#I see a variety of little guys scuttle around in there

[insufferablemod]

activity page is a eco system

[thecruxarm-personal-blog]

A NEW SOPHONT ALIEN SPECIES!!!!!!

Finally!!!!! I made one!!!!! Am I cool now?! :D

*ahem*, anyway, this guy is called a "Camptoscelid" (which roughly translates to "flexible limb" due to how well they can articulate their hips), but can also be called "scelids" for short, as I will do.

They are a radially-symmetrical species with 6 legs, 6 eyes and 12 nostrils (with two on the side of each eye), and are a type of plantimal, meaning they're an animal-like organism which descended from plant ancestors millions of years ago. They have about the same level of intelligence as a human, but are much weaker physically and have no sense of hearing, but they also did eventually form a long-lasting civilisation. Oh also they're sequential hermaphrodites, so they have no use for gendered stuff.

ALSO scelid eyes are able to extend on long stalks, as can be seen in the ref sheet, and each one has two "display sails" which they can extend and retract either at once or individually. Camptoscelids extend and retract their eye stalks and display sails in different combinations and at different lengths to emote, much like human eyebrows, though with more variety...it would be cool to make a chart of their different emotes.

In their pre-history, scelids evolved to scuttle along forest floors, picking and eating fruits, fungi and plantimal equivalents to insects on the ground and the bases of trees. Because of this, their legs (which double as arms) are quite flexible, and this also means they have a great sense of balance when using multiple limbs at once to manpiluate objects. The one pictured above has a dark striped pattern, which serves the purpose of throwing off predators or camoflauging against the forest floor, with the majority of scelid predators living up high in the canopies of the forest. However, some species of scelids can have lighter stripes, or use more spotted or blotchy patterns depending on the local flora (I'll have to get around to making a chatt displaying their different pattern variations).

Here's a version of the reference sheet excluding stripes. I'm mainly including this version for anybody who wants to draw them so they can better see the finer features of their anatomy without all the patterns getting in the way. While it is possible for scelids to have no stripes, it is incredibly rare and considered a genetic deformity.

I don't wanna clutter up this post too much, so if anybody wants to learn more about this species, feel more than free to ask questions in my inbox!!!!! :DDD

I hope others love these little guys as much as I do

[prozd]

Bones of the Forgotten

For those unaware, when I was 12 years old, I used to write very gritty Mario fanfiction.  The only reason this exists is because we hit a charity milestone for Extra Life (which by the way you can still donate to here: https://www.extra-life.org/participant/450294)

I decided to write the sort of fanfiction that 12 year old me would've enjoyed writing, so here is my love letter to my youth.

A question block can come in handy in a variety of ways.  You just gotta know how to scrap it down.  Easily done enough with a precision focus Fire Flower blowtorch.  The first thing you gotta do is realize there's nothing bringing that sonuvabitch down; those fuckers float in the air forever no matter how much you push or pull 'em.  Instead, you gotta carve off pieces from it as it's floating up there. Awkward at first, but by the fiftieth time, it's fucking clockwork.

Melt down the pieces and you've got the golden goo perfect for crafting all sorts of nasty tools.  A bat made from question block has just enough lightness for a easy swing, but just enough density to still effectively break a kneecap.  A blade still won't pierce, say, a Chain Chomp, but it can at least pierce most Koopa shells.  Plus, some people just like the gold color; they think it looks sick.

I personally think the best use of question block goo is making bullets out of it.  They're denser than most others and they maintain their speed for longer. The only downside is they stand out if you leave them in a body at a crime scene, but that's irrelevant as long as you're cleaning up your messes properly.  If anyone had the time and resources to search the bottom of the sea near Rogueport Docks, I imagine you'd find a glittering trove of golden bullets scattered among the bones of the forgotten.

One of those bullets dances idly through my fingers as I listen to one of my subordinates, a Craw with the quite frankly unfortunate name of Garf, lament about his recent mistreatment by the Syndicate.

"Ishnail, they just stomped the shit out of us!  Gus and I, we weren't doin' NOTHIN' and those leafy fucks attacked us.  Everyone knows the Plaza's neutral territory, we gotta DO somethin' about this."

Craws get a bad rap, in my opinion.  They get labeled as savage, but I've always found them to be much more thoughtful than people would assume.  Even in this moment, as my eyes gaze upon Garf's tattered, bloodied vest and bandana, and his curved beak squawks in rage, I notice the slightest trace of tears at the very edges of his eyes.  Aw.

"Let me ask you one question, Garf."  Out of respect, Garf immediately goes silent. Again, thoughtful.  "Were you and Gus carrying your spears?"

"I......I mean.....we have to, it's part of Craw culture...."

"I'm well aware, but Garf, I'm sure YOU'RE well aware that no weapons are allowed in the Plaza.  I mean, at the very least, keep a goddamn gun hidden in your pocket, don't wave a fucking SPEAR around.  You're just asking for the Piantas to give you a beating."

I get up from the dingy sofa I've been lounging on and dust myself off.  "But I can't have Don Pianta thinking it's okay to fuck up my guys.  I'll have to have a word with the ol' mustachioed fuck."  I pat Garf on the cheek and wipe a tear away with my thumb.  He nods in appreciation.

I motion to two of my subordinates, a scrappy looking Goomba named Goomfrey and a laidback Hammer Brother named Hamma.  We step outside HQ and into the bustling, grimy streets of Rogueport's east side.  

As long as I've lived in Rogueport, it's always carried the smell of the sea in the air.  It's a welcome scent to me, having grown up in the Seaside Kingdom.  My mom was a Bubblainian; she raised me when my deadbeat Koopa dad left us, and what she gave me was the snail shell on my back and a love for the water.  Merchants shouting and the occasional "STOP, THIEF!" ring out as my muscle and I make our way through the Plaza.  We pass the gallows where the Shadow Queen's corpse was supposedly hung from one thousand years ago.  Fittingly gruesome lore for a city filled with murderous rat-bastards.

A sickly sweet scent starts to mingle with the smell of the sea and garbage I'm used to. It's an indication that we're entering the west side of Rogueport. Sure, it's a much tidier area than where the Robbos and I live; there may be fancy-ass things like "flowers" and "benches," how hoity-toity.  You can put lipstick on a Li'l Oink, but it still smells like shit.

We walk into Westside Goods.  There's no need for the customary password; Peeka, the Boo shopkeeper, knows why I'm here.  She opens up the back door, and we walk up the stairs in the back alley to Don Pianta's office.

"Ishnail, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Don Pianta stands behind his desk; as much as I hate to admit it, his presence is overwhelming.  "And you brought friends, too?" he notes as he sees Goomfrey and Hamma.

If you want to live long in Rogueport, every time you enter a room, you have to mentally gauge 1. the quickest way to escape, 2. who you may need to disable and/or kill to escape, and 3. how easy that's all going to be.  Two giant yellow Pianta in suits stand guard at both sides of the Don's desk. A blue Pianta in a white suit, the Don's underboss Frankie, closes the door behind us.  

Piantas are not easy to injure, let alone kill; I know this from years of tangling with the Don's gang.  The little palm trees and skirts would make you think otherwise, but Piantas are naturally built like fucking dump trucks and hit just as hard.  Hamma's a Glitz Pit fighter, and I've seen what he can do with that hammer.  Goomfrey gets underestimated for his species, but his reputation precedes him; he has bitten off more fingers than your average Rogueportian.  Still, a fight against four Piantas, even with my question block bullets, would be brutal.  It's telling that you never see a Pianta with a weapon because nothing will kill you faster than simply their own fists.

"Your men attacked mine, Don.  And for what, carrying spears?  You and I both know that's bullshit."

"My men....have been on edge.  Your little Bandit friends have been scuttling around, picking too many pockets they shouldn't be.  Keep that shit on the East Side where it belongs, and we'll be fine."

As Don Pianta talks, he habitually cracks his knuckles.  Out of all the Piantas in the syndicate, Don Pianta is truly a mammoth; his muscles are barely contained by the suit he's wearing.  Honestly, if he wasn't my ultimate arch-nemesis in this town, shit, I'd fuck him.  I like my men beefy.

"Alright, Don.  I'll tell my boys to keep their weapons out of the plaza.  You and I both know no one benefits if we fight in the streets.  Bad business for both your establishments and mine.  Let's keep things quiet."

"Agreed," The Don extends a giant hand.  I shake it firmly.

I turn to leave with my muscle in tow.  As I open the door to leave, I hear a whisper.

"Get your slimy shell outta here, you fuck."

I pause.  I give Goomfrey the look, and he smirks.  Goomfrey's eyes quickly dart and I know he's already memorizing every little detail about the yellow Pianta who whispered the insult.  Without another word, I close the door behind me.

---

There's one more use for question block goo I forgot to mention.  It's perfect for weighing things down.  

I breathe in the salty seaport air; it's particularly sweet tonight.  The golden bullet dances between my fingers; I know it's a bad habit, but it's fun to fidget with.  It'll go to good use though.  I load it into my Fire Flower pistol with a few others and carefully attach the silencer.

"Now, listen, uh...what was his name again?"

"Paulie," says Goomfrey, standing to my side with a grin.

"That's right, Paulie.  I'm a pretty patient person, I think most people including your boss would agree, but I've got a real sore spot about the shell, ya know?  It's just, it reminds me of my dear old ma, and I love her to bits.  You understand, right?"

There is no response from Paulie due to his crushed windpipe courtesy of Hamma's hammer.  Quite frankly, I'm impressed he's still conscious from the pain.  He looks up at me from his crouching position eyes filled with hate, his hands and feet encased in reforged golden question blocks.  Piantas are heavy, so four blocks worth is safest.

"I did promise the dear Don that I'd keep things quiet, so let's cut to the chase." I point the gun at his forehead and before he can react, I fire three shots.  There's no need to prolong this shit; I'm not a sadist. Hamma and Goomfrey pick up the body and toss it off the port into the sea.

"For what it's worth, boss," says Hamma in a low, pleasant baritone.  "I like your shell.  Looks good on ya."

"Aww, thanks."

[love-and-monsters]

Armon the Aqrabaumelu

Hey guys! Before I get into this, I’m just letting you know I won’t be posting writing for the next two weeks because it’s grad school final time and I have so much work. In the meantime, if you want to give me some prompts, I’m all ears!

M aqrabaumelu X F reader, 2,895 words

You’ve been hired to paint a portrait for a local rich family. What do you make of your irritated (and a little irritating) subject?

Fortune Falls was a small town, but it was surprisingly bustling. Perhaps it was the variety of species that kept it that way. Perhaps it was just the sort of people who came to a place like Fortune Falls, excited young people who were trying to start up new lives and careers. At least half of the shops in town had opened in the last couple of years and were run by young residents.

You weren’t one of the excited newcomers, although you could have easily been mistaken for one. Your family was one of the first to move to Fortune Falls, which meant you had some roots here, and had managed to snag an apartment toward the town center for relatively cheap. Your family was friends with the building owner, and you were handy enough to earn your low rent.

It also meant that your career as a struggling artist was at least somewhat feasible. Your family had connections with the other families in town, especially the well-off ones. The sort of families with the disposable income who could commission artists for portraits.

That was your newest job. A commission for one of the older money families, a portrait of their second-oldest son, since he had come of age. Portraits were, in your humble opinion, exceedingly boring. Trying to paint a face staring off into the distance while subtly tweaking their worst features to suit their vain attitudes wasn’t interesting. You were much more partial to landscapes and nature scenery. Much more beautiful. But you still had expenses and if painting rich people managed to pay them, so be it. You would.

The Aristota house was technically just outside of town, on an enormous plot of land. You gathered your supplies into the passenger’s seat of your ancient car and hobbled up their long, winding driveway.

It was a pretty mansion, you thought. But it was also just a little bit too rich for your taste. The chandeliers, the velvet carpets, the deep reds and golds and creams. It was all just a little too much, like they were more interested in showing off their money than creating a house that was nice to live in.

Fortunately, you knew the family well enough for them to dispense with the overly stuffy pleasantries. “Good to see you again,” Mrs. Aristota said when you entered the sunroom. She was settled on a long, red couch, deep orange carapace glinting in the sunlight. “You’ve met Armon before?”

You looked toward the person she was gesturing at. He looked quite similar to her- a rounded, but sharp-cheeked face, thick lashes, rich, black hair, and long, delicately fingered hands. Like the rest of his family, he was, from the waist down, an enormous scorpion. His carapace was a deep shade of orange and his tail was lifted, curling behind him with its stinging tip brandished outward. You knew enough about aqrabaumelu body language to read the discomfort in his posture.

“We’ve met before,” you said. It had admittedly been years ago, when you were both teenagers, and neither of you had wanted to be around each other. “Hello.”

He dipped his head to you, then went back to staring out the window. He was wearing a black coat with little gold stitches around the hems. His long nails worked at the hem, tearing the stitches out a little at a time.

“You have the specifications for the portrait?” Mrs. Aristota asked. She rose from her couch and skittered over you, looking critically at your supplies.

“Same as the last one I did, I assume,” you said.

“This one will be a little smaller,” she said. “But roughly similar, yes. Armon will give you any more details he desires.” She walked over to him and lifted his chin in her hand. “And smile, won’t you?”

With that, she turned and headed out of the room. You finished placing your canvas on the easel and organized your paints before looking at your subject.

He’d mostly turned his back on you, staring out the windows of the sunroom into the garden. You cleared your throat. No response. You cleared it again, louder this time. His gaze flicked to you, expression unchanging.

“Are you ready to begin?” you asked. “Pick a position you think you can comfortably hold for a bit. I’ll take pictures, but I like sketching in person. It helps me with proportions.”

Armon let out a long, heavy sigh and crept across the room until he was standing in front of you. He stared flatly ahead, tail still hooked and lifted in its defensive posture. His expression was flatly neutral, almost bored. You frowned at him. “Uh. You sure that’s the position you want to go for?”

His dark eyes slid to you for a moment. Then they returned to their staring-blankly-ahead position. You shrugged. “Whatever.” You could make some touch-ups to make the position a little more interesting, more stately instead of bored. After snapping a few photos, you sat down and got to work.

A silence fell over the room. You could hear your pencil scratching against the canvas, the soft noise of your breath. Every now and then, Armon would shift a little and the hard plates of his carapace scraped quietly together. After thirty minutes, you paused, flexing your wrist.

“Wanna move around a bit?” you asked. Armon shifted his head toward you.

“I thought that would be disallowed.” His voice was both deep and quiet.

“Nah. You can shift around a little bit. Just go back to the position when you’re done. I can tweak a little bit to fix any problems. And I need a break too.” You stood up, rolling your wrist and stretching your legs. “Want to take a look at what I have so far?”

He scuttled over to you and peered at the canvas. You saw his eyes move, roving over the image, then he leaned back. There was no change in his face. “What, nothing?” you said. “I thought it was pretty good. Anything you like, don’t like, want more of?”

Armon sighed, shifting his weight. “I don’t know. I’m not an artist.”

“Well, if I think it’s a bad idea, I just won’t do it. I’m just asking your opinion. It’s your portrait.”

Armon laughed. It was a bitter, cold laugh. “This is not me,” he said, pointing at the painting.

You frowned, feeling a flicker of insult. It wasn’t your best work ever, but it didn’t look that bad. It looked like him! “In what way?” you asked, keeping your tone neutral. You’d never had any of them, but you’d heard about clients who wouldn’t let their painters stop until the image looked like a god come to earth. If he was trying that angle, you weren’t sure how long you could bite your tongue for.

Armon looked at you for a moment, then sighed out his nose and waved a hand. “It doesn’t matter.” He walked back over to his position and held it again. This time, he looked even more stiff and uncomfortable. His tail tip twitched like he was threatening to strike.

You looked consideringly at the painting. Even with your careful alterations, he still looked a little stiff. His tail was arched over his back in a way that seemed unnatural, and his expression was severe. You couldn’t give an accurate depiction of his smile because you’d never seen him give one. His brother had been all grins and self-importance. Armon seemed to be sulking.

“I need a break.” You tossed down your pencil. Armon gave you a look.

“Weren’t we just taking a break?” he asked. You stretched, groaning as your joints popped. Armon blinked at you as your arm twisted around. “Humans aren’t supposed to bend that way,” he said. His expression was vaguely queasy.

“I’m double jointed,” you said. “And I need to walk around for a bit. Stretch my legs, you know? And my fingers, otherwise my hands will cramp.” You tilted your head, staring around the room with feigned interest. “Mind showing me around the place?”

Armon clicked his many legs against the ground. “Something you’re particularly interested in seeing?” he asked with little enthusiasm.

“Whatever you’re interested in is fine by me,” you said charitably. Perhaps you could get another emotion out of him that wasn’t sullen disappointment.

There was a moment of consideration, then Armon opened the glass door to the outside. Without checking to see if you were following, he stepped outside and into the sunshine.

You followed him to a small stand of trees around a pond. He settled by it, back pointed at you. “This is nice,” you said, looking around. Your fingers were itching for your supplies. It would be a lovely scene. In fact, Armon’s form seemed to fit well with it. His unfocused, serene gaze, the curl of his lowered tail, the sweep of his black hair over his brow. He seemed much more relaxed than he had in the house.

“I have an idea,” you said. Armon’s gaze became guarded as he looked up at you. “We can continue the painting out here.”

Armon gave you a bewildered look. “What?”

“It’s a nice day. And the sunroom’s really hot. We can keep going out here. Much nicer.” Armon frowned. His many legs shifted, sharp tips digging into the dirt. “Something wrong with that idea?”

“I thought Mother wanted it done in the sunroom.” His voice was stiff and his tail was starting to bristle again. You put on your easiest smile and clapped him on the shoulder. He started at the touch.

“I’ll tell her I thought it looked nicer out here. I’m sure she’ll be fine with it.” You turned and started to head back inside. After a moment, you heard the quiet scuttling of Armon following you.

He watched as you gathered your supplies up. It took some skill to juggle them. You carefully slid the easel under your arm and tried to gather as many paints as you could into your arms. Armon stared at you for a moment, then picked up your paint box from the floor. He held it still while you carefully dumped your paints into it. “Thanks,” you said.

“Just helps speed things up,” he mumbled. Before you could say anything else, he headed out the door ahead of you.

You followed him back to the small stand of trees and set your supplies up again. When you looked up, you clapped a hand over your mouth, barely preventing a giggle.

There were several birds around Armon. Three of them were crows, and one was a blue jay, which was perched happily on his tail, apparently unconcerned by the venom. A chipmunk was eying him from a short distance away, and a squirrel was sitting by one of his hands without concern. Armon seemed to consider this as relatively unimpressive. His expression was just as neutral as it had been before. But his tail, you noticed, was relaxed.

“Uh,” you said gently, “so how long have you been a Disney princess?”

His tail jerked reflexively and the animals scattered. “Oh,” you said, watching in disappointment. “That would have made a cool painting. Can you make them come back?”

“I don’t make them do anything,” Armon said. “They just know me.” He looked around, his gaze softening. “I come out here a lot. It’s nice. Better than inside the house.”

There was something peaceful in his gaze. Almost without thinking, you reached out and started sketching.

“No wonder you seem comfortable out here,” you said. You kept your tone low, trying to encourage his mood. One of the birds hopped cautiously closer. Armon stretched out a hand toward it.

“Mm. The animals are nice.” The bird, a crow, closed the distance between them. Armon let out a low whistle and it hopped onto his hand. “There are stray cats out here too, sometimes. I feed them. Can’t have them in the house, though. Father doesn’t like furry pets.”

“Allergic?”

“No. He just doesn’t like the fur.” Armon stroked a finger over the bird’s head. It let out a croaking note. His lips twitched.

For the first time, you saw the tiniest of smiles appear on his face. You sketched it into place. One of his cheeks dimpled. It was rather adorable.

He stayed still and silent for several moment, stroking absently over the bird’s head. You hurried to get the scene out onto paper. It was a much more relaxed picture than the one you’d been trying to paint inside.

“You seem to have a strong connection with them,” you said after a few minutes. “Can you speak to them?”

Armon looked at you. For a moment, you were pretty sure he wasn’t going to answer, then he shrugged. “Not like we’re speaking. They’re not that intelligent. But I’ve spent enough time with them that I understand their mannerisms.” He glanced at you. “People, not so much.”

“I feel that,” you said. “I’m better with paint than people.”

Armon turned his gaze back to the bird. “You’ve been doing well to me.”

“Yeah, that’s lots of practice. I’m not very naturally good at it.” Armon snorted and his tail lashed.

“I was never any good at it. Nothing like my brother.”

You gave an absent nod. “He’s a charmer, isn’t he?”

Armon closed his eyes. “He’s much better than I am.” There was a pause as he swallowed. The bird fluttered back to the ground and pecked at the soil. “I think my parents have quite given up on me.” He said it with a bit of a laugh, but his expression was twisting in a way that almost made him look like he was going to cry.

You lowered your pencil. “Given up?”

“You need to be good with people to be good at business. I’m awful with them. I’m just too unapproachable. They keep me around, add me to the collection of family portraits, but I am not what they want in a son.”

“Fuck your family,” you said. Armon blinked at you. “Your family’s too up their own ass. No offense. Why don’t you just leave? You’re old enough, aren’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Armon said. “But I don’t really know how. I’ve never been on my own before.”

“You’ve got a lot of money. You’ve got some time. Why don’t you just figure out what you want to do? Not saying it’s going to be easy. It’ll be a lot different than what you’re used to, but it’ll be better. I mean, being an artist isn’t easy. But it’s more enjoyable than doing something easy that makes me miserable.”

The grass rustled as Armon made his way over to you. He sat down, looking at the drawing over your shoulder. There was a moment of silence, then Armon let out a low, shaky sigh.

“That’s me,” he said, reaching over to tap the painting. He traced the slight smile that twitched at his lips, the softness that gathered around his eyes. “That one is me.” He leaned into your side, letting his head rest on your shoulder. “Thank you.”

You didn’t get much more painting done that day. Armon showed you around the grounds a little bit before dropping you off at the front gate. “I’ll show you the painting when it’s done,” you said.

Armon smiled again. It was small, and it looked poorly practiced, but it was something. “I’ll look forward to it.”

It was a couple of weeks before you returned to the house. You met with Armon’s mother before going to the sun room, where Armon was waiting. He looked up as you entered.

“Here,” you said, holding it out toward him. He took it delicately, as if he was afraid his claws would tear the canvas. He stared at it for a long time, just taking in the artwork.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “It’s better than I thought it was going to be.” He gave a weak smile. “All those portraits in the halls are so stuffy. So formal. They’re never something I really wanted to be a part of. This one is much nicer.”

You shrugged. “You can keep that one, if you want. I’m not getting paid for it.”

Armon’s head snapped up. “Why not?”

“Didn’t meet the specifications your mother was looking for, apparently. She said it was too… um… casual, I think.”

Armon looked down at the painting. “I’m sorry. I should have-”

“Don’t sweat it. It wasn’t your idea, remember? I pushed you into it.” You shrugged. “Your mom’s giving me a second chance, though. I would have to do it right this time.” You perched on the side of a lounge, looking steadily at Armon. “Are you going to be okay with that?”

Armon gave a small smile. “I don’t think I’d mind sitting for another portrait,” he said. “As long as you’re the one doing it.”

“Hey, I’m not exactly mad about it either,” you said. Armon made to hand you back the painting, but you pushed it back toward him. “I did say you could keep that, right? It’s a gift.”

Armon looked down at it with a faint smile. “Thank you,” he said. You memorized that smile. It was going into his portrait no matter what.

[ratsketches]

Thinking about TLOU again (no surprises there dhdsfi) while doing some game dev work and I remembered this tweet Neil did a while back that’s got me thinking: 

Even though it’s probably unlikely, I wonder if there’s a chance of there being some kind of spooky ceiling crawler type infected in TLOU II (maybe something that behaves like the spider and statue splicers in Bioshock?) that will be a surprise enemy introduced in the same way the Bloaters were in the first game to take the player off-guard. 

I definitely think it’s better to keep the infected humanoid because otherwise it kind of just becomes a resident evil type creature, or it runs the risk of straying too far from the lore they’ve built up with the first game. 

One of the best things about TLOU with the creature designs (at least to me) is how, no matter how messed up their bodies are, you can still see the person that the infected used to be underneath. 

I know we have the new form of the stalkers that act as a sort of quieter version of the clickers but I was kind of hoping we’d have something more stealth based that is able to go on the ceiling and stalk around in more unusual ways. 

Maybe these guys attach themselves to the wall/ceiling and scuttle across to try and ambush you. The game has a lot of ground focused enemies with varying heights, but I feel like having some kind of ceiling based enemy would add some variety to the game later down the line - making you rely more on where you aim and properly exploring the environment (especially if these guys are really quiet, as it will force you to look around in case they sneak up above you).

In terms of where they would be on the infected life cycle, maybe these could come between the bloaters/shamblers and the dead bodies that you can find in a lot of the abandoned buildings (where the fungi has completely taken over the host and have started to grow out into the environment). They’re close to death and perhaps they can even amalgamate into masses like what we see with the dead infected that become spore sources and stuff - potentially either being made up of an individual or individuals that have been clumped together by the fungus. 

Plus,,,,,I just really want to see them use these designs in some way because they’re so damn cool (and weirdly pretty): 

Maybe they could still do a design like this but make it into something a little more humanoid? Or they could always go wild with this one and it as more of a body amalgamation type thing that’s completely different from anything we’ve seen before from these infected! 

I’d be down for seeing some infected animals too but to be honest I kind of prefer the fact that the fungus primarily effects humans - as it helps to make these guys stand out and feel more grounded. 

Might mess around and do some concept art for these guys just for fun but either way it would be rad to see something that combines aspects from all of these to make a new terrifying enemy for Ellie to face in the game!! Either way I’m definitely interested to see how wild they go with the mutations and new forms of infected and what they do in the game. 

Maybe I’m just biased because I really like a lot of body horror and stuff lol but I’d love to see some kind of big shambling ceiling creature that’s got it’s own sort of wildlife growing on it’s body that you’ve got to be cautious of - maybe they even come in two forms: a smaller, more agile one that’s made of an individual infected, and another that’s a sort of amalgamation?   

[forbetterorworsefinalspace]

Dog’s Breakfast

Rating: Teen and Up

Fandom: Final Space

Part: 5

Link-  🌌

_______________________________________________________

Finally Sheryl begins her search for the Dimensional Keys, Gary just gets in the way and Sheryl goes through an actual mom experience.

Just don't get your hopes up.

_______________________________________________________

“Don’t run o- GARY! DO NOT RUN OFF!”

“I won’t!” Gary responded, still taking off in the same direction.

Oh FUCK me….

Sheryl ran a hand down her face as she watched the child stop to look at a sale stand. They were currently on day one of their stay in Furtasanguinis and it was their first day in the marketplace. This city was the largest on the planet, and the black market here was more of just a market. All around were shady characters, buying and selling wears. Sheryl eyed a bird monster who shuffled by, dripping in a green goo that was likely alien blood.

So you know, a child friendly location.

She had set up a meeting with one of her contacts, who would either know something about these keys, or know who to ask. It was in half an hour by the fountain- well, fountain turned drowning pool. Sheryl frowned as a large group of Aliens began to drown another in the muddy water, the fountain just spurting sludge. 

“Mom! MOM! Come look at the bugs store!!”

Sheryl kept watching the drowning, pulling a ciggy out to light up. Gary just kept on calling her.

“Mom! Mom!! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!Mom!! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!Mom!! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!-”

“Eh?” Sheryl responded when the alien finally went slack and the bubbles stopped.

“Bug store mom!”

Uhhhhh…

Sheryl turned and slumped over to the vender Gary was referring to. The vendor was a lean character with eight arms, three eyes and a weird feeler mouth, like a shrimp. On his table were a variety of bags in jars and cases, from all over the universe.

“Look! Mooncake could’a made some friends.” Gary tapped one of the cases with a weird slug, crab thing inside. “C-cute little guys!”

“Mooncake?” Sheryl asked, smoke wafting from her mouth.

“Yeah! My Lunar moth caterpillar! He’s in the jar back home.” Gary smiled.

“Oh that thing.” Sheryl responded lazily, smoking her cigarette. 

“Uh huh!” Gary looked over the display. “I wonder if there are any earth bugs here?”

“Nah, not rare enough.” Sheryl sniffed. 

“Do you know any of these?” Gary asked, gesturing to them. “What are they?”

“Sure lets see.” She started pointing at them with her cigarette. “Endangered, endangered, rare, endangered, venomous, poisonous, on the no trade list, endangered, technically extinct, venomous,-”

Then alien vending the shop started to yell at them then, shaking four of his eight arms. He was screeching in a forgin language but Sheryl understood every word. Gary darted behind her but Sheryl didn’t notice him, she was solely focused on the very angry broomstick before her.

She let him finish, not moving an inch, but when he was done, she took out her cigarette and fried back at him. Twice the intensity, twice the volume and twice the vulgarity. No one stopped to watch as this was pretty commonplace, but the shop vender was certainly shaken, head ducking lower and lower as Sheyrl blasted him, verbally into next week. Finally he just took off, scuttling into the back of his shop, crying a little.

Victorious, Sheryl put her smoke back in her mouth, dusted off her shirt and went back to the fountain, Gary trailing behind.

“What happened?! Why was he such a wet turd?!” Gary whined, staring back at the store. “He just started yelling!”

“Thought I was calling his wears garbage.” Sheryl said, sitting down on a bench near the fountain. “I showed him who the real garbage was though.”

“Oh.” Gary looked back. “How you speak his language?”

“I speak many languages, all part of the espionage business Gary.” Sheryl sniffed, tapping her cigarette free of ash. “Tweedlepick is actually pretty easy to learn. It's just making the right mouth shapes that’s hard. They got that bottom feeder mouth shape, more blubbing.”

“Wow! Can you show me to do that?” Gary asked, excited.

“Ahhh, maybe later kiddo.” Sheryl spotted her contact through the crowd. “Here, my friend just showed up, stay close to me.” She tossed her smoke into the muddy water and was shocked when it erupted into flame in an instant, people yelling and screaming. It died down in less than five seconds though, so she shrugged and walked off.

“Sssherylllll…” The hooded centipede creature hissed, red glowing eyes peering out at her.

“Scheer, yah old bastard, how are you?” Sheryl asked, clasping him on the back.

“Allssss welll. You?”

“Not as well.” She admitted. “I have a sorta mission I’m on, trying to find something called Dimensional Keys. You ever heard of ‘em?”

“Dimenssssional Keysss…” Scheer garbled, scratching his chin with a bone like hand. “I have heard whisssperssss.”

Thank god, maybe this wasn’t a goosechase from a drunken nightmare.

“Oh? What have you heard?”

“That they are but the thing of legandssss.” Scheer explained, shuffling on his many legs. “However, I have not looked into them much farther than that.”

“How much would that cost?” Sheryl asked.

“Dependssss on how much work it issss.” He chuckled deeply. “My work issss not cheap.”

“I got money.” Sheryl said. “And some nice Earth shit. You don’t get much Earth drugs up here, do you?”

“Mmmmmmmm…” Scheer looked thoughtful. “No….”

“Tell you what, you put your feelers out, get the ball rolling, and I’ll let you have a taste.” Sheryl smiled. “Follow through, get me what I want, the entire stash I have is yours.”

“How much issss there?”

“Truthfully only a couple dozen bags, but when something isn’t plentiful, you can charge more for it.” She explained. “So what do you say?”

“...I will ssssee what I can find.” He crackled. “However if the effort beginsss to outway the reward, I may have to raissse my pricesss.”

“Your always worth the costs Scheer.” Sheryl said, but leaned in close. “Just don’t try to fuck me over.”

“I can only assssk for the sssame thing.”

“Then we understand one another.” Sheryl said, standing back. “When should I expect news?”

“Give me an Earth week.” Scheer whispered, starting to scuttle away. “I’ll sssee what I have for you.”

“Alright then.” Sheryl said, watching him leave.

Same old Scheer, even after all these years. Slimy but reliable. 

Anyway, there was no real reason to stick around for now. They could grab some food and head back to the Trailer, where she parked in the middle of the woods.

“Alright Gary, lets-” Sheryl turned and looked at her feet, only to find dirt.

Oh god damn it.

“Gary.” Sheryl scowled, looking up over the crowd and stalls around her. “Gary!”

Nothing.

Confused, Sheryl looked to the bug stand to the west. 

No.

Then to the street meat buggie to the east.

No.

Then everything in between.

NO.

“Gary?” She called, looking around a few more times, to no avail.

He was just gone.

A small shard of glass stabbed at something under her rib the moment she realized Gary was awol. It was a forgin emotion to Sheryl, she had never felt it before and she stall for a moment.

Fuck.

Fuck! FUCK! God Damn, shitty FUCK!

Sheryl forced herself to breath. Calm down! There are only two reasons Gary could be gone. Either he wandered off, or he was taken away. There's no time to panic.

She knelt to the ground, looking in the dirt.

Thankfully earth sneakers were a very visible and traceable patterns.

She followed them a little ways away to an alley, where they quickly turned into a scuffle before two larger prints were running down into the shadows.

Great. Kidnapped.

Sheryl looked down the alley with a scowl.

Should she really go after him? Honestly she told him to stay by her. What use was he if he didn’t listen.

Sheryl rolled her eyes.

Supplies would last longer for one person. Be more quiet. Less mess and disorder.  Hell, she may get the job done faster. Not to mention he’d just be a liability wherever they go…

She should just go back to the ship and forget about this.

‘What kind of monster has a child with someone, just to steal some plans?!’

‘If yah ain’t gonna be useful, you should just get busy dyin’!’

‘No ones comin’ ta save you this time sweetheart. Your rooted.’

Sheryl inhaled deeply and scowled, but started down the darkened alley. 

Fuckin hell.

Thankfully the footprints were very distinct, she was able to follow them through the winding pathways to edge of the marketplace. A few places they were cluttered or destroyed by other prints, but she was able to guesstimate where they were headed and catch up farther down the line with the tracks again.

Finally she came out to a more stable like area of the city, bustling with aliens and animal aliens of all sorts. Looking down she could see a large stack of cages by a shipping container, and Gary was seated in one at the bottom.

Sheryl ambled over and knelt beside the sniffling boy, she stared to a nearby wall.

“So!” She said, startling him. “What’cha doing Gary?”

“Mom!” He scrambled to wipe his eyes and turned to her quickly. “Your here! Some jack-ass-alope took me away and locked me up in here!!”

“Did he.” She stated. “Now how in the hell did he do that with you standin’ right next to me?”

“Uhhhh…” Gary deflated.

“Could it possibly be that you didn’t listen and took off?”

“...Maybe…”

Sheryl blew some hair out of her face. “Mmm, ok then. Have a good life Gary.” She stood up and began to walk away.

“H-hey! Wait!” Gary waved at her to stop. “Aren’t you gonna save me?”

“You made your choice Gary, now you have to live with it.” Sheryl tutted. “I mean, clearly your able to go off on your own, like you wanted-”

“No! No! I just wanted to see the shops while you talked!” Gary shouted, panicking.

“I dunno, you don’t seem to want to listen to me.” Sheryl hummed, looking at her nails. “It might be best if we-”

“No! Don’t leave me here!!!”

Sheryl paused, looking to the ground for a few seconds before groaning. She came back and squatted by the cage, eyes narrowed. “You gonna listen to me?!”

“Yes!”

“You gonna do as your told?!”

“Yes!Yes! Pease!!!”

She grunted. “Fine.”

“HEY! Who are you!?” A voice shouted angrily. Gary yelped and crawled deeper into the cage as Sheryl turned around. She looked up into the face of a very grumpy, toad like alien. Then down to a set of very framilerly shaped feet. “Get away from my products!”

“Right.” She reached into her boot for her combat knife and stood. “Let’s get this over with.”

Ten minutes later she left the city in the direction of the camper, dripping in blue blood. Again no one paid her any mind, not even when she had Gary in one hand, forcing him along in front of her by the back of his shirt. 

“When we get back home, you are in charge of dishes, mopping and getting the fire ready- DO NOT LIGHT IT UNTIL I AM THERE- I will be taking a soak in the tub.” Sheryl ordered, making him walk up onto a bridge. “I am understood?”

“Yes mom.”

She let him go and kept walking, heading back to camp. Gary took a moment to catch up to her.

“Mom…”

“Eh?” She grunted.

“T-thanks for not leaving me behind.” He sniffled. She glanced at him, frowning when she saw he was sporting a black eye, clothes dirty and hair askew. 

She looked back out to the woodlands. “Yeah, well, don’t make me regret it.”

Gary didn’t respond.

[keelywolfe]

FIC: The Elephant in the Room ch.3 (baon)

Summary: Jeff has started working at the Embassy. He’s got a new job, a new car, and a new place to live. Now if only the rest of his life could fall into order, that’d be great. Any time now…any time at all…

Tags: Spicyhoney, Kustard, Established Relationships, Prejudice Against Monsters, Angst,  Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Past Suicidal Thoughts,  Mental Health Issues, Friendship

Notes: Red, you little cryptid, why can’t you ever let anything be easy? Then again, if Jeff was hoping for things to be straightforward, he picked the wrong brother. 

Part of the ‘by any other name’ series.

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Read it on AO3

or

Read it here!

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It was worth the long sit-down in the kid’s office, twiddling his thumbs in the dark as Red waited for the door to open. Worth it for that one moment to see Andy have to bite back a scream when he saw Red at his desk. Give the kid credit though, he didn’t piss himself, which had been known to happen. That was always funny as shit, but kinda annoying, because then Red had to wait around for whoever to change their pants. He was busy, for fuck’s sake, and there were plenty of other places he needed to lurk. Tell the truth, he’d been a little surprised to hear the kid was looking for him. Surprised and frankly intrigued. Andy’d only been working at the Embassy for a week, how much trouble could he have stumbled across already? And it was definitely trouble, no two shakes about it. No one came looking for Red because they wanted to share a kit kat, such a fucking pity. Jeff was still standing in the doorway, doorknob in hand, staring at Red like maybe he was expecting a pit to hell to open up beneath him and swallow him back down. Could happen someday, Red supposed, but today was not that day and he was gettin’ bored of waiting. “you can come in,” Red said magnanimously, gesturing him inside. “whatever diseases i got don’t transfer.” His grin widened as Jeff sat in the visitor’s chair rather than drop-kicking him out of the desk like his bro would’ve. Nervously little twerp, wasn’t he. But Red wasn’t much fooled by that; he’d seen Andy boy step up for the people he cared about, more than once. Kid had a soft soul, for sure, but a good one. Like Papyrus. Like Blue. This world could use a coupla those and it was up to souls like Red’s to keep the world from fucking them over. One more dinky scar on his was nothin’, but if Red had his way, Jeff’s was never gonna need so much as a band-aid.

Fucking liabilities. “Hi, um, it’s just,” Jeff stammered a bit and Red only looked at him, let him wriggle a little longer on the hook. He kept his approval under wraps when Jeff took a few breaths, calming himself, and said, “Earlier today, Stretch and I were downtown.” “uh huh,” Red slouched back in the chair, let his eye lights roll back. Looked like he was reading a teleprompter off the ceiling, but the truth was, Red kept all his info in the safest place Above or Below ground, all filed away neat and tidy in his own skull. “classic books, owned by thomas meyer, immigrated in 1965 with his folks. his pop owned the bookstore and thomas took it over a while back. does okay, the rare book gig helps keep him afloat. did even better when monsters popped up, they love books and ain’t so tied to amazon.” “What?” Jeff blinked at him in a mixture of surprise and awe, “I didn’t know any of that.” He looked a little too damn impressed by a little googling and a lot of patience, and fuck if this kid didn’t pick some bad role models. Shit on a shingle, if Red had a windowless van, Jeff would probably be climbing on in it hoping for some free damn ice cream, no self-preservation at all. His bro sure knew how to pick a liability, this kid was something else. “i know plenty,” Red tapped his gold tooth with one sharp-tipped finger. “so what about it? gimmie some news i can’t get from the paper.” “Well, it’s just that Thomas hired someone to replace me and he’s very…uncomfortable around Monsters.” Jeff was leaning forward, bracing his hands on the desk and probably didn’t even realize it. He looked like the lead detective in an eighties movie as he asked, “Why would someone who doesn’t like Monsters want to work somewhere that is friendly to them? Thomas even has one of those ‘Monsters Welcome’ stickers on his front door.” Wellie well well, now this was interesting. Course, Red already knew what the kid was talking about. Steven Baker, recent graduate of Ebott University. Garden-variety xenophobe, didn’t have any special plans scuttled away on his laptop or some raggedy notebook plastered with MAG stickers. He just needed a job and chose poorly, was all. Some people didn't adjust to Monsters too well and that was fine; Red pretty much didn't want those fuckers around anyway and so long as they stuck to the other side of town, wasn’t much his concern. But the ‘book haus’ reject, eh, that was all dull shit; Red had a lockdown on that info three days ago before that little fucker ever stepped behind the register. What was interestin’ him now was Andy. Here the kid was, bubbling with suspicions like a junior detective, and who did he Scooby Doo to? Not Edge, not Stretch, not even his boytoy. No, he brought that info right to Red, didn’t he, like a cat with a dead bird, eager to show off his prize. Yeah, Red was liking this. Aloud, Red said, “i know all about steve, did a background check when tommy boy hired him. we monitor all the businesses that have the official stickers.” “Oh,” Jeff slumped back into his chair and Red couldn’t help but be amused. Kid looked like he’d unmasked the bad guy and found that it was Old Man Jenkins again. He didn’t stay down though, sat up straight again and asked, “You monitor all the businesses? Why?” Curiosity, good, and even if Andy ain’t exactly ready to share friendship bracelets with Red, he wasn’t letting his nervousness keep him from asking. Red grudgingly pulled his estimation of the kid up another notch. “two reasons.” Red held up two bony fingers then folded one down. “one, to make sure they aren’t getting harassed and feel they need to take it down. monster-friendly business won’t stay that way if they’re afraid to go to their cars at night.” He folded down the second finger. “and two, to make sure they mean it. ‘bout the last thing i ever want to happen is some monster and their kiddies heading into a place expecting a warm welcome and instead leaving in a paper bag.” Jeff nodded slowly, cringing a little at the Red’s description. “Makes sense. I should’ve known you were already on it, guess I was being paranoid.” “no such thing,” Red countered. And wasn’t that a swig of sugar-syrup, the kid had faith in him. "you were right, it is off. that’s good instincts, kid. we’ll be keeping tabs on stevie, don’t you worry, make sure he stays on the right side of the line. you, now, you come tell me anytime you see something or someone who seems off, yeah? anytime. thinking you’re overreacting is how people get hurt, and some people in our company can’t take much of a hit, you get me?” “Yeah, I do,” Jeff said determinedly. Andy had some spine to him in there beneath all the meat. That was the fella who’d decked a stranger on the bus for harassing a Monster, yep. The door opening made him tense, but it was only Antwan, peering in through the crack. He pushed the door open further and stepped inside, “Hey, security said you were here.” Watching the kid light up when he caught sight of Antwan was gag-worthy, but Red managed to choke it down. Being around his bro, the honey bun, and their fucking PDA had helped him build up a tolerance. “Hi, yeah,” Jeff said, “Red and I were talking.” “yep," Red agreed. He wagged his foot lazily where it was propped on the desk. "we’re about done now. thanks for stopping by, sweetheart. see you around.” “Okay,” Jeff said easily, like this wasn’t his office, heh. Kid was a little too easy-going, but that could be fixed with a judicious amount of assholery. Or maybe he was still too distracted by his boytoy, to care because he was all hopeful eyes and sweet-talk when he asked Antwan, “See you tonight?” “Yeah, I’ll meet you at Blue’s,” Antwan said, distractedly. He was pretty busy trying to glare a hole into Red, not an uncommon reaction but not one he was used to from Antwan. His drinking buddy about had steam coming out of his ears and didn’t notice that Jeff’s smile faltered, fading out as he mumbled an agreement and left. Curiouser and curiouser, as some brat once said. “What the fuck are you up to?” Antwan asked bluntly, the second the door swung shut. “dunno what you mean,” Red went through his mental list of annoying vocal tones and went with breezy on this one, but truth was, he really didn’t. And he didn’t like that, not one fucking bit, he liked a clear idear of what was going on around him at all times, and if Antwan had a bug up his ass, Red wanted to know why it crawled up there and what kinda nest it was making. From Antwan’s glare, that bug was pretty far up there. “I mean, why are you calling my boyfriend pet names?” To have that piece of puzzle snap in so easily, Red almost busted out laughing. That was what had Antwan’s panties in a wad? “eh, i do that with everyone,” Red said lazily. He licked his teeth deliberately, running his tongue over each and every point as he enjoyed the rising fury in Antwan’s eyes. “aww, honey, what makes you think i’m interested in your personal meat bag?” “The knowledge that you fucked your way through Europe the last time you went traveling with the diplomats?” Antwan snapped. “I heard plenty about that!" “maybe i had some fun,” Red allowed, and gave him a wolfish grin. Unless Antwan was chatting it up with Sans, he hadn’t even heard the half of it. “dunno, i don’t see your name on andy boy. not a ring or maybe a pretty little collar. gotta say, that might be a good look for him—“ “Stop,” Antwan said, through gritted teeth. Pretty impressive the way wrenched himself back, all that hot anger dropping down the thermometer to icy calm. “Your brother is my best friend, he wouldn’t like it if we killed each other.” Red snorted. This was fun and all, but a slap upside the head with a little realism was probably due. “cute that you think there is any ‘other’ about it. dunno, doesn’t sound like you trust your boy.” “What?” Antwan looked pretty taken aback by that, which was a fine, fine thing. Cause if there was a chance this entertaining lil’ tantrum was about Antwan thinking Jeff was trying to get a late afternoon bone-on, he and Antwan were about to talk real close up, make no mistake about that. Jeff wasn't a cheat, Red had a little file tucked away in the back of his head with plenty of data proving that.

Antwan didn't seem to notice, he only snapped out, "This isn’t about him, it’s about you. I know you too damn well. Leave him alone.” Well, this a slice of something different. He’d never much had anyone worried he was gonna seduce their honey away. Refreshing change, that. Sans was gonna laugh his ass off. “not much of a threat there.” Antwan’s smile was coldly humorless, whew, bet that went over real well in court, probably had a more’n few defendants pissing themselves. “No threats. I know better than to give you advance warning.” “better," Red let his grin widen, licked his teeth again deliberately, "could always make it a threesome.” Now that was a hell of a look. That was fifty shades of no, such a shame. Antwan only sputtered out, “I…what? No!” "pity," Red sighed. He kicked off of the desk and stood, groaning as he stretched with bone-popping force. "cool your jets, i ain’t trying anything with your boy, he had a security issue was all. ask him, he’ll tell ya. now that we've established that i’m not trying to poach, hit bricks.” Antwan only stared at him, visibly fuming, oh, yeah, he was plenty pissed, looked like he was trying to chew off his damn tongue. But Red was done playing nicey-nice for the day and it looked like Antwan was keeping cosplay as the fool aside for Andy. He turned on his heel, ready to storm back out the way he came and it was probably gonna lose him his drinking buddy, at least for a while, but Red couldn't help adding, sing-song sweet, "not trying yet, anyway." The door slamming told Red everything he needed to know about that. Red shook his head, started to pull out a cigar. He'd wait to light it when he got outside, no reason to stink up the kid's office, especially without his bro here to bitch and moan about it. Oh yeah, those two were meant to be. Just like the boss and Stretch, it was almost like a fucking aura around 'em, and Red didn't do Judgements anymore, but he'd never given up Seeing. He was never one to let a gift go to waste and he'd known fucking ages before his bro that he was meant to be with the honey bun. And just like those idiots, these two might need a little nudge in the right direction. That was fine. Red was pretty good when push came to shove.

~~*~~

tbc

[icyharrington]

Heaven In Hell (Michael Langdon X Madison Montgomery X Reader)

this is....very nasty. enjoy :) i didn’t proofread this too hard lol so i apologize for that but hopefully y’all like it anyway lmao

plot: michael langdon has come to save you from your own personal hell, and he has madison montgomery in tow. you both decide to thank him for his efforts.

warnings: fem!Reader, f/f/m threesome, hawthorne!michael, blowjobs, lesbian sex, cunnilingus, sexual intercourse, face riding, spanking, murder(lmao), and the works lol

word count: 5.1k

tags: @chloerrose @pastatophhistory @lttlcoven @prettykitten123 @langdonsrapture @thefakestthot @obsessivenostalgicbaby @cerrychenly @babyhoney-coco @helloitsmestar @80seddie @lambofcairo @jcshadowkiss-blog @kinkylangdon @belusima @errmynee @casualtears @madhatterweasley @meeeeeeeeeps @sassylangdon @langdonsdemon @princessd1e @laurahollislovescarmilla @speakingofmemess @sodanova

Knock knock knock.

You were lying on your back, staring up at the discolored, cracked ceiling above you when you heard it. You hardly reacted, just barely turning your head to one side, cheek brushing the foul-smelling pillowcase propped under your neck. Somehow, each time you attempted to change the pillowcase, it ended up smelling even worse than the last. It was frustrating, considering the only other place you could possibly sleep was the floor, and you’d seen roaches scuttling across the carpet one too many times to feel comfortable doing that. It made sense to you, though.

This was hell, after all.

You’d been trapped there ever since you’d attempted descensum during the seven wonders test with the rest of your coven; you had no idea how long ago it had even happened. In hell, there was no division of day or night- only endless hours ticking on for all eternity. For all you knew, the world could be burnt to a crisp. It didn’t matter; you were going to be stuck here forever. At this point you’d gotten used to it.

Knock knock knock.

The knocks came louder now, and you scowled, imagining your seedy landlord standing outside, holding your eviction notice in one hand. It happened so frequently that you’d stopped being affected by it: he’d tell you that you hadn’t paid your rent in months, and you’d cringe at his lower row of crooked yellow teeth and the foul smell of his breath. Maybe you can convince me not to evict you, though, he’d say, coming closer to you, making you gag as his filthy hands reached out to brush your skin. And then you’d scream at him to leave, and then it would happen all over again.

You grunted, swinging your legs over the side of the bed, scanning the floor for any sort of crawling creature before you set your feet down. Pulling your moth-eaten sweater tighter against your body, you shivered, because of fucking course it was perpetually winter in your personal hell, and of course the heat was always turned off.

Knock knock knock.

“I’m coming,” you shouted, turning the doorknob and yanking it open.

There was your landlord, scraggly porn-stache and all, his beady eyes wandering over you with the discretion of a twelve year old boy.

“Let me guess,” you said in a monotone, crossing your arms in front of you. “I haven’t paid the rent in three months.”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to evict you,” he said. You mouthed the words to yourself as he spoke, having memorized them from hearing them so many times before. He said the exact same thing every time- you would’ve thought that there would be a bit more variety in hell, but apparently not. “Unless…” he ran his tongue over his thin upper lip, wrinkles in his face deepening as he gave you a coy smirk.

“I wouldn’t touch your shriveled dick with a foot-long pole,” you said flatly. He hardly reacted, only taking a step forward into your room, liver-spot covered hands reaching down to grab at his crotch. He licked his lips again, and you expected him to continue on with his attempt at seduction, but instead his head was jerked back by his hair, the assailant obscured in the shadows. You watched in shock as a blade was then yanked harshly across the man’s throat, ushering forward a fountain of blood as he let out a pathetic gurgling noise. He dropped to the ground limply, revealing in the doorway a man that you didn’t recognize.

He was handsome, with well-styled blond hair and angular features. He was dressed in all black, save for a white collar, which was accentuated with a neatly tied ribbon. He took one look at your slack-jawed expression and smirked, folding his hands behind him.

“Hello, (y/n),” he said calmly. “My name is Michael.”

“You’re- you aren’t…from here,” you mumbled, eyes wide as saucers, unsure of what to make of all this.

“So you know where you are?” Michael asked, tilting his head to one side. You couldn’t help but admire the beauty of this man, mouth nearly watering as you regarded each perfect feature of his face. It’d been so long since you’d actually seen someone other than your landlord, who you were sure had been designed specifically by Satan to repulse you.

“Hell,” you said.

“Mhm.” He looked down at the landlord’s body with a disinterested expression, carefully stepping over him to join you inside the tiny apartment. His pale eyes scanned over the contents of the room, which wasn’t much; his lips turned down slightly in disgust, taking in the stained walls and dirty carpet, and you almost felt embarrassed, as if you had any sort of control over this place. “You won’t be for long, though. I’m the man that’s gonna get you out of here.”

You narrowed your eyes, searching for any hint of jest beyond the man’s stoic face, but there was none. “That’s impossible,” you said softly, but you were hopeful, perhaps against your best interest. This was probably just a sick joke, meant to throw you off and make you think you had a chance of escape before tearing it all away.

His lips curved up slightly, and you drew in a breath. “I have someone here with me who might convince you otherwise.”

He held his hand out towards the door, and from the shadowy hallway, sprang a petite blonde. And not just any petite blonde, you quickly realized.

It was Madison fucking Montgomery.

Jumping over the limp body of your former landlord, she pounced on you before you had time to say anything, squeezing you so tight you could hardly breathe. Immediately you reciprocated, burying your head in the crook of her neck. She smelled exactly as you’d remembered, like hairspray and expensive perfume, and you sobbed into her shoulder as she pulled you against her.

“(Y/n), I can’t believe I’m actually seeing you again,” she sighed, pulling away to look at you. God, she was beautiful, and you couldn’t believe you’d almost forgotten. Her large brown eyes were rimmed with tears as she stared at you, plump bottom lip wobbling despite the huge smile on her face.

“Madison,” was all you could muster, all at once overcome with happiness, laughter spilling past your lips uncontrollably. “What the fuck is going on?”

“I was in hell, too,” she said. “But this guy came and saved me. And now he’s gonna save you.”

“You died?” The last thing you remembered, Madison had gone to perform descensum with the rest of the coven. Had she gotten trapped, too?

“Long story,” she said with a dismissive eye roll, reaching up to wipe away her tears. “What’s important is that we’re both getting the fuck out of here.”

She took a second to look around the room, scrunching up her face as a roach made its way past her foot and towards the bathroom. “I honestly didn’t think anything could be worse than my personal retail hell,” she remarked. “But this is pretty fucking close.”

“I know, right?” you said, unable to stop yourself from running your hands up and down Madison’s slim hips. It was hard not to indulge yourself in human contact after spending an eternity in hell, especially when you were being visited by the girl you used to fuck regularly back on earth.

You and Madison hadn’t ever established your relationship when you were alive; she was always your best friend, who you just so happened to have a lot of sex with. Sometimes you’d cuddle afterwards, and you’d definitely harbored feelings for the bitchy blonde, but you were never willing to admit it to yourself.

“I missed you so much,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around your neck. You looked at each other for a moment before she pressed her lips against yours, wasting no time before parting her lips and easing her warm tongue into your mouth. You gasped at the feeling, digging your fingers into her hips, almost entirely forgetting that the two of you weren’t alone.

“Fuck, baby,” she said, moving her lips to your jaw and sending vibrations through your body. “I missed that, too.” She brought her hands from around your neck and onto your breasts, squeezing them hungrily through your sweater.

You shifted your gaze towards Michael, who was standing off to the side. “Madison, can we… can we wait til we’re alone?”  

“Why?” she breathed, trailing kisses down onto your neck. “I wanna fuck you now. Right here in hell, baby.”

You couldn’t deny the aching sensation that had begun to make itself known between your thighs, but the thought of this all happening in front of someone was a little too much, even for you.

“What about…” you said, voice trailing off when you turned to look in Michael’s direction. His face was devoid of any expression as he looked off to the side awkwardly, but you could tell he was somewhat uncomfortable.

“What about what, baby?” she said, biting your earlobe and pulling at it. “I’m sure Michael wouldn’t mind seeing two hot girls fucking. I’ll bet he’d even wanna join in.”

Your breath caught in your throat, and you saw Michael jerk his head towards the both of you, a light flush crossing his cheeks.

“And I think he deserves a thank-you for rescuing us, don’t you think?”

You chewed your bottom lip, considering this. You hardly knew this man, and you’d never been involved in a threesome before, but the idea was no doubt turning you on. You shifted, becoming painfully aware of the moisture soaking through your underwear, and you felt Madison’s hands move onto your ass.

“O-okay,” you said finally. Fuck it, you thought. What did you have to lose?

Madison beamed, before turning around and making her way over to Michael, blinking innocently as she reached for his hand.

“What do you say, daddy?” she cooed, bringing his fingers to her lips and taking two of them into her mouth. Michael seemed stunned, but from the growing bulge in the front of his trousers, it was obvious that the idea had excited him. Making a show of sucking Michael’s long fingers, Madison allowed her eyes to flutter shut as a soft moan left her mouth.

He hummed, leaving behind his momentary shyness in favor of a more confident attitude. “I suppose it’d be nice to be thanked for my efforts,” he said, voice rich and smooth and low. Madison smirked, pulling his fingers from her mouth with a pop, and without missing a beat dropped onto her knees in front of him.

She turned to you, lips twitching as she worked open the front of Michael’s pants. “Come on, (y/n),” she said, working the material partly down his thighs and hooking her fingers into the waistband of his boxers. “We have some thanking to do.”

Timidly, you joined Madison on your knees, blushing when your eyes met Michael’s hooded ones. He had a cocky half-smile across his full lips, and you certainly couldn’t blame him; he had two girls in front of him on their knees, practically begging to suck him off. What other response was there besides being cocky?

Madison pulled down his boxers, letting the fabric bunch up with his pants around his muscular thighs. His cock sprung free, fully hard, and you and Madison exchanged an eager glance at the sight. He was big, that was for sure, with beads of precum leaking down from the flush head. Madison leaned forward and darted her tongue out, lapping at the precum and wrapping her fist loosely around his base.

Desperate for a taste of him, you craned your neck and took one of his balls into your mouth, reveling in the salty flavor of his warm skin. He hissed at the sensation of two mouths on him, Madison’s eyes rolling back into her head as she slid her head further down on his thick cock. She dropped her hand down, placing it instead on your thigh, and you took the opportunity to administer slow licks onto his veiny shaft.

“So desperate to taste me,” Michael groaned, and you returned your attention to his balls, working at one with your mouth while you cupped the other in one hand. You kept your eyes open, watching Madison in awe as she took his entire length into her mouth, nose brushing the soft blonde tuft of curls at his pelvis. “Good girl.”

He thrust his hips forward slightly, wrapping his fingers around the base of her blond ponytail and tugging her towards him. A muffled choking sound escaped her throat, but she continued on like a pro, bobbing her head up and down and letting him brush the back of her throat every time.

Suddenly she pulled back, taking him out of her mouth but lingering at the flushed tip, licking across his slit one final time.

“C’mere, baby,” she said to you hoarsely, moving to the side so you could take her place. You scooted over, wasting no time before taking hold of Michael’s length; Madison stroked your hair, gathering it behind you and holding it out of your face as you took several inches of him into your mouth. His cock was already wet with Madison’s saliva, but you didn’t care- you circled your tongue lazily over the head, eyelids drooping as the taste of his skin filled your mouth.

You heard Michael exhale loudly, and then he laced his fingers through your hair, guiding you all the way down his cock until you reached your hand. There was a shuffling noise as Madison let go of your hair and moved around beside you, and you peered over to find her undressing herself. She’d removed her shirt already, leaving her in a simple nude colored bra, and was already working off her unfashionable work pants that somehow still managed to look good on her.

You took your hand off of Michael’s length so you could take more of him into your mouth, instead placing it on his hip, tears prickling your eyes when you felt him reach your throat. Madison had done it so effortlessly, even looking pretty while taking cock deep into her throat, and you couldn’t understand how she could be so perfect at everything she did. You were struggling, reminding yourself to take shallow breaths in through your nose, jaw aching as you kept it unhinged. Still, though, you were enjoying yourself, and the way you were making Michael moan.

You felt saliva begin to dribble down your chin as Michael bucked forward into you a few times, yanking your hair at the root painfully so you couldn’t move away. He was grunting noisily, pushing himself deep, your fingernails digging into his skin hard enough to leave marks. Then, unexpectedly, he pulled out of you, his massive cock gleaming with spit in front of your face. You averted your gaze up to him, blinking a few times to rid your eyes of the tears, and he flashed a smile so subtle you almost thought you’d imagined it.

“You two. Get up,” he said, his tone authoritative and even. You jumped to your feet, maybe with a bit too much enthusiasm, because he chuckled, his eyes glinting mischievously as Madison followed suit. She was only in her underwear now, nothing remarkably sexy, but in all honesty, everything looked sexy on Madison Montgomery.

Madison took your arms and adjusted you to face her, proceeding to tug your sweater off over your head, leaving you in a simple cotton bra. Next came your leggings, which she shimmied down your lower body, and you kicked them haphazardly to the side.

“What do you want us to do, daddy?” she purred, twirling her hair around one finger and batting her eyes. You sank your teeth into your lower lip, pressing your legs together in an attempt to alleviate the throbbing between them.

Michael’s lips twitched, reaching down to pull his pants back up and tuck himself inside. “I want you to show each other how happy you are to be reunited.”

He didn’t have to tell you twice; Madison embraced you, planting a sloppy, wet kiss on your lips. She moved with the kiss, easing you back towards the bed, hands groping hungrily at your thighs and ass. She paused to bite your lower lip, rolling it between her teeth while turning the both of you around so that she was sitting on the edge of your bed. You straddled her, her hands instantly finding their way onto the soft curves of your ass, lips attaching to the delicate skin above your collarbone. Snaking her hands around to your back, she expertly unclasped your bra in a matter of seconds; you drew away, giving her room to slip the garment off entirely, exposing your hardened nipples to the cool air.

“Fuck, I missed you,” she mumbled before licking your nipple, your body erupting in goosebumps at the warm sensation. She nipped slightly at the peak of your skin, making you squirm, and then moved on to suck gently on your areola.

“God, Madison,” you whispered, rolling your hips instinctively so you could feel the friction of her thighs against your crotch. She inched upwards to the skin above your nipple, giving you an open-mouthed kiss before applying suction, obviously intending to leave a hickey. Madison had always loved marking you, and you loved being marked; the more bruises you were left with, the better.

She nibbled on you, jolting you with both pleasure and slight pain, darting her tongue over where she’d bitten afterwards. Then she brought her head up from your chest to meet your eyes, and you brushed your lips against hers once again, teeth clashing as the kiss became rough and needy.

She held onto your waist, falling backwards onto the bed, pulling you on top of her in the process. Moaning into her mouth, you reached between her legs and palmed her through her dampened underwear, so worked up that Michael was only an afterthought.

You broke the kiss and turned over your shoulder, shooting Michael a coy look, excited to see his reaction. He was standing a few feet away, digging the heel of his palm into his bulge, light eyes fixated closely on you and Madison.

“Go on,” he croaked, wetting his lips. He nodded his head, urging you to continue on, and you slipped yourself off of Madison and stood up at the edge of the bed.

“I can’t wait to finally taste you again,” you said, gesturing for Madison to move further up on the bed. She did, eyes glazed and heavy-lidded as she surveyed you, gripping the sheets until her knuckles turned white. You joined her back on the bed, kneeling on the edge as you admired her petite body, cream colored skin smooth and soft. You crawled your way up between her legs, giving gentle kisses to her jaw and neck until you reached the front of her throat, administering a slightly harsher nip, allowing yourself a few moments of distraction to leave a blooming bruise there.

She was always so responsive to your touch, writhing beneath the weight of your body and throwing her head back into the pillows. You pulled her bra straps down her slender shoulders, hoisting her up slightly to undo the clasp. She finished taking it off, flinging the bra onto the floor, and for a fleeting moment you remembered that technically, you were about to have sex in a dingy, dirty apartment infested with roaches.

Whatever, you thought, traveling down Madison’s body, slipping down her underwear and leaving her bare. None of this place is real, anyway. It’s just hell.

You kissed her stomach tenderly, creeping downwards to reach her pelvis and then her inner thighs, intentionally avoiding her dripping center for the time being. Reaching underneath her thighs and wrapping your hands around to get a good hold, you opened her legs, blowing cool air onto her slit. She whimpered, entwining her fingers with your hair and pulling you towards her.

“Please,” she whined, spreading her legs further, and you slid your tongue along the innermost part of one thigh teasingly. She whimpered loudly, tightening her grip on your hair, and without warning you plunged yourself forward.

You licked up between her folds, taking one hand from her thigh and instead using it to spread her outer lips as you swirled your tongue over her opening. She was so wet, her juices were starting to leak down her inner thighs and onto the sheets below, and you dipped your tongue past her entrance, reveling in her taste.

A string of expletives left her mouth, chest rising and falling as she fought to catch her breath, and you pushed your tongue further inside her while using your hand to rub small circles on her aching clit.

You felt the bed dip behind you, and then a pair of large hands grasped your hips firmly; you were pulled upwards, your hips high in the air while your face remained buried in Madison’s heat, shivering when Michael poked at your ass with his freed erection.

You heard Michael inhale sharply, his hands tracing down your spine and onto the small of your back before he slid his cock down through your folds and pushed the head against your opening. You groaned lowly against Madison, repositioning your head so you could focus on her clit, forming shapes on it rapidly with your tongue.

Michael sighed, entering you with one hand on your ass cheek. Your mouth fell open, forgetting about Madison as you felt your tight walls stretch for the first time in an eternity. “Fuck,” you muttered, pressing your bitten red lips against Madison’s clit, eliciting a rapturous moan from the brown-eyed blonde.

Testing the waters, Michael rutted his hips delicately, getting you used to the feeling of his cock inside you. He was massive, to the point where it almost hurt the deeper he went, but your natural moisture made it far easier for him to start sliding in and out. You tried your best to remain composed as you worked at Madison’s clit, bringing one shaky hand to her opening so you could slide two fingers inside of her, but it was hard not to let out a moan at the snug feeling of Michael’s cock. He clutched at the padded skin between your hips and thighs hard enough to bruise, snapping his hips forward forcefully, and you cried out.

It wasn’t long before Michael was fucking you hard and deep, pushing into you with thrust after ruthless thrust, eyes rolling back into your head as your fingers continued to pump sloppily in and out of Madison. With each sound that passed your lips, you’d send vibrations up throughout her, your tongue swirling over her bud as her entire body tensed and shook.

This was crazy, so fucking crazy, but you were in hell and nothing made sense and right now, nothing mattered but chasing your pleasure. You bucked your hips back towards this enigmatic man, your supposed savior, and it occurred to you that you didn’t care if this was all just a figment of your imagination, if he really had no real intentions of saving your soul. This, alone, was enough for you.

“You take— my cock—so well,” Michael panted, his words breaking up with each decadent thrust of his hips. Your pace quickened inside Madison, no longer in full control of your actions as Michael worked you open, hot cheek pressing against Madison’s slim inner thigh.

He landed a harsh slap onto your ass cheek and you whimpered, the stinging sensation shooting straight down between your legs and only intensifying the wetness there. Upon seeing your reaction, he took a fist full of your ass in his hand and spread you, digging his fingernails into your skin with enough force to draw blood.

“God,” you rasped, your entire body shifting up the bed, scissoring your fingers apart inside Madison before adding a third. Madison’s moans were rampant now, high-pitched and shameless, her fingers tweaking her perfectly upturned nipples as you worked at her.

Abruptly, Madison took you by your hair and brought you away from her wetness, taking a few seconds to catch her breath before speaking. Chest rising and falling, she looked at you through lust-filled eyes, gesturing towards Michael who had stilled his cock inside you. “Do you mind if I steal him from you? I’ve been craving dick for the longest time.”

You laughed, nodding as Michael slipped out of you, your juices dripping down your legs. You wanted to whine at the lack of penetration, but you knew that Madison would make it up to you soon enough, and it would be worth the wait. Madison slipped herself off the bed, looking deliciously debauched with hair in disarray and lips glossy with spit, and you followed, finally able to get a good look at Michael.

His lightly gelled hair had softened from its hold, falling in loose waves around his face, framing his chiseled jaw. He’d apparently undressed himself fully while you and Madison had been on the bed together, his naked chest glowing with perspiration. He looked godlike, on his knees with his legs parted, cock hard enough to brush against his flat stomach and glistening with your juices.

“I’ll take over from here,” said Madison as she cocked her head to one side, oozing confidence and power. That’s my girl, you thought to yourself, feeling a fresh wave of arousal wash over you as she climbed back onto the bed, pushing Michael onto his back and kneeling on either side of his torso. If Michael was a god, then Madison had to be a goddess; she reached up behind her to take her hair down from its modest ponytail, shaking it out so it fell over her shoulders in silky waves, smirking down at an entranced Michael beneath her. “(Y/n), come here, and let Michael taste you.”

You obliged, getting back on the bed and adjusting yourself over Michael’s head; he ran his hands up along the plush outside of your thighs, and you winced when you felt him stroke at the spots he’d grabbed earlier, surely having left deep purple splotches in the process. You lowered yourself down onto his face while Madison did the same on his cock, holding onto his thick shaft as she eased herself onto him.

The noise was vulgar and wet; she glided down onto him without any resistance, Michael’s moans reverberating throughout you when his mouth reached your folds. He took a long lick up between your outer lips, growing impatient soon after and bringing you to fully take him over, his mouth completely devouring you like he was starving.

Madison took to bouncing on Michael’s cock, clearly experienced in this; her small, rounded breasts bounced obscenely, and it took everything inside you not to close your eyes as Michael lapped wildly at your center. She was so fucking beautiful it was surreal, looking like an angel from a Renaissance painting as her curvaceous hips rolled with Michael’s pelvis.

Michael left one hand on your hip, using the other to grope Madison’s tits without much finesse, thumb roughly caressing her nipple. His mouth was almost as good as his cock, and it was difficult not to lose control and completely suffocate him, his tongue maneuvering between your clit and folds skillfully.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” Madison praised, impaling herself deeper on Michael and circling her hips to feel every inch of him. This caused Michael to groan loudly against you, your breath hitching and head tilting back towards the ceiling- you knew you were close.

Madison took both of your clammy hands in hers, guiding them up to her breasts as Michael moved his hand back to your hip, and gratefully you palmed them, her fingers loosely settled around your wrists. You leaned your upper body forward upon seeing Madison do so, and she kissed you, running her tongue along your puffy lower lip and jamming it between your teeth impatiently as both of you used Michael’s body.

You swallowed Madison’s moan, her breaths quickening, and you could tell that she, too, was close; you bit her lower lip and pulled it back towards you, massaging her breasts in your hands, sweat trickling down your forehead.

A pair of large hands forced you down so you were entirely on top of Michael’s face, his tongue reaching parts of you that you didn’t know existed, and then a cacophony of colors erupted before your eyes; a white-hot sensation enveloped you, and for the first time in an eternity, you orgasmed, incoherent words leaving your lips and falling into Madison’s opened mouth.

It took you a long time to recover, and by the time your vision had un-blurred, Madison and Michael had both had their own respective orgasms. You wished you could’ve seen Madison as she was pushed over the edge, but you knew when you returned from hell, you’d have all the time in the world to watch her cum over and over and over again. And for that, you were beyond grateful.

You got up off of Michael, his plump mouth gleaming from having been buried between your thighs, hooded eyes vacant and drooping as his pale chest rose and fell. Madison removed herself from him, bending down to place a chaste kiss on his lips and running her tongue across her top lip.

“You taste just as good as I remembered, baby,” she said, raising one eyebrow at you suggestively, and you just shook your head and laughed. Michael twirled his wrist limply, still wiped out from his climax; on cue, the three of you were dressed again, this time in far nicer clothing than before. You considered questioning this ability, but then remembered he had literally been able to descend into hell to save you- you doubted there was anything he couldn’t do.

Michael got off the bed and stood up, examining his arms for any creases in his jacket. Then he smiled, appearing unaffected by what had just happened, cool and composed in his exterior. He extended his arms towards the both of you, indicating for you and Madison to latch onto them, and you did. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” said Madison with a scoff. “I can’t wait to get out of this shithole.”

What a perfect last day in hell, you thought, as Michael shut his eyes and began to recite something under his breath. You took in a breath, and all at once the world dropped dead.

When the light seeped back in, you felt a soft breeze against your face, pure and soft. You didn’t need to adjust your vision to know you were back on earth. Back home.

The eternity had finally ended.

[prince-claremont-diaz]

Whatever We Become

Summary: In Lucas’ final year of high school before he has to face the real world, he comes across the new identical twins, Eliott and Leo. Needless to say, Lucas falls head over heels for both of them. 

Or The twin au absolutely no one asked for

Word Count: 2.8k

Ao3 version

Chapter Ten: I have an idea

Eliott: Are you free next period?

Me: I can be, it's just French. Why?

Eliott: Meet me in the first floor toilets ;)

It was the last few minutes of Literature and Lucas was standing with the rest of the class by the door while they waited for the bell to ring to dismiss them. He turned his body away from the rest of his peers in order to read the messages from Eliott over again, cheeks a bright crimson. Finally the bell rang and Lucas shoved his phone into his jacket pocket, joining the crowd in the hallway and pushing past everyone on their way to their next class periods.

Lucas checked over his shoulder for anyone watching and upon seeing the coast was clear, slipped inside the boys’ toilets. Standing alone against the sinks was Eliott, wearing a massive grin, pushing himself off when he saw Lucas. “Hi! You came!” he chimed, closing the distance between them and pulling Lucas against him into another electrifying kiss.

Lucas wrapped his arms around Eliott's neck as Eliott's hands found his face, missing him insistently. His heart hammered against his chest and he felt Eliott pushing him back, back, back into the larger stall, shutting the door behind them with his foot. Lucas gasped as he felt his back being pushed against the handrail on the wall, feeling Eliott's tongue pressing inside his mouth fervently. Desperately, feverishly, Lucas grabbed Eliott's face, fighting back for a semblance of dominance as Eliott continued to push him ever more against the wall.

Lucas was feeling his way all over Eliott, like he couldn't keep still, hands roaming over his shoulders and down his back and over to his hips and around to his chest, mapping out every single inch of the other boy's body so he could memorise it forever. Eliott couldn't seem to decide between keeping his hands on Lucas’ cheeks or buried in his hair, moving back and forth every second.

Lucas flipped them around finally, pressing Eliott against the wall, smiling into the kiss as Eliott tugged lightly on his hair. “Fuck, how can you be–so beautiful–even in a toilet–stall?” Eliott breathed between kisses, eyes twinkling as he pulled away from the kiss and tilted his head against the wall. He looked a mess, gorgeous brown hair sticking up every which way and his lips swollen and wet from being kissed so intently by Lucas.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Lucas replied easily with a smirk, taking a deep breath from barely breathing in the last five minutes.

Eliott shook his head, closing his eyes momentarily and whispering, “The fact that you can't see just how drop dead gorgeous you look is a crime. Have you had your sight checked recently?” Eliott slung his arms over Lucas’ shoulder, smiling fondly down at him and touching their foreheads together.

“I have. Which is why I know you're way too hot for me,” Lucas replied jokingly.

Eliott furrowed his eyebrows, pulling away abruptly and shaking his head. The air around them suddenly turned cold and thick, like a winter fog had suddenly engulfed them both. “That's not true, Lucas. Don't say that,” Eliott stated, frowning.

“But you are. You're way out of my league.”

Eliott shook his head again, holding onto Lucas’ cheeks tightly and pulling him closer. “I don't know who told you otherwise, but you absolutely deserve everything good in the world. I'm not too good for you at all, Lucas, trust me,” Eliott rambled, punctuating his statement with a short but assertive kiss again.

Before Lucas could reply, though he had no idea what else he could possibly say, the door to the toilet creaked open and he heard footsteps leading to the urinals. Eliott raised his eyebrows, covering his lips with a single finger while they waited in the dead silence for the guy to finish.

After an agonising minute and a half, the guy finally left. Much to Lucas’ disgust, he didn't even wash his hands. Once they heard the door close, Eliott sighed and sat down on top of the toilet seat. It was suddenly awkward between them, a large plummet from only minutes ago.

They could get back to that moment, right?

“Eliott?”

Eliott looked up just in time for Lucas to dive into another kiss, falling half into Eliott's lap. He kissed back just as intently, holding onto the back of Lucas’ neck and pulling him completely onto his lap. Lucas squeaked in surprise, eyes going wide before he melted into the kiss again, holding onto both of Eliott's shoulders.

As they parted ways for their next classes half an hour later, Lucas was a right state, hair sticking up on ends, clothes slightly crooked and face a bright pink. He smiled to himself as he joined the rest of his classmates on their way to class.

◇

The next day, Lucas was just making his way out into the courtyard on his way home for the day when he was cornered by none other than Eliott. Lucas stumbled back in surprise, grinning up at the other boy and tucking his earbuds in his pocket, having just taken them out to listen to music on his way home.

“Hello,” Eliott replied, beaming like the sun and practically bouncing on his heels.

Lucas knitted his eyebrows together suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. “Should I be worried?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt at looking stern. Eliott shrugged. “I have an idea and I need your help,” Eliott explained simply.

“Okay, so I most definitely should be worried then.”

Eliott rolled his eyes and reached down to grab Lucas’ sleeve, beginning to drag him across the courtyard towards the exit. Lucas scuttled after him in an effort to keep up with his large stride, almost faceplanting multiple times. On their way out of the school yard, Lucas caught sight of Basile talking to Daphné, his face pulled into something like sadness while Daphné looked assertive and almost angry. Probably rejecting his flirting efforts again.

“Eliott, where the hell are we going?” Lucas asked as Eliott began tugging him across the street and towards a small chemist's.

Eliott peered over his shoulder, smiling softly and leading Lucas inside the little shop. “It's a surprise,” he said by way of explanation, looking around the tops of the aisles before heading down one a few aisles from the entrance.

“Well, that's ominous,” Lucas replied, following the taller boy down an aisle of hair products of many kinds.

Eliott stopped abruptly near the end of the shelves, causing Lucas to crash right into him with a comedic thumping sound, stumbling back and squeaking embarrassingly. At the end of this aisle there was a shockingly large variety of hair dyes staring Lucas in the face, a rainbow of dye colours and people smiling or smoldering with different colours.

“Eliott, why are we by the hair dye?” Lucas asked slowly, glancing back and forth between Eliott and the display. / Eliott crouched down in front of one of the brands, frowning in concentration as he skimmed his fingers along the thousands of different boxes. “I want to dye my hair black,” he replied shortly, pulling out one of the boxes and inspecting it closely for a few seconds before returning it to the shelf and grabbing another shade.

“You want to what?”

Eliott looked up from his place on the floor, shooting Lucas a wide eyed puppy dog smile. “I want to dye my hair black. I think it'll be cool,” he explained, turning back to the shelves to grab multiple different black hair dyes from multiple different brands. “Then I'll finally have a full on black aesthetic, see?” Eliott stood up, showcasing his signature black skinny jeans and black hoodie, presenting his hand over himself.

“Don't you think dying your hair black is maybe a step too far?” Lucas suggested, watching as Eliott read the various labels on the boxes and kept on putting them back on the shelf only to grab yet another.

Eliott shrugged, squinting at a vibrant green box. “It's just hair,” he stated, shaking his head and replacing the green box back on its shelf. “Plus, maybe then people will actually be able to tell me and Leo apart,” he added, stuffing more of the boxes back in their original spots. “I think I'll get this, this and this one, just to be sure,” Eliott said finally, holding up the three individual boxes. They all looked black to Lucas, but he wasn't the artist here.

“Come,” Eliott said over his shoulder, already marching down the aisle with his selection carried in his arms. Lucas jogged after him.

“This is insane,” Lucas mumbled as Eliott dumped his pile of things onto the counter and pulled out his wallet. Eliott chuckled, smiling sideways at Lucas and handing the cashier 20€. He slipped his change into his wallet, thanked the man and grabbed the plastic bag he was given. He strode across the store and out onto the busy street, plastic bag swinging by his side while Lucas ran after him. Eliott was particularly restless that day, Lucas decided.

Twenty minutes later, they were sitting in Lucas’ flat with various newspapers spread out over the kitchen table and several bottles of dyes scattered about. Eliott was wearing one of Lucas’ old grey t-shirts and a frayed navy blue towel wrapped around his shoulders, prancing around the kitchen preparing the dyes. Lucas could do nothing but stand in the doorway and watch him, half-amused and half-worried for Eliott's poor hair.

“Right, so this says to put a test job on for 15 minutes,” Eliott read off one of the boxes, “But this one says to put that on for 20 while the one on the table there says for half and hour.” Eliott pointed back and forth between the different dyes, looking increasingly more excited. “Can I just leave them all on for like 20 minutes and hope for the best?”

“Eliott, you have to leave them on for however long the boxes tell you. Do you want to burn your scalp off?” Lucas chastised, tugging one of the boxes out of his hands and putting it on the table. “How about you try one of the dyes and if it works you put it on everywhere instead of wasting time doing all three at once,” Lucas suggested, leaning against the countertop and frowning sternly at the other boy.

“Ooh! Good idea!” Eliott exclaimed, grabbing Lucas’ face suddenly and kissing him quickly. “You're a genius!”

“Which one are you going to try first?”

Eliott pulled away, looking over the boxes for a contemplative moment before deciding. He held up one of the boxes which showed a white woman with startling white teeth and a jet black bob cut. “This one has the best colour and it's only on for 20 minutes,” Eliott replied, already opening up the box and pulling out the various items and tossing the box onto the table. “Lu, do you have any bowls you don't mind losing so we can mix all this shit?” he asked, spreading his arms out over the table where the things were scattered haphazardly on top of the newspapers.

“Uh, Eliott?” Lucas said, walking over to the table and picking up the small plastic bowl that came with the box, holding it out to Eliott whose face lit up instantly in a grin.

“It came with a bowl?! That's awesome. They really think of everything, don't they? Like, when they were designing this dye they thought ‘wouldn't it be great if it came with a bowl?’ Totally worth the 6€,” Eliott rambled, opening up a packet labelled ‘Developer’ and squeezing it into the small bowl. “I'm sure this is right. Right? The dye mixes with the developing stuff and then it can work. I mean, who cares if it doesn't, we have two other dyes that we can try again with if I'm wrong.”

Lucas knitted his eyebrows together as Eliott started fiddling with the actual dye, which was in a small tube with a screw cap, humming some random tune under his breath. Something was definitely going on with Eliott, but Lucas couldn't figure it out. He could just be in a very good mood, but Lucas had seen good moods before and they were never this… odd.

Lucas paused Eliott's hands mid air and looked over at the box sitting on the table, grabbing it to try to read the small print. “Eliott, why don't you just, I don't know, read the directions?” He held the box up in front of Eliott’s face, raising his eyebrows.

Eliott pushed the box aside and said, “I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing. I've seen people do it before and I doubt there's much variation across all the different dyes. Plus, I'm an artist so I'm probably right.” And then he was squeezing out all the strangely grey goop into the bowl and reaching for the fancy application brush.

Lucas quickly scanned over the directions on the box, eyes frantically darting back and forth between the box and Eliott already mixing the dye and developer enthusiastically in the bowl. He heaved a sigh of relief when it seemed Eliott was in fact right.

“Eliott, are you sure you should be mixing that so–” Lucas began before a large drop of the darkening sludge-coloured goo splattered onto the floor, “–fast.” His roommates were going to kill him.

While Eliott continued mixing around the dye and developer, Lucas grabbed a sheet of paper towel and started clumsily, feverishly cleaning the dye from the ground before it would stain too noticeably. As if summoned by his thoughts, Manon suddenly appeared in the kitchen, stopping abruptly in the doorway at the sight of the mess going on.

“What on Earth is going on in here, boys?” she asked, looking between Eliott who was pausing his stirring efforts and Lucas still crouched on the floor with a paper towel. “Who's dying their hair?” she added, wandering over to look in Eliott's saucer

“Me. I'm dying it black! See?” Eliott babbled, grabbing the empty box off the table and shoving it into Manon's hands. “I wanted to finally complete my all black aesthetic, you know? I'll walk into a room and BAM! Everyone will see the black and they'll all faint at the sight of it because it's so cool!”

Manon nodded with interest, placing the box gently onto the table. “Do you want to borrow some of my hair clips for that mop of yours?” she suggested, ruffling Eliott's hair.

“Yes! That would be great! Like a proper hair stylist you see on tv,” Eliott replied with a grin, returning to his stirring once more.

Manon disappeared back into her room, leaving the two boys alone again. Lucas finally stood up from the ground and tossed the wadded up towel into the bin under their sink. He turned back to Eliott. He was still stirring the increasingly darker mush tapping one of his toes with an unknown beat. “Eliott, is everything okay? You're acting kind of…different,” Lucas asked, leaning back against the counter.

“I've got clips!” Manon announced then, waltzing into the room, holding the silver hair clips into the air triumphantly. “You guys want any help? I don't have anymore homework,” Manon asked.

“No thanks, Manon. Lucas and I have it all under control,” Eliott replied cheerfully. Do we though? Lucas mentally asked himself as Eliott finally stopped stirring the sludge. “Can you do it for me? I don't have a mirror and I don't want to get it in my eye or something and go blind or burn my skin or whatever else this dye stuff can do to me.” He held out the applicator for Lucas who hesitantly took it from him and then the bowl.

Eliott settled into one of the kitchen chairs and Lucas placed the bowl onto the table. He finally noticed some rubber gloves from the packet and put them both on before dipping the brush end into the dark goo. Gently, Lucas searched for a bit of hair near Eliott's temple and carefully spread the liquid evenly over his hair.

“And now we wait!” Eliott announced while Lucas set a timer for 20 minutes on his phone.

AN// Okay so I know Maxence’s hair is no longer black, but I wrote this like the day after he dyed it so....

[koalas-koalas-everywhere]

Live blogging the Hobbit pt.7

Flies And Spiders

I’ve been looking forward to this one.

“There were black squirrels in the wood. As Bilbo’s sharp inquisitive eyes got used to seeing things he could catch glimpses of them whisking off the path and scuttling behinf tree-trunks.” I should write a fic about this myself, but I think it would be a funny scene to have Bilbo, with his sharper eyesight, mention the squirrels and the dwarves just. Have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about? What squirrels?? Bilbo: … the squirrels. Dwarves: wut. B:The squirrels that run around every once in a while. And him trying to point them out but being unable to because of their speed and their black colour. Eventually, after they’ve been in the woods a while, becoming irritable and kinda muddled and just really freaked out, Bilbo snaps and out of nowhere throws a rock at one of them, only stunning it, but effectively bringing it down. The dwarves are all like, Bilbo wtf, both because it was very sudden and because they didn’t know he had that good of an aim, but he just goes “you see it? you see it? oh thank heavens I was starting to think I was going crazy and just imagining it.” That’s when they decide to try to shoot them and eat them and when they realise… well, I’ll keep it for that bulletpoint.

“Even the dwarves felt it, who were used to tunneling, and lived at times for long whiles without the light of the sun; but the hobbit, who liked holes to make a house in but not to spend summer days in, felt that he was being slowly suffocated.”

Lmao why does he always get the worst of it? Tolkien, I’ll see you in hell.

“They tried shooting the squirrels, and they wasted many arrows before they managed to bring one down on the path. But when they roasted it, it proved horrible to taste, and they shot no more squirrels.”

Here it is, back to the story, they hunt the squirrels, realise they’re gross, and are like, “Bilbo, you’re the most weirdly skillful yet useless person we’ve ever met.”

‘Dori is the strongest, but Fili is the youngest and still has the best sight.” Fili is the what

“All the time he was wondering whether there were spiders in the tree, and how he was going to get down again (except by falling).”

why not

“They did not care tuppence about the butterflies, and ere only made more angry when he told them of the beautiful breeze, which they were too heavy to climb up and feel.” It is kind of tacky, Bilbo

Double fuck, my bookmark fell off and the spine got cracked. This has literally never happened to me before D:<

In theory, leaving a mark that something’s been used and loved is a concept I like. In practice? This is bothering me.

“That night they ate the last scraps and crumbs of food; and next morning when they woke the first thing they noticed was that they were still gnawingly hungry, and the nest thing was that it was raining and that here and there the drip of it was dropping heavily on the forest floor.” I mean, they’ve eaten the last of the food and they’re still hungry — chances are that even if they’d known they were almost out of the woods, they wouldn’t have made it anyway. (So certain authors can stow it.)

“There were many people there, elvish-looking folk, all dressed in green and brown and sitting on sawn rings of the felled trees in a great circle.” Why elvish-looking and not just elves?

“They were lost in a completely lightless dark and they could not even find one another, not for a long time at any rate. After blundering frantically in the gloom, falling over logs, bumping crash into trees, and shouting and calling till they must have waked everything in the forest for miles, at last they managed to gather themselves in a bundle and count themselves by touch.” First off, I want to serve this as an example of and proof that Tolkien, while not going quite so low as to make scatological and fart jokes, used plenty of slapstick comedy. Second, oh my god you guys, that is not the way to find each other in the dark!

“Thorin said: ‘No rushing forward this time! No one is to stir from hiding till I say. I shall send Mr. Baggins alone first to talk to them. They won’t be frightened of him--(‘What about me of them?’ thought Bilbo)-- and any way I hope they won’t do anything nasty to him.’” All praise the fearless and generous leader! 

It reminds me of a fanfic I really like, still in progress, where the fanon dynamic for Bagginshield (and indeed, most common tropes of romance) gets subverted by having Thorin trust and rely on Bilbo to protect him instead of being overprotective. It was started after the first movie but before the others, and I can really see it in the book. (Of course, that probably has something to do with the fact that Tolkien didn’t write it to be romantic.)

“‘They are the best I am likely to get in this beastly place,’ he mutteres, ad he lay down beside the dwarves and tried to go back to sleep and find his dream again.” Dwarf(and hobbit)pile!

“He was deep in thoughts of bacon and eggs and toast and butter when he felt something touch him. Something like a strong sticky string was against his left hand, and when he tried to move he found that his legs were already wrapped in the same stuff, so that when he got up he fell over. 

Then the great spider, who had been busy tying him up while he dozed, came from behind him and came at him.” Almost executed for daydreaming about breakfast in the middle of Mirkwood at night crimes.

“He beat the creature off with his hands--it was trying to poison him to keep him quiet, as small spiders do to flies--until he remembered his sword and drew it out.”

Bilbo: *balls up fists and swings them like cartoon boxer* Let’s do this Shire style!

But also, I want to point out that it says he beat it off not tried to beat it off. That implies success.

Also, I’m kind of freaked out at the implication that that’s a small spider.

“Then it went mad and leaped and danced and flung out its legs in horrible jerks, until he killed it with another stroke; and then he fell down and remembered nothing more for a long while.

There was the usual dim grey light of the forest-day about him when he came to his senses.” Fair.

“Bilbo was a pretty fair shot with a stone, and it did not take him long to find a nice smooth egg-shaped one that fitted his hand cosily. As a boy he used to practise throwing stones at things, until rabbits and squirrels, and even birds, got out of his was as quick as lightning if they saw him stoop; and even grow--up he had still spent a deal of his time at quoits, dart-throwing, shooting at the wand, bowls, ninepins and other quiet games of the aiming and throwing sort--indeed he could do lots of things, besides blowing smoke-rings, asking riddles and cooking, that I haven’t had time to tell you about. There is no time now.” There are so many levels of hilarity here, like

1- Bilbo used to be a fucking menace. And he didn’t quite get over it either!

2- They only ran away when he stooped? This just makes me think that he might have done nice things to make them at least tolerate him otherwise, instead of outright avoiding him or attacking him. Like, “ah, it’s that little boy, who’ll either feed us, he’s so nice and- uh oh he stooped, time to go boys.” Alternatively, it’s genetic memory warning them away from Bilbo. I was thinking maybe it was about all hobbits, but it does say “until they got out of his way”, meaning there was a time when they didn’t.

3- That’s such a hilariously late time in the story to introduce us to the fact that the main character has not only good aim but a strong enough arm to throw a stone right through a giant spider’s web, which would be thicker and probably more durable than the normal variety, already stronger than steel. And then kill the spider on the other side.

4- “Other quiet games of the aiming and throwing sort.” Idk man, other games of the sort, figure it out yourself.

5- I want to know about the other stuff Bilbo can do.

“This is what he sang:

Old fat spider spinning in a tree!

Old fat spider can’t see me!

Attercop! Attercop!

Won’t you stop,

Stop your spinning and look for me?

Old Tomnoddy, all big body.

Old Tomnoddy can’t spy me!

Attercop! Attercop!

Down you drop!

You’ll never catch me up your tree!

Not very good perhaps, but then you must remember that he had to make it up himself, on the spur of a very awkward moment.” Tolkien, shut up, it’s beautiful.

Also, lol, about to be eaten by spiders, how awks.

“Standing now in the middle of the hunting and spinning insects Bilbo plucked up his courage and began a new song.” Bilbo: If I’m gonna die, it’s gonna be as annoyingly as possible.

Honestly, though, this is my favourite song in the book.

“Bilbo’s next job was to loose a dwarf.” Very different from losing a dwarf, which he’s already done x14 (Thorin counts twice, especially considering he hasn’t even realized he’s lost him yet).

“Suddenly Bilbo noticed that some of the spiders had gathered round old Bombur on the floor, and had tied him up again and were dragging him away. He gave a shout and slashed at the spiders in front of him. They quickly gave way, and he scrambled and fell down the tree right into the middle of those on the ground. His little sword was something new in the way of stings for them. How it darted to and fro! It shone with delight as he stabbed at them. Half a dozen were killed before the rest drew off and left Bombur to Bilbo.” Bilbo’s gone berserk.

Also, Sting shone with delight? What a bloodthirsty blade.

“Away behind them now the shouting and singing suddenly stopped.” DUN DUN DUUUUUN

“Things were looking pretty bad again, when suddenly Bilbo reappeared, and charged into the astonished spiders unexpectedly from the side.

‘Go on! Go on!” he shouted. “I will do the stinging!”

And he did. He darted backwards and forwards, slashing at spider-threads, hacking at their legs, and stabbing at their fat bodies if they came too near. The spiders swelled with rage, and spluttered and frothed, and hissed out horrible curses; but they had become mortally afraid of Sting, and dared not come very near, now that it had come back. So curse as they would, their prey moved slowly but steadily away. It was a most terrible business, and seemed to take hours.” Love this part. All very heroic.

“They knew only too well that they would soon all have been dead if it had not been for the hobbit; and they thanked him many times. Some of them even got up and bowed right to the ground before him, though they fell over with the effort, and could not get on their legs again for some time.” I can imagine Bilbo all flustered, going “good. Hope you’ve learned your lesson and won’t be doing that again. Limit yourself to fawning.”

“All of a sudden Dwalin opened an eye, and looked round at them. ‘Where is Thorin?’ he asked.”Lmao, finally!

“They differed from the High Elves of the West, and were more dangerous and less wise.” Feral.

“All this was well known to every dwarf, though Thorin’s family had had nothing to do with the old quarrel I have spoken of. Consequently Thorin was angry at their treatment of him, when they took their spell off and he came to his senses.” Another change done for the movie: Thorin’s family wasn’t involved in the feud.

Also lmao this weapon, a prisoner and all “how dare you”.

I’m not going to talk about the conversation between Thorin and Thranduil bc it’s probably been done to death.

Definitely my favourite chapter this far. Main character’s skills and learned courage begins to show? Check. He uses them in a fight that gives him extra confidence? Check. Heroics mixed with witty commentary and one-liners? Check. Team begins to see them in a new, more positive light? Check. Elves being made fun of and painted as kinda ridiculous? Check. (This one’s very subjective ig.) 

[whipped-for-kpop-fics]

Valley of Vampires

Read on Ao3 here

Rumour has it that the house at the bottom of the valley on the edge of town belongs to a coven of extremely dangerous vampires that seduced and brutally murdered the previous occupants, two young women beloved by those they graced with their time yet never seemed to seek such attention from anyone. Perhaps that is why the coven chose them for their prey, they figured they wouldn’t be missed and that it’d be fun to win over two such independent women, at least that’s what the townspeople whisper.

To understand just how wrong the townsfolk have it, we need to go back the night it all started, the night that five beautiful men crossed paths with those two young women.

Considering the town wasn’t the largest in the county, it had an awful lot of night clubs and bars that were always buzzing with life, people travelling in from other towns and cities just for the variety of nightlife in this little, insignificant town which is why five men were drawn to it.

“Plenty of options, boys,” Hakyeon commented from where he sat at the bar, a glass of fragrant white wine lifted to his lips and posture as perfect as always.

“We should’ve come here sooner,” Jaehwan replied, eyes flitting over every single person that passed his view, searching for someone that piqued his interest.

“It’s a small town, we need to be careful.” Taekwoon reminded in that sweet, soft voice of his.

“Look at these people, hyung, the majority aren’t from here and probably can’t be traced back if they went missing.” Hongbin pointed out, motioning lazily across the sea of pulsating bodies. Taekwoon pursed his lips well aware of the fact but he didn’t want to agree in case it led to sloppiness.

“Let’s just enjoy ourselves and worry about who we take home in a few hours, yeah?” Jaehwan suggested clapping a hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder.

“We don’t exactly have a home right now,” Wonsik reminded and Jaehwan groaned.

“You know what I mean don’t be like this guys,” He whined wriggling dramatically like a five-year-old child sulking “Let’s just have fun, take those sticks out your butts you grumpy old fucks.”

“You’re supposed to be older than me” Wonsik reminded with a grumpy little pout.

“Hyung, I mean this is the nicest possible way but shut the fuck up,” Jaehwan spoke with a blank expression “Go get your dick sucked you grumpy old man and then when you’ve got some pep in your step, you can return the favour of the suck,”

“You talk like an idiot,” Taekwoon commented casually.

“I’m done with you guys, I’m going to go find someone better to talk to.” With that Jaehwan got up and walked off.

“Binnie,” Hakyeon started to speak gaining the youngest’s attention “Don’t you have that friend here, the one you made through that game you like?”

“Yeah,” Hongbin nodded, swallowing nervously “I’m a bit worried about meeting him, he said he brought friends along for moral support and I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.”

“Want hyung to come along?” Wonsik offered. Hongbin nodded shyly, he didn’t really like to admit he needed one of his friends by his side but he really did.

“Okay, kid, let’s go find your friend.” Wonsik grabbed his drink and slid off of his stool gracefully to follow after Hongbin.

“Any clue where he is?” Wonsik spoke into Hongbin’s ear as they roamed the club despite the fact he knew that his companion could hear him clearly already even over the pounding bass.

Hongbin turned his attention to his phone where his chat with the male was still open and waiting much like he was.

“Upstairs,” Hongbin nodded to the stairs to the side so they made their way over. There was a bulky man, clearly, security, stood there talking to a young woman with dark hair who seemed a little out of place in the club wearing a cute dress and her hair in ribbons while every other female in the building was dressed to impress, or more accurately, seduce.

“Can I help you?” The man asked gruffly staring down the pair despite being a good half a head short than them.

“We’re meeting someone up there,” Wonsik stated confidently.

“Who?”

“Sanghyuk,” Hongbin answered because Wonsik didn’t have the slightest clue. The security guard looked over his shoulder at the girl who was stood a few steps up behind him. She nodded so he stepped aside to let the men pass.

“I’m Mayumi, a friend of Hyuk’s.” She greeted softly, her presence shrinking the closer they got, clearly she was a shy one.

“Hongbin.” He replied politely, holding his hand out so she shook it quickly, looking a little awkward that she then had to shake Wonsik’s outstretched hand too. “This is Wonsik, my moral support.”

“We outnumber you,” Mayumi noted with a small smile. Hongbin tilted his head curiously. “Only by one, Noa, she’s waiting with Hyuk right now and honestly probably still has her hand up his shirt to distract him.” Both men’s eyes blew wide and Mayumi fumbled frustrated to explain herself. “Not like that! She has cold hands like all the time and likes to put them on his skin to wind him up, it’s not sexual she’s just weird!”

“Uh, okay,” Hongbin nodded slowly while Wonsik stared on amusedly, Mayumi was being adorably frustrated, Taekwoon would love to play with her.

“Let’s just, go.” She mumbled turning to lead the way up the stairs to the VIP lounge overlooking the dancefloor. Only a handful of people were in the room but the majority were stood up by the railing to talk and watch the mass of writhing bodies below.

“Finally!” The male sat alone on one of the leather couches exclaimed upon spotting Mayumi and then noticing the males following her, he shrunk back onto his seat. “Oh, hyung.” He smiled shyly. Hongbin smiled back and moved to talk to him leaving Wonsik stood up beside Mayumi who didn’t seem to know what to do with herself.

“I thought there was another?” Wonsik spoke trying to ease her tension.

“Yeah, she must’ve run off somewhere, she tends to do that,” Mayumi spoke peering around in search of her best friend. “You can sit if you want, I’m going to go find her, she can’t be far, you’ll have more fun talking to her than me.” Before Wonsik could argue that he was perfectly content talking to Mayumi, she had scuttled off.

Hongbin had sat beside Sanghyuk and the pair were talking away animatedly as if they had known each other for many years already, not just a few months over the internet so Wonsik sat on a separate couch to give them space and waited for Mayumi to return, even if he felt as if she wouldn’t without her friend.

“Hyukkie! Help!” Sanghyuk looked over at the blonde girl trying to balance a tray with drinks and bowls on.

“No.” He replied and turned his attention back to Hongbin who looked a little torn and guilty but that quickly changed when a packet of crisps flew through the air and smacked Sanghyuk in the face. He shrieked as it made contact.

“That’s what you get, you piece of shit.” She grumbled somehow succeeding in placing the tray on the coffee table before them.

“Oh, you must be Hongbin, right?” She asked and he nodded, standing up to hold his hand out in greeting to her. “I’m Noa.” she smiled widely, shaking his hand happily. “I’m glad you could make it! It’s about time Hyukkie makes a new friend and stops trying to get me to join his gaming sessions with Yumi because I’m shit at video games.” Hongbin chuckled and she smiled wider, happy that she made someone laugh.

“Are you the one I hear him talking to a lot?”

“You mean getting abused by?” Sanghyuk retorted.

“I am not your slave, Sanghyuk, don’t come to my house and take over my study to play your game and expect me to make your food and get your drinks.”

“Yep, it’s you,” Hongbin laughed “It’s nice to finally put a face to the voice.”

“I’d say the same but I’ve never heard your voice before.” She giggled. Hongbin suddenly looked past her and became a little less smiley.

“Oh right, let me introduce you to my friend, Wonsik.” Noa turned confusedly when Hongbin motioned behind her only to become face to face with Wonsik who was suddenly stood directly behind her in waiting.

“Oh, hi,” She greeted shyly, eyes dropping down when she saw him move. He was raising his hand towards her so she took it expecting a handshake but Wonsik lowered slightly while lifting her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles. Noa was almost certain she didn’t make an embarrassing noise at the action but her cheeks still flushed pink and her heart thumped.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Noa.”

“Uhm yeah, you-you too, Wonsik.” Suddenly Sanghyuk burst into laughter behind them and flopped over onto the cushions to prop his body upright.

“Uh, are you okay?” Hongbin asked, lifting his eyebrows at the actions of his new friend.

“She’s flustered!” Sanghyuk exclaimed. Noa’s expression dropped into something that made Wonsik step back a little fearful honestly.

“Just, give me a sec.” She spoke before turning and pouncing on Sanghyuk. He screamed as her hand flew down his collar to press cold fingers to the top of his chest.

“You fucker, learn to shut your mouth, little boy or I’ll have to see how pretty you look with a ball gag stuffed between your lips.” She warned lowly in a hiss that had Sanghyuk shutting up and nodding rapidly in agreement.

“I’m sorry, I’ll behave.” He rushed out quietly, trying to keep their conversation between the two of them.

“Don’t forget your place, little one.” Noa patted his cheek before climbing off of him to return to Wonsik who was then sat back on his couch but he suddenly didn’t look anywhere near as confident, fingers tapping on his thigh and his other hand fiddling with his empty glass.

Noticing his behaviour difference, Noa reached out and placed a hand on top of Wonsik’s in an attempt to be comforting but he flinched so she pulled back.

“I think I’m going to go dance,” She announced getting to her feet to give Wonsik space. His head snapped up from staring at the floor to look up at her with wide eyes. She smiled warmly, to try and relax him. “You can come and find me if you want but you’re more than welcome to stay here and relax, no-one is going to make you do anything, Wonsik, just have fun.” With that, Noa turned and left the upstairs area.

As soon as she was out of sight, Wonsik doubled over and put his head in his hand. Hongbin snorted out a laugh.

“Hm?” Sanghyuk questioned, looking over at Wonsik curiously.

“I think my hyung has a crush on your friend.”

“Good luck to him, he’ll need it, she’s hard to win despite always talking about how she needs a good hard fuck.” Wonsik groaned to himself and Sanghyuk didn’t hear but Hongbin certainly did and laughed harder.

*

Mayumi found Noa stood at the edge of the dance floor talking to a woman Mayumi hadn’t spoken to personally before but was pretty certain worked at the local infant school.

“Onee-chan,” Mayumi muttered, tugging on Noa’s wrist gently. Noa looked at her immediately not caring that she cut off mid-word with what Mayumi was pretty certain was some kind of weird flirting technique only Noa could get away with.

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’ve been looking for you.”

“Sorry baby, I’m all yours.” Noa excused herself from the teacher to walk off arm in arm with her best friend. “Have you met Hyukkie’s new friend?”

“Yeah, seems okay. Did you see the other guy?”

“Wonsik.” Mayumi hummed in confirmation. “He looks like a sugar daddy.” Mayumi snorted out a loud laugh at that. “Kinda wanna jump on that.”

“Then why aren’t you up there anymore?”

“He started acting weird, I think I made him uncomfortable by attacking Hyuk,” Another laugh from Mayumi “so I said I was going to dance and he could join if he wanted but, guess he’s happy up there or wherever he is now.”

“You don’t often invite people to dance with you.”

“I know but I felt bad and he is cute. I would happily dance with him all the way to the bedroom but ya know.”

By this point, they had reached the bar where Taekwoon still sat alone nursing his drink and watching those around him dance and enjoy themselves. He too was having a decent time but he didn’t want to dance, it wasn’t really his thing and he was always content sitting back while his friends wandered around.

“Hey look, found you a sugar daddy,” Noa joked having spotted Taekwoon or more importantly the expensive clothing and accessories he wore. Mayumi glared harmlessly at her friend but looked over curiously all the same. At the sight of Taekwoon, her eyebrows lifted in interest.

“He’s really pretty.”

“He is, just your type.” Mayumi didn’t respond but Noa knew she was right. “You should try and get his attention, he’s love to snatch up a cute little prey like you.” She teased nudging Mayumi’s side with a giggle.

Taekwoon had heard the whole conversation and wasn’t necessarily bothered by it, he had heard much worse and vulgar being said about him by all sorts of people over the years and in fact the two girls were talking almost politely about him, it was different for a nightclub so he was already intrigued by what the two girls talking about him so gently looked like and as soon as he heard one talking about the other as “prey” he had to look over overtaken with curiosity.

Mayumi was looking down at the wooden bar in front of them with pink cheeks from Noa’s suggestion but Noa was still looking at Taekwoon. Even when their eyes met, she didn’t shy away, she didn’t give him a suggestive look either like most women would she just smiled warmly at him, a friendly way and he relaxed understanding that she had zero intentions towards him whatsoever. He offered her a smile in response that made her’s widen happily and he chuckled to himself. His eyebrows lifted questioningly when she nodded towards Mayumi subtly then nodded to the empty glass in his own hand. He understood but was taken back by how blindingly obvious and confident she was when pretty much ordering him to buy her friend a drink. If it wasn’t for the shock, Taekwoon felt as if he would’ve followed her demand without question at that kind of concerned him.

“Hey hyung.” Jaehwan greeted sliding up to the stool between Mayumi and Taekwoon, throwing an arm around his friend’s shoulders. He noticed Taekwoon was staring off so Jaehwan turned as well to find Noa still looking at Taekwoon with that confident, certain smile on her lips even with the appearance and disruption of Jaehwan.

“Oh, and what is going on here then, huh?”

“Your hyung here was about to buy my lovely little friend a drink,” Noa stated. Mayumi looked as if she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole, barstool and all.

“You assume he has the money to spare to buy a stranger in a bar a drink?” Jaehwan spoke dramatically, putting a hand over his chest as if offended by someone many any kind of assumption whatsoever.

“His outfit could buy the entire building.”

“What are you suggesting, hm, that my dear precious hyungie here strips to pay for your friends drink?” Jaehwan teased, eyebrow lifted as he stared down Noa. She just giggled and he finally smiled, stepping away from Taekwoon and towards the girl with an outstretched hand. “Jaehwan.”

“Noa.” They shook hands, grins on both their faces.

“So should I strip and buy you a drink or is a dance also acceptable?” Noa eyed him up obviously, grin tilting into a smirk.

“Well, there’s no reason both can’t be achieved by the end of the night.”

“Well, let’s get this show on the road.” Jaehwan took Noa out onto the dance floor, both of them giggling the whole way.

Mayumi jolted when Taekwoon sat down beside her carefully.

“I’m Taekwoon.” He announced, fingers fiddling with his glass where he held it on the bar but still turned just enough so that he could politely talk to her.

“Mayumi.” She looked up at him to offer an acceptable greeting know Noa was no doubt at least watching their first interaction and would scold her if she didn’t look up to talk to the pretty stranger.

“So uhm, your friend is uh, forward.” He chuckled lightly and she nodded, a smile lifting her cheeks at the sound. “May I buy you a drink all the same?”

“Don’t feel pressured, it’s honestly fine she-”

“I want to. May I?” Mayumi thought for a few seconds, observing Taekwoon for any lie or hesitance but found none.

“Okay.”

So the two spent the rest of the night huddled up together, first at the bar before they moved to a more private booth upstairs to be heard better, talking softly about whatever they wanted while Taekwoon supplied the drinks all the while.

***

When the front door opened and a pair of feet stumbled into the threshold Mayumi and Sanghyuk ran from the kitchen to the entrance hall in a worried rush. Noa hadn’t returned home all night, sure they knew that she left the club with a guy but she never stayed out overnight like that. The pair thought something had happened to her.

But, she looked perfectly fine, not a single mark on her, not a hair out of place. Well, she looked perfectly fine if you looked past the look of pure rage on her features.

“Uh, Noa?” Sanghyuk questioned. “Are you okay?” Hongbin shuffled from into the hallway then, worried for the girl who came across as nothing but pleasant last night though upon seeing her now, he stepped back with a gulp, she looked as if she could break even the strongest of men with a flick of her wrist and he did not want to be on her bad side.

“I need my study, keep the fuck out, Hyuk,” she warned through her teeth, pointing a finger at him before stomping up the stairs after throwing her shoes and jacket down into a careless heap against the wall.

“What the fuck happened to her?” Sanghyuk muttered while Mayumi moved forward to tidy Noa’s small mess up.

“I thought she was getting laid, why is she so angry?”

“Whoever it was clearly did something wrong if she’s gone to her study,” Mayumi commented giving Sanghyuk a look.

“What does that mean?” Hongbin enquired cautiously, well aware that he was part of the friend group so he may not be privy to such information.

“Noa is like some kind of tech genius, she can get into any system connected to the internet and find pretty much anything no matter how deep it’s hidden,” Sanghyuk stated. Hongbin’s eyebrows reflected how impressed he was. “You know how I always use her computer because it’s super fast for video games?” Hongbin nodded. “It’s that fast because she’d modified it so much and basically built it from scratch so it’s powerful enough to get into systems the other side of the world in minutes. It’s probably one of the best computers in the world and I feel sorry for whatever guy fucked with her because she will make him pay big time.”

“We should probably leave, you know she’ll get mad at us if we do anything that could potentially interfere with her signal.” Mayumi reminded.

“Dammit, this house has the best wifi.” Sanghyuk sighed but trudged to the coat closet to grab their jackets while Mayumi got their shoes.

“Sorry, hyung, I’ll have to show you Yumi’s game another day.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Hongbin smiled reassuringly as he took his shoes from Mayumi. “I look forward to it all the same.” Mayumi smiled back at him, happy he genuinely wanted to see the online game she designed and made.

“It’s still in beta mode so there are bugs and shit to find and fix.” she reminded.

“It’s still great though, you’re going to be a worldwide best selling game designer, Yumes.” Sanghyuk enthused as he led the way out of the house, pausing on the porch just long enough to allow Mayumi to lock up behind them.

***

Three days later Noa finally emerged from her den to shower and change, looking angrier than she did before she entered the room that morning a few days previously.

Once she was cleaned up and in new clothing, she trudged her way downstairs and to the kitchen to find Mayumi and Taekwoon sat at the kitchen table talking quietly over coffee with smiles on their faces. They looked entirely absorbed in one another and it made Noa’s lips twitch up a little. Nothing made her happier than seeing her best friend happy.

“Did you do whatever you were doing?” Mayumi questioned upon hearing Noa enter. Noa just shook her head and stalked over to the fridge to hunt through it for something to refuel herself with. “Can I ask what you’ve actually been doing?”

“Trying to find the fucker that roofied me.” Taekwoon gasped at the words, not having realised that it was all that common for women to still get drugged at nightclubs.

“That’s terrible, did you find him?” He asked.

“Nope.”

“Seriously?” Mayumi was bewildered. “But you can find anyone even with just their first name.”

“I don't have that.” Noa slammed the fridge and turned to face them. Her skin was pale and dark marks circled her dull eyes.

Taekwoon frowned, that was not the same bright eyes woman he met those nights ago.

“I have no idea who I left with, nothing at all, I remember being at the bar and then dancing for hours with Jaehwan but after that, nothing.”

“Maybe he knows something,” Mayumi suggested.

“Maybe.” Noa ran her fingers through her damp hair, working out some of the knots. “Do you think you could ask him for me, Taekwoon?”

“Uh, yeah, okay, sure.” Taekwoon nodded in agreement. Both girls smiled gratefully at him. He felt sick.

“I’ve never hit such a dead end as this. I even went to Chungha for a blood test hoping she’d be able to find what they drugged me with but either it flushed out really fucking fast or it’s untraceable.”

“That’s even weirder,” Mayumi commented. Noa nodded. “What’re you going to do now?”

“Buy a shit ton of coke, I am drained.”

“Okay,” Mayumi giggled. “We’re out of ice cream, by the way.”

“I’ll get some,” Noa yawned and forced herself to move despite feeling as if her body was full of lead “I’ll be back later, condoms are in the cabinet.” She waved lazily as he left leaving the pair at the table red-faced and speechless.

*

With a trolley mostly full of multipacks of coke cans, Noa stood in front of the ice cream freezer staring blankly for a good ten minutes before she was disturbed.

“Noa?” She blinked and looked over surprised to see Wonsik stood there looking at her with a small, polite thought incredibly shy smile.

“Oh, Wonsik, hi.” She smiled tiredly back at him, eyes dropping to see a large watermelon in his arms. “Ooh, good choice I should get one.” She hummed to herself absentmindedly before looking back to the ice cream.

“Am I interrupting your thoughts?”

“Not really, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to apologise for being so weird the other night, I’m not usually like that and I don’t want you to think I don’t like you or something because I think you’re beautiful-I mean a good person and-”

“Did you happen to see who I left with that night?” She looked at him curiously. He shook his head. “Dammit, oh well, worth a shot.” Finally, she opened the freezer and pulled out tubs of ice cream until she had six different pots in her trolley.

“I’m not offended or anything, by the way about the other night.” She assured as she looked back up at Wonsik who seemed a little concerned with her behaviour and appearance but was too polite to point it out. “We’re good if you want to be.”

“I do.” he agreed, nodding rapidly. “I really do.”

“Cool.” She put her hands back on the handle of her trolley then paused to look up at him. “I think you’re beautiful too, by the way.” Wonsik felt his ears tingle with heat, something he hadn’t felt in years. Just as Noa was about to walk off down the aisle he spoke back up.

“Can I take you out sometime?”

“Like in the assassin way or the date way?”

“What?!” He sputtered and she giggled

“Either way, okay, meet me in the car park tonight at seven, I’ll wear a pretty dress for you, so take me somewhere nice.” That time, Wonsik let her walk away, a dopey smile on his face.

***

One date turned into two, turned into three, turned into Noa and Wonsik spending most of their time together, he even had clothes at their house and his own room- he had insisted on sleeping on the couch the first night he stayed and wouldn’t accept sharing the bed so Noa gave in and gave him the guest room Sanghyuk usually slept in as it was the only one with an actual bed in.

“Want to spend the night at a motel with me?” Noa asked during one of their lunch dates a cute cafe they favoured and visited multiple times a week.

Wonsik choked on his sandwich so Noa jumped up to rush around the table and wack his back to dislodge the food stuck in his throat.

“You okay oppa?” Wonsik nodded as he gulped down his water to soothe his throat. Noa sat back in her own seat and sipped at her apple juice.

“Did you really ask me to stay at a motel with you?” He asked when he was calm. Noa nodded. “I-I but we don’t I can’t-”

“Not for sex, oppa.” Noa giggled at Wonsik’s flustered state. He looked down thoroughly embarrassed. “You know I’ve been working on that new laptop?” He nodded, looking back up at her to try and figure out where the hell she was going with this. “I should be able to use that to access the motel’s system but it might take a while and I’ll have to be within a certain radius of the main computer for it to work. I’ve already booked the room I just wondered if you’d like to keep me company.”

“How many beds?”

“Just one but I won’t sleep, it’s all yours. I’ll be watching the software to make sure it works and catch any potential bugs that it can’t notice itself.” She shrugged. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, just thought it might be a nice change of scenery, it’s out by the woods the other end of town, really pretty views. I chose a room that will give us a good view of the sunrise.”

“Really?” Noa hummed, nodding in confirmation as he had bitten off a mouthful of her own sandwich. “You’re okay with spending the night alone in a room with me?”

“Sweetheart, you and I both know that it’s you that prevents us from doing that already.” Wonsik’s gaze turned down to the remainder of his food. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad,” Noa reached out to take one of his hands into her own. “We’ll go at whatever speed you’re comfortable with, Sikkie, I will never pressure you into anything even if I’ve wanted to jump your bones since I first saw you all those weeks ago,” He groaned softly at the thought because damn he wanted that. Luckily Noa didn’t catch his distressed sound. “Nor do I want you to feel bad or guilty for not wanting anything like that, you’ve never led me on, you won’t even kiss me so I have no false assumptions that you want to fuck me, it’s fine.”

“I do.” He admitted only to tense up. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Uh, it’s...why don't you then?”

“I just...it’s not a good idea, I’m not strong enough to control myself.”

“How hard do you go? Fuck.” Noa let out a breath at the thought of Wonsik fucking her as hard as she wanted him to. Wonsik could practically feel the arousal simmering in Noa’s stomach from across the table and whined into his hands. “Okay let’s not talk about this because you’re uncomfortable.” She cleared her throat and straightened up to gulp down some of her juice. “So, motel tonight? Yes or no?”

“I want to watch the sunrise with you,” Wonsik announced after a few minutes of Noa eating her sandwich in silence. She looked up to find him looking at her with such a warm, fond smile that her heart raced. “I’d love to spend tonight with you.”

“Okay, good.”

*

The motel wasn’t the worst that Wonsik had ever seen- he had seen a lot after all- there weren’t any mysterious stains on the mattress and the bedding smelled clean and the ceilings were free of damp patches and mould so all in all it was a pretty damn good motel.

“Make yourself comfortable, I need to get this up and running as soon as possible,” Noa announced motioning lazily to the rest of the room while she sat up to the little coffee table to start taking out her laptop from her bag.

Wonsik put down the duffle bag with their clothes in and kicked off his shoes to throw himself onto the bed and settle down.

“Oh, this is a decent bed.” He commented.

“Yeah, I noticed that last time,” Noa replied distractedly, hands working to type over her keyboard to set up the software she needed.

“Still can’t believe humans can stoop so low as to drug someone and leave them in a motel room all alone.” Wonsik seethed as he sat upright, glaring across the room at nothing in particular. His tone caused Noa to look at him.

“Humans are scum, oppa, we’ll always find ways to prove that.”

“You’re not.” He replied looking at her seriously. “You’re much better than them, don’t put yourself in the same group.”

“I don’t know if you realised, Wonsik but what I’m doing right now isn’t exactly legal and neither is my job.”

“It’s for good reason. You help people, you show the world the dirty secrets bad people have to help the innocent and defenceless.”

“I also steal money-”

“Never from anyone that doesn’t deserve worse.”

“Why do I get the feeling that no matter what I say you will still defend me?” Wonsik grinned. Noa laughed and turned back to her laptop “Crazy man.”

“You make me this way.”

“Stop being so damn cheesy, I need to work.” Wonsik would’ve taken her seriously and assumed she didn’t like his words if he couldn’t see the pink dusted on her cheeks,

Wonsik shuffled off the bed to sit beside her on the floor want watch her hands work slowly getting closer until they were side to side and his arm was around her waist, happy smiles on both of their lips.

*

Two hours later, Noa’s programme had finally found its way into the motel’s system despite many obstacles, the biggest being the lack of wireless internet in the entire building and immediate vicinity so Noa had to magically fix that without alerting any of the local providers that she was hacking their system to steal their internet while also making sure she didn’t make it available to anyone or any device but her laptop.

“Aha! I’m in!” She exclaimed dancing happily from where she sat on the sofa cushion Wonsik had made her sit on after his own butt had gone numb from sitting on the floor.

He looked over from the bed where he had been sat for over an hour watching a terrible film with horrendous effects that he somehow got sucked into.

“You are?” He scrambled over to watch in fascination, not that he could understand anything on the screen but he felt proud of Noa all the same.

“Hm, looks like all of that night’s footage has conveniently been wiped, either whoever drugged me is careful with his tracks or the cameras all coincidentally went down until the next morning.” A determined look crossed Noa’s features and her hands moved wildly over the keys, adding code after code and doing all sorts of tech-heavy stuff that Wonsik felt a headache coming on until she suddenly stopped and a loading screen appeared.

“What did you do?”

“I recovered the footage but only onto my laptop, it’s downloading everything from that night.”

“Wow.” Wonsik breathed out. Noa looked at him with a wide smile that quickly dropped at the intense look in his eyes. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

“I’ve been told but I’m not against hearing it again.” She answered, voice quiet as to not break the moment between them.

“You’re the most incredible woman, no person, I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, Noa.” She sucked on her lip as she blushed, always unsure how to take such meaningful compliments especially from people that mean as much to her as Wonsik. His eyes dropped down to her mouth, watching how her bottom lip slipped out from the gentle grasp of her teeth.

“Can I kiss-”

“Yes.”

So he did.

Their lips touched after weeks of tireless pinning. Wonsik had finally given in to his want and never wanted to stop.

Unfortunately, Noa had to pull back to catch her breath, chest heaving as she panted and turned so she wasn’t breathing in Wonsik’s face as if she had just run a marathon.

“Oh! It’s done!” She puffed so Wonsik looked over at the video that she had started to play. It was from the security camera at the front of the building that pointed to the car park.

“This is going to take such a long time, I have no idea when we got here.” She huffed in a sulk, lifting her hands as if she was going to do something but they dropped back onto her lap uselessly. “I can’t scan the video here, I don’t have the software, I’ll have to do it at home.” Wonsik opened his mouth to respond but just then a dark car rolled onto the screen and his blood ran cold. He knew that car.

“Uh, then why not just watch it at home?” Wonsik reached out to pause the video before the car even stopped- before anyone could climb out because he knew exactly who the video would show.

“I’ve been waiting for this for weeks, maybe I’ll recognise someone.” Noa tried to argue but Wonsik lifted his hand to cup her cheek and turn her face to him.

“I want to kiss you, Noa. The video can wait.” And who was she to argue? She nodded so Wonsik pressed their lips back together.

Wonsik knew he needed to do something but without being caught preferably ever but at least until the damage was done.

Even though he was very concerned about losing his cool, he licked at her bottom lip, urging her to part them so he could deepen the kiss and made certain he had all of her attention. Noa responded how he wanted and he almost groaned with bliss when her tongue touched his.

Wonsik wouldn’t help but get caught up in the kiss, turning further to face her and grip onto her body so she wouldn’t move, not that he thought she would, by the enthusiastic way she kissed him back. He never wanted to stop but he had to draw his attention away if only for a second, not putting his all into the kiss so he could silently knock over her open can of coke so it spilt over the laptop. Wonsik moved his hands to grab her thighs and turn her body entirely to him so that he could lift her up onto his hips. Noa squealed in surprise as she was lifted into the air, pulling her lips from his to look at him stunned earning a chuckle of amusement to rumble in his chest.

“You’ve been on the floor too long.” He explained as he got to his feet without losing balance or his grip on Noa.

“I won’t argue with that.” She hummed wrapping her arms around his neck and locking her ankles together behind his back. He sucked in a deep breath to calm himself before approaching the bed and placing her down on it, glad she unwound her limbs from him because his control was going to slip if she held him too close for too long.

“Please behave, I want to kiss you but that’s it for tonight. I can’t get wound up, okay, Noa?” Wonsik’s tone was serious so Noa nodded in agreement, he really did seem concerned and against sex so she was going to comply to the best of her ability.

To Wonsik’s elation, Noa behaved herself perfectly, she let Wonsik settle between her thighs but she didn’t move against him, she didn’t try to turn the kiss heavier, she allowed the slow sweet kisses he wanted and ran her fingers through his hair lovingly without complaint about the slow speed.

Eventually, they both grew too tired to keep it up due to the soft atmosphere they had created and get ready for bed where they cuddled up beside one another and fell asleep side by side for the first time.

***

An aggravated shriek jerked Wonsik away from his peaceful slumber.

“What the fuck?” He grumbled rolling onto his back so that he could lift his body up on his elbows and look over to the source of the noise.

Noa was perched on the edge of the sofa with her head in her hands, the sticky dead laptop still on the coffee table in front of her.

“Babe?” Wonsik muttered suddenly wide awake and feeling guilty knowing his actions the night before had caused her the frustration and upset she was suffering.

“It’s dead, my drink spilt somehow, must’ve been last night and the computer is dead.”

“Oh,” Wonsik kicked back the covers so that he could get up and sit next to her on the sofa. “Can you get the video back?”  

“Slim chances.” Noa sighed heavily, dragging her hands through her hair as she straightened up. “But I’ll have to try, making a whole new laptop with these capabilities will take over a month, I already had this one mostly done when I changed its use for this. Half the parts I need are rare so there’s not even a certainty I can build another one anytime soon.”

Wonsik was torn between feeling broken for the girl in front of him and dancing internally with glee at the low chance of acquiring the video back quickly, that meant he had time to think up a way to make the video vanish for good.

“So what do we do now?” He asked after letting Noa wallow in her pain for a little while.

“Go home I guess. If there’s any chance I can get the video back from this computer the sooner I get started the better because it’s not an easy task.”

“Let’s get breakfast first, there’s that new tea place near here, right?” Noa nodded in confirmation. “Alright, let’s do that then, start the day right.”

“Okay fine, whatever but you’re paying.”

“Alright.” He chuckled never opposed to spending any money on his favourite person.

***

For a week straight Noa barely left her study, doing everything she could to salvage the computer while also ordering parts she needed to build a new one just in case she couldn’t save the video.

During this time she would appear to get food once a day and had to be disturbed by someone to force food into her hands other for the other two meals and at night to make sure she went to bed. Wonsik had actually taken up sleeping by her side to make sure she slept and didn’t pretend until she was left alone like they all knew she would.

But then suddenly after nine days, she started to lock her study so no-one could enter and blast music loud enough that she couldn’t hear if someone knocked on the door. She didn’t leave for food or to sleep and the fact her study had an en suite gave her no reason to leave the room either.

Day eleven led to Wonsik receiving a text from Noa telling him to stop coming over.

Later that same day Taekwoon told him that he received a similar message from Mayumi saying he wasn’t allowed to the house for a while but she would at least meet him somewhere else.

Hongbin even got a text from Sanghyuk stating that Noa and Mayumi’s house was off limits while she worked so they’d have to stick to the wifi at Sanghyuk’s apartment that seemed so far below anything resembling good in comparison to Noa’s.

Wonsik tried to respond to the text and to send her more to remind her to eat and sleep, get some fresh air and not overwork herself but he never gained a response.

At first, he wondered if her phone had died and she didn’t care enough to charge it but he joined Taekwoon and Mayumi for lunch one day and realised that wasn’t at all accurate, Mayumi had a call from Noa but the second Wonsik asked to talk to her and Mayumi handed the phone over, Noa hung up and refused to answer again, sending every call straight to voicemail.

Worry ate at Wonsik’s insides, Noa was clearly ignoring him and he couldn’t help but feel paranoid that she had somehow recovered the video and not told anyone, that she knew.

He hoped that she was just busy, that she considered him important enough to be a distraction from her work.

It wasn’t much later that Wonsik found out that Noa knew a lot more than he could’ve ever imagined.

***

After an afternoon of shopping for new shoes and jackets, Wonsik and Taekwoon returned to a penthouse apartment stock full of tension.

They exchanged a look as they quietly put down their bags before silently gliding through the apartment in search of an explanation. They both froze in surprise when they found the rest of their housemates sat in the living room with Noa, someone who had never been to the building let alone apartment before.

“Sit down, boys, we have a guest,” Hakyeon spoke and he seemed to be the only one that wasn’t on edge. Actually, Noa herself seemed pretty calm despite the hard look in her eyes.

“What’s going on?” Taekwoon questioned moving to sit on the last seat on the three seater couch in between Hongbin and Jaehwan.

Usually, Wonsik would sit beside Noa but Hakyeon was in the other seat the love seat contained so Wonsik sat in the armchair.

“Let’s get straight to the point, boys, is there anything you would like to tell me?” Noa asked, spinning her phone in her hand absentmindedly as she eyed the four males opposite her, not even glancing at Hakyeon. The others weren’t sure what that meant, were they suddenly a team or had she already gotten what she wanted from him? It was impossible to tell, neither gave the game away.

“Uh, no?” Jaehwan offered. Noa sighed disappointedly and lifted her phone to type on it, not caring that Hakyeon was watching what she was doing blatantly. Maybe they were in on whatever it was together, he did seem to understand what she was doing after all.

“Are you sure?” She challenged looking back up at Jaehwan. He nodded slowly. “Have it your way.” A firm press as if she finalised something. Jaehwan felt sweat prickle at the back of his neck. “Anyone else?”

No-one spoke up. Hakyeon patted her knee sympathetically and stayed silent as she worked on her device. Once she was finished she put it back down and looked at the four.

“I’ve frozen your accounts.”

“What?!” Jaehwan shrieked disbelievingly. “You can’t just fuck with our accounts like that!”

“Be quiet.” She demanded and he did, shrinking back into his seat.

“I gave you all the chance to come clean, I’ve already spoken to Hakyeon and he confirmed everything straight away so his account is untouched but he will not help any of you unless I say so.”

“What?” Wonsik muttered. “Babe, what’s going on?”

“Don’t babe me, Kim Wonsik.” He sucked in a breath realising that she knew, she knew who he was, who they all were. He had never told her his surname. “I remember you saying that you’re older than you look but 73 years old, wow, that’s a big difference.”

“Fuck, you know.” He rushed over, not hiding his inhuman speed to kneel in front of her and take her hands into his. “I’m so fucking sorry, Noa, I wish I could’ve told you what I am from the beginning but I couldn’t I-”

“I know that. That’s not what I’m pissed about. I understand telling someone you’re a fucking vampire is a big deal and not something you take lightly, I don’t blame you.”

“Then what’s this about?” Taekwoon requested bewildered. Noa looked directly at Jaehwan who paled, understanding that she had found something he had regretting doing to her.

“I’m so sorry, Noa, I didn’t think you’d find out.” He whispered ashamedly.

“And that makes it better?”

“No, but only because it’s you, you’re my friend, our friend. We need to feed to live, Noa, if it wasn’t you that night it would’ve been someone else that I took away with me.”

“I’m aware you need to feed but fuck, you wiped my mind of most of the fucking night! I thought I had been drugged and I was so fucking worried someone else would be drugged just like me and made to do fuck knows what!”

“I can give it back, you know.” He announced. Noa tilted her head. “I didn’t take the memory just, put a wall up I guess.”

“That’s dangerous!” Hakyeon hissed “What if she had gone to someone and they managed to remove the wall?! Our existence would’ve been out there for anyone to pick up on!”

“I don’t know! I didn’t think about it I just...taking out a whole memory can fuck with a human’s brain, hyung, I couldn’t do it to her, I liked her too much.” Jaehwan confessed pitifully.

“Give it back then, I want to know what happened,” Noa spoke. Jaehwan made an awkward expression. “What?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” She nodded even when he pointedly looked at Wonsik who was still in front of her. She just got up and stepped around him. Jaehwan let out a heavy breath and got up to hold her face and look deep into her eyes.

The events of the missing night snapped back into her mind and she gasped at the sudden onslaught of memories.

“Oh well, okay damn.” She muttered closing her eyes to try and ground herself. Jaehwan lowered his hands and backed off, eyes glancing between Wonsik and Noa waiting for the explosion he knew what coming. When she opened her eyes she somehow found Jaehwan straight away even though he had moved across the room to be near the door to the hallway and he knew it was about to happen.

“Do you guys always feed during sex?”

For a split second the room became eerily silent and the air still, then as quick as it started it stopped when Wonsik growled in rage and chased after Jaehwan who ran off, the pair becoming a blur as they flitted around the apartment, sometimes tumbling around the floor when Wonsik managed to catch the younger but Jaehwan was just that bit faster and managed to escape before earning too much damage.

“You better not have put your fangs in my best friend, Taekwoon,” Noa warned as she sat back beside Hakyeon, not at all paying attention to the pair causing a ruckus somewhere else in the apartment.

“No, I haven't.” He immediately responded, his eyes wide and serious, begging for Noa to believe him. “I would never do such a thing without permission, not to Mayumi.”

“Good now, an ultimatum for you two.” She looked between Hongbin and Taekwoon. “Either you fuck off out of the lives of my friends or you tell them what you are.”

“What?” Hongbin choked. “You want us to tell them we’re vampires?”

“Or leave. Those are your only options.”

“We can’t leave, you froze our accounts.”

“I’ll give you 20 grand each if you leave and that is it, you’ll have to find your own money from then on,” Hakyeon announced. “I love you both but Noa is very useful to me and although I trust that she wouldn’t be petty and release what we are to the world, I would still like to stay by her to keep her sated.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Taekwoon admitted. “I want to stay here, with Mayumi.”

“Then tell her.” Taekwoon looked at Hakyeon who nodded giving Taekwoon permission to do so.

“Okay, should I go now? Do you want to be there?”

“No, you can go now.”

“Wait, I’ll come too, Hyuk’s at your house, isn’t he, Noa?” Hongbin spoke as he got to his feet to stand beside Taekwoon. Noa nodded so the two males left.

Once they were gone Hakyeon and Noa broke out into hushed giggles, there was still a pair of tussling vampires in the apartment after all.

“How long do you think it’ll take for them to realise they still have full access to their accounts?” Noa mused in a whisper.

“Knowing these lot, a long time.” Hakyeon grinned at her. “You should call the other two back in.” Noa nodded and they both composed themselves before Noa called Wonsik and Jaehwan. They appeared immediately, both dishevelled with splatters of blood on their faces and hands but no open wounds. Vampire healing is incredible.

“Let’s talk money.” Noa motioned to the couch opposite her so both men sat down quickly. “Hakyeon doesn’t want to pay for you to live in his home so you are both homeless as of now.” They both gawped at him.

“How are we going to find somewhere to live with no money?!” Jaehwan exclaimed.

“That’s where kind Noa here comes in.”

“You can live with me and I’ll even give you an allowance,” she stated.

“There’s a but here, isn’t there?” Jaehwan sighed.

“You have to work for me and do everything I say, no questions asked whether it’s work-related or not.”

“You’re a hacker, how can we help?” Wonsik muttered.

“I’m thinking of taking more matters into my own hands, you two will be my muscle.”

“We’re your thugs then, basically.” She grinned and Wonsik having been so used to automatically smiling back at her had to fight his lips to stay straight but the pair opposite him saw them twitch with effort.

“Well, I’ve killed so this is fine with me.” Jaehwan shrugged carelessly.

“Wonderful, Wonsik?” Noa gave Wonsik her full attention. He frowned but nodded.

“Okay, fine, I don’t have a lot of options here, do I?”

“Well, I still like you-” He sat a little straighter at her words “So I’ll let you leave town with 30 grand if you never return and never contact anyone here again.”

“That’s not even an option, I’m not leaving you.” Noa blinked a few times then smiled softly, cheeks warm to the touch.

“When you’ve proven yourself to me, we can date again.”

“Okay.” Wonsik lit up bright and smiled happily. “I’ll work hard for you, Noa.”

“Good boy.” Noa got up so the two males copied. “Hakyeon and I have already packed all that you can bring with me to my house and put the cases in my car, let’s go.”

“Oh, okay.” Wonsik followed obediently as Noa left after saying goodbye to Hakyeon but Jaehwan hesitated.

“Come on little one, I’ve even found a blood supplier for you,” Noa informed. Jaehwan rushed after her, blood on demand sounded great.

That is how vampires came to live in the house at the bottom of the valley on the edge of town. They didn’t kill anyone to live there and they certainly weren’t the abominations the townsfolk gossiped about over the years but they did end up forming a new special coven with their human housemates.

[pjbehindthesun]

chapter 6: orchids, stars, and polar bear turds

Friday, June 29th, 1990

Okay, okay, suck it up, you coward, you can’t hide in this bathroom all day eavesdropping. You know he’s stalling and waiting for you to come back to your desk… I mean, no one in their right mind actually just comes by to talk to Greta. I’ve been ducking him all week, but it’s starting to become obvious. Ugh, you’re such a fucking chicken. You can do this. Go. Go. GO!

I open the restroom door and walk around the corner and see Jake engaged in polite conversation with my bridge troll of a supervisor. He’s been listening intently as she drones on about her commute, smiling and adding his own quips about the traffic on I-5, offering the occasional helpful suggestion for an alternate route or a book on tape she might try to help pass the time. I’m dying inside just having listened to her diatribe for a couple minutes, but if he’s feeling the same desperation, none of it shows on his face.

All the same, he grins and nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees me, so maybe he is actually grateful to have an escape from Greta. “Lucy! I’ve been looking for you!”

I try for a smile, but I’m sure it’s more of a wince. We both know I’ve been dodging him ever since the Strawberry Incident. It was so sweet of him. So sweet, and so poorly timed. He’s everything I always thought I wanted in a guy – hey, Mom and Dad, here’s that charming, handsome doctor son-in-law you ordered! – except that he’s kind of… too perfect? Is that possible? Can someone be too perfect to be interesting?

“Hey, Jake.” Greta grunts at me and scuttles off, sensing that her attentive audience has evaporated.

“You’re a hard woman to find,” he beams. “I’ve been wondering if you saw my package.”

I bite the inside of my cheeks and internally curse Cora for being such a bad influence on me. He doesn’t seem to notice he’s said anything funny, so I get a grip, although once the giggles pass, my heart’s still in cornered panicked rabbit mode. “Yeah, uh, the strawberries? Yeah, thanks! We loved them.”

“We?” His smile falters for a nanosecond.

“Oh yeah, a couple of the nurses and I, even Greta. They were delicious.”

He chuckles. “You’re sweet to share them. I was just, uh, thinking of you. I do that a lot, actually…”

Here it comes. Can’t dodge it forever. God, I want to puke.

He goes on. “I was actually thinking we might go out sometime, maybe get some dinner?”

“Oh, uh, Jake, you’re… that’s so sweet of you, really…uhm, I would, but I’m sort of… I’m seeing someone…?” It feels so odd rolling off my tongue, but even after just one week of knowing Jeff, it’s hard to deny that something significant has changed. First, he tracked down my apartment, then I stopped by the Raison d’Etre to spend some time with him after one of his shifts, and tomorrow we have an actual, scheduled, non-stalker-y date. I haven’t had much room in my head for anything else.

I brace for the awkwardness, or maybe even the defensive mockery or insult that usually comes with turning down a guy in my experience. But Jake just blinks before hitching his good-natured smile back into place, and I’m flooded with relief tinged with guilt. Why does he have to be so fucking nice?

“That’s great! I didn’t know that! Of course, girl like you, you must be swatting us away.”

I open my mouth to explain why he’s so wrong, how atypical any of this suitor stuff is for me, but he continues, “well, uh, he’s a very lucky man. Though I’m sure he knows that. What’s his name?”

I bite my lips in to keep from smiling rudely, hanging on to his name as long as I can, wanting to keep it for mine.

***

Saturday, June 30th, 1990

“Epi-what nows?”

“Epiphytes,” she giggles, tugging me by the hand through the greenhouse. She’s been geeking out over all kinds of flowers and plants for the last two hours, but if possible she’s even more worked up about the ones in this part of the exhibit. We stop in front of this giant cylinder covered with tufts of spiky little plants. “See?”

“I see ‘em, yup…there, uh, there they are, alright,” I nod approvingly, not having the slightest clue why we’re staring at these things but not wanting that excited look on her face to go away.

“Air plants, Jeff, look. See how they don’t have any roots? They’re not planted in any soil?”

“Son of a bitch, you’re right,” I take a step closer and squint at the plants she’s pointing at and realize they’re just hanging onto this column through sheer force of will or something. The more I look at the wall, the more variety I see, like noticing more and more stars the longer you let your eyes focus on the night sky, and I’m starting to understand, if maybe dimly, why she’s staring so raptly at them with that smile dancing on her lips. She turns to me and blushes, her hair a little wilder than usual thanks to the humidity in here.

“I know, it’s weird, I’m really into plants,” she cringes, “you probably hate it, right? We can go if you –”

“No no, how the fuck does this even work?” At first, I was kind of hesitant about a date at the conservatory – I mean it’s free and all, so it’s got that going for it, but who wants to stare at flowers all day? But I’m starting to see the appeal of staring at Lucy when she’s staring at flowers, and now I just genuinely want to understand what the fuck I’m looking at.

“They just grow on all different kinds of surfaces, and they take their moisture and nutrients from the air instead of from extensive root systems in soils. Like, uhm, mosses and stuff? Spanish moss is a good one. But also orchids, and all these bromeliads in here.” I remember the window full of orchids in her place and begin to understand why she wanted to come here. I follow her gaze back up the display wall as she continues in a hushed, reverent voice. “I just think it’s beautiful, the way they fall all over a tree or another plant, not doing any damage like a strangling, needy vine would… just, just a soft blanket all over… just breathing together.”

She falls silent and we both stare at the plants, and I’m trying not to think too hard about how romantic fuckin’ epiphytes turned out to be when I feel her take hold of my hand and lean lightly against my arm.

***

“Our feast, m’lady,” Jeff turns around holding a giant brown paper bag, having just tipped the delivery guy and nudging the front door closed.

“And what’s the damage?” I grab my backpack and reach in for my wallet, but he takes the bag out of my hands and sets it down, sliding his arms around my waist.

“Nah, forget it, you’re a cheap date,” he mumbles, planting a light kiss on my lips.

“Sure know how to woo a girl,” I grin against his mouth.

“You’re one to talk, Miss ‘I’m really into plants,’” he tickles my ribs and I break away, dodging for safety in the kitchen and sticking my tongue out at him. “You save all the best stuff for the third date, huh?”

“Oh yeah, I’m the mistress of seduction alright. The castration and branding stories were just the bait to reel you in before we started the real foreplay. Chopsticks?”

“Drawer next to the sink. Gotta hand it to you, though, it’s not the worst date I’ve ever been on.”

“Well, this sounds like a promising game…” I hunt around in his kitchen cabinets until I’ve got a couple of plates.

“Shit,” he laughs. “You know I’m just kidding, Luce, right? I had a great time.”

“You’re not getting off the hook that easy, bud. I mean it, what is the worst date you’ve ever had?”

He glances mischievously up at me while dishing out his low mein. “I dunno, I sort of want to hear about yours, you seem too eager for someone who doesn’t have a good horror story up her sleeve…”

“Nuh uh, I asked you first.”

He screws his face up thoughtfully as we sit on the couch with our dinner. “I don’t know, I haven’t had a lot of really awful ones, I guess… there was a blind date in college once that was pretty fuckin’ awkward.”

“Details, please,” I sit opposite him on his couch with my legs folded, awkwardly managing my rice with my chopsticks.

“Okay, so I got home to Big Sandy after a semester away and one of my mom’s friends wanted to try to set me up with her daughter, so my mom went along with it. I don’t think this girl’s mom had any idea who I was or what I looked like or anything, she just knew me as, like, the mayor’s kid…”

“Your dad’s the mayor?”

“And the barber,” he nods with a mouthful of food, “I don’t think I can impress upon you just how tiny this shit town of mine is… anyway, so I had to be pretty well behaved, and pretty clean cut, right?”

“Gonna need some evidence of this ‘clean-cut’ concept when story time’s over,” I tug on a piece of his hair.

“I mean, relatively speaking. Well, I come back from Missoula, having made a bunch of friends who were into punk rock, and I looked the part, you know… or more than I did when I moved away. And this girl’s, like, Polly Purebred, never left home, just completely sheltered and totally freaked out. I probably looked like Sid Vicious to her or something,” he chuckles. “So it wasn’t the end of the world, but she was pretty terrified the whole time, so I found excuses to cut it short and take her home.”

“Very decent of you for a depraved monster.”

“I thought so. And very much my last blind date, too. Your turn!”

“Ah, fuck,” I groan… “I don’t even know which one to go with. Yours was so tame, mine are all going to sound insane.”

His eyes light up as he sets his empty bowl down and rubs his hands together. “Go on…”

“Okayyy… well, it doesn’t really count as a date, but my two most serious boyfriends both came out to me while breaking up with me…”

“Jesus!”

“No, that was the other guy.”

“You dated Jesus?”

“Not quite, but I did go on a date with someone who tried to convert me. Brought all his “so you’re going to hell” pamphlets and shit.”

“Okay, no, that’s got to be your worst one.”

“Don’t you want to hear about the puker?”

He blinks like a deer in headlights. “The…”

“The guy who took me out to dinner and turned increasingly green throughout the meal, and I kept asking if he was okay, until the waiter sets this big piece of salmon down in front of him and he pukes all over it.”

“That’s fucking disgusting!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t tell you the rest…” I wince even thinking about the memory of it, but he’s watching with wide eyes. “…that he… drained it off and then…”

“No he did not. He did not fucking eat the fish. Nope. We’re done here, get the fuck out!” he takes my bowl from my hands and pulls me off the couch, gently shoving me towards the door, but we’re both howling with laughter.

“You’re, like… damaged,” he teases, brushing my hair out of my face.

“Nah, just the usual run-of-the-mill lowered expectations. You’ve got it easy,” I bite my lip and he drops his gaze to my mouth.

“Well, you deserve a lot better than puking and proselytizing…” he places a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose, and I close my eyes to hang onto the sensation of it, the way time is slowing down.

“Sweet talker.” He brushes the backs of his fingers against my cheek as his mouth moves down to mine for a soft, sweet kiss. Well, it started that way, anyway… as soon as I parted my lips, he wound his fingers into my hair and wrapped his other arm around my waist, pulling me into him, and now I’m kissing him back feverishly, winding my arms around his neck, trying to get as close as I can. He shuffles me carefully backward until we find the couch, where we lay down gently and I lose track of everything except the sweetness of being all tangled up together.

*

What the hell time is it? I crane my neck to look around his apartment for a clock, being careful not to disturb him, but I’m distracted by how gorgeous he looks when he’s asleep. His mouth’s open just slightly and he’s snoring softly underneath me on the couch, one arm still wrapped around my shoulders. We’d been making out like a pair of horny teenagers for who knows how long, before deciding together that we were in no great rush, and enjoying an endless twilight of soft kisses, cuddles, talking, and laughing. Until I guess we fell asleep, and now it’s… 1:17? Holy shit.

Jeff’s arm tightens around me and he stretches his other arm out to the side, letting out a contented rumbling noise.

“Sorry to wake you,” I nuzzle into his neck, planting a few little kisses and breathing him in as he gathers me up into a hug.

“Sorry? Wake me like this a little more often, would you?” he mumbles against my temple.

“It’s late, I should get back downstairs and let you go to bed.” I’m saying it, but not really believing it, and all it takes is one whispered “stay?” into my ear before I settle back into his arms, with no intention of going anywhere.

***

Thursday, July 19th, 1990

“I’ve fucking missed you! I’m so glad you’re coming home tomorrow. Do you have any idea what a sausage fest my life is now?”

“You say that like it’s bad.”

“Oh shut up, Cor. You had something to do with that, you know.”

Guilty, I think to myself as I laugh at her through the phone. Lucy and I didn’t have a lot of guy friends until a couple of months ago when all these musician types crashed into our lives. Not that I don’t get along well with men. I actually tend to get along with them better than most women, and all my friends in high school were guys, on account of being the only girl in all the science and math clubs. Guys somehow make more sense to my brain. More straightforward, or easier to joke around with, or something. Or maybe it’s having a brother that makes them seem more approachable? Not that my brother is in any way typical of the species, whatever the fuck the stereotype even means. But a crowd of guy friends is something I’ve not had for a long time. I guess since I started college, started dating Alex. Ever since then it’s been one or two close girlfriends. Mad back home, Lucy here in Seattle. Quality friends over quantity, a thought that makes me grin at getting to see Luce tomorrow.

“Yeah, well, I’ll dilute the testosterone a bit when I get back.” I hesitate for a half second, knowing I’m about to embarrass the shit out of my dear, sweet friend, but also just genuinely curious since we’ve been playing phone tag ever since I made it to Alaska three weeks ago and it’s the first time we’ve actually managed to catch up. “And speaking of sausage, how’s it going with Jeff?”

“Damn it Cora!” she laughs. “It’s been going really well. Like, really well.”

“Nuh-uh, not good enough. I need more information. What date are y’all on now?”  

“Uhm, I’ve sort of lost track, there were a few days where it was like, distinct dates happening, but for a couple weeks now we’ve seen each other almost every day.”

I wolf-whistle. “Busy three weeks.”

“Oh, hush. I’m a lady, you dumb bitch.” I try and fail to stifle a snort, but even she’s laughing.

“The most refined, clearly. So maybe not that much of a sausage fest, then?”

“We are taking things slow,” she says resolutely. “I mean, well, we’ve done… stuff, but like, we haven't… not yet…”

“You’re adorable, you know you can’t even say it? Haven’t had sex yet?”

“Not yet. We’re not in a rush.”

“Fair. You don’t owe anyone shit, you know, least of all a guy for taking you out.” I don’t even know why I’m lecturing her, except that she has dated a line of assholes as long as my arm.

“I know, Mom. We’re just in that… that dream-like beginning part, you know? Where it’s all new, and time slows down every time you touch, where everything’s about wanting and not having? The part you just don’t ever want to end?”

“Yeah, totally.” Except I don’t really know, but she sounds so lost in her happiness that I should keep that to myself. New topic.

“So are you guys going to the party thing tomorrow night? Stone and Chris’s thing?”

“Yeah, we’ll be there. Are you going?”

“Mmhmm. I think I talked Alex into it.”

“Whoa! So let it be written, the history books shall show that on this day, July 19th, Alex Henderson agreed to hang out with his girlfriend’s friends.”

“Yeah, yeah, wise-ass. Should be interesting.”

“It’ll be fiiiine!” she sing-songs.

“You have approximately zero data points on which to base that conclusion.” I��m imagining Stone and Chris talking to Alex and I don’t know whether to laugh or cringe at the thought. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

“I’ll be optimistic for both of us, then.”

“Bless your heart. Speaking of the hermit, I should probably give him a call.”

We say our goodbyes, hang up, and I dial home, but I get the machine. I glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand and try not to sound too perplexed as I leave him a message: “Hey, it’s me. Just wanted to hear your voice one more time before I get to see you tomorrow, but maybe you crashed early? You’re turning into such an old man on me, love. Well, if you get this, give me a call back, I’ll be up for a while. And if not, well, I can’t wait to come home to you tomorrow. Love you.”

I’m checking every corner of my shitty motel room one last time to make sure I’ve packed everything when the phone rings about 5 minutes later. Figures, Alex probably crashed on the couch but woke up when he heard my message.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I murmur, “did I wake you up?”

“Gorgeous, huh? Finally seen the light? And no, you didn’t wake me up, I called you, genius. You eat paint chips as a kid, Red?”

“STONE! Fuck you dude,” but I’m laughing my ass off. “What do you want?”

“Child, you cut me to the quick. I’m supposed to want something if I call?”

“Well, A, you’re only two years older than me so cut the ‘child’ shit, and B, it’s you, so…”

“Okay okay, I give, you’re impossible,” he chuckles, “just wanted to say hi. Been a few days.”

Before I left, I’d told him to call me and annoy me every so often to keep me sane on this trip, and he’s been holding up his end of the bargain admirably.

“Yeah,” I grin. “So what’s new?”

I listen quietly while he rambles about the songs he’s writing with Mike, bitches about work, unpacks a tense but seemingly productive dinner he had with Jeff the other night to come to an agreement about working together in a new band. He asks about how the sampling trip is going, prods me for the nth time to make sure I’m coming to his birthday thing tomorrow. We take turns giving each other shit, as usual. After a while, the conversation falls into a comfortable silence and a quick glance at the clock shows that we’ve already been talking for almost an hour, although it’s only seemed like a few minutes have gone by. Somehow, Stone became one of those people to me faster than almost anyone else I’ve ever known. One of the ones you can talk about everything and nothing with, who gets the jokes and gives them back, who it’s easy to be easy with. After a while, he speaks back up.

“So, what are you getting me for my birthday?”

“Haha, presumptuous much? Just where and when am I supposed to be doing birthday shopping? Do you forget I’ve been marooned above the Arctic Circle digging in dirt for three weeks?” I’m giving him maximum sass, which is no less than he deserves, but I feel a spasm of guilt. In truth, I already found Chris a present, but I still have no idea what to get for Stone.

“No excuse for poor planning, Red.”

“Okay. Fossilized polar bear turd it is.”

“Nice talk.”

“You knew what you were signing up for.”

He clucks his tongue and sighs, but the conversation sags without his usual immediate zinger. “Yeah,” is all he says after a moment. I shake my head at the phone. He’s weirder than usual tonight.

“Alright, I’ll play. What do you want for your birthday?”

“I was just kidding, Cora, don’t get me anything. Just come hang out.”

“I can handle that. But that wasn’t my question.”

“I mean it. I just want to have a fun night with my friends. It’s… it’s been kind of a year, you know?”

Andy. I nod stupidly for a moment before remembering he can’t see me. “Yeah, yeah.” Once again, we fall quiet for who knows how long before he breaks the silence.  

“So is Alex picking you up at the airport tomorrow?”

He hasn’t been giving Alex derogatory hillbilly names recently. I’m not even sure when that stopped, but I didn’t notice, and for whatever reason, I kind of miss it.

“No, my car’s there, I’ll drive myself home.”

“WHAT?? Where’s the romance in that? Come on, Jethro, step it up, buddy.” Oh, well there it is.

“And you are the expert on romance since when?”

“You don’t even know, Red,” he purrs. “Hey! Stop laughing! I’m serious!”

“Sure you are. Hate to inform you, Stoner, but Friday’s a work day for most productive members of society. My flight lands at like 2. I don’t expect the world to stop turning for me.”

“Yeah, but asking your boyfriend to meet you at the airport’s not asking the world to stop turning. It’s asking for something people are just supposed to do for one another. I’d think he’d want to.”

“I didn’t ask him!” I’m not even sure why I’m yelling. Are we fighting?

“Okay, okay. Easy. I didn’t mean anything by it.” There’s a bit of a pause, a strained one this time, and I’m not really sure what to say to fill it, but Stone speaks up after a moment.

“You know… if you ever need a ride to the airport, some of us unproductive members of society would be happy to oblige. You dropped everything to drive our asses all over the place when you barely even knew us. I’m just saying, I’m happy to return the favor anytime.”

“I…”

“Don’t make it weird, Cora. Just… just ask. Anytime.”

“Thanks, Stone,” is all I can manage to say as I turn the offer over in my mind. I’m genuinely touched, and also a little confused, before he breezes on like nothing happened.

“So we might have a line on a potential singer…”

[themurphyzone]

A Day with Uncle Vinnie Ch 3

Sorry to keep you guys waiting! You know the drill, got so many fanfic ideas that ones I’ve already written get cast aside.

Ch 3-End of the Day

Jade Cavern was filled with tons of precious jewels. So much that Milo kept sticking sapphires and diamonds in his mouth when Vinnie’s back was turned. “Spit it out,” Vinnie said gently, tugging a sparkling green gem out of Milo’s mouth and dropping it on the ground. “You don’t know where that’s been. Now, where should we go?” 

The entry passageway opened into a larger room with three different paths. Surrounding the walls were stalactites and stalagmites (though Vinnie could never remember which was which) decorated with embedded jewels. 

“They need signposts in here,” Vinnie muttered. A heavy rumble sounded from the middle path, followed by a clatter of metal striking the ground. Milo perked at the commotion, staring intently at the middle cave as if expecting something to pop out of the darkness. “So you wanna go left or right?” 

He couldn’t fight-whatever that was-while holding a baby and especially not without backup. The best case scenario was that the creature was the live and let live type. 

“Wi!” Milo babbled. 

“Right is right! Exactly what I was thinking too!” Vinnie exclaimed, heading down the right passageway. It was a lot smaller than the one they’d come out of, but Vinnie was short enough that he’d only needed to duck his head to avoid dips in the ceiling. “Of course, they say when you’re in a maze you stick to the left wall. But I don’t know why it’s always the left. Kind of unreliable, but I guess when you get stuck with a Guardian who’s such a stickler for the old fashioned ways you can’t help but pick up a few habits.” 

Water trickled down from the ceiling, congregating into a small stream that flowed down a slight slope. It emptied into a large underground lake, where jade crystals formed stepping stones across the water. 

Milo watched a small salamander scuttle across the ground, melting away as soon as it touched the water. Milo cooed in surprise, craning his neck to look for the salamander with no luck. 

“Elemental salamanders. There are a lot of varieties, and on rare occasions you can even find hybrids,” Vinnie explained. “The one we just saw is an agua salamander. They have the ability to turn their bodies into water, but are also completely blind. Pretty cool, right?” 

Vinnie carefully crossed the jade stepping stones, slipping slightly on the last one before making it across to the other side of the lake. “You never know what’s in the water,” he said. “I am definitely not on a sea monster seeing trip right now. Do you sea what I did there?”

Milo laughed. 

“Finally, someone else who can appreciate puns!” Vinnie exclaimed. “When you’re old enough to talk, I’ll tell you my best ones. Bee puns, fish puns, food puns, you name it!” 

Milo shivered, and Vinnie pulled him closer. “I forgot it’s a lot colder underground. We’ll cut this trip short. Besides, we should really be getting back to Verity Palace. We both need to clean up before dinner tonight.” 

Vinnie decided to take the exit that would lead them to a small grove just outside Verity Palace. It was out of the way too, so no one would notice them popping out of the cave. Which was good, because Vinnie did not want Balthazar to see how dirty Milo was. If there was one thing he was terrible at, it was keeping promises about staying clean. 

Milo curled into Vinnie’s chest, oddly quiet from the cold. They needed to get out, quickly. While Anacardian babies were hardy, even they had limits. To make matters worse, Vinnie could feel the ground rumbling beneath his feet, the stones clattering against each other. A light flared up and died out just as fast, illuminating the path behind them. 

Vinnie knew he was ignoring Balthazar’s safety precautions again, but this was for a good cause. He quickly formed a bubble around Milo, the end result coming out a little lumpier than normal due to rushing the process. The bubble floated ahead of him as he ran deeper into the cave, though it had to be kept low to the ground to avoid the stalactites. Milo was wiggling around, so at least the bubble was keeping him warm. 

The path was narrowing as they got closer to the exit, which was starting to come into view. There was barely enough room for the bubble in the passageway now. “We’re almost there!” Vinnie shouted. 

Suddenly something knocked Vinnie off his feet, disrupting his concentration. The bubble popped and Milo tumbled to the ground, confused but unharmed. 

“Go to the exit, Milo!” Vinnie shouted, putting himself in front of Milo. He really hoped he wouldn’t have to fight. His blast waves weren’t nearly as strong as Orton’s or Balthazar’s. Milo laughed and crawled towards him instead. “The exit!” Milo hugged his leg, then raised his arms so he could be picked up. 

A loud, piercing wail sounded and a giant bat materialized out of nowhere. Vinnie encased Milo in a bubble again, then shot a scarlet wave at it. Milo gasped in surprise as he was sent flying outside. 

Vinnie winced. Maybe he’d been a little too harsh. Now he could understand why Balthazar always got so snippy after Milo’s life was in danger. Hurling several large blobs at the bat’s tattered wings, he willed them to heat up to a temperature that was slightly uncomfortable. The blobs clung to the bat’s wings as it tried to yank them off, firing sound wave after sound wave. He needed to end this before the cave collapsed, so he shot another blob at the bat’s snout. 

As it clawed at the blobs in a vain attempt to get them off, Vinnie steadily raised the temperature until the blobs were so unbearably hot that the bat abandoned the fight, turning invisible once more. The blobs were still visible on its wings as it turned away and fled back to its hole. He waved his hand, and the blobs melted away. 

Hurrying out of the cave, Vinnie found Milo lying under a bush. Upon seeing Vinnie approach, Milo turned away from him. “Sorry, kid,” Vinnie said awkwardly. “I panicked.”

Milo didn’t respond. 

“I wasn’t mad at you. Just a little scared.”

Still nothing. 

“I see you’ve got Balthazar’s cold shoulder down pat. Can I hug you now?” 

Not even a twitch. 

“I’ll sneak you some of that pistachio glaze you like.”

Milo twitched, turning to face him, before whipping his head in the opposite direction. 

“With a few potatoes too.”

Milo laughed in delight. Realization hit Vinnie with the full force of a thousand bricks. “You weren’t actually mad at me, were you?” he asked. “Now, let’s get you cleaned up before Balthazar finds how dirty we are. And for dinner at the Lucky Clover too, but Balthazar not finding that I’ve taken you flying without the carrier, getting kidnapped by dryads, and exploring Jade Cavern is way more important.” 

There was a quiet cough from behind him. “Bah!” Milo clapped. 

Vinnie froze. 

“So, Vinnie Dakota, shall we have a little chat over some jasmine tea tomorrow about today’s very interesting events?” 

Vinnie’s imminent doom did nothing to deter Milo’s cheerful mood. 

[pinkrabbitpro]

Chasing Fog -- Chapter Fifteen -- Alex has an adventure and glimpses a new player in the game, while Cat and Kara grow closer and come to an understanding.

read it on AO3

FFNet to come when I can get it up

Chapter Fifteen

Nothing.

Alex was ready to kill someone just to let off steam and her arm was aching so badly thought she might just throw up while the grit and stink of the day left her feeling grimy to the core.

All for nothing.

Visiting various sites of known attacks and suspicious activity had yielded no new evidence. As far as she could tell the victims and targets were as randomly chosen as her computer studies had suggested.

Meanwhile, even the most dialed in of her snitches had looked at her like she’d lost it when she asked if Catwoman was putting together a gang. They’d had a variety of responses, from not knowing who the thief was to assuming she was dead. None of them had heard anything about her in Gotham, though one thought she’d been active in Europe during the last decade. None of it made sense. Alex knew what she’d seen, and what the MO on several minor burglaries suggested. Catwoman was in town. For no one to have heard from her didn’t make sense, leaving Alex to doubt her sanity just a little.

She tightened her hand into a fist, the runners of pain that chased up and down her arm oddly comforting. No dead fantasy figure had broken her arm or trapped her in a cage. No, that was a real woman, one Alex had no doubt was out there waiting to strike.

Straightening her shoulders, she took off with long strides, the nightvision on her motorcycle helmet revealing the darkened corners in the abandoned building where she found herself. This was old Eastsiders’ turf, but by the looks of the place, nobody  had been back in at least a year. A head-up display reflected a steady stream of numbers and data on the upper left corner of her visor, giving her a sense of her environment beyond the grit and stink that clung to every surface.

She was deep in when the numbers warned her she wasn’t alone. One figure coming in from her rear left, moving slowly, but directly. EMF monitors showed no electronic frequencies. No nightvision.

Bad move.

The head-up registered the moment he started to accelerate. She pivoted and stepped back, sinking into what, for him, were undoubtedly deep shadows. She saw him clearly as he stepped forward, albeit in shades of nightvision grey; not as tall as she was and gawky thin, with narrow shoulders and a bit of stringy muscle. Blind, he lunged where he probably thought she still stood only to stumble awkwardly when he didn’t meet the expected resistance. Off balance, but still on his feet, short, but well kept dreads swinging with his movement. They’d make a decent handhold if she needed it, but for the moment, she kept her distance, flicking out a baton to slap it across his back and send him sprawling.

He was no experienced criminal. Startled, he scrambled as he hit the floor, trying to pop back to his feet, but only slipping in the deep dust so that he wound up on his ass. Another quick slap with the baton drew a yelp of pain and made him sit hard. “Stay down,” she growled, her voice a threatening rasp.

He froze, giving her a good enough look to confirm he was just a kid, fifteen or sixteen at the most.

But a kid with a baseball bat, she realized as she made out the familiar silhouette clutched in his right hand. She kicked it away and heard it rattle across the cement. “Don’t even think about it,” she ground out when he tensed and seemed ready to jump after his weapon. Beating up kids wasn’t her style, but he was big enough to be dangerous and she wasn’t going to let him get his hands on a weapon. “What the hell do you think you’re doing IN here?”

He crab scuttled backwards on his elbows, his eyes wide and scared, though he tried for a pugnacious chin thrust and a glare. He failed miserably. “Protecting my neighborhood from people like you,” he shot back.

Alex cocked her head to one side. “Protecting it?” she demanded, her voice thick with doubt, then added, “Explain.”

“I don’t tell Eastsider slimeballs shit,” he snarled.

Alex sighed very softly as she reminded herself he wasn’t seeing Batgirl, just an outsider in motorcycle gear, so the distrust was logical. Still, being in a place like this and attacking strangers, he wasn’t selling Girl Scout cookies. “Let me guess,” she growled impatiently, “Easties are scum, but Southies are heroes of the poor and downtrod—”

“Banger scum,” the boy snapped and scrambled back another foot or two. “So whichever you are, take your fuckin’ chems and shove ‘em. You got no biz here!”

That pulled Alex up short. “Explain,” she repeated. Neighborhood and gang politics meant the kids usually proclaimed their affiliations proudly. For him not to do so was unusual, just like the accusation about drugs—chems—another thing they usually claimed proudly. She’d dealt with plenty of them over the last few years, and they often bragged about their ‘business’ and how many kilos they dealt per year with as much pride as any Fortune 500 CEO.

“Go to hell.”

She sighed again, just barely resisting the urge to lose her temper. She’d already had a shitty day and he wasn’t helping any. “Kid, I’m no banger, I’m a cape,” she said, using the common street slang for superheroes. Her tone was intended to make it a threat if he was gang affiliated and a promise of hope if he was just a civvie.

Instead of any expected response, he snorted disdainfully. “Which makes you worse,” he sneered. “At least most bangers don’t know any better.” He flashed another quick look at his bat.

“Don’t even think it,” Alex growled in her most threatening voice. “Look, kid, I just want to know if you’ve seen anything unusual lately.”  This was the kind of neighborhood where poverty and desperation would make it all too easy for a thief like Catwoman to recruit an army if she wanted.

He snorted again. “Typical cape.” The boy scuttled back a few more inches, his eyes reflecting a level of loathing that caught Alex by surprise. “Come down here giving orders and threatening the people trying to make this place better, but when we need you, you’re nowhere to be seen.”

“Kid, I’m trying to protect the people. In case you haven’t noticed, there are some guys running around hurting them. The Highway Hitmen?”

“Right,” he scoffed. “Only it’s been going on for years and we didn’t see you. You only care now that it’s rich people in  Lexuses getting hurt. When it‘s just street rats, you don’t give a crap.”

Alex made a soft, frustrated sound, offended at the accusation, but also feeling defensive. She hadn’t spent as much time in places like this as she probably should have, but she’d been learning and Bruce had steered her away from areas he deemed too dangerous on her own.  “What are you talking about?” she demanded, still using that low, threatening tone.

“This ain’t nothin’ new.” He ran his gaze up and down over her, expression twisted into a look of disdain. “You’re batcrap, aren’t you?”

“Excuse me?” Surprise knocked Alex back a half step and stole the air from her lungs. She’d never heard her family referred to so disrespectfully.

“Yeah,” he jeered. “All in black, tough tone, intimidation tactics, never talk to anybody like they might just be a real human being...that’s pure batcrapper.” He thrust his chin forward. “You gonna burn us down next?”

Behind the mask, Alex’s lips pulled back from clenched teeth in a soft snarl. “Batman never did that.”

“Yeah, right.” The kid shook his head. “The news may’ve covered it up, but everybody saw, and his buddy, Bruce Wayne, payin’ people off don’t change that.”

Alex’s hand tightened into a fist. “Nobody got paid off—”

“What do you call all those freebies Wayne handed to the people his Batcrap buddy burned outa their homes?” He snickered. “Rich dudes like that don’t just give money away to be nice. There’s always something in it for them.” Another snorting laugh escaped his lips. “Besides, he probably gets twice his investment back on the down low—”

“No.” Alex surged forward a half step. Bruce had been genuinely trying to right a wrong even if he’d been as much the victim as those burned out of their homes. “He’s trying to rebuild the city—”

“Yeah, sure, the part the BatCrap burned down...which Wayne picked up for a song.

The muscles in her jaw cramping with clenched fury, Alex heard her soft growl, “That was Joker—”

“Yeah, it’s always somebody else’s fault with you capes.” He jerked his chin toward her. “I mean, here you are, you could be doing something to help stop Easties from moving back in and using this place as a drop for their mules, but all you’re doing is hassling me and worrying about some geezer with a good insurance plan and a few bruises. You don’t give a shit about the kids who’ll be overdosing on bad chems.”

Alex froze, not liking his version of truth at all. “Then tell me,” she hissed. “I can’t help if if I don’t know what’s going on.”

He let out a sharp, bitter laugh.

“I mean it,” Alex said firmly. “You think I run around like this for my health?”

“Nah, I think you do it cos you’re mental, just like the rest of ‘em,” he shot back instantly.

Barely resisting the urge to throw out a few insults of her own, Alex straightened her shoulders. “You want help or you just wanna whine?” she demanded. “Because if it’s help, you need to tell me what’s going on.”

He peered at her for a long moment until finally he shrugged, silently accepting the gauntlet she’d thrown down. “All right.” His expression was still angry and bitter, making his answer feel more like he was issuing a challenge of his rather than asking for help. “Easties stashed their chems here for years. Cops and capes both knew and didn’t do shit. Hell, the Batcrap left ‘em alone in trade for info on Cobblepot’s boys... so we finally drove ‘em out on our own. Burned their shit, beat their delivery boys, and busted up their cars when they came down here until they backed off. Only thing capes or cops did was bust our asses for it. See, you punks don’t like it so much when regular folks actually take of themselves. So we had a few years of peace, but now Easties are moving back and they’re taking kids, probably using ‘em as runners or mules or whatever...and cops and capes still ain’t doing shit.”

Alex wanted to accuse him of lying, but every instinct said he was telling the truth. “Batman wouldn’t—”

“There’s a reason we call him Batcrap down here,” the kid sneered before Alex could finish. “Though maybe you think we should be grateful at least he didn’t try to burn us out like he did the Bowery Brats—”

“I told you—”

“And I told you,” he shot back, his voice every bit as hard as hers.

Impasse.

He was just a scared kid, Alex reminded herself, whose entire knowledge base was probably based on street gossip and Batman had taken on plenty of bangers who probably gloried in dirtying his name. “Look, kid,” she said after taking a moment to get her temper back under control. “You’re right that we don’t do enough. Cops and people like me do our best, but places like this, they don’t get the help they ought to.”

“If this is your best, it sucks,” he accused. “You should probably go into some other line of work.”

Alex landed on her temper with both feet and ground out, “But you’re completely wrong if you think we don’t try. Batman did everything he could for neighborhoods like this.”

The kid snorted, a mocking look on his face as he asked, “He raise you on Kool-Aid?”

“Cute.” The kid was trying to piss her off. Probably thought it would make her screw up, but it only made her more determined to watch him like a hawk. She drew in a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She doubted he knew much, but maybe she could figure out some ways to help with the local problems and change a few minds.“Look, kid, I’m trying to...” She caught a tiny flick of movement out of the corner of one eye and started to check the head-up when he suddenly exploded into motion.

The kid was fast, and she reacted on instinct, lunging forward.

It was a mistake.

Because a bright red target burst onto the head-up, coming in fast from behind and before she could do much more than register it was there, something slammed into her ankles and swept her feet out from under her.

Alex went down hard, not injured—the suit’s armor had protected her from any major damage—but she was definitely hurting. Also seriously pissed. Ignoring the pain in her arm, she started to push up on her hands, but her attacker stepped across her from behind and rammed a hard hand into the space between her shoulderblades with a hissed command.

“Stay down.” A woman’s voice, low and determined.

Growling a curse, Alex tried for a grab over her shoulder, but her attacker was already moving past her, her voice louder this time as she snapped at the kid.

“MOVE!”

“Goddammit.” Alex pushed to her knees in time to see a black clad, shapely ass from behind as the newcomer hauled the kid to his feet and shoved him ahead of her.

He spun as he moved, fist pumping the air triumphantly as he laughed at her. “Don’t need you, Batcrapper! We got La Gata!”

The Cat? “GET BACK HERE!” Alex roared, scrambling desperately for her feet. The newcomer glanced back, giving Alex a brief glimpse of a black hood and goggles. “Bitch,” she hissed as one foot skidded in the thick dust to send her knee crashing into the floor.

“Dammit, move,” her attacker hissed, shoving the exultant teen toward the exit, but he darted sideways, too gleeful to be on the winning side to think clearly.

“Get outa our home, Batcrapper!” He retrieved his bat just as Alex hit her feet and grabbed a for a small flash bang tucked inside her jacket. It was a very small charge, but it would incapacitate anyone within several feet for long enough to get cuffs on.

Oh, she was gonna enjoy this. Alex triggered and lobbed the device in one easy move, her voice contained by the helmet as she called out, “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.” Easy peasy.

Until the bitch reached out and slapped it back at her like a champion handballer. Shit! The gear would mostly protect her, but even then, she was likely to end up seeing stars. She lunged backward, everything made worse when the kid flung the bat with a twist of his wrist that sent it spinning to tangle her feet and send her stumbling.

“MOVE!” La Gata grabbed the kid and shoved hard enough that he would have gone down if not for her grip on his shirt.

Alex’s last glimpse was the two of them crashing through the rotted remains of a door before she fell into a curl, chin tucked against her chest, arms over the helmet when the flash bang went off.

Even through the protective gear she felt the concussion and saw a flash of light through her closed eyelids. In the aftermath, a slight stink of smoke reached her nose. Less than a minute passed before it was safe to lift her head. Breathing hard she took in the dusty, empty confines of the drop house. Her targets were gone. No surprise there.

Cursing under her breath, Alex staggered to her feet, the sound of bitter laughter and the crack of the flash bang still ringing in her ears. No use going after them. They’d be long gone and she was in no shape. It took everything she had just to remain standing.

Not a day for the record books, at least not the kind you want to be in.

Meanwhile, her arm throbbed like a sonofabitch, she was drowning in sweat inside all the layers of braces, ironskin, and leather, and she swore if she caught up with the little bastard again, she’d kick his ass six ways to Sunday. Oh yeah, and apparently Catwoman had gotten the best of her.

Again.

At the same time, as she calmed and got herself back under control, she experienced an unexpected sense of vindication. She’d been starting to doubt herself. No more. She hadn’t gotten a good look, but all black, goggles, crooked plans and sneaking around and fucking with the good guys, yeah, that was the feline bitch in a nutshell.

“La Gata, huh?” she growled.  “I knew you were out there.” She peered around the place, but didn’t see anything that offered any obvious clues. Still, a tight smile curved her lips, her intention to see the thief locked up redoubled. “And the cat came back for the very last time...” she sang softly as she headed back toward her cycle.

* * * * * *

It probably shouldn’t have been a surprise that Cat wound up calling Kara during a lunch break, and asked her if she meant it when she offered to bring Carter home and look after him. She’d finished her article early, but then Barbara had asked her to help with some piece of research for the companion piece, then wanted a short blurb for the social media, then a longer blurb, then other writers working on stories called to ask for some of her research, then to see if she had time to help with theirs. She kept thinking she was done, then something new happened and more work kept coming in.

So she dug in, fielding calls and doing what was asked as quickly as possible.

She helped every way she knew how.

And it felt good.

It was a first for her, feeling like a part of a group and she was startled to realize she liked it. There was an all new sense of achievement and of being relied on, even trusted. There were even a few friendly moments and wry jokes with other writers who’d previously ignored her existence.   From what she could tell as the day wore on, there were now at least four articles being written, as well as some kind of video tie-in on the history of the neighborhood where the jewelry store was located.

It occurred to her that she should have been scared, that investigating the robbery meant closing in on her actions as Catwoman, but the usual terror of discovery never set in. She’d done nothing to arouse the fury of the police or crowds and she didn’t think Jacob would claim otherwise. Maybe he wouldn’t even tell the police who’d saved him. She’d heard nothing to suggest anyone knew she was involved.

Maybe she’d dodged the proverbial bullet.

She heard soft laughter from the family room. Carter, a little giggly and happy, then Kara, almost as happy and sounding not much older. A hint of a smile touched her mouth as she felt an unfamiliar lack of worry with having her son out of her immediate presence. He was safe. Kara would make sure of it.

They were okay and somehow it was going to work out.

She was still musing on that thought when her phone rang. “Kyle here,” she answered instantly.

“Cat, it’s Barbara.” The editor sounded a little tired, but her tone was softer than it had been earlier when her clipped explanations and demands had come fast and sharp.

“Did you need something else?”

“No, actually, I was calling to let you know you can take off for the night.”

“Oh,” Cat exhaled, surprised to feel almost disappointed the work was over. “So everything’s finished then?” Barbara was silent for a long moment and Cat desperately wanted to ask more questions, but instinct held her back.

“There’s some video still being edited,” Barbara exhaled at last, “and some timing issues being hashed out, but I think everything else is in place.” Her editor waited another moment, then she cleared her throat. “Plus Andi’s finishing up her article. She wanted me to thank you for all your help. She made a point about how much more complete it is because of your work.”

“I’m glad I could help.” Cat glanced at the article still up on her laptop. “She’s an amazing writer, made me really feel what that place, that neighborhood must have been like in their heyday.”

Another moment of silence followed before Barbara spoke, the words halting as though she wasn’t quite comfortable with what she was saying. “She is,” she agreed. “But she can be weak on the research end, so thank you for helping her get it right...and thank you for just digging in and doing whatever needed doing today. That’s the kind of attitude I want for the new company. Instead of carefully guarded fiefdoms, I want a team where everybody helps, and knows they can get help if they need it.”

“I like that philosophy.” Cat was surprised to realize she was being honest, not just saying what she thought the other woman wanted to hear.

“Well, you keep doing what you’re doing.”

Cat could hear papers rattle in the background and Barbara was silent for another beat.

“Now go get some dinner, look after your son, do whatever you need. The next few days may be a little long.”

Another beat passed while Cat wondered if she should go ahead and just hang up. Barbara could be surprisingly relaxed when it was about work, but at other times, she seemed stiff and socially awkward as if she wasn’t quite sure how to deal with people when a news story wasn’t involved. Cat was just about to click off when the other woman finally spoke.

“And, Cat...” She was quiet for a beat until finally, “You did really well today. Thank you.”

Cat froze, startled to feel a rush of emotion that left her throat tight and threatened to bring tears to her eyes. “I’m glad,” she heard herself respond, her voice sounding a little ragged inside her head. “That means a lot to me. I really want to get this right.”

“You have so far. Just keep it up.”

They hung up a moment later, and Cat shut her computer down, then slipped into the livingroom without making a sound. Carter was sitting crossed on the floor, an open textbook on his lap, while Kara sat in a similar pose on the couch above him, neck craned so she could peer over his shoulder at what he was doing.

“So it’s really that easy?” Carter was asking, his tone perplexed sounding the way it got when he was genuinely confused by something.

“Yep,” Kara confirmed with a wry smile.

He shook his head. “Why do they make it so hard if it’s that simple?”

“Don’t ask me,” Kara sighed, head canting to one side as she peered at his book. “Sometimes I think textbook writers secretly hate children.”

Carter’s brows drew into a frown as he considered that response. “That actually makes sense,” he decided out loud.

Cat couldn’t help it, she giggled, the sound alerting the other two to her presence.

“Mom!” Carter sounded so happy to see her she couldn’t hold back a wide smile. “Kara was just showing me an easier way of doing quadratic equations. It’s like they actually make sense now.”

“Impressive.”

Kara shrugged, but her eyes were sparkling as she took in Cat, her clothes loose and slouchy, her feet stuffed in brightly colored, fuzzy socks. She looked almost as young as her son. “I just showed him a few tricks.”

“Well, if you can make him love math like he loves science—”

“Like, not love,” Carter corrected.

“Yeah, yeah,” Cat snarked, well aware that his grin said otherwise. Or maybe it was just the attention and praise he loved, or maybe just Kara. In any case, it seemed to be nothing but good for him. “Either way, I think you should thank Kara for helping out today.”

“No thanks needed,” Kara quickly demurred. “It’s been fun.” The last thing she wanted either of them to think was that it was a chore for her. She’d had fun with Carter and their small apartment felt homey and welcoming.

“No, Mom’s right.” Carter twisted to peer up at her. “You were great today and I really appreciate it.” He glanced back at Cat who smiled approvingly. “Thank you so much.” He peered at Kara again, his gaze direct, his smile infectious.

Feeling an unexpected swell of emotion that made it hard to speak for a moment, Kara nodded. Reaching out, she smoothed unruly hair off his forehead. “Well, I was glad to do it, and anytime you need a ride, or anything else, just call.” She looked up at Cat, her expression serious. “I mean it,” she added. “Anytime.” It felt good to be needed for who she was, not her powers, felt good too, to be around people who played and laughed and enjoyed the sunlight. Even Carter’s worries that morning seemed normal by comparison with too many things in her own life.

Cat drew in a sharp breath and nodded, her response little more than a mouthed, “Thank you.” Needing a break from the intensity of the moment, she looked past them toward the sliding glass doors that opened onto the balcony. It was dusk out and would be dark soon. “I know we talked about hitting a restaurant tonight for me to review,” she looked back to Kara. “But honestly, I’m burned out—”

“Oh,” Kara exhaled as she felt an embarrassed flush heat her cheeks. She’d overstayed her welcome. “Right, I should probably get out of your hair.” She all but jacknifed to her feet only to come up short as Cat held out a hand in front of her chest before she could flee.

“Actually, I was going to invite you to dinner,” Cat said, the faintest chiding note in her voice.

“Oh.”

“Nothing fancy,” Cat continued, still holding Kara’s gaze with her own. “I was thinking spaghetti and a salad.”  She shrugged. “Or we could order pizza or Chinese,” she added. “But we’d definitely like you to stay.” She just assumed Carter agreed and his firm nod in the background confirmed his assent. She tipped her head to one side, her expression just short of disapproval. “Assuming, of course, you can remember that little promise you made to me on the boat.”

“I’m—” Kara saw Cat’s eyes flash and froze.

“Don’t apologize,” Cat said, her voice not so crisp this time, though it retained the note of command. Her expression softened. “You apologize too much,” she said gently.

Forgotten for the moment, Carter swung his head back and forth like a spectator at a tennis match.

“I...” Kara began only to skid to a halt as Cat’s brows arched sharply. She took a deep breath, then started over. “I’d love to stay for dinner.”

Cat beamed. Right answer. She looked at Carter and nodded toward the kitchen. “There’s sauce in the freezer if you want to handle the rest,” she offered.

Grinning, he bounded to his feet, clearly excited by the prospect. “Mom makes a great Bolognese sauce,” he explained to Kara. “It’s like, half Italian sausage. She makes it ahead so it’s always ready.” His gaze swung back to his mother. “Antipasto?”

She nodded. “I think there’s still a half a french loaf for garlic bread if you’d like.”

“Cool.” He glanced back and forth between the two women, ending with a serious look at his mother. It was easy enough to read her mood in her body language. She was tense and on edge and annoyed with Kara’s lack of confidence. She could get too sharp when she was like that. “Be nice,” he ordered, his tone surprisingly firm.

“I’m nice,” Cat insisted, though her mouth pursed into a thin line.

Carter raised an eyebrow and glanced at Kara, then back to his mother. He tipped his head to one side and there was a moment of silent communication between mother and son that left Kara out of the loop. Finally, he nodded. “I’ll get things started.” He hurried off toward the kitchen.

Kara thought about it for a moment, several questions dancing on the tip of her tongue before she simply asked, “He cooks?”

Still staring after Carter with a thoughtful expression, Cat nodded. “Simple things. He’s getting better though.” She shrugged, sticking to the safe topic for a moment. “Wants to learn how to make my stroganoff recipe.” She drew in a deep breath, then ran a hand through her hair and turned back toward Kara. “I’m sorry if I was too sharp.” Her boy was growing up and he’d made his point well enough to make her wince at her own behavior.

Kara shook her head. “You don’t owe me—”

“Actually, I do,” Cat disagreed. “If you apologize too much, I apologize too little.” She help up a hand when Kara seemed ready to argue. “You’re a guest in my home, one who did me a hell of a favor today, and I just acted like a brat.”

Kara looked uncomfortable, but was smart enough to realize the other woman needed to get this off her chest.

“I wouldn’t let Carter behave like that.” Cat flashed a quick look the direction her son had disappeared, a wry smile twisting her lips. It might be a little embarrassing to be called on the carpet by her child, but at the same time, she was so damned proud of him for what he’d done, her chest ached. “Apparently he’s now grown up enough to return the favor.” When she returned her attention to Kara, her expression was contrite. “I’m sorry. We all have our weak points, and the last thing I want to do is poke one of yours.” Reaching out, she straightened Kara’s collar, her touch fleeting. “But I want you to understand that I see this amazing young woman and I’m not always as patient as I should be when you don’t seem to appreciate that.”

“You’ve been great,” Kara disagreed. She gnawed on her lower lip, embarrassed by her insecurities. “Sometimes I just can’t understand why.” She held a hand when Cat drew a breath to respond. “It’s nothing you’ve done,” Kara assured her. “It’s me.”

Cat’s hand floated up from Kara’s collar, brushed her cheek, cupped her chin, stroked along her jawline, every small bit of contact part of a tactile need to reassure them both. “You are very welcome here...anytime. If you ever doubt that, consider that I trusted you with my son today, and I don’t do that lightly.” She tucked a finger under Kara’s chin, bringing her head up when she would have looked away. “I also consider you a friend, and I don’t even remember the last time I said that to anyone.”

Kara swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you.” She caught Cat’s and ran her thumb along the rise of her knuckles, holding her gaze as they shared a long look. “It’s mutual.”

Pots and pans clattered noisily in the kitchen.

Cat’s chin snapped toward the sound as she was reminded of her son’s activities. “I should probably go supervise,” she exhaled, sounding a little disappointed at the prospect. “He still gets a little ham handed sometimes.”

Nodding, Kara released her loose hold on Cat’s hand to wave her toward the kitchen.“He can be kinda impatient on lab days.” She offered a teasing smile. “Though no major explosions yet.”

Another clatter that bordered on a crash echoed from the other room.

Cat’s ears twitched nervously in spite of her usual control and she bounced on her toes. “I think maybe we should hurry.”

Kara nodded and followed her to the kitchen. Cat quickly got things back under control, and had Carter put away several pots wholly inappropriate for what he needed. After that, she  she allowed an eager Carter to handle the cooking with a few reminders to take things more slowly and be careful. When he stuck his head outside, and pronounced it not too cold to eat on the balcony, both adults followed his lead.

“I have a pretty good Chianti on hand if you’d like wine,” Cat told Kara as she pulled a bottle out of the fridge and peered at the label. “But only if you’re willing to stay here at least an hour after your last drink.”

Carter nodded. “Mom’s really strict about drinking and driving,” he confirmed.

Kara had relaxed enough to grin by then. “I’d love to stay at least an hour after dinner,” she admitted. She wasn’t really much of a drinker—she preferred sodas for the most part and alcohol had no effect on her under normal circumstances—but the idea of having to stay longer appealed.

Cat flashed another of the beaming smiles, this time without even a trace of the earlier sharpness. “Wine it is then.”

So a half hour later, they ate at the small table on the balcony, a flickering votive candle the only illumination other than the reflected lights from the city below. There wasn’t much room, so elbows and knees bumped occasionally and they had to serve themselves inside then carry the plates out. The smell was heavenly though and Kara found herself once again with people who actually had enough food on hand to fill her and showed no sign of noticing just how much that was. Meanwhile,  Cat served the wine, though she had to set the bottle on the floor off to the side to have space for it.

Kara tasted it and smiled wryly. It wasn’t something Alfred would have allowed anywhere near Bruce’s wine cellar, but it was a bit sweet and pleasantly sharp. Besides, as the meal wore on, it left Cat just a bit buzzed. Oh, not drunk by any means, but a little giggly, and either a bit less coordinated or maybe just less careful and less reserved. Her knee grazed Kara’s as she told a risque joke that went over Carter’s head. Then a few minutes later, her hand brushed Kara’s upper arm in a fleeting caress and their shoulders bumped several times, the grazing touches long enough to leave Kara very aware of Cat’s body heat.  Quick glances and shared smiles followed and twice Cat’s hand landed briefly on Kara’s thigh.

It was teasing and fun and just the tiniest bit dangerous. Or perhaps, given the thoughts Kara was starting to have and the smiles that kept trading back and forth with Cat, maybe a lot dangerous, for a very pleasant definition of danger.

Kara loved it. She wasn’t sure what they were doing, or maybe she was and just wasn’t ready to look too closely at what she was feeling. Either way, she didn’t want it to end anytime soon.

She was enjoying herself far too much.

So Kara dug into the food, drank the wine and if her shoulder and knee bumped Cat’s more often than was remotely necessary, she couldn’t feel bad about it because Cat seemed to enjoy it as much as she did. Later, when Carter began telling bad knock-knock jokes, she responded with her own–she’d learned a few things as a teacher. It wasn’t long before they were all laughing uncontrollably at the sheer badness of it all. Finally, with dinner done, their efforts to one-up each other resulted in Kara hitting a punchline that knocked Carter silent. He just stared for a moment, then looked at his mother, who giggled softly. He groaned and rolled his eyes. “You’re more juvenile than I am.” He sniffed disapprovingly at his mother. “Both of you.”

Which made both women laugh even harder.

“And on that note,” he grumbled, “I still have homework to finish.”

“You need any more help?” Kara asked through continuing giggles.

He thought about it a moment and shook his head. “Nah, I’m good.” He looked at the adults again and shook his head. “Besides, you two are way too into that joke.” He looked at his mom in a silent request for permission and she nodded.

“Go on.” She smiled. “And thank you for dinner. It was excellent.”

“Ditto,” Kara agreed. “Seriously, dinner was wonderful and I had a great time today. You’re welcome to catch a ride with me anytime.” She couldn’t have held back a smile if her life depended on it.

He grinned happily, then started stacking the dishes to take them away.

Kara straightened and would have helped, but Carter waved her off.

“A good host takes care of that,” he told her and flashed a quick look at his mother, who nodded. “It’s a way of showing someone how much you appreciate their company,” he added seriously.

It went against her basic need to be helpful, but Kara understood she needed to let him have this. Nodding, she let him take her plate, though she held back her glass. “Well, thank you, Carter.” She glanced at Cat and saw the gratitude in her tiny nod. “You’ve been a wonderful host tonight.”

His chest puffed out with pride and it struck Kara as she peered into his wide open gaze that Cat was careful about teaching him things like this, manners, but also being kind and making people feel appreciated. She’d speak up sometimes and remind him, but he was good on his own about it too. She’d seen it in how he treated the teachers and his fellow students at school.

Finally, with everything neatly stacked, he said his goodbyes and hurried off.

Cat watched him go with a satisfied smile. She was so damn proud of that boy it made her wonder how she could have produced something so utterly perfect.

“He’s a great kid,” Kara murmured as if she’d read Cat’s mind.

“Sometimes it feels like he’s the one thing in my life I got right,” she sighed, thinking of all the choices she’d made to create a better future for him. “I’d do anything for him.”

Kara nodded, drawn to the warmth on display even if it sometimes felt more alien than she was. Her own family on Krypton had loved her, even been willing to die for her, but she’d never had any great sense that they really saw her. She was the future of Krypton, not an individual. Meanwhile,  her human family also loved her, but their priorities felt so different that neither she nor they quite knew what to say or do. This family, on the other hand, felt like something she’d long wanted, but hadn’t quite known existed.

Cat met her gaze with a soft smile before taking a moment to top off her wine. That done, she rose and stepped over to the balcony railing. “It’s warmer than I expected tonight,” she sighed, needing some distance to have any hope of clearing her head. All the flirtation and brief touches had left her jittery and spun up. Probably not her best choice, but she hadn’t seemed able to back away.

Kara followed suit and joined her, leaning against the railing to stare out at the city.

Cat stared. When it came to head clearing the sight of Kara like that didn’t help. Her gaze drifted over smooth curves. No, that didn’t help at all. She took a long drink from her glass. Probably also less than helpful. Then a soft scent teased her nostrils, something newly familiar to her. Tangy and a little sweet like some heretofore unknown citrus, it was wholly Kara’s own. It clung to her skin even sharper and more tantalizing than where it remained on the borrowed jacket Cat now burrowed into at night.

Kara tipped her gaze skyward and sniffed at the air. “Warmer, yeah,” she agreed, assessing the weather with the experience of someone who’d spent years in Gotham. “We sometimes get these temperate pauses this time of year,” she mused between idle sips of wine. “But they never last long and usually when they break, it means bitter cold heralded by the kind of storm that shuts the city down.” Her gaze swung to the west where she could easily make out the work lights of the Bowery Project as crews tried to finish several tasks ahead of the winter weather. She swung her gaze east, noting it was much darker and knew that if she sharpened her vision enough, she would see too much crime amid dirty streets where city services virtually didn’t reach. If winter came in hard, they would be the ones to suffer.

Peering up at Kara, Cat enjoyed the clean lines of her profile even as she noted the melancholy in her eyes. It wasn’t the night for it, she decided and reached out.

Kara was startled out of her grim thoughts by the soft tink of a fingernail tapping her wine glass. Cat was smiling up at her and she felt the encroaching darkness retreat a bit.

Cat rapped the glass again. “You know this means you have to stay at least an hour after you finish,” she pointed out.

Kara nodded, the weight on her shoulders fading as she stared down into warm, green eyes. She couldn’t hold back a smile. Somehow Cat just did that for her with little more than a look. “I don’t mind, if you don’t.”

Good girl, the thought went through Cat’s head . “Not at all.” She let out a satisfied sigh and bumped Kara’s shoulder with her own before leaning forward to stare out at the world. “I love this view.” The temperature was dropping, and she pulled her sweater more firmly around herself to ward off the growing chill.

“It’s beautiful,” Kara agreed. “I’ve always loved looking out at city lights.” Even as a child on Krypton, she’d loved to look down on the city and watch the lights and patterns of movement. Few things relaxed her as much or left her feeling so thoroughly a part of this world even when floating above it.

They stayed there in companionable silence, simply watching the city for several minutes until Cat cleared her throat.

Kara heard the other woman’s heartrate pick up. Nervous, but not terrified.

“Carter really likes you, you know,” Cat began.

Kara was glad to hear it.

“I do too,” Cat added, her voice soft and thoughtful, her gaze still on the city past her balcony, instinct telling her Kara needed a bit of space. She needed to make some things clear though.  “If you ever want to talk about why you think we wouldn’t you around—why you think I wouldn’t want you—I’ll listen.” She was silent for a beat, considering her words carefully in an effort to give Kara a chance to speak if she wanted, but also determined not to pressure her. “But if you don’t want to, that’s okay too.” It needed to be Kara’s choice. She thought back to her younger days, to a hand held out and unexpected faith that she could still be human if she wanted. It would never have worked if Selina had tried to use force. Lesson learned. She needed to control her own impatient, pushy side. She tipped her head back, seeing the familiar bright stars. “Do you know anything about the stars?”

Kara almost laughed, but realized she’d have to explain too many things. “A little,” she admitted.

Cat read that knowing, wry tone and looked over, her expression almost disappointed. She’d forgotten what Kara did for a living. Hell, the girl probably knew more than she did. “Right, science teacher.”

That too, Kara thought, and nodded.

“Probably not much I can tell you that you don’t already know,” Cat sighed. This time it was definitely disappointment.

“You could tell me why you love them.” When no answer was quickly forthcoming, Kara was left with the sense it was a difficult debate.

Cat was silent for a long moment. The problem of how much to say wasn’t a simple one. “My father,” she finally answered, keeping it simple. “When I was little, we’d sit outside and he’d aim his telescope on the different stars and teach me about them. Later, when I had Carter, we could go up on a rooftop and stargaze for free.” Free had been important in those days, as had being outside in places where they weren’t likely to be noticed.

A soft smile touched Kara’s lips. “My aunt taught me the stars.” Her lessons had involved different constellations, but it was the only time anyone paid more than passing attention to her. Rao, how she missed those times, because Bruce? Much as he loved the night, noting the stars would have required looking up from the crime soaked streets he was obsessed with. She doubted he even knew the stars existed. “God, I miss those times.”

It felt like the most natural thing in the world when Cat reached out to settled her hand over Kara’s. “Yeah,” she exhaled.

She didn’t have to say anymore than that for Kara to know. She recognized the hurt. “How old were you?”

They both understood what she was asking.

“Twelve.” Normally, it wasn’t a question Cat would have answered, but holding the truth back from this woman felt impossible. “Car accident.” That had been the official finding anyway.

“Thirteen,” Kara whispered her voice echoing with old pain.

Cat remembered she’d mentioned it on the boat. “You said there was a fire?” she said by way of question.

“Yeah...a really bad one.” This was the closest Kara had come to telling anyone the truth outside of her adoptive family. “My whole family...everything I knew.” She was surprised by the strength of the hand clinging to hers.

“I can’t imagine,” Cat whispered. “When I lost Dad, I still had my mother.” She was silent a long moment, bitter memories stealing her voice until she muttered under her breath, “Losing everything would have been better.” Even now, the depth of that betrayal was like salt ground into a fresh wound.

Speaking of being sorry, Kara thought. There was a wealth of hurt in that simple statement, though it was obvious Cat hadn’t meant it to be heard. She wanted to ask, but instinct told her it wasn’t the time. After a moment, she slipped her hand free and pointed skyward. Maybe a bit of distraction. “My favorite constellation here is Draco,” she deliberately changed topics as she sketched her finger along the trail of stars. She leaned close, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Did you know it includes a nebula?”

Cat shook her head.

Kara flashed a tiny, triumphant grin, though she suspected Cat might be fudging the truth  to have something else to talk about. “You can’t see it with the naked eye.” Well, she could, but a human couldn’t. “But even binoculars are enough to see a bit of a smudge. With better telescopes, it’s just gorgeous, vivid color and a distinct shape.” She leaned close enough to whisper near Cat’s ear. “It’s named the Cat’s Eye nebula.” She heard Cat’s pulse accelerate and the hitch in her breathing. Distraction indeed. “Which right now just makes me like Draco more.”

Cat blinked, unable to take her eyes off the tiny splash of color in the sky. She’d seen it before, of course, first through her father’s telescope and later, after everything changed, with the naked eye, but she’d never really thought about it. Suddenly the normally unimpressive smear of green with its flick of red seemed particularly vivid, beautiful even. All because Kara liked it. Which possibly was the most terrifying thought she’d had in years because she honestly had no idea what to do with the fact that this thing—whatever it was—was moving past a parent-teacher friendship or any lighthearted flirtation.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear or feel Kara move until a hand landed lightly on her shoulder. The twitchy jump happened, muscles flexing and quivering wildly before she could stop the response. She heard Kara’s instant gasp and felt her go utterly still, barely even breathing.

Kara froze the moment she registered the other woman’s skittish flinch and couldn’t help but remember her worries when speaking with Carter that morning. That, coupled with Cat’s muttered comment about her mother didn’t paint a pretty picture. She carefully drew her hand back, moving slowly and deliberately so as not to startle her again. “I’m sorry if I overstepped.”

Green eyes slid closed in response to the softly spoken apology. “You didn’t,” Cat assured her. She glanced back and flashed a soothing smile even as her shoulders shifted in an embarrassed shrug. “Overly sensitive startle reflex.”

Kara settled her hand back on the balcony railing. “I hope you know I would never hurt you,” she promised.

“I know that,” Cat snapped, her voice more brittle than she intended. She had it in her to wonder if that was the wisest answer. They were pulling closer than she’d planned–or rather, not planned–and she couldn’t help but wonder how stupid she was for not stopping it. She might be trying to change, but her life was still a chaotic mess at best, while Kara was sweet  and so innocent that Cat couldn’t help but think she should send her packing because Cat was none of those things.

Which did nothing to ease the thickening temptation, perhaps even made it worse. That utter lack of suspicion was a candle flame to her moth’s wings, offering warmth and light and threatening possible immolation.

Kara took the silence for trust issues and spoke up, her breathing fast and nervous. “I mean it, Cat.” She paused to grab a breath. “Never,” she repeated intensely. “And if you need any kind of help—”

“I don’t,” Cat lied sharply. This time, the meanness of her own tone struck her as she heard Kara’s sharp exhalation as though she’d been struck. Awash in a sudden wave of emotion, she shook her head and took a moment to gather herself. Guilt was something she hadn’t allowed herself in years and it was hard not to bolt in a panic. Finally, she deliberately softened her voice.“I’m sorry, Kara,” she whispered intensely, unable to push the other woman away even if it might be wiser. “ I didn’t mean to snap and I’m not afraid of you.” She dismissed the ludicrous idea with a disapproving sniff. If anyone should be afraid, it was this beautiful, kind-hearted, woman who was sweet and naive enough to actually trust her. That choice had emptied the pockets and diminished the hope of more than one person.

She would not let it happen again, not to Kara.

Kara let out a sharp breath of relief even if she wasn’t certain she completely believed the denial. “I hope not,” she insisted as she peered at Cat, taking in her stressed body language and bowed head. That wasn’t an example of confidence on any world. “Because I would never want that.”

“I know.” Cat swallowed hard and blew out a hard breath before she turned enough to meet Kara’s worried gaze. “I really do trust you,” she assured the younger woman. “I just...” She stumbled to a halt as she considered how much to explain. “There are some bad things in my past,” she admitted at last.

Kara nodded. She’d guessed as much. “Is there anything now?” she asked, needing to know Cat and Carter were okay because if they weren’t, she’d bring the full might of Bruce’s empire and her own abilities to bear to protect them. They were already that important to her. “Are you and Carter safe?”

Catching Kara’s hand in her own. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes,” Cat acknowledged and looked away for a moment. It felt so strange to have someone care that she didn’t quite know how to respond. “But we’re good here.” She looked back to Kara, and squeezed her hand firmly. “We’re safe,” she assured her. “It’s a new chance, for Carter and I both.”

“You’ll tell me if you need help?” Kara whispered.

Cat froze. It was a promise she couldn’t make, not when it might put Kara in danger and Cat’s problems were most likely to be a kind the girl couldn’t help with. “I promise I’ll tell you if there’s anything you can do.” It was the best she could do.

Kara frowned, correctly reading the conditional nature of the answer. Part of her wanted to tell Cat just how powerful her family was, not to mention how powerful she was. One word and nothing could ever hurt her again. Another part was terrified the other woman would run for cover if she knew the truth. Cat didn’t strike her as the type to be drawn to wealth and power, and the scope of it could be overwhelming even for those used to it. In the end, she remained silent.

“There is one thing you could do,” Cat said after a long moment. “The school wanted an emergency contact in case they couldn’t reach me, and I wondered if you’d—”

“I’d be happy to,” Kara said before she could get any further.

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely.” Kara paused for a moment, then finally risked asking an obvious question. “Do you have any other family?”

“No.” Cat was silent for a moment before sighing heavily. “No one who matters anyway. My mother may be alive, but she’s long out of my life, and Carter’s father was never in it. He didn’t want either of us.”

Kara hurt for anyone so alone in the world. “ I’m more than happy to be an emergency contact, or anything else I can do.”

“That’s plenty,” Cat assured her. For Carter to have someone else meant everything to her.

“It’s nothing.” She’d do the same for any of her kids.

“Never dealt with a projectile vomiting kid then?” Cat joked in an effort to lighten the mood. They both needed a break from what felt overwhelmingly sad.

“Actually, I have. Every teacher does sooner or later.” Kara pivoted and leaned back against the railing and took another sip of wine. “And if it was Carter, I’m not saying I’d be happy, but I’d look after him. You too.”

Cat’s breath hitched as she found herself caught by the expression in remarkably clear blue eyes. “So if I’m ever projectile vomiting, it’s okay to call?” she asked after a beat.

A soft laugh and Kara’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I’ll kick your ass if you don’t.” It was a joke, but serious too. Reaching out, she cupped her palm along the curve of Cat’s cheek. Struck by the velvety softness of her skin, she stroked lightly with her thumb.

Unable to resist, Cat turned her cheek into the caress, a nearly soundless purr vibrating at the base of her throat. Swallowing hard, she peered up at the younger woman. It was tempting to pretend nothing was happening, that they were just two adults who enjoyed each other’s company, but simple friendship didn’t make her insides quiver at the tiniest bit of contact or set her pulse running so easily. Kara was becoming too important to risk so much. She couldn’t afford an emotional tailspin and Carter couldn’t afford to lose the one adult other than her that he’d ever bonded to. “What are we doing?” she asked at last, her voice soft and scared.

Kara’s voice caught in her throat as green eyes found hers. “I...” She trailed off, afraid to give the first answer that came to her, certain Cat was on the verge of bolting. “Something,” she said after a long beat.

“So I’m not imagining it?” Cat whispered uncertainly. It had been so long since she’d allowed herself anything emotional that she really wasn’t sure.

Between her origins, her family, and everything else, it would be simpler for Kara to say she was. Bruce and Alex would firmly urge to do so. They had enough times already because, god forbid she trust anyone. Hell, Alex would probably start suggesting Cat was Catwoman again.

But Kara couldn’t do it. “You aren’t imagining anything.”

“I’ve never brought people home in front of Carter.” Given the people in her circle, it wasn’t a risk she’d ever been willing to take, particularly not for some brief fling. She glanced sideways for a moment, then added, “Our life was already so unstable. I couldn’t do that to him.”

Kara fidgeted. She hadn’t planned on this conversation, hadn’t even let herself fantasize it might happen, so she went with her gut. “I’m not looking for a one-night stand.” Not that she wasn’t attracted. She was. Cat settled a hand on her chest, the light contact enough to make her pulse accelerated more than flying around the world twice would have. Yeah, a one night stand had its appeal, but even as that thought occurred, she knew she wanted so much more.  

“I wasn’t offering,” Cat said crispy, one eyebrow arching high, her manner cooling several degrees. The comment stung even if Kara hadn’t meant it to. She’d had too many people assume too many things for it not to.

“I know.” Kara barely paused as she realized what Cat thought and tried to turn expectations around. “I just wanted it understood you have to appreciate me for my mind as well as my body.” The line was delivered perfectly straight faced.

Cat blinked, momentarily left mute by the effort it took to parse Kara’s response. “I...” She trailed off, then got the joke and chuckled softly, any tension broken. “Point taken.” She eyed the younger woman from head to toe, a frisson if something wicked and taunting shivering up her spine, the wild thing in her demanding to teach the little girl a lesson. “But you should know I think you have a really...hot...mind,” she drawled, drawing each successive word out a little more.

Kara swallowed hard. “I...” She was so out of her depth, though it was tempting to dive deep and swim for it anyway.

Cat shook her head and spread her palm where it rested over Kara’s sternum. Her eyes gleamed and her lips twitched. Hunting instincts engaged. She peered into blue eyes and saw the hunger there. It would be so easy.

Which was the problem. Easy was only easy until it wasn’t. She’d stolen plenty of things. Kara shouldn’t be one of them.

Her hand firm on Kara’s chest, Cat stepped back a pace and took a deep, calming breath.

“Cat?” Kara sounded almost scared.

“We take this slowly...one step at a time,” she said firmly, consciously pushing the hunter back into its cage.

“So you’re...interested?” Kara asked haltingly.

Her smile tender, Cat shook her head. Maybe she should, but she couldn’t. “Very,” she confessed. Besides, with care, perhaps she could do this right. “I just need to do this right, be careful.” She blew out a sharp breath and flicked a glance toward the livingroom. “And take things very slowly.”

Kara followed the line of her gaze, and paused to think about it for a moment before adding. “And if it goes no farther than the friendship we have, that’s okay too.” She reached up to settle her hand over Cat’s where it rested on her chest. “Whatever happens, we stay friends.”

Cat nodded, grateful for the younger woman’s innate understanding. “Friends,” she repeated with a firm nod.

“And if more happens, that’s okay too,” Kara added, sensing Cat’s insecurities.

Green eyes glittered with raw appreciation. “More than okay,” Cat drawled, the feline in her needing to preen in response to the look in Kara’s eyes.

Kara’s mouth ran dry as Cat turned on a taunting grin and did a little hip and shoulder wiggle that shouldn’t have been that appealing in a woman wearing pilled sweats, a stretched out cardigan, and fuzzy socks. “I’m glad,” she gasped.

“Good,” Cat drawled, a tiny shiver making its way down her spine. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this enticing sense of safety mixed with wicked levels of want.  Maybe never. She tipped her head back to peer at the sky, calming herself with its grandeur. “But maybe it’s time to go back to talking about the stars.” At least if they were going to go slow.

“Right,” Kara panted dazedly. “Stars.”

Both needing a break from the charged conversation, they quieted, occasionally pointing at this or that, but mostly enjoying the night and the company.

Finally, Kara cleared her throat and asked, “Speaking of stars, did you know there’s a planetarium at the university?”

Cat looked over and shook her head. “No.”

“They took the old observatory on campus, made it the centerpoint of a new building with a planetarium and a children’s museum. It’s supposed to have some pretty cool stuff.” It should. Bruce had donated enough money for it. “It’s on the edge of campus, not far from the riverwalk. I’ve been meaning to go. I thought maybe the three of us?” She paused for a brief moment. “I get that you two are a package deal,” she clarified. If things were going to move forward, it needed to happen in a way that included Carter.

Cat’s mouth turned up in a small, grateful smile. “I know.” None of this conversation would be taking place if she wasn’t confident that Kara understood her priorities. “I think the planetarium sounds wonderful.”

“I figured Carter would enjoy it.”

“He will,” Cat agreed. “But honestly, I love that kind of thing too.” A happy grin curved her lips, making her seem little older than her son. She and Carter had long been museum hounds. They were generally cheap, and once he’d been safe to take in public, something that always kept that eager brain engaged. “One of the greatest things about having a child is you can go all those kid’s places where they let you play with the exhibits without being embarrassed.”

“It’s a great part of being a teacher too.” Kara giggled. “In fact, it means you have to play with them to demonstrate them to your students.”

“I knew there was a reason I like you.”

Kara all but glowed. “Hopefully, I can give you a few more,” she flirted, or at least she hoped she was flirting. She wasn’t exactly an expert.

A blonde brow climbed high on Cat’s brow as she turned an assessing look Kara’s way. “I can think of one or two things already.”

Kara coughed and took a moment to catch her breath before taking a sip from her wineglass. “I...uh...you...” she croaked.

Cat let out a soft, triumphant laugh.

“You’re evil,” Kara accused when she finally caught her breath. She sounded thrilled by the prospect.

It occurred to Cat that it was possibly the first time someone uttered had those words about her where they weren’t even slightly true. “Mm.” She took a sip from her glass and turned toward Kara, taking in bright eyes and pleasing curves. “Very,” she confirmed, pleased by the prospect of getting to know them better. Leaning against the railing, she trailed her gaze all the way down, then up again to peer into Kara’s eyes. An approving smile teased her lips. “I’ve been known to steal candy from babies,” she drawled, putting a  suggestive spin on the words that somehow cast Kara as the baby and the candy.

Kara coughed again and found herself wondering who’d robbed the air of all the oxygen.

“Okay, so it was Carter’s Halloween candy,” Cat admitted, taking pity on Kara as her sex kitten act broke into a snicker. “But that boy never eats the Snickers anyways. He prefers Three Musketeers. It’s almost enough to make me wonder if he’s really mine.”

“Hey, it’s chocolate. Never diss chocolate in any form.”

Cat sniffed disapprovingly. “A thin shell over—” her lip curled disdainfully “—whipped nougat.” She shook her head and stuck out her tongue in a universal ‘ick’ gesture. “Boring.” She dragged out the single word in a musical trill.

“But chocolate.”

“Fine. You and Carter can have them. I’ll take everything else.”

“Oh no, I’m an equal opportunity devourer of chocolate.” Kara laughed and leaned in close enough to note the tiny gold flecks in the green of Cat’s eyes. “Among other things,” she murmured, her voice dropping low and taking on a suggestive note.

Cat felt her pulse pick up in response to the challenge in blue eyes. “Oh, Kara,” she exhaled and rested a hand on the girl’s chest, caught somewhere between holding her off and pulling her closer. Hunting instinct re-engaged. “You don’t want to try and one-up me.” She took a step closer. “You’ll lose.”

Cat wasn’t the only one who liked a challenge. “Which could be fun in its own right.” Kara took a half step forward until they were almost touching.

Going slow was proving to be more of a challenge than either of them expected.

Blood quickening in her veins, Cat leaned in just a little, then caught herself as she heard a bit of sound and was reminded of Carter just inside and down the hall, with sharp, little ears that could prick to the tiniest sound. The hand on Kara’s chest tensed and the undecided push-pull became firm pressure. “Carter,” she whispered in reminder.

Kara pulled back fractionally and her brows drew into a frown. “Right.” She looked up, x-ray vision revealing he was still in the livingroom, sitting cross-legged on the couch, his math book on his lap.

“I’ll need to talk to him,” Cat said by way of explanation.

Kara nodded her understanding. “If it’s a comfort, while we were driving back, he asked if I like you—” she put extra emphasis on the word like “—and kept grinning at me.”

Cat laughed and rolled her eyes.  “The question, ‘Do you like-like her?’ might have been heard around here after we got back from sailing.” She shrugged. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem, but I want him to understand and not be surprised.”

“So he knows that you...” Kara didn’t finish, uncertain what to say or how to phrase it.

Cat took pity on her. “Prefer the company of women?” She nodded. “It’s not something I’ve ever hidden.”

“That’s good...I mean, that you were honest with him. I see so many kids whose parents lie and hide things and it never comes out well.”

“For good or ill, Carter knows me,” Cat sighed.

“It’s good,” Kara said confidently and laid a hand over Cat’s, the warmth of her skin sending a small shiver of awareness through both of them. “So...uh...we have a busy week at school, and I’m guessing you will too,” she said to distract herself from a sudden flood of sensations. When Barbara pursued a story, it was always with total commitment. “Maybe we could do the planetarium Friday. We have a half day, so I could just bring Carter home and go from there.” She paused a beat. “Then maybe hit the restaurant you were talking about reviewing for dinner.” Another beat. “Or is that too far off?”

“Actually Barbara warned us that the next few days would probably be busy and not to plan anything we couldn’t reschedule, so Friday’s perfect.” She eyed the girl for a moment. “But are you sure you don’t want a break between school and going out?”

She got a quick headshake. “Nah, I’ll bring spare clothes. It’ll be fine.” Not sweating under normal circumstances could be an advantage some days.

“Well, if you change your mind and want a shower, you’re welcome to grab one here,” Cat offered automatically, only to have it occur to her a tiny beat later what that would mean. Strange to have something so simple send a ripple of awareness through her hard enough to make her breath catch.

Their gazes met and some blushing followed, but Kara opted to ignore the opening and simply offer, “If you want, I can take him in that morning too.”

Cat nodded, grateful to have something else to think about. “Let me talk to him. See what he thinks.” Like her, Carter needed control over certain things. The plan for the planetarium and ride home would almost certainly go over well, but an unusual plan for the morning when he was already likely to struggle might be too much. He’d just barely dealt with it that morning because it was an emergency, but for a plan to work, it would have to be his decision.

Kara nodded, accepting the answer. “He needs that, doesn’t he?” she asked thoughtfully. “To have some input with what’s happening?”

Impressed by Kara’s observation, Cat nodded. “He’s like me,” she admitted. “Doesn’t always handle life well if it feels too out of control.”

Kara could see it. He was a good kid and Cat had taught him manners, but he could get prickly with other students when it came to his things or his personal space. “So was baby Carter a demanding little monster?”

Old ghosts floated, not quite hidden, in Cat’s eyes and she waved a hand near her temple as if brushing off a particularly aggressive insect.

“Cat?”

“No,” she said very softly. “He was...” She trailed off, haunted by the memory of Carter in her arms, so tiny and grey as he struggled just to lift his head, the genetic sins done to her visited on him with even more cruelty. “He was the sweetest...child...but he was...ill...most of the first year. I didn’t know if he’d survive.”

Kara’s stomach did a flip and sank. “Is he okay now?” Even she heard the fear echoing in her own voice.

“He’s...” Strong and fierce and every bit as agile as she was as opposed to those early months when he’d been too small and weak, barely even able to nurse, so different from a normal child that she’d had to avoid the doctors very early. She wouldn’t see her son turned into a test subject when there was nothing the doctors could do anyway. So she’d hidden away, holding him by the hour, crooning softly, both of them stressed and rumbly, half expecting each breath to be his last—

“Cat?” Kara repeated, sounding almost panicked.

Cat blinked, yanked out of the past by the other woman’s terror. She caught her hand in a firm grasp. “He’s okay,” she quickly assured her. “Failure to thrive they called it...which was really code for, ‘We don’t know what’s wrong.’” She shrugged. “Then one day he started getting stronger.” Another shrug. “I may have spoiled him a little after that...or a lot.” She let out a grim chuckle. Carter had been a bit of a terror once he started growing and healing, sometimes utterly somnolent, others, so high energy he’d literally bounced off the walls like a human gas molecule. She’d had to restrict him in so many ways that she’d indulged every whim she could, too grateful to see him alive and getting stronger to institute much discipline.

“I can understand that.” Kara thought about it and things clicked in her head. “That’s why the reminders about manners.”

“He was a bit feral there for a while.” Literally. Cat smothered an embarrassed laugh. “Don’t get me wrong, he was never mean, and he’s always had a sense of fairness. He could just be a little thoughtless and wild.” Both dangerous traits for them. Drawing the wrong kind of attention could be disastrous.

Understanding much more than she had before, Kara nodded. “He’s a great kid.” She straightened her shoulders, her expression turning serious as she saw a good opening to say something else that felt very important to her.  “And just so you know, my relationship with him is separate from anything between you and me. He’s my student and I always fight for them, no matter what.” On Krypton teaching had been viewed more as a sacred calling than simply a job. That ethic remained deeply ingrained. “There is literally nothing you could do to change that.” She allowed herself the smallest hint of a smile as Cat heaved a sigh of relief.

“Good.” Cat’s tone was firm, her smile serious. “If there’s ever a choice to be made, you choose him.”

Which only made her more appealing, Kara thought. She took a small step closer. Reaching out, every movement slow enough to give Cat plenty of time to see her coming. She brushed pale gold hair back from the other woman’s brow, relieved to see no sign of rejection in green eyes. “I’d very much like to kiss you,” she admitted, suddenly breathless. Her voice was soft and formal, dealing with Cat the way she would have on Krypton rather than here, the more reserved mores of her old world feeling more apropos.

Cat paused, a hard swallow making her throat bob. She shouldn’t. She should wait, at least speak to Carter before it went any farther, be responsible for once.

But the tenderly spoken request and reassuring look in blue eyes touched a long forgotten part of her soul and she couldn’t refuse. She caught Kara’s hands with her own to tug her into the small protected niche that abutted the neighboring balcony. Shielded from the sliding glass door, it wasn’t visible from anyplace in the apartment, giving them a guaranteed bit of privacy.

Following willingly, Kara exhaled a relieved sigh. Her hands found light purchase on Cat’s hips as they were released. She was ready to pull away in an instant, but Cat actually leaned into her.

So much for good intentions.

They both fell silent and tiny hitches of breath could be heard. A shiver worked its way down Cat’s spine as Kara’s thumbs circled lightly at her hip. Green eyes met blue and their gazes held.

“I’d still like to kiss you,” Kara exhaled in a tacit request for permission.

Smoothing her palms up Kara’s chest, Cat took pleasure in the warmth and strength she found, then she looked up into blue eyes and saw another kind of strength and melted. No one had ever treated her so gently or made her feel so safe. She nodded.

Neither woman moved for a long moment, then Kara ducked her head. The first brush of their lips was brief, tentative even, but tender and warm. The second was more confident, but just as careful while the third was firmer, but still gallant and gentle, an invitation. not a demand.

Her breathing heavy, hands trembling, Cat curled her fingers into Kara’s sweater as she fought the urge to work her fingers against firm muscle in happy abandon. It went on, back and forth as they learned one another and found a rhythm that worked. Small forays ebbed and flowed as they traded soft kisses, exploring slowly.

Finally, Kara pulled her head back just enough to break the kiss.

“You know how to do this,” Cat whispered.

“Not so’s anyone’s ever noticed before.” Kara leaned in to lightly bump Cat’s forehead with her own. “Maybe it’s the company,” she teased as she lifted a hand to brush ruffled hair off Cat’s cheek.

“Speaking of not so’s you’d notice,” Cat drawled. Ducking her head, she leaned against Kara, breathing in the scent and heat of her. It took effort to contain a delicate, satisfied purr.

They stood quietly, leaning against one another, close and touching, but no more than that..

“I’d like to hold you.” Kara wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around the smaller woman and cling, but she needed to be sure it would be okay.

Cat tipped her head back, peering up at the younger woman. “I won’t break.” She was no weak, mewling kitten and she wouldn’t be treated like one.

“I know,” Kara assured her. “But I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me.”

Cat drew in a slow breath, her expression solemn. “I’m not, but I don’t want you to be afraid of me either.”

“I’m not—” Kara began, but Cat’s fingers landed on her lips, silencing the denial.

“Yes, you are. Not that I’m going to hurt you, but that I’ll panic.” Her eyebrows climbed toward her forehead. “You needn’t be. I jump sometimes, but I’m no delicate flower.” She dropped her hands back to Kara’s chest to curl her fingers into her thick cardigan. “Far from it.” A firm tug brought Kara back to her when she would have pulled away. There was no more aggression this time than the first, but it was securely under Cat’s control. Staring into blue eyes, she gave Kara time and watched for any sign of rejection as she slowly pushed up on her toes, then her mouth found Kara’s and she drank in the young teacher’s low groan. Cat took time to explore,  learning the shape and texture, discovering the way she moved when she shifted her lips to accommodate Cat’s, leaning in when she wanted more.

So much more.

They were both breathing raggedly by the time she broke the kiss. “Okay, that was...special,” Cat gasped as she drew back just enough to peer up at Kara.

Kara offered a dazed nod. There she was, an alien who could fly around the world in the time it took most people to cross a room and it took everything she had just to stay on her feet. “That was...wow.”

Cat laughed softly and stole another quick kiss. Reaching down, she caught Kara’s hands where they’d settled at her hips and tugged them around her waist, then snuggled into the taller woman.

“So you’re good with the holding thing then?” Kara murmured near her ear.

“Mmm.” Words harder with her hormones buzzing pleasantly and an unfamiliar sense of total safety, Cat cuddled into Kara’s warmth. Enjoying the way the taller woman’s body blocked out the chilly night air and the gentle fingers that rose to toy with her hair, a soundless, contented vibration settled into the base of her throat, any sound too soft to be heard.

Feeling cool silk curls slip over and through her fingers, Kara let herself enjoy the pure tactile pleasure of new shapes and textures pressed close. She’d never really understood the way some people talked about these things, like they were the whole universe. For the first time, she got it. She could have written sonnets dedicated to how much she wanted this. It was possibly the single best moment she’d had on this world since her arrival. “I think I could spend a lifetime like this,” she sighed happily.

“Mhm,” Cat mumbled, nosing deeper into the curve of her neck.

Smiling, Kara settled her cheek against blonde hair while she continued toying with the golden strands. Even knowing they should probably back off and turn the conversation back to something less incendiary, she couldn’t seem to let go. Instead, she nuzzled Cat’s ear only to stop as she felt a distinct twitch and Cat waved hand with a muttered grumble.

“Tickles,” she complained.

Kara leaned back enough to peer at the other woman as she trailed her thumb along the outer curve of Cat’s ear. The twitch was tiny, but distinct. “Your ear moved,” she said, fascinated

Tipping her chin up, Cat blinked a bit owlishly and was about to explain when Kara spoke.

“You have vestigial motor control of your ears.” She grinned. “Only, like, five percent of people can do that.”

Cat’s brows shot up, then she remembered. Right. Science teacher. “Yeah, Carter too.” It was a good thing to acknowledge, she told herself. If Kara glimpsed anything, she’d just assume it was normal. “When I was a kid, I’d practice, trying to get better at it.” She saw Kara lean to one side, trying to get a better look. “They’re really sensitive though,” she said, glowering just a bit at Kara’s raised hand.

Kara dropped her hand to her side. “Sorry if I...I shouldn’t have...”

Way to ruin a mood. Cat almost growled at her own lack of social skills. “No, it’s okay,” she said quickly, then her shoulders shifted in a small shrug. “I got teased when I was a kid.” As lies went, it was small and untraceable. “Like I said, it fascinated me.” True enough. Unfortunately.

“Well, I think it’s really cool,” Kara said softly, her tone meant to reassure. “Wish I could do it.”  She’d never even heard of such a thing until landing on earth and while she’d read about it in a kid’s biology book, she’d never actually seen it in person. As far as she knew, Kryptonians hadn’t been capable of it.

Cat tipped her head to one side, peering at Kara with a slight frown. “It’s really not a big deal.” Or it wouldn’t have been if it was just the tiny movement possible by a normal human.

Kara shrugged. “I can’t do it.” She craned her neck, still trying to get a look.

Cat had never seen anyone so fascinated by the concept, not even a toddler who’d caught sight of her once when she was tracking Carter that way. The little girl had stared in awe and wanted to know why her mommy couldn’t do that. “It’s very small...just a little bit.”

“It’s unique,” Kara argued.

Cat surprised herself by reaching out and catching Kara’s hand. Her touch light, she guided the taller woman’s hand up to her ear, shivering as her fingertips just barely made contact.

“You don’t have to,” Kara croaked, her mouth suddenly dry. It was such a small thing, just the woman’s ear, by Rao, but her heart was hammering in her chest.

“It’s okay.” Cat couldn’t believe she was doing this, revealing something so intimate, even if it was in such a small way. She was careful, barely flexing the muscles. “They’re ticklish though.”

Kara nodded, outlining the shell of Cat’s ear with a single fingertip, just barely making contact as she felt the tiny movement. She swung her gaze back to meet the green eyes watching carefully, checking to make sure it was okay.

Barely even breathing, Cat saw the question in Kara’s eyes and nodded even as a tiny shiver of awareness slid down her spine. She hadn’t been lying about the sensitivity. What she hadn’t considered, hadn’t even been aware of, was how pleasurable the trailing exploration could be. Without planning, she turned her head toward the light caresses, silently encouraging Kara as she carefully outlined the complex swirls and fondled the ridges between her thumb and forefinger.

Kara felt another tiny twitch and saw green eyes slip closed. Trailing her fingers on, she half scratched, half rubbed the soft skin just behind Cat’s ear, smiling as she felt the flex and pull of delicate muscles.

Her breathing ragged, Cat leaned into the caress.

It was such a small thing, it shouldn’t have been erotic.

Somehow it was.

Then Cat’s hand landed on Kara’s chest, fingers flexing slowly as she tipped her head up, her eyes glazed. “Kara,” she whispered, “I—”

“Mom!” Carter shouted, sounding panicked.

Kara had never seen anyone change gears so fast. Cat blinked, the relaxed haze disappearing in an instant. She spun and was moving while Kara was still registering the boy’s cry. What Kara lacked in response time, she made up for with raw speed, catching up to Cat just as she reached the small livingroom. Remembering herself, Kara hit the brakes, slowing to normal speed as she saw Cat drop to one knee in front of the boy where he sat on the couch, her hands patting him down as she searched for any damage.

No intruders, no blood, but his eyes were wide, his pulse and breathing fast.

“Carter, what?” Cat sounded ready to panic.

He was pointing at the TV. “Isn’t that y—” He verbally stumbled and blinked as he saw Kara. Another blink and he swallowed hard before he continued “—your story? The story you were working on, I mean,” he amended.

Cat twisted, gaze following the line of his arm until she spotted the image on the TV. There was Jacob, looking worn, his arm in a sling, face showing visible bruises. A logo in the corner proclaimed the video ‘Courtesy of the Gotham Observer.’

Inset behind him was a pixilated, black and white security video showing a woman, shapely and all in black sliding sinuously into view from above. As she dropped down, sharply pointed ears were momentarily silhouetted and unmistakable.

Cat froze, unable to do anything but stare as she watched that version of herself decimate three men. Even deeply shadowed and poor quality, there were glimpses of her manic smile visible. Her hand dropped to Carter’s knee, partly to comfort him, partly for her own sake. He knew what she did. While she’d never flaunted it, hiding it had never really been an option either, but she’d never wanted him to see this side of her.

Never really wanted to see it herself either.

Then she was forced out of her daze as she heard an off camera reporter ask, “So why is this so important to you?”

Her stomach rolled, sick with what he’d doubtless say—what Carter would hear—how important it was to expose her, a monster stalking the night, and as she waited to hear the expected answer, it wasn’t even one she could argue with. She’d done plenty of awful things and even that night, she’d been no saint. She’d been there to steal and she’d beaten those men. Even if they were criminals, there was something horrifying about the joy she’d found in taking them down.

“Because this story is going to come out.” Jacob leaned forward, staring into the camera intensely. “That video’s too cool to stay hidden, so I wanted to make sure to get the truth out before someone else controls the message.”

Cat braced herself, firming her grip on Carter as she waited for the damning words.

“Catwoman saved my life,” Jacob declared.

Cat blinked in confusion, uncertain she’d heard right and waiting for the other shoe to drop. It did, just not the way she expected.

“Those men didn’t try to hide their faces,” Jacob continued. “Hurting me was fun for them, but they weren’t trying to intimidate me into silence. They weren’t going to let me go.” He paused long enough to grab a breath. “I was dead if she hadn’t stepped in.”

“Are you certain?” the reporter asked, sounding more curious than skeptical.

“Absolutely. Look, I’m a jeweler’s son and grandson. I’ve heard all the stories about her, but I also grew up in that neighborhood. I know men like that. If she hadn’t helped me, they’d have killed me.”

“According to the police, the men who attacked you say she blackmailed them into it.”

“They’re lying.” There was no doubt in his voice. “They had no idea she was there and thought she’d go down easy at first. Thank god they were wrong.” He straightened, wincing as though the movement hurt. “And I’ll tell you something else, people talk a lot about superheroes in this town. Wonder Woman shows up to escort some ambassador, Superman does his little flybys and whatever cape is wearing the bat-label this week shows up just in time to save some politician or stop some high profile art theft, but they don’t come into my part of town any more than the cops do.”

“You sound bitter.”

“I am. And before you ask, she didn’t steal from me when she got into the safe. I gave her the combination and told her to take that piece. I do a little silver smithing, and it was the only thanks I could give her. It wasn’t worth more than a hundred bucks.”

“Have you been threatened or paid off in any way to say what you have?”  The question was sharply asked enough to make it clear the reporter wouldn’t accept a non answer.

Jacob shook his head and his response carried a fine edge of sarcasm. “I wish. I could use the money, but no, she didn’t pay me or threaten me.” He dismissed the very idea. “I’ll tell you—the cops, anybody who’ll listen—she saved my life. Whatever she did in the past, Catwoman was a goddamned hero, and she gets my thanks, and if she ever needs anything, she only has to ask and I’ll do anything I can to help her.”

As Kara heard the firmly spoken promise all she could think about was how Alex was going to blow a gasket. She actually listened for the howl of rage. Nothing. Maybe she’d taken a pain pill and gone to bed early. Hopefully. Maybe they could give her another one before giving her the news that someone had called her mortal enemy a hero.

Then Cat moved, awkwardly rising to her feet as she gestured to the TV. “Yeah, that’s the story,” she answered Carter’s question. “But I...I-I didn’t know about this. About Catwoman,” she specified. “I interviewed Jacob last week...about his store...his work.”

“Mom?” Carter sounded worried and Kara could see he was ready to hop to his feet by the way his shoulders tensed and his hands braced on the couch.

“I just...I didn’t know they had this footage,” Cat mumbled weakly and gestured at the TV as they reran the security video full screen with Jacob narrating events. “Barbara never mentioned—” she shook her head dazedly “—Catwoman.”

Kara frowned, then realized it had to be rattling to have worked so hard and been left out of the  biggest part of the story. Given her insecurities, that one had to hurt. “Hey, I’m sure it wasn’t intentional,” she soothed and stepped forward. She thought about rubbing Cat’s back only to hold back. It wasn’t the time to risk startling her again. “Everybody probably just got so busy and involved with getting their own work done that they didn’t think to let you know.”

Cat stared for a moment, her brows drawing into a deep frown before she finally nodded. “You’re probably right,”

“I’m sure of it,” Kara stated confidently. She didn’t know Barbara Gordon well, but she’d seen enough to know she didn’t give even the mildest praise lightly. Maybe she’d been different before, but now she was intense and demanding on her most relaxed day. Reaching out, she moved slowly enough for Cat to pull away if she wanted, and settled her hand on a narrow shoulder. Full lips turned up in a proud smile. “And now you’re a part of what will probably be the biggest story to play out in this town for the next year or two.” Gotham wasn’t exactly a boring town, but Catwoman on prowl and playing the hero? Yeah, that was likely to get a lot of play. And that video, that was a viral meme looking to happen.

“Right,” Cat exhaled and seemed to waver on her feet. Her hand floated up near her temple, momentarily shading her eyes. “Biggest story of the year...”

Kara was startled when Cat suddenly reached back and flowed into her arms, wrapping her up in a hard hug. “This is great,” Kara soothed. “Your editor learned she can rely on you and this story will be big. It’ll help put the new business on the map and that can only be good for the people who get in on the ground floor—including you.” Feeling the way Cat’s heart was fluttering too fast to count the beats, Kara ruffled her hair and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Trust me.” She was startled by the strength in the arms wrapped around her torso.

“I want to,” Cat mumbled into the curve of Kara’s shoulder.

Feeling Cat tremble, Kara petted her hair and held her gently even as she resolved to give Barbara holy hell if there was any other explanation. The redhead wasn’t close to Bruce anymore. Dick’s death and her own injuries had left that relationship too damaged for even a pretense of friendship, but they were still family of a sort, and Bruce was still an investor in the paper. Kara was more than willing to use those connections or anything else necessary if it meant protecting the woman in her arms. Hell, she was tempted to do so just because of the way she’d been disregarded and upset.

Still holding Cat and gently ruffling her hair, Kara looked over at Carter. He was still on the couch, his eyes wide, his posture tense. To Kara’s eyes, he looked scared, which made sense. From what Kara had seen, Cat’s usual mien was all calm and confidence. It was probably jarring as hell to see his mom so rattled. “It’s okay,” she mouthed. “She’s just exhausted and stressed, and it’s all caught up with her.” She tried to make her expression as reassuring as possible. “She’ll be okay.”

He nodded, the movement a little jerky, then looked at his mother again before his gaze swung back up to meet Kara’s. “Promise?” he whispered.

“I promise. I’ll look after her.” She kept her voice nearly inaudible and nodded toward the short hallway that led to the bedrooms, comfortably certain Cat wouldn’t want him to see her like this for any longer than necessary.

He thought about it for a moment, then clicked off the TV and gathered up his books.

Cat lifted her head from Kara’s shoulder and met his gaze. “It’ll be okay,” she promised.

He glanced back and forth between the two women. “I know.” That said, he turned a pleading look Kara’s way, then looked back to his mother. “You can trust Kara.” His voice was so soft it was nearly inaudible. Then he slipped out without giving her time to reply.

“Damnit,” Cat growled and stepped out of Kara’s arms to stare after her son. “I scared him.” She muttered a curse under her breath and looked up at Kara. “You too.” Her tone was bitter. “Probably want to run screaming now.”

“Absolutely not.” Her touch gentle, Kara rubbed Cat upper back and shoulder, though she was ready to let go at the slightest resistance. “Running is the last thought on my mind.” She thought about it a moment. “And it seems a little early for any screaming.” The bold flirtation was tacky and deliberately overdone, but it did what it was meant to, distracting Cat enough to earn a watery smile.

“I’m sorry for falling apart on you,” Cat sighed. She rolled her eyes. “Maybe you should run.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Kara said grimly, her expression serious in the face of the startled look Cat cast her way. “I mean it. You got onto me for letting my insecurities rule me. Consider this returning the favor.” She brushed pale gold hair back from Cat’s brow. “You’re amazing, but you’re also exhausted and have had a couple of pretty intense days. Add in our conversation, which I think we can both agree was a little emotional, and some surprising news? Falling apart is perfectly normal.”

“If you want out... if you’ve changed your mind—”

“I haven’t.”

Cat looked up at that, her panic breaking slightly as she stared up at Kara. “Why not?”

It took Kara a beat to decide she was absolutely serious. “Did you not hear me call you amazing?” She framed Cat’s face in her hands to stare into her eyes with solemn intensity. “I haven’t changed my mind about anything.”

“You have to make me a promise.”

“All right.”

“I mean it. I’ve been trapped, Kara. I don’t ever want to do that to someone else. You have to promise me you’ll be honest if you want to walk away—”

“I’m not going to—” Kara tried to wave the entire idea off, but Cat wouldn’t let her.

“Promise.”

“All right.” Kara didn’t understand the desperation, or maybe she wasn’t ready to. “I promise, but I want a promise in return.”

There was a flicker of fear in Cat’s eyes, but she nodded.

“I want you to promise you’ll be honest if you want to stay.”

It took Cat a beat to process the request, then she nodded, mouth turning up into a small smile as the irony struck her. She closed her eyes against the caring directed her way, shaking ever so slightly under a wash of emotion. Her hand found the upper plain of Kara’s chest, palm settling, fingers spreading as she absorbed the gentle thud of her heartbeat.

“Cat,” Kara prompted after a moment.

“I want to stay.” Cat felt the burn of tears threatening. “So much.”

Kara exhaled a breath she hadn’t been aware of holding. “Then we’re okay.” Reaching out, she tugged Cat back into her arms and tucked her cheek against pale silk. “Because there’s no place else I want to be.”

* * * * *

Carter heard them talking softly, heard his mom’s voice slowly relax and turn soft, then a few low notes of laughter along with Kara’s light sing-song tones. His mom had been so alone all of his life that seeing her happy with someone was strange and a tiny bit of jealousy pulled at him, but mostly he was grateful.

He could see how she felt about Kara, the way she couldn’t look away, the shy little smiles and the giggles that were nothing like her. And Kara was no better. She’d stare sometimes, hem and haw others, then babble a bit nonsensically.

They were both worse than he was when he got a crush.

But that was okay because he’d seen how kind and caring Kara was and his mom needed that so much. The two of them had always been a team, but he was getting old enough to realize he could only do so much, and she had so much on her. Kara could help her with those burdens in a way he couldn’t.

He wanted that for her, someone who would protect her and keep her as safe as she’d always kept him. Kara could do that.

But with the Catwoman thing, he had to wonder if that future was possible. The whole city would be after her now and in the past, that had always meant running. He listened to their voices as they grew gentler and more openly affectionate and teasing. He didn’t think it was an act, but when his mom was desperate, sometimes it could be hard to tell.

He didn’t know what to do except hope for the best and wait to see what happened next

So he finished his homework, then read until it was time to turn out the lights. Later, he was drowsily aware of voices in the hall and the front door opening and closing again. Sleepy, but curious, he dozed for a bit, finally staggering out of bed when he heard him mom land on the balcony.

She’d shadowed Kara home again. That was the moment he was sure that whatever else was going on, she hadn’t been playing Kara.

He heard the TV moments later. They were still replaying the footage of Catwoman. It ran for several minutes—he could hear the man his mom had interviewed describing the attack—then snapped off and he heard the sliding glass door.

He found her out on the balcony, sitting on the floor with her back against the railing, arms resting on her upthrust knees. She was wearing Kara’s jacket, the collar turned up so it was warm against her cheeks, and he could hear a soft rumble, the rhythm fast enough to indicate stress. She looked up as he stepped out and he could see from the faint glaze in her eyes and the way her head moved as she tracked him, that language would be hard. She could get that way when the feral ran wild, instinct telling her to go to ground. Moving slowly, he sat down next to her, mimicking her pose. They stayed like that for a long time before he finally spoke, trepidation in his voice. “Are we going to run?” He hoped the answer was no. He liked it here. For the first time, the idea of leaving seemed less like a new adventure and more like a loss.

She stared at him for a long moment, her eyes swirling with doubts and fears, but also love and longing. Finally, she shook her head. “No running this time.” The words came slow, but were clearly spoken. She slid an arm across his shoulders and tugged him firmly against her side. “This time, we stay...”

* * * * * *

[acakaos-archived]

A quick look into the general everyday happenings of my astral work. Dragon lichs and ghouls. Haven’t publicly written anything like this in a while but I have to be up in an hour and can’t sleep. If anyone is interested in me keeping up with writing more spirit experiences, maybe one more exciting idk, let me know and maybe I will do so

Usual disclaimer that my personal spirits are not yours to approach. Also a disclaimer that you shouldn’t be working with these types of spirits unless you know what you’re doing, I have pre-established relationships with the individuals and species and am not responsible for stupid decisions.

One of my darlings who I’ll call Vulture for right here was my comrade for this. I brought him into this astral realm to meet an old friend of mine, since they have about the same line of work. The lands surrounding our destination are rocky crags and near vertical mountains. Inhabiting the upper world are mainly avians: a few varieties of harpies, great shrieking birds who act as apex predators, gargoyles which blend into the mountainside and move only to spear passersby, and other things not as easily explained. Some of the mountains sprout tendrils, which are the jaws of plants that nestle in the cracks.

Our destination is a cave entrance nearby where I opened the gateway. No matter where you come from, it’s only accessible by either flight or falling down the mountainside and shattering your body on jutting boulders. Nothing lies outside the cave, no remains of prey, but anything which comes near has clear intuition to stay far away from the entrance.

Very quickly within the cave’s downward descent the light from outside fails to pierce through the darkness, the sort of lightless space where it isn’t like being in a dark cave as much as it is like being blind. The form I currently took had bioluminescent pores, so this dim glow from myself was the only aid to our sight. Other senses were not very helpful: your nose found only the diffused smells of dried flesh and other cave scents, it’s difficult to navigate by hearing when you are constantly mislead by skitters and scratchy movements around you, and the energy in this particular place warped and twisted around in itself far too much to give you an accurate picture of your surroundings.

It wasn’t far into the cave where I led us into a downwards passage of stone stairs, carved with symbols and filament styles of which were long lost to anything living. The passage of stairs is where you really descended into its realm. Here, the small bit of space we could see was swirled with heavy particles and the air felt thick and enclosing. My body illuminated the bones littered on the stairs and Vulture took my example of not looking directly at them. While nothing breathed, there was a sense of waiting, as if we were tiptoeing around things we did not want to regain awareness (that’s exactly what we were doing).

Even after having made this trip many times it was fairly unnerving, and my companion questioned if I was sure we should be there. I replied with, “It’s fine hun, just keep it at a whisper and no loud movements.”

Sometimes there would be sounds of the bones creaking and dragging against the floor. We especially ignored those and didn’t look back. Not looking behind you is a good idea whether you are dealing with spirits or in a spook movie. There were also sounds of scuttling movement just outside the tiny range of my bioluminescence, which we also ignored. The walls of the stairwell rumbled further in and a throbbing could be heard from their essence.

The deeper we traveled, the more we came across skeletons which were completely formed and yet stood motionless, unseeing. We did our best to give them a wider berth while also acting as if we hadn’t seen them at all. The cave, too, increased in its rumbling and became thicker with the energy of what we were looking for.

A group of spirits had followed us from the second we step foot in the darkness but waited until much later to draw closer. They were only ghouls, quite possibly one of the least dangerous things here, so I wasn’t particularly worried. Their eyes glowed yellow and they made sounds like mountain lions and other big cats. Although ghouls typically feed on rotting flesh, that doesn’t mean they’re safe; this particular type would devise traps for prey or slowly kill them through infections, their untiring natures making it easy to follow anything weakened. They hung carcasses from the ceilings or walls of their chosen caves to rot to the perfect eating state, sometimes using trees if living in smaller dens in the upper lands, and their energy hurried the rotting process. A single ghoul might be easy to fend off but even the stronger predators of these lands were in trouble if surrounded by a pack.

It’s never clear how much time you spend on the stairwell. It could be minutes or hours or days, time doesn’t cooperate well in that place. You could tell when you were reaching the bottom because of the insane energy shift, as if you had stepped into a different plane. The real dragon lichs, the ones who were intelligent and whole rather than the simple revenants lying in scattered bones, awaited at the bottom. They took many forms, from skeletons to corpses to masses of meat and muscle to things stranger.

The gatekeeper of the end of the stairs was a dragon lich made of meat. Its neck had twisted as if wringed and broken many times, and thus its head lay limp on the ground and dragged like a tail with travel. Every movement was jerky, the motions of something splintering internally and shifting its broken innards against itself. One of its eyes had bloated to nearly half the size of its head and burst as would a juicy fruit, leaving behind a large membrane and the dragging remains of fluids. Admittedly the gatekeeper is not one of my favorite spirits to interact with, its posture is very unnerving and its energy is not friendly, but I performed the proper rites to be allowed within.

The spirit we came for rested in the central chamber of unknown size. Like the chamber, the spirit itself was so vast and all-encompassing that it was difficult to gain a grip on where it was or its exact size. There are dragon lichs, and then there is this entity that is more ancient than your mind comprehends. It feels like an embodiment of the realm itself, although more accurately the realm is a manifestation of the dragon. I greeted it with an honorary motion and introduced my companion along with our reason for approaching. It responded with a hum of energy that was still so large as to resonate like an earthquake, and a few words meant for myself. “It has been too long since you came to us,” it hissed at the end.

I presented the dragon with a harmful of crystals, glowing with a dark green light and clearly thick with magic and energy. “They’re filled with your preferred necrotic energy and flavored with the pestilence from [],” I said to it along with a necessary phrase of respect. I placed the crystals on the ground and stepped back to where my companion and I could barely see them. When the dragon accepted the offering, it seemed as if the darkness merely swallowed them up.

I spoke for a short time of business then allowed my companion to approach with his own business. While he did so, I gave a bit of privacy by stepping into a different section of the central chamber. In this realm past the steps there were pockets of sickly glowing energy to see by, even if faint. The pack of ghouls had followed even past the stairs so I let them approach now, flexing my limbs for them to sniff and then staying motionless as to not set them into startled violence. A couple gnawed socially at me but their teeth weren’t enough to scratch my exoskeleton and there were no energetic concerns.

The type of ghoul found here was fairly intelligent. Even if they rarely spoke in words and preferred either energetic impressions or more animalistic sounds, they understood and reasoned very well. Since they could understand me fine as opposed to types of ghouls with little cognitive reasoning, I scratched a few of them on the head like you would a cat and coddled them for a bit. One of them frequently croaked out an imitation of human words they had once heard, “Please close the door before leaving.”

One of the dragon lichs watched from nearby and sat closer after a short time. The color of their remaining hide was difficult to make out in the darkness, it seemed dark green but that may have only been from the color of the energy pockets. Their head had a bulbous shape favoring a large lower jaw with fangs like a deep sea fish and bulging eyes to match. Rather than having wings like extra limbs, their wings were attached to the entire length of their body like sails and released a green dust-like substance when opened. “I am from sickness,” they told me while showing an impression of their energy. “I am pestilence.” They had horns curled downwards from their head with dimly lit lanterns hanging from each, but I didn’t ask about them.

One of the things I’m known for when on business trips in the astral is storytime, so I invited the ghouls to rest around me and listen. The new lich stayed as well, cocking their head with endless curiosity and obviously a fan of such tales. I won’t bore you guys with my story here, but before it was finished Vulture approached. My listeners were a bit unhappy with the sudden cut off, of course, the dragon especially did not appreciate it. They shied away from the man walking behind, however: tall and gaunt with white hair and no eyes, wearing elaborate, flowing robes from a dead civilization. While in this form the central lich was easier to focus on, but its energy and voice still echoed from within every space and crevice within the cave.

We exchanged a few words until one of the ghouls hissed a little too loudly. I wondered for a second if the central lich would unleash some godly power and turn them all into dust, but it merely commanded, “Take those scavengers when you leave. They’re overpopulating.” I nodded. Not that I would disobey anyway.

After we performed the leaving rites to journey back up the stairs, the other dragon with the lanterns followed as well, saying that it was their duty to herd the ghouls and there were plenty of others with the same task on the cave’s population so they might as well come along to continue elsewhere. The rest of the journey was pretty much the same as the beginning. I sang the ghouls to rest after sheltering them elsewhere but not much else occurred.

[ecotone99]

[FN] Peppers

Margrett was sitting in her garden, swinging on the little porch swing she had George set up for her a few years back. There were all sorts of flowers there; spring had sprung a few weeks ago, so the flowers were looking as fine as they ever would. Margrett spent lots of time in her flower garden, among the marigolds and rose bushes, the tulips and hedges, the climbing vines and the decorative trees. She also had the eatable garden, with the tomatoes and the corn and the peppers. That was always George’s favorite place to work. He had grown up on a farm, so he knew how to take care of plants. When he was on his deathbed though, he made sure to make Margrett promise that she would take care of it for him. And take care of it she did. George had never really talked about how to maintain the plants with Margrett, so she went to the public library to check out books on how to cultivate her own food. That was years ago.

The peppers were always his favorite. George’s family was originally from India, so he always liked very spicy food. Margrett could never eat some of the foods that George could, but she always made sure to try a bit of them. Even the super spicy curries that he loved so much. He always said that the peppers loosened his joints, and after he said that he’d always do a little dance. God Margrett always loved that dance.

Margrett got up from her seat and walked over to the eatable garden to look for weeds or things that were ready to be picked. She grabbed the little basket that sat next to the raised beds and started to look over the space. The tomatoes were coming along nicely, she picked a few of the plumpest and reddest and put them in the basket. Then she moved along to the eggplant, seeing a good one she twisted it off and put it in the basket. Moving over to the fruits (George had always considered tomatoes a vegetable) she walked between the blueberry bushes and the strawberry plants, picking as she went and dropping them into the basket. Then she got to her favorite part of the garden, the peppers and herbs.

She decided to get to the peppers last today, so she went to the herbs first. These were seated on outdoor tables in little planters, that way they could be easily harvested and seen, not to mention them being protected from animals. Animals other than humans that was. She pulled off a leaf of mint and stuck it in her mouth, chewing it to release its freshness as she walked through the tables covered in green. She decided that she’d make some lemonade today, Diane had some lemons she’d given her from her tree that would go nice with a little bit of the mint. She pulled leaves of this and sprigs of that as she walked, making her way to George’s peppers.

There were all sorts of peppers, Margrett’s late husband had always like variety in his life. If she every suggested making the same thing for dinner twice in a week he’d joke that she’d ran out of recipes to cook. She looked to the bell peppers first. They were green, which meant they weren’t quite mature. But green bell peppers were always welcome, so she picked a couple anyway. Then came the chilis that George had always loved. There were all kinds, jalapenos, bird’s eye, jolokia peppers, and so much more. She walked over to the generic chili peppers.

There was something off about the plant. Something was moving, even without the presence of a breeze of any kind. She bent down to get a loser look, and there she saw the creature for the first time. It was small, with its body being the length of her hand. Its head was a chili pepper that could split open horizontally, with two little slits that acted as a nose of sorts. It didn’t seem to have any eyes, not that Margrett could see anyway. The stem moved further than any stem had before, with four appendages mimicking legs coming off of its thin body. It was wriggling around, trying to pick itself and get free.

Margrett was stunned. Nothing in the library had ever mentioned the produce coming to life. She took the clippers and snipped the dragon off at a reasonable length. It fell to the ground and scuttled away. Or at least it would have had Margrett not scooped it up in her old hands.

“Woah there little guy, you can’t get away from me that easily,” she said with a chuckle.

The dragon turned its head to look at the old woman. It moved it up and down, as if it was looking her over for whatever reason. Then it reared back and sneezed. Some of the fluids got onto Margrett’s arm and she immediately knew what it was. Capsaicin. Her skin started to get irritated at the chemical.”

“Hey now, don’t be like that,” she scolded as she brought it inside to wash her arm off. Her kitchen was small and scarcely decorated. She set the basket of produce along with the little dragon on the counter. It immediately started sniffing around the place with its little slits down on the counter.

Margrett finished washing off her arm and was drying it off as she thought what to do with the little dragon. She could always show it to somebody. Maybe she could bring it to her weekly bridge game at Diane’s. She walked over to the phone on the counter and punched in her number.

“Hello?” came the voice from the other end of the line.

“Diane? It’s me, Margrett,” she responded.

“What can I do for ya Margrett?”

“I found a little dragon in my garden, do you mind if I bring it to today’s bridge game?” she asked. “I don’t want to leave it alone here at home. God knows I go crazy enough in here by myself.”

“Sure, I don’t mind. As long as he doesn’t make a mess.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Diane. Thanks.” Margrett ended.

“No problem.” Click.

“You hear that?” Margrett said, turning in the kitchen to look at the small dragon munching on one of her tomatoes. “You’re going to meet the girls.”

Margrett spent the remaining time before bridge making a large pitcher of lemonade with the lemons Diane had given her. She squeezed the lemons by hand, adding water and sugar in no particular amount. Then she took some mint out of the basket, dodging the dragon finishing his tomato, and threw it in. She took out a wooden spoon, stirred the whole concoction up, and tasted it. A little sweet, but sometimes all you want is something a little sweeter.

She took the pitcher in one hand against her body and the dragon in the other and walked over to Diane’s house. They played in the parlor, which had an old chandelier above an even older table. She set the pitcher of lemonade next to a plate of cucumber sandwiches, a small salad (Greek from the looks of it), and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. A fine lunch. Everybody was already in the parlor.

Diane, her designated partner, was sitting at the head of the table. Margrett took her place at the foot. Bethany and Edith were across from each other on the left and right side respectively.

“Sorry I’m late everybody, there was a dragon in the garden today,” Margrett explained as she set the chili dragon on the table.

A chorus of variations on ‘it’s alright, hon,’ went up from the table. They started to play. Typically, they played one game, had lunch, and then played another game. But if Diane and Margrett won one and Bethany and Edith won the other they’d play a third one if nobody was busy to break the tie. Bethany and Edith won the first game, then they cleared and set the table for lunch.

Plates were set out, as well as cups and forks. The plate of sandwiches was set in the middle of the table, along with the bowl of Greek salad.

“It’s a little sweet,” Margrett warned as she filled each glass around the table. “But I think it’s still good.”

“So, what’s this I hear about a dragon?” Bethany said, taking a bite of cucumber sandwich.

The dragon, who was sniffing around the table, looked up at this. Its head was pointed towards Beth, but quickly swiveled to the rest of the women in turn.

“I was looking through the garden this morning, and I found it wriggling trying to get free. I figured I’d see if you gals had anything to say about it.”

The old women went silent at this. None of them had every really seen a dragon, let alone had any experience with them.

“Does it have a name at least?” Diane asked. “No pet is complete without a name. Took me a few days to name Charlie.”

The cat Diane gestured towards lazily looked up at the group of women eating around the table and then went back to licking its paws.

“I actually do think I have a name for it. I think I’ll call him George. Peppers were always his favorite, so it seemed fitting,” Margrett explained.

The women agreed that it was a very fitting name. They finished lunch and played their second round of bridge. Bethany and Edith won the second game too, but Diane and Margrett had gotten closer on this one than they had the first time. They each had a cookie and then Margrett went home.

She walked back into the kitchen, putting the leftover lemonade into the refrigerator. Margrett looked around the house and noticed she didn’t have a place for the dragon. It didn’t look like it would take much space, so something small could be arranged.

She poked around her closet for a while and eventually found an old shoebox, so she took off the lid and set the box on the counter. That could’ve done on its own, but she decided that she needed to make it a little cozier. So she set an old tea towel on the inside of the box, curling it up into a nest of sorts. Then she remembered that every bed needed a pillow, so she went into the medicine cabinet and amongst the various medications she took, along with the ones George used to take, there was a bag of cotton balls. She took out a few and pressed them into one somewhat coherent mass before going back into the kitchen and placing the pillow into the bed. She decided that the makeshift bed would be good for at least a night.

After that she went around the house cleaning as she normally did in the afternoons. She swept the floors in the kitchen, dusted the shelves around the house, cleaned the bathroom, and generally decluttered anywhere there was clutter.

Once she was done cleaning Margrett looked at her calendar. She was scheduled to be a substitute teacher for Mrs. Gill’s fourth grade class. Maybe she could take in the dragon for a day, the kids would love seeing George. Then she heard a sneeze and remembered that pure capsaicin was akin to pepper spray, so she eventually decided against it. Her stomach growled and she realized how hungry she was.

She looked around in the pantry to find something to eat, and eventually settled on making spaghetti with meat sauce. She set a pot to boil and got out the noodles, Italian sausage, everything for the sauce, and the red pepper flakes. George had always called red pepper flakes ‘birdseed’ for whatever reason. George, the dragon this time, took an interest in the little red and yellow flakes. Margrett took some in her aging fingers and held it like fish food above the little pepper dragon. He opened his mouth hungrily and she sprinkled them in. The little pepper shut his mouth and seemed to swallow, although he had no digestive system. Margrett didn’t ask questions.

Once dinner was ready, she plated herself up a portion and placed it on the table. Then she took a shallow dish and put some sauce and a small mountain of red pepper flakes on top and set it next to her own plate. Then she carefully scooped up the dragon from the counter and set him on the table next to his plate. He lapped it up quickly, then looked at Margrett as if to ask for more. Margrett smiled and got up to get George more sauce. He lapped his seconds up nearly as fast as the firsts.

“No more.” She said, turning to her own plate.

Once dinner was over she took George the dragon in her hands and set him on the easy chair George her husband used to sit in all the time. She took her place in her own, lighter rocking chair. She took the book that was on the table and cracked it open. It was a mystery, and she was a little over halfway through it. Out of instinct, she started to read aloud. The particular chapter she was reading had the detective investigating the crime scene again, the clues and puzzles unravelling in his head. She enjoyed mysteries. She finished the chapter and looked over to George. He was curled up in a little swirl, with his head resting on his paws.

She delicately scooped up the plant and set him down in his tea towel bed. Then she took the shoe box and brought it to her room, setting it down on her bedside table. She said a quick prayer, then turned out the light and went to bed.

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