#I got back in my car and led her to the main road and she beeped a bunch and yelled happily out her window before continuing on. 🥺

[cantankerouscatfish]

in this age of smartphones and internet everywhere, we still get people walking into the shop asking for directions to a certain road or town, or calling us and asking, 'I'm at [intersection], how do I get to you guys?'

which I think is really cool actually. I've learned where a bunch of places are and gotten better at giving directions.

[jarofstyles]

The Heart Of The Woods

Hi my loves! I wanted to give you guys a peek into our grumpy mountain manrry! He’s different to some that I’ve written before but I think you’ll like him if you give him a chance

Read the series ( 9 parts ongoing) and 220+ exclusive writings on our Patreon!

WC- 1.4k

Warnings- tiny bit of rejection, asshole h

He hadn’t been sure what he was thinking.

Hiring a housekeeper had not been on his agenda, but it put his mum at ease. Being far from her, up in his large cabin in the middle of the mountain, she had said she worried a lot about not only his well being, but about him overworking himself. His days started early, working on splitting wood, emails, driving down to deliver it, and all of that. His group of employees that worked on the lot not too far from his own place up the mountain were his main source of socialization and even they knew not to bug him too much.

Harry preferred to be left alone.

So why hire a housekeeper? It sounded okay at the time. Someone to keep the fire stoked and the house warm so he could come home and not have the house be cold for him and his animals, someone to cook and clean and… another body in the house. Make it less lonely. Maple was a good companion, Ash was too, but a dog and a cat didn’t replace human connection. Perhaps that’s why he had found himself feeling more irritated lately.

Watching the car pull in, he had to wonder how she could fit her belongings into such a small vehicle. Weren't women supposed to have a lot of stuff? The question was answered as she stepped out of the car, light wash jeans clinging to her thighs and pink sweater hanging on her form as she waved up to him. "Hi!" she grinned a tad bit too brightly for his comfort, jogging up to the wraparound porch. "I’m so sorry l'm a little late. I got lost at the turn- the split in the road? and I didn't have good service to call and let you know. I usually try and do that.”

She was rambling.

He grumbled, wiping his hands on his work pants. “Late's fine. I didn’t have any plans today, just don’t make a habit of it.” Glancing at her car, then back at her, he gave her a little bit of a look. “You got everything you need?” He wasn’t the best at socializing, famously, but she wasn’t aware of that yet considering their talk had mainly consisted of emails. It would be something she quickly found out.

“Oh!” Her chuckle was nervous as the man stood tall above her on the wooden porch, making her look up a bit at him. “Uh, yeah. I.. I kinda had to get out of my place in a hurry, so this worked out.” She smiled up at him before looking back to her car. “Did you want me to grab my stuff now or did you want me to do it after you give me the run down of what you want me to do?”

He sighed, stepping aside to let her pass. “Follow me.” He led her inside, shutting the door behind her. It was weird feeling someone else in his space. It had been a long time since he’d heard footsteps other than his own or his pets in the hall, and he wasn’t quite sure how he felt about it yet. Leading her down the wooden hall, he brought her towards the main part of the house- a large step down living room he mentally referred to as the den. The stone fireplace was lit with the fire going already as he gestured to a chair by it. “Sit.”

Y/N was distracted a little by the skylight- and then the view outside. It was absolutely gorgeous. The whole place was. She had slightly underestimated it despite the size of the place when she had applied to work eyes but she would make it work. At least the view was great. She could see that there was a deck outside, the view of the mountains sprawling behind them sort of blowing her away. The awe only lasted a few moments though, when she heard him clear his throat. Oops. “Sorry.” She smiled nervously. “The view distracted me. You’ve got a beautiful home.”

He grunted, not really used to compliments. Small talk wasn’t his thing. He sat down in his recliner, stretching his legs out in front of him before resting his hands on his knees. “So, as your employer, I expect you t’keep this place clean. Cook meals, do laundry, that sort of thing.” He paused, looking at her critically. “M’not home most of the day, and when I am I’m usually in my workshop. It’s the building out to the side that you saw.” He clasped his hands together. “We don’t need to have a ton of interaction. I need you to keep the fire stoked, maybe feed Ash for me if I get back late. I don’t have a lot of rules, but I ask you to respect my space.”

“Uh, alright.” She nodded, taking out her phone to take notes. “I figured the normal house stuff. I…” Her body felt the cringe as she went to ask it. “I haven’t really stoked a fire longer than it’s taken to do a bonfire while camping so, if there’s some sort of magic you know to keep it going longer I’d love to know it.” The girl didn’t want to fuck it up. The man worked with wood. The last thing she wanted to do was waste it.

It did make her a little unsettled to hear the other part, though. “Um, and what do you mean exactly by not needing to interact? Like, you don’t want to see or hear from me?”

Harry paused, his gaze sharpening a little on the girl. He was used to being alone. He liked being alone. He didn’t want to come home to some sort of chatty roommate. “I mean exactly that.” He said gruffly.

“Oh.” She replied quietly, swallowing the lump on her throat. Her gaze averted when his sharpened on hers, looking towards her lap. He was a little intimidating and she felt embarrassed for some reason- but logically she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong. Didn’t mean her body knew that, though.

“O-Okay. I’ll make sure to give you your space.” Her head nodded, convincing herself it would be good for her. Maybe akin to rejection therapy. She had hoped for something a little different, but this was the escape she had needed- she couldn’t complain. “Can you tell me what kind of foods you like, or don’t, so I can make what you’ll eat?”

Harry grunted, his expression relaxing slightly at the mention of food. He hated being bothered with small talk, but food was something he could appreciate- it was part of her job, anyways. He could talk abojt that. “I like meat and potatoes. Steak, roast chicken, mashed potatoes, that sort of thing. Don’t bother with fancy shit. Just straightforward, hearty food.”

He paused, thinking for a moment before continuing. “And coffee. Black coffee. None of that fancy latte crap. Just straight up coffee.” He stood up, stretching his arms over his head. “That’s all you need to know for now. You can start preparing dinner and I’ll be back later.”

“Oh! I… are you sure?” She stood up too, following him. “Where should I put my things?” Part of her felt a little nervous she had fucked up with how fast he seemed to want to get out of there, but she didn’t know what she could have done to offend him. Was this just the way he was? Probably. She shouldn’t take it personally- but part of her did, just a bit. “I don’t know which room I should set my things up in.”

Harry turned around, his expression still stern. “You can set up in the spare room down the hall. It’s the first door on the right.” He pointed down the hallway before continuing. “I don’t need any help with my things. Just worry about your own shit for now.”

Her eyes fell down towards the floor, nodding at his words. It must just be the way he was, she concluded. He didn’t bother saying goodbye as she heard the door close, the ticking of the large grandfather clock in the den the only sound until the start of his pickup was muffled outside.

Who the hell was this man? And what had she gotten herself into?

[vivwritesfics]

Fire Is The Devils Only Friend

Chapter Five

There was no such thing as making it on your own with a high profile boyfriend. That was why she kept her relationship a secret. But then after a PR fuck up, her boyfriend is forced into PR relationship and she's left on the side lines, missing him

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Carlos didn't tell her that he had bought her book. He didn't mention it when he kissed her goodbye, leaving her with Piñón. But it was in his bag as he headed to the Grand Prix.

With Rebecca Donaldson at the Grand Prix, there was very little Carlos could do to show her that he loved her. But any spare moment he got, he was reading her book. In his drivers room, in the back of the garage when he wasn't needed, he had her book open.

Fans noticed immediately. They first noticed that he was reading. But then they took notice of what he was reading. At first it was no big deal. She'd been in the garage a couple of months ago, so it wasn't the most outlandish thing in the world.

But then one fan pointed out that the book had only been released in English. He was reading the book in English!

The theories from the fans started. Well, were they theories if they were correct? The ferrari media team watched if all unfold. They knew they had to get on top of it and quick.

So, while she was sending her mother a picture of Piñón with his head on her lap, a picture was circulating instagram. She hadn't touched instagram since the day she found out about Carlos and Rebecca, and she didn't touch it this time.

A screenshot from Carlos's account, his latest post, in fact, was he and Rebecca Donaldson, hand in hand as he kissed her head, popped up below the picture she had sent her mother. 'Is this him?' Her mother had typed beneath the picture.

"Fuck," she choked, turning the phone off and throwing it to the side. Piñón went to chase after the phone, but she held onto his collar, crying against his fur.

She thought she was okay with it, but she wasn't. She hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of emotions that came with seeing that picture.

"He kisses my head like that," she said to Piñón. "I don't think we have any pictures like that together."

Of course, she didn't know the context, didn't know why that picture had been posted. She didn't know it was because Carlos had been caught reading her book, and that fans were beginning to get suspicious.

She wiped her tears and grabbed Piñón's lead. Taking nothing but a set of keys, she left their house and took Piñón for a walk.

It was therapeutic, taking Piñón on his walk. He led the way, taking her on the trail he usually walked with Carlos. The three of them had never gone together. It was usually Carlos. Normally, when she took Piñón, she was careful, avoiding main roads and potential pictures being taken.

But, today, she couldn't find it in herself to care.

"Is it my fault?" She asked Piñón as she sat on a bench. "I mean, if I hadn't been so against us being public in the first place would this have happened?"

Of course, Piñón didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He was a dog.

She thought she could do this. She certainly loved Carlos enough to try. But this, seeing another beautiful woman doing all of the things she wished she could do with him, was too much.

And even if Carlos publicly broke things off with Rebecca for her, he'd always be seen as a cheater and she'd always be seen as the other woman. It could ruin her life.

Well no, that was exaggeration. But she didn't see it that way, she wasn't going to see that way, not for a while. At the moment, Piñón was the only thing keeping her there.

Carlos was on the podium. It was a win, actually. She watched on the television as he stayed ahead of the rest of the grid. He was showing Ferrari exactly what they would miss if they dropped him. It gave her a little slither of hope.

But that hope soon dissipated. She wore a small smile as Carlos climbed out of the car. He ran over to celebrate with his team, and then his father. The father that didn't know she existed.

Behind his father, she was there. Carlos hugged her as she stepped towards the barrier. Hugging wasn't so bad; they couldn't be seen ignoring each other, after all.

But then Rebecca's hands were on his face and she pulled him in for a kiss. The camera zoomed in on them as Carlos shut his eyes, melting into her.

Fuck, she couldn't do this.

For the second time in two weeks, she packed up her things and placed them in her car. Tears rolled down her sheets as she turned the few frames full of pictures of her and Carlos around so that they were facing the wall.

Last, she grabbed Piñón's bed. He wasn't her dog, and she had no intention of keeping him from Carlos, but she was going to take him with her, keep him well looked after while Carlos was away.

And then, when Carlos came to pick him up, she'd break up with him.

Piñón sat in the back of the car as she drove to her mother's house. "Oh, buddy," she whispered. As they drove. He slept on the drive, unaware that anything was wrong. She couldn't help but be envious of him, of how unaware he was of what was going on.

Her mother opened the door as soon as she saw her car coming up the drive. "You couldn't do it, could you?" She called, watching her climb out of the car.

She scowled as she grabbed Piñón. When she saw him, her mother gasped and let out a laugh. "You kidnapped his dog? That's hilarious," she said taking the dogs lead from her daughter.

Her daughter, who said nothing as she got her things from the car. Her mother could never understand this, could never understand what she was going through.

"I saw them doing all of the things that I wanted to do with him," she said quietly as she walked into the house and unclipped Piñón's lead. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't watch it, I couldn't watch him pretend to be with her while I sat at home, looking after his dog."

She scratched Piñón's ears. Piñón, who, at that moment, she'd miss most of all.

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[zepskies]

Lost on You - Part 12

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x F. Supe!Reader

Summary: 1983 is a big year for you. You’re finally chosen to join the ranks of Payback, led by the most (in)famous supe in the world: Soldier Boy. He’ll never admit that he’s trying his damndest to figure you out. You’ll never admit that he’s actually growing on you. But the problem with this game is deciding who’s the predator, and who is prey.

AN: And here we go, with our Avengers: Civil War moment…

Song Inspo: “I Go to Extremes” by Billy Joel

Word Count: 5.1K

Tags/Warnings: Violence, blood, and death. Angst, peril, hurt/comfort, and fluff.

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Part 12: A Fire in the Blood

Ben walked into the kitchen the next morning in search of coffee and food. He added some grounds to the coffeemaker on the counter and grabbed a bagel from the fridge, then slammed the door shut.  

“All right, get the fuck out,” he said, as if to an empty room. “I’m gonna lose my breakfast before I even eat it.”

Slowly, Charlie and Donna stood up from behind the kitchen island. Both of them looked wrecked. Her hair was wild and disheveled. He had dark red lipstick smudged all around his mouth and neck. Their clothes were bundled in their hands, but they needed no further prompting to run butt-ass naked out of the kitchen. Ben shook his head.

“Fucking animals,” he muttered.

But he didn’t blame them for being bored.

Meanwhile down the hall, Donna pulled Charlie into the shower with her. She got him to start washing her hair while she bathed the rest of herself with a bar of soap.

“He took it a lot better than I expected,” she said.

“Well, he’s probably known since at least last night,” Charlie said, smirking. “The man’s got super hearing, and you didn’t exactly keep it down.”

She reached back to smack his thigh teasingly. “That’s not what I meant. I just thought he’d raise more hell.”

She actually frowned at the thought. Part of her had indulged with Charlie because she thought it might piss Ben off, but to her surprise, he didn’t seem to give much of a fuck. In the past, he once snapped a man’s wrist for touching her ass at a gala. In fact, he’d ruined a lot of perfectly good hookup opportunities for her by being his jealous, caveman self, even though he was whoring himself out with any willing female.

So now, either Ben hated her that much, or…he actually did care about you.

Ben answered his cell when it rang. It was a familiar number.

Arthur. This better be fucking it.

“Did you find her?” he asked.

“Yeah, I found her,” Arthur said, with a grim sigh. “You’re not gonna like it.”

“Where?” Ben demanded. His hand clenched on the phone, threatening to crack the frame.

“Nottingham, West Virginia. It’s one of Vought’s most high-security labs. I didn’t even have clearance to know about it when I worked there,” he said. “It’s easy to miss though. Somewhere between a national forest and a couple of cemeteries.”

“Good enough for me,” Ben said. He finished his coffee in one quick slurp and headed over to his room to get the rest of his suit on. He was only half dressed.

“I hope you find her. Now I’ll be fucking off to Belize. Stan’s probably already got eyes on me,” said Arthur.

“Don’t you worry about Stan. After I get Sirena, I’m chopping the head off the fucking snake,” Ben said angrily.

“Okay, well, good luck to ya.”

After hanging up and lacing up his boots, Ben headed out of the room and down the hall. He banged a fist on the bathroom door, hard enough to rattle its hinges.

“Suit up, kids! We’re headed out.”

Arthur’s directions were direct enough. Donna had to park her car somewhere along the main road, but it was another mile or so before Ben finally found what they were looking for: a solitary building that looked like a nondescript farmhouse from the outside.

“This is their top secret high-security lab?” Charlie said. “Looks abandoned.”

“That’s exactly how they want it to look,” Ben said. It reminded him of the lab in Siberia. He was willing to bet that the lab itself ran several stories and floors underground.

Once they stepped out from the safety of the trees, gunshots rained from above and up ahead. There was a line of armed guards emerging from the front and the back of the building, while a helicopter descended from above.

Donna took out most of the guards on the ground, while Charlie shot his guns at the helicopter and took out the glass in the windshield. Ben threw up his shield at it, causing irreparable damage to the vessel. The pilot was forced to initiate a crash landing.

The helicopter doors opened, revealing Black Noir. He grabbed another man and jumped from the helicopter. The other man screamed, but the landing was swift. Noir made sure that Mindstorm landed on his feet, more or less, while the helicopter carved into the ground behind them and combusted.

Ah, the gang’s all here, Ben thought grimly. It saved him the trouble of hunting those two down as well.

“So it’s true,” Mindstorm said, taking in the sight of Ben with both astonishment and dread.

“Hey, Dan,” said Ben. “Looking rough.”

It was true. The man appeared to be a shell of his former self; thin, with lines of age around his eyes and across his forehead, his skin pale and splotchy. A decade of paranoia and reclusion hadn’t done much good for Dan. Noir must've scrounged him up from his hiding hole, like fishing out a rat from the sewer.

“Look, we don’t have to do this,” Charlie tried. “Just let him get Sirena out of there. After what you guys did, she doesn’t deserve that.”

Ben glanced at his former sidekick. He actually seemed sincere.

Too bad Noir wasn’t about to go for it. He had Vought’s dick so far up his ass, he wouldn’t likely take a shit without Stan Edgar’s say so. He crouched into a fighting stance and unsheathed his katana. The rest of the guards poured in to flank around him and Mindstorm.

Ben rolled a crack out of his neck.

“Fine. If it’s a war you want, it’s a war you’ll fucking get,” he said.

Noir started charging at him first, but Donna shot off a fireball in his direction.

Chaos ignited from there.

Something’s wrong. You felt it, with so many energies converging high above you. It must’ve meant that you were underground, yet again.

There were still men in the compound itself. You now felt their energies being stuffed out, closer and closer in your direction.

Ben? You wondered. You stood up from your cot in nervous anticipation, wrapping your arms protectively around yourself. After Vogelbaum dropped his news, you’d spent the entire night battling your shock, followed shortly by your panic.

No matter what they did to you now, there was no way you were going to let them hurt your child.

Ben…

More than anything, you wanted to see him. You wanted to tell him that his dream was coming true, whether he was ready for it or not…

But there was something coming, and it wasn’t him. You would’ve felt it if it was him. By the rate the men were dying somewhere outside of your cell, however, it was getting closer to your cell. For some reason, you just couldn’t identify the energy signature itself.

You got your answer when your cell door forcibly opened. You gaped in shock.

“Countess?” you said.

She was panting for breath, but she whipped a sweaty lock of red hair out of her eyes and reached out a gloved hand for you.

“Come on, before I change my fucking mind,” she said.

You were still in shock, but you managed to break yourself out of it to follow her out of the cell. You had to stop short though, as an entire unit of Vought security came pouring into the hall with raised guns.

You opened your mouth and began your siren song. Within seconds, every man curled in on themselves as they screamed in pain. Some of them managed to rip their helmets off as they gripped their heads. Tears of blood dripped down from their eyes, and they all soon fell into lifeless heaps.

You stopped singing, and your eyes faded from glowing violet to their normal hue. Donna looked at you, both stunned and wary.

“Don’t worry. It doesn’t work on women. Even frigid cunts like you,” you said with a grin.

She smirked back. “Come on then.”

“Where’s Ben?” you asked, joining her in hastening down the hall.

“Up there fighting,” she replied, pointing up to the ceiling. “You’re about fifteen floors down from the outside world.”

“Fucking figures,” you muttered, but your heart swelled to know that Ben was here, and he was all right. Your hand went to your lower belly on reflex.

“Wait,” you gasped, as something occurred to you. “We need to find someone.”

“What the fuck do you mean? We need to get out of here!” Donna said.

“There’s a kid somewhere in here, and I’m not leaving without him,” you snapped. You began opening doors where you sensed a presence inside. Most often it was a lab technician or other employee, and Donna vaporized them.

You opened one door and found Dr. Vogelbaum. Finally, you saw him react with widening eyes. You felt his fear.

Donna eviscerated him too, in a bloody mess of limbs.

You grimaced at the gore, but you paused, noticing a thick file on the man’s desk.

THE HOMELANDER PROJECTwas stamped at the top in large red letters. You picked your way through the mess and grabbed the file. Then you and Donna continued heading down the hall.

There at the end was a red door. Something about it called to you. You reached out with your awareness, and you felt a familiar male energy, young and scared and alone.

You beckoned Donna over. The door was heavy and locked, but the two of you worked together to twist it open by its large circular handle, like the hatch on a submarine. It swung open with a creak, and inside the room was a bare white cell, not unlike yours.

A young boy sat against the wall, arms wrapped around his knees, wearing a white shirt and plain gray sweatpants. He was blonde and blue-eyed, and he felt familiar to you on-sight.

“John?” you said, stepping inside the cell.

He tilted his head, like he recognized your voice. He said your name uncertainly as he got up to his feet. 

“Yeah, it’s me,” you said, approaching him with cautious steps. “I’m getting out of here, but I want you to come with me.”

John looked reluctant, even as he glanced at your outstretched hand.

“Vogelbaum is gone. He can’t hurt you anymore,” you said. “John, please, let me help you.”

After a moment of his indecision, John reached out and carefully grasped your hand. You led him out of the cell, and encouraged him to stay close to you when you and Donna started back towards the elevators.

The three of you rode all the way up to the top level, where the sounds of an epic fight raged behind the doors of the building. Still, it was a familiar balm to your frayed mind to step outside those doors and find a bright sun beating down on a dusty clearing. Beyond it was layers of forest trees.

Donna said that her car was about a mile in that direction, but before you guys could attempt to get to safety, Noir landed right in front of you.

“Irving—” you said in warning.

Donna raised her hands, prepared to blast him into pieces, but John threw the first punch. It landed squarely in Noir’s chest and had him flying several feet away, into a nearby tree. Your mouth fell open in shock as you gave the kid a wide-eyed look.

John smiled up at you, in a—Did I do good?—kind of way.

“Holy shit,” Donna muttered.

You huffed a short laugh and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Good job, bud.”

You shifted your attention to the rest of the battle, and it caught on Ben with a gasp. He was striding toward Mindstorm with his shield held in front of him. He backhanded Mindstorm in the face and quickly got him pinned on the ground.

Charlie was already lying unconscious, trapped in his own mind. Donna went to try and help him, while you started running headfirst toward the other two men.

“Ben!” you shouted out.

He glanced up at you on reflex, but it proved to be an unfortunate distraction, giving Mindstorm the opening he needed to reach out a hand and touch Ben’s forehead. His eyes closed and he collapsed to the ground.

“No!” the ragged yell tore from your throat. You knew full well what Mindstorm was capable of.

You rushed forward and tried to capture Mindstorm with your siren song. It managed to hold him in place, making him grip at his temples with strain. You knew you didn’t totally have him under your spell, however. Not until you knelt down in front of him and grabbed his face with both hands. Your eyes illuminated brighter as you focused all of your power on him.

Mindstorm fought it tooth and nail, but ultimately, the pull of you was too much. He screamed as blood trailed down his face from his eyes, nose, and ears, until his voice faded, and his blue eyes became unseeing. When you released him, he slumped into a heap.

You fell back onto your ass and heaved for breath. All the while, you stared at his unseeing eyes. Part of you felt sick with yourself. The other part felt vindicated, and a little more free.

With a gasp, you remembered Ben. You turned over and crawled over to his body where he laid unconscious in the dirt and dead leaves.

Fuck. You shouldn’t have killed Mindstorm. He was the only one who could’ve brought him out of this.

Unless…

An idea struck you, and you knew you had to try. You shuffled onto your knees and took Ben’s face carefully in your shaking hands. You closed your eyes.

Focusing your powers on his being, you entered his mind. You waded through waves of darkness as they lapped at you, trying to draw you in. But you were a brighter light. You went deeper, layer by layer.

You began to see moving images, like scenes from a reel. You saw his father, berating him. You saw the moment Compound V was injected into his arm, immediately filling his veins with pain. You saw his mother’s funeral, a day marked by falling snow and a stoic set of Ben’s young shoulders.

You saw so many days and nights at the facility where you both were kept, but one in particular struck at your own heart—the day Dr. Eisenstein had you brought you into Ben’s cell and slammed you down on the table in front of him, prepared to inject an unknown experimental serum into your body.

Ben’s face seemed angry on the outside, but this deep inside his mind, you felt his anger, as well as his fear, and his desire to protect you.

You weren’t sure it would work, but you needed to get his attention somehow. You needed to wake him up.

“Ben!” you shouted to him.

To your relief, he actually looked over at you, meeting your gaze with surprise in his own.

Until you were ripped away from him, out of his mind and into the waking world. Your bleary eyes eventually focused on the dark shape above you. On Black Noir.

He hauled you up by your arms and began to drag you across the clearing, away from Ben.

“Stop!” you struggled. Noir ignored you, just tightening his hold.

He dragged you past Donna’s body. She was dying on the ground, with her throat cut and bubbling with blood. Your eyes widened, but you quickly took in the rest of the clearing.

John was trapped under the massive trunk of a fallen tree, struggling to get up. He was being swarmed by Vought security guards.

Just over Noir’s shoulder, you caught sight of Ben. He was starting to wake up, and he turned over and pushed himself up onto one knee. Relief filled your chest.

In a fit of desperation, you dug your heels into the ground. “Let go! Let go of me!”

You opened your mouth and took in a breath to sing, but how quickly Noir’s hand wrapped around your throat, choking the breath right out of you. He tightened his hold, little by little, until you began to feel lightheaded. Panic gripped at your heart.

“Stop, Noir, please! I’m pregnant!” you pleaded, with tears in your eyes.

Beyond him, you met Ben’s gaze. His mouth fell open as he stared at you, after half scrambling to his feet.

You returned your attention to Noir when you realized you could feel his shock, and the tension through your hand on his glove. He glanced over his shoulder at Ben, then back at your tearful eyes. You felt Noir’s disgust, swiftly followed by his anger.

You gasped when he let you go, just so he could unsheathe his weapon. Ben gritted his teeth in anger. Before he could throw his shield, Noir swung his katana down on you.

You instinctively raised up your arms to protect yourself, but the blade only shattered against your skin. You raised your head, blinking in shock. You clenched your fists, and you realized that you felt different, somehow. You were strong.

You shoved Noir hard in the chest, and he flew several feet away, rolling in the dirt as he landed.

Ben ran over to join you. He wrapped his non-shield wielding arm around your waist and pulled you tight against him. You melted into him in relief, resting your head against his chest.

“I don’t know how I did that,” you admitted.

“Looks like knocking you up comes with some added perks,” he said, grinning down at you.

Once you understood what he meant, another wave of shock hit you. The life inside you was not only carrying his genes, but some of his power as well, making you strong.

You looked up at his smug grin and rolled your eyes in amusement, but you also wanted to grab his face and pull him down for a kiss. The look in his eyes told you he wanted to oblige, but you both stopped short, coming to attention when you saw Noir picking himself up from the ground.

“I’ve got him,” Ben said darkly. He let go of you and took a step toward Noir, putting himself in front of you.

Two old enemies faced each other. This time, Ben began to make the first move.

Just then, a pair of red laser beams broke through the clearing and cut through Noir’s mask and skull. He dropped to his knees, and then fell to the ground.

What the hell…

Slowly you turned back to see that John had broken free of the guards. All of them lied either passed out or dead at his feet. He stepped over them and went to your side with shaky hands, shocked at even his own power. Had he known he could do that?

“Are you okay?” he asked you in concern.

You were still reeling, but you nodded and grasped his shoulder. Ben was unsettled looking at John. You knew the look on his face. He wasn’t sure whether the kid was a threat as well. Ben slid an arm around your waist and pulled you closer to him.

“Ben, this is John,” you explained. “He was a ‘guest’ in the lab, same as me.”

Ben seized up the kid. Eventually he rested his shield on the ground and reached out his hand.

“John, huh?”

The kid nodded and shook his hand. “Y-Yes, sir.”

“That’s a strong name,” Ben said. John smiled.

With that small peace won, you slipped away from Ben and went to Charlie. You knelt down and felt for his pulse at his neck. You shook your head in sadness.

“He’s gone,” you said. Ben helped you stand again.

You were disappointed about Donna too, even knowing she was the one who helped sell you out in the first place. You were sure it was probably under duress, but she had saved you today.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Ben said. You agreed, but first, you looked back at the lab.

“They took vials of my blood. God knows what else they have in there,” you said.

“They took your fucking blood?” he said, through furrowed brows.

“Yeah, that’s how I know I’m pregnant,” you said, again, holding a hand to your belly. Ben softened slightly at that.

He blew out a breath and nodded. “Okay, you and the kid hang back. Far back.”

You grasped John’s shoulder and led him over to the dense line of trees. You both hunkered down behind a fallen tree trunk and watched Ben approach the lab.

He set a firm stance and concentrated, until his chest glowed with power. Letting loose a yell of strain, he summoned a blast that destroyed the entire building. It not only created a backlash of debris and flames, but it also shook the earth. He stalked forward and angled the blast downward, so that it would consume the floors below as well.

You had to duck down further as the impact of the blast was too much. John covered you with his arms around your shoulders.

When it was over, Ben struggled to regain his breath. He even stumbled a bit on his way back to you, but he kept a steady pace, until he found you and the kid again. Ben reached a hand for you and once again helped you up from the ground, guiding you into his arms.

His chest still felt hot, but you didn’t care. You curled a hand around the back of his neck and brought him down to you for a kiss. It was relief, it was passion, and it was home.

You parted slowly, his forehead pressing against yours.

“I love you,” you whispered into the small space in between.

Releasing a subtle breath, Ben nodded. You opened your eyes and cupped his cheek.

“You can say it,” you prompted, teasingly. “It’s not gonna kill you.”

You could hazard a guess at what he was thinking. This close, you could feel him, and his reluctance. But his lips hinted at a smile.

“Yeah, I fucking love you,” he said. He thumbed at your chin, his gaze roaming over your face before he met your eyes. “I love you.”

Tears made your vision blur a little. You nodded, smiling, and reached up on your toes for another kiss.

“Are you guys done yet?” John asked. He shifted on his feet, all antsy and tired. “Can we go?”

Ben’s face fell into annoyance at the kid. You gave him a rueful smile, and one last stroke of his cheek.

“The car’s about a mile out,” Ben said.

“Yep,” you said. “I guess we start walking.”

John slept in the backseat of the car while Ben drove down the highway going northeast. His gaze roamed over you as you stared out the window, seemingly calm with that file you stole from Vogelbaum’s office resting on your lap.

With a sigh, you turned your attention to it. Ben couldn’t help but distract you first. His hand reached over to rest on your thigh.

“Hey,” he said. You perked up at him.

“You okay?” he asked. You smiled a little and slipped your hand over his.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Considering.”

He alternated between watching the road and watching you a bit closer.

“Did they hurt you?” he pressed. You shook your head, squeezing his hand.

“No. They pretty much left me alone,” you said, though his concern warmed you. You also sensed something else underneath…the sting of regret. It took him a few beats, but he eventually spoke.

“I shouldn’t have let you go out alone,” he said, briefly meeting your eyes. “I should’ve been there.”

It was as close to an apology as you’d ever gotten from him. You almost smiled.

“Look, we’re here now,” you said. “Pretty soon, this is all just going to be a bad memory we can put behind us, like everything else.”

You rubbed his arm and glanced down at the file sitting on your lap. Your curiosity had you flipping it open. The more you read over its contents, the more your face slackened in shock.

“Oh my God, Ben,” you whispered.

“What?”

“Pull over for a minute.”

“We can’t stop here. We need to get to the airport.”

“This is important. Stop the car.”

He huffed in annoyance, but he pulled the car over. He left the car running and got out along with you.

You later leaned against the passenger side while he read the file. You watched the shock descend over his face as it all began to click together in his mind. He turned and pointed at the backseat of the car.

“He’s…”

“Yeah,” you said.

“Christ on a damn cross,” he said.

“Yeah,” you repeated. You covered your mouth with a hand. “And the poor kid’s been kept in that basement his whole damn life… It was Vogelbaum’s project, but how did he do it?”

A realization fell over Ben. He joined you in leaning against the car. The file fell to his side.

“Back in…’81. No, beginning of ’83, before you joined up. Vogelbaum wanted a sample of my swimmers for an experiment. Something about genetics,” he said. He still remembered the Penthouse Forum he used to give his “sample.”

June. Danielle Deneux. Bush like a Pomeranian. He almost smiled at the memory, but the rest of it soured that part for him.

You gave him an incredulous look. “And you didn’t ask questions about what they were going to use your sperm for?”

Ben rolled his eyes and gave you the file. You shook your head.

“The point is, John is…more or less your son,” you said.

“What?!” John exclaimed. He spooked you and Ben when he popped up in the car window.

You should’ve known he’d have enhanced hearing. Just like his father.

John came out of the car, and both father and son looked at one another in assessing ways. Even though they had different coloring, you started to notice the similar shape of their jawlines, the line of their noses. John soon had tears in his eyes.

“You…you’re my dad?” he said.

Ben’s hands went to his hips. His posture was stiff and awkward.

“I guess I am,” he said.

He didn’t expect the way John literally flew over and hugged him with a strength that impacted Ben. He grunted and grabbed the kid’s shoulders.

“Okay, all right, lock it up. Don’t be a little girl about it.”

John’s face fell with dejection, but he dropped his arms and took a step back. You became both dismayed and angry.

“Ben!” you said sharply. “Let your son hug you, for fuck’s sake.”

He shot you a warning look, but you had your hand on John’s shoulder as you glared back at Ben. He crossed his arms.

Then he uncrossed them with an exasperated huff. He went to John and dropped a hand on his shoulder. Smiling in satisfaction, you moved back to give them a moment.

Ben looked down at the kid’s face. His blonde hair and blue eyes weren’t his. He must’ve taken after his mother, whoever she was, or whatever genetics Vogelbaum manipulated, but he did see his own strong jaw in the kid.

“Well, it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t meet sooner, but…looks like you’re my son,” said Ben. “I'm thinking you want to stick around with us.”

John nodded vigorously.

“All right,” Ben said. “Then let’s get going.”

John nodded again, quickly wiping at his face to clear away his tears.

Good, Ben thought with a quirk of his lips. He squeezed John’s shoulder and let him go, so he could return to the driver’s side of the car. You gave John a warm hug. Ben saw it through the window and almost shook his head. He could already tell that you were going to try to mother that boy.

Somehow, that thought just softened him, at least a little. Because it reminded him that you were carrying his child as well. Not to mention, his blood was making you nice and strong.

When you slid into the passenger seat, he grabbed your hand and pressed a kiss over your knuckles. You smiled at him.

“Where are we gonna go?” John asked.

Ben glanced at him in the rearview mirror. Ben's brows drew together as his expression firmed.

“To finish what we started,” he said.

You knew what that meant. He wanted to go to New York to finish off Stan Edgar, Stillwell, and anyone else who had a hand in their capture.

“Ben, they’ll never stop trying to get him back,” you said, gesturing at John. “And…when Vogelbaum took my blood, he said they wanted to monitor me. Apparently this has never happened before…a supe getting another supe pregnant.”

Ben paused.

“He talked like I was a rat in his lab, and he wanted to document the findings,” you said, as tears welled up in your eyes and made your throat tight with emotion, and the remnants of dread.

Ben frowned and squeezed your hand.

“That’s not fucking happening,” he said. You sighed and wiped at your cheek. After taking a few steadying breaths, you managed to get a hold of yourself.

“If we go back to New York, it’s a big risk,” you said.

This time, Ben actually considered what you were saying. He was stubborn though.

“I can’t just fucking let it go. What Stan Edgar did, what they all did—”

“If you take out Stan, they’ll just put another one in his place. I doubt it’ll ever end,” you said. You moved his hand to your stomach. “But if you want this. If you want a family, this is it.”

Ben glanced down at his hand under yours, and then your face. As much as he wanted the rest of his revenge, he also wanted, and needed to protect you. He couldn’t make another mistake like last time. If you were taken from him again, he’d have no one to blame but himself. 

That also posed a harder question. Where the hell could he take you where you’d be safe? Even Arthur had fucked off to Belize.

Ben stroked your hand in contemplation…until an idea came to him.

A grin raised his lips.

“All right,” he said. “How do you feel about Colombia?”

AN: Lol! Suffice to say, there's going to be a big BMD easter egg in the Epilogue, but did you like how the final battle shook out? Was there anything that surprised you? Do you wish some members of Payback had lived?

I went back and forth on how some characters would meet their end, but I felt that this is the story I wanted to tell, with her, Ben, and John escaping together and forming their strange new family. 😂💚

Next Time: The Epilogue...

A phone dock rested on the coffee table. The call was on speaker.

“That child represents a multi-million-dollar investment,” said Stan Edgar.

“You should’ve thought about that before you shipped us off to motherfucking Siberia,” Ben snapped. “Hell, before you decided to steal my goddamn DNA. But guess fucking what. He’s my son. He belongs with me.”

You gave him a look of pride, resting a hand on his thigh in support. He glanced at you and grabbed your hand.

“You’re not leaving me with much recourse here, Soldier Boy,” Stan replied.

Ben leaned forward. He took that as a very real threat.

▶️ Keep Reading: The Epilogue

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[simplydannie]

Velvet and Veneer One-Shot

“It Was An Accident”

(Trigger Warning)

Artwork done by my friend @djpixelskitten. You can find her work on TikTok: dj_pixels_kitten. She captured the scene and brought it to life beautifully!! Please go check her out!!

What if Velvet and Veneer never made it to the yacht? What if Veneer decided enough was enough and took a detour? Unfortunately, Velvet hasn’t been herself… leading her and her brother to a downfall….and leaving a giant hole in Floyd’s heart

“Follow that vehicle!” Poppy cried as Velvet and Veneer drove off.

The siblings twisted and turned in the highways of Mount Rageous. Veneer kept looking back as the Trolls neared closer and closer…. Something in the pit of his stomach told him to stop, to call it quits.

On his left shoulder pad, Bruce could see the concern on the kids face.

“You can stop this you know. Before it gets worse for you and your sister.” The small Troll attempted to talk reason to him. Veneer was silent for a moment…

“I can’t. We’re to far into this.” He replied.

“And you can still get out.” John Dory exclaimed in the diamond opposite Bruce. Veneer turned back to look up at has sister; a pink pigmentation glowing around her eyes.

“Vels?” Veneer asked, concern stricken across his face.

“Keep driving!” She practically yelled. She stood up on the car. “WHATS UP MOUNT RAGEOUS! You didn’t think we’d give you a boring old stage show did you!”

The cars around them bustled in cheers.

“Vels, maybe this isn’t a good idea!” Veneer called back to his sister.

“I said drive moron!” She glanced behind them as the Trolls continue to catch up. Velvet stood back up on the car… she began to perform.

The star cameras fluttering around her as she sang. Veneer looked back at his sister again… this wasn’t her. Something began to come over him…like the effects of something began to wear off…

“What have we done?” He murmured. Veneer looked around the highways; he had to get him and his sister out of this mess… he had to get them away from the public eye.

“Kid? What are you thinking?” Bruce asked.

“Hold on. We’re taking a detour.” Veneer switched the car away from the main highway, taking a constructed path empty of other vehicles.

“What the heck Veneer!” Velvet exclaimed. All the cars stopped as they couldn’t follow them.

“Where are they going?” Branch asked. He steered Rhonda to follow the siblings. Veneer kept swerving has the road they were in was still under construction, he avoided any obstacle he could.

“Go back Veneer!” Velvet cried out.

“No! We got to stop this now sis! Just look at yourself this isn’t you!” Veneer called back as he kept his eyes on the road. The star cameras were still following them, flying around them as they continued down the road. Veneer looked at them… this was his opportunity.

“Cameras on me!” He called out. They hovered around him, Velvet looking at everything happening with a confused expression.

“Listen up Mount Rageous!” He called into the cameras. “We. Are. Frauds!” He finally said. The Trolls on his shoulders smiled proudly as Veneer finally had full control of himself. “We kidnapped and tortured our only friend.” He continued to speak. Veneer glanced back to look at Floyd in the diamond Velvet wore. A small smile coming across his face. “We signed a contract with someone who lied to us, manipulated us, and led us down a dark path, not even caring for us. We’re done!”

“No! No! Shut up! You idiot!” Eyes glowing pink she lunged for her brother.

“Wait no stop!” Clay yelled in her chest piece.

Veneer attempted to push off his sister and take control of the vehicle at the same time… swerving to and from.

“Vels stop! We’re going to crash!” Veneer called out.

“You ruined it! You ruined everything!” She said as she began to hit him.

“Kid watch out!” Bruce yelled… but it was too late. Their vehicle hit some concrete barriers. The impact f sent the siblings flying out of the vehicle. Out of instinct, Veneer reached for his sister… he hugged her close. His eyes squeezed shut, he prepared for the force of impact, hoping he could shield her from anything he could.

The went skidding, tossing and turning all over the rubble and concrete floor. Their car flying in pieces along with them. They both landed with a loud SMACK on the floor… the impact sending them rolling in opposite directions. The force of the impact made the diamonds fly out of their chest pieces, sending the small Trolls skidding in different directions….. Then there was silence.

Moments passed as Branch, Poppy, and Viva finally caught up to them…. Thats when they saw the wreckage. Rhonda came to a stop, Branch walking out to the horror.

“No! No!” Branch ran to the broken vehicle which was now on fire. “JD! Clay! Bruce! Floyd!” Branch called out as tears began filling his eyes. Please be alive, he hoped. Poppy and Viva took off the opposite direction attempting to look for his brothers.

Branch was nearly giving up hope… until…

“Branch over here!” It was John Dorys voice. Branch ran quickly and followed it. The small Troll walked upon a scene that he would never get out of his memory.

John Dory and Floyd were there in front of him, still in their diamond prison…. There laying next to them, with debris from the crash laying on top of him… was Veneer. His face scratched and bloodied… his body broken. Branch could see he was struggling to breathe.

“We got to help him.” Floyd begged…. But Branch saw what Floyd couldn’t… the Rageoun was broken, literally broken.

“Floyd..we…we can’t….” Branch began to say.

“PLEASE! HELP HIM!” Floyd begged again with tears in his eyes.

“….Floyd….” The voice was soft but audible. The small Troll turned around to see Veneer looking at him through glassed blue eyes. Floyd moved his diamond close to the Rageoun.

“….im sorry….” Veneer said softly, his lungs barely having enough air to speak. Floyd smiled softly.

“It’s all in past. Stay with me okay. We’re going to get you and Velvet out of this mess. Okay? Stay with me.” Floyd said. JD and Branch stood back watching, tears in their eyes. Veneer nodded.

“….. okay…..” But that was it. He stopped moving, stopped breathing. He lay there motionless, his eyes distant….gone.

“Veneer?” Floyd called out. He moved his diamond prison bumping the Rageoun lightly, hoping he’d move again. “Veneer!” He cried out again…. Nothing…Floyd placed his hand against the diamond near the boys head, wishing he could hold him one last time.

“Branch!” He heard Poppy’s voice. Branch turned to find Poppy running to him, tears streaming down her face. “Clay and Bruce are over here! But…it’s also Velvet. She’s hurt bad!”

Floyd didn’t want to leave Veneer just lying there… but he was gone… now he could only hope Velvet could be saved.

“Where is she?” Floyd asked.

They made their way to where the girl was lying. Unlike her brother, nothing was on top of her suffocating her… but she was hurt…. Very hurt…. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t feel her legs…. Tears were streaming down her eyes.

“It’s hurts.” She cried. Floyd ran up to her.

“I’m here Vels. We’re going to you a hospital okay?” Floyd said. He had just lost Veneer…He couldn’t loose her too. She looked at the small Troll…

“Where’s Veneer?” She asked. Floyd fought back tears.

“We’re going to get him out too.” He said. Velvet shook her head… she knew that look, she knew the tone of his voice.

“Tell me truth…” She demanded. Floyd could only look at her, letting himself cry.

“….Im sorry…” He said. Velvet bit her lip and looked away. She began to sob uncontrollably.

“…. It was an accident…I didn’t….i didn’t mean too. I don’t- I dont know what came over me. Veneer I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.” She cried.

“We need to get help now.” Clay said as he saw the state she was in.

“No! No I don’t want to!” She continued to cry. “ I need my brother… I can’t do this without my brother!” She turned to the direction to where her brothers body lay… ever so slightly, she could make out his shape… “I’m sorry Vennie.” She then turned to look at Floyd. “I’m so sorry…”

She continued to cry, blood began seeping from her nose and mouth. Floyd’s heart began to pound.

“Stay with me Vels okay. I need you here… please.” He said.

“This…this is my fault. I hurt you… I got my little brother killed…I did this...” She stared up at the open highway…the clouds of Rageous began to clear… the moment she saw the sky, a peace came upon her. “….I’m sorry…” She said on last time…Taking her last breath, her eyes glued to the sky.

“Velvet!” Floyd called out. “No Velvet please!” He fell to his knees inside the diamond…

“I can’t loose both of you.”

[kit-walk3r]

My Kyle (Kyle Spencer x fem!reader) (Together Not Forever alternate ending)

Maybe you don’t have to learn to let Kyle go after all

Warnings: none

Part 1 Part 2

Note: here’s the alternate ending to Together Not Forever! I’m pretty happy with this so I hope you like it 💗

“Y/N. She’s leaving,” Zoe repeated. “She’s moving back home to be with her family.”

“Oh,” Kyle looked down. He felt a wave of sadness but also a sense of… relief. If you left then that allowed him to resist the temptation to find you and put you in any danger by being in his company. It would also set you free, away from him.

“Oh? That’s all you can say?” Zoe scoffed.

“Maybe it’s better this way,” Kyle shrugged. “She can get over me and I can get over her.”

“Kyle, you’re miserable without each other. This is your chance to be happy again.” Zoe insisted.

Kyle shook his head. “I made my choice, Zoe. I can’t be near her anymore.”

“How are you going to give yourself any closure?” Zoe asked. She sat down next to Kyle. “You need to think about yourself as well. Kyle, you said she was the love of your life. Are you really going to let her go without getting your own goodbye?”

…

It was your final shift at the diner before you moved back home to your family. “Someone’s asking for you,” your boss said, pointing to the door that led to the main diner.

“Who?” You asked.

Your boss shrugged. “Some brown haired girl.”

Brown haired girl? Zoe.

You nodded in thanks, before heading out onto the floor. There Zoe was, awkwardly standing next to the door waiting for you.

“Zoe?” You walked over to her and she smiled before greeting you. “What are you doing here?” The two of you had already said goodbye.

“I’m so glad I caught you,” Zoe said. “I’ve got something I need to show you. When do you finish your shift?”

You checked your watch. “In about a half hour,” you answered. “Why? What do you need to show me?”

“It’s a surprise,” She smiled.

“Okay…” You said, confused. “Well, if you let me know where it is I can come meet you once my shift’s over.”

“It’s no bother,” Zoe shrugged. “I can just hang here until you finish. It’s probably easier for me to drive you, anyway.”

You nodded. “Well, if you take a seat over there I can bring you over a milkshake or something.” You motioned towards one of the empty booths.

Zoe took a seat as you walked back to the kitchen, confused and intrigued about what her surprise was.

- - -

Once your shift was over you said your goodbyes to your friends and co-workers before grabbing your bag and heading out to meet Zoe. She was still sitting at the same booth, and got up when she saw you walking towards her.

“Ready to go?” She asked and you nodded.

The two of you headed out to her car which was parked just outside. It was sleek and black, much nicer than anything you could afford. You marvelled at the vehicle for a moment before getting the passenger side, waiting for Zoe to start the car.

“Any hints on what this ‘surprise’ is?” You asked as she started the drive to wherever the destination was. Your interest in whatever Zoe had to show you had peaked now you were on your way.

“Let’s just say I know you’re gonna love it,” Zoe teased, eyes on the road. She was grinning, and you wondered what could be so special for her to look so excited about something for you. You hummed in response and looked out the window at the world passing by for the remainder of the drive.

You weren’t in the car for long before you pulled up to a large pillared white house, surrounded by a black iron gate. Your eyes widened at the majestic sight. It was beautiful.

“Here we are,” Zoe said. She got out of the car and you quickly followed.

“Do you live here?” You asked curiously as Zoe opened the gate, ushering you inside.

She nodded. “For almost a year. It’s a pretty cool place, right?”

You hummed in agreement. She let the two of you into the house and you couldn’t help but gasp at the grandness of the interior. “This is beautiful,” you remarked, taking in the white walls and the chandeliers and grand staircase.

“Come on, your surprise is upstairs,” Zoe smiled and the two of you walked up the spiral staircase, still overwhelmed by the sight. This was a whole lot nicer than the dingy college dorm you lived in.

Zoe led you along a long hallway until you reached the final door on the one, pure white like everything else in this place. She knocked twice before opening the door. “Go inside,” her smile turned into a grin and she pushed open the door for you to enter.

It was quite a sparse room, with very little to no decoration and a bed and nightstand being the only pieces of furniture, asides a small chair in the other corner of the room, yet it still kept up the grand aesthetic the rest of the house you had seen shared.

A figure sat on the bed. He wore a black jumper, contrasting highly with the white surroundings and making him immediately noticeable to your eye. He was sitting with his back to you, but you still noticed the shaggy head of blonde hair that was oh so familiar. Too familiar.

The creek of the floorboards underneath your feet caught his attention and he slowly turned around to see you.

Kyle.

Your Kyle.

You froze in your place, unblinking, as you took in the sight in front of you. No, it couldn’t be. Kyle was dead, long dead. You’d just about come to terms with it now. This couldn’t be happening.

Kyle was still too, and the both of you spent what felt like forever just staring at each other, taking in the fact that you were in each other’s presence again. You felt as if you could hardly breathe. It felt like a dream. Surely this was a dream?

The trance the two of you were in was broken when Kyle uttered your name. That was his voice, Kyle’s voice. Just the sound of it brought tears to your eyes and you felt one slowly roll down your cheek.

“Kyle?” Your voice was barely above a whisper. This had to be a dream, and you wanted to wake up. This wasn’t fair. This would only cause her more pain when she inevitably awoke.

Kyle spoke your name again and stood up from the bed, yet you stayed frozen. You couldn’t bring yourself to move, afraid that if you even took one step all of this would wash away, as if your memory of Kyle would wash away.

He slowly walked towards you as you felt yourself continue to cry. You still felt unable to move and as Kyle inched closer your heart began to beat faster and faster. Your body felt hot, your hands slightly shaking. Was this real? Was this reality?

You felt the gentlest touch on your cheek. Kyle wiped away the tears staining your cheek, even though tears were glistening in his own eyes. Here he was, standing right in front of you and you took him all in. You noticed the scar that ran across one of his cheeks. Just above the collar of his shirt you could see another scar, circling his whole neck, that looked pretty deep. His hair was a mess, not neat and tidy how he usually liked to keep it, and you were pretty sure he was taller than you remembered. He looked different, but he was still Kyle.

The two of you locked eyes, and you acknowledged that you were now both crying. Your own hand mirrored Kyle’s and you reached out to clean his own cheek of tears. The skin under your finger was warm and you gently ran your thumb over the slightly rough texture of his scar. He was still Kyle.

Through the tears you noticed something in Kyle’s eyes, the familiar twinkle you always saw when he was smiling and laughing with you. And that was when you couldn’t control yourself anymore and you jumped at him, wrapping your arms around him tightly and pressing your face into his neck in the tightest embrace you had ever given him. He held you back just as tightly and you felt him press a kiss to the side of your head like he always used to. This was real, Kyle was real, and you couldn’t believe that you were lucky enough to have another chance with him.

“Kyle,” you cried into him, your tears non-stop flowing. “My Kyle.”

- - -

Outside, Zoe smiled as she watched the two of you embrace before quietly shutting the door and allowing you to have your loving moment of happiness and bliss.

•———•

Kyle and the reader finally got their happy ending! I’m really happy with how the alternate ending turned out and I hope it satisfied people who wanted a happy ending. I may have one or two ideas for a couple more fics in this series based on this alternate ending if anyone is interested.

Also, remember my requests are open!

[possum-quesadilla]

Chapter 10 of Lonely Remnants, “Wildfires have been eating you inside my head, Trying to smoke you out or burn you alive in it”, is here! Strap in, folks. I can’t tell you how excited I am to share this one with you all.

PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS ATTACHED TO THIS CHAPTER AND PROCEED WITH CAUTION. THIS CHAPTER IS PARTICULARLY ROUGH. I KNOW I SAW THAT A LOT, BUT IT IS VERY TRUE HERE.

Extras! :)

- The lyrics for this chapter’s title are from “Please Just Stay Dead” by Nichole Dollanganger! They are meant to reflect how Lydia’s image of her bold, strong brother is being irreparably altered, maybe even ruined.

- “Like a doomed man trudging towards the gallows, sure but unsteady. Like a dead girl walking.” - Heheh, foreshadowing.

- “The trail led into the road. It ended on the other side, next to the memorial. Not before it was… smeared on the road. Splattered all about, like the cause of it had been… impacted. Her fears were confirmed when she found one of those strange paw / feet among the large, dark smudge of blood and goop in the road.” - Yep, they got hit by a car! Karma, I guess.

- “It was… feasting on some festering roadkill with a terribly feral and manic fervor.” - That was Lawrence’s last ditch effort to try and regain control and heal their body.

- “The side of his face the ear had fallen off of seemed to be following suit. It was starting to turn to the goop and slough off, part of the flesh hanging limply off the cheek and exposing his blackened, cracked jawbone.” - While the whole rejection idea is based on the ending of “Bride of Re-Animator”, this particularly horrific mental image is based on an effect from “Smile 2” that really stuck with me!

- “His dad and twin loved him, but it… it weren’t enough to counter the hatred of his mother.” - Lawrence’s accent fades away as the Shoggoth talks more and gains more control as he gets weaker.

- “Lousy bum’s been drinkin’ since he were ten years old.” - Not by choice! But the Shoggoth is being really judgy regardless.

- “Joined a band, saw the country, got his wrist broken by a boyfriend.” - Band mention! There’s a whole bunch of fun lore surrounding them that lives in my head. Also, the rotten boyfriend who broke his wrist was Cyrus! Can’t escape that fella.

- “It suddenly reached up, placing a hand over the left side of it’s face, covering up the exposed bone and one of it’s eyes.” - This was it trying to stop it’s face from falling apart more. It didn’t work.

- “Mrs. D helped him fix himself. Clean up all the broken pieces ‘n make somethin’ outta them.” - A reference to “Dead Mom”!

- “Of all of the moments in his long drive, of all of the cars he passed, he had to hit the one containing two of the people he loved most.” - This bit was inspired by a similar moment in the movie “Signs”.

- “She remained still as the grave.” - heheh, more foreshadowing.

- “No, Scarecrow. You died too.” - Woof. There’s been hints throughout. Hell, even in the start of the first chapter! - “She was the lucky one. By some miracle, she made it out with only some minor head trauma and the loss of a substantial amount of her hearing.” - I even put “Living Dead Girl” on the Lonely Remnants playlist for this purpose, lol.

- “ “I haven’t been very truthful at all.” It’s fingers brushed over the scales dotting it’s nose.” - Every time it lied, it gained a snake scale, since snakes represent deceit.

- “We are… human suffering, given form. Anguish and agony, writhing deep below the earth. I am of Lawrence’s. Of all the pain and hurt he felt.” - Yeah sorry it was a metaphor for trauma and self repression this whole time. Mostly. Also, this is what Otho meant when he said “… always were the most… potent out of all of us, little brother.”

- “No more watchin’, no more peepin’, and…” - This is a reference to “Bigtop Burger”. I couldn’t help myself. Cesare was my main inspiration for the Shoggoth.

- “… I could always feel him, faintly, in the back of my mind. Breathing in the dark.” - GOTCHA WITH ANOTHER “Asteroid City” REFERENCE!

- “I… I am just a beast of the stony soil.” - This is inspired by a famous line from “Pet Sematary”, which inspired Lonely Remnants! It’s the first horror story I read at eight years old, lol.

Tag list: @raineisinkless @c0zmo-writes @musical-fiend @katslitterbox

(Want to be tagged in future updates for CorpseJuice / LoopJuice? Let me know!)

[mariaofdoranelle]

The Courtship Deception - Part 1: Morning

Fic masterlist

Written for @throneofglassmicrofics

EEEEEE I’M SO EXCITED!!!

Warnings: none?

Word count: 983 words (I got it under control in the next parts, I promise 😅)

The wind in Aelin’s hair brought a rare sense of freedom, and it only got better the more she picked up speed. Tipping her head back, she felt weightless in this quaint little avenue—

“You’re supposed to be watching the road!” Fenrys shouted in the passenger’s seat. He was usually much cooler than this, but her favorite Personal Protection Officer was being handsomely paid to ensure not only her safety, but her dad’s convertible’s too.

“I’m feeling the road, Fen!” Aelin said, head tipped back into the tangled mess her hair became in this drive.

“That’s not— Fuck. We’re here!”

She slammed her foot on the breaks, tires screeching while their bodies were thrown forward. The force in which the seatbelt pressed against her collarbone was near bruising, but Aelin was laughing when the car stopped.

“How did I do?”

Fenrys threw his head back, cackling. “Fucking awful, Princess.”

Aelin’s father never allowed her to have driving lessons because he believes it’s an unnecessary waste of her time. Now, at the ripe age of 21, she finally convinced one of her babysitters to cross Rhoe’s orders, and her skills were getting less lethal each day.

Out of the car, she waited for Fenrys to parallel park—the spot was small, and Aelin was still getting the hang of it—and took in the charming residential street. An array of colorful little houses facing a park. It was Orynth in June, so the cool breeze brought the freshness of blooming trees, the late morning sunlight burning into Aelin’s skin and feeding into her soul, much like the flowering scene around her. Her bodyguard mentioned to a white and green house with a tiny but well-kept garden up front.

When Fenrys said they’d meet his secret tech guy, she expected something a lot more sketchy than this.

He said a few things to a camera by the front door, and it automatically opened. Um, rude? She didn’t expect a butler, but even in mafia movies there’s someone to answer the door.

After locking the front door and going through the living room, Fenrys led her into another one, and the amount of screens was far from being the most surprising thing.

“Rowie Bowie!” the bodyguard called, arms up, happy to greet his friend.

The mysterious man looked up, and it knocked Aelin’s breath out of her lungs. Holy rutting Mala. When Fen told her about this ‘grumpy tech guy’, she expected a weird-looking smelly nerd, not a scary-looking tattooed hottie. She immediately straightened, one hand subtly attempting to realign the bird’s nest that her hair became after the drive.

“Don’t bother,” scary-looking tattooed hottie said, piercing green eyes briefly assessing her before they were back on the screen. “You look pretty disheveled like this.” And he smirked. Her poor panties.

“So…” she trailed, leaning on the nearest desk. Smooth. Be smooth. “Rowie—“

“Please, don’t call me that.”

“It’s Rowan,” Fenrys added, “But Rowie is much better.”

He rolled his eyes. “Absolutely not—“

“Rowan.” Aelin cleared her throat. “Did you get past the security system?”

Of her own house, she meant. Her father was strict, so it was easier to get an illicit second phone than to get past all the monitoring her official phone was under. But Aelin had just bought a new iPhone, which meant she needed someone to make this phone fly under her dad’s radar—Mala forbid if someone finds an undetected wireless device within the walls of her mansion.

“All six of them, yes.”

“SIX?” Fenrys’ eyes were wide, caught by surprise.

“Yes,” Rowan replied, “Wireless detectors, frequency scanners, NLJDs, all six of them. And my job would be a lot easier if you knew your own workplace before hiring me.”

Poor Fen. His main job was to guard Aelin, he never got into the thick of Rhoe’s security system.

Rowan extended the new phone towards her, but took it back when she reached out. “I took the liberty to download something to get around your…” a small wince. “security cameras. You can crop some previously-recorded footage make make it look like it’s live. You’ll see it in the tutorial.”

How sweet of him. Aelin smiled. “You didn’t need to, but thanks.”

Her dad had security cameras installed in her bedroom—not in her closet or bathroom, but it was still annoying. Lorcan, one of her father’s men, was in charge of it, but Aelin terrorized the guy out of watching her footage. After a stunt she pulled a year ago, it’d take a nuclear explosion to get him to check the cameras on her bedroom.

“How much was it again?” Fenrys asked, his eyes widening when he saw the price, then complained, “That’s not what we settled for.”

“Agreed.” Rowan’s eyes, aimed at the bodyguard, were hard as steel. “You made my work sound much simpler than it actually was.”

She frowned. “How much is it?”

Fenrys sent her an apologetic look. “Half the Hermès we were buying after this.”

It’s not that money was a problem for Aelin, but her access to it was rather bureaucratic. She couldn’t go out, spend money on a “shopping spree”, and come back without shopping bags.

She waved him off. “What’s the point of getting a new purse if I don’t have a phone to put in it?”

Still upset, Fen turned around to focus on the payment. With his back to her, Aelin got closer to Rowan, both hands on his desk.

“I might have some trouble with this new setup on my phone,” Aelin lied.“So, I was wondering if you could give me your number, in case I have any questions.”

“Sure.” Rowan’s eyes sparkled, not leaving Aelin’s as he got her phone back. “Anything else?”

“Actually, yes.” She tilted her head, a fake helpless look from under her lashes. “I’m not as good with online instructions, so you might need to come find me sometime.”

The dark look Rowan gave her sent a shiver down her spine. “Let’s say I do. Does your guard dog come in the package deal?”

Aelin smirked, not bothering to keep up with the naïve facade anymore. “I guess you’ll have to find out.”

You can get notified when I update by either turning notifications on for @mariaofdoranelle-fics or entering my (sometimes glitchy) tag list!!

TAG LIST

I couldn’t tag the people in bold, sorry!

@aelinchocolatelover

@autumnbabylon

@bookcide

@booksandteaonarainydayislife

@cookiemonsterwholovesbooks

@courtofjurdan

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@superspiritfestival

@swankii-art-teacher

@thegreyj

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@wishfulimaginings

[mymoodwriting]

Request for Anon (Hybrid NoMin) 5.7k, yandere, cages, manipulation, claw marks, bullying, breaking and entering, assault (@starillusion13)

“It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Jaemin didn’t trust anyone, let alone a human. Yet for some reason he believed your words. He stared down at the outstretched hand before hesitantly reaching for it. To his surprise you didn’t slap down some cuffs, or pin him to the ground, or hurt him in any way. You merely took his hand and helped him to his feet. Everyone else that was gathered around had a disgusted look on their face, eyes glued to him.

“Do you want to come with me?”

“… where?”

“I own a hybrid house. It can be your new home if you want it to.”

Jaemin nodded slowly, bringing a smile to the girl’s face. The girl kept a hold of his hand and led him over to her vehicle. It was a normal car, and not some big animal control van. That put him a bit at ease, but he was still nervous. The girl opened the passenger door for him, letting him ride in the front next to her. Once he was in she got into the driver’s seat.

“You don’t have to be scared. If at any point you want me to stop, just let me know.”

Jaemin had never really been in a car before, so he held onto the seatbelt. The drive was smooth, and after a bit of driving all the buildings around disappeared, replaced by wide open space. By then Jaemin was a bit relaxed, staring out the window with intrigue. Soon enough he could see a big house down the road, and a few other buildings around it.

“Wow…”

“It’s nice, right? And it looks better on the inside.” The girl chuckled. “By the way, what’s your name? I didn’t get to ask back there.”

“… jaemin…”

“A pleasure to meet you, Jaemin. My name is y/n.”

“… thank you…”

“No need to thank me.”

You pulled up to the garage, stepping out of the car. Jaemin got out as well, taking in the fresh air and looking at his surroundings. There wasn’t much around but he could see others running around the field.

“Come on, let’s get you situated.”

Jaemin followed you into the main house. Just as you said, the place looked just as nice inside. There were pictures on the wall with you and other hybrids, letting Jaemin know that many different breeds were around. Soon enough he could smell the mix of scents, along with joy. So far all his senses were telling him this was a good place. He followed you to an office, being asked to take a seat in front of the desk.

“… this place… it’s yours?”

“I own the land and property, but I want you to think of it as your home.”

“… my home… you said this was a hybrid house?”

“Yup.”

“… what does that mean?”

“It’s not common, but it’s like a shelter for hybrids. You’ll get your own room, and have access to everything in this place. You’re more than welcome to stay here forever, but if you want to find a home of your own, I also help with hybrid adoptions. Only if you want to of course. Your time here isn’t predetermined, it’s up to you.”

“Oh… that’s very nice…”

“So let’s get you started.” You took a seat and put down some papers. “I just need some simple information from you. Your name, type, any allergies or dietary restrictions, any special needs you might have, and if you’re looking to be adopted. We can mark no for now and come back to that last question any time you want.”

“Alright…”

“Well, I have your name, and going by the cute ears you must be a cat, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Cool.”

After the paperwork, Jaemin got a tour of the place. He was shown around the main house and other facilities. There were donations that he could go through in order to get a change of clothes, but you figured you could do that after he’s gotten some food in him. You took Jaemin over to the cafeteria, hearing his stomach growl.

“You must be hungry.”

“A bit…”

“Well you can have as much as you like.” You looked around for a familiar face. “Oh, Renjun!”

You took Jaemin’s arm and pulled him along towards another cat hybrid. The other smiled, looking at Jaemin curiously.

“Hi y/n.”

“Hi Renjun. I brought a new hybrid here today and I was wondering if you could keep him company and help him settle in.”

“Yeah, that’s no problem. Hi, I’m Renjun.” He held his hand out. “You?”

“Jaemin…” Jaemin shyly shook the other’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same here.”

“Alright. I have somethings I need to do. Jaemin, I will come by after the lunch hour to get you clothes and show you to your room, okay?”

“Sounds good.”

“Great. I’ll see you later.”

The two boys waved you off and then proceeded to get in line for food. Renjun was friendly and more than happy to let Jaemin know about this place. He was also nice enough to introduce him to other hybrids and they all sat together to eat.

“This is Mark, he’s a dog, and Haechan is a cat, Chenle is also a cat, and Jisung is a dog too.”

“It’s nice to meet you all.”

“Welcome to the house.” Mark smiled. “You’ll like it here.”

“So what… like what is this place?”

“It’s a hybrid house. Basically a shelter for us.” Haechan explained. “Y/n’s really great. She takes in all kinds of hybrids, whether they’re from the streets, or abandoned by their owners. This place is also like an adoption center. For those of us that want to be adopted she helps to make sure we’re good candidates.”

“Yeah, she has an open house once a month.” Chenle added. “A bunch of humans come over to hang out and adopt some hybrids. Don’t worry though, if you don’t want to be adopted, it doesn’t matter how much someone offers or begs, she won’t let you go.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Legally speaking she’s our owner.” Jisung said. “All of us, so what she says goes.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.”

Jaemin was glad to have made some friends on his first day here, and learn more about this place. He was glad to be here. Of course it wasn’t just free housing, all the hybrids contributed in some way. They took on chores, whether it was helping with the kitchen stuff, or house chores, or maintaining their home. It was a good deal, and everyone followed the house rules. Just as you said, after lunch you came by for Jaemin, taking him over to the donations and letting him pick some things out before showing him his room.

“This… is mine?”

“Yup. You’ll get the hang of laundry as you adjust, and you have a list of house rules on the back of your door. You can also lock your door from the inside for privacy too.”

“… thank you… seriously, for everything.”

“No problem. Feel free to explore the grounds. I’ll always be around too.”

“I appreciate it.”

🖤

Jaemin took things slow, getting used to his new room and bed, and slowly getting used to this new place he would be calling home. On a sunny day he went exploring around the grounds. There was the big main house where the hybrids stayed, and another house where you lived. The property was outlined with a fence, but there was so much room to run around in regardless. Yet while roaming around he came across a small house hidden in the back. He was walking towards it when he felt someone grab his arm.

“Don’t go there.”

Renjun had found him out in the yard, and realized what had caught his attention. He ran over to stop the other.

“What is that?”

“The isolation house.”

“The what?”

“If you don’t behave, that’s where you end up. Locked up in a cage, away from everyone else.”

“That doesn’t sound very nice… I thought this place was… better…”

“I know it sounds scary, but it’s an incentive more than anything.”

“Wait, so no one’s in there?”

“There is one hybrid in there…”

“What!?”

“They didn’t do anything wrong… it’s just that… y/n doesn’t want to give up on them…” Renjun explained. “I don’t know all the details, but supposedly the hybrid in there was from the streets. Y/n got a call about an aggressive hybrid and went to pick them up. They were unconscious, and given the report she put them in the isolation house for everyone’s safety until they woke up.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah. The thing is, they were still aggressive when they woke up, even after y/n tried to explain and calm them down. A hybrid like that would get put down by anyone else, but she doesn’t want that happening to them, so she keeps them in the isolation house. She comes by throughout the day to feed them, probably still hoping they’d change.”

“Wow… so she’s like that…”

“Kinda crazy but… yeah… stay out of there though, seriously, she wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt or something.”

“Got it.”

“Let’s go, it’s almost lunch time.”

Jaemin couldn’t keep his mind off the isolation house. He thought this place was perfect, like a paradise, and when Renjun had mentioned the name everything shattered. Yet it only revealed that he had only scratched the surface of the type of place, and the kind of person you were. There was a mean hybrid locked up not because he deserves punishment, but it’s the only way you could keep him safe. He was kind of jealous actually, and he had to meet this hybrid. So he was careful, watching the isolation house from afar. Renjun had been right. Around meals you’d go into the house with a picnic basket, and stay for a while.

It made Jaemin all the more envious of the hybrid in there, getting some personal one-on-one time with you everyday. Yet he couldn’t see you that often. You were busy running the house, and taking care of everyone, but this hybrid got special treatment. After a few days of watching he had a plan in mind. After lunch he’d sneak into the house and meet this hybrid, and see what all the fuss was about. He made sure no one was aware of his plan, and tripled checked his surroundings before entering. 

The door was of course locked, but it was a simple one, and he had learned to pick locks so it was no trouble getting in. The place was a decent size, and as he had been told it looked more like a hybrid pound, cages lining the walls, but they weren’t bad. There seemed to be plenty of space, but they were all empty. Well, except for one. At the end of the line on the left there was an occupant. Jaemin didn’t have to look or wonder about them at all. Moments after the door shut behind him he heard a low growl, followed by a warning.

“You shouldn’t be here. Get out!”

“Damn. You are a feisty one.”

Jaemin went over to the cell, getting a strong whiff of their scent. They were a dog hybrid, sitting in the corner on a mattress. From what Jaemin could see, they were well. The clothes they wore were clean, and they were well fed too. Jaemin sat down in front of the cage, a big smile on his face. The hybrid only growled at him, but of course he couldn’t do anything while locked up.

“You’re so lucky.”

“What?”

“You get to see y/n everyday, multiple times too. Maybe I should get locked up in here too.”

“You’re crazy. You should leave before you wind up locked in here for real.”

“Doesn’t seem too bad. Cozy little place, and it’s warm too.”

“What the hell do you want?”

“Ah, right, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Jaemin, nice to meet you. What’s your name?”

“Answer me!”

“Aish, you know I’m so jealous of you.”

“Huh?”

“Y/n is the nicest human I’ve ever met. I was surprised she wasn’t scared of me at all when she came to me, and this place, I wish I had found it sooner. I wish I had found her sooner. It’s kinda nice to know she’s my owner.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Do you know how lucky you are? Y/n hasn’t given up on you, which is why she keeps you here. If anyone else took you in they’d probably have you put down for being so aggressive. She’s the best.”

“She… is that true?”

“You know how humans are about us… but she’s different! She loves us.”

“Us?”

“If she didn’t then why keep you around, why would she have a place like this for hybrids. She wants what’s best for us.”

“Is that really… why…”

“Yup. Although I don’t get it.” Jaemin wondered. “There are more hybrids here than humans. I only really socialize with hybrids, and you would too, but why are you still locked up?”

“I don’t want to socialize with anyone else.”

“Ah, you want y/n all to yourself. Well, that’s not fair!” Jaemin huffed. “But… I wanna know… what’s y/n like?”

“Uh… she’s quiet… speaks politely… nice smile…”

“Hm, sounds like a dream.”

“I still don’t know why you’re here.”

“Oh, right. See, the thing is, I want to get close to y/n, but I need your help.”

“My help?”

“You’re all big and strong, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but why would I help you?”

“Don’t you like her?”

“Who?”

“Y/n. She personally takes care of, keeps you safe and sound from all the other humans who would want to hurt you. She feeds you and clothes you, she’s the perfect owner, a dream really. And together, she can be all ours. I have a plan.”

“You really like her huh? And not just like, you mean like like.”

“Yeah… I want to be her kitty, and you can be her puppy!”

“I’m not a puppy!”

“Obviously, that’s why I need you, so what do you say?”

“…”

“Hm? It’s fine if you don’t want to, just thought you of all people would understand.”

“Understand what?”

“How much she really cares about us.”

“… fine… I’m in.”

“Yes! This is gonna be awesome.” Jaemin cheered. “But first, what is your name?”

“Jeno. My name is Jeno.”

🖤

You loved your home, and you loved what you did. You were surrounded by smiling faces, and happy lives. You always checked in with the main house every morning to make sure nothing had happened, and then you’d go about your usual day. This morning you didn’t have any calls for pick ups, so you could focus on the open house coming up. After breakfast you packed up some food and went over to the isolation house. You knocked on the door before unlocking it and walking in.

“Morning Jeno.”

You walked over to where he was, setting down a blanket and sitting down. You prepared him a plate and opened up the small door so you could slide it to him.

“… thank you…”

“Oh… your welcome.”

Jeno never really spoke to you, so hearing his voice was always a treat. Not to mention seeing him reach over and take the plate. Usually he wouldn’t eat in front of you, but this time he did. It brought a smile to your face.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes? Is everything okay?”

“I… I wanted to ask… why am I still here…”

“Here? Well I don’t like keeping you in a cage either-”

“No I meant… I’m just trouble aren’t I…”

“Of course not. I can’t truly understand how rough things might have been for you out on the streets, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve good things. I know you may not like this place, but I’m worried that if you end up on the streets again someone might hurt you, or worse.”

“You really… you really care about me…”

“I know you’re capable of good things.”

“Then… can I get out of here? Can I live in the house like the others?”

You smiled. “Of course. I just need to get some things in order for you first, okay?”

“Okay…”

“I’m really glad. I’ll be back soon.”

The smile on your face was one of a kind. After all this time you were overjoyed to hear Jeno wanting to take a step forward. You were so caught up in your head that when you stepped out you were startled by someone.

“Hello.”

“Ah! Jaemin, what are you doing here?”

“I don’t know. I saw you go in there and was wondering what you were doing… are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you…”

“I’m fine Jaemin, just a bit startled.”

“Sorry. What is this place anyway?”

“The isolation house. I usually put new hybrids, or misbehaving ones in here until they’re better.”

“Oh, can I see?”

“No. It’s empty, well, the last tenant will be moving out soon.”

“You mean there’s someone in there?”

“Not for long.”

“Can I meet them? They’re gonna need someone to help show them around, right?”

“Hm, you are correct. I’d really appreciate your help Jaemin.”

“I’m happy to do so.”

“Alright. Come with me.”

You returned to your office with Jaemin, changing around some paperwork and noting down where you’d be putting Jeno. Since Jaemin was going to help him out you figured it’d be a good idea to put them close together. When you were done with that you grabbed your keys and returned to the isolation house with Jaemin, once again knocking on the door before entering.

“Jeno, I brought a friend with me, and I’m hoping they can be your friend too.”

You offered Jeno a reassuring smile and unlocked his door. You held it open and stepped back, pulling Jaemin close to you.

“This is Jaemin, and he’ll be helping you get used to the house. Is that okay?”

“Yeah…”

“Alright, would you two like to introduce yourselves?”

“I’d love to.” Jaemin stepped forward. “I’m Jaemin, nice to meet you.”

Jaemin had a big smile on his face, holding his hand out to the other. Jeno slowly got up from the mattress and walked over, reaching out to take Jeno’s hand.

“Jeno.”

“I have a feeling we’re going to be great friends.”

“Sure.”

“It’s good to see you two get along.” You commented. “First let’s get Jeno some clothes, and then I can show you to your new room. If you’ll both follow me.”

You walked off first, leading the way. Jaemin took Jeno’s hand, giving him a thumbs up and pulling him along as they followed behind you. Jaemin was already talking to Jeno about the house, the rules, and responsibilities everyone took on. You had Jeno pick out some new clothes for himself and brought him over to your room.

“Here we are. Jaemin should be able to answer any of your questions going forward.”

“Yup. Just stick with me and everything is gonna be alright.” Jaemin smiled. “Promise.”

“Thank you… really… I wasn’t sure you’d ever let me out…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t bring it up more often, but I’m glad you’ve made the choice to be here now.”

“Me too.”

“Alright, then I’ll leave you two to get situated.”

Jaemin smiled and waved as you walked off, shoving Jeno into his room and shutting the door behind him. No one else usually hung around their room until late in the afternoon, so no one should be around to hear them. Although when Jaemin looked back Jeno was already bouncing on his bed.

“What are you doing?”

“I’ve never had a bed before. You wanna jump?”

“I did that on my first day too.” Jaemin chuckled. “It’s really nice.”

“If I had known I’d get all this I might have asked to be let out sooner.”

“Well, now you’re out, and our plan can move forward.”

“Yeah, you only told me up till here, so what’s next?”

“We gotta get into y/n’s house.”

“You mean break in?”

“No. If we do that we’d get in big trouble, but there’s surely another way.”

“Which is?”

“Sympathy.”

“Huh?”

“Y/n cares about you a lot, so we use that to our advantage.”

“Then what do we have to do?”

“Nothing for now. We need a few days to test the water, and if I’m right, we won’t need to do much.”

 🖤

Despite having Jaemin, Jeno was still a bit weary of being around others. Even though he had been locked up and never met anyone before, they all seemed to know who he was. He could hear others whispering underneath their breath and giving him weird looks. Jaemin told him to ignore it and just go about his day. He did manage to make some other friends though, Jaemin introducing him to some others.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” Renjun commented. “I always wondered who y/n kept safe and sound.”

“Really?”

“You were this big mystery.” Chenle added. “But it’s nice to put a face to the legend.”

“I guess I’m no secret.”

“I thought you’d be scarier.” Jisung said. “But you look way better.”

“Do I?”

“Very friendly. I bet you’d be adopted right away if you wanted to.”

“Adopted…”

“You don’t have to.” Mark assured. “Just something y/n offers for those here. She has an open house coming up, but she doesn’t let anyone get adopted if they don’t want to.”

“Oh, I see.”

“No need to worry.” Jaemin teased. “We’ll be fine.”

“Yeah. How are you liking this place?” Haechan asked. “Better than the isolation house, right?”

“Absolutely. Food is still good.”

“I heard y/n cooked for you personally.”

“I’m not sure.”

“She did not.” Renjun said. “She came to the cafeteria, he just got served by her personally.”

“Still nice.” Jaemin remarked. “Makes me jealous.”

“You don’t seem the type.”

“I know right.”

The days went by smoothly, but the pieces to Jaemin’s plan were falling into place. Although Jeno was getting impatient since he wasn’t entirely sure what the plan was.

“Jaemin.”

“Hm?”

“What are we doing?”

“Dishes? Gosh I hate getting wet.”

“I meant about y/n!”

“Oh, are you getting impatient?”

“Well I don’t know the plan, so yeah. Are you ever gonna tell me?”

“I guess we can execute it now.”

“Right now?”

“After the dishes.”

Jaemin took cleaning himself up seriously, not wanting a drop of water on him, especially dirty dish water. Once they were good, Jaemin and Jeno went off to an isolated area, double checking to make sure they were alone.

“So what-”

Jeno yelled when Jaemin swiped his claws against his arm. He barked and growled, pinning the other down. Jaemin hissed back, glaring up at the dog.

“Let go!”

“What the fuck as that!”

“The plan!”

“Explain yourself!”

“Everyone knows you were brought here and kept locked up for being aggressive. You’re behaving now, but that doesn’t change the fact others are gonna be weary of you. What if someone hurt you? It wouldn’t be safe to stay in the house, and it wouldn’t be fair to put you back in isolation, so then where else could she put you?”

“Her house…”

“Bingo. That’s our way in. So be a good dog and let me rough you up a bit.”

Jeno let out another growl before getting off of Jaemin. He looked at his arm. The cut wasn’t deep, but it still stung.

“Are you sure this is gonna work?”

“Of course.”

“She’s gonna bring attention to this, and ask the others who did this. We’ll get found out.”

“That’s why we need to keep it simple. Just follow my lead and everything will work out.”

“Fine, but if this backfires I am throwing you under the bus.”

“It won’t.”

Jaemin marked up Jeno a bit more, but nothing too serious. The idea was to make this look like petty teasing, and not full on assault. They weren’t gonna bring this up right away, needed the marks to heal a bit, and then they could execute the last phase of the plan.

“This better work.”

“Trust me.” Jaemin smiled. “It’s gonna work.”

It was already late in the evening and Jaemin had double checked to make sure you were in your office. He knocked on the door and waited for you to invite him in. He gave a knowing glance to Jeno and the opened the door.

“Hi y/n, you got a second?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

You looked up from your computer to see Jaemin dragging Jeno into the room, the two mumbling under their breaths about something. You raised a brow in concern, standing up as well and walking over to them.

“What is going on?”

“It’s nothing.” Jeno said, then growled at Jaemin. “Right?”

“It’s not nothing.” Jaemin remarked. “You can’t hide this.”

“Let go.”

“Tell her.

“Tell me what?” You questioned. “What is this about?”

“Jeno-”

“Don’t.” Jeno threatened.

“Hey, easy, both of you. Now please, what is going on?”

Jaemin tugged Jeno’s arm forward, showing you the claw marks on his arm. Your eyes went wide and you grabbed his arm, looking over his injuries and seeing more.

“What happened? Who did this?”

“It’s nothing…” Jeno mumbled.

“No it’s not.” Jaemin repeated. “The other hybrids have been talking and stuff. They’re scared of Jeno and some of them are being mean!”

“Scared? They don’t even know him.”

“But everyone knows he was in isolation for being aggressive. They’re worried he’d snap or something.”

“That’s ridiculous. This type of behavior is not allowed.”

“It’s fine.” Jeno said. “I understand-”

“No, Jeno, this is not okay. You’ve never hurt anyone, there’s no reason to allow this.”

“I don’t want to cause trouble… this place is so nice and everyone likes it here… I don’t wanna cause problems…”

“Jeno…”

“It’s late anyway… and everyone is getting ready for bed… I’ll just go-”

“No, no, no.” Jaemin cut in. “It’s not safe for you to be in your room. What if something happens?”

“I-”

“He can’t stay in his room tonight.”

“It’s fine Jaemin.”

“No, what if something happens?”

“I said-”

“Enough.” You stated. “I need to investigate these claims, and I don’t want anything happening to you anymore. So for tonight…”

“You’re not gonna put him in isolation, right?” Jaemin questioned. “He’s been there long enough…”

“You have a point… you’ll stay with me then.”

“What?”

“I have an extra room you can stay in while-”

“You don’t have to.” Jeno said. “I’ll be-”

“I don’t want to debate this, please Jeno.”

“Okay…”

“Can I come?” Jaemin wondered. “To keep Jeno company so he’s not all alone in a new place.”

“I would appreciate that.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Since it is late, why don’t you two grab somethings from your room and meet me out front in like ten minutes.”

“Sure thing.”

The two returned to their rooms, getting a change of clothes and a toothbrush. Jaemin then went over to Jeno’s room, jumping on the bed.

“High five! We did it.”

“How about we get in the door first.”

“It’s pretty much guaranteed.”

“Still.”

“Come on, let’s go. We don’t want to keep her waiting.”

The two went headed over to the front of the house, waiting for you. They didn’t wait long before you showed up. It still pained you seeing the marks on Jeno’s arms, never having thought someone would get hurt like that here. You had the two follow you over to your house, unlocking the front door.

“Make yourselves at home.”

Jeno and Jaemin followed behind you, looking around in awe. The place was so nice and looked so cozy. Although it made it hard to believe it was just you out here. Other staff members drove here in the morning, and left at night, but this place was your home, just as it was for them.

“Can I ask something?” Jeno wondered.

“Of course.”

“Why do you help hybrids?”

“Because I like to, and I know you all deserve love and happiness.”

“You’re incredible.”

“No, no, I’m just being me.” You smiled. “Did you guys have dinner already?”

“Yes.” Jaemin responded. “We ate.”

“Okay.”

You took the two over to the guest room you had. There was only one bed but neither of them minded, being in your home was already a very kind gesture. You let them know they could wash up if they wanted too. Which also reminded you about Jeno’s wounds. Even though they had been healing you still wanted to look him over and disinfect the fresh ones just to be safe. It pained you, and you were grateful he hadn’t caused trouble.

“We’ll look into this and get it sorted out.”

“Thank you.”

“Alright. I’ll come check on you both before I turn in for the night.”

“Don’t worry about us.” Jaemin smiled. “We’ll be okay.”

“Great.”

Once you were gone Jaemin laid back on the bed, wrapping himself up in the blanket. Jeno looked around some more, checking his bandages.

“These sheets smell like her, so sweet.” Jaemin sighed. “Let’s explore the house.”

“Jaemin-

“Ya! We’re here, we made it, and now we make our move.”

Jaemin didn’t wait to hear anything and slipped out of the room. He looked around with intrigue, taking in the wonderful scent he was surrounded by. Jeno of course followed him despite his original protests.

“She lives alone.”

“That’s perfect.” Jaemin said. “It’s just us in the house, and no one really knows we’re here. So she’s all ours.”

“Where is she?”

“Don’t you hear it? She’s in the shower.”

“Oh.”

“Exactly. Let’s go.”

The two of them snuck over to the master bedroom, hearing the shower running and your humming. They snuck over, slowly opening the door and peeking in. The steam was hiding your body, but the outline was great. Jaemin reached over and grabbed your shirt that was on the floor, taking in a deep breath and handing it to Jeno who did the same.

“She’s ours.”

Jeno shoved Jaemin aside and dropped the shirt, going into the bathroom. He yanked aside the shower door, making you yell and immediately cover your body.

“Jeno… what… did you need something?”

“You.”

“Huh?”

Jeno stepped into the shower, getting drenched, but he didn’t seem to mind. You stepped back, but the space was small and he easily had you cornered and pinned between his arms. He buried his head in the crook of your neck, slightly tickling you.

“Jeno… Jeno what are you-”

“Can you not in the shower?” Jaemin suggested. “I’m not a fan of water.”

“Sounds like your problem.” Jeno chuckled.

“Ya!”

“What are you two doing!”

You pushed Jeno off of you, catching him off guard that he slipped, barely managing to catch himself. You nearly collapsed as well but Jaemin caught you and pulled you out of the tub. Jeno growled at the other, turning off the shower head.

“Still not a fan of water.” Jaemin commented. “But I like having you in my arms.”

“Let go!”

“No. Let’s take this to the bedroom.”

“Jaemin, what the hell is this!”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

You were dragged into your room, Jaemin tossing you on the bed. You quickly scrambled to wrap the blanket around you, ignoring the fact you were soaking your sheets. Jeno soon emerged from the bathroom as well, using a towel to dry his hair.

“We want to be yours.”

“What?”

Jaemin crawled onto bed and pinned you down beneath him, a devilish grin on his face, but you could see such sincerity in his eyes. He pressed his lips to yours, kissing you deeply before he trailed down to your neck.

“Jaemin…”

“I’m glad I have a home.” Jaemin cuddled you. “You’re the best owner a hybrid could ever ask for.”

“I…”

“No one was ever so nice to me.” Jeno got into bed too. “Despite everything you brought me here and kept me safe. I love you for that.”

“Wait, I think you both-”

“Now that we’re all together you won’t be lonely anymore.”

“I’m not…”

“I get it.” Jaemin said. “You’re constantly helping others that you forget about yourself. All the hybrids have one another but you’re all alone here, but now you have us.”

“I… uh… no, wait…”

“Don’t you think you deserve a reward for all your hard work.”

“For being so good to us.” Jeno added. “You’re the best after all.”

Jeno was playfully shoving Jaemin aside, wanting to get his arms around you too. Even though you were still wet and cold, you had to admit their embrace was warm and inviting. You always had something on your mind in regards to the house you never thought much about yourself. Now you had two hybrids in your bedroom who wanted nothing more than to make you happy. It was sweet, but you also weren’t sure this was the right thing to do.

“Guys-”

“Sh. Let’s just stay like this.” Jaemin whined. “You can properly adopt us, and we can help with the house and-”

“I still need to look into Jeno.”

“It was Jaemin.” Jeno mumbled. “He scratched me up.”

“Ya!”

“What! Jaemin!”

“He let me!”

“What!”

“We had to figure out some way into your house.” Jaemin grumbled.

“I cannot believe you two.”

“Sorry…”

You chuckled, followed by a sigh. You stared up at the ceiling. Never in a million years would you have imagined such a situation.

“Can I get up?”

“No, I like this.” Jeno whined. “Stay.”

“You both interrupted my shower, and I’m still naked, and now I have to change my sheets.”

“Oh… right… oops…”

“Just let me get up and get dressed.”

“Promise you won’t leave?” Jaemin asked.

“Why would I leave? This is my house, and I guess it’s your house too.”

“Really!”

“I’m not so sure I could kick you out if I wanted to.”

“Yes! I have a home! Jeno, we have a home!”

The two hugged you tight and peppered you with kisses, tickling you. Somehow you got them to stop and managed to get up, still wrapped in a blanket.

“I guess we’ll all be sleeping in the guest room tonight.”

[gxdsfavgal]

Step Aside

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Kook!fem!Reader

Warning: arguing, just a very short blurb that could potentially be a short series, not edited

Part 2

-

-

There was a party happening this afternoon, I didn’t know who’s it was but everyone knows I’m up for anything.

I got invited by Kelce, my first friend on the island. He taught me the in’s and out’s of the island, in his words I am basically a native now.

But all I know is Pogues and Kooks is a thing here. I’m still not used to it, not used to how Kooks looks down on Pogues.

Anyways, I had a busy day with helping my parents with some paperwork and meetings but I definitely needed a break from reading fine print.

I got ready for the party at Cannyhill? Someplace that ended in ‘hill’. I just knew it wasn’t that far, and that it was definitely a Kook party.

The sun was still beaming even though it was late afternoon, so I decided that shorts and a regular top was the way to go. People here dress differently for these types of parties, designer all around even though they know it’s going to be covered in vomit later on in the night.

I quickly grabbed my things, spraying myself with my signature scent, and left in my car that I always dreamt of when I was younger. 

I sped down the streets with the salty wind in my face as I followed the GPS to the address Kelce sent me. 

As I arrived, I immediately could tell the vibe of this party. It was Kook Central, filled with expensive jungle juice and collared shirts. The loud music was definitely found through social media, because they definitely did not grow up around trap music.

I parked my car on the side of the road for easy access if this party turns out a bust. I walked through the pathway and into the grassy lawn where everyone was at. The music was loud and so was people’s cheers once they saw me.

“Heyyy! Look who’s here!” Kelce and his friends crowded me.

“Finally got out of that damn office.” I joked to them as one of the girls handed me a red solo cup, which I accepted and chugged.

Everyone else waved at me and said their ‘hellos’. 

I began to walk around and talk to the others there, creating conversation about parents and the beach club. Normal “Kook” things I guess that’s what they call it here in the OBX.

“So yeah, my dad got me Hermes sandals from his trip to New York but I hated the color so I just gave them to some lady on the main land.” a random girl whined about to me and her boyfriend ignoring the repetitive story.

“Oh wow. That is so sweet of you.” sarcasm flowed out with my words as my smile didn’t drop once.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt.” Kelce apologized to the couple I was talking to as I pulled me away. “Forgot to introduce you to the host.”

“Lead me to it” I followed behind him as he led me throughout the house, up until I reached the balcony that looked over the party.

There was only a few people up here, exclusive, seemed like you needed to be on the guest list to be up above everyone else.

“Rafe.” Kelce hollered.

A tan and tall body turned towards me, his arm around a shorter girl. Once both of them turned around I was able to see who the girl was.

“Sofia.” I nodded towards her with a friendly smile, and she nodded back with a awkward one.

“Who are you?” Rafe snapped. 

First red flag, having an attitude in the first interaction.

“Y/N Y/L/N” I held out my hand with a smile, hoping to change his tone.

He scoffed and ignored my handshake.

“So what’s got everyone hooting and hollering for you?” he twisted his neck, arm falling off of Sofia’s shoulder.

“That’s a good question. It’s weird, people call me the Kook Queen? I’m new so I do-”

“Kook Queen?” he laughed out loud, clutching his chest as if he was going into a heart attack.

“I mean she basically is the Kook Queen.” Sofia said softly with a chuckle from beside Rafe, which earned a hard stare.

His face was in shock, his eyebrows furrowed, and neck tilted.

“Dude. Her like great great great grandfather-

“I am a descendant of founder of the Outerbanks. It’s nice to see that you guys know your history here.” I laughed to his face while lightly smacking Kelce’s shoulder.

“Hey! Kook Queen has arrived!” I heard from behind me.

“Barry!” I walked up to him to give a light hug.

“How the fuck do you know her?” Rafe asked harshly.

“Calm down Country Club, she lives at Corolla.” Barry laughs as his hand rested on my shoulder. “A lot has changed when you went on your little vacay.”

“Holy shit.” Rafe mumbled under his breath.

“Big ass house ain’t it. Rich ass mofos.” Barry clapped as he left to go back inside Tannyhill.

My head turned quickly at the shadow in the corner of my eye, Rafe’s shadow that was very quick and heavy.

He cleared his throat and bent down to my level. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Rafe Cameron.” he put on a fake friendly smile as his hand was reached out for me to shake.

I happily took his hand and shook it firmly. “Nice to finally meet you Mister Cameron, it seems we have a scheduled meeting coming up soon.” I gave him a smile and a pat on his back. His eyes seemed to almost bulge out of his skull.

[mystic-writings]

remember the nights | chapter thirteen — welcome distractions

WORD COUNT — 1,435

WARNINGS — none

NOTES — i honestly can't believe that i didn't manage to get this chapter up on time, but i swear the next one will be on schedule !! for now enjoy this lovely fluffy filler

previous chapter | masterlist | next chapter

It’s been three weeks since you last saw Newt; since Christmas. New Years came and went, and school started back up, and nothing changed. Things were the same as they were two months ago, and that small flicker of hope died out halfway into the first week of school. 

New Years was fun, though. At midnight, when your father kissed Maggie and Thomas kissed Teresa, you gave Chuck an embarrassing kiss to the cheek, laughing as his already rosy cheeks darkened as he smiled and pushed you away. 

With the end of January approaching, you had new things to worry about. Finals, a new semester, and your dad’s wedding. You weren’t sure what you were more nervous about, the wedding, or having to take Algebra for the next five months. 

Things at home were getting better, and you were learning to live with the rift between you and Thomas — which, admittedly, got a bit smaller during Christmas and New Years. They were picking up, as well, considering the wedding was only a few weeks away. Your parents, ever the romantics, were getting married on Valentines Day, which meant that whatever final planning and preparation needed to be done as quickly as possible. 

Which, of course, led you to here, sitting in the car with Maggie on a disturbingly cold Saturday morning to help her with the rest of the errands she needed to do before the wedding. 

“Okay, I have the bridesmaid’s dresses in my trunk, we have to go drop them off, bring some of the decorations from the backseat to the hall, get some people to help us set up a few of the tables in the hall, and check on the cake at Jorge’s.” Maggie listed off the to-do list for the day as she drove onto the main road. “Your father’s taking care of all of the deliveries from the city, including his brother, who insisted on taking an Uber instead of just letting your dad go get him from the airport.” 

You laughed and nodded, “Uncle Mark hates when dad offers to do stuff for him. Some sort of older brother complex, I’m sure.” 

The car fell silent as you looked out the window. You wished the weather would cooperate with the season and make for a wonderful, winter landscape, but instead all you were left to look at was slush covered roads, and dirty snow piles on the sides of the roads from the plows that ran through yesterday, just before it rained the entire night. 

Dropping off the dresses was a simple enough task, and with a small town and only a few main roads, you were able to get it all done in just about an hour. The bridesmaids picked out their own style dresses, but all of them matched in color; a lovely sage green, which all of the groomsmen would have as their tie color. You were able to put faces to names this way, and being in a bridal party of older women was actually pretty fun. All of the dresses had sticky notes on them to determine what dress belonged to who, and by the end of that errand, the only one left was yours. Maggie had, a long while ago, decided that you were going to be her Maid of Honor, and got you a darker, emerald green dress to make sure that you stood out. 

You remembered when she told you her decision, and how she explained that it was because she saw you as her daughter from the moment you’d first met. She also explained that you wouldn’t be the only young person in the bridal party, as both Chuck and Thomas were serving as your dad’s best man, and would both walk down the aisle with you, as well as wear ties that matched your dress color. 

The decorations were next on the list, and you finally got to see the inside of the Hall, a great tall building on the other side of town, old brickwork and some pillars and balconies dotting the outside. There were some stairs leading up to a pillared front porch, all concrete and really old. It looked like an old-American style house, one that someone important would’ve lived in during the 1800s. 

Maggie’s backseat had been occupied by the boxes of decorations for weeks now, and she was finally able to give them over to the people who worked at the Hall, who would set everything up a day or two beforehand to take some trouble off of Maggie and your dad’s backs. 

The inside was fairly nice. It’d been gutted and remodeled long ago, and probably never updated since. White walls, a staircase leading up to who knows what, an industrial kitchen, built in bar, and public washrooms. The windows made sure that the sunlight lit up the room perfectly, but it looked odd to see it so empty. 

You could see down the hall where the bathroom was that there was a different door, probably one that led to the side of the house, and another one by the stairs that likely led into the backyard. Tables and chairs littered the outside of a double doorway on the very right side of the hall, so you assumed that’s where most of the storage was kept. 

The few people inside the hall helped bring all the boxes in and put them by the stairs, while another few went to work on packing away the tables and chairs into the storage room. Every sound echoed in the hall, the slight scrape of metal against the polished wood floor, the exertion of bringing in all those boxes, everything. 

From there, you went to Jorge’s cafe to check up on the cake and pastries, only to find him and Brenda taste testing the macarons and frosted cookies. They spent almost an hour talking about what was going to be served at the wedding, along with the final touches of the cake and frosting. 

It was heading into the late afternoon when you got home, and you found your father in the living room, hanging up the phone just as you stepped inside. “Everything go okay?”

“Yep,” Maggie nodded. “Everyone got their dresses, Malcolm and Jack came by the hall to help bring in the decorations, and Jorge is working very hard on those pastries.”

You held up your garment bag as proof, and your dad nodded at you with a smile. 

“Well, everything on my end went well. Everything should get here on time.” He walked up to Maggie, pressing a kiss to her cheek before side-hugging you. “I called and confirmed everything with the florists, the chair guy, the table guy, the dress lady, the suit tailor, and arranged an Uber for my brother. Tables and chairs are getting here the morning before, dress and suits that afternoon, and the flowers the morning of, which my brother said he would take care of.” 

Maggie smiled bright, pressing a kiss to your dad’s cheek and patting his arm. She grabbed your dress and took it upstairs, leaving you and your dad alone in the foyer. 

“Are you excited, dad?”

“You have no idea, kiddo.” He sighed, ruffling your hair. “I haven’t been this excited since you were born. But I should be asking how you’re feeling about all this. I haven’t exactly had the chance to talk to you—” 

“Dad, I’m fine. I’m 110% okay with this, you have nothing to worry about.” You assured him. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. She’s a great woman. You chose good.”

“I know.” He said. “Sometimes, though, I feel a bit… weird, but I don’t know why. Your mom’s been gone how long, now? I’m happy, but I still miss her.” 

“So do I, dad.” You told him. “I miss her a lot. But marrying Maggie doesn’t change that mom was a big part of your life, you know. You have enough room in your heart to love them both.” 

Your dad smiled, eyes wet with tears, before pulling you into a hug, kissing the crown of your head. “I love you so much, kiddo.” 

“I know, dad.” 

He let you go and made his way toward his office, and you watched him go. You couldn’t stop the overwhelming feeling of pride for your dad filling your chest, mixing with the love that was already there. No matter what your relationship with Thomas was by the time your parents got married, you were determined to not let it ruin anything. 

Not if you could help it.

series taglist: @heliads @ghostofscarley @badbatch-simp24 @virginia-peters @third-broparcelicito @lamolaine @yes-fangirl-things (open!)

[tarisilmarwen]

RobStar Week 2023, Day 2 - Carnival/Amusement Park

(Shhh, I know I'm late.)

---

Kory glanced aside at Dick knowingly as he switched the turn signal on, moving them towards the right lane of the highway.

He took his eyes off the road briefly, sending her a conspiratorial wink.

Grinning, Kory waited until they were about half a mile away from their exit, before calling back to the two children in the backseat, both slumped over and staring glumly out their windows, disappointed over the end of their trip.

"Mar'i? Jake? Can you look out the window to your right and tell me what you see?" she asked them, failing to hide the mischievous sparkle in her green eyes.

Mar'i was on the right side, and lifted her head from her chin curiously, sending a puzzled squint out the window as the sign for the exit came up.

They knew the moment she'd realized because an ear-splitting excited squeal at an unholy decible shook the car.

"IT'S WETZLEYWOOOOOORLD!" Mar'i shouted, fists clenched, bouncing in her seat.

"What's Wetzleyworld?" asked Jake, leaning over and straining to see.

"Oh my gosh, Jake, it's so fun! We came once when you and I were little, I think you were two, it's the most awesomest, funnest, coolest place ever!" She squealed again, the seatbelt straining to contain her as she floated a half-inch above her seat. "It's got bumper cars and rock climbing and rollercoasters and a Ferris wheel and-"

Dick and Kory smiled at each other from the front seats, pleased at having kept the impromptu visit a surprise for their little ones.

"Hope they still have the Whirl-a-Gig Tower," Dick commented, sliding the car neatly into the exit lane.

"Oh yes, that one was one of my favorites as well," Kory agreed, nodding. Her eyes pinched suddenly, skin wrinkling between her brows. "Did you hear they tore down the Sonic Splashdown?"

He glanced askance at her. "No!" he said, dismayed and in disbelief. "Aww man, we loved that one. It was the perfect cooldown ride for summer."

"I hear they have revamped it with a newer style. It will still be a water ride just... not as big," she hastened to inform him, not quite able to hide her own disappointment.

Dick gave a grumbling sigh. "Guess it can't be helped." He checked over with her, pulling them up to a stoplight. "You've got all our passes?"

She nodded, slipping her hand into the canvas bag in her lap and producing them, four slightly folded sheets of paper. "Indeed. We need to present these at the front gates, which will gain us admittance, and then we must report to the Customer Service booth to gain the laminated badges."

He reached over and squeezed her hand, warmly affectionate. "Thanks for handling that, Star," he told her gratefully. "I know it was a lot to handle on short notice."

Kory flipped a bit of her hair back proudly. "It was nothing," she declared. "I rather enjoyed talking to the service representative; she was very nice and helpful and is expecting a third child in May."

Dick chuckled. Leave it to his Starfire to make friends with a total stranger.

The light flipped to green and he released the brake, taking the turn into the drive that led to the main entrance.

***

The crowds were impressive, several groups of students, families, and youth groups in matching shirts scattered here and there, and dozens of individual families milling around as well. The noise of their talking was matched only by the noise of the amenities, roaring coasters rattling on their tracks, vendors hawking for players at the prize booths, popcorn and cotton candy machines going full steam. The park's kindly mascot, Wetzley the Walrus, twinkled round black eyes out from plushies, billboards, and signage.

Mar'i was already begging for a giant pink flamingo prize hanging above the baseball toss. Dick paid the extra fee and let Kory have the honors, watching her wind up and let a rip with just a touch of her alien strength.

Just a touch was all it took, toppling the whole stack of weighted bottles with a magnificent clatter. Kory beamed as the attendant handed her the flamingo, and Dick felt a rush of nostalgia and adoration; His wife had wanted the same stuffed prize years and years ago when they'd first come here, on what was technically their first date. Technically because they had still been in that weird awkward stage of, "We're just friends, we don't totally like each other at all, but I still really care about impressing you."

The asshole who had prevented him from even taking a turn at the game was no longer working that particular booth, he was satisfied to see.

Mar'i was making grabby hands with her fingers. "Can I hold it? Can I? Can I?"

Kory frowned. "I do not believe that is a good idea, Mar'i. It it much larger than you are, and we do not want to attract attention."

"Awwww!" Mar'i groaned in disappointment, dropping her hands.

"Besides," Dick said, coming up closer, "we're going to have them reserve it at the front for us. That way it won't get wet or dirty before we take it home."

Mar'i mumbled but accepted that logic. Jake, meanwhile, had spotted the carousel.

"MOMMY!" he squealed, pointed excitedly. "DADDY! THEY HAVE A SEAHORSE!"

"Yeah?" Dick responded, leaning down with hands on his knees, matching his son's excitement.

"Yes, see!"

"Well we'd better go ride it then," he urged, taking the flamingo as Kory passed it to him, handing it in turn to the park runner who had just been summoned to fetch the large prize to the front for safekeeping.

Jake was off like a rocket, his sister three steps behind him.

"Do not get too far ahead!" Kory called in worried warning, trying to keep up.

***

When all the coasters had been ridden at least once—and some of them twice—multiple snacks consumed, both children's faces painted with bright designs—Mar'i had gotten a swirling gold and silver configuration called Azure Princess and Jake had gotten the tusks and beady eyes of the ever-ubiquitous Wetzley—and everyone's calves and feet were thoroughly exhausted Dick finally called an end to the day.

Mar'i trudged along sleepily at his side, while Kory held a dozing Jake, his little arms draped around her shoulders.

"I am glad we could share this with them again," Kory said, as they made their way through the exit gate, picking up their flamingo on the way. She smiled in a way that made his heart flip inside him. "This is still my favorite place to come with you," she said, voice soft.

His cheeks heated and like that he was mentally fifteen again, gaping in awe at how pretty she was, how vibrant and full of life and endless enthusiasm.

"Yeah," was all he could say to agree.

Their hands found each other's as they walked across the parking lot, son and daughter and flamingo in tow, the orange light of sunset splashing across the sky.

[justanotherblogger]

A World Without Him

Chapter 18

Tang barely had any time to process what the soldier said before she started moving away, managing to get further and further out of reach before he could even respond. He scrambled to catch up, tripping more times than he could count from the bumps and potholes in the road.

She said Zach woke up. If it was that fast, his injury must not have been that serious. I'm glad he's ok. Hopefully he'll be well enough to speak. Thoughts like this filled his head as he caught up to her. He was being taken down the main road, and the soldier, thankfully giving Tang's ankles and psyche some semblance of rest, eventually slowed her pace for him and didn't say anything else.

He took a minute to catch his breath next to her, holding a hand over his chest as they went past many people working for the day. He saw patrolling guards chatting with each other, workers transporting goods in wooden crates, and many other people cleaning buildings or reinforcing the barricade set up between the trees.

Wait, there's a barricade? Tang did a double take, staring at the giant wooden configuration behind all the greenhouses and work buildings. He… never noticed it before. It's no wonder why those officials were so uptight at my arrival. How did I get past that thing unnoticed?...

Squinting his eyes and looking closer beyond the camp, he could see the outline of a huge, wooden wall situated in the surrounding forest. It had almost twice the amount of soldiers patrolling it compared to the main area, and all of them wore strange masks on their faces unlike everyone inside. Each one had the exact same pattern: bright neon coloring with a complex symbol repeated over the dark fabric.

As soon as he saw them, Tang noticed his gut start to sink subconsciously. A feeling of something being just out of place burrowed into his head as he continued to stare at the masks. He just couldn't take his eyes off of them, and yet, looking at those things for too long was starting to make his skin crawl uncontrollably.

This feeling got so intense that he didn't even realize he had stopped walking. His eyes were hollow as his surroundings blurred, the initial fatigue and mission forgotten in the huge surge of unease. He probably would've stayed that way, too, if not for a hand landing violently onto his shoulder, bringing him back to reality.

He spun away sharply from the wooden border and toward the hand's source, blinking dumbly when he and the guide were face to face again. Her eyes narrowed at him, the strong grip on his shoulder grounding him in place.

“What are you doing?” She asked suspiciously, glancing to where he was staring so intently at.

Tang waved his hands in surrender, quickly trying to come up with an excuse. “Oh! Well, erm, I was just looking at all the new places and people here. Never a dull moment when everyone is constantly moving and doing something around this place. This is really the first time I've seen more of the area after all that lifeless busy work, so I guess I got a bit overwhelmed at the-”

“Ok, ok. Let's just get going. He doesn't like when people are late.” She interrupted, letting his shoulder go and turning back to the road. Tang decided to ignore that very ominous comment at the end for his own (fickle) sanity, now focussing on anything other than the barricade or whatever would be close to it. This apprehension eventually led him back to his guide.

Small details filled his brain as he observed, hands itching for his sketchbook to let his hands do something. From a quick once-over, the woman seemed to be no older than 30, with her silky black hair tied into a tight bun and her gray eyes filled with trained apathy, any of her thoughts or emotions hidden away from onlookers.

He also noticed she seemed highly ranked. She had a hat like the Head Soldier, and it was one that had more badges and stripes on it as well.

Looking away from the soldier in front of him, Tang let his legs rest while taking slow, careful steps. The soldier then stayed with his rhythm, never letting him get too far behind in his fluctuating pace. After a while of walking, he startled to fiddle with the bell on his wrist as his mind drifted from the guide, getting distracted by the surrounding area again. He didn't look past the buildings now.

Anyways, he saw in real time how the developed buildings thinned out as tents or dirt training grounds overtook the leftover space. The other soldiers on these grounds seem to have just started their afternoon drills, running laps, shooting guns at targets, and holding planks as the duo walked past.

They never did stop for any of these new settlements, though, just calmly walking further and further past them, with all of those places also eventually thinning out leaving only the forest and wooden barrier. Only after even the hum of shouted drills and stomping feet faded into the background, did the guide finally stop her pace and turn to face Tang.

“We're going to an undisclosed location for the meeting with your companion. Since it is located outside of this base, I'll need you to wear a blindfold for the rest of our trek. This is just a safety precaution, so please try not to struggle.” She said curtly while leading him aside and right onto the edge of the surrounding forest.

She then pulled a long piece of navy cloth out of one of her many pockets while Tang nervously took off his glasses and hung them on his uniform collar. He couldn't see anything clearly without them, and it wasn't like he could memorize the entire layout of the woods from one trip, but he was betting that the soldier wouldn't trust his words as far as she could throw him. (Well, he might have to rephrase that as from her arms alone, as she looks like she could definitely throw him at least a few feet if needed)

She quickly wrapped the cloth around his head, tying a knot in the back so tight that Tang couldn't see even the tiniest slivers of light coming through it. “Thank you for your cooperation. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but we don't have any leniency for leaks. I'll try my best to keep you from tripping or hitting anything on our way there.”

Her voice had the barest hint of emotion as she apologized. It was noticeable compared to her cold demeanor from when she first walked up to him: a small pang of sympathy in her tone. Tang just nodded his head, hopefully in her direction as he guessed from her previous apology.

She then, slowly and gently, grabbed his wrist and started to walk into the forest brush. It was a strong hold, but one that wasn't bruising or harsh against his raw skin. Tang was grateful for the small mercy as they continued.

They had a small stop at what Tang assumed was the barrier, his guide whispering with what was probably a guard before said guard opened up what sounded like a heavy door, based on how it dragged on the dirt floor, and let them through.

The sounds of the rustling leaves and the small chirps of birds were the only things Tang could make out clearly. The breeze that made the sound ruffled his clothes, blew dead leaves through the air, (with some smacking Tang straight in the face due to his loss of sight. One leaf even made it down his throat and he had to cough for a solid minute, hunched against a tree with the soldier patting his back hard to get it out) and left his loose wisps of hair to wave in the wind as he walked.

The guide didn't say or do much other than lead him through the forest, but she did mutter small warnings for roots to step over or branches to duck under (which he would be grateful for if not for her lack of warning for the flying leaves of all things. Maybe that was on him for almost dying to something as stupid as that, though). He didn't want another face full of dirt or whatever else there was in here.

But it's not like he's in a place where he can complain.

After being made to take too many nonsensical detours and sometimes even backtracking more times than he could count, the scenery around them finally started to change. The ground of dead leaves and dirt smoothed out into plain grass as he was apparently led out of the forest.

The guide then put a hand on his chest, signaling him to stop, and let go of his wrist, leaving Tang for a second before speaking up, now behind him. “We've arrived.” Was the only thing she said as she undid the blindfold.

His eyes were immediately overwhelmed at the harsh sunlight, leaving Tang squinting hard and blinking out the spots. Once his eyes adjusted, he reached for the glasses on his collar and put them on, readying himself for what he was about to see.

Tang's reaction was immediate. His eyes, initially slightly curious and tired, were now high sprung and alert, flicking from place to place as he looked over what was before him.

The area seemed as if it was flattened out, most of the ground being only flat grass with the trees circling around the cutout. That was except for two hills, one straight ahead and the other to Tang's left, and a lake, or what was left of it with the water being less than a foot deep, to the right.

On the left hill stood a dead willow tree, a bizarre sight as the surrounding wood was mostly pine. However, the center hill is what really caught his eye. It was big, at least 5 feet tall, and was more of a slope down as it took up half the cutout.

On top of it was a giant stone monastery with cracks, vines, and other signs of wear scattered around showing its age. It had a wide arch as an entrance, with dirt steps carved out of the hill it was atop leading up to it.

Oh no. Was Tang’s only thought. It repeated over and over in his head as he was grabbed by his wrist yet again and was led toward the huge building. There were other smaller setups next to the building, but he didn't pay attention to them. The huge stone menace burned into his brain, invoking emotions deep down in his gut he thought he had long forgotten.

They had reached the dirt stairs in no time. Each step put a load onto Tang’s shoulders as he couldn't stop his emotions and thoughts from overflowing and filling his head with jumbled garbage he couldn't make any sense of. They just kept getting closer and closer, and he didn't want to know what would happen to him when he went past that entrance if this was his reaction to merely looking at it.

His stomach dropped as they reached the top. He craned his neck up to look at the intricate detailing lining the archway, moving his head away from what was past this point. He braced himself for what was to come, his hands clammy as he clenched his fists in anticipation.

They walked forward…

And then turned to the right.

Tang’s whiplash from deep dread to straight up confusion caused him to blink hard a few times to regain his bearings. Looking back up, they were still walking along the side of the monastery, not going inside as he had thought. He turned his head back behind him, seeing the archway getting farther and farther away.

A huge feeling of what seemed to be relief filled his senses, letting him focus back onto where they were actually going. Twisting his head back to the front, he saw that up ahead was one of the biggest tents he had ever seen in this camp.

It was almost triple the normal size compared to where he was being monitored, and had more workers surrounding as they ran in and out rapidly, delivering or taking many things at once. One even ran past them, almost bumping into him, and towards the entrance of the monastery with what seemed like a pile of used needles.

Tang already had a good idea of what this place was supposed to be even before being ushered into the tent. The inside was even crazier than the outside. Rows of beds lined the interior as people dressed in white ran around either preparing equipment or checking up on a current patient.

Countless grounds and cries echoed through the tent, though this noise was something Tang was used to by now. This didn't seem like the case for his guide, though, as she scrunched her brow and held onto his wrist a bit tight as she pulled him through the chaos.

Many different patients and injuries flew by him as they ran through. Burns, amputation, concussions, and major lacerations were the main things he could catch glimpses of through all the medical personnel. This made him wonder why these people were in such bad shape in the first place.

But he wasn't able to ask before he was suddenly pulled away and into a section near the back closed off by multiple white curtains. Soldiers were also situated right outside of the closed off area, giving away who was probably in the bed in front of him.

Zach looked worse for wear. His eyes were tired as he was surrounded by many more personnel, checking his vitals and IV as they asked him questions. Tang could barely hear his answers from how quiet they were, almost being drowned out from the other commotion surrounding them.

But almost as soon as he sat down next to the bed, all the personnel seemed to quicken up their pace, hushing each other as each one sprinted out of there in record time. The only people left by then were him, his guide standing next to him, and Zach, not including the soldiers stationed outside.

And awkward silence was cast among them. Tang really didn't know what to do here, as he's only known Zach for a day at most and didn't know how to comfort the kid. Luckily, he was saved the trouble as loud footsteps came close to the area, causing the guide to perk up and walk over to the entrance.

Hushed words were exchanged with whoever was on the other side, their body being obscured by the white curtains. The conversation seemed to go sour almost immediately, though, with his guide getting cut off at just one harsh command, leaving her quiet.

She came back in with her face schooled again, regaining her place next to Tang and putting her hands behind her back. Then the curtains parted yet again, revealing whoever she had been talking with.

To Tang's surprise, it was an elderly man, one who was wearing tan robes and held a wooden cane. He had a full head of white and gray hair, eyes a dark brown as he glanced at the guide. Looking away, he slowly walked over to an empty chair and plopped himself down across from Tang with Zach between them on the bed.

The old man kept his head down as he only glanced up, staring Tang down with a harsh look the scholar couldn't quite make sense of. He didn't really need to, as two other soldiers came in, one with a clipboard in hand.

Tang recognized the two as the ones from his own interrogation, Red Hair and Aggressive Guy whispering some nonsense to each other as he stared them down. Aggressive Guy then huffed and sat down as Red Hair walked up to Zach, exchanged a few words with the taxi driver, and then stood up next to the bed, readying her clipboard.

Previous | Next | Start

[aestheticvoyage2024]

Day 251: Saturday September 7, 2024 - "Brunch in Napa"

We enjoyed a nice easy morning together at the hotel in the Berkeley Marina, where William enjoyed the boats and the pool while I enjoyed the cool weather. We beat the heat here this weekend and there was no reason to rush home - after all, we had the rental to five and surely thered be later flights from Oakland to Phoenix. Audrie and I both came to the same conclusion to just let the day flow, and since I had the idea of a return leg to Napa (I was last here ten years ago, when the earth shook, very literally, the weekend before I decided to come off the road), she just let me skip-to-the-lou and lead the way for a nice day. The view was spectacular, the air is fresh and cool - I am glad that she had the same idea - I made sure she was rewarded as handsomely as I could provide. Which started with brunch on the back patio of Downtown Joes. I enjoyed some california benedict, and didn't even pay attention to what anyone else had ordered because my own was so damn good. The coffee fresh and Mama enjoyed a bottomless mimosa that the staff kept full with alacrity, mostly because our little lion was bringing them all so much joy. In fact, when we were done eating they both, separately, at the same idea of giving William Ice creams - so he got two. And he ate them both. Audrie was blown away by how memorably friendly everyone was, and I was happy myself to know that what I experienced myself ten years ago was no fluke. Yea, its a cool vibe right? If you look in the right places!

We walked the town and the makers market, and the streets, and pointed out some of the damage to old buildings from that quake in 2014. Some restored - some not. After sipping a glass of wine on the front hearth of Vermeils, I led the family down Main Street to where the oldet building in town was, the same that spotlighted my photoaday back in 2014 - with its big yellow old timey rocks spleighed out in the street. I wanted to know if that got put back together - and oh what a doozy of story that ended up becoming. The old Vinters Collective building was indeed rebuilt and was still indeed the old structure in Napa. But more than that, this place played a central role in making the moment of this day's story. By the time we'd left Audrie's purse was lighter and soul free-er and happier and both of us were satisfied with a replenished old feeling of being in flow with the universe. William had learned to uncork a wine bottle, and we had new Napa friends to add to our Christmas list. And it was neat that our hostess was as excited about all of it as we were. We could tell that authentically we had really made her day. And she was so in love with us that she gladly is shipping us our wine that Audrie picked out. 3 hours later - that trip up to Napa was declaratively a success. Happy Wife, Happy Life. We need more of this in our lives and we both know it. This is us at our best and I was happy to think of the universe winking at me with it this weekend with the rental car guy, the hotel lady, and now our hostess in Napa all giving us really positive feedback - as if we maybe have unlocked something new.

We now hustled back to Oakland to make that "later flight" that we were sure would be avaialble and was, and I had set us up for success by driving to Phoenix Friday morning to make this commute back as stress free as possible - and it was, Audrie stressed, but I reminded her that she had a lot of mimmosa and wine! It actually timed up perfect, and I was grateful to have my teammate with me for the return jaunt - everything is easier with Mama. We would make it home by 9 and then sit up eating noodle bowls talking about precious moments and what worked and how good we had done together. Building something - and setting some markers out there. Napa can be a place in the world that we know will always be kind to us - it always has to me and that more than the wine can always be our happy reason to come back here.

Song: Led Zeppelin - Going To California

Quote: “In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted shortcuts to love. When a man comes to die, no matter what his talents and influence and genius, if he dies unloved his life must be a failure to him and his dying a cold horror. It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world.

We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly re-spawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.”

–John Steinbeck, East of Eden

[lovewilder]

Orchards (part 1)

The Family 

It was 4:12 PM, and the crew was packing up tables and tents as the wind added a chill to the already crisp air. Just as the idea of heading to my warm car and grabbing dinner crossed my mind, a white SUV barrelled down the unpaved road. Despite the main gate supposedly being locked, there stood a family of four—mom looking unhappy, dad mirroring her mood, and the children wide-eyed, they explaining they were sent from our market about 10 miles away. Oddly, no call had alerted us of their arrival.

Curious, I asked, "How did you get through our front gates?" The woman, her voice filled with rage, replied, "The small woman with blonde hair let me in, and she also tried to turn me around." It clicked that our farm manager, Linda, must have stepped in. The market had contacted her, and she told them not to let the woman in after 3:30 PM. The family, unaware of this, turned a 5-minute drive into a 45-minute ordeal, arriving after their reservation.

Facing the frustrated family, I explained our closing time was 4 PM, as clearly stated on their ticket. The woman, with her family and looking down, shared they had come from two hours south of town, blaming traffic for the delay. Understanding but firm, I maintained a serious tone with a touch of kindness, giving them only 10 minutes to pick apples before they had to leave. With a bag in hand, she led her family into the orchards.

The Orchards

The orchards sprawl expansively, a vast tapestry of brightly colored nature. Ascending the tallest hill on the right side of the fields, with your back turned to the main road, the panorama unfolds like a live painting—a dream realized. The trees, with hypnotic choreography, sway in the breeze, extending for miles. This year, their foliage, a shade greener than seasons past. Against the deep blue canvas of the sky, adorned with clouds that cast sprawling shadows, the view is a priceless spectacle, transcending the value that mere currency could ascribe.

The clouds here possess a profound depth, a unique character unfound elsewhere, and the air carries whispers from the trees. Amidst this serene expanse, a constant hum of bees adds a gentle soundtrack to the distant scenery. The fragrance of marigolds, carried by the wind, completes the sensory symphony.

Here, tranquility reigns supreme. The orchard's rows create a natural barrier, muting sound and allowing only a select few to venture beyond the weekends. From 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, those with a pre-purchased ticket have the privilege to wander the orchards, hand-picking apples grown for generations. The sacredness of this place is preserved; it's a haven for nature lovers, a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the earth that nurtures our sustenance.

The orchards are meticulously tended, surrounded by a fence more akin to a protective wall. While most wildlife is left undisturbed, a fortress-like barrier shields the trees from potential threats posed by deer and trespassers alike. In this carefully preserved enclave, the orchards stand as a testament to the delicate balance between cultivation and preservation, inviting those who are granted access to partake in a communion with nature.

Linda

Linda is a truly unique individual. She's honest and candid about her past struggles with addiction, which cost her everything. However, she got help and managed to turn her life around. Her relationship with her husband has shifted from being life partners to a more platonic connection, and only one of her sons still maintains contact with her, as much of her family has ostracized her.

Linda's early life was marked by wealth, she always had beautiful blonde hair, living a very affluent life with her parents and siblings. However, she lacked direction and purpose. She lost control, becoming entangled in the nightlife, eventually becoming pregnant and finding herself unable to care for her child. It was at this point that she decided to enter a recovery program to overcome her addiction and get clean. Which she did get clean, mostly besides weed. 

She went on to have a second son and managed to salvage a connection with her husband, if not their marriage itself. Linda faced her consequences head-on and made the conscious choice to rebuild her life. As she shared this story with me, she handed me a joint, and we sat on the highest hill to the right of the field, facing away from the main road. It was 4:30 PM, and the lady and her family were still nowhere to be seen, just their white SUV parked in the field. 

We exchanged glances and took one more puff. Gazing out into the orchards, Linda said, "Well, you start walking the top rows, and I'll begin from the bottom. We'll walk each row until we find them." I couldn't help but think that this situation was my responsibility; I had told the family they had 15 minutes, and I should have turned her away. Linda, though irritated by my compliance, had no desire to return home. She had grown to love this orchard, which reminded her of her family's farm from her childhood.

The Walk

I waved as I walked to the left while she headed to the right. There’s a lot of rows to cover and as darkness falls, visibility dwindles. "This is what happens when you make exceptions,I should have been home by now" I mutter to myself as I head towards Row 1, avoiding groundhog holes. There is no cell service out here. I only have a walkie-talkie with a signal to only Linda and the toll house.

Still a bit high, I begin my journey. The rows of apple trees are hypnotizing, their trunks intertwined in perfect statue-like harmony, and the scent of fermentation fills the air from fallen, rotting apples. Every step feels like I'm making no progress at all, but after years of doing this job, I've learned that's how people get lost. Depending on where you are, there's a big white house on a hill, serving as a perfect marker. However, sometimes it's not visible, and every row appears identical to the untrained eye.

When you start working at this farm, walking the orchards once a day becomes your primary job. You begin at one end and spend hours moving down each row one by one. They tell you to sing while you work to maintain your sanity. But after years, I've come to believe it's because the trees enjoy it. Linda has taught me a few songs for our walks, but sometimes I relish feeling lost, caught in a singular moment. Nevertheless, that moment always passes, and I select a song to pass the time, watching the trees sway on either side of me.

As I continue, I realize it's been quite some time. The sun is about to set, so I radio Linda to check which row she's on. She radios back to me that she's almost done, and we each have just two rows left. This family has to be close by now. The sun is setting faster than I anticipated, and I break into a run to cover the remaining rows before sundown. The family is still nowhere to be found. 

[hihigherdi]

I was running an errand when suddenly a little brown kitten dashed in front of me. I pulled over and it scattered under a trailer, I was in a part of town that has a lot of unhoused people and extreme drug use. I went to the store across the street and got some cat food, and it ran out immediately and started devouring it. It’s not in great shape. Then suddenly a second appeared, more beautiful than the first. It’s a high traffic road and just a matter of time before they die, so I went home, got more food and carrying cases and decided I’d try to grab them. They are super skittish and refuse to let me touch them but came up very close to me to eat, so I figure I just had to be patient. So I sat there for about an hour while they both ate two cans of food each and downed some water. I slowly inched the food bowls in the cat carriers but they are Maine coons who are super smart, so no go.

A woman came out of a trailer which looks more like a chop shop. She’s doing a lot of meth. I asked if she knew whose cats these were and she said “those are mine, Minnie and Peekaboo. My cat just had kittens they are about 5 months old, I just don’t know where the mom went.” I immediately apologized and started packing my stuff up, so bummed because it’s a terrible life for them but it’s their property. I asked if I could just stay until they were done eating, and she said it was fine. A few minutes later, she said her husband agreed that if I could catch one, I could take it home because ‘I had a nice voice’. Relieved, I this led her, we exchanged names and chatted a bit. She went inside and I just hung out.

I had the grey one in a carrier so carried it to the car, thinking I’d just try to grab one at a time. But she slipped out! UGH. I could tell they were full so I decided to go and come back later. I just have my vet subscribed wet food which might not be good for them so just door dashed some kitten food and I’ll try again tonight. I’m not sure what I’ll do when I get them, I’d love to keep one but that might kick Bud’s feline leukemia into gear, and Minnie would hate it. So my plan is to take them to the ASPCA, they are a no kill shelter and these cats are so beautiful, someone will give them good homes.

I hope I’m doing the right thing. The place they are in now is essentially a junk yard and there are so many cars. And, Theresa is feeding them and they sleep on her bed at times so they aren’t totally exposed. I just don’t think cats should live in the streets but I’m absolutely open to some advice if you think any classism or prejudice is showing up. Thank you.