Satcnized - A Deadly Affliction

MEGHANN FAHY via Instagram

There was a little flutter in the pit of her stomach when Dante told her that he liked when she smiled at him. This really wasn't the time for her to be fixating on some offhand comment. The shop was in shambles. Her favorite customer was...certainly more than just her favorite customer. She'd seen plenty of infernal things in her day. She hadn't expected him to be one of them, but she supposed there were worse things that could happen. It was almost nice, really, the knowledge that she finally wasn't the only inhuman one in the room.

But this wasn't the time to enjoy that either. Even said with an edge of humor, there was dread in what Dante said next. He didn't think it was just an accident. On the contrary, he seemed to expected something more sinister. Given his clear offensive experience and her rather meticulous keeping that made accidents in the collection all but unheard of, she was tempted to agree. Things like this didn't happen here, not just a demon breaking out but anything, really. The idea made her stomach turn in a much less pleasant way this time.

And it gave her pause when he asked about potentially apocalyptic additions to her collection. Bradley thought about her eldritch roommates, about the prison her titanic mother had built that the two of them were standing above, about the doors to cells that defied time and space. She didn't want to be suspicious of him. Right now though, she was starting to get suspicious of everything. That wasn't information that she could hand over lightly. "Of course I know everything that I keep here." The nymph finally replied, deliberately only answering the first half of his question. She brushed past Dante to continue picking up pieces here and there that she could. "I-I need to start cleaning. I really appreciate you saving my life, but I-" she grunted as she tried and failed to start dragging a wrought iron wall ornament out of the barely there path left through the rubble. And continued trying even when the metal dug into her fingers. "Can you come back another day? I really need to take care of all of this."

His grin grew as she grinned back at him, she was getting under his skin the more he spent time around her. "I like it when you smile like that at me - it makes my day."Dante admitted without any hesitation. He was an honest man, always has been, plus it was cute to tease her and offer her well deserved compliments because when she blushed it made him feel a certain way.

Scratching along his forearm, it didn't pass him by the way she looked at him, and he had to bite his tongue back to continue with the teasing, there were times when he actually had to be a bit serious, to the best of his abilities. Dante hummed as Bradley explained how things in here worked, with her receiving contained supernatural entities and keeping them that way. Blue hues scanned through the mess, for a moment lost in thought before speaking up.

"There's gotta be some disturbing in the force."he pinched at his chin before looking back at her. "--- Sorry, been watching a lot of Star wars lately. What I mean is, something is definitively happening. There's been an increase in little portals opening up, demons being let into the human world... And this attack onto your shop didn't feel like an accident. I think that demon was looking for something - or testing the waters for someone else."Dante continued on, pacing around the wooden floor as he did so. "Do you know every thing you keep around here? Is there something you keep well hidden that could be dangerous if it'd get into someone's hands - like end of the world dangerous?"

Some would call it coincidence. Others would call it providence. Helena, however, knew that the king ending up in her care was neither. Although they'd managed to operate in secret for generations, it was only a matter of time before the coven was discovered and targeted. After all, they had their fare share of connections to the beings the murderer sleeping in the other room seemed hellbent on extinguishing. Monsters, he called them. Her lip curled just at the thought of the word. A few of her own friends had even fallen to Valor's sword. Someone had to stop him.

So when battle had started to brew, the witches began weaving their web. They'd offered their support to his enemies, empowered their forces and their weapons, but they'd made sure he didn't fall. That would only enrage his entire realm. They would seek revenge for their beloved king and fight harder. Someone would carry on his mission. No, they had to dismantle the entirety of that mission to save their ilk, and Helena had been happy to be charged with the task. She was going to pull it all apart. Only then would she kill him. For now, as much as she couldn't stand the thought, she had to keep him alive.

Healing magic wasn't her specialty, but she was decent enough, and she didn't have to heal his wounds entirely. That would have been too obvious. She'd simply given him what he needed to hold on to life for the past few days until she'd increased the regenerative magic just enough to encourage his body to wake up. When she heard him stirring in the other room of the small cottage the coven had placed her in, Helena knew that it was finally time to face her mark. She took a deep breath and gathered a tray with a pitcher of water and some fresh bread that he very much didn't deserve.

"You're not alone." Helena announced as she stepped into the room, setting the tray down on a table in the corner before turning to Valor with a warm smile. "You should lie back down. You've been asleep for a few days. You'll need to go slowly." She paused and tipped her head to the side. "How are you feeling?"

status -> open to all 21+ muses *we do not have to be mutuals to reply! supernatural muses welcome, too! + canons if applicable but will be selective*

setting -> my muse, inspired by arthur from camelot lore, is the king of a small realm && has been severely injured in battle. your muse, perhaps not realizing that he is the king, has taken on the task of nursing him back to health && saving his life. bonus points if your muse is on the enemy's side, or maybe does know who he is && has other intentions, entirely utp!!

my other opens - always accepting responses!

i should be dead. it was the first thought that floated through the throbbing agony of king valor's mind, before the full force of the pain hit his body. bones, broken. flesh, torn. he last remembered the devastating swing of a sword- a blurred face with lifeless eyes as they swung to claim his own... valor startled fully awake. groaning as he sat up, nearly passing back out again as color dazzled in fractals of his vision, bile rising in his throat as his body screamed protest to movement. maybe i am dead. he shook, trying to focus on his breathing, eyes wild as they took in unfamiliar surroundings. valor looked down, noticing his clothes were gone. the royal crest, the weapons, the armor... exposed, vulnerable, with bruises blooming over so many surfaces. " hello? " the king croaked, realizing how dry his throat was, how he was too weak to stand. to fight, to run. fear flooded his veins like ice. " am i alone here? "

jaebeom – 'winter heptagon' jacket behind

His fingers flexed against her skin, pressing into the soft curve of her waist as the anticipation of hearing her answer set in. Zack couldn't remember the last time he was so eager just to hear someone speak. More often than not, he was happy to be on his own and in his own head. His circle was small. There were friends and family among the chthonic gods and the Underworld's residents, of course, but when he was in this world, he was content to have just the band and the people working with them. Performances were the closest he got to connecting to strangers. Skotos was able to do that, able to feel their energy and return it back to them as some raw, powerful being that commanded their attention and demanded their worship.

But he didn't need to hear about the rest of them. He needed to hear about her, and he frowned when Maggie told him that her life wasn't that interesting. Did she not realize that everything about her was interesting? Enchanting? Enrapturing? Absolutely fucking spellbinding? He still didn't understand why nobody had told her. Even he couldn't solve that mystery. She deserved to hear it.

Just like she deserved to break free of whatever she was chained to, even if she wasn't telling him exactly what that was. Zack found himself worried then that she was suddenly being so vague about whatever that darkness was. Still, he leaned into her touch and silently pleaded with her to keep talking. He wanted her to tell him more and nearly pouted when she tried to change the subject.

"No," he declared, not realizing that the growl slipping into his tone sounded eerily like the one he'd performed with that night. "We're not doing that." Leaning down to grip her thighs, the god easily lifted Maggie from the water and held her at his waist. Carrying her to the edge of the pool, he set her on the ledge. They still weren't entirely eye to eye, but she was closer to his height now with him still standing in the water, tattooed hands on either side of her to cage her in while he stood between her legs and fixed her with a surprisingly severe gaze.

"Don't change the subject. I told you that I want to know everything about you. Why don't you want to tell me? Do you not believe me?"

Maggie held back a breath as he approached her again in the water, his movement swift, making her almost freeze. Not from fear, just anticipation. His voice seemed a bit tense as he spoke her name, and their gazes locked onto one another. She couldn't look away even if she wanted to, his hands gently but firmly keeping her focus onto him. How easy it was for the world around her to stop when he'd look straight into her eyes, combined with his touch, it felt like her skin was on fire. Zack's gaze was puzzling to her, it felt heavy and like there was a lot of story telling behind them. It was so easy to get lost in them, to be captivated, just like... Just like there in the pit at the concert.

Letting out the softest of hums due to his touch, she let her hands carefully rest onto his chest once he pulled her in closer, firmly saying they aren't going anywhere. "Okay."she murmured in a whisper and offered him a little soft smile, so he'd know she's fine, her body began to relax once more against him. "My life?"Maggie then asked, a tad surprised by his choice of question.

Or maybe that is because she shouldn't really talk about her background as much. That's how she was raised, anyway - keep everything very lowkey, don't let people know who your family is or who your brothers work for. It could put her in grave danger, and her brothers were very paranoid when it came to Maggie. "But if I tell you everything, I might need to kill you."she mused with a chuckle, telling the most cliche quote there is, really. "I --- wouldn't know where to start. My life isn't all that interesting, Zack. It's very routine like, very lowkey. And the older I get, the harder it is. Feels like I'm chained to this kind of life and I can't break free. Maybe I don't know how, or deep down don't want to... but something has to change at some point, right? It can't always be this dark for me."Maggie mused and pushed his wet locks back, the touch soothing, tender. Perhaps she was just afraid to stand up for herself, and go against her brothers wishes. They only want what's best for her, they only wish her well. But they are never around to see this isn't the best for her and she isn't doing as well as they thing. "You, on the other hand, look like an adventurer. Like someone who has interesting stories to tell."Maggie tried to switch the subject and offered him a wide grin.

Connall couldn't remember the last time something had actually taken him down. He was a hunter. This was what he'd been doing for centuries. Now, waking up with his mind foggy and an ache at his side, he wondered what he'd gotten himself into by agreeing to be a part of this team. Still, even now, he thought it was better than being beholden to some gang leader. He'd traded one pact for another, but that was what his kind did. At the end of the day, someone had to give the hound something to hunt. Demons were as good a prey as any.

So it could have been worse. He rolled onto his back with a light groan and began pushing himself up onto his elbows. Then Lady was at his side and holding him still. "Sorry," he grumbled, realizing that he'd still been quadrupedal when he'd blacked out. It couldn't have been easy for her to get an oversized hound to safety. "And thanks," sitting up properly, Connall looked down at his bare torso. There was still some black blood around where he'd been gored by the demon. The gashes had almost completely knit themselves back together though. The ache was dull. Bearable. "I'm good. I'm good. Fuck," he huffed as he fell back onto the bed and looked up at Lady, thoroughly impressed with her even as his face remained blank. "How did you even pull that off?"

open to males and females 30+ (m if romantic)

plot; marry ann arkham aka lady, devil may cry inspired. lady has been working with your muse closely hunting down demons and those who wanted to achieve whatever agenda they had using demons as their asset. as a former lieutenant of the darkcom, she has a team people behind her who are scattered all over but do bounty work with her. on one of the missions your muse gets hurt and knocked out and lady saves you. hiding in one of her safe houses, she is taking care of your wounds.

One had to take perfect care of the weapons they use. There was no room for mistake on the field, she has learned that many years ago. Creatures of hell didn't scare her, no - she grew up with a monster in her own home, being her father who she later on put a bullet into. After everything that happened with Darkcom, Lady preferred working alone, but that was hardly ever the case. Dante has been part of her life for many years now, but unlike him she couldn't heal so it took more training, more precision, all the time, to stay sharp and focused.

She was about to finish cleaning one of her guns when they began stirring on the bed and immediately she jumped to her feet to their side. The red and blue-ish eyes immediately scanned over their features, and grabbed onto their shoulders to keep them steady. "Hey, hey, calm down - you're safe now."she hushed and urged them, to not strain too much as they'll need time to heal. "Once again you left me to do all the heavy lifting. Typical of you, really. And you're heavy to drag around, you know? I do work out but damn - you put on some muscle yourself."Lady teased in an attempt to lighten up the mood. "Tell me if you're hurting? I can give you something if so."

PHOEBE TONKIN getting ready for the Zimmerman Fall RTW 2025 fashion show (March 10, 2025)

CRUSH - JIWOONG ZEROBASEONE, 2023

plot: It's ren faire season, and the guy who's taken an interest in your muse has a suspiciously good costume. Complete with horns and a tail.

muse: Alexei Valdis. 1,439/27. fae. magic dealer.The Lord of Blood

open to: m/f/nb (21+)

Please do not like my starters.

It was the most fun he’d had in months. Dropping his glamour, Alexei couldn’t help but bask in the way that everyone fawned over him. Among the bad costumes and fake adornments, he stood out with his delicate, curling horns and tail that flicked around with shocking realism. With his glowing skin and golden eyes. With the way he moved silently across the gravel on the ground that should have crunched beneath his feet and the warm scent of earth and smoke that trailed behind him. He was too graceful and too perfect among them, but he didn’t need to hide here, and he’d found a particularly lovely little human that had been hanging on his every word as they played their way through the day.

As the sun began to set, the torches that were lit began to reflect the devious glint in his eye more clearly. He’d always enjoyed playing tricks, toying with the mortals in their world. He could do better though, and reaching for their hand, he began pulling them to the edge of the fairgrounds, where the forest began and his world awaited. With a reassuring smile tossed over his shoulder, he tugged them along. “I want to show you something. Don’t tell me you’re getting nervous now.”

Beep boop here I am.