When a deeply, emotionally scarred prey willingly tosses themself into a predator's maw, expecting to be crushed and agonizingly dissolved, but is instead met with the tender squeeze of a safe, protective stomach.
Or when a predator hunts, stalks, or ambushes prey, just to fill a void in themself, of even for an hour. They always let their prey go afterwards, perhaps because of a traumatic incident with a former meal.
Please please please gimme some more angst endosoma scenarios/stories!
Thinking about willing prey that wakes up in their predator's stomach, absolutely inconsolably panicked. They don't know where they are, they're scared, and they go into fight or flight with a violence .
Scratching, kicking and clawing. Like they could drag themselves out bare handed, and they won't listen. Entirely drowning in their episode.
The pred holds them tight all the way through it, despite the pain. Curled in on themselves, consoling and consoling through the worst of it, even as their their gut aches. Half stuck in the situation, half kindness.
Something about the way people hurt each other when they're scared, something about the way people need each other. Afterwards the pred's beat up stomach still presses and cradles them, because god dammit they always promised their prey was safe with them. The same space that felt like a trap moments ago, now a comforting hold.
summary: you want answers so you do what the voice says
Content: pred pov, unwilling prey, unwilling pred, digestion, angst, m prey
Once you knew you had to do something, you could usually pull it off quite easily. What happened next happened just as it needed to.
Since Alexa seemed pretty intent on you eating this particular guy who you saw in the mall, you went over to him, and invited him over to your house tonight. You knew him, of course, not well, but it wouldn’t matter in a few hours anyway.
After that, you went to your job for the rest of the day, not able to think of much else besides what was going to happen tonight, but that was fine since work was boring as fuck anyway.
Alexa wasn’t being difficult though, thankfully. You assumed it was because she had something promised to her, so she had no reason to bother you. It also meant that if you failed to deliver on your promise, she’d probably never leave you alone again. There was a lot riding on tonight.
You got off work and went home, and the guy was late, and you were worried that he wouldn’t show up, and Alexa was starting to get annoyed too.
You rubbed your empty stomach to placate her, “He’ll show up.” you say to yourself.
“What if he doesn’t? You promised you would eat prey, you need to find prey.”
“Be patient,” you growled, then sighed, “he’ll be here any second.”
You heard a knock at the front door.
See? Right on time. Well, late, but good enough. You opened the door, and there he was. Derrick? Something like that, didn’t matter though, you let him inside, smiling thinly, when he apologised for being late, you said, “no, no, that’s fine.” You locked the door behind him.
You didn’t waste your time with pleasantries. He couldn’t escape you now, so there was no point in pretending you weren’t going to eat him.
You sighed to yourself, annoyed that you had to do this.
“I didn’t intend on doing this again so soon,” you told him. He responded, probably, but you weren’t really listening. Alexa was too loud in your head.
You pressed him against the wall, “I mean look, I still haven’t burned this off yet,” you were leaning far enough forward that your belly pressed against him. You had a bit of extra fat on it from your first and most recent predatory experience.
You were thoughtful for a moment. “Derrick” was squirming underneath you. “Now that I think about it, I guess it’s only been a day. Everything happened so quickly. But I have no other choice - she wants me to eat you.”
You looked at your prey, sizing him up. You hadn’t had dinner yet, so technically you were hungry. But were you hungry enough to eat an entire person? You didn’t think so, but if it would silence the nagging hunger, then you would. And besides, you needed answers.
“Who is she?” You heard that part.
“I’ll let you meet her,” You answered.
You opened your mouth wide, and shoved him down your throat. Alexa was very supportive, urging you to gulp him down quicker, and then getting eerily silent as your belly filled up.
“∘Boourp∘˙○˚. … Alexa.”
“Go… Lie down…”
You hiccuped - you shouldn’t have listened to her, you needed to take your time eating. You swallowed him up way too quickly.
You put a hand on your belly, as if to hold yourself still.
“Hey hic - you need to answer my questions now. You promised.”
“Lie down first.”
Fine. You went off to your room, trying not to stumble carrying the prey in your stomach (it was just as hard as carrying someone in your arms, except you didn’t understand how to balance with them in your belly instead). You were breathing hard by the time you got to your bed, and you fell down in a pile, you, your belly full of prey, Alexa, wherever she was inside you, if she was there at all. You fumbled with the blankets, but then decided it was too hot, so you lay on top of them.
“Alexa,” you gasped, catching your breath, “you, you have to answer my questions now, right?”
“Hmm”
You frowned. You weren’t expecting her to be difficult after you did what she asked. You poked your stomach, saying her name.
“I can’t talk right now” she said
“What do you mean you can’t talk,” you said through gritted teeth
“I’m busy. I need to digest.” She explained, “Rest now, we can talk later.”
“I don’t trust you” You said, “we have to talk now, because once you digest the prey, I won’t have any leverage anymore, and you can get away with not talking to me.”
She was quiet. For the first time all day, you had complete silence in your brain, except for your own thoughts. But you weren’t relieved, you were annoyed.
“I’ll spit him out”
You felt her anxiety, an uneasy, worried knot in your belly. You also felt your prey kick hearing this, you heard muffled talking inside there too, but you couldn’t make out his voice - thank god, Alexa was enough. Fuck, what if you digested him - would you hear him too? Damn it.
“You wouldn’t let your prey go.” she said, doubtfully.
You had to admit, your limbs felt deadened, your body felt relaxed despite it all, you would be happy to do as she said and nap. Because sure, it was great, lying down with a full belly. Feeling the person you ate shifting under your stomach walls, pressing onto them. As if struggling would help him escape and not help the acid squeeze out, and onto him. As if it wouldn’t let your stomach know that there was a nice, live, wriggly and delicious prey in it, ready to be digested.
You had to concentrate on not letting your hands move up to rub your stomach, and enjoy the fullness.
“No, I don’t care, I’ll spit him up.” You lied. But hopefully she didn’t call your bluff.
“If it’ll get you to be quiet, fine. I’ll answer your questions. But only three, then we sleep.”
“Fine,” you said quickly. “Who are you? Are you Alexa? What do you remember?”
Was that three questions? Or one question? Who cares, any information is good.
“I remember being Alexa, I have those memories. I am her, I think. I remember you eating me, I remember being digested, although I think I blocked part of it out. But also, I remember being your stomach. Although the memories are different - I can’t remember anything visually, but I remember feelings; feeling empty, hungry, feeling scared, I remember having all kinds of different foods, I remember craving different things, even though there’s not much here in terms of images or words, I have years of these kinds of memories.”
So was this your stomach? What? She continued.
“I remember digesting the prey last night - me, I guess. It was the most food I’d ever had at once, and it was probably the best feeling I’d ever experienced. I mean, I also remember being digested, but I think the satisfaction of digesting the prey outweighs the experience of being digested. And after all, it’s the memory that won out, I suppose, since i remember being digested, and I remember when the memories combined - I went from being digested, to feeling like I was the one doing the digesting, and after that, all the discomfort went away.
After I was doing that for some time, I realised that I could remember being the stomach as well, and I also realised, as the stomach, that I could actually put my feelings into thoughts, I gained the ability to articulate with words. I didn’t say anything to you for a while, because I didn’t know how, but I could hear some of what you were feeling, and bits of what you were thinking.
The next day though, I got really hungry, and I realised that I needed to communicate with you, to get you to eat more prey. And so i brute-forced my way into learning how to talk to you, because I had to. And here we are now.”
“That’s… a lot to take in.”
You took it in.
“Are you mad at me? For eating you?”
“I can see how I should be mad, but also, since I understand your stomach, and since I know how much your stomach enjoyed it - it really is my best memory, so even though I understand that I should be upset - for basically being dead, maybe, I don’t care that much.”
This was a lot for you. You suddenly felt very guilty about what you did to Alexa. And it was even worse with the fact that she wasn’t even able to be mad at you for it.
“I’m - I’m sorry.”
“I don’t mind.”
No, this wasn’t right.
“I have to let him go.”
“No.”
You felt something fierce and protective - possessive, like a feral dog with its meat scraps. It was going to bite if you tried to take it away.
“I don’t want you to digest him”
“Too bad, you ate him, you have to follow through. What, are you just going to let him go - and then what? He goes to the police, your life is over. No, you have to commit to your decisions.”
“You wanted to be a pred right? You wanted to see what it takes? Well now you know what it takes.”
“This is who you are now. You made this choice, not me, you. You can either fight it, or you can embrace who you decided to become.”
You heard your belly gurgle ominously, she was really trying to digest him quickly, before you could do anything about it.
You watched your prey squirming in your belly, your flesh stretching graciously as the prey tried to wriggle it’s way out.
It was so selfish of you to do this to him.
You reached your hand up onto your belly, and pressed down, feeling a bubbling sensation under your hands. You felt Alexa sigh with relief.
Rubbing up and down on your stomach, you let yourself enjoy the feeling, the complete fullness - it was probably the most full you’d ever been. This prey was a little bigger than Alexa, and not to mention, you probably still had some left from her in your gut anyway.
Two prey in the span of two days. Was that something preds even did? How often were you meant to eat prey? You didn’t know. Whatever
You tried not to think of the implications, of what you were really doing. Maybe it was best to just focus on how good it felt.
Hey, Alexa was right. You made your choice. You were a pred now, it’s exactly what you wanted. Well, not really, but there’s not really any other option for you at this point.
So you might as well enjoy it.
You were ready to nap now, so you rearranged yourself in bed, getting under the covers. You lay down on your side, letting your belly rest against the mattress. It was nice to be relieved of the weight for a moment. You rested your arm on top of your belly, and closed your eyes.
With your eyes closed, you could almost visualise where the prey was, what it was doing, you could feel all the limbs, you could basically see where he was pressing against you, you could feel his fingertips and they pushed desperately against your belly, trying to make more room for himself in an ever-contracting space. You thought about the fact that the stomach would only continue to contract, getting smaller and smaller until it returned to it’s original size, with the prey fully digested. The amount of room that the prey had now was the most space he would have for the rest of his life - it would only get tighter; more constricting from here.
You groaned quietly, it was a little uncomfy for you too. Alexa didn’t have much to say; she was preoccupied. But you two were on the same page now. You kneaded your knuckles into the flesh of your belly, trying to sort out that discomfort. You felt a pocket of air be set free, and you burped.
Better, good.
“It’s good, right?”
“You understand why I wanted you to do this?”
You could kinda understand, yeah. You felt relaxed, moreso than you’ve been able to feel in a long time. It was very physical. Even if there were some difficult thoughts on your mind, your body was so intent on being relaxed that there was nothing you could do to stress yourself out. You felt deeply satisfied, in a way that touched your soul. You felt healed, and whole, and full.
(He does have a name now, Portmanteau, (Port for short) shout out to @fairlyqualityanon for helping me with it. Lastly, this portion will be written from his perspective and this story will contain three different endings. ENJOY!)
.................
He felt it lingering in the air when he walked through the door. The animosity. He held his breath, purposefully stepping carefully as he made his way up the stairs to avoid making a sound. He got in front of his door, and his ears caught their soft breath near it. Except it was higher, higher than usual. He kicked into the door. He quickly broke it open, turned his head, and snatched their wrist from the air.
He held it, and even with surprise, Port caught them. A grin twisted up on his lips. He squeezed tighter until they whined out and let the mirror shard wrapped in cloth clang to the floor.
He grabbed their waist without a word. He pulled them from the chair they scratched along the wood to stand on and match his height. He tossed them upon the bed that was twice the size of a king for their size.
He went over them before they could run.
"I-I'm sorry!" They cried as he braced one leg over and used a single hand to bind both wrists.
He grabbed them under their chin and forced them to meet his eyes. An obsessive crimson expelled over them from his hue.
"It was an accident, wasn't it?" He asked with such a soft tone. "You slipped forward while holding that, didn't you?"
Their jaw jittered with a nod. Following it was a pitiful whimper, "Yes."
They yelped again when he squeezed the hand at their wrists.
The fingers of his other hand pressed into their cheeks. "You Liar." His snapped.
They jolted, and his eyes caressed their face.
"How could such a dirty, dirty lie..." He traced his thumb across their lips, "leave these precious lips."
"I swear I-"
He pressed his thumb on them to stop their voice.
"Your bodies been corrupted, hasn't it?" He inched his face closer; they couldn't turn their head away.
"Your crazy need to escape, your willingness to kill me." His hand lifted from their chin, "it's all corruption, isn't it? You can't even recognize someone who adores you so much." His hand pressed at their neck.
They tried to yank their wrists free and stop him. "You're crazy!"
"Crazy?" A cackle erupted up past his barely moving lips. "Your minds so polluted." His mouth opened, and his long pointed tongue crept out. It spurred with eagerness to taste the flesh that belonged to him.
His muscle stroked their face. Its warm wetness coasted up, pressed up their chin, over their lips, and up their eyes. They whimpered out in disgust.
His enjoyment made his grip loosen enough for them to slip out, and his voice boomed in the room again. "Do you remember what I told you last week, dear?"
He got their ankle and forced them back to the middle of the bed, "I suppose you'll need a much deeper lesson to learn."
He heard the tears in their voice, "no-no! Please! Don't do this!" They kicked as hard as they could. Their foot slammed into his jaw. Neither moved a muscle after. Their body simply trembled from what they just did.
He turned his head back. His glistening fangs shut, sealed in a wide grin.
"Such a disobedient little one, aren't you?" He bound their ankles with his hands and pulled them up to his face. "That's okay because I can play a rough, too.~"
They begged for mercy as he slathered their bare soles.
He slipped them into his mouth, moaning aloud for them to hear. His red hue reflected back their fear.
He held himself from swallowing. Their ankles and below caught in his throat.
His hands crawled up and gripped their meaty thighs.
Their fingers couldn't reach his. They barely touched at his.
Once he had his hold, his eyes rolled back, focusing on the fill their form did at his neck. Port desired this from the beginning, a chance to envelop his sweet entirely. But he cared too much. He refrained, only being "gentle." He kept them safe from everything and everything.
Even with their shrieks, his GULP was louder. The first sliver clutched down. And with his rising eagerness, more slipped downward. He dragged their body across the bed as he ate. They failed to pry his hands away and tried desperately to grasp at blankets, the bed, something to stop him, but it was useless.
He squished his fangs at their flesh with every gulp, almost like he'd bite.
He seized their arms and pressed them to their hips.
Another GLuUrk, and their feet pressed at the inside his stomach.
His eyes widened with the sudden fulfilling pleasure. He moaned, desiring more, soon catching their hands inside his mouth.
Their weak whimpers and pleas trembled down on his tongue.
It reminded him that he had less than half of them left. He pushed up, kneeing the bed, and sunk down in the mattress with their combined weight. His hands held their back, keeping them upright, but he didn't do much to stop their twisting as it only helped them fall faster.
"It's so hot." They sputtered, "please don't kill me! I'll LISTEN!"
He was far too fixated on eating the rest of them.
He tortured them, taking smaller gulps to prolong their moment. And matter what they did at this point, even if he stopped, they couldn't get out.
Everything was down to sensations, the pulls, constrictions, slick warmth, and the ever-encroaching full plummet.
A hearty wet slurp signaled that he approached their collar. Not that they couldn't feel it. Their vocals refused to use words.
There was no struggle as he worked down their shoulders, engulfing them.
"Mmph-mmn~" His throat hummed. Another wet, Gulp rang in their ears. His hand stroked at their hair, holding his pleasant insane care before he forced them down.
Glllluuuuurk~
The final swallow was long to relish the last bit of utter despair. They wouldn't be able to stop or go back up. Their cries were nothing more than soft reverberations along Port's tight tube, all until the shape at their neck vanished.
They slid down fast once he entirely swallowed. His stomach gurgled happily upon the rest of them entering its stretchy firmness. His tongue ran across his lips, delicious. He thought.
He fell back and let out a giant exhale, arms tightly clutching at his flesh. While they fought wildly, without purpose and barely doing anything but relax him.
"Shhh," he stroked his gut. He shifted to lay on his side with a heave.
"You're safe. No one can take you away from me now."
He heard muffled murmurs and noises. His flesh was too tight and thick to be heard from the inside.
He never knew how satisfying it'd be to hold his precious treasure, his sweet, his LOVE, all to himself.
No one else could ever claim them, and he hugged them to prove it. His core muscles squeezed with his embrace.
He was very affectionate when it came to them. And he thought he gave them such a privileged closeness. One he'd dare not share with anyone else.
And yet they still fought him, reminding him again of the glass they tried to stab into his head. He knew they weren't at fault. They were misguided, never shown what it meant to have someone love them so much.
"You poor, poor, dear."
His stomach groaned aloud.
He smiled. "You'll never escape me now, will you? You said you'd listen from now on..."
He pressed at the faint outline of their form from beyond his pulled-up shirt. "And I know you'll listen because you're wholly and truly, all mine, my sweet, sweet love.~"
Monster predators who hide their "hideous" (beautiful) faces behind a mask, and their "disgusting" (perfect) bodies under a dark cloak. Just my favorite kind of monster in general, but because I'm so utterly vore brained, they also happen to be predators. :)
Lifting their mask so that their loving, willing prey can crawl up into their maw. Pulling their cloak tight over their body to hide an engorged belly.
Maybe their prey also wears a similar mask, as a friendly gesture, or a sign of "ownership".
HELLOOOO! A bird told me you want angst endosoma scenarios!!! So, like, picture this:
A person that happens to be prey willingly gives itself to a predator, but just as they're about to be gulped by the pred, it hears a sound that grows louder by the second... the sound was their 6 AM alarm, the "prey" was only dreaming, the pred isn't real, and now they've to go to work
HOPE THIS HELPS, BIEBIE <<<3
Actually fucking me. I won't go too into it, but I had a dream where a werewolf was pursuing me, and I had been captured. It shoved me arm into it's mouth, and ohhhh my god it felt real. Legit, best feeling of my life, and I get woken up by my alarm :(
Contents (Warnings): Wicks tells Lynette everything...or tries too (Angst, magic mentions, character and monster info as always). Read full chapter on - A03
Wordcount: 2,336 (I WILL BE MAKING A MAGIC SYSTEM BOOKLET AS SOON AS I CAN, PROMISE!)
Side note: This will contain experimental writing; first person (Lynette's view) will be implemented alongside third person for the two other essential characters, (mostly) Alexander and (occasionally) Drake. All their text will be italicized for those third-person moments, with the characters' names in Bold at the start and their thoughts in Bold. There may be other characters I write for using this.
I barely slept. Everything felt like a hazy layer of sick familiarity. I thought I had escaped it before. And today, felt lighter, maybe a relief. We were leaving soon. Everyone was sometimes or later.
Wicks and I were packing in our room. He had his suitcase next to mine on the bed.
"Lentils, how did you like Garter?" Wicks asked with a smirk on his face.
I reflected the smile, "he's-tall..."
Wicks exhaled and still smiled, "He was the first friend I met at the C.P.P.A. We were in training together as classless."
"Classless?"
The door flying open interrupted Wicks's explanation. "HEY, YOU GUYS ARE TAKING WAY TOO LONG!" Charletta charged in and hugged me first. She got Wicks in it second.
"We just started," I muttered. "You're the one that insisted we stay up until 4 a.m. at the bonfire."
"I wanted to spend more time with you guys before you leave!" Charletta squeezed further until I was pressed tightly into Wicks and her. I could smell Charletta's rose body wash and Wick's sandalwood, one clearer than I wanted. "I feel bad we couldn't hang out because of the wedding!" She sniffled.
I felt Wicks pull away, freeing me from her suffocating grasp.
"My birthday's coming up. We got plenty of time." Wicks assured her.
Charletta gasped, "OH-" Embarrassment covered her face. She forgot his birthday was coming soon. And had yet to get him a gift. Not that I was any better. "Yeah! Of course!"
I'm finally free, and I let out a clear breath. "We have plenty of time to see each other again," I said with one more deep breath.
...
Wicks
The thought hung in the back of his mind. He knew this was inevitable. He knew they'd tell her but he wished they had picked a different time.
Or...not at all. Wicks was on the opposite spectrum from the others, and his mother at one point shared that, but she couldn't bear to keep it hidden any longer.
One Month Earlier.
He sat back on his new office and closed his eyes.
"Transmission" from his father. It was similar to teleportation, except on a lessor scale. It sends thoughts and visuals to others from one mind to another. It requires a connection and agreement, generally.
Even in his head, he could always hear the voice that was ever changed after he came back to them.
"We're telling her at the wedding, because Charletta's getting married to a vampire beast named Ulysses Clemente." Padre said to him,
We shouldn't. "Why now? Did Mom agree to this?"
He heard Charletta voice in the background, his dad's power was frightening as he could capture the thoughts of others near him too, "we should have told her when we first took her in!"
His dad and Charletta had been saying that for years. They always wanted to tell Lynette. But, they weren't around when Lynette started to fall like him and mom.
"There's too much to hide..." His mom chimed in, he could tell by the trembles of her mind that she had been crying.
"Then what? How can we ease her into it, we'd-I'd have to tell her everything..." He started to lower his head. She'll hate me. She'll never want to talk to me again. I can't lie to her if she asks.
"There'll be plenty to tell her and plenty of time to tell her once it's over." His father said. "And if it ever gets to difficult to watch her-"
Wicks snapped back immediately, "I'll take care of her." I won't abandon her. She never once did that to me.
Not long after he had to cut it short, Garter came in with their coffee.
He wanted nothing more than to kill Ace now, most of his frustration redirected toward him and away from the other danger, Alexander. But, it was his fault. He shouldn't have trusted a friend of Ulysses and Charletta. He shouldn't trust anyone around her...or...no. I should have stayed with her. It doesn't matter if she wanted me around or not. I need to protect her.
That conversation and those thoughts never left his mind. He rubbed his thumb on the steer wheel leather chewing on those thoughts while he drove, until he heard his sister voice speak up.
"I'm going to quit the pizzeria." Her timid soft tone said out of the blue. The drive had been quiet, not a word about it had been mentioned since he first told her. "I've been thinking about it since you said it."
He glanced at her briefly before turning back to the road. "Really?!" He tried to hide his excitement. She actually listened to me.
"There's so much I don't understand, so much I don't know. And...I think you're right. I shouldn't involve myself in any of this." It came out with uncertainty, an unspoken unsureness. He knew she didn't want to give up.
She felt she needed to go on, Wicks knew that. Lentils was stubborn, she rarely ever gave up on anything once she started it. She had a determination he felt he lacked.
"I'm glad. And if you want later tonight, we can start our normal job hunting." He said with a smile.
There was a blanket of ease resting on his shoulders. He didn't think she was strong enough to handle everything that came with this. Just like humans, monsters were just as complicated or different. One world was enough.
He held back his cheer, he didn't want to stir her further. He could tell by the sound alone, she hated to say she was giving up.
Lynette nodded, "after you tell me what you can about magic...I still want to understand you-it all better.."
Wicks nodded. There's so much to tell you. He parked in their spot at the apartment and smiled. "Sounds like a plan."
...
Lynette
Wicks was patient with me, but it didn't matter how many breaks he made between the information I couldn't retain it. He even tried giving me demonstrations using a little bit of magic, yet there were so many spells I couldn't keep track.
I only retained two things, variations and levels. As he explained every spell has its own category, and a spell in that category was called a variation. While every variation had a level at which the magic was used, it determined its power protentional. A small use of the spell force can knock over things like soda cans, while at higher levels it could tear someone apart.
At least that's what I assumed. He really said, "it could seriously hurt someone."
"Psychic Magic, one of my specialties. It deals with spells that require mental understanding and a link to your own mind and others. If you are unable to concentrate or think, you can't use it." he tapped his head. "The first variation is Understanding. It's a mental reading of your opponent. Weaker versions need permission from the person your trying to read, while at higher levels you can understand their mind without it. You'll be able to know their intentions..."
He looked over the worry on my face and smiled, "it can also be used to understand different languages. Like if you and I didn't speak the same language, if I used it on you, I'd be able to understand what you're trying to tell me. It's as if its translated into my head with the language I know."
I don't think I'd want to ever use anything like that if I could. I feel like I would have my heart broken WAY too many times with peoples thoughts. I nodded along. Wait, is that what June uses? I then shivered, maybe a different version? He said he projects his thoughts out. Because if he was reading my thoughts...
"Can you also share your thoughts?"
Wicks jolted at the question, "technically, yes."
He went to the next before I could ask further. "Mind Erasure Variation," Wicks said.
If I quit, I'll have to deal with that won't I...WAIT will I forget everything? The wedding too?!
"To erase some ones memory it usually involves you to be present during the events you're trying to erase and or have someone else who was present during the events. If you yourself weren't present/ or have anyone who was and you're trying to erase some ones memories it'll be near impossible, as you'll have to shift through their mind."
His tone shifted down an octave, "and you can end up losing your mind and messing up theirs."
I nodded. For some reason, his face looked like someone was twisting a blade in his stomach. I didn't know why but I tried to lighten his mood.
"Sucks that you can't erase any of those embarrassing moments I have of you rent free in my head." Though, after I said that simple joke. The question entered my head.
Any of them could have erased my memory, right?
He smiled, weakly.
I interrupted him before he continued, "do you replace those memories with what you want?"
His hazel hue fixated on me. He could see it in mine as I could see it in his. My heart squeezed.
"We generally use our own memories of events to conjure a false one in some ones head. Vague enough for them not to think to hard about it." There was a look of desperation.
My voice trembled as it left, "did any of you ever erase my memory?"
He sharply answered, "Madre, Padre, and Charletta never erased your memory."
His head tilted down, his jaw clenched with the nervous jitter of his leg. It shook the bar counter.
I couldn't ignore it, I had to know. "And-what about you...?" Lie to me, lie to me, tell me you didn't.
His eyes met mine again and he said the truth. "Lentils, let me explain.-"
I looked at him and I only whispered back, "you erased my memory..."
"There was this group-"
I held my head, I wasn't listening anymore. I could feel it spinning. Everything was spinning. I didn't understand it. I would drown without him, so why...
"How many times...how much did I lose..."
Wicks grabbed my shoulder, "listen to me."
I pulled away and stumbled off my chair. I strained my voice to shout, "HOW MUCH DID YOU TAKE FROM ME?!"
I could feel the rise and fall of my chest. It felt so strained as if it was bruised.
"Lentils, it was for a reason! You were stuck with what they did to you FOR THAT WHOLE WEEK!"
"WEEK!" I shook my head desperately. What did he make me forget, how many times has he made me forget things? "You said 24 hours is a limit for erasing some ones memory, why-did you mess up your mind, AND mine."
"It wasn't that simple, Lentils are you even listening to me!"
His stood right in front of me and sounded so far away. Like there was miles between us.
My chest heaved in tandem with my throbbing head.
I watched his mouth move, his eyes looked sincere and distraught. I wanted to hear him, hold him, pretend I didn't care.
"I just-I started to feel relieved...you were-" My eyes had bustled with hot water for days. I'm surprised they hadn't boiled.
His words still refused to reach me. What else has been a lie? Has he erased my memory whenever I've been inconvenient? How many times? When did I lose that week? Was it important?
It felt so hard to breathe, I clutched at my chest. Wicks stepped closer and I shook my head.
"How many times did you do this to me, and what did you take and change?"
He kept trying to get closer. I didn't stop backing up. I could see his eyes glistening over.
"IT WAS ONCE. I WOULD NEVER DO THAT UNLESS IT WAS NECESSARY."
When is it necessary to ever do that? How do I know you're not lying now. How do I know it hasn't been more. How do I know any of you haven't been doing that my whole life! AND IF YOU HAVE WHY LEAVE ME WITH-
I heard two words from him, "missed work," and it clicked. Charletta and Wicks both hesitated whenever I mentioned the ducky place and my food poisoning...
"I didn't have food poisoning." My head wouldn't stop banging inside my skull, my vision started to blur, and I still couldn't breathe. His presence felt suffocating.
I have to leave. I thought to myself. His hand grabbed my arm as soon as I got my suitcase handle. We hadn't put anything away yet.
Please let go. I couldn't say it out loud. I didn't want to him. His grip was too strong to tug away from yet I knew I couldn't stay here. I didn't want him to erase it in my sleep.
"Lynette, just calm down, you can go to your room and think."
"I-don't-want-you-to-erase-my-memory-of-this-too." I whimpered in a weak croak, each word had a breath behind it.
"I'D NEVER DO THAT!"
"LET ME GO!" It hurt to shout. It burned. I pulled away and ran with my suitcase. I grabbed the keys to my car from the bowl next to the door. Wicks finally found the footing to pursue me.
And I slammed the door in his face.
...
Hey, you, thank you so much for reading. It means a lot that I put out a story that people can enjoy! So, I hope you continue to enjoy it as WE have a LOT more to go! YOU BETTER KEEP PROSPERING! (Nonnegotiable).
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What I’d do for a Livable Income (Synopsis/Chapter - List)
Contents (Warnings): The Downburst (Angsty, vore mentions, and character/monster info). Read full chapter on - A03
Wordcount: 3,400+ (HEY SORRY EVERYONE FOR BEING SO LATE WITH THIS! I had a lot of life jazz hitting me at once!)
Side note: This will contain experimental writing; first person (Lynette's view) will be implemented alongside third person for the two other essential characters, (mostly) Alexander and (occasionally) Drake. All their text will be italicized for those third-person moments, with the characters' names in Bold at the start and their thoughts in Bold. There may be other characters I write for using this.
His whole body ached. Why the fuck did I agree? Why did I just want to get my ass kicked? He glared back at Drake, who stumbled behind him.
After his first game with Wicks, he didn't want to admit it, but it made him want to train his magic again. And especially now since that psycho, Wicks, repeatedly beat him into the ground with a smile.
Though, he started to remember why he stopped training so much too. He felt less in control and vulnerable when he pushed himself too much in an unfamiliar environment. And what made it worse was the smell.
Her scent is everywhere. Alexander cursed in his head. It had been difficult to be in the house without feeling hungry. It was worse now. All his instincts made him want to find her because he was so low on energy.
He looked at Drake again. You get your damn drink, then I-
His thoughts dropped immediately. His body jolted as she stumbled back. She held one of the cold water bottles to her nose.
He had been avoiding her and supposed she was doing the same. The only time they ever really saw each other was for events.
“M-morning.” She muttered.
He felt his mouth start to salivate. She’s so tiny...fuck. He then threw his head up and swallowed hard. It took him a second to respond and move.
“If you’re going, go,” Alexander growled. He let her through.
Drake was about to say hi, but Lynette went between them. Alexander’s legs twitched.
“Alexander…”
He knew Drake was listening to his heart. He put his hand into his mouth. His flesh alone tasted so gross to him. He pressed down on it until he allowed himself to puncture it.
He pulled it out immediately after. The taste he hated lingered on his tongue. It kept his attention.
He healed his bleeding hand. He grumbled as he saw Drake take a blood pouch from the fridge. Alexander walked further inside the kitchen and leaned on the counter at the center. He crossed his arms and leaned back on it, watching the door.
He heard a light, "blegh," from behind him. He looked back at Drake over the sink. "It's magus blood, so gross."
“I don’t think I’m that gross,” Ace said, walking in.
His whole outfit and hair looked as dis-shelved as the rest, and so did Koi. She walked in after him.
Alexander never saw her as he did today. She always wore a suit. Today, she wore a tank top and shorts to train with them.
"You're not; they're just too taste-specific." She pressed her bangs back, getting them between bobby pins. "And Drake, if you are going to dump it, I'll gladly take it."
She leaned over the other side of the counter as Drake leaned over the sink to give it to her.
Ace moved to the fridge to get a water bottle. "I’m a little disappointed Lynette couldn’t join us. Watching and fighting Wicks was so much fun. It’d probably be fun to fight with her too."
The menace himself entered. It almost pissed Alexander off just to see that smug, grinning face. Asshole.
“Lynette’s too busy to beat us up,” Wicks said.
Alexander didn't understand the lie. Why does it matter if people know she's a human? It won't change anything. All they have to do is confront her to know.
Drake passed Wicks a water bottle and got himself a new pouch, this time of the right blood.
Wicks caught Alexander's eyes, and he smirked, “What’s wrong, buddy?”
Alexander was rarely ever on the defensive with his magic. And with Wicks, he had no choice but to be.
Alexander glared down at the magus; he was five inches taller. "Fuck off." He said, pulling his attention away. At least being in a room full of beings he didn't want to eat calmed his nerves slightly. Until it started to wander back to his hunger.
Damn it.
He couldn't wait for Drake. "I'm going out."
"We're all leaving soon. Why don't you chill with us for a while?" Ace questioned.
If I have to go to the wedding where she's the only human and I haven't eaten... He swallowed lightly at the thought. He pushed off the counter, "I'll meet you all there."
...
Lynette
We were in a room together, Charletta, Madre, and me. It was a bride's dressing room, connected to the bigger dressing room for all the bridesmaids, but it gave us the seclusion we needed.
Madre did Charletta's long hair. Usually, it would be down past the middle of her back, so she braided it up for her. Madre hummed while doing it. Her movement looked like second nature. I know she was the oldest of six girls.
I interrupted Madre's hum with my question. "Madre, you were never really a hairdresser, were you?" I asked. It wasn't because of her skill. She did an excellent job of cutting and styling our hair and her own.
"No," she admitted. "Though I've had a passion for doing hair." She was the one who taught me different braids and hairstyles. I touched on my favorite one she taught me that I have now. The Rapunzal braid. It perfectly tamed my wavy and slightly curly mess.
"Do you work at the C.P.P.A.?"
She shook her head, "I couldn't while you were all so small and Padre wasn't home..." She said. "Pero luego todos ustedes se hicieron tan grandes, tan rápido."
She sighed.
"Sí, y ahora me dan una conferencia sobre volverme loco durante el juego." Charletta replied smugly.
What game...oh right, the marked thing. I got to watch them all play fighting. They were all great, weren't they? They always are.
"Wicks did say you went a little wild," I slid my comment between them with a chuckle.
Charletta burst into laughter, turning back, causing Madre to huff as she was in the middle of finishing her hair.
"It's rare that I get to let loose!"
"Charletta, trae tu cabeza de vuelta aquí, no he terminado." Madre said and Charletta complied, swiveling back in her chair to face the mirror again.
"Lo siento," Charletta looked at me in the reflection, "but you know, speaking of beasts, I'm glad Wicks doesn't think Ulysses is a terror. I can imagine he'd try to destroy him."
The laugh that followed sounded so carefree. A whisper came after, "Not that I wouldn't fight him to the death if he tried."
"Charletta," Madre gave a light tap on her head.
"I was kidding...mostly."
She got tapped on her head harder.
Is Wicks that strong? Of course, he is...there's a lot I don't know about him, or...any of them isn't there.
I looked back up, and I could hear Charletta and Madre. Yet, I felt so far away. I was right beside Charletta, at arm's length of her right side.
I shook away my thoughts. Madre got to the other side of Charletta next to me.
"If you ever want to talk, Lyn, I'm here for you."
Her eyes always looked soft. She could yell at me, hear my stubborn voice fight back, punish me, or listen to me on my worst days, and that had never changed.
Wicks definitely had her eyes.
"I know; thank you, Madre."
...
Alexander
They were standing up over the crowd. Alexander's eyes wandered to his "problem." Why did it have to be you? You could have been related to any other magus's. He was frustrated by that fact. He glanced at the male to his left, Wicks. Since they met, this was the first time that the stubborn magus's attention was on something else. Precisely the bride and groom. They took the attention of everyone. Alexander hadn't known Charletta well.
He'd met her at Edgar's house once before, but that was it. Ulysses did talk about her frequently, though. I never imagined it would lead to this so soon...
They said their vows to one another.
Yet, his attention went to the rings and what was to come.
His muscles clenched, he could feel tight in his chest, and his breath became shallow. He closed his trembling hands. He could see, along with their rings, they were sealing a bind together.
His heart was starting to beat faster, and his lips trembled so hard he had to seal his lips. He pulled his eyes away and looked at the crowd to escape his thoughts.
It was then his swirling cloudy blue hue fell to his father. His feet shifted, but he stopped. Someone gripped the back of his suit. Drake had bent over and tugged it from behind.
He lowered his head, feeling Drake let go. He could hear the cheers around him once the newlyweds shared their kiss.
...
Wicks
He stuck to Lynette, intercepting many conversations she would have had with individuals he didn't trust. He rationalized that he did it simply for her safety and his promise to his parents, but...it was more than that.
Lynette was different and had been since Saturday. He walked away from her for only a few moments. He saw she was talking to Ace.
He hadn't seen her smile much this whole week. Ace seems to make her happy. It made him a little jealous. She was his best friend. He had plenty at the C.P.P.A., but Lynette...she had always been there. She had never left his side, always been the best sister he could ask for, a perfect partner in crime.
Maybe...she needs more time? Wicks thought to himself.
He wanted things to go back to how they were. He hated feeling so cut off from his best friend.
Not that he didn't expect it.
Yet, from what he understood, Ace had been a long-time friend of Charletta's and Ulysses'. So, he trusted him around her way more than any other human-eater, especially her coworkers. Which he didn't see around at the moment.
As the music began to change and more started to go to the dance floor at the center, Wicks saw Ace bowing to Lynette for a dance.
He hurried over and took Lynette's hand first, "Brothers get a first dance, sorry." He stole her away from Ace, to both of their surprises.
Once they got to the dance floor together, Lynette raised a brow, "Brothers get a first dance? Didn't we do the family dancing already?"
Wicks sighed, "Alright, you caught me..." He didn't see a point in playing coy. "I wanted to make sure you're okay. I know how you get when strangers are a little too friendly."
It wasn't a complete lie.
"He seems nice..." Lynette replied, then sighed, "But go ahead...tell me what kind of monster he is."
Wicks dropped his shoulders. Jeez, did I really make you think all monsters are bad? Or did those jerks at your job make you believe that? He kept his hold on her.
"He's a magus," Wicks said.
Lynette questioned, "Oh, like you guys."
"H-hey!" Wicks heard the tone. It definitely plucked a few heartstrings. What could I say? I'm the worst of them all. I've been lying over and over again to your face.
He could see her force her lips to smile, "I was kidding."
"You know nothing's...changed." It felt hard to say. He didn't want to admit that.
"I know, you're still all my family, and I love you." It was the only thing she said where he heard her honesty.
As they continued their dance, he smiled very lightly. "Love you too, Lentils, forever and always."
I wish I could explain it all to you.
...
Lynette
I got outside of the dance square, and I raised a brow. I swore I saw Wenna tugging Alexander along the dance floor. I wouldn't think Alexander could or would dance...
It was comical to see Wenna spinning him around. He looked mad, as usual. Drake's mom looked ready for the quick interception due to their behavior.
"Hey again, enjoy your dance?" Ace asked. He walked up beside me, leaning a hand on the white-clothed table.
"Yeah, Wicks was one of the people that taught me. He and Charletta had a big dance craze when we were younger." It was one or the other coming up with new things to play...they really feed off each other's craziness.
"Well, would you still like to dance?"
I nodded. My insides quivered, but I knew everyone was there. I didn't feel as alone as I would have if we had gone to a restaurant together. It was someone I didn't know with the intention of a date... "After this song, sure."
...
I felt calm. I didn't know why I felt so relaxed with a stranger. Well, as comfortable as I could be. We were surrounded by different people of different powers, but he didn't push me. When we danced, he seemed nervous to touch me.
He even stopped mid-way through the song when I felt queasy. And that's we were on one of the balconies, looking out over the giant courtyard. A few faces were outside by the big bonfire to the far left.
As I leaned on the curved white railing, my eyes drifted to the giant hedge maze to the right. I've only seen those in movies.
Ace kept his distance. "It's a beautiful night," I heard him. I looked up and saw a handful of stars glittering above. It wasn't a clear sky. There were still a few clouds nearing the moon.
"It is." I turned back to him to see he was staring. When our eyes met for too long, he shifted his back to the sky.
I started to peer past him to the balcony on our opposite side. It looked like Drake, Alexander, Koi, Viola, and another girl I didn't recognize. I almost waved simply because I saw Viola, but I refrained.
Grabbing their attention wouldn't be best.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"N-no." You don't need to get involved with that chaos...nor should I. I tried to distract him and pointed down. "I'd love to explore that maze. It looks like it would be fun for a Halloween thing, right?" I was a baby when it came to anything horror related...yet I dealt with monsters.
Ace chuckled and looked down at it, "Hmm, did you want to adventure in it now?"
My shoulders raise, "really?" That sounds so awesome...
My eyes went back into the room where the soft jazz was playing. The individuals inside were of various sizes and shapes. No one was over seven feet, though.
I think the parents are at the bonfire? It should be fine. I reasoned with myself. It'd only be for a little. I continued. I knew why I really wanted to get away.
"If that's okay with you," Ace said. He held his gloved hands up innocently. He awaited my answer.
Even though I felt anxious, I lifted my head and nodded in agreement.
...
It took us only a short time to end up in the middle of the too-perfectly-maintained maze. It looked like it was freshly cut today. The walls of the labyrinth went to about eight feet tall. There were also sprouts of flowers coming out at the bottom of the bushes.
I plopped onto the stone bench, holding the glass of wine he got me on our way out. Today seemed like the perfect occasion to celebrate with at least a glass.
"It would have been so cool to see you in the morning with us," Ace remarked. He walked toward the gazebo in the center, inspecting it. I didn't know if I felt like sitting under it with him, so I stayed on the bench near the way back into the maze.
"Did you guys do that training this morning that you talked about last night?" I questioned. How did that go? Everyone showed up to the wedding fine...right?
Ace grinned. He walked over and sat on the bench beside me, "we did. It was a big free for all." He jittered with a shiver. "I almost forgot how scary it is to be wrapped up by Koi."
"Wrapped up?"
"She's an arachne," Ace said. "And as curse magic as my specialty, I can only get so far with her." He turned his head to me, "That actually brings up a good question what do you specialize in?"
I shook my head, "Ha, come on, you don't want to get me started on that." Charletta told me to lie and say blast magic, and she told me the basics. I got ready to say it and stopped. What if he asks more questions? Before my mind ran rampant, I took a breath. He's a magus. I'm not in any danger.
"I do! I'd love to hear you talk about it" He sounded enthusiastic. "You're part of such an incredible family...I-you know..." Ace stumbled over his words, "I think it's amazing that I met such a lovely girl that, as Wicks said, could kick my ass." He shyly laughed after.
I took a deep breath. I could trust him. Wicks clearly did. He let us dance together. Ace was one of the only people Wicks didn't helicopter-parent me with.
I took a breath, "I-...I'm not a magus."
Ace started to laugh, "Very funny, Lynette."
"N-no." I didn't know why I couldn't say it. "I'm not a magus...I'm adopted."
He shook his head, "come on. I mean, you don't look 100% like them, but you could be Stefan's child with another-"
"I'm serious!" I exclaimed, I put my wine glass down on the ground next to the bench.
His usually prominent smile slowly dropped, and his eyes lost their vibrance. "Ah...I guess I was a little too hopeful." He soughed.
"Hopeful?" I didn't know where his excitement fled to.
He got up from the bench and brushed back the few loose strands of Cyan hair. "This is..." He turned to me.
His eyes trailed up and down my body. A twitch of one of his eyes and the slight curl of his lip told me everything.
He's disgusted.
"Now, this makes a lot more sense. You were reluctant to talk about any kind of magic." He lifted his shoulders, "it was hard to bring it up casually with you." He groaned, "Augh, this is awful."
I shook my head, "what are you talking about? What's awful? That I'm...human?" My chest hurt. What did I do wrong...?
He sighed, "You were my last hope. There are no other contenders in the Payton's family to court." He adjusted his suit, making sure to flatten it down. "I was interested in you because you were part of their family. I need a powerful bride for my bloodline." He rubbed his temples. "We have a strict prodigy tradition."
I weakly smiled, "sorry..."
His eyes glazed over. "I did all this when there was no point. That's infuriating. You shouldn't lead someone on like that."
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't..." I could only stare at his shoes.
He huffed and turned away. "You wasted my time."
I couldn't respond as he left me alone in the maze. Please tell me it's some kind of bad joke. I pleaded in my head. I thought he understood me. Actually liked my company for...no, of course not. I failed again.
He didn't give me another word.
I'm human...
My head sank deeper as I stared into my lap. I'm not even good at being human. I'm not close to anyone except my family and they have to stay with me out of obligation...
I felt my legs press closer together, I couldn't finish school, I barely helped with the wedding, I burdened the Paytons so much that I had to lie about what I was, I only burdened my family...
I lifted my hands to my arms, clutching them. I'm a failure at everything I do. I wanted to help people, but when have I ever helped anyone? What have I ever done? I can't even talk to people or keep any friends.
My tears soaked through my dress. I'm a burden on everyone. I know that. It's been like that since the day I was born.
I curled up bringing my feet onto the bench and leaned onto the concrete back.
I don't do anything for anyone. The Paytons just pity me, don't they?
My body tensed up as a figure moved out of the corner of my eye. I flicked my head in their direction. My blurry vision knew the shape well. It was Alexander. I couldn't quite read his face but he was huffing.
Oh...that's right...I am good for one thing, aren't I...
I tried to wipe away my tears and hide my face.
"What are you doing out here, Xander?"
I'm only good at being a meal for monsters, so go ahead, Alexander.
Eat me already.
...
Hey, you, thank you so much for reading. It means a lot that I put out a story that people can enjoy! So, I hope you continue to enjoy it as WE have a LOT more to go! YOU BETTER KEEP PROSPERING! (Nonnegotiable).
First Chapter Previous Chapter Next Chapter
Catch up, see some maps/art, or check the latest release dates down below ↓ ↓ ↓
What I’d do for a Livable Income (Synopsis/Chapter - List)
