#well the forest part anyway

[scarletiswailing347]

A Fallen Canary v1

An emergency responder's job is never done.

Sure, technically speaking Tango's shift is done for the day, but the moment his communicator pings saying "All hands" or calls for any personnel in an area where he currently is then it's back to work he goes.

He's currently in their locker room, bag all ready packed with his stuff, just waiting for his friends to finish arguing.

"I AM NOT SHORT! I AM AVERAGE HEIGHT!" Bdoubleo screeched and Tango couldn't help but giggle – Bdubs was one of the shortest men among the staff, just a centimeter under Tango, not the shortest but certainly the most reactionary.

"Hmm I don't know Bdubs, that's not what the records say," Etho, one of the tallest men among the staff, teased lightheartedly. He was always wearing a mask, nobody except Bdubs knew why and he had a different answer every time – Tango's personal favorite is the one he got the one time he asked a long long time ago, "He's an eldritch entity and needs the mask so the rest of us don't go die and insane."

"Aw come on you guys cut it out," Skizzleman... the four of them were frequently sent together with Skizz being the de facto leader and it wasn't hard to see why: Tango, Bdubs, and Etho together bring nothing but chaos but Skizz somehow manages to keep a hold of them and actually manages to make them somewhat organized, "Look, Tango Tek's just been sitting there, waiting for forever now."

"Aw it's alright, not like I need to sleep or anything like that—" Tango shrugged lightheartedly before his playful smirk turned into a mock-angry frown, "—also stop calling me that."

"Aw Tango I'm sorry!" Skizz cried out, "Not for the nickname though."

Tango just shook his head and smiled, "You're all idiots."

"You're an idiot!" Bdubs yelled.

"Never said I wasn't."

"Uhhh guys, for real this time, we should get going it's getting dark," Skizz glanced at Tango with Etho and Bdubs following suit.

"Ooh yeah we should probably get going now," Etho said as he packed the rest of his things.

"Ah, yeah, hate the dark," Bdubs said as he put on his hoodie of living moss.

Although there is truth in what Bdubs said, their main concern was of Tango's safety, which couldn't help but make the man chuckle.

He was the only human in their whole department, the Supernatural Emergency Rescue Alliance Snowforte Department, a nonprofit organization of volunteers who rescue people from supernatural happenings. Due to its dangerous, traumatic, and nonlucrative nature, it's not the most popular job prospect for most ordinary people, Tango however was not like most ordinary people...and neither were his former workmates.

Even the tiniest of mistakes could mean the end (or worse) for them in this kind of job, especially when they don't have any sort of magical ability or physical prowess to make up for it.

For now, however, Tango was sitting in the back of Skizz’ pickup truck, staring out the shotgun window as Etho and Bdubs bicker in the passenger seat. The bumps in the road getting more and more frequent the further from the main town they go.

Half an hour later, Bdubs and Etho already left ten minutes ago and now they’ve arrived at Skizz’ house located right outside a dense forest.

“Welp,” Skizz hesitated, “We’re here.”

“Yep, thanks man,” Tango smiled, about to hop off when Skizz stopped him.

“Wait, Tango,” Skizz looked at the night sky nervously, “Are you sure you want me to drop you off here? I can take you all the way home y’know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Tango chuckled lightly, “Don’t wanna risk you getting stuck though, need to get to work tomorrow remember?” he joked.

Skizz hummed, clearly disapproving, “Ok…I trust you, just don’t forget to send a signal when something feels wrong, okay?”

“I will, Skizz,” Tango reassured and hopped off.

“Bye Tango!” Skizz yelled after him.

“Bye Skizz!” Tango waved, lantern in his other hand, crossbow ready at his hip, and all evidence of modern technology shutting off as he walked towards the inky dark forest. Perhaps it wasn’t a wise idea to live where he does, and honestly Skizz probably wouldn’t mind having a new roommate, but he never claimed to be a wise man and so he continued walking.

The trees sway in the silent breeze.

It was quiet, nothing but Tango’s heartbeat and the crunch of dry leaves beneath his feet could be heard. It was freezing cold so perhaps if his teeth weren’t already occupied biting his bottom lip then perhaps Tango would hear them clatter as well.

It was dark, so dark that it almost hurt to look around.

The journey should take around twenty minutes total given that he follows the path he’s got memorized and Tango estimates that fifteen more minutes of walking would get him home safe. It was still 6:37 PM according to Tango’s pocket watch but as much as he’d like to hurry it up, doing so would most likely result in him getting lost or worse.

After a few more minutes of slightly terrifying but mainly mind-numbing walking, Tango hears a sound – a faint sound but a sound nonetheless.

“…oh god.” Tango thought.

It took all his willpower not to hurry his pace, but that sure doesn’t stop his mind from racing which repeated nothing but the words “oh god” over and over again. Tango can hear the sound, which sounds like crunching leaves, getting louder and louder and with each rising decibel he can feel his heartrate rise with it.

A hand on his shoulder, “Oh thank God –”

Tango screamed before quickly muffling his mouth before nervously looking around.

“Oh, my goodness!” exclaimed the tall blond brown-eyed man before him, “Are you al—” Tango muffled the stranger’s mouth too and aggressively signaled for him to be quiet. He took the stranger’s hand in his own and slowly lead him towards his home.

#txt #c team best #c tango #c bdubs #c etho #c skizz #c jimmy #c team ranchers #i kinda realized after writing the last paragraph that this doesnt match the backstory i made of them at all lol #well the forest part anyway #tango was supposed to stumble across jimmy's half-dead body and take it home in order to nurse him back to health #doesnt match their first meeting in the slightest but its an unfortunate side effect of jimmy straight up crashlanding from the sky #anyways gonna go write the og version to see if i like this or that better #wip #llsmp contract au

[artharakka]

“Suru on eläin, jota ei voi koskaan kesyttää kokonaan.” ... “Ilves nostaa päätään ja tuijottaa minua. Se räpyttää silmiään kerran, toisen. Niissä hehkuu Maan auringon kadotettu valo, joka siilautuu vihreiden lehtien läpi. Sen sisuksista nousee matala, vaimea kehräys. Se näykkäisee sylissäni lepäävän käteni syrjää kevyesti, lempeästi, nuolaisee sitten peukaloani.” — Emmi Itäranta. Kuunpäivän kirjeet

****

“Grief is an animal that can never be wholly tamed.” ... “The lynx raises its head and stares at me. It blinks once, twice. In its eyes glows the lost light of Earth’s sun, filtered through green foliage. From its depths rises a low, faint purr. With its teeth it nips the back of my hand resting on my lap, lightly, gently, and then licks my thumb.” — Emmi Itäranta. The Moonday Letters. Quote tranlated by me (unofficial)

#this both happened and I started this on Saturday #it was just a rare coincidence #but I choose to give it a meaning #if you have read The Moonday Letters you might get the parallels between the lynx and Minni even more #but I thought it was a beautiful moment anyway #it brings some closure #even if it is just a coincidence #the garden in question is actually my parents but Minni lived part of her life there as well #and when the ground thawns we will bury her ashes in that small forest there #animal death

[loveableabomination]

Being ace but also being people-pleasing enough that I think I'm not ace cuz I like to make my partner happy...is a mind-fuck.

#ace #asexual #trans #lgbtqia #trans man #ace trans #ace pride #ace problems #sex doesnt disgust me per se #for the most part #but I want it to be done fast #like yeah yeah just get there already #so we can get to the cuddles and lovey dovey stuff #can I actually just have lovey cuddles without the sex? #like for reals #that'd be great #but I know that isn't how the vast majority of people are #finding another ace? #ridonkulous #finding another ace around my age who likes me and who I like back? #may as well start my search for unicorns cuz I'll find one of those before a relationship #and y'know what I'm cool with that #dream home is a house in the woods far away from people #so I can wander barefoot in the forest without people wondering what in god's name I'm doing walking barefoot with coffee in hand #and if I'm being honest probably also a book #walking while reading is underrated #I used to rollerblade up and down the street while reading #I will forever associate Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with rollerblading and the scent of the fields by my house #anyways yeah #im an urban hermit dreaming of being a forest hermit

[cornbread-but-cringey]

uploading Y'all It's Fall screenshots until MCPEDL accepts the new update - day 3

[ID: screenshot of a minecraft dark forest with a giant red mushroom to the right and a birch forest in the background. the oak and dark oak leaves are a bright orange, the birch leaves are a reddish brown, and the grass is a deep (slightly yellowish) green. end ID]

#A Cornbread Original ™ #cornbread attempts a description #is about my resource pack #y'all‚ it's fall!! #minecraft #minecraft bedrock #minecraft resource pack #this is why i needed to know how the dark forest grass color is made btw. #i never figured it out‚ but i'd say the color i used matches pretty well anyway. #<- (for context‚ the colors for the sides of grass blocks are pre-calculated and a part of the resource pack on bedrock‚ #where the tops of grass blocks are colored procedurally‚ like on java.)

[osomatsusanki]

My project sekai OC, Tenma Riku:

Tsukasa's twin brother who was born second. He turned inwards when Saki got hospitalized and fights depression.

social recluse who barely ever leaves his room

has a hard time expressing himself through words

has an inferiority complex because of Tsukasa's achievements. he feels like he's nothing compared to his brother who can do anything

they're on good terms, but Riku secretly has a lot of pent up anger because of this

he feels like Saki loves Tsukasa more than him because his brother has a more direct way of showing his love while Riku doesn't know how to communicate his feelings

he gave up on playing the piano. he was never very good at it and didn't have it in him to keep trying

he's a fan of Nightcord at 25:00

attends evening classes with Ena

outside of school, he only wears black

his voice is soft and timid. he has a mild stutter

wants to join the school chorus but he's scared of singing in front of people

loves cats

has a pet spider that Tsukasa hates

gamer

started talking to Nene through an online game years ago and they're friends who play together a lot

he's also friends with Touya. Riku does library duty with him at school sometimes

he's good with computers and asked Rui if he'd help him improve his coding skills. Rui is really kind to him and treats him completely different from Tsukasa. also he loves the spider

Riku feels comfortable with Rui. he always looks forward to spending time with him again

he has a torrented version of the vocaloid software and writes his own songs using Rin and Len

most of them are sad and some of them are angry

left handed

hates crowds

lives in constant fear of people mistaking him for Tsukasa and approaching him while he's out

the only time he was glad that it happened was when he stopped to listen to Kohane's street performance on the way home from therapy. they talked a little afterwards and he explained that they're twins

he might have a crush on her

one time Saki lost a toy she really liked, and he used all his money to buy her a new one, then gave it to her as if he found it. a long time later, Saki found the actual toy she lost and felt really moved

she actually loves both her brothers the same, even if Riku doesn't feel that way

The forest sekai:

Riku wishes he could go outside more, but he hates the presence of other people. He also loves singing, but only has the courage to do so when he's home alone. These feelings manifest as a sekai where he can sing to his heart's content in a beautiful forest.

In the middle, there's a big clearing where the sun always shines and a set of two swings. A path through the forest leads to the shore with a lighthouse. Sometimes they host tea parties with Miku, Rin, and Len. The wild animals inhabiting the sekai often come around as well.

The other three virtual singers appear as cats who like to meow or mrow along to the melody. Riku loves them a lot, sometimes they play or nap together in the sun. Kaito is a big softie, Luka is really fluffy but sort of a tsundere, and Meiko loves playing, especially with the toys Riku brings them himself.

There's a koi pond, and a lot of room to build sandcastles by the lighthouse. They stay in the same state forever unless the person who made it destroys the castle themselves.

#if you think that he's holding the tsukasa pillow bc i didn't want to put in the effort... well you're not wrong lmao #but also i like to think that their parents offered him his own pillow too he just didn't want it #& i like how it could be a hint at his inferiority complex. he keeps comparing himself to tsukasa and it just feeds his depression further #so he has a complicated relationship with him even if riku is always kind and supportive of tsukasa on the surface #and tsukasa loves him and tries to help. but he has no idea how often riku cries himself to sleep alone in his room #i imagine his voice sounds like nanase riku's from i7 (that's unrelated to his name though) #i didn't include self indulgent parts but. there's a reason why there's two swings next to each other in the forest sekai. and it's me dsgf #anyway feel free to ignore that. but we like to sing there together or just swing or just sit and hold hands.. #i didn't include it in the main text either but the sekai song is toaru ikka no tea party by kururingo. it's one of my faves #thanks for reading #i love riku so much #kinda want to write about him #prsk #prsk oc #oc #project sekai #tenma riku

[death2you]

just finished yakuza 0…

#flashing. #well not Technically. i beat the game like three times and it kept crashing at the credits so im giving up for today :thumbsup: but i saw #the post credit scene. with makoto and the watch😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 im fucking killing myself ... the fact that majima just had 2 give everything #up. literally everybody who cared or interacted with him died in some way and its like. 😟😟 bro what the fuck... #i understand why he felt some typa way toward sagawa and makoto but i feel like they could've done a little bit more with nishitani... #i liked his character though so i GUESS they've done their job but. i wouldve loved having more scenes w/ majima & nishitani before he die #yakuza 0 REALLY loves killing its characters though. nobody was fucking safe!! fuckin tachibana oda nishitani sagawa awano... FUCKING LEE.. #i LOVEDDD nishiki though. every emotional scene he was in just slayed so hard. literally stole the show.. #the scene in the forest where he tried to spare kiryu and the scene on the boat where he said that he wanted to cross the line together. #NISHIKIYAMA AKIRA YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! #the ending part where they tell everybody's futures really worried me though.. like 😟😟😟 what do you mean nishiki changes. what happened.. #when i first saw that i instantly thought about the cliche in black movies where they tell every1's future at the end 😭😭 #OVERALL. I REALLY REALLY ENJOYED THE GAME!!!! it wasnt too hard maybe a little bit easy toward the end but such a lovely cast of characters #& the substories and things you could do in sotenbori & kamurocho is really fun ^___^ #after i try and Officially beat the game i wanna try and 100% everything.. i might not do Everything but most of it i wanna do #like the five billionaires/stars storylines & stuff... but thats if i can even officially complete the game... #oh god such long tags. anyway. #canon that majima has legendary pussy #95

[tenisperfection]

Watched 3x10 Black Sails and I'm literally never going to be normal again!!!!

#jesus fucking christ how many times can i say that this episode is the best of all time about this ONE show? #i need to watch it again i need to watch it all the time why do i even watch anything that isn't this episode? #flint and silver in that forest......no one talk to me #that whole storyline with dobbs paying off so well #madi and silver and this thing between them i am obsessed with #madi is just so!!!! she's so!!!! i'm in love #that last scene with billy creating long john silver #you know what given how much black sails feels like a play and all the characters feel like they're playing parts they should do broadway #they shouldn't change anything just bring it to broadway and bring luke arnold!!!!! #(where did they find this man how is he literally just like that how did he just become john silver) #jonathan steinberg we need to talk #black sails #genuinely the best show i've seen in a long long time by a wide margin!!!! #anyway one more season left *sobs but also slow claps*

[jeoseungsaja]

#♔ || portraits. #♔ || past (verse four). #♔ || edits. #HISTORICAL YEO!!!! #Been thinking about him and how certain parts of his mischievousness haven't changed #was probably a pain to those who used to assist him during his time as King IWEHDIUWEDH--- #cue him slithering away to go elsewhere / forests away from the palace / or spots to purchase things for his drawings by himself #people at the palace growing worried and searching for him left and right like 'nOT THIS AGAIN' #few people would be observant as to tell which places he frequents the most #(which makes me wONDER.......would Shin know---if so...not Yeo wanting to be found by him and getting disappointed if someone else is sent #YEO PLEASE---) #or if he manages to get back by himself Yeo just 'C: I'm here what's this fuss about?' #knowing darn well what he did sMH #ANYWAY WIEDHWIUEDH I'll halt here before I continue rambling and dumblr cuts my tags--- #♔ || queue.

[pepprs]

omg i was feeling better for like 2 hrs but then i saw a post on here that is like maybe the worst thing ive read all day. and now i am feeling despair again

#purrs #going to close this app and go watch minecraft build videos again bc that’s the only thing that distracts me rn. but it sucks. it sucks so #bad. how easy it is to be knocked down like this by a stupid post and how frightened and hopeless and small i feel. like wtf. and i know i s #said this but it’s like the mindset shift thing i rbed a few minutes ago right? like i am supposed to be the BEACON. i am supposed to have t #the hope and give it to people who don’t have it. but what do i do when /i/ don’t have it. that is antithetical to the entire enterprise. #and it does not bode well for our work working lol. like given what i know i should never ever doubt or fear or anything again. and the #sayings are literally brace yourself the world is broken and we’re braving the storm etc etc but right now all that’s going on in my head an #and heart are BROKEEEEEEEEEEEN!!!!!! STOOOOOOOOOOORM!!!!!!! HHEEEEEEEELLPPPPP!!!!!! and not like oh! brace. brave. ok yeah i can do that #and to be fair i don’t think anyone is feeling that way ever probably and that’s why you can’t be a beacon of hope if you haven’t known #hopelessness and don’t fight to overcome it every day. but right now knowing i need to be a beacon is only making me feel more hopeless. and #i know the beacon feeling bc ive been there before but idk if this will pass bc like uhmmmmmm… i live in the fucking death trap that is the #usa. but it might but also idk. i just am haunted by 2 things. number 1 that the most basic simplest thi ng s in life like starting a family #of my own and having a stable living situation might be out of my reach bc i was born at the wrong time. and number 2 that especially in the #last 2 years but also always there are such HORRORS happening and yet so many of them we don’t feel and it’s like out in nature the forest i #is still just the forest and it’s like for these birds and squirrels etc they don’t even know there’s a pandemic and nothing abt their lives #has changed in 2 yrs (that has substantially impacted their way / qualify of life anyway). and i know everything in my save tag refutes this #and also that if lia heard me saying this shit she’d say in effect why don’t you go write a poem and calm down. but part of me wants to feel #hopeless i think because there’s a security in feeling doomed bc to fight it takes strength and courage and is maybe scarier. but i am just #exhausted and grieving rn except the grief i am feeling is NOTHING compared to other griefs others feel and have felt. but yeah this is also #day 4 of living here again and maybe by day 14 or whatever i’ll be feeli ng stronger and more normal but the last few days have been so #fucking hard and so much about my life is different in ways that are hard right now. so i have to just deal with that and adjust and mayhe p #plunge myself into a piece of media like i have done w every other major transition in my life and somehow haven’t done w this one yet but t #that might just give me a break from my stupid broken brain and then i’ll come back and be normal. bc today i could barely get out of bed #delete later

[lesbianpikachu]

.

#oh my god #i never want to record any video ever again #oh geez just like every other part of making this dumb pokemon video i am realizing how hard this is actually going to be #i feel like with every part of this thing I've just bitten off way more than i can chew at every opportunity #my current idea is to capture no gameplay with a capture card but to instead record screens with a video camera #this allows me to have like a Gameboy in a forest for a section talking about a forest if that makes sense #i wanted to give the video a sense of atmosphere but I'm like 2 days into this and I'm exhausted #this is really fuckin hard to do and I'm not sure I'm up to it #i think I'm going to do it anyways but I'm just like oh. once again this thing is going to take longer to make than i thought #its just weird having to be patient or else i explode #like yeah it's going to take even longer. it'll come out when it's done. i finally understand why so much shit gets delayed #it's just like well. guess this'll take longer than i thought. oh well #also just like noticing so many small issues with it and being like. welp don't have time to fix it now guess it's staying in lol #i don't like compromising like that but i feel like i have to in order to even get this thing out and I'm just trying to make peace with it

[elegyofthemoon]

need to stop getting into things w dead kingdoms and having the ability to walk through their ruins its so good but also owie :(

#snow speaks #i just come out REALLY really sad #like idk #the forest kingdom in nier automata if that counts #enkanomiya. sal vindagnyr. tsurumi island. #ender lilieeeees #i cant play that game for a long time bc i just start crying and bawling over every note i encounter #that and i also suck at this game so.bad but I TRY AND I HAVE THE SPIRIT TO KEEP GOING LMAO #tbh id argue maybe the vidyadhara as well but they still exist and some form of their nation/kingdom exists anyways #a part of me is wondering... are they gonna do the sunchildren thing w the vidyadhara #like #UH #oh my god hold on let me tag this here anyways #snow plays hsr #IM NOT PLAYING RN IM JUST THINKING #but with the sunchildren it was all about this big council the jibashiri taking control of the whole kingdom to deal wrongdoings #but using a child as the puppet head and the shield against the peoples anger #its weird though bc the preceptors had a discussion after dan fengs sedition that the concept of high elder is outdated #that the power should return to the people #oKAY SO WHY DO WE STILL HAVE A HIGH ELDER? PRECEPTORS? HELLO????? (bailu being the new coming high elder) #its in the 'page from xianzhous official gazette....thingy' i dont remember the full name #but it was abour bailu disappearing and people being like 'dont worry we should stop making a fuss over her honestly shr did nothing for us' #yeah people are still fighting over dan feng after all this time its actually kinda funny ngl #Yeah so im just. thinking. like why did the preceptors retain the high elder position? #did people want the high elder position rather than the preceptor council? #or is there more to it ? #in the same document one person puts down the preceptors #not giving a reason but i have personal reasons to be distrusting towards them #ANYWAYS so im wondering if preceptors are using bailus new position to hide away and do their own scheming #if this gets into the tags dont mind me. and dont give me spoilers on anything id rather search it myself and learn on my own lol

[arolesbianism]

I thought abt Wormwood hcs for like 5 seconds before it spiraled way out of control and now I have a whole hypothetical mod in my head with Wormwood as the final boss help

#rat rambles #its not like a hc event thing its just me going that would sure be sick #basically in my hcs wormwood techically Could get most of his nutrients from the earth but doesnt by choice #this is because his roots are kind of parasitic in nature sorta? #as in they do the fun dst moon thing where they try to cling onto and alter other life forms to try and make them part of themself #which wormwood doesnt like doing! its uncomfortable for the other plants and for him #and after a while the plants would fully become part of him and thatd just be a whole other can of worms #but yeah the mod idea is but what if he did just take root and sit there for a while #basically it takes place in a series of giant regions that are all a part of his root system #in my minds eye they each have a boss in them that are based on one of his costumes #thered be at least 4 main regions one thats filled with mushrooms and other cave plants that completely bock out the sun #a rainforesty area filled with spiny plants that want you dead soooo bad #a deserty area filled also filled with plants that want you dead but they eat fire this time #and a relatively normal forest with a temple in the middle where wormwood is cilling in #in my minds eye it works off of enlightenment like other lunar places but no sleepy guys ofc #instead its more like a gague of how well the plantlife around you can see you and as a result of how agressive they will be #I also imagine they are light sensitive which is both a obsticle and smth you can use to your advantage #and ofc youd be playing as wheeler because Id have to ok #anyways I musteth shower now

[ceilidho]

take me home, country road

[ao3]

You have nothing on your person apart from a hastily packed suitcase and the dress you came into town wearing, on the run from trouble back home. Too bad John's missing a bride that matches your description. Or: the 1800s (mistaken) mail order bride au (part 8)

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

-

Now a nocturnal animal emerges into the daylight hours.

A week becomes two and your shoulders untense. It’s not something you notice at first because you’re used to an ever present strain between your shoulder blades and an ache in your jaw from grinding your teeth at night. Then a fortnight goes by without so much as a missive with your name on it floating across John’s desk or a stranger appearing in town after tracking you down, and you wonder if maybe the world really is big enough to hide in. 

It sure feels that way at times. The woods beyond the bounds of John’s property stretch out farther than the eye can see and even walking it feels like you could disappear into another realm. Old spruces shoot up high into the clouds, and deeper into the woods, huge rock formations grow more and more prominent as you near the mountains. John takes you through the woods on horseback, following the rough trails carved into the dirt by a century of wagons and carts using the same path. The footprints of a different time. 

Up in the trees, birds warble and chirp, talking to one another in songs that you’ve never heard before. A woodpecker drills into the side of a tree. Pinecones snap out of the upper branches and drop to the forest floor. 

There is only a single trail and it’s easy to lose. You grow a bit nervous when John takes you off the trail and deeper into the woods, but he does so with the confidence of a man that knows these woods like the back of his hand. You go quiet when he stops Buttercup to let a herd of deer wander by, the stragglers hurrying to catch up with the group, throwing the two of you nervous glances before they disappear into the thicket. 

“Should we be out this far?” you ask in a whisper, reluctant to disturb the silence. Though the woods are full of animals that bleat, chirp, chatter, and hoot, the sound of your own voice feels preternaturally loud and shrill. 

“We won’t get lost, darlin’. I know my way around,” John reassures you, curling an arm around your waist to hold you to him. These days, you hardly worry about tumbling off the horse. Not with him at your back anyway. 

“That wasn’t really my worry,” you mumble, trailing off.

“Then what’re you getting all worked up about?”

“Aren’t there wolves out here? Or bears?”

He snorts, the sound making you jolt. You don’t topple over because he has such a firm hold around your waist. “They don’t usually come this close to town. They’re more scared of you than you are of them.”

“That sounds like something mothers tell their children to stop them crying,” you say flatly. You draw your legs up automatically when John directs Buttercup through a shallow basin, a shortcut back home. It makes you anxious for a moment, but the water barely goes up to her ankles, so you relax when you realize that you’re in no danger of being swept away by the current.

“That doesn’t mean a bear or wolf can’t wander by, but it’s rare.”

“And there it is.”

You can feel the heat of his glower on the back of your head. “We could spend the night out here if you want to see for yourself.”

At that, you shut your mouth. Even if he were to prove his point, you have no interest in camping out in the woods now that you’ve become accustomed to the luxury of a soft bed. Granted that you’re forced to share that same bed, still you’ve never slept half as well as you do these days. You wake up rested after nine hours of blissful shut eye, a sleep so deep that your dreams only come in half-remembered flashes. Often they involve the man you wake up wrapped around, and for that you’re grateful that they remain submerged. 

A new desire has started to burrow its way into the back of your mind in recent days. It starts out as a thought so brief that you hardly notice it before it skitters away. 

And then it lingers. 

You wake up in the middle of the night hot, sweat dripping down the nape of your neck and a fire burning in your loins, a red-hot coil wound around itself, fit to burst. Pulsating. At some point throughout the night, you must have thrown a leg around John’s waist because it rests there now, your hand planted in the middle of his chest and your sex all but rubbing up against his thigh. Under your hand, you can feel his heart pump strong and steady.

You hold very, very still, waiting for him to wake. But John sleeps on, his palm loose where it rests along the curve of your hip, fingers curling into the flesh of your backside. 

You can hardly look at him these days without shaking. You’ve come to fixate on the sway of his hips when he walks and the flecks of silver in his beard. The grooves in his weathered hands. The way your head fits in the palm of his hand when he cradles it to his chest. The fond glimmer in his eyes that shines the brightest when he puts his hat on your head and it slips past your eyes, too big for your head. 

When you tip it up in order to see, the folds around his eyes become more pronounced with the force of his smile.

“There you are, bug,” he says, taking the hat off your head to set it back on his and reeling you in for a kiss. 

Bug, love, honey, darling. The constant flux of endearments makes your head spin. John never calls you by the name on your marriage license. It’s like that name means nothing to him, cast away at the first opportunity and replaced by an endless stream of pet names.  

He hasn’t touched your sex since making you come on the porch swing the week before. He pulls you into a chaste embrace at night, the only evidence of his own desire being the stiff shaft nestled against the small of your back in the early morning hours, which he takes care of on his own in the bathroom downstairs after pressing a kiss to your cheek. You feel robbed of something, though you don’t know quite what. 

You’re tempted to offer your help, but you don’t know exactly what that would entail. Inexperience and fear of rejection hold you back, stay your tongue. In the two weeks you’ve been married, he hasn’t once tried to pin you down and rut between your thighs like you expected and dreaded that very first night. 

Now that that time has passed, you don’t know how to initiate that moment again. 

John promises to teach you how to ride a horse. You can’t see a reason to protest, much to your chagrin. Despite your apprehensions, even you can’t deny that it would be a helpful skill. A train only goes one way after all, confined to a single track. A horse has no such laws to obey.

The thought stays nestled at the back of your mind as the days continue on.

You flounder around in the kitchen on the day that John invites his deputies over for supper. You’ve met the big one—Simon—now a small handful of times, each encounter marked by a silence that sucks the air out of the room when he turns his gaze on you and holds it. Perhaps you’ve simply ascribed too much importance to his person, given that every time you’ve seen him, your life has changed irrevocably. His presence is always followed by revelation it seems. The archangel of vicissitude. A harbinger of uncertain times.

The other two are new. John introduces you to them when you bring out the cutlery and crockery to set the table, and you nearly go cross-eyed when they reach across the table at the same time to offer their hands. You go to meet them halfway, but flinch when John brings his hand down on the table with enough force to make the silverware jump.

“Sorry, darlin’,” he apologizes to you first before turning his glare on the other two. “That ain’t proper, boys. You wait for the lady to offer her hand first—you don’t treat a woman like she’s a mutt you’re teaching to shake.”

“Ah, sorry, hen,” the one on the left says, his voice a thick Scottish brogue like a purr. He’s possibly the handsomest man you’ve ever met, but there’s something dangerous and wild in his eyes. When he smiles, it curls up in a roguish sort of way that makes you falter, like he’s in on a joke that you aren’t. “Dinnae mean to offend. No’ often we get ta meet such a pretty lady.” 

“Sorry—” the one on the right apologizes in a voice far more earnest than his counterpart’s. “And sorry for him. We think he was raised by wolves.”

“What’s yer excuse then?” the Scot sneers, knocking his knee into the other man’s under the table. “Dinnae see ye waitin’ for her fuckin’ hand like a gentleman—apologies, hen.”

“Christ,” John sighs, leaning back in his chair and staring up at the ceiling. 

Simon stays silent at the other end of the table, but the whole table jumps when he aims a kick at the Scott’s leg. He hisses and blurts out a word in a language you’ve never heard before, the word unmistakably vitriolic. He clutches at his shin and shoots a nasty look at Simon, though he doesn’t make a move to retaliate. 

“Name’s Kyle. Kyle Garrick,” the other introduces himself, and you finally reach across the table to offer your hand. His hand is warm against yours when he takes it, dark skin burnished in the candlelight. There’s something inviting about him; something about his eyes, so dark that you almost fall into them. Thick lips curl up into a smile. “And this here is Soap.”

You frown. “Soap?”

The man in question runs a hand down his front, emphasizing the cut of his shirt and the way it clings to the muscle of his chest. “‘Cause of how well I clean up.”

Simon barks out a laugh at that. The sound comes so sudden and sharp that it startles you. “You got it ‘cause your mum had to wash out your mouth with soap.”

It’s the most you’ve ever heard out of him and you can only stare wide-eyed at the lot of them as they dissolve into bickering and squabbling after that. It’s almost a relief to head back into the kitchen to finish cooking. 

Dinner is a similar messy affair, punctuated by the sound of Soap practically gnawing the meat off the bone. He only apologizes when John barks at him for making a mess, more food on the floor around him than on his plate, but his table manners don’t last very long. John doesn’t seem so much embarrassed on their behalf as annoyed, but it’s an annoyance that comes with an aftertaste of warmth. You can tell without asking that they’ve known each other for years. 

There’s room enough in you for food and envy. Back home you had friends. Never close friends, but acquaintances at least. Maids you could recognize by face. Small talk while ascending single-file up the servants’ staircase. Perhaps little more than that. You’d never been particularly close to any of them, but how could you? You worked from morning ‘till night, up and down the stairs, moving in the shadows. Never making too much noise lest your employers take notice of you. 

Like he did.

You shake it off. That’s no matter now. You’re hundreds of miles away and living under a new name. A married woman, to the county sheriff no less. It only sometimes hurts your heart to think of how lonely you’d been. 

When they leave, you stand at the window and watch as they disappear into the black of the night, Simon at the front of the pack, his torchlight leading the way. The sound of horse hooves beating against the dirt recedes the farther they get. 

His hands warm your shoulders. You don’t know how long he’s been there, standing behind you while you stared out the window after the boys. All you know is that his hands are warm, and the kiss he presses to the back of your head makes you arch back into him, unconsciously gravitating closer to him. Needing to be near. 

In bed, you curl your fingers against his chest. On a rough exhale, you wake. You dream still of something terrible that happens somewhere else, in another city, in an old life. His heartbeat lulls you back to sleep.

John takes you to the local seamstress to have you fitted for a pair of pants and suddenly you’re out of excuses. They fit you comfortably, like a second skin, and you find yourself pulling at the legs at your final fitting as if to stretch out the material. The seamstress nearly jabs you with a pin and glares up at you until you stop fidgeting. 

You come to terms with it when he brings you into the stables and makes you fetch the saddle from where it rests on its stand. It’s heavier than you expected. You stumble back over to where John now has Buttercup standing in the middle of the stable, holding her by the lead fixed to her bridle. 

“I don’t know if—” you start, trepidation climbing up your chest until it grips you by the throat. For as many times as you’ve ridden her, you’ve never done it alone. 

John fixes her lead to a post and walks over to you, taking the saddle from your hands and letting it drop to the ground. He cups your face in both hands to tilt your head up. “Hey, honey. We’re not doing much of anything today, alright? Just a walk around the paddock so you get used to sitting on Buttercup on your own. I’m not gonna smack her ass and send you down the trail at full tilt..”

That gets a laugh out of you. “You promise?”

He smiles. “Promise, darlin’.”

And he keeps it. The only thing you do that day is learn how to tack a horse and how to properly mount and dismount her. The latter part of the lesson is devoted to you trying to find your balance while John leads the two of you around the pen at a leisurely pace. He calms you down when he sees you grow too stiff, stopping to coo and rub your thigh until you gradually relax. It’s heartwarming until Buttercup begins to tense up too for a reason unbeknownst to you and you watch in righteous fury as John calms her down the same way.

John gets you a hat to keep the sun from beating down on you, but there’s little he can do about the soreness between your thighs and the stiffness in your legs the next day. All you can do is hiss and moan in pain, hobbling around the house until he forces you down into a chair and hikes up your dress in order to apply an arnica salve to your inner thighs. 

It’s a relief and an affront at the same time. The duality of man. The salve soothes much of the ache, but you twitch nervously around John for the rest of the day, the memory of him pinning you to the chair and forcibly spreading your thighs haunting you. The lingering ache in your core is just the salt in the wound. 

It rains another day. A light drizzle while the sun is still out.

Every day you sit and you think, will it be today? And then the wash basins are emptied out in the field, the horses are taken out to the paddock, you pin the laundry up on the line to dry, and John presses a farewell kiss to your forehead when he leaves you with Kate and nothing happens. Every inch of you waits for more, anticipates more. Throbs when he leaves you wanting, only a chaste kiss and a squeeze around your waist before he’s off. 

You can feel it coming to a head. An itch you can’t shake. 

That day comes with another ache you can’t shake. 

“Please,” you beg, clasping your hands in front of you. “One day of rest. That’s all I’m asking. I can’t do this anymore, John.”

John snaps the lead in his hands. “Let’s get a move on. We’re burning daylight.”

You hang your head low on the march over to the stables, John taking up the rear like he expects you to bolt. An executioner’s walk. The thought of escape has never seemed further away—not even because of its feasibility, but because all you want to do is lie down and rest.

“You can quit your moping,” he says as you tack up Buttercup, a pout on your lips. “Got something special for you today.”

That makes you perk up, regardless of the fact that he doesn’t specify what that is. Anticipation mounts in you when he helps you up onto Buttercup and then climbs up behind you himself. He steers her away from the paddock and towards the trail leading into the woods, the sun at its zenith now, illuminating everything as far as the eye can see.

You’ve ridden this trail before. A week ago, with John at your back as he is now. Through the fields and over the hills until the trees start to number in the tens and then the hundreds, no clear delineation between plain and forest. Simply there and then everywhere.

By now, after hours of sun beating down on the path, the trail is mostly dry, yesterday’s rain long since having sunk into the earth. You think it’d still be a tough hike on foot, but on horseback you cover acres of land at a brisk pace, Buttercup hardly breaking a sweat. You cross paths with a small group traveling by horse and wagon, but John breaks off from the path not too long after that, steering Buttercup deeper into the wilderness, where the only gullies are the ones carved out by years and years of rainfall. 

You only see it when the land begins to dip and you’re forced to hold onto the horn and tighten your thighs around the fenders to keep steady. At the bottom of a hill, a small stream opens up into a larger river, narrowing out at the other end where the land rises again and the water can only trickle over the pebbly riverbed. On the other side, a rocky outcropping cuts the stream off from view.

“Is this where you used to come to bathe?” you ask, recalling an earlier conversation.

John sighs. “Thought I’d take you for a swim as a treat, but if you’d rather just tease me—”

“Well now, let’s not be hasty,” you say, already trying to dismount on your own, eyes glued on the stream glimmering in the sunlight. John chuckles, keeping you pressed to him until he guides Buttercup under a tree for shade and dismounts first, helping you down after him. 

All you want to do is wade in the stream up to your ankles, so that’s what you do. Boots kicked off, Buttercup relaxing in the shade of a tree, John standing by the water’s edge with his hands on his hips and watching you tiptoe over the smooth rocks below. You roll up your pant legs, but eventually you feel the ends grow damp as you venture farther out. At its deepest, you would probably sink up to your waist.

“Don’t you want to swim?” John asks from somewhere behind you.

You splash around a bit, kicking your feet through the water. “Hard to do that with clothes—”

When you turn back around to face him, your eyes dart down momentarily at the sight of skin before you squeak and whirl back around, sending up an arc of water. Twice now you’ve seen him naked. 

“You’ve no clothes on,” you state, bluntly enough that it almost sounds stupid. 

You hear the water splash and ripple when he takes his first step in. “Right—you better think about doing the same if you don’t want to ride home soaking wet.”

“I was perfectly fine just getting my feet wet,” you say indignantly.  

“We came out here to swim, not get your feet wet,” John laughs. You stiffen when his hand comes down on your shoulder, conscious of the fact that your husband is standing right behind you, entirely divested of his clothes. “So best get to steppin’.”

“You can’t make me.”

“Oh, honey,” he says pityingly. “Yes, I can.”

You squeeze your eyes shut as you make your way back to shore, careful not to allow yourself a glimpse of him. Your boots are stacked beneath the shade of another tree, John’s clothes folded neatly beside them. You strip slowly, attentive to the world around you; though unlikely, it’s not impossible that someone might wander by. Your only consolation is that John is still within sight, though you keep your back to him because in recent days, you’ve developed a hunger for him that even now makes your stomach hurt.  

Though the air is warm, you shiver. When you turn around with your arms crossed over your breasts to hide them from sight, you find John wading in the river up to his waist. You’ve seen him like this once before, the hearty body of a man in his prime. Sturdy and strong. The hair on his chest is darker than that on his head, wet too from the dip he must have taken when your back was turned. His hair is slicked back too, a wet hand combing it back. 

“Come on, darlin’,” he calls, beckoning you forward with his hand.

The water is a cold shock when you step in past your ankles. Ice cold tendrils wrap up your legs, sucking the warmth from you. 

You suck in a soft breath when he pulls you into his arms and heaves you up, big hands gripping under your thighs. Your breasts press against the wet skin of his chest, nipples already pebbled. The river is deeper than you assumed; John pulls you deeper in until it pools around your waist and then your chest. Cold enough that you shiver until John dips his head down and the kiss he presses to your lips melts you from the inside out. 

You can’t escape the intimacy of water-slick skin. When John drags you up his chest, your nipples brush over his and the shudder that passes through you is violent, toe-curling. You know that he can feel the heat of your core even underwater. With your legs wound around his waist, every inch of you is plastered to his front. Even your fingers play with the ends of his hair, arms draped over his shoulders. You can’t look away.

“C’mon,” he murmurs, breath hot on your face. “Eyes on me.”

As if you could look anywhere else. 

He reaches down under the water to readjust himself and you gasp when his shaft is suddenly right there, trapped between his belly and your heat. It’s the closest you’ve ever gotten to coitus, his glans nestled between your folds. You’d only have to shift slightly for him to slip right in. The thought makes your breath quicken. 

He doesn’t make a move to take you though, even knowing that he could. How easy it would be. How it’s due to him. Your husband that’s waited a fortnight to take you as his own. John kisses you until each slick pass of his lips grows sloppier, clumsier—his lips barely parting from yours before they’re on you again, rendering you a creature of base needs. 

But his hands don’t shift from your backside where he holds you in place. His fingers dig into the flesh hard enough to bruise, but they don’t move to part your folds to make room for his manhood. You expect him to—practically yearn for it and squeeze him around the neck all the harder when he subverts your expectations, doing no more than letting you grind your heat against the base of his shaft. 

“John—John, please,” you beg, mindless for what. You don’t know what you’re asking for. 

“What d’ya need, darlin’?” he asks into your mouth, stealing your answer with another kiss. 

You fall under the swell of another wave. When the root of his cock glides over your clit, your core clenches on nothing, a sob half-bitten off in your mouth, ripped from your chest. 

It doesn’t matter how close to him you get—he gives you nothing. The heat could very well burn you from the inside out. Cold water caresses your skin as it flows past, but the center of you runs so hot that you hardly notice it. 

When he hikes you higher up against his chest, you clench your fingers in his hair, whining when he takes your nipple into his mouth. Your gasp comes out sharp and hurt when the coarse bristles of his beard rub rough against your breast. He sucks at your breast tender at first, gentle, eyes half-lidded like his mind has gone somewhere else, but there’s a glint in his eye that grows wild and dark, that turns him rough. You don’t know what to do except shake and let him use you how he wants. 

Desperation nips at your heels, urging you up the length of him. If you had more nerve, you’d reach down and grasp him under the water, notch the head of his member against your sex and sink right down on him. You need him like you've never needed anything before. Every part of you aflame, searing hot under the sun at its highest point; right overhead, right on top of you. 

His teeth sink delicately into your areola, tongue lapping over your nipple to soothe the hurt, and suddenly, you break.

“Please—” you gasp, wrenching his mouth away from your breast and whimpering when he resists at first, glaring up at you like he might bite. “Please, John—I can’t take it. I need you.”

His eyes darken, the pupil swallowing everything up. “Need me where, wife? Here?”

A hand dips between your thighs, pointer finger gliding over your sex, plump with blood. So tender that your mouth hangs open on a whine when he touches you. 

“Y-yes,” you whimper, gaze swimming. 

John’s breath comes out in a harsh, ragged pant. Completely undone in a way you’ve never seen before. “Get out, darlin’. I’m taking you home. Gonna give you what you need.”

#ceil writing #cod mw2 #cod x reader #price/reader #john price/reader #price x reader #price x you #john price x reader #john price

[breadbrobin]

the trees

clarisse la rue x reader — percy jackson and the olympians

[fem!daughter of apollo reader]

summary: you have a very specific skill set that helps your team with capture the flag, and clarisse thinks it’s fascinating. in fact, she thinks you’re as fascinating as you think she is.

warnings: swearing, arguments, fighting, PINING, heights i guess (reader is up a tree), possibly ooc clarisse but not too much i hope.

word count: 2.5k

(so the brainrot has (inevitably) spread to clarisse. there’s gonna be a part two to this as well, so lmk if y’all want it (tbh i’ll probably post it anyway but still). oh and also i love her and i am a clarisse apologist and lover until the day i die)

(sort-of-enemies to sort-of-lovers, but more like idiots to pining idiots (in a tree))

(part 2 here)

———————————————

archery wasn’t the only thing you were good at, but it was by far the best thing you were good at. a daughter of apollo: master of archery, mediocre of music and magical at making weird ass noises. bird calls, animal sounds, imitations—you name it, you could do it.

and those were useful tactics in capture the flag, for sure.

annabeth chase was a master strategist, and you had to give it to her: she remembered everyone’s strengths, weaknesses and alliances while you couldn’t even remember what you’d had for breakfast that day.

as always, you were tucked up in a tree, around halfway up. you weren’t too high, so that you could speak and people wouldn’t automatically know you were above them, but you weren’t too low so they couldn’t see you.

you kind of liked being in the trees now. after three years of capture the flag and around six months of freaking out every time you climbed above ten feet, you were finally used to it. it was almost calming; a way for you to relax after a stressful day and pretend that nothing around you existed.

until the red team came by, that is.

that’s what you were waiting for. the flag was around fifty feet to your right. your job was to be a lookout and a distraction.

it was your favourite part of the game, getting to trick people and shoot arrows at them when they came too close, allowing the blue team members around the bottom of your tree to pop out and disarm their opponents.

it wasn’t a trick you used every time—not even the ares cabin are that stupid—but when you did use it, you had the time of your life.

there was a snapping branch to your left. you straightened up from where you were leaning against the tree trunk behind you and peered through the leaves. you were perched on a thick bough, hidden by leaves and branches, but able to see enough through them that you could do your job.

you could hear voices, but you couldn’t see anyone.

you listened carefully. you knew that voice.

you realised with a start who it was.

clarisse la rue.

fucking clarisse, man. she drove you insane. and not for the reason she drove most of camp insane. no, unlike almost everyone else, you were attracted to her. in fact, you were, annoyingly, in love with her, you’d have to admit. it was infuriating.

you could hear her cutting through the forest. it was strange. she didn’t usually come for the flag. usually, she hunted in the woods and caught stragglers. she didn’t want the glory as much as she wanted the fight. to her, winning the battle seemed more important than winning the war.

regardless of why, you could hear her voice. she was talking to her siblings below you, creeping through the foliage.

the sun was warm on your face and you send up a brief prayer to your father.

from your lips slipped an almost perfect impression of your blue team guards. you’d used this trick last game, but clarisse hadn’t been there, so she wouldn’t know. “i can’t believe they put us on guard duty again.”

they all froze in their tracks, looking at each other, then ahead in the opposite direction from the flag.

you held in a snicker. “ugh, yeah, it’s the worst. i mean, why can’t we do anything fun? i wanna fight clarisse!”

you could see the smirk curling on her lips and you had to stop yourself from blushing.

you continued this cat and mouse game. the ares kids below you fanned out, aiming to surround you. it would have been a smart move, if there was actually a flag there and not just a tree.

slowly, they inched in, then leapt out.

“ahh!! you caught us! i’ve been impaled!”

they looked around in fear and confusion but clarisse looked straight up. she always did.

“hey, angel, nice voice,” she mocked. “wanna come on down?”

you shook your head. “no, thanks, i’m comfortable.”

she raised and eyebrow, seeing your arrow drawn and pointed directly at her. “that’s not necessary.”

“isn’t it?” your arrow flew and, though she hit it away, you teammates came pouring out of the foliage, having been waiting for your signal.

a fight ensued. it looked like it was going well for a short while, then the tides turned.

they weren’t as caught off guard as they usually were. hell, clarisse was even smiling!

with what looked like very little effort, the ares campers effectively destroyed your teammates. they were left disarmed and defeated, and you were stuck in a tree. typical.

as her siblings took their weapons, clarisse looked up at you. “you wanna come down now?”

you shook your head. “rather not. the view from up here is pretty good.”

she muttered something to herself, but you couldn’t hear her. then she spoke up. “what if we come up there?”

you drew your bow back immediately and an arrow pierced the dirt right in front of her foot.

she looked down at it, then back up at you, an amused smirk on her face. “right, silly me.”

that surprised you. she was usually cold and cruel in capture the flag, always taking no prisoners and leaving no survivors—in a technical sense. you’d seen people nursing their minor wounds after the games when your siblings forced you to help out in the infirmary (not that you’re much help in there, but regardless), and everyone heard the stories they’d tell of clarisse appearing out of the ferns and attacking ruthlessly. so why was she not being so ruthless today?

she was certainly cruel in her fight against your team members, but any other day, she would have thrown her spear at you or thrown one of your arrows back, or even climbed up anyway. instead, she just smirked up at you, content to wait.

“where’s the flag, bows?” she asked, using a nickname she’d only used a few times, one that referenced both the bows you used and the bows you sometimes put in your hair.

you shrugged. “dunno. they don’t tell me anything. i just get out here and told to be annoying.” your traitorous eyes flickered to the direction of the flag. you’d never been good at lying.

and curse her, clarisse noticed. she always noticed when it came to you, it seemed. whether it was catching you in a lie, catching you when you were admiring her or catching your every move when sparring, she always noticed.

she nodded at her siblings and they moved off. “i’ll wait here. try and flush our squirrel out.”

if they were confused or surprised, they didn’t show it.

once they were gone, clarisse plucked the arrow from the dirt and studied it. “this is new.”

“sam from hephaestus made them,” you said meekly. why would she stay behind? it didn’t make sense. you weren’t a threat, or even a good fight.

her face darkened. “oh. and where is your boyfriend now, then? hm?”

your cheeks flamed. “he’s not my boyfriend.” and it was true. he wasn’t. despite the fact that he liked you and made things for you all the time, your heart was decidedly with another. and she was right below you, tossing your prized arrow aside like an old tissue. “he’s on your team anyway. you should know where he is.”

she smirked again. “oh, yeah. i remember now. that’s right, i sent him to try and get our flag. he didn’t even make it five steps before he was attacked.”

her bitter laugh made your heart clench. was it pity for sam or your feelings for her, or both? you weren’t sure. either way, it was starting to get on your nerves.

it was silent for a long time. she looked up at you every few seconds, then at the tree, like she was gauging how hard she’d have to push you for you to die on impact. her eyes were sharp and her smile was sharper, and fuck you were attracted to her.

you cleared your throat and broke the silence, hearing fighting off in the near distance. you would go and help, but the only way for you to do so would be to tree-hop all the way to the flag, and while you could do it, it wasn’t the best idea. “why did you stay h—what are you doing?” you aimed an arrow at her.

“relax, angel, we both know you won’t actually shoot me.” she was climbing up the tree. fast. “and don’t worry, i’m not gonna push you out or attack you. i don’t like looking up at you.”

call you stupid or whipped or whatever, but you believed her. you lowered your bow but didn’t lessen the tension on your string. she’d almost reached your branch when you swivelled around to face her. you moved fast, your arrow returning to its holster and you body facing the trunk of the tree with your legs swung over each side of the wide bough. your dagger was swiftly removed from its holster and pressed under clarisse’s chin.

she laughed at you.

you faltered slightly. “what?”

“nothing,” she snickered. “i just saw it coming. now scoot back.”

you dropped your dagger and shifted backwards, glad the bough was strong.

she clambered onto your branch easily, sitting facing you with her back against the tree trunk, a smirk on her face.

you sighed bitterly. “you see everything coming.”

she shrugged. “pretty much. but so do you.”

“that’s the gift of divine premonition,” you grumbled. it could be useful sometimes, but all you really got was a sense, a feeling or, occasionally, a single frame of a moment. right now, though, your senses were so clogged with her vanilla-strawberry and leather scent, and with her, that you could hardly think, let alone experience a minor prophecy. not to mention the fact that if you did, you’d probably fall out of the tree.

she shrugged. “isn’t that useful?”

“yeah, when it actually works or doesn’t make me pass out.” you shrugged. “it’s temperamental.”

she hummed in thought, leaning back and crossing her arms. her knees were mere centimetres from yours.

“what are you doing up here, clarisse?” you asked.

she shrugged, but you could see a shift in her demeanour when she said your name. it was like the muscles in her shoulders relaxed for a moment, then tensed again. “didn’t want you to escape.”

“so you let your other prisoners escape?” you gestured to the ground, where your teammates were sitting around fifteen feet from the tree in a circle, plucking the grass.

clarisse raised her eyebrows at you in amusement. “oh, i think they’re fine. they’re too scared of me to do anything, anyway.”

you narrowed your eyes at her. “i don’t think you’re that scary.”

she rolled her eyes. “sure. but everyone else does. so you’re wrong.”

“it was my opinion. my opinion can’t be wrong if it’s my opinion.” that was another thing: you were never one to start an argument, but by god would you escalate it.

“your opinions wrong if i say it’s wrong,” she huffed, her jaw tight.

“not how opinions work, babe,” you said lightly, using your dagger point to carve away at the bark beneath you.

she smacked your hand to stop you. “you’re gonna dull it!”

“the point is already dull!” you protested, poking your finger to show her. it indented, but didn’t draw blood. “see?”

“so, what, you threatened me with a butter knife? i’m offended.”

“it’s the idea of it that cuts deeper anyway. the primal fear of being gutted by a dagger. in capture the flag at least.” you shrugged, carving a wonky flower in the bark. “it’s more about threats than action.”

clarisse rolled her eyes. “and what if a monster comes and attacks you, and all you’ve got is this blunt dagger?”

“you ever seen an archers muscles?” you turned slightly and flexed your shoulders. you could see her eyes follow the sharp lines of your shoulders and back. “i’ll use force. force is more effective than sharpness. you know that.”

“and yet, my weapons are all still sharp.” she snatched the dagger from you and pulled out a whetstone from a pocket in her cargo pants. she began sharpening your blade.

“hey, don’t—“

she smacked your hand with the flat of your own blade when you reached for it, and you withdrawn with a hiss, shaking your hand. she laughed. “i guess force is more important, huh, angel?”

your cheeks were hot. “don’t call me that.”

“why, you worried you might like it?” she looked up, teasing. her eyes narrowed at the look on your face and then she grinned. “you do like it.”

“no. shut up.”

she laughed again, but it was a little softer than usual. she looked back down at the dagger. “did sam make this for you?”

“yeah, w—clarisse!” you gasped as she dropped it off the bough. or, more accurately, threw it off the bough. “what was that for?”

she shrugged. “it’s not that good. i’ll get you a better one from the ares stash. don’t worry.”

you glared at her. “that was mine, though!”

“it was blunt and poorly made,” she protested. “it wasn’t good enough for you.”

the way she said it made you think there was a double meaning there.

“he’s not good enough for you,” she said, softer, proving you right.

your eyes were wide and your cheeks were flaming. “what?”

“you heard me.” her softness was staying, it seemed. if you weren’t mistaken, her hand was reaching for yours. “he’s not. you know he’s not. why do you like him?”

before you could respond, a horn blew in the distance and cheering erupted from around the forest. red team had won.

clarisse didn’t look happy. she leaned back—you hadn’t even realised she’d leaned forward—and glared at the bough between you both.

“congratulations,” you said softly. “you deserved the win.”

“yeah, we did.” her voice carried very little enthusiasm.

you studied her face for a minute, like you were committing every feature to memory. “clarisse…”

she didn’t respond. instead, she swung her leg over the bough and started climbing down. only when she got two branches down did you begin to follow her, hurrying in your attempt to catch up. you couldn’t. no matter how good you were at something, she was better.

she nodded at you as she walked off, your foot caught in a tight spot.

once you’d finally got down, your teammates were surrounding you. some asked you what had happened, some accused you of being a double agent for them, some asked if you were okay.

you answered them all absently as you all walked back towards the stream, but your heart wasn’t in it. what the hell was going on?

you’d reached the stream by the time you realised you’d left your dagger behind, and you were back at your cabin, trying to fall asleep, when you realised that it didn’t bother you at all.

(part 2)

#clarisse la rue #clarisse la rue x reader #clarisse la rue x y/n #clarisse la rue x you #percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #clarisse pjo #clarisse x reader #dior goodjohn #pjo #pjo x reader #pjo tv show

[lxkeee]

Hi, could I request a Lucifer morningstar x darkness demon overlord reader? She lurks in the shadows like a boogeyman, she acts like morticia adams from the adams family, how would he meet or act around the gothic queen👁👁✨

LUCIFER X OVERLORD! FEM! READER

Part two

Lucifer was just wandering around hell, unknowingly entering a territory of an overlord.

He doesn't know okay? It's just a forest of dead wilted trees with ominous aura.

His first instinct is to investigate.

This is his first time coming here, he only discovered this area after flying by to return to the palace.

Lucifer was walking around the dense forest, with his guard up.

The forest was quiet. A little too quiet.

He isn't afraid, unfortunately. He knows he can kill any demon who would try to mess with him.

Crack. A twig snapped

His head whipped to the direction of the noise, “Who goes there? Show yourself!” he threatens, wings in full display.

Shadows moving around him and finally stopping in front of him, morphing into a figure.

Lucifer expected a lot of things, but this.

A very tall and gorgeous woman, large deer antlers on her head. Sultry eyes and a smirk on her face.

Oh fuck, she's beautiful. Dangerous. He can sense the power she has.

“Good evening your highness, I didn't expect to see you here wandering around my home.” the woman says with a chuckle, making the man become a little flustered.

“Your home...?” he asked hesitantly and the woman nodded.

“Yes, this is my home or rather my territory. My home is somewhere around here. I just sensed a presence around these grounds and decided to check. I didn't expect to see the king of hell to be here.”

“M-my apologies, my lady. I simply didn't know.” he stammers a bit. Ah, calm yourself Lucifer. You're more powerful so you shouldn't be intimidated, he says to himself internally.

“It is alright, if you don't mind. Do you want to join me for a cup of tea? I just so happen to have finished brewing some.”

Lucifer is cautious around sinners, especially her. He doesn't know why his heart is palpitating this much. The best reason he got is fear loud incorrect buzzer noise

“I don't want to intrud—”

“Nonsense! You're not intruding.”

“But—”

“Do not fret, I am not going to hurt you. I should be the scared one as you are much more powerful than me. I am sure you can obliterate my existence with a flick of your finger.” the woman laughs softly, a kind of laugh that reminds him of the books he's read. The kind of laugh that draws you in.

“How about this, how about we get acquainted with each other? So that you'll be more comfortable?”

Lucifer's eyes narrowed, “Why are you so insistent?”

“Well, I just love making friends and you my dear seem to be an interesting character that I don't mind befriending.”

Lucifer rolls his eyes but eventually nodded, “Fine, My name is Lucifer Morningstar.”

“Wonderful, then... It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Lucifer, my name is [y/n]” She says before gently holding his hand and placing a small kiss on his knuckles.

With a smirk on her face as her eyes looked at him as she did so.

Lucifer's cheeks reddened, quickly snatching his hand away from the demoness.

“So, about that tea?”

Lucifer is beginning to see a pattern.

A type even.

It's been a few months since he's met the deer demoness.

Surprisingly he managed to get along with her, despite her... Rather questionable actions.

He often visits her mansion at the middle of the forest where he met her or the other way around.

She often surprises him by popping out of the shadows with her presence concealed.

She's playful, mysterious, dangerous, beautiful.

And tall.

He likes his women tall okay?

And he likes them a little deranged.

Anyways.

She keeps teasing him.

Just like the other day, he came to visit at the wrong time and she forced him to help her get dressed.

It was inappropriate! She only asked him to zip the zipper of her dress.

Poor guy was blushing.

She didn't make fun of his obsession with rubber ducks.

She even made ducks out of shadows and made it swim around his room and of course, he made one too with his powers.

The shadows and gold dust ducks swimming around the room and in the air.

It was... Cute...

Lucifer has gotten to know the woman better too, he has gotten the chance to see many sides of her.

Lucifer isn't stupid, he can tell he's developing feelings for her.

He's afraid, he's afraid of getting hurt again or hurting her.

He has issues he needed to fix first.

Though, he is slightly a flustered mess around the woman.

Can you blame him? She calls him endearing nicknames! She calls him sweetheart and it just makes his heart flutter.

He is cautious around her not because he's afraid of her but because he fears his feelings for her would accidentally be known.

And she just appears out of nowhere!

It took awhile for him to sort his emotions and he thinks he is finally ready to confess.

But first, Lucifer needs to find hints if she feels the same way.

“Thanks for the coffee, [y/n]. It tastes amazing as always.” Lucifer says, admiring the duck shaped cream that is floating on his coffee.

“It is a pleasure, sweetheart. Drink to your heart's content. I know you've been stressed lately.” She says with a gentle voice.

“I have a question.” he started, already planning a discreet way to ask her.

“Hmm? Go ahead.”

“What if let's say... You have a close friend and you've only known him for a couple of months but they fell in love with you and now they're planning to confess to you? Would you date him?”

Don't mind him guys, he's trying his best.

[y/n] tilts her head slightly, confused before giggling.

She's not stupid but she kinda wants to tease him.

“Depending on who this friend is.”

“Just answer.” he deadpans.

“Yes, would you confess though?” she asked as she leans forward to reach him across the table, holding his chin. Lips just a few inches away from each other.

Lucifer.exe has stopped working.

“Y-yes...” he stammers, beginning to feel shy as his cheeks heat up.

“Do you want a kiss?” she asked teasingly.

“Please...?”

“Good boy.” she says before finally pressing her lips against his.

It was the most addicting kiss he ever experienced.

“I like you.”

“I like me too.”

“[y/n]!”

“I am just joking, I like you too.”

#lxkeee hazbin hotel masterlist #hazbin hotel #lucifer #lucifer hazbin hotel #lucifer morningstar x reader #lucifer magne #hazbin hotel x reader #lxkeee answers #lucifer morningstar

[ilovechuuyasm]

I'm delusional, so I came up with a beautiful scenario with Alastor in which he loves the reader 😭

It's a situation where you've known him while you were still alive and you both were dating, but he died lmao.

Well, after a while, you died too, and since his death, you haven't been able to love anyone else. You went to hell after death and heard about some Hazbin Hotel on the news. Normally, you would ignore it completely, but your attention was caught by a host who looked remarkably like your beloved one from Earth, but more demonically, and what caught your attention even more was that he had the same name.

You went to the hotel because apparently everyone was welcome there, but when you got there he wasn't there because he had something to do. Everyone was shocked that you were looking for him and that's how you found out what he was famous for in hell. This only confirmed your suspicions that you had found your loved one after death, not many people could do such a fucked up thing, and you knew Alastor well, you just hoped he would recognize you too.

Finally, Alastor returned to the Hotel, before anyone could tell him about your arrival, when you saw him, you couldn't help but hug him out of nowhere. Bro was shocked. Before he even realized who you were, he pushed you away from him in one move. You saw a huge smile on his face, but he looked annoyed.

"Huuh, who might you be-?" He started talking and looked at you "Y/N..?" he asked quietly, in disbelief. When you nodded he hugged you again. "You died?" he asked.

"Umm, yeah?" You chuckled "And you killed a large part of the rulers of hell?"

While you were asking each other questions, wanting to immediately learn as much as possible about each other, everyone in the hotel was even more shocked, seeing Alastor hug a random person and being so nice to them.

"You look impressive as a radio demon" you said, judging his appearance and you touched his ear "And you have such adorable fluffy deer ears!" He still had that wide smile on his face, but you knew you were embarrassing him. A quiet "aww" could be heard coming from Charlie in the background.

"HA! I think we have a lot to talk about, darling!" Alastor said to you "In a more private place..." His eyelid twitched slightly, but you weren't afraid of him lmao, so you hugged his hand gently and you went to the room he called his own.

"Well, darling, what brought you to this hotel?" He asked, when you were admiring his half-forest room "Are you looking for redemption?"

"Uh, not actually, I just wanted to make sure it was you who.. was in the advertisement. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you think this idea is quite... ridiculous?" you chuckled.

"That's exactly what I think! But I have my reasons for being here, you'll understand everything soon, darling HaHa!" he looked at you, still smiling "And watching these people seek redemption is very entertaining" he tilted his head slightly.

"Yeah.." you randomly petted his hair, touching his ears, because for some reason you were so fascinated about them and you noticed Alastor squinting gently. (Sorry, I love the headcanon that his ears are sensitive and he reacts like a pet being scratched behind the ears) "Okay! Why don't you introduce me to your... friends?" you asked.

The hotel members were shocked again when Alastor told them that you were his partner, but Charlie was very happy that another person would stay at the hotel.

And this is something like the second part (self-advertisement):

#hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel #alastor #alastor x reader #hazbin hotel alastor #delulu #alastor x y/n #hazbin alastor #alastor hazbin hotel