#˗ˏˋ ☪ ———— interaction .

[astrakofe]

tag drop !

[chaosburning]

" hm, " lex tilts his head to the side and looks down at mangled knuckles as if remembering for the first time that this also happened to be his trigger hand. a tentative squeeze of his index finger has the biker wincing again. funny how he was suddenly distracted by all the things he could do in the mechanic shop without his dominant hand, as if the conversation at hand was suddenly on the back burner. maybe that was his brain trying to process or, more likely, not process all the information stirring emotions within him.

his father had been very traditional in that sense. swallow down the emotions. men don't show them. they're a weakness you couldn't afford, especially out in the real world. so, he learned to think first and think fast. it's what made him a great soldier both with the patch and without.

all the anger and the sickness churning inside him? he didn't know what to do. they refused to get shoved into the box he usually tossed everything in. instead, they did everything to claw their way back to the surface.

something clicks and lex is back to the present, seeing his damaged hand cradled to jordan's chest. what he wanted to say was that girl should not have existed in the first place. no one should have brought that girl into reality but, jordan was right. the past was the past and there was nothing his disgust, anger, or whatever else could do about it.

without thinking, the biker takes another step and wraps his good arm around the much smaller form. no thoughts, no doubts. lex just held her close while still leaving a little room for her to wiggle away if the motion was unwanted.

" you bet your ass she's not winning, " he whispers softly. " i dunno how we're getting out from under this just yet but i do know that much. " for a breath lex lets his thoughts run wild while the body in his arm grounds him back down. " i don't want to push you away. i just, you know, wouldn't blame you if....nevermind. it's done. i got your back and if you're staying then i'm staying. "

looking down, it's as if alexis notices jordan in his jacket for the first time. the leather hulks around her, nearly dwarfing her frame. the sight makes him smile something wide and genuine. he makes a mental note to get her something that fits her better the next chance he gets. in the meantime, however, " where do we go from here? "

"what?" after recounting that entire experience, this is the first thing to make jordan's heart race. no, he had known. he had to have, didn't he? because why else would he have been so kind to her when they met? given her his number, told her she could turn to him if she needed help?

she's a little sick to her stomach at the idea that she had just dropped all of that on him, pulling her knees to her chest as she watches him like a spooked animal, liable to bolt at any moment. she feels like she should be comforting him, but hadn't that always been her way? focus on others so she didn't have to process her own feelings.

"alexis!" the loud bang of his fist hitting the wall makes her jump, but there's no fear in her voice as she jumps up from her place on the bed to go to him, unable to catch his arm before his fist collides a second time and she pauses in place, letting a hiss escape her at the bloody trail it leave behind. the silence seems loud in the wake of it all and she narrows her eyes at him. he's definitely going to the hospital this time if she has to drag him herself. "jesus, are you trying to put yourself out of commission?"

she waits until he comes closer to her to catch him by the wrist and pull his injured hand towards her, cradling it gently between her own and holding it close to her chest as if she could protect the appendage from any further harm he might try to do to it. "stop it. you didn't do anything and all she did was talk. the girl she was trying to hurt doesn't exist anymore, lex." sad as it may be, jordan had buried her a long time ago. "and all i need you to do is not let her win. don't push me away, okay?"

[divinemare]

-ˏˋ⋆ 𝔄 𝔠 𝔬 𝔲 𝔯 𝔱 𝔬 𝔣 𝔤 𝔬 𝔡 𝔰 𝔞 𝔫 𝔡 𝔪 𝔬 𝔫 𝔰 𝔱 𝔢 𝔯 𝔰 ⋆ˊˎ-

└──» ✎ 。 Azriel x Oc

part seven

┊✧*｡ ✯┊☪︎⋆✧*｡ ┊

Things just had gotten worse and worse. Now she only received visits from Cassian, and very, very occasionally; from Mor. Azriel had been taken to Court, since his shadowsinger abilities were useful to the High Lord, Rhys was off with his own company, and Mor was also at Court, and off fighting. Cassian had been the only one left at the Illyrian camps, often having to fly away, but still, her only company.

It had also been months since she had seen Alhena and Valeria. But, just about two weeks ago, before things got even more complicated when some of the Courts —including the Night Court—, had decided to free their slaves and fight alongside humans, she had met Tamlin.

Rhysand had come up to her and said it was safe, that he trusted Tamlin to keep it a secret, and so he took her to the forest way past the war camp, where her brother was already waiting for them.

At first, it had been so damn awkward she had wanted to turn back and forget it had ever happened, but then, when he saw the genuine curiosity in his eyes, she decided to stay.

“You don’t look like my sister,” had been the first thing either of them had said, and they had both laughed off their nerves.

They really didn’t had much physical resemblance, only for the deep green eyes flecked with gold. He was much bigger than her, even tho he was younger, with golden blond hair in comparison with her rich brown hair. His skin was also paler than hers, while hers was mixed. He looked disturbingly way too much like his brothers and father, while she could only guess she had taken after her mother, with the exception of her eyes.

Their meeting had been brief, since Rhys had to get back to Court, and so did Tamlin, but they promised to continue to communicate with each other through Rhys. Mareena was very glad that Rhysand had been right; Tamlin was not like the rest of his family.

She hadn’t stoped thinking about their interaction, and they had been sending each other notes with a bit of magic Rhys had taught her, getting to know each other a little bit. Things weren’t as bad as they could be, at least, she had her writing, Cassian, and…

The door bursted open with so much force it startled her. Rhysand entered the cabin in a hurry, his face pale and panting and a look of absolute terror.

“Rhys, what’s-”

She didn’t got time to finish her question, he hurried to her, grabbing her by the arm and almost dragging her with him.

“We have to go, he found out, he found out you’re here, he’s pissed, very, very pissed, and I can’t protect you from him, Mor will take you with Drakon, he’s a friend of mine, Seraphim, so he’s out of our law and-“

“Rhys!” She yanked her arm and stoped him in his tracks, looking at him completely confused.

“Slow down, please, what are you talking about? Did my father…?” She couldn’t finish her sentence, her heart was pounding so heart in her chest she felt in in her ears.

“No, not yours, mine. He found the scripts you gave my mom and Valeria and manipulated Valeria until she accidentally told him. He’s surely on his way right now, we have to go, I’ll explain everything else to you later, just trust-“

“Please, son, why don’t you explain everything right now.”

A voice so deep and malevolent sounded behind her back, making every hair in her body stand on end. She saw Rhys’s face drain of color and in his eyes flashed a kernel of fear before he quickly hide it. His grasp on her tightening to the level she felt it hurt, but said nothing, as she knew he was desperate to try to keep her with him.

But then, she turned around, and right at the opened door, stood the most imposing male she had ever seen in her life. Rhett, if she remembered correctly, was his name, High Lord of the Night Court, and Rhys’s terrifying father.

They shared the same violet eyes, the same raven black hair, but that was it. This male in front of her had not a single but of the gentleness and charming demeanor of his son. This male right here was rough and imposing and even slightly terrifying.

She remembered the feeling that now was cursing through her veins; she had felt that same fear the day she met the King of Hybern. Yet another male that looked like he could absolutely destroy even the her soul. She added him to the already existing list.

“Father,” Rhys’ voice had never sounded so cold, and she had to remind herself who she had behind her to not feel a much bigger tuck of fear.

“Now, I’m waiting for the delightful explanation,” the older male looked between his son and her, and Mareena wondered just how many he had looked like that before killing them.

“Father, she’s-“

“No, no, son, I know exactly who she is, what I do not know, is why she is here.”

He got a step closer to her, and all that crippling fear that triggered the raw power inside her shot through her body.

But no, she had to get a hold on herself, she couldn’t let that power out, the fear to make it explode.

“She’s a friend, Father, my friend, and she’s under my protection,” Rhysand’s neck was so tensed, she feared a vein would pop, his face so cold and serious, but his eyes so troubled, she felt a lump on her chest for him.

Rhett bursted a cold laugh that chilled Mareena’s bones and made her want to back away, but she did not move an inch, she felt as if she was frozen in place.

“Under your protection? And what does your protection mean, boy?”

He got closer again, and Mareena’s panic was rising by the second those hard, cruel eyes stared into hers. She felt it, felt the need to let that thing inside her free and make the male back away, but she couldn’t put herself at risk like that, she couldn’t put Rhys at risk like that. And so she swallow it, and did not look down.

“Your father has been looking for you, child, and he’s been a pain in the ass to everyone about it.”

“He’s not my father,” her tone had been harsher than intended, and when the male raised an eyebrow at her, she cleared her throat with fear clinging at her stomach. “He’s not my father, sire. He’s the man that stole my life away.”

“Sounds like Jalus,” he nodded, and Mareena tensed at her father’s name. She hadn’t heard it since she left the Spring Manor all those years ago.

“Father, you won’t have to deal with her, I’ll take care of her, she’ll go with the Seraphim and you won’t have to deal with the High Lord of Spring,” Rhett looked at his son as if he was a stupid little boy.

“Take her away? I don’t think so, son. I want to know why Jalus was so secretive about you, what is so special about you that he moved heavens and earth to find you. Tell me, child, what is it that you posses that makes you so important to him?”

This time, he advanced two steps towards her, and Rhysand, sensing her terror, tried to pull her away, but Rhett was not about to allow her to go anywhere, and grabbed her other arm with so much force she moaned in pain.

“You don’t even look that much like him, so you’re obviously a bastard, not a common one, for sure, he wouldn’t have cared if you died or lived in that case, but he went mad looking for you, what. are. you.”

He squeezed harder, making her moan again.

“Father, please,” Rhys tried to intervine, but the male pushed his son with a flick of power to the other side of her room.

“What. Are. You,” he screamed this time, squeezing even harder.

Mareena’s fear was too much to control then, the pain in her arm and the panic in her veins made it too hard to control the outburst of power that bursted from her.

In a wave of pure white light, she made the ground at their feet shake, and the man in front of her to feel as powerless as she felt terrified.

She cried and clutched her eyes shot, pressing her palms to her ears while the painful wave of power seemed to talk to her, telling her to let go.

She was at her knees before she knew it, and started hearing a scream in her mind that she recognize as Rhysand’s desperate voice.

A pair of arms wrapped around her and winced at the contact, her skin was burning hot while the white power still poured off her. But when she felt Rhys’s sweet whispers, and his powers on her mind helping her calm down, her cries died down and she stoped slowly feeling the burning.

Minutes passed between her ragged breaths and Rhysand’s. He stroked with gentleness her hair and murmured that he was not going to let go of her.

“Interesting,” a voice sounded far, yet near her.

When she raised her head, she saw the High Lord of the Night Court standing from the floor with the wall’s help. His eyes were hungry, impressed, and even more terrifying.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she muttered with shaky breaths.

“Father, please don’t hurt her,” Rhysand wasn’t letting go of her, holding her while his father approach them with a predatory ease.

“She’s dangerous, son, and I can’t let her go back to her father, he’s going to use it as a weapon to all of us,” he was getting closer and closer, and with each step, Mareena felt that her death, too, was getting closer.

“She won’t go back, he will not find her, I’ll make sure of it.”

“Please, sire, I’ll do anything,” she murmured, looking up at him again.

She wasn’t about to die at the hands of another awful male like him, she hadn’t escaped from her father for things to end like this.

“Anything?” The male raised an eyebrow, cruelty flashing in his violet eyes.

She nodded, and heard Rhys’ loud gulp.

“Then how about a bargain, Miss Mareena.”

[regamoth]

ೃ About me :)

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             ┆               -ˏˋ     About me ˎˊ˗

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Hiii ! How are you Tumblr people?

I just thought that I should try to start writing some things about my fav kpop groups, or overall universes I like.

Here's my Masterlist !!

So, let's get into the real "about me".

You can call me Regamoth or Rega, I used to have my real name as my id on social medias but I realized there was lots of weird people on there.

My pronouns are he/she, I'm genderfluid and sapphic.🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

I'm a 04 liner, born the same day as Yoona from SNSD, Ailee and Eunha from Viviz and Joan of Arc's deathday :)

I'm French, English is not my first language so don't hit me if I make some mistakes 🤧

My hobbies are kinda basic tbh, listening to music, watching youtube, twitch, movies, tv shows, building legos,

I'm into kpop since April 2017, my ex-best friend was a fan and she made me discover this incredible universe.

I'll only write for the artists I stan and the movies/shows I like

Kpop: NCT, Xdinary Heroes (I see literally no contents about them that's sad), Sunmi, Blackpink, XG, Aespa, Le sserafim, Dreamcatcher, G-Idle, TXT, The Rose, EXO.

Others: The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Umbrella Academy, Sex Education, Friends, Derry Girls, Harry Potter (fuck JKR). And, if I find some Frenchies interested in that, I might write about the tv show Kaamelott because even if the fans are cringe it's still a cool show.

Tbh, I think I'll mainly write headcanons or scenarios, things that are quick to write because my lazy ass is gonna have trouble writing big, well written, imagines all the time :(

I'm not sure I'll write smut. Maybe just suggestive or not direct smut. Idk I'll figure it out ig.

Don't hesitate to send me ideas! Please interact with this post to keep me motivated 🤧

[astrakofe]

the more she speaks the wider his smile gets and it's not just the infatuation with coffee that has him hooked. although, honestly, he couldn't put a finger on it right then, just that he could keep hearing her talk for the rest of the night if the situation allowed.

" i've been called similar things, " the grin widens. holden holds up the mcrn mug before taking another blessed sip. " ranging from junkie to snob. not everyone gets the obsession coffee or just how wide a range there is between great and fucking terrible. " that didn't even start to cover the brew or the water. too hot and it tasted like char. some water accentuated the acidity of the coffee, making it even more bitter than it needed to be. ade had been the first person to really explain that part to him and his life had been forever changed.

with another glance up and down holden nodded in the direction of the walkway. each step is unhurried and a glance is spared behind him to make sure he's not leaving her behind. " luna? what brings you out here? " he'd heard through the grapevine that it was getting crowded and strained on the moon but he also didn't think it was bad enough to risk bringing people out into the belt.

"I ... have a confession to make? I'm kind of a huge coffee snob, so I ... will happily follow you wherever I can get a cup of what's in there," Hannah admitted, with a slightly bemused, slightly chagrined smile. "I got really spoiled on Luna with the good stuff, and there hasn't been anything here which has been even palatable and I know -- I know how that makes me sound, and I promise, I'm really -- I"m really not one of those people. Unless it's coffee."

She was talking too much, but she tended to always feel the need to overexplain, overcompensate. "I'm absolutely talking too much, I'm sorry. I would -- love to go on the ship for coffee, James." There's a soft flush on her cheeks, by now - she's just glad it's not worse. Her gaze danced up to meet his, before ducking down a little and towards the ship below. "And please, you're fine, I promise," she added, as she replayed the conversation in her head. "I also promise to probably stop babbling sometime soon."

[astrakofe]

there was very little james holden could handle without that perfect cup of joe. lately? that felt like life at large. one thing after another just kept barreling straight at them and then when all was said and done they'd dock at a station to some semblance of a normal life. it was emotional whiplash.

on this particular night, not even the coffee was giving him sweet release. maybe because it's caffeine, that voice inside his head tried to mock. they both knew that his body went way past the point where coffee did anything to give him a jolt. now it was a comfort. now it was a simple routine to hold on to amidst all the chaos.

" yeah, well, " shoes remain behind when he slips them off by the door. hands motion for the other to scoot over. " better doesn't always mean more comfortable. " especially when you're used to having someone sleeping at your side. it was easy to pretend that he wasn't sleeping well because of all the trauma they'd been through. it was easy to lie to himself by saying he wasn't lonely.

" i'm surprised you're even here, " holden's body is already relaxing into the thin mattress. " not taking the night out on the town? "

@astrakofe sent a meme.

[ REQUEST ] sender walks into receiver’s room hoping to crawl in bed with them. 

Night and day haven't meant much to Amos in decades. Sure, the Tachi, and the stations they had layovers at had a 'dimmer' and a 'brighter' cycle for appearances sake, but when you're either staring at metal, rock, or endless stars twenty four hours a day, time tends to not mean a whole lot. Still, it's his off shift, which means down time, which is the closest to 'night' as there gets in space. He isn't sleeping, though. Thumbing through some messages on his hand terminal, occasionally flipping through the news feeds. Sleet blue eyes drift up as the door slides open with a low chirp, revealing a weary eyed tousle headed Holden. No rest for the wicked. "You do know, don't you, that - one of the perks of your job is your bunk get the better bed, right, Cap?" Ribbing aside, that doesn't stop him from tossing back the edge of his blanket, shifting his weight over to make space.

[chaosburning]

there are pleasant aches everywhere by the time alexis blinks the sleep from his eyes. light shines through the blinds. his arm is draped over jordan's hip. whether he stayed there the whole night or managed to find his way to her back again was anyone's guess. either way, a small smile stretches across his lips at the sight of seeing her wrapped in his sheets. when did he start feeling this way? lex honestly had no idea. pinpointing one particular moment when his emotions switched from friendship to interest would be damn near impossible. either way, something clicked into place.

rolling over, the biker tries to pat around for his phone. he can't help but sigh when he realizes it's probably still out on the coffee table. as much as he doesn't want to leave the warmth at his chest, he should make sure no one's tried to get a hold of him.

he finds a pair of basketball shorts in the closet along with a hoodie with sons screen printed to the front. that's set on his side of the bed for jordan, should she want it when she wakes up. the elastic around his wrist helps tie his hair into a small loop at the base of his neck.

no emergencies on his phone. all he finds are a few reminders to be at he clubhouse around lunch to keep the discussions going on some of the upcoming shit. lex was frustrated because no matter how much they talked about said shit it's been going off the rails more and more lately.

" hey, " lex smiles from where he's standing at the kitchen counter, pouring grounds into the coffee pot. " sleep okay? how you feelin' ?"

any reasoning for why they should take this slow has been tossed aside with about half their clothes. what had happened to her wasn't a deterrent, though it had clearly worried lex. she knew exactly what kind of life the club led, that he led, when she'd first become friends with him. she also knew that what was legal and moral wasn't always necessarily what was just. she was living proof of the justice system failing and a woman like stahl didn't scare her when she'd already had to fight her own very real demons herself.

"you're about the only person in my life right now that makes me feel safe. all the rest is just..." she trails off, hands exploring the newly bared skin. sure, she'd seen him with his shirt off once during fight night, but that was completely different than having free rein to touch and she was taking advantage of it. the rest is just a blip in their timeline. unimportant.

"i think we should go to bed," she murmurs into his ear, kissing the spot just below although she has no intentions of sleeping any time soon.

[chaosburning]

a smile comes easily to his lips. " i'm sure he'd love to hear that. " maybe he would. maybe the rest of the club would after all the denying alexis did on a constant basis. tig seemed to be the worst, reading into actions that were just between friends. right? or had he really been so blind to what was right in front of him?

jordan sitting in his lap clearly screamed that he'd been an idiot this entire time. the way all his blood instantly rushed between his legs was another indicator he'd been fighting just a little too hard over a certain set of emotions. part of him had a hard time believing anyone would look at him that way. another part always tried to rationalize that someone good and wholesome from the diner couldn't possibly want any part of the life he led. it was violent and messy at the worst times. at the best of times? it was family; loving and whole.

although, lex was starting to forget what that felt like.

at some point, both his cut and t-shirt fell to the wayside. a kiss presses to the center of jordan's chest followed by a graze of teeth over one of her bra cups.

" probably? fuck. i'm sorry. " is a whisper chased by another deep kiss. " i don't want to stop but with everything that just happened i don't.... " lex leans forward to kiss the middle of jordan's forehead. " want you to get hurt again. "

his hands on her thighs have jordan letting out a warm chuckle in his ear, rocking her hips again to see if she could elicit the same response. she knew she was playing a dangerous game if she wanted to take things slower, but it felt so good, and he was canting his head to the side, encouraging her.

"too bad. tell jax i said you're occupied." oh, if only it could be so easy to pull him away when he needed a break, but she knew that samcro would come calling and lex would go with her doing nothing but wishing him well cause that's who he was and she had no desire to change that.

"although i suppose i could find something to do in that big bed all by my lonesome..." calloused fingertips meet warm, smooth skin as his hands drag her t-shirt up with their movement and for a moment, she thinks she should just give in, let him push the fabric over her head and let them come together the way they both clearly want, but it also occurs to her that she might have to be the voice of reason between them.

"do you want me to stop?" great, cause that sounded really confident there. "we should stop, right?"

[chaosburning]

during his own interrogation, stahl had a dug down deep to try and rattle the passive smile from lex's lips. everything from his decorated navy seal father being disappointed in an outlaw son, to the untimely death of his older brother, problems his mother had that lex didn't even know about, to the relationship he'd had in las vegas before making the jump over to charming. photos of dead bodies slid in front of him; all under the accusation of being felled by a son. some did. others didn't. either way, the agent hadn't gotten anything but sarcasm during the entire time the biker was under her deadened stare.

he was expecting more or less the same from whatever questions had been tossed jordan's way. what he hadn't been expecting was everything that passed her lips. the waitress sounded like she was reciting them from a far off place. details of things lex had no idea about. each one simultaneously making him both sick to his stomach and filling him with a primal rage. images flooded him of stahl's lifeless body and all the various ways he could make her that way.

movement brings his attention back to the present. every muscle in his jaw tightened until lex could hear his teeth squeaking together. fingers tangled in one of the sheets, causing his injured hand to scream in pain. he used that to keep him grounded. last thing he wanted was to scare jordan after being made to relive what had to be the worst time of her life. he had nothing to compare it to. as such, had no idea what to do or even say in response.

" i didn't know, " the biker whispered with teeth still clenched. dark eyes drift shut and he has to mentally force himself to count down to ten. this wasn't the same rage that filled him when unser made the call. this was something entirely different and his body had no idea what to do with it. what he did know, however, is that how he reacted could define whatever they were for the foreseeable future. he'd done this. this pain jordan was feeling? was all lex's fault and he wasn't going to abandon her to deal with it alone.

" when i asked about the free shit at the diner all anyone would say was they took care of something. figured it was bad but, fuck. "

for a stretch of time, alexis sits at the edge of the bed with his head in his hands for the simple fact that he needed to get a hold of his emotions. how the fuck was he supposed to process all that? not that any of this was about him. well, beyond the part about this being a sons problem to begin with.

finally, he gathers himself and pushes off the bed. whatever time he'd spent sitting wasn't enough, though. before turning on his heel the emotions overwhelm him and his damaged fist connects with the wall behind the bed two more times. the first causes something to pop. the second sends a pain right to his elbow. blood is smeared against the white paint from previous wounds re-opening. an oddly calm mental note is made to clean that up when he gets a chance.

" i'm sorry bringing you here put you on her radar. i'm sorry she put you through that shit. if you want to put space here i wouldn't blame you at all. " sad, he realizes in that moment. jordan made him laugh in ways he hadn't in a very long time. boots take him the several steps that separate them. when he looks down there's a myriad of emotions pinching his eyebrows together. " what can i do? "

tension she hadn't even known she'd been holding bled out of her frame at his easy acceptance, a soft smile curving her lips at his touch. jordan was loyal to a fault, something her childhood hadn't managed to carve out of her, and aside from her friendship with lex, she owed samcro a debt she would never be able to pay back in this lifetime. something stahl's little show had only reaffirmed for her.

"you have nothing to be sorry for. all you've done is be my friend and if you're apologizing for that i might be a little offended." thinking about stahl however has jordan burrowing just a little deeper into the sheets, ignoring the childish urge to slip all the way beneath the fabric and pretend the world can't find her there. "I know why she brought me in."

it had started with demeaning small talk while stahl spreads out a few photos on the table, ones of her and lex or jordan walking out of the clubhouse, even one of half-sack walking her to her car late at night that almost made her smile. it had moved on to probing questions about how a girl like her had ended up in the company of outlaws and for as smooth a talker as stahl was, she didn't have it in her to bring even fake concern into those soulless eyes.

i guess a girl with no family around might get lonely. shame about your uncle's disappearance. you two were real close at one point, weren't you? i'm told he was a real pillar in this town. of course, from what i've read, maybe you weren't that sad at all towards the end, hm?

the other photos had been swept away and now jordan was staring at pictures of her own pale flesh, bared for police and er doctors to build their case, only for fingerprint shaped bruises on her hips and thighs to be brushed away as overzealous discipline.

decorated veteran. had a lot of friends on the force, didn't he? people who could make that whole dirty business go away. god, if i was in your shoes, i would have been furious. did you know there are still people in this town angry that you've never cleared his name? people who are still waiting for a body to turn up. no one is buying that he skipped town to go on some grandiose adventure.

jordan rolls onto her back, feeling a little too raw for a face to face conversation as she mechanically recites the atf agent's words. she knows that surely lex knows everything that happened back then through the club, but it doesn't make the telling of it any easier.

people don't just disappear, jordan and in my experience, skeletons don't stay buried forever. if you're smart, you'll help me unbury them. if you're not, i'll bury you right beside them with the rest of samcro.

it was at this moment that the agent had paused, smiling like they were sharing a secret as she leaned over the table closer to the redhead.

i guess what i'm asking, just between us girls....is which member of samcro you had to fuck to get them to drop a body for you? wait. don't. let me guess. it was clay, wasn't it? i suppose by then you were already used to old men panting into your ear.

"hale came in and told her to cut me loose after that. he looked a little sick," she recalls dully, sitting up in the bed and throwing the sheets off of her, suddenly feeling stifled by the fabric on top of her. "i stood and i told her that i was going to pray for her. pray that she could go on the same enlightened journey that my uncle had gone on." jordan remembers the smile she had given in return and how she knew that the agent saw it for the feral baring of teeth it was.

[chaosburning]

air hisses to his teeth. both hands clamp down on jordan's thighs as if to will them in place. sleep was suddenly just an impression jolted right out of him. new life flowed through his veins like another surge of adrenaline. although, alexis knew that probably meant he'd crash that much harder when he did finally drift off. that was fine, he told himself. they were home and home was safe. for the time being, anyway.

an odd moment to think about it but the thought suddenly came to him why he understood his brothers finding comfort in the croweaters. jordan was not that. he had no intention of treating her as such. but here, with the comfort of her weight in his lap? made him feel like everything was going to be okay. nothing could touch him; them. every problem just a distant memory.

" i'm off, too, " the biker leans his neck to the side for more exposure. his hands slide up towards jordan's waist in the hopes of feeling a sliver of skin there. if he kept his grip on her thighs there was the very good chance he'd try to grind up against her. at this point, lex still wanted to at least pretend he was a gentleman, so he needed to remove that temptation.

" not sure if or when club shit's gonna take me away, is the only thing. you're welcome to stay here as long as you want if it happens, though. "

jordan's not so completely innocent as some of the townsfolk who knew her family would like to believe. she'd had boyfriends and even her share of one night stands. hell, she'd even had a girlfriend for a little while there and that had been a delightfully enlightening experience. all that to say that she knew the way she rocked her hips against lex when he pulled her the rest of the way into his lap wasn't leading to sleep so she takes a minute to catch her breath and think through the fog of desire.

she wanted him. badly. there was no denying that nor did she want to, but she could admit that maybe this wasn't the ideal moment for their first time, with both of them exhausted beyond belief and still running on a little of the adrenaline from everything that had been going on lately. maybe it was okay to just savor this moment before they jumped to the next.

"i can stay." because how could she turn down an offer to pretend that everything outside these walls didn't exist? she couldn't. and despite what she just told herself about slowing down, she can't resist leaning in to trail soft kisses along his cheek and jawline, ending with her lightly nipping at his neck when she tucks her face in against him. "i'm off work tomorrow. we could sleep in...i'll make us a late breakfast."

[chaosburning]

" jesus christ, " the biker sighs more to himself. if he didn't already have a good idea that clay was going down to the station to talk to the good chief, alexis would have right mind to do that himself. no patch on his chest gave him the right to do so. he was just a regular member of the club but that wouldn't stop him from giving the old man a piece of his mind.

lips part, ready to ask about something more substantial than cookies when her confession falls between them. muscles tense between lex's shoulders as if bracing for something. what? unclear. the other foot to fall, probably.

" i know. " a tired smile pulls one corner of his lips. laying there in that cocoon of warmth and quiet, prompts alexis to reach out and push a few bright strands away from her cheek. not only had he been careful when talking about anything related to the sons but there was always the thought in the back of his head not to bring anything to her doorstep. jordan had been through enough shit in her life. club crap didn't need to get added to that pile.

still, hearing the words straight from her lips was enough to get his shoulders to relax again.

" listen. i'm really sorry this happened to you. if there's anything i can do to make it up to you, all you gotta do is ask. " teeth gently bite down on lex's lower lip. relief bled into worry, which was starting to spill into guilt. " i have no idea why they picked up. maybe she's that desperate. stahl's got jack shit and she knows it so she's grabbing at anything. " eyebrows pinch together. " what'd she say? if you're comfortable talking about it, i mean. "

jordan couldn't remember the last time she'd had an uninterrupted nap in the middle of the day and she's almost loathe to give it before she feels movement on the other side of the bed and she's brought back to the present reality. samcro, stahl, alexis.

"hi," she murmurs back, having turned at some point in her sleep so they faced each other on their respective pillows. hand comes up to cover her mouth and stifle a yawn as she shakes her head in the negative. she never had much of an appetite when she first woke up, often skipping out on breakfast. "chief unser bought me some cookies from the vending machine."

the redhead remembers her distant, numb sort of amusement when she realized she might literally toss her cookies all over stahl as the woman had laid photograph after photograph in front of her. the way that vicious, mocking glint never left the agent's eyes as she casually ripped all of jordan's scars wide open and left her bleeding while she went over the worst years of her life would surely haunt a few of jordan's nightmares.

"i didn't say anything," she starts without prompting, remembering the entire reason they'd come here before she'd rudely drifted off and it's not until she starts talking that she realizes how desperately she needs him to believe her. "i mean, not that i know anything, but she could have asked me your favorite color and i still wouldn't have talked to her. i would never."

[chaosburning]

every touch is electric. beneath him, the cushion sags where jordan's knees move and lex does what he can to accommodate. he's lost and the world melts away with every returned kiss. what he hadn't realized was how right his brothers were. since that first night he'd brought her to the club the biker had been falling deeper and deeper into a hole he didn't want to come out of. not only was jordan sweet and affectionate but she was strong and intelligent. he admired as much as he did their body.

you're so gone, man, and you don't even see it.

by the time jordan pulls back, lex finds himself gasping for air. his heart stayed in his throat and the butterflies tickled the insides of his abdomen. one of his hands found it's way to her hip, so he uses it to push her that extra small distance on to his lap.

" there is so much more of this in your future, " fingers lightly squeeze her thigh. what he was hesitant to say out loud was how much more was in her future if she wanted it to be. one step at a time, though. jordan was someone who deserved a gentleman. or, at least as much of a gentleman as he knew how to be.

" i'm asking, yes. if i had my way, i'd ask every night, " lex smiles. as if to emphasize, the biker leans in for another soft kiss. " we can snuggle down, get warm. pretend the rest of the fucked up world isn't out there right now. " the next kiss goes on the tip of her nose. " i like spending time with you, babe. so, no pressure here to do anything. "

it's not her imagination, there's definitely something in the air, but instead of heavy, it feels light, anticipatory. like they're just on the cusp of something good. her cheeks pink under his perusal, but his smile inevitably pulls one out of her, and her body seems to mirror his own movements, turning to face him more fully.

Warm hand cuffs the back of her neck, and she's leaning in to meet him before she's even thought about it when he pauses, hesitating. pleasepleaseplease. she nearly gives voice to her desperation when he finally closes the distance. jordan makes a soft noise in the back of her throat, her hands going to rest on his shoulders as she rises to her knees on the couch to move close. her mouth moves languidly against his own and she feels a little ridiculous that it took them so long when they've both clearly been waiting for this moment.

"i'd say yes...if you promise there'll be more of this." by the time she pulls away, she's almost made her way entirely into his lap and she might be embarrassed for being so wanton if she had any time for that between her smiling and the soft laugh she let's out, pressing her forehead lightly to his. "are you asking?"

[chaosburning]

having someone at his back was an odd sensation. no one ever rode with him, not even when everyone made a line down to the park for barbecues. it was nothing against anyone who joined them and if he thought too hard about it there was definitely nothing about trauma related behaviors. sometimes a guy just wanted to ride alone on his bike. nothing wrong with that.

alexis had to admit, though, the warmth was nice. weight against him kept him grounded while the pavement vibrated beneath their feet. in fact, the biker had a harder time watching jordan walk away from the harley than he liked to admit. what would it be like to feel that warmth up to san fransisco? or even over to vegas when he went to visit some of his old buddies?

shaking his head, he weaved through the bodies. when someone acknowledged him he nodded in return. just as he was going to ask jordan if she wanted something to eat, he was pulled into a meeting with everyone else. time stretched. all his fingertips danced against the denim covering his thigh. it wasn't until his foot started bouncing and jax raised an eyebrow that lex realized he needed to get a handle on whatever the fuck was going on with his brain.

he wasn't sure how long the conversation lasted. point was, he had no idea what jordan told atf because they hadn't gone down that road, yet. what did she even know? nothing. searching his memory, he couldn't come up with anything incriminating she would've seen or heard even if he did believe she'd rat which, alexis did not.

being asked to stay caught him off guard. whether that was more or less than the fingers tangled with his was up in the air. muscles tightened in his chest while unnamed somethings stirred. in fact, lex was so thrown off that he mindlessly filled the space beside her.

while his brain said just a few minutes, his eyes opened again to the sun in a different spot in the sky. sleep fogged his brain enough that he briefly forgot someone else was in the bed with him.

" hey, " alexis rubs at one of his eyes. his weight shifts onto one elbow, which helps him notice that someone pulled the door almost all the way shut. what did she say? the biker shakes his head to push the voice back into the darkness. interrogating jordan right after a nap wasn't the way to go about anything. " did they feed you while you were in there? can i get you something? "

any other concerns jordan may have voiced died on her lips when the warm leather slips over her shoulders, dwarfing her form in a way she's sure looks ridiculous, but it smells like lex's cologne and it's instantly comforting, familiar. she decides everything else can wait until the clubhouse. he was right, they needed to close ranks.

the ride back is, thankfully, uneventful and she sees he wasn't kidding when he said there'd be more people there than usual. men milled around the front, sharing casual conversations but with ever watchful eyes while women she only vaguely recognized were bringing in enough food to feed an army and then some. were they about to go doomsday bunker with this thing? there were even a few kids running underfoot, their laughter being the first thing to bring a smile to jordan's face in two days.

offering small smiles to those who know and acknowledge her, she sinks into one of the chairs while lex leaves her to duck into the chapel to talk to one of the guys. jordan promises herself she's going to get up and find a way to make herself useful after she rests her eyes for a moment. just a moment.

that moment passes only to now find herself braced against someone's chest before being lowered onto soft sheets, that same familiar scent in her nose. cracking her eyes open to the sleep blurred form of alexis, she catches his good hand before he can draw away, clumsily tangling their fingers together and tugging at him.

"c'mon. you need to sleep too." she doesn't really hear if he acquiesces, rolling over to give him her back and an open space on the bed before exhaustion takes her again.

[chaosburning]

after a breath, lex pushes himself back up. if he let himself get enveloped by the couch cushions there was a good chance he was falling back asleep. with a guest, that was more than rude. a guest he'd asked over after her very long shift where people had her running from one end of the building to the other all day long.

so, the biker takes the opportunity to yank the laces loose on his boots. with enough give he's able to toe them off and set them neatly to the side. normally, he liked to keep them right next to the front door as to not track dirt deeper into the house. recent events had all of his routines so out of sorts that he was sleeping on the couch and showering at he clubhouse half the time.

by the time he's done lex is a little more awake. a little more clear. jordan's words run in his head. if you ever want to talk about it.... he did. gods, he did. carrying all that weight by himself got to be too much some nights, even when there was a club full of brothers going through the same exact thing.

lex angles his body to better face the waitress who'd tucked herself into the corner. silence settles over him. dark eyes drink in the familiar sight while a small smile starts to tug. he'd been dancing around his feelings for longer then he'd like to admit. opie was right. you don't punch a wall because you don't give a shit about someone. yet, lex learned the hard way that giving a shit wasn't always enough. would his life be too much? whether or not she was strong enough wasn't even a question in his mind because lex already knew she was. the question was, would she want to? tara ran away from charming. donna was trying to drag opie out the door kicking and screaming. opie's mom moved over an hour away to get out.

none of that matters as he leans forward. fingers slide along the waitress's jaw to lightly grip the back of her neck. part of him waits to be pushed or slapped. even as hie heart beats up and into his throat lex closes that last sliver of distance to press their lips together.

" what if i asked you to stay? "

jordan has to stop the shiver that wants to race down her spine at nothing more than the soft brush of lips against her palm. when his eyes open again, hers are there to catch them, wondering if it's just her who can feel a tension in the air as she lingers a few moments after he's let her go, fingers brushing against his cheekbone one more time before she drops her hand.

the biker seems to melt back into the couch while the redhead herself feels more like a live wire, mentally rolling her eyes at herself for getting flushed over a gesture so innocent, she forces herself to relax back into the cushions, tucking herself into the corner.

"i know you probably can't, but i'm here if you ever want to talk about it." of course, that would mean breaking the facade of just being a group of motorcycle enthusiasts even though they both knew she knew better. in the end, he still had to follow whatever rules clay laid down, but she wishes she could be that person for him.

"mm, better not. if i shower, i'll end up falling asleep here."

[chaosburning]

dark eyes briefly tear themselves away from jordan's form to make a sweep around them. uniforms all around are a stark reminder they still sit mere feet from the police station where she'd spent the night, where unser refused to lift a finger to help, and where stahl was manipulating half truths to try and scare anyone close to the club members.

gently, alexis takes both of his hands back so he can rub his face with his palms. a sigh escapes as the weight of the night comes crashing down on his shoulders. he was tired but he was also used to being tired. as soon as he got jordan settled somewhere he could let the walls down just enough to reassess everything. everyone needed to sit down to figure out what the fuck to do about this particular pain in their ass. something told him that stahl wasn't going to stop until she found a crack in the foundation. even then, she'd take a jackhammer to it so everything would fall all around them.

" be in the way, babe, " the biker chuckles. " trip tig's sorry ass. " she fed them at the diner. no way anyone was going to mind her presence at the club, especially since it wouldn't be the first time. " but no, you won't. there's a lot more people hangin' out than normal with everything going on. it's good to hang close after a rough day. "

leaning to the side, alexis shrugs out of his leather jacket. " here, put this on. " a black long-sleeve was layered under his cut, which would keep him warm enough until they got to the clubhouse. besides, on the streets, they wouldn't really go fast enough for the wind to flow too badly through the fabric.

" and this. " he holds out the helmet next. " let's get you outta here. "

jordan can tell he's tense, even as he tries to joke it off, but she imagines they all are with atf rounding everyone up, dragging them out of their homes and jobs with no regard for the lives they'd have to return to when this investigation was closed, all to take a blind swing at samcro. a swing and a miss because there was no one in this town who really knew anything that would give them up. charming was a delicate ecosystem and the club had its place in it.

a noise of sympathy escapes her throat when she sees the way he flinches as he moves his hand and she wants to insist again on him taking care himself rather than worry about her, but where as jordan has always been stubborn, she thinks she may have finally met her match in alexis and she'd had to start picking her battles. if she made it seem like she was going along with what he wanted, he'd probably be more likely to compromise. maybe tara would be hanging around the clubhouse and she could take a look at him.

the touch of his hand to her cheek catches her off guard for a moment, her eyes darting up to his, wide and vulnerable, before she averts her gaze, shutting down whatever emotion he may be probing for. she would tell him everything that happened in that interview room, but she thinks it might be safer for everyone involved if they put some distance between them and the station first.

"i don't really want to be alone right now," she says in lieu of an actual answer to his offer to go to the clubhouse. "and i need to call my boss. they took me out in cuffs in front of everyone...i won't be in the way?"

[chaosburning]

eyes flutter shut when skin touches skin. warmth is a shot of electricity from his cheek, right down to the bottom of his spine. alexis finds a hand reaching up, gently gripping the fingers near his face and presses them closer. seconds stretch out while the biker simply drinks in a moment he didn't realize he sorely needed. turning jordan's hand just enough to he can press her palm to his lips, he lets the moment stretch on even longer.

the club was stretched thin as it was so all he could get was a couple of check ins from people driving by the diner as they did other things around town. why the fuck do you care, anyway? tig had clamped a hand down on his shoulder. thought you two weren't fucking? to which alexis had replied they should keep an eye on the club's source of free fries and coffee. much better coffee than the shit half sack brewed at the clubhouse, he'd added.

" i'm good, " lex finally whispers against her skin. after a final heartbeat, his grip loosens so she can reclaim her hand if she wanted to. muscles melt back into the couch, causing him to slouch down ever so slightly. " just a lotta shit goin' on. feel like we can't get ahead of any of it, you know? but we'll be good. we're always good. " not necessarily whole but they'd keep pressing forward like he knew they would.

" if you wanna shower and get the diner off you, you're more than welcome to. "

the waitress had warned him that she'd likely be out late, her boss having her pull some doubles to make up for the shift she'd miss while detained and for the 'embarrassment' she'd caused the establishment, but it put more money in her pocket so she hadn't exactly fought it. still, lex agreed he still wanted to see her, so here she was, letting herself into his place long after the sun had gone down.

eyes widen for just a moment, the only sign that she'd seen him reach for his gun before it's discarded to the nearby table at the realization that she's no threat. surprise changes to doubt as she takes the offered seat, her gaze raking over him as she does out of habit now, always making sure he's in one piece, but not so quickly that she doesn't notice the shadows under his eyes. she doesn't think he's lying to her, probably more of an instinctual reassurance than anything, but if he's anything like her, sometimes you needed someone to make you do a double check.

"work was long and my feet went numb so long ago i'm not sure i have any anymore." fingers reach out to brush against a mark on his cheek, no doubt an indentation from the couch cushion, breathing out a soft laugh. "are you sure you're okay? i can go and let you get some rest. i won't be offended."