#Alex is another Oc Of Mine

[passionmaterial]

✨️I D E A ✨️

Necromancer adopting Alex.

[raffe156]

Room for one more

Pairing - Price x OC Tank (F!reader)

Summery - Testing the limits of a one man tent…

A/N- little Drabble based on those single tents @atomiccrownpoetry mentioned, I’m sorry it took so long! Though I’ve tagged it as Tank an I read it as Tank and some of you will do the same, I don’t mention her by name so can be read as Price x F!reader 😌

Warnings - Smut (18+) Voyeurism kind of , Language, Age gap Price (38) Tank (26) unsafe sex, p in v

✨As always comments and feedback welcome ✨

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Call of duty characters - Only Tank

“You should get your head down kid, you look shattered” Price rubbed your back, he towered over you his hand lingered between your shoulder blades.

He was right it had been a long day of recon and you weren’t about to get into another argument with Soap over who ate the last digestive biscuit.

It was you but you weren’t about to admit that. Tonight was the last night of a 3 day stay in the desert and you were ready to go home.

“Yeh you’re right” You stood up stretching your back.

“Listen, one more night of this and I promise you fresh sheets and a real pillow.” Price squeezed the back of your neck a smile on his face. Everyone cheered at the idea of getting their heads down in a proper bed, but you knew he didn’t mean the beds back at the base. The thought caused a stir in your stomach and it was enough to get you through the next few hours.

You said your good nights and walked back to your single tent with Farah in tow.

You chit chatted as you both stripped down to your under layers outside your tents. Even though the temperature dropped at night, inside the tent was insulated and the last few nights had been so warm you had slept with just the mesh panel.

“Was it you that ate the last of those biscuits Soap loves so much?” Farah laughed as she turned you around to braid your hair just like she had done the last few nights. You gave her a knowing smirk as you handed her the comb. She laughed shaking her head.

“Sooo you and Alex eh?”

Farah didn’t need to see your face she could hear the grin as clear as your words.

“Asimat!” She tugged the braid playfully. You held your head laughing.

“OK OK ‘ana asf!” You pleaded.

“Never mind that, what about you and the Captain eh? Ya ‘iilahi, I see the way he looks at you, like a starving man looks at a meal…”

“Farah! Asimat!” You could feel your face flushing.

She tied a bobble around the braid a cocky look on her face. You both eyed each other, before bursting out laughing the sound echoed across the campsite and off into the distance.

For a few minutes the two of you weren’t soldiers in the night, but just two girls braiding each others hair and laughing about boys at a sleepover.

***********

You lay in your tent listening to the sounds of the desert, the distance chirps and hoots.

Just as your mind was finally drifting off you felt the air shift, turning your head slowly you watched the zip of the tent door curl down to reveal the pitch black night, the warm breeze blowing in as a dark silhouette moved closer inside. You knew instantly who it was the air bringing in the smell of dampened fire and cigar smoke.

You blinked a few times trying to make out where the nighttime visitors face was.

“You awake kid?”

“Yeh…I’am now”

“Mind if I join you?”

“Don’t think you’ll fit”

“I will…move over”

“Move over where? It’s a 1 man tent”

“Good thing I’m just 1 man then eh?”

“….”

“Just move over” a growl more than a whisper now.

“Someone’s gonna see you, I thought you said we have to wait till we get back home? You fully lectured me about it?”

“I know what I said…just move over”

You did as you were told, moving on to your side allowing your Captain to slide in next to you. It was a tight fit as he zipped the panel shut behind him, you could feel the air trapped inside get heavy.

“Come ere” Price pulled you into him, you threw your leg over his waist.

“Oh I’ve missed this…can’t wait to get back to mine, don’t plan on letting you leave the bed let alone the bedroom” He let out a little chuckle as he kissed the top of your head.

“I know it’s not the same….but I’ve wanted to be close with you like this since we arrived Kid, it’s been driving me insane…”

“I’m more than happy with this, I’ve missed you too Boss”

You stretched your body out over his, your hands finding their place to settle.

He was in his joggers and a T-shirt, he must of walked the distance from his tent to yours in his socks you could feel the tiny grains of sand against your legs. You tried to pull them off his feet with your own.

“What are you doing? You’re not taking another pair of my socks!”

“No you’ve got sand on them, take them off”

You felt a little rumble of a laugh come from his chest.

“If you want me to take my kit off all you have to do is ask love”

“Shut up! You’ve got sand all in my sleeping bag take them off now!”

“Oh using your big girl voice are we? Hmm I like it” He pulled you on top of him your body sliding over him with ease, legs either side. You tried to sit up but your back was pressed back down by the roof of the tent.

“John what the…”

He cut you off his hands pulling you down into him, his mouth finding yours in the dark. His kiss was hungry and needy, it had been a few days since he’d been able to show any real affection towards you. You had made do with the odd pat on the shoulder, his hand lingering a minute longer than needed, standing just that little bit closer during briefs, his legs looped with yours in the back of cramped vans and trucks.

You allowed him to devour you in the darkness.

Lifting your hips slightly Price pushed his joggers down just enough to pull his cock out and rest it on your underwear. You instinctively rolled your hips back into him feeling the sturdiness of his erection as it pushed against you.

You felt his hand pull roughly at your underwear, he wanted them off but knew there wasn’t the room or the time so pulled to the side would have to do. His fingers brushed against your folds as he pull the fabric away. Without needing to be told you eased the tip of him inside you savouring the feeling as you pushed through, you could hear the little grunts of frustration and swore there was a whimper or two as you sank yourself down taking him down to the base. It was a snug fit.

“Fuckin ell” he whispered as you slowing rocked your hips back and forth your chest pressed to his. A pathetic whine left your own body. You desperately wanted to sit up, wanted to feel his hands roam up your body, to cup your breasts, you wanted to see his face, see the same desperation in his eyes, to watch as his teeth clenched and gritted together as you rode him, but there was no room for fancy moves or position changes, this was it packed in tight, close quarters.

You tucked yourself in under his chin your head slightly tilted, Price held you close to him as you slowly picked up the pace, his other hand firmly on your backside rocking you back and forth grinding your clit on his pubic bone.

The thought of being heard or even caught made you want to be that little bit louder, just a few feet away your entire squad slept it made your system flood with adrenaline.

As if he had read your mind, Price gripped your backside tighter. You let out a moan.

“Need you to stay quiet love, can’t have you waking the whole camp up now can we…what would they say if they caught us like this eh? I promise you can be as loud as you want when we get back home…” he mumbled as he pressed his lips to your forehead.

You couldn’t take it, you pushed yourself up rolling your hips faster and faster. The roof of the tent rubbing against your back.

The air inside the tent was heavy and damp with condensation, but you didn’t care your bodies were buzzing, you could feel it right there building inside of you both. Each craving for this closeness, this connection for days.

Price placed his hand on the side of your neck. He was close, but you were closer and he knew it your body gave you away.

“That’s it….cum for me love…aww…good girl…that’s its…” he gripped your neck that bit tighter your moans came out ragged and broken from trying to stay quiet, but even though you were coming undone you couldn’t stop your hips from rocking back and forth your body wanted more your insides pulsed and fluttered around him, begging to come again.

Price couldn’t hold out any longer and began desperately bucking his hips up into you, cursing between gritted teeth with each thrust. The sticky wet noises filling the tent, someone would definitely be able to hear, the rush of being caught surged through your body again making your hips match the speed of Price’s thrusts. This caused you both to fall apart very quickly. You buried your head in his neck to stifle your cries.

“Fuckkkkkk…” Prices groaned as he came inside you, his thrusts slowing as he became more sensitive.

You both lay there trying to catch your breath, your bodies pulsing as your heartbeats tried to regulate. Once the blood had stopped rushing in your ears you tried to listen for any movement outside the tent, hushed voices or footsteps, but all you could hear were the distant hoots and howls of the night.

“Think we’re good…” Price kissed your temple as he slowly unzipped one of the panels to let some air in.

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

You woke up at 6:00 alone having no idea when Price had left you, but you felt his socks at the bottom of sleeping bag pulling them on you sorted yourself out and grabbed your toiletries bag, the makeshift showers weren’t too bad and you definitely needed one.

As you unzipped your tent you were met with the familiar sleepy faces of your squad. Soap half hanging out of his tent with a brew talking to Gaz, his Mohawk fluffy and sticking out in all directions. The pair of them clocked you and grinned. Your heart sunk. They had heard you last night, but before you could speak or plead your case Ghost and Price walked over to the huddle of tents.

“Morning kid…want a swig of this?” He handed you his cup of coffee you took it looking him dead in the eye.

“Can we have a word…in private?” You whispered. His face changed a serious look on his face. He nodded guiding you away from the others.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? I think Gaz and Soap heard us last night they were talking this morning and gave me this look…I don’t know but they know something” you held the cup of coffee tight.

Price smiled resting his hand on your shoulder he leant forward so he was eye level with you. You wanted to slap the beard right of his face.

“We weren’t the only ones at it last night kid, have you noticed anyone missing this morning?”

A wave of relief washed over you, thank god!

“So if it’s not us they heard who was it?….” It only took a spilt second to realise who was missing.

“oh my god….Farah and Alex!” You spilt half the coffee onto Prices boots as you whipped round to look back at the camp.

“Correct…and Soap said they were pretty loud so even if we had been heard everyone thinks it’s them” Price chuckled as he took back his coffee.

Just as you turned back to Price you heard cheering and whistles, Alex had crawled out of Farah’s tent, bed headed and shirtless a weak smile on his face. Soap slapped him on the back offering him a coffee, close behind Farah appeared looking more triumphant than anything as she light up a cigarette. She waved at you and the Captain.

“She’s ballsy that one” you smiled back at her as Price lifted his coffee mug up at her in salute.

***********

A few days later you get a text from Gaz

[cinnamongorll]

Wildflower - chapter 2

read on ao3 🤍 previous chapter 🤍 masterlist 🤍

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female OC Synopsis: Joel Miller is an infuriating constant in Alex’s life. As her dad’s best friend and smuggling partner, she can’t seem to avoid him no matter how hard she tries.  When a weapons trade off goes wrong and Alex becomes the next target in a dangerous revenge vendetta, Joel is forced to uphold the promise he made to his friend to protect his daughter from the dangers of the post-apocalyptic world. But when Alex and Joel reluctantly grow closer, and she starts to peel back the layers of animosity between them, Alex realises that nothing is what it seems and that trusting Joel might be more dangerous than anything outside the QZ walls. Series tags: dbf!Joel, age gap (Joel is late 49, FMC is 26), older man/younger woman, slow burn, enemies to lovers, mean Joel, protective Joel, dark Joel, sexual tension, smut, mutual pining, feral Joel, first person pov, angst, more tags to be added, ultraviolence Joel. Chapter warnings: Graphic descriptions of violence. Also, Joel is pretty mean in this one, sorry xx Word count: 6.5k

_________________________________________

Chapter 2:

“Yes.”

The word leaves my mouth and the firm grip on my face disappears before I can prepare myself for the loss of my anchor.  

Joel’s hands retreat to rest against his thighs, fingers curling into tight fists. His head is turned away from me, scanning the crowd, tracking the movement around us. Without his grip, my body deflates and I blink, trying to catch my breath. The air pulls and pushes against the inside of my chest, forcing my mouth to remain open in desperate gasps which neither fill my lungs nor bring me any sense of relief. 

Mourners, witnesses, and survivors just going about their day crash into us from all sides. The square is becoming smaller and smaller as more people file past the stage where the wooden structure stands, where the bodies swing, where my - 

“Joel,” I bite out, my stare burning into the side of his face. 

His head drops towards me. When his eyes catch mine he winces as though caught off guard by the grief that’s splattered over my face. 

“What?” he demands under his breath as his gaze detaches from mine almost immediately, back to scanning buildings and people. I’m abandoned, alone in my confusion.

Someone crashes into me and I stagger to the side, into another man who growls out a loud curse and pushes me away from him. I’m lost in a sea of bodies and screams, my heartbeat roars in my ears as another elbow digs into my side and a foot slams on top of my own. 

I grunt in pain as I twist and turn in the waves of people. I can’t see Joel and, with every push and shove, I’m dragged closer and closer to the gallows. My hands reach out, grabbing at clothing and arms and anything that will stop me from moving towards my dad’s swinging body.

I want to scream. I can feel it crawling up my throat again as another shoulder carves into my chest, but I remember what Joel said. The awareness of guns scanning the crowd seizes my throat and I feel myself choke out a gargled yell that I couldn’t quite keep contained. 

Who are these people? What happened to my dad? Where is Joel?

He told me to trust him, that he’d get us out of here. But he let go, and now I’m floating helplessly in unknown waters, in a battle with no knowledge of my opponents. 

I’m spun around with the flow of people and my eyes catch sight of my dad. 

It’s like someone has reached into my lungs and stolen all the air I’ve so desperately consumed, like I'm being suffocated from the inside. My heart moves at a hummingbird's pace, rippling and thrashing against my thin jumper. 

For a moment I think that time has stopped, but, no, it's worse than that: time keeps moving. People around me keep pushing, my legs keep stumbling. If time stood still, if everyone would just stop moving for a second, I was sure that I could figure this out, that I could wake up from this nightmare. 

I’d realise that this is all a mistake, a misunderstanding. I’d realise that, no, that isn’t my dad up there, it’s someone else, of course. This is someone else’s nightmare, not mine. Please, god, can everyone just STOP. 

Please.

STOP.

I don’t realise I’m saying the words, screaming them, even, until the hand I’ve come to  intimately recognise slides across my open mouth. 

His chest is pressed against my back, his mouth drops to my ear. 

“Don’t turn round, don’t make a sound. Just keep movin,’” Joel growls in my ear.

Something resembling relief pumps through my bloodstream and, by some miracle, my legs don’t falter at the malice in his tone and I fulfil his demand. My legs keep moving, fortified by Joel’s own stride that shadows my own. 

I can’t see anything past the sea of people that I’m swimming through. But Joel does, and he grunts directions in my ear as we weave through the square. “Left” “Right” “Stop” “Keep goin.’” His hand has dropped from my mouth to rest casually on my shoulder, like he does this all the time. 

I realise quickly that this is a performance. Joel is a puppet master, pulling at my strings, pushing me around in some dance I don’t know the moves to. I don’t even know who’s in the audience, who is watching us… who wants us dead. 

I feel Joel stiffen against me at every shove I face as I try to follow his commands, and I hear him unleash low warnings to those who get in our way: “watch it” “move.” 

I shiver at the cold authority in his voice, and those around us do as well. I can sense, though, that Joel is holding himself back, that he could easily clear those who cling to us. But I have enough awareness to understand that Joel is using the violence of the crowd to our advantage; embracing the anonymity of being another stumbling victim in an ocean of people travelling in numerous directions. 

When the sight of legs and shoes give away and I begin to get a clearer view of the ground, I feel Joel’s grip on my shoulders tighten and I’m swept into an alleyway.

His movements are too quick and his hold on me is too strong for any protests to leave my lips. My back hits the brick wall hard and a choked gasp unleashes from my throat as my eyes flash up to meet Joel’s face which is once again turned away from me.  

We’re in a small alleyway, it’s dark and muggy, and as my eyes dart around the space I see tipped bins, leaking unfamiliar fluids onto the cracked concrete, and piles of discarded clothing against the walls. I shiver despite everything, despite the two hands that are holding firm to my shoulders, pinning me against the wall. 

“Joel, what’s happening?” I whisper. 

His eyes drop to mine. Joel is breathing heavily, he’s standing so close I can feel his chest rise with every quick breath. It takes me a moment to notice the ire in his eyes, but when I do, I press my back harder against the wall behind me.

“Told you not to make a sound,” he grinds out. His gaze is unfocused, darting between me and the street to my left which continues to pump out people moving in different directions, some escaping the horror in the square and some desperate to steal a look. 

“And you told me you’d get us out of this, but all you’ve done is lose me in the crowd and get us trapped in an alley,” I retort, enjoying the sudden anger that pulses over my skin. It feels much better than fear. 

Joel stiffens and his hands flex against me, increasing their pressure on my shoulders. 

“Don’t be a fuckin’ smartass,” he seethes with his jaw clenched, pupils flaring. 

I know I should be frightened by Joel’s anger. I know what he’s capable of, I know that he could leave me here to get killed and I know that he wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. But for some reason, I feel a strange sense of immunity. 

In fifteen minutes, my entire world has gone up in flames. I’m standing in the ash pile, waiting for the next fire to catch. 

Joel’s anger isn’t a new threat, it’s an old one, familiar and predictable. The blaze that he ignites is one I like to run my fingers over, enjoying the heat of the burn. 

I tilt my chin up, meeting his narrowed eyes. “Tell me what’s happening, now.” 

He scoffs as his head swings towards the street, then after he’s satisfied that the crowd is still thick, his eyes find mine again. The anger is rippling off him in waves, along with something else that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in Joel: fear.

“You agreed to trust me.”

I shift to stand straighter. His grip eases to let me. 

“Trust only works if it goes both ways.” 

I watch Joel’s jaw move as he digests my words. Then, his eyes fly upwards, a long breath releases from his mouth and he purses his lips. 

My own breath huffs out of me when I realise I’ve won. 

“We took some weapons from the wrong people,” he reveals in a low, grumbling voice as though every word is a struggle. 

“You mean you stole them?” I challenge. Goosebumps trail over my skin as my brain fills in the blanks, jumping to conclusions.

Joel’s chin drops in a sharp nod. 

“Fuck,” I sigh as my eyes follow the movement in the street before returning to his black stare in the dim light of the alley. 

“So what? The people you stole from are the ones who - who,” my throat catches and I swallow roughly, unable to verbalise the reality that I’m confronted with.

Joel’s silence is answer enough. 

I feel tears prick at the corner of my eyes but I’m quick to blink them away. Anger still bleeds out of me and I’m not ready to stem the flow yet, it’s the only thing holding me from  breaking down. 

“Who’s idea was it?” I demand, pushing forward, forcing Joel’s grip on my shoulders to loosen. “To steal the weapons?” 

Joel straightens, standing taller. I can practically feel the rage rising in him. Too bad - I’m angrier. 

I plant my palms on his hard chest and push. “Are you the reason he’s dead?” I attempt to sneer but my voice comes out choked and raw. I watch as Joel takes a step backwards, his eyes somehow darkening further. 

My breaths grow heavy as I wait for him to retaliate; to deny my accusation or push back even harder, to pin me to the wall or even turn and walk away. But he doesn’t, Joel just stares down at me, his eyes roaming over my face as a muscle jumps in his cheek. 

I’m disappointed, I realise after a few seconds. I wanted the push back, I wanted the fight. So, I try again. 

“This is your fault, isn’t it? They’re here because of you,” I taunt, stepping into the space he vacated until my chest almost grazes his. My head is tilted up, my eyebrows are raised. 

Joel says nothing but I watch with satisfaction as his breaths grow sharp and fast and my snide smile lengthens. 

“You got my dad killed, and I’m gonna be next because of you,” I fume, lifting my hands to his chest again to unleash another inch of my anger. 

But my fingers don’t even graze the dark material of Joel’s shirt before his hands wrap around my wrists as he forcefully twists my body around until my arms are pinned behind my back, secured with one hand while the other wraps around my throat, pulling me against him. 

I struggle, shaking my shoulders, attempting to kick his legs, but with every retaliation I feel the grip on my throat increase.

My anger gives way to fear again and, as the red cloud clears, I realise that I’ve been walking along the tightrope of Joel’s fragile patience, and with those last words thrown his way, it snapped, leaving me dangling at the mercy of his sick punishment. 

Joel is sneering in my ear, I can practically feel the snarl on his lips as he grunts and pants while securing my complete submission. 

“Keep talkin’,” he taunts with a growl along the shell of my ear. I’m gasping now, my mouth is open wide but only a minimal amount of air is allowed to enter. 

I feel Joel’s laugh rumble against my back as his grip suddenly eases and my chin drops against his arm as I gulp down the precious air that he refused me.  

“I made a promise to your dad to keep you safe,” he hisses as I land another kick to his shin. I bite my lip when he pulls me closer and my eyes squeeze shut when his hand hovers over my neck like a warning. “But if I hadn’t,” Joel pauses and grunts out a harsh, humourless laugh. “I would’a left you out in the open for a bullet to find you.” 

My body goes limp in his hold. I’m still gasping, greedily swallowing air in case his hand once again finds itself wrapped around my throat. 

“I don’t want your help,” I manage to croak. 

“Too fuckin’ bad,” Joel drawls as he finally realeases me, and I stumble forward, my hands reaching up to cradle my neck before I spin around to face him. 

“Choking me isn’t a good way to get me to trust you,” I cough out, pinning him with my stare.

Joel considers me for a moment, his eyes skimming down my face until they drop to my trembling hands. He looks away quickly and I watch him blink a few times before he wipes a hand over his forehead and turns back towards me. Some of the malice has disappeared from his face. He looks tired, defeated, almost.  

“You already agreed, sweetheart,” Joel replies, but his voice has lost all its fight. “Only way we’re gettin out of this is if you follow my lead.” 

He’s right, I know he is, but my agreement gets caught in my tender throat. 

When I don’t answer, Joel steps forward.

I flinch.

He stops, immediately, and something resembling remorse ripples in his eyes. 

“Got it?” he demands slowly, carefully. 

I look out into the street. The crowd is starting to thin, if we don’t move now, we’re going to lose the cover it gives us. 

“Got it,” I reply. But my response doesn’t sound like a willingness to survive this situation he’s got us in, it sounds more like a sign that I've lost. 

………………………….

We walk side by side through the streets, Joel’s hand is wrapped loosely around my wrist. 

I keep my gaze forward, focusing on putting one foot in front of another. As we move, Joel murmurs quiet commands, altering me when he wants to turn a corner, letting me know that there’s no sign of the snipers, telling me to walk quicker. 

Soon, through the fear and horror that drenches my vision, I recognise where we’re headed. 

“Don’t tell me we’re going back to my apartment,” I whisper sharply. 

Joel doesn’t respond but his footsteps are harsher across the pavement. 

“Joel,” I hiss as I continue to stare straight ahead. “If people are looking for us, our apartments are the first place they’re gonna look.” 

His face whips towards mine and I know I’ve snapped his patience again. 

“We need a place to lay low, to figure this out,” he explains with a biting tone. “And unless you’ve been breakin the rules, no one knows where either of us live.”

My stomach drops but I don’t let my steps falter.

“Fine, okay.”  

My dad had strict rules to keep our heads down, not to make friends, to make sure that we were never noticed. By all accounts, we lived like ghosts in the QZ. 

Joel’s right, no one should know where either of us live. 

In theory. 

His name sits on the tip of my tongue, ready to tell Joel about the one person I gave my address to. But I can still feel the strength of his hand wrapped tight around my throat, warning me that my next misstep might hurt even more. So I keep quiet. 

I broke his rule, just once. Theo would come when Joel and my dad had left, knocking on my door, stripping off my clothes, dipping my body onto my mattress, grunting my name. 

It was casual, fun, inconsequential… right? 

I feel Joel tug on my wrist and I quicken my steps, head down as he leads me home. 

…………………….

My legs give out as I step into my apartment. 

I slide down the wall beside the door as the weight of my new reality is forced down on my shoulders. 

He’s dead. 

He’s not coming home. 

My ears are ringing, my heartbeat is screeching in my ears, drowning out the sound of Joel’s footsteps as he locks the door, steps around me and strides to the window, pulling down the makeshift blinds. 

The apartment is plunged into darkness until he finds the lamp and turns it on. 

Immediately, I’m coated in flickering yellow light and I have to cover my mouth to keep the sob from erupting. Or maybe a scream, I don’t know. 

Joel is talking to me. I can’t hear him but I can see his mouth moving and his eyebrows furrowing when he notices I’m not responding. 

He throws his hands in the air and turns, walking until he reaches the rug in my dad’s room. I squint my eyes when he rolls up the edge and opens the compartment under the floorboards that I hadn’t realised he knew about. 

When he turns back around, there’s a gun in each hand. 

Are they some of the stolen guns?

My hand drops from my mouth as he walks closer, and my chin tilts up to meet the look he’s pinning me with. His eyes survey my face, probably condemning me for the tears that wet my cheeks and the red splotches that stain my skin. 

I expect him to shout at me, to tell me to get up, to stop crying, to stop being weak. 

But he doesn’t. Instead, Joel reaches out, gun dangling from his grip. 

I blink up at him, lines forming on my forehead as my grief stricken mind attempts to understand what kind of game he’s playing.

“Take it,” he commands when I make no move to accept. 

I shake my head quickly and drop my limp hands to the floor. 

“I don’t know how to use it,” I confess, exhaustion clipping my voice. My pride is overshadowed by my grief and fear as I reveal my weakness to the man who had held my life between his hands less than an hour ago. 

His eyebrows shoot to the roof. “You’re jokin.”

Despite my numbness, a fierce pulse of mortification still shoots through my body. 

“Do I look like I’m fucking joking,” I fume as I push myself off the floor and straighten my spine.

The gun hangs between us. 

I’m reminded of the night before, when it was me who handed the gun to my dad. If I take the weapon from Joel, will I meet the same fate? 

I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hand, then cross my arms over my chest before my gaze finally lands on Joel’s face. He’s watching me with that reluctant curiosity again and I squeeze my arms tighter to shake the chill of his attention. 

Eventually, he shakes his head and pockets one of the guns. When only one remains in his hand, Joel nods at me.

“Watch.” 

His command has my eyes flashing to his hand, gripped tight around the gun. Joel’s veins are like ropes rippling under his skin as he waits for my full attention. 

“Point down, check it’s loaded, safety off, point, shoot.” 

His instructions are short and blunt but I find myself mesmerised by the movements he makes. Joel’s fingers look like they were moulded to wrap around the handle of a gun. They ache power and scream pain. 

I notice the blood on them, too. Blackness curled around his nail beds and a red tinge staining his knuckles. 

I force my eyes back up to his, and I swallow when I find him already surveying my expression. He looks like he’s taking note. 

“Understand?” he asks roughly after a moment. 

I nod, and accept the weapon into my hand when he tries again. It’s heavy, like the weight of what it means is dragging me down. 

“Why are you giving me this?” 

Joel sighs and rubs his neck, his muscles straining under his shirt. 

“To protect yourself while I’m gone,” he says calmly, still watching me with close attention. 

“What? Gone? Where are you going?” questions spill from my mouth and Joel’s eyes hit the ceiling again before he turns and marches towards the radio by the window. 

I’m on his heels, matching his steps, begging for answers. Panic has attacked my chest, firing lightening bolts of fear throughout my body. 

When he doesn’t turn around, without thinking, I reach out a hand, meaning to land on his broad shoulder and force him to meet my questioning glare. But he catches it before I touch him. Once again, Joel’s hand is wrapped around my wrist and he holds my arm in suspension between us, reminding me of the power he holds in his body. 

“Stop askin’ so many questions,” he grunts before dropping my arm.

I choke out a laugh. It’s so absurd, his absolute refusal to let me in on his plans. 

“Are you being serious? You’ve told me next to nothing about what is going on and now you’re leaving? I have a right to know where you’re going,” I argue, my words are frenzied and breathless. 

Joel dismisses my desperation with a cruel shake of his head, like I’m a child who’s reached their curiosity limit.

His hands curl into tight fists and I involuntarily take a step back until the back of my legs meet the cushions of our worn couch. 

Joel tracks the movement with a sharp inhale. 

“I’m gettin’ us a way out of here, that’s all you need to know,” he answers before turning and stalking towards the apartment door. 

“Out of the QZ?” I blurt out, my voice loud and pleading as I follow his brutal path. 

“You wanna stay here and get killed? Be my fuckin’ guest,” he calls over his shoulder. His threat is meaningless after confessing the vow he made, but a part of me wonders how far his loyalty to my dad goes. 

I swallow down the scream of frustration that threatens to erupt from me, and I dig my nails into my palms, imagining that they’re wrapped around his throat instead. 

“I’m coming with you,” I declare, straightening my spine, trying to appear taller, more capable. 

Joel freezes at my words, his hand paused on its journey to the first lock on the door. I can feel the weight of the sigh he releases before he turns on me, striding forward until he’s towering over me, consuming the space around us with his dominating presence. 

I can practically see the seconds that we’re wasting ticking behind his eyes. Every moment is on the clock now, counting down to those snipers finding us. 

“You’re stayin’ here, end of story,” Joel proclaims with a tilt of his head that has goosebumps rising again on my skin. 

I picture Joel walking out the door, leaving me here alone, unable to shoot, unable to fight, just waiting for him to return. Left to face the cold fury of my grief in this dark apartment that’s coated in memories of the man who now swings from a thick rope.

I consider begging, getting on my knees with my hands clasped and staring up at Joel while I plead with him not to leave me here, to let me come with him. 

I hate this. I hate depending on Joel Miller of all people. My dad’s psychopathic friend. 

But he’s all I have. 

“Don’t leave me,” I plead, scanning his face, searching for any sign of a living breathing person behind the wall of stoicism that he’s built. 

I watch as his eyes narrow and he grits his teeth. 

“Grow up,” Joel scolds, and with one last withering look, he returns to the lock.

His words are like a blow to my stomach and I cough out a choked breath. Heat rises in my cheeks as mortification and anger ripple under my skin. 

I stagger backwards as he pulls the door open. My questions lay unspoken, having died by Joel’s sword of cruelty. 

He turns before leaving but he doesn’t meet my eyes. I wonder if he fears what he’d find in them.

Then, Joel says the same words he uttered last night, before everything went to hell. 

“Don’t do anythin’ stupid.” 

……………………….

The gun is on the table, resting just a few inches away from my fingers which drum on the hardwood surface. 

He left me, he fucking left me. 

I’m seething, every bone in my body is groaning under the weight of my rage. My fingers tap to the rhythm of the thoughts that shoot through my mind. Questions, visions, worries, and regrets meld together into a ball of nausea that surges in my gut. 

I don’t know how long Joel has been gone. Minutes or hours, I can’t tell. The blinds are still drawn and the only light that illuminates the space is the broken lamp that mocks me with its flickering light. 

I imagine myself lifting the gun from the table and following after Joel, surprising him with my capability, shocking him into telling me the truth. 

My eyes squeeze shut until I see nothing but darkness, erasing the vision entirely. 

I wouldn’t even know where to start. I can barely touch the gun without flinching and I don’t have a single clue where my dad’s connections live. He didn’t want this life for me, and I’ve always been content in trusting him with my safety. 

My fingers stop drumming and lift to push into my eyes, turning the darkness into a bright searing orange behind my lids. 

Now my past indifference in learning how to protect myself has caught up to me, and I have to trust Joel fucking Miller with my life. 

What a sick joke. 

I drop my hands to the table with a loud thud, enjoying the slight burn that flashes up my arms when they connect with the hard surface. 

With my palms flat, I push myself out of the chair and stand, inhaling long deep breaths as I turn in a slow circle, taking in every inch of the home that’s closing in on me. 

I wince when my eyes find that broken bulb, bathing me in its fractured glow.

Without thinking, I’m moving towards it, gripping the cold metal stem with my hand and slamming down towards the floor. The light ceases immediately. Glass splatters around my feet, latching onto the laces on my boots and implanting in the rubber sole. 

Sharp breaths claw out of my lungs as I stand over the carnage. My relief is mixed with sorrow as I drop to the floor, my legs shaking as they make their descent. 

The glass bites into my jeans but I can’t see their fractured points. The apartment has collapsed into shallow darkness, faintly illuminated by the threads of daylight that leak out the corners of the blinds Joel pulled down. 

My face is wet again, I can feel the tears drip off my skin, landing somewhere I can’t see. 

My breaths are ragged like the fragmented edges of the glass rubble I rest on. I don’t know how to see past this darkness, I don’t know what my life is going to look like when Joel returns. I’ve been dragged into a mess I don’t even know how to begin to clean up. 

All I know is that Joel and my dad’s smuggling enterprise might have been more dangerous than I thought. 

I lean forward, lifting my arms to cradle around my bent knees as my hair falls around my face like a black veil. 

Joel is capable, I remind myself. If anyone can get us out of this, it’s probably him. He’s a dick but he knows what he’s doing. 

My teeth capture my bottom lip as I consider the frightening reality that despite every bit of survival instinct he has going for him, Joel still managed to get himself targeted by a group strong enough to infiltrate a QZ. 

So Joel can make mistakes, afterall. 

I inhale a shaky breath, but the exhale doesn’t come. 

A loud bang rattles the apartment door. My head swings towards it, hair flying around my face. 

I don’t move, I don’t breathe.

Another bang, a fist hitting off the wood with enough force to shake the doorframe. 

This isn’t Joel. He wouldn’t make that much noise. His knocks are quiet, contained, covert. 

My heart starts to pound. 

This isn’t Joel. 

Panic slams into me. I have to move, I have to hide, I have to do something. 

My hands land on the glass speckled floor and the fractures bite into my skin as I push myself up, moving my legs as slowly as possible. 

I’m standing when I hear the voice. 

“Alex!” it calls. “Are you in there? Open up!” 

Shit. 

I race to the door, my feet crunching over the lamp’s debris. I don’t even look through the peephole, I know exactly who is behind the door. And if he doesn’t shut up he’s going to get us killed.

My fingers are rapid as they release the locks and pry the door open. 

Theo stands on the other side, his chest moving quickly like he’s been running. I don’t give him a chance to catch his breath. I grip his arm and pull him into the apartment, shutting the door quietly. 

“Did anyone follow you?” I demand, sliding my eyes across his face before I turn to deadbolt the door. 

“Follow me? Alex what’s going on?” he asks softly, his eyebrows pinched and mouth gaping. “I saw your dad -” 

My back meets the door. I raise a hand, stopping him. I beg him with my desperate stare to not say the words. My mind is so fragile right now, one more reminder of my dad will shatter it entirely. 

“Did anyone follow you? Please, just answer the question,” I plead, making a considerable effort to calm my voice.

“No, of course not. Why? Is someone looking for you?” Theo asks, stepping closer. 

I drop my head into my hands with a heavy breath. “I don’t know,” I mumble into my palms. 

Strong arms wrap around my middle and pull me into his warm chest. I drop my hands to curl around Theo’s back, fingers gripping the soft material of his t-shirt. 

“What’s going on? You can tell me,” he whispers into my hair. 

“I can’t,” I murmur into his chest.

I can feel Theo try to pull back, to meet my eyes in the dim lighting, to uncover what’s happening, but I’m not ready to let go yet. I just hold him tighter, basking in the comfort of his touch. I allow myself to disarm for a moment, to let the weight of the last few hours fall onto me. 

My breaths come easier, I can feel my mind begin to settle. My thoughts are clearer. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” I say when I drop my arms back to my side and peel my cheek from the safety of his chest. 

Theo brushes a hand across my hair, tucking a few strands behind my ear. “Alex, please. Are you okay?” 

“He’s dead,” I croak out, blinking up at him. Theo is only half visible in the light and I appreciate that I can’t see the pity I’m sure is shining in his eyes, just as I also appreciate the fact that he can’t make out the full extent of the devastation and fear on my own face.

“I know - I came as soon as I saw. I’d heard they had caught a bunch of smugglers last night but I had no idea your dad…” Theo trails off, leaving the rest of his words to remain unspoken, like my dad’s occupation always was. 

“Come on,” he breathes as he takes my hand and leads me through the darkness to the couch. 

I sink into the cushion as Theo wraps an arm around my shoulders. He’s always been good at calming me down. 

In the back of my mind, a voice yells at me, telling me that he can’t be here. What if someone followed him to this building? What if Joel comes back and finds him - 

An image of Joel pointing a gun at Theo’s head flashes across my vision. 

I stand quickly. Theo’s arm falls to the back of the couch. 

“Alex?” he asks, sitting forward.

I shake my head and send a small smile in his direction. “I’ll just be a second.” 

My legs tremble as I walk towards the kitchen. I run my hands through my hair, tugging at my scalp, begging myself to think of some excuse, some explanation for why I need Theo to leave, to protect himself, to stay away from me, to not get caught up in this mess. 

I’m standing at the table, my fingers pressing into the wood. The gun sits inches away, predicting a future I want nothing to do with. 

“Alex -” 

Theo’s voice is cut off by the sound of locks exploding. 

I swipe my hand across the table, grabbing the gun as I drop to the floor. My hand covers my ears as my mouth opens in a silent scream. 

The open door illuminates the apartment in a bright, exposing light. From under the table, I see a man I don’t recognise march towards Theo.

“What are you -” 

A trigger is pulled and I watch in a state of absolute horror as my friend’s head swings backwards with the force of the bullet that shoots through his skull. 

My hands pile over my mouth, feverishly holding in my scream. My gun is pressed against the side of my face. Every inch of me is shaking. I can’t move, I can’t feel anything but terror. 

The man turns and I know with a sharp pulse of dread that he’s spotted me. It locks my muscles and steals my breath. 

At least I didn’t have to live too long in my grief, I think. 

What are you doin’? MOVE

My eyes flash open at the imaginary sound of Joel’s voice rattling through my skull. 

“What do we have here?” the man taunts as he stalks closer. I wonder where he’ll shoot me? In the head like Theo? Or maybe the heart, let me bleed out slowly?

“Are you hiding?” the man laughs and his feet pause their movements. “Seriously?” 

I grit my teeth, confused at the man’s taunting. There’s something in his tone like he wants me to fight back, like he wants to punish me.

I think of my dad, and how hard he tried to keep me from this life. I blow out a trembling breath, he wouldn’t want me to die like this. 

From my position, I can’t see anything but the man’s feet planted on the other side of the table. The gun shakes in my sweaty palms as I try to remember Joel’s instructions. 

“Point down, check it’s loaded, safety off, point, shoot.” 

Blood roars in my ears as I follow the rhythm he showed me. The man continues his taunting, but I can only vaguely make out his snide remarks, trying to bait me out from under the table. 

Seconds later, the safety is off and I shoot before the man can react to the sound of the soft click. 

A strangled yell ricochets off the walls of the apartment and I tip backwards with the force of the gunshot. 

I hit his thigh, I think. 

I’m in shock but my brain still screams at me to move, to get out of here, to use this distraction to my advantage. 

My ears are ringing, and I can see a cloud of blackness enter the corner of my eyes that tells me that fainting is a real possibility, but I tighten my hold on the gun as I begin to crawl. 

I release a sharp, guttural scream when my head is lurched backwards as a hand wraps around my hair with a blaze of white hot pain across my scalp.

The gun drops to the floor as my hands fly up to grip my head, to try and block my attack. 

“You little bitch,” the man snarls in my ears as he pulls harder, dragging me upwards until I’m standing. I stumble and struggle in his grip but he doesn’t let up his vice like hold. 

“Guess you’re not so different from your dad then, are you?” he grunts out as I attempt to slam my back into his chest. 

My life is hanging by a very weathered thread and yet my eyes still prick with the mention of my dad. 

“If this is about the weapons,” I gasp out through gritted teeth as he increases his hold on my hair. “We can sort this out - we can pay you back.” 

The man’s answering laugh frightens me more than the sight of his gun. 

“You think this is about some stolen weapons?” he demands, his voice is blaring in my ears and I flinch, squeezing my eyes shut. 

For a short moment, myself and this man both pause in a display of our mutual confusion but the cold rim of the gun that finds my temple ends our short truce. 

I release a trembling breath. In fear or relief, I’m not sure. 

“Shit.” 

Something hot and sticky splatters against the back of my head and I drop to the floor, released from the man’s brutal hold. My eyes open when my body hits the ground. I can’t hear anything, my limbs aren’t responding to my commands to move, to get up, to run. 

Am I dead?

Hands land on my shoulders and I twist around, throwing my arms around and kicking with all the strength I didn’t know I had. My eyes are wide but they’re unseeing. I’m moving too quickly to focus on any single thing. 

Whoever is touching me is strong and once they land a firm grip on my shoulders, I’m pinned to the floor with only my legs to continue fighting for me. 

“Alex, stop.” 

My body goes limp, following the command without question. I blink rapidly, trying to clear the terror from my eyes.

“Joel.” I slur his name as his face appears above me. 

He’s furious. The line between his eyebrows looks like it's been carved out with a knife. 

“You hurt?” he demands, his voice sends shivers down my aching spine.

I shake my head and wince when the movement sends another wave of dizziness to wash over me. 

Joel seems unconvinced. He releases one of my shoulders to search my body for wounds. Flames erupt under my skin where his hand grazes me.

When he’s satisfied, Joel leans back until he’s on his knees, perched over me. 

The black cloud that darkened my vision has returned, curling around the edges like ink in water. My breaths can’t keep up with the pace of my heartbeat. 

Joel frowns as he looks down at me. 

“You left me,” I murmur.

Then the black cloud claims me as its victim.

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

@kaseyconnour @casa-boiardi

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Hey!! Thanks for reading!! I'm going away again for a few days and then I'm starting my new job so I'm going to try and aim for a new chapter every 2 weeks - hope that's okay 🤍

[schoenht]

In Every Lifetime

Y/N'S FUTURE AS A SPORTS ANNOUNCER !

《 previous | masterlist | vocaloid era 》

a/n: finger guns whats up guys um YEAH so this month has been very stressful but ykw tis fine my semester is done in june and by summer i will definitely post more frequently (except the yubisaki no ariadne week. You will not catch me active anywhere. Himeru is gonna be mine.) Oh and lilia's the one in charge of the air force, kalim is just the commander ig idk how that works, the light music club is built different

taglist: @taruruchi @idiaia @starchilll @h0n3ysgh0st @yumixxn @kalims @sakuram1nt @proximitybobomb @shiemori @fluffimemes @meigalaxy @kaechannn @ravenkake @unlikelyinternetprincess @mace-tan-official @lifeless-bug @atl4ntxc @pyrrhicgaze @chay2 @everettelz @voreaux @yelshin @kahunap @tingerines @teamoymas @pastellepastary @mochimiyaas @i-have-a-lot-of-ocs @sxftiebee @eccedentesiast-sapphic @bajifairyy @twisted-jamil @bre99 @sherryuki-callmeyuki @yuchanyuna @faeryarchives @alby-rei @musclefanatica @stormyovent0aster @fangirl-d-blog @minkyungseokie @skintights0cks @somany-fandoms-solittle-time @iameliseposts @sugarrush-blush @kalims-pessimist-bestie @stupidwingboy @simp-incoming @kurenix @alex-the-bee

EXTRA: If you find someone tagging you in the comments from @/solxima, it's ME on my main do not worry, I just don't want to reblog this to clutter up my blog 😭 also, if you can't see your blog name anymore, it's either bc a.) Could no longer tag or b.) It changed to another user and i dont want to tag the wrong person in case you're not that person so pls tell me ahead of time who you are!!!

[musings-of-a-rose]

Jump Then Fall - Part 3

Pairing: Javier Peña x ofc “Vanessa Morales”

Word Count: 3600+

Rating: M for mature - 18+ only!

Warnings: Please be aware there is an 11 year age gap. Mature themes and some canon mentioned. Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story.

Notes: When the story starts, Vanessa is 19 and Javier is 30.

**Shoutout to @VaneMando15 for listening and bouncing ideas from me, and for her guidance with being a Latina herself. Without her, this wouldn’t even be a thing, just another line on my WIP spreadsheet. And also to my husband, who is also Latino and answered any questions I had (along with taking me to Colombia back in 2014). And to @wyn-n-tonic, who listened to my rambles and insecurities about writing an oc in first person.

**If you want to be added to the taglist, join here or let me know!

❤If you enjoy the fic, please consider giving me a warm beverage! (It is not required in any way!)

Jump Then Fall Masterlist

General Masterlist

Javier Peña Masterlist

<<Part 2<<

He's coming back. Chucho is bringing Javier back after 6 years. What do I say? How do I tell him he has a son who is already 6 years old? Will he even remember me? Will he want to be a part of mine and Alex's life or will he turn and run?

My mind spirals as I finish drying the last few pans before putting them away. I head upstairs, my brain going through a million different scenarios before I take a quick glance in the mirror. I smooth down my hair and put on a new outfit, a simple summer dress that goes down to my knees, and end up randomly tidying and cleaning the house, never settling on one spot.

I knew this day would come. I guess I just never thought about it specifically. 6 years ago, I was so sure of my choice not to tell him, that I wouldn't want him distracted in Colombia but I wouldn't want him to come home and resent us for forcing his choice. But a part of me, ok a large part of me, feels guilty for not giving him the choice.

I hear Chucho's truck pull up outside and my heart starts beating faster. The truck doors slam and muted voices make their way to the front door. I pick up the book on the counter in front of me and open it, my eyes not taking in a word but I didn't want to look like I was waiting around for them. For him.

"...'m fine. You don't have to b-baby me."

"I'm just trying to make sure you don't vomit on the clean floors."

He's drunk. I can tell by the way his words are slurred, his feet thunking across the wood floors in a sporadic pattern. Before I can move, he stumbles through the kitchen doorway, his eyes taking a few moments to focus on me.

"Who are you?"

My hearts sinks a little. I would've been surprised if he remembered me, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt.

"Vanessa."

He steps closer to me, his eyes scanning my body before settling on mine.

"Are you fucking my dad?"

"Uh, no. I-"

"Ok, Javi. Time for bed. Vanessa will be here later for you to question," Chucho claps his hands on Javier's shoulders and guides him towards the doorway.

"Ok, ok. I have more questions later, Vanessssssa."

I give him a little wave as he disappears through the doorway. Chucho struggles to get him up the stairs, but eventually the sounds of them arguing disappear and I'm left alone for the moment. I turn around, gripping the counter with both of my hands and take several deep breaths.

He doesn't remember me. Or maybe it's because he's drunk? How do I handle it now?

His eyes, though filled with the drink, held a lot of anger and regret. He's hurting. I can't imagine what he's seen or had to do in persuit of Escobar. Chucho walks back in, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Sorry about him. He doesn't usually get drunk like that."

I wave my hand. "It's fine. I imagine he's been through a lot."

"Still, it's not an excuse to act like an asshole...he's going to be out for a bit but I'm thinking hamburgers for dinner? Something greasy to help that hangover he's going to have."

"Sounds good."

Chucho studies me for a moment. "How are you?"

That's a good question. "I...I'm not entirely sure."

"You need to tell him."

I nod. "Of course. But I can't tell him when he's drunk."

He chuckles. "No, I suppose not. But soon, ok?"

I give him a small smile before moving to get out the ingredients to bake some hamburger buns. Chucho moves to the living room, the tv turning on a moment later. He flips the channel and the news report echoes through the doorway to me.

"Breaking news! Pablo Escobar has just been killed. This is live footage of the rooftop where he was killed by DEA agent Steve Murphy..."

I step into the living room, watching the live broadcast of the rooftops where the outline of a dead man lays splaid on the tiles, other men in tach vests surrounding him. A blonde man high fives someone as the news anchor continues their report. But then it dawns on me.

Javier is not there, finally catching Escobar after 6 years of chasing him. He's here. No wonder he's drunk. What happened?

"Why is Javier here, Chucho?"

He's quiet a moment. "I don't know."

I return to the kitchen, mixing the dough before forming the buns. I can't imagine working for 6 years trying to catch one of the most elusive men, only to be forced away at the very end, not even being allowed to be there for his capture. I'd lose my mind too. I know I need to tell him about Alex, but I also need to give him a moment with this.

But how long of a moment?

-------

It takes 3 days for Javier to come out of a drunken stupor. I hear his bedroom door open as he stumbles down the hall with a groan, the bathroom door closing behind him. I hear a slam from the bathroom, sounding like the toilet lid. I wipe my hands on my apron and head upstairs, hesitating for a moment outside of the bathroom door. I knock very gently.

"Javier? Are you alright?"

A grunt followed by another violent heaving sound answers me. I turn the handle, slowly pushing the door open as the heaving subsides. Javier slumps against the side of the bathtub, his hand moving around to find the handle to flush the toilet. His hair is rumpled, his eyes mostly closed, clad only in a pair of sweatpants. I walk over to the toilet and close the lid, flushing the toilet for him. His hand drops to his lap and he takes a couple of deep breaths.

"Thanks."

"Of course. Do you want help up?"

He cracks his eyes open and looks at me. "You're not my dad."

"That I am not."

He lifts his head, opening his eyes a little more before hissing and closing them, squeezing the bridge of his nose. "The fucking light is going to kill me."

"Well I can't do anything about the light coming in this window. But let's get you back to your room in bed. You'll feel better."

I wait a few moments while he gathers himself, extending my hand to help him up. He squints at me and I roll my eyes.

"Just take my hand. I'm stronger than I look."

He takes it and I have to hold back a gasp as his large hands engulf my small ones, the warmth from the contact sparking all sorts of thoughts and memories. I pull him to his feet and he leans on me as I help him back to his room, pulling back the sheets as he slides in. I pull all of his curtains firmly shut, only using the light from the hallway to see around. Javier settles into bed, groaning a little as he puts his hand on his stomach.

"I'll bring you some water and pain meds."

"Oh you don't have-"

"That wasn't a question."

I head back downstairs, getting a glass of water. I stop by the bathroom again, opening the medicine cabinet and getting out some pain meds. I also pull out the bottle of activated charcoal tablets that Chucho handed me shortly after Javier came home. He said they suck to choke down but they'd really help the hangover. I carry everything to his room, shaking out the right amount of charcoal tablets. Javier sits up with another groan, taking the pills and the glass of water.

"This isn't aspirin."

"No. It's activated charcoal. Chucho said it will really help your hangover. You can't take it with any meds though as it'll just absorb those."

"I'll just take the aspirin."

"I really think you need to take the charcoal."

He looks up at me. "I don't even know who you are why the fuck would I listen to you?"

"Because I just carried your stubborn self all the way from the bathroom after you puked your guts out. I'm just trying to help. Take the damn pills."

He studies me through squinted eyes. "Yes ma'am." He chokes down the pills and makes a disgusted face before drinking several sips of water. "Those taste terrible."

"I never claimed they tasted good. So let those do their work and get some rest. When you're ready, come downstairs and I'll make you something to eat."

He looks at me again, his eyebrows slightly furrowed together in concentration. "No really, who are you?"

"Vanessa. Now get some rest."

He lays back and I pull the blanket up, giving him a small smile when I catch him looking at me. I leave the room and head back downstairs, finishing up some of the lesson planning I was doing for the upcoming semester.

A few hours later, Javier comes downstairs, this time with a shirt. Although he only has the bottom 3 buttons done up. I'm not sure why he even bothered with a shirt. Not that I'm complaining. He stands there awkwardly, like he doesn't know what to do.

"Feeling better?" I ask, turning to face him from my stool at the kitchen island.

"Yeah. Those charcoal things worked really well."

"Good. I've never been hungover so I wasn't sure, but I figured Chucho knew what he was talking about. Are you hungry?"

"I uh...I'm not sure," his hand goes to his stomach, his face souring slightly.

I head over to the slow cooker on the counter. "I made some chicken noodle soup. If anything, you can sip on the broth?" I look over at him, his head cocked to the side, watching me.

"Javier?"

"What? Oh soup. Yeah. Sure."

I ladle him a bowl and grab some saltines and set them on a little plate next to his bowl and set it in front of him. I also set down a glass filled with cloudy looking water.

"Coconut water?" Javier asks skeptically.

I shrug. "My mom always gave it to me during and after a cold. Said it gave me back nutrients. I figure alcohol probably takes a fair amount of nutrients from you. So it should help."

"Hhmm. Guess we'll find out." He takes a tentative sip from the cup, licking his lips a little after. "Hey that's sitting alright."

I give him a small smile. "Good."

Before I can move, he grabs my arm and gives it a little squeeze, sending jolts of electricity through me. "Thank you."

"Y-you're welcome."

I sit and pull my planner and books to me, resuming my task of lesson planning. I can feel his eyes on me, like he's studying me. I wish he would find something else more interesting.

"What are you doing?"

I don't look up. "Lesson planning for this upcoming semester."

He takes a slurp of his soup and swallows it. "Teacher? Holy shit this soup is amazing."

I look up at him as he takes another bite, his eyes closing for a moment as he savors the soup.

"Yeah. I'm teaching 2nd grade this year."

"Sounds fun. Seriously, what did you do to this soup?"

"My mom taught me how to cook," My eyes sting and my heart hurts thinking of those memories.

"Well, she did a damn good job."

"Sometimes she got it right."

He looks up at me. "Oh. I'm sorry I touched a nerve."

I wave my hand. "It's ok. I've come to terms with it."

He sets his spoon down, all of his focus on me. His gaze is intense, that little furrow between his brow is back. "You look-"

"Good you're awake, puto. Put some pants on and come help me." Chucho walks in the back door, stomping his boots on the mat outside before stepping in.

"I don't know if I-"

"Come on, son. No more babying I gave you time. Now I need your young bones."

"You sound like a bruja." (witch). But Javier pushes back from the island and starts to grab his plate.

"Don't worry about it, I got it." I stand, leaning over to take the bowl and plate, noticing that he'd eaten all of it. "I have more if you want some."

His dark eyes bore into mine, fanning a flame inside of me. "I want whatever you give me, Vanessa."

SMACK! Chucho slaps Javier on the back of his head.

"What the fuck?"

"Stop flirting and come help me before these chickens run halfway to Mexico."

-------

Chucho and Javier are gone for a few more hours and return just as the sun is setting. I hang up the phone, having had my nightly call with Alex, who is having a blast at science camp. The men kick off their work boots and coats, trudging upstairs to shower.

"Dinner will be ready soon so don't take long!" I yell after them.

Chucho devours the steak I'd made him while Javier opts to have another couple bowls of soup. Before long, Chucho leans back, slapping his stomach.

"Well, I am tired. Gonna get an early sleep. Vanessa? Delicious, as usual. Night, everyone."

"Good night, Chucho."

While he heads upstairs, I start to clean up, Javier immediately moving to help me. I shake my head.

"Nope. I got this."

"I can help."

"Really, it's ok."

"Are you always this stubborn?

"Are you?"

He looks at me before he smirks, but then it's gone just as fast. Man am I fucked.

"I can dry?"

"I appreciate the offer, but really. I'm ok."

"Does washing the dishes relax you or something?"

I know he said it in jest, but now that I think about it, it kind of does. The warm, soapy water calms me down. Gives me space to think.

"Yeah sort of."

He puts his hands up. "Say no more. I don't want to intrude." Did he just wink at me? Javier heads from the kitchen and I hear the front door open, the screen door slapping closed behind him.

After I'm done with the dishes, I dry my hands, thinking. I grab another glass of coconut water and head towards the front door, hesitating for several moments before pushing open the screen. Javier sits on the swing bench, facing out to look over the front half of the farm, a cigarette lit and in between his fingers. He takes a long drag, his lips rounding to blow out the smoke.

"I thought you should hydrate again." I hold up the glass and he turns to look at me, his eyes coming back into focus. He beckons me to him and I walk up, handing him the glass.

"That's a nasty habit, you know," I nod towards the cigarette in his hand.

He shrugs. "You have your relaxing activity, and I have mine." Still, he leans forward and puts it out on the tray he'd set on the arm of the bench. "Come. Sit."

I take a breath and sit, our thighs nearly touching. The air feels electrified, like it's waiting for something to happen. We sit like this for a while, staring out at the cows grazing in the front fields, Javier lightly rocking the swing as he rolls his foot back and forth.

"Thank you for...everything. Taking care of me and..everything." He turns his head to look at me in the light coming in through the windows from the house.

"It's not a problem. Anyone would do it."

He snorts. "Not for me."

"And why not?"

He pauses a moment. "I'm not a good guy."

"Well I know that's not true. You're a great man, Javier." I place my hand on his forearm without thinking, and squeeze. He looks down at where I touch him, placing his hand over mine before looking at me.

"I'm really not. I just..." He trails off, his eyes sweeping over my face. "You...you look familiar. It's been killing me for days."

Well. Now is the time. For this confession, at least.

"That's because we know each other."

His brow furrows slightly. "I had a feeling. From where?"

It still hurts a little that he doesn't remember, even though I know it's a trauma response. Memory loss and PTSD can often go hand in hand.

"You...you gave me a rose, once."

Recognition immediately ripples over his face, his eyes widening, his eyebrows raising a little as he shifts his body to face me.

"Vanessa? From the bar? Right before I left for Colombia?"

I smile nervously. "That's me."

"Summer of new things Vanessa?"

I nod. "Yup. Me."

His eyes are twinkling now, a small smile creeping up his face. "Holy shit! I never thought I'd see you again. It was so hard to walk away from you that morning. The only thing that did it was the fact that the DEA would come down on me hard for missing that flight." His eyes soften the longer he looks in mine and for a moment, we're both transported back to that night, the night he opened up my world.

"H-how are you?" He's hesitant, but his eyes are wide and curious.

"Not bad."

"How did you end up here? I thought you were going back to-" he waves his hand around trying to think. "Austin?"

"Corpus Christi."

He snaps his fingers. "That was it."

Do I tell him about Alex? About being a father? Something inside me tells me to wait. To only surprise Javier with one thing at a time. He's been through so much and the last thing I want to do is pile more on top of that.

"It's a long story but I...got pregnant and my parents..well, they didn't approve. Out of wedlock. Anyway, they kicked me out and I uh, ended up here. Chucho I guess took pity on me and gave me a place to stay. I offered to cook and clean for him which of course he argued against, but," I shrug. "And so I stayed. He demanded I return to college and get my teaching degree I had been working on and he babysat Alex while I did. I owe him so much. My life, basically. I don't know how I'll be able to repay him."

His eyes grew serious. "You're parents kicked you out pregnant?"

I nod. "Yeah."

"That's fucked. Sorry, but it is."

I shrug. "They were the kind of parents that would scrub my mouth out with soap and make me repeat scripture if I had nail polish on so I guess I'm not surprised. I've made peace with it."

"Still. I'm sorry that happened to you."

"Thanks."

We sit in silence for another few moments, one weight on my chest lifted but a very heavy one still remaining.

"The dad didn't help?"

Here's your chance, Vanessa. You can tell him now, despite everything. Tell him. TELL. HIM.

"He...He had other things to do."

Javier scoffs. "What an asshole."

I shake my head vehemently. "No, it's not..they were very important."

"More important than knocking up a young woman?"

"I think so."

"I'm sure."

I turn to face him more directly. "What if it was yo-"

RING RING! RING RING!

The phone cuts through our conversation, forcing an ending that I wasn't ready for. Javier attempts to stand but I put my hand out.

"It might be Alex. I've got it."

I feel his eyes on me as I go inside, answering the phone quickly. It wasn't Alex but some automated political message and I grunt, hanging up the phone in frustration. I should go back outside and explain everything to him, confess it all, but I don't. I do peak my head back outside and call his name, momentarily flustered when he looks at me.

"It was some political something."

"I fucking hate those."

"I'm going upstairs. Drink that coconut water." I point to the untouched glass in his hand and he holds it up towards me.

"Yes, ma'am."

-------

>>Chapter 4>>

General Taglist:

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[peko-peko-pekun]

moorre roblox free draw stuff. alex edition (ft. adam)

+ vandalism, courtesy of my friend and bonus (past) adam doodles. with another oc of mine.

[whatdoidosatoru]

The Rock Show

Part 5 of The Only Exception

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - ao3

pairing: Keisuke Baji x OC (reader)

wc: 4.1k

tags: fluff, boyfriend! baji, other toman members mentioned, bathroom sex, smut, fingering, semi-public sex, choking, unprotected sex

summary: another friday night, another emo nite

music:

The Rock Show - blink-182

Stay With Me - You Me At Six

Perfect Weapon - Black Veil Brides

Somewhere in Neverland - All Time Low

Knives and Pens - Black Veil Brides

Backseat Serenade - All Time Low

The River - Good Charlotte

18+, MDNI

Yuna

The weekend went by at an insane speed, one moment I was drooling on Keisuke’s (my boyfriend’s!!!!) pillow, and the next I had to work to cover Mai’s Monday shift. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that I was officially a girlfriend now. The group chat already had stupid jokes and memes ready. 

Mondays at the cinema mostly consisted of taking inventory, organising, and cleaning to prepare for the busier days of the week. Today was no exception. Since there would be fuck-all to do, I was taking over the box office and concession stand with one more girl, and the two of us could just chat about anything in between the very few people coming in to get served.

I was just in the middle of getting sprayed with boiling hot oil from the popcorn maker when familiar voices caught my attention.

“Draken-kuuuuun get me the biggest popcorn there areeee!”

“I already told you I’d get you snacks, shut up already!”

“Don’t be unnecessarily mean to me, just get me food.”

The voices stopped when I turned around and greeted them with a big grin.

“Hey guys, stalking me much?”

“Yuna-chan! We didn’t expect you to be working here today!” Mikey all but ran towards my register, leaving Draken to saunter over shaking his head.

“Yes we did, Mikey, you said you hoped Yuna would give you extra popcorn because you’re best friends now.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at them, “What can I get you, boys?”

They argued about the seats for the film probably for about five minutes, in the end choosing the seats I had recommended in the beginning anyway. 

Mikey couldn’t decide on what he wanted to eat, despite Draken’s insisting on picking a sweet snack because he’d have popcorn anyway.

I ended up serving them the largest popcorn with the largest drinks, extra Kit-Kats (oops I guess I’ll write them off), and told them to come back for refills whenever and not to tell anyone about it. After some shameless flirting with Alex - my coworker, Mikey agreed to be dragged inside to watch the film.

After running around and working my ass off on Wednesday, all because some stupid new popular film was coming out, I came home around midnight and immediately collapsed onto my bed, groaning in frustration when I felt my phone vibrate.

I picked up, still groaning because I was forced to move.

“Hmm what?”

“Is this the famous ‘boyfriend treatment’ I keep hearing about?”

“Keiiiii I’m so fucking tired and can’t be fucked to move.”

“Not even to open the door for your knight in shining….hoodie and jeans?”

With a grunt I hung up and scrambled out of bed, my work uniform still on me, albeit slightly unbuttoned.

When I opened the door, my mood slightly improved, Keisuke was standing there, a sight for sore eyes with his hair flowing down his shoulders, eyes softening as they met mine, his canines poking out through the grin that spread on his face.

“Brought you something,” he lifted his hand that held a brown paper bag, “the juiciest strawberries I could find at the fruit stand and some peach ice tea.”

I managed a smile as I reached to embrace him and inhale his scent, melding into him. 

“Rough day?” He murmured into my hair.

I only grunted in response.

“You still have popcorn pieces in your hair, I’d recommend showering before bed.”

He dragged me to the bathroom and helped me out of my clothes before I stepped into the bath. I started adjusting the temperature when he dropped his clothes onto the laundry hamper and stepped into the bath with me, his hair pulled back into a top-knot.

It felt so relaxing being splashed with hot water, the temperature of which might cook a person alive, but my muscles definitely greeted the heat with gratitude.

Keisuke helped me pick out popcorn kernels out of my hair, reached for my shampoo, and started massaging my scalp. 

After finishing with my hair, he moved to my body, even though I felt the need to do it myself, I couldn’t stop admiring him and watching him lather me with shower gel and explore my body in a new kind of way.

When I was clean, he leaned into me and embraced me under the hot stream of the shower, I wished we could stay like this for hours. 

Now, wrapped in a fluffy towel, I lay on my bed with Keisuke’s head resting on my lap. He was listening to me rant about stupid people from today, chuckling every time I mentioned a sassy remark that I definitely should not have said in front of them.

His hand was absent-mindedly stroking my leg, and no matter how much it tickled at times, I didn’t want him to stop. 

“I was hoping to catch you just before you got home so you wouldn’t have to get up to open the door, but I stopped by a convenience store to get you that drink.”

I nearly choked drinking my iced tea.

“You’re insanely considerate, you know that?”

“I missed you a lot, Chifuyu was getting on my nerves today asking where you were and why I hadn't seen you since Monday,” he grabbed a strawberry from the tray that was sitting on the bed next to us and took a small bite of it, “so I had to do something considering I wasn’t working today and I knew you’d be dead tired since that nerd-ass film is coming out.”

“Fucking superheroes.” I shook my head and reached for a strawberry.

“Fucking superheroes.” Keisuke agreed and lifted his head off my lap, leaning over to kiss my strawberry-stained lips.

Thursday was spent in grim anticipation of my exam results for the next day with reassurance from Keisuke peppered in throughout the day.

He made sure to send me a photo of every animal he encountered at work, sometimes he managed to film particularly friendly puppies all the while pretending the dogs were talking to me and encouraging me.

What ever had I done in my past life to deserve this kindness?

“ *in baby voice* ...I heard Yuna gives the best head scratches and her butt smells good! *normal voice* Hey pal that’s my girlfriend you’re talking about! You’re not going anywhere near her butt. She does smell good though.”

With a pat on the dog’s head, he turned the camera towards his face and flashed me a big grin with his adorable canines poking out before stopping the video.

The nervous knot in my stomach turned into a swarm of butterflies with every new message he was sending me, threatening to turn me into a mess of giggles in class.

After my lessons, I met up with Mai at the gym. She took my mind off of the exam results completely by hyping me up for tomorrow’s party. If anything, it seemed she was even more excited to go than last time.

“What did you get up to after we left last time?” I got my water bottle and bag, ready to go home.

“Oh I ended up making out with a very cute blondie and that’s about it. Hung out with Asami when she arrived.”

I nearly choked on my spit. “You didn’t tell me you made out with someone?!”

She just shrugged, “Didn’t think it was a big deal, wouldn’t mind seeing them again, but you know I’d rather get my bachelor’s degree before getting into any relationships.”

I gave her the most evil side-eye I could muster up. Hiding shit like that from me after pestering me about every detail of my then-hook-up with Keisuke?

Unbelievable.

On Friday what woke me up wasn’t the familiar scream of Andy Biersack, but my normal ringtone.

“Hmm?” There was still sleep in my eyes, my head was fuzzy, and my voice sounded like I slept for five years.

“Just a final reminder that you’ve got this shit and I’m so proud of you!”

“Kei-Keisuke? What time is it?” I fumbled around to check the time.

“It’s one minute before your alarm because I wanted to hear that sleepy voice this morning.”

“You’re so cheesy, but good luck with your exam today. I can’t wait to see you later.”

“Exam, schmexam. It’s the easiest unit, I’m not sweating about it. I’m still okay to come over while you’re getting ready, right?”

Keisuke and Chifuyu were coming over to our place tonight after Mai and I finished getting our nails done - something we’ve been putting off for a week at this point.

With another round of reassurance from both of us, some air kisses, and promises we’d see each other soon, we hung up the phone and I shot out of bed to get ready with a burst of energy I didn’t normally get in the morning.

~

“Why are you so fucking boring?” My request was always met with disapproval by Asami.

She had been doing my nails for two years now, and almost every single time I asked for the same thing - keep my natural length, shape them into almonds with a slightly sharper tip, paint them black, and make them glossy.

Every time I said it, she groaned in exasperation. 

“At least try to experiment every now and then. Boring bitch.” She yanked my hand towards herself and started working on them, grumbling into her electric file. 

Mai was in the process of removing her own polish, already having her inspiration pictures ready. Asami was an absolute queen for dealing with us and she always delivered the best results.

“Hana told me the exam was ass, how did you do?” She looked up from my freshly shaped claws.

“Not too bad, I got 86% on it, but I know I could’ve done better.”

To be honest, the result was a relief. I needed 75% just for a pass, and our professors liked handing out negative points left and right for every single stupid little mistake.

Hana got a slightly worse mark than me, but she had been preparing to re-sit the exam anyway, so 80% wasn’t a big deal for her.

Yuna🖤💙, 18:12

[1 image attachment] what do we thinkkkkkkkkk

Loverboy, 18:12

AWOOOOGAAAA BARKBARK BARK BARK BARKBARK WOOF WOOF BARK WOOF Uhhh they look really good c: They will look EXQUISITE wrapped around my-

Yuna🖤💙, 18:13

youre a menace now were matching

Loverboy, 18:54

Wdym I’m totally normal about you c: Are you done and on the way back?

Yuna🖤💙, 18:55

waiting for asami to take pics and then were getting food should be back around 7 see you then? <3

Loverboy, 18:56

Of course, sweets. We’re bringing drinks <3

~

With our bellies full, we made our way home to start mentally preparing for a night out. With Mai’s shit sleep schedule, she was going to replace half of her blood with energy drinks, while I might try to raw-dog the night with just coffee.

I buzzed the guys in as soon as they rang the bell, opened the door, and waited for them to climb up to the flat.

“Damn, Yuna, couldn't you have got an apartment that didn’t require this much exercise?” Chifuyu’s complaining reached me before his face did. 

“Fufu, I think you need to start going to the gym with me, bud.”

I hugged him before getting enveloped in a tight embrace from Keisuke. He kissed my forehead before releasing me and smacking my ass as I ushered them into the flat.

“I knew your exam would go well, you’re just a hater and your own skills and knowledge are not exempt from it.”

I rolled my eyes, but my grin did not leave my face. 

Everything was going well and I was about to go expel all my pent-up energy on the dance floor, screaming along to my favourite songs from the top of my lungs. And after that, I’d be going home with the most gorgeous guy I’d ever laid my eyes on.

I was getting giggly just glancing at him walking through our flat and making his way to my bedroom where I had already laid out a few potential outfits.

A ripped band t-shirt, fishnet sleeves, ripped denim shorts and knee-high socks; a black-and-white striped T-shirt under dark dungarees; the ripped pair of fishnets I wore last time, a black skater skirt, and an oversized (but slightly distressed) Simple Plan T-shirt.

My desk was normally laden with various research materials and dictionaries, but now all that was put away and replaced by heaps of makeup and hair products.

Chifuyu started rummaging through the hair products with unbounded curiosity while Keisuke pondered my outfit choices, lifting some of the pieces and pressing them against my body to visualise them better. 

His outfit for tonight was a black-and-grey striped T-shirt over black jeans and his Converse. He had some black necklaces peeking over the collar of his shirt.

His black hair was soft and flowing a little past his shoulders, it looked so inviting, so ready for me to card my hands through it, tugging on it lightly to draw out soft moans from his soft lips…

“Well?” His eyebrow was raised in question.

“Uhh what?” Very smooth, dumbass.

“I said, how about the skirt? I think my hands will be busy most of the night but if it comes down to it I can fight.”

Oh.

“Skirt it is then.” I put the rest of the clothes away and started on my makeup. 

Mai walked out of the bathroom followed by a strong scent of hairspray and went into her bedroom to get dressed while the three of us were chatting in my room.

Chifuyu was trying to pin his hair up into a sort of mohawk and Keisuke was lazily stroking my thigh as he sat on the floor next to my chair.

“Kanji did you bring the energy drinks you promi-” Mai’s words were cut off when she walked in and her gaze paused on Chifuyu.

“Oh…hey,” her usually cocky and vibrant personality became flustered, “you must be Chifuyu, right?”

“Uhh hi. Yeah, that’s me.” Chifuyu replied, looking up at Mai.

The tension could be cut with a knife.

“Okay, what’s wrong with you two? Spill.” Keisuke commanded.

With an awkward tone, Mai explained this was the blondie she made out with at the last event. Chifuyu was fiddling with the collar of his black unbuttoned shirt so much that he didn’t even notice all three of us were now staring at him.

Mai with a flushed face, Keisuke and I with amused smirks. After the most awkward silence I’d ever participated in throughout my entire life, Chifuyu met Mai’s gaze and gave her a small smile.

“I’m not going to make a big deal out of it if you won’t.”

Mai’s lips stretched into a grin and she sat down on my bed, grabbed an energy drink from the bag the boys brought, and joined the conversation from before.

Both boys let me put eyeliner on them and smudge it for a more edgy look. Keisuke even let me style his hair - I pulled the top half of his hair into a topknot, and let the rest flow free.

He looked absolutely incredible, if we didn’t have somewhere to be, I’d take him on my bed right there, right then.

~

It was already nearly ten pm by the time we were ready to leave, but Mai shouted at us to shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down so she can take pictures of us. I even brought my Polaroid camera to take a few photos with it.

Keisuke leaned over and whispered into my ear to get him his phone from my bed and when I reached it and turned it over, I was greeted with my own smiling face snug behind his clear phone case. 

It was that photo he took from our fridge that first night. He pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head, I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of him looking at that photo and smiling at it like I did at the one I took of him…two weeks ago.

Mai took a few pictures of us next to each other, a few of us kissing (with the comments flying from behind the camera to get a room), and a few cringe 2013-tumblr-pose photos we couldn’t help but try to recreate.

~

In front of the event venue, we met up with the rest of Keisuke’s friends who agreed to come again, Mai tried not to smack Keisuke’s shoulder after he introduced her as my best friend Mikasa.

Mikey, Draken, and Mitsuya all seemed excited this time around, probably because this time they knew more than one person there.

“Woah, Takashi, when did you get that tattoo done?” I was shocked to see a dragon tattoo on the side of his head, one to match Draken’s. Mitsuya’s hair was pulled to the side with some bobby pins, not quite long enough to be braided away from the dragon.

“You like it? I’ve had it for ages, but somebody,” he pointedly looked over to Draken, “said I had to cover it up because he had the same one. And because he bought the design from me. But anyway…”

“Don’t forget to say I bought it from you!” Draken shouted over Mikey’s head and headed towards us.

“I just said that, can’t you hear me from up there?”

By the time we got inside, the dancefloor was nearly full. A big group of people was in the centre, already rowdy and drunk.

I grabbed Keisuke’s hand and weaved through the crowd to get to the DJ corner to say hello to Hana and Asami. 

Keisuke dragged me to the dancefloor as soon as Knives and Pens came on so we could scream along to it. He held my lower back while we danced, pressing me closer to him.

I kept looking up at him, his smudged eyeliner making him look more mysterious, his raven hair was falling around both our faces, creating a little bubble just for us in which we could kiss away from the prying eyes of people around us. 

I excused myself from him to find Mai and go to the bathroom. There weren’t many women at this party yet, so, luckily for us, the toilets were shockingly mostly empty.

I opted for the stall on the opposite side of the entrance so I could do my business in peace and Mai just wanted to freshen up her face.

There was a sudden knock on the door when I finished, so I pulled up my panties and opened the door. I nearly walked into a figure taller than me, I started panicking, realising this wasn’t Mai, but on a second look, I realised it was Keisuke.

In the women’s toilets.

He pressed a finger to his lips, and I swallowed a protest that was on the tip of my tongue. He pushed me back into the stall and locked the door behind us. When my back met the wall, I let out a small squeak, to which he responded by pressing his lips to mine to keep me from making any noise.

His hands travelled across my body, squeezed my boobs a few times, and then down to the hem of my skirt. One of his hands grabbed my ass and pulled me up to jump and lock my legs behind him while the other found my clit and started rubbing over my panties.

He felt the lacy texture of the pair I bought that day I visited his work the first time and broke the kiss to have a look at them.

They were black with red ribbons threaded through the lace, he couldn’t see the red bow on the back. His gaze was focused on my eyes, he looked hungry.

“It’s like you knew this would happen. Did you put them on to rile me up?”

His voice was raspy in my ear, it made me feel so needy. 

I could only nod in response. He groaned and attached his lips back to mine, hungrily swallowing all the moans that were spilling out of me. The hand that was under my skirt pushed my panties to the side, revealing my already wet pussy.

He pushed two fingers inside me, deepening the kiss to meet my moans as he pumped in and out of me. When my breaths got quicker, he removed his fingers and put them on my tongue, watching me as I licked the slick off them, swirling my tongue over and around his fingers.

“Good girl, are you okay taking my cock now?” His husky voice purred in my ear.

In response I closed my mouth around his fingers and sucked them in, nodding at the same time.

He deftly unbuttoned his jeans with one nimble hand, not letting his gaze move away from my face - and I didn’t want those gorgeous brown eyes to stop staring at me like this.

He tucked himself inside of me exceptionally easily, this entire situation caused quite a flood in me. I nearly let out a gasp when I heard the door open and a few female voices carrying through the air.

I looked at Keisuke in panic, but he put his hand over my mouth and grinned like a demon. He pressed me harder into the wall and began moving himself in and out of me.

My eyes rolled back, nearly closing at the attempts to not make a single sound apart from the faint slapping sound of his skin on mine.

When the voices trailed out of the bathroom I knew it was just us now. I let myself moan just a little bit, but the noise made Keisuke slow down to a painfully lazy rhythm.

“You’d better keep those noises down, sweetheart, otherwise I’m pulling out and that’s it for tonight.”

He was so evil, smiling as my own hand was now pressed tightly against my mouth and my throat was working overtime to not let any sounds escape.

Keisuke chuckled at my desperation as his hips slammed into mine, he held my hips so tightly I might have bruises to remember this night by.

He snaked one of his hands to rest around my neck, closing in and applying enough pressure to make me bite my lip in order to stop the most sinful moans known to mankind.

He got close to my face to ghost his lips over mine, all the while my eyes could barely stay open slightly to take in the view in front of me. His hair was falling out of the topknot on his head, the rest of it now stuck to his neck from sweat, and the eyeliner under his eyes smudged to perfection, making him look dangerous and hot.

He was losing his composure now, gasping into my ear and whispering.

“I knew you’d look so fucking hot in that skirt. I couldn’t just let you wear it without fucking you in it.”

I mewled at his words, gasping for air as his hand pressed on my neck tighter and his hips were moving mercilessly. 

“And the fishnets…you knew what you were doing to me, didn’t you, sweetheart?”

I managed to smile a little before contorting into another moan as he slammed his hips into me. His thrusts became more erratic as I clenched around his dick.

Keisuke groaned and pressed a little harder on my neck to make me roll my eyes back and moan even louder.

“Are you gonna cum for me, Yuna?”

I could only nod in response as I came apart only seconds before he slammed into me the final time, spilling inside of me. He was breathing heavily, but it didn’t stop him kissing me with all the breath he had left.

He pulled out of me and I nearly dropped, but his arms held me up. I tried to get some wet wipes to clean up, but he beat me to it.

After cleaning up his cum leaking out of me, Keisuke kissed my forehead, a complete 180 from just minutes ago.

I grabbed his hand and led us out of the toilets since I heard they were playing The River by Good Charlotte and I needed to shout into his ear that I loved that song for a bit of a flashback.

taglist: @bontensbabygirl @mrsryuguji I'm so sorry it took this long :| I'm visiting home and it's never quiet enough so I can write, hope you like it either way c:

[nulll-n-voiid]

Happy artfight everybody! I did not manage to get as many attacks out as I wanted (just couldn't get myself to sit down and work a majority of the month so I'm gonna make sure I do more next year!) But I did manage to make these!

Featuring @icarusaced 's oc Paz with my own two tc ocs Jordan Everett and Eric Caden

I noticed that Paz was a pediatrician and I had the idea to draw him with my own pediatricians ^^

I love the way the shading turned out, I don't typically do full scenes like this. They're all on break at the park.

Featuring:

Top: Paz Molina ( @icarusaced ), Ciel Hunter ( @tezlacoyle666 ), Eric Caden (mine)

Middle: Keiko Hayashi ( @dandelionmoths ), Alex Blackwell ( @demonslushh ), Cody Chase ( @icarusaced ), Toya Lawton (mine)

Front: Jordan Everett (mine)

Again, love how it turned out. I was actually super worried I wasn't gonna be able to finish it in time so I'm super proud I managed to get it done! ^^

Again, another thing I don't typically draw often is many characters all at once so so proud of it.

[coolcattime]

heyy i saw u reblogged the "please ask me abt my ocs" post, so. here is me asking about your ocs! gimme the deets

WARNING THIS IS 8,600 WORDS LONG

So in originally trying to answer this, I ended up just overwhelming myself because I have a lot of OCs and as it turns out trying to write everything about them all at once caused me anxiety and that was incredibly silly for an ask that was meant to, like, bring joy (which it did). So I've decided to just start again and focus on more simple descriptions. Some of these OCs are mine, some of Atlas’ (@theiratlas) and two are Alex's (@gayb0wsr). And I've colour coded them to easily show whose is whose and I've grouped them in a way they're grouped the only story that features all of them at once.

Below the cut is 31 backstories for 31 OCs! They are vaguely sorted - though sorted in a way that they are grouped the same way they are in the only story where all of them appear. So while the groups have titles, the titles don’t matter all that much and were mostly for me to keep track of the groups.

Also here is art of them all! All the art has reference links under the cut and was all either drawn by myself, friends, done in picrews, or commissioned. Basically, these are all images made just for these characters ^-^

To just explain a tiny bit about the world of Libris, The Great Book. It is, as the name does imply, a flat world in the shape of a book. It was originally created as a custom D&D world that now is just kinda a hub world for all the OCs.

Balor Crew

Idric Ba'lor (He/Him) - Tiefling Glamour Bard - Early to mid twenties

Art reference: https://coolcattime.tumblr.com/post/746469835526078464/ive-finally-had-the-brain-space-to-draw-so-ive 

The merchant captain of the Balor, having hand-picked her crew since he took the position.

He was taken in by the previous captain after escaping a compound of religious zealots that were enslaving tieflings. He named himself after the ship.

Was taught his musical skills (violin and singing) by the tieflings looking after him in the camp, but his bardic talents are entirely self-taught.

Incredibly powerful Bard, probably the most powerful Bard on Libris. Beat the headmistress of a Bard College in a violin contest when he was a child (said headmistress now hates him with a burning passion). Has created spells.

Mostly a merchant/con-artist (depending on who you ask) but also is very much an adventurer for hire. But above all else, Idric considers himself a storyteller and prefers to tell the stories of others rather than his own.

Medli Mistwalker Ba’lor (She/Her) - Water Genasi Whispers Bard - Late teens to early twenties

Art reference: https://coolcattime.tumblr.com/post/722939088269901824/a-little-redrawvery-slight-redesign-of-my-oc 

Was raised on the island of Mistwalker within the walls of Mistwalker College as the prodigy of the schools Headmistress Lady Clarissa Mistbreaker.

Was abused and bullied throughout her life which led to her being a pacifist.

Met Idric when they were kids and he tried to con her. Medli ended up hiding under the stall table when teachers came looking for her and Idric lied to them about not seeing her. This situation ended up with Idric beating Clarissa in a violin contest and him gifting Medli the item he had been trying to con her into buying. The two have been friends since and Medli frankly idolised Idric.

Medli ends up running away from Mistwalker when a “test” turns out to be a fight to the death between herself and another student. She's found half-dead by Idric and Anastasia who are thankfully able to heal her.

Now works as Idric’s apprentice and is a lot happier. Ends up changing her last name to Ba'lor due to disliking having a connection to a place that caused her pain.

Knows a lot about magical theory and is doing research to try and bring back lost magic. 

Anastasia Gulp (She/Her) - Merfolk Twilight Cleric - Early twenties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1414503

The navigator of the Balor.

A lot more comfortable in the water than she is on land. Very skilled deep sea diver and navigator, mostly on instinct.

Very typically doesn't realise she is included in a group unless it is directly specified. 

Will often say that her parents are great adventurers and that’s why they abandoned her. This is not true and she is not very convincing about said fact.

Despite appearances has had a very normal life. Doesn’t know where her cleric powers came from.

Myla Soliel (She/Her) - Simic Paladin - Late twenties to early thirties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331

Hired security aboard the Balor.

Originally a human, but when she was a kid she left to work for Dr Braedan Thaxx - a scientist who had burnt every other bridge the scientific community had to offer attempting apparently impossible research - who fused her with features from other humanoid origins, animals, and monsters to create a superhuman bodyguard.

She worked with Thaxx for her entire adult life until, without warning, his research concluded and he never contacted her again, completely abandoning her.

She ended up working as a mercenary for hire, which led to her getting hired by Clarissa to kidnap Medli. She successfully did this, but was talked out of actually completing the job by Medli. When Idric arrived to find her breaking the legs of the college merchant that had come to collect Medli and hired her as security for the ship. 

Altair Delphine (They/Them) - Aasimar Divination Wizard - Late Teens to Early Twenties

Art references:

https://frolis-maneuver.tumblr.com/commissions

https://ko-fi.com/aurelia_r?action=gallery

A divination wizard that uses tarot cards as a magical focus. They are also quite gifted in regular non-magical divination using the cards. 

Altair was once enrolled in the most prestigious magical school on Libris: The Penattrey Embark Academy. Despite being intelligent and an incredibly natural divinator, formal education led to them being perpetually stressed. They ended up leaving to avoid seeing their exam results and think about their future for another second.

They briefly attended Mistwalker College as a “non-taught specialty student”, where they met Medli. However they left not long after Medli did due to their stress in formal education not having disappeared overnight, or over many nights (or ever), and due to Mistwalker sucking in general. 

They end up staying in a tavern in a small town run by a friendly elderly dwarven couple. They attempted to earn money by doing tarot readings, but didn't actually advertise they were doing this and any curious patrons found Altair’s bedside manner lacking even if their information proved correct. Needless to say, they didn't actually earn much money. 

They assumed they were being sneaky and koy in not paying their tab - the couple was actually just letting them stay for free, going along with Altair’s antics. 

They ended up reuniting with Medli kinda randomly and getting a job as an assistant on the Balor to help on market days (and get roped into helping out on adventures).

They also ended up as the apprentice of the head of a mysterious magic guild known as Atlanta. They did not apply for nor ask for this job, but it pays well and very very little is expected from them so they have accepted the situation. 

Storm's Rest

Katherine Delaney (She/Her) - Half-Elf (Eladrin) Wild Magic Sorcerer - Mid to Late Twenties

Art reference: My current WIP

The adopted daughter of the human noble family of Storm's Rest.

At a young age she was exposed to an extremely high level magic that left her blind and with an overwhelming magical force within her body. Her father found a source of magic water that with a small ritual could be turned into eye drops so she could see, though she needs to apply the eye drops every day.

The massive amount of magic in her left with wild magic surges that occurred no matter what type of magical training she attempted. She ended up honing her powers as a sorcerer to gain some control over this with the help of her mother who is learning this alongside her daughter. 

As part of a family tradition, she goes off to adventure for a while after becoming an adult. This ended up in tragedy as Katherine and her party were captured by a green dragon and its cult. One of Katherine’s friends was eaten, the other lost a leg, and her brother (who came to rescue her) lost an eye. Worse, the dragon and the cult leader both escaped alive.

Katherine ends up with survivor's guilt over the situation, especially as she ended up with no long term injuries. She ends up unable to stand remaining at home and taking off in the middle of the night hoping she can prove herself somehow. 

In practice this looked a lot like hiding in a tavern three towns over until a cute (please read as: weird) mushroom girl, claiming to be her retainer, showed up. 

Rupert Delaney (He/Him) - Human Swarm Ranger - Late Twenties to Early Thirties

Art reference:

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/582810

The biological heir of the Delaney noble family, and Katherine's older brother. 

Typically seen with a charm of hummingbirds following him which fight with him in combat.

He's stopped adventuring since the dragon incident, deciding to focus on learning to run the family shipping business, rather than risking worsening his injuries. Despite his happy-go-lucky nature and less than stellar academic history, he’s found great success in this.

He has always been incredibly protective of Katherine, and is incredibly worried about her since the dragon incident and her disappearance having been a big part of hiring Leontine as Katherine’s retainer.

Leontine O'Dora (She/Her) - Wood Elf Spore Druid - Definitely Always Twenty-Four Exactly, No More, No Less, 24 mmhmm exactly yes, that’s what that guy said that one time, i think it was a good year ago now. He said I looked twenty four and he wore a cravat so you have to assume he knew his stuff :))) 

Art reference:

https://x.com/Edlinklover?t=GRwLt_wHWVqEj369CDl0zA&s=09

https://www.tumblr.com/gayb0wsr

Leontine woke up in an abandoned mushroom infested estate with no memory of who she was and with a wound in her chest that had been infested with and closed by mushrooms.

The mushrooms spoke to her, greeting her as a friend, and acted as a guide when she realised she wanted to leave wherever she was. 

For a while, she adventured around the general wilderness surrounding the city she had woken up in. She was oddly skilled with a quarterstaff and the mushrooms aided her with necrotic damage and absurd necromantic powers. She was immediately a more than formidable fighter. 

She made enough of a name for herself as a fighter that she was approached about becoming a retainer for the daughter of a local noble family. She went to look into this job, however when she arrived she was given an apology. The daughter had disappeared, and the best detectives in the city currently had no leads. Leontine offered to track her down with the help of the mushrooms, an idea that was not really believed by anyone but the son but the family couldn't exactly turn down help. 

Leontine found Katherine a few towns over without taking a singular wrong turn. Though Katherine was not exactly hiding, she definitely did not expect to be found. She definitely was not ready to return home. Leontine decided that this was fine as her job was to be her retainer so as long as she stayed with Katherine, she was doing her job. She did however persuade Katherine to send her family updates to let them know she was safe. The two have been travelling together since and have been dating since shortly after the arrangement began.

Marshanne “Marsh”  Springharrow (She/Her & He/Him) - Hagkin Warlock - Late Teens

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1564386

The created child to a powerful yet closed coven - designed to the most powerful hag there ever was. The coven began “training” her at a very young age in advanced polyphormic magic, giving her nearby towns folk to “play with” (traumatise). 

As Marshanne grows a little older and more of a problem to the local populus, he becomes a folkloric type monster to the nearby town, which very much makes her kinda sad. 

A renowned magic school then approaches the coven with the proposal of using and educating Marsh in exchange for studying his powers. The coven agrees but makes it very clear that they will come back to retrieve her as soon as she begins her transformation into a full hag and that even the school will not be powerful enough to stop her once it begins. 

Marshanne, upon waking up in the school, is told that he is being given a choice: accept the pact with the school’s patron to supercharge her powers, be given top tier support and care from the staff all while allowing her to do good in the school's name before being killed kindly when her transformation begins or to be horrifically slaughtered in front of the student body as an invading monster.

Marshanne accepts this, desperately wanting to be a hero and the school reserves the right to take that “kindness” whenever they see fit. After a year or so of this dynamic Marsh is sent on placement to support / learn under Rupert Delaney as he rebegins adventuring after an unknown hiatus. Rupert does not believe in the school’s binary regarding Marsh’s life, though will figure those details out later.

Rupert is also the person to give Marshanne, his usual nickname, Marsh.  

The Cult Busters

Anshide Munroe (She/Her) - Drow Twilight Cleric - Forties (mid three hundreds)

Art reference: https://neuroticdoodle.tumblr.com/

Born in a particularly religious drow city, Anshide grew up with a number of clear rules. The absolute clearest being that no one was allowed to leave and that there was only one acceptable deity to follow. When she was approaching adulthood, she found an abandoned book on a different deity, one of the star deities of Libris.

Anshide became infatuated by what she read, and secretly began to pray to this new goddess. When her secret was discovered, she was arrested and ultimately exiled from the city. From there she left the tunnels under the World Mountains to the surface of Libris where she saw the stars for the first time and was amazed.

She was blessed by the goddess she was exiled for as a cleric and ended up working for a number of years as a mercenary. During this work she met the man who would become her husband - Himo.

The two settled down and ended up having a child - Kaya - before her past ended up returning. An inquisition from her birth city, tracking down those they had previously exiled to be made an example of to help cement the rule of a new priestess. 

Realising the risk they posed to her family, she found a place for them to hide while she took on more mercenary work to keep herself on the move with armed company. And it worked well enough, but it was not a real solution. 

After far too long of having to build her strength, Anshide returned to the city where she was raised and found the priestess. With power and experience behind her, Anshide gave a very clear ultimatum: stop with the crusade on the exiles or she would burn the priestess and the church to dust with starlight. 

What precisely happened, Anshide kept to herself, but she returned to her family. Rather she returned to where they should've been, that was now a house ransacked, walls and floors covered in symbols and runes that she didn't recognise. In the centre of it all was her husband's severed hand.

She set off to find her family, ready to track down every cult in Libris if need be. 

Rhell O'Hara (she/her & zu/zuff) - Human Zombie Fighter - Late Teens to Very Early Twenties

Art reference: 

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1342558

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1419391

Rhell’s mom raised her, trying to avoid exposing Rhell to her real job, a back alley doctor for a mob who’s dealings focused on anthropomancy, information dealings, blackmail, and general assorted mafioso nonsense.  

As Rhell got older and their relationship grew more strained, Rhell learnt to vent this anger physically growing to love sport and develop more into a regular person. Unfortunately this is also when Rhell’s mum’s role within the mob grew and she began to rely on Rhell’s help to do so. 

Although a physically imposing presence, Rhell was almost exclusively given runner jobs and normal tasks that could be a part of any other assistant’s life, buying odd things with name’s zu’s never heard of, carrying “carpets” to the edge of town, cleaning apartments at half past four in the morning - the usual. 

At some point in this, Rhell completes a drop off in an abandoned quarry, though this turns out to be a sting operation and in running through the quarry, Rhell steps upon loose stone and over fifty feet to her death. 

When her body is found, her mum is able to use her sway to get ahold of the corpse, cover up the fact the fall ever happened and bring Rhell back, though due to the substantial damage to the vessel, this took more than what would usually be possible. 

However the mother was able to do it though, Rhell came back, now physically unable to die ever again, simply awakening again and again but with an incredible hunger to serve others and more than a few stitching scars. Though it comes with little in the way of magic or impressive feats, Rhell is yet to find something zu couldn’t shake off in an hour or so plus her body has became the perfect vessel for divination, allowing her to gain insight into the future whenever she is harmed as blurry as those insights may be. 

Rhell continues working for her mother in a similar capacity. 

Libra Linustep (She/Her) - Tiefling Star Druid - Early to mid twenties

(Her name is pronounced Lib-ra, not Le-bra. She's named for the world of Libris, not the starsign ^-^)

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1564386

Born into a cult, Libra has always been told that the work they're doing is going to help all of Libris. A collection of divinators, they were going to read the stats to reunite the twelve star gods holy relics and bring unity to Libris.

Libra was one of those in the community blessed by the stars, she could see into the future and into the unknown. Her talents were only natural, her brother their current leader had such visions too. Libra followed her to guide herself to people or objects that can help their community, but she's sure that one day her visions will lead them to the holy relics they're looking for.

VI of Swords (any/all) - Slime Girl Arcane Trickster Rogue - less than a year of sentience, over 800,000 without 

Art reference: https://www.instagram.com/sug4rmush/?hl=en

Once VI was nothing more than a dungeon slime. Very deadly, completely mindless, acting as corpse/general adventurer cleanup for a lich. When said lich ended up evolving to godhood, the magic left behind in the dungeon went into VI and she became a sentient slime (still extremely dangerous and occasional corpse eater).

Not quite knowing what to do with himself, VI found a tarot card on the ground with a figure on it that looked an awful lot like them. Thus they named themself “VI of Swords”.

For a while she hung about on the surface of Libris acting as a con artist giving tarot readings using cold readings and performance rather than divination. Then, as fate would have it, he started to get actual visions of the future. 

A little panicked, they returned to the dungeon they were from only to be greeted by a newly formed cult. The Cult tried to fight them, a lot of its members got killed, and barely managed to trap VI in the central chamber which now has more locks, traps, and enchantments surrounding it than the most secure vault in the land. VI is now snuck waiting for someone to let her out so she can figure out what exactly these dreams are about. 

VI’s main talents are a) being terrifying and psychological attacks in combat and b) transformation into different (always slimy) forms, mostly a dog.

Orla Waspchild (She/her) - Human Pre-Eldritch Warlock - Literally like nine

Summer Camp

Art reference:

My unposted art

https://www.tumblr.com/gayb0wsr

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331

A young child with two parents who are controversial high ranking naval officers. She has a very black and white view of mortality due to this upbringing. 

She was being raised typically on ships stationed around blockages. On one such blockage around an island, she ended up eavesdropping on her parents and overhearing them planning something terrible.

In attempting to escape the ship, she lept overboard determined to swim to shore. Quickly learning exactly what a current was, she began screaming for help, when none came, she instead screamed to the waters themselves, and boy did they answer. And so when Orla should've gone under and drowned, she instead turned into lightning striking the water over and over until she reached a safe store.

Said safe shore happened to be at an adventure camp for kids, where the counsellor coming to see the commotion assumed Orla was a kid that simply skipped checking in to head straight for a swim. She got a mild telling off about swimming without telling anyone and a safe place to stay.

After more than one reckless and impulsive decision, Orla quickly realised that the whole surviving death thing wasn't a one time thing and in fact now whenever she is in danger, something happens and Orla doesn't. She doesn't know why this is, but decides it means she is a hero and the adventure camp is as good a place as any to stay while she figures out how to do that. 

Flaire Sandvik-Darling (They/Them) - Half-Elf (Sea) Lifeguard - Late teens / early twenties 

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/170832

(Flaire is actually blue with light fish features)

The lifeguard at Libris’ best adventure fun camp for junior adventurers, having felt most at home near the water. Flaire is an incredibly confident swimmer and calming presence for many of their friends, despite not always seeming it.

Flaire grew up taking trips to the adventure camp, with stretching days of fun that made adventuring seen like a field trip rather than a dangerous occupation. Flaire would spend their days swimming or exploring the woods with their cousin that never quite seemed to have the magical effect on them that they had on everyone else. 

During their teen years, Flaire got lifeguard training and got a job as a counsellor at the camp. 

As a young adult, Flaire was enrolled in a prestigious magic school. This was when they learnt a rare quirk they had. Whenever Flaire looked at magic, it stopped. No one could explain the ability, though a good number of professors did discuss theories a bit too loud, but Flaire was very much stuck with it. They attempted to persist at school, but frankly anti-magic vision at a magic school was never going to work.

They ended up having what amounted to a year long breakdown before leaving during exam season to go back to their lifeguard position at the camp. Flaire had developed incredibly complex feelings about having to leave school and so chose to keep this news secret until they decided what exactly those feelings were, hoping to see their old friends, relax a little and return to their old life before things felt too real again. However, said friends no-showed the reunion being too busy with jobs, partners, and parties and Flaire was left in their little clubhouse alone, having just put up a little banner :((

With camp starting the next day, Flaire did what they could - smashed up the clubhouse and awaited the children’s arrival confident that at least things would be normal with their cousin, a new counsellor and someone they had been really close with prior to school. Even if they hadn’t really spoken in nearly a year things would go back to their usual rhythm quickly, right? … 

Flaire, batting 0 for 2 at this point, is more than a little surprised that their cousin seems to have gained an incredibly abrasive personality since the last time they met and more than a touch of hostility to them in particular. 

Sparrow Sandvik (She/her) - Half-Elf (Wood) Sorcerer/Cleric - Late teens to early twenties

Art reference:

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/170832

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1473879

The rope keeper at the adventure camp.

Flaire's cousin on their non-elven side.

Much like Flaire, she grew up with trips to the adventure camp. She's always found a connection with the magical woods that the camp hosts. She never got lost in them like the other kids, they seemed to like her, and Sparrow found them to be her special place where she could retreat when needed.

When she was a kid, she always idolised Flaire, seeing them as a super hero of sorts. This dulled over time as Flaire was around less and less and eventually disappeared for a full year.

Sparrow, during her turn to adulthood, had been dating a religious girl and ended up attending a religious college focused on training this with an interest in becoming clerics or paladins. Against the odds, Sparrow was blessed by one of the Gods and became a cleric. When she told her girlfriend, expecting her to be happy she instead got dumped. 

Sparrow returned to the adventure camp and took a job as the rope keeper. She was one of the only people who could reliably travel through the woods so it seemed like a perfect fit.

She is not over the breakup.

Cassidy Reeves (He/Him) - Elf Bard - Mid twenties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1349935

The song leader of the adventure camp.

To be honest, Cassidy is not that developed in Libris yet. He was originally from Liminal Horror where he was a very cool country musician that managed to survive flicking a cigarette butt onto a giant ratking zombie (barely, BARELY, but he did survive).

Mercenaries

Isaiah (He/Him) - Tiefling Wild Magic Barbarian - Late twenties to early thirties

Art reference: https://www.tumblr.com/gayb0wsr

Isaiah was originally raised in a compound of religious zealots that were enslaving tieflings that ended up being destroyed by a mercenary guild run by a human named Noah.

Noah adopted Isaiah and raised and trained him to fight. He is now the second in command of the guild.

At some point, Isaiah managed to find the entrance to Libris’ plane of magic, The Lining, which ended with Isaiah getting impaled through the chest by a massive crystal. How exactly he survived this, no one is entirely sure but now Isaiah has a crystal in his chest and the ability to unleash devastating magical effects on the battlefield.

Darien Morosi (He/Him) - Human Rogue/Fighter - Early to Mid Twenties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1473879

Darien has at one point been living a perfectly ordinary life in a perfect ordinary town. He'd been a law student and would've become a pretty ordinary small town lawyer. Instead the apocalypse hit. Seemingly every natural disaster hit at once. If that wasn't bad enough, zombies whose bites spread their form like a disease began to appear.

This baffling turn of events broke any sense of reality Darien had, he locked himself in a library half as a safezone but mostly to research everything he could on surviving, disease, zombies, infection transmission, biology, and anything else to the much neglect of his physical form.  

When he finally left the library he had just enough survival skills that alongside some new friends he managed to make a safe haven in what was once a spire temple in the centre of the city. It quickly went from feeling like a safe haven to a prison as one man, Logan, was determined to fill the leadership void he was so adamant was there. He tried over and over to take charge, to the point where suddenly facing every natural disaster possible and possibly turning into an undead husk doesn't seem so bad.

He's caught in an attempt to escape with one of the survivors that started this haven leading to her being badly injured. Darien is blamed (and blames himself) for this, so he is given the option to either stay and work with Logan having learnt his lesson or be exiled without supplies. He chooses to leave. He walks for weeks, barely surviving by clinging on through sheer spite.

He just kept walking. Until, as suddenly as the apocalypse hit, Darien found himself in a mercenary camp. He looked around confused before promptly passing out from exhaustion and malnutrition. He ends up joining the mercenary guild once he's back to health.

He ends up learning that the town is literally in a pocket dimension now cut off from the rest of Libris.

Marcoh “Roe” Daava (He/Him) - Human Warlock / Barbarian - Mid to Late Twenties

(Daava is pronounced Da[R]-va)

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1414503

Roe made a deal with the Divine Fragment of Hands and got roped into a cult formed by them. With Roe having been the one to bring the cult together.

Roe is an incredibly well spoken man having had elocution lessons at a young age and holds incredibly composed demeanour. For those that have seen it, however, would note Roe has an incredible puissance and love of inflicting damage.  

That said, Roe grew up dirt poor and the very definition of a street rat, openly stealing from stores, getting in random fights with other teens, and shouting matches with strangers.

One such fight, got infinitely more complex when Roe was shot in the side of the head. Said shot being in response to Roe having clawed out the eye of what he assumed was just Some Mouthy Fuck. Turned out said Fuck was in fact an incredibly well protected mobster.

Luckily said shot was not lethal, unluckily however Roe’s body was taken in by the gang so “proper revenge” could be had, afterall being humiliated by a child in combat is a pretty bad look for any respected highwayman. 

The back alley doctor tasked with keeping Roe alive took pity on him, claiming Roe had died suddenly. But when questioned, the doctor was forced to impale Roe in the chest with a scalpel. This is where the fragment of hands made its deal, using its many hands to cover Roe’s mouth and ensure the scalpel bent just enough to miss anything vital. In return Roe gained the horrifying ability to touch at a long distance and use a mass of hands for grabbing, killing, stealing and, occasionally mixing drinks.  

Elaina Gauis (She/Her) - Human Warlock - Late twenties to early thirties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1414503

Elaina made a deal with the Divine Fragment of Mirrors and got forced into a cult formed by them. She's a lot less chill about this than Roe.

Originally a career criminal, Elaina met the fragment during a heist. She was offered a portion of the fragments power which she impulsively agreed to, not realising the cost would be her sight. 

Panicked at her sudden blindness and realising the guards were on their way, Elaina ended up burning the top portion of her face, making herself look like a victim of those that owned the house she had been robbing. This worked and she avoided arrest.

Is incredibly pissed off about being forced onto the cult believing that she has already paid more than a high enough price for her powers. The divine fragment disagrees, happily pointing to her contract of servitude. 

She is still working in the criminal underworld, though now as a dealbroker more often than doing heists herself. However, those who see her as a weak target quickly meet their match as Elaina's quick thinking and intelligence hasn't dulled, and her new power over mirrors and reflections leads to nasty surprises for those fighting her.

Libi's Ship

Rhys Mourningdove (He/Him) - Half-Elf Grave Cleric - Mid Sixties (Early 40’s appearance)

Art reference: https://twitter.com/nooskadraws

Rhys is the best doctor on Libris. This is just a fact - one that he's frankly egotistical about but is true nonetheless. 

Notably, he got this title before he became a cleric, using non-magical methods. He had been asked about this and even offered blessing by the Gods as a way to help more people, but he always refused. He didn't need the power of the Gods to help people. 

The Gods were not best pleased with this answer and set Rhys a test. Rhys wasn't actually told about this test, he just found his wife getting ill without explanation. Ill with a sickness that he could not cure.

As he realised there was nothing he could do, he prayed to the gods for any way to help her but received no help and instead instructions to just wait, which Rhys ignored, continuing to try more and more outlandish methods.

Eventually a divine gave him a solution. They gave him a potion. Though confused why now, Rhys didn’t have much time. 

Giving the potion to his wife did cure her sickness. It also turned her into a lich and hasn't been seen since. The specific trickster god that answered Rhys was very amused.

The god that set the initial test appeared to Rhys, frankly annoyed that he had turned what was meant to be a test of patience and faith into unleashing a powerful undead creature onto Libris. Rhys blames them for this but finally agrees to receive cleric powers though he still actively avoids using them during his work as a doctor, mostly to prove a point.

Libitina Puch (She/Her) - Winter Eladrin Undying Warlock/Assassin Rogue - Unaging early 40s (early three hundreds)

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331

Libitina was born as the only child of an elven noble family and knew one day that she would inherit the house and, so long as she could keep public favour, would rule the city by herself. At least, that was her belief as she studied both law and economics for running the city, etiquette and customs for dealing with nobles, and poisons and blades for dealing with threats.

Her plans of a solo rule were apparently not taken seriously by her parents who arranged a marriage for her with another elven noble who was pleasant enough, but Libi had never really had any interest in men and quickly grew frustrated with the courting process.

Getting more and more annoyed at her life plans being ruined, she began to go out more into the vast wilderness surrounding the city. A place where legend had it there was hidden a crossing point to the realm of the fae. Libi mostly used the place to gather natural poisons. But one day when out, she met the woman that would change her life. An archfey of the Undying Court.

The fey was the most beautiful person she had ever seen and she addressed them as one would a noble ruler. The two did an interesting dance that night, one that most would call flirting but both participants were too pretentious to call it anything so simple. Libi left the encounter with a charm, some strange new powers, and the promise for more if did favours for the Undying Court.

Of course, she still needed to figure out the mess of being engaged. But that was an easy enough problem to solve. All it took was a bottle of wine, a gift from her parents to herself, a single glass and he was gone. Poisoned. The forged documents she had left in her parent's study detailing the purchase of poison and plans to kill her got them out of the way as well.

Of course, her involvement is just rumours, the official judgement by the high court of The Elmmyu’rra States that her parents had tried to kill her and just happened to kill whatever his name was first and thus were sentenced to execution. Libi was just oh so sad about this, she couldn't possibly think about getting engaged again for at least a couple of centuries.

She's proven herself to be a surprisingly good ruler given her tendencies to allegedly assassinate nobles and do the binding of the fey in exchange for immortality. After all, she did her work to get to this position, she was going to put effort in now she actually has what she wanted. It's those living outside her city that need to be worried. 

Piper Re'leshi (She/Her) - Drow Dream Druid - Child to early teens (Between 50 and 100).

Art reference: https://coolcattime.tumblr.com/post/624895502460338176/i-found-a-picture-that-i-realised-that-i-never

Piper has always been told by her parents that she is the prodigal princess that will lead their family back into the ruling class of the underdark and while it's been since she's seen them, she still believes that with all her heart.

A drow with stark white skin and only a few dark patches, being born onto the surface of Libris was far more inconvenient for her than most as even brief sun exposure can leave her burnt and in pain. Eventually this became too much for her parents to deal with and, in what was meant to be a brief visit with her uncle, they left her with him with no intention of returning.

Piper had always admired her uncle. He was an arachnologist - which she thought was very important as spiders were very important - and his house is connected to old smuggler's tunnels which connect to caves - places that Piper can explore without fear of the sun. She misses her parents, she wishes she knew when they were getting back, but in the meantime she enjoys exploring the tunnels and learning from her uncle. Plus her uncle lets her have a pet! Her very best friend, Mr Dog the goliath birdeater spider.

One day when exploring the tunnels, Piper runs into another elf. A wood elf boy around her age. He's carrying a wooden sword and seems as surprised to find Piper as she is to find him. She asks what he's doing and he explains that he's looking for the tunnel monster. Piper has never heard of the tunnel monster but happily agrees to look with him when he gives her his spare sword.

They become good friends as she helps guide him around the tunnels and he tells her about the wilderness around the city that has a crossing point to the realm of the fey. He's in training with a druid with a circle that uses the power of this point for their magic. Finding the tunnel monster is a secret mission from them so he can become a fully fledged member. He invites Piper to meet them and even though she wants to, she explains her issues with the sun so he decides that, until they can figure out a way to stop the sun from hurting Piper, he'll just teach her druid stuff.

All in all, Piper's life is going great until one night her uncle pulls her out of bed completely panicked and tells her they need to leave. She's confused as he pulls her through the house down towards the tunnels, until she sees them breaking down the door. People in shiny metal armour with giant weapons. Piper grabs Mr Dog and her sword and tries her best to lead her uncle through the tunnels. But she's scared and a kid, and her uncle isn't an adventurer. The scary people catch up. They keep saying things about them being evil and a dungeon and Piper doesn't understand. She tries to defend them with magic and her sword but it doesn't work very well. 

A saviour comes in the form of a woman in a ballgown who appears out of mist and seems quite annoyed at the armoured men being in her city. Piper isn't quite sure what happened to them, but she and her uncle don't need to worry about them anymore. Lady Libitina was very nice and gave Piper a charm that let her go out in the sun without it hurting her skin (it still hurts her eyes, but she likes exploring nevertheless) and she got to meet her friend's druid circle and start really learning magic. Plus her friend apparently found the tunnel monster (neither her nor her friend know when, but the Druid circle leader said he did) so all's well that ends well.

Sigourney Romero (She/Her) - Human Enchantment Wizard/Storyteller Warlock - Late twenties to early thirties

Art reference: <https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1342558>

Sigourney is a playwright. She and her brother used to travel through the towns and cities of Libris putting on plays that told the stories of the Gods. She would write the plays and use her magic to create living puppets to act as creatures and monsters. Her brother, Leigh, was an actor, able to portray gods as if he actually was one. The rest of the actors would be hired locally and their plays were seen as important work as in Libris if the Gods are not remembered, they stop being gods, so spreading their word and stories was necessary. 

One fateful night in the climax of a performance everyone in the theatre - cast, crew, audience, everyone - blacked out. It was as if times skipped forward by ten minutes. One moment Leigh and his co-star, the son of a local noble, were acting out a climactic scene the next, Leigh was standing over the corpse of the other actor covered in blood. Chaos erupted.

Leigh was arrested. Sigourney's head ached trying to figure out what had happened. He had to have killed him, there was no one else who could've and he had been covered in blood. But her brother didn't have the powers to make everyone forget ten minutes and if he did he was at least smart enough to make them forget more time so he wasn't so obviously the criminal. But they didn't have enemies, anyone who would want to frame them, except for the Gods themselves. Obviously no one believed her on this idea. Leigh was found guilty and sentenced to life in the gladiatorial arena.

Knowing she didn't have the power or money to do anything about his fate, Sigourney left. Always saying she didn't care, that he was a killer, why would she care, but always searching for anything that could give her any sort of chance to help him. She kept travelling, continuing her shows as puppet only affairs now just as likely to tell the story of the Gods inflicting terror on some poor mortal than to tell their origins or myths. And during her travels, she heard of someone, possibly something, that could help her.

She travelled across two continents to find the place, hiring a mercenary to make sure she had protection as she left the well travelled roads. It took months, but she finally reached the charred library in the middle of a long since abandoned town. In the centre of the building, to an audience of seemingly no one but herself and a hired thug, she began to tell the origin story of Libris. Of the powerful entities that had created The Great Book to tell stories only for the people of the world to feel terrorised and create gods to seal away their creators. Of how, while they mostly died or disappeared, a remnant powerful entities does still exist.

The story is interrupted with the mercenary kicking over the puppets and pointing his sword at Sigourney's throat. Fed up with what seems to be madness, he demanded that she shut up, pay him everything she had, or he'd kill her and take it any way. Before she could answer, a new voice echoed through the library lecturing that it was awfully rude to interrupt a story before it's concluded. The mercenary's eyes widened and he suddenly turned into a book that was picked up and inspected by the new presence in the room. A being made of paper and cloth and ink, a combination of the reminding energy of the creators of Libris. Before Sigourney was The Storyteller.

Impressed by the story, they questioned what precisely Sigourney wanted and she said she wanted a patron. She knew that they still touched the world of Libris, occasionally touching a person's life to make it more interesting, and she wanted to be granted powers that could let her fight back against the Gods. The Storyteller agreed, on one condition: Sigourney needed to tell her own story, the truthful story that she had been avoiding for so long. Reluctant but desperate, Sigourney told the story of herself and her brother and that terrible moment.

Sigourney was granted the powers of story, and was given a book that she could use both to communicate with her patron. She could also write in it to make things happen. They had to be interesting, had to make sense and not create plot holes, but so long as she could write them Sigourney now had the power to use stories to influence the world of Libris. And Sigourney had quite a few stories she wanted to tell.

Mind control Crew

Wyme Fletcher (He/Him) - Human Aberrant Mind Sorcerer - early to mid twenties

Art reference: https://www.tumblr.com/netoey/188189654012?source=share

Wyme grew up in an orphanage and lived quite a normal, if a social life of most people in the small town he was born in. When he was 18, like most of the rest of the people who grew up here, he left to see what else was out there. 

Fortunately for the narrative, that was a town that had just been eradicated by an Aboleth. Meaning as Wyme entered its population had just became one. Deciding to stay, steering others away, and just learn to avoid the limits of the aboleth’s mind control, Wyme found a new motivation in his hatred for that fish but also extreme paranoia.  

His proximity to the aboleth awarded a horrible and wet form of psionic power, similar to that of the aboleth itself, plus some physical transformations like a long tail and third eye.  

Amanda “Am-Mi” Miriam (She/Her) - Human Mastermind Rogue - Early to mid twenties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1342558

The daughter of a prolific (if corrupt) prosecutor who wants to follow in her father's footsteps.

Lives in a city with a famously harsh court system where simply lying in court can result in the destruction of one's soul. Of course this can be avoided if you know the right methods for dishonesty, something Am-Mi's father is quite happy to share with his daughter.

Am-Mi cares little if the people she's prosecuting are actually guilty, she just wanted to be the smartest person in the courtroom. If people were smart they wouldn't have gotten arrested. After all, she's gotten away with murder so if anyone manages to get themself arrested, they deserve everything she can throw at them. 

Island

Tabitha Dissimulo (She/Her) - Tiefling Illusion Wizard - Early twenties

(Dissimulo is not trans, just resentful of the name “TaBiThA”)

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1564386

The daughter of two magic school professors.

Dissimulo was born named simply “Tabitha” and told she could have a last name when she graduated from a magic college with honours. She got annoyed at this idea quickly and started going by the virtue name of Dissimulo meaning she wouldn’t even need a last name.

She has enrolled in the study of Illusion magic, which she does have some interest in, but she's far more interested in linguistics and translation. She currently speaks and can read seven languages. She's only attending the university due to the presence of an apparently untranslated tome that she wants to decode. 

She also ended up as the apprentice of the head of a mysterious magic guild known as Atlanta. She did not apply for nor ask for this job, but it pays well and very very little is expected from her so she has accepted the situation. 

Lance De La'Fluer (He/Him) - Human Monk - Early twenties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331

A professional fighter in the dwarven fight pits where he plays an elf - these fight pits are a travelling event of flamboyant faux-violence. He’s also Dissimulo's college housemate.

He’s also been recruited by Atlanta, though less scouted and more that Dissi brings him to work with her and no one’s stopped her.

To be honest, Lance doesn't have a backstory. He was invented as the Ultimate Professional Wrestler for a Danganronpa AU and hasn't devolved much backstory wise but I love him and he's the best. 

He has a sister though :))) (we think)

Villains

Taurus Linustep (He/Him) - Aasimar Cult Leader - Early to mid thirties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331 (This art is of a human version of Taurus - it was for an AU and I've just not gotten around to drawing his actual form)

Taurus was born into a cult looking like the miracle child they had been looking for. An aasimar with halos surrounding most of his features, he was from a young age marked as the next leader of the cult and taught their true goals and ambitions and his words were followed like prophecies. 

Unlike his younger sister, Taurus didn't have any real powers of divination and instead is faking it to lead the cult in the direction he wants and to make sure he maintains power.

He wants to gather the relics of the star deities to reconstruct a broken superweapon and use it to take over Libris and the stars beyond.

Logan Charles (He/Him) - Human Paladin - Late Twenties

Art reference: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1706331

Darien's ex-friend, from Logan’s POV, Logan took a very different view to the end of the world, finding a desperate need to be in control.

He eventually ended up in charge during the apocalypse due to his Paladin training letting him cure injury and disease and the zombies’ surprise weakness to fire. Leading to the rift that formed between him, Darien and their other friend who helped start the haven in the first place that would lead to Darien leaving and the friend being badly hurt. 

Furious and feeling betrayed by Darien abandonment, the tower is now a literal prison for his friends to make sure none of them can leave or disobey him. Turning him from hapless leader to fullbore dictator overnight. He’s grown to love this power.

Kinda sorta planning to break the bubble dimension and unleash the apocalypse on the rest of Libris so he can further his dictatorship.

[atinylittlepain]

Of Saints and Sinners - Chapter 2

Joel Miller x f!reader/f!oc

read chapter 1 here

warnings | 18+ angst, canon-typical violence

a/n | A shorter chapter. Still very much in the exposition but we learn a little more about our girl!

“I’m like Ellie.”

Those are the words that keep replaying in Joel’s mind. Her words. That, and the image of her mottled back, the grave scars and the swirling black ink on top of them. They've made it back to town, only after promising she'd talk to him later that night, so long as he kept her secret. He had asked her who else knew and she had told him only Tommy and Maria and the men you came to Jackson with. Suddenly she wasn't so cold, practically begging him not to tell anyone. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she had been on the verge of tears.

He’s supposed to go to her house tonight, to get some more answers. He feels like his head is spinning because suddenly, there’s another person like Ellie. Someone else immune. He understands why she wants this kept secret. It’s the same reason he feels the pull to protect Ellie. She's valuable, and that makes her dangerous. 

He gets to her house late, already dark out. The curtains are shut but faint light seeps out along the edges. She lives with Alex and Steve, and it’s one of the two who answer the door when he knocks, although Joel can’t be sure which.

“Miller, what can I help you with?” The young man crosses his arms over his chest, making himself a little bigger, a little grimmer. He’s the one that can sometimes coax you down to the bar in town, Joel’s seen him even pull a smile out of you. 

“He’s here to talk with me, Steve, it’s alright.” She comes up behind her companion, squeezing his shoulder. The two of them share a look before Steve steps back, sulking back into the house.

“I didn’t realize he was your bodyguard.” She snorts at that, shrugging her shoulder to invite him in. “He means well.”

“Where’s the other one?” She tells him that Alex is on patrol tonight, letting him follow her down the hall to what he assumes is her room. She closes the door behind him. It’s sparse, a mattress on the floor, an old wicker rocking chair, and a few stacks of clothes. What draws his attention are the stacks of books next to her bed. She must have been picking those up for ages to have so many collected. 

She sits at the end of your bed and motions for him to sit in the chair. “Well, I told you I’d give you answers. So start asking questions.”

“Where’d you get all that ink?”

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Joel huffs. He’s not really sure where to start, that’s just the first thing that came out.

She pinches the bridge of her nose, eyes squeezed shut. “Alex, he was an artist before – well, before. When I met him he had a gun made out of an old sewing machine motor, making his own ink out of ash and witch hazel. I’d let him practice on me. Figured anything would be better than what was already there.”

Quiet descends again. Joel wracks his brain, trying to find some thread of sanity, what to ask her next.

“That doesn’t sound real safe,” she fully laughs at that, pressing her palms into her thighs to stand up. “Look, if you just came to ask me questions about my tattoos, this conversation can be over right now and I can be out of here by tomorrow morning and no one has to know anything.”

“Listen, I’m trying to figure this all out too. I’m still having a hard time believing what I saw, what you told me. But I don’t see why you’re getting ready to fly the fucking coop. You got a good thing going here.”

Joel’s up on his feet and suddenly they're both in each other’s faces.

“Yeah, I do have a good thing going here, and I think you know better than most what a secret like mine can do to a good thing. I’m not gonna be turned into another person’s lab rat, do you understand?” Joel swallows, “another?”

“What?”

“You said you weren’t gonna be turned into another person’s lab rat. Is that what all those bites are from?” Joel doesn’t need an answer, he’s already got it in the way she shrinks back, gaze skittering to the ground. Something in him twinges at that.

“Does Ellie know about you?” She looks up at him again, shaking her head.

“I told you already. Only Alex, Steve, Tommy, and Maria know. And now, unfortunately, you.” She crosses her arms over her chest, letting out a long exhale.

“I wouldn’t tell anyone, you know. I wouldn’t do that to you.” Joel tries to sound genuine, but feels like he ends up coming off like a dope. “For some reason I’m inclined to believe you.” She sits back down on the edge of her bed, Joel leans back against the wall.

“Is that why you go out on those raids?” She looks up at him, questioning. “You’re immune. Feel like you can go out and play hero or somethin’?” She prickles at that, hardening her eyes into a glare.

“Hardly. I just need to get away from all this. It’s good. But it’s not real. Out there? That’s what’s real.” She's looking down at her hands, mumbling out the last of it. It’s quiet for a moment. Joel can understand that. That feeling like everything’s gonna fall out from under you eventually, because it always has, and you have to be ready for that inevitable plummet.

He studies her for a moment. The slope of her nose, her eyelashes falling over the tops of her cheeks. He thinks to himself that she would’ve been pretty, back before. Now, she's something else entirely, something that makes his breath kick in a way he’d be hard pressed to admit.

“You got any other questions?”

“Is Steve your – your man?” That one draws a laugh out of her that makes Joel reel. “You really ask the dumbest shit, you know that?” He hardly hears what she says, too focused on the waft of a smile across her face.

“I don’t have a man, Joel Miller. Just really important friends.” With that, she stands up, tilting her head as if to say are we done here? “So you’re gonna keep my secret?”

He nods, “you don’t have to worry about it, I will.”

She lets out another long sigh, opening her door and walking him back to her porch. As Joel’s walking out, he turns on his heel, “can I ask you one more thing?” She looks at him, expectantly.

“Why does everyone around here call you the saint?” 

“You’re out of questions. Good night, Joel.”

[malarkgirlypop]

MEDIC! Part 12 (Donald Malarkey x Fem!OC)

Hello everybody. Guess what I have another sad chapter.

What?! No way?!

Yeah sorry!

So I tried to brighten it up at the end cause we are falling into a deep dark pit of depression. Like where did the sun go? I had so much fun writing the Liebgott story and then had to come back to my very depressing OC, bahahahah. I feel so bad these chapters have been brutal. And I’m really sorry to say it’s gonna keep being brutal for like a while more. I have written some sad shit. GUYS LIKE I HAVE A PROBLEM WHO HURT ME?

This is based on the HBO show and the actors who portray the characters no hate to anyone involved.

(This is just for fun, but this clip is Skip and Alex, iykyk)

“You see what I got?” Hoob asked me while I dig out my foxhole. I wipe my brow looking at him perched at the edge. He grins at me, looking pleased with himself.

“No. What did you get?” I ask stabbing my shovel into the hard ground and throwing the dirt out of the pit. Hoob pulls out a gun, turning it over in his hands.

“A gun?” I ask. He chuckles, shaking his head.

“No Em! Not just any gun, it’s a Luger pistol.” Hoob raises his eyebrows.

“How did you get a Luger? Isn’t that a German gun?” He seems happy with my response, getting himself comfortable. He tells me the story of how he came to be in possession of the pistol. Apparently he and some of the boys ran into a German on horseback, and in the man’s escape, Hoob had shot him off the horse.

“Well that’s certainly impressive Hoob, that must’ve been a good shot.” He cheeses at me, nodding his head enthusiastically, happy with my compliment. I laugh, thinking about how his love language is probably words of affirmation, he is so pleased to be praised.

“You think so?” He inquires, wanting more approval. I turn my attention to him, I place my hand on his shoulder looking him in the eyes.

“The best Hoob!” I grin at the man, his face blushes from my compliment. I giggle at the man, as he gets up from his position, telling me he is going to show the others.

I continue to dig out my hole, happy for the workout as it warms my body. Every now and then laughing as Hoob's cute smile flashes in my mind when I told him he was the best shot.

A gunshot sounds, I crouch down instinctively. Scanning my surroundings, my mind in overdrive already, did that hit someone? Where did it come from? I wait for someone to yell for a medic. I crouch down further, into my nearly finished hole. I open my bag checking I have everything I need. My hand brushes against the soft material of the dress Renee gave me. I stroke the fabric in between my fingers, when will I ever get to wear this?

“MEDIC!” I sit up looking out of the hole, “MEDIC!” I am on my feet rushing over to the voice.

Men crowd around a body, covering him in jackets. My body stutters, as I am about to move forward to help, one of the men leans back just enough for me to glimpse the face of the man lying on the floor. Hoob. I freeze, like a deer in headlights. I can’t take my eyes off of his face.

“LANE! FOCUS!” Lip yells at me pulling me from my daze. I kneel down beside him, looking at Hoob’s leg, blood spurts from the wound, fuck it’s the artery, I have to move fast. I grab a dressing from my bag tying it above the wound, I tie it as tightly as possible. Hoob groans in pain, squirming under my touch.

“Hoob stay still, you gotta hold still for me, ok.” I try to reassure the man. I look around. “I need a stick.” I tell Lip who nods, turning around to find me something. The men around Hoob continue to talk to him, how long did it take me to get to him? How long has he been bleeding? Lip hands me a stick. I place it over the bandage, tying it with the spare material. I twist it around, tightening it. I continue to turn the stick, but blood still pours from the wound. No no, please!

“Lane! Lane!” Buck shouts. Lip’s hand comes over mine, I get ready to yell at him for stopping me, but it’s when I notice the stillness. No groans of pain, no words of support. Just the men looking at me, sadness in their eyes. I look at Hoob, his eyes closed, face grey, lying still. I look down at my hands covered in his blood. I sit back, wiping my hands on the snow. I was too late, not fast enough, not good enough. I stand and turn on my heel, walking back to my foxhole. Wiping the stray tears from my face. I hate this place, how things change so quickly. Just an hour ago he was sitting and talking to me, smiling, happy. Now he lies on the cold ground as the warmth leaves his body, as his friends mourn him. He won’t make it home to tell his family his stories, for them to tell him he is, was, a great shot. Wasn’t fast enough, not good enough! I didn’t notice I was crying until my tears blurred my vision and landed on my still bloody hands.

“Emily.” Malarkey jumped into my hole.

“Huh?” I said looking up at him with my tear stained face. His brows furrowed.

“Oh Em.” Fell from his lips, and that’s all it took to set me off again. He pulled me into his chest, letting me cry.

“It was my fault, I wasn’t fast enough. I couldn’t stop the bleeding.” I whimper.

“It is not your fault Emily.” He said sternly. Pulling me back to look in my face. “You hear me!” I nodded sniffing. The voice in the back of my mind however doesn’t believe him, a part of me still holds onto the fact it was my fault. What could I have done differently? Not good enough.

“Come on Skip and Penky are waiting for us, I said I was coming to fetch you.” I wiped my face, hoping my eyes didn’t look too red and swollen.

I sit next to Skip in the hole, as Bill crouches down speaking to us. I push the thought of Hoob doing the same thing that very morning to the back of my mind, while Bill speaks. I don’t listen, I just stare at Bill. Watching his mouth move, the subtle pulse in his neck, his flushed cheeks, and breath in the freezing air. Alive. I think they’re all bitching about Dike, which doesn’t surprise me. The worst CO so far, I would say, I mean I think he is the worst he is hardly around to demonstrate it. Bill is worked up. I know we have to go into that small town we now border. Where the Germans hold the upper hand. Bill is afraid to go into that town with Dike leading, rightly so, I would also be shit scared of being led to my death. It’s a suicide mission with Dike, but we can’t change him, not without cause. Plus it’s Winters’ say not ours. The heavy feeling in my body still lingers, it pulls me away from reality, like it can’t handle it. My brain drags me to where it feels safe. Not here, not sitting in a foxhole, freezing my ass off, with the impending doom of death around every corner. I look around at the men I sit with. I take in every feature, saving it to memory. I do this a lot, I find myself doing it more often now. Like a coping mechanism. I think it’s because of my mother, I wish I had studied every feature of her face to refined detail. So that I could see her all the time when I needed to. But I didn’t, and now she fades. So, I will store every piece of these men to memory. I take note of how they laugh, the way their eyes crinkle when they smile, how they speak and joke.

Skip nudges me, tilting his head, his eyes asking me if I’m alright. I nod and smile. Making myself present in their conversation again.

“I know, Bill, all right? It’s me you’re talking to.” Don assures Bill he understands him.

“Jesus Christ! We’ve gotta do all this with a CO who’s got his head so far up his fucking ass, that lump in his throat is his goddamn nose.” Penkala and I chuckle at Bill’s crude statement.

“I like that one, think I’m gonna use it. Mind if I steal it from you?” I joke, making Penkala laugh again.

“Emmy, I know it’s a good one, I came up with it!” He grins at me, I laugh, shaking my head.

“I don’t know about that!” I say mocking suspicion.

Lip arrives, giving a pep talk to the men, trying to make Dike seem better than he is. I understand where Lip is coming from though. It throws everyone into a panic when they start thinking about how bad Dike is, which then affects the whole platoon. Nothing works when everyone is running around like headless chickens. I admire Lip, being able to keep everyone together and with morale, when Dike is god knows where. If it wasn’t for Lip, I’m not sure Easy company would be as good as it is today. Everyone trusts and respects him, I don’t even think he realises it, the impact he has on everyone. It’s hard to keep in high spirits and then bring that energy to everyone else as well. But Lip manages to do it ten-fold.

After Lip and Bill leave we sit and talk, the conversation fading out after a bit.

“Huddle in guys. You want to play a game?” I asked, as we moved closer together, a few eh’s went around the circle. “What do you mean eh?”

“Well it’s just the last time we played one of your games, it was I spy and Alex here had tree as his answer about ten times in a row.” Malarkey recounts the last time I suggested playing a game. I mean I spy wasn’t the best to play, since there was really nothing much to see in the woods.

“Hey, what else is there to see other than trees!” Alex complains, he was salty because everytime he started to say, “I spy with my little eye”, everyone would automatically guess tree before he could finish his sentence and then that would be his turn over.

“And then it ended in poor taste when someone spied a dead body!” Malarkey gives a pointed look to Skip.

“Hey it’s what I spied, that was the game!” Skip protested.

I laugh thinking about how we were all stumped, “D, what starts with D?” We couldn’t guess it so we had Skip tell us, he seemed very proud of himself no one could get it right. “The answer is, dead body.” Then everyone sighed and he was upset because we stopped it there.

“No this one is better I swear!” I reassure the men, who seemed apprehensive at my game ideas.

A beat passes as they think about whether or not they are going to let me explain the game to them.

“Fine! What is it?” Malarkey sighs. I grin, clapping my hands together.

“Fuck, marry, kill!” I say excitedly.

“What?!” The three say in unison, unsure if they had heard me correctly.

“Fuck, marry, kill. It’s easy you name three people for one person to decide out of the three who they would rather kill, fuck and marry.”

“I don’t get it.” Don says looking confused.

“Yeah no me either.” Skip agrees.

“Ok well I will give you an example. Ok. Alex fuck, marry, kill. Dike, Bill and Lip!” I direct the question to Alex who looks perplexed.

“What, no I’m not doing guys, that’s weird, I don’t want to fuck any of them!” Alex exclaims.

“It’s hypothetical. It’s not actually going to happen, just say who you would rather.” I assured him. Everyone sat eager to hear.

“Fine! Fine! I have my answer.” Alex finally says.

“Amazing, let’s hear it!” I prompt him.

“I would kill Dike.” Small giggle’s from all of us. We try to contain ourselves so that Alex can still be heard.

“Absolutely, go on.” I nod.

“I would… fuck Bill and marry Lip.” Alex blurts.

“YES! Yes Alex, omg couldn’t have said it better myself. I agree.” Laughter sounds from the other men.

“Ok now Alex you get to ask one of us three people to choose to fuck, marry, kill.”

“Don, fuck, marry, kill.” I’m giddy just hearing Alex say these words, I giggle.

“Bull, Perco, Cobb.” We all burst out laughing as Don groans. We lean in waiting with baited breath to hear his answer, grins on all of our faces.

“Marry Bull.” Giggling, “Kill Cobb.” Nodding. “Fuck Perco.” Roaring with laughter. “Shut up, you lot.” I wipe my eyes, I’m laughing so hard I’m crying.

“Ok then Skip fuck, marry, kill. Babe, Peacock, Tab.” Skip gawks at him, as we burst out laughing again. I can’t stop the fit of giggles that burst from my lips. Alex and I lean on each other for support.

“Ok, ok.” Skip starts trying to get us to listen, I slap Alex’s knee crying laughing. “Fuck Tab.” He raises his eyebrows in a suggestive manner. I throw my head back laughing, taking down Alex with me. “Marry Babe, and kill Peacock.” We howl with laughter, Don playfully hit Skip.

“What?! We were all thinking it!” Skip manages to say through tears.

“Right, now it’s Em’s turn. Emily.” I nod to show I’m listening while trying to regain my composure. “Us three.” I gawk.

“What!” I protested, I am shoved by Alex and Skip as Don raises his eyebrows like you-better answer-cause-we-all-did.

“OK! OK! I would kill Skip.” He looks so offended crying out a “HEY!”

“I’m sorry but Faye would kill me if I did anything, so I’m best to cover my bases. I would fuck Alex and I would marry Don.” The group aww in unison, making me blush. “Oh shut up you lot!”

We continue playing until we can’t think of any more people to choose from. We were so loud we had caught the attention of the other men around us. Multiple people came to see what all the commotion was about, being very confused why we were all red in the face and breathless from laughing. It was so funny we couldn’t even begin to explain the game to the other soldiers. It was the most fun I think we have had in a while. After we finished my stomach hurt from laughing so hard, same as my face from grinning for hours. Alex had started to lose his voice from cackling. By the end of the game we were so exhausted.

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

Chapter 13

[equallyshaw]

spring in the city. | little lion au! ↠ luke hughes x ovechkin oc ! ↠ this is posted on the 6 month anniversary. (in may of '24) ↠ au masterlist!

@lionaovi: spring in the city was special this year☺️🌸 2.3k likes & 102 comments. tags: chrisbriney, tjoshie, seank & rainspencerrrr _

@/Lauren.oshie: I love the jersey! ↳ @lionaovi: the best one! ↳ @/tjoshie: i agree little ovi

@/chrisbriney: another day i hate u ↳ @lionaovi: and ur a little bitch

@alexoveckhin: looks fun now come home ↳ @lionovi: no.

@/e.malkin71geno: 4th pic...peak comedy ↳ @lionaovi: omg go away ↳ @lionaovi: also bring nikita by soon .. im having withdrawals ↳ @anna_kasterova: i got u! ↳ lionaovi ahs liked this comment.

@/tomwilson: nice jersey, can you spare some room for mine? ↳ @lionaovi: not too sure! tell alex to get me a bigger closet

_

@littleovio: this spring 🫶🏻 tag: lhughes_06 77 likes & 12 comments. _

@lhughes_06: did you have to do me dirty with the 2nd ↳ @littleovio: yes yes

@/jackhughes: ew ↳ @littleovio: yur ew

@Lauren.oshie: Sasha is getting too big 🥲 ↳ @littleovio: no i know its not fair ): ↳ @lauren.oshie: also we need to catch up soon! ↳ @littleovio: ill be back in Georgetown soon (:

@91dawson: keep forgetting ur ovis kid ↳ @/jackhughes: we literally tell u every time we hang out ↳ @/nicohischier: do i have to remind you what would happen if you said something? ↳ @91dawson: no cap ↳ @littleovio: and you better remember it ! 🙅🏻‍♀️

@rainspencerrrr: stop this is so cute @/chrisbriney cant believe you ditched us for Miami @gavincasalengo: happy looks good on u 🥺 ↳ @rainspencerrrr: no i know

[wickjump]

20, 29 and 36 (What’s your favourite colour?)

btw ask game is here cause i reblog SO much it’s kind of annoying probably bc these get lost SO fast. if any of yall wanna ask more of these idk :3

20 - “what’s a totally useless fact you know”

if a giraffe got guillotined it’s neck would become a blood geyser. dunno how they figured that out but yeah the pressure in the neck would make it so the giraffe’s blood would shoot out like 9 feet tall. that is taller than a grown man. you’d be fucking dwarfed by it. giraffes don’t exist im telling you

29 - “what’s your favorite song lyrics right now”

ive got a verse each for two songs. “Rosie told me not to cry / look her in her big brown eyes / hold her tight and feel no pain / her dog breath drives me insane”, which is from Animals by Alex G (reminds me of my dead dog in a way that makes me feel an odd comfort and dereality)

and from my FAVORITEST SONG EVER, “you’re always asking what is up- up with me / could never tell you what happened the day i turned seventeen / the rise of a king and the fall of a queen”. ok i lied there’s another verse i also like from that song. “never felt like a princess / i used to kid myself in this dress / that it was just how things were meant to be”

those are both from seventeen by MARINA which is my favorite song ever. marina likes to leave the songs to interpretation and i interpret this one as childhood sa + being trans which is so quirky not me projecting LOL!!!!!!! 😂😂 love the song and MARINA thoufh because they’re all up to interpretation AUGH.

listen to marina im begigng yku. favorite song is seventeen obv but buy the stars and oh no! are also rlly rlly good…!!!!!!

ANYWAY ya ok that’s my favorite song lyrics SORZ THIS WAS SO LONG i really like both of those songs they mean sososo much to me on so many different levels

36 - free question/favorite color

pink and red are both favorites of mine!!!!! i like them equally methinks,, which is why tiny wick oc is pink-themed but big winnie oc is red themed. it depends on the vibe, i don’t like them together they gotta be separate depending on the theme going on. only one at a time

my intro says yellow is a fave which??!?!?!?!?! no??? how did that get there

[imagoddamnonionmason]

Hey love! Hope you're having a great day! This is for the Oc couples ask game!

For Sarah Mason/Alex Mason (you know I love the masons hahaha) and Jodie/Woods (my favourite couple of yours!)

23, 40, 49

Hope you have a great day love! No pressure! 🧡🧡✨

Hello my dear!! It'll be a pleasure to answer these for ya!

Also yes, agreed, I have such a soft spot for the Masons and I got very happy that Frank and Jodie are your favourite couple of mine- put a smile on my face <3

Here we gooo!

Alex and Sarah Mason

23. who said 'I love you' first?

You know, I reckon it would have been Alex. Sarah would have held off, not wanting to rush headlong into her emotions because she's done that before and got burned and she really was smitten with him.

Part of her was like 'if I come on too strong, say I love you too quickly, it might scare him off and I don't want to do that because he's literally asdfghhjkl oh my god I am so in love him aaaaaaa'

But the shock on her face when he says it first, so naturally, like it was meant to be said to her, by him, like the stars aligned- DAMMIT. Yeah. He said it first and he meant it.

40. what is a song that reminds you of the OC's relationship?

cw: mention of death

(Don't Fear) The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Unfortunately, this couple's ends aren't great and death is deeply ingrained in their narrative - but this song is about embracing death because there is love waiting for you, just trust the process and you'll end up with those you belong with (or at least... that's what I get from it).

Like, it's a bittersweet song that reminds me of them - it's hard to explain the exact reasons why, other than just the vibe.

There's also another-

Where's My Love - Alternate Version by SYML

Again, it's sad... but their story is sad (despite the good bits yk?)

This song kinda reminds me of Alex and his feeling towards Sarah, especially when he loses her. Then... obviously with how Alex's story ends these lyrics hit me particularly 'if you bleed, I bleed the same, if you're scared, I'm on my way'.

I apologise in advance for the sadness.

I REALLY WISH I HAD HAPPY SONGS I ASSOCIATE WITH THIS COUPLE but apparently I'm a sad lil Goose. honks sadly.

49. Is there a word or gesture that makes either of them melt?

Ha ok, right- any. WAIT. No, I mean- OK BEAR WITH ME, I'm writing exactly how my thought process is working.

Any gesture will have Sarah melting - she enjoys PDA and she enjoys whenever Alex is touchy-feely with her. Hugs from behind, holding her hand, hand on her waist/lower back as he's moving behind her. If his hands are on her, she will melt.

For Alex? Whenever she cups his face in her hands. That has that man like putty in her hands and he is weak. It's also very grounding for him and it's associated with a lot of comfort for him.

Frank and Jodie

23. who said 'I love you' first?

Frank. I have a feeling that it's going to be blurted out in their first argument (this has been vaguely planned). I'm still figuring out the nuances of that argument and where exactly it takes place in their narrative, but yeah, it's that trope of 'why would you do that?' 'Because I lo-.... because.. I love you.. dammit.'

Cut to Jodie trying her best not to cry. Silently nods thinking to herself, 'how fucking dare you take the wind out of my sails with that sentence now I can't be mad at you and all I want to do is kiss you- UGH stupid handsome man-'

Yeah, I love these two. Why does writing take so long *sobs*

40. what is a song that reminds you of the OC's relationship?

Oh boy. Well, let's just say that I have a playlist for their 'canon' universe and then one for the pirate au and then one for the terminator au-

What I'm saying is there are a lot of songs and I found it difficult to find just one and also I have like... three versions of their ship floating around inside my head rent free lmao. But, these are two songs I tend to associate across the board with them.

Can I by Tedy

Simple, really, the lyrics are about someone asking if they can be vulnerable, if they can love and trust the other person. Literally the epitome of Jodie in the relationship.

But also,

I Was Made For Lovin' You by KISS

It's a feel good song, has cheeky vibes and I love it - I can't tell you when I started associating this song with them but... yeah, it's a good one and I can only think of them.

49. Is there a word or gesture that makes either of them melt?

When Jodie calls Frank 'darling'. She doesn't say it often, but damn, when she does he's gooey inside. And it's never just 'darling' it will always be 'Frank, darling'.

When Frank hugs her. She just melts. Like, not only because it's affection, but Frank's hugs can cure disease, Jodie is certain of it.

OH- a little spicy, maybe? But whenever Frank hugs Jodie from behind, slinking his arms around her waist and pulls her to him, he'll plant a kiss on her neck. He'll do it on purpose 'cause he knows how that simple gesture both causes her to fuckin' turn into a puddle. In more ways than one. Yeah... if he wanted bedroom eyes, then that's one way to achieve them.

If they were to have a tiff, that's a tactic he'll use to say sorry, too. All animosity would leave her body the second he does it lmao. Girl down bad and I don't blame her damn.

[gumnut-logic]

Sweetapple Slices - Slice One

Sweetapple | Dear Mr Tracy | Along the way

I posted one of the OC questionnaire meme thingies and when I received some asks, I realised I could only communicate with my OCs through fic.

So for Alex, introducing Sweetapple Slices - short fics I can answer questions with :D

I hope you enjoy.

-o-o-o-

@idontknowreallywhy asked:

If your character had to get a tattoo, what would it be?

This was written between work shifts so done in a massive hurry. i hope it works. Many thanks to @onereyofstarlight for the quick read through :D

-o-o-o-

“No, Erry, no.”

“Aw, you are a spoil sport. Here I was thinking I could get a little apple in support.”

Alex starred at her. “It’s permanent, Erica. What if you end up hating me, you’d have to burn it off or something.”

She stared up at him, quite frankly as if he was a silly moron. “Don’t be silly.” Well, he was half right. “I could never hate you. You are just too adorable.” She reached up as if to pinch his cheek, but he ducked away.

She grinned and grabbed one of his fries instead and stuck between hot pink lips. “Wuss.”

“Why do I put up with you?”

“Because we are a good together. We make excellent multifunctional polymers. And without me you would never have thought to, much less approached, the mighty Scott Tracy with your brilliant idea.” She stole another fry just for emphasis.

He stared at her, but ultimately he had to smile. How could he anything but? Erica was multicoloured today - pink lips, blue hair propped up in pigtails, and a shade of sparkly green eyeshadow that just added to her overall level of glowing radioactivity.

“You’re dangerous.”

“And don’t you forget it.” He lost another fry.

“You do have your own, you know.”

“Not as entertaining.” She swooped in for another, but he moved the remainder out of her reach.

She pouted a moment, but then grinned at him. “See, you can learn.”

He fought back the urge to throw all his fries at her head.

“But, come on, seriously, you wouldn’t want to get a tattoo? Not even one that says ‘Virgil forever’ or ‘He’s my thunder’…oh, oh, ‘Rescue me, baby’ with a love heart.

He found himself staring at her again. None of those were worth any comment at all. “So do you have a tattoo?”

“Of course.” She suddenly found the street outside the cafe much more interesting than poking fun at him. In that direction lay the tattoo parlour that had started this whole discussion.

“Well?”

“Nope. Not telling unless you get one, too.” She snuffed her nose at him. “No tatts, no tales.”

“I could ask Fireman Fred.”

Her eyes widened. “Don’t you dare!” But then she realised how much she was revealing and she settled back. “He doesn’t know anyway. So, hmph!”

“Really? You have all the eyes for him, Ery. No action?”

“Mind your business.”

He burst out laughing. “So you can mind mine, but I can’t yours?”

“Exactly. Besides, if I didn’t mind yours, all sorts of things could happen.” Her hands were gesturing about as if she was trying to contain and enunciate the concept.

“Like what? The end of the world as we know it?”

“Pretty much.”

And that was the end of that because he happened to look at his watch and apparently talking about getting tattoos had eaten their entire lunch break. They were now five minutes late in getting back to the convention centre.

Damnit.

There followed the jamming of fries in his mouth, sculling the coffee that was barely passable - he wouldn’t be coming back here again - and dashing out the door like a pair of teenagers late for class.

He did eye the tattoo parlour one more time as they ran past, though…

If he did return three days later, after the dregs of the convention had finished, on the last night before flying back to Māhia, when Erica was otherwise occupied, he certainly wasn’t going to mention it.

And if sitting down at work for the next week required just a little extra care, he still wasn’t going to say anything.

It was worth it.

Because if Virgil ever did get around to discovering the tiny silhouette of Thunderbird Two on his right buttock, he was hoping it would get kissed better.

Much better.

-o-o-o-

[timecma]

HEY IF YOURE LIKE TAKING LAND OF STORIES DRAWING REQUESTS… i have been rotating the masked man aggressively in my head and if you have any ideas for what he looks like without the mask that would be so cool to see? i’m very starved of art for him and he is of course evil but also interesting to me 🙏 i love your art btw

HI HELLO I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG!!!!!!!!

I have been plagued by only wanting to draw OC art as of late, and I decided that it has been long enough and I should definitely get to some of my asks! I most definitely can draw the Masked Man without his mask. Another anon also requested him so I hope this satisfies them as well if they check my page.

Anyway, I really hope you don't mind the fact that I took a few liberties while drawing him. I personally like to think that, ((SPOILERS FOR THE LAND OF STORIES SERIES AHEAD DON'T READ IF YOU VALUE NOT BEING SPOILED)) since he and John were both half fairy and whatnot (and the fact that Alex was like "wow you look just like my dad what the heck" for so long) that they look a lot younger than they actually are just like the rest of the fairies.

ANYWAY I'm super sorry for how long it has been. Enjoy some TLOS sustenance u_u.

Apologies if it looks kind of rushed, I used him as a way to get some late-night creativity out.

ALSO I'M REALLY GLAD YOU LIKE MY ART!!! I'm still learning though, so thank you for coming along on this journey of mine! ^^