Latest Posts by haku-corner - Page 5
“Hey, big guy, can you pass me the washcloth? I can’t reach it”
Goliath blinked. Then blinked again, for a brief second, he cannot remember what he was doing or where he was, he was trying to pass the time by reading, but all he seemed to be doing was staring blankly at the pages, absorbing nothing, lost in the realm of his own mind, yet he cannot recall what he was thinking of-if he was musing about anything at all.
“Goliath? Are you okay?”
“Huh? What?” He blinked again, trying to shake himself from his stupor. Placing the book, he was reading down on the bedside table, he reached for the cloth that sat folded next to the lamp, passing it to Elisa “I apologize, I don’t know what came over me, I was lost in thought”
“About what? Thank you” she took it from him to wipe Aodh’s mouth, from the looks of it she had spit up the milk she was drinking. Elisa gently dabbed her lips clean. The hatchling twitched, whimpering at the foreign sensation, trying to push the cloth away from her face. Elisa did it with as much ease as she could with another baby in the other crook of her arm suckling from her other breast.
“I really do not know-” he paused “I suppose I wasn’t thinking of anything in particular-let me” he confiscated the cloth from her fingers, before she could try and protest, to finish mopping down the child’s chin and throat.
“Ate too much?” he asked.
“No, too fast.” Elisa huffed “I can’t seem to get her to stop doing that “She was exhausted-that much was obvious. Her hair was in need of a decent groom, the edges were frayed, the rest of it was tangled and knotted. The dark circles beneath her eyes seemed more prominent under the dim light of the small lamp beside them. Goliath had grown accustomed to the large size of her belly; it was odd seeing her back to her previous size, not that he’d tell her that, the topic of her gained weight was a touchy subject-not a bridge he wished to cross at any moment. He knew to keep such reflections to himself.
After he cleaned Aodh the best he could-her baby blue clothing stained(there wasn’t much he could do about that), Elisa nudged her into feeding again “Ouch!” her body jerked “not so hard, little guy”
“Are you alright?”
“Huh? Yeah, fine-“ she grimaced a little, shifting awkwardly, the mattress creaked “she keeps trying to take my whole nipple off” saying such, Elisa shifted again, clumsily readjusting said hatchling, coaxing her mouth around her breast, not on the nipple. Aodh did not like that, she fussed, not enjoying being interrupted from her meal “hey, it’s okay” Elisa cooed at her softly “there you go” the whining stopped, as their daughter continued suckling again, her eyes fluttering close.
Elisa sighed “this is a lot harder than I thought it would be, mom used to make it look so easy” she shifts again “then again-guess I was too young to get that, I suppose.”
“Being parents?”
“Breastfeeding, but that too”
Goliath folds and places the soiled fabric aside. They both fell quiet, but it was a comfortable silence surrounded by the warm, homely atmosphere. It was strange, he was unused to the sudden calmness. He had grown accustomed to the entropy of his new life here in the modern world that he almost forgot what peace felt like. Not that his old life wasn’t without its own set of frustrations, but there always seemed to be long stretches of tranquility in between conflicts-or maybe he was just misremembering it, nostalgia blinding him from what was true. He wasn’t sure, to be fair-so much has changed and continues to change that it’s hard to keep up with every little detail. Yet, he can’t seem to shake the paranoia-everything had gone right-aside from a few complications (if he can call it that-more like a major complication, he glanced at Aila), but it was quickly mended.
But, still, he can’t-
“Ow!-”
His thoughts circled back to the present “Aodh?”
“No,” Elisa bites her lip, her brow pinched down the center “Aila.”
“Do you want me to take her?”
“No,” she readjusts their second daughter “no, it’s alright” the baby glances up at them with molten, gold eyes. Aila’s not as fussy as her older twin, so Elisa fixes her mouth around her breast without much of a fight.
Elisa shifts in the bed once more, letting her head fall back against the pillow “Good, god I feel like a cow” blowing a stray strand of hair out of her eye.
It’s his turn to grimace “You’re not a cow, Elisa. You look fine”
“Who said it was about my looks-I feel like one with all this damn milk literally guzzling out of me like a freakin’ faucet even when I’m not feeding. If I move just the slightest bit-look out here it comes. If I sit up too fast, elbow myself, my body turns into Niagara Falls minus the water.” She paused, glaring at the ceiling as if he had somehow offended her “and I’m fat, so it doesn’t make me feel better.”
“You are not fat”
“I’m fat. You can’t see it, but I have all this extra flub that might not go away”
“It will.” He took a cautious step forward “even if it doesn’t. What does it matter?”
Elisa doesn’t answer, Goliath not sure whether that’s an ominous sign or not “because it does matter, god, I feel awful, none of those books really prepare you for any of this.”
“You’re going to be okay”
“My hair is falling out in clumps-like my uterus”
“Your hair will grow back” he wasn’t sure what to say about the latter part “and you’re still healing”
“Yeah,” her expression soured “doesn’t exactly make me feel all that better about wearing an adult diaper. Or going bald ” she muttered the last part to herself, “Fox told me to think of it as wearing a rather large pad-yeah that doesn’t help, it just makes it worse if you ask me. Kind of like imagining everybody naked if you’re nervous, wherever the hell that came from I’ll never know”
Once again Goliath did not understand just what she was referring to-
“No one will fault you for not looking your best.”
“….I guess….”
“Elisa you’ve just not given birth two days ago” as if it needed to be stated, “I think you’re being rather hard on yourself; no one is going to fault you for not looking your best. Not them and certainly not I. I’m concerned more for your health and the health of our children. The rest will come as you recover.”
“So-you do think I’m fat then?” Goliath snapped his mouth shut. He had hoped that would’ve gone away after her pregnancy-apparently not. He wasn’t used to Elisa being-well-the nicest way he could word it was weepy. Everything made her cry, or upset, or discouraged. If she forgot to replace her precious stash of coffee-she cried. Someone left the toilet seat up-she cried. If she burnt something-she’d cry. It was difficult at first, Elisa did not cry so easily-normally-but her pregnancy was hard on her, both physically and emotionally. The books had warned him, he should’ve heeded their advice more closely.
He did his best to try and console her with soothing words, but she’d find some way to poke a hole in it.
“No, I did not say that.”
“But, you’re thinking it.”
“I am not.”
She sniffed, her voice sounded watery “It’s like that time you called me ugly” Oh, dear god; why did she have to bring that up? That night, hauntingly, comes back to him and he can’t help but cringe in embarrassment. Not one of his finest hours.
“I did not call you ugly”
“You implied it-“
“I did no such thing and what exactly did you expect me to say?”
“I don’t know-something other than oh, look an updraf-OW!” Oh, thank the dragon! He did not relish in Elisa’s suffering, but her erratic emotional state made her more confrontational than normal, often leaving him stuck between a rock and a hard place, as they say, with no way out.
“Are you alright? He concealed his relief with concern, hoping she wouldn’t catch on. Elisa nodded, hissing through her teeth, gently nudging Aila off her breast with her finger, so her mouth wasn’t latched solely onto the nipple.
“god, by the time this is over I’m gonna have either chafed nipples or none at all if they keep using me as their personal chew toy.”
He lets his shoulders relax, chuckling softy.
She glares at him “I’m glad my pain amuses you”
“At least they don’t have teeth.”
“Y’know how about I hand them over and let them chew on your nips for a while and see how you like it”
He knew a threat when he heard one “I’ll pass”
“Ah-huh” she hummed, Aodh squirmed, unlatching herself from her mother’s breast then burped, spitting up once more in the process. Goliath passed the small towel back to Elisa “all finished” she asked softly, as she dabbed her chin.
…….
Aodh yawned before glancing up to look at Elisa.
……
Her face goes blank, she puts the towel down to tap the baby’s nose with her finger.
".......they'll make it-right….?" She doesn't look at him when the words leave her lips. The fear is tangible in her voice, it's edgy as if she doesn't want to sound too hopeful. Goliath just wants to reach out and smooth the frown from her lips, to tell her that everything will be okay.
But…… he's afraid too. Fears that the same thing will happen again and that he'll be powerless to do anything about it. For all his strength, not even he can prevent death. He's not that arrogant. Time is like a river- just like death it is inevitable and unites them all in the end.
"They've made it this far. They’re healthy as far as anyone can tell" he eyes the twins barely aware of the world around them. Such a blissful, innocuous ignorance. But even that will fade as they grow into their own.
"…..So was….nia...she was healthy….until she wasn’t…." it was said carefully. Quietly. Goliath felt an uncomfortable weight sit in his stomach.
"I know…."
He wanted to say, at least they survived the womb, while Nia didn't. His daughter died before she could ever live.
No first breath, just silent death.
A morbid part of him argued that-at least it was quick and quiet, she didn't suffer. She didn't die in agony. It was sad, cruel, almost, but-
"I keep waking up thinking all of this is a perfect dream. Then it hits me, and I know that it's not-" she holds them closer "but, it's so damn terrifying, waiting for every bad thing to happen at once"
He watched her swallow, already smelling salt.
"Y'know" her voice wavered. Goliath prepared himself for the onslaught of tears. Or an extreme outburst of emotions that Elisa was prone to make these days.
He touches her face with his knuckles, gently brushing them over soft skin "I know"
"Sorry….." she sniffed, wiping the faint traces of tears away from her eye with the lift of her shoulder "I must be insufferable with my emotions going batshit every second" using his thumb he wiped the rest of her tears from her cheeks, marveling at the small freckles that danced across her face, ear to ear, they had emerged at the second month of her pregnancy-he wonders if they’re permanent or if they will eventually fade with time.
"Not at all.” He pushed some choppy hair over her ear “but, maybe it won’t assuage your worries, yet-“ he pauses for a moment “perhaps, we should take everything one day at a time. We cannot predict the future and we cannot truly alter the past; all we can do is live in the present and do what we can" Her brown eyes were still watery, but she didn't seem as distraught "whatever happens, we'll face it together as we always have" he lifted her chin to kiss the top of her head.
Aila hiccupped. They pulled away as their second daughter followed her elder sister’s lead and sip up all over herself.
{}
"Milk"
Summary: Milk is a symbol of fertility, once thought of as the food of the gods and a nurturer, the lifeblood and lifeline that connects mother to child. And child to mother.
Warnings!: References to Miscarriage/Stillbirth/Unplanned Pregnancy/References to Birth
Chapter One: The First Nights
Canon-Divergence/Canon-Complaint/Post-Canon/Non-linear Narrative
Reality is stranger than fiction, they say, and he was inclined to agree. Life was indeed filled with one oddity after another.
He remembers a story from his youth.
A story, that was ancient he was told, passed from the old to young about a Clan Leader of their own who had taken a human as a mate.
They had a child-who they called, the meaning of an end in the old language. Someone who should never have been-
An abomination-
The child was cursed. And because of it, she cursed the land. Cursed her clan that lamented her existence, cursed the humans who condemned her, and cursed her parents who had birthed her into a world that knew only hate and fear.
They called her- Hillevi.
Goliath never took the story seriously; he knew the ploy by then. The line drawn in the sand, humans stayed on one side and they stayed on the other, they were never supposed to cross it.
Well, he had never been one for superstitions.
{}
Hello some gargoyles sketches based on my Patreon Poll.
Goliath, Garg!Elisa, Griff, Brooklyn, Katana, Angela, and Puck!
Always want to sketch some more gargoyles.
1990s animated series Gargoyles is getting the ultimate action figure treatment from NECA. Goliath - the clan’s leader, voiced by Keith David - will fly into stores in July.
Standing 8” tall and features at 16” wingspan, the toy is fully articulated, including wings and tail. It comes with interchangeable heads and hands as well as book and pepper accessories.
canon is a choice and i choose only sometimes
Okay, okay, one of my Golisa babies ocs ends up getting a furby from their McDonald's meal and Goliath ends up trying to throw it away, because he could've sworn the thing's eyes moved last night.
"Mommy! Daddy's throwing my furby away!"
"Goliath, what the hell!?"
"I'm sorry, Elisa, it must be done. It's evil"
Xanatos committing deliberate tax fraud by listing Goliath and the clan as dependents.
“Yes, love is a matter of gifts thrown in the fire, for nothing”
— Marina Tsvetaeva, Poem of the End
Short drabble,
Adoh: Oldest daughter of Goliath and Elisa
A/N: Nothing, just something ridiculous came to mind
"You don't think my dad and Demona….." Alex awkwardly gestures with his hands "ya know…...did things..do you?"
Aodh casts her childhood friend a scathing glance, disgust clear in the way her nose wrinkled "how the hell am I supposed to know that!?"
"I don't know!" Alex raises his hands "I mean they were partners in crime at one point"
"Ugh!" Aodh snaps her head away. That is not something she wanted to picture! Ever!
"I mean anything's a possibility." He follows "though now that I think about it, that technically makes a Goliath a cuckold"
She turns back to him with a rather deadpanned expression".....Please stop talking.."
Super Rough Draft of Goliath and Xanatos being grandparents together.
From bitter enemies to doting grandparents. Never in Goliath's wildest nightmares did he think he and Xanatos would share a grandchild, but here they are now.
Fate often had a twisted sense of humor.
She was beautiful. But, oh so fragile and so small. Goliath couldn't keep his eyes off her, his precious newborn granddaughter. Her wings fluttered in her sleep with her tail firmly grasped in her hands as she curled into herself. Surrounded by blankets and warmth. Kept safe in her basin, protected from the outside world.
He wanted to hold her in his arms, but refused as he did not wish to wake her.
"Still asleep?" Whatever blissful peace he relished in soon crumbled to shambles, Xanatos had returned with his treasured cup of coffee.
"Yes,"
"A beauty isn't she?" he smiled "She'll be a magnificent heir to my kingdom one day" Goliath frowned at the implication.
The thought of his little granddaughter growing up to be a charismatic, manipulative questionably ethical billionaire filled him with existential dread. Young Alexander may have turned out for the better in most cases. Most cases.
But, he was still Xanatos' son and operated in his own questionable, manipulative ways. And when he wasn't that, he was Goliath's own personal headache. Nonetheless, his daughter loved Young Alexander so, thus condemning him. Never in Goliath's wildest nightmares did he think he and Xanatos would share a grandchild, but here they are.
Tiwa.
She inherited Alex and Fox's bright red hair and Aodh and Elisa's dark skin. A strange combination of Human, Gargoyle and fae all wrapped into a singular bundle of joy.
To Goliath she was perfect from head to toe, only a few weeks old and he was already in love with her. Couldn't imagine now what life would be without her now that she's here.
And he and Xanatos were both her grandfathers by blood. It was a bizarre notion, bizarre as it was horrifying in retrospect. He thinks back to the time where he desired nothing more than to hurl his pathetic body from on top the castle's cornices.
Goliath did not believe he could forgive a man like him. Even now, he wouldn't call what he felt towards him forgiveness in a sense, but perhaps more than an ally, and something in between that.
While Xanatos had worked hard to make amends for his wrong doings, never did an apology leave his lips. Goliath did not know if he even felt an ounce of remorse over his actions. Never did he make any indication if that was the case.
Xanatos was an incredibly difficult person to understand. Let alone read.
"What's the matter, Goliath?" He quirks a brow "cat caught your tongue?"
"No." He says, tail swishing "I'm just not paying you any mind."
"Oh?"
"Your childish attempts to get under my skin will not work"
"Not trying to."
"Right."
"I just want what's best for her"
"And that is what exactly? Her to grow up to be an exact replica of yourself?"
"No." He takes another sip from his cup "I want her to be better than me" the answer takes him back for a moment. Goliath is not sure if that statement was intended to have a double edged meaning.
"You don't believe me?"
"You are many things Xanatos, being straightforward is not one of them" the man chuckles softly wary of waking Tiwa. She's only but stretched out her tiny arms and legs other than that she hadn't stirred from her slumber since being put to bed an hour ago.
Soft snores fill the silence "do you still hate me?"
"Hate isn't a word I would use"
"So you do?"
"Xanatos you broke the spell that me and my clan were cursed under intending to use us, even after I told you about what happened to the rest of my people. You lied, manipulated, even used my own mate against me, you tried to kill what remained of my family and after that took our home, the only thing we had left. Add the plethora of harm you did afterwards."
More quiet followed "I didn't just hate you, I detested your very existence"
"I have to ask why let your daughter be with my son? After all the bad blood between us, I know I gave you, your home back, but that did little warrant any warmth towards me"
Goliath sighed "I wasn't the least bit happy about my daughter and Young Alexander's friendship in the beginning. I understood that they were both children, I understood that the boy was far too young to pose much harm let alone consciously do so. But it still filled me with alarm, I feared for her, I feared that perhaps you would or was trying to use your son to gain some semblance of trust again. To use and manipulate use through the bond of our children. I didn't put it past you. You've done worse.
[]
"What did I tell you about acting like jackasses in front of the baby?" Aodh was uncloth as ever, the added unbalanced hormones didn't help her already severe demeanor.
"Mh, forgive me daughter"
"We were just having a polite disagreement"
"You mean jackassery" she corrected "do I have to tell Auntie Fox and mom that you two are misbehaving again?"
Xanatos self-serving smirk fell right off his face and went silent along with Goliath "yeah, didn't think so."
Super Rough Draft
Goliath-Centric
Basically, writing stuff about Goliath's parents and his wonderful home life. And generational trauma.
: - )
ANGST!
Gargoyles did not claim parentage to their children. Hatchlings were children of the clan, raised up and cared for by the village. It was considered selfish to do otherwise.
"We are a community, we need to operate like one. Just as a hive cannot be sustained by one bee. Just as the nest of an ant cannot be ruled only by a sole queen, everyone has their part to play, everyone has a role, a service to do. It is the way of our people."
An elder once said to him.
Then did that mean his mother was selfish?
Lia.
His mother. She had claimed him for her own against every warning she should not. But, she did not care and his clan did not much care for her. His mother was an outsider, but literally and metaphorically. Hudson had found her, half starving and bloodied by a river bank and took pity of her. She said she had hailed from a clan faraway where the land was barren and mountainous, but she did not speak of it more, she had no desire to return, she had ran away and never looked back.
And while his clan was gracious enough to allow her refuge they never truly accepted her. And his mother never really made an effort to build any bridges between them and her. She was a loner and kept to herself.
His clan was content to leave her and not pay her any mind. Until she claimed his egg for her own.
The elders were not happy about it and voiced their discontent.
"Those are not our ways"
"They may be yours, but they are not mine. I abide by no one's rules, but my own"
The elders of Clan Wyvern kicked up a fuss, but it is not as though they did much about it. Or could do anything about it, given that the clan leader of that time-Samson-did not care and was his father, not that he had much part in raising him.
His younger self never understood why. His mother and father never became a truly mated pair which also struck a nerve with the elders, but they were too afraid of Samson to voice it openly to his face. They had no ceremony and made no real fan fair about it. It often made him wonder if his parents ever liked each other. They never argued, disagreements sometimes, but it never escalated. His mother never had anything bad to say about his father nor did he ever hear his father bad mouth his mother.
They were an odd pair-silent and distant.
There were very few pleasant memories he had of his own father. Some of them vivid, others hazy, his father was a man of very little words and an even shorter temper. He was not very well liked among their clan. He was temperamental, violent almost to the point of being unhinged, and seemingly uncaring about anything else that wasn't killing. And not all that friendly.
There was no one in the clan that he considered friend, Goliath doubted he ever truly trusted anyone. The closest thing to that, probably was Hudson.
And his mother-
Like he said before-their relationship was always a mystery to him.
"I do not think I'm capable of love"
Goliath looked up, meekly, his father was so tall, even while sitting he had to crank his all the way back to catch a glimpse of his face "I do not understand others"
…..
"I hardly understand myself"
"I'm not kind. I only know war, blood-violence is my only expression. I'm not meant to be gentle. Or anything else of that matter" it's the most he's ever heard him speak.
"I cannot not be what you wish me to be"
Goliath ducked his head not knowing what to say "I was never meant to be a father"
Goliath didn't know what he meant to do by telling himself such. He had been so young then, and his father was more an entity of fear than a person to him. He never smiled, never laughed, he was never much of anything. When he wasn't brutalizing his enemies, he'd be alone, carving wood until his hands bled. And while his mother was distant, he can recall the small, quiet smiles she'd give him. Or sometimes she let out a bout of boisterous laughter though those were rare.
Most of the time she was sad. And when she wasn't abrasive towards others, she was stagnant, her face vacant except for the emotions he was far too young to understand.
Very Rough Draft
Goliath x Elisa/GoLisa
Title: Effeuillant la Marguerite( she loves me, she loves me not)
Summary: Happens after the Awakening series. Goliath learning to come to terms with Demona's abandonment and his developing feelings for Elisa.
"Why the long face?"
They were high above the clouds. Nothing new, not all that interesting, at least not for him. But, he watched Elisa constantly kept nervously glancing around, checking to make sure she wouldn't fall from the railing up above.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. If you fall, I'll catch you"
Elisa frowned before looking at him with bright, brown eyes "easy for you to say, you've got wings!"
"Like I said I'll catch you"
"So like parachuting without a parachute" she mumbled, not sounding all that reassured by his insistence. He did not know what a parachute was.
"A what?"
"A parachute, its uh, um" she lifted her head in thought, tapping a finger against her bottom lip "it's like a large blanket that you tie to your back so you don't y'know-die."
"I see, so you fly with it"
"More like glide, like you do with your wings"
"I see."
He gazed over the railing, down below, his eyes grazing over all the lights and towers made of steel and glass, and the horseless carriages that zipped across the streets, though they varied in size, they all looked the same from his spot in the clouds.
It was still very hard to get used to.
All the lights, all the noise and commotion, even during the nightmare hours nothing stopped, the world kept going. Elisa had told him this place-New York, was known as the city that never sleeps.
It was a fitting phrase. Everything was always awake, always conscious that it nearly gave him a headache if he focused on all of it for too long. It ached for the quiet shore by the ocean side.
There in his free time he would walk and let his mind wander as he watched the ocean lap at the shore. His angel of the night would be by his side enjoying the quiet between them, in this solitude. It was their world and their world alone.
"You're frowning again?"
He didn't move to look at her. He wasn't sure what to say. To convey how he felt or how in a way she'd understand. Would she understand?
"Something on your mind?"
"This world is rather loud, noisy. Sometimes it's hard to hear my own thoughts"
"Oh?" She laughed a bit, it was an airy, lighthearted sound. It wasn't exactly mirthful, but it was not nervous either. He did not know to quite label it "I get it. It takes some time to get used to all the chaos."
"Does it bother you?"
"Hm? No, not really. I actually like all the noise"
"Why?"
"I don't know-" she pauses "I guess maybe I like it because it doesn't make me feel so lonely. Lets you know that they're still people out there. That despite everything, the world's still going. And that at least some things are still in one piece"
"You feel lonely?" He'd argue that it was almost impossible to feel lonesome in all this array of life and light. Yet, did he not feel the same?
"Lonely?" Elisa shrugged "not particularly. I'm pretty used to living on my own. It'd be ridiculous after all this time, wouldn't it"
"You don't have any family?"
"Of course!" She smiled "I have my younger siblings and my parents."
"You don't live with them?"
"No, we all left the nest. Beth, my little sisters studying up at a college in Arizona. And Derek's a cop like me. And both my parents are retried"
It was all very strange to him.
The separation of family.
"Gargoyle clans always stay together."
"You don't leave the coup?"
"You mean the rookery. After we reach a certain age then yes, but that doesn't mean we leave Wyvern"
"So, you guys never left Wyvern? Like ever?"
"No. Why would we? It is-was our home."
"So, you guys didn't travel much huh?"
"No, that was far too dangerous to stray far. My time was always wrought with war and unrest. Not exactly a wise time to go milling about. Plus, where would we go? The humans at the castle hardly tolerated my kind, I doubt the humans after them would be far more welcoming"
"You know I had to ask-"
"Yes?"
"If the humans hated you guys so much, why did you stay and protect them?"
"Because it is our duty. The humans protect us during the day and we do so during the night. The humans only feared us, because they did not understand us. I would not give into hate because they chose to do so out of ignorance."
"That's a rather benevolent way of thinking" to Elisa she thought the situation, or deal, pack, or whatever it was, was a rather lousy one. None of it seemed fair in any way. Their services were repaid in contempt. None of that was right. But, she didn't dare voice that sentiment out loud. Elisa got the feeling Goliath wouldn't take kindly to that, so she kept her mouth shut.
"It is what I was taught" then he stopped and considered it for a moment.
"What would you have done?"
"Leave"
She had his full attention now. A small shiver rode up her spine at the intensity of his stare.
"Why?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Elisa entwined her fingers gazing over over the steel towers and glass buildings "I guess don't have any kind of desire to stick around where I'm not wanted"
"What about duty? You said it yourself that your job was to protect and serve"
"Well, yeah" she says "but, y'know big guy, you can't protect people who don't want to be protected and you can't serve people who don't want to be served. There's a limit to how much you can do. Relationships are supposed to be equal, there has to be a give and take on both ends. If one person is doing all the taking and the other is doing all the giving-how is that fair?"
“And a Hunting We Will Go”
Summary: In retrospect, Elisa should’ve seen it coming-
Words: 1,324
1/2
Warnings! Blood, Animal Death
A03:
In retrospect, Elisa should’ve seen it coming-
Working a twelve hour shift straight was a bitch. Exhaustion crept to every little corner of her body, her arms and legs felt like lead, her back was stiff, her eyes burned red from the lack of sleep. When she finally got home, she jumped straight into a hot bath to soak. The steam and heat were heaven on earth as she sunk low into the bathtub. She wanted to exist here forever.
"Mommy!“ the door to her bathroom thundered open, the hinges squeaking as it hit the wall. Elisa repressed a groan but kept her eyes closed sinking lower into the hot water. As they say-a woman’s work is never done.
"Yes, baby?” The excited taps of bare feet slapped against the tiles.
"Look what I caught!“ The smell hit her before her eyes popped open and another word left her lips. With a loud, violent splash, hot soapy bath water smacked her right in the face.
Coughing and sputtering, Elisa struggled to wipe the water out of her eyes, groping in the dark she leaned over the tub to grab a dry towel.
There was a moment in all the silence where time stood still-after getting the suds out her eyes, she opened them only to be greeted by dark, lifeless ones. Beak hung open; a dead pigeon’s carcass sailed the currents of her now bloody bath water.
Elisa froze for a brief second.
"See!” Aila yelped excitedly, hopping up and down” I got it all by myself!“ Elisa managed to tear her eyes away from the dead animal to catch a glimpse of her daughter’s bloody face and bloody fangs which had tatters of feathers stuck in between them.
Yeah…… She really, really should’ve seen it coming.
Goliath was teaching them how to hunt. Elisa didn’t think it was necessary. But, he protested, saying that it was. What if they were caught in a situation where they needed to catch their food in order to survive?
He had a point. Better safe than sorry.
Besides, every hatchling is taught to hunt, regardless. It’s tradition. Elisa left him to it. It gave the kids an extra outlet to expend energy anyways. By the time they came home, they were absolutely exhausted which made putting them down for nap time far easier.
Elisa didn’t think much of it, well, until there was a dead pigeon swimming in her bathtub. She wasn’t mad (why would she be?) or anything just startled. Dead things really shouldn’t bother at this point, especially concerning her own career.
"Baby, where did you get the pigeon from?“
"Outside!” Vague answer. Did Goliath take them hunting? It was pretty late last she checked.
"Where’s daddy?“
"Don’t know! I did it by myself!” Elisa frowned a little.
"Aila, you’re not supposed go hunting without daddy"
"I wanted to do it myself. See! I’m a big girl now, I can do it"
"I know, baby, but you could’ve gotten seriously hurt. You’re all cut up"
"I only got some scratches, but it doesn’t hurt” she held out her arms, oblivious to the alarm in her mother’s voice “and-and I didn’t cry either. See I’m big now"
"I can see that-” the scratches along her arms and face didn’t seem too bad. Nothing a little antiseptic cream and some bandages can’t fix “but, honey, you need to be more careful"
"But I’m okay!” she argues then reached up to rub her wounded cheek “see!“
"I know, but still-"
"Elisa!” Goliath barreled through the bathroom door, she nearly spat her beating heart out. She sometimes forgets how fast he can move despite his massive size.
Also, the door to the bathroom was broken.
"I smelt-Aila!“ He was by her side in seconds, lifting his third born up to inspect her injuries "what happened?!”
"Hi, daddy! Look!“ She pointed to the bath water once again blind to the anxiety she was causing both of her parents "I caught it all by myself!” She chirped excitedly, wings and tail fluttering in glee.
"I-what?“
"The pigeon” she says.
"Pigeon-“ his eyes drift over to the poor avian floating in the bathtub "oh.” He replies softly.
"I caught it, daddy!“
"Ah, I can see that, but you are quite the mess, my daughter"
"It scratched me, but I fought back really hard!"
"I checked the cuts” Elisa intervened “they’re too shallow to be anything serious"
"Are you going to cook it, mommy?"
"Cook it?"
"I caught it for dinner. I wanted to help"
"Oh! Well, sure” Elisa pushed some wet hair from her face side eyeing the dead bird.
Right.
"Yay!“
After the fear had vanished from the room, Goliath helped their daughter to a well needed bath. Elisa tended to the pigeon, the poor bastard didn’t see it coming, and wrapped in an old, tattered bath towel.
‘Guess I’ll have Owen dispose of it. Somewhere’
"Ow! Daddy that stings!"
"It means the medicine is working"
“Can I have the hello kitty Band-Aid?"
"Yes, daughter you may” father and daughter were housed in the master bedroom. Aila was scrubbed head to toe. Squeaky clean. Goliath was treating her scratches while she watched intently from her perch on the edge of the bed.
"Aila?“
"Yes, daddy!” It gets a smile from him before he changes his demeanor.
"You know you’re not supposed to go hunting without me"
"But daddy-“
"There are rules in place for reasons; they are there to ensure your safety."
"But daddy-"
"Aila-”
"But daddy I’m not little anymore.“ She cuts him off again.
"Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean my rules no longer apply. You may not be so little, but you are still learning, any number of things could have happened. You’re lucky a couple of scratches are the only thing you received."
Her ears fell back behind her head "Are you angry?"
"No, I just want you to be safe”
"Okay….“ she says a little dejectedly "I’ll wait for you"
"That’s all ask” he gently pats her head.
"Will you cook it for dinner?“
"What?"
"The pigeon daddy!"
"Oh, right-” he glances over to Elisa “uhh-"
"Of course, sweetheart.”
"Okay!“
"Can I have cake?"
"Not until after super” Goliath answers.
"Can I have strawberries then, the ones mommy bought?“
"You may-” in her excitement she tried to scramble from her father’s grasp to the kitchen “now wait a minute. You’re still dripping wet” it took a while to pat her dry, as she kept squirming.
"Am I done now?“
"Yes, daughter you’re dry now” she hopes off his lap to make way for the kitchen.
"Puts some clothes on first!“ Elisa shouts after her.
"Yes, mommy!” But then she comes running back to their room “you guys gonna cook the pigeon, right?” She asks, double checking.
"Of course,“ she lies through her teeth again.
"Okay!” She chirps before prancing back towards her bedroom. Goliath waits until he knows Aila’s out of earshot to ask.
"Are you truly going to cook…that?“
"Are you?” She shoots back at him.
"Perhaps-“ he trails off to give the dead bird another incredulous glance "but I doubt it would be safe to consume"
"God only knows what kind of diseases it’s carrying” she grimaces.
"Agreed, but you did promise to cook it, why lie?“
"I didn’t. We’ll just have Owen burn the poor bastard and replace it with a chicken. It’s not like she’ll know the difference"
"That is true, but we shouldn’t lie to the child"
"It’s just a little white fib, besides pigeon kind of tastes like chicken anyways"
"Still-” he wants to argue.
"Do you wanna tell her we threw her prized catch away?“
He frowned "No."
"Then that settles it, we’ll just snatch a chicken from the freezer and cook it” Elisa was right, Aila didn’t notice. She beamed at the table, happily recounting her tale about how she caught dinner to everyone as they ate.
"And a Hunting We Will Go" Series
Chapter I:
Summary: In retrospect, Elisa should've seen it coming-
Chapter II:
Chapter III:
"And a Hunting We Will Go"
Summary: Someone does some fishing. Some very expensive fishing.
Words: 1,191
3/4
Warnings! Animal Death
~Beep!~
~Beep!~
God, someone please shoot me!
~Your call may be put on hold~
Elisa couldn't help but roll her eyes.
The disembodied, dial up music on the other end of the line almost made her see red. Two hours, two damn hours! She's been on hold since four in the afternoon!
‘Come on, come on, dammit, let's go already!’
~Beep!~
~We're currently busy at the moment, but a representative will speak to you shortly~
~Beep!~
‘Shortly my ass!’
The music played again, like a hellish melody.
'I hate tax season. Hate it!' Bored, Elisa snagged her pen tapping it harshly against the kitchen table. 'Next time I'm hiring some smuck to do this shit'
'If I can afford'
The tapping stopped for a minute.
~Beep!~
~We're currently busy at the moment, but a representative will speak to you shortly~
'I'll make it fit'
Somehow.
Another twenty minutes past before someone finally, finally picked up the damn phone. But, despite the blessing the call just added to her frustrations.
"....how many dependents did you say you have again…...?"
Her lips tightened, doing her best to not snap- "Three. Three kids" she can't remember how many times she had to repeat that now.
This was stupid, beyond stupid. She just wanted the call to end for god's sake, the man over the phone kept droning on and on, in a hush wispy, barely audible voice about tax deductions or something, it was very obvious that he hated his job and sounded like he wanted to be anywhere, but on the phone with her.
It was like pulling teeth.
One by one by one.
Sitting on the couch watching Teletubbies with the kids was starting to sound like heaven right about now.
After a while, her mind drifted. ‘Whoever wrote tax laws ought to be shot.’
She heard something squeak in between the irritated tapping and clicking of her pen. Ignoring it, she leaned against the kitchen chair before switching the phone to her other ear.
Another squeak. Sounded like wet shoes sliding against a tile floor.
She ignored it again, clicking her pen.
'I need a drink after this. Maybe I can raid Xanatos stash without him noticing'
~Squeak~
'Ugh, what is that?!' but she didn't feel inclined to worry about it. The castle was riddled with strange noises. It used to freak her out, but she had gotten used to it over the years. And besides, she wasn't the only resident lurking around.
~Squeak~
"Maza, a word if you may" Elisa rolled her eyes again.
"I'm busy Xanatos, bother me some other time"
“I believe it may interest you”
“You can’t hide from Fox forever Xanatos”
“I’m not, but this isn’t about her”
~Squeak~
'Okay! That was getting annoying!' she snapped around her chair to level Xanatos with a glare and find the source of that ungodly sound only to stop and freeze.
Xanatos was drenched head to toe. His characteristic ponytail was undone. Hair was in his eyes, slopped around his shoulders and he smelled like fish and algae.
He looked completely disgruntled. Which was also rather uncharacteristic. And the jacket of his suit was missing.
"Wha-?"
"Hi, Auntie Lisa!"
Then she looked down.
Two giddy kids were tucked under his arms. Alex's eyes gleamed, shined really, his long dark, red curls stuck to his face. And there was Aodh, wrapped in Xanatos' jacket, not giddy, or mischievous, but unperturbed as she munched on a half-eaten koi fish.
They were a wet mess.
The crunch of bone and flesh invaded the quiet for a second.
"They raided the koi pond"
As if the half-eaten koi fish didn't give her a clue. Elisa didn't know whether to laugh at the spectacle before her or sigh. Wasn't Owen watching them?
"You didn't say we couldn't play in it, dad!"
"Please tell me that wasn't expensive"
"The pond's fine. The fish on the other hand-" Xanatos glanced at her daughter, he seemed almost amused despite his obvious veil of exasperation "well I'll leave that to your imagination"
'Well, isn't that just peachy' Everything in this building was outstandingly expensive to suit Xanatos opulent tastes. He's right on that matter, she didn't want to imagine what that fish might cost her, if he were a pettier man.
"Why do you have a Koi Pond just laying around anyway? Inside a building. Where anybody can just trip and fall in it"
"I like the aesthetic."
"Sure." Right. Of course.
"It's not like I expected two troublesome kids to try and make it into their personal fishing spot."
"Ah-huh"
"Nor was I prepared for one of them to actually eat the koi fish"
Elisa smirked a little "Oh really, and here I thought you were always prepared for the impossible"
He looked disgruntled again. The shock faded, but damn did he look miserable.
That suit had to be worth more than anything she's made in the past five years. She can't help but snicker-
-who would've thought that all it took for him to lose his cool was a bunch of unruly kids.
Karma was beautiful in its own way.
"Can I have my own Koi fishpond then, dad?"
Xanatos refined from a sigh.
"I'll think about it"
"Yes!" It definitely wasn’t a yes, but Alex interpreted it as one.
“David!”
There was something akin to fear in his eyes “Ah,” he cleared his throat “In the kitchen, dear.”
Fox walked-waddled into the room; they saw her belly before they saw her “Are you hiding up here again-” Xanatos turned around on instinct.
“Hi, mom!” Alex waved.
Fox blinked a few times before she broke down into hysterical fits of laugher.
“Fox, please” she had to hold onto the threshold to hold herself up.
“He fell into the pond trying to fish the kids out” Elisa supplied as flatly as possible. Fox snorted.
“I did not fall.”
“Had a nice swim, David!?”
“I guess you now know what it feels like to swim with the fishes, huh, Xanatos?” Elisa couldn’t help herself. Fox had a conniption fit.
“The children could’ve drowned”
Now both women were laughing.
“I can swim, dad, Aodh too, you know that, and Puck was with us.” Corrected by a child.
“Speaking of Puck-Owen, where is he?” she asked in between fits of laughter.
“He scampered off, after I-collected the children”
“Left you for dry, huh?” Elisa got the impression that he wanted to roll his eyes at her. But forced himself not to for whatever reason. Instead of saying anything he placed Aodh gently on the floor. The sudden jostle of movement hardly interrupted her eating.
“We’re still playing, dad!” Alex protested.
“Both of you need a bath” he squirmed out of his father’s grasp “Alex.”
“We can take a bath together! Come one, Aodh!” he grabbed her fingers, and dragged her along. Aodh simply followed without much fuss towards the baths. Alex knew the castle like the back of his hand, as he led them away.
She was still eating the fish.
Elisa shook her head; hopefully, that was the extent of today’s excitement-
~Beep!~
‘You’re call has been disconnected’
Dammit.
Thanks for Reading!
![OSCAR WINNERS MEME [3/92] : ↳ The Shape Of Water (2017) Dir. Guillermo Del Toro](https://64.media.tumblr.com/50865e8897f3353f437a2f8b5010f13d/9195aad7216c2e42-f8/s500x750/411527393ac4b356b0b104315e0374dbce51a9ab.gif)
![OSCAR WINNERS MEME [3/92] : ↳ The Shape Of Water (2017) Dir. Guillermo Del Toro](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e8a7b93f4298b54e5a47c5a7cd81e158/9195aad7216c2e42-df/s500x750/66b750ea568aca19944e65cda0ec408018ac2a16.gif)
![OSCAR WINNERS MEME [3/92] : ↳ The Shape Of Water (2017) Dir. Guillermo Del Toro](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e156762d3e653891d6ee0c976123be7f/9195aad7216c2e42-a2/s500x750/e24f7d5cc8293790a5ebc9cb984f54be3b7fb156.gif)
![OSCAR WINNERS MEME [3/92] : ↳ The Shape Of Water (2017) Dir. Guillermo Del Toro](https://64.media.tumblr.com/bcbcb3fbf9d41d95dabd4852217e2321/9195aad7216c2e42-8f/s500x750/ee8fc06474d032c02de8b03a6c7dba7a877ac23a.gif)
![OSCAR WINNERS MEME [3/92] : ↳ The Shape Of Water (2017) Dir. Guillermo Del Toro](https://64.media.tumblr.com/d9c82dbfb642b8e8d51ba9ee645775b9/9195aad7216c2e42-98/s500x750/e1354a60d15a3a753917cc55c5619cacf2d237c4.gif)
OSCAR WINNERS MEME [3/92] : ↳ The Shape Of Water (2017) dir. Guillermo del Toro
He does not know what I lack or how I am incomplete. He sees me for what I am, as I am.
I never realized when you were human how beautiful you are.
I added more
They opened doors for her, waved at her, fluttered their eyes. Elisa just smiles and waves back, friendly, if not a little bit confused by the sudden onslaught of attention. In return he walks closer at her side, when she's not looking or when he believes she's not paying any attention to him-he glares in they're direction. The younger males tended to flee with their tails curled between their legs while the males around his age or older took his warning glances as a challenge-much to his annoyance.
Here's a totally Gaxlay brained scenario-Elisa gets hit on constantly by other male gargoyles, but is totally oblivious to the flirting. And Goliath tries very hard to let his jealousy show.
Here's a totally Gaxlay brained scenario-Elisa gets hit on constantly by other male gargoyles, but is totally oblivious to the flirting. And Goliath tries very hard to let his jealousy show.
I was just working on my GoLisa baby fic and then realized that 'where would they find diapers to fit a baby with a tail?" Would they just poke holes in it or would Elisa try to find someone that makes customized baby diapers.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but can you repeat that?"
"It was just a hypothetical question"
"But, why would you need a diaper with a hole in the back?"
"Uh, so-hey, I gotta go, lets forget we ever had this conversation! Okay? Bye!"
Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 21st year.
If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)
You struggle to resist this nature of ours, but it can’t last forever. One day, the urge for their blood will be stronger. And when that day comes, another will hunt me. It’s as simple as that. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
"And a Hunting We Will Go"
Summary: Someone does some fishing. Some very expensive fishing.
Words: 1,191
3/4
Warnings! Animal Death
~Beep!~
~Beep!~
God, someone please shoot me!
~Your call may be put on hold~
Elisa couldn't help but roll her eyes.
The disembodied, dial up music on the other end of the line almost made her see red. Two hours, two damn hours! She's been on hold since four in the afternoon!
‘Come on, come on, dammit, let's go already!’
~Beep!~
~We're currently busy at the moment, but a representative will speak to you shortly~
~Beep!~
‘Shortly my ass!’
The music played again, like a hellish melody.
'I hate tax season. Hate it!' Bored, Elisa snagged her pen tapping it harshly against the kitchen table. 'Next time I'm hiring some smuck to do this shit'
'If I can afford'
The tapping stopped for a minute.
~Beep!~
~We're currently busy at the moment, but a representative will speak to you shortly~
'I'll make it fit'
Somehow.
Another twenty minutes past before someone finally, finally picked up the damn phone. But, despite the blessing the call just added to her frustrations.
"....how many dependents did you say you have again…...?"
Her lips tightened, doing her best to not snap- "Three. Three kids" she can't remember how many times she had to repeat that now.
This was stupid, beyond stupid. She just wanted the call to end for god's sake, the man over the phone kept droning on and on, in a hush wispy, barely audible voice about tax deductions or something, it was very obvious that he hated his job and sounded like he wanted to be anywhere, but on the phone with her.
It was like pulling teeth.
One by one by one.
Sitting on the couch watching Teletubbies with the kids was starting to sound like heaven right about now.
After a while, her mind drifted. ‘Whoever wrote tax laws ought to be shot.’
She heard something squeak in between the irritated tapping and clicking of her pen. Ignoring it, she leaned against the kitchen chair before switching the phone to her other ear.
Another squeak. Sounded like wet shoes sliding against a tile floor.
She ignored it again, clicking her pen.
'I need a drink after this. Maybe I can raid Xanatos stash without him noticing'
~Squeak~
'Ugh, what is that?!' but she didn't feel inclined to worry about it. The castle was riddled with strange noises. It used to freak her out, but she had gotten used to it over the years. And besides, she wasn't the only resident lurking around.
~Squeak~
"Maza, a word if you may" Elisa rolled her eyes again.
"I'm busy Xanatos, bother me some other time"
“I believe it may interest you”
“You can’t hide from Fox forever Xanatos”
“I’m not, but this isn’t about her”
~Squeak~
'Okay! That was getting annoying!' she snapped around her chair to level Xanatos with a glare and find the source of that ungodly sound only to stop and freeze.
Xanatos was drenched head to toe. His characteristic ponytail was undone. Hair was in his eyes, slopped around his shoulders and he smelled like fish and algae.
He looked completely disgruntled. Which was also rather uncharacteristic. And the jacket of his suit was missing.
"Wha-?"
"Hi, Auntie Lisa!"
Then she looked down.
Two giddy kids were tucked under his arms. Alex's eyes gleamed, shined really, his long dark, red curls stuck to his face. And there was Aodh, wrapped in Xanatos' jacket, not giddy, or mischievous, but unperturbed as she munched on a half-eaten koi fish.
They were a wet mess.
The crunch of bone and flesh invaded the quiet for a second.
"They raided the koi pond"
As if the half-eaten koi fish didn't give her a clue. Elisa didn't know whether to laugh at the spectacle before her or sigh. Wasn't Owen watching them?
"You didn't say we couldn't play in it, dad!"
"Please tell me that wasn't expensive"
"The pond's fine. The fish on the other hand-" Xanatos glanced at her daughter, he seemed almost amused despite his obvious veil of exasperation "well I'll leave that to your imagination"
'Well, isn't that just peachy' Everything in this building was outstandingly expensive to suit Xanatos opulent tastes. He's right on that matter, she didn't want to imagine what that fish might cost her, if he were a pettier man.
"Why do you have a Koi Pond just laying around anyway? Inside a building. Where anybody can just trip and fall in it"
"I like the aesthetic."
"Sure." Right. Of course.
"It's not like I expected two troublesome kids to try and make it into their personal fishing spot."
"Ah-huh"
"Nor was I prepared for one of them to actually eat the koi fish"
Elisa smirked a little "Oh really, and here I thought you were always prepared for the impossible"
He looked disgruntled again. The shock faded, but damn did he look miserable.
That suit had to be worth more than anything she's made in the past five years. She can't help but snicker-
-who would've thought that all it took for him to lose his cool was a bunch of unruly kids.
Karma was beautiful in its own way.
"Can I have my own Koi fishpond then, dad?"
Xanatos refined from a sigh.
"I'll think about it"
"Yes!" It definitely wasn’t a yes, but Alex interpreted it as one.
“David!”
There was something akin to fear in his eyes “Ah,” he cleared his throat “In the kitchen, dear.”
Fox walked-waddled into the room; they saw her belly before they saw her “Are you hiding up here again-” Xanatos turned around on instinct.
“Hi, mom!” Alex waved.
Fox blinked a few times before she broke down into hysterical fits of laugher.
“Fox, please” she had to hold onto the threshold to hold herself up.
“He fell into the pond trying to fish the kids out” Elisa supplied as flatly as possible. Fox snorted.
“I did not fall.”
“Had a nice swim, David!?”
“I guess you now know what it feels like to swim with the fishes, huh, Xanatos?” Elisa couldn’t help herself. Fox had a conniption fit.
“The children could’ve drowned”
Now both women were laughing.
“I can swim, dad, Aodh too, you know that, and Puck was with us.” Corrected by a child.
“Speaking of Puck-Owen, where is he?” she asked in between fits of laughter.
“He scampered off, after I-collected the children”
“Left you for dry, huh?” Elisa got the impression that he wanted to roll his eyes at her. But forced himself not to for whatever reason. Instead of saying anything he placed Aodh gently on the floor. The sudden jostle of movement hardly interrupted her eating.
“We’re still playing, dad!” Alex protested.
“Both of you need a bath” he squirmed out of his father’s grasp “Alex.”
“We can take a bath together! Come one, Aodh!” he grabbed her fingers, and dragged her along. Aodh simply followed without much fuss towards the baths. Alex knew the castle like the back of his hand, as he led them away.
She was still eating the fish.
Elisa shook her head; hopefully, that was the extent of today’s excitement-
~Beep!~
‘You’re call has been disconnected’
Dammit.