#i know you fuckers aren’t nocturnal so why

[nightwining-it]

Last night a dog wouldnt stop barking and it seems tonight its time for the ducks to be incapable of shutting the fuck up.

#i know you fuckers aren’t nocturnal so why #personal #venting #just let me sleep damn

[gnocchighoul]

The boys (+undateables?) reactions when they discover MC is actually a vampire?

....so I’m a dingus and didn’t realize that this was also for the undateables and just wrote it for the brothers, my bad 😅 Part two maybe? 👀

WARNING: as this is about vampires, it’s a little bit morbid. I strayed away from being too graphic, but y’know. Vampires. There’s death and blood and such. 

Enjoy! :D

~

Lucifer

In hindsight, he really should have figured it out on his own.

But it’s not like he’s been around enough humans lately to know what Normal human behavior is. 

So he just kinda took your... quirks at face value.

So what if you’re far too comfortable with the Devildom’s constant state of nighttime? Solomon doesn’t seem to mind it either, so maybe humans are just more nocturnal now.

And perhaps your Very Strong aversion to garlic is a little odd, but Mammon wouldn't eat it either for the first 600 years of his life, so it’s not that weird.

You’re also not phased by constantly being surrounded by demons and monsters, which is a little strange, but maybe you’re just like the ancient greeks. A monster fucker.

You feeling right at home in the Devildom is auspicious for the exchange program, so he doesn’t bother dwelling on it.

Though maybe he does find it a little bit weird when you really insist that he start drinking cranberry juice.

(It’s just for health benefits of course, totally has nothing to do with you prepping your next meal)

So what, you may ask, triggers his big lightbulb moment?

You fall off the roof.

And you just get right back up.

Now he knows that humans aren’t supposed to be THAT durable, so he stops you from scaling the side of the fucking house with your bare hands, and very eloquently asks you, “What the fuck?” 

You shake him off. “What? Mammon and I are playing roof-ball.” 

Lucifer stares. “You fell. I saw how hard you hit the ground. You should be dead.”

You laugh. “Dead? Just from a little fall like that? Are you serio-ohhh wait. You don’t know, do you?” 

You give him your biggest, cheesiest grin and—oh. 

Fangs.

...And now he understands why you want him to drink cranberry juice.

Mammon

You are, by far, the weirdest human he’s ever met. 

Which is saying something, because Solomon is literally just a few blocks away.

Seriously, despite camping out in your room nearly every single night, Mammon has never seen you sleep, he’s pretty fucking sure that sometimes you don’t even breathe, you won’t step foot into the House of Lamentation unless someone invites you in, and who the hell hates garlic that much?? 

But you’ve also expressed your intense dislike for crosses, so he supposes that you’re not unredeemable. 

Just weird.

But it’s incredibly annoying how you wont sleep. Your tossin’ and turnin’ is killing him, why the fuck can’t you just settle down? You need to just put your DDD down and sleep already, dammit.

He sits up, ready to tear you a new one—and pauses. 

“Um,” his voice is high, somewhat uncertain, and your eyes snap over to look at him. “Why are you looking at coffins for sale?” 

You sigh, a bit wistfully. “I just can’t stand sleeping in a bed anymore. I didn’t want to be rude, so I really did try, but it's been a couple hundred years since I last had one and it’s just murder on my back. I think I’m gonna just have to get a coffin. They’re so much more comfortable.” 

Briefly, Mammon considers running. 

Instead, he says, “What the fuck?” 

You quirk an eyebrow at him. “You do know I’m a vampire, right?” 

...What the fuck—

Mammon lays back down—crosses his arms over his chest with a huff and pretends that he isn’t totally freaked the fuck out. “‘Course I do, don’t be stupid. Now go to sleep already.” 

So that he can escape before you try to eat him.

“Mammon,” you sing, leaning over the bed to loom over him. He swallows hard—can’t look away from your sharp, toothy grin. 

You coo, “I can hear the scared little pitter patter of your heart, darling.”

He squeaks.

Levi

Honestly, Levi is so so happy to have another irl friend who’s into video games that he looks past your strangeness.

You like to stay indoors and play games!! That’s something he has in common with you that his brothers don’t, and that’s all that matters!

...Though he does find it a little weird how sometimes you just kinda sniff him. 

The first dozen times he nearly had a heart attack, and when he asked why you were doing it, he Really wasn't expecting you to shrug and say “I dunno, you just smell tasty” 

Seriously. Tasty? Are you Beel or something, what’s that supposed to mean?!

He’s not entirely sure why you’re a bit of a shut in gamer though, because despite your, ah, quirks, you’re still so much cooler than he is, so what’s the deal with that?

When he asks, you just shrug and say, “Old habits die hard, I guess. Real sunshine hurts, but virtual doesn’t, so I just got kinda used to living through games and staying indoors.”

“Oh.” Levi’s a bit surprised, but sympathetic. “So, you sunburn easily?” 

He’s not entirely sure why you’re laughing now, since that wasn’t a joke. He was just trying to be friendly :(

But then you hug him and he’s too flustered to be offended anymore jndcks

So, when does it finally click for Levi that you’re a vampire?

You guys are having a game night in his room.

He accidentally takes a sip of your caprisun and realizes, very quickly, that it is not the refreshing juice of a caprisun pouch.

He throws up a little bit.

And screams.

And maybe blacks out for a few seconds.

But when he finally calms down and lets you explain, he’s pretty damn enchanted, because this is just like Help, My Roommate Is A Vampire And I Didn’t Know Until A Vampire-Hunter Mistook Me For Them And Attacked Me!! :D 

Satan

Satan considers himself to be somewhat of a detective, y’know. His brain is just filled to the brim with Big Smarts

Naturally, he puts that jelly thicc thought tank of his to good use and realizes very quickly that you aren’t totally human. 

At first, he isn’t totally sure what you are.

And then a coffin gets delivered to the house, which upon seeing you cheer “Oh sweet, my new bed!!” aaaand he puts the pieces together.

You become somewhat of a case study to him. You’re the first vampire he’s ever encountered and he just wants to know everything and anything about your life.

He’s so intrigued by you.

But you frustrate him SO much.

He wants to know about how you were turned!! It’s not like he has any other vampires that he can ask about their experience!! And you fucking tell him a different story every day!!

“A cat jumped over my deceased body!”

“I was stabbed and the wound wasn’t treated with boiling water!” 

“On a dark and stormy night, I came across a palace and the owner, a hospitable gentleman, let me take refuge there. But then, I quickly realized that I was actually a hostage, and when I tried to escape, that fucker turned me!”

“Nobody put an obolus in my mouth to pay the toll of the Styx, so Charon the ferryman sent me back! What a great guy.” 

“A chupacabra bit me!”

Needless to say, he considers breaking the wooden leg off one of the dining room chairs and stabbing you with it, but the lecture he would get from Lucifer just isn’t worth the effort. 

He’s gonna pull the truth out of you one of these days.

Asmo

“My my, darling, what sharp teeth you have~” Asmo purrs, lifting a finger to brush against them, doe-eyes wide and curious. “The better to eat me with, hopefully?” 

You smile. “Something like that.”

And you fuckin’ bite his finger.

His scream is fantastic. If you actually draw blood next time, maybe he’ll even shatter the windows! 

He swats your leg sharply with a silk folding fan and cries, “What if you had broken my skin!? Do you have any idea how much time and effort goes into maintaining this soft, supple skin?! What’s wrong with you, you psychopath?”

“Don’t hit me,” you pout, scooting away from him. “I couldn’t help it! You just smell so sweet and I haven’t had any blood in a while, so—”

“Huh?” Asmo blinks, looking a bit confused. Then recovers far too quickly and waggles his eyebrows at you. “Oh, so that’s what you’re into! What a pleasant surprise~” 

You thunk him on the back of the head. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to tease a vampire?”

Asmo’s grin could rival the sun.

“A vampire?! Well why didn’t you say so sooner?” 

He’s already taking off his shirt.

“Get over here already and take a bite out of me~”

Beel

When he finds out that you’re a vampire, his first thought is to worry over if you can eat normal food or not.

He’s very relieved when you tell him that you can, so long as you’ve had enough blood, but that garlic is a very big no-no.

Naturally, you two bond over how both of you never quite feel full. 

It’s not uncommon for the other house members to find you two laying face down on the floor, tummies rumbling, whining about how you’re staaaaarving

You carry around snacks for him, and Beel makes sure that you’ve always got access to blood (whether that means stashing blood bags, letting you feed from him, or a combo of both ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )

He’s probably going to be the least weirded out by your ~undead tendencies~

Honestly, he’s a bit relieved by how strong you are. The last thing he ever wants to do is hurt you or see you get hurt, and it gives him peace of mind when he realizes that you’re actually pretty durable!

But it does give him a fucking heart attack the first time he sees you yeet yourself out a second story window to crush poor, poor unassuming Mammon.

He also really loves how your body temperature naturally runs cold. He’s a space heater, you’re an icicle—it just works. Snuggle time is good :)

He totally compares the size of your incisors with his jkdcnkj

He just thinks you’re really neat!!!

But he is very sympathetic about how you cant eat good garlic bread :(

Belphie

Listen.

We all know this emo boy is a vampire fucker, probably even more so than Asmo.

(He read Twilight. He saw all the movies. He had merch.)

(Fuck Edward and Jacob though, he was Team Alice all the way.)

(If he can stay awake long enough, he reads really shitty vampire romance novels.)

He just thinks vampires are hot, okay? He can’t help that his soul longs to be a vampire fucker.

Just accept it into your heart. Belphie already has.

So needless to say, he’s THRILLED when he finds out that you’re a vampire. He tries to play it cool though and pretends that he isn’t immediately trying to jump your bones dfghjkjh

He overheard you telling Satan that you got bitten by a Chupacabra, and they’re known for going after cows right? 

He is a cowboy, y’know, guess you’re just gonna have to go to him now when you’re thirsty, y’know, since you were bitten by a Chupacabra. it just makes sense, really ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(No it doesn’t)

(But let’s be real, are you gonna pass up the chance to snuggle the shit out of him AND get a snack out of it? No. No you’re not.)

(He totally makes you arm wrestle Beel to recreate the “Iconic” twilight scene with Emmett and Bella.)

(When he realizes that you’re strong, he’s gonna make you give him piggyback rides, just like Edward and Bella :) and no he doesn’t care how ridiculous you both look)

#gnocchicanons #obey me shall we date #obey me headcanons #obey me hc #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #swd obey me #obey me

[batfam-rewrites]

Batfam During Quarantine: Retirement

Dick pulls up in front of the apartment that Barbara and her family lives in. He takes out his boom box and sets in a cassette tape. He sets the volume to the maximum setting. He holds the boom box over his head as Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” starts playing.

Dick: BABS!!!!

He waits out there for a few minutes until she opens up the window and leans out of it.

Barbara: You Dick!

The song ends and starts playing “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” from Aerosmith.

Dick: BABS! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! PLEASE TALK TO ME!

Neighbor 1: GO HOME!

Dick: I’M DOING THIS FOR LOVE!

Neighbor 2: LOVE IS DEAD YOU SCHMUCK!

Dick: YOU’RE HEART IS DEAD!

Neighbor 3: SHUT THE FUCK UP KID!

Jim Gordon: DICK, IT IS 5 AM! GO THE FUCK HOME!

Dick: FINE!

The next night

Dick walks up to the door to the Gordon family’s apartment. He knocks on the door and Jim opens the door.

Dick: Hey Jim, I was sorta expecting Babs to open the door.

Jim: *looks at the cards in Dick’s hands* Just take a hint kid. You’re making this harder than it needs to be.

Dick: I’m persistent, it’s part of my charm.

Jim: Whatever. *shuts the door*

A minute late Barbara opens the door.

Dick: *holding the cards*

Barbara: They’re facing you.

Dick: *looks down and flips the cards around* “Babs, I know I messed things up by *flips the card* not telling you Helena was staying at the *flips the card* mansion. I want you to know that you are *flips the card*

Barbara: *shuts the door on Dick*

Dick: I still have twenty-something cards left. At least finish reading them.

Two days later at the grocery store

Barbara is walking down the aisle looking for food. The music playing over the speakers as a voice replaces the music.

Dick: You’re just to good to be true. Can’t take my eyes off of you. You'd be like Heaven to touch. I wanna hold you so much. 

Barbara starts looking around the store for Dick and sees him leaning against a wall with one of the phones.

Dick: *notices Barbara and points to hear and then makes a heart with his hands* At long last, love has arrived. And I thank God I'm alive. You're just too good to be true. Can't take my eyes off of you. *plays the instrumental part on his phone*

A store employee now spots Dick and heads towards him.

Dick: I love you, baby. And if it's quite alright. *struggles to keep possession of the phone* Get away, you’ll sing next. I need you baby *still fighting for the phone* To warm the lonely night. *starts climbing between the wall and the refrigerated section* I love you, baby. Trust in me when I say.

Barbara starts walking away embarrassed.

Dick: Oh, pretty baby, wait Babs, where you going? Babs? Babs? BAAABBS! LET ME ME LOVE YOUUUUU!

Daily Briefing

Dick: Okay, while things are a bit peaceful now, they’re not going to stay that way forever. Let’s try to plan ahead now and see if we can recruit any former members of Batman Inc. Tim, Steph, and Duke, you guys need to try and convince Luke to come out of retirement. Kate and Babs you go try and convince Bette to join us in Gotham.

Jason: What are the rest of us doing?

Dick: Selina, Jason, Harper, Cass, and Damian will patrol and hand out mask later today....

Harper: Cool, glad I can finally do something!

Jason: Got it!

Dick: And I will be sulking in my room!

Damian: Try again, Grayson.

Dick: I will be on patrol and handing out mask as Nightwing! Julia will be on monitor duty and Helena, tonight you’ll be on sanitation duty.

Helena: *sexually* Whatever you say.

Selina: Oh god!

Duke: Please stop!

Tim: There is a child present!

Jason: *Laughs hysterically* Am I the only one who still thinks this is funny?

Stephanie: Apparently so!

Dick: Alright, let’s get moving.

Tim, Duke, Stephanie, and Luke

Tim: Damn, it’s nice to finally be out of the mansion!

Duke: We were on patrol almost every night.

Tim: Yeah, but as Red Robin, not Tim Drake.

Stephanie: I mean, I guess that’s true.

Tim: *knocks on the door* 

Luke: *opens the door* Hey guys, it’s been a while!

Tim: Hey Luke, how have you been!

Luke: Not bad, Tim! What about you guys?

Tim: Could be better!

Stephanie: Not bad!

Duke: Send help!

Luke: Their dysfunction has gotten to you I’m assuming?

Duke: Maybe.

Tim and Stephanie: We’re not dysfunctional!!!

Luke: Relax! I’m talking about the others.

Tim: Kay, coolcoolcool.

Stephanie: Yeah, the others are pretty dysfunctional.

Luke: Anyways, come on in guys. Take a seat in the living room.

All three walk in and sit in the living room.

Tim: Okay I’m going to cut straight to the point, things aren’t going to be so peaceful for so long. It’s only a matter of time until the Joker pops up with a futuristic Batsuit or some dude comes in with a plan to destroy Batman in multiple ways.

Luke: I’m not coming out of retirement, Tim.

Stephanie: Why not?

Luke: Because I can’t stand to go back being some vigilante trying to save the city. I mean don’t you guys get tired of feeling like the weight of this city is pressing down on you every time you put on that mask.

Tim: Yeah, but I mean it’s not that bad.

Luke: When was the last time you slept.

Tim: Like 6 hours. Plus 2 days.

Luke: That’s my point! This is a thankless job that you guys work your ass off for.

Duke: Yeah coming here may have been a mistake. Let’s go guys, Luke’s not coming back.

Stephanie: Why not stay here Duke. I mean, Luke is right. We risk our lives to save some fucks who don’t give two shits whether we live or die. Sure they’d be sad if we did, but they would only be sad because that would mean they’d have to actually defend themselves!

Tim: Yeah, that is a great point!

Stephanie: Woooo let’s get hammered, this is my retirement party fuckers!

Luke: You’re not drinking alcohol! You’re under age!

Stephanie: Whatever! *stands up and walks out the door*

Duke: Tim, let’s go!

Tim: Yeah, I mean it’s probably about time I retired too!

Duke: Damn it!

Damian and Jon

Damian sets up a zoom call with Jon

Damian: Hey, Kent.

Jon: Hey, Wayne.

Damian: Why must you mock me?

Jon: Why must you mock me?

Damian: Goodbye!

Jon: No, wait, I want attention!!!!

Damian: Works like a charm. How’s it going over there?

Jon: Not bad, it’s super boring. I wish I had 50 people staying at my place.

Damian: No you don’t! It is awful. I want to punch Drake constantly, Grayson is always trying to hand out hugs, Todd tried to kill me!

Jon: The hugs don’t sound....

Damian: Row turned my knife into an electric razor...

Jon: How...

Damian: Kyle keeps trying to bond with me, Cain tried to stab me because I stole a waffle from her, Bertinelli and her lust for Grayson is annoying! Honestly, Pennyworth and Thomas are the only ones who haven’t managed to piss me off.

Jon: You know what, I take back what I said earlier.

Damian: Wise choice.

Jon: Hey, remember the time your dad almost adopted me?

Jason: *talking in the hallway*

Damian: That was funny. Hey I got to go, I’m about to go on patrol.

Jon: During the day, I thought you guys were nocturnal.

Damian: No, we are not. We’ll talk later.

Jon: See ya!

Damian: Bye. *rushes to the door to see if he could hear Jason*

Jason: I’ll see you there. *walks off*

Damian: *walks out of his room and sees Selina* 

Selina: Hey Dami, you ready to go on patrol?

Damian: Actually, we have a change in plans.

Nightwing

Nightwing: *sees a kid walking by without a mask, he squats down and waves* Hey what’s up little dude!

Little kid: *runs away from parents and hugs Nightwing*

Parent: Hey! Sorry, we’re still trying to get him to understand what social distancing is.

Nightwing: It’s okay, he’s young, he’ll eventually get the idea. I see that someone lost their mask though! Do you like super heroes kiddo!

Little kid: *nods excitedly* Batgirl is my favorite!

Nightwing: Really! Batgirl is my favorite, too! Hey, let’s get you another mask buddy! *reaches into the box of mask he has and hands a Batgirl mask to the parent to put on the kid’s face*

Parent: Thank you so much! *puts the mask on the little kids face*

Nightwing: No problem! Stay safe! *waits a bit longer and puts in an earbud*

Nightwing: *sees another guy not wearing a mask* Hey, how about we wear a mask buddy!

Guy: Piss off!

Nightwing: Come on. Let’s try to think about everyone else.

Guy: Who cares! If I get the virus I won’t die! It’s only the old people who are dying! 

Nightwing: Okay, please tell me your joking.

Guy: I mean, you don’t really see much other people dying.

Nightwing: If you pay attention to the statistics you would see that there are other people who are 20, 30, 40 years old and dying from this virus! Can you just put the mask on?

Guy: Hell no, it’s uncomfortable for me!

Nightwing: UNCOMFORTABLE FOR YOU! I HAVE TO WEAR ONE FOR LEGIT MOST OF THE DAY. OUR CITIES FIRST RESPONDERS MUST WEAR ONE TO DO THEIR DAMN JOBS. NO ONE, ESPECIALLY ME OR ANY NURSE, FIREMAN, POLICE OFFICER, ET CETERA, CARES IF IT BOTHERS YOU! PUT ON THE DAMN MASK!!!

Guy: Damn. *starts walking away*

Nightwing: *grabs cologne* Sir, don’t make me do this.

Guy: Do what? Bit......

Nightwing: *sprays cologne all over the guys face*

Guy: pffft. pfffffftt. 

Nightwing: I bet you’d like a mask now!

Guy: YOU FUCKING SON OF A

Nightwing: *spays the cologne at his face again* Hey! *throws a mask at the guy* No profanity! There’s kids around. Put on the mask, too. 

Guy: *puts the mask on reluctantly and walks away* Stupid vigilante in this stupid damn city. Hate this damn place.

Nightwing: *watches him walk away for a bit* Never thought I’d take a page out of Jay’s book.

Julia: Nightwing, need you over in Gotham Heights. There’s a.... *clears throat*..... situation over there. I’m sending you the coordinates now.

Nightwing: On my way! *takes off firing the grappling hook into the side of a building as he takes off*

Jason

Jason walks towards the house, checking his surroundings to see if any of his “family” members followed him. Fortunate for him, Dick is preoccupied with his thoughts and Damian and Selina left after he did.

He opens the door and walks inside of his safe house. He then sits down, takes off his helmet, sets it down on the table, and turns on the tv to watch Supernatural. Not long after Roy walks downstairs.

Roy: What’s up Jaybird?

Jason: Not much Roy.

Roy then sits down on the couch next to him to watch with him.

Roy: Is it just me or would Jensen Ackles be the perfect person to play you if there was to ever be a movie about you?

Jason: I KNOW, RIGHT!!!! Hey do you want to order some pizza?

Roy: Sure!

Roy begins to pull out his phone when they hear a knock at the door.

Jason: Hide! 

Roy: Hey it’s my safe house, too!

Jason: It’s my city! Hide!

Roy begins to hide as Jason looks outside the door to see Damian and Selina outside the door. 

Jason: *opens the door* Hey Catwoman, Robin! What are you guys doing here?

Damian: More importantly, what are you doing here?

Jason: Following up on a lead. I saw a very shady guy leave here so I’m looking for some evidence.

Selina: Are those your guns on the counter? And your helmet and phone on the table?

Jason: No.

Damian: Then where’s your guns?

Jason: Okay, I hate to admit it, but I came across a dog and decided to pet it, then it bit the barrel of both guns and ran off.

Selina: Mmmmhhhmmmm and why don’t I believe you?

Jason: Because everyone but Duke has trust issues.

Damian: Give it up, Todd.

Jason: Give what up?

Damian: *walks over to the closet and opens the door*

Roy: Woah, how the hell did I get here!

Jason: *shakes his head*

Tim, Duke, Stephanie, and Luke

Duke: Dude, you broke Tim and Steph.

Luke: No I didn’t!

Duke: Really because we came here to try and convince you to be Batwing again and yet you somehow got them both to decide to retire!

Luke: So, they should! They deserve it. No kid should have to deal with that kind of stress!

Duke: Dude, we live in Gotham freaking City. Stress is literally stuff we learn in 6th grade because our parents need us to get jobs!

Luke: You had to get a job in 6th grade?

Duke: Oh right, sorry I forgot you all are rich! Hey, where’s Steph and Tim?

Luke: Outside somewhere.

Duke: DUDE!!!! WE HAVE TO FIND THEM!!!!!!

Luke: They’ll be fine!

Duke: Whatever. *walks towards the door* If you change your mind, you know where to call. *he walks out the door*

____

Tim: *grabs a helium tank* Hey Steph!

Stephanie: *turns around*

Tim: *pulls down the mask and inhales the helium* I am vengeance, I am the night, I am BATMAN!

Stephanie: O-M-G!!! That is amazing!

Jason, Roy, Damian, and Selina

Selina: So again, Jason, what are you doing here?

Jason: Trying to get away from you people! Do you know how often I want to shoot Dick alone from all of the stupid stuff he does! 

Damian: Yes!

Jason: You’re no better. You can not adopt stray animals every week!

Damian: They can catch the virus, too! They need a home!

Jason: They have one! In the wild somewhere!

Selina: What’s your point?

Jason: I needed a place to escape you idiots at the mansion. There’s only so much I can take before I break B’s no killing rule.

Damian: Then why is Harper here?

Roy: Jaybird has been my emotional support person since Kori left Earth for Tamaran.

Selina: I can see that.

Damian: Is this where you’ve been every single patrol?

Jason: Not every one. Only when I get sick of you all. 

Selina: Everyday!!!!

Roy: *laughs uncontrollably*

Jason: Not everyday!!! Look, this is why I need this place, because I can’t stand you fuckers!!! Get out of my house!

Damian: How did you even pay for this place?

Jason: I USED TO KILL PEOPLE FOR A LIVING!!!!

Selina: Jason, your not supposed to even be here. We need to leave now.

Jason: Yes you fucking should!

Selina: I meant all of us!

Jason: Good luck with that! You’ll have to drag me out.

Damian: Just watch us do it!

Roy: This is getting a bit personal, I’m gunna grab my bow and leave.

Jason: Stay Roy!

Roy: Okay, I’ll stay!

Selina: How are we so awful? What is it that we do that bothers you so much?

Jason: I don’t want to talk about it!

Selina: What is it?

Jason: You guys make me want to actually be a part of the family! You guys care for me, and make fun of me *starts crying* and make me laugh, and it’s not fucking fair!

Selina: Jason..... I’m.... I’m sorry. Why are you crying?

Jason: Because this shit has always been unfamiliar to me! Family has always been fucked up for me before Bruce. When he took me in I didn’t know how to feel because at that point my life was filled with rage, sadness, and confusion. *sits down on the couch* Then came in Dick, who at first made me feel at home with how much he hated the fact that I replaced him, until a few months go by for him to accept me as a brother he never had. Then I fuckin’ died!

Selina: *sits down next to Jason* It’s okay if you want some time away from us, I understand now that this is new. We won’t ever stop loving you Jason. If you ever need a break from us then I’ll cover for you, just don’t be out for too long.

Jason: Thanks Selina.

Roy: *starts humming Love Is A Battlefield*

Selina: Are you humming Love Is A Battlefield?

Jason: He is so humming Pat Benatar right now.

Roy: No, you’re all just hearing things.

Damian: Who’s Pat Benatar?

Jason: Okay, GET OUT!!!!

Selina: *rushes themselves out the door* Let’s go Dami, we’ve overstayed our welcome!

Damian: But my phone!

Roy and Jason: GET OUT!

Tim and Stephanie

Stephanie: *dancing in a strangers house* Woooo!!!

Tim: *break dancing to “Dirrty” in the middle of a dance circle*

Stephanie: *nudges the person next to her* I’m friends with that guy!

Stranger: Nice!

Stephanie: I know right!

Tim: *steps out of the dance circle* Hey!

Stephanie: How many Red Bulls did you have?

Tim: How many legs does a wolf-tigark have.

Stephanie: What!

Tim: I’m super fucked up!

Stephanie: Same! Wanna have sex?

Tim: Sure!

Duke, Cassandra, and Harper

Duke: Hey, Harper! Do you remember that time you were totally surrounded by the Riddler’s henchmen and I swooped in and saved you, and you were like “Thanks dude! You’re the best! I totally owe you one!”

Harper: Yes, I remember part of that being true!

Duke: Well, I need you to return that favor and you can not tell any of the others. I lost Tim and Stephanie and need help finding them.

Harper: What the hell Duke! How did this happen?

Duke: Well, Luke broke Tim and Steph, causing them to decide to retire, then they disappeared.

Harper: Okay, Orphan and I will be right there after we take down these two drug dealing pimps!

Duke: Thank you!

Harper: *hangs up the phone* Okay, let’s take care of this Orphan!

They both jump down landing a kick to their chest. Harper then grabbed her dudes arm and broke his wrist, finally stomping on his face, knocking the dude out. Cass walked towards her guy reaching down and throwing him against a wall, then kicking his back.

Nightwing

Nightwing: *arrives at the apartment door*

Boyfriend: YOU STUPID BITCH! WHY CAN’T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT! 

Girlfriend: *through tears* I’m sorry!

Boyfriend: *slaps the girlfriend* SHUT UP BITCH!

Nightwing: *knocks on the door*

Boyfriend: *opens door* Can I help you?

Nightwing: Yes hi. I was walking around the neighborhood and wanted to know if you wanted to donate to the charity of whoop-ass?

Boyfriend: Not interested. *tries to close the door*

Nightwing: *pushes the door open* Hold on, you need to hear the rest of my pitch! *kicks the boyfriend in the chest* 

Girlfriend: *still crying* NO! PLEASE STOP!

Nightwing: Wha-

Boyfriend: *tries to throws a few punch at Nightwing’s face*

Nightwing: *drops to the floor and goes for a flare, sweeping the boyfriend off his feet*

The sound of sirens is heard out side.

Nightwing: *temporarily distracted by the sirens*

Boyfriend: *gets up* YOU CALLED THE COPS! YOU UNGRATEFUL GOOD FOR NOTHING BITCH! *tries to punch his girlfriend*

Nightwing: *catches his fist* Not gunna happen. *tosses the boyfriend against the wall and has him put his hands over his head*

Police Officer: G-C-P-D! GET YOUR..... Oh, Nightwing? How random seeing one of you guys here. Like always. *goes in to arrest the boyfriend*

Nightwing: *kneels down to where the girlfriend is sitting and takes note of the cuts and marks on her arms* Are you okay?

Girlfriend: I-*sob* I don’t *sob* know what *sob* I did *sob* wrong?

Nightwing: You did nothing wrong. Everything will be okay. Did he hit you?

Girlfriend: *nods her head yes*

Nightwing: Where did he hit you?

Girlfriend: *looks up to reveal a black eye and cuts on her face* My *sob* face, arms *sob*, stomach. *buries her head in her arms and starts to cry even harder*

Nightwing: Hey, it’s going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay. 

Nightwing tries the best he can to comfort the girl before the EMT arrived. After that he stuck around for a bit to give a statement of what happened when he arrived and to make sure everything was fine before he left.

Duke, Stephanie, Tim, Harper, and Cassandra

Stephanie: *wakes up* Ugh. My head! *she looks over at Tim and smiles as she gets out of the bed*

Tim: *starts to wake* Ow! *sees Stephanie* Hey!

Stephanie: Hey! 

Tim: *sits up on the bed*

Stephanie: Look about what happened, can we agree it was a drunk mistake.

Tim: Yeah! *rubs the back of his head and stands up close to Stephanie* I’m sorry, I can’t pretend! *he pulls her in and kisses her* I really like you!

Stephanie: I like you, too.

Tim: Wanna crawl back under the covers again for a bit?

Stephanie: Absolutely!

____

Desk Clerk: Thank you, hope you enjoyed your stay!

Tim: We certainly did, thank you! *both Stephanie and Tim walk out the door and see Duke, Cassandra, and Harper* 

Stephanie: Hey, you found us!

Duke: Get in the car!

Harper: Spent most of the night looking for you suckers until we saw that Tim used his credit card to purchase a hotel room there! 

Tim: We’re sorry you had to go searching for us!

Duke: Also, if you are even still thinking about retiring, you’re going to have to tell Bruce yourself.

Stephanie: We’re not retiring. We probably just thought it was a good idea because we were both sleep deprived.

Duke: Good, because I didn’t want to see Bruce lose his shit!

Dick and Julia/Dick and Jason

Back at the Batcave

Julia: How did it go?

Dick: Rough. That building was well into Harper’s sector though, why did you have me take care of it?

Julia: I think you know why.

Dick: *thinks for a moment* Because of the way I’ve been reacting to my breakup with Bab’s.

Julia: If you stopped thinking of how to win her back for one second, you would see that she is most likely suffering as much as you are. 

Dick: I understand. I’m going to head upstairs. Don’t stay down here much longer, that’s an order.

Julia: Are you still entitled to give orders?

Dick: I still get to wear the cowl, don’t I?

Julia: Fair enough.

Dick quickly showers and heads upstairs.

Jason: Hey, Dickwad. Over here.

Dick: Sup, Jay?

Jason: Follow me.

Jason leads Dick to the parking garage and into one of Bruce’s cars and drives to the safe house.

Jason: Welcome, to the safe house. I heard you had a rough day so I thought it would be worth it to take you here. Wayne house free zone so feel free to cry, let out your feeling, whatever you need to do to process this. I’ll wait in the car.

Dick: *crying* Jay.

Jason: Yeah.

Dick: *hugs Jason* Thank you!

Jason: No problem. If you tell Bruce, I will end you though.

Dick: Got it!

While I try to make these stories for the most part humorous and entertaining, domestic violence is a very serious topic. Since quarantine, domestic violence rates have gone up. If you or some one you know is in an abusive relationship or has found themselves in one since quarantine began, don’t hesitate to call the Domestic Violence Support hotline at 1 [phone]. You can also go to thehotline.org to contact them.

If someone you know has just left an abusive relationship (boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, parent/child) remember to be there for them. Allow them to talk but don’t force them too if they don’t want to. Make sure not to bash the guilty party and respond about them neutrally. Most of all, make sure to let them know that they are still loved, and that they are still the same person, even if they feel that they are not.

I will be reblogging this message on my blog. I ask you to please share and reblog as much as you can.

#batfam #Alfred Pennyworth #batman #bruce wayne #catwoman #Selina Kyle #Batwoman #kate kane #julia pennyworth #batgirl #barbara gordon #nightwing #dick grayson #Huntress #helena bertinelli #red hood #Jason Todd #Red Robin #Tim Drake #spoiler dc #Stephanie Brown #blue bird #harper row #orphan #cassandra cain #signal dc #duke thomas #robin #Damian Wayne #arsenal

[chnqin]

My Epic MDZS/The Untamed Daemon AU

I’m sure other people have already done Daemon AUs, but this idea wouldn’t leave me alone. I have been working on this for like three weeks now.

I just wrote down my first instinctive thought for most characters, and then researched* further into subspecies etc. What I found for a lot of the animals made me agree with my first opinion even more, although all of these are obviously just my own opinions. I also decided to stick to non-mythological animals. (some characters have been given a lot more consideration than others, I’m sorry)

Wei Wuxian: beech marten Beech martens are quick and clever. The are nocturnal, omnivores, and skilled swimmers. They move through paths made by larger animals such as hares in the snow. {further notes under read more}

Lan Wangji: white hare More solitary animals. They have an association with the moon, which I tend to associate LWJ with. {f/n}

Jiang Cheng: osprey Aquatic birds; good hunters. {f/n}

Lan Xichen: white stag {f/n}

Jiang Yanli: asian black bear {explained in detail under the read more}

Jin Zixuan: lion Ngl it’s probably because the Persian pokemon reminds me of him

Jin Guangyao: domestic cat {f/n}

Nie Huiasang: pangolin {f/n}

Nie Mingju: wolf {f/n}

Wen Qing: Chinese sparrowhawk {f/n}

Wen Ning: black Formosan mountain dog (tuguo) {f/n}

Lan Sizhui: Xiasi Quan dog or red panda or badger {f/n}

Jin Ling: lion {f/n}

Lan Jingi: monkey They’re respected animals but also have a mischievous side

Ouyen Zihzen: capybara No, they’re not native to China, but this is what I imagined him as and I couldn’t get it out of my head or find a perfect substitute

Xiao Xinchen: swan He just gives me major swan vibes, possibly something to do with Swan Lake (as do some Lans but they’re not graceful in the same way or tragic in the same way)

Song Lan: oriental hobby falcon or black horse He struck me as some sort of raptor, but I also liked a horse for him 

Luo Qingyang/Mianmian: lynx

Lan Qiren: sheep Symbolise filial piety. Also follow other people without question (*cough* the Lan Sect elders)

Jiang Fengiman: otter Spends a lot of time around the water, just what popped into my head

Yu Ziyuan: snake Because Zidian

The Jiang Sect favour animals who live near or on the water, some even possessing daemons which are fully aquatic, and thus are unable to leave Lotus Pier

The Lan Sect usually have herbivore animals for daemons and favour swift, elegant animals.

The Jins tend towards lions and panthers, but also flashy, rich birds like pheasants and peacocks (which makes WWX’s nickname for JZX even more funny).

The Nies often have pack or herd animals. Wolves and mountain lions are very common, but also a lot of horned animals like oxen, mountain goats and sheep (bighorn sheep and ibex are common), and also wild boar.

The Wens were typically birds of prey (the Dire Owl becomes Wen Chao’s daemon) or mountain cats.

The Yus often have daemons which take reptile form. Wildcats also common.  I quite like the idea that the Yus are a sect which has cultivated the ability to separate themselves from their daemons.

~Further notes on why I picked these animals, Daemon settling, angsty AUs of my AU, and research disclaimer under the cut~

Story & Research Notes:

(I’m going with the idea that trauma can make a daemon settle into a particular form)

WWX A marten was the first thing to come to mind for WWX, I have no idea why, but the more I thought about it the more I liked it. They’re really inquisitive, playful, and cute, but are also predators and will fuck you up if necessary.  A crow was another obvious choice because they’re curious and inventive, but with a bit of a dark connotation. However, in my version at least (I’m not great on His Dark Materials canon), Daemons usually settle in the early teens, and at that point WWX really didn’t have as much darkness in him as he develops later. 

I think WWX was one of those people whose daemon changed with every thought and feeling of his, whose daemon changed so rapidly and so repeatedly that people would complain of motion sickness watching it. His daemon’s most common forms were a martin, a magpie, an otter (which drove Madam Yu nuts), and (after JYL’s settled) very occasionally a bear.

When WWX comes back most people don’t realise anything is wrong because Mo Xuanyu always hid his daemon (I think it was probably something like a field mouse although how funny would it be if Little Apple was actually his daemon and WWX unknowingly inherited her along with the body), so they just think his has settled into something too big to hide now. However, his beech martin is the other reason Lan Wangji knows who Wei Wuxian is (WWX’s daemon hides from Jiang Cheng at Dafan Mountain, so JC only suspects it’s WWX). (Angsty AU further down)

LWJ I know that arctic hares aren’t native to China, but I want you to pretend that something like that does exist because I need lwj to have a white hare daemon. They are also bigger than other hares and cuter (they look slightly less cursed than some hares do). I’m imagining a lot of the daemons being slightly bigger than their real-life animal counterparts would be, so imagine the ears coming up to a normal person’s hip-height when the daemon is sitting. Rabbits can also apparently symbolise hope, and that suits someone who is known to go where the chaos is, bringing hope and light in the darkness. 

As a child, LWJ’s daemon was expressive in a way he never could be. It liked to take snow leopard form a lot, which was seen as excessively violent to the Lan sect, who preferred non-carnivorous animals, and often snarled at people. His daemon always took snow leopard form when visiting his mother so it could curl up with her tiger daemon. 

LWJ’s daemon settled exceptionally early, shortly after his mother’s death, into an acceptable hare form. Lan Xichen always wondered if LWJ himself made his daemon settle, if she was not supposed to have been a snow leopard all along, and so always looks upon LWJ’s daemon with a bit of sadness because he feels like it was LWJ stifling - almost killing off - a part of his personality (spoiler: it was) in order to fit into the Lan sect.

(More on that in an angsty AU below)

JC Ngl, I wanted to make Jiang Cheng a goose because they’re always angry but I didn’t. Jiang Cheng shifted mostly between a hunting dog and a mouse as a child, both of which infuriated Yu Ziyuan (honestly what she wanted her children’s daemons to be even I don’t know). Jiang Cheng’s daemon settled very late (another thing his mother wasn’t happy with). In fact, it didn’t settle till the attack on Lotus Pier and the death of his parents, when it took the shape of an osprey (because he wanted to be able to fly away and pretend none of it ever happened). 

Even more angsty: One Chinese poem has the Osprey as a symbol of marital harmony and fidelity. Upon seeing his parents death, finally united in a way they hadn’t been in life, JC’s constant wish for his parents to love each other (and, by extension, him) physically manifests itself in his daemon.

JYL I know what you’re thinking. Why the hell did you give Jiang Yanli a bear of all people. Well I’ll tell you. For two reasons: one, because I can do what I want, and two, because I would say one of JYL’s most central characteristics is her wish to look after people. She’s not physically strong in the way most other cultivators are, however, and she’s always having to keep the peace at home - and so I can see her daemon becoming a physical manifestation of that need to protect (bears are known to be protective, particularly mothers), and a physical example of her inner strength which is so often overlooked.

Yanli shifted between a dove, a crane, and a maritime striped squirrel for most of her childhood. She favoured the squirrel and dove (incredibly mild animals) over the crane, which disappointed Madam Yu.  It’s one of the reasons Jin Zixuan never saw her as a potential match, her daemon too small and docile to match his almost constant lion daemon.

When Jiang Yanli was around fourteen Madam Yu took things with Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng too far one day, and Yanli saw it. Her daemon suddenly shifted into a bear, a form it had never taken up to that point, and jumped on Yu Ziyuan’s snake daemon. WWX and JC always remembered Yanli standing in the doorway, her expression placid while her huge bear daemon growled with absolute fury and menace. Everyone expected Yanli’s daemon to go back to its usual squirrel or dove form, but it never did. It remained a bear, and remained the biggest daemon of pretty much anyone in any of the sects.

I had already picked a crane as one of JYL’s potential daemons because of its connection to water and positive symbolism in China. Upon further (hopefully accurate) research, I saw that cranes depicted with lotuses in Chinese art symbolise purity and longevity, and I liked making her daemon a bear even more, because her daemon took that form to protect WWX and JC - years after her death, they both wondered if, had her daemon had taken crane form, maybe she wouldn’t have died. From what I found, “crane” is also a homophone for 合 hé “peace, harmony”, which is a quality Jiang Yanli had much of, and tried to inspire in others.

LXC I think its LXC’s hairpiece which always makes me think of deer antlers (even though it’s a dragon?), so that’s probably why I immediately thought of a stag for him. But stags are also very noble and refined looking animals which don’t tend towards violence, but also have horns for a reason. Obviously, like with LWJ, it’s a white stag because aesthetique. Upon further research, I discovered a (hopefully correct) source which says 鹿 lù (deer) is a homonym with 璐 lù (precious jade), and the character for deer is used within the character 丽 lì ‘beautiful; elegant’ - both fit LXC very well.

JGY Cats are sneaky little fuckers (I say this with love). The ultimate predator in small unassuming form. Many of the main Jin family have big cat daemons so this is kind of another smack in the face for JGY - so close to being a real part of the Jin family, but still kept apart from them - and something people like to bring up along with his mother. However, many Jins are also birds (including JGS), and cats prey on birds.

NHS I thought a fox was a bit on the nose. Also I like the way pangolin’s just drop and curl up in defence - it’s a viable form of protection, but to the outside appears cowardly. However, their scales are sharp and can cut predators who come after them. Also I didn’t want him to fit into any of his sect’s typical animals. Also also imagine how cute it would look being carried around everywhere by NHS because it’s too lazy to walk, absolutely adorable.

NMJ A wolf was what immediately came to mind for Nie Mingjue. Wolves are apparently sometimes associated with greed, self-interest, and lechery, but I think the pack elements and the carnivore/hunting nature of the wolf really suits NMJ and the Nie clan in general, so I decided to overlook that aspect (although I did briefly consider making JGS a wolf, but I like them as animals too much in real life to do that to them and also he doesn’t have a soul, so he doesn’t get a daemon).

WQ I always saw Wen Qing as some sort of hawk, I just think it suits her very well. The Chinese sparrowhawk is quite small and very beautiful. It has white, red and grey colours. They are good hunters and swift flyers. 

WN I knew I wanted Wen Ning to be some sort of dog because he’s very loyal, and also (angsty) when the Jins call the Wens dogs I wanted that to hurt even more. He’s very unusual for a Wen, none of the main sect have dog daemons - it is very much a thing that is specific to their branch of the Wen family. The mountain dog I picked for him is an endangered breed, which I also felt fitted WN well. From what I found, dogs symbolise watchful wisdom, honesty, and loyalty, which all fit Wen Ning. 

This was all perfect till I remembered WWX’s all-consuming fear of dogs. I decided to get round this by cheating and saying that for some reason daemons are different and he’s not scared of them (because they represent a part of someone’s soul, rather than being a real animal? I guess?? Please do not look too hard at this delicately constructed card tower) 

Angsty version: when Wen Ning becomes a fierce corpse he loses his daemon, another reason people are unsettled by him and another thing WWX feels guilty about.

LSZ I think Lan Sizhui was the hardest to pick. I couldn’t decide which way to go: should he follow a “Lan approved” daemon pattern; should he have a bird like Wen Qing and a lot of other Wens? Then I saw the Xiasi Quan and it’s white and fluffy and cute but it was also a hunting and a guard dog, which seemed right for him. And I liked that it gave LSZ and WN this one very tangible connection. It is also endangered.  However, I also liked a red panda and a badger for Lan Sizhui too. I really couldn’t decide between the three. I like them all, why is he the hardest to choose for? (I’m still not 100% happy with this, let me know if you have any alternative suggestions)

Again, please suspend your disbelief at the fact that WWX’s child has a dog daemon and he’s fine with this (it would have looked so cute as a little puppy running around the Burial Mounds though).

When he was younger his daemon liked to take on the forms of those closest to him. So you’d often see a bby marten running after WWX’s daemon, a tiny bird perched with Wen Qing’s sparrow-hawk, a puppy following Wen Ning’s dog around, and a tiny bby rabbit in Cloud Recesses. As he got older it shifted between the dog, a red panda, and a badger. (maybe I’ll just say his hasn’t settled yet and that’s why I can’t decide)

JL Jin Ling definitely also had a daemon which shifted because of a) his loved ones and b) his mood, and he hated it. As if his own explosive temper didn’t give him away enough, his daemon always showed his exact feelings. When he wanted nothing more than his mother to be there it would be a bear. When he was feeling defensive about his parents it would turn into a lion (this happens when he and WWX first meet and any time people talk about his parents’ deaths). When he was younger his daemon spent a lot of time as a cat and a bird, although different types to what his uncles had. 

Jin Ling’s daemon still hasn’t settled when WWX is resurrected, and he is absolutely mortified the one time it decides to turn into a beech marten like WWX’s. Eventually it will settle into a lion, and WWX will pretend to be grumpy that it didn’t choose a bear instead.

Angsty AUs:

Daemons are linked to golden cores Jiang Cheng loses his daemon along with his core. When Wei Wuxian’s core is removed it’s more like when daemons and humans are separated in the books. His daemon stays with him, but can move about freely - this is part of what causes WWX to rapidly destabilise, not just resentful energy. Jiang Cheng always feels weirdly aware of WWX’s daemon after that but doesn’t know why. WWX’s daemon is technically connected to JC too, and also finds this weird. JC also can’t work out why his daemon never came back with his golden core, and that loss is part of why he’s so angry and isolated.

The effect of trauma on Daemons Another angsty au is based on the idea that, if trauma can make your daemon settle early, then trauma can also make it change.

When Wei Wuxian is thrown into the Burial Mounds, he wishes so hard to be able to fly that his beech marten turns into a crow (because I do love a crow for him too). I kind of like the idea that after the Burial Mounds WWX’s daemon almost un-settles itself, and can change between a marten and a crow. This really freaks people out and is another reason people say he’s dangerous.

Similarly, after Wei Ying’s death and the Lan sect’s punishment, Lan Wangji wakes up to find his daemon has shifted from its hare to snow leopard form. In his soul, LWJ feels like if he had been less passive and actually stood with WWX then his soulmate would still be alive. His daemon changes from a more passive hare to the more aggressive snow leopard.

He’s criticised by the elders for it, but they shut up when his daemon flattens theirs, while LWJ’s face remains an impassive mask but his eyes promise murder. WWX is really sad when he comes back to see LWJ’s hare gone and blames himself for causing LWJ so much trauma his daemon changed. (personally if I were writing a Daemon AU this is what I would have happen, because I love LWJ with a snow leopard daemon - they symbolise bravery and martial ferocity, while rabbits are virtue and gentleness, and I feel like these two both accurately represent the two sides of LWJ. I really feel like LWJ has a huge shift in himself after WWX’s death which would be represented in his daemon. It also is, in a way, a return of a core part of himself which was lost after his mother’s death)

Sword/Instrument substitute Mixing Daemons with sword sprits - the animal becomes a physical representation of the spiritual tool. Some people could therefore have more than one daemon (for example, LWJ could have Bichen - his rabbit sword daemon - and Wangji - his snow leopard guqin daemon)

Angsty version: WWX actually does die in the burial mounds and Suibian, his beech martin, dies/changes into Chenqing, a raven/crow.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.  .·。.·゜✭·.·✫·゜·。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. 

If you are reading this you have made it to the end of this post, well done.

 I wanted to make it shorter but I had too many ideas and wanted to explain my reasoning for my choices and decided just to put it all in one post rather than lots of little ones.

*Disclaimer: I know only the smallest amount of Chinese, and have taken all my information about imagery, word meanings, and homophones etc from web-sources, and so it is very possible I have made mistakes. Though I have, to the best of my abilities, attempted to check on the cultural/artistic meaning, if any, that certain animals have in Chinese culture, the internet lies and I can’t get any decent books on it atm as the libraries are closed, so I’m really sorry if there are errors and I hope people will forgive any mistakes or blunders I might have made. 

#mdzs #the untamed #cql #daemon au #mdzs daemon au #mine #guys i have spent a stupid amount of time on this #myau

[nocturne-inuyasha-ff]

Chapter Twenty Three: The Human Condition

~ * ! * ! * ! * ! ~ = Flash back

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o = Scene/POV change

Nocturne - Chapter Twenty Three: The Human Condition

Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Kagome jumped at the sound of the deep, familiar voice and slowly turned to see Sesshomaru standing in the doorway. She melted and felt fury all at once. It had not even been an entire day, and he'd come, but not when he was needed.

Setsuna battled with an urge to run up to and hug her father, instead, wearing an ear-splitting grin upon her young face and exclaiming, "Father!"

All had turned to witness his arrival, though none had noticed him, nor sensed his yoki.

Sesshomaru gave his daughter a nod of greeting but did not display any semblance of emotion outside of that. He was not one for public displays of affection. Even to greet her first was a significant indicator of her status in his eyes.

Kagome more than made up for any of Sesshomaru's shortcomings in that area. But while he lacked in that area - at least in Kagome's opinion - he more than made up for his affections through doting on his child through different means.

He had initially disapproved of Kagome kissing every cut and bruise, stating that would spoil and entitle her.

It was Sesshomaru's thought that by coddling Setsuna, she would be weak. To that effect, Kagome cleverly asked if he also thought her to be weak. It only took a couple of days for him to relax his view of "coddling."

Sesshomaru's eyes then glided over Kagome in an appraising manner that held a deeper meaning. She quickly turned her head to subtly inform him that she was still angry.

Inuyasha wore a confused grimace at the appearance of his elder brother, looking none too pleased. "You learn some new tricks? Hiding your scent so I can't smell you sneaking up on us?"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his brother's idiocy. He looked pointedly at Shizuka and sneered, his lip rising up in slight disdain.

"To think you have not noticed after these years," he chided coldly. "Yet, you are ignorant, preferring to allow the fox roam freely in the hen house."

Inuyasha stood up with a jump, placing a hand on the hilt of Tessaiga. He had made sure to retrieve the weapon after the recent episode of events. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

Sesshomaru ignored his brother's barely veiled act of insolent aggression. He looked around the room, resting his gaze on Kohaku longer than any. "You have all exposed yourselves and your number when you have laid unnaturally hidden from our enemy for years, thanks to your foundling."

Inuyasha would have none of it. "This is all your fucking fault, you goddamn hypocrite! You led them here through all your damn schemes and tangled us all in your mess."

"You still trust it, even knowing where it comes from and the risk you place on all here. It is to her they were drawn," Sesshomaru explained. "The fact that you place its life above that of your own brethren speaks volumes about your character. Though, it is unsurprising to this one."

Shizuka withered under the scrutinizing gaze of Sesshomaru, which caused Inuyasha to become even more incensed. "She never hurt anyone, you fucker! I dare you to say another word!"

Kagome had seen and heard enough of their brotherly squabbles. It was becoming ridiculous and not something she wanted her daughter to witness. "Enough! Both of you! Take it outside, so Setsuna does not have to watch her father," she looked to Sesshomaru, "and her uncle," she looked to Inuyasha, "prattle on like enemies."

Both aggressors looked over at Setsuna, who sat on the ground with her legs crossed and an amused smile on her face. Kagome noticed the girl's grin as well and groaned in disgust before stomping out of the house. The girl had too much of her father's blood running through her veins, always looking for her father's approval and a good fight. Even at nearly six years old, Sesshomaru had exposed their child to pride and prowess. Of course, she'd done nothing to stop it either. As if it were a bad thing to learn in the Feudal Era when the world would only go through strife before settling into the future she knew.

Kagome rushed out and walked away from Miroku and Sango's house, knowing her presence would not be missed with all that was happening. She felt frustrated with everything and herself. She had come to escape the lies and recent revelation that still weighed heavily upon her, yet she'd brought nothing but pain to her friends and family in the moments she'd arrived.

She felt bitter and downtrodden, her grief only spurred on by the discovery that Sesshomaru had not disclosed to her all he knew. And now here he was again, likely come to take her and Setsuna away for their own protection. As if she was not capable of protecting herself, she fumed. Her use of spiritual powers may have diminished, but she was more than proficient as a marksman, something she did not tire of practicing.

There was now a fairly decent distance between Kagome and the others. She would not stray beyond the village's perimeter just yet, but she was far enough away from Shizuka's strange ability to hamper the sense of demonic auras and would sense if any came upon her.

Kagome sat on a bridge that spanned over the gently flowing stream where women of the village came to wash laundry. No one was out right now, as the village reeled from the news of the recent attack. Despite the circumstances, it was to Kagome's liking as she rarely was afforded time to herself anymore.

She swung her legs back and forth, pointing her toes so that they barely touched the water below and kicked the cold droplets to spray in front of her. Kagome could feel his aura approaching at a slow and steady pace. She knew he'd come after her eventually. He was like his brother in ways he would be offended to know, stalking after their women like puppies with tails between their legs. It was a cute notion if she bothered to think about it, but her sullen anger was too great to allow such a thing.

His steps echoed on the wood of the bridge, announcing his presence. Kagome ignored him. She'd come here to get away from him after all, and it had not even been an entire day!

"Beloved," he began with an uncharacteristic tentative tone.

Kagome whipped around with a glare, daring him to call her another endearing name when she could not find one for him for the life of her. "No!" she hissed. "You don't get to follow after me and apologize. I am not ready to forgive you yet."

His gaze was cool as he regarded her, and Kagome seethed that he was still, after these years, so challenging to read. "This one has done nothing wrong in protecting what is his."

Wrong! Kagome's eyes widened. "So I am a possession now to do with as you please?!"

"You know this not to be true, miko," he said, resorting to calling her by her title. "You are mine, that is true, but only in so much that I am yours."

His gruff but tender words caused her to waver for a moment. "Yet, you treat me as a fragile piece of glass, ready to break with the slightest touch. Am I not enough as I am? You changed me, without my knowledge nor my permission."

"Had you the choice, would you have refused?" he questioned.

"That is not the point! I didn't have a choice! You took that from me."

"I fail to see why this upsets you so. You have been given the gift of countless years, beyond what any mortal should ever be inclined to live. You spit so carelessly on what others would kill for."

"It seems so unnatural," she said with a shiver and crossed her arms. "At what cost? All things come with a cost," she asked. It was a valid question. Nothing as profound as the gift of immortality came without a hefty price.

"I shall not see you die," he told her simply and unmoving.

"Death is natural. Humans aren't meant to live beyond their years. Am I something unnatural now?" she asked aloud, beginning to question what she now was. She hadn't given it much thought since arriving in the village. But now faced with the reality of what had been done, Kagome was gripped with a new insurmountable reality.

"Dying is only part of the human condition. Something you no longer have a claim to, miko. To think death is natural is merely a coping strategy for something inevitable to humans. Take joy in what you have been given."

Kagome was still too angry to feel joy, not when Sesshomaru had so carefully tiptoed around the fact that there was a price involved with her' gift'. "But there is a price, is there not?"

He sighed with resignation. "Not one that you will bear."

"What does that mean?" she demanded.

"Simply that you do not need to concern yourself with it."

She fumed. "Am I incapable of comprehending the price? Just like I am incapable of understanding the severity of the situation we are in now?"

His calm features did nothing to belie his innermost thoughts, an infuriating trait for Kagome, who wore hers on her sleeve. "You seem to already be aware of the fact that there were Fan Tsenpo's scouts probing the area. Otherwise, you would not have known to come so quickly."

"I was apprised of the fact after you left abruptly," he accused.

"But that doesn't explain why you're here," she retorted.

Sesshomaru made a resigned sound 'hnn' but did not offer an answer.

Kagome crossed her arms beneath her breasts and narrowed her eyes. "Just as I figured. You already knew it was bad, but you didn't tell me."

"This one would not have you fear for nothing," he defended. He felt no wrong-doing for his actions whatsoever, feeling wholly justified. There would be no apology from him.

She glared at him as she stood up and brushed past him making her way back towards Setsuna and her friends, shirking away from his touch as he reached out to her. If he would not explain, she had no time for him. By the rate of his actions, he would step over anything and anyone in his attempt to 'protect her' from whatever he deemed a risk, suffocating her with his protection until she was a compliant, good little woman, or so she imagined.

Sesshomaru did not follow her right away as she had expected he would. Good, she thought. She still was not ready to forgive him, though she ultimately knew she would and even without an apology. Kagome groaned inwardly at her inability to stay mad at those she loved. It was better if she stayed away for just a little longer so that words spoken in anger did not sully what they had.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

They spent the night in the village. Kagome and Setsuna bunked with Sango and her boys. Their residence was the only one large enough to host guests anyway, but with Miroku and the twins still away, there was plenty of room.

Kagome knew Sesshomaru would not leave his woman and child, but he was astute in staying out of sight. Kagome was not sure where he would spend the night, though she knew it would not be far from her. She felt some ease knowing that.

After retiring for the night, Kagome grew restless. She could not sleep, tossing and turning on her borrowed pallet. Her mind would not shut off for anger and worry. Really she felt conflicted, a strange desire to seek him out and give him another piece of her

Mind only to be waylaid by the fear of the inevitable retribution, they were to be paid by their enemies. Kagome kicked her foot out and sighed.

Sango whispered over the gentle crackle of the hearth, "Why do you punish yourself? Just go out to him."

Kagome responded in silence, not bothering to acknowledge her friend's sage words. She laid on her back, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, though probably only minutes crept by.

Setsuna breathed gently beside her, a subtle reminder of why Kagome was angry in the first place. Her conception had started all of this, and Kagome thought back to those years ago in a dark cave, lit only by moonlight.

As stealthily as she could muster, she rose and made out of the house. If Sango had heard her, which was likely, she did not utter a word, and Kagome walked out into the warm, humid night.

The village was quiet and eerily so. Many of the villagers had bunkered down for the night, fearful of an attack from a powerful enemy. They were right to do so, but Kagome held little worry that Fan's army would attack tonight. The daiyokai was across the sea, and it would take more than an evening for him to receive word and rally his forces to move on them if he were inclined to do so.

Kagome had no idea where Sesshomaru would be, so ultimately her plan was to let him come to her once she'd gotten far enough from the village. She scoffed at the thought, knowing he would make her work for it, like always.

It was darker in the dense forest surrounding the village, but she held no fear. Even though she had no weapon, Kagome knew that a deadly being lurked nearby, ready to pounce on any who so much as looked at her threateningly.

She came to the stream that cut through the village and followed it west. It was this course that she had returned six years ago and, despite not knowing exactly where she was going, she knew it was the way.

She continued walking and continued to do so, counting as she paced along the stream's bank. All to keep her pace and track of the time in the dead of the night. Sesshomaru was very likely watching her but gave her no notion of his hidden presence.

After Kagome had trekked a couple of miles into the woods, she stopped and looked around. There was a fleeting feeling in the air around here that barely struck the peripherals of her memory. It hung heavy in the air, and as if forming a discernible trail, Kagome followed the path away from the stream. She had not gotten far when she saw it, the barely visible outcropping of rock that jutted up from between trees giving it a natural hiding spot.

Vines covered the mouth of the cave-like tendrils of mossy-green hair waiting to be parted. Kagome bit the inside of her cheek, reminiscing over an act committed long ago, not from love, but lust. She reached up to grasp one of the vines, but a voice startled her arm back to be clutched against her body.

"It is an unnecessary risk to bring yourself so far from the protection of the village."

Kagome swiveled on her heel, finding Sesshomaru leaning against a tree facing the mouth of the cave. "What worry do I have when you're near?" she responded with a weak smile.

"I am honored for the great faith you have placed in me unquestioningly. Yet it astounds this one that you do so now, but cannot find it within yourself to do so on other occasions."

She felt her heart drop a little, and in her hesitation, he took a step forward. "I trust in your ability to protect us, but I cannot help but feel inadequate if you cannot trust me."

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

This woman, the miko, his woman, was infuriating and intoxicating all at once. Her words said one thing while her body said another, and Sesshomaru, who was forever in charge of any situation, felt at a loss.

Sesshomaru had gone through great lengths to obtain the ningyo that the miko had consumed. The miko was correct when she had guessed at the price being insurmountable. To kill a ningyo would place a curse upon the murderer should they consume its flesh, which is why humans could never obtain ever-lasting life as they desired. If a mortal successfully slew a ningyo, which was an incredible feat seeing as how the ningyo were rare and crafty, they would gain eternal life at the cost of their own sanity. The ningyo flesh would corrupt and twist any who consumed them without mercy. That was the legacy of the ningyo and why they were not preyed upon.

However, Sesshomaru had learned a secret about the ningyo. The secret had been kept by his most honored father's last living retainer for centuries. Had Sesshomaru known this secret but 50 years ago, he would have exterminated the ningyo without mercy. The secret his father's retainer kept was that of true immortality without the price to the mortal. Sesshomaru had felt perplexed at first, wondering why his father, InuTaisho, would need such information before it dawned upon him. InuTaisho had planned to use the secret on his mortal woman. Fate, though, would not allow that to come to pass, and both his father and the hime had perished long ago.

Of course, immortality was still reliant on the consumption of ningyo flesh, but the trick lay in the way the flesh was obtained. Sesshomaru learned that if a ningyo gave its flesh willingly, the consumer would be granted longevity. But there was still a price, though not one so horrible as what was promised should he slay the creature outright.

FInding the yokai proved to be a feat all on its own, but nothing Sesshomaru could not accomplish succinctly. He had no need for immortality, so once he came upon the ningyo, the creature was unprepared to face him. The beast had implored him, pleading and promising him unimaginable power for sparing its life, but Sesshomaru was not one to be led astray by things he already possessed. He tactfully bartered with the ningyo for a pound of its flesh.

~ * ! * ! * ! * ! ~

"Whats ye gots to trade?" the creature had asked through needle-like teeth.

"This one has much, name your price, yokai." Sesshomaru had little respect for those beneath him, but he must treat the ningyo with as much courtesy as he could muster; otherwise, the trade may be void.

The ningyo grinned widely if it could be called a grin for one whose mouth was unable to close around its angler-like maw. "Youse has nothing I want, nothing worth even one of me golden scales."

Sesshomaru had to be tactful with the creature, lest it return and hide away in the sea for a century. His chance of finding another ningyo within the miko's lifetime was slim. "I offer up a part of myself intangible."

The ningyo's large yellow eyes narrowed in skepticism. "The price to be paid must be equal to what is given, lord daiyokai. I canst tells ye what to give, but like me flesh, it must be given freely. Tell me what ye will part with."

The great lord Sesshomaru had already assumed there would be such a price. He knew that his father was willing to pay the price, and he would as well without question. "A year from this one's own life for each year given."

Now those yellow eyes burned with an unknown hunger, bulging within the deep-set sockets. "Lord Daiyokai! A steep price ye shall pay, indeed. Be it the lass worth it, me hopes."

The creature had accepted the trade, though Sesshomaru did have uncertainty about what the small yokai gained from it. The ningyo used its razor-sharp claws to carve out a pound of flesh and surreptitiously handed it over to Sesshomaru. It nodded it's bulbous head and looked about before swimming off into the murky depths from which Sesshomaru had retrieved it, likely off to hide until the flesh grew back.

~ * ! * ! * ! * ! ~

Sesshomaru would never admit, even to himself, his fear. He had gone through great lengths to make certain those worries were never realized. That was why he had not explicitly informed the miko of his intentions. Those fears would make him weak, and weakness was not an option. Especially now that the circumstances were precarious. He knew that if she had known of the ningyo, she would have inquired on the price behind it, and if he were honest, she would refuse the gift; deny him. The miko would state that the price was too high and not something she would willingly accept. He knew this to be true for his woman was as selfless as they come, which was one of her intriguing qualities.

When the miko learned of the ningyo flesh through his treacherous mother, he inwardly knew that she would react in anger. He had prepared for that, too. He had not prepared for the army of Fan Tsenpo breaching the perimeter he had so precariously set so quickly. The man, Fan Tsenpo, was a tenacious one, indeed.

He closed his eyes in a rare display of acquiesce. "Truly, you must know that I am not as perfect as I would aspire."

The miko smirked at his admission. "There are some things about you that measure up to perfection, lord."

The miko's scent was a mixture of sensuous fury. She stepped closer, her arms still crossed but with a sultry look upon her face. Sesshomaru looked her up and down, attempting to understand whether this woman was angry or not. It was difficult to tell at times, even for one as astute as himself. It was enough to drive anyone mad.

A gentle breeze blew through the area, buffeting her scent into him. The fury, the joy, were palpable, but something else was there as well. His eyes turned ravenous, and an inner voice spoke to him, egging him to become something else entirely.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

The way he looked at her, hungry eyes roving up and down her body, spoke volumes. Kagome felt her insides do somersaults from anticipation and wetted her lips. She could feel her heart begin to pound heavily in her chest, and she wondered vaguely how someone could make her feel so giddy and desirable after so many years.

She glanced behind, over her shoulder with her sultry smile, and felt another wave anticipation course through her veins. It was very ironic to end up where it had all begun years ago. She scoffed to herself once she figured that Sesshomaru had led her here intentionally, somehow.

He stepped closer and leaned forward, inhaling her sweet scent from the crook of her neck while running his deft fingers through her hair and along the side of her neck.

He hesitated for a moment, pulling back and looking into her eyes. Kagome felt her breath catch and her traitorous heart skip a beat. "Is something wrong?" she asked softly, hoping like hell he had not finally grown tired of her.

His jaw clenched, and he seemed to be at war with himself rather than anything else. "It is your fertile time," he told her in a whisper.

His words were meant to be a caution, but his words tickled her ear and made her feel reckless. They had been careful, or rather Sesshomaru had been careful. Always calculating the time to be away when she was likely to beget a child. Kagome had not once questioned his frequent trips, sometimes seeming spontaneous, even for him, but her own monthly cycles had always been sporadic and unreliable.

Maybe Sesshomaru was afraid, if that were even possible, of a repeat. Kagome knew that he had revived her with Tensaiga and she also knew that the feat could only be done once. Could he be worried that she may find an untimely demise at attempting to bring a new life into the world? She pushed it from her mind, other more scintillating thoughts taking precedence.

It seemed that a similar thought process had taken place with him as well once he ultimately ground his teeth and placed his forehead on her shoulder, his silver hair falling over her in argent waves. His left hand gripped her shoulder tightly, holding on to maintain control, but the rest of him worked autonomously.

Kagome groaned once his hand found its way under her shirt and began to fondle her breast, caressing her nipple. His head still rested near her neck, where he waited for her consent. His tongue worked expertly upon her ear becoming more encouraged by the breathy exhale. She could barely make out his golden gaze appraising her from her peripheral vision and looking at her lustily.

Her fertile time was delicate in terms of lovemaking. Sesshomaru could smell it on her, and the demon within him wanted to take her by any means necessary. Her scent drove him wild with barely contained lust, and it took every ounce of control to contain himself, which is why he usually took great pains to be absent during that time.

Kagome secretly enjoyed it. The idea of being ravaged was intriguing and frightening, especially when it came to her daiyokai lover. Now, knowing that he could be a little rougher was an aphrodisiac all on its own.

He was growing impatient and pulled her kosode down, exposing her breasts. She gasped, feeling the cold air on her bare skin and then gasped again once the cold sensation was replaced by the warm ministration of Sesshomaru's tongue. It seemed he would not be waiting for a response, but she had never denied him, so perhaps it would even out. Besides, if he stopped, she would only beg him to continue.

His left hand released her shoulder and made its way down her skirts, delicately touching her legs, stroking closer and closer towards the cleft in between. Sesshomaru was always careful of his claws, but that made it difficult to live in the moment. He snarled softly in frustration, removing himself from her momentarily.

Kagome pouted from the lack of contact but watched him curiously. He looked at her from lowered lids and carefully and meticulously bit off his long claws. They would grow back, and he needed them blunt for what he planned to do.

While she watched, he crushed against her, crushing his lips to hers in a quick, almost desperate motion. His hand shot back down her skirts, and he gave a soft gasp of his own when she reciprocated with a firm grasp on his hardened member through the heavy folds of his outer layers. His brow clenched, and his hardened gaze now softening like butter under her grip. With a moan that was more like a growl, Sesshomaru turned her body and pinned her against the tree where he had waited outside of the cave. His own clothes had become a nuisance and barrier between them, so he deftly removed them in a matter of seconds.

Kagome stood against the tree, portions of her body exposed to him and her breasts heavily swaying up and down with each panting breath. Sesshomaru took a moment to compose himself, knowing if he continued, he would not be able to stop without possibly hurting her. "You are no longer angry, miko," he asked, despite the words coming out more as a statement than anything.

She crossed her arms in front of her breasts and gave him a level look. "Keep it up, and I will leave you here, high and dry," she warned.

Her scent was too potent for her words to hold any truth, and Sesshomaru felt his control slip at the slightest notion he would be denied at this point. A guttural sound erupted from his throat, and he all but pinned Kagome to the tree, snatching her hands up and away from her chest. Once he'd removed the barrier there, his hand plummeted back down to continue touching her cleft. A glorious smell was emanating from that region, soft and lustrous that begged to be lapped up.

He brought his hand, dripping with wet fluids up to his lips, and licked his finger with a lapping tongue. "Exquisite," he purred with a smirk.

Kagome felt her cheeks burn, and she turned her head to break the sensual contact that was nearly overpowering. Sesshomaru grabbed her chin and brought her back to face him and then licked her bottom lip to entice her to open her own. She relinquished, opening to his kiss that beckoned for more.

She felt him push up her right leg, grabbing behind the knee to place her in an easily accessible position. She continued following his kiss with a fervor of her own and used her hand to find the soft, hard length that brushed up against her hip. She wrapped her fingers around it, barely able to encapsulate the girth with her fist and relished in the moaning sounds he breathed into her from his barely parted lips so close to her own.

Kagome's enclosed hand stopped running up and down his shaft once his blunt fingers entered her, gently at first, then with a pumping frenzy. It was a rare, exquisite feeling she was often not granted, so she enjoyed his handy work. She stopped moving all together once she felt the build in her core, the thought of doing the same to him forgotten with this new sensation. Her head lulled back a little to rest against the tree's bark behind her, and she could see through passion-slit eyes that Sesshomaru's own began to bleed red into the sclera of his eyes.

She snapped rigid, hyper-aware, and nearly forgetting herself. She was not afraid, but concern made her pull her leg down slightly from Sesshomaru's grasp. This action elicited another low growl from him. She placed her hands upon his chest and looked up into his crimson gaze. The gold iris still held a very carnal look to them, beckoning yet frightening at the same time.

He allowed her leg to fall and pushed down her skirts and used the other hand to free her from the remainder of clothing to leave her just as exposed as he. Sesshomaru fell to his knees before her, grabbing her around the middle to pull her closer to him. Kagome gasped and put a hand behind her against the tree to brace herself, but it was not necessary. The grip he had on her was vice-like, and she could not move had she wanted to. She let out a tiny gasp once his tongue brushed against the most sensitive part of herself. He continued to weave his tongue in deft motions back and forth, taking the time to part her tender folds with his fingers, pushing her leg back up and out of the way with a firm hand.

Kagome drug in a ragged breath and twisted her hands into his silver locks. The build was rising up, and she could not stop the moans that escaped her lips. She began to call out his name between her panting breaths, "Sess...sho…ugh…"

"Please!" she yelled, despite herself, once she was nearly at the apex of a climax. All sensation ceased, and Kagome felt herself fill up with a different torment. "No!" she cried, almost pathetically.

"No?" he grunted with mirth from his knees. Sesshomaru rose to his full height, looking down on her with the red, gold eyes.

Kagome was desperate, and repaying the favor seemed an optimal idea to continue, so she now dropped to her knees and grabbed his member before placing the tip in her mouth. She'd barely touched it with her tongue in a sweeping motion before his jaw went slack and his hands gripping her shoulders. She had not given him this pleasure often due to her own inexperience and embarrassment, but his reaction encouraged and emboldened her to continue.

With hollowed cheeks, she lowered her mouth as far as she could and sucked as she moved back. The motion became repetitive, and she had to assume she was doing well judging by how he bit his bottom lip and pierced the flesh of her shoulder with his one clawed hand. She cried out in pain with him still in her mouth, but it wasn't all bad, and she did not want him to stop making those dirty faces.

His grip became tighter, and she knew that he must be close to the same precipice she had been on before. She began to suck harder and more vigorously, but Sesshomaru barked aloud, "Stop." His voice was low and commanding, authoritatively clear.

Kagome looked up at him and released his member, pausing to moisten her lips with her tongue. She saw his eyes widen, and the sanguine color nearly envelop his gold irises. He released his grip on her and fell back, her buttocks resting against the ground with her legs splayed out beside her. She was sure she looked very sultry in this position, but her own jaw went slack when she saw Sesshomaru lift his blood-soaked claws to his face for further scrutinization. He let out a mirthless chuckle and brought his fingers to his mouth to sample the taste of her. "Invigorating. Your blood is just as enticing as the fluids that now drench the sides of your thighs."

She looked down for a moment with a new wave of embarrassment, seeing that she was dripping wet. In a moment of self-consciousness, she squeezed her legs shut, but her modest thoughts were cut through once Sesshomaru enveloped her with his warmth and placed his mouth on her shoulder where she was openly bleeding from the wounds he had inflicted upon her with his razor-sharp claws. His tongue lapped at the blood, and the feeling was strange and exhilarating all at once. She moaned beneath him and absently wondered if daiyokai drank blood like vampires of lore.

His knees pushed hers open, breaking her from ridiculous thoughts and bringing her back to the present. Her legs were splayed open before him now, and he was poised over her like a predator poised to strike. "You are mine," he growled, his eyes glowing.

Kagome said nothing but trembled beneath him. Her silence seemed to infuriate him, and he barked, changing from sensuous to dangerous in a second. "Say it!" he commanded. His voice was loud and imposing, daring anyone to state otherwise. Those who dared would meet a swift demise.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and her body betrayed her, opening like a flower to be ruined. "I am yours," she whispered, not in fright, but in agreement. She was his and had been since that day, not ten feet from where they lay six years ago. A spell may have brought them together, but it had only uninhibited them both to their own subconscious desires.

He seemed appeased, and a lopsided grin replaced his dangerous gaze. His lips moved down to hers, and he thrust into her with a hard, splitting force. Kagome moaned into his mouth, and he plunged in and out with needy thrusts. The man was frenzied and assaulting with his need that was nearly overpowering to her frail body in comparison. She was pushed back against the base of the large tree, between two of its overgrown roots jutting out to hide their bodies from view from the rest of the forest.

She grit her teeth and moaned into his broad, muscled shoulder. Her arms were holding onto him to steady her body for his encroaching thrusts. Sesshomaru seemed to be pushing her into the tree to achieve deeper thrusts. His hands gripped her buttocks and guided her up and down on him, constantly hitting the spot deep within that made her groan.

He was incensed by her groans but was unsatisfied by their position. His desire to fill her overcame him and ran him with primal purpose. Sesshomaru pushed her towards the opposite direction and flipped her over in a quick, smooth motion. She was like putty in his claws anyway, so soft, subtle, and delicate yet yielding to his predacious needs.

Kagome let out a tiny yelp when he pushed her to her knees and thrust into her from behind. Her arms gave out on her, but her rump remained in the air, caught in Sesshomaru's grip. His clawed hand held her hip firmly, but he leaned over her back, planted his hand on the ground beside her, took his still blunted hand, and held her from a different angle. From this angle, he rubbed at her most sensitive spot. She bucked from the touch, but he held her in place with his swift finger motions, and she began to sway back and force with his thrusts and gliding over his tantalizing fingers.

How could he be everywhere? She vaguely wondered as her thoughts became clouded with erotic pleasure. Even as he had given in to his primal need to claim her, he was still able to give her the most excellent feeling. It began to blossom between her legs and radiate through her entire body as a wave of orgasm coursed through her due to the simultaneous thrusts and constant teasing to her tender pearl. Kagome screamed out a breathless cry to the forest and spasmed slightly beneath his touch.

A triumphant grunt could be heard above her and Sesshomaru grabbed her hips once again to reach a climax of his own. Kagome was still riding out the ebbs of her own pleasure, moaning loudly with each thrust, and her eyes widened once she felt one great final thrust that released everything inside of her. He gave a few more lazy thrusts as if to ensure his seed had been sown within her, but there was no need.

Kagome sighed once Sesshomaru pulled himself from her, leaving her momentarily cold. She relaxed once he laid next to her, resting on an elbow and looking down on her sweat-sheened face. She dared to peek at him with a tiny smile and found he wore one of his own. His hand trailed down her arm, causing her to shiver, and she scooted closer to his warm body.

They both lay quietly, basking in the post-coital sensation, and neither wanted to break the silence. Kagome gave a contented smile and rolled to her back so she could look up into his eyes properly. The red she had seen before was now gone, his usual serene look taking the place of the former feral one. "Your eyes had gone red," she commented absently.

"Hnn," was all he responded while staring at her different features, toying with her hair and running lazy circles on her skin.

"I've never seen it before," she added, hoping he would elaborate.

"Your scent is tantalizing," he told her. "I cannot control myself, especially now that I can smell my own seed within you. It is making...this one...see through red gauze." He leaned down and kissed her gently, and she gasped when she felt his fingers entering her swollen cleft.

She tried to push him away, "Have you always been this needy?" She smiled and let out a small laugh despite herself.

"This one is not 'needy' as you so basely put it. If that were even remotely true, you - miko - would find difficulty walking for months, if not longer."

Kagome sat up a little, rising on her elbows. "Oh, so what your telling me is that Lord Sesshomaru is a relentless sex hound." She smiled and laughed, "If that were the case, I'm surprised you've been so gentle with me these past few years."

He rolled on top of her, enclosing her between his two arms. "I have adopted a method of moderation, but since you have called my virility into question, perhaps that fallacy should be rectified."

She tensed a little once he slid into her wet folds, her body readjusting to the full feeling that could be nearly registered as a feeling of completeness.

This time, he was more sensual and gentle, enjoying every bit of her for as long as possible and marking her with his scent along as much as he could. Kagome relished, in his keen appreciation of her body, and, at some point in the night, fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

She awoke the next morning, a slightly chilly breeze rousing her from her contented slumber. Kagome moved her arm to rub her eyes and felt the soft, velvet fibers of Sesshomaru's pelt. It was warm and comforting, indicating that he had spent the night next to her. It also meant that he was relaxed enough to allow himself to slumber, which was something he seldom did. He claimed that yokai needed next to no sleep, but Kagome figured otherwise. Every creature sleeps, she rationed. But Sesshomaru chose not to sleep often, only sharing their bed to share in lovemaking.

Kagome moved her legs, but they were sticky, and she groaned, knowing she would have an uncomfortable walk back to the village.

Sesshomaru pulled a stray hair from her face but laid back with an arm behind his head. "It would fill this one with content to awake next to you every morning, seeing you refreshed and smelling of me." His golden eyes flickered as he regarded her.

She smiled lovingly and moved to kiss his lips. As she did, he gripped her bottom and squeezed, causing her eyes to bulge. "You lecher! Have you no shame! It is daylight, and anyone could see us!"

"You only have yourself to blame, beloved. Your fertile time drives me to take you to your wit's end," he said huskily.

Kagome could feel him harden beneath her, and she gave a little squeal before jumping up and snatching up her clothes to shield her body. "No more! We must get back before everyone starts to worry."

"Why should they worry?" Sesshomaru asked innocently.

"Because we've been gone all night, and it's nearly late morning now."

"Your cries last night were loud enough to alert them to your….plight," he teased with a straight face. Kagome hoped he teased and blushed before turning away.

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

He regarded himself in the tarnished mirror, sneering at his reflection. The tarnished half, inflicted in his rage, hide the part of his face, which was permanently marred into a smirk. Fan touched at the puckered skin that would never heal and allowed a strange sense of calm to wash over him. The mangled reflection usually drove him to fits of angry outbursts leveled at any unsuspecting person that may cross his path, which meant that everyone avoided him as much as possible. However, it was difficult to avoid one as powerful as Fan Tsenpo, who commanded respect and unwavering loyalty of so many, despite his violent tendencies.

They had increased as of late, those eruptions, and there was one person in particular whom Fan enjoyed tormenting the most. Fan swiveled away from the mirror in his private rooms and made his way towards the gardens.

Rebuilding the palace had not taken much time, anyone new to the grounds would never know that half of the area had been nearly destroyed. All looked fresh and new. It was there he found her, his twin, his other half.

"Dear sister," he called out.

Despite knowing he approached, she shrank when he called out. Tsering turned and acknowledged her brother with a false smile. It angered him that she would pretend all was well, but he needed her. He needed her to fear him and appease him in whatever fashion befitted him.

"Brother," she said in a dull yet cheerful voice. Tsering stood from her perch on a bench where she had been looking out over the flowering grounds, passing the time contemplating over womanly things. "You seek me out?" she asked tentatively.

Her cheeks had hollowed, and her skin turned pallid. The woman was confined in a gilded cage, no longer free to roam alone after the travesty that had befallen Fan at the hands of his Nippon enemy. Fan blamed her, but could not bring it upon himself to kill her just yet. Now that he knew her demise would not harm him, he often mulled the idea over, but that would leave him alone. The woman could still prove useful.

Fan eyed her up and down, slightly annoyed that she would allow herself to become a shell of her former vibrant self. No matter, he thought. "I only wanted to see my beautiful sister." His hand went out and clutched her by the throat, and his unscathed lip pulled up into a nefarious smile.

Her eyes bulged, and tears threatened to spill. To cry in his presence would have only sent him over the edge. Fan loosened his grip only slightly and caressed her chin with his thumb. "You startle too easily, sweet sister."

"I am sorry," she whispered from beneath his grasp.

He released her and turned his back, locking his arms behind him. "You are so much more than sorry," he told her. "I have plans for you, my dear. Plans that will rectify what you have unleashed upon our family and the DaiOzuko."

"The DaiOzuko have charged you for your callous behavior. You know what they threaten." Tsering challenged. Her switch to a defensive position was amusing, and Fan only allowed it because it played into his plan.

Fan turned around to see a fire in her eyes. How quaint. "You know I am unfazed by those old fools. They've grown complacent, and the only reason they've continued to thrive is that I have no desire to usurp their supposed power. They are nothing but a pair of haggard figureheads, withered, and ingrown. We shall see what they think of my next move."

His sister knew the truth of his words. She probably had hoped that he would heed their words of warning, but the DaiOzuko was nothing more than a name. Fan relished in her trembling figure. "Of course, brother," she whispered.

A loud screech was heard overhead, announcing the arrival of Fan's messenger, the Zhenniao. The large bird circled lazily, making its way down to land before his master. Its talons scratched at the earth, and its wings spread out in a broad span as it bowed low in reverence.

It eyed Tsering suspiciously upon rising. Fan usually received his messages alone, always dismissing his sister to her own devices. Fan gestured for the bird to continue.

"Masssster, I bring newsssss of your army," the Zhen bird clacked.

Fan subtly eyed Tsering, basking in her pronounced shock. She had no inkling of any such thing. It was almost insulting how little attention the woman paid to him, he determined.

"Feng hassss ssssent word that all isss ready. He warnssss of the child and her unique prowesssss."

He chuckled at the news. "I would expect no less from such an extraordinary specimen. I'm inclined to do the same." Fan deliberately glanced at Tsering with an innocent look upon his face. She must be piecing together where her brother had raised an army, and it was a sight to see when it clicked for her.

The Zhen bird turned its head to look upon its master with one of its eyes, waiting for instructions.

"Advise him to proceed. We shall strike while the anvil is hot. I cannot imagine that Feng would be able to contain his excitement enough to stay concealed," he sighed in feigned annoyance. "No matter, they will not expect us to rally so quickly. I've sown seeds throughout that land long enough, it is time to reap the harvest."

The zhennaio nodded and pushed its large body off into the sky, flying away to spread the message. Fan placed a hand over his eyes to see the messenger off, feeling his sister's consternation behind him. "It looks as though the time for your usefulness has come, sister."

o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o

Fanfiction.net - Chapter Twenty Three

#Chapter Twenty Three #Nocturne #Sesskag #Fanfic #Sesshome #Sesshomaru #Kagome

[hunnywrites]

Chapter Seven: It’s a Trap!

Summary: The town of Hawkins has been turned upside down with the news that Will Byers has suddenly gone missing. Teddi Larsson and Billy Hargrove are gonna get to the bottom of things. Season one AU.

Pairing: Billy Hargrove/OFC

A/N: Only one chapter to go! I’ve really enjoyed writing this fic! Would you all be interested in continuing with season two? I’d definitely be drifting from canon, but that’s what makes AU fics fun, isn’t it?

Teddi was pacing the length of Hopper’s office while she and Billy waited for him to return. Billy had calmed down a little. Now he was watching his girlfriend mutter to herself angrily about something. “...You okay there, Ted?” he asked finally.

“I punched Troy Walsh in the nose.” she blurted out. 

Billy raised his eyebrows, speechless for a moment before letting out a loud laugh. “What?” 

“When I found El, Troy had Mike, Dustin and Max out by the quarry and he had a knife to Dustin’s friggin’ throat. So I punched him. And El broke his arm. You know she can actually move things with her mind? It’s amazing. She’s amazing-”

“Wait,” Billy held his hands up. “That little fucker had a knife? And you didn’t throw him into the quarry?” 

“I was too busy stopping Mike from jumping in-”

“What?!” 

“It’s a long story!” Teddi huffed. She plopped down in the seat next to Billy. “They’re fine now. I sent them back to Mike’s and I was supposed to get you so we can go find Lucas-”

“Find Lucas? Where the hell did he go? Who let him run off?”

Teddi rolled her eyes. “If I knew where he went we wouldn’t need to find him. And you’re one to talk about running off. You have a lot of explaining to do, buddy. Is that your handy work all over Steve’s face?” 

Billy crossed his arms, not meeting Teddi’s eyes. “That was Johnathan.” he muttered.

Teddi couldn’t help but laugh. “Johnathan did that to Steve?” 

“He’s freakishly strong like you are. Steve called and said he’d gone over to Nancy’s last night and he saw her and Johnathan sitting on her bed. So I figured I’d try and explain as best as I could so he wouldn’t have a bitch fit, but Tommy got him all worked up and they decided they were gonna graffiti the Hawk. Nancy saw it when her and Johnathan were on the way to meet me and you and they got into a fight.” he explained.

“Wow…” Teddi said quietly. “A telepathic preteen opens a portal to another dimension and the town really goes to shit, huh?” Billy let out a chuckle. “Do you agree with me that now we should finally tell Hopper?” she asked, looking over at him. 

“Tell me what?” the two teens turned to look at Hopper who was standing in the doorway of his office. He walked in, shutting the door behind him and sitting at his desk. The three of them were quiet as Hopper fixed a stern look in their direction. The two had been on the receiving end of that look more times than they could count. He slapped a photo down onto his desk, sliding it forward. It was the photo Johnathan had taken of Barb. “You two know anything about this?”

Teddi and Billy were silent for a moment. Teddi looked over at Billy, who only sunk down in his seat. She let out a heavy sigh.  There was no way they could hide this from him anymore. “It’s the Demogorgon. It’s what took Will and Barb.” she explained.

The look on Hopper’s face told her that Johnathan and Nancy had said something similar. “And it lives out in the woods?” he asked. Teddi and Billy both nodded. “So, you two wouldn’t happen to know why Johnathan and Nancy have an arsenal in his trunk? The four of you wouldn’t be planning on going after this thing? Again?” the two teens remained silent. Hopper sighed loudly. “Are you both insane? This...thing, whatever the hell it is, could have killed you. Do you realize that?” his expression softened. “You aren’t doing this on your own anymore. Got it? Whatever it is that happened to Barb and Will, I’m not letting the same thing happen to either of you.”

“Hop, Will’s alive,” Teddi argued. “We have to go after it! We know where the gate is now, El can help-”

“El? Who the hell is El?” Hop asked, looking between the two of them.

“Some girl Wheeler found out in the woods. She’s got super powers.” Billy explained. He almost sounded bored with the situation. 

Hopper looked between the two of them, surprisingly accepting of what they were telling him. “...If I hadn’t seen some of the weird shit I’ve seen these last few days, I’d be drug testing the two of you right now to make sure you’re not on magic mushrooms again,” Billy laughed at the memory, clearing his throat when Hopper shot him a stern look. “Is there anything else you two wanna tell me?” 

Teddi briefly considered telling him about Troy Walsh. But when she considered everything else happening, some asshole kid was the least of her worries. Besides, it seemed like Troy was going to beat her to the punch. There was a loud argument that had broken out outside of Hopper’s office. The three could hear Callahan arguing with a woman, telling her that she needed to calm down. Hopper sighed loudly, heading back out to the station with Teddi and Billy following close behind. 

Troy Walsh was there with his mother. His nose was still covered in dried up blood and his arm was now in a sling. When he saw Teddi, he pointed an accusing finger in her direction. “She did it! She punched me in the nose!” he yelled. 

Everyone turned to look at Teddi in shock. “You did what?” Hopper asked incredulously. 

“He...it was self defense!” Teddi argued. 

“He’s a little boy!” Troy’s mother argued, pulling her son protectively to her chest. 

“Yeah,” Troy sniffed. “I didn’t do anything to her! Her and her little freak buddies ganged up on me out at the quarry!” 

Teddi saw red. She stomped forward, shoving past Hopper and headed right for Troy. “You little shit stain! You were going to stab Dustin!” she lunged forward, her hands reaching out for Troy’s neck. Billy wrapped his arms around Teddi’s middle, lifting her off the ground and pulling her away from Troy as shouting erupted. 

“Jesus, Teddi!” Hopper scolded, stepping out in front of Billy with his arms outstretched. “The hell has gotten into you? He’s a kid!” 

Teddi squirmed in Billy’s grip. “He has a knife! He was gonna make Mike jump into the quarry and he was gonna hurt Dustin!” Powell didn’t waste any time. He took a hold of Troy’s arm, pulling him from his mother as Callahan searched his pockets. 

He held up the switchblade with a surprised expression. “Looks like she might be onto something, chief.” 

Hopper ran a tired hand over his face. “Okay, you five are coming with me,” he said, motioning to Tedd, Billy, Johnathan, Nancy and Joyce. “Powell, handle Walsh, will you? I gotta go handle...all this.”

“Wait a second,” Troy’s mother demanded. “My son’s arm is broken! There has to be something you can do!” she argued.

“Yeah! Get that little freak with the shaved head! She can do stuff with her mind, I swear! She’s the one that broke my arm!” 

Hopper turned to look at Teddi and Billy. “El?” they nodded. “Right, don’t worry ma’am. We’re gonna handle everything. You just worry about that little delinquent of yours not going to juvie, huh? Let’s go, guys.” Joyce, Johnathan and Nancy all filed out behind Hopper. Troy stuck his tongue out at Teddi, who kicked her legs wildly at him as Billy carried her past him. 

They all piled into Johnathan’s car. Teddi, Nancy, Johnathan and Billy were all squished in the backseat. Hopper started the car, he and Joyce turned back to look at them. “Alright, where are the kids now?”

“I told them to wait for me at Mike’s,” Teddi said. “We’re supposed to go look for Lucas. Apparently he decided to go rogue this morning.” she mumbled. 

“Isn’t it dangerous out there? Why would he go alone?” Joyce asked.

“The Demogorgon only comes out at night,” Billy said, shifting uncomfortably when everyone turned to look at him. “I mean, it seems that way at least...it’s nocturnal, or whatever.” 

Hopper nodded. “Alright, so it comes out at night, it’s attracted to blood and it doesn’t like fire...sounds like my mother in law.�� Billy was the only one that laughed. Hopper rolled his eyes, driving off in the direction of the Wheeler’s place. The four teens filled him and Joyce in on as much as they knew about El, the Upside Down and the Demogorgon. Hopper and Joyce told them they’d figured out the government was in on some sort of cover up plot, and that the body they had found in the quarry wasn’t will. 

“I told you.” Teddi said triumphantly, grinning over at Billy. 

Billy rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to argue. There was a loud whirring coming from above. Billy rolled down his window and stuck his head out to see what was causing the sound. “Uh, Hop? It’s lookin’ like we’re gonna have a problem.” he said, pointing up to the helicopter above them. 

Hopper stomped down on the breaks. Everyone lurched forward, the group groaning and complaining at Hopper. He didn’t listen. He shut the car off, getting out and hurrying off. The teens followed after him and Joyce tried her best to try and call them back to the car. There were about four black sedans parked out in front of Mike’s house. Men in suits were moving back and forth between the sedans and the house, loading boxes of what looked like Mike’s belongings. 

“I have to go home!” Nancy gasped. Hopper stopped her from running off. “My parents are down there! I have to make sure they’re okay!” she argued. 

Billy and Teddi looked up to see the helicopter slowly circling the area behind the Wheeler’s house. “I don’t think they’re after your parents,” Teddi said, pointing to the helicopter. “I think they’re looking for Mike.”

“She’s right,” Hopper agreed. “We still have time. We can’t let them know any of us are mixed up in all of this. Everybody get back in the car.” he turned, ushering the four teens back to the car. 

Billy let out an annoyed huff, reaching down and rubbing at his leg. “Those kids are so dead when we find them. Like the Demogorgon wasn’t enough, now we have the man on our ass.”

“Where would they be?” Hopper asked. “There’s gotta be somewhere they’d be hiding.” he looked at Nancy. Her eyes went wide as she tried to think of where Mike and his friends might be. Billy was trying to think himself, coming up empty when he realized he didn’t know much about Max’s hangout spots aside from the arcade. 

“Is there anywhere they might be? Anywhere your parents might not know about?” Joyce asked, looking between the two of them. Neither had an answer. 

All eyes went to Teddi. “...What? I don’t know everything they’re always up to,” she argued. That was a lie. She let out a sigh. “I mean...I know a few places they might be. But we don’t have time to check them all.”

“I have an idea,” Johnathan offered. “I don’t know where they’ll be, but I think I know how to ask them where they are,” 

They were off to the Byers’ house. “Will has a walkie talkie in his room somewhere. We can call Mike. They always keep them close by.” Johnathan explained as they headed inside. Nancy, Teddi and Billy all came to a stop when they entered the living room. It was like a tornado had hit. The room was an absolute mess. A hole had been hacked into one of the walls and covered with some wooden planks. Someone had painted the alphabet in thick, black letters above the couch, and there were Christmas like strung up across the ceiling and the walls. 

“Whoa...Joyce, the hell happened in here?” Billy asked, turning in a circle as the three of them looked around. Joyce ignored the question. She, Hopper and Johnathan all quickly hurried down the hall and into Will’s room. Nancy, Teddi and Billy all shared a look before following them.

It didn’t take Joyce long to find the walkie talkie. Everyone crowded into Will’s room. Billy plopped down onto his bed, rubbing at his leg with a painful groan while Joyce fussed over him and asked if he was alright. Nancy turned the walkie talkie nervously in her hands a few times before attempting to call Mike. 

There was no answer. It felt like everyone was holding their breath as they waited to see if Nancy could get through to her brother. “...Maybe they don’t have a walkie,” Billy offered. “You want me to try?”

Johnathan laughed. “Yeah, like they wouldn’t be too scared to answer you,” Billy let out a grumble, shooting a dirty look in Johnathan’s direction. “Let Teddi try. She’s been in on this with them. She’s the only one they know won’t rat them out.”

“Technically speaking I am ratting them out,” she argued. Hopper shot her a look, taking the walkie from Nancy and handing it to Teddi. “...I’m just saying,” she let out a sigh. “Mike? El? Are you guys there? It’s me, Teddi. We saw the creepy government guys at Mike’s. Hopper’s here. We can help. I promise.” There was another long stretch of silence. Maybe Billy was right. Maybe they didn’t have a walkie with them.

There was a bit of static from the walkie. “I copy. It’s Mike. I’m here, we’re all here.” 

Hopper took the walkie from Teddi. “Mike, it’s Hopper. Where are you? I’m coming to get you out of there.” they were at the junkyard. “Junkyard?” Hopper asked, looking back at the teens. 

“It’s out by the train tracks,” Billy said. “We used to hide in the bus and smok-...forget it. I can show you how to get there.” he got up, grunting a little when he stood on his leg. Joyce and Teddi both reached out for him.

“Honey, you need to sit down,” Joyce said softly. “I’m gonna go get the first aid kit.” she got up, hurrying off down the hall. 

“I’m gonna go by myself,” Hopper said to Billy. “You sit tight here, I’ll get the kids. I don’t want any of you leaving, got it? We need to stick together.” the four teens nodded. Hopper gave them one last look before following after Joyce. 

Teddi turned to Billy with a worried look. “Can I see?” Billy nodded, leaning back on his elbows and groaning. Teddi and Nancy kneeled down in front of Billy. Nancy held his ankle gingerly as Teddi rolled his jeans up. She sucked in air when she saw the five large cuts. His stitches weren’t visible anymore. It was like somehow they had healed overnight, but now five black, vein like scars ran up his leg.  

Teddi was speechless. She and Nancy shared a look, neither of them knowing what to say. Teddi reached out carefully, softly running her finger down one of the scars that ran directly down his shin. “...Does it hurt?” she asked, looking up at him.

Billy shook his head. “Not that. It hurts inside. Like my skin’s on fire.” 

“...Is that normal?” Nancy asked Teddi.

She shook her head. “No, but then nothing around here is normal anymore,” she sighed. She looked at Billy’s leg helplessly. The skin around the scars was beginning to turn a dull grey color. Like the scars were literally sucking the life out of him. “Billy, I really think we need to take you to a doctor. This is-”

Billy slammed his fist down onto the bed beside him, fixing a snarl in Teddi’s direction. “I said no fucking doctors!” he growled out. Teddi and Nancy both jumped. Johnathan shifted nervously, inching his way towards the girls. Teddi’s eyes met with Billy’s, and she was shocked to see pure hatred there. 

Johnathan gently touched Teddi’s shouder. “Come on, let’s leave him alone for a minute, huh?” he suggested quietly. He and Nancy both helped Teddi stand. She couldn’t look away from Billy. Her heart was hammering in her chest. Something was very, very wrong. Nancy led Teddi outside and to the porch. They sat on the porch swing, neither of them saying anything.

“...Does he usually snap at you like that?” Nancy finally asked.

Teddi pulled her knees up to her chest and shook her head. “Never. I mean, he’s always been sort of an asshole, but that…” she let out a shaky breath. “All of this has me really scared, Nance.” She confessed. 

“Me too. But it’s gonna be okay, Teddi. Billy is gonna get better, and we’re gonna find Will and Barb and hopefully everything will go back to normal.” they both knew that Nancy was trying to convince herself of that as well. There was no guarantee that things would have a happy ending. 

“...Are you gonna break up with Steve?” Teddi asked.

Nancy looked off, laughing a little like she had already forgotten about that afternoon. “I don’t know...I don’t know what to do anymore. I know that wasn’t like him, but…”  

“But you like Johnathan,” Teddi finished for her. Nancy flashed her a sheepish smile. “I know that we aren’t super close, but can I give you some advice?” Nancy nodded, turning towards Teddi. “Steve has no idea that any of this is happening. He doesn’t know there’s a monster in the woods, or about the Upside Down. You went to Johnathan and asked him to be your partner in all of this. I think that says a lot. Like, with me and Billy...he’s the first person I go to with anything. Even if I know he’ll look at me like I’m insane. He always listens and he always helps.”

“That’s ‘cause I know you’d do the same for me,” the two girls jumped at the sound of Billy’s voice. He looked better already. Normal. He shifted nervously in the doorway. “...You mind if I talk to her for a sec, Nance?” Nancy looked over at Teddi who nodded before she headed inside. Billy didn’t miss the glare she shot in his direction before she disappeared. Billy walked over to Teddi, limping a bit, and sat down on the swing next to her. He kicked his foot just a little, making the seat swing. “...We should get one of these.” 

Teddi raised an eyebrow. “A porch swing?”

“Yeah. When we figure out where we wanna go…” Billy let out a sigh. “Look, Ted...I’m sorry about what happened…”

“What did happen?” 

Billy ran a hand over his face. He looked like he hadn’t slept in a week. “I don’t know. I feel like I feel fine most of the time, and then…” Teddi thought back to the look of hatred he had given her. “It hurts. Like I’m burning from the inside out and there’s something trying to get out of me. And then I just get angry.”

Teddi didn’t know what to say. She was scared for him. Even if she could convince him to see a doctor, how could they help? She took his hand in hers, squeezing it a little. “It’s all gonna be fine,” she said, repeating Nancy’s lie. “We’ll figure it out...but if you snap at me like that again I’m kicking you in the balls.” 

Billy laughed, putting his arm around her. “Deal.” 

It was dark when Hopper’s Blazer finally pulled up in front of the Byers’ house. Teddi and Billy got up from the porch swing quickly as the kids filed out of the car. Joyce, Nancy and Johnathan joined them on the porch. Nancy ran forward to wrap Mike in a hug he definitely hadn’t been expecting. Max hugged Billy tightly. He patted her back awkwardly, trying to crack a joke with her to break the tension. 

El watched her two friends, hugging their siblings, with a curious expression. Her eyes met Teddi’s, who was standing on the porch, offering her a soft smile and a sort of awkward wave. El made her way over to the blonde, hugging her tightly. 

Billy watched the two girls, wrapping an arm around Max’s shoulder. Maybe he was being a dick about the El situation. Teddi didn’t have someone like he had Max. She was a pain in the ass, and she was constantly getting him into trouble, but she was his family. His sister. Teddi was the kind of girl that wanted to take care of everyone around her. Was it really so wrong for him to let her take care of El? 

Teddi let out a small laugh, returning the hug fiercely. “You okay, Ellie Bean?”

El nodded, smiling softly at her. “Safe.” 

“I’ll always keep you safe. I promise.” she ran a hand over El’s hair. Teddi caught the way that Hopper was watching them. He looked like Billy. Like he disapproved of Teddi getting so close. She didn’t care. 

Hopper ushered everyone back inside, and Mike and the party gave Hop, Joyce, Nancy and Johnathan a crash course in the Upside Down. Mike explained how El could make contact with Will, sort of like a long distance phone call. El agreed to try again with one of the walkies to see if she could make contact with Will or Barb. If they could reach either of them then maybe it could help them in their rescue mission. 

They crowded around El at the dinner table and watched as El tried to make contact. Not a lot happened. Eleven stared down at the walkie talkie, focusing all of her energy on it. The walkie came to life, crackling and letting out some static. Joyce sucked in a breath next to Teddi. There was a loud whir through the house. The lights flickered, and there was a loud pop before they cut out. 

El sat up, her expression falling into a sad frown as the lights came back on. “...I’m sorry. I can’t reach them.” her eyes were pooling with tears. Billy reached over, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. El looked up at him, sniffing. 

“Don’t worry about it, kid. We’ll figure something else out,” he reassured her. El smiled thinly at him, pushing herself away from the table and heading for the bathroom. Teddi sighed. “So...what now? Does she need a bigger radio again? What about the one at your school?” 

Mike shook his head. “She’s tired. We have to give her time to rest-”

“We don’t have time. We have people looking for her. We don’t know how much longer Will and Barb can survive...wherever it is they are.” Hopper argued. 

“We don’t know what’ll happen to her if we force her to push herself,” Teddi argued. “Her nose bleeds every time she uses her powers. It’s wearing on her. I’m not gonna let her hurt herself because you can’t be patient.” she firmly crossed her arms, glaring up at Hopper. 

“Teddi,” he sighed. “I know that you wanna help her. I get it. But-”

“I can call them in the pool.” it was El. The group turned to face her. Her eyes were a little red, Teddi guessed she’d been crying in the bathroom. 

“Pool? Finally, something we can help with.” Billy grinned, throwing his arm around Teddi. 

Hopper rolled his eyes. “Not that kind of pool, Billy. It’s a deprivation tank. I saw one in that lab out in the woods. How in the hell are we supposed to make one of those?” 

Dustin called their science teacher. They drove to the middle school, Hopper breaking them up into teams and giving them all jobs. Teddi and Billy would help Dustin and Lucas help set up the pool. Which mostly meant Teddi and Lucas stood by, arms crossed over their chests as they watched Billy and Dustin screaming at each other from across the small pool they’d borrowed from Joyce.

“You’re not doing it right, Henderson! Pull it!” 

“I am pulling it! I thought you were supposed to be strong!” 

After about twenty minutes and Billy deciding he was going to give Dustin the silent treatment, Lucas and Teddi managed to set the pool up without much of an issue. Billy walked off to pout on the bleachers. Once the pool was ready for El, the gang crowded around her, just like they had at they Byers’ and waited. Teddi and Joyce were knelt down next to her, arms ready to reach out to El if anything went wrong. 

The lights flickered again. The whole gym sounded like it was groaning under the weight of El’s powers. It echoed through the large room, making goosebumps appear on Teddi’s arms. Suddenly it was quiet. Like somehow they were in the tank with her. Teddi wondered what El saw when she called out to the Upside Down. Or if she saw anything at all. 

El called out for Barb. Nancy let out a small gasp. The lights flickered again. El started breathing heavily, her body looked like it was trying to fight against something. “Is she okay? Is Barb okay?” Nancy asked. 

El was crying. Thrashing. Teddi and Joyce reached out, grabbing on to El’s hands as she started chanting the word gone, her cries getting more and more urgent. Teddi pulled El over towards her, her hands wrapping around El’s tiny hand. She was surprised when Billy placed a hand over her own, anchoring El close to them as they tried to quiet her. “El? Can you hear me? It’s okay. We’re here. I’m gonna keep you safe, remember? We all will. We’re all right here with you.” Teddi assured her. 

Eventually El stilled again. Joyce, Teddi and Billy kept their hold on her as she continued on. “Castle Byers…” she said quietly. “Will…” 

Everyone let out a breath at once at the sound of El saying Will’s name. Joyce’s eyes were filled with tears as she gripped onto El’s hand like her life depended on it, telling her to let Will know they were going to save him. El repeated each message quietly, her voice becoming more desperate by the second. Teddi could just briefly hear Will’s voice over the walkie that was sitting nearby as he answered El. El was thrashing again, screaming Will’s name. The lights in the gym flashed wildly before there was a loud pop and the room went dark. 

El screamed, sitting up with a loud gasp. The lights came back on. Billy wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to the edge of the pool to try and stop her thrashing. “It’s okay, kid. I got you. You’re okay.” he mumbled. El cried into his chest, her tiny hands clutching onto him like she would be dragged away if she let go.

Teddi slid over to them, reaching out and wiping the blood from El’s nose. Hopper was up and putting his coat back on, Joyce was close behind him. “You did so good, El. We know where Will is. You did it. We can save him.” Teddi ran her hand over El’s hair, smiling down at her. 

Max hurried over with a large beach towel. Billy helped El stand before Max wrapped the towel around her. Billy placed a hand on her back, leading her over to the bleachers where the boys were waiting. He kneeled down in front of her. “You doin’ okay?” he asked. El nodded, but just barely. He looked back at Teddi. “You wanna go get her a Coke or something? She’s looking a little pale.” 

“Jeez, you guys take this lifeguard thing seriously, huh?” Mike asked. Billy and Teddi both shot him similar, unimpressed looks. 

“I’ll be right back,” Teddi muttered, hurrying out of the gym and into the halls of the middle school. She didn’t make it very far before she ran into Nancy and Johnathan. They were sitting on the floor beside each other, the both of them going quiet when they saw Teddi approaching. “...Am I interrupting something?” she asked.

“No.” Johnathan said quickly.

“Yes,” Nancy argued. She stood, glaring down at Johnathan. “Teddi, Hopper and Joyce are headed right into a trap. We can’t just sit here and do nothing. They’ll get killed. And Will won’t be far behind.” 

“Wait,” Teddi held up her hands. “They’re going through the gate? Alone?” she asked. Johnathan sighed and nodded. “And you just let them?”

Johnathan let out a huff. “Have you ever tried to get Hopper to do something he doesn’t want to do? I don’t exactly have much sway here, Teddi.” he argued.

Teddi shook her head. “This is insane, Johnathan! They don’t know how to stop that thing.” 

“Exactly! Listen, I have a plan. We can kill the Demogorgon. But I need your help. And Billy. The kids can stay here and let El rest. It’ll be safe here. No one will find them. But we need to go. Now.”

Teddi didn’t need to think it over. She nodded. “Okay. Okay, I’ll go get Billy.”

“Meet us at the Byers’...bring more hairspray.” Nancy took Johnathan by the hand and pulled him off towards the exit. Teddi rushed down the hall to one of the vending machines. She pushed the button repeatedly, praying for the machine to move faster. Once it dropped the can of soda she was down the hall and back into the gym in record time. 

“Billy, we need to leave. Mike, I’m leaving you in charge, okay? None of you are leaving this gym. No matter what happens. Got it? El needs to rest. We’ll handle everything else,” she pressed the can of soda into El’s hands. “We’ll be back soon. This is all gonna be over soon.” she assured her.

Billy was blinking wildly. “Wait, wait, wait. Teddi, what the hell are you talking about? Where the hell are we going? What’s gonna be over soon?” 

Teddi rolled her eyes, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “We’re going to kill a Demogorgon.” 

#billy hargrove #billy hargrove fic #billy hargrove x oc

[blueclock3000]

Caretakers of the Emperor

By Sicilian Oravarian

[In 3E 389 the wicked mage, Jagar Tharn, ensnared Uriel Septim VII’s form onto his own and sent the Emperor to Oblivion. While the prison was of Jagar Tharn’s design, it was vulnerable yet to the influence of Princes who dominated the realm. This text documents the meeting of the unholy royalty and their concerns of what to do to their new guest.]

“Give me his asshole.” Molag Bal grabbed one of his servants and sent their head into pieces against his table. “There is much to do with a Septim but a little reminder of the forces he has mingled and barter with is in order first.”

LET’S KILL HIM! It’d be so easy just bash Bash BASH his skull in! COME ON! Just do it!

Mehrunes Dagon was never raised properly and thus didn’t know how to quote his words. Peryite’s many claws rapped against the chair his serpentine form curled around. The chaos and cacophony of these meetings always riled him up and it came to be expected that every few meetings he would explode into insanity much like his kin.

“Order, I say, order!” He chimed. Peryite rested his head as his temper fumed.

“Give me that royal ass! Aren’t you sickened by the violating hands of mortals slithering into our realm and taking our servants? I say we violate them back.” The Prince who said this needs no identification. He turned over to the woman quietly scrying far across the table. “And what are you up to, Azura? You secretive bitch!”

Hermaeus Mora slithered by, his casual negligence of his tentacles and their proximity to bodies giving Molag Bal a much arousing shiver.

“Vivec?” He cried out in desperate want.

Azura burst into laughter.

“Your lover is still struggling to maintain power in his faux temples. Don’t worry, I’m quite certain you and him shall see each other again.”

“I’ll rape you! I’ll rape all of you!”

“Order! Nothing gets done if everyone is just shouting what they want!”

“You’re shouting you want order.” Azura said as her second self spoke whispers upon dying sun rays to her servants far away.

“Yes, but what I want is best for all.” Peryite hissed.

“Azura.” Groaned out Mora. “Perhaps you and I shall discuss Morrowind. I have schedules with a certain part of it, if all works out accordingly. Shall we see if there’s any conflicts….or rather,” His voice dragged into a malevolent growl. “How far you intend to influence it.”

The sudden stink of wet swine and carcass invaded the room and all but Malacath quivered at the intense rancid mist only a Prince of dying animals could marinate and concoct.

“Morrowind, we speak? What business have any of you with it?” Hircine said.

“Far more than a mere hunt.” Mora replied.

“Technically you want Solstheim, idiot.” Azura said. “Keep that filthy isle. It’ll make a great dumping ground for your hogs and dogs. So please tell them to stop defecating on the meeting floor!”

Malacath rose out his seat and slammed his hand against the table.

“Stop oppressing his personality!!”

Sanguine’s mind found its way through the intoxicated fog.

“We should think of how to care for the Emperor. Uriel knows the pleasures of life and beyond, let’s at least be gracious hosts for a while.”

“If it’s sustenance he needs…” Namira gracefully but with quick purpose uncurtained her left breast, revealing a mushroom infested rot lump quivering with the release of new age pus, “…let’s give him a taste. They say in strife a man may find his star.”

Sanguine’s cheeks ballooned with a torrent of vomit, only withdrawn with hesitation and reminders of his drinks the night before.

Throw my lands into CHAOS! THE EMPIRE IS DESTINED TO FALL AS ARE ALL THINGS! I refuse to rest until we usurp the throne and GIVE ME WHAT IS MINE!!

A xivali risked it and whispered into the ear of his lord, reminding him of their meddlings in Nirn and the long term benefits. Suddenly the disappearance of Uriel Septim VII seemed to work just perfectly.

I WITHDRAW MY DEMANDS. PROCEED AS YOU WISH. I AM PLEASED.

The moving flow of stars left Azura’s eyes as she snapped to Dagon.

“What does that mean? What are you scheming?”

NOTHING. STATEMENTS WITHDRAWN FROM I. ONLY APATHY TOWARDS THIS MADNESS.

“Bullshit!” Azura screamed. “You monkey-looking maniac, what are your plans? Give them to me!”

Molag folded his arms and chuckled heartily.

“You plot too? I’ve got my eyes and servants on your vampiric hordes!”

“I’ll have my vampiric hordes on your servants as well.”

“Fucker dick! I’ll have a little surprise for your boyfriend.”

“Taking a male form are we?”

“Now why would I want to make you insecure?”

“God….damn…” Sanguine muttered through his pants. “The banter…”

Meridia hummed to herself as the outline of her form danced through many colors and lights. Peryite had used them to comfort his mind until he realize there was no pattern to them after spending half an hour thinking there was. It only swelled his stress. The maiden of lights just watched as others spoke, keeping note on Mehrunes Dagon and his sudden satisfaction.

Clavicus Vile had spent the whole meeting uttering conflicting information to pin the Princes against each other but none had cared to listen. Despite Sanguine’s invitation to a meeting afterparty, Vile proceeded back to his realm to listen to music and ponder if he had lost his touch.

“Why do you all fret so wearily?” Yawned out Mephala. “Is it not enough the Empire has been deceived by a falsehood, a falsehood that this Jagar Tharn will be unable to keep up? He’s a sneak with no knowledge of how to rule. With patience we shall see the Empire tear itself apart.”

“Death to evil!” Yelled out a paladin as he leapt upon the center of the table. “By the Nine I see all the vileness of all the worlds at conference! You fools! You merely line your heads for an execution!”

“ENOUGH!!!” Peryite shrieked as he slid onto the table, wrapped himself around the paladin and vomited cancerous surges down his throat. The paladin’s body erupted piece by piece into blood plops and infested meats.

“Whoa ho ho! Sick!” Molag Bal laughed as he pulled up to the edge of his seat.

For Sanguine this was hilarious but with the upset caused by Namira’s prior exhibition, it was the last straw. He later stood in a two foot hill of his own upheave.

“Boethiah doesn’t even bother showing up but she sends her pranks!” Peryite shouted. “ORDER I DECLARE! BAGAWK! ORDER!!” He span his head wildly in circles as Meridia slid over to talk to Dagon, as Namira began to produce lewd and putrid juices while darkness overwhelmed her among the vomit - which pile of vomit is up to you - while Nocturnal stood as she did since the beginning and waited for the ramblings and initial madness to exhaust itself to only incredibly irritating levels. She could exert her status and speak truths of the void but that cannot be withered in use. Namira knew of Nocturnal’s presence, which stirred her lewdness in the first place.

“Shut the fuck up!” Azura yelled as she hurled an ebony moon AND a star at the dragon. Peryite’s temporary fray into insanity had already expended itself in the taking of a life so he took the blunt damage as a reminder to maintain himself and returned to his seat. He left the tumor vomit corpse as punishment.

"What takes Nocturnal so long?" asked Azura.

Molag Bal whipped out his menacing rod and smiled as the narrative was now forced to use unpleasant innuendos.

“Yeah, where is she? I wouldn’t mind a threesome with you and her.”

Sheogorather blurred his form as his torso leaned in 45 degrees to the cloaked and despicably fragrant Prince of Nightmares. The blur was to hide or perhaps make notice of his legs remaining strictly upright. Lips popped in and out in a bubble fashion about Vaermina’s head, whispering plots. She took heed of each as she held her sharp chin in thought.

“Tell me your voices on this, Mad Prince. Nightmares for one long stayed in Oblivion will only seem like the anxieties of one in a crime ridden village. Horror awaits in memories of a world far kinder growing more distant away.”

Sheogorath nodded before jerking his neck abruptly and collapsing on the ground. A Sheogorath from within the corpse emerged, ripping through the carcass as if it were paper. The mouths around Vaermina’s head whispered in fear as they beheld the display. The new Sheogorath stepped out of his corpse like a man at last ready to attend the ball. He rolled the corpse into a paper ball and tossed it to the side. The mouths parted, allowing a silent one in the back to fly onto the featureless jaw of the Mad Prince, cracking a growing smile as it glided through the air.

“Old ideas scrapped, Vaermina!” His golden eyes sharpened. “This dream business has a lot more potential than what those deviled eggs over there are cooking up! I say, why torture the man any further? Give him pleasant sanity from these wonderful waters.”

“Help the Emperor? You’ve intrigued me before, I thought you’d be pleased with another Pelagius.”

“Bitch, please.” He chuckled. “Pelagius is more than one Pelagius as far as he and I are concerned. Besides, the Septim’s head is already a festival. The Divines speak to him, what’s another friendly voice? That Tharn lad has given us gold here. In the Septim’s time of need he will find new loyalty in wondrous dreams, loyalty that will carry over once he returns to Mundus.”

Vaermina’s brow jolted to join the wrinkles above.

“You speak of others but what are you concocting, Sheogorath?”

“A new kind of future for Tamriel. I say we proceed with Love, shall we?”

[cursetheground]

God’s Eye

  Senior year, Naomi Trazzi became a permanent fixture in the guidance office. Each week, it was something new: threatening a strip tease in the boy’s locker room, acting out an explicit puppet show with the frogs in biology, planting hallucinogenic mushrooms in horticulture’s model landscape. But every week, it was more of the same. She’d sit across from Miss K and whittle away at the desk with a sharpened pencil while her counselor floundered to instill her with some sort of moral consciousness.

  Colleges are watching, K would tell Naomi. The choices you make now could affect your future. The rest of your life.

  This week, the charges levied were something to the tune of smoking in the girl’s room.

  “What do you care anyway?” Naomi, bored of her whittling, propped her foot up on the desk’s edge and stabbed the pencil into her boot’s thick rubber heel. “I’m 18. It’s not like it’s illegal.”

  Miss K lunged forward and snatched the pencil. “It’s prohibited on school grounds. Which I’m sure is why you did it.”

  Naomi clicked her tongue. “We can agree this is the tamest I’ve been though, yeah?”

  “If you classify exposing your fellow students to cancerous chemicals as ‘tame,’ then yes.” Miss K slid open a drawer & rifled through its confiscated innards – a crinkled bag of chips that hadn’t been allowed in detention, a Confederate pride pennant, a can of spray paint, a pair of craft scissors – searching for the perfect place to stow the writing utensil.

  Naomi stomped her heel into the desk.

  Miss K startled, dropping the pencil next to a warped tech deck dude and his accompanying board, now little more than spaghettified plastic.  

  Ten minutes after Naomi would leave, River Albright would come to reclaim these items. He’d been bereft of them when he’d “accidentally” launched the miniature skateboard across his chemistry class into a beaker of sulfuric acid.

  Miss K’s eyes fixed on Naomi as the drawer slammed closed. “There’s something else.”

  Naomi’s brow ticked. “Isn’t there always.”

  The counselor braced herself with a sigh. “… We’ve spoken many times about your grades-”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Naomi tore apart the split ends of her lopsided pigtails with chewed fingernails. “Colleges don’t like me. I know.”

  “I’m afraid it’s worse than that.”

  Naomi’s eyes flicked up.

  Miss K wet her lips. “You won’t be graduating.”

  Naomi blinked.

  “You’d have to ace all your finals to pass,” Miss K’s voice quickened, “which, based on your attendance…” She shrugged.

  Naomi withdrew her foot from the desk. She circled her arms around herself. Her gaze retreated out the window.

  “It’s not the end of the world.” Miss K reached out. Halfway across the desk, she realized her arms would never cover the distance. She folded her hands instead. “You’ll have to retake this year, yes, but you’ll have a leg up on the material, and you can take advantage of the extra time to build up your resume…”

  Naomi hadn’t moved. Her mouth hung ajar, tongue paused against the back of her teeth, a girl frozen in time. Some part of her had gone away out there – had slipped through the blinds and taken off running.

  “I know you hate it when I bring this up,” Miss K tried, “but if this behavior is some way of… of preserving Tawna’s memory-”

  “Her memory?” Naomi’s head snapped forward. “Is that how you remember her?”

  Miss K was suddenly overcome with the hollow-boned cold one might feel upon opening the front door to discover a hornet’s nest. She pulled the knit shawl tighter about her shoulders, and she tried.

  “I remember having conversations like this with both of you.” She spoke slowly, using each pause to scan Naomi with an infrared gaze – checking for a tick of the eyebrow, a flinching lid, a tensing shoulder, any gauge of the girl’s temperature. “And I know that one way people sometimes try to process grief is by rooting themselves in old habits-”

  “Bad habits.” Naomi’s mouth hardened into a line.

  Miss K withdrew her hands to her lap.

  “Come on, teach.” A vein twitched in Naomi’s temple. “Say it like you mean it.”

  K swallowed. “One week detention for the smoking, starting Monday. We’ll set a meeting to discuss next year’s course load as soon as I know my schedule.”

  Naomi fisted her bookbag and swept from her seat. Miss K shouted at her retreating back, “I’m always here if you need-”  

  “Whatever.” Naomi didn’t turn her head.

  Her locker got the better of her in her rage. She kept rotating over the digits of her combination: a product of either zeal or trembling hands. The second she finally sprang it, she clawed inside and began scattering books, hurling them onto the floor. When she exhausted her texts, she moved on to her scarf, her gym bag, her coat.

  When the coat hit the tile, it spat up something shiny. The clank of the something cut through the pulse of blood in Naomi’s ears. And when she saw what it was, she threw herself down after it.

  A silver zippo, ferruginous in its old age. On its side, a sticker inspired by a recovered zippo from the Vietnam War.

 Thoe I walk thru the valley  of the shadow of death,  I fear no evil, for I  am the meanest mother fucker in the valley.

                                                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

  Less than a year ago, Tawna held that zippo to Naomi’s mouth and lit a blunt. They were on their backs on the faux fur rug occupying more than half Tawna’s floor, the rug so soft it felt like the real thing. So soft, you could sink right in.

  Naomi’s head was on Tawna’s stomach, her ear pressed against Tawna’s bottom rib. When everything else in the room was quiet, the quiver of Tawna’s heartbeat rattled Naomi’s eardrum.

  They were decompressing, or commiserating, while Tawna’s father stampeded around downstairs. A rejection letter peeked out at them from the top of the waste bin.

  UCLA was Tawn’as first pick. She was their last.

  “It’s all bullshit,” Naomi declared, waving the blunt idly about. “Art programs aren’t supposed to care about your grades.”

  “They didn’t.” Tawna pinched the blunt from Naomi’s ever-loosening grip. “It was my portfolio. I didn’t make the cut.”

  She took a long drag. Held it in her chest til she choked. When the coughing settled, she passed the blunt back to Naomi.

  “Rhode Island didn’t want me either.” She leaned back. Let her skull knock against the floor. “I’m never getting out of here.”

  “That’s not all bad.” Naomi lifted her head through a cloud of her own smoke. “Is it?”

  Tawna picked herself up on her elbows. She saw Naomi’s wide, nocturnal eyes, and a smile worked its way through her. “No.” She held the blunt to her lips with one hand and rested the other between Naomi’s topknots. Pressed her thumb into the crease of Naomi’s brow.

  That’s how her father found them: his baby girl’s hand massaging another girls’ scalp, smoking.

  Naomi tried not to think about what came next – the shouting, the slurring, the threatening. She tried not to think about Tawna pushing her father out of the way so Naomi could escape down the stairs.

  She tried not to think about any of it.

                                                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  “You staging a sit-in or something?” River Albright leered over her, twirling his recovered tech deck like a fidget spinner.

  Naomi stuffed the zippo back in pocket and scrambled to her feet. River offered his arm, which she dodged. He used that same arm to scratch the nape of his neck instead. “So, uh, you comin tonight?”

  “Coming?”

  “Tyler found this place out by Saw Hill.”

  Naomi sucked her teeth.

  “I know you haven’t been since what happened with Tawna.” River stowed the tech deck. I just thought-”

  “You’d think some girl OD’ing at one of your dumbass parties would make you, like…” Naomi’s eyes flicked to the side as she searched for the phrase, “I dunno, not have them.”

  River stepped back. “We look out for each other. You know that.”

  Naomi kneeled to gather her books. He sank with her, tugging her gym bag toward him by the strap. “Tawna was on some other shit. You know that, too.”

  Naomi leaned to grab the bag from his hands, but River swung it onto his shoulder.

  “Look, Ny, we’re just tryna blow off some steam before we get hit by the Great Big Real, alright? You seem like the type who could use that.”

  Naomi ripped the bag off of him. “You can go now.”

  River’s hands went up. “I’m going.” He stood. “But I’m texting you the address.”

  Naomi raised her head to argue, but found herself staring at his retreating Timberland soles.  

  Once that mustard yellow rubber faded from her eyeline, she took out the lighter and turned it over in her hands.

  Tawna gave it to Naomi the night she died. She climbed the tree outside Naomi’s bedroom and asked Naomi to come with her – blow off being grounded, blow off school, blow off the whole town of Bumfuck, Nowhere.

  But Naomi came from a line of college graduates. Had a D in Spanish. Was already on thin ice with her mother for the disciplinary call about her & Tawna skipping class. So Tawna pressed the zippo into Naomi’s palm told her she had to go.

  Like, go go. Like go and never come back.

  Naomi assumed she meant running away.

                                                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  The place by Saw Hill was about as dingy as anyone who partied in abandoned houses would expect: peeling paint, holey walls, rotting floorboards. Naomi had shown up half a flask deep, and had only sunken deeper.

  Presently, she found herself staring down a patch of floor losing the war against termites. She felt a strong sense of kinship with that patch of floor – with those gnawed edges, and the darkness behind them. Like insects were chewing holes in her, too.  

  “You made it!” A River-colored shape materialized from the din, double-fisting SOLO cups. He passed one behind Naomi’s head, seizing the opportunity to get an arm around her. Naomi nabbed the cup from his hand and emptied it all down her throat.

  “That kinda vibe, huh?” River nudged her.

  Naomi gasped as she came up for air.

  “You might like this, then.” River fished something from his pocket: a tab of acid screen-printed with a cartoon pierced tongue.

  Naomi blinked down at that tab. Reached out to brush it with her fingertips.

  Tawna had a pierced tongue. It glinted every time she laughed.

  Naomi peeled the tab from River’s hand, sat it in her mouth, let her natural acids go to work.

  River’s arm went around her again. He was warmer against her shoulders than the air of the old house. He nudged her in the direction of the basement steps.

  “C’mon,” he egged. “Real party’s downstairs.”

                                                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Downstairs was a haze of muddy colors and weed smoke. Tyler and the rest of River’s friends filled a wraparound couch in the corner like a booth of mob bosses playing hot potato with a bong.

  Some of them might’ve said of hi to Naomi. Several of them may have even made conversation. She would only hear a phrase or two, then suddenly she’d be on the tail end of it, watching whomever she’d been talking to turn to talk to someone else.

  There were only two constants: River and beer.

  Every time Naomi left the couch to get more of the latter, the former would follow. Then they’d return to the couch, and he’d put his hand on her thigh, only her thigh was a yard away.

  Every now and again he would whisper something in her ear, and it would be the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Then he’d kiss her earlobe, and that’d be funny, too. Then he’d kiss behind her ear, and that’d be funny, then the side of her neck, and that’d be funny, then her collar bone, and that’d be hysterical.

  Then he’d kiss the corner of her jaw, and she’d turn to giggle in his face – only his eyes would be burning. And that wasn’t funny at all.

  He kissed her on the mouth. She didn’t laugh.

  He asked if she wanted to come upstairs.

  She let him lead her.

  The voyage upstairs felt buoyant, like treading water. The waves stayed there, stirring air under her chin until the kissing resumed.

  After that, focus was paramount. River was a moving target – bobbing, weaving. Less than half Naomi’s kisses found their mark.

  River seemed to be having similar troubles. He’d go to kiss her hip, but it wouldn’t be where he thought it was. He’d go to kiss her breast, but it’d be rolling away.

  He had to anchor her to the floor so she wouldn’t drift.

  All the rest was like riding a bicycle: feet here, hands here, sit here. More mouths involved, though. It hurt Naomi’s brain less to let River steer.

  Everything was the same.

  Except, nothing was the same.

  River’s hands were not Tawna’s hands. River’s lips were not Tawna’s lips. River’s tongue wasn’t pierced. Couldn’t do the things Tawna’s could. Naomi reached out to hold Tawna’s head and found her fingers in River’s hair.

  River didn’t seem to mind that he wasn’t Tawna. He wasn’t stopping. He didn’t see anything wrong.

  So there wasn’t anything wrong, Naomi decided, and she leaned her head back, and she closed her eyes.She crawled through the edges of that gnawed hole into an all-black world and let herself be eaten.  

                                              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

  When the tide went out, Naomi followed it to the bathroom. The porcelain felt heavy underneath her. It had all this gravity that kept pulling her sideways. For a moment after she finished, that gravity become too much for her to move, like she’d lost her own gravity in the go. Like she’d peed all her matter out.

  River was smoking a cigarette when she came back. She joined him at the window.

  That was something, he said.

  She meant to grab his collar, but she reached too far and nudged him instead. Sounds burbled in her.

  Let’s go for a drive, she said.

  They had minimal trouble finding River’s car, but then River couldn’t seem to fit his keys in the lock.

  Ny, he said, I’m too fucked up to drive.

  When Naomi took the keys from him, she let her fingertips linger on his palm. He didn’t argue with those fingertips.

  She let her hair loose as she settled in the driver’s seat. Something about the way the steering column fit between her legs made River’s jaw hang. She shook her hair out, and his jaw plummeted further. Naomi slammed her foot on the gas.

  Within minutes, River’s jaw filled with screams. He screamed out open windows, the air rushing past him. Naomi drove in a straight line, but the road kept curving under her. So of course, she had to swerve to keep up.

  Slow down!

  She almost didn’t hear River shout against the wind: Ny, slow down!

  Naomi didn’t want to slow down.

  Slow felt like sinking into a carpet of plastic fibers. Slow felt like the trickle of Tawna’s fingers on her scalp. Slow felt like bumping into Tawna’s ribcage on purpose just so she could hear the rhythm of her. Slow felt like staring down the barrel of a second semester of senior year with no Tawna, no future.

  NAOMI, River shouted. FOR FUCK’S SAKE.

  But his voice wasn’t his. And he wasn’t the one shouting anymore.

  They whipped around another corner into a pair of oncoming headlights. The lights swelled and melted together. Like staring down the face of heaven.

  One big glow.

  And if Naomi squinted, it was the light in Tawna’s door – the light falling on a man’s face, red and swollen with rage, ready to direct all the kinetic energy building taut in his veins onto the Naomi tripping down the stairs. But Tawna’s body blocked his. Tawna stood stock still before the shadow of death, looked over her shoulder, and told Naomi: Go.

  River screamed something else – maybe a prayer, maybe a warning. His voice was bowled over by the force of the other car’s horn. They sounded the same to Naomi. It was all the same.

  River reached over. Tried to rip the wheel out of her hands. But she was anchored now.

  I have to go, she said.

  And she thought, driving straight through the middle of God’s eye: I’m coming, baby. I’m coming.

This story was published in the 2019 issue of The Underground Pool (link when available). 

#short fiction #short story #creative writing #writing #writers of tumblr #fiction