#(sob... i had to catch up on main tags too but i don't want to now ;;)

[leighsartworks216]

Reckless

Zayne x gn!Reader

I cry real easy when I feel like/know someone is upset with me, so these hcs hit close to home, but especially Zayne's. Had to write smth about it, even tho it's really short

Based on this post by @mwphisto

Warnings: hurt/comfort, injury, pain, crying, apologies

Word Count: 658

Main Masterlist

First - Second - Third LADs Masterlists

AO3

Tag List Form

"You need to stop being so reckless." Zayne's voice leaves no room for argument. So you don't. You bite your tongue.

His hands work precisely as they work a needle through your leg. The site is numb, injected with lidocaine to block the pain. The rest of you still hurts, though. The bruises on your back. The scrape on your cheek. Your dislocated and relocated shoulder. The throbbing headache-concussion combo.

It was a messy fight. No backup, no partners, lots of Wanderers. They'd sneak up behind you, catch you off guard. Too many times you dodged from one attack directly into another. But you kept fighting. The thought of retreat never crossed your mind; it was too important to your mission that these monsters be dealt with. So you dealt with them. By the time help did arrive, protocores littered the ground. An ambulance rushed you over to the hospital. Zayne was there to greet you.

It was pure chance, honestly. They needed help in the ER and he finished his rounds quickly, so he offered his assistance. You still remember the way his eyes widened at the sight of your face. The way they scanned down your body at everything injured, broken, out of place. The way they turned cold. Honed in on the job at hand. The tension in his jaw as he grabbed one side of the gurney and guided it into a room. The silence as he worked.

At least now he's talking to you.

He frowns deeper as he finishes the last stitch. He sets the needle and forceps aside. Grabs a roll of gauze and wraps it around your calf. Then he grabs the roll of bandages and gets to work covering it.

"Is it so hard to wait for backup before you run into danger?" he asks. He doesn't want an answer. He sighs. Tugs the bandage a little tighter and secures it. "You're lucky your injuries aren't more serious."

You keep your eyes down as he stands. He grabs a clipboard, already set with papers about your condition and vitals. The scratch of a pen against paper. It sounds rough. He's writing quicker than usual. A lump forms in your throat. Thick and sticky, building with the sting behind your eyes.

"I'm confining you to strict bedrest and observation. You'll stay here for the night. I'm also writing you a doctor's note for work. You won't be allowed to go back into the field until you've been cleared by a doctor. Understand?"

You bite your lip. You're trembling. Body shaking as you fight back the growing tidal wave of emotion. You blink, tears slipping from your eyes.

"Understand?" he asks again, sharper this time. The writing stops. "... Y/N?"

That softness when he says your name. That warmth, that gentle concern. It's all it takes for a sob to break free, torn from your throat. Then it's like you can't stop. Your lungs constrict tightly, heaving around sounds you muffle with your hand. You nod pathetically.

He steps forward, walking on eggshells. The clipboard is set on the examination table beside you. Your knees bump against his hips. You recoil, trying to pull your legs in closer so you don't touch him. So you don't upset him. So he can't find another reason to scold you. But it just hurts. Electricity shoots up your leg.

He shushes you softly. His arms wrap around you, careful not to hurt you further. He steps forward until your knees have no choice but to press up against him as he pulls you into his chest. You don't fight it this time. Your forehead presses against his collarbone. One of his hands cradles the back of your head. His cheek rests on the crown.

"I'm sorry," he whispers. He tenderly rubs your back, featherlight, wary of all the bruises he'd just assessed. You choke on another sob. "Shh. It's alright, my love. I'm sorry."

---

Tag List:

@the-golden-jhope @deepzombieyouth @armycaratlover @cheesemachine44 @nyx2021 @angel-jupiter @thelittlebutton @pikachuzhc @pomegranatepip @cordidy @an-ever-angry-bi @thejysemongko @deusfoundry @hawtlineblingz @that-lost-one @always-just-red @sine-nomine0 @beautifulthingsiadore @nothankyew @nezuswritingdesk @ssushi @mina7820 @monophobix @mentaltrouble2201 @mskaylacharite @nerrivm @ichosesparklingtorment @schnittled @animegamerfox @perla-drg @17chuuya @slovesyouuu @whisteriaremembers @leiakitty @flamedancer13

[piastrixpole]

two

march 2025

dublin, ireland

Fiadh Kinsella was not a morning person. Despite her best efforts, especially on travel days for the band she couldn't function normally before noon usually. The weight of exhaustion often hung heavy on her eyelids, dragging her back into the warm pull of sleep. Alarms be damned - she would sleep through every last one most days.

The only exception to this was when she woke up at ridiculous hours during the night to catch F1 races when the time zones didn't align. Fiadh found herself wide awake in the pitch dark at ridiculous hours, with her laptop balanced on her knees and her duvet pulled up to her chin, eyes wide and glowing in the screen light. She may have been half asleep but she was devoted.

Last year had arguably been Fiadh at her most unhinged. Not only was she following the F1 season religiously, but she'd committed to the entire F2 calendar too - even if it clashed with studio time, she found a way to multitask. Much to the amusement of her bandmates it was all because of one driver too.

It hadn't taken the group that long to catch on. In Fiadh's defence it was impossible to keep secrets when Rowan was literally family and Cian a notorious gossip. Wren had once barged into their hotel room while on tour in the States and found Fiadh curled up at 3am whispering "let's go Isack" to her screen like a prayer.

Rowan made it a running joke, claiming every love song Fiadh wrote was just about a "French boy in a helmet." And Cian, ever the menace, had changed her contact name in the band group chat to Mrs. Hadjar for an entire month.

She took it in stride. Mostly.

Today, though, she wasn't waking for a race. There were no time zone gymnastics or overtired replays to chase. No, today Fiadh Kinsella woke up because her phone was buzzing nonstop and that kind of chaos could only mean something big had happened.

She groaned, rolled over, and fumbled blindly for her phone on the nightstand. The screen lit up in her hand, far too bright for her still-adjusting eyes.

37 notifications

12 tags

49 messages in the band groupchat - most in all caps

Her pulse kicked up before she even unlocked her phone.

Please don't let it be a scandal, she thought, already imagining the worst.

Instead, at the top of her feed, bold and unmissable, sat the latest post from Silverstone's and F1’s official accounts.

☆

FRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINERS: HAZE

The graphic was sleek and dramatic — their band name dead centre in glowing white text, set against a backdrop of the main stage under stadium lights. The same stage she'd watched interviews filmed on. The same one her favourite artists had stood on. The same one that had never even been on her radar as a possibility.

Fiadh blinked. Twice. It didn't go away.

Of course she knew they'd make an announcement eventually but she hadn't expected it so soon.

✨ FRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINERS ✨

We're thrilled to welcome Haze to the Main Stage at this year's British Grand Prix!

Catch them live at 7:30pm — you won't want to miss this.

#SilverstoneGP #HazeLive #BritishGPWeekend

@F1girliesunite:

why is this band... hot. who's the drummer. i'm scared

@slowburnplaylists:

Haze??? At SILVERSTONE??? they're finally getting the recognition they deserve i'm sobbing

@formuluhhhh:

if i see Isack Hadjar in the crowd during haze's set i will combust

@cianupdates:

they let the chaos band play in front of influencers, royalty and george russell. this is so unserious

@formulahaze:

I saw Haze in a tent with 200 people last summer and now they're playing Silverstone?? crying. sobbing. throwing guitars.

@guitarsnacks

Rowan O'Sullivan is the coolest drummer alive i'm not even into f1 and now i wanna go

@wrenhollowayfanpage

wren better wear that little black tank top again or i'm rioting

@gridgossipdaily

can we talk about how the lead singer of haze is a known isack hadjar fan??? silverstone romance incoming

@hazefan6

screaming. shaking. sobbing. main stage at silverstone. our little band is all grown up 🥹

@mclarenandchaos

if cian stage dives at a motorsport event i will lose it

@flannelandfastlaps

manifesting fiadh singing a love song with isack in the crowd. i'm just saying. i'm manifesting.

@oversteeranonymous

why is everyone thirsting over the band. like yes they're talented but also why are they all so hot

☆

Her stomach dropped and soared all at once.

She barely registered the comments, though they flickered past with dizzying speed — excitement, disbelief, fangirl chaos. Someone had already clipped a video of their last festival performance and edited it with footage from past Silverstone concerts.

As the stream of notifications continued to blow up her phone, Fiadh put a stop to the incessant dinging and finally checked their band group chat.

☆

get the brits out (sorry wren!!)

Wren:

wake up silverstone sluts

Rowan:

good morning to everyone except

the person who's now the main

character on motorsport twitter

Cian:

guys. i went to check our tag and

someone said "this is isack hadjar's fault"

LMAOOOO

Fiadh:

what the fuck what the fuck

what the fuck

Wren:

ur trending babe

right under "charles leclerc shirtless"

and just above "lando norris girlfriend

soft launch"

Rowan:

our vocalist? famous

our guitarist? terrified

our drummer? deeply unwell

our bassist? screenshotting thirst tweets

Cian:

"if fiadh sings 'slowburn' and isack's in

the crowd i'll need CPR" ← that one

made me wheeze

Fiadh:

i hate all of you. i'm leaving the band

Wren:

can u leave after silverstone?

i already picked your outfit x

Rowan:

also. question. are you gonna make eye

contact with him during the bridge or—

Fiadh:

ROWAN NO

Cian:

new lyric idea:

"you were f2, i was stage two"

Fiadh:

i'm going to walk into the sea

Wren:

not before the livestream. i want them

to pan to isack's reaction when you hit

the high note

Fiadh:

this is bullying

Rowan:

this is marketing

Cian:

this is art actually. indie romance.

soft launch via main stage.

Wren:

i'm pitching "haze ft. hadjar" to the

label as we speak

Fiadh:

if i throw my phone out the window will

that cancel the performance

Rowan:

no but if u faint on stage i am taking

your mic and saying "she wrote that one

about a french driver in red bull overalls"

Cian:

the poetry of it all

Wren:

should we choreograph it? like if he's there,

we all take one step back and leave fiadh at the

front of the stage. spotlight. soul-bearing bridge.

you cry. he cries. crowd cries.

boom. sold out world tour.

Fiadh:

you're actually all unwell

Rowan:

and yet. we're still your band

Cian:

and your biggest fans.

and your biggest problems

Wren:

and your stylists. don't forget i already have a pinterest board called "race weekend witch"

Fiadh:

...okay that's actually kind of a serve

Rowan:

she's breaking. we're wearing her down

Wren:

see u on the main stage, princess

Lizzie (Label)

hi. just popping in to say i'm deeply concerned

by everything i've just read

Lizzie (Label):

also: DO NOT flirt with F1 drivers onstage.

i'm begging. you're not insured for that.

Cian:

too late

Rowan:

define "flirt"

Fiadh:

i haven't even agreed to look at him

Wren:

girl you look at him all the time

but also...her voice is the flirt, technically

Lizzie (Label);

jesus christ

Lizzie (Label):

okay. more goes live in 3 hours. please

behave until then. also please eat something.

especially you, Fiadh. i know you forget.

Fiadh:

i'm literally having toast rn

Cian:

what she's not saying is that it's burnt

Wren:

emotionally appropriate tbh

Fiadh set her phone facedown on the windowsill, like if she gave herself even one more minute looking at it, her head might combust. The group chat was still going off — memes now, mostly. Edits. Rowan had just sent a cursed collage of her face photoshopped onto a podium next to Max Verstappen. Cian was adding dramatic Lana lyrics beneath every fan comment.

But the rush was starting to thin now, the laughter fading under the weight of what it actually meant.

Silverstone was in theory just a gig. The biggest headline of their career so far but a gig none the less - but it didn't feel like something so trivial. Not to her.

She pressed her forehead to the cool glass, watching condensation from her tea mug trail against the surface. The buzz of it all hummed under her skin like static electricity, prickling and fidgeting. Too many thoughts, too many eyes, too many expectations.

This was the kind of thing she used to dream about when she was sixteen and bored in Irish class, scribbling band name ideas into the margins of her copybook. The version of her that used to sit cross-legged in front of her mam's old telly, watching Grand Prix interviews on YouTube like they were gospel, would've lost her mind at the idea of this — performing there. With them. On a stage that big, at an event that loud, in front of an audience that massive.

And yet here she was, with burnt toast in one hand and half a song stuck in her head, about to become part of something way, way bigger than she thought they were ready for.

Fiadh let out a slow breath.

She wasn't sure if she was terrified or thrilled.

Maybe both.

She pulled her notebook closer, thumbed to the page with the new lyrics she'd jotted down at 3am the week before, and scribbled one more line beneath it:

looks like you've gone and made it

[cementcornfield]

https://x.com/vikingzfanpage/status/1867748114540433549?s=61

ummm excuse you justin, that is your best friend

lol really though!!

but nah, i touched on this in my tags of a rb of this tweet. like to me it isn't a huge deal or anything. they're obviously still close, they just don't talk in season (which they've both said before). but they spent time in france together this offseason and have also said that they love each other and are always gonna have that connection so i'm not too worried! friendships go through stages sometimes, and adult friendships are just kind of like that, even for football players i guess! (some of my absolute best friends in the world, my favorite people, i only talk to once a month if that. and like a real deep catch up session happens only a few times a year. it's just hard! and i can say for sure that me and my friends do not have nearly as much going on as these two guys lol)

but anyway i'm also gonna take this opportunity to ramble about some more ja'marr character analysis lol. so like, it's becoming pretty clear that ja'marr is deadset on keeping tee and joe with him as long as possible (not gonna get into contract details or likelihood at the moment because that's all still in the air of course. but like, ja'marr's intentions at least are clear at the moment). and it's also obvious how much ja'marr treasures his friendships! he loves his guys and thrives off of being around them! i wonder if like, the evolution of his relationship with justin has to do with how extreme he, tee, and joe are being about contract stuff right now???

like justin and ja'marr were SO close for awhile there. from the hyper competitive but clearly loving friendship they had going on in college. the way they were always together on the sideline and always doing their dances and making up ridiculous elaborate handshakes <3 the way all of their joint interviews involved so much laugher and loving glances. and even after joining the league still talking about each other in the media and how much they love and support each other even as they're still super competitive. hell, when i first became a fan in 2022, ja'marr would still be streaming with justin almost every week lol. (i think justin has stopped streaming and maybe doesn't even do much gaming-wise anymore, which may have been the main way they kept in touch tbh. like, many such cases for the men i know in my life lol)

and now they're at the point where they have so much else going on, that even though they love each other, the constant conversation and all that isn't as present. (and ja'marr has kind of made it clear that that started on justin's end. like, ohhh he doesn't text me back blah blah blah, however true that is 🤔). and i feel like, even though ja'marr probably understands, that had to have hurt. again he values his friends so much and is at his best mentally, emotionally, and athletically when he's around them!!! i wonder if that taught him something about like, "if i want to keep these people i love in my life as much as possible, i need them to stay on my team. justin went to a different team and something that was so beautiful and important to me changed. i can't have that for tee. i can't have that for joe. we need to figure something out" which like, could absolutely be me digging depth into something that isn't there but at the same time it makes sense motivationally for me!!! like did he sob on his agent's shoulder one night about how much he missed justin and how he couldn't stand the thought of that happening with tee (I WANT TO PLAY WITH HIM FOR ETERNITY!!!) and the agent was like, hey, we can do something about this actually! send me his info!

[jamisonwritestf2trash]

minific :) hope u like it!! it doesnt have much of canon lore applied, and its Mann Vs Machine. Spy bein a dad when its far too late :(

----

The team had been split up when the robots attacked, and Scout and Sniper had gotten stuck together. Not that it was any issue for Scout, though. He figured the Australian wouldn't mind sticking with him for a little while, and so far, he hasn't left. But it's too quiet, even for someone like Sniper, the least talkative member on the team.

"Hey, you think the others are alright?" Scout looks at the marksman.

"Why wouldn't they be? They've better aim when close up than I ever bloody will." Sniper glances at Scout before returning his gaze to the hallway ahead of them. Broken robots lay littered about.

"Someone was here." Sniper frowns. "They must not be far."

"No shit, Sherlock-- is that blood?" Scout frowns, the red stain on the floor catching his attention.

"Yeah. Trail o' it, too..." Sniper frowns. "You follow it. I'll make sure there's no more of the bloody boltheads comin' down the halls."

"Gotcha." Scout quickly begins to follow the trail until he reaches the end of the hallway, where the rough smell of cigarette smoke fills the air.

"Ah. It's you." The voice of Spy says from the dark, and Scout flicks the lights on. Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't... this.

Spy's injured badly. There's blood staining his suit in multiple areas, and what appears to be a gunshot wound to his upper body seems to be the main cause.

"Holy crap...!" Scout quickly snaps out of the trance he was in, and opens the duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He digs through it, pulling out bandages. Of course he'd forgotten the medkits. Fan-fucking-tastic.

"Scout, I am no doctor, but I don't think a simple band aid is going to heal a bullet wound." Spy glares at the runner.

"I'm tryna help you, man! Cut me some slack." Scout scowls, and Spy just sighs.

"Scout. Just... stop. I'm not making it out of this room alive. My leg is broken and I've been shot four times. It's a miracle I'm not already dead." Spy pushes the bandages away, fllicking his burned-out cigarette away with his other hand.

"Well... that's just morbid. I can use comms to get Snipes to find Doc?" Scout reaches for his headpiece, but Spy shakes his head.

"I want you to listen to me, boy. I don't want to be saved. I've accepted that I'm not going to make it out of here. It's better this way."

"Spy--"

"Shut up!" Spy raises his voice to a yell, before letting out a pained sigh, propping himself higher up against the wall. "Just... listen to what I have to say, Jeremy."

Scout's eyes widen slightly. He isn't wearing his dog tags, there's no way Spy could've known.

"How--"

"This will... sound familiar, I hope. I hate repeating myself." Spy lights a second cigarette. Hesitating. "27 years ago, I met a beautiful woman. She was everything I could've wished for... and we were happy together. As Tom Jones would say, I... dropped a 'sex bomb' on her. I was young then, and I ran from the explosion."

It all sounds so familiar. Had Scout heard this before? Where? When...? He can remember someone saying this to him...

Holy. Crap.

"You... You were the Tom Jones that I saw." Scout whispers. Spy just nods.

"I... It is one of my many regrets, leaving you and your mother behind. I was a coward. I suppose I still am, since it would seem I can only admit to this on the edge of death." Speaking is getting more difficult for Spy, and Scout can tell, hesitating before lowering his headpiece.

"Snipes. Find Doc. Hurry."

"Mate-? Wha--" The Australian's cut off as Scout tosses the headpiece aside, and Scout kneels at Spy's side.

"You're my dad. I-- I can't let you just... die here! There's... so much lost time to be made up." Scout starts unravelling the bandage. Maybe it's the shock stopping him from feeling the pain in his leg from a loose nail digging into his knee, maybe it's the sudden adrenaline rush. Doesn't matter. Spy needs to make it out of this alive.

"Jeremy." Spy's voice is calm, with the slightest hint of pain in it. Scout looks up at Spy, who takes his mask off.

He looks just like how Scout's ma had always described him, just... older, with streaks of grey in his styled-back hair and dark circles under his eyes that Scout had never noticed before. But they share the same blue eyes.

"I am proud to see the man you've become. You've made good friends. Your mother did amazing raising you." Spy pulls a photo from his suit pocket, holding it out to Scout. "Here. I kept this when I left. I always have it with me."

It's a photo of 2 year old Scout, with his mother and Spy sitting beside him, watching him open his christmas present: A baseball bat.

Scout looks back at Spy, his vision blurry. Spy smiles at him, whispering something in French that Scout can't understand, and Scout can see the life leave Spy's eyes.

"Dad?" Scout's voice is small, his eyes wide, staring at Spy's motionless body. He tentatively reaches over and shakes Spy's shoulder, but the Frenchman doesn't respond. He's dead. Forcing back a sob, he pulls the corpse into a hug as the sound of footsteps behind him come closer and closer.

Scout never got the chance to learn his father's name.

I AM SOBBING

THIS IS SO GOOD, I LOVE THIS! THIS IS JUST OUGH.

The angst got to me. I'm not gonna lie. This is so amazing, Anon. If you ever start writing these on your blog (or if you already do), please let me know because I will be your number one fan, I swear 💪

Thank you for sending this in. It is very much appreciated. Keep up the good work. You're an amazing writer, and I literally can't compliment you enough!!!

[saibugslegacy]

Prologue | Percival

A Mourning Warning Masterlist A Mourning Warning Tag AO3 Link, Wattpad Link

"Percival wait!" Idris cried. Percival sighed and begrudgingly stopped walking a few blocks from Rosewood Orphanage, allowing his twin to catch up with him. "Why would you storm off like that? That Professor guy-"

"Right, yes, the wizard professor," Percival said. "From the wizard school. Who told us we're wizards. And that Dad was a wizard. Why would I possibly run away?"

"I mean…are you really surprised?" Idris asked. Percival really wanted to say 'yes' because this was a completely insane notion to wrap his head around. But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't, and he knew Idris knew it too.

"No," Percival muttered. He sat down on the curb and Idris sat down next to him immediately. He ran a hand through his bright purple hair, the main reason he couldn't claim they weren't wizards. One fight when they were 6 where Idris pulled his hair and he'd had purple hair since. He didn't mind it but that wasn't the kind of thing that just happened. And there was what Dad did. "It's just…a lot."

"Are you also wondering why Dad didn't tell us?" Idris said. Percival nodded. Of course he was. It was all he could think about. "Do you think Mom knew?"

"I don't know," Percival replied. "We didn't know, not until he made that, that…"

"The glowing dolphin?" Idris snickered. "Everything else sucked but you have to admit it's kind of funny. Dad hid he was a wizard our whole lives and we found out because he made a glowing dolphin."

"Yeah yeah," Percival rolled his eyes. "But what if those things, whatever they were, are the reason Dad didn't tell us? What if he was trying to keep us safe?"

"Surely entire families being attacked by shadow monsters in black cloaks isn't common," Idris reasoned.

"It still happened."

"I know," Idris muttered. They leaned over and rested their head on Percival's shoulder and Percival wrapped his arm around them without a thought. "But I don't think Mom and Dad would want us to spend the rest of our childhood alone in an orphanage. And you know Annabelle would've leapt at this."

"I don't think they'd want us dead either," Percival replied. "Dad didn't tell us to 'go explore' or 'look for magic' he said…"

"Protect each other!" Dad yelled, shoving five year olf Annabelle into Percival's arms. "Go for the road, and stay out of the shadows! Keep each other safe!"

"Dad!" Idris sobbed.

The claw marks on their face were bleeding, covering their chin and neck in blood. It was all Percival could do not to stare at it. Annabelle was screaming and crying in Percival's arms and his own tears were falling onto his bloody sweater. Blood covered one of his eyes from the wound on his forehead but with the way Dad was looking at him he didn't hesitate any more. Percival shifted Annabelle to one arm and grabbed Idris with the other. He took off in the direction of the road and Idris pleaded that they had to go back and help dad and find mom but at least they were running.

The siblings had to leap over and weave around the bodies of everyone they'd ever loved; Uncle Simon, their little cousin Msizi, Idris tripped over their ugogo's leg and Percival had to haul them up before they puked.

They dodged the shadows as best they could but the remaining path to the sunny road was covered in trees. Not a single shaft of light broke through the trees but they had no other choice. The ran through but before they could make it the shadows moved and one of those things appeared in front of them.

It was like a shadow was wearing a cloak. It was made of swirling black vapor that shaped itself into horrible claws wearing bracelets made of glowing red metal. Under its "hood" there was no face. Or at least, no eyes or nose. It had a mouth. It was too wide, too filled with teeth the color of obsidian.

Annabelle screamed and Percival tried to shield her as Idris leaped between them and the monster. It raised its clawed hand, ready to strike but before it could they all heard the last words they ever expected.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

As dad yelled the strange words a silvery dolphin swam through the air right at the monster. The monster shrieked and sank back into the darkness. Dad appeared next to them and the glowing dolphin continued to dance around them.

"What the hell…?" Percival breathed. Dad ran off again, back towards the screaming of their family in the distance. One of them sounded like Mom.

Please don't be Mom.

This time Idris was the one to grab Percival, dragging him forward again until his feet caught up to his brain. They made it to the gravel road, the sun shining down on their faces feeling crueler than it ever had. Both twins' were panting as Annabelle just cried and cried in Percival's arms.

"It's okay Annie, it's okay," Percival tried to reassure her. "It's gonne be okay, I've got you. We're gonna protect you, just like dad said, okay?"

"Okay," Annabelle sniffled.

She hid her face against Percival's shoulder just in time for Percival to see movement out of the corner of his eye. He followed it and saw Dad and Mom, bloody and bruised but alive. They were still in the shadows but they were running towards them and Percival laughed in relief.

"Come on, hurry!" Idris yelled.

Then Percival blinked and blood flooded the grass. Idris screamed, an absolutely gut wrenching sound as they watched the creatures descend on the bodies of their parents, already torn apart and soaked in their own blood. Percival couldn't make a sound, all he could do was stumble backwards clutch Annabelle against him so she couldn't see what had happened.

Maybe he would've seen it if he hadn't been dazed from the horrifice scene before him. Maybe if it hadn't been the side where blood forced his eye shut. Maybe if he noticed how far he'd stumbled. But before he realized any of this, claws lashed out from the darkness next to him. Percival only knew because he saw them emerge from Annabelle's chest.

Before he could even scream, the world became awash in a blinding white light and when faded, Percival and Idris were on the ground, their skin stained with the blood of their family and their little sister's corpse in Percival's arms.

"I know what Dad said," Idris replied. "But what happens if those things find us again? The only thing that even scared them was that thing Dad made. We can't do that! If they find us again we're dead."

"They won't be coming after us," Percival argued. "It was a random attack, I'm sure of it. Besides the attack was back at mom's home, on a different continent. I'm sure we're fine."

"Maybe you are," Idris scoffed and sat up. "But I'm not sitting around here. Believe in magic if you want, stay in this orphanage if you want. But I'm going to learn how to protect us, and I'm going to actually be someone instead of being stuck as the kid with no family."

As Idris stormed off, a mirror of Percival himself earlier, Percival bit his lip. All he could think about now was the blood, how heavy and cold Annabelle's body had been when the light faded. He remembered how terrified he'd been seeing Idris on the ground and how relieved he was when Idris woke up. Idris was all he had left. Now they were walking away. They obviously saw an opportunity to escape the god awful hand the two of them had been dealt. How could Percival ask him to give that up? Worse, how could he make Idris do it alone!

"Okay okay!" Percival groaned. He hurried to his feet and followed after Idris. "Let's talk to this 'Professor Fig'. I am curious about Hogwarts."

[peterrparrkerr]

Gaslighting - read on ao3

Tagging: @snowstark @someonepostedart @thegreenmetblue @sinditia @just-things-things @andacheesyoneliner @lokitonypeter @bluestarker @lilcoffeecup @useless-fanfictions-for-mcu @tnpt

Peter isn't spiderman in this fic, but Tony is Ironman.

*-*

"Tony?" Peter calls, walking down the stairs and into the lab.

"Yes, baby?" Tony answers, lifting his head up from his project to smile at the boy.

"Dinner's ready," he said softly. "I tried to call you earlier but you must've been busy."

Tony steps away from the work bench and pulls Peter towards the stairs again when he saw the curious glint in the boy's eyes.

"I was, I'm sorry, baby. What are we having?"

Peter's Bambi brown eyes flicker up to Tony's, the question momentarily side tracking him from voicing his questions on what Tony was working on.

Peter wouldn't approve, Tony knew. Best to keep him out of it for as long as possible.

"Uh, chicken alfredo, with broccoli and garlic bread," Peter said, leaning into Tony as they both took the stairs up to the main floor.

"Sounds wonderful," Tony smirked, pressing a kiss to Peter's temple before sitting him, then himself at the already set table.

*-*

"What are you working on?" Peter asked, padding over on bare feet. A yawn pulls his mouth open as he rubs at his half lidded eyes.

"Nothing important, baby," Tony hums, closing the lid on the small sample.

"If it wasn't important you'd be in bed with me," Peter pouted. Tony chuckles and steps over to him, making sure -again- that Peter won't get too close.

"You're right," Tony nodded, wrapping his arms around the younger man and kissing his pouty lips. "Lets go to bed, hmm?"

Peter nods sleepily and allows Tony to walk him back up the stairs.

He waits until Peter's fast asleep before returning to the lab. Hes so close to finishing, he can get it done tonight if he focuses.

*-*

"Tony, please, harder," Peter cries, back arching, exposing his neck. Tony snaps his hips in harder, giving the boy just what he's wanted.

Ever since the test, Tony's gotten more energy. He's gotten stronger. Its made their sex all the better.

His next round of shots is in a day. He can feel his whole body changing on a molecular level.

He's more connected with the endo-sym than he ever thought possible.

Peter cums on a wail, and Tony's not far behind, burying himself to the hilt as he fills Peter up.

The two lay beside each other, panting and sweaty.

"What happened to your eyes?" Peter asked softly, turning his head to look at Tony.

"What do you mean, baby?"

"They, flashed," Peter tried, stilted with an effort to find the right word. "I swear for a second they turned blue."

Tony lets out a huff of laughter, turning his head to look back at the boy.

"Must've been a trick of the light," he mused, pulling Peter close, even as the younger scowled in confusion.

"Are you sure?" He asked, lithe form pressed against Tony's more athletic build. If Tony wanted to, he was sure he'd be able to snap the boy in half with his bare hands.

Instead, he nuzzled against Peter's jaw, kissing his skin.

"I've never seen the light do that before."

"Theres nothing wrong with my eyes, baby."

*-*

"What is that?" Peter asked, eyes wide. Tony glances up, inwardly cursing. He didnt realize the boy had made his way down into the lab.

"Its something new," Tony said, deciding it best not to avoid it any longer. The boy was already getting too curious. If Tony didn't give him something, Peter would either leave, or find out for himself.

Tony reaches for Peter and the boy walks into his hold, letting Tony pull him in close and wrap his arms around him.

"Its called endo-sym," Tony hummed. "Its an armor."

"For the ironman?" Peter asked, brown eyes shining with the shifting reflective silver.

Its in a small chamber, vacuum sealed shut so it doesn't get out. Tony's got a problem linking with it still, and doesn't want so many months of hard work going down the drain if the thing decides to leave.

"For something better," Tony said softly. Peter frowned and glanced up at him, pouting slightly.

"What is it?" He asked. "What does it do?"

The endo-sym jumps at the rim of the chamber before falling back down like the waves of a storm. Angry and restless.

"It works like the nanotech from my last suit," Tony lied. "This is just- a smoother version."

"It looks alive," Peter said softly, leaning closer to see through the clear lid. The endo-sym jumped up, sensing a human close by, and Peter jumped back, right into Tony's chest.

"Its not," Tony lied. Peter doesn't look like he believes him, but Tony's not worried about it. He just needs the boy ignorant for a little while longer.

*-*

Tony's expecting the boy to freak out. Expecting it and already ready to explain. The endo-sym is nearly finished. The last injection of Extremis taken the night before, and Tony's eyes are bright blue.

Theres no hiding them from the boy. He wakes up first and makes his way down to the kitchen, making coffee and heating up some leftovers for breakfast.

Peter pads into the room a short time after Tony's second cup of coffee, wearing his tshirt and nothing else, curls a mess on top of his head.

"Good morning," Tony hummed. Peter's too sleepy to pick up on the change as he accepts Tony's coffee.

He barely looks at Tony as he brings the half mug of coffee to his lips and takes a sip.

Tony leans against the counter, waiting for the inevitable. It happens when Peter lowers his mug and finally looks up at him.

He gasped, eyes widening and promptly dropped the mug of coffee.

Neither of them were fast enough to catch it and it shatters on the tile floor, spilling the still hot coffee over his bare feet.

"Tony!" He exclaims. Tony steps towards the boy, glass cracking under his shoes, and he quickly lifts Peter off his feet by his underarms.

"Stay here," Tony orders after setting the boy onto the counter.

"Tony, your eyes are blue!" Peter exclaimed, as Tony crouched down to pick up the glass from the floor.

"They're contacts," Tony hummed, dropping a handful into the trash can before picking up the smaller pieces.

"Those aren't contacts," Peter scoffed. "How did this happen- what caused it-"

"Stay," Tony ordered, glaring up at the boy when Peter moved to jump down again.

The blue eyes really must be shocking, because Peter stills, eyes still wide and breath hitching.

"Tony, please," he says softly, tears beginning to well in those pretty brown eyes. "You have to tell me."

Tony doesn't say anything, just dumps another palmful of glass into the trash before standing and grabbing the paper towel.

"Please," Peter continued, voice wavering. "You've been lying to me for months. You- you're hiding things from me and- and I can't-"

A wet sob cuts Peter off, and Tony looks up from soaking up the coffee spill to see the boy with his hands over his eyes, scrubbing away the flow of tears as he tries to calm himself down.

Tony sighs and stands up, stepping between Peter's knees and grabbing his chin.

He tilts it up, forcing Peter to uncover his face, which is growing splotchy with his tears. His breath hitches on his inhales, and Tony leans in to kiss him softly on pouty lips.

"Do you trust me, baby?" Tony asked, making sure Peter looks him in the eyes.

The boy sniffles and nods, lower lip trembling and body sagging towards the older.

"Then trust that me keeping things from you does not lessen my love for you," Tony said.

"But-"

"No buts," Tony interrupted, wiping the tears from the boy's cheeks. "You don't need to know everything I do, sweetheart. You'll know when I want you to know."

And with that, he crouches down again and continues to soak up the last of the coffee spill.

Above him, Peter continues to cry, face hidden in his arms to muffle the tears and sniffles. He doesn't move though, which is all Tony cares about.

[bludemons]

We're not gonna leave you (Ralvez x Fem!Reader)

Summary: Spencer and Luke are about to miss another birthday of yours because they're called on a case. But what happens when they come home in time?

Warnings: talk about unsub, swear words, depressing thoughts, crying, angst, anxiety, fluff towards the end, Luke and Spencer being idiots

Words: 2.3k

Tagged: @subbyspence @yours-truly-r @mgg-theprettiestboy

(gif credit to @zhuzhubii)

It's your birthday and of course you're alone, again, cause the boys were called away on a case 2 days prior and your mood wasn't the best to say the least... It was the 4th birthday you wanted to celebrate while being in the relationship with the boys but also the third one you were alone cause they were called away to catch some crazy killer. You already had a feeling that you would be alone again and it slowly led you to thinking if Luke and Spencer actually wanted to spend your birthday with you and not in another state. Well it was your home state, again. Every year around your birthday they had a case in your home state.

You had woken up to texts from your family, friends, coworkers and your boyfriends coworkers, from everyone but Luke and Spencer. It made you feel even worse, strengthening the thought you already had: they didn't want to be with you on your birthday. Maybe they didn't want to be with you in general anymore. Deep in your heart you knew that it wasn't the truth but right now you couldn't focus on that. It was your birthday and neither of your boyfriends had texted or called like they usually would. It was the first time in your entire life that Luke forgot your birthday. He always made sure to at least leave you a text, telling you how much he loves you and wishing you the best, already planning on what you'd do to celebrate your birthday when he was away. It was like a punch in your face, no, it was worse than that.

But what you didn't know was that your two boyfriends were on their way home to you, knowing how sad you were when they told you that they had another case or better, the same case as the two years before. It was the same unsub all the years and they took her down a day prior. She started to kill around your birthday but never getting her true target, you. Once Luke and Spencer had looked at the pictures of the victims again, it took them only one look at each other before they ran off to their unit chief. Emily was currently talking to a police officer when she saw the two men running towards her. "Woah boys, slow down. What's going on?", she asked while looking at them trying to figure out what was on their mind. "It's Y/N. The unsubs main target is Y/N", Spencer said, a bit out of breath. "What are you talking about?", Emily asked again. Luke only grabbed her hand, walking towards the conference room where the pictures were. "Look at the pictures Emily. Look at them and tell me that they don't look almost exactly like Y/N", Luke said while looking at his unit chief. And in that moment it hit Emily. The men were right, all the victims looked like you, only slight differences in appearance and they were not only in your home state but most of the murders were in your hometown too, leaving no questions that it had something to do with you. She called the rest of the team into the conference room, telling them what was going on. After that new information, Garcia dug a bit in your life to find anyone who would fit the profile. It only took her about an hour of digging through your past until she was able to find someone who could be the unsub. It was your ex best friend. She was always jealous of you. About the friendship you had with Luke, cause surprise she had a huge crush on him, thinking you were taking him away from her. How everyone liked you. Your healthy and happy family. About the fact that you were able to come out as bisexual and everyone excepting you for who you are. But she didn't only have a crush on Luke, she was in love with you too.

Wanting you to be all hers. She wanted your attention and she hoped she would get them from the murders. Garcia soon found her address, immediately calling her colleagues, telling them what she found. As the team began to get ready, Emily stepped in front of Luke and Spencer. "You're not coming with us", she said sternly. "What?! why?! Of course we are going, it's about Y/N!", Luke exclaimed. "Exactly, it's about your girlfriend. Your girlfriend who's again going to be alone on her birthday so yes, you both do get your asses up but only to fly back home to your lover girl with the next flight. We've got this and we're gonna update you as soon as we have news. Got it?", she looked at the men with a raised brow. Luke and Spencer both nodded, taking off their vests, grabbing their stuff, quickly saying goodbye to the rest of the team and driving to the airport, hopping on the next plane, on their way back home to you.

"Do you think she's going to be mad at us?", Spencer asked his boyfriend as they finally found their seats and sat down. Luke shrugged, he really didn't know. "I don't know Spence... I don't know if she's going to be mad at us but I know that she's sad. We definitely need to make it up to her with every little thing we can give", Luke had turned towards the man beside him. Spencer sighed, knowing that Luke was right. They both fucked up, again. It was already hard to make up for last year's birthday but knowing that you thought that they would miss another one, broke both their hearts. It wasn't a long flight ,at least not for them and after 4 hours they were back in Quantico, quickly making their way back to your apartment.

Yeah, maybe the case was a hard one but the other team members found time to text you, even rossi did so and he had never, never texted you before. Ignoring every text and call you got, especially Penelope's, leaving most people on read, you put down all the blinds in your apartment, shutting down any form of light, you just wanted to drown in the dark, letting the bad thoughts take over. So you went into the bathroom and curled up in the bathtub. Yes, the bathtub and not the bed. You felt like any kind of comfort wasn't what you needed right now. So you laid there, slowly opening the drain until the lukewarm water started to drench your clothes. You didn't even notice that you started to cry until you felt a warm tear falling onto your hand. Knowing the tears wouldn't stop any time soon, you just let them run down your cheeks, your body starting to shake as you began to sob. The thoughts finally really set in. Your two boyfriends, the loves of your life, forgot your birthday and probably didn't want to be in a relationship with you anymore.

You were slowly starting to fall asleep in the already cold water, tired from the tears that still streamed down your face and the sobs that wrecked your entire body. But before you were able to completely close your eyes, you heard keys jiggle in the hole of the front door. You couldn't care less, you didn't move one muscle, just accepting the fact that if it was a robber or murderer that this was your time. You didn't have the strength to fight or even open your eyes when you heard footsteps coming your way. "Luke?", Spencer quietly asked the man who stood beside him. Luke hummed in response. "We really fucked up bad this time", Spencer's eyes were starting to get glossy as he heard your sobs. Luke sighed, looking at his boyfriend and then at the open bathroom door. "I know baby, I know", he took Spencer's hand in his, softly rubbing his thumb across the back of his boyfriend's hand, "but we're gonna make it up to her, okay? We're gonna take some days off, going on a vacation, making sure to show her how much we love her and how much she means to us", Luke said quietly as he looked at spencer. The other man nodded, exactly knowing what he meant with the last part, and looked towards the bathroom again. Luke took this chance and slowly walked towards the door, taking Spencer with him.

"Y/N sweetheart?", Luke quietly asked into the dark of the bathroom. You had tried to stop sobbing as soon as you heard the hushed voices of your boyfriends, but they heard them anyway. "Can we come in?", you heard Spencer ask you. You only sniffled, not able to form words in your current state. Luke wordlessly told Spencer to put on the lights in the living room, not overwhelming you with the brightness of the bathroom lights. As soon as Luke was able to lay his eyes on you, his heart broke into a million pieces, the same as Spencer's when he came back to stand beside him. They both took in the sight in front of them. You were laying in the bathtub, wearing one of Luke's shirts and one of Spencer's boxers. Tears brimming in both of their eyes as Luke was the first one to approach you, carefully and slowly kneeling down beside the tub.

Before he turned himself to you, he looked at Spencer once again. "Baby can you go and grab some clean and dry clothes and make us a tea?", he asked him. Spencer nodded slightly before turning on his heels, determined to get you the comfiest clothes he could find before bringing them back to the bathroom and heading towards the kitchen. Once he made his way there he started to boil the water, putting in a tea bag of your favorite teas in your three matching mugs. While Spencer was making you all a cup of tea and preparing some snacks, Luke slowly took one of your hands in his, making you look up at him, a small genuine smile on his face.

He knew that you weren't able to form a word right now so he decided to just ask you "yes or no" questions, making it as easy as possible for you. "Why don't we get you out of the tub, huh sweetheart? Do you think I can drain the water?", his voice as soft as it could be. You nodded, slightly tugging on his hand. You wanted to feel him closer. Knowing what you wanted, Luke pulled out the plug to let the water out of the tub, moving a bit closer, putting both of his big hands on the sides of your face. "We're so sorry bub, we really are. We're gonna explain everything, I promise but now let's get you all dry and in comfy clothes again. Does that sound good?", he asked again. Earning another nod from you as your eyes glanced up at Spencer who was standing in the door, looking at Luke and you with all the love in his eyes.

Luke stood up slowly which caused you to whimper, gripping his hand even more, not wanting to lose his contact. "Shh bub, I'm not going anywhere, I was just standing up so I can help you out okay?" Luke was pulling you up with him so you were standing on your shaking legs, barely able to hold your weight yourself, but luckily Luke was there to hold you. He carefully lifted you out, still holding you when he placed your feet to the floor, nodding his head towards spencer. He walked into the bathroom, carefully removing the cold, wet and heavy clothes from your still shaking figure. As soon as Spencer had you stripped out of your clothes he wrapped a towel around you, carefully drying you up. Both of your boyfriends were whispering small encouragements. Luke always told you what a good girl you are, how much he loves you, how he could never even think about leaving you, telling you that you were the love of his life (of course Spencer too). When it came to Spencer he always rambled about how it wasn't physically possible to love someone as much as he loves the both of you, always rambling small facts about love and your favorite interests.

As soon as you were back in one of Luke's hoodies and one of Spencer's checkered pyjama pants and some fuzzy socks (mismatching as it has to be), the two men led you over to the couch. Spencer had lit up every single candle he found in the apartment, making the living room feel all cozy and not too bright. Once all of you were sitting down, you snuggled up with Luke. "We're really sorry that we weren't here on your last birthday but we can explain it, we really can. It may sound crazy but it's the truth. and of course we didn't forget your birthday sweetheart, as soon as we knew who the unsub was, we took the next flight and came home. We love you with all of our heart and we promise you and we're never going to miss another birthday of yours. We planned on taking some days off, going on vacation, just the three of us. how does that sound bub?", it was Spencer who was speaking this time and instead of a nod, they actually got a real answer. "I-I'd really like that", your voice was just a whisper, still a bit sore from all the crying. Spencer and Luke both smiled as they each kissed one of your cheeks.

This was the moment a small smile was finally creeping its way on your lips. the fact that both your men were home, on your birthday, taking care of you, planning on going on a vacation, was all it took to overshadow the dark thoughts in your mind.

[lydiagrimborn1117]

He Lives Beneath

Tags: @mdoodlerfandomart

Prompt:"You have to trust me."

Summary: Hiccup has been a sailor on his father's pirate ship for quite some time, and every day his father talks to him about how he will make an incredible captain. One day when Hiccup's father's crew catches something in their nets, when Hiccup sees what they caught. His main concern isn't about being captain. His main concern, is keeping that something alive.

Authors note: Big thank you to @mdoodlerfandomart who allowed me to write this what I thought was going to be a short story for one of her drawings, but it turns out it may be longer than expected. But anyways big thanks to her and I will show her piece of art at the end. Hopefully if she's alright with it I can continue writing this story due to the fact I have plenty more ideas.

Hiccup stood on the main deck in shock. The crew had just lifted up the nets to see how much fish they had been able to catch for dinner, and while they had caught something, it was something so unbelievable. Hiccup's friends stood beside him as well also filed with bewilderment. His father, which happened to be the captain, was laughing excitingly among the crew. Everyone was in shock, they'd captured a merman.

"Well look at what we have here!" yelled one of the crew mates as they approached the net. The merman struggled to untie the rope net digging into his tale, the merman was in so much pain and was terrified. What would these humans to do him if they managed to locked him away? Would they run experiments on him? Torture him? Whatever it was the merman didn't want to be around long enough to find out. A couple of crew mates grabbed the merman roughly by his arms and dragged him to Hiccup's father, Captain Stoick.

"What should we do with em Cap'n," asked the crew mate. One of the other crew mates got closer to his face with a sinister grin stretched across their face.

"I say we sell him," suggested the crew mate "We could make good money off of him. What'd ya think Captain?" Stoick looked down at the scared creature. Stoick couldn't care less whether this thing lived or died, but the crew had a point, they could make extremely good money by selling him.

"Uh dad?" called out Hiccup "I have a suggestion." Stoick's eyes widened in surprise. What could Hiccup possibly know about merfolk.

"Speak up than," Replied Stoick. He may not care for the monster, but he did care about opinions. So he was allowing his son to speak his mind.

"Why don't we make him a performer for us? Every time we stop at ports to reload the ship we're there for a few days," explained Hiccup "he can make us money while we're there. People would go nuts to see a merman in person, Don't ya think?"Hiccup looked at the merman. He had tears streaming down his face, Hiccup felt bad he had to be going through this. Hiccup could only imagine how he was feeling right now.

"Not a bad idea Hiccup. We'd be making more money showing him if two more than one person than just a single one alone," began Stoick as he grabbed the merman by the chin "Not a bad idea at all."

"Great. Since I proposed the idea, I'll take care of him," said Hiccup. The men began untangling the nets around the merman's tail, as soon as his tail was free, the merman slapped away the two crew mates holding onto him and began crawling as fast as he could to the wall of the ship. Yet as he was climbing over, Stoick pulled out his axe and pinned down the merman's fin.

Hiccup gasped as the merman screamed out in agony. The axe had just about nearly severed the fin clean off the tail, and the merman held onto the wound sobbing. Hiccup rushed over and kneeled down next to the injured creature, as Hiccup's hand made it's way over to the injured tail, the merman made an attempt to escape Hiccup's touch. Yet as the merman did this, it only made the axe do more damage.

"I thought the point of keeping him is making sure he stay's alive, dad!" yelled Hiccup angrily. Stoick sighed in annoyance and pulled the axe out of the wound, not bothering to care if it hurt the merman.

"I only did it so he couldn't swim away. You'll thank me for that later."

A few days later, Hiccup was in his room looking at the merman sadly. Fishlegs was examining the wound on his fin, however the merman wasn't letting anyone get anywhere near him. Hiccup hated the fact the had restrain the merman just so they would see the damage done to his fin, but it was their only option. The merman was in a tank too small for him, yet it was all they could find for the magnificent creature.

"Bad news," advised Fishlegs. Hiccup looked at his friend filled with worry.

"What is it?" Hiccup asked as Fishlegs walked over to him.

"The fin needs to be amputated," began Fishlegs sadly "No matter what we do for him, he won't be able to swim normally again. Of course he's in a tank so it's hard to tell for sure, but that's all I can say for now." Hiccup nodded and told Fishlegs to leave. He had done all he could for now.

"Do you have any idea what that means?" the merman looked at Hiccup, eyes filled with confusion. Of course he didn't know what that meant. "It means we have to remove your fin."

The merman's eyes widened in fear as he started to shake his head. This couldn't be happening to him, if they removed his fi, everyone at home would see him as some freak. He'd be a reject.

The creature looked up in fear when he heard a creaking noise come from the top of his prison. The tank may be glass, but it had a wooden rim and wooden lid, meaning Hiccup could easily pry open the tank with a crow bar. As Hiccup pushed down with as much force as he could, he kept his eyes on the merman who was still scared and confused.

"You have to trust me," softly demanded Hiccup. He didn't want to frighten the merman anymore then the crew already had. He was still here only because Hiccup said they should use him as some circus freak. That was his new purpose now he supposed. As the lid separated itself from the tank, Hiccup moved to the other side and placed the crowbar in position.

Hiccup was surprised to see that the merman was helping him as well. This meant Hiccup was getting somewhere with the frightened being. Once the lid was off of the tank, the merman slowly began to stretch his arms and tail.

"You can't take my fin," came a deep voice. It took a minute for Hiccup to register that the merman was talking to him.

"We have to," started Hiccup "You heard my friend. You won't be able to swim normally again either way, you'd be suffering." the merman shook his head as more tears streamed down his face. The human had made a fair argument. He'd have to assume that he has no choice.

"You can call me Hiccup by the way," stated Hiccup as he headed to the door. Hiccup figured that the merman was hungry and needed sometime to think to himself.

"Viggo," Hiccup turned around in shock after hearing the merman say something again

"What did you say?" surprisingly asked Hiccup.

"My name is Viggo."

(Art below is @mdoodlerfandomart)

[takenyoomies]

Operation Pancakes

Title - Operation Pancakes

Summary - Chifuyu's plans don't have the best track record for working, so when Chifuyu plans to steal Kazutora's unlimited pancake stack at Danny's...All Baji can think is "This can't possibly work."

Tags - Food, some swearing, Takemichi slander, Chifuyu has some bad ideas, Tokyo Revengers spoilers, Alternate Universe, mild OOCness, Sassy Kazutora bc he's hungry, shrek jokes

Characters - Baji, Chifuyu, Kazutora, Takemichi(mentioned), Mucho(mentioned), Kokonoi(mentioned)

READ ON AO3

“You’re sure this is going to work?” Baji asked halfheartedly, tilting his head to meet the gaze of the dirty blonde who seemed to glare back at him incredulously.

“Of course, it’ll work. When haven’t my plans worked?” Chifuyu huffed back, picking up the pace in his step to walk in line with the dark-haired teen. Baji let out a small laugh, “Remember the time you told Takemichi to replace Mucho’s protein powder with Nesquick because he was jealous? And he found out almost instantly?”

“Okay, that was once.”

“And then time Takemichi wanted backup when confronting Koko about taking his lunch money, and you stood in the bushes with a notebook that said ‘COURAGE’ all while Takemichi was sobbing his eyes out and Koko laughed his ass off.”

“IT DID NOT HAPPEN LIKE THA- wait, you know about that?”

“Everyone knows about that, Chifuyu.”

“Okay, well, those are just two things.”

“And please, let us not forget the time where you told me we could make yakisoba in the coffee maker. MAY BOTH MY COFFEE MAKER AND THE YAKISOBA REST IN PEACE.”

“…I blame Buzzfeed Japan.”

It was established at this point, the plan they were about to pull off was high stakes. Stealing Kazutora’s unlimited pancakes at Danny’s was going to be the heist of the century.

---x---

The electronic bell chimed to the door as both Baji and Chifuyu entered Danny’s, both walking towards the back of the restaurant to find the dark-haired boy sitting in the booth, outstretched. In a way, he looked like a cat, but the moment he saw them, it was an onslaught of criticism.

“I thought we said five?”

“Baji-san and I needed to stop and get a drink somewhere before heading over!” A lie, they were planning the entire time. The long dark-haired boy’s eyes narrowed, suspecting something but not willing to deal with it due to hangriness.

“Whatever, just sit down and order.” Kazutora sighed out, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger, “You guys really need to work on punctuality.” He reached over and pressed the button on the table to call over a waitress.

Baji and Chifuyu looked at one another before bursting out laughing. “Geez, Kazu, something crawl up your ass?” Baji said as he slid into Kazutora’s side of the booth, purposefully pushing the other teen’s legs off with a loud thud.

“No, it’s just you do this to me every time we hang out, and I’m actually starving!” Kazutora complained to Baji, gesturing with his hands over to the water glass, “Do you know how many times they came over and refilled this?”

“How many?”

“4!”

Chifuyu snorted as he slid into the other side of the booth, “Did they ask you if you got stood up too?”

“No, but I’m sure they were considering it judging by how late you were,” Kazutora replied with a sigh.

A waitress walked over, looking slightly nervous at the group, “I see your friends have finally joined you!” She said in a slightly nervous voice, “Are you ready to order?”

“Yes, I’ll have the Danny’s Unlimited Pancakes and a Fanta,” Kazutora said, pointing to the picture on the menu for her.

“And for you?” She asked Baji, her eyes seeming to catch on his amused expression.

“I’ll wait a bit to order, but I’ll have a Cola to start!” He said with a toothy grin, causing the waitress to blush a bit.

“Right, and what would you like?” She asked as she turned to Chifuyu, who had been studying the menu a bit.

“I think I’ll just have a hot chocolate, for now, thanks.” He replied, closing the menu and setting it to the side.

“I’ll have everything out shortly. If you’d like to order anything else, please press the button on the table, and I’ll be right over.” The waitress said before heading over to the computer to enter their orders in.

“Aren’t you guys hungry? I thought the plan was we weren’t going to eat lunch today, so we would actually be hungry?” Kazutora questioned, looking at Chifuyu, who was scrolling at his phone.

“Baji-san forgot and bought way too many yakisoba breads at lunch today and made me eat half of them.” Chifuyu breathed out, knowing Kazutora would not be pleased.

“How many is half?”

“3.”

“Baji, what the fuck.”

“They were half price Kazu!” Baji groaned as the dark-haired teen elbowed him in the side, “I thought it was a great deal, and the ladies at the school store charmed me!”

“You’re unbelievable.” Kazutora muttered in irritation, “Chifuyu, I don’t know how you deal with this daily.”

“Believe me, I don’t either,” Chifuyu replied in an exasperated tone.

“I’m right here, you know?” Baji said as a matter of fact.

“Here are your drinks, have the two of you decided upon anything?” The waitress asked as she placed their drinks down.

“Not yet, thanks though,” Baji replied, gingerly taking the tip of his straw off before shooting the paper at Chifuyu.

Chifuyu stared at him before reaching over the table and grabbing Kazutora’s straw, and repeating the same motions as Baji.

“Hey!” Kazutora yelled in complaint and attempted to reach Chifuyu before he put his mouth on the straw. Chifuyu blew on the straw, only for the paper to go nowhere, as the paper was a dud.

Baji howled in laughter, pointing while holding his side with the other arm, “Serves you right!”

“I regret suggesting this hang out. I can’t take either of you anywhere,” Kazutora said as he snatched the straw from Chifuyu’s hands and stuck it into his Fanta.

“Ooooh~ That’s an indirect kiss!” Baji jested before groaning in pain, Kazutora’s foot silencing the teasing as it stomped down onto the long-haired teen’s.

Chifuyu lifted the mug of hot chocolate to his lips and sipped the warm liquid as the chaotic scene played out in front of him. The main event had yet to play out.

“Alright, here’s your Unlimited Pancakes. Please press the bell when you’d like another stack.” The waitress said before walking back to her station.

The pancakes looked immaculate as they gave off a small amount of steam and a gentle aroma. Danny’s made some absolutely fire pancakes for a chain diner, and both Chifuyu and Baji knew that.

“You guys are drooling. I hope you know that,” Kazutora said in an annoyed tone, sliding the platter towards himself as he reached for the syrup with his other hand.

“Kazu, when was the last time you washed your hands?” Baji asked inquisitively, taking a sip from his cola as his eyes watched the other haphazardly pour syrup onto the stack of bready goodness.

“...I don’t know?” Kazutora replied as he picked up his fork, about to stab the cakes, “I guess I should wash them.”

“Probably, there’s been a weird stomach bug going around the group. Takemichi has been puking everywhere,” Chifuyu added.

“It would be Takemichi.” Kazutora sighed out, pushing Baji, “Move, you overgrown ogre.”

“Rude!” Baji replied as he moved out onto the aisle for Kazutora to sneak past, “Ogres have feelings, you know Kazu! We’ve watched Shrek enough times for you to know that!”

“Yeah yeah, don’t make me demote you to Donkey,” Kazutora said as he waved his hand back at Baji, Chifuyu snickering to himself as he slid the plate of pancakes over to himself.

“Like candy from a baby.”

“Evil doesn’t suit you, Chifuyu.”

[leighsartworks216]

Nobody's Fault

Sylus x fem!Reader OR Zayne x fem!Reader

Disclaimer that I have never been pregnant or wanted kids, but I kept thinking about this and agonizing and tonight it just had to get out of me. Don't read if it's going to upset you and I'm sorry to everyone who's had to experience this <333

Warnings: angst, miscarriage, grief/mourning, crying, depression, hurt/comfort, can be read as either Sylus or Zayne

Word Count: 475

Main Masterlist

First - Second - Third LADs Masterlists

AO3

Tag List Form

A bath had sounded nice, three hours ago when you thought about taking one. You forgot the nothing that came with it. The lack of activity that should be relaxing. The silence.

You’ve been in the bath for three hours.

The water is cold. Goosebumps raise on your skin and don’t go down. You think your toes are numb. You’re not sure. Not paying enough attention to care.

You stare at the wall. The grout between tiles. The white.

You don’t really notice when the door opens. Or when the drain is pulled and the water starts sinking lower and lower, until it’s barely a puddle at the bottom. You only blink back to reality when he taps your knee.

There’s a dullness to his eyes that was never there before. Like the shine was scrubbed out. Heavy bags under his eyes. Dark from lack of sleep. You’re no better: eyes red and raw, dried stains on your cheeks.

He doesn’t have to say anything. There’s nothing for him to say. No words can fix this hurt. You’re convinced time can’t either. But you have to try.

He rubs your knee in soft strokes with his thumb. Grounding and secure. You can fall and he’ll catch you. He’s been catching you for weeks - even when he’s just about fit to collapse, too. More tears well up, unbidden. Your lip trembles. Chin wrinkles. A sob breaks through too quickly.

“I’m sorry,” you whimper.

He shushes you quietly as he shakes his head. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he coos.

You watch as he stands, rest assured in the knowledge he won’t leave. He never has. Your rock through all this. Your island to land on.

He steps over you, into the tub, and squeezes in beside you. His arms wrap around you right away, pulling you into his chest, against his body. You listen to his heartbeat as the sobs consume you - ugly, broken things that echo in the acoustics of the bathroom. He pets your hair. Hand on your shoulder rubbing your arm. His head leans on yours, his voice by your ear trying to comfort and calm you.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” he says with surety. “It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault.” He sigh shakily. Swallows thickly, fighting back his own tears. He opens his mouth, as if to say something, but he falters. Closes it again. Holds on tighter.

His pants get wet on the bottom. Clothes becoming damp while he holds you, acting as a makeshift towel. Your own body shivers at the difference in temperature; the cold bathroom air and his radiating heat. You cling to his shirt. He kisses your head and lets you. Lets you sob your grief into his collar while silent tears slip down his face. Two would-be parents, mourning the child they almost had.

---

Tag List:

@the-golden-jhope @deepzombieyouth @armycaratlover @sylusfluffymeow @cheesemachine44 @nyx2021 @angel-jupiter @thelittlebutton @pikachuzhc @pomegranatepip @cordidy @an-ever-angry-bi @thejysemongko @deusfoundry @that-lost-one @always-just-red @sine-nomine0 @beautifulthingsiadore @nothankyew @nezuswritingdesk @ssushi @mina7820 @monophobix @mentaltrouble2201 @mskaylacharite @nerrivm @ichosesparklingtorment @schnittled @animegamerfox @moon-inthe-sea @perla-drg

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

LOBO SONORA

Hank ‘Tranq’ Loza x Reader

Anon asked: Hi! I hope your doing okay💜 I was wondering if you could write an imagine where the reader is an old lady (you can write this for any member of the Mayans, I didn't think of anyone specifically) and she seems like this cozy housewife but one day she kicks the shit out a burglar and she explains to her family that she is the daughter of a crime boss and she was taught how to fight by him and other members of her family. I hope you have a great day / night and thank you💜💜💜💜

Word Count: 1.3k

Author comments: What about a second part? This work wasn't re-edited, so I'm sorry if you find grammar mistakes! I hope you all enjoy. Gif isn't mine, credits to the author.

Tag list: @starrynite7114 ​ @chibsytelford ​ @dazzledamazon ​ @mara-mpou ​ @sammskellington ​ @gemini0410 ​ @1-800-imagines ​ @briana-mishell24 ​@sassymox @whyisgmora @aquamento @sadeyesgf @viviansafizada @samcrobae @jade770 @witchy-wish @rebel-without-cause-x @xx--day-dreamer--xx @spiced-reads @tita127 @ifoundmyhappythought @enamouravecleslivresetlechocolat @angelxshiba @destynelseclipsa @sheeshgivemeabreak @abbiesthings @knowles-morgan @lady-pswrld @minnicelli @marquelapage @bigcreatorwombatdreamer ✨ (if you wanna be tagged, send me a message!)

“Shit, baby, wait!”

Tranq stops his bike, like Bishop and Taza does. You were about to have dinner at the ranch, when you noticed that your phone isn't inside your pocket.

“Just one second, caballeros!”

The front yard of the clubhouse is empty, with the lights turned off, so taking off the helmet from your hair you lead your steps towards the porch. Coming in and illuminating the living room, you have one quickly look to the poker table, finding your phone there. Grabbing it, you turn around hearing some steps walking closer.

“I foun— ¿Quién chingados eres tú?” (Who the hell are you?)

A man wearing a spooky mask is in front of you, pointing you with a gun and making a gesture with his free hand for you to close the door. But even if the logic would ask for help, it's the first time in seven years that someone threatens you like that and your body reacts before your brain. The guy is close enough to be hitten by your right leg, going straight to his forearm to make the gun fall down, getting shot in the meantime. The bullet impacts in the virgin, alerting the Mayans.

The man tries to hit you back, but you use the helmet to punch him on the face, unbalancing him to the left, before squatting to move your leg from his right ankle to his heels; making him fall to the floor. Everything happens in less than three seconds, when your husband and the other two mexicans appear.

“Are you okay?” Tranq runs towards you, cupping your cheeks in his hands, while you nod somewhat nervously.

Bishop takes off the mask from the man, but they look at you two, before looking at Taza. No one knows him.

“Who has sent you?”

“Lobo Sonora”. He replies between some painful growls. “Her father”.

“What?” Your husband looks confused, taking some steps away from you. And you can't blame him. You never told him who you really are.

———————————————————

“Madre de los Mayas” that's how the whole Cali knows you by. The perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect friend. But you're far away to be perfect, you don't even want to be it. You just take care of your chosen family, like your blood family never did. You ran away from Sonora when your father tried to make you marry someone you didn't love. Someone that used to denigrate you in several ways. And maybe Santo Padre was too close from your hometown, Hermosillo, but you didn't care about it. Your father knows pretty well where you are, but for a damn time he respected your decision. Now, you would like to know what the hell he wants, after almost eight years without crossing the border.

But first, you have to answer some questions that you never thought you would have to answer.

The three men are sitting in their respective chairs, while you had a seat on the other front of the main table inside the Templo. It's been a couple hours since you caught the mexican your father sent to have contact with you, without using phones. Tranq looks disappointed, bemused and furious. All in one. All because of you and your half truths.

“I love you”. You say when Bishop is about to talk. “I really do, Hank”.

“I don't trust you anymore. I don't know who you are… And all I care about, right now, is my club”.

“Brother, let her explain himself”. Taza says raising a hand to calm your husband.

“I don't want”. He simply replies, before getting up from his chair.

“Hank, listen…”

“Don't fucking dare to talk to me”. He points you with a forefinger, when you try to face him before leaving the Templo.

Sitting down again, you nail your elbows on the table starting to cry, sinking your face into your palms. It hurts the other men too. They know you're not a liar. They know you're not a traitor. So they wait in silence for you, to explain yourself.

“I ju—just ran away from Sonora… I didn't wa—want to follow his orders”. You say after some minutes, between sobs and deep breaths.

“What orders, querida?”

“My father… My father wanted me to ma—marry a Vato”.

“One of El Palo's men?” Che leans over the table, shaking his head slightly.

You nod.

“You, better than anybody in the Mayans, knows what it means”.

“And that's it…?”

“Beatings, rapes, scapegoats…” The Apache turns to the mexican, making him lying on his chair snorting and rubbing his face. “That's what they do to their wives, hermano. That's for what they use them”.

“I ha—have information about my father… that could burn down his empire. I wi—will give it to you, if you want it”.

“I believe you, (Y/N). You don't have to prove us a shit, okay?” Bishop highlights then, letting you breathe for a second. Turning to the vice, he has a drag from his cigar. “Find out why they sent that pendejo for. I'll talk with Tranq”.

“Bish…” You call him, while they get up from their chairs. “I'm sorry… I'm really sorry for not telling you about it. I tho—thought my father just… gave up on me”.

“Mamá Maya, estás salvo aquí”. (You're safe here) He replies caressing your left cheek with the back of his fingers. “Wait here”.

As soon as they leave you alone, closing the glass door, you break into pieces. You really appreciate that they trust in you, but if your husband doesn't, you're lost. You love him more than anything. You've been together for the last seven years and your love turned into a beautiful warrior called Alma. You can't imagine a day without waking up by his side, while your daughter jumps on the mattress. You can't imagine a night without watching your husband reading a story to your baby, before going to sleep together, telling him how much you love him in the intimacy of your room. You were living in hell for twenty years, until you found Tranq. He saved you.

When the door gets opened again, you're unable to turn around, recognizing his smell flooding the empty room. Closing it, he walks towards you, sitting on the next chair and resting his forearms against the edge of the table. His look is lost in the middle of nowhere, organizing his ideas inside his head, keeping silence and making you feel scared.

“Why did you leave Sonora?”

“My father wa—wanted me to marry Pablo Santos”.

You know that you don't need to say anything else, when he turns his face and his attention towards you.

“Does your father know about me, about Alma?” You nod slowly. “Did you tell him?”

“The last time I talked with him wa—was eight years ago”. Shaking your head and cleaning the tears, you curl a leg against your chest above the chair. “But he is ‘Lobo Sonora’, he knows everything”.

“You should go home”. Tranq just says, getting up with a heavy snort.

“Hank, please”. Quickly, you hold his hand standing up. “Please… don't leave me. I beg you”.

“I'll stay here to know what your father wants”.

“I will wait for you, then. Alma is… with Leti till tomorrow”.

“(Y/N)...”

“Please”.

Your husband cups your face into his huge hands, leaning forward to kiss your forehead and all that you can feel is your legs about to falter. He catches your lips between his in a dearly kiss, caressing your cheeks with both thumbs. So warm, so gentle, like he usually is with you.

“Go to my room, try to sleep. I'll be there in a few”.

“I love you”. You just say, letting a tear run away from your left eye.

“I know it, vida mía. I know it”.

[alj4890]

Misfortune's Intentions

(Liam x OC* Elisse Mallin) (Drake x Riley) in a Choices The Royal Heir fan fiction

A/N This idea came to me one night when I couldn't sleep. In this version from The Royal Heir, it has been nearly three years since Riley married Drake. Their infant daughter, Hope, was named heir to Cordonia's crown. Liam considers the possibility of dating after pining for Riley all these years. Elisse is a noble and first cousin to Queen Amalas of Monterisso. She will eventually become an ambassador, settling in Cordonia to continue Amalas's alliance. She also has a small bit of significant history coinciding with Liam's social season. This first part though will take us through the past for our main characters.

Not sure who to tag for this new miniseries, LOL. Let me know if you want to be added.

Masterlist

Prologue

Two years ago, Cordonia...

"To keep people's attention away from your brother's," Constantine's voice hardened, "decision to abdicate," his fist clinched for a moment, "we will have you participate in a season for a potential bride."

Liam swallowed uncomfortably. He knew there was a possibility his father would insist on this particular custom. He had hoped though that like Leo, he would be given a few years reprieve before he had to choose a bride.

Constantine fought through the chest pain he hid from everyone as he continued to explain what the next few months would be like for his only obedient son.

"We will have the usual bevy of ladies from Cordonia's noble houses. Perhaps sprinkle a few from other countries to appease the people."

"Yes sir." Liam mumbled when his father seemed to silently demand his agreement. "Whatever you think is the best way to move forward."

"Good." Constantine waved toward the door. "You may go. We will make our announcement tomorrow."

Liam bowed his head in acceptance. Still in a state of disbelief as he made his way to his chambers, he didn't hear his best friend calling his name.

"Liam?" Drake jogged to catch up to him. "I heard about Leo. Is it true?"

The new crown prince waited to answer until they were behind closed doors.

"It is." He rubbed a hand down his face. "Leo abdicated."

Drake poured them both a drink. He observed the slight tremble in Liam's hand as he took a healthy gulp of whiskey. Eyes closed briefly as he gathered his thoughts.

"I--I'm going to have to get married."

"What?" Drake breathed in disbelief. "Why?"

"All part of being king." Liam's lips twisted in a bitter smile.

He rolled his glass between his hands as he stared down at its contents. "I have to choose one during this year's social season."

"You have to go through all that Leo did?" Drake asked.

"Yes, but unlike his, I won't know who I'm supposed to choose." Liam grimaced as he swallowed the rest of his drink. "Madeleine had been chosen years ago by Father and Regina. The competition was mostly for the public's entertainment than to actually choose a queen."

Drake slumped back in his chair. "I'm sorry, Liam."

"It's..." He got up to pace, "it's fine. It's an honor to have a chance to serve my country. To marry and have a family...perhaps life will be better."

Perhaps this palace will feel like a home, he thought.

"When will it be announced?"

"Tomorrow."

"So soon." Drake murmured.

Liam briskly nodded.

His closest friend held his glass up in a toast. "Here's hoping, Liam."

*****************

Monterisso Royal Palace, a week later...

"Elisse." Amalas hugged her cousin. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

"Of course." Elisse took the offered chair. Her eyes dropped down to the baby bump showing. "How are you feeling?"

"Good." Amalas gently patted her tummy. "This baby has finally decided I'm not the enemy and has agreed that food is definitely a good thing."

Elisse laughed, shaking her head at her cousin's humor.

"But enough about the spoiled future king or queen I’m having." Amalas handed over a letter with Cordonia's royal seal. "Read this."

Elisse scanned the invitation, eyes widening slightly. "Prince Leo abdicated? Do we know why?"

The spy queen chuckled. "You know I do." She leaned over and grabbed a file off her table. "Let's just say that the former crown prince did not want the responsibilities that went along with the crown."

Elisse opened the file and snorted. "I've heard that Lady Madeleine can be difficult to deal with."

"That along with wanting his freedom to wander the earth like a rich playboy are his reasons." Amalas pointed out a photograph one of her agents snapped recently on a cruise ship. "This woman, Katie, is an even bigger reason."

"They're engaged?" Elisse whispered in disbelief. "He didn't waste any time, did he?"

"No, he did not." Amalas reclined in her chair. "Elisse? What would you think of Monterisso gaining an alliance with Cordonia?"

"I think it would benefit our country as well as theirs." She replied, setting Leo's folder down.

Another folder was handed to her. Her lips curved into a soft smile at the pictures of Cordonia's new crown prince. Each aspect her cousin found on Liam had made him a man she thought she would enjoy meeting.

"Marriage is the easiest and strongest alliance one can have with a foreign power."

Elisse looked up. "You're suggesting  I take part in Prince Liam's search."

"Exactly." Amalas smiled at her. "I can't think of a better queen for Cordonia than you." She reached over and grasped her hand. "But feel free to say no. I won't force you to do this if you do not wish to."

"I would like to meet him." Elisse admitted. She lowered his eyes to his picture. "He is very handsome."

"You always did like blue eyes." Amalas teased.

Elisse bit back a smile. "I do."

"Would you like to attend Cordonia's social season?"

Elisse slowly nodded. "Yes, I think I would."

Amalas picked up the letter from Constantine. "I'll go ahead and schedule your health exam."

"My what?" Elisse blinked in surprise.

"Cordonia's king isn't taking any chances that his last possible heir marries a woman unable to have children." Amalas grinned at her cousin. "Lucky for him that our family is notorious for our reproduction abilities."

Elisse laughed. "Our mothers certainly came from a large family." Her smile turned tender. "Whenever I think of my future, I always see myself with three or four children."

*****************

A few weeks later, Cordonia, the King's study...

"Have you made a list of those that are participating?" Regina asked her husband.

"I have." He handed her a sheet of paper.

The Queen scanned the names. "What happened to the Monterisso viscountess? I thought from Queen Amalas's letter that they were hoping to make a match."

Constantine's lips firmed in a disappointed frown. "She cannot have children."

Regina's countenance fell. "How tragic."

"Indeed." He replied. "It would have been a profitable match for us." He released a resigned sigh. "I suppose we now settle for Madeleine to take the crown again."

***************

The viscountess's chambers, Monterisso Palace...

"Elisse." Amalas pleaded. "Please, talk to me."

The young viscountess shook her head. Tears fell silently as she clutched a pillow to her stomach. Her thoughts were too much for her. All the plans she had dreamed of as a little girl were destroyed from one simple examination.

All from thinking Liam had beautiful blue eyes and seemed like a nice man she could easily fall for.

A choked sob burst forth as she doubled over from the pain of it all.

"Elisse." Amalas tried to wrap her arms around her. "I'm so sorry."

Elisse knew her cousin was. She knew Amalas would move heaven and earth for her if she could. Unfortunately, there were some things even a powerful queen could not do.

"We'll call in every specialist we can find." Amalas whispered, gently rocking Elisse. "I refuse to believe--"

"Stop!" Elisse cried out. "Please stop." Her anguished eyes met her cousin's. "I can't continue to hear doctors say that it is impossible."

"It's not." Amalas argued. "I can’t believe you are unable to--"

"I only have one ovary!" Elisse snapped. "It is so damaged from the endometriosis and benign tumors that I'm lucky to have a period every few months." She looked down at her worthless womb. "Even my uterus is filled with fibroids to the point they have warped it beyond repair. Surgery won't help." She wiped angrily at her tears. "No one will marry me now."

"That's not true! You--"

"Amalas, you know what nobles need." Elisse bit out. "They need heirs. They need a woman to fulfill that role. I'm completely obsolete in our world now."

She turned away from her cousin's sudden tears. She didn't want her pity. She didn't want anything except those elusive images of cuddling her own children.

If she could turn her mind off and focus on something else, anything else...

"I'm going to go away for a while."

Amalas jerked upright. "What?"

"I need to be alone." Elisse turned to face her. Her eyes filled with tears when her gaze dropped down to her cousin's ever growing baby bump. "I need to come to terms with all of this."

"Will you back in time for..." An expression of guilt flickered over the queen's face for such a selfish question.

"I'll try." Elisse hedged. "I promise."

She knew Amalas depended on her. Though the two had numerous cousins sprinkled in various titled positions all over Europe, they had always had a special bond that made them more like sisters. Perhaps it was their mothers' doing that made certain they would always have the other close at hand.

But Elisse knew deep down, she would have been close to her cousin without any outside influence. The notorious Queen of Spies distrusted most people, even some of their blood relatives. Yet, she trusted Elisse with everything.

She hated to leave her during her pregnancy, but the viscountess didn’t think she could take being around an expectant mother right now.

Amalas hugged her once more. "I'll arrange your travel. But I insist you take Felix with you as a bodyguard." She waited on Elisse's agreement. "Let me know where and when you wish to leave."

"I don't care where." Elisse whispered. "Just as long as I can leave as soon as possible."

***************

New York City, a month later...

"One nondescript bar as requested." Maxwell announced, holding the door open.

"Steaks for the table!" He yelled out.

"And four whiskeys!" Drake chimed in.

Riley rolled her eyes at Daniel. "You're really going to leave me with these guys?"

"I promise I'll work two of your shifts whenever you want." He bargained.

She let out a tired sigh. "Make it three and we have a deal."

He shook her hand. "You are brutal with negotiations."

She laughed, piled the tumblers of whiskey on her tray, and headed for the bachelor party.

She passed three drinks out. "I thought there were four of you."

"There are." Drake winked at her, causing a blush to form on her cheeks. "Right behind you is number four."

She turned around and blinked.

He's so handsome.

Liam smiled at her. "Pardon me, Miss?"

"Hmm?" She shook herself out of her daze. "Of course."

His smile flashed, making her knees feel slightly weak. "If you would..." He gestured toward his seat that she was blocking.

Her cheeks flared even more with color. "Right. Sorry."

She decided then and there to not allow her eyes to rest on him the remainder of their time here.

A few hours later, Liam approached her.

"Thank you for being so patient with us." His charming smile was a bit bashful. "I don't suppose I could repay such kindness with buying you a drink."

Riley found herself mesmerized by his blue eyes. "Where were you planning on going next?"

"I actually hoped you could help with that." He rubbed the back of his neck. "The guys hoped to go to a nightclub."

Her nose wrinkled. "I say forget the nightclub. There's a beach cove I could show you that is just the place to unwind."

"That sounds perfect." He held his hand out. "Shall we?"

****************

Six months later, Edenbrook Hospital, Boston...

Elisse chewed on her lower lip, wishing she could hear what the group of doctors were saying behind the glass partition.

After taking her file and passing it to a man in surgical scrubs, Dr. Ramsey walked back into her room.

"Ms. Mallin, after further examination," his expression gentled, "I believe your doctors in Monterisso were correct."

Elisse lowered her eyes. "I see."

"I still want to perform the surgeries we discussed." He sat down beside her hospital bed. "The severe pain in your uterus will only increase if we don't remove the fibroids. Dr. Tanka isn’t sure though how it will be after your surgery."

"Whatever you think." She closed her eyes tight. "It doesn't really matter what shape it is in. I suppose we should just remove it altogether."

Her doctor rested his hand over hers. He waited patiently for her to make eye contact.

"We won't know for certain until Dr. Tanka gets in there, but we believe we can save your ovary."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "By all means, hold on to that worthless body part."

His brow furrowed. "Elisse, I don't like the thought of you in this state of mind before surgery."

"I'm sorry." She replied automatically. "I don't mean to sound like this." Her gaze held his. "I--I never wanted much in life." Her shoulder lifted. "Perhaps it was the life I was born into, but having a family was more than passing on my noble title."

Ethan remained silent, allowing her time to express herself.

"I know I need to accept this, but I couldn't help but hope after reading about your diagnostic team," She rested her head back against her pillow, "I wanted the impossible."

"There's still a chance your uterus can remain intact. We might even be able to save some of your eggs." Ethan reminded her. "You could find a surrogate and--"

"I know." She sniffed. "And I also know there is a chance my eggs might not be in any shape to be saved."

She noticed his frown and gently squeezed his hand. "Thank you for trying, Dr. Ramsey."

"We're not done yet." He stood up when Dr. Tanka walked inside. "We'll talk more later."

Once everything was settled for her surgery in the morning, her bodyguard returned and kept vigil by her bedside.

"Felix," Elisse smiled softly at the middle aged man. "You should go to the hotel and rest."

"I'm fine m'lady." He grumbled.

Her eyebrow lifted at the six foot seven man. "That chair has to be uncomfortable."

A flicker of humor flashed in his eyes. "I've had better and worse, m'lady."

She began to laugh. "I can't imagine anything being worse than that."

"You haven't been on some of the queen's missions." He smiled warmly at her.

Elisse reached for his hand. "Thank you for watching over me."

He gently patted it, becoming gruff with his words that a lady didn't have to thank him for doing his job.

She smiled, taking comfort in his admonishment. Felix had tried to keep a professional distance from her, yet her sadness had him stepping in more and more to offer what comfort he could. He thought of her as a little sister and couldn't help but smile whenever she teased him as if he was family.

Such fondness for her added to the devotion and care he would have normally never given any other noble he was assigned to.

But Elisse was special. He hoped that somehow she would find a piece of happiness that could be all her own.

****************

New York, Statue of Liberty...

Riley swallowed nervously. She didn't know how she could refuse Liam, but it was no use.

After spending so much time with Drake while Liam kept up appearances with Madeleine, she had fallen out of love for Cordonia's new king. The grumpy commoner had touched her heart with his stories of not belonging. She had felt the same way while enduring every snub and insult from Madeleine and some of the other ladies at court.

With so little opportunities to be with Liam, and with feeling a bit hurt that her Prince Charming had not defended her against the allegations, she convinced herself that she had no choice. She had to be with the man that had stood by her side as she tried to locate Tariq.

"Liam, I can't marry you." Her words somehow came out steady. "I came to Cordonia for you, but I fell in love with Drake."

Liam took a step back. "What? You and Drake..."

He couldn't believe it. How had this happened without him noticing? He knew that Drake was fond of her and took her out some evenings. But love?

"Liam?" Riley was growing more nervous by his silence.

Liam couldn't think of what to say.

What should I do?

He only knew he wasn't ready to lose her from his life.

"You...you intend to live in Cordonia?"

She slowly nodded. "If that's okay. I want to see where things go with Drake."

Her words were another bitter slash to his heart.

"Of course." He slid his hands in his pockets to keep from grasping her and forcing her to take her words back. "Just because you don't feel as I do, I would never hold that against you. Cordonia is your home."

She visibly relaxed. "Thank you Liam."

"I think," he focused on her, "I think you will be a benefit to Cordonia. I'm going to make you a duchess."

"A duchess?!" She gasped. "But..."

He knew this would keep her at hand. Give him a reason to see her without appearing as the desperate, rejected suitor. Perhaps now that the scandal was over and things calmed down, she might realize that what she thought was love for Drake was nothing more than gratefulness for his assistance.

Am I wrong for hoping this? Should I instead hope their love is true?

Liam forced a smile. "I arranged for us to go to the top." He motioned toward the statue. "Would you still like to?"

Riley returned his smile. "I really can't pass up an opportunity like that, can I?"

"I hoped you wouldn't." He replied.

He followed behind her, wishing this night had ended differently.

***************

Another five months later, Cordonia...

"Anton and his minions are in chains!" Riley held her glass high as the court cheered.

Liam tugged at the stiff collar of his jacket. It had been a day filled with emotions that he could not share with a single soul. Seeing the woman he thought he loved marry his best friend had cut deep. Discovering they had been kidnapped had caused both anger and worry as he rushed to face down the man who dared to take the throne from him.

Witnessing Riley and Drake fight side by side, each trying to protect the other had been eye opening. Neither cared about anything other than keeping the one they loved safe.

He couldn't begrudge their happiness. Nor could he continue to wish that circumstances had gone differently. Riley was not meant for him after all.

He knew he would have to let the past go and somehow find a way to move forward into the future.

******************

A month later, Monterisso Royal Palace...

"King Liam chose an heir!" Amalas exclaimed when Elisse walked into the main hall.

"He chose one? That is shocking." Elisse leaned forward to see the report that just came in. "Who's the lucky child?"

"That's just it." Amalas dropped the paper. "He has named the yet to be conceived child of the Duke and Duchess of Valtoria as his heir."

Elisse's brow furrowed. "But, he might still marry. His own children should be next in line."

"He says differently." Amalas pulled up his news conference for her cousin to watch.

"This seems wrong." Elisse mumbled. " I know those two are his closest friends--"

"And they are Guardian and Champion of the Realm." Amalas reminded her with an eye roll. "That's what he has had to use to get the people on board with his decision."

"Poor Liam." Elisse couldn't help but sympathize with the king. "He's being pressured on all sides for something he can't completely control."

"I think I might pay a visit." Amalas tapped her finger against her chin. "Perhaps see if the new duke and duchess are amenable to a possible alliance."

"It couldn't hurt." Elisse added.

"Indeed." The Queen smiled warmly at her. "I want you to come along. It has been too long since you and I went on a trip. I could use your ability to read people while I guide them toward a possible arranged marriage for their child and mine."

"I suppose I have to do as my queen commands." Elisse teased. "And I've yet to ever say no to my cousin."

"Doubly lucky for me." Amalas smirked.

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow."

[curiousconch]

Scarlet Letters

Chapter 2 of Ricochet (An Open Heart AU)

Catch up here: Prologue | Chapter 1

Chapter Synopsis: Grappling with the aftermath of her breakup with Rafael, Heather is faced by yet another threat, forcing her out of her apartment. Bryce and her other friends come to her aide.

Pairings: Rafael Aveiro x MC (Dr. Heather Song) | Bryce Lahela x MC (Dr. Heather Song)

Words: 2.4k+ | Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Romance

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / language, hints of violence

Author’s Notes: Majority of the characters are owned by Pixelberry, except the main character Heather Song. Please let me know if you want me to tag you in the next chapters. Comments and suggestions are certainly very welcome! Thank you for reading!

Heather can't remember how she covered the distance to her building, nor how she arrived in front of her apartment door. Grateful for the silence that embraced her as she got inside, she went directly to her room. Once the door shut closed, she finally let go of the flood that brimmed from her eyes. Crouching down on the carpeted floor, in that dark rainy night, she sobbed like never before.

What she can only remember is how hopeful she was tonight before it all ended.

She planned the surprise for him on the first day she landed in Maryland, coming to the realization that she was waging an unnecessary war against him and his efforts to comfort her. It never occurred to her that she will be too late.

She squinted at the picture of the bodies entangled in Rafael's living room couch. She can still vividly see it, along with the sound of the breaking bottle of wine she bought at the airport.

She heard rumors. That's all she thought it was - baseless whispers of people seeing Rafael with someone else. Even her friends Sienna and Elijah tried to warn her of what was happening, but she was so deep in denial that she didn't dare to listen. She trusted him that much.

Her sweet and charming Raf. Her savior. Her love. She never wanted to be so wrong as badly as she did at that moment.

The man whom she thought she exactly needed and wanted was the same person who wreaked havoc in her soul.

She wanted to forgive him, in her heart she wanted to give him another chance. But her brain screamed against it, her past life bursting in all shades of red inside her mind.

The portraits of her teenage years flashed before her eyes one by one, like horrific creatures escaping from her personal Pandora's box:

That fateful day she came home early because she was sick during her junior year in high school, the sound of voices in the master bedroom.

Her dad and a strange woman enamored.

The bags and boxes containing her father's belongings. The divorce and its fallout.

Her mom working night and day to put her through school, leaving her alone most of the time.

Cancer. Losing her mom because of it. The reason why she wanted to be a doctor.

It cost her half of her life to submerge those experiences in the trenches of her adolescence. But now, all of it was bursting over the surface, like large waves in the sea of her present. She felt like drowning.

Helpless, she wailed, wanting nothing but the indescribable hurt to fade away. But it didn't, instead, it stayed, for how long she have no idea.

With her ears ringing and her whole body sore, she fell into a troubled slumber. It wasn't until the next morning that she saw the scarlet letters painted on her walls.

***

Jordan huffed as he jogged away from the sidewalk into the alley nearby. His black hoodie cast a shadow dark enough to hide his face.

He discarded the plastic bags in the dumpster, a soft thump sounded as the spray paint canisters rattled against the bottom.

He found his way to his parked car nearby and jumped in, removing his leather gloves and shoving it into the compartment. He briefly looked at his watch - 10:36pm. He roughly had about 24 minutes before the meeting.

Backing up from the alley, he drove out to the main street and made sure he wasn't being followed. He took the next turn to the highway, flipping on his radio, humming along the music.

When he arrived at his destination, he found a nearly-empty parking lot. He found a solitary Lexus near the back fence and parked his car several meters away. He took a discreet path towards the black car and hopped inside, pulling the hood off his head.

"It's done," he spoke to a man in a suit at the back seat, and showed a picture of red spray paint on blue walls. "You'll hear it on the news tomorrow."

The man beside him silently nodded, sneering at the image. He withdrew a thick manila envelope from his side and gave it to Jordan.

"As requested,"

Jordan peeked into the contents, revealing a thick wad of cash and a glint of black metal.

Contented, he stepped out of the vehicle and got back to his own. Turning on the ignition, he thought to himself - Phase 1 check. Time for phase 2.

***

The sound of scrambling footsteps overlapped with the loud and panicked shrieks within the walls of Heather's bedroom.

Jackie came in first, ready to curse the abomination of Heather's screams as she came in to the apartment, after pulling an all-nighter. She stopped in her tracks darting at the direction where the other's frightened gaze was fixated.

After hearing Jackie's panicked shouts, Sienna and Elijah followed suit into Heather's bedroom. Upon entering, all their eyes shot across the pale blue wallpaper, a scene right out of a horror movie, coming to life in front of them.

LEAVE BOSTON NOW, OR ELSE.

The characters were sloppily written in red spray paint, as if someone spelled it in haste.

Sienna was the first one to rush to Heather's side, sliding an arm around her in an attempt to comfort her. Elijah got out of the room to call 911, muffling Jackie as she cursed with a mouth of sailor.

Within 15 minutes, the police arrived.

Elijah also sent a text to their group chat, alerting Aurora and the rest of their friends as to what just transpired.

A flurry of replies came in right after. Bryce's was among those text messages.

His face crumpled with anxiety as he sat staring blankly at his phone. He was in his office, his oak desk was filled with case files, all of which he recently dug out from the records department to assist on the reopening of the investigation.

This recent attempt to terrorize his star witness made him speechless. The person behind this is getting bold, he observed.

He decided to abandon his attempt to work on a Saturday, unable to quell his worries. He stood up, got his leather briefcase and made his way to the parking lot.

He drove as fast as he could, plying through traffic effortlessly, navigating the familiar route using muscle memory. He ran into their apartment building, and practically raced to the closing elevator to bring him to the penthouse.

When the familiar door came into view open, he let himself in, his eyes darting around.

Gone was the serenity of the brunches he shared with the group. The scene he stepped into was just chaos.

A barrage of yellow markers were strewn in the apartment, while several people were trying to collect any traces of evidence left behind by the perp. Police tape marked one doorway, a few voices discussing possible theories as to how the events unfolded.

In the middle of it was a frail figure wrapped in a thick gray blanket, and he instantly recognized who it was. "Hey," he managed to say coolly as he strode towards her.

Heather looked up at the towering figure who just crossed the living room. She offered a weak smile, trying to hide the turbulent emotions inside her.

Bryce could see right through her though, but he just smiled back, understanding that she wasn't quite ready to open up yet. As he reached out to touch her hand, he was interrupted by the sound of Rafael's booming voice as he stormed into the room.

"I came as I heard, are you alright?" Heather's boyfriend said as he rushed in to kneel down in front of her, looking very much concerned.

"What are you doing here?" The hatred in Heather's quiet voice made Bryce's eyebrows shoot up.

He saw Rafael immediately retreat, an apologetic look in his face, as if he forgot who he was. He saw Raf's instantaneous shift, then went to leave them to talk to the police at the now cordoned room.

He gently nudged Heather, a wordless question in his face. She shook her head and frowned, peeking at her roommates and the CSI team moving about the apartment.

Clearly, she didn't want to discuss it with strangers around, Bryce figured. He nodded, his eyes softening as he realized that there was more events to uncover beyond what he can see.

After an hour, the deputy in charge motioned for the group to gather in the living room. Once they were all there, he began to explain that Heather's room will be a designated crime scene indefinitely.

"I strongly suggest staying somewhere else, we don't know the and exact nature of this, at least not yet. Choose a place that offers the the most security, but preferably somewhere nearby."

With this, Bryce saw Rafael about to raise his hand. Seeing the panic in Heather's face, he quickly blocked the other man's attempt.

"Keiki's in boarding school, so I have a spare bedroom. You can stay there temporarily," he winked at Heather, assuring her that he got her back.

"Why should she stay with you? Rafael's an FBI agent. She should stay with him," Jackie contradicted as she stood behind Heather, unable to see her discomfort.

"But that's what exactly the attacker expects. We have to get one step ahead of them." Bryce countered.

"But Rafael's her -"

"Enough." One stern look from Heather was all it took to shut Jackie up, her other roommates visibly confused. She shot them each a pleading glance, making all eyes shift to Rafael's tall figure across the room. He immediately hunched his shoulders as if in concession.

"I'm staying with Bryce temporarily. He's right, we have to be at least a step ahead if I want to stay alive." She mouthed a thank you to Bryce, then turned back to her other friends. "Sienna, can I please borrow a few of your clothes? I can't touch anything in my room, except the suitcase I brought in from my trip."

"Of course." Sienna left the room while the others still shared a puzzled look between Heather and Rafael.

Agreeing to her new housing arrangements, the deputy nodded and excused himself, stepping out the apartment. He beckoned the rest of his team out before leaving behind his card, asking them to give him a call if they remember anything new. Taking that as his queue to leave, Rafael left after, looking deflated.

When the group was all that's left in the penthouse, Heather told them about the breakup, clearing the awkwardness from the room. She told them everything - from catching an early flight to surprise Rafael, to her ending up being the one surprised, witnessing her boyfriend's betrayal.

"That son-ov-a-bitch!" Jackie cussed, Elijah only shook his head. Bryce's reaction was a mixture of speechlessness and confusion.

"I-I know I've told you about my suspicions, but I had no idea Rafael had it in him to prove them right," a meek Sienna told Heather, her firm hand rubbing against her arm.

"Well however you look at it, he fucked up. So bad." Bryce whistled, his mouth stiff with the effort to wrestle with the truth bomb Heather just dropped.

"For once in this life, I agree with you, meathead," Jackie nodded to his direction, her eyes softening as she turned to comfort Heather in her own way.

They each tried to console her, but Heather insisted she was fine. Bryce saw her defensive body language, so he made it his mission to provide Heather an escape route.

"All right people, don't you have sleep to get to? Gotta keep you all well-rested. Can't have you bitten off your asses by Dr. Ramsey, am I right?" Apparently, the mention of the infamous grumpy attending was more than enough to make them back off.

He grabbed the duffel bag Sienna produced and grabbed her black suitcase along. Heather removed the thick blanket around her and replaced it with her brown trench coat hanging on the couch.

After what seemed like endless hugging and assuring each of them that she'll be fine, she followed Bryce into the elevator to the garage.

They loaded the bags onto his silver Camry's trunk in silence, and got into the car. Heather instantly sighed in relief as she settled into the passenger's seat. Bryce navigated his way out of the basement and into the street, his amber eyes alternately darting from the road to his friend.

"Well, you look like shit."

"Thanks?" she smiled back at him, unable to stifle a chuckle.

"No problem. You know I'm not one to give false commentary." He grinned, before finally focusing in his driving.

It wasn't long before they arrived in Bryce's sleek condominium complex. She knew the building was newly-built and probably the most secure residence in the city money can afford. Bryce called it Boston's Fort Knox, so when he offered his place, it seemed to be the best solution.

It was initially a bachelor's pad, with enough space for a kitchen, a living area with floor to ceiling windows, and two bedrooms. But over the past few months, it transformed into something more homey, a place where the Lahela siblings can call their own.

It wasn't Heather's first time there. She spent many of her day offs there, all just to help him with his relationship with Keiki, Bryce's teenage sister. She also had the most hand in how it looks inside now.

As they stepped into the condo, Bryce couldn't help but notice how Heather's looked around. The sight of her in his place brought back fond memories.

After a few moments, he urged her to move forward, and led her to the bedroom across the hall.

He unlocked the door and let her in, a mixture of yellow, blue and white interiors welcomed her. It was a homage to the sun, sea and sand of their native state Hawaii.

"Do you want anything? A drink? Something to eat? Boxing gloves to punch someone with?" Bryce leaned on the room's doorway, watching her as she settled in.

As if on queue, her stomach rumbled, and he can't help but laugh.

"Do you still have a pack of ramyun here? I'll come out to cook once I don't look like the piece of shit you just called me." Heather rolled her eyes at him, grabbing a towel from the nearby dresser.

"Nah, I'll whip it up myself you just make yourself presentable to eat my majestic korean noodles." He bowed to her like a butler would before setting course back to the kitchen.

She snickered as she stepped into the shower. Leave it to Bryce Lahela to lighten up the mood.

Tags - @choicesficwriterscreations @eleanorbloom @ramsey-lahela

[rosesanthology]

And Yet... | Akaashi Keiji x F!Reader [musician!AU]

Violinist!Akaashi x Pianist!Reader (yes i saw that one Viria fanart)

Ive been feeling extremely bad these days but im managing to write some things for my emotional support hq boys (Akaashi and Kenma) so here u go even tho its probably a lil shitty 👁3👁 its all about them la la land type of vibes

Warning : i didn't proofread this, also it's VERY self indulgent

Songs : • city of stars from La La Land (but Dodie and Jon Cozart's cover)

• any of the songs in the fic but especially Bach's violin sonata in presto IT SLAPS

[Tags] : @raevaioli

- You've always admired the way human life entertwines itself with art. The vicissitudes of a fleating existence finding a way to express themselves in external stimulations, the way someone could pour as much of their soul, as much as themselves in just one moment, one performance, one artwork.

- it is the main reason why you decided to become a pianist. The second one being that you could hardly put as much effort on anything else

- your mother would argue that it is but a mere childhood dream to do something as uncertain, sure.

- and yet, the first time your performed in front of an actual audience, even if it was just at your high school's theatre auditorium, still felt like the best

- you had registered in the student showcase program without your mother knowing, wearing not the dark blue dress you dreamed of but a hoodie, some jeans and sneakers

- in the moment it seemed fine even if you did look way underdressed than the other kids who registered for piano too

- but it all seemed to tie together with your whole personna as you sat on the stool making sure to put your tiny moomin plushie on top of the grand piano

- he helped a lot

- at that time you played Tanjirou no Uta because well....there's only so much you can expect from a high schooler who lacks confidence in their skills

- regardless of the song your fingers danced onto the heavy keys, the sound swirling with your own emotions as you tried to concentrate on the one thing you wanted the most,

- "Somebody, look at me."

- because there is such a big difference between only being seen by people and actually being looked, observed, analysed

- at the time you wanted someone to look at you and wonder if what they were feeling listening to your piece was flooding their brain the same way it flooded yours

- if the lingering sound of pressed keys made their heart and time stop in the same way it did yours so well whenever you played

- it mattered. In that moment, only that mattered, but sooner or later it had to end

- until then, the only person who was able to exactly tell the things you wanted to convey was your childhood best friend Akaashi Keiji

- he was of wealthier upbringing, his parents always so uptight and pressuring him into their perfect mold in which he seemed to fit so oddly well

- and yet, he always found time to be there for you and help you in your struggles, he was far more musically inclined than you because of his background but his eyes never lost their gentle glint as you would mess up the keys to a piece

- he'd always take his time to let you know how much he liked hearing you play even if you insisted that you weren't as good as him, his smile never wavered as he rested his chin on his palms and closed his eyes, listening to your fifth poor attempt at playing Clara Schumann's sonata in G minor

- that was your typical sunday afternoon in his living room, playing the day away intoxicated in the calmness of his scent of flowers and warm cotton

- when you finished, people didn't seem to mind the choice of the song nor the stuffed toy that added to your whole appearance, if anything you only heard encouragements, advices and heartfelt returns

- among them was Akaashi of course, ever so gentle but marking in his praise, making you feel like maybe you were worth standing on that stage

- it wasn't much compared to what the middle school kids who played Mozart got but, it gave you enough of a push to have the strength to call yourself a pianist today

- nothing really changed in your little world, you still had your moomin plush sitting on the piano everytime you performed and the same simple attitude, now you just knew your classics and could play something else than anime music even if you did manage to fit a little song once in a while

- what changed tho is that you and Akaashi had grown appart after he had left

- his parents had suddenly decided to register him in some fancy music college in Paris

- away from you

- at the time, you knew that no amount of tears and words could possibly matter in the final decision

- but it's not like you could ever control yourself when he held you in his arms like he did when he broke the news to you

- you were never that gracious at goodbyes

- but if it meant that he could get the life he deserved than you were willing to make that sacrifice, even if he wouldn't have the time to talk to you as much as before

- in the meantime you would continue to grow as a person and as an artist if not for you then for him

- and that's what you've been doing for the past four years

- and it is exactly what brought you to accept the offer to perform at another musician showcase tonight

- it was fancier than a high school show that's for sure. It was held in one of these candle lit restaurants, but not the impersonal ones where the tables are five meters away from each other

- it was one of these places where everybody seemed to know each other and relish in the warmth of sharing the same pleasant time while listening to live concerts

- after your own performance you sat back down with the other musicians, talking a bit with the pretty cellist Kiyoko Shimizu, who finished her own before yours

- when the lights dimmed and the next musician stepped on the stage your heart almost stopped

- there stood your dearly missed friend in flesh and bones, violin and bow in hand, or at least you thought so

- he started playing and you watched from the side, amazed, your heart achung with the resonance of the instrument as he gently swayed to such a hard piece as Bach's sonata No. 1 in presto

- the ground and the rest of the room seemed to dismantle around you as all you could think about was the man playing music off of your very heart strings, the man who you've known for a long time and who had been such a huge inspiration and motivation in your existence

- the man who always was so sensible and observant despite coming off as stoic to most people, the same one who was always gentle and motivating all the whilst excelling in what he did himself

- this was Akaashi Keiji.

- and right now he was playing such a fast piece with an unspoken surprising sadness to it as if he'd disappear into ashes the second he stopped, the second he relaxed

- but it eventually had to come to an end, the sound of the strings tearing you appart to reveal the most vulnerable parts of yourself to him like it always did on sunday afternoon practice

- the realization came crashing into you as he bowed to the audience and locked eyes with you, sending you a small smile before disappearing backstage

- naturally, you went after him your breath hitching and your whole being coming to a halt three meters away from him

- you had been way farther away from each other and yet, these three meters felt the worst

- he turned to you, and as casually as if he never left opened his arms for you to run into and that's just what you did

- his own heart was pounding as he caressed your hair, whispering phrases like "it's okay" or "im here now" as you sobbed into his chest

- he still smelled of wild flowers and cotton.

- "let's go catch up outside Y/N?" He said just for you to hear

- he brought you two outside on a bench overlooking the city and its lights but you couldn't help but keep your eyes on him by fear that he'd disappear again

- "w-why are you here ?" you stammered without thinking

- "why you don't want me here ?"

- "Yes- Well no- i mean yes i want you here and-"

- his laugh resonated even more than his violin if that was possible and you didn't have to wait long to feel your face heat up

- "first thing you do is laugh at me...." you said, playing with his fingers on your lap, a thing you did back then whenever he was nervous and started fiddling with his hands, even tho you were the nervous one now

- he sighed, the previous sadness from his playing as if blown away by that tiny impatient breath of air

- "i came back on my own. I missed you Y/N", he smiled again,

- "i missed you too...but what happened to your studies ? You always said you lived for music ?" you incquired, squeezing his hand maybe a little too hard in aprehention

- "i did...i did but i realized many things abroad"

- "like what ?"

- "im a little disappointed Y/N you used to be so good at guessing what i wanted to convey with my music" he said raising an eyebrow at you and laughing once more when seeing the confused look on your face

- "i may have said i lived for music yes and yet...i always knew that i live for you."

[quokkalatte]

The Last Guardian pt.1 [JJK]

Part One

Category: Series

Pairing: Trico!Jungkook x Female!Reader

Warnings: language

Tag list; @dee-the-moonchild @shadowstar @guccitaedown @sugarysloth @reinyrei @avalanet @purpleleafarmy @agentlokidottir

× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×

"I still don't understand how you could have turned down Kim Namjoon like that" Jiwoo shakes her head as we walked through the fields on the outskirts of our village. Young children screeched and yelped with joy as they chased each other and played games. It was the first non-rainy day in over a moon, and everyone was taking advantage of it. The adults mulled adults round fixing damages in the buildings, elders sat around in the sun swapping the same stories of their youth.

I shook my head, my foot skimming the water lightly, fiddling with a bit of the water reeds growing from the muck. I turned to look at my sister

"How could I not? He was basically asking me to be his baby maker while he ran off and played with sticks. It was also a way he could possibly have a higher spot just because our father is in the head council. It's a strategic move Jiwoo."

"That can't possibly be true. He's been eyeing you for awhile. He must like something other than our father's position." Jiwoo contradicts.

While everyone was playing and doing work, Jiwoo and I decided that going down to the pond to dip our feet in the cool water and talk, but of course that idea had been thwarted. Because Kim Namjoon, one of the tribe's main protectors, had intercepted us and asked for my hand in marriage. I'd barely spoken with the man, and he wanted to marry me. It was obvious it wasn't anything emotional, but strategical.

"He doesn't love me Jiwoo. I don't want to marry someone who feels nothing towards me. How awful would it be to be chained to a stranger? He'd be the only one benefitting."

"Everyone expects it from you though. Father would be thrilled"

"More like have a stroke. I still thinks he's dead set on having me wed to Taehyung"

"But he isn't from our village" Jiwoo frowns

"Something about political alliances. Taehyung is nice, but not my type" I wrinkle my nose and Jiwoo sighs.

"Sometimes I wonder if you even have a type Y/n. You reject any man in our village."

"I just haven't found the right one. Sue me."

"Y/n" Jiwoo sighs

"Noona" I whine back at her, and looked at my feet, drawing shapes over the water's surface. "I don't want to talk about Namjoon or Taehyung or any boys anymore. I just want to enjoy the day" I mumble. Jiwoo sighs, her expression softening

"Okay, no more boy talk"

I nodded, digging my foot into the mud of the lake's bottom. I frown when it skimmed something flat and hard. I leaned my leg out, using my toes to dig at the ground. Jiwoo raises her eyebrows at me.

"What are you doing?"

"There's something in the mud. I'm digging it out" I tell her

"it's probably a stick or something. Leave it be" Jiwoo says. A shout from behind us caused us to turn our heads. One of the guards was waving us back to camp, as they normally did before sunset. Jiwoo rose from the dock, but I continued my digging. "Y/n come on we need to go. It's not safe after dark" she says, glancing at the setting sky nervously.

"One second" I say, and slide off the dock and into the shallow water. Jiwoo groaned, and I stuck my hand into the mud, finally pulling free what I had been digging at.

"Good job Y/n you found a coin" Jiwoo deadpans. "Come on, father won't be happy about us being late"

I pulled myself back onto the dock, still staring at the coin. I ran my finger along it, feeling the grooves imprinted into it. A ripple of green light shimmered across its surface, surprising me. My eyes widened, and I quickly hurried off to see Jiwoo.

"So....I hear Namjoon asked you to marry him" my father said during dinner. I closed my eyes, letting out a deep sigh, before nodding slowly.

"He did" I answer. I catch my father and mother sharing a look, smugness on his face and my mother returning a hopeful glance.

"So, uh, what did you say?" He says in a nonchalant tone, trying to mask his eagerness. It churned my stomach, now knowing he wanted it just as much as Namjoon must have. My twin brother, Hoseok, peered at me over his meal.

"Namjoon? Kim Namjoon?"he frowns. "Why would you want to marry him?" He snorts dismissively.

"Namjoon is one of the village's main protectors Hoseok" our father says steadily.

"He's a pompous prick" Hoseok sneers. Our father glares at him

"Watch your language!" He snaps.

"Hobi..." our mother finally spoke, sensing the upcoming fight.

"I'm just saying! The guys agree with me. He thinks he's better than everyone else" Hoseok also happened to be a protector, and would complain to Jiwoo and me about his commander's behavior, another reason why I'd turned him down. I trusted Hoseok's judgement over my sister's. He knew facts, she knew fantasy.

"Well he is the captain. He's supposed to be" my father says, and then turns to me, and my heart thudded and my hands grew sweaty. "Well? Will I be able to welcome Namjoon into our family?" He says, fond at the thought. I looked down at my uneaten food, then back at my father.

"No" I say. The entire room went silent, and it was Hoseok who recovered the quickest.

"Alright good job Noona!" He laughs. My father fixed him with a viscous glare and then turned it on me.

"Why?"

"Because I agree with Hoseok. Namjoon only wants for himself, not me. And I don't want a husband who only thinks for himself" I say confidently. My father turned a dark shade of red.

"Stubborn girl" he growled. "Namjoon is well respected throughout the community! Without him we'd have been butchered by enemy tribes or mauled by vicious creatures"

"Namjoon is one man Father." I glare at him. "He can't be held accountable for all the great things that have been done. You and all the tribe officials paint him to be some big hero when he's not. He's arrogant and I refuse to marry him" my hands shook with anger, and my father stated at me, his face had gone from angry to impassive.

"You will" he says.

"Excuse me?" I frown.

"You will marry Namjoon. I am your father, and I say so. I am to wed you off to a suitable husband. And I say Namjoon is just the man" I couldn't believe my ears. I glanced around the table. Hoseok was staring at father angrily, he always was one to stick up for me, probably a twin thing. We were always closest to one another. Jiwoo however, watched father calmly. And our mother wouldn't look up from his plate. Angry tears welled in my eyes. I was trapped in my own home, bound by my father's will. I glare at him through watery eyes.

"If you were going to make me marry Namjoon, then why did you have him ask me?" I say.

"I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. I'd hoped you'd say yes on your own accord and be happy. It appears it won't be that way" my father says in a cool tone. I rise to my feet, tears now falling into my cheeks and I storm out of the room. I could hear Hoseok's angry words being thrown at my father but I didn't care. I hurried up the steps, throwing open my bedroom door and threw myself to the mat that made up my bed. I sobbed into my pillow, angry and resentful.

I laid there, staring out the large window at the cloudy night sky. I felt in my pocket, pulling out the coin I'd found in the river. I ran my fingers over it, feeling miserable. I heard footsteps, and quickly hid the coin under my pillow. The door opened to reveal Hoseok, anger still blazing in his eyes. He closed the door, coming to sit next to me on the mat. I hugged him tightly around the middle as I cried into his chest. He ran a hand through my hair, not saying anything. After of finished crying, I pulled away from him, finally able to speak my frustrations.

"It isn't fair" I growl out. He shakes his head, bitterly throwing the door an angry look.

"No it isn't. It's just as bad as the time he wanted you to marry Taehyung, but at least the boy was nice, a little on the shy side, but better than Namjoon"

"I won't marry Namjoon" I say firmly. Hoseok sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"You'll have to. I know it's not fair but-"

"No" I say, standing up to walk to the window and look out at the village. All was quiet, only the silleouettes of the guards could be seen patrolling. "I won't marry him. I'll run away if I have to" Hoseok was quiet before he spoke.

"You wouldn't last out there Y/n. It's too dangerous. And where would you go?"

"Anywhere other than here" I say, my eyes travelling up the where the moon poked through the clouds. My breath hitched when I thought I saw something dart through the sky, the clouds covering it. I blink, but there was nothing there. I frown, turning back to Hoseok. "I won't stay here to be wed off to a narcissistic asshole" I tell him. Hoseok nodded slowly

"Alright. I can't change your mind, so I'll go with you"

"Hoseok you can't, you're a protector" I say

"Yes, and I can protect you. We'll run away, find a new place to live. Maybe a better village" he says, standing up and walking over to me. "You're my sister, my twin. I'll never forgive myself if something were to happen to you."he says quietly, and I nod

"Okay. We'll leave tomorrow night, that way we can get supplies. I'll apologize to father and tell him that I changed my mind and that I can't wait to marry Namjoon " I wrinkle my nose at the thought and Hoseok grins.

Hoseok and I always shared a room, so after we spent the next hour planning our escape, he went to his mat across the room and fell asleep, snore coming from his mouth soon after. I curled up on my own mat, my hand reaching under the pillow to thumb the coin, feeling the cold metal beneath my warm skin. I fell asleep, dreaming of a better life.

"Tomorrow"

The sound of loud cracks awoke me, and my eyes split open, I looked around in the dark, hearing shouts from outside. I stand up,ready to go to the window, but suddenly a large head poked through it. I screamed, staring at the bright glowing green eyes staring me down. I backed away, but the head pursued until it's massive muzzle grabbed the front of my shirt and began to pull me towards it. I scream, pushing on it's nose, trying to get it to release me.

"Y/n!" I heard Hoseok's shout. I cried out as the beast pulled me from the window. I felt Hoseok's hands grab me, but in vain as the creature snarled and shook it's head, throwing Hoseok back into the room. I looked around wildly, seeing the protectors throwing spears at the creature. It growled and a large tail sent them sprawling. I tried desperately to free myself, but the creature held on tightly. It unfurled large feathered wings and took off with a mighty lurch, the village flew away beneath me, the protectors still throwing spears away the beast but none it their mark.

Fear and panic clawed my insides as the creature rose high in the sky, masking itself in the clouds. It flew towards the direction of the moon, and all I could hear was wing beats and the shrill noise of air rushing past me. The wind chilled me, and I was shivering and crying. I did not want the creature to release me now, afraid of plumetting to my death.

The clouds grew darker as we flew on, and the creature flee lower, below the clouds. We must have been flying for nearly half an hour, but I had no idea how far we'd gone due to the monster's large wing strokes. We could have been thousands of miles from the village I thought somberly.

Now free from cloud cover, I could see a large tower, and a bunch of interconnecting stone buildings around it. All of this was in a canyon of sorts, the cliff walls surrounding it in a perfect circle. Then, just as the create glided towards the tower, a bolt of lightening appeared out of the sky, and struck close to us. The force blasted us to the side, and it jostled the creature, who released me in surprise. I screamed as I was sent spiraling towards the ground. The creature roared, diving towards me as the ground grew closer. I thought about my family, screwing my eyes closed and focused on their faces as I waited to crash into the ground.

Then I was lifted in the air, and I opened my eyes to see the creature flying up, me in its jaws. More lightening fell around us, and it groaned and I was thrown up into the air and I screamed, watching as the creature opened its mouth and I fell into it, swallowed quite literally, into darkness.

It must have been hours later, my muscles ached and screamed in protest when I shifted on the cold ground. I blinked, seeing only darkness until my eyes adjusted.

The room reeked of stale air and the hint of greenery. Pale light flooded from the roof, which was caved in as if something large had crashed through it. I sat up, peering around, trying to piece together what had happened. I couldn't remember things, it was all groggy and when I tried to reach out and grasp a memory, my head ached fiercely. I glanced down at my feet, and let out a cry of surprise.

Tattoos everywhere, covering my skin. I glanced at my arms, and they too were heavily inked and I had an unsettling suspicion my neck or face also contained them. I let out a shaky breath, trying not to panic. I was far from home, I have no idea what has happened other than I know I'm not supposed to be here, and that I needed to leave. A flash of color drew my eyes to the floor.

There, in the patch of growing grass, lay the coin I'd taken from the lake. I remember that much. It shined in a pale green light, and I reached out and took it. The light dwindled, but there almost seemed to be a glow about it. When this happened, a shift of moment to my left had me twisting around. I got to my feet, and hesitantly took a step forward, and there I saw him, unconcious.

He looked around my age, maybe a few years younger. He had an attractive face, smoothed over in a boyish way in his slumber. His pink lips were parted as a breath escaped them. He was dressed in all white, the cloth rumpled but still managed to look clean. Heavy metal cuffs were linked around his wrists and ankles. I looked closer at his legs, and took a step back when I saw a long tail twitch.

I looked back up to his face, and my eyes trained themselves on his head, covered in mop of dark brown hair, but two glowing green horns, the same color as the coin I had, poked out. After realising this, I then noticed his eyes were open and staring up at me.

[cocomaxley]

Operation: Payback is a Bitch

This is a part of a TRR A/U called Cordonians Gone Wild, a collaborative effort by @ao719 @speedyoperarascalparty @leelee10898 @riseandshinelittleblossom and yours truly. Catch up HERE.

Summary: The men try to get back at the ladies for all of their previous mischief.

Rating: NSFW, mature and very bad decisions.

Tag List: @blackwidow2721 @hopefulmoonobject @itsstillnotwhatyouthink @fullbeaumonty @brightpinkpeppercorn @katurrade @krsnlove @alj4890 @zaffrenotes @annekebbphotography @carabeth @moneyfordiamonds @give-me-ernest-sinclaire @3pawandme @indiacater @ownworldresident @tornbetween2loves @stopforamoment

Rashad and Genevieve arrived at the restaurant to meet their friends for dinner. Once everyone was seated, they fell into easy conversation. “Are you guys all set for your camping trip?” Genevieve asked the men. Rashad smiled and held her hand. “We are for the most part. What do you girls have planned for girls night?”

“I'm not sure yet, probably the usual. Watch a movie and drink a lot,” Alicia giggled. Liam got a mischievous smile, “I'm sure it'll be a romcom because we know you guys can't handle scary movies.” The guys all chuckled. Stephanie raised her brow, “I love scary movies, so shut your face, Liam.” Maxwell chimed in, “But she hates clowns!” Stephanie glared at him, “Because clowns are fucking creepy!” The girls nodded in agreement.

“I bet you guys can't make it through the new version of It,” Rashad said. Genevieve's eyes went wide in surprise. Her fiancé wasn't normally the type to tease. She replied, “Honey, I love you, but whenever you guys bet against the girls, it never works out in your favor. Like ever.” It was the girls turn to laugh. Leo said, “Well if you're so positive you can win this bet, then watch the killer clown movie for your girls night.”

Anitah said with a smirk, “Fine! It's on! And when we win, guess who will have to streak around the palace grounds again? That's right, but this time it will be harder. You guys will have to finish the lap in under 30 seconds. If you don't, you have to keep running laps until your time is under 30.” Liam looked at his wife, “And if we win, which we will because you guys are a bunch of weenies.” Anitah leaned in close and whispered, “Husband’s choice in punishment.” Liam swallowed hard, “Oh...ok, you're on.” The men shook hands with their women, each one feeling confident on an easy win.

After dinner, they decided to go to the beer garden for a few drinks. The men walked up the bar and the ladies sat at a table. Leo rubbed his hands together, “Alright boys, Operation Payback is a Bitch is a go. These girls will be so sorry for everything they've ever done to us. I’ll finally get to do the thing she never lets me do.” Rashad laughed, “Gen will be huddled in a corner crying. She hates scary movies. Add a clown in there, and this will be the easiest blowjob I'll ever get.”

Liam chuckled, “Anitah’s biggest fear is clowns. She hates any and everything about them because of the original It movie. She’s so done, and I’ve got a punishment in mind for every time she’s commandeered the royal jet...she’s not going to walk straight for a week.”

“I'm finally going to use those handcuffs on Pam. We've only used them in Amsterdam,” Drake said. Maxwell clapped his hands together, “I'm asking for a Capuchin monkey! They're so cute!”

Two weeks earlier…

The men were playing poker in Liam’s study. Liam asked, “Rashad, the wedding is coming up. How’s the wedding planning?” Rashad looked up from his cards, “Everything's pretty much done. Gen and my father have been like two little girls with the planning. He's so excited for the wedding you'd think she was his child,” he laughed, “he keeps saying things like ‘I can't wait to have a daughter, I've always wanted a daughter.’ I want to say, what the fuck, dad. I'm standing right here.”

Drake snorted, “Well no wonder he let her take your jet to Amsterdam. Sounds like he can't say no to her either. Man, these girls have really given us some shit, haven't they? Thanksgiving, Thunder down under, St. Tropez…” Leo said, “Yeah no kidding. There was New Orleans and Chicago too. They definitely keep us on our toes. Especially Anitah with Liam!” Leo laughed while Liam glared at him.

“Let's not forget that she's hoodwinked my top three guards. Mara got ditched at the airport, Brad got locked in a closet with snacks and a pillow and Bas got fucking drugged! She even stole their damn phones,” Liam shook his head, then his face lit up, “let's get them back. They're due for some retaliation.” Leo's face perked up, “I'm listening, little brother.”

“They all hate scary movies. So let's bet them that they can't watch the new It movie all the way through. We can plan a ‘camping trip’ and then on their girls night we mess with them. We will turn off the power to my quarters, walk around the apartment dressed all in black and make noises, open and close doors,” Liam started laughing hard.

Maxwell shrugged his shoulders, “I was with them for all of that and had a ton of fun, but I think it'll be fun to mess with them. Stef might kill me, but it'll be worth it.” Bastien cleared his throat, “Your majesty, if I may speak freely?” Liam nodded so he continued, “I want in.” The guys all laughed knowing having Bastien on their side gave them an edge. Leo yelled, “Game on, boys!”

Girls Night...

The men had just left for their camping trip, and the ladies were in the royal quarters getting girls night started. “You guys, I really don't want to watch this movie. I'm so scared,” Genevieve said. Her eyes welled up with tears. “Well we can't back out now, Gen. We already agreed to it.” Anitah said. She met Genevieve’s gaze, her own eyes welled up with tears and face full of fear.

“I'm just gonna give him the blowjob. I like giving him blowjobs anyway, so I'm not really losing. I just can't watch it. I'm about to cry,” Genevieve rambled, pacing the room. “None of us want to watch this movie, but I'll be damned if we lose a bet to them,” Pam said, her face a little paler than normal. Stephanie added, “We just have to remember that it's not real. Ok, ladies? Let's not lose our shit before we start the movie.”

Anitah placed the disc into the DVD player with shaky hands. “The lights stay on!” Pam yelled. Alicia pulled out her iPad and headphones and pulled a blanket over her head, “I said I'd be here. I never agreed to watch the movie.” Stephanie pressed play on the remote and the movie started. All of them huddled close together on the couch.

Genevieve watched the movie with her hands covering her eyes and Pam hugged her knees. Anitah held a pillow tightly against her while Stephanie chewed her fingernails. Alicia hadn't moved from her spot underneath her blanket. At one point in the movie Pam screamed, “No, Georgie! Don't do it!” A sob escaped Genevieve’s throat and Anitah used the pillow to cover her face. Stephanie sat with wide eyes, mouth open. A loud clap of thunder shook the room which made them all jump and rain pounded against the windows. They laughed nervously realizing it was just a storm outside.

The movie continued to play. “Ok guys, twenty minutes left in the movie. We can do it. We've got this. Then the guys will be so sorry for doubting us,” Stephanie said. They turned to each other and nodded. “God, I fucking hate clowns. God, I hate Liam,” Anitah said, her face still covered by the pillow. All of a sudden the power went out and everything went pitch black. “What the fuck happened? Why did the power go out, Anitah! Call someone,” Genevieve cried. “My...my cell phone has no service,” she responded voice shaking.

Pam kept her cool, “Ok, our phones have flashlights. Turn those on and we will look for the fuse box. Do you think your quarters has a fuse box?” Anitah shook her head. They heard a door slam shut in the back of the royal quarters. “Wha...what the fuck is happening?” Stephanie whispered. Then they heard the floorboards creak and saw a dark figure walking down the hallway.

“We’re going to die!” Genevieve screamed, scrambling for the main door. The other girls quickly followed her out. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck, what the fuck do we do?” Anitah said in a panicked voice. When they turned the corner they saw another dark shadowy figure. They froze in place. Lightning flashed outside, and then another clap of thunder made them jump again. “Let's go to Liam's study and lock the door, follow me,” Anitah whispered.

Drake, Rashad and Maxwell watched the girls run past the room where they were hiding. The women were in the middle of the hallway staring at Liam wearing a black cloak with his head covered by the hood. They had to fight back their laughs so they wouldn't give away their hiding spot. “Maxwell, we said Pennywise the clown! Is that a Bozo costume?” Drake asked in an irritated tone. “It's too late Drake. Besides, Stef is afraid of all clowns,” Maxwell said. Rashad snorted, “Gen is afraid of her own shadow in the dark. Just give him the red balloon. That'll be enough.”

Maxwell walked out of the room and stood in the middle of the hall holding a red balloon on a white string, just as the girls turned around and started running in his direction. When they saw him standing there, they all let out ear piercing shrieks. “SCATTER!” Anitah yelled. Anitah and Genevieve ran down a hallway. Stephanie came up and kicked Maxwell in the crotch before Pam dragged her down the opposite hallway.

Maxwell crumpled into a heap on the floor. “Shit! Max, you alright, buddy?” Drake asked as he kneeled down next to him. “I...I think I'm dying, Drake. I can't breathe.” Maxwell said in a pained voice. “I didn't know she'd kick you. These girls are in full fight or flight mode,” Drake said trying to stifle a chuckle.

Anitah and Genevieve burst through Liam's office door and locked it, both of them out of breath. “Call Bastien, Anitah. I feel like killing killer clowns is part of his job description.” Anitah walked to Liam's desk and grabbed the desk phone. “The line…it's dead, Gen. it's dead,” she whimpered and replaced the handset into the cradle. The doorknob jiggled. Anitah froze, “Oh God, Gen. what do we do?” Genevieve turned in circles, “I don't know, I don't know! Does Liam have any hidden weapons in here?” She picked up a vase from the side table, “Grab something heavy, Nitah. A big fat book or something.” They stood at the ready as the door lock clicked open and a figure stood in the doorway dressed head to toe in dark clothing, his face covered with a black ski mask. Anitah yelled, “Now!” And they both threw the objects at the intruder. The book hit him in the forehead, and the vase made contact with the side of his head. “FUCK!” The hooded figure yelped holding his head. Anitah and Genevieve pushed past him and ran down the hall.

Pam and Stephanie ran into the library and hid behind a bookshelf. They heard the door open and heavy footsteps heading in their direction. “Stef, we have to move,” Pam whispered, Stephanie nodded. They tiptoed to the end of the bookshelf and quietly walked to the next aisle moving towards the back of the library. The footsteps stopped. “Ok, Pam, we need to get out of here. I will go out there and let him see me. When he goes for me, you need to trip him. Then we make a break for the door.” Pam took a deep a breath, “Ok, we can do this.” Stephanie stepped out into the main aisle, and the large figure took slow deliberate steps towards her. At just the right moment, Pam stuck out her leg. The intruder tripped and fell on his face with a groan. He stood up quickly and tried to grab Pam, but she reacted quicker and bit his hand hard. “Motherfucker!” He backed away from her shaking his injured hand. “Run! Now!” Stephanie yelled pushing him out of her way making him lose his balance, falling on his back.

Pam and Stephanie rounded the corner and saw two other people. All four of them screamed. “SHHHHH! Everyone shut up!” Stephanie said trying to keep her voice down, once she realized it was Anitah and Genevieve. “Oh thank god. You guys are ok,” Anitah said while trying to catch her breath. They heard footsteps approaching. Genevieve opened the ballroom doors and whispered, “Quick! In here.” They huddled together, hiding behind the bar when the ballroom doors opened. Two intruders walked inside slowly. “Check behind the bar, I'll check the balcony,” they heard one of them tell the other. They tried to move to the other end of the bar but he already saw them. “They're right here!” He shouted to his partner.

Anitah launched herself at him and knocked him back, “Run! Run!” Stephanie and Pam ran towards the open ballroom door. He got back on his feet facing Anitah. Genevieve was frozen behind the bar, eyes wide. He lunged towards Anitah, but she blocked his arms. She swept his leg out from underneath him, and he fell on his back. “Ha! Take that!” She yelled. He stood back up, but he was clearly disoriented. Anitah punched him in the face, and he fell backwards. Genevieve stood up and stepped on his manhood. She grabbed Anitah by the arm and ran for the ballroom doors. At the other side of the ballroom, Pam and Stephanie were being held back by the other intruder. “Stef, what should we do?” Stephanie looked at Pam and yelled, “I've had it!” She walked up to him and punched him right in the nose. “Ow! What the hell?” He held his face, and the girls ran out the door. Rashad removed his mask after Stephanie punched him. His nose was bleeding. He walked over to Liam “You ok, man?” Rashad asked him. “No heirs,” Liam grunted as he laid on his back holding his groin. They heard the women screaming in the foyer. “I will fucking cut you, clown!”

“Whoa, whoa, Stef! It's me! It's Maxwell, please don't kick me in the balls again.” He removed his wig with one hand while the other hand held a frozen bag of peas to his crotch. Drake, Liam and Rashad joined them in the foyer. All of the women were shocked when they saw the intruders without their masks. Bastien walked up to the group. He had a visible lump on his forehead. Anitah covered her mouth to silence the laugh that was forming in her throat. “We took Bas down again!” Genevieve said grinning at her. “I am never betting against you ladies again,” he turned to the four men, “From now on, you guys are on your own.” He huffed and limped towards his room.

“You!” Genevieve pointed her finger at Rashad. The other three women crossed their arms and glared at their husbands. Their husbands were staring back at them, bruised and battered. Rashad held his arms up in defeat, “It was supposed to be a harmless prank. We didn't know you guys would go all Chuck Norris on us. I think my nose is broken.” Drake showed everyone his hand and said, “My wife bit me, like a fucking animal.”

“I'm pretty sure I won't be able to have kids,” Liam said still holding his groin. “Serves you all right. That was really, really mean!” Genevieve said, she was now sobbing. Rashad wrapped his arms around her, trying not to laugh, “You held up much better than I thought you would, sweetie.” He couldn't hold back his laughter anymore, and everyone else started laughing along with him. Liam looked around the group, “Hey where's Leo?”

In the royal quarters, Alicia was under her blanket and the movie she was watching just finished. She pulled the blanket off and stood up. When she turned around she was facing a masked person. Her jaw dropped open. “What..what do you want?” She stammered. The person didn't respond. He made a move to grab her, but she slapped him across the face with one hand and then slapped him on the other cheek with the other hand. “Dammit, Alicia! It's me!” Leo said pulling off his mask and holding both cheeks. “What the hell, Leo! You scared the shit out of me! Where is everyone?” She yelled. Leo filled her in on their plan. She laughed, “I'm so glad I’m not part of this fuckery.” Leo wrapped his arms around her waist, “Well I know what we can do while they're running around the palace.” He kissed her passionately while his hands worked on her clothes.

The group walked back to the royal apartment and opened the door. Leo and Alicia were sitting on the couch grinning from ear to ear. Anitah glared at the two of them knowing what they'd just done and said, “You know that thing you never get to do, Leo? Well you can do it because she was under that blanket with an iPad and headphones. She didn't even watch the movie.” Leo smirked and slowly turned towards his wife while rubbing his hands together. Alicia's mouth fell open, “Anitah! Why would you sell me out?” Anitah smiled at her friend, “That was a hard earned win, Alicia. You forfeited.”

Liam cleared his throat, “Actually, my love, you lost. None of you finished the movie, and that was the bet. I believe you still had twenty minutes left to watch.” Anitah's jaw dropped, but before she could respond, Liam threw her over his shoulder and said, “Get ready for your punishment, My Queen.”

Rashad smirked at Genevieve, “Let’s go home. I'd like to cash in that win tonight.” Drake walked over to Pam and pulled her towards the door, “Come on, baby, there's some pink fuzzy handcuffs with your name on them.” Maxwell started dancing, “I'm getting a monkey! I'm getting a monkey!” Stephanie laughed at him and pushed him towards the door.

Monday Morning...

The men had a council meeting first thing Monday morning. They were presenting a new proposal to increase tourism. The guys stood in front of the council; Liam with a black eye, Leo with red marks across both cheeks, Rashad with a broken nose, and Drake with a visible bite mark on his hand. Bastien was standing in the back of the room with a large purple lump on his forehead and the side of his head was clearly swollen. From the head council seat, Rashad’s father looked at them with a raised brow, “What in God’s name happened to all of you?” They exchanged uncomfortable looks with each other. Rashad spoke up, “Father, that's not relevant to our proposal. Let's...let’s discuss that later.” Rashad’s father let out a hearty laugh, “Oh, I've already spoken to my future daughter-in-law. I just wanted to see if you'd willingly admit it in front of the council.”