#I don’t Even think Lars heard what James said

[jaymzsguitar]

“Lars is always between my legs” thank you for that information James😀

[weirdgenetic-fuckup]

Using Safe Words - Metallica pt.1

A/n: Basically just scenario's where a safe word is used and how Metallica members would react. This is only James, Lars and Kirk, if you'd like to the bassists or other bands even let me know :3

Link to part 2

Warnings: Smut, angst, use of a safe word, rough sex, sex toys, if you think you won't be comfortable reading that that's fine protect yourself before reading content :3 Also, if there's anything you think I missed let me know!

James had you bent in half on the couch. He had had a rough day at the studio, everyone was just on his ass and in his face and it was driving him crazy, so when he got home you offered to help him destress. Only you hadn’t anticipated this...

Don’t get me wrong, James was always on the rougher side of things but this was pushing it. He’d been manhandling you and pulling more orgasms out of you than your body could take at this point. It didn’t matter how sensitive you were, how weak or overstimulated you were, James just didn’t stop and your begs and pleads only seemed to fuel his need for dominance.

His hips were slamming against your at an unholy as he held your knees to your chest. “Fuck, pretty little slut, barely keeping your eyes open?” Your eyes were rolling back, your brain was practically useless at this point and you were shaking uncontrollably underneath James. James slapped you across the face, hard. You cried out but he didn’t care and did it again. “Fucking look at me when I’m railing you.” He ordered.

“Ja-Jamie, Jamie, please!” You sobbed, tears streaming down your red face. “Can’t-can’t take it, please!”

“Whiny whore.” He groaned, slapping you again. You couldn’t take it anymore.

“Pumpkin.” You sputtered, your voice was weak and he barely heard it. James laughed and stared down at your weak form.

“What was that? Gotta speak up, bitch.”

“Pum-pumpkin, please, pumpkin!” You sobbed, tossing and turning. James froze, any cold demeanour he had vanished in an instant.

“What was that?” He asked, his voice now basically a whisper. You didn’t respond and just continued sobbing. James slowly pulled out and wrapped his arms around you, pulling you onto his lap. “Baby, I’m so sorry.” He littered kisses all over your face, soft and gentle ones. He wiped the tears from your eyes and held you close. “I’m so, so sorry, love, how about I run you a nice warm bath, yeah? Then we can watch a movie or something, how does that sound?” You gave a small nod and he carried you to the bathroom.

He never let go of you while he got the bath ready, sprinkling in smelling salts, lighting a few candles and even adding in rose petals. Fake ones he was saving for a special occasion but he felt you needed them now more than anything.

“Do you want me to get leave?” He asked once he got you in the tub. You shook your head.

“Just-just hold me.” Your voice was still shaky as you mumbled. “Please.” James smiled and got in with you, pulling you close to his chest. He continued to whisper praises and apologise in your ear, pressing soft kisses all over your face and asking if you’re ok.

Lars was always a dick. He’d refuse to let you cum or make you cum so much you couldn’t remember your own name. Then there’d be times when he would only focus on his own pleasure and completely disregard whether you finished or not. Usually, this was just to annoy you, rile you up and what not, plus there’d always be days when he was just perfect for you, making sure everything was just right. He’d have his moments, for sure.

Today was nothing like anything he’s put you through. He’d just come back from a tour with Metallica and said he was all pent up. Of course you understood, you’d been feeling just the same, and so you ended up in the bedroom.

Your wrists and ankles were tied to the bedposts. Lars had two vibrators in either of your holes, with one perfectly pressed against your clit. Lars was pistoning himself in and out of your mouth, not caring if you could breathe or not. You were gagging, not necessarily because of him but just because you needed air, he didn’t care either way, he just enjoyed the noises coming from you like sweet music to his ears.

“Fuck, so good for me.” Lars moaned out, throwing his head back in pleasure. Your whole body was hot and tight, not in the usual way. The high speed vibrations, the stretch you never welcomed, Lars standing over you and being unable to even try to move through all of it just made everything hurt. Painful, is what it was.

You tried to choke something out but the words couldn’t form around Lars. “Oh, I’m sorry, what was that?” He asked with a grin, pulling out enough for you to talk.

“Please, just-” You didn’t get a chance to finish as Lars slammed himself right back past your lips. Again you gagged while he cackled above you. You pulled and thrashed against the restraints but every move just made the feelings down below so much worse.

Lars pulled out again, still snickering. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, you wanna try again?” He asked, you knew he’d just do it again so you blurted out the only thing you thought could get him to stop.

“Pump-!” Again he cut you off. This time his laughter was short-lived when he processed what you were trying to say.

“Wait, what?” He asked, moving completely off of you. He held your face as he always did, caressing your cheek.

“Pumpkin, please, pumpkin!” You sobbed, writhing at the pain coursing through you. Lars immediately panicked, rushing to take everything off and out of your. As soon as you were able to, you pushed yourself to the corner of the bed, curling in on yourself as you cried, trying to forget what you just experienced.

Lars came up behind you, wrapping his arms around you tightly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it was that bad.” His voice was soft and a little shaky. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why-why would you-would you do that to me?” You asked through quiet sobs. He shook his head, nuzzling against you.

“I didn’t-I don’t-I just-” He started and stopped his sentences before just giving up. “I’m so, so sorry, love.” He held you a little longer before getting up and walking out of the room. He returned a few minutes later with a cloth and started wiping you down. The cloth was coarse and rough against you. You snatched it out of his hand and started cleaning yourself off in a more delicate fashion. “I’m sorry, can I just-” He reached for it again but you turned away from him. He gave a small nod and went to the closet.

You watched him dig through the clothes, tears making your vision a little blurry and you couldn’t stop sniffling. Lars came back to you, standing beside the bed and holding out clothes for you to take. One of his band shirts and a pair of his sweats. You looked between him and the clothes in his hands for a moment before taking them and slowly getting them on. “My body hurts.” You muttered, voice shaky.

“I’m sorry.” He said again. “I can set up a movie for us? A bubble bath? Whatever you want.” You thought about it for a moment before giving a small nod.

“A movie sounds nice.” Lars smiled at you and rushed off to set up a movie for the two of you in the living room.

A few weeks ago Kirk had brought up the idea of having a threesome to which you immediately turned down, that was not up your alley at all. Kirk dropped it when he saw how much you disliked the idea and for a while you thought that was the end of it.

Kirk brought you on tour with him, it was just for a week for his birthday and you intended to spend as much time with him as you could during his special day. The two of you finally had some alone time in your hotel room and were watching a movie, he kept touching up your leg and teasing you a bit, so you decided to indulge and have some fun.

You were straddling his lap, your tongues exploring each other’s mouth as you interchanged moans and groans. Kirk’s hands were roaming your body, groping your ass. He’d have his hands on your hips and pull you down while grinding the tent in his pants against you, drawing more sounds out of the both of you.

Everything was fine until you heard a deep groan that didn’t sound anything like Kirk, plus it was coming from the other side of the room. You pulled away, Kirk went to kiss your neck, sucking and licking at the sensitive skin. You glanced over your shoulder and saw James in a chair not far away with his cock in his hand, slowly stroking it up and down.

Fear shot through you and you pushed yourself off of Kirk, looking between him and the lead singer. “What the fuck?!”

“What?” Kirk asked, looking genuinely concerned for you. “You said no threesome so I figured James could just watch.” He explained. You can hear it in his tone that he’s doubting the idea as he says it. You opened your mouth to say something but nothing came out. With no verbal disagreement Kirk leaned over to you again and kissed you. You slapped him. He didn’t look confused or hurt, just a little sad that he made you uncomfortable.

“Fucking pumpkin! I told you when you brought it up the first time, why would this be ok?!” He didn’t say anything and just looked down at the sheets. You scoffed and stormed out of the room and into the bathroom, taking a moment to breathe and just get yourself calmed down.

Several minutes pass and you hear a knock on the door. “Sweetheart?” Kirk called, his voice soft. “Can I, uh, can I come in?” You waited a moment before opening the door, holding yourself and pouting at him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have told James that it was ok without talking about it with you.”

“You shouldn’t have even talked to him about it knowing that I wasn’t comfortable with stuff like that!” You argued. Kirk nodded and looked down again.

“Look, why don’t you take the bed and-and I’ll sleep in the tub.” He suggested, even taking a step around you to get to the small bath.

“Why would you do that?”

“I figured, you know, you wouldn’t want to share a bed with me after-” He paused and took a seat on the edge of the bath. “After that.” He sighed, running a hand over his face. “I’m sorry, it was really dumb, I promise it won’t happen again.” You nodded and sat beside him, resting your head on his shoulder.

“I still want you to sleep in bed with me.” You reached for his hand, intertwining your fingers together. “Sleep isn’t the same when I know I can’t steal your blankets.” You smiled up at him.

“I think I’d prefer the tub.” He chuckled. Kirk pulled you closer and kissed your forehead.

[ihavenolife346]

Don’t Forget Me PT.2

Pairing: 1998/2002 James Hetfield x f!reader

Warnings: Cheating, swearing, and crying

Characters: James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Jason Newstead, Lars Ulrich, Francesca Hetfield, Y/N

Summary: James never meant to fall in love with a woman who wasn’t his wife. They fell in love…but knew they couldn’t be together as long as they wanted too.

Requested: Yes, one of my friends asked me to write a second part so here you are babes:>

Link to part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/

“Hi pretty girl.” His voice rang through her ears. Even though it was 3:18 in the morning in France, Y/N was wide awake now.

She could never mistake his voice…she never could. “J-James.” Y/N, shot up from her bed. It’s been 4 years since she had left…4 years since he told her his wife was pregnant. Y/N honestly never did expect to receive a call from him ever again. Though that never meant she stopped thinking about him. Somehow, no matter where she was, who she was talking to, who she was working for, he always lingered back into her mind.

Y/N heard James let out a loud sigh, “god you have no idea how happy I am to hear you.” Y/N found herself lightly giggling at his expression. As happy as she found herself being that he called, she was still wondering why he was. As bad as Y/N felt about it, she was hoping he was calling because it wasn’t working with Francesca anymore. But if he was just calling cause he needed a friend, she was ok with that too.

“Yea…it’s really good to hear you too James. What’s wrong?” Y/N could tell he was bothered by something. Even after 4 years, she could still read him like a book.

“Can I not call you cause I miss you?” James slightly teased, visibly relaxing at the sound of the small giggle she let out.

“You know what I mean James.” Y/N tried her best to sound serious, unable to contain the fact that she was really happy to hear from him. Y/N remembered exactly what she wrote in the letter she left him. She was being serious when she told him if things didn’t work out, or if he ever just needed a friend.

James remembered just how stubborn she was. When she had a question, she never stopped still she got the answer. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said in your letter.” James’s voice was hardly above a whisper.

Y/N softly smiled. That sentence gave her what she mainly wanting to know. “And?” Y/N pushed on.

James took a pause for a second. “Things haven’t been going good for a long time…” James knew he should feel guilty about giving up on his marriage, but he didn’t, he knew it wouldn’t work, and he tired, so he didn’t feel guilty.

Y/N knew it was wrong, but she felt happy the second he said that. “I’m sorry to hear that James.” Y/N tried to sound understanding.

James immediately started busting up laughing, “we both know you aren’t.” James wasn’t even offended.

Y/N started laughing as well, “can’t blame a girl for trying to make it seem so.” Y/N heard Dave groan next to her. Every tour, they always shared a room when Jordyn wasn’t touring with them.

“Shut the hell up Y/N.” Dave grumbled, throwing one of his pillows over to her bed in attempt to hit her.

Y/N grumbled, “one second James.” Y/N didn’t even let James respond before she took the phone away from her ear. “Shut the hell up Dave, you’re fine.” Y/N snapped back playfully, earning the finger from her friend before he turned back around to go back to sleep.

James felt his heart stop when he heard a man’s voice in the background. Was Y/N seeing someone? Was she is the same bed as another man? “Hey, sorry. Dave decided to be annoying.” Y/N snickered.

“It’s ok…who’s Dave…?” James asked hesitantly, not wanting to come off as jealous. It’s been 4 years, he wouldn’t blame her if she had found someone else.

Y/N knew his tone, that was the tone he used whenever something was bothering him or when he was jealous. Y/N lightly giggled at the fact that he was bothered by it. “Oh Dave? Just the guy I work for. Dave Grohl.” Y/N giggled at how jealous James sounded.

“Oh shit,I forgot you were working with them, still are I take it?” The name immediately clicked in James’s head.

“Yea! I have been since I left.” Y/N shrugged. She had grown quite close with the Foo Fighters members over the past few years.

“Y/N….! You know I love you, but please shut the actual hell up please.” Dave groaned, almost fully awake now.

��Fine…” Y/N sighed. “I’m sorry, I really have to go.” Y/N really didn’t want to hang up, but she knew she had stuff to do in the morning.

James sighed, “yea, yea, that’s perfectly fine. Call me back whenever you can.” As much as he didn’t want her to go, he knew it was late for her, and that she had things to do in the morning.

Y/N didn’t want to hang up, “Can you call me again 3:00ish your time? See ya rockstar.” Y/N sighed.

“Yea, yea I will. Bye pretty girl.” James felt a small appear on his face. It felt so good to hear her voice again.

__________________________

“Soooooooooooo.” Dave came up behind Y/N, making her almost choke on her sandwich.

“D-dude!” Y/N choked, slightly jumping. “You scared the shit out of me!” Y/N playfully slapped the guitarist.

“You gonna tell me who you were talking to last night?” Dave blew off her other comments, a grin on his face.

“How’d I know this was coming.” Y/N giggled.

“Well you woke me up at like 4:00 in the morning, so yes, yes it was coming.” Dave hand a snarky grin on his face. “Welllllllllllll?” Dave drew out his question.

Y/N knew she had no way out of this. “God damn you…fine.” Y/N grumbled, watching Dave grin from ear to ear. “So…you know that I guy I told you about from San Francisco?” Y/N started, getting a nod from Dave.

“Yea, the guy you were with but ended things cause his wife was pregnant.” Dave remembered the story word for word.

“Well I got a call from him last night…” Y/N hadn’t taken their conversation out of her mind ever since she woke up.

“Based on how much yapping you did, I’m going to guess it went well?” Dave teased.

Y/N couldn’t help but smile, “yeaaaaaa, he wants to see me again.” Y/N sounded like a little girl with her first crush.

“How much time do you need off?” Dave didn’t even bother asking to already know what she was wanting.

“Oh no, it’s ok, I can just tell him that I can go see him at the end of the tour.” Y/N didn’t want to miss any pay she could get.

“Payed leave, you never take vacations, you deserve it. And I can tell you wanna see him. How long do you need off?” Dave remembered the stories she told him about who she claimed to be the love of her life, he remembered laughing his ass off when he found out it was James Hetfield.

“Maybe a week and a half?” Y/N knew she wouldn’t win this.

“I’ll put you in for two weeks.” Dave got up to get back to rehearsal for tonight’s show.

Y/N knew he would t let her talk him out of 2 weeks, “thank you Dave!!” Y/N couldn’t wait to get James’s call tonight.

__________________________

Right on time, the phone rang, making Y/N practically run to pick it up. “Hi!” Y/N spoke the second she picked up the phone.

“You sound happy.” James smiled.

“I am…” Y/N trialed, “quick question.” Y/N added.

“What’s up?” James wondered. He wasn’t too worried about the guys getting mad that he was on the phone, when he told them what happened the night before they were all perfectly fine with him calling.

“Can you pick me up from the airport ok Friday?” Y/N grinned. She found everything she needed, flights, hotel, all she needed to know was if he could pick her up or if she needed a car.

“Wait, you’re coming on Friday??” James wanted to make sure he heard her right. Him and Francesca were already sleeping on separate beds, he could always get a hotel for a few nights to see Y/N and to get away from her.

“Dave gave me two weeks off, wanted to make sure everything was cool with you before I booked it.” Y/N couldn’t get the smile off her face.

James didn’t even have to think about it, “yes! Yes! Book it. Do you need money?” James hadn’t felt this excited in years.

“Ok! I’ll book it, I’ll be in San Francisco Friday afternoon at like 2:00 I think. And no, I don’t need any money.” Y/N giggled. She remembered how he always liked to make sure she was taken care of with whatever it was.

“Ok! Let me know the flight details and when you land then.” James felt like a little kid on Christmas.

“Yea, yea, I will! Ok well…I’ll see you Friday!” Y/N couldn’t believe she could say that now. She was seeing him again. “Oh! What’s your cell number? My phones weird overseas, doesn’t show me your number. Just so I can text over the flight info.” Y/N asked.

“Oh yea, of course. It’s *** *** ****.” James hadn’t wiped a smile off his face ever since she picked up the phone.

Writing down the numbers, “ok! Well I’ll text that over to you once I get booked, and I’ll text you sometime tomorrow. I have a busy morning.” Y/N once again didn’t wanna go, but she knew she had too.

“I’ll let you go then. I bet it’s late. Um…I can’t wait to see you.” James still hadn’t processed that Y/N was going to be with him in not even 3 days now.

“I can’t wait to see you too James. I’ll text ya tomorrow.” Y/N grinned.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow then.” James had never wanted Friday to come faster in his life than now.

[metallicaislife]

The Spank Bank Incident

A/N: I don't know why but I thought of this scenario and it cracked me up haha

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 524

Warnings: Vague mentions jerking off

I grinned as I took a sip of my beer. Any time I’m around my friends is a good time. It was loud as they conversed amongst themselves. Out of nowhere a memory surfaced and I burst out laughing. 

All eyes were on me, as I wheezed. 

“Are you okay?” Kirk asked. 

“Do you remember when I found-“

Lars placed his hand over his face and sighed.

“Wait a minute, you weren’t there, Kirk! It was when Dave was still in the band.” I laughed.

“What happened?” Kirk asked curiously.

I was lounging with Lars in his room. We were just chatting when something caught my eyes. I found the jackpot. I snatched it up and Lars' eyes widened and before he could react I bolted out of his room manically laughing. 

I could hear him as he chased after me. 

“GET BACK HERE! GIVE IT BACK!” He yelled. 

“What’s going on?” James asked as I sprinted out the door. 

“Fock.” I heard Lars exclaim as he gave up. 

I didn’t, I didn’t stop until I could safely hide beside a neighbors garage. 

“Let’s see what gets Lars off.” I giggled as I started looking through the magazines.  

They were your typical playboy mags; nothing too shocking. That is until I opened a page and found a photo and my eyes widened. 

I made my way back to the Metallimansion yard. 

“Told you she’d be back…” Lars said, James and Cliff flanked him, Dave looked confused. 

I handed him his stash of magazines, firmly holding on to the picture I found. 

“Lars… Why am I in your spank bank?” I asked, perplexed holding up the photo. “It isn’t even a racy photo, like I’d understand if my tits were out, but I’m literally sitting on a couch smoking a cigarette…” I said holding up the photo so everyone could see. My face felt like it was on fire.

James hand shot up, “hold on, so you’re saying if we happened to have a topless picture of you we could use it for-“ 

“No! I’m saying I would’ve understood, not that you can do that.” I interrupted pinching the bridge of my nose. “I need to know… is Lars the only one who…?”

James went to open his mouth. 

“WAIT! NOPE! Changed my mind, I don’t want to know.” I looked at the picture again and shook my head. 

“I’m going home.” I turned to leave. 

“Can I get the picture back?” Lars asked, I looked at him with wide eyes. 

“Absolutely not.” 

“Are you still coming to the gig tonight?” Cliff called out.

“Yeah…” I replied and waved. “See you later.” 

“I don’t think she’s ever going to look at you the same.” Dave laughed, throwing an arm around Lars. 

“You’re definitely going to hear about this for the rest of your life.” Cliff laughed. 

“You’re joking!” Kirk laughed. 

“I was right, Lars. For the rest of your life this story is going to be told.” Cliff grinned. 

“Y/N that was years ago are you ever going to let it go?” Lars asked.

“No, Lars, I won’t.” I smiled and winked at him.

Thank you for reading! Feel free to request or chat :)

-Isa

[kirk-says-wah]

𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐲 - 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟒

You can also read it here

Pairings: Kirk/Lars, James/Lars, James/Jason

TW: guns, violence, blood

Note: I have no idea where this fic is going so id love to hear your ideas!

The room is silent. 

Lars can only stare at Jason, wonders why the hell he’d risk himself like that. He looks back at James, and James looks like he’s pleading for Jason to stop, face deathly pale, eyes wide. 

Virgil flies out of his seat, jabbing a finger at James, the tension snapping. 

“You said this was over.” 

The accusation is thick, but James just blinks back, still holding Lars’ hand. Lars watches his father whisper to his men in the row behind him and he knows this can’t be good. It seems Jason just bought a one way ticket to hell, and it doesn’t seem like James is going to join him for the ride. 

“Please don’t marry him,” Jason says, eyes wide, lip trembling. “Please.” 

“Jason-“ James tries, his voice barely a whisper, but before he can say anything more, two guards grab Jason, pulling him backwards. 

Jason struggles in the hold, crying out for James, but James just stands stock still, his hand shaking against Lars’. He sniffs, looking down, and Lars watches as a teardrop lands on the floor. 

Lars wonders what they’re going to do to Jason. It can’t be anything good, maybe they’ll beat him, drug him, kill him, and a feeling like guilt settles deep within his gut. 

The vicar clears his throat. 

“Shall I go on?” 

Lars’ eyes slide over, looking to his father who nods. 

He doesn’t want to do this. He wants to go home. 

James finally starts moving then, hands trembling around the ring as he pushes it onto Lars’ finger, voice shaky and small as he recites the vows. He looks like he wants to bolt, like he wants to be anywhere but here, and Lars doesn’t blame him. So does he. 

“I hereby declare you Mr and Mr Hetfield,” the vicar says, and within seconds James is gone, fleeing down the aisle and out the door, his touch now a ghost against Lars’ hand. 

Lars just stands there, unmoving, not breathing, the ring feeling cold around his finger. His eyes land on Kirk, his sweet Kirk, who looks back at him, tears in his eyes at witnessing his lover marry someone else. Theres a part of Lars that wishes Kirk had done what Jason had, but he knows why he didn’t. He’d be risking both their lives. 

The audience filters out of the room and Lars finally finds his feet, the chatter background noise as he walks into the foyer. He feels like shit, his temples sweaty and his hands clammy, and he feels all the more worse when a hand curls around his arm and he’s dragged into another room. 

“Don’t think I didn’t notice your little friend,” Torben says, his hand painful as it digs into Lars’ arm. 

Lars swallows, panic engulfing him. 

“Please,” he pleads, something he doesn’t do often to his father. “Please leave him alone. I’ll leave with James, just please don’t touch him.” 

His father eyes him for a moment, gaze cold before he finally replies, still towering over Lars. 

“You can say goodbye. Then I want him gone. He’s not a part of your life anymore.” 

It’s not what Lars wanted to hear but it’s what he expected. At least it’s something. 

“There’s too much that rests on this marriage,” Torben says. 

“You just want to get rid of me,” Lars snaps back, trying not to show how intimidated he is by his father. Torben just considers him for a moment, eyes raking over Lars’ form and Lars momentarily thinks he’s put his foot in it. He just hopes his father won’t make a scene. 

“Have you heard of Mustaine?” 

Mustaine. Yeah Lars has definitely heard of him. He messed up all Lars’ numbers a few years back with some backhanded deals, and he’d even shot some of Torben’s men. Lars dreads to think how he’s involved with this. 

Lars nods and his father continues. 

“We have a, well, an arrangement, so to speak. You marrying James was the deal to keep the peace.” 

So Lars wasn’t the only one risking his neck if he hadn’t gone through with it. It’s an interesting development, one he wishes he’d known about earlier. 

“Just do as I say, and this will all be over. Don’t, and it’ll be Kirk that faces the consequences.” 

And with that, his father leaves. Lars sucks in a breath, a little rattled, but he knows what he has to do. He’s never been so sure of anything in his life.

He finds Kirk in the ballroom, deep in the shadows where no one will notice him. He can obviously sense something’s wrong, and his face twists with worry, reaching out for Lars’ hand, glad no one will be able to see them in the dark now that the disco lights are on. 

“We need to go,” Lars says, thankful for Kirk’s hand in his own. It familiar, unlike James’. It’s soft and comforting. 

“We’re running away. Me and you.” 

He tugs on Kirk’s arm but Kirk just stays still, eyes searching Lars’. 

“Lars I don’t- I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

Lars logically knows that, but his need to get out is stronger. This is the perfect opportunity to slip away. 

He’s married, surely that’s all everyone wants. He doesn’t have anything more to give. 

“Cmon Kirk,” Lars says, pleading once again, swallowing thickly as he takes in the concern in Kirk’s eyes. Kirk links their fingers, and Lars wishes he could just pull him forwards, kiss away the panic on his face. 

Kirk finally relents, and they weave between bodies, glad everyone is too busy to notice them as they go through the back, out through the kitchen and into the parking lot. 

Lars is panting, his skin practically vibrating as he pulls Kirk out into the open. 

This could be it. This could be his escape. 

The two of them bolt between the cars, the panic and adrenaline carrying them, only for a small noise to jolt them and they duck. 

Shit. Lars hopes they’ve not been seen. He just knows things will go badly if they’re caught. 

There’s another noise, a groan, and Lars frowns. It sounds like someone in pain, and he crouch walks around the side of the car he was behind. 

He finds James, slumped on the floor, blood everywhere, in his hair, down his tux. He looks a complete mess, face bruised and his shirt ripped. 

Lars gasps, bending down, flattening James into the car to get a look at his face. 

James blinks back, eyes foggy, eyelashes sticking together. 

“What happened?” Lars asks, hands cupping James’ cheeks tentatively. He can’t help the concern in his voice, and he wonders who could’ve done this to him. He feels a bit odd touching James like this but it feels right. He is his husband after all. 

James sniffs, winces, looks up at Lars then at Kirk. 

He swallows, tears running through the streaks of blood on his face. 

“They took Jason.” 

[bubbledtee]

A Break ~ Part 1

Based off of THIS interview.

Pairing: Kirk Hammett x fem!reader, Dave Mustaine x fem!reader

Words: 3.6k

Warnings: extremely incorrect timeline, mentions of Lars being an asshole, mentions of Kirk being a shitty boyfriend, mentions of cheating, mentions of sex, mentions drugs and alcohol, smoking cigarettes, crying, Dave being a complete softie for reader, i think that's all, lmk if i missed any!

A/N: ok, the timeline on this shit is inconsistent (obvi), and this is also kind of shitty, but it was just easier to have kirk and dave be in the band at the same time. lars and james are basically just procrastinating kicking dave out, so that's why they have both kirk and dave there lol. this is going to have at least one more part, and that part will contain smut ^-^

It wasn’t your choice, coming to this party. If you could even call it that. You just wanted to spend the night with Kirk for once, to have a relaxed evening where there was nothing there to distract you from one another, no one to get between you. But, of course, that just couldn’t happen, could it? He couldn’t just spare you one night without being clung to this new band, ‘Metallica’.

You took a long drag from your cigarette, staring up at the moon and its surrounding speckles of light. The cratered rock was full as could be, the reflective light gleaming in the sky brightly. You couldn’t remember the last time the moon was so beautiful and bright. It made you wonder when the last time you really decided to observe the beauty around you.

Your mind was elsewhere as you continued to smoke, your knees tucked tightly against your chest. “Fuck, it’s cold.” you shivered, rubbing the trail of goosebumps up your arm in attempts to warm up. You really should’ve grabbed your jacket.

The sound of a zippo flicking open jerks you from your own thoughts, your neck twisting quickly to face the noise. Some part of you wished it was Kirk coming to apologize to you, to tell you that he was the dick, but you knew that wasn’t happening.

You sigh in relief when the flame of the lighter illuminates the identity of the rando behind you, his large hand cupped around the flame as he lights his cigarette.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Dave.” you exhale, turning back to face forward, “You scared the shit out of me,”

The redhead chuckles drunkenly. You could smell the cheap beer and weed on his flannel from here.

“Sorry,” he smirks before taking a drag. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the faint hum of She by Misfits bounding from the shitty speakers in the home behind you. Dave exhales before motioning to the seat beside you, “Mind if I sit?”

You carelessly motion back, signaling a ‘Whatever’ as you suck back the last of the smoke before stubbing it out on the ground below you, “As long as you won’t call me a selfish bitch, too.” you breathe, quoting a very, very drunk Lars after you had asked Kirk if you could simply go home.

“Never,” was all Dave said before taking a long sip from his beer and sinking down into the lawn chair beside you. His silence confused you a bit. From what you’ve known of Dave, he’s an aggressive, talkative drunk, always fighting with someone or doing something crazy. But right now he was neither, seemingly just needing a break from everyone, too.

There was a break of silence as you just sat together, enjoying the damp aroma and particularly bright light of the night individually. Over the past weeks you’d known Dave, you’d gotten on well with him. Cliff, too.

But there was something special about Dave.

Maybe it was that notorious grin of his whenever he told a funny story.

Or maybe it was the way he cared about his bandmates, how he’d do anything for them even if they wouldn’t do the same.

Or how he listened to you when you told a story, not interrupting you like James or Lars would.

How he’d listen when Kirk wouldn’t.

“You don’t deserve that,” Dave mutters suddenly, taking a short drag of his cigarette.

Your neck swivels towards him, cheeks reddening at the somewhat bold words.

“Sorry?” you ask dumbly.

Dave turns his head to look back at you, the moonlight casting perfectly against his profile. “You heard me,” he slurs slightly before turning his head away from you again, staring into the pale light above. “No real man would stand for his friends acting like that towards his girlfriend. Not if he cared about her, at least.”

A pain struck through your heart at the guitarist’s brutally honest words. Of course Kirk cared about you, at least he did before he got caught up in this whole musician thing. You bit your lip as you slowly turned to face forward again, too, your head slowly dropping to rest on your folded knees.

Dave continued, “Those guys in there, James, Cliff, Lars, they’re my brothers. Other than them, I’ve only got my mom.” he sighed, running his long fingers through his thick mane of hair, “I mean, I’d do anything for them, y’know? More than they’d probably do for me, honestly.” Dave huffed out a pained laugh before sipping his beer once more, crushing the can beneath his foot when the golden brown liquid was all gone.

“But I’d never, ever let any one of them talk to my girl like that.” Dave hissed, almost angry, “That would’ve been my breaking point.” he added, bringing his cigarette to his face and pausing his motion right before inserting the stick between his lips, murmuring, “Should’ve been Kirk’s, too.”

It felt like you were being stabbed in the chest repetitively as Dave went on. Sure, he was right, Kirk wasn’t being a good boyfriend as of late, and it really was pissing you off, but why did Dave have to be so upfront about it? What did he get out of giving you relationship advice?

You push air from your cheeks in attempts to hold back the tears that had been there all night, but it was impossible. Kirk didn’t care anymore. He was all about the band, not seeming to care how you felt any longer. 

When he was in Exodus, Kirk would’ve followed you right outside when you stormed out, begging for your forgiveness and berating whatever “friend” had called you a bitch. But it wasn’t like that anymore. Metallica changed him.

The first tear trailed down your cheek as you clenched your eyes shut, hoping – praying – that this was just some sort of cruel nightmare. That you were going to wake up beside a loving, caring Kirk once again.

But you didn’t.

You pressed your burning eyes against your denim clad knees, the tears unable to be held back any longer. A light gasp for air turned Dave’s attention towards you, his eyebrows furrowing in pure concern.

“Y/N?” he questions softly, immediately dropping his cigarette to rub a hand up and down your back in an attempt to comfort you. His voice was soft and caring; very out of character for him. “Oh, don’t cry.”

Despite Dave’s gentle plea, you broke. The wails you’d been holding back for god knows how long were finally coughed up, salty tears staining your cheeks with dark eyeliner and mascara. Your head rose as you gasped for air, hiccuping up incoherent words that Dave couldn’t even start to decipher.

Dave gave you a pitiful, guilty look. He did this to you. It wasn’t his intention to make you upset, but it happened. God, he really should just keep his fucking mouth closed sometimes.

“Come here,” Dave whispered, pulling you up from your chair and back down into his lap, wrapping his arms around you and squeezing you against him. His large frame warmed your much smaller one as you pressed your face against his broad chest, muffling your loud, breathless sobs. “I’m sorry, pretty.” he murmured against your ear, the pet name just slipping out on instinct before he pressed his lips against the top of your head. He smoothed a hand up and down your back, holding you tightly against himself. “It’s gonna be okay,”

Dave frowned at just how cold and sad you felt against him. He just wanted to make everything perfect for you, to make everything that’s bad in your life go away. He wanted to hold you like this forever, and to keep you safe and happy for as long as he could, safer and happier than Kirk ever could.

Ever since Lars and James hired Kirk, Dave was starting to get treated worse as the days went on. All of their attention was turned to this guitarist who, in Dave’s mind, really did not need to be there. They had a lead guitarist and rhythm guitarist and were fine as a four-piece. What did they need this random dude for all of a sudden? It wasn’t like he was filling an empty position, either.

However, when he realized that you came along with Kirk, things seemed to be just a bit better. You were smart, you were funny, extremely artistic, and absolutely beautiful. Whenever he could, he was sneaking a glance at you when you weren’t looking. Maybe from across the room during one of these stupid parties when someone made you giggle, or maybe during the band’s practice when you were sat in your own chair in the corner, drawing in that curious notebook of yours that no one but you was allowed to see. Not even Kirk.

So, when he began to notice how Kirk was treating you as the month went past, his resentment against him only grew. Most of the time, he’d stay out of it, just boring holes into the back of Kirk’s head after he’s, once again, sent you storming away for something he or one of the other guys have said. But on occasion, he’d follow you, ready to comfort you. Just like he had tonight.

Dave could feel your warm tears soaking through his shirt, and if it’d been anyone else, he probably would have shoved them off of himself in fears of ruining the shirt. But for you, he didn’t care. All he wanted was you being comfortable, and if that meant ruining his Aerosmith shirt, so be it.

Tears stream down your face when you pull away slightly, gasping to get words out, “It’s just- He wasn’t like this when he was in Exodus! And I don’t know if I did something, or- or-”

Dave shushed your teary rambles and shook his head, “You didn’t do anything, Y/N. It’s not your fault,” he assured you, resting his chin atop your head, “Kirk’s just an idiot,”

The sound of your sobs died down after that, your muscles relaxing as you let your body fully press against Dave’s. He was so warm, and so big, too. The way his long arms engulfed you against his chest made you feel so small, like his body could swallow yours whole and keep you warm inside and out. Like he could warm that empty cavity you felt within your chest right then.

After a moment, you noticed the volume of the music coming from inside dying down a bit, only faint notes breaking through the air occasionally. You wondered what time it was, and whether Kirk and the rest of the boys had decided to crash for the night, or if they were still up drinking whatever shitty liquor they had left.

“I dunno what I’m gonna do,” you sigh, subconsciously snuggling into Dave, just trying your hardest to warm up as you thought.

Obviously, you weren’t happy in your relationship with Kirk, but that could be fixed, right? Maybe, if you told him how you were feeling, he would take a step back and realize that he wasn’t being the boyfriend he should be, and that he should take you more into consideration. Or maybe, he just wouldn’t care. Maybe, he wouldn’t realize your worth at all and would just break up with you. Maybe, he just didn’t care anymore.

Your thoughts felt like punches as they banged around inside your head, questioning your entire relationship. You needed a break, that you knew.

You bit your lip, holding back more tears that threatened to pour from your eyes. “I don’t have a car, I don’t have much money, I don’t have anywhere to stay-”

“Sure you do,” Dave drunkenly chimed, his lips tugged into a smirk, “I have a couch,”

You sniffle and look up at him, “Yeah, but I really don’t wanna be a bother.”

“Pfft-” the redhead sputters, shaking his head dismissively, “The last thing you’d be is a bother, Y/N. I’m not a very busy guy.” He assures, “Plus, it’d be kind of nice to have someone other than the dog to talk to. She's a good listener, but she's shit at giving advice.”

You giggle and pull away from Dave, sitting yourself up on his knees. You peak over your shoulder at him, a cheeky grin plastered across your tear-stained face, “So that’s why you make such shitty decisions!”

Dave pushes your shoulder lightly with a scoff, “Says you,” he rebuts, watching intently as you slowly rise to your feet. The jeans you wore showed your shape off perfectly, hugging you in all the right places, and Dave cursed himself for letting his eyes linger for as long as they did.

“Whatever,” you laugh as you run your fingers through your hair, attempting to look at least halfway decent before having to face Kirk for the last time tonight. All you had to do was go into that god forsaken living room, maybe give Kirk a short explanation or just leave a simple note as to where you were going, grab your jacket, and then leave with Dave. It was as simple as that.

“Here, turn around.” Dave instructed, though before you had a chance to react, he was gently pulling you around by your elbow. “Let me get some of this shit off your face,” he mumbled as he took your cheek into his hand, cocking your head up towards him.

God, he’s tall. You thought to yourself, a smile playing at your lips as he furrowed his brows and attempted to rub the stains off with the pad of his thumb. After a bit of struggle, the redhead ran his thumb along his tongue before bringing it back up to your face, continuing to rub the black blotches from your cheeks. The pungent scent of the beer and marijuana ridden saliva hardly bothered you, your mind too busy secretly swooning over the six-foot redhead before you.

“There,” he smiled proudly, giving your cheeks one final rub with the sleeve of his flannel. You gazed up at him for a moment longer than you would have liked, your eyes flickering from his beautiful greenish-brown eyes to his plump lips as your mind wandered into uncharted territory.

How could someone be such a soft, caring person one moment, and then a gruff brute the next? It almost felt like an honor, being exposed to such a sweet, soft side of Dave like this. Especially when he was drunk. Of course, he wasn’t as drunk as usual, but still, it was such a difference that you were sure barely anyone ever got to see.

You took one last glance at his pretty mouth before finally looking away, your head turned to the side. You knew you shouldn’t feel like this about him, especially with what you were going through right then, but you just could never help yourself. It’d been that way the entire month and a half you’d known him, too.

If you watched them practice, your eyes were on Dave the entire time, watching those long, thick fingers of his work up and down his guitar. Maybe Kirk played better, but Dave always looked better. At first, you felt bad about it. Bad about how you’d “accidentally” fantasize about Dave instead of Kirk in your daydreams. Bad about how you couldn’t help but wonder what that light happy trail of his led to whenever he wore one of those cropped shirts. Bad about how you started to have to think about Dave during sex with Kirk, the feeling of it otherwise loveless and rough.

But you realized that Kirk deserved it.

Because maybe, just maybe, if he knew about those thoughts of yours, he’d realize the mistakes he made. Maybe he’d be reminded of what you were worth.

“Thanks,” you mumble, giving Dave a quick, flustered smile before turning around and slowly starting to head into the house, Dave following shortly behind you. He moves up beside you, placing a warm hand on the small of your back. You barely notice the vague touch, his essence very gentle and light against your own as you walk towards the sliding glass door of the kitchen. His presence made you feel much more comfortable walking back into the house. You knew that if any of the guys sent you some mumbly insult, Dave was there to defend you, with words or a fist.

You pull the door’s handle and step through the opening, the strong scent of weed immediately lingering to your nostrils as your body is finally engulfed in warm air. The sound of Lars’s obnoxious Danish accent hit your ears as well, immediately churning a feeling of nausea in your stomach.

Dave must’ve noticed your hesitation as he bent down and mumbled in your ear, not wanting to alert the hostile Dane with his voice, “It’ll be okay, he’s all bark, no bite. You know that,”

You blushed as you looked back at the redhead, “Y-Yeah, I know.” you stutter before gingerly stepping towards the living room, preparing yourself for a messy confrontation.

As you step into the living room, Lars’s drunken rant dies down, all eyes slowly turning to you when you make your way over to the couch. Everyone watched quietly as you picked up your coat and pulled it on before looking up at a very stoned Kirk, “Are you spending the night here?” you ask, very mild mannered while you hook the zipper on the leather coat.

Kirk looks over at Lars for approval, gaining a quick nod. He looks back at you, his gaze suspicious, “Yeah, we can stay. Why?” he asks dumbly, watching you zip your jacket closed.

You stick your hands in your pockets and look up, poking your tongue against your cheek as you quickly question your decisions one last time. You need a break. No exceptions.

“You can stay, Kirk. I’m staying at Dave’s place tonight-”

“What?!” Kirk practically shouts, making everyone else in the room jump before glancing between you and Dave, all thinking the same thing. All thinking that you were a cheating whore.

“I said, I’m staying at Dave’s place tonight. I’ll call you in the morning, and we can figure shit out, but right now, I just need a break.” you sounded exhausted, and you felt it too. You were so ready to take a shower and put on fresh, clean clothes that didn’t smell like sweat and weed, and just sleep for hours.

Kirk gave you an exasperated look before you turned tail and walked up right beside Dave, “Baby, let’s talk about this-”

“No, Kirk. We can talk in the morning when you’re sober,” your voice was stern as you began to walk out, Dave trailing closely behind you almost protectively, as if someone was going to lunge at you at any given moment. Which, honestly, felt possible with the way Lars glared at you, his eyes chanting every demeaning name in the book. But he knew better than to verbalize any of it, being practically half the size of Dave.

Kirk followed after you, pleading helplessly for you to turn back and give him yet another chance, but somehow, you stood your ground. You had no clue how, but you did. Maybe it was the fact you had someone on your side, someone right there to defend you and put that wall up between you and everyone else.

As you stepped through the front door, you took one last glance back at Kirk. He looked sad, but most of all angry. You were surprised he hadn’t attempted to attack Dave in an attempt to get your attention, but he must’ve been wise enough to know that the redhead was too big and strong  for him to take on. The look you shared with him only lasted a moment, though, as Dave slammed the door shut in Kirk’s face, the sound echoing throughout the midnight air.

You were both silent for a bit as you followed Dave along the sidewalk, beginning the trek to his apartment. Seemingly thousands of emotions ran through your entire body, some good, some bad. It felt as though you had a mixture of excitement and dread pulling your stomach in all different directions while adrenaline coursed through your veins, making your legs feel like a ball of rubber bands.

You sigh and look up at Dave, “How far is the walk?” you ask softly, subconsciously drifting closer to his side as you walk.

“Like ten minutes,” he answers, “Why?”

You shrug, looking back down at the sidewalk as you mumble, “‘Cause I’m cold,”

Dave thinks for a moment, looking down at you in contemplation before quickly hooking an arm around your waist and pulling you against him. The feeling of his much larger body pushed flush against your own makes you blush, heating you from the inside out as your belly flutters nervously.

He smiles down at your crimson cheeks, “Is that better?”

You nod slowly, not quite sure how to feel about the affection. In your head, it didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel right to be so up close and personal with your possibly-ex-boyfriend’s bandmate, practically cuddling like you were a couple.

But to your body, it felt perfect.

You spoke up after a moment, ignoring your internal battle, “Way better,”

[anna-n-hetfield]

The Last Day

Request: can i request a james hetfield x reader where she is a rockstar and their bands are touring together?

Author’s note: This didn’t turn out as romantic as I had planned it to be, but I like the way it turned out. If you want a sequel, let me know and I’ll do it because dude, I loved this idea so much. Look at me posting during the week even though I said weekends.

Part Two

Let’s just say that this was going to be wild

You really attempt to stay on the calmer side just so you don’t get too much publicity, but come on! It’s a tour where you guys are partying in the hotel’s after the shows.

Then there is the thing with James.

You don’t know what it is going on with the two of you, but there’s something.

It’s just something in the air.

You had grown close with him when you started this tour. It was the first tour you and your band had ever been on.

To say you didn’t fully know what to expect is an understatement.

Thankfully, James was there to help you and show you the ropes.

Well, the whole band of Metallica was, but you and James had just hit it off.

Then there was the cheering each other on during the show.

Every time you were around each other, it was like you were just with the right person.

Maybe it was hopeful thinking.

Or maybe it was the way he looked at you like there was no one else he would rather be around

You both understood each other and liked so many of the same things like fast cars, camping, and guitars just to name a few.

“Hey, Y/N.”

You turned to see James running up to you.

There was a huge grin on his face and a glint in his eye that clearly stated that he had a plan.

“You ready for the show tonight?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

It was the last one for the tour, and you were both sad and happy that it was over.

Sad because you were having fun and you weren’t going to spend as much time with James as you did now

Happy because the crazy schedule was a little tiring, and you were missing your own bed.

“Well, it’s going to be a wild one.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is.”

James raised an eyebrow.

“Something on your mind.”

You shook your head, trying to not worry him over your little insecurities.

“Come on! You can tell me.”

“James, it’s really not that big of a deal. I just miss my bed, but I have been having fun on tour. I’m a little torn at the thought that tonight is the last night of the tour.”

James laughed a little, shaking his head.

“I know the feeling. The last day is always hard. The tours are long and can wear you out, but seeing the fans out there singing your songs and dancing to them is energizing.”

You wanted to say something, but he didn’t stop.

“By the way, be prepared for tonight.”

You stared after him as he took off, trying to figure out what that meant.

You were up on stage singing the third song of your set when you heard a commotion behind you.

Lars was adding on his own beat to the drummers, and Jason was running out on stage with his bass.

Then there was James following up with the other two. All three of them in their boxers.

You bit your lip, trying to hold back a laugh and realizing that this was what he warned you about earlier. They had been planning this prank.

You shook your head, wanting to get back at that goof who you were starting to have feelings for, but just didn’t know how to vocalize it.

[lumosinlove]

Vaincre

part iii

cw: brief, non-graphic mention of injury and medical assistance

~

September

Only blue talk and love

Remember

How we knew love was here to stay

Summer hadn’t truly felt over until Remus saw Regulus standing in the airport, bags checked for New York and backpack slung over one shoulder.

“Well,” Regulus said, shifting a little between his feet. “Here goes.”

Remus laughed. “It’s going to be amazing, Reg.”

“Maybe. Hopefully.”

“It will,” Sirius said. “But if you need anything we’re…what? A four hour drive?”

Remus nodded. “Yeah, you can call.”

Regulus huffed out a laugh. “You two sound like worried parents.”

Sirius laughed, too. “I’m just glad we know what those sound like now.”

Regulus’ expression shifted, tightening. He nodded, seemed to hang in hesitation for a moment, and then walked forward two steps and threw his arms around Sirius. Sirius froze, too, with his hands in his pockets, and then wrapped his little brother up tight.

“It’s not your fault, you know,” Remus heard Regulus murmur softly. “I don’t really think you left me there. With them.”

Sirius made an indistinguishable sound, and Remus took a step back, giving them space and not sure if he was fighting tears or a smile. He used to just think about how he could kill Sirius and Regulus’ parents if he had the chance, but now, seeing how far the brothers had come, he wasn’t sure they were worth the time at all.

“Come home sometimes, okay?” Sirius said. “D’accord?”

“Ouais,” Regulus said.

They pulled apart slowly, both a little bright-eyed. Sirius laughed wetly, wiping his face.

“And make good friends.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. “I think that’s supposed to be good choices.”

Sirius reached out for Remus’ hand. “Good friends are good choices.”

“Ah,” Regulus hitched his pack farther up his shoulder. “Of course.”

“Call when you get there, too,” Remus cut in. “My mom would definitely want me to say that.”

Regulus waved them off. “Okay, that’s enough parenting. I’m going now.”

Sirius held Remus’ hand tight as they watched Regulus go through security and then disappear with a wave, sliding his headphones on. He let out a long, unsteady breath.

“Merde.”

“Love ya,” Remus smiled, reaching up to wipe a tear from Sirius’ cheek.

Sirius glanced down at him. “He’s going to be fine.”

“He is,” Remus nodded.

“He forgives me.”

“No,” Remus said. “He told you that you never did anything wrong.”

Sirius let out another tearful laugh, sniffing. “Right. You’re right.”

Remus pushed up on his toes to kiss his cheek. “Wanna get dinner?”

“Ouais. That sounds perfect.”

They wandered the summer soft streets, cooled by the evening and by approaching September. Remus was torn between being ready to let summer go, and never wanting it to end at the same time.

~

It’s good to hear a packed Hogwarts Stadium again, huh, Dean? Even if just for a preseason game against our New York Rangers neighbors.

Right, Lee? I love this post-summer feeling, and I know our Lions do, too. Especially excited to see what our new talent has to offer. This’ll be fan’s first glimpse at Lupin and Reyes, our two…well, I suppose rookie wouldn’t be quite as perfect a word for Lupin as it is for Reyes. We’re used to Lupin’s face around here, huh.

That we are. Not used to seeing what is rumored to be some very quick feet on him, though. As far as testing went, that is.

Right, the bike test. As well as strength. Who knows. This could be building up to a very interesting season.

Remus stared up at the TV mounted on the wall as he peddled slowly on the stationary bike, keeping his legs warm. He felt bizarre, and had been dodging any type of media to avoid having to talk about it. He was dreading post-game. Every time he tried to think of something to say, his mind went blank.

I’m happy to be here.

I never thought I would be here.

The other half of his brain was trying to compute that it wouldn’t just be the preseason, practice scrimmages he was used to. It wouldn’t just been his team, his friends, out there. Not that it would be a full fledged game, either. No one looked to crushing blows during a preseason game. It was about getting warm. Remus was thankful for it. He didn’t know how he was going to feel when he put his jersey on. When he stepped out onto the ice. He had been nervous enough for the fitness testing.

“You’re literally the fastest guy here,” Finn had said after he’d gotten off of the bike—with the highest score. It had made him feel better, but he knew he wouldn’t really be settled until until coach called his name from the line card.

“Loops,” Logan said, swinging onto the bike beside him. “I keep running into you.”

Remus smiled. “Looks like we having similar warm-up routines.”

“Apparemment,” Logan nodded, turning up the resistance. “Nervous?”

Remus nodded. “Yeah. I am.”

Logan nodded, but stayed quiet and Remus was thankful. Everyone tried to talk him out of it, Sirius included, and he loved them for that, but at the same time, this was nice, too.

“Me too, sort of,” Logan said, and they traded a smile before looking back up at the Gryffindor pre-game show.

“All right,” Coach Arthur Weasley clapped his hands and gestured to the side of the room where the assistant coaches and staff were standing. The whole locker room was flooded with energy of all kinds—nervous, excited—and it flowed through those not in uniform, too. “We all know Moody. We all know our coaches. Mason, Alexandra, and Dan. We all know our PTs—should I say new PTs—“ there were some laughs. “Lars and Layla.”

“Double-Ls,” Thomas whooped.

Layla gave two thumbs up, and Lars remained stoic, arms crossed. He hadn’t said much since arriving aside from the occasional wise-cracking joke delivered without a trace of a smile.

“Who’s captain serious now, eh?” Thomas leaned in to whisper, and Remus suppressed a smile, glancing at Sirius—who was wearing an almost equally focused expression on his face, completely still where he sat a few stalls down, past Thomas and James. Remus glanced around the locker room, down the crescent-shaped row. Kasey and Leo, on opposite ends, were both geared up. Finn and Leo were sharing AirPods. Remus knew Kasey had worked hard over the summer, rehabbing his thigh, strengthening and increasing flexibility. He knew Leo was happy to be his back-up, but part of him wondered what Leo thought about all the games he had played in the play-offs, only to be placed right back on the bench now. It happened to a lot of guys—some were called up for injury, only to be sent right back down to the farm team when injuries healed. But Remus thought it was different for goalies. He hoped Coach wouldn’t leave Leo sitting on the bench for too long.

“Who’s calling first line?” Coach asked, and held the card out to Sirius. “Cap?”

Remus didn’t realize until the cheers broke out that he could be loud with the rest of them, and gave his stall a few bangs as Sirius rose, hat keeping his hair back. His eyes found Remus’ briefly once had turned towards them with the card, and Remus’ breath caught at his beaming grin.

“Okay, boys, first line,” Sirius said. “We’ve got Pots.”

Clap.

“Tremzy.”

Thomas drum-rolled his stall.

Sirius smiled. “Myself.”

Finn put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.

“And on D, Olli and Timmy.”

While the boys burst into chatter again, Remus watched Sirius hand the card back to Coach, and caught his eye again, raising an eyebrow. Sirius held up Thomas’ number, and Jackson’s. Remus nodded to himself. That could be the third or fourth line, and he’d played well with both of them in scrimmages. It made sense. He could work with that.

And it meant he’d get to watch Sirius out there. At least that wouldn’t change.

“All right,” Coach laughed, putting his glasses back on and turning towards the other coaches. “Get dressed, get dressed.”

Remus had sat in his stall quite a few times by now. For his promo-pictures at the beginning of the summer—the first time he had slipped his jersey on, too, right over his suit and tie. But sitting in it now, strapping his pads over his bare chest before a game, a game where he would be up against other NHL players…that was different.

“You’re one of those?” Thomas snorted, flicking Remus’ bare ribs. “Doesn’t the velcro scratch?”

Remus laughed. “Can’t break old habits.”

Thomas raised an eyebrow. “Or is now the perfect time to make new ones.”

“Not after a year like the last,” Remus said.

“Oh,” Thomas whistled, yanking the laces of his skates tight. “You’re that superstitious.”

“I try not to be,” Remus stood. “But playing again…seems to bring it out in me.”

Remus turned to step into his pants, adjusting the pads and his jock until everything fit together comfortably. He eyed his jersey, the number six hanging proudly on a hanger, and he smiled to himself but turned to his skates next. The jersey sent his heart leaping into his throat. He’d save it for last.

“Let’s go boys,” Pascal called, standing by the door to bump fists and pat helmets on their way out.

Remus laced up his skates, pulling them tight over his taped up socks, and then, finally, removed his jersey from its hook. He didn’t waste time staring down at it. That would just make him overthink and, hopefully, he’d have many times to put this jersey on again.

It slid over his shoulder pads, he tucked in the back, and grabbed his helmet.

“I like that Loops is just over there grinning to himself,” Finn snorted as he left for the tunnel.

Remus shrugged, eyes finding Sirius. He already looked like his mind was on the ice, even for such a low stakes game.

“You know,” Remus said as the team started to file down the tunnel. “I used to go last.”

Sirius’ intense eyes lightened into a softer gray. He shifted from one skate to another. “Oh? I don’t know if I knew that.”

Remus tilted his head, smile playing at one corner of his mouth. “Well? What are we gonna do?”

Sirius just stared at him. “I… I go last.”

Remus let out his laughter, leaning up to tap their helmets together. He vaguely heard a camera flash go off, and smiled. He wanted that picture.

“You should have seen your face, baby,” he whispered, and grabbed his stick from the rack before catching up to James.

He heard Sirius splutter out a laugh—and there was definitely some relief in there—and follow.

The sounds of the crowd in Hogwarts stadium only grew louder. Remus could feel Sirius close behind him.

“Ready, mon loup?” he asked quietly, just before the tunnel opened up to the lights.

Remus didn’t know if Sirius heard his yes over the roar of the team’s entry into a sea of red and gold, but then feet were on the ice he was doing a lap, the Rangers at the other end.

On opening night, Remus knew he would be taking this lap alone, along with Cole. A rookie’s first official NHL game. It felt surreal to think about. He couldn’t knock the feeling that he was too old for that—but he knew plenty of guys did it at his age. You didn’t have to be eighteen.

He picked up a puck and headed towards the goal, trying to decide if it would help to block out the noise, or let it overtake him. The boys were dialed in. Remus glanced over at Sirius, feeling strangely bare without him by his side. But he was over by center ice, tracing the Lion printed there—as usual. Remus didn’t want to seem favored. He didn’t want to seem clingy. They weren’t a couple out here, he knew that. They were teammates.

He shot at Kasey, who caught his puck in his glove, and began the wrap-around again before pushing backwards around the outside of the goal, as he always used to. He’d done his routine a few times at the beginning of practices, but it was nothing compared to being surrounded by a crowd—a bigger crowd than he’d ever actually played in front of before.

Kasey tapped a puck at him once he reached his first post, and he laughed, shooting it back until a sign waving at the glass caught his eye. It was held by a kid, maybe around Julian’s age.

I want a signed stick the ReMOST, Lupin!

Remus laughed at the kid’s wide eyes when he saw that he was looking, and gave him a thumbs up the best he could with his gloves on before holding up his stick.

“One second,” he called over the crowd.

When he got to the bench, Sirius was there stretching, holding out an already uncapped sharpie.

And looks like Lupin’s heading over to sign that young man a stick. I bet that’s a good feeling after—oh! Black’s got a pen ready for him.

Remus shoved a glove under his arm and took it. “You saw the sign?”

“I got the kid down to the glass,” Sirius grinned.

“I love you,” Remus said as he scribbled his signature, complete with the jersey number that players always included.

It took two tries to get the stick successfully over the glass, but for the look on the boy’s face, Remus would have tried twenty.

“Feels good, eh?” James said once the horn blew for warmups and they were settled onto the bench.

“Too good,” Remus said.

“First line,” Coach called, slapping his calling card against his palm. “12, 10, 7, let’s go. Olli, Tims, on D.”

Sirius sent him a quick smile, and Remus spun his stick in front of him. “Let’s go, Captain.”

Sirius snorted, rolling his eyes as he pushed away from the boards towards center ice, where Zibanejad was waiting.

Good to see that sort of…what would you call it, Dean, from Black?

Light energy, I think, Lee. Sirius is well known around the league for his intensity.

Right. Nice to see Lupin getting a smile out of him before what is most probably a season that holds more pressure than usual for the Lions, after a Cup year.

One of Black’s coaches once said in an interview that the only thing Sirius feels after scoring a goal is pressure to score another. Ha, sounds about right.

Remus all but held his breath when the ref dropped the puck. Sirius stole it back for James who nicked it over to Logan. Logan sped it into the neutral zone, narrowly avoiding Lafrenière.

“Bulky kid,” Finn said from beside Remus.

Remus raised an eyebrow. “Logan?”

“Well—yeah, but nah, Lafrenière,” Finn nodded. “Built like a tree, what is he, nineteen? Crazy. I didn’t look like that when I was nineteen.”

“Well,” Remus said as the whistle blew for an icing on the Rangers. “People are comparing him to Crosby.”

“Kuny,” Coach called. “Lupin, Nado.”

Remus’ initial thought was surprise. The shock of being put out with the second line carried him somewhat numbly over the boards beside Evgeni and Jackson. He didn’t have time to look at Sirius take his place on the bench.

“Hey,” Evgeni said, drawing them in with a glove over his mouth so the Rangers filing out of their bench couldn’t read their lips. “I take Lindgren. Loops, go fast, okay? Nado get you puck.”

“Fox,” Jackson warned.

“Sergei take care,” Evgeni said like it was obvious, and loomed towards the face-off circle.

“Left side,” Remus said to Jackson before they parted. “I’ll try to shake Kravtsov.”

“Nice,” Jackson nodded.

Remus and Kravtsov shared a nod as they lined up shoulder to shoulder on the centerline.

“Welcome to the NHL,” Kravtsov said with a slight smile.

“Thanks,” Remus replied.

Kravtsov was so young. All of these guys were so young.

He couldn’t help feeling like time had been stolen from him.

Have you ever seen this many Russian players in one NHL game, Dean? Pretty nice to see. And here’s Lupin’s first shift. Let’s go.

The puck dropped and Remus gave Kravtsov a shove, spinning out and around him. His heart seemed to press the sound out of his ears until all he could hear was his own breathing. Evgeni won the face off.

“Kuns!” Jackson shouted, and Evgeni passed it to him deep in their own zone. It drew Fox forward, just as Remus knew it was meant to, but Sergei was there for Jackson to derail the puck. Fox was forced to turn around, Kravtsov was made to press forward for a pass, and it left Remus free to shoot into their defense zone. Strome tried to cross him, but Remus spun around him. Sergei and Jackson tried to get it to him, but it left the zone. Remus swore as he pushed hard to touch up the neutral zone.

“6, 58, 86, off, Reyes, O’Hara, LeBlanc, on!”

Remus pulled back to the bench, sending Cole a nod as he hopped over the boards for his first NHL shift. Remus’ shift had been thirty seconds that felt like ten, but he was breathing hard. Finn followed Cole with a tap to his back, promptly stole the puck from Chytil, and slapped it into the corner of the Rangers’ goal.

Remus had barely taken a drink of water when the goal horn blared Gryffindor’s roar filled Hogwarts Stadium.

He punched Sirius’ side, who had his arms raised. Sirius laughed from beside him as they settled onto the bench beside each other.

“Ouch,” Sirius rubbed his padding.

“I don’t know, I got excited,” Remus laughed.

They held his gloves out for Finn to tap as he came down the line, the goal song blaring, the crowd chanting along to the catchy drumbeat.

“Nice solo, Harz,” Remus called, and Finn grinned.

“Thanks, Rookie.”

It remained pretty even through the first and second. Panarin had three good chances, the fourth sailing past Kasey’s glove. Sirius scored a dirty wrap-around just before the second’s buzzer, and Remus didn’t think he’d ever like anything more than getting the full force of Sirius’ smile as he tapped gloves down the bench line. No sooner had the final face-off of the period set up than were Evgeni and Lindgren going at it, hands gripping the back of each other’s jerseys as they dropped their gloves. Gryffindor would start the third one man up.

Remus filed back down the tunnel towards the locker room, smiling at Layla as he dropped his gloves in the bucket she was holding to be dried. He felt warm, his muscles used and a little sore. He longed for an ice bath, but he wanted to use them more too. It was the most familiar feeling in the word. He smiled against it as he sat down in his stall, laughing lightly at the way Evgeni threw a wet towel over his head.

“Not skate enough over the summer,” Evgeni groaned.

Remus looked up when a shadow fell over him and was greeted by two hands on his cheeks and a warm, familiar kiss.

“J’adore,” Sirius said.

Remus laughed, holding his wrists where his pulse still high from the game.

“Nice goal.”

“Good to be back,” James said as he pushed his jersey over his head. “Crowd sounds amazing. How you doing, Reyes?”

Cole looked up from where he was re-taping his socks. “The crowd is amazing.”

Remus felt a slap on the back from Evgeni, towel around his neck now. “Good shift, rookie.”

“Kuns,” Remus sighed, and Evgeni just laughed teasingly.

Remus felt Sirius’ eyes on him throughout the entire intermission. He knew he was curious, and had been for months, about Remus’ game routine. He’d asked and asked over the summer, but that was the thing with Remus’ superstitions—he couldn’t talk about them.

Remus took two fresh sticks from his rack and sat back down. He began wrapping it steadily.

“Of course your tape job is perfect,” Thomas sighed, shaking his head. “Of course, of course.”

Remus laughed, ripping the tape with his teeth.

“Speak for yourself,” Jackson grinned, giving his stick a twirl, the tape warped and hurried.

Remus snorted. “All I see is a fucking candy cane.”

Power play. Lindgren went into the box, slamming the door a little too hard on his way.

“Black,” Coach called as the crowd shuffled into their seats, armed with food, and Remus had been expecting that. “Tremzy, Lupin, Fox, Sunny.”

Remus blinked. He hadn’t been expecting that.

Remus hopped the boards beside Sirius, and the stadium seemed to get louder. Sirius knocked their shoulders together, and Remus didn’t doubt the cameras were on them and he tried to control his expression. He didn’t want to look too pleased, or too dopy at the feeling of skating side by side with Sirius in front of a crowd.

I think this is the moment many of us have been waiting for, Dean.

You bet! I didn’t expect it to come so soon. Coach Weasley is trying out lots of different line combos tonight. What’s pre-season for? I hear Lupin’s played on the power play a few times in practice.

Sirius put his glove up by his mouth, holding his mouth guard.

“Try the double pass?” he said quickly.

“Yeah,” Remus nodded. “Let’s do it.”

Sirius bent down across from Zibanejad and the rest of the Rangers penalty kill unit.

It happened fast. Remus was used to seeing this from the bench—but maybe that was a good thing. He saw the ice as if through a wide lens, Sirius passed to Logan, and then it was on Remus’ stick to carry up. Remus blew out a breath, pushing his legs hard ahead of Panarin. He needed to get ahead, needed to stay parallel with Sirius. He felt Panarin scrape at his heels, but then Sirius was calling his name.

Shesterkin was still up and on his feet, reading to dive whichever way.

“Loup,” Sirius called, and it was as though it was only the two of them in the basement rink. Only the crowd was different, and absolutely roaring. 

Remus snapped the puck to Sirius, who passed it right back. Shesterkin went down when Remus pulled his stick back in a fake, only for him to give it back to Sirius to tap into wide open net.

Remus’ hands shot up, and the crowd screamed. Sirius all but slammed into him, wrapping him up tight against the boards.

“Re,” Sirius laughed through he words, pressing their helmets together. “Mon loup, mon loup—”

Logan crashed into them next, followed by Adam and Henrik. Remus found himself in the center of elated shouts, the fans pounding hands on the glass from the other side.

“Merde, it sounds like the playoffs,” Logan shouted, pressing a hand to Remus’ helmet.

Remus could only laugh, giddy, high on it all.

What a goal! Well, Lee, I don’t think we’re going to have to wait long to see this young man’s first regular season point.

~

“He fell for it,” Remus said for the tenth time as he handed Sirius the last of their dinner dishes. “Shesterkin fell for it.”

Sirius laughed and slid the dishes into the sink and turned, placing slightly damp hands on Remus’ cheeks.

“You are amazing,” he said, accent heavy and laced with a need that Remus had felt stirring in himself since getting off the ice. They’d been on the ice together today. They’d built a goal together, scored. Igor Shesterkin had fallen for their fake-out.

“I was so happy today,” Sirius whispered.

Remus closed his eyes, caught between the feeling of Sirius’ body colliding with his own in celebration, and the feeling of his warm hands here, now.

“It’s everything I’ve ever wanted,” Remus said softly, and opened his eyes, hands against Sirius’ chest.

What a terrifying, wonderful sentence.

Sirius just leaned in to kiss him, mouth tender and insistent. It was the same fire he had on the ice, leading Remus in a way that made his insides warm and his toes curl. Remus let Sirius guide him slowly up the stairs, and he relished in the way they stopped on the landing, on a half-way stair, just to be closer again, Remus’ mouth on his neck, Sirius’ against his temple. The hallway was dark, lit only by the nightlight they kept plugged in near their feet. It cast Sirius in warm angles as Remus tugged his shirt off and dropped it right there in the hallway.

“I’m not saying I’m not going to miss Regulus,” Remus said as Sirius bent to mouth gently against his neck. “But I’m not saying I’m not going to enjoy being able to undress you wherever I want now that we have the house to ourselves.”

Sirius’ laugh was soft, a little breathless. “Name your room, I’ll be there.”

Remus laughed, too. “Bedroom. Nice, soft bed.”

Sirius walked Remus backwards through the door, hands on his hips. “How do you feel? That was quite the race with Kreider in the second.”

“Good,” Remus nodded, but let Sirius’ strong hands dig into the muscles of his shoulders and back. He sighed into it, resting his cheek against his chest. “But I won’t say no to that.”

Sirius kissed Remus’ temple and worked his shirt over his head. He lay him down on the mattress and Remus closed his eyes at the feeling of Sirius’ lips against his neck, and then his shoulder.

Sirius kissed over the scar that Greyback had torn from Remus’ body all those years ago at their shared college, keeping Remus from a career in the NHL—at least until now.

“I wonder what he thinks,” Remus wondered aloud, and he didn’t have to explain himself for Sirius to know what he meant. Remus wound his fingers into Sirius dark hair as he looked up at him.

“Me too,” Sirius admitted. “And then I see red and have to stop thinking about it.”

Remus half-smiled. “Yeah…I felt bad at lunch those few weeks ago. With Cole. I really think he thought he said something wrong, and I wish I could explain but it’s still…it’s still like this weird secret, you know? Like people could find out if they really looked but no one has? And I don’t really want to bring it up but at the same time I know Fenrir has already spread lies. Saying it was a car crash or…who knows what. Sorry.” Remus pressed a hand to his face. “God, I’m completely killing the mood.”

“Re, hey,” Sirius pushed himself up onto his forearm, falling to the side and keeping their legs tangled.

“And it’s such a good mood, I just was thinking aloud.”

“You’re not. Talk to me. You can talk to me whenever.”

Remus ran his thumb over Sirius’ bottom lip. “Okay��yeah, I know that.”

“This was a big day,” Sirius said. “Huge for you. Of course you would be thinking about him. I used to think about my parents every time I stepped on the ice, even after things were getting better. I think…I think its just time. It takes time.”

“It was strange today,” Remus finally admitted. “I couldn’t…I didn’t know how close to you I could be. Out there, I mean. I’m your boyfriend, you’re mine, but we’re also teammates. There’s so much debate, about my place on the team and if you did something to get me there…I don’t know. I don’t want someone to accuse you of favoritism. You don’t deserve that.”

“We’re both,” Sirius said. “We’ll always be both. You’ll always be the boy I love. You’ll always be my teammate.” Sirius shrugged. “It doesn’t matter if we’re on the ice or not. And I don’t care if someone thinks I favor you. We both know I don’t. Not like that.”

Remus made a soft sound and pulled Sirius further on top of him, making him smile. “Love you.”

Sirius let Remus press slow kisses to his lips. “This mood feels pretty good to me.”

Remus just hushed him, tucking a hand into his waistband.

Sirius kissed him until Remus’ cheeks were hot and his cock was aching, pressed up against his sweatpants. Remus could still hear the Lions’ crowd rushing in his ears. Sirius’ palm cupped him and pushed his sweatpants down. They were both flushed and pink. Remus wanted to see those colors together.

He pulled Sirius’ hips against his own, discarding clothing until it was all bare skin. Remus ran his hands over the hard curves of his back. He had to squeeze his eyes shut, hooking his arms beneath Sirius’, holding onto his shoulders.

Their mouths found each other messily, dragging and half open in gasps.

“Sirius,” Remus breathed, voice higher than usual.

The adrenaline that Remus had thought had faded with the game only seemed to thrum brighter. Remus couldn’t help the smile the crossed his face, brows drawn together at the feeling of Sirius rutting against him.

Remus pressed his ankle gently to the back of Sirius’ knee and rolled them, drawing breathless laughs from both their mouths that he sealed away to keep like a love letter. It was soft mouths and hard hands, clutching each other closer, getting the most out of the warm friction. Remus swallowed Sirius’ gasps. His orgasm built up below his spine and Sirius seemed to read his mind. He reached between them with a hand, brushing a thumb at his base, pressing up. Remus’ hips stuttered and he fell apart, shoving hard against Sirius’ tight fist.

Sirius followed at the hot streak of Remus’ come between them, and they lay there, panting, foreheads together. Remus eased their hips back together, both of them letting out a soft moan, then a laugh, as the spent cocks brushed, drawing out the last tendrils of their orgasms.

“That feels good,” Sirius mumbled, head sunken back against the pillows.

Remus rolled his hips slowly, bringing them down, and then pulled his head up. He pushed Sirius’ sweaty hair back from his cheek and kissed it. 

“Communicate to score,” Sirius mumbled.

Remus laughed hard, squeezing his eyes shut, and dropped his face into his neck to catch his breath.

“It’s true,” Sirius said, running a warm palm up and down Remus’ back. “That article we looked at.”

They’d given in and read some press over dinner, laughing at some of the more excitable writers, and grinning at each other at the more serious ones.

Magnetism, one wrote. Feels like we’ve got some mind-readers on this team, a real Crosby-Malkin, Kane-Toews one-two-punch.

“Well,” Remus said, folding his arms across Sirius’ chest. “What am I thinking now?”

Sirius pressed his lips together, pretending to think. “Is it…how to get out of golf with James and the Cubs before the ring ceremony on Tuesday?”

Remus snorted. “Well, that’s definitely on my list. But nope.” He leaned in, brushing their mouths together. “That’s not it.”

Sirius grinned, and Remus sunk into how thick and sated his accent sounded. “Is it…will my handsome boyfriend please run me a bath and make me tea?”

Remus laughed into their next kiss. “Wow, that writer was right.”

~

It looks…maybe like a twisted knee? What do you think, Dean? Walker is definitely not making a move to get up—oh, there’s the medic. One of the Lions’ new staff members as, of course, someone had to take Lupin’s place. Ah, Walker is pointing to his foot now.

Man, is that a grimace if I ever saw one.

It sure is, Dean.

Here comes O’Hara to help out his teammate.

They were in Madison Square Garden, the Rangers giving them one hell of a re-match. Logan skated a close perimeter towards where Thomas had gone down, just between a line change.

“Shit,” Finn skated to a stop beside him. “It’s fucking pre-season. Did you see what happened?”

Logan shook his head. “Not really. Think it was just a bad fall. Strome looks sorry.”

“Oh, so that’s why you’re not jumping him right now.”

Logan’s mouth quirked up. “I have no interest in jumping Strome, thanks.” His eyes found Leo on the bench. With his hat flipped backwards, the intensity, the worry in of his blue eyes cut a clear path to Thomas.

“T,” Finn said, skating closer. “Need a hand to the room?”

Thomas winced as he made it to one knee. “Yeah, man, thanks.”

~

Thomas stared up at the dark ceiling from the padded PT table, listening to the game continue on the TV mounted to the corner of the ceiling. There was the X-ray pushed to the corner, his results pinned up on the light screen. Fracture. Minor, but it’d take weeks to heal. He’d miss the beginning of the season. He’d be in a suit when they lifted the Stanley Cup champion banner in the stadium. He missed Noelle.

The light flicked on so suddenly Thomas flinched.

“Walker,” said an unfamiliar voice. It was accented—Swedish, he thought. Thomas squinted at the speaker. He was tall, and dressed in the staff jacket he’d come to associate with Remus. Right. Lars.

“I…hey,” Thomas said. His eyes went to Layla, who gave a wave as she slipped in behind the man. “Hey, man, Lars, right?”

Lars gave a short nod. “Nice to meet you. So, you probably know the drill by now. Couple weeks. Aspirin will be fine for pain management.”

“Right,” Thomas nodded.

“We’ve got a boot for you here, but I’d take everything to a doctor, just for a second opinion. I’ll recommend someone,” he shrugged. “That was an unlucky hit. I’m sorry.”

Thomas blinked. He didn’t know someone could seem sweetly uninterested. He smiled hesitantly. “Thanks.”

Thomas snapped a picture of the boot once he strapped it on and sent it out complete with a frowning emoji.

He had just opened the door to the locker room, accompanied by his new crutches and to meet his victorious team, when his phone began to ring with a Facetime.

“T,” Noelle’s voice gasped. She was beautiful, her hair curling around her face. “Baby, I saw.”

“It’s not too bad,” Thomas said beneath the noise as the locker room filled up. “You look like you’re about to go somewhere, I can call back, I just wanted to…”

I’m just sad about it. It sounded lame in his own ears.

He cleared his throat. “Logan, say hi to your sister.”

Logan poked his head into the frame and stuck his tongue out, then left.

“Lolo!” Noelle shouted for the locker room to hear, and Logan groaned.

“Lolo,” Kasey imitated, grinning, and Logan shoved his mask down over his face.

“How is it?” Finn asked, wrapping an arm around him. “Hi, Noelle.”

“Fractured. Couple weeks.”

“Damn,” Finn sighed. “Sorry, T. That was an—”

“unlucky hit,” Thomas laughed. “Preach.”

“Hey, baby, we’re all heading to grab some food, but call you tonight?”

Thomas nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, of course.”

He tried not to feel lonely as the screen went dark. He was in a room surrounded by people. People he loved.

It crept in anyway.

[almosthonest]

Make A Wish

{James Hetfield x Reader}

in which a birthday wish that you didn't expect to come true, actually came true!

( A / N : a birthday gift for my dear friend, lee! @givemefuel i hope that you have a great birthday! and i hope you like this! )

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

You blew out the candles once you had made a "wish." You really didn't believe in the whole wish coming true thing, but the other guys joked around about it so you played along. Besides, it didn't hurt to have one wish. But you really didn't expect it to happen. Not that day, and not ever. But all you wanted to do was have fun with your friends, and they already threw this huge party for you.

This one was very much a happy birthday. Getting to hang out with a few friends was always nice. Especially if those few friends were Metallica. Which was really cool. Being a roadie for them was so much fun. Chaotic, but very much fun.

They had thrown a surprise party for you at a bar right after one of their shows, and it was quite a surprise indeed. It made you jump. The other roadies were there, along with the rest of the crew, who had been currently surrounding you because you had to "make a stupid wish."

"So? What did you wish for?" Kirk asked, giving you a little nudge on your side.

You shook your head at the lead guitarist. "You know I can't tell! Or else it won't come true!" You told him, a pout following afterward.

"Aw, c'mon, Y / N!" Lars whined.

"Nope! Not telling!" You said back.

"Fine, you don't have to tell," James replied, "Let's just fuckin' party, yeah?"

You gave James a big smile. You couldn't help it. You just stayed like that when the lead singer was around. And you were happy to be around him all the time.

And you wish somewhat included him. . .

Dancing was never really your thing. In fact, you couldn't dance, you had two left feet and you were so embarrassed about it. All the other guys always asked why you didn't dance. You always said that you really didn't want to, but that wasn't always the case. You would love to dance. But you just. . . couldn't.

"C'mon, Y / N! Dance with us!" said James.

You shook your head. "I think I'm good!"

"It's your birthday! You should be having a good time!" He replied.

"I am having a good time!" You responded back, "I like watching you guys dance!"

Before James could say anything back, the song had changed. Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers comes on within' the speakers. Which was really unexpected considering you really didn't like slower songs that much.

"At least dance with me. . . ?"

You looked up at James as he held out a hand. You really had to think long and hard about this. You didn't want to embarrass yourself, especially not in front of James. And you knew that dancing would probably do that.

But then you remembered that this was James. A guy you've known for a while.

You sighed in defeat, before finally grabbing his hand and pulling yourself up. His arms immediately wrapped around your waist, while yours were wrapped around his arms.

"You're going to have to take the lead," You said with a chuckle, "I kind of have two left feet."

"Uh, okay," He replied, "And that's alright. But that's not a reason why you shouldn't dance. You should just have a good time."

There was a silence between you two for a while. Except, it wasn't an awkward silence. It was more of a peaceful silence. Like you were communicating to each other without words. It was all new to you, but you really liked it.

"Y / N?"

"Yeah, James?"

"Let's say that someone really likes someone. Like, they're in love with them and they didn't know how to tell them. What do you think they should do?" He asked.

That was a very weird question for James to ask. But you really didn't think too much about it.

"Well, they should take the shot," You answered, "They should honestly tell them how they feel."

James nodded, taking in what you just said into account.

"Well, what if I said that I was in love you with you?" He asked.

You were quiet for a moment. At first, you didn't really know what to say about that. Was this some sort of trick question? Maybe. Was he actually being serious? Could be. Was he just pulling your leg? Well, that's typical James, so that could be it.

"A-Are you confessing to me?"

"Maybe?"

You rose an eyebrow. "Maybe?"

"Alright, fine. Yes, I am confessing to you," He answered, still holding onto you.

A smile popped on your face. "So. . . You like me?"

"Not like, I'm in love with you," said the rhythm guitarist.

Another hug smile popped up on your face when you heard him say that. Was you wish actually coming true? It was actually meant to be? Your brain was all over the place, your couldn't think straight. You didn't when know if it was the effect of the alcohol or your feelings for James.

"I'm in love with you, too," You told him.

James smiled, before unexpectedly kissing your lips. It felt nice having to put those feelings out there instead of you holding them in. Because God knows that was really hard for you to do, considering that James was one of your best friends.

You two heard whistles from the other bandmates. Whooping and hollering as the two of you kissed. This made the two of you pull away.

"Get a room you two!" Lars joked, wish Jason and Kirk laughing behind him.

James flipped the bird at all three of them, which made them laugh even harder than before. He looked back at you, smiling. "Happy birthday, Y / N."

"You know, my wish actually came true," You told him.

"Must have been a good wish," He said, which made you laugh.

"Best birthday ever."

[jq37]

The Case File – Mice and Murder Ep 2

The Case of the Dismal Dinner

Summary

Welcome back to our flashback/Tisch fight already in progress where we learn what Daisy and Sly’s shared look was about while Rekha and Grant go for the proverbial jugular emotionally. It’s 12 years ago and Sylvester is tracking down a stolen diadem, the very same diadem that he sees Daisy swipe off the thief who has it (a jackal named Roscoe McCoy in case that matters). Sly swipes it back from her and, when she notices, she sniffs it down to his train car where he is sitting in the dark, waiting for her. He doesn’t turn the lights on, opting instead to dramatically strike a match to light his pipe, illuminating himself sitting in a big chair, holding the stolen item.

Daisy tries to bluff like she’s Virginia Chase, the owner of the diadem, but Sly knows that’s not true because he was hired by the real Virginia to track it down. Daisy is usually a better liar than this but she is insta-smitten by this figurative and literal fox and it’s throwing her off her game. But before they can continue their little tete-a-tete, they hear a gunshot ring out from Daisy’s room and know Roscoe and his guys are coming after her. Sly stuffs Daisy in a trunk before the boys show up and they actually seem a little impressed to meet him, him being a famous detective and all, but a Nat 1 deception means they hear Daisy being huffy in the chest and a fight/escape scene that Brennan takes over narration for ensues. 

After that, Sly and Daisy become close really quickly and partners in both senses of the word. Daisy tells him she’s an American PI and they work together on cases, travel the world, and become engaged within the year. But, the day before the wedding, when Sly is alone, he discovers all the documentation proving that Daisy lied about who she is, is actually a criminal, and has been using their partnership to sell information to other criminals.

She shows up and tries to pretend like she’s being set up but he replies, “You being duped is the only lie you’ve told I can’t believe.” He says that being with her changed him. He didn’t think he had it in him to actually love another person. He forgives her. He still wants to get married. Daisy is thrown by this reaction. She tells him she’s not gonna change for him and he might as well leave her. She’s being all unapologetic femme fatale about it but he gets the sense that under her bravado she’s low key pleading with him to give up on her. He doesn’t want to. He can’t. He still shows up the next day in his wedding tux. Daisy is nowhere to be seen. When he goes home, there’s a deerstalker cap on his porch and a note that just reads “-D”.

And we snap back to the present where Daisy is trying to figure out if she can take advantage of Lucretia’s fascination with the occult and all the rich vulnerable people present to make some money. Meanwhile, Sly has been totally rocked by seeing Daisy and is drowning his sorrows at the bar with Ollie, the otter bartender. Squire Badger (which is what I’ll be calling William) shows up and, in not so many words, threatens Sly for having not solved the case and making a fool of him. He says, “You’re not gonna rub my nose in this.” Move your nose then bitch, says Sly on a dirty 20 intimidation check. He’s sad about girl problems, not you! Squire Badger is scared off, but he looks like he knows something that Sly doesn’t. That someone is coming for him. 

Buckster (and Ian too btw) clocked the above conversation and sidles up to Sly at the bar. See, not only does Buckster know about Sly and Daisy’s history, he knew it was happening *while* it was happening. Sly used up all his cool swagger on the Squire so by the time Buckster shows up he’s a whole mess over Daisy. Buckster starts implying that maybe they can help each other out since they both dislike the Squire and with Sly’s Nat 20 Insight, they can totally clock each other’s double meanings perfectly. It’s a very cool game thing where Sly and Buckster are having an innocuous conversation about the weather or whatever but Grant and Sam are just saying what they mean. It’s like they’re having a telepathic conversation. Sly agrees that the enemy of his enemy is his friend and he’ll go along with Buck’s plans as long as he can keep his hands clean, even if he doesn’t really care for Buck himself. 

At the same time Gangie is in the kitchens getting fed (see the notes for a full list of kitchen staffers and other NPCs) and after the staff leaves, Gangie is told by Ambrose Harding (the Squire’s turtle valet) that there’s is business for him to attend to after dinner. 

Buckster talks to Lawrence Longfoot--the rabbit photographer from last ep who we learn runs a trash newspaper. He and Buck bond over being trash and he gets a pic of Sly and Buck together. 

Vicar Ian goes to talk to the Squire and basically tries to (openly) suss out whether the money was a bribe or a setup or what? Like, people are fully there (including the Lady Fawnbrook and her gossipy cat wife Tabitha). They snipe at each other a bit and then the Squire reveals that he’s talked him up to the Cardinal and the Cardinal agreed that he’s such a good vicar, he should be moved to Siberia. The decision has already been made and Ian doesn’t have the pull in the church to do anything about it. Yikes. 

Before dinner, the rat butler catches Buck and asks if he has time to talk to Squire Badger. Buck agrees to go with him and he’s taken to the billiards room where the Squire is along with Harding and James Hawkins, Squire’s Hawk war buddy (a literal war hawk). Buck immediately puts his foot in his mouth by messing up the Squire’s title with his American ignorance of British peerage rules which annoys him, the elitism of it all. The Squire’s friends leave and then Buck starts talking about PR and how this whole situation has been bad PR for the Squire and it would be a shame if his PR got even worse. The suggestion of blackmail sends the Squire into a full honey badger don’t care style rage and he knocks TF out of Buck, flips the pool table, and then catches himself and scurries off. Daisy, Sly, and Gangie all hear this conversation from their positions in the house via the pipes running through the manor. Buck picks himself up and, on a 25, realizes that two of the mouse maids were hiding behind a curtain, hearing the whole thing (specifically, Edwina Thimble and Carolyn Dickory--oh like hickory dickory doc, BRENNAN) . They were playing hooky so he flips them a coin each and they all agree that no one saw or heard anything. “Two blind mice, see how they run,” he quips as they leave (sidenote, what a morbid nursery rhyme to exist in that world--to be fair, it’s pretty morbid as is).

Lucretia decides to turn the séance into a post dinner séance but still brings Daisy and Lars to see her occult room which is full of crap from, as Rekha said, “1800s Party City”. Lucretia does a hilariously vague read on Daisy and says that there’s something happening with her involving a man she knew or maybe still knows but she’s in her feelings about Sly so it kinda shakes her up. She tries to get Lucretia to charge for her “””incredible gift””” (so she can skim off the top of course) but Lucretia thinks it would be a misuse of her ~talents~. She does give Daisy an incredibly broad as to be useless even if magic exists blessing before she leaves. 

Once she does, Daisy scopes out the room (which she realizes must have been retrofitted for Lucretia and wasn’t previously a séance room) and sees that the one thing in the room that doesn’t really match the aesthetic is a giant portrait of one of the previous squire badgers. On a 24 she notices two things: (1) the painting has recently been restored with new paint and (2) the frame is bolted to the wall. She wants to check it out but Lars is right there so she makes a note to check it out later and leaves. 

Lars, being a very ride or die friend for Sly, bounds after her and basically calls her trash and tries to tempt her with garbage so she’ll lose composure and start chowing down. She drools at the sight but keeps it together and leaves. Lars runs off to tell Sly that they were a good good dog and gives him a full play by play. 

Gangie meanwhile is watching a small argument between the butler and Harding in the servant’s quarters hallway and he realizes that he’s being talked about in veiled language. The butler is questioning Gangie’s employment and Harding says that, as servants, they shouldn’t question their master and that Gangie is employed for reasons that Squire Badger is aware of and reasons he is not. Hmm. Gangie realizes that Harding knows about his past which is weird because Gangie’s criminal record doesn’t follow him. There’s no internet. So what reason would this guy have to know about him?

Gangie doesn’t like this and decides to dip and steal some silverware on the way out. Mrs. Molesley (who I’ll be calling Mrs. M from now on) helps him (lol I’m not entirely sure if she didn’t know what he was doing or if she’s just down with stealing) and says that she’s been working there since Squire Badger was in diapers (she was his nanny) and if anyone bullies Gangie, she’ll take care of them. She also offers to make him a sweater so he doesn’t get cold and she’s just so nice that Gangie has to say yes. He looks to make sure no one is around and gives her a dandelion he picked. Cute!!!

And now it’s time for dinner and our very first box of doom roll for the most terrifying encounter of all: how close you have to sit next to your bitter ex! This is of course for Sly and Daisy with higher than a 15 meaning they don’t have to sit next to each other and anything lower meaning they have to sit pretty close. It is the first BOD roll I’ve ever wanted them to fail (mmm, except maybe Adaine’s werewolf roll but that’s a different conversation). 

It’s in the 6-10 bracket which means they’re sitting across from each other (below that would have been them next to each other). Everyone is seated based on how on Squire Badger’s shitlist they are. So you have Ian at the absolute back. Sly to his right and Daisy on his left. The Buckster and Lars to the right and left after that. Then Armond (armadillo lawyer guy) and a snail guy because Brennan is a madman who cannot be stopped. Constance (Squire’s daughter) makes a toast to her dad wishing him well even though they haven’t always seen eye to eye (hmmm).

Buckster fills in Daisy on his confrontation with the Squire quietly enough that no one else hears. Daisy then turns to Sly and says she hopes they can be civil. Sly is like, “Sure Ms. DUMPSTER.” They’re the kind of exes who know exactly how to hurt each other but are also super open to being hurt. Emotional glass cannons is how Brennan describes it. 

Buckster is given a note by Harding from Squire Badger and, once dinner is over, he takes Daisy off to the side to read it. Gangie follows, unseen. Ian, who recently prayed to God and got not super clear results goes to talk to Luecretia to see if maybe ghosts can help him instead. She is, as usual, not super helpful but does rush out to get her very necessary ritual dagger and declares to everyone that if anyone sees a ghost they have to tell her. As she says this, there is a flash of lightning and, through the window, Sylvester sees just for a moment the form of his nemesis, Fletcher Cottonbotton (who is by the docks).

Anyway, Buckster reads the note. It’s a document from the Squire selling his interest in BB Industries (Buck’s oil company) to Hazel Hogswallop who is another small shareholder in BB Industries. But, in doing so, it names Josiah Jackrabbit (one of his competitors) her proxy which means he’ll be able to vote on things (and with a lot of power with all that stock).  The contract was written in fresh ink which means (1) it was probably written after their fight and (2) hasn’t been mailed yet (I smell a heist attempt). Buck rolls insight on the writing (mastermind rogue ability) and with a 27 senses that the Squire has gone off his rocker. This isn’t going to make him any money. Josiah doesn’t have enough liquid cash to pay him what this is worth. And the thing with Hazel would have taken time to set up. This has been in the works for a while and he’s been sitting on it until the time was right. And he senses, like Sly and Gangie did earlier, that someone besides the Squire is pulling the strings. 

Then Gangie suddenly hears Constance’s distressed voice through the pipes from upstairs: “Father you’re possessed! You’re a mad man! This will never work. Speak of this to me never again.” And she slams the door (Buck, Daisy, and Gangie all hear). Constance comes downstairs and Squire Badger follows, looking upset. Mrs. M checks in on him too see if he’s eaten and he kind of gruffly has her follow him (along with Mr. Harding) into the drawing room.

There is a scream. Something drops. Silence. Footsteps. A door opens. Then a voice, “My God!”

Everyone rolls initiative. Ian moves first and, upon hearing all the commotion, gathers everyone together to go towards the sound (interesting choice but sure). Daisy recognizes that the scream heard was Mrs. M but barely knows who she is. She goes towards the commotion anyway. Gangie also goes towards the scream. Buckster grabs his gun (well he says “weapon”, but it’s gotta be a gun, right?) and makes like he’s following her but actually hides. Lars and Sylvester go towards the scream. 

With everyone gathered, Ambrose opens the door. Inside they see Mrs. M, her hands covered in blood (my guess? From trying to stop the bleeding), kneeling on the ground over the dead body of the Squire. The room is a mess and stuff is scattered everywhere. There is a bloody knife in the Squire’s hand and a stab wound over his heart. Ms. M, who is distressed as hell, says there was something wrong with him. There was a flash, and she looked down and he was stabbing himself. Everyone thinks this is suspicious as hell. She was the only one in the room. Everyone looks to Sly, the famous detective who is not in the presence of a murder case in progress. What does Sly say? “Lady Lucretia. I’ve seen a ghost.”

Case Notes

I have to acknowledge how ON FIRE Grant was this episode. Like everyone was. Buck was great with the Squire. Daisy and Lars sniping at each other was fun. But man Grant had so many good lines. The “move your nose”. The heartbreak with Daisy (ugh, so sad!) And that blackout line!!! I am biased towards foxes as you can see from my avatar so I am very here for this great fox rep.

Based on the way their staredown went last ep I kinda thought Daisy was the wronged party but ugh. Slyyyyyyy. He forgave herrrrrrr. And he still went to the alter. Daisy how you could youuuuuuu?

Also, sigh, Fox and the Hound. I keep getting hit with these after the fact. 

I loved Rekha’s “Of the Chase Sapphire’s?” improv.

That racoon/mink line was so sleazy. Weird compliment but Brennan is good at being animal-racist. Sidenote, Daisy makes a comment about being careful being a fox in England which I presume is a ref to fox hunting and like the implication of that are como se dice troubling. 

Here are all the new NPCs for this ep and here’s a full NPC guide that also includes the list of names Gangie gave Buck which Buck shares with Daisy this ep.

And on that topic I can’t get over the concept of a married couple named Millie Molton and Mollie Milton. Like, did they get married solely for the bit???

The best Ian-ism of the ep was him talking about getting rejected from Siberia. Poor guy.

Fave OOC moment was everyone at the table getting aggressively patriotic in response to the Squire being dismissive to Buck. There is nothing funnier than someone singing a purposefully overwrought version of I’m Proud to Be An American. 

“It’s 2020 for us bitch!”

The moment Mrs. M said she was gonna make Gangie a sweater I was scared for her. Sweaters take a long time to get made. I was like oh no. The plot is gonna stop you from making that sweater isn’t it. I’m willing to be proven wrong (Brennan loves his maids with secrets, see: Cathilda) but she seems super sweet and if anything happens to her I’m going to be upset. 

What’s behind the painting Brennan. I know there’s a door. I know this house is full of secret tunnels and revolving bookshelves and all that. Let me see it!

One great little moment was when there was a flash of lightning and the minis for Sly and Lars like stop motion moved to look at it. Just great attention to detail. The work that gets put into this show is incredible.

Edit: A note I forgot to mention. There’s gotta be a secret door in the room where it happened, right? Like, creep in, flash of light to mess up her vision, do some shenanigans, peace out.

[weirdgenetic-fuckup]

No Nut November - Lars

A/n: Because of a mistake I made while reading requests I wrote this instead, and the whole Metallica nnn thing was because of that so I am taking a short leave of absence to focus on other things before writing anymore, either way have this update on the Metallica nnn <3

Warnings: Smut, public sex, if you think I missed something please let me know otherwise enjoy <3

Intro

It was week two of November and Lars was getting antsy. Kirk was already out, James and Jason were still in with him. He couldn’t be the last one out, he had a point to prove. He just needed someone else to make the moves... 

He went to a bar and found a spot to sit. He didn’t think too much of it, he just wanted a night of drinking to himself, nothing crazy, really.

You, however, had some plans.

You’d been keeping a careful eye on this competition, getting every new release of the magazine in hopes that you’d find something with more details. You’d especially been keeping your eye on what was happening with Lars, your personal favourite of the band.

You weren’t quite sure what it was about him but you just couldn’t get enough of him, hanging posters all over your room, pictures of him, cutting out interviews you’d find in fanzines. Anything if it had him in it.

Were you a little crazy? Possibly, but it all led you to this moment where you found Lars alone in a bar.

He was nursing a drink when you came over, sitting in the seat next to him but not introducing yourself just yet. You ordered a drink and you could feel Lars’ eyes on you, wide and gleaming with lust. You thought he’d say hi but he didn’t, he just looked back to the drink in his hand.

You took a breath and turned to him. “You’re Lars, right? Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica?” There was no question about it but, it was him, the one and only Danish Princess.

Lars smiled when you recognised him. “Yeah, that’s me.” He took a sip of his drink, quickly setting it down when he realised this was his chance. “And-and you are, if I may ask?”

You bit your lip before answering. “Well, I was hoping I could be yours.” Your voice was soft, you weren’t sure you really wanted him to hear. Maybe if he didn’t you could back out of this and leave, living the rest of your life with regret on what could’ve been.

“Say it again?” He asked, telling by the look on his face it was evident he heard you the first time.

The bartender came by with your drink. You went to pay but Lars handed them money before you could even get your money out. “Thanks.” You said with a smile.

“No worries, I got more where that came from.” You couldn’t help but giggle at that.

You both talked for a while, getting to know each other a little. You’d both drank quite a bit and while you enjoyed the small talk you were a little ditsy, so was Lars. You took him by the hand and led him to the bathrooms. You got him into one of the stalls and pushed him to the door, kissing him passionately.

Lars groaned into your mouth, his hands going to your waist. He pulled back, hot breath fanning over you. “I don’t know if I can.” He mumbled. That made you pout.

You brought your hands to his face, holding his cheeks sweetly. “Why not?” Lars stumbled on his words a few times before you interrupted. “I thought I was coming onto you, that’s alright with your little bet with James, right?”

Lars thought for a moment. No matter what he was losing no nut November, that’s what he and James agreed on anyway. What he and James decided for their own little game was that neither of them could initiate anything.

Without warning his lips crashed against yours again. He switched positions with you so that you were pushed against the door. He got your legs hooked around him, you wore a skirt and it was easy for him to push your thin panties to the side.

He pulled himself out of his jeans and quickly pushed into you, your hole already hot and wet for him to slide in. He waited a moment to get used to the feeling before rolling his hips. He found a rhythm, repeatedly snapping his hips into yours right to that spongy spot.

“Fucking bitch.” He grunted in your ear, nipping at your neck. “Finding me for a good fuck, huh?” He smacked your ass, causing you to yelp. And that’s all that rang out in the bathroom, skin slapping, low grunts and high moans. “This is just what you wanted, isn’t it?”

You nod your head yes, the corners of your mouth pulling into a blissful grin. “Yes! Fuck, yes, wanted you so bad!” Lars smacked your ass again, this time a bit harsher.

“Who said you could speak?” You bit your lip, only getting more turned on by this dominant side of him.

“‘M sorry, just- feels s’good.” You moaned, eyes rolling back in pleasure. Your body bounced against the frail door with every thrust, shaking the stalls.

The rhythm Lars had fallen into began to falter, each thrust getting needier until he finally came in you, gently setting you down and watching his cum trickle down your legs.

Lars gave a proud laugh at the sight, running his hand over your shaky thigh. You looked at him with a pout as if to ask why he stopped. “What?” He asked when his gaze met yours. “Think I’d actually take care of you?”

He moved you out of the way and stepped out of the stall. You came up beside him as he stood by the counter, staring into the mirror. “You’d look really pretty bent over, you know that?” He said, looking at you in the mirror. “Get to watch yourself getting fucked.” Your thighs squeezed together at the sight.

“Please.” You muttered.

“Please?” Lars repeated. “Please what? ‘Please, daddy, make me feel good’?” He asked in a mocking tone. You let out a small whine and nodded.

[feverinfeveroutfic]

chapter twenty-six: rain on me

a/n: not gonna lie, this one was a little hard to write. yeah, i’m almost numb to bad things happening in the world, but i found this exceptionally difficult for some reason.

It would be another couple of months before any of them heard a peep from Metallica once more, and the whole entire span of the spring time, Sam yearned to see Cliff yet again: she never did give him the hat back to him following that show. She still wore it every day as she walked on to the subway and onward to her first class, but she always took it off after school let out and she took the subway back home, or she rode home with Charlie and Marla. It started on that first day after they had returned home from Syracuse and she took off the hat on the last hour of the ride home and she set it upon her lap. That manifested into a habit when she took the subway to and from school the day after: hat atop her head on the way day and all throughout the school day, but she took it off once she stepped onto the subway. She held it close to her chest when she stood next to the pole and she rested it upon her lap when she took a seat.

All the while, the bitter cold and the snows waned away from the Northeast and gave way to fresh new leaves upon the trees. The brim of his hat protected her eyes from the blinding sun as the spring term made its way forth.

It was a warm afternoon near the tail end of May following her introduction to stained glass class, which she continued to get the hang of, especially since it was only a single class during the week and Belinda wasn't too proud of that fact, either. Marla had asked her as to why that was the case and Belinda had no idea about it, and the little glass splinters in the girls' fingers only made the whole thing unappetizing. The whole thing was bittersweet to think about, especially since there was one week left before finals.

Meanwhile, she walked along the sidewalk with the brim of that dark hat held up high: she adjusted the brim with two fingers, the same ones with a bandage on either one. Perhaps it was the feeling of the sun to her back, but the hat upon her head made the crown feel hot to the touch. She strode past a ground level window and she stopped for a second to better adjust the hat for a bit of relief on her head. She gazed on at her face, which had grown rounder from the winter having gone by, and her body, slightly heavier and rounder.

Cliff and Joey's words to her rang through her mind whenever she saw her own reflection. Maybe they were enabling it. Maybe they were sincere with it. She had no idea as to what to think with it in mind.

Sam sighed through her nose and then she pressed onward to her building.

She made her way inside of the foyer and she spotted Aurora in the doorway of Emile's apartment. She giggled at something he had said to her, and Sam wandered closer to her. Aurora turned her head and her face lit up at the sight of her.

“Hey, Sam! How was school?”

“Good—what's going on?”

“Emile was just telling me something about something that happened to him down in New Orleans before he moved up here.”

“I should give you some of my Mardi Gras beads,” Emile himself called from inside of the apartment. “Both of you ladies, actually—”

“He has to find them first,” Aurora explained, and Sam wondered what was happening there between the two of them.

“I have to check my mail, anyways,” she gingerly added. “It is Wednesday, after all.” Sam scurried away from there and towards the metal mailboxes on the wall. She opened the little door, and in turn revealed three envelopes: a white one, which she assumed was from the school; a yellow one, which she knew was for her rent; and a soft pink one, which she wondered where it came from. She took them out of their hiding place and she examined the pink one first.

It took her a second to recognize Cliff's name scrawled on the front in blue ink. She peered over her shoulder, and Aurora had gone into Emile's apartment. She shut the mailbox door and doubled back down the corridor; she ducked past the door and she darted up the stairs to her place.

She couldn't open the door and take off that hat fast enough. She shook her dark hair about and left the door slightly ajar so a bit of a flow came in from the corridor behind her. She took her seat on the couch and, careful not to tear that soft pink paper, she opened the envelope and she took out his letter, which he wrote on a sheet of plain white paper. She had to read it twice given she wasn't familiar with his penmanship.

“Sam—dearest Samantha—

I'm writing to you from a little hotel room in Chicago. We're going out to Des Moines in about an hour, right before we go play at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, so I'm going to make this quick. Legacy are here right now, having flown out last night to see us at both shows. Given it's Memorial Day and school is almost out, Alex is sitting right next to me right now. Yeah, believe it or not, he's sitting right next to me and he's looking a little rounder than he was before when I got that little piece of rice paper from him—I'm thinking he ate pretty well over Christmas break, which makes me feel better about the way in which he's living well here. But I'm not here to tell you about him: I'm here to tell you how I feel about you.

The sun is shining right over me. It's going to be the Summer Solstice soon. And I think about the way in which you looked in the shrub there next to the bus, the way your hair seemed to shine even in the shadow. You are so beautiful and so gentle that I need to have you with me. What the hell was I thinking, not trusting you?

I need to be around you. I need to be closer to you. This is coming hot off the heels of my eavesdropping on Lars and James having a conversation about something, and then Kirk and James having a discussion about firing Lars. Alex and I both heard it loud and clear—but I guess Dave knows about it more than I do, too.

I'm a little worried about things coming to a head soon following the European stint of the tour. We're leaving for a couple of dates in over Europe right before Fourth of July weekend and then we come back to the Midwest about a week later—I don't get it, either. We come back to New York in August and then we leave for Europe for real after Labor Day weekend. I know that date in New York will be the last I see you for a while so I'm going to relish every second you and I are together there. It's the last date on the North American stint, too, so we can go and do something after the show. I can show you some of Canada if you wish—you'll love it up in Quebec.

I trust you with my life, Sam. As I'm writing this to you, I already feel empowered to stand up to James and Kirk. And I feel empowered to talk and rekindle things with Lars again. Even just on paper, you make me feel more of a man. You make me feel like a better man. Take that back: you make me a better man.

If nothing, I can do something beyond that. The power is in my hands. It's all within my hands if nothing else.

I had lunch with Chuck and Eric just a little bit ago and I spotted a bouquet of yellow tulips on the way there. I have another idea than that, though—another better idea that's bloomed out from the yellow tulips. I'll leave that little surprise for when we return to New York in August.

All my love,

Cliff.”

Her heart skipped a bit and she wondered what he had in store for her. A knock on the door caught her attention and Aurora poked her head into the apartment: Sam caught the sound of beads tinkling together behind the panel. Aurora showed her a series of hot pink and golden Mardi Gras beads.

“Party,” she said.

“Party indeed,” Sam echoed as she slipped the letter back into the envelope and she set it on the table next to her, even though she remembered that Aurora had seen them by the shrub. “By the way—are you and Emile friends to each other?”

“Yes!” she replied with a grin on her face, and she slipped the beads over Sam's head. She herself set her wounded fingers on the golden beads, which were all in the shape of fish. Her fingers ached from the glass splinters and those painful little wounds. Aurora frowned at the bandages.

“Scars from being around Belinda,” Sam replied with a shrug of her shoulders, and that made her chuckle. She nibbled on her bottom lip and Aurora shifted her weight a bit.

“Is there something you wanna tell me?” Sam asked her, as she glanced over at the pink envelope right next to her knee.

“Is there something you wanna tell me?” Aurora echoed her. She nibbled on her bottom lip and she lowered her gaze to the beads around her neck.

“Promise not to tell anyone?” Sam asked her in a low voice, and without a moment's hesitation, Aurora stuck out her pinky finger. They linked fingers to bond it together; Sam then fetched up a sigh.

“Okay. I've been seeing Cliff.”

“I had a feeling that was the case,” Aurora confessed with a nod of her head.

“It's long distance, though,” Sam continued as she reached for the pink envelope. “He and I hung out together over Christmas break at my parents' house. I also got to meet his parents and his sister, too. We even had our first fight.”

“Wow,” Aurora raised her eyebrows at that.

“Yeah. We're—pretty much a thing now.” She turned over the envelope so Aurora could see the scrawl inked on the front. “He just wrote a letter to me from Chicago. He just told me that I make him a better man.”

Aurora cocked her head to the side and brought a hand to her chest.

“Oh, my god,” she breathed out.

“Yeah. It's so sweet, isn't it?”

“That's so romantic.”

“He even gave me his hat!” Sam picked up the black hat from the couch cushion next to her.

“I was wondering where you got that!” Aurora confessed.

“He's just—he's been nothing to sweet to me. I think—I think he might be the one.”

Aurora took a seat on the arm of the couch, right next to her.

“Did Marla tell you we drew him in class?” Sam asked her.

“No!” Aurora's face turned bright pink at the sound of that.

“Yeah. He came into our drawing class back in January after his date had been pushed back a couple of times, and—let's just say I have yet to show it to him.” Sam flashed her a wink.

“Boyfriend and muse,” Aurora concluded.

“Boyfriend and muse...” Sam's voice trailed off at that and she lay the envelope upon her lap. She imagined Cliff himself right next to her. Her dark prince upon his black horse. She turned her head into Aurora's direction.

“What's going on with you and Emile?” She cleared her throat.

“Same story there,” Aurora confessed.

“Really?” Sam gaped at that.

“Yeah. I showed up here some time ago and I asked him where your apartment is. It was raining that day, too, and I didn't know it was going to, either, so he let me into his place for a cup of tea and he also offered to help me dry off. Apparently, he and his wife are separated—” Aurora shifted her weight on the arm of the couch and she grimaced a little bit at the sound of that. “But same story there, too: he's been nothing but sweet to me. One of the first genuinely lovely things he told me was he loves how I'm vegetarian. He's such a kind person, and you are lucky to have him for her landlord, Sam. That kind, genteel Southern politeness and everything...”

“Wait, back up.” Sam set a hand on her arm. “—he and his wife aren't fully divorced?”

“I don't think so. He hasn't told me anything about it outside of a flippant comment.”

Sam couldn't help but chuckle at that. Aurora's stoic expression broke into a chuckle as well.

“Oh, my god—Aurora!” Sam burst out laughing. “The power of the Korean peninsula!”

“The Korean peninsula plus the long time proximity to Mexico,” she added. “We've inadvertently become a couple of vixens.”

“Marla, Belinda, and Zelda are, too,” Sam pointed out.

“On the surface,” Aurora corrected her, “and as far as we know. We might be in a league of our own amongst the five of us.”

“Yeah, you're kind of the quiet workhorse. And I'm the fat artist.”

“Oh, come on, Sam—you've got lovely curves. You're a true vixen yourself!”

“And the quiet ones have the most cunning minds...” Sam then set her bandaged fingers on the beads once again. “Party,” she said.

“Party!” Aurora echoed, and they high fived each other.

“Care for a drink? I just have cream soda and some pho, interestingly enough.”

“Do you have ice cream? We can have cream soda floats with that nice soup.”

“Nah, just the soda. We're gonna have plenty of cream, anyways.”

* * * * *

The heat of the summer crept its way into the Bronx, but every so often, warm summer rain kept it at bay. Sam had no intent on taking summer school with Belinda and Marla, but she did take up the offer to work side by side with Aurora at the record label as her assistant. It was mostly sorting papers and fetching her drinks during work hours, but it was something and it got her out of the otherwise hot apartment. Meanwhile, at night, she returned home and worked on some drawings before she fell asleep. The main building itself felt so empty and hollow without Anthrax there with them: she also hadn't heard a peep from Dan Lilker in months, either, and thus she assumed that Nuclear Assault had gone on tour themselves.

She thought about Cliff and she even contemplated counting down the days to the end of August. He never wrote to her once again and thus she considered writing back to him. However, since Metallica switched labels, she had no idea as to how to write to him, and given they were on tour, there was no way she could call him up in one of their many hotel rooms. Aurora had too much on her plate to begin with and so she couldn't ask her about it.

“It is a pretty big network, though,” she pointed out to her one morning in late July. “If you ask around, you could probably find a lead of sorts. Maybe you can ask Zelda.”

“Why her? 'Cause she's with Louie?”

“No, 'cause she's within the whole pipeline of musicians as well as with Louie. He especially probably knows his way around the Bay Area and she probably has an idea herself.”

Sam sighed through her nose. That would mean she would have to make the drive out to Providence to their place.

The phone rang right then and Aurora picked up. Sam kept her eyes fixated on the floor before her. She thought about as to what to draw that evening as a relief of sorts when Aurora's concerned tone of voice caught her ear.

“Wow, really? How did he do that?”

Sam turned her head into her direction and she noticed the look of concern on Aurora's face.

“Uh huh—” She raised her gaze in Sam's direction, and they gazed at one another with wide eyes.

“Oh, my god,” Aurora muttered with a look of disgust on her face. “Oh. Okay. Okay, yes—”

Sam bowed her head a bit. She wished to know what her best friend was hearing.

“Okay,” Aurora continued. “Okay, thank you. I'll tell Jon and Marsha as soon as possible.” She hung up the phone right then.

“What happened?” Sam asked her.

“James broke his arm skate boarding. They might cancel part of the tour.”

Sam gaped at her.

“W-Where are they?” she stammered.

“Nashville. And he broke his arm two days ago while in Evansville. Over in Indiana. The person I just spoke to said they might do a couple more dates and then call it good for a bit before they go to Europe.”

“So—they're not gonna come to New York City again,” Sam concluded in a small voice, to which Aurora shrugged.

“I don't think so. She said he messed it up pretty bad. He might not even be able to play guitar for a time until he's fully healed. We're gonna have to tell Marla, Belinda, and Zelda, too—you know we all were gonna be there. All of us. Altogether, with Anthrax and another band called Armored Saint...”

Sam tiled her head back and closed her eyes.

“Fuck!” she declared.

“I know, right? They already had to cancel their Northwest dates back in June, too. But—so much for that, though.” Aurora's face fell at the thought of it.

“Well, what should we do now?” Sam asked her as she ran her fingers through her dark hair.

“Well—she said they plan on playing tonight down in Nashville, followed by tomorrow's date in Chattanooga, then Knoxville, and a couple more and then they go home for a month so James can recuperate. I guess the best thing to do is to call Cliff because she said he's kind of a wreck right now.”

“I would imagine...” Sam's voice trailed off as she remembered what Cliff had told her in his letter.

Indeed, when she returned home later that night, the very first thing she did was pick up the phone. She dialed his number, but she caught his answering machine instead. If they planned on playing a few more dates, then surely he could find her message once he stepped in through the door. The very first thing he would see was her message to him.

“Hi, Cliff—it's Sam. I'm just calling to say that—I heard the news. I heard about what happened to James and I'm just kinda—thinking of you guys right now. Give me a call back once you get this. I love you.”

Without another word, she hung up the phone.

Over the next week, she went off to work with the hot summer sun upon her head and yet that big black hat protected her every step of the way. By the beginning of August, and James' birthday on the third, she expected a call from him, but he never did.

She returned home and checked her machine for any sign of him. Nothing. It seemed so unlike him, especially after all he had said to her in his letter.

A thunderstorm rattled the Bronx on the day in which they were supposed to play there in New York City, and thus Sam got the idea to write back to him. He was back home and she remembered that they would leave for Europe soon enough. She had to make it quick.

She picked up the pencil and she scribbled all along the top line of the paper first. She had no idea as to how to write up that letter to him further than “my dear Cliff.” Sam leaned back and she gazed out the window in front of her, at the rain as it pattered on the window pane before her and the dark menacing clouds across the sky. Perhaps a piece of art could bring something out of him, and yet everything she had made up to that point had been in her journals or they were things she had planned for the autumn and her sophomore year of school. Perhaps a piece of erotic art could bring something out of him, given she sat there in nothing more than her bra and a small pair of shorts that fit her hips a bit more snugly than before.

She could lay on her side before a mirror and make a drawing of herself from the reflection for him. Show off her new curves to him.

But she had nothing to say to him, much to her surprise, and yet she had so much to say to him. She set down the pencil on the tray at the bottom of her desk when the phone rang. She was quick to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Sam.” That voice.

“Oh, my god, Cliff, I was just thinking of calling you.” She ran her fingers through her dark hair.

“I've been meaning to do so but—a bunch of things have happened this past month. First off—Lars and I have rekindled things between us.”

“Oh, good!”

“The day after James broke his arm, he cozied next to me on the bus and he confessed that he wanted someone to talk to about it. I guess James is kinda pissy when he's in pain. So we watched Blazing Saddles together and had some pizza and he shared with me one of his many Danish desserts—I can't remember what it's called but it was spectacular. I told him the two of us have to hang out with him and his whole Danish spiel more in the future. And we started talking again.”

“How're things between him and them?” she asked him as she set her free hand on her hip.

“No idea and I feel like James and Kirk are still track to do it after our European dates. But—oh my god, you're gonna love this. And—I have to keep my voice down because I'm in our rehearsal spot here in San Francisco. And I dunno... I don't think they're here right now, if I'm perfectly honest. But—still. Better I keep my voice low.”

“What's up?”

“Back in June, we played in San Diego and Legacy played the night before us, so the four of us got to see them. One of the guys from Armored Saint, the band who toured with us and the boys, started to come after Lars. I didn't even know what was going on, either—it was all right behind me. But I guess Dave was there with us. And this guy was—I think he was pissed at Lars for whatever reason. And he came after him and Dave caught him, took him outside, and just beat the absolute shit out of him. Protected Lars and none of us knew it had happened until Dave told me about it after the fact.”

“Wow,” she breathed out.

“Yeah. The guys up on stage didn't even see it and Chuck and Louie see everything up there—that's according to them, anyways.”

She chuckled at that. And then she remembered.

“By the way, what did you want to do with me? Given tonight you guys were supposed to be here and you had to pull out for the time being.”

“Oh, yeah. I was gonna ask you if we could make it official between us.”

“Officially boyfriend and girlfriend,” she followed along.

“Yeah. It just makes sense to me, even if it is long distance at this point.”

“Of course. I'd love to do that.”

“Then it's official, baby doll,” he declared in a soft whisper of a voice. “You have a boyfriend now.”

Voices in the background on his end cut him off.

“I gotta go. We're flying out to Wales in a couple of days. It's a whole two week affair just so we adjust and go through customs and all that jazz.”

“Right, right...”

“Kirk needs to use the phone, too.”

“By the way, Cliff?” she piped up again.

“Uh huh?”

“Call me when you get there,” she told him.

“Of course. You have a good night for me.”

“You, too.”

They hung up at the same time right as a clap of thunder caught her off guard. If she had to draw in the dark, she would.

And she was eager to start school again within a couple of weeks as well, and once again, the week following Labor Day. Fresh off the heels of her first year, she wished to see what that second year held for her given the cuts on her fingers had long healed and Belinda vowed that the next level up would be far more exciting. She already knew the basics and thus she could foresee a stained glass window much like the ones in that front hallway from her hung up there for the whole school and the world to see.

A drawing class, a watercolor class, stained glass, more art history, and algebra, the latter of which she needed to fill in one of her elective credits. That was according to Bill when she signed up for classes.

“Gonna be a lot more hectic this year,” he vowed to her with a cunning smile on his face, but she knew she would enjoy it especially when she knew she also kept the part time shift next to Aurora. Just a lot more to do but she knew she would enjoy it.

She stayed on her feet for the entirety of both of her drawing and watercolor classes and the whole entire first week, she envisioned Metallica, Anthrax, and Armored Saint in that concert hall in Wales. She tried to picture them all as she sketched out a series of faces similar to them on that large sheet of paper she had been asked to have for the former. Given part of their personal journal included wildlife studies, Marla suggested she draw plants around them given it was the United Kingdom, in all of its greenery and lushness. Sam also recalled that they had missed playing the Pacific Northwest as well.

Given the drawing itself was due at the end of the month, she gradually worked on it with a bit of colored pencil and only the hardest of her graphite pencils. She thought of giving it a splash of watercolor at some point, but she decided not to do it.

And she still hadn't shown Cliff the drawing of him. She itched to show it to him once she handed that large drawing by the end of that third week of school. She strode out of the classroom and up the street so as to start her short shift for the rest of that afternoon. It was a cool late autumn afternoon, and the gray clouds overhead beckoned a fresh round of rain. But when she reached the front step, she was met with Aurora herself, who looked as though she had seen a ghost.

“Um, Sam?” Aurora called to her once she came within earshot.

“Yeah?” She frowned at the grave look on her friend's face, and she glanced behind her, and there was Marla right behind her, who had one hand on her mouth as if she had something horrific.

“Is everything okay?” Sam asked them as she adjusted the brim of the hat: she picked up that earthy smell of rain. Marla fetched up a sigh and she doubled back for something. Sam halted in front of Aurora and butterflies emerged inside of her stomach.

“What's going on?” she asked her in a small voice, and Aurora's face fell. She swallowed and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Marla returned with a white cordless phone in hand.

“Something happened,” she replied in an equally small voice. “Something that you should know.”

She handed her the cordless with a solemn look on her face. Reluctant, Sam took the phone and then she brought it to her ear and the butterflies in her stomch kept on whirring about.

“Hello?” she started in a low voice.

“Sam!” Lars' voice crackled onto the other end. “Sam! Horrible! Things! Really bad things! Fucking—fucking hell!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sam interjected with a wave of her hand, “whoa, Lars. Lars, slow down! What happened?”

He sputtered and blithered a serious of things in Danish but then he gasped.

“Lars!” Sam cried out, and she held still right there when she was met with silence. “Lars? Are you there?”

“—yes?” he said in a broken voice.

“What happened?”

He let out a long low sigh.

“What happened?”

“I'm sorry,” he started and she could hear tears in his voice, “I just—I haven't been able to talk to James and Kirk about it. I needed someone to vent to.”

“What happened, Lars?” she asked him, gentle.

“There—There was an accident,” he sputtered. “A bus accident. Our bus went off the road—we were in Sweden. In the middle of the night. We were all asleep when it went off the road. We rolled over. Cliff—is gone.”

Sam's eyes widened and she almost dropped the phone itself. It was as if the rug had been yanked right out from right underneath her.

“What do you mean he's gone?” she asked him as she felt her stomach and her heart sink.

“He's gone. He was—crushed by the bus.”

Her stomach turned. Her knees quivered and quaked. She had to catch herself on the counter behind her. She thought about the letter Cliff had written to her. His words were set in stone at that moment. He never even called her when they got to Wales, either.

Lars' voice quivered and waved away with tears. The smell of rain grew stronger and Aurora stepped inside; Sam could make out the tears in her eyes.

“He's gone, Sam. He's—He's just—he's gone.”

[delta-magnetic]

soooo i might've been thinking about a certain some ask game again and decided, fuck it ima answer all the questions that im actually able to lol

i've done 5, 16 and 17 already but to add onto the latter two:

16. here's another 3 because yes- Welcome Home (Sanitarium), Ronnie, and Dirty Window

17. I HAVE MORE NOW BITCHES. now have Master of Puppets, Load and Death Magnetic! AND Cunning Stunts!

alright rest under a cut lol you know i love to ramble

1. (fun fact this question is why i was thinking about this again lol) AAAAAA i shall say, lars! i'm sure meeting any of them i'd be nervous/a little awkward, but i think lars would do best at diffusing that. plus getting to hear him go on and on about whatever, in person?? yes please

2. i have made, shitposts galore (and also 2 uquiz's, the most recent one actually being all around good lol)

3. also thought abt this one a few times since seeing it hmmm, a few come to mind, but you know what i think would be fun? struggle within on drums. i'm sure that intro is a recorded thing if/when it's ever done live, but lets just imagine. plus for me personally? i know i literally have a guitar in my room, but drums seem fun, and when i think drums + metallica, besides some of the obvious answers (one, master of puppets), this song is what i think

6. i'm sure most would go for ultimullet here, but you know what i'm gonna pick? 2019 james. i always want to put my hands in his hair but like, something about '19,,, soft old man ilu

7. i have not seen it! though i've heard it's good, might have to watch it someday

8. definitely museum with lars. dude loves art and would just be giving out insight galore! not bendy or strong enough for kirk or rob, and while i love james and also taking walks, i would be slow and idk if he'd wait up for me fjkdblsksnj

9. holy shit there are, so many... could go for any of the songs from Load yet to be played live tbh, but my answer shall be Devils Dance!

10. i'll admit, haven't listened to all of garage inc yet, but i really like Die, Die My Darling!

11. again haven't heard many of these, but omf their cover of 53rd and 3rd is [chefs kiss]

12. maybe an obvious answer, but st anger. it's weird, i really like the first half of it off the album, but then after that??? eh?? but live puts some of that missing, emotion?, into the 2nd half i'm wanting (plus yknow, SOLO !!!!)

14. oh lort. again, so many. im srry i cannot pick kjnfsdbkj, but i will say i know i'd pick somewhere in missouri! which seems kinda lame, but getting to say i've seen metallica in my home state would be pretty cool

15. you're tearing me apart dude!! i know it's a pretty typical answer, but black album! i wouldn't even call it my favorite album, but sound wise? definite favorite

18. i don't have much, but i really do live in that master of puppets shirt. it's comfy, one of my friends bought it for me because i didn't bring any money (not expecting to want to buy anything lol), and it was my first metallica thing i ever owned!

20. tickets to a show, i cross out but tbh, it's true! other than maybe s&m (1 or 2), yea collecting is cool but i'm not chomping at the bit to own every single album actually! wanna have the ones i'll actually listen to regularly yknow?

24. tbh lars with any of them would be a treat, but having to concretely pick pairs? lars and james, kirk and rob. lars and james are so many years of friendship, they both always have something neat to say, and having them bounce off each other in an interview would be cool. kirk doesn't speak that often, and i think getting him with rob would get him a little more chatty perhaps

...oh you also asked what i'd ask lol. idk man, especially to lars n james. maybe to kirk and rob i'd ask if either of them like, found new/different artists they liked through each other (since i know they both have pretty varied music tastes)

25. i am answering these all at 1 in the morning, so maybe i'd be able to think a bit more if i did this at a more reasonable time, but either way holyf a lot from Halo On Fire. just to pick one?

I fear to turn on the light // For the darkness won’t go away

26. hmm again, 1 am, head is kiiiinda no thoughts head empty for some reason?? though luckily not too empty, bc just sitting here thinking for a second, Bleeding Me just popped to mind?

27. ooooo, if they were just on their own (not with family or friends) i'd probably try my best to not freak out and just be like "hey i love your music"

...and maybe ask for a hug

28. tbh i want to dress like cliff lmao, but my actual fashion sense? think like, current kirk but if he did not spent 600 bucks on everything and generally toned down a LOT (keep the graphic tees tho)

29. oh i can't remember who said it, but someone said something like, whenever they'd screw something up in the studio, cliff would just, look at them so disappointed njdfsbnkl

30. almost definitely kirk i'd say. i'm super shy, but if you get me talking about something i really like? unlikely to stop

31. YOU ARE MEAN !!!! my answer though, shall be kirk n lars! you want reasons? they're just neat!!!!!!!!

33. nah, if anything just because i don't have any of the social medias they're really on

34. hmm, not that i can think of?? partially because i haven't seen a ton of their inner-workings type deals, and they seem alright

35. just going general here, but memory remains. i just do not like that song for some reason

36. ...you know what idk how long this will even get but this post is already long enough so screw it this is getting it's own post lmao

37. tbh any of the more "moody" songs? like especially older ones, particularly Fade to Black and One. idk even what mood i need to be in to listen to them, but definitely not a regular-casual listening one

38. lowkey made a whole post about this lmao, but for a short answer for here: my uncle playing (the song) master of puppets whenever i was in the truck with him!

39. [looks at all of you very lovingly]

40. oh for sure. a few months ago i was out of town and, not having a good time. and putting on some metallica songs made me feel a lot more at ease

[kirk-says-wah]

His dad is awful. How can he punch James like that? And @madamsixx, I still don't think it's okay that he expresses his love that way. There are many other ways that Virgil could have handled that.

Apologies for taking long to get back to you.

So the author used clues, past glimpses, and even James himself to show us the type of person/father Virgil was from the beginning of this story up till now.

Chapter 3

He spots James’ dad first, sitting next to his parents. Lars has only met Virgil once, though he’s not a man of many words. He’s looking back at them, face stone cold.

Virgil doesn't talk he is a man of action. He does whatever he feels like doing without thinking about the consequences. But he's also strict. Stern. What he says goes. Don't question him. Follow his rules and everything will be okay. Go against him and he will come for you. Do as you're told the type of man.

Chapter 6

When his father answers he opens it swiftly and finds Virgil sitting in his chair, scrawling away in a notebook. He looks up at James, and he flits through many emotions before settling on disappointment.

This is after the wedding when James chased after Jason when his father's men took him. James stepped out of line that day and got beat up by his father. But this was a different type of beating. James challenged Virgil. And that's a no-no.

Chapter 6

James tries to hold his ground, knowing his end goal is just to get Jason back.

“I love Jason,” he says, though he doesn’t know who he’s trying to persuade.

“Jason’s a brat,” Virgil spits. “You’re too good for him anyway. He’s fucking spoiled.”

“You don’t know shit,” James grits out, though he immediately knows it’s a big mistake.

Virgil shoves him so his back hits the wall, and a gun presses against James’ chin.

“I raised you better than this, James,” he says, voice low.

James can hear his breath in his ears, his heart hammering as the metal pushes against his jaw.

"Just let him go,” James says, his chin pushed further up by the gun.

He’s sure his father would never shoot, but his threat is heard nonetheless.

The author shows us in this chapter that James knows who his father is and what he's capable of. James knows that he can't step out of place or talk back to Virgil. That is his father. And despite what type of man Virgil is he knows he has to respect him. But also tries to stand his ground. He also knows that his father is not trying to hurt him to kill him.

Chapter 6

“I messed with him one time and he took my wife away. You don’t know what he’s capable of. He’ll kill you too.”

This chapter also shows us, that Virgil does love James wholeheartedly. He's aggravated and angry because James won't listen. But also because James still wants Jason. Virgil just wants James out of this life. He wants better for him. Which is why when Torben came with that pitch about marrying Lars. Virgil said say no more. My son is marrying your son. He wants James to marry and move away from wherever they're at right now.

Chapter 11

He then finds a sobriety chip and smooths it between his fingers. It doesn’t look as old as the rest of the things in the tin, and Lars frowns, flipping it in his hand.

"Your dad was an alcoholic?” he asks, showing James the chip.

"James shrugs. “Not for a while.”

Virgil didn't do well with the war. And I'm pretty sure that's why he and Dave made that truce.

Both men lost their wives. But they handled the grief differently. And from what I'm picking up from the story. Dave was a father first and a mob boss second when raising Jason. It seems like he never had time to grieve either.

Virgil now, was a drunk first, a boss second, a hardened man third, and a father fourth.

Virgil raised a mini Virgil. He didn’t know any other way to raise James. So he raised him as a boss. The author showed us in that flashback chapter that Cynthia mostly had James. But when Cynthia died. Virgil became a drunk. And then Virgil had to raise James. Virgil is the type of father who would tell James to get up and stop crying if he fell. He would tell James to be a man.

Chapter 23

“You know, you boys are pretty sloppy,” Dave says, slowly lifting the gun as he makes his way around the table. “How do you think it makes your father feel to find out you’ve been prying about in his things?” Dave asks, swinging the gun up to gesture at James.

James’ eyes widen. Does his dad know they were looking in the box? Did he notice all the missing pictures?

James knows his father's expectations. Virgil expects obedience, respect, discipline, structure, trust, honesty, and most of all loyalty.

The fact that James went snooping through his things is considered a big betrayal. And James knows that. Which is why he avoided his father after this meeting with Dave.

Chapter 26

James glances around, but the car park is mostly empty, and it’s starting to get dark so unless they were heard, no one would notice.

"I can’t fucking believe you,” Virgil says, his breath sour as it hits James’ cheeks. “I raised you better than this. I raised you to respect me.

"James opens his mouth to reply but a fist quickly hits his jaw, and his head snaps to the side.

"What did I say?” Virgil roars. “I told you to leave with Lars, and what did you do? You fucking went digging up a past you have no business in.

"James wants to answer but knows better, and keeps his mouth tightly shut.

"You went through my things. Took my things,” Virgil spits, before his fist suddenly smacks into James’ nose, sending his head reeling back into the car door, and he yelps, sagging in Virgil’s grip, wishing he could stand up for himself.

What Virgil did to James in the parking lot wasn't just anger about his things being messed with. It was heartbreak. The one person he loves and trusts more than anyone in the world betrayed him. So no Virgil shouldn't have beaten James like that. But it wasn’t a shock for me that he did. He's hurt that James did that. And expresses that hurt through anger. Like all his emotions. To have his son do that to him. It's the ultimate disrespect.

Virgil doesn't know that he is hurting James. Physically and mentally. He thinks the way he's raising James is right. He's still raising him as a boss rather than a father.

I think James should go home. Because the one thing a parent would be devastated to see is their child going down the bad path they did. James is drinking. He's drinking his hurt and problems away just like Virgil did. And James is in pain. I believe that despite Virgil being a military-style parent will become a father first and boss second the moment he sees that James is struggling with alcohol. Virgil loves James. We do see that in the story. I don't know if anyone else can see it. But it is there.

And again no his parenting style isn't okay. But that's the only way that Virgil knew how to raise/deal with James.

I'm just writing on the clues that we've picked up from the story.

I really like the way you look at it! It’s interesting to see you pick up on all the little details! 💕 I agree I think Virgil does love James, he just doesn’t know how to show it, especially when he feels betrayed

And I agree, I think if James does go home, hopefully Virgil won’t turn him away. Maybe they’ll actually be able to talk about what’s happened!

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 8: Black and White (originally published on January 25, 2021)

Author's Note: At long last, the long-awaited conclusion to Part 1 of Steven Universe: Alternate Future is upon us! This may seem like an innocuous love letter to the mockumentary genre (I even watched This is Spinal Tap on HBO Max for inspiration), but the ending will change everything you will see in this chapter! But I'm through being dramatic, let's boogie!

Synopsis: A Black Rutile and her partner White Topaz want to get answers from Steven.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven, Onion

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Ocean Jasper

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl, Black Rutile’s Pearls

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Jennifer Paz as Lapis Lazuli, Zuli, Mean Lapis

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Kimberly Brooks as Cherry Quartz, Jasper

Ian Jones-Quartey as Snowflake Obsidian

Michelle Maryk as Little Larimar

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Aparna Nancherla as Nephrite

Grace Rolek as Connie

Crispin Freeman as Doug

Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Priyanka

Tom Scharpling as Greg

Zach Steel as Ronaldo

Eugene Cordero as Jamie

Joel Hodgson as Mr. Dewey

Reagan Gomez Preston as Jenny, Kiki

Brian Posehn as Sour Cream

Lamar Abrams as Buck

Matthew Moy as Lars

Kate Micucci as Sadie

Alastair James as Rainbow Quartz 2.0

Shoniqua Shondai as Sunstone

Della Saba as Aquamarine

Charlyne Yi as Eyeball

Jinkx Monsoon as Emerald

Christine Pedi as Holly Blue Agate

Hayley Kiyoko as Morganite

Olivia Olson as Black Rutile's Citrines

Featuring Noël Wells as Black Rutile

And Lauren Ash as White Topaz

--

"Is the camera ready, Topaz?"

"It's ready, my Rutile!"

"You idiot, you forgot to turn on the lens!"

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry, my Rutile, let me fix that!"

A camera was turned on inside a black-colored dropship, where a matching-colored Rutile in a green visor and white cape sat down in a captain's chair, confident and charming. "Hello, universe!" the Rutile greeted. "My name is Black Rutile, and welcome to Eye on Era 3, the special interview show where we discuss with Gems about the changes a certain Steven Universe brought to our proud culture!"

"And I'm White Topaz!" the Topaz operating Black Rutile's camera turned the lens to herself and cheerfully waved to the audience.

"Uh, Topaz, over here." Black Rutile ordered.

"Oh, sorry!" White Topaz muttered and turned the camera back to her superior.

"Anyways, we've traveled across the stars to chat it up with all sorts of Gems." The Rutile continued ecstatically. "From Pearls free from slavery, to proud Emerald pilots! Agates with no one to order around, Lapis Lazulis thinking they're lost in the world, and even a few fusions here and there! But today, we're gonna get answers straight from the mouth of this so-called "new Pink Diamond" himself!" she stated, making air-quotes while calling Steven the new Pink Diamond.

"My Rutile, we are closing in on Earth." A Citrine piloting Black Rutile's ship announced. "Is there any good spot you'd like to land?"

"Let's try that Little Homeworld place I've heard so much about." Black Rutile suggested. "We're bound to get tons of special guests there."

"Yes, your clarity." The Citrine complied, and she returned to her station.

"In case you were stuck in a Kindergarten for the past couple hundred years, Little Homeworld is where tons of Gems formerly corrupted by the Diamonds at the end of the Rebellion have made their home." Black Rutile narrated over footage of Little Homeschool. "The number one hotspot of this little bit of home is Little Homeschool, where Gems from all over come to learn how to mingle with the life on Earth and let go of the old ways."

"Hey, you think maybe we could go to that place, BR?" White Topaz grinned eagerly.

"Don't forget about our plans." Black Rutile said under her breath to her Topaz bodyguard. "I mean, we should be nearing Little Homeworld any minute now, so stay tuned!"

--

Gems began to gather when Black Rutile's ship made its landing in Little Homeworld, and the landing door opened to reveal its owner and her sidekick strolling out.

"Oh my, we already have quite a crowd here!" Black Rutile laughed into a microphone. "Now then, I'll pick a few lucky Gems from our audience here to answer some questions about their experiences on Earth." Looking around, Black Rutile managed to pick out Bismuth, Peridot, and Lapis Lazuli from the huddling Gems. "Ah, you three, over there!"

"Us?" Lapis asked.

"Could you care to tell us how life has been on Earth for you?" Black Rutile asked, sticking her microphone out to the trio.

"I've actually been on Earth about as long as Lapis here." Bismuth answered, gesturing to Lapis. "I was one of the original Crystal Gems under Rose Quartz, chosen because I wanted to build whatever I wanted, with no uppercrusts to order me around! But my methods of dealing with the enemy was a bit more extreme than what she was used to, so Rose took one in particular a bit personally and had me poofed & bubbled. In hindsight, maybe Rose was worried that her cover would've been blown."

"As Bismuth said, I was on Earth for a very long time." Lapis began speaking into the mic. "I was supposed to be there for only a little bit to assist in terraforming, but then I got caught in the war and was poofed before being confused for a Crystal Gem. I was interrogated while my gem was stuck in a mirror, but that kind of got cut short when the Diamonds unleashed their final attack and forced everyone to flee. I was left behind by accident, and someone cracked my gem by stepping on it, and years later, I was found by Pearl, who kept me in her gem until Steven freed me."

"Aw, what a happy ending!" White Topaz cooed.

"Yeah, no." Lapis sardonically corrected White Topaz. "After I was freed from the mirror, I nearly drowned tons of people because I wanted to get home, but then home turned out to be a lot different from when I left it. I was once again made a prisoner by Peridot and Jasper, who then invaded Earth because I met the Crystal Gems that everyone thought were defeated in the Rebellion, then I fused with Jasper to protect Steven, which took a number on both of our mental states, I was freed yet again, then I left Earth because I was told the Diamonds might be coming, before coming back only to get poofed by Yellow Diamond."

"Much like Lapis, I was only supposed to be on Earth for a short while to perform my duties." Peridot began telling her story. "I was supposed to check up on the old Galaxy Warp, but then the Crystal Gems kept getting in my way no matter what. Before I knew it, I was without help, without any working technology, and then without my limb enhancers. I don't think I even bothered to ask where the Gems put them."

"A Lapis, a Bismuth and a Peridot. What an unlikely trio." Black Rutile mused. "Tell me, what was it that made you three decide to work alongside each other in the first place."

"Well, it all began when Steven and the Crystal Gems left Earth to convince White Diamond to help them cure corruption." Bismuth said. "I elected to stay behind on Earth to watch over these two."

"Ooh, ooh, can I do a reenactment?!" White Topaz asked, to which Black Rutile responded with a sigh.

"Proceed." Black Rutile muttered, tapping on her camera to produce a light shining on the surface of the dropship. White Topaz began to shapeshift her fingers into various characters, and started a shadow puppet show.

"Bye Bismuth, I'm gonna go to Homeworld and hope we can convince White Diamond to help us save the corrupted Gems." White Topaz said, imitating Steven. "You do you kid. I'm gonna watch over those other Gems while you're away." She continued, now impersonating Bismuth. "Have fun!"

Steven's shadow puppet was raised into the air as White Topaz made rocket sounds, followed by turning more of her fingers into Peridot and Lapis. Black Rutile just gave an annoyed glare to the camera.

"Hey, where's Steven?" White Topaz's impression of Lapis asked. "Oh, him? He ran off to Homeworld with the Diamonds." Her mimicry of Bismuth answered. "Oh my stars, are we too late?!" an aping of Peridot cried out.

"Do I really sound like that?" Peridot muttered as the shadow play went on.

"No little guy, he's fine!" White Topaz's impression of Bismuth continued. "Just something about corruption or whatever."

"Okay, I think we've seen enough!" Black Rutile laughed awkwardly as she interrupted the puppet show.

"Aw, but I was getting to the good part!" White Topaz moaned sadly.

"To be fair, you were almost spot on." Bismuth stated. "When Steven told us through some weird watermelon creature that looked just like him that trouble was indeed brewing on Homeworld, Peridot and Lapis reformed not too long after and we came together out of a desire to help him out."

"United by a common goal, how quaint." Black Rutile smiled and folded her hands behind her back, trying to hide their fidgeting. "Now then, would anyone else like to come up and chat?"

"I would, I would, I would!" Teal Zircon cried as she pushed her way through the crowd. "Hi, name's Teal Zircon, nice to meet you!" she greeted Black Rutile while rapidly shaking her hand. "So, you wanted to learn about my time here on Earth?"

"You're awfully excitable." Black Rutile pushed up her visor by the bridge with a grin. "More to the point, I'd like to hear your story Ms. Zircon."

"Gladly!" Teal Zircon exclaimed. "Like many of the Gems here, I was once corrupted by the Diamonds and became a long-tongued speedster that Peridot tried to capture no matter what, through hell or high water. Eventually, she did succeed, and I was stuck in the barn she and Lapis called home, until the Crystal Gems took me to their place. One day, I was healed by Steven along with a Cherry Quartz and shown around Little Homeschool. That same day, Steven took me along to see a Jasper who didn't want to go to school, and I was willing to become her friend, but I'm pretty sure she hates my guts."

"I'll have to check up on this Jasper sometime." Black Rutile commented. "Now then, anyone else care to share?"

"I'd like to." Zuli answered as she flew up and touched down next to Black Rutile. "I only came here a few weeks ago after Steven recommended the place to a former friend of mine and me. We were terraforming this moon called Aozul 2, but Steven and this other Lapis that we were buddies with back in our terraforming days told us that wasn't cool anymore, so they taught us new ways to express ourselves. I was a lot more accepting, but my ex-friend didn't want to change. To this day, I still don't know where she's at."

"May I go next?" Cherry Quartz asked Black Rutile.

"Sure, go ahead." Black Rutile answered, passing the mic to the Quartz.

"I was an average Quartz soldier made to fight in the war, but then I got corrupted, of course." Cherry began. "Then Steven came along and healed me along with TZ, and introduced us to Little Homeschool. I was a little nervous at first, but while Steven was away, I met up with some fellow Quartzes who told me all about how great it was here."

"I was the first corrupted Gem Steven helped defeat." Nephrite said, taking the mic from Cherry Quartz. "I was actually brought back out a few times, the first was a complete accident & I was poofed soon after, but the second time was when Steven thought he could try to heal me, but instead he reunited me with my old crew."

"Okay, we're running out of time here folks, I got other people to interview, and I haven't got all day!" Black Rutile yelled. "Which one wants to cap off this part?!"

"Little Larimar and I wanna talk." Snowflake Obsidian answered. "Hi, I'm Snowflake Obsidian. This is my buddy Little Larimar."

"We were corrupted Gems too." Larimar said. "I remember when Steven dropped us into that fountain, and we were all right as rain. Then years later, he helped us all find jobs that he thought were right for us, but then hilarity ensued."

"Wow, pretty much everyone here has such nice things to say about Steven." Black Rutile commented while putting on an eerie fake smile. "Isn't there anyone on this planet that doesn't love him?"

"Well, there is Jasper, kind of." Bismuth answered. "I say kind of because I have no idea what's even up with her ever since she was uncorrupted. I mean, she does express a teeny bit of gratitude for it, but she still would rather stay as far away from us as possible."

"To be frank, I wouldn't blame her." Lapis agreed. "Anyway, if you want to interview her, she's in a cave in the woods nearby."

"Good to know, Lapis." Black Rutile thanked Lapis. "I do hope we can see each other again sometime." She laughed as she and White Topaz began leaving Little Homeworld. "Perhaps even sooner than you think."

--

"We've all had our fun in Little Homeworld, but there's still a Gem we've yet to cover as we move on with our tour of Earth." Black Rutile continued narrating while walking in the woods. "This Gem, in particular, has been living in the woods ever since she was cured of an unfortunate case of corruption, and refuses to join her fellow Gems at Little Homeschool! Well, let's see if she can tell us why."

"Is that where she's living over there?" White Topaz asked as she pointed the camera to a cave with a tarp over the entrance.

"I think you might be right!" Black Rutile exclaimed as she raced over to the cave. "Excuse me, does Jasper live here?!"

"No she doesn't, now get out." Jasper's voice grumbled from within the cave.

"If Jasper isn't here, then who are you?" White Topaz asked, forcing Jasper to emerge from her cave.

"Someone who's going to pulverize you if you don't leave me alone." Jasper snarled.

"But we just wanted to ask about your time here on Earth!" Black Rutile nervously explained.

"Guess what, I'm not interested." Jasper added. "Now let me repeat myself, beat it, or I'm gonna beat you!"

"I think we should do as she says, my Rutile!" White Topaz began sweating nervously and slowly stepping away from Jasper.

"Righto." Black Rutile agreed before they ran away from Jasper. "But trust me, I think she might be useful to us."

--

"Well, that went horribly." White Topaz commented the farther she and Black Rutile got from Jasper. "Now where are we?"

"I'm not sure." Black Rutile answered while gazing at a terraced house. "But I do believe we have our next interviewee!"

"Which is?" White Topaz asked her superior.

"The residence of one Connie," Black Rutile declared, bringing up data on Connie on her visor, but then stopped at her last name. "Moo-hee-swear-ann. Seriously, how do you pronounce that?" The reporter decided to brush that off with a shrug and proceeded to knock on the door. "Good day Ms. Moo-hee-swear-ann, my name is Black Rutile, here to interview you about your experiences on Earth."

"It's Maheswaran, in case you're struggling to pronounce it." Connie's mother Priyanka corrected the Rutile. "Now, can I help you?"

"Oh, my apologies." Black Rutile said. "You look a lot taller than my data says."

"I believe you have me confused for my daughter, I'm her mother." Priyanka stated. "If you wish to speak with Connie, she's busy with college preparations, so you can only speak for 15 minutes."

"Uh, question!" White Topaz raised her hand. "What's college?"

--

"So you're doing all this for a TV show?" Connie asked Black Rutile moments later in the living room.

"You could say that." Black Rutile answered with a grin. "I'm working on an investigative report chronicling everyone's experiences with Era 3, and I'm working towards interviewing all the Crystal Gems and their allies, you included little girl. Now tell me, how did you first meet little Steven?"

"Well, it all started a few years ago." Connie began retelling her first meeting with Steven. "I was minding my own business, Steven was trying to get my attention because he wanted to be my friend, but one thing led to another, and we were stuck in a bubble together."

"Not how I'd expect your species to make new friends, but you do you." White Topaz commented with a grin.

"Anyways, it's all thanks to him that I was able to get out of my comfort zone a bit over the years." Connie continued. "I learned sword fighting from Pearl, became able to fend for myself, and we even fused!"

"Yeah, we still find that a little strange." Her father Doug interjected.

"Fusing with humans, just like they said." Black Rutile whispered to herself.

"Did you say something, miss?" Priyanka asked.

"Oh, nothing." Black Rutile covered up what she just said before moving back to Connie. "It seems like you two are just inseparable!"

"Well, mostly." Connie stated. "When Steven let himself get captured by Aquamarine to save everyone, we were all so worried sick for him. And even when he came back perfectly fine, I still felt like this all could've been avoided if we fought together."

"Oh, poor little girl." Black Rutile comforted Connie, though with a secret hint of condescendence in her voice. "It must be hard to lose someone so dear only for them to come back and disregard your feelings by acting like everything's fine."

"It's okay." Connie said. "We did get back together eventually, and now our bond is stronger than ever!"

"Woo, love wins!" White Topaz cheered, inciting yet another angry glare from her boss. "Um, can I do the shadow puppets again?"

"Go ahead." Black Rutile frowned in embarrassment.

"Wait, your documentary has shadow plays?" Priyanka wondered aloud.

"Don't ask me; this was all her idea!" Black Rutile replied grumpily. "What a childish clod."

"Hey Connie, I'm back from Homeworld! Hope no one missed me." White Topaz began another puppet show, this time of Steven and Connie's brief falling out, while trying her best to mimic Steven. "We did kinda miss you, you could've died!" she continued while imitating Connie's voice. "I don't see what the problem is, I'm standing right here!" the Steven puppet replied carelessly. "Well, we could've stopped Aquamarine together, but you gotta make everything about you!" the Connie puppet declared. "So screw you Steven, I'm going home!"

"Wait, I didn't say anything like that!" the real Connie said nervously.

"Sorry kid, I'm just making this up as I go." White Topaz apologized, and just as she was about to continue her show, Black Rutile cut it short. "Aw man!"

"Well, I think we've just about wrapped up here, friends!" Black Rutile announced. "We've got places to be, people to meet, and more opportunities for me to be humiliated by you, Topaz."

"Well, it was nice to see you." Doug said goodbye as the two Gems left the Maheswarans' house. "Hope your documentary is a big hit!"

"Thank you; you're too kind!" Black Rutile waved back and closed the door, allowing some privacy as she scolded White Topaz. "Was it really necessary for you to go all "love wins" on us, you softhearted fool?" she scowled as they began walking away from the house.

"I'm sorry, I just think they're so adorable together!" White Topaz tried to justify her actions, before Black Rutile pulled her down by her collar.

"We have no time for sappy romances!" the Rutile yelled in her bodyguard's face. "We are here to gather information, and that's final! Are we clear?!"

"Yes, your clarity." White Topaz bowed her head in shame.

"Good, now where were we?" Black Rutile tapped on the side of her visor and pulled up a map of the surrounding area. "Ah, yes! Beach City!" she declared while the map began pointing to the little seaside town.

"Ooh, that place sounds fun." White Topaz commented. "Think maybe we could take a vacation there some time, just you and me?"

"Apologies, but we're on a mission." Black Rutile declared as she put the map away. "We'll have time for fun later, but it'll be my choice of fun. Understand?"

"Yes, boss!" White Topaz gave a comical salute, and the two began setting off for Beach City.

--

"Now then, this place should be full of Steven stories!" Black Rutile announced as the duo strolled into town. "And maybe we could find some of his weaknesses too."

"Hey, check out this funny sign!" White Topaz said while gazing at the sign for It's A Wash. "What do you think is a wash?"

"Hey new Gems, welcome." They heard Greg greet them. "If you came here to sign up for Little Homeschool, you should take it up with the Gems first."

"Oh no sir, we already saw that school." Black Rutile said. "It's all part of a series of interviews I'm doing for my show, Eye on Era 3. Which reminds me, how would you describe your experiences with the Crystal Gems?"

"My experiences?" Greg wondered. "Well, it all started one night when I was just a young rocker on tour. I had arrived in Beach City for a show, and Rose Quartz was the only one who showed up."

"Ah yes, Pink Diamond always had a fascination with humans," Black Rutile interjected. "often at the expense of her own kind."

"Yeah yeah, Pink kinda stunk, but don't we all sometimes?" Greg philosophized. "Like I was saying, Rose was the only one who came to my concert at Beach City, and from then onward, I felt like it was destiny. I even wrote a song about it!" He then walked to his van to search for his guitar, and began to play. "Do you believe in destiny? Close your eyes and leave the rest to-"

"I'm sorry, we have no time for a song." Greg's interviewer cut him off. "Could you please continue, sir?"

"Sorry if I was any trouble." Greg apologized, putting away his guitar. "The Gems didn't have a very high opinion of me when we first met, especially Pearl, but we were still able to get along with each other. Amethyst in particular took a liking to me."

"Speaking of which, are the Gems in town today, or are they off on some magical mission or something?" Black Rutile asked Greg.

"Oh, they kinda retired from going on missions now that everything's at peace." Greg answered. "But, Steven's still at home over there." He then pointed over to the Crystal Temple not too far away from Beach City itself.

"Yes, pay-dirt!" Black Rutile grinned eagerly. "Come along Topaz, we shall hit ratings dynamite!"

"Coming!" White Topaz cried as she raced after her master. "Hey, maybe we can chat with some of the people here along the way! They might give us some good info!"

--

"It was kinda thanks to Steven that I died and came back to life." Lars admitted to Black Rutile. "But also thanks to him, I came back as a completely new man with my own awesome spaceship, a serious attitude adjustment, and ever since I came back to Earth, I've taken up some combat training in case I ever go back to space and fight new threats, like I learned musti-yuddha from Connie's dad for example!"

--

"Lars's disappearance got me kind of depressed for a while." Sadie said while her band prepared for practice. "But I found a new way of expressing it with horror-themed rock music!"

"We had trouble finding our sound before Sadie became our frontman." Buck Dewey stated.

"And since then, we became an overnight hit!" Jenny Pizza exclaimed.

"But I have a feeling our differing paths might cause a break-up." Sour Cream admitted.

--

"Steven had good intentions when he helped me run for re-election," ex-Mayor Dewey said. "but ultimately I lost. But hey, I did find a new calling at the Big Donut!"

--

"I was having stress dreams about my sister making me do her work, which took the form of a giant pizza monster, until Steven used his crazy dream powers to help me out." Kiki Pizza said.

--

"I'll admit, I had a crush on Garnet once upon a time." Jamie declared. "But really, can you blame me?! She was just so stoic and radiant and-"

"Get to the point!" Black Rutile sternly ordered.

"I'm sorry, got a little distracted." Jamie apologized. "But I had since moved onto better things, like my future career in the theater!"

--

"Okay, that should be all." Black Rutile sighed in exhaustion. "Now then, let's not waste any more ti-"

"Wait, I want to talk to you!" Ronaldo cried out as he raced to the Gems with a notebook in hand.

"What do you want?" the reporter grumbled. "We're wasting daylight here!"

"You've been going around asking people questions about Gems, but this time I want to ask you for a change." Ronaldo declared.

"Okay then, fire away little guy." White Topaz said with a smile.

"There are still tons of unanswered questions about your kind that I must inquire about!" Ronaldo said while flipping through his notebook. "Like, for example, do you know who created the Gems in the first place? How was Homeworld first colonized? When did they start colonizing other planets?"

"I don't believe we have time for your questions." Black Rutile snidely shut Ronaldo's questions down before making her way to the Crystal Temple. "Come Topaz, we have work to do."

"Yes, my Rutile!" White Topaz obeyed and followed behind, leaving Ronaldo in the dust.

"You can run, but I will get my answers!" Ronaldo declared loudly, but he was too late. "And they're gone."

--

"Okay, Topaz, we have to make a good first impression here, so no silly games or shadow puppet shows." Black Rutile commanded as they ascended the beach house's front steps and reached the front door.

"Aw man." White Topaz moaned in disappointment.

"Quit being such a child you moron." Black Rutile exhaled in disgust as she knocked on the door. "Hello, is anyone home?"

"Just a minute!" a voice the two Gems were eager to hear answered as its owner raced downstairs.

"Oh my stars, the moment has come; he's finally here!" White Topaz squealed happily before she received a slap to the face.

"Hello, what brings you here?" Steven greeted Black Rutile.

"Steven Universe, at long last!" BR exclaimed. "I'm Black Rutile, host of Eye on Era 3, and this is my camera-Gem/bodyguard White Topaz! We're here for an investigative report on the state of Earth in this new era, and have been interviewing many of your family and friends."

"You're a bit shorter than I expected." White Topaz commented.

"I see my reputation precedes me." Steven declared. "Come on in."

"Nice place you got here." White Topaz complimented the house as she and her boss were shown inside.

"Thanks, the Gems helped build this place." Steven accepted the compliment. "Hey, I got a question. I've met a Topaz and a Rutile before, but they sound nothing like you. Why is that?"

"We're just special Gems. Comes with being former members of White Diamond's court." Black Rutile answered while sitting down on the couch. "But enough about us, let's talk you! Could you give us a little life story first?"

"If you want." Steven answered while sitting across from the Rutile. "I remember first discovering my powers like it was yesterday. I was super bummed that my favorite brand of ice cream was discontinued, but then the Gems told me they got tons of it from other stores, and taking a bite out of one coincided with me summoning my shield for the first time, which led me to believe I could do so by eating Cookie Cat."

"Hahaha, oh the innocence of youth!" Black Rutile chuckled nostalgically. "I remember when I first emerged for White Diamond. A real young hotshot, a little arrogant even. Could you tell us more about these powers, kid?"

"Over time, I learned tons of Gem powers." Steven regaled. "Like shapeshifting, control over plant life, making bubbles, telepathy, sticking my mind in others' bodies, but fusion gave me tons of new abilities. This reminds me of a story."

"Ooh, shadow time!" White Topaz exclaimed, but her happiness was immediately put to rest.

"What did I tell you?! No shadows!" Black Rutile yelled strictly at her sidekick, and then immediately changed her mood. "Please continue."

"All right." Steven was a little taken aback by Black Rutile's cold behavior towards White Topaz before he began his story. "Anyways, it all started when I had to take care of Onion for the day, and Pearl helped out."

--

"Thank you Explorer Gal for saving us from that dastardly Bandit Guy!" Rainbow Quartz 2.0 said, taking the role of one of Onion's toys. Onion was playing with Explorer Gal, who thanked the other toy in Onion's unintelligible matter.

"For your heroic efforts, please accept money." Rainbow continued while handing Onion a dollar bill. "Our city was a mess before you came along, but now…." Rainbow then began to break character as they took notice of Onion's messy room. "Well, I suppose it's still a mess." They commented. "It's been so much fun playing, but now we have to clean, which is also fun!" they declared while making a rainbow with their hands. "Are you ready to tidy up?"

Onion stared blankly while slowly sticking a piece of broccoli out of his mouth.

"Oh Onion, don't you be that way." Rainbow 2.0 chuckled. "Your best friend Rainbow will help you tidy up!" Just then, they pulled a parasol out of Pearl's gem. "Let's make things a little more animated in here!"

With that, Rainbow made Onion's toys come to life, and they began marching to their proper places in his room while Rainbow started a song. "Stick by stick, the little blackbird makes a nest." They began singing while making Onion's clothes fly into his dresser. "A mess to some, but the little blackbird isn't stressed."

Rainbow then allowed Onion to give the umbrella a try, making one of the boy's toy cars come to life and race away. "Stick by stick, the little blackbird makes a nest." The fusion continued while Onion marveled at the parasol's powers. "And then he naps, cause even blackbirds need to rest. The fun won't stop if you have a friend around. The fun won't stop if you have a friend around."

As Rainbow began to finish the song, Onion kept playing with the umbrella, making more of his toys come alive, along with a Venus flytrap. "And when you laugh, it is my favorite sound." Onion then discovered some darts in his drawer, and used the parasol to make them fly. "And that's what life is all about."

"What the?!" Rainbow stuttered before dodging the darts, making them land on a dartboard. With that, they finally decided to take their weapon back from Onion while noticing a stack of dirty dishes. "Next time, please wash your dishes." They instructed before sending the dishes off to be cleaned, and then taking notice of a stuffed toy in Steven's image hidden near Onion's bed, eerily waving to them. "And could you please explain what this is?"

Onion didn't answer, aside from blowing Rainbow a few kisses.

"Alright, thank you for the kisses." Rainbow thanked Onion before Steven's phone began to ring. "Just give me five or so minutes."

Rainbow un-fused into Steven and Pearl, and Steven answered his phone. Garnet was on the other end, holding her cellphone extremely close to her face. "Steven, you're late." Garnet said. "I need you for the Sunstone Safety Geminar."

"Oh no, that was today?!" Steven began panicking. "But Rainbow Quartz promised to hang out with Onion today!"

"Don't worry; I'll handle the Geminar." Garnet stated confidently. "I'll explain every possible future where they could get hurt around the house."

"I don't know if that'll be a good idea, I'll be right there." Steven responded before hanging up and turning to Pearl. "Pearl, I'll be back as soon as I can." He promised. "Could you watch over Onion for me while I'm away?"

"Of course." Pearl agreed. "Onion loves Rainbow, I'm sure he'll love me as much."

--

"In hindsight, that wasn't my best idea." Steven took a break from his tale to confess. "Onion can be a real handful."

"Like, how much of a handful?" White Topaz asked.

"Let's just say, he's a real oddball who loves causing trouble." Steven stated. "I can never really get a read on that guy, no matter how much of a good friend he is. Heck, he doesn't even seem to age normally!"

"So, about this Geminar." Black Rutile began. "You said Rainbow Quartz is a fusion between you and Pearl, but who is this Sunstone running that event?"

"Oh, Sunstone is the fusion of Garnet and I." Steven answered. "They're all hip and radical and like giving important life lessons, kind of like those old PSA characters from the 90s. Speaking of which…"

--

"I slip on the stairs?" Ocean Jasper wondered while watching a television screen with Garnet, the Heaven & Earth Beetles, and a Nephrite.

"Indeed, and you shatter on impact too." Garnet bluntly replied, causing Ocean and the Nephrite to scream and hug each other in fright.

"Garnet, I'm here!" Steven called as he entered the house.

"Thanks for coming, Steven, but I need help." Garnet stated. "I think I'm scaring our guests."

"It's okay; we got this." Steven assured. "Let's get this safety Geminar started with a very special guest!"

Garnet got up from the couch, and the two began to dance, eventually forming the totally cool fusion Sunstone.

"Your rockin' pal Sunstone's here to shine!" Sunstone announced merrily.

"Watch out Sunstone, it's dangerous here!" Ocean Jasper cautioned Sunstone.

"Not unless you guys practice home safety." Sunstone assured the scared Gems. "Don't slip up. Clear objects off the stairs." They instructed by taking a water bottle off the steps to Steven's bedroom and throwing it like a ball. "Foul shot!"

The bottle landed in a trash can near Lion, which prompted another tip. "Be sure to cover up your trash, or else you'll attract bugs or hungry animals." Sunstone demonstrated as they shooed Lion away from the garbage. "Come on, let's go!" they declared. "Don't waste water. Turn off any faucet still running." Sunstone then shut off the sink. "Put protective covers over your electrical outlets, especially when kids are around." They added while doing just that. "And don't even think about sticking a fork in there! But most importantly, turn off motion smoothing on the TV."

Sunstone then used the remote to operate the television, allowing clearer picture and sound for everyone. "Okay, hold tight gang, gotta take a phone call." They said. "In the meantime, check out this commercial."

--

"Well, seems like you had things handled." White Topaz remarked.

"Famous last words White Topaz." Steven gravely informed. "Pearl later called me on my phone because Onion was giving her a serious headache, so I came back to her to calm Onion down. Then Garnet was trying to do a home safety obstacle course, but that went horribly wrong."

"Okay, color me wrong." The Topaz guard said. "I suppose hilarity must've ensued?"

"Oh so much." Steven declared. "I tried merging both the Geminar with playing with Onion, but one thing led to another."

--

"It's important to keep in mind that all of these horrible things did happen to you in alternate timelines." Garnet instructed her seminar attendees near the lighthouse. "Safety rules."

"Hey, Garnet." An exhausted Rainbow 2.0 called for their fellow fusion as they flew in via umbrella, with Onion in front. "Would you mind taking on another student?" they asked as Onion was let off the umbrella. "I'm feeling a mite PLPBBT."

With one last raspberry noise, Rainbow un-fused into Steven and Pearl. Steven just groaned tiredly.

"You shouldn't have brought him here Steven." Garnet forebodingly scolded the boy as Onion took a seat in front of her with the Gems.

"No, no, it's fine. It's good." Steven stuttered, having had enough of the stressful day he had. "No one needs safety training more than Onion! I'm combining all of my responsibilities into one responsibility! It's brilliant, it's brilliant! It's fine. I'm fine. Really, it's fine. I'm fine. I'm fine."

Onion wasn't paying attention the whole time, and instead picked up a blade of grass to play like a musical instrument, hypnotically commanding the other Gems to follow him. And Steven was too busy assuring Garnet and Pearl that he was fine to notice too late what had just happened.

A madcap chase soon ensued, with the three Crystal Gems following Onion and the Little Homeschoolers throughout Beach City, into the woods, and finally to a hill, where Onion let go of the leaf. Despite that, Ocean Jasper, the Beetles, and the Nephrite continued marching to the point of falling over the edge.

"Oh no!" Pearl cried as the Gems fell off the hill.

"Steven, we need Sunstone to save them!" Garnet urged Steven.

"Okay!" Steven yelped, and they fused into Sunstone.

"No, we need Rainbow to save them!" Pearl began arguing with her de-facto superior as she swiped Steven away to form Rainbow Quartz.

"I'll catch them with this!" Rainbow declared as they presented their umbrella.

"Can't all three of us fuse to save them?" Garnet wondered just as Amethyst raced up to them.

"Hey wait!" Amethyst cried. "I need Steven!"

Rainbow un-fused so Steven could speak. "What is it Amethyst?!"

"I miss you, man!" Amethyst yelled. "I haven't seen you in like, eleven minutes! But it felt like even longer!"

Steven couldn't take it anymore, and without a single word, he collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

"STEVEN!" Pearl screamed as she raced to Steven's side.

"I shouldn't have overbooked my schedule." Steven groaned one last time before passing out from exhaustion.

"Nooooooooo." Garnet unemotionally cried out in despair.

--

"Oh-hohohohoho, I know what it's like!" Black Rutile cackled as Steven finished his story. "Must be so hard to be so overworked at such a young age."

"Guess that's what happens when you're running a whole school." Steven chuckled in reply. "So, guess that should be it, right?"

"No, I'd like to speak with Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl first before we wrap up for today." Black Rutile answered, just as the Warp pad began glowing. "Oh, and look who should show up now!"

The core Crystal Gems stood at the Warp Pad, ready to kick back after the long day they had today. "Good thing it was so easy to get that crowd under control." Pearl exhaled. "Still, who was that interviewer they were talking about?"

"I believe that would be me." Black Rutile answered as she stood up from the couch to meet the Gems. "Hi, Black Rutile, intelligence officer of White Diamond turned news reporter. Pleased to meet you."

"I wasn't aware White had a court." Garnet said as the Rutile shook each of their hands. "Pleased to meet you too."

"I just got done interviewing Steven, and he told me the most hilarious story about his troubles with balancing two things at once." Black Rutile said.

"Yeah, things went kinda crazy that day." Amethyst reminisced. "But thankfully, everything went back to normal after that."

"Oh good, the way Steven ended things left me on the edge of my seat!" White Topaz exclaimed while positioning the camera to face the Gems. "One more question before we go, what would you say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"

"A little oddly specific, but okay." Pearl remarked. "I pride myself on orderliness, swordsmanship, and intelligence. But I can be a bit doting and perfectionist at times."

"I can be kinda foolish and impulsive, but I'm pretty much past that." Amethyst added. "I'm also more street smart than book smart, and super tough too!"

"I'm a very stable fusion, which especially helps in battle." Garnet said. "My future vision is also seldom wrong, unless the current timeline becomes too unpredictable."

"Well, that should be enough for now." Black Rutile said as she entered all of her data into her visor. "Apologies if we couldn't talk anymore, but I've got places to be and missions to go on, so toodles!"

"Hope we can see each other again, Black Rutile!" Steven said goodbye as the two visiting Gems took the Warp Pad back to Little Homeworld.

"Maybe sooner than you think." Black Rutile smirked before they disappeared.

"She's right, we'll be seeing her again many times." Garnet predicted with an adjustment of her glasses. "But none of them will be friendly."

Steven, Amethyst, and Pearl just laughed at Garnet's prediction, ignorant at what could be to come.

--

Upon returning to Little Homeworld and boarding their ship, Black Rutile and White Topaz finally left Earth and launched into hyperspace.

"Wow, those Crystal Gems really are swell!" White Topaz commented while her superior sat down in her chair. "I don't see why we're plotting against them."

"It's because they've become far too powerful." Black Rutile answered gravely, a far cry from the persona she put up on Earth. "Does Steven really think he can change our entire society with just hugging, crying, singing, and a cheeky one-liner? Bah, I've done so much better without any of those!"

"My Rutile, we should be exiting hyperspace above Revanche 666 in approximately 15 seconds." One of the Rutile's Citrines confirmed. "Would you like to inform your allies of your coming?"

"Bring Emerald up." Black Rutile commanded, cuing a video screen to appear, showing the tall, green Gem pilot on the other side. "Hello there, Emerald."

"Your clarity, has your reconnaissance ended well?" Emerald asked with a bow.

"Indeed it has." Black Rutile answered with a grin. "Those clods never suspected a thing!"

"And we got it all on video too!" White Topaz added.

"Excellent, we'll soon have everything we need." Emerald declared. "We're all waiting for you at the base, hoping you won't disappoint."

"Oh, don't worry, Emerald, I won't." Black Rutile replied. "That will be all." With a clap, the screen disappeared, and the ship exited hyperspace to reveal the skull-like planet of Revanche 666 before them. "Prepare for landing."

--

When the dropship finally landed at Black Rutile's headquarters, two rows of Pearls patiently awaited their master's return.

"Ah, my Pearls." Black Rutile announced as she disembarked. "When I ordered Shell to create all of you, I knew it wouldn't disappoint."

"Thank you, my Rutile." The Pearls thanked in unison while one of them took the camera from White Topaz. "Your minions await."

"Perfect." Black Rutile purred before beginning her stroll to her meeting room. "Come Topaz, we have much to do."

--

"Geez, what's taking her so long?" Lapis Lazuli 1J9G-5KL complained as she, Holly Blue Agate, Morganite, Emerald, Aquamarine, and Eyeball kept on waiting for their boss while seated around a round, white table.

"Patience Lapis." Aquamarine soothed her fellow Gem's annoyance. "She did say that she'd be arriving soon."

"The sooner, the better!" Eyeball yelled, pounding her fist on the table. "I want revenge on Steven for making me a pariah, and I want it now!"

"You're awfully eager." Emerald muttered to her fellow eye Gem before turning to Holly Blue and Morganite. "So, how goes that Zircon's democratic campaign?"

"That navel gem Ruby we planted as her campaign manager has been feeding her lies, and the Zircon doesn't suspect a thing!" Holly Blue answered excitedly.

"More and more Gems have been unknowingly swayed to our cause." Morganite stated. "Soon, we shall have an army strong enough to topple even the Diamonds."

Just then, Black Rutile and White Topaz finally arrived in the meeting room, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and salute her. "Welcome, your clarity."

"You're all too kind." Black Rutile thanked them sarcastically as she took a seat between Aquamarine and White Topaz. "I suspect your missions have been going well too, no?"

"Indeed it has my Rutile." Holly Blue revealed.

"That brat has been controlling us all for too long." Aquamarine declared. "Now it's time we take back our planet from those tyrannical pacifists."

"Are you all sure this is a good idea?" White Topaz asked the other Era 3 insurgents. "I mean, the Crystal Gems have become far too powerful to be challenged, and the Diamonds will no doubt come for our gems if they find out!"

"The Diamonds are yesterday's news!" Black Rutile roared, forcing her Topaz into silence. "And speaking of which, Steven may not realize this, but he's no better than his brat of a mother! Thinking he can force all of Homeworld to obey him by being a controlling twerp! Thankfully, he doesn't do so by throwing tantrums left and right until the Diamonds do what he says to shut him up. For now at least."

A Black Pearl entered the meeting room with White Topaz's camera in her hands, and she set it down on the table.

"Thank you my Pearl." Black Rutile thanked the Pearl before turning it on to reveal all the information that she collected on Earth.

"Is this all we need to know about the Gems in time for Phase 2?" Morganite asked her black-colored superior.

"You bet it is." Black Rutile declared with a sociopathic grin as she gazed at one of the holograms of Steven and plucked it out to hold in her hands. "You can have your happily ever after as much as you like, Steven." She declared evilly. "Cause your little Universe will soon be mine."

END OF PART 1: LITTLE HOMESCHOOL

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2: GRADUATION

--

At last, Part 1 is finally complete! And here, unfortunately, is where I must go on hiatus. Second semester of college and all that, and I think my classes might be harder than last semester. But hopefully, this cliffhanger should tide you over until we come back. Anyways, Black Rutile is finally upon us! A character that I think I'll have fun writing since I consider her to be like the Lex Luthor to Steven's Superman, the Frieza to his Goku, the Megatron to his Optimus Prime, the Aku to his Samurai Jack, etc etc. In other words, Steven's got a new archenemy coming and he doesn't even know it yet. Stay tuned! (evil laughter)

[imacrowcawcaw]

Eyes of Juniper Ch. 2

Chapter 1 -- Ao3 link

Chapter Summary: James wakes up to the 'surprise you've gone mental' to end all 'surprise you've gone mental's

Notes: I wrote this chapter over a year ago and I haven’t changed it a bit, including the notes: Okay, so, I'm a slightly gender critical woman and a feminist (if you feel the need to fight me on this don't just ignore my story and leave pls) so this story is kinda uncomfortable for me to write at moments. I'm trying to be realistic to the general views/actions of male metalheads from the 80s.... But that also means there is a lot of objecting and misogynistic stuff being said. I apologize, obviously I do not at all actually support this stuff in life, but I felt I should warn it is there. I want to state again that I do not actually view women this way, and I fucking hate how we're objectified, stereotyped, and shoved into the bullshit gender boxes, but there wouldn't be a story of i didn't. Okay, now back to the show

-----

(James' POV)

I was awoken by a shriek at bumfuck o'clock this morning, and I was not happy about it. Who the hell is screaming this early in the morning? Well, judging from what I can hear past the bongos in my head, it was two chicks having a fight upstairs. Great.

Also, why the fuck was I down here when my bed was on the second floor of this shitty house? Ah, yes, fuckin' Lars. Little shit had to go and bring home some hippy dippy chick (no disrespect meant, Cliff), which of course meant I had to vacate the premises of our room so he could give her a mediocre fuck.

I groaned and scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to rub away the crust from my eyes and the drool spilling down my chin. A chipped coffee mug and half empty water bottle were suddenly being held in front of me and I squinted up at the source. Cliff!

I slowly sat up, groping around on the back of the couch for some leverage that wasn't coated in tacky month old beer. He patiently waited for me to be upright then handed me the water and coffee. Man, Cliff is by far the best person in the world!

After I had drained both containers, he hauled me to my feet and asked, "Dude, who're the chicks?"

I shook my head, then winced as last night's tequila throbbed. "I don't know, man, probably came back to the house with us. I remember Lars grabbing that chick, did Kirk get one too?"

Cliff looked thoughtful. "Nah, at least I don't think so. He said he was too tired from yesterday morning," he implied with a lewd grin.

I snorted and walked towards the stairs. Despite what some people might think, I didn't have a problem with gay guys. I mean, yeah sure, maybe when I was younger, but seeing two of my closest friends, especially the amazing Cliff Burton, so happy together I just couldn't keep thinking that it was bad. So, no, I didn't really have a problem with it, but I totally teased them. What are friends for, after all?

"Hey, ladies, we do appreciate the service you've done our ugly ass friends, but could you keep the cat fight down until you've left the house?" I yelled, still trying to figure out where the second chick had come from. Maybe Lars had grabbed two? I was pretty sure that I hadn't brought anybody home last night, at least.

Cliff must have followed me up, because he suddenly was leaning on the railing, observing the two petite, scantily clad girls hugging on the landing.

"Aww, they've made up! Good! Now, can I ask what exactly you two were yelling about so loudly that it woke me and my boy James up? Did Lars do something?" He asked, smiling at them, although I could see the confusion in his eyes.

The brunette chick stood up straight and turned to us with a sneer, "I did fucking not!" she replied.

"Holy shit, Lars!?!" I screamed. That looked a lot like Lars, at least. Those swirling Juniper eyes, the little upturned nose, the pouty pink lips. Hell, even the slight accent as he (she?) sassed me was perfect. Did I just walk into an episode of the fuckin Twilight Zone?

"Hi, Jamie," Lars?! sighed, letting go of the other girl to step back and run a hand through his hair.

"What. The. Fuck." It was all I could think to say. I mean seriously, WHAT THE FUCK? What had happened between right now and last night to turn Lars into a (admittedly very hot) girl?

"I don't focking know, man," Lars sighed again, "I woke up, went to piss and my dick wasn't there. Then I heard Kirk scream and that chick I brought home last night started jabbering some shit about respect for women and turned Kirk too, then she fucking disappeared!"

I stood there for a minute, staring at him and taking it all in. It was at that moment I really noticed Kirk, too. Now that Lars had stepped away from him, I could see the slim, still mostly Kirk-like but definitely female, body shuddering in the dingy light from the window down the hall.

Cliff strode over to Kirk then and reached out a hand, gently cupping his cheek so that he could look at him. Kirk still looked bewildered and frightened, but seemed to calm down once he felt Cliff's touch. My bassist moved in closer, murmuring something to Kirk that had him blush and bury himself in Cliff's arms.

Lars seemed to have reached the same conclusion as me: they needed some privacy to talk and calm Kirk down, because he grabbed my arm and led me back downstairs to the couch.

I settled back against the lumpy cushion and waited for him to say something, because I sure as hell couldn't think of anything.

"So, I've been cursed, I guess," he said, sounding a lot more dejected than he had up there.

"Yeah, obviously," shit, I should maybe not sound like an asshole right now, this is a delicate situation! "You said the girl you brought home last night did this to you because of you disrespecting women. You DID grab her ass... "

Lars had the decency to look ashamed, "...well yeah, buT THEN SHE CHANGED HER MIND AND WENT HOME WITH ME."

Oh, great, and now he's getting all defensive and angry like he does when it even sounds like you're insinuating something about his game or sexuality or whatever.

"Dude, she probably went home with you to do this." He harrumphed at my superior logic and crossed his arms, inadvertently drawing my attention to one of the new additions to his physique.

"Alright, so you were a dick and she cursed you to get back at you. Weird magic, but nothing new. But what the fuck happened to Kirk?"