#(( thanks michael 4 dragging me in......

[cdragons]

Fuck Everything, But Mostly Fuck You - Part 4

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Summary: You have never, EVER, in a million years hated anyone the way you hated Felix fucking Catton. ...Well, maybe you also hated Annabel Williams as much - but you'd be damned before you let a drunk girl out in the hallway without helping her.

Warnings- MDNI 18+, Sex, Felix doesn't make an appearance (but still mentioned), Reader is a girl's girl, Annabel has an epiphany, Michael hates everyone BUT Reader, Farleigh is Farleigh, alternating POVs between characters, and author has spent too much time researching Oxford crap for this mess for a crack fic to be a crack fic. Also Oliver is barely in this chapter, but who cares about that asshat?

Author's Note: I am so sorry for the prolonged hiatus! It was not intentional! My classes have upped the ante in how much HW they gave me, and I got distracted by reading my old GOT fanfics and got ideas for it. BUT - thank you all who've been reading this fic and sharing wonderful comments! They really help push me to become a better writer!

You were caught in a bit of a pickle – granted, it was a voluntary pickle, but a pickle nonetheless.

…Okay, so quick recap of the events that transpired this week:

Regularly-scheduled Annabel tormenting you

Got sexually-harassed by Catton

Had a self-pity session at Bowin

Got found by Mikey Gravy

Olly, the psychotic backstabber/bootlicker, tried to pimp you out to Felix Catton.

You almost committed aggravated homicide of said pimp before Michael dragged you away.

You went to the movies to drool over Johnny Depp.

 You and Michael decided you would crash in his dorm room for the night…leading to your current predicament.

Right now, you were dragging an unconscious Annabel, who was drunk off her ass, with one arm flung over your shoulder as you tried to make get any information of where her dorm was out of her. It was a sad picture – mascara running down her cheeks, vomit from her mouth, and lipstick messily smeared across her face. The smell of vomit mixed with cheap booze was almost enough to make you want to drop her on the ground and leave her there if you hadn’t pitied her so much.

When you realized that you weren’t going to get anything out of her that didn’t involve projectile vomiting, you just decided to bring her to rest up in your dorm.

“I still don’t understand why you’re helping her,” Michael grunted.

Oh, yeah…and Michael was helping you, too.

“Because girl code, Gavey–” you grunted, lifting Annabel’s arm higher when you felt her slipping “–no man left behind – or well, no woman left behind in this case.”

“That’s the Geneva Code.”

“Same difference,” you groaned out. Fuck, how was this girl so heavy?

Michael’s face was getting flushed from the sweat running down his forehead. “So, girl code dictates that you have to help the bitch who’s been making your term hell?”

“Girl Code,” you huffed, “wait, hang on - she’s slipping - okay, there we go. ‘Girl Code’ is more of an honor code expected to be followed by all sisters on their journey to womanhood. And one of the most sacred rules in that honor system is that – fuck, she’s heavy – that if you see a sister drunk and unconscious, you make sure she gets home safe.”

“Or your matchbox dorm room, in this circumstance,” your friend grumbled.

You tiredly nodded. “Exactly! Besides, regardless of how heinous she is, it’s the right thing to do.”

“(Y/N), you realize she won’t be getting hypothermia, right?” Michael frustratingly groaned. “It’s late spring.”

“But that doesn’t mean there aren’t people out there who won’t take advantage of her in her current state. They’d say, ‘Oh, she was asking for it,’ or ‘she’s just imagining things, do you remember how hammered she was?’ And then it’ll be their word against hers.”

You went silent for a bit. “I don’t want that to happen to her. No one should have that happen to them – girl or guy, bully or friend.”

“Well, in any case,” Michael started as the two of you finally arrived at the beginning of your dormitory. “It’s lucky that your dorm is so close to mine. Are you sure you want her in there? There’s still the chance she’ll vomit all over your carpet if she misses the bucket or even your covers.”

You opened the door with your ID card. “I’ll just have to take that chance, I guess. Look, I’ll try to wake her up long enough to see if she remembers any of her friend’s numbers. If any of them pick up, I’ll tell them to pick her up.”

Michael looked at you with heavy doubt in his eyes. “And if they don’t? Pick up, I mean?”

“Then I guess we’ll be having a sleepover,” you sighed as you reached your room at the end of the hallway. “And then we’ll never have to see each other ever again when morning comes.”

Michael loudly snorted while you clumsily reached into your back pocket for your keys. “Don’t jinx yourself. With your bleeding heart, you’ll probably end up donating your liver to her if she doesn’t die of alcohol poisoning first.”

You rolled your eyes. “Oh, come one. Have a bit more faith in me – SHIT!” you exclaimed after you dropped your keys.

You quickly scrambled to the floor while Michael guffawed at your misfortune. You shot a quick glare at him to get him to shut up. The bespectacled bastard didn’t stop laughing until…like, three minutes passed. In response, you dropped Annabel’s arm from your shoulder to focus on finding your room key. You chuckled to yourself when you heard Michael curse to himself as he tried to balance the drunk girl’s weight without getting her too close to him. When you finally found it, you inserted it into the lock. You sighed in relief when the door opened. You were even more relieved that your roommate had decided to spend the night at her girlfriend’s dorm. You really didn’t want to have to explain to her why you were voluntarily helping the vile witch bitch who was actively trying to make your college years hell. Meanwhile, Michael grimaced and groaned as he held Annabel away from his body at arm’s length.

“Is sluttiness contagious through touch?” he asked.

“Unless pre-Sith Anakin suddenly pops into this hallway, I don’t think you’ll need to worry about that,” you snorted as you opened the door to let Michael drag the unconscious girl into the room.

Michael scoffed at your choice of Star Wars beefcake. “Bitch, please. Young Obi-Wan Kenobi was far superior.”

He went to the center of the room and released Annabel from his grip to let her unceremoniously fall on the floor, and her body made a soft ‘thump.’ You wrinkled your nose and grimaced at the pathetic nature of tonight. She looked less like the glamorous Oxford party ‘IT’ girl and more like one of those sad groupies who OD’d in their favorite rockstar’s pool from a house party. You didn’t know what the hell her story of tonight was – but it still didn’t mean she deserved to be left alone, slumped against a wall in a dirty hallway with vomit all over her.

You turned to Michael. “Okay! Off you trot!”

Your favorite bespectacled blonde nerd gave you a look of complete bewilderment.

“Seriously?” he asked. “Not even a thank you? I literally dragged her body here from my dormitory and risked being the first victim of a new STD contracted through skin contact.”

You rolled your eyes at his dramatics – if he weren’t such a numbers genius, he would have been the perfect theater kid.

“Don’t be such an incel,” you admonished. “It’s not a good look on you. And I carried more of her body weight than you, dumbass. If I left it up to you, we’d never get anywhere with your twiggy arms.”

You poked his arms in emphasis and snickered when he pouted. He crossed his arms and was about to leave when you pounced on him. A bit of Annabel’s “Britney Spears Fantasy” spray perfume soaked into his shirt, but other than that, he still smelled like himself. The scent of fresh laundry, freshly mowed grass, and spearmint toothpaste made you feel safe. His scent, combined with his body heat, enveloped you in comfort.

“Thanks, Mikey,” you whispered. “I know you didn’t have to help me, but you did anyway.”

Gavey wrapped his arms around you as he rested his chin on your head. He usually hated contact with anybody save his family, but you were always the exception. Michael should probably have warned you that the rotten and acidic odor from Annabel’s puke would ruin your shirt, but he just let himself replace her cheap perfume with your fragrance. The scent of your favorite honey and jasmine conditioner in your hair mostly covered the faint traces of turpentine and linseed oil on your skin.

“Of course I did,” he softly replied. “With your shit sense of direction, you would have ended up in the bottom of the ditch.”

You gasped and lightly pushed him away. “Uhhh, way to ruin the moment!”

Michael snickered at the way your jaw had dropped in shock and betrayal. You then resorted to mockingly punching him in the stomach as he did nothing to stop you. He couldn’t help but look at you in total and utter fondness as he continued to ‘beat him up.’

But in all honesty, Michael didn’t mind helping you. He loved it. He’d rather get Crucio-ed than say it, but you were his favorite person in the whole world. In a desert of fakes and masks of insincerity, you were like gentle rain with your genuine vibrance and rare honesty. He loved how endlessly kind and empathetic you were to others. He just hated it when you granted acts of kindness to the plebes unworthy of you. You’d give the benefit of the doubt to the worst of the worst on campus – Annabel being a case in point.

Remembering the drunk elephant in the room, Michael grabbed your fists and stared at you thoughtfully.

“Seriously, though,” he began, “why are you helping her? I know you told me about ‘girl code’ and all that. But is that seriously it?”

You thumped your head against his chest. “Look, I get it. Annabel is a horrible person, and with how awful she treated me – she doesn’t deserve my kindness, my help, or my pity. But that doesn’t change that it was the right thing to do. And if not us, who knows who would have picked her up? If another guy other than you ‘helped’ her…you do the math.”

A groggy voice broke the two of you apart. “Are you two going to shag? Because I can leave.”

You and Michael jumped apart as you watched Annabel lift herself from the floor and stagger to her feet. Her legs wobbled briefly before giving out, and then she fell to the floor. You turned to Michael and gave him one final hug before seeing him out. He looked disgusted at the girl sitting on the cheap carpet before turning to you, concerned. Mikey asked if you were confident you didn’t need him here to help you.

“I’ll take it from here,” you reassured him. You flexed your arm – 80s jock bully style. “I’m a tough girl. I carry my canvases and textbooks and everything, after all.”

“Okay,” he dragged out the last syllable. “But if you end up putting her down, give me a call, and I’ll help you bury the body.”

“Um,” interjected Annabel, “you know I’m right here, you arse.”

 “Hey,” you admonished, “he did help carry you here. He could have left you in that hallway alone.”

“Whatever,” she scoffed. “Probably did it so he could cop a feel, the slimy wanker.”

“Please,” Michael sneered, “as if I’d ever willingly touch someone with a higher body count than Dahmer and Bundy combined. I’m only here because I wanted to help (Y/N) – she’s the one who was worried about your sad self.”

Ugh, this was going to be a long night. You turned to Michael with apologetic eyes and reassured him that he wasn’t a wanker. You promised you’d make it up to him by buying all the Crunchie bars he wanted. Mikey’s eyes softened at your sincerity as he began to walk down the corridor to make the trek to his dorm.

You softly closed your door so as not to cause any further disturbance. When you turned around, you were startled by the dead stare Annabel was giving you. You looked down at your feet as you shifted uncomfortably in your spot. You cleared your throat to try and break the tension.

“Um, soooo…I’m glad you’re awake. You were sitting so still in that hall, I was worried you OD’d,” you nervously joked. But all she did was continue to stare at you. “So, do you have your phone with you? I figured it would be best if you called one of your friends. I’m sure they’re really worried about you. I know I’d be going out of my mind if one of my friends–”

“What kind of fucking game are you playing here?” she snarled. Her large, doe-brown eyes narrowed in anger as you stopped talking.

“Uhhh,” your mind was coming out blank. “Wait, I don’t – I don’t know what you mean?”

Annabel rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t play stupid. Why’d you help me? Did you want to take pictures of me drunk and unconscious?”

Your jaw fucking dropped. “What?! NO! I just–”

“I’m sure that would’ve made some fucking good blackmail material,” ignoring you and continuing, “I can see it: ‘Annabel Williams drunk in the hall after trying to shag fucking sad Ollie.’ You’re so obvious.”

You tried to explain yourself. “Okay, look- I think there’s a big misunderstanding here–”

“Or maybe you want to show the pictures to Felix, not that he’d care or anything. You got him all wrapped up in your little Yankee finger, you know that? It’s so pathetic and sick – it makes me want to–”

“HEY!” you yelled – finally making her just shut UP. You closed your eyes and took deep breaths to calm down. “Look, Michael and I were walking to his dorm when we saw you were sitting in the hallway. I tried to ask you if you had your phone on you and if you wanted me to call anyone, but you were out cold. And I couldn’t just leave you there, okay? That’s dangerous! And I didn’t know where you lived – you know, considering that you hate me–” you cut off your rambling with a deep breath “–so he and I dragged you to my dorm.”

The silence that followed was so stifling you wanted to open a window. Maybe if you let some fresh air in, it might calm the girl down. It would also help diffuse some of the puke odor stinking up your room.

“…Anyway, if you don’t have your phone on you right now, I can always call them myself. Do you remember their numbers? I know you and India are close. Do you think she’s available right now?”

More silence.

You began fidgeting. “I mean, you can stay over if no one is available? I don’t mind since my roommate is sleeping over–”

Annabel interrupted you again. “You’re so full of it. You just wanted to help me? For what? For the sake of being the goody-two-shoes kiss-ass, you’ve always been? Did you want me to bow and worship you?”

“Annabel,” you groaned, “it’s been a really long night, okay? And I don’t feel like arguing when you aren’t sober and in your right mind.”

“Oh yeah,” she bitterly laughed. “Be a pushover, and get everyone to love you. Tell everyone how much of a ‘heinous’ bitch I am. Play the victim – that’s all you’ll ever be. Just go back with your pathetic little nerd friend and be invisible and boring like the goody-goody who thinks she’s better than the rest of us.”

The quiet in the room was surprisingly loud. Shock and disbelief morphed into fury as your fists clenched so hard that your nails left red welts on your skin. Your body trembled in anger as your tongue felt too heavy to express everything you wanted to say.

‘Pushover’ she called you? ‘Play the victim,’ she said?

Who the hell was she to have any right to judge you? Did she have any idea what you’ve sacrificed? How much have you suffered and left behind? Could she even have the slightest decency to understand what you’ve been through? Of what she put you through?

…You know what? …Fuck her. Fuck Annabel Williams and all of Oxford’s elite. They were proof that Michael was right – that doing the right thing meant nothing to them.

Your voice was cold, and your eyes were numb. “…I’m going to take a shower,” you grab a towel and your shower buddy. “I want you to get the hell out of my dorm by the time I get back. Call your friend or don’t? Do whatever the hell you want. I don’t care.”

You slammed the door on your way out.

“Finally,” Annabel thought with some relief, “she’s gone.”

When you left, the room felt ten degrees colder the way the door slammed, and Annabel felt goosebumps form on her arm. This was the worst night of her life. She had never felt so humiliated.

Her mummy told her she was just born blessed because God knew she was exceptional, and she always believed that to be true. For her entire life, she was the girl every boy wanted to bed and the girl every girl wanted to be. She never had to fight for anyone’s attention. Her parents gladly bought her the latest versions of top-of-the-line technology. Her closet here and at her parent’s townhouse in Kensington was filled with designer-brand exclusives and limited-editions. She had everything.

For people like her, life was supposed to be easy. She was born at the top, so she would be there till the day she died.

So why was she losing to you?

When she came to Oxford, she figured it would be as easy as most of her life. She’d spend her time partying and networking with the right people. If she had to blackmail a nerd to take her classes or blow a teacher to give her an “A”? Who would say otherwise?

But then she met Felix Catton and finally felt she had met her match. Finally, there was someone who checked all the boxes: rich, tall, handsome, and fun. That part made Felix the golden sheep who stood above the rest of the flock – he was fun. Not only did he know how to have a good time, he knew how to properly fuck a girl, too.

She was so drunk off the taste of his lips and the feel of him around her – so much so that she broke her golden rule.

“Never fall first.”

Annabel felt herself falling hard for Felix Catton. She thought they were exclusive. He was her boyfriend, and she was his girlfriend. But then…he became distant. He stopped calling he and ignored her when they returned to campus after the break. But then he and she left the bar at Kings’ Crossing, and she was so happy! She wanted to cry when he kissed her hard and ripped her 100 quid top in half.

It didn’t matter if she wasn’t wet when he entered her. It didn’t matter that he didn’t wait for her to adjust when he started to thrust. It didn’t matter when she tried to moan his name; he would cover her mouth with his giant hand to shut her up. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t close to finishing when he came inside her. It didn’t matter when her windpipes were almost crushed when he fell on top of her after finishing.

They were together. He chose her! Annabel and Felix – Mrs. Felix Catton, she could see it now. They’d have a wedding in his house at Saltburn. She would have to meet his parents, but she wasn’t worried – all her flings’ parents loved her! They would be together forever, and nothing would ever–

“(Y/N),” Felix whispered above her – and Annabel’s world completely fell apart.

She immediately shoved his body off hers and hurriedly dressed before getting the hell out of his room. Annabel didn’t bother putting on her shoes before running with tears down her face to her dorm. And when she returned to her single, she flung herself to her bed and cried to sleep. She didn’t bother attending class that week – not when her heart broke.

Felix had been thinking about you – you. He called out your name after finishing. Was he imagining your naked body when hers was under him? Had he been imagining you every time he fucked her?

Annabel smelled Felix’s aftershave and wanted to rip the skin off her body. God, she never felt more like a whore in her entire life.

“God,” she thought, “I was so pathetic! How could I be so stupid to fall for Felix Catton? Why did I trick myself into hoping that we would be together?”

Felix wanted a good girl—like you—the American scholarship student who wanted to paint pretty pictures and was at the top of her classes. The lovely New Yorker who hung around losers and still held your head up high despite every professor thinking you were in over your head to come here. Some pushover bitch who was so pathetic and actually–

The door slammed open again, and Annabel’s pretty sure she’d scream if she weren’t so fucking tired. You came storming in with your towel and shower caddy in your hands, and your eyes were a raging storm while your lips were pursed like you had sucked a lemon. Your nostrils are flaring as you angrily breathe through your nose. Annabel was about to open her mouth, but you menacingly pointed at her with your pointer finger. It felt like forever until you finally opened your mouth.

“Look! We don’t have to be friends and I don’t expect us to be friends – but you know what? YES, I WOULD LIKE A THANK YOU! I dragged your unconscious ass across campus, and you REEKED of vomit and bad perfume! And not to body shame, but you are WAY TOO SKINNY to be healthy to be as heavy as you were when I carried you!”

“Excuse me?!” Annabel sputtered. “Who the fuck–”

“Oh! I’m not done!” you shouted. “I don’t know if you being horrible and a bitch is supposed to be some power trip or some shit, but it’s so cliché! Are we in Mean Girls? Are you Regina George? No, am I Janice from Lebanon? NO! And on that – I have a few bones to pick with you…MISSY!

I–” You pointed to yourself “–am NOT a pushover, okay? I fucking beat your stupid manwhore boy toy like it was goddamn ‘Whack o’ Mole’ for ruining my painting! Pushovers don’t do that!  FURTHERMORE – me calling you a ‘horrible person’ or ‘heinous bitch’ isn’t me ‘playing the victim’! You HAVE been a HORRIBLE person to me, alright? And what’s worse – I don’t have the slightest idea why! Was it something I said to you last term? Or were you born a spoilt princess who never had to work for anything in her life because mommy and daddy will always give you everything you want so you could forget that they would probably instead work than deal with their brat? Seriously – what is it? Because you’re driving me CRAZY!”

When you were done, Annabel sat on the floor, completely silent, and stared at you unblinkingly. She hadn’t expected you to come back so quickly – let alone to scream at her. She stared at your huffing and shallow breathing in awe and slight amazement. Your hair looked frazzled from your outburst, and your (e/c) eyes were bright with wild impulse.

Annabel felt her bottom lip quiver and stared at an ugly stain on the carpet. She didn’t want to show any more of herself than she had already. But what the hell? You already saw more of her than most of her so-called ‘friends.’ What was a little more? If she had to show more of the ugliest parts of herself, why not show it to someone she already hated?

Before she could stop herself, Annabel felt her shoulders sag and shake as sobs tore through her petite frame. Tears and snot were running down her face as she furiously tried to wipe them away – if nothing but to try and save some shred of dignity. Annabel was crying so much that she didn’t see the surprised look on your face morph to slight guilt since you thought you may gone too far with your rant. You reached out to tap her shoulder when you heard her speak.

“Why doesn’t he want me?” she sobbed. “What do I have to do to get him to love me?”

If you were taken aback by her crying, you were completely caught off-guard by her questions. You walked over to your desk and grabbed a box of tissues before crouching on the ground. You handed her a few tissues from the box and waved to her face to present them. Annabel noticed how you tried hard not to see how much her hand trembled when she reached forward to grab the tissues from you.

“Who?” you softly asked her. “Are you talking about Felix?”

Annabel blew her nose into the tissue hard. “Who else?! I mean…look at me! Everyone wants me! Everyone – boys, girls, teachers! Do you know how many of my past flings gladly emptied their pockets so I might wank them? But he wants you! What do you have that I don’t?”

Concern and pity shifted to confusion before realization kicked in, and you were so done with this conversation already. Maybe you were a slightly horrible person for this, but you felt so disappointed when Annabel told you that her entire drama with you had been over Felix Catton.

“…That’s why you’ve been tormenting me this entire term so far?” you flatly asked. “Because of Felix Catton?”

“He called out your name–” she gasped a heavy sob “– while he was fucking me! Do you have any idea how that feels?”

“Okay, wow,” you thought, “that’s actually really shitty – fuck.”

“Do you know how humiliating that was for me? He was still inside me, for fucks’ sake! I felt him shrink!”

Okay – that was so much more information about Annabel’s and Felix’s sex life than you ever wanted to know.

You coughed into your hand as your face flushed red. “Oh, um–I’ve never really…done it before. So…I wouldn’t really don’t know how that feels.”

“Ugh, of course, you’re a virgin,” she groaned. “Don’t tell me you don’t drink either.”

When you remained silent, Annabel let out a bitter laugh. “Damn, you think you’re hot shit and everything. But you really are a goody-goody. What – you saving yourself for God or some shit?”

“HEY! Just because I like to keep my head down and not a party and get plastered every five minutes doesn’t make me a goody-two-shoes. I just don’t like the taste of alcohol, and increased chances of lung cancer doesn’t exactly spell out ‘fun’ for me.”

But Annabel ignores your outburst and continues to dismiss you. “Yeah, right. I bet you call your mommy and daddy every night. Do you tell them that you miss them and want to go home? Or do you wish to bake cookies with your mummy as daddy watches the telly?”

Annabel’s taunting is only responded to with silence as she grows confused by your melancholic expression.

“…I can’t call them at all,” you respond. “International calls are too expensive. The best I can do is email or Skype. And planned calls can hardly be reliable since my parents’ schedules are always all over the place with their jobs.”

“When–” Annabel’s voice cracked “– when’s the last time you saw them? In real life?”

“I was supposed to see them during Christmas Break,” you bitterly explained, “but then Felix crashed into me when I was on my way to deliver it. He ruined my painting, and I had to redo it completely, not to fail and completely flush my parents’ money down the drain.”

“I thought you were here on scholarship? Doesn’t that mean you don’t have to pay to come here?”

“I’m here on a partial scholarship,” you explained. “It covers a good part of my tuition, but not all of it – and definitely not for housing and meal plans. Travel expenses alone were so expensive, so I had to leave alone. Mom cried so much at the security checkpoint, and Dad almost didn’t want me to go. I didn’t even want to go. But they wanted me to experience more of the world while I still could.”

“…Do you miss them?” Annabel asked. She felt silly asking a question with such an obvious answer. But, hearing how you talked about your parents crying their goodbyes to you compared to the simple wave she got hers after they dropped her off campus made her feel a deep longing.

You let out a shaky sob. “More than anything. You never realize how much you miss your home and family until an entire ocean separates you.”

Annabel uncomfortably shifted in her spot as she noticed your eyes getting misty. She couldn’t remember the last time she cried over missing her parents and felt that you were being overdramatic. Annabel spent her entire break with her parents at their house, but she couldn’t remember the last time they ate at the same table unless it was for one of her dad’s dinner parties. What did it feel like – to miss and love someone so much after not seeing them for a year?

What did it feel like – to have an entire lifetime of that kind of love?

Does having that kind of love make you?

“…Why did you help me?” Annabel finally asked. She couldn’t bear the tension anymore. “You could have just left me there. Why help me and bring me here of all places?”

“…Because it was the right thing to do,” you explained and shrugged. “You were drunk and vulnerable. Maybe it was fear of being a potential bystander if someone tried to take advantage of you – but I was scared something was going to happen to you. Regardless of my feelings toward you and yours toward me, no one should ever find themselves in a position where if they’re telling the truth, it’s someone else’s word against theirs. I’ve seen it too happen many times already.��

“What do you say in response to that?” Annabel thought to herself – shocked by how genuinely you answered her question. Since you were honest with her, she figured she could at least be honest with you.

“If it were you,” she began, “I wouldn’t have done for you what you did for me.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, “you probably wouldn’t – but that’s neither here nor there. Because I’m me, and you’re you.”

“…Are you really not interested in Felix?” Annabel asked. She was surprised by your disgusted groan.

“Oh my god–” you put your face into your hands and loudly groaned “–I don’t understand why everyone has an obsession with this guy.”

Annabel raised her brow. “Seriously?”

“Yes! He’s so gross – I studied in an empty classroom last week. He sat next to me, basically propositioned me, and then put his hand on my thigh! Does that sound like someone I would want to date?”

“You know he’s just doing it to get your attention because he likes you, right?”

You scoffed at her input. “Pffft– and that makes it alright of him to invade my personal space via sexual harassment? I hate how everyone makes excuses for him – and why? Because he’s richer than God and has an ‘alright-looking’ face? So what?”

“Oh, believe me,” snickered Annabel, “he’s more than just ‘alright-looking’ and he fucks as good as he looks.”

You sagely shook your head. “A person like that has nothing to offer himself. He desperately clings to his family’s wealth and the benefits of his status so tightly – and he pretends not to enjoy it, but he’s the type of person to love leeching on someone’s misfortune to feel better about himself.”

You shuddered as you remembered Felix’s constant leering at you since the term began.

“He’s like a vampire – I’ve seen enough of them in high school to recognize them from miles away.”

Annabel was utterly silent at your analysis of Oxford’s Golden Boy. She never considered the possibility of someone out there who didn’t absolutely covet and revere him. She assumed that you were purposely playing ‘hard-to-get’ to get his attention, but maybe you were sincere in his disgust by him.

“Plus, he looks like the type to be absolutely shit at foreplay and only knows how to stick it in.”

Annabel was so caught off-guard by your statement that she immediately burst out laughing. You were surprised by her reaction and started to laugh, too. She was laughing so hard that tears started rolling down her cheeks, and her stomach started to hurt.

“HE IS!” she agreed while nodding. “He does the bare minimum! I’ve been giving him constant blowjobs, and I can count the number of times he’s eaten me out with one hand! The only type of prep he knows how to do is finger me!”

“Oh my god! EW!” you guffawed. “Why did you put up with him for so long?!”

Annabel shrugged. “He’s the most popular guy on campus – even the upperclassmen adore him. I was always the popular girl throughout primary and secondary prep. It just made sense.”

“My parents told me college was all about discovering new things about yourself,” you said. “Maybe…you could do that for yourself.”

Annabel looked wistful before nodding. “Yeah…you know this doesn’t mean we’re friends, right?”

You rolled your eyes. “Please, tonight’s the last night I’m willingly dealing with a demon like you. I’ll stick to forcing Michael to watch my favorite Johnny Depp movies—thank you very much.”

Annabel watched your eyes soften at the mention of your friend…Michael Gravy? Was he the guy who left the two of you together after snarking at her?

…Oh god, it all made sense now.

“Are you and Gravy fucking?” she bluntly asked. She huffed in amusement at how red your face became as you began to sputter.

“WHAT?! No-NO! We’re friends!” you exclaimed before getting all shy.

“You were awfully protective of him a bit ago to be ‘just friends,’” Annabel countered. “Spill it – what’s going on between you two?”

“He’s my best friend,” you explained to Annabel. “He let me stay with his family after I finished repainting my assignment – which was really amazing of him.”

She watched how you smiled when continuing to talk about him.

“I know he can seem a bit odd and rude at first,” you continued. “But Michael is one of the best people on campus. He can be really sweet when you get close to him – especially when he talks about his family. His little sister, Lily, is so adorable! He’s a total nerd but a complete sweetheart when you get to know him.”

Annabel bemusedly watched as you gushed about your ‘best friend.’ It was almost sweet how gone you were for the nerd. You didn’t even realize how gone you were for him. For a bit, Annabel could see why Felix was so enamored with you.

“Well,” she interrupted as she stood up, “I guess your obliviousness to your feelings isn’t any of my business or whatever. Thanks for…helping me – it was really nice of you.”

You warmly smiled at her. “Sure! Do you have to meet anyone tomorrow morning?”

“Uh, no?”

You walked to your closet and grabbed a towel, a worn T-shirt, and old sweats. You handed them to her as Annabel looked at you in confusion.

“Since you’re here,” you began, “and it’s already like…3 a.m. – you might as well shower and stay over since tomorrow’s Saturday.”

“…Why?”

“You still have puke all over you,” you explained, “and it’s getting really hard pretending it’s not extremely gross. Plus, I can’t imagine you’re comfortable right now.”

“What’s with the clothes?”

You shrugged. “Well, I can’t exactly have you sleep in your dress and ruin my sheets! You can shower and sleep on my bed while I sleep on my roommate’s. Now, are you going to take them?”

Annabel hesitated before she took the bundle from your hands. You then opened the door. While holding it, you looked at her as if expecting her to follow you. What confused her most was the way she did exactly that.

While in the shower, she didn’t even mind that you didn’t have any of her usual hair products. Your conditioner looked like it was bought at a cheap dollar store – you didn’t even have a loofah. But when she exited the shower stall before drying herself with your towel and changing into your baggy clothes, she felt calmer than she had these past few weeks. As she crawled under your sheets and comforter, you turned off the night and wished her good night.

Annabel stared at the ceiling for about an hour before she grabbed her phone. She managed to find it while digging through her dress pockets. She was going to wash it when she got back to her dorm. Opening it, she rolled down at the dozens of messages from India and their girlfriends. Her eyes slightly widened at the soft *ping* her phone let out when she got a new message to show it was from Felix.

To her surprise, she didn’t feel anything. She didn’t care he messaged her that he had forgotten their plans. Staring at her screen, she just felt…nothing. So she did the very thing she should have done weeks ago.

She deleted Felix Catton’s number from her contact list.

Annabel slept better that night than she had all term.

After that night with Annabel, life simply went on. She and you weren’t ‘friends’ per se, but she no longer went out of her way to torment you like she had done before. She even told off some of her friends when they talked about you behind your back.

You two weren’t friends, but you hoped that there was at least some fraction of mutual respect. If you couldn’t be friends, then at least you two didn’t have to be enemies – you were happy to settle for being a ‘frenemy.’

You found yourself sitting by yourself at one of the tables in the library. Michael had to meet with one of his teachers about an essay but promised to meet with you as soon as he finished. You were repeatedly listening to Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” when you heard the chair next to you being pulled out.

Fully expecting it to be Felix, you were ready to tell him to fuck off and bother some other poor soul that needed saving, but you were surprised to find that the person sitting next to you was his cousin, Farleigh Start. He introduced himself by stating his name and giving you a firm handshake. There wasn’t much you could do but reciprocate.

“Quite the save you gave our Annabel,” Farleigh grinned. “Very magnanimous of you, especially considering how she treated you.”

“What do you want from me?” you blurted out. “I’m busy, and I would appreciate it if you just left so I can continue studying.”

You weren’t normally so rude, but this was Felix Catton’s cousin – and if this was a ploy to get you in his pants, you wanted no part of it. But your skepticism only seemed to please the boy sitting beside you more. His wry grin curled into a wide Cheshire Cat smile as he continued to stare at you with eager fascination.

Farleigh started to lean toward you, and you instinctively leaned away from him. You eyed him with extreme caution as if he were a mad scientist and you were a paralyzed specimen. And his eyes looked like he couldn’t wait to cut you open.

“I like you,” he stated. “Let’s be friends.”

Tagging: @ethereal-athalia, @arcielee, @valeskafics, @asa-do-your-thing, @aphroditesmoon, @axelsagewrites, @the1999kid, @poolnoodlerescuer, @aemondsbabe, @winterblu2, @abaker74, @whereismymindno, @agustdeeyaa, @iamavailablesstuff, @bonnieblue0606, @st-eve-barnes, @nyxthoughtss, @immyowndefender, @ilovemydinoboi, @ahristata, @cxp1d, @jinsoulorbitzen12, @temptation-waits, @bollzinurmouth, @jcngw0ns, @seababehh, @destinydestnation, @lankyboi4, @mindless-rock, @cassavacakes, @paradisepoisons, @pansexualpamandabear, @erikasurfer, @lissamans, @cookielovesbook-akie, @thesmutconnoisseur, @izzyisstuff, @lariisouz

Reblog if you liked reading this chapter and want me to continue! Also please comment if you want to be added to the taglist!

[jennay]

My Best Friend

Noah Sebastian x reader

1/2/3/4/5

Summary: Reader goes through a break up and Noah does Noah things.

Master List

The gravel crunches under your shoes as you ascend Noah’s driveway. Your skin prickles, as if it’s trying to escape the confines of your body. The air feels heavy, suffocating, and you’re torn between wanting to kick something, hit something, or simply collapse into a heap of tears. It’s a symphony of emotions—anger, betrayal, and a dash of disbelief.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. You thought you were in a cozy rom-com, complete with candlelit dinners and shared playlists. But reality just pulled the rug out from under you, leaving you sprawled on the floor of your own heartbreak.

And the worst part? Everyone else saw it coming. They waved red flags like semaphore signals, but you were too busy dancing in the fog of infatuation.

You even told your friends, “It won't be serious and if it is we will move slow.” But Michael? He came with baggage—suitcases, trunks, and emotional carry-ons. A tortured soul with unresolved trauma, dragging dread behind him like a shadow.

As you stand there, staring at the door, you wonder if it’s too late to turn back. It was going to be embarrassing asking Noah if you could move back in.

You open the door and quietly enter the house stopping at the side of the couch where Noah sits. He looks up at you with a soft smile. “You ok?” He asks even though he knows you aren’t. He scrunches his face and pats the sofa next to him, “Come sit, tell me what happened.”

“He said he knew from the beginning it wasn’t going to work. We were both too damaged. He was using me to get over someone else and we’re better off apart,” your voice trembles with defeat. You hurl your phone onto the couch and collapse next to Noah. Tilting your head up, you drape your arm over your eyes, hoping to shield your vulnerability from him.

“What a dick,” Noah chimes in, his tone edged with anger. “And seriously, how does this keep happening to you? You’ve dated so many people.” He pauses, studying your face for any sign of reaction. “Not that it’s a bad thing, but damn, this was the longest relationship I’ve seen you in and it lasted—what, a year?” His brown eyes lock onto you, probing deeper.

You drop your arm, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling. Stupid. That’s how you feel. You craved love desperately, yet it seemed like nobody wanted to love you back. “I got attached to his kids like a fucking idiot,” you admit, your voice barely audible. Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, unstoppable. “Why doesn’t anyone want to love me?” The words escape in a soft whisper, your shoulders slumping as you gaze at the floor. A single tear rolls down your cheek, and you think it’ll be the last, but another follows, and another. You bury your head in your hands.

Noah’s hand rubs your back soothingly. “Dude, don’t cry,” he murmurs, inching closer. His thigh brushes against yours, and he wraps his arm around your shoulder, pulling your sobbing form into his chest. In that moment, his warmth feels like the only comfort in a world that’s left you feeling unloved and broken.

“I can’t help it…” you whine, attempting to wipe your eyes. “I know it wasn’t that long, but it was like a Netflix series—short but intense. Not the ‘binge-watching Stranger Things’ kind of intense, more like ‘accidentally watched a documentary on tax law’ intense. I mean, I loved him, but I also had moments when I wanted to throw his clothes out the window because I hated him.”

Noah takes a deep breath, and you feel your body rise with his. He leans in, ready to drop some wisdom. “Listen, I’m no relationship guru, but I’m pretty sure ‘hate’ isn’t in the official handbook. It’s more like ‘tolerate their weird quirks’ or ‘pretend to enjoy their cooking.’”

You pull away playfully, glaring at him. “Thanks, Captain Obvious. Next, you’ll tell me that water is wet.”

He chuckles at your comment. “So,” he pauses dramatically, “when should we go grab your stuff?”

You raise an eyebrow, “The breakup happened like thirty minutes ago. Give me a break,” you say with a soft smile.

Noah shrugs like it’s no big deal. “The spare room is still how you left it. I’m sure Jolly will help us move some stuff upstairs too. I could ask Folio and Nicholas, but you know how they are,” he teases.

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, Folio would probably turn it into a moving party, and Nicholas would just complain the whole time.”

Noah laughs. “Exactly!”

You stand up, sighing. “Yeah, but the last thing I need is Michael spreading rumors about how quickly I moved on to one of you.” You bite your lip. “Can I just borrow some clothes tonight? I’m not ready to face him yet.”

Noah nods, “He’s a mediocre middle-aged basic white dude. I didn’t think you’d be this heartbroken over him.”

You smirk. “Well, he did have a decent dick.”

Noah stares at you in horror. “What the fuck, dude.”

You chuckle. “Now, about those clothes?”

“Anything to get away from you at this moment. I need to go bleach my eyes…and burn that image out of my brain.” Noah starts for the stairs, pretending to gag as he walks up them. “Let’s go get some stuff tomorrow. The longer you wait, the worse it will be.”

You quickly follow behind him, rolling your eyes at his theatrics. “You’re such a drama queen.”

He grins over his shoulder. “And you love me for it.”

Walking into his room, he grabs a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from his dresser, tossing them at you. “Here, these should fit. They’re my comfiest.”

“Thanks,” you say, catching the clothes. You head to the room across from his. “Goodnight, Noah. I’ll see you in the morning.” You take a deep breath and open the door, feeling the weight of the day settle on your shoulders.

“Hey!” Noah slightly yells, clearing his throat. “Why don’t you stay in here with me tonight? It’ll make me feel better knowing that you can’t jump out your window.” He teases, but you can hear the worry in his voice. “We can watch a movie… My brain will be at peace, and if you need to cry, you won’t be alone.”

You pause, feeling a lump in your throat. “Let me change first.”

When you arrive back in Noah’s room, he has the TV turned on and the blankets pulled down. He’s already in bed. “Come on, get in here. I’ve got Bojack Horseman ready to go.”

You take no time crawling into bed and snuggling close to the blankets. “You know me too well,” you mumble, feeling a bit more at ease.

Noah smiles softly. “Of course I do. Now, let’s forget about Michael for a while and just relax.”

As the show starts, Noah doesn’t say a word, just watches your eyes slowly flutter, signaling you’re tired. He reaches over and gently squeezes your hand. “I���m here for you, always.”

You squeeze back, feeling a bit of the tension melt away. “Thanks, Noah. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” he whispers, keeping his eyes on the screen but his thoughts on you.

[peachhcs]

Hiii!!

I was wondering if you could write something for samy and will based on this article: https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/my-man-mireille-boutin-on-michael-pezzetta?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=CHCcontent&utm_content=EN-0514-MyMan

Basically the nhl team’s media people asking the players’ significant other questions about them. Thanks so much :))

my girl: will smith on samy hughes

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will)

nhl elite prospects interviews will about samy & their relationship!

1k words

this was suppperr cute to write. i swear will’s a yapper when it comes to talking about samy. i switched it from the article so it was will talking about samy, hope u don’t mind, but i loved this request!!

au masterlist

"we've been best friends since we were kids. everything just makes more sense when i'm around her."

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN — samy hughes is known for her tough offense on the soccer field.

but off the field, she's the "best person i've ever known," according to her boyfriend, will smith, a boston college forward.

while in san jose for a development camp, the nhl elite prospects were able to catch up with smith to ask him how he's been doing, including how his new relationship's been treating him.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR DYNAMIC GROWING UP.

it's funny because we never hung out by ourselves a lot when we were kids. i was pretty attached to her older brothers [quinn, jack, and luke] and she was attached to my sister [grace smith], so we never really hung out that much until we were older. although, we always got along. when we did hang out we enjoyed talking to one another and poking fun as if we were siblings. we really didn't get closer until i moved up to plymouth for the usntdp.

WHAT CHANGED YOUR RELATIONSHIP FROM FAMILIAL TO ROMANTIC?

at least for me, as i got older, my feelings started changing towards her. i started seeing her as an annoying sister less and less and the more we hung out when i was in michigan, the more attached i grew i guess. we started just..doing stupid stuff together and i just really liked hanging out with her. all the times where i thought the things we did together was just a sibling dynamic, i slowly realized it was a lot more than that.

WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO ON YOUR FIRST DATE?

i took her out to dinner in ann arbor and then we walked around for a bit before sitting on a bench and just talking for hours. it was definitely weird at first, but we eased into one another and it was fun getting to know her on a different level than what i've always known her as.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU MOST TO HER?

her personality for sure. she's super outgoing, always knows what she wants, very independent, super caring. we're very similar in many aspects, hence why we're best friends. she looks up to her brothers a lot which i admire because i also look up to them. i also enjoy her extensive knowledge of hockey because of her family, so it's easy talking about the game with her. she's just always been someone i go to when i need a shoulder to lean on and it's just so easy with her, you know? i love getting to call her so we can talk about our days together.

OF COURSE, HOCKEY'S IN SAMY'S ROOTS. DO YOU GET HER ON THE ICE WITH YOU EVER?

oh yeah, 100%. whenever we're back at michigan or in boston, we're on the ice. she's the one dragging me outside sometimes so we can play 1v1 or something. she's always had that love for hockey even if she doesn't play competitively anymore. i also love seeing her out there because it's what bonded us when we were kids, so it's nice still getting to go out and do it with her. somehow she still beats me too. she doesn't play for 4 months and then we're back on the ice together she scores 3 goals before i can even get the puck in my possession. the guys chirp at me whenever that happens if they're around.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU WATCH HER SOCCER GAMES?

every single one of them are on my computer. it doesn't matter what i'm doing. as soon as the live stream starts, i'm booting it up to watch. the guys love watching her play, so i always get to turn it on the tv and then we scream at the stream for two hours together.

SPEAKING OF THE GUYS, WE HEARD SHE HAS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LINEMATES AS WELL.

leno and perreault absolutely adore her which i think is really sweet. i was a little worried when i first introduced all of them back when we moved to mich, but the three of them grew close really quickly. sometimes i think they're more excited to see her than i am and that's saying a lot.

WE HEARD HUGHES IS A GREAT COOK. HAS SHE COOKED ANYTHING FOR YOU?

when we're at the lake house she loves cooking all of us breakfast. she makes a great omelette and french toast, like, the best i've ever had. we all go crazy for her breakfast in the mornings.

DO YOU GUYS EVER TRAIN TOGETHER DURING THE SUMMER LIKE RUNNING OR WORKING OUT?

i'm not a huge runner, but sometimes i will run with her when she goes out, or i'd bike along side her. our training schedules are pretty different, but when we're in the offseason we'd occasionally hit the gym together or do some casual workouts that won't kill us. she knows what the hockey training is like so it's no stranger to her when she does follow my lead. soccer, on the other hand, is a lot more sprints and footwork which is sometimes helpful for me.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF SAMY'S BEST QUALITIES?

shes a huge team player. she's always looking out for those girls on her soccer team, helping them run drills, being someone to talk to—i really admire her for that. she's got a real big heart too. her love is so contagious. she's dependable, trustworthy, kind, beautiful—the list could go on coming from me.

ANY LAST WORDS YOU WANT US TO ADD?

i love her, haha. our parents knew way before us that we would end up together before we even knew. we've been best friends since we were kids. everything just makes more sense when i'm around her. this is probably corny, but i wanna spend the rest of my life with her. she's my rock.

[12woso12]

Dorothy lands in North London - Part 5

Part 4

When you finally made it back to Emily's apartment block, it was a quarter to seven in the morning. It was obvious that neither you or Kyra were time conscious which you could see being quite a problem for the two of you in the future. Quietly, you slipped inside the block and began to ascend the stairs to the fourth floor, eyes aching from the lack of sleep. Your joggers clung to the bottom of your legs, soaked from hours spent rolling around on wet grass. You must have looked as though you'd been dragged backwards through a hedge.

As you unlocked Emily's apartment door you found the older woman waiting for you at the kitchen counter, stoney expression on her face.

'Decided to return have you?' she mused, aggressively taking a bite of toast. 'How's Kyra?'

You flinch nervously at her tone. 'Sorry Em, I should've messaged you'

'Yeah you should've! If i hadn't of seen that dumb instagram story, which the club aren't going to be happy about by the way, then i wouldn't have known where you were!'

'I'm not a kid, Em' You retaliated 'I was with Kyra, we had a kick about at the park'

'At 3 in the morning? God help us all deal with you and Kyra being friends' She rolled her shoulders and began to ease up slightly. 'Want any breakfast? I've got cereal under the counter'

You gratefully find a box of something called Cookie Crunch and begin to nibble at a few pieces from the box. 'Wow, the Brits sure made this tasty didn't they?'

Emily snatched the box from your hands and took a bowl from the sink. 'Don't stick your hands in there! Look how muddy you are, you're going to need to take a shower before you get picked up for the Emirates'

You ate in silence, casting an occasional glance in Emily's direction in an attempt to see if her mood had changed. When after ten minutes the line in her brow still hadn't shifted, guilt coursed through your veins and tied your stomach in knots. Your fellow American had taken you in and this was what you repaid her in - sneaking out and mud caked shoes.

'I am sorry.' You said 'I couldn't sleep and Kyra was messaging me...I was exited to meet someone new and so i didn't really give much thought to the consequences'

'Thank you for apologising' Emily smiled for the first time that morning and then: 'Why couldn't you sleep?'

'Jetlag' you lied, Emily didn't need to know about your nightmares. You hadn't told anyone before. Of course, people knew the basics about your life, or at least what they'd read in the press. But you didn't think they needed to know how your father's abuse still haunted you or how you could still see the blood splatters from your mum's head.

'I'm getting picked up at 8:30 right?' You glance at your phone.

'Yeah. Know what you're wearing?'

You shrugged. 'Haven't even touched my suitcases yet.'

Emily stared at you in disbelief. 'Then how did you brush your teeth last night?'

'Gum?' you said matter of factly. It wasn't that you didn't enjoy feeling fresh before bed but it had been a long day and figured it could all wait until the following morning. What you hadn't counted on however was having little to no time in the morning due to your impromptu meeting with Kyra.

'Bloody hell' Emily murmured

'God you're so British now aren't you' You teased Emily

'Just you wait' Emily grumbled 'The Brits will get to you too'

'Never!'

The journey to the Emirates took a long hour of fighting traffic through the streets of London. You'd been picked up in a black and shiny SUV driven by an elderly man named Michael who you weren't exactly sure should have a license after you witnessed him reversing backwards over pavement.

But who were you to judge? You couldn't exactly drive either.

When you finally built up the courage to tackle your suitcases you had picked out a pair of loose blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a tweed blazer to fit over the top. You decided that smart casual was the way to go, not wanting to seem too eager but also excited to sign such a professional contract.

You were nervous as you approached the stadium. Your stomach was fluttering and your jaw clenched tightly as every second passed by. You weren't too sure what to expect, you knew Jonas Eidevall would be there to greet you at some point and you knew you'd be meeting the player liaison who would be helping to settle you in, but that was it. Everything else was the complete unknown.

As the SUV churned to a halt and you bid goodbye to Michael, the door swung open and you were met by a short woman who introduced herself as Jennifer.

'Sorry about all this secrecy' she said gesturing around her at the emirate's parking garage that you had been brought to. 'We try and keep all our signings under wraps until announcement day'

You sniggered slightly knowing that Arsenal could never keep a secret 'When will i be announced?'

'Day after tomorrow, if all goes to plan'

You eyebrows shot up 'That's quicker than i thought it would be'

'We were aiming for next week but it seems as though you and your new Australian friend decided to throw a wrench into our schedule' Jennifer made reference to your instagram post 'You've created a lot of buzz and we want to make sure to utilise it, so within 48 hours you'll be officially announced'

You decided not to defend yourself, the last thing you needed was your own player liaison to take a disliking to you. Instead, you followed her silently through a set of double doors and into the halls of the mighty Emirates stadium.

'This is David, he's our media specialist' Jennifer pointed to a man who was dressed head to toe in Arsenal gear. He held a phone in hand, video clearly on and pointing directly at you. 'He'll be following you around today, getting some content for the fans and that type of thing'

'Well as long as he doesn't follow me into the restroom' You deadpanned attempting to hold in laughter as Jennifer's eyes widened and David turned a deep shade of red.

'Have Kim and Leah been warned about you?' Jennifer half-joked. You shrugged and shot an apologetic glance towards David who instantly averted his eyes. 'This way, we need to get you into some red'

Jennifer led you and David down a maze of hallways and through a dozen doors until you finally came to a rest outside the player changing rooms. 'There's a kit waiting for you inside, once you're changed we can head up to the offices. I think Jonas has arrived so you can get to signing the contract. After that, we've got a welcome video to make'

You nod and hesitantly turn into the changing rooms. You were overcome with an overwhelming nausea suddenly and as you entered the Arsenal changing rooms for the very first time, the transfer became scarily real. The first thing you noticed about the room were the lights, they were harsh, almost too harsh for your tired eyes to take in. The Arsenal cress was printed onto the floor in the middle of the cubbyholes, it glistened with history and somehow sent a wave of pride into your bones despite having yet to wear its colours.

In the centre cubby hung your new kit. Usually you played with the number 13 on your back but since that had already been taken, you'd opted to swap the numbers around for 31. You made quick work of changing into the kit and ran a quick hand through your hair to add some volume. You paused in one of the mirrors to study your appearance and were happy to discover that the red kit suited you.

It wasn't too often that you worried about how you looked. You had the fortunate gene of appearing skinny and gorgeous, at least that's what your mum used to tell you.

You kept your own trainers on and folded the rest of your clothes to sit neatly in the cubby as you readied yourself to step back into the hallway where David would most definitely be waiting, camera in hand.

'Not bad this kit, is it?' you re-enter the hallway and smile at Jennifer who nodded at you impressed.

'Suits you' She said 'Come on then, up to the offices we go'

As you trudged up several flights of stairs, your hands grew sweater and you began to worry whether you'd be able to grip the pen tight enough. You tried to shake off the stupid thought and happily found yourself distracted when you finally came face to face with your new manager.

'Y/n!' Jonas exclaimed as Jennifer led you into a media room. 'It is great to meet you, we are all so excited to have you here' The Swedish man thrust a hand towards you which you took enthusiastically, meeting his wide smile and firm shake.

'Good to meet you' You replied as he gestured for you to take a seat at a table in the centre of the room. You sat down in front of a maroon wall, the Arsenal cress above your head. On the table lay a pen and paper, ready and waiting for your signature.

'I really hope we're able to build something here together' Jonas told you as he picked up the pen and handed it to you. The snap of David's phone capturing the moment was difficult to ignore.

'Me too, i'm excited to get started' You lower the pen to paper. Your life was about to change, for the worse or better, you didn't know. The pen moved fluidly as you drew out your signature and Jonas clasped you on the back in celebration.

You'd done it. You were officially an Arsenal player.

'Well, now that's out the way we're about to do something a lot more exciting' Jennifer smiled.

'The video?' You questioned

'Yep. And we've got a special guest'

[mintartem]

Guitarhero thoughts because I need food for my ship: 🛡️🎸

1. Sinner!Adam hates himself, especially now that he is a lowly sinner. Everyone in the hotel are either passive-aggressive or totally agressive (Vaggie & Al) towards him while Charlie tries to be nice (but sometimes its just hard for her). Emily visits the hotel with Michael as her bodyguard. Michael sees Adam in the hotel but instead of reacting as Adam thought he would, disgusted and disappointed at him, Michael’s face and overall demeanor brighten. His eyes shone brightly and his lips curled in a genuine happy smile. that surprised Lucifer and made Emily giddy.

“No matter what form you take, you’re still so beautiful” said Michael with adoration and happiness in his voice.

2. Eden!Guitarhero where Michael at first was so reluctant to visit the garden considering they were told to only watch, not interact with it. But he was ordered to go in the garden and protect/watch over the creations instead of Lucifer. The first person Michael interacted with was Lilith and for some reason, Michael didn’t really clicked with her. But he ended up liking Adam instead. They fell in love with each other but this didn’t sit right with Heaven (they let them be because Michael isn’t really a bad influence).

3. Adam decided to retire as the leader of the exorcists early (maybe like 7 years or more before the show) to live with Michael and works as a florist/gardener and he’s now Michael’s husband *cough*malewife*cough*. Whenever Michael overworks himself, or he notices Michael is spending less and less time in their bed and more in his office, he is the one who grounds Michael and drags him to their room to cuddle and rest (“Angels like me do not need to rest, Adam” “I know, Mike”) maybe even more if Michael is really pent up. (Since I’m a sucker for “Sera is like Adam’s mom” fics, Adam asked Sera to give Michael a day off. Sera gave Michael 3 days off . “Only because Adam asked” she said)

4. Michael, Adam, and Emily, who is sort of like their child, visits Earth just to have fun at a Carnival. Adam knows that some games are rigged and told Michael about it. Much to Adam’s surprise, Michael agreed to “play the game these conmen are doing” (basically, “They’re cheating? Well, it’s only fair we do too”) What Emily doesn’t know wouldn’t hurt her now, would it?

5. Adam during his time on Earth prays for protection whenever he has to go out hunting and/or exploring. Michael secretly protects him like the guardian angel Adam knows he is. Adam cannot see Michael but he can feel his presence. He never forgets to thank Father and “his strong Guardian Angel” whenever he prays at night.

6. Alpha Michael x Omega Adam. Adam is in heat and needs his alpha. He took all of Michael’s clothes, especially his cape(?), and adds those to his nest. He touches himself begging for his alpha. Michael, on the other hand, is impatient and snappier. He wants to go home and get to his omega, darn it! The moment the meeting is over, he immediately created a portal home. Adam’s scent is all over their home. His omega is in heat! Michael decided that he will put off his work for the next three days. His omega needs him.

Only 1 servant at a time was allowed to visit their room to give them food and water… and a check-up in how they’re doing.

Well, that’s all I have in my head right now.

[starcrossedxwriter]

Wicked Fantasies Part 4 (MBJ x Black OC)

Warnings: mentions of grief and death… NSFW, public sex, name calling, BDSM themes

A/N: lol remember when I said this was gonna be two parts? Well I finished both so I said why not lol long chapter ahead but I hope you enjoy!

***

“It’s really insane when you think about it,” she laughed. “I mean God, these people are saying shit I wouldn’t dare breathe out loud… to a complete stranger. Do your DMs always look like this?” 

Michael nodded, causing Raven to shake her head in complete disbelief. “I don’t see most of ‘em but my team likes to share the wildest ones sometimes. The people are mad creative.”

“You don’t ever feel objectified by it?” Raven asked, her nails tapping quietly against her screen as she deleted DM after DM. 

“Sometimes but it’s par the course in my world. And they do it to all celebrities. It’s also not like me and my team don’t play into that shit. So it’s kinda hard to get mad. When you get branded as a sex symbol, people treat you like one. And generally, people don’t mean any harm by it. As long as people, you know, keep that shit on social, I don’t get bothered.”

“Fair. People need to like get offline and touch grass. The amount of women in my DMs insulting me for ‘stealing you?’ You’d think I wrecked their fantasy home. It’s kinda disturbing, not gonna lie.” 

Despite the rise in explicit DMs, Raven was pleasantly surprised at how little her life had changed since she became the public girlfriend of a mega movie star. She had never seen so many follow requests in her life and the cameras swarmed the library for the first few days. However, other than that and one or two articles detailing the sparse details of her life that were available, things were pretty much exactly the same. It also helped that there was a major celebrity scandal each week so their relationship had quickly become old news. But they were the new “it couple” on the block. The world bought their act hook, line, and sinker. A few more months of this and the debacle of their first date would be a funny passing joke on SNL or Late Night tv and nothing more. 

“I feel bad dragging you to this shit on your birthday,” Michael mumbled apologetically. 

Raven scoffed. “It’s a dinner party at Ryan Coogler’s with the cast of my favorite superhero movie of all time,” she exclaimed, a bit of her fan girl side slipping out. “Hardly a punishment. We got our photo so you can post something cute and sappy for the gram and I get to do something fun completely unrelated to my birthday. Win, win.” She assured him with a smile. 

Michael still did not understand her aversion to her birthday, it was one of the many things about her that were a big question mark. He thought she was just being modest when she told him so when Ryan invited the couple to dinner at his spot, he felt bad for even asking her to give up her special day for a work event. However, she said yes immediately, clearly thankful for a work obligation to fill up her evening. 

Her phone rang, interrupting Michael’s response. She rolled her eyes when she saw her sister’s name pop up. She had been dodging her and her dad’s calls left and right since she and Michael’s first date weeks ago. She knew her sister would find out from social media and would tell their dad, and she knew they both were just calling with their hands outstretched. She could tolerate them asking for her money and the money she did not have yet, she always found it and, even if she complained, she would give it. But she would not entertain requests for money that was not hers to give away, nor would she give Michael the impression she was a gold digger trying to bleed him dry. He was upholding his end of the bargain, she would not milk him for anymore than that. She let it go to voicemail, however, soon the car filled with the constant dings of her texts.

“You gotta take that?” 

“Umm… yea,” Michael could feel her entire mood sour at the idea. “It’s just my sister. She’ll never stop calling if I don’t. You mind? Sorry,” her tone was apologetic, knowing how frustrating it would be to listen to half a conversation in a car you can’t escape from. 

She held the phone to her ear and waited for her to pick up, making sure to turn the volume down as low as possible in hopes Michael would hear as little of whatever insanity her sister would spew. She knew she was not calling to merely offer happy birthday wishes, if she even acknowledged the day at all.

“Raven! I’ve been calling you for days. What the fuck?” Kiara’s voice filled her ears. 

“Hi Kiara. Sorry, I’ve been a little busy. How are you?” 

“I’m fine.” She responded shortly without asking Raven the same. “And yea, a little busy all over the fuckin’ ShadeRoom. You know how fuckin’ embarrassing it is to find out you’re dating MY celebrity crush on Insta?? You didn’t even like that nigga or his movies.” 

Not true, Raven wanted to yell into the phone. She and her sister were not close enough to know each other’s favorite movies or actors, hell even favorite colors, let alone gossip about their relationships together. So she was not sure why Kiara even expected to know about her relationship, even if it hadn’t been a complete farce. 

“You have me out here lookin’ stupid as shit to my friends.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize how it would impact you.” There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice, which she could tell Michael picked up on as he choked back a laugh. However, she knew Kiara was too self absorbed to notice.

“When are you gonna bring him here for us to meet him? The girls want to meet him too.”  

“You and dad are always welcome to come to LA and meet him. O-Or just, you know, visit me?” she threw him an apologetic shrug that just made him laugh. She wished she could laugh at how quickly her family’s tune had changed about seeing her. She had invited them to LA countless times before everything fell apart but they couldn’t have cared less about her life and how she was doing. And when she tried to visit them, they made excuse after excuse about why it was not a “good time.” But now that she had a famous boyfriend, it was “when are you coming to visit?” As if the invitation had always been open. She had not seen her family in two years. “Don’t think either of us have time to come to y’all with his schedule. He’s going out of town soon for his new movie.”

“Maybe I can convince dad if you can get us tickets to the premiere of that movie…. What’s the name? I don’t remember. The girls would love that shit. Or… oh! He has to be invited to the new Black Panther premiere next month too. Maybe we can go to that? I don’t know what that shit’s about but it’s Black Panther so you know hella celebs will be there. He’s gotta be a brand ambassador for some fancy shit. Can you get us some Birkins or something?”

Raven clenched her eyes shut as her sister outlined her laundry list of impossible wants from her “boyfriend.” She knew she could never and would never ask Michael for a fraction of these things. And if she was going to ask him for something out of their contractual obligations, she doubted whether it would be to benefit Kiara of all people. She would do it on behalf of someone who would actually appreciate it.

“I’ll ask him. But maybe for now, you can settle for an autograph? Look, we are actually headed out on a date. Did you or dad need something?”

“Oh yea… I need money for a lawyer for that charge from a couple weeks ago. You know that fuck ass bar is suing us for damages? But that shit wasn’t even our fault.” 

Raven’s head lazily fell to the side as she half-listened to her sister complain for several minutes, drowning on with details from the fight  that made Raven think the bar was well within their rights to demand payment. But accountability was not Kiara’s strong suit. She offered lame “ohs” and “wows” to give the impression that she was truly paying attention. She was just waiting for the ask, there always was one and everything before it was pointless. She finally tuned back in when her sister demanded cash. 

“I gave dad the rest of my savings to bail you and your boyfriend out of jail. And I already sent money for the mortgage and dad’s car. I’m tapped out this month.” 

“Fuck you mean tapped out? You’re living like a fuckin’ big shot in LA with a millionaire for a boyfriend and you can’t slide me money for a lawyer? That’s fuckin’ foul, Raven.” 

Raven clenched her eyes shut. It had already been hard enough to keep up the appearances that she had a thriving career in LA. Adding a fake relationship to the house of lies she existed in did not help matters. Her family had no idea how much she was struggling now and while she knew she could tell them, she did not want to deal with their reactions, which she knew would likely be to blame her. She felt enough guilt and blame for her situation as it was. 

“I can’t just make money I don’t have materialize, Kiara.” She lowered her voice though she knew there was no way Michael was not listening. “You know just because I let you and dad treat me like an ATM, doesn’t mean I do that to other people. I don’t have the money right now but I can pay the bar in installments when I come into more in a couple weeks and just pay off the damages for you.” 

“No, we aren’t payin’ the fuckin’ bar cause we didn’t do shit. And wow… God. You’re so fuckin’ selfish, running off to LA and abandoning us here to make all that money with your fancy degrees and shit.” 

“Did I run off and abandon you or did you make it impossible to stay?” Raven asked, her exhaustion at constantly being the villain of her family’s story getting the better of her. 

“Poor Raven. Always the fuckin’ victim as if everything that’s wrong in this family isn’t your fault. And to pull that card today of all days when you know it’s the anniversary of mom’s death. If it weren’t for you…” Kiara started to say before Raven cut her off, tears welling up in her eyes as she already could hear her sister and father’s voice finishing that sentence. 

“I’ll figure it out and send the money, ok?” She called out, cutting her sister’s words off completely. “I’m getting an advance from my next book in a couple weeks. Find a couple lawyers, meet with them and get their rates and I’ll pay for it. No one crazy expensive, Ki.” 

She knew lying was wrong but she did not have any other option. She couldn’t tell her family where the money would be really coming from. Michael had a whole list of things for her for the next two weeks before he went on his press tour, which meant she would easily make enough to pay her sister’s legal fees and pass it off as an advance. 

“This is me and Jay’s lives, Raven. It’s not like you don’t have the money or access to itto pay for the best.” 

Raven focused her eyes on the ceiling of the car, a sorry attempt to stop tears of guilt and frustration from falling. She felt a tidal wave of shame hit her knowing Michael was seeing her like this. “Whatever you need. But once my advance money is gone, I’m tapped out for a while. Seriously, Kiara.” 

“Yea yea yea. I gotta go. I’ll call you in two weeks about the lawyer. Bye.”

Raven clenched her phone in her hand with a fist, her entire body turning away from Michael as a small frustrated sob escaped her that she couldn’t quite keep in. She tossed her phone down on the seat and wiped her eyes. 

She had hoped to make it through today, the annual reminder of the worst day of her life, without thinking too much about it. But there her sister was, picking at the threads of her composure, forcing her to unravel. 

The worst part of all of it was she could not even be mad at her sister or her father and how they treated her. She deserved it and she knew it. She had ruined their lives and this was her atonement. So she endured it, every slight, every barb, every wound because she - perhaps foolishly - hoped that if she kept reaching out her hand and kept giving, one day they would reach back and not expect something in it. They would forgive her and she would have a real family again. 

It did not matter how they spoke to her or treated her, she just repeated the same mantra over and over and over again.  

Keep reaching out your hand, she reminded herself as she took a few deep breaths. 

“You good? We can drive around for a bit longer if you need a minute.” 

“Yea, yea.” She sniffled and cleared her throat. “Just stupid family shit. One day we’ll have a date without me crying o-or having a panic attack,” she let out a watery laugh as she forced a smile onto her lips. 

The smile was wide, and Michael knew, to a stranger, it would likely seem authentic and bright. It would certainly be enough to fool everyone at dinner tonight. But he could see its inauthenticity in her eyes, that’s where all of her emotions shown through. And her eyes? They were void of even the minuscule amounts of light and joy he typically saw and that were present moments before that phone rang. Now, she just looked torn down. And this version of her did not have enough energy to do more than put on that facade and pray no one looked too closely. But when it came to Raven, Michael always looked too closely… and he knew that was the problem. 

Michael slumped back in his seat for a few moments, the wheels turning in his mind as he studied her. He knew he could continue with their plan for the night, that she would play her part and play it well. However, he could not, in good faith, allow that. All their dates thus far had been about him. She deserved for the one day to celebrate her to be all about her. He pulled out his phone and went to Google. After a few minutes of searching, he closed that and opened his call log. 

“Hey Coog.” His voice filled the car, Raven glancing over to him as she continued trying to reign in her emotions so she could play her part.  “My bad, man but we ain’t gon’ make it tonight. Send my apologies to the rest of the team and your wife.”

Raven’s head whipped to the side as she listened to his words. She could hear the faint accent of Ryan Coogler asking if everything was ok. She immediately turned to him and threw an expression at Michael before mouthing, “What are you doing??” 

Michael merely winked at her before answering Ryan. “Yea yea. Just somethin’ came up I gotta take care of.” Michael chuckled. “Aight, ‘preciate you, brah. I’ll make it up to you. Talk to you later.” 

As soon as he hung up the phone, Raven immediately spoke up. “What was that? Why aren’t we going to dinner?” 

Michael ignored her and directed his next statement to Allen. “New plan, Allen. Just sent you the address.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

He continued to avoid her confused and wide eyes. He could not sit at a dinner party, regardless of how fun it was going to be to see the entire cast, knowing Raven was in pain. And even if he did not know or understand the extent of it, he could empathize and recognize she needed a night of someone caring for her, not the other way around. 

“Where are we going?” 

“You’ll see.” 

When Allen finally stopped, Michael helped Raven out and handed one of the cards out of his wallet to Allen, whispering something in his ear that Raven could not hear. With that, Allen sped off, leaving the two behind. Michael placed his hand on the small of Raven’s back and directed her down the block. 

“What about your dinner party?” 

“That nigga hosts a dinner party for everythin’. My role in the movie ain’t that big. Just settin’ up future shit so they won’t miss me. He’ll host another after the premiere next month and at the end of the award season if it gets nominated. Trust me, we ain’t missing shit.” 

“But you’re paying me to go to work events with you?” Raven hated that once again, he felt the need to cater to her and her emotions. “I don’t need to be coddled. O-or for you to rearrange shit to celebrate a day I don’t even want to celebrate. You’re paying me to do a job, let me do it.” 

“Yea and now I’m paying you to have a relaxin’ evening with me. This’ll be more fun anyway. We can still pretend it ain’t your birthday if you want.” 

“Relaxing… at a rage room?” She glanced up and gestured toward the sign outside of the building they were standing in front of. It was quiet, no one but a front desk attendant gawking at them. But she was not surprised it was quiet for a Wednesday night. 

“You tellin’ me you don’t have some rage you wanna exercise a bit, ma?”

She chewed on her lip, she had more than enough rage to get out, but she needed to fix that on her own time, not his. “I do… we all do, I’m sure but… then you shouldn’t pay me for the night. This isn’t work. You’re just doing this to make me feel better and I’m good. We really should go to that party. You can’t just blow off work obligations because your fake girlfriend’s having a bad day.”

Michael closed the distance between them and used his fingers to pry her lip out from between her teeth. He wanted to smile at how she rolled her eyes and pouted a bit, clearly resisting the urge to draw her lip back where it was.  

“You aren’t ‘good.’ I don’t know you that well but I do know that much. Just because this ain’t real doesn’t mean I want to watch you suffer on the one day of the year that’s supposed to be about you. A dinner party isn’t what you need. You need fun, seems like you get little of that shit anyway. So since I’m payin’ for your time, I’m tellin’ you not to worry about my shit. And I’m tellin’ you that your only job today is to have fun. And I don’t like having my money wasted, baby girl.” His voice dropped to his commanding tone, a tone that let her know he’d pull out the flogger again if she did waste his time. 

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Fine. But this really isn’t necessary.” 

“It’s my money. Let me decide what’s necessary and what’s not. Now come on.” He pulled her in the door, using his award winning smile to get them into the largest room that was clearly meant for more than two people. 

The attendant got them set up in their protective gear and closed the door behind them, locking them in the room for an hour. 

“So what do we do?” Raven muttered as she glanced around, quietly giggling at their absurd bee-keeper style gear. The room was filled with breakable items, bats and golf clubs and other makeshift weapons. There were holes in the walls and punching bags and dummies and stacks of plates. 

He picked up a vase and chucked it at the wall, the glass shattering against the wall. Then he picked up another one and handed it to her. 

His hand pressed into her chest, right above her heart. “Every negative thing you feel in here? Destroy everythin’ in this room til it doesn’t feel like you’re drownin’ in it.” 

She grabbed the vase from his hand and held it for a moment before she threw it as hard as she could at the same spot on the wall. Lacking his strength, it did not make it to the wall but she did enjoy the rush of adrenaline and satisfying crash it made as it shattered to the ground.  She did not even need further prompting as she picked up the discarded baseball bat near her and started using it to break everything she could see that was breakable. 

Michael spent most of the hour cheering her on as she released every bit of pent up frustration and anger and pain and shame she felt. She was so tightly wound all of the time, never letting any of it show so she could never let any of it go. But this was a cathartic release that she did not even know she needed. She knew she would feel it all again tomorrow but every crash, every piece of glass shattered, every dent she made into the walls of that room felt like a small bit of everything she kept in started to vanish piece by piece.

By the time the buzzer rang, signaling the end of their session, she was exhausted, her arms tired but she had never felt lighter. 

“That was…” she breathed heavily as they walked out toward Michael’s SUV. “Amazing. I didn’t know I needed that. Thank you.” 

“See? You gotta trust me more, baby girl. I know more than just what your body needs.” He winked at her as he closed the door behind him. “And now, we have one more stop.” 

They spent the entire drive recapping their favorite things to break in the rage room, which “weapons” caused the most damage. 

“Remind me never to piss you off,” Michael joked as Allen pulled off onto an overlook. 

“What do you mean??” 

“You were downright terrifyin’ with that damn bat. Can’t have you goin’ all Jazmine Sullivan or Carrie Underwood on my car.” 

“Whatchu know about Before He Cheats?” 

He let out a barking laugh. “Enough to know niggas go up for that song, me included.” He admitted. “But if you try to sell that to a gossip site, I’ll deny it.” 

“Wow, learning something new about you every day. And please, I’m sure there are more effective ways to hurt you if you pissed me off,” she teased. “You’d have a new car before I even finished taking a bat to the old one.”

“You might be right about that.”

“Where are we?” She asked as Michael helped her out of the car and she followed him around to the back of the SUV. He opened the trunk and laid out a picnic blanket and soft pillows that Allen had purchased while they were raging and jogged up to the front to grab the box of Prince St. Pizza that had made Raven’s stomach growl the entire ride and a bottle of white wine. 

“Overlook by the Hollywood sign. Perfect view of the city with my favorite white wine and favorite pizza.”

Raven smiled as he helped her climb into the back of the SUV, both of them leaning on the back as they looked out over the city. The silence was comforting, both of them eating their way through the giant pepperoni pizza and several glasses of wine. When they finished one bottle, Allen just produced another from the front seat and handed it back to them. 

“Thank you… for tonight,” Raven smiled as he poured her another glass of wine. “I… did really need this. And you didn’t have to.” 

“Don’t mention it. Seemed like you needed this more than I needed a dinner party.” He paused. “So your sister… did she even say happy birthday to you?” 

Raven let out a cold laugh as she took a long sip from her glass. “Nope. But I didn’t expect her to. Told you,” she whispered as her fingers played with the strings on the edge of their blanket. “Just another day. 

“So that’s why you don’t celebrate your birthday? Your mom?” At her startled expression, he shrugged apologetically. “I didn’t hear everythin’ but your sister was talkin’ loud as fuck toward the end. When’d she die?”

Raven sighed. “She died in labor. Had some condition, doctors told her no more kids… she got pregnant by accident. My dad wanted her to have an abortion, she refused. She gave birth and died a couple hours later.”  

“I’m sorry,” he offered quietly, his hand rubbing her thigh. He had tuned out most of their conversation, not wanting to eavesdrop. But the moment he heard frustration and pain in Raven’s voice, he could no longer block it out. He heard every word her sister hurled at her and he hated that they treated her so callously. “And they blame you?” 

She wiped her tears for a moment before muttering. “I blame me.” 

“You were a baby, didn’t ask to be born. How is her choice your fault?” Michael reasoned, hating that she blamed herself for something so out of her control. But he also knew grief was not the most logical of emotions, particularly grief as deep seeded as this.

“My dad could barely look at me as a kid, wanted nothing to do with me beyond keeping me clothed and fed. The only person who didn’t blame me was my grandma, she basically raised me until she passed when I was in middle school. And I get it,” her voice broke slightly with her grief. “If it weren’t for me, my dad would still have his wife and my sister would have a mom. So yea… I was born and she died for that… not much worth celebrating in my book… or anyone’s really.” Her voice trailed off to a soft whisper before she shook her head and rolled her shoulders back as if she could shake out the negative emotions. “But you didn’t bring me to this gorgeous spot to trade childhood trauma. Thank you for helping me take my mind off all that for a bit.” He could tell by her tone that she did not want to discuss it anymore. “I don’t know why you’re so nice to me,” she mumbled as she took another bite of pizza. 

He wrinkled his nose. “Am I not supposed to be?”

“No, no. I just… still waiting for you to be what I’d thought you’d be, I guess. What Tasha warned me you’d be.” 

“And what was that?” 

“An asshole,” she answered bluntly, Michael chuckling as he bowed his head. 

“I am… an asshole,” he admitted. “I’ll never deny that. Couple bad decisions after a bad break up and Hollywood bad boy became the image so I leaned into it. Self-centered, arrogant, cold… Aside from my family, that’s the version of me people see.” 

“But that’s not you.” 

He raised an eyebrow. “How you know? We just met a month ago.” 

She examined him with a soft smile before sitting up a bit straighter. “Because a self centered, arrogant asshole doesn’t do half the things you’ve done for me. You don’t treat me like a body or a business transaction. You treat me like… a friend? Even when you have no reason to. You may be a jerk but hell, plenty of niggas are jerks. You may even be a little selfish, not shocking when the world caters to you. But I think the real you is kind and thoughtful. I don’t know why you don’t want to show the world the side of you I see.” 

“Cause that nigga gets taken advantage of, gets heartbroken.” 

She nodded, she knew more than a thing or two about being taken advantage of. 

“Who was it then?” 

“Hm?” 

“The girl that broke your heart and created this version of you?” 

He let out a humorless chuckle and placed his hand on her knee. “One day, I’ll tell you.” He paused, glancing at her. “I treat you like a friend because I think we are… friends?”

He wanted to be so much more than friends. Every date, every moment with her he realized that more and more. However, if friends was as intimate as their relationship could ever truly be, he would settle for it. Anything, just to have her nearby. 

The small smile on her face turned brighter. “I think we’re friends too.” 

With the declaration of their friendship, both of them laid back against the pillows on their backs so they could stare out of the sunroof at the midnight sky. The sky was so perfectly clear, she could see endless stretches of stars. 

“What made you decide to be a writer?” Michael asked as they laid there. 

“I used to dream of being anywhere but where I was,” she admitted. “Still do most of the time. And when I was a kid, books, particularly fantasy books, were just the one place I could always escape to. Other worlds and lives so vivid so I could leave this one behind for a short while. And they always gave me hope that things could get better, maybe. I wouldn’t get saved by a dazzling prince or whatever. But they made me think things could turn around somehow. But when I was young, so few books had characters who looked like me or were written by women who looked like me.” 

“‘If there’s a book you wanna read, but it hasn’t been written, then you have to write it,’” he quoted the quote she had above her desk in her room. 

“Exactly.” 

“Why’d you stop after one book?” 

She clenched her eyes shut. “Didn’t have much of a choice. A… misunderstanding,” she muttered the word bitterly, “with my editor at my publishing house… and they dropped me, wasn’t able to find another. So I got the job at the library to tide me over till I figured shit out.  That was… about a year and a half ago? Haven’t been able to write much since.”

“A misunderstanding?” He repeated, glancing over at her, his question clear even though he did not explicitly ask it. However, when he felt her body shift uncomfortably next to him, he quickly backtracked. She had already rehashed so much that she did not need to tonight, there was no need to unearth anything else. She kept giving him more puzzle pieces but the picture remained a mystery. However, he could tell that it was one that held as much darkness as it did beauty. 

His hand grasped hers and squeezed. “You ain’t gotta tell me. Add it to the one day list?” 

Her eyes were still closed but he felt her squeeze back. “Thanks.” 

Silence fell over them as they laid there. Michael rarely just laid and did nothing like this. It was contemplative and nice, to simply exist beside her. He spent so much time being on, playing a part or an image. But he liked that he did not have to do that with Raven when they were alone. She let him be Bakari… the version of him that was only safe with his family and closest friends. 

“Tonight… I needed it too,” he offered, ending the silent reprieve. “So thank you for indulgin’ me.”

Raven turned and propped her head up on her hand, turning her body to face his profile. He looked different bathed in the moonlight. He was gorgeous, anyone with eyes could see that. But he seemed more youthful to her, his features more relaxed than they typically were when they were on dates. His jaw was relaxed, his lips settled into a smile that was effortless… not his movie star smile, which she had seen enough times to recognize the nuances that signaled its inauthenticity. This one though, his real smile,… it made him heartbreakingly gorgeous.  

“Thank you for caring about me a-and for today. Haven’t had anyone do that in a long time,” she admitted before settling back on her pillows.

He knew she had that void in her life but hearing her admit it out loud broke his heart in places he was not expecting.

“What about right now?” 

“What about right now?” She asked, her tone filled with confusion. 

“Do you wish you were anywhere else but here right now?” He asked.

She tilted her head to glance at him, finding his eyes trained on her and not on the sky above. She let out a deep breath as she studied him. 

“No, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” 

He smiled. “Good.”  

They turned back toward the sunroof, content smiles on both of their faces. They did not talk much beyond that, both of them enjoying the silence and each other’s company. 

She did not even know how much time had passed when something finally broke that precious silence, the buzzing of Michael’s phone. Instinctively, she glanced over and caught a glimpse of his bright screen. Tasha’s name scrolled across, Michael sighing a bit as he sent the call to voicemail. 

Suddenly, Raven felt overwhelmed with discomfort. He was still seeing Tasha… why did that upset her so much? He had never promised not to, at least not to her. So she knew she had no reason to be mad. But she could stop the claws of jealousy from sinking their talons into her heart and soul. And when that subsided, all she felt was inadequacy. Another moment where she was not enough for someone. 

She cleared her throat. “It’s… um kinda late?” she glanced down at her watch before sitting up and sliding out of the back of the car. “L-Looks like you’ve got plans?” She tried to hide the bitterness in her voice but she knew she failed, knew Michael could see all of it.  

Michael shook his head. “Nah, it’s not wh-” 

Raven cut him off. “I have an early shift tomorrow… would hate to oversleep. Mind taking me home?” She did not know why she lied, her shift was not until noon. However, she knew it was an excuse he could not argue with. 

Raven started to walk around to the car door when she felt Michael’s grip around her arm, halting her movements. Michael hated that she saw that. Similar to her, but for entirely different reasons, he had been dodging Tasha’s calls like they were the plague. Usually he reached out to her to set up dates but when two weeks passed with radio silence from her best and most frequent customer, she started calling more often. He met up with her once, an act he regretted the morning after when he woke up. But she had promised discretion, if anyone knew how much of a farce he and Raven’s relationship was, it was Tasha. But he did not even enjoy it in the same way, he felt like he was just going through the motions. So when she reached back out earlier that week to set up another date, he ignored it. And ignored all the subsequent messages. He could not avoid her forever, but he knew he needed to put her on pause until Raven was out of his life and out of his system. While he was drugged up on her, no other fix was as worthy or quite as right. 

But he did not know how to explain that to Raven. He had not promised her exclusivity but it had most certainly been implied. He would not be pleased if he found out another man she had fucked was calling her.

“Tasha and I aren’t…” he started to say but Raven pressed her hand to his chest to stop him. 

“You don’t gotta lie to me. You’re allowed to sleep with other women, Michael. This isn’t real, we’re just friends at the end of the day. All good. I’m really tired though and need to get up early.” 

With that, she gently maneuvered her arm out of his grasp and slid into her seat in the car. She was thankful with every passing mile that took her closer to her apartment and out of his presence. She did not have a right to be upset but she could not change the fact that she was. She enjoyed being his only and she wasn’t, and she was wholly unprepared for how that would make her feel. But that’s what she got, for thinking his feelings for her extended past their business relationship. He was kind but she had signed up to be used and he was getting what he wanted. She had to accept that. 

“Thanks for the ride, Allen,” she said as she opened the door. She fixed her face and offered him a smile that was a bit forced but, despite the end to the night, still was partially genuine. “Thanks for tonight, seriously. I had fun.” His phone buzzed again, causing her to grimace. “And have fun with Tasha. Night, Michael.” She did not let him respond before she let the car door slam shut and she raced inside as fast her legs in her heels could carry her. 

Michael groaned, his head thudding back against the headrest as he looked at his phone screen. 

“I fucked that up, didn’t I?” 

“Wasn’t your shining moment with her, sir.” 

He clenched his hand into a fist before answering the phone. He never wanted to see that look on Raven’s face again and truthfully, he did not care to frequent Tasha anymore. He knew Raven and he had a shelf life that would expire but even when it did, he was not sure he could go back to fucking Tasha like Raven never existed. She had infiltrated every aspect of his being in the last two week and tonight had only made him fall deeper for her, made him want to give her everything she did not have. It was strange to feel this emotion again, to long for someone like he did her. Even if it could not be something long term, he wanted to savor it while he had her. 

But that was not something he was truly ready to admit to himself, let alone to Tasha. So he decided to take the easy road out and blame it on something else: the image and his manager. Tasha would have to respect that, right? And he would spin some lie about seeing her after Raven and he broke up, even though he was not sure if he had the desire for dispassionate, unattached sex in him anymore. 

“Hey Tash,” he muttered coldly into the phone. 

“Hey baby… wanted to see if you wanted to meet up tonight? I miss you,” her voice was sultry and inviting, a voice that, once upon a time, would have had him racing through LA to get to a hotel with her. But today, it did nothing. “And a little birdie told me you were headed to Paris in two weeks for press. Should I pack a bag?” 

Michael rolled his eyes. That was his own fault. He flew her out once last year to Cannes Film Festival and now she thought she was invited on every trip. There was only one person he wanted to take on this trip with him and after tonight, he was not even sure she’d say yes. 

“Yea… listen Tash. You know how I feel about you. But I can’t see you anymore… just for a few months.” 

“What?? Why?” 

He rolled his eyes, she knew why. “Well, you know… I got this relationship with Raven that is really important for my career and I can’t be seen with other women. We’re gonna have an amicable split in a few months and then I’m all yours again. But until then, we gotta keep our distance.” 

He could hear the frustration and bitterness in her voice, though she tried and failed to hide it. “You’re my best customer, Michael. You can’t just… drop me outta nowhere.” 

“It’s just temporary. Just a couple months. And I’ll send you some money to tide you over till you get a new client. Also means no Paris. Sorry, I just really gotta focus on cleaning up the image over the next few months. You understand, don’t you? You know you’ll always be my favorite girl.”

There was a long pause that made Michael check to ensure the call had not been disconnected. 

“Yea I understand. Just a few months though, right? Then you’re droppin’ the new girl?” 

Michael rolled his eyes before nodding, though she could not see him. “Of course, baby. Just a couple months and then she’s gone. Promise.” 

They shared a few pleasantries before Michael hung up and prayed she did not call him again for a while. His fingers itched to text or call Raven and explain. But something stopped him, the part of him that still adamantly rejected his feelings toward her roaring. He did not owe her an explanation, he did not owe her anything but the money he paid for her dates. She did not ask for an explanation either so why would he volunteer one? Those two parts of him battled until he threw his phone to the side in frustration. 

He sighed and took a deep breath as Allen pulled up in front of his family home in the hills, his oasis, Raven’s perfume still lingering in the car… that hint of lavender danced on his nose. He fell asleep with that phantom smell haunting him, Raven finding ways to pop up in every dream he had that night, leaving him no escape from her or his feelings for her. 

***

“Here you go.” Michael handed her an envelope filled with cash. “I’ll be gone by the time you wake up.” 

Raven nodded and stored it in her overnight bag before grabbing her clutch. They were finally alone after being poked and prodded all afternoon by his stylist and glam teams to get ready for the premiere. They had ten minutes before the car would be there to take them. And then Michael would be jetting off at an ungodly hour to New York and then Paris for press. Raven was actually a bit sad to see him go. 

Though they never discussed the Tasha debacle from her birthday two weeks prior, she and Michael were slowly but surely getting closer and closer each day. They had had an event or something to go to almost every night, Raven was shocked at the amount of money she had been able to make in such a short window of time. Even helping her sister with her lawyer, she felt as if she could actually breathe easy for the first time in a while. And on the nights they were not together, they generally texted or talked on the phone at some point. They hadn’t had sex again, Raven finding any and all excuses to avoid that since he was still seeing Tasha. He never pushed or seemed angry, albeit a bit disappointed when every date ended with her asking Allen to take her home. It was petty she knew it but she did not care. She had no interest in competing with Tasha, she knew who would win every time. 

“Thanks.” 

“You sure you’re gonna be good while I’m gone?” 

Raven glanced at him and rolled her eyes as she threw her lipstick in her clutch. She did not quite understand how the small bag was even functional, it did not even fit her ID. But Michael’s stylist said it fit the look so she did not question it. “Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Jordan. I’ll be just fine without you for a few weeks.” 

Michael came up behind her and laughed. “You ain’t gotta pretend like you ain’t gon’ miss me, baby girl. I mean… you know, financially. I’m in New York for a week then Paris for a week. That’s a while without dates. I can slide you some extra if you need it.” 

Raven bristled at the idea, she did not want him to view her as a charity case. 

“No,” she responded shortly, immediately regretting the sharp edge in her tone as his face fell. “S-Sorry. No, thank you but I’m good.” 

“Even after your sister’s legal shit or whatever?” 

She let out a small huff. “Yea… she managed to pick the most expensive lawyer below the damn Mason Dixon line but I got it covered, I think. And with this,” she gestured toward her bag. “I’m good on the other stuff too. Seriously, you shouldn’t worry yourself about my finances. I always figure it out.”  

He grabbed her wrist to stop her from walking away from him.

“It ain't charity or worry. Don’t want you stressin’ and shit while I’m gone. And I like to know my friends and everyone on my team are good. You’re both… why would I treat you any differently?” 

“I just don’t want you to feel like you have to take care of me. Or fix my problems.”

“You’re here fixin’ my problems. I can’t  return the favor?”

“Because… that’s not what we agreed to. This is a job, you pay me… we go out. That’s it. My family shit has no part in this and isn’t your concern. I’ll deal with them.” 

“Why do you?” At her raised eyebrow, he added, “Deal with that?” 

“You don’t give up on your family. You reach out your hand even when they swat it away. And one day, they’ll see all I’ve done for them and how much I love them and they’ll come around.” 

“Seems to me that you let them bleed you dry as if it’ll pay whatever debt you think you owe them. And they seem content with lettin’ you bleed out in the street.” 

She chuckled mirthlessly. “They’re all I got… so I don’t have much of a choice. It’ll pay off. All of it,” she forced more conviction in her voice. “One day.” 

“You really believe that?” 

She turned to look at him. He could tell there was genuine hope in her eyes, true belief that things would get better. A dreamer, indeed. 

“Yea… I have to.” 

“I dunno... There’s gotta be better out there for you… you certainly deserve better.��� There was a not-so-small part of him, a part that grew with every moment he spent with her, that desperately wanted to be that more for her. 

“This world is filled with people who deserve better, Michael. But we’re stuck with the hand we’re dealt until better comes along. And I don’t see any better hands coming my way. Just a long game of this shitty hand,” she whispered the last part under her breath as she checked herself in the mirror once more. She grabbed her clutch and started toward the door. “You ready? Car should be here, right?” 

He hated how resigned she was to her fate and treatment. He had more than enough money to give his family and friends, more than enough for them to take advantage of if they chose and none of them did. Raven had none of that and still gave her last to people that clearly did not appreciate it. And to know, she had every intention of doing it under some misguided belief they would thank her for it later broke his heart. It reminded him of how pure and kind-hearted she was but he knew her efforts would likely be wasted. But he would have loved to be proven wrong. 

He did not know her family so he knew it was wrong to judge them but all he felt was red hot anger. Quite frankly, the only benefit he saw to the reality that this arrangement was fake was that he would not have to meet her family himself. He did not know if he could even sit in the same room with them. 

“Before we go… got somethin’ for you.”

Raven raised an eyebrow, “I don’t need a gift. It’s your special night.” 

“Yea but wanted to give you somethin’ to remember me by. It benefits both of us, don’t worry.” His face was a sly smirk that told her the gift was not a normal one. “But first, Tasha and I aren’t hookin’ up anymore.” 

“Michael… you don’t have to…” 

He shook his head and interrupted her. “Nope. You didn’t let me finish that night and you’ve been weird about it ever since. So now, I’m talkin’ and you’re gonna listen. It’s ok to be annoyed. We should be exclusive. I called her and put that shit on pause until our arrangement is done. We’ve only hooked up once since we started dating and it was early on. But either way, you don’t gotta worry about her callin’ or me seein’ her while I’m with you. I got my hands full with you anyway,” he winked at her. 

Raven tried to limit the smile that wanted to blossom at his words. She was happy to hear she was not “competing” with Tasha as she thought. It was a narrative her own insecurities and anxieties created and fueled, a narrative that now seemed foolish. She still did not know why it mattered so much to her. Or rather, she knew, but she would never admit it out loud. 

“So we’re good?” 

“Y-Yea we’re good. Wasn’t worried,” she lied, trying to make her voice sound aloof and unbothered. She did not know why she bothered, she supposed she did not want her pride to be anymore damaged than it already was. 

Michael merely pursed his lips and chuckled before nodding toward the bed. “So you ready to be my slut again or am I still on pause?” 

Raven smiled. “I’m all yours.” 

“Good. Lay down for me, panties to the side.” 

Raven laid back on the bed, hiking up her dress to her waist so she could part her legs. She pulled her thong to the side, Michael licking his lips as he took in the mess between her thighs. 

“Already so wet for me. You missed me too, huh? This is gonna be fun,” he muttered to himself as he pulled a gold vibrator out of his pocket before sitting on the bed beside her, careful not to ruffle his perfectly-tailored tuxedo. 

He wasted no time sliding the vibrator inside her, Raven moaning lightly at the intrusion, the way his finger brushed against her clit. She wanted more, desperately. Her hips rolled to find his touch, his hand, her body begging for more action. But he denied her. His other hand fiddled with something small that looked like a remote control. 

“Know what this is?” 

“No, sir.” 

“It’s the controller. Tonight, you’re gonna keep that in you and I’m gonna have a little fun with this.” 

Raven let out a shaky breath. “Y-You expect me to keep this in… while we’re at a movie premiere? No way.” 

He nodded, a mischievous grin in his eye. “I recall you wanting to explore some fantasies. You tellin’ me sex in public ain’t one you’ve had?” 

She bit her lip as she contemplated it. The idea was certainly an intriguing one… but the risks?? 

“When would you use that?” 

“Whenever I want. That’s the fun part… for me anyway. And you’re gonna spend the night making sure that sexy ass face when you cum isn’t plastered across TMZ tomorrow.” 

Raven shook her head. “I dunno, Michael. I’m all for risk but this seems insane.” 

He let out an exaggerated sigh, his voice playful and teasing. “I thought you’d be up for it, thought you wanted to have fun but I understand if you’re too scared.” 

She heard the challenge in his voice. He was testing her, trying to see if she was really up for anything. She could not deny that the idea was intriguing. Having her orgasms at his mercy in public? Per usual with him, she knew she could say no. But as she ran over the risks, all she could think of was the thrill of it. She wanted it. She hated that she wanted it and hated that he knew she wanted it. But she did. 

She sat up and swung her legs off the bed. She clenched her muscles to ensure the new addition to her ensemble stayed tucked where it needed to be and she shimmied the delicate fabric of her gown back down to its proper place. 

“Car’s waiting,” she offered with a smirk as she grabbed her purse and walked out of his bedroom, deciding then and there that she would win whatever game he was playing tonight, and would show him that she was indeed up for any and everything. 

Michael watched her ass sway as she exited and smiled. 

“Gonna have a lot of fun with this.” 

***

Raven was so overwhelmed by the screaming fans and reporters and flashing lights that she almost forgot about the “gift” nestled in her core. She kept her smile bright as she and Michael started down the red carpet, his arm tightly wrapped around her waist. 

He looked down at her like the perfect image of a doting boyfriend, with love and protection in his eyes. He played the role so well, Raven almost caught herself falling for the act. But she supposed that was a good thing because it made her glances back at him more genuine. She knew they looked like the picture perfect couple, every gossip site raved about them after every date. She knew tonight would be no different. 

She was so focused on keeping her smile intact and her eyes from blinking too much as they stood on the red carpet that she failed to notice Michael slip his hand into his pocket. Her smile faltered for just a second as she felt the device come alive, sending shock waves directly against her g-spot. It was a steady soft buzz, just enough to make her feel it, causing the heat to rise throughout her body. But it was not enough to overwhelm her.  

Once she got over the initial surprise of the vibration, she was able to recompose herself with ease. She played off the change in her expression by adjusting something on her dress and continued posing with him.

Minutes passed and the vibration continued at its low pace, Raven enjoying the small jolts of pleasure. This was what she was supposed to be worried about? This was a piece of cake.

She leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek before turning her head from the cameras and whispering in his ear, “This is easier than I thought it’d be.”

Michael let out a deep laugh as if she had told a funny joke and pecked her sweetly on the nose, continuing their slow march down the carpet. 

Raven genuinely felt like she could deal with that all night as she listened to Michael give an interview. She remained tucked at his side with a smile on her face. The interviewer did not really ask her any questions, thank God. So she just smiled and concentrated on keeping her thighs together. 

“So Raven, I have to say, you look gorgeous. Who are you wearing?” 

“Th-” her words were cut short as the vibration pattern changed, this time a long vibration that steady increased before pulsing against her g-spot and starting over again. She coughed awkwardly, pretending as if she had swallowed wrong before saying. “T-thanks. V-versace.” 

Her answer was clipped and short, afraid her words would betray her if she opened her mouth. This was far different, this was ecstasy. Each vibration felt like the slowest, most tantalizing march up a mountain before someone pushed her back toward the bottom to do it all over again. And that pulse at the top? It sent a shockwave through her that made her see stars. Each time, she felt her fingers grip the fabric of Michael’s tuxedo jacket harder. The longer it droned on, the more her legs started to shake. 

“You ok, baby?” he asked sweetly, kissing her on the cheek innocently. 

“Y-Yea, of course.” 

“You two are so cute. Thanks for chatting with me and I can’t wait to see the film.” 

Michael said his goodbyes to the interviewer before guiding Raven away. 

“What’s harder?” he whispered in her ear as they walked inside the venue. He stopped her in the corner of the giant atrium before they walked into the screening room and tucked her against a wall in a corner. Only official photographers were allowed at this point. To anyone passing by, they just looked like a couple having a sweet moment.

“W-what?” She found even such a simple word laborious to get out and it sounded more like a moan than a word. With him mostly covering her body from view, she could not stop the way her hips rolled as the setting changed again. The pattern was the same but the cycle was faster, the intensity overwhelming as he  increased it to the next setting. 

“What’s harder?” he leaned in and whispered in her ear so lowly she almost could not hear her. “Keepin’ that pretty smile on your face when all you wanna do is close your eyes and bite your lip while you cum? Hidin’ your moans so no one here knows you’re a loud filthy slut? Or stoppin’ yourself from beggin’ me to fuck you in the bathroom over there?” 

She felt as if her entire body was in a frenzy. It was not just the vibrator, it was his hands gently pressing her to the wall innocently, it was the courses of people walking by them having no clue that she was on the cusp of the greatest pleasure of her life, it was that she could not stop it or him if he decided he wanted her to cum right then and there in front of everyone. 

“A-all… of it,” she whispered, her face burying itself in the nook of his neck, which helped hide the pleasure swimming in her eyes but only increased it as she took in his scent. His signature cologne had become intoxicating to her. 

“You wanna cum for daddy, baby?” His words were a light whisper that they knew could not be heard over the conversations and music playing throughout the hallway. 

It was taking everything in her not to collapse in front of him, his arm around her waist was the only thing keeping her standing. Her legs were pure jello, every inch of her body was on fire, boiling with pleasure and humiliation at being brought to orgasm at the nicest event she’d ever been to in her life. All she wanted to do was cum but she did not trust herself to hide it. 

“P-Please…” she whispered. She did not know if that please was to stop or to keep going. 

Michael smirked as he felt her hips buck against his again. She was so close, he could see it in her eyes, feel it in the way her hips ground against nothing but air. It was subtle, not obvious to anyone else from the angle they stood at but he could feel it. 

“Beg.” He demanded. 

She clenched her eyes closed. All she wanted was to fall over this particular edge, right then and right now. She was so close, so close, it was almost agonizing to hold it in until he gave her permission. She glanced down as his finger hovered over the button to increase the setting again, knowing that she could not will him to hit that button. She would have to give him exactly what he wanted, what he always wanted. Submission. 

“P-Please… m-make me cum,” she muttered in his ear. “I-I need… it… p-please.” Tears stung in her eyes as she struggled to fight the urge to let go right then and there, hearing her own needy voice in the space. 

“Hm.” he offered quietly. “I don’t think you deserve it.” And with that, the vibration stopped completely. 

Raven could not stop the groan that escaped her lips as he stole her orgasm, her body screaming and protesting at her in pain at the sudden loss of pleasure. 

She let out a soft gasp as she glanced up at him. “You mother-” 

He leaned forward and kissed her deeply, completely silencing her. Raven’s entire body fell into his as they kissed, she could hear the soft snapping of a camera nearby on her right side. 

He offered her the sweetest smile before leaning to her left so the camera could not catch what he was saying.

“If you wanna cum at all tonight, I wouldn’t finish that sentence.” He straightened up and pressed his lips to her forehead, his arm still around her waist. His voice returned to a normal volume as he fixed her hair and ran his hand over the front of her dress. He looked like he was helping her adjust herself but he also wanted to make sure there was no evidence of their crimes. “It’s time for us to go to our seats. You ready?” 

Raven felt like she had whiplash from the last 5 minutes. He was good, far better than she gave him credit for at these games. She thought this was just going to be a fun experiment. But Michael never did anything small. And she was foolish to underestimate him. 24 hours ago, she would have never thought she would enjoy something like this. But now? She could play this game all night long, even though she was losing miserably. 

She peeled herself off the wall, her own hands running against the bodice of her dress. Her legs still felt a bit wobbly so she wrapped her arm in Michael’s to steady herself. She nodded and allowed him to lead her into the theater. 

She barely paid attention to the movie as she spent the entire two hours watching Michael like a hawk. Every time he shifted in his seat or moved one of his hands, she wondered if he was going to turn the vibrator back on. Halfway through the film, she realized it was not because she was dreading it. She wanted him to. She was internally willing him to turn the stupid thing back on, even if it was only at its lowest setting. Because even at the lowest setting, she knew she was sensitive enough to get where she wanted to be. She wanted to feel the tidal wave of pleasure, she wanted to drown in and bask in it and feel the adrenaline of doing so in public. Besides, the dark theater seemed like the perfect time if he truly wanted to push her completely over the edge. When she wasn’t praying to God that he would turn it on, she was wishing it was his fingers or his dick filling her and not a toy. 

She needed him so bad and truth be told, would have begged him to fuck her right then and there if they weren’t surrounded by hundreds of people. 

However, nothing happened. He paid her no attention throughout the entire film except for the hand that rested on her thigh. The minutes ticked on and on and on as the cast went up on stage to say a few words when the film ended. By the time they finally finished and were in the car to the afterparty, she was a horny, disgruntled mess. 

She kept her eyes trained on the window, even though it was tinted, when she felt Michael slide into the seat next to her. Two could play the ignoring game, she decided. 

His hand slid into the slit of her dress, pushing the expensive material to the side so he could have full access. When she did not part her legs for him immediately, he let out a disgruntled growl that was meant to be a command. She pretended she did not hear him and ignored it. 

He merely shook his head and laughed. “Aight, baby girl.” He pushed her knees apart with his hands, it took everything in her not to moan and keep her face stoic. 

His fingers immediately slid into her panties, the heat of her arousal hiting his skin before he even made contact with her body. He caressed soft circles into her clit. She gave him nothing, no moans, no humping into his hand. Nothing. So he upped the ante and turned the device on to the highest setting it had available. 

“Fuck!” She cried out, unable to keep it in as her body was assaulted with pleasure. The vibrator was more than enough to make her cum but adding his thumb against her clit was just simply unfair in her opinion. 

His free hand grasped her chin, firmly but loose enough that it was not painful and forced her eyes on him. Her breathing was heavy as she felt pleasure building fast in her core. Tears pricked her eyes, not from pain, but overwhelming, soul shattering pleasure, “You wanted me to make you cum in that theater, didn't you? In front of all those people like the filthy whore you are? Didn’t you? Upset that I ignored you? But guess what, baby girl?” he switched the setting to a lower one to keep her on the cusp of pleasure without sending her over. 

She let out a soft sob of agony as he held her there, suspended right at the cusp of her orgasm. This was more tortuous than him stopping cold turkey because she was so close she could taste it. And he kept it just out of reach. Every pulse, every caress of his finger was so much and overwhelming but still was not enough. And there was nothing she could do to force him to give her more. 

“Your body is mine, your pleasure is mine. And I decide when to fuck you, when you cum, when you suck my dick… I decide when you’ve been good… when you’ve been bad and what to do about it. It’s all mine. You can ignore me all you want but see how quickly you fell apart? You can’t win against me, baby girl. Daddy always wins. You understand?” 

She nodded rapidly, her body shaking lightly as she teetered on the edge, pleasure was consuming her every cell. She could barely think of anything but the raging inferno in her core.  “I-I understand. P-Please…” her voice broke. She felt as if she would quite literally perish if she did not come soon. He had never kept her on edge this long, a few seconds sure. But time was stretching into minutes. 

“You think you deserve it?” 

She didn’t deserve it, she knew the answer he wanted. “N-No, no… I’ve b-been bad, a bad girl. I d-deserve to be punished b-but I’m begging you… l-let me cum. I c-can’t… P-please,” her voice begged him for mercy. 

Deciding that she would pass out if he continued this game any farther, he pressed the button to return it to its highest setting. Her scream was nearly inaudible as she came on his fingers, her body shook as she gripped the door handle, shuddering through an intense orgasm. 

“That’s it, cum for me,” he whispered in her ear. “That’s a good girl…” 

“Thank you, t-thank you,” she babbled back to him as he talked her through her orgasm. He turned the vibrator off completely, finally giving her a break. 

“Allen, circle the block a few times.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

At the sound of Allen’s voice, Raven’s eyes flew open and shock and humiliation set in. She had just cum… with another person in the car. And she had completely forgotten he was there. Once Michael had started going, the presence of another human being in their vicinity had completely vanished. She glanced up, surprised to find the limo divider up. She didn't even know when that happened. However, she knew that that barrier was not sound proof. However, instead of being utterly turned off by that idea, it just turned her on more. 

“You like knowing Allen heard you?” Michael whispered in her ear. 

“No,” she shot back as she fixed her dress and used the compact mirror she had stored in the limo before the premiere to fix her makeup. Thankfully she still looked pristine, despite feeling physically depleted. She did not know how she and Michael went round after round when one orgasm made her want to cuddle up under the covers and fall asleep. 

“I keep tellin’ you how much I hate lies. But you never listen. Might think because we have a long night and I got an early mornin’ that you’ll escape punishment. But you won’t. Means I have a couple weeks to think of the perfect punishment for such… insubordination.” 

“Don't threaten me with a good time,” she offered with a sweet smile and a wink that made him laugh. 

He did not get a chance to retort when Allen pulled up at the venue of the after party. He gave Raven a once over before getting out of the limo and grasping her hand. He longed to bury himself inside her but he knew he did not have time, at least not enough time to satisfy the urges he had. And while he would toy with public sex, this was not the venue or event to be caught fucking in the bathroom, as much as he wanted to. 

No, he supposed he would just deal with cold showers for two weeks until he could fuck her again, and spank her until she begged for mercy. Her pleas had done something to him, sweet music to his ears. The perfect orchestra. And he would use every free moment of the next few weeks to think of ways to get that sound again. 

***

Michael rubbed his eyes as he scrolled through his email. He knew he would sleep well on the plane. He hated the first thing in the morning flights but he knew they were the only way to keep up with his crazy press schedule. 

“We’ve arrived, Mr. Jordan,” Allen called from the front seat, Michael immediately hopping out. Allen grabbed his sea of bags as he waved at his castmates who were also just arriving to the tarmac. 

“Thanks, man. See you when I get back. Make sure Rae gets home ok today, aight? Then enjoy your time off.” 

“Thank you, sir,” Allen responded as he handed off his bags to the baggage attendants who would ensure they made it onto the plane. 

Michael started to walk away and head to the flight when he heard his name behind him. 

“Mr. Jordan!” Allen called after him, causing Michael to turn around. The older man jogged up to him. “A word of advice? If I am not overstepping my bounds?” 

Michael nodded, allowing the man to continue. Allen rarely spoke, he was the type who liked to do his job quietly and fade into the background.  And he preferred to keep it professional with Michael though there were a few topics they could shoot the shit over while in the car like basketball and the like. But Michael knew that meant Allen likely knew more about him than anyone else on this planet, which meant he would have been a fool not to hear him out. 

“Avoiding love and companionship, even when it is right there waiting for you to take it, will never bring you happiness. And some would say such an ill-guided venture was foolish and selfish, particularly when the world is filled with people like Ms. Turner who love and seek out love with their whole souls and it's denied to them at every turn. And you may be a bit selfish, Mr. Jordan,” Allen admitted. “But I never pegged you as foolish.” 

“What’re you sayin’?” 

“I’m saying that it does not matter how this whole thing between the two of you started. It only matters how you end it. And whether you are brave enough to admit to her and yourself that perhaps you don’t want it to end at all.” Allen patted him on the arm before taking a step back. “There’s no reward for loneliness, Mr. Jordan… no Oscar to win for denying yourself more when you know you want it. The only prize those actions will give you is a lifetime of regret. And I believe you’re living a life too bright to have it dimmed by regrets.” he paused. “I hope I have not overstepped too much. But… well, there was a time a decade or two ago when I would’ve liked someone to overstep and tell me that.” 

Michael stared at him for a few moments before he nodded. After his last very public and embarrassing breakup, he vowed never to fall in love again. Years of women warming his bed before he kicked them out before sunrise. He got what he wanted and gave nothing of himself… to any of them. But Raven… from the moment he watched her staring out that window, he gave without even realizing how much he had given. And now, he felt things for her that he had not felt for a woman in so long. Hell, he wondered if he had ever felt this strongly for another person in his entire life. He wanted more… not a contract or a business dealing. He wanted her. Was he being utterly foolish by pretending that was not the case? 

 “You did… overstep.” His tone was a bit cold but he was unsurprised at how Allen did not backtrack or shrink. He said his piece, called him out and was willing to accept whatever the consequences of that were. “But maybe I need more people to do that. Will you do me a couple favors when you go back to the penthouse to pick up Raven?” 

“Anything, sir.” 

***

Raven groaned as she turned over in Michael’s soft bed. She had fallen asleep in his master bedroom alone, as she always did when they slept here. He always took the guest room. She wondered if she should be more sad that they slept separately but she agreed that that was not intimacy either one of them truly needed. She groped around the bed for her phone, groaning when she realized it was already 11 a.m. Thankfully, she had another two hours before her shift but she knew she needed to hurry up so she could get home and change into her real clothes, not the fancy designer ones she kept there. 

She pulled herself out of bed and stretched, part of her sad that Michael opted to go to sleep instead of fucking her. She understood he had an early day but she could not deny that all she wanted was for him to bend her into a pretzel after that orgasm in the car. But last night was, for the most part, strictly work. They did not get home and go to bed until 3 am and he had to get up shortly thereafter to catch his flight. And now she was left with nothing but a vibrator and fantasies of him to occupy her until he returned. But he had succeeded in giving her something to remember him by. She walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, rubbing her eyes as she dragged her feet across the hardwood floors.

Michael gave her free reign of his penthouse, even when he was not there. She did not spend the night there often but she had started to learn her way around, figure out where the sparse things he kept there were. A few dishes, a couple glasses, a fridge filled with coconut water and little food. When she slept there, so did he. But she had never really stopped to wonder where he spent the rest of his time. She guessed he had some giant mansion in the hills like every other star. But she wondered if that one was just as cold as this one, just as void of comfort and love, just as sterile. 

She guessed it was not. Otherwise, he would have her come there. No, that one was the sanctuary for the real him, she imagined it was warm and overflowing with his favorite things. Japanese anime artifacts and art and memorabilia and his awards and family photos and all the things that meant something to him. And this one was merely for his image, sterile and artificial. 

She blinked a couple of times, shocked to find a neat and perfectly packaged gift bag waiting on the counter with a long envelope sitting up against it. 

She sucked her teeth and chuckled, “This nigga. I thought I said no gifts,” she muttered to herself as she grabbed a glass of water and sat at the barstool. Part of her contemplated not opening it. What had he even given her a gift for? Her birthday was weeks ago. But her desire to know what he got her won out. 

She went to the envelope first, her name written in handwriting far too nice to be Michael’s on the front. She flipped it over and smiled as the person had written on the back: Open me last :) 

“On the other side of the damn country and still giving commands.” 

And you’re still following them, she imagined his voice shooting back at her as she placed the thick envelope to the side and reached into the bag. She made quick work of discarding the multi-colored gift bag paper to reveal two books. She pulled the first one out. 

“Whoa,” she muttered as she took in a first edition copy of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She turned it over in her hands, mouth agape as she studied it. It was beautiful and she knew it cost a pretty penny.  

Her hand reached into the bag and pulled out a book she knew all too well. Her own. An odd gift, she thought, though she supposed it was sweet that he went looking for it in the first place. She wondered how he found it as she published under a pseudonym but she imagined a man with his resources could find out almost anything he wanted with time. 

She flipped it open as she sat back down on her bed, a smaller envelope the size of a card falling out of it. He had stuck it in on the acknowledgements page, which read: From one dreamer to another. 

She opened Michael’s card and took in his handwriting. 

Thank you for sharing what you did with me on your birthday. I know the day isn’t easy. And apologies that this gift was so late - but I figured this was a loophole in the no gifts rule if you got it weeks later? And it took some time to track down your book. You didn’t make it easy. I’m looking forward to reading it on my flight. I generally agree with everything you say but I would disagree with one thing you said that night. The first time we met, you said Maya Angelou’s book saved you and gave you hope. I’m sure somewhere in this world, a young girl is reading your book and it’s doing the same for her. That’s something good that came out of October 15: the world got you. And that’s worth celebrating in my opinion. 

I hope, one day, you see that too.

Happy Birthday

Michael 

Raven let the tears that streamed down her face fall, one of them splashing against the glossy cover of her book. She wiped it away before rereading his card over and over again. She hated how he seemed to see her, really see her, and everything she truly needed. There he was again, caring more than anyone else, more than he should have, even when she was mad at him.  It just made her want him for every reason she shouldn’t. She should want to fuck him… she should want his money… That was all she signed up to get. A few months of cash and to let him dick her down better than she ever had been before. All her problems and loneliness solved, at least temporarily.

Instead, her heart and soul were slipping deep into dangerous territory, he was dangerous territory. She still tried to force herself to resist it, her body hanging by a rope that was fraying at the middle as if an invisible force was taking an ax to it. And she did not know if she wanted to scramble back onto the ledge or let herself fall.

After a few minutes, she picked up the other envelope and slid the folded up pieces of paper out of it. The first one made her gasp… a flight confirmation for a first class ticket to Paris dated for one week from today. The second page was a short list of the things she should pack.  And the third was her hotel confirmation, a suite at a hotel she could not even pronounce but one quick google search let her know it was one of the nicest and most expensive hotels the city had to offer. 

The last page only contained two sentences in Michael’s handwriting. 

I hope you have a passport. See you in one week.

Raven spread the pages out on the counter, her face paralyzed in shock. 

“What the actual fuck?” She examined all of them, rereading as if the information on them would vanish or change right before her eyes. But the flight confirmation had her name on it, the hotel room… her name. It was all there in black and white. He was inviting her to Paris. 

“I should say no…” she spoke to herself, a false ring of conviction in her voice. “I can’t accept this.” Her internal debate raged as she paced up and down by the kitchen island, her eyes studying the papers with each pass. 

You know you want to, the devil on her shoulder reasoned. And fuck, did she want to. It’s fun… when’s the last time we took a trip or did anything fun? 

She had never wanted to accept anything as badly as she wanted to accept this. She chewed on her lip so hard she was surprised she did not draw blood as she debated and debated. Until her phone buzzed with a text from Mr. Surprises himself.

Michael: damn you sleep late as hell. 

Michael: Am I gonna see you in Paris in a week?

Raven: This was a huge gamble… What if I didn’t have a passport? 🤔

Michael: It was a huge gamble but not because of the passport. Consider it PTO… Come live a little. 

Michael: So did my gamble pay off or nah? 

She read through the papers one more time, deciding then and there that she was 100% going to Paris. Even her pride could not allow her to deny herself this experience. However, she decided to make him sweat a little, though she doubted he actually would. 

Raven: I guess you’ll find out in seven days. Thanks for the gift.  

Raven locked her phone before chuckling to herself. She grabbed her phone and the itinerary page and let out an excited squeal and did a happy dance before she raced off to her closet. She had a trip to pack for. 

Tag list: @readinghere2023 @blackerthings @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @physicxal @purplehairgawdess @miyuhpapayuh @rueruesclues @geemamii @certifiedlesbianbaddie @pipsqueak-98 @nyifly22 @destinio1 @twocentaur @gopaperless @musicisme333@roguekiki @majesticbrownjawn @taurusqueen83 @mysteryuz @miamormilan @itsknor-thedeep @naj-ay444 @mads-grace4 @nayaesworld @kholdkill @msniaimani @nccu-rnc

***

A/N: Wellllllllll… a lot happened! A little angst, a little fluff, a little smut lol just gave y'all the full spectrum of things. And it wouldn't be one of my fics if I didn't give you a character or two to despise along the way lol

Next chapter, we go to Paris, which not gonna lie… that wasn't in the OG outline of this haha but inspiration struck and now I'm very excited lol Drop a comment and let me know all your thoughts lol Thanks for reading!

[toxicanonymity]

i've been contemplating some things lately (you know how it is) and i need you to know that the bit in Good Behaviour where the reader sees corey's MM tattoo and is like "are the rumours true, did you fuck that old man 🫣?" and corey is like "would you think it was hot if i did 😏?" has been plaguing my mind for days 😳❤️‍🔥

(also i just wanted to say thank you for every piece of corey you gave us 💗)

OMG THANK YOU 🔥 I'm going to paste it below. That scene does things to me, like I hadn't reread it in a long time but it still crosses my mind and I swear I thought about that slutty little tat last week. And thank YOU for giving us Roger/Corey in addition to Michael/Corey. I was so excited to see you in my inbox! 💙

Good Behavior - 7.5k one shot with 4 smut scenes?

I8+, smut, hybristophilia, sneaking around, MM = Michael Myers

You held his hard cock in your hand and tried to memorize his whole groin as quickly as you could. You checked out the tat on his hip bone. Holy shit. It wasn’t a zig-zag, it was initials: MM. You were floored and extremely turned on. You ran your thumb over it lightly, and his cock swelled in your hand. His eyes widened then darkened as he looked down at your thumb on the initials, and he got even harder. His cock was weeping in your hand.

As you urgently climbed back onto him, you had to ask. "Is it true?"

He raised his eyebrows, and in the sexiest, hushed voice, he asked, "Do you want it to be?"

You nodded almost imperceptibly and dragged your wet heat against his smooth, naked shaft. His hardness took your breath away.

“Yeah? Does it turn you on?" He asked as he grabbed your ass and moved you harder into him. You slid firmly up and down his stiff member, and each time his tip met your clit, it was a burst of pleasure everywhere.

"Yeah," you whispered lowly, searching his face for an answer. His eyebrows jumped and he smirked ever so slightly as he swelled against you even harder. God, your whole body ached for him.

You aligned your entrance, and his cock nudged it needily. You began to sink onto him, and he gasped. His smirk disappeared and his lips parted. His massive hands on your hips brought you down on him hard.

[leahnardo-da-veggie]

Convenience Store Vampire, part 9

Part 1, Part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8

He pulled at his cheeks. “No,” he repeated, keening. Then he looked slightly further down. “Hey- I'm naked!”

“Yeah, ya are,” Hash agreed cheerfully, accent back in full force. “Ya ain't gonna fit in her old ones, and those are rags anyways now.”

I considered it. “Maybe we could use a towel? You're small enough that it would work,” I offered.

The ghost looked down at himself sadly. “Alright,” he agreed. “I suppose it can't really get any worse. Is my corpse still outside?”

While I rummaged through our stocks, Hash said, “Nah, the coppers took it out after I chased them outta the shop. They prolly brought it in and called it an ‘ccident.”

The ghost considered that. “You know… I don't actually remember what killed me. Is that weird? I remember everything else just fine… But anything related to my death or what I worked on before it's been lost.”

Hash shrugged. “I dunno, little ghostie. Meybbe some thin's are just meant ta be mysteries,” she said sagely.

I hauled out a bath towel from the back closet. I had no idea why it was there, but such was the nature of storage rooms. (Sometimes I wondered if mine was enchanted. It always had what I needed, after all.) Pulling out a safety pin, I handed it to the ghost. “You can try using this to make a toga or something,” I said.

He nodded and wrapped it around his shoulders, standing up as he did so. The towel did not quite drag along the ground, but it was close. “I must look ridiculous,” he said, once he pinned the toga in place.

Honestly, he looked like a little boy pretending to be a philosopher. Hash and I snickered a little bit. Actually, we snickered quite a lot.“I suppose we should introduce ourselves,” I said, once I got ahold of myself. “I am David Troynic, but you may call me Dave.”

“And I'm Hash,” Hash said, in between giggles. “Hash the shapeshifter!”

The ghost gave her an odd look. “I see,” he said. “I am Lieutenant Michael Woods, of the Luxatian Exorcist Corps. Though, if we are to use nicknames, you may call me Mizu. I think I need to go back to my station and report my status.”

I wanted to laugh at that. Go back? They would shoot him in an instant! “Boy, they would not think twice of shooting you. You're a monster now, just like us,” I told him bluntly.

A frown crossed Mizu's face at that. “Is that really what you think of us exorcists? That we hate inhumans?”

Hash laughed and shook her head. “Kiddo, are ya listenin' ta yerself? We jus' had ta fend off yer coworkers. If I hadn't done some quick thinkin', Davie here'd be dead,” she said, a bit of heat coming into her voice. “I've lived in this city fer four centuries, and in every single one I've had ta protect myself from yer people.”

Had Mizu truly not known? The parting of his lips, the hurt that sparkled in his eyes, it all told me so. But it just seemed so… Impossible. The exorcists' hostility was a part of daily life, like dodging the sun and haggling with butchers for some pig’s blood.

He shook his head. “This is batshit crazy,” he mumbled. “It's gotta be a dream. I'm gonna wake up with a bruised head and in my proper body.”

We laughed at that. “But I mean what I said,” Mizu added somberly. “I'm going to go to my office and tell everyone I'm still alive. After that? I guess I'll see.”

Hash and I exchanged a glance. “For the record,” I said, suddenly feeling a dash of regret that we hadn't gone with the spirit's plan, “this is a terrible idea.”

Mizu shrugged. “So? If I die, I die. I'm supposed to be dead anyways. And I'd rather die than not be an exorcist,” he said firmly.

“Fine,” Hash agreed. “If ya insist. But I gotta ‘ccompany ya, even if Davie here can't go anywhere. I feel responsible for ya, what with us two having rescued ya.”

Smiling, Mizu shook his head. “If what you say is true, you probably don't want to be around me when I show up. Thank you anyways, Hash, Dave. Good bye, sirs,” he said, and stepped out into the bright world, bathrobe and pink hair and all. “It is time to face my fate.” 

The solemnity of his tone made me choke down a laugh. We followed his brave march down the street. If not for the sheer ridiculousness of it all, he could have been a prince out of an old story, returning from death to reclaim his throne. 

No, he could be a hero all the same, as terrible a hero as I was a vampire. There was a satisfying rightness of it, of the idea that we both messed up our parts in the grand play of life. I opened my mouth to tell Hash so, when Mizu's words caught up with my mind. “Wait- Face his fate? Does he think he's gonna be killed?” Oh, there was no way the little bugger would die on us after everything we did to save him.

Hash bit her lip, thinking, then said, “I'm following the little bugger. Someone needs to make sure he doesn't get killed, and ya can't leave the shop while it's light.”

I agreed heartily. It would all be alright, if she trailed him. A old troublemaker like Hash had an equal propensity to get herself, and others, out of said trouble. “See you around, Hash. And get a photo of him in the bathrobe at the exorcists' station. That's an image I want to see.”

Laughing, she walked out the door. It swung shut with a little ding. “I guess my life isn't so boring after all,” I muttered to myself, looking at the trail of vaguely grey water Mizu left behind.

With a sigh, I picked up my trusty mop and went back to my job.

Taglist:

@coffeeangelinabox, @dorky-pals, @calliecwrites, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @shukei-jiwa

@thewingedbaron, @pluppsauthor, @cowboybrunch, @wylloblr, @possiblyeldritch @ramwritblr, @urnumber1star, @fortunatetragedy, @bigwipscholar, @ratedn

@vampirelover890, @possiblylisle, @illarian-rambling, @the-ellia-west

@finicky-felix, @evilgabe29, @glitched-dawn, @rivenantiqnerd, @dragonhoardesfandoms

@drchenquill, @everythingismadeofchaos, @owldwagitoutofyou, @dimitrakies, @beloveddawn-blog

@riveriafalll, @the-golden-comet,

CSV: @wifeblade, @trippingpossum (Anyone else who wants to get added can tell me in the comments, pm me, or send me an ask about it!)

[twisted-turtels]

Crossed Paths (Pt.4)

Crossed Paths

Author's note: i'm trying to write all the club scenes and party scenes so i hope yall don't get too annoyed by them. when i write I literally have the script and movies pulled up because I'm trying to make sure i get everyone's dialogue and emotions right. anyways, tell me what yall think of this chapter. feedback is always appreciated.

1949 words

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 5 Part 6

One month later

Jordan leans against Farleigh as he and Felix converse about nonsense. Farleigh looks down at her and nudges her shoulder, “Are you okay,” He mouths.

Jordan nods her head before taking a sip of her beer. She looked around the bar and noticed Oliver and Michael looking towards the group. Oliver had a look of longing, and Michael had a look of disgust. Jordan stares back blankly and rolls her eyes before nudging Farleigh, “Someone is looking at us.” 

Fareleigh darts his eyes to where Jordan points her head, and Oliver quickly turns his head. He chuckles before whispering to Jordan, “Just ignore them.”

Some of Felix’s friends joined the group as well. All were drunkenly talking over each other about anything and everything. I’m only here because Farleigh dragged me. It could’ve just been me and him. Jordan’s thoughts are cut off by Felix yelling, “Oh! There he is. Ollie! Oliver.” Jordan feels a sense of dread take over her body. You’re lying. 

Jordan quickly turns her head and notices Oliver awkwardly walking towards their table. She grabs Felix’s arm, “What the fuck are you doing,” she aggressively whispers. How does he even know Oliver? 

“Chill, he’s cool. He helped me the other day,” Felix retorts.

Jordan looks at Farleigh, noticing the slight look of distaste stained on his face as Oliver sits at the table. 

“Hiya, mate,” Felix talks to the table, “ This is my fucking hero right here. I was just telling everyone how you saved my arse the other day.” 

Jordan and Farleigh show no reaction as the rest of the table responds.

“So cute,” chimed two girls, whose Jordan didn’t bother to remember, simultaneously.

“I owe you a drink,” Felix begins as he notices Oliver looking behind him, “Or sorry…Are you with friends?”

Oliver turns back around, “Uh, no, they just left.”

He was just talking to Michael, and now he's ditched him for Felix. Interesting. 

Another of Felix’s friends interjects, “So, what college are you in, mate?”

“Yours,” Oliver responds confidently. 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The entire group chants, “Shots! Shots! Shots!” There are empty glasses all over the sticky table, and Jordan is starting to feel much looser than before. 

“Wait, wait, wait. Jaegerbombs!” Farleigh exclaims loudly. The entire table cheers. 

Jordan yells drunkenly, “Oliver, it’s your round now!” 

Oliver looks around with unease, “ I should go to bed.”

Jordan insists, “Nuh-uh, you can't snake out of your round. Even I know that.”

Oliver denies, “I’m not…”

Farleigh drunkenly wraps an arm around Jordan, “It looks like you are,” he challenges. 

The entire table starts to boo before Oliver shakingly stands up and walks towards the bar. 

Felix turns his head towards his friends, “Guys,” he says, almost disappointedly.

Jordan and Farleigh turn their heads and answer simultaneously, “What?”

“Cut him a break,” Felix continues.

“What,” Jordan asks incredulously, “Pub rules are pub rules, right?”

Jordan watches in amusement as Oliver stands at the bar. Farleigh passes Jordan the joint he was smoking as they watch Felix walk over to Oliver. They begin to walk back to the table with Jagerbombs in tow. “Thank you, Ollie,” Felix yells while Jordan and Farleigh glance back, annoyed. 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

It was almost the end of the quarter, so Jordan found herself studying…well, attempting to study as much as she could with Farleigh in her apartment with her. Farleigh, sprawled on the couch, seemed more interested in what was on the TV than his notes. 

“Are you going out with us tonight? We’re going to the club,” Farleigh asks, casually taking Jordan's notebook out of her hand.

Jordan sighs, “I have a lot of work to catch up on, so maybe next time,” she tries to reach for the book. Farleigh stands up while holding it in the air. 

“Come on, you’re one of the top students in the college. One night won't hurt you,” Farleigh insists, “I’ll buy you some weeeed,” he teases. 

“Don’t make me sound like a feen,” Jordan stands up and grabs Farleigh’s arm, attempting to grab her notebook. 

Farleigh grinned down at her while holding the book just out of her reach, “You’re not a feen, but don’t you think you deserve a break?”

Jordan crosses her arms, “Farleigh, give me my book,” she says with a serious face. 

Farleigh fake pouts, “Please.”

Jordan sighs, “Okay, just tonight, and only for a few hours. Now, can I have my notes back,” Jordan extends her hand out

Farleigh smiles, “Of course you can,” he hands her notes back before grabbing his things to leave, “I’ll come get you later.” He gives her a quick peck on the cheek before hurriedly rushing out the door. 

Jordan stands in shock while holding her book.

Did he just kiss my cheek?

xxxxxxxxxxxx

“I tried to get Felix not to invite Oliver, but he insisted,” Farleigh complains while rolling his eyes.

“There’s just something about him that is so off to me, but I just can’t put my tongue on it,” Jordan explains, “He seems so fake.”

“Exactly, and I feel like no one can see it but us,” Farleigh agrees.

They continue conversing as they pull up to the nightclub, noticing a long line. Farleigh goes to open Jordan’s door and leads her out of the taxi.

Jordan notices Farleigh pulling her towards the entrance as they walk towards the line.

“Uh, you know there’s a line, right,” Jordan questions.

Farleigh smiles at her before looking at the bouncer. The bouncer nods and lets them in.

Jordan looks at him in disbelief, “How do you know literally everybody?”

Farleigh shrugs jokingly, “Don’t worry about it.” 

They enter the club. Jordan takes in her surroundings; strobe lights flash everywhere, and the music is bumping. She looks to her right and notices a couple making out, and on her left, she sees someone snorting- Is that coke? Her thoughts interrupt her.

Farleigh notices her shift in attitude, “Yeah, they do that a lot here,” he leans down to whisper in her, “but ignore them. Look,” he reaches into his pockets and pulls out two blunts and a lighter, “I got you something.”

Jordan gasps dramatically, “Omg, for lil old me,” she sarcastically asks while taking one of the blunts and the lighter Farleigh had. She holds the blunt to her lips and lights it before inhaling and exhaling while coughing, “Oh fuck. That is some strong shit.” 

Farleigh copies her and exhales softly, “You’re just not used to the English weed.”

“I need to get some of this back in Houston,” Jordan demands.

Farleigh laughs, “Let’s get a drink, Ms. Houston.”.

Jordan jumps in excitement, “Yeah! I’m tryna get fucked up!” 

And that she did. 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Jordan drunkenly danced with her friends as the night went on. She and Fareligh are laughing, letting loose as they dance goofily, chest to chest. She grabs the back of his neck to bring him down to her face.

Jordan moves her head to Farleigh’s ear, “I am so glad that you invited me,” she yells.

Farleigh looks in confusion, “HUH!”

Jordan repeats, “I SAID ‘I’M SO GLAD THAT YOU INVITED ME’!”

Farleigh nods in understanding, “I’M GLAD I DID TOO,” their voices barely audible over the pulsing music.

“LET’S SIT DOWN REAL QUICK,” Jordan points to one of the empty tables at the edge of the room. Farleigh nods as Jordan grabs his hand and pulls him to the table. They sit on the couch, and Jordan throws her legs on Fareleigh’s lap. Damn, my feet hurt.

“Farleigh,” Jordan grabs his shoulders to turn his body towards her. She looks him in the eyes, “Have you ever had your hair braided,” she asks with a tipsy grin.

Farleigh laughs. She is so adorable, “No, I haven't had my hair braided before.”

Jordan nods lazily, “I’ll braid it for you,” she removes her hands from his shoulders and caresses his cheek, “You have really pretty eyes.”

Farleigh leans into Jordan’s hand, “You do too, Jordy.”

“Thanks, baby,” Jordan looks at Fareligh mischievously, “You want to leave?”

“I would do anything you want me to do,” Farleigh says longingly.

“Come on,” Jordan says as she struggles to stand up. “Let's go find Felix and tell him we’re leaving,” Fairleigh says.

“You’re right,” Jordan agrees, “Felix!” Jordan stumbles as Farleigh pulls her through the crowded club, “Felix! Where are-” Jordan bumps into a body, accidentally letting go of Farleigh’s hand. She looked up and noticed it was Oliver. Looking slightly surprised, Oliver steadies Jordan, “Watch where you’re going.”

She looked unimpressed and shrugged his hands off his shoulders. “Don’t tell me what to do,” she looked around for Felix. “Where’s your boyfriend?”

“I- He’s not my boyfriend,” Oliver argues, “and he left with Annabel.”

“Aww, he left you here. How unfortunate,” Jordan looks around until she notices Farleigh approaching them. Farleigh grabs her waist and pulls her to his side, “Lost you for a second,” he stares down at Oliver, “Where’s Felix?”

“He left with Annabel, whoever that is,” Jordan answers. 

“Wow, and he just left you here alone, Ollie,” Fareleigh says condescendingly, “Maybe you should take it as a sign.”

Jordan waves her hand casually, “Anyways, we’re going to enjoy the rest of the night. You do the same.” Farlegih leads Jordan away, leaving Oliver standing there, perhaps a bit more alone than he’d like. 

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Farleigh, more sober than Jordan, carries her on his back as they walk the streets. Jordan is rambling about nonsense.

“-and that's why I believe Beyonce is one of the best artists of our generation. Like, have you heard her B-Day album? I have it on my iPod; we can listen to it together on the walk to class. Speaking of class, I got out of Math tutoring with that creep-” Jordan notices Farleigh is quiet. She grabs his earlobe and grins, “Are you even listening?” 

Farleigh nods his head, “Of course I am. I just like to hear you talk.”

“Right. I’m so glad exams aren’t tomorrow cause I know I would’ve done horribly. I think I'm gonna be drunk until I wake up.” She pats Farleigh’s chest so he can put her down. Jordan walks with him clumsily, wrapping her arm around Farleighs, “Do you wanna spend the night with me?”

Farleigh looks down at her in shock before clearing his throat, “Uh, spend the night?”

“Yes, Farleigh, I didn't stutter,” she looked at him before rolling her eyes, “I’m not asking you to have sex with me-” Yet, “If you wanna go home then fine-”

“No, I’ll stay for a little bit. I’ll leave when you fall asleep, okay?” Farleigh reassures.

They finally return to Jordan’s apartment; Farleigh grabs Jordan’s keys and unlocks the door. They enter the apartment, and Jordan kicks her heels off and takes her out of her ponytail. Farleigh helps Jordan to her room, “Do you need any help,” he asks.

“Nooo, I got it,” Jordan changed into her mismatched pajamas and lay in bed. “You can come in.”

Farleigh notices Jordan lying face down in the bed, “Jordy, you can’t lay on your stomach after just drinking,” he maneuvers her body to where she’s lying on her side instead. 

“I’m tired,” Jordan says sleepily.

Farleigh chuckles, “I know, baby. I already set your alarm and put a trash can next to you just in case you have to throw up,” he pulls the covers over her body. 

“Thanks, Farleigh,” Jordan mumbles. 

“No problem. Get some rest,” Farleigh whispers as he kisses her forehead. He quietly leaves her room and closes the door. He can’t help but smile as he exits her apartment, reflecting on tonight's events.

[analyzing-people-like-hell]

saw your recent post in the sanders sides tag - here goes:

Some of these are more fun-to-watch than relates-to-me, but I figure listing ‘em all will give you more to work with.

Listed in alphabetical order, except as needed to group sources together.

Alastor, Hazbin Hotel (show)

- He’s charming, confident, very good in his chosen field, and also happens to be AroAce. He appreciates jokes, but can also be intimidating.

Cayde-6, Destiny (game)

- Quick wit, quick shot. Always fun to hear his dialogue during missions and strikes. The kinda guy you’d go to for a good story (or if you’re lookin’ for extra paperwork to do).

Crow, Destiny (game)

- Good guy, interesting situation (read: tragic backstory). Not exactly doomed-by-the-narrative, but…

The Doctor (10th), Doctor Who (show)

- Honestly, not sure why. He’s just fun to watch. (Also, he has a very distinct/memorable way of phrasing things)

Data, Star Trek: The Next Generation (show)

- Yes, I’m Autistic; How’d you guess? (/j) Honestly though, having a discussion with him about humanity/social behaviors/other things would be SO interesting!

Odo, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 (show)

- If Odo and I were in the same room, I don’t think there’d be much talking. But, in a two-introverts-who-got-dragged-to-the-same-party-and-are-avoiding-the-humans-together kind of way. Companionable silence.

Spock, Star Trek: The Original Series (show)

- He’s just cool. (also a HUGE childhood influence towards logical thinking)

Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly (show)

- Protective of his crew, “Has a conscience, and hates it,” no-nonsense, practical thinker, quick wit, stubborn.

Simon Tam, Firefly (show)

- Very good at what he does (doctor), smart, stands by what he believes in (“when you’re on my table, you’re safe”), and who he cares about (his sister).

River Tam, Firefly (show)

- …River is a mood. Specifically, a “leave me alone, I can’t talk now, my brain is full of bees” mood.

Seth, Lost Terminal (podcast)

- He’s an AI who used to live in a satellite, and made his way down to a post-collapse Earth so he could talk to people. He often mentions the intricacies and confusing nuances of human communication, his distrust of plants and salt, and the fact that humans are quite fond of bread and beer.

Susan Ivanova, Babylon 5 (show)

- “No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There’s always a boom tomorrow.”

Michael Garibaldi, Babylon 5 (show)

- If any of the main cast could’ve broken the fourth wall, it would have been him. I don’t know what that says about his character, but it feels right.

Virgil Sanders, Sanders Sides (YouTube series)

- He’s the personification of (Thomas’) Anxiety, but he can be quite brave when he needs to be. When he’s under pressure/more anxious/needs to be listened to, he’ll act more abrasive, but he has a softer side (heh side) he shows when safe. He’s also the secondary brain cell holder of the main cast.

Logan Sanders, Sanders Sides (YouTube series)

- The brain cell (/pos). Also seems to be going through… gifted-kid-burnout-angst-stuff, for lack of a better term. Also nicknamed the Mom of the group, though someone pointed out that he didn’t choose that title for himself, which I thought was interesting.

Janus Sanders, Sanders Sides (YouTube series)

- I think you already saw him in another ask, so I’ll be brief: “You’re not stuck with an ‘evil snake boy.’ *pose* You’re just stuck with a snake boy.”

…After typing this all out, I’ve noticed that most of these fall into one of three categories:

~Autism~ TM (/pos)

Competent, might be an asshole

Protecc/Attacc

I don’t know what that means, but it’s kinda funny.

Have fun!

ANALYSIS #4: 06/11/24

It's about time I start getting around to all these new test subjects. I apologize for the wait, but I'm more than ready to see what you have in store for me here, #4.

I'm not familiar with the majority of these characters, so this could very much be a hit or miss analysis.... Your descriptions definitely aided me a lot, so thank you for that. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if this ends up being accurate at all...

Why don't we see if I got your backstory right first? It's where everything originates, after all.

"LORE":

You seem to be an observer in this game of life. I feel like you've spent a large part of your existence on the outskirts of everything, and the times you have joined the outside world were never completely of your own volition.... You don't feel like you particularly fit in as a "human", yet at the same time everything you feel is all too human. I can imagine it gets pretty overwhelming, and you've probably gotten a lot of heat for it in your younger years. Maybe you didn't have many friends growing up, and the ones you did have probably didn't live up to your expectations of what "friendship" was supposed to be. Maybe you've had friends that took advantage of you and it didn't even click until the damage was already done, or you stuck it out because.. that's what friendship's supposed to be about, right? Maybe you were just left out in general, always the second option unless they needed something out of you. Who knows. There could be a lot variations of what happened in your childhood regarding relationships, but I'm guessing they didn't always make much sense to you. It's probably why you stay on the outskirts so much. If the world won't let you experience humanity for yourself, you can at least watch humanity from afar.

I have a feeling your home life wasn't all that great? It wasn't particularly terrible-- you're grateful for what you were given-- but you wish there were things that were done differently. I think this also plays into the whole "disconnect from people" bit. Maybe they cared for you, but it was clear they didn't understand you, and it can be a little hard to be grateful when somebody's care is always... a little off? If that's the case, I bet it probably feels worse knowing that you can't really blame them for not understanding. Things are probably better now as you've grown, but there are things that still sting just a bit. Also for some reason I think you were homeschooled.... No reason why, it just came to mind, and I've learned trusting my gut makes my analyses more accurate. I'd like to see if that ends up being true.

Another thing that my gut keeps telling me is that the tism is strong in this one. You've already confirmed that, but I specifically feel like (i'm assuming you're diagnosed based on how you phrased "yes, i'm autistic") you were either diagnosed at a pretty early age or you were late diagnosed (probably because of icky-ew gendered stereotypes in medical fields) and it explained a whole hell of a lot of your childhood, to the point where you're surprised you weren't diagnosed way earlier in life. Heavily leaning to the latter, by the way, but the first still has a 5 to 15% chance of standing. Either way, it depicts why you'd feel such a heavy disconnect from the people around you. It's as if everyone was given a script to life, meanwhile you're forced to improv it the whole way through. Do you see life as a game? How much time have you dedicated to perfecting your skills, believing that perfecting them would be the key to winning these petty social games? Are you sure you're not still lost? Just some food for thought.

Anyways, with that all in mind, let's see what really goes on inside that head of yours...

THE TRUTH:

You still resent the world in a way, don't you? I can't shake the thought that there's still a resentment buried inside you that's been bubbling for a while. Maybe it's lessened a bit, but you can still feel it resurface every now and then. It's as if sometimes a reminder will come your way and it's another crack added to that bottle you've been storing all your emotions in. Like another poke at the confines will unleash everything you've been working on trying to maintain. I don't think it's spilled over yet, but I think we both know it's certainly not far from tipping over. You surprise even yourself with how much you've managed so far.

Part of you has lost your vulnerability. I'm not sure when or how, but I think it goes back to that disconnect from people. I don't think you've met anybody who's completely understood you yet, which has probably led to constant misunderstanding from everyone else. That kind of persistent detachment is bound to make anyone lose parts of themselves. If that's what happened, I'm sorry they took that part away from you. You deserved to be yourself without being shot down over and over, you still deserve that. It really is a shame that the world is too blind to see the beautiful depth in your soul. Complexity is never a flaw. Complexity is rarely even "complex". The world just needs to learn how to appreciate you at your core, and I truly hope they're able to see that in you soon. 

In fact, why don't I detail some of the complex beauty that I can pinpoint? If the world can't see it, then it only makes sense if I spell it out for them.

YOUR BEST TRAITS:

You're very attentive. You also seem to have some pretty good wit. That not only makes you a really great analyst, but I think it'd make you a pretty great comforter too. You're able to analyze and recognize patterns in people, and you seem to still hold a great appreciation for people despite how isolated people have made you feel. Despite always feeling like an outcast, there's still a part of you that cares. Those are qualities that truly great comforters have. However, with how confusing relationships with other people can be sometimes, I can also see why that would hinder your ability for it and turn you away. Nevertheless, the foundation is still strong. You're still strong. Use that to your advantage. Take back the life that you deserved. Show them that you are not the painting they've made of you.

I just feel like you're really funny for some reason, and probably pretty chill while still being able to stand your own ground and opinions. That's a highly respectable mix of traits to have, at least in my eyes. You also for some reason remind me of that main guy from Magnus Archives. I've never listened to Magnus Archives though. All of the information I know about that podcast has come from random clips I've stumbled upon and rants from my friends who are into it. But from the information I have on him, I view him as a weird little autistic guy who's always a little tired, a little witty, maybe a little too obsessed with analyzing sometimes, also probably on the aroace spectrum. However, he's also a hard worker who-- when he cares about people-- he really cares about them, and if he likes you then you could probably drag him just about anywhere (even if he grumbles the whole way through). Now I have zero clue if any of that is true to his character, but I feel like it could maybe fit yours, and I at least think people like that are a pretty special find. 

Also, you're just a wee little guy. A little snake boi even.

And with that, I think I'll leave my thoughts here and take my bow.

With utmost gratitude (and hopefully utmost accuracy),

Dr. WZ

[bullet-prooflove]

The Beauty of the End Part 5: History - Michael 'Riz' Ariza x Reader

Tagging: @anime-weeb-4-life, @danzer8705 @mysoulisasunflower @vannabanana1995 @im-just-a-mississippi-girl @sxmmarie @queeniesdiary @briefpersonenemy @creativitybeware @genius2050 @mortal--soul @buddinglinguist @oureternalbond @baybaybear1 @@thanossexual

Part One: Nashville - Riz makes a decision that affects your relationship in Nashville.

Part Two: Reckless - Taza and Neron realise that Riz is spiralling.

Part Three: Walk The Line - Taza calls you to get the truth about what happened between you and Riz.

Part 4: Bright - Vicki reminds Riz it's not all about him.

You don’t pick up the phone when he calls and Riz doesn’t blame you. When it goes straight to voicemail he doesn’t even bother to leave a message, he simply hangs up the phone and sighs. He tries to plan out his next steps in the shower but every avenue he looks down comes with a problem.

Access.

It’s not just as simple as picking up the phone anymore, if you block his calls, it’s not as if he can just turn up at your house. He’s lost track of your schedule over the past few months, he’s not even sure which city you’re in.

Those tickets at the box office, he would bet his life they aren’t even in his name anymore. Even then they only gave him access to the venue, with security the way it is, he wouldn’t be able to get anywhere hear you. He presses his palms to the cool tiles and hangs his head under the hot stream of water in an attempt to drown out the noise that resonates through his head.

He’s fucked up.

He’s ruined the best thing that’s ever happened to him because he can’t face the prospect of being rejected by someone that he loves.

He knows what this is about, but he hates the fact that it still fucking affects him even after all these years. The scars, they’re buried deep underneath the ridges of his skin but that time he spent in the orphanage in Mexico still stings. He knows his mother did what she thought was best, twenty-two with three kids, no man in the picture, too many mouths to feed… It wasn’t abandonment not really.

He was fifteen when he was cut loose, a few bucks to his name and a backpack. He knew his mother had a sister in the US so he’d made the trip under the cover of darkness and ended up here in Santo Padre, Vicki had just started up the brothel at that point. A wayward nephew had never factored into her plans. She had had taken him in anyway, putting him to work doing anything that needed doing around the house. Turning rooms over between clients, helping with the bar, keeping the appointment books and balancing the accounts.

He’d been a dropout ever since kindergarten, at least in the brothel he was productive. He’d learned from the best how to please a woman, how to listen to the sounds of her body, the heady echo of her moans. For the briefest moment in those exchanges, he felt like somebody loved him, that somebody wanted him. He forgot that love in his world was transactional. It took him a long time to accept that Vicki kept him around because she cares about him and not out of obligation.

“You’re surprisingly well adjusted.” You had told him as the two of you sat in the yard, sharing a spliff as the sun went down. Your feet were resting in his lap, his thumb caressing the hollow of your ankle before he leant over and handed you the joint.

“The MC helped balance me out.” He told you when he settled back into his seat. “It gave me the thing that I was missing, showed me that love and loyalty doesn’t have to come with stings. I think I have Taza to thank for that. He sponsored me, took me under his wing, he was the first person who really saw me for who I was and gave me that encouragement to grow as person and explore who I am.”

“He’s your MC dad.” You told him as you took a drag and he had laughed because he’s never thought about it like that. Taza’s the guy that calls him on his shit, sits with him when he’s low, he’s the one that taught him how to play guitar, that shared his love of music.

Taza always been there when Riz has needed it, despite the fact that Riz has done everything he can to fight it recently.

“Fuck.” He mutters, throwing his head back and using his palm to wipe the water from his face. Even when he’s an asshole, Taza’s still there, trying to help him put the pieces back together.

He’s barely set foot out of the shower when he hears the knock on his door. He almost ignores it. He doesn’t want to see anyone else tonight, he wants to get into his bed and scroll through pictures of the two of you on his phone the same way he has every other night since he ended things. He’s still clutching the towel to his waist when he answers the door and sees you standing there.

You still look as beautiful as the first day he saw you, that black silk dress hugging your form. Brown boots and a matching leather jacket thrown over your shoulders. Your suitcase is propped up next to you. In the background he sees Taza and Creeper idling in the van, Taza gives him a nod before he turns his head to Creeper and the two of them pull away from the curb.

He’s thought about what he wants to say so much over the past couple of hours, however now that you’re here the words just won’t come out. As your gaze shifts to the towel slung low around his hips, he realises this he’s still standing there at the front door, dripping wet and wearing next to nothing. It’s you that breaks the silence.

“Can I come in?”

Love Riz? Get added to his tag list!

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[veeples]

book recommendations

@lavampira AND @narrativefoiltrope beloveds tagged me! thank you for the tag dani and i'm still soooo thrilled you loved goth western so much <3

tagging: @nerdferatum and @winesharksea and anyone else! tbh if you're a mutual of mine and you're on storygraph hmu, i love following other people and seeing what they're reading.

1. the last book I read:

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty — I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't expecting to tear up from a memoir detailing her year working for a crematory, but it ended up being a very touching experience in understanding how Caitlin went from college graduate to eventual Ask a Mortician (one of my fave youtubers I miss her so much). It is a book that deals with death, both the traumatic and the relatively peaceful, so maybe not the LIGHTEST of reads, but one I actually wanna re-visit soon!

2. a book I recommend:

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin — I got recommended this series by @queerbrujas, and wow! I think if you're someone whose interested for a sort of, soft start into sci-fi, the elements are there and add value, but the emotional arcs and world building that unfolds is just so masterfully done. Once I really got into the first book, I tore through the next two in the series with relative ease.

3. a book that I couldn’t put down:

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo — This is just a super fun fantasy read!! It makes me wanna read more like, fast paced heist sort of novels. Each character in the ensemble has a strong personality so they all stand out from each other, but they complement each other well and offer interesting relationships with each other! I was so enamored by the book I had to run out to a store to buy the sequel the night I finished it.

4. a book I’ve read twice (or more):

The Locked Tomb series by Tamsyn Muir — Funny thing is, I almost never re-read books because I feel like, good God I already have so many on my to be read list that I keep adding onto, I don't have time to re-read books. But this series has a ton of re-readability value, and it's almost necessary to take a second or third or fourth pass (depending on how insane you are) to pick up on the subtleties and the continuous narrative of themes that Muir puts down once you get past the memes and lesbians. I'm putting the whole series here because I've read Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, and Nona the Ninth 2-3 times now and will probably re-read again before Alecto the Ninth comes out (impatient grumbling).

5. a book on my TBR:

Sterling House by Alix E. Harrow — Can I be completely honest, I actually don't know that much about this book. A librarian gave me a little book magazine when I was picking up some books one day and this book was on the cover. And the cover was just very pretty. I'm a very shallow person, you see. Also a bit like a bird because I see something pretty and I want it. But I also really wanna read Dungeon Meshi, so there's that too.

6. a book I’ve put down:

The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese by Michael Paterniti — This book was honestly such a drag to read. Slow paced and at 80% in, I still hadn't gotten to the confrontation between the original cheesemaker and his best friend who sold his family's cheese and business for money, which is so hyped up. There's a point to it taking so fucking long, and the point is, that's apparently just how the people the author visited told stories. Long winding tales with bunches of offshoots. Probably great as an orally told story. Bit miserable as written word.

7. a book on my wishlist:

The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels by Stefan Timmermans, Pamela Prickett — This one I saw in an e-mail for new books that came out in March, I think, and I have an interest in funeral practices and issues in modern day death management, thanks to being such a big fan of Caitlin Doughty. This book deals with the growing phenomenon of the unclaimed dead, which got touched upon in one of Caitlin's books, but not expanded upon. I try not to buy books if I can avoid it, but this one being so new and probably a little too niche for my library, I'll have to purchase it if I wanna read it!

8. a favorite book from my childhood:

??? — I don't think I have one to speak of that I can remember. I remember really being enchanted with some book about a girl finding a secret garden, so maybe it was Literally just The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgsen Burnett. Or like, I really liked the kid's book about the old lady who swallows a fly. Does that count???

9. a book you would give to a friend:

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson — This book was recommended to me by a friend, specifically the audiobook version. And wow, yeah! I kind of judge audiobook, and really narrator quality, by this one! The narrator put so much love and emotion into narrating the book, which really highlighted the emotional high points and made them punchier. This book may have made cry a little because I am always a sucker about characters who feel they don't fit in anywhere, who feel odd, who feel different, but find support and community and love with other people who feel the same way. So, like, I would definitely give this book to someone if they wanted an introduction to how good audiobooks can be.

10. a book of poetry or lyrics you own:

The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems by Pablo Neruda — I bought the bilingual version of this book last year so I could see how Spanish is used in poetry, and then found out that he has a complex way of using Spanish so maybe it's not that useful. <3 And then I didn't read it at all, it's still on my bookshelf. Judging me. u_u I'll get to it one day.

11. a nonfiction book you own:

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado — Don't remember how this book got on my radar, but I went out and bought it and was so pleasantly surprised by how the style Machado uses in it to detail her memoir of an abusive relationship. So it's not a light read whatsoever, but just by style alone made it very evocative, it almost reads like literary fiction. I never thought about approaching memoirs or non-fiction in what I figure is a kind of non-standard way, so it stands out from the other non-fiction books I've read.

12. what are you currently reading:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver — So this is apparently a sort of, like, modern retailing of Charles Dickens' David Copperfield, which I would have got, except like, I'm not that big of a literary nerd. So I had to look that up. Really, it caught my attention because I'm currently re-listening to a fave podcast, Old Gods of Appalachia, and this book is set in like, 80s-90s Appalachia so it's adjacent enough to my interest. So far it is masterfully written and has such a strong voice for the narrator and protagonist. It's also a thick ass book, well over 500 pages which is a bit out of my usual range, but it's been nice to sit down with a longer story that feels like I'm sitting down to listen to the guy tell me his life's story.

13. what are you planning on reading next:

??? — Bruv who knows? I don't plan these things until I'm done with whatever I'm reading now u.u. I have a little gay romance I bought during indie bookstore day and I also promised @sysba to read some other Chinese manhua with some other sad tragic gay boys. It'll probably be that one.

[spinningwebsandtales]

The Shape of You Pt. 8

Michael Myers X FemReader

Rating: T+

Warnings: Reader is dealing with depression and anxiety, mentions of Michael’s murders, angst

Word Count: 6.1k

Pt. 1 Pt. 2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4 Pt. 5 Pt. 6 Pt. 7

Taglist: @msghostface @izumima @cavern-creature @101killer @scooby-the-soviet-soldier​

(A/N:) Thank you everyone for your patience! I can’t believe I’ve almost been working a year on this series! And at 55,000 words already I feel like I’ve really accomplished something! I know we’re nearing the end and I know how I want to end it, it’s getting the part I’m most excited for that’s slowing me down as I’m trying to think of things to keep it interesting and get to where I’m going! So please be patient with me and hopefully I can get the next chapter out a lot sooner as I want to try to finish this around Halloween. But I do have other Halloween things I’m wanting to write too! But I will try my best! Until next time happy reading! ~Countess

It took about three days for you to recover enough to get up and go back to your normal life. Michael had been at your side every moment he could, taking care of you and making sure you had all that you needed. He even called in to your work for you, you knew you were going to get bombarded at work with questions about the man that called in for you. With your fever gone and the strength coming back slowly, you started to do more chores around the house with a lot of Michael’s help of course. You no longer wanted to dwell on depressive things or let it bring you down anymore. Michael had convinced you that you did in fact deserve to heal and for the first time you believed him. You were tired of not being happy and tired of feeling useless.

 With Michael at your side you felt like you could conquer this time of life you found yourself in. The physical touch was still a little hard as Michael did start touching more like he used to. He did it in a way that you could see it was him. At first you would stiffen slightly but instead of shutting your eyes and trying to bear it, like you used to, you kept your eyes focused on him. Reminding yourself over and over it was him and not Ian. Slowly but surely everything was returning to normal and you were proud of yourself. Michael seemed to be doing better to when he saw the progress you were making. Of course relapses came and went at times, but you both dealt with them facing the problem instead of running away. 

You begin to tell Michael how you felt and he did the same. It would take time and willpower to finally unravel all that Ian had done to you. So to counteract any doubts or moments you both started to do things together that normal couples would do. Michael would be by your side through laundry, cleaning, and cooking. Whatever you were doing he was right there with you. If you were putting a load of laundry in the washer he would be folding the ones that were in the dryer. If you were cleaning the living room he was right there helping. But the favorite for you both was cooking together. Always handy with the knife Michael would cut up all the vegetables while you prepared other ingredients or stirred whatever meal was cooking in a pot or pan on the stove. You always hummed while you worked as the radio played in the background, Michael found that endearing and soothing and more times than not Michael would hum along right beside you.

 His stifled personality continued to grow daily as you both worked through things that had hurt you in life. Whenever you placed the food in the oven to bake and the radio was playing the right song you wound up dragging Michael in the middle of the kitchen floor for an impromptu dance session. Before too long the large man was tapping his foot and twirling you around with a big grin on his face. You laughed and carried on until the timer on the counter began to ring. You only abandoned the dance to remove your meal from the oven. Setting the hot pan on the stove you turned only to see a pouting Michael. Every day that passed brought more and more of Michael’s personality forward. What had been stifled for so long was beginning to bloom and you were so glad that you were the one who was getting to witness the transformation and that you were a big part of it.

After eating you both sprawled out on the couch with the TV on only as background noise. Michael was stroking your hair while he focused on the show that was quickly becoming lost to you. You lost yourself in his touch, letting Michael be the only one that you could focus on. He mindlessly trailed a scarred finger down your cheek, before his thumb brushed against your plush bottom lip. You sucked in a breath as the gentle touch sent a jolt through you. Still unaware of the effect he was having on you. His blank expression was fascinating but hard to concentrate on as he started stroking your jaw line. Tired of him not realizing what he was doing to you, you grasped his wrist bringing his hand back to your face. Michael stiffened when you brought the pad of his thumb to your lips and kissed it. His one eye quickly darted from the TV screen as you winked up at him and nibbled at the skin. You treated each digit the same making sure one did not lack the attention it deserved. He sucked in a breath and his throat bobbed as he swallowed.

 The heat in your eyes had him seeing stars before he finally forgot the TV he had been watching moments ago. Wordlessly he stood, almost knocking you from the cushions before he scooped you up. You laughed in delight the warmth of his skin under his thin sleeping shirt seeped through to your very bones. You held on tightly as he quickly maneuvered you both but knocking things from the side tables in the living room due to his haste. He glanced downward before booting them away with his foot so he wouldn’t trip and drop you. He raced you both to your room where you lavished each other in kisses and heated touches, until you both fell asleep holding each other close in the soft bed.

Michael’s quiet snores woke you up before your alarm clock did. His hot chest pressed up against your back, acted like a natural heater and you found yourself sinking deeper into his warmth. The thought of leaving his warmth and the comfort of bed had you hesitating to get up. He mumbled something you couldn’t understand but he quieted immediately, falling back into a deep slumber. The more you had to leave him to go to work the harder it became every time. Taking in the moment you gave yourself a little longer before trying to remove yourself from Michael’s tight grip. You didn’t want the alarm clock waking him up, though it would take a miracle for him to stay asleep when you left the bed. He had a knack for knowing when you were gone and he would come searching for you every time. It was endearing but annoying when you wanted to let him sleep in. So gently and carefully you removed yourself and shut off the alarm clock.

 Michael mumbled again and rolled over causing you to stand still. He nuzzled deeper into the pillow and fell back to sleep. You sighed in relief, smiling at the chance to see him at his most vulnerable. These were the moments you loved the most as you were the only one who ever got to see them. It was important to you to see that he could be this comfortable and to be himself. Despite his problems and misgivings a person needed the chance to grow and to realize that they are loved no matter what. With as much grace as you could muster, you kissed his forehead before tiptoeing away, leaving him to rest while you got started getting ready to leave once again for work. You were dreading the moment that you walked through those office doors but bills must be paid and you could expect Michael to be at the door as soon as you arrived back home. You grinned as you started water running into the tub. Getting up earlier had it’s merits as you had time to take a nice hot bath to soak your weary muscles and wake your body up for the day. After being sick you could use the comfort hot water could bring.

 You splurged a little and added a little bit of the expensive bubble bath soap you had bought on a splurge trip awhile ago at the local cosmetic shop. The smell filling the bathroom as the tub continued to fill. Pinning up your hair you slipped into the hot water, letting all the tension melt and float away on the pearly bubbles. You hummed gently, trying to be quiet so Michael could keep sleeping. He had lost sleep when you had gotten sick as he took care of you 24/7 until you were back on your feet. Your eyes closed and ears plugged with water, you jolted at the sudden touch to your brow. Michael smiled before touching your wet cheek. You set up bubbles slithering down your chest.

“Morning,” you said as he eased himself down to the cold tile floor. He put one hand in the water searching out for yours in the murky water.

“Good morning,” was his reply as he found the object of his desire. He gripped your hand tightly before bringing it up to his mouth where he left soft kisses across the wet skin.

“I didn’t want to wake you up,” you hummed.

“Can’t sleep without you.”

Your heart began to pound with the look that he gave you as it pierced straight through your body. How he could have such power over you was mind boggling but you liked to think you had the same power over him as well. The intensity of his chocolate brown eye had you shivering despite the warm water. While you wanted him to sleep, you couldn’t help but be glad that he was awake sitting close to you while you prepared to leave for the work day. It was these moments that you were most grateful for. The normalcy these moments brought, along with the desire to keep having these moments remained strong. You lost track of time until your second alarm went off telling you that your time to finish getting ready was getting dangerously close. With one last peck to his nose you pulled the plug to the tub. Wrapping yourself in a warm towel you shooed Michael from the bathroom so you could focus on getting ready.

With your touch and smell still lingering in his system Michael reluctantly left you alone. The loneliness that came with your absence almost strangled him every day as he would count down every second until you walked back through that door to him. He knew this was a part of your life that you couldn’t change and a large part of him wished that he could have that sense of normalcy that you had. He knew where that had been taken from his life and it was his own fault. He could admit that much and he was just thankful that someone out there had realized that all he wanted was some form of understanding. While you were quickly realizing that it wasn’t completely Michael’s fault as he had just been a child when he did the horrible deed he had done, he still did it. Guilt squeezed his chest as he heard you singing in the bathroom, finishing your normal work routine. The urge to protect you from the horrible things that he had done and what the cruel world could achieve in taking from you, only grew stronger in these moments of thought. He clenched his fists, teeth grinding he marched to the kitchen. If he couldn’t go out to help earn a living like you, the least he could do was make your home life a little easier. That’s why he was so interested in everything you do.

 He didn’t get to grow up in a household where the parents love you unconditionally, didn’t teach him the basics of life. For the majority of his life; his food was prepared for him, his room was barely fit for a human being, and the regular decent things people got to experience was stolen from him. All because of one decision and one night so long ago. His world turned upside down. But you stepped in, teaching him what he wanted and bringing the part that he never got to have in. So he vowed to never have such things taken from you as he made you a quick breakfast and packed your lunch. When you came down the stairs, refreshed and dressed for work he watched you carefully. Taking in all the little details that made you, you. He couldn’t help but feel that these little moments, these days were dwindling down. He couldn’t hide forever and he couldn’t ask you to work yourself to death for both of you. Michael loved you too much to be that much of a burden to you.

 As a man he wanted to provide, to help you in life. Not hide out until the end of his days. One thing that did remain in Michael was his ability to hide his emotions. He didn’t want you worrying about him. You did that enough without knowing the turmoil that raged inside him. As he held out your lunch bag and breakfast, you smiled happy that you had someone that truly cared about you. Besides your parents, Michael had really taken an interest in making sure you had everything you needed, that your mornings didn’t have any unnecessary steps for you to do. He knew everything you liked and disliked, he even knew how you liked your coffee. You kissed his cheek promising to be back as soon as your day was over. He grabbed you before you could turn away, embracing you warmly before kissing you deeply. He wished to just hold you there and keep you forever, to keep you safe from the cruelness that seemed to trail you. But eventually you squirmed away, thinking he was just playing with you. You gave him one last goodbye and he waved slowly from the kitchen doorway. When the front door shut Michael’s shoulders sagged. It was going to be another long day with his thoughts.

You thought you had mentally prepared yourself for walking through those doors to the office, until the bombardment began as soon as you walked in. Your head began to spin as everyone slammed you with questions and before you could answer even one of them, someone else was asking a different question. You felt like you were on a roller coaster that was out of control and with no emergency brake. Your saving grace was Julie as she pushed her way through the crowd, she glared at your co-workers as she grabbed your arm and parted the people out of your way. She rushed you both into your office where she slammed the door closed. You panted from the exertion, both physically and mentally. While you knew Julie more than just wanted answers, she knew to give you time. That you would eventually open up, but not everyone was as considerate as she was. While everyone had your best interests in mind, due to what you had gone through, sometimes they forgot that in the pursuit of their own wants. Julie gave you a few moments to catch your breath before she spoke.

“If you need me let me know,” she said firmly. “But don’t think this gives you a pass on telling me why your secret boyfriend sounds so dang hot and you’re hiding him from us.”

“I have my reasons,” you coughed in your hand, trying and failing to hide your grin.

“Sure,” she scoffed opening the door and pointing her finger at you before leaving. Today was going to be interesting if not anything else. Sitting before the paperwork that had waited on you, you pressed your forehead into the wood. Interesting and long was what you decided, cause you were already ready to go home. Michael seemed so far away while you were here but you sucked in a deep breath and got to work.

Michael had stood there for awhile, just staring at the door that you had walked through. The loneliness crushed him every time you left, but it was becoming worse now  after that taste of freedom he had had. It was for your sake, but now the outside world intoxicated him in a way that he had never felt before. Being locked away for so long had stripped him of anything normal, he didn’t know how regular people acted. Now he wanted more, even though he knew he shouldn’t. You would be heart broken if he was taken away, just because he couldn’t ignore the siren call of the outside. Michael pulled his gaze away from the door, he had to occupy himself before he heeded the call and opened that door and stepped outside.

 It was hard to occupy himself every day as he wanted to spend the majority of the time with you. While the outside had became a siren towards him, you were his very being. Now that he had you he couldn’t get enough of the taste. There was so much he wanted to do with you, more than you both already done. You had turned into his everything and he didn’t know if you realized it. Even if you had never returned his affection, it was enough just to be here with you. Your happiness had become his very goal in life and while he wanted to stray outside more than anything he couldn’t strip your happiness away. That’s why he ignored his want, that’s why he distracted himself. He couldn’t bring himself to dwell on it any longer, but he couldn’t keep his wants hidden from you. You both had decided to tell each other everything. Though he knew already what you would tell him, he couldn’t keep it secret from you. It wouldn’t be fair. Turning from the door, ignoring the call to go out, he found something to occupy his time until you were able to come home.

You came home physically and mentally drained. The day had been too busy for Julie to corner you for details, you barely got a lunch break and all that included was a breather and a granola bar. Letting your bag and keys fall to the floor, you kicked off your heels and started searching for Michael.

“I’m home,” you called. Michael left your spare room, a streak of paint on his cheek. You giggled, wiping the paint away with your thumb before embracing him in a hug. All the tension you had left on your shoulders from work immediately melted away at the touch of his hands.

“I missed you,” you hummed. He answered back with a tighter squeeze. He always missed you, he didn’t have to tell you that every day for you to know it either. “What you working on in there?”

“Just practicing with some paint but I think we need to talk,” Michael spoke after letting you have a few moments of relaxation. You stiffened, fears suddenly plaguing your mind as the larger man lead you to the couch. He switched on a lamp illuminating the room. Your eyes glimmered with tears but he shook his head. He didn’t want to make you nervous but he couldn’t let you stay in the dark. He knew that his situation was different that most men but he still deserved a say in things. You needed to know and he needed you to know.

“I want to go outside.” He couldn’t bring himself to beat around the bush. Blunt speaking and getting right to the point always seemed the better option to him. His statement really didn’t shock you though, you knew it had to come around eventually. You had noticed a difference in Michael recently after you had gotten sick and he had taken it upon himself to go get the supplies to help you get better. He looked at the windows more and the door held his gaze too as if he longed for the freedom that outside brought. You never thought Michael as a less than highly intelligent individual. Stupid wasn’t what he was when he longed for the outside world. He was different now than from before when you first met him, he wanted to see what normal things life could bring. But he couldn’t risk letting himself be found by the authorities, while he longed for the outside the world, it didn’t long for him. He knew that. You never doubted for one moment he could reintegrate back into the real world, make a good name for himself now that he was realizing how much he had changed and learned. But people had a hard time looking pass someone’s past. You feared that Michael had too much damage and horrors linked with his name that could never be erased.

 Haddonfield would never welcome a reformed Michael Myers back into their midst, no matter how many times he proved himself. And if they knew you were as close to him as you were they would string you up right beside him. It didn’t matter you never took any lives, just being associated with him was enough for them to burn you at the stake alone with Michael. You took his scarred hands with yours giving them a squeeze.

“Michael,” you started to speak.

“I want to take you out to dinner,” he blurted suddenly, interrupting you. “I want to go to the movies with you. I want a job. I want a family.” He sucked in a breath his eyes boring into your being. “I want to be with you.”

You choked back a sob at the sudden confession he had been holding inside for who knows how long, ”But Michael. They won’t accept you and I can’t watch them drag you away. They may lock me up right beside you.”

He wiped your tears knowing that talking about this was bringing you pain, but he couldn’t take the secrecy it was eating him up inside. This had to happen, there was no getting around it. “I would never let them take you away. I will not be your downfall, but I want to provide for you like a normal man can.”

“You are,” you argued.

“I can’t buy you things you need. I can’t take you out to eat or go shopping. I have to watch you leave everyday and it’s getting harder.”

You swallowed, trying to rid yourself of the lump in your throat. “I’d say that I would never leave again. But we like to eat and watch TV.”

Michael chuckled kissing you softly. You racked your brain trying to think of something that could appease you both. The movies were dark enough but you still had to make your way from the front. Dinner was out of the question as you knew too many people and too many people recognized Michael Myers. The towns very own devil. Michael watched you in silence, your mind rushing to and fro. He had come to realize those moments when you were in deep thought, when suddenly you rose from the couch abruptly causing him to jump a little at the movement.

“Who says we have to go out to eat for a date,” you marched to the kitchen. “Stay right there until I call for you Michael.”

Michael obeyed, knowing better than to disobey when you were a woman on an a mission. He grabbed the remove to the TV and began flipping through channels as he listened to you do whatever you had planned in the kitchen.

After waiting for an hour, he wound up falling asleep on the couch while a comedy played on TV that quickly lost his attention. You strolled back into the living room, shaking Michael awake. He woke, but had to blink twice at the sight before him. You stood before him with a dirty apron and a fake mustache placed under your delicate nose.

“Sir if you will please follow me,” you deepened your voice and waved your stained hand to the kitchen door. Wordlessly Michael followed, his amusement evident on his handsome face. He stepped into a movie-esque scene in the dining room. A bright white table cloth placed upon the table and a candle placed delicately in the middle. The lights were off and all the light in the kitchen was from the single candle on the table. You lead him forward towards the table and he took a seat at your prompting. He could tell you had taken a few moments to go ahead and fix your hair in a style he had yet to see on you before.

“Your date said she was running a tad late,” you gave a little bow. “Please if you need anything while you wait don’t hesitate to ask.”

Peeling the mustache from your face and sticking it onto Michael’s brow you flung the apron on the couch as you raced by before heading down the hall, the echoes of his laughter following you. This had to be as perfect and authentic as you could make it. Luckily for you, you still had a nice dress you had bought several years ago for the company Christmas party you ever attended. You hadn’t worn it since that first year when Ian had gotten so drunk he was making out with everything female shaped and his pursuit of you began. Now you either didn’t show up or you wore something comfortable. Michael had yet to see you wear such attire, though he had seen you unclothed, the thought making you blush bright red. Shimmying from your food stained work clothes you pulled the dress up and placed your arms through the short sleeves. It was a little tighter than you remembered but it still fit. That’s all that mattered. You started to zip up the back, when you suddenly remembered how difficult the dress was to zip all the way up. The first and last time you wore the thing, you had put on a sweater until you made it to the office and Julie helped you zip it the rest of the way. But now you were stuck with no friend around, you wanted to surprise Michael but that was no longer an option.

“Michael,” you called down the hall, “can you come help me.”

Worry tugged at him, when he heard your tone of voice. He was out of his chair and in the bedroom immediately. He calmed down once he saw the sheepish look on your face. He stepped back, stunned by the scene before him. This was what he always imagined, but it was better than anything he had dreamed about. “I can’t get the stupid zipper up all the way,” you turned around pointing the the culprit only halfway up your back. “Can you help me?”

He nodded silently, taking careful steps forward he swallowed nervously. He had touched you, loved you in all different ways. But at this very moment, everything felt different. You stood there patiently, shivering at the gentle touch of his hand. Michael could smell the perfume you had put on, it was driving him crazy. The touch of your warm skin and the cool silk of the dress was plunging him deeper down into a place he had yet to explore before. You could hear the zipper being pulled, but not in the direction you wanted.

“You’re suppose to go up not down,” you swallowed thickly trying to joke to ease the tension you were feeling. You were afraid that your body was going to rat you out on how much you rather stay here in this room with Michael than go back to eat the meal you prepared.

Michael remained silent, pushing the fabric aside to where he could reach your neck and bare shoulder. He mindlessly followed what his heart and body wanted, letting his conscious take a back seat for once since he met you. You jolted at the first touch of his lips. As he kissed the crook of your neck, before he began to nibble his way to your ear. His large fingers pulling the delicate pins from your hair, until it fell down in a soft sheet that smelled of your floral shampoo. He brushed it aside, keeping his path clear as he continued to kiss and lick his way to your other shoulder. You trembled, your hands clenched in fists as you tried to remain still. Your world was beginning to revolve around him and you never wanted him to leave. Moments like these, you could no longer live without them. You longed for them and craved them when the two of you were alone.

“We’re supposed to eat before dessert,” you teased again. Your nervousness keeping you from shutting your mouth. Trying to ease the tension between you two. The hunger in Michael’s eyes inflaming your skin. You could feel the heat of his touch sear every nerve in your body. He reached your cheek, kissing you once, twice, before zipping your dress up and scooping you into his arms. The cool silk a sudden contrast to his blazing body. He wanted you now, but he would wait. You had to be hungry after a long day of work and he wasn’t going to deny you a meal for his more animalistic needs.

Michael admitted to himself quickly that this was the moments he longed for most. You had worked hard to make sure this candlelight dinner was everything he could dream of. Even down to that goofy waiter persona you created. After eating a quick dinner of spaghetti and followed by brownies covered in ice cream, Michael replaced the fake mustache on your lip and kissed you deeply. “You want me to grow a mustache now,” you laughed peeling it back off and throwing it in the trash.

“I would love you if you did grow one,” he replied taking the dishes to the sink. Still wearing your dress and him in his comfortable clothes you both washed dishes together. It quickly turned into a suds battle that left you both drenched. You went to go change into something dry and comfortable while Michael made popcorn. Once you came back and relieved him of popcorn duty Michael also went to change out of his wet clothes. It wasn’t long and you both were snuggled on the couch watching a movie together, the conversation from earlier in the back of your minds. Michael watched the TV while you remained deep in thought. It was unfair of you to ask him to remain hidden forever, while you had the freedom to go whenever you wanted. He wasn’t a dog, you couldn’t force him to stay secluded forever if he wanted to try something new. He’s a grown man and who were you to keep him from deciding for himself? Despite your heart breaking, you felt like he deserved the choice whether he wanted to leave or not. If you selfishly kept him from doing what he needed, you felt like that would make you no better than the doctors who kept him from the cure he so desperately needed. You couldn’t make him stay if he was ready to move on. But you would wait and let you both have this moment together, like everything about your relationship was normal. Once the popcorn was gone from the bowls and the credits began to scroll across the screen. Michael helped you clean up the mess in the living room before following you up the stairs.

He quickly shucked his shirt holding it out towards you. You took it gladly, slipping the warm material over your head before getting under the covers. Michal turned out the light once you were comfortable before making his way to his side of the bed. Getting comfortable his arm slipping around your waist, he pulled you into his side. His warm breath stirring the hair on the back of your neck.

“Michael,” you sighed, your body starting to shake as you were terrified of the thing you were about to ask.

“Mmm,” he hummed sleepily.

“Do you want to leave?”

Michael stiffened his eyes darting open in shock. His grip on you tightened while you continued to shiver violently.

“I can’t ask you to stay and be unhappy,” you choked back a sob. “It would be selfish of me and I love you too much to hold you back. I know your life hasn’t been the best and you deserve a new beginning, even if it has to be without me. Please answer truthfully I don’t want to hold you back from a life you want to shoot for.”

Michael tightened his grip, placing his forehead in your hair. He knew where this was coming from, the conversation from before had brought doubts to your mind. They would fester and you knew it, that’s why you were asking. You were giving him an out. One he knew he didn’t earn, nor deserve. You were the kindest person he had ever met and to not have you in his life anymore felt like torture. Starting anew had him shaking at the thought of no longer being afraid of being placed back into a cell that would drive him further into madness. But that would be a life without you and he was wondering if that would be a life at all.

“Michael?”

“Let’s leave together.” His voice was so quiet you had to strain to hear him. Your heart pounded against your chest and your breath began to quicken. For some reason your mind hadn’t thought of you both leaving. Haddonfield was all you had ever known. Your job was here, your home was here, and your parents were here. You never gave yourself the thought about uprooting your life of complacency, but for and with Michael you felt like you could. You immediately went to daydreaming about all the possibilities of a normal life with Michael. Your ring finger suddenly began to feel heavy as you rubbed your digit and imagined patters of little feet running through a larger home. Michael would be the man he craved to be, not what was shoved upon him here in Haddonfield.

“Would you have me Michael?”

He flipped you to your back, climbing on top of you where he could see you clearly. The moonlight coming through the curtains, causing his icy blue eye to glow in an ethereal light that had you sucking in a breath. He brushed the hair from your face, the glimmer of tears in your eyes causing his heart to break into little pieces. He had caused this, making you question what he actually felt for you.

  “I would have you and no one else,” he answered before kissing you. He quickly deepened the kiss, feeling your desperation. The need to know without a doubt that he was answering truthfully. He wouldn’t leave you behind. He couldn’t ever leave knowing that he had abandoned you to a fate worse than death. A pariah of Haddonfield just like him while he escaped it all. He wouldn’t ever do that to you, he loved you too much. You had to come with him. You both would start anew, it felt like fate as he continued to kiss you. Your muffled sobs swallowed by his mouth as he tried to comfort you. The tears wouldn’t stop as you felt a mixture of fear, comfort, and sorrow. Michael released you, allowing you both to regain your breath.

  “We don’t have to make a decision right now,” he said rolling back to his side and pulling you into him once more. He stroked your hair in comfort, the silken strands catching on his scars and callouses.

“I think I already know the answer,” you replied placing your hand on his bare chest and curling your fingers in the coarse hair there. “But I don’t want to say anything yet. It’s a big decision.”

Michael nodded, “Sleep on it. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Promise,” you sighed as the emotions you had felt today wore you out that you began to drift away into slumber.

“Promise,” he kissed you again, now stroking your cheek. With that you drifted off, but Michael no longer felt tired. He was more than happy to watch you sleep the night away. Something new was brewing in the air, but it had a tang of bitterness. He couldn’t help but feel that something horrible was on the horizon for both of you and that it wouldn’t matter what you both decided. Something was going to happen and soon. Michael vowed to protect you no matter what. He held you tightly, listening to your soft breaths before he was finally lulled to sleep by your calming presence.

[commonguttersnipe]

Rank the Pythons out of 10 based on which Python does it BEST in drag (in your personal opinion) and give reasons why please?

Thanks!!

6. John

I think the whole joke is that he makes a terrible woman but still… Anne Elk is rather pretty in my opinion.

5. Terry

Also one where I think the joke is that they are hideous but… he looks great!

4. Graham

The screeching falsetto makes it for me personally. Definitely the funniest pepperpot.

3. Michael

Criminally did a lack of drag. This is particularly upsetting as he makes a very pretty woman.

2. Eric

Prettiest python in drag. Like, if any of his characters want to go out on Saturday, I'm free on Saturday.

1. JONESY

He's just so convincing! I don't know whether it's his height or his voice but I’m in love.

[writergirl3]

"Bring Me Back To Her"- Robaire x Reader

Here's the Robaire segment of the 'Song Lyrics That Describe Your Relationship With 4 Town', as promised. The original lyrics aren't g/n, so I've amended them a little. Also, let me know who I should write next!

Anyway, hope you enjoy🧡

---

“If the angels took me from this earth, I would tell them 'bring me back to her'.” - ‘Heaven Can Wait’, Michael Jackson. 

Mornings always were Robaire’s favourite time of day. The streaks of the first sunlight, that refreshed post-sleep feeling, the gratitude for another day of memories…the list could never end, honestly.

Especially when he gets to experience all of these things with you.

This morning, though, wasn’t like all the others. Sure, Robaire woke up with you in his arms, the comforter all tangled from your stirring. The birds were chirping outside of his window, undisturbed by any sounds of modern life. And your grip on him was as secure and clingy as ever.

So why did he feel so on edge?

Well, he blamed his subconscious for that. Robaire was no stranger to vivid dreams, but nightmares were, thankfully, more of a rarity for him. But not last night.

The details were hazy, and for that he should probably be thankful. Rubbing his eye with his free hand, he tried to recollect what had happened.

All he could remember was being dragged away from you. He had been thrashing against the force that pulled him upwards, reaching unendingly for your outstretched hand. You had screamed his name as he was lifted away from you, higher and higher. He wished he could forget the cries that contorted your features, exhibiting a pain he hoped you’ll never encounter. 

As he was snatched away from you, your figure had got smaller and smaller, a mere speck on the surface of the earth. Through ugly sobs, he had turned his attention skyward, ready to face whatever, or whoever, was tearing him from you.

His vision had been blurry, that much he remembered. Through his tear-stricken gaze, he had deciphered a pair of wings. To whom they belonged, he couldn’t say. The wings were in fact quite beautiful, glowing with a kind of luminous power that he realised he couldn’t fight.

Nevertheless, he had screamed out into his impending imprisonment: “Bring me back to them!”

And that’s when he woke up. Sweaty, and in search of you.

He hugged you tighter now, never having been so grateful to hold you. It was only when he pressed a soulful kiss to your forehead that he remembered.

Last night, before going to sleep, he’d been playing Michael Jackson’s new album. After you’d turned in, he’d continued listening to one particular song, Heaven Can Wait.

Detaching his lips from your skin, he felt himself calm down. Letting the lyrics of Jackson’s song ring in his ears, it was no wonder he’d dreamt what he did.

But, he wondered if there was more to it than that. The wings he’d dreamt about were awfully similar to the props that had hoisted him from the stage on the night of the Pandapocolypse. He’d thought a lot about how lucky he, and the boys, had been to get out of that situation unharmed. Maybe he hadn’t got over that night, and its potential consequences, as well as he’d thought.

With a sigh, he squeezed you a little tighter. Since Robaire met you, he’d known he’d be with you for the rest of his life, whatever it takes. So, logically speaking, there would come a day where the course of nature separates you. He just hoped that this detachment would be temporary, and a long way off.

Gazing back down at you, Robaire thought back to the lyrics of the earworm he has yet to defeat. In that moment, he realised that he couldn’t make it through life’s journey without you.With this in mind, he buried his face in your hair, whispering;

“If the angels took me from this earth, I would tell them ‘bring me back to them’.”

—-

4 Town Masterlist

[starscream1998]

Might be recency bias kicking in but Cassie is probably my fav FNAF protagonist. Michael on paper sounds absolutely great but given I'm constantly questioning literally every aspect of his story and his personality consists of a single monologue and some witty retorts and drawings in a logbook he's not all that. Crying Child basically has Michael's problems but even worse, he's unironically a pretty solid protagonist if you just take FNAF 4 on a self-contained basis but the moment you bring the big lore picture in Crying Child is a pain in the ass and drags the story down. Gregory I am on record as being his biggest defender and I still stand by my points...but he is a prickly two-faced little menace with an actual body count and he won no favours with me at the end of Ruin. Cassie is my daughter and I will hear no complaints thank you and goodbye. Okay, real talk Cassie's voice acting can be a little flat but it picks up big time in the 2nd half and she's the right blend of sassy, empathic and genuinely likeable. Vanessa, I like as a character a lot but if I was judging her on our time with her in HW there'd not be a lot to talk about.