BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AU 1

[enigmaster]

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tale as old as time

[enigmaster]

[Once upon a time, in a faraway land...

There stood a castle, hidden away deep in the woods. Unlike so many other castles, it was not grand or opulent, nor did it appear to have anyone of great wealth living within. Indeed, the castle seemed deserted for as long as it had been there. Tucked away as it was, it seemed more of a shameful secret to be hidden than anything else.

It's not a particularly well known location, though over the years some had visited. In a manner of speaking...

Now, it's a dismal place. The outside looks studry enough, but the inside has been looted and ransacked over time. Windows smashed, items stolen.

There are stories, too, of a monster living there. Or perhaps in the woods. Superstitions are always muddled like that. Though no one seems to have any idea what the monster may look like.

Now...

Why would someone be here? Did someone perhaps get lost?]

[agoodname]

[Lost? Yes, absolutely. Very lost, in fact. Also bleeding quite a bit from an arrow to the shoulder, dragging a twisted and mangled ankle behind him. It'd always been a bit off, but with the application of a wooden branch, it was now surely severely twisted if not fully broken. Making an attempt to regain his mother from Theo Galavan hadn't gone quite as planned, and when Butch betrayed him, he was beaten, brought to the woods to be shot and then left to bleed out on his own and probably die where no one would ever find him. But Oswald is nothing if not somehow incredibly, unbearably lucky. So stumbling upon the castle, despite the rumors, was a blessing. He wasn't dead yet. He does look like death warmed over, though, shirt dark with blood, stark red where it splattered against the pale skin of his cheek, leaning hard on the very thick branch that was used against him on his ankle. He drags himself determinedly through the snow-covered courtyard slowly, each step like fire on his ankle, but he grits his teeth. The stairs are another battle, but he pulls himself up them, wincing with every step he has to surmount. Finally, he makes it to the front door (or what's left of it,) fumbling for the handle until he can push it inward--and thats when his other leg gives out from the strain, leaving him to collapse on the floor. He breathes, for a moment. It's cold in here--but colder still out there. It's something. Oswald takes one breath, then another, then pushes up until he's putting most of his weight on the hip of his good leg and drags himself further in. The place is coated in a layer of dust, but with some dragging, he finally manages to find a room with a fireplace and a half-closed door near the entrance. Once over to the dust-covered couch, he pulls himself up and sits down heavily on it with a small, relieved sigh. The thing is torn up, dirty and cold, but it's better than being out in the elements. Oswald shivers, pulling his coat tighter around him, tipping sideways onto the couch. He'll just....nap for a moment. He's so tired. Just a moment, and then he'll start a fire. Warm up. Concoct his revenge. But right now...sleep. Just an hour or two, that's all.... And moments later, he's asleep]

[enigmaster]

[Oswald is being watched. Not that he has any clue, what with the state he's in. But from the darkness, there's a pair of eyes on him from the moment he walks in. Though Oswald was unlikely to notice even if he was healthy and lucid. It's from the darkness, after all, and... well. Humans do forget to look up. At first, there's the temptation to maybe scare him off. Quickly, carefully, just... get him out. But then, it becomes clear that he's injured. Dying, maybe? It's hard to tell from a distance. It isn't until he decides to sleep that someone decides to come closer and approach. That arrow... that's a problem. But easy enough to treat. ...Not fun to treat, though. It'd be very easy to just let this guy bleed out. He could just... remove the corpse later. Unpleasant, but easy. Yeah. He could do that. ... Not too long after, Oswald might get a rude awakening as someone is going to pull that arrow out. Don't worry, he took care of the arrow's tip, first. Don't want that snagging on any flesh. It's a clean pull, but the pain's probably not great.]

[agoodname]

[it's a sharp pain. It is absolutely more than enough to wake him. In fact, he's rather vocal about it; he screams, hand flying up to grab at his arm, but instead encounter's Edward's, grabbing on tight as his eyes open, trying to jerk upright. And for a moment, he's frozen there, staring at this giant bat-like beast hovering over him]

[enigmaster]

[Edward starts, immediately. Maybe that response should've been expected and it's... not that he didn't, exactly, but... But the sudden grip on his arm is terrifying, the noise is distracting, and he has the immediate urge to back away. To retreat to the ceiling and maybe shriek at this person. Instead, he stays where he is, frozen as well. And then he just... lets the arrow fall to the floor.] Stay still. [It's more hissed than spoken. He still has work to do here.]

[agoodname]

[The creature hisses at him, a low sound, and Oswald can barely make out what they're saying--his head feels like it's underwater and everything is kind of swimming before his eyes and it's very difficult to focus. But he must be dead. Yes. That's it. That's the only explanation he can think of--and then he starts laughing, neigh hysterically, clutching at this creatures'...arm???]

[enigmaster]

[What. No, seriously. What? Something about that response throws him a lot and Edward just stares for a bit, wide-eyed. And then he's... he's just... gonna try to shove Oswald off his arm. Buddy he needs that. This is hard enough with wings already.]

[agoodname]

[Oswald is easily shoved off because listen he has absolutely zero strength rn but he's still giggling a bit as he falls back onto the couch--though he's quickly gasping in pain at that because ow] Ah--[and he can't help the breathless giggle]--if you're here to drag me down to hell, you should know I'm planning on running the place within a month.

[enigmaster]

Quiet. [Another hiss, because listen, what is he supposed to do with this? And... right. Yes, okay, the wound, he has to keep working on that. ...There's a moment of hesitation, before Edward is going to close in on Oswald. Like, real close. Really close. And then to his shoulder. What happens next might feel... weird. Kind of like... an animal is licking his wound?]

[agoodname]

[the demon leans down and Oswald arches an eyebrow--but he doesn't go for the throat? Oswald blinks at that--before he flinches, hissing at the sensation] Ow! [and he fists a hand in the fur at the back of the demon's neck and tugs a bit weakly] What are you doing?

[enigmaster]

[Edward just barely manages not to yelp as he's grabbed.] Stay. Still. [He's trying to HELP YOU, you idiot. In fact, after he does that, Oswald might notice the wound is... stinging less? The pain, at least from there, is numbing.]

[agoodname]

[....wtf.] Not until you--you tell me what you're doing. [....also this fluff he's got his fingers in is very soft. He may have started running his fingers through the fur there idly]

[enigmaster]

... [He's not gonna. Answer immediately. With that part... well, done enough, he's going to get to wrapping up that wound. That much, at least, should be clear enough. The feeling in his fur is... odd. He tries to ignore it.]

[agoodname]

Heeeeeey. [and Oswald's reaching up to tug on his ear] What did you do? Did you poison me? [he pauses, though, blinking] ...your ears are very soft. [and his fingers kind of...scratch at Edward's ear a bit lol] Do all demons have soft ears?

[enigmaster]

No-- [It comes out as a growl, now, before it dies in his throat as OSwald scratches at his ear. His eyes go a little wide and he pauses wrapping up Oswald's shoulder, his body going just a little slack. That's... That's a really nice feeling...]

[agoodname]

No? [Oswald can't help but smirk. He may feel like his head is fully of cotton but even he can parse that reaction. he scratches a bit harder] That's a pity. Tell me what you did to my arm~ [his voice has taken on a coy, coaxing tone.]

[enigmaster]

Mmmm'jus'... helped a little... [His eyes go almost glassy for a bit, as he loses himself in that feeling. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realizes this is the first time anyone has touched him in... ... Well. A very long time. It shouldn't be this nice, should it?]

[agoodname]

Mn, you certainly did. [he drags his nails along where the cartilage of the ear meets the skull, digging his fingers in a bit, really giving him a good scratch.] That's very clever~

[he croons it, though it's slurred just a bit] How did you help, exactly?

1/2

[enigmaster]

[No-- No, this is a distraction, he needs to keep- Well, that's what he's thinking anyway, but then Oswald steps up his game and before he can stop himself, a low whine escapes from the back of his throat. He immediately closes his mouth, embarrassed.] I-I--

2/2

[enigmaster]

[No. He growls and draws back. No more of this. He slaps Oswald's arm away and tries to finish wrapping up his shoulder. Hard as that is, with his wings and claws.]

[agoodname]

[his hand gets batted away, and Oswald blinks--before he pouts] Hey! [and he reaches up to tug on his ear]

[enigmaster]

[That's just getting a snarl, and he finishes the wrapping. He makes it, at least.] Don't.

[agoodname]

Why won't you tell me what you've done? [it sounds like a whine, now, petulant--and his hand drops down to the fluff near Edward's cheek, which he promptly buries his fingers in] You're very soft for a demon.

[enigmaster]

You-- [He shivers a little, at that touch. Oh. He swallows.] You won't remember anyway. [He's... going to back away. He has to.] Sleep. [He'll throw a blanket over Oswald, at least. Get this boy warm.]

[agoodname]

[there is definitely a pout there as he pulls away, and he half reaches for him again, weakly] At least tell me your name.