#I knew this would be long. raya this is your fault

[cyberllfe]

I’m late with the writers ask🧍🏻‍♀️

THAT BEING SAID

🎀 - give yourself a compliment about your own writing (do it again🔫🧍🏻‍♀️)

🤍 - what's one fic of yours you think people didn't "get"?

🪄 - what is your post-writing/sharing aftercare? How do you take care of yourself or celebrate yourself when you've finished a fic?

🕯️ - was there a fic that was really hard on you to write, or took you to a place you didn't think it would take you?

And an extra one I made up because I can:

👀 - Do you have any scenes of any of your fics that didn’t make it into the fic?

GLaDOS voice you monster (affectionate)

🎀 give yourself a compliment about your own writing

I’ve literally done this once this week. is that not enough for you? don’t answer that

okay: last time I talked about making writing tangible. this time I guess I want to talk about language, I guess? I try to choose words with a lot of care for feel and connotation so I can communicate the right ideas. editing for word choice feels a lot like running my fingers over sanded material looking for rough spots: I can feel the parts where the words don’t fit, and can usually find something that clicks in more smoothly.

conversely, for tense scenes where I want it to feel abrasive, I can usually find a word for that too. I love to describe, as I’m sure you can’t fail to notice. I’m actively trying to avoid being too discursive with it, so striking a balance between action and feeling and description is a work in progress.

🤍 what’s one fic of yours that you think people didn’t “get”?

I don’t know that I have a fic that fits this description, honestly, except maybe echoes and reflections on a technicality: you haven’t seen enough of the repercussions of the divergence event to see how the au will pan out compared to its original ‘verse. I don’t particularly think that’s a fair answer, though, considering it’s sat at a published prologue and that’s it.

a question of time might be an answer for a similar reason, but not because readers don’t “get” it, so much that I just… haven’t told you everything yet. I’ve been purposefully holding some things back so that, post-finale, if/when you reread the earlier stuff should feel different. I want it tainted by your knowledge of where the story ends up. I want you to see the whole story in a different light for having finished it. I want it to echo in your mind when I’m done.

I… should probably finish writing chapter 8.

🪄 what is you post-writing/sharing aftercare? How to you take care of yourself/celebrate yourself after you’ve finished a fic?

ohhh alright so. I don’t do much in terms of celebrating, really, though I’m usually very happy to publish. it’s exciting. I tend to take a few minutes to reflect, sift through my notes and save them. I save a finalised copy of published fic/chapter bc inevitably I change stuff on the final edit that isn’t in my working doc. then I kinda just coast on vibes for a while. listen to music. think about where I’m headed next

🕯️was there a fic that was really hard on you to write, or took you to a place you didn’t think it would take you?

hard? less so, but last call surprised me. I was expecting a quick 5k pwp about Connor banging someone in a bar bathroom and I did not write that

when I started writing it I ended up hitting a block with character personalities, which has already pretty much solidified in my mind, which meant I had to resolve their various flavours of idiocy before I could get to the smut fun part. it ended up being a lot longer and a lot more emotional than I expected, and get a much warmer reception than I thought it would too.

it’s a very self-contained setting too, which was not intentional, and that surprise me but in hindsight—I really didn’t notice that we don’t leave the bar until after I’d finished writing it.

👀 do you have any scenes of any of your fics that didn’t make it into the fic?

oh this is rude bc you KNOW the answer is yes. I write a lot of background that doesn’t make it into the fics, extras that clarify background conversations to help me get ‘voice’ right, or to help make sure I can keep the continuity of non-POV characters’ plot lines. I’ll give you a couple of examples because I’m a tease, but if you want anything more you’re gonna have to ask very nicely

towards the end of last call you’ll find this:

Face under control, or so you hope, you sweep your eyes down the bar. You’re caught at once by Hank and Connor, stuck in an animated conversation that looks very much like an argument. Neither has noticed you.

On your approach you find you can hear nothing at all of what Connor is saying, but the pitch of Hank’s voice carries further. You catch tone first, then words, but the only part that make sense is the phrase something about it spoken as an exasperated rhetorical question, and a softer if you’re sure.

Hank spots you, after that, so you raise a hand in greeting, as you usually do, and bring him the drink he hadn’t had chance to order before.

Neither Hank nor Connor seems to suspect you overheard part of their conversation, but Connor at least still seems lost in thought. Hank and Ben bicker amicably, discussing the music, some case from work, the Gears game from last week.

wonder what they’re discussing? well, Connor mentions it later, but I wrote the conversation in full at some point — Connor doubting himself, Hank telling him that after everything that happened, if he wanted something more than friendship, he was going to have to make that abundantly clear.

sketched out but not fully written as well was Hank scheming a little with Jo: asking about the stock check, how long it would take, was it near the back office behind that sticky door… commenting that it must be quiet back there… laughing into his drink when Connor has his own little lightbulb moment. Connor knows all of this, of course, but takes it a intended: encouragement to, in Hank’s words, do something about it… if you’re sure this is what you want. ✨

a question of time has a BUNCH of loops ideas I didn’t use, but some I’m planning on showing as fragments or messing with more in the finale, so you’re not getting any of that; I have a lot of subsequent notes for let him hear because I got far too carried away with that fic. I have a LOAD of backstory half-written for unbruised, mostly relating to what became of Jericho and it’s people, the fall of CyberLife, and Talia’s association with Connor and Sixty. I wanted good solid groundwork for plot but it’s unlikely to make it into the fic—it doesn’t add much, it’s just useful for little fragments when I need to give context to those relationships.

lastly, and most recently: made for me.

two things I half wrote but didn’t include: nines’ phone call when we meet him for the second time, who he was talking to, what they were talking about; then, later, his entire conversation with Sixty while the others are out of the room and can’t hear them. Let’s say Sixty is perceptive in a way that Nines rather wishes he wasn’t. 😏 He knooooooows that Nines is up to no good ✨

send me an emoji from this fic writer ask meme✨

[bunnys-kisses]

ugly guys

max verstappen

cw: smut/pwp, teammates au, driver!reader, doggy style, (non-con) filming/recording, jealousy, (semi)dark fic, mad!max, long fic,

a/n: happy, happy, happy birthday to yooooou!!

max could usually keep his expressions to himself. he knew how to play a good poker face for the media, but when he saw your ugly boyfriend on the track, he could barely keep it to himself.

you were the first female formula one driver in decades and you picked the ugliest guy to date. not that max was the image of a greek god, but you could do better. it didn't help that when he went to shake max's hand, his palms were painfully sweaty and the guy looked like he was going to have a panic attack when he saw max.

"to each their own." max tried to say to himself. as if he hadn't been harbouring feelings for you for what felt like a lifetime.

so imagine max's complete shock when he found out this ugly guy fumbled you so badly that you ended up in max's hotel room the next night with tears in your eyes.

max handed you another tissue as he sat on the other end of the couch. he then rested against the arm of the couch and asked, "so what exactly happened? all i heard was that you two weren't together anymore and you didn't want to be alone."

you sniffed, "i didn't know who else to call. all my friends are back home or in monaco." you wiped your eyes, earlier you took all your make-up off by evidence of the wipes all over the bathroom counter.

max shrugged, "well, glad i could help." in all fairness, he was glad that your boyfriend (not ex-boyfriend) was out of the picture. hated the guy and not because he looked like the personification of a dumpster. he was getting in max's way.

you leaned against the couch and pouted at him, your arms crossed. you ordered pizza for the both of you, not caring about the diet you were both on. you wanted something greasy and filling and a salad wasn't going to cut that. you explained a little calmer, "he... he called me annoying, he said that when we talked i changed the subject too many times. he said the 'vibes' were off." you gave air quotations, "i tried to forgive him last month when my friend found him on tinder." you sighed, "but... i guess i wasn't good enough. feels like i'm never good enough."

max replied, "i think it's because you give these guys a false sense of confidence. you give these greasy losers an ego boost because they gets to be with you and they go off and think that they're all that. what did this guy do for a living anyway."

"he worked at the gift shop at the circuits of america..." you looked away.

he knew you refused to go on apps like raya, even if it would be easier for you. max thought you liked scrapping the bottom of the barrel and expecting gold.

he pinched the bridge of his nose, "you were flying out and fucking a guy who worked at a gift shop!" he sighed, "i know you want a real, nice guy. but, you're inflating their egos!"

you looked down, "he seemed nice at first."

max couldn't be mad at you. he really couldn't. it wasn't your fault. these guys always put on a show for you, and then when you got too close, the trap came down and you always limped back to max with tears in your eyes. he reached over and sighed as he wiped your tears with his thumbs, "you need standards."

you slumped your shoulders, "i have standards."

"what are they?"

you made a face, "nice. considerate."

"you know you can train a dog to be nice. it's not a very high bar. you are the third ranked driver in the world and all you want is nice. considerate." without thinking he added, "maybe i should date you and show you how to be properly treated."

you stilled for a moment, your eyes wide at max. you said, "don't say things you don't mean." from your expression he could tell you were getting heated in the face.

oh... oh.

he let go of you to move the pizza box out of the way, he was soon crowded in your space with your back against the arm of the couch. "does someone like me?" he watched you swallowed. you had been max's teammate for two years now, after perez retired.

"i never said that." you looked away, but max took you by the face to look at him. something in his blue eyes should've alarmed you, but instead you melted a little into his touch.

"you didn't need to say anything. i could see it in your face." he smiled, "did you date all those greasy-haired, directionless losers to make me jealous?" if he were a worse man, that would've been an ego boost.

"i did like them."

"but you liked me more."

there was a beat of silence between you two before you sighed. you admitted, "yes... i tried to date guys who weren't you, so i'd forget about my... feelings for you." you swallowed.

max found it endearing. if he had known sooner, he would've easily swept you off your feet and made sure no other man got in his way. so without much of a second thought, he kissed you. it was passionate and the result of over two years of wanting you. needing you. the kisses continued until the pizza was long forgotten and you were on max's hotel bed.

you bounced a little when he pushed you onto it. some of your belongings were in his room as you were going to stay the night. his hands under your shirt.

"i've thought about this often." he said, "i wonder if any of those guys ever made you feel good. or were you wishing it was me." he whispered in your ear, "did you think about me when they failed to make you cum?"

you swallowed, "the last guy..." you admitted, "his cock was really small and he didn't know where the clit was." and blushed more when max looked at you in shock.

he laughed, "and he's going on tinder and acting like a prick! cheating on you and calling you annoying! he broke things off with you and you were suffering with piss-poor sex. c'mon. you need standards." he pushed your shirt off of you, "you need me."

call max verstappen a possessive man. he'd chalk it up to his childhood and the constant feeling of inadequacy. being knocked around a few times in the head probably scarred him. but, he was happy that he could finally lay claim on you.

he got you undressed and did the same to himself. you both had seen each other naked a few times. it was the price of being in close proximity for most of the year. walking into driver's rooms without knocking, that time you asked him if this bra looked alright, the other time you had to hold his hand while he got that small tattoo on his hip (that not even the other drivers knew about). you two knew each other more intimately than most, if not everyone.

so it only made sense that max felt you up while you laid under him. with promises on his tongue as he kissed your collarbones, "i'm gonna make you feel good. i promise." he his cock was sticky and heavy. he needed you asap.

you got on your hands and knees with your hips arched to the perfect angle for him. in the bright lights of the bedroom, he could see your wetness cling to your pussy lips. this was what your ex-boyfriend left? this! max assumed the man needed his head checked, but now he was certain he needed to be locked up somewhere.

only an idiot would mess up their chances with you.

he rubbed his hard cock against your click cunt. he said, "might be a bit of a stretch. i'm guessing i'm about double the size of him."

"he was three inches." you replied, "i measured after he lied to me and said he was five." you felt embarrassed, "i can't believe i gave this guy a chance! more than one chance!"

max tried not to laugh, he didn't want you thinking he was insulting you. but max was close to seven inches, well beyond double what your ex-boyfriend was packing. and maybe it was rude of him to think so, but it made his confidence a little higher.

when he sank his cock into you, you buried your face into the pillows and arched your back. your nails dug into the fabric. the whole floor didn't need to know you two were fucking.

not that max cared, let them hear. let them know.

the idea only came to him when he started to thrust up against you. he watched your ass shake with every hard thrust of his hips. he soon had you bouncing on his length. his size buried in your just right, at least he knew where your clit was. and the thought of it against his tongue later left him more excited.

there was so much for him to try on you. missionary would be rarely on the table. max wanted to devour you like a fine meal. but you'd always get your fair share of orgasms. can't have his girl go without.

however the thought crossed his mind and as he thrusted into you. he grabbed his phone and started to record. he changed his pace a little, harder thrusts that were a little slower. really get his cock comfortable inside of you.

he pressed against areas that had you moaning louder. all picked up on the camera. he asked, "do you like that, baby? do you like how it all feels?"

you whimpered. you weren't aware he was filming, instead just doing dirty talk to make you pant and whine. you replied, "it feels good, max. ah!"

max smiled, as the camera caught the sight of his cock going in and out of you. his cock sticky with your wetness. even a ring of milky white around the base from how good he made you feel. he wanted to speak directly to your asshole of an ex-boyfriend. he wanted to know that he'd always be less than. less than max verstappen.

"better than with anyone else." he couldn't give away that he was filming you. even with the camera directed at your pussy taking all of him so nicely.

you nodded.

"use your words, i want to hear you." he said with a bit of cockiness in his tone, "i want to know how to make you feel." c'mon, tell your dickhead of an ex how good your own teammate made you feel. tell max everything.

"shit, max. please. no one has ever fucked me like this before." you held onto the pillow a little tighter. the rush was to your head, you couldn't believe it. it was even a little better than when you pleasured yourself.

"a girl like you deserves a good fuck. how big was he again?" now max was just taunting the man. maybe it was a step beyond, but the greasy-haired prick should've known better than to get in max's way.

"three."

"yeah, yeah. didn't know how to use it either. but that's alright, schat. i'll make sure to give you all the orgasms he failed to give you. right?"

you nodded, "right, max, right." you arched your back a little more. the pleasure was flooding your brain. almost overwhelming as he fucked you with such force that it moved the bed up against the wall. the expensive headboard knocked against the wall a little harder.

no more worrying about idiot men for you, not while max was still upright and breathing. you were his. even if max had to raise your standards himself in any capacity. he would make you see that the two of you were a better fit. and to not give these low-lifes any chances. you were above them.

far too beautiful, far too funny, far too charming. if they couldn't handle a woman who liked to ramble then they were weak. max had already been listening to your rambling and ranting for years. the only difference was now he could keep you quiet with about seven inches in your mouth.

"who's going to make you cum?"

"you are!" you said a little louder. your voice a little tighter.

"who?"

"you are!" you yelped as your back arched further and eventually you came around max's cock. the noises you made were angel choirs in max's perverted mind. there, that should get the message across to this other dickhead.

he ended the video and tossed the phone on the bed before he gripped you by the middle and pressed his chest against your back. he fucked you with a heavy pace. it made you see stars and feel the throb of need in your core.

already overstimulated, your body craved for more. now you certainty weren't going to find another man. with a few ore heavy thrusts, you came once more and almost punched the pillow from the intensity. it was soon followed by max who pushed himself all the way inside of you and finished.

"shit." he croaked.

you laid under him as he slowed to a stop and dropped your hips when he pulled out. you laid there, finding comfort in the pillow under your head as you felt on cloud nine.

while max would've loved to eat you out right after. he could tell that you had already had enough for tonight. he laid down next to you and you rolled to your side to face him. your expression was blissed out and sleepy.

so, like any good boyfriend. he held you. and soon you drifted off to sleep. the rush of chemicals to your brain made you sleepy. and soon you were curled up under the covers with max.

"good girl." he said softly as you laid on his chest in a post-orgasm bliss. it wasn't until you were fully asleep that max got to work.

as you laid asleep beside him, he had your phone in his hand. he knew your pass code because it was the same as his. his number (33) and your number. it was a cute thing you wanted to do as teammates. so it wasn't easy to send the video and photos of him fucking you to your ex-boyfriend.

you shifted a little in your sleep from the feeling of the bright light of a phone nearby. you made a noise and almost woke up.

"shh, shh." he said as he kissed the top of your head, "just checking emails, go back to sleep." he was quick to send the video from his phone to your phone then to your ex-boyfriend. you simply snuggled closer and relaxed more. unaware.

max attached a message to the video, the one of him completely taking your pussy, "thought you were dumb, now i think you're completely stupid. don't text or call this number. congratulations of fumbling someone way out of your league. but don't worry, she's better off with me now.- mv." then blocked the number before he put the phone down.

it was his loss honestly, not that max cared. the guy could live forever or die tomorrow. forever irrelevant because now max had you. and as you snuggled up closer to him, a sleepy smile across your face.

you could've gone through a hundred guys, but that didn't matter. because you'd always find your way back to max. <3

[empressdede]

Remember the time

This is my first time writing something and publicly publishing it. This is based off the Remember the time by Michael Jackson. Pleaseee show some love lol. I do want to say that the OC is a black character but anyone can read. I was inspired to write this because of @raya-hunter01 & @whatdoeseverybodywant Let me know what you guys think!

Pairing: Kiyah (OC) x Jimmy uso. (Theres not enough Jimmy Uso fics on here. I did it for my man.)

Warnings: cursing, smut, smoking, long read.

Bold italics are thoughts, italics are both dialogue during a smut scene and when anything is referenced. Red bold italics are the song lyrics

Word count: 9,581.

Summary: Jimmy comes back to New York after Money In The Bank and Remembers the time he had with Kiyah.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An uneasy feeling settled in Jimmy’s stomach ever since he found out that New York was the next arena after Money In The Bank. Being in the city was as the ghost of her was going to trailing over him. It’s been three months since he’s last seen her and he wasn’t healed but it was easier to be away from here. Being here reminded him of everything he used to love to do… with who he loved to do it with.

Do you remember, when we first met girl?

When Covid hit and the whole world was forced to stay quarantined at home, due to being in a really depressive state, Kiyah really isolated herself from everyone. She was in a funk that she desperately wanted to get rid of, and in late 2020 when her favorite cousin Bianca, called her to inform that she was going to be in Tampa, FL for work until further notice, Bianca invited Kiyah to stay with her and Tez. Kiyah packed her bags and caught the first available flight to Florida, leaving her life behind in New York. She attended all the smackdown shows with Bianca, watching how she was really dominating in the women division as a newbie.

Backstage if she wasn’t hanging out with Bianca, she was hanging out with Dawkins and Tez. The wrestlers were actually pretty funny to be around, the girls were nicer than she thought they would be - Well, except for a couple who didn’t really matter - and the guys were funny to be around. She would walk around the halls aimlessly when it became too much to be around and one day, she found herself bumping into Jimmy…. literally.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.” Kiyah quickly apologized to the person, her eyes slitting up to fixate her gaze on the man she bumped into. His smile took her breath away, damn who was he?

“You good, it was my fault I wasn’t looking where I was going. You okay?” He asked.

Kiyah nodded her head, not trusting her voice at the moment. She knew she would embarrass herself if she stayed in this man’s presence any longer. Clearing her throat, she tries to excuse herself. “Well, I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait…. Are you a new hire? I’ve never seen you before?” Jimmy asked before she could walk away.

“No, I’m Bianca’s cousin. Just here to give my support while I can.” Kiyah replied and Jimmy nodded his head understanding.

“That’s lit. Well, I hope you’re feeling welcomed. I know being around a whole bunch of athletes can be intimidating.”

She let out a small huff of laughter. “Please. You guys eat more junk food than anyone I know. Wings and Pizza every other Wednesday… Really?” She asked teasingly which caused Jimmy to laugh.

“Aye, we work hard. Gotta enjoy ourselves somehow.”

“I bet.”

Jimmy flashed another smile to her, who was this girl? “I never caught your name?” He asked.

“I never gave it. Seeing as you bumped into me, I think it’s only right you introduce yourself first.” Kiyah suggested.

“Could’ve sworn we bumped into each other.”

Kiyah shrugged her shoulders playfully, a small smile eased its way into her face. “I never denied that but enlighten me anyways.”

Jimmy chuckled, raising his hand out to her, “My name is Jimmy, and you are?”

Kiyah reached her hand out to clasp their hands together and shook it. “Kiyah. Kiyah Blair.” She introduced.

Do you remember when we fell in love?

“How long is it going to take you to come over here?” Kiyah asked over the FaceTime call as she continued to clean her room, folding the laundry on her bed. Her best friend Jimmy glanced at the screen to watch her for a quick second before turning his attention back to the road.

“It won’t take me too long, I just gotta make a stop somewhere before I come. Make sure you leave that door unlocked for me; you know I don’t like to wait.” Jimmy instructed.

Kiyah smacked her teeth, dropping the shirt she was folding on the bed and turned to face the screen. “Boy, how you gone tell me what to do with my own shit? Imagine trynna run my house.”

“Imagine playing with my face like you not finna leave the door unlocked for me anyways, know who to play with Kiyah.” Jimmy retorted back to her, not even turning to look at the screen.

And maybe she shouldn’t have thought it but as she continued to stare at her who she considered her best friend drive, she focused on the featured on his face and bit her lip because why did he have to be so damn fine?

After realizing a couple seconds of seconds of silence filled the air, Kiyah smacked her teeth again. “Okay Jimmy whatever. Just hurry up, it’s your turn to cook and I’m hungry.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lemme go make this quick stop and Imma be over there.” He stated before he quickly hung up the phone.

Kiyah let out a small huff and let herself scan the room before her eyes caught the mirror. Should I change? She thought about it but opted against it, he’d already seen her outfit over FaceTime, so there was no point. Deciding to distract herself from overthinking, she picked up the shirt she had dropped and started folding again to clear her bed. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jimmy walked into the house with his hands full of treats, dropping them on the table. Kiyah walked out the kitchen and her eyes immediately met his, locking eyes with him.

“You just gonna stand there or you gone tell me wassup?” He asked, raising his eyebrow at her with a small grin on his face. Kiyah rolled her eyes before walking to him and they took each other into a strong embrace, rocking back and forth.

“Does that mean you’re not mad at me anymore?” She asked teasingly

“You know I can’t stay mad at you Ma.”

Kiyah’s heart seized at his words, pulling back from the hug, the bags on the table catching her attention making a smile etch its way on her face.

“No way you went to India’s Grill halfway across town, aren’t you on a diet right now? Jey’s gonna have that ass if he finds out you cheating again.”

Jimmy let his head fall as a dramatic groan slipped through his lips. “Jey not gonna know shit if you don’t tell ‘em nothing.”

Jimmy walked passed her to make his way to her living room, walking around as if he paid the bills to her home. He sat down on her couch, placing his feet on her coffee table and one hand behind his head. “You gone snitch on me Ma? After everything we been through?”

Kiyah shook her head as if she was disagreeing but in reality, she was trying to get herself together. Here was Jimmy: in an all black hoodie, no shirt underneath, cuban link peeking through the part that was unzipped, black joggers and all white forces. Fuuucckk, who told him to look this good.

“Now you know I don’t be telling nobody yo damn business” she finally replied as she walked to the door to lock it. Jimmy took that time to roam over the outfit Kiyah seemed to have on.

Itty bitty tight ass spaghetti strap crop top with matching booty shorts to go with it.

“You was expecting someone else to come before me?” He asked, catching her gaze.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I know you ain’t wearing that for David lame ass.”

Kiyah rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. Jimmy never liked anyone she called herself entertaining, always calling them lame, but she couldn’t be too mad… she kept that same energy with all his other bitches too.

“Please be so serious right now. I wore this for myself.” Kiyah stated, walking to the couch to take her seat next to him. Jimmy let his feet fall from the coffee table, opting to be in his most comfortable position, man spreading. He cut his eyes at her as he rubbed his beard.

“Hmm, for yourself huh?”

“Yes, for myself.”

Licking his lips, he slowly nodded his head in amusement. He pulls a blunt of his pocket and pats his other side for a lighter. “Can you light me up? I think I forgot my lighter in the car.”

Kiyah reached forward for the ashtray that was right next to him on the couch, grabbing the lighter that was settled there from the last time they smoked together. Jimmy raised his arms, wrapping it tight around her body and moved her so that her legs was over his lap making her straddle him.

From that action alone, she knew he was already high. She watched as he placed the blunt in-between his lips and looked up at her waiting for her to light him up. Kiyah squeezed her legs against his and felt her heart clench at the eye contact. She bit her lip, flickering the lighter and leaning back slightly to avoid the smoke to get in her face when she lit him up.

A small smirk formed on his face when he felt her squeeze him, but he said nothing, taking a hit of his blunt instead. “Whatchu nervous for?” He asked, voice low now, blowing the white cloud of smoke towards her teasingly.

“Jimmy…. please stop playing with me.”

“Who said I was playing?” He asked raising an eyebrow, waiting for her response and when she stayed silent, he just chuckled. “Closed mouths don’t get fed you know?”

Kiyah ignored him, taking the blunt from his mouth and placing it in hers; inhaling the strong substance for the courage that she was going to need for this conversation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jimmy let his hands start to caress her legs, rubbing them up and down. His brown orbs roaming over her outfit once again, his eyes catching her hardening nipple through her thin ass shirt. “Don’t wear this shit for nobody else, you hear me?”

“Jimmy-” She starts to protest but he cut her off.

“You hear me Kiyah? Don’t wear this shit for nobody else. I’m not playing with you.”

You could cut the tension with a knife, but she didn’t understand how they got here so fast. His hands trailed up, gripping on her ass to push her closer to him making her pussy press against his dick. Kiyah takes a small sharp breath in, one of her hands moving to rest on his shoulders as she locked eyes with him.

A small smirk took over her face now, “who said I was playing?” she replied, placing the blunt back in her mouth to take one last pull. When she leaned back to blow the smoke away from him, his right hand swiftly cupped her jaw, bringing her closer to him parting his lips to inhale the smoke she needed to exhale.

Kiyah’s felt her skin heat up as she shotgun her last hit to him. Her heart felt as if it were to beat out of her chest. Jimmy and her played the game of push and pull. They flirted with each other and got super touchy but that was all that ever happened. They’ve kissed once at a Christmas party, a year ago and they were both drunk off their asses. And even then, nothing compared to the feeling that tonight gave them.

“Jimmy.” Kiyah whispered and Jimmy let his gaze flicker from her lips to her eyes.

“Say it.” Jimmy demanded in a low tone. The octave of his voice dropped so low; Kiyah felt goosebumps form on her skin from just his voice alone. Say it. He said as if he knew what was going through her head.

“Say what?”

“Say it Kiyah…. We both grown. Just say it.”

A million things ran through her mind. Surely, he wasn’t saying what she thought he was saying. Because they’re just friends; always have been… right?

“Jimmy… I-“ she started but was stuck. She tried to push herself from him, she needed space. She couldn’t think being so close to him. Not with his hands on her, or his smell overwhelming her. But his hands held her in place.

“Jimmy, we’re friends-“ she was cut off.

“We ain’t no fuckin’ friends and we haven’t been just friends for a while now.”

“Jimmy that’s not funny” she whispered shaking her head. This has to be a joke, and I’m not laughing. “Whatever joke you’re playing at- “

“I like you Kiyah. No jokes, no pranks no tests. Sober or high it’s all the same. I like you.” Jimmy stated wrapping both arms around her body to lock her in an embrace, he shifted to get comfortable and that caused him to grind against her making a small whimper leave her mouth.

“Say it.” He whispered this time, but she refused. Instead, she leaned forward pushing their lips together to lock their lips in a kiss.

Do you remember, back in the fall. We’d be together all day long.

The phone buzzing consistently was the only thing Kiyah could hear from her sleep. She lets out an annoyed groan. who the hell is calling at this time? She raised from the bed to grab her phone, and answered it without looking at the caller I.D.

“What.” She answered.

“Damn Ma, that’s how you greet me after 3 days of phone tag?” Jimmy’s voice was heard through the phone. And even though it caused butterflies to erupt in her stomach, she was tired.

“Baby… I’m tired. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately.” Kiyah admitted.

“That’s cause you swear you can’t sleep unless it's on top of me.” He jokingly replies and she lets out a small laugh.

“You’re so warm and cuddly, I feel safe enough with you to go to sleep.” She shyly confesses. “I can’t wait to see you next week.”

“Girl when you see me next week, ain’t finna be no sleeping.”

“Aht Aht, Lemme sleep baby. You know I be sleepy.”

“Well take yo sleepy ass to the door. I had Roman deliver something expensive and I just got the message that it’s outside.”

Kiyah smacked her teeth. “What I tell you about buying me expensive gifts? I just be wanting your love.”

“You my princess, you know I gotta spoil you. Now go open the door and tell Daddy you love him for the gift."

Kiyah slides off the bed to trudge towards the front door. Jimmy has gotten into the habit of buying Kiyah gifts once she starts feeling lonely because he’s unable to be there for work. Last month he had bought her tickets to see her favorite singer, Justin Bieber. She always told him the gifts were unnecessary, but he was stubborn, swore he just wanted to drown her in gifts just to see her smile.

Kiyah slowly opens the door, to be met with Jimmy and his contagious smile which caused her to yell and jump on him. Wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist and she let the tears that she didn’t know were going to fall…fall. Jimmy caught her with one hand around her waist and walked into the house, kicking the door shut with his foot.

“I thought you were coming next week.” She asked tearfully, keeping her face in his neck and tightening her grip on him as if she couldn’t believe he was here.

“I know when you need me. Two nights ago you said you had a horrible night so I came running.”

Kiyah pulled her face back from his neck and placed multiple pecks on his lips. “Thank you, Papa.” She whispered and he chuckled, pecking her lips one more time.

“You know I got you.” He replied, setting down his bag on the floor and walked towards the bedroom. “Now let’s get you some sleep. I know before this you was tossing and turning.” He stated knowingly and Kiyah knew she wasn’t going to fall asleep just yet. Not when her heart was racing with him making his presence known.

“Are you hungry? I made some honey glazed chicken and rice earlier; I can get you some.” She offered, but Jimmy laid her on the mattress, kicking his shoes off and slid in right beside her.

“How bout we just relax. You know you tired, stop fighting yo sleep and lay down.” And it wasn’t a suggestion. He pulled his shirt over his head and threw it blindly behind him, grabbing kiyah and pull her on top of him and wrapped one arm around her and his other hand grasping her leg to move it up so it was over his waist. “When we wake up later, it’ll be just us and you can feed me all you want.”

Kiyah presses a kiss to his chest where his heart was located. “I love you.” She whispered before settling herself on him, cheek pressed against his chest as she closed her eyes to try to fall asleep.

“I love you too Mama.” He murmured softly, rubbing the hand that was behind her back to help her fall asleep.

___________________________________________

When Kiyah woke up, it was due to the slight heavy movement on top of her. Her body felt rejuvenated from the almost 10 hours of sleep she had seemed to have gotten. Lifting her hand to rub her eyes to wipe the sleep from her eyes before she slowly opened them, looking down to see that Jimmy flipped their positions, his head positioned on top of her breasts and his arm sprawled across her stomach.

She blinked a few more times to make sure she wasn’t tripping, but sure enough the events of last night flooded her mind and it reminded her that she wasn’t just imagining the scene that took place in front of her. Kiyah absentmindedly raised her hand to rub the arm that was laying across her stomach. Even though he was here just for the night, she can smell already smell his scent overpowering her space. Dark. Earthy. Cedar wood. The heat emanating from him brought comfort to her.

I could wake up like this for the rest of my life. She thought to herself. The light coming from the Windows showed that it wasn’t too early in the morning, if she had to guess it was around 10 in the morning. Shutting her eyes, she took in the moment of him being home. There were days when she would try to self-sabotage her blessings and push Jimmy as far away from her as she could, but he always fought for her. Always. For these past three years it’s been Jimmy and Kiyah, never just Jimmy and never Just Kiyah. It made her very appreciative of him being in her life. She’s never been loved the way Jimmy loved her, and it scared her because she loved just as hard as he did… maybe even more so.

While she continued to trail her hand against his skin, Kiyah was slowly falling back asleep in this solace of her bedroom. She felt Jimmy shift from her chest to nestle his face in her neck to get more comfortable and they both drifted back to sleep.

Another hour went by before a loud ringing blared throughout the room, jolting her awake. Jimmy let out a tired groan, tightening his grip around her.

“Jimmy.” She whispered. He shook his head refusing to wake up, just to answer the phone.

He lazily moved his arm from across her to grab his phone from his back pocket and handed it to her. “Put it on silent mode and go back to sleep.”

Kiyah softly chuckled, taking his phone and placing it on silent mode. “I’m up baby. I know you’re jet lagged so I’m going to let you sleep.” Jimmy let out another groan when Kiyah tried to slide out of the bed.

“C’mon baby. Just stay for a little bit.” He begged.

“I gotta pee. I’ll be back.” She comprises and he smack his lips letting her go.

——————————————————————————

The soft tune of Nothing can come between us by Sade was heard throughout the kitchen and Kiyah bumped her head softly to the beat and sang as softly as she could while whisking the the eggs she was preparing.

“In the middle of the madness, when the time is running out and you’re left alone. All I want is you to know that… it’s strong still can’t pull us apart. Nothing can come, nothing can come, nothing can come between us.” Kiyah softly sang, moving her hips to the melody of the music.

The knock on her door was loud, making her head snap up to look towards the door. Jimmy quickly came from around the corner where her room was, heading towards it.

“Don’t move, Imma answer it.” He said unlocking and opening the door revealing Bianca. “Wassup B.” He greeted, stepping to the side to let her in.

Bianca was shocked to see Jimmy at her cousin’s house. She took notice that he had not only made himself comfortable enough to answer the door but that he was wearing the same same clothes he left the airport in. So, this was the business he had to take care of in New York? She thought to herself before flashing him a knowing smile. “Hey Jimmy – I see you’re here early.” She teased as she stepped in and walked pass him.

He just chuckled and shook his head, closing the door back and locking it. “Yeah I Had a couple things to take care of.”

Bianca watched Jimmy walk away, eyes following him until he disappeared into the room. With amusement shining in her eyes, her head snapped towards the kitchen and Kiyah was standing there smiling; looking all innocent when she was clearly guilty.

“Hey Bianca, I totally forgot we had plans today. How you doing?”

Bianca raised her eyebrow at her and a smiled etched its way on her face again. “Well good morning to you. It smells so good in this bitch. Anyways – are you gonna spill the tea or what? Cause it looks like Jimmy ‘he’s just my best friend’ Uso spent the night and now you up making him breakfast when we had plans to go to brunch.” She asked, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

Kiyah snorted and turned back around to pour the eggs in the nonstick skillet. “You’re so damn nosey.”

“I’m even nosier when I’m realizing he went to your room instead of the guest room.” Bianca replied.

Kiyah shrugged her shoulders as a response, scrambling the eggs in front of her. She thought about how these past four months has changed the dynamic between her and Jimmy after his confession in her living room. The transition from friend to lover was easier than she thought it would’ve been.

“Baby.” Jimmy called out, walking out the room with a hoodie and some shoes. “I’m finna be back real quick.” He said as he entered the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Kiyah asked, turning her head to look up at him.

“I’m out of gars so I’m finna hit up the closest gas station. Imma call Jey back since he been blowing my shit up. I know you guys haven’t seen each other in a while so I want y’all to catch up.”

“But I’m making breakfast for you.” Kiyah acknowledges, sliding the skillet off the stove top.

Jimmy chuckles, pressing his chest against her back. He places his hands on her waist as he watches over her what she made. French toast on two sets of plates on one side of the stove and the freshly scrambled eggs being served next to it.

“Make B something to eat and I’ll be back so we can eat okay.” He suggests, turning her around to wrap his arms around her waist fully, hand gripping on her ass as he leans down to softly peck her lips twice.

“Alright. Hurry back, okay?” She asks, keeping her voice low, raising her hands to caress his arms. “I don’t want your food to be cold and nasty when you eat it.”

“I’ll be right back I promise.” Jimmy pecks her lip one last time before pulling himself away from her to walk out the kitchen. “See you later B.” He calls out as exits the house.

The entire time, Bianca had sat in her seat shocked to her core. She watched the interaction closely, taking notes left and right and her tea cup was damn near full at this point. She waited for the door to fully shut before scoffing in disbelief. “Bitch since when do y’all kiss now? Since when the hell did y’all start calling each other baby? What in the world have I missed?” She yelled dramatically, throwing her hands up in the air to emphasize her point.

“Giirrrrllllluuuuhhhhh” Kiyah dragged out, chuckling. “Back in October Jimmy admitted his feelings for me.” She finally confessed, the smile on her face widening as she remembered that night.

“OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR!? BITCH ITS MARCH.” Bianca screamed; eyes so wide it would’ve fell out of her socket if it could’ve.

Kiyah shrugged her shoulder “The titles changed but nothing’s really different, that’s why I never cared to say anything. We’re still the same.”

“Yeah, except now you are getting Jimmy schlong every other night.” Bianca exclaimed.

Kiyah rolled her eyes, “Girl please, I wish. But we have kept it private but not a secret ya know? That’s my man for real and I’m so in love with him, it’s kinda sick.”

“I think it’s cute. A couple years ago you were scared to even put your heart on the line and now look at you.” Bianca really felt her heart swell with joy as she watched her cousin obviously head over heels in love with Jimmy Uso. “I’m happy for you- the both of you, truly.”

Kiyah turned the stove off and walked around the kitchen island to pull her cousin into an embrace. “Thank you B. I really appreciate it.” She stated and she meant it. There are few people who actually knew what went down between her and her ex, what she experienced and what made her so closed off after it; Bianca being one of those few people. It meant a lot to see that she was also able to see the growth when it came to her love life.

“And I love you girl, I really do but once Jimmy get back from smoking, I’m finna feed my man and spend my entire day with him. So about brunch…. Imma have to take a rain check.” She smiled at Bianca’s laugh.

“Alright bitch, I can read the room.”

———————————————————————

After Jimmy had returned from his trip, Kiyah had served breakfast. It brought a different kind of feeling watching him eat her food. In the furthest part of her mind, it made the moment more domestic, made her feel like one day -further down the line of course- that she could do this as his wife.

After breakfast, Jimmy insisted that he clean up the kitchen while she shower. What he really needed was the opportunity to distract her. Jimmy turned the volume up on Alexa, letting the sound of Neat by Q Money take over the silence in the house while he made his way to the coat closet where he had hid what he had returned to the house with.

Opening the coat closet, he pulls out a couple bags filled with what he wanted to do for the rest of day. Jimmy really wanted to treat Kiyah to a night out but he didn’t want to be out today, he just wanted to spend his day as lazily as he could where he found comfort the most. Closing the door, he took the bags and walked to the living room to get started on what he had planned; with Kiyah in the shower he knew he had a cool 45 minutes.

He unpacked everything that came in boxes: the air mattress, the LED tea light candles, the fairy lights, the fake rose petals and got to work with setting up the living room.

After setting up as fast as he could, he walked into her room, his eyes scanning the room looking for a suspiciously quiet Kiyah. “Babe.” He called out, walking towards the bathroom. He catches a glimpse of her doing her face routine, one of his old shirts engulfing her body. “Didn’t you say you never seen where this shirt went?” He asked teasingly as he walks up behind her.

“I have no idea what you talking about, this my shirt.” Kiyah replied, her lips twitched as she tried to fight the smile that wanted to imprint its way on her face.

Jimmy playfully rolled his eyes, “yeah whatever. You gone have to run me most of my shit sooner than later, unless you wanna send me back on the road with nothing to wear.”

Kiyah scoffed, keeping her eyes in the mirror when she looked at him. “Keep playing. If you wanna be outside I can be outside too. “

“You can be outside, Ian worried about shit. I can fight.” Jimmy stated, shrugging his shoulders.

“You say that now, but we all know if I’m in another nigga arms you gone be sick.” Kiyah countered back turning to face him with a small smirk, “You know you love you some me.”

Jimmy watched her with amusement in his eyes, watch her stick her tongue out at him as childishly as she could before turning back to finish applying the clay mask that was in her hands. “Girl please, you damn near passed out when you thought I was entertaining Sasha. I ain’t the only one.” He exposed, laughing when Kiyah’s jaw dropped.

He pulled off his shirt, turning to turn the shower on. “Wanna wash my hair after I’m done with my shower?”

“Can I give you a face mask if I do?” She asked with hopeful eyes when she fully turned around to face him again. Jimmy let out a small chuckle, nodding his head, agreeing with whatever made her heart content at the moment.

Kiyah didn’t want to show how much she missed being around him, but she was finding it difficult to stay away from him. And it wasn’t like he made it easier for her. Like when Jimmy started his shower, she opted to leave the bathroom to finish getting dressed but, Jimmy requested her to stay to keep him company. Sitting on the toilet waiting for her mask to dry while he showered and they both conversed brought back that feeling she was feeling earlier. Domestic.

In her mind she knew it was too early to be thinking these kinds of thoughts but, she’s had feelings for him for two years now, and she couldn’t really remember when she last felt like this. Doesn’t remember the last time anyone ever made her feel so secure.

After washing his hair and keeping his hair wrapped in a towel for it to dry, Kiyah prepared everything she needed to get started on his face. “Just sit still because if you laugh it’s gonna crack.” She warned, and Jimmy smacked his lips.

“This like yo third warning.”

“Because you play too much, I couldn’t even get you to cleanse your face without you playing with the water. Now sit.” She demanded, hands pressing against his shoulders to force him to sit on the toilet so she can apply the mask. He moved freely, letting her push him to sit.

Jimmy let himself relax, closing his eyes and let Kiyah go to work. He didn’t really care for the process of what came with what Kiyah swore was the best skin routine for both him and her. He just wanted to be close to her, the last time they seen each other was almost three weeks ago – almost a month – and he just wanted to be away from the white noise and relish in the quiet refuge that was her home.

Kiyah delicately stroked the brush filled with the clay over his skin as they both fell into a comfortable silence. Nobody else but you by Trey Songz softly playing in the background from the Alexa that was outside and Jimmy couldn’t help but find himself agreeing with the song that seemed to set the mood. He really didn’t want nothing but to be here, with her, didn’t want nobody else but Kiyah.

Jimmy pulled Kiyah closer to him, using his legs to part her legs so that both legs her on each side of his. His hand gripped her waist as he pulled her to take a on his lap. There we go, Jimmy thought once she was seated, fully wrapping his arms around her.

Kiyah continued to apply the mask, the smile she fought to keep off her face grew anyway. It was moments like this where she felt like the luckiest woman in the world. She found someone who was on her just as bad as she was on them. Before she met him, she never thought she would ever meet someone like her, someone who wanted to be around her, touch her, almost all the time. And maybe their time apart played a big role in their affection with each other but Kiyah wouldn’t trade this, wouldn’t trade him, for nothing.

Watching him fully relax under his touch made her heart swell with joy, smiling she leaned down to peck his lips which caused him to open his eyes and softly smile at her. “What you up to?” He playfully asked and she shrugged her shoulders.

“Nothing, I love you.”

“I love you too mama.” He replied without missing a beat, searching her eyes as she stared at him. He leaned up to steal another kiss from her.”How long all this gone take?”

Kiyah placed down everything in her hands on the sink beside her when she finished covering his face with the mask. “We wait 15 minutes for it to dry and then you’re done.”

Jimmy nodded his head, letting his hands start to rub against her legs. “Jey been complaining about how he never see me anymore.” He randomly stated and Kiyah chuckled.

“I don’t blame him, I bet he miss his twin. You guys hung out every time you were off.” Kiyah responded back, letting her hands rub against his chest. “You know you can go to ATL and spend the time with him down there. You know I don’t mind.”

Jimmy let out a small hum, but going to ATL to spend time with his brother wasn’t the problem. It was him wanting to take her with him so that everyone in his life could finally see who’s been taking all of his time. “Would you come with me?” He asked quietly.

“I would go anywhere with you.” She answered and she meant it. Jimmy could ask her to go anywhere and she would go, he was home to her.

Jimmy didn’t signify an answer to her response. He just let his hands trail up from her waist caressing her skin.

“Jimmy.” Her tone came off as her warning him not to start anything.

“Next weekend, He’s throwing a barbecue and our family will be there.” He said, ignoring her warning. “Will you come with me?” He asked.

Kiyah felt her heartbeat pick up. Will you come meet my family? That’s essentially what he is asking her. Yes, she’s already met his brother and yes, she already met Roman – when she spent her time at the Thunderdome arena and they wanted to get to know each other better it required her being around his family. This invite though… it really sounded like will you come meet my parents?

“You want me to meet your mom?” Kiyah asked in a whisper, leaning her body closer to him for a comfort she’s sure they both needed. “You want me to fix your plate in front of everybody to let ‘em know you my man?” She asked playfully.

It eased the nervousness out him, he chuckled and leaned forward to peck her lips. “I wanna show you off to the whole world. I know we ain’t tell nobody yet but I want to. Tell our families anyways.” He answered back to her, shrugging a little.

“I kissed you in front of Bianca on purpose. Wanna show all of ‘em I only want you to fix my plate.” He replied jokingly. His tone softened though as he spoke, his hands trailing up her shirt, rubbing up and down against her back. “I know you ain’t used to the family introductions and all that, but if we’re doing firsts – I wanna experience all of that with you.” He confessed.

Kiyah didn’t reply, she just watched him. Taking in the moment. Here they were, in each others arms, Jimmy’s hair wrapped up in a towel, Clay mask drying on his face while he confessed that he didn’t want to keep their romance a secret from the people who mattered most in their lives.

Could I be any more in love with him? “I’ll meet your parents papa, you can tell the whole world how we locked in, clocked in for the long run.” Despite telling Jimmy not to move his face as much, she couldn’t help but lean in to lock their lips together. Wrapping her arms around his neck as Jimmy deepen the kiss. Kiyah pulled away before they got too carried away.

“Hold on.” She whispered. She reached over on the counter to grab the rag she had placed on the counter. She dipped it in the bowl that had warm water in it now and moved to clean up what she started.

She cleaned his face as gently as she could, throwing the rag in the sink for now and unwrapping the towel from his head. Kiyah was killing two birds with one stone. She took pride in taking care of Jimmy, and this gave her the chance to do so but she was also trying to speed up the process of getting him in her room.

Jimmy let his hands move from her back to her stomach, trailing slowly towards her breasts before he gripped them; fingers tweaking at her nipples.

Kiyah let out a small moan, letting her head fall back from the pleasure. Jimmy leaned up started placing butterfly kisses upon her neck, locating her sweet spot immediately and closing his mouth to suck on it.

“Fucckk.” Kiyah moaned out, bucking her hips against his. Jimmy’s hands, continued to tweak and pull at her nipples before he let one hand slid down to rub against her covered clit.

“This what you was looking for right?” He asked huskily in her ear. Kiyah felt herself shiver at his tone.

Jimmy pressed his thumb against her clit, rubbing it through her panties, feeling it get soaked with her essence. His other hand left her breast to wrap around her neck. “Look at me, this what you wanted right?” He repeated.

Kiyah forced herself to lock eyes with Jimmy. “Yes” she breathed out as an answer.

Jimmy pulled her in by her neck to kiss her once again. Locking their lips in a passionate kiss, Kiyah bucked her hips against his hand to cause more friction.

He pushed her panties to the side to push two fingers inside of her, groaning into her mouth at how tight and wet she felt. Kiyah let out a gasp when she felt the sudden intrusion, throwing her head back again. Jimmy’s fingers thrusted in and out of her in a slow place causing her to rock her hips against his hands.

“Look at you.” Jimmy cooed as he picked up the pace of his fingers, curling it to touch her g-spot.

“Fuck Daddy, you finna make me cum.” She cried out, eyes rolled to the back of her head. She kept clenching herself around his fingers but he was relentless… he continued to pump his fingers in and out of her.

“Look at me.” He demanded and Kiyah couldn’t bring herself to it, moans slipping out her mouth uncontrollably as she felt a tightening feeling in her stomach.

Jimmy cupped her jaw, forcing her to lift her head and lock eyes. “I want the last thing you see before you cum is me.” He told her, he wanted to watch her love faces as she reached her climax.

“Jimmy please.” She pleaded.

She watched as his darkened eyes as he felt her clench against his fingers again. “Watch me make you cum.” He whispered, picking up the pace of his fingers. “That’s it baby, cum for daddy.”

Kiyah’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and her mouth dropped open as she let out a drawn moan, body shaking as she let herself go cumming all over his fingers. Whimpering as he slowed down to help her ride out her orgasm.

Once she was able to collect herself, he slowly pulled his fingers out of her, flashing her a smile. “You so sexy.”

She just searched his eyes, did this man really have the audacity to smile innocently at her like he didn’t just snatch her up?

He stared at her while he placed both fingers in his mouth, sucking her juices off his fingers. He pulled his fingers out of his mouth and leaned down to kiss her, sliding his tongue in her mouth so she could taste herself.

When he felt her try to deepen the kiss, Jimmy pulled back. “Come outside, I got something I wanna show you.”

It took some convincing to get Kiyah to move from the bathroom to go outside. Kiyah just wanted to jump his bones but he really wanted to show her what he originally had planned for the both of them for the day. And even though it took some convincing, his efforts were not in vain because once she say the living room set up she felt her eyes water.

“Jimmy” she breathed out, her breath hitching in her throat as she took everything in. Jimmy smiled at her reaction, he knew it wasn’t much but he was glad it made her happy. She wrapped her hands around his neck to hug him. She was grateful. “Let me show you how thankful I am daddy.” She whispered in his ear.

Do you remember, those special times? They’ll just go on and on in the back of my mind

Jimmy knew ever since he arrived to ATL that this was where he was going to be. Kiyah really showed out for him, and he wanted nothing more than to push her dress up and bury his face in her pussy. She’s been giving for these past couple of days, and last night on the way to ATL he fell asleep on the flight and woke up to his dick in her throat an hour into the flight and assured him that he didn’t have to do anything in return. I just wanna please you. She had stated in a sultry whisper.

She took him out on a date this morning, insisting that she gets to spoil him as much as he spoils her. They went to waffle House for breakfast, and then went to the aquarium right after. She’s been showing the fuck out in Jimmy… He was going to show her his gratitude, no matter where they were at. After he seen her interaction with his family, how his mother fell in love with her almost immediately and how she stayed in the kitchen to help prep the food, even if she didn’t know what was being made… yeah. He knew he was going to be here.

In between her legs with his arms locked around her thighs and his tongue buried inside of her. Kiyah kept her back in a deep arch, eyes rolled to the back of her head with her mouth gaped open but no sound came from her. He had her in a guest bathroom in his brothers house, and she really didn’t want to get caught.

“Fuck, Jimmy.” Kiyah hissed, making him groan against her and wiggle his tongue inside of her, sliding it out of her to swirl it around her pussy to lap up all of her juices. He licked all the way to her clit, sucking on while grazing his tongue against it.

“Daddy” She moaned out, looking down to watch him devour her, moving her hips to grind her pussy against his tongue. Jimmy flattened his tongue against her clit when he felt her moving her hips, letting her do some of the work. His eyes moving to stare at her and winked on their eyes locked.

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum. Daddy you finna make me cum.” And at that warning, he closed his mouth around her clit again and sucked. He let out a moan, the vibrations sending a euphoric sensation throughout her body. Jimmy tightened his grip on her thighs to keep her in place. Kiyah let out a moan, letting her head fall back as her stomach tightened. “I’m cumming.” She announced as she spilled all into his mouth, panting heavily. Her lower body shook as her orgasm washed through her and Jimmy made sure to catch every drop.

He raised to his feet, hand wrapping around her neck as he drew her in to smash their lips together to lock their lips in a slow sloppy kiss.

“Damn Papa.” She whispered against his lips as she tried to catch her breath and he smirked.

“I’m not done with you yet.” He told her, pulling his pants down so that she could free himself. Kiyah watched Jimmy stroke himself, precum leaking from the tip and she felt herself clench around nothing.

“There’s an entire party going on outside.” Kiyah whispered as if trying to get him to stop but Jimmy wasn’t hearing none of that.

“I don’t give a fuck, I’m boutta fuck you up for real.” He replied pulling her off the sink counter to face the mirror. “And you gone watch me do it.” He whispered huskily in her ear.

Kiyah barely had time to grip onto the sink counter before Jimmy pushed himself into her, curses left both of their mouths as he pushed until their was nothing to push left. Both of them to moan out at the feeling.

“Eyes on the mirror the whole time ma.” He whispered in her ear, causing Kiyah to shiver.

Jimmy stayed still for a second, being raw inside of Kiyah made him want to ruin her life, and if the circumstances were different he totally would’ve.

He placed both hands on her hips and pulling out and thrusting back inside of her, pushing just as deep as he went the first time, every time he slid back in her. Kiyah’s head flew back as moans poured from her mouth.

Jimmy watching her through the mirror, seeing how wreck she looked before he even really got started and an evil smirk spread across his face. One hand moved to grip on her breast, pulling it out of the dress and his other hand found its way to her neck. “What I tell you princess?”

“I-“ Kiyah gasped out, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as he fucked her harder and harder. Her manicured hand moved up to grip onto the wrist of the hand that was wrapped around her neck. It was as if Jimmy was fucking her like he was angry.

“Yesss baby, just like that.” She moaned out.

Watching her love faces always did something to him, he swiftly moved to the left a little to hit her g spot causing Kiyah to let out a loud moan. Jimmy dropped the breast that he was holding and raised his hand to clap it against her mouth. “You know you’re supposed to be quiet, but here you are trynna let the whole world know how much you love this dick.”

His words caused Kiyah to clench around around him tightly, squeezing her eyes shut. Jimmy chuckled deeply. “C’mon Mama, let Daddy in so I can fuck you up.”

He continued to poke at her spot over and over again, making Kiyah moan loudly into his hands. He forced her head back up to face the mirror so she could watch. Tears ran down her face at the intense feeling of him fucking the shit out of her. “You look so pretty like this.” He cooed.

He sped up and only stopped a few couple strokes to really press himself against her spot. “Open ya mouth for me Mama.” He demanded.

Kiyah immediately let her mouth drop open, he stuck two fingers in her mouth. “Suck it.”

Kiyah closed her mouth back around his fingers, humming in pleasure when she mimicked her actions from earlier. She sucked his fingers, her tongue twirling against them and sucked hard. Jimmy felt his dick twitch inside of her, he would ruin her right here and be content with that.

“Keep yo eyes on the mirror, and if they move, I’m not gone let you cum.” He warned. Kiyah felt her body shiver, keeping her eyes on his through the mirror.

Jimmy pulled his fingers out of her mouth and placed them on her clit, rubbing them quickly as he started picking his thrust back up.

The motive to be discreet flew out the window, Kiyah moaning loudly, gripping the counter until her knuckled turned white. “You finna make me cum again.” She cried out.

Jimmy let go of her neck to grip on her braids to make sure her heads positioned the way he wanted it to be. He could feel her walls clench and unclench around him. “That’s a good girl, look at you take all of it.”

“Please don’t stop, I’m right there baby. Oh my fuck.” She cried as he fucked her harder. “Don’t stop daddy, please don’t stop, you’re gonna make me cum.” She begged, watching more tears fall her eyes.

Jimmy let out a grunt, “Daddy gone make that pretty pussy cum every single time.” He affirmed, rubbing her clit in circles. “Gimme that shit baby.” And Kiyah’s upper body stilled as her lower body shook, releasing herself all over him squirting a little.

“Yesssss” She hissed out and Jimmy had to pull out as quickly as he could, nutting on ass.

Wrapping his arms around her, Jimmy let himself drop his weight on her a little.

“Fuck.” He groaned out, pressing a kiss against the back of her neck. “You keep spoiling me like that Ma and I swear Imma keep you cummin’ like that every single time.” He promised.

And Girl, No matter what was said

“Kiyah I just didn’t wanna be rude to her. You know that with my status.” Jimmy argued

“And Jimmy, all that shit was cool when we were friends. But to do that shit in front of my face? Are you fucking serious? Then the bitch gone have the audacity to laugh at me like she did something.”

“Kiyah.” He started but she cut him off.

"No. You keep giving these bitches a reason to laugh at me like I’m some goofy bitch all cause you wanna be so damn friendly." Kiyah stressed

"Being friendly comes with the job Kiyah! Damn, every time I come in this bitch, you in my ear stressing me the fuck out don’t nobody wanna hear that. Can you at least appreciate that I even come in? I don’t gotta be here Kiyah.” He snapped and she nodded her head at him.

“You know what Jimmy? Since you don’t gotta be here, just stop showing up. Since I stress you out so fucking much, forget I even said anything. I’m sick of this shit, I’m done. You definitely don’t gotta worry about me no more.” Kiyah retorted back.

It was supposed to be a good night for the two, they were both leaving the arena when they bumped into a couple fans who just wanted some pictures. It was fine until it wasn’t. What he thought was being friendly was borderline flirting to these girls, they’d take whatever he’d give them and run a mile with. It was fine until he thought it was okay to let the fan touch for way longer than what was appropriate.

“You’re too damn insecure Kiyah when the fuck you gone wake up and realize that? That’s the reason why these other dudes treated you like trash, and you got so much damn baggage that nobody wants to deal with!” Jimmy snapped but the second he said it, he regretted it.

Kiyah froze, his words ringing in her head. Baggage. She had too much baggage.

“Kiyah I didn’t mean that.” He whispered but she sent a watery smile in his direction.

“You know what? Don’t worry about it, from now on you won’t have to worry about me or my baggage.”

And she turned around and left. Jimmy felt his heart break as she walked but his stubbornness is what kept her from chasing her. Unbeknownst to him, that would be the last time he seen her.

I will never forget what we had, my baby.

All the memories of his time in New York came back to him as he drove to the garden arena. He remembered when told him her feelings drunk off her ass after the Christmas party.

He remembers, her home made cooking every time he visited or any time she visited him. He remembers taking care of her when she caught covid.

She was a crying mess when her test came back positive. She did what she did best and isolate herself away from people. Pushing Jimmy away and booked her own hotel so that she wouldn’t pass it on to Bianca and Tez. And at first Jimmy thought she only isolated from him, but when Tez came and asked if he’d heard from Kiyah, he realized she was isolating herself from everyone.

He remembers asking Bianca if she knew what hotel Kiyah had checked into and he remembers bribing the concierge to tell him what her room number was. He remembers pushing himself through the hotel door when she tried to shut the door in his face.

“Jimmy I’m sick, I have covid.” She stressed, moving away from him as fast as she could.

“Kiyah” He whispered when he took in the scene in front of him. She was hurting and she didn’t want to tell anybody.

“You have to get out!”

“Kiyah, I haven’t heard from you in damn near three weeks. What’s going on?” He asked, concern laced in his voice

“I’m sick; that’s what’s going on. Now if you could please leave, I don’t want you to get sick.”

"No. Kiyah you need to stop pushing people away because you’re scared to show people the ugly side of you.”

He remembers Kiyah crying in his arms that night because she finally felt like someone cared for her.

He remembers the first time he told her ‘I love you’. She cried, and told him she was scared to say it back because every time she did, it was for nothing. And He never rushed her to say it back.

He remembers her confessing her love back to him not even a week later because she really couldn’t hold it in. She’s been feeling him for a long time and she refused to keep her feelings to herself any longer. Jimmy remembers everything, and boy did it hurt to.

Do you remember (I bet you remember)

An uneasy feeling settled in Jimmy’s stomach ever since he found out that New York was the next arena after Money In The Bank. Being in the city was as the ghost of her was going to trailing over him. It’s been three months since he’s last seen her and he wasn’t healed but it was easier to be away from here. Being here reminded him of everything he used to love to do… with who he loved to do it with.

Jimmy let out a sigh as he sat in the bloodline locker room. Even though they were split, They requested to still share the same locker room. It’s quiet, he’s not telling any jokes and he’s getting tired of the worried look’s being shared between his brothers.

“Uce, I’m fine. It’s just one night. It won’t kill me.” Jimmy huffed out and Jey shrugged.

“I wanna believe you Uce, but you been walking around like a sad puppy ever since we landed. Why don’t you just call her?” Jey suggested and Solo nodded, agreeing with his older brother.

“She told me I wouldn’t hear from her again and she meant that shit.” Jimmy sighed. “I can’t just pop up ya know? I wanna respect her and her space.”

Before Jey could reply, a knock was heard on the door. The silence after the knock is what had them confused. Solo moved to answer the door but Jimmy raised his hand to stop him. They didn’t know who that was. The knocking happened again.

“Who is it?” Jey called out and the voice that answered back made Jimmy’s blood run cold.

“It’s me.” Kiyah’s voice was heard through the door.

Jimmy stood up slowly and walked towards the door and he held his breath as he opened the door. “Kiyah.” He breathed out and she flashed a small smile towards him.

“Hi.”

[palomahasenteredthechat]

https://www.tumblr.com/palomahasenteredthechat/759431086403108864/hey-paloma-i-know-you-respond-to-bonnies-but-i

This is a related point to your point about the fan base—I’ve seen a lot of people shame the fans for conjuring up an image of him out of thin air. But that’s really not what happened. HE said and did things that contributed to or created the image himself. HE is the one who teared up at his first con when a fan thanked him for being there etc. HE is the one who spent months promoting ST acting super humble and down to earth. HE is the one who said things like if acting didn’t work out to him he would just want to live cheaply on an Island somewhere working a whatever job and just be happy and simple. The list goes on and on but you get the picture. Whether it was intentional or not, he is the reason for his own image. While he remained sort of a blank canvas for a long time, which may have contributed to people coloring in between the lines, they did so based on the skeleton he provided so it’s not their fault.

This whole thing seems to be much more complex and multi faceted than we know. I think we can all agree that two years ago he did not seem interested in reciprocating her advances AT ALL. So what changed? Well, for starters, he is much deeper into fame now and filming huge Hollywood blockbusters and a Marvel movie. Whether he likes it or not, he the ink is dry on his Faustian bargain so it will not be easy for him to avoid the spotlight for much longer and his team and others will be pushing PR stuff. He has also been on raya for a long time, had that drama with A, and lord knows what else going on in his dating life and maybe instead of going cold turkey on dating to focus on filming he just wants something steady. And he has been completely railed on all over the internet since he was announced as Johnny storm that he doesn’t have what it takes to play an iconic sexy heart throb. Maybe there are deep seeded insecurity issues at play with that and his coolness factor.

DC addresses a lot of these issues. He knew she was down for him because of the Noah leak two years ago so he didn’t have to feel insecure about being rejected. She has a hot and cool factor which helps up his cred for Johnny storm (and in general). And she’s more famous than him at the moment so she gets what he’s going through.

People think this is a strange pairing, and I agree, but we have to remember that when you get to a certain level in this industry you’re not really living in reality anymore and the only people who can really commiserate are the ones going through it too.

Yup, yup, yup.

Yeah, let's stop mocking and shaming fans who feel upset. He contributed very little, but he was so apparently open in the beginning it outlined a definitive sketch.

[briamichellewrites]

19

Mike ended up on his phone for the rest of the night. He went back and forth talking with Brad on Raya while also scrolling through his Instagram account. Bria was following him on his account, as well as the Linkin Park account. Her account was private, so he requested to follow her. She accepted his request almost immediately. briajo was her username. He refreshed the page and was able to see her pictures. After tapping on the first one, he read what she posted in the caption.

briajo: The bitch is back. Stone cold sober, as a matter of fact. Four years ago today, I entered a treatment program to get help for alcohol addiction. It started when I was thirteen. I was in foster care and was sexually abused. The man who did it gave me alcohol to subdue me. The abuse developed into him assaulting me. I had no idea what was happening and I never told anyone. Until I became pregnant at fourteen. My social worker took me out of that house and into a rehab program. I had to learn what happened was not my fault. Children canNOT consent! Adults need to protect children against abuse and assault!

Wow. He had no idea, though it confirmed his and Brad’s belief that her pregnancy had been due to abuse. It made him think about Chester and his experience with abuse. They had no idea when they met him. Until he broke down in tears and told them that he had been sexually abused as a child. It caused him to use drugs and he developed a heavy addiction. Throughout his life, he was in and out of rehab to remain sober. He thought about what he would have done if he met Bria.

He would have protected her and made sure she was safe. They might have talked about their shared experiences and he would have done everything he could to help her. Fourteen. She was way too young. There was only one of Stephanie and that was of her after her birth. She was wrapped in a blanket and had a hat on her head.

briajo: Stephanie Charlotte Johnson. Four years ago, you made me your mommy. Happy birthday to the goofiest, happiest, curious child I’ve ever been blessed with. You taught me about what love means and you gave me stability for the first time in my life. Even through the hard times, you have been through it all with me. Keep smiling, laughing, and being curious. I can’t wait to see what you grow up to be. I love you with my whole heart. – Mommy

That was cute. She was right about not posting pictures of her daughter on social media. Not everyone had the best intentions for children. He went to see who she was following. His personal account, Brad, Linkin Park, Machine Shop Records, some parenting accounts, and a sobriety account. He was the only account following her.

Brad messaged him on Raya asking if he wanted to hook up. Yeah! He got his address and got ready. When he was, he put his address into his GPS before driving over to his place. He was nervous but also excited! It had been a long time since he had been with someone. After coming out as bisexual in 2017, he had random hookups with men he met on dating apps. He hoped that they would lead to a relationship but they never did.

He took a break from dating apps for a while for his mental health. Until recently. His mind was telling him that he was still young and to get back out there. His parents just wanted to make sure he was being safe. Yeah, he was tested regularly. That was all they wanted to know. They had lived through the AIDS epidemic of the eighties and they didn’t want that to happen to him. He promised he would be careful.

Brad was even more gorgeous in real life. He had wrinkles and his hair was gray but that made him even more attractive to him. They went up to his bedroom and he closed the door behind him. They kissed, as he sat on the edge of the bed. They removed their clothes before Brad laid him down on the center of his bed. He opened his legs and came in between them. Mike was in heaven as he moved inside of him. Brad was older, so he knew what to do with his body.

For the rest of the night, they took turns on each other until they were finished. They both got up and got dressed. Brad asked him to stay. Yeah, he would do that. They kissed before going downstairs.

“Michael Shinoda, I don’t want to know!”

He laughed as he sat down beside Brad. They were close friends but he didn’t want to know who he was sleeping with. It was like talking about making love to his wife. That was just something they didn’t talk about to each other. It was disrespectful to his wife and way too much information.

Bria showed up early as usual. She looked a little tired, so he asked if everything was okay. Bria apologized and told him that she and Stephanie had gone to the emergency room. They didn’t get home until after midnight. Was she okay? Yeah, she was jumping on her bed when she fell on her arm. The hospital called Child Protective Services because of her injury. She had to go through an intensive interview before they could leave.

“They called CPS because she broke her arm?”

“And because she had bruises on her legs and arms. She’s four years old and she’s active. Her teacher always tells me when she gets hurt.”

“I’m so sorry. What’s going to happen?”

“They’re going to investigate. I’m just scared they’re going to take her away from me.”

Did she want the day off? He would completely understand if she did. No, she needed to be there to distract herself. Okay. He let her know that if she needed a witness or help with anything, she could call him or Brad. Even if it was the middle of the night. She thanked him.

Stephanie had cried because of the pain. The doctor told her she was being very brave while he examined her arm. After taking an X Ray, her arm was wrapped up in a cast. She had the option to pick what color she wanted it to be. Pink! The nurse told her it made her look like she had a pink arm! She smiled and nodded. The cast was hard. She knocked on it with her fist.

Bria was stressed out and terrified. She was a very young parent and she fought hard to keep her baby. It would take forty five days to investigate her. They wouldn’t find any evidence of abuse because there wasn’t any. Her daughter was her life.

Mike let Brad know about the situation. No, he never saw anything that would ever make him think she was abusive. That was what he was thinking. If they wanted to interview him, he would gladly talk to them. So would he. He gave her the option to go home, but she wanted to stay. What Brad was concerned about was them taking Stephanie away due to her alcohol addiction. He knew about that?

Yeah, she had revealed it to him during a private conversation. How did he find out? She posted about it on her instagram. He didn’t use social media, so he didn’t know that.

He had been told that her abuser had given her alcohol and she got help for it after getting pregnant. She was worried it would impact her job. He told her it wouldn’t because she was a hard worker. Mike agreed. The only reason why it would was if she was drinking on the job or showing up drunk or not showing up at all. He agreed. The situation was unfair and they hoped it would have a happy ending.

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @alina-dixon @fiickle-nia @boricuacherry-blog

[shy-peacock]

There is no way i miss the chance of giving smut Rayamaari prompts :

1 being caught by both their parents while doing it in the throne room

2 office AU in which they secretely date at work and they do it against namaari's office walls which are made of glass but people from the outside only sees a mirror

3 ThEre WaS OnLy OnE bEd

4 While sleeping in the same bed, Namaari hear Raya having an hot dream about her

5 Period s*x because either Raya or Namaari get veery turned on during it

6 Vibrator + remote + public situation

7 Literally anything that takes place during your college AU because i loved it

Sorry if i am late with these prompts, hope you like any of them

God I am so sorry for this.

Rated M/E- for incredibly awkward moment and a tiny bit of sexual content.

EDIT- 2/23 YALL I noticed a lot of mistakes and I may not have gotten them all but I decided to edit it all again- so if you see some changes, that’s why UwU

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

“No, I actually literally hate you right now.”

Namaari looked up, giving Raya a stern look, an eyebrow arched up at her as if this was all RAYA’S fault and not her own. It was definitely Namaari’s fault. Maybe Raya could take three percent of the blame given the fact that she had been the one wanting to have a quickie in the bathroom before joining everyone for dinner. But the situation now was ninety-seven percent all her.

This was their second summer together, as a couple.

Raya and Namaari chose to date after-…well, after a story that is way too long to explain happened! Choosing this summer as their first official summer presenting their relationship publicly to their massive family group. The same family group that each of them had visited every summer of their lives, the ones who knew these two women as the pair that hated each other and had spent these summers of their entire childhood competitively trying to better the other.

But again, a really long story!

Here and now, Raya and Namaari were dating.

As well as trying to get back to a dinner that the family surely would have noticed they’d left by now. Namely both their parents.

Raya’s Dad and Namaari’s Mom had known about them since last summer along with Namaari’s cousin Atitaya, each parent accepting it well enough. Wanting to wait a bit to let all of that to settle before coming out to the other families. Still, that didn’t excuse them from dinners and other events. No matter how much they were in love and wanted some privacy or weren’t hungry or whatever other excuse they could pull out of their ass; they had to make an appearance.

Namaari’s Mom specifically would not tolerate such rudeness from either of them.

Rudeness they had meant to avoid!

But then Raya was needy and Namaari was looking too fucking hot in that suit (because of course she owned a suit) and, amidst getting ready, Raya pulled her into the bathroom for a little fun before they made their way to dinner. Only then to excuse themselves five minutes in when Namaari’s grandmother made a comment that caused them both to go pale.

“Maari..where’s the ring I gave you?” Her Grandmother tsked, pointing to Namaari’s hand.

Yes, THAT hand.

“You were wearing it earlier..I hope you haven’t misplaced it.” she added, saddened.

Namaari looked at her digits in confusion, which quickly turned to utter horror as realization set in, immediately staring across the table at Raya.

Her girlfriend pointed to her finger and then Raya when she was sure nobody was looking. Not at Raya, beneath her. Raya getting the gist all too soon what she meant. The two retreating from the table back to their room, slamming it shut behind them as Raya yanked down her underwear . Both of them praying that a shiny object would fall onto the floor then. Dismay from Namaari and terror from Raya as they realized it wasn’t going to just simply fall out.

Namaari’s ring, fallen off during sex, was now inside of Raya’s vagina.

“Who doesn’t take their rings off during sex!” Raya hissed, mortified by all of this. Especially as Namaari slowly entered her again, feeling around for the ring.

“You jumped me!” Namaari spat back, “Excuse me for trying to give you what you wanted!”

“Listen here-..ah~..” Raya began to say, her face going bright red when Namaari moved further in and a tiny tremor of pleasure lifted up through her body. A moan slipping out, soon followed by a silence and eventually a snort from her girlfriend beneath her as she forced back a laugh. “Don’t…” Raya warned, knowing what she was gonna say.

Namaari bit back a smirk, smug as ever.

Another movement, another moan.

This time Raya smacked her hand against her shoulder when she saw her girlfriend laugh.

“Stop laughing, that’s not funny!”

“Oh, come on..it’s a little funny-”

“No, it’s a little embarrassing!”

“It’s okay, I know my effect I have on you-”

“Oh please.” Raya scoffed, “I’m sensitive cause you were just in there!”.

Namaari pressed her lips together, holding back a comment Raya knew she was just itching to say. Her fingers moving inside her in such a way that it was difficult for Raya not to get worked up again.

“God, have you found it!?” she yelled, “ I swear you have to be doing this on purpose.”

“I’m not!” Namaari laughed, pulling out of her slowly, “it’s just..really up there…?”

“Wait-...like it’s stuck?!” Raya asked, panicking.

“No, but..maybe if you pee-?”

“It’s not stuck THERE Namaari!?”

“How do you know, just pee?”

“I can’t pee on demand!?” Raya yelled, “and what if I pee and it comes out in the toilet and gets lost in the drain!?”

“Then pee right here?”

“Ugh, no!?”

“Oh my God-...calm down, you’ve literally peed on me before-”

“THAT WASN’T PEE YOU IDIOT-”

Namaari rolled her eyes, “Okay, I’m going back in...hold still-”

Namaari moved closer, hiking Raya’s leg up on top of her shoulder for easier access. Raya squeaking in surprise as she nearly lost her balance, taking ahold of Namaari’s head and shoulders to stabilize her. Another miserable blush filling her cheeks when Raya felt her move up inside her. Using her grip as a form of friction, keeping her from moaning again just to stroke her stupid girlfriend’s ego.

“How does someone who knows how to make me cum in five minutes not know the basics of the vagina..” Raya grumbled, “we’re having a lesson after this-”

“So long as I get to school you-” Namaari husked, kissing her stomach.

“Not what I meant-…” Raya grunted in response, getting turned on still.

“After then?” Namaari asked, giving her those adorable eyes that she always did when she knew Raya was actually mad at her.

Raya huffed, “Maybe…”

Both knowing that maybe was definitely a yes.

Not even a minute later, Namaari gasped.

“I think I found it!” she beamed, shifting her hand then abruptly to the left.

Raya gasped as well, hers far less innocent as she let out a long moan when Namaari continued to try to fetch the ring. One she tried to reel back in, TRULY, she tried. But it came out all the same, her hips canting forward just once. Eyebrows knitted, mouth fallen open, the whole look of unbridled pleasure.

Of course...perfectly timed as ever..

And wouldn’t you know it, that’s when Virana stormed in.

“What in the hell is so important that-!” she snapped and then her voice was gone, lost, along with the color in her face as she went pale as a ghost. Seeing them, them seeing her. Of course Raya had to look like she was getting absolutely railed by Namaari in the moment, despite trying everything to NOT look like that. But it was hard to dispute the position they were in, Raya’s one hand even gripping a fistful of Namaari’s hair and Namaari’s face pressed right into Raya’s gut as if she had been kissing it. All of them frozen still until Atitaya walked in.

“Hey, grandma wants to know if you found her ring she gave yoooo-NOPE!” she called, walking into the room and literally doing a 180 and walking right back out. “Turn around Benja, your daughter is a little tangled up with her girlfriend at the moment.”

“Oh..” she heard her Dad say, and Raya thanked God above that he hadn’t been the one to walk in, “Uh..have fun, I guess?” he called, making it so much worse as Virana finally learned how to move again. People chattering down the hall, asking what was going on.

God, could it get any worse?

Nah..definitely not.

“I will give you, FIVE minutes…” Virana hissed, “get it together and be back at dinner and for GOD sakes Namaari, wash your hands!

“Yes, m’am..” Namaari mumbled, wincing when she finally shut the door.

Raya nearly brought her hands up to her face, wanting terribly then to find a hole in the woods and stay there for the rest of the trip. Hardly noticing Namaari had gotten ahold of the ring inside her, not until she was feeling it pull out of her like some sort of sex toy. Namaari showing it off then as if she had gone fishing and found buried treasure.

“Well..we got it?” she shrugged, “wanna use up that last four minutes?

Raya gave her a sour look.

“Shut up, Namaari.”

“So…that’s a no..?”

“I didn't say no.." she pouted, pulling Namaari up to her feet so they could kiss.

I mean-...they did have four minutes? Four minutes and then they'd announce their relationship to the others.

Although, given what just happened, they probably already knew.

[amaru2020]

Hey everyone! So this is a Raya and the Last Dragon fic co-written with my amazing friend @hazellevesque4life! Go check out their blog it’s awesome! It will also be available on their AO3 which I will link right here https://archiveofourown.org/works/30246006/chapters/74537121#workskin

don’t forget to leave plenty of kudos! We’ll try to update as often as possible! Now without further ado, let’s begin.

Chapters written by me, @amaru2020 will be marked like this 🟣

Chapters written by @hazellevesque4life will be marked like this 🔴

Summary: Raya and Namaari have to go on a road trip across kumandra to cure sisu's siblings of a curse

Cursed love

Chapter 1 🔴

“Namaari, I’ve been looking for you,” Virana called.

Namaari turned to face her mom, startled.

“Hi, Mom. I was just looking for Raya,” Namaari said.

Virana sighed. “You can find her later. First, walk with me.”

Namaari began to protest. She had to apologize to Raya for accidentally triggering an apocalypse.

But Virana stopped her before she could say anything. “I’m not saying you can’t talk to her, but this is more pressing.” She began walking.

She slipped her hand in her pocket and squeezed Raya’s golden hairband. It would be weird if she didn’t give it to Raya now. It might seem like she was trying to keep it. But her mom had just been turned to stone. And it would be horrible of her to not be there. Namaari released the hairband from her grasp. Namaari walked at the same pace as her mother.

“What did you need to talk about?” she asked.

“We need to head back to Fang.”

“What? We just got here. And Fang was destroyed by the Druun. Heart is the only place that has enough resources. We can’t go back yet.” Namaari hoped her mother didn’t think she was getting too riled up over this. But she still had things she needed to do here. Things she needed to tell Raya.

“That’s exactly why need to go back. Who do you think everyone is going to blame once the dust settles? We need to get ahead of the fray so that we aren’t reliant on Heart. We don’t know when they’ll turn on us. We need to rebuild so that we are strong when that happens.”

“But, shouldn’t we at least stay for a little while,” Namaari retorted, suddenly feeling anger swell up.

“We have to leave. To protect our people.”

And that was it. Her mother was the chief, and so her word was final.

Or it would’ve been. If Namaari hadn’t seen how the other had looked at her when the Druun cleared. After years of resentment, distrust, malice between everyone, there had finally been trust sent her way by people not from Fang. The last time she had seen that was when she was a child—again with Raya.

And even that hadn’t lasted long. Because of Fang’s need to protect themselves before anything. She wasn’t doing that again.

“No, Mom. We don’t have to leave. If you want to leave, I can’t stop you. But I’m staying here, trying to mend the bridges you burned.”

Virana looked at Namaari, contemplating. “Okay,” she said finally. “I trust you. But I’m not staying. If the other nations turn on us, I’m not having our people be helpless.”

Her mother was many things, but stupid was not one of them. If there was a way for her to make sure that Fang was self-sustaining while also keeping their relationship with the other nations, she would take it. None of them wanted conflict.

That calmed Namaari’s anger a little, but it didn’t completely soothe it. Her mother still expected conflict. She watched, wordlessly, as her mother turned and walked away.

Whatever. She couldn’t dwell on this. This was just more of a reason to go talk to Raya. Now if only she knew how to find Raya. Heart was weird, not like Fang at all. With its spiraling cityscape. Fang was contained on a much smaller piece of land, but Heart didn’t have that restriction. The buildings here were so much harder to navigate. Where would Raya be?

She thought back to the last time she was here. There was a huge central area, she recalled. Maybe Raya would be there, helping the people who had just arrived. Trying to use her foggy memories of the last time she was here, Namaari walked through the streets of Heart.

Finally, after too many confusing turns, Namaari found herself in front of the familiar hall where she and Raya had first bonded. The sounds of chatter echoes through the walls. So Namaari was right.

Taking a deep breath, she shoved the door open revealing people sprawled all over. And just like last time, it was people of all nations. This time, though, she noticed that more people were talking amongst people who weren’t from the same nation as they were. Namaari forced herself to stop thinking of that and to look for Raya.

She scanned the room, looking for Raya’s obnoxiously large hat. Her eye caught immediately: Raya, talking to her Ba.

Namaari stared at her, unsure of how she should talk to her when, mortifyingly, Raya looked up from her Ba. Their eyes met. Shit. Namaari lifted her hand in a small wave, trying to play it off as an accident.

Raya’s expression changed to —ugh— amusement. She motioned for Namaari to come over.

Mentally berating herself, Namaari walked towards Raya. She got a couple of curious glances from the other people of Fang.

“Hi, Raya,” Namaari said when she reached her.

“Hey! Are you okay? You were sort of staring at me from the doorway?” Raya was still looking down at her Ba, as she finished replacing the old bandages on his thigh with new ones where the crossbow bolt had hit him so many years ago. Namaari immediately felt a pang of guilt.

Oh, so she had noticed. “Yes. I’m fine.” Namaari refused to try to meet Raya’s eyes. “I, uh . . .” She what? Wanted to say she was sorry for telling Raya that Sisu’s almost-death had been her fault? Wanted to give back the golden hairband that she had kept like a creep? The words dissolved at her tongue. She and Raya hadn’t talked much since the Druun had been defeated. “Wanted to ask if you knew where Sisu was,” she lied.

“Oh,” Raya looked up. “I haven’t seen her all day actually. I’d check the clearing where her siblings were turned to stone the first time.”

Namaari wanted to shrink down. “I- I don’t know where that is.”

Surprisingly, Raya’s Ba spoke. “You should go with her.”

“But Ba, your leg-” Raya protested.

“Will be fine. It’s important to treat the other nations with respect.”

“. . . Okay,” Raya said, but the concern didn’t leave her face.

They walked together in complete silence. Namaari tried to keep track of the turns that they made so that she didn’t have to be led around like a child again, but Heart was too expansive that it was useless. She’d have to ask for a map or something.

Namaari was knocked out of her thoughts by Sisu’s voice.

“—Raya! I’m so glad you’re here, I was looking for you.” Panic laced Sisu’s voice.

Namaari sent Raya a concerned look. Raya glanced back at her. They spoke at the same time.”

“Sisu? What’s wrong?

“Are you okay?”

Sisu let out a strangled noise. “There’s something wrong with the other dragons!”

Chapter 2 🟣

Sisu gripped her tail with both paws as she began to pace, muttering things under her breath. “ “First Amba, then Pranee, now Jagan and Pengu…”

“The dragons? What do you mean there’s something wrong?” Raya said, finally finding her voice.

Sisu stopped to sit on her haunches. “I was hoping you could tell me! One minute they’re

normal, the next it’s like they didn’t even recognize their own sister!” She buried her head in her paws.

Raya and Namaari shared a worried look. Raya had never seen Sisu this distraught, which was cause for some concern. Raya felt Namaari give her a soft nudge before taking a couple of steps back. Raya raised an eyebrow over her shoulder in question, the only response she got was a gesture and look that could only be interpreted as ‘Not my place.’

Raya let out a small breath before cautiously beginning to approach the dragon. She tried to emulate the calm she had seen her Ba use many times in the past.

“Sisu... it’s ok, why don’t you just calm down and-“

Sisu’s head snapped up. “I’m calm, okay! It’s only my siblings turning into feral monsters, no big deal!”

Before she knew what was happening, Sisu had Raya dangling upside down from her leg, mere inches away from her furry snout. The whole situation gave Raya an intense feeling of déjà vu.

“I mean sure I did almost get attacked by my big brother today, but fine, let’s try it your way and stay, “calm.”” She used her free paw to make air quotes over the last word.

Raya only rolled her eyes. “Hey, at least I got you to speak in complete sentences.”

“That’s not the point!” Sisu said as she gave Raya a firm shake. Raya smirked and held up her hands in mock surrender. “Alright, but you need to still explain what’s going on. Can you do that?”

Sisu nodded.

“Good. Now put me down?” Raya asked as the blood had already rushed to her head.

“Right, Sorry.” Sisu said, chuckling sheepishly. She placed Raya gently on the ground, a nice change of pace from being dropped face first in her opinion.

Sisu frowned and picked up her tail and began to fiddle with it. Raya gave her an encouraging nod and touched the side of her neck, reminding the dragon she was there. This seemed to do the trick as Sisu finally began to open up.

“It all started with Amba, she’s usually so sweet and bubbly, she started to change. we thought it was just her having a hard time adjusting to being back after so long, and the stress of watching over Tail, but then when she attacked Jagan the other day, we knew it wasn’t that simple. then it slowly started happening to the others...” she trailed off, sounding remorseful.

Raya’s heart had dropped down to her stomach by the time Sisu finished her story. She had never heard of anything like this happening before. And for it to happen so soon after the Drunn wasn’t ideal. Raya rubbed her hand up and down were it was placed on Sisu’s neck at an attempt to comfort her.

“Don’t worry, Sisu. We’ll just let my Ba know what’s happening and I’m sure he’ll-”

“No!” Sisu yelped snapping out of her revere. She brought her head down so she could look directly into Raya’s eyes.

“No Ba! No people! No one can know about this!” “I know how tempting it is but we just can’t.” Sisu’s violet eyes bore into her own. Raya frowned. She wasn’t about to keep something this serious from her Ba. Especially not after all the time they had been apart. She tried to not let her annoyance seep through into her voice “Sisu, there’s no way we’re keeping this a secret. People, my Ba included, need to know what’s happening. They can help.”

Sisus' face turned indignant. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t think you would want a repeat of the past six hundred years?”

Now it was Raya’s turn to look indignant. “How can you possibly compare the two when you don’t even know what’s going on?”

“You’re right, we don’t know what’s going on! Which is why we can’t say anything about it. Fear of the unknown is even worse than fear of the known!” Sisu said as she tugged at her mane.

“Sisu, I’m not keeping this from everyone, we’ve-!”

“Raya, doesn’t Heart have an archive or something

that might be able to help?” Namaari, who hadn’t said anything since they had arrived, interrupted..

Raya startled, nearly forgetting the other girl was there. She turned to face her.

“Well, yes but nobody is allowed inside. Sacred texts and all that.” Raya said.

“Except for the princess of Kumandra and her dragon and people friend?” Sisu asked, sounding more than a little hopeful. Raya shook her head. “Only the chief and the archivists are permitted to go inside. And besides, if I’m not allowed in, I doubt they’d let you two in. More so Namaari, no offense.”

Namaari gave a small shrug. “That’s fair.”

“Besides if we get caught, let’s just say I would probably never see either of you again.” Raya said.

“Then we won’t get caught.” Namaari nodded to Sisu. “And she’ll make sure of it.” Raya could practically see the gears turning in her head. They shared a look of understanding before looking back to the dragon, who was now looking a bit wary. And rightfully so.

“What? Why...are you two looking at me like that?”

[what-if-i-imagine]

“You’re so obsessed to find someone to love you because you can’t love yourself.”

Requested by my goddess: @a-single-drop-of-ink​

Wally looked up from his home work the moment he heard the familiar feather light footfalls coming down the hall of his dormitory.

 In barely a second he was at the door opening it up, smiling at his roommate whose hands were full of groceries. His roommate smiled back that perfect smile that could make any heart melt, and Wally remembered what he had told his Aunt over FaceTime the night before while he was out.

“He makes it feel like home.”

His Aunt had gone from her joking, bubbly happiness to a more subdued, love-struck but still happy state. She had given him that same smile she made any time they went through her photo albums of her and his uncle.

“Be careful,” she told him. Because she knew. Wally had told her all about his roommate, and she knew just as well as him where this would go.

“How was your date last night?” he asked with a mischievous smile, fighting back the thoughts in the back of his head.

“Well, I didn’t come back to the dorm, did I?” Dick, his roommate, replied easily. It was true, he hadn’t come back to the dorm at all the night before, shooting Wally a text around midnight saying this new girl he liked was letting him stay at her place. He pretended to rack his brain to remember her name, even though it was burned into his heart just like all the others.

“Kori, right? The foreign exchange student?” he asked.

“Yup,” Dick popped the P as a grin grew on his face. “She was great Wally, she was perfect. I think she’s the one.”

“You said that about Barbara G too. And Vic from sci. And Raya from the gym. And Roy from the coffee shop-”

“You’ve made your point!” Dick laughed, wacking him playfully with a box of plastic forks. “And for your information, all of them were the one, they just didn’t realize it.”

“You mean how Vic was too focused on school for commitment, Raya wasn’t looking for something serious, Barbara fell for one of her bandmates, and Roy was in love with your younger brother?” Wally asked.

“You know, you can be really mean sometimes,” Dick said with no heat.

“Just pointing out the obvious,” Wally shrugged. “What are we having for dinner?”

“Well you have the choice between the two greatest delicacies in the land,” Dick said with much flourish, unpacking the groceries into their mini fridge and food bin. “Either the Irish dish of Luck Charms cereal, or the Japanese dish of Ramen.”

“I think I’ll go for the Japanese option tonight. I had cereal this morning.”

“That shouldn’t stop you.”

Wally rolled his eyes and got out one of the disposable bowls they should probably not be using in a microwave and started on his food. As he and Dick watched the opening credits for the most recent cheesy romcom tv show Dick had gotten addicted to, Wally wondered if Kori was really going to be the one. The one was going to some eventually, obviously, but how soon was that going to be?

The actual one only showed up a month later, after Dick and Kori’s civil breakup. By Civil, Wally really meant explosive by anyone else's terms, but for Dick this was like a beautiful kiss goodbye.

Of course, Dick always ended up good friends with his exs and his exs’ new partner. There was even a joking group chat with them all, with one being added each time Dick made up with his most recent breakup.

But at the start, his breakups were always messy. And Dick, in turn, became messy for at least a week afterwards.

He stumbled into the apartment that night, obviously recovering from a hangover caused by morning drinking with Roy, a new set of hickies around his neck and a hand in his disheveled hair.

“It’s a Monday, Dick,” Wally pointed out, barely glancing up from his homework.

“I’m honestly over caring,” Dick snapped a bit, chugging down one of Wally’s protein shakes from the fridge. Wally didn’t react, either to the snipish behavior or the obvious disturbance of personal property. He was used to this. Trying to point out a mistake to Dick or tell him what was good for him automatically set off that same defensive part of his brain that came into play while fighting with his father.

“So who were they?” Wally asked, referring to the hickies.

Dick hummed in though, looking down at himself, “The older ones from last night are from Helena, Babs’s other bandmate. The newer ones were courtesy of Little Wing’s friend Artemis. I think she’s related to Donna somehow?”

“No follow up dates?”

“Shut up,” Dick snapped again. His expression softened after as he sighed, taking another sip of the protein shake and putting it back with the mercy of leaving at least half for Wally’s nighttime run. “Sorry. Just tired.”

“I can tell,” Wally said levelly.

As he watched Dick fall back onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow, he let a common thought when it came to Dick’s breakup cross his mind.

He always does this to himself. Subconsciously on purpose.

It wasn’t Dick’s fault. He had been like this as long as Wally could remember, and probably even longer than their friendship had been in place. The cycle was a vicious one that Dick had had on repeat since he was fifteen from what Wally knew.

Crush hardly, love wholly, hurt deeply.

Fall in love, get in a relationship, torture self when it ends.

Wally knew what a self destructive man looked like, and Dick was definitely one. It ran in his family based off of what he had seen of his father, Jason and Cassandra.

“I called in an order for pizza,” Wally informed him, looking back to his laptop. “It should be here in an hour. Got a new movie too while I was at the store that I think you’ll like.”

“Did you get ice cream?” Dick asked, muffled by his pillow.

“Three different kinds and a bottle of cheap wine.”

“You’re a saint.”

Once Wally finished the first draft of his thesis and the pizza arrived, the both crawled down to their little cozy spot in front of their tv that sat on the ground.

The movie was shitty. Most of the ones dick liked were, but Wally still loved watching them with Dick. This particular movie was a hallmark movie from the early 2010s, which should say enough about the plot alone, and it was Dick’s perfect brand of sappy that hit a little too close to home where the girl realizes her boyfriend was shitty and she belonged with the gymnast heart throb with a heart of gold.

“Hey Wally,” Dick whispered as the main character ran into the arms of her true love.

“Yeah?” Wally hummed, leaning back into Dick’s hand where it was gently scratching at his head.

“What’s wrong with me?” Wally wouldn’t have even heard him if he weren’t leaned back on his chest. He didn’t freeze, but his mind did stutter for a moment. He was shocked when he subtly checked the wine bottle to see it was completely untouched.

“What do you mean Dickie?” he asked, glancing up only for Dick to nudge his head back down to face the tv.

“You know what I mean,” Dick said. “What’s wrong with me? All these people in the movies, all of my exs and friends, it only takes them one or two tries before they find the one. Why can’t I?”

Something wet dripped onto Wally’s head as Dick pressed his nose into his hair. He was only slightly shaking, but Wally could still feel it at every point of contact.

Wally got up, gently fighting past Dick’s refusal to let him go too far and turned to face him. He leaned forward on his knees between Dick’s legs and cupped his face, stroking away the small streams of tears.

“Because you want someone who loves you,” Wally answered, staring into those deep, pain filled eyes. The pain he saw there he recognized, maybe not as his own, but still as familiar. A deeply rooted self depreciation that offered no room for growth.

“That doesn't explain why I go out every day when I’m alone looking for someone new,” Dick defended, more tears falling. “It doesn’t make sense, Wally. Wanting love doesn’t explain this mess.”

“It does, Dick. You’re so obsessed to find someone to love you because you can’t love yourself,” Wally knew he was crossing a few lines by saying this, but he couldn’t stop himself. IT was obvious in the way Dick found his identity in the people he loved. His family, his friends, and above all else his long list of past lovers for however long they lasted could testify to that. Dick looked like he didn’t want to believe what he was hearing and was more confused than ever. Wally took it as a sign to elaborate.

“You constantly go out looking for these boys and girls because you want them to love you enough that you forget how empty you feel. It’s not your fault, it’s just the way you and your family work. You don’t think you deserve love, but you can't stand yourself when you’re without it.”

“Wally,” Dick’s voice broke and hitched, his face flooding with the horror of how on point his words were. Tears spilled faster than before, and Wally leaned even further forward to wrap his arms around his friend. He tangled his fingers gently in his hair and rhythmically rubbed his back, letting him cry it out on his shoulder.

“You’re wrong,” Dick said, voice wet and heavy with his tears.

“How am I wrong?” Wally whispered, barely a breath against the nape of Dick’s neck.

“It’s not- the only- reason,” Dick’s voice broke up with soft sobs.

Wally held him a little tighter, rocking awkwardly back to sit on his legs as Dick moved to his knees too without breaking any contact. Dick was leaning more into him now, and Wally silently prayed he wouldn’t fall back with the weight into the  that was now playing the ending credits,

“It’s because I love someone else,” Dick sobbed miserably. “I love someone else, but they don’t deserve the mess I am.”

“That’s not true. It’s just what your brain wants you to think,” Wally shook his head.

“It is true,” Dick was barely audible over his heart wrenching sobs. He clung to Wally tighter, his fingers digging almost harshly into the back of Wally’s shirt.

“It’s true because it’s you. You’re the one.”

Wally froze this time, his breath completely stopping.

How many times he had dreamt of Dick saying those words, and none of those dreams happened like this.

Wally regained his composure as quickly as he did everything else in his life and was back to comforting his roommate.

“It’s okay Dickie,” he said, pressing a ghost-like kiss to his hair. “You’re the one too. You always have been.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won't. But we are going to get you help, okay? You need help Dick, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s normal to need help.”

“Are you going to call my dad?” Dick asked pitifully, the sobs dying down to sniffles.

“Maybe. If that’s what you want. We will talk about it in the morning when you’ve had more rest.”

“Okay.”

Dick went quiet for a moment then spoke again, “Hey Wally?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s easier to love myself when I’m with you.”

Wally didn’t say anything in response. He just kissed his head again and rocked them back and forth until Dick fell asleep.

[nama-ri]

Deeper Than Rivers (ch2)

Next chapter! I promise the story isn’t all angst :’)

Summary: Namaari and Raya, two opposing forces who are more similar than they know. Together they’ll face the Drunn, find Sisu, and perhaps find themselves again too. A deeper look into Rayaari and the emotional turmoil they go through alone and together. Pre, during, and Post movie. 

No one batted an eye to the traveller in the red cloak, a large hat tilted over her face, casting a shadow over her features. Not to say she was unnoticed among the white clothes the natives wore. It was simply that it wasn’t odd to them in the market. Trade, though heavily inhibited by the Drunns, still happened. In Fact many Talon merchants and even a few Spine were also in the busy market place by the docks. Tail had stopped communication awhile ago, and it was rumored that they succumbed to the Drunn given their desert land.

Raya can’t say she missed the Tail Cheif. She was brash and selfish when they met before. A distinct memory of the tanned skin women shoving her aside in her greed to grab the Dragon Gem during the chaos that ensued after everyone poured into the temple. It seemed from the stories she heard that the chief's paranoia only grew when she got a piece of the gem shard. Though Raya thought she got what she deserved for her hand in breaking the world, an old buried part of her Heart panged at the thought of innocent Tail citizens perishing along with her.

Quickly she shoved that soft part of her back down. Through her experience as basically a rogue she had learned that there was no room to be soft. It pained her to kill her own innocence but the many experiences of betrayal over her travels made it clear it was a necessity. 

Speaking of betrayal. Raya pondered how she’d make it into the Fang palace where she was sure the scroll was. Her plan to pass as a random trader worked just as she thought. Of Course no one heard anything about the Heart princess after the night the Drunn had been released back into the world, so it was easy for her from the start to pretend to be someone else. Just another refugee from many of the destroyed villages of the land.

Passing by a few stalls set up, she considered her options. Her disguise would not pass in the well guarded palace. She would stick out like a sore thumb. She’d have to sneak in at night Raya realized as she glanced at the large stone buildings on the other side of the Fang island. “Oh toi” She mumbled under her breath taking in the smooth white walls. She was confident in her ability, confident in her years of hard living and her original training as a Gem guardian, but this was still gonna be a hard task to tackle. 

As she studied the palace, leaning in the shade of an alleyway something caught her eye. A familiar undercut. 

“No way” Raya was dumbstruck for a second. No way it was that easy to find Namaari. Furthermore, she had kept the same hair style for 4 years?! The thought of the Fang princess cutting her hair to match her Mother was amusing as a child but it was even more funny now. Raya couldn’t help but smile at that thought. “What a mommy’s girl” she snorted, following the figure discreetly. Of course she knew she was just as much of a daddy’s girl herself but that was before, Raya thought bitterly. Her mind quickly growing sour again.

Yep that was definitely Namaari. Wow. 

When Raya finally caught up to the other princess, though still far enough to not be noticed in the crowd, she had to physically stop her jaw from dropping open. What the hell?? She was taller than her! 

That was not the thought she should be having but her child-like pettiness flared. Namaari wasn’t the same thin girl she met and beat in the Dragon Temple 4 years ago. No, that Binturi was now taller and, Raya noticed reluctantly, buffer. 

Raya’s eyes followed the girl, no warrior, before her. Taking in her broad shoulders bared for the world to see in her sleeveless top. The strength in her smooth steps and air of power as she moved forward nearly parting the crowd as she went. Raya was gawking really, a slight blush on her face before she could stop herself. 

As if sensing the eyes on her, Namaari looked back over her shoulder and Raya barely ducked behind a barrel in time. Seeing Namaari’s body was one thing, her face was another. Peeking from behind her hiding spot she just caught the Fang’s sharp jaw and intimidating eyes set in an impassive face. Gone was the bright eyes or cute face she remembered. Something struck her heart at that, it was a mirror of her own loss.

‘Okay so she grew up, no biggie’. Raya tried to convince herself moving from the barrel as Namaari turned back and continued her walk. ‘She grew up hot’, a small voice echoed her previous thought in her head.

Wait a second hot?

Well sure attractive, anyone in their right mind would be able to see but that was besides the point, Raya had seen plenty of attractive people. She was attractive too if she did say so herself. Unlucky for her Namaari just so happened to be hot. Whatever, didn’t change a thing. But the muscles, that might make a fight harder if it came to it. Yes, it was perfectly natural to be staring at the Fang like this, she was just sizing the other up. Nothing else. Raya continued to trail Namaari, though from a far greater distance now as she revised her plan. Maybe she can ambush the Fang princess? Get her to take her to the scroll. That was far easier than scaling the high walls of the palace and searching randomly in a dangerous place.

As she was lost in thought on how to get Namaari alone she spotted another Fang warrior, she guessed by their dress, walking up rather quickly to the princess. 

“Shouldn’t be- market. -ought to get back” Were the only words she caught over the chatter of the market. Oh no, she’ll lose Namaari if she decides to head back right now. Lucky for her, Namaari looked just as annoyed to be told to leave. Raya moved closer to catch what they were saying.

“I won’t be long Atitaya, it will be fine” Namaari assured in a commanding tone, though it was undercut as she rolled her eyes like a child. The other warrior, Atitaya apparently, just huffed.

“Whatever you say princess” Atitaya bowed, making the younger girl frown, ears getting red. 

“Stop, oh dragons, I told you that wasn’t necessary” Namaari whispered to the warrior in front of her hushed and hurriedly. 

“I know, I know” The formality broken, Atitaya slung an arm over Namaari’s shoulder laughing quietly. Well that was a little shocking, Raya’s eyebrows shot up as she watched the interaction. From what she knew about Fang, they were militaristic and strict in their formalities to a fault. Cold, she remembered hearing from the villagers of Heart back when they were still alive. She had actually seen it herself throughout the day as she watched guards in the marketplace. This outward show of affection was weird. Especially weird as it included Namaari who Raya had chalked up to being the representation of every bad Fang stereotype. 

“You always tease me” Namaari grumbled. As the pair continued on the way. “I told you it’s embarrassing and unneeded out of formal settings” That just made the older woman smirk. 

“Well you never know who could be watching” a mischievous smile on her face “like maybe your mother” Namaari stiffened noticeably at that. Noticing the sudden rigid posture the general slowed her pace removing her arm from the clearly uncomfortable girl's shoulders “Hey hey, it’s okay she’s busy in a council meeting right now” Atitaya back tracked. 

Atitaya, though not actually family, may as well be. Orphaned by the famine that plagued Fang when she was 17 she was taken into the royal palace and given a second chance. She will always be grateful to Chief Virana for that, but she couldn’t say she entirely agreed with how she treated Namaari. Forcing her to grow up faster then maybe need be.

After the death of her husband, the Chief in her grief had shuttered away all her emotions, throwing herself into her work and people. No one could say she didn’t love anything, she loved her people. She was of course admired greatly by all of Fang for her steadiness in the face of starvation and all other forms of destruction. No she was an amazing Chief.

But Namaari.

She loved Namaari, but since the loss she could never really allow herself to fully show it. Now her tenderness only showed through a strong squeeze on the shoulder or a compliment given in an emotionless voice. It was sad, Atitaya thought.

She remembered the day she found the Fang princess, still only 10 at the time, in the serlots pen weeping silently among the large cats. She had felt odd at the time, not knowing what to do as a young soldier finding her princess in such a state. But she still sat with the child, not being able to just leave her, letting her cry it out. When she finally asked what was wrong, Namaari had only replied in a soft whimper that she felt she was all alone. 

The General, then a soldier, knew Namaari loved her dad and was hurting since he died. But as the young Fang continued to speak. It dawned on Atitaya that Namaari has been cut deeper than anyone thought previously of the often quite child. With the other children either too scared or resentful to hang out with her, and her own mother to preoccupied in work she was left to deal with her heavy emotions alone.

Years passed, and Atitaya rose through the ranks. As she did she also  became sort of an older sister figure to Namaari. Someone to lean on, though they didn’t show their friendship too much publicly. She watched with a sad heart as the princess took on more than she should have, striving and surpassing the high standards of even her mother. But in the process hiding her pain away to battle alone in order to not seem weak. 

They didn’t speak about Namaari problems as much as she grew older, but Atitaya still knew the other was struggling with a host of emotions despite her strong facade. Just like back in that serlot pen, except Namaari wouldn’t let her in this time. Atitaya was there since the beginning and so she knew why the younger Fang tensed at just the mention of her mother. 

“Hey lets just find those flowers, then we can head back before the Chief even notices” she quickly said trying to cheer up the Fang princess, who took a second to relax again. 

“Yeah” Namaari finally replied and began walking again, this time with Atitaya following a little behind. An invisible rift between them that only grew it seemed. 

‘Flowers? What the dragons?’ Raya thought, witnessing the short interaction but having no clue of the undertext. What exactly was all this about?

[mithrasisgay]

The Rise of the Dread Fleet - Chapter 3: Siren’s Call

New chapter, yo! Currently, we’re kind of assembling the full cast, but i do hope you enjoy my scribbles regardless <3

@tyrias-library

On AO3

„What we need right now is support.” Snezz says. “There’s only three of us, which is no basis to build a crew out of. Which leads me to my next point.”

Him, Asha and Aurelia Sharpwit are sitting in the darkest, most remote part of the tavern, conspiring over ale and cheap food. A week has passed since Asha’s recruitment of both him and Aurelia, and he’d taken the time to get the kid washed and dressed in something that didn’t smell like death. Now that Asha vaguely resembles a human again, he can see a glint in her eyes he hadn’t quite noticed until now. By all means, she is still a scrawny teenager, but there’s a hidden fury, as well as an unexpected degree of intelligence behind her immediate first impression that leads him to take this whole endeavor seriously. She has her hands wrapped around her mug and listens intently to him, nodding occasionally.

“I didn’t come to Lion’s Arch alone.” He continues. “I brought a friend with me. We both left Rata Sum post graduation due to a lack of direction, but I believe that, if you let me do the talking, I can rally her to our cause.” “One additional Asura won’t make this a viable crew.” Aurelia comments. “That is true. However, my friend is kind of a… package deal.” Snezz smirks involuntarily, unable to conceal his pride. “She’s a necromancer.” “Minions, hm? Could definitely solve the issue of actually sailing a ship in terms of manpower.” Asha says. “I’m down. Let’s get your friend on board.” “Um, before we do this -…” Snezz pauses to take a long swig of ale. “She’s, uh… a little bit eccentric. Trust me on this matter. She’s worth it.” “I’ve agreed to follow a random human girl and a guy that comes up to my kneecaps into battle. I don’t think eccentricity is going to scare me off now.” Aurelia says, with a low growl in her voice. “When do we go?” “Tomorrow morning, first thing. She’s probably asleep by now.” Snezz states and looks up at Asha by his side. She’s staring into her half-empty mug, brows furrowed. He elects not to ask for her approval in addition to Aurelia’s, and waved to the barmaid instead, to get a refill for his own drink.

 Morning rolls around much too early for Snezz. Him and Aurelia had spent a long time in each other’s silent company last night, but regardless, both of them meet Asha in front of the tavern they’re staying in – on Snezz’s bill, of course.

“Ready to go?” he asks them and only gets mumbled responses; Asha simply takes a few insistent strides forward, and Snezz clicks his tongue. “Right. This way.”

The unlikely trio weasels their way through narrow alleys into one of the cheaper residential areas of the city. Snezz stops them in front of a small, worn looking shack in the corner of the street, steps forward and knocks on the door, the entirety of which rattles under his fist. He sees Asha tilt her head curiously before the door opens a crack.

He holds his breath, as the horrid smell of putrefaction assaults his senses and leans in to peek into the dark interior. “You brought friends.” States the occupants matter-of-factly. “I did.” Snezz replies, speaking fast to avoid inhaling too much of the stench. “This is Asha, aspiring pirate Captain, and our friend, Miss Sharpwit. Can we come in-… or can you come out?” The door slams shut, Snezz hears a few nondescript clattering noises, then the door opens again, wider this time. Out steps a tiny Asura, even smaller than him. She’s completely black in complexion and hair, her vibrant green eyes and lighter, freckled rodent nose being the only features to be immediately discerned. She’s dressed in simple, rather dirty clothing, her apron stained with several fluids Snezz doesn’t even want to attempt to identify. She blinks up at his companions. “Why’d you bring them?” she asks, staring intensely at the two. Asha and Aurelia exchange a glance.

“We need your help.” Snezz tells her. “I’ve joined them and we want to steal a ship, then go out and make our living on the Seas. But we’re critically understaffed. I know that you can amend that.” Her gaze flickers back to him. “Piracy?” “Yes.”

She steps forward to face Asha, who immediately takes a step back, due to the woman’s rather fragrant presence. “I want a private laboratory below decks and access to any dead matter we encounter.” She demands. “Uh, I mean, sure? I can arrange that.” Asha fumbles, quite taken aback by the demand. “Good. I am joining. Call on me when you need me.” With that said, the steps back into her shack and slams the door shut.

A good ten seconds of baffled silence pass before Aurelia speaks up. “Well. You weren’t kidding.” “I wasn’t.” Snezz agrees. “She’s a good person. She just doesn’t do well with, uh… living people.” “What even is her name?” Asha asks, as the group turns to leave. “She left so abruptly.” “It’s Liamu. Don’t worry about her. I’ve known her all my life. I can vouch for her.” Snezz draws a deep breath. “With her help, we can crew a ship, but more help is always a good thing. We should all hit the road and see what we can organize.”

Asha stops in her tracks and taps her chin. “Actually, you two go do what you want. I have an idea.”

 --

 Asha looks over her shoulder, making sure she isn’t being followed, before kneeling down by the water. “Raya?” she calls out, in a hushed whisper-shout. It takes a moment before she sees the salmon pink shimmer of scales passing under the surface of the harbor basin, then Raya’s pale face becomes visible in the water, not breaking the surface, but close enough to speak.

“I need you to find somebody for me.” Asha leans down, her nose almost touches the water, and she whispers to Raya, who blinks slowly at her, then vanishes back into the depths. Asha rises back to her feet and dusts off her coat. It’s probably better not to tell her developing crew about Raya just yet. There needs to be more trust, more bonding before she can safely let them in on her secret little friend, without scaring them off.

--

 Cariyen’s exit from Vaixx and Raxxi has been rather undramatic. Both had been very understanding of her decision to leave, and even given her a rowboat to get back to Lion’s Arch shortly after their departure, so she can find her own path without them.

It shouldn’t take longer than a few hours to make it from Bloodtide Bay to Sanctum Harbor, according to Cariyen’s predictions. And then… what then? Cariyen doesn’t exactly have anywhere to go home to. She wouldn’t have joined a pirate crew if she had been able to return to the Grove, not after her brother had gone missing. She’d attached herself to this little girl after years of living half-alive, only functioning as her role on the ship. And then, even that little girl was taken from her, killed right before her eyes.

It’s a heavy mixture of guilt and grief in Cariyen’s heart, as she rows her little boat toward the city, almost on autopilot, reflecting upon the events that transpired. She knew the entire time. How Asha had suffered under her father. And while she did support her, she did not do enough. Asha was just a child, it had been just a matter of time until she’d snap and something horrible would happen. Cariyen can’t shake the thought that she could have prevented it, done something, anything, taken the girl somewhere safe, away from this environment…

Her thoughts are cut short by a heavy rock going through her boat. She pauses, heart skipping a beat, gaze flickering around to seek the source of the turbulence. Cariyen sits frozen, her hands gripping her oars tight as she listens for any telltale sign of an attack. Krait, Risen, hostile Hylek, marine predators-… no, she’s too close to shore for that.

She has no time to consider her options, as another heavy hit against the boat’s rump instantly capsizes it. Cariyen barely has time to hold her breath before she is plunged into the water. Her years of sailing experience immediately tell her to swim upward and surface, but she feels and iron grip around her ankle, preventing her from moving. Panic sets in, and she begins channeling magic in her left hand, only to be interrupted by something that is clearly a humanoid hand gripping her wrist and dragging her to the depths. Asha’s desperate thrashing in the water is the last image before her inner eye, then her consciousness fades.

 Cariyen had not expected to survive this mysterious attack, much less to hear the voice she hears when she eventually awakens. “Grenth’s grace, Raya, I told you to find her, not almost drown and kidnap her!” “I apologize. I am not good at convincing people to follow me. I thought this to be the easiest option.” “You could’ve-… ugh. Whatever, she’s here and she’s alive. Did anybody see you?” “I took the long way around. I was quick.”

Cariyen groans and rouses, forcing her eyes open. She’s in a room, laid out on a cheap bed, next to a small firepit crackling to her left. “Ah, you’re up.!” Asha Gaets says and sits down by her side. “Sorry about the… journey. Raya has no, uh… social skills.” Cariyen’s head spins, but she forces herself to sit up and face the girl. “How-...?” she croaks, throat raw with seawater. “Long story. Raya saved me and I made my way to town.” She explains, which clarifies very little to Cariyen, and gestures to a nude woman, crouched like a lurking tiger in the corner of the room.

The Sylvari looks from the strange woman to Asha, then lurches forward and embraces the girl. “Hey, hey.” Asha soothes her, helplessly patting her back. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I should’ve-.. I could’ve done something, I-…” “Hush, it’s fine. It’s okay.” Asha struggles and Cariyen releases her from the hug. “It’s not your fault. You were the only one who ever helped me on that rotten ship.” Asha puts her hands on Cariyen’s shoulders. “I’m just glad to see you again.”

Cariyen wipes the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and nods slowly. “I am too.” She whispers. “Asha, I… I can’t believe you survived.” “Trust me, it took me a while to realize too.” Asha grins from ear to ear, nothing like the broken soul Cariyen remembers her to be. “I told my friend Raya to find you, because I didn’t think you’d stay in the fleet after my death. Sorry about her methods. She’s used to drowning people.”

Raya makes eye contact with Cariyen, who feels her blood run cold when she glares into those empty eyes. “Siren.” She gasps. “I apologize.” Raya says. “I did not believe you would agree to come with me if I had asked.” “Don’t worry about her. She’s a friend. She saved my life.” Asha assures her and Raya nods. “She speaks the truth. I mean you no harm.” She confirms and Cariyen rubs her temples, trying to process all of this.

“I’m actually assembling a crew myself. Got a few people already.” She conchalantly states. “I’d like to have you on board, too.” “I-… yes, of course, but…” “Awesome. I’ll let you rest here. Don’t worry about the room, my new friend Snezz pays for it.” Asha gets up and gestures to Raya, who promptly rises and climbs out the window. “They don’t know about her yet, so if you could keep that little secret, that’d be great.”

“I... doubt anyone would believe in anyways.” Cariyen manages to articulate in her confused and weakened state. Asha grins at her. “I’ll organize you some food. Sit tight, will ya?”

[porscheczar110]

Of Sand and Rain

Rayllum Month 2019 prompt: Beach Day

Written by my sister in law tagged in comments (because tumblr)

Read here

Rayla, despite having complicated feelings regarding bodies of water, absolutely loved the beach. The sand, the smell, the sounds. Everything about it made her feel warm and excited. It was almost like stepping into another world. Your worries and your life , really, stayed behind somewhere along the car ride.

What Raya didn’t love was being dragged to the beach in the middle of winter. Sure, it was a pretty tropical area. Most of the time, they could get away with going year round. But some days just weren’t meant to be beach days. Those days included dreariness, rain, cold temperatures, lack of sun, and flood warnings among other things.

Yet here she and Callum were, on the beach in the midst of a severe thunderstorm warning. In the heart of January.

“You’re an idiot,” she snarled as the wind whipped her hair around. “But I’m an even bigger idiot for agreeing to come with you!” It had been wholly his idea, and he was annoyingly persistent when he wanted to be. Her grievances and reasonings fell upon death ears. That was when he whipped out the puppy eyes.

And, damnit all, he knew that was her ultimate weakness.

She moved a bit past him when she noticed the double red flags flying. Uh oh. That wasn’t good. That meant the water was closed for public use. And it was sort of obvious given the weather conditions, but still. She looked around, unsurprised to find the long stretch of sand on either side of them were completely empty. Not a soul in sight.

Good, she thought with a sniff. At least some people have a brain. She tightened her sweater around herself, but it did little to stop the biting edge to the endless sea breeze.

At least it still smelled great.

“Rayla,” Callum said lowly from somewhere behind her.

He sounded serious. Suddenly, she was overtaken with nerves. She hated when he talked in that tone of voice. That was his ‘royal tone.`` Things were never good when the royal tone came out. Was it too late to run away into the waves? Let them take her away from all her troubles that now, strangely, included Callum?

She began planning a mode of escape that didn’t involve her eventual demise at the hands of a violent ocean.

I’m not feeling well.

Uh-oh, looks like Shark Week just arrived.

I’m a war criminal, and they’ve just found my location!

My aunt’s grandmother’s second cousin thrice removed just had a baby, so I need to go visit.

Sorry, was in a minor fender bender on my way over here.

I’ve just been bitten by a poisonous crab! We need to go to the hospital as soon as possible before I die.

I—

“Rayla,” he said again. She mentally banged her head against the wall and then buried it in the sand. Like an ostrich. She liked ostriches. Well, as long as they weren’t charging her. Surprisingly enough, she had actually had an ostrich charge at her. Completely not her fault, too. If it had been her fault, she’d own up to it. But it wasn’t. That one was all Runaan. She’d only been—

“Earth to Rayla?”

She gave a high-pitched laugh, rubbing the back of her head as she turned around. At the sight before her, the ground disappeared. She went completely numb.

This couldn’t be real.

“I would like you to weigh in on another idiotic idea I had,” he began loudly over the howling of the wind around them. “You see, you stole my heart on this beach a few years ago. Same day, same time, same spot. And, in the time between then and now, I decided I didn’t really want it back. I honestly think it’s safer with you than me,” he laughed, and she couldn’t help but do the same around the tears budding. “You are everything that I am not. You’re my other half, and I cannot and will not live the rest of my life without you. I didn’t even bother trying to imagine what it would be like to live without you because it’s like trying to imagine living without an integral part of me. I have spent my whole life trying to fit in, and everywhere I searched, I just found more emptiness, more loneliness. And then you came along… That all changed. I had somewhere I belonged, somewhere I was safe. You’re my home, Ray. In ever sense of the word. Just seeing you, just hearing your voice, I know that everything is going to be alright. So I’m going to ask you to go along with another wild idea. Arguable wilder than coming to the beach in the heart of winter and in the midst of an oncoming storm.

“Rayla, will you marry me?”

She couldn’t help but smile, her joyous tears mixing with the gentle drizzle that had begun. “You know,” she began, “kneeling for that long must be painful for someone who isn’t used to it, Prince.” He glanced away, and even the cold could do nothing to hide his raging blush.

“Given my position, there are few people I’d kneel down to. And the only one I’d do it for willingly and gladly. You .”

“Callum,” she sobbed, throwing herself into his arms. They fell back into the sand. In the back of her mind, she was grumbling about how dirty they were going to be. How dirty the car was going to get. Sand in their hair and in all places where sand should never be. But she didn��t care. All that mattered was the man before her.

Their lips met.

Once. Twice. Thrice.

“Is—is that a yes?” he asked between kisses.

She laughed against his lips, nodding feverishly. “Yes, yes, yes, you silly fucking goose. A thousand times and more, yes. ”

In the midst of their own sort of personal monsoon, a ring found its way onto her finger (and unfortunately indicative sneezes snuck in there somewhere, too).

Maybe it wasn’t the most perfect beach day. But it was to her.

And that’s what really mattered.

[poorvioletdraws]

Tom vs. The Underworld

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10

Chapter 4: All Outta Angst

Once Star and her family destroyed all of the magic, the use of portals became obsolete which resulted in my only mode of transportation being by foot. Well, in my case, by flight. Thankfully, my powers and abilities were not bestowed onto me by magic; they were apart of me because I was a demon. 

Before leaving them, Marco and Star suggested they should accompany me to ensure I made it home safely, but I insisted that going alone would be the best option for me. It gives me time to clear my mind and decompress from the events in the now-nonexistent-Realm of Magic. Plus, I knew that with the threat of Mina Loveberry now being over, Star and Marco could finally spend time together as a normal couple without me being a third wheel... I’m glad we were able to resolve everything and remain friends. It was for the best...  

A great shift in the space-time continuum also occurred where both Earth and Mewni were merged together. I haven’t been to Earth much, but I can’t confirm or deny if this was an actual improvement or not. To think, all of this just from Star destroying the magic? Why would both dimensions come together in such a way?

As I jetted through the pink-blue sky, I viewed the new world below. The vast cornfields of Mewni were dissected by a freeway. The Hill of Flags was now sprouting from a cemetery and the Mewni River was running through a series of homes in a suburban neighborhood. Even the Forest of Probable Itchiness had found a new home seated within a hospital--its patients and staff not looking too excited over its new location. Monsters and creatures roamed freely with the Mewmans and humans, the latter being mystified and frightened by the new population. 

“Whoa!” I exclaimed as a thunder of dragon-cycles blew passed me. I wonder if one of them was Hampton.

I’m not really sure of the full extent of the change or how far it reached; I didn’t even know if the physical passageway to the Underworld still existed. But I needed to find out. I needed to get back home. That’s where my destiny lies...

I finally made it to the caves of Musty Mountain and luckily, based on my first sight of it, not much has changed. I began to decrease the flame to my hands and feet in order to transition into my descent towards the largest opening of the mountainous region. I landed effortlessly before the cave and stood in its mouth. My nostrils were met with the repugnant burning stench of rot which gave the reputable mountain its name--something I could’ve went without smelling for the rest of my lifetime. 

The light from the sun was no longer welcome from within so I had to use my fire to brighten the darkness. My body was engulfed by flame, making it possible to see the huge cavern surrounding me. There were stalagmites and stalactites creating large jagged teeth in the ceiling and ground of the cave while a small stream of what must’ve been magma drooled through its crevasses. It was much to treacherous to walk along so I levitated into the air and slowly investigated the area. If my memory serves correctly, I needed to follow the flowing molten deposits back to its source which, after entering through the gate of the Underworld, will open up to the first geographical landmark of my home, the Lava Lake Beach. But why was the stream of magma running so lightly? Usually its current was immense and ferocious. Instead I was observing a trickle as if from a pinched off garden hose.

It wasn’t long before I found my answer.

Where the great entrance into the Underworld once stood, now a multitude of large boulders and rocks sealed up it’s path.

“Oh no…” I gasped. The merging of the dimensions must’ve caused an imbalance so intense that it upset the cavern and caused the rocks to fall and cover the entrance.

“This can’t be possible. I can’t be stuck here. I need to get home!” I yelled in a panic.

I aimed my hands at the blockade and called forth what little strength I had left to blast at it with my fire. However, after being stuck in the Realm of Magic for so long as a victim to that weird dark unicorn, I was drained from using my more destructive abilities. 

“What do I do? What do I do?!” I shouted as I ran to the barrier. I tried to remove the rocks with my bare hands but they would not budge. I began to pound on the wall with my fists and screamed, “Hey! Anyone over there?! Please, I need to get back through!”

But nobody answered.

I ruffled my hands through my hair in frustration and sat on the ground of the cave. This can’t be happening. There must be another way. I was becoming distraught by what felt like an impending depression as my mind teased the possibility of being stuck in Earth-ni. 

What if I never see the Underworld again? What if I never see Lucitor Castle again? What if I never see my family again? What if I never see her again... 

Her?

Despite my crisis, why was I thinking about her?

I reached into my jacket pocket and retrieved something from inside. I held it in both my hands and stared at it intently. It was the necklace we made together at that temple in Yomi Town.

“Raya…” I whispered her name. I wonder what she was doing right now. She was so kind to me. She included me. She would never leave me alone like… Like they did... 

Tears began to well up in my eyes as my mind raced. I was alone. Again. Just like in the Realm of Magic... 

All I remember after we went there was everyone deserting me. One by one--Star, Marco, and then Janna. They left me confined to that contraption after they saw… After they saw the real me? Each one of them were afraid and they left me to become tainted by that dark unicorn... And I call them my friends?

I pounded a fist into the ground. Why would they do something like that? 

No, it wasn’t their fault… Star said your memories start to fade while you are in the Realm. So they just didn’t realize who I was anymore… 

Who was I anyway? Do I even know? What was that thing I became? Was that my true form? If I unleashed all of the demonic souls inside of me and channelled my true power, is that what I will become?

I remember being overcome with a strange sensation; toward what exactly I don’t even know. It felt like pure hatred. But, why? I didn’t hate Star or Marco because we resolved everything. Was something left behind? Or have I always had this emotion lying dormant?

I thought heartbreak was bad, even though that carries its own form of sadness, but having that overwhelming feeling of being alone was much more worse. Being alone was unpredictable. What you feel--despair, revenge, hatred, anger, depression--is all blurred together and harbors an unbearable darkness in your heart. My souls yearned for it. They craved it. And whatever that dark unicorn was, it  warped my mind and chose that form. That form was evil incarnate. 

Was that my future?

No, that’s not me. Whatever that was in that Realm, it tried to mold me into what it wanted. It tried using me to hurt those I care about. It would have succeeded too, if it wasn’t for Marco. He came to save me regardless of the situation we were in. He is a mere human and yet he took on that dark being for me. He didn’t give up. He fought until he brought me back to my senses. He was a true friend and I can’t let him down. 

I stood up to face the wall of stone opposing me and glared at my enemy with a new air of imminent triumph. I began feeling my power build up from deep down as all three of my eyes lit up simultaneously.

“I am Thomas Draconius Lucitor, Prince of the Underworld, and I… I’m getting through this wall!” I proclaimed in a warcry as I floated above the gravel.

I unleashed everything I had left, even a power I didn’t know was there. I was unsure of where it was coming from but it exploded from me like a wrathful vengeance. It was my claim to the Underworld, a declaration for my home. For too long I let this hurt bury and fester inside of me. Whatever it was, it was being released in this onslaught I had created. I didn’t know what the adverse reactions would be for allowing my body to be put through such a feat, but it had to be better than feeling this pain. I needed to get rid of it all. The wall of stone, the darkness, my doubt--all this angst, I wanted it gone!

I kept torquing out all the fire I had toward that barrier as bit by bit started to crumble. I didn’t care if I expended every last drop and would return to that form I once was back in the Realm of Magic. I’m not afraid of it anymore. That was something I know I can control as long as I have my convictions. I am in control of my situation, my life, and my destiny… This is place is not my home. The Underworld is my home!

And within that dire instant, I heard a familiar voice come from the other side of the wall.

“Tom?” It was my dad calling from the other side.

“Dad?” I uttered, still not ceasing my blazing torrent.

My dad began speaking to other voices on his side of the wall, but it was hard for me to hear. “It’s Tom--Hang on---son--quickly, we--everyone--keep going!” 

With his muffled encouragement and my confidence to overcome, I dug even further as my powers went berserk. I was pushing myself well passed my limit. The cave began to tremble and I cried out,. “Aaaaaaaaaaagggghhhh!”

“One--more---everyone!” My Dad called.

And with a mighty crack, the entrance broke open with the blasting sound of cannonfire. 

At that moment, every bit of my power was spent. I couldn’t hold my levitation any longer so began to fall to the ground lifelessly. My eyelids grew heavy as I let total exhaustion take over me. The last thing I remember was my Mom catching me in her gigantic hands and embracing me lovingly into one of her tear-filled sobs.

I awoke again, still drained, but in a familiar bedroom. I was now at my family’s lake house on Lava Lake Beach and lying in my bed. I could barely make out the shadows surrounding me as my eyes still needed to adjust. But from the maternal whimpering, I already knew who was there with me.

“Mom…?” I said weakly with a cough.

My Mom sat beside me as she stroked my hair back. She trilled with a croon.

“Your Mother’s right, son. You really gave us a scare.” I heard my Dad say worriedly, popping out from beside her.

“W-what happened?”

I suddenly heard screeching come from the head of my bed as my Great Grandfather Relicor perched himself there.

“Yea, something BIG must’ve happened.” My father translated from my grandfather’s squawks. “We felt an outrageous earthquake here but knew something else must’ve been afoot, since it wasn’t caused by your mother’s anger. None of the portals or communications to the outside were working and we remembered you were still on Earth. So we went to the passageway in the Musty Mountain to find out what may have happened but it was blocked.” My father clarified.

My Aunt Exasperalla piped up as she sipped her alcoholic beverage, “More importantly, and what your father fails to mention, is that it felt as if some form of magic lingered there and was stopping your return.”

“I was getting to that but thanks.” My Dad said snidely.

“Now I’m sure we can all agree that Master Tom’s safety is the most important thing here.” My life coach Brian advocated. Even he was here?

“Thank goodness.” Petey agreed. Even Petey was here?!

Marshmallow squeaked at the foot of my bed. Awww, even he was here. The fluffy pink bunny hopped over to my side of the bed so I could pet him.

My Dad placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile. “I’m glad you’re okay, son. We all are.” His expression grew serious as he continued, “But please, don’t try something like that again. Tapping into your life energy can be deadly. We got lucky this time but who knows what could happen if you tried that again. Don’t think your old man doesn’t have your back. We worked diligently on our end with all our strength and power to clear the way for you. We are all here for you, remember that.”

I gazed around the room with a comforting smile for each one of my family and friends as I contemplated what my Dad had said. I know I haven’t been away long, but being home again felt like such a relief. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I never saw them again. Come to think of it, it is strange what my Aunt had said about the passageway. All magic was destroyed so how could anything be capable of trying to seal a pathway to the Underworld. And why?

Relicor began screeching again and flailing his arms about as if in annoyance.

My Dad nodded and said, “That’s true. I also wonder what could have happened to cause all of this. Even though the passageway is open again, the portals are still not working down here.”

I sat up in bed, although my Mother urged me not to in a warble. My vision and overall constitution was gradually stabilizing again so I was feeling up to what needed to be done. I needed to tell them all what had happened over the last few days--why the portals no longer worked, the destroying of magic, the merging of Earth and Mewni, and my breakup with Star… They needed to know. It is for the best of the Underworld and how we can proceed not only as a kingdom but also as a family. I just hope my Mom doesn’t get too upset and cause another one of her storms after hearing about my updated relationship status…

I was sitting at the couch in the living room of our lake house flipping through some magazines left out on the coffee table as Marshmallow explored his surroundings on the floor. It has been a day and even though I was feeling like my old self again, my parents still wanted me to take it easy. I could hear both of them in the kitchen discussing plans on preparing a team to dispatch and investigate the new world above once we travelled back to Lucitor Castle. Exasperalla, Relicor, and Brian were all outside on the deck grilling something for us all to eat.

I let out a sigh and tossed the magazine onto the table. Do I really need to stay inside all day? I’m not helpless. A lot of my exhaustion was practically gone. And there were some really killer swells coming in that I just wanted to get out there and surf.

I stared down at my clenched fists. My Dad did explain to me how dangerous using life energy can be. However, he also mentioned that the many souls I possess may have played a huge part in not only protecting me from certain death but also in my recovery. I wonder how he knows so much about that?

~Ding-Dong~

My thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell. Who could that be?

“Here already? Styx & Stones must be on the ball today.” I heard my father say to my Mom. He called for Petey to answer the door.

Styx & Stones… Yea, that’s the name of that beach shop that Raya works for and… does deliveries!

I shot up from the couch and shouted frantically, “I’ll get it, I’ll get it!” 

Petey stopped in midair from his descent off of the second floor loft. “Oh, y-you sure, Master Tom?” He asked surprised.

“Psshh, no biggie.” I quickly said as I ran over to the door. 

But as I went to reach for the door knob, I hesitated. For some reason, I began to get this strange feeling in my chest that I just couldn’t explain. My heart was pounding and bringing on an anxious sensation throughout my entire body. Is it because I’m excited to see her and tell her about everything that happened? Or is it just that I want to see her again regardless?

I touched the necklace we made that was still hanging from my neck and I drew in a deep breath. “Okay, okay, okay. I got this…” 

I gripped the door handle and swung open the door only to be met with Raya’s older sister, Rochelle. 

“Hey-ya, Ray--Ochelle?” I stopped mid sentence once I realized it wasn’t who I was expecting to see. My heart sunk.

“Good afternoon, Prince Tom. How have you been?” Rochelle greeted me.

“Um… Fine. N-nice to see you again.” I mumbled. 

Rochelle had our order stacked neatly to the side of the doorway and held out a clipboard and pen for me to sign. “I just need a signature and I’ll be on my way.” She said straight to the point.

“Oh, okay.” I scrawled my signature and looked at the invoice for a moment rather disappointed. 

“That earthquake the other day was incredible, wasn’t it? But I hear not much was effected down here thankfully or my business would be in trouble.” The older female demon spoke but I wasn’t really paying attention. My mind was busy thinking about Raya and why she wasn’t here delivering our order like she usually does.

As I handed the clipboard back to Rochelle, I decided to ask her, “Hey, where’s Raya? Doesn’t she usually do the deliveries for you?”

“Yes, she did, Prince Tom. But she wanted some time off.” 

“Why?” I asked but realized how nosy that sounded so I tried to reiterate my question. “Well, I mean, she can take time off, no harm in that. You see, it's just been awhile and--and.” I rubbed my arm and diverted my eyes to the ground.

Rochelle put her hands on her hips and smirked as if she knew where I was going with my jumbled sentences.

“I just wanted to see her again and catch up, is all.” I chuckled nervously. 

Rochelle kept up her all-knowing demeanor but finally divulged what I wanted to know. “Okay, so once we got back from Yomi Town, Raya kept asking me about how a princess is supposed to behave and act. I told her about this etiquette school outside of Lava Shores if she really wanted to see for herself so she has been taking classes there.”

“Why would she do something like that?” I asked confused.

“Something about the next time she ever saw you that she didn’t want to be an embarrassing ‘commoner’.” Rochelle made sure to quote unquote the last part with her fingers.

I gasped, “W-what? Embarrassing common--” I then proceeded to frantically denounce such an accusation, “No way! Just so you know, I never got that impression from her or any of you. And I hope that’s not how I come off. She doesn’t need to do something like that. She’s great! All of you are!”

“Oh I know you aren’t like that, Prince Tom.” Rochelle waved her hand as if trying to fan an invisible flame. “But ever since Raya came out here the last time, she kind of hasn’t been herself. I mean, etiquette school? You’ve seen how the girl eats? And she is the last person I’d expect to follow through with something that didn’t include music or video games. Ha.”

Rochelle noticed I was starting to look saddened by what she said so she tried to clarify, “Hey, you know, it could be a good thing, this kind of change for her. She must’ve taken away a lot from the time the both of you spent together at Yomi Town.”

“Yea… But she shouldn’t be someone she’s not just to impress me…” I said discouraged. Isn’t that kind of what I did to impress Star though?

The older demon girl took a glimpse at her watch and was startled. “Oh! I better head out. I need to open the shop back up and don’t want to be gone too long.” She muttered as she started to walk away from the lake house .

I hung my head feeling rather defeated. 

But all of a sudden, Rochelle turned back around to face me and suggested, “Hey, if you want, I can give you the address of that school. I’m sure she would love to see you again.” She smiled.

I perked up. “Really, you’d do that?”

“Of course, Prince Tom. Your family is also one of my best customers so I can’t let you down now.” She winked and gave me a thumbs up.

“Thank you! You’re the best!” I praised her. 

Once she scribbled down the address on a torn out piece of paper from the invoice, she said goodbye and hurried on her way. I also waved goodbye and thanked her again while shutting the door. 

But to my surprise, I turned around to face my entire family now staring at me intrigued, obviously having observed some (all) of my conversation at the door.

I began to sweat as I asked nervously, “Uh, what are you all doing?”

My Dad smirked as he said in a rather sly tone, “So, what’s this all about, son?”

As if on cue with his words, everyone in the room began to beam in anticipation of what I would say next. I guess there is something else I need to tell them about too. 

With everything considered, it feels good to be home.

[egg2k16]

Quotes from 12th grade

I forgot to upload these when I graduated, but here they are now!

8/28/17

2. Carlos "I'm giving up my health" 9/5/17 Mario "If we still here during lunch, we can sneak out!" Patricia "You want to sneak into class?"

9/18/17 2. Aliyah "It was hard" Morua "I know it was hard" Sabian "I know it was hard. I made it that way" 2. Brandon "My special need is aid"

10/3/17 6. Vicky "Valery, why is this such shit?" 10/4/17 3. David "Alright Mr. Morua I'll be right back" Class "MR. MORUA?!?!?!" David "Mr. Grana" 10/4/17 Karina "Deaf blind and very confused" Me "That should be the name of my biography" ~ Joselyne "If you're not a competitive person, then don't apply to competitive schools"

10/6/17 3. Luis "I was thinking about the cheese"

10/12/17 3. Me "Unchangeable and swole" Karina "You sound like a fuckboy trying to write a love poem" Me "Am I not a fuckboy trying to write a love poem?"

10/13/17 2. Me "A pity pizza, if you will" 2. Me "All those cans there look sexy" Karina "Your sexuality is those cans. How gay are you? See those cans?" Me "Yeah? Yeah"

10/13/17 4. Student "What movie is this, Captain America?" Students "Civil War" Student "But it's Captain America, right?" Students "Yes" Student "You could have just said so, damn" 10/14/17 Rafael "It's a butter knife, not a cutter knife!"

10/17/17 2. Morua "What are complement goods?" Carlos "Nutella" Morua "Nutella and what?" Me "Nutella and everything" Morua "Nutella and everything. You're not wrong, Valery"

2. Morua "You still have to pay taxes" Marcelo "Not if they don't know you're there"

11/7/17

3. Me “You think I'm not aware, yet what you don't know is that I'm increasingly aware every time I write an essay”

Grana “Ahh, it's almost like you're learning in school”

11/8/17

2. Morua “Disney stocks are very expensive. You would own the paperclip on the CEO’s desk.”

6. Vicky “Cortina”

Joselyne “Everything he says is ugly”

11/13/17

6. Regalado “Only positive stuff now”

Johnny “Oh, ok. Khan Academy is good.”

*silence*

*laughter*

6. Girl “I don't have time to take notes and I don't have time to draw!”

6. Me “It's a see-saw. It's a danger see-saw. Over a cliff. While it's on fire!”

6. Me “That's so pretty. Let's take a field trip to the Hagia Sophia”

Class “Mhmm”

6. Nathalie “I've never seen a Bible in my life”

6. Joselyne “Oh my God. He vored the Bible”

11/16/17

1. Mrs. Ski “Robert, are you still with us?”

Robert *almost asleep* “Yes”

11/20/17

2. Me “You know, that's your problem. You just hand out the tests and they’ll have to figure out what to do with it!”

Morua “You know what, Valery, you right”

11/27/17

6. Me “I like how the lady explaining the mandalas is a white lady”

11/30/17

3. Grana “You just rewrote a Hemingway novel!”

12/5/17

1. Ski “Bleeding hearts want to stop the dear-loving!”

2. Karina “I'm confused and concerned!”

6. Malo “This video is twenty long!”

12/7/17

?. “Don't blame me for your shitty immune system!”

12/11/17

2. Morua “Adulting waits for no one”

12/14/17

3. Rafael “The devil is his father!”

3. Andrea “I'm bullying myself!”

Lunch. Rafael “Oh that's right, I forgot! I'm mad at you too! You're all trash!”

Lunch. Lauryn “She said she liked dick.”

Me “DICK?”

Lauryn “Yes, exactly”

7. Rodriguez “When you're an adult you can make the decision of either moving back to Costa Rica or … Colombia?” “Yeah” “Yeah, I remember Costa Rica more because you're more emphatic when you talk about it. It's like the forgotten little dog”

12/19/17

2. Morua “Death taxes”

Brandon “There's a tax on dying?”

12/20/17

3. Grana “Oh yeah, if he was a cold stone killer. Stone cold. Hehe, ice cream!”

12/22/17

2. Me “What are we gonna do today?”

Joselyne “Nothing”

Morua “What's the phrase … comiendo mierda”

2. Karina “Kids are cool, but dogs are awesome”

?. “TRUST ME YOU NEED TO GO TO FUCKING COLLEGE”

1/16/18

2. Me “B E T !”

2. Morua *about Lord of the Flies* “And as the book continues, what happens?”

Me “Angry little boys”

2. Me “Just don't murder people. But if you do get murdered, then that's your fault”

Karina “Don't be a little bitch!”

2. Morua “The govt makes sure that your rights are protected”

Me “But are they?”

Karina “No they aren't”

Me “You right”

1/18/18

6. Malo “It's just France, except take out the nce”

6. Me “You can't have both, you bitch”

1/22/18

3. Grana “Do any of you recognize this band? (The Cure)”

Me “Are they … British boys?”

Grana “Yes they are British boys”

?. “I was prepared, just not for those questions”

5. Avila “Look at Carlos, making everyone look bad!”

Me “Wow, for the first time!”

Carlos “I know, right?!”

1/23/18

1. Andres “Who are you waiting for?”

Me “Jesus”

1/24/18

3. Karina “Ugh, English”

Me “You're a native English speaker!”

3. David “I love the murdering of families”

Carlos “You know, that's kinda hot”

Grana “At this point, nothing surprises me anymore”

3. Marla “He had the Dexter goods!”

5. Brandon “When you drive, you'll finally have a new perspective on life”

7. Rodriguez “I'm worried, I couldn't do that simple handshake. I wonder if I'm dying”

1/26/18

2. Joselyne “It's just ice, bro. Zane from Ninjago says this”

Me “Canon”

2. Morua “Let's say Agustin is talking in class. And I'm teaching the class and I hear talking behind me and I say, ‘Agustin, go to the office.’”

Agustin “That's just Mr. Sisak”

2. Morua “Robert, are you really living if the government protects you from Karina and the Mexicans?”

2. David “Wow, I can choose between Raul Castro or Castro, Raul”

2. Brianell “You can either choose Raul Castro or Raúl Cástro. One with an accent one without, and if you pick the one without, you die”

1/29/18

1. Samantha “Screw you and your detours”

3. Grana “Yeah, the pizza, pizza van hit him”

Carlos “Pizza pizza?”

Grana “Thanks for that, Carlos”

1/30/18

1. Me “I'm not a meanie”

Samantha “Yeah, she's not a wasp!”

1/31/18

3. Carlos “Did you get the goods?”

Me “Te pasaste la raya”

Carlos “Man shut yo mouth!”

Me “YOU shut your mouth!”

Class *ooo*

Grana “I'm gonna end it there on Valery’s victory”

3. Me “Your eyes don't grow, you grow into your eyes!”

3. Me “Are you still talking about your eyes?”

Kafruni “Is that why you need glasses?”

3. Me “He's a little bitch. You think a hardcore bitch would kill people who talk smack about them??”

3. Gio “You've heard of Atomic Blonde, now get ready for Hardcore Bitch”

2/2/18

Lunch. Joselyne and Me “various versions of Oscar Isaac came to my house”

2/5/18

1. Andrew “I'm a professional kayaker”

1. Andrew “Shut the fuck up, ugly. I'll leave you in the Everglades”

2. Me “What did we do last class?”

Karina “I'm the wrong person to ask that”

2. Isa “You got them ratchet-ass K Mart markers”

6. Khan “It's a phallus”

Me “I KNEW IT!”

Regalado “Obviously”

2/7/18

1. Ski “Quarter 3 is the toughest when it comes to grades, right Agustin?”

1. Ski “The little mosquito that could”

2. Morua “The last war the United States fought on US soil was the Civil War”

Karina “It's because we're smart”

Me “Are we?”

Karina “No”

Marcelo “It's cuz we have a moat”

Morua “Actually, two moats. Two big moats on either side with favorable countries on either side”

2/8/18

3. Tall “The tone is pessimistic and bleak, because that's how Poe is”

3. Gio “... Fortunado has the moral high ground”

Grana “Oh, so he's Obi Wan”

Me “ :D “

3. Me “It's over, Monstresor”

Grana “Ahh :D “

3. Me “Moral of the story is: There is no morality”

3. Grana “Yeah, it's like ‘Oh sorry man I stubbed your toe.’ ‘You're dead to me’”

5. Ivory “You're pregnant? Welcome to Chili’s!”

2/9/18

2. Me “It's okay. It's understandable. You're valid, Mr. Morua”

Morua “Thank you”

2. Karina “They're Other now”

Morua “Umm, we prefer Miscellaneous”

Me *dying from laughter*

Morua “Okay, it wasn't that funny, Valery”

Me “Let me laugh, Morua, damn”

2/2018

1. Me “It's a little bitch”

Sam “Yeah, but what kind of little bitch?”

2/23/18

2. Morua “Say hi, Kafruni”

Everyone “Say hi, Kafruni!”

3/7/18

6. Regalado “I wonder what they did in the medieval times with a solar eclipse”

Me “Johnny’s blind! Shit, that's the fifth one today!”

3/8/18

3. Me “Peacocks are just chickens. Any bird is a chicken if you try hard enough”

3. Grana “Peacocks, we know, are flamboyant chickens”

5. *Brandon just abandoned Brito*

Brito “I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU WOULD BETRAY ME! WHY DID I TRUST YOU! EVERYONE ALWAYS LEAVES ME, MAN!”

3/9/18

1. Me “This is all your fault, Sebastian”

Sebastian “Okay”

6. Vicky “I have P.E. for sixth period”

3/12/18

7. D Rod “Lies, slander, and libel. Write that down, that I missed it”

3/19/18

1. Me “Drink up, bitch”

6. Regalado “Japan”

Diana “Oh, K-Cock?”

3/21/18

1. Sam “You're killing my vibes”

4/3/18

3. Mary “Did you finish the book?”

Rafael “Did I raise my hand?”

4/4/18

2. Morua “Now you guys can stalk Marco Rubio”

Sabian “We want you to stalk Marco Rubio!”

Morua “I'm not paid enough to stalk Marco Rubio”

Me “We'll pay you to stalk Marco Rubio!”

2. Morua “The average congressman is a white male -”

Me “Wow”

Morua “- and in their late 50s”

Me “I did not know this information at all before in my life”

Kafruni “Jaja, Valery”

2. Morua “This is our district”

Marcelo “Why is it like that. Why is it drawn like that. I disagree with our grouping”

4/5/18

3. Sebastian *about Norwegian Wood* “I kind of lost my train of thought during the interview, but it's cool”

4/6/18

6. Window *laughing but squeaking*

Nathalie “Window sounds like when you cleaning a window!”

6. Window “What happened?”

Me “You're laughing but you're squeaking so much you sound like when you're cleaning a glass window!”

Angelina *dying of laughter* “That's really good, Valery!”

4/8/18

7. Me *about the Star Trek vs Star Wars shirts* “I represented Star Wars. Are you proud of me?”

Rodriguez “Yes I am, my child”

Me “Oh my God, Patty, he finally recognizes me as his child!”

Rodriguez “I meant that in the spiritual sense”

Patty “You guys have a weird dynamic”

Me “But it works!”

Rodriguez *laughs*

Me “Sometimes a family can be a disgruntled 30-something year old man and an energetic 18 year old girl”

4/10/18

6. Regalado “It's a gradient of racism”

4/11/18

7. Rodriguez “Soon, a new Snapchat is gonna come out that will make the original Snapchat look old. What will happen to the last three years of your life?”

Isabella Ruiz “It'll be a fun time, it made me happy”

4/12/18

2. Morua “I don't get why this is so complicated. The exam is on the 24th. If you'd like, we can have a quiz in the days before about the days of the week”

4/13/18

~*Gradbash*~ After hours

Matthew “JUMANJI?????”

Capt Brianell “Matthew, I stick my 12 size foot up your ass!”

Brianell “Go the fuck to sleep!!!”

Rafael “Matthew, you turn on that light, you won't be able to see it!”

Karina “I love this sweater, man”

4/16/18

2. Agustín “Yo, can we all graduate together?”

Lunch. Rafael “Joselyne is my best friend”

Joselyne “What the fuck”

4/17/18

3. Gio “I don't know, I don't watch anime”

4/24/18

6. Regalado “The Bauhaus is a rejection of art nouveau”

Me “Is everything in art a rejection of something else?”

Regalado “Yes”

Hass “Hehehe”

6. Window looks at me

I look at window

Me “What?”

Window “What?”

Me “You were the one who looked at me first!”

Diana and Nathalie *laugh*

4/25/18

1. Shawn “Do I have to do para, par, pa, parisitm?”

Ski “Parasitism”

Shawn “That's exactly what I said”

1. Shawn “Dude, why is your example so long? An example is like, an example”

1. Shawn “What are you talking about? If the Earth wasn't sustainable, we wouldn't be here right now”

4/26/18

2. Morua “The President is Chief Citizen, the most well-known citizen of the United States, which we know… is a lie”

5/1/18

3. Karina “When you call us up, are you going to show us our essays-?”

Grana “Your Oscar Wao essay”

Cortina “Oh man”

5/2/18

2. Morua “I can't just fire Valery because I don't like her hair. Valery is incompetent at her job… plus her hair is dumb”

6. Regalado “It'd be a Venus, but since it's era, you have to put the Greek one”

Window “Jesus Christ”

Regalado “No, Jesus isn't there yet”

5/4/18

2. Morua “Writing papers is so easy yet you guys are always, uggggghhhhhh”

Me “It's because we like to write, we just don't like to write for school”

Jethro “Not everyone writes, Valery”

2. Karina “This is too much adult conversation, I'm gonna throw up”

5/7/18

1. Sebastian “Cadmium yellow!”

Vicky “Did you search up ‘Bob Ross yellow’?”

Sebastian “No, I put in ‘yellow Bob Ross’!”

5/11/18

3. Me “Would I lie to you about the X Men?”

Carlos “OOOHHH!!!”

5/16/18

4. Jose Diaz “What's a weaboo?”

Me “You don't wanna know”

Student “OOOHHH!!!”

6. Vicky, crying, mouth full “I love eating”

5/21/18

1. Shawn “You guys don't know how to take care of a child at all”

1. Andrew “What is this, a parent-teacher conference?”

5/24/18

3. Carlos “Hey Mr. Grana, for the playlist project-”

*Grana plays music*

Carlos “- Oh shit”

5/29/18

3. Marla “I love this song!” (Best Part by Daniel Caesar)

Carlos “What is this?”

Marla “Shut up, Soundcloud rapper”

Everyone “OOOHHHH”

5/30/18

?. “No cabrón, esto es un auto de última generación”

6/1/18

2. Joselyne “Today is Tom Holland’s birthday”

Me “Wow, and on the first day of Pride Month. Hmmm”

Joselyne “Hmmm!!!”

6. Me “You will get to mine, right?”

Morua “Yes”

Me “Awesome, thank you, my mom loves you!”

Matthew “That's what you always want to hear. My mom loves you”

6. Steven “Wait, do you want me to sign it?”

Me “Of course, that's why I put it there!”

Steven “I was so confused, you didn't pass it along!”

Me “Did I put it there for decoration? I put it there for a purpose!”

Steven “I got you, I gotchu”

[rageagainstthemarine]

post trespasser pre whatever da4 is. savill and desire finally sealing the deal

"You're making a face," Raya had said, as if she hadn't worn her own pout. With her forced bed rest, and by him no less, he couldn't blame her. There was always a battle to fight, an argument to break up, a meal to cook - and she could do them all again. Once her life threatening injury was healed. Coming back from the dead didn't guarantee a healthy pass. "I thought you'd be happy to have me back."

It was a tease, born more from boredom than any real aggression, but Savill still flinched away from her bedside as if he'd been slapped. It felt like it, too, so suddenly pulled from his thoughts it almost hurt, and he blinked to clear the fuzzy edges from his vision. He couldn't so easily rid himself of the unease gnawing at his stomach. "I can't..."

Raya sniffed, lifting her chin. "Well next time don't almost kill yourself trying to save me if you're going to regret it."

Still a joke. Mocking. But something didn't feel...right. Savill glanced at his hands. He flipped them over. His magic... it buzzed beneath his skin like a faint prickling. Beneath that, beyond the small tug of the Fade at his fingertips was...little else. He couldn't feel like the burn of his blood in his veins and the taste of copper was missing from his mouth. His pulse jumped and there was no echoed laughter in the back of his mind. Savill flicked his eyes up to Raya. He could see the Purpose reflected in her eyes, narrowing and widening the longer they lingered on his face, but he couldn't feel it.

Savill didn't want to know what expression he wore now. He could only feel the horror quickly burning through his chest and the sudden wave of nausea that rolled up his throat and left his mouth feeling numb and sour. He could feel something missing, something warm, something tight, and something strong. He could feel tears prick at the corner of his eyes.

"Sweets. I can't feel them." Savill held his arms out as if he could find them in the scars circling around them. It was a false hope that he'd find a trace of them, physically, but it kept him busy. Any less control and Savill wasn't sure he'd rip his second eye out to get his demon back.

Gods, his demon. Was that all they were to him? After nearly three decades of their voice, their strength, their encouragement, truthful of not... Desire was still there, always, for him. For him. When he was weak and when he was strong and when he needed to heal the most important thing in his life Desire had... Savill exhaled a shaky breath. Desire had given him everything. He looked at Raya again and watched the same realization play across her face in a series of shades. Shock turned to pity turned to grief until she looked away. Savill reached out for her, halfway, before dropping his hand to land on the empty space besides her.

"I think when we healed you..." He tried to keep the emotion out of his voice. He couldn't hate Raya. He couldn't blame her, either. None of this was her fault and Savill would have chosen the same decisions if it happened again, even knowing the end result. Because he'd find a way to keep both the important people in his life. He would. Savill straightened before rising to his feet. He could.

"Savill-"

"Don't try to stop me," he said. "Don't worry," he added, hearing his words and understanding what it sounded like.

"You always say that before you do something stupid." Raya didn't sound too happy, but she didn't try to discourage him.

Savill winked and tried for a smile. It didn't feel right. "That's because I'm always doing something stupid."

And this was most likely the most stupid thing he had done in a while, he thought, storming out of Raya's chambers and descending to the Keep's storage in the basements below. To enter the Fade, to find a demon, to... well, Savill could figure out the last part when he got there. The first step was...

"Lyrium," he snapped at the bookkeeper scribbling something down by one of the newest crates to adorn the storage's walls. If the storage even had walls. Boxes and shelves were piled unevenly with foodstuffs and medicines and clothing. Savill snapped his fingers when the bookkeeper remained silent, face pale in the dark and back stiff.

"In...in the back. By the-" Savill was already gone, cloak dissapearing the gloom of the next room. Magical artifacts glowed  softly in the dim and Savill tore into a box more lit than the others. Refined lyrium. In bottles for the mages and smaller tubes for the ex-templars still loyal to the Inquisition. Savill wondered if they were needed for this. He hoped they weren't, he thought, as he swiped an ornately decorated bowl and took the whole crate to less used part of the lower halls. He'd pay for the next two shipments if this worked.

His legs instinctively brought him to the dungeon and he kicked the floor clear of old stray and rat droppings before sitting. Savill poured as many bottles into the bowl as it could fit. The scent of it made his sick. He breathed in deep and held his breath as he lifted a hand to his mouth and dragged a finger over a sharp tooth. A Tevinter blood mage, about to take his Harrowing. This was a dinner party story in the making. Savill shifted his hand over the bowl and dipped his bleeding finger deep into the lyrium.

"You can't just-" Savill ignored the bookkeeper for a second time. Cold made his blood turn to ice and it pulsed sluggishly up his arm and he shivered as the feeling reached his heart, his knees, his head. Savill frowned, deep, as it settled into his bones. It was an uncomfortable feeling and one he hoped he wouldn't have to experience again. If things went right, he was sure he wouldn't. And if things went wrong...

"A lost mageling, hm?" Savill cracked his eye open and curled his lip at the Pride demon towering above him. He'd forgotten how ugly they were. He rose to his feet and rubbed warmth into his arms. The demon tracked his movements with sharp eyes that Savill was more than happy to avoid. He looked beyond it, hoping for some sign of Desire. It had been some time since he'd come to any part of the Fade that wasn't hers. He wasn't sure where to look. "Maybe we can help."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd be more than happy to." Savill paused. What was one more deal? He smiled, a soft tilt of his mouth, and relaxed as the demon's mouth split wide, tongue rolling out to lick its lips. Disgusting. "I'm looking for someone."

"That's not the usual request," Pride purred, "but I'll make an exception. Who are you looking for? An old adversary? A grudge holder? Someone powerful?"

Savill tried to keep the smile on his face. "A Desire demon." His grin strengthened with a renewed vigor at the frustration Pride showed in its bare tooth, thin lipped expression. "One who already had their prey. Stronger than most. Recently...ah, disappeared."

"Yes..." the demon hissed. Not so friendly now that it knew it wasn't dealing with an easy meal. Savill wasn't sure he was more than a bony snack in the first place. It was Pride's fault for realizing it sooner. Was no one teaching demons these days to not try to possess the first mage they saw? "There was a sudden shift in the Fade. Not far. A source of power, snuffed, insignificant to be interested in..."

"Lucky me, then, to be the first in line to find out what happened."

Pride growled low in its throat. "Your part of the bargain, mageling."

"Is that what this was? I thought we were just doing a favor. This doesn't make us friends?" Savill took a step back when the growling grew louder. He felt it rumble through his bones. "Sorry, dear, I only a ticket for plus one and the reservation's already been made. I'll certainly recommend you," he added, in a shout, as a clawed hand swiped at his legs. Savill scurried back in a flurry of long limbs and Fade dust and didn't look back as he hurried in the direction the demon pointed out. The direction of a shift in power, Pride had said. Shifted away. Gone. A new panic quickened his pace. Sweets wasn't gone. She couldn't be... She was merely...Savill rolled the thought around in his mouth. Resting. Desire was resting. It had taken a lot out of the both of them to heal Raya. He'd nearly died of the blood-loss and would have without Desire's strength to back him up. He couldn't imagine how much pressure he had put on them. It would take her awhile to regain themselves.

So he told himself when he reached the area Pride pointed out and found it empty. Where did demons go to collect themselves, Savill wondered, turning in a slow circle. His hands entwined around themselves, nails digging into the soft flesh of his wrists. Desire should have been close. Why couldn't he feel them? Sweat made his palms damp and his hair stood on end when he ran a hand through his hair. What would be do if he couldn't find them? Who would he be without them?

A flicker of motion in the corner of his eye made him jump. His legs moved before the rest of him and his heart pounded hard in his chest. A wisp, or something of the sort, wavered on the edges of the flat expanse. Not a wisp. There was too much emotion, too much concentration from it to be a simple wisp. Too much...

Savill found a hand reaching out and he snatched it back to himself, quick, at the familiar sensation warming the air around his fingers. The Fade being flickered, wavered, and Savill felt a faint roll of heat on the back of his head. His hand reached out again.

"Oh, Sweets."

"You fool." Savill was inclined to agree with the soft echo, though with less teasing than Desire spoke with. Whispered with. He could barely hear them and his already aching heart strained further with the effort of catching her words. He tried to smile but the tears beading at the corners of his eye ruined the attempt.

"Look who's talking," he told her, and Desire laughed again, even fainter this time. "I'm so sorry."

"My, an apology? How uncharacteristically inconsiderate of you." Savill would have reeled if they didn't continue to speak with such humor. "A simple thank you would be much appreciated in its stead for fulfilling my end of our deal."

"For fulfilling - Sweets there was never any mention of you...of you dying."

Desire tsked. "Is your friend not safe? Do you not have a stable roof over your head? Have you not heard the welcoming words spoken to you as you pass?" They dragged a pointed, translucent nail down his cheek in a caress. "My dear, you never desired power. Simply happiness and the confidence to enjoy it."

Savill took theie hand, gentle, unsure if it what energy they had left would fade away at a simple touch, and placed a soft kiss on the inside of their wrist. "I can't be happy without you. I can't be me without you."

Another laugh rolled through their. "Oh, the things you could be without me," she said. Desire didn't take their hand away. "Unfortunately, I've come to enjoy your presence as well. A shame."

He leaned into their touch. "Most deals don't end this way, do they."

Desire shook their head with a small smile. "Not quite as messy, no."

"I want a new deal."

They purred. "Will you offer me your other eye? An ear, perhaps?"

Savill lingered against Desire's skin for a moment longer before stepping back and opening his arms wide. "Everything. Possess me. Never leave me. I lo-"

"You desire me. Me." Their voice was serious now, considering, as their shape flickered again. Savill lifted his chin. It felt almost like the first time - but more was on the line than just another sharp word from his tutor and a sharper slap of a switch against his back. There was more to lose, more fear, more impatience, more... more grief. He hadn't been afraid to lose an eye for her. He wasn't afraid to trust her with the rest of him.

"I won't," Desire said, and Savill's heart sank. His arms flopped to his side, limp, and he thought he'd faint with pressure behind his eyes building. "You don't desire possession."

"Then pick another word and I'll call it that! Just don't go!" His chest was on fire, tight from grief and panic and frustration building between his ribs. It eased just a bit when Desire put her hand, flat, against it.

"It will not be the same."

"It doesn't have to be. As long as it's still you."

Desire sighed, a warm brush of air against his face as they pressed closer, hips against his. "You have always been my favorite. I accept the deal."

Savill chuckled, relief flooding through him. Something warmer, stronger, chased after it, rushed through his veins and coiled around his heart and expanding in his chest before settling as a hum in the back of his mind. The wound under Savill's patch itched. "I love you, too."

[jojowritesstuff]

Finally got to finish this up. Part one can be found here.

There’s not much happening in this part, it’s just a giant pile of fluff.

There will be more parts coming soon - I’ll split this up into multiple parts so it won’t become one large monster fic (which everyone would get tired of halfway through, haha) A lot of what’s coming will be for backstory purposes. I am still editing my drafts so I’m still unsure how many more parts will be coming but there’ll be at least two.

I hope this isn’t too long but if you want me to cut it into a read more let me know.

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 “Shh, it’s okay. Just relax,” Hazel said softly, unable to even feel the tears building up in her eyes. “You had a blood clot in your brain, you needed surgery, but you’re okay now,” she said, brushing the hair back from Raya’s face…

  Still affected by the anesthetics and several other drugs she was put on, Raya barely registered what Hazel was talking about. In a slow, nearly slow motion like movement she reached out towards Hazel's hand, laying hers on top of it.

 That was when Hazel absolutely lost it, and made no attempt to hide her emotion, both of her hands holding Raya's. "Ry, I'm sorry," she choked out. "I was distracted, I should have been keeping a better eye on you, and you-" she squeezed her eyes shut, overwhelmed with guilt, worry but also relief that Raya made it through and unable to even form the words. "I love you," she whispered eventually.

  Raya gave Hazel's hand a weak squeeze. She didn't fully understand what happened just yet as her mind was still way too fuzzy but judging by all the medical things connected to her body and Hazel's emotional outburst it must have been bad.  She tried to speak but her voice was still raw and barely carrying a sound.

  By that time Hazel was resting her forehead on the edge of the hospital bed, her shoulders shaking with sobs. She knew she should be keeping it together, but she had- for so long she had locked the floodgates. Ever since they had taken Raya into surgery she kept blaming herself, telling herself that it was solely her fault.

  Raya kept holding onto Hazel’s hand while she cried – there wasn’t anything more she could do but lightly draw circles on Hazel’s warm skin with her thumb.  "I need to go let the doctor know you're up, excuse me," Hazel sniffled as she eventually lifted her head, her cheeks still wet with tears, her red eyes magnified through her glasses.

  Hazel tried to compose herself before standing up but a light tug on her hand and a raspy, barely audible “Stay.” had her stop in her tracks.  She could hardly look at Raya- all she could see were how she hadn't noticed the signs of a concussion, how she hadn't monitored her closely enough, how she had nearly let Raya /die/- how she had failed in every way possible. Yet at the next light tug on her hand she sat back down – Raya was connected to all kinds of machines and monitors, getting a doctor in could wait another few minutes. She slowly lifted Raya’s hand, placing a feather light kiss to her knuckles so she wouldn’t disturb the IV. “Get some rest.”

  It didn’t take long for Raya to drift off to sleep, with the anesthetics still heavy in her system she wasn’t even fully awake to begin with. Hazel stayed with her until eventually she began to stir. Blinking her eyes open she seemed quite a bit more awake and conscious than a few hours before, albeit still not completely herself.

  “Hey, how’re you doing, Ry?” Hazel asked, pressing a gentle kiss to Raya’s forehead.  “Ready to hibernate,” Raya rasped out and Hazel took her snarky remark as a positive sign – while Raya was still out her mind kept torturing her with worst case scenarios of permanent brain damage and every possible thing that could have went wrong and gone unnoticed.

  “I’m gonna get someone to check you over – I will be right back, I promise,” Hazel said and left the room but returned with one of the doctors in a matter of minutes.

  The doctor conducted a quick exam, and Hazel stayed, holding Raya's hand reassuringly.  During the various tests it became evident that they had caught everything in time and there wasn’t any major or long lasting damage. The doctor put some notes on Raya’s chart while also talking to the two of them in fluent medical jargon and when he left, Hazel turned to face her girlfriend. "Did you catch any of that?" she asked, a smile quirking on her lips.

  "You know I don't speak doctor." Raya said. She really had not the slightest idea what the doctor was talking about, all the medical terms appearing like an entirely different language to her. "Care to translate all that gibberish so a normal person can understand?"

  "Yeah, course," she said. "Um, so when you fell, a little piece of your skull went into your brain. It was just in the dura, like a protective gel around your brain, but it eventually worked its way into a minor vascular structure- like an artery," she explained. "It gave you kind of like an aneurysm, blood clot situation- then /that/ made the pressure in your head go up, your brain swell, and it put excess pressure on the part of your brain that does things like control breathing and heartbeat. They took you in to surgery to fix it, and everything looks okay for right now," she finished, watching Raya's face closely. She knew it was a lot to take in but she also was aware that Raya wouldn’t settle until she knew.

  Raya listened intently, slightly shocked about how severe things were. "But... it was just a concussion. How...? I didn't think I hit my head that bad, expected to get away with a bump and be fine."

 "I should have seen it better... I looked at the scans too, symptoms looked... they looked just like a concussion. I should have been better, pushed for a cross-section or something with contrast, it would have been so much more obvious then..." Hazel said, listing all the ways hindsight was 20/20.

  "Hazel... Don't do this to yourself, baby. You heard the doc, I am going to be okay." Raya said, giving her a light smile. "It is none of your fault that I knocked a piece of my skull into my brain. Apparently our sink is stronger than me." she huffed lightly. "Just please, don't work yourself up about this. Such things happen. I should have probably told you about it when I arrived but I thought I was just getting a migraine or something."

  Hazel shook her head, a fresh tears welling up in her eyes. "No, I'm going into neurosurgery, this is something I should have been able to see," she said. "I just- God, Ry, I was so scared," she said, pressing her girlfriend's hand to her lips.

  Raya gently caressed her thumb over Hazel's cheek, trying to brush away a tear. "Did you just finally make up your mind what you'll specialize in?" she teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

  Hazel nodded, smiling lightly. "I was gonna tell you later - pediatric neurosurgery. The brain, it's just-" she shook her head. "I can't get away from it, it's beautiful," she said softly.

  "Not visually though." Raya shuddered, an incident with a preserved brain springing back into her mind. "I am so glad you made your pick though. And a perfect one to go with your research," she smiled, gently tugging at Hazel's hand. "Come here."

  Hazel smiled and gingerly climbed into the bed, laying parallel to Raya and letting her rest her head on her shoulder. "I was in the OR with you- legally, I couldn't do anything, but I needed to be in there."

  "Of course you were." Raya hummed, trying to cuddle up to Hazel without disturbing any of the IVs and other things she was hooked up to. “Now I can finally do this..." she smirked and gently leaned up to kiss Hazel.

  "Ry, you had brain surgery like six hours ago- how are you this chipper?" Hazel giggled, amused at her girlfriend's effervescent smile.

  "Hmm, blame the meds?" Raya suggested. She was tired and still had a dull headache going on but she was trying not to show it. The cocktail of drugs flowing through the IV obviously did their job at keeping her mostly pain free.

  "Oh yeah, I made sure they gave you all the good stuff," Hazel teased, kissing her girlfriend's temple- the one that wasn't stitched and bandaged. Raya’s head was growing heavy on Hazel’s shoulder as she heaved out a content sigh. Her eyes were starting to drift shut as her sudden boost of energy slowly began to die down.

  "Get some sleep- no one is gonna be coming in to wake you up anymore," Hazel said gently, and stroked her girlfriend's hair. "Finally some good news," Raya chuckled lightly. She wrapped an arm around Hazel and nuzzled her face into the crook of her neck. It wasn't long until Raya's breathing was evening out and she was snoring softly.

 Hazel couldn't help but drift off as well- Raya's surgery had been around five and a half hours, and she had remained stoically awake for the four it had taken her to come off the meds.

  ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

  Raya woke a little while later, smiling when she found Hazel was still with her. She pressed a soft kiss to the still sleeping girl's cheek. Hazel woke slowly. "S'everything 'kay?" she asked, her worry evident even before she was fully awake.

  "I'm fine. Go back to sleep, hun." Raya said, once again laying her head on Hazel's shoulder. "No, 'm'up, I swear," Hazel said though her glasses were askew and her hair mussed. "You're okay?" she confirmed, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend.

  "I'm okay." Raya assured. "A little tired and my head kinda hurts but it's not too bad." "I can see if they'll increase the oxy drip," Hazel said, already halfway out of bed. "Maybe you need to be switched to something stronger," she fretted.

  "It's fine. Stay? Please?" Raya cut in. She didn't want Hazel to leave, even though she wouldn't be gone for long. "I'd rather just cuddle." "Okay, but if you need something- /anything/- you'll tell me," Hazel said empathically and settled back beside Raya. "I can do cuddles," she assured, pulling her in closely.

  Raya pretty much wrapped herself around Hazel, resting her head on her girlfriend's chest. "I've got everything I need right here." "Mmm, me too," Hazel hummed, and this time she had the foresight to take off her glasses, setting them lightly on the table.

  "Hmm, I love you." Raya's voice was already heavy with sleep again. She was drawing light patterns on Hazel's arm in slow repetitive movements. "I love you too Ry. So much that," Hazel said, closing her eyes lightly. "'m still gonna write you those letters, don't you forget it."

  “Same with all those reasons why you love me?" Raya smirked, glancing up at her girlfriend. "Gave me the opportunity to scrub in on a six hour surgery," Hazel hummed, already halfway asleep. "Number 756," she teased.

  "So there were doctors poking around in my brain for six hours?" Raya asked, not expecting that it would have taken that long. She wasn't even aware of how much time has passed since she was awake the last time before her surgery – the past two days have mostly just blurred together.

  Hazel nodded. "Yeah, it was meticulous. You have the daintiest arteries, then there was a shunt debate, and just... complicated," she shook her head. "They almost kicked me out though."

  "Hmm? What did you do?" Raya asked, her eyes already half lidded as she listened to Hazel. "I- blood pressure usually drops in surgery, and yours just dropped- really, really low," she stammered. "I yelled at my attending," she said shamefully, ducking her head.

  "I guess she didn't take that so well." Raya said, sounding somewhat amused. "Hope I didn't get you in trouble for that." Hazel cringed. "She, ah… she hasn't spoken to me since," she said. It was a rash move, one she regretted immensely. "In my defense... it's a rule you shouldn't let family into the OR."

  "This is so weird though. There's hours of my life I cannot even remember. It's like I wasn't even there. If it wasn't for you telling me about it and this room I'm in with all these monitors and whatnot I wouldn't even know what happened," Raya hummed sleepily.

  "Miracles of the brain," Hazel joked around the lump in her throat. "It blocks out painful memories. You were pretty out of it," she said, unconsciously hugging Raya closer to her. She shuddered to think of what would have happened had she not been there, had Raya been by herself, or not come to see her... she never would have gone to the hospital, and likely.... Hazel squeezed her eyes shut, unable to even consider the possibility that Raya wouldn't be with her. "It's probably best you don't remember."

  "I... I remember taking the train here. And you were at the train station to pick me up, I brought you some of your books too. We were walking back to the hotel. Don't really remember what happened then, it's all just really fuzzy." Raya said, concentrating hard. "Hey, are you alright? What's wrong baby?" she asked, feeling her girlfriend tense.

  Hazel shook her head, taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. "I'm okay. You just- I was really scared, I've never hated a hospital as I did twelve hours ago," she admitted.

  "Twelve? But you said the surgery was six hours." Raya was clearly confused, trying to make sense of what Hazel told her. "There's so much time missing from my mind, I think. You probably have to do a complete timeline for me to really understand. But, not now. For now I want us to just lay here."

  "Anesthesia affects everyone differently... it took you a little while to come out of it." Hazel explained and kissed her tenderly, as if she were afraid the other girl would break. "Come on, you need sleep, I’ll  be here," she promised.

  Raya couldn't argue about needing some sleep, keeping her eyes open became harder with each passing minute. "You should get some rest too." she stated, moving a little so Hazel could lay down a little more comfortably...

TBC

[letthesleepingdoglie]

The Long Road - 06

Title: Rebound

Part: 06 of 12

Rated: T

Gotham City

January 15 th , 2012

21:15

Team Year Two

“Not a bad start, right?” Dick asked half-playfully, half hopefully. He wrapped an arm around Zatanna’s shoulders and pulled her close. “I mean, this has gotta be a solid eight. At least.”

While they had technically been official for just over a year now, their activities usually consisted of hanging out in the cave or missions with the team. In that time, he had never done anything with her just as Dick Grayson.

Zatanna had pointed this out to him (not as a complaint, merely an observation) and here they were, a day later, out in the world as two ordinary teenagers. She looked amused as Dick held her hand and led her away from the restaurant that had been the venue for their first date.

“You rate all your first dates?” She asked teasingly.

Dick ran his free hand through his hair, looking embarrassed. “Technically speaking, you’re the first, so… yeah.”

She blushed at that, but looked elated at the same time. “I’m whelmed.” She said, standing on the tips of her toes and kissing him quickly on the cheek. “Dinner was nice, but an eight is reaching. I’ll go seven and a half.”

“Where I come from, that’s a cause for celebration.” Dick smiled as he pulled his phone out of his coat pocket.

“Are you taking a picture?”

“Seven and a half?” Dick said with a shrug. ”Come on—That’s like, future relationship numbers. We’re gonna want to remember this.” Dick gestured for her to step closer. Zee rolled her eyes jokingly, but she didn’t resist as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

“That’s… pretty cute of you.” She whispered into his ear.

He straightened happily. “Really?”

“Yeah.” She kissed his cheek as he took the picture. “It’s almost worth an eight.”

Barcelona, Spain

August 10th, 2016

10:06 AM CET

“Looking good, Dick.” Raya said, as they climbed down from the board in the middle of the big top. Since the night Boston had recognized him as a Grayson, Dick hadn’t felt the need to hide his real name from the trapeze artists of Haly’s Circus.

He smiled back at her in thanks.

He and Boston had spent the better part of the last three weeks choreographing the movements and tricks necessary to replicate several moves from the vast repertoire possessed by the Flying Grayson’s.

Dick knew his family had been good, but it hadn’t occurred to him how good they had been until he’d come back to the circus. Granted, the people he was working with were all skilled aerialists, but they were all used to performing moves with a catcher that would be able to assist them.

The moves that the Flying Graysons had performed, the moves that Dick had grown up with, didn’t involve catchers at all.  Each of the Flying Graysons had been able to catch a moving bar in any situation. Flips, rolls, pirouettes, it didn’t matter. Once, he’d seen his cousin Johnny come out of a triple somersault and catch a bar with his ankles. That was the talent that his family had possessed.

Still though, due in no small part to the skill and effort of everyone on the team, things were going quite well under the big top, and Dick loved the new routines that he’d developed with Boston.When he practiced, when he performed, he could stop thinking about Wally’s death and relish the feeling of flying on a trapeze once again.

It also felt like he was rediscovering his past. What would life had been like if Tony Zucco hadn’t taken his family away from him? If things had gone only a little differently, this could have been the path his life would have taken. If he wanted to, it could still be the path his life followed.

Dick wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Training occupied most of his time during the day, and the performances took up most of the night, but there were still long hours where Dick found himself without anything to do. Often, he found himself just lying in his bunk, staring off into space and thinking.

Most of the time, Dick thought about the time he’d spent with Wally, or with his own family. He spent time with old Jack Haly often, hoping to catch some measure of the peace and happiness he’d felt as a boy.

Perhaps sensing his melancholy, Boston made it a point to invite Dick to dinner with his family every few nights.

Dick appreciated the effort to make him feel welcome, but it did come with an annoying caveat: upon learning his real name, and the past connection that Dick and Boston had shared, Lorna had taken it upon herself to be his personal matchmaker.

Apparently, she’d gotten the entire Brand family to back her effort: three times now, when Boston had asked him to babysit Sophia for a night, Dick showed up at their rented apartment to find Raya there, having been asked by Lorna perform the exact same duties. Sophia was an easy child to watch and had an early 8:00PM bedtime, which meant that Dick usually ended up spending several hours in Raya’s company by the time Boston and Lorna returned home.

It wasn’t that Raya was a trial to be around, but there were certain things that made him feel… well, he wasn’t sure how he felt about them. He noticed that when they sat together, Raya tended to sit closer to him than was absolutely necessary. Also, there was a lot of physical contact between the two of them. Not in a sexual way, but it was noticeable. A lingering hand when she passed him something, or perhaps pressing a bit of her cleavage into his chest when he caught her on the swing during rehearsal: largely innocent, but extremely effective at causing Dick to pay attention to her.

Confusing moments aside, he liked spending time with Raya. She was intelligent, witty, charming, and undeniably attractive. Just talking with her was soothing, and as the days went by Dick found himself looking forward to her company outside of their many rehearsals together.

Part of him longed to open up to her a bit more intimately, but the other part of him felt bad about the possibility that he would be pursuing Raya just because he was lonely, and in pain.

Besides, how was he supposed to sort out his lingering feelings for both Zatanna and Barbara if he kept developing new entanglements to confuse himself with? And so, Dick had resolved to try and keep his distance.

All these thoughts crossed Dick’s mind by the time he finally reached the bottom of the ladder. Focusing on being a circus performer had let him escape the worst of the pain he’d felt as Wally’s loss, but it it was starting feel like he wasn’t going to find an answer on who he was here. His past was an important part of his history, but it wasn’t what defined him as a person.

His frustration must have shown on his face.

“Something wrong?” Raya raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Huh?” Dick started. He had completely forgotten Raya had been talking to him. He shook his head as if to clear it. “No, nothing’s wrong. Just tired.”

Raya gave him a sympathetic pat on the back. “The amount of time you spend practicing, I’m not surprised.”

They headed left the big top and headed toward the area reserved for Circus staff. Now that they were done with practice, they had about four hours free before they had to start preparing for their show at 7:00.

Raya went slightly ahead and spun so that she was walking backwards in front of him. “You got plans tomorrow?” She asked somewhat hopefully.

He smiled and shook his head no. Usually, he tried to eat with either Boston’s family or Jack Haly if they were free, but both would be preoccupied tomorrow.

“Well, since we’ve got the day off tomorrow, I’m gonna take advantage of the peace and quiet to cook some spaghetti. Care to join me?”

Dick hesitated. A night completely alone with Raya…

The younger Dick Grayson, the one who hadn’t been dumped, and who hadn’t lost his best friend, would have jumped at the chance to spend a whole evening with her without interruptions.

Not that he had been disloyal to Barbara when they had been together; she had made it clear she didn’t want him to turn anyone he had an interest in away because of her. He’d never understood why, but then again, he didn’t understand most of the significant romantic relationships he’d had over the last six years.

He had dated Zatanna on and off for years, with their breakups primarily being caused by the stress of maintaining their relationship while also juggling their responsibilities at school and the Team. Their time apart never lasted though. Powers or not, she’d always entranced him.

Their last break up, almost a year ago, had felt different. He knew now it was because it was because Zatanna hadn’t wanted to watch him break himself, but back then, he’d thought that she’d gotten a glimpse of the darkness he’d kept hidden inside himself, and been repelled by it.

It was during the latest of those off-periods that he’d gotten his reputation as a dog, where he slept around in an effort to feel some sort of intimacy. It also helped him escape from the stress he felt from sending Aqualad out into harms way. As a result, most of those relationships had been purely physical.

One of the few exceptions had been where he’d fallen into a relationship with Rocket, where he cared for her during the difficult months of her pregnancy, when she was about to become a single mother. Both of them knew that it wouldn’t last, but Rocket had been grateful for his support.

The other had been Barbara.

For years he’d been torn between the knowledge that being Batman’s successor meant that he’d have to make the hard decisions that no one else could or would, and the desire to be the open and carefree guy that he usually was without the mask. When Barbara had donned her own cape and cowl, he’d been elated because he thought he’d found a friend who could understand the darkness that he knew existed within him.

That hope had drawn him to her, and over the last year, they’d transitioned into something more than friends, but not quite lovers. It was both of their faults: she’d kept him at arms length, and he’d held himself back.

He didn’t want to complicate his lingering feelings for Zatanna and the feelings of hurt he’d felt from his breakup with Barbara by dealing with another intimate relationship. He didn’t trust himself to keep things physical in his current state of emotional vulnerability.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea…” Dick began.

“C’mon.” Raya cut him off. “It’ll just be a nice dinner between two friends. Nothing to be scared of.”

Raya stopped suddenly, so that Dick walked into her. She grasped the front of his leotard and pulled so that they were face to face, and did her best impression of a puppy dog. “Pleeease?”

Dick chuckled, but he noticed there was an intense cast to her eyes that seemed out of place. She was smiling in her usual charming way, but there was a look of definite anticipation in her green eyes. It made him feel like the decision on whether or not to accept her invitation was important.

It also made him feel foolish for overthinking things.

He chuckled at his absurdity, feeling some of his old playfulness return. “Alright. I’d love to have dinner with you…” Raya’s grip relaxed on his leotard. “… as long as you serve my every whim and I get to eat all the spaghetti I-.”

Dick let out a sound somewhere between a yelp and a laugh as Raya pinched the muscles at his side.

————————————————————————————————————

The next night, Dick met Raya at the small apartment the circus had rented for her bearing gifts.

“Oh, wine.” She said, eyeing the bottles with obvious glee. ”Trying to take advantage of my maidenly charms and corrupt my virtue, hmmm?” Raya winked at him, which had the double effect of causing his heart to race and his mind to worry.

Dick put on his best smile. “I doubt a dozen hookers with a truck full of whisky could corrupt you, Raya.”

“They wouldn’t know where to start.” He added under his breath.

Raya laughed as she handed him a bottle opener. “Come in. I was just about done cooking. You sit at the table and pour the wine while I finish up.” She guided him into a chair next to the small table next to a window before returning to the small kitchen and bringing the food to the table.

“I hope you like it.” Raya said, setting a steaming plate of spaghetti in front of him. “My mom taught me how to make it.” She watched him expectantly as he raised a forkful of the pasta to his mouth. He smiled.

The food was good and Raya blushed when Dick told her so before digging in to the plate in front of him. They talked as they ate, conversing about subjects ranging from places they had seen to their respective histories in the circus.

Despite his earlier reservations, Dick found himself relaxing as the evening progressed, due to both the excellent company and the bottle and a half of wine he and Raya consumed. Unfortunately, his sense of relaxation disappeared as Dick found himself just… looking at Raya. Not paying attention to what she was saying or doing, but just looking at her; the way her hair moved, or the lovely smoothness of the skin of her neck.

This always happened to him when he was in the presence of a beautiful woman.

The feeling persisted after they had cleared the plates away, leaving him staring at her awkwardly. If she had noticed his current inability to communicate or respond intelligently, she didn’t show it, continuing on with her story of learning how to perform on the aerial straps.

Before long, as Dick was paying attention to the fullness of Raya’s lips, he felt the urge to kiss her. He managed to suppress the urge, but it only grew stronger as time went on. “I should go.” He said abruptly, cutting her off mid-conversation.

He stood up, but Raya followed him out of his chair. Before he could say anything, she leaned closer and kissed him fiercely.

He stiffened at first, his mind paralyzed, but as always in his moments of intellectual uncertainty, his body took over for him. He found himself kissing her back before he could stop himself. Apparently, that was all the encouragement Raya needed, because somehow she had already managed to push him against the wall behind him and untuck his shirt by the time he could tear himself away the kiss.

“Raya-.” He said breathlessly. “Please, just listen.”

Amazingly, that stopped her. For all of two seconds. She gave him an arched eyebrow before she leaned in and began kissing him again. He managed to grab her by the elbows and hold her physically at bay as he sat up.

Dick told her everything, or as much as he could without revealing things he shouldn’t. He left out all the names, didn’t mention any capes, tried to obscure the actions and the people, but he tried to give her everything she needed to understand what he was doing there.

The complicated feelings of loss and hope the circus presented for him. His strained relationship with Wally because of a stressful position he had put Artemis in. Wally dead, before he could make amends. The confusion of his lingering feelings for Zatanna combined with his desire to make things right with Barbara. He laid all of his emotional turmoil out for her to see, trying to make her understand why it was so difficult for him.

He managed to conclude with “I’m just… I don’t know, I’m all over the place right now. I like you, but, I don’t want to make this complicated” He sighed, resolving to just keep silent. Dick couldn’t think of anything to say, not that he was surprised or frustrated anymore; not knowing things seemed to be his default state these days.

Raya stood there, looking at him with an appraising look in her eye. He was sure that at this point, she would just call it a night and ask him to leave. What he wasn’t prepared for was for Raya to shrug and lean in to kiss him again.

It was a different kiss from the one she had given him before. This one was just as strong, not allowing him to break free or resist her, but much more subdued, almost gentle.

Dick’s mind went blank again.“What are you doing?”

“I know about all that already. Not the specifics,” She said quickly as she caught a quick flash of panic in his eyes, “but you know…  the general idea. Boston told me about what happened to your parents. When you’re alone after practice, you have this sad look that says you’re in a lot of pain. Like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

Raya shrugged. “We both know you won’t be staying here permanently, or for very long. So let me help you forget it for a while.” Dick shuddered as she stroked the ticklish part of his ribs. She smirked. “It’s not like I won’t be enjoying the process.”

The development caught Dick by surprise. He momentarily relaxed his grip on her elbows. “But-“ Raya rolled her eyes and kissed him.

When she released him, he tried to speak again.

“But-“ Raya grasped his head and kissed him again. The conscious part of him gave a grunt of frustration, while the unconscious part moved his hands off her arms and onto her waist, unconsciously pulling her closer.

“It wouldn’t be fair to you.” Dick finally managed to get out when she released him. He was consciously struggling to keep his body in check this time. It wasn’t easy, with the blood rushing to a rather male part of his anatomy.

“You’re the only one who cares.” She whispered to him. Dick opened his mouth to reply, but she shushed him with a finger over his lips.

She gave him a considering look for a moment before taking him by the hand. “Come with me.” She didn’t exert much force into pulling him along with her, but she didn’t need to. With his mind frozen by indecision, his body obeyed, following along as she led him towards the bed.

Suddenly, Raya spun him so that his back was to the bed and gave him a hard shove, sending him sprawling backwards. As Dick laid back on the bed, she sauntered back over to him, swaying her hips sensuously as she climbed back onto the bed and straddled him. She seized the hands he had placed on her hips and guided them upwards, lifting up her shirt in the process.

She gave a breath of contentment as her shirt came off, exposing her breasts to the open air. “Well?” she said in a tone more prodding than questioning.

Luckily, this was an area where Dick knew he excelled. He reached up and wrapped a hand behind her neck to pull her lips down to meet his. As she leaned in the kiss, he seized the opportunity to roll them so that she was pinned beneath him.

They stayed like that for a long moment before she pushed against his shoulders in an attempt to breathe. As he broke the kiss, Dick was pleased to see that Raya was breathing heavily.

“I’m whelmed.” He said.

She laughed. “You’re what?”

“You’ll get it eventually.” He smirked before leaning down to kiss her again.