resident emotional mess

Tied to a stone slab, struggling as the people you had called family decided peace was more important than their own damn offspring.

The scent of flowers is cloying and overwhelming. Your body is laden with jewels and gold to attract whatever was in this mountain. You had heard the stories. Of course you had! It was how your parents scared you into behaving. They said naughty children would be sacrificed to the monster atop the mountain.

But here you were, a grown adult, abandoned by your own family and loved ones because of a senile old soothsayer claiming you were the next perfect sacrifice.

A sound draws your attention and you struggle to look behind you. It's not easy, and your eyes hurt from straining so much. It's not like you could've done much anyway. You were tied down like a ship in a storm. So… As a deadly calm settled over you… You closed your eyes and succumbed to your fate.

"Oi. Oi! Hello? You dead already?" Your eyes shoot open at the voice in your mind that was distinctly not your own and come face to face with something else entirely.

The dragon ripples with muscle underneath its scales of pitch black. It's eyes glow a vivid crimson and it looks at you with something akin to curiosity. It has curved horns like a rams, though they are mute reddish in color and its inky black wings are folded tightly against its spine as it cocks its head to look at you. Its underbelly is almost golden and studded with gold coins and jewels that look to be stuck in the skin. As if it had been lying on them and simply hadn't shaken them off yet. The dragon is absolutely massive, towering over your form.

So you do the only sensible thing and scream.

"Will you stop struggling already?! You'll make me drop you!" The dragon all but whines as he lands rather heavily on the ground. You are clutched in one massive scaly and taloned… hand? Paw? What are you supposed to call his appendage?

You quickly shut up and stop moving when you realize where you are when he comes to the ruins of a massive castle. Its the castle of your people, where the kings of old used to rule. You thought it had been destroyed!

Well… It had… But there was still room for the dragon to live and be hidden.

The dragon wraps you up in his scaly tail so he can walk unimpeded through his domain. "What are you going to do with me?" You demand as he walks through the castle grounds and towards the keep. If the dragon could shrug, he would have. But he huffs and a plume of smoke escapes his nostrils as he licks his scaly lips. "Keep you obviously. The villagers have no use for you anymore and I'm always looking for more entertainment." He says bluntly and you smother down the sting of hurt as your situation dawns on you.

You're trapped with a dragon, forced to entertain him because your family decided you were worth giving up.

The dragon comes to a stop before the keep and looks up at the tower window. You swallow thickly as he opens his maw and lets out a deafening roar that makes your ears ring and your body starts to involuntarily tremble.

"What!" A woman's voice shouts as the tower window is thrown open and a young woman peeks her head out. She has short blonde hair and is dressed not in a dress, but a sleeveless shirt. She scowls down at the two of you, annoyance clear in her expression. "Is that how you treat me after I bring you a friend?" The dragon shoots back and the woman lets out a dramatic groan. "I didn't need a friend! I have Dolcetto and Roa!" She complains but the window shuts and after a few minutes, she exits the keep through the door at the base of the tower.

You are dropped rather unceremoniously on your rear and she comes to a stop before you, hands on her hips as she studies you. She had a layered skirt on, tied up at the hip so it doesn't come past her knees, and a pair of worn leather boots. She has a knife at her side and you decide very quickly that you do not want to make her angry.

"Where'd you find this one?" She asks of the dragon who curls around the keep and rests his head on his crossed arms. "The village was sacrificing them. I took the gold and jewels, figured I'd take them as well." He said and for a split second, her gaze turns unbelievably sad.

But as quickly as the expression appears, it's gone and she sighs. "Alright, c'mon. Lets get you outta that garb and into something more comfortable." She says and helps you to your feet before tugging you into the castle keep and slamming the door shut behind you.

Its dark, the only light coming in through the slits in the cobblestone and you trip more than once. The woman pays you no mind and barely waits as she makes her way up the stairs with practiced ease.

The top of the keep is a large circular room with a single cot against the window. Candles light the space and rugs cover the floor to help keep out the chill. There's a wardrobe against the other wall and the woman gives you a once over before opening the doors and rifling through the contents inside. "Greed doesn't know any better. But I really wish he'd give us more of a warning before just… bringing someone new home. It's an adjustment period for both us and you." She says as she picks out an outfit and throws it at you with a quick, "Change behind the modesty screen."

You look at the outfit and blink. It's a cotton tunic and a pair of breeches with a belt and vest to go over top. You step behind the aforementioned modesty screen and begin to change. However, once you are in your undergarments, the events of the day begin to set in and you begin to cry. Great heaving sobs and you feel like you can barely breathe through your gasps.

The woman is at your side in an instant, hand on your back as you fall to your knees and weep. "I know, it sucks. But they didn't want you. So you have a new family now." She says in an attempt at comfort. But all you can hear is your family telling you that you would be sacrificed to the beast on the mountain. That you weren't needed anymore. That you were going to die because they were scared of what would happen.

It isn't long before you realize that things aren't quite normal.

Of course there's the dragon, who you now know as Greed; and he protects your little group. There's Martel the gorgon. Though most of the time her snake hair is hidden in a glamor spell by Roa the druid. He's a large hulking man with white hair and a stern expression. But you see him tending to his little garden on the castle grounds or talking to birds as they alight on his finger with the utmost patience and gentleness. There is also the scorned paladin Dolcetto. He's shorter than average, but his mastery with the blade makes up for what he lacks in height.

But as you live with the ragtag group of beasts, you come to realize they were all outcasts. Dolcetto was thrown out from his guild because of his refusal to kill someone he won't name. Roa left his family because they were corrupted by a necromancer. Martel was cast out because she had snakes for hair but no ability to turn people to stone. And Greed…

Well you didn't know much about Greed. He didn't talk about himself much, but you could tell he cared immensely for those he called his "possessions".

Greed finds you with a surprising amount of stealth for a beast so big. You are curled up with a book in a corner of the castle grounds, undisturbed by Roa, Dolcetto, and Martel. It had been how you processed things for the most part—in lonesome quiet.

"Whatcha reading?" Came his voice in your head and you jump, dropping the book and barely keeping your spot before glaring upwards to see him watching you with amused eyes. "One of the books you brought back on your most recent outing. It's about a knight saving a princess." You say and he curls around the little alcove you've hidden yourself away in. He peeks his snout in and nudges your foot. You had taken to going barefoot, claiming you liked the feeling of grass beneath your feet. So you nudge him right back, his scales rough as rock yet smooth as silk at the same time. "Do you want to be saved? By a knight I mean." He asks and you look at him confused. "I've already been saved. You saved me." You say and he blinks once, twice, before huffing out a snake of smoke from his nostrils in an attempt at laughter.

The two of you spend your day together, you reading aloud, him listening with eyes closed and you can't help but wonder what your life would have been like if you hadn't been sacrificed…

Things not pictured:

-Edward and Alphonse (mostly because I don't know what Edward would be besides a regular alchemist… maybe a necromancer and he put Alphonse's spirit in the armor like in the manga?)

-Greed changing into a human (scrapped this idea. I like monsters lol, not humanoids)

So when he could smell it emanating from your person, he was more than a bit concerned. He asked Hana and Dera about it, but they gave some obscure answer of "you need to ask them yourself." and refused to elaborate.

Were you injured?

Were you dying?!

So… Yuru steeled his nerves, approached your bedroom door, and knocked.

There was silence for a moment. Then two. Then the door opened, and you peeked your head out. "Yuru?" You say, clearly exhausted. But he can still smell the scent of blood on your person. "Are you doing alright?" He asks bluntly and you stare blankly at him. So, he elaborates, "I can smell blood. Are you injured?"

At this, the dots seemingly connect and you clearly get embarrassed. You duck your head, and he can see how humiliated you feel. Part of him feels bad, but you still haven't answered his question. So, he asks again.

You end up reaching forward and grasping his wrist before tugging him inside your bedroom and shutting the door. Your eyes are still trained on the floor and you wring your hands together after letting go of his own. You mumble something quietly. He frowns. "Pardon?" He asks and you look up at him, practically glowering. He swallows and shrugs, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." He says gently and you sigh, taking a seat on your bed. Your room, normally clean and tidy, is a bit of a mess. Clothes are strewn about near the hamper as if you'd taken them off and tossed them in the general direction of the basket. You have candy wrappers, water bottles, and something that looks like a rectangle of fabric on your bed; which is also unmade. The only light in the room is your bedside lamp, but even that is askew.

His worry grows.

At least… Until you speak again.

"I'm on my period." You finally say and now it's his turn to stare blankly. Period? What does that mean in this context? He had no idea. You realize this and let out a quiet groan, turning to bury your face in the pillow. He panics. Are you trying to suffocate yourself?!

Eventually, you sit up and gesture for him to take a seat next to you. He does so and offers you a hand. You take it, turning his palm over so it faced the ceiling and begin to trace the lines on his palm. You do this often, fidgeting as you speak. He doesn't mind.

"A period is something all people who are assigned female at birth go through. It's the shedding of an inner organ called the uterus and causes bleeding. It happens when we don't get pregnant." You say simply and he mulls over the explanation. "So you aren't hurt?" He asks hesitantly and you shrug. "It hurts. It's like a contraction of the muscles. But I'm okay-ish. It'll go away in a few days. That's what this is for," You say and nudge the rectangle of fabric with your elbow. "What is it?" "A heating pad. It generates heat and helps relieve the cramping." You say and he's grateful you don't speak to him like he's an idiot.

Everyone but one.

Your head emerges from the water as you hear the snapping of a twig. Even with the water making your hearing murky, you pride yourself on your ability to hear what most cannot.

The pond around you is peaceful, quiet, and serene. In fact, you don't hear much after the initial twig, so you almost dunk your head back under the water. No one should bother you. Not many people even know where you are.

The little pond you had discovered hundreds of years ago was untouched by human kind and time itself. Of course, your powers of nurturing the land around you certainly helped. But the water was deep enough for you to completely submerge yourself and crystal clear. The trees are heavy with fruit, and the animals who inhabit the area are nowhere to be found.

This was your paradise for molting season.

Practically your Garden of Eden as those in the west would say.

Another twig snapped and you narrowed your eyes, sinking down into the water until your nose is just barely above the surface. You tense, readying yourself for a fight in case it's a nefarious Daemon pair or something just as sinister.

Only for Left to appear from the edge of the forest.

You relax marginally. But not entirely. Because what if she brings horrible news?

"Ah. There you are." She says once she spots you in the center of the pond. You pout and stand, letting the water stream from your naked body and your wings drag limply behind you. Left doesn't fluster at the sight of your nudeness, nor do you really care. You don't approach the Daemon, nor does she approach you. You simply stand and watch her and she does the same. The silence is electric, tense with something unknown.

At least… Until you break eye contact and sink back into the water. "What are you doing here?" You grumble, mostly in the water so your words are obscured by bubbles. Left takes a step in the water, ignoring what you said, or at least pretending to. You huff and back up as she begins to make her way into the pond and toward your prone form. "Yuru was curious as to where you went. I volunteered to find you." She said simply.

Ah, so she had heard you.

You take another step back, nearly tripping on an underwater branch and scowl. There was a reason you had been where you were. So you wouldn't be bothered. But it seems Left had her own ulterior motives.

Eventually, you give up and simply stand up, trying your best to seem intimidating. It's hard when Left is at least a foot taller than yourself. But you certainly try.

She stands before you, the water lapping at your waist, her arms crossed over her chest. "Don't you know what time of year it is?" You snap, and when she doesn't respond right away, you scoff and turn away.

Only for her to catch your arm. You bare your teeth, preparing to scrape several layers of skin off given she is made of stone and you are simply not. But she lets go at the last moment and you spin to face her. "Leave me alone." You snarl and she shakes her head. "You are hurting. I am here to help." She said and that gives you pause.

What?

No one helps you during this time.

Not even the other half of your Daemon pair! Everyone leaves you alone. Just as it should be! You tell Left as much and she gives you a look that screams 'really?' and puts a hand on her hip. "Well? Are you going to let me help you or not?" She asks after several moments of silence. You sigh, mull it over, and then relent. "Fine."

The two of you sit together in the water, her not caring about her clothes and carefully preening your wings and helping you shed the loose feathers.

anime oc stories:

in the line of duty—an account by rory blackburn — fullmetal alchemist

pairing: roy mustang x original female characters

rating: mature for graphic depictions of violence, major character death, xenophobia toward non-amestrians

summary: Broken, hateful, and alone. Rory Blackburn lives through nightmares, recalling her treasonous past. But she is pulled from her wallowing and given new life when she meets Roy Mustang.

the threat of something broken — solo leveling

pairing: jin-chul woo x original female character

rating: mature for graphic depictions of violence, gore, major charcter death, and language

summary: A new S-Rank hunter awakens. The clock starts ticking for guilds to recruit her to their groups. The only issue is that she’s in a maximum security prison.

a touch of hope: bungou stray dogs (nbc) grimm

pairing: osamu dazai x original female character

rating: teen and up audiences

summary: Bianca Lancaster has gone her entire life seeing things that seemingly no one else can. And no one believes her. But, when she meets someone who can nullify abilities with a touch, she starts to gain some hope that she might not be the only one out there.

the curious adventures of doctor joan — bungou stray dogs

pairing: atsushi nakajima x original female character

rating: teen and up audiences

summary: When Doctor Joan Dolittle gets a call about an injured cat, she doesn’t think anything of it. After all, she’s a vet. It’s her job. But when that cat turns out to be a tiger claiming to be a young man, that’s when she begins to ask questions.

spider silk lies — moriarty the patriot

pairing: albert james moriarty x original female character

rating: teen and up audiences

summary: “Living a life spun from lies made of spider’s silk is no way to live, is it?” She had no clue who she was about to meet when she arrived after following the directions on a scrap of paper hidden in the bust of her dress. It could be a man or a woman, a demon looking to bargain, or a mere human. It could be an undercover police officer or a friend. She didn’t know where this person stood in society—whether they were of noble blood or a commoner—she didn’t even know what they looked like. They could be harsh or kind, sweet or bitter. They could cast her out for what she was about to ask of them. Despite all of this, Nessie trusted in who she was about to meet. She trusted that this person would help her kill her husband.

the scent of iron — bungou stray dogs, tokyo ghoul

pairing: chuuya nakahara x original female character

rating: mature for graphic descriptions of violence, gore, and cannibalism

summary: Ikeda Kei hated the feeling of blood on her hands. But hey, when all you could eat was human flesh, you couldn't afford to be picky.

the haunted man and the ghost's bargain — bungou stray dogs

pairing: chuuya nakahara x original female character

rating: mature for graphic depictions of violence, dead bodies, and gore

summary: Charlie Dickens just wants to go to work, get a good night's rest, and maybe solve a couple of homicides on the way. However, when she is hired to solve the murder of a mysterious man, she finds herself wrapped up in a mix of the Port Mafia, the Armed Detective Agency, and… love?

frostbite | idyllic | epidemic — my hero academia

pairing: izuku midoriya x ochako uraraka, izuku midoriya & original female character

rating: mature for violence and child abuse (not from canon characters)

summary: She has lived on the street her whole life, kissing the edge of death every day. It all changes when she; Frostbite, a 9-year-old lowly street rat, is sent to kill the number one hero Izuku Midoriya aka Deku.

crystallized — voltron: legendary defender, fairy tail

pairing: takashi "shiro" shirogane x original female character

rating: teenage and up audiences

summary: Mae Topaz is thrust into a life she doesn't fully understand when King Alfor finds her after her mother; Almas the Crystal Dragon, abandons her. 10,000 later she is thrust into another life she doesn't want when she is awoken to find her adopted home gone. She meets people like her who become the Paladins but a question remains. Will she be able to help them defeat Zarkon?

other oc stories:

a series of grimm events — (nbc) grimm

pairing: nick burkhardt x original female character

rating:

summary: When Nick is called out to the scene of a shooting, he thinks it’s just a normal case. What he finds instead is a woman with too many secrets.

necessary evil — (nbc) grimm

pairing: sean renard x original female character

rating: mature for explicit depictions of violence, gore, cannibalism, and murder