curve protruding. 

“I hope my friend did not offend you.”  

She crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him as she stepped back. “It is not the first time, and it won’t be the last.” She reverted her movements, approaching him again. She tilted her head sideways, just enough as not to lose her angle. “Men tend to trip over their feet when they see me.” 

“And yet, here I am – standing.” He swung backwards, presenting himself as his arms stretched gently by the sides of his body, the intruding smile ever so present, the amusement glimmering in his good eye. 

“Not for long.” She bit her bottom lip, trying to stifle her own grin to his light demeanor. 

Their moment cut short, the distant sound of thunder pulling their attention up to the skies. 

An aircraft then flew over their heads, further pushing them apart.  

In silence, her gaze fell back to him while he remained upwards. His shoulders tensed, his stance straightening. 

“I guess it is back to work for you.” Her feet widened the space between their bodies, her back to the streets as she remained facing his way. 

He caught her looking at him, watching her as she went. 

“What’s your name?” 

She smiled at him, shrugging her shoulders. 

“A question for next time, perhaps.” 

      Her feet were starting to hurt, her heels digging onto the carpeted floor as she leaned on her hip. A small glass of champagne decorated her hand, her free arm crossed over her stomach.  

Her cheeks were sore from the mendacious smile, her lips stretched to showcase laughter and amusement; it had been a long night, her invitation as a guest to such party forced her to entertain the military men present. 

The crowd of dressed up men and women had squeezed the air, rendering the room suffocating.  

It was a grand house, attempting to be inviting but the mixture of red and grey had incited nausea to reside in the pit of her stomach. She cursed inwardly at each general and officers she met as they continuously approached her, endeared by her presence. 

It was finally seeing him from across the floor that settled the discomfort within her. She had not known if he would show up as they hadn’t spoken in almost a week, his ‘work’ having taken him away from her. 

She couldn’t help but smile, her lips stretching once he found her. He mimicked timidly the gesture, raising his glass to her.  

She did the same and took a sip from her drink.  

He saw her glance away as he took in the scenery that lied in front of him; the muscles in his jaw tightened as he quietly glanced from his corner while he had been stuck in the middle of a conversation, he barely paid attention to.  

She had found herself surrounded by a few commanders – men he knew – as she either listened to their hearty discussions or as they smoothly sweet talked to her. She had been wearing a smile he knew was but an effort to be coy. 

His eye trailed down to her posture, and he couldn’t help but bite back a smirk, aware that she was growing weary. 

Over the time since they met, he had learned a few tics of hers that revealed the way she felt – whether she had grown bored, antsy, angry, or even delighted. The one he enjoyed the most was the way she would ramble on, cursing in her mother tongue when riled up. He found it amusing and would stand back and watch her, taking her in and savoring it as she created spectacles in front of him – worth a standing ovation. 

He broke out of his reverie when noticing she was looking his way again; she grimaced comically, earning a quiet chuckle to fall past his lips, under his glass. She had been lucky not to have been caught by her pretentious entourage, her height gaining advantage despite the heels attached to her soles. 

They were interrupted as one of the men by her side caught her attention. She titled her head towards him, with the officer subtly passing flirtatious comments her way while gently sliding his hand from her shoulder down her upper arm in a greedy attempt to stroke her. 

She let it pass – not wanting to cause unwanted commotion. 

For Aemond however, discomfort had settled across his tongue, his fingers tightly clenching his drink. He had straightened his back, alert almost – ready to jump and be by her side. 

She noticed the way his stature changed with his piercing glare thrown in her direction. She had known him to become possessive at times and found thrill in such behavior. 

She stifled a smirk behind her glass as she sipped on her champagne but threw at him a subtle wink before she turned back to the other men.  

Aemond huffed quietly, turning away as well so as not to attract unwanted attention from his lingering gaze in the middle of a mass crowd. 

The night went on with clinking glasses all around, chatter filling up the air and entertainment rolling from all corners of the house. 

The party was lively yet not enough for him to ease up. 

Having grown tired, he slipped away and bid his goodbyes while subtly looking for her. She was nowhere to be found. 

Thinking she had left without him, he marched to his car, the night air comforting his lungs.  

He then stopped in his tracks, hands in his pockets. 

She was leaning against the door, smoking peacefully, and smiled as he approached her. “Are all diplomatic parties this suffocating?” 

He exhaled an amused grin, joining her. “You seemed to have enjoyed yourself with the attention of all... these men.” 

She played along, his presence and snuff of jealousy fascinating her. “Well, what I really wanted was the attention of one man in particular but unfortunately, he paid no mind to me. I think you might know him – tall, blond and handsome. Gorgeous blue eye that can make any woman fall to her knees in sin.” The husk in her tone, the way her voice dropped, purposely lustful, a flicker melted onto his skin, heat simmering in his chest. Such a temptress, he thought – and yet, could not refuse such a siren call. 

He played along, a chuckle tickling his lips. He then moved closer with her legs between his as her head tilted upwards. “I can call him for you, but know this-” He leaned towards her, his hand placed on the car as an anchor while he whispered into her ear.  

She muffled a giggle, a gasp escaping her as she playfully slapped his chest in retaliation; the dirty secrets spelled out from his tongue sent a chill down her spine, her heart pounding with anticipation, yearning. “You are joking, sir.”  

“I do not ‘joke’.” 

He gently stroked her cheek, tugging her to him until he could finally kiss her. A soft caress at first, he grew ravenous in his conquest as he guided her to her feet and pressed his body to hers. A strained moan urged from the back of her throat, muffled by the strokes of his tongue, wanton.  

He hummed quietly as he pulled away, a sense of satisfaction at her unbridled reaction, the sentiment blooming in the pit of her stomach, throbbing between her legs. 

His thumb ghosting over her bottom lip, he stared at them for a moment before peering at her quickly.  

“We’re leaving.” He ordered, causing a slight tremor under her skin.  

She smirked, throwing her cigarette to the ground as he opened the door for her. 

      She stumbled up the stairs, partly tipsy as she dragged him quietly towards her home. A giggling spell had taken over her while Aemond couldn’t help but smile at her state, enjoying the way she was losing her composure.  

As she reached for her front door, walking inside, he swiftly followed her and turned around to find her leaning against the now closed entrance, kicking off her shoes while fixating on him. 

Without a spoken word, he walked to her, his height casting a shadow over her frame as he met her eyes, the way she stared at him – desperate desire laced into such color, had grown impatience as it prickled at his skin. 

She grabbed his coat, yanking him forward and caught his lips with her own, a rising urge to taste him sweeping her away.  

The caress deepened their hunger – a gustation of what’s to come, the appetizers already swallowed with high delight.  

She soon broke free, breathless, and clung to him as she led the way to her room. She then forced him to sit on her bed, taking a seat on his lap. Aemond did not refuse her and went along, following her whims as she silently begged for an encore; her body still reveling in the way his impatience pulsed under his fingertips, dexterous movements coiling continuously into unadulterated bliss, the ride home threatened into a quiet state without the soft sounds of his smolt digits and her cries of euphoria.  

She brushed her nose to his, tempting another kiss as she pressed herself further against him. A simple feather touch of her pink skin to his, she was just as quickly forced away from his embrace, a squeal out of her throat, as a sudden feel of her mattress caressed her back.  

Aemond stood in front of her, an amused smirk coloring his cheeks as he watched his lover pout in discontent 

She huffed, partially annoyed as she leaned back to rest on her elbows, the skirt of her dress sliding up her thighs. He followed the quiet motion; he hummed, nibbling the inner part of his bottom lip. She ignored his want and stayed as is, unwilling to cave in just yet.  

She slightly tilted her head sideways, her own sight peering over his costume. “Je déteste cet uniforme.” 

I hate this uniform. 

He looked down as he removed the outer coat. “Don’t you find me handsome in it?” 

She grimaced, revolted. “It is an atrocity.” She fell back against her bed, glancing to the ceiling before looking down at him again. She used her foot to grasp his belt, attempting to kick him as she spoke – contemplative.  

A darkened chuckle escaped him while he grabbed her ankle brusquely and tugged her to the edge of the bed. “You find me atrocious?” 

“A little.” She teased, a glimpse of a simper stretching the corner of her mouth. She shifted back to her elbows as he dropped his coat towards her vanity. He then turned back to face her, playing along with her little game. 

He placed his fists on either side of her legs, staring right into her hues. “Do I repulse you?” Toneless, he observed her, noting the glimmer of playfulness residing across her lips to her eyes. 

“Very much so.”  

He proceeded without pulling back from his questioning, moving closer towards her. He delicately placed his hand on her thigh, her knee grazing his covered hip, the feel of her burning skin under his palm sending jolts of electricity through his veins, blood pumping loudly between his ears; the soft sigh she exhaled as her head fell back aroused him, such boisterous desire trundling heavily down his back. 

Now hovering above her, his face close to her open neck, he breathed his next inquiry with his lips feathered across her flesh. “Do you recoil at the simplest thought of me?” Husked chords tickled her, a restrained moan caught at the back of her throat.  

“All the time.” She struggled to speak; every inch of her called out to him, craving his touch he was denying her. Even the simple trace of his breath against her throbbed between her legs, the slight friction of his hips against hers causing her to quiver pleasurably. 

He then stopped, inhaling her perfume with a hefty pull. For a moment, time standing still, his thoughts darkened.  

The grasp of her thigh firmed as he dropped the pretense, his next ploy begging an escape. 

“Do you fear me?” 

Her heart stopped, her eyes finding his own once again while attempting to hide her shock.  

The air thickened, a fog growing amid their entangled limbs. 

She rested her hand to his left cheek, her thumb grazing the bottom part of his scar carefully. 

“Yes.” She did not dwell on her answer, having it held close to her chest since they met. 

He swallowed the growing lump in his throat, his curiosity becoming a cloud over his head. 

“Do you hate me?” He titled her way with the tip of his nose nudging hers timidly as they shared one breath. Such a quiet sound coming out of him, she had sensed hidden emotions behind his words. 

She did not stall, her response hanging on her tongue from the beginning. 

“No.” 

He wrapped his hand at the back of her neck, fingers dressed by her hair as he pulled her to him, catching her into a kiss. The gesture hastened, hungry – messy, desperate, and abrupt; breathless, he withdrew.  

“Do you trust me?” A seriousness settled across his feature, the tone remaining gentle.  

She gazed at him in wonder, her fingertips caressing him. “Non.” Was her simple answer. 

And he could not blame her. 

His eye cast downward, forehead pressed to hers.  

He took one more breath and lifted his head back up. 

“Do you love me?” He softly asked, thumb stroking her bottom lip.   

“Yes.” She confessed – without a doubt.  

Holding her chin, he kissed her again.  

The press of her lips to his, her voice echoing within the deepest and darkest corners of his mind; he lost his footing, his control over the situation. 

He was taken by surprise and grew impatient; she felt it in the way he was kissing her, in the way his tongue stroked her own with fervent greed, sucking in her breath as if his lungs were burning, demanding air – commanding resuscitation.  

She laid on her back, fumbling with his clothes while he slid his hands across her body, appetite rumbling in the pits of their stomachs. 

He then pulled away to stand by the edge of the bed, already reaching for the buttons of his shirt to remove.  

Without hesitation, she followed him and sat on her knees.  

She grabbed the hem of her dress, pulling it over her head and picked at her hair, loosening her do as her locks cascaded down and passed her shoulders, recklessly throwing the bobby pins on the floor. 

They stopped, simply staring – observing one another.  

He glanced down at her chest, instinctively reaching out as he ghosted over the swell of her breasts, still covered by her bra. He took a step closer, running his fingers through her hair before reaching for her lips again, caressing firmly the bottom and gently tugging it down her chin. He then held her jaw, keeping her head up to him, forcing quiet obedience. 

Her eyes unwavering, she kept him in her sight as she reached for his belt, silently unbuckling his pants and letting them slide down his legs. 

He removed his eyepatch, clutching at it as he shuddered under her touch, the feel of her warm hands traveling across him. She glanced at him, biting her lip while tugging at the waistband of his underwear. 

His head fell back, a gluttonous groan clawed out his throat as he closed his eye, his body suddenly tense. He grasped a handful of her locks from the back of her head as she held onto his hips, and slightly tugged at her strands, causing a muffled moan to sweep him away, a breathy curse slipping past his lips. 

She coaxed another low groan from his chest while tilting his head downwards, watching her as her hollowed cheeks kept him warm, the feel of her flattened tongue stroking him with such reverence, her lips wet at the taste of her saliva around him. 

He called for her, gifting her dirty flattery as she pushed him to the edge, his lustful bliss shaking him down to her core; she clenched her thighs, her own pleasure heating at the base of her spine. 

He let go of her hair, pushing back curls as he propped her head up to him. His pupil blown, marked by ecstasy, she held his stare as she licked her lips with a devilish glimmer coloring her irises.  

She then pulled herself away from him, sitting up to reach his height as her fingertips cleaned the corners of her mouth daintily. 

He glanced down, noting the fleck of himself casually resting across her lips before she licked them away, a silent swallow covering his ears. 

      She quietly slipped from her bed and headed straight to her bathroom, the door gently locked behind her; Aemond had fallen asleep, giving her the perfect opportunity to escape for a moment. 

She took a breath, calming her heart’s palpitations before stepping towards her sink, pulling out of the pockets of her robe her mascara alongside her cigarette case.  

She stared at both items, swallowing the lump in her throat.  

She then looked up, catching her reflection in her mirrored cabinet. 

She took notice of the bruises that rested across her neck, Aemond’s lips having freshly plucked her skin. 

“You are mine.” He had whispered into her ear, the heat in his breath raising her skin. 

He had taken dominion over her body, dictating her pleasure at his whim; her begging, the way she pleaded to him only enticed him further, adoring how she had fallen apart at his touch. 

Through their lustful embrace, he had grown possessive, zealous, his mind dragged back to earlier tonight, her figure stuck in a circle of hungry men, flirtatious – desperate for their own bite at her plate.  

She could still hear his haunted words spread across her skin, feel him lick and bite at every turn – the man turning territorial over her form. The commanding tone laced in his voice, in his tantalizing gestures while savoring every inch of her writhing beneath him, as he put her through an inquisition – forcing confessions out of her mouth. 

“Did you like them touching you?” 

“Did you enjoy their callused fingers down your back while they attempted to make you laugh?” 

“Did you love having their attention while I suffered, being so far from you?”  

“How needy you make me. How weak I am for you. My fearful little canary.” 

She had been at his mercy, all too willing under his caress – the friction between their bodies bringing her comfort, his strength alluring above her, his presence but an anchor wrapped around her, coursing through every pulse down to the marrow of her core. 

Her hands were lightly trembling, mascara in hand as she had taken a seat at the edge of her bathtub.  

She let go of what she had been doing and stood up once again, placing the tube and case back in the pockets of her robe.  

She looked at herself in the mirror and simmering nausea caught at her chest, slowly draining her pink cheeks. 

She exhaled deeply, gripping the porcelain sink in the hopes she would stop shaking. 

Tears threatened release as they garnered over her eyes, partially blurring her vision. 

She turned on the faucet, sprinkling water over her face.  

She took another moment, counting to three, and then quietly escaped the confines of her bathroom as she ran back to him. 

The weight dipping from her side of the bed stirred him awake; the touch of her fingertips softly stroking his cheek had pulled him away from his slumber completely, meeting her gaze as she watched him. He remained quiet for this short time, letting her stroke him as her hand slid up to trace the short strands of his blond hair before falling back to his jaw. 

Her silence had stirred uncertainty in the pit of his stomach, noticing a dim shadow cast over her shoulders. “What is it?” 

“Nothing.” She breathed, a small smile gracing her features. “Just admiring your pretty face.” 

“Ma petite renarde.” My little vixen. He wore a coy smirk, his little descriptions of her always various – she never minded, always falling in step with them. 

She chuckled as he caught her fingertips gingerly tracing his lips. He just as quickly let go as he wrapped his arm around her while she propped her leg against him, anchoring herself to his waist. 

She sighed, the dimples in her cheeks disappearing as she studied him, her sight unwavering. 

“Je suis foutue, mon amour.” I am screwed. 

He tightened his grip around her hearing her, understanding only the word of affection that slipped down her tongue. 

He then quietly shifted closer to her, kissed her softly while whispering under his breath a gentle ‘meine liebe’, sending shivers down her spine, a faint gasp exhaled into him. 

She pulled him forward, making him re-adjust as he now hovered above her.  

He held her eyes, taking in what he could see under the dimly lit room; the way he studied her heaved her chest, her lungs heavy under his blues – even the gem that resided in his scarred socket left her winded. She never dared ask what had happened, and he had never openly shared with her how he earned his scar. She knew it had been a sensitive subject – even wanting to feel the cut under her fingertips had him tensed.  

He lowered himself further, until he felt her gooseflesh rub against him. 

He took her lips for his own, kissing her gently – a timid taste at first before diving in deep. 

She caved under the weight of his body, tears lining across her eyes as she held onto him for dear life, cursing in her mother tongue as she chanted for a runaway.  

Her words remained incoherent, drowning under the blooming heat that pooled between her legs as he trailed kisses down to her neck, hiding away while he slid his hands down to her thighs. 

Palms down as he gripped her flesh, he spread her apart carefully while settling in-between, finding solace in the cradle of her hips. He heard her sigh, his name stuttered through her breath as she arched her back and closed her eyes; he slowly shifted as he buried himself inside her once again, the languid motion causing a stifled breath in her throat. 

The strained whimper to his ear, he pulled away from her neck and rested against her forehead while panting as he kept thrusting, already missing the feeling of having her wrapped around him, and wanting every inch of her pressed under him, to feel every muscle contract, every speck of sweat meshed between both bodies, to feel her every pulsing breath running through him – to fall apart knowing he could control her pleasures, her desires.  

And to watch her come undone as she cried out for him, his skin her battlefield. 

He dragged on, hips rutting purposely slow as he kissed her again, the warmth of her tongue strokes igniting unabashed promises to float between them. 

She grabbed his cheeks, forcing him to face her as she shook under him. The sight of her mouth partly open, struggling mewls dying at the tip of her tongue while she could only stare at him – he faltered in his pace, a moan scratching within his chest as he watched her reduced to tears, her limbs sensitive. 

He became restless and pulled her into his arms as she sat on his lap. She caught him with her arms around his shoulders, throbbing between her legs as he rolled her hips continuously – devoutly.  

Crescents of ecstasy scarred across his back, her chords only ever spelling his name as she clung to sinful bliss for dear life, powerless to his demands – to the authority he laid on her, every crevice filled to the brim of brutal desire. 

      Gentle music played through her radio, filling up the quiet air around them; she had taken a seat at her vanity, brushing her hair while lost in thought as Aemond was a couple of feet away, seated on her mattress, getting dressed. 

Morning had come for them both, forcing their night together to become but another memory traipsing along their flesh. 

The symphony was suddenly interrupted when the host re-purposed the microphone, breaking news coming through. 

Her heart stopped, caught in her throat, the motion of the brush sifting through her strands faltering for a split second. 

She stopped and listened to the announcer, focusing on words that tickled the speakers, woven through illusion and deception. 

Her breath caught in her lungs as she took in the news, her thoughts racing down to her rapid pulse; Aemond hadn’t seemed to notice, too pre-occupied with adjusting the cuffs on his uniform. 

Once over, as the music fell back to her ears, she quietly inhaled as her wrists revived the motion of the brush, gently caressing her hair. 

Her heart remained heavy in her chest, anxious, cornered. 

She turned her head further to her right, observing him as he stood up and placed his outer coat on the bed. 

She couldn’t help but smile to herself, entranced by the meticulous steps he would take to look perfect – immaculate, she would think. 

She tilted her head away, facing her mirror while letting go of her curls. 

She saw Aemond walking towards her, a quiet grin settling across his cheeks as he bent over with his hand placed tenderly on her shoulder. He then tugged her gently backwards and leaned over, placing delicate kisses on her cheek and neck.  

She closed her eyes, a smile dimpled at the corners of her mouth, loving the softness of the gesture. 

It was a rarity – tender affections between them would hang above them and seldomly descend to stroke them.  

But when it did, her heart would swell, breathing him in with warmth sparked through her veins. 

He then reached for her lips, craning her neck further back for a proper ‘hello’, the pink of her skin caught deliciously between his teeth, the touch of his tongue earning the softest sigh he hungrily swallowed. 

Eventually breaking away, her eyes remained closed with her head spinning as she tried to slip back into reality, the aftertaste of his touch weakening her knees. 

Aemond remained without word in this scene, simply letting his fingertips feather over her cheeks as he watched her – the subtle smirk imprinted on his wet skin. 

“You look exceptionally ravishing this morning.” He spoke sweetly, lingering his touch for a second longer before pulling away. 

“You flatter me.” She offered him a blushing smile as he straightened up and pivoted away. 

She shut down her radio as she got up, tightening the belt of her robe as she followed Aemond to her front door. 

Her arms crossed over her chest, a mournful gaze crept up. “When will I see you again?” 

“I don’t know… in a few days, perhaps.” He did not elaborate, nor did he feel the need to; they did not speak of the world burning beyond these walls. 

A taboo subject that would cause them destruction.  

“I see.” She did not push him – and she did not want to. She knew of his kind all too well and did not want to trudge on sensitive grounds. “Well, you know where to find me if you ever decide to come back.” She teased, her teeth grabbing her lower lip. 

He chuckled softly and leaned to kiss her once again, his gloved hand placed under her chin. 

She softly closed the door once he was out of sight, and turned as she leaned against it, letting out the nervous breath she had been holding; it clung to her still, anxiety thrumming beneath her footsteps. 

So close to revelation and yet so far, she could not calm the tremors sinking into her core, a fear blooming in the shadows. 

‘God, help me.’ 

      Her walls bathed in bloodshed, their voices challenged in a violent battle.  

They were caught in the middle of a war, each to their own despite being tied by the way to their hearts; movements on the Front had echoed back into the city, reaching Aemond and his lover. 

The grave displeasure had wrapped itself around her neck, forcing her to fight for survival – it had been sudden and consequential, leading both parties to stand on opposite sides under the clear light of day, their tempestuous relationship on crumbling grounds.  

They were storming through her small apartment, her agitation striking as Aemond chased after her. 

She had always been the one with the shortened temper, anger shoving her into a corner, ready to bite. 

Her steps led her to her kitchen, Aemond following closely behind until he stopped at the entrance while she continued to the other side, leaning against her counter. She could barely take a breath, turmoil shaking her to her core. 

Filled with indignation, its nails digging into her back as it took control over her body, she had become but a puppet, forced to bend to its will. She grabbed the first plate she saw and swiftly turned around, throwing it across the room straight at Aemond. 

He quickly dodged it, taken aback by the sudden violence that carved her muscles. A heavy silence rose from the ground, tension at its all-time high as her breath expanded under her chest, the officer watching her with apprehension. 

Blinded, her hand reached for a mug, her arm repeating the motion as her voice yelled back at him. Once more, he evaded the item coming to strike him, moving away as it shattered against the wall behind him.  

Her grasp of her native tongue, the curses and insults slipping through in all their glory had no power over him – he remained composed as best as he was taught how, contemplating her reactions.  

Seeing him unapologetic, his stature held with such hubris, she wanted to rip it from his throat. She was trembling, lost in a fog of hatred, resentment – fear.  

Once again, a plate landed next to him, Aemond pushing himself away from being her target; he moved closer towards her, quiet as ever as his gaze settled on the slight tremors in her hands. His thoughts had been running amuck, at the back of his mind, the way she looked at him had forced them aside. 

For the time being. 

“I will not apologize for my beliefs and my politics.” She was catching her breath as she was slowly coming down from her rageful fit. She met his eye, his blue penetrating into her own hues with a faint tranquility, calming a scared prey into submission.  

“I haven’t asked you to.” He responded without a strain of choler.  

“France- Paris, she has a right to her freedom.” She could hear her voice break, quaking within the confines of her ribs. “Elle demande sa liberté-” She stopped herself, overwhelmed by his presence. 

He whispered closely to her, hovering over her lips as his stare held her own. “And who says she is shackled, ma chérie?” He placed his forefinger under her chin, slightly lifting her head up his way in a silent command. “Who says Paris isn’t free?”  

She quivered under his watch, trying to hold her ground. “If this is freedom, then why so bleak?” The look of revolt she wore as she spoke had left him with a slight stutter hidden at the back of his throat. He clenched his jaw, letting her go as his hand dropped, fingers clenched as knuckles turned white. 

His lack of response had evoked hostility back into her bones, her body compliant to its supremacy. 

She pushed him away with strength, forcing distance between the two before his face was forced sideways, his cheek stinging from her palm striking him. 

“Tu me rends folle!” You’re driving me crazy! 

She shoved him once again, using whatever strength resided in her arms to force him out.  

He grew impatient, huffing annoyingly as he reached for his bruised skin, timidly stroking over the redness, while turning back to look at her.  

He was finally meeting her head-to-head, losing control. “And you are infuriating!” He battled his own warfare inside his head, bullets piercing through as his thoughts demanded subjugation and oppression over his attempt at peace – he wore on his shoulders such a burden, every breath in months had pushed him further into conniption. 

A petulant child stuck in a tantrum, she started hitting his chest, fighting back and daring him to meet her halfway. “Give me back my city!” 

She was running out of breath, lost in her grief, when he suddenly trapped her, his body towering over hers as he cornered her against the wall with her hips digging into the counter. He had grabbed her by her neck, his fingers pressuring her skin and forcing her to a halt as she met the coldness in his eye.  

He leaned forward, his forehead pressed against hers as he inhaled her perfume, the aroma tickling him, a wisp of shiver traipsing down his body. 

He lingered, shifting his nose to nestle against her cheek. She closed her eyes, her lungs heavy within her ribcage, her body’s heat rising with every dropped second. 

Her hand reached for the bent elbow, the other still resting on his chest, fisting the fabric of his uniform.  

Their fury paused for just one moment, short enough for his heart to crumble against her weight. 

He slowly pulled away to meet her hues, examining her features, his gaze trailing from the way loose strands of hair caressed her skin, down to her faintly parted lips, and up to catch her eyes once again. They pulled him in, restless – consuming. He tried to push his thoughts out of his mind, ignoring every scratch and bruise they evoked within his core.  

His right hand still to her neck, he snaked his fingers to the back, grasping at her hair; a faint whimper slid down her tongue as he gently craned her head back. He was firmly pressed against her, feeling the labor in her breath, her chest heaving with torment. 

With his left, she felt him slide up her waist, passing her breast to her collarbone before he settled on her shoulder, his thumb grazing her jawline down her throat. He grasped the side of her neck again, as he tilted downwards and met her lips. He dove into his thirst, the sensation pulsing within his veins – a dire need to suddenly quash the tension that was choking them.  

She met his grand gesture, falling into his embrace and grabbed his tunic, keeping him on his toes as she fought for control, once again igniting the battle that had been incrusted within each other’s touch. He couldn’t help but smirk in-between, sensing the way she was attempting to assert her dominance over him – a quiet cry for the oppressor to fall to his knees. 

He was amused and quickly broke her lips. 

She had barely a moment to comprehend why he had pulled away when she was suddenly thrown atop her dining table, Aemond quickly settling between her legs. 

He reeled her back against him just as quickly, taking her breath for his own as kissed her again, his tongue laying claim over hers in an instant.  

A soft moan escaped her, the pleading sending a thrill down his spine; he tightened his hold onto her, his fingers digging into her flesh as they crawled up to her chest and ripped open her dress, the buttons flying across the room. 

She gasped as she freed herself from his grip, annoyance guiding her movement as she raised her arm, inciting a prompt response with a simple slap across his cheek. He had caught her, her hand mid-air, stopping her from hitting him again. He tugged her forcefully towards him, her limb forced to bend with her wrist caught in his grasp.  

He stalled, the upward curve from the side of his lips still in play as he took in her frustration glaring straight at him.  

He soon let her go, hands to her jaw as he pulled her back to him. She did not fight him, her body overtaken by the friction that rose between them – suffocating, yet ever so exhilarating. 

She reached for his uniform, forcing his undress just as he nestled against the crook of her neck, his teeth sucking at her skin. A pleasurable sigh sung into his ear, her voice strangled within her chords; her head fell back, all resolve to remove his clothes leaving her as she descended into the increased hunger that grumbled in the pit of her stomach.  

She tried calling out for him, his name, but a butchered whisper across her tongue. 

She fell back against the surface, her cleavage welcoming him as he reached to bring down her bra, his hastened movement snapping the undergarment from her shoulders, her breasts exposed to his touch. 

He pulled her closer to the edge of the table, his lips trailing across her upper body; the heavy breaths, the struggled whimpers – the anticipation of where he would next touch her – filled the room, her voice bouncing off the walls as he ravished her. She arched her back further into his mouth, his tongue toying with her bosom one at a time, teasing her into submission. Her pleas in attempt to cry into the air had become his raison d’être – the way she was succumbing to his ministrations had deepened his appetite. Ever so demanding, his need for control, his power of authority breathed into his muscles, gaining territory in their war, insatiable.  

An involuntary whine left her lungs as he stopped and left her be. He unbuttoned his tunic as she caught her breath, running her fingers through her hair, her eyes finding his amid the thickening tension.  

He then pulled her by her thighs, earning a tight squeal from her tongue, and forced her to her feet before abruptly turning her around, her back pressed firmly against his chest. He laid his left arm around her, grabbing her neck to hold her still. He took her right in his, interlacing their fingers as he brought her hand to his lips; the slow motion was not met with her patience, her heart pounding between her ears, titillating by the way they were standing. She shifted her bum against him, making him groan into her ear as he squeezed her neck. She closed her eyes, a sudden drift of pleasure coursing through her, the echo igniting a tremor down her bones.  

She sucked in a breath feeling his mouth gently wrapped around her fingers. She met his eye, unable to follow the path he set as he lowered their arms, his hand guiding her own as he took control. She sighed, her mouth ajar as he trailed down to rest between her thighs, fingers slipping under her undergarment. He nipped her earlobe, breathing into her neck as he swayed his hips into hers, letting her feel his growing arousal.  

She cursed in response, her head falling backwards on his collarbone. She tried to let go, to allow herself a moment to catch up and let go of the overwhelming sensation that tied her down.  

He only pushed further, not ready to terminate their precarious liaison. 

Ire resided in the shadows, watching in wait; Aemond had unfinished business to tend to, a military man first – a lover, second. 

The sound of his belt unbuckling had been a miss, her body paying no attention to any noise that wasn’t brought on by his touch. 

He stopped his caress, forcing her back to reality all so violently. “Why did y-” Her complaint paused as he pushed her down, her breasts pressured against the table. He slowly lifted the skirt of her dress and pushed her legs further apart before grabbing her hips, his fingers sinking into her flesh. 

Chaos rippled through movements and space, their quarrel marking down a warpath. 

The sheets met a struggled fate of their own as they were caught under sweat and lustful essence.  

They carved themselves into one another, hostile behavior addressed through marks along their bare skin – an act of blatant transgression. 

In the comfort of her bed, Aemond was resting on his back while she laid next to him, her head placed upon his chest with her fingers tracing random patterns over his stomach, her leg hooked across his waist. 

No words were shared – a sense of peace seemed to have struck them down, its white flag wrinkled between their limbs.  

She felt a warmth encompassing the length of her back, his fingertips delicately hovering over her, caressing her.  

She tightened her hold around him, shifting closer as she nuzzled her face against his chest, placing timid kisses up to his shoulder and neck. She lingered, holding onto him as she took a breath, her earlier temper having vanished completely.  

He felt her pecks moving in a slow and continuous motion, retracing over the existing bites she had left behind, her lips artistic in their endeavor.  

“What if we run away together?” She had broken the silence with longing etched in the tone of her voice. “We leave the country, the war and just... run.” 

She hadn’t looked his way when she spoke, and so had not noticed the strain in his jaw. 

“And where would we go, my love?” 

She bit her bottom lip in contemplation – a quickened thought that simply passed by. “Anywhere.” She squeezed his waist, her hand sliding to his cheek as she held him and closed her eyes. “The world is wide. We can even cross the ocean and go to America. Start over...” She finally raised her head to him just as he lowered to meet her gaze, a faint smile covering the corners of his lips. 

He then shifted, moving just enough to slightly hover above her with his left arm still placed under her, her leg falling from the embrace. She ran her fingers through his short, blond hair, a yearning settling across her face; it had tugged at his heartstrings, embers picking up from the wind, a tempest marching on.  

He pinched her chin, his thumb smoothly running across her bottom lip as he searched for her eyes, for the flicker he had been denied to confront. 

His fingers then trailed down gently towards her throat, his sight following, and stroked the bruised flesh for a moment, taking in the way the temporary blemishes added color to her porcelain. He slowly encircled her neck, his palm grazing over her skin and leaned forward, his nose hovering above her own as he anchored himself atop her brow. 

The whisper of his voice slipping from his tongue over her mouth, warmth crawling comfortably over her. 

It then burned, his words causing her heart aflame. 

“And why would I run away with a filthy, vicious harlot?”  

She widened her eyes, shocked by the way he had spoken. 

He tightened his hold to her throat, forcing a struggle in her lungs, and kissed her as he firmly and quickly pressed his lips to hers. “Tu n’es qu’une pute.” Whore.   

She could feel the air escaping her, her chords constricted as his grip grew stronger by the second. 

He pulled away far enough to get the look of fear in her eyes, his body still laying by hers, legs entangled. 

She tried to wrestle out of his grasp, placing one hand over his and the other against his chest; he took it away and shoved it above her head, cornering her.  

A strained groan made its way out of her mouth, as she started thrashing against him, unwilling to give up.  

He did not let go, trapping her under the weight of his limbs, anger tainting the blue of his eye. 

She was curling against him, their shared night having completely exhausted her from her performance on stage to the intimate party she had held solely with Aemond – her home in complete disarray, the outcome of selfish ecstasy. 

He was still awake, lost in his thoughts with only the sound of her deep breathing caressing his ears. His back against the headboard, his left arm had been placed over her as his fingers got lost in her hair, stroking through the strands.  

It had been a few months since they started their relationship – at first a tryst, his visits to her apartment to be done in secret, they had slowly become attached to one another, demanding more from each other while they remained hidden from the world.  

Their agreement – to be discreet, their affair covert. Hell would break if she were to be caught in the arms of a German soldier. 

Affections had blossomed between them, though not without its thorns, pricking flesh in abrupt manners. 

He slowly slipped away from the bed, a need to smoke overtaking his steps; the leftover cigarette by the bedside had not helped, the smell gripping him with want. 

He had taken his last and knew his lover would have her own stowed away at her vanity. He quietly rummaged through her stuff until he found her case, a simple blued steel and a gray finish body with the smallest gem mounted in the thumb-push. It had taken a moment to unlatch as he struggled with the opening; once he was able to reach the content, a frown graced his features.  

He took a cigarette and placed it between his lips, his eyes peering over the silver as he noticed an oddity to the item.  

Curiosity picked at him; he gently took to the case as he started pulling at the string that held the smokes in place. The false plate caved in as it followed the motion, revealing its secrets. 

His heart stopped, suddenly struck with dread. A faint tremble had woven its way through his fingertips as he fished out the piece of paper that had stuck to the back of the case. He unfolded it, his gaze taking its time to understand the written content; detailed notes had been made, his name mentioned alongside other officers he knew. 

He felt his world crumble to dust, her true nature revealed under darkened skies.  

He clenched his jaw, a shaky breath exhaling his tired lungs.  

Grief clawing at his skin, rage rooted itself into the marrow of his bone, settling comfortably as its heat left undesired scorch marks, a grown arsonist ready for war. 

The illusion had shattered, unbeknownst to him until its shards of glass crossed his eye and scarred him; he had been pushed to bed by a spy and it tore him to pieces, her presence now suffocating him with such force, not even a simple drag of his cigarette could calm him. 

Since then, he bid his time, having grown desperate to catch her in the act but had never been able to. 

In their latest lustful entanglement, his shadow had traipsed itself around him, sneaking in in the form of rough strokes and violent grasps; desperation in his thrusts as he split her open in irrefutable desire, the smallest part of him had hoped to have succumbed to a nightmare – that the woman lying under him, her body shaking to his pleasure, her cries begging wantonly for only him, hadn’t betrayed him in the most vile way.  

That she hadn’t tricked him as she warmed him between her thighs, her nails crescent into his skin.   

He had tried to sniff out the lies in her movements, the hypocrisy in her gestures, the false promises in her words, but had failed, only ever catching harmless devotion beneath her chest – frustrating him to no end, impatience bursting at the seam with a faint glimmer in his eye, a throbbing pain in the other. 

And yet, there he was, unable to stop himself but seek out her lies as he clutched at her, threatening her with abrasions along her form, her flesh scuffed by the epitome of his meltdown. 

She had tried to hate him, fighting against her feelings from the beginning, against the way her heart would swell at his presence, at his attention towards her. He was the enemy, the invader – oppressor to her country. She had failed miserably and scrubbed clean the guilt that had been etched to the underside of her bones. 

And under the weight of his body, an anvil anchoring her forcefully, she had been forced to revisit every single interactions they’ve melted into, trying to find when he had changed – when her truth had been uncovered. 

She tried to speak as tears brewed in the corners of her eyes. He had not moved, his hand strangling her as he watched her struggle, her mouth open in an attempt to push her voice out. 

He tilted towards her once again, placing a harsh kiss to her brow before abruptly freeing her from his grasp, jumping out of the bed. 

The liberation of her throat, she started coughing while seeking breath into her lungs. She slowly sat up and rubbed her skin, holding it gently as the pressure ghosted over her bruises. “H-how did you find out?” 

There was no use in denying it – she would give him the battle he had been waiting to declare. 

He scoffed as he started picking up his clothes, marching with heavy feet around her room. 

He was angry, humiliated – enraged. “Does it matter?” He found his pants, grabbed the pair and started wearing them before he veered towards her, his eyes boring menacingly into hers. “You dare humiliate me?” To his raised voice, he swiped the surface of her vanity, all objects violently clashing onto the floor in a tumultuous tumble. 

She jumped at his sudden outburst and grasped at the bedsheets to cover herself, vulnerable – scolding herself for her tears. She looked away from him, a shaky breath leaving her while he stood still, incapable of pushing back the pieces of his broken heart. 

“Jezebel.” He grumbled under his breath.  

She knotted her fingers into her sheets, her chest aching, tortured under his hatred. “I-I can explain-” 

He cut her off, outraged as he shouted at her. “Explain what?! How you lied to me? Manipulated me?” He smashed her mirror, earning another startle from her; he ignored her reactions, to blinded by his loathing sentiments. "How you whored yourself for your pretentious network?”  

She couldn’t move, to push herself away and find a corner to crawl into, her fear paralyzing her.  

He angrily wore his shirt as he approached her close enough to strike her across the face, forcing her head sideways before he grabbed her chin, his fingers digging into her cheeks and craning her neck up to him, causing her shoulders to sore at the uncomfortable position.  

Her vision blurry from her sobs, she was collapsing under the weight of craze, her hues unwavering to his own. His scarred eye haunting her, the stone held nothing but hatred towards her, joining in harmony the blue to his right. 

He tightened his jaw at the sight of her tears – distrustful and forced on her on back as he pulled his gun from behind him and climbed to the bed with one knee by her side, aiming the weapon at her face. 

Terror in her gaze, taken by fear and panic, they held themselves in the air, following the rhythm of their heavy breaths. The couple was at a standstill with Aemond holding his position over her, the pistol stern in his hand. He was speechless, the anger holding his tongue as only his rage constructed his movements.  

He then lowered the gun, firmly placing the barrel atop her chest causing her to slightly wince at the pressure.  

Time had stopped, vacillating between his next steps – should he do his duty and arrest her? Or should he listen to his broken heart and let her go?  

“A-Aemond-”   

He shut his eye at the sound of his name rolling down her tongue, despairing in her attempt to soothe his wrath; he pushed it away, cocking his gun with his forefinger sliding towards the trigger. 

He was ready – trembling, but ready. 

An officer first, a lover second – he met her gaze, her irises pulling him in as they always had since their first encounter. His mind and heart were caught in a train wreck, knotted and inconsolable. 

“I did not lie when I said I lo-”  

He quickly cut her off, unable to withstand hearing her utter her sweetest affections, their significance now becoming but bile and acid in the pit of his stomach. “Then I did. You are nothing but a whore. Rotten!” 

He echoed within the intimate walls of the room, a deafening ringing violently shaking him. “You made a fool of me!”  

His voice carried out and yet he could not hear himself speak, nor could he feel the numbness strangling his fingers. 

A trickle slid down his cheek, awakening him. 

He had stumbled, crashing through rage and betrayal; the taste of copper tickled his lips as crimson bloomed across her chest. 

She struggled to breathe, the overflow taking weight in her lungs. 

She tried reaching out to him, trembling as her hand laid upon the weapon, freshly burning. 

Eyes wide in shock, he could only stare as she quietly slipped away, sorrowful. 

Blood flowed, a quiet river sinking her deeper below, an anvil tying her down and away from the surface. 

An accident, he was able to muster inwardly. 

He had never meant to pull the trigger – but it was her fault, he forced himself to think. She was the cause of her own death, a trickster meeting the ending she deserved. 

Terror ripped him to shreds, with only pieces left as he tried to understand what had happened. 

The walls were quiet, her slow breathing reaching its final exhale while he stilled, paralyzed by the colorful painting that laid beneath him. 

Dwelling in the aftershock, his bones dug into a state of unrest with the shovel vibrating as it shaped the ground. 

Speechless, it was the last breath she shared that broke him free; he pulled away and dropped the gun as he stumbled backwards, tripping over the clutter that covered the floor until he landed against the wall behind him.  

Frozen and watching, he kept his eye on her, wanting to capture the expanding lungs under the drenched sheets but he only caught the darkened red as it blossomed timidly, setting ablaze the white flag entangled around her frame.  

Aemond eventually recuperated himself, the street noise startling him.  

He swallowed the lump in his throat, deafened by the scene in front of him; her eyes open to the ceiling with no breath but the labored under his chest.  

Her voice gone, her pleas vanished – her false promises struck down by the bullet lodged between her breasts. 

Pulling himself together, he stood straight while ignoring his trembling hands and started looking around the apartment, searching for what to do next. 

He found the dress she had worn and picked it up, and for this second, he stood still with his blue eye gazing at the threads undone by the way he had ripped the buttons. 

He brought the fabric to his nose, breathing it in.  

He lingered, fisting it in his unsteady wrists before marching back into the bedroom.  

Stopping by the entrance, he had hoped – in this brief pause – that he was just facing a nightmare, that under the heavy lure of deceit and rage, his gun had remained cold in its pocket. 

With a faint trembling breath, he joined her and placed the dress by the clean side of the bed before carefully removing the sheets she was draped in.  

He fell into his thoughts while gently uncovering her and reaching for her clothes, her voice in his ears echoing as she called his name, out of pleasure – out of anger, by the caress of flesh and the savory taste of her lips. Haunting images blinded him, vivid to his mind as they tugged at his heart, giving him a tortured squeeze through every motion picture depiction by the way she felt wrapped around him, her limbs clinging to him as they sought pleasure and comfort, the softness of her whimpers, her cries – the way she would voice her displeasure and seek out his secretive smile, the way she could hold a melody like a siren calling for her sailor. 

He placed her second arm through the short sleeve of her dress, and held her in his arms, dismissing his hands soaked in her blood, splatters drying across his face and clothes, a trail staining the floor. 

She is warm, still. Forcing him to cling to the belief she was just in a state of deep sleep; she enjoyed slumber, always finding excuses to be in his arms, chasing for his warmth. 

He stroked her cheek with his fingertips painting her porcelain skin, and leaned over, reaching for her lips. 

A soft and careful kiss, he pulled away in torment at her lack of response. He rested then on her chest, his hair drinking in the crimson, and inhaled deeply the scent of copper and her perfume. 

His silent tears added to this disastrous artwork, unrectifiable – the canvas drawn and destroyed, lost in the clash of ruby and scarlet, the white base losing its light. 

He gently laid her back down, watching her sleep with his blue eye carving her to memory as he pushed strands of her hair and closed her eyes. 

He picked up his coat and covered himself in shame, running out as he closed the door behind him without looking back. 

Though vengeful still in his heart, he could only cry defeat, his shoulders depleting in surrender.   

      Sitting at their usual table, he was busy drowning in his glass, ignoring the rest of his comrades as he tried to ease the tension residing in his shoulders. 

The room was booming with laughter and dancing steps, the crowd falling into another night of blissful ignorance. 

He was lost, his gaze wandering about without a destination as he let himself be submerged under the weight of the endless cognac, wine and champagne cajoling his cup.  

He kept to himself, hiding away as war surged on in the depth of his darkened soul. 

It was the sound of her voice that pulled him away from the trenches; it was her presence gracing his view that left him to choke on his liquor. 

She stood on the stage, joining the band as she delicately held the microphone, ready to sing. 

As the melody swept the crowd away, Aemond could only stare at the woman on the other side of the room – his heart struggling to beat, his lungs suffocating as if he had been stepped on – crushed, torn to shreds.  

“The new girl is not bad.” Aemond stilled, listening to the man sitting on his right. “Though I still prefer the other one. A shame what happened to her.” He sensed the slight sarcasm in the man’s tone – no genuine emotions were spoken, his indifference clear through the smirk that stretched across his mouth. 

Aemond peered towards him from the corner of his eye, mute, the lump in his throat constricting any movements in his body.  

The color slowly draining from his face, stripping away his ability to breathe as well.  

Not even the words of the other had brought any sense to calm him; he was staring at a ghost.  

The eerie familiarity of the woman – picture perfect of his old lover.  

It was unnerving. 

Even the way she caught his gaze, the slight eye contact they shared had deeply unsettled him. 

He got up from his seat without a word and walked away, unable to contain the furor that simmered beneath his bones. 

Even in death, he was haunted by her, his mind forever laced within her memory – a canary chirping in the wind, a ghost singing in his wake.

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

xoxo

[miharuki]

𝖁𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖒𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝕾𝖓𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝕷𝖚𝖐𝖆

Ruki note: I had this weird idea while writing another imagine, cobra luka, gender neutral reader (gender not specified) au miraculpus

It was just a few days of vacation at a camp with your friends. The forest was very beautiful, especially at night, with the most stunning waterfall you had just discovered. You were eager to take a dip, but it would take too long to return to the camp to fetch your swimsuit, and it was hot that night, so why not?

On a whim, you took off your clothes and left them on a rock in the grass to keep them clean, and you jumped into the water. You were thinking that you would come back here with your friends the next day to enjoy the waterfall's good water.

You were having so much fun, marveling at how the moonlight illuminated the scene so well, that you didn’t notice something brushing against your feet—something scaly. Looking at the water, you saw the tail of a snake slithering between your feet. Turning to sense the presence behind you, you froze in terror when that thing appeared—a huge blue snake with hypnotic eyes.

Turning to run from the giant snake, you felt your wrist being pulled back. Turning around, you saw a young man where the snake had been. The snake had vanished, and the only thing there was the young man with black hair tipped with blue and those hypnotic eyes.

You snapped back to reality when pain struck you. Looking down, you saw the boy biting your wrist. Pulling your wrist away quickly, you held it against your chest, and with the throbbing pain, you ran, grabbing your clothes and sprinting back to the camp. You stopped briefly to put them on before running back to the camp, glancing at your wrist and noticing the two puncture wounds from the fangs. You didn’t realize how close you were until you were near the campfire.

You turned to look back, thinking the boy might have followed you, which made your friend Alya find it strange. “Did something happen, (name)?” Alya asked, looking at you with confusion, noticing you were scared and wet. “I-I had a—” You could barely speak, and realizing this, Alya got up from her place on the log and walked up to you, grabbing your shoulders and pushing you to sit on the log as you looked like you might fall or faint at any moment. “Breathe, what happened to you?” Holding your wrist, you took a deep breath before finally letting it out and looking at the girl in front of you. “I found a waterfall and decided to go in. There was a snake there, but then it changed. I tried to leave, but it turned into a boy, and then he—”

“Calm down! You’re talking too fast!” Alya said, resting her hand on your shoulder, noticing you were trembling. “What happened?” You showed your wrist to the girl, with the snake bite. “A snake, a boy, I don’t know what it was, but it bit me!” you said, almost shouting, with Alya finally noticing the seriousness of the situation. “Oh my God! I’m going to call the others. Who knows if it was poisonous,” Alya said, as she stood up and ran out, leaving you with your hand outstretched toward her. “Don’t leave me here!” It was too late; Alya was out of sight, and you were alone. Whether the snake was poisonous or deadly, you didn’t know, but you knew it had some effect since you were starting to feel strange. You began to hear a very faint humming, as if your friends were approaching and you could hear their voices, but it was becoming background noise as you focused on the melody. With your vision blurring, you turned to see where the melody was coming from and saw, from a distance in the forest, the same young man, identifiable mainly by his cyan blue eyes that shone among the dark foliage.

You couldn’t even hear your friends calling you from afar, not when you heard that boy whispering something. “Come with me,” he said, and you began to stand up. With your vision still blurry, it seemed that the only thing you could see clearly was that boy, the same boy from the waterfall, who seemed somehow so attractive. Your feet began to follow him slowly, watching him raise his hand as if wanting you to take it. Your friends' voices were so faint and distant, even though they were almost at the camp. All you could hear was the boy's voice drawing you closer, closer, but before you could lift your hand and touch his, something happened.

[nagaparadise]

(1) Imagine this if you will, there is a rumor with people that there was a naga that was beloved by humans and this naga held a special power. The power was said to be hypnosis and was used to help make humans feel calm, relaxed, and for making them sleep. But this is nothing but a rumor, and that was a very long time ago... or so they thought. One day, it was raining hard in the rain forest and y/n was unfortunate enough to get caught in it. Luckily y/n found a ruined temple to stay in until the rain ends. As y/n stepped in the temple, they didn't realize how wet they were from the rain. Y/n started to strip themselves to their underwear, no one else was around and they were all by themselves so no one was gonna see them. As y/n thought about that, they had a small feeling that they were being watched. Y/n quickly dismissed that thought, that's ridiculous y/n there's no humans for miles. Y/n thought out loud, 'It's only going to be until the storm clears. There's no harm in that.' As they said this, a deep yet calming voice was heard in the dark. "Oh how rude of you. Coming into my home, without being invited in, little human~."

(2) As the voice called out, y/n quickly turn their head to see where the voice was coming from. Coming out of the shadow was a man- no a naga. It's upper human half was longer than a normal human, but it's snake tail is much longer than expected. It's snake tail was 12 feet long, or maybe longer to y/n. The tail was a deep blue color that seemed to blend in with naga's light grey skin. It's eye was dark blue with black sclera. The naga's expression had a level of calmness but had a level of tease in it, the naga's smirk helped gave it away. Y/n was in such amazement and excitement, they seemed to be in a trance. The naga had to clean his throat to snap y/n out of their wonder in front of them. The naga chuckled to himself then responded, 'You know it's very rude to stare and gawk at a person, when they are talking to you. My~. My~. Also taking your cloths off in ones home. Someone has to teach you some manners~.' Y/n felt their face heating up, and looking down in shame. The naga gave a quick laugh from the action. 'I see humans are still quick to react with comments. Now what's a small human doing in a dark temple?' With that, y/n explained their situation. Y/n: 'I'm sorry for coming in unannounced, but can I at least stay here until the storm passes?'

(3) The naga gave a small smile and said, 'Well it would be best for you to stay here for a while. I wouldn't like the idea for you to be out in the cold, wet, rain. Besides, it has been so long since I've seen a human. Especially a beautiful looking one~.' That last comment made y/n flushed, and looked down. As they looked down, they couldn't help but stare at the naga's tail. Y/n is in amazement at the tails size and length. The tail might just coil their whole body though. The tail might feel firm, cool, and comfortable... Y/n turn their head from that thought. But the naga could tell what's in y/n's mind. Naga: 'You kept eyeing my tail, human. Do you want to feel my tail? You want to know how it feels, against your skin~?' Y/n felt their face heat up even more from those questions, as that happened they fell on their knees to hide their faces. The naga slithered closer to y/n and sank down to meet their eyes. In a calm tone the naga said, 'Oh, no need to be embarrassed about it. You seemed to need to rest and relax~.' Soon y/n felt cool scales wrapped around their hips. Naga: 'Oh my, you feel awfully cold. Don't worry, I can keep you all warm~.' Y/n still felt their face warm but they're starting to feel more calm around the naga. Y/n just remembered another rumor about the naga. They felt their heart quicken and asked, 'I've heard this small rumor from others. I've heard that you can do hypnosis. It sounds silly I know, but I'm curious if it's true or just a silly story.'

(4) The naga gave a small chuckle, as if it was a little joke. The naga looked into y/n eyes. And with a smirk, he said, 'Oh little human~... If you really want to know, I want you to listen carefully.' He then gently cups their chin, as that happened his coils begin to move up to their mid drift. Naga: 'I want you to look deeply, into my eyes~.' With that command, a flash of blue appeared in the naga's eyes. Y/n gave a small gasp and quickly felt relaxed from trance. Y/n tried to say something about it but no words were coming out, the naga noticed this and gave a calm and soothing response, 'Ssshhh~. It's okay you don't have to say a word at all. All I need you to do is focus on my eyes, and let yourself fall into the trance~... Just get nice and relaxed and let my coils wrap you up all nice, and snug~.' The coils then moved up to y/n's chest and gave his coils a nice squeeze. Y/n gave a small moan in pleasure, and a small smile formed on their face. Naga: 'That's it~. Fall deeper and deeper into the trance~. Let all your worries slip away~. Let your thoughts melt away for now~.' Each word from the naga made y/n more and more relaxed. All that's in y/n mind right now was the beautiful colors in the naga's eyes, and how nice his coils are against their skin. Y/n eyes started to feel heavy, each time they tried to keep them open they felt heavier and heavier. The naga seemed to notice this too, and gave a small sigh of understanding. Naga: 'You seem so tired already. Hehe. You deserved some sleep. To be honest, I missed doing this. Doing hypnosis on humans and watching their faces as they get lost and mindless in my trance. Little human, I know you won't even remember any of this when you wake up, but you have no idea how much joy I'm having right now~. I just love seeing your little face, just being absolutely dazed and relaxed~.' The naga then noticed y/n already asleep already. Naga: 'Oh~ already asleep? You look so snug in there. Sleep well little human~.'

Awww, what a cute story! The naga sounds like a real sweetie ☺️

[ciciyup]

🏹 a/n: Again a soft story for Snake, can you blame me? I'm weak for these. How about a confession and a first kiss? ♡♡ Cute! I also made an attempt at pride and prejudice in a part of the story, I don't know how well it turned out.

━━━━━━✧ 🦢 ✧━━━━━━

Winters used to be pretty harsh lately, temperatures reaching below zero degrees, heavy rains, lots of snow, you could barely go outside in the freezing cold, winter was the season that affected Snake the most. His scaly skin used to be colder than anyone else's, so whenever he had the chance he would cover himself with a blanket or try to get as much heat as possible, like right now. You had found the poor boy curled up with a blanket in the greenhouse, it seemed to be quite warm in there for his friends who were with him. Your eyes scan the place until they settle on Snake, looking at him with more warmth you approach him until you crouch down to his level and extend a cup of hot tea.

—Here, drink some tea, it's nice and warm —you offer a comforting smile encouraging him to grab the cup as you sit next to him.

Snake's slender fingers curl around the cup, bringing it closer and cradling it in both hands. Your gaze makes his stomach turn, the color in his cheeks seeming to come alive at your attention.

—Thank you, Wilde says —he murmurs, taking a soft sip, humming at the warmth of the drink.

You nod giving him another soft smile and carefully grab his blanket, tenderly arranging it over him and his snakes so they could be warmer. You settle down next to him but not too close so as not to make him uncomfortable, rubbing your hands against the cold and adjusting your uniform. Even though the maid outfit had quite a bit of stuff underneath it seemed like the cold still got through everything. The warmth of the blanket is comforting as Snake tenses, feeling on alert. He’s close to you, that’s enough to make him nervous. Oscar slides over and confidently lands on your lap to rest there, while Wilde lets out a hiss, you just smile at the action, they were suffering from the cold too. You pet Oscar's little head, who seems pleased and watches you before curling up on your lap. Daring to make a more intimate move, you caress Snake's hands, cradling them against yours.

—Your hands are cold —you speak again and glance at him shyly.

The contact is unexpected, but Snake's body reacts immediately. His breathing quickens and a shiver runs down his spine. His snakes notice it, writhing and wrapping around him. One coils around his arm, while another coils around your ankles wanting to keep you there.

—You're warming us up, thank you for your consideration, Oscar says —Snake tries to hide his blush by drinking more tea, although his snakes don't feel as embarrassed.

—It's no problem —you smile at Oscar although it seems like your words are directed at the boy as well as you carefully release his hands to hide his in the pockets of your uniform and warm himself.

Another shiver runs down Snake's spine at your words. Your touch, though gentle, makes him very aware of your closeness and presence. His own trembling makes the snakes move. Some coil around his hands, others around his legs. They slither in different directions, each trying to provide warmth. Snake has watched since you arrived as your hands try to frantically search for a heat source to warm themselves, as you try to make your uniform cover as much as possible due to the cold, which makes him feel a little unwell.

—Are you cold? Wilde asks —he murmurs, his voice seems more than a whisper.

—A little —your heart can't help but skip a beat as you look at him —It will pass —you move your hands down, downplaying the matter, even though you were very cold.

Your calmness is of no use to Snake, although it seems to calm the snakes, he is aware of your actions, he knows how close they are, how intimately you held his hands and how they trembled as you left them. His eyes move away from you, trying not to notice how much he's reacting to you. He looks at his cup, trying to see if there's any tea left, but instead he sees the empty cup.

—Why don't you come sit with us? It's so cold, Wilde says —Snake seems embarrassed as he translates what one of his friends meant, however, he shows no signs of denial.

—It's okay, I do not want to disturb, I think I'll be leaving anyway, there are more blankets in the mansion... —you reply with a shrug and standing up while grabbing the now empty cup Snake had left on the floor.

As if responding to your words, the snakes move and slither up to your legs to prevent you from leaving, some hissing and others just coiling around.

—Stay a bit, you don't have to bother going, they all say —Snake watches you nervously and his snakes seem to look at you pleadingly.

You tilt your head slightly to look at him out of the corner of your eye, your eyes seem to get bigger and your lips are parted in an “O” shape. You want to stay, of course you do.

You would do anything to spend even one more minute with the boy, you adore him, but you fear that he might not feel the same way or that he might just be uncomfortable with your presence. He is a boy as shy and as soft as folding a piece of paper, you love him so much.

—Do you want to…? Do you want me to stay? —you ask hopefully, wishing intensely that his answer was a yes.

Snake’s blush has been growing since the moment they touched now it increases at the look you give him. His lips part and he quickly closes them again, not knowing what to say. The snakes notice this and try to help him, the poor guy seemed self-conscious.

—We want to, says Oscar —the snakes speak through him with clarity and unity. —Please stay, says Emily.

Each snake has something to say, adding their own touches, but Snake seems too nervous to be able to translate all their messages. You smile at him a little and nod, setting the cup aside as you sat back down next to Snake and grabbed part of the blanket to pull it open.

—Do you mind if I come in here too? —You look at him for approval, not wanting to take up his space.

The blush increases as you slide closer to him and ask to share his blanket next to him, the snakes seeming to hiss as they move around him and Snake just nods in response. Grateful, you settle down inside the blanket, implying that you were stuck to Snake and next to him, your arms touching.

—I stole some space from you, sorry —you laugh, looking at Snake and covering yourself more, Oscar seems to stay close to you both while the other snakes tried to look for other available spots.

Snake’s breathing quickens and he can feel your warmth as you snuggle up against him. Your arm rests against his barely, your breath hitting his cheek. Even the way you laugh is so endearing. His hands clench into fists, his nails digging into his palm with the pressure. The snakes are calm, coiling around the two of them as they share the blanket. He’s close to her, his shoulder practically pressed against hers, and his snakes are content and working, surrounding them both and giving them all the protection they can from the cold. Snake’s eyes find hers but he quickly looks away. They both remain quiet as they warm up, you part your lips slightly wanting to say something without daring, something you’ve wanted to tell him for a long time, you don’t want to chicken out now but you’re scared. You look ahead as you gather your courage and bravely stare at him.

—I love you. —Your voice seems to echo through the greenhouse and for a moment you regret it when Snake doesn’t react.

He had been avoiding eye contact with you, but right now, when you looked so beautiful and vulnerable, it’s hard to look away. He keeps trying, but just like before, he can’t look away. Their faces are mere inches apart, and his breathing and heart rate are racing. His hands are shaking with nothing to hold on to. He’s more focused on her than himself, on the warmth she’s giving him. She says something, and it’s enough to snap him out of his dazed state. His cheeks flush at her words, and his heart races to the point of near panic. He wants to say something, wants to give a response, but he can’t think of any words, just a sudden rush of heat on his face. Snakes are moving, coiling around him and coiling around her. Wordsworth is coiled right at the apex of his knee, while Emily and Wilde are around his arm, coiling and protecting. They shift and try desperately to tell him how to respond.

—It’s okay —you murmur without looking at him as a few strands of hair cover your face in a desperate attempt to hide your small blush. —I just wanted you to know —He didn’t have to say anything if he wasn’t sure or if he didn’t want to, she just wanted him to know how much she loved him, how much she loved seeing him every day when he worked on the estate, when he fed his snakes, the way he got so shy when he had to talk to someone or the way he focused when he wrote and paid attention.

How could you say it so naturally, so simply and not expect any response? When hearing it fills him with so much love and longing, so much desire and… more. The snakes writhe and move, trying to offer him help and guidance. They agree with the answer. More than agree, more than that. So Snake does his best to get the words out.

—I love you. —The words echo in his ears as his breath catches. But he wanted to answer, he wanted to tell you how much he loves you just as much, he wants to be honest and for once say it for himself and not for his snakes, he wants you to know how much he cares. All the snakes are moving, all of them are stirring. A circle of snakes has closed in on you, protecting you and providing you with warmth. Oscar slides down Snake’s shoulder, while Wilde sits perched between them. Emily sits behind him, as does Brontë, all of them excited by this turn of events. Their excitement has made Snake quite nervous, and his breathing quickens even more.

You smile at him and carefully bring both of your hands to Snake’s cheeks, cupping his cheeks and caressing them, running your fingers through his scales lovingly and without any prejudice. You move a little closer, still unsure of your movement, finally closing your eyes and bringing your warm lips together with Snake’s cold ones, touching for the first time and melting into a soft, innocent kiss. Snake’s lips touch yours and his breath leaves him forever. It’s almost as if a spell has caught him, a warmth has enveloped him and drawn him to it. The snakes are paralyzed by this interaction as well, and Snake’s mind is spinning as he gets lost. Your touch is so warm, so special, so… You.

—They’re warmer. —you murmur once the kiss ends, caressing her hands.

Snake only manages to stammer out the simplest answer possible after she pulls away, her face still flushed. The snakes are moving around, each enjoying having seen their first kiss, and they all seem to be happy with how it went. Snake can’t believe, he just can’t believe, that after all that he was brave enough to say it. The whole moment seems to have passed in just a few seconds, but he was still in awe of how you felt in his hands, how you tasted when he touched his lips to yours. You smile knowing that words were no longer necessary, actions and looks spoke for both of you. You caress his cheeks a little more and then adjust the blanket so that you both are warmer as you stare out the small window of the greenhouse seeing the cloudy and snowy day. Maybe all that was needed was that, a little warmth when you were feeling too cold.

━━━━━━✧ 🦢 ✧━━━━━━

[petertingle-yipyip]

WORLD CLASS SINNER- FRANK CASTLE

four - we’re not alike

three // five // masterlist

Pairing: frank x reader (exodus), billy x reader

Word Count: 4,350

Summary: A confrontation that was meant to end it all fails, but that tension snaps in an unexpected way, leaving two allies in a short standoff.

You didn’t blame Dinah for her obsession with taking down Billy. You were sure if he had shot you in the head and you survived that you’d have one hell of a bone to pick with him, too. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t hold grudges of your own. Daredevil, Fisk, Dreykov, Dex. But you never obsessed over any one man enough to lose sleep, to torment them day in and day out.

You tried to chalk it up to trauma but it was more than that. A vendetta at the very least. It made you worry but not enough for you to spring into action.

Curtis gave Frank the information he knew and sent him on his way to track down Billy Russo. You told him to call if he wanted or needed help. Until then, life would continue.

Billy Russo may have stopped Dinah’s world from spinning but you’d be damned if he got that power over you.

You spent the day doing one of the many things you’d neglected since you got back. You were unpacking your apartment. You washed and put away dishes, arranged the furniture in your living room, unpacked your decor, and organized your clothes. You went through your case and found the broken mask, chipped edges and stained lens. That mask had seen two of your more brutal fights in New York and you wanted to both frame it and burn it.

Frank and Curtis called you that night and asked you to come on their stakeout, something about a bar they knew Billy and his new crew frequented. At that point, most of your belongings were back in place and it was almost as if you had never left.

The nostalgic feeling didn’t last long, especially once you caught a glimpse of yourself. Your shorts left you with bare legs,  littered in scars varying from just faint discolorations even you hardly noticed to still raised lines across your skin or divots where your body just couldn’t replace it. You didn’t want to think of the marks across your back, chest, or stomach.

You didn’t go with them that night, but that didn’t stop them from reaching out the next day. No calls or words, just an address.

You dressed in fitted pants, high top shoes, and a black compression shirt. Your vest fit neatly over and you covered it all with a pullover. You slipped a knife under each sleeve and a gun at your back, mask in your pocket just in case, and left.

“…SERE course. Bad news is I took it too. It ain’t gonna work, not today.” Frank explained as you made your way inside the small apartment.

A man sat tied to a chair in the center of the living area while Frank stood on the opposite side of the room. After a few more words, Frank brought up Billy.

They spoke some more and you moved further into the small space. It was then when you noticed Dinah and Curtis on Frank’s other side. Subtly, you reached under your sleeves and pushed the blades up higher.

“I know who you are.” The man, Jake, told Frank.

“Do you know me?” You spoke, allowing your voice to change to the accented, slightly deeper tone Exodus used. “Or… Do you know what fear does to a person?”

You moved closer, gesturing as you spoke while the yellow fog collected across your palm.

“Fear, it can choke you. Freeze you. Enough of it can break you.” Your hand pushed forward and the fog acted accordingly, slithering around the man’s neck and creeping up his skin like a snake. “You know the expression about choking on fear? I can make it very real for you. One way or the other, Jake, every man has his limit… And I think yours isn’t as far as you want to believe.”

Frank put a hand on your arm and pulled you back a few steps. The calm contact was enough to snap your focus and your fog dissipated. Jake made a few smart mouth comments about Dinah and Curtis being there, mouthing off that you and Frank wouldn’t be so tough if he was untied. You scoffed and when Frank looked at you, you nodded.

He moved to cut the tape and you shook your arm to let a blade fall. You watched Dinah’s eyes drop to your hand before she met your gaze with an expression you didn’t quite understand. Before you could dig deeper, you heard the scrape of the chair.

You turned and saw Jake coming at you. He drove his knife towards you but you easily controlled his wrist and spun him back to face Frank. You kicked out a knee and he fell to the ground, just before Frank slammed his foot against the man’s chest. He doubled over and you moved in a slow circle, flipping your blade as you moved.

“Это тот парень, с которым бежит Билли?” You laughed slightly before you kicked the knife away from Jake’s reaching hand. “Как упали могущественные.” You clicked your tongue in disappointment. (This is the guy Billy runs with? How the mighty have fallen.)

You hauled Jake up by the back of his shirt and threw him over the small table. You grabbed a hand and flattened his palm against the table. You glanced over your shoulder and Frank nodded as he moved closer. You gripped the knife firmly and drove it through the back of Jake’s hand. You kept your grip on the knife handle, twisting it to add on to the pressure Frank was putting. Your head cocked as you watched the man’s eyes grow wide until Frank backed off. Dinah yelled for you both to stop and you yanked your blade out. You wiped the blade across Jake’s sleeve to clean it before Frank gently pushed you out to follow Dinah.

She nagged that you two were out of control, that you were going too far. You said nothing while Frank told her to walk away. He told her she couldn’t do it and she needed to let whatever would happen happen. You didn’t care to listen to what she said next.

You went back into the apartment and pulled Jake to his knees. You took your blade and pressed it against the soft skin of his jaw, balling up his shirt with the other. You trailed the tip along the bone and down his throat until it sat at the small vulnerability at the base, right where the collarbones met. You looked at him for a moment, seeing the fear in his eyes and you willed it higher. The tip of your blade broke skin and as the yellow covered his eyes, he broke.

“They’re hitting the ReadyQuick check-cashing spot.” He confessed and you withdrew your blade while he spilled the information like a broken faucet.

You hummed to yourself in satisfaction and concealed your blade.You pushed yourself to stand and led your group out once you had enough.

“Wait. I can’t let you do this.” Dinah tried and you tilted your head up and muttered to the sky.

“Not asking for permission.” Frank shot back and opened the car door for you.

“I felt bad. I did, okay? Everything that was done to you.” She continued and you leaned on the open door with raised brows. “So I swallowed a mountain of shit because I felt like I owed you. But I owe myself, too.”

She came closer but you put yourself in front of her.

“When I met him, I felt I owed him, too.” You said pointedly, head nodding as you spoke. “I tried to help him, too, and it blew up my goddamn law firm.”

“Get out of my way, Y/L/N.”

“No.” You laughed.

“I took an oath.”

“Yeah? So did I. A few, actually. You wanna know what oaths get you? Knives in your stomach, bullets in your wrists, men cutting into your body to place trackers or remove your reproductive system or initiate pheromone blockers.”

Every example was another step closer, backing her up a good distance.

“The only oath I ever took that was worth a damn was the one to myself… And maybe to Daredevil.”

“I’m calling Mahoney. Let him take Billy down.” She continued and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes. “Frank, you need to get out of New York before they come looking for you.”

“Do what you need to do, Madani.” Frank said flatly. “You coming, Princess?”

“The law didn’t stop Wilson Fisk. Daredevil and I did. It didn’t stop the Punisher. No one did. It didn’t stop Ben Poindexter or Billy Russo or the Yakuza or the Russians. I did… It won’t stop him now either.”

You backed away as Dinah scrambled for a response. You shrugged slightly and climbed into the backseat.

Thanks to your little disagreement of morality with Dinah, the three of you missed the caravan leaving the warehouse. Meaning you had to take it to the ReadyQuick if you wanted to get him. And you’d have to dawn the mask.

You slid it into place on the drive over and pulled your hair out of your face. You tapped the side and it hummed to life, small icons and messages flashing quickly before regulating the usual idle display. You pulled your sweater over your head and you reached for your wrists instinctively but the joints were bare.

You left your Bites.

You sighed to yourself and shook your head in annoyance. You tucked your blades between your pants and your belt. You tightened the strap of your vest and focused back on the drive when you realized you were pulled over.

Frank and Curtis went back and forth quickly but it was ultimately decided Curtis would stay.

“I’ll look after him.” You promised before you got

out. “And if she ends up going to Madani, call Matt Murdock. Tell him I sent you.”

Frank revealed himself first while you were crouched behind one of the parked cars and there was something from Billy’s that wasn’t there last time you spoke to him. There was an edge, an uncertainty that bordered insanity. You knew that you cultivated an aura of unpredictability as Exodus, but what you could hear and feel from Billy was the only thing you thought could ever compare.

The thought sent a chill down your spine, a twitch at your scarred wrist.

You groaned to yourself in frustration and grabbed the joint firmly, allowing your own anger to soak your palm and you let it sit on the scar. You forced the heat to burn out the twitch and instead, the anger took its place. Anger that he had the audacity to live after what he’d done. Anger that he had left a permanent mark on your body. Anger that he didn’t know who you were or what you were.

Death was your shadow, ghosts and wraiths were your teachers. And Billy Russo would do good to remember that about you, if nothing else.

You came into view when the gunfire rang out, despite Frank trying to pull you out of the way. You maintained eye contact with Billy, and lucky for you, his men were more worried about the Punisher. You palmed a blade when a bullet whizzed past your head, causing your attention to snap upwards. You saw the sniper on the roof and your lip curled into a slight snarl.

You couldn’t hit him with your blade. The height of the building left too much time for him to dodge your blade, no matter how hard you threw it. You could shoot out the scope, maybe take his eye out with it, but he had a perfect shot at you. He’d likely clip you before you could get your gun out.

“We gotta move, Ex!” Frank yelled and it pulled you back into the fight. You heard tires screeching and turned to see Frank climbing into a car.

You jumped in the passenger side and the chase began. You had to duck and evade the sniper’s bullets coming through the window, once having to reach over and push Frank down. Rounding a corner led you straight into Billy’s gunfire and you had to drop to the footwell. You rattled around as the car crashed and you felt a hand on your shoulder. Frank looked at you with wide, worried eyes as Billy was yelling something.

“I’m fine.” You said sharply and pushed yourself up to climb into the backseat.

You opened the rear driver side door and climbed out, now feeling a growing ache in your ribs. You scooted further down to allow Frank to follow you out. The sounds of sirens filled the silence before Billy spoke again.

“Did you do this to me?” He yelled, seemingly more confident in the idea.

“You’re goddamn right I did!” Frank yelled back and you slipped around the car. Your pistol was gripped in your hand as you maneuvered the crashed vehicles and kept your body low to avoid the next round of automatic gun fire.

The incoming sirens grew louder and it felt like the timer was ticking down at the same time. You were able to get behind Billy and you had to act quickly if you wanted the chance before the NYPD got too close.

Move, Exodus. You thought. If you don’t, you’ll miss your chance.

The incoming officers served as a perfect distraction.

You forced yourself to vault over the hood of the car you were crouched behind. You landed softly, soundlessly even, and reached out. You yanked Billy back by the hood of his jacket and his bullets immediately ceased.

You threw your arm around his neck and pressed your gun under his chin.

“Скучаешь по мне?” You said lowly in his ear. (Miss me?) “You should’ve died.”

“Should’ve done it yourself then.” He growled back and grabbed your arm.

He pulled you over his shoulder and your back hit the ground. He quickly put a knee on your chest and reached for the gun in your hand. You searched for the foot he had against the ground and slammed your elbow against the ankle. His foot skidded and he was thrown off balance so you could roll away.

You planted one foot on the ground and turned to slam the opposing heel into his kidney and he fell to his face. You rolled him to his back and used your knees to pin his arms down at the shoulders. Your gun had fallen away so you pulled a blade instead.

“Say my name.” You ordered, accent dripping off the simple syllables.

He stared at you with no fear. Either he didn’t care if he died or he didn’t believe you’d do it.

“Say it!” You commanded again, your anger heating the knife in your hand. 

“You’re just a Mask.” He taunted and your lip curled. “Without it, you’re nothing.”

“Without it, I owned you all the same.” You spoke plainly.

You raised your knife overhead, pushing his head to the side with the other hand, when the bullet grazed. The knife clattered from your hand and the metallic sting burned a line against the back of your hand. You clutched the injury and turned quickly to find the shooter. An NYPD officer. If it wasn’t just a man doing his job, you would’ve fired back.

The second your attention shifted, Billy threw you off and ran. You collected your discarded weapons quickly and saw Frank motioning for you to follow.

A new car had arrived and the driver dragged Billy away. You slammed a hand against the ground before you ran after Frank. He waited for you a few blocks over and took off again once he saw you’d match his stride.

You dared one look over your shoulder and saw Mahoney a few paces behind you.

You rolled your eyes slightly and faced forward. You knew Mahoney was a good guy but you wished he’d chase someone else for once.

You and Frank ended up cornered in an alley. Before you could get the lock off, Mahoney had found you.

“Drop the gun, Frank.” He ordered and you kept your back to him. “Drop your weapons, too, Exodus.”

You felt Frank tap your arm in reassurance so you lifted your already empty hands. You looked over and saw Frank was moving closer to Mahoney and you followed suit. He fell to his knees as Brett ordered and you did the same.

“Been a while from either of you.” Brett said carefully. His gun never wavered.

“Nothing big enough after Fisk.” You answered, intently letting your accent coat your words.

“Explains the downgrade in outfits.”

Your neutral expression shifted to a glare at the comment.

“How is his little Bullseye, by the way? Shattered spine is no joke. Shame he still lives.”

“I thought you only come out when Daredevil’s around.”

“He’s not my keeper:”

“Yeah.” He scoffed slightly. “Didn’t think you had one.”

You shrugged as a bullet hit the wall behind Brett. Your eyes darted over and saw Curtis with a rifle. You quickly pieced together that he had taken out the sniper from the rooftop. You nodded in thanks and stood carefully, allowing the boys to talk.

“Сожалею об этом.” You said with a sharp nod. (Sorry about this.)

When Brett looked your way, you threw a hard roundhouse that sent him slamming into the dumpster behind him before collapsing to the ground. You grabbed Frank’s hand and you two took off behind Curtis.

As you were leaving, you felt the wave of emotions coming for you. It was from the direction of the warehouse you had checked before going after Billy. He was remembering that night in better detail. He was remembering you and Frank. You liked that he was tore up about it. You wanted to make that worse, to drive him insane, but two things stopped you.

One, he was too far. Your influence likely wouldn’t reach or it would impact someone else. Two, you didn’t know exactly how he’d react if you truly broke him. It made you think of what happened to Dex, the way he attacked you and Matt at the church, the knife - your knife - burying itself to the hilt in your stomach.

No, you weren’t convinced you’d survive that again.

So you sat in the backseat of Curtis’ car and took off your mask. You hid your vest under your sweater and simply looked in the direction of the waves while your hand sat on the scar on your stomach. The burn seemed to shift to the back of your hand and you finally turned focus to the bullet graze against the bony area.

You brought your hand closer to your face and examined it. You took a deep breath and willed it to hurt. You forced that emotion nagging at the back of your mind to move across your skin and mend the shallow wound. It caused you to clench your jaw as you saw the imaginary bubble of pain sitting on the back of your hand, waiting for its job.

For a moment, you let it hurt.

Then you clamped your other hand down on top and popped the imaginary bubble. The skin under it was warm but the wound had healed. Now it was just another scar.

When Curtis got you and Frank back to the trailer, you stepped out first. You put yourself in front and whistled the two notes you had taught Amy. You waited a second but got no reply. The potential made your stomach drop but you pulled a blade either way.

You tried your whistle again and were met with another silence. With worried eyes, you looked to Frank.

“Kid!” He tried. “It’s Frank!”

Silence.

“Kid!” 

Frank turned to you and you simply shrugged. Both of you had given your indicators and yet there was no response. You glanced around and saw no footprints. No tire marks. There was no blood or bullet holes or any signs of struggle. Has she gone that easily?

“Open it.” You said lowly, letting the blade flip over your knuckles to face the other way.

Frank gave a quick nod and opened the door. He stepped in first and you were right behind him. Your brows furrowed as worry gnawed at your stomach. You gripped your blade tighter just as a tennis ball came over yours and Frank’s shoulders.

You turned and lifted the other hand defensively. The figure went for Frank first and when he flipped the attacker over his shoulder, you realized it was Amy. You dropped your knife instantly and then regretted it.

“What are you doing?” Frank yelled as he kneeled over her. “You out of your mind?”

“Get off of her!” You shouted.

“You think it’s a game?” He ignored you. “How about now?” He put his gun against her jaw.

Suddenly, for a split second, you were a scared little kid again. You were training in the Red Room. One of your teachers, a man with a cold hand and an empty look in his eyes, had his cold hand around your throat while he slammed you to the ground. 

At that, something inside you snapped.

You reached forward and grabbed his arm. You twisted it towards you and pulled his hand towards the floor. You leaned into it and swung your legs, letting your knees collide with his chest. The move took you both to the ground and you heard the small whimpers as Amy clambered away in a panic. Vaguely, you heard Curtis’ voice either trying to console Amy or get you two to stop.

Frank tried to shove you off but you kept a firm hold of his jacket. His other hand grabbed at the back of your sweater and he rolled you two so he would pin you down. You shoved a knee between your bodies as the position changed and flattened the other foot against the floor. You kicked off the ground and then extended the knee to flip Frank over your head and you followed suit.

He landed with a heavy thud and you pulled your second blade. You yanked the excess fabric of his jacket and slammed the knife through it and into the floor. You knew it wouldn’t hold long, but it was enough for you to get to your feet and hurry to Amy’s side.

The girl was practically vibrating with panic and you felt it jolt through your own bones as she threw herself into your arms. You dropped all your walls and let her panic seep into you. She cried against you and you said nothing, just gently rubbed her back while you glared at Frank.

He angrily stared back with your knife in one hand and his gun in the other. You were hyper aware of your own handgun waiting at your back.

“She’s gonna get herself killed.” He said lowly.

“She shouldn’t have to worry about it from you.” You shot back, wrapping your arms around Amy a bit tighter. “What the hell were you thinking?” 

“Don’t give me that shit. You see how close I came to killing her?” He fired one shot into the wall and Amy flinched. “That’s her head all over that wall.”

“Enough.” You said sharply.

Another shot. “Just like that!”

Amy yelped but the sound was muffled by your sweater.

“I was just-“ She hiccuped. “I was just practicing the move you showed me!”

“Bullshit!” Frank continued. “Bullshit! Quit your goddamn crying!”

You moved Amy behind you and reached your hand to rest on your gun. Neither you or Frank backed down. He threw your knife at your feet and you planted your foot on top of it. You knew your other discarded blade was somewhere between the two of you, but looking away to find it wasn’t an option. Not when Frank seemed so erratic.

“She’s. A. Kid.” You said firmly. “You can’t talk to her like that. You can’t treat her like that.”

“This isn’t a goddamn game, Y/N.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“She needs to know that. We make mistakes and people die. They die!”

“I know!” You shouted. Elektra, Sam Stein, Father Lantom, Matt - or so you thought, at least - other Widows you grew up with.

“A man died today because I dropped the ball, and you did too.”

You scoffed. “Some dickhead guy running with Billy. Is that supposed to make me feel bad?” You offered a mock pout.

“She needs to know she could wind up dead.”

“You pinning her down and pointing a gun at her isn’t going to teach her that.” You continued and Frank rolled his eyes.

You gently removed Amy’s hand from your sweater and took a couple steps forward. You made sure you slid the knife further behind you as you did so.

“You try that again, and my knife won’t go through your jacket.” You warned quietly. “Get your fucking head on straight or I do this without you.”

“You think you’re that goddamn tough, huh?” He asked in the same low tone, standing toe to toe with you.

“If that cop didn’t graze me, it would’ve been over already. I’m not afraid of Billy or the man from Ohio. And I’m damn sure not afraid of you. I don’t think you really want to see what it looks like from the other side when I go after someone.”

Frank shoved past you and went outside. Curtis was right behind while the two bickered about the keys. You collected your second knife and went after them.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Amy panicked and grabbed your hand. “You’re coming back, right?”

“I promise.” You nodded. “Just stay here and don’t do anything stupid. Call me if something happens and remember that shotgun.”

She nodded vigorously as the tears welled in her eyes. You patted her cheek and shut the door behind yourself.

[bowieandqueen11]

Dream Being Protective Would Include...

Request: I need protective Dream hcs 🥰🥰

Oooh here you go my lovely!

If you enjoy, please make my day and comment or reblog!!!

(I do not own the Sandman or its characters, all rights go to creators. Gif credit goes to @katronautt.)

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°

I think I genuinely go more feral each time I write these first sentences little by little but it’s worth it lmao. I’ve genuinely never seen a more woeful person with your uwu eyes skulking about like a melodramatic paper bag being whipped by the wind you king of having no brain cells I’ve never wanted to bonk someone so badly he really is the moment. Sometimes when I feel sad I just walk around like Dream does walk walk fashion baby he owns the catwalk, and I immediately feel better lmao.

Dream’s lost a lot during his existence, and he knows how it feels to be so alone and tormented constantly by the world around him, so keeping you protected from the dangers of all the realms is of the upmost importance to him. If you’re not safe, or if there’s even a hint that you’re not alright, Dream would tear every world apart, piece by piece, and scatter their ashes through the cosmos if it meant protecting you.

No joke, Dream’s first instinct when the two of you run into trouble is to hide you away so he knows you’re safe. The verdant rolling orchards that he takes you to in the hopes to woo you further, with thick marble clouds that seem to shoot out honey gold sun rays like halos, can sometimes become unstable after the whole mess with Rose Walker and the Vortex. So, Dream being Dream of course, he doesn’t completely... well, he doesn’t completely understand human customs, let’s just say. He just kind of scoops you up like you’re a feather on the breeze and wraps you up in his coat until the two of you become a little compact unit of burrito lmao. Bless him, the scowl on his face doesn’t give any hint to how tight the vice grip of his arms around your stomach trembles each time the grass beneath your feet shakes. The frumple of his concerned eyebrows as he watches the sky fracture like a shooting spiderweb straight down the middle is balanced by the way his legs tighten around yours, until you’re tucked inside his thighs. You’re not complaining though: his chest is toasty and haven-like, even if your cheek is smushed up against it like an aghast hamster.

Then, there are the more stressful (albeit humorous) times when he becomes super hypervigilant and solicitous when you’re around his family. He’s not a naturally touchy-feely PDA filled person out in public; Dream has to stay restrained to keep all the feelings and hopes and beacons of light of the dreaming within him. If even a fraction of the love that cries within him for you slips through his mask unrestrained, it would overwhelm you so greatly it would be an earth-burning devastation borne from the purest kindle. That doesn’t stop him from staying by your side during the family get togethers you end up always having to drag him along to. If he sees Desire’s slippery little snake fingers slithering their way towards you, even for a millisecond, he grows and gnarls and warps until he’s an ink splodged shadow looming up the wall. He becomes a cataclysmic penumbra that slowly begins to swallow everything in its wake; it takes Despair nodding at their twin for Desire to finally wallow off and sit by their sister with an unbothered shrug, but the thudding pang in their heart can’t mask their understanding of why humans are so afraid of nightmares. 

As soon as they’re gone, Dream relents a little and comes stalking behind you, tethered tightly to your back like a sulking scarecrow surrounded by devouring crows. He glares at everyone with that lemon sucking sour face of his, until you eventually manage to get him to calm down and retreat back into himself by twisting round to face him. Even he can’t help the blank, trusting look of awe that slips through when you carefully cup his cheeks and bring him down to tentatively kiss your lips - but the smile that twitches against them definitely is purposeful.

It doesn’t last very long though: when Death comes over aawing and genuinely looking delighted, sweetly singing about how Y/n and Dream are ‘k-is-s-i-n-g’, he’s straight back to moping and dragging you back home lmao.

If any of his escaped nightmares even dare to come after you, Dream could send them straight down to the depths of Hell with only an icy glare. He’s by your side straight away, appearing in the corner of your eye as you blink and blowing the nightmare straight back into sand before you even have time to summon him. When you get back to the Dreaming, he will. not. leave. you. alone. Even though you both know that you’re perfectly capable of handling yourself, he still has this aching, fiery anchored gap in the pit of his heart: the loss of his son and the severance and betrayals from his family have bitten and torn chunks from him, even though he’ll never admit it willingly. So, he does what he can - not to be ‘clingy’, in his eyes, but just precautious (which equals to him being clingy as frick.) You actually cannot step out of a room in the castle without Dream just hovering in the corner of the next like a bloody phantom. You step out to talk to Lucienne and peruse some of the latest journals in the library? Dream suddenly floats around the tucked away bookshelf like an emo ghost and nearly scares the crap out of you. He doesn’t say anything, but just settles next to you and bumps his shoulders against yours in a way that screams out: I love you, I love you I love you I love you and I can’t leave your side. It would ruin me. Thankfully you’ve learnt how to read the small and seemingly insignificant signs he gives by now, so you say nothing as he peers down at the dusty volumes along with you. You don’t even make a note: not a sound, too wary of scaring him away from this easiness as he cups his hands onto yours in a comfortable affinity. His breath shakes as he gapes down at the way your fingers slot perfectly underneath his own, a mixture of awe and curiosity in his eyes. As if he’s feeling you. Studying you. Absorbing you. Trying to understand how something like you could exist without being one of his own creations. Because if he dared his hand to try and mould perfection, it would equal you in every way.

Or when you sit up in the turrets to have a nice nap during the long stretch of the afternoons, since it is the Dreaming after all! When you blink awake, you find that Dream has settled himself into your side, tucked up all blissful and pensive as he peeks out from the cape he’s wrapped around the two of you like a turtle. The stars have begun to peek out, brightening the horizon like a sprinkling of shadowy blues and pearls of gold as he ties his hip against yours. To your surprise, Dream gazed up at the skies that reflect the iridescent infinity within his own; he begins to hum softly, very out of tune (but he’s still trying) as he traces all the universes and constellations that he’s traversed. If you must sleep, he wants you to know you’re not physically alone, and to make sure you have the sweetest dreams to boot.

The poor boi bless him one time in the human world you pinged a few too many crumbs at pigeons (his favourite activity lol). They began to swarm around you like a storm of beaks and beating wings, and Dream became so afraid they were like sent by Lucifer to swoop you away from him in retaliation for his earlier visit. He started pushing you behind his back and sternly telling the birds off, chiding them with warnings, which earned him a few grumbles and raised eyebrows from the London passerby. 

[vera-deville]

Vera's Hauntober 2023

Day 19 - Familiars (Kyoya Ootori)

10/26/2023 - 05/03/2024

Pairing: Kyoya Ootori x Reader Word Count: 1,516 Warnings: Reader has a lot of familiars, and they include but are not limited to snakes, spiders, birds, puppies, and mosquitos. Gender: AFAB Taglist: @animusicnerd, @leonistic, @pyroxeene, @savanaclaw1996, @thequeenoffishburrito, @ellssbellss, @reshi-galaxy, @hanafubukki, @hitoshislover, @purplecandything Notes: This fic is by no means an encouragement for you to go buy a pet (especially of the exotic kind). Please don't see the shenanigans in this fanfic as your sign to go get a snake or something-

"Y/N?" Haruhi called for you.

Fumbling around with the boa on your neck, you call out to your friend from the depths of your room.

Every time Haruhi finds herself a guest of your home, she is reminded that you are, at your core, a damn rich person. Sure, you were also the most down-to-Earth person she knew from Ouran, but who else would be able to afford a glass greenhouse that connects to their already expensive bedroom?

A rich person. That's who.

Haruhi traversed through the small tunnel that lead to the actual greenhouse section of your room. The last time she visited the place, she'd seen you dancing around with mosquitos. Mosquitos.

Curious, but also bewildered by whatever animal she may see this time, Haruhi's mind came to a stop when she saw a snake strangling you.

Terrified, she tried to will herself to pull the snake away from you (without having it attack her in any way) until she heard sprinkles of laughter coming from your direction. You were gently nuzzling the reptile, cooing at how handsome and charming he is, all while allowing said reptile to wrap itself around strangle you.

"Hey Haruhi!" You beamed at her.

"Ummm, Senpai?"

"Yes?"

"You have a snake around you."

"That I do~"

If the lack of urgency from your voice didn't show that the snake and you were friends, then your coddling most certainly did. Taking a step backwards, Haruhi watched curiously as you gently untangled the snake from around your neck and placed him on the ground.

You watched Haruhi as she nervously eyed the snake as it seemed to slither in her direction and watched as relief settled into her features when he cut a right and went about his way. The relief only lasted a few seconds though. "Y/N?"

"Yeah?"

"There are more snakes in your room."

"Ummm, yeah?"

"And they're not in aquariums-"

This confused you quite a bit. Why would they be in aquariums? They're terrestrial snakes. Even if they could go into water, they weren't meant to constantly be swimming in water (unlike sea snakes).

"What do you mean aquariums?" You asked Haruhi.

"You know, like the glass boxes that they put reptiles in? I saw a video of someone who had an iguana in one of those aquariums." Haruhi explained, still keeping an eye on the snakes.

Suddenly, it dawned on you.

"Haru, those aren't aquariums. The 'glass boxes' you're talking about are called different things depending on what you put in them. The ones that hold reptiles and other animal life are called vivariums." You clarified. "Besides, they're happier like this, free to roam inside the greenhouse as much as they want."

Nodding her head, Haruhi ignored your typical habit of speaking as though the animals were people themselves and asked, "so what'd you call me over for?"

"Oh right, thanks for reminding me!" You exclaimed, scurrying over to the other side of the greenhouse. Haruhi could see you reaching inside of a pet cage, which usually would be used to carry animals like cats, but knowing you, it could literally be anything inside that plastic cage. Haruhi craned her neck a little bit to observe your actions, heart nearly slowing to a still to see what freak of nature you were going to pull out of the magical cage.

Meow.

Huh.

So it was a cat-

You pulled the adorable tabby close to your bosom, your calming aura immediately relaxing the paranoid creature. Walking over to Haruhi, you introduced the cat. "This is Aki." You stroked the cat's head starting from its forehead, and Haruhi watched as the cat fell impossibly deeper into sleep. "I found him on the road a couple of days ago, and as much as I want to take care of him, I'm kinda running out of space here." You say sheepishly.

As though on cue, the parrots started screeching from all over the greenhouse, causing Haruhi to look around in fright.

"I'm going to be sending Aki to a shelter, but the shelter I contacted is also currently full." Mournfully, you continued your story, all while gently rocking the feline in your arms. "Until then, I need someone to take care of him for me, because I don't think I can take care of him myself."

Well that was a little shocking. You of all people couldn't take care of a mere cat? Why you had parrots, cockroaches, and snakes, and you couldn't handle a cat? Haruhi figured there was another reason, but didn't bother asking for it.

"Do you want me to take care of Aki for you?" Haruhi asked.

"That's exactly what I was going to ask! If you don't mind, could you take care of him for a few days? Just until next Thursday, I promise. I'll give you everything you need, so you don't have to worry about a single thing."

Well, if was just for a few days, she'd be able to manage. She was sure that her father wouldn't mind (he got along great with you).

"Sure, why not?"

"Ahhhhh, you're the best Haru~"

It had been a few hours since then, and you were awaiting your next visitor. In the mean time, a capybara snorted running around without a care in the world. The sight put a smile on your face, content blooming in your heart.

Knock knock.

Jumping up, you sprinted to your door, and peeked through the window near it.

Finally, he's here.

You pulled the door back with such a fury that a miniscule shred of surprise appeared on Kyoya's face before disappearing as quickly as it came. Pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek, you pulled him into your greenhouse (mindful to close the door behind you).

"Haruhi came by earlier." You started a conversation.

"I assume that Aki has been adopted then?" Kyoya asked.

"Give her until next Thursday. She's not gonna want to send Aki to the shelter after all that quality time~"

If there was one thing people should never underestimate about you, it would be your motives. There was almost never a definitive reason for what you were doing until the reason was revealed. Your latest scheme involved finding a lonely cat a loving home.

"And how's Mr. Cuddles?" Kyoya asked, looking around the greenhouse.

"Right here" said a familiar snake as he hung down from a branch above Kyoya's head. He looked up and smiled at the boa. Mr. Cuddles slowly slunk down onto Kyoya's shoulder and wrapped himself loosely around his figure. Kyoya allowed this, enjoying the snake's presence.

"You know, it's funny how well the two of you get along now." You say, arms crossed.

"Jealous?" Kyoya and Mr. Cuddles as at the same time.

Scoffing, you turn on your heel and walk away to some other creature that would cuddle you the way Mr. Cuddles was cuddling your boyfriend.

As they watched your figure walk away, Kyoya and Mr. Cuddles faced each other, chuckling to themselves as they shook their heads at your antics.

Mimi the capybara waited for you to sit down on your chaise before jumping into your adoring arms. Squealing in glee, she nestled deep into your embrace as you hugged her tight. You watched as your boyfriend and his new best friend sat down on the chaise opposite to you and felt a gust of wind before feeling a weight on top of your head.

The head that peeked down to look at your face (albeit upside-down) belonged to Marisol - a sun conure.

"You thought that old cuddles hated you." Marisol squawked, laughing to herself.

"In Kyo's defense, he didn't know that we're familiars." Cuddles responded.

"Kyo?" You parroted. "Since when were you on nickname basis with my boyfriend?"

Your animals (and boyfriend) laughed at the pout that adorned your face. Mimi jumped off, jumping into the lap of your boyfriend instead, and the look of betrayal on your face made everyone laugh even more.

"I didn't know at the time that Cuddles was fond of me, but had I known, I would befriended him much sooner," Kyoya said, adding more salt to the already festering wound.

"Yeah, yeah, you're all just such great friends. We get it-" You say, annoyed. Marisol, the lovely thing didn't say a word as you sat petulantly.

As fun as it was to tease you, Kyoya loved you the most. No matter how many friends he had, and no matter how close he was with them, they didn't compare to you (except for maybe Tamaki). Having teased you enough (for now), he called your name.

"Y/N?" You finally looked at him.

"Come here."

Cuddles adjusted his position and Kyoya lifted Mimi for a bit, a silent gesture for you to cuddle with him. Smiling, you do go to him, Marisol still sitting on your head and cuddle with your favorite beings in the whole world.

Eventually, some of the other familiars also joined the cuddle pile, while the others watched from a distance.

All was right in the world.

Author's Note: I know that I said that the Hauntober event is currently under hiatus, but when random bursts of creativity occur, one does not simply not do anything about it-

Now, I actually really enjoyed writing this fic, because I'm an absolute sucker for animals. I've always wondered why characters only have like one familiar. Why not two? Why not ten? Why not as many as you want? So, to placate that, I made this. I had a particular idea as to how I wanted this to go, but it took a few detours.

See you in the next fic!

Masterlist Hauntober 2023 Masterlist

[crystalsnow95z]

hobi with a bad cough and he’s wheezing a lot

It ended up in a really dark direction because of my headspace right now, sorry if that's not what you were hoping for. I have an awful habit of turning one suggestion into something completely different

This one got ridiculously long before i noticed how long it got, and I already cut out two whole scenes. Sorry, it's gonna break into a two parter(maybe 3?)and didn't meet your request yet..

"AHHH!" The sound of Hosoek's scream echos throughout the woods as he throws himself at the closest person, clinging to Namjoon's arm, burying his face in his shoulder.

"What? What's wrong?" Namjoon holds his frightened companion close, looking around to see what spooked him.

"Why? Why did you happen?" Yoongi jumps at the sound of Hoseok, looking at him with a worried expression.

"I saw a snake...! It ran across my foot!" Hoseok whines. "Over there!" He points to a pile of leaves that rustled with movement.

Jungkook goes to investigate, finding the culprit that terrified Hoseok, then looking in the book that staff gave them. "It's not venomous.." he confirms after looking through the pages."It says venomous snakes have a triangle shaped head. This one is totally rounded." He bends down to get a closer look."It's okay it won't hurt you."

"Well that's good for it! I still don't want it near me!" Hoseok complains. "Don't.. touch it! Just because it isn't venomous doesn't mean it won't hurt if it bites!"

Jungkook pulls away from it. "It's scared of me.." He notes with a small pout as it starts slithering away, disappearing into the grass, filming it as it moves, following it until he feels someone grab him.

"Leave it alone, Jungkook-ah. We need to keep going.." Yoongi pulls Jungkook up by his hood gently."It's okay, Hoba. Jungkookie scared it away. It's gone. We just need to find flat ground to set up our tent. Once we set up a fire, it'll keep the snakes away." Yoongi gently rubs Hoseok's arm to comfort him.

"Okay.." Hoseok keeps hold of Namjoon while they keep moving, blushing when he sees the fellow 94er smiling at him, both dimples showing. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're cute." Namjoon says simply, as if it was common sense.

"You're cute." Hoseok throws the compliment back at him, poking his dimple. It was Namjoon's turn to blush, covering his face with his palm making Hoseok giggle, filming Namjoon.

"Stop it!" Namjoon pushes the camera away. "Film yourself not me!" He whines.

Jungkook giggles, too, watching the two rappers teasing one another. He was relieved to see Hoseok calm down from his mini heart attack from their scaley neighbor.

"The lake should've been this way.." Jin murmurs, staring at the map staff gave them. "We passed the giant oak. It should've been a mile north.."

Jungkook sniffs the air, trying to find any sign of the lake. He catches a whiff of wet dead leaves despite the path they are walking on being bone dry. "I think we're going in the right direction. I smell water."

Jin trusts the mankae even though when he breathed in the forest air, he couldn't smell anything but the trees, the dusty path, and wildflowers.

"Let's keep going straight then. Maybe a mile is longer than I thought.."

"Can we swim in the lake?" Taehyung asks eyes sparkling with excitement at the thought of splashing around with his brothers."Are our self cams waterproof?"

"They are. But it's too cold today. It'll warm up tomorrow. We can swim then. Today, we can fish since we got our license. I'll show you a trick I picked up!" Jin smiles, unable to hide his own excitement. He's been looking forward to fishing with the other members since staff told them they would fish for their dinner.

"But not everyone eats fish.. what are we going to do?" Taehyung looks towards Namjoon and Jimin with worry flashing in his eyes.

"It's fine, Taetae. I can eat fish for a couple of days." Jimin comforts Taehyung, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just like you end up suffering sometimes because something we all eat is too spicy for you."

"I can deal with it, too." Namjoon tries to hide his disappointment, but his shoulders still slump at the thought, his body language giving him away.

"It's okay. We have rice and ramen, too. You guys can have my serving.." Taehyung offers Jimin and Namjoon with a warm smile. "I can't eat too much anyway. I'm preparing for filming.."

"But what if we don't catch anything?" Namjoon waves off his offer. He was well aware of Taehyung’s recent diet change because of the recent role he obtained, seeing his fitted jacket being loose on him."You need to eat your portions. I said I'm fine, Tae. Don't worry about me."

"I'm okay too. I won't take your ramen, Taehyungie." Jimin says, wrapping an arm around Taehyung fondly pressing his cheek into his soulmates. "I might take Jaykay's though."

"Sure hyung. As long as we catch some fish I'll share." Jungkook teases.

"And I can share mine too." Yoongi says, trying to sound nonchalant. "We'll be fine."

"Don't worry,we'll all share, and no one will go hungry. We've always managed before." Jin says in a soothing tone, ruffling Taehyung's hair.

"Look! I see the lake up ahead!" Jimin points to the water sparkling ahead from the sunlight reflecting off it.

"I was right! It was just farther ahead!" Jungkook smiles brightly, sprinting towards the water with child-like excitement.

"Jungkook-ah, don't run ahead! Stay with the group!" Jin runs after him."What's the hurry it's not going anywhere!" He scolds him lightly.

"We need to start fishing as soon as possible! We'll lose sunlight and we still need to find a place to pitch a tent!" Jungkook yells back to him slowing down with a pout.

"We'll break into two groups after we find a place to set up camp. We can manage to fish when it's dark, but setting up tents would be hard." Yoongi explains to the mankae calmly.

"Okay, we should probably split into groups while fishing too." Jungkook suggested, seeing the small dock through the trees.

"We'll figure that out later. Let's just find a place for our tent for now."

"This looks like a good spot." Jin walks around the small clearing, checking to see if the ground was flat enough to place their tent.

"Yeah, it's perfect." Hoseok takes off his backpack, plopping down in the grass using the lumpy bag as a pillow. "Can we rest for a bit first?" As soon as he stopped moving, he became aware of how exhausted he felt, stifling a yawn.

"I'm tired too." Taehyung places his bag next to Hoseoks, laying down next to him. Jungkook joins in, laying down and stretching in the grass next to him. "So is Jungukkie.."

"Alright, just for a little bit. Then we have to start setting up the tent and go fishing." Namjoon takes a seat next to Hoseok, hearing the soft panting of his fellow 94liner. "Are you okay, Hoba? You've been quieter today.."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night, so this hike took a lot out of me. I'll be fine after resting." Hoseok explains with another yawn"Thanks for your concern, though." He smiles, leaning on Namjoon’s shoulder.

"You don't need to thank me for that." Namjoon pushes the hair that fell into Hoseok's face behind his ear.

As soon as Hoseok got comfortable, feeling safe and warm against Namjoon's side, the exhaustion hit him even harder, his eyes already drooping closed.

"Don't fall asleep, Hope. Wait until we get the tent up. It's too cold to sleep outside. Same for you two." Namjoon scolds them lightly.

Taehyung and Jungkook were dosing off cuddled up to one another, not responding to Namjoon's voice.

"Jungkook-ah.."Jimin shook Jungkook's shoulder, but the mankae only complains with a soft grumble. "This is why I told you two not to play games all night." He smiles fondly,poking Jungkook's cheek.

"Just let them sleep for a bit. They must be exhausted to fall asleep that quickly." Yoongi says, setting up his self cam on the floor. "It's weird without having staff with us.."

"Yeah, but it's also nice.. we can turn the cameras on and off whenever we want." Namjoon turns off Hoseok's camera. "The editors are going to have fun with all this footage.."

Yoongi and Jin started on the tent,pulling out all the pieces while the others rested. Despite also being tired, the oldest members wanted to get the shelter up.

Jimin jumps up to help them. "You aren't resting, too? Hyung, you didn't even sleep on the plane."

"I'll rest once the tent is up." Yoongi answers him, him and Jin stretching out the base of the tent. "I'm fine."

"I'll help too. I'm not that tired." Jimin offers, picking up one of the corners to stretch out, the three members smoothing out the bottom.

It doesn't take long for the three members to finish the tent, Yoongi hammering the last stake into place, checking to see if the rope was tightly secure. "Finished." He wipes sweat off his brow, admiring the purple tent, their logo patterned in the fabric.

"I'll go wake up the others." Jimin offers, going up to the closest member, gently rubbing Jungkook's chest to gently pull him out of his dream. "Jungkook-ah..Jungkook-ah wake up.. we finished building the tent. If you're going to sleep more, set up your cot. The ground is too cold." Jimin coaxed the youngest member awake.

Jungkook just groans,turning over to cuddle into Taehyung’s side, head resting on the baritone vocalists' chest.

"Jungkook-ah, get up.. we still need to go fishing.." Jimin pulls him to make him sit up, holding him in place so he doesn't slump back down.

Jungkook's eyes were barely open to look at Jimin, looking through his lashes, blinking slowly. "Mm.."

Taehyung sluggishly sits up on his own, rubbing at his eyes. "What's going on?" His voice comes out as a soft husky whisper, blinking as his eyes adjust to the sunlight that shined through the tree branches.

"We finished building the tent." Jimin informs Taehyung, fluffing out the back of his hair that got flattened from his sleep, trying to fully wake his friend."We have to gather some firewood and try to catch something to eat."

"Ah, right.. Jungkookie, we need your help fishing. Wake-up." Taehyung helps Jimin pull the youngest to his feet. "Come on, Kook-ah, wake up." He lightly squeezes his cheeks between his fingers.

"'m up.. I'm up.." Jungkook yawns the words the first time, speaking clearer the next, grabbing Taehyung's hand to remove it.

The sound of the mankae line woke up J-hope, stretching out as he sat up. "I didn't mean to fall asleep.. I'm sorry, Hyung. I should've helped.".His voice comes out as a raspy whisper,clearing his throat to try to speak louder. "How long as I out?"

"No, it's okay, you weren't asleep for that long. If we needed help, we would've asked, but three was enough to get it. It wasn't hard to put together." Jin reassures J-hope, stroking his hair."There's still plenty to do. You can help once you're fully awake."

"Here, Hoba, drink some water. Your voice sounds deeper than Taes.." Namjoon unhooked his thermos full of water from his bag, offering it to J-hope, who accepts it gratefully.

He woke up with a sore throat, and the cool water soothed the discomfort. "Thanks Joon-ah. I shouldn't have let myself get scared by every snake and spider on the way here."

"Maybe this trip will help desensitize you to bugs and spiders." Namjoon teases him, helping him to his feet.

"I don't think he will. He still needs me to kill the bugs for him when he sees them in the room." Jimin joins in the playful harassment of his roommate.

Hoseok narrows his eyes at them in mock anger but couldn't stop himself from breaking into a smile. "I can give it a try."

"Let's go fish, we can gather firewood on the way back." Jimin suggests, blushing at the sound of his stomach gurgling.

"Okay, Jimin-sii." Jungkook hugs Jimin. "I'll catch you a fish and make it so tastey you’ll actually enjoy it!"

"Woah, I got a bite! Hyung help me..!" Jimin panicks when he feels the line pulling, trying to pull it in, but he got his line tangled on the reel.

"You must've given it too much slack.."Jin switches rods with Jimin, struggling to pull in the catch by pulling the line by hand.

"It must be huge!" Taehyung holds onto Jin's waist, afraid he'll fall in the water.

The seven members broke up into three groups to try to increase their chances of success, one group fishing at the docks,another a small row boat, and the last on a cliff overseeing the lake.

"I think I heard Jimin's voice.. Maybe he caught something." Yoongi says with a hopeful expression, holding his growling stomach.

Their duo was left to fish on the cliff and only caught one small fish between the two of them. When Hoseok doesn't answer him, he quickly looks over, noticing his eyes were closed."Hoba? Are you alright?"

Hoseok looks up at Yoongi after hearing his nickname coming from his lips, sleepily blinking at him. "Hm? What is it hyung?"

"You fell asleep. Are you okay?" Yoongi questions him, his brow furrowing with worry. "Woah, careful, you got a bite!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~tw drowning~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Huh? Ack!" Hoseok felt his rod being pulled violently out of nowhere, his body jerking forward. When tried to grab the edge of the cliff to steady himself, but all he got was a handful of grass, doing nothing to support him. He was already falling into the water below. "Hyung!"

"Hoseok-Ah!" Yoongi tried to grab his waist to anchor him down, but he loses his balance falling backwards. "Sh*t!" He couldn't move fast enough, only able to grip the back of his jacket catching him mid-air trying to pull him up, but he lacked the strength wincing with a moan when he feels the searing pain in his shoulder.

Hoseok let out a scream when he feels himself dangling,trying his best to sit still, refusing to open his eyes to see the water below."Please don't drop me..!" He voice comes out high pitched with fear.

Yoongi tried to pull him up, only getting him a few inches closer before the cliff started to crumble from their combined weight. I'm running out of time..the cliff can't take it..

Yoongi felt the fabric slipping from his fingers. "Hoba..I can't..Hoba hold your breath!I’ll get you" His scream echoed as Hoseok hits the water, quickly ripping off his boots and jacket, diving in after him. He'll drown.. he struggled swimming wearing a life jacket..

Hoseok squealed when he hit the water, the shock of cold numbing his body as he sank down, making it hard to move his limbs. He holds his breath as soon as he hits the water, sinking under. Sh*t it's cold..my boots are weighing me down..

Hoseok kicked his feet wildly,clawing upward towards the light, but he wasn't getting any closer to the surface. His energy ebbed quickly, feeling his heart race as he feels himself sinking again.Hyung will come.. Hyung will come..

He kept repeating to himself to keep his nerves under control. Yoongi dives down quickly, opening his eyes to look for his companion. He found it hard to move, his limbs already feeling numb.

Yoongi grabs onto him, wrapping his arm around Hobi's waist. He struggled with one arm swimming towards the surface. Hoba, please, you have to help me.. I can't do this alone..

As if Hoseok heard his thoughts, he started kicking his feet, reaching up to the surface with desperate strokes, but his head was feeling light-headed, unable to hold his breath for much longer.

No, Hoseok-ah..I have to hurry.. I took too long to get to him...

Yoongi felt panic setting in when he saw the bubbles pouring out of Hoseok's mouth, adrenaline kicking in, giving him the strength he needed to reach the surface, gasping for air."[Help..]" He called in English, but his voice came out hoarsely fearful no one could hear him. He tried to call louder. "[Help!]"

He kept a tight grip on his companion as he struggled to reach land, exhaustion weighing heavily on his body. "Hoba..hang in there.. I'll get us to safety.." Yoongi pants,trying to adjust Hoseok onto his back to keep his head above water, his own face falling underneath the surface, his mouth filling with water as he pants for air.

"[Hang on I'm coming!]" A native calls to them, but Yoongi couldn't make out what they said. It took all his focus to stay above water. Even hearing other voices gave him the hope he needed to keep struggling to the rocky walls where he heard the voices.

Yoongi sees the two men reach out his hand to him so he pushed Hoseok towards them. "[Help.. help please?]" He pleaded, sighing with relief when the two men grabbed the younger rapper by the armpits, lifting him out and carrying him to the flat surface. The older man instantly starts CPR, the other offering his hand to Yoongi.

Yoongi grabs it with both hands, the man effortlessly lifting him out of the water, his feet slipping on the rocks. "[Woah, woah i got you.]" The man gets a grip on Yoongi's arms, getting him out."What are you two doing jumping off that cliff when it's only 56 out? Are you two crazy?]"

Yoongi didn't answer,scrambling to Hoseok's eerily still body, the man pushing on his abdomen. "[My brother.. be okay?]"

"[My brothers doing the best he can.. you need to strip down before you catch your death.]" The younger man who pulled Yoongi up starts stripping the wet shirt that clung to his body, stripping off his jacket to put on Yoongi.

"Hoba..Hobi please wake up..please be okay.." Yoongi's eyes filled with tears as his rescuer tries towel drying his hair, fear catching in his throat as he watches helplessly as the man forced air into Hoseok's lungs.

Yoongi takes Hoseok's hand in his, squeezing it. I should've kept a closer eye on him. I should've known it wasn't natural for him to be so quiet even while fishing. I should've sent him to camp to rest.. then this wouldn't have happened..

"[Woah, kid you're hyperventilating. You gotta calm down..fainting won't help your brother.]" The man pats Yoongi's back, trying to soothe him,but Yoongi's focus was only on Hoseok, not caring about his own well being.

"Hoba breathe..please.." Yoongi's voice comes out as a desperate plea, tears filling the corners of his eyes.

Hoseok started coughing up mouthfuls of water, the man turning him to his side to prevent him from choking.

"Oh thank God. He's breathing.." The man says breathlessly, shoulders slumping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yo..yoon..Yoongi..where.." Hoseok bolts up, coughing up more mouthfuls of water, frantically looking around for him.

"I'm here Hoba.." Yoongi says in a choked whisper, hugging him to his chest."Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I swallowed.. so much lake..water..and I'm ex..exhausted.." Hoseok coughs out the words. "But I'm f..fine Hyung.."

"I thought I wouldn't.. be able to pull you out.. I was so scared..if they didn't hear me..." Yoongi whispers, sniffling, heart tightening at the thought. "I'm so..sorry I dropped you.."

"Its..it's okay..you.." Hoseok tried to talk, but ended up coughing up more water, his body shaking with the force of it.

"Don't talk Hoba.. here.. you're freezing.." Yoongi hugs him from behind, trying to warm him by wrapping him in the large jacket he was wearing.

"[Are you two here alone?]" The older man asks. "[Do you have family or friends?]

"[No. No.. the uhm..]" Yoongi tried to think of the words, but he was too tired to think. "[Five..five..by water..]"

"[You two go with my brother to our campsite, I'll go find your friends. What's your names? I'm Derek and this is my brother Darryl.]"

"[My name... my name is Yoongi..this is Hoseok..]" Yoongi answers, his heart sinking when he feels J-hope coughing again.

"[Not to be rude but, uhm..are they Asian too?]" Derek asks, cheeks tinting pink.

Yoongi nods,searching for his phone to show a photo, remembering he left his phone on the cliff in his jacket pocket. "[See..see phone?]"

"[Huh? Uh sure..]" Derek digs out his phone.

Yoongi types in BTS, pulling up a group photo of the group. "[Here..with them..]"

"[What?! I just yanked two BTS members from the lake?!]"

"[Hey you two! You're BTS members right?]" Derek asks Jungkook and Namjoon, reading their expessions that he guessed correct. "[I'm not trying to be creepy or anything, I was just looking for you because my brother and I saved two of you from drowning..]"

"[What? Drowning? What did they look like?]" Namjoon replies with widened eyes. "[Did you get their names?]"

Jungkook looks at Namjoon with concern when he sees him jump up to his feet. "What? What did he say?"

"[Yoo..ngi? and don't remember the other one.. sorry..]" Derek blushes in embarrassment, scratching the back of his neck.

"[It's okay. Are they okay?]" Namjoon didn't know if he could trust them, cautiously asking to see what his response would be.

"The other one, the taller one with brown hair ain't doing so good. My brother had to carry him because he was too weak, and the blonde one was holding his shoulder as we walked. I think he popped it out of place or something..]"

Hobi only just dyed his hair brown two days ago and didn't take any photos of it, and those two were together. His shirts also soaked..

"[Please take me to them.]" Namjoon says quickly, believing the man, packing up their belongings, feeling Jungkook pulling on him."Yoongi and Hobi fell in the water, and he saved them.. he's offering to take us to them." He explains to the concerned mankae.

"What? Are they okay?"Jungkook asks looking at him with his big doe eyes sparking with fear.

"I don't know. Call the others, I need to talk to him." Namjoon turns to Derek. "[I'm sorry his English isn't good, I had to explain.]"

"[No, it's okay. I'm just grateful you know English so well. My brother and I were going to the lake to do some fishing when we heard someone calling for help, so we started running towards the water...]" Derek explains how him and his brother pulled the other two rapline members from the water and how Hoseok had lost consciousness for a bit while they briskly walked through the woods where Derek and his brother set up camp.

They run when they hear Hoseok coughing, using the sound to lead them the rest of the way.

"Yoongi-yah! Hobi-hyung!" Jungkook called when he saw the bright red tent.

"[Your friends are coming. That's great news. They can get you some dry clothes..]" Darryl gently shakes Yoongi, awake. "[Wake up bud.]"

"[Friends..?]" Yoongi picks up his head sleepily, cuddled underneath a blanket in front of a heater with J-hope coughing on his chest. He looks around, noticing the tent unzipping, Namjoon and Jungkook rushing to his side.

"Jungkook-ah..Namjoon-ah.." his eyes brightened to see his teammates. "You found me.."

"Are you okay?" Jungkook asks, watching Yoongi wince when he gently moves J-hope off his chest.

"I'm fine, my shoulder just hurts..Hoba though.. he must've swallowed too much water.. he won't stop coughing. We need to get him to a hospital..." Yoongi's voice is still thick with guilt.

"No..no hospital. I'm fine.." Hoseok sits up. "I'll be fine after a good night's rest. I don't want to ruin.." J-hope stops mid-sentence, a wheezing cough interrupting him.

"No, you're not okay." Namjoon looks directly into Hoseok's eyes, his lips tightly pressed together as he looks over his friend. "You're struggling to breathe and your eyes aren't even focusing on me.."

"I'm just-"

"Don't lie to me, Hoseok-ah. I don't want your excuses." Namjoon speaks in a cold tone, coming out harsher than he intended, feeling his stomach drop when Hoseok flinched. "Ah..I'm sorry.. I didn't mean it to come out like that. You just scared the Hell out of me.."

"I'm sorry Joon..you're right..i..I just don't want to ruin the trip.. Everyone was so exci...excited.." Hoseok looks down, unable to meet Namjoon's eyes. Not when they were widened with fear and glistened with unshed tears.

"I don't care about camping anymore." Jungkook sniffles, fighting back his own emotions."I care about you getting better."

"I'll be okay Jungkook-ah..I'm just waterlogged and a little cold.."

"Where are the others?" Yoongi tries to change the subject, not wanting to talk about it.

"I was supposed to call Jin back when I got here!" Jungkook starts pulling out his phone, leaving the tent. "[Thank you for helping..]" He quickly bows to the brothers sitting outside.

"Jungkook-ah how's Yoongi and Hobi?" Jin gets right to the point. "Where are you?"

"Yoongi-hyung.. looks like he's in pain, and Hobi-hyung sounds like he caught.. pneumonia already, he keeps coughing.." Jungkook says, trying to keep his voice steady by taking deep breaths in between. "There's a pair of brothers who took ..them to th-their tent to warm up. Derek-sii said they could..stay the night if needed, or they'd help us c-carry them to our campsite."

"I'll call staff to see when they can get us. Meet me at the docks in twenty minutes?"

(Part two is coming in a few days. I'm cutting this here. I added way too much fluff, but I like it 🥺)

Edit: it's finished!

[sunnyie-eve]

1 | I'm A What

Series: Little Things

Paring: Mattheo Riddle x OFC Potter!

Word Count: 2.3k

A/N: Might be a few mistakes

| MASTERLIST |

"Good evening professor Dumbledore." McGonagall transforms back into herself from being a cat. "Are the rumors true, Albus?" She asks him as they walk side by side under the dark sky.

"I'm afraid so, professor. The good and the bad." He tells her.

"And the twins?" She asks.

"Hagrid is bringing them." Dumbledore lets her know.

"Do you think it wise to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?" She asks being cautious.

"Ah, professor, I would trust Hagrid with my life." He says as they hear him coming. Hagrid tells Dumbledore there was no trouble bringing them here and that they fell asleep on the way. Dumbledore takes Harry while McGonagall takes Hazel.

"Albus, do you really think it's safe, leaving them with theses people? I've watched them all day they're the worst sort of muggles imaginable. They really are..." She tries to explain looking at Hazel in her arms.

"The only family they have." Dumbledore finishes her sentence.

"They will be famous. There won't be a child in our world who doesn't know their name." She reminds him.

"Exactly. They're far better off growing up away from all of that. Until they are ready... Each has their own thing they have to be ready for in the future." He set Harry down on the doorstep then takes Hazel setting her down carefully too.

Hagrid starts to sniffle worried about the babies so Dumbledore calms him down saying it's not really goodbye. Before the three of them leave, Dumbledore places the letter for the Dursley's on the babies. "Good luck Harry and Hazel Potter." He tells them before leaving.

-

"Go wake up you're brother now. We have a busy day today." My Aunt Petunia slaps my hand as I was cleaning the mess she made in the kitchen.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia." I leave the room going to knock on Harry's door. "Harry it's time to get up." I knock on his door. "Harry, you know not to take too long." I unlocked his door then walk back to the kitchen. "He's up." I let her know.

"Did I tell or ask you to speak, no." She gives me a disguising look.

I had a feeling out of Harry and me she hated me the most. I say and think this because she's expressed in the past how much I remind her of my mother. As Harry cooks breakfast I make the coffee for Uncle Vernon.

"Hurry up! Bring my coffee girl." He tells Harry and me.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." We both tell him.

As I pour the coffee then take it to him, Dudley starts to whine about having less presents than last year. Aunt Petunia tries to calm him down by saying while we're out they'll buy him two more presents. Harry and I share at look as if we knew what the other was saying.

After breakfast we are told to go get dressed for the day so we go to our rooms to get dressed. Just like Harry my room was basically a closet too but just not under the stairs. Luckily I had a little bit more room to move around unlike Harry though. As we walk to the car Uncle Vernon stops us telling us he wants no funny business while we're out.

At the zoo Harry and I enjoyed being out of the house and getting to see things instead of staring at the boring walls of our so called rooms. At the moment Dursley was done with the snake since he wasn't moving so he walks way leaving us.

"Sorry about him. He doesn't understand what it's like. Lying there day after day. Watching people press their ugly faces in on you." Harry tells the snake making me laugh because he was right but I stop when I see the snake wink at him.

"Can he hear you?" I ask Harry shocked.

"Can you?" Harry asks and the snake nods its head. Harry continues to talk to the snake and I look around confused till Dudley shoves Harry out of the way making him take me down with him.

I watch Harry glare at him before the glass disappears making Dudley fall into the exhibit and the snake slither out scaring everyone. I watch Dudley try to get out but the glass was back up making Harry and I giggle. We stop as soon as Uncle Vernon walks up to us glaring after us.

Once back home he let it out on Harry while he shouts at me to go to my room. "What happened." He swings the closet door open.

"I don't know. It was there then wasn't there it was again." I tell him the truth.

"What like magic?" He glares at me.

I knew if I said yes he would yell at me, "There's no such thing as magic." I tell him but don't actually believe that.

"Good girl." He slams the door.

The next day I walk downstairs and see Harry holding the mail. "What are you looking at?" I ask walking up to him.

"It's a letter for me. You have one too." He shows me.

"Letters for us?" I ask confused as he hands me mine before going to give the rest of the mail to Uncle Vernon.

"Dad, look Harry's got a letter." Dudley snatches Harry's letter.

Both Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia share a look then take mine from me too. For days we weren't allowed to get the post so we just stayed in our rooms unless we were needed. On Sunday Uncle Vernon was happy that there was no post on Sundays. As he rants I look out the windows to see a lot of owls outside so Harry looks too. Suddenly the house start to shake and letters just fly in from the fireplace. Harry and I rush to get a letter but Uncle Vernon wouldn't let us.

We all end up on a little rock island with a small house. Harry and I get to sleep on the hard floor and I watch as he draws a happy birthday cake in the dirty on the floor.

"Make a wish Harry." I tell him.

"Make a wish Hazel." Harry smiles at me so we both blow the dirt candles.

Right after that there was a huge bang in the door startling us. Harry grabs my hand pulling me to se could hide together.

"Sorry about that." We hear a man say. "Mind, I haven't seen you since you was a baby, Harry. But you're a bit more along than I would've expected, particularly round in the middle. Where's your sister?" I peek to see a very tall man.

"I-I'm not Harry." Dudley tells him.

"I-I am." Harry sets out pulling me out with him.

"Oh, well, of course you are. And of course Hazel. Got something for you both. Fraid I might have sat on it at some point, but I imagine it'll taste fine just the same. Ahh, baked it myself, words and all, heh." Harry takes the box opening it to show a birthday cake with our names.

"Thank you." We tell him.

"It's not every day your young man and woman turns 11 now is it, eh?" He tells us then sits down and makes fire come out of his umbrella.

"Excuse me, but... who are you?" I ask the man.

"Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. Of course, you'll know all about Hogwarts." He explains to us.

"Sorry, no." Harry tells him.

"No? Blimey, Harry, Hazel, didn't you both ever wonder where your mum and dad learned it all?" He asks us.

"Learned what?" We ask confused.

"You're a wizard Harry and you're a witch Hazel." Hagrid tells us.

"I'm a what?" We both say together.

"A wizard and a witch, and a thumpin good un, I'd wager, once you train up a little." He tells us.

"No. You've made a mistake. I mean... I... can't be a-a wizard. An-and Hazel can't be a witch. I mean, we're just... Harry and Hazel. Just Harry and Hazel." Harry tells him.

"Well, just Harry and Hazel, did either of you ever make anything happen, when you were angry or scared?" He tells us so we just look at each other, The glass for you at the zoo.

Hagrid gives us our letters to open and read do we do. "They will not be going, I tell you! We swore when we took them in, we would put a stop to all this rubbish." Uncle Vernon comes over to us.

"You knew?" Harry and me look at him.

"You knew all along, and you never told us?" Harry looks at Aunt Petunia.

"Of course we knew. How could you not be? My perfect sister being who she was. Oh, my mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. We have a witch in the family. Isn't it wonderful? I was the only one to see her for what she was... a freak! And then she met that Potter, and then she had you both and I knew you both would be the same, just as strange, just as... abnormal. And then, If you please, she went and got herself blown up, and we got landed with you both." She explains to us.

"Blown up! You told us our park died in a car crash!" I shout at her.

"A car crash! A car crash killed Lily and James Potter?" Hagrid shouts at them as Dudley takes our cake. "Oh? And I suppose a great Muggle like yourself is gonna stop them, are you?" Hagrid tells Uncle Vernon.

"Muggle?" Harry and I look at him.

"Non-magic folk. These two have had their name down ever since they were born! They're going to the finest school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world, and they'll be under the finest headmaster that Hogwarts has ever seen... Albus Dumbledore." Hagrid lets them have it.

Uncle Vernon still doesn't agree and insults Dumbledore making Hagrid mad because giving Dudley a tail making Harry and me happy. We end up leaving with Hagrid happily.

-

"All students must be equipped with... One standard size 2 pewter cauldron and my bring, if they desire, either an owl, a cat, or a toad." Harry reads the list as the three of us walk around London.

"Can we find all this in London?" I look up at Hagrid.

"If you know where to go." He tells us so we just follow him.

We end up entering a pub that Hagrid was known in. "No thanks Tom. I'm on official Hogwarts business. Just helping young Harry and Hazel here buy their school supplies." Hagrid places his hands in our shoulder.

"Bless my soul. It's Harry and Hazel Potter." The entire place goes dead silent to look at us.

"Welcome back Mr. Potter. Welcome back." A man shakes Harry's hand.

"Doris a Rockford, Miss Potter. I can't believe I'm meeting you at last." A woman shakes my hand.

"Harry and Hazel P-Potter. C-can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you both." Another man comes up to us.

"Hello, Professor. I didn't see you there. Harry, Hazel, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts." Hagrid tells us so we say it's nice to meet him.

We finish making our way through the room to a brick wall outside. Harry asks how do all those people know us but Hagrid said he's not the one who should tell us. We end up at Diagon Alley and Hagrid points out where we will be getting our supplies. Harry and I look around amazed by everything.

"But, Hagrid, how are we to pay for all this? We haven't any money." Harry tells him so he points at the bank.

Once inside Hagrid was a little secretive with one of the goblins, after saying we need to withdraw some money.

"What is he being secretive about?"Harry asks me.

"I don't know."

We follow going on a ride thing to the vault for our money. Inside there was a lot of money left for Harry and I. Once getting done we go to the secret vault so Hagrid could get something.

After getting all of our supplies for school a wand was the last thing we needed.

"Hello?" I call out.

"I wonder when I'd be seeing you, Mr. and Miss Potter." An older man gets off a latter looking for wands for us.

"Laurel Wood with dragon heartstrings core." The man hands me the wand it was a perfect match.

Unlike me Harry has a trouble time finding the right on me until the man tells him you know who had one just like his. Once we were done for the day we eat. Harry brings up that the he who should not be named is the one who killed our parents.

"First and understand this, cause it's very important- not all wizards are good. Some of them go bad. A few years ago, there was one wizard who went as bad as you can go. And his name was V-... Voldemort. It was dark times. Dark times. Voldemort started to gather some followers, brought them over to the dark side. Anyone that stood up to him ended up dead. You're parents fought against him... But nobody lived once be decided to kill 'em. Nobody, not one. Except you, Harry." Hagrid explains.

"What about me? I'm still alive." I ask.

"That's the thing Hazel. You did die but came back. No one knows how that is possible." He tells me.

"So Harry survived through the curse but I didn't but then did?" I ask confused and he nods his head before letting us know that no one knows if Voldemort is actually dead.

[adreamof-spring]

Read on Ao3

Pairing: Feysand Rating: M Warnings: Future graphic depictions of violence, religion-critical.

Summary: Feyre has always found comfort in the dark, away from the prying eyes of the Pastor and Holy Father above. So when a shadowed voice finds her in her dreams and beckons her closer, she is not afraid-- not until accusations of witchcraft spread like wildfire through the village.

Long has Rhysand been trapped within the cursed book, tethered between this world and Hell, nothing more than a shadow that lurks within the old abandoned church and caged within its crumbling walls. He needs mortal hands to free him, and Feyre is just the person he's been waiting for.

Chapter 1: Sinner

Cold, biting air filtered through Feyre’s lungs. It slithered over her skin, snaked down her throat and pierced the soft tissue there. And though her eyes were open, Feyre could see nothing but the endless, infinite dark as it spread before her.

She’d been here before, lost in the depths of her dreams as they gathered smoke and shadow around her. It was a dream that came to her often, one that pulled her into a space beyond time. There was no end and no beginning here. Just the dark.

A presence lingered; a midnight spectre that watched, waited, as it always did. She felt it like a jagged nail running down the length of her spine, ghosting over each knuckle of bone.

And there was always a voice, something distant and listless that slid through the fog of her mind. A quiet, deep chord, as if filtered from the depths of the ocean, warbling and buoyant as it rose.

Feyre followed the sound of it, goosebumps rising at the piercing chill. The voice drew nearer, though still it warped and bent through the air, an unintelligible chorus.

It used to frighten her, this dream, this unknown spectre in her mind. But the years had pressed on, pulled into the same dream night after night. Her fear of the dark had melted and made way for a burning curiosity. This dark was no longer an unknown—it was home.

Feyre moved, eyes still searching for a flicker of something. Anything.

“Hello?” she called into the void.

The shadows wrapped around her, pressing against her skin with a light, inquiring touch.

She reached a hand out, grasping for what, she wasn’t sure. But she could feel it, some tether drawn tight in the sinews of her bones, a call that reverberated from the lines of her soul.

Something spoke to her here, something dark and cold and perhaps ancient, too. She wanted to see it. To touch it. To know it.

“Show yourself,” Feyre whispered, “please.”

The voice was quiet, and silence stretched over the endless space. She took another step forward, as if compelled by some unnatural force, and waited. Waited for an answer she had never received.

Feyre loosed a breath, a heavy, tired sigh that slipped between her lips.

But then the dark answered. Words slipped from some crack in the walls of her mind, and for the first time Feyre heard that voice with a stark clarity, and it was smooth and rich as velvet.

Wake up.   -------

Feyre’s eyes snapped open. She stood amongst the grass and the leaves, mud coating her bare feet as the moon cut across the inky sky. She was alone and in the belly of the woods. Her eyes searched her surroundings, panic rising in her throat as she took in the sight before her.

The old abandoned church towered ahead. Hollowed, empty windows like eyes sat lifeless within the stone facade. The door hung open, angled and bent off its hinge, a yawning open mouth into the depths. It had been left wide open, as if awaiting to give her a wicked welcome to the bowels of its soul.

A shiver stole over her, and it was then that Feyre realized she was clad in nothing but a threadbare shift. Tearing her eyes from the church, she swept her gaze over the line of trees, searching for predators, be they human or beast. But the night was silent, nothing more than a calm, even breeze slipping through the copse of trees.

Feyre didn’t remember walking here, didn’t remember a single step out the front door. An owl called overhead, the sound of it echoing from branch to leaf.

Quick as she could, Feyre turned on her heel and made for the village. Her toes sunk into the mud and moss, crunching over the deadened leaves. Branches and vines cut through the dark, their spindly hands reaching for her face and legs as she tore through the underbrush.

Feyre heaved a sigh once she made it over the threshold of her family’s decrepit little house. The hearth still held the dim glow of a guttered fire. Her father’s door was closed, though the room that she shared with her sisters was cracked open. Silently, Feyre peered into the room, her eyes landing on the sleeping form of her sister, Elain.

“Where have you been?”

A frightened jolt had Feyre careening around to face her other sister. Nesta’s cold grey eyes were on her, sharp and critical as they swept over the mud and dirt caked along her skin.

“I—the forest—” she stammered, heart lodged high in her throat.

Nesta hissed, her voice no more than an angry whisper. “Did anyone see you?” Her eyes burned with the question, a desperate severity that weighed in their depths.

Feyre paused. “No, I don’t think so."

Her sister sighed, a hoarse scrape of sound that cut through the delicate silence of the room, relief crinkling the harsh lines of her face. “Clean yourself up,” she ordered, and though the tone was cold, Feyre could hear the low note of fear underlining them. Sane, God-loving women didn’t disappear into the night, and sane, God-loving families didn’t harbor the wicked.

Her sister quietly slipped back into their shared bedroom, leaving Feyre alone and in the den once more.  

-------

Feyre’s eyes were like lead, exhaustion pulling at the edges during Sunday service.

Pastor Mandray droned on from the front, heavy, fat fingers gripping the worn wood of the lectern.

Feyre and her sisters sat side-by-side in the pew. She pinched and twisted her fingers in an attempt to keep herself awake, fighting the heavy, coaxing draw of sleep.

Even after she’d cleaned and dried herself, sleep had eluded her. Thoughts of the church and that velvet voice curled through her mind instead. What had that been—who had that been? It was the same dream as always, except this time the voice had answered. This time she awoke before the old condemned church nestled deep in the grove.

Softly, so softly, she felt a tickle and a scrape like talons along the periphery of her mind. A darkness awaited her, tarrying just outside the walls of her thoughts, lighter than a feather’s touch.

Come here, that voice like silk whispered into the depths of her mind.

Feyre’s eyes shot open, surprise chasing away the exhaustion that clung to her muscles. She craned her neck, head swiveling on a dime as she searched the faces in the room. Her heart thundered in her ears, a swift pounding that drowned out all but that familiar voice, dark as a raven’s wings.

A bony elbow dug into her side, and Nesta’s tight voice hissed into her ear. “Stop it.”

Feyre flinched away, drawing her attention back to the pastor.

Mandray’s face was solemn, his eyes a stark, heavy soot as he leveled a glare at Feyre from where he stood above the congregation. The pastor had always had a temper, one that Feyre seemed to be on the receiving end of far more often than not.

And though Feyre tried to school her face, tried to focus on the words that the pastor spoke, she couldn’t shake the tightness in her chest, the coil that wrapped itself deep within her. There was a finger-soft touch that still stroked down the line of her consciousness.

Come, that voice whispered again.

Her body ached to answer, beckoned by the authority in that voice, a voice she’d searched for every night since she was small.

Feyre kept herself still, forced her feet to root themselves to the rickety floor of the church while Mandray finished his service. The congregation stood, but Feyre was first out of the door, boots scraping over the wooden steps as she hurried to follow that voice into the woods.

She knew where it called, could feel the pull of it, drawing her back to the old weathered church in the wilds.

“Feyre.” The thin, rasping voice of Mandray called out to her.

And though she was loathe to answer it, she turned.

Villagers shuffled past, their eyes making quick sweeps of the two as they stood facing one another.

“To where do you run off so quickly, my child? Is God’s word so grating upon your ears?”

Feyre prickled at his tone, the words a pointed admonishment. “No,” she bit back, eyes flashing with defiance. The pastor’s face grew tight, wrinkles cleaving deeper into his skin as his brows furrowed.

“Watch your tone, Feyre. God hears all, sees all.”

A ravenous anger unfurled in the pit of her stomach. Scraping at the feet of Mandray had always set her on edge, a vicious indignation that burned up her throat. Feyre opened her mouth, but Nesta was faster, her voice cutting Feyre off before she could begin.

“Forgive our sister, Father,” Nesta started, coming to stand beside Feyre, “she’s been running herself ragged readying our house for winter. She often forgets herself.” Nesta turned a sharp glare upon her sister, a silent demand that she shut her wayward mouth. Elain was beside her, face pinched with concern.

Mandray turned his gaze to Nesta and Elain, chewing on the words as if they were sour as spit. He considered her sisters for a moment. Weighed them. Where he’d always found fault in Feyre, his favor had been bestowed upon the two of them from the very beginning, dutifully faithful as they were. Compliant.

Those black eyes turned back to Feyre, face hard as stone. “God beseeches me, Feyre. Careful the path you tread. I see the devil in your shadow, same as your mother. Cast away your pride and look upon God’s face, let his words fill you.”

Feyre felt Nesta’s hard fingers dig into her arm, a warning squeeze. She swallowed the bitter amusement, leashed the angry laugh that threatened to claw itself out of her throat. God was a cudgel, one that the pastor had used against her countless times. Instead Feyre nodded, lips welded into a thin, flat line of dissatisfaction.

“We pray every night for God’s grace, Father.” Elain spoke at last, her voice a soft lilt.

The man paused, leveling Elain with a stare instead. “See that you do.” And with that Mandray turned away, his shadow falling against the crisp leaves that littered the ground.

“Feyre,” Nesta seethed as soon as Mandray was out of ear shot, “what’s going on with you?” Her hair was pulled into a tight coronet, drawing her face into severe lines that were only exacerbated by the outrage on her face.

And for just a single, brief moment, Feyre wanted to tell her. Wanted to share the visions in her dreams, tell her about the dark voice that spoke within her mind. But that imperious glare cemented her tongue to the roof of her mouth and sealed her lips shut, the secret tucked away deep into her lungs.

Sane, God-loving women didn’t hear voices in their head.

“I’m just...tired,” Feyre lied. Nesta’s eyes flashed, but Feyre forcefully pulled her arm from her sister’s tight grip and spoke, “I’ll be back tonight.”

Without a single glance back Feyre turned on her heel toward the line of trees.

She needed to get to the church. Needed to see, to hear, to know.

-------

Feyre stood before the ruined church once more, her eyes sweeping over the imposing frame. The door was closed now, swung back on its hinges as if it could keep the abyss within its decaying walls. Weathered stone jutted from the ground, surrounded by old moss and a medley of colored leaves. Vines crawled up and over each stone, nature reclaiming what was once its own.

The pastor’s old words of warning echoed in her mind.

‘Dark words and darker hearts once filled that space. Leave it, Feyre. It is beyond God’s purview.’

With a slow, dreadful scrape, the door creaked open, as if whatever was inside felt her presence and welcomed her.

Curiosity alighted through every nerve as the pit of black that gaped through the door beckoned her in.

Come.

Feyre took the first tentative step. In a tight, clammy fist she gripped the fabric of her dress and crossed the threshold where the shadows awaited.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but when they did she could make out rows of scattered pews. Her eyes searched every crack and corner of the room, every dark lick of shadow, but there was no man or devil, no figure awaiting her within. The air was thick with dust, and a staleness permeated the room. It wasn’t ornate by any means, but it was certainly a far cry from the den of evil that the pastor had made it out to be. Some small part of her found disappointment in that.

Her eyes were drawn towards the back of the room where a single wooden pulpit stood. A pastor once stood there, however many years ago. She could see in her mind’s eye his outline against the lectern, bandying fear and provocation and delivering them like a salve.

Silently she moved through the church, each step eliciting a creaking groan from the ruined wood floor.

Upon the pulpit sat an old leather-bound tome. The book was opened, a blade struck through its center. The hilt gleamed in the low light from the windows. It had once been a beautiful thing, decorated with fine gems and made of sharp, quality metal—now rusted and decaying. Feyre’s gaze tracked down the length of the blade to the pages it had been embedded in.

Words and symbols as foreign to her as anything she’d seen were scratched in black ink across the yellowed paper. Feyre’s face pulled into a frown as she inspected it. This was certainly no book of the divine and Holy.

Movement caught her eye, drawing them back to the displaced benches.

Shadows long and dark stretched from the walls, but still there was nothing and no one.

Feyre scraped a finger through the line of dust that had collected on the lectern. What was the last prayer uttered here? What hopes and dreams had they bent their head for? Were they answered? Was any prayer ever answered?

Has God ever answered yours?

That voice—slick as oil and black as midnight. Feyre’s eyes snapped to the door, but the room was empty save for the shadows that pooled over the broken floor. How many times had she heard the low rumble of that voice, distant and hazy? And here it was, plucked from her mind and clear as day. Feyre’s breath stilled as she focused on that voice, the one she’d heard whispered in the dark, dead of night.

“Who are you?”

Me? The voice laughed, a silken, pretty thing. You’ve always known me, but I wish to know you.

Her eyes strained, searching for the source of that voice. For the silhouette of a man.

Tell me, are you a woman of God? His words rang out from every corner, as if he were both everywhere and no where. Or, he continued, voice a decadent, licentious drawl, are you a sinner, darling?

A shiver ran down the length of her body, and not for the chill in the room.

“Show yourself.”

He made a sound, something dark and heady that rumbled from the very foundations of the church. It licked across her skin and seeped into her bones.

Would I frighten you if I did?

Would he? She wondered. She had never given shape to the voice in her dreams. The shadows that lined the wall trickled to the center of the room, like ink slowly spilled across the floor. Darkness ebbed and flowed, slithering up as if on hind legs until the misty silhouette of a man appeared.

He was darkness incarnate, shadows brought to life before her very eyes.

Feyre felt frozen to the ground, her breath caged in her lungs. She knew she should move, knew she should run in terror, but curiosity and wonder rooted her to the ground, bade her to stay.

His laughter was rich, a velvet touch that filled the hollow space of the church. The sound was so lovely and devastating it felt like a sin—the sort of sin that had her thighs aching and her face flushing.

I have waited a very long time for you.

Her throat bobbed, and questions eddied around her head as she stared at the misty figure before her. She couldn’t make out any eyes, but she could feel them on her, a prickling sensation that stripped her bare. “Why could I never understand you before?”

He shifted as if cocking his head to the side, and then spoke. I’ve tried for years, but your consciousness was always just a touch out of reach. I could see you, feel you in your dreams, and yet I remained just out of sight—an incomprehensible blur. But then a crack appeared, like a chip in a wall, and finally I could reach you. Speak to you.

“But why me?”

The shadows prowled closer, yet she did not yield even a single step. I need something from you.

He gestured to the lectern where she stood, the tome with the rusted blade piercing the pages.

Understanding dawned, and though Feyre knew the answer, knew the truth of it as her body and soul screamed it, her mouth still parted in question.

“What are you?”

A dark, deathly silence enveloped them.

“A demon, then? Some cruel beast and shadow?”

And though no features could be made out, she thought she saw the curve of a smile. No crueler than the God you pray to.

His words sparked something angry and bitter in the pit of her stomach. “I don’t pray to any god, not anymore.” But the words came out so quick and thoughtlessly they surprised even her. She’d never spoken of her faithlessness to anyone, not her sisters or father. Not a single soul could know.

If he was taken aback he didn’t show it. He answered her confession with wicked amusement instead. Would you like a new one to pray to, darling?

Feyre huffed a small laugh, and a smile quirked her lips despite herself.

Those shadows lengthened as he again sidled closer, the distance between them swiftly narrowing.

Give me your name.

It wasn’t a question but a demand. Haughty and arrogant and all too pleased.

“Yours first.”

And at that he laughed, shadows flickering as his form approached her. Feyre’s heart pounded against her rib-cage at the nearness now. She could feel cold shadows licking up her ankles, dancing over her skin. And though she tried not to think about it, all she could imagine were dark hands roaming up the sides of her legs.

So demanding, he purred. Rhys, if it pleases you. Now, give me your name.

That fine edge of his voice, the malevolent authority behind his demand, it coiled inside of her and licked up her insides. “Feyre,” she answered, and wondered what her name would sound like from his lips.

Rhys made a sound, a low hum of satisfaction. I’d like to make a deal with you, Feyre. You release me from this place, and I will see to it that your prayers are answered, whatever they might be.

Feyre’s face twisted, brows furrowing with disbelief. “No God has ever answered my prayers, why should I believe that you will?”

Unlike the God of this world, I reward those who serve.

‘Serve.’ The word twisted something wretched and foul in her gut. It was always about service. What could her faithful hands provide, what could her diligent mind profess? Loyalty, obedience, service.

Submission.

That’s always what the Higher Powers wanted, wasn’t it?

Feyre pursed her lips and her eyes flicked back down to the book on the lectern, to the old blade that had been thrust through paper and binding. “What do I do? How do I release you?”

The shadows whirled and flickered with excitement as he stood just before the pulpit opposite her.

That blade. Pull it from the book and I will be unbound. The ghost of a hand moved over the hilt, close enough to touch. She reached out a hand and her fingers swept through the smoke of him. He went still and quiet then.

“I cannot touch you?” No. Not in this form.

“So you’re powerless here, bound in that book?” Her tone was light, innocent. Almost playful, even. A razor edge beneath the words.

The air shifted. Hesitated. Then he answered—Yes.

Feyre made a thoughtful sound and tapped a delicate finger against her chin. He was stuck here, fettered and chained to a book that rendered him almost entirely impotent.

“Why were you sealed away?”

He sighed, and a finger of smoke dragged along the pulpit in a lazy streak.

Men fear what they don’t understand. Feyre pressed her arms against the old wood of the lectern as she leaned forward, closer to the shadow and mist. His silhouette flickered opposite her as he mirrored her movements, leaning close—invitingly close. “Perhaps I should, too.”

A chuckle, dark and feathered.

Perhaps you should, but you don’t.

She searched the shadows of his face, willing herself to see some feature, some shade of emotion, but all she saw was smoke. The form hedged closer, spindles of darkness curving towards her, mere inches away. She wondered what he looked like, what form he would take if he were of flesh and bone. It was an enticing thought. Her chest tightened as if wrapped in thread and pulled taut with a fist. The dagger glittered beside her hand. All it would take is a single pull and he’d be free...

A crack of thunder tore through the sky, sudden and booming.

Feyre’s head whipped to the door and the blown out windows.

The sky had darkened, and a pattering of rain had begun to fall.

She turned back to face Rhys’s silent shadow. That coil in her chest loosened, and the strange, forceful impulse to pull the blade died with it. Her mouth went dry. She’d been so close to setting him free. The cold realization of what she’d nearly done slid down her spine. Stupid, she’d been so stupid.

“I—I have to go.” Feyre backed away, her hands had gone clammy again as she pushed them into her dress, gripping the fabric with shaking fingers.

Rhys didn’t move, didn’t speak—merely watched her as her feet pounded across the wood flooring and back out the door into the thundering autumn day.

[xandriagreat]

The Golden Snake Tooth | Chapter 11

Prologue | Last chapter | Next chapter

Notice/warnings: sceaming, lying, being rude

▪▪▪

“Hey, Snake!” Moe called as he got back to the camp site with more firewood. “I have a question, why do you have a small jar of your venom?” Moe asked. “I'm just wondering, it’s ok if you don’t want to.”

Then Moe noticed that Snake wasn’t sitting on the big root but was looking at something in the darkness of the woods. “Hey…” Wolf called out softly to him. “You ok?”

Snake turned around to look at him. “Huh? Oh, yes.” Snake answered, nodding to him and slithering back to the fire. “What was your question?”

He picked up Webs off the ground and put her in the hat before sitting down.

Wolf looked at him for a moment before shrugging, deciding to not push it. “Oh, I asked, why do you have some of your venom in a small jar?” Moe asked again as he put some firewood in the small burning fire, making the fire become a bit bigger. “If you want to talk about it. If not, that’s ok.”

Snake smiled softly at him and answered, “Well, I have some in a jar for emergencies. For example, if we needed light, I would use it, like in the tunnel. Or someone was hurt, that wasn’t in their hand, and have seconds to live, that's when I would use the jar.”

Moe hummed softly as he got the campfire burning more. "Another question, are there more jars like that?" he asked as he sat down next to him.

Snake nodded. "Yep. But I'm not going to tell you."

"That’s fair." Moe chuckled.

They talked until they went to sleep. 

◇

The three slept great on the ground through the night to the morning sun rising. With how things went yesterday, they deserved the rest.

Moe Wolf started to wake up when feeling the morning sun rays. But when he woke up, he saw none other than Captain Misty Luggings standing over him, breathing heavily. 

Wolf stared at her with a smug look and said, “Well, I hope that you’re here to apologize.”

“Oh oh oh!” the Captain laughed before grabbing Wolf by his vest. “Did you hear the bell ring at eight o'clock? Because I didn’t. So, that means you’re coming in.”

Moe Wolf’s smug look became a feared look when she said that. “HHEELLPP!!!!!” Moe screamed loudly as he tried to get away from Captain Luggings, who started to drag him to the kingdom.

The scream woke up Snake and Webs. 

Snake gasped to see Moe Wolf being dragged away. He acted quickly and got Moe out of the Captain’s grip by pulling the wolf out of his vest.

Snake held Wolf close as Captain Misty Luggings realized that she was just holding Wolf’s vest. She growled as she looked at Snake and Wolf.

Then she stomped over to them.

Snake quickly put Wolf on the ground and got in front of him to block the crazy Captain from getting Wolf. 

“Whoa! Whoa! Stop! Please!” Snake exclaimed worriedly. “Don’t arrest him!”

Captain Misty Luggings stopped and glared down at Snake. “Why?” she growled at him. “Is it because today is the Lanterns Festival? Well, I’m sorry to break it to you but the festival doesn’t start until eight o’clock. So, that means if I catch someone who’s a criminal before that time, they are arrested.”

“Ok, I see, but I need you not to arrest him.” Snake said, still not let her get to Moe. “I need him.”

The Captain gave a confused look at the snake and asked, “Why do you need him? He’s a criminal.”

“Look,” Snake sighed, “I need him to help me get to the festival and then to bring me back home.”

Captain still looked confused at Snake. “He’s a criminal.” she pointed out. “That’s all that he is. Why do you think that he’s going to help you?”

Snake took a deep and calming breath in. “Well… it’s my… birthday today…” Snake started, still looking up at the Captain. “And what I wanted was to see the lanterns from the Lanterns Festival because I’ve heard so much of them that I want to see them in person. But there was a problem. I live far away and the rest of my family went on a trip to get me something and won’t be back for a few days. Then I saw Mister Wolff, my friend, walking by and I know that he’s been to the festival many times before. So, I asked him to see if he could take me and he said yes. We went on a great big journey, saw some friends and enemies on the way, cheated death itself, and now, here we are.”

Captain Misty Luggings hummed, and then she looked at Wolf. “Is he telling the truth?” she asked, pointing at Snake.

Moe nodded, getting up from the ground, and said, “Yes! He’s telling the truth. Now, could I please have my vest back?”

Misty Luggings was going to ask something but stopped when a bell, from a distance, rang eight times.

“It’s eight o’clock.” the Captain grumbled as she handed the vest back to Moe. “The Lanterns Festival has started.”

Moe nodded to her and got his vest back on.

Before Captain Misty Luggings left, she looked at Snake and asked, “Oh, by the way, what’s your name?”

“It’s Herbert.” Snake replied.

“Well, happy birthday, Herbert.” Captain Misty Luggings hummed, tipping her helmet to him before she left. 

◇

“I can’t believe that I did that!” Snake exclaimed in shock when Captain Misty Luggings was far and out of sight.

“What can’t you believe?” Wolf asked, looking at him as he picked up Snake’s hat and Webs. He was about to hand them to the panicked reptile as the snake explained, “I lied, Wolf!”

“Um… Ok then?” Moe said, still holding the hat and Webs. “Explain please how this is a big deal?”

Snake sighed as he took the hat and put it on his head. “It’s a big deal because… I was taught at a young age that lies were bad and only bad people do it…” Snake said, frowning sadly as he got Webs on his hat. “and bad people get hurt badly when the truth is revealed…”

Moe nodded with a concerned look on his face. “I see. But hey, it’s ok.” he reassured the reptile. “It’s part of growing up. Sometimes, you need to break some rules to help others and yourself.”

Snake stared at Moe and asked, “Is it?”

Moe nodded. “Yep. Also, I was impressed when you told your story to the captain. I bought it.”

Snake sighed, not wanting to talk more about this. “Could we just go, please?” he asked, looking up at Moe.

“Sure.” Moe said, nodding. “Let’s go.”

They started to leave the campsite and went to the road that led to the bridge of the kingdom. 

When they got to the road, Snake started to slither to the center of the road, so he and Webs could see the kingdom better. But he was quickly pulled back by Moe.

“Did I do something wrong?” Snake asked confusedly. “You need to be careful when going on a road.” Moe explained, pointing at the road. 

“Why do you say that?” Snake asked, looking up at Moe before he flickered his tongue, tasting the air something. “Why do I taste salt, fish, a bit of smoke, and dust?”

Then suddenly, a black wagon with three people inside stopped in front of them, and the road dust up in the air. The suddenness made Snake jump onto Moe’s arms. 

“That’s the main reason to be careful of the road.” Moe said, looking at Snake before looking back at the black wagon cart with Snake and Webs. The three smiled at the three people in the wagon as the dust settled down. “Hi there!” the three people in the cart exclaimed as they got out of the cart.

“Hi, Diane, Lou, Pepe.” Moe said, putting Snake down while the three went to them.

Snake and Webs noticed that the tavern owner and two workers weren’t in their outfit when they saw them last.

Diane was wearing a yellow dress and yellow corset with some blue outlining. Lou was wearing a red shirt, a light blue coat, and dark blue pants. Pepe was wearing a white shirt and a dark blue coat and dark blue pants.

“We’re so happy that you’re alive and not dead.” Diane said in relife as they got over to them. “Did you think that we were dead?” Wolf asked with a chuckle. 

Diane shook her head. “No but these two did.” she said as she pointed at Lou and Pepe, who were trying to hold back tears. 

Moe looks at them and offers a hug to them. Lou and Pepe looked surprised at him then they looked at Snake and Webs. “It’s ok. They know.” Moe Wolf reassured, nodding to them.

Lou and Pepe smiled big at the wolf as the shark pulled him into a bear hug by the two.

Snake and Webs jump a bit at that moment, for they didn’t expect them to do that.

Diane chuckled softly and went to them. “You two ok?” she asked, looking at them.

Snake and Webs nodded and noticed an orange horse pulling the wagon. “Who’s this?” Webs asked, pointing at the horse. 

“Oh, this is Kit.” Diane said, introducing the two to the horse. 

Kit looked at them and as he bowed his head to them.

“What’s he doing?” Snake asked Diane while looking at Kit. “He’s testing you. He is trying to see if he could trust you and if you trust him. He always does this when there are new riders.” Diane explained. “To show him that you can trust him is that you have to put the end of your tail on his head and rub it gently. The way he shows that he trusts you is that he’ll nuzzle your tail.”

Snake nodded slowly before slowly raised the end of his tail to Kit’s head and gently rubbed it. Webs got on Snake’s tail, walked on it to be at the horse’s head, and rubbed it too.

Snake would have to guess that they got Kit’s trust because Kit nuzzled back.

“Aw, he trusts you two.” Diane said, smiling. “That’s good, right?” Webs asked, looking at Diane. 

The fox nodded as she helped Webs off of the tail and onto Snake’s hat. “Yep. That means that you guys are riding with us.” Diane said as she got up on the driver’s seat of the wagon. Then she turned to look at the others, who just finished hugging, and said, “Get in the wagon. It’s time to go.”

◇

When everyone boarded the wagon, in a seat and ready to go, the wagon started to move to go to the kingdom.

The ride to the kingdom was interesting. Well, for Snake and Webs. It was ordinary for everyone else.

Seeing the trees move the next and also seeing how the wheels moved the wagon. 

“Is this both your first time in a wagon?” Lou asked from his seat, chuckling softly while watching Snake and Webs watching everything move by.

Snake looked at him from looking at the wheels and sat down properly. “It’s my first time. It’s been a while for Webs.” Snake said, pointing at himself and then pointed at Webs, who was looking at the trees as they passed by.

“I’m surprised that you’re not getting motion sickness.” Pepe said. “Unless you already-”

“Piranha, not everyone who hasn't been in a wagon or cart before isn’t going to get motion sickness.” Daine said, glancing back at them before looking back at the road.

“Ah, ok.” Pepe said, nodding with a smile. 

Snake looked at everyone, seeing everyone being kind to each other. He liked it, actually.

“We’re almost out of the woods and on the bridge to the kingdom.” Diane said to everyone.

Then the trees stopped passing by when they got out of the woods and everyone saw the clear blue sky and the kingdom’s island in the distance. 

There was a big bridge that led to the kingdom to cross the sea to get to the island. 

They got to the bridge to the kingdom, where it got a bit bumpy.

Snake clings onto Moe when the wagon cart was moving on the bridge. “Is the wagon supposed to be shaking?” Snake asked with wide eyes. “This is the right amount of shakiness that the wagon should be going.” Moe said with a chuckle.

Snake relaxed a bit but was still clinging onto the wolf.

When they got to the end of the bridge with other wagons and carts, there were a few guards there.

“What’s going on?” Webs whispered to Diane.

“Wagon/cart checks.” Diane whispered back before a guard signaled her to bring the wagon forward after checking the wagon in front of them.

She brought the wagon forward a bit and stopped by the guards.

“Foxington.” a guard said, looking at Diane while the others checked the wagon for any weapons.

“Hello, sir.” Daine said, nodding to the guard. “How’s the other guards from the dam accident yesterday?”

“They are alive, thankfully.” the guard said before looking at Snake and Webs, who were looking back at the guard. “I see that you have two new animals with your group this year.”

“Oh, yes. We made new friends.” Diane said with a chuckle. Before she could introduce them to the guard, Snake said, “My name is Herbert, and this is my friend, Stefanie.”

Diane was confused by this, along with Lou and Pepe. The fox was about to correct him, but she noticed Webs, who looked up at her, shaking her head to not do it.

So, Diane stayed quiet.

The guard nodded and hummed, “I see. Those names do fit both of you. The name ‘Herbert’, it’s a good  name for a snake.”

“It is an odd name.” Snake said, nodding in agreement.

The fox, wolf, shark, and piranha had to keep their emotions calm while the other guards came back over to the guard and one said, “They’re clear.”

The main guard nodded and looked at Diane again. “You are free to go and enjoy yourselves at the festival.” the guard said. “Remember, if any of you are caught doing a heist, crime, or terrazing someone, you will be sent to prison.”

“We remember those rules. Like every year. But thank you for the reminder.” Diane said, nodding. Then she moved the wagon after encouraging Kit to go forward to enter the kingdom.

▪︎▪︎▪︎

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