#BROTHERS FROM ANOTHER MOTHER(GRUB)

[activatingaggro]

Getting bit by character inspo is SO OBNOXIOUS. Usually, I can blame it entirely on Reba, but tragically, this weird fucking Kua hyperfixation is entirely on me this time around.

So might post up some meta! Probably going to post up a lot more Kua art for a bit. Fucking RIP.

[delulu-hours]

Karma {1}

Pairing: Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x F!reader

Summary: Being friends with Jake, you had to deal with his sweet but yet very annoying side of him. Even while he was off at TOP GUN the two of you always made time to talk, and there was always one person who would annoy Jake just about as much as Jake annoyed you. A person who never seemed to miss the chance to flirt with you with the guise of getting under Jake's skin. But what happens when he meets your for the first time?

"I'm telling you, Darlin'. He's doing everythin' he can to get under my skin." Jake let out a heavy sigh as you plopped down on your bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, and it was clear how exhausted he was.

"Well, Jake," You smiled at the man, eager to take the opportunity to give him a playful tease. "I told you karma was going to come and bite you in the ass." He narrowed his eyes at you before putting his phone down.

"You think it's all funny but you haven't met Rooster," You shifted under your blanket as you got comfortable. His video call always signaled he was coming home, a little tradition you both started over the years. You knew it was his way of assuring you that he was safe while being away, which was comforting because you always worried about your best friend. Growing up together meant you guys were extremely close. Always stuck to the hip. His mother would joke around saying that you were practically his wife. Both of you recoiled at the thought of it, but your reaction was something Jake lived off. He used the title of wife to annoy you to the point where sometimes he would even scare off the men you tried to date. And each time he did that you would hit him with one day you karma was going to bite him in the ass for all the times he has ruined your dates-- even if the men were shits-- and for the amount of times he got under your skin. "I don't think I can go another day eating the grub here, Darlin'. I might strangle the chef." You laughed.

"Strangling who?" A new voice entered the conversation. A voice that you knew was the source of Jake's complaints but also the source of his entertainment. "Someone finally got a reaction out of you, Bagman?" You didn't have to see Jake's face to know he was rolling his eyes.

"I was talking about how I missed the homecooked meals that I be getting at home. Right Sweetheart?" You raised an eyebrow. Jake did come over to your apartment every once in a while and when he did, you always had a meal cooked. It wasn't for him by no means but for the fact that you enjoyed cooking. It was your source of destressing.

"I think you're talking to the wrong person here, Jake." He peaked his head back into the frame and smiled at you. "I ain't here to cook for you, so don't be asking me. Not after you and Javy ruined my last date, might I add."

"If it's a date you need, I can clear my schedule up for you." Rooster's comment made you smile as Jake shot him a glare.

"You can mess with any other girl, expect my wife." You scoffed. You knew Rooster was joking but that wasn't going to stop you from what you were about to say.

"Bradley, I would love to go on a date with you." Jake snapped his head back at you, you thought he might've pulled a muscle. "You didn't put a ring on it." You held up your left hand and wiggled your fingers.

"I'll text you with a date." The amused voice said.

"I'm hurt." Jake shook his head and you rolled his eyes.

"Good night, Jake."

"Good night, Darlin'." With that you hung up and rolled to your side. You turned off the lamp and the room grew dark. You weren't going to lie, but you were happy to have Jake back after three months. He was your annoying best friend who was also like your brother. It sucked not having him around.

_________

You stood in the sun, your hand blocking the sun as you scanned the crowd. Jake had texted you that he was coming back today. You had also gotten a text from Rooster telling you to pick out a cute dress because he was gonna take you on a date. You were surprised as you read the message again. You had thought it was a joke. Some playful joke to get a reaction out of Jake. You hadn't expected much and yet here you were. Wearing your favorite light blue floral dress. The slit on the left side fluttered with the wind. The nude heels wrapped around your ankles and you were now regretting the outfit. Saying you were nervous was an understatement as you rocked in your heels. Your hair was up in a cute but messy bun with a few strands that curled around your face. You had a light natural makeup look done with a rosy lipstick. You saw Jake and smiled as you walked over to him. He did a double take, taking in your outfit confused. "Did I miss a special date today, Darlin'?" He placed his bag down and hugged you.

"I got a date." You smiled and returned the hug.

"It better not be with Rooster." A slight warning tone in his voice that you knew was him being protective.

"And if it is?" You pulled back, hands on your hips. You were tempting him to say something. "Let me enjoy myself. I'm grown."

"You're my ride back." He pointed out and you held his keys out to him.

"Well good thing you're a big boy that can drive." You could hear some voices near before a whistle grabbed your attention.

"Well, look at you beautiful." Jake took a step to the side as he looked at the crew that was joining him. His eyes landed on Rooster who didn't hide the fact that he was taking you in. His eyes traveled down your figure before they looked back at you. "I know I said dress cute, but now you have me thinkin' I'm under dressed." The heat rose to your cheeks at the compliment. Rooster ignored Jake as he walked to you.

"Thank you." You voice was soft and Jake raised an eyebrow at you. He hadn't seen you this shy since college when you dated that football player he wasn't a fan of.

"No," Rooster shook his head. "Thank you for blessing my eyes with your beauty." You ducked your eyes, feeling your face grow warmer. "Now I see why Jake has been hiding you away. You definitely have broken some hearts." His comment made you laugh and Rooster's smile grew. He was serious about how you looked. In his eyes, you were the perfect example of the beauty that many would use to describe Aphrodite. The dress was lose but yet it hugged you well. It showed enough to for the eye to just imagine what was hidden under there. The slit might be his favorite part as the wind blew against it. You looked stunning right in front of him that he was glad that he was taking you on this date. He had forgotten how this date was meant to get under Jake's skin a bit since he could see how protective he was over you.

"Alrigh', stop." Jake groaned. He looked at Javy and gave him a look to which Javy nodded.

"Y/n," You looked over at Javy with a slight head tilt. One that made Rooster want to comment how cute you looked. How that head tilt made him feel some type of way. "Have I showed you the new addition I added to my car?" You shook your head confused as to why he was telling you this. "Well, come on then." He threw an arm around your shoulder and guided you to his car. The rest of the dagger members looked amused as you glanced back.

"I think we'll follow them." Phoenix said with a huge smirk on her face. The rest of the members trialed behind her as Jake looked at Rooster. Rooster couldn't help the stupid smile on his face as he took in the annoyed look that was painted on Jake's face.

"You break her heart," Jake threatened, "Or I hear that she had the worst night ever, I'm coming after you." Rooster raised an eyebrow at the threat, not one bit phased by it.

"You're worrying too much." Rooster couldn't help but smirk. "I'll be a gentleman."

"Not one tear, Bradshaw, you hear me." Jake said before walking off to where Javy distracted you, showing you the new touch he added to his car.

_______

You hadn't expected how one simple date at a cute little restaurant would have ended up with the two of you walking on the beach. He was holding your heels in one hand while his other one held your hand. "So you're saying you've known Bagman since he has been in diapers?" Somehow Rooster couldn't wrap his mind around how someone like Jake had a friend like you. You who seemed to be so perfect in his eyes. So nice, caring, and very open. While he had known Jake to be very center of attention, cocky, and even an ass at times.

"I wish I could say I was joking but his momma has plenty of photos of us together in the bath as babies." You scrunched your nose at the thought of the many photos that were stored away in a photo book back home.

"I still can't seem to wrap my head around the idea that someone beautifully sweet has been dealing with someone like Bagman." You let out a small laugh, trying to cover the fact that his words made you blush.

"He's not that bad." You playfully nudged Bradley's shoulder, which earned a laugh that escaped his lips. "I swear! He may be a pain in my ass but he's my best friend. I wouldn't trade him for the world."

"So it seems like I might have some competition." Bradley said, squeezing your hand. You looked up at him, a confused smile on your lips as you slightly titled your head. "Well it sounds like Bagman is your favorite person." He stops walking and you stop too as he moves in front of you.

"Jake?" You shook your head. "I may love him like family, but he definitely isn't my favorite person." Bradley took a step towards you, "I mean he is up there, but definitely not number one."

"So the spots open?" You watched the teasing smile pull at Bradley's lips. The playful glimmer in his chestnut colored eyes. Biting your lip, trying to stop the giggle that wanted to escape you decided to play along.

"Maybe." You shrugged, raising an eyebrow. He seemed to catch onto your playfulness demeanor. He released your hand and moved it up your arm as he closed the gap between you two. You closed your eyes, feeling his lips touch yours. His mustache tickled the skin above your lips but you didn't mind as you leaned into him, trying to deepen the kiss. He rested a hand on your hip and you could feel your heels dangled by your side as you moved your hand up his chest and around his shoulder. His other hand cradled your jaw, angling your head as he kissed you. Your nails scrapped the back of his neck, eliciting a soft groan from him before you gently pulled back. With you chest flushed up against his, you took a moment to catch your beath, eyes closed. As his thumb brushed against your cheek, you opened your eyes to meet his gaze, observing the smirk on his face as he took in every features on your face.

[hexalianrebel-blackfeathers]

Task at Hand

Panda’s Notes: Maybe I'm a little late, but I adored the movie, and, more importantly, I might have fallen for a fictional man. Hobie Brown stole my whole heart. >w< Consider this the first of three.

[Ao3] || [Ko-fi] || [Commissions]

“Oi, short man!”

Miles flinched at the sound of that voice. There was no way.

“Uh, Miles?” His mother called, sounding just a bit nervous.

He scrambled out of his bedroom to find his parents staring warily at a smug looking Spider-Punk leaning against their front door.

“Hobie?” He asked with a hint of panic in his voice as he approached him. “What are you doing here?”

Hobie snickered, patting Miles’ shoulder before shoving his hands in his pockets. “Was in the neighborhood, y’know? Thought we could grab grub or somethin’, just cause.”

“Miles…?” His dad stepped closer, resting a slightly firm hand on his shoulder. “Is this guy another friend of yours?”

“Um…” Miles stammered. “Well, yeah, I mean, he’s a friend, just—"

Hobie rolled his eyes with a little grin, standing up straight and offering a hand. “Aye, Hobie Brown, at ya service. Mr. and Mrs. Morales, yeah? Charmed, really. Heard a lot of good things.”

Jefferson accepted the handshake, eyes widening a little at how strong he was for being so thin. Rio was given a handshake as well, though much gentler.

“So, how’d you two meet anyway?” She asked, hands resting casually on her hips.

Miles stood awkwardly in front of Hobie, wringing his hands behind his back as he spoke. “Well, he’s sort of a pen pal, y’know. We mostly talk online; he’s not around much.”

“I’m a friend of Gwenny’s.” Hobie shrugged casually, pulling his guitar up slightly so they could see. “We jam once in a while, but yeah; I ain’t in town very often. Not from ‘round here, but you probably guessed.” He lunged slightly and wrapped his arm across Miles’ chest, resting his chin on his head and sneaking a poke on his ribs. “Little brother here is always on scene with us. Likes to keep us outta trouble, but he ain’t worth much on bass, I tell ya.”

Hobie laughed lightly, and Miles cringed as his mother chuckled. Jefferson still eyed them both, but he was smiling a bit and patted Miles’ arm lightly. The pair watched his parents expectantly, with Miles fidgeting the entire time.

“Alright, alright; go on.” Jefferson finally sighed with a wave of his hand, smirking slightly as he turned away.

“Don’t stay out too late; try to be back for dinner.” Rio insisted, smiling up at Hobie.

Miles finally relaxed, aiming a glare at Hobie before going to his room to grab his backpack.

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

“I cannot believe you!” Miles called as he chased Hobie across a few rooftops halfway across town.

“Can’t believe my amazing charisma, you mean, mate?” He called back. “You wouldn’t. You are complete shit at lying. Actual garbage, my guy.”

Miles groaned and rolled his eyes, shifting his bag on his shoulders. “Get back here! Aren’t you the one who wanted to get food? It’s going to get cold!”

Hobie stopped on one building, suddenly whirling around and catching Miles before he could land. He shushed him quietly, smirking as he pulled his mask from his pocket and put it on.

“Over here, bruv, come on.” He leaned over the side of the roof, glancing up and down the street. “I was casing this place earlier when I was headed your way. Spider-sense going somethin’ fierce. Windows are all blacked out; same color, definitely not curtains.”

Miles had pulled his own mask over his head, shrugging his bag off to lean beside him. “Are you telling me the Spider-Punk got me out of the house to work?” He giggled when Hobie elbowed his ribs, crawling up over the edge as the taller man practically shoved him.

“Oi, shut up already. Place skeeved me out, okay? Look for yourself if it seems sketchy. I’m not the one built for stealth, now am I?”

“Okay, okay…” Miles disappeared from view, crawling carefully across the side of the building. Sure enough, the windows did all appear to be completely blacked out. Maybe a mix of duct tape and spray paint? Too thick to see through either way. Great, the one time he feels like he doesn’t have enough powers. He pressed his ear to the window, blinking curiously at the sounds of some kind of machinery. This wasn’t a warehouse or anything; it just looked like a regular, if very old, apartment building.

Miles climbed back up to the roof, finding Hobie fishing French fries out of his backpack. He snickered as he approached him. “Those better not be mine.”

“Bags are the same color, mate; don’t know what ‘tell ya.” He said quickly, licking his fingers and putting the backpack on his shoulder. “What’d you get?”

“Some kind of machine noise? I couldn’t see what it was, but it seemed like a lot of them. Kinda sketchy, I guess. They wouldn’t black out the windows other—”

“Issa sweatshop.” Hobie suddenly spoke through a few more fries, striding quickly across the rooftop. “Betcha a fancy-ass milkshake on it, yeah?”

Miles jogged after him, watching as he stopped beside the building’s transformer. “A sweatshop? You think so?”

“Bet on it, didn’t I?” Hobie prodded around the large box curiously before ramming his elbow into the small service panel. “Look, worst hand: I’m right, crime’s on, and you owe me that milkshake. Plus, we disrupt some exploitative assholes making shitty clothes or whatever. Best hand—” He gripped the edge of the dented panel, ripping it clean off its hinges. “Well, some weirdo junkies won’t have television for a week, maybe. Fry it.”

Miles blinked at the sudden command, looking warily at the cables and lights. “And you think this isn’t going to get me fried?”

“Eh, you’ve done it before, basically.” Hobie shrugged, stepping out of his way. “Didn’t die then.”

Miles rolled his eyes, but he still hesitated a little. Electricity crackled between his fingers as he looked for places to slip them under the cables. He could feel his hands tingling as the electricity jumped between the transformer and his body.

“Nah, nah, nah; you’re holding back again.” Hobie said quickly. “They’ll notice some light flickering; remember what I told you.” He reached over Miles’ head, pressing his own hands over Miles’ to press his palms flat into the transformer.

“Whoa, wai—!” There was a blinding flash and a loud crack, and Miles spun around when he realized Hobie wasn’t pushing him anymore. His knuckles cracked as he flexed his fingers, scrambling over to where Spider-Punk was sprawled on the roof almost ten feet away.

“Hobie?!” He called in a panic, grabbing at his shoulder and shaking him a bit. He felt a few minor shocks jump up his arm, and Hobie coughed as he shifted around. Coughs turned into groans that quickly turned into excited laughter as he pushed himself to sit up.

“Haha! Hell, yeah, my guy; fucking aces!” He cackled, slapping Miles’ chest with the back of his hand and wincing immediately. “Ack, shit, that hurt… Fuck, that was awesome!”

Miles stared at him in disbelief, only able to imagine the look on Hobie’s face. He cringed a little as his Spider-Sense went off, and he realized he could hear boots stomping up a staircase.

“Let’s book, mate, come on!” Hobie was halfway across the roof already, though he almost stumbled on the jump to the next building. Miles stuck close to him as they ran this time.

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

“You were worried about this being cold, man?” Hobie chuckled between bites of his sandwich. “You’re too much sometimes, aren’t ya?”

They had returned to Miles’ building, and they’d finally gotten the chance to sit down on a pair of chairs that had been forgotten from the party weeks back.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Hobie?” Miles asked warily, leaning slightly to gently kick his leg. “You were out for a little bit.”

“Nah, I wasn’t.” He said shortly. “Hurt like a bitch, but it didn’t put me out. Trust me, I been hit with worse without the mask on. The healing thing helps out though, gotta admit.”

“Healing thing?”

Hobie snorted, pulling a soda can out of his lunch bag as he looked over at him. “You been a Spider how long, and you never noticed the healing thing, brother? Thinkin’ you just fall off of buildings and live based on goof physics, are ya?”

Miles chuckled and shook his head, rolling his hand as he crossed his legs on the chair. “Yeah, okay; get it all out.”

Hobie chuckled and smirked, shrugging his shoulders as he popped the soda tab with one finger. “Nah, I’m done. What I want to hear about is why you’re still holding yourself back on the electricity thing.”

Miles huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “I can’t just go around electrocuting everyone all the time!”

“Yeah, ‘cuz you’re soft.” Hobie reached to slap lightly at Miles’ shoulder and ruffle his hair with one hand, grinning as he swatted him away. “Though, I guess you would be a bit young to get a body count on you.”

Miles hesitated as he judged the weight of what Hobie was saying. And not saying. He stared at his hand for a moment as he set his straw against his lips, his nerves prickling a little as sparks jumped between his fingers.

“Y’know what? You have a point; I admit it.” He finally sighed.

“I’m always right, man; you’ll catch on eventually.” Hobie snorted when a napkin was thrown at his head.

“My skill isn’t in my power output.” Miles shrugged and flexed his hand. “It’s in my control.” He punctuated the statement by jabbing two fingers into Hobie’s side while he was looking away, the smallest amount of electricity he could manage zipping through them.

Hobie flinched hard, his hand clenching sharply enough to crush the top of the soda can and a choked noise jumping out of his mouth.

Miles paused, a smile spreading across his face as he fidgeted with his fingers.

Hobie glared at him, his eyes betrayed by the smirk on his lips, and he shook the soda off of his hand after setting the can down. “Do that again, and I break your arm.”

“Okay, but I can do it again though?”

“If you want a broken ar—Ack! Miles!” His voice was cracked to pieces by barely stifled giggles.

Miles had pressed another little shock to Hobie’s side, spreading his fingers and starting to wiggle them quickly. “You’re ticklish! Oh, my god; you’re, like, really ticklish.” He slipped around Hobie’s chair, digging scribbling fingers across his stomach and up his sides.

Hobie wrapped his arms tight around his waist, laughing loudly and writhing under each little poke. He nearly flinched out of his chair at another zap, hiding his face in one hand as the other shoved at Miles’ shoulder.

“I really can’t believe you.” Miles giggled, finally letting Hobie push him away and leaning into his outstretched arm. “‘Spider-Punk’ and ‘ticklish’ just don’t really go together, y’know?”

Said Spider-Punk panted quietly, and his hand got a tight grip on Miles’ jacket. “‘S pretty rude to go off stereotyping people, innit, man?” He asked calmly, slowly getting out of his chair and yanking Miles by his coat to follow him. Miles stammered nervously, and Hobie smirked a bit before shooting a bit of web onto the underside of the water silo’s roof and pulling both of them up.

Hobie landed his free hand against the side of the water tank, pressing his boots alongside it to sit in a sideways crouch. Finally, he sneered at Miles, still holding him at arm’s length in open air. “Think this is high enough, little brother?”

“W-Wait, what?” Miles’ face was torn between laughing and panicking. “Hobie, you can’t be serious; I was just messing with you!”

“Nah, you’re right; I’d have to chuck ya off the roof, at least.” He jerked his arm as if he was going to drop him, but his fingers tightened their grip on his coat.

“Hobie!” Miles laughed as he grabbed Hobie’s arm.

“Miles?!”

Both of them froze, eyes shifting to the roof access door where Rio had suddenly appeared. Hobie’s grip loosened, and Miles crawled up Hobie’s arm and shoulder, sort of perching on his back as they both stared at her.

“Ey, boss.” Hobie called casually, saluting politely with two fingers.

“Hi, mami…” Miles called a bit sheepishly, and she rested her palm over her face.

Miles cringed nervously, but not nervously enough to resist sneaking a poke under Hobie’s arm. The soul-withering glare Hobie gave him seemed to make him feel better.

“If you’re out thinkin’ I won’t kill a man in front of his mother, you’re off it.” He growled with a smirk. He took a few steps down, lowering Miles to the roof by his hands before dropping down himself. They approached Rio, one much more nervous than the other, and she just sighed as she looked at them. She smiled, the kind of smile a mother would definitely wear when her kids were doing something adorably stupid, and she reached out to hug Miles close.

Hobie rested his hands in his pockets, chuckling as he stepped back. “Yeah, on that one, I should probably head on.” He sighed dramatically, spinning around and walking toward the other side of the roof. “Got a few little brothers to toss off roofs and all.”

He shot a pair of webs to snatch his guitar and the remains of his food bag from where he’d left them, stepping up onto the edge and poking at his watch. “Nice meeting you, ma’am!” He waved as he jumped down; there was a clatter from the fire escape before silence.

Rio hummed and ruffled Miles’ hair. “You do seem to take to the wild ones, don’t you?”

Miles rolled his eyes a little while she wasn’t looking. “You’re not wrong, I guess. Sorry, if we scared you, I mean. Did you need something?”

“Just wanted to say I’m proud of you.” She was tapping her phone, and when he saw the screen, he couldn’t help grinning. It was a clip from the news; apparently, he owed Hobie a fancy milkshake next time they met.

[davekat-sucks]

in my blog i came into a realization, and i need confirms by someone who has read homestuck more than once.

if john and jade are related, and dave and rose are related, then, technically, dad egbert and mom lalonde having something between them makes all the beta kids related.

and if all trolls are related between them (since born via incestuous slurry - which applies even if the trolls are born via ectobiology, because the genetic material comes always from other trolls either way), but peixeses are technically related with the egbert-harley-english-crocker family due to HIC in the alpha timeline; making all trolls related to all beta AND alpha kids.

and if HIC had also an affair with lord english, making also all the alpha/beta kids and trolls related to the cherubins.

arent then ALL (999999%) of homestuck ships incestuous in some way or another?

probably explained it really bad, so here it is the original post: https://www.tumblr.com/shit-solkat/763806618492321792/my-god

if thats confirmed i swear i will laugh like crazy, cuz it means that all the people who complain about the quantity of incest in the hs fandom, while posting their "pure and morally superior" davekat, rosemary and callieroxy will have a real problem when theyll find out that they CONTRIBUTED to the incest present in the fandom.

Since Rose is technically married to Kanaya, that means she is now a step-sister to KARKAT since all trolls made from incestuous slurry are related. Even if they have separate last names and blood colors, the trolls we had followed were made the same way with the Mother Grub and ectobiology. So Karkat dating Dave means he is dating his step-brother or cousin. So incest is fine as long as a troll is involved because their customs and rules trump human morals?

[mychemicalimagines]

Everything Changed-Embry Call-Chapter 8

Summary: A couple months before her junior year in high school finishes, something happened to the once normal Hayley Uley. Myth turns into reality. Not just for her, but for her older brother, Sam, as well. They have to drop everything they once knew for something they thought was only in bed time stories. Will things finally start looking up for once after this ‘blessing-in-disguise’?

Warnings: Cussing, Paranormal, Supernatural, Angst, Love, Bella-Bashing, Possible Smut (Please read Authors Note in Chapter 1 for Age Explanation)

Words: 5,738

A/N: Here is another chapter! I hope you enjoy! To Be Tagged: Message Me, Submit an Ask, Comment or Tag Yourself in My Bio!!

Third Person POV

Later that night, besides Jake, everyone is eating the food the girls made, sitting around a growing fire that Sam started an hour or so beforehand. Billy sits in his wheelchair with the forest to his back, starting the large circle. Old Quil sits on one side of him while Sue sits on the other side. The eldest three council leaders.

When Harry passed away, Sue joined the council, keeping the Clearwater name in the leading circle. Beside Old Quil is his grandson and the newest, fellow pack member, Quil. Jared, Kim and Paul sitting next to him, almost rough housing as usual, the female just laughing along. Beside Paul is Emily leaning against Sam, slightly cuddling. 

Hayley and Embry are next, with the female allowing her boyfriend to eat off her plate.They saved a spot for Jake, knowing that Bella would be showing up with him. Closing up the circle next to his mother is Seth, who is practically bouncing in his seat with all the excitement building in his stomach. 

They hear a car pull into the parking lot of the beach before Bella’s voice is heard to all the shifters.

“You sure this is okay?” She asks. “I really hate being a party crasher.”

“Technically, you’re a council meeting crasher.” Jake chuckles, trying to ease her anxiety a little. “See. The council leaders, Sam, Dad, Quil’s grandpa and Sue Clearwater. She took over for Harry when he died.”

“Okay, I should not be here.” She says, turning slightly but Jake stops her. 

“You’re okay. We…they thought it would be good for you to hear the histories.” He corrects himself. 

“The histories?” Her eyes widen. “The tribe's histories? Aren’t they secret?”

“We all got a role to play. And you’re a part of this. I mean, it’s the first time Seth and Quil are hearing them, too. But you’re the first outsider. Ever.”

“If I had known that, I wouldn’t believe you.” She looks up at him. “And would’ve dressed better.” 

“Jake!” They hear, causing them to face forward. 

Seth runs up toward them, almost like a puppy, a large smile on his face. 

“Hey, it’s about time you got here! Paul’s been hovering the grub. But, I saved you some burgers!” He continues.

“Good looking out, bro.” Jake smiles before looking at the female next to him. “Bella, this is Seth Clearwater, Sue’s son. One of the newest members of the pack.”

“Newest, bestest, brightest.” He grins.

“And slowest!”

Jake grabs the young boy in a headlock, both tumbling to the sand, laughing. Hayley smiles to herself, happy to see Seth being a kid, despite all the future pressure he’ll, no doubt, have on his shoulders. Sam whistles loudly, stopping the two shifters, knowing Billy wants to start. 

“Come on.” Seth grins. “Your dad’s about to start.”

The trio walk over to the fire, sitting down in their respective spots with Bella next to Seth. Billy looks around, mentally counting to make sure everyone is there before he begins. Everyone’s attention wholly on him, his voice commanding.

“The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning but we’ve always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors, shape shifters, that transform into the powerful wolf. This enabled us to scare off our enemies and protect our tribe. One day, our warriors came across a creature…” He says, looking around at everyone. 

To Bella, it’s as if the story was playing in the fire in the middle of the pack. She can picture every word he’s saying as if it were a movie playing right in front of her. 

“It looked like a man, but it was hard like stone, and cold as ice…Our warriors’ sharp teeth finally tore it apart but only fire would completely destroy it. They lived in fear, the Cold Man was not alone…And they were right. She took her vengeance out on the village. Our elder chief, Taha Aki, was the only spirit warrior left to save the tribe after his son was killed. Taha Aki’s Third Wife could see that he would lose. The Third Wife was no magical being, no special powers…but one. Courage.” He says, looking in the direction of each of the three imprinted couples.

The pack knew exactly who the Third Wife was. She was Taha Aki’s imprint. That’s what makes her so special, besides the lesson he is currently giving. Embry kisses his own imprint’s head before she nuzzles her face into his neck.

“The Third Wife’s sacrifice distracted the Cold Woman, long enough for Taha Aki to destroy her. She saved the tribe. Over time, our enemies have disappeared. But one remains…The Cold Ones. Our magic awakens when they near. And we sense it now, we feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming. And we must all be ready. All of us.” Billy finishes, glancing toward Bella.

She has slight guilt in her stomach after hearing the story. Knowing that packs ancestors were killed by Cold Ones when she wants to be one herself. She knows this hasn’t changed her mind but it does give her some insight into her best friend’s history.

Another week has passed with no signs of the red-head or the random vampire that Jake and Hayley smelled in Bella’s bedroom. When the wolves and vampires have to switch out for their patrol outside her outside, there is no talking until the others have left. They have a truce but it is so tense, they swear they can cut it with a knife. 

That is what happened earlier when Hayley and Paul switched with Emmett and Alice. The two vampires stared at them before rushing toward their home. Emmett’s lucky that the truce was in place as well as Sam’s words of ‘wait till their feet touch the grass’. Hayley rolls her eyes and walks in her wolf form toward the front of Bella’s house. 

Her head snaps up when she hears the wheels screeching of Edward’s Volvo. She raises an eyebrow as the vampire rushes out of his vehicle straight toward Jake’s rabbit as he pulls in. Bella exits the car, holding her hand close to her body as if she hurt herself. 

“Not here, Edward. Please.” She begs her boyfriend. 

“If you ever touch her against her will again.” Edward snarls at her pack member. 

Hayley immediately phases back into her human form before getting dressed. What the fuck happened?

“Don’t do this!” Bella continues, trying to put herself between them. 

“She’s not sure what she wants.” Jake growls at the leech.

“Well, let me give you a clue.” Edward snaps at him. 

“Wait for her to say the words.”

Hayley rushes from the trees, gently moving Bella from between them. The human sighs in relief at the sight of the Beta.

“Shut the fuck up, both of you.” She growls, pushing between them. 

“Fine. And she will!” Edward glares, ignoring the female shifter.

She pushes them apart, deja-vu hitting her hard. “Just shut up! What happened?”

Jacob finally looks away from the leech as he licks his bottom lip. 

“I kissed Bella…And she broke her hand…punching my face.”

“What the fuck, Jake?” Hayley snaps, her voice rising slightly. “You know she’s in a relationship with this asshole. You can’t do that!”

“I wanted to prove…”

“I don’t care what you wanted to do! You don’t do shit like that!” She pushes his chest again. “Get your ass in your car and go to my house. Tell Sam what you did. He’ll deal with your punishment.”

“Hayley…”

“No, Jacob. Go, now!” She growls, glaring at him. 

He shakes his head before turning around, stomping toward his car. No one says anything as he speeds away from the house. Edward finally speaks up when the car is away from view. Despite her calling him an asshole, he’s glad she was there.

“Thank you, Hayley.”

She rolls her eyes and turns toward Bella. She doesn’t like the girl, but she didn’t deserve that.

“Are you okay?”

“My hand hurts pretty bad.” She admits.

“You did punch a wolf in the face. We’re practically indestructible.” She shakes her head, glancing up at Edward. “Take her back to your house.” She looks back at Bella. “I’ll inform Charlie you broke your hand on the rez.”

“Thanks.” She whispers, following her boyfriend to his precious Volvo.

“I need to start getting paid.” Hayley mumbles to herself as she walks up to Bella’s front door. “It’s like babysitting a bunch of sparkly and fevered toddlers.”

“Now, welcome to the stage, La Push High’s 2006 Class Salutatorian, Hayley Uley!” The Principal says before stepping back from the microphone. 

The entire gym erupts in applause with the pack, including Jared and Paul who are sitting in their own cap and gowns, being the loudest. Hayley blushes slightly as she walks up to the microphone, her speech in hand. Glancing around the audience, her eyes land on her boyfriend, who is smiling widely, proud of his imprint.

She is always going above and beyond for their tribe. Losing sleep so she can go on patrol and so she can finish her mountains of homework. This woman is the definition of a hard-worker. Embry puts his pinkies in his mouth and whistles loudly, causing her to bite her lip slightly. As the cheers slow down, her eyes meet her brother’s who is beaming with pride. 

He is so proud of his little sister. With everything that has happened in the last year, she stepped up and took her role as Beta seriously as well as made sure her grades were immaculate. She didn’t let their mom leaving them impede her studies and responsibilities. If anything, it made her stronger, more determined, and so full of perseverance, that Sam can’t help but be immensely proud of her.

Hayley fixes the microphone to her height before looking down at the speech she had written the night before.

“When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers were things like astronaut, president or in my case, the Queen I know I am.” She grins as the auditorium is filled with laughter for a moment. “When we were ten, they asked again and we answered - rock star, cowboy, or in my case - a vet. But now that we’ve grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how about this: who the hell knows?” 

Loud hoots and hollers from her classmates, Paul being the loudest. 

“This isn’t the time to make hard and fast decisions, it’s the time to do what we want. Find ourselves. Take the wrong train, and get stuck somewhere. Fall in love…” She glances toward Embry who is grinning at her words. “Some of us may go on to college right away, or get our own places, and start our lives. Some of us may continue to live at home - for whatever reason - and annoy the hell out of our parents - or, my older brother, in my case, just as we’ve done for the last 17-18 years. But, at the end of the day. No matter what we do, where we go, it’ll be at our own paces, and what’s best for us in that moment of time. Change your mind. Then change it again, because there’s only two things that’s permanent. That’s family and the friends you met along the way. So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be…we won’t have to guess. We’ll know.”

The entire gym erupts in applause once again as her words sink into every single person there, not just her graduating classmates. She grabs her piece of paper and folds it as she walks down to her seat, putting it in her dress pocket. They all listen to the Principal make the same exact speech he’s been making since he started working at the school.

When it’s time for the students to get their diploma, Hayley is one of the first people in line, due to her class title. 

“Hayley Uley.” The Principal repeats, turning slightly to put his hand out.

She takes a few steps toward him and shakes his hand, grabbing the diploma case from his other hand as her brother and Embry, as well as the rest of the pack including the two graduating, stand up and cheer the loudest out of everyone there. 

“That’s my little sister!” “My girlfriend did it! Hell yeah!” “Wooo! Go, Hayley!”

She blushes and walks past the Principal to leave the stage, glancing at the pack as she does. Her heart drops slightly when she sees Billy clapping happily for his Beta…without his son next to him. About ten minutes later, Jared’s name is called, causing Hayley to stand up and whistle about as loud, if not louder than he had for her just minutes earlier. 

He grins and accepts his diploma case in the same manner before throwing up the rock-star sign, causing his friends to laugh. Since Paul’s last name began with L, it takes a little longer to get to him but everyone in the pack cheers as if it’s been five seconds. His classmates were surprised he was able to graduate but not the pack.

With Hayley being there, she was always helping him with his homework and studying, this included when they were on patrol. She quizzed him more often than not, making sure he would be able to walk the stage. He’s thankful for her. Because of her, he proved his father wrong and proved he was able to do it.

Over an hour later, after the tassels have been moved and the caps have been thrown, Hayley rushes toward her brother, squealing as she moves.

“I fuckin’ did it!” She practically screams, jumping into his arms. 

Sam catches her, holding her close to him. “I’m so proud of you, Hay.”

“You’re the one person I want to thank, Sam. Without you, I wouldn’t be here.” She whispers, hugging him tightly. 

“I didn’t do anything. All I did was…” She cuts off her brother by leaning back and looking at him.

“You believed in me from day one. That’s what you did.” She says, tearing up slightly. “Even when mom gave up on me, on us, you never did. Not even for one second.”

Her words cause her brother to tear up a little himself, as he smiles softly before kissing the top of her head.“Congratulations, Beta. You deserve this.” 

Before any more words can be spoken, her imprint walks up and wraps his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck slightly. 

“I’m dating a high school graduate.” He whispers causing her to wipe her tears and giggle. “That’s kinda hot.”

Sam rolls his eyes but jumps when Jared and Paul almost tackle him with their own excitement. Since the whole gym is loud with families and graduates, he didn’t even hear them running toward them. Hayley turns around in her boyfriend's arms and wraps her own around his neck.

“Hot, huh?”

“Hell yeah it is.” He grins, leaning down toward her. “I really got lucky, dating an older woman. All the guys are jealous!”

She laughs slightly and leans up, pressing her own lips to his, sparks flying. He reaches up and cups her cheek, deepening it slightly. Normally the pack would step in to mess it up on purpose but Hayley deserves this. When they pull away for a breath of much needed air, Emily decides to be the one to step in, not wanting anything to happen in public.

“Alright, time for pictures!!”

Since the pack had the legends bonfire a little over a week before, Paul, Jared and Hayley all wanted to have a nice dinner for their graduation party. Just the pack and them. The only family they would ever need. The three graduates sit next to each other with Embry next to his girlfriend and Sam next to Jared, Paul and Hayley in the middle. 

Kim wasn’t able to be there due to her own family wanting to have a nice dinner as she graduated today as well. She’s gonna be stopping by in a couple of days to spend time with the pack. The pack’s laughing, having the best time of their lives…that is until Jake walks into the room. They all quiet down and look at him, slightly shocked to see he even showed up. 

Sam notices that he wasn’t sitting next to his father in the stands earlier in the night. He’s irritated with his pack member but if he would rather be at Bella’s graduation, hiding, more power to him.

“Hey guys.” He says, putting his hands into his pockets. “Congrats.”

“Thanks.” Hayley says aloud, and very sarcastically, while her two classmates nod at his words, not wanting to speak.

“I, uh, I’m sorry I didn’t go. You know…Bella was graduating too, so.” He mumbles, knowing everyone could hear him. 

“It’s alright. We had the pack.” Jared says, watching him.

“Hell, we had your dad.” Paul shrugs, grabbing another piece of the fantastic dinner Emily created for them.

Jacob nods slightly before speaking reluctantly, knowing he’s going to make someone mad today. 

“I know today is a big one but I wanted to know if Hayley, Embry and Quil were ready…”

“Ready for what?” She raises an eyebrow.

“To go to Bella’s graduation party.”

Embry and Quil growl slightly, pissed at their best friend's words. 

“The fuck, Jacob. You knew since we graduated too we wanted a nice dinner with the pack so why the hell do I have to go?” She asks, throwing her napkin down onto the table.

“Because Sam said I can’t go alone and…”

“You didn’t tell me it was today!” Sam growls. “Can’t my sister have one day without your damn leech problems?” 

“Hay,” He looks at her, begging. “I’ll make it up to you. Please. I need to apologize for what happened a few days ago.”

Hayley shakes her head, glaring at him as she tries to hold back her vibrating body. “Fuck this! Fuck you, Jake! I’m not going. I’m tired of coming second to your little puppy crush on a leech lover. If you want to apologize, you can find a way that doesn’t include me!”

The tension in the room skyrockets and Sam sighs, rubbing his eyes. 

“Fine. Because you’re such a selfish asshole.” He turns to his Beta. “Hayley, will you please go with him and tonight, you and I will watch Harry Potter all night.”

Growling softly, but nodding as she stands up. “Fine.” She looks at Jake, glaring at him. “Just know, I’m done doing anything for you. I’m only going to this cause Sam asked. Next time you need something, why don’t you ask your new leech friends. Cause I’m done.”

“But the pack?” He starts as she walks away.

“No!” She turns, pointing toward him. “No. You do not get to lecture me on the pack! You’ve put me and the pack second to you and your leech loving best friend who’s not even your imprint! If you gave a damn about the pack, you’d have been there today, Jake. You’d have supported us. You’d have chosen your pack before all this. But no. You weren’t. You haven’t. And you didn’t! So, don’t you dare start in with the ‘but the pack’ bullshit! You’re the fuckin’ wolf that cried boy!”

Jake sighs and nods softly. “Fine. But…please?”

Hayley flips him off and growls as she turns away from him to go put her shoes on. Embry shakes his head, anger filling his stomach.

“You’re such a fuckin’ dick, Jake.” He stands up, throwing his own napkin down onto the table. “She got one day this year to do whatever she wanted and you ruined it.”

“I know but…”

“No buts, Jake. The only butt here is you.” He looks at his best friend. “Since the day you phased, she’s done whatever you asked, despite her being the Beta of our pack. A role you tried to take from her. When they wanted you to sniff Bella’s room for a new leech, she was there after getting literally an hour of sleep. When you needed help on homework, she canceled one of our rare dates so you’d get a good grade. She was the one that took every shift outside of Bella’s house she could to make sure that house was safe. If you truly knew how important this day was to her, and even - just slightly - gave a shit about her, you’d have been there for her. You’d have done the one thing that you knew you should’ve, the one thing she shouldn’t even have to ask of you. But you didn’t. You showed her - and everyone else here - just how little she, and the pack, means to you. How little you actually care about her.”

The teenage boy looks down at his shoes, not knowing what to say. Paul glances up slightly.

“He’s right. I didn’t care if you showed up. Jared didn’t either but she was the one to ask you. Personally! Out of all the times you’ve let her down, this has to be the worst. It’s the only thing she’s ever asked of you, and you gave a rat’s ass about it.”

“Forget it, guys.” Hayley speaks up, her heart full of love from her friends. “If he doesn’t care, then why should I? Let’s just go get this over with so I can come back and watch Harry win the Triwizard cup with the people that do actually care.”

She grabs her truck keys and walks out the back door. Embry rushes out after her, gently curling his fingers around her wrist once he’s close enough. He gently tugs, getting her to stop and face him. Leaning up, he kisses her softly, cupping her cheek with his other hand, absentmindedly wiping the tear that falls down her cheek. 

She deepens the kiss slightly, happy she has at least one good thing in her life and that's her imprint. He’s had her back through everything since the day their eyes met in Jake’s garage. When they pull away, he looks deep into her eyes, wanting to show how much she means to him.

“I love you, Hayley.” He whispers. “Even when everyone is shitting on you, I’ll love you until the end of time.”

Another tear falls down her cheek as she takes in a breath, wanting her heart to stop pounding hard at his words. 

“I love you, too, Embry. So much.”

She wraps her arms around his neck, nuzzling against him slightly. He holds her as close as he can, wanting her to feel his love.

“No matter how much worse Jake can make tonight, this moment, with you, Em, it’s the best part of my day. Of my life.” She whispers.

“You’re already the best part of my life.” He whispers, kissing her temple before pulling away.

Quil stomps out of the house, rushing straight for his best friends, mumbling about how much an ass Jake is. Jacob walks out slowly, embarrassed about everything Sam, Paul and Embry have said to him. Emily even said something when Hayley rushed out of the house. Their Beta drives them to the Cullen’s house, the disgusting smell of sweet bleach hitting their noses as soon as they pull in. 

Embry and Quil growl, but exit the car, knowing that they better get this over with so they can get home as soon as possible. Hayley turns off her truck and puts the keys in her pocket before looking at Jake.

“We’re going to go in. You’re going to apologize. I’m gonna get some cake then we’re leaving. Understood?”

He nods softly, swallowing the small amount of spit in his mouth. She leaves the car and walks to the two boys who are waiting for her. It doesn’t take long for them to find the entrance after hearing the loud music and teenagers talking from the truck. Despite how tense they are, Embry and Quil flank Hayley while Jacob stands a few feet to the side.

Since he’s in the house of the Cullen Coven, he’s calm and confident, not wanting them to know his pack just ripped him a new one for even wanting to be there. Bella catches sight of the four of them before sighing to herself, maneuvering off the dance floor.

“What are you doing here?” She asks, glancing at the other three.

“You invited me, remember?” He smiles slightly.

“Was my right hook too subtle for you? It was me uninviting you.” She scoffs before gesturing to Hayley. “She has more of a right to be here than you do and she doesn’t even like me.”

The Beta smirks to herself, glancing around the party.

“Look, Bella. I’m sorry…about, you know…The kiss and your hand.” He says, causing the two boys to look at him in confusion. “I’d blame it on the whole inner animal thing, but it was really…just me. Being an ass. I’m really sorry.”

Bella sees how sincere he is with his words before nodding slightly. 

“I brought you something. A graduation present.” He says, pulling something out of his pocket. “I made it myself.”

Embry rolls his eyes and puts his hand on his girlfriend’s back. He didn’t even give his pack members a card for their graduation. Hell! Seth handmade cards for the three graduates. Hay immediately put it on her wall so she can look at it everyday. 

“You made this?” Bella asks, looking at the intricately hand-carved miniature wolf that is attached to a bracelet. “It’s really pretty! Thanks.”

Jacob grins widely and helps her put it on, glad she likes it. Hayley pulls on her boyfriend’s shirt slightly, gesturing to the door. He nods slightly, knowing what she means before turning to Jacob to tell him where they’re going. Before Hay can try to move past a couple of the Forks High graduates, wanting to get some food since Jake rudely interrupted their dinner, a voice captures her attention.

“Hey! It’s Taken!” 

She groans slightly and turns around, mumbling softly. “As if this night couldn’t get any worse.”

Embry raises an eyebrow at her words and turns around, looking to see a blonde pale face, checking out his girlfriend, a slight glare appearing.

“Mike.” Hayley says, putting her hand on her boyfriend’s arm to calm him down. “What do you want?”

“I didn’t know you were going to be here.” He grins, stepping in front of her. 

“Well, my great friend Bella graduated today so I thought I’d stop by and say hello.” She says, forcing the words out.

“Oh! Well while you’re here we should dance or something.” He checks her out again before looking up at Embry who steps up toward him.

Hayley bites her lip slightly, loving the protective feeling that’s radiating from her imprint. She’s also trying to hold back her laughter at the sight of her 6 foot 4 boyfriend, towering over the barely 5 foot 10 inch tall teenager.

“And you’re who?” Embry narrows his eyes. 

“I’m Mike.” He puts his hand out. “You must be the guy she’s happily and forever taken to?”

“I am.” He says, ignoring his hand shake. “So, you already knew that she’s taken? But you still thought you’d shoot your shot?”

“I, uh…” He stutters slightly. “I thought she was lying…”

“She wasn’t and she still isn’t so why don’t you go and dance with someone else because this beautiful girl is mine.” He wraps his arm around her waist.

“Yeah, uh, sure. Sorry.” Mike gulps before turning around, rushing back toward Jessica who was still on the dance floor.

When he’s out of earshot, Hayley turns to look up at her boyfriend with a smirk.

“And you say I’m the hot one.” She whispers, knowing he can hear her. “I’d have to say, you’re the hot one here.”

He looks down at her, the glare immediately erasing from his face.

“Me?” He chuckles and shakes his head. “Nah, it’s still you.”

Before she can reply, the air in the room quickly gets thick, not that any of the humans around would notice. The couple turns around to see Alice near the staircase, frozen in her spot. She’s having a vision.

“Shit.” She whispers before following Bella, Jake and Quil to the know-it-all vampire.

“Alice, what did you see?” Bella whispers, looking at her friend.

“Okay, something is going on. Tell me.” Jake says, looking between them.

“I…need to talk to Jasper.” She says, turning to the side.

The shifter puts his arm against the wall, blocking her from moving.

“Why don’t you tell me?” He growls slightly.

“I suggest you remove your arm…before I do.” Jasper says, appearing almost out of nowhere.

“Nah, how about you back up away from my pack before I remove yours.” Hayley glares at the vampire. 

He turns toward her, his lethal expression falling as he sees she’s flanked by her imprint and best friend. He swallows the venom in his mouth, not wanting to start anything with her.

“The decision has been made.” Alice says, breaking their eye contact.

“What’s going on? You’re not going to Seattle?” Bella asks, looking at her again.

“No…They’re coming here…”

The four pack members follow behind the vampire couple to Carlisle’s office where the rest of them were waiting. Once again Quil and Embry are flanking their Beta while Jake stands near Bella but he’s far enough away from Edward to be happy.

“How long?” Edward asks, looking at his ‘sister��. 

“They’ll be here in four days.” She answers.

The four pack members glance at each other, confused at the conversation that’s going on. 

“This could turn into a bloodbath.” Carlisle says, glancing at his family.

“Who’s behind it?” The mind-reading vampire continues his questioning.

“I didn’t see anyone I recognize. Maybe one.” Alice thinks about her vision.

“I know his face. He’s local, Riley Biers.” He says, glancing at his girlfriend. “He didn’t start this.”

For the last year, her father, the Chief of Police, has been searching for him since he’s been missing. Now she knows what happened.

“Whoever did is staying out of the action.”

“They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision.” Carlisle speaks up again.

“Either way, the army is coming…” Jasper stands straight. “And there aren’t enough of us to protect the town.”

Hayley has had enough. She steps forward, putting her hands out, shaking slightly at the conversation.

“Hold up. What damn army? What are you talking about?”

Carlisle looks toward his ‘youngest son’ who shakes his head. He sighs and looks toward the Beta of the pack.

“Newborns. Our kind.”

“What are they after?” Embry asks, glancing at his imprint.

“They were passing around Bella’s scent. A red blouse.”

“The scent Jake and I smelled. Must be this Riley kid.” Hayley says, glancing at the oldest vampire.

“They’re the ones after Bella?” Embry raises an eyebrow.

“What the hell does this mean?” Jacob speaks up.

“It means an ugly fight. With lives lost.” Carlisle sighs.

A sudden weight falls on Hayley’s shoulders. Lives lost meaning that these newborn vampires can get past the Cullen’s and get to Forks or the tribe, killing everyone. She can’t let that happen. Innocent people can get hurt and she, as a spirit warrior, has sworn to protect every innocent human she possibly could. 

She looks over her right shoulder at Embry who, despite not being a mind reader, knows exactly what she’s thinking. He puts his hand on her lower back, silently informing her ‘whatever you say, I’ll do’. She looks toward Quil who gives her an almost invisible nod, knowing what the risk is. She blows air from her nose before looking at Jake. 

Even after her large speech barely an hour ago, she knew she had to do this.

“Alright…we’re in.” 

“No!” Bella speaks up, shaking her head. “You’ll get yourselves killed. No way.”

“I don’t need your permission, Isabella.” She states before looking toward Carlisle. 

Before she can speak any further, the human looks toward her boyfriend.

“Edward!”

“It means more protection for you.” He shrugs, happy that Hayley came to the conclusion she did.

“Jacob!”

“If I was in Hayley’s position, I’d do the same.” He says, thankful for the Beta of his pack.

Her speech was still lingering on his mind so he knew he couldn’t outwardly ask Hayley to do this…save his love but knowing she was willing to do this…even if it wasn’t for him, it makes him question his intentions with the pack. 

“Do you believe Sam will agree to an understanding?” Carlisle asks, looking at the female pack member.

“Innocent lives are at stake here. Her father. Jake’s father. My tribe.” She says, crossing her arms. “Not just Bella.”

“Jasper.” He says, looking at his ex-war veteran. 

“They’ll give us the numbers. And the newborns won’t know they even exist. That’ll give us an edge.”

“We’ll need to coordinate.” He says, looking toward Hayley once again.

“Carlisle, they’ll get hurt!” Bella speaks up again.

“We’ll all need some training. Fighting newborns requires knowledge that Jasper has. You’re welcome to join us.”

“Name the time and place.” Hayley looks toward Jasper.

“Tonight…Dawn?” Jasper asks, making sure the time was okay with her.

“I’ll talk with Sam.” She says, turning around toward her imprint.

He keeps his hand on her lower back, ushering her out the door, Quil and Jake following her. 

“There goes my damn Harry Potter marathon.” She mumbles, causing Embry to rub her back. 

Before they can fully exit the house, Bella runs up behind the four pack members.

“Hayley, Jake. You don’t know what you’re getting yourselves into!”

The Beta turns around to look at her. 

“Bella, this is what we do.” She shakes her head. “I’m doing this for your father and every other innocent person you’ve dragged into your bullshit.”

“You should be happy.” Jake looks down at his best friend. “Look at us, working together. You’re the one who wanted us to get along, remember?”

Not allowing the human to say anything else, the four pack members quickly leave, getting into Hayley’s truck, ready to go back to her house.

[dunaldoodles]

Tiso facts to go with the Ardent facts!! Again under a read more.

He's an ant-like beetle! Yes, that is actually a kind of beetle. I was also surprised they were called that, but there's a metric fuckton of beetle species alone so like. Go ham, fam.

He has a nose horn inherited from his mother! Hates using it, and kinda hates that it gets in the way of his hood, but filing it down is painful, so it's better to just complain about it than fuss with files and such.

He actually does have wings! He HATES using them, though. Always says they give him an 'unfair advantage'. In reality, he's a clumsy flier and never really figured out how to balance in the air.

He grew up near an ant colony, and was best friends with a few of the workers and warriors! One of which left the colony to go traveling with Tiso. He's never said a name, only ever called his friend 'Brother'.

He actually used to weild a nail exclusively! His brother was his shield, and the eyes on the back of his head. Together they were a pretty good team, and deadly efficient combatants.

When his brother was killed, Tiso took up his shield. He still traveled with his nail on his back, and struggled for a long while using that shield, but now he's able to use both if he needs to!

He arrived in Hallownest a little before the Infection was subdued, seeking to prove to himself that he could protect those he cared for... even if currently he had no one to protect but himself and the memory of what he left behind.

Actually did pretty damn well in the Trials. He only lost because no one found him fun to watch, and some bastard thought it would be funny to drop a fucking mawlek on him. They stole his nail when dragging him out of the ring.

Shadow found him and dragged him back to Dirtmouth after he was dumped out onto the cliffs. When he woke up, Hornet was (begrudgingly) tending to his wounds and Ardent was beside him, barely clinging to life.

He and Ardent actually helped one another recover from their injuries. They gave each other a new perspective on life, and took comfort in each other's presence. Tiso helped Ardent learn how to be a person, and Ardent taught Tiso how to forgive himself for his mistakes.

Tiso named Ardent. Before, they were simply known as The Hollow Knight, or Hollow, names they didn't particularly like. When they were renamed, they really started to open up to him, and they became fast friends.

If you ask him outright, he'll say Ardent is just some bug who saddled him with responsibilities he never wanted and grubs he never asked for. His actions speak far louder than his words, though.

He and Hornet are hunting partners! They act like they hate each other, but they work REALLY well together in battle. Tiso is the shield to Hornet's needle. She reminds him of his brother, but he would die before he admits that to her.

His left side is permanently fucked, and the damage is more than just external shell. He has a much harder time jumping and blocking left-sided strikes from his injury. Nothing Hornet has been able to do has helped it much, but she can at least soothe the pain on bad days.

He's still pretty close to Shadow, but finds them a bit obnoxious now that they and their partner have grown up. Still calls them a squib, too, despite the fact that he's about half their size.

If he isn't around Ardent or Hornet, he's probably off testing his strength with Cloth, or bothering Quirrel or Lemm about random things.

Tiso's actually pretty intelligent! He's got a mind like a steel trap! Unfortunately he chooses to spend that intelligence learning combat strategies he swears will work someday.

A decent chef, at least better than Hornet, who almost always eats her food raw, and Ardent, who eats actual rocks. Nyr and Shadow often ask him to cook for them. He sometimes takes the offer.

[candied-boys]

Long Hot Summer

Luke Randolph x fem! Reader

Part one of two

Themes: small town country life, cowboys & ranching, childhood friends to lovers, separation and reunion, modern AU

Warnings: Implied underage sex (but sixteen seems fair to me because country life). Mentions of neglect and abuse, poverty. This story follows the themes of Luke's route. If you haven't read it this could spoil it and or be very upsetting.

He was a problem child.

Your parents warned you to stay away from him and his family when they moved into the little pink house next door, but in a town as small as yours, a new kid was a rare sight no six-year-old could resist.

Kicking your boots off on the back porch of the antebellum mansion you follow the familiar aroma of a hearty breakfast through the screen door. Just like every morning on the ranch, you're greeted with plates upon plates of home-smoked bacon, buttermilk biscuits, sausages with gravy, grits, steak, and eggs done six ways to Sunday.

The master chef behind the fabulous spread stands in the grand kitchen humming to himself dressed in his perfectly starched and ironed pink gingham apron.

“Mornin’ Yves,” you chirp and he turns to welcome you with a big hug. “Y’ miss me?”

“Did I ever! I oughta try leavin’ you alone for a week to fodder and clean up after seven cowboys! Well, eight now. Lawdy, I had one hell of a time, I'll tell you! Good to have you back, buttercup.”

“Whaddya mean eight? Last I counted there were only seven of y'all,” you query in confusion as you fasten your apron strings.

“Well! You'll never believe what that ol’ muleskinner brought home while you were out of town!!” the blond cook exclaims, one arm akimbo and the other waving a wooden spoon at you.

You raise a brow. “The only thing that snake eyed lawyer brings home is paperwork and lawsuits.”

Switching to flipping two rows of hotcakes across the length of the griddle Yves scoffs, “Oh, this ain't no libel. Not this time. Aw naw. This time he's done gone and found another one of us! Like seven weren't enough!”

“You're not serious?” you counter incredulously.

“Believe me, honey, good as money in the bank; if he ain't that old cow rustler’s son, none of us are. He's the spittin’ image of him when he was our age — strappin’ redhead and tall as all get out, he is."

You never did meet the tycoon who inherited the Rholodite Ranch. By the time you had started working at the ranch after high school he was already in a care facility. But the one thing you do know is that he — for lack of a better phase — had a way with women. More wives than you care to count and a few too many mistresses. It shouldn't be a surprise that there's another offspring, but still. Eight.

You shake your head in wonder. “Why'd nobody know about him all this time?”

“Well, you know Sareil’s been tryin’a settle the estate since the ol’ man kicked the bucket? Turns out that the will was changed at the last minute to include a potential unnamed eighth recipient. All that was written was the first name of the mother, so Sariel's been on a wild goose chase ever since.”

“And now he's found the kid?”

“He did. And sure ‘nuff it's another brother. Would you believe it? Eight of us. What I'd give to have just one sister like you, peaches.”

“Awww. You're sweet, Yves.”

“Not as sweet as you. Now run along and set the table for me, will you?” he insists and loads up your arms with as many plates as you dare to carry.

While you busy yourself arranging heaping platters of hot vittles all around the boys start filing in. Chattering on or proceeding in silence, they each greet you in their own way as they take up their usual seats. By the time you're on your third round laying out dishes most of them are seated and you've started pouring coffee.

“There she is!” a boisterous voice rings from beside you as your shoulders are wrapped in a one arm hug by the oldest. “We sure missed you, doll. Grub just don't taste the same without your purdy face ‘round.”

“It's good to be home,” you smile as he kisses your cheek.

“Oh, Luke, got somebody for you to meet,” he calls behind you over his shoulder.

You flinch at the name — a million memories passing through you as swiftly as a breeze in the boughs of a willow tree — but just as quick you fix your smile and turn around to greet the stranger.

It's been five long years, yet you remember that gentle, verdant gaze like it was yesterday.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

He was a problem child.

Your parents warned you to stay away from him and his family when they moved into the little pink house next door, but in a town as small as yours, a new kid was a rare sight no six-year-old could resist.

Wary, and unsociable, the redheaded boy was skinny and unkempt. Try as you might, you couldn't wring a word out of him while you waited side by side for the bus in the mornings.

Still, for some reason you never quite figured out, you were always catching yourself looking at him. Checking over your shoulder on the bus to see which seat he took, side glancing in class to check if he was paying attention, peeking out your bedroom window to watch him poking around in his backyard.

It didn't take more than a week to realize he never brought a lunch to school. You didn't have the vocabulary to put a name to the abuse at your age, but you could sense it. Between his neglected appearance, silent and solitary behaviour, and how boney he looked under those baggy clothes, you just knew something wasn't right.

While your mama was busy getting ready for work after breakfast, you started sneaking into the kitchen to fill another brown bag with whatever you could and shove it in your backpack before she caught you. Yet the boy was no friendlier for your unsolicited offering.

Stubborn as a mule, you weren't discouraged. At some point, something changed, though you can't remember what anymore, and by second grade you were best friends. You spent your afternoons playing with him and his baby sister in your backyard, building sandcastles and pushing her on the baby swings in your playset.

Years passed like this. The next distinct memory you can recall is from when you were both finally old enough to go to the county fair together without your parents. You must have been about ten or eleven because you remember Leyla wasn't in school yet.

You pet the baby goats and ponies and ducks and sheep and looked up at the llamas in awe as if they were giraffes. If it weren't for him hauling you off and promising to make you a better bear, you would've got roped into those lousy carnival games and lost all your pocket money. Instead you spent it all on the kiddy rides watching Leyla squeak in delight and strawberry candy apples that were as red as his hair.

There was so much laughter then. Comparing whose tongue was the brightest colour, gleefully watching the kids entertainment shows where dogs and pigs to tricks, beaming in amazement at the wonders the face painters could do with so few colours.

Those were the best days — when you could spend all day in and after school together. High school was different. Kids get vicious. By thirteen the others had figured out why he looked so different. They called him a bastard, said his mother was a whore, and took turns mocking his oversized clothes and lanky physique. He didn't give a lick, but they got him good when they started talking shit about his little sister. It didn't take long before he got expelled for knocking out a few teeth.

After that, he was working all the time. If it wasn't full-time he'd be working two jobs. He grew a lot taller for finally being able to buy his own food, filled out a lot too for eating well and stocking shelves all day.

You missed hanging out at school, but he seemed happy. He often told you how he loved spoiling Leyla with goodies he could now afford, or how much she loved his cooking with all the new ingredients he could buy. Once he confessed he had started putting away what he could for her to go to college. He figured with more than ten years to save he'd make it work.

His first goal though was to get a better job and for that he needed a truck.

It was the year you both turned sixteen. A hot day in mid August. The crunch of gravel in the driveway wasn't the familiar roll of the sedan. You knew without looking through the window what it meant and rushed out, letting the screen door bang shut in your wake.

“Luke! You got it! You finally got it!!”

“Sure did. ‘94 Dodge Ram half-ton with a V8 engine. Older than both y’ or me, but she still runs good,” he tells you with pride as he hops down out of the driver's seat. “Wanna take ‘er for a spin?”

“Can I drive it?” you ask, eyes alight and pleading up into his verdant gaze at least a foot above.

He chuckles with that soft smile he only shows you and his best girl.

“When we get out on the backroads I'll teach y’ to drive stick. This ain't y’r mom's station wagon, sugar,” he teases and easily picks you up by the waist to put you in the cab before he climbs in after you.

Riding shotgun you watch as he shifts into reverse and backs out of your driveway. The way he throws one arm across the headrest to look over his shoulder is candid, unposed, and yet…

The concentration in his face, no longer as round and boyish as it was even last year…

The sharp angle of his jaw where it meets his shaggy, rust-red locks…

The line of carved marble guiding your eyes down to the neck of his faded t-shirt…

Each one has your heart beating in your throat, but you're a second too late to avoid getting caught staring when you glance at the dashboard. As he pulls out onto the road, you glimpse his lazy smile tugging a little wider from of the corner of your eye and hunt for anything else to pay attention to.

Turning the dial on the stereo and popping in the cassette you relax into the seat as he drives out of town, but by the third song in your heart is racing again.

“Is this the mix tape I made you a couple years ago?” you ask during the silence when the tape needs flipping.

One arm out the window he hums, “Mmhmm,” in his slow drawl. “There’s more in the glovebox if y’ wanna listen to sommin’ else.”

As fast as the breeze whipping through the rolled down windows, you crack the box to discover every tape you ever gave him over the last ten years and nothing else. Closing the compartment and gazing out over the corn fields coming into view you hide the smile stealing across your lips.

Half an hour later you're in the driver's seat, hip to hip with him where he keeps one hand around your waist and the other on the shift stick so he can handle switching gears until you get used to the clutch.

“Gettin’ purdy good, sugar. Think y’ can do it by y’rself now?”

You shake your head, wanting to keep him close just a little longer. But Luke's a tease, and next thing you know he's dropped his grip on the drive shaft and refuses to take it back even as you squeal in panic.

“C’mon. Y’ can do it. Just keep one hand on the wheel and the other on the knob,” he coaxes next to your ear in that ever-calm tone.

When you’re forced to reach out and change gears at a crossroads you find his hand over your own as you make the switch down two speeds until you stop, then back up with each press of the clutch. Even at full throttle his hand doesn't leave yours.

The sky has donned her gold and vermillion chiffon by the time Luke takes the wheel again, but just as quickly she's doffed her gilt embellishments in favour of shimmering silver stars.

The silence of the stereo is soon interrupted by the rush of a river when he pulls up at the end of a dirt road and shuts off the engine. Darkness thickens as the headlights fade until the moonless sky is cut in half by an ephemeral streak of glitter.

“Luke! Did you see it?! There was a shootin’ star!” you chirp and eagerly hop out of the truck for a better view.

He jumps out too, but doesn't seem to share your enthusiasm. After spotting another and still getting no reply, you go around back of the tailgate and find him busy laying out sleeping bags atop a roll of foam in the bed of the pickup.

“This is just the beginnin’. There's a meteor shower tonight.”

You can hear the gentle smile in his voice better than your unadjusted eyes can see it, and you can't resist the way its warmth draws you in. Climbing up and kicking off your shoes, you flop down on the makeshift bed with a giggle.

Before he has a chance to do the same you snatch his sleeping bag and unzip it all the way, then do the same with yours and zip them together.

“It'll be warmer this way…” you mumble at his quirked brow and “What'd y’ do that for?”

“Yeah, a’right,” he murmurs back and slips into the space next to you, but he keeps his distance unlike the way he kept you so close this afternoon.

Maybe the driving lessons gave you a confidence boost, or maybe you're just a little tired of waiting for him to make a move. Either way, you know you want the years of flirting, bashful glances, and this crush going nowhere to end. Tonight if you have any say in it.

“Um, hi?” he breathes when you manoeuvre his arm over your shoulder and under your head to nuzzle into him.

“You forgot pillows…”

It's a lame excuse but it's true.

Tentatively you lay a palm on his chest, and just as hesitantly his free hand covers it. You snuggle in until there's no space between your bodies. The arm around your shoulders tucks your crown under his chin. His pulse racing beneath his ribcage echoes in your ear and your sure yours is pounding just as hard.

“Maybe I shoulda just brought one sleeping bag, huh?” he makes an awkward attempt at conversation.

Hopeful and nervous you choose your words carefully. “Next time.”

He only nods. There in his warm embrace you watch the stars fall to the soundtrack of your beating hearts and the crickets singing.

“Aren't they pretty, Luke?” you whisper after a while and reach out a hand to the heavens.

“I'll catch y’ one some day if y’ want,” he whispers back and stretches out his arm to entwine his fingers oh so gently in yours.

“Put it on a ring where it can shine real bright…” he says as he finds your gaze.

His name hardly makes it past your lips for the emotion welling in your throat.

Even under the midnight sky his pale green eyes are as captivating as sparkling dew caught in meadow sunshine.

“I know they say we're just kids, but I don't think I'll ever find somebody else I could care ‘bout like this…”

His gaze is coloured with the lingering pain of sixteen years of neglect and rejection.

“Y're the only one for me…”

The truth you've known for a long time now bubbles up easily with a smile as you lean in to kiss him.

“I love you, Luke. So much.”

Soft, tender pecks quickly gave way to deeper and deeper kisses as if he longed to make up for all those love-starved years he'd suffered. Yet he was so gentle, worshipping every inch of your body, never letting his eyes stray from yours as you drowned in each other's love.

In that warm afterglow, he held your trembling form beneath him so tight you were pressed cheek to cheek. Looking up over his broad shoulders, you made a wish on a shooting star that this love would last forever.

The next day he was dead.

Part two

[ultradiqueer]

Trollian Culture Post 2 (jesus. only 2?)

I don’t really Get when people gove trolls animalistic properties and stuff. Like. We’re kinda just stupid-evolved bugs, dude, and just because we have lusii as custodians doesn’t mean we Are Animals. Like brother we come from the fucking Mother Grub.

So why not go over what trolls are and are not, and what trolls can and can not do:

Trolls can:

Purr, Chirp, Growl, make other such noises

Inherit certain, minor features and behaviours from their lusii (for example, a troll with a meowbeast lusus may develop cat-like pupils, trolls with a crab lusus may develop a certain temperment, a land-dweller with an aquatic lusus may develop thin webbing in between their toes (or, rarely, their fingers), so on so forth). This is due to subtle pheromones given off by the lusus that the troll may be affected by.

Trolls cannot:

Develop tails, whiskers, non-seadweller fins or gills, additional horns, additional eyes, additional limbs, psychic abilities, etc etc; due to their lusus. Such features would be caused by mutations, and (depending on how severe/overt the mutation, would be cull worthy).

Trolls have:

Horns, fangs, pointed ears, psionics (depending on the caste), naturally claw-like nails, naturally black lips, grubscars and, if they are a cerulean, may have additional sets of eyes or pupils.

Trolls do not have:

Fucking tails. We don't have tails.

We also don't have antennae or mandibles (though depending on the lusus, a troll could develop teeth similar to mandibles)

Please, please, PLEASE stop giving trolls tails! I'm begging you

And while we're here, we may as well briefly talk about certain, smaller parts of troll anatomy:

Horns:

Troll horns are very tough, chitinous horns (fucking obviously) that, depending on the caste, can be located on the top, sides, or top-back of the head (it's very rare to find someone with horns protruding from the front of the head, but I doubt it's impossible). They are, as we all know, candy-corn coloured, being red at the base of the horn, nearest to the skull, orange as you go further up, and yellow in the upper third/quarter of the horn. The further you go up the horn, the less sensation there will be, as there will be less nerves. (So, a piece being chipped off from the very end of the horn wouldn't be too painful, but from the base of the horn? Gog help you that shit will HURT).

Fins:

We all know that seadwellers have fins in place of ears (though unfortunately I can't tell you if they have fins anywhere ELSE. I remember most other stuff but this? No idea). These fins can be heard through via vibrations, from what I know (though again, can't really be certain). Something I do know for certain however is that they are STUPID sensitive. Like. Really goddamn sensitive. Getting a piercing in one is Excruciating, especially around the little rib-parts (the webbing bits themselves are still gonna Fucking hurt, but not as much).

Grubscars:

I am aware that grubscars aren't Usually included in art of trolls (or discussion), but let me tell you again: they are part of a troll. They are chitinous, typically raised scars left behind by the middle two pairs of legs that are absorbed when a wriggler undergoes their final pupation (these legs become part of the ribs). And while they aren't particularly sensitive when it comes to touch, it'll hurt like a motherfucker if they are stabbed, nicked or otherwise pierced. Let me fucking tell you, grubscar piercings? Not fucking worth it unless you're planning on wearing exclusively crop-tops before you're sent off-planet.

Of course, as per usual, feel free to send asks if theres anything that needs clarification, or if anyone has any questions regarding trollian culture (<- I say to my 14 followers /lh). If I think of anything else to add I'll probably just make another post (e.g. Trollian Culture 2.1).

[captainstevenjohnstonme]

'Roadkill'.

The following is a story about a redneck who has been collecting roadkill for years but now he is on the search for the ultimate roadkill.

As soon as the sun dips below the horizon a family of raccoons scamper from the safety of their burrow on the endless search for food.

The mother raccoon keeps an eye out for predators while her two kits as they dig for grubs and worms.

Hearing the sound of a nearby stream the mother decides to see if she can catch a fish that will feed the whole family for a couple of days.

After telling her young to be careful she quickly runs across a road and dives into the water but after swimming around for five minutes all she manages to catch is a small crawfish.

Seeing that the kits are still safe and sound the mother sits in the middle of the road to eat her share of the morning meal.

Just than a pick up truck comes flying around the corner and on seeing the racoon the driver swerves straight for her.

The raccoon makes a run for it but sadly she is hit hard and dies instantly.

The pickup truck skids to a stop twenty yards down the gravel road and a huge redneck emerges.

58 year old Myron Oxenford could easily pass as a brother of the wrestler Hulk Hogan except Myron wears nothing but pull up overalls, snakeskin boots and a cruel smile.

Myron works for Bilford county deep in the wilds of Mississippi and he enjoys going to work everyday except Sunday driving around the county scraping up roadkill, removing trees and any other debris that could be a hazard to the passing traffic.

He started working for the county right after leaving school at 14 at first he had a partner who drove the truck around the backroads but as soon as Myron learnt to drive he performed his civic duty on his lonesome which made his supervisor very happy because the other employees of the county refused to be in the same truck as Myron, mainly because of his erratic driving his cruelty to animals but mainly because of Myron's personal hygiene which was no existent.

He never showered or brushed his remaining teeth and his stink permeated through the cab of the truck so only fleas and mites could survive alongside Myron.

Today Myron is in a good mood and is even happier when he picks up the dead raccoon with his bare hands.

The coon is only slightly damaged so it will make a good stew with no gritty bits and its pelt will fetch some money or maybe he will stuff it and display the coon on his mantlepiece alongside his other critters.

At 4.30 Myron drives home with another collection of animals that will keep him fed for weeks.

Most are to mangled to be stuffed and mounted but the raccoon is untouched except for a broken neck.

He whistles a Glen Cambell song as he skins the roadkill consisting of gopher, snake, squirrel and skunk.

Myron chops the meat into bite sized pieces and throws them in a large pot along with potatoes, carrots and water.

While he waits for his meal to cook Myron places the raccoons pelt on a amature stand to dry and in around ten days he will stuff the raccoon with materials that are supposed to bring life back to a dead animal but Myron taxidermy skills aren't the best so like his other specimens the raccoon will resemble a misshapen creature from a horror movie.

MEOW MEOW MEOW.

A scrawny one eyed black moggy is drawn into the kitchen by the smell of food cooking 'Don't worry Crystal i haven't forgotten about you, I know that you like fresh meat so I saved a nice raccoon for you to chew on.

Myron throws the carcass onto the kitchen floor where it lands near some bones from the cats last meal.

Crystal is soon joined by another cat named Meth who spits and hisses at Myron 'Your time will come you ginger piece of shit, you should be grateful that I let you live in my house, now eat your fill before I shove you in a pipe and smoke it.'

Myron and Crystal cackle at the joke but Meth doesn't see the funny side so he tears off a hind leg with his sharp and carries the morsel out the back door of the cabin.

After drinking 100 proof moonshine for over three decades Myron's brain is now nothing more than mush and with every jar of shine that Myron drinks he drifts closer and closer to insanity.

Unbeknownst to Myron a field mouse has found a way into his cabin and while he sleeps the mouse laps up the drool that collects on a pillow and than the tiny creature goes into the living room and force feeds the liquid down the throats of the stuffed and mounted animals displayed on shelves.

When he wakes Myron changes into his dirty overalls has a quick slug of moonshine than he jumps into his truck to start another day on the job.

Sally Nulksteader a 26 year old married nurse is out for an early morning run enjoying some down time while her husband Brett is at home looking after their twins boys who just turned one is April.

Her running shoes hit the gravel hard as Sally attempts a personal best time and to pass the time she listens to music through some ear bubs.

When she rounds a bend Sally is a mere 500 yards from home just in time to give her boys a bottle before she has to leave to go to work at the local hospital but her joy quickly changes to horror when a pickup truck comes racing towards her.

Before she can jump out of the way Sally is hit front on.

Myron jumps from his pickup feeling a little queasy and unsteady on his feet.

His heart is racing as he approaches the mangled body then after checking that the coast is clear Myron throws the corpse in the back of his truck covers it with a tarpaulin.

After turning back the way he came Myron calls his employer to let them know that he want be in today 'Congratulations Myron' a little voice in his head whispers' You have finally found your roadkill masterpiece.'

Feeling proud of himself the drunk redneck starts singing a Willie Nelson song from way back and when he arrives back at his cabin he has sobered up and full of evil intentions.

First he brings the body inside and using a very sharp knife Myron carefully skins the corpse and an hour later he drapes it over a drying stands to keep for a week or so.

Than he slices the meat from the bones and after throwing the best chunks into a skillet he puts the rest of the meat into old moonshine jars full of vinegar and salt to preserve for a rainy day.

After adding some mushrooms to the meat in the skillet Myron cooks it for around seven minutes before spooning his meal onto a large plate Myron digs in.

While he chews the tender cuts of human flesh looks at the human skeleton that he put in a seat across from him 'So where have you been for most of my life? You should eat more and put some meat on your bones.'

Geeting no response Myron continues with his meal in silence and after eating with single bite he goes into his bedroom for a snooze.

While their owner snores Crystal and Meth emerge from under the couch, jump up onto the table and begin to chew the meat still clinging to the bones of the human sacrifice.

As the cats feed up on a high shelf a twisted bent stuffed bald eagle who has been slowly replenished by the drool brought to it and the other stuffed animals thanks to a tiny field mouse.

The eagle eyes open and its feathers unfurl and flutter startling the two moggies who dart back to the safety of their hiding place.

An hour later Myron emerges from his slumber with the taste of human flesh still in his mouth.

Eager for another taste he places some leftovers on the cooktop than goes for a quick piss.

The smell of his meal fills the cabin with its meaty aroma and Myron smiles anticipating another nice human meal but when he lifts the meat from the cooktop he is knocked off his feet by a weird looking cougar who has also been brought back to life by the helpful mouse.

The big cat could just bite the back of its victims neck killing it instantly but where is the fun in that.

The eagle swoops down and ties Myron's hands behind his back with a piece of sinew from Sally's left leg than the raptor plucks out both eyeballs with its beak and swallows them down.

Myron writhes on the floor in agony as the eagle and cougar begin to feed.

The pair eat slowly at first savoring every morsel but when the taste of blood hits their brain primal instincts take control and they eat rapidly completely ignoring Myron's screams for mercy.

Now the amateur taxidermist is the one who is well and truly stuffed.

THE END.

Part Two coming soon.

[isiratrieswriting]

Look at me.

Or another chapter of that fantasy novel I keep telling myself I won't write

Recommended to read this first

“The world stopped breathing that night.”

I looked up. Someone sat in front of me, a mug of ale in his hand. I hadn’t even heard him walking to my table and scraping the chair, the tavern was so loud and boisterous. Liquor flowed freely and tongues were flowing even more.  Ripe for a brawl. I was just there to get some grub before resuming my journey to the capital. Safryn’s letter seemed to hint at something urgent. My friend, it read, the Council summons you. Come as soon as you may, I await your safe arrival. 

“It’s quite packed tonight, you wouldn’t mind this old man taking the only other empty seat in here, would you lad?” He took a long swig from the mug, and I could see the ale dripping down his thick, snowy beard. Well you’ve made yourself comfortable already, what even is the point in asking?

I smiled politely and returned to wolfing down the mashed potatoes and bread. It sated my hunger, although not very appetizing. 

“So what brings you here?”

Oh great Kylandris, he’s senile and a talker. I wanted to read one of my books, but I suppose that's not happening.

“I’m on an errand.” I swallowed the chewy, stale bread. “Just stopping here for dinner, will be on my way soon.” 

The old man nodded, his wizened fingers stroking his beard. Before he opened his mouth for the next question, I spoke up. “What were you saying earlier - the world stopped breathing?” His eyes widened, as if he had not expected me to have heard that. Marvelous, he took the bait. I see his chest swell as he lets out a heavy sigh and leans back in his chair. “Tis an unusual tale, would you like to hear it?” I mumbled a 'sure' in reply. Anything to reduce my participation in this conversation.

With a pleased smile he began, his voice just above a whisper.

“The world stopped breathing that night.

Lysanthir the Dragon slain, his body white and bloodied.

Arkatron bravely shielded his brother, 

Though they were not of the same mother.

While Galamer struck at the monster’s head,

That killed in an instant, Lysanthir is dead.

Let Khiwen rejoice for they are truly free now,

No more shall any knee be made to bow.

Citizens shouting, lifting up their savior in their arms,

He smiles and waves, a born leader, all charms.

Arkatron watches from afar.

No one cheers for his sacrifice and scar.

“It is alright” He tells himself. “I am proud of my lord.”

But his heart whispers how he is always ignored.

Always two steps behind, never an equal before him,

Arkatron mused in the city square, eyes growing dim.

I will not rest until I can stand by your side,

My resolve never wavers, yes this I did decide.

Every day I leave no stone unturned, better should be best.

These things I tell myself, but within it only fuels the unrest.

I know my limits but they sting me so true,

But not as much as knowing I can never reach you.

And while I trace the outline of your radiance, I notice where you are.

No longer can I make out what expression lies on your face, it is too far. 

Arkatron is forgotten and Galamer praised,

If I became Galamer, no one would be fazed.

And so Arkatron disappears and Galamer grows in might.

The blinding glory of it all brings me unmatched delight.

In taking his form I receive every kind of power,

I have everyone’s adoration at last, except that of her.

Galamer’s sister knows much too well of the dark deed,

She sows disharmony and revolt, her army in the lead.

Khiwen breaks into civil war, I have failed my home.

In fear and shame, I disappear again and roam.

But in taking all of Galamer, I received his eternal life.

And so I become a pitiful shell of my past, and never can I quell the strife."

“That was quite something.” The food had long grown cold but I paid no heed. “Are you some kind of a bard?” He chuckled, the voice rich and deep. “I prefer to think of myself as a wandering scholar, and I have traveled all of Khiwen collecting poems and sagas. Tales lost to time. Scrolls of ages past.”

“This one you recited, is it not a dramatized retelling of Khiwen’s history? Perhaps someone was bored with a little too much time on his hands.” 

He spluttered. “And why is that?”

“Galamer and his company delivered us from Lysanthir, the dragon that decided to make itself our resident tyrant. He then became king but the country was split into civil war, sparked by Elora - Galamer’s sister attempting to assassinate her own brother. In the end however, her faction was victorious. They disbanded the earlier government and established the Council of Spiritholde, which continues to govern Khiwen. Galamer vanished amidst the uprisings and was presumed dead.”

“You sure do know your history lad.” He was looking intently, but not at me. A distant stare.

I pushed up my round glasses. “I look the part, don't I?”

With a wave of my hand, I tried to bring his attention back. “But that’s not important, this seems to imply that one of Galamer’s company members, this Arkatron, took his place because he was insecure and whiny, and then bolted the second Elora saw through him!” 

The old man’s eyes gained a sudden sharpness as they focused on me. “What did you just say?”

“I mean, look at it! The poet tries to paint Arkatron as this tragic character, but all I see is someone who could not accept the fact that there will always be people better than you.”

“But did Arkatron deserve to be left behind after all he did? All he ever wanted was recognition, but it was always denied.”

“Maybe Arkatron was blinded by his obsession for Galamer that he lost sight of the people around him? Galamer’s company was not just him and Galamer, there were other members too. I bet even Galamer acknowledged Arkatron, but he was too wrapped up in self pity to ever notice.”

I paused, and shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes into my mouth. “So what if someone is always ahead of you? You are only to blame if you let that dictate your happiness.”

"My brother, if only you could look at yourself, the way I have looked at you."

Who said that?

An image suddenly flashed in my mind, blurry, but I could make out the figure of a man sitting on a throne, one hand cupping the fresh wound on his abdomen, the other reaching out. To me.

What's going on?

The old man got up abruptly, a strength unexpected of his frame. “I thank you for the conversation, but my mug is empty and I must not tarry. Farewell.” He walked swiftly into the rowdy crowd and I lost sight of him soon enough.

Kylandris, what's his problem? Some scholar if he can’t take a debate. Who does he think he is, Arkatron?

“Oh that was most likely Arkatron himself. He's been roaming around like a homeless person these days.” Safryn said matter-of-factly, filing away paperwork and looking through documents. I had reached the Council headquarters the next morning, and Safryn received me in her office. While she was busy getting things ready for the Council meeting in the afternoon, the one for which I had been summoned, I was regaling her with an account of last night’s encounter.

I choked on the tea I was drinking. “What?” 

Safryn finally turned to me. “He turned himself in, pretty much right after the First Council was formed. So he was imprisoned, up until the great drought twelve years ago, when the second dragon revealed itself. Arkatron was sent with other prisoners of state to the front lines.” She paused. “He managed to escape.”

“And you didn’t try to get him back? He’s a fugitive on the run! For seven years!”

“He had always been docile during the years of his captivity."

"A front to make you Council geeks lower your guard probably.”

"For 84 years?" She huffed, face scrunching in annoyance.

“In any case, the Council decided our resources are better spent elsewhere than chasing down a forgotten remnant of history. Besides, we have powerful wards cast on him, and he cannot cause any harm.” I rolled my eyes. Yeah right, something's not adding up here Saf. You're not telling me the whole story. Safryn got up, her official robes swishing as she walked towards the doors. She gestured at me, to follow her.

I stand with protests. “But I have more questions about this Arkatron fellow, such as how-”

“The child of the prophecy has run away, Paladin. And you're going to find her.”

-

Author's Note

[happyhappybios]

Kochab Cynosu

Danger scale: Docile

Key notes: Caste Mutant, Royalty, Student, Famous, Older Sibling

Name: Kochab Cynosu/Alioth-Serpen

Age: 6.92 sweeps (15 y.o.)

Height: 5’1 (155 cm)

Blood colour: Teal

Wiggling day: 9 January

Symbol: Ursa Minor

Gender: Non-binary (They/Them; He/His)

Orientation: Questioning

Occupation: Student

Place of residence: Phecda’s farm

Lusus: Phecda Alioth

Hobby: Playing football and tennis

Hemoloyalty: ‘I can’t rule the Alternia without trolls, so every caste is important!’

Fetch modus: Pockets. You can freely put and pull out items.

Strife specibus/Weapon: Ball/Ball kind

Troll Tag: spoiledEmpire [SE]

Typing quirk: replaces e and s with W

Typing quirk example: 

[SE]: I’m going to rule thE AltWrnia!

Personality: 

Kochab is an outgoing troll with a dream to become an Heir of Alternia someday. He is a positive, naive and friendly kid, but impatient, loud and airhead at the same time. Kochab believes to be an heir of Alternia just because of him being a seadweller, so he tries his best to reach this uneasy goal. (Please play along with it!)

They can be a little full of themselve, thinking they are the one who can solve all the issues and because of that, it makes them oblivious about their surroundings from time to time. They aren’t doing it on purpose, but mostly because they care about their friends/family/classmates and want to help in some way or another, even if it means to literally babysit them.

It’s easy to get him scared from jumpscare to simple pranks. He hates the fact that his little brother is using it just for fun.

Kochab can be a bit prideful and stubborn since they see themselve as a royalty, but they are just a kid with a big dream.

Likes:

Pepper

Royalty

Candies

Taking a walk in the city’s street

Cartoons

Capes

Getting attention

P.E.

Dislikes:

Oranges

Being scared

Little brother - Melano

Being ignored

Swimming

Jumpscares

Tomato juice

School

Trivia:

Even though Kochab is a seadweller, he has never swum in the ocean, preferring to stay on land.

The reason for Kochab's fear of oranges is because when they were a grub, they got orange juice in their eyes. So Phecda avoids giving them oranges to this day.

The crown on his hair is actually a hairpin.

Kochab loves capes and wore one before, but after one of their classmates mocked them for wearing it, they stopped.

Kochab has a part-time job in their lusus’s bakery, helping Phedca with customers and cleaning.

Kochab has a secret hideout in the woods where he keeps all his favourite toys, magazines and other stuff to prevent from being destroyed by Melano.

Family:

Mother - Phecda. Kochab loves their lusus very much. They appreciate all the hard work Phecda is doing for their family. They really want to help her so in return they watch over younger siblings and work a part-time job in her bakery.

Father - Seyfer. Kochab is afraid of his lusus-dad. He doesn’t know why, but deep down he knows the reason and just doesn't want to upset an older purple.

Siblings:

Crucis - Crucis was the first sibling in Kochab’s life before the family became big. They appreciate her and understand the pain of being an older sibling better.

Melano - They both can’t stand each other since their first introduction. Kochab is afraid of Melano’s antics as he knows what the little troll can do and wishes to send Melano to the green moon as soon as he becomes the heir.

Haruno - Haruno and Kochab are buddy-buddy. They have been friends since their first introduction and Kochab can’t say anything bad about him.

Vulpec - He is neutral about her. Yes, she is causing a lot of trouble, but she is at least not a bully, like someone…

Friends:

Nautic - The only Kochab’s classmate that hangs out with them regularly after school.

Others:

Acquaintance - Maluss. He met with their father a few times, but never held a conversation with him before.

Backstory:

Kochab was adopted during a hard time for a family. At that time, Her Imperious Condescension gave the order to cull every mutant grub that was hatched in the Brooding Caverns. Phecda couldn’t let it happen and so she protected the cavern, where she was working, from drones and other jades.

One day, during her patrol, she noticed an unfamiliar anon troll putting something small on the rock near the caverns and then immediately ran away. 

Phecda got curious.

She approached the rock and saw a teal mutant seadweller, Kochab, squeaking happily. She wasn’t surprised by seeing a grub, especially mutant grub, and so she took them back to the cavern. 

Kochab became a favorite in the jade group. 

The group of jades spoiled them with food and attention, giving everything they needed, but unfortunately for the group, Kochab already chose their lusus. It surprised Phecda when the teal grub got attached to her, so she had no choice but to adopt them. 

When the order ended, Phecda returned to her hive and introduced a new family member to Seyfer and Crucis, giving them a name - Kochab.

As Kochab grew up, he saw a lot of stuff happening with his family and witnessed their family grow and how big it became. Sometimes he wished to return back in time where it was just him, mom, dad and sister, but it’s just a wish, he doesn’t want it to come true.

[thelightofthingshopedfor]

sure, here's a bit from a "Loki came back from the dead after Infinity War because fuck canon I do what I want (but also he's not handling it super great)" oneshot that has genuinely been almost done since...uh. before Endgame came out. (when I say I'm the slowest writer ever, I'm really not exaggerating.)

“I’ve been thinking we should build a greenhouse for New Asgard,” Thor says. “Not much in the way of trees, but…maybe that would be good?” It’s an odd thought, in some ways. In another life, he supposes, the idea of grubbing in the dirt would have offended him, never mind that he got his hands dirty often enough preparing various potions and spell ingredients, and he often tended the most important plants in the herb garden because he didn’t trust anyone else to do it properly. Certainly, growing food would have seemed too much like commoners’ work. But he’d always loved his mother’s garden, enjoyed coaxing the trickier plants to produce the ingredients he needed, and…he thinks, just now, that he wouldn’t mind getting some dirt under his fingernails, just as he doesn’t mind the cold water dripping from his hair and trickling down his back, or the way his clothes cling to his skin and his socks have gone unpleasantly squishy inside his shoes. Everything feels…easier, more real and less raw, with that connection to simple living things. If he wants to strengthen his connection to the rest of the world in this life he’s regained—which he does; at least he is certain of that—he cannot spend all his time hiding in the forest.

no wait I have another one, the @grandthorkiday fic from 2019 that was also theoretically almost done at the time (probably less done than I think, tbh) except it still isn't finished because I...haven't really worked on it since then...because as usual I wrote it in disconnected chunks that I never figured out how to stitch together...but it was possibly even more fucked up than my original Grandthorki fic for which it was a sequel, which was definitely the most fucked-up thing I've posted.

the relevant snippet is pretty tame, though.

The Grandmaster smiles back at him from where he reclines on the bed—where Loki was, not 30 minutes ago, and now isn’t. “Afternoon, Sparkles,” he says with a little wave. “Um,” Thor says, trying to hide his sudden panic. “Yes. Hello. Have you…seen my brother?” The Grandmaster laughs outright. “He’s got a lot to teach you about subtlety, huh? It’s fine. He’s fine. I mean, obviously, in more ways than one. No cause for even a tiny bit of concern.” “I’m glad to hear that,” Thor says, or at least he would be, if he believed a word of it. “It’s just, after everything, it makes me…very nervous when he’s not around.” Which he isn’t, unless he’s transformed himself into a decorative plant. There’s nowhere to hide, not with all the mirrors.

This week’s word is…

✨ PLANT ✨

(We'll take both the noun and verb!)

Find the word in any WIP and share the sentence containing it. Play however you want: reply, reblog, stick it in the tags, tag us in a new post, or keep it private.

And please interact with other writers who share sentences.

If you’re new here, hello! Word Game Wednesday is open to fic writers in all fandoms. Original fiction writers, you can play too.

[uzumaki-rebellion]

“Sinner & Saint: Creed III” Chapter 2

Masterlist HERE.

"I wanna pick you up whenever you're down baby I'm gonna make you stop when you're in my town baby You make me pour some rum when you're not around I was lost, but now I am found If I know somethin', I know it sounds crazy It's gonna feel so good whenever I'm close to you Promising I'll do the things that you want me to Whenever you need some, you know I got some I hope you don't plan on making me run All you gotta do is call me up and I'll come"

Emmavie – "Tune"

Adonis Creed knew from jump that Damian Anderson coming back into his life was the universe's way of telling him that some debts had to be paid in full. It cost to be the boss and walking into his regular grub spot had him on a hook for his past.

The two men slid into a booth across from one another and his regular server greeted him right away with a sunny smile and an even sunnier disposition. Freda was an older woman who had worked at the neighborhood restaurant for over twenty years. She knew Donnie from when he first moved in with Mary Anne, Athena, and Apollo Jr.—A.J.

"The usual, Donnie?" Freda asked, not bothering to give him a menu.

Her thick salt and pepper hair sat stacked on her head in a pretty bun. If she dyed her hair, she could knock off a good ten years and fool people into thinking she was in her early thirties instead of the sexy mature catch she enjoyed being. Before he married Bianca, Donnie used to flirt with Freda all the time, until her husband, the owner of the spot, told him to back his young ass down. She still enjoyed the playful teasing he gave her about running off to Paris with him.

"Yeah. I only want egg whites for my omelet, though," he said.

"And what about you, young man? Can I start you off with something to drink first?"

Freda held a menu out to Damian.

"I'll have whatever he ordered," Damian said.

"You got it, hun," she said.

Freda stepped away from their table, writing nothing down. The two men stared at one another warily.

"Hope you brought a big appetite. She's gonna bring back a monster plate with sides," Donnie said.

Damian rubbed his stomach, then folded his hands on the top of the table. There was no sense beating around the bush with the man. Donnie cleared his throat and leaned forward.

"How long were you locked up?" Donnie said.

"Eighteen years, bruh. Just got out last week."

"Shit."

Donnie glanced down at his hands. He used to write to Damian. Tried to keep consistent. He even used his own allowance money to send him something. Purely out of guilt. He tried so hard to be Damian's friend and got them caught up in some mess that tore them apart. Damian kept Donnie streetwise and connected to the real world. Being dropped into an insanely wealthy family out of the blue at age ten had him acting like a real-life Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Damian was book smart and street smart, and Donnie wanted to maintain that balance, too. Mary Anne had him connecting with well-off Black families and celebrities that knew and loved his father. The difficulty of juggling where he fit wasn't helped by the animosity of his new older siblings. It took A.J. a few years to adjust to having a baby brother that came from some strange cocaine junkie who had a one-night stand with the boxing champion of the world. A.J. eventually accepted him as a past indiscretion in their father's life. They grew close.

Athena…

She never accepted him totally. Never forgave her father, even in death, for hurting their mother. Donnie was the constant reminder that her daddy wasn't perfect and embarrassed the family. Over the years, she treated him as Mary Anne's pet but pretended to be welcoming and warm for interviews or family gatherings when they were teenagers. He learned to ignore her discomfort and simmering disdain. They stayed cordial and created a sibling dynamic that eventually became a begrudging liking of each other for the sake of their love for Mary Anne as adults.

Freda brought them water and juice along with big plates. Donnie fingered his toast.

"Glad to have you back out," Donnie said.

"I know I've been away a long time, but I've kept myself in shape. I still got gas in the tank."

"Come by the gym."

"Thank you."

"You were one of the best."

"Still am," Damian said with a shy grin.

They ate some food in silence, and Donnie noticed how hungry Damian was. He licked his fingers constantly. Donnie pretended to get full fast and pushed his half stack of pancakes toward him.

"Finish this man. I hate wasting food. My eyes were bigger than my stomach today."

Damian nodded his thanks and attacked the stack. He slowed down when Freda brought them fresh glasses of water and orange juice. When they finished the meal, they stayed at the table and Donnie ordered them coffee to go.

They took a long drive around Venice Beach. Damian told him he liked to ride the bus there every day to get his mind clear. Donnie parked in a lot near the sand and they watched the waves roll in.

"I'm sorry I stopped writing you… sending money. Once I got to college and started down a business degree, Mary Anne… she kept me on a tight leash to do well and I—"

"Don't worry about it. The letters you sent me were enough to keep me motivated. But I still had money on my books."

"Must've been Mary Anne. She made me stop sending money online. Maybe she wanted me to focus on my life and she'd give you the funds instead."

"A good woman."

"Yeah, she is."

Damian dug into his jean pocket and pulled out a letter. Donnie took it and read all the words.

"This still stands, man," Donnie said.

Damian smiled.

"All I need is for you to open the door. I can do the rest on my own."

"I'll hook you up with free membership to the gym… and a trainer."

"I'm looking for a job. Might take some time. Still figuring out things being free. Everything moves so fast on the outside. Most days I feel like I was frozen in time and can't catch up. I stood in a coffee shop on my first day out and watched people pay for coffee and donuts by tapping their phones on the register. For a minute, I thought everything was cashless, and I was freaking out. Technology just went warp speed. Things are loud all around me and it feels like a billion people live in L.A. now. I feel far behind… like I'm in a whole different dimension than everyone else."

"Take your time. I'll see what I can do to help you find employment. Where do you stay?"

"A transitional house downtown. I have to stay there for another month and then I can look for my own place. L.A. is so fucking expensive. I'll probably stay on the East side."

Donnie kept his eyes on the water.

"I don't know if I can ever thank you enough for what you did," Donnie said.

"Mary Anne helped make sure I could be up for parole with that lawyer she got me. Right now, everything is on me. Letting me use the gym, getting me a trainer and stuff… you've done your part. You kept your word. That means a lot. Real talk… everyone else who I thought was on my side bailed, man. Family. Old homies. You're the only person who didn't turn me away or ignore me. I was lucky your sister found me out on the street. I owe her."

"Nah, man. Athena's wrapped a little too tight. Best to leave her alone. This is probably her one good deed for the year."

"She seemed cool. Didn't kick me away like a stray dog."

Donnie checked the time in his car.

"Can I give you a ride back to your spot? I have to pick up my daughter soon."

"Yeah, that's cool. Thanks."

Donnie typed in the location of the halfway house on his cell and drove Damian onto a crowded freeway.

"Damn, this shit is packed," Damian said.

As far as the eye could see, there was only the scarlet red of rear car lights in the stop and stop yet again traffic. It took forever to get downtown. The transitional housing complex was lodged between an auto shop and a church in a seedy area.

"Come through to Delphi tomorrow at ten. I'll show you around, hook you up and we can talk more," Donnie said.

He held up his hand, and they clasped palms.

"I'll be there," Damian said.

Donnie watched him leave his car and grab the black bag he had toted from the back. Once Damian was gone from his sight, he headed out to pick up his daughter Amara from her private school in Los Feliz. He tapped his cell and Bianca's voice filled the car.

"Hey," Bianca said.

"On my way to pick up Ladybug. Do I need to bring anything home from the store?"

"No, I have a lasagna ready for the oven when you two make it back."

"Ok, cool."

"What's up?"

"Whatchu mean?"

"You sound funny. Did Tony bug you about doing the exhibition again?"

"Nah. I ran into an old friend today. He just got out of prison."

"Who is this?"

"I'll tell you about it later. Seeing him made me remember some old times. Haven't seen him in almost eighteen years."

"Mary Anne left a message for you on the landline. She wants you to call her when you get in, and please… tell me you cleared your schedule to come to the Hollywood Bowl on Friday."

"I did. Rearranged my day just for you."

"A.J. is coming down from Seattle with Janice. I haven't heard from Athena yet."

"If A.J. is flying in, she'll go with us. Ma is bringing her new gentleman friend, too."

"Ooh, she's doing the whole meet the family in a public place routine," Bianca teased.

"She likes him and he makes her smile. I like that. She's been alone a long time and I'm glad she feels comfortable enough to venture out with companionship."

"Me too."

"See ya soon."

Donnie hung up and parked near Amara's school. He scrolled work emails from his agent and thrummed his fingers on the open windowsill of his SUV. Damian stayed on his mind until his favorite little munchkin bounced into view, swinging her book bag and using ASL with fellow deaf classmates. She sprinted to the car when she saw he was driving their SUV instead of Bianca.

"I didn't know you were coming to get me!" Amara's hands signed.

She hugged Donnie tight across the console.

He stared at his daughter and moved his hands and fingers with fluid ease.

"I came back from New York early and wanted to surprise you, Ladybug."

Amara hugged him again, then buckled up. Donnie turned up his music, and the bass rattled the SUV. Amara wiggled in her seat and rested her left hand on the console, the vibrations traveling up her arm and through her body.

His daughter was growing like a beanstalk. Slender in body with a slender face and features, she was the apple of his eye. He had followed Rocky's advice and treated his daughter as the blessing she was always going to be. There was no feeling sorry for her being deaf. Amara lived a full and busy life, learning to box at the Delphi under his supervision, while also learning to write poetry from Bianca. Spoiled rotten and loved beyond the stars, she made Donnie and Bianca's life complete.

They stopped off for ice cream and while they waited for their order, their fingers chatted together. Amara could read lips too, and he loved the way she huffed with excitement when she wanted to communicate about her busy day. After stuffing their mouths with Rocky Road and Butter Pecan Toffee sundaes, they drove to their new walled and gated residence in the hills above Los Feliz. Their two-story Spanish-style home was a terraced lot of 1.5 acres with a lagoon pool and spectacular city views.

"Finally made it," Bianca called, and signed to them from the kitchen.

Amara grinned.

"Went for ice cream," Amara signed.

"Didn't bring me any back?" Bianca teased. "Go change your clothes."

Amara dashed out of the kitchen and Donnie wrapped his arms around his wife.

"Smells good in here," he said, looking around.

"Made fresh garlic bread," she said.

Donnie kissed her cheek and ambled over to his home office. There were ten messages on his office phone. He ignored them. Bianca brought him a glass of red wine and he wandered out to the backyard to watch the sun go down.

As the color of the sky shifted and evening settled across the horizon, Donnie forgot about the world outside of his home.

Athena Creed held her cell against her stomach and stared at the number on her screen. She vacillated between putting the phone away and tapping the button on the screen several times. Staring out of her luxury penthouse view overlooking South Figueroa, downtown L.A. looked hectic down below. The night always brought it to life with a sultry glamour that had people returning to that part of Los Angeles in droves.

Damian had been on her mind all day.

Observing him plead his case to her mother earlier made her curious. She left the Creed family mansion early so that she could glimpse him close up. His body looked bulky under the jacket and sweatshirt he wore, with dark jeans snug on his gorgeous ass. With a face chiseled to rival the masculine splendor of an Italian sculpture she once saw in Firenze, it struck Athena with how beautiful and gentle Damian seemed. She was the one who had gone to the family emergency safe hidden in a secret room and taken a thousand dollars cash for him to have. She sealed it in an unmarked envelope and passed it off to the private guard to give to Damian. Mary Anne kept her cheeks puffed out and her lips twisted with disgust as she studied Damian's image on the security screen on her cell.

"Adonis has achieved the perfect life, and that hoodlum suddenly shows up," Mary Anne spat as she stomped into her tea room.

Athena hustled herself out quickly. She had a yoga class to attend and a bottle of Chablis waiting for her at home.

But then she saw Damian's face and grew curious. Backed her car up and everything when she glimpsed him walking in her rearview mirror. What she witnessed in him wasn't self-pity or the gloomy energy of a downtrodden man. Firm determination sat etched across his full features.

She tapped the phone.

It rang five times, and she nearly hung up when Damian picked up.

"Hello?"

"Damian?"

"Yeah."

"It's Athena."

The long pause on his end made her think he hung up.

"Damian?"

"I'm here."

"Were you busy?"

"Nah. I was sitting here reading."

Athena walked to her kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine.

"What are you reading?"

"The Forty-Eight Laws of Power."

Athena guffawed.

"Are you really reading that trash book?"

"It was in the book library here."

"Hotep central. That shit is full of contradictions and bullshit cut-and-paste cult maxims that have been used to dupe niggas for years."

"I don't know. It seems good so far."

"You enjoy reading?"

"Yeah. Always have."

"What's the best book you ever read?"

"You called me to talk about books?"

His voice was pleasant.

"I called to see how your reunion went with Adonis."

"It went okay. He's going to meet with me at Delphi tomorrow and hook me up with a trainer."

"How did you feel about seeing him again?"

"Why did you ask for my number?"

Athena stopped her wine glass from reaching her lips.

"I was curious," she said.

"Curious about what?"

"What do you really want with Adonis? He forgot about you after all these years. You expect him to fix your life?"

"No. I can do that on my own."

"How?"

"Getting back into the ring."

"I looked you up," Athena said, moving back into her living room that perched high above the downtown landscape.

Damien kept quiet on his end.

"Still there?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"You were on your way to the Olympics again. Already won a gold Junior Olympics title. Sports agents predicted you would be the next great professional champion. What happened? Why did you throw that all away?"

"I met your brother."

Athena closed her eyes and gripped her phone tight. Fucking Adonis. Whenever he showed up, people's lives changed for the worse.

"What's your favorite book?" he asked.

"Thich Nhat Hanh's 'Peace is Every Step'," she said.

"What's that about?"

"He's a Vietnamese monk. I once did a silent meditation walk with him in San Diego. He teaches we can use the hard things in life that antagonize us and turn them into something positive that connects us to mindfulness."

"I'll have to look for that one in the library."

"I'll let you borrow my copy. It helped me a lot over the years."

"You into all that new age stuff?"

"Thich Nhat Hanh is not new age. He teaches old wisdom. So does Malidoma Somé, Sonbonfu Somé—"

"Slow down, let me write this down—"

"I told you. I can loan you these books."

"You only dig into spiritual stuff?" he said.

"It keeps me focused on my work."

"What do you do?"

Athena grinned. For some strange reason, talking to him over the phone was like talking to a blind date.

"I work for a sports marketing agency. We represent elite athletes, sports teams, and sporting events."

"You like doing that?"

"I love it."

"I have to do some leg reps before it gets late. Can I call you back tomorrow?" he said.

"Sure. I want to hear all the gory details about your day with my brother."

"Wasn't nothing out of the ordinary. We had brunch, and he dropped me off. I'll see him tomorrow at ten and then I can move on with my life."

Athena took a sip of wine. His voice was confident.

"You two didn't talk about what happened in the past?"

"Not in detail. He feels bad and wants to help me. That's it. Can I still call you?"

She grinned.

"Yeah. Call me. I'll be running errands tomorrow. Leave a message if I don't pick up."

"I'll do that."

"Goodnight, Damian."

She hung up first and cradled the phone against her chest. After a few minutes, she checked her schedule on a phone app and rearranged a few appointments. Swiping her fingers across the screen, she highlighted the Delphi Boxing Academy. Ten a.m. on the dot.

Chapter 3 HERE.

Tag List:

@unfriendlyblkhotti3​

[faccal]

Some soft Elias/Rorke with the boys from a future scene in a fic that's being rewritten.

The sudden weight on his stomach and legs would've launched him into a fight response, if it hadn't been for the happy squeals and child giggles from their youngest. "Ugh! Damnit, Logan, what are you doing up so early?" He grunts, immediately wrapping his arms around the kid to prevent escape. "Porkie!" He squeals, still avoiding using too many words. His muteness after his mother's death had affected Elias and David heavily, yet with Rorke's help and an ASL Coach, as well as a few years since her passing, Logan had begun to speak again. He had an excellent teacher as well, who was gentle and kind when helping him speak comfortably again. "Logan, leave your father alone. You're too old to be jumping in our bed." Elias grumbles from under the covers to Rorke's left. "But....Porkie..." He pouts, burying his head in Rorke's chest. "Haha, you're alright kiddo, daddy Porkie loves you." He kisses the eight year old's forehead, squeezing the boy tighter as he lets out another squeal. "Daaad!" Ten year old David pushes into the room, crossing his arms when he sees Logan atop Rorke. "C'mon Logie, you're too old for that! You're being a baby." "You're mad Porkie gives me....cuddles." He squeezes Rorke back, smiling at the low, rumbling belly laugh he lets out. David sighs, staring over at the lump that is his father. "He's fine David, he's not too old. You're not too old either if you'd like cuddles?" He'd been trying to help David be more comfortable around him, but the ten year old definitely had his rightful hesitations. "You're not...my dad." He deadpans, and while it does sting him a bit, he knows it's not David's fault he feels that way. "I know kiddo, so why don't you get up here and wake your old man, Logan and I are starving." On cue, Logan's belly gurgles. David hops into action the second he hears Logan's tummy. "Dad! You gotta get up now! Logan's gotta eat or he'll fade away!" He shouts, hopping onto his father who let's out a far more pained grunt than Rorke had. "Damnit Gabe!" He growls, grabbing his eldest to crush in a bear hug. "Ahh! Logan help!" David tries to escape, slapping at his father's arms. "Busy." Logan replies. "Porkie cuddles." "Porkie cuddles are more important than me?" Little David sounds so hurt, and Rorke feels Logan stiffen. "No......" He whispers, looking down at Rorke's massive arms, poking at them to avoid David's hurt eyes. "Of course you're more important than me Davie, you're his brother. I've got him trapped you see!" He wiggles Logan around the bed, causing him to let out a raucous of laughter. "You have to save him from my devilish clutches." "Unhand him!" David launches off of Elias and tackles onto Rorke, struggling to fight the man who lazily wiggles the three of them around. "A man can't sleep in with three kids, can he?" "Three?!" Rorke glares at his husband with a frown. "I'll remember that, Walker." "You do that." Elias grumbles, sitting up and throwing his legs over the edge of their bed. "Alright boys, let's get some grub in you." "Food!" The boys cry in unison, leaping off of Rorke and down the stairs to wash their hands. Rorke smiles at the door warmly, a soft crinkle in his eyes Elias only ever sees around the boys. "I love you." Elias smiles, crossing his arms as he stares at his husband's fond smile. Rorke turns, a dirty grin spreading across his cheeks. "How much?" "Not that much." Elias's smiles falls to a frown. "Now get your lazy ass up, the boys need food." "Yes, daddy." Rorke teases in a sultry tone, grunting when Elias throws a pillow at his head. "Food. Now!" "Jesus woman, I'm going I'm going!" He barely manages to miss the shoe Elias throws at his head.

[davekat-sucks]

Okay, this is a VERY stupid question that came to me because of that weird Tavros/Harry/Vrissy relationship from Homestuck 2 and I'm really embarrassed to ask it. So correct me if I'm wrong please because it's been a while since I read Homestuck, we know that John and Jade are the ectobiological children of Jake and Jane and that both pre/post scratch Jake and Jane have a family relationship with Condesce/Betty Crocker (Nanna and Grandpa Harley being raised by Condesce as adopted siblings, Jake and Jane being adopted great-great-grandchildren of Condesce via Poppop and Grandma Harley). So getting straight to the point, can I consider John, Jade and Tavros Crocker as let's say """"""incest babies"""""? (My god this sounds so awful) I know Jake and Jane are NOT biologically related, but in both pre/post scratch versions they belong to the same family (Nanna/Grandpa as siblings and Jane Crocker and Jake English as "cousins") So Jane in Homestuck 2 technically married a relative????????? I'm so confused Jesus.

(just an addendum, I'm not a proshipper, fictional incest makes me uncomfortable) Sorry for the stupid question DX

It's alright. But yeah, technically through ectobiology, each of the characters, even separate groups like Beta and Alpha, have some being technically related to one another. For example Dirk & Roxy and Dave & Rose, they are all brothers and sisters in that sense, but at the same time, they are also like a father and mother to the other party (Dave would be Dirk's father as Rose would be Roxy's. Roxy would be Rose's mother and Dirk being the father). The same applies to John, Jade, Jake, and Jane. But yeah, Jane would technically be married to her relative, Jake. Even if they were raised by separate people like Dad Crocker, Poppop, and Grandma Harley, both Poppop and Grandma Harley are part of the ectobiology pool that would help create both Jake and Jane. So yes, them and Tavros Crocker would be incest babies. When you think about the creation of the Homestuck kids being made through ectobiology, they would technically be all related since they were born at the same time. Though it looks like the ghost slime imprints separate each base copy, it doesn't deny the fact that the machine goes through it to create the kids we know and love and appear simultaneously.

But that's if you wanna say they count the minute they were all born at the same time on that meteor or if it doesn't count since the DNA slime didn't technically touch each other to call it incestuous slurry. It's not like with trolls and their reproduction method, which is confirmed to be incestuous slurry themselves and they admit that incest on their planet is definitely okay. Which makes all trolls we know and love, inbred aliens. This applies to fantrolls too unless stated by their creator they they were born through other means. And since trolls live on Earth C, where they still born through incestuous slurry thanks to Mother Grub, incest for trolls and technically for humans and Carapacians, is allowed on Earth C. Because it wouldn't be fair if trolls are the only ones who get to fuck with their brother/sister/cousin. And when you think about the reproduction of humans that had been through ectobiology, as seen in Credits, Earth C would also be technically started out as incest since those babies would also need to grow up and then reproduce through natural means. And by looking at the kids, there is a chance one of them is a mix of incest in some way. Like one of them being a John/Jade baby, a Dave/Rose one, etc.

I can't expect Homestuck 2 or Homestuck Beyond Canon try to claim that the rest of humanity would use ectobiology as a means to make a baby instead of the usual method. Because then it would bring a question on why hasn't there been a hybrid human+troll kind. DNA compatibility between other species has never been brought up. But nu-fans of Homestuck don't think too deep about it and WhatPumpkin/Hussie doesn't WANT you to think deeper about it either. Even now, the motto for it is "DON'T THINK ABOUT IT". Homestuck is already confusing as fuck even with the plot holes still there.

[bumblingbabooshka]

hey what are your posabule headcanons

like poppit and art??

bloc and his sister

Art Posabule: Had a similar upbringing to Clay's only his father died instead of his mother. His mother has the same personality as Clay's did only her husband's death intensified her already frantic nature and caused her to become extremely overprotective of Art. He is still very close to her (contrasts Clay's estrangement from his father) and has developed an uncomfortable codependence with her - viewing her as perfect and holding other women in his life to these unhealthy standards.

Similarly dislikes taking the lord's name in vain and the suffix '-ded'. Has a superiority complex and is not good with confrontation because he doesn't expect people to disobey him.

Is not at all close with his family but likes seeming as if he is. Greatly favors Christina (though he isn't close with her as he feels he has nothing to teach a girl) and often forgot about Block's existence even before he got left behind at the Puppington's. When Christina does bring up that Block is gone he's unconcerned, saying it's better to be an only sibling anyway. That way there's no one else grubbing up the attention! (Ironically he does not pay Christina any attention either way).

Is having an affair with another man similar to Daniel.

Did not want another child after Christina.

His job is an actual dead end job but instead of bemoaning it he pretends it's much more important than it is which leads to a twist reveal that it's a boring dead end job.

Poppit Posabule: Had an upbringing similar to Bloberta's only she was included in her family's choir. (My idea is that they seem in the Puppington's eyes to be the 'better' versions of them which would cause conflict.) She's very proud of her singing voice and is disappointed that neither of her children are up to her standards and was thus unable to create a new family choir. She is estranged from her younger sister but still speaks to the rest of her family.

She had Block similarly to the way Bloberta had Shapey only Poppit uses her brother's red hair (a recessive gene) to cover up his parentage, which Art believes.

Instead of 'helping' her thing is 'fixing'.

In "Christly Christina" Poppit would be the stand-in for Clay and the show would focus on Poppit's affect on Christina's life with Art as the stand-in for Bloberta, a mostly side character.

Poppit dislikes Block due to his reluctance to listen and carry through with things. She does notice that he's gone - deciding to try to 'fix' Shapey instead, and when that doesn't work she'd happy to be rid of them both.

Likes to lord things over people and brag but is secretly miserable in her life. She has no real sense of identity and has defined herself as 'A Mother' and 'A Wife'.

Christina Posabule: More focused on the home and the duty of women within religion rather than religion itself.

Was as naive and prone to accidental trouble-making as Orel in the beginning.

Wants to be a teacher when she grows up, though she's sure to put this after 'wife' EX: "I want to be a wife and teacher"

Because of her mischief and zealous attitude she's sometimes labeled as a tomboy by others and shunned or told to be quieter.

She makes lunches for her dad which her mom checks and throws out, making a new one for him herself. Christina also made lunches for Block, which Poppit didn't care to check.

Was often put in a caretaker role with Block.

Something happens with her arm rather than her leg.

Block Posabule: He's calmer than Shapey when alone but quick to get caught up in other people's mischief or outrage. Less angry and more of a follower.

When playing with Christina he was prone to tantrums and screaming the same as Shapey but he never physically hurt her as it was the only thing his parents would punish him for (as she's a girl).

Was not dependent on Poppit the way Shapey is on Bloberta as Poppit often paid a lot of negative attention to him in her efforts to 'fix'.