Welcome back to myself! I’m finally adjusting to remote work. Chapters are basically gonna show up whenever I finish them because writing this helps stave off my existential dread and overwhelming anxiety about the world! Enjoy! (also take care of yourselves, be kind to yourselves, wash your hands, stay home if you can)

Also, things get a lil NSFW. I restrained myself, so don’t panic.

Oh and no, I cannot figure out how to fix the buttons on that hero image, so they go nowhere. Sorry.

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Vlad

Downtown Windenburg

Delay, Vlad told himself. Repeated it as one would a prayer. A prayer that vacated his mind every time Alice dug her nails into his back. 

A flash of skin.

A small sigh.

And his hands were everywhere. 

To be a vampire was an exercise in patience. Vlad could be patient. He knew that. And yet—

And yet.

There was not a thing involving Alice that he could be patient about.

He could pretend because there was no stutter of his heart to give him away, but he wanted, wanted, wanted. 

Now, now, now. 

Hissing, he lifted her and pulled her hips into him, focused on that fluttering pulse in her neck. Do not bite her, he instructed himself, fighting not to get lost in the white hot pleasure of it all.

When had he last felt like this?

Decades. 

Centuries, even. 

Kaylnn.

He tried to pull Alice in for another kiss. Clasping her thighs, he turned intending to set her on the counter. But she scrambled out of his grip, eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

What had he—? 

He couldn’t have—?

“Who is Kaylnn?” she asked quietly.

Oh.

So, he did say it out loud.

Akira

Realm of the Fae

It had been a long time since Akira Kibo had woken up this bewildered and wary of a decision he made the night before—512 years, 13 hours, and 2 minutes, to be exact. He was in the Realm of the Fae, which meant things had gone poorly. Groaning, he swung his legs over the side of his bed and stood, gingerly patting his bandages.

“It was broken,” Titania clarified, from her position draped over his arm chair.

“What was?” he grunted, distracted by the red splotches on the bandages where his wounds had not yet healed.

“All of you,” she answered cryptically.

“When he didn’t comment, she leapt to her feet, eyes blazing in annoyance. “Aren’t you going to bow?” she demanded.

“To you?” he replied, before hobbling over to the mirror to examine his bruises.

“Not fuckin’ likely.”

Scowling, Titania put her hands on her hips and fixed him with a look. 

The Queen of the Fae was a vicious creature when she wanted to be. Songs had been written about her and almost all of them ended in bloodshed. Still, just as quickly as her mood turned sour, it shifted back to impish. Laughing, she began to twirl around his room.

Akira quickly sidestepped her chaotic motions. In addition to being vicious and bloodthirsty, Titania was also devilish, bossy, and a pain in his ass. They were siblings, but the two could not have been more different. Where she was all light and magic, he was speed and strength. Broody, his mother had called him. He preferred to think of it as sane and practical. 

“This queen has moves and you do not!” she taunted, still dancing around the room.

Akira snorted as he searched for the healing balm in his bedside table. The Fae determined royalty not by blood, but by magic. Titania was brimming with it. 

He was not. 

And thank the gods for that. 

“Come on, brother! Don’t you want to know what happened to you?” she clapped her hands together in glee. “It’s such a good story!” 

Rolling his eyes and ignoring her, Akira pulled on a shirt. Everything ached, like someone had reached into his veins and injected them with peals of agony. He was undying, but not immune to injury. He’d heal faster than a mortal, but in the meantime it would still hurt like a bitch. 

“I’ll bet you don’t remember. You cried like a baby. Babbled like one too,” she smiled, her movements now smooth and graceful. “Come on! I want to be the one to tell you!” 

Shooting her a rude gesture, Akira crossed to the mirror and applied the balm to the cut above his eyebrow. Undeterred, his sister began singing an old fairy lullaby, her voice off-key.

“Blood knits bone knits muscle!” she crooned loudly. 

“I already know what happened!” Akira yelled, wishing for a moment that he did have some magic so he could cut off her singing with a silencing spell. 

Songs had been written about him too. Mostly from the time of the Dryad Wars where he earned his hated nickname and spent two soulless centuries trying to fill the void Miko left behind.

Titania crossed her arms and pouted. “It took a lot of magic to put you back together, you know.” 

“I even gave you back the tips of your ears,” she sniffed. “I know you’re vain about them.”

Akira growled. He was vain about them, but they weren’t important. At least not anymore. He had failed Miko on a multitude of occasions, broken what they had in a way that was unthinkable. Now though, he had an opportunity to take it all back. 

“I don’t need you to cater to my fuckin’ vanity,” he said, folding his arms.

“Good, because there aren’t any do-overs,” she shot back.

Akira clenched his fist. She was being purposefully opaque just to piss him off. “You’re impossible! I’ve got more important things to do,” he roared.

“Like what?” Titania enunciated each word, her voice dangerously low.

She knew “what” and there would be a fight about it.

There always was.

“The Owl of Undoing,” he said, and then doubled over as his sister hit him with a blast of fairy fire.

Vlad

Downtown Windenburg

Even as his mind was racing, Vlad forced calm into his voice. “It’s not what you think.”

—which was a bluff. He didn’t actually know what she was thinking. This had never happened to him before. Not that he hadn’t fucked in five centuries, though upon further consideration that was perhaps the problem. He wasn’t used to emotions and arousal all whirling around together in his head. The last time he had felt during a time like this, he was alive.

Sage-forsaken curse.

He gritted his teeth and tried to summon the control he once felt he exerted over himself. 

“Oh. Oh. Shit…is she?” Understanding dawned in Alice’s eyes.

“Shit,” she said again, backing away. Wrapping her arms around herself, she took a deep breath. “I read that you—”

“Alice,” he stressed, trying to keep the ice out of his voice. 

Didn’t she understand that he couldn’t bear to answer this question? 

“She was your wife.” 

Alice said it so gently, but Vlad still felt like his skin was being pricked with a thousand pins and needles. 

“I’m sorry, this is…awkward. I know you probably don’t want to—”

“No,” he said quickly, “I don’t.” 

She nodded, “Yep. Cool, well, maybe we should just—” 

The desire to wipe away this moment as if it never happened burned in his chest. All he wanted was to keep drowning in Alice and everything she made him feel. 

“Go back to what we were doing,” he whispered, slowly approaching to signal his intent.

To give her a chance to change her mind–which he desperately hoped she didn’t. 

She swallowed. “Don’t you think—”

“The only thing I’m thinking about is you.”

She cleared her throat and took a step towards him.

Within minutes, they were back on course, her hips swirling in way that made it hard for him to think about anything other than how quickly he could get the rest of their clothes off. 

Kissing her made him feel dizzy. Light-headed.

She bit his lip and inched forward, the pleasure/pain catching Vlad by so much surprise that he jolted back, smashing her hand against the pictures hanging on the wall. 

“Fuck!” she reared back, snatching her hand away.

“Are you alright?” Vlad asked, still holding her tightly in his lap. Stupid, mortal, fragile bones!

“I’m sorry,” they both said at the same time. 

“No, really, I’m fine. I didn’t mean to mess up your…”—she paused to examine the pictures on the wall—“Since when were you the type to buy art prints that say ‘bacon’ and ‘farm fresh eggs?” she asked suspiciously.

Vlad felt his mouth go dry.

“Let me down,” she commanded.

Reluctantly, he did, an explanation on the tip of his tongue.

The haze of almost-sex gone, Alice finally looked around the apartment, taking in the television and stereo, the sleek counters, the furniture.

“You would never live somewhere like this,” she insisted, scrunching up her face.

Was that because she was disappointed? Or did she hate it too? Vlad longed to ask her what she thought, but the timing seemed…wrong? 

Sucking in a breath and covering her eyes, Alice modulated her voice. “Please tell me that this is your house.”

Should he explain? Because if he could explain then maybe…

The thought fizzled out with no resolution. 

Wasn’t he in control?

“I—”

“Holy fucking llamas!” she turned on her heel to grab her shirt. “This is not your house!” 

A small voice in his head repeated what Vlad already knew in his bones: he was definitely not in control. 

Akira

Realm of the Fae

“For Goddess fuckin’ sakes, Titania, grow up!” Akira seethed, after he coughed and purged himself of most of the fire.

He stormed past her but she followed him to his wardrobe and weapons room. She knew he’d continue his efforts to get The Owl! He’d work tirelessly and without complaint until he saw the thing through. There was nothing else for it. 

“Me grow up? What about you?” she shrieked. “I just healed those injuries and now you’re going to go back out there!” 

“You already know I am,” Akira snarled. “So you can quit pretending to be shocked. You’re 670 years old, Titania, why don’t you act it? Fairy fire? Really?”

For a second she looked embarrassed. “It wasn’t going to kill you.”

Akira groaned and threw open his dresser drawers, gathering clothes. Before, tracking Miko meant going the long way around. Centuries he spent on foot, making his way through the world of mortals following her every move. But now he knew she’d be stationary for a while so he could finally pack appropriately and use a more civilized form of travel: mirror portal. 

“Why don’t you ever listen to me? The hunt for The Owl is dangerous. Why can’t you just stay here?” Titania begged, her tone anxious.

Akira ignored her and continued packing. The soft voice was a ruse, he need only wait a few seconds and—

“Why her, Akira?” Titania exploded. “There are others! Countless others. Fairies who would give their left wing to lie with you. She hates—”

“Leave it!” he threatened, pushing past her to grab a set of swords that hung on the opposite wall. 

“She hates you! HATES! You are dead to her! Do you really think she’ll want your help?”

Akira stopped moving and tried to get control of his temper. 

No. 

The answer was no. Of course Miko didn’t want his help. Why would she want help from her husband who woke up the day after their wedding with a raging migraine and three beautiful fairies spread out on his bed? Why would she want help from the man who had never seen a bottle not worth finishing no matter how often she begged him, no matter how badly it ever turned out? 

“Titania…” he sighed.

Oblivion. It was a demon he had chased at the bottom of a bottle for centuries, whenever his head got too loud. It had cost him everything, which made his current desire to have a drink even worse. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, as much to his sister as to the memory of Miko. 

“It’s not about helpin’ her, Tania,” he said softly, using her childhood nickname. “I’m trying to undo it. All of it. My mistake—”

His sister narrowed her eyes.

“Mistakes,” he corrected. “I’m trying to make it like it never happened.” 

All these years and he let Titania think it was his own arrogance and stubbornness that took him from her. Their parents were dead, Oberon was…complicated, and he knew she was often lonely. 

“I hate leaving you. I hate being far away from home. I want it like it was before: me and you and Miko, even that fucker Oberon. We had our own little family.”

His heart sank as he finally explained the truth. “But I can’t stay. Do you understand what i’m telling you? I’m bound to her.”

His sister put a hand over her mouth and bit back a sob.

Alice

Downtown Windenburg

With a shirt on and plenty of distance between her and Vlad’s enticingly sharp teeth, Alice felt like she could finally think. She also felt like her anger could start a five-alarm fire. 

“Are you insane?” she shouted, “Why would you bring me to someone else’s house to have sex?”

Vlad winced and reached for her. “Alice…” 

“Vladislaus Straud you are out of your ever-loving mind if you think I want you to touch me right now.”

Chastened, he snatched his hand back. It was not lost on her that Vlad was the kind of creature even vampires didn’t want to meet in a dark alley, and here she was standing in a stranger’s apartment screaming at him. 

Life was strange. Her life, especially.

She could deal with a lot of things. Whispering his wife’s name in the middle of their hookup? Fine. Well, not fine—awkward, but it’s not like she didn’t know. He was born in the 15th century for llama’s sakes, he had a past! Plus, he had been horrified. And she wasn’t stupid, she knew for him this was temporary. It was temporary for her too. She couldn’t be in a relationship with someone who was going to outlive her by…well…forever.

Groaning, she scrubbed her hands over her face. “Why is this happening to me?”

“I didn’t mean—”

She cut him off with a look and he immediately lowered his head.

Pacing, she felt her fury begin to build up all over again. She didn’t want this. Any of this! The whole point of flying halfway across the world for this damn contest was so that she could have a life that was the opposite of this. And for one small moment, she was beginning to feel like this wasn’t so bad, wasn’t so lonely. He made her feel wanted, desired…normal. 

And then he had to go and ruin it!

“What is wrong with you?” she demanded.

It was directed as much at herself as it was at him. If she was too weird for a fucking vampire, what hope did she have?

“Nothing! I was shielding you—” he started.

He was what? Her stomach churned and she felt hot all over. Mortifying. That was the way to describe this situation: mortifying. 

Clutching at whatever dignity she had left, Alice crossed to the door and took a deep breath. There couldn’t be any tears. You didn’t cry when you were getting ready to read someone the riot act. 

“Let me tell you something, oh great and powerful Vlad: you’re not that fucking great. You’re arrogant, selfish, and fucking coward. I don’t need you to shield me from your exalted life of plasma drinking or whatever the hell it is that you do with your copious amounts of free time! Get bent!”

“Whatever it is I do? I am a king! I have plenty to do!” he thundered, and then immediately seemed to think better of it. 

He tried again. “This is a misunderstanding. You’re getting worked up because you don’t understand what I meant—”

“Don’t understand what you meant?” Alice scoffed. “Do you think I’m stupid? That I don’t know what the word ‘shield’ means because I didn’t go to college?”

“No, of course not!” he sounded bewildered. “You didn’t go to college?”

“That was rhetorical! I don’t need you to mansplain to me why I’m upset! I’m pissed because apparently I don’t rate highly enough to be invited to your actual house so you brought to me to some stranger’s apartment to fuck. Like you’re ashamed of me!”

His eyes widened and he held out a hand for her again. Glaring, Alice stepped out of his reach. “I mean, who do you think you’re fooling? You don’t know how use a fucking cell phone! Why would you live in an apartment with a smart speaker?”

The device lit up, “Hi, I’m Lin-Z. Would you like to play a game of—”

“Shut up!” Alice snapped and miraculously, the machine shut off.

“I’m not…” —Vlad formed the words with a frown—“mansplaining. I am simply explaining that you don’t need to be upset because I…”

He trailed off at Alice’s incredulous look. 

She had always liked smiting when Ben told her about it in stories, but now she had a whole new appreciation. If, somehow, she learned to do it between now and winning this stupid fucking contest, Vladislaus Straud was at the top of her list. 

With a huff, she went for the door. He made to follow but Alice whirled around and held up her hand. 

“Don’t you dare fucking follow me. No vampire mist, no showing up at my fucking window. Nothing. I do not want to see you.”

She slammed the door behind her.

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Outside, Ben, who had the good sense to stay quiet during the whole exchange, finally piped up. 

“Well, at least you didn’t set the place on fire. Progress right?”

Alice didn’t answer.

“This is usually the part where you yell at me to shut up.” His tone held a note of solemnity in it.

“Shut up,” she said. But her heart wasn’t really in it.

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Credits

Poses by JoanneBernice

This Kiss

Ultimate Couple Pose Pack

Facial Expressions 1 – 4

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Poses by Simmerberlin

Emotions 1 – 9

Baby it’s Cold Outside

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Poses by Atashi77

Argument Poses No. 1

Argument Poses No. 2

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Know the Tension – Couple Pose Pack by Marley 

Arguing [in game & CAS poses] by Radioactive

Fey Dress by Simply-simming

Elf Ears by Suzue

Elf Ears by Sikoi

Pose Pack 10 by Katverse

Nell Bandage Set HQ by Nell

One shoe for Men + pose pack by imadako

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Sims 4 Gallery

17 Culpepper 1 Pack by schnuck01

Fairy Village by Tiki5872

Fairy Garden Bedroom by Desperavimus