Safe Space=Tummy➰👽

Since I have thrown the idea of them being any sort of “divine” beings out the window, they are moreso just… a bunch of idiots that somehow banded together through an equal amount of spite and compassion to create a planet to host life. Their intelligence is beyond mortal comprehension, yes, just… some display it a little differently (looking directly at The Argus.)

Okay thats mean. Maybe. No its not. In order from most appropriately named “God” to “are we SURE this was of the original 3”;

The Mollusk takes no shit. Slow to the other deities’ petty rage. Doesn’t dabble in mortal nonsense whatsoever, in fact if mortals attempt to dabble with it, it promptly unstrings their DNA and leaves the red mist they leave to feed its beloved domain. You’ll find FAR more mortals cursed by him than any who have been blessed. One thing forever remains utterly concrete in this world to mortals, immortals, and demigods alike; don’t fuck with the ocean.

Smultz is by far the most involved with the mortals, as her domain is just as much theirs as it is her own. Despite this she holds no particular feeling about them, no love nor hate, and only wishes them to treat the land kindly to keep the flow of nature running, even occasionally hiding among them out of curiosity of how they’re utilizing what she has given them. That being said, she is quick to snap at the other Deities in the event that they attempt to disrupt what she has so carefully crafted— such quarrels being exactly why those lands were split up into 6 separate continents.

The Argus. [deliberate pause] is a flashy piece of shit in the sky twirling around flaunting its hypnotically patterned feathers and occasionally making a horrible screech to echo across the globe for fun. It thinks the mortals are hilarious, little toys in this toybox that they have created. Though it never interferes directly— no deity is to scar another’s domain without consequence— only watches their woes from afar. (As you may know the argus is a several hundred eyed giant from greek mythology who was assigned to be a watchman for Hera, but is also a type of bird with a fascinating courting display. The immediate inspiration for my Argus came from neither of these and was initially just named that as a reference to something else. I only learned these things after I looked it up for design inspiration. Helped development alot!)

Being the deity of the skies, and only the skies, it really only serves as something to stroke its ego and put it literally above others. Punish those who test it, leave those who do not alone. Unfortunately, the mortals haven’t shown interest in colonizing the air itself for a millennia. So the exception when it comes to how it is able to play with these little toys? Blessings and influence. So, what would be something really entertaining to watch at a distance that isn’t TECHNICALLY caused by direct interaction…

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And now we backtrack. Remember the post about the entirety of this being within a space leviathan? Well, that happened fairly early on in the development of their life-holding planet, before there was ever intelligent life. The Argus, in the midst of everyone else being wrought with terror that all of their work would have been for nothing and they would all possibly be strung into nothing more than space matter, was fascinated. A beast able to best not just one deity, but three all at once? And with such confidence and grace, no attempts to hide its looming presence as it engulfed them all. The Argus instead asked it why. And the leviathan, not even expecting such acknowledgement, was happy to answer.

“Your planet is young, growing still. It is vulnerable.” Its voice, or what could be considered a voice, droned more akin to a whale’s call.

“And so you saw it fit to eat?” The Argus huffed in defeat. Yes, it was young, and it was vulnerable, but it took alot of time to get to that point.

“Fit to protect.” It answered simply, “You may regard me as part of your solar system and carry on.”

Something about that stuck in its head. It was demeaning— why did this thing, which isn’t even a god, mind you, think that they were sooo pitiful that they needed help? Yet at the same time, it made it feel as if they were special. Of all things in this endless expanse, whatever this was chose them. And now they drifted along as one. The Argus would continue to be the only one who’d communicate to the leviathan, as the leviathan only saw it worth responding to. The other deities would quickly grow annoyed by this.

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And so, projecting its own feelings of being effectively stored within another being, it decided that forcing innocent mortals to experience similar things was the funny. Thats it. It likes to watch how they handle being turned into freaks of nature. Worldbuilding!

Thank you again for your tolerance

Quick edit while views are still low I used to want the deities to be so serious and threatening and all-powerful but no theyre still just a really toxic polyamorous couple. This is their dedicated toyhouse folder

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Yes, there are some that may appear blessed at a glance, but aren’t truly. These individuals are a far more common sight, though still not fully understood under both scientific and magical terms due to so few willing to study them, and even fewer willing to be studied. These people have direct link to where they lie in relation to a Deities domain that is known for certain, though.

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So, what does it mean to be “Influenced”?

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Influenced individuals are similar to those who are blessed, but not quite the same. Influence befalls a person almost like an illness, changing them gradually over time until it fully settles into their body and becomes their new way of existence. Much like those who are blessed, their appearance will shift depending on what Deity is currently of influence— Smultz’ influence causing an individual to grow bark around their hands and feet (tail, if they have one) and having vines gradually grow up their bodies through their skin, The Mollusk’s influence granting people scales and webbed fingers, sometimes growing fins on rare occasion, and then The Argus… forgoing feathers entirely, instead causing an individual to grow fine, pale fur, claws like talons, and AGAIN with the velvety insides, man!? Atleast the other ones let people still eat normal people food. God of the skies more like troll of the skies damn. The other deities are starting to question your motives.

Sigh. An influenced person will then… bla bla bla… both of them involve just more water intake… The Mollusk’s influence makes them more sensitive to changes in temperature… EXCEPT THE ARGUS’ INFLUENCE, SPECIFICALLY, OF COURSE. Hydrophobia once again, sudden loss of appetite and general aversion to eating, except this time with it being gradual, like an illness, a person may experience extreme distress and be more inclined to forcing their body to act as normal. It never ends well. Especially when an appetite returns, but nothing wants to stay down. It gets messy fast. And those who are Influenced are not effectively immortal. They can still starve.

Argus-influenced are the least documented out of all of them for obvious reasons.

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So uh… more on Argus Influenced?

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Yes. Yeah. Thats why I’m here. Thats why you’re here, probably.

Conveniently, it seems to only affect those who live in or around the mountains of Giant’s Valley. The giants, specifically. Theorized to be because they will technically forever be the closest to The Argus’ domain on regular occasion. Though knowing The Argus— me, the writer, and you, a viewer— it may very well be deliberate cherry-picking.

So they can’t eat normally, but again, it’s not quite the same as those who are blessed. But you best believe it is JUST as inconvenient!

With the helpful studies of Dr. [REDACTED], it has been discovered that presence alone inside of an argus-influenced individual’s stomach is enough to “feed” them. Unfortunately, the real reason is still speculative, as definitely-licensed Dr. [REDACTED] doesn’t have very… advanced tools. Or means to study at all. Just a clipboard and determination.

Their first subject was Milk, a yeti lumberjack that had been turned down by doctor after doctor because, well, medical equipment isn’t always accessibly giant-sized, and without even knowing what his problem might be other than claims of feeling fatigued, any attempt to diagnose would be a shot in the dark. Lucky for him, [REDACTED] was more than happy to take him in and see what was going on about him. Milk, sweetheart, when someone claims to be a doctor and takes you out by a shed and proudly tells you to eat them, you probably shouldn’t do that. Nonetheless, they did help his “problem with fatigue”, and he agreed to let them set up shop in his home so that he could stay in good health, and they could continue their studies in a casual setting. Again… honey, sweetie, don’t take in ratty strange “doctors” that swear they know what they are doing when they don’t even work in a hospital.

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Ah well, thats about the end of it when it comes to information. Milk would later take in a young and aspiring musician named Jeaner that had been freshly thrown off a train by hijackers and thinks they are rather charming. Thank you for reading ily muah

Which PREVENTS alot of lapses between reality veils/breaches from other dimensions/general disturbances, but can create its own via consuming drifting souls/entire new planets and moons to integrate into its internal solar system. And despite its pickiness when it comes to what is or isn’t eaten, it’s rather empathetic towards those that fall between realities and find themselves lost in the void. I actually have 2 characters like this; Sol, who eventually drifted their way to Mr. Stars who is in short a giant tumblr sexyman in his little box somewhere at the edge of all existence, and Craig, who I’ve not had a proper place for/explanation to his existence until now.

Craig is an OLLLD ass character I made when I was super young, used to exist purely for the sake of being a gay lover to another character (also used to be named Cray), but uhhh thats lame asf? And bc of how loosely I’ve hung onto him through the years he’s bounced around several concepts/briefly being In My Head and I think it would be really fucking cool and fitting for this to be how he is finally cemented into my worldbuilding.

Bc quick look, this is him;

And as we’ve discussed I THINK, the only intelligent lifeforms that have feathers are either a deity, demigod, or Argus-blessed. He is none of those he is in fact a griffin shapeshifter. Griffins exist here! But they’re just like, horses. As do shapeshifters! But again, no feathers. So the locals are gonna freak the fuck out if a horse starts talking asking whats going on and EVEN MORE FREAKED OUT when he turns into a humanoid!

The deities don’t know how to handle shit like this. At first its a concern of “OUR SOLAR SYSTEM HAS BEEN BREACHED WE ARE NOT SAFE”, but then its an obligation to keep this thing alive because the enormous voidbeast that is generously protecting your planet is like “b-b-but he was cold:( and alone:(“. May have to assign the little thing a sort of bodyguard because no deity is taking time out of THEIR day to watch a mortal…

Meanwhile Craig is so scared bc he has the vaguest memories of amillion lifetimes and now 3 gods are staring him down like hes a specimen. He’ll get used to it. Eventually.

Food was never more plentiful- For a borrower living in the walls of someones home, that is. About a week had passed, and it didn't seem as if the supply had depleted. Though instead of questioning it, the little pest thrived on it. They'd taken a little more per trip to begin, then a little more, until they started making multiple rounds per day. Who else was going to eat it before it began to mold, anyways?

Perhaps it was foolish to be getting so cocky. The homeowner was still living there, occasionally bumbling around, but never really leaving. Surely he had noticed food dissappearing that he hadn't been eating, right? Though he didn't seem to be making any efforts to prevent it...

That is, until now, where in one of the lower cabinets where there was only ever utility, there was a single, pitiful mouse trap. It was a borderline insulting sight. How stupid did this elf think they were? Of all traps that he could cleverly tuck away in some corner or disguise even a little, he chose the most basic and widespread mechanism of them all, designed for something that can’t comprehend anything other than the tasty treat set out for them. For an elf, he was about as dumb as the rat he thinks he'll catch.

Sam chuckled to themself as they looked at the bit of cheese stuck to the traps trigger, hands on their hips. They didn't even like cheese, but they almost wanted to take it anyways, just to prove a point. It wouldn't be that hard to disarm, anyways. Show this moron that he isn’t dealing with just some rodent.

They pried a splinter of wood from the inside of the cabinet's frame. Already worn down, perhaps an actual rat had gnawed it to that point, and used its broader end to hit the pedal. Predictably, it snapped shut as soon as it came in contact, flying a few inches into the air before clattering back down dramatically. Borrower perfectly unharmed. This made them chuckle again, stepping up in triumph to scrape the disgusting cheese off without risking a broken spine. It was a foul sensation and smell to have on their paws. Gods, they hated the stuff, but they needed to prove its uselessness…

Though in their blind sense of superiority, what they didn't predict, was that “the big dumb elf” had a backup.

Light flooded the cabinet, and in one fluid motion a jar came slamming down around them. They shrieked as they whipped around to face him, pressing their back hard against the glass in a panic the giants other hand approached. He jammed his claws under its rim, stabbing at the borrowers feet and forcing them to back further in as he scooped them up along with it, helpless as they slid to the bottom. They stared wide-eyed in horror at the face of their captor distorted through the glass. For years they had gone unseen, years of food, shelter and warmth, gone in an instant. They pushed their luck, and it had finally run dry. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Should have just kept walking!

He reached for the creature, cornered and frantic as they desperately ducked down as low as they could before his claws snagged on the fabric of their ragged garments, and slowly started lifting them out.

His fingers were quick to readjust around their miniscule frame securely. It was easy to feel just how hard they were trembling like this, captured for the first time in their life. For a moment he stared silently as they did, almost... contemplating. Like he felt guilty for the terrified borrower in his clutches. He wasn't wholly ready to be holding them now. He leaned over the counter to prop himself on his elbows while he watched. Eventually, he managed a halfhearted chuckle, "Knew it wasn't just rats..."

Despite their panicked mind, something was immediately off. This man barely resembled the elf they had always known- red skin, pitch-black clawed hands- even that absurd hairstyle had fallen in tangles. This was not an elf. Not anymore. Their look of fear twisted with a tinge of confusion. Though curiosity was soon drowned out with terror— This was actually happening. They had actually been caught. They were so fucked. Their claws dug into his thumb, heart pounding in their ears as their mind raced, thoughts scrambling and fighting over eachother so much it reduced their vocabulary to no more than a noise in their throat. They couldn't even manage to plead for mercy.

His brow furrowed as he fell silent again, licking his teeth and fidgeting somewhat with them in his hands, thinking. That flash of blue against his now-pointed teeth pressed between his lips made their mind race even faster- what the hell has he turned into?

Noticing the fear growing in their expression, he took a slow breath before speaking again, "... I have an offer for you."

Their ears immediately perked. It wasn't easy to manage a steady breath in their state, but they tried, as his words carried their last bit of hope, and they needed to keep on-pace with them.

"... an offer?" Their throat was dry, strained by exasperation and shaken by the pounding of their heart. Though their question held genuine intrigue.

"Yeah... I need help. If you couldn't notice the whole..." he motioned at himself, and then to the kitchen around them, “Everything. Shits gotten rrrreal fucky."

Their words came quicker than thought, "What happened to you?"

"I don't wanna get into details. Just..." he shook his head dismissively, "Just listen to my offer first."

“Because I don't need none of this shit no more, its all yours. No longer stealing. I've seen how much you've been takin- you rely on me to be stockin' those shelves. An' if I don't have my own reason to keep doin' it, then there's no point. That food ain't gonna last forever, but it will if ya do this for me. Aight?"

Their jaw immediately fell slack in disbelief. “What?" their voice was practically a whisper, "Y... you're serious? Really?"

"Again, only if you help me... n' that's what I was about to get to."

They nodded, silent and attentive. Surely whatever it was would be more than worth getting deliberately fed. This nightmare had started to feel like a dream.

"Right..." something about the way his lips twitched made it seem like he was hesitant to continue, taking another pause before doing so, "... I ain't been able to eat. Which I know you have noticed. But Im starving... I don't so much as crave food. The thought of it makes me feel nauseous. And on top of that... well... whatever happened to me, made me look like this, it... gave my insides this... weird ass feel. Like my mouth is completely fuckin' dry! Even if I tried to force normal food down my throat it'd be about the worst feelin' in the fuckin world..."

All this food talk was making them, sir measurable-in-apples, considerably nervous. Their ears were pressed flat against their head as they spoke, fear rising in their throat again, “What are you getting to, exactly…?”

"Just listen. Please." he squeezed their shoulders lightly with a pleading look in his eyes. "I know my body's wantin' somn else. Fuckin know it has to be... I-I've swallowed like, rocks, just small shit that isn't food, hopin' maybe it'd at least make me feel full, but nothin'. But in doing that, I also learned that I'm just as dry in my gut as I am in my mouth! And it was... strangely easy to get the rocks out, even though whatever happened to me took my gag reflex..." he was now clearly beating around the bush with his rambling.

His increasingly stranger words struck them with panic, blurting out the first words that came into their mind, "Why don't you find someone else to help!? I'm not gonna know what's wrong with you!" Their heart was pounding in their ears. What else could this maniac be implying!?

"Look at me!" His voice rose to a yell, and with it flared two jet-black wings from his back, sending a few downy feathers floating into the air. Feathers...?

His lips closed tight as he took another breath, tucking his wings back into place. He gathered himself quickly, "... I'm a freak of fuckin' nature. I ain't about to go waltzin' around town looking like this."

The borrower stared at him with wide eyes again, speaking slowly, afraid to hear his answer, "So... just what... are you planning to do with me?"

He spoke just as slowly, afraid to give that answer to them, "I... look, I don't wanna hurt you. And I don't think I will. But my brain, it's just... so certain that you will do somethin' different. Like I think about it, and I feel like I'll actually get relief... like you're somn' actually appetizin'..." His hand immediately shot up with that, "I-I don't know why. I don't, okay? I'm not saying you look tasty, I'm just saying you're-“

All at once, their worst fears became true. "I don't wanna be eaten!" they shrieked, kicking their legs wildly in every attempt to break free, "You're insane! Let go of me! I'll never come back here, I swear!"

"Listen to me, listen!" his other hand closed around them firmly, growing all the more desperate in his tone, "I won’t let it hurt you, I can spit you back out at any moment, I promise! It doesn’t even have to work, just please, do this for me! I need to try SOMETHING if it feels like it might!”

They didn’t like how much it sounded like they didn’t have a choice in the matter regardless. Truly, the brute could have already shoved them down his throat and been done with it- they didn’t think he was lying. He sounded pretty genuinely stressed about everything. They certainly hadn’t ever seen him leave here at any point to get other help. But that didn’t make getting eaten any less fucking horrifying. But at the same time, he’s offering not only a lifetime of food, but of safety. A giantfolk that didn’t want to squash them like a roach, and even welcomed them with open arms. It’d only be a moment. An awful, terrifying moment, but… probably, not fatal? A hunger-crazed monster wouldn’t have thought so elaborately about this, right…?

After a short pause and a tiny breath, they came forward with an idea, “Prove it. Prove that its… easy, or whatever, prove you can get me out at a moments notice. Prove that its ’safe’.”

He quickly nodded, “Yeah! Yeah of course, uhh,” he began to fumble around the counter behind them, searching for anything to fit down his gullet. A bottlecap was just about the only thing that wouldn’t cut him wide open, of which he popped straight from the bottle with his thumb and tapped dry on his shirt. “Some crazy hydrophobia is another thing this shit gave me…” he mumbled under his breath as he did so.

He then pressed it to his stark blue tongue, gaping his jaws wide enough for the borrower to see every last pointed tooth that lined them, then closed down with a swallow. Sure enough, the bottlecap was gone when he opened back up, showing the underside of his tongue for good measure. “There. See? Not bluffin’ you,” He chattered shortly, giving not a moment extra before shutting his mouth again and tensing slightly. When it opened, there the bottlecap was. He took it and handed it to them confidently, “Dry. Like I said.”

They blinked, surprised by how… efficient that was. They ran their hand over its smooth top before flipping it over, and sure enough, it seemed pretty dry aside from a remaining few tiny drops of soda still in the innermost grooves. When they looked back up to him, he was staring expectantly like an obedient dog.

“… can I touch your tongue?” They asked sheepishly but enamored, tucking the bottlecap under one arm.

He nodded again with an ”Mhm”, bringing them closer with it sticking between his sharkish teeth. What they noticed first before they even reached a hand out was the almost sickeningly sweet smell- one they’d avoid in food, aware of its concentrated sugar contents, but didn’t dislike. Smelled as blue as it looked.

As soon as their fingertips came in contact with it they reeled back in surprise. It was softer than any fur they had ever felt! They pondered it a little longer, palm pressed flat against it, wracking their mind on how it was even possible for this texture to be inside of a living, breathing being. They’d trade their raggedy old bedding of straw and fabric scraps for something like this in a heartbeat… but the thing itself had a heartbeat of its own.

The giant pulled back to speak, still staring with those big round eyes, “Do we have a deal?”

Their brow furrowed for a moment looking at him. Only a moment, lifetime of safety. He doesn’t want to hurt me.

“… do you promise, that you won’t hurt me?”

His gaze became uncharacteristically soft at that, brows up-tilted in guilt instead of desperation for a split moment. Awareness of his desperation to do something he fought himself to never do hit him like a brick. This wasn’t just some little experiment to try to make his pain and fatigue go away— he was toying with somethings life. He nodded slowly, speaking clearly and confidently to them now, “I promise.”

That was the reassurance they needed. Hesitating slightly, they gave him a nod in reply. “… alright. I’ll help.”

“Thank you.” He sighed with a tone of genuine gratitude. He used his thumb to lift their legs, bringing them close again, “I’ll try not to squish ya…”

Their heart rate began to rapidly climb once more as they were lifted to those parting teeth. Again, no amount of reassurance could make this any less terrifying. “Please do.” They squeaked softly.

The feeling of his hot breath enveloping their entire body sucked the breath from their lungs in an instant. They were quivering again. Feet, then legs, then back, one after the other, being placed on the tongue of a giant. They were forced to press themself further and further down, wary of being crushed in his twitching jaws— the strain and contemplation he felt as they lay there in his mercy was evident. Slowly, he began to tilt his head back, just barely enough to make them slide. Immediately their heart jumped to their throat, letting out a small yelp in response. He didn’t hesitate- he seemed to want to be through with this as quickly as they, tilting his head back further until they were sent down his throat. He leaned further forward against the countertop, hoping to slow their dissent… it may have only been a facade created in his increasingly wary mind, but he could swear he’d felt them on their entire trip down.

Though perhaps it wasn’t a facade, feeling now their slightest movements in his gut. It caught him off guard, a disturbing sensation knowing something alive was inside of him. Regret was already climbing.

“What the fuuck…” he groaned, putting his head to his arms. He had just eaten someone. Why was he just blindly following his thoughts like this? Though still he waited, holding out for some sort of result…

The moment they had reached his stomach, despite initially thrashing with fright, heaving terrified lungfuls of his air, they felt strangely… calm. The fear that had them gripped by the throat only moments earlier, being slowly pulled to their uncertain fate, had suddenly slipped away. That sugar-sweet smell on his breath was now thick and heavy around them, flowing through their lungs, each breath they drew building on an irrational sense of safety. The haze it created gradually clouded every sense. It became their new oxygen. Their mind was too shot to worry of it.

“So… sssoft…” they spoke lazily, slowly running their hands along the plush walls that surrounded them. More than enough room to hold them.

His head immediately shot up, “What the fuck?” He stood straight now, looking down at himself as if he’d be able to see them. Their voice rang clear as day in his ears, like they were sitting on his shoulder. How does that work???

He quickly replied in hope that meant they could hear him aswell, “Y-you alright in there??”

And indeed they did, only rumbling around them and muffled by all of the padding between them. “… yeah. Yeah I’m alright…” they replied, voice strained in a half-yawn. They stretched out somewhat in their comfort, making him shudder. “So is this working…?”

His hand hovered just above the very bottom of his ribcage where the borrower was now tucked away. A living creature. He had eaten someone alive. Never once had he ever wanted to take a life. Not even from someone that wanted to take his. Yet he felt like he was being so reckless with one so innocent to him. One that wants to help him now. But his groaning body made his mind desperate, and granted, this did bring some amount of relief. His claws just barely grazed his shirt before pulling away.

“I… I guess.” He sighed, hooking his thumb though a belt loop on his pants, “Ain’t hurtin’ like it was.“

They sluggishly rolled onto their side, tucked into a fold of the strange fuzzy muscle. The sweet haze felt as if it had seeped now into their brain, bleeding into their nerves and through their veins. Their limbs felt heavy as they lay there taking in slow breaths, letting that soothing feeling take over. “Mm… well, I could stay a bit, if you think that’d help…” their fingers curled slightly as they spoke. Soft, warm and unbothered.

His ears flicked. “You… sure about that?” He asked, concerned. The little guy had just been pleading to not be eaten, why the sudden shift in tone? It was selfish and he knew it, but damnit that bit of relief that they gave him… he didn’t feel fed, per se, but it stopped the hunger pangs that plagued his every waking moment. Part of him wouldn’t care to keep them there- but he showed resistance. “You ain’t gotta stay, you know that? You got free food waitin’ for ya out here.”

“Helping though, isn’t it?” They shifted again, laying now on their chest, “I can just… tell you if I need out…” Consciousness was slowly slipping away from them. In their mind they were no longer inside a stomach, only as somewhere comfortable to rest. Each exhale sunk them further into their cushy surroundings as if they were melting into place.

He felt something now that brought his mind to a halt. Aside from their presence inside him, aside from their stirring, he felt the gentle thrumming of their heart, alongside his own. So miniscule and faint in comparison, but he could feel it just as clearly as if it were set in his chest. It made him feel… strange. Another reminder that this borrower had entrusted him with their life, willing to be swallowed whole if it meant putting his insatiable hunger on pause. A heart beating was a body living. The rest of the world went quiet to him as he focused in on that little weight in his gut. It was the most important thing in the world right now.

“…you do that.” He finally answered, nodding slightly.

In his carefully tunnel-visioned state, he began walking to the busted up sofa in his livingroom, taking slow and calculated steps as if the borrower would shatter like glass had he stepped wrong. His palms traveled back to the bottom of his ribs, resting one over the other where he felt those little signs of life. Beating heart, living body. Their heart beat on. He felt it better than his own.

He’d rested like that with his eyes to the ceiling for what had already felt like hours, attentive to every movement, every sound, down to their slow and relaxed breath. His job now was to make sure they were safe with him. That promise would not be broken.

Something was changing. An added feeling on top of all else he was monitoring, alongside their breath, alongside their beating heart. He couldn’t identify what exactly it was. He focused on it for a long moment, how it didn’t feel like movement, but felt to be affecting his gut in somehow…

He realized that he was feeling fed. No longer just the feeling that he contained something, but that it was fueling him. For a moment, it was pure bliss- weeks with no food, and finally he had found a way to eat- but soon followed fear. What different was happening to the borrower for him to suddenly feel this way?

He remained tuned into his senses. Their heart was still beating. Though it felt almost… clouded over by the new sensation. But maybe that was just because it was so significant to his body over all else. They were alright… right? His ears pinned. The longer he waited, the more he’d convinced himself that the heartbeat he felt was all in his head. But oh, gods, the feeling of actually eating… his body hardly wanted to budge. It took some effort to snap from his bliss and lightly tap where his hands already lay. It took a few hits, each progressively rougher, but it caused them to stir. The sensation lessened with it. They only groaned, seemingly displeased by the disruption.

He blinked, ears flicking. Were they… asleep? Why? How? Excuse me? Am I being used as a bed???

“Ay, you uh… you alright?” He asked, keeping his voice low.

They groaned again, an annoyed ”Mhmh” and nothing more. He could feel them quickly hunker back down and become motionless as before.

I am being used as a bed. He concluded, interesting.

When the feeling of being fed shortly resumed, he tried to think about just what was causing it. Does it have to do with their sleeping, then? Why’d they even go to sleep in the first place!? They didn’t KNOW they would be safe. They still don’t know. I still don’t know. Shit.

He returned to carefully watching their slight signs of life with a stressed sigh. What HAVE I turned into…

Slowly, still feeling weighed down by the haze that put them to sleep in the first place, they'd start to stir again. It didn't take long for the feeling of their silky surroundings to snap them awake and send them into a dazed panic.

“S-shit! Did I pass out!?” They brought themself up on their knees, pressing their palms desperately against the stomachs wall, “Fuck, I can’t breathe—“

Eddie was, of course, caught off guard by their sudden freak out, and immediately responded, “Ay, ay, chill out, whats the matter?? You’ve been fine for the best of a few hours!”

”HOURS?” their eyes shot wide open, “It was only supposed to be a few SECONDS! Let me out, please GODS let me out now—“

Their words were cut short by the stomach walls suddenly closing in around them. In the blink of an eye, they had already been sent back up the giants throat and were plucked from his mouth. He looked down at them with a slight smile, almost like he was relieved to see that work just as well with a borrower, “See? Still wasn’t bluffin’ you.”

They blinked dryly at him for a moment, GREATLY disoriented by that split-second experience. Though severely shaken, they were grateful to see his face.

“What… happened?” they tried to steady their breathing.

He shrugged, “You just curled up n’ went to sleep on me. Trust me, I was checkin’ on ya the entire time! You just would not wake up.” He tilted his head somewhat as he continued, “Do you not remember that or somn?”

Their ears pinned, “I… I remember being in there, I do, and it was all soft, a-and I guess I did lay down… but why in the name of Argus would I want to sleep somewhere I thought I was gonna die!?”

“Ay, I was thinkin’ the same thing! You were like ‘oh, well, I can just say when I want out’ n’ I was like ‘you sure about that you were just scared outta yer mind’ but you were like ‘no yeah I’m fine’ so I just kina… let ya.” Guilt started to creep back in as he spoke. Maybe I… shouldn’t have done that.

They frowned. “That could have gone horribly wrong, you idiot! But… I’m alright, I guess. I’m alive.”

“That you are.” He smiled and continued with enthusiasm, “And hey, it actually filled me up! I feel the best I’ve felt in weeks cuza’ you!”

Their ears perked back up at that, sitting up in his palm, “I- Really? It actually did something?” and I’m still alive?

“Yeah! Idunno what it was, but the moment you started sleepin’, I started eatin’.” He grasped idly at his abdomen, “Feels damn good to have a full stomach for once…”

Their tail started to sway with excitement. I… I actually did something. I helped the homeowner. I fed his strange body and now he’s gonna feed me! On purpose!!!

“That is… incredible to hear,” they stared with slight awonderment, feeling like some sort of hero, like they were finally something significant, “but you’re probably gonna stay like that atleast for a while, right?” though they stopped for a moment in consideration before continuing. The brute proved it to be safe, but getting eaten… it would certainly take getting used to. But at the same time, feeling helpful was… amazing. “I… I guess I wouldn’t mind helping out whenever you need it, yknow? Doesn’t feel fair to trade a lifetime of food for the equivalent of a single meal…”

He immediately lit up with a grin, “Really? Oh man, it’d mean the world to me!” He held out a single claw as if offering a handshake, “The names Eddie by the way, in case you didn’t know. I mean, I don’t know how you wouldn’t have heard it atleast once, you’ve lived here so fuckin’ long by this point, but I don’t really know yours, sooo…”

They blinked. HE KNEW? THIS WHOLE ENTIRE TIME HE KNEW? Gods I’d be so dead if I lived ANYWHERE else…

Pushing back their unnervedment, they placed a miniscule hand on the offered claw, giving it a mock-shake, “You can call me Sam. It’s been nice finally meeting you, given the circumstances…”

Eddie was beaming. He pulled his hand back and lowered them to the floor, remaining leaned over to keep talking, “Thank you again, lil’ buddy. You’re a real life saver.”

They couldn’t help but smile back, giving him a small nod as they crawled out of his palm. “No problem at all! And thank you, too!” They scampered a short ways before stopping and turning back to him, “Uh… I’ll be in your walls, I guess! See you… whenever!” and with that said, they immediately b-lined it for the kitchen.

He chuckled softly, sitting back in his seat as he watched them go. “Don’t gorge yourself in there!”

He figured it best to give them space for now, he didn’t want to pester them too much. The borrower would come as they wanted to, no pressure… though after all that, he’d like to get to know his years-long housemate better. Felt like the right thing to do, wanted to make them feel seen and safe being seen. Looming over them after they had just been in his stomach would feel a little daunting. Plus, it’d be nice having someone to talk to while he figured out what he was gonna do about these ailments… give it time, it’ll surely come naturally.

Though as soon as he clicked the television on, with his mind no longer having anything to focus on, it began to slump back to an uncomfortable place. Well, he did it, he listened to that gnawing in his head that he had desperately dismissed as himself falling into a psychosis for days of refusing it, and… it worked. That fact almost made it scarier than delusion. Not even a month ago he was just like any other living thing, any other elf, eating, drinking, sleeping— not even a month ago, he should have died in that canal. Got jumped, got pushed off, felt the impact, and that should have been the end of it— but no. The sun still opened another day for him, and with its light casing over his limp body, it revealed that he had become something monstrous. Nothing that science could explain, and something he wasn’t sure that magic could either, for now he donned the feathers of the god of the skies.

No mortal understands these gods. All that claim to are lying through their teeth, every church has a different practice, every cult is, well, a cult. The gods show no interest in any of it. They need not praise for their presence to be known.

So why? Why would a god that he had not dedicated a minute of his life towards perform such a miracle, if it truly was the Argus taking some of interest? And though unanswered, that reasoning to this maddening occurrence is the only one that carries any semblance of comfort, for if not the Argus’ work, then what? Why was he alive? Why had his body become disfigured and unruly, demanding him of unthinkable needs and denying him of rest? It made him feel sick. He couldn’t let anyone else see him like this. Surely he would become a subject of study, if not feared by those equally as confused by his existence.

He sprawled out now, staring out at nothing in particular. ”Freak of fuckin’ nature”… he thought he was finally over feelings like that. Years it took to feel accepted, and even longer to feel loved… it felt like that had all been set back to the start. His wings of wax had finally dissolved, leaving behind an ugly black. Lucky to be alive, atleast. He guessed. If what he was now was even considered “living” anymore.

With a miserable sigh, he mashed the remote’s volume button until he couldn’t hear those thoughts anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~

This universe is set in a semi-modern fantasy setting. Very basic technology in access like landline phones, television, you get the idea. Though some areas have less than others as they simply see it as less of a priority. Alright? Alright.

Character-specific events

Eddie was an elf that lived in a forest town called Thornbush. Pretty regular guy, floating between physical labor jobs, bit of a ruffian, whatever this universe calls a greaser essentially. As you could guess, he gets into some trouble here and there. One enemy turns into five. Those five may wanna beat the shit out of him for some reason. So on so forth. Never seeks conflict, but can and will fight when he needs to.

Long story short, he got on the bad side of one too many thugs, and they all ganged up on him and threw him over a bridge into an empty canal. Over the course of that night, however, some unknown force worked to keep his body alive, transforming his appearance into something far from elven— or any kind creature that anyone knew, for that matter. Waking up to himself all contorted and wrong, he fled back home and hid away for days on end, terrified of what he had become. The bare thought of food and water revolted him as his innards had been turned into some strange, velvet-like material, devoid of any form of fluid that would typically help carry out the process of digestion. Not wanting to risk the consequence of what would happen if he forced himself to eat and drink as usual— and from being borderline horrified of liquids now as a side effect— he went hungry for weeks. He tried to eat typically inedible things to make himself atleast feel like he was full, but to no avail. His body wouldn’t let him sleep. Still too scared to go outside. Until one day he started to hatch a plan.

He knew he had at least one borrower living with him, so he thought that maybe with some convincing, that borrower could go fetch like, a wizard or someshit. A scholar. He didn’t have that part figured out quite yet. But soon that plan started to be twisted by what he tried his hardest to convince himself was intrusive thought— his body began to crave the borrower. Convinced that they were the solution to this hunger. For a while, the thought only made him even more scared of what he had become, resenting himself further. But eventually, he caved. And somehow, for reasons unknown to either of them, it worked.

What is “The Argus’ Blessing”?

There are 3 gods responsible for the creation and development of this planet— The Mollusk, god of the seas, with a physical appearance unknown to any mortal for if they are to dive down deep enough in an attempt to see it, they never come back. Smultz, god of the land, by far the most involved with the mortals that live in her domain with an appearance that adapts depending on the location, but is most known for her red fox-like form. And finally, The Argus, god of the skies, the culprit to poor Eddie’s ailments. An enormous feathered beast covered in eye-like patterns, neck carved with humanoid faces that it is said to sacrifice every time a sphinx is born. It is often seen dancing in the clouds, not a care for the land below.

Every god has their respective “blessing” and “curse”. A curse comes when an individual does something to upset a god, and their living form becomes contorted into a mindless beast driven only by pain, destroying whatever is in their wake. A blessing, however, comes upon the untimely death of an individual, effectively giving them a second chance at life, though their body is changed to mimic that of whoever favors them. The factors to determine who favors what and why have not been confirmed because, well, the gods don’t wanna fuckin talk to the mortals. “Wouldn’t you like to know weatherboy” mentality.

Blessings render all regular bodily functions typical to keep the living fueled and healthy useless, also stunting the aging process, making them essentially immortal unless something were to kill them again. For The Mollusk, an individuals body is practically dissolved into a gel. They become slime people. All they need to upkeep those bodies is moisture. For Smultz, their bodies become plantlike, though leafy attachments are purely for looks as their needs closer match that of moss.

The Argus has possibly the most inconvenient of the three, being that an individual sprouts wings, feathers, claws, so on, and the entirety of them aside from feathers and hair becomes coated in a fine, velvety material— inside and out. THEIR needs to fuel their body rely on energy that is produced by other living things as they lack the bodily functions to absorb anything else and process it into their own energy. Raw energy is usually pretty well contained in people, unfortunately, but there is one exception; dreams. Their wild, unpredictable nature makes them much harder to contain, so as a person sleeps, it seeps out of them like a dense fog. Those who are blessed by The Argus can see this energy, and can then absorb it through inhalation/general consumption. Heres another problem, though! Its KIND of hard to do that to a full-sized individual! Even moreso if you’re trying to be discreet for any reason! Sitting there sniffing at someone is a pretty inefficient way to get a days worth of energy in.

Solution? Have the person in your stomach, that way any expelled energy is immediately absorbed into the blessed individuals body. In fact, other bodily changes seem to only encourage this method. Skin becomes thicker and can withstand a further stretch (though nothing crazy, as the person can certainly still feel extreme discomfort from pushing it too far), gag reflex is rendered non-functional, instead giving the individual an insane amount of muscular control that allows them to move parts inside of them that people couldn’t usually move, and a much larger stomach. Glands within the stomach now produce a sort of pheromone when it detects that the body is in need of fuel, and this pheromone acts as something to lull prey to sleep once they are inside. Has a really sugary sweet smell to it (think taffy) and thereby affects the smell of their breath. Very few cases of blessed individuals in general exist, and the few that do for those touched by The Argus note that every individual has a slightly different scent.

Side effects may include;

Food-repulsion, intense hydrophobia, complete loss of sleep as sleeping is now just wasting energy, a major jump in height (none of your clothes fit right anymore), inexplicable desires to put people in your mouth out of affection even when you can’t, purring, chirping, trilling, warbling, the argus turned you into a fucking bird, getting bitches, molting every few months, and a natural general attraction to people who are tired. Even if you’re hiding it REALLY well, these people know. And they encourage you take a nap. Right now preferably. Please. Please. Please. Please. Ple

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If you read all of this yapping, THANK YOU!!!! I am sure to share more eventually!!!!! :}