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dresshistorynerd · 2 months

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The Real Cost of the Fashion Industry

Atacama Desert, in Alto Hospicio, Iquique, Chile. (source)

The textile industry is destroying the world. The industry is wasting massive amounts of energy and materials, and polluting the air, the ground and the water supplies. It overwhelmingly exploits it's labour and extracts wealth from colonized countries, especially in Asia. I assume we all broadly understand this, but I think it's useful to have it all laid out in front of you to see the big picture, the core issues causing this destruction and find ways how to effectively move forward.

The concerning trend behind this ever-increasing devastation are shortening of trend cycles, lowering clothing prices and massive amount of wasted products. Still in year 2000 it was common for fashion brands to have two collections per year, while now e.g. Zara produces 24 collections and H&M produces 12-16 collections per year. Clothing prices have fallen (at leas in EU) 30% from 1996 to 2018 when adjusted to inflation, which has contributed to the 40% increase in clothing consumption per person between 1996 and 2012 (in EU). (source) As the revenue made by the clothing industry keep rising - from 2017 to 2021 they doubled (source) - falling prices can only be achieved with increasing worker exploitation and decreasing quality. I think the 36% degrees times clothing are used in average during the last 15 years (source) is a clear indication on the continuing drop in quality of clothing. Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2015, while 30% of the clothes produced per year are never sold and are often burned instead (source), presumably to prevent the returns from falling due to oversupply.

These all factors are driving people to overconsume. While people in EU keep buying more clothes, they haven't used up to 50% of the clothes in their wardrobe for over a year (source). This overconsumption is only made much worse by the new type of hyper fast fashion companies like SHEIN and Temu, which are using addictive psychological tactics developed by social media companies (source 1, source 2). They are cranking up all those concerning trends I mentioned above.

Under the cut I will go through the statistics of the most significant effects of the industry on environment and people. I will warn you it will be bleak. This is not just a fast fashion problem, basically the whole industry is engaging in destructive practices leading to this damage. Clothing is one of those things that would be actually relatively easy to make without massive environmental and human cost, so while that makes the current state of the industry even more heinous, it also means there's hope and it's possible to fix things. In the end, I will be giving some suggestions for actions we could be doing right now to unfuck this mess.

Carbon emissions

The textile industry is responsible for roughly 10% of the global CO2 emissions, more than aviation and shipping industry combined. This is due to the massive supply chains and energy intensive production methods of fabrics. Most of it can be contributed to the fashion sector since around 60% of all the textile production is clothing. Polyester, a synthetic fiber made from oil which accounts for more than half of the fibers used in the textile industry, produces double the amount of carbon emissions than cotton, accounting for very large proportions of all the emissions by the industry. (source 1, source 2)

Worker exploitation

Majority of the textiles are produced in Asia. Some of the worst working conditions are in Bangladesh, one of the most important garment producers, and Pakistan. Here's an excerpt from EU Parliament's briefing document from 2014 after the catastrophic Rana Plaza disaster:

The customers of garment producers are most often global brands looking for low prices and tight production timeframes. They also make changes to product design, product volume, and production timeframes, and place last-minute orders without accepting increased costs or adjustments to delivery dates. The stresses of such policies usually fall on factory workers.

The wage exploitation is bleak. According to the 2015 documentary The True Cost less than 2% of all garment factory workers earned a living wage (source). Hourly wages are so low and the daily quotas so high, garment workers are often forced through conditions or threats and demand to work extra hours, which regularly leads to 10-12 hour work days (source) and at worst 16 hour workdays (source), often without days off. Sometimes factories won't compensate for extra hours, breaching regulations (source).

Long working hours, repetitive work, lack of breaks and high pressure leads to increased risks of injuries and accidents. Small and even major injuries are extremely common in the industry. A study in three factories in India found that 70% of the workers suffered from musculosceletal symptoms (source). Another qualitative study of female garment workers and factory doctors in Dhaka found that long hours led to eye strain, headaches, fatigue and weight loss in addition to muscular and back pains. According to the doctors interviewed, weight loss was common because the workers work such long hours without breaks, they didn't have enough time to eat properly. (source) Another study in 8 factories in India found that minor injuries were extremely common and caused by unergonomic work stations, poor organization in the work place and lack of safety gear, guidelines and training (source). Safety precautions too are often overlooked to cut corners, which periodically leads to factory accidents, like in 2023 lack of fire exists and fire extinguishers, and goods stacked beyond capacity led to a factory fire in Pakistan which injured dozens of workers (source) or like in 2022 dangerous factory site led to one dead worker and 9 injured workers (source).

Rana Plaza collapse in 2013 is the worst industrial accident in recent history. The factory building did not have proper permits and the factory owner blatantly ignored signs of danger (other businesses abandoned the building a day before the collapse), which led to deaths of 1 134 workers and injuries to 2 500 workers. The factory had or were at the time working for orders of at least Prada, Versace, Primark, Walmart, Zara, H&M, C&A, Mango, Benetton, the Children's Place, El Corte Inglés, Joe Fresh, Carrefour, Auchan, KiK, Loblaw, Bonmarche and Matalan. None of the brands were held legally accountable for the unsafe working conditions which they profited off of. Only 9 of the brands attended a meeting to agree on compensation for the victim's families. Walmart, Carrefour, Auchan, Mango and KiK refused to sight the agreement, it was only signed by Primark, Loblaw, Bonmarche and El Corte Ingles. The compension these companies provided was laughable though. Primemark demanded DNA evidence that they are relatives of one of the victims from these struggling families who had lost their often sole breadwinner for a meager sum of 200 USD (which doesn't even count for two months of living wage in Bangladesh (source)). This obviously proved to be extremely difficult for most families even though US government agreed to donate DNA kits. This is often said to be a turning point in working conditions in the industry, at least in Bangladesh, but while there's more oversight now, as we have seen, there's clearly still massive issues. (source 1, source 2)

One last major concern of working conditions in the industry I will mention is the Xinjiang raw cotton production, which is likely produced mainly with forced labour from Uighur concentration camps, aka slave labour of a suspected genocide. 90% of China's raw cotton production comes from Xinjiang (source). China is the second largest cotton producer in the world, after India, accounting 20% of the yearly global cotton production (source).

Pollution

Synthetic dyes, which synthetic fibers require, are the main cause of water pollution caused by the textile industry, which is estimated to account for 20% of global clean water pollution (source). This water pollution by the textile industry is suspected of causing a lot of health issues like digestive issues in the short term, and allergies, dermatitis, skin inflammation, tumors and human mutations in the long term. Toxins also effect fish and aquatic bacteria. Azo dyes, one of the major pollutants, can cause detrimental effects to aquatic ecosystems by decreasing photosynthetic activity of algae. Synthetic dyes and heavy metals also cause large amounts of soil pollution. Large amounts of heavy metals in soil, which occurs around factories that don't take proper environmental procautions, can cause anaemia, kidney failure, and cortical edoem in humans. That also causes changes in soil texture, decrease in soil microbial diversity and plant health, and changes in genetic structure of organisms growing in the soil. Textile factory waste water has been used for irrigation in Turkey, where other sources of water have been lacking, causing significant damage to the soil. (source)

Rayon produced through viscose process causes significant carbon disulphide and hydrogen sulphide pollution to the environment. CS2 causes cardiovascular, psychiatric, neuropsychological, endocrinal and reproductive disorders. Abortion rates among workers and their partners exposed to CS2 are reported to be significantly higher than in control groups. Many times higher amounts of sick days are reported for workers in spinning rooms of viscose fiber factories. China and India are largest producers of CS2 pollution, accounting respectively 65.74% and 11,11% of the global pollution, since they are also the major viscose producers. Emission of CS2 has increased significantly in India from 26.8 Gg in 2001 to 78.32 Gg in 2020. (source)

Waste

The textile industry is estimated to produce around 92 million tons of textile waste per year. As said before around 30% of the production is never sold and with shortening lifespans used the amount of used clothing that goes to waster is only increasing. This waste is large burned or thrown into landfills in poor countries. (source) H&M was accused in 2017 by investigative journalists of burning up to 12 tonnes of clothes per year themselves, including usable clothing, which they denied claiming they donated clothing they couldn't sell to charity instead (source). Most of the clothing donated to charity though is burned or dumbed to landfills (source).

Most of the waste clothing from rich countries like European countries, US, Australia and Canada are shipped to Chile (source) or African countries, mostly Ghana, but also Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire (source). There's major second-hand fashion industries in these places, but most of the charity clothing is dumbed to landfills, because they are in such bad condition or the quality is too poor. Burning and filling landfills with synthetic fabrics with synthetic dyes causes major air, water and soil pollution. The second-hand clothing industry also suppresses any local clothing production as donated clothing is inherently more competitive than anything else, making these places economically reliant on dumbed clothing, which is destroying their environment and health, and prevents them from creating a more sustainable economy that would befit them more locally. This is not an accident, but required part of the clothing industry. Overproduction let's these companies tap on every new trend quickly, while not letting clothing the prices in rich countries drop so low it would hurt their profits. Production is cheaper than missing a trend.

Micro- and nanoplastics

There is massive amounts of micro- and nanoplastics in all of our environment. It's in our food, drinking water, even sea salt (source). Washing synthetic textiles accounts for roughly 35% of all microplastics released to the environment. It's estimated that it has caused 14 million tonnes of microplastics to accumulate into the bottom of the ocean. (source)

Microplastics build up into the intestines of animals (including humans), and have shown to probably cause cause DNA damage and altered organism behavior in aquatic fauna. Microplastics also contain a lot of the usual pollutants from textile industry like synthetic dyes and heavy metals, which absorb in higher quantities to tissues of animals through microplastics in the intestines. Studies have shown that the adverse effect are higher the longer the microplastics stay in the organism. The effects cause major risks to aquatic biodiversity. (source) The health effects of microplastics to humans are not well known, but studies have shown that they could have adverse effects on digestive, respiratory, endocrine, reproductive and immune systems. (source)

Microplastics degrade in the environment even further to nanoplastics. Nanoplastic being even smaller are found to enter blood circulation, get inside cells and cross the blood-brain barrier. In fishes they have been found to cause neurological damage. Nanoplastics are also in the air, and humans frequently breath them in. Study in office buildings found higher concentration of nanoplastics in indoor air than outdoor air. Inside the nanoplastics are likely caused mostly by synthetic household textiles, and outdoors mostly by car tires. (source) An association between nanoplastics and mitochondrial damage in human respiratory cells was found in a recent study. (source)

Micro and nano plastics are also extremely hard to remove from the environment, making it even more important that we reduce the amount of microplastics we produce as fast as possible.

What can we do?

This is a question that deserves it's own essays and articles written about it, but I will leave you with some action points. Reading about these very bleak realities can easily lead to overwhelming apathy, but we need to channel these horrors into actions. Whatever you do, do not fall into apathy. We don't have the luxury for that, we need to act. These are industry wide problems, that simply cannot be fixed by consumerism. Do not trust any clothing companies, even those who market themselves as ethical and responsible, always assume they are lying. Most of them are, even the so called "good ones". We need legislation. We cannot allow the industry to regulate itself, they will always take the easy way out and lie to their graves. I will for sure write more in dept about what we can do, but for now here's some actions to take, both political and individual ones.

Political actions

Let's start with political actions, since they will be the much more important ones. While we are trying to dismantle capitalism and neocolonialism (the roots of these issues), here's some things that we could do right now. These will be policies that we should be doing everywhere in the world, but especially rich countries, where most of the clothing consumption is taking place. Vote, speak to others, write to your representative, write opinion pieces to your local papers, engage with democracy.

Higher requirements of transparency. Right now product transparency in clothing is laughably low. In EU only the material make up and the origin country of the final product are required to be disclosed. Everything else is up to the company. Mandatory transparency is the only way we can force any positive changes in the production. The minimum of transparency should be: origin countries of the fibers and textiles in the product itself; mandatory reports of the lifecycle emissions; mandatory reports of whole chain of production. Right now the clothing companies make their chain of production intentionally complex, so they have plausible deniability when inevitably they are caught violating environmental or worker protection laws (source). They intentionally don't want to be able to track down their production chain. Forcing them to do so anyway would make it very expensive for them to keep up this unnecessarily complex production chain. These laws are most effective when put in place in large economies like EU or US.

Restrictions on the use of synthetic fibers. Honestly I think they should be banned entirely, since the amount of microplastics in our environment is already extremely distressing and the other environmental effects of synthetic fibers are also massive, but I know there are functions for which they are not easily replaced (though I think they can be replaces in those too, but that's a subject of another post), so we should start with restrictions. I'm not sure how they should be specifically made, I'm not a law expert, but they shouldn't be used in everyday textiles, where there are very easy and obvious other options.

Banning viscose. There are much better options for viscose method that don't cause massive health issues and environmental destruction where ever it's made, like Lyocell. There is absolutely no reason why viscose should be allowed to be sold anywhere.

Governmental support for local production by local businesses. Most of the issues could be much more easily solved and monitored if most clothing were not produced by massive global conglomerations, but rather by local businesses that produce locally. All clothing are made by hand, so centralizing production doesn't even give it advantage in effectiveness (only more profits for the few). Producing locally would make it much more easier to enforce regulations and it would reduce production chains, making production more effective, leaving more profits into the hands of the workers and reducing emissions from transportation. When the production is done by local businesses, the profits would stay in the producing country and they could be taxed and utilized to help the local communities. This would be helpful to do in both exploited and exploiter countries. When done in rich countries who exploit poorer ones, it would reduce the demand for exploitation. In poor countries this is not as easily done, since poor means they don't have money to give around, but maybe this could be a good cause to put some reparations from colonizers and global corporations, which they should pay.

Preventing strategic accounting between subsidiaries and parent companies. Corporate law is obviously not my area of expertise, but I know that allowing corporations to move around the accounting of profits and losses between subsidiaries and parent companies in roughly 1980s, was a major factor in creating this modern global capitalist system, where corporations can very easily manipulate their accounting to utilize tax heavens and avoid taxes where they actually operate, which is how they are upholding this terrible system and extracting the profits from the production countries. How specifically this would be done I can't tell because again I know shit about corporate law, so experts of that field should plan the specifics. Overall this would help deal with a lot of other problems than just the fashion industry. Again for it to be effective a large economic area like EU or US should do this.

Holding companies accountable for their whole chain of production. These companies should be dragged to court and made to answer for the crimes they are profiting of off. We should put fear back into them. This is possible. Victims of child slavery are already doing this for chocolate companies. If it's already not how law works everywhere, the laws should be changed so that the companies are responsible even if they didn't know, because it's their responsibility to find out and make sure they know. They should have been held accountable for the Rana Plaza disaster. Maybe they still could be. Sue the mother fuckers. They should be afraid of us.

Individual actions

I will stress that the previous section is much more important and that there's no need to feel guilty for individual actions. This is not the fault of the average consumer. Still we do need to change our relationship to fashion and consumption. While it's not our fault, one of the ways this system is perpetuated, is by the consumerist propaganda by fashion industry. And it is easier to change our own habits than to change the industry, even if our own habits have little impact. So these are quite easy things we all could do as we are trying to do bigger change to gain some sense of control and keep us from falling to apathy.

Consume less. Better consumption will not save us, since consumption itself is the problem. We consume too much clothing. Don't make impulse purchases. Consider carefully weather you actually need something or if you really really want it. Even only buying second-hand still fuels the industry, so while it's better than buying new, it's still better to not buy.

Take proper care of your clothing. Learn how to properly wash your clothing. There's a lot of internet resources for that. Never wash your wool textiles in washing machine, even if the textile's official instructions allow it. Instead air them regularly, rinse them in cool water if they still smell after airing and wash stains with water or small amount of (wool) detergent. Never use fabric softener! It damages the fabrics, prevents them from properly getting clean and is environmentally damaging. Instead use laundry vinegar for making textiles softer or removing bad smells. (You can easily make laundry vinegar yourself too from white vinegar and water (and essential oils, if you want to add a scent to it) which is much cheaper.) Learn how to take care of your leather products. Most leather can be kept in very good condition for a very long time by occasional waxing with beeswax.

Use the services of dressmakers and shoemakers. Take your broken clothing or clothing which doesn't fit anymore to your local dressmaker and ask them if they can do something about it. Take your broken and worn leather products to your local shoemaker too. Usually it doesn't cost much to get something fixed or refitted and these expert usually have ways to fix things you couldn't even think of. So even if the situation with your clothing or accessory seems desperate, still show it to the dressmaker or shoemaker.

If it's extremely cheap, don't buy it. Remember that every clothing is handmade. Only a small fraction of the cost of the clothing will be paying the wages of the person who made it with their hands. If a shirt costs 5 euros (c. 5,39 USD), it's sewer was only payed mere cents for sewing it. I'm not a quick sewer and it takes me roughly 1-2 hours to cut, prepare and sew a simple shirt, so I'm guessing it would take around half an hour to do all that for a factory worker on a crunch, at the very least 15 minutes. So the hourly pay would still be ridiculously low. However, as I said before, the fact that the workers in clothing factories get criminally low pay is not the fault of the consumer, so if you need a clothing item, and you don't have money to buy anything else than something very cheep, don't feel guilty. And anyway expensive clothing in no way necessarily means reasonable pay or ethical working conditions, cheep clothing just guarantee them.

Learn to recognize higher quality. In addition to exploitation, low price also means low quality, but again high price doesn't guarantee high quality. High quality allows you to buy less, so even if it's not as cheep as low quality, if you can afford it, when you need it, it will be cheaper in long run, and allows you to consume less. Check the materials. Natural fibers are your friends. Do not buy plastic, if it's possible to avoid. Avoid household textiles from synthetic fibers. Avoid textiles with small amounts of spandex to give it stretch, it will shorten the lifespan of the clothing significantly as the spandex quickly wears down and the clothing looses it's shape. Also avoid clothing with rubber bands. They also loose their elasticity very quickly. In some types of clothing (sport wear, underwear) these are basically impossible to avoid, but in many other cases it's entirely possible.

Buy from artisans and local producers, if you can. As said better consumption won't fix this, but supporting artisans and your local producers could help keep them afloat, which in small ways helps create an alternative to the exploitative global corporations. With artisans especially you know the money goes to the one who did the labour and buying locally means less middlemen to take their cut. More generally buy rather from businesses that are located to the same country where the production is, even if it's not local to you. A local business doesn't necessarily produce locally.

Develop your own taste. If you care about fashion and style, it's easy to fall victim to the fashion industry's marketing and trend cycles. That's why I think it's important to develop your personal sense of style and preferences. Pay attention at what type of clothes are comfortable to you. Go through your wardrobe and track for a while which clothing you use most and which least. Understanding your own preferences helps you avoid impulse buying.

Consider learning basics of sewing. Not everyone has the time or interest for this, but if you in anyway might have a bit of both, I suggest learning some very simple and basic mending and reattaching a button.

Further reading on this blog: How to see through the greenwashing propaganda of the fashion industry - Case study 1: Shein

Bibliography

Academic sources

An overview of the contribution of the textiles sector to climate change, 2022, L. F. Walter et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science

How common are aches and pains among garment factory workers? A work-related musculoskeletal disorder assessment study in three factories of south 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, 2021, Arkaprovo Pal et al., J Family Med Prim Care

Sewing shirts with injured fingers and tears: exploring the experience of female garment workers health problems in Bangladesh, 2019, Akhter, S., Rutherford, S. & Chu, C., BMC Int Health Hum Rights

Occupation Related Accidents in Selected Garment Industries in Bangalore City, 2006, Calvin, Sam & Joseph, Bobby, Indian Journal of Community Medicine

A Review on Textile and Clothing Industry Impacts on The Environment, 2022, Nur Farzanah Binti Norarmi et al., International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Carbon disulphide and hydrogen sulphide emissions from viscose fibre manufacturing industry: A case study in India, 2022, Deepanjan Majumdar et al., Atmospheric Environment: X

Microplastics Pollution: A Brief Review of Its Source and Abundance in Different Aquatic Ecosystems, 2023, Asifa Ashrafy et al., Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances

Health Effects of Microplastic Exposures: Current Issues and Perspectives in South Korea, 2023, Yongjin Lee et al., Yonsei Medical Journal

Nanoplastics and Human Health: Hazard Identification and Biointerface, 2022, Hanpeng Lai, Xing Liu, and Man Qu, Nanomaterials

Other sources

The impact of textile production and waste on the environment (infographics), 2020, EU

Chile’s desert dumping ground for fast fashion leftovers, 2021, AlJazeera

Fashion - Worldwide, 2022 (updated 2024), Statista

Fashion Industry Waste Statistics & Facts 2023, James Evans, Sustainable Ninja (magazine)

Everything You Need to Know About Waste in the Fashion Industry, 2024, Solene Rauturier, Good on You (magazine)

Textiles and the environment, 2022, Nikolina Šajn, European Parliamentary Research Service

Help! I'm addicted to secondhand shopping apps, 2023, Alice Crossley, Cosmopolitan

Addictive, absurdly cheap and controversial: the rise of China’s Temu app, 2023, Helen Davidson, Guardian

Workers' conditions in the textile and clothing sector: just an Asian affair? - Issues at stake after the Rana Plaza tragedy, 2014, Enrico D'Ambrogio, European Parliamentary Research Service

State of The Industry: Lowest Wages to Living Wages, The Lowest Wage Challenge (Industry affiliated campaign)

Fast Fashion Getting Faster: A Look at the Unethical Labor Practices Sustaining a Growing Industry, 2021, Emma Ross, International Law and Policy Brief (George Washington University Law School)

Dozens injured in Pakistan garment factory collapse and fire, 2023, Hannah Abdulla, Just Style (news media)

India: Multiple factory accidents raise concerns over health & safety in the garment industry, campaigners call for freedom of association in factories to ‘stave off’ accidents, 2022, Jasmin Malik Chua, Business & Human Rights Resource Center

Minimum Wage Level for Garment Workers in the World, 2020, Sheng Lu, FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing (University of Delaware)

Rana Plaza collapse, Wikipedia

Buyers’ compensation for Rana Plaza victims far from reality, 2013, Ibrahim Hossain Ovi, Dhaka Tribune (news media)

World cotton production statistics, updated 2024, The World Counts

Dead white man’s clothes, 2021, Linton Besser, ABC News

#fashion #fashion industry #sustainability #sustainable fashion #sustainable clothing #environment #climate change #i will be continuing the series of how to see through fashion industry propaganda at some point #i just felt compelled to write this because i feel like people so often miss the forest for the trees in this conversation

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bucketsofmonsters · 2 years

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Willing Sacrifice

cw: vaginal fingering, penetrative sex, an attempted sacrifice of the reader, non-human genetalia, getting lost in the woods, a monster in heat

male monster x fem reader

Word count: 9k

“You can’t do this to me!” you screamed, knowing it was pointless but too full of anger to care.

“I’m sorry, my dear, it has to be done.” The people you used to call friends tightened your bindings as you struggled and thrashed against them, refusing to go down without a fight.

“It doesn’t!” you protested, unable to understand how they could be alright with doing this. “We can fight or move or anything, I don’t know, anything but this!”

It was futile. As they hurried away, eager to get far away from you and forget about your cries of protest, you wondered how long ago they’d decided on this. When had they decided that you were the one they would sacrifice.

In all honesty, it had probably been a long time ago. It was probably because of exactly this kind of behavior, you absolutely refusing to let this go on. You’d never been alright with any of this, with how they sent people into the forest to die in an attempt to save their own hides. If you’d kept your head down 5 years ago, the last time they’d tried this, odds were you’d be safe at home right now but you hadn’t. You hadn’t been able to stomach it, wracked with grief until you could stand it no longer.

In the middle of the night, praying you were not too late, you ran to this exact stone and removed the restraints, telling the poor girl a few years older than you were now to run to a nearby village and never turn back. They probably wouldn’t even have noticed you’d freed her if they hadn’t caught you on your way back. It didn’t take long to piece it together, your guilty face running from those woods. You’d been kept on a tight leash since then.

For every person that died in those 5 years, every single one, the blame was placed squarely on your back. “Was it worth it?" they’d ask, “All these souls for one person?”

You said yes every time.

And now here you were, after every attempt to get out had failed. You had no real hope that you’d survive this, the odds that there was another quiet savior in your village was nonexistent. You were alone. It was kind of fitting, that you were going to die in the forest that you loved so much, sacrificed to the beast that lived within it.

Every time you heard movement in the trees your memories flashed back to all the horror stories you’d been told about the monster in these woods, how it would tear people limb from limb, leave their bones for people to find.

The further on the night ticked, the less jumpy you got. After hours and hours had passed, the cold and the restraints digging into your skin making your limbs go numb became harder and harder to ignore. One can only wait in terrified apprehension for so long before even the fear becomes monotonous.

You wiggled as much as you could, trying to get blood flow back into your arms and legs. At this rate, even if the creature didn’t kill you, you’d lose your limbs by the end of this. Not that you thought there was any real chance you’d make it out but it was better than just waiting.

As you moved your arms the few inches that you could, you heard something move behind you and you were almost certain that this time, it wasn’t just your imagination. As much as you struggled, you couldn’t turn enough to see what it was, left completely in the dark. However, the deep, echoing footsteps gave you a pretty good guess at what was coming.

You took a deep breath, promising yourself you wouldn’t scream. If you were going to die here, you might as well do it with dignity.

A short huff came from behind you and you could feel hot breath wash over you, making your skin crawl. The air shifted as it moved closer, and you desperately tried to flinch away, despite knowing you couldn’t move.

And then, all of a sudden, you could. Your restraints were ripped open, freeing your arms first and then your legs. You didn’t even take the time to think, immediately throwing yourself from the rock you’d been tied to, desperate to get away. You assumed this was what it wanted, for you to give it a chase, but what other option did you have? You certainly weren’t going to just lay down and die.

As you pushed yourself from the rock, the gravity of the situation set in as your numb and strained arms and legs gave out on you. You collapsed to the ground unceremoniously, letting out a desperate sob as you realized you wouldn’t even be able to attempt an escape. You lay there, crumpled on the ground, racking your brain for anything you could do. So much for going out with dignity.

“Are you an idiot?” The voice that came from behind you was deep, barely above a growl, with something deeply animalistic to it. It set off some instinctual fear in you; the sound alone being enough to make the hairs on your arms stand on end.

You tried to pull yourself back but your traitorous arms and legs wouldn’t allow for it, barely managing to turn yourself enough to see the creature. He was massive, probably seven or eight feet tall, it was hard to tell from the ground. He was standing on two feet, which aided his height. You’d always imagined the beast of these woods on all fours, more animalistic and unspeaking than this. Thick fur covered him head to toe, he looked almost wolfish, with ivory antlers growing out of his head.

Your heart told you to scream and your head told you to try and reason with him but all you managed to blurt out was, “You can talk?”

He plodded over to you, familiar, echoing footsteps approaching you before picking you up from the ground like you weighed nothing. You could feel his sharp claws, not piercing your skin put pressed up against you as he lifted you. You quietly made your peace with your imminent death before he plopped you down again, leaning you against the stone you’d been tied to.

“At least gather your bearings before you try and run again, little idiot.”

No matter how much you tried to calm yourself, your breaths were still coming short and fast. At this rate, even if you could stand you would pass out if you tried to run anywhere, you needed to pull yourself together, as difficult as that was in the presence of a figure you’d had nightmares about for years.

“Is that what you want? For me to give you a chase?” you spat in his direction, trying to sound as frightening as you could while unable to stand properly.

He didn’t even dignify you with a response to your question, which angered you even more. If he was going to kill you, the least he could do was not ignore you first. He glared at you accusationally, as if he had any right to be angry, and snarled, “After the last one wasn’t here, I thought maybe your stupid village was done but you never fail to disappoint me.”

“After the last… I freed her.” You assumed he was talking about his missing sacrifice, the one you’d worked so hard to save at the cost of your own life. You sat up a little straighter at that, proud you’d be able to tell him that you had taken one sacrifice away from him, even if you did end up here yourself. At least you’d have that, a small victory but one you were proud of nonetheless.

His head cocked to the side, looking at you with a newfound interest, actually responding to your words for the first time. “You freed her?”

“To save her from you,” you spat. You could barely look at him, knowing the blood of your friends was on his hands. The only reason you forced yourself to look was to watch his reaction to your little victory. He didn't seem angry, though, more intrigued than anything, if you were reading his face correctly. You dismissed it, you probably just weren’t understanding him properly, you weren’t accustomed to reading wolf-men’s faces anyways.

“Your friends did not need saving from me. Despite what you little parasites seem to think, I have no interest in you, as sacrifices or otherwise.”

You shook your head. “No, that’s not possible, you killed them!”

“That is what you all think, isn’t it. Every death is blamed on me, every attack by a wild creature. You send your own to die here, by my hand, and yet I’m the monster. I’ve done nothing to you but exist near your home.”

That couldn’t be true, this must be some sort of trick or game he was playing with you. “You expect me to believe you?”

He scoffed. “I don’t expect a human to believe anything but their own self-centered worldview.”

“Where are they then?” you shot back, trying to force him to admit to his lie. “Where are all my friends?”

“Do you think they wanted to go back to a people who would send them to die so readily?”

That gave you pause. If you survived this, where would you go? Not home, you knew that much. You would never go back there. Not after what they’d done to you. Why would the others feel any different?

“Are they really alive,” you asked, wincing as your voice cracked, sounding much more pathetic than you’d intended.

The creature’s demeanor softened at your words and you hated him for it, hated the wave of pity you felt from him. You much preferred when he was calling you an idiot, at least you’d felt like his equal then.

“They’re fine,” he said, his voice more level than before, more like a low growl than a roar. “They’ve all moved on, gone elsewhere. You will too, when you remember how to stand.”

Was that where you’d go? Some town somewhere, filled with more people. A village like yours, one you’d have to hope would treat you better. Surround yourself with people who could betray you just as easily? The idea turned your stomach. You didn’t belong there. There was nowhere you belonged now. “There’s no place for me. I’ll stay here.”

The more gentle demeanor the creature had put on for you evaporated. “You will do no such thing, if you stay you’ll die.”

“Because you’ll kill me?”

You could practically feel his frustration. “No, I’m not going to kill you, get that through your thick skull. You won’t survive alone in these woods.”

“There’s no place for me amongst people anymore. I love this forest, if it kills me so be it, I’m not leaving.”

He looked you up and down and you couldn’t help but shrink under his intense gaze. Finally, he broke the silence once more. “You’re really not going to leave, are you?”

You shook your head, already adamant in your position. He buried his head in his hands, clearly frustrated with your decision

After a frustrated growl left his throat, he looked down at you once again and said, “Fine, I’ll show you somewhere you can stay.”

You reeled back. “You’re going to help me?”

“I already told you, I don’t want you dead. It’s just somewhere to protect you from the elements, it’s nothing much. Can you walk yet or do I need to carry you?”

You absolutely would not be allowing that to happen. You began to rise and he shifted closer to you. You realized that he was preparing to catch you if you fell, which only made you more determined to stand. You managed it, although on shaky legs and while leaning on the rock you’d come to hate more than anything in the past few hours.

He seemed to accept that you were able to walk now, despite a few fumbles as you began, your legs slowly regaining feeling, although he never strayed too far from you and you got the distinct feeling he wasn’t sure if you would keel over or not.

He led you to a cave, not far from where you’d been tied up. It was small, he had to duck a little to ensure his antlers didn’t scrape the ceiling, but he was right. It would protect you from the elements, at least that was something. As soon as you entered he was already leaving, clearly not eager to stick around and chat.

You weren’t entirely sure why him leaving upset you. You’d just met the terrifying creature, the one who’d haunted you for so many years, and yet so quickly he had turned to some kind of comfort for you. Without him there, the silence of the forest felt overwhelming.

You laid down on the cold, stone ground, as far from the entrance of the cave as you could get. You weren’t sure how you were going to sleep here but you definitely needed it, emotionally and physically exhausted from the night you’d had. You didn’t need to worry, despite your concerns about being able to fall asleep on the hard ground, your exhaustion rapidly took over.

When you woke up, something heavy was draped across you and you sat up in a panic, feeling smothered. As you got up, you realized it was a fur of some kind, keeping you warm. Next to you and the fur was some food and you quietly thanked the beast you’d been so afraid of the night before.

You saw him on occasion, amongst the trees. He was shockingly stealthy for his size, you could tell how no one had ever managed to get a good look at him. You, however, did manage it. He wasn’t hiding from you anymore, there was no use for it.

Despite his demeanor towards you, he was very helpful. He never admitted to being the one to help you, of course, but when you found supplies around you when you woke up you knew exactly where they were coming from.

The day you’d awoken to the peace offerings from the beast, you’d also awoken to blue and purple marks covering your arms, right where the bindings had been. You found yourself rubbing them absentmindedly, the ache a reminder of your first night here. You almost missed them as they started to fade, the last real tie to your village.

You inspected them thoroughly every night, a better marker of time to you than the days. Tonight, for the first time, they were fully gone. No color or pain remaining, just your arms, as they had been.

“Do you really love the forest?”

You whipped around, unsure as to how you could’ve possibly missed the creature’s entrance. You must’ve been too caught up in your reminiscing. You silently scolded yourself, you couldn’t afford to be that careless. “You’re going to give me a heart attack, warn me first!”

“You should be more aware of your surroundings,” he said, amusement tinging his voice.

“Yes, I love the forest,” you said with a huff, “I told you that already, why are you asking me.”

“Most humans who claim that are more destructive. Why did you save the other sacrifice?”

“Because it’s not right, sending someone to die against their will like that. I couldn’t stand for it, even if it meant me being on that rock. Why are you helping me?” you shot back. This interrogation you’d been unwillingly entered into could go both ways.

You expected him to brush it off, to say something rude and move on, but he considered your words carefully before responding. “I don’t want you to die, despite how much of a death wish you seem to have.”

“I do not have a death wish!” Sure, you’d been reckless, but you thought you’d been doing pretty well, all things considered.

“Perhaps you don’t. Your actions make more sense if you do.”

“I can’t have morals?”

“You can, but strong enough ones to die for?”

Of course they were strong enough for you to die for. The other option was letting an innocent person die, you couldn’t stand for that. “Yes. Seems like that wasn’t in the cards though.”

He shook his head in agreement. “Not in my forest it’s not.”

Your head fell to the side, looking up at him curiously. “Is this your forest?”

“I think so. I keep it safe, maintain it. I don’t own it if that’s what you’re asking.”

It wasn’t. You hadn’t even considered the possibility that he owned the forest, that anyone owned the forest. The idea just seemed outlandish to you.

“What’s your name?” It struck you that you hadn’t asked.

“Acacius.”

“Thank you, Acacius, for everything you’ve done for me.”

This seemed to take him by surprise. You couldn’t blame him, you supposed you hadn’t acted very grateful thus far. You were grateful, infinitely so. You weren’t so foolish as to think that you could have survived on your own without him, you were resourceful but not that resourceful, especially not when you’d started exhausted and frightened. Without his quiet aid you would have fulfilled the village’s mission, become a sacrifice to the forest despite Acacius’s initial mercy. “You're welcome, little idiot.”

Before you could manage a retort, he was gone, as quickly and silently as he’d appeared.

You saw more of each other after that. He seemed to have warmed to you in the weeks you’d been here and you enjoyed spending time with him, although neither of you would ever admit it.

As the weeks ticked onwards and the harshest part of winter came, with snow blanketing the ground and temperatures being far below freezing, he just happened to show up more and more often, checking in on you almost daily. And miraculously, more and more pelts kept appearing around your little cave, more than you knew what to with, even in the harsh cold of the winter.

You were convinced that the worst was over. It must be, you couldn’t remember it ever having been this cold before in the village, although admittedly in the past you had been inside next to the warm fireplace for most of those winters, not in a cave covered in animal hides.

The temperatures dropping even further caught you entirely by surprise. You woke up, shivering, hours after your fire had burnt out to feet of new snow outside. You groaned, rubbing your hands together in a desperate bid for warmth so you’d have enough feeling in your hands to restart your fire.

As you tried and failed to warm your hands, you heard a very welcome noise. The plodding of heavy footsteps on newly fallen snow approached you and you turned eagerly to see the staggering figure of your protector.

At the sight of your shivering form you heard a low growl come from him, igniting some instinctual fear in you. You often forgot how imposing he could be, especially when he was upset. You weren’t actually afraid of him, you knew he wouldn’t hurt you, but occasionally, something would happen and something in your biology would tell you that you needed to run.

He pushed past you, completely unaware of the effect he was having on you and already set on starting a fire,

“You humans are so fragile,” he called back to you as he busied himself.

You sniffled quietly, refusing to dignify that with a response.

It didn’t take long before the fire was roaring in front of you, far faster than you could’ve managed with your practically numb fingers that still weren’t getting better.

You sat opposite the fire from Acacius, who was watching you carefully as you tucked your hands between your thighs and curled in on yourself, trying to conserve body heat.

“Come here,” he said, beckoning you towards him. You stared back at him, wide eyed and uncertain. He didn’t give you the opportunity to flounder, speaking once more. “You’re cold. Come here.” His tone didn’t leave any room for argument, saying it so matter-of-factly, as if it was the only course of action. You obeyed, shuffling towards him, an uncharacteristic timidness coming over you at the idea of being close to him.

As soon as you were within his reach he pulled you into his side, next to the newly lit fire. Your body went stiff, unsure of what to do with this newfound contact. You’d never actually gotten the chance to touch his fur before, even unmoving against it you could tell how thick and soft it was. Unbidden, your mind conjured the idea of how it would feel to run your hands through it, wondering if anyone had ever done that for him. This did not help how flustered you were, absolutely refusing to move just in case you messed this up somehow.

Acacius seemed to find this deeply amusing, a low chuckle rumbling through his chest. “Relax, little one, I don’t bite.”

This did little to help your nervousness but you managed to relax against him, leaning into his surprisingly warm side, feeling the cold slowly leave you.

“You’re so tense around me.” You could feel the rumble in his chest as he spoke, his voice particularly low, making it almost seem as if you were feeling his words instead of hearing them.

It was a fair observation, you were tense around him. You understood why you were at first, you were scared and upset, of course you were going to be on guard against him. He didn’t seem to mind that, he understood your fear and did his best to prove it unwarranted. But as the fear and anger dissipated and you got to know him, that tension remained. You didn’t understand it yourself, let alone well enough to put it into words. There was just something about him, something that made you more conscious of yourself, a thick tension that always hung in the air.

Not that you’d ever say that to him, admit to that tension you didn’t understand and couldn’t quite manage to shake. So you did what you did best, you deflected.

“Of course I’m tense. It’s been quite the adjustment, having to sleep on the cold, hard ground,” you said with a dramatic sigh, trying to keep yourself from giggling.

He was having none of it. “Oh please. With all the furs I’ve given you, you’re sleeping like a princess.”

You continued on, undeterred by his accurate assessment. “And no kitchens, or even houses at all, I think I’ve been doing incredibly well considering everything I’ve had to deal with.”

“Do you always complain this much?” he grumbled.

“When there’s things to complain about I do,” you responded, absolutely refusing to back down.

Then he got quiet and you worried you’d pushed things too far. Just as you opened your mouth to say you were kidding, that you appreciated everything he’d done for you and that you were doing just fine, he started to speak, cutting you off completely. “Things wouldn’t be so difficult for you if you’d just go to another town, where you're meant to be. You’d be happier there.”

Your heart dropped. You knew he was partially right, that things would be easier if you’d just find somewhere new to stay, live like you always had. But happier? “No I wouldn’t. I belong here, I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re lucky I’m here and willing to take care of you.”

“I am.”

“You are?”

You knew he was just trying to get you to say it aloud. He wasn’t even trying to hide it. But right now, cuddled into his side, feeling more content than you ever had living in that god forsaken village, you couldn’t bring yourself to care. “Yeah, I’m lucky to have you.”

He pulled you closer into him, almost protectively, and you could feel your face heating up. Between his body heat and the fire and whatever emotions you were experiencing right now, at least you didn’t have to worry about being cold anymore. That problem had long since been solved.

You hadn’t realized until now how tired you were. You hadn’t let yourself realize, so focused on other things but now, warm and safe, you found yourself nodding off.

You didn’t know how long you’d been asleep, unwilling to open your eyes and check how light it was. You could tell he was awake beside you, could feel his eyes on you as you avoided opening yours for a little longer, content to remain where you were.

The dripping of the icicles outside indicated a much needed end to the cold. You hoped it wouldn’t be too long, you missed the green of the forest. Although, if this was how you got to sleep when it got this cold, maybe you wanted it to stick around a little longer.

“Spring’s coming, isn’t it?” you said, breaking the silence and slowly opening your eyes. “I’ve always loved spring, all the baby animals around and all the flowers.”

He seemed bashful at the idea, although you couldn’t fathom why. “It’ll be easier for you when the cold’s gone,” he said, avoiding eye contact as if he hadn’t been staring you down moments before.

“Yeah, it’ll be nice and warm again. Do you like the spring? I guess I don’t actually know what most of the seasons are like when you’re actually living out here.”

In a frustrating return to form, he refused to answer your question. “I’ll be gone for a while during the spring, you’ll have to fend for yourself.”

You were sure he hadn’t meant for it to hurt you, to seem like he was pulling away. You were sure he had a good reason, something important he had to attend to. It still felt like a slap in the face. You were tucked into his side, trying to talk with him, to connect with him, and all he could think about was leaving. “Right, okay. I’m sure it’ll be a welcome break. Do you know how long you’ll be gone?”

“Should be no more than a few days, I’m sure you’ll manage.”

You nodded, hoping you looked reassuring, and hoping even more than he cared enough to notice. “I’ll be fine, no need to worry about me.”

It had not been a few days. In fact, it had been almost a week and still there was no sign of Acacius. No matter how many times you told yourself that he was more than capable of handling himself you couldn’t help but worry. As frustrating as he could be, it wasn’t like him to just go missing, to go against his word like this.

Once a week hit, you went looking for him. Not too far, you didn’t want to be away in case he returned, but you started traveling further and farther from your little portion of the woods.

You weren’t good at self-regulating. Every time the little voice in the back of your head said it was time to go home, that you’d strayed too far or that it was getting late, you couldn’t help but push on. Just a little further, just a little longer. What if you were right there, so close just to turn back at exactly the wrong moment.

When you finally did decide to return home, the sun had fully set. You realized your mistake as you tried to make your way back. You were unfamiliar with this part of the woods. In places you’d traveled since you’d arrived here or even back in your time at the village, you could navigate at night easily, but that was well traveled ground. You could find your way through those trees blindfolded if you needed to.

Out here, on the other hand, you barely knew right from left. The moonlight struggled to make it through the branches and the only real thing you had to guide you was the vague memory of how you’d gotten here. Unfortunately, you had decidedly taken at least one wrong turn and were now in entirely new territory.

Your single focus was attempting to get to familiar ground. As soon as you panicked you were done, you just needed to get your bearings and then you could get yourself to safety. As you realized that you’d lost even your sense of direction, your priorities changed. If you continued on, the only thing that would happen was you would get entirely lost and at that point, even daylight might not help you. Your best shot was to find somewhere you could hunker down, stay until the sun came up and you could hopefully find your way back.

As you searched, the only thing you could do was think, stuck going over your mistakes over and over again. Your one task was to keep yourself safe and what had you done? Decided you needed to help and set off straight into danger. It was a stupid mistake, one you hoped you’d live to regret.

Finally, you found a small cave, which would hopefully be your shelter for the night. You were exhausted and you mind was slow with fear and regret and you didn’t think to check it first, not until you heard a low growl.

Something was in here and now it felt cornered. You couldn’t get out of there fast enough. You barely had time to register the noise before a sharp pain shot through your side and you were keeling over. Chaos broke out around you but you couldn’t make any of it out, the panic and the pain in your side clouding your view just as much as the darkness was.

You weren’t sure what eventually knocked you out, if it was blood loss or the shock or something else entirely, all you knew as you fell was that you were certain you wouldn’t be waking up.

But you did, finding yourself somewhere unfamiliar, on dozens of animal pelt laid out below you. Your hand drifted down to the throbbing pain in your side, finding your pulsing wounds wrapped up tight.

Then, a familiar voice echoed off the walls and you felt relief wash through you. “I asked you to stay out of trouble for a little while, was that so difficult?”

“I didn’t almost get eaten by wolves on purpose!” you snapped back, immediately regretting the harsh tone you’d used. He’d saved you and those were the first words you said to him? “No, sorry, I should be thanking you, you saved me again,” you said, biting down your pride. “What even happened? It was hard to tell.”

“You got attacked by some wolves. I almost didn’t get there in time to stop them, they would’ve torn you apart.”

You winced. “It wasn’t their fault, I was stupid and I cornered them.”

“I know it wasn’t. I don’t blame the wolves.”

He blamed you. As he should, it was your fault. You’d been stupid and you’d put yourself in danger and it wasn’t anyone’s fault but your own. “I’m sorry,” you choked out, feeling the sharp pain above your ribs as you spoke.

“You don’t need to apologize. I just… I need you to be more careful. If I wasn’t there…” His body was tense. You could tell, even from here, that he was still ready to fight, even at the memory. “What were you doing out there anyways?”

You wanted to lie, to save your pride and say anything but the truth, but you didn’t. He deserved to know what had happened. “You were gone a long time and I got worried about you, it’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid. You’re two sweet for your own good, little idiot.”

This time, you felt like you’d earned the nickname, just this once. “I’m lucky you got back when you did, where have you been?”

“Here.” He was still keeping his distance from you, turned away and as far from you as he could be while still being inside the cave.

“What? But you said…”

He remained hunched over in the corner, back to you and keeled over himself. You could tell from the rise and fall of his shoulders that his breathing was slow and heavy and your heart sank. “Are you hurt?”

He responded immediately, his tone final. “I’m fine. You stay there.”

You didn’t think he’d lie about being injured, he respected you more than that. If he’d gotten hurt he would’ve been tending to it, not trying to protect you from a consequence of your actions. So why was he hiding like this, both in this cave for days and even now, standing far away from you, in your presence but still hiding.

It was like he didn’t want to be near you or even look at you. You weren’t sure what had shifted as the seasons had changed, why with the beginning of spring he’d needed to spend some time alone, still here but unwilling to see you, set on staying within the privacy of his own home.

You verbalized your thoughts, trying to make sense of all of it, to piece it together. “So what, you just have a week in spring where you have to…”

Oh.

Your hand flew over your mouth as everything clicked into place. A sigh echoed off of the cave walls and you knew he understood what had just occurred to you.

You wanted to tell him it was alright, that he didn’t need to be embarrassed or upset, that he could have told you what was going on.

Instead, the words that came out of your mouth were, “I want to help”

“You have no idea what you’re saying”

“I think I do.”

He stopped and for the first time in this conversation, he fully turned to face you, leering over you. You could see it in his face, he was considering it and as he stared at you, mulling it over, you let out a shaky breath. But then he backed away from you again, leaning fully against the opposite wall and you shrunk in on yourself, unsure if you’d imagined it. “You need to heal.”

“And what are you going to do during that, just sit in the corner the whole time? I’ll be fine, I’m stronger than I look.”

“I’m aware of that, trust me. You need to heal, nothing is happening until you’re no longer actively bleeding.”

It made sense. You couldn’t fault him for it. If you’d been in your right mind you would have said the same thing, but right now you were a cocktail of conflicting emotions and you decided you didn’t particularly care for rational thinking. But you had no real argument to make so all you managed was a little huff.

He seemed to find it more amusing than anything, letting out a soft chuckle as he sank to the floor opposite you, putting his face closer to your eye level. “You know, my heats don’t normally last this long. I think my body registered that I was courting you and it was going well but I don’t know how the timelines of human relationships work, I didn’t want to push you into anything.”

You reeled back. “Hold on, you were courting me?”

He seemed just as confused as you felt. “Of course I was. All the furs I put on you while you were sleeping, and the supplies and food. I held you to keep you warm and you fell asleep on me. Is that not how humans court?”

You shook your head but suddenly you weren’t so sure. He’d brought you gifts and taken care of you and you had fallen asleep on him, perhaps that wasn’t as platonic as you had assumed.

He seemed horrified by the revelation. “You had no idea this was coming. We shouldn’t be doing this, I need to give you time and space, I-”

“No, wait!” You lurched towards him in an attempt to make him stay but instead you doubled over, clutching your side. Immediately he was next to you, making sure you were alright and that you hadn’t reopened your wounds.

As you caught your breath and he ensured you were alright, he started to move away again. Your arm shot out and caught his, silently pleading for him to stay with you. Despite your grip on his arm, you knew that if he wanted to he could pull away, you were no obstacle to him. And yet, he didn’t even try, settling down next to you.

When he sighed this time, you could feel it and you’d never been more grateful for the proximity. “I’ve gone about this all wrong. Why are you so confusing?”

“Were you really courting me?” Your voice was low, as if you were worried you might scare him off if you spoke too loud. You couldn’t keep the grin off your face, no matter how hard you tried.

“Clearly not well enough. How do humans court people?”

You shrugged. “I don’t know, weird ways.

“What ways?”

You struggled to find a way to explain it. “So men will…” your sentence was caught off by a fit of giggles. “Men will like… they’ll give your father a goat. Or other stuff that’s worth stuff. And then you marry them.” You couldn’t stop laughing, it sounded so absurd when you explained it aloud.

Acacius did not seem any more convinced of the legitimacy of these methods. “So you’re not involved in this at all? Are you sure they’re not courting your father?”

“No, that would make too much sense. Noone wanted to pay my dowry because they thought I was mad, freeing sacrifices and running around in the woods. If only they could see me now.” Another fit of giggles overtook you and you buried your face in Acacius's fur. As you did you felt a low growl rumble through him, drawing another smile out of you. “I prefer your way.”

“Your presence is making it worse, you know. I haven’t felt this way, haven’t felt this much, in a long time. I can barely think.”

That probably shouldn’t stroke your ego as much as it did. “Then stop thinking.”

“I’ll stop thinking when you can stand properly, how does that sound?”

To be honest, it didn’t sound ideal but you had a feeling it was the best deal you were going to get.

Two more days. That’s how long getting better apparently took. At the end of the next day, you proudly showed him that you could walk and even jog just fine, that you were all healed up and still it wasn’t enough for him.

He was supposed to be the one in heat so you didn’t think it made any sense that you were this desperate, desperate for anything. Every time he’d say you needed to heal more, that he wouldn’t risk hurting you. None of your arguments managed to sway him.

That didn’t stop you from arguing, far from it. It felt like there was endless bickering between the two of you but in your defense, you were being kept inside and you were bored and desperate and definitely healed enough.

So on the second day of being forced to sit around for hours on end, you decide to try once more.

“You know, it barely even hurts anymore.”

“You can barely move without wincing,” he said, which while fair, didn’t feel entirely relevant to you right now.

You rolled your eyes. “I’m just being dramatic, don’t worry so much. I feel fine.”

He walked over to you, towering over you, and you prepared to be told off once more.

“Strip.”

Your voice immediately lost all its confidence. “What?”

“You want to do this so badly, so strip.”

At a loss for words, you did what you were told, pulling off your clothes under his quiet attention, doing your best to not become self conscious. Soon you were covered only by the bandages wrapped over your ribs and your arms that you folded over yourself, feeling exposed and uncertain, in entirely new territory.

Acacius stepped closer and pulled your arms away from your chest, a pleased noise escaping him as you allowed him to move you with no resistance. As soon as you weren’t covering yourself anymore, his attention shifted down to your bandages and you wanted to scream. Was that really the most important thing right now?

His hand ghosted over them, inspecting them carefully. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

You nodded eagerly, words still seeming a bit difficult at the moment.

Concern still wracked his features but as he stared at you, chest heaving up and down, you could tell his patience had finally run out.

“Alright, lay down.”

You followed his orders, reclining on the furs that were sprawled across the floor while he remained where he stood, staring down at you. Normally if he bossed around like this you would have given him hell, but right now you appreciated the commands. You weren’t sure you could manage a coherent thought if you’d tried, with two days of working yourself up behind you.

“I can’t, I have…” he nodded towards his clawed hands, the ones he’d always been so careful about around you. “I need you to help me open you up, can you do that?”

You nodded, your breath catching in your throat as you did.

Slowly, you pushed two fingers inside you. His intense gaze fell on you, unwavering, watching your entrance, eyes darting up to your face as you gasped when you hit a particularly sensitive spot. Your eyes locked and you felt yourself clench around your fingers, perfectly content to just lie there, touching yourself as he watched until you remembered your mission and started scissoring yourself open.

You felt so small under his gaze. There was always quite the size difference but you’d never felt it as much as you did right now.

You knew he could see how wet you were. It must be obvious, even from where he stood. You pushed another finger inside, set on opening yourself up as quickly as you could. You whined as you did. It still didn’t feel like enough, you needed more. You needed him.

Caught up in your frustration, you didn’t even notice him approaching you until you felt him, leaning over you. You immediately grabbed at him, hands leaving yourself and rooting themselves in his fur in an attempt to pull him towards you. “So impatient, little one,” he muttered, and for a moment you were worried he was going to keep teasing you.

He was so much bigger than you, leaving you to bury your face in his chest as he lined himself up, his head far above yours. You could feel his tip pressing up against you and if you hadn’t been so worked up, you might’ve thought that you should’ve worked yourself open for longer, this was going to be quite the stretch. You weren’t even sure if it would fit, desperately praying it would.

He waited at your entrance, giving you a chance to protest as you felt him but instead, you bucked your hips, your desperation only growing. Finally, he started to push in. Your arms flew around him. He shushed you in his low, rumbling voice as he paused for a moment to let you adjust to the stretch. You focused on breathing, trying to match your breaths to the slow, steady rise and fall of Acacius’s chest. He seemed better at controlling his breathing than you, clearly measuring his breaths in an attempt to maintain his control and composure as he entered you, which were two things you couldn’t seem to manage right now. It didn’t take long before you grew restless again, letting out a pathetic whine, a noise that you never would have imagined you’d make.

A low chuckle rumbled through his chest at your impatience so you decided to take things into your own hands, pushing downward to get more of him inside of you, that stretch returning almost immediately. You heard him hiss above you, his hips locked into place, and you realized he was putting all his energy into controlling himself, into not giving into his instincts and just rutting into you.

Part of you wanted him to.

“You need to be more patient,” he said, through what sounded like gritted teeth.

Any other day you’d have shot something snarky back but right now, you were too far gone. All you could manage was whimpering out, “Need you.”

That was enough to make him start up again, set on stretching you out, making it so you could take all of him. It felt like it would never end. Finally, his hips were flush with yours and he stopped, panting and letting you adjust. Your hand creeped down to your stomach, trying to confirm your suspicion. As it landed on your lower stomach you felt him, inside of you, pushing at your walls so hard you could feel it from the outside.

He felt it too, as you touched it he groaned and you could feel his restraint wearing thin. Good.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice dripping with genuine care. You knew that if you showed any sign of discomfort that he would stop immediately,

You nodded into his chest,

“Can I move?”

“Please.” Your voice was wracked with desperation. The days of anticipation already had you worked up, you needed him.

He didn’t require any more convincing, pulling out to rut back inside, earning a cry from you as he reached deeper inside you than you even knew was possible. It wasn’t a hard thrust and you knew he was getting you used to it, making sure he didn’t overwhelm you, but still it felt like he was splitting you in two. Somehow, every thrust felt like it was going deeper, him pushing harder and harder every time. Your hand dropped to rub your clit, desperately chasing your high as he started to use you in earnest, chasing his.

He pulled you closer to him, your chest flush against his as he thrusted into you. It seemed like he couldn’t get close enough to you, like even while he was inside you needed more. Your hands knotted themselves in his fur, both aiding him in his efforts to bring the two of you ever closer and giving you something to hold onto as everything became rapidly overwhelming.

The way you clung to him only seemed to spur him on. The way you were holding desperately to him as he ruined you, both overwhelming you entirely and bringing you comfort. The way you trusted him entirely, were giving all of yourself over to him and still trying to draw him closer. You could tell it was driving him crazy, both his instincts and his heart pleased by your behavior.

The longer it went, the more it seemed like he was losing control, measured thrusts turning into something much more primal. He was letting his instincts take control. His words of praise, telling you how well you were doing, had faded out, replaced by grunts and growls as he hammered into you.

At a particularly hard thrust, you let out a choked sob, a coil winding in your stomach as he rutted into you endlessly, focused on marking you, on making you his.

You could feel it coming, feel yourself tightening around him as he pounded into you. Your fist tightened in his fur, giving you something to grab as you found your release. You gasped his name, barely even aware of what you were doing, unable to focus on anything but the white hot pleasure that was ripping through you.

Even this didn’t deter him, his thrusts made even easier by the new wave of wetness that had coated him as he desperately chased his own pleasure, pushing you through yours. Now that you'd come, that he was sure he’d made you feel good, something in him snapped, fucking you harder than you would have imagined possible.

You were certain he was close, that he just needed one last push. Unable to move in his tight, protective grasp, all you could do was speak, choking out the words, “please… need you,” through the haze of sensation. His movement stuttered and you clenched around him again, pushing him over the edge as he gave you exactly what you’d asked for. You could feel him come, painting your insides as he held you close to him, his thrusts slowing.

Even as he finished, he didn’t pull out of you, insead wrapping his arm around your waist and flipping the both of you around, leaving you resting on his chest. You still felt full, him seated inside you. You wondered if this was part of his mating instinct, a bid to try and get you pregnant even if you both knew that wasn’t possible, at least not between the two of you. Or maybe he just liked being inside of you and the closeness it brought. Either way, you weren’t complaining, feeling satisfied and full and frankly, exhausted.

“Please stay,” he asked, his voice low and hoarse, and you knew he wasn’t just talking about you spending the night here.

“Of course. I told you the first time we met, I’m not going anywhere.”

This seemed to satisfy him, his hold on you loosening slightly so you could get comfortable, snuggling into him as you got ready to succumb to your exhaustion. You managed a muffled, “You’re warm,” still not feeling completely coherent. You were sure you wouldn’t be able to stand if you tried, your legs feeling wobbly already, even as you just layed there, and for the first time, you didn’t mind it.

You could feel him chuckle to himself, the laugh sending vibrations through his chest. “Will you stop complaining about sleeping on the ground now?”

You murmured happily into his chest. If this was where your complaining had gotten you, you considered it quite the success. “As long as you keep letting me sleep here, with you.”

“I think I can manage that.”

#terato #terato writing #teratophillia #monster x reader #monster x human #monster boyfriend #monster bf #my writing #I love the human doesn’t understand they’re being courted trope #Also Irl wolves snuggle to court one another which is adorable #Ofc im gonna make my forest god do that too #the monster started as a werewolf when I was plotting and then shifted into a sort of forest god #I want to do some more shorter stuff with these two if I’m honest #More for the WIP pile ig lol

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lostinforestbound · 2 months

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Could I request NSFW headcanons for Dammon, Rolan, and Zevlor react to their non-tiefling gender neutral s/o asking if they can worship his body & kiss everywhere especially his infernal features? They want to show him how much they love everything including his horns, ridges, and tail!

You got it! I had to think about these quite a bit, so I hope these turned out as well as I hoped! Apologies for the wait! And feel free to add other ideas too!

The Tiefling Bachelor's Receiving Body Worship

NSFW Under Cut, Minors DNI

Dammon

I would say Dammon is the most secure and comfortable with himself overall, compared to the other two tieflings on this list. Despite snide comments once in while, he's pretty proud of his infernal traits.

When his non-tiefling partner asks if they could explore his traits in the midst of a heated make-out, he doesn't think twice about it and takes off his shirt.

Now, his tail isn't sensitive, some parts of it are even numb due to forge related accidents. His horns aren't particularly sensitive either.

But trace the ridges on his chest and sides, he's a goner. His partner using their nails to tease him is a good way to get him to keen in his throat.

He loves having his partner's hands on him always, he's a very touchy person overall, but this is MUCH different.

This kind of touch really gets him going, especially since he's not used to his ridges getting so much attention.

Pin him against the wall! Kiss, nibble, and lick those ridges and damn, if you want Dammon to get loud, this is the way to do it. He lets his partner have control as much as he can, but the urge to grab them is becoming too much. Especially with praises spilling from their lips.

Eventually, it's too much for him to handle and he switches their positions to take them against the wall. He doesn't last long at all, coming within a minute.

He'll be apologetic and promises to be more patient next time, but he couldn't help it.

"...Could we try that again, soon?"

Rolan

Out of all three Tiefling's, Rolan's infernal traits are the most sensitive. He hates that fact a lot. Why do you think he wears layers under his wizard clothes?

He's very reluctant when his partner brings it up for the first time, and seeing that nervous look that's being shielded by a scrunch of his nose, his partner reassures him that he can just think about it.

When he finally settles on at least giving it a try, he lets Tav gently lay him down on the bed to get started.

He did not expect how much he would love it. Kissing along his sternum, rubbing his horns and ears, tugging his tail; gods, he's already hard just from that.

Stroking his tail makes it quiver and coil in the air, wrapping around their arm and tugging for them to do more. If they grab one of his horns and pulls him into a kiss while they keep stroking, he'll whimper into their mouth.

They'll have to be careful, because if they're patient enough Rolan will come completely untouched from tail/horn stimulation alone.

If he ends up doing so, he is so, so embarrassed. He's worried he just ruined the night by not lasting long. Though he calms down if his partner mentions it was extremely hot.

If Rolan allows it, they'll do it over and over to overstimulate him, and the prettiest sounds come out of his mouth. They'll stop when it becomes painful for him.

He still wants to satisfy his partner. Even if they say that they're more than happy just by watching him fall apart, he'll make it up to them by shoving his face in between their legs, knowing his mouth is good at things other than talking.

Zevlor

When they bring it up to him, he instantly looks like a fish out of water.

He's not inexperienced by any means, he's had more than a few flings/partners in the past. But body worship? For him?? That's new. Are they sure?

With lots of reassurance from his non-infernal partner, he decides to give it a shot, unsure what to expect. He's worshiped their body plenty, but hasn't received some himself before.

While nothing is particularly sensitive, the way his partner looks at all his traits so lovingly and curiously makes him throb in his trousers.

His favorite is his partner straddling his lap with their hands trailing up and down the ridges of his spine. He didn't even realize that part was sensitive until they started to explore the wing impressions on his back.

As they do so, he'll start grinding up into them, nibbling at their neck as he groans at the feeling. Be cautious of grabbing the base of his tail, or it'll be over all too soon, especially when they're kissing his neck at the same time.

The tip of his tail flicks excitedly if they grab both of his horns as they kiss. He finds it as a loving gesture as they thumb the base of them.

When he's panting into their mouth, he'll actually start requesting them to touch certain places. The nape of his neck where the ridges first start to poke out is one of his favorites.

Another place he would love that hasn't been revealed yet is the back of his horn, near the base. Scratch a nail right where the horn meets the skin and he'll start losing it.

After everything is done and they're laying in bed, he'll shyly ask if they could do this again sometime. He ended up loving it.

#forest-writes #dammon #bg3 dammon #dammon x tav #dammon x reader #rolan #bg3 rolan #rolan x tav #holy rolan empire #rolan x reader #zevlor #bg3 zevlor #zevlor x tav #zevlor x reader

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queenie-the-court-jester · 2 months

Text

It's raining cats and dogs

My cat and dog hybrids, and random things about them! [Not proofread]

•°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆

★ Brutus the german shepherd

He's a big boy alright. A startling 6'6 frame, but that doesn't stop him from acting like a little bastard. He's playful and cocky, a little protective but that's just in his instincts to protect his little herd! In his physical appearance, He's starting to grow out his buzz cut, a pair of German shepherd ears ontop. he's hoping to maybe dye a couple strands of hair blond once they're long enough. green eyes that stare into your soul, absolutely no thought process behind them

★ dolly the doberman

Everyone loves dolly. There used to be another doberman named Danny but they sent him to the pound when he bit both the farmer and his granddaughter. She used to have puppies with Danny but they didn't survive the winter, they got sick and passed the coming spring. She's a little rough around the edges but you'll love her too right? Don't let Brutus hog all the love! In her physical appearance, she has very short brown hair and a pair or doberman ears, with one of them being a little bit, ontop of her head. 5'7 with a deadly brown eyed stare.

★ bladviba the black Russian terrier

A messy mop of brown curls he calls hair sits atop his head. He's usually out in the fields observing the cattle, black eyes staring out Into the distance. The others say he used to be a fisherman's dog but then he had to find a new home since he passed away one night. Stoic and serious, he's secretly a 5'8 softie who wants to hide and cuddle you somewhere. But that bastard Brutus would probably find you in less than an hour.

★ molly the chow chow

molly may be the smallest out of all them, but that doesn't mean she won't let them do all the work. Usually she's trailing behind dolly, claiming that since their names are similar they have to stick close together. She has a short temper and a little brutish, but you'll get used to her. Spiky short brown hair, with dark black eyes that sparkle when she sees you. A 5'2 sweetheart- wait who gave molly a knife-

★ sweet pea the Samoyed

Sweet pea loves many things! You, bones, their house, sleep. Okay maybe not many things but atleast some things! Usually quiet and following you from behind, they quietly take up the role of your 6'1 guard dog. Helping you around the barn, and in exchange all you have to do is let them scent you for another 2 hours every 4 hours! Dirty white hair, with black eyes as dark as charcoal.

★ bubba the borzoi

Bubba is so fucking done with both you and the others. Can you stop fucking singing 'let me do it for you' like shut up he's trying to do his job here. He refuses to let you see the slightest smile but just know he is smiling. He's just stubborn. Like VERY stubborn. Sarcastic and empathetic, a deadly combo. He could be comforting you and then calling you a blubbering fool the next. 6/10, would bite my ass. He's a startling 6'11, with blue eyes and light blonde hair

★ princess the ragdoll

Name the most spoiled housecat who ever lived. She lives up to her name, she's been in many beauty pageants and won a many prizes. Ribbons, trophies, photographs all align the walls of her room. She'll give you a side eyed look before making you go through a 600 step beauty routine, before ever allowing you to touch her. Atleast she'll cuddle you for hours on end, so the torture was worth it all. King is the only person she respects, aside from her owners. White long curly hair, blue eyes and 5'5

★ prince the Norwegian forest cat

He's the most humble cat ever known, all he really wants is to settle down, have a couple litters, and be a good dad. But princess hated his guts and quite frankly, he hated her. He much preferred you, he wondered how you'd look with a belly full of his kits.. he'll respect your wishes, but don't mind him breaking into your room every now and then. (He leaves hair everywhere, don't let him.) Ginger fluffy hair, green eyes and 5'7

★ king the Khao manee

King could either be planning your downfall or planning the entire family you'll have together. The greatest manipulator ever known to cat kind. He could convince you orange is red and red is blue if you let him (don't let him), he manipulates princess to do things for him but now that you're here, you won't mind taking over now will you? Sandy blonde hair with heterochromiac eyes. 5'6

Bonus: the forest pack ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ- ︶︶︶︶༉‧

★ Roxy the wolf

butch werewolf? Butch werewolf. She's stoic and quiet, but she's just a gentle giant. Following her brothers around, she's very obedient and surprisingly, loves gardening! Long Spiky black hair, red eyes and 6'7

★ Silas the wolf

Silas is the leader, commanding his siblings when to act and when to fall behind. But he just wants a break and to lay down, take a nice long nap. Until one of his siblings comes running to him for help. Oh well, he had a nice sleep. He loves them, he truly does, but he wants a nap in peace. Very short spiky black hair, red eyes, 6'9

★ Milo the wolf

Milo is selectively mute. With a deadpan look always on their face and they seem emotionless, but that's not the case. They're just always distracted and can't really focus on many things. Be a little patient will you? Medium long spiky black hair, red eyes, 6'6

★ Kiki the Pomeranian

Kiki is some dog hybrid they found off the road and decided they're one of them. Feral and has a big dog complex. Tries to be intimidating but they just aren't. Sometimes they watch you work on the farm from the edge of the forest, a little jealous of the animals that get to watch you everyday. Messy blonde hair, black eyes that hold the anger of a toddler being forced into A school play, and very short. 4'9

•°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆ •°. *࿐ ⋆

#Dog hybrids #Wolf hybrids #Yandere dogs #Yandere cats #Cat hybrids #The forest creatures #Yandere male #Yandere nom binary #Yandere female #Butch female #Yandere x reader #Yandere male x reader #Yandere female x reader #Yandere nonbinary x reader #Poly yandere #Polygamous yanderes #Queenie writes #Queenie ocs

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shhhsecretsideblog · 11 days

Text

No Time To Hide

This was something I wrote for an Imagine You’re Pregnant prompt, original post here. Thought I’d make a side blog and post it here as well cos I really enjoyed writing this and might be tempted to write more birth fics

Eva opened the wooden window of her small cottage, letting the cool autumn air whip through her hair. The smell of woodland and damp grass filled her nostrils as she took a long, calming breath.

Describing herself as a green witch, Eva loved her little cottage hidden away from everyone deep within the rich forest. Coven life was never something that appealed to her; the idea of being constantly surrounded by other witches, their opinions and their magic, was torture for Eva. She much preferred her own company, free to live her life the way she wanted. Free to use her own style of magic, without the distraction or judgement of others. It was why she decided to live here in the heart of the forest. There was a river that flowed through the centre of the woodland, the ancient trees stood tall around her home, and the forest floor was packed with all manner of plant life. It was perfect; just her, the elements and Mother Nature.

Despite her preference of living alone, as time passed Eva began to yearn for something… it wasn’t romance or friendship, but the idea of a child. Children were never something she had considered, but as she grew older Eva had begun to see the benefit of having children. Someone to pass all her knowledge and wisdom to, someone to love and care for and share all that she’d learnt. She wanted to pass on this way of living, to create a legacy.

A few months ago, nine to be exact, she enchanted a local townsman - not that he would ever remember it. And now here she was, rocking side to side and cradling the underneath of her heavily pregnant stomach, preparing herself as birth drew near.

The cramps had started yesterday afternoon, small and barely noticeable at first. Eva had been terribly uncomfortable these last few weeks, suffering constant aches and twinges, so she did not immediately give them any thought. However when they got sharper and more frequent, forcing her to pause whatever she was doing, they soon got her full attention.

Not knowing how long this could take but knowing she would eventually lose mobily as her labour progressed, she collected all her preparations and got the supplies ready. Blankets, towels, sterilised medical equipment, all within easy reach in the main living room. Snacks and drinks lay available on the coffee table and a pot of hot water sat by the open fire keeping a constant warm temperature.

“Mmmnnngghhhhh” Eva moaned deeply as the latest wave peaked. She leaned forward resting her elbows on the window sill, jutting her hips back and swaying them slightly. The baby was low and heavy in her pelvis, the head pressing downwards as her body slowly opened up.

When the latest pain had eased Eva straightened and looked down at her swollen stomach, speaking lovingly towards her unborn babe. “You’re really coming aren’t you little one? I’ve not done this before so please take it easy on me.” Her child responded with a gentle kick prompting the witch to smile.

Over the next few hours Eva got into a good rhythm riding out the contractions, each one hitting sooner than the last and with incrementally more vigour. She paced, rocked, squatted, kneeled, trying to find any comfortable position to ride out the waves. Her low and heavy stomach made moving from position to position cumbersome; one hand staying on her bump or her lower back at any given time, while the other kept her supported on whatever furniture or surface was nearby.

As the contractions ramped up, creeping steadily towards unbearable, the witch’s teeth clenched tight and she growled behind them. Three minutes apart. Holding on to the back of her armchair Eva lowered herself into a deep squat. Sweat covered every inch of her body, her thin linen dress and underwear clinging to every curve of her fertile frame.

Her hips were in agony, the pressure building. She opened her mouth to wail but no sound came out, shocked into silence by a sudden burst between her open thighs. Immediately the pressure eased and Eva could catch her breath again. The wooden floor below her feet was soaked; her waters had broken.

“Oooooooh okay- We’re getting so close- Are you ready to come out now baby? I cannot wait to meet you.”

Eva stood up, cradling the curve of her spasming bump. Her bare feet stepped ungainly out of the puddle on the floor and she quickly threw a tea towel down to soak up the worst of it.

“It’s just you and me, little one. We can do this.” Eva reassured herself, rubbing circles around her swell, preparing for the intensity to soar now her waters had gone.

However, before the next contraction could strike the witch startled at the sudden loud interruption of ringing bells. Rapid and urgent, the piercing chimes echoed all around her cottage, howling through every room.

Witch hunter!

The enchantments set up around her hidden home in the forest hadn’t gone off in decades - she had almost forgotten the wards were still in place. And yet the incessant ringing immediately chilled her to her very bones, suddenly haunting her with long forgotten memories of the brutal murders of her fellow witches.

Her stomach clenched with a new, different sensation - fear. At any other time Eva would arm herself with weapons and potions and storm outside on the offence, making sure to take down her enemy before he had the opportunity to strike. But now… the pressing weight in her hips and the constant aching of her contracting womb showed she was in no position to attack, or even defend herself, if put up against a murderous witch hunter.

She had to get out of here. The warning bells throughout her home would soon reach the ears of the witch hunter and then he would beeline straight to her hidden sanctuary. She needed to find somewhere else to hide.

Distracted by the chimes, Eva was unprepared for the next contraction when it ripped across her body, rooting her to the spot. She doubled over in pain, palms planted firmly on her thighs.

“Unnnhhhhhhhhhhhh no-no-no-no……” she whimpered through strained breaths as the pain skyrocketed and her belly hardened. Panting heavily the witch ignored growing desire to bear down. Her waters had broken, she was probably almost fully dilated, if not already. But she couldn’t stay here. If she stayed, both her and her child would certainly be killed. She had to leave and find somewhere safe to deliver this baby.

After what felt like an eternity, the contraction finally faded and she bolted straight out the back door of her cottage, leaving barefoot with nothing but the clothes on her back. She had wasted precious minutes since the warning alarm riding out that last pain - she couldn’t afford to waste any more time gathering supplies to take with her. Eva took off as quickly as she could, disappearing deep into the lush green forest.

She barely got out of sight behind the first set of oak trees before another contraction was already upon her. Two minutes apart. Leaning against the rough bark of the nearest tree, Eva squeezed her eyes shut and tried hard to swallow the whimper creeping out her throat. The unbearable pressure was demanding in its silent request and her knees trembled with the effort of ignoring it. The baby was so heavy, and dangerously low. Feeling like it would just fall out if she took a step too wide. Yet she remained strong, persevering and weathering the storm in her uterus, determined to keep this baby inside of her until she got somewhere safe.

The second the pain let up an inch the witch was on the move again running as fast as she could across the forest floor. Over ferns and moss, rocks and fallen branches, thankfully the hardened soles of her bare feet were used to the uneven terrain. She made sure to keep off the main footpath and stayed hidden within the dense trees, but it made for more of an obstacle course than she’d like. With added weight of her labouring belly she couldn’t move at speed and on a few occasions nearly lost her balance. But deeper and deeper into the forest she went.

The trees became her allies, providing cover and support when she was forced to stop with each new powerful contraction… 90 seconds apart... 60 seconds apart. A large, ancient willow tree with an unusually curved trunk was the latest comrade in her fight for survival. Eva had pitched herself within the alcove of the trunk, out of sight and leaning back against the bark, lifting the weight of her hardened stomach with both hands. The long hanging branches brushed the forest floor in a circle around her position, hiding the witch behind a nature-made curtain.

“Grnnnhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Eva could no longer hold in the animalistic sounds of her extremely advanced labour. The baby was right there, nestled deep in her widened cervix, desperate to be born.

“Nooooooooo-please-baby-wait-a-bit-moreeeeeee-” she begged through gritted teeth. The next contraction started before the current had even finished and the need to push was too powerful to refrain. Knees bending and thighs widening, Eva’s body pushed of its own accord.

It felt right, pushing. It was what she was meant to be doing - to follow nature's primal instinct. And yet she couldn’t forget the very real threat of the witch hunter, still hidden somewhere in this forest, poised and primed to kill her.

The fierce contraction continued to hold her hostage. A long grunt escaped her mouth as her body pushed along with the pain.

“I can hear you, witch!” A gravelled voice taunted from across the thick forest.

Eva’s eyes widened and immediately clamped her mouth shut, biting her lips together drawing blood. Half squatting against the tree, every muscle in her body continued to strain as it forced the baby lower and lower and lower. She couldn’t stop pushing even if she tried. One of the hands cradling her stomach shakily ventured south, lifting up her dress and feeling between her legs. Through the thin damp fabric of her underwear she could feel the baby’s head begin to enter the world.

She panted silently, tears streaming down her cheeks. The forest stretched out for miles, completely uninhabited in all directions; she was all alone. There was nowhere to go and no one to help. Heavily pregnant, being hunted, and seconds away from birthing this child.

A loud snap of wood echoed from a few metres away. Eva suddenly bolted like a startled deer, consumed entirely by fear and survival, and disappeared again into the thickened wood. She ran, wide legged, the heavy boulder of a baby’s head deep in her pelvis screaming to be born. Push! Her body cried out. Stop running and PUSH!

But she couldn’t. If she stopped she’d be dead.

Another contraction ripped through her as she ran. 30 seconds apart. Her muscles tensed and squeezed as she ran, her body trying to force the baby out despite the mother’s desire to hold on a bit longer. She could barely stay upright, the raw adrenaline no longer enough to keep this birth at bay. Her legs became jelly, all she could feel was pain and pressure and fear. Eva faltered, she couldn’t go any further. Out in the open she planted her hands against the nearest tree, widening her stance, and pushed. Hard.

“Mnnnnnnnrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!”

More of her baby’s head began to appear behind the fabric of her tight underwear.

“Ohhhhhhhhhh-Hecateeeeeeeeeeee!” she whimpered, praying to the deity.

Her baby was close to fully crowning, she could feel it. The white hot agony of being widened and stretched beyond anything she imagined made her eyes water and throat nauseous. She retched, a dry heave, and desperately tried to catch a breath through the dual need to push and the sudden urge to vomit. The texture of the rough bark beneath her palms was the only thing keeping the witch semi-grounded and preventing her getting swept away in the overwhelming sensations currently tearing her body apart. Still bracing the tree, Eva’s head dipped as she took slow deep breaths, ignoring the instinct to push in order to ride out the sudden nausea.

An ominous whistling sound drifted through the trees carried on the wind. Eva could barely hear it over the thundering beating of her heart, that is until she heard:

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” The voice sang.

The witch hunter was close. But so was her baby... Eva felt between her legs again to evaluate just how bad her situation was. It was bad. Her underwear was stretched beyond repair as it housed a significant portion of her baby’s head, filling her cupped palm. Ignoring all the pain and her body’s pleas to push, she panted heavily and tried to think! She needed a plan to survive.

The witch hunter had physical strength, yes, but he did not know these woods like Eva did. This was her home, her sanctuary, and she knew every inch like the back of her hand. Beyond her laboured breaths and the unnerving whistling of the approaching witch hunter, Eva registered another sound nearby - the swooshing sound of running water. The river - she was by the river!

Lifting her head the witch frantically scanned the surrounding area, getting her bearings of where she’d ended up within the woodland. She was a few hundred yards from the river’s edge, about a mile from her cottage. It wasn’t an area she often visited because of…. That’s it! Okay, it wasn’t a great plan, and there was no way to know if it would work, but it was her only shot of survival.

She took a steadying breath through the current contraction squeezing her womb, fighting once more against the primal need to push. The baby’s head filled her underwear, millimetres from a full crown. If she pushed again there was no way she’d be able to stop until the head was fully born.

Whimpering through the pain Eva stood up straight, one hand staying between her legs, and she prepared herself to move. Just get to the river. She told herself before making her way unsteadily east.

The sound of rushing water grew louder as she stumbled slowly through the forest. One step. Another step. Nearly there. She knew exactly where to go, and where to avoid, desperately trying to stay focussed on her surroundings and not succumb to the agonising pain crowning between her thighs. Keep going.

“You can’t escape me, witch!” The voice threatened, getting closer.

Eva stumbled into the side of a tree, her bare shoulder scraping against the bark. Pausing, she took a brief moment to breathe through the pain. It was a mistake. The second she stopped to inhale deeply her body started bearing down again, forcing the baby down. Immediately the head came to a full crown in her damp underwear and she screamed.

“WITCH!” The murderous voice roared.

Eva turned and saw a flash of black leather through the distant trees, and it was coming her way. Cupping the baby’s head she tentatively wobbled forwards, knees trembling, staggering towards the riverbank. The blinding pain was constant, her eyes barely focussing. She had to make it to the exact right spot or her plan would certainly fail. Her footsteps were shaky but determined as she continued the last few carefully placed steps in her journey. Behind her the crunching sound of a disturbed forest floor drew ever closer.

Reaching the river’s edge Eva collapsed against the large boulder that sat on the grassy bank. She made it. Turning around against the stone, the cold granite pressed against her back as she faced the woods and waited for the imminent arrival of the witch hunter. But the baby’s head inched lower, her body stretched to its absolute limit. She wanted to cry, to howl, to scream. Instead she focussed inward, drawing on all the power from the earth under her feet, and taking a deep breath she finally, and intentionally, followed her body’s demands. Teeth gritted, a growl behind them, she pushed with everything she had. Her whole body trembled, bearing down against the pressure of the large round head slowly appearing between her thighs. The ears… a nose… she could feel it all. Her hands frantically scrambled under her dress and within seconds the baby’s head popped out into her underwear and she cupped it quickly within her palm. The relief was instant and for a brief moment Eva’s heart calmed as she held her child’s newly born crown.

The witch’s reprieve was short-lived as the approaching footsteps from behind one of the nearby trees resulted in another person soon entering the river's edge. The witch hunter was dark haired, full beard, but was not as athletic as Eva was expecting. There was sweat glistening on his temple and dripping down his neck, disappearing beneath a thick leather jacket. His mouth practically drooled at the sight of her and he gripped the long hunting knife in his hand. The lust for her death was haunting.

“At last… you’ve given it a good go, I’ll give you that, but you cannot escape your fate.” The man said as he took a step towards her, threateningly swishing the knife in readiness. “You are an abomination, evil incarnate. Witchcraft has no place here. My family has been taking your lot out for centuries. And it looks like I get the honour of not only killing you… but the next generation as well.” He glared at her pregnant swell.

“No- no! This- this child is innocent…” Eva panted, still holding the head of her half-born babe hidden under the draped fabric of her dress.

The witch hunter scoffed and took another two ominous steps in her direction through the fallen autumn leaves. Eva watched each step with a laser focus.

“No descendant of a witch is truly innocent.” He drawled, tilting his head with an unnerving animalistic incline. “Wickedness will run through its veins, there is no saving its soul.”

Eva couldn’t take her eyes off his feet, watching every step he took. She chose this location for a reason, knowing she needed to end up exactly here by the rivers edge - dangerously using herself as bait. His heavy boots crunched through the orange leaves, sauntering slowly towards her like he was toying with his prey. So close. Her heart stopped, breath held as Eva prayed to all the Goddesses for her plan to work. Then whoosh!

The witch hunter was suddenly hoisted in the air by his foot, caught in a primitive trap laid here many years ago by the previous inhabitants of these woods, whom were long dead and forgotten. The man roared as he was pulled sharply towards the sky, his arms flailing, the hunting knife falling from his hand in his shock.

Eva exhaled heavily and closed her eyes in pure relief. The steady thumping of heart pulsed around her body, beating once more now the immediate threat disappeared. The man yelled and shouted at her as he hung limply from the tree, but the sound barely registered with the witch. Her senses had been overtaken by the sudden movement of the baby, turning inside her, and an all too familiar urgent weight pressing down signalling her work was not yet over.

Eva tried to move but she was too far gone, too deep in labour, every muscle seemingly locked in position. “Unhhhhhhhh Hecate….. mnnnggghhhhh the baby- the baby is comingg…..” she whimpered, the pain splitting her in half as she was stretched once more with the baby’s shoulders. All her bodyweight was pressed back against the boulder, and she managed to sink towards the ground. Squatting deeply, her large rounded stomach rested heavily between her thighs.

“Ohhhh it’s coming…. I- need… mnghhhhhhhh I’ve got to… got to pushh...”

She ripped off her underwear as the next contraction started, freeing the baby’s head from the confines of the damp linen. With both hands ready to catch, the witch pushed with renewed determination. “Urghhhhhhhhhhhh!” One shoulder was out! Then the next shoulder. She took a breath, panting, holding the child dangling from her body. Eva became suddenly hyper-aware of the breeze and leaves, the nearby river and the crisp autumn air, all the elements surrounding them which her child was now being born directly into. Trembling, she beared down fiercely once more and within another few minutes a newly born witch entered the world.

Eva sobbed with relief, quickly pulling her daughter up over her stomach and placing her against her chest. The infant made a soft gurgling sound, her first breath, and then started to cry. To a new mother it was the most beautiful and reassuring sound in the world.

“Disgusting…. Filthy little vermin.” The witch hunter sneered with venom.

Eva had forgotten her audience and looked up with hatred at the man still swinging upside down from the tree. She held her baby tight and secure against her skin, as if shielding the child from the mere sight of him.

“You should drown that thing in the river.” He spat.

Red, blinding fury overwhelmed the new mother. With the pain gone and her baby safe in arms, pure fury raced through every pore of the witch’s body, consuming every atom of her being. Rising slowly, babe still clutched in hand, Eva approached the hanging man with eyes glowing with revenge.

“When I get free, I'm gonna enjoy splitting you from ear to ear!” He roared.

Her head tilted in observation watching the man’s disgusting arrogance in his determination to kill her despite still struggling against the rope binding his leg. Apparently unaware his threats were idle and his attempts to escape the trap were futile.

The witch bent down carefully to pick up the large silver blade that had fallen amongst the browning leaves. The man didn’t see the new mother pick up his weapon, and didn't notice the switch when the hunted became the hunter. Eva stalked silently, murderously towards the hanging man.

Before he could open his mouth to mock or belittle or challenge her, Eva’s hand swished past his vision in a flash, the blade gliding through the witch hunter's throat like a knife through butter. The man’s eyes widened, taking a heartbeat to register what just happened, before the cascade of blood erupted from the open wound and he began to choke and splutter.

Eva dropped the knife.

Delicately readjusting and shhhing the newborn cradled in her arm, she took one final look and started their journey back to the cottage. Eva found comfort in the sounds of the forest; of the flowing river, the whistle of a breeze, and the drip drip dripping of her enemies blood now pooling onto the forest floor.

#birth kink #pregnant kink #clothing birth #panty birth #birth denial #public birth #forest birth #giving birth #birth fic #birth fiction #fpreg birth #tw: blood #tw: death #my writing

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uncanny-tranny · 3 months

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Shoutout to those whose burnout never felt like a controlled bush fire, but felt as a forest fire consuming everything in its path. To those whose burnout didn't blossom into new life on the forest floors, but whose burnout has only left charred bark and silence in its wake. There's nothing wrong with you. Burnout can feel like a wound sometimes, a secret you keep to yourself out of shame. Your forest is not ruined. The fire wasn't your fault. If something will start to blossom in that forest, it will take time. It will be small. But it will be life.

#positivity #encouragement #encouraging words #burnout #i thought of the english class i took where i had to write and i panicked...#...and that just... makes me sad to know i'm still in that burnout. i grieve the time lost #my burnout never felt small or controlled. it was a forest fire that raged through the entire thing. the entire forest is on fire #and that fire drives out all the life - it saps it out like a tapped tree #i don't know if i will ever write again but whatever grows in my forest can be different but still just as good #it will be better but it will be different #i guess i just need to wait and cultivate my forest to be ready for such a case

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kantush · 1 year

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I fucking love Kelvin. My cute malewife

He's doing honest work.

#sons of the forest #kelvin #my bbg #I want to cuddle and smooch by the fire with him #Nothing like 2 dudes alone in a forest #my art #he destroys our little cabin but I forgive him we can just put him back to work #'kelvin build me a 3 story mansion"#COD character treatment might happen to him #Someone please write a fic of him I need go read him being loved and cared for

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monsterloverwriting · 1 year

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Beast of the forest

So often did you hear of the beast yet see nothing that it became all too easy to think of him as nothing more than a story meant to keep children out of the forest at night. But you were no child and the call of the cool forest air on your skin was too great on this hot night.

It was like a voice beckoning you to the forest edge, something sweet and deep in the pit of you that needed to be in with the trees on this hot night the slight sheen of sweat on your skin already starting to cool with the night air. A deep breath, in and out, as you watched the forest edge all of the stories come to mind as you stood watching, waiting, listening.

A great beast that would steal people away into the forest with no explanation or warning. A beast that was impossibly large if the teeth marks on bones left by the forest edge were anything to go off of. You let out a sigh, it was ridiculous to think that something like that could exist. It was like saying that Santa Clause was real, both were stories made up to scare children. The inexplicable calling to the forest had to be something to do with the fact that your AC was broken and it felt like it was boiling inside your small house. The night air within the trees would be the perfect reprieve.

Before you knew it you were in the thick of the trees deeper in the forest than you could ever remember being during the day. When had you stepped in? How long have you been walking? Why did you feel so fuzzy all over? It almost felt like you were high as you walked through the forest, stepping over fallen trees and through foliage like you knew the way, like you were on a laid out path you'd been on a thousand times before. Finally you made it to a clearing and stopped at the edge appreciating the beauty of the small patch of land feeling so much better here, like you were meant to be in this clearing. A small sigh left your lips as you stepped one foot in letting the cool forest air rush over your bare arms drying the last bits of sweat that hung stubbornly to you. The moon was high in the sky as you walked to the center of the clearing, your fingers running over the tips of the tall grass. You enjoyed the way it felt, the way the grass tickled at your fingertips, everything feeling heightened in senses as you slowly found yourself in the center of the clearing looking directly up to the sky reveling in the way the air and grass felt against your skin.

In your state you almost didn't hear the small snapping of a twig on the side of the clearing as you slowly bent to take off your shoes wanting desperately to feel the hard ground between your toes. When the snapping got closer you looked up, trying to see through the thick branches, what was out there? Slowly you felt your limbs get heavier, the feeling of being high getting stronger as a sweet scent filled your nostrils.

“Finally. I was wondering if you’d ever answer the call.” A smooth deep voice nearly sang from the darkness. Your attention snapped away from the sensation of the grass to the voice as a mountain of a creature walked into the light of the clearing. In your fuzzy brain the only thing that instantly went through your mind was, big.

Big seemed to be an understatement when it came to describe this beast. He towered over your frame as you stood frozen, his height was amazing and it was comparable to his muscles, making his arms seem to be the same width as your waist. He stalked toward you, his steps causing slight tremors as he got closer and closer to you. Finally he stopped in front of you looking down as he slowly reached a hand that was easily the size of your face and gently caressed your cheek, a small smile playing at his lips, a glint of sharp teeth visible as his lips parted.

“I’ve called so many times yet you remain so stubborn, I should teach you it's rude to make me wait.” He hummed, fingers slowly trailing down your cheek to gently wrap around your throat. With each touch, the fuzzy feeling grew more heightened, in the back part of your mind you were sure something was affecting you to feel like this, this wasn’t normal. You were face to face with the beast of the forest, his impossible size making you seem like a doll to be played with and the only thing at the forefront of your mind was how much you needed him to touch you more.

“So much wasted time, but now you’re mine.” His voice was sweet, like a song you would hear in your dreams. You let out a small moan as his grip tightened around your throat for a brief second squeezing the sides in a delicious way making your head swim. He slowly released you stepping back, unthinking you followed the path of his hand instantly missing the connection.

“What a good pet you’ll be now that you’re under my spell.” Before you could think about what he was saying you were pushed to the ground. His massive size pinning you the weight almost suffocating as the sweet smell filled you again and you went nearly brainless as he began running his hand under your thin tank top. A sound of ripping fabric and you were laying in the broken remnants of your shirt bare from the waist up he glanced down at you with a smirk, teeth glinting as he moved down, cupping one of your breasts in his hand tweaking the nipple harshly between his claws as he nipped at the other with sharp fangs. The moan that escaped your mouth was entirely involuntary as you arched into his harsh touch, hips rutting up to meet his body begging for some kind of friction.

“Good girl. You want me. You didn’t know it before but I've been watching you at the edge of my forest, watching as you denied my existence loud enough for me to hear. Watching as you teased yourself when you thought you were alone. I’ve been waiting so long to see you like this, under me.” He nearly growled as he moved up your body, grinding his hips down hard against you forcing you to feel how hard he was for you under the thin cloth he wore.

“Now you’re mine and I am going to make sure you never forget it.” He growled against your throat, sharp teeth nipping just below the shell of your ear. At the same time you moaned he ripped your shorts and panties away from you like they were paper throwing the shreds behind him as he moved one clawed hand down your body to your already soaking cunt.

You moaned, eyes closing, when he found your clit, slowly circling it with the pad of one clawed finger. He looked down at you thoroughly enjoying how pliant his pheromones had made you. You were putty in his hands and he planned to use you thoroughly tonight and every night after. As you squirmed under him, hips following the pattern of his ministrations against your clit moaning, he took this chance to force his tongue into your mouth.

“Mmph”

It was the only thing you could muster as he kissed you with more passion than you’d felt with all of your past lovers combined. He held you close fingers moving to start fucking into you slowly, first just one finger, gently trying to get a feel of how tight you were, his mouth swallowing each moan you let out as he added a second finger starting to stretch you, searching for the little spot to make you cum on his hand. When he did find it, your shuddering breath against his lips made him bite down on your bottom lip pulling it in his sharp teeth as he began pressing, rubbing, massaging that perfect bundle of nerves, his thumb reaching up, pressing harshly against your clit.

You screamed your release against his finger, grinding down onto them, forcing his fingers deeper in you as you squeezed around them arching to press your sensitive nipples against his chest needing as much of him touching you as possible. You heard him moan into your neck as he stroked you through your orgasm until you started to squirm against the ministrations.

A long whine left your throat as he pulled away from you leaving you feeling too naked, too bare on the hard ground.

“Shhh Kitten, I’m not done with you yet.” He huffed as he ripped at the fabric around his waist. He let out a long groan at his cock finally being free from the loose garment, his hand going to wrap around himself and stroke as he looked down at you. You leaned up on your elbows looking at the thick appendage, tongue darting out to wet your dry lips. It was massive, the length of your forearm with thick veins decorating it making it seem that much more erotic, the flared tip alone the size of your fist, the large knot swelling at the base made your mouth water obscenely as you looked up at him.

“You will take it all,” He growled, pushing you back down to the ground. One hand collecting both of your hands to pull them above your head pinning them there as his other hand went to your ankle placing it on his shoulder as he lined the tip up to your achingly empty pussy. He moved to straddle the leg that wasn’t on his shoulder, pinning it as well, trapping you under him as he pushed into you stopping once he had the head in to let out a long drawn out moan.

“So fucking tight.” He ground out, forcing himself to be still for a moment to let you adjust. Your whine of protest at the stillness of the intrusion had him pushing into you further, the stretch deliciously painful as he did his best to keep himself in control.

“Fuck, that's right Kitten, moan. Let me know how much you love the way my cock fills you. Ruins you for everyone else.” He purred, leaning down to plant harsh kisses against your neck moving deeper into you. The stretch and feeling of him inside of you on top of the already fuzzy feeling heightening everything around you was too much as you came again around him, pulling him even deeper to the edge of his knot feeling it hit against the edge of your already stretched cunt.

“Fuck!” He roared before biting down on your shoulder causing you to arch into him even more desperate for the friction of his body against yours. Needing everything he would give you. He pinned you down starting to rut into you, his knot hitting you slowly starting to sink in. You cried out at the stretch unsure if it was more painful or pleasure either way you wanted it, needed it in you.

“More, more, more, more.” It was all you could say as you did your best to match his rut, hips moving desperately against him.

“That’s right Kitten, you want my knot, want me to fuck you into oblivion, breed you. Keep you.” He moaned against your shoulder tongue slowly lapping at the punctures his sharp teeth had made. He finally pushed into you, his knot swelling, holding him to you as he howled his release into you, rutting hard into you hitting your cervix again and again. You came around him at the feeling of him feeling you so completely, screaming with him.

“Good girl.” He cooed softly into your hair as he moved the two of you so you were laying against his chest, blissed out, stuck to him by his knot. He drew lazy patterns in your back with one tip of his claw making you shiver slightly in the cool air. Before his knot even began to release you fell asleep against his chest nuzzling against him.

“Good girl (Y/N) good girl.” He whispered into your hair, picking you up to carry you deeper into the forest to his home. Now your home as well. He’d make sure you’re comfortable, in the morning he’d let you know his name, let you think he was learning yours for the first time. And he would keep you.

#monster fucker #monster lover #monster smut #mdni #slight breeding kink #monster in the forest #writing #smut #First bit on here #yandere behavior #illuded mind altering

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