#Cell Phone Signal Repeater

[cellularrepeaterforbangladesh]

আর নয় নেটওয়ার্কের সমস্যা...!! এখন ঘরের ভিতর কিংবা অফিস দোকানের ভিতর থেকে কথা বলুন যেকোন সিম নেটওয়ার্কে।

[nolita-fairytale]

and for us, it won't be long | joaquin torres x fem!reader | chapter one

summary: after joaquin's accident, you reconnect with your childhood friend

warnings: hurt/comfort, tooth-rotting fluff, eventual smut, spoilers for captain america: brave new world, swearing, use of she/her pronouns, friends to lovers

word count: 2.7k

a/n: so i think this is a small cute mini series of exactly 3 parts. i haven't written a fic in a while so this is wild but i'm happy to be here. the title of this fic is from baynk's song, grin.

read chapter two here

You watch him fall out of the sky on national television, the footage juxtaposed with an exterior shot of the Walter Reed Military Medical Center that’s got been stock footage, resulting in the world’s worst case of emotional whiplash. The news anchor’s voice is clear—reassuring, even—as he explains the situation: 

An accident involving the Falcon. 

In critical condition. 

The new Captain America at his side.

Hopeful. 

It’s the word he keeps repeating. 

The doctors are hopeful. 

But his words are lost on you, traveling in through one ear and out through another. In a state of shock, you’re only able to comprehend bits and pieces because watching the man you’ve known for most of your life soar through the air—not to mention, in flames—and plummet straight into the Indian Ocean, makes you feel like you’re going to pass out. 

It’s not like you expect for him to pick up—but you’re calling Joaquin’s phone, your heart practically beating out of your chest like he could—because there isn’t much else you feel like you can do. Besides, if, when he wakes up, you want him to know that you’ll be there.

You get his voicemail. 

Of course. 

But you can’t sit with this alone.

So you call your mom. And then his. And then three of you hold each other through the phone like he held your father all five years through The Blip. 

And when all is said and done, after days of agonizing nothingness, you get a text from his mother saying: 

He’s going to be okay. 

*

It’s the seventh time in the last ten minutes that Sam sees the screen of Joaquin’s phone flash upwards toward the hospital ceiling, signaling that he’s got yet another notification. 

“You should give ‘em a call,” Sam encourages.

Joaquin shoots a quizzical look to the man he’s looked up to his whole life, as Sam nods towards the cell phone once again, clarifying his previous statement with: “Your family, Torres. And whoever else’s been blowin’ your phone all day.” 

His face falls. 

The doctors had called to let his family know that he had made it through a successful surgery, and that he was going to be okay, but he hadn’t reached out just yet. Hell, he was almost grateful that his phone had been dead for days, crossing his fingers that the hospital wouldn’t find a spare charger. But then Sam came in this morning, brand new phone charger in hand, forcing Joaquin to return to reality: an overwhelm of missed calls and texts.

“I don’t-, I… I don’t want to worry them,” Joaquin hesitates, the disappointment in himself evident in how cautious he is. It’s why he’s been putting it off. He can’t seem to beat the nagging feeling that he should’ve done some differently—something so he didn’t have to make this kind of call. 

But he knows he’ll have to face the music sooner or later. 

“What-? What do I say? What am I supposed to tell them?” he asks earnestly, searching the face of his mentor for any kind of guidance. 

“Tell ‘em you’re gonna be okay,” Sam replies gently, the reassurance in his words allowing the obvious to land a little softer than it would had he chosen a different path. Joaquin nods slowly in response, reaching for the phone on his hospital bedside table. 

With a sigh and a heaviness he can’t yet name, Joaquin begins to scroll through the notifications. While he expects to see calls and texts from his parents, extended family members he hasn’t spoken to in years, he doesn’t expect to see 5 missed calls and 3 texts from you. 

Sam watches carefully as a look of surprise washes over his friend, colleague, and wingman’s face, and there’s something different about his reaction when his thumb hovers over your messages. 

“I’ll give you a few minutes, man,” Sam bows out, respectfully. 

*

When Joaquin finally texts you, it’s just a stupid GIF of a zombie rising from the grave. You’re less than amused by his humor at a time like this, but your heart feels like it’s going to jump out of your chest as you see that the notification is from him. 2:08 pm 

You: Not funny, asshole! We’ve all been worried sick. 2:10 pm 

Joaquin: 😣You talked to my mom?!

2:15 pm 

You: 🖕Fuck off. You know Lydia likes me more than you. 

2:16 pm 

Joaquin: 💔

Savage. 

2:16 pm 

I’m jk. Mom told me how wonderful you’ve been with her and Dad. Thank you. 🙏

2:22 pm 

You: I’m just glad you’re okay. 

2:30 pm 

Joaquin: 😅

2:30 pm 

You: Can I call you later? 

2:31 pm 

Joaquin: Yeah :)

*

You’ve never been this girl: the girl that waits by the phone for some guy to text her.

But in the days following Joaquin’s accident, you have to remind yourself that the fact that you’re practically glued to your phone waiting for updates is just a result of the fact that you could’ve lost him. 

Besides, he’s not just some guy. It’s Joaquin: he’s the neighborhood kid you grew up with, the sweet seventeen year-old boy who took you to your senior prom, and the man that both of your mothers still swear to this day that you’ll marry. 

It’s Captain America—Sam, he insists that you call him—who eventually puts you out of your misery by inviting you to see Joaquin, when he notices his wingman’s recovery is going better and better all thanks to his mysterious pen pal. 

“I know kids these days can’t get off their phones, but something’s telling me there’s a cute girl on the other end, Buck,” Sam mentions over the phone one day, when the latter asks him about Joaquin’s recovery. “Hey, I’m not mad at it! Seems like it’s helping him.”

“Kid’s gotta girl?” Bucky asks from somewhere along the campaign trail, a hint of curiosity in his voice as he inquires further. “There’s only one way to find out,” Sam shrugs with a little mischief in his voice. 

It’s not hard to swipe Joaquin’s phone, considering his recovery still requires lots and lots of rest. The last thing you had expected that day was a call from Captain America himself—from Joaquin’s phone, no less—asking you to come to DC to reunite with your childhood friend. 

What’s even more shocking is the fact that it’s Sam Wilson himself, who’s there to meet you at the hospital. You try to keep your cool as you introduce yourself, but you can’t shake the giddy feeling of excitement that fills you upon meeting the Avenger you and Joaquin used to see on TV. He leads you down the long hospital hallways, warning you quietly that Joaquin was pretty badly injured, and he may have a little more wear and tear than you expected. 

You don’t mean to gasp, but your sharp intake of breath upon seeing him in his hospital bed isn’t exactly subtle. Your eyes trace over him worriedly, as you take in the burn scars on his neck and the still-healing cuts and scrapes on his face. It’s the moment you realize that, since making the choice to join The Avengers, your superhero friend is not so invincible. 

“What’re you-?” Joaquin balks, speechless at the sight of you. He looks from you to Sam, then back to you, before returning to Sam once more, his eyes landing on the man like he’s Benedict Arnold. “Sam, you didn’t-. How did you-? You called her?!” 

“Wasn’t hard to swipe your phone when you need a nap every 2 hours,” Sam replies casually, as if he isn’t acting like the world’s most embarrassing dad right now. “And I got tired of watching you wait by the phone all day for your girl to finally text you.”

“Oh my god!” Joaquin groans, at the very same time you let out a:

“Oh he’s not my-!” 

“Dude, we’re not-,” Joaquin gestures towards you in a panic, as he searches for the right words, saying a silent prayer that he can get out at least one full-finished sentence. “I’m not like, waiting by the phone but It’s not like I can go anywhere right now, man!” Sam chuckles only to be met with a very dramatic eye roll from Joaquin as he tries to defend himself. 

“Listen, we’re old friends. We’ve just been catching up,” he tries to explain again, gesturing towards you once more. 

Sam smirks, uttering an unconvinced, “Sure. Well, whoever she is or isn’t to you… seems like she’s been helping your recovery. Thought it couldn’t hurt.” 

You laugh, exchanging a look with Joaquin. 

“I still can’t believe you called her,” Joaquin shakes his head, still trying his best to process this. 

“Well, of course he called me, Torres, considering you’ve always been shit at asking for help,” you finally chime in, with a ball-busting attitude he’s missed. 

“Oh shit,” Sam says, looking from you back to Joaquin as he waits for a reaction. 

Joaquin grins, gearing up to explain: “When she feels threatened, she has a tendency to lash out.” 

Sam chuckles. 

“Feisty. I like it," he smirks with a nod of approval. And he knows that this that’s his cue. It’s time to give you kids some time alone. “Imma step out for a second. You guys… catch up. Or whatever.” 

You press your lips together, stifling another laugh, and waiting a beat as Sam disappears. 

“Dude,” you start, taking a few steps closer to Joaquin, with a look of disbelief.

“Dude,” Joaquin mimics you, unable to hide the smile on his face upon seeing you. 

“That’s like… Captain America,” you nod towards the hallway as you take a few more steps forward. 

“I know,” Joaquin says back, an excitement between the two of you. 

“Captain fucking America,” you emphasize.. 

You’ve really been doing the best to keep your cool, but you’re not sure you can contain it any longer. 

“I know!” he fanboys with you this time, because Joaquin still can’t believe this is real either. 

That he works with Sam Wilson. That he’s Captain America’s wingman. That you’re here, in DC, with him. 

It’s as if a piece of home has joined him for the first time in a long time in this new chapter of his life. 

The two of you exchange another smile and a wave of relief washes over you. 

You take a beat and one step closer to him, sitting down in the chair next to his hospital bed. You shake your head and this time, the expression on your face goes from soft to a much more hardened and worried look. 

“Joaquin,” you start, the tone of your voice a warning enough. 

“Oh God,” he sighs, recognizing that tone. 

“I could kill you,” you threaten, the next part reinforcing his more than accurate evaluation of you from earlier. “But clearly you don’t need my help.” 

“Well, I did technically die,” he parries, light heartedly. 

“Joaquin!” You interject, your voice going up in pitch as you cut him off. 

“What? You scared you’d miss me or something?” he teases, meeting your fire with his. 

“Oh fuck off,” you scoff, with a shake of your head. “It’s not-, don’t joke about that! It’s not funny!” 

“Didn’t you just threaten me with-?” he continues, knowing all the buttons to press. 

“Yeah, but it’s different when I-. Didn’t you just say that I have a tendency of lashing out when I feel threatened?” you snap, the worry in your voice enough to get him to stop. 

You sigh, your eyes scanning him once more, because maybe it would be easier if he really were invincible.

You take a beat, and the two of you share a full silence between you. It’s comfortable, yet filled with ‘what ifs’ neither of you want to acknowledge. 

“I can’t believe Sam stole my phone and called you,” Joaquin shakes his head this time, groaning again because Captain America really should be renamed to America’s Most Embarrassing Dad for this. “How did you get here so fast, anyway? My parents won’t even arrive till tomorrow.” 

“Oh I uh-. Well, you’ve been busy saving the world so I haven’t exactly been able to tell you,” you reply, realizing that it hadn’t even come up in conversation via text yet. “I moved to Philly a few months ago.” 

“Philly?” Joaquin asks, a little surprised, because he’s not sure he could picture you anywhere that has a properly cold Winter season. “Yeah,” you chuckle, immediately recognizing his look. “I had to buy my first Winter coat this year but… the trade off is that I’m only an hour train ride away from you now.”

His face lights up as soon as you spell it out for him. 

“Well, my parents are coming in tomorrow. Are you-, think you’ll be around?” he asks, hopefully. 

“Do you want me to be?” you ask in return. 

He nods, “Yeah. Think they’d like to see you.” “Okay,” you agree softly. “I’ll stay.” 

A beat. 

And another silence between the two of you, one that feels much heavier than the last. 

“You could’ve died, Joaquin,” you state quietly. 

“I know,” he replies, the guilt evident in his voice. 

You could’ve-,” you begin to repeat, your voice breaking this time. 

“I know,” he says again, much firmer as he reassures you. “But I didn’t. And we’re here now.” 

He reaches for your hand, and you’re almost angry with the way your body betrays you. With tears in your eyes you look back at him, shaking your head. 

“Goddamit,” you swear with a small laugh. “You’re the one who gets hurt yet you’re here comforting me.”

He shakes his head this time, squeezing your hand as he smiles, “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re here.” A beat. “But I’m still gonna kill Sam.”

You laugh, wiping a few tears out of your eyes with your free hand. 

“And yeah. I would,” you finally admit, your voice soft. 

“Hm?” Joaquin asks, his lashes heavy as he blinks, taking you in. 

“I would really, really miss you,” you answer, a vulnerability in your voice this time that you’re quick to put an end to. “So don’t fucking do this shit again!” 

Joaquin laughs as he squeezes your hand once more, knowing it’s not a promise he can make to either of you. 

*

9:45 am 

Joaquin: Mom and Dad left yesterday and Mom told me to tell you that she misses you already. 

10:01 am 

You: You can just admit that you miss me already. 

10:03 am 

Joaquin: 🤐

Thanks though. I think they’re a little less worried now that they know you’re close by. 

10:08 am 

You: How’s it going? 

10:13 am 

Joaquin: Good! I got discharged a few days ago and am heading to Wakanda in a few weeks. 

New suit! 🦸

The last time you see me can’t be in a hospital gown. 

10:15 am 

You: I don’t know why you’d say that! It’s a great look for you. 

10:20 am 

Joaquin: 🙄

Guess I should’ve swiped one from the hospital to wear all the time.

What’re you doing next weekend? 

10:21 am 

You: Nothing. What’s up? 

10:30 am 

Joaquin: What do you think about me coming to Philly? 

10:31 am

You: To visit me? Or just because?

10:32 am Joaquin: Yes to visit you 😆

Thought we could hang out before I go.

10:33 am 

You: Yeah! I know it’s only an hour train ride in and out, but I’ve got a super comfy couch you can crash on if you want. 

So that’s an option. 

The next text you receive is a selfie of him, wearing a plain grey crewneck sweater. 

You laugh. The guy loves a good selfie. 

10:40 am

Joaquin: 1 photo attached

Rocky ain’t ready for this 

10:43 am 

You: LOL 

Please don’t tell me you’re coming to Philly so you can recreate the Rocky training montage.

And if you’re wondering, I will not be partaking. You’re on your own with that one. 

But yeah, I’d be happy to host you! 

10:48 am 

Joaquin: Deal. 

I’ll call you later. We can work out the details :) 

11:00 am 

You: Deal :)

[kumkaniudaku]

Stay A While

Summary: Terry's back home and trying to make amends with an old friend.

Pairing: Terry Richmond x Black!OC

Word Count: 3,944

Part: 1 of ??

Warnings and Notes: None. This one's a safe for work slow burn. Enjoy.

Drunk minds speak sober thoughts. Or at least Terry hoped that was the case as his thumb hovered over a familiar name in his contact list. A dingey hole in the wall became a haven on the tail end of his journey back to some sense of normalcy. He was down a bike, a truck, and a piece of his heart but continued to press on until fatigue forced him to stop for rest. The owner, a small woman with a big voice noticed his rough appearance as he passed by on foot and invited him inside to duck an incoming storm. She wouldn’t take no for an answer, even when he repeated that he had ground to make up before nightfall.

When she asked if he needed help he politely and foolishly declined all but a glass of brown liquor and access to an outlet. That same whiskey and a sprinkle of Motown-era love songs playing on a rickety jukebox had broken a grown man down enough to reach out to the one person who might still be willing to take him in. Even if only for a night.

Searching for extra courage, Terry took another sip of lukewarm Jack Daniels before tapping his phone screen. The line rang once, twice, and then a third time before a short pause signaled the call had connected. 

The silence on the other him was loud, forcing him to speak up first. 

“Hello?”

Fading voices and shuffling in the background were the only indicators of a presence on the other line, making Terry feel embarrassed for starting a call in the first place. 

He cleared his throat before speaking again. “Hey, look… if now’s not a good time I ca -” 

“Terrence? Did you mean to call me?” 

“I, uh…yeah. I did. I’m sorry. I should’ve -” 

“Are you okay? It’s loud wherever you are. You good? You hurt?” 

“I could tell you if you would give me a chance to answer,” he chuckled. His amusement made her kiss her teeth in annoyance. “I’m okay. I’m a little banged up, but I’ve seen worse. I’m somewhere between Charlotte and home. Stopped in this spot for a drink and somewhere to sleep for the night.” 

“And what does that have to do with me?” 

Terry took another swig of whiskey and sighed. “Nothing, really. I was hoping I could see you, though. You know, when I make it back tomorrow.”

“You staying anywhere when you get here?” 

“Not yet, but I’ll find somewhere. I know how to survive.”

“TJ…,” More silence. Thick. Long. Full of tension and years of baggage that they had yet to discuss. The other voice sighed before answering. “Come on by. I’ll have the back room ready for you. You need toiletries?” 

Terry’s face softened into a near smile at the invitation. “Yes ma’am. A meal would be nice, too.” 

“Okay. I’ll have you something if you can get here before dark tomorrow. Please be safe, Terrence. I mean it.” 

Before he could attempt to extend the conversation, the call ended, leaving her contact photo in full view. Terry allowed a slow grin to spread across his face just as a short text with her address came across the screen. 

“Another round, brother?” 

Terry looked up from his phone to find an expectant expression on the bartender’s face. He shook his head and reached for the wallet in his back pocket. “Nah, but thanks, man. Think I’m gonna close my tab, actually. I gotta see about a bus ticket before it’s too late.” 

“If you heading to her,” the man started, pointing toward Terry’s phone. “you need a cut, man. A lineup. Something. You look like what you been through. If you got $20, I can get you right.” A slight frown and knitted eyebrows in response made the bartender shoot his hands up in surrender. “I don’t want no problems, big dog. I just know what it’s like to see your lady after a hard time. Let me help you.” 

A quick look into the black mirror of his cell phone screen forced Terry to reckon with his appearance. He couldn’t remember his last haircut and his mustache was starting to dwarf his upper lip. He sighed and reached into his back pocket. 

“Extra $10 and you can get the face too?” 

“Extra $20 and I’ll get you where you going myself.” 

------

City noise had long been replaced by suburban quiet by the time Terry’s destination came into view. His friend back at the bar was true to his word and arranged transport that turned a 6-hour journey into 2 hours of UGK on the speakers, a little privacy, and AC on the hottest summer day so far.  

After exchanging pleasantries and cash, Terry stepped out of the cramped Honda onto the smooth driveway pavement. Every house, street sign, and front yard looked exactly as he remembered them, bringing mixed emotions forward.

The short journey to her front step felt arduous for his tired legs, but he persisted until he was mere inches from the front door. He lifted his arms and prepared to knock but stopped short when it swung open unexpectedly. 

“Knocking when I can hear those heavy feet from a mile away is courteous but unnecessary.” 

He chuckled and rubbed a hand down the back of his head. “Good to see you too, Treece.” 

Patrice greeted him with a half smile as she studied his appearance from toe to head. A few years and a little extra weight had done wonders. She settled on his eyes and softened her gaze. “You look good, TJ. Come in here and cool off.”

Stepping inside her home felt like walking into a time capsule. He’d spent so many after-school days and summer nights here that it felt like his childhood home not too far up the road. Photos from yesteryear lined the walls on the way to the living room where nothing had changed except new furniture and a bigger television on the TV stand. The heat from the oven mixing with a slight chill from the air conditioning unit kept the room comfortable enough to nap if he could settle for more than a few minutes. 

Terry’s eyes drifted from his surroundings to Patrice as she led the way. Long braids covered the back of a high school t-shirt and jean shorts. Her brown skin had become golden under the North Carolina sun, making her glow a little in the morning light. Grown woman weight had settled onto her once thin frame, transforming her into a more of a mini version of her mother than before. All the changes he’d imagined when he had a free second were ions better in person.

Patrice gestured toward the leather recliner in the corner without speaking, inviting him to take a seat and settle in on her way to the stove.

They existed without words for a few minutes while she took fresh biscuits out of the oven and arranged them next to sausage patties and an omelet on one of her good porcelain plates. Terry trained his attention on his shoes, trying and failing to find a way to break the ice. He wanted to apologize. Confess his wrongs and desires in one grand speech designed to erase nearly ten years of absence. But the words wouldn’t form in his throat and the moment came and went. 

Balancing a dinner tray in one hand and orange juice in the other, Patrice carefully made her way to his spot in the living room. Seeing her kind eyes calmed his nerves and set his chest ablaze.

“No more pork for you, right? This is chicken sausage from my Nana and them in the country.” She asked as she sat the tray on his lap. 

He nodded in appreciation. “Yeah. You remembered?” 

“You ain’t been gone that long, TJ. I still know who you are and what you like. That orange juice don’t have pulp in it either.” 

“Thank you,” he said sheepishly before hanging his head to pray. 

“Any time.” 

A re-run of A Different World became the only sound in the room outside of an occasional content sigh from Terry as he tore through his breakfast. Patrice watched in amusement until her broad smile caught his attention. He slowed in embarrassment and returned the stare long enough to induce loud laughter from both of them. 

“I look crazy, huh?” 

“No,” she assured with a sweet smile. “You just look like you're happy to be back home, is all. Fayetteville missed you.” 

“All of Fayetteville or someone specific?” 

“Don’t start, TJ.” 

“I’m only asking a question.” He answered without making eye contact. “You know you’re the only one who still calls me that?” 

“What? TJ? That’s your name.” 

“Yeah, but…you know. It’s not 2010 anymore.” 

Patrice shrugged and settled deeper into the couch. “Considering that’s about the last time I saw you in the flesh, I guess it stuck for me. But, I can call you Terrence if you like.” 

“Nah, TJ’s good. I like it. From you…specifically.” 

The pair exchanged equally bashful looks, both too shy to say anything that would incriminate themselves. Instead, they watched the television in silence and stole looks until a commercial break took away their distraction. 

Without speaking, Terry began to gather dishes and stand, prompting Patrice to rush over before he could move too far. 

“Treece, I can do it.” 

“I know,” she answered in a sing-song voice while sliding the tray from his grasp. “But I haven’t done this for you in a while. Let me love on you a little bit.”

His eyes tracked her every move until she was behind him at the kitchen sink. Boyish nervousness made him twiddle his thumbs until words came rushing out like water from a burst pipe as he sat back down.

“So, how you doing? How you been?” 

“I’ve been okay. Mostly work and no play, you know. Thankful to be out of that classroom for a few weeks and get some peace.” 

“Yeah? Kids driving you crazy?” 

“Baby, the kids, their parents, and my parents are driving me to drink,” she laughed. “I can’t catch a break.” 

“What about your man? He driving you crazy?” 

Patrice scoffed and shook her head. Her mama and his mama talked too much. Terry chewed his bottom lip, hoping he didn’t offend. 

“We…aren’t together anymore. Hard to build a family together when he’s off building one across town.” 

Terry craned his neck around the armchair to make sympathetic eye contact. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that part. I wouldn’t have said anything.” 

“It’s alright. I gave it to God a long time ago. Maybe I’m not meant to be anybody’s wife yet.”

“Maybe you weren’t meant to be his wife.” 

“Well, it’s not like any suitors are knocking down my door for my hand in marriage.” 

“Probably because you keep swinging it open before anybody gets a chance.” 

Patrice rolled her eyes and flashed her middle finger in Terry’s direction. “Ha-ha. I see you didn’t lose your jokes at Lejeune. Only your ability to keep in touch.” 

Her retort left a shallow cut in Terry’s ego, making him turn his attention back to the television. He knew he’d broken a decades-old promise and that atoning for his sins would take time. But he also knew that, at any moment, Patrice could send him back into the world with nothing more than a full belly and a swift kick in the ass. He had to tread lightly. 

Taking the lull in conversation as his opportunity to lick his wounds in private, Terry stood and gathered his belongings in both hands. Patrice watched him from her spot with an apologetic expression. 

“You don’t have to leave. Got a couple errands to run so it’ll be quiet in here. Take the whole couch if you want.” 

“That’s alright, but thank you. Figure I can make myself useful and cut the yard. Maybe unpack some of this stuff if that’s alright with you. You got a mower?” 

“Yeah, it’s back there,” she answered, gesturing toward the backyard with her head. “Will you be here when I get back?” 

Sensing the hidden motivation behind her question, Terry dropped his bag to the ground and made his way into the kitchen. Cautiously, he leaned down to press a short kiss to Patrice’s forehead before using his index finger to tilt her head upward and meet his eyeline. “Yes. I promise. You don’t need to worry about me.” 

Her eyes fluttered closed for a half second while she nodded her understanding. A wave of relief made the hair on her arms stand at attention but she quickly bit back any urge to engage further. 

“You looked tired when you got in,” Patrice started, turning her back to Terry to conceal her flustered face. “I cleared Junior’s old bed back there. It’s a little small but sturdy. The sheets are fresh. Let me know if you need more blankets. I like it cold at night.” 

“I’ll survive, girl. I’ve slept in worse places than a full-sized bed. Thank you.” 

A split second of hesitation kept their eyes glued to one another until Terry ended the stalemate by backing out of the room and disappearing down the hallway. 

Patrice took his absence as an opportunity to compose herself. Busy hands and racing thoughts fueled a cleaning marathon until tasks that had long fallen to the bottom of her to-do list were crossed off. 

For hours they co-existed without many words exchanged. Occasionally, Patrice would steal glances at Terry while he meticulously tended to the lawn and bushes. When he could, Terry made a point to brush up against her when he walked past and agree with each of her many suggestions. Being in her space was enough for him and he dared not upset the natural harmony. 

By the time dinner rolled around, they had found a groove. A quiet dinner led to an even quieter cleanup shift and quick good nights exchanged after watching Jeopardy together. 

Terry left Patrice to her own devices while he fought to acclimate to such cushy surroundings. Try as he might, he couldn’t get used to the soft mattress below him or the near-frigid temperature in the house. Tossing and turning left him unsatisfied. The walls felt like they were converging. Flashbacks were turning into night sweats. He needed to escape.

Slowly, he slid out of bed and into a pair of slippers Patrice had gifted him earlier in the day. Measured steps help him sneak past her bed bedroom, out of the back door, and down into the backyard without causing a disturbance. 

The early June air was balmy, clinging to the skin beneath his t-shirt. In the distance loud bass from someone’s car speaker vibrated until it was out of earshot. Dogs barked and howled to salute the moon worked in tandem with the faint smell of charcoal cooling from a night of backyard barbecues to remind him that he was far from the trouble of Shelby Springs. 

It’d been a while since he could enjoy the night without being on high alert. The last week was a special kind of hell that he feared he could never shake. The urge to flee was beginning to creep in like the tide, threatening to wash away what little progress he’d made.

After a few deep breaths and mumbled prayer, Terry retreated to a porch swing to rest his weary legs. His shoulders relaxed as soon as his backside met the aged oak and, almost instantly, he felt safe enough to close his eyes. One deep breath turned into another until he was drifting into his first peaceful sleep in weeks. 

Minutes passed like seconds. Thoughts slowed to a halt. His heartbeat regulated. Near bliss was upon him.

Inside, a single lamp flipped on to illuminate Patrice’s path as she searched the house for her guest. His room and bathroom had turned up empty results with almost no sign that he’d been there throughout the day. He wasn’t on the couch or in the kitchen raiding the fridge like she half expected. Worry had all but made her pass out until she heard the slight creak of her swing on the porch, making his head appear and disappear from the window above the sink.

She couldn’t fully open the door before Terry opened one eye and looked in her direction. She froze and he smiled.

“Feet not as heavy as you thought, huh?” 

“Yeah, yeah. If I’d known you trade in a bed for this old thing I wouldn’t have wasted my time on laundry.” 

“Hey, I built this old thing, remember?”

Patrice chuckled at the memory and pointed at the metal chain keeping the swing in place. “Damn near lost a finger behind it, too.”

“Would’ve been worth it knowing you were happy.” Patrice nervously shifted her weight from left to right under Terry’s intense gaze while he took his turn to look her over. Finally noticing her awkwardly standing between the screendoor, he motioned to the spot beside him. “Sit with me for a second.”

Patrice visibly wrestled with her decision but ultimately joined him. They maintained a careful distance, being sure to keep their individual limbs from connecting for fear that the mere sensation would set them ablaze. They played a childish game of cat and mouse until Patrice spoke.

“I was rude earlier,” Patrice confessed while fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt. Terry closed his heavy eyes to cure the burning sensation growing by the minute but acknowledged her statement with a confused grunt. She continued. “I never asked how you were doing. The whole thing about my ex sort of brought up old feelings.” 

He frowned, hurt by her revelation. “You know I wasn’t trying to hurt you, right?” 

“You never are. Same ol’ honorable TJ. Terry, I mean.” 

“TJ for you.” 

Again he popped one eye open and paired it with a grin that disamered Patrice and made her giggle like her high school self. The sound had him resolve that he’d spend his whole life making stupid faces if it meant she’d get some joy from them. 

“You ready to tell me everything I missed or are you content with popping up on my porch? And how long do you plan to be here eating all my food, anyway?” 

“I don’t think you wanna hear that,” he answered in an attempt to dodge the loaded question. Patrice persisted. 

“No, I do. I see the tattoos and the fresh haircut. TJ turned into a man while he was gone. At least let me get to know this new person.” 

“I grew up,” he sighed after some time. “Gained some. Lost a lot. Still trying to pick up the pieces.”

“What’d you lose?” 

“Lately? Money. Family. Shit, my mind.” 

“Why?”

“Mike died.” An abrupt interruption of an already complicated conversation brought forth a long pause. He waited for an interjection but found none, prompting him to offer more details. “He was killed. In jail. I tried to get him out and bring him home but I was too late.” Terry answered without making eye contact. Shame wouldn’t allow him to meet her potential judgment.

Patrice mentally cycled through names and faces until she realized the gravity of Terry’s statement. She reached out to breach their unspoken barrier and grabbed his hand which he accepted with no pushback.

“You wanna talk about it?” 

“Not really,” he answered before squeezing her hand and finally returning her eye contact. “I handled everything. It’s over for now. I’m here with you. We can focus on that.” 

“Even though you keep skipping how long you’ll stay.”

Patrice’s warmth was starting to take a backseat to her cold nature. Old wounds had started to re-open and rebuild a wall they both thought they’d successfully hurdled. Despite her attempt to pull her hand out of his grasp, Terry stayed put. He eyed her for a moment, picking up on a thin veil of tears threatening to form at her water line. 

She watched his normally steely blue-gray eyes soften into something that mirrored the softness he carried when they were kids. She couldn’t find the gumption to look away as he brought her knuckles up to his lips for a set of short kisses before looking back up at her. Pleading. Begging for any indication that she had softened her heart toward him. 

“Treecey, I’m sorry. I don’t know how else to say it. You meant more to me than the way I left and I pray every day for a chance to make it right. We crossed a line that night and I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t handle that like a man should have. I’m sorry until I’m blue in the face.” 

Sincerity was thick in his voice despite his low, even tone. 

Patrice listened without a word. A single tear cascaded down her face despite her valiant attempts to keep her emotions at bay. She swore she’d never cry about Terrence Richmond again. But old habits die hard. 

Terry used his free hand to swipe away that tear and the next one sitting at her lower lash line with the pad of his thumb.

“Say something,” he pleaded. “Anything. Tell me you hate me.” 

“You know I don’t hate you,” she whispered, too choked up to continue without a deep breath. “I…I just feel like you took a piece of me with you, you know? And you never wrote back. You never called. You shut me out like we were never friends. We could’ve gone back to how things were.” 

“I fucked that up.” 

“I’m aware. But that doesn’t mean that I trust you won’t do it again. No matter how much I don’t hate you, I’m not eighteen anymore. My patience is thin. I can’t allow you to turn my world upside down again.” 

“Hand to God I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

“Yeah. I hope so.” Though she whispered, Patrice’s words sliced through Terry like a hot knife through butter. 

He hung his head in defeat as she pulled her hand from his grasp and made quick work of standing from the bench. Her footsteps retreated past him and to the back door until she paused. 

He looked over his shoulder to find her eyes closed and chin pointed to the sky in contemplative silence. This was it. The final blow. 

She took a deep breath and stared straight ahead. “Stay as long as you want. Junior’s living with his girlfriend now, so nobody’s coming to make you leave. Tomorrow, we can go get you some new clothes. I’m tired of looking at those raggedy t-shirts already.” 

Terry took her jab in stride and gave her a half smile as a sign of compliance. “Yes ma’am. Thank you.” 

“Mhm. Lock the door behind you when you come in.” 

“Good night, Treecey.” His farewell came in an annoyingly sweet voice as a last-ditch effort to drag some loving words from her. Patrice stopped and gave him one more once over and a dismissive eye roll.

He waited for the ghost of a smile that disappeared before he could blink. She shook her head and took a step inside the house.

“Shut up, Terry. Go to bed.” 

Terry hid his amusement until she was out of sight, leaving him alone to grin at how even her rebukes felt like love letters. 

“Shut up,” he repeated to himself as he closed his eyes to doze again. “Hm. I’ll take it.” 

TAGS: @planetblaque

Happy to tag whoever is interested.

[sukioyakio]

'𝖄᥆ᥙ ᥙsᥱძ mᥱ 𝗍һᥱᥒ s᥆ ᥒ᥆ᥕ іᥣᥣ ᥙsᥱ ᥡ᥆ᥙ'-(__)

Paring: Sukuna Ryoman x SingleparentReader

Summary: You thought that after your visit with Sukuna that the gods hate you;Who you thought never would see again.But,He just kept on insisting on you about the deal.

An:I love all y’all comment on the last one,and this took time off my brain cells to actually do,the time I took to research the topics of movies I feel like Sukuna would do,I was low key thinking that I wasn’t writing Sukuna accurate enough 😕 The amount of times I made my best friend to read this was insane,but she deal with it and gave me tips.Love her for pro reading this.

Part 1 Part 2

@coolleftcollectorstrawberry-blog

Wordcount: 8.k (ik im sorry but give me a chance)

The next day,you receive yet another message from an unknown stranger,telling you the same thing from before,in which you blocked it and continue your day on.Then it repeats again with the same message but with a different phone address the next day,you go ahead and block it again. Then it begins to repeat until the end of the week. It was getting annoying to be constantly bombarded with reminders of his deal.

You were already stressed out on whether to use the money he gave to you move or get a car etc.But mostly on nova sake.You didn’t even notice someone following you when,you were leaving work;picking up nova;then going home.

It was now Monday morning and not bothering to look at your phone,because knowing your already going to expect the same god damn message from him or his manger you don’t really care at this point.You just needed to get you and nova for work and school.

“Sir ryoman!” Uraume announce with their voice being controlled and professional.As they knocks on this office door. As it was busy in the office,they had been having to remind multiple employees to stop slaking off.

Multiple employees walked by returning to their desks and multiple other employees walked by uraume.

‘Come In’ Sukuna voice could be heard as it signal for uraume to come inside.Uraume opens the door and closes it behind them.As they walks towards the his desks.

Uraume begins to talk as turns on their iPad and starts looking for a specific page on it.

“She still hasn’t answered so far but I’ve have got a complete report of her what she does, where she goes and walks just like you wanted.I already send it in your message this morning.” Uraume explained with a formal and politely voice.They turns off their iPad now looking at Sukuna for a response.

He simply nodded.Not even glancing at uraume as he just continued signing paper on his desk.

“Good,now leave” he answered with a simple wave dismissing them.He simply was exhausted from having to deal with the media and The paparazzi flashing those damn cameras at him.

Uraume nodded but slightly hesitated as they turned around,but stop halfway through their way towards the door.Uraume clear their throat and swiftly compose themself.

“Sir may I ask you a question?” They announce to him while letting out a sigh.Uraume be meaning ask him what all this new found interest was for.But they especially wanted to ask him if the girl-you- who was company with a young girl was his.The young girl did look much like him,but that isn’t their business to be In.

Sukuna rises his red eyes staring at the back of uraume head,particularly making holes in them.He scoff out as he raised his eyebrow towards what his assistant had to say.

“What is it” He replied with a harsh tone,now laying his head on his palm;eyeing uraume with curiosity. Uraume nodded before coughing up anything that might make them a fool.

“Why are all of the sudden are you interested into this woman.Ive never seen you this intensely interested in someone before,even you being an actor. Is . . that child is you-“ Uraume cuts their self up before butt-ing into something that wasnt there business.

“Never mind that isn’t my business to be asking.I’ll see you later to update you on the latest update of your schedule”

Uraume explains with a bit of more emotion than their usual professional tone.But they sigh quietly and gave a small shake to remind themselves that this is isn’t their problem,nor the time to try to discover the big history between him and you-now leaving the room.Feeling his red eyes burning holes into there head.

Sukuna watched as Uraume left the room, his eyes narrowing at uraume as they exited the room, leaving him alone with his own thoughts. He leaned back in his chair, a hint of irritation in his expression.

He couldn't help but feel annoyed with their questions . It was true that he had suddenly become interested in you, And especially for someone who had a busy schedule but he didn't want to admit it to anyone, let alone his assistant. Who was they to question him about his private life?

Nonetheless he pushed his thought away went back to working on his paper and other stuff to simply distract himself.But all it does is spark a idea in his mind;something he knows will grab your attention in a bad good way.

‘I should at least get to officially meet our daughter’

You already had drop off nova from school and now your at work,Just working hard though the rush hour of the day.

Running back and forward to get people foods and served it to them,and writing orders and giving it to the employee who gave it to the chef.

Every once in a while some boys will try to flirt their way of not having to pay.But their efforts will come to an end soon enough and paying for their food.Even so,the day was mostly spent on taking order for people.But while in break time you were going to relax and just watch a documentary on YouTube.

Until a text message from a teacher who was nova teacher that you texted once in a while to talk about nova behavior and etc but what she texted was something odd out the ordinary.

—————————-

{Ms apples}-“I didn’t know that you had such a handsome husband before.Just to let you know that he had picked up nova from school all her homework are in her bookbag.Im telling you this because your husband seem to be in a rush.” *delivered 3 seconds ago*

—Your face scrunched up in horrible confusion as you reread the text message.To Be sure that what you read was simply a prank or a lie,but it clearly wasn’t a joke.You started to overthink all the worst things unimaginable.—

{You}-“What do you mean by someone else picked up nova?How did He look like?Was he tall?” *Delivered*

{Ms Apple}-“He was tall and had tattoos on his face which looked very handsome on him and has red eyes but is there a problem with your husband,matter of fact I think I saw him from a video on the media?Would you like me to call the police??” *delivered and read*

———

Your eyes slightly saw red,but you quickly calm down.You rubbed your eyes,shaking your head in disbelief that the one man who you wanted nothing to do with,just happen to be irreverent in your life right now.You didnt like the idea of him being your husband;but you didnt want to explain yourself nor have to deal with more problems.So You quickly text back to Ms apples.

——-

{you}-“Oh no, thanks you for the suggestion but it nothing. Also he isn’t my husband he’s more like my my ex-husband, he like doing stuff without my permission, thanks for sharing this info though and have a great day” * delivered *

——

You turn off your phone and went back to work and went to the Manager and told them it an emergency that you need to go home quickly.In which they allowed you to go home since they never once had a problem with you.

Now walking out the front door,and honestly you didn’t have one idea where Sukuna would be at and You were more likely to kill Sukuna than.

”So what your name kiddo?” He asked in a casual voice while keeping his eyes on the road.As he stop at the red light to see the little girl face,as he look at the passenger seat to see her face now turn to him with a big smile.

“Oh!Well my name is Nova (last name) Ryomen!My first names means like brightest Star!But what your name mister?” She says with a wide smile showing all her teeth,Her pink hair perfectly places in pink tails.

Sukuna chuckled at Nova's cheerful demeanor, her bright smile putting a small grin on his own face. He pulled away from the light as it turned green.

"Nova” he repeated, mulling over the name for a moment before responding. "That's a unique name…I like it,kiddo”

‘What a perfect name.Of course she would pick something like that.’He thought to himself.Small pink specs of hair falling down onto his forehead.

He glanced away from the road for a moment to look over at her. "It' nice name Nova it fits well.And the name's Sukuna." He replied to nova. Nova smiles and then pauses to think for a few seconds before saying.

“I know i could’ve sworn l’ve seen you before…Oh my gosh your on that movie that Cole talk about” Nova gasp in shock and excitement,as Sukuna huff a laugh at her reaction.

As they reached to their destination that he promised her to come She wouldn’t go with him if she didn’t get to go to a mall and Sukuna didn’t have the ideal thought of arguing with her.

“We’re here,now Let go” He says as he parks his car,He opens the door and closes his door. And started to walk away from the car.Without looking back.

As he paused and turned around and Looked at the car.He forgot that nova couldn’t even go open the door since she was so small.In which he quickly run back toward the car while cursing himself for forgetting that.

It wasn’t his fault.That he just so used to his assistant being around him when he needs him.Without him having to check behind him to know that his assistant wasn’t there.

He opened the door to see an annoyed look on nova,who to him looked exactly like him when he was young.’She definitely at best five years old about to turn six with a very smart mouth.’

“Jezz Thank for forgetting me” she snarled with sass.A pout on her lips.He roll his eyes at the sight of her pouting.

He just grab her and carry her effortlessly with ease. Then closing the door and locking his car. ‘Yep definitely has a smart mouth’

Sukuna carried Nova effortlessly in his arms, a slightly amused expression on his face as he responded to her complaints. "Yeah, yeah. Don't give me that look. You're the one who wanted to come here in the first place."

"Besides," he continued as they made their way towards the entrance of the mall, "It's not like I meant to forget about you. I'm just not used to having someone ‘small’ for the ride."He said sarcastically. Nova crossed her tiny arms around her body,as she felt so small in his arms,and the fact that he only needed to one arm to carry her.

“Uh huh,whatever Pinky .”Nova continued as she see multiple stores.”Anyway why do you have tattoos on your face?” She says with a dumb huff trying to appear big,to him it endearing to see.

Sukuna couldn't help but chuckle at Nova's huffing and puffing, finding her attempts to appear big endearing.

"Pinky, huh?You have the same pink hair,You're full of witty nicknames," he teased, rolling his eyes. "And the tattoos," he explained, "They're just a part of who I am. I got them when I was a bit younger and was more reckless with my decisions.”

He didn’t exactly say the truth but not an exact lie about them. He walked into the mall, carrying her past a few different stores, each one catching her eye with their flashy displays and colorful banners.

They continue to walk through the mall and Sukuna immediately regrets not wearing anything to cover his face,as now he see countless people pulling out their phones and recording him and nova.Seeing that the jacket he was wearing wasn’t as effective his identity.

As people started pulling out their phones and recording him, Sukuna couldn't help but silently curse himself for not thinking ahead and covering his face with at least makeup to hide his tattoos. He continued walking, trying to ignore the constant flashes of cameras and phones pointing in their direction.

Nova, on the other hand, looked around with wide-eyed wonder, utterly unbothered by all the attention they were drawing. She was more fascinated by the colorful stores and lively atmosphere of the mall than anything else.

’Omg is that the actor who played from ‘die hard’,-Sukuna ryoman”

‘Oh my goodness he looks ten times hotter in real life then the films,wait but who’s the child??,the girl look like him somehow’

‘wait your right,that girl look so similar,or is it because they both have pink hair’

‘I can’t believe that’s him the same person who played ‘the hitman bodyguard’,God I really want a autograph with him’

‘God the films don’t do justice for him,I love you Sukuna!’

“Wow so many people are taking pictures of us,You sure are Popular” she says with a cheeky grin.He walk towards elevator so one he doesn’t have to deal with the people.

’well if anything I get from this is just more drama,and more attention from the fucking media,then I could fucking deal with’ He mentally groaned at the amount of bullshit this will make.As he feel the elevator starting to rise up.

And he knows it going to take some time before they get out.Since these elevators are so slow.

“Wait isn’t there a Claire’s here,do you know where it is?”Her voice lifted at end to signify the question,as she lay her head on her shoulders allowing her pink tails to tickle his neck.

“No crap” He simply replied to her,as he moved her pink locks away from his neck.He already click the putting onto the third floor.

“nO cRaP” she mimics back to him as little giggle falls out of her mouth.And he just rolls his eyes into the back of his head.“Soo” She began once again.

“Are you really sure that your mama friends,or your one ticket to getting myself grounded ” She explains with her voice becoming lower and more mature at the last words.Sukuna watches nova and ruffles her pink hair completely messing up the hair.Making her squeal.

“She knows me…” he paused,before thinking of a good word to use. “Well”

by what he meant by well,is one breaking her heart and two giving her a child to raise all by herself,and plus not being a good boyfriend at all to begin with but he wasn’t going to say that to a child.

“Okay I’m trusting you here mate,if I get grounded your coming down with me” She turns her head towards him with her eyes widened like she going do a stare contest with him,and then slowly shows her tiny pinky finger and then whisper to him.

“Promise?”

“I promise punk” He says with a seriousness glint in his eyes as he smirks at her childish attitude.As he interlocks his pinky finger with hers.

“ok then! You could put me down now mister! ” She says cheerfully.Sukuna putting her down as gently as possible,well more like just picking her up and then putting her down.

(you) It didn’t take her long enough to find out where they are from media outlets to find a source aka instagram.Where there was video showing proof of them interacting and walking around the mall;is what is says in the captions of the video.

With this in mind,She was able to get a location and found that somewhat the location was far from where she was and she knew that one she could just walk there or just get a Uber which is the obvious option she was choosing.

She already had ordered the Uber and now waiting patiently for the Uber driver to come soon,As you stand by the sidewalk seeing the citizens walk forwards and back to reach whatever destination they have.

As you scroll through instagram to see if they any other videos about the two of them.After 10 minutes or so you got a notification from Uber saying that they have arrived to your location,and with that a beep sound came from the street in front of you.

Walking toward the car with a fake smile on your lips,as the car passengers window rolled down asking if your the who ordered him,and you answered him saying yes and quickly got into the passenger seats.Feeling refreshed from the car Air-conditioning,you sat down right by the door finding a comfortable position.As you slowly calm down,as you could see the time of right now 3:30pm.

The whole car ride was rather more so quiet than so.The driver would tried to encourage you into having a small talk but you weren’t in any good mood to actually talk.

You just stared attentively at the window and watching the buildings pass by.You silently regretted not getting those trackers you saw online before.You wonder how’s your baby girl was doing.Was she even enjoying herself.

both Sukuna and nova were both very much enjoying their day,with so Sukuna and nova were arguing about which Superhero has a better outfit and-

Knowing Sukuna he wouldn’t want to admit defeat to a child at best and with nova the same thing but instead of saying over and over repeatedly like how other kids do.She says ‘you know whatever your too old to know what looks good on people,Spider-Man suit is still better then Batman’.

which Sukuna grunts in annoyance and replies back,‘That fucking outfit is just a mixture of fucked up goodwills donations mix together to make that suit,brat’.

nova look at Sukuna with a your tiny hand sticking the middle finger at him ‘Batman look like he collects black bed sheets from homes to make his suits’ Sukuna just grumble and just stick his middle finger back at him completely unbothered with people around them.Sukuna hiding himself with a hat he brought from a stores.

(You) The car was finally pulling off to a stop.

You glance up to see the mall come into view through your window, with the Uber driver informing you that you had arrived to the destination.You mutter a small 'finally' under your breath as you unclick the seatbelt.

You thank them for everything and walked into the large mall entrance,seeing how there were a bunch of people walking around,and you sigh defeated,It was going to take you some time to find nova.

Advancing inside the mall,hearing a couple of people talking about how their excited to see or meet Sukuna. You swear that if Sukuna went somewhere else you’ll fucking kill him.You walking into the elevator with other people joining as you get out your phone and open instagram to see if any update or anything.But nothing.You exit the elevator when it hit your destination. Which was the final floor of this mall.

You take a deep breath as you come to terms with the fact that you would have to walk around searching for her. After all the mall was pretty big and you were just one person in the middle of a huge crowd. You started walking around through the crowd of people, looking around at every corner of every store and section hoping to see even a glimpse of your daughter. Nothing so far. But you knew not to lose hope.

You probably look like a paranoid person who thinks there are stalkers following them. It doesn’t matter,You turn your eyes at every angle,seeking to see a glimpse of a pink headed girl or a tattooed man.Your lips straight staying still,your eyes hard and sharp.Walking into every store for a little bit while and staring for a few minutes before leaving and walking slowly to look through the hallways for nova or him.

Some people look at you with apologetic looks or confusion stares at you through out the way.You check the whole top floor and nothing.Not a damn pink haired around.You clenched your hand until they become white.You close your eyes and let out a heavy sigh of frustration.

Its going to take you fucking hours before you going to find her.

You can't help but curse under your breath in frustration as you search around.

So many people, yet no sign of your daughter or Sukuna. Hours ticked by as you searched every inch of the mall, your frustration growing with each passing minute.

You start to doubt whether you'll even find them at this rate. The thought of your daughter in danger or scared drives you to keep searching, determined not to give up.

After wandering aimlessly and asking around, your hope was starting to dwindle. Every corner and every shop you checked was the same - no sign of them. You can't help but feel a sense of despair creeping in.

There were just too many places to search and too many people to ask. You tried to stay positive, hoping that they were just somewhere you hadn't looked yet, but deep down, you knew the truth: they might be gone, gone elsewhere.

You felt too frustrated to even think about another place to go or even go on your phone to open instagram. You open your phone went through your messages to check your recent message, but you recall these messages from his employees or whoever so call.

After scrolling through the most latest blocked number with the same message to find that stupid phone number that has been messaging you constantly and just figured to just ring a call.Hoping that whoever on the line will answer. Tapping your foot on the ground as people walk past you,or bumped into you and saying sorry or don’t you didn’t care at the moment.As you hear that beep beep beep sound frustrating you with your patience after a few minutes,It finally answered.

Your breath let out a breathe that seemed like your body needed it.You cup your phone into your ear,hearing a sound through the phone.

“hello?” You announced,while walking towards a place in the mall where it was silent enough for you to hear the other side clearly.

No one answer in the other line,making you think that maybe that this idea was hopeless and stupid.

“hello..?” You answered again.And that time you heard someone on the other line speak.

“hello” Uraume said with professionalism. “I’m completely sorry for leaving you on the line like that,Ms.(____)” They said with a gently and steady voice.They knew your name and it should have bothered you but As a mother it your kid that comes first. “Listen here,You and your fuck ass boss took my daughter out without my god damn permission and listen I won’t tell anyone about this or report you guys but just give me my daughter back,and tell Sukuna-“ You breathe out and breathe in as you continue on.

“-that what his ass is doing ISNT doing anything but getting on my nerves and anger issues” You said with a sort of a desperate tone but fully lanced with anger and frustration spilling out of your body.

The end of the other line,whoever it was held the phone up to the ear and grunted and then heavy sigh followed by a mutter ‘Oh my goodness,fucking ryoman’ it made you slightly less angry.

“Um yes Ms.(___) I’ll tell him that myself and I’ll tell him that You would love to see your daughter back,I’ll hope you have a great day Ms.(___)”Uraume replied with a calmy voice that made your worry sort of disappeared for the moment. “Okay then please send me an update about her please” You said with your word being final word,as uraume hummed in response as you ended the call.You turned off your phone.

You put your phone back in your pocket, feeling an immense sense of relief that you were in contact with someone who knew where your daughter was.

Uraume's calm demeanor had helped to alleviate some of your worries for now, but you couldn't shake the feeling that you wouldn't feel truly at ease until you had Nova back safely.

You decided to take a moment to sit down and collect your thoughts, feeling slightly better knowing that they were aware that you wanted your daughter back.

Meanwhile you were that the mall,Sukuna and nova were in his car driving to an arcade after having brought nova multiple items at different stores. Sukuna could feel a headache coming as Nova played her music blast through his car's speakers. He had tried multiple times to turn it off, only for her to turn it back on again. He had begrudgingly given up, resigned to listening to Taylor Swift for the whole car ride.

Nova, meanwhile, was having the time of her life. She was happily singing and bopping her head along to the music, completely oblivious to Sukuna's mounting annoyance. She was thrilled to be playing her music in his car, even if it did annoy him.

Sukuna extended his right hand to turn off the speaker and quickly began talking.

“How about we listen to something with real value instead of this bull crap” He said without nova permission and just grab his phone back from nova laps and then go to his Spotify playlist and play on something that doesn’t have a lot of curses or sexual themes in it,which was bit difficult but he decided on ‘Ms.Jackson’ by OutKast.

As nova turned her head towards him with a pout,Her tiny hands trying to turn off the speaker. “Why would you turn of-“Sukuna hush her and as the music started to began playing making nova scoff out loud,rolling her eyes as she sit down and actually listen to it.

After a few seconds he glances at her to see her bobbing her head repeatedly,that sight makes him bluff with a sly smirk going on place of his lips. As he driving smoothly and stop at the red light,and singing to it.As nova tried her best to company him with singing the lyrics.But right before it started the ‘sorry,Ms.jackson’ part his phone rang off. His had two phones one for his work and the other for him,The one that rang was his work one.

He sighed in frustration as his phone rang, interrupting him and Nova's singing. He picked up the phone and saw that it was Uraume calling.

"Yeah?" he answered, his tone being his usual stern voice but lanced with a mix of annoyance and irritation.

They sighed over the phone as they heard the music playing in the background of car,and if they focus on the background a little more then they could hear nova little child like voice singing.

“The lady you requested me to text everyday has called me about five minutes ago asking you to bring back her daughter and if you like to hear our conversation then I already sended it to you sir” Uraume said professionally and steady.Sometimes making him hate how calm they were when stuff happens.

He immediately ended the call and started listening to the voice-mail. He could feel his lips turning up in a sly smirk as he heard the your voice on the other side of the phone. The way he knew that this wasnt the best idea of getting you to a agree on the deal.Huffing out a laugh,at least he got to meet his daughter even though he knew that she wouldn’t know that his is her father.

He quickly type back to uraume,sending them the address of the arcade his was going and continue the drive to the arcade with nova hearing or bopping her head down at his music playlist.Having at time to skip it the song cuz one he does not want to explain anything about sexual or anything to a child.

Sukuna finally arrived at the arcade and went to the parking lot and found a parking spot.

Nova notice how Mr pinky hair was rather more quiet and dazing off,after talking with someone on his phone and his face was looking like Batman face when he goes to fight bad guys.

But quickly forgot when she saw the arcade entrance before they got to the parking lot.

He got out of the car and walked around to the other side to open Nova’s for her. Sukuna leaned on the car watching her eyes widen and fill with excitement as she saw the arcade.

He smiled at her reaction before it quickly vanished and his usual stone cold look settled back on his face. He took her hand in his and walked into the arcade, watching her eyes brighten even more as the sound of loud kids and arcade machines filled the air.

Now advanced into the arcade store glancing at the bright colorful that were accompany by multiple music sounds.Nova jumping up and down with excitement as she babbles about how badly she wanted to come here. As Sukuna scoff out in a playful sigh. Here a comes a very Fun time to let out his stress. He gonna break a game for robbing his money off and his would be very stubborn to let it get in his way.

(You) Instead of waiting inside of a damn mall having to deal with a company of hundreds people around,you decide to go out of their and see that the sky was now turning into it fucking orangey glow.Frustrated enough that you unconsciously started to clutching down on your hands and knees tapping furiously on the ground.

You were constantly checking your phone and to waste time while your out of the mall you would walk back from one point to another point.Walking through the sidewalks passing people.

You were gawking the gound you walked,glaring at it as if it was the cause of making you anger.

You really missed your baby,god she made you feel so good about yourself,that you well a good mother.All you wanted to do was hug her and pull her into a bear hug.Seeing her little birth marks that was under her eyes bags.

She was your little alarm clock in the weekends when all you want to do is sleep.But seeing her big (your color choice) widened up with such an amazing well trained puppy eyes that you can’t resist saying ‘no’,no matter how hard you try.

And her beautiful giggles that would definitely make your heart melt from all this anxiety and frustration off you. No-one told you told that taking care of a child is as exhausting as it is rewarding to do.

You finally understood the feeling of those mother that overwhelmed their child safety.Because right now you were worrying about what the heck is Sukuna teaching her or talking to her about.It better not be about sex or how many times he had a night stand he having or even how many drinks he may of have whatever may be the case.God! It was 5:00 clock on the dot on your phone.Your phone was about to died,it was on 24% and your shoulder slightly down as you see an unknown message texted you right on 5:01 on the dot. As you quickly opened your phone standing in the middle of the Side walk not giving a damn shit about the people who were as tried as you and just want to go home. You press on the text message to see that they really did update you on them…very fucking slowly but surely at least they didn’t left you open handed.The only reason you called these people was because you had already removed Sukuna phone number from your phone and other apps.

———

****-‘ This is the phone number that you recently gave a call to.I have received information from his sir that there at this location xxxxx.If you’ll like me to pick you up,then please send me your address and I’ll try to get third at a approximately 10 or 5 minutes later.Thanks for waiting patiently Ms (___)’. *Delivered 3 seconds ago.* and read*

—————

You didn’t have the time nor the energy to wait for an extra minute for them to pick you up,and so you just copy the location of where nova was.And went on Uber and didn’t even look at the price of the damn thing and quickly ordered the car to their location.

He continued walking through the arcade, with an amused smirk on his lips as he noticed a few people occasionally glancing his way as they passed by. Some gasping as they take another look at him,since he was wearing a cap finding some what of his face features.

Nova was still excitedly babbling away about various things, her grip on his hand tight and unwavering. Despite the loud and chaotic environment of the arcade, Sukuna's attention was focused solely on the small girl next to him.

In the arcade Sukuna was quietly watching Nova run around and check out the various games, occasionally glancing up at the clock on the wall.While paying attention to nova speeches.

It was around 7pm and he knew you should be here by now but he couldn't help but wonder what would you say to him,maybe yell at him like the last time.He was so used to your old kind self,then your now self but people change.He shake his thought and focus on nova.

Nova had been having the time of her life, giggling and squealing as they played arcade games together, and Sukuna found himself slighty smiling as he watched her.

There was a small part of him that was curious about whether or not you’ll actually agree with the deal.His mouth just let out a scoff as he was reminded of the voice call with his assistant.

Yea no.

As Sukuna was lost in thought, Nova called out to him and tugged on his sleeve. "Mr pinky hair, can I play that game too?" she asked, pointing at a game that was clearly for teenagers and above. Sukuna glanced down at her and raised an eyebrow, not sure if he should let her play.

"That one's for older kids," he replied, shaking his head. "You're not old enough to play games like that."

Nova pouted and with her eyes furrowed down. "But I want to play too! It looks fun!"

Sukuna chuckled at her eagerness Rolling his eyes at her. "Trust me, you don't want to play that game. It's not as fun as it looks."

Nova frowned, crossing her arms in annoyance. "How do you know? Have you played it?" she challenged.

Sukuna huff out in bluffs.. "Maybe I have. And trust me, you're not missing out on anything. It's just a bunch of buttons flashing on a screen." 

Nova blows raspberry before talking again. He look at her with a big old eye roll,he hates kids,yet here he is with a cap on covering his tattooed face and in a arcade with his own daughter who has no clue that he was her father.

“Ughh,fine but can I do that one,please” Nova added as she points her finger out onto a dance floor machine with the foot pads show arrows on them with colorful patterns 

Sukuna scoff and nods,that makes nova smile radiating and runs towards over there.’She gonna get tired from all of this’ muttered sukuna.

Walking right behind nova quickly from his legs taking long steps.

Sukuna couldn't help but laugh as Nova clumsily tripped over her own feet only to quickly recover and keep going.

 "Jezz kiddo if I hadn’t thought that you were going to trip for a second I would’ve died laughing rightfully at you face planting in the ground" he tease his voice lance with a mixture of sarcasm,following closely behind her. 

"You're going to hurt your precious little mama face she worked so hard to give you if you keep stumbling around like that."

Nova just stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm fine, I'm fine.Pinky Batman,and plus mommy will always love me even if I get hurt. .I just got excited!," she shouts over her shoulder;her focus now completely on the dance game. He rolled his eyes as he stood back and watched her figure out the controls.

The dance game machine lit up with flashing lights as Nova selected a song and the music started playing. 

She hesitantly stepped onto the platform and pressed the start button. She began to move her feet on the various arrow pads.

Sukuna watched her as she stumbled and hopped around, trying to follow the instructions. 

He suppressed a laugh at her uncoordinated movements, but couldn’t help but find her determination a bit charming.

Nova’s movements were clumsy, but she was clearly enjoying herself. 

She stumbled and laughed as she accidentally missed some of the steps, but she kept going, determined to finish the song. 

Meanwhile, Sukuna stood to the side, shaking his head slightly at her antics, but also finding himself oddly endeared by her enthusiasm.

He can almost see your smile in nova eyes.That was a definite one.If there was anything that your genes fought against his was the color of your eyes;everything else gotten his.

But he can only remember the looks of sadness when you cross his mind.Only moment that was stuck in his head was the last time he saw you. 

It made him sighs and pissed at himself.Now really thinking. He probably going to be seeing an angry side of you.

But that for later.

Nova jumps in excitement and exhaustion to finally to beat the dancing game.She turned around to look at Sukuna with happiness and pride,while panting And sweat drip down her face.As she points at the score board lighting the colorful light on her face. 

“Look Pink Hair!! See!! I did it! I beat The game!!” Nova yelled out loudly with enthusiasm,Walking with a hop in her steps.

Sukuna Scoffed out a simple chuckle.A smile appear on his lips but quickly disappeared from his face. 

“Amazing Stuff out there kiddo” He responded with Light voice instead of his usual cold tone. 

Nova is now standing infront of him with a radiant smile,like the one in the dream.As he watches her rise her hand up high,making him slightly puzzled by her actions. 

She looks at him with a smile that was now turning looking at him with confusion.”What taking you so long to give me a High five” She said a little judgmental. 

Making Sukuna feel stupid not knowing.

“Woah your old,pink hair”Nova spoke out her mind. “Shut it punk” Sukuna replied as he gave her the high five back to her. 

Nova just laughs in loud cheers.Sukuna rubs his temples in annoyance,but not as much. 

“Pinky hair  can we try more games!” Nova joyful smiled at him. And now sukuna dont know if this is a sign of her being tried,but just from the look at nova; she seem more enthusiastic and energetic than coming here. 

sukuna looked at the time and his work phone.    It was rounding 9pm  ‘i just need to get nova  tired enough so we can go,or wait for you. .It wouldnt take too long.mhm’ sukuna told to himself.As he sigh and shrugged off.

“…sure why not kiddo” nova screamed as she runs off to another game. Sukuna following right after her easily.

(you)

You were this close to jumping into the driver’s seat just to make the damn car move faster than the snail pace this ancient excuse for a driver was maintaining.

You gritted your teeth as the car came to a complete stop—again—for what had to be the fiftieth time. The light was green, green, but he still stopped to let people cross the street like it was his personal mission to waste your time!!!

You dragged your hands down your face with a loud, frustrated sigh.

“Oh my God,” you muttered, low and deadly. “This old man has to hold a world record for slowest Fucking driver alive.”

Your patience had worn out about thirty minutes ago, and your body felt like it was vibrating with exhaustion and frustration.

Maybe you should’ve said yea to when the old man said if you wanted to head a story but no You were tired.

Not just physically—deeply, emotionally drained. And what was supposed to be a two-hour ride had become a test from hell because now, the sun was gone. The sky had dipped into night, and the soft orange hues had faded into a dark indigo canvas.

The headlights flashed across the road, but this man still couldn’t go over 20 mph. You clenched your fists so hard your knuckles ached. Your teeth were on the edge of turning to powder from grinding so hard.

You should’ve checked the ride details. If you had seen he was pushing eighty, you would’ve canceled the second it confirmed.

The map said you were ten minutes away. But it felt like you were stuck in an endless loop.

Your mind drifted back to Nova. Your baby. The only reason you didn’t cancel this entire trip and lock yourself inside your apartment for the weekend.

And then—finally.

The lights of the arcade cut through the darkness like a beacon.

“Thank God.” You exhaled, pushing the door open before the car even fully stopped.

The building was still lit up, flashing with neon pinks and electric blues, standing out in the quiet, dark street. You could hear faint sounds of machines and laughter leaking from inside.

As you approached the doors, you spotted a teenager with black hair peeking through the glass. You barely registered them. Your eyes, your mind, your everything was laser-focused on one goal: get in, get Nova, and leave.

You pushed the door open and walked into a rush of noise and color. Lights bounced off the walls. The chaotic melody of buttons, clinks, and muffled cheers filled your ears—but none of that mattered.

The constant loud trends of music filling each surface.

What hit you harder than the atmosphere was the anxiety.

It spread in your chest, like smoke curling into your lungs.

You’re fine, you told yourself.

But your body knew better. Your heart knew better.

Your mind, however, it didn’t stay quiet.

I’m scared of him… Five years have passed, and I still can’t forget how he left me. I don’t want to face him—

“No. Stop it. I’m here for Nova. Just Nova,” you hissed under your breath, pinching the bridge of your nose until your eyes burned.

You wandered through the first floor, weaving between kids and teens, searching for pink hair, that familiar birthmark—your girl.

After climbing the stairs and navigating a few tight arcade aisles, you heard it.

A laugh. Light and bubbly.

You froze. The sound pulled something out of you. Something fragile.

There she was.

Nova, pink hair bouncing, cheeks flushed, giggling uncontrollably.

And beside her… Him.

Black hat pulled low. Hood up. Sunglasses despite being inside. He could’ve been a stranger—except you knew. Instantly.

Your feet stopped working. Your throat went dry. Your heart twisted painfully in your chest.

Because right there, in front of you, was a future your younger self would’ve died for.

“Please don’t l-leave me,” your past self had begged once. “P-please…”

And he’d looked you dead in the eyes. Crimson red, cold as winter. Yet a color like those shouldve have been warm enough to melt someone yet it did was hurt you.

“I think it’s better if we break up.”

Just like that. He let go of your hand, turned his back, and walked away like it cost him nothing.

That memory struck like lightning.

Your heart pounded in your chest, echoing in your ears. Your jaw tightened as the storm built inside you. You squeezed your eyes shut and whispered inside your mind:

No. I’m not that girl anymore. I’m stronger. I have to be. He doesn’t deserve us. He never did.

You opened your eyes—just in time to see Nova spot you.

Her whole face lit up like the arcade lights had nothing on her.

“MOMMY!”

She ran, full speed. You barely got to your knees before she crashed into you.

The breath left your lungs. Her tiny arms wrapped around you like she was trying to hold the whole world.

You hugged her tighter, tighter than you meant to, but she didn’t complain. You could feel the sweat on her skin, the warmth of her body, and none of it mattered because—God—you missed her.

She was your light. The only reason you made it through. The only reason you kept going.

You were lost in thought,just enjoying the moment with nova.Until,you heard nova voice with excitement,as she remove herself politely from your embrace. 

Her smile never flatter while she speaks in a cheerful tone. Making your lips rise up in a soft smile;listening to what nova has to say.

Nova pulled back slightly, still smiling wide. “Oh! Mommy—I forgot to tell you! That mister said he knows you! Isn’t that amazing?!”

Your heart sank.

You didn’t have to look to know who she was pointing at.

You did anyway.

He was staring at you.

Expression unreadable. Eyes locked in. That same red stare that once saw right through you.

The lights cast him in a surreal glow, and for a moment, the world felt heavy. Like gravity was pulling harder between you two.His crimson eyes glow in darkness,as his face shine in the rainbow lighting room. Perfectly laying on top of his well structured face.His stern expression eyes set on your face. 

Your spine tensed. Your jaw locked.

You ripped your gaze from him and looked down at Nova. Forced a smile onto your face.

You didnt want to sound like a bitch and say ‘yea that man is fucking the father that left you and me for five years’ or ‘That man; nova is the what you call a dickhead and a good for nothing heartbreaker.’

But of course that would not be the word you’ll say in front of a child and so you grumble.

“Yeah… Mister and I go… way back,” you said, voice wobbling near the end.

You didn’t mean to make “Mister” sound like a threat, but it came out that way anyway.

Nova, clueless and happy, giggled.

The silence that followed between you and Sukuna felt suffocating. He was still staring. You could feel it. The way he always did—like he was trying to see your soul.

He finally looked away.

‘What was i thinking that she’ll agree to the idea’. His mind spoke.

He exhaled sharply, expression tight. His eyes said nothing. But something beneath them—regret?—flickered.

Sukuna cant helped but sigh and turned around,his back facing them as walking down the hallway towards the exit.

Seeing you was already making himself feel more like shit, the tried expression on your face, eyes filled with eyesbags, hair messy and sweat already buliding up.

You definitely have changed from all those years ago.

You watched him disappear, hoodie up, hat low. But you couldn’t look away.

Even as Nova talked beside you, telling you what they played, what she ate—you couldn’t stop staring after him.

you couldn’t help but click your tongue.

‘Old habits die hard,i guess- i can’t belive he wanted me to use him?’

You sigh in disbelief. Your jaw clenched with hidden anger.

But while you were looking at him,you didn’t notice that nova noticed how you werent looking at her nor focused on what she was saying but instead your eyes were staring at him.

“Nova!” you shouted, running after her. “What are you doing?!”

You caught sight of her as she reached him—just before he stepped down the stairs to the first floor. She yanked on his jacket.

“Mister! Why are you leaving us?!”

Her voice cracked. Confusion, hurt. That childlike honesty hit harder than any scream.

Sukuna froze.

His shoulders tensed. For a second, he didn’t move. Just breathed. Slow. Heavy.He shouldn’t feel like this,but his teeth grind against as he remembered how he used to act helpless when he was a child. 

Breathing to calm himself down,before he made another mistake.

He’d always shut down when things got hard. Even back then.

But Nova pulled again, harder this time.

And he turned.

His crimson eyes looked down at her—this little girl with his blood and your soul. Full of fire, full of love.

“Pinky hair!!” she huffed, stomping a tiny foot. “You didn’t even say hi to Mommy! MEANIE!”

Sukuna let out a low chuckle, raspy and soft. He ruffled her hair.

“Ah—my bad. I forgot,” he said, voice low. “Since your mom’s here, I’ll send the stuff later.”

Your breath caught.

In that moment, you saw it. All of it.

How much she looked like him. The laugh. The stubborn glint in her eye.

And how she glowed. Like he brought a part of her to life you hadn’t seen in a long time.

He wasn’t done.

“Besides,” he added, flashing a small smirk. “Now I don’t gotta worry about your clumsy ass getting hurt—with your mom here to babysit.”

Nova rolled her eyes so hard you nearly laughed. Then she raised her hand, signaling for him to bend down.

You stood still, trying to form words—any words. But nothing came.

Sukuna bent down, his face now level with Nova's, and he listened to her as she whispered into his ear. He couldn't help but notice your expression as he did so, his eyes locking onto yours. Your

The expression on your face was clear. You were still in shock from the events that just went down, and his playful banter with Nova did nothing to help the tension in your chest.

‘That wasnt the cold hearted man from before—not the man that destroyed you like you were an ant— because right there was something new’ Your mind banter with your thoughts.

His eyes met yours, and in that moment, you could see him studying your reaction, the way your heart was hammering in your chest. Nova whispered something in his ear, and he turned back to her, ruffling her hair once more.

As she giggled and swatted his hand away, he stood back up to his full height, his gaze falling back on you once more.

Then he stood, taller than you remembered.

His eyes lingered on yours.

You looked away.

“Nov—” you started.

“Mommy,” she cut you off quickly. “Can I see him again? Please? And again and again and again?”

Her voice was sweet, high with hope. It made your heart wince.

The one thing you didn’t want to deal with. Not now.

But it was late. And Uber would take forever. And the streets after dark?

Nova wrapped around your leg again.

“Please, Mommy…” she whined, voice barely a whisper.

Her eyes did that thing. That wide-eyed, chubby-cheek, heart-melting thing.You remember of how much joy she had in her eyes when you saw her. Something that you wanted to give her. A childhood she deserves—a chance. . .

And in your head, his words echoed again—

“Use me, then.”

You looked down at her. Then back at him.

And thought.

Should I? …Should I accept that offer to use him?

Nova kept tugging at your sleeve, eyes wide with innocent excitement. She had no idea what she was asking. No idea what it meant for you to say yes.

To let him in. Again.

To let him near the little girl who carried your heart in her tiny hands.

But she was looking at you like you held the universe. Like you could make everything okay with just one word.

And Sukuna?

He wasn’t pushing. He wasn’t smirking like the cocky bastard he used to be.

No. He was waiting.

A quiet patience in his red eyes. Like he knew what this meant for you.

Like, for once, he wouldn’t push you.

Your breath trembled as you exhaled.

You hated him.

You loved Nova.

And maybe, just maybe, you were tired of carrying everything alone.

So you swallowed, looked him dead in the eye, and spoke.

“…Fine.”

As she look at nova but more importantly at sukuna knowing he understands the underlying of her words.

It was quiet. Firm.

A promise.

You stared at him. He stared back.

Neither of you blinked.

IM FUCKING DONE LETT GOO IM SO TRIED OF WRITING

thank you for those who read this 😔 also i can already tell yall are going to say why did she say yes—and that would be talked in the next chapter also plus Im going to make this a slow burn that WILL HAVE SUKUNA IMPROVE and reader as well trust me this will take a while 😭

taglist: @ukininayu @mononijikayu @scoobysnakz @ciggrx @hayhaylovestowrite @lynxslokley @1-800-choke-that-ho. @manikosii @chillichopsticks. @ssetsuka @mangiswig @chrys23 @laraackerman @domainofmarie @axermanrenn

Comment if you want to be in the tag list for the next chapter

Made by @sukioyakio.2025

Like,comment (PLEASE I LOVE RESPONDING 😫😜) and reblog.

[rwshfordgirl]

Hi! can i please request a one shot with riccardo calafiori where the reader works for arsenal (maybe in the social media department) and they’re filming something for youtube and they just act all shy around each other and his teammates start teasing them?! (feel free to ignore this if you don’t like it) have a nice day. byeeeeee

I KNEW YOU HEARD.

all the images were taken from pinterest.

a/n: i loved writing this! i hope you like it as much as i did :) thanks for the request

pairing: riccardo calafiori x reader

requests are open | check here my masterlist

The minutes of rest after lunch leave Arsenal's training center in profound silence. All the players take the opportunity to do everything that does not involve physical effort, so the vast majority are lying on beanbags with cell phones in hand. I scan the break room looking for two specific players, Calafiori and Rice. I have to dodge legs and objects to get to them.

"You two know we have an appointment in the media room, right?" Riccardo was started by my voice, he was apparently about to sleep "Yes, media girl." Rice said without looking up from his cell phone. "You have ten minutes to get there." I warned them before leaving, I'm glad I had time to see Calafiori putting a strand of hair behind his ear and smiling at me.

I love my job, I love being responsible for recording and programming content for my childhood team's social media. And I have my favorite player who makes my job even more fun, Riccardo Calafiori. I remember when he arrived and I was one of the first people at the club to have contact with him. I love his friendly demeanor, the way he is so confident in himself and especially the fact that he seems to have been perfectly sculpted, as if he were a statue from the time of the Roman Empire. But I would never admit out loud that he is my favorite player, that would inflate his ego.

"You didn't even tell us what the topic of today's video is." Declan's voice made me turn my back and stop moving the camera. "You're just going to answer questions, that's all."

One of the cables that I was supposed to connect to the camera ended up falling out, Richy picked it up for me. "Thank you." I said as he handed me the object. I went to heaven and back in seconds when his fingers gently touched mine and his eyes met mine.

"Professionalism" I repeated the word in my head several times as I positioned myself behind the camera.

"Aren't you going to show up?" Calafiori asked as he clipped the microphone to his shirt. "Today is just about you two." I replied "And today it will take a little longer than usual, since today it's just me to organize you." Richy nodded as did Declan "No problem." The Italian said.

"You're getting nervous already, aren't you?" I heard Declan saying, it was a failed attempt to whisper in his teammate's ear "Nervous? Why are you nervous Riccardo?" I asked confused "You're already used to it." Calafiori scratched the back of his neck and looked at the English player as if he was going to shoot him with his eyes. "Never mind." Declan shrugged.

"We start at three, okay?" They both nodded "One...Two..Three." The two looked at each other for a few seconds before looking at the camera "Hello, Arsenal fans!" The video always starts like this, "Today we're going to answer some questions you have about us." Rice said and Calafiori nodded. I signaled that I would pause the recording.

"Richy you're shaking a lot, are you cold?" I said with the air conditioning control in my hands, "No, it's just nerves." I was suspicious. "You're acting weird today." I commented.

I usually make videos of the players alone, I rarely have recordings with more than one, so today is an exception. And Ricardo is always talkative, joking and smiling at me. Declan's presence changed his behavior.

I continued with the recording, Riccardo was completely out of it. He was making repetitive movements, brushing his hair behind his ear, swinging his leg and making eye contact with me whenever possible. "You're free." I said as I removed the memory card from the camera. "Thanks" Riccardo stopped in front of me and his words almost came out silent.

I heard them leaving the room and went to pack my things to do the same. But the sound of conversation outside made me stick my ear to the back of the door. "You had to see, Riccardo was shy." Rice's voice and the laughter of more people in the hallway "Shh man, keep your voice down..." Richy warned "She always makes you nervous." I could hear Saliba's voice "She makes me confused." Richy said in a very low voice.

Why do I make him confused? Was Calafiori strange because of my presence? But he's never been like this before.

When I left the room there was no one else in the hallway, I made my way to the parking lot with Calafiori in mind and to my surprise, I found him in the almost empty parking lot taking things out of his car. "I don't understand why I make you nervous." Calafiori jumped and I smiled. "I knew you heard." He turned to me, lowered his head but I could see the smile on his face. "Inevitable, you talked at my office door." He laughed as he lifted his head again "But you really make me feel weird." I raised my eyebrow "But why?" I crossed my arms "You're really pretty, you move me." I felt my cheeks flush. "You're quite handsome too, I must say! But there's no need to be nervous around me." He nodded and licked his lips. "I'll make a note of that." I laughed.

"Are you free tomorrow?" he inquired "Yes." I replied "I'll send you a message when I arrive there to pick you up." He said "I'll be waiting for you then." I smiled at him.

[loveanddeepspacefanfic]

Sylus: living with you

Sylus x reader

🔞🔥🔥🔥🌸🌸

Sylus is like a brother! Synopsis:

He and his mom moved into your house. Your dad married his mom, so now you’re all living together, like it or not.

He’s old enough to be an adult but still stuck repeating his senior year of high school.

You’re in your second year of college and laser-focused on it, leaving boyfriends, parties—everything—aside.

He’s the opposite, always skipping class, coming home drunk. Most nights, you find him throwing up in the bathroom after some party.

In some ways, you hate him. Living with a guy like this—reckless, cynical, and a complete womanizer—is something you can barely stand.

***

One rainy day, your bus doesn’t show up. Your dad’s car is still in the shop, and there you are, sitting in the living room, desperately trying to call someone for a ride, but the cell signal is down. Missing class isn’t an option.

Sylus walks in from school; he has afternoon classes and usually gets home just after dark. He sees you, holding his helmet in hand, since he just got back on his motorcycle.

The room is dimly lit, with both your parents cozy in their bedroom, watching Netflix and enjoying the chilly weather.

—What’s up, sis? Something wrong? —Don’t call me sis! Stop being a jerk. My bus didn’t show, and I need to get to campus — you say, eyes fixed on your phone screen. —With that pout, I thought maybe you had a fight with your boyfriend. Oh wait, you don’t date, right? Annoying little nerd. —Shut up! If you’re not going to help, just leave me alone!

You move to the window, checking if the rain has let up, mainly to avoid looking at him. Sylus heads to the kitchen, pours himself a drink, and takes a sip with a smirk, setting the glass down on the table with a little thud.

He swings by his room, grabs another helmet, hesitates for a moment, and decides to approach you again.

—I’ll take you. Grab your stuff. —And who said I want to go with you? —It’s that or suffering in the rain. —I don’t need you! — you shout.

Fuming, you grab your bag, stuff it into a plastic bag, and storm out. Just before stepping through the door, you turn and yell:

—I’d rather walk in the rain than go with you!

Behind the door, Sylus swallows hard. He knew you were bold, but he didn’t think you’d actually go through with it.

You step into the rain, walking quickly, knowing there’s a chance that jerk might try to follow. Gritting your teeth, you hold back tears. The fury you feel at having him in your home, along with his mom, is overwhelming.

His cologne lingering in every room, his clothes and socks scattered everywhere, and his alcoholic mother trying to meddle in your private life—it’s enough to drive anyone mad.

Suddenly, you hear the rumble of his motorcycle. You pick up the pace, practically running. The headlights draw near as Sylus revs his engine and cuts in front of you.

You freeze to avoid getting hurt, your clothes and hair already soaked from the rain. Water pools on the asphalt, making your feet shiver with cold.

—Stop acting so stubborn and get on the motorcycle! Now! — he yells through the downpour.

—I don’t need you!— you shout back.

Sylus, losing his patience, gets off the motorcycle and picks you up with an unsettling ease, setting you firmly onto the seat. Startled, you adjust yourself, realizing how drenched you are.

— I’m taking you to that damn college. —No, I won’t go! I can’t sit through class completely soaked. —Then what do you want? Head home? The rain’s getting worse, so make up your mind already.

You hesitate, dreading the idea of your dad seeing the two of you arriving together. In your mind, Sylus is exactly the wrong kind of company. You’d promised your dad you’d keep your distance from him. Left with few options, you try to think fast.

—Just take me anywhere. You’re always skipping class-don’t you know somewhere decent where I can wait until it’s time for my classes? I don’t want my dad knowing I missed class. —Geez, so many conditions! Fine, just shut up and hold on!— he says, handing you a helmet.

You put on the helmet and try gripping the motorcycle’s side handle. But at the first speed bump, you instinctively reach for him, afraid of falling. Without meaning to, you place a hand on his chest, feeling his defined build and his heartbeat, which is racing.

He seemed tense, different. The feeling of his chest under your hand makes you swallow hard. You manage to pull your hand away, finally distancing yourself.

Sylus suddenly takes a sharp turn down a dark street. You know he’s into some questionable things, and it’s hard to imagine anything good coming from this.

But he surprises you. He parks in front of a small wooden cabin. It’s at the beginning of the road leading to the hills, a popular spot for tourists this time of year.

—What is this place? Some run-down shack?— you say, taking off your helmet and stepping off the motorcycle. —No! Believe it or not, it’s an Airbnb. I rented it earlier. It’s Friday, so I booked it for the weekend with some friends. —This is the kind of dump you hide out in on weekends with those lowlifes? —That’s none of your business, sis. —Don’t call me that!— you yell, raising a hand toward him.

Sylus catches your wrist mid-air, and the two of you lock eyes. He growls for you to get inside. For the first time, you decide to go along with it and step into the cabin.

Inside, you see it’s actually a cozy loft. The rustic decor gives it a warm, comfortable vibe—a hidden paradise behind the look of an abandoned wooden house.

—See? Not bad inside. From the outside, sure, it looks abandoned, but it’s cozy, clean, and the soft lighting’s just perfect.

You look at him in surprise. You’d never heard him string together so many coherent words before.

—You can go now. I’ll call you when it’s about time for me to finish class. —Your phone doesn’t have any signal. Remember? —Oh, right. Then come back around 10 p.m. You can go now. —You want to be alone by the highway? People will notice someone’s here because of the light. —When did you get so sensible? —Just don’t want to be blamed if something happens to you,—he says, mockingly.

You realize you might already be with the most reckless guy in town. Sylus has always been known to hang around with the worst guys. You swallow hard, suddenly aware you’re in a cabin in the middle of the woods with a guy nearly six and a half feet tall.

You sit on the bed, hugging your bag, unable to hide your discomfort. He notices your unease, snatches the bag from your hands, and tosses it onto a small table.

He pulls up a wooden stool and sits, facing the fireplace. The chill is settling in, so he starts a fire with surprising ease.

Silence hangs in the air for a long moment before he clears his throat. Still with his back to you, arms crossed, he begins to speak.

—Even though you hate having me around, I’ll take this chance to tell you some things. —If it’s to say something stupid, don’t bother. —I was against it— he says in a rough, intense voice. You huddle on the bed, deciding to listen. —I was against the marriage. But my mom was head over heels for your dad. I get that it must be hard, having two strangers in your house. —You don’t understand— you murmur.

Surprised, Sylus turns, glancing back at you. He sees that you’re far more hurt than he’d imagined.

—I understand more than I’d like to—he insists.

You realize you never really knew Sylus’s full story, so you take a chance, trying to start a conversation.

—How long have your parents been separated?

—My parents didn’t separate— he says, looking at you out of the corner of his eye.

You feel a jolt of discomfort but can’t bring yourself to ask anything further.

—My dad died when I was a kid. —I didn’t remember that. I’m sorry— you whisper.

—That’s not the point. The point is, my mom remarried almost right away—to a jerk. And I hated seeing that guy in my dad’s house— Sylus says, a deep bitterness surfacing.

—Sylus, please... I don’t want to dig into that. You’re getting upset!

Sylus tosses a few sticks onto the fire, taking a deep breath before looking back at you.

—Don’t worry. One night he drank too much and tried to hit my mom. I defended her, and he ended up falling down the stairs. Got what he deserved, you know?

You swallow hard, feeling the weight of each new detail he reveals. Despite everything, you’re starting to understand a bit more about what shaped his personality. For all his wild ways, he truly does protect his mom.

—There’s no need to be scared.

—How could I not be? You always seem involved with strange stuff. Your mom’s always getting called to school. Your friends are the worst. And now… you’re basically confessing you had a hand in your stepdad’s death.

—It was an accident, annoying little nerd. —This time just won’t pass… We hate each other.— you say, almost to yourself.

Sylus glances at you and, for a moment, considers how you’d react if you knew he’d slashed the bus tires so it wouldn’t pick you up for college. That he’d rented the cabin with the plan to bring you here. What would you do if you knew it was all intentional?

—Why are you smiling? —Doesn't it cross your mind that I might like you?

A jolt runs through you. Deep down, you’d suspected this conversation would come up eventually.

It was obvious from the way he’d sometimes look at you out of the corner of his eye. It was more than clear that he wandered around the house in a towel on purpose, or wore so much cologne just to get your attention. And it was obvious he hadn’t accidentally opened the bathroom door while you were in the shower.

That look wasn’t accidental. Nor was his tone when he teased you. The truth was, it was all very obvious, but you fought not to see it—because he was the last person you’d choose. The worst possible option.

Sylus steps closer and touches your face softly. He lifts your chin, tracing his thumb over your lips. You turn your head abruptly, avoiding his gaze.

—Are you ignoring me?— he whispers. — ...

Sylus takes your hand and slides it under his shirt, forcing you to stand in front of him. Shocked, you try to pull your hand back, but he grips your wrist, making you feel his rapid heartbeat. You close your eyes and grit your teeth, holding back any reaction.

—That night you took care of me when I was drunk… I wasn’t entirely out of it. You felt my heartbeat. You looked after me so our parents wouldn’t wake up. —What is this, Sylus?— you say, your voice trembling. —I think… something good came alive in me that night.— he confesses— My heart hasn’t beat the same since.

You swallow hard, trying once more to pull away, but this time he pulls you into a hug. The warmth of his body brings you an indescribable feeling of comfort. Slowly, you place your hands on his back, shyly returning the embrace.

—Stay with me. —Are you crazy? —I’ve always been— he whispers, his voice low and rough.

Sylus slides his hand through your hair, tilting your head back gently.

He kisses you intensely, and you can’t resist as his tongue meets yours.

With surprising ease, he lays you down on the bed, kissing you all the while as he slips off his black jacket, tossing it aside.

You try to push him away, but there’s no strength behind it. You want him—you want that scent of his on every inch of your skin. He trails kisses down your neck, whispering random words between them.

You murmur, half-heartedly trying to stop him, but he’s lost to the desire to have you.

He sheds his shirt in one swift motion, pulling yours off as well. Sylus leaves a trail of kisses over the exposed skin of your chest.

Before long, he removes your bra, pressing you against his chest, savoring the sensation.

He presses his body against yours, making you gasp into his mouth.

You feel his desire against your stomach, realizing there’s no turning back.

Your hands slide over his chest, helping him undo his belt.

With a hungry movement, Sylus lets his hand slip down, feeling just how ready you are for him. He growls against your ear, seeking your gaze for approval, desperate to end the torment.

You nod, and he enters you, filling you completely. His size makes you moan against his lips with each thrust.

Sylus alternates between slow, deep movements, bringing you both to a climax like two people starved for each other.

Sweat drips down his face as he bites your lower lip, savoring your last moans before collapsing beside you.

You both lie there, breathless, wrapped in each other’s arms. He kisses your forehead, whispering in your ear, his voice still rough:

—This isn’t a fairy tale… but if love exists, I think it must feel a lot like this.

[thezombieprostitute]

Zombie, what would you do if you were stuck in a room with Ransom for 24 hours?

That entirely depends: do we know we're being let out after 24 hours?

If so, we'd probably do our best to ignore each other the whole time. Just stay in our respective corners and barely acknowledge each other.

But if we don't know? Hmm....

Warnings: Claustrophobic setting, Ransom being an asshole

Word Count: ~1.1k

The elevator lurches, making you and the only other passenger stumble. The lights flicker and you feel a lump in your throat, scared about what the flickering indicates. You know it's almost impossible to actually be killed in an elevator malfunction, but that lizard part of your brain won't listen.

"What the fuck is this?" The other passenger is quick to steady himself.

"Elevator trouble," you can't help but blurt out.

"Well thanks for stating the obvious!" He glares at you as he pulls out his cell phone. "Gotta call the fucking fire department. Gonna be fucking late to my appointment. Trapped in here with an idiot."

"Emergency phone," you quietly say while pointing to the standard, big, red 'Emergency' button.

He huffs as he puts his phone away and presses the button. He snipes at the operator for several minutes before finally giving in and admitting defeat. It's gonna be hours before help arrives.

You set down your cardigan and sit. Checking your phone you see that the signal is weak. Thankfully you've got some books downloaded.

The other passenger, however, starts pacing and seems to be working himself up more and more. You're not trying to listen in but he's not being very quiet. You just stick to your improvised seat and try to read.

Eventually the man practically flops onto the elevator floor. He looks at you, "so what's your deal?"

Startled out your reading you shake your head, "what?"

He sighs, "I said, what's. Your. Deal."

"Just, just trying to get to work."

"Let me guess, accountant? You're definitely too big to be a secretary. You don't dress poorly enough to be an IT person. But you're definitely boring enough to be a numbers person."

You raise an eyebrow, "you must be one of Mr. Barber's clients. He tends to represent rich assholes."

The man laughs at that, "you'd be right! So you work for Barber?"

"Paralegal for Mr. Barber, yes."

"Hugh Drysdale," he tells you.

You wrinkle your brow in confusion, "I know there's a Ransom Drysdale on the schedule. I guess I was right that it's a fake name."

"No," he chides. "Ransom is my middle name and it's what I usually go by. Except for the help." He gestures to you at the last word. "The help calls me Hugh, my first name."

You bite back a retort. He's one of your boss's clients. You have to at least pretend to be nice.

"How about you share some of your food? I missed breakfast and could use something to settle my stomach." You give him another confused look and he rolls his eyes. "You're on your way to work. Even if you didn't pack your own lunch, a girl your size definitely has food in her purse or something."

"I was running late and didn't have time to pack anything," you tell him. "I figured I could get a few things from the vending machine."

"You've gotta be shitting me," he whines. "Well, you're no good to me. Might as well go back to your book."

You nod and go back to reading. You've barely finished a paragraph when Drysdale starts talking to you again.

"What kind of crap are you reading, anyways?" You tell him the title and author and he scoffs. "Seriously, why the hell would you read that crap?"

"Because it's more entertaining than this conversation," you calmly tell him, trying to read.

"I call bullshit." He proceeds to go on a tangent about the decline of literary quality over the past decade. Sure, he makes a few good points, but you're really not interested in his better-than-you opinions.

Every time you try to go back to reading he starts talking again. It's like he can't handle not having attention and it's really grating on your nerves. Especially when he repeats his question about whether or not you have food. You really wish you did if only so it could occupy him for a minute or two.

But then you realize something. "Do you talk a lot when you're scared?"

He stops mid-sentence and glares. "What the hell makes you think I'm scared? I don't get scared!"

"So you're an attention whore? Because why else would you keep talking? It's either that you need the attention or that you're trying to keep yourself calm by talking about other things."

“Don't try to psychoanalyze me,” he scolds. “You don't get to tell me about me based on a few minutes.”

“It's been several hours by now,” you point out. “And you were trying to figure out 'my deal' based on my looks within the first few minutes.”

“Yes, but I'm the client, you're the help. I talk, you listen. I ask, you tell.”

“Aww, does baby need a nap?” You give him a fake pout. You're on your last nerve and this asshole isn't making it any better. He glares at you but you're not having it. “Listen, we're stuck here for who knows how long. Either we try to get along, or we ignore each other because being annoying won't help anyone.”

“We are getting along,” he counters. “Until you started being a bitch.”

“Since we've been trapped, you've made fun of my looks, my job, my reading interests and repeatedly told me my status is beneath you. How is that getting along?”

You see his angry arrogance drop for a moment when he says, “you were actually listening to me.” Before you can comment he shakes his head and the arrogance is back. “Look, I'm not having a good time, of course. Neither of us are, but I'm not scared and I'm NOT an attention whore.”

“Then you'll have no problem if I go back to reading.”

“Nope. You go ahead and I'll be quiet so you can have your precious reading time.”

“Thank you, Mr. Drysdale.”

You let yourself get back into your story. You're so enthralled you don't notice Drysdale's foot tapping incessantly. His nibbling at his fingers. His near constant glancing at the emergency phone.

“Okay, fine.” His voice cuts through and you stop your reading. “I'm...I'm scared. I know, statistically, chances of death or injury are very small. But I'm still...”

“Thank you for being honest,” you tell him. You put your phone in your pocket. “You mentioned that you arrived in a BMW? How do keep that car maintained? I imagine parts are difficult to come by.”

Drysdale perks up and starts talking a-mile-a-minute about the cost of his car but how and why it's worth all of it. The entire time he's talking, the tension in the elevator seems to lessen. You hope for rescue soon but at least being trapped is no longer a complete nightmare.

Tagging: @alicedopey; @delicatebarness; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @ronearoundblindly

[reliablejoukido]

Digimon LOST AU Headcanons part 2/? - Early Koushiro-centric stuff

Made for @izumikoushiroweek and also for my Digimon Lost AU! Headcanons under the cut

Koushiro Izumi:

Age: 25

Flight main section/beach camp

Koushiro is technical minded and analytical, and also deeply curious.

He has a hard time believing the Island contains real supernatural elements. He believes it’s digital, a realistic simulation/virtual reality like a holodeck from Star Trek. His beliefs are constantly being put to the test as he dedicates himself to studying the Island

From the moment they land on the island and Koushiro is alert, he searches desperately for his carry on luggage that contained his laptop. His smart watch screen shattered in the crash and doesn’t work. His phone seems to be somewhere in the wreckage or in the ocean

It seems no one has cell phone that will turn on or function in any capacity, which distresses Koushiro a great deal. He can’t even check to see if there’s cell service wherever they crashed. Statistically speaking since there are two dozen people here both alive and dead, shouldn’t someone’s phone work? He is still determined to get to his laptop in the off chance it functions

Koushiro watches as Jou and Taichi try to save people after the initial crash. He doesn’t know what he can do right now— he’s squeamish and definitely feeling the shock and trauma of surviving a plane crash. So he just continues looking for working tech. He does not find his laptop (at least for now) and is REALLY mad he didn’t bring his satellite phone on the flight

When they retrieve a radio transceiver from the cockpit, Koushiro goes on an expedition with Mimi and Jou to find a high enough area to get a signal. When they finally do get a signal, it’s a repeating distress call from someone who claims she’s been stranded on the Island for three years (this eventually turns out to be Meiko Mochizuki)

Flashback: For two years, Koushiro has been the CEO of a tech company in Tokyo that focuses on virtual reality. They have been making astounding breakthroughs since he started, and are almost ready to launch the next generation of virtual reality that can help people who are sick or bedridden. He wants to prove that even though he’s young and not very personable, he can be a good CEO and make a difference in the world through his technology.

Flashback: Through a mysterious informant, Koushiro learns that there is a handful of engineers in the company working behind his back to steal tech secrets and start a company of their own or possibly sell information. Koushiro is non-confrontational and doesn’t know what to do with this situation

Flashback: He learns that a few of these conniving employees are traveling to California to potentially make a deal with a US tech company to sell Koushiro’s company’s secrets. He takes time off work to follow them, but still doesn’t know what to do.

Flashback: Koushiro lands at LAX and plans to take a connecting flight to Silicon Valley. But his informant suddenly asks to meet him in person in Los Angeles. Koushiro feels like he’s being strung along on a potential wild goose chase at this point, but agrees to meet. The informant, who Koushiro doesn’t recognize, is a man named Haruhiko Takenouchi, who researches mythology, folklore, and anthropology. He believes Koushiro’s company can bring folklore creatures to life in the real world and can be used to study them. Koushiro is skeptical that his technology could bring to life something worth studying, as they can only input data they already have. They can’t “create life”, digital or otherwise. Mr. Takenouchi is insistent. He’s concerned the people trying to steal tech secrets from Koushiro are going to use it for the wrong reasons, and he wants to stop that. Koushiro… doesn’t know what to make of this. Mr. Takenouchi and Koushiro fail to track down the conniving employees, and it is suggested Koushiro return home to Tokyo from Los Angeles.

As the story on the Island progresses and they encounter monsters and strange occurrences, at first Koushiro believes this place is virtual reality, possibly his own company’s doing. That this place is inorganic and digital. As Koushiro learns more about the Island, he starts to doubt his theories. He wonders if Haruhiko Takenouchi sent him here on purpose to study the kind of tech that can create “life” without a data input. He becomes deeply entrenched in the lore of the Island. He wants to know why everyone was called here, why he was called here, and if there’s something they’re supposed to do. Koushiro wants to know what makes the Island tick— he wants to rip it apart at the seams.

He is sometimes at odds with those who are trying to get off the Island. At first he thinks the people aren’t real to begin with. But as it becomes apparent the people around him are very real, he starts to think they need to stay on the Island to accomplish something important.

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Sacrifices/BTR Book 2: a Jhea Fanfic

Chapter 14: for till college’..

The car slowly rolled up the driveway, the familiar house in sight. As the engine cut off, the tension in the vehicle felt thick. Jey was the first one to step out, followed by Rhea, Jeremiah, and the still-brooding Jeyce. The moment the door opened, Jeyce wasted no time darting toward the house, clearly eager to escape the current situation.

“Wait, little man,” Jey called out, his voice firm.

Jeyce halted mid-step, not even bothering to turn around at first. With a groan, he spun on his heel to face his father, the annoyance radiating from his expression once more.

“Cell phone,” Jey ordered.

Jeyce’s eyes widened in defiance. “No, Dad!” he protested, folding his arms over his chest.

Jey’s posture shifted, his tone steely. “You headbutted a kid. Cell phone. Now.”

Jeyce’s face flushed with frustration. “No!” he shouted again, his voice rising. The small rebellion in him clearly wasn’t finished yet.

Jey stepped closer, his voice lowering. “The more you say no, the longer you’re without it.”

A beat of silence passed, and Jeyce’s defiance crumbled. With a loud exhale, he reached into his pocket, pulling out the cell phone with exaggerated slowness, before tossing it into his dad’s hands. “Till when?” he muttered under his breath.

“You are grounded… for till college,” Jey replied, his voice stern but unwavering.

Jeyce froze, his eyes wide with shock. He repeated the words back to his dad in disbelief. “For till college!?”

Jey’s gaze didn’t waver as he matched his youngest son’s energy. “For till college!”

Jeyce let out an exasperated sound, turning on his heel and storming up the stairs. The door to his room slammed behind him, echoing through the house, signaling the end of the conversation—at least for now.

Inside the living room, Liv and Dom were lounging on the couch, but at the commotion, both of them had sat up, giving each other a puzzled look before their attention shifted to Jey and Rhea.

“Wait, he headbutted a kid?” Liv asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rhea sighed heavily, the frustration still fresh on her face. “I am not happy… but,” she paused, looking toward Jey for a moment, “I mean…” Her words trailed off, as if she was trying to find the right balance. “It’s better than hitting someone with a lunch box, right?”

Dom chuckled lightly, his grin mischievous. “At least he’s creative. We might as well get him signed to work with us.”

Jey rolled his eyes, running a hand over his face. “I love you all, but you guys are not helping.”

Rhea shot a look at Dom, who quickly fell silent, though the smirk never fully left his face. Jey flopped onto the couch, rubbing his temples as the weight of everything seemed to sink in.

“I just don’t get it. I mean, we’ve taught him better than this,” Jey muttered, his tone frustrated but tinged with exhaustion. “Why is it so hard for him to understand that sometimes you have to walk away?”

Liv and Dom exchanged a glance, then Liv shrugged slightly. “He’s a kid, Jey. They don’t always think before they act.”

Rhea sat beside him, her hand finding his. “It’s tough. But we’ll get through this. Jeyce will learn. He just has to understand the consequences, that’s all.”

Jey nodded, though his frustration wasn’t entirely gone. He leaned back against the couch, eyes staring off into the distance. “I just… I just don’t want him to make the same mistakes I did. I want better for him.”

Rhea squeezed his hand. “You’ve been a good dad, Jey. And he knows that. He’s just going through his own growing pains. Just like we did.”

Jey finally exhaled, looking down at their intertwined hands. “Yeah. You’re right. I just… don’t want him to think this is okay.” Jey turned off Jeyce’s phone and he shoved the phone into his pocket.

“Usually the act of being grounded does help.. it helped me.” Dom said.

“It didn’t help me..” Liv added.

“AGAIN. NOT HELPING!”

—

Jeyce sat back in his chair, a mix of irritation and curiosity swirling inside him. He had locked his door with an almost dramatic force, needing his space after everything that had gone down. He opened his laptop, tapping into the iMessage app, and quickly typed a message to Demi, trying to distract himself from the recent events.

Dad took away my phone, what a loser.

He hit send and waited, his fingers tapping nervously on the keyboard as he looked at the screen. Moments later, the reply came through.

You can’t go to the dance?

No, Jeyce quickly typed, frustration evident in the short message. I’m sorry, I had everything planned.

It’s okay, Demi responded, almost immediately. I heard what Bart said to you.

Jeyce frowned, leaning forward as he typed, Was he being truthful?

He waited anxiously for her reply, staring at the screen. The little typing bubbles popped up, then stopped, leaving him hanging in the tension of an unanswered question. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he stared at the blinking cursor.

Demi, you there?

The typing bubbles appeared again, and this time, the response came quickly. Yeah.

So what happened? Have you dated that jerk?

Jeyce hit send, his heart racing as he waited for her to respond. He knew Demi could be secretive, and a part of him didn’t know if he really wanted to hear the answer. But he had to know.

Demi’s response was slower this time, and when it came, it stung. Yeah…

Jeyce frowned, not fully understanding. You dated an older guy?

Demi’s reply was more guarded, He’s in our grade, he just failed it so he is taking it again..

Jeyce’s eyebrows furrowed. So what does he mean by you being handsy?

The message was almost instantly followed by the three little dots indicating that Demi was typing, but after a few seconds, they disappeared. He stared at the screen, willing her to answer, but nothing came.

Demi?

His fingers tapped again. What happened?

The response was short and final. Ttyl..

Jeyce stared at the screen, his chest tight. The conversation had shifted in a direction he wasn’t prepared for, and now he was left with more questions than answers. He hated being kept in the dark, especially by Demi, someone he thought he could always talk to about everything.

He let out a frustrated sigh, slamming the laptop shut. What was going on? Why wasn’t she telling him the full story?

Feeling some type of curiosity, Jeyce trudged his way down the hallway, his mind racing after Demi’s abrupt exit from their conversation. Frustrated, he knocked on his older brother Jaciyah’s door.

“Come in,” Jaciyah called out, not looking up from his laptop.

Jeyce pushed the door open and flopped onto the bed. “I’ve got drama.”

Jaciyah smirked and finally glanced over. “Dude, you’re 12. What kind of drama could you possibly have?”

Jeyce sat up, his expression serious. “What does it mean when someone says a girl was being handsy with them?”

Jaciyah raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard. “Hands—wait, what? Why are you asking about that?”

Jeyce fidgeted. “Just tell me. What does it mean?”

Jaciyah shut his laptop and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “It usually means… they were doing stuff. Like adult stuff. Stuff you shouldn’t even be thinking about until you’re older. Like, way older.”

Jeyce’s eyes widened. “Oh man.”

Jaciyah leaned forward. “Okay, spill it. Why are you asking? Did someone say something about you and Demi?”

Jeyce shook his head quickly. “No, no! It’s not about us. Some jerk at school said Demi was handsy with him. I got mad, and we fought.”

Jaciyah’s expression darkened. “That’s why you’re grounded? Because of some punk spreading rumors?”

“Yeah,” Jeyce admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “But Demi wouldn’t tell me if it was true. She just said she didn’t want to talk about it.”

Jaciyah sighed, standing up and pacing the room. “Look, Jeyce. People talk a lot of crap, especially about girls. Half the time, it’s just to look cool in front of their friends. You can’t go around fighting everyone who says something stupid.”

“But what if he’s not lying?” Jeyce asked, his voice quiet. “What if something happened, and Demi’s upset?”

Jaciyah sat down next to him. “Then that’s her business, little man. If she wants to talk, she will. You’ve got to respect her space.”

Jeyce frowned. “I just don’t like people talking about her like that.”

Jaciyah nodded. “I get it. But fighting won’t fix it. The best thing you can do is be there for her. Let her know she’s safe with you.”

Jeyce sighed, leaning back on the bed. “Yeah. You’re right.”

Jaciyah grinned, giving Jeyce a playful shove. “Of course, I’m right. Now, stop worrying so much. You’re too young for this kind of stress.”

Jeyce laughed a little. “Thanks, Jaciyah.”

“Anytime,” Jaciyah said, pulling his little brother into a quick hug. “Now get out of here. I’ve got homework before I go to my shift.”

Jeyce stood up and left, feeling a little more at ease but still determined to be there for Demi, no matter what.

—

Later that night, Jey and Rhea laid side by side on one side of the couch, enjoying a rare moment of peace while Dom and Liv were lounging on the other side. The movie Twister played in the background, but Jey’s attention was elsewhere, his hand resting casually on Rhea’s. They were just getting comfortable when Jeyce, unbeknownst to anyone inside the house, was making his way out of his bedroom window.

With an impressive amount of stealth, Jeyce managed to dodge the security cameras and slip past Jeremiah and Jesse, who were patrolling the perimeter of the house. His heart was racing, but his determination to talk to Demi pushed him forward. He had to know what was really going on with her and the whole situation at school. Once he reached the familiar street post, he took a deep breath and walked toward Demi’s house.

He crept around the side of her house, noting that her light was on in the upstairs window. Perfect. He picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it at her window.

“Jeyce!” Demi’s voice hissed, startled but still quiet enough not to attract attention. She opened the window slightly, poking her head out. “What are you doing here?”

Jeyce shot her a look. “You’ve been ignoring my messages.”

Demi rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed. “Hurry up and get inside before my dad sees you!” She quickly shut the window, glancing down to make sure her dad hadn’t heard anything.

Jeyce looked over at the downstairs windows and saw Demi’s dad watching TV in the living room. He didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the nearest branch and, with surprising agility, climbed the tree to her window. He pulled himself inside, breathing a little heavy from the effort.

Once inside, Jeyce turned to face Demi. “Why would you date that jerk?” he asked, his voice a mix of confusion and frustration. “You could do so much better.”

Demi exhaled dramatically, collapsing onto her bed. “Fine, fine,” she muttered. “You really want to know? We only dated for like a month. It wasn’t that serious. It’s just a stupid thing.”

Jeyce frowned. “My brother said people make up stuff about others when they’re trying to get underneath your skin. Demi, what did he mean by being ‘handsy’?”

Demi’s expression soured, her arms crossed over her chest. “Jeyce, me and him? All we ever did was make out. We didn’t go any further than that. I’m only 13! And I just turned 13!”

Jeyce’s eyes widened in surprise. “So, nothing serious?”

“Nothing serious,” Demi confirmed, though there was a slight edge to her voice. “People exaggerate things all the time. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Jeyce nodded slowly, absorbing her words. “Okay. I just… I didn’t want you to get hurt, you know? You’re important to me.”

Demi softened at his words, giving him a small smile. “I know, Jeyce. I appreciate it. But I’ve got this. Don’t worry about me.”

Jeyce let out a long sigh, feeling some of the weight lift off his shoulders. “Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure.”

Demi gave him a teasing look. “You know, you’re a little overprotective for someone who’s barely in middle school.”

“Hey, I’ve got a reputation to uphold,” Jeyce smirked.

Demi rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the grin creeping onto her face. “Alright, alright. Now, can you get out of here before my dad decides to check on me?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jeyce agreed, turning toward the window. “I’m going. Thanks for the talk boo.”

“I’ll message you later.” Demi said softly, watching him prepare to climb out. Jeyce stopped and he turned to look at Demi. “What—“ She started to say but Jeyce gave her a kiss, surpassing his peck that he first gave her on the lips. He pulled back and said, “I went on YouTube before I came here..” Demi blushed. “Like I said.. I’ll message you later.”

—

Meanwhile, after the movie, Jey and Rhea were sitting around the living room with Dom and Liv. The mood was easygoing and relaxed, with everyone sipping on their drinks. Rhea, as usual, stuck to her Sprite while the others enjoyed their beverages. Barry, Bella, and the cat Storm were lounging lazily on the rug, their soft breathing adding to the calm atmosphere. Kendrick Lamar’s Money Trees played softly in the background, adding a smooth vibe to the evening.

Rhea glanced at the group and asked, “So, when do you guys leave?”

Liv, who had been enjoying the evening, smiled and said, “We have a flight booked for Sunday. I can’t wait to get back in the ring. I feel so energized. Honestly, being here with you guys—especially with everything that went down—it ended on such a good note.”

Dominik added with a grin, “Yeah, I didn’t know Stamford could be so quiet and crazy at the same time.”

Jey chuckled, glancing at Rhea. “Well, you guys are always welcome to stay. Next time, we’ll be more than happy to pick you up from the airport.”

Liv’s eyes lit up, and she nudged Dom. “We actually got you something, Rhea.”

Rhea raised an eyebrow, curious. “Hmm? What’s this?”

“Dom, baby, go get it!” Liv said excitedly, her smile growing as she watched him.

Dominik shot her a playful look before getting up and heading upstairs. A moment later, he returned with a gift bag in his hand. Rhea’s curiosity piqued as she reached out to take it.

“What is it?” she asked, her fingers brushing against the soft material of the bag.

She pulled out the gift and froze when she saw what it was. It was a black picture frame, a photo of Rhea and Luna, nestled inside. Rhea’s fingers trembled as she traced the edges of the frame, her eyes locking on the image. On one side of the frame, there was a heartfelt quote about crossing the rainbow bridge, something that Rhea had never truly been able to process when Luna had passed.

She felt a lump form in her throat. Her breath caught in her chest as the tears began to fall, unbidden. The quote hit her harder than she expected. “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

Jey immediately reached over, his hand settling gently on her shoulder. “Hey…” His voice was soft but steady, giving her the space to let her emotions out without pushing too much.

Rhea sniffled, her hand clutching the frame. “I… I didn’t expect this. Thank you, guys. I didn’t realize how much I still… feel it.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, her tears flowing freely now.

Liv and Dom exchanged a quiet look, but they didn’t say anything. They knew this was a moment for Rhea, and they had given her something that meant more than words could express.

Jey pulled her closer, rubbing her back soothingly. “Babe..” he whispered. “I know it’s hard.”

Rhea nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “It’s just… Luna was my baby. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her… I still miss her so much.” Her voice was raw, but she tried to smile through the tears as she looked at Dom and Liv. “You guys… really didn’t have to, but I’m so glad you did.”

Dominik gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re family, Rhea. We’ve got your back.”

The room fell into a brief silence, everyone respecting the weight of the moment. Even Barry and Bella, who had been lazily sprawled out on the rug, seemed to sense the change in atmosphere, their eyes shifting toward Rhea as if in silent solidarity.

After a few moments, Rhea took a shaky breath, turning the frame in her hands. “I’m okay,” she said softly. “Really, I am. It’s just… it’s been a rough time, but… I’m thankful for you guys. For this. For everything.”

Jey smiled at her, his thumb brushing away the stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. “You don’t have to be okay all the time, Rhea. We’ve got you.”

—

“Ohh… fuck. Just… I just… fuck Jey…”

Jey lifted his head between Rhea’s legs, “Babe keep quiet.. we have company..” Rhea pushed Jey’s head back down and said, “No talking..” Rhea’s hand ran through his hair and held a grip as her fiancé explored her with his mouth, the other free hand gripping the silk blue sheets. Then it happened… a faint noise. Jey, lifting his head once more as he heard the same noise again. “What’s that?” he muttered, his voice low.

Rhea sighed, clearly unimpressed with more interruptions during their intimate time. “That’s your window of opportunity closing,” she said, teasing him with a smirk.

Jey chuckled but then sat up straighter, his expression shifting to seriousness. “Nah, babe, for real. I heard a thud.”

Rhea waved him off. “Probably just the dogs or the wind. But if you’re that worried, go check.”

Reluctantly, Jey got up and wiped his mouth, pulling on his basketball shorts and a t-shirt. He opened the bedroom door and stepped into the dimly lit hallway. The house was quiet, save for the faint sound of the TV downstairs. As he walked further down the hall, he froze when he heard a muffled sound coming from Jaciyah’s room.

His brows furrowed in suspicion. Quietly, he opened the door, and his eyes widened in disbelief. There, tangled under the covers, was Jaciyah—and the same girl who had picked him up for church not too long ago.

Jey’s jaw tightened in fury. “Jaciyah,” he said, his voice low and controlled, though the anger was clear. “Get dressed. And you, ma’am,” he said, pointing at the girl, “get out of my house now.”

The girl scrambled out of the bed, quickly gathering her belongings, her face flushed with embarrassment. She muttered a hasty apology and bolted out of the room without looking back.

Once she was gone, Jey turned his full attention to Jaciyah. “I’ve got enough on my plate dealing with Jeyce right now, but you?” Jey’s voice rose slightly. “I expected more from you, Jaciyah! What the hell were you thinking?”

Before Jaciyah could respond, Rhea appeared at the doorway, her arms crossed. “Who was that girl?” she asked, her tone sharp.

Jey shot her a look. “Babe, go back to the room.”

Rhea, however, wasn’t going anywhere. Her eyes darted from the bed to Jaciyah, who was sitting there shirtless, looking guilty as ever. She shook her head in disappointment. “Oh, Jaciyah. Not cool.”

Jey sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. “We’ll talk about this in the morning,” he said firmly, giving Jaciyah one last glare before leaving the room.

As they walked back to their bedroom, Rhea muttered, “You’ve got your hands full with the boys.”

Jey groaned, shutting the door behind them. “Tell me about it. I’m about to lose my damn mind.”

—

February 14th, 2025 7:16AM

The next morning, Dom and Liv were outside with Jesse making their usual morning run. They chatted easily, but Jey’s mind was elsewhere as he stood in Jaciyah’s room, arms crossed, staring at his son, who wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“Look, Jaciyah,” Jey began, his voice firm but not yelling. “I get it. You’re almost 18. You’re doing online school, you’ve got a job, and I’m proud of you for that. I even let you use my car to get to work. But sneaking someone into my house? That’s crossing a line.”

Jaciyah finally looked up, his face tight with defiance and a little guilt. “She’s almost my girlfriend,” he mumbled.

“Almost?” Jey repeated incredulously. “What the hell does almost mean?”

Jaciyah shifted uncomfortably. “I met her that day I took Jeyce to the listening party. We just clicked. She’s been coming down from New Haven every weekend since, and I’ve been hanging out with her after my shifts at Pizza Hut.”

Jey sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Have you two…” He let the question hang, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer.

Jaciyah shook his head quickly. “No, we haven’t. But we were going to.”

Jey closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. “Son, listen to me. You don’t have to rush into that kind of thing. Trust me, once you go down that road, everything changes.”

Jaciyah’s eyes narrowed. “You’re one to talk.”

Jey chuckled bitterly. “Yeah, I know. I was stupid when I was your age, and I made a lot of mistakes. The point is, you don’t have to make the same ones.”

Jaciyah didn’t respond, his face a mix of teenage rebellion and reluctant understanding.

Jey let out another sigh, this time softer. “Look, I can’t exactly ground you. You’re too old for that now. But if you ever pull this stunt again, I’m telling your mom. No hesitation.”

Jaciyah finally nodded, albeit begrudgingly. “Got it.”

“Good.” Jey glanced toward the hallway. “I’m heading out to take Rhea shopping for the baby registry. I’ve already told Jeremiah to keep an eye on things, so he’s in the house right now. Don’t try anything.”

Jaciyah gave a faint smirk. “Got it, Dad.”

Jey patted him on the shoulder and headed for the door. “See you later, son.”

—

Rhea grabbed another onesie and tossed it into the cart, the tiny fabric landing on top of an already overflowing pile of baby clothes.

Jey sighed dramatically, leaning on the cart. “Babe… how about something practical? Like, I don’t know… a car seat? Diapers?”

Rhea rolled her eyes and smirked. “I want the baby to have lots of clothes. They need to look cute, Jey.”

“I get that, but the baby also needs to sit in something. You know, like when we’re driving home from the hospital?” Jey said, raising an eyebrow.

Before he could say anything more, Rhea’s eyes widened. “Oh my god, babe, look!” She practically squealed, pointing toward a sleek, all-black rocking chair displayed in the corner of the store.

Jey followed her gaze, and his shoulders slumped. “Babe… that thing’s $200.”

Rhea clasped her hands together and turned to him, eyes wide with excitement. “But it’s black! It matches my vibe.”

Jey looked at her, unimpressed. “Our car seat.”

Rhea groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. “Come on, Jey! We need this chair. Imagine rocking the baby to sleep in that. It’s perfect!” She placed her hands on the chair’s armrests and gave it a little shake. “See? Sturdy.”

Jey sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’ll get it, but if we do, you have to take $200 worth of stuff out of the cart. Non-negotiable.”

Rhea gasped, clutching her chest like he’d just insulted her. “You’re cruel!” She peered into the cart, muttering to herself. “Okay, okay. Fine. I’ll take out these socks—they’re on sale for $2.99.”

Jey smirked, shaking his head. “Great. That still leaves $197.01 to go.”

Rhea groaned and started pulling random items out of the cart. “Fine. These onesies? Gone. These cute little booties? Ugh, gone. But I’m keeping the baby blanket,” she said firmly, holding it close to her chest.

Jey leaned over, inspecting the cart. “Good start. But we’re still over.”

Rhea glared at him playfully. “You’re ruining my fun, Jey.”

He chuckled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “You’re the one who wanted the $200 chair. You’ll thank me when we’re driving home safely with a car seat instead of holding the baby in your arms.”

Rhea pouted. “I guess you have a point. But next time, I’m bringing Trinity. She won’t guilt me into being responsible.”

Jey laughed. “Good luck with that. You know Jon’s gonna back me up.”

Rhea sighed, reluctantly pulling out a couple more items. “Fine. But I’m buying those booties online later. You won’t stop me.”

Jey smirked. “I wouldn’t dream of it, babe.”

-

With their purchases loaded into the back of Jey’s Mercedes, they climbed into the front seats. Jey adjusted the rearview mirror and glanced at Rhea. “So… you thinking about getting a new car anytime soon?”

Rhea buckled her seatbelt and leaned back. “I’ve got the money in my account for the Jeep… but I haven’t found one I like yet.”

Jey raised an eyebrow. “You want a Jeep again, babe? Or are you thinking of switching it up?”

Rhea tapped her chin, considering. “I don’t know. I’m leaning toward something more family-friendly. Something that can fit all the kids, plus Jon, Trinity, and their little crew.”

Jey nodded thoughtfully. “I saw a nice Tahoe online the other day. Spacious, plenty of room for everyone.”

Rhea tilted her head, intrigued. “You’ve been car shopping without me?”

Jey chuckled. “Not exactly. I’ve just been thinking about trading in the Mercedes. Maybe getting something more practical, too.”

Rhea turned to him, her hand resting on his arm. “But I love the Mercedes. It’s perfect for us.”

Jey smiled at her, his eyes softening. “I love it, too. But I want something better, something that can handle long trips with the kids.”

Rhea thought for a moment before her face lit up. “How about this? I’ll get something family-friendly, and we keep the Mercedes for date nights. Best of both worlds.”

Jey grinned, taking her hand as he started the car. “Deal babe.”

As they drove, Rhea laced her fingers with his. “Speaking of date nights… where are you taking me tonight?”

Jey’s lips curled into a mysterious smile. “It’s a surprise. But we need to be ready by six.”

Rhea’s excitement bubbled over. “A surprise? Now I’m really curious!”

Jey laughed, giving her hand a squeeze. “You’ll love it, trust me.”

Rhea leaned back in her seat, a satisfied smile on her face. “I can’t wait.”

—

Dominik’s phone buzzed, and he glanced down to see a text from Jey. Sure thing, I’ll make sure Jeremiah opens the door for you two if you guys get home before us. He smirked and pocketed his phone, turning to Liv, who was lounging on the bed in Jey and Rhea’s guest room, scrolling through her phone.

“Got any plans tonight?” he asked, his tone casual.

Liv barely looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Nope. Because my boyfriend doesn’t know how to plan anything.”

Dom laughed, leaning against the doorway. “Ouch. That’s harsh.”

Liv smirked, her eyes finally meeting his. “Am I wrong?”

Dom shrugged, walking over to her. “Actually… Jey and Rhea are heading out tonight, and let’s just say your boyfriend does know how to plan when it counts.”

Liv’s curiosity piqued as she sat up, her legs crossed. “Oh? And what exactly do you have planned, Mr. Mysterio?”

Dom leaned down, placing his hands on either side of her on the bed. “Let’s just say this Valentine’s Day is gonna be one to remember.”

Liv giggled as Dom leaned closer, their noses touching. He gave her a gentle Eskimo kiss, causing her to burst into a soft laugh. “You’re so cheesy,” she teased.

“And you love it,” Dom said with a grin, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

Liv sighed, resting her forehead against his. “Fine, you get points for effort. But this better be good, Mysterio.”

Dom smirked, standing up straight. “Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”

Liv watched him with a playful glint in her eyes. “You’ve got me curious now.”

Dom winked as he backed toward the door. “Good. Now, get ready, because we’ve got plans, Miss Morgan.”

Liv chuckled, grabbing a pillow and playfully tossing it at him. “I’ll be ready. Don’t mess this up, Dom.”

He caught the pillow with ease, flashing her a confident smile. “Never.”

—

Jeyce sat at his desk, the soft hum of his laptop filling the otherwise quiet room as he typed out a message to Demi. His fingers hovered over the keys, carefully crafting his words.

“I wish I could go with you to the dance.”

After a moment, Demi’s reply popped up on the screen. “It’s fine. But hey, why don’t you come over again? My dad has a date, and Daya is sneaking into your house to see your brother again.”

Jeyce couldn’t help but chuckle. “I heard everything last night! My dad was so PO’ed.”

Demi’s response came quickly. “I know! Both of them won’t learn their lesson… but for real, sneak out and we’ll have our own Sweetheart Dance!”

Jeyce grinned, excitement rising. “Of course! Rhea and my dad are going out, and so are Liv and Dom. Plus, it was way too easy to sneak past my uncles.”

“Perfect! Wear what you were going to wear, and I’ll do the same!” Demi replied with a wink emoji.

Jeyce smiled, closing his laptop and quickly making his way to his room to grab the clothes he had planned for the dance. He was pumped to finally have the chance to hang out with Demi alone.

Meanwhile, Jaciyah was texting Daya, his phone vibrating softly against his bed as he typed, “You still coming over tonight?”

A moment passed before Daya’s reply lit up the screen. “Not if your dad is there!”

Jaciyah snickered. “Lol, he and Rhea are going out.”

Daya’s message came a few seconds later. “Okay, then.”

Jaciyah, feeling a bit bolder now, sent a follow-up text. “Maybe we go a little further?”

Daya’s reply was playful. “Lol, maybe we stop at our safe spot.”

Jaciyah smiled, his thoughts drifting to the possibilities. “Worth a shot.”

[flxrartsstuff]

The last thing I need…

LevixfemReader, 18+

Authors note: You and Levi have been stranded in the middle of nowhere. You two were actually on your way to a wedding. And since you were both late anyway because other things had priority, the mood is a little tense. A little teasing that ends in another series of hot lovemaking in the back seat.

cw: unprotected sex, car sex, bj

»Come on,« he said swearing, hitting the steering wheel as he repeatedly failed to start the engine. No matter how many times he turned the key. She sat next to him in silence, chewing nervously on her lower lip and staring at the steering wheel as if it could somehow help to get the engine running. Levi had already opened the hood and rummaged around inside, but apparently everything was fine. But the car still wouldn't start.

They had been on their way to a wedding, running late and now they were halfway there. But that was just the icing on the cake because they were both late through no fault of their own and this time, they probably couldn't get away with it so easily. She had looked seductive in that tight red dress, looking at herself in the mirror from all sides, until he could no longer hold on to himself and had fallen over her. He had torn the dress off her body and mercilessly taken her in front of the mirror. As if that wasn't enough, she had dragged him onto the bed and continued their lovemaking there until they could take no more and she had to scratch his entire back to make him realize that they were late.

Now their car was stuck in the middle of nowhere, a road driving through a forest, with nothing but trees to the left and right. Levi cursed again before getting out of the car, furious with impatience and anger. She did the same and got out to stand next to him in front of the hood, holding the flashlight so he could see. He didn't care that his suit and shirt might get soiled.

»I just don't understand what the problem is.«

»Levi, shouldn't we call a towing service?« she tried calmly, stroking his shoulder. He leaned back again and groaned in annoyance.

»Fine, call him,« he made a dismissive gesture, clearly frustrated that he couldn't get the car running himself. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket, but no sooner had she dialed the number than the annoying signal sounded in the phone that there was no signal out here. The woman put her cell phone down and looked at Levi.

»No signal out here.«

»Perfect,« he replied cynically. »I guess we should have leave without our…Foreplay.« he didn't sound at all amused by this, his tone cold as he untied the knot of his bow tie around his neck. He undid the buttons of his white shirt underneath and looked up at the sky in frustration.

»Oh come on,« she began, still somewhat calmly, although she didn't like his tone at all. After all, he didn't have to take out on her how angry he was that they were late for the wedding. »Were we really going to go without?«

She smiled, knowing full well that they both wouldn't have stopped and would have loved to spend the whole day in bed. Unfortunately, that didn't appease him either. His gray eyes sparkled excitedly as he turned to her and grabbed her by the upper arms.

»Maybe I should have been more persistent, Y/N. Today, of all days, on Mikasa and that brat Eren's wedding day, « He let go of her and closed the hood a little too tightly.

»They will understand it,« she tried again, but it didn't really reassure him. He simply couldn't accept the fact that the car had broken down and that he couldn't fix it. He leaned silently against the hood and looked frustratedly into space.

»Understand that we'd rather shag each other than show up at her wedding on time? We're not getting anywhere here, you do realize that, right?«

She blew a strand of hair out of her face after his statement. Suddenly she had an idea and the urge to put an end to his naysaying. »Well then, we'll just have to push!«

»Push the car? To the wedding?« he repeated incredulously, raising a thin eyebrow. But she already started moving and walked to the back of the car. However, the road and the ground were a little slippery and as soon as she took a step, her foot snapped so that the heel of her pump broke off with a small crack. She toppled to the side, but was still able to support herself against the car. Levi was rushing forward, arms outstretched to catch her, but she remained on her feet. Frustrated that her heel had broken off, she lifted her foot and took a closer look at the mess. The beautiful, elegant shoe that had matched her dress perfectly was now ruined by the heel, which was loosely attached to the rest of the shoe. You really couldn't be seen anywhere with that. She turned back to Levi, her shoe raised threateningly in her hand.

»Not a single word,« she began, only to stop him from making any more sarcastic remarks when the sky suddenly rumbled and a little later, the first raindrops pattered directly down on them. Unlike her, Levi reacted faster, opened the car door and dragged her into the back seat. She landed with her back on the cool leather of the seats and in the next moment felt his warm body on top of her, his soft lips sealed with hers. When he pulled away from her again, she was breathing heavily. Her face glowed with sudden heat. He lifted her other leg and removed the other shoe from her feet.

»Levi...« she purred, perplexed, yet slightly aroused. The rain pelted down on the car, now even harder and heavier. The car was their only protection from this weather. A few raindrops fell from his black strands of hair and splashed on her cheeks. His face was so close to hers that his breath kept hitting her lips.

»What are you doing? We have to go to the wedding...«

»First, I'll teach you some manners...« he interrupted her and immediately placed his lips on her neck. His tongue caressed every spot that she loved and immediately destroyed any resistance. His body lay on top of hers without really pressing on her. She only felt his warmth, as well as the clear pressure in his trousers, which pressed deliciously against her feminine center. He pushed a few strands of her hair aside, slid the strap of her dress down and continued to worship her collarbone and shoulders. A sigh left her lips, so uninhibited and unrestrained. And he loved every single sound she made. Her skin was so soft and he let out a few little groans as well as his tongue slide over her skin.

»Do you think you can go to the wedding in that shoe and dress? I don't think so, my dear,« and somehow there was suddenly a hint of amusement in his voice. His annoyed mood seemed to be blown away. When she didn't say anything back, he looked up into her eyes, which were half closed.

»Look at me when I'm talking to you.« he said to her more insistently, grabbing her chin with one hand and turning her face in his direction. He leaned directly over her, running his thumb over her lips and smudging the seductive red lipstick even more. She opened her mouth a little more, let his thumb slide in and sighed aroused.

»So needy again, huh? Let's see how much...« His hand moved slowly from her mouth, down over her breasts and stomach, to between her thighs. He pushed her dress aside like an annoying obstacle and ran his fingers over her already soaked panties. She immediately shuddered under his touch and put her arms around his neck to pull him down impatiently. He growled darkly in response and stroked his fingers up and down over her pussy.

»Teach me manners, Levi,« she whispered in his ear, burying her fingers in his black hair, stroking his undercut and feeling his tense body on hers. He made every sensitive part of hers tremble, even though he was only just getting started. Her dress quickly disappeared and was thrown carelessly onto the passenger seat, followed by his white shirt and pants. No matter how tight it was in the back seat, they couldn't stop themselves. At some point, her legs were wrapped around his hips and he was already deep inside her with his hard length, while their lips were literally stuck together. The harder his thrusts became, the deeper he seemed to sink into her. Her wetness enveloped him excitedly and while her moans were like music to his ears. Constantly whispering the same words, that he shouldn't stop while they did it unrestrained in the car.

»Oh fuck, yes...« she groaned breathlessly, clawing her hands into his neck, into his arms over everywhere they met skin. His deep voice vibrated on her lips as he kissed her. He nibbled on her lips, let his tongue glide through them and caressed hers. She sighed in pleasure, but didn't smile for long as he thrust into her harder, making her gasp excitedly. Heat gathered in the car, their bodies sticking together through their sweat.

»Yes, please. Please, don’t stop…« She moaned, threw her head back and let all her cries of pleasure resound throughout the car. He did the same and couldn't hold back any longer. He couldn't. All he wanted was to feel her tight pussy on his cock, contracting with pleasure the closer she got to orgasm. He grabbed her chin again, a little harder this time, and turned her head back towards him.

»Look into my fucking eyes, when you cum‘,« he said breathlessly, impatiently and without restraint. It was intense to close his eyes, but having Levi's gaze in front of him made it even more intense. It had never been as intimate as it was now. She saw the lust in them, saw his climax coming closer and once again the confirmation that they were one in this moment. It was intense, she felt everything with every fiber of her body. She felt how it tightened with pleasure in her abdomen, how her hips moved together with his.

»That’s right, Y/N, just like that,« he praised her with a moan and kissed her sore lips hotly and demanding. He was clearly close to climaxing, but gave up all his energy to make her come faster than him. And she did. The orgasm overtook her body, she stretched her back with pleasure, moaned and moved towards him.

»Oh, yes please, oh god yes…« she repeated over and over again, as if intoxicated. She couldn't and wouldn't stop herself. But she was surprised when Levi pulled back, straightened up and sat down in the seat. He pulled her closer to him by her hair so that her face hung directly in front of his still hard cock.

»And now show me what good manners you have. Don't you dare to lose a single drop...« He sounded dark and dominating, a shiver chased over her still drained and trembling body, where she could still feel the effects of her orgasm. She exchanged a curt glance with him before doing as he asked. And by God, she'd milk him so clean he'd beg her not to stop. Even though she knew it was a rarity to hear Levi beg.

She slid closer to him, placed her lips on his tip and kissed him. She never lost eye contact with him as she licked along his length, holding him with both hands. It was a pleasure for her to do this every time, to show him how much she appreciated him. He leaned his head back so that she had a clear view of his Adam's apple. His whole body shuddered as she began to suck on him, slowly taking the length into her mouth. At first her movements were slow. She let it slip from her lips before taking it deep inside her again.

»Fuck.« He grabbed the back of her head, pulled harder on her hair and pressed her face closer. »Just like that.«

She did what he wanted and sucked faster and deeper on him, eager to reach his climax and feel him deep in her throat. He kept repeating his words, encouraging her not to stop. His cock pulsated in her mouth, she could feel that he would come at any moment. Even faster and faster, her lipstick had long since smudged and left a few streaks on his cock. When he came, panting and moaning, her mouth was wide open and she swallowed every last drop without losing any of it.

»That's my good girl...« he growled and stroked his fingers gently through her hair, almost lovingly compared to the way he had grabbed her earlier. Suddenly the wedding had completely faded into the background and it seemed as if they had all the time in the world. The rain continued to patter on the roof of the car, like a relaxing melody. The windows were completely steamed up, they were both sweating and breathing fast. Levi enjoyed the sight of her smudged lipstick and his cum spread across her lips. He wouldn't trade that sight for anything in the world. Not even for a wedding.

[violetmuses]

Daydreamin' - A. Aretas 🥰❤️‍🩹

Title: Daydreamin’ - A. Aretas 🥰❤️‍🩹

Fandom: “Bad Boys” Film Universe

Character: Armando Aretas

Pairing: Armando Aretas + Female Reader

Main Storyline: You and Armando go out on the very first date.

Author's Note: Here's another quick drabble request. Enjoy reading! 💜 @nelo0wesker

======

2024

You first met Armando Aretas through Kelly, the weapons expert teaming AMMO. Tempers flared in the beginning, yet Armando really settled down and no longer tried to hurt others with chaos.

The last few months have been rocky ever since he returned from Mexico, but Aretas never stopped thinking of you, ready to come back.

There's an ice cream shop located near the Miami Police Department and for once Armando Aretas invited you out for the very first time.

At long last, while summer heat continues blazing outside, air conditioning chills every single patron while you just share your time with him.

“Miss me?” Armando questioned between his last few scoops.

“Always.” You repeated that answer, but hours dwindled and time ran out, bringing departures for the night.

Other voices grumbled farewell outdoors and Armando paid in cash, holding hands on your way back to the car.

“Are you working tomorrow?” You stepped closer and frowned toward Armando as his palms reached your waist now.

“Yeah, stupid briefing.” Armando rolled his brown eyes toward the moon.

“Get your hands away from her, nasty ass!” One familiar person, Marcus Burnett, shouted behind Aretas.

Even Detective Mike Lowrey showed up as an interruption this time.

Every time. You thought.

“Don't make me check your cell phone again, man.” Mike, Armando's biological father, took off fly sunglasses while addressing this chance.

Knowing so much better than talking back right here, Armando stepped from Mike and whispered to you, signaling this early drive home.

Their last mission for Captain Howard almost pulled this fight in the woods, but Marcus settled everything.

“Sorry.” Armando kissed your cheek and sighed for a moment, disappointed. “Just text me when you get back. I gotta leave.”

“Okay.” You frowned once more and started the engine, leaving in return. “Be safe.”

_____

One text message pinged back when you came home:

Armando: No matter what happens, I love you. 💌

[cellularrepeaterforbangladesh]

মার্কেটের দোকান অফিস কিংবা ফ্ল্যাট বাসা ইমারজেন্সি ইনস্টল করুন || মোবাইল নেটওয়ার্ক সিগন্যাল বুস্টার || রুমের ভেতর নেটওয়ার্কের সমস্যা || মোবাইলে ঠিকমত কথা বলতে পারছেন না || দোকান ঘর অফিসের বাইরে মোবাইল ৪জি নেটওয়ার্ক আছে অথচ রুমের ভেতর নেটওয়ার্ক সিগন্যাল পাচ্ছেন না ||

এই সমস্যা সমাধানের জন্য আমরা দিচ্ছি সাশ্রয়ী মুল্যে উচ্চ ক্ষমতা সম্পন্ন মোবাইল নেটওয়ার্ক সিগন্যাল বুস্টার রিপিটার ডিভাইস, যা কিনা প্যাকেজ আকারে অতি সুলভ মূল্যে আমাদের শপে পাওয়া যাচ্ছে সাথে এক বছরের ওয়ারেন্টি সার্ভিস ||

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FCC approval, FCC ID:2AVDW-BA7020-US5

Digital Smart LCD shows working status

Installation fault reminder

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Coverage up to 3200 sq ft

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[phillippadgettwrites]

Dropped Call is SO HOT! We need four though, you have to let him eat her out irl now. Right? Right?!?

Dropped Call, Chapter 4

Rated X / Posted on AO3 / Tagging @today-in-fic

Mulder’s cell phone is already pressed to his ear when he emerges into a parking lot through clattering double doors. He tips his face up towards the hazy midafternoon sun as he listens to the phone ring, waiting to be sure she answers. 

“Hello?”

He smiles and steps off the curb. 

“Hey, stranger. It’s good to hear your voice.”

“Hi,” she says brightly. “I’m surprised to hear from you.”

Mulder moves the phone to his other ear while he digs around his pocket for his car keys.

“I know,” he says. “I probably shouldn’t be calling you.”

“Then why are you?” she asks.

He slumps into the driver's seat, legs still hanging out the open door, and heaves a sigh. 

“To be frank, I find you irresistible,” he says, and is rewarded with a surprised laugh. 

“You’re going to get yourself in trouble,” she warns him. 

“Probably,” he says, folding his legs into the car and pulling the door closed. “But that sounds like future me’s problem.”

She laughs again, which makes him smile. 

“So what have you been up to?” she asks. 

He starts the engine and buckles his seatbelt, then quickly turns the stereo down when Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing starts blasting from the speakers. 

“Attending the conference from hell, regrettably. Willing time to pass. Fantasizing.”

There’s a brief pause. 

“About what?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he teases. 

“I asked the question, so yes, I would,” she retorts, just a little bit tartly. 

He’s grinning like an idiot. His cheeks actually ache from all the smiling he’s been doing as of late, which is something he hasn’t experienced since he was a teenager. 

“Do you remember the fantasy I told you about that takes place in my office? There’s a desk involved,” he says, shifting in his seat when his cock stirs. 

There’s a pause that is decidedly not brief. 

“The one involving your partner?” she clarifies. 

“They all involve my partner,” he says, his voice growing husky as his arousal heightens. 

“Hm,” she says, another pause. “Remind me of the details?”

Mulder flicks on his turn signal and exits the freeway. 

“I don’t want to be too graphic…” he says, his heart pounding in his cock. 

“Why?”

“I don’t want to offend you.”

“It didn’t offend me before, I don’t see why it would now,” she says breathily. 

He swallows. 

“This fantasy in particular is the one where I, uh, I go down on her on top of my desk.”

“Ah,” she says. “Sounds familiar.”

He pulls up in front of Scully’s apartment building and cuts the engine. He sees her car a little ways down the block, but he already knows she’s at home today, despite the fact that it’s the middle of the week. He walks slowly down the sidewalk with his free hand in his pocket, in no rush to get to her front door. 

“I’ve been thinking about that one a lot the last few days,” he admits.

“Have you?”

“I have. I’ve been thinking about making it a reality,” he says nervously. “What are your thoughts?”

“What are my thoughts?” she repeats.

“Yeah, I mean…do you think she’d like that?”

She doesn’t answer for so long that he stops walking. 

“Does she seem like the kind of person who would like that?” she finally asks in a tone he finds difficult to interpret. 

“I guess I don’t know,” he admits, slightly deflated. 

He starts walking again, slowly meandering up the stairs to the second floor rather than taking them two at a time like he normally would. 

“That’s just—” she starts, then pauses to gather her thoughts. “I mean it’s a pretty big leap, Mulder. I don’t want to dismiss it outright, but at work? That’s pretty brazen, even for you.”

He laughs and leaps over the last few steps, then walks four paces to her door. 

“Oh, are you Scully now?” he teases, and he can practically hear her roll her eyes. 

“You’re outside my door again, aren’t you?” she asks dryly, and he lifts his arm to knock. 

She appears before him dressed in a white silk robe, her hair tied half up in a messy bun right on top of her head, and while she’s trying to look annoyed, he can tell that she’s happy to see him. 

“I missed you,” he says, flipping his cell phone closed and scooping her up by the waist. 

She lets out a little girlish squeal and wraps her arms around his neck, then kisses him too many times to count. 

“I’ve been gone four days, Mulder,” she says quietly against his lips, then kisses him again. 

“Worst four days of my life,” he tells her, walking them slowly towards the table. 

He sets her down on top of it and takes her face in his hands, peppering her with kisses and humming with satisfaction. When he finally brings himself to pull away, he immediately hooks one finger behind the tie of her robe and wags his eyebrows at her. 

“In the office? Really?” she says, though she’s already unbuckling his belt. 

“Allow me to clarify,” he says as he tugs the tie loose and pushes the robe off her shoulders. 

At the sight of her breasts and her puckered raspberry nipples, he momentarily forgets what he was going to say. 

“Was there more to that?” she asks coyly, slipping one hand under his boxers and running her palm over his erection. 

“Um,” he stutters, his hips involuntarily canting towards her. “Oh, um, yeah…”

She’s managed to get her fingers around his shaft and she’s slowly pumping her hand up and down, much to his distraction. 

“Must not be important,” she says, pulling her robe the rest of the way open with her free hand. 

She parts her legs that much wider, and when he sees the pink slash of her cunt between them, he remembers. He pulls her hand free of his pants and she gives him a mildly offended look, but when he gets down on his knees her eyes widen. 

“The venue is impertinent,” he explains as he runs his palms over the insides of her thighs, pushing them open wider. “I just want to eat your pussy.”

She makes a little surprised sound, but gives absolutely no indication that she objects. When he leans forward and covers her slick lips with his mouth, she leans back and braces her arms against the table top. 

She’s completely quiet, beyond her heavy breathing, but when he gently sucks on her clit he feels her pulse against his tongue. He concludes that she’d been preparing to take a bath, because she doesn’t taste like soap, thankfully. She tastes remarkably like her, like the inside of her mouth and the smell of her skin, like Scully in her purest form. He slips his tongue inside her and buries his nose in her cunt, breathing her in deep. 

“Oh,” she breathes out, hardly a word, and he glances up at her face. 

Her eyes are squeezed shut tight, her lip pinned between her teeth, and if not for the fact that he has high hopes of fucking her after this, he might get his cock out right now and fulfill that detail of his fantasy. 

Instead he grips the outsides of her thighs, pulling her even more firmly against his face, and her hips lift off the table. 

“Oh god,” she says, this time more audibly. 

She’s ungodly wet, smeared all over his cheeks and chin. He wonders if she’d be willing to sit on his face next time. He runs the flat of his tongue up and down from her clit to her opening and back over and over, and he feels her muscles tense under his hands. 

He looks up again and sees that she’s watching him with a completely agonized look on her face, like she’s about to cry. Mulder groans and applies himself fully, slipping two fingers inside her and lapping rhythmically at her clit. He senses her rising higher and higher, feels it in her body, hears it in her voice, tastes it in the syrupy slick of her. Her entire cunt seizes and he hears her breath catch, and he repeats the motion over and over, not changing a single thing. 

“I’m coming,” she whines, and he feels her fingernails dig into the back of his head as she grabs ahold of him. 

She comes beautifully right on his tongue, squeezing his fingers desperately and whimpering in a rising and falling crescendo in time with each hearty pulse. He slows as she does, but doesn’t stop until she sighs and removes her hand from his head. 

He stands up and wipes one hand over the bottom of his face, and she averts her eyes bashfully, though her legs are still spread wide. 

“I hope that lived up to your expectations,” she says shyly, reaching for him. 

He watches her face while she pushes his slacks off his hips and smiles at the sight of his stiff cock swinging free. 

“Allow me to clarify something else, then,” he says tightly as she strokes him. “Every single bit of this has wildly exceeded my expectations.”

She gently tugs on his cock to encourage him closer, simultaneously scooting to the very edge of the table. She brushes the head of him over her clit and they both groan. It takes a bit of maneuvering to get the angle right, but when he slides into her it’s like coming home. 

She takes his face in her hands, kissing him as he draws his hips back. 

“I missed you, too.”

[tehjmastuh]

October 4th National Emergency Alert Test Facts. DON'T PANIC!

All wireless providers carriers and TV providers will be conducting a test Nationwide. But I want to let you guys know what to expect when this test happens. The Test will commence at 2:20PM EST. Your phone will Amit a two chime square lead tone. These tones will be a ~ 932.328 Hz and a ~ 830.609 Hz For all you music majors out there. That is a Ab and a Bb the black keys on a keyboard. The tone will sound in a certain pattern. The pattern will produce one long blast, following 3 short blasts, and the pattern will repeat three times. It will sound like this.

__________________ ______ _____ _____

__________________ ______ _____ _____

__________________ ______ _____ _____. TV's and radios will be slightly different then it will be on a cellular device. The message you will receive should say "THIS IS A TEST of the national wireless emergency alert systems! No action is needed." ATTENTION CONSPIRACY THEROISTS! This is only a test!! If you don't want to participate in this test. These are some things you can do. Power off your phone or put your phone in airplane mode. From what I've hear for iPhones the silence switch on the side of your phone will not silence the message. and It will still be audible. If you try to ping your phone using your apple watch and your silent function is on, it will still ping. AGAIN! This test will be for all Cellphones within range of a phone tower that is Powered "On" and not in Airplane Mode. All radios and Television Providers. Period. Just like if you were to receive and AMBER alert or Any Alerts about any severe weather or general public safety alerts. Not your Personal Computer or Laptop! This test will only last approximately 30 minutes. But you will receive the message only ONCE. For TV's and radios, the message will be broadcasted for about one minute. If you power up your cellphone after the 30 minute test. You should still NOT receive the alert!! Nothing else crazy should happen that day, we won't loose power or internet, the government is not trying take over our lives. And if you think that.. ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TEST WILL BE ON FEMA'S WEBSITE!! It's against the FCC to have unauthorized signals to be transmitted from one receiver to another. All electronics and radio frequency devices must be in compliance with FCC regulations. THIS IS ONLY A TEST just like the presidential alert test that happened around the same time in the beginning of October back in 2018. For anyone else that thinks differently, I encourage you to turn off your tv's cell phones, radios, and any other communicative electronic device. Because I will be powering off my cellular devices that day as well. My thoughts. I do believe that if we don't want to be interrupted by these tests or if there were to be a real situation. We should have the right and freedom to ignore it at our own risk. This is my only take on the Government.

[tabbyrp]

Day 4

@tangleweave

There was something wholly uncivilized about aliens attacking on Halloween. In typical New Yorker fashion, when millions of phones rang out with the emergency alert, the collective response was a mix of rude gestures towards the sky and grumbling searches for shelter. Deep within the network of subway tunnels, all trains came to a grinding halt.

Amid a chorus of groans on the A train, Tabby pulled out her cell phone. Barely half a bar. She quickly texted to report she was safe but stuck, hoping the message would get through. Beside her sat a preschooler in full regal regalia perched on her mom’s lap, and a middle-aged businessman still tapping away on his laptop. “It’s just tribbitites,” he said casually. “I doubt they’ll even call in The Avengers for it.”

Tabby’s phone pinged with a voice note. By some miracle of the 5G gods it downloaded, and she popped in a headphone to listen. Gordon Gecko was only half right about the situation up to but that wasn’t for her to pass on. Instead, she tugged her white dress back down to mid-thigh and settled in to wait.

“Are you a real angel?”

The little girl in the next seat reached for the aging feathers on Tabby’s back, chubby fingers too young to tell the difference between plastic and real down. Her tired mother began to shush the child, but Tabby gave a subtle shake of her head, signalling the question was okay.

“No, kiddo, I’m afraid not. But you look like an amazing princess.”

“Thank you.” Sensing weakness, the girl stuck out her neon-orange pumpkin bucket. “Trick or treat.”

Down the bottom of her purse, Tabby found a couple of crumpled up dollar bills that she dropped into the container. Then, with nothing else to do and the mother’s blessing, she took Princess Michaela through the carriage. There wasn’t much candy to be had but more money landed in the pumpkin. Some people donated parts of their costume, cheap rings and bracelets turning into glittering treasures. One guy dressed as Spider-Man apologized for not having pockets and offered a fist-bump instead.

Hours later, Michaela was fast asleep in her mother’s lap. The subway lights had dimmed to a dull, red-tinted emergency mode. Cell service had vanished after an explosion rumbled overhead, shaking everything side to side. Tabby had reassured the few tourists stuck in the train that everything would be fine, cracking jokes until calm settled over the carriage once more.

She was scrolling through her camera roll, the same face repeated over and over, when a loud knock rapped against the train window.

Everyone jolted upright. At least one person screamed.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Several phone lights swung toward the voice, revealing large opaque eyes set in a mask of red and gloved hands pressed to the glass. “Just your friendly MTA Spider-Man here to escort you to your next stop.”

With the power still out, that meant forcing the doors open with a dull screech and having passengers climb out one by one, the local web slinger helping them down.

The princess received a bow. The guy dressed as Spider-Man for Halloween got his second fist bump of the night and everyone pretended he didn’t squeal with excitement after.

Tabby waited to be the last one before disembarking. She had half a foot on the train step when Spider-Man stepped back instead of assisting, shaking his head and waggling a finger. “Gotta ask first, ma’am. That guy you were staring at on your phone, he your boyfriend or something?”

“Or something,” Tabby retorted with a smile. “So, if you thought turning up like a big damn hero after fighting toad men was gonna make this angel fall for you….” Taking hold of the handrail, she pirouetted on the step and pretended to drop into a swoon.

Their voices barely carried down the tunnel, and only one person glanced back to witness Spider-Man take the young woman firmly by the waist, then her arms lingering around his shoulders long after feet were on solid ground.

“Mom.” Michaela mumbled, rubbing her eyes with a small fist. “Can I be a superhero next year?’

Her mother stopped looking over her shoulder and adjusted the child on her hip. “Sure baby.”

Travelling through the shadows, Spider-Man swung on a web, landing at the head of the group to lead them toward the exit.

If he happened to be carrying an angel with him, well, that sure wasn’t any of her business.

[huffle-dork]

Swap into the CrystalVerse Chapter 20: Horror Septics

Co-written with @crystalninjaphoenix 

Read Swapboys | Read Horror Septics | AO3 Link

Prologue | Switch | Stitched | PNPT | Septicheroes | Fantasy Masks

Taglist: @brokentimewatch @di-diwata  

This time after the fall, Alt finds himself in a city. And, despite the slightly older architecture, it is clearly a modern city, with asphalt streets and electric lamps and a group of three people hurriedly walking past wearing jeans and t-shirts. The sky is darker, with just the tinge of orange sunset to the west.

One of the people in the group stops walking and stares at him. "Hallo du! Tourist!" she shouts. "Was machst du? Es ist Nacht! Gehen Sie zurück in Ihr Hotel!" They're speaking a different language, but unlike landing in the last universe, it's a language he at least recognizes.

Alt sways on his feet and shakes out his head. He blinks at the people and then casts his translation spell on himself- but now it feels familiar. He's done this a couple times on Henrik. He asks the woman is shaky German, "Um hi? Can you repeat that please? I don't think I caught it." As he asks he looks around the city, trying to see if there's anything familiar. Though, the fact that they're immedately speaking German to him is not a good sign.

The woman glances him over, then looks back at her two companions. Before she can say anything, though-- EEEEP! EEEEP! EEEEP! The TRVLR starts letting out a loud beeping noise. When Alt turns on the screen, it shows the following message:

WARNING

Lethal ALTRs detected in Current Location: (!)UA-1031019HS. Please jump as soon as possible.

But even if Alt wanted to do that, he can't, because the message and beeping barely lasts long enough for him to read it before it's replaced by the low battery icon.

Alt glitches in surprise as the TRVLR starts to beep and he pulls it out. He goes pale as he reads the message. "No- w-what?!"

The three Germans have decided to have a conversation between themselves while Alt reads the message. The woman from before seems to be insisting something. One of the others, a man, looks concerned, while the second woman stares at the west where the orange light of the sun is fading.

Alt looks desperately at the group and now shouts with more determination, "Please! Where am I?! I-Is there something dangerous around here?"

The three of them jump, surprised, and seem a bit more wary of him. The second woman says in halting English, "Mister, go back to your hotel room, you should not be out on the streets at night in Achmatze." And then, abruptly, they all hurry away, turning the nearest street corner and vanishing from sight.

Alt looks close to panicking as he starts to glitch and run down the street. He pulls out his phone to see if he can message Bro- he needs to warn him!

It seems WiFi and cell signal works in this universe--though he seems to be in a bad reception spot. But before he can do anything, there's something behind him. Footsteps. Approaching rapidly.

How fast can you react, Alt?

Alt almost freezes then he starts to glitch as fast as he can, rushing down the road in a blind panic.

But even glitching, he's not fast enough. Somehow, impossibly, the sound just gets closer and closer, until something grabs him from behind, wrapping an arm around his torso. He feels a pain in his neck.

Alt screams and tries to thrash away, glitching wildly. "N-No! LET ME GO!" He tries to glitch out of their clutches even as his surroundings start to dim and blur.

He does manage to glitch out of the grip holding him back, but he doesn't get far, stumbling down the street and losing his balance. The footsteps behind him approach--not as fast as before, but still quickly--and simply grabs him again, dragging him back towards an open doorway in a nearby building.

Alt stumbles as far as he can before he's grabbed again and now he can feel himself slowing down. His body tries to fizzle and pop with glitches but not enough for him to free himself again. "No! S-Stop...! H-Help...!"

But nobody comes. He's dragged backwards through the doorway. It leads into a hallway with stained white walls and stained white tiles on the floor. And then he blinks. And the doorway leading outside again is gone. Instead there's simply more of the hallway, extending forward, seemingly endless. His vision is starting to waver.

Alt whimpers as the door disappears, terrified tears in his eyes. Is this how he's gonna die? He can't even warn Chase...! He tries to glitch out again, desperate to get away.

His body fizzles for a moment then reappears a little down the hallway. If he was trying to leave by glitching through the walls, it doesn't work. There might as well have been solid rock beyond.

Alt scrambles to try to glitch through the walls but finds himself blocked. Which only makes him panic more.

But as he glitches he turns around, and sees what grabbed him. Stitches mar skin and clothing. One bloodshot blue eye stares at him from above a blue surgical mask. It vaguely looks human, wearing a white coat that is red on the inside, but it is so clearly not.

Then, whatever was injected into him as his legs shaking and then crumpling underneath him.

As he loses his balance, it walks over and crouches down next to him. "Geh ins Bett."

Alt tries to scramble back but he's starting to lose feeling in his limbs. He pleads to the figure. "p-please... d-don't...!"

It simply tilts his head to the side, watching him. Waiting. It knows it won't have to wait long, but this is longer than it expected.

Alt sobs as the darkness threatens to swallow him whole. He whimpers and cries out for his brother. “c-chase…! Chase! H-Help…!”

Darkness soon drags Alt down.

-----------

Bro falls for a second, and lands in a field--no, not just in a field. He's right next to a motorway. Asphalt with cement bounce walls lining it and cars driving quickly down the road. A clearly modern environment. But it is quite isolated. There's nothing but this field of waist-length grass for a while. There's a forest on the edge of the horizon and some sort of building slightly closer than that? It's dark, though. Maybe abandoned. The sun above is dipping near the horizon but not yet touching it. Something rustles in the grass.

Bro startles as he hears the motorway. After a couple days of being in a fantasy land, the sudden noise was a lot. He whirls around to see the field and scratches his head. “Welp… not home again…” He sighs. Then he jumps and hovers in the air for a second as the grass rustles.

A figure pops up. He gasps, then laughs. "H-hey, it's just me!" It's Alt.

Bro relaxes and floats back down to Alt and laughs shakily. “Jesus dude you scared me! Finally we got better luck and actually fell together huh??”

"It's about time, isn't it?" Alt grins and looks around. "Uh... where are we, though?"

“No fucking clue, dude.” Bro answers. He looks out at the horizon and sees the building. “Looks like we got two options, either going to that building or we can try to follow the motorway to see if we can find a town or landmark.”

"Hmm." Alt pauses, thinking. "Well... we could check out that building first." He points. "I-it's not like there's anything stopping us from coming back to the motorway. Besides, haven't we been appearing near, uh, you know... people like us? Maybe someone's in there?"

“Hm! Good point, lil bro!” Bro grins and then takes off into the air. “You wanna race then? The sun is setting and not gonna lie- it’s getting kinda creepy out here!”

Alt grins right back. "You're on!"

Bro laughs and then rockets off towards the house, very briefly checking behind to see if Alt is catching up.

Every time Bro looks back, Alt is a little bit closer. But despite clearly glitching in order to keep up, he's not passing Bro yet. He must still be tired from powering the TRVLR. The building is some ways away, but they steadily approach it.

Bro seems a bit worried but- he also does want to win. Alt’s been beating him a lot lately. So he bursts in a bit of a faster flight and focuses on getting to the house.

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

Magnificent appears in a forest--not a good sign for the modernity of this world. But the ropes binding him have disappeared. Since they were made of that world's magic, they must not have been able to last the jump. The forest is full of tall trees with dark bark, a few beams of late-day orange sunlight shining between the rare gaps in the branches. There isn't as much undergrowth as there usually would be in a forest, but there is a lot of fog, curling around the roots of the trees, strands catching around Magnificent's legs.

Magnificent rights himself and then rubs at his wrists. He glares at the forest and then groans, “Another fucking forest- okay…” He sighs and then changes his appearance back to his normal one, scanning the area- is there any magic around here? He’s not lacking… but you know. New world- probably.

It hits him like a truck. Not like the last world, where the magic was everywhere but somewhat distant. Instead, he is standing on the edge of an ocean. Draining power from this source would be like trying to fill a bucket with its water. Even if he can do it without being bowled over by the waves, he would only be able to take a fraction of a percent of a portion of it, and the ocean would not notice its absence.

Magnificent gasps and stumbles against a nearby tree trunk, eyes wide as he registers just how much magic there is. "W-What the hell...? This- this power-!" He pushes himself up to try to look for the source. This- he must try to harness this- control the source! if he did... he'd be unstoppable!

He reaches out. It's all around him, and its power slowly fills him. Around his feet, the fog swirls faster, circling around him like a whirlpool.

Oh.

Oh, he was wrong.

The ocean did notice.

And now it is watching him.

"You're very lost."

Magnificent stiffens and whips around to look for the voice. "Who's there?" He lights green fire in his hand." Show yourself!"

"I think you're just not looking hard enough." As his eyes scan the forest, he suddenly sees it. A tall figure--certainly taller than him--that blends in easily with the trees. Most of its body is hidden even as the light from his fire falls upon it, but the flames dance upon a skull-like mask with two triangular ears. A Chesire grin sits wide beneath the facade. "Where did you come from? And why are you here?"

Magnificent snarls and then he freezes as he sees the figure. He then narrows his eyes at it, "... I come from a world beyond here. And I'm here to gain power." He says plainly. Something feels... off here. "What are you, specter?"

"They call me Cait Coill down in the hollow," it says, taking a step closer, moving so smooth that it almost looks like it's gliding. "You come from the worlds beyond? We haven't had one of those in a long, long, time. And not one so... fragile."

"Fragile?!" Magnificent growls, "You clearly don't know who you're dealing with, Cait Coill..." But- a nagging voice in the back of his head seems to shrink back, wondering if he can even face this thing.

"You have a heart that beats. You have lungs that breathe. You have a liver that filters. You have nerves that sing." Cait Coill raises a hand. The ends of the fingers are sharp. Maybe they're claws. It's hard to tell. "How easy it would be to stop those all." It laughs. Probably. The smiling mouth doesn't open. "But very well. You are... sturdier than most. And you seek power. Is that why you reached out? To take it?"

It is so very quiet in the forest.

Magnificent feels a shiver run down his spine and he staggers back, actual fear flickering in his heart for a second. "Yes..." Magnificent admits. "O-Or perhaps... we could form an alliance?"

"You're not used to offering that, are you?" Cait Coill says quietly. "But if that's what you wish, I can provide."

Magnificent is suddenly very aware of a... loosening. Like he had been held in a tight grip that was now relaxing.

"What can you provide?"

Magnificent falters. "I-I can provide... magical knowledge! Or my unique form of mental magic." He tries not to shudder. He feels like he's making a deal with the devil.

"Why would I need that?" Cait Coill's head tilts to the side. It moves again in that smooth gliding gait. Is it... circling him?

"But... hmm, there is something you may be able to do. I cannot leave my forest, you see. Which is a problem when some of my... not enemies, that is too harsh a word. But we can use it for now. Some of my enemies exist outside my domain. You can leave. Take the power you can carry. If you agree to seek out something in a red hood. You will know it when you see it. Seek it out, and attack when you find it. Intend to kill. Does that work for you?"

"Um... s-sure." Magnificent says slowly. He feels like refusing could get him killed. "I can do that."

Cait Coill nods. The grip disappears entirely. "Take what you will, then." Some of the fog clears, forming a perfectly straight line heading to the left. "Follow that to the road. Once you reach it, you can head wherever you like."

Magnificent breathes and then nods almost reverently. He skids around Cait Coill and starts to walk down the path, taking the power he needs as he walks. His chest feels cold- that distant voice in his head fearfully telling him he's made a grave mistake.

Don't you know Marvin? You never agree with the fae...

Cait Coill stays where it is, watching Magnificent walk away until it feels him step off the forest floor and onto the asphalt of the single road cutting through the trees. "Follow him," it says. The branches above rustle as something moves, skittering limbs and swinging strings. It's the sort of movement that would cause a lot of rustling leaves and creaking branches. But it's so silent in the forest.

Magnificent breaks into a sprint after a second to breathe, using his magic and now this boost to help him teleport away faster.

Why was it so quiet?

-----------

Bro reaches the building first. It's not a house, it's... some kind of concrete box. A radio tower? A cell tower? There's a metal spire sticking out of the roof.

Bro stops in front of the building and stares at it curiously. "Huh."

Alt isn't far behind. "Hah... another win for the great Bro Fantastic, huh?" he says.

Bro turns and grins down at Alt, "Hey! You made good time though~" He lightly teases. He then touches down to the ground and looks around for an entrance. "Whatcha think this place is anyways?"

Alt shrugs. "I don't know. Radio, maybe? They have to have antennas all over the country to broadcast everywhere. People still live in the middle of nowhere and they need to reach others." He walks up to the door, testing it. When it swings easily, he pulls it open. "Come on. Might as well see."

"Oh huh yeah- never really thought of that." Bro admits as he follows after Alt. "... still feels weird though-"

"Yeah, I know." Alt shivers. "It... does give me the creeps a little."

The door opens into a wide room, almost empty. The only real things of note are a desk--reception, of some kind?--and a couple chairs around the edges of the room. There are three doors, all ajar--left wall, right wall, and straight ahead.

"Hello?" Alt calls. There's no answer. "Uh..." He glances at Bro uneasily. "You... want to check out the rooms?"

Stuff might be in there. People might be in there. Might as well.This is creepy, but it's kind of fun to explore with his brother.

"Yeah... might as well," Bro mumbles. "Stick together though... just in case there's like... something bad hiding in here." He starts to go forward, to the door straight ahead of them.

"Right." Alt is suddenly ahead of him. Glitching again, haha. It's good to see after the lack of glitches in the last world. He reaches out and pushes the door fully open. "Hello?" he says, stepping inside.

As Bro starts to follow, someone grabs him. They were hiding behind the desk! And now they pull him back there as well, one hand covering his mouth. "Don't go in there," a voice whispers in his ear.

Bro jerks as he's grabbed and tries to elbow the person holding him.

The person bites back a yelp and immediately lets go of him. When Bro turns to look, he sees an older man--no. Wait. Not older. Despite the streaks of grey in his brown hair, his face isn't actually too much older than Bro himself. He's wearing a couple different layers of shirts and jackets, ending in a green parka with fur around the hood. An eye-patch covers his right eye. Bandages are wrapped around his neck.

"Sorry!" the man whisper-shouts. "But don't go in there! Don't follow it!"

"Chase?" Alt's voice calls.

Bro's eyes widen as he takes in the man's appearance. But, then he growls and starts to push himself up, "It? That's my brother, asshole! What are you playing at? Hiding out back here?" He whispers.

"Yes, I am, actually!" The man hisses back. He gestures around him, and Chase notices that there's a sleeping bag and duffel bag beneath the desk. "I-it was working out, since the tower doesn't work anymore, but it was still freaking me out so I was going to leave--you're so lucky I didn't, oh my god."

"Chase? Is everything alright?" Alt's footsteps turn around and head back into the main room.

The man's eyes widen. He grips Chase's jacket. "Listen, Chase--that's your name right? What color are your brother's eyes? What does he usually wear? Don't go off memory, look at him and think about it!"

Chase takes in the area with widening eyes. Something- something's not right here. He stiffens slightly as he hears Alt coming. "W-What? I... I know what my brother looks like!" He whispers in slight panic.

"Yes, I'm sure you do, that's why I'm telling you to look, and I mean really look," the man insists.

Chase pushes himself away from the man, a feeling of dread heavy in his gut.

"Chase?!" Alt appears in the doorway again, looking worried. "There you are, why--" When he notices the man he stiffens slightly. Why? He was surprised, right? But... why does it feel like there was a split second of something else there. "Did this guy attack you?!"

Bro whips around to look at Alt and then throws up his hands, "N-No! No he... he just startled me- I'm okay."

With the man's warning in mind though, Chase starts to study Alt a bit closer, trying to see if anything is off.

"Are you sure? Did he grab you?" Alt asks.

Nothing much is off. Alt's hair is brown as always and his eyes are blue and he's wearing his jacket.

...

Wait. Alt's eyes are green.

No no no, wait, they're both. He has central heterochromia.

Is that what he's looking at?

Alt has freckles. He usually uses his mask to hide them and his scar. Where are his freckles supposed to be? It's like... as he's staring at this face, it's like they won't... settle?

Imagine talking to someone on the phone. Imagine instinctively picturing them in your mind, and then changing and adjusting that picture as they describe themself to you. That's what Chase is looking at. Except the picture is constantly changing. It's Alt, right? His hair is brown and his eyes are blue and green and he has freckles and a scar and he's wearing his red jacket--

...

Alt's jacket wasn't red when they started jumping through universes.

Why is it red now?

As Chase stares he slowly starts to realize that something is off. But, mostly he's thrown off by the jacket.

Alt's jacket has always... always been blue.

He staggers back, eyes wide. "You're... you're not Alt-"

Alt's face drops. Almost literally, as all of a sudden this human-shaped thing does not look like him at all and Chase isn't sure how he ever could've mistaken it for his brother. It looks at the man with the eye-patch and scowls. "You ruin everything."

The man laughs, a hysterical anxiety-fueled edge to it. "I'm happy to r-ruin things for you! What fucking bad luck, that you decided to go here!"

"I had a plan, I didn't know you were here! It's a radio tower, you know. The spire can still be used even if it's been disconnected."

The man grips Chase's arm. It's unclear if this is for comfort, or if he's trying to pull Chase away from... whatever that is.

Chase staggers back, closer to the man as he watches this thing take away the image of his little brother. Tears gather in his eyes as he suddenly shouts, looking ready to punch this imposter in the face. "W-What did you do with Alt?! Where is he??"

It shrugs. Do shoulders move like that? "I don't know. He wasn't anywhere near you when you popped out of nowhere. I simply... took advantage of the situation."

"You are so lucky," the man is muttering behind him. "You are so fucking lucky. It got you fast, didn't it?"

Chase feels like he can’t breathe. He- he was just willing to believe this thing. But- it looked like Alt! It acted like him- it glitched like him….

Hadn’t it…?

“W-What are you?!”

"That's a good question," it says, and smiles. A moment passes. Then it turns away. "Well. I'll see you later." And it walks right out of the building like nothing had happened at all.

The man lets out a shaky breath. "...maybe you're not so lucky."

“W-Wait! Fucking- Bastard! Get back here!” Bro shouts at the retreating figure, bunching up like he’s ready to go chasing after it.

"Nope!" The man grabs the back of his jacket and pulls him back. "Really think about what you're going to do. Do you want to go after that?!"

Chase oofs as he’s pulled back, then he jerks his arm back and glares at the man. “I… I don’t know! I just- want answers! What’s going on here? What is that thing? Why did it know my brother and I-imitate him so well? Who are you? Why do you know that thing?!” He asks in rapid succession, trying not to panic.

"Yeah well, it isn't going to give you those answers!" The man sighs. "Okay, look. I'll try to explain some. That thing is called Sangria. You know, like the wine, or the shade of red. I-I'm pretty sure it can mildly read minds? Just enough to know what you want. I-I guess you really wanted your brother. And it... does whatever it can to get close to people. As for me, I'm..." He hesitates. "My name is ä±ÞėŎ, but that's... hard for people to remember, so call me whatever you like. I've met Sangria a couple of times... and some others like it." Hard for people to remember indeed. Did he mumble his name?

“Sangira…” Chase repeats, knitting his eyebrows together. “Uh… y-yeah I do… we got separated when coming here… n-now I’m even more worried then I have been. If that t-thing is just walking around, tricking people-!” He then pauses as he tries to process the man’s name. “I’m sorry.., what was your name again?”

"×ķěńĢï," the man says, sounding almost sad. "Look, don't worry about it. Just give me a nickname or whatever, I'm okay with almost anything." He laughs. "As long as you don't call me 'shitface' or something." He quickly becomes serious again. "As for your brother... well, there's no guarantee, but people alone are bigger targets for these things. What... what did you mean by you 'came here'? There's not many places around here."

Chase looks distressed that he can’t understand the man’s name but he nods. He tries to laugh but all he feels is dread. “I… I’m not sure if you’ll believe me but… I’m from- another universe. Usually they’re parallel but I… I have no idea how we relate here… Sangira doesn’t remind me of anyone I know… except you know- when he tried to look like my brother…”

The man blinks. Then laughs. “Sure. Why the fuck not? Other universes.” He shakes his head. “Maybe this is your first one without any parallels. I don’t know. I certainly don’t know a version of you. Chase with a brother named Alt? Doesn’t ring a bell. Or maybe Sangria only vaguely resembles someone you know. Do you know anyone who usually wears red, maybe a hoodie? Its red hood is its most distinct characteristic.”

“I mean… Alt is his preferred name now but… he used to be called Anti. If that helps.” Chase mutters. He pulls out his phone, wondering if he can get a message out to Alt. Though… by now his phone might be dead. When the man mentions the red hoodie, Chase freezes and suddenly pales. “…no- no no no there’s no way… there’s no f-fucking way…!” He whispers in disbelief.

"I don't know anyone named Anti, either--huh?" The man looks down at Chase's phone as he pulls it out. He goes a bit pale and quickly walks away, around the desk. He looks like he wants to go further, but then Chase starts freaking out. "Wait, did you actually find a connection?"

Chase whips his head towards the man and then panics more, “No! Cuz there’s… t-there’s so way that thing is Jackie! There’s no way that m-monster is my best friend! No no no- this… this is fucking—!” He grips at his head and shakes it.

"Oh. Um..." The man hesitates, then reaches across the desk and awkwardly, almost comically, pats Chase on the shoulder. "It's... probably just a coincidence. I mean, there are a bunch of people out there who wear red hoodies. I like hoodies. Maybe I'm your Jackie." He laughs, also awkwardly. "I-I don't mean that, really."

Chase blinks up at the man and tries to breathe, “uh… r-right…” He laughs a little and shakes his head. “…maybe I can call you… not Jackie but similar… Jack, maybe-“

The man’s expression brightens. “Y-yeah! You can do that! N-no problem.”

Chase looks around and furrows his eyebrows, “Hey why… why are you in this radio tower anyways?”

And just as quickly, Jack’s expression darkens again. “Well I uh… I don’t like… being around technology. So this place out in the middle of nowhere seemed perfect. I know, I know, huge radio spire, but everything else in here was stripped away so I thought it was good enough. Like I said earlier, though, it was still kind of freaking me out so I was going to leave soon. Decided to spend one last night here, and… well. You’re so lucky I did.”

"Yeah... i think I am..." Chase hugs himself tightly and then checks his phone again. Definitely dead now. That's what happens when you're in a world without electricity for 3 days. He sighs and shoves his phone in his pocket. "Well you don't have to worry, my phone is dead. But, why are you like- avoiding all that stuff? Usually to do that people like- go off the grid in the woods somewhere."

“God, I’d love to go live in the woods somewhere but I do not have the survival skills for that.” He points to the left, vaguely down the motorway. “There’s a town an hour or two’s walk in that direction, I go there to get food and stuff. As for why… it… has to do with something like Sangria.” He takes a deep breath. “I got targeted by one of them a while ago. I-I escaped, but it… might still be looking for me. It… uses technology. Computers and stuff. So… the less time I can spend around it, the better. Sometimes it can’t be helped though. Like I said, I don’t have the skills to go off grid completely.”

“Oh damn…” Chase mutters, “That’s… terrifying- I can’t imagine trying to… cut myself off from tech. And all alone…“ He sighs and then pushes himself up. “…are- are there a lot of things like Sangria around here? I… i gotta go find my brother…”

“Ha!” Jack laughs, then abruptly covers his mouth to stop himself. “I’m sorry. That’s not funny.” He lowers his hand again, unmuffling his mouth. “To sum it up… yeah? I think so.” He pauses. “If you need help looking for your brother… I’d be happy to join you. I know about a few of them and can probably spot them even if I don’t already know them. I could… be helpful.”

“That’d… that’d be great, Jack.” Bro sighs, “If there’s these bad things around here… I gotta find Alt as soon as possible. He could be in serious trouble…”

Jack nods. “I’m sure your brother can handle himself. You seem tough. I bet he is too.” He walks back around the desk and starts putting away the sleeping bag. “I bet he didn’t pop into this universe—god that sounds ridiculous but why not? Anyway he probably isn’t too far from here. I think the best bet is to walk to that town I mentioned. Even if he’s not there, you can… find somewhere to charge your phone. A-and call him.”

Bro slowly nods and makes sure he has all his stuff. “Yeah… I hope… I hope he’s okay… he’s tough but- he’s been having the worst luck in these worlds…” He holds his arm and grips it right, worry churning in his gut.

Jack pauses. He takes a deep breath. “Well, better hurry then.” He attaches the rolled sleeping bag to the duffel bag and slings it over his shoulder as he stands. “Come on. Better get moving while there’s still light.”

Chase nods, “Yeah I’ll… I’ll follow your lead.”

—————-

Alt awakens slowly, finding himself in a room with white stained walls and a single wooden door. He’s lying down. But when he tries to stand he can’t. He’s strapped to a bed with leather restraints on his wrist, ankles, chest, and waist. Besides the bed, the only other furniture in the room are two large lights, like are used in hospital operating rooms. They’re not on. But somehow the room is evenly lit.

Alt wakes up and when he tries to move- when he feels the tension of the straps- he immediately starts to panic. He starts to hyperventilate as he yanks and writhes, trying to break out of the straps. “No! No no no no! Fuck!!”

The restraints are very secure… but there’s no magic on them. If he could just calm down maybe he could—was that screaming in the distance?

Alt pauses in his panicking to hear the screaming and his blood turns cold. He tries to glitch out of the straps- hopefully whatever he got drugged with didn’t mess with his powers! Please- he needs to get out of here!

It takes a couple tries—he still feels a bit off—but eventually he reappears next to the bed in a flurry of pixels.

Alt gasps as he gets out and then feels his knees shake and he has to lean on the table. He whimpers in fear, he’s shaking so much. But- he needs to get out of here! He stumbles forward and tries to glitch outside of the room.

Again, it takes a minute. Not as long, but longer than he wants. But he soon glitches through the room’s one door and ends up in the hallway outside— And leaning against the wall with folded arms is that same… thing that dragged him in here. One hand holds a bone saw in a loose grip. The other raises, a short wave. “Guten Tag.”

Alt glitches out and stumbles against the wall, holding himself up. He stiffens as he sees the thing- there. He staggers back, heart threatening to beat out of his chest. “no- no no! G-get away from me…!” He yells and tries to push himself away from the wall, stumbling back. He-He should have grabbed a weapon or-can he reach his magic? It feels so- fuzzy. Hard to reach. Electricity crackles around him in small sparks.

It laughs, an amused chuckle like a parent watching a child try to grab something they can’t possibly reach. It doesn’t move. Just watches Alt stagger and scramble. The hallway extends to the left and the right. Left ends in a T intersection. Right ends in a pair of doors.

Alt heaves in panic. He looks between the two options in the hallway. He makes a quick decision and rushes down the right in a clumsy sprint, nearly running into the walls or tripping over his own feet. He rushes through the doors and then tries to look for something to jam against them.

Now this is an operating room. Or… is it called an operating theatre when it’s this old fashioned? The room is circular, with a table in the middle that has the same restraints as the bed Alt woke up on. Around the edges are more lights and trays of sharp instruments. There’s a sink built into the wall but it’s so rusted that it doesn’t look like the knobs will turn. A couple old fashioned wheelchairs are pushed to the side. They also have restraints. If he’s trying to jam the door, maybe… maybe the lights? Or the chairs? The trays are on wheels. Nothing looks too heavy in here…

Alt chokes on a terrified sob as he scrambles to find anything that can help him. He hurries and grabs some of the sharp instruments and then tries to push the wheelchairs up against the door.

As he does that, the doors start to open, pushing into the room. There are locks on the chairs’ wheels that prevent them from rolling, so the doors are blocked for the moment. There’s muttering on the other side. It sounds annoyed. He doesn’t have that long to prepare—!

Alt staggers back and he presses up against the farthest wall. He shakily holds out the tool he found, trying to spark it up with electricity.

The doors burst open, pushing aside Alt’s crude barricade. The stitched up thing stands there. What little Alt can see of its face is irritated, and it’s exchanged the bone saw for a syringe with a long needle. “Du kannst dich hier nicht verstecken,” it growls, approaching him.

Alt yells and then throws the electric charged scalpel at the thing. A distraction. He doesn’t even see if it hits, he then closes his eyes and tries to glitch into the overhead lights. When it doesn’t work though he jolts and looks around. There’s- there’s no overhead lights?? no no fuck-!

The scalpel leaves a small cut in the thing's chest, but that just annoys it more. As Alt stands there trying to find lights that don't exist, it lunges forward, plunging the syringe into Alt's arm. This feels different than the last time. He doesn't feel darkness pulling at him, but his body becomes more and more tired...

Alt screams out in pain and tries to push the thing away. But, his body- he’s losing strength. His knees shake and waver, threatening to give out. His head feels heavy. He chokes on a sob.

“Fuck no-! W-What do you want with me?!” He wails, clumsily hands trying to pry the creature off of him.

"Du bist so faszinierend," it says in a quiet voice, a strange note of awe in its words. It clutches tighter at Alt, dragging him over to the table in the middle of the room. "Dein Schmerz wird köstlich sein." And it pushes him onto its surface.

Alt recognizes two of those words: fascinating and pain. He yells out and tries to fight the thing as it pushes him down, even as his heavy body tries to work against him. “NO! NO LET ME GO! STOP IT!”

But his struggles are of no use. He's too weak and this creature isn't even bothered by him as it applies the straps, keeping Alt's arms spread to either side. There's even one that goes over his neck, preventing him from lifting his head without choking. The creature hums, satisfied, and then starts searching through the sharp implements around the edges of the room—

Alt sobs in terror and tries to struggle but he can barely lift his weak muscles now. He feels like his heart is gonna leap out of his chest. His lungs are working overtime, making him heave breath after terrified breath.

There's... a knock. Like a knock on a door on some other floor of a building. Where did that come from?

Alt hears the knock and tries to turn towards it but he chokes on the strap. So he shuts his eyes and screams out, “HELP!! SOMEONE HELP! PLEASE!!”

The creature raises its head, looking confused and annoyed. It stares at Alt for a long moment...... Then it sighs, disappointed, and quickly leaves the room. The double doors remain ajar but there's nothing Alt can do to reach them right now. Whatever was in that injection is making it hard to glitch.

Alt quietly cries, hating how his body won’t fight anymore. Everything is too heavy. But he’s still awake- he can’t glitch. “C-Chase… chase please w-where are you…?” He whispers to the quiet air.

Not long later, it returns. And there's someone with him. At first, Alt thinks it looks like Jackie--his friend, his friend--but there's something... off about his appearance. The doctor creature from before folds its arms and leans against the wall, while this new person walks up to Alt, looking less and less like Jackie the closer... he... gets.

Alt’s eyes flit to look at the door, and he breathes out in surprise. “J-Jackie?” But then he cuts him off with a gasp and tries to shrink away as the new figure approaches. “…w-who are you…?” He whimpers.

He--it crouches down next to the table so that it's at eye level with Alt. "Who do you want me to be?" it says. "Jackie, you said? Do you want to call me that?"

The thing by the door sighs, irritated. "Dies ist nicht die Zeit für Ihre Spiele!"

"Right, right. Sorry." It flashes a smile. "By now your brother probably knows what I'm called these days, so I'll tell you. Sangria. That's the color your blood is. I assume. I haven't seen it." Its head jerks to the side. "That's Notarzt, if you're curious."

"Hey!" The other one--Notarzt protests. "Ich habe nicht gesagt, dass du es ihm sagen darfst!"

"I-I don't... y-you're not..." Alt stammers in confusion. Then, his eyes widen as this thing- Sangria- mentions his brother. He yells and tries to push against the straps, the air around him trying to glitch. But, he can hardly move. "W-Where is he?! Did you- did you hurt Chase?!"

"I didn't get the chance to, if I'm being honest." Sangria glances back at Notarzt. "£©¥Ĩ was there. He snapped him out of it."

Notarzt stiffens slightly but says nothing.

"But here's the strange thing, Alt," Sangria continues, looking back at him. "I saw him appear out of nowhere. Notarzt said it saw you do the same thing. Why?" It lowers its voice to a whisper. "And you should probably answer. The longer I talk to you, the less time Notarzt gets with you."

Alt shudders and swallows shakily. "I...! W-we're from a-another world-! We... we jumped here- u-using a... a device and- w-we just pop up..! We were trying to go home- we didn't mean to come here-"

"Another world? Fascinating. That would explain why he could fly. You people aren't supposed to be able to do that." Sangria grins. "Let me guess... coming here was an accident? Or... you didn't know what you'd find? I don't think you'd come here if you knew. Unless you were very confident."

"Yeah I... I don't know how- how I picked this one but I... I didn't mean to-! And if.. if you let me find my brother... we- we can get out of here!" Alt pleads, weakly trying to push against the straps, "We didn't know... w-we didn't know...!"

"Do you think we want you to leave here?" Sangria gestures at Notarzt again. "It'd be perfectly happy to keep you here forever... or as long as you last." It sighs. "But it doesn't really make any difference to me. There's already billions of you. And I got bored of death a while ago. This could be something new. Do you think it'll be fun to help you leave?"

Terrified tears still fall off Alt's face as he stammers, "I...I-" He closes his eyes then whimpers out desperately, "I-I can make it fun...!" He shoulders glitch and fizzle and pop, reacting to his emotions.

It's hard to read Sangria's expression as it tilts its head.

But Notarzt seems unhappy with this whole thing. "Das hilft mir nicht, wissen Sie," it grumbles.

"Oh shush, think of this as repayment," Sangria says. "Alright. Alt, did anyone else come here besides you and your brother?"

"M-Mag... A m-magician named Magnificent...! He's here too- I.. I don't know where he is though-" He whispers, eyeing Notarzt and trying to control his shaking.

"Hmm... you don't seem to like him," Sangria says thoughtfully. It grins. "But if you're going back, then he has to go back, doesn't he? Alright." It stands up. "I can make this work. Don't worry. You and your brother and that magician will be going home."

Notarzt cries out, and Sangria hurries over to it. It says something in a quiet voice that Alt can't make out from here. Whatever it is seems to calm Notarzt, which nods.

"This won't take long," Sangria says to Alt. And without another word, it leaves the room through the double doors.

"W-WAIT!" Alt shouts after him, fighting against the straps with a new burst of terror. "I-I thought-! D-D- DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!!" He screams- and a burst of sound waves comes off him, pushing some of the medical trays and equipment back. But- it doesn't do much besides that as Alt sobs, absolutely petrified with fear.

But Sangria is already gone. Notarzt takes a moment to straighten out the equipment, then picks something up and walks over. "Sind Sie bereit?" it asks, holding up a long, thin blade.

Alt stares with wide eyes, breathing rapidly and shaking like a leaf. “n-no… no please-“

Notarzt laughs. It slowly lowers the blade, slicing through Alt's shirt. It pushes the fabric aside and takes a moment to examine things. And then it lowers the blade again and slices a pair of clean lines, tracing the shape of Alt's collarbone.

Alt bites back a scream, clawing fingers into the table below him.

It follows it up with a long line tracing down his sternum, then two more at the bottom where his ribcage ends.

Notarzt exchanges the long blade for a smaller scalpel and some sort of long needle-like object. It leans close and pokes the needle into the cuts it made, occasionally using the scalpel to... hold it open. The needle goes deep. Is it poking against the bone?

Alt does scream now, attempting to kick his feet and claws deeper into the table as he feels something poking his bones! it feels fucking awful. “S-stop- Stop!”

"Hör auf?" Notarzt looks at him, blue eye alight. "Das ist erst der Anfang." But after a while--too long of a while--it does stop, exchanging these tools for a smaller needle and some black thread. "Sie werden dafür stillhalten wollen."

Alt sobs, closing his eyes and trying to calm his breathing but all he can feel is searing pain in his numb body. He can’t help but panic.

And it doesn't end. It's a small piercing at first, and then it goes deeper, beneath the skin into the flesh and muscle. And then comes the pulling, the feeling of something passing through. This is going to take a while. And there will be more after.

Alt screams himself hoarse, screaming and writhing and crying out for his brother. “Help- HELLPPP!!” His screams echo down the hall, sometimes vibrating the walls and shaking the ceiling.