#feels like trying to solve a puzzle in a completely dark room

[arrgh-even-more-whatever]

the day I'll sleep at least six hours I'll throw a celebration. slept for two hours yesterday and for four hours the day before that, thought it means that today my brain will finally shut down. nothing. couldn't fall asleep at all and only got a migraine

#i know this is fixable because I've been through this multiple times #but GOD how i hate to wait until i can figure out a new way to tame this #the most annoying part is that aside from that i feel fine. subconscious problems are always the hardest #feels like trying to solve a puzzle in a completely dark room

[porcelainseashore]

Into the Ether (4)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Vampire! Toreador! Leon Kennedy x Fem! Reader

Summary: At the all-night events cafe you run, you’ve become acquainted with an elusive patron, Leon, though you can never remember the last moments of your interactions together. After a harrowing encounter, a love-hate relationship develops between the two of you as you grapple with your newfound status in a world of darkness and investigate the reasons behind the untimely attacks.

Content & Warnings: 18+ Resident Evil x Vampire: The Masquerade crossover, horror, mystery, romance, slow burn, strangers to enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, eventual smut, swearing, smoking, non consensual blood drinking, blood bond, vampire turning, violence, injury, mild gore, torture, religious themes, minor character death, RE ensemble, VtM concepts.

Authors' Note: Lots of blood drinking (+ its underlying issues), suggestive themes, mention of bodily fluids, and at least dubious consent for vampire turning ahead.

Taglist: @admirxation @xoxostarlet @miss-oranje-disco-dancer ❤️‍🔥

AO3 Link

Chapter 4: Bury Me

Leon had reached a row of converted Victorian-style residential buildings in the Lower West Side of Uptown Raccoon City. Tall, stained glass windows lined their exterior, accented with a mixture of gabled and Mansard roofs. Pointed arches embellished with corbels and fretwork adorned the structures, detailing their rich architectural history. Despite them appearing frozen in time, harking back to the 19th century, everything else had been modernized for their inhabitants.

Scanning his keycard on the reader, he slipped in through the back entrance and hurried towards the rarely used service elevator that was stationed out of sight in a narrow corridor at the rear end of the building. He swiped his card again to gain access to his specific apartment floor, punching the button several times erratically, even though it had already lit up on the first try. Upon noticing that he had accidentally smudged blood from his hands onto it, he muttered a string of curses while using the cuff of his shirt to wipe it off.

Holding you close, he planted a desperate kiss against the crown of your head, as if by some miracle you would wake up from this nightmare, safe and sound in his arms. Your body temperature had dropped considerably, and with each passing second, he could feel your vitals waning as your life force ebbed into oblivion.

“Come on, stay with me,” he begged, his visage crumbling under the weight of grief, and out of habit, he thumbed at the gold cross pendant hanging from his necklace. If there was a god, he would let you live.

As soon as the elevator doors parted with a resonant ding, he sped out towards the only apartment door on the top floor. Feeling the side of the frame for a familiar indent, he pressed against it, and a matchbox sized cache slid out, containing a crescent shaped device. Attaching it to another metallic apparatus that he carried around in his pocket, he slotted it through the keyhole while simultaneously adjusting what looked like gears of an old-fashioned clock into place. 

Despite all these years, he still had a penchant for puzzle solving, seeing as his former workplace, the Raccoon Police Station, had been a labyrinth in itself. And what better way to put his hobby to use than to invest into the security of his haven, by creating his own intricate lock mechanisms, complete with false walls and hidden passageways. It may seem a little over the top, but sometimes it was comforting to lose his nights designing and crafting the things that had made him human in the beginning.

With a satisfying click, the heavyset door creaked open on its hinges, revealing an immaculately kept and minimalist loft. He dashed in, shutting the door behind him before pushing the coffee table away and setting you down gently on the rug. You were the only blemish in the room, bleeding out from underneath him, staining the fabric in the pattern of angel’s wings.

He felt your pulse, weak and unsteady, and you were nearly gone. It crushed him to see you like this, your skin ashen and pale — the only shade of blue he never liked. As you lay there unresponsive like a corpse before him, he knew he needed to go through with what he had planned for you all long along. Even so, he had a hard time coming to terms with it. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be! He was meant to woo you, give you a taste of what the unlife had to offer, bring you over to his side and both of you would, what—? Live happily ever after? 

Fucking hell, Leon. What the fuck were you thinking? he swore at himself internally. Ada’s words came back to haunt him. She was right, he had let his emotions get ahead of him again. Regardless, he had to fix this mess, and letting you die was out of the question, as was turning you into a mindless ghoul addicted to a blood bond. No, he would never do that to you.

“Forgive me,” he murmured, brushing the strands of your hair, which had clumped together in dried blood and sweat, out of your face. You were so deathly cold in your slumber…

Then, he broke the first of his promises and drained you dry. Images of you flooded his mind again as he latched his mouth onto your neck. He could feel your fears, your joys, and your sorrows. The first steps you had taken as a child, captured through the lens of an old home video; the family and friends you would leave behind; long, solitary walks in the woods; dancing your heart out in smoky nightclubs; ceiling-high shelves filled to the brim with musty books and DIY costumes you’d pieced together from scraps; every trinket and memento — all the signs of life that had made you happy.

There was no time for regrets. He could make you happier, he vowed. He will, he had to.

At the very last drop, he licked the bite marks close and let go, slashing his wrist against his teeth before placing it to your lips. His own sanguine fluid coated your lips in a cherry red stain, restoring a semblance of life to your otherwise waxen complexion, as it dripped down your throat. Slowly, your jaw began to move, lips puckering up as it suctioned against the open wound, the tip of your tongue licking across it over and over again like the sweetest nectar you’d ever savored.

“There you go, angel,” he panted, feeling the pressure grow taut around his wrist as he stroked your hair tenderly with his other hand. “Just a bit more.”

He concentrated on the act, investing the power of his vitae into you, passing on the curse of Caine which he had carried with him all this while. On top of that came the Bane and Compulsion of his clan, as well as its Disciplines and strengths.

You couldn’t explain why your body reacted so naturally to it, but your appetite for his vitae was insatiable, like an insurmountable tidal wave heading towards shore. Your eyes flew open and you caught his ocean blue gaze. Gasping for breath, you clamped down on his wrist even harder, earning you a gratifying moan that fell from his lips, as they twisted into an expression of excruciating euphoria.

Likewise, you felt the build up of sheer bliss with an underlying tinge of agony within you, as you continued drinking from him, unable to stop yourself, no matter how much you tried. Every fiber of your being burned like a warm, inviting flame. You were the epitome of a phoenix in a pyre, combusting and being reborn again, walking barefoot across searing hot coal unharmed, as the fire raged on. From ashes to ashes, dust to dust, into eternal life.

And then he appeared before you like an ethereal, ghostly apparition, kneeling in the pews of a cathedral you didn’t recognize, praying fervently to a crucified man on a wooden cross. Subsequently, the scene switched to a hectic office space, permeated with the shrill sound of phones ringing and papers flying in every direction. There he stood in the center of the room, like the eye of a storm, a handgun secured in his holster as he moved the pins around on a crime board. One vision blurred into the other and it felt as if you were seeing his past, present and future all at once.

An immense rush of ecstasy filled your senses at the final image of you riding him like a horse, as if you were experiencing it for yourself firsthand. Sweat poured down your naked bodies as you rolled your hips back and forth against his lasciviously. His calloused hands squeezed the sides of your thighs, encouraging you to move faster as he thrust up into you. In the throes of passion, you threw your head back and cried out in excess, but found it muffled against his wrist as you abruptly returned to reality. Your eyes went straight to his, and the knowing look on his face gave it away, confirming that you had partaken in the last vision together.

The Beast was gnawing at the cage in his chest again as you suckled more of his vitae. A hunger arose within him and he was aware that the deed had been done. The primary hurdle was getting you to stop.

“Angel, my love,” he called to you softly, “That’s all I can give you.”

You had heard every word he said; they were crystal clear, but your head remained fuzzy, as if it were wrapped in layers of cotton wool, dampening your thoughts. He could see it in your glazed eyes that you were unable to register what he had requested of you, but he couldn’t bear to tear himself away.

“Please, angel,” he whimpered. “Let go.”

At that point, something in you clicked. Perhaps it was the sight of a broken man, crouched in the middle of his living room, weary from all the bloodshed and the cruel hand fate had dealt him tonight. You wanted to do everything you could to soothe his pain. The same pain that had crept up in his voice the night he put you to bed, and when he had wondered out loud in the park if you could accept him for who he was.

Loosening your grip, you tilted back, allowing him to retract his hand as you ingested the rest of his vitae in your mouth. Nothing could ever come close to the intensity of what you had just felt. Gradually, you came down from the high and your ragged breathing evened out. A numbing weight pressed against your body as your eyes fluttered before closing. Was this it? Was this the end? All you could think of was what a peaceful way it was to die.

A shiver ran down his spine as Leon caressed your cheek, watching you fall back to sleep again. Even his own Embrace hadn’t gone this far. Of course it had been the best thing he had felt in the world, but this, with you? It was on a completely different plane. The memories, the shared sexual intimacy, how—? Did he hallucinate that? He still hadn’t figured it out. It was something for maybe the Tremere, unfortunately, to advise on.

But he had bigger things to worry about now. This was only a temporary respite before you would awake in torment, and he needed to find a way to ease that as quickly as possible, despite being so ill-prepared. It would be the first lesson he’d have to teach you and one of the worst.

━━━━━━━━━━━

A set of steely arms wrapped around you the moment your body jolted upright as you came to. Disoriented and unable to think straight, you struggled to break out of their hold as you heard Leon’s voice in your ear, “Shhh… it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s me.”

You tried to speak but only unintelligible growls escaped your mouth and you continued thrashing about wildly, as a gut-wrenching pain ripped through your flesh and bones. It felt like hundreds of rats were clawing their way out of your stomach as your eyes searched the room rabidly for the offending source that was driving you insane.

And then you saw him. A man in a fancy business suit, unconscious but propped up against the wall. His hands were bound with rope and a nasty bruise swelled at the side of his head. You let out a torturous wail when it finally dawned on you that the very substance you had been lusting after was his blood. It smelled incredible from where you were seated and you were frothing at the mouth like a deranged animal.

What the fuck was going on?! your mind screamed, while you made guttural noises in retaliation. Is this—? Oh god, no! What did he do to me?

There was a persistent throb in your corner teeth, as if they had been plucked out by force and something foreign had been put in its place. You ran your tongue over them, they were elongated and sharp. Just like-

Leon? He pulled you flush against his chest, trapping you in his iron grip, and with a sense of urgency, he spelled out, “Listen to me, you’re not gonna like this, but you need to feed on him.”

Shaking your head violently, your eyes rolled back as if you were possessed by a demonic entity, while you fought with all your might against him and your overzealous hunger. No, no, no, fuck that! I won’t—!

“If you don’t, you will lose control and murder everyone in your path,” he explained.

Noticing how you continued to resist him vehemently, he added, “You won’t have to kill him, I can show you how.”

You whined, scratching at his hands and crying like a hapless pup. There was no need for you to articulate it in words. He understood everything you were going through — the inner turmoil and mental dilemma at your first feed. Except, you had it worse off than him. At least back then, he knew what he was getting himself into and accepted it. You just didn’t have the privilege of time.

Shambling across the floorboards, he brought you closer to the man. “It’s not easy in this state, but you’re strong, and smart. I know you can.” He paused, shifting his grip on you so that he could point out an obscured trail along the man’s neck. “You need to hit one of the arteries or veins for a clean feed. Usually, you’d take it slow and be more careful, but we don’t really have an option tonight.”

Suppressing another painful whine, you tried your utmost to follow his instructions as a beast-like creature went berserk in your chest, bashing it way through your ribcage. Focusing on the area he had identified, you could more or less make out the veins protruding from his skin, like an ultrasound.

“Here, the jugular,” he indicated. “You can start with that, but don’t drain him fully. I’ll help you to stop, just remember to lick it close at the end, okay?”

Nodding, you sobbed out a vague agreement, though your feet were kicking out furiously, itching to be set free. It felt like your mind and body had been separated in two, and neither worked in tandem with each other. The scent of this man’s blood was overpowering, it was making you giddy.

As soon as he let you go, you lurched forward, grabbing the man’s neck roughly as you plunged your teeth into the vein you’d singled out. A viscous, intoxicating liquid enveloped your mouth as you had your fill. Raw energy flowed from one end to another, restoring function to your organs and limbs, as they began to come under your control again. The more you drank, the clearer your mind became, and the Beast within you quietened, satiated from the elixir that seemed to nourish your entire being and soul. Soul? Did you still have one, especially after this?

From a distance you heard your name, accompanied by an appeal to cut it short. Once again, you were thrown into the depths of a battlefield, where each side struggled for dominance as its victor. It felt too good to end it here. Why should you obey? a voice inside you sneered.

A pair of hands gripped your shoulders from behind. Leon’s tone was stern and resolute: “Stop, lick the wound now.”

His command reverberated through your hollow chest, rattling your bones as you submitted to him. Swabbing your tongue over the puncture site, you released your prey as Leon pulled you away. Splotches of bright crimson covered the man’s attire as well as your own. It had been a messy affair.

“I’ll clean it up, don’t worry.” His voice was tender again, as he turned your face to his. Dragging his fingertip along the spilled blood trickling down your throat, he scooped up the remains and sucked it into his mouth.

By now, he was an expert in cleaning up after his elders, having done his fair share of dirty errands. That’s what neonates like him were good for. At least it would come in handy tonight. The man was still alive, drowsy as hell, but his heart was beating. He had taught you well.

“You did this to me.” The accusation rang like the toll of a bell in his ears, as he watched your expression change into one of pure hatred and disgust. 

But before you could continue on with the verbal onslaught you had been saving up for him, a debilitating pain struck, blinding you in the process as you clutched your abdomen and trembled turbulently. What—? When will this ever end?

You were physically dealing with the bitter aftermath of being snatched from the hands of death and flung into rebirth through abnormal means. Anything within you that didn’t need to be there anymore would be cleansed in the next few hours, as your body was dying and disposing of the needless waste. It was not like this in the movies. You wanted to laugh at the outright ridiculousness of it, but all you managed were terrified shrieks. 

It was humiliating to be brought down this low in front of him — the man who went from someone you had started to fall for to the last person in the world you wanted to be in the same room with. You hated him for what he had done to you. The fire came back, but this time it was like being burnt at the stake; it was harrowing. 

To Leon, you could never degrade yourself in his eyes. He stayed with you the whole time, rubbing reassuring circles on your back as you writhed in agony, dirtying his rug with vomit and piss. 

Though she had cared in her own way, Ada never did this for him. He remembered his transformation like it was just yesterday. The serene peach walls of her bathroom, equipped with fluffy towels, aromatic diffusers, and soft music playing in the background, like a spa he couldn’t enjoy. He had been tucked away safely in the bathtub, the door locked on him, as he shivered uncontrollably like a junkie. She couldn’t bear to see him like this — his face covered in snot, stinking up the place with a vacant look in his eyes. It was a mess, but a controlled one.

With you, he wanted it all — the good and the bad. He couldn’t offer you the luxuries that Ada had with him, but he would be there beside you, taking care of you like the sire he desired to be.

━━━━━━━━━━━

There was a sense of déjà vu when you awakened for the second time that night. Or was it morning? You couldn’t be sure anymore. Somehow, you had ended up on a double bed that wasn’t your own and in clothes that you’d never wear — not unless you were a lingerie model on the cover of a magazine spread, or one of those rich housewives looking to spice things up in the bedroom. In your last conscious moments, you thought you had soiled yourself, but now you were squeaky clean. Did Leon—?

“Hey.”

Speak of the devil. 

You whipped your head in his direction, and saw him leaning against the banister of the stairs that connected the partially open, mezzanine-like level to the main floor below, which it overlooked. Out of a sense of self-preservation and modesty, you crossed your arms over your chest, hugging yourself tightly.

Stifling a laugh, he smiled at you bashfully like a teenage boy in front of his first crush. “It’s, um, my sire’s.” He gestured towards your outfit. “I hope you don’t mind, I didn’t have anything else.”

Sire? Letting yourself go, you peered down at the fitting lace chemise that clung to your body, still feeling vulnerable and naked under his gaze, as you speculated over what he meant.

“It suits you,” he complimented, either oblivious to your bemusement or attempting not broach the subject at this point.

The remark he had made, even if with good intentions, made your blood boil. “Does turning me into a monster suit me?” you spat, getting up from the bed as you strode towards him in fury.

A flicker of remorse flashed across his eyes and his breath hitched. He thought he could stall for time and reconcile with you before having the talk, but he had been blindsided by your astuteness. Despite that, he tried to pacify you. “Angel…”

But you weren’t having any of it. “Shut up!” you hollered, slapping him hard across the face. The blow was harsh enough to send his head snapping to the side, leaving a vivid red handprint marked on his cheek. “I’m not your angel, and never will be!”

He could’ve punished you for your insolence, but chose to suck it up and tolerate it. You were clearly struggling to accept your new circumstances.

“Okay, I deserve that,” he conceded, gingerly rubbing the side of his face where it stung.

You didn’t seem to care though, in fact, you were absolutely livid to the point where you couldn’t speak. Casting him a venomous look of disdain, you drew in labored breaths, your chest rising and falling in rapid, heaving motions.

His watery eyes met yours, and you saw the pain and hurt brimming in them. “You would’ve died back there,” he whispered. “I couldn’t let that happen to you.”

Shaking your head in disbelief, you withdrew from him, gripping the edge of the bedpost so intensely that a huge chunk of it broke off. Wait, just how strong were you now?

He glanced over at the damage and winced. Dammit, I liked that bed, he sighed to himself. 

“I wish I did,” you muttered, eyeing the piece of metal in your hand skeptically before chucking it to the side. “You could’ve done your job and buried me.”

That was when he lost his cool. “Don’t say that,” he hissed sharply, his gaze smoldering like dying embers, as he marched forward, seizing your wrist to prevent you from backing away. “I just wanted to help—”

“Help?” you questioned testily, challenging him head on with a fierce glare. “You forced me to drink some guy’s blood!”

“You would’ve died,” he reiterated, using the same excuse in a loop as if he never heard you.

“He could’ve died!” you retorted, with the same stupid line of argument that Leon had been falling back on each time.

“Well, he didn’t, and he’s fine!” He threw his hands up in the air in frustration and huffed as he pivoted to one side, before turning back to shoot daggers at you. “A little anemic, but fine!” he expounded for good measure.

There was a slight pause until you fired back, “Go fuck yourself, Leon S. Kennedy,” letting every syllable of his full name roll off your tongue mockingly.

A low growl erupted from his sternum. He wanted to yank you roughly by the hair, throw you onto the bed and teach you a lesson. Jesus Christ, Leon, don’t go there. Get a hold of yourself! 

Instead, he bottled up his anger and composed himself. Releasing a deep, slow breath, he evened out his tone, reasoning with you. “Look, like it or not, you need to come to terms with… what you are.”

You hadn’t backtalked him yet; that was a good sign.

“If you want to survive these nights, then I’m the best shot you got.”

Even though you held nothing but contempt towards him in your heart at that very moment, you realized that ultimately, he had a point. And so, you grudgingly raised the white flag. “Fine,” you relented. “But I will never forgive you.”

Another compromise. He could work with that, for now.

#leon kennedy x reader #leon kennedy x you #leon kennedy #leon kennedy smut #leon kennedy angst #leon kennedy fluff #resident evil #vampire au #vampire the masquerade #vtm #crossover #porcelainscribbles

[danosrosegarden]

my love, mine all mine - edward nashton x gn!reader headcanons (slight NSFW) ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

{contains: descriptions of a protective and obsessive edward. very minor illusions to smut but nothing in any detail.}

{note: this piece was a paid commission, and i have permission to share it publicly. find out more about commissioning a piece from me in my pinned post.}

☽ Extracting Edward Nashton’s love from the tired, weary woosh of his heart is no difficult task. He might’ve thought, before you at least, that his body did not hold the proper room for love. Love was far too bright and shimmering of a word, blinding him like the beaming reflection of the sun on scintillating waves. It was far too strong of a feeling, exploding and sizzling in his blood like face-scrunchingly sour candy. Love was neither something he could handle, nor something he believed he needed. He’d survived through his own strength. How demeaning to suggest that he needed a kiss on the cheek or to hold someone’s hand in order to be complete.

☽ But now he has you, and he’s not sure what to do. You’re so easy to fall head over heels for, and it’s an overwhelming high he’s found himself riding. You didn’t force your way through the walls he had built up around himself; you gently grabbed hold of his hand and took each brick down with care and tenderness. You didn’t coo at his sob story or cast pity upon him, looking down at him patronizingly as if he was a starved, abused puppy; you listened carefully to his woes and…well, you were just there for him. You didn’t rush to try to fix what was shattered or leave when it all got too moldy and dark…you simply sat with him through it. So no, extracting Edward’s love from his heart was no difficult task for you. But here’s the kicker…it’s even easier to draw out his lust.

☽ It’s the littlest things that any other person might easily overlook. It’s the way your eyebrow cocks as you ponder the crossword puzzle you two solved together each week. It’s the way you tap the eroded pink eraser of the pencil against your lips as your brain wanders. He wishes he could crawl inside of the deepest wrinkles of your brain. He wishes he could crack you open, flow through your body like your thick, warm blood, protect you like your bones. He wants you and you wholly. He wants you in ways the outside world will never get to see. They don’t deserve it. They don’t deserve you.

☽ It’s sort of a blessing and a curse for Ed, having you in his life. He gets his answered prayer, his angel. But now he constantly worries. His stomach lurches and churns with every bad scenario his mind can conjure whenever you leave. His palms dampen with warm sweat when he thinks about what the world might do to you.

☽ He refuses. He refuses to let the world contaminate you with its filth.

☽ And you wonder. You wonder what’s going through his mind when his hands are gripping your sides like you’ll disintegrate if he lets go. You wonder what could possibly be racing through his body when he growls those words into your ear over and over like a scratched record: mine. Mine. Mine.

☽ When everything else that’s ever resembled goodness and purity and hope has been ripped from his arms, there is no other option. He has no other choice but to protect, to watch over, to keep safe. To ravage and devour and lovingly consume. You’re his, his, only his.

#eli’s writing #danonation #paul dano #edward nashton #the riddler #the batman #edward nashton x reader #the riddler x reader #edward nashton x you #the riddler x you #edward nashton x y/n #the riddler x y/n

[rae-raewrites]

Headcanons In Arkham, BTAS, BTAA, and Zero Year Riddler and his partner in crime/significant other effectively adopting a set of mischievous twin girls?

Oh my goodness yes!buckle up kiddos it’s a long but a good one!

The riddlers and there s/o adopting two mischievous twin girls

Arkham

The idea of a family beyond you two had never really crossed Edwards mind before,of course he would need someone to pass off his genius to at some point but his main focus was his puzzles

But then after a few stolen items from his informant’s working in Bristol never show up again you two basically get forced to go down there

Edward was expecting the imbeciles to be stealing right under his nose but it got solved quickly when the two of you find a set of twin girls covered in bioluminescent green paint.

To say Maggie and sue weren’t the cutest things in the world would be a lie. Two little brown haired girls shy as anything stealing from the big bad riddler. Something about it got to him. He decided to take them in as his trainees

The 8 year olds quickly became quite attached to the both of you. They warmed up to you first seeing you as much more approachable. Edward was little harder though.

Maggie seemed to grasp a lot of Edward’s puzzles rather quickly,sue had a little more difficulty but Edward managed to help catch her up need be.

He didn’t hide what he did from them,no point. They already saw a lot of his work already.

“Remember you two,my work is something to marvel at! I’m not tolerating silly mistakes!”

What neither of you could have anticipated was was the twins outsmarting Eddie when he wasn’t looking. Small things like messing with riddlerbots and screwing with the voiceprint locks. Something not to hard for you and Eddie to fix

“Maggie! Sue! Did you mess with the electrical charge again?” “Nope nada” “got no idea what you’d be referring too”

Of course when the words “dad” and “daddy” got spoken to him he instantly internally panicked but when they left the room leaving you two alone he just sat there in silence for a moment. You smiling your head off

“Dear I do believe we’re parents. I mean they certainly have your mischievous side.” “……y-yes I do believe we are”

His relationship with the girls improved significantly,he would never admit it,but they were his greatest achievements

Btas

You two had encountered Allison and Marie while walking home from a diner date.

Two little raven haired girls no more older than 10 shivering in the cold of night was something even a rouge would find awful.

The poor girls got brought home to a warm house,good food and toys from Eddie’s time with wacko toys

Unlike his Arkhamverse counterpart btas Eddie is certainly a lot more approachable. The girls quickly start to feel comfortable around him.

The girls got kept in the dark from your more criminal activities for awhile.

It was a complete accident when you two come home all in costume and find the girls awake so early in the morning when you had gone out the night before

Of course this did also give you two the ability to be more open with them on some things. Like you and Eddie possibly having to ending up in Arkham for awhile.

There was also no way Edward or you was going to be able to sign a birth certificate with your criminal history. So it more became about spreading it throughout the rouges gallery. Selina and Jon on the list for people to take care of the girls first if something were to happen.

The girls however took the ample opportunity to try to be like their adoptive father.

“S/o dear have you seen the- what the-?”

A riddle just like their fathers except a lot more simpler.

Which then led to a elaborate goose chase that reminded him of his own crimes.

In his mind he firmly decided these two were keepers

BTAA

It was actually you who ran into the girls first in formost. A complete accident while trying to get stuff for Eddie while he worked on getting out of Arkham. They followed you home and wouldn’t stop tailing you.

You of course we’re hesitant to even bring two 9 year olds near a gang of criminals. Never mind two heavily impressionable orphans.

Two heavily impressionable orphans who just made about 10 people slip using Janus Cosmetics foundation

It’s actually Miss Tuesday that says “hey,I mean you don’t have to listen to me here but maybe Eddie might like them? He did seem very uninspired when I visited him”

She knew him as good as you did so her advice meant something here. Alex and Gwen would stay until Eddie said otherwise.

So when Edward breaks out and comes home to two blondes throwing his gang around like paper in the wind he’s intrigued.

“Mi amor……….I think I’ve got a new idea stirring from my genius!”

You unintentionally inspired him,great for you and the gang,awful for Gotham.

He essentially creates the worlds most dangerous slip and slide with input from the two. The dynamic duo is left to watch in pain as he makes off with his prize. A haul of jewels combined with stopping at the toy store for the kiddos to grab something as a thank you.

He becomes extremely fond of them over the next few months so much that he sees them as extensions of himself in a way. Smart and mischievous.

“No s/o we can’t get rid of them now! I mean i know we never talked about kids but now we have like,3 of them! And we didn’t have to do that much!”

Zero year riddler

Selfish arse doesn’t understand the concept of “raising as your own” at first.

He’s so used to not giving a crap about others when the two red heads stick by your side constantly and you’re not budging he genuinely gets a bit enthused

“Babe I get their cute little faces really warm your heart but let’s be honest they ain’t gonna help with crime all that much”

So color him surprised when two nine year olds get one of his riddles correct.

Helen and Meg were not stupid kids and kept escalating things. For every insult against them it meant one more solved riddle combined with a prank of some sort.

When he broke his nose after a tripwire incident he practically went red in the face

Embarrassed,again. This time by two half brained kids. Infront of his partner. Great.

Instead of yelling and screaming at the two girls a smile takes over.

“Okay you brats,help me fix my nose and MAYBE I’ll let you see what I’m working on”

What would develop would be a relationship built upon respect for each other for constant one upping. Truly an Olympian perspective.

He’d probably never admit to anyone that he had a soft spot for his unofficial daughters but deep down you knew they’d solidified a place in his heart.

#batman #x reader #batman rouges #headcanon #arkham riddler #arkhamverse #the riddler #arkham knight #batman arkham series #batman the animated series #zero year riddler #btaa riddler #batman the audio adventures #edward nigma

[whyisntwatersour]

Snow Day

donna beneviento x reader

A/N: I LOVE HER!! there was a snow storm and we had a snow day and i wanted to write something about her :’))) it’s short and sweet!!

-

when you wake up, it’s cold. unusually cold. the warm spot donna usually

occupies on the bed has long gone cold, while the hearth weakly crackles across the room. it’s barely pushing out any heat. despite donna’s absence, you reach across the bed, trying to feel for you love. when you don’t find her, you decide on heaving your way out of bed. your feet connect with cold wood, and despite the fuzzy socks you have on the cold almost makes you climb back into bed. but you don’t, pulling the blanket around you as you exit your shared bedroom in search of donna.

you first decide to check the workshop. the door is closed, and the room feels like ice when you walk inside. the lights are on, and although sometimes donna works in the dark you can see no sign of her. you give up looking downstairs, instead heading towards the elevator. you hope she’s upstairs.

when the elevator reaches the top floor, it’s completely different from the basement. it’s warm up here, the yellow lights overhead basking everything in a calming glow. you walk to the front door, peeking out the windows. outside, there’s a thick covering of snow all across the path to the garden. there’s still snow falling gently across the valley. you’re glad you’re inside.

you can hear some sort of record playing, but you struggle to make out the lyrics. there’s the smell of warm food in the air. you follow it, ending up in the kitchen. donna stands with her back to you at the stove, angie sat next to her as one of donna’s favorite italian records plays across the room. you step across the floor, huffing as you lean your head agains donna’s back. she jumps at the contact, but relaxes when you wrap your arms around her.

“hello, donna.”

“ah, mia stella.”

you smile at the nickname. donna isn’t one for nicknames, but she always seems to come back to that one. you move your head to her right shoulder, resting your chin there as you peek at what she’s making. the oven is on, and you think it’s some kind of pastry. you rest your head against donna’s, just enjoying the moment of closeness. the heat from the oven and the blanket has you comfortably warm, lulling you into a deep calm. angie is playing with some sort of puzzle on the counter, flinging it around as if that will help her solve it any faster.

“whatcha making?”

donna jumps at your voice. you squeeze her gently and press a small kiss against the base of her neck in apology. one of her hands comes to meet yours, holding them close to her.

“it’s a surprise.”

you smile, nuzzling her cheek. she’s warm, and you can feel it against her despite all the layers of clothing she’s wearing. she turns her head, kissing the top of your head.

“come lay with me.”

you separate from her, pulling her hand holding yours towards you. she seems hesitant, glancing between you and the oven. the timer is on the counter next to the oven. it still has well over an hour left on it- plenty of time for a quick nap. donna gives up, letting you pull her out of the kitchen and into the foyer where the fire is blazing. you pull her towards the couch, removing the blanket from around you and motioning for her to lie down. you follow suite easily, pulling the blanket over you both.

you settle against her, resting your head right against her chest. you can hear her heartbeat- it’s sort of fast for the moment, but you pay it no mind. donna wraps her arms around you, one hand coming up to play with the edges of your hair. you can hear donna’s heartbeat slow, and so do her fingers. her hand rests on your neck, her breaths fawning over your hair.

it’s not often you get moments like this with donna. she’s usually busy, between her meetings with miranda and her craft, she has no time to spare. but she’s here with you now. you smile. you can feel yourself drifting off to sleep, in the warm embrace of your love.

#donna beneviento my love #donna beneviento x reader #donna beneviento #i’m so gay #resident evil village #reaident evil #WOMEN

[bltngames]

On Quake Halloween Jam 3

I remember really liking Quake Halloween Jam 2. But with the way things in my life have been since Jam 2, plus my general forgetfulness, it did not even occur to me that there may have been a Quake Halloween Jam 3 or even a 4.

So I've spent a few hours tonight trying to cure a bad mood with a little catharsis via Halloween Jam 3. It works, too. I first figured it out over a decade ago -- I was fooling around in a Garry's Mod zombie slaughter map, just zoning out while I busted props and blew stuff up. When I was done, I realized the grouchy mood I'd been suffering for most of that day was gone and I felt a lot better. It sounds weird, but sometimes you just have pent up anger for whatever reason and video games can be a healthy outlet.

Back to the Halloween Jam, I really enjoyed Jam 2 because it was just a lot of pretty decent Quake maps, but set in places like... a spooky farm during harvest season.

Or a village sieged by neon green acid underneath a purple sky, two of Halloween's signature colors.

Or even a map set inside and around a gigantic jack-o-lantern.

Jam 3's maps are kind of just... regular Quake maps, to some degree. I guess they're sometimes a little darker than usual, but after playing over half of them, there aren't very many that evoke the feeling of Halloween specifically. That's not entirely the Jam's fault, I guess. Until Doom 3, I'd say Quake 1 was the game that felt like it bore the most of iD's horror sensibilities -- its mixture of gothic, sci-fi and cosmic horror gave it a very strange tone, which lends itself very well to spooky maps.

Ironically, one of the very first maps I picked in the Jam was something called "Hall-o-Win" which both demonstrates my point and also acts as maximum catharsis: it's mostly just a series of very long hallways with power-ups at the end and a lot of monsters along the way. A slaughter map in other words, though it does gradually start asking you for more strategy than "blast everything and never stop moving."

But a theme in a lot of these maps is less Halloween and more just, like, complex mazes. It's probably the pressure of a deadline talking, but a lot of these maps seem to orbit around a single central room that must be scaled, solved, and traversed. Take "Blackvenom Retreat," the greenish map seen at the top of the post. Most of the map is in one central lake area, with three big cubist structures sitting above the water. It plays out like climbing a construction site, as you go up ladders and leap between buildings in search of crystals to power whatever this thing does.

Or "Abbeytoir", a candle lit mansion that feels more like it fell out of Wrath: Aeon of Ruin with its endless hallways and side rooms that all confusingly loop back in on each other. It's not a very big map, but combined with how dark it is, how similar a lot of the rooms look, and how everything has at least 3-5 exits, as I opened up most of the doors near the end of the map I completely lost my ability to navigate when everything blurred into endless stairs, hallways, and switches.

And then there's "Us," a conceptually haunting map where the map creator's body has been disassembled and scattered amongst Quake's brushes. A texture for his head and hair unwrap along the skyline, you'll find nipples you can push like buttons, and floating eyes that watch your every step. "Strange" is putting it mildly, but it too is mainly one big room where the puzzle is to climb up ramps and platforms in order to reach the exit.

But there is one map I unexpectedly fell in love with -- "Approach of the Second Sun." This map is good enough it practically feels like it's own whole separate game.

The story is that a second, dark sun is approaching our reality, casting its curse on the land. This provides the map with its unique visual style, where the fog is used to invert the light. Effectively, the closer something is to you, the darker it gets. As objects get further away, they fade into the white fog, making for a game of low visibility and eerie silhouettes. The map uses this in its favor, as you spend most of it navigating a ritual site littered with statues, with the twist being that not everything you encounter is actually a statue.

There are tells, of course. Living monsters have subtle idle animations, so if you pay attention closely, you can pick out what's inanimate and what's alive. But the map also knows this, and plays with that expectation sometimes, bringing certain statues to life when you least expect it. It makes you jumpy and paranoid every time you turn a corner and see the outline of a monster and wait for a worst case scenario that doesn't always happen. It's masterclass stuff, and the map is big enough that it took me almost an hour to ultimately solve (like a lot of the other maps, it is a little easy to get lost).

I've got a few more maps left in Jam 3, and then I've got all of Jam 4 to look forward to. Hopefully there's something a little more seasonally flavorful waiting me.

#quake #writing #map jam #halloween #id software #long #video #the approach of the second sun #Youtube

[polarisbibliotheque]

Devil May Halloween 2022 - The Horror Amusement Park, Dante's Path

Happy Halloween everyone!! Hope you enjoy this one! Vergil's Path will be posted soon ;)

Pairing: Dante x Reader

Summary: After Nico solved the apple puzzle box, you and Dante entered what was called the Carnival of the Damned. Following a devil clown around, you would soon notice things are not quite what they seem - Happy Halloween!

(I think this is quite a long one too, I lost count of words/pages)

WARNINGS: Demonic clowns. I hate clowns, and I figured I'd better warn you, this one is filled with clowns - and cursing, and violence, and blood... You know. A typical Devil May Cry episode.

Author's note: A little bit delayed, but here it is!! I have to say, one of the scenes is inspired by the Ghost Rider movie, because I simply ADORED it when I was a teen (yep, that one with Nicolas Cage. It's wonderful and I don't care how campy it looks xD). It took me a while to post, because a sudden freelance opportunity appeared and I didn't have a professional portfolio - had to finish around 12 drawings in two days to get it all set up and delay writing a little bit. I do hope you guys understand "^^

I hope you all have a great Halloween, and to all my witches out there, happy Samhein ;)

(Also, I used witch as a word for everyone, because I do believe you don't have to be a woman to be called 'witch')

Devil May Halloween 2022 - Dante's Path

You found yourself in complete darkness.

When you admitted to Kyrie you were afraid of the dark as well, it wasn’t just to make her feel better. You really didn’t like it, but there was something a little more unnerving than just darkness in that room…

It was silence.

You heard nothing. Suddenly, everyone was gone, and you had the terrifying realization that you were completely alone.

Alone in a place you had no idea where it was, after a hellish puzzle box sent you there.

“Damn you Hellraiser…” You murmured to yourself, too silently for whatever else that could be there to listen.

“Y/n? Babe? Hey! Are you there?!” But Dante’s voice made itself heard above all that dark. You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling, even if nervously.

“Dante?! You’re here too?! Where are you?!” Waving your arms around, trying to grope anything that wasn’t air, you searched for your red devil. You had to admit, few times in your life you felt so happy upon hearing his voice – it was like a light in that pitch black dark.

“Yeah, I am! Anyone else with you, babe?” You could hear him walking around and trying to find you as well – so you decided to use your ears: closing your eyes, you only followed the sound of his voice.

“Nope, I’m here alone! How about you?”

“Well, I’m here with ya, wouldn’t call that alone, hot stuff.” As he giggled in the dark, you were certain of his position. With a nervous laugh alongside him, you ran towards Dante, finally able to wrap your arms around him. “Hey! Hello there, pretty! It’s alright!”

“Seriously, why did it have to be dark?” You muttered with your forehead resting on his chest, feeling his hands playing with your hair while you both laughed. “C’mon. Why do demonic things never do something out in the sun? No one ever watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre?”

“I don’t think they have, but you got a point there. Don’t have to be in the dark to be scared, right?” He let his hands rest on your hips as you turned your head upwards as if trying to see him. You couldn’t see anything, but you were close enough for Dante to see you perfectly – and, honestly, he would never get tired of having you in his arms like that.

“Exactly. Everyday, I fear Vergil is gonna stab you with a thousand summoned swords.”

Your words were enough to make him break down in laughs and bring you back to the situation at hand. Even if you liked when Dante played with your hair and embraced you, it wasn’t really the place to have a moment.

“Gotta say, that I fear too!” He finally let you go, but you were adamant in holding one of his hands. Dante didn’t seem to care, though. “Ok. We gotta find a way outta here.”

“And find everyone else. Where do you think we are?” You glanced back at him, a little hesitant about your next words. “Hell…?”

“Nah. There are a few dark spots like this in ol’ daddy Sparda’s home, but we aren’t there, pretty eyes.” He sighed, taking a look around. You couldn’t see it, but everything Dante was able to make out was nothing. It was as if you both were trapped in a void. “It’d be different. And trust me, there would be one hell of a reception to my old man’s blood.”

You furrowed your brows as soon as you felt Dante’s hand slightly tensing in yours, holding you a little tighter. He didn’t talk a lot about Hell – he certainly talked about it more than Vergil, but still, it wasn’t much – so you couldn’t help but notice that instinctive reaction from him and mark in your mind as important. Dante tensed over very few things and you never thought the mention of Hell and his time there alongside Vergil would be one of those things.

“Hmmm… Ok. So… You think this is demonic? I mean… You’re the Son of Sparda, where’s the usual reception of soured demons over your dad’s ‘betrayal’…?” As you asked, Dante couldn’t help himself but to snort a laugh in disdain. It was a running joke between you two: demons would always taunt him over his blood, his father’s legacy, the so-called betrayal of Sparda. It was starting to get old, really.

“And you got another point there, babe. No idea.” Dante shrugged, starting to walk around aimlessly while you just followed – never letting go of his hand. “Kinda feeling a little ignored here!” He raised his voice, as if complaining with whatever trapped you in there. You had to giggle a little bit. “But yeah, it’s demonic. You saw Trish’s face. I don’t know what kind of thing that box was, but I’m pretty sure she knew and tried to warn us.”

“Hmmm…” You remembered the look on Trish’s face as she glanced at the shiny red box in Nico’s hands. She did everything she could to reach out on time but failed. “So… You think we can expect cenobites?” As soon as you asked, Dante stopped on his tracks and burst out in a fit of laughter. “I mean, I’m pretty sure you can kick Pinhead’s ass with ease, babe, but they take the pain is pleasure thing a little too far for me, it’s a big no-no.”

Even if you couldn’t actually see Dante, you couldn’t stop yourself from smiling caringly at him. He had the best of laughs: bright as the sun, loud and sincere – it would always make your heart warm hearing him having so much genuine fun. You could crack unexpected jokes the whole night just to have him happy like that. Dante deserved it.

“Oh, but they have such sights to show you!” Of course, he had to joke with one of the lines from the movie, opening his free arm while still laughing at your question. Dante would never say it, but he thought you were adorable when you said things like that – there was something of innocent about using pop culture references to ask what was true or not about Hell. It was an innocence he prayed you’d never lose, for Dante would always do his absolute best to keep you from experiencing that place with your own soul.

“Right now, I can’t see anything. They are clearly failing on that.” You kept your voice as monotone as Vergil when he was complaining, making Dante find it all even more endearing. “If we find the cenobite travel department, I’m speaking to their manager about this. It’s unacceptable.”

Amidst Dante’s laughs – almost to the brink of tears you couldn’t see – your words were followed by a door lighting up in the distance. That made your red devil recompose himself by your side, both of you turning serious for a moment.

“Do you have any of your weapons with ya, babe?”

“What? Of course not!” If you could see him, you would have turned at Dante with the most baffled expression – not that he couldn’t see that in the dark. “Only Vergil brings weapons to an amusement park, but he has issues, Dante.”

“Well, we all have then. Here.” Before you could say anything else, you felt Dante placing one of his heavy guns in your free hand. It was Ebony or Ivory for sure, you knew how they felt even with your eyes closed. “If things go south, you gotta protect yourself too.”

“Where did you put this thing…?” You whispered as you approached the door, trying to remember everything from the night prior to that moment but failing to find where Dante had put his guns.

“Hey, I got my tricks too. Verge isn’t the only one with issues.” And with that comment, Dante finally opened the door.

As you crossed to the other side, a sudden brightness made you both close your eyes – only to open them and find yourselves in the middle of what looked like a cursed circus: bloody tents, half broken luminous signs, abandoned attractions and distorted circus music.

“Ooooh you gotta be kidding me…” Yes, you were in pain. If there was something you hated more than darkness, that was… “Killer clowns. Why does it always have to be killer clowns…?”

Dante did his best not to laugh – you were suffering enough already with just the idea of being hunted by a demonic clown of sorts.

“Hey, don’cha worry, babe! I’m here with ya, remember?” He started walking around, opening his arms while you followed him after a deep sigh. “Nothin’s gonna touch you – and that, is a promise.” With those words, he playfully tapped the point of your nose with his index finger, making you smile. Even if you didn’t want to.

“So…” You sighed again, hands inside the pockets of your black leather pants. “A carnival. A demonic one. I’ve never heard of this sort of demons before.”

“Me neither, but I did kill a few clown-looking spooks back when I was younger…” Dante mused while walking around and trying to find something that could tell you what the hell was going on in that place. “Lady’s ol’ man was the most annoying.”

“Oh, I had forgotten that! His demonic form was… Jester, right?” As you asked, Dante confirmed with his head, smiling back at you. “Can you imagine. You sacrifice everything in your human life to have the powers of a demon and Hell turns you into a clown. He should’ve gotten the clue.”

This time, Dante couldn’t stop himself from laughing. A lot.

“Ya know, you should tell Lady that! She’ll appreciate the thought, really!”

But before you could answer him, you sensed something wasn’t right by your side. As soon as you noticed it, though, the thing was faster than you and suddenly a clown with sharp teeth and bloody sparkly clothes jumped right in front of you, screaming as he did so.

Of course, you screamed as well and instinctively grabbed Dante’s arm, almost hiding behind your red devil. He wouldn’t admit it, but Dante actually liked when you used him to protect yourself – after all, he believed that was the use of his cursed blood.

“Ooooh, maaaan…” You groaned, resting your forehead on his back – Dante couldn’t help but giggle. “I hate clowns…”

“Well, well, little thing! Your reaction is the best I’ve ever seen! You are surely going to be popular here at the… Carnival of the Damned!” The clown spun around, having its arms open, showing that carnival of horrors to you. As soon as it spoke, the music got louder and there were sounds as if attractions had finally been turned on - as well as screams mixed in the wind.

“Great. It sounds great.” You couldn’t be more bitter.

“Hey, spook! What the hell is this?” Dante finally decided to grab the demon’s attention; the clown, though, looked a little shocked.

“Oh. You’re the smart one of the couple, right little thing?” The jester asked, sarcasm dripping from its words. “I can see he’s not the brightest.”

“Ei! Have some respect!” And no one could deny you were a couple, since you and Dante spoke in unison.

“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? I’ve been to Hell, and this is not it. I’d remember somethin’ as stupid soundin’ as ‘Carnival of the Damned’ and a sorry excuse for a demon like you.” Dante grabbed his other gun, Ebony, resting it on his shoulder. You did the same with Ivory, knowing very well how your lover liked to intimidate demons. “That box brought us here, we wanna get out. Either you start explainin’, or else you’ll be dancin’ as we shoot, capisce?”

“My, my, quite a temper on this one, huh?”

“I do call him my red devil.” You shrugged, hiding a proud smile on the corner of your lips. “You should see him when he actually loses his temper.”

“Ooooooh, he is scawy, is he?” The clown pretended to be scared, using an ominous but jokester tone, laughing like a maniac right at the ending of the phrase. It was surely having fun while taunting Dante. You wondered if it knew who your red devil was.

“He’s hot, actually.” You answered in a matter-of-fact voice, making Dante turn at you with a huge, proud smile plastered on his red-hot lips. Of course, he wouldn’t be much of a rockstar if he hadn’t makeup on.

“Ya think I’m hot when I’m mad, huh?” Dante planted one of his hands on his hips, making you giggle.

“Of course. I think you’re hot whenever.” You winked back at him, making the demonic clown in front of you completely disgusted.

“BLERGH! I can see sugar dripping from you both, it is hideous!” And once again, Dante just sighed looking back at that thing. You were having a moment, he hated when demons got in the way – something quite usual. “She told me you would be like that. So, I got a little game for you, happy couple.”

“She? Who is she…?”

“A-ha! As always, the smart one, my dear!” The clown bowed to you – and you didn’t know if you should take that as a compliment or as an insult to your lover. “Why don’t you find out? Here! Catch!”

Before any of you could think, the demon threw something at Dante and he instinctively caught what seemed to be a metal ball that glowed in red.

“Oh… Fuck..!” Dante sighed, having to anchor himself on the floor with one of his knees, seeming to lose his strength. You had never seen him like that before. “Not again…”

“Aaaaah, I knew you were not normal! It seems like you have encountered one of those before.” The demon pointed at the metal ball Dante held.

“What’s going on? Dante, let it go…!” You tried to take it from his hands, but Dante refused to give it to you.

“It might kill ya, y/n. Stay back.” And he sounded unusually serious.

“Not to worry, little thing. He will survive… If you return my little friend…” The demon pointed at the ball again. “To its proper place in time! Try to catch me!”

With those words, the demon started running, entering a tent right in front of you.

“Dante, what’s wrong?”

“This thing, it sort of sucks my life. I’m half-demon, so it makes me weaker, and it takes a while to actually kill me.” He explained such a daring situation a little too calmly for his own sake – even slightly smiling at the end.

“What if you trigger, then…?”

“Well… It might take even more time.” Dante winked back at you, getting back on his feet with some difficulty. “Ok, then, hot stuff! Time to hunt down that clown!”

And in a bright, flaming red light, Dante triggered, and you could clearly see your red devil standing in front of you – fangs and claws ready to kill anything that decided to threaten you both.

“I’ll be right behind you, red devil.” It was your turn to wink at him – and you knew Dante was entertained by the way his distorted voice giggled behind his teeth.

“If ya have a hard time to catch up, scream! I’ll be right there with ya!” You just nodded, getting ready to run. It was a fact: Dante’s speed when he triggered was a lot faster than yours – and you hoped it would be to your advantage; after all, he could kill all demonic clowns along the way before you even got there.

*

You never thought you would catch yourself thinking about something like that, but seeing the trail of dead, clown looking demons and blood your lover left behind actually made you happy that night. Just the thought of not having to deal with those jesters already made you less prone to nightmares with those things, you were sure of that.

You had a lot to thank Dante later.

The tent, just like Mary Poppins’ bag, was bigger on the inside. As you entered and crossed a room filled with creepy circus props and what looked like victims laying around, you crossed another opening right on the other side and, to your surprise, you didn’t end up outside: you were in another room.

You did double back to make sure you weren’t running in circles inside an infinite loop – it had happened to you and Nero once and it took you both quite a while to find out what was going on and that it was supposed to be a hellish puzzle – but it was a different room: a place to house a knife thrower and their assistant.

That kept on for quite a while. Crossing tents decorated as the most gruesome of haunts, following the trail of dead demons. You could hear Dante in the distance – the more he ran, the more tired he sounded. It wasn’t something usual and you had to worry if your lover was alright.

“Dante! Can you see that creep anywhere?!” You decided to ask at some point. You had been running for so long, you lost count how many rooms you crossed.

If, by some chance, you were trapped inside the box, it was one hell of a big box.

After all, you had been trapped in a cursed top hat in a previous Halloween alongside Dante. Being with him was a box filled with surprises.

“Can’t see, but I can smell that garbage and hear it laughing!” His distorted voice echoed in front of you, reverberating through the tents. It always seemed to escape Dante how powerful he was – but it never escaped you.

As you were almost answering him you hoped that whole chase would end soon, you could actually hear Dante’s footsteps ending its frenetic run. After crossing two more rooms, you found your red devil staring at the demon who danced like a fool around a woman standing in the middle of a circus ring, surrounded by blood and demons who seemed to be dismembering each other.

“Ok. That’s new.” You had to point it out. It wasn’t the first time demons would be fighting their own, but it was the first time you were seeing it.

For Dante, though, it was something common to see in Hell.

“Hey, asshole! Care to take your little thing back?” Dante tossed the ball between his claws, grabbing the attention of the woman.

Although… As soon as she looked at you, her eyes seemed to lose all its will and suddenly that witch was nothing but a child. She couldn’t be older than fifteen, at least in your eyes.

“Who… Who are you?” And she looked a little frightened, even if she didn’t want to let it show. She tried to keep the pose, but it was clearly not working.

Like the demon said, Dante could be pretty scary when triggered. You were used to it, though.

“Oh. They don’t know.” You put your free hand on your waist, resting the gun on your shoulder. The girl’s eyes widened, as if she had never seen a gun so close in her life. “You guys aren’t joking, are you…?”

“You brought the wrong people! It isn’t them!” The girl complained with the demon clown, who stopped dancing around and laughing. All the chaos with the demons around seemed to come to a halt and that made you and Dante extra wary.

“They were the ones brought by the box! A couple, just like you said, little witch.” The clown didn’t look too happy – even though it was smiling. There was some sort of hatred permeating its words.

“But… They are the wrong couple! I don’t know them!” She pointed back at you. “One of them isn’t even human! You brought another witch over here!”

“Do I look like a witch…?” You turned back at Dante. “I was supposed to be The Crow.”

“I’m guessin’ she never watched the movie.” He shrugged back at you. “You look great, hot stuff.”

“I did what you told me to do!” The clown now looked positively threatening. You and Dante had your guns ready and fingers on the triggers: even if that girl was responsible for all of that, she was still a human and she had to do a lot of explaining. “Don’t go thinking you are the one in charge here! We are bound to the Carnival and you are just a parasite. A means to an end.”

“What…?!” Now the girl did her best not to stutter. You were starting to pity her. “That… That wasn’t the deal! I control you…!”

“No pitiful human controls us! Your magic was just to set us free, your little petty revenge as a blood sacrifice! Don’t go thinking for a second that you are more powerful than us, that you can bind us in servitude…!”

Furrowing your brows, you realized you heard those words before. Long ago, when Vergil was teaching you some obscure arcane arts, he taught you about binding and deals. For any being to be able to bind a demon in servitude, it was necessary to be a lot more powerful than said demon – that was how, long ago, when Vergil was a lot younger and foolish, Mundus was the only one able to bind him in his Nelo Angelo form.

It was a lesson for you to be careful: even though you were strong and powerful, you still had a long road to run in order to achieve the same level as the blood of Sparda, for instance. You should always know when you could tackle an enemy and when it was too much – it was a logic call that could cost your life. Vergil always reminded you of that.

“Hey! I was talkin’ to ya, I’m feelin’ ignored over here!” Dante finally made you two be noticed by the demon and the witch once again, giving her time to carefully put some distance between her and the jester she thought was under her control. “Where do I put this thing? Or else, I’m gonna feed it to ya!”

“Ooooh someone is getting nervous…!” Of course, the clown had to start dancing.

It was a bad call. Dante was already out of his patience and, seeing there was a human girl in possible danger, he wouldn’t take much of that any longer. After all, it looked like she was close to Patty’s age, and Dante would never deny protection to Patty.

“You know what?” Dante threw the metal ball in the air and, as it floated above your heads, he pointed Ebony at it and shot it right in the middle. The metal ball broke in a burst of energy and red sparkles filled the circus ring. “I’m tired of this shit. C’mon, spook. You’re next.”

With those words, the other demons started to surround you. Holding the gun with both hands, you were ready to fight.

“Babe. Get her and take her out of the way, ok?” He murmured to you before anything else started. You agreed with a nod.

As the red glow of the sin devil trigger took the ring, you started running towards the witch, shooting and punching anything in your way. You could hear Dante’s wings flapping and the sharp sound of something being impaled – he had summoned Devil Sword Dante and you knew things would get too ugly for that clueless girl who just screamed in horror.

“Hey! Witch! Over here!” You waved at her, kicking a demon right by your side and shooting it in the head. “I got you!”

She ran towards you, holding your hand as you tried to find a safe place to keep her and defend your position while Dante let all hell break loose.

“Are you insane?! Trying to control a demon is just for powerful witches! It requires a lot of experience!” You looked over your shoulder to see if the girl was fine behind you, shooting at the demons who tried to catch you without even looking.

“Are you a witch?!” Her eyes seemed to glow in admiration. “Can you stop this?!”

“I don’t even know what’s going on, kid!” With that, you punched the nearest evil clown, giving it a kick before unleashing Ivory on it. “Dante over there, he can handle a lot of stuff! But a Hellraiser magic box is new to even us!”

“It’s just that, a puzzle box!” The girl cried, kneeling behind you to protect herself as you shot another demon. Looking over your legs, she saw Dante, still in his full sin devil trigger form, slicing demons with a heavy flaming sword – while the clown she once thought was under her control commanded all the other demons to kill all of you. “We… We enchanted it! We found a book, a spell, to enchant and control demons! To create realities! To punish our enemies!”

“What kind of enemies a kid has that deserves all of this?!”

“They bully us every day! We’re tired of it!”

You finally halted, looking back at the girl kneeling behind you. Her eyes were filled with tears and horror – and you couldn’t help but to see yourself, a long ago, scared and brimming with rage, trying to claim a little bit of power to fight for yourself. To protect your own pride.

After all, that was how you met Dante.

“What’s your name, kid?” You shot Ivory once more, kneeling beside her, helping to hide both of you behind a couple of chairs.

“Amanda. I’m Amanda…” She kept on crying, holding your hands and trying to explain herself as if you were her parent. “I… We’re not evil, I swear to you. We were just trying, you know…? We wanted them to be scared, to see us as powerful and leave us alone! I swear, we didn’t… The demons were supposed to scare. They said it would only be a scare. We set rules, they weren’t supposed to kill anyone! We didn’t… We don’t want to… We aren’t murderers…!”

“Hey, hey, Amanda, take a deep breath, ok?” You caressed her hair, trying to calm her down. As always, humans were so difficult: they weren’t black and white as demons. Not all of them did evil for evil’s sake – some of them just made mistakes. “Like I said, demons are powerful. You’re a beginner in the occult and there’s a lot of stuff out there on the internet that doesn’t come with the needed warnings. We’re going to take care of it. Can you take us out of here?”

“Yeah… I just… That demon, it has a puzzle box to open the portal to go back.” Amanda pointed at the demon who challenged her previously – and now was fighting Dante. “It is the main demon in this reality, even if I created all this. It said it was going to keep the box safe for me, his master.”

“Wait, you did all of this?” You raised one eyebrow while she just nodded as an answer. “Not bad. You’re more powerful than I thought.”

“This smell… Ha, look what we have here!” The voice of the clown echoed in joy, drawing your attention back to the fight. You could see Dante with a scratch on his leg – something you thought was impossible given his thick skin – while the demon licked his apple red blood. “It’s that vile blood…! What a joy! What a fight! We have a Sparda for the sacrifice tonight!”

“Well, I was wonderin’ how long it would take for the ‘scumbag blood of Sparda’ to start!” Dante rested his weight on his sword, barely bothered by the scratch. That seemed to make the demon even angrier, now with eyes glowing red. “I think this one was the slowest to notice, right, hot stuff?”

“Well, I do think he isn’t the brightest of demons, babe. Give it a break.” You shrugged as you raised from your hiding spot – Amanda carefully placed behind you, admiring how you both bantered in the face of danger.

“Haha! That, you are right! Not the brightest in the slightest!” Dante answered in a sing song tone, delightful even if distorted by his demon form.

“Oh, you shall see, son of Sparda! I will make you suffer endlessly!” The demon summoned others to attack Dante alongside it and even Amanda could see the legendary devil hunter was outnumbered.

“I’d like to see you try that.” Dante’s answer came in a growl from his chest, while he grabbed Devil Sword Dante and prepared a drive move, making it glow like flames when unleashing on the demons.

“Ok, Amanda. You wanna see what real magic looks like…?”

The girl furrowed her eyebrows as you asked, ready to inquire what you meant by that. You didn’t have to do much explaining: simply walking as she followed you in awe, the air around you quickly filled with golden swords – attacking the demons in the blink of an eye, allowing Dante to only care about the main demon attacking him. You were decimating everyone else with the summoned swords Vergil had taught you so well how to use – something Dante never really learned.

“Wow… You gotta be the most powerful witch I’ve ever seen!” Amanda was breathless as you kept fighting without even looking at all the preys. “This is so cool! That’s why you can control a demon!”

“What?” Even though you turned back at her, your golden summoned swords kept doing their job. Again, something well taught by Vergil – bless the day he blindfolded you and pulled an Obi-Wan Kenobi teaching Luke how to sense the enemies around you and attack them. “I can’t control demons.”

“But… What about him? How do you control him?” Amanda pointed at Dante, his fangs showing while he tried to hack the clown in half – missing it by only a heartbeat.

“I don’t…”

You were about to explain when you saw in the corner of your eye a demon ready to grab Amanda. Pushing her away, the demon caught you instead, lifting your feet from the floor as it choked you.

Vergil never taught you how to use summoned swords when you were so unfocused – differently than him, you couldn’t multitask everything you did with energy. It required so much of you, even for the swords, and you still had a lot to learn. You tried to shoot the demon, but it was to no avail: all your shots were lost in its decrepit body.

“Y/n!” Of course, Dante’s attention immediately turned to you.

“Time to say goodbye to your little human! What a shame, I really enjoyed the smart one!” The clown laughed sadistically while the demon that grabbed you prepared a blade to cross your heart.

Your eyes met Dante’s flaming ones. If it was your time to go, at least you wanted him to be the last thing you saw – in whatever form he was. You still tried to struggle, but it was too hard to free yourself; after all, most of your energy was gone with the summoned swords.

You never heard Dante growl the way he did that night. Holding Devil Sword Dante with both of his hands, his feet moved at the speed of light – one you had only seen Vergil moving before. The demon who tried to kill you died before the blade could even touch your chest – making you fall to the ground while Dante ran back to the clown and quickly chopped its head off. Too fast even for it to notice it was dead.

With the same speed, he ended the few demons that were left in that place, while Amanda ran to the clown to find the box inside its clothes. Your legs were shaking as you got up, trying to catch a glimpse of Dante in his frenzy – it was rare, but you knew a threat to your life could trigger that inside him.

“I found it!” Amanda celebrated, showing the red box to you – but immediately stopped smiling as Dante stood in front of her, Devil Sword Dante in his hands, ready to kill.

“No! Dante! Stop!” You forgot how unstable your legs were, running towards them as quickly as possible. His red eyes focused on you, his demon acting almost mindlessly. “Dante! She’s only a child! Stop! She isn’t evil!”

As you reached him, Amanda winced as you gently touched his arm holding the sword. Still looking into his eyes, you eased Dante’s arm down, making him face you. With a few deep breaths, you placed one of your hands on his hardened face, gently caressing him – and, pulling him down, you finally gave Dante a kiss.

That, you would argue, was your greatest magic. Demon Dante was slowly gone, flaming red sparks glistening all over the place while your kind devil turned back into a man – your very own rockstar for the night. You felt as his sharp teeth transformed back into his soft lips, the ones you loved so much – as his leathery skin became his soft cheek under your fingers once more.

Parting your kiss and opening your eyes, you met Dante’s tired but gentle sky-blue eyes looking back into yours.

“Thank you.” He murmured back to you, taking a string of hair away from your face – hands so gentle, one could say they never even held a sword.

“Welcome back, babe.” You smiled in return, as he ran the back of his fingers on your cheek.

Dante always turned a little too soft hearted when he came down from a frenzy like that.

“Wait. He’s a guy? And you two are, like, a couple?” Amanda gestured frenetically while trying to understand what she had just seen. “Wow. You gotta be the most powerful witch. That’s so metal.”

“Wait until I tell you his father rebelled against his own kind and locked demons in Hell, while Dante here killed the king of Hell years later.” You had to boast, at least a little bit. It wasn’t every day you could flex on how your lover defeated the king of Hell, his father locked all demons in there, his brother took over that damned place and his mother was a stupidly powerful witch.

At least you had that in common with Eva: both of you had the hearts of the most powerful demons of their time, you didn’t need to control them.

“What?! You are so cool!”

“Ok, kid. Y/n here said you’re not evil, I’m willin’ to believe in it. Show me wha’cha got.” Dante sighed, making Devil Sword Dante disappear in flames as he always did. Amanda still observed you both in awe and you couldn’t stop yourself from smiling – it did feel like you were dating a rockstar.

“The box, it’s a portal. This is all a spell – this demon was bound to it, and I… We… Thought we had it all under control. I need to help my friends, they’re in trouble too – if this is happening to them...” Amanda stumbled a little upon her words, but her fingers quickly worked on the puzzle box. “We didn’t mean it…”

“If your friends found any of our friends, they’re not gonna need our help.” You winked at her, watching as the box started to glow – now in the form of an apple. “Trust me. His brother is scarier. A lot scarier.”

“He has a brother?!” Amanda couldn’t stop smiling – just like Nico before, she looked like a child during Christmas. “Who are you guys?!”

You and Dante just exchanged a knowing look, smiling at each other. For once, it was nice to be seen as something more than all the usual cursed bloodline.

*

“Oh, my! You are fine!”

As you walked out of the haunted house, back in the horror park, Kyrie immediately smiled as soon as she saw you, Dante and Amanda. Running towards you, she wrapped her arms around your neck and it seemed like she would never let go.

“I was so worried!” She sighed as you hugged her back, laughing how it seemed like she was about to cry. “I thought you wouldn’t be able to leave…!”

“It’s ok, angel!” You giggled back, trying to calm her down. Dante just laughed while walking towards Lady, Trish and another girl dressed as a witch – obviously the one in charge for the haunting on their group. “I’m happy you ended up with Lady and Trish, though!”

“Oh, yes! They helped to keep me alive!” Kyrie giggled back, finally letting go of you – but keeping a tight grip in one of your hands. “Lady gave me a gun so I could defend myself too, but they did all the work.”

“Oh, right. Sometimes I forget Nero teaches you his craft.” You answered in a solemn demeanor as you both approached the group. “I thought he would end up with you, though.”

“I am praying he ended up with Nico. She is good, but even if she doesn’t admit it, she needs someone to protect her too in all this… Mess.”

“I’d say mess is too kind of a word for all of this.” Trish sighed, leaning on the guardrail alongside Dante. “It’s never good when humans try to mess with demonic things they don’t fully understand.”

“At least we knew what we were looking for.” Lady seemed tired, leaning by Dante’s other side. “That puzzle box is a binding spell thing apparently. You never saw any of those before?”

“Nah. Not in boxes, at least.” Dante shrugged, glaring Lady right after. “There was that demon in a mask that granted people’s wishes once, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. The one I almost made melt you, right?” She giggled while Dante just rolled his eyes – even though you could see him smiling.

“I swear they are best friends.” You felt the need to clarify all that to Amanda and her friend.

“So, he’s a half demon...?” The other girl asked while pointing at Dante. Kyrie immediately agreed. “Wow. I still can’t believe Trish is a demon and Lady is a devil hunter. And you?”

“Devil hunter as well, 100% human.”

“Not just that. Y/n is a witch like us, but super powerful! And not only that, y/n and Dante are a couple. Literally dating a half demon, Abby.” It seemed like Amanda was telling her fried about the coolest person to walk on earth. You had to smile.

“Wow, really?!” Abby looked at you in awe while you only agreed once again. Kyrie just giggled by herself. “Dude. That’s metal.”

“Well, I’m not the only one attracted to half demons.” You looked at Kyrie, making the girls just stare at her as if they couldn’t believe your words. “Nero, Dante’s nephew. She completely owns his heart.”

“You guys are so cool!”

“Kyrie!”

Before you could say anything else, though, Nero’s voice emerged from the house.

“See, airhead?! She’s fine! Told ya!” Nico pointed at the group, being followed by another young witch.

“Nero! You’re fine!” Kyrie ran to his arms, holding him as soon as they touched. Nero grabbed her by the waist spinning Kyrie around as she laughed, and he placed kisses all over her face. “You’re alright!”

“Of course I am! Had to check how my girl was doin’!” You could all swear he would never stop kissing her. “I’m so glad you’re ok, angel. I really am. I was so worried.”

“And I was worried about you…!”

“They are the worst, Sandy.” Nico confided with the witch who had them trapped before. “it’s from that to even more cheap romance.”

Before any of you could answer, Nero held Kyrie’s face for a long kiss, while flipping Nico with his other hand. A classic.

As you watched the crew getting back together, you saw how the coven of young witches was so starstruck with all of you. Remembering Amanda’s words, you understood where her search for power to protect herself came from – how it looked like they just wanted to have a group where they could live peacefully without having to worry about being hurt.

“Hey, Amanda, you said you girls did all of this because of bullying, right?” You finally brought the topic up, drawing Dante’s attention.

“Yeah… There’s this group of people at school who just won’t let us be. They always make fun of us for being witches and such, we wanted to teach them a lesson.”

“We didn’t mean to hurt anyone!” Sandy immediately jumped in the conversation. “We just wanted to scare them so they’d leave us alone, you know?”

“It seemed like a good idea when we found the spell… We didn’t know how much power we needed to actually make it work.” Abby sighed, looking ashamed after all that happened.

“Hmmm… I have an idea to help you.”

“Really?” Dante leaned towards you, interested in what was going on in that head of yours. “What’s it, babe?”

“Well… Vergil isn’t back yet, right…?” You side eyed Dante, a shadow of a smile hidden in your lips. “I think we can put the Dark Slayer to good use today.”

Dante didn’t even have to hear the rest of your words. Using Vergil to scare a couple of teens? That was already entertaining enough to him.

*

The house was dark and ominous. The group of teenagers found themselves locked in a room that looked like a torture chamber, needing to complete a puzzle to get out. Some of them made fun of the ones who were too scared, others were unbothered and just wanted to leave.

It took them some time, but the key was found in a cubic puzzle box, freeing them from that room. Soon, they were in another room that looked like a mortuary – filled with dead bodies and screams in the dark.

“Oh, c’mon! This is so lame!” A girl pointed at one of the props, laughing at one of the scared boys. “You can’t be scared by this!”

“I just don’t like looking at it!” The boy rolled his eyes, ignoring as she played with the props. “It doesn’t do well for your mental health!”

“Ooooh, he’s a scaredy cat…!” She patronized him, making others join the choir of shame.

“Yeah, make fun of me. I’m gonna laugh when something scares the shit out of you, guys.”

As soon as he said that, one of the other boys jumped back while trying to cross a door.

“Dude, shit! Don’t do that!” He kept one of his hands over his heart, slowly walking back as the ominous figure entered the room.

Vergil stared back at the group of teenagers with the cold look in his silvery eyes – which was enough to freeze them in place and dare not ask him anything. Looking regal and threatening as always, he didn’t say a word while just staring. Menacingly.

“Ok, you’re a good actor, we get it!” The girl who swore she wasn’t scared of nothing still tried to play it cool. “Cut it out!”

Vergil still didn’t say a word – just glanced back at her. That made her, and the whole group, understand they were in actual danger. He wasn’t just an actor.

“Let’s leave. Now. C’mon.” One of the guys started to shove the group to the door, slowly leaving while still staring at Vergil.

“Hey, you jerk! It’s just Halloween, you don’t have to get like that!” Another girl of the group was too scared to leave without saying something. “Go to hell!”

“I have been there…” Vergil’s words weren’t loud but were enough to cut their soul like the sharp blade of Yamato. Glancing back at the group of teens, Vergil’s eyes suddenly lit up in blue, a pair of fangs appearing in his mouth while his fingers turned into claws – voice now distorted by his demonic heritage. “Maybe it is time to take you for a visit and teach you all a lesson.”

“Dude, what…?!”

Before any of them could finish speaking, though, Vergil’s doppelganger appeared behind him – a phantasmagoric image in blue, while the man in the room slowly unsheathed his sword; it was too sharp and bright not to be real.

The group screamed and horror and started running in panic, screaming at every jumpscare meant to get them by surprise while touring the house. Vergil just walked after them, his doppelganger calmly following his footsteps.

“Help! Someone help us!”

“What the hell! Help!”

“Where’s the exit?! He’s getting close!”

As the group ran desperately to exit the house, they almost stumbled into each other when they saw the door that would get them out of there. Screaming while leaving, they looked back only to see Vergil still followed them relentlessly – his doppelganger as an ominous aura.

“C’mon, dude! Leave us alone!” Now one of the girls cried, while it seemed Vergil would never stop – and was more than ready to use his blade.

“There he is! Don’t let him go!” Amanda pointed at Vergil, as the other witches from the coven held hands and chanted something in Latin. “It is time to send you back to Hell, demon!”

“You?! What?!”

“You guys need our help or not?!” Abby asked the boy who tried to argue with them. “He’s possessed! Do you know how to deal with it?!”

“No! It… It isn’t… Real…?”

With those words from another girl, Vergil growled, getting in position for a judgement cut – his doppelganger following him.

“He’s pretty real! Help us, please!” The boy who was previously scared was the first one to say something.

“Don’t worry. We can deal with him.”

The coven moved their hands while chanting their Latin words at Vergil. He seemed to resist for a while, struggling before finally bowing his head and taking a deep breath. The girls didn’t stop the incantation until he straightened his back, the doppelganger disappearing behind him.

As Vergil opened his eyes, their silvery colors were back – claws and fangs gone: a perfectly normal human.

“Thank you for ridding me of that demon.” He slightly bowed his head as you appeared running towards him from behind the coven.

“Vergil! You're alright!” You sighed, holding one of his hands while he just smiled back at you. “I was so worried… Thank you, witches. He wouldn’t be ok if it wasn’t for you.”

“It’s ok. If something else happens, give us a call, ok?” Sandy smiled as you both just thanked once more and left – their bullies watching everything in awe.

“Wow… Really? That’s… That’s all true…?” One of the guys asked while watching you leaving, still scared of Vergil.

“Thanks, really… You guys kinda saved us.” The bravest of the girls admitted, finally feeling remorse for mistreating them for so long.

“It’s fine. Just don’t ever mess with us again, capisce?” Amanda asked back, one of her hands on her waist – just like you used to do in that mess inside the Carnival. “Or else, we’ll turn you into frogs.”

“Ha, you can’t do that!” A boy from the group laughed as quickly as he looked back at them with fear. “Can you…?”

And they did the right thing: didn’t answer – just left the group of bullies with questions and fear, while heading towards a candied apples booth to celebrate their newly acquired power.

“That was one hell of a good idea, babe.” You heard Dante’s voice behind you, right by your ear as you all watched the coven’s victory over their bullies. “Gotta admit. Those bullies will never mess with ‘em again.”

“Hope so. They deserve some peace.” You looked back at Dante, placing a quick kiss on his lips. “You deserve it too, Dante.”

“Hmmm. I already have you.” His arms wrapped around your waist while you two watched the girls celebrating in the distance. “Got all the peace I need.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” You giggled in return. “You know, I felt like dating a rockstar for real tonight.”

“I can be your rockstar any time you want, babe.” With those words, Dante muffled another one of your giggles with a kiss.

“See? Told ya they’re worse than us!”

And of course, Nero’s voice had to interrupt you. Holding Dante’s hand, you two got back to the group, following the crew around the park and continuing your Halloween fun – you both deserved it.

Before entering the next attraction, though, you held Dante by his coat’s collar, pulling him closer to you until your lips were almost touching.

“Just one thing you got wrong, cowboy…” As he would question what the hell was all that, you kissed him once more. “You’re always my rockstar.”

Dante couldn’t stop himself from smiling in return. Entering the haunt with one of his arms around your shoulders, that was already the best Halloween ever for him. It was nice to be recognized as a hero for a change – but to be your rockstar?

Well, that was priceless.

#devil may cry #devil may cry imagine #devil may halloween #dmc #dmc imagine #devil may cry fanfiction #dmc dante #dmc vergil #dante sparda #vergil sparda #dante x reader #dante x you #it took a while but here it is! #I had a little too much fun imagining Vergil scaring a couple of teens though #and Dante fits so well with the rockstar look #I could imagine him like that all the time ^^ #happy halloween devil hunters!!

[wanderer-on-the-steppe]

Has anyone from the Ogniem i mieczem fandom seen this movie?

Let’s say I’ve been having… an interesting evening with it recently ;) Something I’ve always wanted to see or read was a movie/book with a Helena Czaplińska who’s both an alluring spy and a truly tragic character: someone who’s struggling with guilt and conflicting loyalties, and, much like Kmicic, is longing for redemption, but – unlike him – genuinely cannot decide what the right path is and just gets bogged down more and more hopelessly in a dilemma she cannot solve. Because whatever the historical truth might have been – from a fictional point of view, the most fascinating answer to the question: “Has she been spying on Khmelnytsky or did she truly love him?” is certainly: both.

So, when this movie promised to have some of this approach, I didn’t care much for not so enthusiastic reviews – I had to watch it. And then spent a considerable part of the movie wishing I could see the same events with the OiM-Khmelnytsky and another Helena. Or maybe not even another, but one that’s been given more room: more lines of dialogue (or more substantial ones), more glimpses into her past / her state of mind / her thinking, more opportunities to make the audience understand. For even though I got just enough of an impression of her to feel sorry for her in the end (and to believe her when she told Khmelnytsky’s son Tymish that the only person she’d ever loved was his father) I still don’t feel like I know her. And of course, when one doesn’t understand something in a movie, it can be rather difficult to say if it’s really not in there or if one just… didn’t get it – so I’d be very interested in opinions of others who have seen it ;) – but while I’ve seen movies where I had a strong suspicion that I was, indeed, not clever enough, here I felt like something was missing.

It’s not even completely clear to me when her decision to become a spy was made. Already before she married him? The scene at the king’s residence, about there being a spy close to Khmelnytsky that he trusts, suggests so – but that, as far as I can see, would leave her motivation completely in the dark. Whereas if the decision is taken later, one gets at least a few pieces in the puzzle in the form of her worry for her home country and a marriage that turns out much more difficult than she had imagined. But even then I feel like there could have been so much more. Because… she’s surprised (and offended) that he can’t just retire to a life of dancing and amusements in the middle of a war? Seriously?? I mean, even that wouldn’t necessarily make the character implausible – shallowness exists, and has its reasons, and just a hint of Helena trying to hurl herself headlong into it to escape the trauma of her past could turn her into a character that does have depth but desperately tries to ignore it, for fear of the things that are lurking there. The disappointing thing is: there isn’t even a hint. Or at least I can’t see one.

And Khmelnytsky himself? I’ll readily admit I’m very attached to Bohdan Stupka’s interpretation of him, and of course it’s not the movie’s fault that it’s different from that, but… I feel like there’s so much untapped potential. In both of the main characters. For while we do get to know Bohdan better then Helena, I’ve got the impression that, with very few exceptions, they tried so meticulously to avoid all his flaws that the result is not quite believable anymore. The most striking example: the very honourable duel with Czapliński after Khmelnytsky discovered him among the prisoners of war. Not that I’m especially keen on seeing what I think would have happened – in fact, I’m rather glad that I did not have to see it – the thing is: it wasn’t even necessary to turn Khmelnytsky into a stickler for honourable correctness to avoid a potentially disturbing scene. All they would have had to do is to not let him capture the guy. The historical Khmelnytsky never did so anyway. And that’s exactly why it seems like the only reason for this duel is to show how incredibly fair and correct Khmelnytsky is, and… Oh well… let’s just say there’ve been very different stories ;)

It’s not like I don’t understand the patriotic reasons that might be behind some choices in this movie, but – seeing it from the point of view of storytelling – taking away everything objectionable in a character until what remains doesn’t feel like them anymore doesn’t help. Because it’s vivid, believable, fascinating characters that get people interested in the history behind a movie if they aren’t already. And it’s not like the OiM-Khmelnytsky didn’t have his sense of honour too – he did, towards Jan, and I love this aspect of him – but at the same time, there was no doubt that he was goddamn dangerous and that there would be situations when he would not play fair. And I think he needs some of that to be recognisably himself, because you can make a character somewhat more likeable than their historical self and still make it feel believable (which is exactly what they did in OiM) – but only so much. More of it, and it doesn’t become more likeable, it just becomes... flat.

Still, though I can hardly stop myself from rambling about all the things that I wish they’d done differently, I don’t want to make it seem like everything about this movie is bad from beginning to end. It’s not. The reunion in the tent, after Helena left Czapliński? Beautiful scene, both aesthetically and as far as their interaction and Khmelnytsky’s unanswered questions are concerned. Tymish? Understandably furious and mistrustful of her for marrying Czapliński after witnessing what this man did to his brother. And while I personally tend to have a much darker opinion of him, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate an interpretation that shows me how I could be wrong and how he could still arrive at doing what he did. And the one thing I really have to give this movie credit for is the scene where Khmelnytsky realises he’s been betrayed: this incredible rage that’s so violent and still so utterly, undeniably helpless. That feeling of getting news that shatters everything, and being unable to believe it – but having to. This they’ve really done perfectly.

So... anyone here who has seen it?

#bohdan khmelnytsky #bohdan chmielnicki #helena czaplińska #movie recommendation (or not? ;)) #ogniem i mieczem #rambling SO MUCH rambling #Youtube

[altocat]

I love that anxious seph is a thing now. I have anxiety so we need more of that stuff because he's so distraught in crisis core and I feel so bad for him.

So with that all said, how does your seph unwind or relax? I want soft boy doing soft boy thingsssss

YESSS Anxious Seph!

I have clinical anxiety too hhh so maybe I impose that on Seph a lot BUT he does exhibit actual traits!

-Anyway, in the rare instances when Seph gets to unwind and relax, he typically will do a number of things. One of them, of course, is engaging with Angeal and Genesis. As his trusted companions, they're good at getting him out of his shell, as well as helping him take pleasure in more simple things in life. Later on, he feels this way towards Zack as well, perhaps even more so since seeing Zack becomes probably the only thing that relaxes him in what is essentially a series of constant losses and uncertainties.

-Apart from being around his companions, Sephiroth likes taking long, warm baths. No loud noises. No bright lights. Just a quiet dark soak in the tub, maybe with some wine and a lot of self-care and self-soothing. He avoids being near anything that could potentially trigger turbulent emotions, going off the grid for a few hours just to bask in a bit of warmth and silence.

-Sephiroth is rather fond of scented candles. They hold a relaxing aroma. His cabinet is probably secretly filled with them for later use.

-Hair care! Sephiroth loves brushies.

-Sephiroth suffers from chronic insomnia. Some of it is stress and some of it, unbeknownst to him, is because he's partially nocturnal. He's sleepiest during the day and in the offhand chance he actually has the day off, he likes a nice cozy nap with his window open and a bit of sun filtering through the blinds. Catboy hehe

-Deep breathing techniques! Sephiroth is extremely good at appearing calm and completely put together. The only time he really shows his true expressions are when he's alone and unmonitored. If he's having a particularly rough day, he tries to center himself by steadying his breathing. Lots of closing his eyes and counting to 10. Lots of sensory techniques to take his mind off of current stressors.

-Sephiroth is at his absolute worst after lab visits. Though he's willing to stand up to Hojo now that he's no longer a child and very actively gets violent around Hojo if he falls prey to the scientist's goading, the procedures themselves take a heavy toll. He will occasionally be granted breather days afterwards, where he mostly just hides out in his room to recover. Sephiroth doesn't actively sign up for break days so much as they're assigned to him, but even he has limits. He will spend a few days just kind of lying inert and avoiding everyone. Completely nonverbal and isolated.

-As a child, Sephiroth loved puzzles. Puzzles were his favorite way of settling himself, especially if they were particularly difficult. If he's focusing more on solving the puzzle, he doesn't have to think about bad or scary things. He does the same as an adult, busying himself with crosswords and other idle objects to draw his attention elsewhere.

-Sephiroth finds that he sometimes has very strange yearnings. Things he can't quite express or articulate. The need to be held--not romantically. Simply...held. Held tight. Held close. Bundled up against something warm with warm hands around him. He views the need as incredibly weak and beneath him, but the feeling has lingered his entire life. He wishes he could pinpoint its source. But it always slips away at the last moment. Sometimes, alone in bed, he holds himself, trying to capture the feeling. It's so strange. Human and warm and safe. But he can't quite replicate it. He's disgusted with himself for trying or caring. And yet...

#sephiroth #ff7 #crisis core #ffvii #asks #final fantasy 7 #sephcanons #genesis rhapsodos #angeal hewley #zack fair #soft sephiroth #catboy #sad murderboi

[edith-moonshadow]

Love Was Only True In Fairy Tales Part Two

Summary:

Every girl at Hawkins high wanted Billy Hargrove but Tracy was determined to be the one to capture his attention.

This chapter isn't a continuation but an accompaniment from a different character's POV. (Part One)

Written for the March 2023 Billy's Birthday Bonanza Harringrove Week

For the prompt Lesley Gore Passing The Crown: Outsider POV

Billy Hargrove swept into Hawkins like a breath of fresh air. Living in a small town meant that everyone knew everyone else. Everyone came with history and connections. Being a teenage girl could either be heaven or hell in these circumstances. Tracy had experienced both. She had only had two steady boyfriends but she had admired many from afar yet due to the intricacies of high school dating many were off limits. Being a cheerleader it was expected of her to only date within a certain group of people. However many of the boys in this group were either taken or had once been someone else's. Both were off-limits.

She'd seen first-hand what happened to anyone who broke the rules and it was never pretty. Girls who weren't popular, didn't care about their reputations or their friendships were in abundance but it rarely worked in their favour. Tracy's mom had been a cheerleader and now was involved in PTA and various charities around town. She was expected to follow in her mom's very prestigious footsteps which left little time for relationships. However, she was only human and she wanted what Betty had. Betty and Ryan were high school sweethearts. They had been together since they were juniors and they only had eyes for each other. They were confident in their feelings and weren't afraid to show them.

Betty had been her best friend since their kindergarten teacher Mrs Jones had paired them together to paint on their first day. The arts and crafts section of the room had two easels and they had stood side by side, sharing paint and something cemented between them. They would cry if separated from each other and became known as the twins even though she had light blonde hair and grey eyes and Betty had dark brown hair and green eyes. They continued being inseparable throughout school even though they had other friends independent of the other.

Tracy found love first. It was silly puppy love. A boy called Jack who she had English with. It only lasted a few months and they did little more than share lunch and hold hands. She had dates in-between but it wasn't until high school that she met Paul. He was on the basketball team and a friend of her friend Carol's boyfriend Tommy. By this stage, Betty was so wrapped up in Ryan that she didn't want to admit it but she was jealous. So when Carol suggested a date with Paul she accepted. This relationship was a lot more hot and heavy. He had a way of making her feel like she was the only person in the world. They were serious for around six months but it was a relationship that burned hot and fizzled out quickly.

They broke up a few weeks before Billy came to town. Betty had been trying to get her to go on a few double dates with her, Ryan and another jock called Richie. She came very close to accepting anything to get Betty off her back and move on from Paul who was already with someone else. Everything changed when she saw Billy in the hall talking to Tommy. He was tall, muscular and blonde. There was a look in his eyes that drew her in like a magnet. His arrival didn't take long to spread through the school. He had a car that roared through the parking lot. He dressed in a way that showed off his amazing physique. Best of all he was a complete mystery. He felt like a puzzle that she needed to solve. The only problem was she had competition.

Hawkins' rules didn't apply to Billy. He didn't care about the well-established hierarchy that dictated who you could and couldn't date. As long as someone was single and interested he didn't have a problem. He caused a lot of girls to break the rules. He became very popular especially after he joined the basketball team and showed up Steve Harrington on the court.

Soon cheerleading practice started to overlap with basketball practice and she couldn't help watching him as he delighted in messing with Steve. He seemed to come alive on the court. Most of the time he was so intense and didn't speak much but every time he took the ball from Steve his entire face would light up. He was a very aggressive player constantly slamming into Steve and whispering things in his ear to throw him off his game. It was a strange sight to see him so flustered at how much better Billy was than him. She knew Steve more by reputation than personally but she knew that he wasn't thrown off balance easily.

The more she watched him play the more fascinated she became. She would daydream about all that intensity being directed her way. She couldn't help listening closely when the girls he'd been on dates with talked in hushed tones. A date with Billy wasn't a universal experience. Some girls would blush and bite their lips as they talked quietly about how the date had gone. Others with shame as they admitted that he didn't seem that interested and cut the date short with barely a glance back. Over time he started to slow down but he didn't pick anyone to go steady with. He seemed to be preoccupied with something else. It didn't stop Tracy's dreams that she could be the one who finally caught his eye.

Billy's rivalry with Steve seemed to bleed out from the court into the halls of Hawkins high. He could be seen staring him down as though always waiting for a challenge. She didn't understand why. Steve was pitiful after the whole Nancy debacle. He'd chosen someone less popular than him over everything else and she had humiliated him by abandoning him for the school freak.

She'd heard all about it during history with Carol. Tommy was livid and he wouldn't forget easily. He had turned everyone else against Steve who was practically an outcast at this point. Billy had well and truly taken Steve's crown. He probably could have taken it even if Steve hadn't embarrassed himself in front of the whole town. Yet Steve seemed to command all of Billy's attention as though he were waiting for something. Amongst the cheerleaders, the prevailing theory was that Steve had done something that had royally pissed Billy off. Maire thought he'd cut him off in the parking lot. Clare was convinced that they'd had a confrontation in the locker room. The least popular was that Billy had developed a thing for Nancy and was jealous that Steve had gotten there first.

Tracy held on to the belief that Billy wanted to be the best at everything he did. This included basketball and even though Steve had lost a lot of his popularity he was still the closest thing he had to a rival on the court. She watched him closely and patiently waited for her chance. It took most of the school year but finally, she got her chance. It was a Tuesday afternoon when she found herself trying to muster up the courage to tell him he was leaning on her locker. He was too busy looking past her to further down the hall where Steve was getting something from his locker. Billy's eyes seemed to burn brightly as his tongue ran over his teeth. In one hand he had a lighter that he ran through his fingers. She knew he smoked and wondered if he was waiting for an opportunity to slip out for one. She took a deep breath.

"Um…Billy?"

He grunted at her his eyes never leaving Steve.

"It's just I need to get something from my locker."

He glanced her way. She thought she saw annoyance flash behind his eyes but she hoped it was just a trick of the light. He moved a few lockers down but kept looking forward. She meekly walked to her locker and quickly changed over her books for her last two classes. She watched him carefully out of the corner of her eye trying desperately to think of something to talk to him about. She ran through everything she knew about him. She tried to calm her racing heart. She knew that he hadn't been on a date in several weeks at least not any that were known about. So if he had the girl in question wasn't bragging because it had gone badly which gave her hope. She dug her nails into the palm of her hand and turned towards him. Just as she opened her mouth to speak he took off down the hall and out a side door. She quickly looked around her feeling her face heat but no one was paying her any attention.

That afternoon at practice he was strangely absent. She couldn't help noticing that Steve was also missing. She discreetly asked around wondering where they were. No one knew but after some discussion, they decided that Billy had finally confronted Steve and it must have gotten physical. The coach must have benched them both and they decided to skip rather than face the anger of the team.

That night she couldn't stop thinking about her humiliating experience by her locker. She rationalised that he didn't realise that she wanted to speak to him. She'd seen how distracted he was and if they were right about him and Steve fighting he probably needed that smoke to calm him down. Next time she'd be ready.

It happened almost like fate. She was walking out of school with Betty who was talking about some movie she was going to with Ryan when Billy appeared. He was walking towards his car and she knew it was now or never. She told Betty she'd be back in a minute and ran after him.

"Billy?"

He turned towards her with a bored expression. She smiled nervously at him.

"Are you busy this weekend?"

He sighed and leaned back against his car.

"Dunno Sweetheart what did you have in mind?"

She motioned over her shoulder at Betty.

"That's Ryan's girlfriend Betty and they're going to see a movie at the drive-in, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?"

He pulled a packet of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and placed one between his lips. He lit it almost absentmindedly as though more through habit than want.

"So like a double date?”

She swallowed thickly and nodded. His eyes became unfocused as though he were transported somewhere else. The silence between them stretched on for so long that he had to tap the accumulated ash from the end of his cigarette onto the ground. His eyes ran over her as he seemed to consider his words and her heart started to sink.

"Sure thing…"

He looked at her expectantly. She laughed nervously.

"Tracy."

"Tracy right. Can you catch a ride with Ryan and I'll see you there?"

She had never felt such relief.

"Yes, that's perfect. The film starts at seven so I'll meet you there around six?"

He took a long drag on his cigarette and nodded before he turned and got into his car. She watched as it roared through the parking lot. She ran excitedly back to Betty to tell her the news.

She couldn't sit still in Ryan's car while they teased her. It was six-twenty five and she worried that she'd be one of those embarrassed girls on Monday who had to admit that Billy found her wanting. Just as she was losing hope he appeared at the car window and she practically leapt from the car in her excitement. His car was practically at the back of the drive-in and her heart started to race at the implications. She slid into the passenger side and smiled at him. He looked so good dressed up just for her. In school, he was generally a little more conservative but she'd heard about how he looked on dates and she wasn't disappointed. She moved closer to him, desperate to feel him close.

He ran hot and cold over the next several months. His mind was always somewhere else and he seemed distant until he showed her some affection and then he took her straight home. He never wanted to hang around after he'd gotten what he wanted. When he was affectionate he left her breathless and wanting more but his coldness made her think she wasn't the only person he was seeing. She'd been sure that she'd spotted his car down the street from her house long after he'd dropped her home or stood her up.

On more than one occasion she'd heard something that suspiciously sounded like Stacey muttered into her neck. However, the only Stacey in their group was currently taken but that only made her more suspicious. If he was going to cheat it made sense that he'd pick someone unavailable as it would be a shared secret. She was so angry that she could barely sleep wondering if Stacy was getting passionate with Billy while she spent the night alone. He never mentioned it which only infuriated her more. She sometimes wondered if he really wanted Stacey and if she was just being used as a smokescreen.

Soon everyone accepted them as a couple and she pretended that everything was perfect to the envy of half the squad. She would talk loudly about their dates near Stacey but she never reacted any differently. She was determined to at least make it to the end of the school year. At least that way they'd be old news by the end of summer. Betty continued to persuade her that he had to be serious. To this point he hadn't cared about decorum so why start now? She held onto that hope tightly.

Soon graduation was fast approaching and the annual senior parties started. She bought herself a new dress and lacy lingerie. Billy had been growing more distant lately. Their dates were becoming few and far between and she feared he'd finally grown bored of her. She saw him more at school than outside. She would slide under his arm relishing the warmth of his body but he barely acknowledged her. He was always looking down the halls or buzzing with excitement to get on the court. He seemed his happiest on the court and she couldn't help the nagging feeling that it was because she couldn't follow him there.

She was determined to make tonight special. She would get them back on track. Billy seemed on edge that night. It was like he was filled with a mixture of excitement and dread. She couldn't understand why as they had been to dozens of parties before. They arrived late but she could feel the envious stares of many girls at the party when they arrived. She knew she looked good in her dress and Billy was wearing his favoured jeans that he looked so good in and his still-tanned skin was on full display. He looked like he'd also put in extra effort tonight and she hoped against hope it was because he knew things were bad between them and wanted to fix it too.

She followed him to the drinks table even though she wanted to dance. She watched him closely waiting on tenterhooks for something, anything to show he still wanted her. She leaned closer to him and wrapped her arm around his. He took a long sip of his beer. Suddenly his body stiffened and his attention was stolen by someone walking through the party. She tried to look around the people in front of her to see who it was but she was too short to see past them. Billy threw down his beer and pulled his arm free.

"I need a smoke."

He walked briskly towards the front door and was gone before she could protest. She poured herself a drink and watched the other people dance. She watched the door intently but he never came back. Finally, she swallowed her pride and decided that she would go and get him. It was better than standing here all alone. She expected to see him standing out the front either passively smoking or engaged in conversation with someone. However, he was nowhere to be seen. She wondered if he'd left his cigarettes in his car and walked in the general direction he'd parked.

She stopped when she heard hushed voices that sounded as though they were arguing. She moved as silently as she could and hid between two cars. Steve Harrington's back was pressed up against his car as he was cornered by Billy. He had a desperate look in his eyes. She couldn't believe he'd left her all alone at the party to fight with Steve. The words out of his mouth shook her to her core.

"Billy let's not draw this out…it was good while it lasted but…"

Billy moved so quickly that she let out a small gasp as he pinned Steve to the car and kissed him with more passion than she'd ever seen outside of the basketball court. Steve whimpered desperately and she felt acid swirl in her stomach. Billy kissed his way down to Steve's throat and whispered something against his skin which made Steve's eyes widen in shock. Suddenly he laughed. It was relief mixed with joy.

"We're both idiots."

Billy pulled back to look at him and she would have given anything to see the look on his face. She could feel bile rising in her throat as she realised she didn't need to see his face. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had that same intense expression on his face that he always had when he looked at Steve. His eyes filled with yearning at one end of the hall in the school. Filled with delight on the court. She heard his strangled groan against her skin and heard Steve loud and clear. Billy's car was parked a few doors down from the Harringtons. She had been a distraction for everyone else so that he could have the one thing he wanted above everything else. It had always been about Steve.

"As long as we can keep being idiots together."

She felt envy like she never had before when Steve smiled softly and leaned in to kiss him. She turned abruptly and stormed back into the party. She purposely stamped her feet hoping it would disturb them but she couldn't resist glancing back to see them completely lost in each other.

She stormed through the door and straight into someone causing them to spill their drink. She took a strange satisfaction that someone else's night wasn't going according to plan either. She looked up and into the bewildered eyes of Richie who gave her an uncertain smile.

"Tracy…I…where's Billy?"

She shrugged.

"Probably getting drunk with the other asshole basketball players."

Richie laughed nervously. His face flushed as he watched her closely. She leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear.

"Meet me at the top of the stairs in five minutes."

His flush deepened as he nodded enthusiastically. She gave him a sweet smile and walked towards the stairs. She paid a lot of money for this lingerie and someone was going to appreciate it.

#harringrove #harringroveweek #my writing #minors dni #billy's birthday bonanza #prompt outsider's pov #love was only true in fairy tales

[yyumemika]

A Premature Burial Episode 5

A Premature Burial 

Episode 5 

Season: Winter

Characters: Mika, Shu

(Several hours later. Itsuki family villa storage room) 

Mika: Snore, snore…♪

(…Nnah? Uh~ oh, I fell asleep!) 

(I’m all jet lagged from goin’ between France and Japan… It’s weirdly dark n’ quiet in here so I ended up fallin’ asleep.)

(Umm, ah, how long has it been already? After all, I gotta have a bit more restraint since they ain’t my relatives.)

(I wonder if Oshisan’s okay all on his own.)

(Actually, I’m just a plain ol’ freeloader, I had no right to barge in on family matters…) 

(I feel a lil’ left out.)

(Oh well, I ain’t exactly Oshisan’s family.) 

(………)

(…Ah, I jus’ got a message from Nazuna-nii askin’ why I ain’t replied. There’s nothin’ to worry ‘bout.)

(I’ll reply with “I’m okay~ I’m a ‘lil jet lagged so I was sleepin’.”)

(“I think Oshisan’s just talkin’ to his family ‘bout what’s actually happened to his grandfather.”)

(“From what Oshisan said, it doesn’t seem like his grandfather has passed away or anythin’ real serious like that.”) 

(“It was just a so-called ruse or somethin’.”)

(“But, considering Oshisan comin’ home late, I wonder if they’re arguin’ about somethin’? I’m kinda worried…” If I put somethin’ like that I might make Nazuna-nii worried.) 

(“Everythin’s fine over here, so ya don’t gotta worry.” —There♪)

(“Thanks fer being considerate. Even though Nazuna-nii and I ain’t that close anymore.”)

(—Nazuna-nii might get all depressed if I start sayin’ stuff like that an’ actin’ like a stranger.) 

(Nnah~… No matter how long it takes, I’ll never get used to it, I’m so bad at it it’s like a normal conversation.) 

(Oh well, send…♪)

(…I ran outta stuff to do.) 

(Oshisan told me I could kill some time by playin’ with the stuff in here…)

(What room is this, a storage room? Didn’t Oshisan say somethin’ like he used to play in this room as if it were his own when he was a kid?) 

(Wasn’t it originally built for Oshisan’s drunken grandfather to dump all the junk he’d found somewhere or somethin’.  Actually, there’s a lotta weird stuff in here.) 

(I also got a habit of collectin’ junk, so I feel kinda close to his grandfather…) 

(That’s probably why Oshisan told me to wait here.) 

(Hehe. Will ya let me worship yer collection, my “kindred spirit”?) 

(Ahaha. It’s all complete garbage… I heard that some people sell off their stuff for money at the antique market.) 

(Hm? What’s this, a book with a lock on it? It’s a diary, right?) 

(That’s a weird dial-style lock… It’s engraved with the alphabet instead of numbers. Is it the kind that opens if ya put in a specific word?) 

(I gotta solve the puzzle. How fun. It’ll kill some time, so I’ll try solvin’ it.) 

(‘Course I know it’s wrong to look at another person’s diary, so if I can solve it I ain’t gonna look inside… Umm, ain’t there a hint somewhere.) 

(Hm~…There ain’t anythin’ written on the front cover.) 

(Ah. But there’s a book here with the same binding as the diary.) 

(What is this, there’s somethin’ like a title engraved here— “The Taming of the Shrew”?) 

(Hm~? Is the content of this “Taming of the Shrew” a hint to unlock it?) 

(I’m really regrettin’ my lack of education, I don’t get it at all?) 

Shu: —What are you rattling around with? 

Mika: Nnaah!?

Y-y-ya scared me! Don’t speak so suddenly from behind me, I thought my heart was gonna come flyin’ right outta my mouth! 

Shu: Hmph. If you don’t want to lose your internal organs then sew your mouth closed. 

Aside from that, Kagehira, it’s become quite the hassle… Do you mind if I lend your strength? 

Mika: Nnah? Of course! I’ll help Oshisan out anytime~♪

Huh? I just noticed now but, Oshisan, yer holding Mado-nee? 

When ya return home in a hurry like this time, it’d be terrible if she got cracked or something, so don’t ya usually put her away carefully?

Shu: Hmph. I thought you had grown, but you still lack aesthetic sense. 

This isn’t Mademoiselle. But they are very similar in appearance. 

I have some things I would like to discuss with you, so let’s move to another place. It’s dusty in here and I can’t stand it. 

It reminds me of my stupidity and helplessness as a child. 

Mika: ………

#raison d'etre #ensemble stars #enstars #shu itsuki #mika kagehira #english translation

[sushigirlali]

No Body, No Crime - Part III (Reylo Fanfic)

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI (Coming Soon!)

Summary: Assassin!Rey Palpatine is on her first mission for the evil Darth Sidious. The goal is simple: kill Prince!Ben Solo by any means necessary.

Pairing: Rey + Ben Solo

Rating: E

Continuity: Canonverse AU

A/N: The alternative title for this chapter is just the "Sure, Jan" meme lmao ;D

Master list –> AO3 | ff.net | Tumblr

——————

No Body, No Crime - Part III

By: sushigirlali

——————

Hanna City, Chandrila

Midnight

——————

She had to kill him. Tonight.

“Yeah, like it will be that easy,” she murmured to her reflection.

Leaning over the marble countertop, Rey pressed her face against the cool surface. She wanted to scream, to break something, to release all the negative feelings she’d suppressed over the years. Her body felt heavy, her muscles tight, almost like her physical form was at war with her every thought. And maybe it was. 

There was still a missing piece to the puzzle of her connection with the man in the next room, but she didn’t have much time left to decide what to do about it. 

“You don’t even know him.” And yet she did. She could. She wanted to. Desperately. 

“Before yesterday, he was just a name on a list.” But somehow today he was everything. 

Limitless possibilities lay before her, but they all hinged on the outcome of this moment between battles, of her own internal war. 

Bracing her hands on the counter, Rey lifted up so that she could see herself in the mirror again. The underclothes Ben had lent her were a silky peach number. He’d guessed her size somehow, because the fit was perfect against her tanned skin.

He’d liked seeing her in them, too, she could tell. Maybe it would be easier to… no, nothing would make this choice less burdensome. But she had to make it.

Taking a steadying breath, she retraced her steps to the bathroom door and opened it. The room was dark save a single lamp on her side of the bed. Moving quietly across the room, Rey felt a sudden surge of deja vu. Had it only been 24 hours since she last infiltrated Ben Solo’s sanctum? 

“Don’t get distracted,” she berated herself. So what if she was completely confused and conflicted, her mission remained the same.

The only question now was: could she go through with it this time?

As Rey reached the foot of the bed, she noticed that Ben had moved her lightsaber, which had been safely tucked next to him, to the shelf below her nightstand. “But why?” she mused, nonplussed by his trust in her; she knew she didn’t deserve it.

Silently scaling the high mattress, Rey carefully kneeled next to Ben’s still form. He was breathing deeply, his bare chest rising and falling in a captivating rhythm. Even in the dim light, he was so attractive to her that it was hard not to gawk at him.

Dark hair pooled around his head, framing his strong jaw and highlighting his handsome face. He looked like he was chiseled from stone, all pale skin and interesting features…

“Snap out of it!”

Slipping the poisonous green hairpin from her top bun, Rey palmed the weapon, careful not to prick herself. The retracted needle was only about an inch long, but with a flick of the wrist, a single dose could kill a man within minutes. 

But time was playing with her, it seemed.

Rey didn’t know how long she sat there, staring at Ben, then the pin, then Ben again. She wasn’t so much deciding what to do as trying to will herself to do anything.

“Kill him or don’t, save him or don’t, love—” Rey shook her head. “Where did that come from?!”

Steeling her nerves, Rey lowered the needle toward the strong column of Ben’s neck…

But she couldn’t do it. She couldn't force her hand to move another inch. The thought of causing Ben Solo harm was the most abhorrent thing in the universe. He was a puzzle, but she didn’t want to upend the table and start over. She wanted to solve it. Understand it. Him. Them. She wanted something for herself for the first time in her life… and she was determined to get it.

Rey set the pin down on the side table shelf next to her lightsaber and laid down with a sigh, “Maybe tomorrow.”

——————

Ben came awake slowly, sensing disquiet from his companion. They couldn’t have been asleep for more than six hours, but he felt rested for the first time in a long time. “Maybe meditating isn’t all it's cracked up to be.” 

Turning his head on the silky pillowcase, he blinked a few times until Rey’s elfin face came into view. She was close, her shoulder almost touching his. “Or maybe she wore me out.”

Smiling at the pretty picture she made in his bed, Ben smoothed an errant lock of sable hair away from her face. A crease formed between her eyes and he held his breath, worried he’d disturbed her. Her eyes didn’t open, but flickered wildly under her eyelids.

“Ah, she’s dreaming.” 

He could read her mind, of course, but the notion was distasteful while she was defenseless in sleep. There was a time when his uncle had done something similar to him, albeit for completely different reasons, and it had affected their relationship for years. 

Whatever the topic of her dreams, he could tell it excited her. Her cheeks were flushed, she was gently biting her bottom lip, and her body began to slide against the sheets…

“Ben,” she whispered, slurring slightly, “Ohhh, Ben!”

His eyes widened. “Wait, is she–” 

Ben swallowed a gasp as she suddenly rolled half on top of him, throwing an arm over his chest and a leg over his right hip. The bedding was momentarily caught between them, but pulled away as she shifted her weight onto his side, straddling his thigh. 

“Fuck.” His cock instantly hardened for her.

But Rey didn’t give him time to recover as the tips of her small breasts poked into his chest. The thin bralette and underwear she had apparently worn to bed were the only pieces of clothing between them save his drawstring pants.

Frozen in place, unsure how to react, Ben stifled a groan as she started to rub her lower body against his. He could feel the searing heat between her thighs as she rode him, and was suddenly struck by the similarity of the moment to a dream he had experienced recently.

“Did she pick up on my dream somehow? I’ve always known her, but is she starting to dream about me too now that we’re in close proximity? Or–” 

“Ben,” Rey whimpered, canting her hips harder and grasping onto his shoulders for purchase.

Snapped back to the moment at hand, Ben pushed aside his inquisitive nature and focused on the woman in his arms. He had promised to take care of her, and he would. Emboldened by her whispered plea, Ben bent his knee, lifting his thigh upward and increasing the friction between them as she pressed down. 

“Mmmm, Bennn,” she sighed in response, seeming to gain relief from the simple move.

Lifting the sheet, he slid his large hands down her back to palm the soft globes of her ass, assisting with the push and pull of her hips. Ben helped her hump his thigh until his pant leg was soaked with her juices, until she was barely coherent, increasing the speed and pressure until her slim body jolted into climax.

“Ben!” she whimpered, shivering madly as she came.

“I’ve got you, sweetheart,” he murmured in her ear, holding her until she quieted and fell back into a deep slumber. And even after, he didn’t let her go. He never would.

——————

Rey stretched like a loth-cat against the mound of cushions and blankets she was cocooned in. It felt like she was sleeping on a cloud, the complete opposite of the cold, uncomfortable bunk she used back on Exegol. Dragging her cheek across the surface of the pillow, Rey took comfort in the strong, steady beat of–

“What the fuck?” Lifting her head, Rey gaped as she realized that she was lying on top of the man she’d been sent to kill. “How did–when did–uh??” Hazel eyes flicking to his face, she was relieved to find him very much asleep. 

“Okay, but how do I get back to my side of the bed without waking him up?”

Taking stock of the situation, Rey realized she was stuck between Ben’s big body and the bed linens. Carefully shifting so that she could untangle the sheets from around their legs, Rey jolted as something heavy touched her thigh. “What is–oh!” 

Staring at the foreign object, Rey was momentarily dumbstruck. Ben’s penis was thick and long, the outline under his thin pants blatant. The drawstring was barely holding on and there was a wet spot where his appendage pressed against the fabric, drawing her gaze.

Intrigue suddenly overriding shock, she reached out to lightly trace the bulge from base to tip. Ben shivered slightly, but otherwise didn’t react. It wasn’t enough. Almost involuntarily, she pulled the string below his navel, loosening the waistband of his pants. Another slight tug allowed his cock to break free, spilling out of the untethered fabric like a gift.

“Wow,” she whispered; she’d never seen such a specimen before. Curiosity getting the better of her, Rey ran her fingertips up and down his skin this time, marveling at the distinct feel of his–

“Rey.”

“Fuck!” she yelled, sitting up guiltily. “I–Ben, I–”

“Hey, it’s okay,” he said with a slanted smile. “I guess last night wasn’t one-sided after all.”

“Huh?”

“Last night,” he said again, motioning to a dark spot on his thigh.

“What?” Rey glanced at his pants, then back to his face, then down at herself. Her underwear were crooked and still wet with release. “Oh. So, uh, that wasn’t–”

“A dream?” he provided. “No. Well, yes, but no.”

“What?” she said again, mostly just to play for time. Ben had yet to cover himself, and if anything, his dick had only become more prominent in the last few minutes. “Oh, Force.” Rey clenched her thighs together.

“I had a dream about what happened last night some time ago,” he confided. “I think maybe it was a premonition?”

“The Force is a freak, then,” she said sardonically. Ben laughed and Rey felt warm all over. “Ben, I want… I want to touch you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Please,” she insisted, driven by a sudden hunger she could barely contain. “You said I could take whatever I want, remember?”

“Y—yes,” he stuttered. 

“So, can I?”

Ben propped himself up on his elbows and leveled her heated look. “Yeah.”

Sliding between his thighs, Rey sat with her knees tucked underneath her. Studying his sex like an archeologist that had just made a significant find, she tentatively encircled him with one hand. 

“My fingers don’t meet, do you see?” Rey inquired.

He made a choking sound and nodded.

Rey wondered at her boldness, but touching him like this seemed… right. “This is just… experimentation. It doesn’t mean anything,” she reassured herself.

Ben laughed like he caught her thought, and probably he had, but Rey was too focused to care. Circling his penis with both hands, she pulled them up his length. The movement was awkward, but his hips jerked in an encouraging way. 

She spent a few minutes getting the hang of pleasuring him, realizing the fluid dripping from his tip made for great lubricant. “Is this okay?”

“It’s fucking amazing,” he groaned. “You have no idea how hard it was to control myself last night.”

Looking up from under her lashes, Rey said, “Yeah?”

“You were grinding yourself against my thigh,” he said huskily, “and it took all I had not to turn you over and fuck you into the mattress.”

Rey gulped and pressed a hand to her mouth to keep from moaning at the tempting images he’d conjured.

“But do you know what I want right now?”

“N—no?”

“Right now I want to slip my fingers inside your pussy and give you the same pleasure you’re giving me.”

Rey’s pace faltered. “And how would we go about that?” 

“Come here,” he said, laying back and opening his arms. “Lay by my side.”

Hesitating for the briefest of moments, Rey released him and slid onto her side next to his taller frame. Ben immediately turned towards her so that they were facing one another.

“Now what?”

“Put your leg over my hip,” he instructed. 

She complied, but not gracefully. “Sorry,” she muttered when her knee banged into his.

“It’s okay,” he smiled. “Here, like this.”

Rey sucked in a harsh breath as his large paw dragged her closer. It was the most intimate embrace they’d shared so far, and she felt excited and nervous. “What—what else do you want?” she dared.

“A kiss.”

“You’ve kissed me before.”

“Not like this.” Ben cupped her cheek with one hand while the other went to her waist. “Kiss me.”

“Okay,” she breathed. Tentatively learning forward, Rey pecked him on the lips.

“Again,” he whispered.

She closed the distance, but held her lips against his this time. Reaching up to touch his face, she could feel the crease of his dimple, his smile, and it made her almost… giddy. “Not an emotion I’ve felt many times before.”

It was all so new, so weird. And yet… 

“Now, move your lips like this,” Ben instructed, tracing her mouth with his. 

She copied him and quickly got the hang of it. Kissing was like training, she told herself, it just required practice. Focusing on the soft push and pull of their kiss, she was shocked when Ben suddenly slid his tongue into her mouth.

“Oh!” she gasped, pulling back.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.

“No, it’s…” Rey tried to explain how she felt, but came up empty. “I want to try that again,” she said against his lips.

Ben waited for her to make the first move this time, kissing her back without intensifying the experience. She could tell that he wanted her to initiate further intimacy, so she experimented with deepening their kiss. 

Slipping her tongue from between her teeth, she lightly traced the seam of his lips. He readily opened his mouth to her, groaning when she slanted her mouth across his. Ben’s tongue quickly joined hers in a duel for pleasure, and their bodies awakened further in response.

As the kiss went on and on, Rey frantically tried to push her panties down, but Ben stopped her, breaking their kiss to say, “No, don’t. Leave your underwear on, I don’t want to go too far yet.”

“What if I don’t care what you want?!” she said in the heat of the moment.

“We both know that’s not true, Rey,” he said softly.

“Fine,” she pouted, “then just touch me already!”

Quickly finding her slick nub through the thin layer of silk separating them, he circled it with two long fingers before gently tugging from side to side. She squirmed under his ministrations, the sensation of someone else touching her intimately new and strange and exciting.

“Ben!” Rey moaned as his fingers slipped past her panties and traced her nether lips. 

“Does this please you?”

“Yes.”

“Can I keep touching you?”

“Yes!”

Ben kissed her again and soon his fingers were mimicking the arousing actions of his tongue. He fingered her vagina with controlled vigor, curling two digits deep while his thumb stimulated her clitoris. 

Needing to feel him as well, Rey palmed his penis again and began the hastily practiced motions he seemed to enjoy. She was gratified by the sounds he made in response, the quiver of his lips against hers, the hardness of his erection…

“Fuck, Rey, I don’t know how long I can last!”

“Me too, but I need—ah! Ben!” she cried out just as he began turning his wrist in a twisting motion, seeming to read her mind once again. 

His repeated movements provided the extra bit of pressure she needed to tumble over the edge, so it was no surprise when was screaming her release seconds later. “Ben!”

And as if her euphoria triggered his, Ben shouted in concert with her cries. “Rey!”

Afterward they were quiet, cuddled together in a sticky, sweaty mess on once pristine sheets. Rey could only imagine how they looked, the word debauched raced through her mind, but she didn’t care. She felt no shame in her newfound sexuality. She felt safe here, with Ben, she realized. And powerful and satisfied and just generally amazing.

There were still a lot of questions needing answers, so she wasn’t going to let him off the hook, but Rey understood a new piece of the puzzle now. From just this taste of him, she knew they would fit together quite nicely when the time came. 

She only hoped it would be soon. Before it was too late.

——————

“Good morning, Senator,” someone called through the door to his room while Ben tried to steady his breathing. “Breakfast will be served in 30 minutes.”

Ben anticipated Rey’s reaction and held onto her when she would have pulled away. “Thank you!” he called back. Then to Rey, “Stop struggling, sweetheart.”

“What if they come in?” she said anxiously.

“They won’t.”

“But—”

“Why don’t you have a bath while we wait for sustenance?” he recommended.

She lifted her head from where it was resting over his heart. “A bath does sound nice.”

As soon as she’d shut herself away in the spacious bathroom, Ben swung his legs over the side of the bed and moved to his meditation spot. His mind was in disarray over the intimacy they had just shared. It was too soon, there was still too much to say, but he hadn’t been able to control himself when she started touching him.

The vision of his cum on her taut stomach, of her wetness covering his hand, the smell of her still lingering, almost made Ben double over with renewed arousal. “Control yourself!”

Rey was untouched, he knew. The one thing her grandfather had actually protected her from. Not out of any great love, but practicality. And while he was grateful she didn’t appear to be afraid of sex, it still felt like taking advantage of her when he had so much foreknowledge of what it would be like to be together. How well they would fit, how perfect their union would…

“Ben?” Rey was standing in the doorway with a fluffy white robe around her shoulders. Her hair was wet and dipping, her feet bare. 

She was naked under that robe. “Fuck.”

“I’m not done, but I had a thought and…”

“Couldn’t wait?” he smiled.

“Couldn’t wait,” she agreed. “Did… did you do something to me?”

“What?”

“That first night, when you put me to sleep,” she said slowly. “Did you… connect us, somehow?”

“No,” he said truthfully.

“No,” she repeated. “No, you didn’t. There’s always been something inside me. Something that was reaching… but, then why haven’t I had premonitions about you?”

“I have a pretty good idea,” Ben scowled. But not at her, never at her.

“Palpatine,” she said. “He… blocked me. Does he know? Do you think he knows about this… dyad thing? Whatever it is.”

Ben mulled the question over. “I don’t think so. A dyad is a rare thing, something beautiful and special. A connection rooted in… strong emotions.” He withheld the L word for the moment.

Rey seemed to accept his answer, but her sharp gaze told him she knew he was still keeping secrets. “Alright,” she nodded. “I don’t know why, but I trust you.”

“Rey, I—”

“Just tell me one more thing.”

“Anything.”

“Am I feeling… this way… because of the Force, or…”

He desperately wanted her to elaborate on how she felt about him, them, the closeness they’d just shared, but chose to read between the lines instead. “I don’t know. I’ve dreamed about you, known you, wanted… I’ve felt a connection to you most of my life. But meeting you now, in person, being with you, it’s more than magic, it’s right. We’re right. You know?”

“Yeah,” she said in understanding. “I don’t know why, but… yes.”

They were saying nothing and yet everything. It felt like a breakthrough. It felt like a chance.

“Let’s go to the hospital after breakfast to check on the patients. And then we’ll track down my uncle and have him walk us through what it means to be a dyad.”

“Don’t you already know?” she queried.

“I know some, but… it didn’t all make sense without you here,” he said. 

“Okay,” she said simply, her curiosity piqued. “I’ll just finish up and get dressed. Speaking of, what ridiculous costume are you going to foist on me today, your highness?”

Ben laughed at her question, but he already had the perfect outfit in mind. And despite the roll of her beautiful hazel eyes, he could tell she was eager to know what it was.

——————

A/N: This Barbie is the progeny of a powerful darksider who wants nothing more than to kiss the hot prince and eat tons of bread! Ben is definitely going to enjoy dressing—and undressing—his soulmate in the next chapter 😉

#reylo #reylo fanfic #ben solo #kylo ren #rey #my fanfiction #sushigirlali

[hopeflowr]

Sorry, I love you . Changlix Fanfic

Chapter 4

Felix pressed his book down on his chest with a sigh. He couldn't read. It'd been two days since the masquerade ball and he couldn't stop thinking about that masked stranger he had so quickly fallen for. He'd talked to so many people around Wolford. Friends of Mister Bang and Seungmin. None of them held anything above the man on the terrace.

He was unique. His opinions were thought-provoking. Felix adored it. But he hadn't a guess at who he could be. All he remembered was short dark hair and a buff stature. There were no hints whatsoever. A true adventure. A puzzle he would have to solve. He was determined.

Seungmin let out a sigh at the other end of the room. Felix turned over and called for him. The younger rolled lazily and met his gaze with risen eyebrows. "What is it?"

"We never talked about the ball. Did you dance with Minho?" he asked, hoping to distract his mind.

Seungmin's expression wavered. "No."

Felix frowned. "I'm sorry. Try not to be discouraged. You may yet win his affection."

Seungmin propped his chin on his hand. "Oddly enough, that is not the reason for my distress."

"Then?"

Seungmin pursed his lips. "Do you remember the blonde man who asked me to dance when we first arrived at the ball?" he questioned. Felix nodded. "I danced with him all night. I couldn't get enough of his humor and our enthralling conversations. In the end, before we left, he showed me who he was."

Felix watched Seungmin pick at his nails with a small smile. "He confessed he has feelings for me. He has for a long time and has been watching from afar. The ball was an excuse to get close to me and deliver his heart's desires."

"That's lovely," Felix cooed. Seungmin's face lit up with a bright pink.

"I find my feelings have been swayed by the man. I feel horrid. How could my love for Minho be so easily left behind?"

"Love happens in a moment. You can't control it."

"Yes, I suppose you are right."

Felix closed his book and moved it onto his bedside table. "What will you tell him?"

Seungmin turned his gaze to Felix. "I don't think I have it in me to turn down a Lord as beautiful as Hyunjin. Not after the night we spent together. He was so sincere with his words. Minho will never love me back. I know this for a fact. Weirdly enough, that thought is not the only thing pushing me toward Hyunjin."

"You are in love with him," Felix sang.

Seungmin grabbed his pillow and threw it at him with a bashful laugh. "You have a Lord after your hand as well!" he exclaimed. Felix wrinkled his nose as he broke out into a fit of giggles at his friend's flustered expression.

"When does he expect an answer?"

"He said I could take my time."

Felix smiled giddily. "You look like you already have it," he said. Seungmin turned his head and bit his lip with a shy nod. "Minnie's getting married, Minnie's getting married," Felix taunted.

Seungmin's hands covered his face. "You have to come with me tomorrow to meet him. I can't do it alone!"

Felix kicked his feet in the air with a joyous laugh. "I get to meet Seungmin's husband." He continued to tease his friend until he grew tired and his mind moved back to the mysterious man from the terrace.

"What happened with you at the ball? Did you find Lord Han?"

Right, Jisung. Felix sat up alert. "I completely forgot about him!" He was so distracted by the mystery he had let it slip his mind that another had already declared interest in his hand.

"You. . . Forgot?" Seungmin questioned.

Felix hid his face with a groan. "I met another man after dancing with Jisung and confessed I may have fallen in love with him at first sight. He said he didn't believe in such things so we made a game out of it. If I can find him, I prove him wrong."

"You don't know who he is?"

"Only that he has dark hair and is obsessed with the night sky," Felix informed. He fell onto his bed. "What do I do? I don't want to hurt Jisung."

"He barely knows you. I doubt he will be hurt too badly."

"He told me he fell in love with me at first sight. Much like I have done with that stranger."

Seungmin chuckled at the dilemma. "What an adventure you have found yourself. Perhaps you should take it up with Lord Han himself."

The thought gave him copious amounts of anxiety. Still, Seungmin was right. He needed to tell him sooner than later. He let the thought simmer and took up his book as he felt more relaxed after talking about his internal affairs. He read for a while until he was called upon to help with Jeongin and Elizabeth. Seungmin's arrangement to meet with Hyunjin came far too quickly. It was as if they'd blinked and suddenly they were back in front of the estate being led up the stairs by a butler.

Seungmin looked nervous. Felix could only imagine the feeling inside of him. What if it was all for not and Hyunjin retrieved his proposal? That would make him a nasty man in Felix's opinion. He hoped for Seungmin's sake that it went smoothly and he got his happy end. Yearning for Minho for so many years sounded so dreadfully painful. Although, Felix would take it in a heartbeat. No, he already had his painstaking love. He smiled at the thought.

The two stood around in one of the larger rooms. It had a fireplace and two couches. A piano sat near the windows, turned so anyone who rested on the cushions could watch the face of whoever decided to play. Felix didn't know piano. His sisters were musically talented. He'd never taken the time to learn. Instead, he found himself on his horse when he needed to relieve stress. He should go out on Charming soon and escape from the world for a bit.

The doors to the room opened with a shove. Felix turned and fixed his gaze on the man standing in the frame. Blonde hair fell to a sharp jawline and light brown eyes greeted them. A smile lit up his features when he saw Seungmin. Before it could get too wide, he met Felix's stare for a brief second and started making his way closer.

"I didn't know you'd be bringing a friend."

"Emotional support," Seungmin said, keeping up a hard-to-get facade.

Hyunjin's gentle expression faltered for a moment before hardening. "That doesn't sound good," he chuckled. Felix sent him a reassuring wink and he visibly relaxed. "I'll have to steal your friend away from you for a bit. . . Forgive me I don't know your surname."

"Lee."

"Ah, Jisung's Âme sour," Hyunjin declared. Noticing Felix's confusion, he offered a cheeky grin. "Soulmate."

Felix winced at the word. "Does he call me that?"

"It is one of many nicknames." Hyunjin glanced at Seungmin. "Then, Mister Lee. I'll be taking Mister Kim off your hands for a while. Feel free to explore if you wish."

Felix shooed them off with a laugh. When they disappeared, he made his way in the direction of the balcony he had visited during the night of the ball. His fingertips ran along the railing while a smile crept onto his face. He hoped that with Seungmin's change of quarters, he'd be allowed to visit. He would like to read a book on the terrace under the stars. Perhaps he could pretend it was him and that mysterious man in the pages of his book.

The view from the balcony was beautiful. He had missed it during the ball because he was so focused on the moon and the man beside him. Now with the sun out he could admire the grassy plains and the fenced-in herd of sheep grazing. It'd be an amazing place to ride around. Felix grinned at the thought of Seungmin and Hyunjin spending time together on the fields. He could envision a picnic full of treats.

He was slightly jealous. He could have that. All he had to do was give in to Jisung. But he wouldn't allow himself to do so. Not yet. First, he had to chase after that reckless love he'd been waiting for. He wanted another conversation. He pursed his lips. Who could he be? It shouldn't be hard to find someone with such a different view on life than those of Wolford. He was kind and intelligent. Surely if he just had one conversation with him he'd know.

The man had said he would be keeping him at arm's length though. He gave one last look at the railing before heading back to the room to wait for Seungmin. He stopped in the doorway, eyes wide at the unexpected sight of Jisung and a man he'd never seen before. "Your mother is sending me letters because you won't accept them."

Jisung pressed his fingers on the piano's white tiles with a chipper hum. "Another lady I have no interest in. Just ignore her."

"You should at least spend one evening with one of the girls she offers up."

"If I do that she'll expect me to meet another and then more after that. Plus, I've told you, my sights are set," Jisung said.

Felix walked into the room with a gentle smile. "I don't suppose that would be me?" he spoke.

Jisung turned on the stool he sat on. His bored expression immediately brightened and he shot up with a massive grin spread across his face. "Felix!"

Guilt swarmed in Felix's stomach as he met his adoring gaze. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Jisung moved from the piano and approached him with impatience steps. "Neither I. What are you doing here?"

Felix roamed Jisung's expressive features. He looked so delighted to see him. "Seungmin brought him, you bafoon," the man nearest to the couch stated with a scoff. He took a seat and grabbed the newspaper on the table before him.

Felix's eyes moved back to Jisung's and he tilted his head. Jisung huffed bitterly. "Don't mind Sir Seo. He's a prude." He took up one of Felix's hands with a grin. "Is it true then? Did Seungmin bring you?"

"Yes."

A pout played at his lips. "I was hoping you'd come for me."

"How would he know you were here?"

"Because of our connection," Jisung insisted.

Sir Seo snorted and adjusted the newspaper in his hand. He seemed quite grumpy. Felix remembered Seungmin describing him as a very unkind individual. "Hogwash," he retorted.

Jisung turned to argue with him but Felix squeezed his hand to pull his attention back. "Should we take a stroll while they talk?"

The young Lord whipped back around at the suggestion. "Anything you desire."

Felix's cheeks flushed and he slipped his hand out of Jisung's with a weak cough to clear his throat. Jisung seemed to get the hint and dialed down his excitement. He fled to the exit of the room, leaving Felix to say goodbye to the other man. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

The man glanced over his shoulder in indifference. He said nothing and rolled his eyes back to his newspaper. Felix stood there stunned at his insolence. His eyebrows furrowed. A prude indeed. He turned on his heel with a quiet huff and made his way to Jisung. They escaped the estate together in a rush to find a place where they could be alone.

That left them to travel the stone paths around the house. Jisung kept his hands behind his back, eyes peeking at Felix every now and again to catch a glimpse of his face. Felix took a few minutes to settle the turmoil in his head that the other man had caused. Unbeknownst to the other, when his shoulders fell and his eyes relaxed from their scrutinizing glare, Jisung smiled and took a step closer.

"What do you think of Mister Kim and Lord Hwang?" he quizzed.

Felix met his fond gaze. "I think there's a good chance the chapel will be filled by the end of the month."

Jisung chuckled with a light nod. "That's good to hear. I was worried I'd have to deal with a broken-hearted Hwang. Not the most preferred outcome."

Felix frowned at the ground. Sadly he would be the one to break a heart that day. "Lord Jisung, I have some unfavorable news for you."

Jisung halted his steps and rotated to face Felix. He gave him his full attention, round eyes curious for the words that would leave his lips. Felix reluctantly lifted his gaze from the ground and met Jisung's anticipation with a guilty look. "I find that I may have fallen for another."

Jisung's worry dissipated and a grin took over his once hopeful pout. "That's alright."

"Pardon?" Felix was left astonished by how easily the man gave up. Had he been playing Felix the whole time? It didn't seem far-fetched but Felix had been convinced he was genuine.

"You said may. You may be in love. Therefore I still have a chance as you are not fully in love with this person. You lack the confidence in your feelings to declare such a heavy statement." Jisung turned and continued to walk.

Felix deadpanned. That stranger knew what he was talking about when he said the people of Wolford only thought about the good things. "Until you have a wedding date set or you ask me to stop my chase for your hand, I will continue to persistently seek you out. I will stand by your side and be a shoulder for you to cry on when your heart hurts."

That was sweet. "Why? You said you fell in love at first sight but there has to be more to it. No one is willing to do what you are with one glance." Felix rubbed the back of his head. Says the man who is searching the town for a man he had one discussion with. He almost laughed at himself.

"You'll find you can discover a lot about a person just by paying attention. Your gestures towards those you don't know and the way you greet someone show that you are kind. You walk around with your eyes on the sky, lost in a story. That shows you are a dreamer. You know how to keep a man on his toes. You aren't scraping the dirt I walk on like a rodent. You're independent."

Jisung turned so he could walk backward and still converse with their eyes connected. "Those are qualities I respect and adore. And I have yet to discover more. Is that enough of a reason to be in love with you?" he asked with a teasing grin.

Felix pushed some of his hair behind his ear bashfully. "That's more than enough."

Jisung clapped his hands together. "See? Love isn't so difficult if you just let it in. But now I'll have to up my charms if I am to compete for your affection."

"You are quite charming already," Felix laughed.

"You've barely touched the surface of my charisma. After today you can expect to be stunned by every appearance I make. Do you like flowers? I should bring you some every time I see you."

Felix shook his head at the spoiler. He was far too open. Although, Felix found that he couldn't say he disliked it. On the contrary, he admired it greatly. "Yes, I do."

"Splendid."

#changbin #fanfiction #fanfic #regency #regency era #lee felix #changbin x felix #skz #jane austen #sanditon #seungjin #jilix #enemies to lovers

[rosewinelonging]

theres always been something about rose that kanaya couldnt quite put her finger on. it wasnt bad per se, it was just. odd. she couldnt figure out what it was, not even after all the hours shes spent watching her. they had complete access to the kids throughout their lives watching as they went from tiny humans to slightly bigger tiny humans and yet all time spent staring at the screen did nothing to solve this feeling.

even now with rose being face to face it hasnt gone away. if anything getting worse as time went on. like a puzzle with a single piece missing, you can still make out the image but its still wrong. kanaya couldnt lie and say it wasnt bothering her. it was something about her presence, the way she moved, even moreso the way she didnt. her ability to sit and just, be still was almost frightening. she was deathly quiet usually settling into some corner where she reads or watches others in the room. the feeling of her sharp, knowing gaze always leaves her stumbling.

its during one of these so-called “quiet times” (as dave has so loving named) that the missing piece is finally found.

she was sitting on the coach trying to focus on not stabbing herself with the sowing needle again. rose was sitting with a book a little ways away. supposadly reading but the feeling of being watched never stopped for a moment.

dave walks in through the door and comes straight towards kanaya. “yo. have you seen lalonde?”

she looks up. “oh! well..” her eyes move to look past him, at rose seated just out of view of the enterance. he follows her gaze and turns around, startling at the sight of her.

“fucking christ!” rose smirked. “can you stop doing that? lookin’ like a creepy fucking doll-”

the rest of his words are cut off as her head begins to pound. oh. oh. she understands it now, that nagging feeling of something about rose that she just wasnt seeing. a doll. of course, she looked like a doll. graceful, elegant perhaps, a pretty little thing to be dressed up and admired. if kanaya was still alive shes sure her blood pusher would be pounding in her chest. 

“ah!” she blinks back to reality when her fingers slipped and poked herself with the needle. the others stop their heated discussion to look at her. heat rushes to her face. “no need to worry, just uh poked myself with the needle! haha..”

she needed to think about this. with that she excused herself and hurried out the room.

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

it had taken a week to gather her thoughts. the whole she skirted around rose, making excuses to escape the scrutiny of the girl. it was painfully suspicious and a confrontation was inevitable.

“are you avoiding me kanaya?” rose had backed her into a corner, quite literally. she was pressed into the wall, opposite of the door.

“well. i would never avoid you. i am simply..” the girl raised an eyebrow. “i am of the opinion that you would be a good doll.”

“doll?”

kanaya nods sharply. “yes. i have been preparing clothes that would be fitting. that would make me expentionally happy if you were to wear.”

and to her utter suprise (and delight) she agreed.

they were in kanayas room. rose was perched on the edge of the bed that was never used but she never bothered to take out. now shes glad she hadnt. beside her were the clothes she made, laid out. a simple black skirt and a white button up skirt, the collar was embroidered with flowers. on top were the undergarments which took much longer than they should have. dark green matching set of lingerie. rose was inspecting the fabric with a small smile. “its pretty.”

kanaya was positively vibrating at this point. the anticipation of seeing rose wear her clothes was nearly too much to bear.

rose looked up. “seeing as im acting as a ‘doll’ in this scenario, and you my master, one must assume to be given commands..?”

she rubbed her hands together, clearing her throat. “that would be correct. all you need to do is act like a doll. which is to say, dont do anything.” that seemed to be acceptable to her as she nodded.

with just a moments hesitation kanaya finally reached out, grabbing roses arm and gently leading her to stand in the middle of the room. she grabbed the sides her godtier robe and began to lift up, rose putting her arms up letting her slide it off easily. kanaya dropped it to the floor unceremoniusly, leaving her in a simple bra and orange leggings. her hand hovers over the waistband. once this was off she would be in undergarments which shes seen many times on the monitor [though only when in private] but it was much different in person. sensing her hesitation rose pulled them down herself, bending down to pull them off her legs then dropping it next to her robe.

kanaya sucked in a breath. almost done. she circled around rose, the girl had returned to her doll-like status keeping her eyes directly forward, not acknowledgin her at all. it made her stomach jump and she rushed behind her so she wouldnt see her flushed face. she unlatched the clasp of the plain black bra. it was honestly disappointing, she had expected something fancier, a little more delicate from rose. but that was okay because thats why she was here. from now on she’d make sure rose wore only the prettiest clothing, it was what she deserves. moving the straps off her shoulder to let it drop to the floor.

finally, the last item of clothing. a pair of solid lavender panties. she wondered if there was decoration, like a bow or design at the front but wouldnt dare turn her around to check. the thought of rose watching her, all sharp and calculated like she could see directly into her mind revealing all of her deepest desires. it was too much. so she laid a trembling hand between her shoulder blades and began to trail her fingers down her spine. rose stiffened under her fingertips so she leaned in and said, “relax.”

she did. the tension fell away as her muscles drooped. then kanaya was centimeters away from her underwear. with a steadying breath she hooked two fingers beneath the waistband and tugged it down. there was no resistence or climactic happenings as it fell to the floor. just like that rose was completely naked. placing one hand lightly on her shoulder she walked back around to the front, admiring the sight. rose was shorter than her by a good bit, barely coming up to her chest. but what she lacked in height she made up generously in weight. she was heavy, with large wide hips and strong arms. her chest, though under-developed, was not lacking in any means. and despite this she looked more delicate than a feather on the water.

kanaya brushed her knucles against her cheek. there was no shame or embarrassment in features, only a quiet satisfaction. what she would give to have stay like this, a true goddess of her own right. she wanted to lay her down and map out every part of her body, get familiar with the holy. but she had a job to do. rose, her doll, was waiting to be dressed and displayed. [though if she really though about it, dolls dont care how their owners play with them, no opinions or voice of their own…] she turned and marched to the bed to grab the underwear, a dark green lace that would constrast wonderfully against her skin.

moving back, she grabbed roses hands and placed them on her shoulders for balance. it would be easier to make her dress herself but that would be a cruel request of a doll. she held the underwear down, letting her move to slip into it. kanaya took care to pull it up, the fabric fitting snuggly against her hips and ass. next she grabbed the matching bra, this time holding each arm as she slipped the straps to her shoulders. instead of turning her around she reached behind rose, finding the clasp and clipping it together with nimble, practiced fingers. she pulled the wire lining down checking to make to sure it was comfortable and low enough to give a nice view of her boobs.

next were the clothes. kanaya picked up the blouse from the bed. she had gotten rose to send measurements long before she started making these so she only hoped it fit. if not she could always spare some time so adjustments could always be be made.

she helped her through the short sleeves, tugging it the fabric up to her shoulders and flattening out the collar. starting from the bottom she began buttoning. it was natural muscle memory from years of practice yet she still fumbled. face flushing as her hands shook too much from excitement and anxiety to get them through the holes. eventually she managed to reach the top putting the last button throw the hole. she tugged at the collar, pulling the edges and flattening them out so they sat even against her jugular.

kanaya ran her fingers down her shirt, pinching and pulling at any odd sections until satisfied. the skirt was next, a simple black, pleated and it came to her knees. there was no hassle with getting her to step into it, pulling it up so it waistline settled just over her bellybutton. she spent a few minutes focused on pulling her shirt down, straigtening it out and fixing the skirt.

when satisfied she glances up and rose met her eye. they stared at eachother, her face tinged a bit red, eyes are a hazier than usual. softer around the edges like shes lost her constant sharp observance. kanaya brushed a piece of hair from her face. she ran her fingers through her soft hair, brushing out any kinks and moving it until her face was framed perfectly. holding her hand she led the doll back to her bed, helping her to sit down. once again fussing with her appearance before pulling back.

#<333 #kan #rose #this is an older fic i havent got around to finishing yet lol but have this portion. ill probably finish the rest another time ! #so sorry for the abrupt ending

[trg-deltarune-quotes]

Berdly dose not need a redemption arc

I would like to prefix this by stating that I am NOT trying to excuse his actions. He is very much a prick and has a hard time listening to Noelle’s honest thoughts and opinion, but I don’t think these are good enough reasons to constitute a redemption arc for him, because outside of these flaws he has a lot more redeeming qualities. 

One of his prevalent traits is that he is diligent, hardworking, and honest. Across the two chapters we learn that Berdly has two jobs, a volunteer job at the library and a job with Ms. Boom, so far we’ve only seen him at the library but this shows that he isn't lazy and takes his job seriously.

This also shows that he is quite an honest person. When it comes to other people he might misinterpret their intentions but his assessment of their personality and how they act aren’t wrong. He wasn’t lying about his motivations and although he makes excuses for why he sucks at everything he never gives up trying to overcome an obstacle or complete his objective.

Berdly misinterprets Kris pranks on him.

Berdly making excuses for why he couldn’t solve the puzzle.

When he keeps his limits in mind and is willing to help out with the group he can be pretty smart. He has a good memory which helps out with the plan he comes up with. A plan which actually got them farther than just brute forcing their way through.

The plan fails but it does show that he isn't as dumb as he thinks he is.

These traits don’t automatically make him a good person, villains can have similar traits as the heroes afterall, but Berdly is morally sound as well.

In the spamton sweepstakes, Berdly accidentally deletes his minecrap game and has to fix it with the help of Kris. Instead of boasting about how he fixed it all by himself he admits that he got help from them.

And in chapter two when Berdly shows off the statue to Queen and Kris he specifically says to Kris to admire OUR artisanship (skill in a particular craft). 

In the next room over we learn that Sweet cap'n cakes help make the statue.

This shows that Berdly is willing to give credit where credit is due even if he sees everybody as intellectually inferior.

Throughout the entirety of chapter 2 Berdly is constantly trying to keep Noelle safe, that’s part of the reason he was working for Queen in the first place.

The other reason was to make a happy world for the both of them by creating a dark fountain. Noelle even says this herself after the ferris wheel ride.

He even pretended to have romantic feelings for Noelle so she wouldn't be sad.

While he does misinterpret her feelings as being towards him Berdly doesn’t force a kiss on her. Outside of leading her on he never once tries to take control away from Noelle or make her uncomfortable. In his mind Noelle is the one who has to make the decision to admit her love to him, not the other way around. Even when he does have a crush on someone he doesn't force a kiss on them, the control is always in the other person's favor.

He puckers up but that’s as far as he goes and when it doesn’t work he backs off.

All this shows that Berdly loves Noelle and wants to be supportive as much as possible. And while their friendship IS messy and could use some work, at the end of the day they ultimately care about each other.

If Berdly only cared about what Noelle could do for him, why does he ask Noelle how she’s getting stronger instead of why during the snowgrave route?

It’d be counterintuitive of him to let her get stronger since it would mean she could stand up to him and call him out on his bullshit.

When she is assertive and expresses her true feelings on Berdlys idea during the normal route, he’s shocked but he accepts this side of her pretty quickly.

When all is said and done Berdly comes off more as a well meaning but misguided character, far from somebody who needs a redemption arc. His intentions were never malicious and the flaws he does have are easily fixable. While in the light world it’ll take a bit of time to relearn everything, if his final few lines are anything to go by it probably won’t take that long.

#Deltarune #Berdly #Noelle #Kris #Susie #Bit of a tangent but I really don't get the whole redemption arc thing for Berdly #Like i'm not saying he's flawless but i've never understood what made him so bad that people would classify him as such #This mostly comes from the fact that all the main characters forgive him by the end of the chapter #Susie doesn't hate him anymore and they might become friends later down the line #Noelle was just annoyed by his stupidity and shocked at how bad a listener he is #And Kris never even hated him in the first place #So his character arc is just that #An Arc

[silasbug]

i ask for dreams and my brain provides.

brief dream log about an unfortunate dream involving some of my coursemates and another from a few days ago about an odd parallel puzzle-world.

.

he asked me not to tell anyone. i just made a face that communicated my discomfort at the whole thing. that apparently made him nervous. he offered me a beer. i reluctantly took it after a lot of insistence. he slipped something inside and i NOTICED and i STILL DRANK IT lmfao. sipped on it like dumb bitch juice. passed out. found myself locked in some dark room (so i wouldnˋt be able to tell, as if i would care to). cue panic. i was close to waking and the moment of passing out and the panic replayed about 4 times. really stupid dream. i am actively confused. 0/10. do better.

1. we got our results back for our bug-identification as we sat in class. i had apparently only barely passed, which i was very confused about. i mentioned to someone that the diptera species they showed us were very bad examples. i signed up for the re-exam that was taking place right then.

afterwards, i was standing on a road next to a field and a coursemate (he looks like a younger version of Rhys Montrose from You) walked by. he asked if i was going to the party later (to celebrate the end of exams). i was very confused, but felt a pang of.. something. unpleasant. of course. i wasnˋt invited. i mean, i wouldnˋt expect anything else, i havenˋt really made any friends in my courses and thatˋs perfectly fine. outright exclusion still doesn't feel nice. honestly, i was a little more confused when he essenially explained that it was just about half the course, not having invited anyone they donˋt, unanimously, like. WHICH IS FINE, but the dream specifically framed it as some sort of exclusive cool-kids-club. that felt really off. weˋre no more than 30 people and while i understand that people donˋt always see eye to eye & not everyone has to like each other, most of us are in our mid twenties and this just seemed more high-school-drama-esque than necessary.

2. i wrote this down on paper. i lost the paper, so i donˋt remember much. some people and i walked into a room made of concrete. the doors locked behind us and we were trapped. there was some sort of portal on the ground, and not knowing what else to do, most of them walked through. only one other person and i stayed behind in the room because we werenˋt sure what to expect. it turns out that the portal lead to some sort of parallel world with a lot of puzzles, but completely devoid of life or anything that could support it. just a bunch of monoliths and ghostly green energy beams.

the other person and i started looking around the concrete room and eventually found some sort of console (lit  with the same green). thereˋs a lot of context iˋm missing but we eventually found out that if you solve a puzzle in the other world, it would provide resources in the concrete room. i donˋt remember but i assume we could probably send them through the portal as well (but it may have closed). we were desperately trying to find a way to rescue the people stuck on the other side, or to at least keep them alive. we had no way of communication, but something we did managed to get through. they mustˋve also figured something out by themselves  because they solved a puzzle.

A floor compartment in the concrete room opened up, revealing a bunch of crates filled with clothes, bedsheets and bedding. i started pulling them out, mostly confused but grateful that we now had something to provide warmth (the room was very, very cold). i planned to make a nest on the floor with the fabrics to shelter us and preparing the room for when weˋd be able to get the others back to our side (as we would still be trapped in the room, after all). i woke up as i was pulling some emerald green sheets out of a crate.

#dream log