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#anointing of the sick
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While we wait for our final four to come down to the last two, here's another fun poll! Choose your favorite sacrament.
If you don't know what they are or need a refresher, click here.
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driftlessbirch · 1 year
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The voice to text feature on my work phone says "annoying the sick" rather than "anointing the sick." I shall refer to the sacrament in this way from now on
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imllhumanity · 2 years
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canisalbus · 3 months
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it wasn't quite a dream, but more a rambling thought as i was falling asleep, but, was a cardinal like Machete ever asked to officiate weddings? I dont even know if thats a thing cardinals would be asked to do, much less had the personal for that kind of thing, but imagine being asked by a major political hardcore catholic family to do so and only accepting because you know your secret boyfriend is also attending as a political figure and you get to almost secret pretend its your twos wedding
I'm actually not sure, I've never thought about it. He'd definitely have the full rights to officiate weddings, you don't lose the eligibility to perform sacraments when you get elevated from an ordinary priest to a bishop and then a cardinal. But I think once you get into these high positions you kind of grow out of the priestly role and spend less time doing ground-level work. I imagine that weddings of important nobles and royalty were likely presided over by bishops and cardinals.
The scenario is endearing so I choose to believe that it could've happened.
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musical-chick-13 · 3 months
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.......I have been thinking Too Hard about my childhood experience in The Church™ lately because I am just barely refraining from putting in gratuitous Catholicism References in this fic for the sake of subverting them through the lens of romantic idolatry.
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deweybertolini · 10 months
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As Personal as it Gets
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widowbitessting · 6 months
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Baby It's Hot Outside - A Sugar Mommies Drabble
Word Count: 1729
Rating: General with fluffy scenes. SFW!
Summary: The One Where MJ cares for you.
Dom!Natasha Romanoff, Dom!Wanda Maximoff, Dom!Carol Danvers x Sub!Reader
You can’t open the door to your own apartment. It’s your first sign that the headache you’ve had for the past hour might be transforming into a migraine. And it sucks. Pain resonates behind your eyeballs and you have to squint to see where the stupid moving lock is so you can get inside. 
Has it always been so low down? Surely not.
The key finally does its job and you’re allowed inside your own apartment, near collapsing on the floor as you go. 
Definitely too hot today. Seriously too hot. 
It’s your own fault really; your classmate in all her wisdom kept offering you caffeine and you, in all of your wisdom, kept accepting. 
So now you're coming down from the copious amount of caffeine, mix that with the grand total of 0 litres of water you’ve had as well as the sheer heat of the day, and it’s no wonder you feel like your head is going to explode. 
Mistakes have definitely been made. 
You somehow manage to get to your sofa, falling onto the not so soft cushions face first. The sudden dark does a lot to sooth your eyes and you don’t know how long you stay like that, only shifting slightly to breathe, until MJ nb udges your leg with her foot.
“Two people live here, y’know. Move over.”
You don’t even try to form a coherent reply, moving your heavy body like she asks, wrapping yourself up into a ball. The shiver that wrecks through your body trembles the entire sofa and MJ doesn’t seem to notice. She clicks on Netflix and settles with her hot chocolate, completely unaware of your dying state beside her. 
She glances your way when your phone rings, looking at the picture of Wanda as it flashes up on your cell. You don’t even move, eyes squinting shut against the dim light of the living room. For you, they feel like spotlights. 
You shift uncomfortably on the sofa. 
Your phone pings a minute later; a text from Wanda, asking you to call her ASAP, she’s having an icecream emergency - aka: she wants ice cream but Natasha and Carol won’t allow her. 
You know she’s messaged in your group chat because your phone begins to after every few seconds.
Why didn’t you mute your phone? Why?
It doesn’t take long for MJ to let out a frustrated sigh and kick her feet so they’re under her. Her toes tickle your right foot, making you jerk and when you still don’t make a move to check your phone, MJ does it again.
“Dude, answer them or I’m throwing your cell out of the window.”
It takes all of your energy to move, and even then, you misjudge the end of the sofa and almost faceplant the floor. 
With trembling arms, you struggle to hold your upper body weight and here is where MJ finally takes pity on you.
“This is painful, move.”
She snatches your phone for you and goes to pass it when she finally registers your appearance. 
“Woah…you’re not about to die on me are you? I’d have three pissed off women on my case if you do.” 
You shudder. MJ throws your phone aside and lifts you up by your armpits, settling you back on your original position on the sofa. 
“Y/N? What’s wrong?”
You can only shake your head. 
“I know this isn’t the time to notice this but that medicated deodorant you’re using really works, you’re bone dry!” MJ lets out a nervous chuckle. “Laugh, Y/N/N. You always laugh at my crappy jokes…even if they are pitiful…get it?” 
You don’t even smile as a response and MJ jumps to her feet.
“Oh my god, you are dying!” 
“...not…dying…sick…”
“You are sick, you feel sick or you’re going to be sick?” 
“...all of the above.” 
MJ falls over herself as she sprints into the kitchen. She returns with the anointed “puke bucket” which is a mixing bowl you had ended up using one time after too many shots. No sooner does she place it near your face, do you start to heave, body jerking gags where you think your stomach is going to come up out of your throat. 
She touches your forehead. 
“You’re burning up. Have you eaten something bad? Drank too much?” 
“...not…” You spit out a wad of saliva. “...enough.”
“You haven’t eaten enough?” Something in MJ’s brain clicks. “Please tell me you’ve been drinking water today, Y/N. Please.” 
You shake your head.
“I’d hit you if you weren’t so fragile. You’ve not drunk anything? Dude! It’s one of the hottest days of the year!” 
“I had…coffee and stuff…” 
You grimace and turn away from the bowl.
“You are actually going to die. They’re going to murder you, you know that? And then turn on me because I’m an unknowing accomplice. You’ve only had coffee all day? Y/N!” 
“Don’t tell them.”
“How can I not? They’re bound to ask where you are! And what if they make a surprise trip to see you? You’re not exactly in a fit shape to fuck right now, are you, Y/N/.”
“MJ -” 
“Fine. If they don’t ask I won’t tell them. Deal?” 
“Okay, deal.”
“Right, you - don’t move. Don’t die. I’ll get you some water and a fan. Or something.”
MJ gets your water first, filling it with ice before rethinking and dumping it down the sink; before stopping again and getting slightly less ice for your glass. 
“I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Now with a full drink, and a straw because why not, MJ places it in front of you with the strict instruction to “Sip it, don’t inhale it.” 
She takes your phone when your head is in the sick bowl and vanishes into her bedroom; unlocking it with your passcode and finding the group chat with your girlfriends. 
“Who’s the least terrifying? Natasha, no chance. Carol, maybe…Wanda…you’ll have to do.”
She picks up on the third ring. 
“Hi baby!”
“Hey to you too.” 
“…MJ?”
“Hi, the one and only.”
“Where’s Y/N? Not that I don’t appreciate talking to you but I’d much prefer to talk to my girlfriend.”
“She’s not…well. I told her I wouldn’t tell you but I’m genuinely worried about her.”
“What’s going on?” Natasha’s voice cuts through your phone speaker and MJ wants nothing more than to throw your phone away and hide under the nearest bed. 
“Michelle Jones, talk.” 
“I hate it when you do that.” MJ grumbles. “Y/N’s sick.”
“Sick, how?”
“God, she’s gonna kill me…erm,” MJ pinches the bridge of her nose. “She didn’t drink any water and I’m 90% sure she spent most of her day outside and it’s been super hot and she’s not well and I’m worried about her…I don’t know what to do.” 
Natasha is silent for a moment. 
“Stay with her. We’ll be there as soon as possible, understood? Let her sip, not inhale, at cool water. Not ice cold, it'll shock her system. Is she hot to the touch?” 
“She’s hot, yeah. And not in her usual way either.” 
“Get a damp cloth, that’ll help cool her off.” Natasha orders. “And MJ? Thank you for telling us.”
“Any…anytime I guess. Not that I want Y/N to get heat stroke or whatever it is again, ‘cos it’s scary and stuff but if she ever misbehaves again, you bet your ass I’ll be right on this phone to rat her out. I’ll even spank her for you if you can't get her fast enough.”
“MJ, breathe girl. Get some oxygen into those lungs. We’ll discuss this at a later date when you aren’t so frazzled. We’ll be there soon, okay? 30 minutes, max.” 
“Okay, yeah, okay. Bye.”
“Damp cloth and cool water, MJ.”
“On it.”
MJ’s hands tremble when she returns to you with the items; a regular glass of water in one hand and a semi filled bowl with a wet cloth in the other. She takes the iced water from you and replaces it; ordering you to sip it slowly while she pats your head with the washcloth. 
You do little to fight her.
“I’m not well, MJ.” 
“I know, Y/N/N, I know. But you’re gonna get better soon, yeah? Just try to relax as much as you can. Google says you should start to feel better in 30 minutes or so.”
She places the washcloth on the back of your neck.
It takes you 23 minutes to feel slightly more human.
It takes 24 minutes for the Trio! to get to your apartment. 
You can only stare as they walk inside, eyes locking onto your slouched form on the sofa with a straw between your lips.
You know you’re in for it when you’re better and you nervously swallow, offering them a sheepish smile.
“...hi…”
Wanda stares at your fragile state, a mixture of emotions clouding her eyes, from guilt to a slight twinge of insecurity. She wants to wrap you up and promise to be a better dom; for herself but most importantly for you.
Carol makes a beeline straight for you and starts fussing over you. She caresses your cheek and feels your forehead, frowning slightly, before reaching over for the washcloth. As she dabs at your face, wiping away the tears that tumble from your eyes, Natasha, with Wanda beside her, moves closer and places a gentle kiss on your damp temple. 
“Hey there, little kotenok, how are we feeling, hmm?” 
They’re there. Your trio. There to finally care for you and you instantly feel safe. Comforted by their presence and you reach out, grabbing the nearest body to drag them down on top of you. Wanda’s scent fills your nose and you nestle into her neck. 
“Am I in trouble?” you whisper and you can feel her grinning. 
“Oh yes,” she replies, “but not right now. Tomorrow maybe. But for now, rest sweet girl. We’re here.” 
You can only nod as Carol gently moves Wanda so she can scoop you up into her arms. 
As you’re carried away to your bedroom, you can see Natasha speaking quietly to MJ; and make the mental note to ask her what was said. But for now, you allow yourself to be carried away. Not even five minutes later, nestled against Wanda, you doze off with a smile.  
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blayresmuses · 2 years
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idk if you take fic requests but imo a one-shot where the reader rides daemon targaryen would be neat- 😳👉👈
the beds getting cold
summary: daemon has been leaving you lonely but he always manages to make it up to you.
warnings: unprotected sex, pure smut really
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you woke up alone, just like you had for the past fortnight. you were sick of the disappointment that flooded your stomach at the feel of the cold sheets, the sight of your lonely bedchamber.
your husband daemon had been anointed commander of the city watch. he’d been pouring all his attention into recruiting gold cloaks, training with them before taking to the streets beside them at night to rid the city of the criminals that plagued it. you loved that he was so passionate about it, that he finally had been given a job he had genuine devotion to but the loneliness that had began to pick away at you was bearing you down.
you ached for his touch, to see the hunger in his eyes when he had you laid out before him. you missed feeling wanted and the affection he doted on you. frustrated, you huffed out a breath and rubbed your thighs together, desperate for any sort of relief you could get. you kicked at the sheets, your skin already burning hot without them. you pondered touching yourself but rendered it useless, knowing that your own touch would never compare to his.
accepting that you wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep, you rose from the bed with the intention of getting a drink. the chambers were deathly quiet as you padded through them, the floor cold beneath your bare feet. again and again you thought of daemon, you found it impossible not to when the smell of him clouded the very rooms you were in. that fire that was burning inside of you dimmed, the neglect you felt was a wave that quenched the flames.
once you entered into the main room you made for the jug of wine that sat atop the table but stopped dead in your tracks when you saw your husband sitting there already. ‘daemon,’ you breathed, your heart already soaring at the sight of him.
he gave you a weary smile before drinking from his cup. he was shirtless, his thighs spread wide in his chair as he relaxed. you tried not to focus on them, of what it would feel like with them pressed up against you. ‘I wasn’t expecting you home, husband.’
daemon grinned, you were ever the dutiful wife. standing there in your nightdress with your muddled hair and flushed cheeks. he could practically see the desire radiating off of your skin. ‘i missed you.’
the answer had you moving towards him and you found a place between daemons legs, immediately beginning to play with his hair in the way that relaxed him. ‘i have missed you too,’ you admitted, unable to hide the hitch in your breathing when he slid his hands up the backs of your legs, settling just under your bum.
‘show me, darling,’ he urged. he wanted to see you take what you wanted, take him as you wanted. you were always so cautious, so eager to please and do whatever he urged you to but this time, he was tired, worn down but nothing would stop him from having you, from being inside that warm heat of yours.
his cock was already hard, you could see it through his trousers and that fact alone filled you with a confidence you hadn’t had before. daemon let out a groan as you slowly climbed onto his lap, watching your breasts move with the movement, your nipples hardened and just waiting for him to touch.
‘so obedient,’ daemon cooed, the tone turning your insides to mush. the both of you groaned simultaneously when he slid his fingers under your dress and against your cunt, finding you bare and so wet you could hear it as he pushed a finger inside of you. ‘you’re drenched. i haven’t even touched you yet and you’re falling apart already.’
you were frantic, your hips rutted against that finger but it wasn’t enough. your brain had gone dumb and you couldn’t think of anything other than having him inside you. your hands were everywhere, his shoulders, in his hair, pulling down when he hit that particular spot inside you. daemon couldn’t help but chuckle when you began unlacing his trousers, an impatient huff leaving your pouted lips.
it wasn’t long before you were pulling him out, lips parting as they usually did at the sheer size of him. daemon took his finger back only to slide the digit into his mouth, his eyes falling closed at the taste. he’d been with so many women in his life but he considered himself lucky to have you, to have someone so perfect for him. you took the opportunity to take his length in your hand, selfishly sliding the head against your clit a few times.
daemon hissed, hiking your dress up around your hips so he could watch as he slid against you, getting covered in your slick. one hand took your hip, feeling the softer skin there until he couldn’t take it anymore, daemons head fell back against the chair as his fingers pinched, urging you to take him, to give him what he wanted, what you so clearly wanted.
so you did, slowly at first, not used to this position. you whined as he bottomed out inside you, stretching you out, making you feel so utterly full of him. this was what you’d missed, the intimacy of your shared breaths against each other, the blunt scape of his nails against your thighs as you found an unsteady pace.
daemon couldn’t take his eyes off of where you connected, no matter how unsure you were or how slow you were moving, your thighs starting to burn already. you were determined however, chasing your own climax just as much as wanting his and when you saw him losing control, his hips bucking up into you it only made you try harder.
you got more stable on his lap, digging your fingers in to the clammy skin of daemons shoulders. you went faster, harder with every drop down. the chamber was flooded with the noises of skin on skin, of your shared moans. sweat had gathered at your hairline, daemon saw and your cheeks were blushed red. it was indescribable the way you made him feel, how special he found you to be, not that he’d ever admit to it.
wanting to have some semblance of control, daemon took your hips in his hands, using the firm grip to push you down and keep you there. so warm, wet, you were dripping down him. his stomach clenched as you pulsed around him, drawing him closer. his own hips took over, grinding up into you so slowly you let out a bratty, agitated huff. ‘patience, sweet girl,’ daemon tutted mischievously. your nails scratched down the pale skin of his chest in retaliation until the head of his cock nudged the spot deep inside of you that made you see stars, that turned you so pliant in his arms.
you fell forward into his arms, your hips stuttering against his as you hid your head in his shoulder. daemon gave the rhythm back to you, letting you bounce on him however you pleased. he felt so content, hearing your breathy signs in his ear. his thumb found your clit, rubbing tight circles onto the sensitive flesh there until you were barely moving against him, every single part of you shaking in pleasure.
it didn’t take long for you to come apart around him, biting down on his shoulder to not cry out. daemon held on, not giving in to the way you were clenching around him, trying to milk him for everything he had. your bite turned to kisses, so sweet after you’d got what you wanted. when you looked at him, your eyes were filled with something that looked like disappointment when you realised he was still hard inside you. ‘weren’t you pleased?’ you whispered.
‘more than,’ daemon murmured, running his nose along your jaw and taking your earlobe between his teeth. ‘but i have much to make up for don’t you think? can you keep going or shall i take over?’
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takerfoxx · 3 months
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I'm so fucking confused what did the Rock do
It's a very long and complicated tale, but the short version, the Rock recently joined the board of directors for TKO (WWE's parent company) and SEEMINGLY (as we don't know the full behind the scenes story just yet) used his clout to push himself into the Wrestlemania main event, challenging his sort of cousin Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship and pushing aside Cody Rhodes, the guy that was supposed to be Roman's challenger, and thereby sabotaging a two-year story that everyone was invested in right when it was about to see it's conclusion. And people are pissed about it.
That's the short version. Here is the loooooonnnnnggggg version.
WWE has been plagued by a number of issues over the years (not the least being that it's been run by an actual rapist for the last four decades), but the two relevant issues is a tendency to rely on past their prime stars of yesterday at the expense of building new stars for today, and when they do want to build a new star, they have a bad habit of shoving their chosen golden boy down everyone's throat to everyone else's detriment in a nakedly inauthentic manner until the fans get sick of them (see: Ultimate Warrior, John Cena, and, most recently, Roman Reigns, who will become important later). Needless to say, they've had a lot of trouble getting the crowd behind what is known as the White Meat Babyface, or primary good guy.
The Rock started off as the latter, being introduced as Rocky Maivia, who was a wholesome good boy who was just so happy to be here. People saw through it and booed the fuck out of him. In rare case of the WWE actually listening and responding, they turned Rocky heel and let him vent his frustrations at the fans, which let everyone know that, holy shit, this guy is actually insanely charismatic and probably the best trash talker in the business! Thus, the Rock was born.
However, while he certainly earned his accolades during his heyday, his returns since haven't been so universally admired (see previous note about the WWE pushing the stars of yesterday). One instance about ten years ago involves him main eventing Wrestlemania against John Cena over CM Punk, who was the reigning WWE Champion at the time, and was quite annoyed. Okay, the Rock vs. John Cena could be excused on account of being that much of a dream match, but then they had CM Punk end his year long title run to the Rock so he and Cena could main event again, this time with the title on the line. This was one of the many issues that reportedly led to CM Punk walking out a few months later.
Now, let's move away from the Rock for a bit and talk about Roman Reigns, who was another example of the WWE ramming their chosen golden boy down everyone's throat. Like the Rock, he is part of the venerated Anoa'i Family, who are practically wrestling royalty with how many superstars they've produced (though they're not actually related by blood, but that doesn't matter, as those who marry or are adopted in are still considered full members of the clan).
Roman began as part of the massively popular trio known as the Shield, alongside Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. And during their two year run, the Shield were kind of incredibly awesome. Three badasses closer than brothers just wrecking a path of destruction against all those who stood in their way, a perfect combination of violence and genuine comradery...right until Seth Rollins betrayed the group and they all became single stars.
Now, despite the WWE having high hopes for all three, Roman was clearly the anointed heir, despite being the least experienced of the three. Unfortunately, they went about this by making him essentially a John Cena clone. Smelling another corporate babyface about to be shoved down their throats, the fans turned on him and turned on him HARD, making him the most loathed face in wrestling for years despite always being treated by the company as a beloved hero. Finally, the decision was made to turn Roman Reigns heel, unleashing his dark side and turning him into the Tribal Chief, a sadistic and manipulative monster who's held an iron grip on the title for literally years. Needless to say, it has been a massive improvement, and he is now quite awesome (though people are sick of how long he's been champion, but that's neither here nor there).
Anyway, heel Roman has been champion for basically forever at this point, and it's been a question of who will eventually be the one to dethrone him, because whoever it is automatically becomes the biggest star in the business. And given what an accomplishment that is, there really can be no place it can happen other than the main event of Wrestlemania.
Enter Cody Rhodes.
Like Roman and the Rock, Cody also comes from a prestigious wrestling family. Cody is the son of the late, great Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream. And this pedigree has weighed heavily on him, both in and out of storyline.
Now, unlike his plain-looking and tubby father, Cody looks like he was grown in a lab to become the perfect WWE wrestler. Movie star looks, an absolutely ripped body, and physical charisma for days. Despite this, his first WWE run didn't go how he wanted. While he saw a fair amount of success, he never seemed to break out of the midcard and was eventually saddled with the loathed Stardust gimmick, which he absolutely hated, and after realizing that things weren't going to change, he decided to bet on himself and leave the WWE to prove everyone wrong.
This ended up working beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
To say that Cody was successful post WWE would be a gross understatement. Rebranding himself as the American Nightmare, Cody became the opposite of everything his father was, dressing in snappy suits and carrying himself in an arrogant, sadistic manner. He worked for a number of places, from TNA to Ring of Honor to New Japan, and saw massive success, winning multiple titles across multiple promotions and building himself as a force to be reckoned with. He was also the impetus for the historically significant All In event, in which a number of wrestlers from a number of different promotions banded together to put on the first non-WWE show to have over ten thousand people in attendance in over twenty years, which eventually led to the creation of AEW, which Cody was an intrinsic part of as well. Needless to say, Cody was cooking.
Unfortunately, his own way of doing things didn't mesh well with the AEW audience, and they turned on him pretty hard after a year or two. Eventually he left to return to the WWE, and a lot of people questioned if he was making a mistake, given how he was treated the last time.
However, his gamble had paid off. His worth had been proved, and now WWE was all in (pun intended) on Cody Rhodes. In contrast to the volatile AEW crowd, the WWE fans welcomed the prodigal son back with open arms. And surprising all cynics (including myself), this love continued strong even after the novelty of Cody Rhodes back wore off, probably bolstered by how carefully his storylines were plotted, some truly killer performances in the ring, and the respect garner by him being an absolutely fucking champ and wrestling Seth Rollins in a Hell in a Cell match despite having a horribly torn pec.
Finally, the WWE had a White Meat babyface that the fans universally accepted and wanted to see more of, and they were going to capitalize. He won the Royal Rumble to rapturous applause and entered in a program with Roman Reigns to challenge him for his title at Wrestlemania. And unlike other challengers, he actually seemed like a credible threat. Much was made about how his father had also challenged for the same title but could never capture it, so he wanted to do what his father couldn't and finish the story. People were behind Cody all the way, and the time seemed right for Roman to finally fall and a new top star to be crowned.
And then Cody lost. Roman cheated, and Cody lost.
Needless to say, people were pissed. However, others said that maybe this was leading to a rematch at the following year's Wrestlemania, making his eventual victory all the sweeter. Certainly, WWE still seemed behind Cody, as he spent the next year in several high profile feuds that kept him looking strong, including going over Brock Lesnar of all people. And again, the fans remained behind him, when in past cases they would have turned on the guy by now. Believe me, this hadn't happened in a very long time.
But not all was well. There were rumbles that the Rock might be queuing up for a return one of these days, possibly to finally face Roman Reigns in another dream match to settle who the true Tribal Chief of the Anoa's family. People had been wanting that match for years, but for it to happen now, upsetting Cody's chance to finally finish his story? Well, that was the worst possible time. However, these rumors seemed to be nothing more than that. Just rumors.
And then CM Punk came back.
Now, Punk is a whole can of worms all in himself, and could easily fill a full post of his own. But the important thing is that he and Cody are very much dark reflections of each other, especially in how both were screwed over by WWE during their first runs, left under dark circumstances, and returned to the fans' adoration. And they both coveted that Wrestlemania main event.
In fact, during an awesome promo battle between the two, Punk specifically pointed out that he intended to do to Cody what the Rock had done to him ten years ago: be that bigger star who came back after not being around for a long time and take that Wrestlemania main event away. And sure enough, during the Royal Rumble, the final two in the ring were CM Punk and Cody Rhodes.
And Cody won. The first man in years to win back to back Rumbles. He singled out Roman Reigns as his target, cementing their Wrestlemania rematch. As for Punk, he had a main event of his own, as he was apparently scheduled to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Title at night 1 of Wrestlemania. It seemed that both of the prodigal sons were getting their wish!
And then CM Punk got hurt really bad and had to pull out of Wrestlemania.
Well, that sucks, but it shouldn't upset plans too badly. Seth could just wrestle someone else, and Cody's two year story could proceed like everyone wanted.
Well, we all know what happened next.
youtube
Yup. It happened. The Rock, likely with the backing of his new position on the TKO's board, had pushed himself into Cody's spot, while Cody (as it appears) will be replacing Punk to take on Seth Rollins instead. A two year story, flushed down the drain. Punk's words had turned out to be prophetic.
And while the fans were cheering in that video, once the buzz had worn off and people realized what had happened, that's when things got nasty. Over the last few days, people have turned on the Rock and turned on him HARD. Rocky sucks chants fill WWE events, #wewantcody trends for days, videos of the Rock get booed, and (unfortunately) even members of his family have gotten caught in the crossfire. People are NOT happy about this direction. Cody is their guy, and right when his story was going to be completed, right when Roman was going to be dethroned by the guy that everyone wanted to see beat him, this happens.
Plus, since then reports have been swirling that this decision was made by the TKO board, not WWE, with the Rock specifically pushing for it to "Save Wrestlemania." Which hasn't exactly warmed people to the idea.
Which is really funny, because the last time Roman Reigns and the Rock shared a ring together, it was in the middle of Roman's disastrous babyface run where the fans hated him, especially in Philadelphia, a city noted for its rebellious fans, and the WWE sent the Rock out to help Roman in hopes of changing their minds.
It didn't work.
youtube
And where is Wrestlemania this year? Oh right, Philadelphia.
This is going to be...interesting, to say the least.
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idwt-money · 2 months
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I See Through You.
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MDNI 18+
3.2k words
Satan!Noah sebastian x Lost soul!Y/n
Christian/Religious themes, Satanic themes, Corruption kink, Mentions of death, Wax play, Oral sex (male and fem rec), Unprotected sex, Squirting, Dirty talk, Mentions of breeding kink
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“The Devil is real. And he's not a little red man with horns and a tail. He can be beautiful. Because he's a fallen angel, and he used to be God's favorite.”
Noah's pov.
Fuck. It should be ME. I'm the fucking king.
Third person's pov.
He had been banished from the holy scene. His mind had been corrupted. He was God's favorite. The closest thing to becoming a god he would have ever gotten. Until…
His mind would run amuck at night. After the sun had set on the sacred land, laying in bed with his brethren just rooms away.
Day after day he had gotten sick of bowing down for the divinity. Growing like a disease. Growing and rooting itself deep within his bones, the veins that allowed his suborn blood to flow. Spreading deepest in the soul his God had granted him eternal life with.
Submitting himself to his almighty had become a tiring, weakening agenda. His hunger for power burned deep within his mind.
His position as the anointed cherub no longer satisfied his starvation for authority.
His attempt at dethroning God led him to be thrown, tossed, banished from the pearly gates every mortal soul had prayed to enter.
One of his now ex-brethren, bestowed a script to him. Curled together like an ancient pirate's map. On the scroll before him was one final message to the unholy individual from the Lord.
“Oh, my poor Samael. Where had I gone wrong? Pride, greed, envy. For how could you let them engulf your intelligence? To cause such rebellion? You, a lost soul, can no longer hold a position in my holy land.”
As he finished the script, he felt his soul burn and shrivel into complete nothingness. Nothing but a black void leaving him falling out of the sacred heaven he yearned to be the king of.
Falling through each layer of the Earth, he could feel his skin burning and aching as he did so. He landed in an unbeknownst hole, passing out on impact with rubble and dust falling upon him. On that cursed day, the eternal fire was born.
If you are cast out, what's your next move going to be? Will you return cold? Or will you turn up the heat?
Last thing I sold them, had been my dignity. But, the truth is the devil sold his soul to me.
To me.
To ME.
Noah's pov.
I had awoken in a displaced land. A funnel shaped cavern. Aggression and insanity ran cold through my veins. An inferno I was placed in.
If I wouldn't have an opportunity to rule the heavenly kingdom, I shall make my own. For lost souls, for sinners and those of who act upon blasphemy. For those who will not succumb to God. I will be the king of the mountain of purgatory.
For I will create a kingdom, not as its jailer, but as its healer. I will heal every soul that is not worthy of being in heaven. I will create an army, one so powerful that it can take down God and his disciples.
Third person's pov.
Noah, as he had renamed himself, had spent years stacked upon years building and crafting his domain. A safe place to heal broken souls that were undeserving of heaven.
He had now accumulated centuries worth of individuals who lost their spot in the promised land. They were all dependent on him as their ruler, their king.
He had rediscovered himself. He no longer was a spirit of God, rather the opposite.
He no longer had soft, white, pure feathered wings. Instead his back was adorned with a set of deep black wings. They were covered with coarse fur, rough to the touch. His once dark honey colored eyes were now pitch black. He had grown fangs that looked perfect to sink into a soft, flawless neck.
He had all he could ever imagine…except a love to sit beside his throne, to rule his domain with him.
His heart desired and thirsted for a true love. Although he had millions of souls in his kingdom, he hadn't met a single one that could give him what he needed.
They were all too much like him. He wanted someone he had coax upon him. Someone he could play a game with.
He hadn't taken a leave of absence since the day he decided to create his own space. Maybe it was time to change that. A trip to the mortal world.
Y/n's pov.
I sat upon a bench in the midst of a forest, taking in a deep breath of the midnight cool air. I had no place to go.
Parts of my soul, broken and seemingly unfixable. I was cursed to spend my days roaming the Earth as nothing but lonesome in my own purgatory. I would spend my day and night praying, atoning for my sins. Seemingly little, insignificant sins to anyone else were the reason I was stuck in this temporary state.
My Lord had promised if I could atone for my sins, I would be allowed into the promised land. I wanted nothing more, but my Earthborn body had long turned to dust, my hope slowly diminishing.
If God came down from his kingdom, he came down from his throne and we asked him if he'd take us back, he would surely tell us no.
We live and die in vain like treasure on a sinking ship. All in the name of a God we'd just abandoned and forget.
Third person's pov.
He had his eyes set on her. A lost soul, set in purgatory. Oh, how easy it would be to convince her to bestow her gift upon him.
She seemed perfect. Her skin having a soft glow to it. He knew if an Earth bound body could see her, they too would fall in love with the sight. Her glow gave off as a blue-ish tone, telling him all he needed to know.
As he moved through the trees, he watched as her panic became prominent.
“No one knows I'm here…unless?”
A small glimmer of hope shone through her sadness at the idea that her Lord had finally decided she was able to step foot into the holy divinity.
Her blood ran cold as a jagged finger ran across her skin.
She was so soft, the panic in her eyes set his body on flames. Her pure mind was one he could imagine 100 different ways to ruin.
Noah's pov.
“What are you doing out here by yourself, angel?” My voice came out rough and coarse, while hers was much flowy, softer than mine could ever be.
I took a stand of her hair, taking in her delicious scent.
“Wh-wha-! Who are you!?” Her chest was rising and falling like a scared little bunny, her eyes darting back and forth across my features.
“I know you've heard of me. The Prince of Darkness, Beelzebub, Lord of Flies, The Antichrist. Baby, I'm you're one and only-” I was cut off, her screech throwing her into a fit of madness.
“THE DEVIL!?” Her cry must have been heard for miles, to any other lost soul or angel that was Earthbound at the moment.
I pulled her to my chest, covering her mouth.
“Shut the fuck up. I'm here to make a deal.”
A deal with the Devil.
“I see through you, angel. I know exactly what you are. A lost soul, hoping to atone for your sins. Am I close?” I spoke my words slowly and calmly, not needing a miscommunication.
Her head weakly nodded against my heaving chest.
“I'm going to take my hand away, and you're going to let me talk. Do you understand?”
Another nod was given.
Removing my hand oh so cautiously, I let her sit back down, holding my finger up to my mouth, indicating she needed to be quiet.
“He won't let you in there, baby.”
“You don't know that.” Her words flew out of her mouth, cold and harsh.
“Oh, but I do.” My index finger softly gliding down her cheek. She must have been previously crying.
“I was his favorite, you know? I had more power than any other angel. I was second below God himself.” My hands now placed behind my back as I paced back and forth. I didn't miss the way she watched me like a hawk.
“I wanted more. I needed more. He was far too greedy. He casted me out, sending me falling through Earth's layers, down into the deepest parts of the plane. His sacred, holy land was too much to bear. So, I created my own. My own kingdom.” I watched the starry night sky, all the stars twinkling as I explained my story.
Looking down at her, her face was painted with many emotions. Confusion, anger. I smirked to myself, knowing I had her questioning the almighty spirit.
“B-but God is…is good. He's purity and kindness.”
I scoffed.
“Come with me, my sweet angel. Rule with me. You will have power and you can be your own divinity. I can give you everything he could and more.” I whispered the last part into her ear, letting myself smile against her skin.
“Why…why are you beautiful? I thought-”
“Thought I was red? With horns and an outdated tail?” My eyebrows furrowed together as I spoke.
I see through you, I know what you are. I see the devil more than I see God.
Y/n's pov.
He was beautiful. Gorgeously put together, with a black suit, dress shoes and tattoos staining his skin. He was so enticing.
My head was dizzy and I could feel my core slowly weakening. This was absolute insanity.
I had no idea why I felt the need to say yes to his offer. His words were smooth like fresh honey floating through my ears.
Although tempting, I had to be strong. He could be lying. I had read the bible 5 times before passing to know this is what he does.
He's seducing, he tempts your faith, your religion. He gets in your head. He tempts you with bad decisions. He had powers beyond man. He was the reason Eve sunk her teeth into the forbidden fruit. He was the snake that left hissing in your ears after you had committed a sin.
“Come with me, I can make all your dreams come true, little one. I can make you belong.”
Belong? Your soul ached and yearned to belong somewhere.
“You can give in to your sins, free of guilt. Free of shame. No worries of fear of punishment.” He made a tempting debate.
Is this what you wanted for yourself?
“He'll leave you alone, you won't see him like you'll see me. Is that what you would like? He'll send messengers to talk through. You won't catch even a glimpse of him.”
I couldn't stand the thought. My mouth spoke before my brain could speak.
“Okay. I'll come with you.”
Third person's pov.
A sinister smile spread across his lips.
“This will hurt a little.” He muttered as he tilted her head to the side. He sunk his teeth into her neck, covering her mouth as to muffle her cries. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he felt their minds morphing into one.
Giving her a mark. A mark to tell everyone how easily he had corrupted her mind. How she was now his.
Noah pulled away, licking away the blood that resided on his lips.
As for Y/n, she felt her body burn hot. Aching pain spread through her body, her soft blue glow now turning orange.
She watched as he cleaned up the mess, licking the blood away on her neck.
“Oh, my sweet angel. You've made the right decision.”
As the pair now made their way into the kingdom, innumerable souls congratulated their king on his new found love.
They soon after found themselves in the Devil's bedroom. She hadn't taken Satan for one to sleep much.
“It isn't for sleeping, I promise that, baby.” He chuckled at his own comment.
As soon as she took a spot on the bed, covered in soft, red sheets, he was attacking her lips.
Y/n's pov.
You weren't complaining. He had promised you an eternal life, free of guilt. What would be the point in worrying about it now.
You let his lips venture your body, his fangs gliding across your skin every once in a while.
He had started leaving purple marks across your neck, close to the freshly marked wound he had given you previously. A way to say you were his.
“Oh, fuck. Baby, I'm going to corrupt your precious little mind. Fill it full with sinful thoughts about me.”
He took your hand, moving it down his shirt, down to where his cock was painfully straining against his pants.
It caused you to ache beneath your own. Your mind went dizzy with the thought of him. He was gorgeous and was about to give you everything you could ever want.
You had taken some initiative and unzipped his pants while he took his tie off, throwing it somewhere unbeknownst to you. He undid the first couple of buttons on his shirt and you, quite frankly, gawked over his body.
He was toned. He had tattoos littering his skin everywhere. His dark eyes watched as you took a long once over of his body.
“Fuck, you're beautiful. Truly.” Your words were quiet, seemingly scared that God would somehow hear or see the activities the two of you were getting up to.
“As are you. You'll be perfect at my side. For the rest of forever.” His hand caressed your face. He did truly find you breathtaking.
Your big doe eyes were something he could find himself staring into forever.
You were now something the holy trinity could never take away from him.
You pulled his pants down, causing his cock to be set free. Something roared in you.
You licked your lips before devouring him.
You swallowed his cock, slowly taking more each time your head bobbed up and down. Soon, he was reaching the back of your throat, causing you to gag around him.
His hands were placed at either side of your hand, using it as leverage to fuck into your throat. You took it so well that he could lose himself in your touch. The way your arms were wrapped around his thighs, helping him go deeper into your throat made him weak and want to crumble.
You felt your cunt wetten for him. The sight of his hair falling out of place and his chest heaving through your teary eyes made you need him. You wanted him to enter your temple and destroy it.
His thrusts became sloppy, faltering here and there. You pulled away from his cock, muttering filthy sins as you stroked him.
“Let me taste you. Give it to me, baby.”
You were forced down onto him once more as he let his seed spray down your throat. Letting it coat your insides felt like bliss.
It was mere seconds before he led you to lay on your back. His hands were clawing and scraping against you, in such need and hurry to remove you of your clothes.
The second your panties hit the floor Noah was nose deep in your pussy, taking in your taste and smell.
Your eyes rolled back as your mouth was left gaped. A hand flew into his hair, pulling and tugging at it, causing his once perfect hair to now be disheveled.
“Oh- oh fuck-” You gasped as he licked and slurped along your clit. No man had ever pleased you as Noah was right now.
He wasn't a man. He was a fucking demon.
His middle and ring finger slid across your wetness before plunging into you.
Something in Noah felt like this is what he had been waiting for. This is what he was made for. He was made for you.
His fingers quickly found the right way to please you. The calloused pads of his fingers rubbing the right spot.
You bit your bottom lip and he somehow knew you were close to toppling over the edge.
“Do it. Let yourself go. Let yourself be mine.” His voice came out as a growl against your cunt as his fingers quickened.
“No- I can't I'm gonna-” You couldn't finish your sentence before your orgasm took over your mind.
Your orgasm left a mess everywhere. You hadn't known until you heard the wet sloshes against Noah's palm.
“Oh my- I've never done that before. How-how did you…?”
“Done what? Squirt? Fuck, angel. I'm Satan himself. Did you doubt me?” He had an shit eating grin plastered on his face.
“Shut the hell up and fuck me.” Something took over you, all you could think about was his cock ramming into you. Destroying every thought you'd ever had of God and those “precious” pearly white gates.
“Look at you, mere moments ago you were trembling with fear. Now you're begging for my fucking cock.” He chuckled and crawled up your body, kissing and licking at your skin.
It didn't take long for him to position your legs over his shoulders, feeling his cock stretch you out as he entered you.
“Your body is a temple. And I'm here to fucking destroy it. I'm here to get in your pretty little head. Corrupt those holy thoughts with distasteful, nasty, sinful thoughts.” His words were venom digging into your brain, making your mind their home.
His thrusts were becoming faster, now that your pussy had gotten used to his size.
He had grabbed a candle that was permanently lit by his bed and watched the wax drip onto your skin. You hissed as each droplet made its spot on your skin.
Slowly but surely, Noah had made an upside down cross upon your stomach. You couldn't care for the dull burn the wax drips had left as they dried.
You could feel Noah's cock pushing its way into your fucking stomach. He was so inhumanly big, you almost forgot where you were and who you were getting fucked by.
Once the wax had set, you pulled Noah into you, clawing your nails deep into his skin. He growled over the feeling of your nails making dents so deep into his immoral skin.
Before you knew it, Noah's shoulders were bleeding and you were both merging into one.
“Noah, please, please harder!” Your words were barely decipherable as your second orgasm was approaching.
“Now. Give it to me now.” His words were enough to send you into a spiral.
As you had your own orgasm, Noah shot hot strings of seed deep into your womb.
“Fuck, ‘m gonna put a baby here one day.” Noah said as he rubbed your stomach.
He took the blood from his bruised shoulder onto his thumb, placing it onto your tongue.
"Forever, we are one."
He finally had a respective queen to be by his side for the rest of eternity.
Woke up in the light convinced my life had made it to its end. Burning up beneath the sun, while my father drained of blood.
If he's there, I've got a message for the man that's up above.
Fuck. You.
Taglist: @vinyardmauro @missduffsblog @lma1986 @embracethereaper42 @skulliecadaver-blog @mrscevans @viofcrows @gipsonnikki @philomenie @bloody-delusion-expert @bloodymug @millyhelp @fuckyouimstillstanding @cookiesupplier @concreteangel92 @bruisedleftknee @sprokat @itsafullmoon @darling-millicent-aubrey @eclipseeetop
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miasmaghoul · 2 months
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Here, have some soft dewther emotional hurt/comfort for reasons that do not at all reflect anything about my current mental state no siree👍
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It's past midnight when Aether flops onto the common room sofa, exhausted from back to back shifts in the infirmary. It's a night he wishes that his own quintessence would work on himself, that he could wick away the ache in his back and the searing heat behind his eyes. He'd dragged himself here in search of food - Aether can't remember the last thing he ate, or when - but the sight of the couch had forced him to redirect.
So here he sits, alone in the dark common room, staring out the massive windows flanking the fireplace and watching the stars twinkle. He knows he should get up, should find something to put in his stomach so he can at least try to sleep, but his legs weigh a thousand pounds each and the thought of moving is enough to have Aether groaning into the silence surrounding him.
He wishes he were like Rain, like Swiss. That he could just close his eyes and be on his way to dreamland. That he didn't have to deal with the storm in his head, the revolving door of tasks to be done on his next shift. Reviewing the cases he'd handled today; there had been a flu outbreak in the human wing, and Aether stretches his hands while he thinks of every fever he'd soothed, every cough he'd calmed, every bit of suffering he'd pulled from those fragile bodies and let sink into himself.
Ghouls may not be susceptible to human illness, but the power it takes to heal them always leaves him feeling ill. Empty. Hollow.
Aether cracks his knuckles as the memory of one particular Sibling crosses his mind - a young girl, no more than twenty. Pale and shivering, hacking up a lung into the sleeve of her habit while she curled up in the corner of the waiting area. She was the only one who has arrived at the infirmary alone, a newly anointed Sister of Sin who hadn't found her footing yet. Hadn't found her family yet.
Her pain had been some of the worst for Aether to handle. Not because she was sick, there were other Siblings in far worse condition, but because she was alone. Aether could feel it in his bones the moment he touched her hand. An icy wave of anxiety and regret that had washed over every part of him, an ache even Aether couldn't soothe.
It would pass, he'd assured her. Everyone goes through this - the fear, the loneliness, the feeling that you've made a huge mistake by abandoning everything you knew and loved in the name of something new. Something better. Because there are expectations, assumptions, promises made that paint the church in an ideal, rose-colored light that draws in those eager for a place to belong.
It would pass, he'd assured her. It always does. She would find her routine, find Brothers and Sisters eager to take her under their wing. Find comfort in their Papa's sermons, in prayer and worship, as they all do. Eventually, everything would fall into place. She just needed to give it time. To let it happen.
She'd looked much better once her treatment was complete, had thanked him with a hug he could still feel untold hours later, and Aether was glad to see it. Truly.
But that cold pit of loneliness had stuck around long after she'd left the infirmary, a whirlpool of despair still swirling around in his chest. It's happened a few times before, when he's drained like this, but it's unpleasant all the same. Sore, almost. Like a thorn in his heart, digging deeper with every beat.
He should just go to bed. Make his legs work and drag himself down the impossible distance of the hall. Should collapse into his own bed and try to ignore the chill, the ache, the pounding in his head. He'd get to sleep eventually, right? It would be better than this - at least he'd be laying down. He should at least try.
The kitchen light flips on behind him, and Aether's too tired to jolt.
"Aeth?" A sleep-thick voice creeps into his ears, familiar, and Aether's shoulders sag. "What're you doin' in here?"
The soft patter of bare feet follows, and Aether sighs when their owner comes into view.
"Hey, Dew."
"Hey yourself," the little ghoul mumbles, rubbing at tired eyes. He's dressed in one of Aether's beat-up old shirts and a pair of sunflower printed pajama pants that undoubtedly belong to Sunshine. "I could smell you from my room," he says through a yawn, and Aether cringes. "D'you just get back?"
"Yeah," Aether rasps, working immediately to get his scent under control. It's something he always struggles with on nights like this. "Long day."
He crosses his arms over his chest, rolls his neck, and Dew frowns.
"Looks like more than that." Aether hugs himself a little tighter. "Wanna talk about it?"
"It's nothing," Aether huffs, the guilt of having woken Dewdrop enough to have that thorn sinking in further. "Go back to bed, love, I'm fine."
"Pfft," Dew waves a hand, dismissive, "how many times do I have to tell you you're a shitty liar?"
Aether groans, tosses his glasses to the side to dig the heels of his hands into his burning eyes. He hears Dew's tail thump against the area rug, obvious concern that he must be too tired to hide.
"I just...it was a long day," Aether sighs, resting his elbows on his knees and hunching over. "I'll be fine, I'm just...just tired, that's all."
Warm, bony hands come to rest on his shoulders, and it takes everything Aether has not to whimper at how good that simple touch feels.
"Aether," Dew says, low, "look at me."
He doesn't want to. Knows he too exhausted to hide the way the void in his chest will have darkened his eyes, brought out every line on his face. He knows that if he does, Dew will see the hurt. Hurt that isn't his problem, isn't something he needs to worry about. It's not his job.
"C'mon, Aeth," the little ghoul encourages, one hand leaving a shoulder to glide through Aether's thick, unruly hair. Aether does whimper then, can't help it, but silently prays Dew doesn't hear it. "Please?"
There's something so sincere in that one word that Aether can't deny him. He heaves a mighty sigh, leans back into the couch and begrudgingly lets Dew see.
Those copper eyes bore into him like white hot fire, and it only takes two breaths for Dew to understand.
"Oh, Aether," he breathes, cupping his worn face in those incredible hands. Aether sinks into the touch, something he can't quite name caught in the back of his throat. "What can I do?"
Nothing. Everything. Aether has no idea, too scattered and distracted by the icy claws scratching at his rib cage to do more than shake his head and flex his fingers. Dew won't break his gaze, looking down at him with concern knitting his brow and his mouth turned down at the corners. He brings his own hands up to hold Dew's wrists, overcome by the need for...for...
"Could you just -" a hiccup, one he can't help, "just...remind me I'm not alone?"
The words are miserable to say, a request he feels stupid for making and regrets instantly. Wishes he could take them back the second they pass his lips, a flush of embarrassment rushing up his throat when Dew tips his head. When a lock of golden hair that had slipped from his bun floats across his forehead, those gorgeous eyes gone soft around the edges.
But he doesn't have time to take them back, because Dew's already moving. Gently shaking off Aether's trembling grip and moving to straddle him on the couch. Skinny thighs bracketing his own while Dew settles in, leaning forward to get his arms under Aether's wrinkled white coat, looping them around his waist. Scooching closer until they're chest to chest, no more than their clothes to separate them, and then Dew's resting his head on Aether's shoulder.
"Don't worry, starlight," he lilts, soft as Aether's ever heard him. Dew kisses his neck, no more than a chaste peck. "'S long as I'm around, you never have to be alone."
The little ghoul starts to purr, his unnatural heat seeping into Aether's whole being, and Aether shudders. Wraps him up in strong arms and holds on tight, breathing in cedar and burnt cinnamon. Something so distinctly Dew that it overrides the mess in his head, in his heart, and as it does Aether can do nothing but believe him.
"Thank you, firefly," he huffs, voice thready. Something Dew would normally tease him for, but not tonight. He nuzzles closer, and Aether lets his cheek rest against the little ghoul's head. "Thank you."
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that-catholic-shinobi · 5 months
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More and more Im becoming aware of the intrinsic link between the physical and the spiritual in Catholicism.
God made this world, and he called it good. Matter is good. Existing in Body and Soul is good. The greatest tragedy of mankind is that our soul becomes separate from our body after death, and a significant part of our Faith in Christ is that Body and Soul will reunite.
But also how Incarnational our faith is. Even in the Old Testament.
God gives physical food to the Hebrews, and physical water. It is well within his power to sustain people without it.
He could have revealed himself to Moses in any way, but chose a physical form of a burning bush.
God didn’t just tell the Hebrews that Aaron was a priest and this is what he wanted. He gave special instructions on how to dress, what the arc would look like, laws on stone tablets. Physical things to connect people to the spiritual.
This becomes even more profound in the New Testament. Christ is Incarnate in a physical human body.
He doesn’t tell John to stop Baptizing people, because we are a spiritual people. He is Baptized Himsef.
Christ doesn’t die a spiritual death for our redemption, but a physical death. He doesn’t just sustain us spiritually, but also has given Himself to us in the bread and wine of the Eucharist. He says “pray for the sick” but also to “anoint them with oil”
In the Bible, the spiritual and the physical co exist, and continue to coexist, and that is the key to understanding the Sacraments, the conferring of Grace through visible accidents.
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oflights · 3 months
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i know in retellings draco always befriends hermione because he's a nerd or whatever but this morning i was thinking of a retelling where draco befriends ron because he literally just bribes him. like he sees that harry won't bother with him and lbr no one wanted to be friends with first year hermione but ron seems like he'd be easily bought and draco's dad told him those are the easiest people to get on your side. and also wouldn't it be fun to steal away harry potter's anointed best friend?
so he's like "i'm willing to forget you laughed at my name on the train" and literally just buys ron things until he stops being indignant. he buys him a new wardrobe. endless sweets and toys. he writes to his mother like "hello i'm working on something here can u help" and narcissa is immediately on board.
and ron totally is easily bought. he really is. he pretends to still hate draco but also his mother taught him some manners so it's only polite to accept the little git's gifts. his siblings are sick with jealousy, it's great.
and slowly ron's like "maybe he's not so bad" and progresses to "yes he's weird but i've gotten him to stop with the slurs so" to actual friendship that harry and hermione eventually come around to, too.
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musical-chick-13 · 17 days
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In today's news, I had to research lemmings.
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archangeldyke-all · 20 days
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hi angel !! i hope ur doing well.
what do you think sevika would be like with a witchy partner? like a partner whose always slipping crystals into her pockets or using makeup to draw protection sigils on her arm (me lol)
🌕
adorable
disclaimer! i know a bit about witchcraft, being a lesbian and all, but i'm not super familiar with rituals, or cultural practices, so this is all kinda just guessing.
men and minors dni
the thing is... she tries so hard to be a skeptic.
she scoffs every morning when you gently tuck a black crystal into her side satchel, promising it'll protect her.
she rolls her eyes when you talk about astrology or the phases of the moon... like the planets have powers.
and any time she walks in on your burying a candle or some herbs, she just shakes her head and chuckles, then kisses your head and goes about her day.
but... and she fucking hates the fact that it's true... your little potions and spells and whatever else you do... it seems to work.
she asked you one night after she got home, as she was cooking dinner and you were unpacking her satchel for her, why you don't just leave the 'little rock' in overnight, so you don't have to pack it for her every day.
you giggled and explained to her that half the protection is the way you bless it, the symbols you trace into it every morning.
"what kinda symbols?"
"well, i made a special one for you. for when you go to work. that you'll come home safe to me."
and you kinda take her breath away with that answer.
and, worst of all, it seems like it works. each day since you've moved in and started the little morning ritual, she's come home safe and sound, excited to see you.
(she convinces herself it's just the placebo effect, until she comes to terms with the truth when you're too sick one morning to pack her little satchel for her, she forgets the crystal, and gets the shit beat outta her. twice in one day.)
sometimes you anoint her forehead or pulse points with little oils: petals and herbs and other little goodies in the jars. she'll ask what it's for and you'll shrug.
"this one's for peace of mind. you look all far away." you said one night, when you caught on the couch watching tv in the middle of the night.
she was snoring on top of you within minutes.
"this one's for communication." you said on the morning before she asked silco for a raise.
which she ended up getting.
"this one's... well... you'll see." you said mischeviously, before pressing a kiss to her cheek and winking at her.
when she had your ankles by her ears, her strap balls deep inside of you, you giggled and bit her earlobe. "it was an arousal-- ah! arousal oil."
"figures." sevika grunts.
anyways... you know that despite the teasing sevika respects it. she's always bringing you 'cool rocks' for your crystal collection-- you don't have the heart to tell her most of them are just pebbles, so you just add 'em to the shelf. she'll pick up anything and everything that looks a little mystical for you: from cool black matches, to candles whose flames burn different colors, to real crystals, and bones or taxidermied critters.
(she kind of loves the witchy-gothy vibe of it all, loves that there's always candles burning, and incense by the windows-- little jars of goodies and ingredients everywhere. she thinks it's cool. she'll never admit it to you, though.)
taglist!
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penny00dreadful · 10 months
Text
Crossroads
So I was hoping to get some more Return of the King or Somebody to Love out but these antibiotics are burning a hole through my stomach so I needed something incredibly self indulgent for my own comfort.
Some warnings up front: this is a reincarnation AU so there will be character death. But they do come back, I promise. Apparently my comfort involves a fuckton of angst and devastation so there's that too 🤷‍♀️ but I make it better, I promise. This is a heavy one guys, so take care of yourselves.
Now with beautiful cover art by @subbaculture
AO3 Link
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Steve kept his voice low and soft. 
Comforting.
Respectful.
He gently gestured the small group of mourners through to the viewing room, content to stand like a sentry in the back, there if they needed him but invisible otherwise in his plain black suit and glasses with his hands folded in front of him after double, triple checking his phone was on silent.
Death was an old friend to him now, though it had taken him a very, very long time to see it that way. Maybe that’s why he’d chosen the profession he had. Becoming a mortician wasn’t something many people actively worked towards since their teen years, unless they were already in the family but it just felt right to Steve. 
He hadn’t been taken seriously at the start. He was young. Very young to be in this line of work. Currently in his early thirties and still fifteen years the junior of most funeral directors in the country. 
But he was good at what he did. How could he not be? He’d seen more death than any other human alive. 
He’d spent so long trying to fight death and losing every time that death no longer felt unsettling to him anymore. It was a fact of life.
Unavoidable.
So he made it his business to ease the crossing from one life to the other, for both the living and the dead and they tried to meet the needs of as many religions, as many traditions, as many practices as they could, both new and old. 
They’d spearheaded more eco-friendly and green practices and with the recent rise of neo-paganism and wicca and worship of the Old Gods, they tried to be as accommodating as possible.
If the Steve from all that time ago, still on his first go around and organising the single most devastating funeral he’d ever experienced, could see him now, the Steve whose hands shook as he washed and anointed him with oils, the Steve who was so consumed by despair and fury as he placed the coin in his mouth with one last kiss…
He was pretty sure that Steve of old would have been enraged at his calm acceptance of death in any form.
But this Steve had grown. After all this time. Maybe it had taken him too long. Maybe he hadn’t grown in time, hadn’t grown quick enough to break it. 
His Curse, he had taken to calling it. 
But that had been when he was a broken and angry man. Now he saw that it had been less of a Curse and more of an Opportunity. 
But it had taken him so long to pull himself from his spiral of devastation and anger and as a result he’d squandered that Opportunity. 
It had been too late by the time he’d let any humility in.
So this was it now. This was his life and though he’d never be truly happy again, not without him… he was calm.
He was as centred as he could be. 
He’d accepted his Fate.
Steve glanced up at the sound of a woman’s sob, ready to step forward if he needed to. The woman, Marion, he remembered, ended up being soothed softly by her sons, Jeremy and Killian. Their fathers death hadn’t been sudden, Walter had been sick for a while but that didn’t make it any less devastating for the three. They’d be okay. They were strong together, Steve thought, loving. Funerals were often make or break for families but these three at least, would pull through.
Steve loved what he did, strange as it was. He loved being able to bring comfort to the living during their hardest times. Helping them to say goodbye and hopefully get some closure. 
Closure that he himself had rarely had.
Having that person one day then… they’re gone the next.
He wanted to bring that closure to people.
The room was exploding in flowers, both as a show of love from the deceased's family and a kindness from Crossroads Funeral Home, to try to cover up the smell of Robin's embalming work and to quietly bring some beauty to the room.
Robin.
Pretty much the only good thing that had come from that previous Life.
She'd followed him to this one after they had both died, side by side, dragging Vecna/Henry/One back into the Rainbow Room with the last of their energy and locking everyone else outside before the explosion could go off on the cold night of New Years 1987.
She didn't know it, of course, no one did. No one ever remembered except for Steve. But she knew there was something between them. Some strange string of Fate that connected them. He didn’t know how he’d survived so long without her.
She'd told him once that he looked old. He'd snorted and pushed her away, sitting on that dirty bathroom floor in their comical sailors costumes but she just shook her head. 
I meant, like, you don't look old. It's your eyes Steve. They're… they're ancient. Like this isn't your first go around, you know?
He did know. God, did he know. He’d been in a cycle of life and death, life and death, on and on for over two and a half thousand years.
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That first Life had been good. Fantastic, even. Two men living together and keeping the same bed wasn’t unheard of at the time. It wasn’t the done thing but it wasn’t something that brought them the hatred of their neighbours.
It was seen as more of an eccentricity than anything.
In later years, in later Lives, they’d have to learn the hard way to hide. But for now, they were happy. They were content.
Steve would accompany Eddie to visit Her temple at the entrance to Thessaly though he never much bothered with worship himself. He never much cared for Heracles or Zeus or Demeter or Atlas. He had everything he ever needed standing beside him.
Though Eddie would often jab him with some kind of teasing comment about how Eros had come for him specifically through Steve, waxing poetic about his moles or the line of his shoulders, often loudly and in public with that terrible cheeky grin of his that Steve was just forced to kiss off his face.
And if it wasn’t Eros then it was Helios inhabiting his eyes or his hair or his skin with the light of the sun.
Everything had been so good.
Steve didn’t think he’d ever been so happy just living.
But they hadn’t had enough time.
Barely seven years they’d had together before death came to tear them apart and vengeance buried itself deep in Steve’s blood.
When it all started, when Eddie lay feverish and dying in their shared bed from an infected bite, Steve had gone to Her.
It was the first time he’d ever given much of a shit about the gods and he didn’t know much about any of them to start with. But he knew Her. He’d listened to Eddie as he’d spoken about the strange feeling he had, the weird connection he felt to Her. He’d watched as Eddie had placed little food offerings of grapes and nuts at their little household altar for Her. He’d seen Eddie find a weird rock or shell or odd trinket and it was always a toss up as to whether it would be placed into Steve’s hand or on Her shrine.
He even wore Her strophalos around his neck.
Hecate.
She was a strange deity for Eddie to focus his dedication to. Her temple was mostly women but Eddie had always been a bit eccentric.
Sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, the moon, ghosts, gravesites, the night and crossroads. All the things She watched over. All things that were just so Eddie.
Of course he felt a kinship with Her. 
Steve’s weird and wonderful freak.
When it happened… Steve had been incandescent with rage and desolation and wanted the world to bend to his will as a consequence of it. He’d been ready to tear everything apart. 
His despair had crawled up on him in those last few days, sitting at Eddie’s bedside, watching his love slowly fade away. 
Once the infection took hold, Eddie wasn’t really there anymore. He was in and out of consciousness, muttering nonsense and barely able to register anything around him. 
Steve spoke to him constantly, holding his hand, stroking his hair but Eddie never responded, not coherently anyway. 
They didn’t get to say goodbye. They didn't get any last ‘I love you’s’, they got nothing.
The only time Steve had left his side was to beg and plead and offer himself up at the small household altar. He told Her he’d give anything She asked, make anything She wanted to happen happen, She just had to save him. But like always, She stayed silent. No sign, no movement, no feeling, not even a gust of wind.
But when had the gods ever paid attention? 
There was a reason he’d never worshipped. It never brought them anything.
When Eddie died, Steve had refused to let anyone else come in and perform the funeral rites. Eddie was his and his alone, no one else had the right to wash his body, to anoint him, to carefully place the wreath over his head. 
Tradition could get fucked.
He had lost his whole world, so everyone else could deal with the consequences.
Steve had kissed him one last time after he had placed the coin in his mouth. He’d debated the coin heavily with himself. 
If he didn’t pay the Ferryman, maybe Eddie could come back? 
But in the end, common sense won out. He couldn’t keep Eddie trapped like that. He’d never forgive himself.
By then his rage had settled into something cold and constant in his gut. 
He would get Eddie back. 
If he had to climb to the top of Mt. Olympus himself to demand it, he would.
After the burial, he stood in the street outside Her temple, watching with a half drunk bottle of wine in hand. He wanted Her to know he was coming. He wanted Her to know he was a damn force to be reckoned with. 
How dare She ignore him. 
How dare She allow him to be taken.
How dare She not give him back.
Eddie was his.
And he was Eddie’s.
How dare She.
He didn’t know how long he stood there before he walked inside. 
He wasn’t supposed to be here. 
It was forbidden. He shouldn’t have even thought about it. He’d been touched by death, it had entered his house and he would be unwelcome anywhere holy for at least a year, lest his miasma spread to the precious gods.
Funny how they claimed to be all powerful but shrunk away from the air of death that hung around the mortals left behind by loved ones.
Fucking cowards.
People tried to stop him from coming inside, of course they did. Everyone knew of his loss, his rage, his determination. He’d screamed so loud when Eddie had died, the sound had practically stretched through the entire town. They were all so loyal to the gods who couldn’t give a flying fuck about any of them.
As soon as he stepped over the threshold, the worshipers cowered away from him. The Priestesses fled, as though the taboo of the touch of death in this sacred space could somehow infect them. 
He had managed to fling Her offerings to the floor and tear a small statue from its pedestal before he was dragged back outside. 
The people on the streets gave him a wide berth in the weeks after that. He’d disrespected a goddess and no one wanted to get caught in the crossfire.
But fuck Her.
Let Her be pissed off. 
She’d taken everything from him.
Steve felt like he was adrift. He spent hours every day at Eddie’s grave, barely able to exist away from him for long. And whenever he wasn’t there he was at home, in the dark, lying on Eddie’s side of the bed slowly dancing in between unbearable waves of sadness and crawling, festering anger.
The anger he felt was… it was poisonous. Sometimes he felt like he couldn’t breathe for how furious he was. 
Physicians were sent to him and were all extremely alarmed at how out of balance his humours were. His Yellow Bile was in extreme excess and they desperately advised him of what he needed to do to become balanced again, but Steve didn’t want anything less. 
He needed to stay angry.
His legs were carrying him to Her crossroads before he even knew where he was going. 
It was the dead of night and the only thing lighting the intersection up was a single torch burning bright, hanging off a pole in the ground, illuminating up the three faces of Her statue. 
She stood like a sentry watching and waiting carefully to make sure travellers made it across safely. A small gathering of offerings stood at the bottom of the statue and Steve had a sudden urge to burn them.
He wrenched the torch down from where it hung and thrust it at Her feet, catching the wreaths and flowers and fruit and small hand carved figurines worshipers and travellers had left behind in deference. 
It did nothing to quell the rage within him so he swung back around, prepared to bury the charred and desecrated remains right in the centre, to send a goddamn sign straight to Her heart if he had to.
But as he straightened up he was forced to recoil in shock as the head of the statue had turned. She seemed to stand taller now. She had been of a height with him when he started. Now She loomed over him, glaring down at him with such ferocity he could feel it down to his very core.
But he refused to back down now, he couldn’t.
She was finally paying attention.
“Give him back.” He growled at Her. Her face didn’t move, She stayed as still as stone. Maybe She was still stone, he hadn’t actually seen Her move after all.
And angry wind blew through the crossroads, nearly snuffing out the torch Steve still held in his hand.
She didn’t speak to him but Her words were clear.
He is not mine to give back.
“You’re fucking right. He’s not yours. He’s mine. You had no right to take him.”
Something hissed behind him and Steve whipped around with the torch that almost seemed to phase, one into two into one again.
At the centre of the crossroads, slowly writhing and coiling about itself sat a giant serpent, its crystalline amber eyes burning through him. It was much bigger than it should have been, as thick as one of his arms and so long Steve couldn’t see its tail extending back into the darkness beyond.
I did not take him. She hissed, extending a forked tongue.
Steve swallowed, trying to stop the oil from the double-single torch dripping onto his hand and burning him but also keeping an eye on the giant creature in front of him, taking a shaky step back, heart beating furiously through his chest both from fear and all encompassing rage.
“I don’t believe that. He loved you and you did nothing to stop his crossing!” He spat back at the viper.
The dark was so close around him now, closer than it had been, though the single-double torch still burned as bright as ever.
The crossroads felt completely separated from everything else on earth at that moment, like he was on an island afloat in the darkness.
A low rumbling growl reverberated through the air behind him, sending another spike of fear up through Steve’s spine and forcing him to turn, trying to keep one eye on the giant snake and another on the behemoth of a creature that was slowly stalking towards him on the opposite side.
The dog was huge. It’s snout just about level with Steve’s shoulder, with teeth bared, head low and an angry look in its eye.
That is not my domain. She snapped at him with a gnashing of Her teeth.
“Then make it your domain!” He snapped back, baring his own teeth in kind.
He took another step back, away from the two creatures but was frozen to a stop as a great gust of air was exhaled onto the back of his neck and through his hair.
Turning again, he was backed into the centre of the crossroads as a great and powerful horse approached, towering over him. It did not glare or snap but simply observed.
Steve was now surrounded by Her on three sides, the writhing serpent, the gnashing dog and the stoic horse all slowly closing in on him.
The horse tilted its head, almost curiously.
If you have not earned your penance by the time I am worshipped again, you will bring your end to the both of you.
“Wh-what?” Steve was still trying to strike with anger but the roiling terror was starting to take hold, especially as Her three avatars slowly closed in. “What does that mean?!”
She didn’t answer and Steve knew in his soul the conversation was over. He’d signed his warrant by searching Her out in the first place and whatever happened now, he just hoped it brought him back to Eddie, somehow.
He felt the snake coil itself around his neck, he felt the teeth of the dog in his stomach and the crack of a hoof against the side of his head before everything went dark.
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Steve was fifteen in his second Life before things really started to make sense. Because ever since he’d hit puberty he had all these memories that didn’t belong to him.
Or he thought they didn’t belong to him.
His parents thought he was some kind of Seer. He thought so too until one day four years later. He’d been hired as a private and exclusive Seer to a local wealthy politician who Steve suspected just preferred to look at him, rather than have him divine anything.
But they’d been travelling for days to a neighbouring city to marry his daughter off to some young aristocrat or other when their party came upon a familiar crossroad.
The place had changed in the twenty years since he’d last stepped foot here in his previous Life, where he’d sealed his Fate. He could feel it in his bones.
Her statues had been replaced with finer, more intricate and detailed reliefs. The offerings towered high, stretching out into the road itself, like the people here knew this place had been touched by Her.
Everything came back to him tenfold. All the anger, all the devastation, all the bargaining and rage and loss hit him like it had happened only yesterday.
What the fuck was he doing here? Following around some fat, over-indulgent, lecherous old man, spitting nonsense at him like that would help his political decisions?
That’s not what he was here for. He was here to find his Eddie.
Steve didn’t even know if he could find him. Is that how Hecate had punished him for disrespecting Her so much? To relive his life again but without him this time?
Didn’t matter.
If Eddie was here, he’d find him. 
And he did find him. 
Betrothed to his Master's daughter.
Of course.
But their wedding would never happen. He stole Eddie away with him into the night. As soon as they had laid eyes on each other the decision had been made. They had to have each other, no matter the consequences. 
And the consequences did come for them. Thirteen years later they were finally caught and Steve had been forced to watch Eddie die again. They’d been sentenced to death by banishment. 
The downsides of pissing off a politician with a grudge. 
They’d been starved out, stripped of everything but the clothes on their backs and dumped out into the wilderness.
Eddie had died first of exposure to the cold and the only mercy Steve found in that was that he followed soon after.
He learned pretty soon in his following Lives to be a bit more careful when seeking Eddie out, trying to keep him as safe as possible.
Because Steve remembered everything. 
Eddie remembered nothing. 
Each new Life was a fresh start for him.
But it didn’t really matter how careful Steve had tried to be. Tragedy and devastation always came for them. And it always came for Eddie first.
He thought sometimes that maybe things would have been different if he’d tried to get Eddie back through Hades, or Thanatos or Atropos. But then again, they probably would have taken his desecration of their shrines much more seriously. Maybe Eddie’s connection to Hecate had been a kindness.
Throughout his various Lives, Steve had died almost every way it was possible to die. He’d been executed, fatally injured, succumbed to sickness, fallen victim to accidents and even died of old age a few times.
Eddie usually died too soon. Way too soon. But Steve wasn’t sure if that was just his own perception of things. No amount of time with him would ever be enough, so any time death came for him seemed too soon.
So maybe he wasn’t dying unusually early just because Steve was there.
But it certainly felt like it.
Once Eddie died, Steve usually followed not long after.
And then he'd be born again. Sometimes nine months later, sometimes years and years later, often in another country, another part of the world.
He’d seen hundreds of years of history pass him by. 
He knew where Cleopatra was buried (with extreme disrespect), he knew what happened at the Library of Alexandria (it wasn't burned to the ground), he'd been to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (estimated location was about 200 miles off where people thought), he knew what had happened to The Princes in The Tower (they hadn't survived five minutes once the door closed), he spoken and forgotten ancient languages and text, he'd been in moments of history again and again.
Each of Eddie’s deaths felt like dying to Steve. Each and every one.
Some were gentle.
Some were not.
In some Lives Steve never even knew what happened to him. 
In some, by the time Steve found him, Eddie would already have a family around him. Some strange amalgamation of outcasts and ‘undesirables’. Sometimes he’d have a wife or a husband at his side and some children of his own. 
Steve could never bring himself to get in between those relationships. Yes, Eddie was his. But only when he chose to be. 
Regardless of Eddie’s choice, Steve would always belong to him. 
And if that had to be as a friend, then so be it. 
He just wanted Eddie to be happy. 
Because he knew intimately all the ways it could end for him. 
Steve had seen him sentenced to transportation for life to Australia, just reaching the dock as the vessel was on the horizon, disappearing soon after and Steve would never see him in that Life again.
He’d seen him starving and pale boarding a coffin ship during The Hunger, just slipping out of his grip before he could get to him. Eddie had never made it to Quebec.
Steve had seen Eddie hanged and stabbed and shot. He’d died beside him in battle.
He’d seen him fade from sickness and his own grief at the loss of all of his children during the Black Death.
Eddie had died in almost as many ways as Steve had and Steve had to bear witness to most of them.
The worst of all of them had been in 1602 in a tiny village on the edge of the Holy Roman Empire.
It was early in the morning. They’d been asleep in bed, curled around each other when their door was kicked in. Steve had been as prepared as he could be. He was always prepared now. It had been two thousand years at this stage and he was always ready for anything. 
Well, almost anything.
He’d snatched up his sword without a second thought and swung. He was the most skilled combatant in the world, hundreds of years of training and discipline in some of the best armies, under some of the best commanders history had to offer. It allowed him to cut down three of the men before Eddie could even untangle himself from their blankets. 
But no amount of skill could help him when he was overpowered and outnumbered. 
Something had cracked him hard over the back of the head and everything had gone dark before he could raise his sword again. 
He didn’t know how long it was before he came to, but when he did he almost wished he could go back to blissful darkness. 
Almost.
Because Eddie was struggling, tied to a wooden beam on a small platform in the centre of the town with kindling being tossed at his feet and a long list of heresy charges and accusations of witchcraft being called out to the gathered townspeople.
Everything was still foggy, like his brain was being filtered through a slow fed sieve. His movements were sluggish and broken and he couldn’t break free. He was being held on his knees, on his own platform with a guard on either side.
Things were still fading in and out for him as he tried to shove the guards away and fought to loosen the bonds around his wrists, tying his hands behind his back.
Steve’s head was wrenched upwards by his hair as the first torch set the kindling under Eddie ablaze.
His gaze locked with Eddie’s, his wide, brown, beautiful eyes were tear streaked and terrified as he screamed out for him through the rapidly thickening haze, coughing and spluttering as he tried desperately not to breathe in the suffocating grey-black smoke.
The cry that Steve let out was one filled with millennia of fury and anguish as he snapped the ropes around his wrists clean away and reached over, unsheathing one of the guards swords and beheading the two of them before they could even blink.
He cut his way through the crowd, completely uncaring if it was civilian, soldier, guard or religious figure who stood in his way. If they didn’t move, they were removed.
Steve threw himself up on top of the pyre, ignoring any pain that came from the stifling heat and burning wood below him as he cut Eddie's limp body down and threw them both off the side.
But it was too late and Eddie was gone again.
Steve turned his cold eyes back on the crowd who were now standing back, regarding him with apprehension and fear as he slowly got to his feet and twirled the sword in his hand.
That town wouldn’t be found on any modern map. He’d obliterated it.
He’d let the streets run red and razed it to the ground.
It would never be remembered.
History never knew it existed.
He’d made sure of it.
Something in that Life had broken Steve irrevocably. Something had cracked. Doubt began to seep in. He started to worry that this cycle would never end.
This was the worst kind of punishment.
It was a punishment he’d not only doomed himself to, but he’d doomed Eddie too.
With each Life his soul felt heavier and heavier.
Until it all came to a head in Hawkins.
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Being Steve Harrington, babysitter extraordinaire and ex-King of Hawkins High had been… easy at first. He’d been born into wealth this time which was always a relief. He didn’t have to scrape and slog just to eat or put a roof over his head but wealth had its own shackles, its own chains.
Expectation and duty and honour. That always travelled in wealth, no matter the century. 
Add that onto the crushing weight of his Curse, the deal at the crossroads he’d made with Her… it wasn’t the worst Life he’d ever lived but it wasn’t the smoothest either.
Because the Life in Hawkins was the first Life he had ever lived where he made the choice not to find Eddie.
It should have been simple. 
It should have been the simplest thing he’d ever done. Born, live, die in the same small town. 
And Eddie would stay safe. 
Live a long and happy life, wherever he’d been born into.
Steve had scoured the town out of the corner of his eye as soon as his memories came back to him but was able to breathe a sigh of relief when he couldn’t find hide nor hair of him. 
Because if he wasn’t here, if he wasn’t around Steve, maybe he wouldn’t die tragically this time.
But it was almost as if the universe heard his sigh of relief. 
Almost like She had. 
Because a year later when Steve was thirteen, a miserable boy with a buzzed head and giant, defiant brown eyes turned up at school. 
He’d be living in the town now. 
Steve couldn’t escape him. 
He could run away, get as far away as a bus would carry him and hope he wouldn’t be brought back, but he knew he’d never be able to. He’d seen Eddie now, so trying to physically separate himself would be like trying to rip his own arm off. 
So no, he couldn’t escape him.
But he could ignore him.
If he couldn’t put physical distance between them, he’d keep the emotional distance as much as it killed him to do it.
He was growing crazy with it by the time he was sixteen and he thought… 
Maybe he could try something else?
Nancy was as much of an Eddie look alike as it was possible to get. He hadn’t even realised that that was why he’d picked her. It hadn’t been a conscious decision.
But if he was going to let Eddie go, he could allow himself to have the next best thing.
Up until Tommy and Carol and Barb and the pool.
He couldn’t… he couldn’t do it.
It made him feel disgusting.
It felt so disloyal to do anything with anyone else. He never had. He’d never wanted to. He still didn’t want to, he realised.
Eddie wasn’t his in this Life.
Eddie had never been his to dictate decisions over anyway.
But Steve was Eddie’s. 
In every Life, in every iteration, Steve belonged to Eddie. 
Whether Eddie knew it or not.
So no, he couldn’t go through with it, with Nancy. She was a lovely girl but she wasn’t him. 
Steve had only ever belonged to one person and he would only ever belong to that person. 
And he was okay with that, he realised.
Nancy was a bit surprised that he’d stopped but understood well enough in the end. 
All of that was swiftly forgotten about though, when they heard Barb scream from outside and had to pull her from the jaws of some otherworldly demon.
Steve had thought he’d seen everything the world had to offer but he’d never seen anything like this.
War was no stranger to Steve, he knew it well. 
He and Eddie had fought side by side many times whenever Fate had pushed them in that direction, most memorably in The Sacred Band on Steve’s second or third Life. They’d actually survived long enough to retire from that troop and had another ten years together before death came for Eddie again.
Throughout time Steve had fought using an aspis, a gladius Hispaniensis, a Hallstatt sword, then maces, glaives and longbows. He fought as a knight in plate and then with canons and bayonets before getting his hands on an SMLE and then an M1 Garand.
But this war was different to every one he’d fought in the past. There was no phalanx, no column, no cavalry. Just vicious mindless monsters, a handful of kids and teenagers and one super powered child.
Steve fought that war like he’d fought every other one in his long life, with reckless abandon, trying to keep his charges safe and most importantly, trying to keep Eddie safe.
Eddie was a musician in this Life, like he so often was and he was going to go far. He was talented. He was beautiful. He had so much life in him.
Steve was going to make sure Eddie got there if it killed him. 
Again.
He’d let him get as far away as possible and maybe, just maybe Eddie would live the life he deserved.
But that hadn’t happened. 
Like the universe, like She had heard Steve’s silent pleas again, the two of them had been shoved together under the most apocalyptic of circumstances. Like it was all one last test of Steve’s resolve. To see if he could stay away. To see if he could let Eddie go. Allow him to look at him with those big, beautiful eyes and smile his devastatingly pretty smile and light up like a live wire in Steve’s space with so much energy and passion Steve felt like he was caving in on himself.
If he could let Eddie be, if he could avoid reaching out, if he could stop himself from ruining Eddie once again then maybe Eddie would be allowed to live. The Curse would be broken.
And he thought he had succeeded. 
He felt something snap in him, something break, something release.
So he thought he’d done it.
But then he’d made it back to the trailer to find blood. Blood and torn flesh and bubbling breath and one last whispered “Stevie?” before Eddie’s endless brown eyes went dull.
And Steve was done. 
He couldn’t do it anymore.
He’d walked to the crossroads just outside his house and screamed that he was done. It was over. She’d won. 
He didn’t get an answer.
He didn’t expect one.
So he went into that Rainbow Room with Robin convinced this was his last Life. Ready for it to be over. For good.
Almost wishing for it.
But he’d been born again in 1992 and now?
Well now he had learned to just exist.
To just be.
And to find whatever contentment he could. 
He had his business. He had Robin. So he was… okay.
And that was okay.
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Robin stuck her hands in her pockets as she stood in the cold of the morgue, watching Steve close everything up for the evening.
“I don’t want to go.”
“You have to go, Birdie. You need to break up with her.”
Robin sighed, long and heavy. “God, I know. Can’t you do it for me?”
“For the last time, no. Break up with her over text if you have to. She deserves shitty treatment. Fuck her.”
“I can’t. She’ll refuse to accept it. She’ll keep showing up and insisting it never happened and then she’ll throw the mother of all fits when I try to tell her it did happen!”
“So that’s why you’re taking her out to dinner? So she has to listen?”
“And we’ll be in public. So she can’t cause a scene.”
Steve scoffed. “That’s never stopped her before,” he muttered to himself but raised his voice again at Robin's scowl. “That’s all very red flag behaviour, Birdie.”
“Yes I know Steven, thank you. Why do you think I’m breaking up with her?”
“Okay.” He gave the door to the morgue one last tug, making sure it was locked up tight. “No dead bodies are escaping from me tonight. Call me after?” He jabbed his finger up to the ceiling and behind, in the direction of his house, tucked away at the back of the business, separated and hidden from sight by a line of trees.
“I can’t believe you still own a landline. Who even has a landline anymore?”
Steve shrugged but grinned at her still. “I’m old fashioned.”
“Whatever. Okay. I’m gone. Wish me luck!” Robin called back as she bounced her way up the stairs.
“Good luck!” He shouted after her. “Let me know if you need my assassination skills!”
“You’ve never killed anything bigger than a spider, babe!” The sound of the front door closing was the only thing she left behind to punctuate her statement.
Steve frowned. “Never killed anything bigger than a spider,” he mimicked as he trudged back upstairs, grumbling, “I’ve taken on the damn Mongols, never killed anything bigger than a spider, pshh.”
He continued to mutter to himself as he walked through, switching off the lights before making his way outside to lock up the front door.
He had just given the door one last tug when he heard a voice behind him, speaking in a language he hadn’t heard in over two millennia.
“I’ve been looking for you, my sunshine.”
Steve swiped around, scarcely daring to believe what he was hearing but there he was.
Eddie stood in front of him, ripped up black jeans, black cons, long curly dark hair and a yellow sweater that looked like something Steve had worn in the 80’s.
All Steve could do was breathe out his name. “Eddie.”
Eddie smiled at him, a warm, gentle, pretty thing that filled Steve’s heart and made it ache all at once.
“What… what do you-?”
“I remember everything, sweetheart.” Eddie stepped forward, only stopping when they were toe to toe.
“Everything?” Steve could scarcely believe it. Wouldn’t dare believe it if it wasn’t for the strophalos symbol hanging around his neck.
“Everything.” He nodded, placing a hand at either side of Steve’s face. “You came for me. Every single Life. You were there. I figure it’s about time I return the favour.” 
A laugh burst out of Steve without his permission but it was really more of a sob than anything as he raised his own hands to encircle Eddie’s wrists.
“What does this mean?” He whispered, terrified that too loud a noise, too sudden a movement would shatter everything. “What does this mean for us?”
“It means it’s broken, baby.” Eddie touched their foreheads together and said, with scarcely a breath between their lips, “It means you have me. And I have you. Forever.”
And Steve was so scared. So scared that it wouldn’t stick, that it would all change the second he closed his eyes but he couldn’t deny he could feel it. Deep down in his soul he could feel that he was free.
Steve nudged himself forward, just barely a hair but it was enough to bring them together, it was enough to kiss and it was only at that moment he realised he hadn’t kissed Eddie in decades.
Since before Hawkins.
It was like electricity had shot through him, his whole body, his mind, his soul had been aching, craving, needing Eddie's touch and it was like he could breathe again with it.
When their kiss broke neither of them pulled away, they continued to hold each other, to hug, pressed flush with arms tight around each other and Steve didn’t think he’d ever be able to let go.
Yeah. Forever sounded pretty good.
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I am not a particularly religious or spiritual person but when I tell you I felt seen as I was writing this know that I am not exaggerating 😅 it was less that I felt watched, more that I felt observed.
I shit you not when this idea popped into my head, Hecate started appearing everywhere. On my podcasts, in my YouTube videos, my tiktoks, on the radio, in conversation at work... Everywhere.
Being Irish living in Ireland I'm surrounded by mythology and legends and stories and paganism all the time so that did fuel some of my interest. I follow a good number of pagans and wiccans on social media and I know a few in real life too so I tried my best to be as respectful to their beliefs as I could in my depictions.
This has been my most researched fic to date. The amount I read for this was intense. Funeral rites in Ancient Greece, as much as I could read on Hecate, how funerals work in America because apparently the Irish do things very differently to the rest of you?? The greatest mysteries in history, millennia of military tactics, the intricacies of the Greek Gods... just so much stuff! And it was fun!
ALSO The Sacred Band! Holy shit! The Sacred Band was a specific troop of soldiers in Ancient Greece composed completely of male lovers under the understanding that if you're fighting next to your love you'll fight harder. And people say this whole queer business is a recent thing 🙄
Anyway I hope you liked it! 🖤
Hecate
Strophalos
The Princes in The Tower
Coffin Ships
The Hunger
The Black Death
Holy Roman Empire
Heresy witch burnings
The Sacred Band
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