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justfangstvdto · 2 years

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Open Coffin 2 | Chapter 08 “What is love, if not pain endured?"

Chapter warnings: typical tvd violence, mentions of torture (mental and physical), wounds and blood, some timeline divergence, kind of a cold and confusing open but it'll make sense, a lot of shit is happening in this one... Whew

Word count: 5730

Tags & Author Note at the bottom. Feedback is my lifeblood and keeps the writing coming (eventually…lol)

Soreness dug into your bones, aching at the flesh that surrounded them. Your hands were bound upwards, like angel wings they cascaded towards the ceiling while your feet were bound with shackles around your thighs. How many times the day and night hunted each other you had no idea, nor how much Esther's mental torture was working. She and Finn had been digging around in your mind endlessly ever since they dragged you away. Only now, after a day-long session, they let you truly rest for the first time.

You groaned as you awoke from an exhaustion-fueled nap, cursing the magical trinket above you that held your shackles in place. If not for it, you could have easily escaped the second they left you alone.

Shuffling from the other side of the room made you raise your head. A figure stood in the tombs hallway, moving towards you in steady steps. With your blurred vision, you only saw blood-ridden skin and clothing as the person neared. Dark mischievous eyes met yours soon after, which bore an unmatched rage yet softened when you finally saw him.

"How are you here?" You asked, even though you knew the answer. There was only one.

"Esther. She brought me back as motivation. I had other plans" Kol smirked before tugging at the protection trinket that hung above your head. It ripped in half easily, as did the chains that no longer kept you prisoner.

"Feet shackles too, huh?" He snickered.

"I tried to strangle her with my thighs at least once" You shrugged.

"That's my girl." He chucked before offering his hand. "Let's bugger off before we have to fight our way out of here."

Not that they would stand a chance if it came down to it

A block away you stopped speeding and pulled him into a long wished hug amongst passersbys. His shoulders were steady and you clung to them like the smell of fire clung to fabrics. With your time spent together, there was always a certainty of a goodbye coming too soon. So when he tried to pull away, you shook your head and only slung your arms tighter around him.

He lifted your head with a soft touch under your chin, pressing his lips onto yours. The kiss felt almost too real, the colors around you too bright, the soft touch of his lips too comforting - it felt like a fairytale. But your life was a Grimm fairytale at best, bloody and unrelenting. For now, you could at least pretend that it was real.

"How about we pick up a few road trip snacks? " He nodded towards a couple that was loading up their car in front of a two-story house.

"Later." You shook your head.

First, you had to get further away from the city centre. You took his hand before speeding away to the far eastern parts of the city. Passing Poland Avenue you travelled hand in hand across train tracks and barbed wire fences to reach the decommissioned naval base. It had one of the best vantage points in the city, especially now with the sun almost waking from its slumber.

One vampire strength induced jumps and you stood atop the flat concrete roof. Just below your feet a phrase in graffiti two stories high was scribbled along the base's massive barrier: "OPEN YOUR EYES."

Dangling your feet over the edge you sat there, Kol's arm around you while holding unto his hand as if he would disappear. In his arms, you felt soft, flayed open for the fading stars to see beneath your skin and reveal your sins. You were never a saint nor was he. Never was. Living life like yours won't likely end peacefully you reckoned, but being here now was all that mattered.

And maybe, maybe, nothing ever really mattered at all. That maybe, nothing ever made any sense because this, him right here next to you, his hands devotedly holding on to you like your all he has, is all the sense you've ever been able to make of this world.

But despite the reassuring shoulder you leaned into, the sun and with it the truth that lay hidden in the cloak of night soon revealed itself and you had to face your less-than-ideal reality. This dreamlike exit from your current life in New Orleans was ideal - perhaps too much so - but real life was hardly dreamy.

You relished in touch for a moment longer, before you spoke "I want nothing more than you and me together like this. That's all I need" You turned to him, shifting away slightly, grasping the wooden object that had appeared behind you.

"If only it were real." Your hand was quick and ruthless as the stake into Kol's chest.

The sound of his hitched breath followed you back to consciousness as your eyes opened in a flash, staring back at the grey stone walls that had surrounded you for days now.

"Esther!!!!! " You screamed as loud as you could and your voice carried through the candle-lid tomb. She turned a corner in front of you moments later, a knowing look on her face.

"My dear please, inside voice." She said and shushed you with a whip of her finger. She reminded you of your mother then, always making sure to keep everyone quiet when your father was on a rampage again. What a fool you were to think of them now.

You shook these feelings off with a shake of your head before you spoke again "Kol died in my arms, do you think hurting or killing fake versions of him is gonna work?"

In truth it was working, perhaps not to the extent Esther had planned, but it was working regardless. How could it not? You had a heart, albeit a blackened one.

"I must say your memories are most intriguing. You've caused quite the chaos in all sorts of places. From getaway driver for the mob, inciting insurrections, to painting the town red -as they say- all on your lonesome."

"One gets bored or pissed off every now and then." You shrugged "Besides, I've done good things too, but you like to sweep those under the rug, don't you? We're all just monsters to you, right?"

"I remember we had a similar conversation long ago." She reminisced, letting her mind wander a moment "My offer remains the same. Relinquish your evil ways, be reborn a human, and I promise you, I will have Kol join your side."

It would be so easy to just say yes. You could live out the rest of your days somewhere, with no bloodlust, no family drama. It was the easiest thing to do, but sadly, easy isn't always right. Even more so when the offer comes from someone like Esther.

You caught her gaze and said "You know what my answer is. "

"As you wish." Esther walked away then, blinding another bundle of herb cuttings on a table on the other side of the room which pulled you into a trance-like state almost immediately. Damn her and her little tricks.

"I asked when you brought me here but I'll ask again. What are you trying to do here exactly?" You asked, fighting to stay awake "Break me? My mind is way scarier than you'll ever be."

"If you must know," She replied "You are linked to Niklaus which links your mind as well as your body. If I manage to get past your barricades, I will have access to his memories."

"What makes you think you can break through? Have you met me?"

A different voice spoke instead of the woman before you, and you had to stifle a laugh when he came into view.

"She has her ways." Finn walked into view ever so pretentious, a hand angled behind his back "And so do I"

The body Finn was inhabiting, Vincent Griffith, would no doubt strike fear in you with all he was involved in the past. Real bad business. But Finn, with his disguise of righteousness and overcompensated morals, evoked nothing but the desire to throttle him.

"What bore me to death? You're right, that might work." You joked, laughing at your own quip.

"I see Niklaus' company has rubbed off on you. How disappointing." He stepped closer, the glimmer of a knife bouncing off the candlelight "We ought to fix that"

When he neared, you kept your eyes firm on him, showing no inkling of emotions as the knife slid across your throat and exposed arms, bleeding you dry like a slaughtered animal.

----

You tried to not keep track of time. It made it easier. When the pain came, it came in sharp, blistering burns you tried to block out the best you could. For every painful sensation, you tried to suffocate it with memories of a better time, a warmer life;

The first taste of freedom as a newly turned vampire running away from the house that had been your prison, the heat of the fire sharp behind your back

Pain.

The sound of Stefan's happy laughter as you chased each other around the house when your father wasn't around, and his wide beaming smile when you pulled him in your arms and spun him around in a circle.

Pain.

Kol. A fierce grin, a snarky comment, a steady hand on your back when you needed it. A force of nature forged by the cruelty of life that remained ever hopeful.

P a i n

Let it be over. Please, let it be over.

P A I N

…..

Another few days went by like they meant nothing. By now you knew that nobody was coming for you. That Klaus served you up on a silver platter to soothe the codependency he shared with Elijah. It would be honorable really if you hadn't been the price to be paid for it. It was hardly a surprise, but him not even attempting to get you out of Esther's grasp was certainly one. Especially after he urged you to stay inside to be safe.

And Kaleb… well he wasn't anywhere to be seen either. He probably took the opportunity and scurried away, like they all do once you let your guard down. Either by death or abandonment, you're like a haunted house made flesh; intriguing until the door opens.

So here you were, still locked in a tomb in the cemetery, not bound to the ceiling anymore but shackled to the place by a magically sealed ball and chain.

Esther had been prodding around in your mind like a maniac in your memories as a human and beyond, hoping to find something to break you. When she was in your head, memories tended to flash by as if living on pages of a book that was hastily searched through. One minute you saw your grandmother waving at the gates to bid you farewell, then looking out of your room at night wondering how to get beyond the treeline's boundaries. Then once more you stood in front of the burning house on the outskirts of Mystic Falls where everything you loved and hoped for went up in flames.

Some recent memories followed too, the endless nights spent like savages drinking your guilt and grief away. Violence, blood, and heartache were visitors too and even flashes of Kaleb made their way into your consciousness, despite how much you wished them away.

However, what happened today was still rummaging around in your mind like a cough you couldn't shake. Esther found a memory that was not your own and she lingered, hoping it would reveal Klaus' secret. She did it then, she broke through.

You found yourself in the passenger's seat of a car that was speeding through what seemed like secluded country roads. Klaus was driving, nervously tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he glanced in the back view mirror. A radio station was playing and cutting out every few feet as the car sped along, illuminating the night with bright headlights.

You snapped your finger in front of his face, not knowing if he could see you or not. But it was only a memory.

"Look into the mirror." Esther's voice was like a never-ending echo whispering and aching through every atom of your body. You resisted her demand, knowing that whatever she sensed had the potential of running everything. Esther saw what you saw so instead of looking into the mirror, you reached back with your hand. Your fingers hit the backseat first, then slipped upwards until they found a plastic object, and then further still until you touched skin. It was softer than any skin you'd touched before.

Your hand carefully grasped upwards and your breath hitched as your fingers glided over smooth skin. You continued lower, moving along grasping what you could. It felt like a small foot, almost baby-sized. Why did Klaus have a child in his back seat? That's when it dawned on you who that kid was. It had to be her. Klaus' daughter was alive. That's what he was hiding.

The car neared its destination as the headlight illuminated another car in front of you. A red sportscar with a figure standing next to it. When the light engulfed them, her long blond hair was visible from a distance, almost as bright as the smile on her face. Rebekah.

Thankfully, that's when Esther's magical connection severed and everything disappeared into particles.

Esther huffed and puffed when you came to, fueled by your lack of cooperation before she lost her composure and hurried away.

With her gone you could let your face fall. Klaus' daughter was alive. She was alive . It all made sense now. The secrecy, the mistrust, even the fear in Klaus's eyes when Mikael nearly ended him. He had a new purpose, something to fight for that wasn't tied to his family's long road of miseries.

But having that meant he also had something to lose, that wasn't easily controlled by a threat with a dagger. Welcome to the club.

But what did Esther want with her? One thing was clear, she had no good intentions and it was high time you got the fuck out of there.

…….

New guards had arrived in the hour that followed your trip of the mind. Two young men belonging to the witches. Of which coven you were not sure. They stood in front of the tomb's entrance, speaking loud enough for you to hear them.

"You know she's cuter than I thought." One of them, the tall dark-haired of the two, said "You think she would go out with me?"

"Are you dumb?" His dirty-blonde friend returned, wondering if his friend had lost his mind "You shouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole. She's with the Mikaelsons, specifically Kol scary-ass Mikaelson."

That's right.

"Yeah, but isn't he dead?"

"Nothing stays buried here, you should know that, dumbass."

The two men reminded you of the two New York residents just then, and a familiar ache crawled up your neck. If you could just break free you could sink your teeth- God you were hungry. When was the last time you fed? Hell, how long have you been here?

A shadow moved towards you, much like the torturous escapes Esther made you live through, but it wasn't Kol who came to your rescue. It was someone who had already come to your aid once before.

"Is this real??" You heard yourself saying, not sure if you actually spoke out loud

"I'm real," Marcel reassured, coming into your view more clearly. He tucked at the protection charm hanging from the ceiling, much like the dream version of Kol had, and ripped the chains in two easily.

"How did you get in here? I thought you were banned."

"I might not know much, but I sure as hell know how to be a scary son-of-a-bitch" Marcel shrugged, growing quiet for a moment to check the surroundings "Stay down and follow me."

As Marcel skillfully navigates the cemetery, a realization made itself known that, even amidst his own burdens, he saved you. Much like he saved you when you met. He was drowning in grief and self-loathing - as were you - and somehow you made it to shore together.

Crossing over the threshold, you expected to be stopped by a boundary spell but you made it through without any hitches. Which begged the question, of whether Esther was so preoccupied with something else that she became careless, or if she let you go willingly. You didn't know which version was worse.

You and Marcel kept going for a block or two until you saw someone at the end of the street. When you neared a man with a bow in his hand and, as it seemed, the world on his shoulder greeted Marcel with a nod. He seemed vaguely familiar but you could not put your finger on it.

"Who the hell is this?" You asked.

"Backup in case they got me too." Marcel explained.

The man was eyeing you suspiciously until something clicked and his face softened ever so slightly "You're Y/N Salvatore."

"One and only. I hope." You side-glanced, imagining a doppelganger of yourself out there. One of you is enough, you concluded.

"This is Ansel." Marcel stepped in, sensing the needed context "Klaus' father."

Your eyes grew wide with surprise, glancing at the only person somewhat related to the Mikaelsons you haven't met yet. Why the hell was he here? If Mikael learns of him, hell gladly kill him once again, as he did over a thousand years ago.

Ansel shifted awkwardly, clearing his throat "Esther pulled me from the other side before it collapsed."

"Does that mean…"Newly found hope ignited within you, hoping she pulled Kol from the other side too and held him, prisoner, somewhere. It would have been months by now, but one could hope.

Marcel shook his head "Haven't seen him. He'd be the first one here if he was. "

Anger rose within your tortured mind, aching away any sense left over. Of course, everyone gets resurrected, but the one person that would matter was stuck somewhere.

"Let's get the fuck out of here then." You said, "I have to visit Dracula in his castle and break a few necks and faces."

Marcel let out a huffed laugh "Not gonna lie they have it coming, but you gotta slow down. You're no use to anyone hurt or worse."

"I will." You reassured. It was a lie, and Marcel knew it, but he still nodded along.

"There's something else." He continued "Your friend, Kaleb, went out there looking for you. Tried to get to you in the cemetery before you were taken but Klaus stopped him before he could."

Kaleb…shit.

"You know where he went?" You asked.

"I heard he started asking the Tremé coven for assistance." Marcel replied, "But my guess is he got wrapped up with the no-good kind of them."

"I might have seen him a few days ago. Tall, dark hair, english accent?" Ansel asked, using a hand to indicate the height of the man he saw.

"Big mouth on him too." Marcel muttered, showing his disdain clearly.

Turning to Ansel you asked, "You mind showing me where you've seen him?" He confirmed with a quick nod.

"I'll deal with Klaus then," Marcel added, jaw clenched in anger.

"Don't bother." You told him off "He and I will have a talk eventually." Oh and what a talk that will be.

The plan was clear, but Marcel still had yet to budge, eying Ansel with a suspicious look on his face. "You sure you're gonna be OK?"

"I will be." You reassured but he had still yet to budge. He wasn't convinced, still helicopter-parenting from afar.

You confirmed again with a determined nod. Marcel was conflicted but only shrugged, drew you into a hug and told Ansel to keep an eye on you, before he walked away.

You then followed Ansel a few blocks in silence before curiosity got the better of you. It wasn't every day that someone who had died a millennium ago was now under the living again.

You cleared your throat before you spoke "Since you've been on the other side, you know how to resurrect someone?"

"You should let it be." He brushed you off with ease, not even looking in your direction "Loving a Mikaelson, it doesn't end well"

Well, that wasn't what you had expected.

"I don't care." You replied, following after him as he took a sharp turn through an alley.

"You should. Imagine your life without chasing after him and an unattainable life." Ansel spoke even though he could feel the rage radiating from you "Run far away and fast. Take that boy you're searching for with you and go."

"Don't remember I asked for your opinion".

"It's not an opinion, it's a warning. Heed it."

Who was he to evaluate your life? He all but met you minutes ago. There was no basis for his judgement. None at all. Unless...

"You spoke to him, didn't you? On the other side?"

Ansel gave a quick nod "We crossed paths. He never left your side, not once."

Your heart all but leapt out of your chest hearing him utter these words. He was always by your side. It was unfathomable really, divided by an invisible curtain of time, yet he remained steadfast.

"He told me he wanted you to move on. To be safe" Ansel added.

"Doesn't mean I have to listen to him." Kol should know you enough to know you'd never give up. Never.

"As you wish. Still, heed my warning. For your own good." Ansel said, crossing the street before he stopped, pressing his back to a wall as he looked around a corner of a building.

"Saw him sneaking into that building. Climbed the rain pipe off to the side there." He pointed to the left side of the building "Now if you don't mind, I have a business to attend to.

"Thanks for the help. You watch your back out here, alright?"

Ansel nodded and retreated into the shadows cast by the buildings that stood tall beside him.

What a peculiar man.

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

It wasn't hard to find Kaleb after Ansel's tip. The Tremé coven redirected you to one of their fringe groups that were cast out for their murderous rituals. Getting the location was not hard either, looking like you just crawled out of a grave. And your reputation certainly helped too.

Breaking the door down of the long-abandoned former apartment complex was more troublesome than you would have liked. Usually, a swift kick would have sufficed.

Voices bled through the ceiling above you, and you follow them to a corridor of doors. Most were broken down or corroded, but one bore the spray-painted sigil of a coven that was banished from the Treme coven.

Swinging the door open, open you were met with a handful - maybe 8 - coven members. They dropped what they were doing immediately.

"I had a pretty shitty few days so if you want to keep your life just get the fuck out."

A few of them fled immediately, some stayed before following the others. Only one brave soul remained. You stalked towards them with your shirt still ripped, blood-soaked skin, and a look of determination that made them retreat soon after.

Kaleb was tiptoeing on the floor in the backroom of the apartment. He was bound much like you were only an hour ago. He flinched when he heard the door opening and cowered in on himself as much as he could anticipating another act of violence. His shirt was sliced open and barely hung on his shoulders, his chest, arms, and even his face were littered with cuts and bruises from beatings. He looked horrible.

He uttered your name when you released him, and he did not waste a breath and crushed his chest into yours, pressing you close.

"I thought you were done for this time" He murmured, clutching the fabric of your shirt. Warmth caressed your being, enveloping the guilt that had crept up seeing him like this because of your stupid plan. When he pulled away, he did so hesitantly, brushing his fingers along your exposed shoulder.

"I tried to" Kaleb winced as he spoke and clutched the side of his torso. "At the cemetery, I went after you."

"I know." You slumped him over your shoulder, your arm around his waist to steady him. He tried to speak again but winced instead as he tried to find his footing.

"You're ok with me carrying you?" You asked him when the shouldering resulted in a snail's speed of progress. "Or would that bruise your male ego?

"Please." He scoffed, "I'd let you carry me anywhere."

You ended up a few blocks away, resting him on a bench in Jackson Square when the rest of his energy left him and he slid off it and slumped onto the floor.

"Come on, this is ridiculous." You helped him rest his back against the bench, dropping down in front of him "You should drink. "

"No!" He pushed your wrist away with vigor. The last thing he needed was dying with vampire blood in his system.

"Then let me check your wounds at least." You asked and he nodded when you turned to look at him "Come on, St. Anne's isn't far. Just hold onto me and don't let go this time."

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

His breath was hot on your neck as your fingers worked the alcohol-soaked fabric over his wounds. He hissed as it touched the deeply scarred tissue on his bare chest. You tried not to notice the goosebumps that erupted along his neck and arms as your fingers touch him, but it was clear he was enjoying it despite the burning alcohol.

He was propped up on one of the church benches near the window, the stained glass bathing his face in colors. He was in bad shape, that much was clear, but there was a look on his face as he glanced at the blood stains on your neck and face. You knew what that look was, you recognized guilt when you saw it; it lived in the cracks of the mind, eroding sense and reason. You knew how it felt, how it chewed away at everything that was once comforting and familiar until there was nothing left but despair and an emptiness which would rather smother than save. And Kaleb's eyes spoke of nothing but guilt.

Another swipe of the soaked fabric against a fresh cut and he winced, his muscles flexing under your touch.

"I'm sorry." You moved your hand away but he caught it and pressed the fabric into his wound again. "You OK?"

"I'm alright." He grumbled.

You knew that tone, you used it far more than you cared to admit. It was the one reserved for moments when memories and feelings were too closely intertwined to separate. It was the sound of resolve slowly being pieced back together and the knowledge that, no matter what you proclaimed, he was decidedly not alright.

"What the hell did they do to you?" Your eyes roamed his bruised chest once more. Beaten black and blue adorned with cuts all over him

"Cut me open, starved, and beat me." He swallowed, thinking back on the horrible things his mind had painted when he was out of it. "They wanted me to plead with them to end it. But I'm not the pleading sort."

Silence overcame you again, accompanied only by the squirms and hisses Kaleb tried to hide when you stitched up his wounds with a needle and thread. Once done, you wrapped a few rounds of gauss around his torso, soaking up the remnants of blood.

A ghost of a smile tucked on his lips as you hand him the only t-shirt you could find on short notice. You took a seat next to him on the table. He poked his head through the opening, followed by his arms. The shirt sat a bit too tight on his frame, but it was clothing nonetheless.

"I'm glad you're safe," Kaleb said and looked at you again, and let his hand drop into yours. He watched how the reddish-brown of blood still soaked both of your skins before he spoke again "I should've tried harder to get you back."

"I'm glad you're safe too. But you shouldn't have tried to find me. It's not-"

"Worth it? Of course, you are." He didn't look away this time, certainty holding his gaze.

For a moment, you wondered why your chest suddenly felt so constricted, as if your lungs had run out of air. The problem was this: you were at that very moment having a rather difficult time forgetting what it had been like to kiss him.

Kaleb shifted under your gaze, fumbling with his fingers "When I was down there all I could think about was that night before it all went wrong."

Ah, right. The rooftop incident.

"I'm sorry.." What were you sorry for exactly? Running away after kissing him? Or kissing him at all? Or was it a bundled mess of I'm sorry's that you could never explain away?

"I'm just sorry, period." You finally said, "You got hurt, and that's on me."

"What is love, if not pain endured? "He murmured to himself as if reciting a novel whose passages were burned into his mind. Then his brain caught up with what he had just uttered and he tensed "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get ahead it's just- "

"No, it's OK. I know there was- is something. Whatever it was before, it’s more now, it’s-” You stopped short of the full declaration, swallowing around the lump in her throat.

"Maybe we should stop,” He murmured, stroking his thumb over your cheek, still holding your hand with the other “Get some distance.”

Distance. How could you remain at distance if you were so intertwined in each other's current life? But perhaps distance was achievable somehow, even if by force.

"There's a harbor not far from here, you can get on a boat or train and go." The harshness in your voice did not match the way you held onto his hand, as if you'd fall any minute.

"You really want me to go?" There was a vulnerability in his voice that made your heartbreak.

No. "Yes. If it means you'll be safe I'd do anything." You had the urge to tell him to run away, but you couldn't say it, even if you should.

"Then perhaps I should consider it." His head dropped.

“No,” You hissed, clutching his shirt tightly. “Even if this is wrong… I’m not ready to give that up before it even started.” You're the only person I have is was what you didn't say. It wasn't right nor was it fair, but it felt good. And you just wanted to feel good.

You moved your mouth against his insistently, feeling the shaking breath from his nose on your top lip as he stood stock still, shocked into inaction. You pulled away slightly, staring into his wild eyes as he exhaled quickly and dove forwards to capture your lips once again. He kissed you hungrily, his hands ghosting your sides before grabbing at your hips and pulling you against him. You capture his lips once more, but he pulled away only an inch to speak.

"I need you to know something before we-" He was out of breath, cheeks red with excitement. He cursed himself for speaking at that moment because he would curse himself even more for not speaking the words he should have said weeks ago.

But you proclaimed the moment was over before he could speak, the bubble of carefree indulgence burst for the time being.

"No, I'm sorry." You stepped out of his grasp, pursuing the wall behind you "I just... I got carried away. You're right, we shouldn't do this."

His head dropped in defeat, but he forced a smile, hoping it would ease the guilt he knew you felt. He knew he could ease the pain he could just open his mouth. Fuck it, he was just going to blurt it out and everything would be fine.

He cleared his throat and straightened himself up, raising his head to meet you on the other side of the room. When he looked, all he saw was your back heading through the towering double doors.

-----

You felt like a goddamn fool. A guilty, broken, and undeserving fool. You had overstepped the relationship you developed with Kaleb, after trying to push him away. Relationship?! You're an even bigger fool than you thought.

If he - you did not even dare to speak his name - could see you now, he'd pity himself for wasting his time on you if you gave up that easily. What a damn mess you made of things.

Hunger overcame you when the guilt subsided, and you searched for some drunken fool on the street. You clawed at their neck to feed your need, needing to taste blood on your teeth. Tonight was the night to feed, lay plans, and rest. Tomorrow-

Your thoughts were drowned out by a sudden blackness that enveloped your senses, and all you could hear was the dull thump of your body hitting the pavement.

____________

A/N: Been writing this on the music tour I'm working on, so I hope it's not too choppy or weird! As always, sorry for the long time in between! Hope you are doing well!

Also, I finished most of the editing of this chapter on the very bench from the TO finale in New Orleans, and I could cry with both happiness and sorrow. But I'm here and I saw the City and I hope some of it will translate to this and any further chapter from here on out.

#kol x reader #the originals imagine #the originals #kol mikaelson imagine #kaleb westphall #open coffin

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kizzer55555 · 26 days

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DP x DC: The Most Dangerous Card Game

Ok so Danny has essentially claimed earth as his. And he is fully aware that there are constant threats to the planet. Now he can’t stop a threat that originates on earth (that’s something he’ll leave to the Justice league) but he can do something about outside threats. Doing some research on ancient spells, rituals, and artifacts, he cast a world wide barrier on the planet to protect it from hostile threats so they cannot enter. This will prevent another Pariah Dark incident. However, barriers like this come at a price. You see, there are two ways to make a barrier. Either make one powered up by your own energy and power (which would be constantly draining) or set up a barrier with rules. The way magic works is that nothing can be absolutely indestructible. It must have a weakness. The most powerful barriers weren’t the ones reinforced with layer after layer of protective charms and buffed up with power. Those could eventually be destroyed either by being overpowered, wearing them down, or by cutting off the original power source. No, the most powerful barriers were the ones with a deliberate weakness. A barrier indestructible except for one spot. A cage that can only be opened from the outside. Or that can only be passed with a key or by solving a riddle. So Danny chooses this type of barrier and does the necessary ritual and pours in enough power to make it. And he adds his condition for anyone to enter.

Now the Justice league? Find out about the barrier when Trigon attempts to attack, they were preparing after he threatened what he would do once he got to earth. How he would destroy them. The Justice league tried to take the fight to him first but were utterly destroyed, so they retreated home to tend to their injuries, and fortify earth for one. Last. Stand. Only when Trigon makes his big entrance…he’s stopped.

The Justice league watch in awe as this thin see-through barrier with beautiful green swirls and speckled white lights like stars apears blocking Trigon and his army’s advance. The barrier looks so thin and fragile yet no matter how hard the warlord hits, none of his attacks can get through and neither can he damage said barrier. That’s when Constantine and Zatanna recognizes what this barrier is. Something only a powerful entity could create. For a moment, the league is filled with hope that Trigon can’t get through yet Constantine also explains that it’s not impenetrable. And clearly Trigon knows this too for he calls out a challenge.

And that’s when, in a flash of light, a tiny glowing teenager appears. He looked absolutly minuscule compared to Trigon and yet practically glowed with power (this isn’t a King Danny AU though).

And that is when the conditions for passing the barrier are revealed. And the Justice realize that the only thing stopping Trigon and his army from decimating earth. The only way he can get through….is by beating this glowing teenager in a card game.

Not just any card game though. The most convoluted game Sam, Danny, and Tucker invented themselves. It’s like the infinite realms version of magic the gathering, combined with Pokémon, and chess. And Danny is the master. So sit down Trigon and let’s play.

(The most intense card game of the Justice league’s life).

After Danny wins, this happens a few more times with outer word beings and possibly even demons attempting to invade earth, yet none have been able to beat the mysterious teenager in a card game. Constantine might even take a crack at it and try to figure out how to play. He’s really bad though. Every time this happens, the Justice league worry that this might be the time the teenager looses. Yet every time, he wins (even if only barely).

Meanwhile, Danny, Sam, and Tucker have gotten addicted to the game and play it almost daily. Some teachers might seem them playing the game are are like ‘awww how cute’ not realizing this game is literally saving the world. Jazz is just happy they aren’t spending as much time on their screens playing Doomed.

#DPxDC #dcxdp #Danny makes a card game to save the world.#Technically he worded the ritual so that they had to ‘beat’ him as those are the most powerful barriers and most reliable.#keys can just get lost or stolen (like the one to Pariah’s Coffin)#A riddle would be useless once someone figured out the answer. Like how no one takes the sphynx seriously anymore.#(Sorry Tuck. But it’s true).#And there is NO WAY Danny is just leaving a hole open for anyone to pass through. No thank you!#So…beating him. But it’s not like Danny wanted to fight so…he edited the ritual a TINY bit. Card games are good. Much less painful too.#Danny Tucker and Sam made the most complicated card game they could imagine.#It’s based on their strategies for fighting ghosts. Capturing them in thermoses. And MUCH based on a on field battle strategy.#It often requires spontaneous thinking on the spot. So Danny? In his ELEMNT. It doubles as practice for his actual ghost battles too.#They had SO much fun making this.#Sam added an entire series of plant cards that act as traps and healing ointments and duds that just take up the field.#Tucker added legitimate hyroglyphics combined with Latin as well as English and ghost speak.#Yes. You actually have to speak that language to play. With proper pronunciation. (Amity Parker’s think the three are talking gibberish.)#I headcanon Sam and Tucker are fluent in Ghost.#Constantine WILL figure this game out SO HELP HIM!#Some of the cards also have combinations related to constellations either in name or placement on the board.#By the way the board is based on a Hexagonal summoning circle with Rhunes along the edges #And the placement of the cards on the board and on what rhune MATTERS.#Also the cards move disintegrate and have certain abilities. Think of Harry Potter Wizard Chess.#But they are normal when Danny plays at school. This is just for ✨effect✨ Against invaders.#Danny faces multiple opponents. He also halts alien invasions.#While Danny COULD stop crime on earth he’s not sure how to fight a normal human and hold back so he sticks to ghosts.#The Justice league are going crazy trying to figure out who this entity is and after deep research are convinced this is some sort of #Ancient being who has protected earth for millenia. They have paintings on ruins and everything.#Danny is not aware they think this.#Raven starts praying to Danny as if he is a god and wrangles the other Teen Titans into doing so as well. Danny is still unaware of this.#Danny is not a King or an ancient. Just a very VERY strong ghost.

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kohakus-tv · 6 months

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quite moody today so i didn't have the energy to do more than the icons soooo maybe another day i'll do more than just that and with more of the ships that were included in the poll tehe

anyways, saber x rin in the style of the coffin of andy and leyley ♡

#tv draws #digital art #fanart #fate series #fate stay night #saber #artoria pendragon #tohsaka rin #art #fgo #the coffin of andy and leyley #artists on tumblr #open commisions #type moon #nasuverse

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horsegirlhob · 2 months

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Every time we visit Spike's crypt in season 6 that man is doing everything he can to be as fuckable as humanly possible.

#dylan says things #btvs #spike btvs #he's always got like an open shirt look #or he's just fully naked #or he's in despair #like why was he perched coquettishly on his coffin with a sort of open silk shirt number reading a book #when he was previously alone in his house #he hears buffy coming and he's like “fuck i have two seconds to make myself look so so slutty”

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erregiulydraws · 1 year

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*thinks about vol 19’s sleeve illustration*

*thinks abo

Bonus:

#jshk #toilet bound hanako kun #tbhk #tsukasa yugi #jibaku shonen hanako kun #i was not planning on drawing HIM again but i have had realizations #i've been wondering about why he would be wearing traditional clothes when they are something he probably never wore when he was alive #turns out that's kind of the point #it's funerary wear #he has been sleeping in a literal coffin for 50 years #that's why his fingers are greenish too! and why he resembles a ghost despite being a yorishiro #because that's how hanako sees him #as a dead person #the person HE killed #at the same time he's alive just enough for the tought of erasing him to feel like murdering him again #also unrelated but i love how aidairo suddenly decided yes his eyes work exactly like a cat. there is no reason for this btw #also can't be sure this was intentional but the way his shirt stays slightly open on his chest kinda resembles a slit...like a knife wound #anyway i hate him i wanted to draw mitsukou /hj

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layzeal · 8 months

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thinking of post-canon lan xichen who continues on as a living ghost who can only be liberated once he is laid to rest next to his sworn brothers makes me hahahahaahahhhh

#modao #he waits those 100 years for the coffin to be opened just to climb inside and request it to be buried again hhhhhhhhh #feeling normal as usual #lace speaks

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yabakuboi · 3 months

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everyone talks about corroded coffin and eddie being a rockstar, but no one talks about the robin-steve-jonathan-argyle 90's ska band like??? the disrespect

#stranger things #steddie #stobin #shush mal #look up the jabberjaw cn groovies and that's them #steve's the hot girl #let robin play trumpet #eddie HATES it but is also their biggest supporter even though he razzes them to hell and back #one time they opened for corroded coffin bcs their opener bailed and the audience moshed harder to their super upbeat poppy ska lyrics #eddie doesn't let his fanbase or steve live that down ever #OR no one knows the connection between this rando mental band and this rando ska band and everyone thinks there's just general beef there #00's interviewer asking eddie 'why do you hate ska so much??'#and eddie being like 'biggest cockblock ever' because steve stopped tagging along on CC's tour to make weird music with HIS friends #my steddies

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iwillfightformydream · 2 months

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I like how, Gaoshun and Jinshi, are unfazed by Maomao, like they see her unhinged laughter and they just let her laugh. (At the fact that Jinshi’s attempted killer is still alive)

#they are used to moamao #jinshi #gaoshun #Maomao #kusuriya no hitorigoto #the apothecary diaries #those two are also completely unphased when Maomao ripped open a coffin

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thisapplepielife · 5 months

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Written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles December challenge.

You Say Bark, I Say Bite

Prompt Day 1: Open Mic Night | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language, Smoking | Tags: Pre-S4, Pre-Steddie, Platonic Stobin, Corroded Coffin

"No, no, no," Steve says, waving his hand in front of him. He's not doing this.

"Steve, please," Robin begs, "it's just one night. For me. You love me."

There are so many other ways they could spend a Saturday night that don't involve listening to shitty musicians. They'll all suck. He knows that. They've done this before, and he's never heard anything he's liked.

"Steve. For me," she pleads, giving him the eyes.

He sighs. He was always going, but he's not happy about it. And he wants Robin to know that.

"Tammy Thompson sounds like a Muppet," Steve says.

"You've said," Robin mumbles, annoyed.

That's the whole reason they're here in Indianapolis tonight, at some under twenty-one club, listening to teens and college kids play shitty music. To hear Tammy Thompson nasal her way through a song or two.

Someone brought a goddamn flute. To an open mic night. A flute. These people are all weirdos. No talent to be found.

Then the little stage is suddenly bustling with movement, bringing in actual instruments and equipment. Okay, maybe they're getting somewhere. This has to be better than another douchebag with a guitar.

Oh, no.

That's definitely a douchebag with a guitar.

"Is that…Eddie Munson?" Steve asks, cutting Robin a look.

"Well, duh," Robin says, totally unbothered by this very weird turn of events, "he has a band, you know that."

He knows that? He doesn't know that. He knows Eddie Munson is a dealer. He knows Eddie Munson is a freak. But he didn't know Eddie Munson played the guitar.

"I didn't fucking know that," Steve says, confused, wrinkling his forehead.

"They play at The Hideout every week. Eddie, Jeff, Gareth and Goodie. Corroded Coffin. You know that. Everybody knows that. Eddie is always hanging up flyers everywhere."

News to him. He doesn't know any of these guys. Who the fuck is Goodie? That's not even a name.

"I think you're making shit up. I don't recognize any of those guys. Like, not at all. Did they go to Hawkins? While I was there?"

Robin looks at him like he's an asshole. Okay, they must have.

"They gotta be way younger," Steve finally says, indignant. "I know Eddie. Because he's been a senior for the last five years."

She gives him a withering look, "Three years. Last three years."

Like that's better.

Eddie is quietly helping the drummer get his shit set up as fast as they can, and Steve watches. This should be good. This will be way more entertaining than Tammy Thompson. Because he can't fathom what Eddie Munson might think is good music. God, Steve hopes he tries to sing.

He's positive this will be worth the cover charge, for sure. A trainwreck.

It's not a trainwreck. Eddie Munson falls back, and the black kid takes the mic. Okay, he didn't expect that. He expected Munson to be front and center.

"Who's the singer?"

"Jeff Williams. His sister was in your class," Robin hisses.

Oh, okay. Molly Williams was fun. She wouldn't give him the time of day when he tried to get her to go on a date with him, but fun. He didn't even know she had a little brother.

They start playing a song, and Steve doesn't recognize it.

Jeff shouts, "All aboard!" and laughs as the drummer starts clicking his sticks together, then playing, and it's okay. Fine.

Then, Eddie starts playing the guitar.

Goddammit.

Steve hates to be wrong, and hates that this is really working for him. Eddie Munson looks at ease, happy, and kinda hot. Steve's never seen him look like that at school. Not once. Munson is snarky, snappy. Always quick to bite back. Funny, for sure, but Steve would avoid him, because Munson never shied away from trying to make Steve look stupid at every fucking turn.

But he can play the guitar, apparently.

Robin nudges his shoulder, "They're good, right?"

He nods, not looking away. They're good.

They play another heavy song, but it's Queen. They're doing a metal cover of Bicycle Race, and that amuses Steve, he likes Queen.

After they're done playing, Steve makes excuses, and slips outside into the alley. He's pretty sure Eddie Munson isn't going to stay to watch this other shit.

Eventually, there he is, guitar case in hand. Steve thinks he'd like to ride him like a bicycle, and that's a new thought.

About Eddie. Not about men.

"Oh, hey," Steve says, leaning against the wall of the alley, smoking a cigarette he bummed. Robin will kill him, but he needs an excuse to be out here. Like he wasn't waiting. Even if he totally was.

"Harrington," Eddie says with contempt, "what brings you out here with us freaks?"

"Robin," Steve says, and Eddie gives him a look.

"Buckley's really friends with you? I thought that was a terrible rumor."

Steve pretends that doesn't hurt, and just nods.

"Too bad, I like her," Eddie says, and this was a mistake. What the fuck was he thinking? Eddie Munson will just give him a tongue-lashing, and not in a fun way. He's an idiot for thinking otherwise. Steve isn't this hard up.

"Okay, well, you guys looked good," Steve says, pushing himself off the wall.

Eddie laughs, incredulous, "You thought we looked good?"

"Sounded," Steve corrects.

"You, King Steve, thought we sounded good? I've been to your house parties. You don't listen to metal. Do you even know who Ozzy is?"

Steve doesn't, and shakes his head. And Eddie's been to his house? Since when? Nevermind. Doesn't matter.

"You guys were good compared to all that other shit I had to sit through tonight. You sounded like, you know, actual music. I guess."

Eddie raises an eyebrow, like he can see right through Steve.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

Steve suddenly feels like he's in big trouble. Trapped. Backed into a corner.

Eddie smiles and takes a step towards him, and it's predatory.

Steve swallows.

Oh, he's definitely in trouble.

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, head on over to @steddieholidaydrabbles and follow along with the fun! 🎤

If you want to see more of my entries into this month-long challenge, you can check them out in my tag, right here!

#steddieholidaydrabbles #writing challenge #steddie ficlet #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #corroded coffin fic #open mic night #thisapplepielife: short fic #thisapplepielife: steddieholidaydrabbles

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