#I am firmly pro love triangle | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

queenofbaws · 5 years ago

Text

Day 13: First Kiss

Fandom: Until Dawn Characters: Jess Riley, Ashley Brown, cameos from the other UD ladies Words: 1,737 Rating: G (Smoochin’!!!) Author’s note: These two don’t interact enough in canon, if you ask me. So...I made them interact ;* ---

It was funny how all of their hang-outs always ended up in the same place once the small-talk had died down and nothing was left of the snacks but crumbs in bowls, how once every other topic of conversation had been exhausted forwards and backwards they started in on the quote-unquote friendly teasing.

And by ‘funny,’ she actually meant ‘awful,’ or ‘terrible,’ or just plain ‘no good,’ because today no one seemed to be interested in poking fun at Hannah. Oh no. Today she was the focus of their little class discussion and oh dear sweet Mary mother of God, if it had been possible to think herself into a puddle of goo, she would’ve seeped into the carpet ten whole minutes ago.

“I mean, I just don’t get it!” Jess had decided she was going to be the ringleader tonight, so at least things could’ve been worse—it could’ve been Emily poking and prodding at all her sore spots.

From the other side of the room, Sam laughed a halfhearted, “Hey, be nice!” Her voice sounded strange, as though she was lying down or reaching for something, but Ashley didn’t even consider turning to look.

No sir, no ma’am, she was keeping her eyes firmly on the gaudy pattern of the rug she was sitting on. When the conversation had started, at least there had been a bowl of pretzels she could pretend to be picking at. Not anymore. Now there was a bright green plastic bowl full of salt chunks and crumbs and a person could only swirl their hand through that so many times before the topic of conversation shifted from their love life to inner issues of a decidedly different nature.

There was no winning.

“I am being nice!” Jess drawled, “I’m just saying I don’t get it, because…okay, like, at least Hannah’s whole thing with Mike makes sense. I mean…look at him, right?”

Emily made a curt noise from where she was lounging. Hannah made a noise too, but it was less indignant and more like the sort of sound Ash thought she would’ve been making, had she been able to make her vocal cords work in that moment.

“Chris, though? Chris?” Her earrings jingled as she shrugged, throwing her hands to her sides before letting them drop again. “I just do not get it. Not even a little.”

“He’s…” Sam paused as though to weigh the pros and cons of what she was about to say, and Ashley knew what she was about to say a full second before she got it out. “…funny.”

Beth snorted.

To her credit, Jess didn’t exactly argue with her; she just sort of rolled her eyes and groaned, shaking her head like a teacher who’d spent the better part of the afternoon explaining the difference between triangles and circles to kindergarteners only to have them all start drawing squares. “No, shut up. I’m trying to say I don’t get why you’re nervous.” She turned her full attention back on Ash, those grey-green eyes of her burning a hole through her skull. “Like, you get he’s a total dork, right? Probably more scared of you than you are of him?” She did a little shimmy with her shoulders as though to illustrate her point somehow. “You should just like, go for it. Guys like it when you’re direct.”

Another scoff from Emily’s side of the room. “Oh, is that what you’re calling it, now?”

“I said shut up! I am trying to be helpful!”

There was a general buzz at that, the den filling with the confused sounds of laughter and snide under-the-breath comments. Ashley didn’t really pick any of them out. She’d taken to picking at a loose thread of the rug, uncomfortably aware that the redness of her face was no doubt clear as day even to the ones sitting behind her. She felt like she was radiating it, a nuclear reactor full of embarrassment instead of…whatever it was nuclear reactors were supposed to be full of. “I don’t, um…” she swallowed hard, feeling very much as though the teacher had just called on her in class. “I don’t think ‘going for it’ is going to, uh, work out. For me, at least.”

“Why not?” Jess had been sitting with her back against the couch until that point, but at that she got up onto her knees, pivoting herself to round on Ash. “It’s really not that hard. Guys are freaking pushovers—they never expect it! Then you’re the one who gets to call the shots and—”

A sigh from one of them, but whether it was Emily or Beth was lost on her, given how the comment was muttered. “Remember who you’re talking to.”

Jess clearly heard it but pretended she hadn’t, cocking one of her eyebrows to silently tell Ash she should do the same. “This is Chris Hartley we’re talking about, okay? Like. For real. I’m telling you, just walk right on up to him, don’t even give him a second to say one of those stupid things he says, just grab him by the front of his shirt like ‘Hey there, mister,’ and mwah!” She puckered up and smacked her lips in a loud air-kiss, promptly falling into a fit of giggles afterwards. “Oh my Gawwwd, could you even imagine?”

“His head would explode,” Sam added flatly.

The nuclear reactor analogy was feeling more and more fitting by the second. Ash wondered how it was possible she could remain sitting upright like that, what with all of her blood in her face. “I don’t…” she started again, resisting the urge to pull any farther into herself than she already had. She knew Jess wasn’t making fun of her, not really, and she probably was trying to be helpful, but…there was something about having everyone in the room looking at them and snickering that just…was making things way more difficult than they had to be. “I definitely don’t think I could do that.”

“You so could, though! You just gotta psych yourself up! Get a good look in the mirror, remind yourself that you—”

“N-no, I mean, I, uh…” Ashley cleared her throat, gnawing at the flesh of her cheek between her molars as she decided whether or not she was really ready to sign the death warrant balanced at the tip of her tongue. “I don’t think…I could kiss him.”

Jess narrowed her eyes, obviously confused. “…what, because he’s tall? Girl. Tiptoes. Easy-peasy.”

“I—what? No! I just don’t…know…how I’d do that.” She braced herself for the room’s inevitable explosion or implosion or whatever other cataclysmic catastrophe she’d brought down upon herself to strike, but a moment passed, then two, and no one laughed or anything.

Blowing a quiet raspberry, Jess waved one of her hands. “I keep telling you. You’re making too big a deal out of this, for real! Don’t overthink it, just do it, and—”

“That’s not—” The words were barely out of her mouth before it seemed to click for Jess; Ashley watched her eyes widen, the carefully-placed wisps of her bangs ruffling as her eyelashes fluttered with a few startled blinks. Instead of saying anything else, she just swallowed around the growing lump in her throat again, shoulders tense and waiting for the first wave of laughter.

Jess continued to watch her for another few seconds. She seemed unsure of what she was seeing, somehow, or what she’d heard. “Wait. Oh, whoa, wow, hang on, do you mean you don’t know how to kiss in general? Like, period? End of sentence?” There were a couple snickers (from Emily, doubtlessly), but none from Jess. Oh no, if anything, her face brightened like the sun. “Oh my God, that’s literally the easiest problem in the world to solve—here!” She leaned in before pausing, holding both of her hands up palms-out in a show of harmlessness. “I mean, I could show you if you wanted me to.”

It was Ash’s turn to blink. “Uh…”

“Only if you want!” Jess said again, still holding her hands up, though the little shoulder-shimmy was back.

A voice that was decidedly Beth’s piped in, sounding amused in a tired sort of way, “Can we maybe go one night where you don’t kiss someone?”

Again, she seemed to pretend she hadn’t heard her (except to very briefly flick one perfectly manicured middle finger in Beth’s direction).

“This is becoming a compulsion, Jessica, and we’re going to have to talk about it one of these da—”

“ShhhhHHH!”

“I, um, uh,” Ashley managed to get out—the very picture of eloquence. “I mean…oookay? S-sure?” It was hardly out of her mouth when Jess leaned the rest of the way forward, her harmless ‘who, me?’ hands coming to rest on Ash’s knees.

“Okay, uh, rule number one,” she said, stopping just short of her face. “You have got to close your eyes, okay? It’s super weird when someone doesn’t close their eyes, just saying.”

She considered apologizing but decided against it, simply closing her eyes instead. Then Jess was kissing her, her lipgloss making the gentle pressure of her lips surprisingly slick. In that instant, Ash’s whole world smelled and tasted like strawberry Lip Smackers, her breath locked in her chest as Jess pressed closer against her, slid her lower lip against hers, and—

Going completely against rule number one, Ash’s eyes shot open.

Emily snorted hard enough that it sounded painful. “Aaand there’s the tongue,” she said, sounding at once beside herself with amusement and exasperation. “I swear to God, she has no idea how to keep that thing to herself…”

“See?” Jess laughed, grinning widely as could be once she pulled away, sitting back on her own legs in what had to be an incredibly uncomfortable half-kneel. “Easy-peasy!”

That was probably the part where she was supposed to say something back, huh? It sure felt that way, at least, but uh…that wasn’t about to happen. No, Ashley wasn’t sure she was going to be capable of words again for at least another thirty seconds—she just sat there, blinking stupidly, face threatening to catch fire, lips smeared sticky with lipgloss that wasn’t her own.

“Oh God,” Beth sighed. “Look what you did. You broke her. You broke her, Jessica. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”

If her grin was anything to go by, she was. She was, indeed.

#until dawn #ashley brown #jess riley #queenie writes challenge stuff #queenie writes supermassive #my fanfiction

25 notes · View notes

mrneighbourlove · 6 years ago

Text

Red Typhoon: Ch 2. Fellowship of the Sea

Bakura Saibot mediated in the cave. For the past seven years, he carved the ice out, making a sanctuary to collect his thoughts, and looking to the spirits for answers. He had done his best to catch up as a father for Liz and Lex, giving them everything he could, but the girl's hearts wouldn't rest until they found Seer. Adda needed to be found, and when she was... what would Bakura do? All these years, all this anger, and yet he couldn't shake her smile. It haunted him of what could have been.

As Bakura meditated, looking to the spirits for guidance, he felt a murmur, a gentle wave float in his mind. He concentrated, relaxing and letting go of his outward distractions, and focused inward. He heard loud arguing, gunfire, and ships sailing. He saw the snout of a crocodilian man, and a man with a red tie. All these images didn't make sense, until each one repeated over and over, and they linked into an image of Adda and Seer sitting a top a bungalow. Bakura opened his eyes in shock and came back to, the last sound that rang through his ears was the cry of a whale.

"Hey Bakie, don't mean to interrupt your thinking and all, but it's time for supper." Rat's voice echoed into the cave. "Liz is home, and everyone is gathering at mine and Borgie's place." He had little Trygve on his shoulders, his son's arms rested on top of his head. "I'm sure she'd be happy to see you there."

Bakura stood up, catching his breath. "...I saw him."

"...? Eh? No one's in here except you, Bakie."

"I saw Seer and Adda."

"What?" Rat was not following Bakura's words. "You saw them? Bakie, it must have been a dream, they're not here."

"My mediations. It finally paid off. The spirits gave me clues to Seer and Adda!"

Rat never understood mediation and he was never really big on spirits. Though, Bakura seemed pretty hyped. Was it actually possible that he had the location to Seer and Adda?

"I... think you need some a-food, Bakie. And if you do have the location then... eh..." Rat told the assassin. "Forgive me for sounding skeptical, but how can you be so a-sure?"

"Because I want to be. I want to have hope." The three of them headed back to the Kanisa's house. Inside, Revy was proudly describing her successful hunt with her mom and Boof. Liz sat next to Halvar, just content to relax after her long journey, and Lex was chatting it up with Kerugan, asking him if he had a handle on any of the girls his age, and pro tips to make girls comfortable.

"Rat? I thought we were all meeting at your place?" Kanisa asked. "I'm bringing rabbit stew, do you need me to bring something else?"

"No, that's not what we're here for." Rat set Trygve down on his feet. "Bakie thinks he knows the location of... of Seer and Adda."

"Bork?" Boof tilted his head at the mention of Seer's name. He had not see the man in a long time.

"Seer?" Vidar repeated. "It's been seven years, Rat. Corsaire has combed pretty much every inch of the seas and has come up with nothing. What makes you think Bakura knows?"

"Hey, if he has an idea, at least let him share it." Rat shrugged his shoulders. "It could be a-good or a-bad."

Liz and Lex stopped what they were doing and focused their current attention on Bakura. Lex was shocked, and a little excited. "Daddy?"

With all eyes on him, Bakura took a breath. "I had a vision in the cave. I saw a link that lead to Adda and Seer. First was a reptilian pirate with a golden eye. Than a man in shadows with a red tie. Following this, I saw Adda and Seer, clear as day."

"... a reptile pirate?" Vidar was trying to keep a straight face. "Sure you weren't puffing on something?"

"Vidar." Kanisa gave her husband a look. "Be nice."

"Do you have any idea how absurd that sounds?"

"Vidar!"

"Hey, hey, we can at least ask Cap'n if he knows of any reptile pirate." Rat was trying his best to be supportive of Bakura. "Cap'n knew a lot of pirates back in the day, still does."

Liz's mind raced. She thought to all her studies of Adda's known accomplices. Her mother had an army that spawned many loyal to her, with many being creatures and monsters. Some had laid low in infamy to keep a low profile, while others, such as the Dragon Onslaught, had gained a monstrous reputation for raiding military vessels in Adda's name. At her dad's description, she went through her mental list. "I know who he's talking about."

"You do?" Rat actually looked surprised.

"What about the man in a red shadow with a black tie?"

"It was a black shadow with red tie."

"Whatever."

"I don't know. Some pirates hide in shadows more. But they tend to know the location of one another. I think..." Liz stood up, analysing in her mind this development. "I think Dad's vision is telling us an order. If we find the first captain, we find this man in shadow, and from there we find Adda."

Revy stood beside both her moms, with Scarlet having a hand placed firmly on her daughter's shoulder. She regretted not knowing where to find Seer sooner. The paradise island Adda was most likely hiding him on was magic in nature, and slowly moved across the oceans undetected. The old location she gave didn't give Corsaire his friend back.

"Who's this crocodile captain than sis?"

"A captain by the name of Eltontor."

Now it was Lex's term to be excited, and, without a word, she dashed to her house to grab something.

"Okay, we know the 'who' but we still don't know the 'where'." Rat was trying not to let too much hope rise in his chest. All of them had been disappointed before and he did not want that to happen again. "Or what to expect."

An air of silence went through the room, despair leaving its mark. How many times had they hoped before in finding Seer? Every lead they came up with before had dried up. Suddenly, with a force to dispel the sad environment forming, Lex kicked open the door. "Holy crap! We got it! We got it by the balls!"

"Lex, we a-talked about this language." Rat said dryly. "A proper lady doesn't---"

"Just tell us what you have." Vidar interrupted the man.

"Well, through MY hard work, I've been getting information from sailors and travelers. Including some navy officers. And using that information, I've documented every bit of information regarding mom, or any pirate for that matter!" Lex put down charts she had been making for the past two years. "This includes maps, names, and routes. I've triangled many pirate hot spots. And the name of one Captain Eltontor was described to me two weeks ago! He was last seeeeen... HERE!" Lex tapped specific map coordinates. "Right here!"

"Uh..." Rat looked at the charts and then frankly said, "I don't want to know, do I?"

"Okay, I hate to burst a hole in your bubble, but two weeks means we don't have a prayer of catching to wherever he is now." Vidar had to be the one to say it. "Look, even if he is still in that area, he won't be for long. That, and how can we get from here to there in an adequate time? It takes 3 months to sail from here to Hyrule. Danjur is nearly twice that."

"Well, I'm going." Liz stood up, a fire burning in her.

Revy was taken by surprise at how soon Liz reacted. "But Liz, you just got here!"

Bakura nodded in agreement with his daughter. "So am I."

"We can't go without a proper plan." Rat told the Liz and Bakura. "Adda's forces are a-large and vast over this sea. We's going to have to be careful. That, and we need a ship... or more like ships."

"We have a plan. And we have the navies of Uncle Corsaire to back us up." Liz was adamant about going. "If we go in small, we could be undetected an track down these other pirates before we amass on Adda herself."

"You have a plan, Liz, we have to talk this out with Cap'n and be rational." Rat was firm about this. "If we rush, Seer could get hurt. We have no idea what we're going to face with that giant lizard of hers or the number she has behind her. Let's talk to Corsaire, draw up a plan, and then... this old quartermaster might just have to call up his old mates for another sea journey."

"Than what are we waiting for. Let's go to him now." Liz grabbed her coat off Halvar and stomped out the door to be the first to leave the house.

Revy quickly grabbed her coat as Bakura and Lex followed after.

"H-Hey wait! I'm coming too!" Halvar chased after Liz.

"Bork!" Boof followed after Revy, loyal as ever.

"Eh, looks like the celebration is going to have to wait until Seer gets home, Kanisa." Rat said his goodbyes and then followed after the troupe, dragging Bakura with him. "Come on, Bakie, we's gots to get you suited up for a sea voyage."

Scarlet grabbed Rat, unable to stop Revy. "You can't be serious in letting our daughter go."

"Scarlet, it's not a matter of letting her, she's an adult now." Rat told the Iron Knuckle. "She wants to be there to help her best friends. If Borgie was going, wouldn't you want to go with her?"

"I don't want her getting killed! She can't go out there!" Scarlet tried to go past him.

"Scarlet!" Rat stopped her by the shoulders, and gave her a hard look. "Reveka knows what she's doing. Besides, do you not trust me? This 'mousa' as you called me knows how to watch after our little girl. Don't make Revy stingy to you cause you're not wanting her in danger."

"But I..." Scarlet's shoulders sunk in defeat. "She can't get hurt. I should at least go with her, shouldn't I?"

"That's up to you, Scarlet." Rat then gently reminded her. "You don't have to if you don't a-want to. We both know this isn't going to end well for Adda."

"I... I don't know if I can face Adda again. But I have to watch over my little girl. I made promises to myself that I'd never abandon her again."

"You do know that if you go you's... you's going to be against Adda." Rat was not going to sugar coat it. "This isn't going to be a reunion for you two, it's going to be a fight. I may not be your Voe, but I's still caring about you, all of us do. Borgie, Reveka, Trygve... we's your family now."

"I know... she was a sister to me. Someone I loved. But I have you all in my heart now." Scarlet took a deep sigh, trying to not crumble. "We should get going if we want to catch up to them."

"We's all going to understand if you don't want to go. You make up your mind while we prepare, okay?"

"I... I understand." Scarlet walked over to the couch by the fire and sat in contemplation.

At the hotel Corsaire was staying at, he was quickly startled awake just as he was getting an early sleep. It didn't take long for Bakura and his daughters to explain the plan they had in saving Seer from the clutches of Adda.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, one at a time! One at a time!" Corsaire had to yell over the multiple conversations. "Look, I understand you're all eager to leave right now, but the ship isn't ready yet. We need to finish restocking, chart a course, and most importantly, alert Hyrule and Danjur to Adda's location as soon as possible. We're going to need to send word with Stra'tuso's family that delivers cargo to Hyrule and Danjur, it's the only way that's possible."

"Stra'tuso's sister and brother leave tomorrow since they just dropped off cargo a few days ago." Rat told Corsaire. "Not to mention, we's going to have to figure out a way 'round that... Wind Chime thing of Adda's."

"Wind Waker."

Liz took a breath, hoping to come across as clear. "Adda's Wind Waker is one of a kind, and is on her person. When we get that bridge, we'll cross it. First, we need to find someone that knows the location of her secret, hidden island."

"I believe my vision tells me that the man in the red tie will know. And this Captain Eltontor can lead us to him."

"Captain Corsaire, if our target doesn't know an exact way into Adda's island, we have mages in Hyrule and Danjur that could possibly know spells to disenchant Adda's protect dome, right?"

"It's possible, depending on if another mage made the dome or if an ancient artifact made the dome." Corsaire knew little of magic, but his wife Orana had taught him a little. "We have three problems as of the moment. The dragon under Adda's command, the Wind Waker, and the unknown number of ships she has. We're going in blind unless this red tie gentleman can give us more information." The captain grimaced. "One of the first rules of war on the sea is to know exactly what you're up against. We have no clue."

"So that's the a-bad news, what's the a-good?"

"The good news is Adda's arrogance came back to bite her in one way."

"Oh?"

"Remember that sail we made a deal for all those long years ago?"

"Aye."

"Let's just say that this captain might have been collecting the rest... and took down one of her old ships with the last sail, a month ago."

Liz was ecstatic. "Really?! We got them all?!"

"What do you think Hyrule was building me that new, big, fancy, ship for?" Corsaire had to snicker a little at Liz's outburst. In some ways, she was still just a kid. "It took me a long while, but I finally have all of the sails. So that's one surprise Adda will not know of, however... we're not sure what's going to have more of an advantage; the sails or the Wind Waker."

"The Wind Waker for a large scale battle." Bakura thought about the future, and the war that would happen. "We can use this specialized ship to hunt down our targets that will lead us to Adda, and also get in close to Adda herself. If we disable her and her tool, we can stop her from controlling nature. That will even the playing field."

"This might seem like a dumb question to you, but how do we even dismantle this Wind Waker?" Rat asked Bakura. "From what Reveka says, it's damn old and dangerous."

"Well, Dad, according to Hylian legend, its just a baton. If its not in someone's hand to physically wave around, all the spells the current user did should stop, and no one can cast anymore magic. Just, get it out of her hand."

"We can always cut her hands off." Liz offered.

Lex quickly interjected, disturbed by any talk of maiming her mother. "Or we just smack it out of her hands and quickly subdue and arrest her."

"So our first objective is to get the Wind Waker away from her," Corsaire held up his hand to stop the sisters from any further argument. "That way we can get closer. Once that's out of her hands, the second objective is to keep her busy while a few of us find Seer. Last, but not least, we have to make sure that there's an exit. Just because we get in doesn't guarantee us an out."

"You know that there will most likely be casualties. When we reach Adda, we will be at war. At most, her people won't fight. She's already formed an army out of others, so we most likely won't have to kill a lot of Gerudo." Bakura rubbed his hair, thinking about the inevitable reunion. "And Lex, when we face Adda, you have to understand, anything can happen."

"But, we aren't savages. Right? We aren't just gonna assassinate her, right?"

"Either way, once we arrest her, Adda has a death sentence." Corsaire frowned. "You know Hyrule and Danjur both have a warrant for her arrest. Once we bring her to the courts, it will be a death sentence in Danjur due to her shooting Queen Annuciata's brother, Dario. He's very sore about that eye he lost." He then added. "In Hyrule, the best we could hope for is life in prison, but I doubt that is going to be the case."

"I.... I know." Lex looked sad, not meeting anyone's eyes. Bakura gave her a hug. He wouldn't say it outloud, but he understood her feelings.

Liz looked to Halvar, concerned about his well being. "You've never left Uskar before Halvar. Are you certain that you are up to this?"

"This concerns Uskar just as much as it does Hyrule and Danjur." Halvar reminded Liz. "Adda fired upon innocents and some of our people died. We never did a thing to her, and she attacked us outright. Besides, I'm not letting you go alone." He turned slightly red in the cheeks and said sheepishly. "Direnors don't leave their loved ones to fight alone."

Liz processed his answer, and she took his hand. "Ok..."

"I'll get in contact with me old crew mates, have them meet us. Otherwise, once we have any slight idea what we're up against, all that is left is getting more ships and drawing out a battle plan."

Scarlet knocked on the door, peering in. "Captain Corsiare?"

"Yes, Scarlet?" Corsaire stood from his chair. "We're leaving tomorrow as soon as the ship is restocked. I assume you want to talk to Rat and Reveka?"

"Yes."

"If you need me, I'm going to be getting some sleep." Corsaire said goodbye to Rat and the rest of the group before returning to his room.

"Scarlet?" Rat looked at the Gerudo and then at Revy. "What did you decide?"

"Mom. You ok?"

Scarlet sat across from them, taking a sigh. "I worry about you Revy. I know that you're older now. I know that you're strong and smart too. But this task ahead of you... I can't stop worrying."

Revy had her hand taken by her mother. "Revy... I love you. I wasn't there for you for the first era of your life. Now I want to protect you. But even I know that its not my place to protect you forever. And I can't stop you from going. However... will you let me look after you one more time? Please?"

Revy gave a small smile, trying to not let her warmth for her mother overwhelm her. Moving closer to hug her, she nodded. "Of course. I'd feel so much better with you and Dad by my side."

"We's all going to have to be careful and look out for one another." Rat told the two girls and then hugged them both in his huge arms. "First things first though. Scarlet's going to need to go over the basics of a ship with you Reveka, and I's need to find me old guns."

Scarlet felt so happy hugging them both. It felt like the family she could have had, if she hadn't made the biggest mistake of her life.

Revy hugged them both back. "We've been sailing before dad."

"Yes, but being on a war ship is different. And I doubt you ever had to work on a ship. In the morning, I'll take you out. Ok?"

"Ok mom."

The three hugged each other once more, hoping that they'd all return once their journey was over.

"Let's get some dinner and rest before our big day tomorrow."

Onslaught clicked his claws as he sat in the dark, reading the report from the Eastern Front. It seemed that the navies of Danjur and Kikai had gathered together recently to fight off raids. It was disappointing the Kikai Empire had cancelled negotiations with the Collection. Adda had insisted on calling her armies simply, 'her forces'. No name or organization in it. It maddened Onslaught. In time, their forces had grown radically. And as their power increased, Onslaught often wondered if he'd need Adda anymore. Unfortunately, she held respect of many. And most importantly, she held the Wind Waker. As long as she had that, and showed no notable weakness, she held an advantage over him. How could he fight a force that could ground him and send him hurtling from the sky? So the Dragon decided to wait for an opportunity to present itself.

One of the other major lieutenants, code named King Crimson, waited nearby in the shadows. "Onslaught. We need to discuss our most recent hits. Hyrule is allowing dragons to nest on the Charlie and Delta islands."

Onslaught narrowed his eyes. "Unsettling. But not impossible to deal with. We can bomb the islands to drive them off. Do so after they hatch the chicks. They will rather flee forever than risk their young being hurt. We can retrieve our smuggled goods than."

"I understand. Captain Adda wants to know if your fortress can be used to store the cache of diamonds and gold that was recovered from Termina."

"Yes. Of course. I can have my crews airlift it up. Anything else to discuss?"

"No."

"Good. Then go into hiding and gather information on this gathering of Danjur and Hasai."

"Understood."

Now that this meeting was over, Onslaught starred back into darkness. He felt a shift in the air, and felt a feeling in his gut that change was going to take place in the near future.

#crossover #ridersoftheapocalypse #Captain Adda #Bakura Saibot #corsaire #Liz and Lex #Revy #Scarlet #Rat #Borghild #Boof #Halvar #Onslaught: Terror of the Sky and Sea #Seer #comments always welcomed!

10 notes · View notes

therealcalicali · 7 years ago

Text

Closer To Me: Chapter 1

Synopsis: Upon moving to a new city, the Reader crosses paths with Ivar, Hvitserk and the rest of the Lothbrok clan. Since her own life is already filled with internal demons from a strict upbringing, their introduction into her life only adds to the drama. As things progress, Reader discovers that there is more to her interactions with Ivar and Hvisterk than meets the eye.

__________________________________

Chapter 1 Warnings: Angst, Foreplay and Bullying

Word Count: 8000+

Setting: Modern Vikings

Genre: Romance/Drama

Pairing: Ivar x Reader x Hvitserk (Love Triangle)

Read the Prologue here: CLOSER TO ME: PROLOGUE

Read Chapter 2 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 2

Read Chapter 3 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 3

Read Chapter 4 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 4

Read Chapter 5 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 5

Read Chapter 6 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 6

Read Chapter 7 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 7

Read Chapter 8 here: CLOSER TO ME: CHAPTER 8

Tagged: @irishhiggins @mblaqgi @i-care-bout-you-boo @peaches-seed @sajess98

_________________________________

You gave a warm smile as you placed two pints of beer at a table full of mostly women.

"Praise the Gods." A honey blonde with intricately styled braids said as she leaned towards you.

She was obviously the most popular person at the table so you nodded politely. You then handed her the disposable pair of ballet slippers she had requested from the vending machine.

The vending machines at Club 52 were not your average vending machines. They were upscale and offered everything from phone chargers to high-end fragrances.

"Thank you so much Y/N. You’re a lifesaver." She said as she took the packet from you and kicked off her Louboutins. "The price of fashion, huh?

You giggled as the woman began placing the slippers onto her feet. As she was doing so, she asked how long you had worked at the club. You calculated the time in your head a moment.

"It's been a little over two months."

"Oh, a newbie. So do you like it?" She asked before cutting you off before you could reply. "Lagertha, by the way." She added extending her free hand.

"Nice to meet you Lagertha." You said, shaking her hand firmly "To answer your question, it's not exactly a dream job but it pays the bills.” You shyly played with your apron as you continued. "Besides, everyone's pretty friendly and my boss is amazing. Guess I can't really complain."

Lagertha sipped her beer and looked at you with a crooked smile. As she did so, a woman with very light blonde hair leaned over to hear what you two were discussing.

"Lagertha, let the poor girl do her job." The woman said jokingly.

"I will Torvi. I just wanted to hear what her dream job was." She tapped the side of her horn as she waited for you to respond.

No one had ever taken you seriously when you spoke about your dreams back home. Well, with the exception of "him", but that was story for another day. Uncertain for a moment, you decided to reveal what had been in your heart for as long as you could remember. After all, there were no friends and family nearby to ridicule you.

"I..." You almost choked on the words. "I've always wanted to be a famous artist. Oil painting and pencil sketching are my main mediums but I've taken up sculpting recently."

By sheer habit, you braced yourself for disapproval but to your surprise, Lagertha and Torvi both nodded as if they were impressed.

"So, you have a talent most people can only dream of. You should use it." Torvi said as she leaned her cheek against her hand.

"Yeah. One of these days." You said as you picked up some empty beer pitchers. "I'll be back with the rest of your order ladies.”

You first dropped off the empty pitchers in catering and then went to the main bar. After getting two more pints of beer, you returned to the Blue Room and served a table of very drunk men who were arguing about some historical battle. Though you heard bits and pieces of their heated debate, you didn’t really pay allot of attention. You were just ready to go home. Hopefully, it would be on time because the birthday party was nearing its peak despite the fact it was 3:12 am. Everywhere you looked, the private hall was buzzing.

"I sure hope they know we close at 4:00 am." You thought looking forward to curling up in your bed and binge-watching Hey Arnold.

The game room, karaoke rooms and dance floor had the most action. Even the silver bikini clad go-go dancers were still energetically entertaining people on the stages and poles. It was safe to say, Hvitserk's birthday party was a huge success by any definition of the word.

As you turned to go to fetch more drinks, you felt a tug your apron.

"Looks like I turned you out Y/N. You're serving beer like a pro." A teasing Folaki said.

"Please. You serve up eight pitchers in one trip meanwhile, I'm carrying in two pitchers at a time." You giggled. "I hardly think that's a pro."

"Well, you know what they say. We all gotta start somewhere." She replied before pulling you by your hand.

Realizing Folaki was taking you deeper into the hall and you had more beer to serve, you spoke up.

"Where are we going? I'm not done with my tables.”

"Don't worry about it. They can wait a moment. Besides, this won't take long."

"What won't take long?"

Folaki didn't utter a response but instead gave you a smug "You'll see" expression. It wasn’t long before you found yourself at the head table once again. Since you had been lucky enough to receive Ivar's forgiveness for your momentary lapse of judgment, you had avoided him. You worked every table with the exception of theirs the entire night. Now, there you stood in his cross-hairs once again. Despite glaring at you for a moment, Ivar luckily didn't say anything.

Perhaps he had his fill of mocking you for the night. The blonde who was now practically sitting in his lap however, stared at you much longer. She looked at you with great contempt but you avoided eye contact.

"It's almost over." You assured yourself.

Folaki gingerly picked up two shots of tequila and handed one to you which made you look at her with confusion.

“Um.....am I supposed to give this to someone?" You asked you giddy coworker.

"Duh, silly. It's for you."

"For me? Are you nuts? We're on shift."

"So?"

"So, it means we can't drink. That's Frankie's cardinal rule."

Folaki giggled and pointed to your right. When you looked over, there stood your boss patting Ragnar on his shoulder. From the way they were speaking to one another, you could tell they knew each other very well.

Bjorn, who looked much more relaxed than earlier, hopped on stage and said something to the DJ. Slowly, the DJ brought the Sai "Chandelier “song down until it was quiet.

Taking a mic, Bjorn put a hand in his jean pocket and spoke.

"Hey everyone!" He paused a moment. "I’m sure we all know why we’re here tonight---"

“Yeah! To call you a cunt!" A heavy accented male voice yelled.

Your eyebrows raised but the entire hall burst into thunderous laughter, clapping and whistling. Bjorn laughed too and proceeded to remove his hand from his pocket to shoot the middle finger.

"As I was saying, Hvitserk...." He looked down the stage at the head table. "Can you get up here please?"

Everyone applauded as Hvitserk ascended the stairs and joined his brother onstage.

Bjorn good-naturedly placed his arm around his brother's neck. As you watched leaning against a pillar, you found it pretty adorable to see these rowdy people have a tender moment.

“As the eldest, I've witnessed the best and the worst of you. Especially in your teens."

"Ubbe was far worse!" Ragnar yelled with a smirk.

More laughter emanated from the crowd. Ironically, Ubbe actually seemed proud of his father's comment about him and gave a gentlemanly nod of his head.

"I want you to know that as the years have gone by, we've all witnessed you mature and become a capable and responsible man. So on this special day the Gods have bestowed upon you, I want you to know that we all love you...." Bjorn said as Hvitserk looked at him warmly. "And wish you many more to come."

People applauded while others yelled well-wishes and banged on tables. Boy, were these people ever loud. Ragnar was the first person to hug Hvitserk when he got off the stage. He held his son's face a moment and surveyed him with a pride.

"Father, what are you doing?" Hvitserk asked a bit embarrassed by the adoration.

"Just looking at my handiwork. Isn't my son a strapping lad?" Ragnar shouted causing the men nearby to chuckle in agreement.

He then whispered something to Hvitserk and handed him a pair of keys. From where you were standing, you could tell that they were keys to a car. Hvitserk looked at them and a huge smile spread across his face. Whatever the car was, he definitely seemed over the moon out it. He gave his father another heartfelt hug and began hugging the other attendees. Since you were a bit tired, you continued to lean on the pillar as the well wishes continued.

Folaki, being who she was, was happily chatting away with Ubbe, Bjorn and some other people.

"Wow. She's really good at making friends." You thought as you watched her.

Soon, your mind wandered to your art and the advice Lagertha and Torvi had given you.

"If it was only so easy to chase a dream." You sighed to yourself.

As you pondered your situation in life, you felt a tickle on your right cheek. You turned slightly to only come nose to nose with a very tipsy Hvitserk.

"Oh my God!” You jumped due to being startled. "You almost gave me a damn heart attack." You chastised him as your heart rate tried to return to normal. "Seriously, you really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

"I don't. I only snuck up on you because you make it so easy. Seems like your head is always lost the clouds." He said scrutinizing you with soft eyes and warm smile.

Timidly, you looked away because of the intensity of his gaze. Undeterred, Hvitserk gently lifted your chin with his hand to make you look at him again. Despite it being a bit dim in the Blue Room, his eyes sparkled as he looked down at you. Needless to say, you were beyond uncomfortable, yet unsure of what to do to get out of the situation.

"What is it that you think of so much Y/N?" He asked in a very genuine tone.

You looked away from him with his hand still holding your chin. The question held more weight than he could fathom. From your reasons for leaving your hometown to the overdue bills, you had allot on your plate. Something, an obviously rich man such as himself, wouldn't understand.

Hvitserk licked his bottom lip as his stare fell to your own which were slightly red from your now fading lipstick.

"Hitting on service girls as usual, huh brother? I suppose another birthday hasn't changed that old habit." Ivar's voice interrupted your uncomfortable moment. "Well, they do say old habits die hard." He chuckled.

Hvitserk rolled his eyes as he gently let go of your chin. Ivar smugly informed his brother that it was time for the ceremonial toast. As Hvitserk walked towards the main table, you followed, not far behind Ivar. Acknowledging your presence, he looked over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised in a condescending manner.

"Well, Y/N, I must say that you surprise me. I would have never have guessed someone as timid as you, likes to be low-hanging fruit."

"Excuse me?" You looked at him with a confused expression.

You had no clue what he eluding to but knew is that it was most likely an insult. After all, that's all he seemed to direct at you.

"Low-hanging fruit!" Ivar repeated slowly with a grin. "Do you flirt or go home with patrons often?"

You stopped dead in your tracks. Whatever Ivar was insinuating, you did not appreciate it. You had never so much as given a patron your number let alone bedded one. Not that you judged those who did. You knew lots of your co-workers did but you always kept things professional no matter who flirted.

Besides, your Aunt warned you that nightclubs were not a place to find a good relationship. Ivar could tell his words had gotten under your skin because he began to snicker. He looked at you with satisfaction before he continued on towards the main table. No! You just weren't going to allow him to insult you and not at least defend yourself. You quickly caught up with Ivar and stood in front of him, nervous, but determined.

"I would like you to know that I, in fact, do not flirt or go home with patrons." Your voice was wavering but you pushed on. "So...I don't appreciate you implying that I do. I'm nobody's low-hanging fruit!"

With that said, you stomped off to the head table ahead of Ivar. Despite him laughing, you at least you made yourself heard.

When you arrived, Ingrid, the blonde that had been all over Ivar most of the night, rolled her eyes. She made a beeline for him and handed him a shot glass. With everyone in place and Hvitserk at his father Ragnar's side, the toast began.

Naturally, Ragnar was first to speak followed by his brother called Rollo and other respected people. You thought the speeches by the men with tattooed faces were the best cause they were pretty hilarious. You could really tell that the two of them knew how to work a crowd. Hvitserk’s brothers all spoke after his mother Aslaug, who made a point to mention how many sons she had several times. You noticed that Lagertha, the lady you had spoken with earlier in the night, was not fond of Aslaug at all.

Of all the speeches, Ivar's surprised you the most because it was actually kind and heartfelt. Since he had been nothing but a holy terror from the moment you met him, it was quite odd to witness. From the corner of your eye, you watched Lagertha take position next to Ragnar and wrap her arm around this waist as the speeches went on. He pulled her close as the two of them watched Hvitserk make the final remarks.

"This has been a really awesome night. I thank everyone for coming out." He turned to a man standing with Floki. "Let’s not forget to thank Aethelwulf Wessex and his clan for coming to celebrate with us.” To which the nicely dressed man man nodded. Hvitserk paused a moment in contemplation.

"You know, our father has always taught us that nothing is more important than family. The older I get, I understand. You have all made this day a truly great memory. Skål!” (Danish: Good Health/Cheers)

“Skål!” The crowd roared.

Hvitserk raised his shot glass and everyone in the hall took his lead.

"Now let's get shitfaced!" Ubbe yelled.

Everyone drank their shots with the exception of you. You were hesitant. Despite wanting to toast, you had always hated strong liquor and the tequila you were holding smelled awful. It reminded you of gasoline or the paint thinner you used for your oil paints.

Abruptly, you felt an arm wrap around your neck. It was Ubbe.

"Are you going to just nurse it or are you going to drink it?" He asked with his lips only inches from your cheek.

“What is with these people and personal space?" You wondered as you smiled at him.

Before you even had a chance to speak, Hvitserk was suddenly in front of you again and looking at the shot glass in your hand. Ubbe let go of you as you his younger brother scowled at him. An exchange you didn't catch.

"Y/N, you didn't drink to my health?" Hvitserk asked sounding like a spoiled child.

You were going to tell them about your hatred of strong drinks but decided against it. You simply said that you had never tasted tequila before but would drink it out if respect for their tradition.

"To your health Hvitserk."

You salted the back of your hand as you had seen tons of patrons do and braced yourself for the wretched taste. As expected it was horrific. You snatched a lime wedge from the platter and sucked it hoping the bitterness would overpower the atrociousness of the tequila. Hvitserk, Ubbe and a newly arrived Sigurd laughed at you as you shook you head in disgust.

It was indeed gross but you got warm all over in less than a minute. It might have been nasty going down but you felt pretty good. Hvitserk gave you a horn of mead. It was an intricate commemorative one celebrating his birthday and heritage. Just like the one you snatched from Alfred.

"Oh no! Poor Alfred!" You blurted out to the amusment of a drunk Ubbe.

He laughed so hard that he almost spit out some of his mead. You handed the horn of mead to Sigurd and asked him to hold for you.

"Huh? What’s going on now?" A perplexed Sigurd asked as he gulped down some cocktail.

"I need to speak to him." You said as you craned your neck trying to find Alfred. "Oooh, I think I see him." You pointed.

Hvitserk was a bit annoyed but tried his best to seem indifferent.

"Why do you wish to speak with him?" He asked.

"I just remembered that I never apologized to him." You said heading off towards the brunette with the angelic face.

Hvitserk watched you leave despite wanting to ask if you would return. Ubbe could read his brother’s body language and so whispered something to him. Whatever he said made both he and Hvitserk laugh.

It didn't take long for you to arrive in front of Alfred who was seated and in deep conversation with another handsome brunette. When you touched his shoulder to get his attention, he looked up and immediately put on a kind smile.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you both." You said looking to the man next to him.

"No worries Y/N." Alfred said patting the area next to him in the booth.

You hesitated a moment. Noticing your reluctance, Alfred assured you it was perfectly fine.

"Besides, my Godfather knows your boss very well. You won't get in trouble for sitting while on duty. Trust me." He gave you a boyish grin. "Consider it a request."

Since he had reassured you that you were not taking a risk, you took a seat next to him. Pointing to the man next him, Alfred informed you that it was his half-brother Aethelred.

"Nice to meet you...." Aethelred leaned closer and shook your hand.

Before you could tell Aethelred your name, Alfred did it for you. He kept looking at you so kindly that you almost forgot why you had wanted to speak with him in the first place.

"Oh, I before I forget why I came over in the first place..." You said feeling the tequila very well now. "I wanted to apologize for snatching your drink earlier." You shrugged a bit embarrassed by your actions. "I have the commemorative horn in the break room. I'll go get it and return..."

Both of the brothers burst into laughter since your words made them recall what you did to Ivar earlier.

"No Y/N. You keep it. Think of it as a consolation prize for putting up with our clan tonight." An amused Alfred said.

"Are you sure? I mean it's so expensive looking." You stated making sure he was aware of what he was saying.

Aethelred confirmed that the commemorative horns were indeed expensive and crafted with silver and ivory.

"The more reason to keep it Y/N." Alfred added. "They were made in the old country. You won't see such craftsmanship like that anywhere else."

You nodded your head and swiftly took the opportunity to ask where exactly the "old country" was. Especially since the origin of their accents had been bugging you all night. Now, you could finally get an answer to the mystery.

"Denmark. But we also have lineage across Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Poland." Alfred replied as he moved some of his long brown hair behind his ear. "I think you would love the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. You seem like the spa treatment type."

"Me?" You were a bit flabbergasted at his statement because you hadn't even seen the inside of a proper hair salon in years.

You shook your head shyly. Though, you did admit that you hoped to travel to see the museums of the countries he mentioned along with The Louvre in Paris. Aethelred nodded and informed you they had both been to The Louvre, many times in fact.

"Wow! I'm so jealous." You said with liveliness.

"You seem to be interested in Art Y/N. Or am I mistaken?" An intrigued Alfred asked with a dimpled smile.

You nodded with enthusiasm and informed him that you adored all mediums of the Arts and spent a great deal of your free time at the local museum.

"Since you love art so much, is it safe to assume you've heard about the private exhibit and auction at the Heritage Centre?"

Alfred's question was like a twist of a knife. You definelty knew all about the event but there was no way you would ever be able to attend. Basically, you didn't know anyone of high caliber to get an invite and weren't wealthy enough purchase tickets.

"Yeah. But that’s for celebs and people like that. I guess I'll have to keep admiring Tata Vega's work online."

"Or, you could just attend with me." A very straightforward Alfred replied.

Your eyes widened at his invitation. Was this guy serious? The thought of being in the same room with your favorite Artist was too much. You could barely contain your eagerness and said yes before you could stop yourself. You didn't typically go places with practical strangers but this was Tata Vega!

Alfred relished in your excitement and said he was happy to see someone appreciate Art as much as he did. He reached into the inner pocket if his black blazer and pulled out a silver card case. He opened it and took out a sleek looking metal business card and handed it to you. You gleefully thanked him to which he only smiled.

Standing up, you acknowledged Aethelred again and informed them both you needed to get back to work.

"Just don't misplace that."

Those were Alfred's parting words to you. To be on the safe side, you placed the card in the zippered portion of your apron and gave it a secure pat. As you went to fetch some pints of beer, you felt like the whole miserable night had been worth it. You were beyond excited.

You returned from the main bar quickly and served the last-call pints to Lagertha, Torvi, Floki and the rest if their table. When you glanced at your watch, you were pleased to see it was 4:01am.

“It’s over!” You said to yourself with relief.

As you were taking shot glasses away on a tray, Sigurd made his way to you.

"I am still in possession of your mead, my dear." He said with a drunkard's smile.

"You must have had a great conversation with our cousin. So much so you forgot all about your drink." Ubbe's voice entered your right ear as he leaned over your shoulder from behind.

"Was it that interesting?" He questioned with inquisitive eyes.

You looked up at Ubbe who seemed to practically tower over you. He had an odd grin that conveyed that he knew something that you didn't. It was a very devious smile to say the least.

“I suppose so.” You replied.

"That matters not. It only matters that she has returned, right brother?" Sigurd quipped.

"Agreed. So, let's just put this down..." Ubbe said taking the tray of shot glasses from you and putting it aside. "And enjoy the last round."

With that, Sigurd handed the horn of mead back to you. Despite your attempts, the two brothers refused to listen when you kept insisting that you had to finish your shift. To your relief, you noticed your boss, Frankie, approach. Perhaps he could make them understand that you needed to do your job since you weren't getting through.

"There you are Y/N.” Frankie said as he slapped Ubbe and Sigurd on their shoulders. “I got good news. You and Folaki are done for the night. The two of you are free to leave."

"Done? But we have to help shut down."

"Not tonight, you don’t.” Frankie leaned in and whispered. "Seems that Mr. Lothbrok liked the job the two of you did. He added proudly. "So look at this early dismissal as a reward on his behalf."

Sigurd grinned at you like the Cheshire cat once Frankie left the three of you alone.

"See." A vindicated Ubbe boasted. "I told you that you can drink with us.” Ubbe pointed towards the head table. "Folaki got into the spirit of things right away."

You looked at where he was pointing and spotted your coworker and friend laughing it up with Floki, Bjorn, the Finehairs, Ivar and others. Ivar? Laughing and actually having what appeared to be normal human interaction? It was quite the sight to behold.

"What the hell? Is she some kind of whisperer or what?" You pondered in surprise.

How else could you explain her ability to tame such a vicious person as Ivar? As you watched them having fun, Sigurd's hand slipped around your waist causing you to jump.

"Don't worry, I'm just being a gentleman." He said with a grin.

He gently led you towards the others as Ubbe walked alongside the two of you. As the three of you made it to the head table, Sigurd eased you next to a now lively Hvitserk.

"Bullshit! I don't believe it!" He said to an amused Bjorn. "I want to see for myself."

"Me too." Ivar chimed in after him. "It's impossible!"

"I agree babe.” Ingrid piggybacked his statement as she wrapped her arms around Ivar's neck.

You, Ubbe and Sigurd were completely lost. The three of you had no clue what they were all loudly disagreeing about until Bjorn killed the rest of his mead. He put the mug down with a thud and shrugged.

“Fine! I will take you guys so I can prove I'm not making it up.” He looked around with genuine shock. "I can't believe none of you have heard of her before. Delilah is famous for her Ping-pong act."

"Ping-pong act?" You turned to Hvitserk.

"Yeah. He claims this stripper ejects Ping-pong balls out of her vagina." He answered very loudly sending Sigurd and Ubbe into fits of laughter.

You sort of regretted asking and shyly sipped the mead Sigurd had given back to you. Folaki, who was seated in-between Ivar and Bjorn, acknowledged your presence. She shouted to you that Bjorn had invited the two of you back to he and Ubbe's, for an after-party.

"After-party? But it's 4:00 am!" You responded before you could stop yourself.

"Okay, mother." Floki said with a chuckle making everyone laugh at your reply.

"I told you she would say something along those lines." Ivar sneered to Folaki totally ignoring you.

Folaki rushed over to you and whispered.

"Please come Y/N. It'll be allot of fun. Besides, you stay home too damn much."

You thought about her advice a moment and realized she was right. But you didn't feel too comfortable going to a stranger’s house, regardless of how nice they were.

"Yeah. But we don't even know them like that." You replied.

Folaki rolled her eyes at your assertion.

"Ugh! I keep forgetting how sheltered you are." She giggled. "Come tonight and I'll fill you in on the Lothbroks over coffee. Hanging with them is a huge step-up in life Y/N. Like for real." Folaki looked at you with eagerness.

"Fine." You agreed unenthusiastically.

Delighted that you had given in, Folaki hugged you and rushed back to speak to Bjorn. You watched her with apprehension still not convinced you would have fun with Ivar and his bitch around.

"So, you're coming?" Hvitserk turned to you as Sigurd also waited for your answer.

"Uh...um, yeah. She convinced me." You said still a bit indifferent.

"What is it, daydreamer? Hvitserk impishly said, leaning down near your cheek. "Wish you were speaking to Alfred instead of me?"

His bit his bottom lip in a very suggestive manner and eyed you as if you were a forbidden dish. At least that's how it appeared to you. Nevertheless, you persuaded yourself that you were seeing things. You never really had men ogle you before so you chalked it up to the alcohol.

"I....um...I gotta do something real quick."

__________________________________

Before Hvitserk could stop you, you rushed to the exit. You made your way past some departing patrons and clean-up crew, straight to the employee break room. Leaning against your locker, you sighed heavily. One thing was certain, you had to stay away from Hvitserk's drunk flirtation. He had been drinking heavily and would most likely not even remember your name after some sleep.

As you were deep in thought, Jason barged in swearing that he was going to blow up Misty's car. She was a coworker who always managed to get "cramps “at the most opportune times.

"That girl is a joke! Tell me why we're in the midst of shutting down and all of a sudden, her pain level mysteriously rises?" Jason fumed as he explained what happened. "Tell you what! I'm going to start tracking her period and prove she's nothing but a fraud." He added slamming his locker after locating his vape pen.

You laughed and gave him a comforting hug. You knew exactly where he was coming from. All of you had dealt with Misty's bullshit one time or another so you totally understood his rage. She was an amazing server and hostess but hated to do things that she considered "menial tasks"

“Don’t let her ruin your night. Besides, Frankie’s been on to her lately.”

"Let me get back out there before she leaves." He cocked his head with confidence. "She can go home early tonight but two can play her game. I'm not gonna give her the schedule adjustment she asked for!"

With that, Jason left you in the break room. You opened you locker, grabbed your purse and shoved a makeup pouch inside. Wanting to refresh yourself, you used the mirror on the inside of the locker to reapply your powder, lip liner and lipstick. As you were looking down to put the MAC lipstick back, you felt a pair of hand wrap around your waist. The cologne was unmistakably familiar since you had smelled it all night.

You looked up into the mirror to see your reflection and Hvitserk's. He was looking down at your body so he didn't even notice your stunned expression.

"You…you can't be in here!" You protested as he pulled you closer to him.

"Why not Y/N?"

Hvitserk asked tenderly with his lips against the back of your neck. His warm breath tickling your skin as he spoke. Before you could do or say anything else you felt the warm, wet sensation of his lips on your flesh. He pecked you at first but then, he tilted your head gently to the side exposing more of your neck.

Hvitserk straightaway began licking and sucking the side of your neck. It was something he had been dying to do all night. You almost lost your balance because your knees went weak with the sensation his tongue and lips were providing. Your neck had always been a very sensitive part of your body and he was making your eyes close with pleasure against your better judgment.

Even when you tried to speak up, all that left your lips was a hushed gasp. Seeing that words were failing you, you tried to free yourself from his firm grip around your waist. As you tried to do so with both hands, he paused briefly to whisper in your ear.

"Stop med at løbe fra mig, dagdrømmer." (Danish: Stop running from me, daydreamer.) He hummed in his native tongue.

He used the hand that had initially been tilting your head to the side to restrict your two hands. Since Hvitserk was quite strong, he had you trapped where he wanted. His breath, lips and tongue continued making you feel things you hadn't in a long time. Even though you were thoroughly enjoying it all, you knew he was drunk. You also recognized that he was probably horny due to all drinks he had been downing. As much as you hated to admit it, Ivar was most likely right about the easy target thing.

As you wriggled to free yourself, you were relieved when the loud and obnoxious voices your co-workers made him stop your little make-out session. They hadn't entered the locker room yet so you had time to compose yourself before one of them would walk in and assume the worst.

Hvitserk didn't budge and seemed indifferent about being caught in a restricted area. He watched you with a pleased expression as you arranged your purse items in an attempt to look busy.

Manny, one if the bartenders, walked in and you braced yourself for a barrage of questions. Oddly though, he didn't even flinch when he saw a non-employee with you. He casually greeted Hvitserk and grabbed a pack of cigarettes before leaving. You exhaled in relief.

"Get out! You need to leave before you get me in trouble. Please." You commanded.

"If you insist." Hvitserk said as he walked backwards. “I’ll see you at the after party." He added with a wink.

__________________________________

In the Uber with Folaki, you were as tense as a cat about to receive a bath. The two of you had decided to leave your vehicles at work since you planned on drinking. At least Folaki did. She pretty much forced you to go along with the plan.

"Will you relax? Sheesh!" Folaki laughed at your expression. "You look like we're going to a beheading."

You couldn't contain your thoughts to yourself any longer.

"He kissed me." You blurted out.

Folaki stopped texting and grinned at you with astonishment.

"Well...not technically a kiss... it wasn't on the mouth. More like on the neck and stuff. He caught me off guard and--."

"Wait." Folaki interrupted to slow you down. "Who?”

"That Hvitserk guy."

"Oh wow. You got a Lothbrok trying to get with you? That's quite an achievement." Folaki said as she elbowed you.

"No, it's not. He just wants some drunk sex.” You protested. "And what's so great about the Lothbroks anyway?"

Folaki’s eyes got large as she looked at you like you had said something insane.

"Gee, I don't know......for starters, they're all fine as fuck."

She motioned like she was zipping her lips shut and added that the rest would have to be explained face-to-face.

"Like I said, we'll talk over some coffee."

"Why not now?" You asked a bit confused.

Folaki pointed to the Uber driver and repeated that she would fill you in privately. You weren't sure why there was a need for secrecy but relented.

"Oh, by the way, Frankie said we got paid big time? She emphasized her statement by doing the money motion with her fingers. “Three grand for each of us."

She began dancing around happily to the song on the radio in celebration.

"Three thousand dollar? You exclaimed happy and stunned by the news.

It was an insane amount of money. The tip was basically your entire paycheck in one night. Definitely more than enough to catch up on your student loan and still have some money left over.

"Whoa! Who can afford to throw money around like that? They must be richer than I thought."

"Try wealthy as hell. Rich comes and goes baby. Wealth is forever. Folaki said sipping her Corona.

You felt tranquil knowing your bills were no longer a standing issue. Perhaps you could allow yourself to have some fun at the party after-all. Still, you were determined to not be "low hanging fruit".

___________________________________

The Uber driver was just as impressed with the beach-side estate as you and Folaki were when he pulled up to the gate.

Folaki, who was seated into the back with you, leaned out the window and pressed the security touch screen. A voice boomed over the intercom with music blaring in the background.

"I see you guys. I'll buzz you in." Ubbe's voice came over the device before your friend could say anything.

The driver pulled into the large driveway full of cars and went around large fountain to park.

"Damn! They are living the life aren't they Y/N?" A psyched Folaki said as the two of you exited the Uber.

"You're not kidding." You said in awe. You then turned to the driver as he began to back up in order to leave. "Thanks for the ride."

The stunned driver waved to you as he drove away still admiring the residence.

____________________________________

When you rang the doorbell, Ingrid, the blonde that had been eyeing you all night, answered. She had changed into a blue bikini top and jeans but still had the same arrogant expression on her face. She smiled at Folaki but lost the pleasantries when she turned to you. Ingrid looked you up and down as she let the two of you in.

"Thank you." You managed to say despite her rude behavior.

"Whatever." Ingrid replied and instantly began ignoring you again. “Most of the party is outside but there are people in the main living room too." She said directing the dialogue to Folaki.

The two of you followed Ingrid but were admiring the house and decor at the same time. Bjorn was the first to spot you guys when you entered the living room that led to the backyard pool area. He rushed past some people with a beer in hand and before you could even greet him, he swooped Folaki over his shoulder one handed.

She laughed and begged him to let her down but he refused.

"Feel free to mingle Y/N, I'm taking her to meet some friend of mine." An energetic Bjorn said he carried your friend outside.

Since Ingrid had already walked away, you were standing all alone. It was a bit awkward because you didn't see anyone you recognized. You wandered around until you eventually found yourself in the kitchen. Boy was it massive. Thankfully, it was empty and boasted numerous types of alcohol, mixers and beverages on the island. You could also see various beer brands in the see-through fridge.

You helped yourself to a Heineken since the opener was on the counter. It wasn't the fanciest of beverages but it was one you knew you could handle at least. As you drank, you watched the partiers by the pool through the massive arched window. It wasn’t long before you heard some shuffling of feet behind you. You turned to see who it was and there stood Ivar leaning on his crutch and gazing at you.

“Just, great!” You thought.

Since you were in no mood for another round of insults, you turned your attention back to the window.

"Passive-Aggressive. Can't say I'm surprised. You seem like the type." Ivar said.

You could hear him walk closer to you and stop by your side. Determined to not respond, you fixated your eyes on the action outdoors. Despite you ignoring him, he continued on.

"I bet you always try to please everyone even though no one appreciates it."

You became very irritated and clenched your jaw. Not just because you found him insufferable but because he was actually correct. Despite this fact, you wanted him to leave you alone.

"That's why you get nervous around people. You hide from people so much that you don't know how to behave when you're forced to interact socially." Ivar added. "Do you want to know how I know this?"

"Not really." You replied in a cold manner.

Ivar smiled and sipped some of the iced liquor he had in his glass.

"You're so easy to read Y/N. I can see right through you." He chuckled as he crinkled his nose and brows.

"Look, if you're going to start insulting me again, then...." You were at a loss for what to say next and pursed your lips in frustration.

Ivar was quite amused by your expression and laughed.

"See. You just proved point Y/N. He smiled. "You truly are entertaining.” He smiled and leaned closer to you. “Min skæve mus.” (Danish: My timid mouse)

You had no idea what the hell he called you in his native tongue but you didn’t care. You were totally fed up with his nonsense and definitely had your fill for one night. At the club, you had to put up with his bullshit because he was a patron. But not here. This was a party and you were not going to spend it near him another minute.

You turned to leave as Ivar continued gloating.

However, his smile quickly changed to a grimace as pain shot through his body. He audibly gasped which caused you to turn around. As you watched, you noted that he was looking at the ground and moving very slowly towards the island. Certainly not his usual body language despite being on a crutch.

“Ivar?”

He didn’t reply but instead tried to place the glass in his hand on the counter. The ice clanked together as his hand trembled violently. He lost his grasp on it, and the sound of shattering glass echoed in the kitchen.

“Ivar!” You hurried to his side. “Say something.”

Still he said nothing. But he didn’t need to. When he looked at you, you could see the pain in his blue eyes. It must have been very bad to say the least because he seemed unable to say anything to you. You were quite alarmed at was happening to him. You patted the back of his hand that was griping the island in hopes of offering some comfort.

“I’ll go find one of your brothers.”

Before you could leave his side however, Ivar grabbed your wrist with some force. It wasn’t intentional. It was only due to the extreme amount of agony he was in. Letting go of your wrist, he motioned for you to come closer to his side. Once you had done so, he placed his arm around your shoulder for support and began walking with you.

“Take….take me to my room.” He grunted in-between the bouts of pain. “My stuff is there.”

You nodded as the two of you left the kitchen. You had to let him stop time-to-time due to the discomfort but eventually, with his instruction, you made it to the room. You carefully set him down on the bed as you waited for him to tell you what to do. Throwing his crutch to the ground, Ivar pointed to a large Louis Vuitton duffle. When you unzipped it, you realized it was full of medical supplies. Gauze pads, bandages, antiseptic, alcohol swabs and things of that nature.

Carefully, you listened to his directions about what items were needed and gathered them all. Once you had finished, you laid everything beside him on the bed and knelt down on the floor by his legs. Looking up at Ivar with concern, you waited for him to tell you what to do next.

“You……you can go…..now.” He said with a contorted expression and labored breathing. “I’ll……do it myself.”

You were dumbfounded. There was no way that someone in as much pain as he was in, was going to be able nurse himself.

“What? That’s crazy!” You said with worry. “Let me at least get that girl…..your girlfriend, to help you.”

Despite being in pain, Ivar slightly chuckled and shook his head. He was really in agony and you could see the sweat forming on his forehead.

“She…doesn’t like...medical things.” He said as he grabbed a pair of disposable gloves and a medical mask. “It’s okay. I….I know what to do.” He winced.

“Fine! I won’t get her but I’m not leaving. You said firmly. “I’ll do it for you.”

Before Ivar could reject your offer, you grabbed another mask and put it on, you also snatched the gloves out of his hand. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but stopped himself.

“Okay. Just tell me what to do one step at a time.” You said.

Putting on a mask as well, Ivar looked at you with hesitation but reluctantly removed the hard brace on his right leg. Since he was wearing basketball shorts, it was easy to access his leg properly. Gently, you unwound the bandages as he watched you quietly only making noise when he felt some discomfort. He was mainly quiet because he wasn’t sure how you were going to react to his numerous scars. Despite your touch being very gentle, he was beginning to regret allowing you to see something only a handful of people had seen.

Once you had disposed of the last of the old bandages, you finally saw the extent of his issue. From what you could tell, he had been through countless surgeries due to the amount of scars. Many went further up towards his upper thigh. In front of you now was a recent operation because you could see bolts on each side of his knee and fresh sutures.

“Okay, I’m listening.” You said.

It didn’t take long for you to clean, treat and reapply his bandages as he talked you through the process. As you worked cautiously, Ivar couldn’t take his eyes off you the entire time. When you had fastened the last of the new bandage, you lightly patted Ivar’s foot to let him know you were done. He removed his mask and balled it up in his hand without saying anything.

When you stood up and looked down at him, you were very surprised by his expression. He was looking at you in an oddly serene manner.

“I think the topical painkiller will kick in soon enough.” You said removing your mask. “If you hadn’t been drinking, you would have been able to take your Vicodin.” You slightly giggled sitting on the bed next to him.

You hesitated a moment, unsure about touching him as he sat in silence, but then began rubbing his back.

“Are you starting to feel better now?” You asked as you continued rubbing his back in the same manner your dad often did when you weren’t feeling well.

It was something that you were good at. Comforting people and making them feel better even in the worst of situations. Your parents had always praised you about that, if nothing else. You felt Ivar’s forehead with the back of your hand as he eyed you guardedly.

“Well, there’s no fever. That’s a good sign.” You smiled warmly and stroked his cheek “So quiet all of a sudden? You smiled. “Guess you’re not a roaring lion all the time, huh?”

You stood up and began gathering all the wrappers when suddenly the door to the room flung open. Ubbe and Hvitserk entered with drinks in hand. Ubbe looked at Ivar and then to you with an inquisitive expression. That was until he saw the wrappers and such you were placing in a medical waste bag.

“The pain again? Ubbe asked Ivar.

“Yes. I was going to take care of it myself but…well…Y/N insisted on helping.”

Hvitserk sauntered over to you once you stood up and wrapped his arm around your waist. You had your guard up instantly because of what Ivar had said back at the club. His “low-hanging fruit” comment was stuck in the back of your mind. “I was worried that you had left the party early.” He said. “Thanks for taking care of Ivar.” Hvitserk removed his hand from your waist and took you by the hand. “Come on. I want you to show you something.”

“Feel better Ivar.” You shouted as Hvitserk wasted not time in dragging you from the room.

Ivar sat in silence on the bed avoiding eye contact with Ubbe. He hated how his older brother pried into everything and was always getting in his head.

“Are you alright, brother?”

“Of course I am alright! Why wouldn’t I be? An irritated Ivar snapped. “As I have told you before, one mother is enough.”

“I know. Just trying to show some concern for my little brother. Ubbe said as looked at his drink and then Ivar. “So, anything you want to tell me?”

Since Ivar knew what his brother was driving at, he ignored him. Ubbe titled his head and studied Ivar a few moments before speaking again.

“Well, I will be by the pool if you need me. I Hope you can join the party again.”

Ivar was clenching his jaw but Ubbe couldn’t see it since he was already near the bedroom door. When Ivar didn’t respond, he left him to be alone with his thoughts.

____________________________

When Hvitserk finally dragged you to the front driveway, he walked you past some of the parked cars to an area full of balloons on the ground. Your eyes nearly jumped out of your head when you spotted the Bugatti.

“My dad got it for me. You want to go for a ride?” He asked as he placed his forehead against yours.

A freakin luxury car! He had just received car that cost more than most people’s homes and yet there he was acting like it was a common occurrence.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Folaki will wonder where I went off to.”

Hvisterk scoffed and informed you that she was in the capable hands of his eldest brother Bjorn. He let go of your hand and spun you into his arms so that you were face-to-face. With your chest pressed firmly against his, you prepared yourself to reject his advances.

“Trust me, I don’t think she’ll be looking for us anytime soon.” He added as he brushed his nose against yours for an Eskimo kiss.

Sensing you tense up, he pulled you in closer and sensually caressed the small of your back with his hands.

“Okay. Time to end this.” You asserted in your mind.

“Do you have to be so close to speak to me. It’s...it’s making me uncomfortable.”

“That’s because you like me.” His blue eyes twinkled with boldness as he responded.

You weren’t surprised by his straightforward assertion. His entire family seemed to be comprised of a bunch of Alpha Males.

“Thanks for making assumptions.” You replied making Hvitserk grin. “Besides you don’t even know if I have a boyfriend.”

“Why would I care? I’m the better option, regardless.”

“That....that’s really arrogant.” You said a bit amused at his confidence.

Before you could speak, you felt Hvitserk’s lips press against yours. He gave you succession of soft, probing kissing that urged you to respond. In-between the pecks, he commanded you in a hushed and irresistible tone.

“Kiss me Y/N.”

Against every bit of logical advice you had given yourself the entire night, you parted your lips and soon found yourself engulfed in one of the most passionate kisses you had ever experienced. His kiss made you feel like you were on fire. You let out little moans that made him kiss you with more urgency. He moved his hands from your waist up to your face and caressed your cheeks with his hands. Breaking the kiss a moment, Hvitserk looked down at you with passion in his eyes. With both of you sensually gasping, you stared at one another.

He rubbed his thumb against your bottom lip and then parted them slightly. Hvitserk then leaned down and licked your lips in one swift motion before pulling you in for more. You wrapped your arms around his neck out of instinct as he moved his hands back down your waist again. The two of you were lost in the fiery embrace until a female voice broke the quiet of the night.

“What the fuck?!”

Hvitserk stopped and you both turned to the direction where the voice came from. There stood a blonde woman with a scowl that could kill.

“Margrethe.” He said a bit startled. “What, are you doing here?”

“Ivar invited me.”

303 notes · View notes