#(I need to go digging for refs again but this was one of the best I found back then in terms of explaining some Issues)

[the-cu-genswap-au]

originally I wasn't going to make proper refs for these guys but I decided eh screw it, they're notable enough

every school has its very own gang of bullies. These four are Jerome Horwitz's.

- Tara Ribble is the head mean girl at JHES, sarcastic and impatient and with a talent for digging up the worst dirt she can on her fellow students and using it against them. Apart from being a master of petty insults, Tara is also incredibly perceptive, catching on quickly to other kids' insecurities and using those to hit them where it hurts. She's not popular around school by any means, but her reputation means that the other students at the very least know to stay in line around her.

- To her teachers, though, Tara is the perfect student, academically gifted and a treasure to have in class. Tara is one of the top students at Jerome Horwitz, a status she's not afraid to flaunt to her struggling classmates.

- Design note: I actually prefer Ribble's purple color scheme from the books/movie, but I ended up giving her the orange color palette from the show since I'd already decided that purple would be Meaner's color

- Kenny Meaner is Tara's right-hand man and muscle, the brawn to her brains. Tara tells him which kid is annoying her this week and Kenny will gladly rough them up for her, and he doesn't particularly care if it's a fair match, either. Although he is at least cautious enough to never actually hurt anybody; the adults at this school are always vigilant....

- Kenny is also one of the star athletes at Jerome Horwitz, flaunting his head jock status the same way Tara flaunts her test scores. There's.... really not much to him besides sports and bullying, really. Lucky he has Tara to tell him what to do.

- Edith Anthrope (not to be confused with the other Edith) is the closest thing Tara has to a best friend, but even Edith herself will admit that the two mostly tolerate each other at best. The two girls were brought together by their shared disdain for every other idiot kid in Jerome Horwitz, and now they stick together to avoid falling victim to the other. Fun times!

- In contrast to Tara, however, Edith is much more of a stoic, not outright malicious the way Tara is but more like brutally honest, never holding back her real opinions on people no matter how hurtful. She's perfectly content to take a backseat to Tara's schemes, preferring to help behind the scenes and make sure no one gets in Tara's way.

- Design note: this magenta color scheme is completely arbitrary; I just wanted to give her something distinct from both Tara's and Kenny's palettes

- Morty Fyde is a bit of an oddball here: he doesn't really like hanging around the others, and none of them really like him either, but somehow he managed to weasel his way into their good graces and now he just has to be careful to not upset them too much and he can be safe from them. Again, fun times!

- Morty really doesn't have it in him to be truly mean, but he reluctantly goes along with the bullying anyway because he just desperately wants to be accepted, even if it's by the worst possible people. The other three, for their part, mostly just let him tag along and largely ignore him unless they need him to do something for them. In the rare times when he manages to get away from this influence, Morty's actually a really sweet, if awkward kid with a love for comic books, gardening, and (secretly) all things science.

[clumsiestgiantess]

Tserem’s story is actually too long to put all in one sitting, so I’ve decided to split it into two halves with a cliffhanger in the middle. You’re welcome.

(his ref is here btw)

I had his text in a cool font to show his strange accent; kinda sad it doesn’t transfer over onto Tumblr, so just pretend Tserem’s lines are in Caveat font.

I'd only started a rebellion which nearly usurped the King and massacurred his entire bloodline.  I see no need for a death sentence.  It would be the noose for sure — a public hanging to make an example out of me.  I stood patiently in the small courtroom, my arms and legs chained to the cold, stone floor.  Meanwhile, the King, my judge, jury, and soon to be executioner stood haughtily from a podium above me.  Light filtered in through gleaming stained-glass windows above his large wood-carved chair, bathing him in a yellow halo-esque glow.  That visual had to be intentional.

"Filthy rebel leader," the king addressed me, refusing to use my name, though he must know it.  It was by accident that I became a household name.  I hadn't intended for my less-than-ethical ways to spread like wildfire throughout the kingdom.  Then again, it wasn't hard when many were left starving and homeless.  These days people are desperate enough to do just about anything.  Scarlet became an accursed whisper in the wind.  Scarlet like the blood of her enemies.  Scarlet like my own blood which seeped onto the floor from the wounds I'd generously been given on my way in here.  "You will be sentenced to death by-”

The King's advisor quickly pulled him aside; I strained my ears to hear what he said.  "If you hang her in the square, you will have another riot on your hands.  She will not only make a good example of those who do not follow you, she will become a symbol of what those cretins are fighting for."  Damn.  He was right.  I was betting on some sort of trouble to go down during my execution.  I'd even hoped to escape in the chaos.  "It is best you do something more.. secretive."  I tried to tell them that no matter how they killed me, my death would still stand for something.  It has to mean something, right?  However, a metal clamp held my mouth closed, digging into my jaw as I tried to speak.  The King cleared his throat, returning to the podium.  "Rebel, you are sentenced to death… by sacrifice."  

My eyes widened in shock, and my mouth would've hung agape had it not been for the clamp that held it tightly shut.  I strained against my chains.  Death by sacrifice was supposed to be a myth.  Only vague tales claim that the King had tamed the Beast of Shrieking Hill.  And still only rumors claimed that he'd done so with human sacrifices.

"Guards!" the King commanded, "Take her to be readied for the ceremony!"  I cried out in dismay, thrashing in my chains as two armored guards dragged me away.  This time, I wasn't taken to a cell.  They dragged me past the reinforced prison doors to a hallway that came to an abrupt end.  We waited there for a while.  I attacked one of the guards, testing how easy escape would be.  It wasn’t easy enough.  The guard I hadn't attacked cracked the blunt end of his sword over my head, and I crumpled to the ground.  My vision was dotted with black spots, but once they subsided, an old hag stood in front of me.  I flinched, unsure if I was really seeing her or if that guard had knocked the sanity out of me.  The King, followed by his elite personal guard, came up behind the old woman.  My two guards were dismissed, replaced by two of the King's very own.  They held me aside as a third stepped up to the end of the corridor.  They did something to the wall — I couldn't quite see, but it had something to do with rearranging the stone pattern — and suddenly it split wide open, revealing a tunnel straight into the earth.

I was dragged inside first, and the rest of my entourage followed suit.  We walked for what felt like eternity, yet it was over too soon.  The end of the tunnel led into the middle of the forest, where an inconspicuous cart waited.  I was bound tighter and thrust into the back while the rest of the party rode in seats surrounding me.  One of the guards, and the King of course, rode up front to steer.  I was thrown about, jostled roughly every time the cart hit a bump, which was quite often on this derelict road.  

Again the trip was over after eternity, yet only a moment.  The sky had darkened to deep hues of purple and pink.  My stomach dropped as I saw what awaited me.  A long stake lay on the ground with only one small cross-section for me to stand on once it was raised.  I tried to slip away from the guards while they removed my chains, but I should've known better.  These were the best of the best.  I barely made it more than a few inches before their almost inhumanly fast reflexes grabbed hold of me once more.  

Fear gripped me once I was tied to the stake.  My death suddenly became a very real prospect to me.  I would never let myself beg the King for mercy, but I would certainly voice my fear.  Especially once the old hag leaned over me with a bowl of strange liquid between her hands.  She dipped her fingers into it and reached out to put it on me.  I screamed between the fabric of the gag in my mouth, squirming away from the sickly sweet smelling ooze as it dripped off her fingers.  

Despite my best efforts to escape, I could do nothing but watch as multiple guards came to hold me down while the old woman did her work.  The king watched everything from afar, his cold emotionless eyes glaring at me from the edge of the clearing.  First, the woman used the awful stuff to draw markings across my face.  Her long nails were so sharp that she cut into me slightly and I yelped, though it couldn't really be heard through my gag.  Then, she pulled down the neck of my tunic and took another dip of the strange oil.  She drew a symbol over my sternum, pressing roughly into my skin so it was drawn in both oil and blood.  The liquid stung my fresh cuts and I shrieked in pain.

The old hag whispered unintelligible nonsense over me and the guards hoisted me and the stake upwards until it was stuck firmly into the ground.  Now, I was held a good ten or so feet off the earth.  By then, the sky was completely dark and the only light came from the few torches dispersed about the clearing.  The King stepped up to the mountainside in front of me with a torch in his hand.  It was only then that I noticed the gaping hole in the rock face, void black against even the torchlight, like an endless pit.  A similar pit yawned in my stomach as I stared at it in horror.  

"Beast, I offer you tonight another sacrifice!  I hope you may find her suitable, and fill your insatiable appetite."  I retched at the thought of being eaten.  Terror seized my chest as everyone in the clearing proceeded back down the path they'd come.  I cried muffled pleas, begging them to reconsider, but they were soon gone.  Alone in the clearing, I squeezed my eyes shut and hoped for a quick death.

Nothing but the sounds of animals and rustle of leaves on trees in the crisp night air could be heard from the forest.  However, as the sun slid away, another sound started beneath it all.  It was barely noticeable at first.  One moment it was hidden, the next, I was sure I heard it — the tapping of something hard stepping over stone.  Only, it wasn't stepping, really.  The sound was more akin to scuttling, like a massive bug.  This was strange, yet even more terrifying.  I expected the beast to be some awful demon or dragon, maybe a huge hairy monster.  The prospect of something unknown frightened me more than any of those creatures did.  I had to take a look.  

To my relief and disappointment, the torches had all gone out while my eyes were shut tightly.  My heart flew into my throat when I saw the cave — its opening was practically unseeable so that it looked as if it had grown wider in the dark.  A long, snaking body spiraled out of the abyss, spindly legs skittered about its sides as it glided closer.  I wanted to scream, but I couldn't make a single sound.  The very front of its body lifted up, rearing back its head.  I couldn't see what it looked like, but then again, I didn’t really want to.

The creature's creeping body skittered closer, circling the stake once before bringing its head up to examine me.  Dilated snake-like eyes glistened in the dark.  Finally, it seemed my body had caught up with my brain.  I screamed, writhing on the stake in a poor attempt to free myself before the monster could swallow me up.  The creature flinched away from me for a moment before drawing closer.  A forked tongue brushed my chest where the oils were drawn, making my breath hitch in terror, my whole body going cold.

Two massive appenages, almost twice the size of its scuttling legs and far more muscular, lifted from its body from a place a bit below its head.  I thrashed and screamed as the limbs moved in towards me.  At last, I managed to break free of something.  The gag in my mouth fell around my neck.  "Wait!" I cried, "Please!  I'm begging you!  Please don't eat me!  I've done nothing wrong!"  This was a bold-faced lie, but it was all I could think of.  The creature froze in place, pupils narrowing, scrutinizing me from above.  No wonder I was placed on a stake so high in the air.  This monster was as likely as long as the entire castle bridge; its snaking body still sat partially in the cave with no end in sight.  

The creature leaned backwards on its impossibly long body, and for a moment I thought it had somehow miraculously listened to my words.  It was too good to be true — not even my own supporters believed much of what I said.  They only believe in what I did.  Once.  To a few people who really deserved it.  The lengthy creature wound back only to strike at me with lightning speed, ripping me right off the stake.  I shrieked as the shadowy form of the monster overtook me, and I was plunged into darkness.

A throbbing pain in my side startled me awake, and I found myself pressed into a rocky lump of the floor.  Wait.. I woke up.  I'm alive!  My head spun as I sat up and gazed at the room around me.  Glorious light bounced off crystalline structures that grew from floor to ceiling all over the cavern.  It was so beautiful that I was almost certain that I had died after all.  A pristine pool of water reflected the ceiling like a mirror.  My stupefied shock was suddenly overcome by fear as the twisting shadow of the creature that attacked me slid behind the rocky outer edges of the cavern.  I scrambled backwards, searching rapidly for a way out.  

"What do you want with me!?" I cried, standing up despite my dizziness.  "Why don't you just get it over with already?  Stop toying with me and eat me!"  "I thought you said you did not want me to eat you."   I gawked, staring at the creature's form as it stopped moving and gazed at me from the dark.  "Y- You can talk?"  The voice that echoed from the creature's side of the cavern was masculine, and thick with an accent I didn't recognize.  His remark sounded almost amused.  "Why are you-" I suddenly collapsed on the ground, dizziness catching up with me.  I hadn't drank anything over the past who-knows-how-long; I'd probably been unconscious for a while.

"The water in this cavern is for drinking." the creature told me.  I took his words as an invitation and rushed to the water's edge, scooping the cool liquid into my hands and guzzling it as quickly as I could.  I kept an eye on the shadow of the creature the entire time, just in case he tried to attack me while I was turned from him.  Once I finished, I continued my question from before.  "Why are you hiding back there?"  The creature was silent for a moment.  His shadow edged closer, but never came into the light.  "I am hiding because you will be terrified if you see me.  I have tried to take a more human form, but it is not very human."  A more human form?  His shadow didn’t look human at all.  It was twisted around a third of the cavern.  “Well, I’m already terrified of you, so what does it matter?” I replied.  The creature was quiet, slithering back and forth between the columns of crystal.  “I suppose you are right,” he muttered, sliding into the light.

A massive, serpentine body coiled towards me; I followed it with my eyes all the way up to his torso, which faded from scales to tan human flesh.  The beginning of his body — from his torso to his head — looked almost completely human, except for his startling yellow slitted eyes and slightly elongated mouth.  "See, I told you that you would be scared," he grumbled, gesturing to my pale face and horrified expression.  I stumbled backwards, nearly falling into a smaller pool of water behind me.  "Are- Are you going to eat me?"  Panic bubbled into my voice.  I could hear it echo over the stone walls around me.  It was then that I realized that the creature's large body was blocking the only exit I could see.  He grumbled annoyedly, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly.  I backed away further, worried that I'd angered him.  Suddenly, the creature laughed.  His jaw unhinged as he did so, causing me to whimper involuntarily.  I was so sure he'd eat me — that he'd simply swallow me whole.  "Oh, I suppose I should not be laughing," the creature mused, catching himself.  "After all, it is my job to eat humans who are sacrificed to me.  Do not panic little creature, I do not intend to hurt you."

He could easily tell that I didn't believe a word he said by the way I had myself pressed against the back wall, so he continued.  "Look, if I were going to eat you, why would I have waited to do so now?  I could easily have eaten you tied up on the stake."  "I- I don't know!" I cried, "Maybe you like to toy with your food before eating it?  Didn't you just tell me that it's your job to eat me?  Why would you not?"  The being's eyes narrowed in thought for a moment.  "You are rather smart for a human.  I knew I saw something worthwhile in you," he mused.  "Alright, if you wish not to believe me, I do not mind.  You may go free.  I am sure you have family of some sort that are worried about you."  

Shock and sorrow seized my chest simultaneously, mixing into hostility.  "I don't have a family," I murmured as the creature made way for me at the entrance.  "The King's army killed them trying to get to me!  You work for him, and I don't believe a word you say!"  "I DO NO SUCH THING!" the creature roared, scaring me into silence again.  "I work for food.  The King just happens to be my supplier."  He slithered closer to me, leaning over the pool of water, casting ripples over its pristine surface.  His human hand reached for me and I gasped.  The length of it was almost four feet tall.  Thankfully, the creature pulled it back to his side at the last second, re-thinking his actions.  

"I am Tserem.  A being from another world with powers your human mind can barely comprehend, yet I too have what you call family.”  His shuddering sigh made my hair stand on end, but his voice sounded genuine.  “He took yours from you, and he took me from mine."  The creature, Tserem, leaned back like he'd done the night before, though this time he didn't look as though he would strike at me.

His words finally seemed to take hold in my mind.  “You’ve come from another world?  I’ve heard of other realms.. but another world?  What does that mean?”  His foreign accent, devilish appearance, and strange name all made much more sense.  “I have a proposition for you,” he told me, ignoring my questions.  “I have saved your life so I ask you to listen, at the very least, to what I have to offer."

"My name is Scarlet," I replied, "I'm a symbol of a rebellion against the king.  What could you possibly have to offer me?"  "Besides your life?"  He chuckled as my heart nearly beat right out of my chest.  "That was a bad joke, sorry.  You are called Scarlet?"  I nodded hesitantly.  "Come then, I will show you what I mean."  Tserem beckoned for me to follow him, and I cautiously stepped up to his side while he waited for me by the cavern opening.  Nodding brusquely, he slithered into the next cave.  This one was smaller than the other and dimly lit with torches rather than crystalline light.  

Once I stepped in, he gestured to the wall behind him.  An ugly metal clamp cut into the rock wall.  A gigantic, thick chain stemmed from it, coiling across the floor and into Tserem's lower back, digging beneath his snake-like scales.  I can't say I pity this monster, but the metal inside his skin must be horribly painful.  "I could easily go out and kill the King myself.  However, I am trapped here.  I have asked many other sacrificed humans if they wished to help me escape, but none of them have helped me, and some of them I…  could not bother to ask."  

Was it my imagination, or did he hesitate just then?  "I mean, if you give people the option to go free or help a creature like you, I'm guessing most of them chose to get out while they could."  He nodded, a faraway look in his eyes.  "What did you mean when you said you didn't ask some of them?" I asked suspiciously, "Why did you pause for a moment when you spoke?"  I don’t think I’ll like the answer, but for my own safety, I think I should have one. 

Tserem shuddered, "The only things I can eat are animals stupid enough to wander in here, and the humans that are given to me.  Most animals scent me and run long before I can reach them.  Sometimes, when I hear a human writhing on that pole, I am…  I am too far beyond starving to think about sparing a free meal."  "You..  You don't even give them a chance?" I whispered, horrified.  "Those are people!  You can't just eat someone!"  "When you are starving and angry and alone, yes, you can," he spat back.  

"So if I agreed to help you but you got hungry, would you eat me?"  Tserem began to look sick.  "I know you are intelligent beings, but I must do what I can to survive.  I do not want to eat humans, but like my living situation, I have no choice.  The King could feed me anything else, yet he decides to only feed me his own kind."  I stepped down from my argument.  He was forced to live in a cave, forced to eat living ‘sacrifices’.  Like me — forced into becoming a symbol of the rebellion through a few vengeful acts — he became this way through the terrible mistreatment of him by the King, just as I had.  Tserem was a monster by circumstance, not by choice.

I took a deep breath of air, summoning up whatever courage I had left within me.  "Alright.  I'll help you.  Just.. swear to me that no matter how hungry you get, you will not eat me."  Tserem nodded eagerly.  "I would never do such a thing," he replied in mock horror.  At my steely glare, he quickly backed down.  "Yes, of course I will not hurt you.  So, do we have a deal?  You will help free me?"  "You promised me something in return," I reminded him.  "Hmm, I was hoping you would forget about that part.  What would you like?  I can give you riches, power, knowledge…"  Tserem went on and on, listing wishes to grant like a genie in a bottle.  None of his prospects interested me, though.  All I really wanted was my old life back, but that was impossible now.  Out of everything he listed, I supposed I wanted protection the most.  If I'd had protection from the start, I could have saved my family rather than avenge them.

"Protection!" I blurted, "I'll take protection!"  Tserem smiled genuinely down at me.  "Deal!  Scarlet, if you free me, I will owe you a great debt.  I will pledge allegiance to you over the King, and will protect you with my life."  My eyes widened at the thought of having my own personal otherworldly bodyguard.  My mind wandered to the glorious idea of storming into the castle with him by my side, forcing the king off his throne of neglect and deceit.  

"Deal," I replied, holding out my hand for him to shake.  It was a habit, really.  I hadn't expected him to do the same, so it surprised me when his gigantic hand reached for me again.  I flinched away, but soon regained my composure once I realized what he intended to do.  It took all the courage I had to keep from diving into another part of the cave as Tserem inched closer.  Two of his gigantic fingers gripped my whole hand between them.  I expected his grip to be crushing, like a snake coiling around its prey.  However, he was shockingly gentle, delicately shaking my hand with the smallest amount of force.  I could see from the concentrating expression on his face that he was trying his best not to hurt me.

Once he let go, I fell to the floor, exhausted, all threats finally dealt with.  It was daylight outside; I could see it shining from further ahead in the caves.  Still, I hadn't slept all night, and I'd been on high alert ever since I'd been captured.  There’s no food in prison — at least nothing edible.  By now, I’m running off pure fear and adrenaline alone.  Though I was in a strange cave with a creature I barely knew, I got up and searched for somewhere to rest.  I should be safe here.  Not only had Tserem vowed not to eat me, he'd pledged to keep me safe, if I freed him, that is.  I will free him, but not now, not when I'm nearly passing out with exhaustion.  Tserem seemed to notice that I was rapidly losing consciousness at just the right time.  I nearly fell to the floor, but he caught me before my head collided with stone.  I yelped, feeling a sense of vertigo as the gigantic being cautiously pulled me into cupped hands.  In a half sleep, I watched as he slithered off and lay me down in a pile of furrs.  The moment I felt the soft surface beneath me, I fell into a dark and dreamless sleep.

I woke up in a cold sweat, grasping at the furs beneath me.  A nightmare of yesterday’s terrifying events was still fresh in my mind.  Tserem was still asleep when I woke.  He was coiled in a large, scaley heap on the floor, his human torso lying over the top, mouth agape in a snore.  I turned back to the furs and jumped at a strange bristling object I saw nearby.  A whole berry bush sat beside my sleeping place, torn right out of the ground.  This must be my meal.  I’m quite literally starving to death at the moment, so I guess this will do.  While I ate my fill, I watched Tserem.  It was harder to be afraid of him while he was sprawled out across the floor like that.  

Cautiously, I tiptoed past him and wandered the caves, coming to the large opening at the front.  I could see a vast spread of the kingdom lay out before me in the early morning sun.  Clouds caught on the peaks of mountains all around, and light glinted off windows of the houses below.  “Beautiful, is it not?” Tserem asked, startling me.  “I would enjoy living here if I were not trapped here.”  I glanced up at him, watching as his expression sunk to a remorseful stare.  “Hopefully you won’t be stuck here much longer,” I replied.  “How were you planning for someone to free you?”  Tserem slithered back into his cave, and I followed far behind.  I just couldn’t keep up with the sheer size of his winding strides.

At the metal base, Tserem bent down and pointed at the rock face that held the plate.  “I have been working at this wall for many years now.  If you could bring me something as leverage, I will be able to pry myself free.”  I glanced at the opening again.  “What about the stake outside?  Can’t you just use that?”  Tserem huffed, “Do you really think I have spent all these years sitting here but have yet to try that flimsy little stick out there?  It it useless.  It snaps in two before the plate so much as creaks.  I can yank this metal out with my own hands quicker than that stake.”  

“Alright, alright,” I digressed, trying to calm Tserem’s sudden wave of anger.  “What else could we try?”  Before either of us could come up with an idea, the sound of a wagon coming up the path echoed into the cave.  I stepped to the opening curiously, but Tserem yanked me back inside.  “Hey!  What-“  “Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” he whisper-yelled at me, “You are supposed to be dead, remember?”  Tserem peered outside then shot back in, centipede-like legs sliding out from under his skin to create more traction.  “You have to hide!  They are coming to ensure you have died, and report back to the king.”

I looked wildly around the barren rock walls and floor.  “Where?  There’s nowhere for me to hide!” I whispered in a panic.  “Come with me.”  Tserem skittered away into the next cavern, gone in a moment.  I ran after him as fast as I could.  The moment I was inside, gigantic fingers wrapped around my torso, hoisting me into the air with a single hand.  I screamed in terror, but was immediately silenced by a light squeeze.  “Quiet!  They are close enough to hear you!”  “Then why did you grab me, you ass, put me down!”  I shoved at his grip, but it didn’t even budge.  My entire hand just barely fit around the thickness of his finger.  “I grabbed you because you are too small and slow,” he hissed, “Also because I am putting you somewhere safe until they leave.  Oh, I do need this.”   

My overcoat was torn off of me.  I sputtered the angry beginnings of an argument, but Tserem was already lifting me up.  His lanky body extended until I was nearly at the top of the cavern.  He placed me on a rock ledge high above the floor, like a parent placing snacks on a shelf that was too high up for a child to reach.  Lowering himself to the floor, he took my overcoat and placed it between his teeth, shredding it to pieces that drifted to the stone below.  I nearly began to curse at him again, but I realized that if people were coming to check if I'd died, they would easily mistake my shredded garment as proof of just that.

Tserem slithered to the entrance, but not before giving me a final glance over his shoulder.  "Once they leave.. I will not be able to come for you for some time.  Please do not do anything rash on my behalf.  I will return; do not worry."  I desperately wanted to ask him what that meant, but Tserem slithered away at the sound of people at the entrance.  Voices drifted down the rock tunnels to me.  I leaned closer to listen, but I nearly fell off the ledge in doing so.  In the end, I decided clarity wasn't worth the risk of falling to my death.  Tserem would hopefully explain things later.  There were at least two voices I didn't recognize.  They yelled angrily back and forth as a shrieking hiss filled the air.  I could only assume the noise had come from Tserem.  Nothing else would be able to make a cry like that.  Suddenly, a tremendous thud revertibrared through the walls, and shortly after, the sound of clanking armor.  I know that sound all too well.  Street Patrols wore armed plates to protect themselves as they broke up fights, or started them.  

Three people filed into the cavern wearing much heavier armor than the Street Patrols do.  They scanned the seemingly empty cavern as I quickly pressed myself to the wall behind me, afraid that one of them might glance upwards and spot me.  "Hey!  Look up there!"  My heart seized in my chest.  How had they seen me already?  "There are shreds of cloth over here!"  I let out a relieved breath.  The guard, or whoever they were, said 'up there' referring to 'up ahead', not 'hey there's the fugitive that was sentenced to death still alive up on that ledge!'  "Looks like hers to me," someone commented.  "Search the area!" another commanded, "See if you can find anything else left of her."  

I hope my shredded undercoat is enough to convince them I'm dead.  Should I have tried putting some of my blood on it?  Thankfully, the guards weren't too keen on staying here very long.  They took the scraps of my clothing and left.  Once the clanking of their armor dissipated into silence, and I was sure they were gone, I called out to Tserem.  "Tserem!  Are you alright?"  He didn't respond.  I couldn't even hear movement, or breathing for that matter.  His last words to me repeated in my head: 'I will not be able to come for you'.  He said he'd return, but what if something had happened?  What if that cry he made was in pain?  I have to get to him.

The question is how to get to him.  The ledge I'm sitting on is so high that if I stand up, I can touch the cavern ceiling.  Scanning the rocks below me, I internally mapped out a path I might be able to traverse to get down.  However, it consisted of various death-defying leaps from one crystalline structure to another.  I decided to wait and see if Tserem would come back first; the deadly way down would be a last resort.  After about ten minutes, I gave up on waiting.  What if Tserem needed me?  He can't give me protection if he's dead!  

Carefully sliding myself over the side of the rock ledge, I dropped down to the first crystal of many.  The beginning few descents went smoothly enough.  I managed to jump the deadliest gap with only a minor heart attack after nearly sliding off the other side.  It wasn't until the second-to-last jump that I messed up.  My foot landed wrong as I came down, ankle twisting painfully to the side.  I cried out, almost falling off the ledge completely, but I managed to catch the very tip of it on my way down.  Dangling from the smooth crystal surface, my fingers couldn't keep a firm grip.  A few moments after catching myself, I fell the rest of the way down, colliding with hard stone.

Needle-like pain shot through my left arm, which had taken the brute of the fall.  You numb-brained idiot! I scolded myself as I yelled in agony, He told you to wait for him for good reason!  I took a moment to breathe through the initial shock of pain, then moved to sit up and assess just how badly I was injured.  That turned out to be a horrible idea.  I came to a shuddering stop halfway up, then practically fell back to the floor.  A few minutes later, I managed to get my torso upright to see what had broken.

Firstly, my right ankle was already swelling tremendously.  The skin around it began blossoming into an ugly purple.  Next was my left shoulder.  It hung limply at my side, detached from its socket.  I gagged at the sight and tore my gaze away from it.  Besides a few minor scratches and a lot of bruises, those were my most significant injuries.  I half-crawled half-dragged myself over to a large rock formation, using its side to hoist myself up.  It took almost everything I had to get moving.

Despite my injuries, I'm determined to see Tserem.  If I don't, all of my wounds will have been for nothing.  I hobbled into the connected cave.  Tserem's limp tail lay across the floor.  As painlessly as I could manage — which was still tremendously painful — made my way over and followed his body to the entrance.  As I passed the metal clamp on the wall, I realized that the armored men had also tightened his chains so he could no longer leave the cave.  My shocked gasp echoed across stone as I continued on.  A spear was lodged into Tserem’s side, dripping with a strange clear liquid.  I realized with a start that he wasn't breathing, and one word came to mind.  Poison.  The clear liquid on the spear must be a sort of poison, keeping him from taking a breath.

Try as I might, the spear was lodged much too deep for me to pull it out single-handedly.  I tried only once and doubled over in pain as I moved to use my left arm.  Crawling to his head, I lay exhausted in the grass just beyond the rough stone of the cave.  It felt like I'd been poisoned, too.  I couldn't move a single muscle.  I started to wonder if we might both die together, when a raspy gasp tore through my quiet groaning.  "Tserem!" I cried weakly, watching from the ground as he slowly lifted his head.  Relief washed over me, but I hesitated as he hissed angrily.

"Ahh!  Another forsaken spear in my side!  What did they lace it with this time?"  He whirled around and tore the spear out of himself, cursing as the gash gurgled with fresh blood.  Tserem hissed again and turned slowly to head back inside, nursing his wounds.  "Wait!" I gasped as loudly as I could.  It hurt me a bit to hear how weak I sounded.  "Tserem, I-"  He turned around in shock, slithering towards me.  "What in all the worlds..?" he muttered, staring down at me.  "I- I tried to climb down from the ledge," I whimpered, "And I.. fell."  Tserem sighed.  It wasn't a harsh, disappointed sigh, but rather an airy, pitying one.  "I should know by now that humans do not listen.  Come here, let me help you."  

Tserem's hands descended towards me and I flinched, causing pain to ricochet throughout my body.  He hesitated as I shrunk away from him.  "I can not leave you at the front of this cave.  Other humans might find you."  I knew I needed to get back inside, but the thought of being held in the palms of someone's hands was frightening to me.  His size was easier to ignore from a distance.  Here, on the ground, with his gigantic form leaning over me, I felt defenseless.  I am defenseless, even from another person thanks to the injuries I've given myself, nevermind a gigantic bug-snake person.  I squeezed my eyes shut as Tserem reached for me again.  To my immense relief, his touch was shockingly delicate.  He knew just as well as I did that he could easily hurt me further.  A simple pinch of his fingers could snap my arm completely off.  I tried to block thoughts like that from my mind.  He was only trying to help me.  

Tserem carefully carried me back inside, setting me down on the pile of furs once again.  I yelped in pain as my left arm brushed the soft surface.  His slitted pupils slid back and forth, assessing how badly I was injured.  "Well," he murmured, "I will have to fit your arm back into its socket, and you will need something cold to place on your ankle and the rest of your bruises.  If I only had my things, but I left them when I was taken."  "Wait, weren't you poisoned?" I asked weakly, "How are you still alive?  Last I checked, you weren't breathing."  "I got better," Tserem said absent-mindedly, searching for something in the craggs of the rock wall.  "What do you mean, 'you got better'?" I replied, bewildered.  Tserem continued searching instead of answering me.  When he found what he needed, he returned to my side.  A shiny, black piece of stone was placed over my ankle.  It was freezing to the touch, and I yanked my leg out from under it.

"Keep it there," Tserem insisted, nudging my leg beneath the stone again with the tip of his finger.  "The cold will stop the swelling."  "I'll just let it swell, then," I responded, annoyed by the fact that he'd simply placed my leg beneath it again.  "If you let it swell, you will not be able to walk.  Do you want to hobble around for the rest of your life?"  he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.  It sounded almost threatening with his unfamiliar accent.  "If not, I suggest you let it sit for a while."  I grumbled a weak objection, but I have to admit, though not aloud, the coldness was numbing the pain.

"Now, what to do about your arm?"  I shifted nervously as he stared at me.  "I must put it back in the correct place, but you will be very much against this."  Of course I would.  I'm almost certain that he'll ruin my arm further by trying to put it back the way it was.  Most doctors I know would simply amputate the limb.  However, when I relayed this to Tserem, he stared at me, appalled.  "What!?  You do not cut off a limb simply because it becomes dislocated!  Do you humans know nothing about how to take care of yourselves?  No wonder you have such short lifespans!"  I should probably be offended by what he said, but I was curious about something else.  "Why do you know so much about healing?  And why are you not dead?" I asked again, "Wasn't that spear poisoned?"  Tserem sighed, "I can explain that while you recover.  Let me finish this first."  I glanced at my limp arm.  "And.. you're sure you won't crush my arm when you put it back in place?"  "I will do my best."

Sucking in a deep breath to brace for the pain, I watched, wide-eyed as his fingers took my arm between them.  My figure was so small in comparison, he could've been holding a doll.  My entire arm was the same length as his hand.  I shut my eyes again, waiting for something awful to happen.  A loud CRACK split the silent air, and I screamed at the unbearable pain, scrambling out of Tserem's grasp.  It took me a moment, but shortly afterwards, I noticed that the stinging feeling in my arm had been replaced with nothing but a dull ache. 

"I have more of those cold stones.  You should probably keep one over your shoulder too," Tserem mused.  I slowly sat back up, testing my arm gently.  "I- I can't believe it.  Why did the pain stop?  It sounded like you snapped my arm clean off.  For a moment, I thought you lied and had amputated my arm after all."  “The human body is not as vulnerable as one might think.  It is capable of healing itself surprisingly well,” he told me, handing me another stone for my shoulder.  This time, I took it without hesitation.  I was going to ask him how he knew so much about the human body when he himself wasn’t one, but I realized that his top half seemed to be human, and I remembered him mentioning that he tried to take a human form.

“What are you?” I asked once I was settled in with Tserem’s strange cold rocks.  “You look like you’re multiple different things mashed together.  You can offer me things like power and knowledge that most people only dream of, and you can apparently overcome poison like it’s a small illness.”  Tserem nodded slowly, “I suppose I should try to explain, though you might not understand.  I told you that I am not from this world, yes?”  I nodded.  “There are many more worlds out there.  Some are like yours, some are like nothing you will ever know.  My ancestors are not from this world, but I was born here.  I have lived in other places occasionally, but this world is my favorite.  Well, it was my favorite until I was chained here.”  Tserem huffed, tail lashing the floor.  "To answer your questions, the name for what I am is not easily pronounced by the human tongue, but I am an-" he spoke a string of accent-laced syllables that I couldn't dream of repeating correctly.  

"I'll.. just call you Tserem.  That's a hard enough name to pronounce already,” I replied.  "Ah, and about my abilities…  You see, every one of my kind can take the genes of other lifeforms and splice them into our own to help us easily adapt into any environment.  We can take up to three different types before the older ones are replaced.  The only genes we keep constantly are our own.  I could revert back to my true form at any time, though it hurts quite a lot with these merciless metal rods in my back."

I stared at him, confused.  He was speaking my language, but I couldn't understand pieces of what he was saying.  There were a few words strung into his explanation I'd never even heard before.  Maybe they were words from his own language.  "What are jenes?" I asked, thoroughly interested, "What are they and how do you take them?  I.. don't really understand."  Tserem nodded knowingly, "I did say you would not understand.  And it’s genes, not.. jenes."  I couldn’t tell the difference, but I didn’t tell him that.  "Is there a way for you to explain it so that I might?  And what about you recovering from being poisoned?  Does that have to do with genes too?"  He chuckled, "In a way, yes.  Hmm.."  Tserem thought for a moment, brow furrowing in concentration.  "Well, every creature, every living thing from humans to plants, have things called genes, though they have a much longer scientific name, many refer to them as genes, or in shorthand, RNA.  These genes determine how a living thing looks, and even how it behaves, like instructions, if you will, for life itself."  

"Wait, wait…  You're saying that my body has some kind of written instructions inside it somewhere that tell me how to live?" I asked incredulously.  "That doesn't sound right."  "It is.. hard to explain, and I am no expert on this, but in a sense, yes.  The instructions are invisible to the human eye, stitched into the very flesh of a creature."  

What Tserem said barely made logical sense.  How did instructions get sewn into me?  Who put them there?  What would happen if I were to remove them?  "Anyways, my kind can take these.. instructions.. from other living things, and use them to help rewrite ourselves.  This is why I look like, as you said, 'multiple different things mashed together'.  I am made of multiple things; I copied their genetic material."  Suddenly, I saw his figure in a new light.  Tserem wasn't a strange hybrid like other legendary creatures; he somehow stole the instructions for creating other creatures, and built himself from it.  

"So, do you look anything like this?" I asked, gesturing to his mis-matched appearance.  "No, nothing like this at all."  Instantly, my mind ran wild with images of what Tserem might truly look like.  "As for your final, most incessant question: how did I overcome being poisoned?  See, all of my kind have the ability to copy genes and add them to ourselves, but each of us are also born with a more unique ability that comes from our true form.  Some abilities are extremely rare or are considered lucky or attractive, while others are more commonplace, sometimes almost useless.  Mine is the latter, nothing too extraordinary.  My immune system is extremely powerful.  It can cure me of any and all ailments within a few hours."

"Nothing extraordinary!?" I repeated, "You can never get sick!  You’ll never have to die of an illness, or so much as feel affected by it for more than a few hours!   How is that 'nothing extraordinary'?"  Tserem shrugged, "Where I come from, my powers are fairly useless.  With modern medicine, there is no need for a good immune system.  Someone can have my exact powers by simply drinking a salve, or taking a pill."  My mouth hung open for so long, I might have accidentally swallowed a bug.  "You.. Your kind found a way to cure every disease?" I whispered, awestruck.  Tserem nodded, looking thoughtful.  "Yes, the first being to get this ability in my long family history came up with it using their blood.  Of course, these days it is entirely replicated, and not blood at all.  Hmm, I guess I did not realize that something so commonplace to me might be so mind-boggling to you."  

Tserem began talking about more things I didn't understand, but his voice was fuzzy — my head clouded by way too many thoughts.  I finally cut him off when he took a breath.  "Could you just.. leave me alone for a bit?" I asked, only the faintest hints of anger in my voice, "I need to process some things you said."  He paused mid-sentence and gave me a small smile, "Yes, I will be in the crystalline cave if you need me."  The room became eerily quiet once the echoing sound of his skittering legs died off.  

Alone with my thoughts, I tried to sort out the information Tserem had given me.  He was right to say I wouldn't understand it all, but the parts I did understand seemed frightening and slightly wrong.  If Tserem's kind had the medicine to heal any and all illnesses, why didn't they share it with us?  I tried to convince myself there was a valid reason — that maybe the medicine only took effect on their own kind — but I had a sinking feeling that there was a different reason, or rather, no reason at all.  Whatever Tserem is, his kind is so advanced that they have everything and anything a human could want; he'd even given all of it away as offers to me, almost as if they don't matter to him.  Humankind likely seems like one big barbarian tribe to them.  

In this way, I guess it makes sense.  Our kingdom wouldn't offer our grand technology to barbarians.  Tserem's kind just doesn't see us as worth the effort to care.  To them, we’re practically another species of animal.  The pit in my stomach yawned wider; I could sense the nasty feeling of bile rising in my throat.  I didn't like the notion that I was something small and primitive, not worthy of someone's time or effort.  My nerves spiked, and the pain in my ankle came back again, throbbing even beneath the cold rock, which was starting to warm up.

"Tserem!" I called.  There was a tinge of fear in my echoed voice, and I'm not sure why.  He was willing to give me his kind's technology — well, what he has of it.  Nonetheless, I still felt sick.  "Tserem!"  "I'm here!" he called, sliding back into the cave, "What is it?"  "I.. need another cold rock."  He chuckled, "Alright, give me a moment."  I watched numbly as he went over to the notch in the wall and brought me back some fresh stones, taking the warmer ones back.  Tserem's brow furrowed as he examined me for a moment.  "You look ill," he noted, concerned, "Did you get that poison in your system?  Was that why you kept asking me about it?"  In a strange way, it was comforting to see Tserem panic over me.  He did care, but was it only because he benefited from me staying alive to help him?  "No, it's nothing like that," I assured him.  A heavy silence filled the cave as I tried to work up the courage to ask him what I wanted.  "If it is not pain, then what is troubling you?"  I could have waved him off and told him not to worry about it, but there was a genuine anxiousness in his voice and his cautious movements that changed my mind.

"Do you really care about me?" I asked.  My heart raced in my chest; did I want to know the answer?  I was so frightened, when he opened his mouth to reply I began speaking to stop him.  "It's just... When you explained how your kind has everything, and knows so much, while humankind barely knows about itself…"  I struggled to explain, not even sure Tserem would understand.  "We must seem like animals or barbarians to you, because you don't bother to share anything with us.  So, knowing all this, I have to ask you if you really care.  Are you only luring me here with trinkets from your world long enough for you to escape this place, or are you genuinely trying to help me, too?"  Tserem was quiet for so long, I feared I'd figured out his scheme.  Finally, he let out a long sigh and pressed his hands to his temples.

"That.. that was my plan – has been my plan – for a long time now.  Do not be mistaken on my jugement, though.  I do truly believe your kind is smarter than they seem, and can become something incredible with enough time.  Case in point," he added, gesturing to me.  "The truth is, many of my kind do see yours as.. What word was it?  Oh, barbarians and animals and such.  However, that is not the case for all of us, and it is not the case for me."  "But- But your plan.." I stammered.  "My plan was rather rash and selfish due to my imprisonment here for so long.  There was a time when I was more.. desperate.  I have learned my lesson since, and learned that there is more to humankind than I realized.  This is the reason I offered to let you go when you felt trapped here.  In my earlier years here, I would not have let you leave."

"Still, I am being selfish even now by holding the gleaming prize of protection above your head," Tserem realized guiltily.  He turned away from me ashamed, but at the same time, I saw otherwise.  "But you haven't," I said, waiting for him to turn to me again.  "You have been protecting me, even before you said you would.  You saved me from being killed-"  "By myself," he finished, "I saved you from myself.  I do not think that counts, Scarlet, but thank you."  "Hold on, I'm not done," I assured him, "You also saved me from the guards, even when I made a big fuss about it."  "Yes, and now you are injured because of my hiding place," Tserem interrupted.  I gave him an annoyed look, which pacified him some.  

"First of all, it was entirely my decision to try and get myself down after you warned me not to.  Second of all, if you hadn't hidden me there, I likely would've been caught.  So, will you stop putting yourself down and listen to me?"  Tserem's eyes widened a bit and he nodded.  "Good, because I can say, without a doubt, that you've saved my life three times.  I know that you’re trying to help me, I just wanted to know your reasons why."  He was silent for a brief moment.  "My reasons are completely righteous, I swear.  I have no intention to leave you to fend for yourself, or cast you aside once I am free.  As I have said when you arrived: if you free me, I will owe you a great debt.  I will pledge allegiance to you over the King, and will protect you with my life.  I promise I will treat you with respect, like you are one of my own kind.  You just have to trust me."

Tserem cautiously held out his hand to me, and I offered him mine.  I watched amazed, as he clasped my hand, so small in comparison, over the pads of his finger.  "I do.. I do trust you, though sometimes I'm scared to," I confessed.  "But that's nothing new," I added quickly as Tserem pulled away from me, "I don't really trust anyone."  “I am thankful to have your trust, then,” he replied with a small bow, but came up with a pained hiss, gripping his side where the spear had pierced him.  “I must continue healing this.  Can I borrow one of your furs?”  “Sure, I don’t need the whole pile.”  Tserem took one of the larger pelts and offered his thanks before slithering back into the crystalline cave.  I inched myself upward to peer into the room, watching as Tserem cleaned his wound with the fresh water there, making sure not to spill blood into the precious resource.  After patching himself up and tying the fur around his wound, Tserem scuttled back over to me.  “How long do I have to sit here with these rocks?” I asked him.  “Hmm, about an hour more.  You should be sitting with them every so often until your bruises disappear, but if you feel pain in your ankle, or if it starts to swell again, then leave it under a cold stone a while longer.”

I did as he asked, and within a few days I was back on my feet again.  For the most part, I’d gotten used to living with someone who was about the length of the market square.  At least once a day his lanky, snake-like body would block my path and I’d either jump over it or ask Tserem impatiently to move.  He’d always roll his eyes and chuckle; sometimes he’d dare to tease me for my small size.  He’s the one who’s the wrong size, but that was an argument that neither of us ever won.  Once I was fully healed up, Tserem and I began concocting plans to free him from his chains.  A violent storm emerged a few days later.  Both caves began flooding nonstop.  By mid afternoon, the water level was almost up to my waist.  I hated every sopping second, but Tserem relished it.  He told me that where he used to live, the humans there celebrated the harsh rains, and he did too.  

“Well, I hate this.  A lot,” I grumbled, wading through the cave towards him.  My foot hit a rock that was concealed by the murky water, causing me to fall over beneath the surface.  I came up to the sound of Tserem’s boisterous laughter, which calmed to a smirk as I glared at him, my soaked hair falling over my face.  “Come here, let me get you somewhere dry.”  I huffed and turned my back to him, crossing my arms defiantly.  “I’ll find somewhere to sit myself thank you very much.”  Storming off into the crystalline cavern — which was lower down and definitely higher than my waist — I managed to climb on top of an outcropping that rose just above the surface of the water.  However, my dry little safehaven didn’t last very long.  The flooding water soon spilled over the rocks I took shelter on.

“Tserem!” I called annoyedly, “The water’s too high!”  Everything was silent, and for a moment I thought he was ignoring me, but as I peered into the other cave, I realized he was gone.  Ripples brushed the surface of the water, snaking their way in my direction.  I watched the subtle movements, frightened that some water creature had taken shelter in the cave.  A surging wave washed over me as the mysterious creature leaped out of the deep water and fell back with a splash.  It was Tserem the whole time.  I was about to scold him for scaring me, but I held my tongue as I watched him slide gracefully through the water.  On the dry rocks, he was awkwardly bound by his chains, clanking around with a constant scrambling ruckus of his many centipede legs, which echoed throughout the caverns.  In the water, he was entirely different.  His snakeish form glided through the water without a sound as he happily swam laps from one part of the caves to the other.  

“Did you perhaps take the genes of a water snake?” I asked, slightly amused by his eagerness to enjoy a good swim.  “I do not think so,” he replied happily, “I just like the water.  Before I was captured, I lived in a rather dry desert.  I suppose I am in the habit of enjoying so much water because it was scarce for me then.”  “A desert?” I questioned, “I’ve barely been past the outskirts of Farthing.”  “Of what?”  “Farthing, you know, where we live?”  Tserem shrugged, uncaring of the name of his prison.  “Can you put me somewhere higher up?” I asked once he’d finished swimming around.  “If I do, will you try to climb down again?” he asked accusingly.  “No,” I grumbled, glancing at the spot I’d fallen from.  “The rocks are slippery, though.  I still think you will fall.”  “But I’m sick of being soaking wet!” I complained.  “Hmm.. Alright then.”  Tserem slid over to the place I stood and reached for me again.  I braced myself, but didn’t pull away.  Being grabbed was slightly less scary knowing that it was coming.  

Vertigo clenched in my stomach and I tucked my legs up beneath me, gripping Tserem’s fingers for support.  I would have to teach him a more comfortable way to pick me up eventually.  Especially if he’s going to stay around and offer the protection he’d promised.  Using his centipede-like legs, which unfurled from a long pocket that opened beneath him, Tserem clambered up the rocks until he came to a large area far above the water’s surface, created by loosely interwoven crystals.  If he’d placed me here, I probably would’ve fell right through the gaps, but Tserem was big enough to sit over them.  He curled up over the tops of the crystal structures.  Laying out his tail in front of himself, he placed me gently on the wider part, offering me a place to sit.  I sat as still as I could, unsure about the cool, scaled surface I was placed on.  It expanded and shrank beneath me with every breath Tserem took.  “Is this high enough for you?” he asked me almost mockingly.  I answered with a satisfied yes, trying to hide my slightly baffled expression.

The ugly weather forced me to stay in that hidden place for a day and a half until the water finally drained out of the cave.  With every hour that passed I slowly grew accustomed to my temporary living arrangements.  The first few hours I spent practically clinging to Tserem, but by the last few, I moved freely around the space, avoiding the gaps between crystalline spires and lounging boredly on Tserem’s lanky snake body.  At the violent storm’s end, I was brought back down to the cave floor.  I paced around and stretched my legs as Tserem frowned annoyedly at our pool of fresh water, which had been tainted by the muddy rainwater.  “This is the only part I dislike about the rains,” he muttered, “They contaminate my pristine water supply.”  

Later, on Tserem’s urging, I spent an hour and a half lugging a gigantic tree branch over to the cave opening for him to use as a lever.  His excitement over the rain carried into his impatience to be free.  The moment the branch was close enough to the cave, I collapsed to the ground, exhausted.  I watched, unamused, as Tserem easily dragged the gigantic piece of wood inside, after I’d spent ten minutes moving it a few inches.  He lodged it into the crack between the rock wall and the metal plate with terrifying strength.  I instinctually drew back as he threw himself into the column of wood.  His snake body coiled and his human muscles rippled, shoving the wood further and further back while the plate groaned under the stress.

A loud crack echoed through the cave.  “You’re doing it!” I cried, “It’s breaking!”  Moments later the wood splintered down the middle.  I had only a few seconds to recognize what would happen before wooden shrapnel exploded through the cavern.  In a flash, Tserem coiled his scaled body over me like a shield.  Splinters of wood bounced harmlessly off his protective scaly armor.  “Th- Thanks,” I stammered, slightly taken aback by the fact I’d nearly been impaled by jagged splinters.  “Are you alright?” Tserem asked.  “I think so,” I replied, checking myself for any pieces of wood that might’ve embedded in me.  Once I was sure I hadn’t been hit, he turned and examined the half of the log still wedged between the rock and the metal plate.  

“I have an idea,” he announced, “but it will likely be rather painful.”  I frowned, looking between Tserem and the broken log.  “What is it?”  “If I wrap my chains around the log and pull it back out, the pressure should be enough to bend this plate off the wall.  However, yanking on my own chains will feel like yanking off my own scales.”  I shuddered at the mere thought of that intensely painful feeling.  “I can find something else,” I offered, “I could go see what else the storm blew over.”  

Tserem gave me a doubtful look, “You can barely even stand after dragging this branch, and as of this moment, we have no drinkable water.  You rest, I will try to reach one of the trees.  I might have a bit more room now that my chains are slightly falling off the wall.”  I hadn’t realized that we had no water to drink, and I was already parched.  Stepping back, I watched as Tserem strained against his chains.  I cringed at the painful looking grimace on his face as the metal tugged beneath his skin.  Tserem’s fingertips just grazed a large tree outside, but he couldn’t get far enough to actually grab it.  No wonder there was a misshapen clearing surrounding his cave.  If only I had half his strength, I could easily go out there and push the tree over.  That would be all he’d need to get rid of his ugly restraints.

After a few more narrow misses, Tserem fell back into the cave, out of breath.  I silently regarded the situation for a while.  “What if.. What if you reached outside backwards, with your tail rather than your arms.  Your tail is a lot longer.”  Tserem huffed and sat up, “If I turn around, the chains get shorter, see?”  He demonstrated by turning into the cave.  The chains wrapped around his torso as he shifted, pulling him deeper inside.  “I suppose my tail is longer than my arm, though.  I will try.”  Tserem leaned against his chains once more.  Centipede-like legs slid out from beneath him and began slowly stepping backwards into the open.  I held my breath as it inched along the ground, the tip slowly curling around the trunk of the tree.  It wasn’t long enough to grab it, but it was just long enough to reach.

With as big a shove as Tserem could muster, the tree creaked and began falling over.  Upon hearing the tree bend, Tserem slithered back inside and whirled around.  With the extra distance covered by the leaning tree, his fingers could reach the trunk.  In two swift tugs, Tserem ripped the tree right out of the ground.  I watched in silent awe as he bashed the tree against the metal plates over and over again.  His ferocity was slightly terrifying, and I couldn’t help but imagine what might happen if a person were to be on the other end of his wrath.  With a few more strikes, the metal plate fell off the wall.  An echoing clank rang out long after the plate had fallen.  “I…  I did it,” Tserem said in a hushed voice.  I blinked and he was gone, only managing to see the last tip of his tail zip out of the cave opening.  

“FREEDOM!  AT LONG LAST!”  I watched with a wide smile as Tserem slithered around the clearing.  He was so much faster without having to walk around on multiple small legs.  Tserem slid up and down the forest, dodging through trees at lightning speed, when he was suddenly jerked back with incredible force.  He yowled in pain and I rushed over to his side.  “Tserem, what-?”  I stopped short at the sight of him.  Blood dripped down his back from where the chains burrowed under his skin.  The metal plate had gotten hooked on one of the jagged rocks nearby.  At the speed Tserem had been going, the metal links had almost been yanked entirely out of him.  I stood helpless as Tserem gasped in pain and fell to the ground.   Racing to his arm, I tried in vain to get him up, but he was far too big for me to move more than a few inches.  I stepped up to his face to talk with him, but when I did, his eyes were closed.  He’d passed out.  I thought about bringing him some water to wake him, before realizing the small amount of water I could take in my hands wouldn’t be close to enough to wake him.  There really was nothing I could do for him.  Wait, yes there is.  I raced inside the cave and grabbed one of the large furs from the pile where I slept.  Dunking it in the water, I waited impatiently for it to become completely waterlogged.  Though the dirty water could potentially infect his cut, it wouldn’t be long before his impossible immune system healed him.  Back in the clearing, I stood at Tserem’s side once again.  He was lying face down.  How am I going to get up to his back?  Studying him, I traced a path I could climb from his arm to his back.  I’d just begun hauling myself onto his forearm when the sound of hoofbeats thundered into the clearing.  I whirled around just as someone cried “Halt!”

[heartsoulrocknroll]

AEW Collision 4/20/24

Nigel on Copeland winning the TNT Championship. "If at first you don't succeed, try again and again and again and again until you are finally able to steal what is rightfully someone else's." Lmao.

Adam Copeland, Mark Briscoe, and Eddie Kingston vs. Top Flight and Action Andretti -- Some nice exploder suplexes by Mark. Flippy stuff from Top Flight and Andretti. Dumb spot with all six guys colliding with lariats at the same time. Copeland with an impaler DDT. Mark with a Jay Driller on Darius. Backfist by Eddie, spear by Copeland, Froggy Bow by Mark on Dante, then Eddie covers Dante for the pinfall.

I honestly didn't like this at all. Technically, it was fine. But everyone was in the ring at the same time for a lot of the match, and that bothers me a lot more when the action is lackluster or not my taste like this. Rating: 2.5

House of Black show up on the screen after the match. Matthews says HOB will eradicate all their dreams at Dynasty. Black says HOB will dig so deep that they will feel like they are close to hell. And for people like himself and Copeland, hell is where the heart is.

Powerhouse Hobbs vs. CJ Esparza -- Hobbs squshes Esparza with slams on the apron and a torture rack. The ref stops the match. Rating: SQUASH

Callis on the mic. He says he was directly responsible for Omega winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He says he was also responsible for the biggest match in the history of Japanese wrestling, Jericho/Omega at the Tokyo Dome in 2018, which set New Japan on a course to new heights and success, which they still enjoy to this day. He says when New Japan thanked him for this, he said he would need a favor in return one day. And he has cashed in all his favors to make Moxley vs. Hobbs next week a match the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. That is so stupid. Hate that.

Jericho promo backstage. He apologizes for his conduct on Wednesday and for pushing Taz. He mentions his match with Hook for the FTW Championship at Dynasty. He says the Learning Tree is going to teach Hook one of the hardest lessons he will have to learn. A lesson in humility and losing something that means a lot to you.

The Gunns vs. The Acclaimed -- The Gunns try to leave, but Schiavone tells them that TK said they won't get their match at Dynasty tomorrow if they walk out tonight. Awkward. The Acclaimed jump them and land Scissor Me Timbers early on. Bowens with some nice rolling elbows, a fireman's carry neckbreaker on the knee, then a running knee on Colten for two. Colten lands a Fameasser on Bowens for two. The Gunns land a neckbreaker on Bowens for two. Caster tags in with a DVD on Colten. The Gunns land 3:10 to Yuma on Bowens, but Caster breaks up the pin with an elbow off the top. Colten rolls Bowens up and Jay hands him the bat and holds on for leverage for the pinfall.

This was a perfectly fine match. A lot better than I expected it to be, but still not really exciting in any way. Good, screwy finish. Rating: 3

Danielson interview backstage. He is asked about the Bunkhouse Brawl tonight and the match with Ospreay tomorrow. He says that sounds like a lot, but he feels alive. It seems like something is going on with the Don Callis Family. He wonders if Callis doesn't have quite as much faith in Ospreay as he says he does. He feels alive, because Takeshita dropped him on his head Wednesday, and tonight he gets to get revenge in a bunkhouse match. And tomorrow he gets to test himself against Ospreay, who calls himself one of the best in the world, and he gets to find out for himself. Ospreay comes in and tells Danielson that he has had nothing to do with any of the things the rest of the Callis Family has been doing. He says he wants Danielson at 100% for their match. Danielson says right. Ospreay says come on, Danielson has to believe him.

Excellent promo by Danielson as usual. Love to hear that man talk.

Toni Storm promo from Wednesday after Thunder Rosa's attack is shown. She wants to leave this in full color, so everyone can see exactly what Rosa has done to her. Rosa wants to be a hero? Wants to be a martyr? Wants to rally up the troops? There is nothing more disgusting than a wrestler who says they are not selfish. This is a business, this is not a charity. If Rosa wanted to uplift women, she should have stayed a social worker. Rosa doesn't want this title because she used to hold it. She wants it because of everything Storm made this title be, when Rosa could not. Rosa basks in the glow of the sun that shines right out of her ass. Rosa wants to drag her soul to hell? Rosa better check the address, sweetheart, because hell is in her bedroom and she makes love to her demons every night, and at Dynasty, Rosa can just watch.

Holy SHIT, what a promo. I am legit losing my mind over this. Hilarious, but serious at the same time. Legendary, career-defining promo.

Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli vs. Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher (Bunkhouse Brawl) -- Fletcher and Takeshita jump Danielson and Claudio during their entrance. Claudio runs down the arena stairs with a lariat to Fletcher! Danielson slams Fletcher's head into the announce table! Takeshita takes a hammer to Claudio! Danielson wraps a cord around Fletcher's neck! Claudio swings Takeshita into a dropkick by Danielsion! Claudio locks in a Sharpshooter on Takeshita. Fletcher hurls a chair at Danielson's head, then lands something on Claudio inside. Fletcher with a thrust kick and a powerbomb on Claudio for two! Danielson is busted open, and Takeshita takes his fingers to the open wound. Fletcher nails Claudio with a hammer repeatedly. Fletcher hurls a chair at Claudio. Danielson and Takeshita trade elbows inside, Takeshita gets the best of it, sending Danielson outside. Takeshita goes for a brainbuster on the ramp again, but Danielson reverses into a DDT on the ramp! Claudio takes the hammer to Fletcher, then hurls him into the barricade, then slams his head into the steps repeatedly! Now Fletcher is bleeding. Claudio drapes Takeshita over the rope and holds him while Danielson lands a knee off the top to the back of his head/neck. Round kicks from Danielson to Takeshita, then a big round kick to the head! Danielson sets up for the Busaiku knee, but Fletcher grabs his foot from outside, and Takeshita lands a Helluva kick! Takeshita lands a German suplex on Claudio. Stereo brainbusters by Fletcher and Takeshita, then double covers for two. Takeshita goes for a rolling elbow with a steel chain around his arm, but Danielson blocks.

Double rear naked chokes, then stereo hammer and anvil elbows by Claudio and Danielson, then they transition into stereo LeBell locks! Hobbs comes in with spinebusters! Moxley comes out bald as hell to even the odds and take out Hobbs. Fletcher hands Danielson to Takeshita on the top, and Takeshita goes for a powerbomb onto a chair, but Danielson reverses into a rana off the top on Takeshita, sending him back-first onto a chair!!!! Geez! Claudio lands uppercuts and a lariat on Fletcher with a chain wrapped around his arm!! Claudio lands a senton off the apron on Takeshita outside! Danielson lands the Busaiku knee and locks in the LeBell lock with the chain around Fletcher's face for the submission!

That slapped!!!!!! Nonstop, violent action!! Perfect mix of outside-the-ring brawling, weapon spots, and inside-the-ring wrestling. I loved it all. Rating: 4

Danielson grabs a mic after the match. He says a lot of people are asking him why the hell he is doing a bunkhouse match the night before he wrestles Ospreay. It's because when some people think of heaven, they think of streets of gold, but that's not him. His spirit is a part of this. When he dies, his heaven will be standing in this ring, bleeding in front of all these people, having a whole crew of people trying to break his neck before he wrestles one of the best in the world, and telling them there's no way they can do it!! "Tomorrow, Will Ospreay, I am going to beat your ass." HELL YEAH!!!! There is nothing like a fired up Danielson promo. Cannot wait for this match!

Willow and Statlander promo backstage with Stokely. Statlander says you know what they are? Fired up. Fired up is long for FU. Stokely says where he comes from, FU means something different, so he will say FU to Brody and Julia. Willow asks if a confident champion takes a chain and hits their opponent days before a championship match? She doesn't think so. Willow says she is going to lift Julia up and powerbomb her through that mat. Because tomorrow, she's taking the TBS Championship, you bitch! Lol, this was good.

Skye Blue vs. Leyla Hirsch -- Hirsch reverses a Code Blue attempt into a running knee strike. Blue lands a hanging neckbreaker off the apron. Big elbows by Hirsch, then Blue with one of her own. Blue cartwheels into an elbow in the corner. Hirsch lands two nice suplexes, then a German suplex off the top! Hirsch goes to the top and falls. Blue lands a fireman's carry neckbreaker, then locks in a dragon sleeper for the submission. Short match, but solid action. Rating: 2.75

Kazuchika Okada and The Young Bucks vs. Pac and FTR -- Okada's arm hits the announce table early on. Okada and Dax trade uppercuts and elbows! Pac locks in the Brutalizer on Okada, but the Bucks break it up with stomps. Pac slams Okada's head into the apron and stomps on his throat on the floor!!! Nice!!! Okada and Matt pull Cash crotch-first into the ring post. Okada lands a slingshot senton over the ropes on Cash inside. Pac runs the ropes and lands a beautiful flying elbow, then a series of hard kicks, then a brainbuster on Nick for two! Pac lands a quick German suplex on Okada, then dives over the ropes onto the Bucks outside. Dax and Pac land an assisted spike piledriver on Okada for two! The Bucks stop a Black Arrow attempt by Pac, and Okada nails Pac with a big boot. Okada holds the ref, while the Bucks shove Pac into the ring steps and pummel him outside on the floor. They roll Pac inside, and Okada lands a nice flapjack. Pac with a vicious tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Nick! Beautiful!!! Dax comes in with big jabs, a lariat, and nasty chops to Nick! Dax slingshots Nick off the ropes into Pac's hands, and Pac lands a German suplex, then Cash flies in with a jacknife on Nick for two! Nice sequence!!!! Dax ducks a superkick by Matt, Matt kicks Nick instead, Dax lands a DDT on Matt, then Okada comes in with a DDT on Dax!

Okada tells Dax to hit him!! Dax responds with vicious elbows to the jaw and chops to the chest! Okada dropkicks Dax! Dax ducks a Rainmaker attempt and locks in a Sharpshooter, but the Bucks break it up with superkicks!! Triple team running back elbow and double enziguris in the corner by Okada and the Bucks! Okada lands a neckbreaker on the knee, Nick lands a running knee strike, and Matt lands an elbow off the top on Dax and covers, but Cash breaks up the pin! Dax lands a superplex, Cash lands a frog splash off the top, and Pac lands a 450 off the top on Matt! Cash covers, but the others break up the pin! Superkicks by the Bucks, then they land Shatter Matchine on Pac for two! The Bucks land a BTE Trigger on Pac, but Cash breaks up the pin! FTR land Shatter Machine on Matt, but Okada and Nick pull Dax out of the ring. Superkick by Nick, and DDT on the floor by Okada!! Cash with a topé to the outside! Pac lands the Black Arrow on Matt inside for the pinfall!!

This was a really great match. Constant action from start to finish. I loved the exchanges between Okada and Pac, and cannot wait for their match at Dynasty. But I also loved the exchanges between Okada and Dax! What a nice, unexpected treat. Rating: 4

Okada and the Bucks try to attack Pac and FTR after the match. Daniel Garcia comes out to help Pac and FTR. Pac jumps on Okada's back with a hanging Brutalizer!! Okada drops to the mat, and Pac holds on until the Bucks pull Okada out of the ring! Pac and Okada stare at each other, Pac in the ring and Okada on the ramp!!! I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS MATCH!!! AAAAHHH!!

[nagdabbit]

a song that will dig into my bones (14/?)

Chapters: One, Two, (outtake),Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen 

words: 3.5k

jon moxley/bryan danielson, eddie kingston

in which some friends have a long conversation and bryan is a shitstirrer with oat milk where his self preservation should be

(also on ao3)

.

"Thought I said I didn't wanna see you 'til February," Jon barked, catching Wheeler by the back of his hoodie before he could make it all the way to the front desk. He dragged the kid back toward the door, "Go home, idiot."

Wheeler stumbled a few steps, before he began trying to fight free. It was a losing battle, it usually was, but he was making quite the effort. "Hey! I heard you—I did, but—listen, Jon—"

"I'll listen in, like, three weeks." 

"Nope, you gotta—you got like five minutes to listen, before hurricane Eddie shows up!"

"Thank you for the heads up, but that ain't anythin' new an' you know it."

Wheeler gave a good struggle for a few more steps, sneakers scuffing across the thin carpet, then changed tactics. His head disappeared before Jon caught up with what he was doing, and he wriggled his way out of the hoodie. "Okay, gimme like three minutes, okay?" he asked, darting toward the desk with a head of staticky hair.

"Thirty seconds and I'm gonna throw you out on your ass," Jon warned, and threw the empty hoodie at the kid's face. 

He gave Jon an annoyed look, but didn't argue. "Okay, so, first of all, congrats on having sex, or whatever. Good job, knew you could do it," Wheeler started, then jumped even further out of range when Jon swatted at him. "Second, your boyfriend has absolutely no sense of self preservation. None. Just—nothing. Where self preservation is supposed to be, there's just, like, oat milk and carrots or something."

Jon leaned back against the front window, crossing his arms over his chest. His boyfriend. So much for keeping secrets. "You're saying that like it's a bad thing and not, like, endearing."

Wheeler made a face and tilted his head a little. "Well it's—it's really something all right."

"Alright, lay it on me," Jon muttered, rolling his eyes. "What did he do?"

"So Bryan decided to—I mean, he knows you, obviously, so he knows you probably didn't bother to text your best friend about, in Eddie's words, 'sleeping the enemy,'" he said in a rush, even including the bunny ears. "And, as you know, Eddie hates Bryan, has poor impulse control, and a tendency to lash out. Right?"

Jon sighed, dropping his chin to his chest. "And Eddie decided to come visit so he can yell it to my face," he finished. Of course he would rather yell at Jon's face than send him a few angry texts. Probably got on a plane the moment he could. 

Wheeler gave him an apologetic wince of a smile. "He's been angrily texting me from his Uber. You got, like, five minutes."

"You could have called," Jon grumbled, and went to flip the sign back to closed. He didn't really need Eddie scaring off customers. Not again, anyway.

"I did, and you didn't answer. I even tried the shop line, but you haven't even turned off the answering machine yet." When he looked back, Wheeler looked worried, chewing on his lip. "Do you want me to stay and play ref?"

"No, no. Go home. He'll just feel attacked if you're here." He stepped aside and waved Wheeler toward the door. "And put your hoodie back on, it's freezing out."

"Yes, dad." He rolled his eyes, but did as he had been told, shoving his head into the thick fabric. "But, really, seriously," he muttered, shoving his arms into their proper place, "let me know if you need help. Okay? I know how he gets."

"It'll be fine. Go home or you're grounded," he muttered, without any real heat. He caught Wheeler around the neck as he passed, hugging him in some kind of halfhearted choke for a moment before shoving him away. "Thanks, kid."

"Yeah, yeah. Lemme know if you need help cleaning up after the storm," he joked, but didn't bother to hide his actual concern. 

"It'll be fine," he insisted, again. And it probably would be, even if Eddie needed to throw a little fit about it. He could usually talk himself down with a few choice threats and a good pace. He'd done it plenty enough through the years.

True to Wheeler's warning, Eddie thundered in not two minutes later, brow pulled low and dangerous. He wasn't half as scary as he thought he was, but the last time he gave Jon that dark of a scowl, they'd been in a ring beating the shit out of each other.

He sighed and gave the man a little wave. "Hey."

"Got somethin' you wanna tell me?" 

"Nah, not really," he muttered, not that Eddie really needed any actual confirmation from him. 

"Fuckin' Danielson?!" Eddie threw his hands in the air, "I figured you two'd get around to fuckin' one'a these days, but boyfriend?! And I had to hear it from him?!"

"Are you done?" he asked, dryly.

"No, sweetheart, m'just gettin' started." He paced the room, hands clenched into fists at his side. "I can't fuckin' believe you."

"I really dunno why you're pissed at me. You knew this was gonna happen before I even did," Jon pointed out, thinking back to the last time Eddie decided to throw a fit about Bryan. "And we agreed that you'd trust me when it came to him, right? Why are you makin' such a stink now?"

"'Cause I'd hoped you had taste."

"Really? Taste?" He raised his eyebrows at the man, "I'm friends with you, and you thought I had taste?"

"Oh, fuck you. You two deserve each other," he groused, anger slowly dropping away with a sigh. He scuffed his feet as he continued his pacing. He kicked the nearest bookcase for good measure. "If you're gonna go and fall for somebody, I expect to hear it from you, not the weird gremlin you fell in love with."

"When was the last time I called you on purpose?"

"The last time somethin' important happened." He glowered at Jon, all his venom dampened by the clouds of worry. "We talked about this, an' you agreed you'd start tellin' us when important shit happens. And not just bad important shit, either."

"And I haven't walked that back! Just because my idiot jumped the fuckin' gun, doesn't mean I wouldn't've told you first." 

"Well you didn't tell me."

"Because Bry an' I didn't do a whole lotta talkin' last week, not 'til it was time for him to fly out." He shrugged, a little at a loss. Was he supposed to be angry? Upset? He'd wanted to set the pace, but that had been taken out of his hands. Fuck else was he supposed to do? "We decided to take a couple weeks and think about what we wanted, and not rush head first into anything like a pair'a idiots."

"Coulda fooled me."

He gave Eddie as sincere a look as he could manage, "I'm sorry we didn't consult before we fucked. I'll be sure to let you know next time."

"Oh, fuck you," Eddie snapped. He growled and tore the hat off his head, throwing it at Jon before he even had a chance to think about dodging.

Jon let it slap uselessly against his chest, not even bothering to bat the thing away. "Well, what d'you want me to say?"

"I don't fuckin' know, I dunno, I don't. It's a little late for you to say what I want you t'say," he snapped, still pacing a ditch into the floor. "You couldn't even fuckin' just tell me."

"I'm sorry I wanted to keep this for myself for a little while. But this isn't your fuckin' relationship, it's mine," Jon said, slowly. Eddie flinched, just a little, but it got him to stop fuming for a few moments. "I'm sorry my idiot decided to jump the gun, and take that choice outta my hands. You'd've heard it from me, otherwise. So calm the fuck down and stop throwin' a goddamn hissy in my fuckin' shop, please."

All the fight left Eddie in an instant. "Does he make you happy?"

"It's been a week," he laughed, rolling his eyes. "But, yeah. He does. I mean, he's been hangin' around here long enough that you've seen it for yourself—whether you wanted to or not. You might not like him, but you can trust him."

"Well, m'not gonna go that far," Eddie muttered, face scrunched up in a grimace. "He's still a prick."

"So are you."

"You ain't makin' a good case, Moxie."

"Fine, trust him not to hurt me, or whatever it is you're so damn worried about." 

"He's gotta fight me first," he grumbled, petulantly crossing his arms across his chest.

He blinked at Eddie trying to make the words make sense. They'd already beat the living hell out of each other once, and it had been beautiful. 

But that had been work. That had been title shots and records and long-held grudges. It had been over and done before he'd even shown up at Jon's shop. Hell, before Jon had even given himself enough free time to even sit and catch up on the product.

It had been beautiful, and brutal, and everything he missed about being in a ring. Everything he wanted to keep out of his shop, keep his distance from so it didn't hurt. Everything he wanted to forget.

"You wanna fight him again."

"He wants me to trust him, he's gotta fuckin' earn it, man."

Like a father polishing his shotgun on prom night. Jon rolled his eyes as hard as he could and dug his phone out of his pocket, dialing his other idiot.

"Oh, so you do know how t'use a fuckin' phone," Eddie muttered, tossing his hands in the air. "That all it takes? Somebody to suck all the anti-social out through your dick, and suddenly you know how t'communicate?"

He shrugged and hit the speaker button, listening to the staticky ring echo through the quiet shop. "I'm not not sayin' that."

Eddie made a face. "Gross."

"Hey, you asked," he snarked back, as the call connected.

"Well this is a surprise," Bryan greeted, all warmth and honey. The way he always was for Jon.

"Hey, babe, I know you're busy, but Eddie wants a match," he announced, cheerfully.

Bryan was silent for a few moments. "Okay. Is there a new reason, or the usual?"

"I think he wants to fight for my honor this time."

"I did not say that," Eddie grumbled, sending Jon a dark glower.

"You didn't have to," Jon snapped back, and rolled his eyes again. He was gonna strain something at the rate he was going. "So, you wanna fight my best friend for the right to hold my hand, or whatever?"

"Oh my god, Mox."

On the other end of the line, Bryan snickered. Jon could picture it, the wide grin, the crickles at the corners of his eyes. Smug fucker. "Time and place, Kingston. I'll be there."

"I think this is some'a that toxic masculinity Wheeler always talks about, an' I hope you both know that," he muttered, and rolled his eyes again. Of course they'd just keep on going, wouldn't back down, no matter how much Jon wanted them to. "Either a'you do real damage to each other, we're gonna have a problem. You got me?"

Eddie waved him off with a distracted, "Yeah, yeah, whatever," as he furiously typed out a text. 

"You think this will help?"

"That's a strong word for it." He left Eddie to his scheming, and wandered into his workshop, turning off the speaker so he could keep the warmth of Bryan's voice all to himself. "I'm gonna give him the same warning I'm giving' you, 'cause I know what you're both like, but don't harm him. Bleed all you want, slap each other's nips off, whatever. I don't give a shit which a'you fucks wins, I really don't, but I ain't playin' nursemaid if there are any broken bones."

"I'm not promising anything, because I don't trust him," Bryan reasoned, and it was—almost gentle. "He tries to kill me, I'm gonna kill him first."

"You're not winnin' back any brownie points, right now," Jon grumbled. He could feel a headache starting in his temples, tightening a band of pressure around his skull. 

"My point is, I'll play by the rules if he does. But I'm not gonna put money on it," Bryan said, simply.

"You put him on the shelf, you better not show your face 'round here for a long while," Jon warned, pacing across the room. 

Bryan made an offended little sound. "And what if—"

"I already told you I'm givin' him the same warning, babe, don't start with me," he snapped, raising his voice a little louder than he intended. "I'm not takin' sides 'less I have to. I'm just sayin' you two dipshits better not gimme a reason. Okay?"

A frustrated sigh, "He's just going to—"

"Just—please, Bry."

Another sigh, another thud as he hit whatever it was he wanted to take his own annoyance out on. "I won't escalate anything," he promised, then paused. "Again. I won't escalate anything again. How's that?"

Jon sighed. He surrounded himself with violent, stubborn, shitstirring dickheads. "I'm holdin' you to that."

"You're lucky I like you."

"You're goddamn right I am, luckiest man alive, but I'll still dump your ass if you hurt my brother," he said with as much finality as he could muster. "Am I understood?"

He was silent another moment. "You should be bossier when—"

"Don't you try an' distract me by bein' cute, Bry, I wanna hear you say it. Am I understood?"

"Yes, I get it. I won't make it worse than it already is."

"Thank you."

"Can we go back to that part where you boss me ar—"

"Bryan."

He sighed across the line, "Just trying for some levity."

"Try it when my two favorite people aren't about to literally fight." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "This play backfired on me. I kinda hoped you'd both hear how stupid you sounded and cool off."

"You know us both better than that," Bryan chided, gently. "But, I will try to play nice. That's all I'm promising."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks."

"Stop expecting the worst, Jon. This is what we do. You haven't been out of the game long enough to forget that."

"Maybe, but this ain't some friendly competition, and you damn well know that, too." He slumped down into his chair, tilted his head back to stare up at the ceiling, "I thought we said we were gonna take a couple weeks before we broke the news. I thought we did that whole 'adults talkin' about shit' thing to avoid trouble."

"In my defense," Bryan started, and Jon readied another eyeroll, "he started it."

"So, what, he was hecklin' you and you thought it was a good idea to let him know about us just to piss him off more?" 

Bryan hesitated for a long moment. "I wouldn't say I thought it was a good idea," he admitted.

Jon laughed before he could stop himself. He'd surrounded himself with children. "You're the worst. The absolute fuckin' worst."

"Maybe. But you chose me."

"Yeah, but you started it," he snarked back, shaking his head fondly. "I should be so fuckin' mad at you, ya know."

"Am I on your shitlist?"

"Babe, you are my shitlist," he grumbled, and got a laughter for his trouble. "Please, behave. You get your ass beat for mouthin' off, I'm not gonna kiss it better."

"Yes, you will," Bryan laughed, warm and golden honey in Jon's ear. "I'll see you next week, okay? I'll text you when I make it to the hotel."

"I still think you should stay here, with me, but whatever, sure. See you next week," Jon grumbled, just for show. "Bye, babe."

"You're disgusting."

He heaved a sigh and shot Eddie an unimpressed look. 

Eddie looked annoyed where he stood in the doorway. "You got no business bein' all lovey dovey like that."

"You better get all your whining out now, I'm not gonna keep puttin' up with it." He sighed and tossed his phone onto the desk, "This goddamn match better be the end of it."

"It ain't gonna make me like him."

"M'not asking you to! I just want you to stop fuckin' actin' like I'm too stupid to know what the fuck I'm doing."

Eddie flinched again. He glanced away and glowered at the floor, teeth grinding down on something.

"C'mon. Use your words," Jon goaded, just to be an asshole. 

His lip lifted in a little snarl, but he didn’t turn his gaze back toward Jon. "I don't wanna see you get hurt."

"Then stop acting like it's fuckin' inevitable," he begged, trying to get Eddie to just listen. "The rate you're going, if I end up hurt, it'll be your doing before it's Bryan's."

Fucker had the audacity to look offended. Like he was innocent. Like he hadn't spent months giving disapproving looks and snide comments. Like he hadn't spent months acting like Jon was too weak to take care of himself. "I would not."

"You think it doesn't hurt when you come in here, spoutin' shit like this?" he asked, eyebrows raised. He met Eddie's eyes, made him look. "You're my best friend, and you barge in here actin' like I'm too stupid to know any better. Like I'm too fuckin' lovedumb to stand up for myself. Like I couldn't fight if I had to."

"I do fuckin' not think—"

"Are you about to invalidate my fuckin' feelings by tellin' me you didn't mean to? That you didn't intend to hurt me?" He hadn't gone to therapy long, didn't exactly give himself the schedule for it, but he remembered some of his doc's lessons. The difference between meaning well, and doing well. "You gonna tell me I can't get just as fuckin' mad as you, all 'cause you didn't mean to call me a fuckin' idiot?"

"I liked you better when you were still emotionally constipated," Eddie muttered, shoulders slumping. "I don't think you're stupid, I just don't trust him."

"And until you can get evidence to back that up, stop takin' it out on me. And that means, stop makin' me play fuckin' mediator, too. You're an adult. Fuckin' act like it," Jon grumbled. He stood and crossed the short distance, hauling Eddie in by the scruff of his neck. "The world ain't endin' just because I got a boyfriend, so stop acting like it."

"Did it have to be him, though?" It was muffled where he'd pressed his face into Jon's shoulder.

"'Course it did. It was a done deal the moment he showed up, and you know it." He gently shoved Eddie back, "Don't keep givin' him shit—not unless he starts it. Okay?" Jon, insisted. Just because he liked the guy, didn't mean he wasn't fully aware of Bryan's love of shit stirring.

Even still slumped as he was, Jon could see the little spark of mischief in Eddie. "So you're sayin' I can still give him shit."

"If…"

Eddie groaned and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Only if he starts it."

"Same goes for him, ya know. You go after him, he's allowed to hit back."

Eddie made a face. "I don't like you anymore."

"Bullshit." He gave Eddie another light shove toward the door. "Now, are you gonna run the register, or not?"

He relaxed a little, back on familiar ground. He flapped a hand at Jon and turned toward the shop. "Yeah, yeah, fuckin' hard ass."

"If you don't scare off any customers, we'll go to the gym later," Jon promised. "You can beat me up and everything."

Eddie swatted at him one final time. "I don't wanna beat you up."

"Then shut up for five fuckin' minutes and let me be happy," he shot back, hoping the point would finally fucking stick. He sighed and shook his head, waving Eddie off. "If Thompson comes in for a pick up, remind 'im I quoted him three months on the job, not three weeks."

He immediately perked up. "Can I yell?"

"Only if he pushes," Jon said, sternly. "If you can behave 'til lunchtime, I'll send you on some errands this afternoon. Deal?"

"Only if you promise to stop working at 6," Eddie shot back, but without much heat behind it. Like he realized, halfway through, that he didn't have much of a leg to stand on when it came to making anymore demands on Jon.

It was almost normal. Almost back to the standard bickering he was used to. Just on the edge of being back on solid footing.

He watched Eddie for a few moments, as he set about opening the shop back up, and ached. 

He hadn't ever expected Eddie and Bryan to get along. Not before, and certainly not after. But he'd hoped they'd at least be normal about shit. Wouldn't put him in the middle of everything. 

He understood Eddie just fine. Understood Bryan, too, thank fuck. Understood their fears and anger, the need to snip at each other. To bite and to bite back. Their desires to defend and protect Jon—even if they were both bassackwards in how they went about it. He understood each of them. It was the Eddie and Bryan Situation he had so much trouble navigating. 

He sighed again and turned back toward his desk, ready to bury himself back beneath his pile of work. People may not have made much fucking sense to him, but at least books did.

[koushirouizumi]

This article (from Dec 2003) has some bio-normative language and such, but it's still relevant to topics I talk about here.

[groundzero-redriot]

It's Week 2 everyone! This week was chapters 298-302. The first chapter had a lot, so this week will have multiple posts.

Here's my favorite moments from chapter 208!

1) Picking up where we left off last week. Tsukishima has such complete confidence in Tadashi's serves. He knows how much his best friend has improved, both in skill and self-confidence. Bonus for Kuroo's confused face.

2) Is he proud of Tadashi's service ace? Definitely. Will he stop being a little shit to Kuroo? No.

3) Shimada is so proud of his protege. And Akiteru thinking back to tiny, shy, elementary school Tadashi is so cute.

4) The second serve didn't quite go where Tadashi wanted, but that's alright. Tsukki is ready. And the way he knows exactly what Tadashi is thinking!

5) The framing! You can tell that Tadashi was ready to dig, but who needs that when you have the perfect weapon duo on the court?

6) Bokuto and Akaashi. The excitement. The quiet pride. They are everything.

7) I don't know if this is Tsukki's memories, or Tadashi's, or some combination of both, but it's amazing to see their story all together like this. The way Tadashi was always following Tsukki around until he got confident and finally passed him. And now that Tsukki has finally let himself enjoy volleyball again, they're back on the same level. But he never would've gotten there if Tadashi hadn't called him out at the Tokyo training. He never would have stuck around in gym 3 without that fight. They're the ones pushing each other to get better. I love their friendship. And Tsukki's smile when they high-five, bc you know he doesn't smile like that for anybody else.

8) He's having fun! And not being sarcastic!

9) Bonus Fukunaga bc the ref's utter confusion at his commentary is cracking me up.

That's a wrap on the first chapter. Part two coming soon!

[onlyhereforthestories]

Heres the snippet as promised! Happy birthday Nonny! I hope you have a great day ☺️

You watched on from your position on the bench with the other Barca staff members, as Alexia stepped up to get her second award before the match against Arsenal has even started. Best player of the tournament last season and you had no doubts that she’s already in contention to win it again this year already. After your call with Ona recently and all the teasing Leila and Mapi have decided you deserve your thoughts were swimming with anything and everything Alexia Putellas. The pride you felt for the woman in that moment is something you’d never experienced before and that was something you did not want to dwell on. You had only known the woman for 2 months and you didn’t feel like it was long enough to feel like this.

Digging around your bag to take your mind away from the brown haired beauty, you triple checked you had all you needed for if you were needed on the pitch at any point today. Which you knew from your time in Manchester was very likely, Arsenal were a physical team and you were sure at least a few of the Barca women were going to be on the receiving end of a tough or late challenge. You only looked up again when the whistle blew to signify the start of the game.

You were already 1-0 up when Oshoala broke down the left hand side completely free, you’d been watching Alexia much more than you should have so you knew she was racing through the centre of the pitch to get herself in the box. When the ball was cut back there was no possible other outcome than what you saw, Alexia brushed the ball home with her left foot and you were up on your feet without a thought. Jumping and clapping with some of the other staff you turned round to see Jenni holding her hand out so you slapped hers happily missing the massive smirk plastered over her face.

“Enjoy that one y/n?” Now you did pick up on the teasing tone of her voice but chose to not bite. “Si Hermoso, I always love it when my team scores.” With that being said the whistle to half time blew and you found yourself heading into the back room in case any of the girls needed your help before the second half.

After helping Mapi re-strap her ankle and taping a few socks they were back out for the second half. With the score now at 3-0 there wasn’t a whole lot going on in the game, Barca had complete control of the ball and were mostly playing it around trying to find some easy gaps to get shots on goal, until a late and most likely frustrated tackle was landed on Alexia in the middle of the field. You were up and out of your seat before you were even called but you’d be damned if you weren’t going to get to her as soon as you could.  

When the ref signalled you on you forced yourself to keep your pace a jog rather than an all out sprint. Alexia had her face pressed into the ground and a hand clutching her ankle when you got to her.

“Hola Ale where’s the issue? Can you sit up for me por favor?” Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder you helped her into a sitting position where upon closer inspection you noticed the tears in her eyes.

“Mi tobillo, it got stuck under her knee” Alexia’s voice was strained as she spoke in a hushed whisper. Carefully taking her ankle to gently pressed you thumbs into the pressure points around her ankles and only had her grimace once.

“Bueno, take my hand and we will see what you feel like when you put weight on it. I think you’re going to be okay Putellas” You took her outstretched hand with a smile and hauled her up. She rolled her ankle a couple times, took a few steps, stood on her tip toes and then jumped a number of times. Catching her eye you ask “Bien?”

“Si, Gracias y/n” the smile she gave you when she said that had you forgetting where you were. The refs voice filtering into your brain is what prompted you to pack your stuff grab your bag and run after Alexia who was already pretty much on the side lines ready to re-enter play.

The look Jenni gave you when you got back to the bench told you just how noticeable your urgency to get on the field was. You just hoped she was the only one who took a real notice.

“Subtle chica medica” Jenni got out whilst laughing.

[whatisthiswritingthing]

Keepers Don’t Run - Alyssa Naeher x Reader

Prompt: Alyssa Naeher x reader where they play on the team and r gets injured? Alyssa is so sweet🥺

Note: This was option A

Being in goal, Alyssa always had a full view of the field. She could see things before they would happen, she learned to read players and could predict where they would go. This ability was what made her such a good keeper. She never would have predicted this, no one could have, it was a fluke. A freak accident. A one in a thousand type thing.

Keepers don’t run. But Alyssa ran, she fucking ran. Fast.

Y/N had gone for a slide tackle, it was clean. She had gotten the ball away, like she had done countless times before. But some rookie was out to try and make a name for themselves that game and didn’t take well to losing the ball. She poorly attempted to hop the midfielder, coming down hard on Y/N’s exposed side. Studs meeting ribs. Thin jersey the only thing protecting the flesh.

The ref immediately pulling out the yellow. JJ adamantly protesting to the ref for a red.

But Y/N didn’t get up. Y/N always gets up. That was when Alyssa knew it was bad. She started by taking a couple tentative steps out of her box, the trainers hadn’t been called on yet and Tierna was at Y/N’s side. Alyssa could see Y/N digging her heels into the turf, the rest of her view block as more players crowded around her.

Then Alyssa saw the look on Tierna’s face when she was pushed away from the injured midfielder. She took off across the field as soon as their eyes met.

Skidding to the knees next to the midfielder, Alyssa could see the red forming on the once clean, white jersey. Pushed out of the way while the trainers applied gauze to the torn flesh.

One trainer leaned over Y/N, encouraging her to continue to breath, helping catch her breath after it was all forced from the contact. Another gently probing to get a quick sense of the damage.

Alyssa gripped the hand closest to her, allowing Y/N to squeeze it, taking over encouraging her to regulate her breathing.

“Hey tough guy,” Alyssa awkwardly wiped a piece of grass of Y/N’s face with her gloves still on.

“Fuck, fuck,” Y/N groaned, wincing as one of the trainers continued to press down.

Her breathing was still uneven, each breath clearly a struggle, but had at least became more regular.

“When you’re ready, we’ll sit you up then walk off,” one of the trainers shifted the jersey back down with gauze temporarily taped in place.

Y/N nodded, beginning to push herself up with another groan. Alyssa helping pull her up with one hand while the other supported her weight on her back. Hand firm between her shoulder blades.

“Shit,” Y/N’s brows furrowed tight, working to even her breathing. Preparing herself to stand up, leaning slightly into Alyssa’s side.

“Ready?”

Y/N nodded, leaning more into Alyssa and she started to push herself up. Alyssa slid her hand to her hip, pulling her standing.

Once standing, one of the trainers moved to stand and assist in supporting Y/N’s weight. Alyssa soothingly rubbed a hand up and down her back while they slowly walked toward the sideline.

Before Alyssa could leave the field, the other trainer slid in to replace her.

Alyssa hesitated, she wanted to follow and stay with her girlfriend, but knew she needed to finish the game.

“Finish the game Lyss,” Y/N grunted out, trainers continuing to walk her to the change room.

Alyssa hesitated again, glancing back to the goal before nodding and jogging backwards, watching Y/N tense form leave the field.

Thankfully, there was only ten minutes left in the game, plus five minutes of stoppage time. Alyssa willed the game to go faster, her eyes drifting to the tunnel her girlfriend had been taken every time the ball was away from her.

As soon as the final whistles were blown, Alyssa took off to the medical room, bursting into the room.

Y/N was already half seated on the bed, dressed in a hoodie, shorts and slides. She was pale, one arm across her eyes, not even reacting to Alyssa’s sudden presence.

Alyssa gently sat on the edge of the bed, pushing the arm out of the way, rubbing her thumb along the deep worry lines between her eyebrows. Y/n rolled her head to the side, giving Alyssa a small, pained smile.

“Hey tough guy,” the keeper whispered, leaning down and pressed a small kiss to Y/N’s hairline, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

Y/N gripped the forearm that had rested next to her shoulders.

“We are just waiting for the x-rays,” the trainer offered from the other side of the room. One of the benefits of being a professional athlete; immediate access to medical imaging. “We are assuming there is at least three broken ribs. We’ve already stitched her up, so once we get those back, she is good to go. She can take ibuprofen for the pain, but we are sending her with a prescription for something stronger if needed.”

Alyssa dutifully nodded, ensuring she took in all the instructions.

“I’m right here,” Y/N rasped from the bed.

The trainer smiled and continued to give instructions to the keeper, pausing only to confirm that the ribs were broken.

Alyssa left briefly to change and gather both their things as fast as she could, before making her way back to her girlfriend’s side.

The pair gingerly made their way to the Alyssa’s car. Y/N’s movement slow and stiff, doing her best to stifle any sounds as she moved. Alyssa felt her heart sink watching how much Y/N was struggling at the simplest movements.

“Let’s get you in the shower,” Alyssa suggested softly as they entered the house, arm still curled around Y/N’s waist. Y/N nodded and began to the shuffle towards the bathroom.

The keeper followed along, turning the shower on, she turned back around and placed her hands on the hem of Y/N’s sweater, looking in her eyes for permission to help undress her.

Y/N nodded wordlessly again while they slowly worked together to undress the midfielder, soft gasps and groans hardly heard over the running water.

Alyssa undressed as well, helping Y/N step into the tub, bracing her to make sure she wouldn’t slip.

“Face the wall gorgeous, we don’t want your stitches to get wet,” Alyssa tenderly turned her around.

She methodically washed her girlfriend, lathering her body with body wash, massaging shampoo into her hair. Alyssa tried to avoid looking at the dark bruise already forming, the studs of cleats obvious and distinct in the center of it, skin darkening and spreading across her chest.

Alyssa stepped out of the tub, firmly holding one hand while the other held her hip, guiding y/N out behind her. By now Alyssa could feel Y/N trembling as the pain radiated throughout her body.

Finally dressed and settled for the night. Alyssa leaned against the arm on the couch, keeping Y/N against her chest, rubbing a hand across her legs to help relax her, massaging the tense muscles.

“How you feeling now Y/N/N?” Alyssa leaned in, whispering in the midfielders ear, kissing the tip.

“Like I got hit by a truck,” Y/N tried to turn to burrow her face into Alyssa’s, only groan and tense. “fuck, everything hurts.”

“Shh babe, remember breath like normal,” Alyssa soothed, rubbing a hand across her chest.

Y/N took a shaky, shallow breath. Alyssa squeezed a hip, “full breaths.”

Y/N shifted as best she could to try and get closer to the keeper, Alyssa keeping a protective hand on her belly, the other up and down her thigh.

[kaistarus]

Crush At First Sight

Pairing: Nishinoya X Reader

Words: 2K

Summary: Attending the boy's volleyball finals was a no brainer-you'd take any opportunity to ditch school. You didn't think you'd find yourself getting so attached to one of the players...

Notes: I don't believe that someone could watch Noya play and not instantly fall in love, so I did him right

Masterlist

The only time you’d heard about the boy’s volleyball team was when someone called them ‘flightless crows’ in the hallway, which you assumed was a bad thing. However, when your friends mentioned they were skipping class to apparently watch them play in the Spring finals you were all for attending.

You’d take any opportunity to ditch school-even if it was to watch some guys lose a volleyball game.

The stadium was more filled than you were expecting. As you slid through the crowd to find three open seats you realized perhaps this was a bigger deal than you’d anticipated. Once seated, Michimiya passed everyone noise makers she’d picked up from some guys near the stadium’s entrance. You tested the bright orange cone-shaped objects by lightly tapping them together.

“So, they must have really improved this year, huh?” You said as your eyes wandered around the packed stands, apparently you weren’t the only ones skipping school today.

“They got a new coach,” Michimiya said, bouncing lightly from nerves and anticipation, “and a lot of talented first years.”

“Not hard on the eyes either,” Aihara nudged your shoulder and gestured towards the team congregated on the sidelines around their coaches. You nodded slowly as you scanned the group, lingering on the unfortunate boy who got stuck with the orange jersey.

At least he could pull it off.

The teams took the court, their anticipation radiating into the audience and extending even to you as you clutched your noise makers tightly. After the whistle was blown, and the first serve made, the game of Karasuno vs Shiratorizawa officially began.

A few minutes into the match you found your gaze latching onto the guy in the orange jersey. Shiratorizawa was terrifying, especially the big guy with his powerful spikes. You winced the first time you saw it because you couldn’t imagine receiving something like that without breaking your arms, but the libero guy was doing it like it was nothing. He had adapted to the playstyle and for every ball that made your stomach drop he would appear from seemingly nowhere and make a save.

There was something about the way he could go from intensely focused on the court to relaxed on the sidelines within moments that had you mesmerized, as well. You couldn’t help the weird fullness in your chest as he guzzled down water and smiled goofily to some of his teammates after their first set as if the pressure wasn’t weighing on him.

“What are you so focused on?” Michimiya asked while bopping you on the head with her cone.

“Nothing,” you said as the boys began to take the court again, preparing for the next serve. “Hey, what was number four’s name?”

Aihara’s brow quirked. “Nishinoya, why?”

“I’m just wondering...” You said, subconsciously smiling when he slid and barely saved the ball with one hand. “He’s just pretty good is all.”

“Daichi said he’s their ‘Guardian Deity’,” Michimiya wiggled her eyebrows at you.

“Boys are so dramatic.” Aihara scoffed.

You couldn’t argue that one.

As the sets continued you found yourself growing increasingly attached to Nishinoya: heart dropping if he missed a ball, swelling with pride anytime he made a play, and you’d even find your cheeks warming whenever you caught sight of him smiling to himself or a teammate. It was becoming embarrassing, truthfully, considering you’d never even talked to him.

“Alright, at least pretend you’re not obsessively staring at him.” Aihara nudged you playfully as the fourth set wrapped up and the boys were switching sides on the court.

“I’m not.”

Michimiya giggled, bopping you on the nose. “You geek out every time he touches the ball. It’s not hard to notice.”

“You’re one to talk. As if you haven’t been fangirling over Daichi.” Aihara leaned back, sighing dramatically. “I’m trapped between a pair of lovesick fools.”

“I don’t even know the guy,” you felt your cheeks warming. “Even if I did he probably wouldn’t be interested in--”

“Have you ever met Nishinoya before?” Aihara interrupted you. “Like, at school or in any context? Heard about him or talked to him… anything?”

You shook your head and they both started laughing lightly before Michimiya put a hand on your shoulder. “Trust me, you’ll be fine.”

You tilted your head in confusion, but before you could form a retort the ref’s whistle signaled the start of the final set. Your grip on the noise makers were tight as both sides fought strongly, neither willing to lose a single point and give up their chance for nationals. It felt surreal when Karasuno pulled that final point. Everyone erupted into cheers as the three of you held onto each other, jumping and shouting, unable to contain your excitement while celebrating the boy’s well earned victory. Boys who were currently dogpiled in the center of the court while the third years had tears streaming down their faces in disbelief.

It was an honor to be a part of and you couldn’t have been prouder to have them representing your school. When they lined up in front of you and bowed to thank you all for your attendance you clutched your hands against your chests. They really earned the win.

You were pulled out of your randomly emotional train of thought by Aihara’s grip tugging you behind her as they shuffled out of the stands.

“Where are we going?” You asked when they left the gym opposite the stadium’s exit.

“We’re going to congratulate the guys!” Michimiya sent a smile over her shoulder and your heart accelerated to an unhealthy pace.

“I don’t know if I’m mentally prepared for that scenario,” you pointed toward the opposite end of the hall. “Maybe I should just meet you guys outside and-”

“Oh no you don’t,” Aihara began pushing you forward by your shoulders and you started to whine in protest. “You are strong and fearless and no boy shall knock you down.”

Michimiya giggled ahead of you where she remained completely useless in your time of need. You let Aihara guide you through groups of people finding their way toward the exit until you all spotted the boy’s team in their telling Karasuno volleyball club jackets.

You did a quick scan of everyone, but didn’t see the spiked hair you’d been observing for so long. You weren’t sure if it was relief or disappointment you felt.

“There he is,” Aihara gave you a squeeze, pointing near the far wall where Nishinoya was digging through his duffel bag on the ground, eyebrows furrowed and tongue stuck out adorably in concentration. Your heart started pounding at the sight of him so close. The bizarre realization that he was in fact a real person finally hit which made your palms sweaty.

“As it turns out. I have decided to denounce myself from boys and am going to live a life of celibacy.” You nodded confidently, trying to make a u-turn, but Aihara annoyingly spun you around.

“Shut up,” she rolled her eyes. “Just talk to him. I promise it will work out.” She patted your shoulder. “Trust me.”

You glared at her, mumbling insults under your breath as you slowly walked over to where Nishinoya continued to dig through his mess of a bag. You took a deep breath and decided your best move was to just deep dive straight into your doom. What could possibly go wrong?

“Uh, Nishinoya, right?”

He glanced at you briefly, looking you up and down before continuing to dig through his bag.“Yep, do need you help finding someone?” He triumphantly pulled out some IcyHot before pointing toward where the rest of his team lounged. “Most of the guys are over there.”

“I was actually hoping to talk to you.” You winced as you noticed the bruises that decorated his arms when he started to peel off his jacket.

“Why? Is something wrong? Do you have a message for me or something?”

“No… I just wanted to tell you how amazing I thought you were today.” You quickly glanced away in embarrassment when he finally looked up at you with wide-eyes. You dug your toe into the ground as you urged yourself to continue, “I was watching you and just thought you were really cool and--”

“Sorry,” he chuckled and put a hand up to stop you. “I was actually wearing the orange jersey. Number four.” He pointed to the others in the center of the hall again. “The guy you're looking for is probably over there.”

You blinked. “Nishinoya. Orange jersey. Number four. Libero. Guardian Deity or whatever.” Your embarrassment was dissolving into frustration. “Is that you?”

“Yeah?”

“Then I’m looking for you.”

He stared at his bag as his brain tried to process the situation you’d presented to him. Suddenly, his gaze whipped up at you. “Holy shit,” he pointed his finger at himself. “You’re talking to me.”

“Have been.”

He tensed and locked his eyes on the IcyHot he was currently trying to rub on his back. He quickly threw it near his bag and you felt another fond smile growing on your face. “I’m Nishinoya,” he said, extending his hand toward you before shoving it down to his side. “Wait, you know that. Shit, were you complimenting me? Did you just call me cool?”

“I did do that, yeah.”

His face turned a bright shade of red, “but you can’t do that it goes against all the rules.”

“What are you-”

“Look,” He pointed his finger between the two of you causing you to raise a brow. “I’m supposed to flirt with and compliment you, then you say something mean that hurts my feelings.” He smacked his shoes for finality. “It’s a strict formula.”

“What’s the formula for when I flirt with you then?” You asked, a sly smirk spreading across your lips. His shoulders went up to his ears and he stared at his hands longer than you felt necessary for such a simple question.

He looked up at you defeated. “I don’t know I’m bad at math.”

You covered your mouth to hold back the laugh trying to force its way out. He was just so cute though. “Well, so am I, but mutual flirting seems like a good solution. If you were an interested party that is.”

“I’m a very interested party…” He murmured under his breath while narrowing his eyes at you. “Did Tanaka put you up to this?”

“I don’t know who that is.”

He furrowed his brow in thought before pulling a flip phone out from his duffel and holding it out to you, “can I have your number?”

Your cheeks dusted pink as you created your contact under Nishinoya’s intense gaze. He hurriedly checked it’s existence when you returned the phone to him, staring at it skeptically while he cradled the phone in his hands.

“I promise it’s mine.” You reassured him and he embarrassingly snapped the phone closed.

“Okay,” he mumbled.

“(Y/N)!” Aihara yelled from where the rest of Karasuno’s team was grouped and not so subtly staring at you both. Your face slowly blossomed red and in your peripheral you saw Nishinoya flip off the ones waving at him. “We’re heading out. Are you done or do you need more time with your-”

“I’ll be right there.” You interrupted, glancing back to Nishinoya. “I’ll, uh, talk to you soon?”

He shot you a double thumbs up and you couldn’t stop from snorting at how adorable that was, especially when he started at them in shame. You waved a good-bye and narrowly dodged the small group already sprinting to Nishinoya while you weren’t even a few steps away.

Aihara wrapped an arm around your shoulder as your eyes lingered on boys rubbing Nishinoya’s head, bouncing around excitedly, or giving him suggestive looks. You felt your stomach rolling from embarrassment at all the attention he was receiving from such a small interaction.

“Ignore them. They’re just stupid boys.”

“I guess…”

“But one of them’s your stupid boy.” Michimiya said, poking you in the stomach. You swatted her hands away, and chewed your lip to keep down a smile when your phone vibrated. The ‘hello :)’ from an unknown number made your heart flutter.

Yeah, one of them was your stupid boy.

[penaltbox]

no promises - cole caufield

here’s a little fic that i’m actually pretty proud of and i owe so much credit to @puckyess​ for always helping me get these ideas rolling. if you like it let me know! feedback and reblogs are much appreciated!

word count: ~5.9k

__

The image of the gold chain he always wore dances behind your closed eyelids for the third night in a row. You swear you can hear his ragged breath in your ear, his mumbled profanities mingling with the gasps you let out when he checks to make sure you’re still okay, and the brief mentions of something gone wrong during the game. It’s like he’s right there, pushing you both closer to a release of emotions that you played no part in aggravating. You’re ready to lose it when you shoot up in bed, your phone lit up on the side table next to you with a notification. You take a deep breath and steady yourself, not even realizing that you’d fallen asleep. You rub your hand over your face and grab the device to check who was contacting you at such a late hour. You had a feeling you knew who…

‘Speak of the devil’, you thought as you unlocked your screen and tapped on his message. You realize then that it’s just past one o’clock in the morning and you connect the dots that he’d probably just gotten back from their trip to Ohio State. 

‘come over’

Never a please. Never a ‘would you like to’. Never a doubt that you wouldn’t do exactly what he asked of you.

And you had yet to prove him wrong. You slip out from under your covers quickly, grabbing some clothes and sneaking into your bathroom with your fingers crossed that your roommate wouldn’t hear you. You shower quickly and shave, slipping on the lace underwear that he’d probably hardly notice and some comfy clothes before brushing your teeth and heading for the door.

“Where are you going?” Your roommate asks, head peeking over the back of the couch as you jump in surprise. She was rarely up late, but of course, some west coast hockey game had kept her up well past her bedtime on that night of all times. You were so wrapped up in your own thoughts that you hadn’t even noticed the TV still on when you walked out.

“Uhm, nowhere,” you lie, knowing she’ll see right through you, “I’ll be back tonight though.”

She sighs and turns back around, “you know he’s just going to hurt you.”

And that… that was probably true, but it’s something you refuse to think about in that moment. Instead, you slip your shoes on and grab your keys, heading out just as suddenly as his request had come in. You made a half-hearted mental note that this needed to be the last time you did this.

__

You hate how quickly you get to his place but you can’t help it. It’s like second nature at this point and you could get there on autopilot if needed. Some nights it felt just like that but tonight you had a weird buzzing under your skin. It wasn’t like you were doing this for the first time or anything. Far from it, in fact. You try to brush the feeling off as nerves and stop two doors down from his actual apartment, sending him a text that you’d arrived, just like he always asked you to do. 

It takes a few minutes but his head pops out of the door suddenly and he smirks, “about time.”

You roll your eyes playfully and walk towards him, leaning in to kiss his cheek before making your way towards his bedroom. Brock barely spares you a glance from the couch, focusing his eyes on the TV as he watches the replay of the game your roommate had caught earlier. You blush and turn towards Cole’s room, but manage to catch Brock telling Cole to keep it down in a less than pleased voice. 

You ignore it and make your way into Cole’s room, peeking out the window at the city below that was much quieter than you were used to with it being such a late hour. 

“Miss me?” He calls from behind you, catching your attention.

You turn and find him still donning the smirk he’d formed when he first saw you that night, “wouldn’t you love to know.”

He scoffs a little and you watch his demeanor start to shift. Cole never called because he wanted to see you. No, it was more that he needed you to be there. Cole had a short temper ever since getting to Wisconsin. He found himself easily agitated and regularly frustrated at how his game had gone from smooth and easy with the NTDP to always struggling with the Badgers. 

And then one night he met you. He didn’t mean to start hooking up with you but you knew enough about hockey that he could talk about what went wrong if he wanted to, but you also knew when you just let him have his turn to get his frustrations out. His mouth turns down in a scowl as he locks his bedroom door and closes the gap between you two. His stare is constant and you feel your cheeks heat up almost instantly. He had control over you that you’d never given up to anyone and it made for addictingly good sex. 

“This last game sucked,” he mumbles, backing you against the wall and resting a hand on your hip. He’s so close you can feel his warm breaths as he seems to disconnect from the world suddenly. 

He goes silent but you don’t need any other explanation. You’d watched the game and saw he got his shit rocked on a couple different occasions. You would bet there was a bruise somewhere under his clothes that you’d be finding in no time. 

He presses his lips roughly against yours as his free hand comes around your waist, holding you tight against him. His hand slides up from your hip and slips under your shirt until he gets up to your bra… or where it should be. 

“Fuck,” he hisses, pulling back and lifting your battered Wisconsin crew neck over your head, “no bra? I love it.”

Your heart stalls a little at the l-word, not expecting him to say that. You don’t get time to react though as he kisses you again, slower this time, and angles you over towards the bed. He lets you fall back on it and you smile, reaching a hand out for him. He takes it, giving you a grin back that makes the buzzing under your skin worsen. 

Cole was always different once he got you in his room. He didn’t say much when you got there or left, but when it was just the two of you? He was all hands on. He was vocal; he checked in on you, he praised you, and he always made sure you finished. But he never looked at you when he did. 

He’s quick to shed his own clothes and tug your joggers off, wasting no time as his lips found as much skin as they could. He left a couple marks, but not anywhere they’d be visible. You did your best to keep up, gripping his shoulders as you rolled your hips up against his. 

He’s settled into you and creating a pace before he says another word, his tone strained as he says, “can’t believe that goal didn’t count. Fuck that ref. We hardly got enough chances on net. Shit, I’m getting close, baby.”

“Just a little longer,” you squeak, digging your nails into his back as the pet name rolled through your thoughts. He never called you by name during sex. It was a red flag that stood tall but you still ignored it every time it happened. 

You could feel every failed play in the way he moved. You knew there were missed shots and poor passes that resulted in them losing. You watch the wheels turn in his head as he holds you down just a little harder, blunt nails digging into your skin. His left bites the skin above your collarbone and you know it’ll leave a mark but it still pulls an obscene noise from your lips. 

He presses his forehead into the crook of your neck, lips melting against your warm skin. He slips a hand down to help you along and it works much faster than you expected. You hated how he knew what would make your body react fastest as you tumble to your end. You try to catch your breath below him, knowing the hold he had on your hip would leave bruises. It usually did. He rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling for a couple minutes when he’s done. 

He looks over at you, the corner of his lips just slightly pulled up, “are you good?”

“I’m good,” you laugh, still a little out of breath, “just don’t make me stand up right this second. My legs feel like jello.”

“Deal,” he laughs, letting his hand slide over, hooking your pinkies together in the small space between the two of you. 

Once you finally feel up for it you slide out of his warm bed, grabbing your clothes and sliding them back on. Cole pulls sweatpants on and waits until you’re ready before walking you out. He stops at his own door first though and leans down, giving you a much more gentle kiss than the first that night. He lets you both linger, arms wrapped around each other, and leans his forehead on yours when he finally separates his mouth from yours. 

“I’ll see you next time?” He asks, but you both know the answer. 

“Yeah, of course.”

His demeanor turns back to friendly versus affectionate as he walks you to the front door. You notice that Brock is no longer taking up space on the couch and you feel embarrassed when you think of what he must have heard. 

Cole tells you goodbye, but there’s no hug and definitely no kiss this time around. He watches until you get safely into the elevator and leaves you with a nod of his head. You really wondered why you stuck around but when you remember the last kiss he’d given you, you can’t help but press your fingers to your lips as the buzzing under your skin heightens again. 

—

You watch the time tick down off the clock, wincing when you watch Cole smash his stick off the wall at the buzzer. They’d gotten destroyed by Minnesota and you already knew what type of mood he was in. The announcers make comments on the bad attitudes the Badgers were toting, mentioning multiple things they’d done wrong that night. You mute them but leave the feed running just in case they interviewed someone you’d want to hear from. 

It was a home game so there was no flight to wait for but you had a good feeling you’d be getting a text in an hour or two so you moved from the couch to your bathroom, not wanting to make him wait with how he was acting already. 

As soon as you wrap the fluffy towel around your body and tap the screen you see three messages waiting from Cole and one from a number you didn’t have saved. You frown and open it quickly, tapping the unknown number first. 

‘Hey it’s Brock. Sorry if this is weird but the doors unlocked and I’m gone for the night so deal with my brother please and thanks’

You laugh a little, knowing he must be way more worked up than you expected. ‘What a shit show this is going to be’, you think to yourself. You skim Cole’s messages next that range from ‘come over’ to ‘I’m dead serious get over here’. You’re about to type out a response when his contact pops up on your screen. He’d never called before. 

“Hello?” You answer, brow furrowed in confusion. 

“Why are you ignoring me? Get over here,” He grits out, sounding so tense your jaw drops a little. 

You sigh, tucking the phone between your shoulder and cheek as you hurry to your room to grab clothes, “I am, I promise. I was just in the shower.”

“We don’t make promises, remember? The front door is open when you get here.”

You’re about to tell him you knew that but the line goes dead, leaving you to stare at the blank screen in your hand. You’re baffled at the attitude he was projecting onto you but you get your things together anyways and finish getting ready. ‘

You don’t hurry to his place this time, knowing he was on edge either way, but you still get there in under 20 minutes from when he’d called. You bite your lip as you try the door handle, finding it unlocked just like both Caufield boys had said. You take a deep breath and walk in, locking the door behind you

“Cole?” you call out, looking around the small space. He’s not in the kitchen or living room so you head down the hall. His room is dark, leaving you confused, but then you hear the shower. You tap on the door and peek your head in, “Cole?”

His head pops out from around the corner, a frown so prominent his forehead was creasing. It eases off his face a little when he locks eyes on you as he calls for you, “will you come here? Get in with me.”

Your face heats quickly. You’d never done something so intimate with him and you were wondering if it was really the best idea. Your skin starts to get that all-too-familiar buzz under it now and you were starting to think it was permanent around him. 

“Are you sure? I just took one and I don’t mind waiting in your room until you’re done.”

He sighs, pouting a little, “please.”

You really wished you had more willpower in that moment but when it came to him you just didn’t. You nod and make your way into the small room, striping your clothes off as he watched. It makes you feel so much more exposed than usual but somehow it’s not uncomfortable. You push him back gently as you go to step in, smiling a little.

“You better make room if you want me in here,” you tease, putting your hair up in a bun to keep it dry.

Cole smirks and pulls you into him, eyes still scanning your body, “I’ll do whatever you ask.”

You snort at that and roll your eyes, “we both know that’s a lie. You’re the one who calls the shots around here.”

He’s silent for a moment before he smirks and leans down, kissing you hard. He bites gently on your bottom lip, much to your surprise, and lets a hand trail down the side of your thigh. He looks like he’s up to no good when he pulls back, making you let out a little laugh. You knew when you were in trouble with him. 

“Let’s see what it’s like in the shower. I bet you sound amazing in here,” he says, his tone low enough to make you shiver a bit. You didn’t hate the idea. You were pretty sure anywhere the two of you chose would be worth your time, but the bathroom was… well lit. He’d see every inch of you and you were pretty sure he hadn’t yet.

“Are you sure?” you check in, half hoping he’ll change his mind for some reason. 

“Yeah I’m sure. I think it’ll be fun,” he nods, but stops when he notices your hesitation, “unless you’re not cool with it?”

“No! I’m okay with it! I just was thinking we’ve never really done anything with so much, you know, light and stuff,” you blush, looking down at your feet then and feeling a little silly for your admission. 

Cole reaches out to tilt your chin back up towards him, “I’ll let you call this shot.”

And you agree. You end up losing your footing a couple times, he has to hold your waist almost always, and you can’t help but laugh at the awful noises that are being made at an awful volume in the tiled area. It’s simultaneously the worst yet most fun sex the two of you had dealt with yet. It takes longer than normal to finish for you both so you’re exhausted by the time you both lean on each other to catch your breath. 

“Wonder what time it is by now,” you mumble, cheek pressed against his chest as you hug his waist tight. 

He looks down and leans to kiss your forehead so gently you can’t breathe suddenly, “probably pretty late. Did you just want to spend the night?”

You sigh and try to step away but his arms hold you tightly in place. You give him a look, trying to remind him that you both know better than to even think about doing that. This was still just a hookup. Or at least it was supposed to be. 

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” you sigh, leaning your cheek back onto his chest to listen to his heartbeat rather than catching his stare. 

“You’re right,” he agrees, but he doesn’t sound very convincing. 

He carefully slips from your arms and out of the shower, grabbing his own towel before searching for an extra for you. He shuts the shower off and wraps the towel tightly around you, giving you another forehead kiss. He was really pushing boundaries for the night and you were struggling to keep saying no. 

You both dress in silence, but it’s far from awkward. You can see the tension is gone in his shoulders and he just looks exhausted now. You’re still determined to leave and keep things casual, but if you weren’t, you’d have him wrapped in your arms in his bed while you played with his hair. Luckily, or maybe not, you’d never know that was struggling not to think of the same thing. 

He catches you by surprise yet again that night when he kisses you at the front door. He usually played it cool and acted unattached in any of the common spaces but tonight was much different. You had so many thoughts in your head from the way he was treating you and you knew you needed to go. 

A quick goodbye and one more fast kiss, or you wouldn’t leave, and you were walking a little quicker than usual to the elevator. Maybe it was time to start telling him no. You laugh at your own thoughts immediately. You were way too gone for him to ever do that.

—

‘Let me know when you land and I’ll get ready’

You stare at the words that you’d texted, wondering if you blacked out when you sent them. You can’t take it back, unfortunately, and you’re left with the gnawing feeling that you shouldn’t have done it. Cole was always the one to ask you over. 

“You sent him what?” Your roommate asks, her eyes wide as she leans over your shoulder to read it, “oh my god, are you in love with him or something?”

“What? No!” You yell back, but truthfully you weren’t sure about that, “I just figured I’d check in with him first? I don’t know, I guess I just thought I’d get the ball rolling earlier today.”

Your face feels hot to the touch as you press your hand against your cheek. You know you must look like a lost puppy because your roommate wraps her arms around you immediately, rubbing your back soothingly. 

“Just be careful, okay? I know you have fun when you’re with him, but boys suck. You can’t trust him.”

You swallow hard and nod, knowing she was telling the truth. You nod as a silent agreement and tell yourself you need to start pulling away. It’s not that you want to. You always enjoy being with Cole. It’s more that you need to. 

Cole turns his phone on once the flight lands. A few messages popping up right away. He’s about to ignore them all when he sees your name ding on the screen right before he can lock it. He feels a little tug in his chest as he reads the words you’d sent him. He tries to shrug the feeling off but the smack on his shoulder grounds him more than anything. 

Brock stares at him, an almost knowing look on his face, “is that who I think it is? I thought you were the one who always reached out first.”

“I mean, I usually am. This is a first,” Cole says, looking back down at the message that has his face quickly turning up in a smile. 

“You know this isn’t a good idea,” Brock mumbles as he gives his little brother a side eye, “when are you going to stop playing with her emotions and make a decision? Because it sure looks like you’re getting your own feelings involved at this point, too.”

“I’m sure she just sent it because she knows by now. We practically have a routine at this point so she’s really not out of line or anything,” Cole justifies, starting to type out a message right away.

Brock laughs a little before standing to get off the plane, “just don’t come crying to me when things go wrong because you two wouldn’t talk about things and one of you ends up heartbroken. Or both of you.”

Cole sighs and tries to shake off the words from his brother because honestly, he knew what Brock was saying was the truth. He’d always said he wasn’t going to get into anything serious because everything until the NHL was just a short-term stay. He hadn’t listened to that rule in high school though and so far he was having a hard time listening to it at college as well. Despite the advice from his brother he texts you back, wanting to just go with what made him feel good. 

‘Don’t be late’

He throws a winking emoji on at the end, quickly softening the formerly demanding message. You nearly choke on your own breath when it comes in on your phone. You’d spent the last half hour pacing your apartment and overthinking the worst case scenarios that could come from your choice to text him first. You’re surprised that he’s so casual about it, if you’re being honest, but you chalk it up to it being a routine thing that you guys did after his games. It’s all you need to hear though and you finish getting ready while trying not to think too hard about what it meant that you were both showing a desire to be together. 

Cole barely drops his backpack down in his room when his phone lights up. He smiles subconsciously and opens your message as he’s walking back towards the front door. Brock happens to be walking in the opposite direction and gives Cole a solid shove on his shoulder, mumbling something about how soft Cole was getting. He ignores the comment and pulls the front door open quickly, looking over at you.

“Well look who it is. Get over here,” he says, directing his smile at you.

You blush when you see how happy he looks and it makes your stomach flutter. That couldn’t be a good sign, but you can’t help it. You walk over and lean in, testing to see where the boundaries were that day. He leans down easily, kissing you gently, and making your brain go haywire. He’d never done that in the common space. He takes your hand, lacing his fingers through yours and giving a little squeeze as he takes the familiar path to his room. You were pretty sure you could walk the apartment with your eyes closed by now and you mark another little red flag in your head. They were tallying up faster and faster lately.

“You split the series, huh?” you ask, needing to break the silence with something to stop your thoughts from scrambling any longer.

Cole grins back at you, “yeah, they were decent so I’m glad we got that first win yesterday. Is that what it takes to get you to text first? A split?”

You can hear the teasing in his voice and it makes you blush, leaning your forehead on his arm, “stop, I thought you were back already. I didn’t mean to text early.”

He laughs, kissing your forehead and shutting the door behind him, “it’s okay. I didn’t mind it. We do kind of have that routine by now.”

“Yeah, we kind of do, huh? I just didn’t want to step over any lines with it,” you mumble, looking down where your hands are still connected.

“You didn’t,” he says quietly, grabbing your other hand and putting them on the back of his neck so he can wrap his arms around your waist, “don’t be afraid to do it again.”

You can’t form any words, opting to give him a little nod as your fingers play with the curls at the nape of his neck instead. He kisses you then and it takes your breath away. It feels like more than the ones you’d had before and maybe that was from his confession that he didn’t mind hearing from you whenever you pleased, but it’s a lot. In fact, the whole night is a lot.

He takes his time once he lays you down, picking you apart and finding every soft spot on your body. It isn’t rushed and aggressive like the hook ups usually were and you both were well aware of what you were doing. You even take a chance, tracing a bruise on his side with kisses to see if he’d let you. Usually he took charge and did things his way, but he lets you do what you want, making him whine and squirm like you’d never seen. You’re both exhausted by the time you’re done. You’d spent time, and for once, a lot of emotion on each other that wasn’t how things used to be. He pulls you against his chest after as he gently dances his fingers up and down your back.

“Same thing next weekend?” he jokes, getting a laugh out of you instantly. The sound makes the tug in his chest come back and he tries to push it away.

“Hmm, I don’t know,” you say and pretend to think about it, “what if I have other plans or you guys win both games?”

“Why don’t you text first again and we’ll see what happens?” 

You bite your lip and start to sit up, knowing you needed to leave before you got too tired or lost your willpower to tell him no. Cole frowns immediately and you catch the look right away, teasing him, “you aren’t so tough after all, are you, Caufield?” 

“Just stay,” he says, his tone low enough to make your stomach flip as he catches your wrist, “you already broke your rules once today. Do it again.”

You toss the idea around in your head, knowing this would go much farther than it should. It would step over so many lines, but your composure wasn’t very good around him anymore. You nod, leaning down to kiss him before settling back against his chest. He wraps his arms around you and kisses your temple. You hate how happy you feel with him as you remember all the red flags he’d given you in the past. You close your eyes and just try to relax. Next time you’d discuss what was going on. That was one promise you wanted to keep for yourself.

__

You and Cole go silent for the rest of the week after spending the night, but that was normal. You two didn’t talk any other time and you didn’t reach out unless it was after a game to sleep together. Still it manages to nag at you and you kick yourself. You caught feelings. You should have known better and cut things off weeks ago when you’d first started to get butterflies. Now it was too late and you knew you needed to have the ‘what is this’ talk with him sooner rather than later. You couldn’t keep wasting your time on someone who wasn’t going to stick around. You manage to make it through the week without reaching out to him, saving the interaction in case they lost their games that weekend and you’d inevitably hear from him then. 

Except they win.

Except he texts you immediately after the game with a message you’d never gotten from him.

‘Can we talk tonight?’

Your heart hammers in your chest as you read the four words over and over and over again. They’re burned into your memory by the time you look up, realizing your eyes had begun to tear up. You knew you needed to talk but you weren’t ready for the request to come from him. You send back a thumbs up emoji, not knowing how to string together any words that would make sense. You go on autopilot after that as you play through every possible situation that could come from this. 

Realistically it could either go really well or really poorly. He could say he also had feelings for you and that he wanted to make things work. Or, the worst option, he could tell you he didn’t have any feelings and he was done hooking up for good. You run through both options until your mind goes static and you have to force yourself out of the shower that’s run cold from being in it so long. You go through the motions of getting yourself to his place and sending the ‘here’ message that was customary at this point.

When he opens the door he doesn’t give you a smile, but waves you over. Neither of you go for a kiss and the air feels heavy around you both. It does nothing to calm your nerves or the churning in your stomach. You knew you weren’t there for a hookup that night, that much was obvious. It’s Brock standing in the living room that surprises you most. You catch his gaze and the soft, almost apologetic, smile he gives you sends you into overdrive. What the hell was going on?

With a hand on the small of your back, Cole ushers you towards the one room that usually offered privacy and relief, but this time it looked like a death sentence prison cell. His hand feels hot on your back and not in the good way that it used to. You lean against his desk when you get in there, immediately crossing your arms across your chest to get away from him. He shuts the doors softly and shoves his hands in his pockets as he stands in front of you. He still has his game suit on, minus the jacket, and you let yourself look. He looks ridiculously handsome and you commit the image to memory, having a feeling this was the one and only time you’d be getting that view. 

“Would you just tell me already?” you whisper, knowing that the worst was coming. 

He runs his tongue across his bottom lip, nodding, “I don’t want to hurt you. I really don’t. It’s exactly why I’ve always said we can’t make promises to each other.”

You frown at him, “so then don’t. It’s literally that simple.”

“It’s not though,” he says with a little laugh, “I already made my promises to someone else.”

Your blood runs cold at that and you realize you hadn’t thought of one very awful possibility of why he wanted to talk. He had someone else already. Your throat feels so tight that it’s hard to breathe and you try to suck in a deep breath that doesn’t help at all. You shake your head and tighten your arms more across your chest, praying it helps hold your heart together for just a little longer. 

“Who is she?”

He hangs his head like this entire thing isn’t his own fault, “we were together in high school and now we go to separate schools. I didn’t want to hold her back but I don’t know how to let her go either.”

“So you’re a cheater,” you spit out, tears falling fast before you can even try and hold them back, “you’re cheating on her and I’m the other girl. What the fuck is wrong with you, Cole?”

“It’s not cheating!” he tries to justify, holding his hands up and stepping closer to you, “we’re not official right now.”

You push him back, hand firm on his chest to give yourself space, “fuck you. You’re as official as you can be and you still slept with me for the last four months. You knew what you were doing and you didn’t care. You didn’t have her here so you found a good substitute. That’s awesome, thanks for fucking up my life and emotions in the process.”

“Stop, I told you I didn’t want to hurt you. That’s why I’m being honest right now.”

“Honest?” you raise your voice, well aware that Brock could probably hear everything at this point, “you call this honest? You’re a liar and a cheater, Cole Caufield! I can’t believe I let you play me for this long.”

“I’m sorry, okay? I swear I didn’t mean for this to be the way it is,” he says, practically pleading at this point. 

You shake your head, bottom lip wobbling as much as your voice, “you broke my heart. Are you happy with that? Was everything a joke to you? Sleeping together, forehead kisses, holding hands, spending the night? Or did you just picture her the whole time and I was just a stand in?”

“No,” he mumbles, trying to reach for you, but you smack his hand away and start to back yourself towards his door, “I swear it was real with you. I didn’t mean to take it so far but I started to like you, too.”

“You are unbelievable. I can’t believe I let you in so easily. I hate you.”

He swallows around a lump that appears in his throat suddenly. This wasn’t at all how he’d planned things. They were never supposed to go this far with you, but he couldn’t let you go. He couldn’t but now he had to. He had no options anymore and he would probably lose everyone in the process. 

“I promise I will hate you for the rest of my life,” you whisper, cheeks wet with tears despite your best efforts to try and rid yourself of them before you left. He didn’t deserve to know how much he was breaking you.

You rip open his door and all but run out of the apartment. Brock catches your gaze from the living room as you open their front door. Immediately his heart breaks a little. He knew the entire time and never saved you from this. He was just as guilty as his brother was. Cole stays frozen in place where you’d left him in his room, heart hurting despite everything. He’d let you keep your promise about hating him. That was one he deserved to carry with him.

[mcwriting]

The Marriage Project (10)

Hellooooo! For 300 followers, I decided to drop chapter 10! Please enjoy!

Masterlist

Word Count: 2202

Warnings: maybe some language? 

% approximately the last weekend of october %

By the time everyone and their families had gotten to the city and eaten dinner, it was around 8:30 pm, so you and Tom decided to try and knock out your project work.

You sat in the breakfast lounge next to each other at a table as other team members and families conversed. You noticed Nikki and your parents talking and gave Tom a glance.

Since this was your last ever volleyball tournament (at least for high school), your parents had come and you were getting to stay in their hotel room instead of a team room.

You mostly worked silently when you and Tom overheard some people talking about homecoming.

“Who’re you taking to homecoming?” he asked casually. “And don’t say Paddy or Harry.”

You laughed at that one.

“Uhh, no one. I don’t really have anyone to take so guess I’m flying solo with the girls again. Why? Who were you gonna go with?”

“Eh, nobody. The guys brought it up earlier to me and I was just curious.”

“Oh, really? I thought you had girls lined up at your feet. And a couple guys, too.”

“I’m pretty sure I could say the same about you. And you mean freshmen? Yeah right. I’m not about to catch a case, not that I’m remotely attracted to any of them.”

That comment made you laugh again.

“Yeah, well, those same freshmen are the ones spreading rumors about us. It’s stupid. We oughta stick it to them somehow.”

“What are you getting at..?” he trailed, suspicion in his voice.

“I don’t know… What if we just went to the dance together? I mean, we’re already on homecoming court and are most likely gonna win, so what if we just showed up together to annoy them? It’s not like we have to make it some big deal or anything.”

He looked at you for a minute, like he was doing calculations.

“So… you and me, no matter whether we win or not, go together? You don’t think that’s just gonna make things worse?”

“I’m pretty sure anything we do will keep causing rumors so long as we’re doing this project. We don’t have to, I just thought it would be funny to see everyone’s reactions.”

“You know what, let’s do it. There’s nothing for us to lose. Let’s just not tell people we’re going together and then just show up there. If anyone asks just say we’re going solo?” He suggested.

“That’s not going to work completely… what if you came to dinner with me and my friends beforehand? We can surprise them all and then the rest of the school at the dance. It would be really sus if I bailed on dinner and I’d like for your mom to take some pre-dance pictures.”

You decided to shake on it and get back to work, but your stomach was doing the same fluttering it had been the past couple weeks. By the time you two finished, it was just past 10 pm and most of the parents and even some of the team had gone to their rooms. 

The only people you knew nearby were Sam and Julia, who were sitting on a chair together watching something on her phone, and of course Tom, who was watching snap videos from friends at the Halloween party that had just started.

“I think I’m gonna head upstairs. Even though top seed doesn’t play the first round, I have to be up kinda early,” you explained as you stood, gripping your laptop across your chest.

“What’s your room number, I’ll walk you up. Some of the people here have been giving me weird vibes.”

“Umm, let me check,” you pulled out your phone with the text your mom had sent earlier. “415.”

“Oh that’s perfect. We’re in 416. Just across the hall.”

You said goodnight to Sam and Julia as you passed and went to the elevator. As you waited, a young couple, probably in their mid twenties came up, obviously drunk. They were dressed up for the holiday, and you were surprised that they were seeming to cut the night short. 

“Oh my God babe, look, they’re like younger us!” the girl attempted to whisper, giggling. Your face burned as you glanced at Tom, who looked as uncomfortable as you.

“That’s so dope! How long have you been with this little lady?” the guy said directed to Tom, giving you a once over, as all four of you entered and pressed the buttons to your floor.

“Oh we’re no-” you began when Tom interjected.

“‘Bout a year, man,” he smiled, tossing his arm over your shoulder and pulling you in tight. The elevator doors closed.

You simultaneously wanted to push him away and fall into his tight, warm grip. You decided to play along as you continued to hold on to your computer. 

“Best year ever!” you exclaimed, leaning up to give him a peck on the cheek.

“Oh come on! You can do better than that! Kiss him! Kiss him!” the girl egged on. You both chuckled nervously and gave each other a look. There seemed to be a silent consensus to just do it for the bit.

Tom moved his arm to your waist and lightly pressed his lips against yours, smiling as he pulled away. You were left a little stunned as the inebriated couple clapped and cheered.

You could tell they were going to say more when the doors opened on the fourth floor.

“Well here’s our stop. Nice talking to you. Come on, princess,” Tom said, the both of you rushing out of the elevator, his arm still around you. 

Once the door closed, you both let out a sigh as you turned down the hall towards your rooms.

“Well that was...  weird,” you stated, the both of you walking pretty slowly. You were keenly aware of the way his hand tightly cupped your side as you clumsily knocked into him a few times.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself. Sorry about that. I didn’t know what they were gonna do and that guy had creepo vibes and I panicked.”

“I get it. We are married, after all,” you said quietly, wiggling your left hand. “Well, here’s my room. Thanks for keeping an eye out. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you at breakfast. You’re gonna kill it tomorrow,” he said softly, squeezing you in a side hug one last time before letting you go. Your side tingled from where his warm body was no longer touching as you entered the hotel room.

It wasn’t long before you were also saying goodnight to your parents and laying in the dark room, reflecting on the wild day that was Friday. 

You knew that back home everyone was still partying, as you’d received pictures and videos of your friends dressed as Guy Fieri, but you’d had a whole different kind of experience, unsure if it was a good or bad one.

Tom’s lips were kinda soft though

And his big hands around my waist fit nicely

You pushed the thoughts away as you finally fell into deep slumber.

%

You headed to breakfast wearing sweats, a baggy tee, and a pair of socks and slides. Looks were not a priority right now. While you waited on your waffle to finish cooking, someone appeared next to you, yawning.

“Morning, princess,” he muttered, stretching and rubbing his eyes.

“You really aren’t a morning person, are you?”

“Nope. Now how much longer are you gonna be here because I’m in need of a waffle,” he asked, nudging your sides. It seemed as though you were both pretending the previous night had never happened.

Once you both built your plates, you went to sit with some of the team when Tom plopped into the seat next to you. He immediately began digging in, but paused when he realized the whole table was starting at him.

“What’s wrong, you want me to bless the food or something?” he looked to you.

“No it’s just surprising that you’d come sit with us is all,” one sophomore said. “I mean, you’re like the most popular guy in school.”

“Yeah well the real legend is this bit-” your glare stopped him in his tracks, “...I won’t call you that word, but anyways y/n ranks above me. If anything, she’s the intimidating one.”

The girls giggled and went back to their conversations, occasionally looking at Tom still. 

“Sorry I almost called you a bitch. I meant it the good way,” he whispered into your ear.

You stared at him for a few seconds as you finished chewing a bite of apple.

“I’m just confused as to why you came over here with all the girls.”

“Well it might come as a shock to say that you’re the only person here that I’m friends with other than Sam, and he’s on thin ice after hogging the bed sheets last night,” he explained, shooting a glare to his younger brother, who was obliviously eating with Julia and his mom.

“Today’s gonna get real boring then if I’m your only friend.”

“Hey, remember our conversation Monday? Cute uniforms?” 

You slapped him on the chest for that one.

%

A long, hard day of games had led up to this moment. A whole season. A big portion of your life.

It was probably between 7 and 8 pm. You weren’t sure. All you knew was that the scoreboard said 24-23 your team. Meaning, one point for you equaled a final win.

You wiped the sweat from your brow as you stood on the back line of the court, nervous and determined.

There were cheers from all sides of the gym as you prepared to serve one last time, hopefully for the better.

The upper ref blew her whistle and motioned her hand for you to serve.

One

Two

Three

bounces on the gym floor. A toss in the air. A slap to the ball.

The ball passed the net and sunk right to the gym floor without a single person touching it.

It took you a second after the whistle blew and the scoreboard changed to realize that you had won the game. You were snapped back to reality by the loud cheers of your teammates and supporters.

The team came and congratulated you, slapping your butt and squeezing your shoulders. They pushed you to the front of the line to shake hands with the other team and refs under the net.

You didn’t realize until the team went into a huddle that there were tears slipping down your cheeks and everyone reached out to love on you and Anna. All those years working for this moment and it had finally ended. 

Coach made her speech short and sweet, because you could tell she was holding back tears as she looked between you and your co captain.

The two of you led one last cheer for your team. A tournament official came to hand the team the trophy, give you another tournament MVP medal and both you and Anna all tournament and all state awards. You hung them on your neck proudly, happy to feel their weight.

Upon turning around, the first person you saw was Tom, who had a big smile on your face. You immediately rushed to hug him, jumping a little into his arms.

“Told you you could do it!” he exclaimed, wrapping his arms over your sweaty frame. You pulled away, arms still loosely holding each other.  He casually brushed the residual tears from your cheeks.

“And what’s this? Some new ice?” he asked, grabbing all three medals in one hand. He raised one up pretending to bite it.

“My drip is just too clean,” you joked, flipping your ponytail over your shoulder. You heard someone clear their throat behind you. It was your dad.

You went and hugged your parents and talked for a few minutes, then were called over for Nikki to take team pictures. 

Everyone showed off their fiery hair ribbons (you had stayed true to your joking promise) and got pictures with the trophy. You and Anna also took some biting your medals and alone with the large award.

You finally headed to the locker room, changing and packing up your volleyball bag one last time. 

The end of an era was a sad one to say the least.

You said goodbye to everyone as your parents got the car ready. Tom came up.

“Hey. Good job once again. I’m proud of you. See you Monday?”

You felt yourself blush as your stomach flip flopped.

“Thank you, Tom. I’m glad you were here this weekend, especially last night. See you then.”

You gave one last side hug before getting in the car and preparing for the long ride home. You were sitting still for a while reflecting on the day when your phone lit up.

“How’s the ride so far?” Tom asked over text.

“It’s been 20 minutes, Tom.”

“Well if I’m going to be stuck third wheeling Julia and Sam I’m gonna need someone to talk to.”

You rolled your eyes and smiled, continuing the conversation all the way home until you were falling asleep in bed.

%

A/N: ahhh thank you all again for 300 followers! I genuinely can’t believe that there are that many people who are so interested in my writing! Especially those of you who have been around since the beginning, when my writing was especially bad haha. Love you all!

Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!

Story tag list: @jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @l0lmk, @primadonnasdream, @bookworm06, @thenoddingbunny-blog, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe, @stxfxniexreads, @justafangirlduh, @supraveng,

[star-wars-scribbles-ff]

Click for better quality 👀 (ref photo)

IN SERVICE OF THE REPUBLIC

Art depiction from Where I Belong of my OC CT-1917/Lucky

Sneak peak scene snippet from chapter 13 of Where I Belong below!!

The sound of the nearest set of blast doors opening does little to pull a reaction from Arwen as she feels a presence emerge from the interior of the base and out onto the walkway where she was. She didn’t need much time at all to guess who it was. After that speeder-wreck of a conversation, General Kenobi was the only one who’d likely try to speak with her.

Despite having had almost half an hour to think about the conversation she’d just had with the Jedi Council members, Arwen could feel the anger bubbling back up to the surface. She was angry with them, but even more so with herself for thinking such an arrangement could actually be authentic.

“I don’t mean to interrupt,” General Kenobi announced himself, despite knowing she was aware of his presence already. 

Arwen let her eyes shoot to the left as the Jedi came to stand a few feet away from her before he turned to face the view of the Cruiser Staging Area. His aura was relaxed but his tone and posture gave away the most subtle hesitation he was bringing with him. He definitely wanted to say something; he wasn’t just coming for small talk. It’d be awkward if he did.

“I feel that our conversation took something of a wrong turn.”

“Wayii (good grief)- Just spit it out, General.” Corcer turned abruptly, pushing off of the railing her forearms had been rested upon to face the Jedi. His expression was calm, only a slight furrow of his brow indicated his reaction and potential concern or perhaps consideration to her anger bubbling over. “You used me to get what you needed for your investigation. That blasted contract was just a load of fodder-”

“The Council is still deliberating on your greater role, Corcer.” The General responded. “The contract is genuine, I assure you.” He sounded just as genuine however that did little to convince Arwen as she shook her head and looked out over the railing once more, hands grasping the railing tightly. 

“You must understand that the Council simply needs time to evaluate and consider the situation.” 

“All due respect, what else is there to consider?” She shot daggers over her shoulder before throwing the look ahead of her. “My service record? Jobs I’ve taken as a merc just to get by and survive in the mere months since my team was-” The abruptness of Arwen cutting off her own words had to have caught the Jedi’s attention as he physically shifted where he stood.

“Your team,” He stated the phrase with a casual quietness that made Corcer tense.

“Wer'cuy… Jetiise ke nu suvarir (forget it/it doesn’t matter… Jedi don’t understand).” She muttered under her breath with a shake of her head. 

“I beg your pardon?” The question seemed to be one of surprise more than anything.

“A Jedi wouldn’t understand!” Arwen finally barked, not bothering to look towards him. She only kept her gaze ahead, forearms coming to lean back on the railing as she looked down over ledge towards the lower deck where a small airfield was.

After everything; all that had happened. She didn’t know if she had the right to feel insulted or even upset about the position she was in. Granted she did everything in her power on that mission- gave everything she had and intended to give her life if not for the fact that she was somehow still here despite the odds. She gave everything. Herself. Her team- the only family she’d ever known - for the Republic… Was that not enough?

Arwen wished the sound of the ion engines of one of the Republic’s Venator-class cruisers powering up was loud enough to drown out any further conversation that could take place. She felt oddly trapped with this Jedi, despite having plenty of space to move away from him as he stood idly by a few feet away. He was being more civil than she’d like. Mentally trying to stomp out the crumbs of guilt sitting heavy in her stomach at her behavior around this General - a superior - didn’t seem to be working. 

He’s done nothing but be genuine so far. She had no reason to be angry with him specifically. But then again he was a Jedi. Jedi didn’t deal with emotions like other people did. They were cold, calculated individuals; weighing life rarely by worth but by majority… unless you were weighing the worth of a Jedi against Clones of course. Then the worth of one outweighed that of the majority. Jedi were just like everyone else… viewing this army like nothing but canon fodder; easily disposable and replaceable. Her team was nothing but numbers on a spreadsheet to them. She could count the number of Jedi she trusted on one hand. That number was even smaller when considering how many she trusted that weren’t already dead.

The Jedi General was quiet in his movements as he came to stand by her side, posture straight as he rested his hands upon the railing and eyed the view before them. Moving his gaze subtly he eyed the mercenary, noting her eyes had fallen and her expression, for a brief moment, appeared more exhausted and broken than any he’d seen in some time. 

“The Republic owes you and your team a great debt.” He’d considered the proclamation before coming to find Corcer. It was true after all. He’d read the details on the file; what she, as well as her team, had been a part of; how their actions may have very well saved the Republic just months prior due to the information they’d obtained and kept out of Separatist hands. However, that victory came at a cost.

Arwen shook her head at his words. Whether it was out of denial of his words or something else, Kenobi wasn’t completely sure. He was reluctant to dig deeper into her aura, but wanted to at least attempt, if not to get a better understanding of her. 

“Nice payback.” Arwen muttered before crossing her arms over the railing, risking the action of resting her chin down on her forearms. Her back was still tense, and she was ready to act at any time, however this Jedi posed no threat to her. Not at the moment at least.

General Kenobi considered her response before he nodded to himself.

“I understand you feel betrayed, and I apologize for what took place and- has… since taken place.”

Arwen could tell by the split second hesitation at the end of his sentence that he was treading carefully, however she didn’t plan on holding him to his words. She wanted to just knock his statement up to him sweet talking to get her cooperation however she could feel his sincerity. It was clear as day in the air and she couldn’t deny or ignore it.

“I’m sorry about General- Kazar and- Padawan Vorruk… sir,” Her voice lost its confidence rather quickly as soon as she uttered the names. She hadn’t said the names of the Jedi General and Padawan she’d worked with on that last mission since… the mission itself. “I-...” She couldn’t bring herself to continue as her throat tightened and suffocated the words before she could utter them.

I did what I could.

She hadn’t said it out loud, but she knew she didn’t have to.

“I know,” The response didn’t surprise her as much as his tone did. His voice held emotion, despite his professional output. He projected a sense of understanding and mentorship. There was also certainty to his tone.

He must’ve watched the holorecording. 

Arwen closed her eyes, brow knitting tightly as she tried to push the images from her mind. She could almost feel the weight of the Jedi padawan in her arms sometimes; when she’d held his half conscious body, clinging to life, while she tried to relay coordinates and need for extraction to the nearest Republic fleet and simultaneously fend off incoming hostiles. 

And now the Jedi had the footage of her message. 

It angered her that it was memorialized as a recording, but it enraged her that they’d seen it and still saw her as a threat. Like nothing that happened that day held any weight. 

A slight shift in the Jedi’s aura caused her to look subtly out of the corner of her eye and she evaluated his posture as it straightened and he cleared his throat quietly.

“I am currently negotiating with the Council to have you ship out with General Skywalker and I.” 

Arwen’s brow scrunched together at the Jedi’s words and she pushed off of the railing to stand straight and face the Jedi.

“Sir- the Council said-”

“I am proceeding to try and convince them otherwise.” Kenobi responded, hands coming behind his back as his gaze arched over the view in front of them once more before it returned to her. “I read your file and reviewed your training as well as completed missions. Your skillset will be of the most use in the field. Now, it will take some time before we can have you operating openly if this pans out. But for the time being, I am going to do my best to get the Council’s permission to have you work in the background of any ongoing operations within my battle group.”

Alright… This Jedi isn’t half bad.

Corcer eyed him for a moment, overall uncertainty written in her expression before she swallowed and let out a quiet breath through her nose.

“Thank you, sir.” 

I feel like a di'kut now.

The General eyed her quietly for a time before glancing away towards the blast doors down the walkway. 

“0700 tomorrow there will be a meeting on standard operating procedures in the east wing for new clones joining the ranks of the 212th. You’re welcome to attend.”

The offer surprised her, however that surprise was quickly overshadowed by solace. Corcer’s hands swung around behind her back subconsciously, posture straight and attentive as she gave the Jedi General a nod.

“I’ll be there, sir.” Arwen’s tone voiced assurance and even confidence.

Giving her a curt nod and a hint of a professional smile, General Kenobi excused himself and turned to head back inside. 

Corcer watched him leave and once the blast doors closed behind the Jedi, she found herself mulling over the breath sitting in her chest before she slowly let it out and returned to her spot leaning on the railing.

The sense of reassurance was starting to leave a subtle bitter taste in her mouth. On the surface she felt relief, knowing this Jedi appeared to be coming at her from the right direction; easing her into situations where she’d be surrounded by the troops. However the deeper she sifted through her mind… she was terrified. 

How the kark am I gonna fit in with these troopers? I don’t know the first thing about Infantry SOPs.

Then there was the matter of how she would be received. The last thing she wanted was to be on the bad side of these troopers. Then again her very presence was already proving a negative to the 501st troopers as they’ve had to cart her around twice today. If things kept going down the same road, she’d have a difficult time fitting in.

Until she knew exactly what her job would be, if the General could square something away for her, she couldn’t get too comfortable with anything on the base, and especially not with any of the men. That was the only thing she’d need to be sure to do. Don’t let yourself care; don’t get attached. If it’s one thing her past had taught her; it only ends in heartbreak and it leaves you more alone than ever.

Not one of my best arts, but I’ve had it sitting on the shelf for a long time so I figured it was better to share it sooner rather than later. Check the story out if you’re curious for more! Feedback is always appreciated 💕

[cutiepatoodie]

Floo Powder and Charades P.1

Y/N floo’s to the Burrow after a massive fight with their mother, they find themselves in the middle of the weekly Weasley family game night

Pairing: Fred Weasley x GN Reader

Warnings: abusive mother, angst, also tooth-rotting fluff

Word Count: 2k 

Cross posted on ao3

You slam your door and crumple into a ball, silent sobs wracking your small body as you fight to keep them back. The urge to scream rises in your throat and you fight it back, tamping down on your fear to better hide from her. But it doesn’t seem to matter, you can hear footsteps pounding up the stairs, heavily beating in time with your rabbit-like pulse, closing in on your bedroom. And you can feel it automatically kick in, mind working to calculate how long you have before she reaches you, whether you can escape, where you can escape but-

“Y/N L/N get your ungrateful ass down here you little shit.” And you can hear her heavy breaths, dragged in through bared teeth, lips curled in a snarl. “Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you.”

And you almost want to laugh because this seems like anything but talking.

“After everything, I've done for you and you have the gall to disrespect me? Get out here filthy bitch!” The door rattles as her heavy-handed fist fights to twist the doorknob, violently slamming it back and forth as the locking mechanism holds true. “Open the goddamn door or else I'm knocking it down myself!” 

Stumbling away from your door you know that there is no escape. Your mom is going to force her way in no matter what you do to stop her. Fresh waves of tears were making rivers down your cheeks but the idea of wiping them seemed too exhausting, mind already resigned to your inevitable fate. Blearily looking around you remembered the small box you kept on the mantle on the other side of your room that Ron had given you for your birthday. Instinct takes over and struggling to overcome your leaden feet you rise, stumbling to the boarded-up fireplace. Your hands grip the wood and try to pry the boards away, mind desperately catching onto the sliver of hope. This was your only chance to get out of this house. Having to go to Azkaban for improper use of magic at this point seemed better than staying locked up in her house. 

The banging on your door was getting louder and more repetitive and as your nails scrabble to find purchase on the aging wood, digging in with the strength of survival fueled desperation. Finally, after what felt like forever you hear a crack and one of the boards break giving you more leverage to take down the rest and you clear just enough for you to climb through.

“What’s all that noise in there? Y/N open the fucking door.” And finally, the lock gives way with a groan as your mother bursts inside, hair tangled and chest heaving, flexing with rage and fury. This is it, she’s finally going to kill me this time. The small box heavy in your hands is the only thing grounding you. The thought of your mother crossing into the only place in the house you felt remotely safe from her taunts and screaming makes your chest tighten, breath leaving your lungs in a panicked whoosh. You can barely feel your fingers as they fumble with the box’s delicate clasp revealing the small amount of glittering powder inside. Throwing the powder into the hearth you choke out a small “the burrow” before being zapped into the floo network. 

And even before the flames have properly cleared you can smell farmland, the rich, earthy scent of hay, grass, and freshly turned soil laden underneath the softer scent of warm vanilla, cinnamon and something uniquely home. There were so many voices. Blending together, some words appearing clearer than others. 

“Not knowing how to dance!”

“Good one Georgie but I’d say He’s outrunning a Moose!”

“Maybe he’s trying to swat a fly?”

“What if Dad’s trying to play quidditch?”

“It’s probably some muggle thing anyway. Do you know what he’s on about Harry?”

“Uhhh, it could be… Y/N?” Harry yells, astonished, while looking straight at the fireplace where his friend had just appeared. 

“What do you mean Harry? Y/N is staying with their mother over the break.” Hermione is quick to reply as silence falls over the living room. Everyone turns towards the fireplace to see you caught like a deer in headlights, disheveled and unexpected in the Weasley’s living room. 

“I’m so sorry I didn’t know where else to go. I can floo back home. You know what nevermind, I can just leave. Where do you keep the Floo Powder?” You were rambling now going off apologizing for coming in unannounced. You know your voice is cracking and fighting against the fresh sting of tears that prickle at your eyes.

“Oh, don’t worry darling you can be on the twin’s team. Arthur was just about to tell us if we had won or not.” Molly’s voice is so soft and comforting. She gestures to the open spot between her and Fred in front of the couch. Without much thought, your legs bring you there sitting down, back pressed to Hermione’s legs as she reaches down to put a kind hand on your shoulder. Molly pats your knee with reassurance and the game continues. 

“All of you were wrong, I was swimming!” Arthur announces, pleased to have won the round. 

“If that’s how you swim it’s no wonder we never go to the beach.” Fred chortles, clutching his stomach and leaning into George for support. The familiar tug of a smile pulls at your lips and soon enough you are laughing the tension out of your muscles. As the beams from the setting sun started to cast a peachy pink glow around the room Molly stands up and excuses herself and Arthur to start putting dinner together. A familiar tension grew thick in the room. No one wants to be the one to bring it up but everyone is thinking it so Ron finally speaks up. 

“Who’s up for a quick scrimmage in the backyard before dinner? We’ve probably got another two hours before the sun sets.” The seven of you make your way to the shed in the back yard to grab the brooms. Upon reaching the doors Harry pulls you aside. 

“Hey, I know I’m not the best with feelings but… if you need anything, from any of us, we’re here.” Harry awkwardly pats you on the back, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

“Thanks, Harry, but really I’m okay. I’m just stressed about that potions project Snape assigned for us to have done when we come back in April and I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t the only one going crazy over it.” You let out a breathy laugh and Harry can see that the smile plastered on your face in no way reaches your eyes. He looks at you, seeming to weigh the worth of calling you on your shit before relenting with a huff. “Yeah Snape never misses a chance to be a damn prick.” You know that he doesn’t believe you, but it does not matter since he’s not pushing it. 

The teams were decided, Ginny, Ron, and Harry, against you and the twins. Hermione was reffing and made sure to agree to settle any fight that came up over scorekeeping. The three on three went on for about an hour before Fred caused a distraction so that you could catch the snitch. Returning down to earth your knees buckled and you decided to lay on your back for a bit before standing up again. Everyone followed suit, laying in the fresh grass covered in drying sweat and a few scrapes and bruises. 

“I can’t believe we beat the famous Potter in a game Y/N. You have to tell Cedric that when you go back to practice.” Fred said, lazily punching your shoulder. You didn’t mean to flinch. It was an accident but by how tense Fred was on the grass beside you, it was obvious he had noticed. 

“If you’re going to ask if I’m okay, just don’t. You did nothing wrong, okay Freddie?” Your voice felt distant as you tried to reassure the lanky beanpole to your left. You sat up feeling a bit more clear headed and yelled. “I call the first shower!” before running back into the comfort of the Burrow. 

The water rolled off your body as your muscles finally were able to relax. The familiar sounds and smells of the Burrow were doing wonders for your anxiety. You poured some soap into the palm of your hand and absentmindedly scrubbed dirt from your skin. While washing your mind began to wander through the events of the day. Thoughts of your mother tried to creep back in but suddenly there was a banging on the door as it swung open. 

“Close the curtain Y/n I need to take a leak and Georgie is taking forever downstairs.” Fred called before the sound of a zipper rang through the bathroom. Your heart was pounding as you tried to bring yourself back to the world around you. The toilet flushed and the sound of the sink was barely audible through the beating of your heart. The doorknob started to turn and before your brain could catch up the words were out of your mouth. 

“Can you stay?” It came out so softly Fred could have sworn he made it up. His cheeks dusted pink and thank goodness for the obnoxious shower curtain Molly insisted on putting in their bathroom which covered him from your gaze. He cautiously sat on the toilet seat afraid that if he made too much noise you’d try to push him away again. 

“Do you want me to ask around for some clothes you can change into? I mean if it were me I wouldn’t want to put my quidditch clothes back on.” Fred scratched the back of his neck staring down at the floor. 

“Oh yeah I didn’t even think that far ahead to be honest. I mean if it's okay just like a hoodie and a pair of shorts would be awesome. I’m almost done in here anyway.” Your voice sounded more like you than it had all day. Fred released a breath he did not realize he was holding. He just wanted you to feel safe. 

“Yeah of course! I’ll uhh go and grab some clothes and a towel and uhh yeah meet you back downstairs when you're dressed is that okay? I know that you wanted me to stay but I kind of have to leave if you want me to get ya some clothes. Or I mean I can always text Gin and see if she can bring some….” Fred devolved into muttering about what the most effective way to grab you some clothes and not leave you alone longer than is comfortable. 

“Freddie it’s okay, I’m not going to break. Your room is right across the hall and I already have a towel in here with me.” Hearing the teasing smile in your voice calmed down his nerves. Why did he feel so nervous anyways. You had been around the burrow for a while and it shouldn’t be making him this nervous. With a quick be right back he slipped out of the door. Grabbing a pair of shorts and his newest Christmas sweater his mother knitted for him last year he padded back to the bathroom. The water wasn’t running anymore so he figured he probably should just set the clothes outside.

“Hey Y/n I’m just gonna put these outside the door. So uhh whenever you're ready I'll see you downstairs.” He placed the clothes in a neat pile and scuttled to the head of the stairs. 

Pulling Fred’s sweater over your head made you feel way calmer than you first had expected to. It was warm and cozy and smelled of firewood and smores. It was quite big on you but that did not matter. Drying your hair one last time with the towel you left the bathroom hearing the voices of your friends from all the way down on the main floor. A smile spread to your lips knowing that no matter what happened next did not matter because right now you felt safe. 

[12yeahiminluvwu]

Captain

pairing - JJ Maybank x Athlete!Reader

summary- JJ Maybank gets his shit rocked by the captain of the school volleyball team

word count- 2,365 (i got so carried away, oh my goodness)

warning(s)- swearing, uhh JJ gets hurt but he’s fine, volleyball lingo (if you don’t understand, i’m happy to translate lol) this wasn’t proof read so, have fun if theres any typos.

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“It’s volleyball week, class. Experienced played on the left court, beginning players of the right court. Over on the left, we’re playing normal sets to twenty-five, no serve cap. On the right, normal set to twenty-five, serve cap is 3. Have fun!” Mr. Perkins said and let everyone lose. Volleyball week was your favorite because you got to do something you actually liked during gym class.

You and a few of the other varsity girls made your way to the court and made a quick game plan with the other three players you’d gotten on your team. From your middle position, you see JJ Maybank from across the net. You had no idea that he even knew what volleyball was, seeing as the only thing he ever did was surf and smoke weed.

“You ready to get your shit rocked, Maybank?” You smirked, waiting for the serve. His eyes scanned up and down your body before meeting your eyes with an equal smirk.

“Bring it on captain!” JJ didn’t know much about volleyball, but he was determined to stay on the court for as long as he could before Perkins booted him over to the other court. He wanted to be close to you, try to impress you. This was the best way he knew how to do that right now.

The ball was served to the setters corner, a pass, set, and a hit made. Your teammate, who was a libero on your actual team, made a dig to your setter and you released to make your approach calling a 1, which is a quick/low set right above the tape, and realized that JJ stood flat footed- not even attempting to block you. The boy watched as the ball connected with your hand and ducked, thinking that it was headed straight for his face.

The ball dropped right on the 10-foot line and your team cheered for you, as you had won the first point. JJ watched in a daze as you smiled and laughing, taking the compliments your team was showering you in.

“JJ! Block her next time!” Someone said from behind him and he nodded aimlessly, doing his best to focus and try to play. The set went back and forth a few times before you went back to serve. You had begun to catch on to the fact that JJ had absolutely no idea what he was doing, so you intentionally served him, knowing it would get you a point.

The ball spun in your hand once, and you placed a hand on top lightly before drawing your arm back and tossing the ball,swinging through right at JJ. The ball coasted perfectly above the net, floating right to him, but it ended up hitting him in the face.

“Oh shit!” You gasped, running across the floor to where he now laid on the floor.

“You ok Maybank?” JJ laid there quietly, trying to grasp on to what just happened. Of course, he's the one that gets clocked by a serve. And of course it was y/n’s. Just his freaking luck. Opening his throbbing eye, he saw you staring down at him, close enough he could feel your breath fanning across his face.

“JJ, come on, I didn’t hit you that hard!” You said, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. You felt him lean into your touch as his eyes fluttered.

“Y/n, I’m gonna have you walk him to the nurse, ok? I wanna make sure he doesn’t have a concussion.” Perkins said and you nodded, latching onto his hand to help him stand up. He was a little unstable so you wrapped his arm around your shoulder, while yours held securely onto his waist.

“You know, when you asked me if I was ready to get my shit rocked, I didn’t know you meant literally!” He groaned. A giggled escaped your lips and you looked at him, almost like you were seeing him for the first time. His face looked different up close, he looked a little less tough. He looked softer.

“”Well, maybe you shouldn’t have let your guard down,” You shrugged, smirked in his direction.

“Oh, so that’s how it is, ok.” He scoffed and you laughed again, tightening your grip on him. A beat of silence passed between the two of you before the boy spoke again.

“Can I be honest with you?” He asked and you nodded, perking your ars at what he was going to say. You were very aware of how close you were to him, as his body heat was beginning to make you sweat. You passed by a few people who were in the hallway, avoiding going back to class.

“I have no idea how to play volleyball…” He finally admitted and you stopped in your tracks, feeling laughter bubble in your chest.

“Ya think I didn’t notice that?” You laughed out, and the redness on his cheeks darkened.

“Why were you on that court if you don’t know how to play? There's nothing wrong with being on the beginners court!” He shifted, taking his arm off of your shoulder and leaning against the wall. Suddenly, he was more interested in the floor and playing with the hem of his shirt than he was looking at you and you felt the weight shift between your feet, your eyebrows raising at him.

“Because… I wanted to impress you…” He trailed off. Your cheeks began to heat up at his confession. Truthfully, you didn’t think JJ, or anyone, thought about you that way. You’d never really been a main character like JJ, or any of his friends.

“Why?” You asked, grabbing him from off the wall so you could continue your journey to the nurse’s office. This time, he held onto you a little tighter than he had before, he realized you did the same.

“Because you’re freaking y/n y/l/n! You’re the captain of the volleyball team, voted most likely to play in the Olympics before you turn 25! You’re, like, awesome! And, I didn’t know how else to get your attention. So here I am, with a possible concussion.”

“I’m not worth getting a concussion over JJ, why didn’t you just ask me out ;like any normal person would?” Your boldness surprised you, but you figured that it couldn’t really hurt at this point.

“Cause, John B said that would be lame…” He muttered.

“Well, I guess you’ve learned to not always listen to John B,” He nodded and looked over at you.

“How about we go out tonight then? Catch the sunset, have a picnic?” He asked, causing your smile to grow wider.

“As lovely as that sounds, I have a game tonight… but I’d like it if you were there.” He nodded, looking around before looking back at you.

“What’s your jersey number?” He asked. You had come upon the door to the office and you slowly opened it before answering him.

“13.” You said and sent him in, walking in after him.

--------------

JV had just finished, meaning you and the girls were out on the court warming up and getting ready for your game. Galway Girl by Ed Sheeran blared throughout the gym, hyping the team up.

The whistle blew and you looked over to the ref, holding up a C. That’s your cue.

You won serve and thanked the ref before departing back to your team, who had gathered around the bench, waiting for coach to give the line up. You’re starting, obviously, so you gave your speech and made your way onto the court, quickly scanning the crowds to see if JJ was there.

You didn’t see him right away, but he was there with his friends, wearing your number painted on an old t-shirt he didn’t wear often enough to care about, with your name above it.

---

It was down to the wire now, 11-13 in the fifth set. JJ had no clue what was going on but he knew that every time you hit the ball and got a point, he screamed the loudest of everyone in the gym. You still hadn’t seen him as you were focused on the game, the cheers just sounding like white noise filling the void.

“Bro, you’re over here yelling like she’s already your girlfriend! Step it up!” John B said and that kicked him into gear, making the rest of the pogues laugh at his willingness to act like an idiot. You went back to serve and his mind raced back to his trip to the nurses office earlier in the day. He silently hoped you would do the same to one of the girls on the other team. He’d learned that when you hit someone in the face on a kill, it's called a six pack. He liked that name, for obvious reasons.

JJ silently hoped for you to six pack someone all night concluding that it would be really sexy.

“Come on y/n, ace these bitches!” He yelled and that caught your attention. You looked over and saw him, standing amongst the crowd with a proud smile plastered on his face. You took another deep breath, after sending him a quick smile, and refocused yourself on the task at hand. You needed to keep the serve if you wanted to get to the end of this game without a fight.

You served the ball exactly how you had earlier in gym class, and watched as it floated over the tape, dropping right in front of the left back passer. Your team cheered you on as you came into the middle of the court. The ball was passed back to you, and you went back to do your routine all over again, choosing the same person to serve to, knowing it would psych them out.

The passed the ball high and to the middle, making it easy for the setter to get there and make a play. Sucks for them though, cause your offense read it, and easily went up for the block, the ball going straight down to the ground.

13-13. Two more and you win. You breath a little deeper now, looking over to your coach who is holding on a 5, indicating where you needed to serve. Deep right back corner. JJ watched as the ball spun in your hand, watched as it floated over the net, and watched as the players made their moves. The last hit was made, coming over the net quickly. Left back took the pass and you called ‘Pipe”, a back row middle hit.

The ball landed in the net, ending your streak. The score was 14-13 now, and in a set that only went to 15, it meant you had to bust your ass to get the ball back. Typically, a libero or defensive specialist would rotate in for you right now, but you had been working on your back row skills so coach opted to keep you in. The ball was served to your right, the setters corner. The pass was made, a set to the outside, and a kill, bringing you back to 14-14. You had to win by two.

The play was a blur, all you knew was you won that point, and before you knew it, it was game point again.

The feeling that washed over you when the crowd erupted in cheers as you won the game was one you would never get used to. Euphoria, a high that would never get old. One you couldn’t build a tolerance to.

The team rushed onto the court, dogpiling in the middle as the crowd started to shuffle out. When you made it out there was still a group of people standing around in the gym, waiting to talk to different payers.

A small crowd of four people stuck out to you, one in particular catching your eye. You ran over to him and he smiled, catching you in his arms and spinning you around as you laughed into his shoulder.

“You came!” He laughed at our surprise and nodded.

“Did you really think I’d miss it?” He asked and you shrugged, still wrapped up in his arms.

“I didn’t see you, so I wasn’t sure.”

John B, Pope, and Kie all looked at the two of you in amazement. They had never seen JJ like this with anyone before. The group watched JJ swoon over you and hype you up about winning all the way out to your car.

“Hey JJ, we’re gonna head out. You comin’?” Pope asked him.

“I could give you a ride if you want?” You offered and he looked back between you all, opting to spend as much time with you as he could. The car ride was filled with laughter about how amazed JJ was that you could jump as high as you did and hit the ball as hard as you were capable of. It was funny to see him so enamoured by something that seemed so mundane to you at this point.

Pulling up to the chateau, you both got out and stood at the front of the car, neither of you wanting to part ways.

“So, I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 8?” He asked and you nodded. He began walking into the house, but stopped when you called out to him.

“You’re not even gonna kiss me goodnight?” He turned around to see the smirk on your face and dropped everything to run back to you, scooping you up in his arms and attaching his lips to yours in a deep kiss.

You felt a fire ignite across your whole body as you shared this moment with him. You shared a kiss filled with passion, desire, and emotions you couldn’t yet name.

“Night, Captain…” He whispered in your ear, leaving you with nothing but goosebumps and shivers down your spine.

---

hehe, this was really fun to write.

[blookmallow]

🎃 Gumdrop Island Halloween Event OFFICIALLY OPEN!! 🎃

hello friends its finally time to share what ive been working on for the past couple months: my 🎃HALLOWEEN MAZE 🎃

HOW IT WORKS: ive built a spooky maze in the northwest corner of my island!! there are signs/markers around but ill explain how to get to it below. its not a very big maze but i didnt want to tear up too much of my island. i hope u enjoy anyway!! will probably be updated with more stuff once the official halloween stuff starts and i have access to more things :’) 

- your goal is to reach the winner’s circle at the end of the maze! i will be there to congratulate you and restock prizes as they get claimed (and make sure people aren’t taking more than one prize/taking things they didn’t actually win. please don’t do this. i dont want to have to start doing private dodo codes or something ) 

-  axes and shovels will not be needed. if there’s a tree in your way, you gotta find another way through - please leave my trees alone! 

- use of ladders is allowed but not needed. you can get through without a ladder, but you can climb over stuff if you wanna. you will need one if you want to use the fast exit through the mini graveyard at the end though bc i dont wanna build another incline. if you come in through the exit you’re disqualified :T (if you forget to bring a ladder you can still get out the way you came in, just, uh. gotta go back through the maze again) (also some of the scavenger hunt presents might require a ladder to get to them) 

- if you find a wrapped present inside the maze area somewhere that is NOT the winner’s circle, you can keep it!! i will be hiding these around in different spots throughout the month! im not going to impose a limit on how many you can take so depending on how many visitors i have at a time they might all be found before i can restock em for next time 

- WHEN YOU REACH THE END: spin the wheel!! you gotta interact with it again to stop it :’) 

if you get a fruit: take the present under your fruit symbol!! 

if you get a bell, or a leaf: SPECIAL prize!! these are rarer/more expensive things!! again, depending on how many are claimed, i may run out of these eventually but i will do my best to keep them stocked! the prince (the lil green dude) is representing the leaf because.... hes. green (i didnt want to make a leaf symbol shh) 

if you get The Fish: the unlucky prize... better luck next time :/ 

- everyone can win one prize per visit, though you are welcome to come back and win another prize another time! the bonus hidden presents do not count

here is a ref post for general island info, tldr its fine to pick flowers or fruit, fine to take shells, please leave my decorative star bits and stuff alone, if you have shovel privileges please ask before you dig up any flowers outside of the free flower garden/please leave my trees alone

the halloween shop is also open!! everything on the ground in the shop area is free to anyone! here’s a post about that 

the maze and the shop will be up all through october and probably a bit into november too, ill be doing dodo code nights now n then and you’re also always welcome to message me to work out a time to come visit if you’d like! dream town will also be updated soon, though obviously you can’t win any prizes there :(

TO GET TO THE MAZE: 

follow the path to the shopping area! (this also leads to the halloween shop; if the signs/paths are confusing just look for the nooklings on the town map) 

head around back of the nook shop - the spooky purple path will show you the way! (the halloween shop is to the left near the able sisters also) 

on your way through the graveyard, you’ll pass by THE HAUNTED MANSION! 

why not stop by and visit the happy haunts? they're DYING to meet you...

( my haunted mansion is still ongoing but i have most of the rooms now!! ) 

ENTER THE MAZE!!! have fun, don’t get lost, and watch your step! 

[wolfcha1k]

Decided I wanted a cover for my Guy x Eep one shot collection "A Tomorrow of Our Own", as of now its part 4 of "The Sun Was A Wayfarer" series. I'll post the first chapter of "A Tomorrow of Our Own" down below ~ Used refs from the movie itself for this picture ~

- <3 -

Summary - "I was thinking about Tomorrow… OUR Tomorrow."

"I think I love you So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm not sure of A love there is no cure for I think I love you Isn't that what life is made of? Though it worries me to say I've never felt this way"

What is life like after Tomorrow? Guy and Eep are settling down into their new married life together at the Betterman Farm. There's been some obstacles along the way but its nothing they can't handle.

[Read the next two chapters of this story here on Ao3 OR FF.net, note, its a one shot collection: A Tomorrow of Our Own  /// A Tomorrow of Our Own ]

The Sun Was a Wayfarer - Series

Previous All I Can Think About next n/a

He wasn't wrong about the flowers, butterflies and babbling brook that would be in their very own home. This privacy thing wasn't so bad either once she got over the initial newness of it too. There was also the benefit of being able to shamelessly share a space with him that wasn't occupied by seven other large masses getting in the way. Okay, so maybe the sleep pile did have its drawbacks now that she thought about it. It reeked of love though, despite what Guy might have said against it.

Guy's arm was slung loosely over her waist as she curled up into his side. He was warm, combating the morning chill that turned her skin to goose flesh. Eep burrowed her nose into his neck, breathing deeply. She could feel his pulse under her lips. The strange scent of vanilla was finally fading away to something that was just Guy again. She had woken up with the sunrise and was unable to fall back to sleep. So she watched the early light of dawn warm his features, turning his caramel skin a rich bronze color.

She admired him with a soft smile, reaching out fondly to brush her fingers against his cheek. To think she'd nearly lost him, the thought still made her stomach clench. Ee[ ran her hand over his chest to lay her palm flat against his heart. Guy stirred with a soft groan, eyelids quivering though he didn't open them. Instead, a lazy smile crossed his face.

"Mhm… isn't it a little early for that?" He murmured though he hardly sounded like he was complaining over the attention.

She fought a grin off, instead brushing her fingers against his skin. "Hey," she greeted.

His voice was still thick with sleep, giving it a raspy timbre sound. "Hey what?"

"Hey you, good morning," Eep merrily said, reaching up to fondly poke his nose.

He huffed, at last looking at her bleary eyed. Guy lifted his free hand to touch her nose, watching her go cross eyed as she tried following it. "Morning boop."

"Is that what we're calling it?" She let out a giggle.

"I'm not awake enough to think of something better," he said, beginning to stretch. "Have you been up long?" He reclined his head to try getting a proper look out the window, everything was covered in pre dawn light.

"A bit," she hummed, leaning towards him to press a featherlight kiss to his lips. He chased after her when she pulled back, cupping her cheek. She felt his sleepy smile. "I thought it was too early," Eep teased, practically purring.

"I can make exceptions," he protested, wrapping his arms around her to pull her flush against him.

She snorted more so than laughed, trying to muffle it against his neck. Eep took the opportunity to playfully nip at his pulse point, feeling his hands clutch her waist. She grinned, dragging her teeth along the spot a moment before she sighed. Nestling closer, there were no complaints on Guy's part as she practically draped herself over his chest.

"Still doesn't feel real," she couldn't help but muse.

"Hmm?" He encouraged her with a hum, stroking her back with his calloused palms. He traced a large scar that dipped down the lower part of her spine.

"You know… this, us, here together," Eep said in a wistful sort of way. She lifted her head up to look at him, finding his dark eyes were glinting with emotion.

"Well, I'm glad it's real." He pressed a chaste kiss to her nose before pulling her back close. He rolled onto his side with her in his arms. "I was stupid."

"And I was unfair," she added, knowing the blame wasn't solely his. Eep could have handled that argument better, communicated what she was feeling so she hadn't blown up at him like a fire spewing volcano. The ash that had rained down was worse than the lava, really. "I didn't think about how you were feeling."

He gave her a smile, tender as he looked at her. "I'm just as guilty of that, Eep."

"Yeah but you weren't the one storming up a tree throwing a fit," she huffed, her thoughts drifting back to her mother Ugga. She'd practically flattened that small clearing into nothing with how many trees she destroyed in her anger. The heartbreak lingered at its strings when she let her mind dwell on the moment.

"I can't believe he would choose... a tree over me."

"I don't think it's that simple. Guy knew the Bettermans when he was little, they're the closest thing he has to a family."

"We could keep this blame game up for forever," he said with a sigh, instead tangling his long fingers into her hair. "Words are weapons we really need to remember to be more careful with."

"I'm sorry I called you stupid," she said, feeling him huff into her neck.

"When did you call me stupid?"

"After our break up… I was venting to Dawn and I told her boys are stupid." Eep felt him laugh more so than heard it, Guy muffling his face into her collarbone. "What?"

"I called you complicated, we're even now." He drew away to poke her nose, earning himself a pout as Eep returned the gesture. It was their little game, one Eep was glad to finally get back to. "I don't think the punch monkeys agreed with me though."

"Complicated?" She arched a brow, amusement in her voice. If she knew where this was going, it would be a pretty easy guess. Eep leaned away to sit up a little, making space between them. "What girls besides Dawn do you know?"

"You," he teased.

"I don't count," she quipped, poking him on the chest.

"Well… what boys do you know then?" His tone was mirthful, leaning up on his elbow as he looked at her.

She opened her mouth to retort.

"Your dad, Thunk and Mr. Betterman don't count."

She hinged her jaw back closed with a pout. "Fineee," Eep said, dragging out the word before flopping back down against him. Her weight sent him down on his back again before she rolled off him. They were still pressed close together.

"Okay so we might not be the best frames of reference." Guy leaned his head against hers as they laid side by side.

"Oh definitely," Eep agreed, grinning.

"Also… I'm sorry I told you to take a shower." Eep turned to brush her nose against his cheek, making Guy turn to grin sheepishly at her.

"When was the last time you took a shower?" She couldn't really pick up the scent of soft rain and cool mountain streams on his skin anymore, it was faint even with her very sensitive nose.

Guy looked confused by the question before reclining back to get more comfortable. "A few days?" Eep gazed at him with confused eyes, Guy picked up the social cue. "I thought I kinda deserved it, like penance?"

"Guy, you can shower, for The End's sake." She shook her head.

He gave a helpless sort of shrug, making Eep nudge him with her shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow."

"It's always Tomorrow with you, isn't it, babe?" Eep sighed fondly.

He seemed to realize what he'd said and grinned, toothy and wide as he laced their fingers together. They were pressed palm to palm, it brought a wave of nostalgia over Eep when she remembered back to the first time in that maze of a gully filled with crystals. Come with me, the memory echoed before his voice broke through with a tender reverence. "I have my Tomorrow figured out now. Don't you worry, Eep."

"Like I ever was worried," she said, feeling uncharacteristically flustered. She knew it was silly to be, considering that now they were more than just boyfriend and girlfriend.

He was her husband and she was his wife, yet the butterflies still flocked a storm in her belly. They shared more than just body together but heart and mind too. They were life mates and yet things didn't really feel any different, she'd lived with him long enough. The change in their routine in the few short moons since the situation with the spineback gorilla was hardly a shift that needed adapting to.

His face looked sad for a moment, brows furrowed as he nuzzled his nose into her chin. He peppered her jaw with kisses, trying to reassure her without words. She lifted her neck with a shiver, giving him better access. Nothing was said for a long moment as they traded lazy kiss after lazy kiss, the morning was still young and they had all the time in the world to enjoy each other. After pressing his lips to her jaw a few more times he drew back with a loving grin, one she returned before nuzzling her nose against his.

His breath tickled her lips, their foreheads pressed against one another. This was what she always wanted, just him right here, together forever in their Tomorrow. There was no Tomorrow without him.

"Hey," she said in a low voice.

"Hey what?"

"I love you." Eep beamed at him.

"You're pretty awesome too, I hope you know that," he told her as they leaned against each other.

She practically purred with delight, Eep brushing his cheek with her own. "You could stand to tell me that every so often, actually."

Something about the words seemed to make his eyes flash and he perked up considerably.

"Oh yeah," he exclaimed, nudging her to sit up on the bed. Eep leaned back on her heels and watched Guy get up. He went to dig through their things, they still needed to finish unpacking but the excitement of new marital bliss was distracting. It was a wonder they got anything done when they were so wrapped up in eachother every day. "There's something I wanted to do if you were okay with it."

She scooted off the pallet, alit with curiosity as she coyly arched a brow. "Oh? Like what?"

He seemed to catch her hint and huffed, amused. "You wish, I mean something else."

She pretended to be disappointed, resting her chin on her fist as she sat back down. "You're no fun."

"You didn't say that last night," he teased before continuing his rummaging. Hesitation flashed across Guy's face, soon replaced with a resolve strong as steel. He turned to face her with a jar in his hand. "I made extra Henna," Guy explained, gesturing to himself. The newly painted stripes had long since dried, Eep had missed them.

"For?"

"Well… you," he replied, shuffling his weight before approaching her again. "Since we're married and all now, I thought… maybe you'd…?"

"Are you sure this isn't an excuse to get handsy, Guy?" She nudged his knee with her foot, rousing a laugh out of him.

"And your dad said I was the bad influence," he said. Guy's smile turned wistful suddenly, dark eyes gazing at the jar. "I remember my mom and dad having matching paint."

Eep smiled at him, sympathy on her face. She hopped onto her feet, reaching out to trace her hand down a stripe on his slender shoulder. "Was it all your family?"

"Yeah, our tribe used them to make sure people knew we were all together, that we were one people." He rested his large palm over hers, stopping her. Guy slowly led her hand down his arm, Eep touching the two stripes around his bicep before finally he tangled their fingers together. "You're my family now," he said fondly, soft. "So, that makes you my tribe too."

"You think I've earned my stripes?"

"There was never anything to test you for," Guy replied with a shake of his head, lifting their joint hands so he could kiss her knuckles. "Nothing at all to prove." Eep reached out to trace his cheek with her fingers before laying her palm flat against it. He leaned into her touch, arching his brows with a small grin. "So… is it a yes?"

Eep nodded her head. "I always look pretty good in stripes anyways."

"You always look good."

"Flattering me will get you nowhere," she said in jest, though she glowed with how pleased she was by the compliment.

"It's gotten me this far," Guy replied, leaning forward to kiss her.

Eep met him half way, pulling his palm closer to hers as she wrapped her free arm around his waist. Guy cursed the jar of paint in his other hand, groaning against her mouth. Eep was flush against his torso and chest, always the daring one and already she took control of the kiss. He was always happy to follow her lead though.

She gave his lip a feisty nip, Guy juggled for his paint when he mentally stumbled and slackened his grip. It cooled some of the heat in his belly, simmering into embers. Finally, he mustered enough willpower to pull away from her when he felt the soft flicker of her tongue. He'd never get the tattoos on her before the first chickenseal crow at this rate.

Eep let go of his hand and pulled away from him, seeing he needed the breathing room. She just grinned broadly at his flushed cheeks and flustered expression. He cleared his throat, adjusting his cargo. "Um… anyway, guess just sit on the stool there."

She took a seat with surprising daintiness as she did so. Guy crouched in front of her, gesturing with his head for her to give him her arm. Eep extended her forearm, watching Guy dip his hand into the red paste. He began to trace a stripe along her bicep gently, feeling the firm muscle under his palm and fingers.

"It might itch for a few hours at first," he told her, trying to distract himself from the nervous pounding in between his ears.

Eep noticed the first stripe he painted wasn't rounded like his, but kind of lopsided in places and jagged in shape. She looked from her stripe to Guy's, curious if he'd slipped up. He only grinned. "Let's just say Gran inspired me, Fire Heart."

It suddenly made sense, her eyes quickly glancing back at the lightning bolt shaped stripe curved around her bicep. "But its not -"

"New tribe names, remember?" Guy leaned back on his heels a moment to give her a proper look. "We can change things, make new traditions. It still means the same thing, Eep. It just has a personal touch now."

"We never got to give you a name, you know."

"Well… you could now I guess."

"I'm not as good as Gran is at the Thunder Sister naming thing," Eep mused, watching Guy dunk his fingers in more of the Henna to paint another stripe.

Guy chuckled, "Can't be any worse than Bog Water."

"Hey you, Mrs. Betterman is proud to be Bog Water." She reached her free hand to reach into the Henna, dipping her fingers in it before playfully tracing a shape against his eyebrow. Guy started, nearly messing up his own paint job as he looked at Eep. "Hold still, I'm christening you."

Guy tried looking at what she was doing but it was pretty much impossible so he just waited patiently for Eep to finish. It was two tusk-like shapes she'd painted under both eyes, starting at his eyebrows and stopping at the slope of his nose. Eep cleared her throat dramatically. "From now on," Eep began with as noble a voice she could muster. "You will be Bright Smile."

When he grinned at her, Eep knew it was the perfect name, even if it didn't sound the most intimidating. It certainly was no Blood Horn or Fire Heart. "Bright Smile?"

She thought back to the night she'd met him, drawn out of her cave by the light of his fire. When she thought he was a warthog beast ready to kill her, Eep hadn't hesitated to grab for a rock to dash his brains in. However, there were hands that reached out to placate her and ever so slowly the boar head had come off. In its place was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen and he was smiling at her.

At least, until she was startled so badly she dropped said rock upon his foot but that was a different story entirely and one she still thought back on with embarrassment. "If the shoe fits, you make extra pairs," Eep chirped proudly, feeling giddy with a secretive smile.

"I like it," he told her, idly touching the edge of the paint with his finger. "Wish I could see what you painted though."

"It's nothing phallic if that's what you're thinking, Guy."

"I wasn't going to say that," he replied.

"You were thinking it," Eep tsked with a pout.

Guy chuckled, shaking his head before going back to his work. He painted another stripe, the placement similar to his own. He went into the farthest depth of his memory to try recalling just how the stripes looked between married pairs. Eep rolled up her night shirt up to her chest, letting Guy draw stripes similar to the ones he had. Hers were on her belly though, and when he circled her ribs, Eep fought off a giggle at just how tickling she was.

He couldn't resist digging his fingers into her side, rousing a shriek of laughter. "Stop! You'll ruin your paint job!" Eep exclaimed.

"I can just redo it," he quipped, grinning though he lightened his touch to avoid another giggle fit when he began the next stripe that went closer to her hip bone.

She reached over his head, ignoring his gentle scolding that she was fidgeting too much to grab the mirror on the nightstand. "What happened to just redoing it, Guy?" Eep teased.

Gripping it in her hands, Eep pushed her finger against his forehead to make him lean back. She presented him with his reflection in the glass, grinning as she peeked over for his reaction.

He paused with a contemplated expression on his face and tipped his head to the side, causing some of his hair to fall away like a curtain. Guy seemed to connect the dots in what his face paint meant, recognition alit in those dark eyes of his. After several heartbeats, Guy glanced up at her. "You still think about it?"

Eep knew what he meant and nodded. "Of course, it was only one of the most important nights of my life." He smiled at her and Eep fought off a blissful sigh. "Now you're just being deliberate."

"How so?" Eep traced his lips with her index finger, outlining his smile and she bopped him one right on the nose right after. He looked like a confused puppy for a moment before he chuckled. "Hey, it worked. You didn't break my head with a rock. My foot though…"

She huffed, pressing her full palm into his face in embarrassment. "Ssshh, you snuck up on me. You deserved that." The words were muffled against her hand but she got the gist of it. "No, you could have just said something."

Guy reached over to grab her wrist, pulling her hand away. "Air," he gasped out first before speaking more. "I'm glad you broke into my camp and tried stealing my fire anyway. It worked out."

"That sounds even worse out loud," Eep bemoaned, pulling a clump of her wild red mane of hair over her face.

"And then there was the log ride…"

"Guy!"

"I say this with love, Eep."

She only huffed at him and put the mirror back where it came from. "Don't you have some stripes to finish painting?"

"I will if a certain someone, who will remain nameless, would let me," he said with mirth, pointing from the bowl of Henna to her.

"You're starting to sound a lot like my dad, Mr. Crood." Eep held still at last, letting Guy finally finish the stripe on her hip.

"Mr. Crood? Mr. Crood is my father-in-law, Eep." The comment earned him a gentle tap on the head, gentle for Eep at least. He blinked as his vision blurred for a second. He reached over and hoisted her leg up onto his shoulder. Her weight was heavy and solid but he'd grown used to it in the recent moons.

"Guy!" She nearly sounded scandalized, much to his amusement.

"I have to paint your thigh!"

She sheepishly looked away from him and Guy began painting the final stripes. He was quick about it, since she seemed to fidget awkwardly at their position. It was silly to be embarrassed when all things were considered, Eep took a moment to glance at the rock Guy had given her that rested next to the bed. Finally, he drew back and lowered her leg back onto the ground, relinquishing it.

"That should do it," he said, sounding proud. Guy stood up, grunting as he popped his back at the stiff muscles that had coiled during his seated position. "You're right, you do look good in stripes."

Eep got up from the stool with an eager little hop, extending her arm out to give it a good once over. She reached out to touch the edge of one stripe, careful to not mess up the paint. It would take a few hours to properly dry. It was a deep red but she knew with time they would soon be the same shade of brown as her husband's. She looked at Guy who was waiting for her opinion, he tried hard to not look as excited as he felt but like always he was an open book.

"I love them, Guy." She reached out to hug him, weary of pressing her torso too close to his. Guy patted her back gently. He wanted to tug her close but he'd spent too much effort on the Henna to mess it up. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like them," he said, beaming. "Thank you, love."

She flushed at the term of endearment even though she heard it plenty of times prior. Eep looked back down at her stripes, admiring wondered what Guy's family would have thought of her. Would they approve of her being part of them, even if it was only in spirit now?

"Something on your mind?" His voice coaxed her from her thoughts, drawing her back to the present.

"Nothing," she began before furrowed her brows. "Well… maybe not nothing. I was thinking what your parents might have thought of me." Eep knew the Bettermans hadn't approved of her at first but that was different now, they were quickly becoming like family.

The Bettermans had been part of Guy's old tribe, though they no longer wore their stripes. Guy looked thoughtful but he didn't hesitate. "Mom and dad would have adored you. I know it."

"Why is that?"

"They told me to find Tomorrow and I found you. It was always you, that's why." He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Eep smiled back at him, she couldn't help but feel relieved. There was the familiar sound of a chickenseal cawing that roused them, breaking the moment. Guy looked at the window, surprised that so much time had passed. The sky was now a light blue color.

"And there's our cue to get ready for the day," he sighed, turning away to put the paint away and wash his hands in a nearby basin.

"Yeah, we gotta go meet up with Dawn for the morning chores." Eep removed her night shirt to go grab her fur pelt dress that was draped over a nearby pole. She grabbed Guy's pants and boots along the way, tossing both in his direction.

He was quick to get dressed, tugging the garments on. "Careful with the paint," he cautioned once Eep pulled her dress over her head.

"This one hangs looser than my other one," Eep reassured him.

He nodded his head and gave the room a look. "We really need to think about organizing this place," he said, eying their unpacked bags and disarray belongings.

Eep began making her way for the door after pecking his cheek. "There's always Tomorrow," she chirped and she heard him laugh.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."