#I miss when the only people with dyed hair were punks and poor people and ur friends mom who smoked a whole pack a day.

[sweatgrass]

I’m at a job orientation for a “progressive” company in the “big woke liberal” city and I am the only one wearing a mask. There’s like 30-40 people here and it’s just me. There’s multiple people here who have dyed hair + piercings + use any or they/them pronouns and yet it’s just me wearing a mask. I feel like I’m going insane a little bit because this is expected of most people now unfortunately. But don’t you think people who are purposely aligning themselves with “punk/queer” aesthetics should like, care about other people? I feel like sometime during quarantine these communities become aesthetics/commodifications which is so absolutely heartbreaking!!!! I’ve looked and aligned myself with these communities since I was like 12 and now seeing people in public who look like me more often than not sets me off because they tend to be so unfriendly and performative about it all. Like what actually happened on a large scale to make such a disappointing switch happen.

[unconventional-lawnchair]

Invisible: Hermione x Reader {Blurb}

WolfStar!Slytherin!werewolf!Reader x Hermione

Masterlist

Summary: Reader is a bit of a punk like Sirius, with Remus's insecurities. She doesn't believe she deserves a girl like Hermione. No real plot just Angst straight into fluff

Cw: Use of {Y/N}, reader is a bit of a mess, insults, Hermione hit the reader a few times (please reach out if I missed something}

Wc- 2199

{Y/N} Lupin had never been invisible. Even on days you tried to be, the whispers and eyes still followed you through the halls. See, you were a bit too much like your father, Sirius. You styled like him. Every weekend, his old leather jacket, hair dyed a deep jet black, nails to match. Minnie would say you had the attitude, more in for a thrill then the consequence. Snape would say your grades were like his as well, just enough to pass and just engaged enough to not be called out. Not that you didn't relish in the attention and laughs you got when a teacher tried to reprimand you, and a very Sirius-like comment or two later, the classroom was full of snickering juveniles and you had one more detention on your record. A record, your father, for the life of him, couldn't tell you what it was for. He got an amazing job as an Auror straight out of school despite it all. If that wouldn't usually keep people a good distance away from you, you had the mind of your dad. Methodical and exact, Remus gifted you a weapon no one could quite match. Well.. until you met her.

Hermione Granger.

You see, nothing good could come of a troublemaker, unless they were a Gryffindor. If your reputation wasn't enough, your rule of kiss and tell would be. You were quite popular with the girls and guys of your year. You knew what they wanted and you entertained it. You understood who you were, a Slytherin, a delinquent, someone so bad yet irresistible. No one stayed later than a week or two, you never blamed them. When they got to know you, when they knew you weren't some fantasy written heart throb, their interest was lost. 

You liked to pretend it didn't hurt. It was good fun now and again, but every time someone stopped coming around you were reminded just what it was. Just the perfect amount of hurt and vulnerability for the next one when they came round. Your coping mechanism was the same thing hurting you, and you became cruel about it. 

You spent most of your days with Theodore Nott, a boy with much the same reputation. Complaining to each other just to fill the silence. If your parents knew you associated with the boy, there would be a riot. A Death Eater’s son, someone you trusted more with the secrets of your heart than your own father.

“So Snape says I have to stay in this Hogsmeade trip to study. Roped some poor third year into helping me.” You groaned and Theodore snickered at this. “Has the toad even seen your grades?”

“Bloody doubt it.” You huffed and took a drag of your cigarette. “Just hope it's not some brat, you know? Odd I have to study with someone younger.” You mumbled and handed the stick over to Nott, but it was intercepted by a pale delicate hand. 

Some girl, maybe only 14 years old, snatched the bud from your hand and dropped it on the cobbled floor. Stepping on it with a huff. She turned to you with a vicious smile. “How very kind of you for being early. Names Granger. Hermione Granger.” She held her hand out and you looked her up and down in annoyance. 

“Don't tell me you're the person who is supposed to assist me.” You scoffed and she smiled brightly. Clearly there was some hidden malice there. You were shocked a Gryffindor of all houses had chosen to throw away her weekend to 'help’ you. 

You huffed and took her hand, shaking it firm before she walked past you. You apologized to Theodore and began to follow her. 

That's how the unlikely dynamic began. That day you did everything in your power to get under her skin, and she yours. You would flirt with her, make crude jokes, ignore the work at any cost. She would badger you with questions you were sure the little lion didn't even know herself.

Your goal was to get her to leave you alone. But she refused.

Every time you were forced to detention study, there she was. It was like torture. You wanted to curse Snape’s very existence, but also thank him on your hands and knees for the opportunity. In normal circumstances, you would never have been able to even talk to Granger. She was so wrapped up in Harry -the chosen one- Potter and Ron -just stop whining- Weasley, you didn't even think about her much. 

That was your downfall, of course. You don't think of yourself as someone to fall, especially for an underclassman, but Merlin she was magnetic. Just enough sass and spunk, a bit of a smart ass but it left you wanting more. You tested the water a few times, but when Summer came around and you were sent home to your dads, you didn't send a letter, neither did she.

You and Hermione’s relationship was purely for studying. You knew there were people in your life that were made for certain times, and Hermione was made for quiet library rendezvous. For whispered flirts and cheeky comments between paragraphs. For daunting questions and electric praise. You just wished you could spend all year between those book pages, knee to knee, pretending nothing outside the library mattered. That you both weren’t helplessly over your heads.

That summer was hell, it felt like you were going through withdrawals. It's likely what it was, considering you wouldn't dream of bringing a smoke into your home. Sirius had a nose for that sort of thing. Though it seemed in your current state all you could think of was the fluffy haired girl. Even when you met some muggles to party with over the summer, even when you met up with some of your wix friends, you had fun but kept thinking about her beautiful eyes. It didn't help that you spent almost every weekend and full moon at the Potter’s, and your aunt Lily behaved so much like Hermione it terrified you. Especially since you were no James Potter.

It was pathetic, you decided. When the next school year came around, you did everything in your power to avoid her. Even getting good grades. Then, like some sick twisted joke, the Yule ball came. Everyone was pairing up and you didn't have the heart to stomach being around Hermione. You knew she wasn't someone to gloat or ramble on about the more feminine things in life, but even if it was just a passing comment you knew you wouldn't be able to take it. Knowing who was going to be whisking her off her feet all night, staring into her playful eyes, getting to see the caged bird fly, when you refused to beg for the key. You knew you weren't worth such a luxury. Hermione Granger was made for people like Krum, a famous Quidditch star, or a boy like Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Even Ron Weasley, a pureblood with a huge family with no real baggage. One that would allow her wings to spread and give her the freedom in her life. 

You caught yourself, thinking with such longing for her was vexing. You never found yourself thinking about forever. Not with anyone, until you met her. What good could you do for her? All you could truly offer was your father’s family’s blood money, your horrid reputation, and your werewolf blood. You knew how the world saw you, considering your father just quit last year because he was one.

When the night came, you and Theodore decided to go together. Most of the night was spent dancing with people who came alone, or each other, even drinking spiked juice when the weird sisters started up. Your eyes locked with Hermione’s, on complete accident. Your breath hitched when you saw her blissful smile turn to a look of hurt and disconnection. Your face fell, whatever joke Nott was on about with the girls you were with went silent on your ears. 

“Hey, man, I need some air.” You muttered to him, still holding Hermione’s eyes. Nott waved you off and you finally broke eye contact and hurried out of the hall.

You grabbed your suit’s coat on the way out. You were wearing a muggle suit, just a white button up, a green vest, black tie, and of course the black coat. You rushed to fix the coat around your sides as you began to turn down the hall. Getting as far away from them as possible.

“Don't you dare!” You heard a shout from behind you. You turned sharply on your heel at the familiar voice. You had never heard it so painful. You locked eyes with Hermione and she stalked toward you. You took a sharp breath and got ready for the first conversation you would have with her from the entire year. “What is your problem!?” She yelled at you.

“Hm? What's wrong, otter?” You played coy and pushed your hair back. You gave her your best smile, but from the look in her eyes you could tell it wasn't working. She scoffed at you and threw her gloves at your chest.

“You,,, You selfish git! I knew I should have listened to everyone! You're nothing but a scoundrel!” She shouted at you, in between shoves to your chest that got weaker as tears filled her eyes. You were stunned, jaw slack and trying to figure out just what to say in this moment.

You eventually grabbed her wrists and cooed at her to take a breath. It broke your heart to see her like this. “Come on now, you know I hate seeing pretty girls cry.” You mused and she huffed. “Don't call me that.”

“What? Otter or Pretty girl?” You asked and she huffed. 

“Both! You don't get to after what you've done!” Her shouts filled the empty hall. You grimaced and sighed. 

“Listen-”

“No! You listen to me!” She shouted over you and you quickly nodded. “I have spent my time at Hogwarts thinking I was invisible. I did my best, I got top grades, and the second people began to notice they acted like I was some kind of disease! Like I was just some arrogant cocky Muggle born who didn't deserve to be here.”

“You do-”

“It’s my turn Lupin!” She cut you off again and you nodded, putting her gloves in your pocket and leaning forward to try and dry her eyes. She leaned into your hands and it calmed her instantly. “I felt so out of place. I felt like I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then I met you,” She whispered and stepped forward. Her arms wrapped around your middle and she hid her face in your suit. “When I talked, you listened. When I asked you answered. You sought me out.. You made me feel like you wanted me around. Like I was special.”

You looked down at her in surprise.

“You were the first person to show me what that felt like. Everyone warned me that you were just a cruel flirt. And I guess they were right. I don't know what I thought, I see the girls you've had before, All pretty and done up, so bold and confident. I didn't even get the luxury to say I lost you like they have. Because I never had you. You never wanted me. You're cruel, {Y/N} Lupin.” She sniffled.

Your eyes were wide and you quickly wrapped your arms around her. Pulling her close into your chest you allowed yourself to press your nose to her hair. You let her cry in frustration in your arms. Not stopping her when she would occasionally hit your side with her closed fist. 

“Say something.” She begged pathetically, sniffling into your chest.

“... I have been torturing myself for months, thinking I wasn't worth your time, Hermione.” You admitted, voice dripping in shame. She scoffed and you pulled some of her hair behind her ear.

“Rubbish.”

“It's true.” You cooed in a playful tone. Pressing your chin to her head. “I was so wrapped up in the idea that you didn't want me back, Otter.”

Her sniffles slowly died out, she pulled back and looked you in the eye. You grabbed her cheeks again and leaned in closer. Your lips were a few inches from each other. You could feel her breath brush your lips. “You wanted me?”

“I want you.” You corrected and leaned in closer. She closed her eyes and her breath hitched. You stared at her, admiring her in the moonlight. You usually hated the moon and what it did to your family, but right now, you couldn't think of a better color for her. Your thumb traced her cupid’s bow and she huffed. “I am still mad at you, Lupin. So I’ll give you a choice.” She whined up at you and you smirked.

“Yes, pretty girl?”

“Kiss me or walk me back.”

You laughed and moved closer, your eyes lidding. “That’s a big gamble you're making there.” You breathe and she only smirks. “I like my odds.”

[cassanovancats]

felicitate. one.

WARNING: JJK spoilers. canon-typical violence.

prologue < current > two

Nov. 2016

“Didja hear about the new transfer student starting today?” Panda asked, poking his head into your room. You push him out of the doorway and lead the way outside where you collect Inumaki and Maki to walk to class together.

You hummed slightly before answering, “Not really. Nii-chan said he wanted to surprise us with him.”

“He stuffed four - four, you guys! - of his classmates into a locker.”

“Killed them?” Maki asks, shifting her weapons case to sit higher on her shoulder. Inumaki leans over, interested.

“Nope! Only ‘severe’ injuries,” Panda explains, using his claws to make quotation marks around the word severe.

“I wonder what his lineage is. If he’s a transfer then he probably doesn’t have an inherited technique. Maybe we both can train together!” Your steps get a little lighter at the thought of adding to your harem. Maki glares at you as if she heard your thoughts and gives an audible hmph.

“If he’s cocky about being the strongest at some bumpkin junior high, I’ll rough him up.” Maki declares. “I bet you’re too tired to even train today, (y/n).”

“Salmon.”

You gasp dramatically. “Even you, Toge-kun? I can’t believe my favorite partner would do me like that. You both know it’s a Monday, I only did five kilometers this morning, thank you very much. And if you would actually join me sometime, you would understand that’s an easy distance.” You toss your hair and point your nose upward sarcastically.

Inumaki rolls his eyes, “Bonito flakes.”

“What he said,” Maki nods. “It's bad enough you convinced Gojo we have to run laps to warm-up before training.” You pout at such blatant rebuffs. Another failed attempt to get a workout buddy. Not that any of your classmates were weak, quite the opposite, they just kept training to what they saw as most essential - cursed techniques and fighting.

“You wouldn’t want them on your run anyways,” Panda says, trying to cheer you up, “You’d just leave them in the dust and end up alone on your trail anyways.” You chuckle at the annoyed noise Maki makes and move to enter the classroom first. As always, you claim the desk furthest from the door and closest to the window. Inumaki sits next to you, a habit from when you both met as children at clan meetings, Maki next to him, and Panda by the door.

You toss your jacket across the back of your chair and breathe in relief. The terrible things were so heavy and while it was great in the winter, November was still too hot to be covered in fabric. You smooth your skirt across your thighs to cover more skin and turn to ask Inumaki a question about the homework when Satoru slams the door of the classroom open. “Transfer student incoming! Let’s get this party -,” he trails off seeing the bored look on everyone’s face, “-started? (y/n), explain why you’re not totally pumped.”

You raise an eyebrow, “Are you asking as my brother or my teacher right now?”

“I heard he’s a punk. I have no interest in being nice to that kind of guy.” Maki interrupts.

“Salmon.”

Satoru pouts when you nod and Panda remains silent. “Whatever.” he turns and cups his hand around his mouth to yell at the closed door. “Come on in now!”

A deep sense of dread settles in your stomach when the door inches open. You and Inumaki share a look and he is already reaching to push up his sleeve and pull down his zipper. The boy who walks in is hunched in over himself and would be cute if not for the enormous curse hanging onto his back. The monster sneers with elongated teeth over his shoulder while he makes his introduction. Although neither makes an offensive move, every student makes one choreographed movement to circle around him in a defensive measure. Maki thrusts her blade into the blackboard behind Yuta Okkotsu. “Don’t you know you’re cursed?” She sneers at him down the staff, “We learn about curses here. It’s not a place for people who are cursed.”

Satoru doesn’t move an inch when he begins the spiel you’ve heard a million times: where curses originate, how sorcerers exorcise them, and how Jujutsu High trains each generation of sorcerers. It’s clear he didn’t explain this to Yuta, as the already pale boy becomes almost translucent. You take a step back, still hesitant about what must be a special-grade curse, but trusting that your brother would never endanger you. Well, at least not to the point of possible death. If he brought Yuta to your class, there must be a reason.

But then two giant arms emerge from the blackboard to grab Maki’s weapon from her hands. An ominous voice that makes you suddenly nauseous warns, “Don’t bully Yuta!” The arms swipe your friends onto their backs in one smooth movement. Panda thumps against the wall and Inumaki slides across the floor, hitting his head on an upturned desk. Maki stumbles backwards, shocked at the easy strength of the curse.

“Stop!” The technique you borrowed from Inumaki forces everyone in the room to freeze and you fall to your knees coughing, suddenly exhausted. Your brother breaks your hold and moves away from where he leaned against his desk when he first entered the room to offer you a hand. You stand on shaky legs as he explains how Yuta came to be cursed. Satoru allows you to clasp both hands onto the one still supporting you, allowing his technique to be borrowed and releasing the hold you had on your classmates.

You move to stand with them in solidarity as they gather to their feet. Maki takes the role of your pillar, allowing you to stand slightly behind her and grip the back of her jacket, while Inumaki hands you a cough drop from his pocket. You nod a thanks, still unable to speak. God, you need to train with his technique more. He can get at least three strong commands out before being incapacitated.

“They’re going through a rebellious phase, so let me introduce everyone. First is my precious lil sister, Gojo (y/n). She copies techniques by touch, so ignore how handsy she gets.” Satoru smiles and winks behind his blindfold, “Maki Zen’in. Cursed tool user; she uses special tools to exorcise curses. Cursed speech user Toge Inumaki, (y/n) copied his technique in that little show. His vocab is limited to rice ball ingredients. And Panda.” He points at each of you as he travels down the line. Yuta moves to join where the four of you had previously stood united against him. “Wow! Five first years! That's the biggest class in a while. Yaga must be so jealous the great Gojo-san can recruit so many talented young ones.” Satoru mimes wiping a tear from his blindfolded eyes and you roll your own at his self-praise. Yuta nervously (maybe curiously? nervous is the most common reaction) eyes Panda.

By now, you can mostly stand on your own, but gesture for another cough drop from Inumaki. He indulges you, though reluctantly. You make a mental note to buy a pack to refill both your own and his pocket stashes. But first, an afternoon practical where you’re paired with your brother. A pairing which means you two will just take the Gojo family card for a trip around whatever district you’ll be traveling to. Not that you’d ever complain about that. Inumaki and Panda are paired together, which leaves Maki and the new kid. Yuta moves to stand in front of Maki (and you, by default, since you’re still slightly hidden behind her) and says quietly, “I’m, uh, looking forward to working with you.” He manages a shaky smile.

Maki narrows her eyes. “You were bullied, right?” He visibly shakes but doesn’t respond. “Thought so. You’re totally bully-able. Probably because of the curse. You act like such a good person but it feels fake; it feels gross. You’re being protected, why act like a victim?” You elbow her side with a frown but she carries on. “I bet you’ve been passive your whole life. No goals. No aspirations. Jujutsu High ain’t that easy.”

Panda takes a step to stand firmly next to Yuta and places a giant paw on his shoulder. “That’s enough, Maki.” Inumaki agrees sternly.

“Fine. Whatever,” she scratches at her head, embarrassed at being reprimanded by each of her classmates. She is the first one to leave the room, not waiting for Gojo’s dismissal. Not like each of you don’t know the routine for missions.

The class begins to trickle out slowly and you hesitate before grabbing Yuta’s wrist to tug him gently back into the room. “I wanted to apologize. Maki isn’t always nice, but I promise she’s one of the kindest souls I know. I’m glad you joined our class, Yuta-san.” You smile in a way you hope reassures him. You walk away quickly, hoping to still have time to grab a pair of shorts from your dorm. You think you might just let a curse kill you if you have to fight in a skirt again after accidentally flashing your underwear at Panda last mission. Due to leaving so fast, you miss the sight of Yuta’s frozen body burning up in a deep blush.

The six of you arrive at an elementary school without any more fights in the car. Just a thick, awkward silence. Yuta seems sweaty and is constantly wiping his palms on his pants as the group approaches the building. Gojo-sensei gives the usual mission brief, explaining how children have recently started going missing and two curses are responsible. Team Panda will be responsible for one, Team Maki for the other. “And what will Team Gojo be doing?” Maki asks, raising a sarcastic eyebrow.

“Keeping an eye on the perimeter, of course! (y/n), if you will.” You nod and begin the chant to create a curtain.

“W-what is that? it’s turning to night!” Yuta yells.

“That is a curtain. It’ll make you guys invisible to the outside world and reveal the curses inside.” Gojo-sensei pats Yuta reassuringly on the shoulder. You follow him to stand outside of the curtain. Before it closes your classmates in, Gojo adds, “Don’t go dying on us now.”

You snort and hit your brother's arm. “You shouldn’t scare him like that. Poor boy looked like he was going to faint. So, are we leaving or actually keeping an eye on them?”

“I’m curious about how Rika will react when Yuta is in actual danger. Let’s wait,” he replies. You nod and move to sit cross-legged on the hood of the car while Satoru leans against the side. “...This also gives time for your precious Nii-chan to catch up on gossip. Has sweet Toge caught onto your crush yet?”

You flush and cross your arms across your chest. Moving to angle your body away from him, you pout and petulantly say, “There’s no crush. We’re just good partners. He's the only one of my classmates I can actually take a technique from, so of course I spend time training with him!”

Satoru smiles and hums, “No need to be so defensive. You know I approve if there was a crush though, right?” You just nod, relieved he was letting it drop so easily. “Although, your poor brothers might get jealous if we get even less time with you. We’re your best partners ever, after all.”

“Of course, Nii-chan. You know Team Gojo is undefeatable,” you say. Suddenly, both of you startle and whip your heads towards a point behind the curtain. Even without copying Satoru’s six-eyes, you can see the sudden burst of cursed energy. The wave of power makes you so nauseous, you turn your head and gag slightly.

“Freaky,” Satoru chuckles. “So that's the true identity of special grade cursed spirit Rika Orimoto. Women sure are scary.”

“If he lost control of her, something must be wrong,” you hop up from your seat and step forward to dismiss the curtain.

Yuta steps through the curtain right as your hand reaches out to dash the veil away. The sight startles you. He's covered in the usual grime from missions but it’s how he collapses on top of two children he obviously carried out and the unconscious Maki draped over his back that scares you. You move to untangle the limbs and check Maki for injuries while Satoru steps forward, in teacher-mode again, and says, “Welcome back. You did it.”

You stick your hand out impatiently gesturing for the first aid kit kept in the car. When Gojo places it in your hands, you rush to tourniquet Maki’s leg where there’s an obvious gouge in the flesh. Gojo continues to talk with Yuta, likely a debrief, while you move onto the two children. Neither has any wounds that you can treat - they’re obviously cursed but that requires Auntie Shoko’s technique. You report all of this to your brother and he instructs the driver to be sure to take everyone back to school. He tells you to be sure to help ‘Ieiri-san’ with the children, and while you wrinkle your nose at the formality (Auntie Shoko has never separated her role in your personal life from her role in your training), you easily agree. With some effort and not much help from an exhausted Yuta, you manage to get all four into a car. You slide into the passenger seat and nod to signal the driver to start the car.

After copying her reversed healing cursed technique, the pair of you don’t take long to heal the children and Maki. Maki regained consciousness while you were working on her, nearly kicking you in the face. She gave you a short debrief of what had happened and, knowing she was now okay, you took great delight in teasing her for messing up her first chance to impress your new classmate. “Oh man, Toge-kun is going to love this. I can't believe Miss ‘I’ll rough him up’ got swallowed! You completely fucked up a first impression,” you cackled and dodged her kick. Shoko gave you an exasperated look from across one of the kid’s hospital beds.

“Leave my patients alone, (y/n). Go tell your idiot brother everyone is fine.”

taglist: @rowanthefox

[waezi2]

Re-reading Yu-Gi-Oh (part 1)

So... I bitch a lot about Yu-Gi-Oh. When I don’t complain about it online and accuse it of scamming kid me, I ridicule the story and the many holes in the game rules.

But I actually used to love this manga with a burning passion. I bought it because I was fixated with the cards, but instead I got traumatized. In an awesome way.

So I decided to re-read the manga about the possibly best known TCG game in the world and see how it started, how it evolved, and if the story still holds up.

So, I’m reading chapter 1, and we have to talk about the art.

The art style at the beginning was chunky and sometimes downright awkward. But it was still very enjoyable. The characters were very expressive and the tone of the style could swing quickly from wacky and rubberhose like to eerie and brooding depending on the situation. It makes you forgive odd-looking legs and hands that becomes massive. It is clear that it is someone’s first project.

So, this is Yugi. Possibly the cutest and meekest punk kid who ever lived. Yugi is not an outdoor person, so he spends most of his recesses inside the classroom. He brings a ton of games to school, hoping that someone might wanna play with him, but all of his classmates prefer to go outside and do stuff like basketball. And being a short teenager who practically looks like a little boy means he is not a desirable team mate in any ball game.

This is totally just a theory, but I think Yugi’s signature punk hairstyle is his way of trying to look a bit more edgy to try do something about his cute appearance.

... Yeah, it’s not working. He still looks like a fricking Gummibear.

As Yugi is minding his own business, we meet two familiar faces.

... their names are actually Jounouchi and and Honda, but most people know them by their American names, so I will just refer to them as Joey and Tristan. 

It’s so odd to see their old designs. Especially Joey since his hair is not as big and square like as it is today. And what the fuck is up with Tristan’s face?!

Anyways, while Yugi decides to play with the most valuable game in his collection, Joey and Tristan decides to mess with him. They make an interesting bully duo where Tristan is more loud and is clearly having more fun bothering Yugi who is too short to put up a fight while Joey seems more stoic and is almost annoyed by Yugi for being a pushover. He even tells Yugi to be a man about it and at least try and take the game back from him by force. So while Tristian just enjoys picking on Yugi for the heck of it, Joey seems to sincerely dislike Yugi.

Luckily, Yugi doesn’t have trouble with bullies as such since he is friends with Tea who is so tough that she actually intimidate Joey and Tristan with sheer attitude. That’s actually impressive.

... A shame she is most of the time just the damsel in distress.

Tea is the only person in class who hangs out with Yugi since they have been friends since kindergarten. And she doesn’t mind staying inside at all since a ton of the guys are jerks who only wanna play basketball with the girls since it gives them an opportunity to look up their skirts.

Yeah, there is a lot of that in this manga. Most of the males in this series are kinda horny. the humor often relies on it, which downright creepy at times.

Even Yugi finds basketball more appealing now that he knows about the skirt-looking.

Lewd panty-shot aside, I think it is a nice detail that Yugi is as pathetic as the rest of the dudes in school, he probably just doesn’t have the courage to try get a look. It makes him less of a pure hero.

Altight, let’s stop talking about Yugi being a closet creep:/

Yugi shows Tea what his greatest treasure is: A LITTERAL treasure.

Yep, this is the famous Millennium Puzzle, practically the mascot of the series. It’s an ancient puzzle found in an pyramid that Yugi got from his grandfather who runs a game store. The puzzle is extremely valuable, both because it is from ancient Egypt and it is made of gold.

... And Yugi brings it to school where Tristan and Joey pushes him around...

Yugi has been struggling with the puzzle for eight years despite being a game nerd. Even though it is a blow to his not that big ego, he keeps trying to solve it since the box says that if he will be granted a wish if he manage to solve the puzzle.

Meanwhile, Joey and Tristan makes the fatal mistake of talking about picking on Yugi while Ushio is close enough to hear it. He is the school’s hall monitor and rumor has it that he is downright psychotic and is feared by most of the students. Heck, some of the teachers are uncomfortable being near him.

And this guy has decided to become Yugi’s bodyguard, something poor Yugi doesn’t take serious when Ushio tells him that.

Joey and Tristan are unaware how screwed they are as they keep having their fun bothering Yugi without our hero knowing it. Joey managed to steal a piece from the puzzle box before Tea interrupted, and Joey decides to throw the piece in the school’s swimming pool so that the puzzle becomes worthless as it can no longer be solved. I gotta say, that is pretty twisted and surprisingly sneaky of a teen bully. It’s downright creepy.

Speaking of creepy...

This is Yugi’s grandfather Sugoroku. He runs the game shop that Yugi lives in and is a living encyclopedia when it comes to games of all sorts.

And he can’t just tell Tea that she has grown. He HAS to mention her breasts as well. Da fuck is up with all the sex talk and panty shots in this series?! Does Kazuki Takahashi(the author) have some sort of issues?!

Yugi’s grandfather notices that Yugi is STILL trying to solve the ancient puzzle and warns Yugi that the puzzle is supposedly cursed. That the archeologist and his team died mysteriously shortly after finding the puzzle and the last one to kick the bucket said something about a “shadow game” with his dying breath.

That however makes Yugi even more determent to solve the puzzle. If it really is magical then chances are that he will be granted a wish by completing the puzzle.

Personally, I would call the nearest museum and sell the dang thing before it could kill me with it’s insane cursed magic.

Speaking of insane, Yugi realizes that he should have taken Ushio serious when he said he would be his bodyguard.

Yep, the SOB has dragged Joey and Tristan behind the school building and kicked their asses through and through. Tristan is in so much pain that he is barely conscious and Joey is so pummeled that all he can do is watch as Yugi shows how surprisingly brave he is as he demands that Ushio leaves them alone, even refer to them as his friends and that they were just trying to make him a man.

Yeah, picking on someone because they are too timid and demanding that they fight you despite knowing that they hat violence is the right way to make someone a man. Hip hooray for toxic masculinity!

Yugi defending Joey and Tristan results in him getting a beating as well.

One of the interesting things about early Yu-Gi-Oh is the raw and ugly violence. We talking dirty violence where people get kneed in the chest and kicked while they lie down. Not just off-screen, we witness our heroes be pummeled, making the series a bit more gritty and frightening. And this series is not for those with a weak stomach.

Joey is stunned, partly because Yugi defends him, but way more of the short spiky-haired kid’s courage. But Yugi is anything but afraid. After all, he refused to fight Joey, but he still tried to get the puzzle back(not successfully, but he made an effort instead of just squirming).

After Ushio finished kicking poor Yugi’s ass, he tells him to bring him money as “payment” for his “bodyguard service.” And we talking 200000 yen, that’s a lot of dough.

Ushio even pulls a god damn knife(!), just to show how fucking crazy he is!

Yugi goes home to see if he has money enough to pay Ushio, but he only has 1656 yen. In frustration, Yugi decides to solve his unsolvable puzzle, just to think of something else than the brute with a knife who is waiting for him at school.

But what do you know? Yugi finally get the hang of it. He sees that some of the pieces just needs to be rotated differently and he finish it in a couple of minutes.

... Or he WOULD have. He finally sees that one of the pieces are missing, breaking his heart and making his awful day even worse.

But Grandpa has the last piece. He tells Yugi that one of his friends from school had found it and asked him to give it to Yugi. And that he was soaked despite it not raining.

As Yugi is happy about being able to finish the puzzle and returns to his room, his grandpa thinks about that the boy was Joey and that he asked him not to tell Yugi it was him that came with the puzzle piece. Joey also told him about Ushio blackmailing Yugi, so Grandpa secretly puts money in Yugi’s schoolbag so he won’t get in trouble.

And this is where it get’s freaky.

Yep, here it is. the iconic moment Yugi gets blessed by the puzzle so that he can turn into the split personality we refer to as Yami which is Japanese for “Dark”.

Yugi then calls Ushio and tells him to meet him outside school at midnight.

Ushio is surprised as he sees that Yugi is wearing some sort of costume and that he looks way more cocky than before.

Yugi tells Ushio that he has the money he demands, but he has twice the amount. Fricking 400000 yen!

But Yugi only “owes” 200000 to Ushio, so he suggest that they play about them in a dark and twisted game.

Yugi and Ushio take turns stabbing the stack of money placed on their hand. They have to stab hard enough to take more than one single bill. The winner is the guy with most yen bills.

As they play, Ushio seems to be winning... but when it is his turn, he can feel that his hand is way too eager to stab.

This is not just a weird-ass game. This is a “shadow game”, a game that shows your true nature. Ushio’s greed is now collected in his hand, and he so desperately want to win the game that he can’t control it. He realizes that if he stabs, he won’t be able to control his strength and he will penetrate his own hand. Ushio has to either A) give up and keep his hand or B) win the game with one hand less.

Ushio picks C.

Ushio tries to kill Yugi, but that was a mistake. The puzzle has made him super human and he leaps from the ground, evading the knife.

And cheating in a shadow game is a big no-go as the host of the game has authority to punish you.

Yami Yugi curses Ushio with “Illusion of Greed”, meaning he will be doomed to live in an imaginary world where he sees nothing but money everywhere.

Next morning, he is still outside the schoolyard like a drooling idiot who yells about all of his imaginary money.

Yugi has no memory of what happened but is glad he no longer has to be worried of Ushio who is a harmless nutcase. Not only that, he has finally finished his puzzle... and Joey offers him his friendship.

And that was the start of the horror manga turned card game commercial. It has a lot of charm, is very eerie and I think I prefer Yami Yugi’s first look that is more child like. making him look downright creepy.

This retrospective will continue ASAP.

Till then, I’m Waezi2, and thanks for wasting time with me.

[princeanxious]

Okay stupid tumblr didnt tell me you said yes but HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS :DDD

When did they become vanpires

How old are they

What year were the vampires born

How long has V been locked away, what has he missed

Does V immediately latch onto the grunge/emo aesthetic because it matches the whole vampire theme

Is Roman a himbo™

What is the twins relationship like

Anxciet is the main pairing, are there any side pairings?

How does Janus react to the whole "oh yeah vampires are real" thing

Were any of the vamps around for any big historical events

Were any of the vamps big historical figures

Do they end up going to highschool/uni with the humans

What does everyone look like

Do any of them have really strong opinions about something useless (eg. pineapple on pizza, a certain colour, double denim, etc)

:)

Virgil became a Vampire sometime in the 17/1800s?? Logan is from around the 1500s, and Patton claims he lost count a long time ago.(Patton’s probably at least at least a thousand years old though? But he looks more like a young 25 y/o whose attire choices change day to day but generally always gives off that Parent vibe), Virgil was turned by Patton, Logan was born Vampire, Patton was assumably born vampire. Remus and Roman are 27, Janus is 25.

Virgil was locked away for about 150 years, give or take? He missed the entire shift in society and the human experience, from how relationships are viewed/treated to longer lifespans, to cleaner hygiene, convenience, and technology, hell, even the more open existance of the lgbtqa+ community! A /lot/ has happened in the past 100 years, and now Virgil has alot of catchup to do.(and don’t worry, Patton & Logan help Virgil catch up pretty quickly, they share flashcards and Virgil gets h o o k e d on social media when he gets a phone)

He absolutely does. Its a weird adjustment, what with the now wildly varied different textiles and styles and change. Especially the lack of layers, he misses those. (And finds immense comfort in the jacket that Janus gifts him, as its big and oversized and feels oh so very soft and warm.) But no yeah, he gets his hair cut(it still grew for those years locked away, albiet still rather slowly from malnutrition) and rocks the fringe, even gets his hair dyed purple to match his eyes, all the grunge/punk/emo aesthetic! Some of his favorite new things are makeup, piercings, and so much black fabric to chose from!

You’ll be surprised to note, that Roman is sadly not a himboTM in this au, as Virgil has already taken over that roll 💜💜💜

Remus and Roman’s relationship? Honestly ride or die chaos, the kinds of siblings that play pranks on one another and insult eachother but god forbid some poor outsider steps in to try and say the same thing they said abt their sibling, that outsider will have regreted it. The kind if ‘The Only one allowed to call my brother a Bitch-Ass Idiot is ME’ kind of siblings? Look they grew up in a area filled with people who dont like things out of the norm and befriended the local bullied kid who is half-covered in snake scales and speaks with a lisp due to his split togue. Remus himself suffers from intrusive anxiety and Roman suffers from chronic(?) depression. They’re all a bit ride or die, through and through.

Anxceit is the main pairing, and while it’s not entirely set in stone, Logince and Intruality are probably the other two.

Technically its not a secret in their world?? Like magic is a thing in their workd, its just usually left out of humanities bloodline. Humans like Janus are pretty rare bc of that. Vampires are still p rare to meet but not unheard of.

Yes, the vampires were alive for many major historical events. No we are not going to talk abt any of them. Same goes w/ historical figures.

Yes! Infact, Roman and Logan share college/uni theatre classes together! Logans currently an astronomy major, Roman a theatre arts major(i think thats what its called?) Logan is a formidible lyrical rival and Roman finds himself constantly losing to his rival in the form of slam poetry, though every day Roman always gets a little closer to winning(Logan adores the challenge, and the passion Roman has to beat Logan at his own game is riviting to experience. Logan would def consider Roman a perfect companion, but would have never acted on it if virgil hadnt been rescued by said companions twin brother, thus gettig both trios heavily involved w/ each other.) Patton’s been alive so long that he doesn’t care too much for academia, and instead focuses on tactile learning, like pottery and woodworking. Remus himself is an arts major, known for making really hyper horror or grotesque creature sculptures/doll customization, so he kind of just laches onto this man who seems to be larger than life and is far from bothered by Remus’s ‘not safe for common convos’ way of talking and its nice not to have someone run away. (Honestly, the feeling is mutual between the two)

As for what everone looks like, I kinda just want to leave that up to interpretation? If I end up drawing any of them they’ll probably be reflective of the way that I usually draw the sides, just human or vampire-ified, and maybe have a trait or two tweaked specifically for the au? The only real thing standing out to me is that i might give Remus or Roman Albinism? Idk yet.

Uhhhh i’m sure they have alot? Logan hates modern mirrors, bc they are usually not made w/ a silver backing. Let me tell you the first time Logna passed his full blown reflection out of something he’d never been able to use before, its clear, consise, ans ge hates it bc he can now very easily stare into his own eyes clearly and question existance.

Patton, despite being the oldest ever, is still v afraid of soiders despite knowing they cant hurt him too horribly.

Virgil is under the strong opinion that memes are hilarious and hoodies are amazing.

[ghost-in-the-hella]

I hope it's cool for me to drop another one, you just write them so well. Z: “Zip me up?” PriceMarsh

Absolutely! Prepare for a near-lethal dose of pricemarsh fluff.

CW for referenced homophobia and implied internalized homophobia. Also references to Rachel’s death because I can’t not at least mention that.

---

There’s no reason for Chloe to feel so nervous. It’s only prom. She’s never been one of those girls who considers their high school prom to be a pinnacle of her life to be surpassed only by her eventual and inevitable wedding day. Before she and Kate started dating, Chloe would’ve laughed at the idea of even going to prom. She was way too cool for all that mainstream, cliche high school shit even before she dropped out.

But here she is, sitting in the cab of her truck in the parking lot for the girls��� dorms, sweating through her tuxedo shirt as she tries to work up the nerve to go meet her prom date. Nervous. She and Kate have been official for a few good months now, but they’ve never done anything this, well, official. Chloe bought a corsage and everything. She’s wearing her dad’s old powder blue tuxedo from his prom, taken off mothballs for the occasion (lucky for her he was a total beanpole when he was in high school; Joyce barely had to take it in at all). It’s fucking go time.

She flicks her lighter a few times to steady her nerves. God, she wants a cigarette. But she knows Kate hates the smell even though she tries not to complain, and she wants tonight to be perfect. Not for herself, of course - she’s still too much of a hardass punk to care about going to prom, much less about having it be some kind of magical experience - but for Kate. Because Kate cares about going to prom, and Kate deserves a perfect night. She deserves, at the very least, a prom date who doesn’t smell (and taste) like an ashtray. If Kate’s going to risk outing herself to her family with prom photos of her with an obvious lesbian on her arm, well, Chloe’s going to be the best goddamn arm candy she can be.

She tosses her lighter into the glove box and switches off her stereo, silencing the pump up mix she’d been playing to get psyched. She takes a deep breath to ground herself. Okay. Okay. Now it’s go time.

She grabs her tuxedo jacket off the passenger side of the bench seat and slings it on as she opens the door and hops out into the parking lot. She pulls out her phone and texts Kate. 

Me: im here

Me: u ready to wreck shit up w ur hella hot prom date?

Kate: Almost :)

Kate: I need your help with something. Can you come up?

Chloe suppresses the instinct to shout NO EMOJI and restricts herself to a polite: sure

She checks herself out one last time in her side mirror. Her hair’s freshly dyed and combed to a silky sheen, every strand perfectly in place. She’s got a tasteful amount of eyeliner on, like any good pirate, and it makes the blue of her eyes pop. The tux looks surprisingly good for something that’s been packed up in the attic for longer than she’s been alive, and it accents her hair and her eyes both. 

“Your father would be so happy for you. I wish he could’ve seen you.”

Chloe swallows down the sudden lump in her throat. She already sobbed her eyes out enough when Joyce was helping her get ready; she’s not picking up her prom date with raccoon eyes if she cries her eyeliner into a mess (again). She adjusts her lapels (what was it with the late seventies and ridiculous lapels?!) and her blue butterfly boutonniere and strides toward the dorms. 

There are several people standing outside, copping a last smoke before prom. Victoria Chase is one of them, flanked by two girls Chloe only vaguely recognizes. She’s pretty sure the bottle blonde smoked her out once at a Vortex party after she’d lost track of Rachel, but she’s not sure they ever exchanged names. Victoria flicks some ash off her cigarette as Chloe nears, but she pointedly avoids Chloe’s gaze rather than engaging her. So, still kind of an ice queen but maybe she’s learned a modicum of civility in the wake of the absolute clusterfuck that was last semester, between her best friend getting arrested along with her favorite teacher for a gross assortment of sex crimes. And murder.

Chloe’s stomach twists violently at the memory. Fuck, last fall was a shitshow. She’s pretty sure she wouldn’t have survived learning about Rachel’s murder (officially “death by misadventure” because the Prescotts have lawyers out their ass, but Chloe’s nobody’s fool) without Kate’s shoulder to cry on. Chloe still doesn’t believe in god, but if she did she’d say that Kate’s been an absolute godsend.

Chloe spares the girls by the door a quiet nod in greeting as she passes, and two out of three return it (fuck you very much, too, Unnamed Brunette Sidekick). She climbs the stairs to the second floor and hustles to Kate’s door. Her whiteboard is blank today, so Chloe takes a moment to draw a cartoon heart on it before she knocks.

“Chloe?”

“The one and only,” she replies.

“It’s open; can you let yourself in? Alice is being a handful.”

“Ooh, bunny shenanigans!” Chloe opens the door and slips into the room, closing the door swiftly behind her in case Alice is in danger of escaping. Alice’s cage is, indeed, empty, and the bunny is nowhere in sight. What Chloe can see, however, is about half of Kate poking out from beneath her bed. She shouldn’t laugh. She really shouldn’t. She does anyway. Kate’s legs just look so formal as they stick out from beneath her bed at awkward angles, politely wrapped in dark tights and the jumble of what is clearly a very pretty dress that deserves better than to be mangled and coated in dust before it can even get its moment in the spotlight.

Kate giggles, so at least she’s aware of the ridiculousness of the situation and probably isn’t mad at Chloe. “She just will not go back in her cage! Can you help?” Kate flails out a hand in Chloe’s general direction.

Chloe crouches next to the bed and takes Kate’s hand, helping to slide her out from under it. “Hey, bun-bun,” she calls softly to the bunny beneath Kate’s bed. “Your favorite person is here! Come say hello!”

Kate gasps in mock offense and swats Chloe’s arm. “Her second favorite person, thank you!”

Alice hops tentatively out from under the bed and wiggles her perfect little nose at Chloe. “Ah-ha!” Chloe reaches down and gently picks her up. “Got you, you little rascal. Were you making life difficult for your momma?” She gives Alice a nuzzle.

“She’s been such a naughty bunny tonight,” Kate sighs. “I can’t tell you how many times she tried to nibble my dress. And poor Alyssa! Alice got half her corsage before either of us figured out what was happening.”

“Aww, I missed Alyssa?”

“Sorry; she had to finish her own makeup. She did mine, too. Is it too much? I haven’t gotten a chance to check.”

Chloe looks over at Kate and nearly topples over onto her ass, bunny and all. Kate looks beautiful, but that’s nothing unusual; she always looks beautiful. The subtle makeup that Alyssa’s used on her sets off her natural beauty perfectly, understated but lovely as always. Her hair’s in a braid with loose tendrils framing her face, which is a style Chloe’s never seen on her before and definitely could get used to seeing. And her dress is… Well. It’s a lovely dress; Chloe’s no great authority on dresses - she hasn’t worn one willingly since she was about four - but she can tell that much. It’s definitely picked up some dust here and there from Kate’s adventure under her bed, but it’s still obviously a nice dress. Tasteful, of course, or at least it would be if it were zipped in the back.

Which it definitely isn’t. 

On anyone else, it would still be a modest look. But on Kate… This is by far the most of her that Chloe’s seen in months of dating. Kate’s very much a “take it slow” kind of person, and even though historically Chloe’s tended to be more of a “take it as soon and as often as I can get it” kind of person she respects Kate’s boundaries and is happy to let her girlfriend set the pace. So getting an eyeful of Kate’s naked collarbones, the round curve of an exposed shoulder, the suggestion of a bared back is basically the Kate Marsh equivalent of a nip slip.

“Um.”

“Oh, no, is it too much? I asked her not to do anything too excessive…”

“No, no, makeup’s fine. Great, even. You look… amazing.” Chloe wobbles onto her feet and holds out a hand to help Kate up. She presses a kiss into Alice’s soft fur and walks her over to her open cage. “Okay, cage time for bunnies. No more mischief tonight.” She tucks Alice inside and locks the cage door behind her.

“You’re so good with her,” Kate says, wrapping her arms around Chloe’s waist from behind. Normally she’d burrow her face into Chloe’s back, but she restrains herself and Chloe appreciates the effort to preserve the integrity of her suit even as she misses the contact. “This is the best behaved she’s been all night.”

“What can I say? You’re her mom; of course she’s going to rebel. Me, I’m more like the cool aunt.”

“Hmm. Cool step-mom, maybe.”

Chloe’s face warms with blush. She reaches down to place her hands over Kate’s and gives them an affectionate squeeze. “You, uh, you almost ready to go, babe?”

“Almost.” Kate pulls back and Chloe turns around to face her. It’s a struggle, but she keeps her eyes fixed on Kate’s face even as they long to trace the delicate, graceful line of her clavicles. Then Kate turns her back to Chloe, glancing back at her over her shoulder with a soft smile. “Zip me up?”

Chloe blinks stupidly for several seconds before she answers with a silent nod. Her mouth is too dry to speak human words. She has to close her eyes and collect herself for a moment when Kate turns her head away again, waiting patiently for her assistance. Her hands are actually shaking as she reaches for Kate, which is stupid. She’s literally stripped women before. She’s just helping one put more clothes on. Her hands shouldn’t be shaking over that.

She tenderly sweeps Kate’s braid aside with one hand, draping it forward over her shoulder to keep it clear of the zipper. Her fingertip barely skirts against the bared skin of Kate’s back, but she can feel her warmth like a brand. Chloe takes a deep breath in and blows it out slowly to steady herself as she reaches for Kate’s zipper pull. It’s only when she sees Kate squirm slightly that she realizes she’s released her breath directly against Kate’s exposed back. She freezes.

“It’s okay,” Kate says when she feels Chloe tense up. 

Chloe tries to force herself to relax. She attempts to ease the zipper up and it catches within the first inch. Tentatively, she reaches to brace one hand against Kate’s hip for leverage. The zipper slides free and Chloe delicately zips up the back of Kate’s dress. It traces the elegant line of her spine up toward the perfect points of her shoulder blades (Chloe notes two small birthmarks on Kate’s left just above her bra and suppresses the urge to lean down and kiss each in turn). 

Chloe reaches around to gently guide Kate’s braid back to its rightful place when she’s done. She leans in boldly to press a kiss to Kate’s (still bare) shoulder, pausing millimeters away to give Kate time to signal her yes or no. Kate gives a small but unambiguous nod and Chloe kisses her shoulder firmly. Kate reaches her other arm across to tangle fingers in Chloe’s hair, holding her there gently for a moment.

Kate gives a contented sigh when Chloe pulls back, slipping her fingers free from Chloe’s blue locks. “Sorry if I messed up your hair.”

“Worth it,” Chloe tells her with a grin. She steals a quick moment to check her hair in Kate’s mirror, prompting a knowing giggle from her girlfriend. The damage is minimal; definitely worth it. She tidies it with a few quick sweeps of her hands. 

Kate steps into the frame and slips an arm around Chloe’s waist. Chloe reciprocates with an arm around Kate’s shoulders. “What do you think?” Kate asks. “Prom Queens?”

Chloe wrinkles her nose. “I’ll be happy as long as they don’t dump pig’s blood on us. Anyway, I think someone would have to stuff the ballot box pretty hard for me to get elected anything at Blackwell after I dropped out.”

“A year after you left to pursue other options,” Kate corrects her. “Now that you’ve got your GED, I don’t think you technically count as a dropout.”

“Aww, but it’s my whole identity,” Chloe teases. She dips her head to drop a light kiss to the top of Kate’s head as Kate scowls playfully.

“Guess you’ll have to develop a new one, then.” She squeezes Chloe’s hip hard enough to shut her up. “You look really good in that tuxedo. I can’t wait to show you off.”

Chloe raises her eyebrows. “Yeah? Not still worried about what people are gonna say when they see our prom pictures?”

“I’m still concerned,” Kate says thoughtfully. “But I’m more excited. I never thought I’d get to have this.” She turns to look at Chloe, and there’s so much warmth in her eyes that Chloe feels a sudden threatening prickle of tears in her own. “My mother and aunt fed me so many… bitter thoughts about what being gay might mean. All the things I’d never get to do or have because I didn’t think that gay people were allowed them. I never thought I’d get to love someone so much. I never thought I’d get to be loved in return. I never thought I’d get to just be a normal, happy girl on prom night, getting ready with her prom date to go and dance with her friends and have fun like anybody else. But look at me. Look at us!” She turns back to the mirror, leaning into Chloe’s arm. “We’re doing this. I’m going to the prom with my girlfriend, and we look amazing together, and we’re going to pose for stupid pictures and dance until our feet hurt and celebrate with our friends, and at the end of the night you’re going to walk me back to my room and kiss me goodnight because I won’t have to worry about my lipstick anymore and it’s all going to be perfect. And even if it isn’t perfect, it’s going to be ours.”

Chloe feels like she’s going to shake apart she’s so close to crying, eyeliner be damned. “H-hey, Katie?”

“Mm?” Kate turns to look at her sweetly, and god how did Chloe get so lucky to end up with this incredible girl.

“How much do you really care about the lipstick thing? Because I really want to kiss you right now.”

A dimpled smile breaks out across Kate’s face and Kate goes up on tiptoes, touching Chloe’s face lightly as she tilts up her face to kiss her. Chloe does her best to kiss her back like a normal person and not like a drowning woman. “Not as much as I care about you,” Kate answers when they pull apart again. She wipes a stray tear from Chloe’s cheek. “Are you okay?”

“I’m so fucking okay. I might be the most okay I’ve ever been in my whole stupid life.” Chloe plants another kiss on Kate’s forehead. She’s about to start leading Kate to the door when she realizes she’s forgotten something important. She fumbles the corsage out of the inner pocket of her dad’s jacket and presents it to Kate. “Come on, let’s finish getting you suited up so we can light up the fucking dance floor and give all the haters the middle finger. The metaphorical middle finger,” she amends when Kate starts to open her mouth. “Not gonna get myself thrown out of your prom; don’t worry.”

Kate holds out her wrist and Chloe has to bend to slide the corsage into place. There’s a surreal moment when she’s holding Kate’s perfect hand in hers and gently guiding the corsage into place, practically down on one knee to get the proper angle, where she wonders if this is what it might feel like to propose. She can see it so clearly in her mind’s eye: getting down on one knee, probably wearing this same tuxedo because that way it’s like her dad would get to be there, still holding Kate’s hand, still looking up into her beautiful and shining eyes as she gazes down at her with more love than any human heart could hold, Gramma Price’s ring resized to fit Kate’s finger…

Chloe wobbles, suddenly lightheaded, and Kate reaches out to steady her the way she always does. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Kate asks again, brow furrowing slightly with concern.

Chloe presses a reverent kiss to Kate’s knuckles and rises back to her feet. “I’m good,” she says, trying not to sound as dazed as she feels. “I’m great. I’m fucking amazing. You’re amazing. We’re amazing. Let’s go show all of Blackwell how fucking amazing we are.” 

Kate nods, grinning. “Yes, please.” She holds out her hand and Chloe takes it. Before they can make it all the way to the door, Chloe’s phone buzzes in her pocket. With an exaggerated sigh, she pauses to check it.

Mom: Chloe Elizabeth Price, don’t you dare forget to send me pictures!

Kate reads over her shoulder. “Maybe we should show your mom how amazing we are first?”

Chloe grumbles and rolls her eyes but obligingly opens up the photo ap on her phone. As annoying as Joyce can be (seriously, wtf with the Mom ESP?!), Chloe knows that Kate relishes this kind of maternal approval and that she’s never going to get it from her own mother. Joyce has her faults - fucking hell does she have her faults - but even Chloe has to admit that she’s been pretty awesome with Kate. She’s all but adopted her, honestly.

Chloe holds up her phone and lets Kate nestle under her arm. A perfect fit as always.

“Say ‘prom night!’” Kate says, grinning giddily.

“Prom night!” Chloe says without taking her eyes off of Kate, and she takes the picture.

[astraeagreengrass]

The Queen's Husband [3/?]

When her reign is threatened, the Queen of Ergona must find a husband to secure her throne.

Word Count: 2.096

Warnings: None! English is not my first language so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

A/N: No one is free from apprehension - not even queens! Luckily for our queen, she has found herself a pretty nice fiancé! This chapter is a little short and not exactly what I wanted it to be, but I decided to post it right away instead of keeping on battling my writer's block. I hope you like it! And, as always, thank you to the lovely, kind, generous people that take the time to read, comment and reblog. I appreciate you ♡

Series Masterlist

My Masterlist

Marble archways and red-orange torches were the only witnesses to yours and Steve’s late night conversations.

Your hand was in his as you ambled. It was fairly inappropriate, even if you were engaged, but you couldn’t help it in the darkness of the hallway. The touch of Steve’s skin was thrilling and your palm was sweating from the adrenaline coursing through your veins. The feeling was brand new and fantastic.

This tradition was something you both committed to once Steve moved to the palace, three weeks after your betrothal: he’d escort you to your chambers at dusk, the only moment you could talk in private, even if it sometimes meant you had to whisper. Every other hour of the day you were surrounded by your handmaids, advisors and political allies and you weren’t keen on them listening to your conversations with the Captain; not when the butterflies you first felt in the rose courtyard were still there, brewing a storm in your stomach whenever you gaze met his.

Growing up as the heir to the throne of the Ergona, you’d been extensively schooled since your earliest days. Politics, mathematics, geography, english and other languages, diplomacy… You excelled in many topics, having been taught by the most brilliant minds in the world. Love, however, had never been in your syllabus.

Queens weren’t taught the ways of love and, as such, it was never your priority. Knowing you’d most likely marry for duty, with a suitor chosen by others, you focused on becoming a good ruler - a fair and honorable sovereign, born to love Ergona rather than a spouse. 

Steve’s confession had terrified you - not because you didn’t believe him but because you did. You weren’t lying when you said you thought he was a good man and maybe that was why his love for you was so mystifying. Steve was handsome, loyal and kind-hearted. He could have any woman he wanted and yet he chose to love the one who built walls around her heart higher than those surrounding the Dragon Keep in Albeon. 

Wariness was a hard lesson to learn but a necessary one: trusting the wrong person could cost you your kingdom, your crown and your life. No one told you how hard it would be – the loneliness and the doubt – but a Queen’s life was full of sacrifices. Yet now, every night after you bid your goodbyes to the Captain and laid to rest on soft feather pillows, your past decisions and insecurities kept you awake, taunting your mind with “what ifs” and lost possibilities. 

What if you’d smiled more? 

What you’d been less cold?

What if you’d been more talkative?

Maybe then you’d know what to do with the snake coiling around your lungs, crushing your breath while it screamed you were not good enough. Not for Steve and not for Ergona. 

After every sleepless night, you’d watch the sun rise. The golden glow would slowly but surely spread across the inky sky, making way for dawn. It made you think of Steve and the way the blonde strands of his hair reflected that same light: your fiancé, blessed by Helios himself.

Amidst the anxiety, his presence was soothing. It confused you how the cause of your worries could also be their healing balm. Your days, as busy and hectic as they were, now suddenly revolved around the prospect of these slow walks to your chambers, the dark shadows of the castle’s walls mere bystanders to the way Steve was carefully, day-by-day, breaching through the queen’s careful armor until he found the woman.

It was scary but exhilarating.

Your conversations were easygoing and light-hearted. He’d ask about your childhood, your life in Foghar, your favorite color and favorite foods. In turn you’d question him about growing up in West Ergona, his days in the military and his travels.

You learned Steve was a sickly child who dreamed of being a soldier. His best friend was named Bucky Barnes - “he’s a punk”. He loved visiting Asgard because it reminded him of his mother and was very grateful to Abraham Erskine, the doctor who healed him.

Steve never inquired about your political agenda or demanded to be part of small council meetings. Much to Lord Fury’s chagrin, while you sat in stuffy rooms negotiating tax administration, the Captain could likely be found training archery with Master Barton. 

He was tanned from his moments spent outside in the summer air. His already impressive muscles were bulging and his smiles were relaxed and frequent, as if joy itself had made a home in him. You’d never seen him so carefree.

Outside the fortress domains, Ergona thrived with the news of your nuptials. Apparently, there was nothing like a royal wedding to lift the nation’s spirits after a war and - unsurprisingly - the prospect of Steve becoming the new King was very exciting.

For the first time in your reign, you welcomed Western emissaries to the royal palace, including Steve’s father, the Duke of Arvenia, who was absolutely delighted with his son’s good fortune. A short, balding man who resembled Steve very little, the Duke arrived with an entourage of musicians, dancers and even his personal painter. His golden cape could rival a lion’s mane and his necklace was encrusted with the finest emeralds. A feathered beret completed his look, making him look every inch an exotic peacock. 

Despite the obvious luxury he surrounded himself with, the Duke wasted no time asking how profitable the engagement would be to his duchy. Steve was flabbergasted with his father’s audacity, his face turning a shade of red that could rival his stepmother’s rubies - a girl even younger than you were. In an attempt to soothe him, you placed your hand over your fiancé’s, delicately saying that if the Duke of Arvenia had any questions regarding the marriage, he should take them to Lady Natasha. 

She would sort him out.

You'd gripped Steve’s hand on instinct, your body’s automatic response to his discontent. It was organic, as if your own senses were attuned to his - perfectly synchronized.

When you felt him relax you let it go, even if the loss of his skin left an unpleasant tingling sensation. You weren’t expecting for him to grip you hand again a few hours later, under the dinner table, as Lord Pierce - an obnoxious marquess from West Ergona - made you uncomfortable by suggesting Steve’s virility would surely grant him many sons.

His answer to Pierce, in the same commanding tone he spoke to his soldiers with - made the older man wither like a flower in a snowstorm.

“I hope our first child is a girl, so that she may follow her mother’s footsteps and become a great Queen".

He then proceeded to toast to his words, his wishes dying in a smirk of wine-stained lips.

It was how you ended here, wooden soles clicking on the stone slabs of the corridor. After the second course you excused yourself from the dining hall. You thought Steve would chose to stay with his relatives - according to Natasha, he hadn’t seen his father in three or so years - but he rose from the table as you did, not even biding his farewells.

You missed the way Lord Stark pulled his squire from his belt, preventing poor Peter Parker from escorting you and Steve. No one else dared to follow you and, as soon as you left the room, Steve's hand reached for yours again - bolder this times, fingers entwining in a move so similar to the way his own soul was twisting and wrapping around yours. 

You walked in silence for the first time. No conversation to appease the tension or divert your mind from the heat shared between your palm and his?

As usual, once they saw you approaching, the two guards that kept watch outside your chamber’s door exited to grant you privacy. They’d return once Steve left.

The Captain cleared his throat and spoke:

“In Asgard, where my mother was from, it is customary for a man to give a ring to the woman he is betrothed to. It is a promise of his commitment to her until the wedding day.” 

From his jacket pocket Steve removed a navy blue velvet pouch. Long fingers loosened the cord that held the pouch closed - dexterous with a sword but delicate to the touch - and a ring fell on his palm.

The oval stone was the same shade as the velvet cloth - midnight indigo, dark as the depths of the ocean that crashed in Ergona’s shore. Dozens of tiny diamonds surrounded it, twinkling lazily in the warm firelight glow. Even more diamonds made up the ring band - and opulent jewel, made of the finest gems dig up from western mines and handcrafted by the greatest jewelers at the Duke of Arvenia’s disposal.

Too opulent for you and Steve knew that.

“I know it’s too much” he said apologetically. “My father is known for his grand gestures. But I miss my mother dearly. This ring is the only heirloom of hers I have left. I know it’s not your style, but it I would if you accepted it as a token of my affections.”

There he was, breaking down your walls again. Every carefully placed defense crumbled in the presence of his words, scattering to ashes when you couldn’t find dishonesty in them. You found yourself divided: one Y/N was rational, overzealous and logical, screaming at the top of her lungs to halt the other - wide-eyed and ingenue, desperate to break-free and be loved. It was the second one who said:

“Doesn’t Asgardian tradition say that the groom should place the ring on the bride’s finger?”

Steve beamed - a beautiful stretch of lips and cheeks and eye crinkles. He smiled with his whole face, making you wish for broad daylight so that you could better commit to the loveliness of it.

He slid the ring on the fourth finger of your left hand. The jewel was even heavier than it looked, engulfing your digit in blue lavishness. Delicately, Steve traced a line from the base of your finger towards your wrist.

“This is the vena amoris. It runs from your left ring finger straight to your heart. I hope you can see this ring and remember that my own heart belongs to you.”

He continued.

“And, if you allow me, I will cherish your heart as you have cherished mine.”

“How could I have cherished you heart if I didn’t know of your… feelings?” you replied. 

 He laughed - a short, breath-like laugh that tickled your nose.

“You did so by being you. That is enough for me.”

“I don’t know how to do this” you whispered, mentioning to the space between you, yet meaning it as more than the inches separating you. 

“Neither do I” he took your other hand in his - limbs and worries and dreams laced together in the  dark. “But I’m willing to try if you are.”

Wordlessly, you nodded, cracking a small smile as you swallowed your tears. You didn’t cry easily,  but you found yourself getting more and more emotional the longer you shared Steve’s presence.

With his thumb he caressed the outside of your eye, temple, nose, then slid it downwards and traced your lips. Gently, as if touching a cloud, he took you chin in his grip.

When Steve's lips touched yours, the butterflies in your stomach broke free from their prison,  spreading their crazy fluttering to your heart, your skin, your mouth. It was quick - the briefest of pecks - but it still left you breathless and wide-eyed.

“I'm sorry” he muttered, mistaking your awe for consternation. “That was too bold. Your Grace, …”

Raising your hand, you interrupted him.

“Don’t apologize, I beg of you. I’m just… overwhelmed. I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

Now it was his turn to be surprised.

“Our acquaintanceship is changing me. Being in your company is bringing to life so many things I never wondered about or deemed important. In so many aspects I feel like a new person. And it's disconcerting but rewarding. You make me feel happy.”

“And I don’t know what this means or where this will take us but I hope you’re not afraid of going there with me. Because I’d hate to be alone again.”

“Your Grace…” Steve started but you interrupted him again.

“And I order you to stop calling me Your Grace. At least when we're alone”

Then, in a move that astonished both Steve and yourself, you rose to your tiptoes and kissed him again.

[gilesian]

CHARACTER STATS

LAYER 001: THE OUTSIDE

NAME: Rupert Edmund Giles

EYE COLOUR: green, with a fleck of brown on the left eye.

HAIR STYLE/COLOUR: dark brown, in later years fading into a fetching ashy grey.

HEIGHT: 6′

CLOTHING STYLE: watcher’s tweeds and rumpled shirt & tie; gentleman of leisure with soft jumpers, leather coat, and old, comfortable jeans; middle aged (magic) businessman in a nice suit and that blue shirt. all paired with sensible leather boots because hey a watcher must be prepared.

BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE: uh. his disarmingly soft smile, i think.

LAYER 002: THE INSIDE

FEARS: his loved ones dying.

GUILTY PLEASURE: quiz shows. never mind the buzzcocks. living in america had deprived him of his quality entertainment that he had to turn to soap opera, poor man.

BIGGEST PET PEEVE: snotty know-it-all, people who abuse their power.

AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE: that there always will be a tomorrow.

LAYER 003: THOUGHTS

FIRST THOUGHTS WAKING UP: ‘I’m thirsty.’ followed by what to cook for breakfast. if he’d just been knocked out it’d probably be ‘oh bollocks, again?’.

WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT MOST: measures and means to dispatch of the big bad(s) the Slayer have to fight, random snippet of songs if he isn’t busy. doesn’t ponder about his past grievances or mistakes as much as people might think.

WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT BEFORE BED: if he works himself to sleep he won’t be thinking of anything, which is a state he often pushes himself into. it’s been decades since eyghon but he’s still wary of vivid dreams.

WHAT THEY THINK THEIR BEST QUALITY IS: his willingness to learn.

LAYER 004: WHAT’S BETTER?

SINGLE OR GROUP DATES: single

TO BE LOVED OR RESPECTED: what is one without the other?

BEAUTY OR BRAINS: both

DOGS OR CATS: between the two it’s cats, but other than that it’s horses. have you ever seen giles on a horse, galloping in the fields? he isn’t half bad.

LAYER 005: DO THEY...

LIE: yes. (whether he’s good at it remains the question.)

BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES: yes.

BELIEVE IN LOVE: yes.

WANT SOMEONE: alas, he’s single and not ready to mingle more often than not.

LAYER 006: HAVE THEY EVER...

BEEN ONSTAGE: oh, yeah. sang and played guitar for a (terrible) punk band in the 70s.

DONE DRUGS: yes.

CHANGED WHO THEY WERE TO FIT IN: only all the bloody time. ripper had a put on accent, rougher than how he normally speaks. between that and in-series i don’t think he gave much thought to who he is, and rather focused on who he ought to be since giles tried hard to be the perfect, by-the-book watcher for Buffy. thank fuck he quickly realised she isn’t suited for that. i believe the most balanced giles had ever been as himself and as his role was in S4-5.

LAYER 007: FAVOURITES

FAVOURITE COLOUR: earthy tones. blues. a splash of red.

FAVOURITE ANIMAL: horse.

FAVOURITE BOOK: huh. when’s the last time he read something for pleasure? likes a bit of high fiction like The Lord of the Rings.

FAVOURITE GAME: tetris. crosswords.

LAYER 008: AGE

DAY THEIR NEXT BIRTHDAY WILL BE: 20 December

HOW OLD WILL THEY BE: 40s, depending on the verse.

LAYER 009: FINISH THE SENTENCE

I LOVE: Reign O’er Me

I FEEL: alone alright

I HIDE: my past

I MISS: home

I WISH: I had done better

TAGGED BY: @johnconstantfine​ cheers~ TAGGING: y o u

[czec-hoslo-vak-ians]

This episode is definitely in my top 7 of the season

Michael and Maria💜

Scene goes👽

When it shows just a bus like that or one vehicle it means that the people inside are up to no good. Isabel upset destroying a race of people buyt where they really people though? Max knows something else is bothering Isabel show the bus again not a good sign. Hey we haven't seen Valenti in a few episodes. It's nice to see him just hanging out with his son we haven't had a father-son moments in a while. Valenti wanted to eat it he was looking forward to it Kyle turning to mush and sent it back into the water. That's right Liz is back to working at Cafe now. Well you can clearly tell that that glow stick does not belong on that billboard it looks out of place however since it glows it kind of looks like it belongs. That's kind of creepy when your mom vanishes like that in front of you however it's a great way to get out of talking about something you don't want to talk about. I would be freaked out to if I hit a carriage like that and there was no baby inside and saw a lawn mower going off by yourself with no one riding it( Maria hitting the baby carriage reminds me of the scene in speed where Sandra Bullock hits the baby carriage because she couldn't stop and it was just filled with cans). Totally knew that bus has some shady people on it. They are definitely the reason why all humans are gone.

Of course the sheriff would definitely know that the green stick didn't belong in the billboard. Kyle's dad definitely know that Kyle's changing sometimes the mumbo jumbo he does need to lay off a little bit his father has a point. Courtney really say their lives and copper Summit? I mean all she did was just destroyed the other husk. It seems like Michael and Courtney are getting a little bit too close for comfort.

I wonder why the skin Maria held up didn't disintegrate but anytime anybody else held up the skin it disintegrated really quickly. I really like how Isabel went to try to console ways and of course Maria standing next to Michael side. I do not like the fact that Max grabbed Tess away from Courtney like that however I do not blame test for being upset at Courtney she does seem a little shady that again Tess seems a little shady too so. Did you see how fast Michael jumped to Courtney's defense saying that she's on our side now. There is no freaking way all of them fit into that tiny bathroom. I do guys say test probably has the coolest power that she could make them think what they need to think. That is gross Nicholas eating someone else's bitten in food and drinking out there cup. I think Nicholas knows that something is not right with that mirror. Max consoling Tess rubbing her back like that not a fan of it. You can totally see that Liz saw Max rubbing her back I think that's why Liz left.

Max gift guilty and wants to consolas however the flashbacks keep running in his face her and Kyle together. You can tell that Max is debating if he should help Courtney or not. I love how Isabelle pushes Michael and max out of the bathroom door cause they are Just watching them strip Courtney's clothes off. I don't play Maria for having all those those because she's right she was dating Michael Guerin. However last episode she referred Michael as her boyfriend this episode it's past tense. Why is Michael so worried for Courtney this is unlike him to be worried about somebody.

I don't blame Tess for being suspicious of Courtney, after all she is somewhat the enemy. I've never seen Liz so worried about her parents before this is the first time she's actually seem like he cares for them and she says our friends most of her friends are in that room is that bathroom the only friend that really is missing is Alex so why is she really so upset?. Thank goodness Valenti to the rescue, if it wasn't for him Liz would have been a goner. Wow the Skins can fight pretty good it seems like they don't die easily.

Well now we know how to kill them, Max is so bitter towards Kyle and Kyle is the innocent person in this whole situation. You can tell that Isabel feels guilty about what is happening she wants to tell Max everything but she can't. I totally knew that she was going to give Max the slip oh, and of course Max is going to go after her and look for her. Nicholas totally knows that Isabel is there.

Michael seems really worried and upset that Courtney is dying it's frustrating he doesn't behave this way towards Maria. Finding the isn't a bad idea turning it off excellent idea. You can tell Valenti going to disappear next because he's trying to say goodbye to without saying goodbye. I feel bad for Maria because Michael is too busy with Courtney when Maria needs Consulting right now I bet she feels all alone. I'm so glad that Tess was there to help Maria she's being attacked by some skin. I totally would ship Maria's and Tess friendship from this point on if I didn't have such a distaste for Tess. Kyle's dad disappearing in front of him really sucks. I understand Kyle's frustration however I understand Max wanting everybody to stick together. Max's eyes said he wanted to tell Kyle something completely different but he looked at Liz and decided to go against it👽 of course it's Courtney would be missing.

The way Nicholas says valandra makes me want to vomit but however I love the name. It makes no sense that this little punk kid is in charge of all the skins. How did the mom know what she watching through the window.

I love it when Maria is freaking out because she Rants and her rants are funny. Three humans down to two poor Liz just vanished. Kyle is the only one he's not freaking out. I really like that Kyle got to do some butt kicking right before he disappeared. Poor Maria she's all alone to do this and she's the one who's freaking out the most.

Nicholas is such a punk I can't take him anymore. Courtney is definitely dying the husk isn't working. I'm so glad Courtney killed herself before Nicholas got the information on where the granilith is, that would have been disastrous if he got that information.

Wouldn't you think seeing Isabel knocked out like that that something is off smell trap Maybe. They are so outnumbered right now. Cat is out of bag now about valandra being Isabel. Someone needs to shut Nicholas mouth right now. I do agree with Nicholas Michael does have nice hair. Me cheering for Maria YOU CAN DO TTHIS GIRL! That's my girl Maria SHE DID IT. I'm not crazy that it was Tess that killed all the skins I think it would have been better story line if it was Isabel to show the skins that she will never choose their side. Or to have Michael Kill Them All to show that he is a good commander and 2nd. But the has Tess do it because Max is getting hurt just seems like the weaker route to take( it's just my opinion) but I guess to move the story of Tess and Max getting closer Tess would have to be the one to Kill Them All so Max can console her.

It's nice to see all the humans back, Alex looks so confused that Valenti is talking to him the way that he is. Isabel hugging her mother is a touching moment because Isabel really needs a mother right now and this is the closest one she's going to get. Kyle looks really awkward standing there while the girls were hugging he's like hey I'm back to. I totally think that Tess captain into that Source on purpose I think she knew what she was doing. Was that kid on the scooter supposed to make us think that that is Nicholas?

Well you guys that's the end of the episode I had fun I hope you had fun I'll see you on the other side.

💜 Michael does not like saying goodbye so I'll see you soon does just as good I'm so glad that he hugged her she really needed that.

Quote of the episode "oh please don't let me die like Elvis"

Coming up next: meet the Dupes pt1

Pic NOT mine

[do-not-call-me-meathead]

aposiopesis (part three)

My Orphan Black fic on AO3

Part 1    Part 2  Part 3 Part 5  Part 6  Part 7

@agoddamnsupernova

Sarah vehemently told her that she didn’t want her around for the procedure. The connection seemed to all but vanish between them. She was no longer looking at Cosima with adoration and hope, but with disappointment. The procedure went as well as it could have, but Cosima was still leaving her. Even if it was the good thing to do, it didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt.

Cosima couldn’t help that Sarah was the only thing on her mind. She had Sarah’s eggs, she had her bags of personal items and research, and she was stepping on a helicopter to get her cure. And yet… none of that was the closest thing on her mind.

“I could kiss you right now.”

It had felt like a betrayal. At least, that’s what Cosima could gather about what Sarah felt. Going to the island (without her), allowing Rachel to replace her, and using Sarah’s suicidal thoughts against her. It had all been too much.

It felt like a break-up.

They weren’t together, they were far from it. They were genetic identicals. Friends. Partners. And yet, it was the other clone that was always on the scientist’s mind.

Sarah. Sarah. Sarah. Sarah. Sarah’s mane of hair. Sarah’s thick eyeliner. Sarah’s accent. Sarah’s clothes hung off her body just so. Sarah’s laugh. Sarah’s brooding. Sarah’s beauty. Sarah’s protectiveness and strength and bravery. Sarah. Sarah. Sarah. Sarah.

She wondered if the punk was thinking about her too. Or if this new attraction was something one-sided and strange and unnerving and perverted. She told herself that the stolen glances and lingering looks that the two shared were probably purely platonic for Sarah and confused Cosima because she’s… well…

Gay and lonely.

She decided that it was only confusion. Because confusion was the only thing that made sense to her. And as a scientist… she needed to comprehend her feelings. And having… feelings... for Sarah, well….

Shay made emotional sense. She was charming, comforting. She made Cosima feel calm, welcomed, bright. Like she was being taken care of by a woman who not only understood her chemistry and biology, but also her personality and feelings. Shay was normal. She wasn't a monitor or a spy. She just wanted Cosima.

Delphine made logical sense. She was her intellectual equal. Gorgeous and eloquent and intriguing. Cosima was fascinated by the intricacies of the blonde’s extraordinary mind. They were always speaking the same language and studying the same science. They almost shared a brain, a love for science and for each other.

Sarah didn’t make sense. She was a maelstrom. She was complicated and fiery and had a temper. A grifter, hustler, con-artist. She doesn’t care much for science or understanding her own nature. She didn’t need to. Her focus had always been on the survival of others. The punk was a forgotten child forced to grow up too soon, to grow up hating the world and everyone around it.

Almost the exact opposite of Cosima. And for the life of her, the scientist didn’t understand why she felt such a bond to a woman so different from her.

A lone wolf forced to work with others. A leader who protects her people. Who puts a brave face on no matter what. Who’s dangerously sharp but as breakable as glass. Fierce and hardened by life, but melts at her family that she is ever so loyal to. She felt safe around Sarah.

Cosima admired her. Wanted to save her. Wanted to hold her. Wanted to ki—no. She didn’t want to go there. She couldn’t go there. Not when she was sure that Sarah didn’t have the same damning thoughts.

..........

Finally, things seemed to be going right.  Or as right as it could have been going. And with all the never-ending bad luck she seemed to have experienced in the last couple of years, it almost surprised Cosima that things were going so well. It looked like they had succeeded; they were finally going to get that cure.

It was a moment that she wished she could have shared with Delphine (she always thought it would be the two of them to make the breakthrough). And of course the other sestras and poor suckers in clone club.

Susan (who she had to admit was not that bad to work with) had even suggested calling Sarah with the good news (before Susan started acting a bit strangely), but Cosima was unsure. She wanted to tell Sarah, but the clone hadn’t been returning any of her texts. They only got updates through Ira (thank god Evie Cho seemed to be out of the picture). The radio silence was concerning, but she could tell Sarah was still upset with her. It wasn’t like her to just forgive and forget so easily.

But, other than Scott, she didn’t know who else to call. She knew Alison was in hell with Neo cop shit and didn’t want to bother her… and it wasn’t like she was in communication with Helena. All she wanted to do was talk to was Sarah.

So, after psyching herself up for a few hours, she called her via skype. And surprisingly, Sarah picked up.

Seeing her was strange, even though she should have been used to seeing her on skype after doing it for so long. They had done this a million times before, yet…

“Cosima,” Sarah greeted with less emotion than Cosima could ever remember (like hadn’t shared a bed and held hands when things got scary). “I’m hopin’ you’re callin’ w’good news, yeah?”

The scientist nodded with less enthusiasm than she thought she would ever have telling the punk about the success of the cure. She thought she would be screaming and pulling the other woman close, even if Sarah grimaced at all the personal touching.

“We’ve got a cure, Sarah. I’d say that’s good news.”

Color immediately returned to Sarah’s face like she was just revived from the dead. Even the corners of her mouth tugged upwards into a smile that Cosima immediately mirrored.

“Good news? Cos, that’s bloody brilliant! So you’re gonna get better?”

“Yeah, yeah. Fingers crossed, you know.”

Sarah grinned and ran her fingers through her mane of hair. “Holy shite.”

“I know, I know. A functioning therapy for all of us.”

“I’m so happy, Cosima. I can’t wait to tell Alison and Helena!”

Cosima started to tear up. She wished that she could be there, telling them too. Holding them together as they cried, knowing that they would have full lives to look forward to. Holding Sarah knowing she was going to live.

“I miss you guys.” I miss you.

“I--we miss you, too,” Sarah replied, catching herself and blushing, but only a little bit.

Cosima opened her mouth to apologize, apologize for everything, but a notification went off on her computer screen that made her do a double-take.

“Cos, what’s wrong?”

“Ugh, I’m just being denied access to the database and shit. Sarah?” No more internet or service. She was cut off from the outside world and felt completely alone, and it seemed purposeful. Devious.

“No,” she muttered and tried to gain access in whatever way she could. “No, not now. Not like this.”

.........

Sarah could have guessed this. No, she would have guessed this. It was the only thing that Cosima was sure of. Susan was planning on making more clones and Cosima was now locked inside a fucking room, screaming to get out. Things couldn’t have gone worse, and it was something that Sarah would have seen coming.

Pounding at the door wasn’t helping. Screaming wasn’t helping. (Pining over Sarah wasn’t helping.) But she continued to do it anyway because it at the very least gave her something to do.

She stopped when the door opened. She almost wanted to charge at it (push Susan down and beat her senseless) but stopped at the sight of her genetic identical. Charlotte. Charlotte, with her innocent and terrified eyes. Charlotte, with a plan.

Things started to move fast. Rachel was back (pissed apparently) and Susan wanted them to save themselves and leave (so maybe she wasn’t too terrible) by boat. Cosima grabbed the cure and heard the heated conversation between Susan and Rachel. Curiosity made her want to stay, but she had to think about the others. She had to think about Charlotte. (And Sarah.) And get the cure back home.

It was cold. Freezing, really. Frostbite-die-in-the-snow kind of freezing that normally would have made her scream her choice of curse words. But she didn’t. She needed to give Charlotte hope that they would make it. That they would survive.

But first, they needed to rest. Just sit. Hold onto each other until they had enough strength to keep going. Just… sit… and…

................

It was black. Almost completely, but there was something visible. Cosima felt numbness intensified. Like her body was ringing, pulsing. Like she had one last shot, one last life. Or that her life was ending. She couldn’t tell the difference.

She thought of Sarah and her hands (rougher and more scarred than Cosima’s) that were intertwined with hers. She thought about her scent, her rare laugh, her hair, her skin on hers.

"I can’t do this without you."

It was black.

Until it wasn’t. And all that she could sense and see and feel… was Delphine. Not Sarah.

Delphine who wasn’t dead. Delphine who wasn’t a figment of her imagination like before when she had almost died. Delphine who was saving her life and holding her tight and forcing everyone (who were they?) to get out of the room (where were they?).

“Keep breathing."

Delphine said it like a mantra and Cosima didn’t know if she was saying it to help Cosima or herself.

Her chest hurt. And she felt like she was freezing and burning all at the same time. Or maybe the freezing felt like burning and the burning felt like freeing.

“I’m right here. I’m going to keep you warm.”

Cosima felt Delphine wrap herself around her and try to bring her back to life. She wanted to believe her. But something inside of her disagreed. Something in her hurt. A pain… she didn’t quite recognize.

“I think I’m dying.”

“No you’re not,” Delphine whispered confidently, matter-of-factly. “I won’t let you.”

Her mind wasn’t on Delphine at the moment. It was on her sestras and the cure she had been working for. Because even if she died (and that was feeling likely) she had one last thing to offer to the world. The chance to save the other LEDA clones.

“I finished our homework.”

And suddenly it was black again.

...................

Cosima woke with all the walls around her, but she felt like she was outside. She could hear the nature, the rambling of people talking and walking, and the distinct smell of smoke (like from a campfire). She knew it was the people that Susan didn’t want her around or to know. Including Delphine.

“You won’t be allowed to stay with her,” A man said in a voice that carried weight like he was in charge (which didn’t sit right with Cosima).

“I know, but she’s my patient, so if you’ll please excuse us.” Delphine.  She was never known to follow orders from any insignificant man. But then again, Cosima didn’t know what kind of people were here. Who was in charge. Where she was.

“Cosima,” Delphine whispered again like they had to be secretive (which wasn’t a good sign). Cosima didn’t even know how Delphine knew that she was awake. “Hey. We have to be very careful here. It’s not safe.”

Delphine was touching her hair, running her fingers through it like when they were dating. Cosima wanted to ask her if the blonde had got into bed with her, held her, loved her, or if she just imagined it last night. But the concerned look on the French woman’s face shut her up.

“Is our homework what I think it is?” She reached down for Cosima’s bag, for her cure, and she gasped a little.

Her gentle excitement put a smile on Cosima’s face. For the briefest of seconds, she forgot about Delphine breaking up with her, Delphine lying, Delphine hiding things from her, Delphine dying, Delphine being alive but being gone. For a second, all that mattered was the two of them. Cosima reached out to touch her face, to love her, to tell her that yes. It was their cure.

“You found your cure!”

“You can shoot me up, like old times.”

“I will,” Delphine agreed immediately, but quickly added as an after-thought, “but you must not tell anyone. Okay?”

Cosima understood. “Okay.”

There was something wrong. Something seriously, seriously wrong. Not just with Delphine being shaken up by the people on the island, but by this unnerving feeling she was having. She never remembered feeling this before.

She was hurting, she was sick, but there was something else. A pain. In her chest, in her neck, in her leg…? Cosima wanted to stay awake, to talk to Delphine, to love her and kiss her and… but the pain was unbearable. Not Cosima’s pain… someone else’s.

..................

Revival. Mud. Delphine working in the clinic. The fucking yurt. It was an understatement that it was a lot to get used to. She needed to see Delphine and yet she was stuck with some chick (whose age seemed ambiguous) who couldn’t stop talking about P.T. Westmorland as if he was some great icon. Cosima couldn’t really believe he was 170 or that Susan was still somehow alive and Rachel was fine and gaining power but…

Thank god for Charlotte. She held her close and wondered if it was the young girl’s pain that she had been feeling, but she didn’t make any mention of it.

It all seemed like a cult to her, though Mud would immediately deny it if Cosima voiced her opinion. But luckily, it wasn’t Mud who was by her side as she examined the school. Charlotte seemed to agree with all her bad vibes of the place.

And then Delphine was back. Always in and out. Here, close enough to touch. She apologized to Cosima, but the clone didn’t have the heart to accept it, really. She understood that there could be no contact, but she couldn’t imagine a scenario in which she wouldn’t try everything to contact Delphine if she was in her position.

Delphine was always in a hurry to talk, which made sense when Cosima realized that she had to leave to Sardinia of all the fucking places in the world. Cosima almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Right when she had her back, Delphine had to leave. Again.

Cosima thought that the few minutes that she had with Delphine would be spent with declarations of love and promises of coming back to her. Instead, she was greeted with the science, with the truth.

Stem cell therapy, cryonics, caloric restriction, immunotherapy, cloning. The heart of Neolution was here. It was terrifying and genius and intriguing and unethical. Things were changing, Rachel was changing things.

And then she had to go. Delphine gave her a small key and instructions to find her cure and all Cosima wanted was more time. More Delphine. More… answers. She wanted to kiss her longer, hold her longer, love her longer.

“Follow the crazy science."

And  Delphine did what she did best. She left.

She thought things would change with the cure. She thought that things would get better. Immediately better. She thought it would bring her happiness. But she felt all alone on the island (even with Mud bugging her every few seconds).

She always thought she would receive the cure with her people. With Delphine and Sarah and Scott and Alison and everyone else she cared about. She thought this would be a miraculous occasion, one to be celebrated with wine and whiskey and maybe an apple juice for Alison. She didn’t think she’d be alone in a trailer scrounging through the refrigerator for the cure that she stole so one of the other clones didn’t take it.

She thought she heard the door open and—

“It’s me! It’s me!”

Sarah Manning, in the flesh, broken and bloody and raw. Sarah Manning, with blood-stained cheeks, dirt-covered hair, and ripped jeans (that shouldn’t have been ripped). Sarah Manning, who was supposed to be with the others, safe and protected, but wasn’t.

Cosima stood up straighter and swallowed the urge to run over to her and hug her (and maybe do something else). But Sarah looked angry and worried and god, Cosima knew she still probably wasn’t forgiven for what she said.

“Sarah… what… what…”

“I came to get you,” Sarah stated firmly with her body limping to one side.

“How did you get h--oh my god, you’re bleeding.” Cosima darted for her and held onto her shoulder to steady Sarah and take a look at the wound.

Sarah moved away from her in a swift motion as if she didn’t want Cosima to look at her. She tried to talk about a boat, an escape plan.

“Sit,” Cosima tried to command. When Sarah shrugged, she said it firmer. “Sit down.” When the clone sat down (with a large grunt and frustrated sigh), Cosima asked, “What the hell happened?”

“Rachel went mad.”

Cosima blinked. That wasn’t news to her, but she was expecting more of a long drawn out story about why she was here and why Rachel tried to kill her.

“Yeah, I know. We must have just missed each other. Just let me, Sarah. Let me look at your leg…” she trailed off with the sharp memory of her own leg’s ache when she didn’t have a wound.

She was feeling Sarah’s pain. That never happened before. At least, not to her. She didn’t know whether to tell Sarah about it or… pretend like it didn’t happen. Pretend their connection wasn’t strong.

“Oi. You gonna look at my leg or what, keep starin’?”

Sarah sounded mad, but it did distract her from her thoughts about their connection.

“Does something else hurt?” Cosima asked her as she gently wrapped her leg in a bandage.

“What?”

Cosima blushed. She had felt Sarah’s other pain. It was more than just a knife to the leg. It was something more, something lingering.

“I mean, your fight with Rachel. Did anything else happen?”

Sarah raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “Cos, we gotta go.”

Cosima ignored her and pulled out the cure from the refrigerator. “I have the cure. Rachel didn’t get all of it.”

“You’re meant to put that in your uterus?” Sarah asked her, terrified of the large instrument and what would happen if Cosima used it incorrectly.

“I was kind of hoping you would, actually.”

Cosima expected Sarah’s reaction, but she wished that it would change. That the clone would be more willing to help, more willing to forgive.

“No, no way. You and I are gonna find Charlotte and we’re going to get you somewhere safe. They can treat you there. Who cares if the founder of Neolution is still alive?”

“I do.” She wanted to sound stronger, more convincing, but she just sounded unsure. Afraid. Because what she really wanted to say was: I don’t care. Not with you here.

Sarah snorted as if that was preposterous. “You’re crazy, Cosima. We need to go.”

Tears bubbled up in Cosima’s eyes. Sarah wanted her to leave with her. She came all the way here for her (something she wasn’t sure even Delphine would do) and… Cosima knew she couldn’t go.

“No, I can’t.”  I want to go with you.

“What are you talkin’ about?” Sarah said and looked at Cosima like there was something wrong with her.

“Look, think about it, Sarah. Whatever this place is, it’s the answer.” I can’t just leave, but I want to run away with you.

Sarah was mad when Cosima questioned her about wanting the cure as much as the others, but that was nowhere close to this. She could see the fire in her eyes and her clenched fists. She wanted to fight someone.

“I don’t give a shit. I came all this way—Rachel tried to kill me. You’re going to come home with me.”

It wasn’t a question, it was an order. Cosima was terrified to refuse, terrified to let Sarah down. But she knew she had to.

“No, you need to go back and take care of Kira and Siobhan, and I need to stay here for us. We’ll never be free if I just leave now.” I have to end this for us. For you and me and our family. And then I’ll be home and we can be…

“Fuck you, Cos. You can’t stay here. This place, it’s full of monsters, can’t ya feel it?”

Cosima stared at her with wonder and nodded. “I do. Delphine and I are looking into it. But it’s the only way. Shit, I hear people coming. You have to go now.”

She practically pushed Sarah out the door, hating herself for it. She didn’t want her to go. She wanted to leave and never come back to this godforsaken island. But she was stuck here to get answers. For the greater good.

She led her to the woods as they heard people shouting about finding her. Sarah just looked shaky, scared.

“I can’t.  I don’t wanna leave you, Cos. I came here for you, I need you.”

And then Cosima did something that she would probably regret for the rest of her life. It was stupid, but she did it anyway. She knew it would be the only thing that could settle Sarah (and herself) down.

She kissed Sarah. Not softly, but not with any force, either. It was a kind of kiss that usually happens weeks into a relationship. The kind of everyday kiss, a reminder of appreciation and admiration and adoration.

Cosima expected Sarah to look horrified about what she had done, but instead, Sarah looked determined.

“I’ll go, Cos. ‘Cause I know you’ll come home to me. Okay, you have to. For me at the very least. You’re gonna save us all and come home. Yeah?”

Cosima nodded, speechless. Sarah’s words were all that she needed to hear. She felt invincible, ready to fight. This was her war, now, and she was going to win it for Sarah.

She didn’t want to say goodbye and it was obvious that Sarah didn’t want to either. So they didn’t. They stared into each other’s eyes until they couldn't. Until Sarah turned her back and started to run. Until Cosima headed back to the camp. Until they couldn’t hear each other’s scared footsteps any longer.

[heartslogos]

seas who could sing so deep and strong [131]

Chic grabs onto Judge’s arm, shaking him a little, “I’m dying here. Convince Persephone to take Punk off my hands for like - one day cycle so I can recover and maybe talk myself down from giving him permanent death.”

Judge turns to Kore.

Kore pointedly ignores him in favor of flipping one of her scarf ends literally over her face and letting it dangle on top of her head.

“He’s spent one day on Venus,” Chic says, shaking Judge again, “One day, Hades. The dumbass has spent one day on Venus and he’s gone native. He thinks he’s a Vent Rat. He talks like one of those punk kids with their K-drives.”

“He is a punk kid,” Judge points out.

“Just because his call sign is Punk doesn’t mean he has to fucking act like one,” Chic replies, lip twisting in disgust, “He uses their slang. He’s started to dress like them. Where did he get those clothes? Did he steal them off of some poor kid? Like? What the fuck? It’s been twenty four hours.”

“And in that time we’ve lost both Alpha and Persephone, got them back, seen the Empress have a small melt down, and discovered that Venus does, actually, have wildlife,” Judge says.

“And,” the Empress says, from where she’s seated next to Kore, “We found out how to stabilize Garuda and make her for ourselves.”

The Empress smiles, “Soon.”

Judge and Chic share a reflexive shudder. It’s pure hind-brain instinct and self-preservation.

“Speaking of clothes, did your girl also have a costume change?” Chic asks. “She did not have those clothes when we first landed. I mean, some of it, yeah.”

“The skirt, yeah. She uh,” Judge rubs the back of his head, “She ripped it off a Smelter. Literally ripped it off his body. It was insane. I think the guy was so stunned that he let her get away with it. I mean, if some kid came up to you and ripped your clothes off your body and started wearing them I think I’d be pretty dazed, too. I gave him some credits and bought off a few of his debt bonds to a make sure things were okay.”

“Not that it isn’t a good look on her - it actually looks really intimidating and suits her whole aesthetic pretty well - but why? Also. Are those new boots?”

Judge turns around quickly to look at Kore’s feet.

Kore has a very firm and steadfast love for her Zariman suit boots. They’ve brought her through everything and they’re broken in perfectly.

Kore would never part with those boots, except it looks like she has.

Judge gasps. He points at her brand new boots.

“What the flip?” Judge says and Chic groans.

“Not you,” Chic moans, letting go of his arm and turning around to yell at the landscape around them, “What is it about this colony that makes people start talking slang within one day cycle? None of ya’ll are from here!”

“They broke,” Kore says, “My old boots broke and I’m not tramping over frozen tundra in boots with holes in them. I’m not Punk. Also. One of the Kubrodons peed on me so I needed to change. And the leather looks protective and like it’d be easy to wash. Or ditch in a fight if someone grabbed it.”

“It also looks excellent on you,” Chic says. “Empress, you know, there are options available to you and the Alpha. With more insulation. Or armor. Padding. Protection, in general.”

Both the Empress and Alpha are still int he transference suits the Tenno were put to sleep in. Plain black and gray with none of the customization the rest of them have taken to. The only differences are the amps on their arms and the fact that the Empress has a Manduka style hood to account for her large mass of hair and that her suit is pure white.

“I don’t need it,” the Empress says, taking off one of her gloves to examine her nails.

And Judge absolutely one hundred percent believes her. The Empress, as a tenno, could be pounded by a Bursa and he’d believe that she’d take no damage. She could be stomped on by the Jackal and she would take no damage. He believes she could take Bombard blasts straight to the chest and take no damage - with or without the insulation and armor afforded by the other styles of Tenno gear.

This is also because the idea that anything could actually hit her is…laughable. The Empress is almost as fast as a Volt as a Tenno, and she executes turns, stops, and starts in Void dash with terrifying accuracy. And he’s seen her use her aura to melt metal if it gets too close to her.

They have the same focus school and Judge definitely can’t do that. Honestly, Judge doesn’t even now how her hair isn’t one giant static cloud. Sometimes he gives Kore’s hair static and he doesn’t even feel nervous about anything. At least, not until he turns and sees her head looking like a particularly fluffy condroc and then he’s terrified that she’s going to find out and come after him.

And it’s definitely not the Empress’ Naramon training, because he’s pretty sure that the Naramon school has nothing like that available in their arsenal.

“Right,” Chic says after a healthy pause. “I do like the solid white on you, though. Makes your eyes positively glow.”

“They are glowing,” Judge says. “Chic, all of our eyes glow.”

“I don’t mean it literally, Hades, Persephone teach your boy something about figurative language.”

“It goes over his head,” Kore replies without missing a beat.

“I know what figurative language is.” Judge scowls. Chic pinches his cheek and coos.

“You look like a puffed up baby kavat when you do that,” Chic says as Judge bats her hand away from his face. “Adorable. So cute. I feel myself recovering from Punk’s dumbassery already.”

“Where is Punk?”

“He’s supposed to be keeping an eye on the Alpha. Supposed to, being the key words,” Chic replies.

“He can’t keep an eye on Alpha under normal conditions,” Kore points out, “How’s he supposed to do that now that he’s hopped up on adrenaline on unfamiliar territory?”

“I don’t know, I don’t care,” Chic answers. “As long as I don’t have to listen to him talking about his sick flips and his epic grinds.”

[butindeed]

What if... [TRR X PM Cross over] (Riley x Drake) (Kai x Hana) [PART 8/?]

Hi guys!! This is part of a nameless Riley x Drake series. You can read the previous parts HERE.

Tags: @lazychic28   @boneandfur @drakelover78 @captainkingliam

@andy-loves-corgis @client327 @walkerismychoice @chantelle-x0x

Summary: What if things were different? (Part 8)

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Tame Impala - The less I know the better

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Kai woke up with a terrible headache, as she did the previous day before, and the previous one, and the previous one and basically the whole week.

Riley had been nagging her about her barely attending to class so she decided it was time to move on from Hana being with someone else.

The last few days had been particularly difficult having to face Hana and her confessing everything to Kai. Maybe even more than she would have wanted to know.

It turned out that blondie was Hana’s ex, a freaking Diana Argon looking woman that had broken her heart some time ago when she decided to marry a well connected man.

Hana had told Kai she’d struggled getting over her, especially since M, as Hana called her, had never stopped texting her. When Kai and Hana got together, Hana stopped answering, and that was when M dropped by.

Hana appologized several times, asking Kai to help her getting over M, Kai was too hurt to even listen to Hana’s excuses. 

So even though she had confronted Hana unsuccessfully seeking for relief, she did found some at the bottom of a bottle some days and crying herself to sleep some others.

The sunlight was making her headache even worse walking her way through campus. Class today had been a nightmare, she was ready to head home alright. Kai closed her eyes for a second and felt her body bump someone else’s.

She opened her eyes, ready to blurt out some remark when she saw the last person she thought she’d see.

-Hey Kai!

-Oh hi!

-How have you been feeling?

- jdkfjbnvf-she shrugged 

-Heh, I feel ya!

Kai nodded starting to walk away when a light bulb stroke her brain.

-Wait - she turned 

-Huh?

-Would you like to come home tonight?

-You sure?

-Yes! It’ll be fun! We can have some snacks and something to drink. We can even karaoke!

-I don’t karaoke

-Please? I need it! I’ll invite more people so it’s not akward!

-What time?

-Right now! Come with me!

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Daft Punk - Around The World

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Riley was feeling a bit down lately. Drake had texted her sometimes, but they hadn’t seen eachother since the Kai debacle. So she did what she used to do when she was feeling blue: she tied her hair into two buns, she put on her old ragged Star Wars tee, her ironman undies and her headphones. She turned up the volume and danced it out.

It was so therapeutical to dance to the upbeatmusic that she usually forgot not only about her problems but about the whole world as well.

So concentrated was she on the music and her butt shaking, that she didn’t listen to the door being open and the two people entering the apartment.

At one point, when she was doing some questionable dancing moves she thought were extremely hot, she turned around opening her eyes.

In fron of her were now a bended over in laughter Kai and, to her horror, a very amused Drake.

Terrified, she looked at them and then at her very naked legs. Running towards the couch, she grabbed a blancket and covered herself ET style, landing on the floor; on her ass.

She took off the headphones expectantly looking for an answer, but too ashamed to say anything.

- So, Leia... - Drake smirked making her blush violently.

Why was Kai so determined to embarrass her in front of Drake?

-I invited Drake for some karaoke night!

-You what? - Riley managed to splutter

-If you don’t want me here Mr Stark, I can leave... - Drake stated overdramatically, making Kai laugh again.

-C’mon! It’ll be fun! - Kai begged making puppy eyes - Please?

Riley fumed towards her room without saying anything.

She was rambling through her wardrobe trying to find anything to wear when she heard a knock on her door.

-Who is it?

-It’s Drake

Riley put on the very first thing she found and opened the door.

-So... I was kind of serious about leaving if you want me to - Drake rambled looking at her feet

-No, I mean, it’s nice to have you here. I... I would have liked a heads up but...

Drake flashed a smile, a genuine smile. And the most beautiful smile Riley had seen in a long time.

-By the way - he looked up - I like those jeans, they realy make you justice.

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Some time after the living room was full of people. Penelope, Sloane and some of Kai’s college class mates were mingling, sipping wine and beer and listening to music.

Riley didn’t know much of those people, and as Drake was talking to one of their mutual classmates, a guy named Neville, and Kai was a bit busy with a boy Riley didn’t know, she decided to go and talk to Penelope who was standing by herself in a corner.

That’s how she learnt she was from Cordonia too, from Portravira, a small coastal city. She also had two pooddles whom she missed terribly and a boyfriend back home named Zeke. 

-He and his family are so nice! His sister Kiara and I are very fond of eachother.

-Kiara? Drake’s sister’s friend Kiara?

-Oh yes! Do you happen to know her?

-Well, I kind of saw her once...

-Oh! She’s so nice! She likes Drake, you know? But poor thing, he doesn’t feel quite the same for her - she shook her head sadly - They’d make a lovely couple. Don’t you think?

But Riley wasn’t exactly thinking about Drake and Kiara being together as she oagled at him from the distance.

He looked so handsome with that white polo shirt and those dark blue skinny jeans that make his butt pop.

-Well, anyway - Penelope continued - design was the only thing I needed to learn, and as Cordonia University doesn’t teach it, I had to come here!

Riley was well aware that she had lost a good portion of the conversation, but luckily for her, Sloane joined them at the same time that a tipsy Kai announced that the karaoke was about to begin.

Kai opened the night by singing a dubious version of ‘Let’s get loud’

As many of the attendees were reluctant to participate, Kai came up with a system in which all the names were written down and put in a paper bag, so they could pick a name and the lucky winner would have to sing along the karaoke track.

After a various repertoir, incluiding a hillarious version of ‘I want it that way’ and a very off key ‘I will always love you’, most of the guests were drunk enough to call it a night.

At one point, when the songs had became more and more babbled, Kai dragged Riley’s name out. Luckily she was drunk enough to accept singing, so she stood up and staggered her way to the screen and mic.

She typed the song’s name and waited for the music to start. Although she was feeling a bit selfaware, she started singing.

In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth For what it's worth, I think that he might've created you first Just my opinion Your body is the one paradise that I wanna fly to Every day and every night I've been sick and tired of running Chasing all of the flashing lights These late nights don't mean nothing

She look at Drake as she sang, not knowing if he’d get the hint. He just sat there, nursing his whiskey, staring at her pokerfaced.

I need your love And I'm dying for the rush 'Cause my heart ain't got enough I need your touch This is getting serious

Drake took the glass to his lips, once and over again.

When Riley finished the song, he got up and went for a refill.

She was struggling whether to follow him or not when she felt someone tapping on her shoulder.

-Wow! I never heard someone sing so beautifully - Neville praised

-Oh! Thanks

They engaged in a trivial conversation for a while and she forgot a bit about where she was about to go.

After a while Neville excused himself, and left the party.

Only 5 people were remaining when Kai took Drake’s name out of the papaer bag.

Drake’s cheeks were reddened. It was hard to tell if he was blushing of drunk.

He strode to the keyboard and waited for the song to start without lifting his eyes from his feet.

Have you got color in your cheeks' Do you ever get the feeling that you can't shift the tide That sticks around like something's in your teeth

Oh, good! Riley thought. I love this song!

Drake sang with a deep gorgeous voice, totally on key. 

Riley felt like the world blurred around them. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was something else, but suddenly Drake gazed at her, as if he felt they were the only two people in the room too.

I dreamt about you near me every night this week How many secrets can you keep' 'Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow When I play it on repeat Until I fall asleep Spilling drinks on my setteeIf this feeling flows both ways (Sad to see you go) Was sorta hoping that you'd stay (Baby we both know) That the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day Crawlin' back to you.

Ever thought of calling when you've had a few? 'Cause I always do Maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new Now I've thought it through Crawling back to you

 Riley could feel something warming up on her. His voice, his stare. Was she imagining things? Was he really singing that for her?

So have you got the guts? Been wondering if your heart's still open and if so I wanna know what time it shuts Simmer down and pucker up I'm sorry to interrupt it's just I'm constantly on the cusp of trying to kiss you I don't know if you feel the same as I do But we could be together, if you wanted to

Was she just imagining things? Was she reading between lines too much? Why was she standing up? When did it happen?

They were looking at eachother’s eyes. His stare was burning, piercing her like a lynx, making her entire body tingle.

When he finished the song, he glupped the rest of his drink. 

Was it it? Would he be coming to her now?

Just then Penelope tapped her forearm.

-Riley, dear. I have to take off now

Riley saw from the corner of her eye Drake’s face grimmace.

-Oh! Okay

-I wanted to thank you for the invitation. I had a great time!

-Well, I’m...

-Drake! Are you leaving too?

Drake, who was standing right behind them, as waiting for their conversation to be over, gasped in surprise.

He looked at Riley, at Penelope and then at his very empty glass. 

-Sure - he mumbled leaving with Penelope and the rest of the guests and leaving a very dissappointed Riley at the doorstep.

<NEXT           PREV>

[thethirstynoona]

Ride or Die

A handsome devil he was…if only you’d ignored the raging depravity pumping through his veins – those pervasive, protruding blue lines that contrasted his perfectly pale skin…the same veins that rubbed against you when he’d wrapped his arms around you in a heated embrace… Well, had it not been for his wicked games, perhaps you might not have found yourself behind bars.  It was fine; you had offered yourself, as a sacrifice to save Mr. B. You knew he’d break you free of your shackles soon…

It had started out as an ordinary day, just like any other.  The event that made that day distinctive was the unexpected trip to the ATM machine at your bank – what had initially seemed like a superfluous task to complete your lunch order had turned into the catalyst that had sparked the spiraling inferno of passion, lust, and debauchery.

Category: Drama | Angst | Smut | Violence | Joker!AU | Gangster!AU Word Count: 12,430 Group/Member: EXO-CBX | Baekhyun Written for the following request: Hi there! First of all, I was wishing upon a star for a Monster update just a few hours before I found the update. :))) Second of all, your writing is FANTASTIC... LIKE...OMG. So... I would like to request a scenario or series, wherever it leads for Baek Hyun, based on the song Gangsta by Kehlani for Suicide Squad. A Joker!AU would be jhfkahkfhlkajglkaglka just fine. I know you are the only writer I can trust to do it justice. ANGST. M of course, cuz dats wat you do. Hope you consider. Thanks :)

Hope you enjoy ;)

May 10, 2017

The restaurant’s credit card machine had gone down, so you were forced to rush across the street to your bank, where you planned to withdraw some quick cash.  Nothing was lighting up on the screen, so you presumed that it, too, was out of order.  Heading inside, you clearly weren’t the only person in your predicament – there were easily twenty people in line before you, and the tellers were busy helping patrons as swiftly as they could.  You peeked at the clock on the high ceiling of the alabaster interior – only ten minutes until your eleven o’clock committee meeting.  You had only planned to sneak away for a few minutes to buy your lunch beforehand.

Shifting your weight between your feet, you glanced around to see if the line was moving any faster – of course not.  You wondered why people had to make money transactions so complicated; it’s not like they were applying for loans.  It was then that you noticed the strikingly handsome man at the center counter, filling out his deposit slip.  His perfectly coiffed auburn locks caught your eye – the way his white collared shirt peeked out from under his casually styled sport coat…this man looked the part of a high-powered attorney; the only thing missing was the tie.

His face held a grave appearance until one of the customers being assisted by a teller turned frantic regarding something that had happened with his transaction.  The sultry man turned to look at the belligerent person, who stuck out more for his appearance than his behavior.  His hair was dyed an effervescent shade of violet, which counterbalanced his attire – a punk rock biker jacket with ripped jeans and a shirt only beetle juice would dare to own.  The two immediately caught each other’s eyes and nodded – something seemed capriciously off about the tired gesture.  A malicious grin grew on the man’s face, and in the blink of an eye, he pulled an oversized magnum pistol from his coat and fired a shot into the ceiling. 

“Alright, everyone on the floor, hands up where I can see them!”

Even though your instincts matched the demand, you still followed orders and dropped to the marble floor.  It was sure luck that you were able to crouch next to the only bench in the main hall, and in your attempt to shield yourself from view, that same attractive man with the rust-colored hair caught your gaze and sent a primal wink in your direction.  His vibrant partner at the teller pulled out a gun of his own and pointed it at the cashiers while he idly paced the length of the counter, assuring every employee’s hands were high in the air.

“Stop right there…I-I’m warning you,” the security guard shakily said, pointing his equipped firearm at the two deviants.  Red and lilac exchanged a humored glance before all three men burst into laughter and the security guard put his gun down – he was obviously the third member of their troupe.  The guard job had most likely been a means of having someone on the inside, which you presumed why this man looked ‘normal’ – his hair was a healthy shade of brown.

“That was a good one, Penguin,” the lavender man scoffed, still keeping his focus – and gun – on the tellers, “Alright people, this shouldn’t be your first rodeo.  Get out here and sit down on the floor.”  One by one each of the employed members of the bank shuffled out from behind the counter, giving ‘Penguin’ a look of betrayal as they sat down on the tile.

“Such a pitiful thing…trust,” Mr. Handsome-in-Red muttered as he observed the direction of his henchmen. When everyone was seated, he barked an order, “Penguin, you know what to do – empty the vault so we can be out of here before you can say ‘Ka-Ching’.  Two-Face – bar the doors while I monitor the hostages.”

Not a moment after ‘Two-Face’ aka Mr. Purple had locked the entryway; the permeating sound of sirens filled the scene.  The smoldering leader of the group looked outside until a mad grin infected his being and incited a violent burst of laughter.  The traumatized woman kneeling beside you began hysterically praying; briskly motioning hail marys upon the sound of his disturbing cackling. Unfortunately her actions caught his attention, and the corners of his mouth all but reached the outer edges of his eyes once he noticed you.  You could feel the terror amidst those around you, but something about his squalid smile didn’t bother you…why it didn’t was the greater vexation.

“Let’s play a game…” he growled, coyly approaching you with a candid stare.  You felt the cold metal of the gun barrel as he traced it down the center of your face, forcefully pushing your chin up to look at him.  

“What’s the matter? Don’t want to play?  How about I shoot you instead?” he mused before a quick clear of the gun’s chamber.  “Ready to die, my sweet?”

Your mind went blank once he pointed the gun at your forehead.  Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled the trigger and a shockwave flashed throughout your body, causing you to black out for a millisecond. Hyperventilation kicked in the moment you realized you were still alive – the magazine was out of bullets.

“BANG!” he sputtered, crouching down in front of your face, holding his hands up red-handed and bursting into laughter that echoed along the stone walls.  This man was crazy – he was literally at the point of wiping tears from his eyes due to how amused he was with himself.  His face turned indifferent when he noticed the incredulous look in your eyes.  “What’s the matter?  Can’t take a joke?”

If you knew for sure he had no more bullets on his person, you would have punched him in the face, but your safety and survival were the significant themes in your life in that moment. Instead, you opted for a callous glare, knowing full well that you could do nothing about it – and he knew it, too. The man returned to his feet, changed the clip, and cocked his mighty pistol.  A silent chill spread through the air as his energy shifted, seeming to freeze time for a moment.

“You know, that’s why they call me that…” he ambivalently muttered, using the muzzle of his handgun to scratch his head.

“Call you what?” you automatically replied, the words escaping your lips before you had a chance to stifle them.  Something about this man – other than his ravishing good looks – had you intrigued. He spun around; his eyes lit up like a child at a carnival when he heard your voice.

“So beautiful.  Say it again, I want to hear that euphonious voice of yours one more time!” he praised with a frenzied look, making the motions of a music conductor before you, using his gun like the classic baton.  The frightened woman beside you began increasing the volume of her panic, swaying her body back and forth with her arms wrapped around her torso.  The annoyance on the robber’s face was palpable; his eyes turned to her and burned into her skull.

“Would you shut up?!” he bellowed, snapping out of his enigmatic aura and unveiling his true psychosis.  The poor woman screamed, only returning to her motions and making her prayers more audible.

BANG.  This time the shot was real, and the muffled sounds of terrorizing screams felt like a dream turned nightmare.  Before you could fathom what had happened, this jester of a man had his loaded weapon pressed against your temple and his hand covering your mouth as he held you hostage, facing the myriad of police officers situated outside.  Each of them had a gun pointed in your direction, and any sudden move meant your eminent demise.

“Joker,” your captor whispered while nudging his face into your hair, breathing you in like fresh laundry. “Call me…Joker.”

“Boss what are we gonna do?” Two-Face worriedly queued, knowing that their time would grow slim the longer they stayed in the building.

“Let it play out, TF. Everything—will—be—fine—“ Joker reassured, slapping Two-Face on the back with each word.  Rolling his eyes and shaking his head in disapproval, Two-Face returned to his watch over the captives.

“Fine?  Fine? Do you see the police out there? I’m sure they’ve called in a S.W.A.T. team too by now, so you might as well turn yourselves in!” the bank manager bravely yelled to Joker and Two-Face, desperately clutching the trashcan next to him. His outburst startled not only you, but also the Joker, who instantly released you from his clutches and rushed to the manager in two long strides.

“Oh no!  The big bad swat team is gonna get us!  What am I going to do?!” the Joker sarcastically whined, grabbing the manager by the collar and lifting him to a standing position.  The fear displayed on his face was enough to break the Joker’s demeaning character.  He pushed the manager back to the floor with another crazed outburst of laughter.

“Wait, wait!” he huffed, holding his sides as he hunched over, attempting to catch his breath from laughing so hard, and continued his mockery, “You know what I’ll do?”  In the blink of an eye, the Joker’s face was deadpan, and his gun was pointed at the manager’s face.  “I’ll just shoot you.”

The bank manager cowered and screamed, and the Joker moved his aim to the man’s knee, shooting again without warrant.  The realization of the situation had finally caught up to you at that point.  The praying woman from earlier lie dead on the floor in a pool of blood, and the twenty or so other people were too frightened to move from their grouped state.

“Stop it!” you berated, ready to take a stand against all three men if needed.  The Joker just stared at you, mesmerized by your valor.

“Say it again, baby. Tell me that I’m a…bad boy,” he sneered, “I love it when you nag me.”

It was a standoff between you and the devilishly handsome Joker.  You had to think of a plan – fast.  To your fortune, the phone rang…and rang…and rang.  Nobody moved for a solid ten rings.  It went silent and then began ringing again.  Rolling his eyes at the situation, Two-Face picked up the phone.

“They want to talk to you, Mr. J,” he begrudgingly said, holding the phone out to his boss.

“Tell them I’m in a meeting,” the Joker jested, looking to Two-Face long enough for you to charge at him.  Two-Face yelled to get his attention, and just as you were about to make contact, he dodged your attack and grabbed a fistful of your hair. The intense pain of your hair being forcibly ripped from your skull crippled you to the floor.  The Joker pulled you by his same grip, extracting a whimper from you.

“You’ve got some moxy, girl. Risking your life for whom – these people?  What have they done for you?” He released your hair, and behind you was the sound of him rearming his gun.  You were sure it was pointed directly at your head.  Seeing no way out of your plight, you decided to barter. 

“That wasn’t my intent, but what if we make a deal?” you prodded, feeling your heartbeat in your throat. Its quick pace from the adrenaline pumping through your veins had you wondering which beat would be your last. 

“A bargain?  If this were a tale of the gods, I do say you’re attempting at playing Hermes,” he goaded, still standing behind you. “Let’s hear your offer.”

“One life for the life of the hostages.  You get one, and the rest go free,” you suggested, hoping his curiosity of you would allow you some time to escape before he killed you – at least then your conscious would be clear when everyone was able to escape.

“Interesting idea…” he mumbled, running the tip of the muzzle along your sore scalp.  He circled you a couple times, seeming lost in thought, until he stopped and faced you.  “May I present my counter offer?”

Counter offer?  You were sure he would take your bait.  With no other options, you nodded your head, which reanimated his mischievous grin. He wiggled his fingers like a giddy schoolgirl, hopping in place for a moment.

“You really are a woman after my own heart…” he cooed before handing his gun to you.  The baffled expression on your face was impossible to hide. Why was he handing you his gun? He really was insane.  All you had to do was shoot him and the ensuing chaos would result in injuries at most. You licked your lips in satisfaction and reached for the gun, just as the click of an armed weapon sounded behind you.  You closed your eyes and furrowed your brows in disappointment – had you really just fallen for that?

“Penguin, perfect timing. I think my pet here got a little ahead of herself.  I haven’t even enlightened her to my rebuttal, and here she is trying to snatch my gun!” he guffawed in delight while retracting his offered weapon. Thoroughly provoked, you crossed your arms, stared him down, and waited for him to finish his joke.

“One life for the safety of everyone’s life.  Sounds fair. Sure, I’ll allow everyone to go free…but you have to choose and take the life that stays.”

His negotiation caught you so off guard that you had to ponder for a moment if what he said was real. You assumed he would take you as a sacrifice, since he’d taken such a liking to you.  Only a mind as disturbed as his could have pulled that sort of compromise – though that clearly was the difference between the thought process of a normal person and a psychopath.  He re-administered his hand to you, the custom gold filigree design along the grip panel of the gun shining bright against the stains of residue on his skin. 

“I didn’t mean it that way! I meant for you to take me and let them go free,” you frantically backpedaled, pointing at the other hostages.

“No you didn’t,” he quickly replied, bending down to your level, “Because if you did, you would have specified as such.  Look at you – you’re a smart businesswoman by the looks of it.  Give yourself more credit…”

“But I –“ you attempted to interject before he placed the index finger from his free hand onto your lips.

“Shh shh shh, it’s easy. Here, I’ll help you.  You just put it into your hand like so…” he instructed, tightening your grip on the firearm and crouching beside you.  “You’ll find better stability with two hands –“ 

BANG – you accidentally fired the gun.  Two things happened immediately in response, almost as if it was scripted as such, that perplexed your reaction causing you to remain in a short state of shock.   

Screams erupted from the other captives, since the shot released by your hand had struck the already injured bank manager right between the eyes.  The worried voice of a detective shouting through a megaphone filled the lobby. His words felt like a foreign language as you came to terms with the fact that you had just killed a man.  The police were sure to be in the bank shortly, and you were sure to be arrested with the three men who had planned the whole thing.

“Look at that!  Now, wasn’t that easy?” the Joker cackled in the midst of your disbelief, adding to the mix of the deafening sounds around you. The sirens, the megaphone, the screaming, and his laughter – all of it was making you shake, until you realized it was the actual building that was feeling the tremor.

The sound of an explosion came from where you presumed the vaults were.  Everything and everyone seemed to fall silent – even the Joker had quieted his glee.  He magically materialized a backpack that he quickly tossed over his shoulder before grabbing your arm.  With Penguin and Two-Face, the four of you escaped through the hole the bomb had created and into the sewers below.

Of the two standard responses to crisis, your fight response kicked into high gear once at a far enough distance away from the bank.  You plan was to flee their clutches as soon as possible, so you could vindicate yourself with authorities.  Joker handed you off to the other two henchmen, who held you in place just before you were muzzled with a soft cloth.  The smell of chemicals with a hint of sweetness filled your senses, and within seconds, you were unconscious.

“She’s finally awake,” a faint, yet familiar voice chimed.  You opened your eyes to see the clandestine man with the vibrant ruby hair staring at you, his malevolent grin greeting your wakening.

Scanning your surroundings, from the looks of it you were in a normal office setting, though you were tied to a chair and Joker was sitting on the desk in front of you, marveling your predicament.  Two-Face and Penguin were sitting at nearby desks, the former counting the cash they’d freshly swiped from the bank, and the latter smoking a cigarette while gazing out the window.  Following his view, you could see some time had passed – it was dark outside.  Sirens outside instigated Penguin’s standing; he rushed to the door to leave.

“Chen, it’s the same nightly call we always get about the club.  Relax,” Joker straightly assessed, his eyes still vexed on you.  Apparently ‘Penguin’ had simply been a nickname for the heist – he responded to Joker’s words and sat back in his chair.

“You should probably go down and check anyway, just to be sure,” Two-Face added.  His hair was now a vibrant turquoise, which made you do a double take for a moment.  Perhaps it had been a couple days since your abduction.  Upon closer inspection, his hair appeared damp, so you presumed he’d just showered – or changed his hair color.

“Yes, he changed the color,” Joker answered, reading your mind after following your line of sight, “Xiumin’s hair is normally blonde, and he changes it as he sees fit with coloring spray.”

Why was Joker so forth-coming with the true identities of his partners?  Didn’t he realize that when you escaped that you’d head straight for the police?  That’s when it hit you – he didn’t intend for you to escape. As if still reading your mind, Joker whipped out his pocket knife, which made regular pocket knives look like boy scout toys, and played with it in front of you.

“I need a drink,” Xiumin complained, ignoring your inquisitive stare.  He dropped the cash onto the desk and swiftly exited the office space.

“Alone at last…” Joker purred, ravishing your form with his wry eyes.  He wasted no time in jumping from the desk to your lap, holding the knife to your neck with one hand and gripping your chin with the other.  You squirmed under his touch, allowing the blade to knick your skin.  “Tisk, tisk, we wouldn’t want that pretty neck of yours getting damaged.  Sit still and you won’t hurt yourself.” 

“Let me go.  I-I won’t tell anyone anything, I promise,” you stuttered, ignoring the sharp pain from the cut.  You could feel the blood trickling down to your collarbone. Joker’s eyes followed the deep crimson liquid for a moment, and then his eyes darted back to yours.

“Promise?  Interesting word selection, my dear.  Has anyone ever promised anything to you?” he coyly jested, running the tip of the knife along the blood trail.  You winced when he pressed on the wound, attempting to ignore the pain and find a convincing answer – nothing was coming to mind.

“Sure,” you uttered, saying anything to keep from focusing on his tedious poking at your lesion.

“Sure?  Don’t brush me off so callously after swearing a promise! I don’t like it when you play with my emotions…” his voice grew grim as he released the hold on your chin and pulled you into his shoulder.  His lips were mere centimeters away from your ear, and he used the knife to doodle circles into your back.  Your breathing hitched a couple times while in his clutches, to which he giggled in delight.

“I’m s-sorry.  Tell me what to do and I’ll do it…just please, let me go,” you pleaded in between breaths, looking for anything to escape your plight.

“Hmm…” he mumbled while breathing in your scent.  The Joker scoffed before getting off your lap, untying one of your hands, and holding it before you with an illegible smile.  “Hit me.”

Your eyes widened at his odd request.  Joker made the motion for your hand in a playful manner, letting you go and tapping his cheek.  He didn’t seem to be giving you an option, though you didn’t want to take the chance on what actions could have ensued if you obliged his outrageous wish.

“Hit me!” he bellowed, the tenor in his voice turning any question in your body into absolute terror. The moment your hand collided with his face, his memorable song of frightening hilarity filled the small room. Clutching his sides, he finished untying you while his laughter continued. 

Since he was distracted by his personal joke, you exited the room as quick as your legs would take you – unfortunately you didn’t get far.  Xiumin and Chen were guarding the exit stairwell.  It wasn’t long before the Joker was behind you, caressing your arms with his languid fingertips.

“Think of me what you will, but at the end of the day I am more honest than anyone in that bank today ever will be.  You’re running because you know I will hurt you – it’s not a question of ‘if’. As much as I’d like you to stay, sure…run.  Run back to the world of liars and deceivers.  Don’t come knocking at my door begging me to take you back,” he schmoozed, digging his fingers into your bare skin before letting you go.  Xiumin and Chen moved aside and you were able to finally find freedom in the alleyway outside.

The cool spring air never felt so good.  Finding your bearings, you headed to the nearest street to find you were in the area downtown known as the Red Light District.  You didn’t want to call a taxi for fear that you were on the wanted list by police.  Even though it was most likely for questioning as a key witness, you knew it would eventually lead to the whereabouts of the Joker.  You thought it best to lie low for the time being, so you walked a few blocks.

After some time, a small building absent of the rose colored lighting caught your eye.  It was a small wine bar, and you rushed to it to see about finding directions out of there.  Just before you reached the entrance, you were blessed with a familiar face.  Your coworker Ben was exiting the establishment.  You had started to waive him down until you noticed he was with a woman who looked nothing like his wife.  He hadn’t seen your approach, so you decided to follow the two. 

Ben was the saint out of all your coworkers.  He never went out to happy hour because he always had to return home to Barbara and the kids – Bailey, Brian, and Brittney.  He never came to work outings on Sundays because he had church – his brother Brandon was the pastor.  Yes, Ben was the most upstanding man out of anyone you’d ever known…until that night.

The two rounded a corner into a slim alleyway, where you heard the woman scream before the sound of her voice was muffled.  Peeking around the brick wall, he was thrusting in and out of her mouth with a wicked force, grasping the back of her head and slamming to the base of his shaft. His free hand was holding the cigarette he was finishing, and he put it out on the poor woman’s shoulder. Something about seeing him mistreat this innocent person – even though in all reality she was most likely a prostitute – it set you off.  You waited for Ben to be finished with her; it was only a mere ten minutes before he strolled out of the alley…alone.

“Ben!” you called in the friendliest tone you could muster.  His pure smile twisted your insides, for you knew it was laden with deceit.

“Y/N!  What brings you to this part of town?” he questioned, patting you on the shoulder like the good acquaintances you were. 

“I could ask you the same thing,” you joked, “I just dipped out on the worst Tinder date ever!”  Ben laughed at your lie, shaking his head with a smile on his face – it was the same reaction he’d always given when you’d share dating stories in the office.  Your blood boiled at his duplicity.  How could he act completely normal when he had just done what he’d done?

“Unfortunately, my other brother still fails to see the light and lives in this neighborhood.  I visit him every so often to tell him the word of the Lord,” he reviled with an honest face.  That was the last straw – Ben had to get what he deserved.

“Which way to your car? Do you mind if I bum a ride home?” you propositioned, hoping he’d take the bait.

“I didn’t drive, actually. Took the bus so I could spread the word about Christ to those less fortunate than I.”  Gag.  You wanted to punch him for every cover he had for his tracks.  Using God as a means to act in a duplicitous manner…Ben was quickly turning into the worst person you’d ever known.

“Well there happens to be a bus stop on the next road over!  We could ride together?” you pointed towards the alleyway across the street. Once he agreed, you were ready to beat the shit out of him.  In all honesty, you had no idea what was on the next street – you had been running from a psychopath.  Ben followed you into the passageway, trusting your word. Almost at the opening, you stopped to take action.

“Dammit, my earring!” you exclaimed, pretending your earring had just fallen out, “Help me look for it, Ben. It has to be around here somewhere.” 

Being the good liar he was, Ben played the part of nice guy very well.  He bent to the ground, searching desperately for your ‘missing’ piece of jewelry.  While he scrounged for nothing, you noticed a broken palette nearby with a loose two-by-four. In one fluid movement, you grabbed the plywood and smacked Ben directly on the back of the head, rendering him unconscious.  Just as you were about to congratulate yourself on a job well done, the lights of a police car flashed and a spotlight shone directly on you.

“Freeze!” the authoritative voice of the officer demanded.  The robbery from earlier still fresh in your mind, you darted away from them in the opposite direction.  Luckily the alley you’d chosen for your attack had smaller paths branching from it, giving you the escape route you needed.  It wouldn’t be long before they followed you on foot, so you did your best to evade until you heard them cornering you.  This was it – it was the moment where fate had decided you were to turn yourself in…there was nowhere else to run. 

As you came to terms with your inevitable future, the brick behind you opened, and you were pulled by your waist into a secret area.  Someone held you against the wall in the darkness, with an arm against your neck and a hand covering your mouth.  Once the sounds of the cops faded, the hand removed itself from you and lit a match.

“Peek-a-boo!” the Joker mused.  The flickering light of the small flame danced along his features, causing you to melt into his arms.  The Joker saved you from your pursuers; he brought you back into his world.  As maniacal as he was, you couldn’t deny his power over you…and your attraction to him.

“Mr. Joker…sir…”

“As much as I do love hearing your voice, puddin’, I don’t think I like you addressing me in such a way…” He blew out the match and you felt his hands corner you against the wall, while his heavy voice purred next to your ear. “You should address me by my real name, not my cover.” 

In the darkness, you could feel his formidable energy exploring every inch of your body, which sent pulsating chills throughout.  You wanted him to touch you, and with the void of his laughter you were at his mercy.

“So what should I call you?” you whispered. 

“Not yet my sweet. Come with me,” he hurriedly replied, dragging you from the darkness up and endless flight of stairs.  Through blackened corridors, you could barely make out any defining trait of your location; let alone what direction you were headed.  After what seemed like an endless road of turn after turn, Joker finally opened a doorway into the back kitchen of what appeared to be a Chinese restaurant.

“Where are we?” you started just as he maneuvered you around the cooks and upstairs to a private room. Finally he released you and stomped to the closet on the opposite wall.  Opening the doors in flagrant style, the closet revealed a plethora of sequined and leather outfits.  Joker floated back to your side and stood behind you, caressing the sides of your wanton thighs.

“Choose something sexy to wear – you’re going to need it.  When you’re ready, meet me out back,” he commanded, briskly leaving your presence.  Looking through the scanty selection, you guessed that you were to play the part of his arm candy, though you didn’t have the slightest clue as to anything else.

It was a muted cream chiffon dress that caught your eye.  It had a halter top and fell just above the knees in length – you didn’t want to come off as overly eager.  Throwing on the only pair of heels that matched, you exited the back to find Joker waiting with a cigarette in his mouth.

“That’s disgusting you know,” you blurted out; the mysterious bravado you’d magically conjured caught even you off guard.  Joker flicked it away and pulled you to his side.  He escorted you to a warehouse behind the small restaurant, stopping just shy of the door.

“Before I bring you into my world, my sweet, I’m giving you a heads up now that this is a test of your trust.  You’re on your own in there – I won’t save you again,” he explained, the humor in his voice almost completely stifled.  You wondered how you had gotten to that point – walking into a dangerous situation with a crazed lunatic as your guide – until you remembered Ben and how much you had misjudged someone you’d known for years.  Nodding at the Joker, the two of you waltzed into an underground casino.

Joker left you with a soft peck on the cheek before he sauntered over to the caged cockfight.  A group of women wiggling their bodies on the dance floor to your left made you think that should be the suitable place for you, but the two large craps tables in the center of the warehouse was too tempting to skip.

As you approached, you noticed Chen at the head of one, a glass of wine in one hand while he stroked his mountain of chips with the other.  The shooter at his table was a boisterous middle-aged woman, and her candor intimidated you away from the table.  You opted instead for the second table, which seemed to be run entirely by one man.  He was shooting the dice and yelling obscenities at the other players, waving his cash in their faces each time he rolled to his benefit.  He wasn’t winning by any means, at least not in comparison to what Chen was earning.  Leaning closer to the table, you wanted to watch a few rounds.

“Hey you!” the cantankerous man shouted, “Come blow on these die for me, won’t you doll?  I need some luck in my life and you look like just the girl to make me lucky.”

If he hadn’t been talking to you with a fragrant cigar wedged between his lips, you might have considered the offer, but his lack of manners made you want to turn away.  He hollered at you once more, and after hearing the moans of the other players, you conceded to joining the illustrious man. You obliged his request and blew on the die, and the whole table erupted in a burst of joy – clearly he’d just thrown something good.

“What’s your name sweetheart?” he asked after blowing a cloud of smoke into your face.  Verbosely coughing at his gesture and waiving your hand to clear the air, you decided to engage the slimy man in conversation.

“I’m Y/N, and you are?”

“You can call me Kai, baby. You must be new here.  See, no one uses their real identity when coming to play; it’s part of the rules.  Blow on these again for me, would you sweetheart?” Kai explained before throwing the dice once more.  His hand had swiftly moved from your shoulder to the small of your back, daring to continue moving south.  It was then that you noticed Xiumin – he was sitting at one of the poker tables with a pretty woman on each arm.  Each time he won a hand, they’d kiss him and each other; seemed like he was having a good night.  Because you were distracted with a familiar face, you didn’t realize Kai had begun caressing your backside while he continued to play craps.

“I do believe you’re playing with something that belongs to me,” the velvety voice of the Joker said, causing you to flash a look of excitement his way.

“Joker…I was wondering when you’d humor me with your condescending attitude,” Kai callously replied.

“Condescending!  Oh no, I would hope you could think more of me, Kai.  I really just do these things for fun, you know,” Joker answered back, the maniacal melody rising in his tone.  Kai scoffed at his response.

“Either way, you and I need to talk about my cut for your endeavors with the bank job,” he mumbled before getting up from the table, “Let’s head to the private lounge.”

Wrapping his arm around your waist, Kai led you and Joker upstairs to a secluded loft area, closing the doors behind him once the three of you were inside.  You didn’t want to be involved in their business discussion, but Kai didn’t seem to want to let you go.

“You owe me, Joker. That was my bank, my cash flow, and you stopped that,” Kai snarled, gripping his glass of alcohol too tight for comfort.

“I only stole what you owed me.  There’s plenty of money left in those vaults, I promise you that,” Joker countered, waiving his hands in the air like it was no big deal.

“That’s not what I’m talking about, fool.  You killed my inside man – the bank manger!  He was funneling money out of there into my offshore account on the regular. You owe me for his life…” Kai trailed off and the air got thick, as the silence grew louder.  It happened in less than a millisecond that Kai pulled you into a chokehold with his gun jammed into your temple and Joker had his own weapon pointed directly at Kai, both men standing.

“I saw the security footage. This pet of yours killed my cash flow…a life for a life.  What say you, Joker?” Kai provokingly queued.

“Kill her, I don’t care. If that’s going to solve your issue, fine.  She means nothing to me,” Joker nonchalantly uttered, putting his gun back into his vest. Your eyes widened with horror at his action, until Kai pushed you aside and pointed his gun directly at Joker’s forehead.

“You’re so full of shit, you fucking clown.  Why bring her here if she means nothing to you?!”  Kai stammered, using one hand to throttle Joker’s neck so he could steady his aim between Joker’s eyes.  Chen and Xiumin heard the commotion and both rolled into the loft, guns pointed at Kai.

“Guys, guys, calm down. Kai and I are just having a little…chat. Nothing to be worried about,” Joker downplayed, motioning for the guys to holster their weapons.  The two exchanged worried glances, but followed their boss’s orders.  You wanted to help diffuse the situation, especially since your worry was that if Kai killed Joker, you’d be stuck with the sleazy man.

“Maybe he brought me here for you,” you seductively chimed in, untying the string around your neck and teasing both Kai and Joker with the exposure of your bare skin.  Joker’s lips curled into the biggest smirk you’d seen from him yet, and Kai licked his hand and smoothed back his hair.  He put his gun on the small table and sat back on the couch, licking his lips at your show.  It truly was amazing how quickly he forgot about money when the idea of sex presented itself.

“Come sit on daddy’s lap, sweetheart, and remove that top so I can see those perky tits of yours,” Kai hissed while he manspread his legs and unbuttoned his shirt.  Joker just watched as you mounted Kai and dropped the top half of your dress directly in his face.  It seemed as though Joker wasn’t going to stop it, but rather use you as a distraction to escape.

Before Kai had a chance to touch you, screams sounded from below – the police had infiltrated the underground casino and were making arrests left and right.  He pushed you off of him and exited the back stairwell to his car. You attempted to retie your halter, but Joker grabbed you by the arm and whisked you away from the warehouse before you had a chance, so you held the fabric to your breasts for dear life.

In the many directions you were dragged, you got lost in the getaway.  You didn’t find your bearings again until you realized Joker had taken you back to his private club, only now it was empty.  You looked at the clock to see that it had been seventeen hours since you’d first laid eyes on him – on the Joker.

The silence in the club was melancholy – a bit unnerving.  The backlit section at the bar was the only thing illuminating the space, and in the shadowy light, you could barely make out the change of expression in his gaze from malice to lust as he stared hungrily at your stance.  Your arms were still clutching the top half of the dress to keep you covered, and he raised a wily eyebrow at the thought of what lie underneath.  You slowly backed away from him until your bottom hit the edge of the pool table.

“It’s new,” he cooed, running his fingers through a latent strand of your hair.  He smelled it for a moment before continuing with, “It hasn’t even been broken in, yet.”

“D-did you want to play a round?” you stuttered, playing dumb at his inference.  He blew cool air onto your exposed neck, sending a riveting tingle throughout your body.

“I love when you play coy with me…” he hauntingly whispered into your ear, gripping your hair with more vigor.  It wasn’t a secret that you wanted him – from that first moment seventeen hours ago you knew the things you wanted him to do to you.  Feeling the fingertips of his free hand ghost up the skin on your arm, you decided to drop the fabric, which resulted in the dress plummeting to the floor. Joker held your hand and took a step back to admire you, wearing nothing but a black thong and heels.

Hoisting you up to sit on the green, he laid you down, allowing his hands to act as his eyes in the dimmed interior.  Starting at your shoulders, he traced along the curves of your breasts, bringing one hand back up in between them to caress your neck while the other hand’s thumb swiveled slow, methodical circles on your nipple.  A subdued moan escaped your lips, instigating the twitch in Joker’s eyebrow and the naughty twinkle in his eye as his mouth twisted into a mischievous grin.

Abdicating his touch from your body, he briskly removed his pinstriped jacket from his person, throwing it to the side.  He stalked around the pool table to the opposite end, pulling you so your legs were no longer dangling over the edge.  Lying along the length of the table, you watched as he removed his suspenders so they hung at his waist and began unbuttoning his shirt as he climbed onto the billiard table to join you.

It started with a kiss. His intoxicating lips kissed the soft linen covering your sex.  Before he continued, he looked up and smiled at you.  The soft skin below your belly button, a couple places along your abdomen, the supple spots from your breasts to your collarbones, Joker seductively worked his kisses up your body until he was hovering over your face, waiting for you to close the gap.

Pressing your index finger to his needy pout to halt his advance, you responded to his opening by finishing off his buttons so you could feel his chiseled abdomen.  Your delicate touch grazed over his pectorals to his shoulders, relieving his arms of the residual fabric as you pushed it off his body. Your eyes traveled down his perfect physique, letting your fingernails follow your line of sight, until you reached his belt.  It was there you let your hands rest and your eyes return to his, pulling his hips towards yours.  He lowered his face, and finally the touch of his lips met yours.

What had started out as a slow, teasing beginning, immediately evolved into a spark of passion. You rose to your knees once Joker took your head in his hands; he nibbled on your lips while your tongues fought for dominance.  Your bodies entwined and as Joker ravished you, any sense of sanity left your body – you were blissfully content falling into madness with this man.

Joker sat at the edge of the table, and you straddled him from behind with your arms around him, tracing the lines of his tattoos.  Sweaty and out of breath, he grabbed your arms and rubbed them as he held your embrace. You belonged to him, and you would have it no other way.

“Baekhyun,” he interjected into the silence.

“Pardon, Mr. J?” you coyly asked, letting your tongue trail along his spine.  He inhaled deeply and released a shudder of pleasure.

“My real name.  I want to hear you say it,” he commanded, craning his neck to see you from over his shoulder.  You licked your swollen lips and smirked at him before speaking. 

“Baekhyun?  Does anyone else know your true identity?” you inquired, wondering just how special you really were to him at that moment.

“No,” he coldly replied, shifting his body weight and cracking his neck.  The risk he was taking sharing that information with you clearly wasn’t sitting well with him.

“Baby, your secret is safe with me,” you began, moving around and pulling him back to the table to lie down so you could mount him, “Baekhyun only when it’s you and me, and I’ll call you Mr. B around anyone else.  Deal?” 

“Puddin’, you are just full of surprises,” Baekhyun praised before readying himself for round two.

May 11, 2017

After sleeping the previous day away, you woke to find yourself being spooned by Baekhyun in his king sized bed; you immediately turned to face him and snuggled into his chest. He kissed you on the forehead before letting you continue your rest, asking you to meet him down in the basement for their next move.  After getting ready, you sauntered down the stairwell to find a large group of thug-looking men around a table, with Baekhyun at the head.

“Now that you’ve gained my trust, it’s time to test your loyalty, darling,” Baekhyun sneered to you. Chen and Xiumin were directly at his sides, ready to strike down anyone in the meeting who opposed them.  You knew his attitude was a front, so you allowed the behavior and decided to play along.

“Of course, Mr. B. I’m happy to oblige your – every – request,” you winked as you pounced onto the table and cat-walked to him.  His lovingly contemptible smile graced your presence as helped you onto his lap.

“Gentlemen, we’re going to dismantle the city’s governing board, starting with Governor Lee Sooman,” Baekhyun informed, cackling wildly after seeing the shocked expressions on the attendees’ faces.

“But Boss, how do you plan to do that?  He’s been bribing us for the last year to keep his affinity for strippers out of the media.  It’s the only real reason we were able to get away with the heist yesterday,” Xiumin retorted while Chen worked on quieting the rest of the men. 

“Yeah, and the only ones who know about that money funneling are the people in this room, the now deceased bank manager, and Kai,” Baekhyun rationally explained, continuing with, “So I’m going to ask for some volunteers to take care of our little ‘friend’ in crime.”

Baekhyun waited for some response from the team, but there was no movement among the stiffs.  You didn’t like them ignoring your man, not one bit.  Getting off of Baekhyun’s lap, you stood tall and ready to lecture.

“Are all of you deaf or something?  Mr. B asked for some volunteers.  You must be stupid if you aren’t raising your hand in excitement,” you chided, pointing your fingers at each of them to reaffirm your point.

“You’re the one that’s stupid, girl.  Do you even know what kind of power Kai has?” a singular man started before a bullet found a home directly between his eyes.  You looked back to see Baekhyun holstering his recently fired weapon, his gaze colder than dry ice.

“Gentlemen, I don’t care if you don’t want to volunteer for this operation,” Baekhyun began, rising from the table to meander around, “but if any one of you so much as says anything that can even remotely be considered as disrespectful to my dear Puddin’ here, and I’ll have you begging for death. Understand?”

It wasn’t the same terror from the hostages that these men exuded – rather, it was compliance.  Each of them knew the madness plaguing Baekhyun, and no man was dumb enough to cross him.  Baekhyun pulled out a deck of cards as he circled the table.

“Alright folks, we’re gonna play a little game since no one wants to be the team leader.  The first three guys to pull a spade will have the unfortunate task of teaching Kai how to speak whale,” Baekhyun explained with a humorous demeanor.

“Whale?” Chen automatically queued.

“You know – because he’s gonna be sleeping with the fishes,” Baekhyun instantly retorted, slapping his knee and laughing at his own joke.  The uneasy expressions exchanged by the henchmen made you giggle, and Baekhyun’s energy was turning you on.

After shuffling the deck and rounding the table a few times, the three members were chosen and sent off to fulfill their task.  Baekhyun had instructed that the first three who drew hearts were next in line should they fail.  It was then he turned his attention to you.

“Me?” you bashfully asked, twirling your hair in the hopes that Baekhyun would grab you and kiss you the same way he did last night. 

“Yes, my sweet, you. We’re going to have to change your appearance a bit, but you are the key to his undoing.  You see he has a weakness for pretty girls, and my bet is he won’t be able to resist you,” Baekhyun explained.  He paused, waiting for your inevitable question.

“So how’s he going to see me?” you asked, catering to his wishes.

“I’m so glad you asked! You see, it just so happens he’s in need of a new secretary.  All you need to do is be your devilishly cute little self, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

You agreed to the task, ready to show him how loyal you really were.

May 17, 2017

About a week later, you found yourself looking like Lois Lane in a gray tweed pencil skirt and jacket, with a white rayon button-up blouse underneath.  It was the day of your interview, and you had to ace it in order for the plan to work.  Xiumin had assisted in the transformation of your hair – adding some extensions after dying it blonde.  The new look added a whole new pep to your step; you were ready to do this.

Governor Lee was an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair and thick spectacles.  Upon seeing you walk through the door, his eyes lit up and reread your fake resume.  You decided to wear a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, which hid your identity a little more – before taking the elevator to his floor, you saw the wanted posters with your face on them.  He silently sipped his coffee while perusing your experience, until he was ready for the questionnaire portion of the interview.

“Before we start this Miss –“ he stopped, trying to read your pseudonym. 

“Quinn.  Y/N Quinn,” you interjected before resuming your demure attitude.

“Miss Quinn, indeed. I want to apologize because I’ve already filled the position, but you were so tenacious with your emails and phone calls, I had to give you a shot.  Before you came in, however, the board came to me and said that funds simply won’t allow for me to have two secretaries, unfortunately,” he hesitantly said.  You could tell he was regretting hiring whomever he did, especially when the button directly covering your breasts on your blouse popped open ‘without’ your knowledge.  Baekhyun had purposely put you in a top two sizes too small in hopes that this would happen.

“If you could just reconsider, sir!  If you look at my – oh my god!  I’m so sorry!” you screeched after spilling his coffee onto his lap.  It was a calculated move; when you tried to point at something on your resume, your hand ‘slipped’ to spill the coffee cup.  In a moment you had grabbed a napkin from his desk and were patting his crotch, until you began suggestively rubbing to dry the area.

“You seem like you’re very dedicated to your work,” he half-heartedly said, distracted entirely by the pressure you were applying to his groin.  Kneeling in your position, Governor Lee could better see your cleavage peeking through the hole in your shirt – which at that point another button had busted open, leaving a gaping hole clear for anyone to see your breasts.  Luckily – though not entirely, since this had been part of the plan and you fought Baekhyun tooth and nail about this minor detail – you were wearing a bra, so you weren’t completely exposed.

“I only aim to please, sir. Government is my passion, and I don’t care where you put me, just please take me onto your staff,” you pleaded, emphasizing the word staff as you teased your fingers around his member.  You stood up after he was dry enough and sat back down on the chair positioned in front of his desk.  His eyes didn’t leave your tits, even as he resumed his professional mind.

“If you don’t mind no pay for the first month or so, we can definitely take on an intern.  I can’t guarantee as much work as my hired secretary, but we can use you for copying and emails,” he offered.  You overenthusiastically accepted, letting another button pop open in the process of your bouncing bosoms.  Still pretending to be blissfully unaware of your unveiled skin, you took the required paperwork with you as you left the office.

June 6, 2017

A few weeks into the job made you comfortable enough to change the attire to be a bit more daring. You were still waiting on word from Baekhyun on whether or not Kai had been silenced, but you took a chance with a new wardrobe.  You had already been wearing black thigh-highs from the start, so that wasn’t anything new, though the length of your skirt went from knee-length to mid-thigh. Your garters peeked through when you bent down, which was your intent.  You decided to wear the same rayon blouse from your interview, only this time you were donning a red chemise underneath in case of any button poppage.  In order to avoid the button issue, you purposely didn’t button the top four – not only was it evident you were wearing red lingerie beneath the blouse, but no one would have to fantasize about your cleavage.

Governer Lee never saw it coming.  When he walked into his office that day, you were bent over trying to find some files that needed to be faxed.  Wiggling your behind in his face, he could almost see the fact that you had forgone underwear.  All he could see were the garters connecting your thigh highs to your belted waist.

“Miss Quinn, I just got word that the fax machine downstairs is down.  You can use my private one if you’d like,” he lied, finding any way he could to keep you in his eyesight.  You decided to play along for some innocent flirting.  You stood up and turned to him, and he almost lost it at the sight of your scantily clad appearance.

“Oh bummer!  Can you show me how to use it?” you innocently asked, holding the papers needed to fax close to your stomach with both hands to exaggerate your cleavage.  The governor nodded in astonishment as he waved you to his copy room.  It was a medium-sized space, much larger than the copy room downstairs.  This one also had a window, and just below the window in the corner was none other than Baekhyun.  He put his finger to his lips to indicate your silence.

“Oh silly me, this one is exactly like the one downstairs.  If you want you can keep me company though,” you flirted, daring him to cross the line.  He sat down in the chair across the room, readying himself to check out your ass the whole time you worked.  You tried to copy something and the ‘out of paper’ noise gave you an idea.  The paper tray was at the bottom of the copier, so you grabbed a stack and bent over without so much as even a slight bend in your knee.  The governor could see all of you the moment you reached the tray – you even spread your legs slightly to give him a better view.

“Forgive me if this is too forward, but you are a very well formed young lady,” he complimented, trying his hardest not to stutter as he loosened his tie.  He was beginning to sweat, and you wanted to push him a step further.

“You’re making me blush, Governor Lee.  If I’m being frank, I’ve had a little crush on you since you took office,” you gushed, backing to the copier.  You hoisted yourself onto the transparent top and spread your legs before continuing, “I kind of only took this job so I could get close to you.”  You pressed the copy button and the light of the copier ran across your sex, printing out a black and white image of you.  Grabbing a marker, you wrote a fake number on the paper and handed it to him.

“Why wait for me to call you?  No one will come in here,” he schmoozed before locking the door.  “You have an amazing ass.  Baby let me see it, pull your skirt up for me.”  In that moment, you saw Baekhyun pop out from the corner.

“Surprise!” he exclaimed, pointing his pistol at Governor Lee.  You ran to the locked door, guarding his only escape route.

“Joker!  What are you doing here?” the governor rudely questioned, not phased in the slightest by his gun. 

“We need to have a little chat about business,” Baekhyun callously answered, rotating his neck to crack it several times.  He shook out his body but kept his gun steady.

“You know my daytime hours aren’t available for scum like you.  Call me later!” Governor Lee dismissed while shooing away Baekhyun.  After hearing the governor’s response, Baekhyun snapped his fingers and in the blink of an eye, Xiumin and Chen appeared through the window, dressed as window cleaners.  They began dragging the governor out of the building.

“What – are – you – doing?!” Governor Lee huffed at each attempt to break free.  They had securely pulled him through the window, readying the chloroform to knock him out the moment Baekhyun gave the okay.

“I just want to make sure you have time in your schedule later, since you don’t want to chat now,” Baekhyun teased, laughing as he nodded at the two henchmen.  The whisked him down to the alley and pushed him into a nearby van before driving off.  You and Baekhyun were alone in the locked copy room.

“Mr. B…” you cooed, waiting for him to put his hands on your aching body.  You were so aroused you could feel your essence dripping down your inner thigh.

“That was quite the performance, Puddin’.  Well done. Now we just need to finish what we started,” he proposed, ripping open your blouse and lifting your skirt.  His fingertips toyed at your sides until one set swooped in to feel your sodden lips.  Baekhyun ran his middle finger along the length of your slit, bringing it up to his mouth to taste.  “Mm. Maybe I should call you ‘Sugar’ instead of ‘Puddin’…you taste so sweet.” 

His lips melded instantly to yours, and you pulled him closer by gripping the back of his head. Your moans matched his grunts as the two of you tousled tongues, moving to nibble on his earlobes when you needed air. Baekhyun flipped you around and bent you over the copier, raising your skirt higher and smacking your ass for good measure.  Your initial cry of pleasure turned into a snarky giggle, and you peered over your shoulder at Baekhyun, inviting him to do it again.

“Now, now my sweet, I haven’t even had a sampling,” he coyly disapproved, waving his index finger back and forth, “I’ll indulge your every desire, once I’ve had mine.”  On that note, he knelt down and spread your cheeks. Baekhyun trailed a meandering lick from your slit to your asshole before sucking on it with elaborate enthusiasm. A couple of his fingertips found your clit and began massaging the aroused area while his mouth went to town tossing your salad.  His fingers pulsed in and out of your heat, tracing to your backside to spread your essence for lubrication.

One digit, then two – until finally he worked up to using three of his long fingers in your ass. His free hand reached around to stimulate the front half of your labia, running circles on your clit; with each of your moans, Baekhyun increased his tenacity.  In the rapid approach of your high, you were flipped back to face Baekhyun before he latched his mouth to your swollen nub and his fingers hooked deep inside your walls.  Your cum drizzled out of you with each of his fast-paced movements, coating the floor of the copy room.

Baekhyun rose from his crouched position to give you the sloppiest kiss you’d ever exchanged with him – and it only turned you on more.  Legs still shaking from your release, you gripped the copier while attempting to recollect yourself.  Baekhyun smirked at you before extending his hand in aid, ready to escort you out the window.  “Puddin’ you’re too good to me.  I promise I’ll reward you just how you want when we get home.”

June 8, 2017

“With no evidence to go on, Governor Lee’s disappearance is still a mystery.  Authorities are asking anyone who may have any information on this woman, who goes by the alias of ‘Y/N Quinn’, to call police immediately,” the sound of the newscaster filled the silence of the upstairs office.  “Quinn was also seen at the fateful bank robbery last month with the infamous gangster Joker and his group of thugs. She is seen as extremely dangerous and no one should attempt to approach her.  Please contact law officials if you believe you have sighted her.”

“Mr. B, I’m famous,” you crooned, jumping into his lap and kissing him on the cheek with his infectious madness.  Baekhyun pulled your face to his, returning the admiration with fervent tenacity, making Chen and Xiumin turn towards the window.

“He hasn’t said a word yet, boss,” Xiumin interjected, waiting for direction from Baekhyun.

“We’ve tried everything, and he won’t admit to the embezzlement.  He knows what we’re trying to do and he keeps saying he’s not gonna take the fall,” Chen added, removing the cigarette from his mouth and ashing it with force into the ashtray.  He eyed Xiumin, hoping for some sort of backup.

“Puddin’?” Baekhyun queued. You perked your head in response, sitting on the edge of your seat – or rather, his lap – for his continuance. “Want to go play with the governor again?” 

“As much as I love making you happy, Mr. B, I’d much rather watch you work this time,” you vexed, wrapping your foot around his leg and unbuttoning the top button on his already wrinkled shirt.  Baekhyun ran his fingers through his hair and tapped you on the nose before lifting you off his lap to head down to the basement.

Baekhyun led you down the back corridors of the club, descending several flights of stairs lit by fluorescent bulbs until you reached the bottom.  He opened the metal door for you and gestured you inside.  It was there that Baekhyun was holding his hostage. Governor Lee was tied to a metal chair in a windowless room.  A small pail sat beside him – you guessed it held the extinguished cigarette butts judging by the marks on the governor’s arms.  There was evidence of several burns – small round marks with the circumference of Chen’s brand of choice.  The only thing standing between you two and the governor was the mirrored wall that acted as a window from your perspective.

“Let’s begin,” Baekhyun jeered, pressing the record button on the camera pointed at the governor. He blew you an elaborate kiss before opening the door into the interrogation room.

“Well, well, looks like little Sooman doesn’t want to play with Two-Face or Penguin.  I get it – one’s, well, two-faced so you know you can’t trust him, and the other,” Baekhyun scoffed, “The other is a flightless bird.  What’s the point of that?!”  His signature cackle echoed in the poorly lit space. 

“I know what you’re trying to do, Joker, and it’s not gonna work.  You and your minions can torture me all day – you won’t get what you want,” Lee Sooman cockily said as he looked at the cuts and burns on his chest.

“What I want?  What more could I want?  I have a thriving business, funded – in part – by a wonderfully twisted politician, a group of loyal friends who are just as untrustworthy as they are trustworthy, and a paragon of a woman to stand by my side and lick my wounds when I feel like inflicting some self-mutilation.  What I want?  I could honestly care less on whether or not you even admit your involvement. We can totally continue with our little arrangement,” Baekhyun jested, circling the governor until he stood behind him and stared at him through the reflection in the mirror.

“Then why kidnap me?!” the Governor bellowed, frustrated at Baekhyun’s volality.

“Because I wanted to, because I was bored, because I can…take your pick on my reasoning, I really don’t care,” Baekhyun brushed off as he walked away from the governor towards the mirror, staring directly at you.

“Turn the camera off,” Lee Sooman commanded.

“What was that?” Baekhyun inquired, spinning on his heel to turn and face the governor.

“Turn the camera off and we can talk.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” you interjected, walking into the room like Tyra Banks on the runway.  You flipped your hair and eyed Baekhyun like you were about to mount and start riding him.

“This just got so much more fun…” Baekhyun smirked, rubbing his hands together and licking his lips.

“Mister governor, sir, is it true you like pretty girls?” you innocently asked, bending over to the governor’s face, assuring your cleavage was directly in his line of sight.

“I-uh, well, you see…”

“Can you keep a secret?” you whispered, leaning into his ear and sitting on his lap, “I’m not wearing any panties.”

“What is this nonsense? Using my weakness against me?  How uninventive.  I expected better from you, Joker,” the governor rampaged, shaking you off of him.  “Besides, your money pit is going to dry up anyway.  My secret is no longer hidden, thanks to the last girl I took home with me. Don’t you watch the news?  Oh, maybe you were too busy robbing that bank, but my scandal is out and over with.  You can keep blackmailing me all you’d like, you’re not getting another penny of my money,”

“Your money?  You’re broke,” Baekhyun laughed, shaking his head in disappointment.

“My money, the state’s money, it’s the same fucking thing!”

You stifled the giggle that escaped your lips – Baekhyun had succeeded in breaking the governor.  He exited the room for a quick second and returned with a small USB stick.  Holding it up and shaking it in his hand, the expression on Governor Lee’s face spelled it out that he knew he was in checkmate.  A slow, depraving laugh sounded from Baekhyun as he approached you, still standing next to the governor.

“Isn’t she just the sexiest thing you’ve ever seen?” Baekhyun dared, dangling you in front of the governor as bait.  “Tell me what it was like, when you thought she was just some exuberant temp in your office – tell me what it was like seeing her bend over with her tight little skirts.  That had to have been hot, right?”

“Yeah…sure,” the governor muttered, trying to ignore Baekhyun’s lead.

“But probably not as much as when you’d turn up the A/C just to watch her nipples get hard.  I bet every time she changed the water in her white button-up blouse you were just hoping it would spill over her front – I know I’m thinking about that now and there’s nothing even in here!” Baekhyun continued, his madness level increasing with each breath.

“…Yeah,” the governor uttered.

“So which was it for you? Her tits or her ass?” 

“I don’t know, just –“

“Which was it?!”

“Ass!  Her fucking ass!  Jesus Christ, man.  Just let me go!”

“Thank you for sharing. Did you hear that honey, you have an amazing ass.  Yeah, man I’ll let you go, just one more thing,” Baekhyun casually said as he pulled you toward the mirror, having you bend over with your hands against it, parallel to the floor.  Baekhyun pulled up your skirt to reveal your bare behind and center to the governor before asking, “How does her ass look now?”  A resounding slap met your backside.  Baekhyun had spanked you, which ignited your arousal.  The governor was silent. 

“I’ll ask you again. How does her ass look now?” Baekhyun menacingly repeated, waiting patiently for the governor’s answer. With each passing second your need for another spank grew.  It felt like hours until finally he slapped your ass again – you wiggled your hips in delight and let out a cry of pleasure.

“How does it look?!”

“Great!  It looks fucking great!  I want to fucking eat her ass it looks so good, okay?!”

BOOM.  Baekhyun fired a bullet right at the governor’s heart. Tossing his custom filigreed gun to the side, he brought you back to a standing position while still standing behind you.  Within seconds, he ripped open your shirt and slammed your bare breasts into the cold glass of the mirror while he extracted his wildly hard cock from his pants and aligned himself at your entrance.  He pulled your hair, shoved in his throbbing member, and bit the nape of your neck.

“Did you like that, Puddin’?” he panted while thrusting into you, “Watching me toy with our captive?”

“Mr. B, that was the hottest thing I’ve seen,” you retorted before exuding a piercing moan.  Baekhyun spanked your already rose-tinted cheeks once more.  “I’m getting wetter just replaying it in my head.” 

“I know, babe, I can feel it.  You feel so good, you’re so tight,” he gasped, allowing his thrusts to increase in speed and intensity.  As his pumps grew faster, the only sounds that filled the room were the slapping of his skin to yours and a combination of grunts, heavy breathing, and moans. This continued until both you and he came, and as he peaked he fisted your hair and pulled so your face was able to receive his fucked-out, sloppy kiss.

“I love you, Puddin’.”

“I love you, Mr. B.”

Later that night, you found yourself dressed incognito in a van sitting next to Baekhyun and Xiumin – Chen was driving.  Governor Lee’s remains were in a body bag in the back, with the USB recording of his confession tied to his face.  The plan was to drop off the body, abandon the van, and meet back at the rendez-vous point.  Everything was going well, but you had a strange feeling in the pit of your stomach as you approached city hall.

“Whatever happened with Kai?” you asked out of the blue.  You realized you’d never heard word on whether or not he was silenced. 

“He escaped.  We’ve sent another team to try and find him, but he’s gone into hiding,” Xiumin monotonously answered.  The van stopped in front of city hall, the deafening silence of the night twisting knots in your stomach – and not in the good way.

“Alright, everyone knows the drill, meet at the liquor store on 4th and B in two hours. I’m gonna make the call,” Baekhyun said before dialing the director of the board.  He hadn’t even heard a callback ring when sirens and cop cars swarmed the area – it was a setup. 

“Run!” Chen screamed, jumping out of the van.  Each of you bolted off in different directions, knowing that was the safest way to make sure everyone escaped.  You turned down various corridors, not concentrating on any direction until you ran face first into a man’s chest. 

“Well, well, look at what we have here,” a cruel, familiar voice said.  You looked up to see Kai staring down at you with a malicious grin on his face.  In that same moment, you heard Baekhyun shouting – it sounded like he was cornered. Not even thinking, you turned to go to him, but Kai grabbed your arm to stop you.

“I don’t think so, princess. Let him take the fall, and you can stand by me.  I’ll shower you with gifts and jewels like you’ve never seen,” he sneered.  Kai was just your average thug – he was nowhere near the level of intelligence of Baekhyun.  You loved him for his presence and his energy, not because he was wealthy.

“I’ll pass,” you rudely retorted, ripping your arm from his grasp.  Kai chased after you as you began to run towards the sound of Baekhyun’s voice.

“Here!  Here!  Quinn is here!” Kai shouted as you entered the street.  One of his henchmen was playing a recording of Baekhyun’s voice, and the moment you realized your mistake, police surrounded you.  You glanced around at the buildings and saw Baekhyun in the window of a third story apartment, looking furious at your capture.

You saw him mouth the words, ‘I’ll come for you’, before you looked away.  The last thing you wanted to do was assure the police two victories. They caught you, and that was all you were going to let them have.  Kai smirked at you as you were handcuffed and put into the back of the car – you glared at him in disdain.  You didn’t know what was waiting for you at the prison, but you knew you would die before giving any information about Baekhyun.

June 26, 2017

Two and a half weeks, and you’d already been put into solitary.  You’d been put through several shock-therapy sessions in the hopes that you would talk, but the torture they put you through only made your loyalty to Baekhyun that much stronger.  One of the guards stopped by your cell to talk – he thought you were cute and you were using him for coffee.

“He’s not coming for you, Y/N.  He’s a criminal, and he used you to escape,” he apologetically said, hoping you’d come to your senses.

“That’s cute, but clearly you’ve never been in love,” you responded, sipping your coffee with your pinky in the air.  Suddenly, what sounded like an explosion on the other side of the jail shook the building.

“What was that?!” the friendly guard exclaimed, grabbing his gun and aiming it at the hallway.

“That’d be Mr. B…”

[billiejoeshappytrail]

do all 140 questions you coward i dare you ;)

jfigkgkgkg okay guys, never do this to gee because she will do it back eventually, ,,,,, 3 Fears? Never being able to get top surgery, relapsing, bad things happening to Green Day 3 things I love? Green Day, my cat, malachite 2 turns on? Oh yikes,,, i'm tryna make this blog more kid friendly but i'm pretty sure you already know my weird kinks 2 turns off? Being right wing, being a posh twatMy best friend? I don't have one.. maybe my cat lmao Sexual orientation? PanHow tall am I? 5'6"What do I miss right now? Honestly? Uni. I know that sounds lame af but I just want it to be Monday alreadyFavourite colour? I have a lot of them! I'm an artist Do I have a crush? *exhausted noises*Favourite place? I really don't know right now What am I listening to right now? Nothing Shoe size? UK 6Eye colour ? BlueHair colour? PinkMeaning behind my URL; 😂😂😂Favourite song; IdkFavourite band; Green Day How I feel right now; Okay Someone I love; Bilky My current relationship status; Uh My relationship with my parents; Weird but not badFavourite season; SummerTattoos and piercing i have; lion tattoo on my chest, pink panther in my left elbow ditch, a dotwork crown on my left middle finger, a lot of stick and pokes, septum piercing, snakebites, earlobes, tongue Tattoos and piercing i want; Too many tattoos to explain, eyebrow piercing, nose piercingThe reasons I joined Tumblr; Fuck knows 😂Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts? ! !! ! !!! I sometimes get a good morning from Gee on kik Have I ever kissed the last person you texted? My phone is dead but I think probably not?? How long does it take me to get ready in the morning? Uh, about five minutes unless I'm going full punk Have you shaved your legs in the past three days? Jgkhkh nope Where am I right now? My roomDo I like my music loud or at a reasonable level? Depends on the setting Do I live with my Mom and Dad? I live with my mum Am I excited for anything? ! ! !! ! !!!!! ! ! ! Tomorrow Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to? Sounds cishet but okHow often do I wear a fake smile? Never, if i'm sad of pissed off yr gonna know about it If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? Billie Joe Armstrong What do I think about most? Mad shit, food, weed, music, intrusive bpd crapDo I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? BehindWhat was the last lie I told? I don't know, I try not to lieDo I perfer talking on the phone or video chatting online? I'm sort of uncomfortable with both but like, the select few people I'll call usually skype me so I guess video chat Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Ghosts; dunno, aliens; fuck yea Do I believe in magic? I want toDo I believe in luck? What's there to believe in? Sometimes you have it and sometimes you don't but it exists like just by virtue of people being lucky sometimes What’s the weather like right now? GreyWhat was the last book I’ve read? Idk manDo I have any nicknames? Ya i'm itchy or itch to most of my online friends Do I spend money or save it? Idk man, I'm poor so idk Can I touch my nose with a tounge? NahFavourite animal? LionWhat was I doing last night at 12 AM? Maybe sleeping?What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it? Any Green Day song What is my favorite word? I don't have oneMy top 5 blogs on tumblr; yo i'm not going that I have way too manyIf the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say? Feed the fucking poor you heathens Do I have any relatives in jail? Not that I know ofWhat is my current desktop picture? I don't really use a computer but my tablet one is billie joe Had sex? Ya Bought condoms? NahGotten pregnant? Nope Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain? Yeah it was kinda not as good as it sounds Had job? Sort of Smoked weed? Ye Smoked cigarettes? YeDrank alcohol? YeAm I a vegetarian/vegan? Veggie ✌Been overweight? YeBeen underweight? Probably not Gotten my heart broken? YeBeen to prom? YeBeen in airplane? YeLearned another language? Not fluently but I can sort of speak German like, more than the average brit can speak of their Fremdsprache :0 Wore make up? YeoDyed my hair? YepHad a surgery? Not yet Met someone famous? STZA REPLIED TO MY MESSAGE LAST NIGHT HFGJG also i met jeremy corbyn a few times, eddie izzard a few times and i have a wild story abt how I almost stabbed him Stalked someone on a social network? Ye Been fishing? Nah Been rejected by a crush? YeWhat do I want for birthday? It just happened Do I like my handwriting? I guess Where do I want to live when older? Everywhere Have I ever got caught sneaking out or doing anything bad? YeWhat I’m really bad at? Being neurotypical What my greatest achievments are? Not dying The meanest thing somebody has ever said to me; dude in my high school found out my mum had cancer and he said i deserved for her to die What I’d do if I won in a lottery; pay people's tuition, pay people's medical bills, buy either avocado toast or a house, I haven't decided yet What do I like about myself; Lots of stuff :0 My closest Tumblr friend; The goons :0 Any question you’d like? Are you outgoing or shy? Both at different times What kind of people are you attracted to? It depends, I don't really have a type Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? God I hope not, I never want that ever again for a really long time Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? Depends who with Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? RoryWhat does the most recent text that you sent say? IdkWhat are your 5 favorite songs right now? RVIVR - Resilient Bastard, Armstrongs - If There Was Ever A Time, Riverdales - Rehabilitated, New York Dolls - Personality Crisis, Green Day - The Grouch Do you like it when people play with your hair? Ye, unless I just did my mohawk in which case they can get the fuck away from me Do you think there is life on other planets? YeDo you like bubble baths? Sometimes Do you like your neighbors? Yeah!!! My next door neighbour is this lady called Lily and she encouraged me to try roller derby Where would you like to travel? A lot of places Favorite part of your daily routine? Taking my sertraline with a coffee maybe but not because it's exciting, just because it's the only thing I do every day without fail.What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? TiddiesWhat do you do when you wake up? Feed my cat Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? I like it how it isDo you ever want to get married? Fuck no If your hair long enough for a pony tail? Nah Would you rather live without TV or music? TV Have you ever liked someone and never told them? YeahWhat are your favorite stores to shop in? Uh, alternative places, every city has one, Afflecks, Camden etc. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? NahDo you smile at strangers? YeahHave you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? NahEver wished you were someone else? YeahFavourite makeup brand? IdkLast thing you ate? Lasagne Ever won a competition? For what? I won a few art competitions as a kid Ever been in love? YesFacebook or Twitter? Facebook Twitter or Tumblr? Tumblr Are you watching tv right now? Nah What colour are your towels? Red Favourite ice cream flavour? Cookie dough or salted caramel First person you talked to today? IdkLast person you talked to today? ??? Gee ??Name a person you hate? Theresa fucking MayName a person you love? Jeremy fucking Corbyn Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? Oh god, so many people Do you tan a lot? NahHave any pets? My baby boy ! !! ! My gorgeous little lion, my Corbyn, orange boy, fav boy Do you type fast? Sort of Do you regret anything from your past? Abel lmao Ever broken someone’s heart? NahHave you ever liked someone so much it hurt? YeaIs cheating ever okay? NahDo you believe in true love? SureWhat your zodiac sign? Virgo Do you believe in ghosts? Idk Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page? "Annika shrugged. She was worried about the goldfish"

[merikathryn-blog]

SOA: Sins of Our Fathers Part 2: Welcome Home

Jax slowly headed to the door of the home.  Danny Weir’s home… How could this all work?  How was it going to be okay?  What the fuck was he doing?  He did not know but he knew he had already passed the point of no return.  He pushed the doorbell and waited for the old widow woman, Kari Christian, to answer the door.  However, he was surprised by a beautiful redhead with large perky breasts and big hazel green eyes.  Kari’s hair was long, waist length, and she definitely did not look like an old widow woman.  She opened the door and said, “This is the one and only time you will ever hear me call you this name.  Are you Jackson Teller?”  Jax looked at her and said, “I used to be.  Jax Teller was ran over by a semi yesterday.  He went out a true badass, a motorcycle legend.”  She said, “You have to stop that shit right now.  Jax Teller was a criminal and he was killed trying to escape the consequences of his actions. Danny, do you understand what I am saying?  You are a very straight arrow cop.  You have to remember that.  Jax Teller, the criminal, died yesterday trying to evade police capture.  Danny, you were just lucky that you did not happen upon the desperate criminal while you were coming home.  I am so happy that you are here.  I am so happy that you agreed to help me re-establish my life since my husband, David, died.” Jax flashed that sexy smirk that he has and said, “You do not look like a poor, helpless, old widow woman.”  Kari looked at him quizzically and asked, “Widow, yes. Woman, yes the last time I checked. Poor, not really….  Helpless, no. Old, how fucking dare you call me old??!!?? I am only just a few years older than your punk ass.  We are going to have to make you look a little bit older. Also, you are never going to be able to wear a t-shirt again in public.  You have ink and Danny has no ink.  You have taken a month off from work to get the matter of your divorce finalized.  I am here to help you because you are still weak from your cancer treatments.  This is our cover story.  YOU MUST STICK TO IT TO A TEE.  No variance, understand.  If you vary from this story, I will go to jail with you.  I have no plans on going to jail any time soon.”  Jax said, “Are you finished with your lecture?  I have been driving all night and I am fucking tired. I just want a hot shower and to go to bed.  We can begin good cop classes tomorrow.”  Jax took a long pause and asked with a smirk, “How many bedrooms are in this place?  Am I sleeping on the couch or is there a bedroom for me?  Are we just going to skip all of the pretenses and sleep together and get it over with?”  Kari was infuriated!  She screamed, “How fucking dare you just assume that you could walk in here with your gangster swagger, your bad boy persona, and your rugged good looks and assume that any woman would be ready to go to bed with you?”  He said, “I was just funning, Darlin’, but I am glad to know that you think I have rugged good looks.  I think you are pretty smoking hot for a widow woman too.”  Kari just glared at him and said, “Your bedroom is down the hall on the left.  My bedroom is on the other side of the hall.  If you need anything nonsexual, please do not hesitate to ask. Food, beer, and soft drinks are in the fridge.  I am headed to bed.  Tomorrow, we will start turning you into the straight arrow that Danny was.  I do not know what Danny saw in you to give you such a gift but I am going to honor his final wishes.”  Jax remembered he had a letter for Kari from Danny in his pocket. He handed the letter to Kari and took her hands into his and said, “Thank you so much for doing this to help me. You will never know how much it means to me.  Goodnight Kari.”  Kari looked at him with a startled look on her face as she clutched the letter in her hands and watched the young man walk down the hall and into his room.

Kari clutched the letter in her hands for a while, just crying and missing her friend, Danny.  He was the last link to her life that she used to have. Her life with David was full and happy.  She worked and he worked until he retired.  He then devoted his life to taking care of her.  Kari remembered the first time she met Danny.  She told him that if his tie was any tighter his head would inflate like a balloon because air would not be able to make it to the rest of his body.  Danny just looked at her and smiled.  He did not understand this woman at all.  He could not understand how an attractive young woman like Kari could be married to his cousin, an older man who worked a good job as a mechanic.  He provided her with a very safe life.  He was 30 years older than her but she did not care.  He never acted his age… Most of the time he was the one acting younger than her.  He rode a motorcycle and was known in the Southeast as the first white boy that was able to join the Mayans as a pequeño pato, a literal translation of a little duck. David was a grown-up man-child but a hell of a lot of fun.  He had massive street credentials so it gave Kari a pass on being a criminal profiler for the Department of Homeland Security.  Most of the people that David had street credit with believed that she was doing the country a massive favor by going after those towel heads that attacked us in New York and Washington D.C.  They did not realize that there was more to her job than just looking for international terrorists.  She also looked for domestic terrorists.  Most of the time she liked David’s friends.  They mostly just sat around and talked about the hell they raised and the crimes they committed before she was even born.  The statute of limitations had long since run out on nearly all of the crimes they discussed.  They talked about them with nostalgia but mostly with regret.  That is why she loved David.  He had grown up from being a street wise kid to a gentlemen who understood honestly, loyalty, and compassion.  David saw her for the intelligent strong woman that she was. Her looks didn’t matter to him. He was more impressed by the woman inside.  A woman who overcame an abusive home life to become an educated, impressive, and funny woman.  When he died, she wished she had died with him.  She knew that he would die before her.  It was a given because he was so much older than her.  She was still not prepared for it.  When Danny asked her to come to Tulsa, she jumped at the chance. She needed away from the memories of David.  She needed away from the life she had with him because it hurt too much to live it without him.  She and Diane got along really well and with Danny and her son both having cancer, Diane really appreciated the help of having another woman in the house.  When Diane left Danny, Kari became his rock. She helped him with the grief of losing his wife.  Danny felt so much guilt because Daniel had the same type of cancer he had.  Diane blamed Danny for Daniel’s cancer too. That is why she divorced him and moved to California where there was an experimental treatment that might could cure him.  Kari knew that when Danny went to California it was to be there for experimental treatments for Daniel.  Danny was going to try to find a way to pay for the treatments for Daniel.  He knew there was no way he could pzy for the treatments legally.  Kari knew when Danny left that she would probably never see any of them again. Kari missed the sound of other people in the house.  When Danny called her and told her that he was sending a man back to take his identity. Diane and Daniel were staying in California.  Danny then told her that he would be dying in California.  Danny would be the man that he was sending to her.  He wanted her to make the young man into him.  She owed Danny so much and besides, who was it hurting to honor Danny’s last wish?

Kari opened the letter.  It said, “Dear Kari, you have always been my best friend.  Ever since my cousin, David, came home with you, I have loved you. I was so jealous that he could go out and, even as an old geezer, he could get better women than I could.  You and I were both straight arrows.  We did not function outside the law.  I know that is why this request of mine will be so difficult for you.  I was standing at the foot of my mom’s grave telling her that I was dying and I would be dead in a few days.  I told her that I was such a fucking disappointment because my son was going to die of the same cancer I had because I could not pay for the treatments.  I knelt down crying and it was if the Lord and my mom both sent me this gift.  A few headstones down, Jax was talking to his dad.  He was having a similar conversation to mine.  He told his dad that he would be dead in a few hours to protect his children from becoming bad people like him.  The more he talked, the more that my heart heard.  Yes, my heart.  I was not thinking with my brain or my values.  I was just thinking that he needed a way out and I needed a way to save my kid before I died.  So I made a deal with the devil, so to speak.  He gave me money from a dirty cop that he had killed and I would take his place and die for him.  He could start over as me and be given a chance to be a good man by a good man. You are the only person I trust enough to help him.  If you tell anyone about what I have done, the police will go and get the money that Daniel needs for the treatments.  Diane will not return to Tulsa.  I believe that Jax is a good man who had to do bad things because of where he grew up and what he was groomed into being.  I know in my heart that when he becomes me, he will be a good man.  He will be a better cop than I am because he has been on the other side of the law all of his life.  He knows the tricks of the trade.  He just needs your help and guidance to survive and learn to flourish as me.  I would never trust anyone else with this secret.  I hate that I am burdening you with this task but you are the only one that I am sure can do it.  Thank you so much for helping him become me and in turn helping my Daniel live.  Your less amazing and deceased friend, Danny Weir.” Kari read these words and tears streamed down her face.  She was heartbroken that her best friend was at a place of no return.  She was heartbroken that he left her to do these unspeakable and illegal acts.  Most importantly, she was heartbroken that Danny was gone.  He was the last connection she had to David and now there was nothing left.  It was just her, alone, with some blue eyed criminal who had bounced through life on his good looks and charm.  “Fuck!” she thought. “How in the hell am I ever going to be good enough to pull this shit off?”  However, she was determined to try because Danny wanted her to and Daniel’s life depended on it.  She folded the letter back and stuck it inside her Bible.  She knew it would take an act of God to pull this masquerade off. She was determined to make it happen so she wandered into her bedroom and set the alarm for 5:50am, the exact time that Danny got up every morning.  She curled up to her pillow and drifted off to sleep.  Tomorrow would be a beginning of a long journey that would either grow success or total destruction.

Kari’s alarm went off at 5:50am.  Danny was an on the dot type of person.  He had everything figured out to how much time it would take to do things. She crawled out of bed, put on her robe, and headed to the room across the hall.  She walked to Jax and said, “Wake up, Danny.  This is the time you wake up every morning.  It is time for you to head to the kitchen and make breakfast. You are a very punctual sort so you must jump your happy ass out of that bed right now or I am headed to the kitchen to get a glass of ice water to force you out of that fucking bed.  Do you understand me now, Danny?”  Jax rubbed his eyes and ran his hand down to his impeccable chest to his testicles.  He gave his balls a good scratch and said, “Damn Darlin’!  You are definitely a hard ass.  Do I have to go by Danny?  Can I go by Dan or something else?”  “No.” Kari said, “You have to go by Danny.  Your grandfather was Big Dan.  Your dad was Dan Jr. You are Danny.  Your son is Daniel. It is a family name.  You just have to get used to it.  A young man like you should not take offense to being called Danny. Really?” “Hell, I had to ask,” Jax said, “I just wanted to be something different since I am a man who just got cured of Stage 4 brain cancer, got a divorce, and lost my kid.  You would think that I might want to change my identity.”  “Suck it up, Buttercup! You are Danny, you ungrateful little fucker. Deal with it, shithead, and… “Kari yelled. Tears were streaming down her face and she could not control her grief or her rage with him. Jax stood up out of bed and put his arms around her to hug her. She just beat him about his chest and cried.  She finally calmed down enough to cry and lean into his hug.  She just kept repeating, “You are Danny.  You have to be.”  Once Kari regained her composure, she told Jax to head to the shower. She headed into the kitchen to make some breakfast and get started on turning this bad man into her beloved best friend.  

Breakfast was always a time when Danny and Kari would gear up for the day. Since he was an investigator and she was a criminal profiler for DHS, they worked a great deal of cases together. They would have a full breakfast. Danny felt that a big relaxing breakfast set the tone for the day.  Kari went into the kitchen and started cooking.  She made bacon, eggs, pancakes, hash browns, and sliced fresh fruit.  She made coffee that was so strong, it nearly stirred itself.  She got the paper and left it folded beside Danny’s seat.  She looked at the empty chair and tried not to cry.  That was Danny’s chair.  The handsome young man in the shower was not Danny yet but he would be. She had a month to make him into her best friend.  She had to keep reminding him that Jax Teller was dead.  The young man came swaggering into the kitchen wearing a t-shirt and baggy jeans.  He had on a belt and steel toed boots.  Kari looked up at him and thought, “How in the fuck am I going to turn this hoodlum into a G-man in less than a month?  I am fucking crazy for trying.”  Jax sat down in the chair that she had obviously made for him.  He flashed that sexy little smirk at her and said, “Good Morning, Darlin’.  This is really an amazing spread that you have laid out here.  I normally just get some strong coffee and the maybe a little something to remove the hair of the dog, if you get my drift. So, tell me, Kari. What am I supposed to be doin’ right now, as Danny?”  Kari said, “Well, unless you are undercover, you never dress like that. You are normally wearing dress pants and a long sleeved button up shirt.  You wear a tie, nearly always.”  Jax looked at her in disgust and said, “Really? Okay, I guess I will have to change if we go out in public.  I assume you are afraid to send me out in public as Danny alone.  It is alright.  I get it.  I would not let anyone out of my sight if my life was on the line either.  I would have to trust first.”  Kari said, “Yes, you are right.  You will have to change if we go anywhere.  We normally look over the paper and talk about the current cases we are working.  We fuel up on a hardy breakfast and head out to work.  Danny took off eight weeks from work to go to California to get things settled there and to recover from the experimental treatments he is receiving. We can explain your early return by saying that Diane wanted you gone.  She blamed you for Daniel’s cancer and could not look at you.  The divorce will give us a reason for you staying out the entire eight weeks.”  Jax mumbled something under his breath while he was eating his breakfast.

[blckbrdflyy]

Oh 18 year old me & how not much has changed.

I’m now 30 and this was written in 2004 when I had just turned 18. It’s crazy how after all these years alot of this is still accurate. (Ignore the misspelling and grammatical errors I did not want to spend the time editing and wanted to keep it raw)

“my name is cathy but most know me as cat. i am very informed and opinionated and i love to debate. i am very open minded. i hate drama. pretty girls make me feel inferior. i like to be in love. shaggy haired guys are gorgeous. i play the guitar, write poetry and skateboard. i also love my art. i am going to be going to college to major in graphic design. i like solitude but if it werent for my friends i would go crazy. i am a foster child but do not feel sorry for me or expect me to tell you my life story. i love my family very very much but they will probably never know that. i am very shy and timid at first but i eventually open up to a whole new person. i am always changing and thats part of life. i do smoke pot and cigarettes, i do drink and i do party. i will never push my choices off on anyone so dont push yours on me. if you dont like it you dont have to. i am not on here to get the highest amount of friends. i do cry alot. i am a very emotional and sensitive person. i love to be in love. i love to laugh. i love to just have fun. i am a HUGE pessimist and it sucks. i am very unorganized. i refuse to be cheated on ever ever again. i will not suffer through another damn heartache. i am very gullible. i sleep with a night light on and music cause i have always been afraid of the dark. i worry too much. i eat alot of pickles and potato chips. i like to read alot and escape into the worlds that can be created by masterminds of the english language. i am not any kind of core, i am not scene, i am not straightedge, i am not punk, i am not gothic, i am not emo, i am not indie, i am not gangster, i am not preppy, i am not a metal head i am just my fucking self, so even though you may classify me it will never change who i am or how i see myself. i have a very low self esteem. i love hanging out with guys having burping contests and playing video games. i am a cat person. i love going to the park and swinging and always hoping that i will go over that bar into another dimension like swinger girl. i watch too much television. i am very passionate about the things i enjoy. i think i was born way to late. my favorite time period would be the 1900’s. i always try too hard to get people to like me. i am quite the insomniac. i bite my fingernails. i dye my hair alot and i think its going to fall out soon. i have thyroid cancer. i hate it when people feel sorry for me and pity me in any way. i love being the center of attention but large groups make me very nervous. i love kids and babies and old people. i hate to fight. i always feel really bad if i hit someone even if its my little sister and she just punched me in the face. i always put myself in someone elses shoes. i have scoliosis. i think society is just as fucked up as our government is. i hate george bush and there is nothing you can say or do that will ever change my mind. i am eighteen years old. i am worried that i will never find a love that was lost. i wish i didnt have to die. death scares the shit out of me. i hate thinking that everyone will eventually die. i believe in faith of the heart and mind because all organized religions are fuckin corrupt. i like watching cartoons. my favorite candy bar is twix but i dont like chocolate that much. i hate milk. i love love love ice cream. my favorite season is autumn because i think it is so beautiful and feels wonderful. winter is my least favorite because it is dreary cold and depressing. i do not hate my life but i wish there were alot of things that i could change. i do not like people that are racist and judgemental because they think they are so much better than others, its ignorant. i like to paint my nails. i like to make jewlery. i shop at the thrift store and the flea market. i really like boys not just as love interests but they make the best friends for me because they are much more carefree and fun to be around. i read alot. everyone including myself is a hypocrit at one time or another.i cant wait to get the hell out of highschool but i dont want to go into the real world just yet. i hate letting go but i have a hard time getting attached. expressing my feelings verbally is one of the hardest things for me to do. i am sometimes too nice that i get taken advantage of, i have a hard ass time being mean unless you are making fun of someone or just being an asshole. i want to join the peace corps. i want to live in australia. money is evil but so good to have. i have never seen three of my sisters and havent seen my real mom since i was six. my dad was a marine and he is a psycho abusive person and my step mom is a drunk. my older sister can be a huge bitch and trys to change who i am but she thinks she is looking out for me, my little brother has no emotion and he is turning out to be like my dad. my little sister is cool and she looks up to me. my grandma and grandpa are really poor but the absolute sweetest people you could ever meet. two of my uncles and a cousin have been to prison. my family is comprised of a lot of backstabbers and snobs. i am part german and cherokee indian. i am an american and damn proud and grateful for all that i have. i ponder all the things in the world non stop and often get so frustrated with all the unanswered questions. i like being popular but only if its for good reason. i would date a girl if she was right for me, but guys are my main thing. i try to help everyone i can through their problems. i love going to concerts and getting in the pit. my biggest pet peeve is when someone gets all competitive over music and has to know everything they possibly can and make you feel like an idiot if you dont. i want to be famous. i want to sing in a band. i am very very pale. i have a fake tooth. i like psychological movies that leave things unanswered to make you think of all the possibilities. i like smoking weed every now and then but i will not let any drug control my life. i have made a lot of mistakes and have a lot of regrets but i move on. if you dont like me chances are i will still like you. i look up to a lot of people such as martin luther king jr., harriet beecher stowe, harriet tubman, abraham lincoln, princess diana, mandy moore, john lennon, johnny cash, my foster mom, brad pitt and jenifer aniston, the dalhai llama, helen keller, elie wiesel, anne frank and last but not least myself. i hate talking on the phone. i miss my childhood and wish i could relive it and change so many things. i dont like cookies or cake too much or even chocolate. i love iced tea with lots of sugar. i love french vanilla roast cofee with lots of cream and sugar. my favorite holiday is thanksgiving. i still go trick or treating. i hate how a big of an influence society has on so many of our personal choices. i believe in karma. i cant wait to be on my own but i am scared. i am afraid of not being accepted but then again i dont want to care or worry about it. i am not a virgin. i love cuddling and making out better than anything else. i like falling asleep in a guys arms. i wish i could read peoples minds cause i always wonder just how they feel or what they are thinking. i love roller coasters and i get really nervous at first but after one time i am hooked and i will ride just about anything anywhere. i like being outside all the time when its warm enough cause when its cold all i do is sleep. i hate grey rainy cold days because they put me in a bad mood and i usually have a bad day. i have always loved making out in the summer or spring rain though its so romantic. i dont like getting gifts of any kind. i love politics. i love late night philosophical discussions. i wont tell you like it is cause i am a pussy and cant be a bitch. i love late night i love yous. i love when guys call me even after i just saw them because they miss me. i love randomness. i love life. i love nature. i love kualas. i love poetry. i love fashion. i love human anatomy. i love singing in the shower. i love playing dress up. i love star gazing in the middle of the night. i love crayola crayons. i love football games. i love fast food. i love mountain dew. i love self expression. i love spontaneity. i love open mindedness. i love stuffed animals. i love hoodies. i love cars. i love difference. i love tube socks. i love dying my hair. i love piercings. i love tatoos. i love monkeys. i like ego boosts every now and then. i love saturday morning cartoons. i can love you given the chance. i love to laugh. i love to smile. i will not change for you. i have opinions and yes they do change. i will not have sex with you. i like school because of the social interaction. i watch the news and read the newspaper alot. i learn slowly. i was diagnosed with manic depression and i am always medication but i dont think i am depressed i think i am like all the other teens, its just teenage angst and mood swings. i think this country is obsessed with diagnosing kids with all possible problem they can. i like my eyes. i struggle with letting things and people go. i like collecting things cause i am a major pack rat…Yep that’s me!”