#mcnipulator

@mcnipulator

She couldn’t have possibly been happier with Baal that she was now. He loved her. After decades of thinking his cruelty was the best form of love he could manage, she knew for certain. He loved her. It shone through his gaze, inundated his caresses, dripped from his voice. And it didn’t fade away anymore. Instead of waiting for the pendulum swing to land on fury, Ruby was constantly bathed in his unadulterated adoration. Baal had always loved her, always been hers. And she had always been his, there was never a moments doubt of that in her heart. He was the only man she would ever love. She had eyes for no one but him. 

Yet that wasn’t to say that mortal males didn’t cast their gaze upon Ruby. The attention of lustful men seemed natural back when she had been young. But Ruby had grown up, and in her mind, she wasn’t some great prize to be sought after any longer. Men still did look at her, however, with nothing save blatant want. 

Ruby had hardly noticed their stares when Baal had accompanied her around town. She relished his thumb stroking over her knuckles as he held her hand. His closeness calmed her, and she felt safe with his tall form beside her. He was an intimidating figure all in black. People gossiped under their breaths about his style, about his presence that held hostility to all but her. Ruby’s blue gaze met theirs until the stranger’s eyes eventually fell under the weight. Even if it was a silent combat, Ruby wasn’t willing to let anyone insult her mate. He was grander as a demon than they could ever hope to be in a thousand lifetimes. 

It was only until one particular man met her gaze and winked at her that Ruby froze. Baal’s long strides paused momentarily as Ruby nearly bumped into a passerby. His cold eyes followed what Ruby was looking at, a dark glower crossing his face. 

How dare that maggot stare at his wife like that? His temper flared dangerously, a low growl rising in his throat though the other was too far away to have heard it. 

Ruby did. She placed a hand on his chest, and he looked down at her. He blinked slowly, like a cat staring adoringly at their beloved human. And she was beloved to him. He could feel it in his chest now without a stinging pain searing across his skin. The warmth in his chest when he was with Ruby was so intense it was almost a new pain in and of itself. But it was one he relished thoroughly. 

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her form closer to his. He kissed her hair, breathing in her scent. His cold eyes focused on the other man again, and a smile adorned Ruby while she hummed happily. She reveled in his attention, and she could sense the shift in his demeanor. The other faltered in his blatant ogling of Ruby, and a triumphant smirk tugged at Baal’s lips. No one could come near his mate. She was his, and his alone. Ruby was only too happy remain as such.

--

When all was said and done, the incident during their outing hadn’t caused Ruby too much concern. It surprised her that men still looked at her in such a way, but she thought nothing of it. She had her one and only, so what did it matter if other men stared?

Baal grew more and more quiet throughout the evening. Ruby initially thought he must have been tired. He didn’t like people--neither did she really, but she was hardly restraining an urge to dismember everyone who crossed her path. She figured he just needed a moment to recuperate. She kissed his cheek while he sat on sofa before stepping into the kitchen. Pottering around, she let out a surprised noise when his arms wrapped around her from behind. He nuzzled her, breathing in her sweet scent as he hid his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder. Ruby gladly settled in his grasp, leaning back into his warmth. 

He swallowed thickly. The words he’d said many times clung to his throat. They were exactly the same, but his meaning behind them was so much greater than before. 

“You belong to me.”

Ruby’s eyes widened slightly. Those words were hardly unfamiliar to her. In fact, she’d heard them growled into her ear a plenty while he’d taken her a little too roughly or wished to assert his possession of her. But something was different about them...there was devotion behind them but also...

Ruby turned in his grasp, her hands on his chest. It swirled in his eyes, both confusion at what he felt and insecurity. 

Ruby’s lips parted as she searched his face. He was experiencing possessiveness, and jealousy, and insecurity. She leaned up and captured his lips, her hands cupping the sides of his face as she did so. She stroked his cheeks before moving her fingers to play with black tresses. He returned her kiss tenfold, his arms pulling her closer. Ruby moved her lips to his cheek. One of his hands carded through her dual tone locks. Ruby smiled gently as he leaned his forehead against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close in turn.

“Of course I do,” she whispered, “I love you Baal. Only you.”

Loud purrs erupted in his throat as she spoke, and he captured her lips in another kiss. Ruby’s heart thundered in her chest as his tongue slipped into her mouth. She moaned softly as she tasted him, the vibrations in his chest passing over to hers. His grasp around her waist felt so firm, and for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid of Baal being taken from her again. 

She nipped his bottom lip gently as he slowly parted the kiss to let her breath. Elation surged in Baal’s chest while a faint tremor ran down his spine, for Ruby’s tone took on a rare note of power. 

“And you, my love,” she whispered against his lips, “You belong to me.”

OOC:

You know this is an excellent prompt for me to make a relationships page >:3But let us begin!

How Ruby is with relationships in general:Ever since Ruby lost her family, platonic relationships have been pretty difficult for her. Even if it’s not accurate, she blames a person for their deaths, so Ruby doesn’t really like people. When she was younger, she was on the shy side. She was friendly and quiet. I don’t think she was ever bullied, but I don’t think she was a social butterfly like her sister Annie was. Or at least, she didn’t have the confidence Annie did. That said, her best friend was her big sister. They would tell each other (almost) everything, and Ruby’s grief at her loss was overwhelming. 

Now romantic relationships are a whole other ball of wax. Ruby’s only ever had two love based relationships in her life. Sure, she’s tried to be with other people, but no one has ever captured her heart like Baal and Kelly. And Ruby will give everything to the person she loves. She is incredibly devoted, which for a long period of time with one relationship isn’t a good thing for her. 

Now onto the specifics c;Baal:(Okay, please remember that I’ve kept Ruby’s connection to the Knowby family, and that this synopsis of the progression of their relationship connects two different verses for Baal/Ruby.) Ruby was pretty young when she entered a relationship with Baal. His motivations were simple enough, she was beautiful and she could give him offspring. Ruby is unique since her half-demon half-human state makes her able to bear his children. And Baal is one of the very few demons who is fertile. Before he was a demon, Baal was a god, and he was a god of fertility before his falling. Because Baal claimed Ruby as his own, she’s not able to find any kind of emotional or physical intimacy with another male. So even if she leaves him, there will never be another man in her life. That said, they are mated, so they belong exclusively to each other. From the very beginning, Ruby adores Baal. Though it was manipulation at first, he treated her well enough, and she fell hard for him. Now an important thing to note about Baal is that when he was a god, he had a wife, and he did now how to love a woman. And there is a shared HC is that Baal went through a lot of conditioning with his falling to stop him from feeling those emotions. Once Ruby was his, Baal... didn’t treat Ruby well. Ruby was caught in his pendulum swing of moods, wanting to be with him but walking on eggshells. She’s well aware that one of the Princes of Hell isn’t going to be the most loving mate so, she rationalizes his behavior by thinking, ‘he loves me as best he can’. Baal does show Ruby affection and treats her like a Queen on somedays. But then he’ll be in the foulest of moods the next day. With his with his conditioning, he can only take the punishment of physical pain for adoring Ruby for a certain amount of time. Ruby doesn’t know this, but she stays. And she gives him children, despite the fact that she is essentially a battered house-wife. She can’t express anger with him or really ever relax. He does strike out at her, but she gives him nothing but her love. She wants to be with him as dysfunctional as their relationship is at that point. But the emotions he thought he’d never experience again creep back until finally, Baal uses a demon tongue to confess that he does in fact love Ruby. And how could Ruby ever stray once her beloved has proven that he does hold her dear? They slowly but surely work on counteracting his conditioning. It’s a slow process, one that demands Ruby care for him more than ever before. But she’s willing to do it for him. She wants him to be free and have free will, the knowledge that he’s being tortured and controlled infuriates her beyond reason. It’s a big transition for them both. Once Baal comes out of the haze, he begins to show and crave Ruby’s affection. But he’s come out of a centuries long trance, and has to learn that he won’t be hurt for feeling love. And while Ruby relishes his tenderness and dotes on him completely, she has to adjust to the fact that unless she does something truly egregious, he’s not about to lash out at her like he used to. Eventually, they are able settle into a happiness. They’re completely devoted to each other and their children.

Kelly:(Now I have a great fondness for a relationship between Kelly and Ruby because there’s so many kinds of love to play with between the girls.) First off, Kelly became of one Ruby’s few and true friends. She likes spending time with Kelly, and she trusts her. She admires Kelly for her strength and courage. Kelly has survived so much, and she hasn’t fallen to pieces yet where most people would have. Ruby’s also extremely maternal to Kelly. Ruby craves a female presence in her life. Because Kelly is missing a mother figure, and Ruby has always wanted a daughter, she mothers her endlessly. She takes care of Kelly’s basic needs, cooking for her and making sure she’s able to fall asleep if nightmares plague her. She’s also incredibly protective of her. Ruby would happily let Kelly come and live with her if she wished. But as soon as Ruby realizes Kelly’s romantic feelings towards her, Ruby wouldn’t be afraid to return them whatsoever. Kelly is the first person that Ruby has felt true and genuine love with--the kind that doesn’t have any cruelty attached to it. She’s the first relationship that Ruby isn’t afraid to be in. She would subconsciously flinch if Kelly moved as if she was about to lash out at her, but Kelly would be the one to help her recover. Kelly would remind her that loving someone isn’t about tolerating being hurt on a regular basis. Physical affection would be a large part of their relationship as well. Ruby would love to make everything as sensual as possible for them. Kelly would be free to explore her sexuality, and Ruby would finally have a lover who touches her gently. They’d never have to be fearful, they would always be safe and secure with each other. Ruby would always respect Kelly’s boundaries. Ruby would be endlessly devoted to Kelly, only too happy to spoil her rotten. Now if Baal came back into Ruby’s life while she’s with Kelly, she would do anything to make sure Kelly is safe from him. She would beg Baal to let Kelly stay close to her, spinning their relationship as that only of mother/daughter. If she feared Kelly wouldn’t survive around Baal and his wrath, she would beg Kelly to leave her behind. It would kill her, but she’d want Kelly to find someone else to love her as she deserves. She would never stop loving Kelly though, and she’d yearn for her constantly. But no matter what kind of relationship they have, Ruby wants Kelly to be happy. She’s proud of Kelly, and she wants to encourage her to follow her passions. Ruby will often say it as a joke, but she does mean it. She wants to be like Kelly when she grows up.

One last note before I end this...thing I have created xDRuby isn’t a submissive person, but she’s naturally submissive to Baal. He lets her play and have control sometimes. Yet Ruby knows she’ll be back in the submissive role right after. With Kelly, they’re on an equal standing. But that’s not to say Ruby doesn’t take charge from time to time.

      Ruby smoothed a few errant strands of hair and looked at herself in the mirror once more. She sprayed perfume on her wrists, the silken texture of her shirt sweeping across her skin as she moved. She was so tired of having the scent of death and decay follow her about. But it wasn’t as if she would ever be able to escape it. 

      She gave herself a long once over and sighed irritated. She thought she looked nice...but she still had a hard time figuring out what he liked. Dresses had never been Ruby’s great pleasure in life, much to her mother’s disappointment. She did enjoy various feminine things-- a few simple pieces of jewelry, a nice perfume, and maybe some high-heeled boots. Though Ruby couldn’t meet the gaze of her own reflection at the thought, she did recognize the benefit of how easily they could....access one another if she’d decided to wear a dress. 

      She ran a hand down her face, annoyance flooding her. 

      “Stop it,” she hissed to herself. She wasn’t a young woman anymore. She had seen, done, and created things that she would never be forgiven for. She shouldn’t be so continually flustered at the thought of seeing him again.

      But she was. She could feel him near, and her heart was already thundering in her chest in anticipation. She grabbed her coat and slipped it on. She couldn’t stay indoors and wait for him to find her. She might go mad. At the very least it was a nice night out, there would probably be lots of people. Ruby didn’t like speaking to people, but she liked being around them. Which was probably a good thing...

   I t was another night of lugubrious, reckless activity. Roxanne sat in the corner of the room, back to the wall, legs curled up under her black, silk robe. A bottle of rum was spilled over the counter. A pentagram of salt tainted the cheap tile. Candles were lit and a spell book was open adjacent the knocked over herbs. There was a knock on the door that woke Roxanne from her drunken stupor. She rose shakily until her hand met the knob to deliberately open the front door. Through blurred, glassy vision she spotted a man before the threshold of the cheap apartment. Was he a customer perhaps? Her PSYCHIC READINGS sign in the window was turned off, though...

^

That is Death right now because of you.

“Have you been a good little boy?” Death kneels down to him and runs her fingers through his hair. “If so. I have a special little surprise for you.” Her finger wrapped around the collar. “But first. I’m going to need you to take off your clothes. Think you can do that without the glaring?” Her brow raised and shoved him back to the ground before standing to her feet.