#I should’ve done more when I noticed she was acting strange and not accepting food and I should have held her and told her I loved her more

[noturlondonboy]

BRUH STOP 😭

[doctenwho]

A Dinner In (H’sCFS Pt. 2)

Hello! You’re welcome to request a sequel to anything, even if you didn’t suggest the first prompt! Glad you’re liking the writing, and apologies this took so long! Thanks for the request!

This’ll make more sense if you read the first fic first, as it’s a continuation of Hardy’s Cure for Sadness, as requested! 

Warning: None.

Word Count: 3,464

Summary: Read prompt above!

(Photo is not mine! Credit goes where credit is due! :D)

It had been a few weeks since that day you’d been blah when Alec had taken you out for a very late dinner in an attempt to cheer you up. You’d ended on good terms, him walking you out and watching you leave before retreating into the hotel for the evening.  

And you weren’t quite sure what the drink on your desk the following morning really meant. Especially when nothing else had followed the late-night outing.

You’d seen him since, of course, as the secretary of the office, but you hadn’t really talked more than before. More than the usual hellos and the customary inquiries about each of your days.  

More often than not, there was a tea, or a coffee on your desk, and you were certain it was Hardy’s doing, if by the way he ducked his eyes away from you whenever he saw you sipping the beverage was anything to go off.

You returned the favor, setting teas on his desktop whenever he was out and about, waiting for him when he returned from the chill of the late morning—you always got one for Ellie as well, and she always gave you a wide grin as she put on a show of sipping it.  

Most of the time Hardy would duck his head when he noticed it, but a few times he’d smiled at you. You weren’t always around when he’d return, even if you tried to be. Sometimes he snuck in while you were swamped with work.  

You weren’t quite sure where the two of you stood.  

He’d said some really sweet things to you, and you’d almost gotten the feeling that they two of you were on an almost date, but you weren’t sure. Hardy was a peculiar lad. You knew he liked you, but you weren’t sure if he like liked you...  

God, you sounded like a middle schooler with a crush thinking things like that.  

But the things he’d said had made your heart flutter in such a warm way—it was hard to forget. The thought of him made you smile, and you couldn’t deny the butterflies in your stomach when you'd come into work to find you fellow secretaries giving you that knowing look before you were could catch on the paper beverage cup with your name scrawled across the side if the cup.

You still hadn’t gotten the chance to really thank him for what he’d done. It would’ve been easy enough to just walk out the door, but he’d gone the extra mile to invite you along. It was nice to know that at least one of your co-workers kept you in mind and noticed when you weren’t quite right.  

You weren’t sure how to thank him for it, if you were honest.  

It had been one of your fellow receptionists who’d proposed inviting him for a meal back at your place. That had been accompanied by a raised eyebrow and a similar knowing glance.

The thought of inviting the man who was technically a boss of yours over to your home had seemed foreign at first, but you’d quickly warmed up to the idea. You liked to cook, and you’d been told by friends and family you were pretty good at cooking.  

Now you just needed to figure out how and when to invite him. Despite the two of you working together, and leaving each other little offerings of beverages, you’d never seen him not completely focused on Danny Latimer’s case.  

And whenever you happened to see him on his way in, or out, you were usually completely busy with phone calls, paperwork and townsfolk being annoyed that they actually had to wait to speak to an officer.  

He’d still shoot you a tiny smile, and sometimes a wave of his hand that was more or less just a flick of his hand, when he happened to catch your eyes across the room. It was the little things like that that made you heart skip a beat.

Hardy was alone in his office when you finally worked up the gall to ask him to your place for dinner. The door was open ajar, and when Ellie had seen you hesitating by the doorway, she’d shot you a grin and gestured you in from her desk.  

You took a breath and pushed the door open, tapping your fingers on the door as a warning as you entered. He didn’t look up from his computer even as the door squeaked. “I told you to run through those cases before coming back, Millhur. You’d can’t possibly have finished already- and if so, go again.”

“Not Ellie,” you bit the inside of your cheek, shuffling where you were standing.

Hardy’s attention shot up from the computer and he stumbled to stand up, “oh, ah, oh, sorry ‘bout that... What can I do for you, (Y/N)?”

He moved around his desk to lean against the other side, arms looking for something to do before he settled for crossing them across his chest. You hid a smile, stepping closer into the room, but still keep your distance.  

“I uh, I never did thank you for... y’know, that night...”

“Oh,” Hardy blew out a breath, head ducking in an understanding nod. His hair fell over his eyes as his head turned downwards, “you don’t have to thank me, really, I’m glad I could help. And... I had a good time to, you were good company after a long day.”

You hoped your cheeks didn’t flush as brightly as they felt like they did at the tenderness in his voice, “I uh, well, I wanted to invite you over for dinner as a- a thank you? You were so kind when no one else even noticed and... I’d like to return the favor?”

“Dinner?” Hardy raised an eyebrow, looking unsure. His arms uncrossed, but instead his palms settled on the desk as he leaned back thoughtfully. He was contemplating it, and you had half a mind to wave him off, and offer an easy out.  

“You don’t have too-”

“No,” Hardy said easily before wincing back like he hadn’t meant to be quite so abrupt, “uhm, I mean, I’d like to come have dinner with you... if you’re sure? I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“I’m sure,” you promise with a surprised smile. It’s small, but happy. Hardy returns a smaller one, body relaxing just slightly where he’s leaning against his desk. “Are you free tonight? Or, uh, when are you free?”

“No, I’m free tonight,” he nods, smiling at how flustered you are. It’s weird, you decided, but not a bad weird. Just... strange. He isn’t much better, just as antsy as you, but you’re hanging onto the hope that inviting him over will result in the same light conversation and easy atmosphere as it had when the two of you had grabbed dinner at the Trader’s Hotel.

It had been a lovely evening, and when the two of you had let yourselves let your guards down, you’d had a good time together. Hopefully tonight would play out the same.

“Perfect,” you give a light laugh, playing with your fingers in front of you, “does six work for you? I uh, I get off at five today.”

“How about six-thirty?” Hardy offers awkwardly, looking apologetic, “Millhur and I’ll be going to check out a lead on the Danny Latimer case, and I don’t expect us to be back before six at the latest. Wouldn’t want to be late...”

“Six-thirty works,” you chirp, flashing him a grin. “That’s perfect...” you rattle off your address for him, before stepping back towards the doorway, “so, uh, see you tonight then?”

“See you tonight,” he nods, finally stepped away from his stiff lean against the desk.  

You slip out the door as Hardy returns to his desk. He gives you a small wave as you pull the door shut behind you. You let out a nervous breath.  

When you turn around, you’re met with a grinning Ellie Miller, “so... how’d it go?”

----

You’d waved Alec and Ellie out when they’d left on the lead that Hardy had mentioned. Ellie gave you a thumbs up, and Alec’s eyes shifted from you to Ellie, where his attention dulled to annoyance. She didn’t seem phased by it, and you didn’t doubt that he wasn’t always so stiff around her.

You wondered what made you so different to literally everyone else in the building that Hardy barely gave the time of day too as you typed out some documents to be sent up to the officers.  

You returned home by five fifteen, in a rush to get started on food. You didn’t know a lot about Hardy, and you certainly didn’t know what he liked. You remember Ellie mentioning something about him barely ever accepting food from her, and that he tended to not accept anything greasy,

You settled on remaking what he’d ordered that night at the Trader’s Hotel. He hadn’t eaten much of it, but he’d ordered it, so he had to have liked it.  

You found a bottle of wine you’d stashed away that had been a gift from someone at some point, but you couldn’t quite remember who’d given it to you. It would be good for tonight though, and compliment the meal. You hoped.

When the meal was cooking, and your place had been tidied up for company, you disappeared upstairs to change into something a bit nicer.  

A knock on your door came at exactly six-thirty. You smile to yourself at Alec being so punctual. It fit his character; you decide.  

You rushed to the door, smoothing your clothes down before pulling the door open and flashing a smile at your guest. For a second, he looks like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He brushed himself out of his shock, letting a small smile curl on his lips at the sight of you.

He ducks his eyes away from you as he shifts from foot to foot. There’s a bottle of wine in one of his hands and a small bouquet of tulips in the other. He looks uncertainly between his hands before his eyes raised to your face, “hello.”

“You’ve brought flowers?” You blinked, shaking your head and smiling to yourself at the small act that had your heart beating out of your chest, “they’re beautiful.”

“Yeah, uh,” Alec swallowed nervously, “I wanted to bring chocolates as well, but Millhur told me it was weird. I don’t... y’know,” he gestured the hand holding the wine bottle between the two of you, “much. Should’ve brought more?”

“No,” you told him, “this is sweet, thank you.” He hands you the flowers and you take them into your hands and hold them against your chest, “please come in.”

He follows you through the threshold, toeing his shoes off as he goes. He follows you into the kitchen, setting the wine beside the one you’d found earlier, while you work on finding a vase for the flowers. They’re beautiful and easily make you heart skip a beat.  

“This smells delicious,” Hardy’s voice breaks you from your thoughts. It’s an honest comment, and means a lot coming from Hardy—even if it is just pleasantries.  

“Oh, thank you,” you let out a light laugh, moving to set the flowers on the table as a center piece. “I wasn’t sure what to make, so I went with what you ordered because I know you like it. Ellie mentioned you didn’t much like greasy foods, so... I hope this is okay?”

“Yes, of course,” Hardy nods, standing off to the side of the counter before he pauses, “you asked Millhur about me?”

“Uhm,” you let out a nervous laugh as you rubbed the back of your neck, “yeah... I just wanted to make sure I made something you’d like as well and... she spends the most time with you, so I thought I’d see what she suggested?”

The look on Alec’s face is an emotion you can’t quite place; or maybe it’s a mix of a few. You don’t know him well enough to decipher what emotions are crossing his features. His eyes are following you uncertainly, like he doesn’t really believe you’re real. He’s leaning against the counter with his hands intertwined together in front of him.  

“Should be done now, are you ready to eat?” Alec shakes himself from his stupor as you move towards the meal you prepared. You grab the pot of your dinner off the stove top and direct Alec to grab the salad bowl from the fridge. You grab two wine glasses, as well as the bottle Hardy brought and take those to the table where Hardy is seating himself.

You take the other seat.  

You both serve yourselves the food.

The first few minutes are quiet while you eat, and then Alec offers a soft, “this is really good, (Y/N),” and from there conversations sparks.  

It’s light and easy, like you’d hoped. That same atmosphere from the bar, but in the safety of your home which made it even better. You spend some time getting to know each other, talking softly between bites of food and sips of wine.  

“A daughter?” you ask, taking a bite of food. He’d been talking about a few of his favorite cases from his time working at Sandbrook, and had mentioned his Ex, and daughter.  

Conversations had taken a more intimate turn this time around than when the two of you were at the hotel. Maybe It's because Becca’s not eavesdropping from across the room, but Hardy seems more at ease. It didn’t feel odd to ask, and you were genuinely curious about him and his life.

“Yes,” he nods, lifting his glass to his lips, a smile on his lips at the thought of his child, “Daisy. She, ah, she lives with her mother in Sandbrook still. I... I don’t get to see her often. I don’t have a lot of free time—especially not with the Danny Latimer case active. She’s, ah, she’s fifteen.”

“Daisy sounds lovely.” You smile as you take a sip of your own wine. You’d both steadily made your way through a glass each, and Hardy had topped you both your glasses up. “We're lucky to have people like you and Ellie who are putting so much time and effort into finding the person who did that to him... It can’t be easy to leave her, and I know Ellie misses her boys during the long days and late nights.”

Hardy gave a little nod, attention on his plate. He’d eaten a lot more of his food than he had at the hotel. You’re happy he likes it, from what you’ve heard from Ellie he’s very picky. The wine he’d brought it very good too, and accompanies the meal better than the one you had on hand would’ve.

The two of you continue to chat while you enjoy your meals.  Hardy told you a bit more about some of his favorite cases, and the odd arrests he’d made back before he was a Detective Inspector. You, in turn, told him a bit about yourself, and your friends and family. Your receptionist job wasn’t very exciting, but you had good stories to share from other aspects of your life.  

The two of you finished up dinner, but continued talking over the wine when the food was gone.  

Hardy was actually pretty good company. Maybe it had been the fact that Becca was watching the two of you the last time you’d shared a meal, but here and now, he seemed to be letting himself relax just the slightest.  

“It really was quite good,” he told you with a smile as he set his cutlery on his finished plate. Your heart thrummed pridefully at the fact he’d finished his meal, unlike at the hotel where he’d eaten very little. “Thank you for this, it’s been lovely.”

“It’s no problem,” you told him, turning your head to hide your cheeks heating up. You stood gracefully, grabbing your own plate, before reaching over to grab Alec’s as well. “I’ll just get the dishes.”

He pulled his plate back before you could take it, following your lead and standing as well. “Let me help.”

You opened your mouth to promise it was fine, and that you didn’t need any help. He was a guest after all, and this was a thank you of sorts for being so kind to you—letting him wash the dishes with you didn’t really scream ‘Thank you!’ or express your gratitude for him being so much different than everyone else working at that building.

“I insist,” he watched you with a light smile, “please? You cooked for me, so I should at the very least help you tidy up?”

You couldn’t say no to that.

Hardy was good at washing dishes. You dried between tidying everything up, putting things away as you dried them. Conversation was still light and fun, and it didn’t even really feel like you were doing chores with Alec.  

While he was distracted with the pot you’d cooked the meal in, you couldn’t help but take him all in. Stood at your sink with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His suit jacket had been abandoned on the back of his chair. He was so focused on the dishes he didn’t even notice your attention straying to him, fond smile on your lips.  

You’d never really imagined a domestic Alec Hardy, but now that you were seeing it, you weren’t sure you’d ever be able to forget it. He was just so much different from DI Hardy. Still the same personality, awkwardness and quirks, but he was more relaxed. He smiled more, and didn’t seem quite so uptight—which you assumed just came with the position of DI.  

“(Y/N)?” he called, and you forced your attention back. He was holding out a wet wine glass, with one eyebrow raised curiously. He smiled as you took the glass with a sheepish grin, turning back to the sink and picking up one of the few remaining dishes.  

Together you tided up the kitchen like it hadn’t even been used that day. It was nice to not have to worry about doing it later, or even the following morning before you headed to work.  

“It’s already nine?” Alec’s voice startled you from your thoughts. You turned to look at where he was glancing at the time on your microwave. You really hadn’t thought it was so late.  

“Time really flies,” you mumbled, eyebrows furrowed in surprise.

“Indeed,” Alec gave a light laugh, “I guess I should be on my way then.”

You thought about inviting him to stay later, but then you remember your early morning tomorrow, and you assume Alec will be getting in around the same time as you. You need some sleep if you plan on functioning tomorrow.  

“Did you need a ride home?” you ask as you follow him to the dining room to retrieve his jacket. He shakes his head with a light smile as he slips the coat on.

“You’ve already done enough tonight. Dinner was lovely, and I couldn’t ask you to drive me back to the hotel. I don’t mind the walk, it’s not too far anyways.”

You fight down the rejection in his words, smiling anyways. “Alright.”

You lead Alec to the door, chewing the inside of your cheek as you watch him step out into the chill of the night. You don’t really want him to go. 

You wonder where the two of you stand, even after this dinner. Will things just go back to the way they’d been before like after he took you out to dinner? Did this mean something? You’d hoped this could’ve... maybe led to more, but he doesn’t seem keen on it. “Goodnight, Alec.”

The man turns back to you with a little smile before stepping back through the threshold of the house, cupping the side of you jaw with his hand as he pressed his lips against yours. You’re stunned for a second, but then you’re kissing back, smiling into it.  

He pulls back first, leaving you breathless. His hand lingers for a moment, before he’s letting his touch fall away and he’s slipping his hand into his pocket, “goodnight.”

You watched with lidded eyes in an almost stunned silence as Alec disappears into the night. You watch his retreating back as you lift your fingers to touch against your tingling lips, smiling softly as you replay the kiss in your mind.

When he’s gone from sight, you shut your door, lock it and then lean against it with a happy sigh.  

You don’t have to wonder where you stand with Alec Hardy anymore; he’s made that completely obvious.

<><><><>

Thank you so much for taking the time to read! I hope this was suffice? It was fun to write, so thank you for the prompt!

As always, if it wasn’t what you were looking for, feel free to prompt me again! It might take a bit though :( Anyways! Have a good morning/day/night! <3

[im-whatchamccallit]

Crushcrushcrush//Kim Hongjoong (ATEEZ)

Request:  Hi i was wondering if you could do a soulmate werewolf hongjoong x human female reader angst and fluff like she over hears hongjoong saying something and she gets sad and shy and worried and stuff.....

Pairing: Kim Hongjoong x Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst with fluff at the end, Werewolf!AU, Soulmate!AU, a bit of College!AU

Warnings: Hongjoong’s kind of a dick with irrational thinking, cussing I guess

Word Count: 7.2k

(A/N: Lets just pretend I didn’t disappear for 6 whole months, but i am back and my medication is no longer giving me the big sad so I’m a little more motivated to write.This isn’t the best work I’ve done, this is actually idea 10 for this prompt and idk if it’s executed properly but Imma keep trying and hopefully, to keep from falling back into a slump, I’ll start a new series so I have a regular scheduled fic for everyone. Also, I think I botched expressing the AUS here but just let me know what you think. Sorry for always disappearing, I can’t promise I won’t go off the grid again but I’ll try harder to be active in anyway)

Your mother always said crushes stayed crushes for a reason: they hurt. Bad. But you thought she was wrong, that your feelings for someone could one day be reciprocated later if not sooner, and that’s what led you to him. Kim Hongjoong. The day you met was a complete accident, your body slamming into his as you wandered aimlessly during your freshman year of high school. He was gorgeous with wide brown eyes, beautiful pink lips and cheeks, his hair styled differently from the other boys to reveal his forehead, showing his individuality. He was perfection.

“I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” Those were the first words he spoke to you, his voice so gentle, so sweet. And the way he reached out to help you with no hesitation, holding your hands as he pulled you up effortlessly.

It was love at first sight, all until he looked down to your hands, eyes catching a glimpse of your wrist, a row of zeros peeking through the sleeve of your uniform jacket. He slowly pushed the fabric up, both your eyes widening to see your soulmate clock had finally timed out, his hands releasing yours to check his own wrist, a quiver to his lips as his clock matched yours, his once soft eyes now hard as he stared you down.

“Stay far away from me.” He warned, not saying another word as he headed to his homeroom, your body frozen as you watched him disappear. He was so harsh, yet you liked him. Maybe suddenly finding his soulmate scared him, but it was no problem to you! You were bound to end up together so you played the waiting game with him, being the perfect soulmate you could possibly be whether he accepted it or not.

And that led you here, now seniors in college and still acting the way you were when you met. Hongjoong was still cold, treating you like some plague while you could only smile along. You weren’t sure how you missed the fact you lived in a predominantly werewolf area until a public service announcement came on your television one night to remind humans to stay indoors during the full moon, that night dedicated to werewolves being as free as they could be, but it made you even more hopeful when you were on your way home from work one night, taking a shortcut through the woods since it lead right to your backyard.

You were 16 at the time, so the sight of a shirtless person would obviously make you flustered, but a shirtless Hongjoong? Enough to cause a nosebleed. He was 16 as well, the exact age a werewolf develops a mate bond and, seeing as you’ve already been confirmed as soulmates in the human world, the sudden desire to latch onto you and never let you go once you locked eyes only made your lifelong attachment more real, and he was freaking out. He didn’t speak, opting to shift without removing the remainder of his clothes, your eyes wide as he moved deeper through the thick trees and towards the horizon where the orange sky was in full view and, the grin on your face just couldn’t stop growing. You knew werewolves had a stronger drive to their mates, so the idea that he could avoid you forever was laughable. Sure, you were both 23 and he has uped his disdain for you from staying silent to calling you any vile name he could think of, but it was only a matter of time before he came around. You just knew it.

“(Y/n), stop gawking.” Miyeon joked, poking your side to snap you from your daydreams, your eyes widening when you noticed a few of Hongjoong’s friend’s catching your gaze, a blush painting your face as you turned away.

“I wasn’t gawking, just making sure their table was okay. I am their waitress tonight.”

“And every other night because you said, and I quote, ‘I wanna work at any table my Joongie’s going to be at!’” She mocked, your eyes rolling as you looked back towards them.

You took a job at a diner just a few blocks from both your apartment and college campus, the pay great and the distance convenient. It was the only time you had to yourself instead of lingering to Hongjoong, figuring out his classes and breaks to give him snacks and lunches you’d personally make for him since you overheard him complain about the campus food before, only to be told they tasted like shit and he’d find his own food. It was a bit of a kick to the face to hear that, but you had one saving grace: his pack. The first time Hongjoong sent you away with a bitter remark, they were curious about you, tracking you down when they weren’t with their alpha to get more info on who you were and what you found so loveable about the man treating you like some demon. They were surprised by how sweet you were and how accepting you were to be the unwanted luna of an eight-wolf pack. They could never hate Hongjoong but they sure as hell loved you just a little more than him. Unbeknownst to both of you, Yunho and Mingi found out where you worked, making a plan with the others to take Hongjoong there as much as possible so he would have no choice but to interact with you, even if he stayed silent to not appear like an asshole in front of the various strangers dining as well. Hongjoong would honestly never return if he had the choice, but something about the restaurant’s signature burger kept bringing him back, which is why he was here, sipping his soda angrily as he waited on his meal that would be served by his worst nightmare, you.

“I don’t know why you don’t just find someone else. Isn’t it easy for humans to reject soulmates? You could move on with no problems.” She said, helping you grasp onto the steel tray covered in various meals, a huff leaving you as you put on a bright smile.

“Because I know it’s harder to move on for wolves. You guys don’t have a choice on who your mates are, and you just accept it once you meet them. I know Hongjoong will accept me eventually, it’s just gonna take some time.” You gave one more smile before wobbling towards the table in question.

Hongjoong tried not to follow the gaze of his pack as they watched you happily approach them, letting out a huff as you adjusted the tray onto your shoulder, grasping the plates and placing them in front of the respective person, Hongjoong’s nose twitching at the smell of his burgers and fries, not wasting anytime to dig in as the other’s thanked you, but you shyly looked at the male before you, the tray pressed to your chest as you tried to find a casual way to speak with him.

“I-uh- I-I remembered last time you asked for extra cheese, so I decided to put cheese in the burger too! I hope you like it better than the tofu stew I made you for lunch the other week.”

“I didn’t ask for extra cheese this time, so why put it inside my burger where I can’t take it off?” He said spitefully, mouth still full as he set the half-eaten burger down.

Your smile faltered but bounced back as you reached towards his plate.

“O-oh! Well, I can take it back and make you another! This time I ca-“

“’This time’? You should’ve just done it from the start. Your job is to listen and do what you’re told and you can’t even do that? What can you do right?”

You swallowed hard, your eyes wandering to the people now staring at you as the scene unfolded, your heartbeat ringing in your ears as you tried to hold it together. The worst he’s called you in an idiot and that was usually under his breath, so to practically say it out loud, in front of strangers while you were in the middle of a shift and forced to do nothing but smile like you usually would, felt like you were being stabbed and burned simultaneously. You couldn’t keep smiling, looking down as you tried to apologize, only for him to cut you off once again.

“Go bother someone else. Or hide in the back if you’re just gonna keep fucking up this much.”

The space was eerily silent, even with the soft music playing, your eyes not leaving your shoes as you shuffled away. It was a pitiful sight, Seonghwa releasing a breath he didn’t realize he was holding as you went to a neighboring table to retrieve plates and glasses left by a couple from before. He was ready to tear Hongjoong’s head off, not as a gamma to an alpha but as one friend to another, his jaw tight as he prepared to berate him the way he did you but, somehow, Wooyoung beat him by asking a question none of them thought to ask before.

“What did she ever do to you that you have to treat her like that?”

There was a strange but tense silence as they awaited his answer, watching him taking small bites of his fries as he stared ahead at nothing before turning to them with what could only be described as a sadistic smirk.

“Imagine being 13 and finding out the best years of your life, the years of dating, hooking up, just discovering who you are, are gone because your mate decides to show up and take that from you.”

“Are you fucking stupid? That’s the reason we have mates, so we can do those things with one person instead of random people!” Seonghwa nearly yelled, trying to keep his voice low as to not alarm anymore spectators again.

“For the past 7 years, I’ve been trying to get her to leave or just reject me, but it’s clear to me now that she’s just an idiot that doesn’t understand she’s not needed, by me or anyone. And, if you’re as dumb as her, I’ll simplify it for you: she’s unwanted.”

Whatever pain you felt before suddenly disappeared into a numbness you couldn’t explain. He knew you were there, that you could hear him, that you would hear him, and yet he still said it. You were conflicted and sad, your lips curling in a mixture of disgust and anger before settling on a bright smile. Never mind the fact your tears finally spilled over, that your heart ached with every beat and your body felt heavy with the weight of being rejected by someone you waited so long for, you just had to smile. Soulmates were supposed to be a sure thing, supposed to be your happily ever after, yet it just turned out to be a crush, one that you should’ve let die the day you met him.

“(Y/n/n)…” Miyeon spoke cautiously as you made your way towards the bar, your other coworkers watching from beside her as if you were some strange spectacle.

“We have to start cleaning, y’know? It’ll help us get out of here a lot faster tonight.” You said in your usual cheerful tone, tears still flowing and a faint crack to your voice.

“How about you just head home for the day, (Y/n)? We can handle everything from here.” Your manager said, her eyes scanning your face as you moved past them and to the kitchen, their bodies following instinctively.

“What? No! I’m fine! We still have 4 more hours to go and I think if I get a head start with the chefs for tomorrow lunch specials I ca-“

“(Y/n), please-“

“I’m fine, Miyeon! Really! It’s not like I got broken up with or anything, I never even had a boyfriend! Just a crush on someone that thinks I’m a waste of space! Isn’t that super ironic? Spending most of your life chasing after someone that wants nothing to do with you? That’s really funny, right?” You choked out, lips pursing into a thin line to keep in your sobs but your attempts were futile, everything slowly starting to hit you at once until your body collapsed, one of the other servers catching you before you hit the ground.

It was all a blur from there, the words of comfort everyone offered turning into muffled noise as your cries of agony came out freely, the way Miyeon dragged you from the emergency exit at the back of the building and to her car to take you home, and even when you crawled into bed and managed to sleep despite the pounding headache. 7 years came and went and there was nothing to show for it. No soulmate, no boyfriend, no romance, not even a friendship. You were empty and for some reason the only thing filling your heart and mind was the person who broke you.

It felt like time stood still yet hours had passed, Hongjoong back in his own bedroom pressing away at his keyboard, stopping occasionally to write a few notes down from his new composition, but he wasn’t distracted enough to hear his door open, various footsteps entering and even a few bodies settling in on his bed, his eyes not bothering to leave his notebook as he figured this moment would come.

“You don’t need to lecture me.” He grumbled, going back to play a few more notes only to find his keyboard unplugged, Mingi tossing the cord away as his alpha stared him down.

“It’s only a lecture if you listen and learn, which you won’t, so we’re gonna make you feel as bad as possible for driving away the only person that gave a shit about you.” San said with a bright smile, a scoff leaving Hongjoong as he finally turned in his chair to face them, eyes scanning the room to see this situation wasn’t playful but truly hostile, almost like an ambush.

“So, you guys don’t care about me?”

“Trying to get you to accept your soulmate so you don’t die shows we care a lot more than we should.” Yeosang spoke, making himself comfortable as he sat against the pillow and headboard.

“But we’re the real assholes for trying to force her with someone as shitty as you.” Seonghwa finally said, Hongjoong’s head snapping in his direction as he let out a dry chuckle, shifting in his seat so he was leaning backwards, arms crossed as he told himself to stay calm during his friend’s potential tantrum.

“I feel like you have the most to say since you’ve been in love with my mate the longest, so go ahead, tell me how I’m such a bad man, Seonghwa. I’m all ears.” His smugness made the tension worse, Seonghwa stepping closer with clenched fist.

“I’m not in love with you mate, but if I didn’t know someone was waiting for me because we were fated to be together, maybe I would have asked (Y/n) out, because she deserves better than a lowlife with the brain function of a dead goldfish. But I respect her too much as your mate and my luna to not push those boundaries so I tried to help her get closer to you because I know you, Hongjoong. You’re not an asshole or a jerk, but to her? You treat her like shit, when really you’d have no one without her. You’re a short, scrawny, nerdy moron that locks himself in a dark room for days on end just to complete a single project, then emerge to eat cold pizza and watch Despicable Me because your pea-sized brain can’t comprehend anything that isn’t brightly colored animation. If you take away your alpha status, no girl would even look in your direction but you have someone literally at your side, the only human not afraid of you, trying to figure out everything there is to know about you, yet you can’t give her the time of day. You probably don’t even know a damn thing about her.”

“Unfortunately, I know more than enough about her.” Hongjoong spoke, all amusement gone as he glared at the older male, their mindlink clogged with threatening growls and barks, trying to keep their fight from getting physical.

That first sentence alone made Hongjoong’s blood boil, his face contorted in a mixture of pain and disgust. How could Seonghwa even say that to him, plotting to steal his mate all because he was a bit uncertain? That all it was, uncertainty! He didn’t hate you, or wish you weren’t around, he actually grew to anticipate and enjoy your ramblings about your day or whatever new thing caught your attention, he actually even loved the lunches that you’d make for him. He couldn’t help that over the years he grew to crave you more, but the thought of fully accepting you and solidifying that the best years of his life were about to be gone, restricted to one person forever before he could even determine for himself his likes and dislikes, what he considered real love rather than what fate wanted him to feel, was terrifying. So he distanced himself from you, spending the years watching you from afar in hopes that if he didn’t get too close he wouldn’t lose his free will completely.

But it was a bad habit that seeped into your college years, everyone assuming he cared so little for you when he knew everything there was to know. He knew where you worked before any of the boys did, where your apartment was, the fact you were a business major planning to open a bakery once you graduated, he knew you didn’t have classes on Fridays but always came back on campus because you prepared meals for the men’s and women’s wrestling team which is where Jongho first met you, he knew you hated mint chocolate chip ice cream just like him but loved chocolate ice cream with mint chips, he knew you were always cold but overheat at night and wake up at exactly 3am to change into shorts and a tank top to be more comfortable, he knew about the birthmark on your lower back and a scar on your hip from a cat scra-

“Holy shit, you’re insane.” Wooyoung breathed out, Hongjoong’s eyes focusing on the room in front of him, a mixture of shocked expressions and amused ones filling his vision.

“I liked it better when we thought you hated her but, hyung, you’ve been stalking her since your freshman year of high school?” Jongho asked cautiously.

It was a weird feeling bubbling inside Hongjoong, the primary one being embarrassment. He knew he’d sometimes unintentionally rant in their mindlink whenever he was upset but to make an almost decade long secret public to his pack, revealing the intimate details of how you slowly but surely ingrained yourself into not only his brain but his life until he felt like he was going crazy? It made him tear up, his face burn with a blush as he was finally forced to face the truth. He pushed you away but wanted you more than anything. He wanted to spend his years free to explore before finally settling down only to reject every girl that came close to him simply because they weren’t you, and he took that anger out on you. What was he so mad about? The fact you stood by his side with a smile happily accepting him while he tried and failed to lust after other women? Was he that pathetic? He could admit now that he was and, if he could turn back time, he would’ve introduced himself and walked you to class. Just the first step of fully accepting you.

“You’re still ranting in the mindlink, you know?” Seonghwa said softly, regaining the once again lost focus of his alpha who was too consumed in his own pity to notice the tension died down, their gazes soft as they tried to sympathize with their leader.

“Sorry. I wish none of you heard that stuff.” He admitted, sniffling as he realized he’d been crying, hand hurriedly wiping away tears from his cheeks.

“Well, it’s a good thing we did. We still think you’re a moron, but at least we know you’re feeling guilty about all of this.”

“Don’t worry, Joong, if you know (Y/n) like we do, she always sees the best in people, so she’ll forgive you. But you still have to apologize.” San followed up Mingi’s words, wrapping an arm around Hongjoong shoulders while giving a bright smile in response to his weak one.

“She’s my TA in Calc 3 and I have that class around noon tomorrow. She always stays after in case anyone has questions, so I can stall until you get there.” Yunho offered, Hongjoong feeling a slight warmth in his chest thinking about it all. He’d let go of his insecurities, fix everything he’s done wrong, and finally have you as his. Tomorrow couldn’t come fast enough.

And tomorrow did come, but you were nowhere to be found. When Hongjoong arrived to Yunho’s class, he was met with a sympathetic apology on the account that you didn’t show up that day, you weren’t even at any of your other classes. The boys even tried to find you at work only to be met with a mob of your pissed coworkers led by Miyeon, threatening to rip their heads off if she saw their faces again. And that lasted for nearly 3 days, Hongjoong’s hope slowly dwindling away until he noticed two figures sneakily meeting halfway at the school’s entrance to exchange a large white cooler.

He recognized those bulky arms anywhere, and the thick Aussie accent was a dead giveaway as well, especially when it was followed by a distinct giggle. There was no mistaking it was Chan, but he could barely see the person with him, their voice low as they spoke to him and face hidden beneath a hood, but the scent emitting from them was strong, and beautiful, his eyes widening as he finally took it all in. You looked different, wearing a dark grey matching sweat suit which was a complete 180 from your usual attire, and you smelled faintly of passionfruit, possibly a change to your normal shampoo in an attempt to disguise yourself, but that thought only made his heart hurt more. Were you intentionally avoiding him? He could understand you hating him now but you were even ignoring the others in his pack, going from friends to complete strangers in a matter of hours and leaving them all devastated. He was going to fix this, here and now, if not for him and you than for his friends.

“Jongho’s been pretty upset about you not responding to his text. It’d really help if you stopped by to at least let him know you’re okay.” Chan pleaded, giving you a dimpled smile and hopeful gaze that made it impossible for you to hide your blushing face and grin.

“I just need a little more time, Chris. It’s like if you broke up with your mate and all the friends you made through her left you too. Except it’s me being broken up with by someone who was never my boyfriend and his friends came to me instead of me going to them. But, still, it hurts all the same.” You laughed slightly, trying to find some humor in the situation.

“You’re the only person that still calls me Chris.” He commented, trying to redirect the conversation as you clearly weren’t fine, neither of you noticing the burning glare just a few meters away.

“I just think it fits you best.” You admitted, neither of you breaking eye contact until you gasped, staring down to the box of food and drinks you bought.

“You should hurry to practice. You need to eat beforehand otherwise you’ll be weak after warmups alone. And I worked hard making those sandwiches and cutting that fruit, if it goes bad because you stayed here to cheer me up, I’ll really be mad.” You tried to put on your best scowl, your scolding undermined by his amused laughter.

“Alright, fine. Just stay safe, please?” You nodded, waving as you watched him turn to head to the school’s gymnasium, missing the way Chan glared at Hongjoong as he continued forward. Chan and Hongjoong’s packs were close, family almost, so the news of what Hongjoong did and why reached them in no time, and Chan was hoping today things would be fixed soon because, apart from you being the wrestling team’s beloved personal chef, you were like a sister to him.

You wasted no time leaving the campus behind, ready to go back into the darkness of your bedroom to forget you existed. You really wish you could disappear, that the ground would split beneath you and swallow you whole, but you couldn’t just leave when your phone was filled with calls and messages from friends and coworkers wondering where you were and if you were fine. So many people cared, what kind of person would you be to leave them all alone like this, especially when all they wanted was to help you? But being alone helped, trying to live life as normal as possible while adjusting to a Hongjoong-free lifestyle helped. It would take some time, but you’d find your normal someday. All you had to do was avoid-

“(Y/n)!” Your body froze.

He rarely called you by your name but his voice was distinct on its own, and it was the most sickly sweet thing you’ve ever heard. You wanted to run, to never have him see you like this. Dear god, how did you even look right now? You felt like shit, you probably looked the part. Dammit, Hongjoong was right all along, you were shit. You were worse than shit, you were just pathetic. A pathetic, lovestruck loser itching to just turn and say hi, to have the conversation you always dreamed of but you knew that wouldn’t happen. He’ll yell at you again. He’ll-

“(Y/n)? H-hi…” Hongjoong said shyly, standing right in front of you as you shrank into yourself.

His brows furrowed as you looked away, mentally arguing with yourself as you went over the days of self-reflecting you did, trying to find some lesson from your solitude to aid in this situation and it was starting to scare him. You were never quiet with him, you always had something to say even if it wasn’t important but, luckily, he had something important to say and hopefully you’d listen.

“I- T-the other day…. I w-was…. I-I’m sorry.” He stammered out, this confession a lot harder than he thought, especially now that you were facing him, eyes just as innocent as the day he met you, but he couldn’t run away this time.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, honestly. Everyone told me I was an idiot and I think they’re right. I treated you like you were garbage for years, all because I didn’t want to be mated so young. I just wanted to date around before I finally settled down with someone and, m-maybe I could’ve just said that, so you didn’t have to wait around for me all these years but, I never hated you, and I can’t hate you. I know you won’t forgive me right away but I think it’s only fair that I can be a good mate to you now.”

He swallowed hard, trying to suppress the desperate ‘please’ he wanted to add as your pupils began to shake, almost as if you were a machine malfunctioning, none of your self-reflecting preparing you for this moment, the only thing coming to mind being some sad blog article you found during your second day of isolation. ‘Forgiving and forgetting too soon is dangerous. Find yourself’. It wasn’t what you wanted but maybe what you need, what he needed. So, without hesitation, you smiled brightly at him although it never reached your eyes, clearing your throat as you tried to keep your voice steady.

“Hongjoong, I can’t forgive you easily. I waited for you, I tried to make you accept me and it always ended up with me getting hurt. Honestly, if I just treated you like a regular crush, maybe we could’ve forgotten we’re meant to be together until after graduation or something.” You laughed awkwardly, wanting to look away as his eyes softened in the saddest way, but you needed to do this, eyes locked on his as you exhaled through your nose.

“I couldn’t be by your side all the time, so whether you dated anyone is still a mystery to me but, I’ve been alone for seven years hoping you’d come around, and I think it’s time I take those years back. I’m not sure if what you said counted as a rejection or if we’re still mates but, if we are, we’ll come back to each other eventually. For now, I just need some time.”

You managed to walk past him without completely collapsing in tears, speed walking back to your apartment as you tried to swallow sobs, not even taking in the way Hongjoong stumbled to follow you, almost like a zombie as he attempted to plead for you to reconsider, to force himself to accept your decision but ask how long you needed, but he couldn’t do that. He tried to picture himself in your shoes, seven years of pining only to be publicly humiliated by the person you were meant to spend the rest of your life with. He couldn’t blame you for not forgiving him, and he sure as hell couldn’t force you, so he let you go, trudging in the opposite direction to his two story apartment just to hide in his bedroom until he didn’t feel like dying anymore.

But as more days passed and it only got harder for Hongjoong. He barely left his room but also never slept, every song he created was played in minor scales to fit his now melancholy life. The charisma he typically exuded was hidden with puffy red eyes from crying and a yellow knit sweater a few sizes too large for his body but it was the only thing that comforted him at this point, especially when knowing you had reconnected with everyone but him.

After exactly one week of distancing yourself from the world, you caved and meet with the boys individually (sans Hongjoong), apologizing for needing space although they completely understood, but the way each interaction ended made your guts churn with guilt. ‘Stay safe, luna’, that’s how all of them addressed you before they left, leaving you filled with the desire to return to how things were before. You missed your friends and, the fact your mate was finally ready to claim you, only made you want to forgive Hongjoong sooner. But you needed to be your own person for once. You had seven years worth of relationships to catch up on and you wouldn’t let them keep you from that.

Except when they did.

You should’ve known it was risky letting them know you had a date so soon, just some other human on campus that had yet found his soulmate. They sounded happy for you, Wooyoung going so far to ask where you met and where your date would be and what time, giving suggestions on what to say and wear since it was “your first”. It was a sweet gesture, and you thought nothing of it, but that information meant everything to him which led to now, the boys huddled together in their living room with a slightly paler and sickly looking Hongjoong curled into the corner of their loveseat.

“So they’re going bowling tonight at 8:30? We could ask her about it tomorrow in case she’s into him because hyung isn’t looking too great.” Yeosang commented, everyone looking to Hongjoong as he managed to drown his entire body within the sweater, only his head visible as he stared ahead like some lost puppy.

“He’s just weak from not being around her for so long, but their bond is still there so he’s fine. But we have nothing to worry about. She won’t fall in love with him so don’t get too involved, she’ll just stop talking to us again if we meddle too much.” Seonghwa warned, a chorus of ‘Okays’ confirming their dismissal as they all stood to retreat to their bedrooms.

“Wait, who is she going out with anyways? There’s only 10 other humans at that school.” Mingi’s question cause everyone to freeze, the silence in the room contrasting with the faint answer Woooyung gave in their mindlink, Hongjoong turning to look at him with hurt and pain.

“Why didn’t you say it was Yugyeom?!”

“I did! Just not to you, until now because I forgot to tune you out.” He said shyly, flinching as Hongjoong ran past him and right out their front door, none of them sure of what to do at that point.

It was such a minor yet major detail. Kim Yugyeom was admittedly the most wanted person any of them could think of. Human girls wanted him, werewolf girls wanted him, most guys couldn’t help but stare whenever he passed by. He was gorgeous with eyes that sparkled every time he smiled. He spoke about his soulmate with so much passion despite never meeting her, following his words with how he’d treat any girl before her with the same love and care. It was a pick up line meant to hook any hopelessly romantic girl in, the sweetest way to say their relationship wouldn’t last. But this was Kim Yugyeom, they knew it was only meant with good intentions, not wanting to string someone along with the false hope they’d be together forever. And that’s exactly what you needed. To explore while knowing you’d always come back to Hongjoong. But that’s not what Hongjoong wanted. He didn’t want you dating anyone else, finding temporary happiness when he was supposed to give you a lifetime of it. And humans were more flexible with their soulmates, they had the privilege to move one without the pain or withdrawals of losing their mate. Werewolves just died if they were rejected, heartbreak and loneliness consuming them, so there was no telling how your heart would react to someone exactly like you. Maybe you’ll fall in love with him. Maybe he’ll abandon his soulmate for you once he learns how amazing you are. Maybe Hongjoong would die from lack of food and sleep before he even reached your apartment, which he was still sprinting full speed towards. It was only 7:30pm, meaning he had an hour before you and Yugyeom went out, but he didn’t have a plan. He had no idea what he was doing, but he needed to stop you before you found yourself in love with someone else.

It was like some scene in a drama, Hongjoong’s chest heaving as he finally came to a stop just outside your apartment. His body felt like giving out as he climbed the two flights of stairs to your door, only to find you waving shyly to Yugyeom just as he turned away, trying not to lock eyes with Hongjoong but Hongjoong’s eyes were only trained on you, yours finding his as a panicked look crossed your face. Should you look away? Go back inside? What was he even doing there? You never told the boys your address… You gasped as he approached you, swallowing hard as you tried to remain calm, but how could you stay calm when you finally got a good look at him?

“Oh my god, are you okay?” You didn’t hesitate to ask, stepping further from your door to examine him, reaching for his face only to stumble back to your original position. You were making great progress, you can’t do that now.

“I’ve been better, but even then I wasn’t fine.” He said with a dry chuckle, your lips curling into a fake smile to not show how much his appearance affected you. He looked like he was on the brink of death. You knew wolves would get sick without their mates, but was it really killing him? Were you killing him?

“Joongi-Uhm, Hongjoong, how about you sit down? You look like you’re going to faint.” You offered, stepping back to allow him inside, watching him stumble past you and straight to your sofa as if he owned the place.

It was such an awkward moment for you, watching the poor boy curl into himself as his sweater practically became his body, a sigh leaving your lips as you shut your door. Instead of healing yourself, you had to heal him. It was oddly pitiful but your instincts screamed at you to do it.

Hongjoong shut his eyes as he eased into your sofa, feeling more comfortable than he was in his own home, even more so with your scent invading his senses, your body warmth radiating onto his as you carefully took a seat, trying to figure out what to do.

“Do you need food, or water? Or a doctor?” You asked, the giggle he let out this time weak but still enough to make your heart beat a bit faster.

“I just need you near me.” He admitted.

You let out a squeak as he shamelessly fell into your lap, head comfortably resting against your thighs as he laid face up. You couldn’t stop your hand from easing through his unnaturally colored locks, melting at how soft they were, bottom lip trapped under your teeth as you had to fight off the desire to cup his face. You’ve never gotten this close to him and he wasn’t telling you to go away, instead letting out content purrs as he nuzzled closer to you, your eyes burning with unshed tears. Why couldn’t he just want you from the start? You’d would’ve been able to hold him like this all the time, to see him happy and healthy rather than a shell of his former self. But he didn’t want you, and now he was at your apartment just to keep himself from dying. It was silly to think he cared about you as much as he did himself.

“Of course you do.” You whispered, laughing bitterly as your hand left his hair, moving to his arm to ease him back up into a sitting position.

You couldn’t get past him no matter how hard you tried, nor did you want to, but every word he said, everything he’s done, followed you like a ghost haunting some poor unsuspecting soul. Why did you have to love someone who didn’t love you the same? Why was this your life?

“Can you just hold me a little longer? P-please?” He asked with a cute whine to his voice.

You sighed and grabbed his arm, gently pulling him back into his previous position, fingers massaging his scalp as he finally opened his eyes to look at you. You were beautiful, even with the frown lines etched into your face. He wonder how long they’ve been there, especially when he’s only seen you smiling. Maybe you spent your alone time more upset than he thought. Where you upset before he came? You couldn’t be when Yugyeom was here, no one could be upset with him around. Except Hongjoong. He felt a grudge building inside him just from the mere thought of him with you. He felt like interrogating you on what he was doing here in the first place and why you gave your address out to just anyone, but it wasn’t his place to ask and probably wouldn’t be for a while, but jealousy and rage was all he felt so any reasonable thinking was thrown out the window.

“I don’t want you to see Yugyeom anymore.” He said definitely, your eyes widened as you stared at him incredulously, an amused giggle leaving your lips.

“That’s not for you to choose, Hongjoong. I told you I need time-“

“Those seven years you’ve been waiting I couldn’t be with anyone else. I always compared every girl I met to you and none of them came close to being as perfect, now I have to watch you date some dance major with pretty eyes because I was an insecure dumbass? He has a soulmate, and he’s always going to choose them no matter how much you like each other, so why not save your feelings? I’ll wait as long as you want me to, but just don’t fall in love with anyone else.”

You tried so hard to hide your smile. This wasn’t something you typically liked, possessive guys being on the list of things you found annoying, but considering it was Hongjoong, his soft eyes hard and sharp as their hue seemed to go pitch black as his words were both sweet and demanding, made you fall in love just a little more than you already were. You wanted to take this as his confession, as a truce in your previous one-sided enemyship, to tell him that you told Yugyeom you couldn’t go out with him because you could only see yourself with Hongjoong, but you needed time. Not time to date and explore the way you thought he had, but to watch him work as hard as you did to prove he was ready and willing to love you. It was a little malicious, sure, but it was all in good fun. He’d always be your mate after all.

“I don’t know, Hongjoong, you really hurt me…”

“It hurt knowing I wasn’t with you.” Your smile cracked through, causing his own to appear, your game already over.

“And how do you think I felt? You think you can make up seven years worth of waiting so easily?”

You squealed as he shot up, magically seeming more alive than when he arrived, eyes full of life and his lips and cheeks the same rosy color as when you met him, hands warm and soft as he cupped your face.

“Good thing I have forever to do it.”

The silence was comfortable but unbearable, especially as he hesitated to lean closer, your lips puckering to guide him but he didn’t seem to be catching on and, when he did, you shifted back, laughing awkwardly as you stared at one another, both of you taking a deep breath as you finally closed the gap between you, a weird electric sensation you could only dream of as your lips slowly grew accustom to one another, moving so slow yet feeling so urgent. It was all still new to the both of you, romance and dating only now becoming part of your lives, but it was exciting knowing that you had years ahead of you to perfect it, your entire lives dedicated to loving one another. And it only took a seven year crush to get you here.

[adventuresinwonderlust]

Title: Ace and Min: Part 2

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader aka “Ace”

Warnings: Fluff, best friends to lovers, angst like a lot, slight crack, slight smut, abusive speak/language, talks of/and abusive behavior, talks of/toxic relationship

Rating: 18 and over

You wake the following morning, shower, and dress for the day. Your stomach turns and gurgles as the nerves of seeing Yoongi hit you. You can’t help but wonder where his head is at after last night. You wanted so badly to make love to him. When, you wonder, did these feelings for Yoongi sprout? Last night when you said I love you, the words meant so much more than the friendship the two of you shared. Perhaps they have been here all along, tucked away and buried by the foolish romance you carried on with Che. Why oh why had you allowed your stupid guilt for what Che would think soil the beauty of what was last night. “Can’t hide in here forever y/n.” You say aloud whilst looking yourself over in the mirror. You know today is going to be in the 90s so you wore short ripped jean shorts and a white cropped tank. Yoongi had made mention of having plans for the day so you wanted to be comfy.

You emerge from the bedroom and walk out into the living area/kitchen. No sign of Yoongi, could he be in his studio? He promised no work. You head into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and find a note scribbled on notebook paper tacked onto the fridge. ‘Went to the market to grab some essentials. Didn’t want to wake you. Will bring back breakfast. See you soon. Xo. Min.’ You smile to yourself and bring the note to your lips, kissing it gently as your nerves calm. He’s not mad, you think to yourself. “Please don’t eat that paper. I have bagels!” Yoongi laughs, lugging bags into the apartment. You jump up, dropping the note down on the counter. You head over to him and grab some bags from his hands. “You should’ve woken me. I would’ve gone to the market with you.” You tell him. He shrugs, emptying the groceries from their bags. He begins to put the items in their place and you join him, taking items from the bags and handing them to him. “Minmin, are you mad at me?” You ask, unable to help yourself. He chuckles from inside the fridge. “No, should I be?” He stands now and looks you over from head to toe, sending chills across your body. “Uh, no, I don’t know.” You ramble. Yoongi closes the fridge and takes to leaning against it, drinking you in with his intense stare. You feel your nipples begin to harden against their cotton material. He licks his lips watching you squirm. “Something’s up with you Ace. When you’re ready to tell me, I’ll be here to listen.” He nods gently and goes back to putting away the groceries. You quietly release the lustful sigh you were holding onto.

“It’s not what you think.” You tell him. “So, there is something.” He strains, placing something in an overhead cabinet. “What kind of bagels did you get?” You swallow nervously, changing the subject. Yoongi sighs, clearly frustrated. “Sesame. We should eat quickly actually. I have a lot planned today.” He reaches for the bag with the bagels and you tug his arm and pull him into an embrace. You breathe in his scent as you bury your head in his neck. “Don’t be mad at me Min. I am just sorting through my shit. Unfortunately, there’s a ton of it.” You whisper into his neck. He slowly runs his hands up your back and pulls you closer to him. “I don’t know if I could ever be mad at you Ace. I just want to be here for you, that’s all. I am good at sorting you know but if you need time to figure everything out on your own, I respect that. Just, promise you’ll tell me what’s going on just as soon as you’re done sorting?” You pull away slightly to come face to face with your best friend. “Promise.” You respond, planting a kiss on his plump cheek. “Ah, ok, enough mushy stuff. Let’s eat.” He whines, turning his attention back to the bagels.

After breakfast you both jump into Yoongi's car and head out. “So, what's on the agenda today?” You ask, turning on your phone for the day. “It's all a surprise Ace. You have to wait and see.” He smiles his wide gummy smile. You can't help but smile as well until the buzz of your phone draws your attention. Che strangely has only sent one message. “I have told you over and over how sorry I am. Please, we must work this out, just answer me. Are you at least alright?” Your heart pains stupidly at the thought that Che may be worried. “I'm fine but I meant what I said. We are over. Please stop contacting me.” You respond. You stare at your phone in anticipation of his response. It doesn't come and soon relief washes over you. “Good news?” Yoongi asks looking over at you and then straight at the road. You shrug, “What do you mean?” He bites his lip, “I don’t know, you sighed just now, like you got good news or something.” He explains. You shrug and shake your head. “No, not really.” You say, putting your phone away. “Still sorting.” He whispers. “Yeah, exactly.” You look out of the window now and realize as Yoongi slows to park where you are. You gasp. “Oh, my goodness! Is this the Grand Central Market?” You squeal. He laughs at your bright eyes and childlike demeanor. “Yes, yes. Food, culture, and….” Yoongi pauses while he rummaged through a bag behind your seat. He pulls out a gift bag and places it in your lap. “Unsuspecting subjects to use as fresh new material. Open it.” He points at the bag. You laugh nervously as you yank tissue paper from the gift bag. “Min, what is this?” You look down into the bag and can barely contain the tears that well up in your eyes. You pull out the brand-new Nikon camera from its shiny gift bag and rest it in your lap as fresh tears flow down your face. “It’s too much. I can’t accept this.” Your lip trembles. “Your old camera is used and a piece of shit honestly. You needed an upgrade. Happy early birthday Ace.” He laughs. You lean over the gear shift and wrap your arms tightly around his neck. “You are so amazing you know that?” You whisper. He laughs with his whole body when you release him. “I am happy you like it.” He comments. You quickly tear the camera out of the confines of its packaging and attach all the parts. “Did you open it?” You ask him, noticing how easy it was to remove. “I charged the battery for you.” He smiles. You squeal as you twist on the camera lens and turn it towards Yoongi. “Smile Min.” You sing song, focusing your camera. He throws his hand up to cover his face. “Ah, it’s for the Market, not me.” He whines.

“It’s my gift and I chose to shoot you first, so, stop being a baby and smile big for me Min.” You scold. He shyly covers his face before leaning back against the window and giving you a tight smile. You chuckle, snapping multiple photos of him. “Ok, change the pose.” He groans, deciding to throw up a peace sign. You drop your camera and instead snap a photo with your cell phone. He sucks his teeth. “What are you doing Ace?” He leans over to view your phone with you. “I am posting this on Instagram.” He groans again shyly. “Why? Che is gonna get upset.” He teases. You simply shrug. “Caption is ‘One of the greatest men in the world and he’s all mine!�� Posted!” You laugh, throwing the camera strap around your head and exiting the car. Yoongi soon follows you and you both enter the Market. The smells of fresh food, spices, and coffee hit your senses. “Hi, I’m y/n, I am a photographer, may I take photos of you guys while you browse?” You ask a young couple. They giggle and agree. “Thanks, just act natural and go about your activities like normal.” You tell them. They nod and begin walking through the market while you trail behind, snapping photos at random. “These look great,” The female tells you. You blush at her compliments, “Can you send me copies of these?” She asks. “Of course. Let me take your email.” You pull out your phone and take her information. You let out a happy sigh, followed by a squeal, turning to look at Yoongi who is flashing his gummy smile. “Let’s eat!” You shout. He nods enthusiastically. You grab Pupusas while Yoongi grabs Americano’s. You meet at the eating area and dive in. “What’s next on the agenda?” You ask. Yoongi lifts a finger in the air, cheeks full of food. Once he swallows and wipes his mouth, he shakes his head. “Today is all a surprise Ace, you have to just let it play out.” He shoves food in his mouth before you can ask another question of him. Before long, you guys are back in the car and headed to your next destination. “Sheesh, Instagram is blowing up Min.” You tease. You scroll through the comments and likes from your friends asking if you and Che broke up, if you and Yoongi were dating, tell Yoongi hi, and you just laugh out loud until you reach the last comment from Che himself, in all caps…. ‘TAKE THIS DOWN NOW!’ You roll your eyes and block him immediately from your friends list. You turn your phone and snap a photo of the focused Yoongi driving. He turns to you and gives a small smile and you snap another. “Why do you keep taking pictures of me?” He chuckles. “Because you’re gorgeous, that’s why.” Yoongi’s face drops and he begins to shift uncomfortably in his seat, tugging at his ear. “What’s wrong?” You ask. He releases a slow sigh. “Nothing.” He whispers.

He pulls into a parking spot at your next destination, “The Hollywood Sign?” You laugh. “Why are you laughing?” He smiles. “This is so touristy.” You tell him. “Ah but you ARE a tourist Ace. Come on we can get some nice pictures from the top.” You both begin to climb the long hill to the top and you’re sure to snap photos of people in the park and along the trail. Once at the top, you find yourself out of breath and trailing behind Yoongi. “Its gorgeous up here.” You spin around and snap some scenic photos. “Ace check this out.” Yoongi calls your attention to his elongated shadow and how it cascades up the hill. You both laugh as you stand beside him your shadow also taking an elongated shape. You both laugh and wiggle your bodies, creating weird shapes that you soon snap photos of. “Wait! Let’s take one for Insta.” He groans but wiggles his body strangely anyway as you capture a hilarious boomerang of your shadows. You both laugh reviewing the video and you post it with tears in your eyes. “This is too funny Min.” You laugh. “Okay, hurry, we have to get to the last stop before the sun sets.” He grabs hold of your hand and your heart seizes, butterflies filling your stomach. He tugs you along down the hill and back to the car. “You are really going to love the last stop Ace.” He says. You giggle excitedly as you’re yanked along. As you make it back to the car and Yoongi takes off you can’t help but think of what life will be like when your trip is over. It makes you uneasy. While this is all a lovely distraction, you’ll have to head home at some point to collect your things and face Che. “Penny for your thoughts.” Yoongi's voice snaps you back. “I was just thinking that this has been an awesome day! You really have outdone yourself Min. I am so happy, probably the happiest I’ve been in a long time.” You smile at him. He smiles wide, gums showing. “I am happy that you’re happy but its not over yet.” He smirks, pointing past you. You turn to your right to catch a glimpse of the beach, boardwalk, and lit up Ferris Wheel! You gasp audibly causing Yoongi to chuckle. “Minmin!” You cry out. Yoongi circles a bit before finding a parking spot on the side street. You both walk over towards the pier just as the sun begins to set. You pull out your camera and snap pictures. “Its gorgeous.” You comment. “Like you.” Yoongi states. You turn your camera lens towards him to his dismay. “Pose for me.” You beg. He turns his back toward you and you capture shots of him staring off into the sunset. “Beautiful!” You shout. “Would you like us to take a few of the two of you?” A woman passing by with her child asks. “Sure!” You exclaim, pulling out your cell phone and setting it to the camera. You hand it to her and run over to Yoongi's side. “Give me a few poses, you two!” The woman shouts. You both start out with your backs to her, staring off into the sunset. Then turn to face her, moving in close, wrapping your arms around each other. “So cute, that one,” She calls out, “Hug, kiss, something, show us some love.” She waves her hands at the two of you. You both chuckle nervously but you pull Yoongi close and rest your head on his chest. He runs his hand up your back, resting it on the nape of your neck, both cuddled up while the woman snaps photos, cooing at you both. She moves towards you and hands the camera off. “Such a cute couple. Have fun!” She waves goodbye. You and Yoongi laugh and quickly review the photos. “She’s got a good eye. I should post one of these.” You note. Yoongi shrugs. You shrug back and post your cuddle photo. “Come on Min, show me the pier!” You smile wide, pulling him along.

The pier is jam packed with people taking pictures, buying food, and selling items no one really needs. You're captivated by all the characters and find yourself getting lost snapping random shots of the passersby in their element. “Give me that,” Yoongi says, yanking the camera from you. “Pose for me Ace. Smile big.” He starts clicking away. “Yoongi,” You protest, trying to grab the camera back with no luck. “Stand by the Route 66 sign.” He urges. You do as you’re told and lean against the sign. Yoongi snaps pictures of you with your camera before waving you to keep walking. “New pose. Act natural.” He directs. You can't help but giggle at his attempt at being a photographer. You continue walking on along the pier, sipping only to watch a man shoot what appears to be a lit-up ball into the air. You watch in awe as it swirls colorfully in the sky before descending back down onto his launcher. You turn to Yoongi completely fascinated to find him still snapping pictures. You smile wide as he drops the camera to meet your gaze. He points over towards the waterfront, where there are some benches. You nod and head over with him. “God, what a magical night Min. This was well thought out. Better than I deserve.” You say. Yoongi's brow furrows. “You deserve the world Ace, don't let anyone tell you different.” He replies softly. You can no longer stand the distance, no longer take the wanting, you needed to be close to Yoongi and fast. You lean in quickly and press your lips gently against his, wrapping your arms around his neck. He can’t help but grasp your waist, deepening the kiss before pulling away. “We can’t Ace, I’m sorry but after last night and what about Che? You haven't even mentioned him once. He’s gonna freak out if he finds out.” Just the sound of his name drives you wild and you can't take it anymore. Your blood boils over and you can almost feel the anger fill your throat like bile. You had to come clean and be honest with the one person who deserved more than anyone. “Fuck Che Yoongi! He’s been cheating on me okay and with my fucking boss no less. I had to quit my job; I came here knowing that there is nothing left for me there. I just picked up and left it all behind Min,” You sob, your mouth becoming dry and brain running a mile a minute as you try to get it all out, “And sometimes he hurts me. I just tried to play it off and say that’s just Che you know and Che well, he can be mean sometimes and controlling. At first it was just name calling but eventually it became a shove or a grab. He always apologized, always made up for it. I thought he would be better,” Your voice cracks and lips tremble as fresh tears stream down your face, “Then when I found out he was cheating again, I just, I couldn't take it anymore. I felt so used, so stupid. I knew I had to leave. I had to get away. Oh, God, you probably think I’m stupid. I feel stupid. I know I should’ve left sooner. I should’ve been honest sooner, with myself, with you. You're all I have left Min. You’re the only one who really gets me, and I wanted to tell you I really did, but you moved and had become so busy. I didn't want to burden you. You had so many amazing things going on and you deserved to be proud and happy, and I didn't want to bring you down with my shit life. I’m so sorry Yoongi, about last night, about not telling you sooner. Everything.” You tremble, tears streaming uncontrollably down your face. Yoongi stands before you, eyes widen in shock as he takes you in his arms, squeezing you tightly. “Y/n, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I've been so blind to all you’ve been going through. I knew Che could be jealous and overbearing but never to this extent. I am so sorry. I'll never let him hurt you again, that I can promise you. I don’t care where I am or what I’m doing you can tell me anything.  I'm always here for you. You're my everything you hear me. I'll never let you go through anything alone. We are a team and I’d do anything for you. I- I love you.” He whispers, kissing your forehead and pulling you closer to his chest. His eyes well with tears as anger hits him with the thought of Che hurting you. You squeeze him tighter knowing that this is where you truly belong. You lift your head up to look him in the eyes. “I love you too Min, I really meant it when I said it last night.” He runs his fingers along your cheek, and you lean forward to plant a soft, warm kiss on his mouth. He is hesitant at first, until you part your lips, allowing him access to your tongue. He swirls his tongue around yours with ease, teasing and caressing until you both fall into rhythm. He finally breaks the kiss, looking over your face, “Let's go home.” He whispers. You nod allowing him to lead you back to the car.

He holds your hand the entire ride to his apartment, opting to drive with one hand no matter how much you protest. He rubs at your knuckles with his thumb, pulling your hand up occasionally to meet his mouth. He plants kisses along your hand before resting back down. “I’m sorry I waited so long to tell you everything.” He shakes his head. “Stop apologizing, you have nothing to be sorry for. If I knew he was hurting you. I swear to God….” “Don't,” You cut him off, “I don't want him to have any more control. That's over with now. I feel so free having come clean. I only wish I was honest with myself and you sooner.” You squeeze his hand. “Well just know you can stay with me for a long as you want. You say you have nothing but that’s not true. All you need is right here in LA, with me. You never have to go back. You can find work out here and I can take care of you until you get back on your feet.” You giggle at the thought. “What? Why are you laughing?” He pouts, his cheeks flushing. “I think you're amazing, that's all. I don't deserve you.” He sucks his teeth. “You deserve the world Ace. Just let me be the one to give to you.” He practically whispers. You smile tightly, overcome with immense love for him. Why hadn’t you just dated him sooner? You wonder to yourself. What would life look like if the two of you had just become more than friends before Che ever entered the picture?

Yoongi releases your hand and you realize that you guys are in the parking garage of his building. “Come on Ace, I’ll make us a quick dinner and we can cuddle up on the couch before bed.” He winks, exiting the car. You grab your camera and follow into the elevator with him. He looks you up and down before getting shy and looking away. “I can’t believe how late it is.” You note, looking at the time on your phone. “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Yoongi replies, staring up at the numbers. “You did not just say that corny ass line Min.” You both laugh out loud. “Ahhh,” He moans, “I was trying to sound cool.” He shrugs, covering his face with his hand. “You don’t need to try to be cool for me Min. I already think the world of you.” You tell him while you pull his hand from his face. He licks his lips moving over to you, taking you by the back of the neck and bringing you to meet his lips. You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to your body as he takes you by the back of the legs and lifts you off the ground, wrapping you around his waist. “Guess we can skip dinner.” He teases between kisses. You hum in agreement as you arrive on his floor. He carefully carries you of the elevator sure not to break the kiss. You giggle into his mouth as he moans loudly. “You wanna take your hands off my girl Min?” An all too familiar voice cuts in. You and Yoongi both turn out of breath to see Che standing by Yoongi’s apartment door. Quickly you slide down Yoongi’s body and back onto your feet. “What are you doing here Che?” You whisper in shock. “I came for my girl.” He states firmly, eyes locked on Yoongi. Che steps forward causing Yoongi to step in front of you. Che chuckles, “What are you gonna do Min? Fight me? I’ll break you in two.” Yoongi smirks, “You can try.” “No! Don’t, please!” You yell as the two men rush forward, crashing into one another. “Yoongi!”

To be continued….

[benny-chanda]

The Seven Almost-Exes

sex mention tw, cheating tw, blackmail tw, biphobia mention tw, homophobia mention tw

-

As soon as Bishan graduated, his father managed to secure him a job and an apartment. He even drove Bishan to his new place, then closed the door quickly, drove off, and didn’t contact his son till a year later on the 4th of July.

The apartment had nothing but a kitchen and a bathroom, and Bishan didn’t have enough money saved to buy a mattress.

First night he slept on the floor.

During his first shift he asked if he could get a small advance on his pay check.

Second night he slept on the floor.

Between his second night and his twentieth - when he finally got a mattress - Bishan often found himself in luck with one night stands.

Nothing serious, just a good night's sleep.

Despite his first love story with Emilia ending in shambles, Bishan still believed he could have something real. Katheryn was gorgeous, she loved to come to the bar to dance, she loved to dance with every bartender, among which Bishan.

She would have him take her home, ask him to talk Spanish to her. She called upon him whenever she needed him, at the most inconvenient of times. But he always had fun around her, they would go to dinner parties, the cinema, she would take him shopping. He could fall asleep with her in his arms and never have thought the better of it. 

That was of course until he found out that she was doing a whole lot of illegal stuff. Once he found out though, he knew how to take advantage. Soon he had a flatscreen tv in his house, a new fridge and microwave, a closet for all of his stuff, the best mattress that was on sale, and a small couch. When he wanted a book or new clothes or anything else his materialistic heart could desire, he would simply ask her. And because she knew he knew, she would give it to him. 

Then some day she disappeared. 

Bishan to this day doesn’t know what happened to her, he just knows she never loved him. 

-

When Bishan befriended Paul it had been over their mutual love for soccer. Most people in their direct vicinity only loved sports like Football - something that had completely confused Bishan at first, because the Spanish word for soccer is futbol - or Basketball. 

He would invite him over to watch the game, they would discuss it while Bishan was cleaning or serving at work, and sometimes they would fall into other topics of conversation. 

One thing led to another and before either of them realised it, they spent half the week at each other’s places. 

And before Bishan knew it, he was in love. 

To him, the relationship was exclusive, to jealous Paul, it was supposed to be, but while he had no trouble cheating and sleeping with other men, his fear was that Bishan would do something to hurt him instead. 

One night when they were tangled up together he posed the question. “Are you only into men?” 

Bishan had said, just as casually because he didn’t even think to ask why that was so important to Paul: “No, I don’t really care much. Guess that makes me bisexual or something.” 

The next morning he had woken up alone in his apartment, and every time he saw Paul, the man acted as if Bishan meant nothing to him. 

-

After Paul Bishan had been afraid to be open about liking men and women. He flirted with anyone who came at the bar, but he drew the line when it was men trying to get him to go home with them. He tried to not be into them, figured it was easier if he just solely dated women, if he only looked for those soft curves and clean faces. 

Then there was Randy. 

Randy who had long blonde curly hair, an angelic face, who danced as if the world wasn’t watching, and who always ordered drinks with a laugh on his face. 

Randy who was trying his best to not be gay. 

There was something about the both of them trying to not be something that was hard to ignore that drew Bishan to him, and Randy to Bishan. They kissed in secret, in the back of the store when nobody was watching. 

Bishan helped - or at least tried to help - Randy accept this part of him, called him pretty boy, say the sweetest things as he began to think that things between the two of them turned into a more serious direction. 

When Randy’s parents kicked him out of the house after he told them he was gay, he moved in with Bishan. It was almost too perfect.

Maybe that should’ve told Bishan something was wrong. But he was enjoying everything too much to question it. 

The first time he discovered Randy in his bed with another man, he had forgiven him, despite the buried emotions that resurfaced. The second time he gave Randy an ultimatum: either they were exclusive or Randy would have to find somewhere else to stay. 

Randy promised him that they were together, that it wouldn’t happen again. 

And it didn’t for at least a month. Until while putting out the trash, Bishan found Randy making out with somebody in the dark alleyway. He left Randy’s stuff out at the front door and had the locks changed, no matter how often the handsome young man begged Bishan to take him back, Bishan stood his ground. 

-

It took him a while to get back into the game, the idea of not being enough for one person to love, the idea that every time he thought he loved somebody, they never loved him back. It was also around that time that he met his ex from high school. It was easier to just be alone, to ignore the butterflies in his stomach and the great feeling of really connecting to someone. 

Along came Mara. 

Mara was the most gorgeous person he had ever seen, her curly black hair hung over her shoulders and she had a particular way of brushing it out of her face. Bishan fell into her arms whenever she said his name, so warmly. 

He did everything for her. 

He felt alive when he was with her, she matched his grins and when she heard of the things he did to blackmail people who came into the bar it drew a laugh from her lips. But never once did she admit to playing him. 

When one night she came in with another man, Bishan had been confused. She shushed him when he had asked what was happening. But he realised quickly enough. 

She told him eventually that she had been unsure about her fiance, she was scared of him hurting her. She didn’t seem to notice how much that was hurting Bishan. She was happy now, she wanted to be with the man she was supposed to marry, he would find someone, she was sure. And she kissed him for a last time before disappearing out of his life. 

-

Lila wasn’t supposed to be more than just a friend. They met each other trying to blackmail the same shady guy, and from then on for the first time since forever: Bishan had a partner in crime. But not really crime, because it wasn’t really illegal what they were doing, or so the both of them agreed.

Eventually they did get into a more serious relationship, she was about a decade, maybe more, older than him. First she lived in her car, then she ended up living on his couch, eventually upgrading to next to him on the bed. 

Bishan felt understood, while Lila didn’t talk about her past much, she did allow Bishan to lighten his heart. Things he had never really talked about before, she gladly listened to. 

Bishan found that he was planning his future with her, which was a strange sensation, something he had never done before, at least not as serious as now. 

Then one day Lila came to the bar, told Bishan that she had to go back to her husband and four kids, and left. 

She also stole his tv. 

-

Sandra, his co-worker, found him lonely and sad before their shifts started. She was supposed to be a rebound, but Bishan felt like he needed her, so he would constantly call upon her company, and Sandra enjoyed his attention. 

For months she worked him, spent many moments together, was there for him whenever he needed someone. Bishan trusted her, even though she was also the one giving him the nickname Bis. He trusted her because she never seemed to judge, she shrugged when he did, she laughed when he laughed. They could grin at each other during shifts and already know what the other was thinking. 

They were friends and lovers. 

But Bishan should’ve never told her about what he did in his free time. 

One day he was called into the office, where his boss told him that Sandra had come to him and told him about Bishan’s business. He was fired right on the spot, and when he got home, all his stuff was gone. 

All Sandra had left him was a sleeping bag and some food in the fridge.

That was a few weeks before the Virus rapidly spread through the area. 

[baileys-aurora]

Under the Surface

Ateez x Reader (fem), Mermaid/ Pirate AU

Part 3/?

Previous Part: Part two

Word count: 2.1k

A/N: This chapter is a filler chapter but the next one will have much more action. Also THANK YOU on almost fifty likes on the first part I’m gonna go cry happy tears now. Hope you enjoy this one too :)

“First things first” The captain stated walking towards your still seated form, “you need to learn how to use those.” he gestured to your weak legs, “Jongho will help you since he is the strongest and can support your weight the best.” As if the boy was listening in, his appearance was made immediately after the captain finished his sentence.

Now that you weren’t so on edge you could accept the beauty of these men, stress from sailing adding maturity to their young selves. He didn’t smile. understandable you thought to yourself, you have caused great mishap for the entire crew and now he had to act friendly and teach you something humans learn early in their lives. “we will begin with you holding the railing on the main deck.” Jongho voiced as if he rehearsed what to say beforehand and held out his hand for you to take. his hand unlike Yunho’s was rough from his time working the ropes and weapons of the ship. You slowly made your way out of the cabin grabbing anything you could with your other free hand to stable yourself. However, nothing compared to the ladders on this ship, they were brutal on your upper legs. Even with Jongho supporting most of your weight.  

 Once you finally made it to the ships side, you were already exhausted from the small amount you’ve done today. Though, many attempts of you trying to walk to Jongho while holding the railing to stable yourself it slowly became bearable. You even ended up getting the boy helping you to crack a smile every so often due to your strange facial expressions. “Like this?” you would ask over and over again trying to copy how Jongho shows you. “close” he would say every time, his eyes telling you he was trying to be encouraging.

Although he didn’t show it, he was enjoying himself, and even showed you his smile every now and then unintentionally. You were turning out to be very different then he originally thought, less evil sea witch at least. After a very tiring two hours of walking you were able to walk a few steps and stand still for a while by yourself. “I think you will be walking in no time.” Jongho smiled at your sweating form now sitting down on the deck, “are mermaids even able to sweat?” he asked laughing a bit. “I don’t now actually, if we do no one can tell. Just like we can’t be seen crying under the surface.” “that must be nice,” you looked up at him as he looked down at his hands hanging over the railing and playing with his fingers before he continued, “no one being able to see you when weakness takes over I mean” he finished his thought not looking back down at you, as a dull shade of pink tinted his cheek from telling you something personal, eyes fixing on the endless ocean in front of him. You knew touching would be to pushing so you simply replied, “then how would someone know you are in danger from your own thoughts, being weak is ok but trying to handle everything on your own is the hard part.” he looked back down at you and sighed, nodding his head, “thank you” his voice was small. But you understood he needed reassurance.

As San was watching for any movements or shadows on the distance, he would also steal peaks down at you and Jongho, a small smile at his lips that you were doing ok and not like the terrified girl he saw in a cell the previous night.

 After a while he began to descend from his spot in the crow’s nest, as it was late in the afternoon and he hasn’t eaten yet. Meeting you and Jongho on the way to the kitchen San offered to take you off his hands so he could return to his work and you could eat, finally. “What is it mermaids eat?” San questioned light heartedly, “The souls of curios sailors” you answered with a serious face. The look on San’s face lying somewhere between horrified and curious, before you creaked a smile at the fact, he believed you. His face relaxing also after seeing your smile and laughing at himself for believing something like that. “so, what are we eating?” you asked still smiling at the gullible boy who was holding your arm for support. “I’m not going to tell you now” he pouted, and wow if it wasn’t the cutest yet weirdest thing you’ve seen a grown man do.

 Once you made it to the kitchen the only other person there was Seonghwa finishing his bread. “The fish is cold now, but the bread isn’t stale yet.” he stated minding his own business. Hoping they wouldn’t notice you slowly made your way to the bread, on your own, picking it up to examine it before finding your way to a chair in front of Seonghwa, while San filled his plate. “No fish?” the boy sitting in front of you asked, “not feeling it today” you smiled back trying the so-called bread. It wasn’t bad not as flavorful as you thought but still good. After that small exchange of words, the two men remained quiet as they ate, yet it wasn’t awkward. Once San was done, he waved as he left leaving you with Seonghwa who was still slowly working on the same piece of bread while staring blankly at it.

 “Are you ok?” you spoke up carefully, he didn’t look at you at first but continued to pick at the food in his hands. Maybe he didn’t hear you? you thought to yourself, his attention on the bread and mind somewhere else. You poked his hand gaining an instant reaction, “mm?” he looked up at you finally, “I was just wondering what you were thinking about so intently” “oh, um just this whole situation, and um how we are going to fix it.” he replied with guilt in his eyes, “not saying I want you gone but I do want you to get home safe” he clarified.

  “I know that me being here is a burden, and I’m sorry I even decided to impose.” “you don’t like us huh?” he asked with a smirk, “it’s because I do like you guys that I’m sorry” his smirk dropping “why? we dragged you to an under-deck cell and threatened you.” “and I tried to sleep with San” you responded laughing, “let’s just say we both did regrettable things in the past 24 hours.” “you regret trying to seduce San” Seonghwa teased showing his relaxed side to you for the first time. Your cheeks flushing red at the thought of it now, “awe look at you blushing~” “shut up” “I don’t think you regret it at all” your face getting hotter more so from the teasing then the subject itself. “you tried to see me naked” you pointed an accusing finger at him, so he would stop.

 Now it being his turn to be embarrassed his face also matching the color of yours, “you know that is not what happened” he shot back at you. Which lead to a stare off between you two. Which of course, Seonghwa lost.

 “I’ve always have been curious about that though, why do mermaids try so hard to seduce sailors? Why did you?” He brought up changing the conversation back to a serious topic, you sighed before answering, “it’s the only way our family name can be continued to the next generation and since we are all women, sailors are our only option.” “I see, so San could’ve been a daddy” Seonghwa joked again, “well now that I have met others maybe I should’ve chosen someone else” you winked at Seonghwa trying to make him smile or laugh again. Instead however you noticed his features fall, “don’t ever make that joke again” he replied to you coldly, making you feel bad for insulting him. “You are on a ship with men who haven’t had a women’s company since they joined, you could seriously be taken out of context. I don’t want that to happen to you.” You don’t know why but his words put knots in your stomach for a couple seconds. “I’m sorry” you hung your head not really wanting to look back up at him, “I’m not scolding you, I’m warning. Other than the main crew most of the men have the mindset of the man you met last night.” At that moment the knots in your stomach came back stronger but this time brought pain in your legs as well. Maybe it was the from pushing them so hard to support your weight earlier you wondered to yourself quietly. “Seonghwa, I want to go lay down” you said looking back up into his eyes, with your brows furrowed. “I didn’t mean to offend you” he responded quickly, “it’s not that, my legs are killing me, will you help me to the captain’s cabin?”

 Once you made it in the cabin Hongjoong looked up at you two with an eyebrow raised. “She is having leg pain” was all Seonghwa said as he helped you to the small mattress they added to the room earlier that day. The captain sighed taking the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, “okay, I will be back in the morning then” he said while picking up a couple pieces of paper and leaving you two behind. He seemed upset but that was the last thing on your mind.

 Seonghwa watched him leave before facing you again, “how bad are they hurting?” “I’m ok just pushed myself to much probably.” You slightly smiled at him, so he was reassured, “I just need some rest” to which he nodded his head and walked to the door looking back at you again to you smiling so he left.

 The knots became worse as your legs throbbed more, not long after the pain moved to your head as well, your vision becoming blurred and the room spinning. What was happening? You thought to yourself before becoming sick and releasing the contents of your stomach onto the old wooden floors.

 As the sun was setting Hongjoong became curious about how you were feeling and wanted to apologize for his cold personality earlier. As he made his way to the cabin, he noticed a body sitting next to the door, “Yeosang?” The captain questioned the younger boy looked up and smiled, “I wanted to meet her since I’m done for the day but didn’t want to disturb her. So, I just figured to wait.” “She was experiencing leg pains earlier so I don’t think she will be coming out anytime soon.” The sitting boy looked disappointed as he is normally busy, “are you planning on checking up on her?” He asked with some hope left in his eyes, “I wasn’t planning on it” he lied, “but I will now since you want to meet her” Hongjoong began knocking as he finished his statement.

 No answer. Maybe she was asleep? He knocked a second time with no answer. Should he enter without permission? He was debating when Yeosang interjected, “since she is asleep can I meet her in the morning?” “Yeah” the elder answered before they both went their separate ways. Something not sitting right with both of them.

 As they say, curiosity killed the cat.

 San made his way quietly to the captain’s cabin when he was relieved from his shift in the crow’s nest. He softly knocked so no one would hear him except you. When you didn’t answer he reached for the knob, “what are you doing” a voice spoke up next to his ear, causing him to yank his hand back and cover his heart. Turning around he found a smiling Yeosang, “were you about to enter a sleeping girls room?” San’s cheeks turned red as he is still trying to calm down. “I was just going to make sure she was ok” he confessed, “let me come with you” was all Yeosang replied looking at San, “I want to meet her” he spoke up again to clarify any confusion. San nodded his head and reached for the door again, opening it slowly. Whispering that they were about to enter.

 But satisfaction brought it back.

 They were horrified by what they saw, you are lying on the floor unconscious with your own throw up around you. Rushing towards you, San knelt down next to you and rolled you into his lap while brushing the hair out of you face. Yeosang on your other side feeling your forehead then looking up at San with wide eyes, “she has a really high fever” he stated worry heavy in his voice. “Shit! Go alert Hongjoong and bring back some water.” San ordered as he held your limp sweating body, repeating you were going to be ok.

Next Part

[avidfanficwriter]

Two Drunken Fools (Chapter 1)

Characters: Tony Stark x OFC.

Warnings: So flippin many. Cursing, Alcoholism, depression, suicidal-ness(?) (I’m blanking the word), Smut, Pain, Will update as chapter arrive. Honestly, it’s messy. SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR AND ENDGAME

Ratings: M. 

Summary: When Tony fought Thanos, he thought that was as bad as it could get. He'd walk away with a bruised ego, a stab wound and the kid in tote. It didn't end like that, it never does for Tony Stark. His world fell. The kid's gone, Pepper's gone and he's in dire need of help but refuse to let anyone know that. Instead he cures it the only way he knows how: booze and seclusion. Until he discovers he shares shocking similarities with someone else whose curing their own pain the same way. 

Author’s Note: I HATE Absolutely freaking HATE chapters 1 and 2 but i give up. it’s pathetic, I know but I have a shit ton of other stuff written for this and the first two chaps aren’t getting any better. No matter how much I re-read and judge. I probably should get a beta, now that I think about it. Anyway, if you don’t like the first two i don't blame you, I hate them. 

Read on AO3

Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 4. 

"When I'm done half of humanity will still be alive."

Of all the things, Tony has heard or been told, he never considered Thanos' threat to be the one that would haunt him.

He never considered the possibility that he would lose either... but he had. The Avengers lost.

The day he lost has started to haunt him, he second guesses every choice he made and his mind is filled with Thanos... again. After New York, the battle, the wormhole and Nuke, he didn't think it could get worse. He saw a threat and he new they would need to protect the world. Thanos had only showed him a glimpse of the destruction he would bring. What he actually did was much worse. He took the world into his fist and squeezed until he felt victorious.

There's the sting in Tony's abdomen where Thanos impaled him that has phantom pains  but it's Thanos' voice that he can't forget. Every day he wakes, it's the first thing he hears.

Thanos, the villain, the monster, the boogeyman who hides in children's closets had won. He followed through with the threat to rid the world of half human life but it's not the threat Tony wishes Thanos' would have acted on, he threatened to kill him, said in a gritty voice: "I hope they remember you." and Tony accepted it. He knew in that moment he was going to die. Only it never came. Thanos abandoned him, gathered the infinity stones and turned people to ash. Death would have been easier than living, buried six feet under with his flesh rotting and clothes turning to dirt would be easier than living with the knowledge that he let the world down. If he would have managed to stop Quill from reacting foolishly or stopped Strange from giving Thanos the stone, maybe they would've won. Maybe he would have succeeded but Thanos didn't allow him.

The gaping wound to his abdomen should've killed him, he deserved that. He should have went down with pain coursing through his body, blood seeping through his clothes and his body going cold but the world was to cruel to let Tony finally rest. He watched everyone around him disintegrate and he stayed. Tony remained in tact with his body bleeding and pain having yet to invade his mind. It should've killed him, plain and simple. Tony wanted to die, He longed for death but it never came. Everyone was gone, he was on a unknown planet and there was no telling who was still alive on earth. Did Pepper survive? Did Natasha? Was Steve---

Tony Stark deserved to die.

... but he hadn't.

Even as he was in a foreign spaceship suspended in the solar system with no food and water, an android as his only means of company and an infection infection running rampant throughout his body. He lived. Survival was harder to accept.

He lost Peter, a fifteen year old kid, he took under his arm and swore to protect. Tony looked the kid's aunt in her eyes and promised he'd be safe. He let her down.

The final nail in the coffin was, losing his heart, his everything, his reason for living. The light at the end of his tunnel was gone.

When Tony makes it to earth after days of being suspended in space, sickly and skeleton like with crusted lips and a heart beating far to slow,  it's Steve who helps him from the ship. Wrapping his arm around his waist and silently forgetting everything from their turbulent past.

"I lost the kid." Tony forces out with a scratchy throat and dry eyes. He doesn't remember whose surrounding them or who else is there to greet him but he can remember the feeling of dread seeping off of the Captain.

Steve is quick to respond, not an ounce of hesitation as he meets Tony's eyes. "Tony, we lost." He corrects.

"Is... is Pep..." Steve nods before Tony has a chance to finish the question, his eyes solem and Tony's heart audible drops.

Tony lost the kid, held him as he turned to ash and blamed himself but there was still a tiny part of him that hoped Pepper was safe on earth, waiting for him to come back. Discovering she wasn't, created more pain than the blood infection and stab wound could have ever made. Pepper was taken from him, taken like everyone else. He wasn't there when death kidnapped Pepper, he didn't get to hold her in his arms, cradle her body close to his chest and promise her she would be okay. She died waiting for Tony, alone and scared.

Thanos took away half the population but he also managed to destroy Tony. He cursed Tony, forced him to live knowing he failed. He was right, the world would remember Tony Stark, the would remember him as the one who let humanity down. The man who had the opportunity to save everyone and wasn't able to do it. Everyone died because he couldn't do what needed to be done. Everyone died and he lived. Because Tony always lives and everyone he loves eventually leaves him.

Tony turns to drinking when the pain is too much to bare, he considers jumping off the roof but some sick twist of fate doesn't let him walk off the balcony. He drinks anything he can get his hands on because it helps just enough to get him through the day, the moment he's released from the hospital he goes home and downs a bottle of scotch. Then another and another. It cuts off his emotions, shuts down the parts of his brain that yearn for Pepper. Yet once the alcohol wears off, it all comes back with a vengeance. Memories fill his brain, loving kisses, the feeling of fingers running through his hair, smiles, her laugh or how she felt beneath him. No matter how much he drinks, the torment and emptiness of his heart can't be cured fully. She's always there, haunting him. Reminding him of how he failed and who he was before everything happened.

Iron Man is tucked away in a closet, piling with dust while FRIDAY is ordered to not let anyone in unless he okays it. Not a soul is allowed inside his home. He wants to be left alone, he can't handle the shame that fills people's eyes as he passes or the whispered conversations whenever his presence is around. Everyone knows, he failed. Everyone blames him.

Happy is the first to arrive at his door with a bag of cheeseburgers from fifteen different fast food restaurants, he knocks, jiggles the handles and calls out for his boss. Tony ignores him. Rhodey is the next, his hand slams against the solid door and he spares no expense at bribery. Vegas, he offers, like the old times. Tony ignores him. Natasha shows up, slamming her palm against the door much like Rhodey had only she demands to know what is going on and why no one has seen or heard from him in two months. She is treated the same response.

Tony has FRIDAY send over paperwork informing Natasha and Steve that they are now officially in control of whatever is left of The Avengers Compound, there is a short typed note from Tony simply saying: "You deserve it now."

Three months after the decision has been made official and is announced to whoever is left of the population, Steve makes an appearance at Tony's door saying something, he doesn't care enough to listen anymore. He's drank to much, spent too much time wallowing in self pity and still slightly angered at the great Captain America. He's forced to endure pain, carry it around with him while Steve Fucking Rogers walks around with his head held high and smile on his stupid face. Steve leaves after just five minutes, his hands buried in his pockets and his eyes aimed at the ground. Voicemails start after that, Happy, Natasha, Rhodey and Steve. They all eventually start to sound the same.

Happy: Boss, are you doing okay? What are you up to? Do you need me to get you anything? Boss, there is a meeting today, you should be there. Tony... You can't live like this. ...The world needs Iron Man. They need you, Tony. Pepper would want you to continue.

Natasha: Tony, I can't do this, I can't run a company. Tony, you need to come back, I need you to come back. Pepper would have wanted you at the helm.

Rhodey: Tony, you have to get out. You can't lock yourself up in your house and just give up. Pepper wouldn't want this. There is still so much left.

Steve: Tony, Look... I uh.. I get it, okay. I know what you're going through. You just have to think about who you're doing this for. Think about Pepper.

Voicemail after voicemail goes unanswered, he can't even bring himself to listen to them anymore. They all want something from him, run the company, show the world he's still here, the team still needs you but no one even noticed Tony needed something once upon a time too. He needed Pepper, needed friends and needed support. Tony needed them once and they left him, betrayed him and beat him down. Why would he believe them now? Why it would be any different now?

Tony can't remember when he did it but eventually he disconnects his cell phone, deletes his email account and puts Friday on lockdown (mostly because he knows she's been sending people updates on him). He eventually becomes a prisoner in his own home, cuts off from the world and the people. Every so often he checks the cameras in the compound out of boredom and possibly because he misses his 'friends.'

A few overheard conversations between Rhodey and Nat from his security feeds in the compound lead him to believe the teams Bird is on some Warrior mission serial killer style. Natasha is doing a better than he expected job at the helm of the compound, Steve tends to lurk in the shadows when it comes to the business but he resides in the compound and usually eats dinner alongside Nat. Rhodey is still actively involved in the military occasionally popping by to check up on things. Tony is stuck watching as they move on, continuing with life all while he doesn't get the privilege to. He has moments where his fingers dance across the keyboard or pad of phone, the phone numbers he knows by heart all scream out to be dialed. He could call Happy or Rhodey, even Banner (whatever he's up to now, he's the only one who hasn't been at the compound lately. He overheard Natasha say he was off being a doctor in some foreign country again) Tony also gets threatening close to starting a conference call with whoever is inside the conference room. It'd be so easy to press the call button and talk to someone, anyone. He never does. The first month of  watching the feeds included witnessing Natasha come to terms that she was interacting with a build-a-bear, one who also happened to steal a few things from her office. Tony has a list of all the things, he's noticed the racoon taking and leaving money in place of. The second was trying to decipher where Steve spent his time outside of the compound but other than a bag of fast food he brought for Natasha, he's still at a loss. Months pass and the only interactions Tony's had with the team are one sided, video shots of their lives without him. Tony witnesses Natasha fire another round of employees they no longer deemed necessary with Steve standing by, he'd cross his arms over his chest and put on his signature stoic facial expression. Rhodey, meets a girl but it doesn't last long. Steve joins a group but has yet to say what for, he mockingly hopes it's one that helps him remove the stick from his ass.

It's late when he turns on the camera in Natasha's office, a glass of vodka and coke swirling in his hands as he props his feet up on the coffee table. He's running out of alcohol and desperately needs to order another six cases when he accidently clicks the icon for the security feeds, instead of changing it, watches it. The alcohol will still be there tomorrow and his bank account will still have money for it. Natasha is a blonde now with shorter hair, she has a stack of files in front of her. Steve is standing besides her, another firing spree Tony assumes. He watches her fire a young man and as he leaves he notices a sudden a shift in Natasha's behavior, she looks to Steve with weary lips: "Should we?" She asks in a gentle tone.

Steve nods, tightening his jaw. "He's not here. He's not coming back." They're talking about him, he knows it. The mood always shifts whenever he's brought up. "She's been doing a little of everything but... they're gone."

They're greeted by a young woman with curly brown hair in a white blouse, tight pencil skirt and six inch heels. He vaguely remembers her, she was an assistant to someone or on loan from SHIELD, he doesn't remember exactly. Their first meeting replays in his head, she asked for a signature holding a large stack of papers towards him, he thought she was a fan and it turned out to be an embarrassing encounter he hoped to forget. After he signed the document and let his mouth run with sarcastic comments about being asked to sign things because of his fame only to be told it was official business, he was redder than his iron man suit and she walked away smirking.

"You're being let go." Natasha informs her.

The brunette nods.

"It's temporary."

Another nod.

"You'll be paid for the first year of your absence."

Another nod.

"You were an asset to the company, if things change..." She means if things every become normal again. "I can guarantee you, you'll be brought back. A complete reinstatement."

Tony sets his glass onto the coffee table and for the first time in months, asks FRIDAY to turn on. "Who is that, FRIDAY?" He asks ignoring the greeting the A.I. gives him. The screen changes wiping away the security cameras and replacing it with her glowing picture and file. Her image takes residence on the right side of the screen and everything they have on her is displayed before him, employee records, position at the company, an entire database of information about her is before him. Wren Granger, he reads at the top of the page. Her name triggers the few memories he has of her, she worked for the Avengers, behind a desk with a smile that made you feel as though you'd known her for years. She'd attended a few parties at the Stark Tower but kept to herself. They had few interactions together but she never seemed the tiniest bit interested in him, her eyelashes didn't flutter when he came around nor find any excuse to touch him like most woman. She simply did her job and went home.

The first conversation they had that wasn't business related was at a party, years before everything happened. He was looking for Rhodey, ready to mock him over his insistent retelling of his adventures when he spotted yet another unfortunate soul being forced to listen to Rhodey's tales. Tony refills his drink and rushes to save the young lady.

"Rhodey, you're torturing the poor woman." Tony says swiftly joining them, resting his hand on his longtime friends shoulder.

Rhodey opens his mouth to respond, a wise crack at the tip of his tongue but the woman beside him beats him to it. "I beg to differ, Mr. Stark, it was just getting interesting."

"See, Tony..." Rhodey says a smile stretching across his face. "Somebody appreciates my stories."

"It's not all that fascinating," Tony quips. "He's been telling the same story for a week."

The brunette cocks her head and gives a dramatic gasp. "Is that so, Mr. Rhodes?" She asks with a smirk.

Once again, someone else who beats Rhodey before he has a chance to speak, it's Tony this time. "Don't feel to bad for him, he's just upset that the world only tolerates War Machine. Iron man is their  preference but they settle for second best in time of need." She tries to fight her chuckle by covering her mouth with her hand but the sounds of laughter leak through causing Rhodey to scoff and walk away annoyed. He grabs his drink and shouts a quip about War Machine being better as he heads to the other side of room.

"Oh no." The woman chuckles as she watches Rhodey leave.

Tony leans against the counter alongside the brunette and lets his eyes trail along her body. She's traded her usual pencil skirt for a pair of tight black jeans and a flowery blouse. "Which of these lovely prospectors do you plan to mooch off of?" He asks with a sly smile and cock of an eyebrow.

"I suspect you've taken yourself out of the equation?" She asks without missing a beat.

Tony jerks his head towards her and lets out a surprised breath, "Yes... why was I in the equation?" He asks, a cheeky grin now plastered on his face.

"Not originally but I figure why close all doors, huh?" She asks with a smile as she meets his dark brown eyes. "Besides wouldn't you be the best to mooch off of considering you're the billionaire?" There's a small shrug of her shoulders as she relaxes against the wooden counter behind her.

"Wise decision." Tony remarks. "But I'm taken."

"That's true." She smiles. "I've heard Steve Rogers is nice."

Tony turns his nose up, "Capsicle?" He leans closer hovering his lips near her ear. "You'd have to devirginize him."

Full of shock, she turns to face him eyebrows furrowed with her lips press tightly together. Her dark green eyes fall back to the Captain whose engaged in a competitive game of pool alongside Sam. "Well, maybe not. It might get a bit awkward when I don't call him the day after."

Tony chuckles, nearly spilling the drink he's holding. "Tony Stark." he says offering her his free hand.

"I know, I work for you." She says with a smile, accepting his hand in a firm handshake. "Wren Granger."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Granger."

"You as well, Mr. Stark."

"Tony, please."

"Tony."

They keep each other company throughout the night, talking for hours about any little topic that sparks interest. Wren doesn't ask about his time as Iron Man or his life as a billionaire, she has simple questions or comments that only people who really want to know someone ask. It's easy to talk to one another, the conversations flows and doesn't feel stressed. It's comfortable, something Tony hasn't experienced in a long time. As the party dies down and the guests begin returning home, she glances at the watch on her left wrist and says that she should leave as she has an hour drive.

"An hour? You don't live in the city?"

"No, Not at all." Wren shakes her head almost insulted by the indication.

"Where do you live? I can get someone to drop you."

She nods, "I don't think you or I need that type of talk surrounding us." extending her hand to shake his. "Besides, I'm actually out of the city, rural area." Tony flinches at the comment and she notices his discomfort. "Not a country boy, i take it?"

"City boy, born and raised."

"Shame." She tsks him and stands. "It's nice break from the chaos that is the city. We get a lot less alien invasions." She winks at him with a smile. Tony chuckles quietly, at the remark. The noises that came with the city life, is what makes his home, a home. "If you ever manage to make it out there, in the quiet that is, you're more than welcome to stop by for a drink." She says straight faced. "Quiet can do you some good, it's a nice break to get away from all the noise and people."

The offer runs rampant in his mind as if it was offered just yesterday, he watches Wren leave Natasha's office, clutching a manilla folder to her chest. At the time, when she mentioned him coming out for the quiet, he thought nothing of. It was a friendly offer. Now, it felt like a calling. He can claim it's because he's severely lacking from human contact or slightly hungover and curing the hangover by drinking more and his mind isn't working at full capacity, or it's much simpler, he wants to talk to someone who isn't artificial and doesn't have a ulterior motive behind their words. He ponders the idea, when they met she treated him like he was a person maybe she'd do the same now. Everyone else tried to fix him until he longed to strangle them or share ways he can get over his loss. She could be different. There was no judgement when they first spoke.

He writes down her address, just in case and pins it to the fridge. Just in case, he thinks. If it really gets to him, he'll visit.

The ache in Wren's chest is raw, flesh eating and nausea inducing raw.

Everyone is gone.

The bad guy won.

The Avengers lost.

In an instant half the population was gone, wiped away from the world as if they never existed. Friends, family and lovers are gone. In a blink of an eye, they disappeared with a gust of wind.

The world feels empty now, those that were lucky enough to survive wish they hadn't. No one had time to prepare, they didn't have the luxury of a final goodbye or a warning that this would happen, it just did. Not many knew how to cope with the sudden loss, the trauma and pain resides deep in their chest unable to be cured. No funerals, no bodies and no final resting grounds. Ash in the wind. The world was at a standstill, abandoned cars rest in the middle of the roads, toys left untouched and groceries left to rot in the hot sun. Time seemed to stop.

Everyone hurts and most people blame the Avengers. The world's mightiest heroes were suppose to protect them, save the world but they let it down instead.

A year ago, Wren worked at the compound, her position wasn't of any importance but she had a way with words and could talk anyone into anything. When a business went awry, Wren Granger was your girl. A few sentences stringed together and the deal was back in place. The day it all happened, the day people disappeared without any explanation Captain America strode into the compound for the first time in years, defeat written on his face sporting a bearded jaw and glossy eyes while the building echoed with gasps. He ordered a meeting, standing before everyone in his uniform, the white star in the middle of his chest was absent, his fingers bloody and his suit looked darker. He explained what happened, omitting most of the classified details. Thanos had arrived to earth, threatened to cleanse the world and succeeded. He wiped out half of the population. The next order of business he asked, "Where is Tony Stark?" No one had the answer.

It would be a month before Tony would miraculously be found, "He was injured in a remote area." was the official cover story but there had to be more to it. There always was.

Tony was once again named the official boss, after it was discovered Pepper Potts had also been taken. Tony's health improved but he disappeared.

Days passed and Natasha Romanoff, a beautiful redhead with an attitude that could scare a 210 pound man and boy next door Steve Rogers were announced as the new boss. It should have gotten better but it didn't, employees were cut, costs were cut and within three months Wren was forced to move on. Natasha promised in a year, she'd be brought back if things returned to normal. If there was a normal to look forward too.

One year passed and the world was still broken and her job never came back, the Avengers weren't rallying up for round two and Iron Man let alone Tony Stark still hadn't shown up in public again. It was public knowledge that the loss of his fiancee Pepper had hit him hard. Rumors swirled that he was on the deep end of a depression, two pills away from ending it all. Wren didn't blame him for doing so, she'd lost people too. It's difficult to move on when you can't mourn any specific area except for a large wall that stretched for miles with names etched into it. It was personal, not an area you could make your own. It was covered in dead flowers, tattered teddy bears and letters from loved ones.

Wren started drinking six months after her job was gone when everything became to much to handle, little things would spark ripples of anger. Misplaced keys, grocery stores not being stocked, a rude comment she'd overhear and the neurons inside her brain would fire up creating a alter personality that attacked with anger. She drank to stop it all, the pain and the anger. It was easy. She fought it with a crooked smile and another bottle of alcohol.

He came next. Tony Stark, that is.

Wren was sitting at her dining table working on her latest jewelry design, it seemed her hobby as a teenager had paid off since being politely let go. A knack for making customized bracelets and necklaces had provided a substantial amount of pay. Requests came online shortly after for pieces engraved or in tribute to a lost loved one. The current piece beneath her small fingers with light blue nails was for a woman who lost her daughter, she asked for her birthdate, birthstone and a small pink heart on the necklace. The roar of an engine startled her, the necklace slipping between her fingers as she stood up. Her home was far enough away from civilization that no one would just be simply passing by, in order to get here, you had to look for it and in order to find it, you had to know where to look. The image of Tony Stark approaching the front door, with a case of Guinness in his left hand and his hair slightly tousled as if he just awoke with pair of sunglasses hiding his eyes felt like a dream. She pinches herself before moving from the window, this can't be real. Tony Stark is hiding? Gone? Scared? Missing? Lo-- the doorbell startles her again, it's followed by a short pair of knocks. Her lower lip comes between her teeth as she approaches the door, a shaky hand reaches for the lock, unlatching it and slowly twisting the door knob.

"Hey." He says as if this is a normal occurrence, like it's not unusual for him to be at her door in the middle of the afternoon. "I was in the neighborhood." He blatantly lies.

"Hi." Wren says in a whispered tone and her eyes grow even wider. "Uh...Come, come inside."

Tony sat across from her on the brown couch, his sunglasses discarded on the counter in the kitchen while his fingers danced across the glass bottle of beer. He's wearing an AC/DC t-shirt that is tightly stretched across his chest, it's the first time she's seen him in person in years, probably since anyone has seen him in person. His hair is longer, unkept and littered with greying strands and the whites of his eyes are bloodshot, his jaw is held hostage by months of unshaved facial hair. He looks broken. Nothing like the man who could throw out a sarcastic remark like he was a pitcher for a baseball team, the man   whose eyes crinkled when he laughed or was rumored to obsessively work on new projects. Mr. Stark sits before her, unrecognizable. He's a different man but she's a different woman now to. Everyone is different since it happened.

"This place is nice." Tony remarks as his eyes explore the home. He's seen better, undoubtedly, he's made of money. He owns a better home than this. His homes are in the cities full of people and tall buildings, millions of dollars put into the home with remarkable electronics while Wren's is secluded from civilization, surrounded by trees and wildlife, the closest grocery store was nearly two hours away and her closet neighbors were miles away. She has a broken bathroom sink, a window that never completely locks and a floorboard in the kitchen between the counter and fridge that squeaks every time you step on it, she knows he's pulling the comment out of his ass. Tony's been locked up for so long, he's forgotten what nice truly means.

"It makes do." She says with a small shrug.

Tony nods, bringing the bottle to his lips. He still hasn't explained why he was here or where he's been and he doesn't know if he can even begin to. He hadn't left home in a year, hadn't interacted with people in over a year but here he was.

"Did you actually stop at a grocery store and pick this up?" Wren asks nudging the case of beer with her foot. It's sitting on the glass coffee table covering a assortment of magazines and papers, she has yet to pick up.

"Yes." He nods. "Didn't want to show up empty handed."

"I like scotch too." Wren mentions with a smile. "In case you're ever in the neighborhood again." For a brief second, a smile crosses his face. It almost passes for real but his eyes give him away. "How are you doing Tony?" She asks interrupting the silence that encapsulates them. It's a difficult question, one that managed to escape her mouth before she had a moment to think of the consequences. Tony could answer with another fake smile or gather what's left of the beer and decide he's being called away.

There's a pause in the conversation and a hitch of his breathe before he answers, "I'm fine." His reply surprises her, she didn't expect an answer. When he poses the same question to Wren her answer is far from polite.

Her intent was to lie as he did but what comes out is not a fib, "I"m terrible." Wren mutters. "Fuckin terrible." She glances around the living room, shame written across her face. "I'm drunk, don't mind me."

"It doesn't help, does it?" Tony asks after another round of silence.

"No... Not really."

"No..." He repeats.

"You live here alone?" He asks even though FRIDAY already told him that answer.

She nods. "Me and my shadow."

"Must get lonely."

"I make do." She shrugs her shoulders. "The quiet--"

"--can do you some good."

"Is that what you needed?" Wren asks reaching out to grab another bottle of beer, one for her and one for Tony. It's a question in place of the one she really wants to ask, 'what are you doing here?' is on the tip of her tongue but she refuse to give it a voice. "Quiet?"

Tony opens the bottle, tossing the lid onto the table and relaxing his posture on the couch once again. He kicks a leg up on the coffee table, slides his arm across the back of the couch and stares at Wren whose legs are dangling off the arm of the loveseat. "I don't know anymore." He whispers, dropping his head back. "I think... I just needed somebody..." For the first time in years, Tony lets the truth out. He's got tears welting at the corners of his eyes, a knot forming in his throat and his suave personality he's had on display for his entire life is crumbling before a woman he barely knows. "who didn't know me... before." He lets out with a deep breathe. Wren simply nods and takes another long sip of her beer.

Tony leaves around midnight, alcohol on his breathe and his heart feeling a little less heavy. "It gets dark out here." Tony says surprised when he steps outside of the small house, glancing up at the sky.

"Yeah, no tall buildings to make it seem like it's always day. You can see the stars too." Wren says with a smile.

"I'll see you." Is the last thing Tony says as he leaves.

Neither Tony or Wren have any idea how to explain the last few hours of their lives, Wren is still in shock that Tony showed up at her door when she lays down in bed while Tony is still trying to piece together why he arrived there in the first place. He'd come across the post it note with Wren's address when he slipped in the kitchen and knocked off the papers stuck to his fridge. It was the only piece of paper that fell directly in front of him, rightside up and caught the little light he allowed into the house. He didn't plan to go there neither was he intending to but his legs went on autopilot and before he knew it, he was in the front seat of his car, driving to her home. Leaving his house for the first time in a year was easier than he would have thought. The world didn't care about him anymore. His car left the garage unnoticed, his appearance at the grocery store went unnoticed. Tony Stark was nothing to the world now.

Wren created a spark in the deepest crevice of Tony's chest, he felt relieved to speak to someone who didn't judge him. She didn't see him as a pompous ass or billionaire who would only think of himself. The time they spent together felt like two old friends catching up over a beer. It was relaxed. He didn't suspect that she would rush off and tell the media about his reappearance into society or find a gossip magazine to sell the dark tales that were Tony Stark.

Maybe she could become a much needed friend in whatever world they're forced to reside in.

[creator-zee]

132

       I swore under my breath as I spared a moment to glance up at the sky. A dark gray, almost black. The sun was almost gone. The fallen spirits would be coming soon, and the enemy showed no signs of relenting. Our commander had given the order to retreat and find cover before the spirits finished us off, but as my comrades departed I found myself surrounded. I tightened my grip on my swords, ignoring the hot blood I could feel slowly soaking the fabric of my shirt. I had been forced to drop my protective wards, saving what little magic I had, leaving me exposed since I favored agility and light armor over heavy armor that was more protective. A new enemy was charging, I dodged to the right only to duck and narrowly dodge an axe that was on a direct path to behead me. I barely had time to raise a sword to knock aside another sword, before I let out a cry of agony. An arrow had found its way into my arm. The glance I cast towards it cost me my left sword as it was knocked out of my grip.

        I was screwed. Fucked. Dead.

        I parried a blow only to have my legs knocked out from under my. I felt a wrenching in my stomach and then I was alone. Panting slightly, I tried to control my breathing as I looked around. I was in a large tent with bunks and sleeping forms on them. I had teleported? How?

       I sheathed my sword. I knew what had happened. As soon as I had accepted that I was doomed my survival magic and set in and teleported me. It wasn’t uncommon, and it wouldn’t be so strange except that I didn’t have an emotional marker. Did it send me somewhere random? I glanced around the room for clues. My eyes landed on a shield propped up against one of the beds, it had a crescent moon on it. The symbol of the enemy, Queen Luna’s army of moon soldiers. Why was I in an enemy soldiers’ tent? I stared at the symbol and I remembered.

       I paused panting as I glanced up at the next soldier to be cut down. We almost had this village. It was important. My eyes met my enemies. We both froze, instinctively knowing the sad truth. We were soulmates. The drums sounded. We had taken the village. Kill any remaking soldiers.

        “Run.” I breathed out, giving them a chance.

        They only hesitated a second before turning and sprinting away. I turned and moved to other streets.

       My soulmate was a moon soldier. That counted as an emotional link even if we had only seen each other once. And, now I was in the middle of an enemy camp, judging by the bunks and wooden supports of the tent, a relatively permanent camp too. I would never be able to fight my way out, and they would probably kill me on sight. I glanced back over at the shield, and the pile of clothes next to it. But I could sneak out if they thought I was one of them. I just had to be quiet, really quiet. I crept over to the pile of clothes. It was very similar to my current gear, except it was dark blue cloth and silver metal. I grabbed the neatly folded pile of clothes and armor. The metal plates that reinforced the leather clinked softly against each other and I froze. No one stirred. I glanced at the sword and shield. Better safe than sorry, might as well complete the look. 

        I grabbed both, wincing as the metal hit metal. I crept back towards the back of the tent, as far away from the beds as I could manage. I started taking off my head slowly. Swords first. Then armor. I reached my first snag. The arrow still sticking out of my arm. I gave it an experimental tug and suppressed a whimper. It was barbed. I sighed and snapped the shaft off. I would deal with that later. I slid my boots and shirt  and pants off. 

        I slipped on the black pants, and black leather boots. Next came the dark blue shirt. I began strapping on the armor carefully. I flinched at every noise and kept pausing to hear if anyone had woken up. It took me much longer than it should’ve, but finally I was done. Whoever’s armor I stole must’ve been a mage too, since they only wore bracers and a chestplate. They must’ve normally relied on wards to protect themselves. Too bad my magic was only slowly replenishing and I had barely any. I grabbed one of my daggers from the pile of stuff on the floor and cut a slit in the back of the tent. I slipped out and finished fastening my sword around my waist and my shield to my back. I decided to keep the dagger and ducked back under the fall to grab a sheath before storing it in my boot.

       I took a deep breathe. Shoulders back. Chest up. Confidence. Act like I belong and no one will question me. I walked out of the shadows between the tents and towards a fire where soldiers were gathered around. If I walked in one direction I was bound to get out of this maze of tents. I walked past the first fire. No one even looked up.

        I walked past the second one. The third one. The fourth one.

        “Woah. Hey. Are you okay? You’re covered in blood. Did you just get back from the frontlines? Did the spirits catch you?” Someone from a fire asked, turning to face me.

        “Yes, I’m okay. The Sun army in their cowardice retreated, but that meant we were left to deal with the spirits. I’ll be okay once I get some warm food and mead though.” I lied, putting on a false cheerful tone.

        A boisterous man who had probably had one too many mugs of mead patted the log next to him. “Come and join us friend! The more the merrier.”

        I smiled apologetically. “Maybe next time, I have someone waiting for me.”

        “Ooh, a special someone.” They wiggled their eyebrows. “Go on then. Have some fun.”

        I nodded and turned and continued on my way past the fifth fire. I stopped counting after the twentieth. Their camp was huge and I was lost and alone. Not to mention injured. My left arm still screamed where the arrow head remained as well as where a sword had skimmed my arm, cutting a deep gash that would probably need stitches. That is, if I could ever get out of here. I kept walking and eventually I saw something. Treetops, woods, my escape. I quickened my pace, only five more rows of tents.

       Someone grabbed my arm. I look at the cloaked figure, masking my fear with annoyance. “What?”

        “You don’t want to go into those woods at night. The fallen spirits haunt those woods.” They warned, they paused, their grip tightening. “But, you should know that. Everyone here does.”

        “I’m a transfer, new to this branch. I didn’t know, just wanted some peace and quiet.”

         “Right...”

         Crap. They weren’t convinced.

        They began tugging my back into the camp. “Come on, you’re going to pay a visit to the general. If you are who you say you are you having nothing to worry about, if not...”

         Fuck. “Well, if you insist...”

          Go along with it or escape? I was close to the woods. Spirits or no spirits it was better than certain death.

        I yanked my arm back from the stranger. I began sprinting for the woods, slowed slightly by the weight of the shield.

         “Intruder!” The stranger shouted, and the camp erupted into action.

         Half-awake soldiers bustled out of tents, brandishing weapons. They didn’t stand a chance I just ran right past them, but by the time I got to the last row, they were more prepared. I drew my sword, but it was heavier and longer than I was used to. I awkwardly slid the shield off my back, onto my right arm. I tried swinging the sword, but my injured arm refused. The sword fell out of my grip. The soldiers closed in on me. I gave up. I dropped my shield, and dropped to my knees, hands up. 

        Rough hands grabbed my biceps and pulled me to my feet. I stifled a groan of pain as they pressed on the remnant of arrow left in my arm. My arms were shoved roughly behind my back and I felt someone wrap rope around my wrists. 

         A sword prodded against my back, the metal tip clanging against the metal plates. “Move!”

        I walked forwards, towards my death. Not my choice of death. I would’ve preferred something more honorable than executed at the hands of a moon commander.

        They lead me into the depths of the camp. We walked quickly, but the news spread faster. People all around were coming to get a look at the intruder. Many seemed surprised that the enemy had managed to get inside without being caught. Little did they know that we had trained spies who went in and out without retiring caught everyday. I just wasn’t them. Maybe my capture would sate their appetite letting the spies work better. Maybe something good would come of this. We reached a large tent, mich like the bunk one it had wooden supports, but this one was much bigger.

       Two guards stood outside. They nodded at my captors and I was shoved inside. I stumbled slightly and when I looked up, a mix of fear and hate filled me, swirling around. This wasn’t a general, this was her, Queen Luna. Enemy number one. 

       “I thought you were bringing my to a General?” I asked, my tone distant.

        “That was when I thought you were a transfer. An enemy soldier, on the other hand, that goes to the Queen.” Someone responded, I’m guessing the stranger who first stopped me.

         I was shoved to my knees in front of the Queen’s throne as the soldiers on either side of my bowed. I looked up at the Queen, but my eyes quickly drifted to the woman standing to her right. She wore a cloak over plain clothes, similar to what I was wearing minus the armor, but that wasn’t what struck me. It was her eyes. When I met them, I knew she was my soulmate. She obviously knew the same, but neither of us reacted. I’m surprised she didn’t notice anything off. She must’ve left after I did, after all, I did teleport to her. I suppose I had no idea how long I had been wandering through the camp. 

        “So you were trespassing and trying to intrude on our camp. Is that correct?” The Queen asked, looking down at me.

        I glared back, but didn’t speak.

        “How did you get in?” She pushed.

        I didn’t move, barely even breathing.

         “How did you get those clothes?” She pressed.

        I noticed my soulmate shift. She knew. She had to. Did she tell the Queen? Was this a test?

        “Aren’t you going to kill me and get it over with?” I asked, my voice surprising calm.

         She laughed. “Why would I waste such a perfect opportunity? An enemy informant practically handed to me. I’m going to get all the information I can out of you.”

          Torture. Lovely. Not sure if I would prefer her killing me.

          I noticed my soulmate shift again, a barely almost imperceptible shift in the weight of her stance. Interesting... maybe I could use her sympathy, however little it was.

         “Search her and remove any weapons and armor. Then, take her to the woods and tie her securely to a tree.” The Queen ordered. “Kya will put a ward in place that will stop her from leaving a certain area as a precaution, so no guards need to risked.”

         “Yes your majesty.” The soldiers bowed and tugged me out of the room. The woman who was next to the Queen met us outside. She must be Kya. 

        I was led through the camp again, but I wasn’t focusing on which direction, just how I was going to survive in the woods filled with fallen spirits while tied up and weaponless. I knew the Lunaris were cruel, but I had never expected this kind of torture. The fallen spirits were people who died in war and hated the climb for surviving while they had to die. They make it their sole mission to make life a living hell for any who dared walk on the ground where they died. People quickly went insane and often killed each other or themselves. That’s why King Solis always has us retreat before they can attack us at night.

         We reached the edge of the camp and all but one guard drew their weapon, eyes focused on the dark woods. The one guard who didn’t turned to Kya.

        “Court Mage, can you please cast a temporary paralysis spell on the prisoner so I can untie her and search her with ease.” He asked, bowing slightly.

        “Yes.” She nodded, and raised her hand.

        I collapsed to the ground, unable to move. The guard unies my hand and immediately began taking off my armor. My sword and shield were already gone, and he quickly took off the chestplate and bracers. Kya was holding a torch above me to give them light. I felt the guards hands patting me down all over looking for any hidden weapons. If I wasn’t paralyzed I probably would’ve flinched as he pressed the arrowhead into my arm. As it were, I just let out a muted grunt. 

         The guard finished patting me down, retied my hands, and stood up. “She’s good.”

         I felt the spell release, and I struggled to my feet, with the aid of a guard who yanked me upright. Silence except for the clanking of armor, surrounded our small group as they walked into the woods. Once the lights of camp were obscured, the guard shoved me against a tree, and one of their buddies began wrapping rope around the tree and my torso. While they were finishing the knots, Kya was chanting softly and holding up her hands. I saw a glimmer of purple magic ripple out from her fingers. The ward was set. I was well and truly trapped. The guard gave one last tug on the rope before tubing and hurrying out of the woods. None of them spared me a backwards glance. 

        I stood, tense and waiting, my arms uncomfortably pressed between me and the tree. The wounds on my left arm still throbbed and were sure to get infected. I was utterly exhausted, but fear and pain kept me awake as I heard the first whisper. It was inhuman, unintelligible, the muttering did a fallen spirit. A black shadow flickered between the moonlight trees finally flickering into a solid form only a few feet from me. It was black, the absence of light, and vaguely humanoid in form. It reached one arm out, long fingers grazing against my cheek. An icy cold settled over my face and spread to the rest of my body. I gasped as I suddenly felt an axe lodge itself in my chest. I glanced down expecting to see blood pouring from the wound, but there was nothing. Despite the unbearable pain I felt, nothing had hit me. The spirit flickered back out of existence, the pain disappeared too, well my arm still hurt but that was real, not the strange illusion. More flickers. More shadows approached me. Their long reaching fingers touched my exposed skin on my face, neck, and hands. Icy cold spread from each one quickly followed by pain.

       A thousand cuts all over my body. A sword through my gut. An arrow to the heart. My throat being slashed. Drowned. Burned. Shredded. Torn apart. Slowly tortured. Choked.

        Terrible gruesome deaths. Somewhere in my pain-addled mind I realized that the only power the spirits had was to make whoever they touched feel their pain, whatever pain they felt when they died. I quickly saw how people would turn against each other and themselves to stop it.

       Crushed. Trampled. Head pulled off. Leg cut off. Arm ripped to shreds. Hammer to the head. Dagger to the heart. Frozen. Neck snapped. Ripped to shreds by wild animals.

        My throat became raw from my screams. I strained against the ropes, trying to get to the dagger still hidden in my boot. Anything to stop this.

        Heart ripped out of my chest. Chest smashed in. Head crushed. Stabbed in the back.

        Tears ran down my cheeks as I cried out, the pain of a thousand deaths leaving me desperate for any escape.

       They stopped. No more flickers. I sobbed in fear as I saw another flicker. No, not again. Not another one. The long finger tapped my forehead and I screamed as I was flayed alive. My own pain in my arm was trivial compared to the excruciating deaths of these spirits. I struggled and managed to bend my leg up so my foot was near where my hands were pinned between my back and the tree. I struggled, but my efforts were stopped by another finger. I gasped as some unknown force slowly pressed down on my chest. I gasped in relief when the spirit faded. 

        I couldn’t reach the dagger. I sighed and collapsed against the ropes, limp, only hoarse gasps escaping my throat as the spirits continued swarming me. 

        Speared. Impaled. Skewered. Disease. Executed. Dehydration. Starvation. Bleeding out.

        It stopped. I didn’t dare look up. Just stared at the grass that had a faint golden glow. Wait. I hazard a look up. Weak rays of morning light were trickling in through the thick forest canopy. Morning had come. I was safe until night fell again. I was exhausted. The absence of the never ending agony was a welcome relief, and my eyelids quickly became heavy. I didn’t fight it as I slipped into unconsciousness. 

       I jerked awake. Someone had used magic to pull me out of my sleeping state, even in my befuddled state I could tell that much. I looked up and blinked, trying to clear the residues of sleep from my eyes. My eyes focused on the forms of two women, Queen Luna and Kya.

       “No guards.”

       The Queen laughed. “The woods are quite safe at day, and I am more than capable of defending myself. Kya is also quite adept.”

         I hadn’t realized I had said anything out loud. I noticed that both Kya and the Queen were wearing armor. Leather with metal plates. The Queen and long cloak that marked her as royalty, and Kya wore the same cloak she did yesterday, the Court Mage’s. 

        “Are you any more willing to talk?” She asked, in a conversational tone. “Or do you need to spend another night here?”

        Many ideas flitted through my mind. I didn’t want to spend another night. I didn’t want to betray King Solaris. Maybe I could play along, get them to untie me. Use the dagger in my boot to kill the Queen. They would have no choice but to kill me. I would escape the torture and I wouldn’t betray my King. I was certain that I was not leaving this camp alive. I would prefer to avoid another night of torture. Might as well try to make something of it. Would they really untie me though? Surely, they would just get the info and then kill me. Maybe I could annoy them enough that they kill me anyways without me giving up any information. Or I could just be a butt? No idea, but I would do whatever I could to avoid another night. Barring 

        “Why don’t you ask your precious Court Mage how I managed to sneak into your camp full of soldiers without anyone noticing?” I croaked, my voice hoarse and barely able to make a sound. 

         Kya held up a canteen. “Drink.”

        I turned my head away, distrustful. 

        “It’s just water.” She sighed. “If you don’t drink you’ll die.”

        “Like you guys care about that.” I croaked.

        “As long as you’re a source of information we care.” The Queen said.

         “Figured as much.” My voice was barely audible. “Might as well just kill me now.”

         Kya raised the canteen to my lips. “Drink.”

         I kept my mouth pressed firmly shut.

        “And,” The Queen added as Kya continued her efforts. “I already know everything my Court Mage knows. Including that you’re soulmates and you used that connection to teleport in while they were sleeping and stole their clothes, weapons, and armor leaving yours behind.” She paused, gauging my reaction.

        I didn’t give any. I wasn’t that surprised. Mad sense that Kya would report an intruder right away, especially since she seemed close the Queen. 

         “Ah, I see. I didn’t realize how close you and your Mage were.” I forced out, throat burning, when Kya finally relented her efforts. The implication heavy in the air. As soon as I opened my mouth, Kya tried to force the canteen into my mouth, but I closed it quickly.

         The Queen and Kya both ignored my comment. The Queen continued as if I hadn’t spoke. 

         “What we cant figure out is why you teleported into the middle of an enemy encampment while injured. Or why you just immediately tried to leave without getting any information. And why you were so horribly prepared leaving your clothes out in the open.” She listed. 

       I didn’t respond. With Kya still hovering I didn’t want to risk it.

        “You can back off Kya. I want to see if they will respond.” The Queen said.

        She took two steps back, and I opened my mouth. “How did you know I was injured?”

         Kya answered this time, with a nod from the Queen. “When I woke and found you’re clothes they were still wet with blood. And last night when the guard was searching you I saw that your sleeve was soaked with blood.” She pointed towards my arm. “It still is.”

        I had almost forgotten about my arm. It seemed so trivial compared to the rest of the pain I had suffered all night.

        “Kya do you want to find out how badly they’re injured?” The Queen, asked but it wasn’t a suggestion.

        She stepped towards me and hovered her hands over where the rope wrapped around my arms. 

     “It’s a gash and an arrow wound.” She stepped back. “That does make sense we did find the broken shaft of an arrow with the rest of the stuff.”

        “Just the shaft?” The Queen asked.

       Kya nodded. “Yeah, we couldn’t find the head. Thought it was strange.”

        The Queen nodded. “Probably because it’s still embedded in their arm. They were trying to leave, and it was probably barbed so they didn’t have any time to try and remove it carefully.”

         Spot on. I thought, but remained silent.

         “Why would they teleport here with an arrow in their arm?” Kya asked confused and exasperated.

          The Queen shrugged, a decidedly unregal motion. “I have no idea. It seems like they were escaping something, but why teleport to the middle of an enemy encampment?”

       Their mention of teleportation reminded me of one thing. I had magic. And it had slowly been filling up all night, and my short amount of sleep and allowed my magic to almost fully recharge. I maintained a neutral expression as I summoned a small dagger of magic into my hand. I quickly sliced through the ropes tying my hands together. I didn’t give away my advantage. I had more options now. I might have a chance at escape. If only I had other emotional markers, I could just teleport away. As it was I would have to make do. I did have one emotional marker, someone important to the Queen. And I had a dagger. I teleported the dagger from my boot I to my hand, and focused on the weak soulmate bond. My stomach lurched and I teleported right behind Kya. I grabbed her and held the dagger to her throat.

       “Let me go or she dies.” I warned. Unfortunately, the severity of my threat didn’t convey well with my voice being barely louder than a whisper and little more than a rasp. Or maybe the Queen looked unaffected because I had misjudged their relationship.

        “You wouldn’t kill your own soulmate.” The Queen stated confidently.

         “She was willing to torture me. Are you really willing to bet on that?”

         “Just do it Luna, please. They aren’t that important. They didn’t learn anything. Just let them go. They’ll probably die wandering these woods anyways.” Kya begged.

         I tightened my grip, the knife pressing into Kya’s skin.

         The Queen hesitated. “Fine, go. Let her go and walk away and we won’t stop you.”

         “Thanks.” I released her and shoved her towards the Queen.

     I sheathed my dagger and turned and ran. Kya was right I was probably going to get lost and die if I kept just running through the woods. Luckily, I had other options. I stopped and pulled off my shirt. I took out my dagger and cut two large slits in the back. I took a deep breath and released my bat-like wings from the tattoos on my back. I folded them to my back and pulled my shirt back on sticking my wings through the two slits. I spread them and launched myself upwards. I broke through the thick cover of trees and looked around. I had maybe two hours before sundown.

      Fuck. I really didn’t want to spend another night at the mercy of the spirits. At least I would be able to reach my dagger this time. I wouldn’t have to endure it. 

       I turned to me right our camp was to the North. I would have to fly back over theirs to get there. Hopefully, they wouldn’t shoot me down. I climbed up high, ignoring the biting cold as I used what little clouds there were for cover. Thankfully, no one notified me and soon I was flying over a wasteland, ruined by the war. A few small villages were managing to claw a living out, but most of it was just dead dirt. 

      The sound of battle reaches me before I could see anything. I flew over a small hill and saw fighting in the small valley. They were fighting for a town, we were defending it from the moon soldiers. I couldn’t just fly by. I had to try and help fight.

         I flew to the far side of the town and dropped to the ground. I stored my wings back in the tattoos on my back and crouched next to a fallen soldier. I stripped them of their weapons and armor. They didn’t need it anymore. The soldier I chose was a knight and wore almost full armor, but I only took their chestplate and bracers. I quickly enchanted them to cast a ward spell over my whole body and I grabbed the soldier's sword. My left arm was still injured, so one would have to do. I searched their waist and found a canteen. I greedily drank the water, my dry throat rejoicing. 

        I wiped my mouth off and stood. Time to fight. Time to make my King proud. I ran forwards into the town and joined my comrades fighting on the frontlines. Even with only one sword I had my wards so I was able to fight much better than at the camp. Adrenaline quickly chased away my exhaustion, but when I found my sword at the neck of an enemy soldier, I hesitated. I knew what that felt like. They took advantage of my hesitation and kicked me backwards. My resolve hardened. I had to do what was necessary. It wasn’t nearly the worst way to die. I longed forward and separated their head from the shoulders.

       The second one fell when I cut off one of their legs.

        The third when drove my sword through their helmet into their face.

        A comrade’s axe landed in a warrior’s chest. I turned and fought a small mage. They died quickly. A blade bounced off my wards. I turned and faced a moon soldier. I partied their next blow, and launched a counter attack, causing them to back up under my onslaught. They walked straight into another Sun soldier who bashed their head in. 

         The sound of a horn broke me out of my fighting haze. They were retreating. I was soaked with sweat and my left arm was in agony, but we had won. My wards had held and I didn’t have any more injuries. I breathed a sigh of relief. Soldiers around me were doing similar actions. Leaning against walls, sitting down, sheathing weapons. We were all tired, but we had won and held the village. 

        I yelped in surprise as someone grabbed me from behind. I felt a knife pressing against my wards.

         “Not so nice on the other side is it.” Someone hissed in my ear. Kya.

         I felt my stomach twist as Kya teleported us. The throne room (tent) swam into focus. I guess the Queen was an emotional marker. She held me tight and continued holding the knife to my neck despite my wards stopping it from cutting my skin. 

         “Nicely done Kya.” The Queen complimented. “I suppose we have you to thank you for the idea. You may be able to teleport to Kya, but she can do the same. And I wasn’t done with you, and getting an alive sun soldier for interrogation has never been so easy.”

         “Why do you fight for them?” Kya asked. “They had you fighting again despite just escaping. You’re still wearing the same clothes even if they gave you armor, and that doesn’t quite fit you.”

        The Queen looked surprised.

        “I chose to fight for my King when I saw a battle as I was flying home.” I spat. “I would never just pass by my fellow soldiers who could use help defending a village from you.”

         “Flying?” The Queen asked, raising an eyebrow.

         Fuck. I had slipped up. Now they were sure to kill me.

         “Yes. What? You going to kill me now. I know you hate my kind.” Offense I’m the best defense.

         “Kya, strip them and uncover their back.” The Queen ordered.

        Kya released her grip on me. “Don’t try to run. I can find you wherever you are.”

        “Fine.” I muttered. I shied away from her hands though, remembering the reaching figures. “Can you just let me do it though?”

        Kya looked to the Queen who nodded. “I don’t see why not, but remove that dagger from their boot.”

       Kya stepped forwards and grabbed the dagger before I had a chance to stop her. Dammit. 

        “What makes you think that we hate your kind?” The Queen asked as I unbuckled my armor. 

         “My king rescued me from a village who was loyal to you and tossed me out because of my wings. He said they would have just left me to die all because I had wings and you exiled all of my kind, the winged.” I explained venomously.

        Kya looked at me with shock and confusion. “What are you talking about? The Queen has never exiled the winged. She accepts them like everyone else. If your village threw you out it had nothing to do with her or us.”

        The Queen places a hand on Kya’s shoulder. “It’s okay Kya. They don’t know any better. Solis lied to them. I’d bet that he didn’t find them, but that someone stole them from a village when they took it over in order to turn them into a loyal soldier.”

        I paused, my hands on the edge of my shirt. “My King would never. Why do you keep insisting on lying?”

       “I’m not lying.” The Queen asserted calmly. “Now turn around and let me see your back.”

       I grit my teeth and turned, I didn’t have a choice. I heard her step closer, but still flinched when I felt her hands on my back. She pulled up the back of my shirt and I felt her fingers trace the markings of my tattoos.

        “They’re...” Kya muttered, trailing off.

        “What?” I spat. “Hideous? Monstrous? Unnatural?”

         “No, pteropine noctillionine.” The Queen said, sounding awed. 

         “What?” I repeated, not understanding. 

          “Pteropine noctillionine, batlike.” She repeated.

         “Yeah, so?”

         “They’re a trait of the original five Moon families.” The Queen explained. “They’re all but unheard of these days, since only one family remains and we lost the trait several generations ago.”

          I stepped away from the Queen and yanked my shirt back down. “So you’re saying I’m some sort of moon royalty?”

         “No, I’m saying that your ancestors were, and that your birth family probably would’ve never given you up.” The Queen explained. 

         “Will you summon them?” Kya asked.

         I shook my head. “No you’re wrong. This is some sort of weird interrogation technique. You’re crazy. That can’t be true.”

         “It is.” The Queen said.

         “No. No. No.” I kept repeating, backing away from them. “I trust Solis, not you. I trust my King. You’re lying.”

         “Why do you call him your king?” The Queen asked.

         “Because he’s my King.” I answered, confused.

         “Most people call their monarch ‘the king’ or ‘king so and so’ not ‘my king.’ So why is he so special to you?” She pressed.

         I shrugged. “I told you. He saved me. I would be dead if not for him.”

        “You’ll be dead because of him.” Kya said, surprisingly exasperated.

        “Why do you care?” I spat back. “I’m just another soldier for you to torture and get information out of. Not like I have any useful information. I’m just a soldier, not even a messenger.”

        “The king cared enough to save you, but you’re still just another soldier to him.” The Queen said calmly. “Do you really not see the hypocrisy? He doesn’t care about you. You’re just another soldier to him.”

         “You’re lying.” I asserted, tears welling up. “You’re trying to trick me. To play mind games. I won’t fall for it you can’t turn me against him.”

         “If you’re so important than surely he’d be willing to pay for your freedom.” The Queen said. “What’s your name? I’ll need if I’m to tell the king who I have.”

        “Raven.” I answered.

      The Queen raised an eyebrow but turned to Kya. “Kya go tell one of the guards to write up a ransom note saying we have Raven and deliver it. Even if they don’t have information I might at least be able to get some gold out of this.”

         Kya nodded and ran out of the tent. 

      The Queen turned back to face me. “Can I see your wings?”

        “What? Just because you’re royalty doesn’t give you the excuse to be rude.” I folded my arms, then winced. The arrow in my arm reminding me of its presence.

         “You still haven't dealt with your arm?” The Queen asked sounding, well, concerned. But that didn’t make sense. Why did she care?

         “Haven't had any time.” I hissed.

         Kya came back in, and the Queen turned to her. “Take them to the dungeons, but stop by the infirmary and have them bandage their arm.”

         “Why do you care?” I demanded yet again, but received no answer. 

         Kya grabbed me by the arm an led my out of the tent and through the camp. We stopped at a large white tent with a Red Cross on it. We entered and Kya turned to one of the nurses.

         “The Queen wants her arm patched up before we put her in a cell.” She explained as if bored.

         The Nurse nodded and led me over to a cot where she had me sit down. “Can you take your shirt off?”

        I nodded and pulled my shirt off. It was all but ruined with two large slits in the back and the left arm soaked in blood. I hazard a look at my arm and immediately turned away. The cut and arrow wound were both infected, red,  and inflamed, and the arrow wound was oozing puss.

        I heard the nurse stifle a gasp. “This is going to hurt. I have to pull this arrow out.”

         “It’s barbed.” I said.

          “Ok, wait right here.” She left and went into the back of the tent to grab something. She returned with a glowing hot knife. I knew it was so that it was sanitary and would cauterize the wound, but that didn’t mean I would have to like it. 

       “You might want to bite down on something.” The nurse warned. 

        Lacking anything to bite down on I settled for just gritting my teeth. I gripped the edge of the cot as the nurse carefully slipped the knife in between the arrow and my flesh and began to slowly pull the arrow out. A barb caught and I grunted. She maneuvered the knife to guard the barb from catching again and she pulled it all the way out. She set the head aside and held the knife to the hole in my arm, cauterizing it. She wiped the blood away from my arm and pressed the knife against the other gash. I hissed in pain. 

       “I’m still going to bandage these, but they shouldn’t bleed.” The nurse said.

        I nodded. 

        She wrapped clean white bandage around my arm with swift practiced motions. “You’re good to go.”

         “Thanks.” I said as I pulled my shirt back on. Kya grabbed my arm again and led me back through the camp towards the woods.

        Oh no. Not again. They said the dungeons, not the woods. I considered struggling, but realized that it was a lost cause. I would just have to try and escape after. I had magic left. I could use that. I glanced at the knife sheathed in Kya’s belt. I focused on it and teleported it into my left hand, the one farthest from Kya. She didn’t notice. I pretended to stumble causing my to have an excuse to bend down. I slid the knife into the sheath in my boot.

       “Careful.” Kya warned as she pulled me back up.

       “Sorry.” I muttered, suppressing my joy.

        “Just come on. We’re almost there.” She sighed.

        “In a hurry to get back to your Queen?” I teased.

        She yanked me forwards. “Shut up.”

        But I saw her blush. I was definitely right about them. Some part of me realized I should be jealous (she was my soulmate after all) but the rest of me was just celebrating being right. They may have captured me but I could still annoy the hell out of them. 

        We reached the edge of the camp. Large cages with blankets in them were on the very edge, torches keep the spirits at bay. I sighed. I was really not looking forward to spending any time in a cage. It would take a while for me to figure out how to escape, since it wouldn’t just be cutting free from ropes. Kya pulled open the door to one of the cages and pushed me inside.

        “A guard should bring food and water by in the morning.” She told me before closing the door, and turning to leave. 

         Strange. She didn’t use a key. I experimentally pushed on the door. It didn’t budge. I held my hands over the lock. Magic. Just like I suspected. That might take some time to unravel. The sun was almost set. It might be good for me to actually get a decent night's sleep. I could worry about the lock tomorrow. I glanced at the shabby blanket and laid down on the cold uncomfortable metal. Screw this damn moon army.

         I woke to the sound of metal banging on metal. I jumped up and winced as I smacked my head into the top of the cage. I glared at the guard who had woken me and he glared right back.

       “I’ve got a letter for you.” He grunted. “The Queen said to give it to you, even though it’s to her from Solis.”

        I grabbed the letter. Must be his response to the ransom, maybe I wouldn’t have to escape. But then why would she give me the letter instead of letting me go. I opened up the letter and read it.

Luna,

       I presume you think that I’d be willing to pay for a mere soldier because you discovered her batlike wings. You are very much mistaken. This ‘Raven’ was merely a prize that I seized when I saw that advantage. I couldn’t resist the chance to steal a batlike winged right from under your nose. Despite the fact that she was a prize, she is still just a soldier and I have plenty of those. My money can be better spent elsewhere. Do what you want with your precious batlike.

       -King Solis

       My hands shook as I read the letter. I turned it over as if expecting more. But there was nothing. I looked at the envelope. Maybe this was a trick, but no. His seal and signature were both present. How could it be true? He really didn’t care for me. He only knew me because I was a prize. A way to hurt the Queen. Tears began falling down my cheeks. What was I supposed to do now? Escape and go back and fight for someone who thought I was expendable, a conquest, just like the villages he captured. He didn’t save me, he stole me. How else had he lied to me? If he didn’t care about me then... there was no one. No one cared for me or about me. I had no one to fight for and no one to fight for me.

         I threw the letter across the cage and sank into the corner, pulling my knees up to my chest. Eventually, my tears stopped and my breathing leveled out, but I didn’t move. Instead I turned my attention to the lock on the cage. Even if I didn’t know where I was going, I knew I didn’t want to be stuck in this cage. Escape was still my first priority. I closed my eyes as I focused on how the magic wrapped around the lock. I slowly began unraveling the spell, understanding it, so that I can mimic the spell needed to unlock it. 

       My concentration was disrupted by metal on metal again. The guard shoved a canteen at me. I ignored him. I didn’t trust him, I didn’t trust anyone who followed Queen Luna. I didn’t trust anything they offered me.

         I closed my eyes and went back to working on the spell. I was almost there.

         Metal on metal. I growled and glared at the intruder. It was the guard (duh), but he was joined by the Queen and Kya. I noticed distractedly that the sky was darkening again. I had lost track of time working on the spell.

         “Do you believe us now?” The Queen asked.

          “Yes.” I admitted. “But I still don’t trust and I still don’t like you.”

       “I didn’t expect you too. That’s why you’re still locked up.”

        “How long do you plan on keeping me here?” I asked. “Why not just kill me and be done with it?”

         Kya glanced at the guard before answering. “I think if you think about it enough you’ll figure out why.”

        They turned and left. If Kya glanced at the guard it probably had something to do with us being soulmates, assuming they didn’t want that being public knowledge. But, she had been willing to let me be tortured. Why not kill me? I closed my eyes again, but instead of turning back to the lock I explored the soulmate bond. It was stronger, no doubt from our teleports and interactions. That must be why. Since it was stronger she couldn’t bare killing me. I still didn’t understand it. But, it wouldn’t matter. I would just need to escape and I’d be done with them. I turned my attention back to the lock. 

        Yes. I felt the magic unravel. Now, to just wait until dark and sneak past the guards. I waited patiently for the sun to set and the moon to rise. Now was the time for action. I snuffed out the nearest torches with a touch of magic. I pushed open the door to my cage and silently left, all but invisible in the darkness. The guards didn’t notice me in the chaos to relight the torches. I paused, and as an afterthought left a quick illusion spell behind so that they wouldn’t realize I was missing for a few hours, giving me time. I turned and set off through the camp. Maybe it was stupid, but I wasn’t going back in those woods again. Not at night.

         “You look like you’ve had a rough night.” Someone said and stepped out of the shadows into the faint firelight from a fire a few rows down.

          My eyes shot to her and I tensed. 

         “Maybe I could help you relax.” She said with a smile.

         I relaxed. She didn’t realize I was a prisoner. She was just trying to get laid. 

         “Maybe you can.” I shot back, sizing them up. What did I have to lose?

         She stepped closer to me and put one hand on my shoulder. “Come back to my tent and let me prove to you that I can?”

         I smiled and nodded. “Lead the way.”

         She led me to a small tent, actually a tent unlike the more permanent structure of the bunk tents and throne room. She ducked under the flap and I followed. She did have a thin mattress that was probably made of straw. It would be better than sleeping on the ground or the hard metal of the cage. 

-not writing what happens next.... use your imagination-

      “Ezra! We had a meeting. Where were you? You’re still asleep? Seriously? Come on wake up.”

        I blinked my eyes open and registered the angry voice as the Queen. What in the world did she want? Oh fuck. The Queen. I was screwed. I really should’ve just run. I felt Ezra burrow her face into my back. 

      “I never agreed to a meeting.” She mumbled. “And just because you’re my soulmate doesn’t mean that you can just barge into my tent.”

I tensed. Soulmate? I assumed that the Queen either didn’t have one or that they were an enemy or something since she and Kya were obviously a thing.

“No, but I am the Queen, so send your next conquest on her way and let’s talk.” The Queen demanded.

I flinched at the word conquest. I knew what I was getting into but it reminded me of the King. Ezra ignored the queen and just pulled me closer.

“Come back later Luna. I’m busy.” She groaned.

“Busy? Doing what? Fucking every person in this camp?” The Queen demanded.

I felt Ezra turn behind me to face the Queen. “Hey! That’s unfair. We agreed, you can date Kya and I can date whoever I want.”

“Date, not fuck.” The Queen said, her irritation growing.

“To-mae-to, to-mah-to.” Ezra replied blearily.

“Ezra...” The Queen warned.

“Luna...” Ezra mimicked. 

“Ugh.” The Queen grunted. “I guess if you don’t want to know about the strange winged Sun Soldier I captured then I just won’t tell you.”

Ezra sat up suddenly. “Wait, hold on, I’ll get up.”

“Dear Moon Goddess!” The Queen swore.  “You’re not wearing any clothes.”

“Obviously.” Ezra scoffed. “That’s generally what happens when someone has sex.”

“Shut up.” The Queen paused and collected herself. “Wake her up and tell her to go too.”

“She’s already awake.” Ezra said plainly.

I froze, uncertain what to do. How in the world would I get myself out of this?

I gasped as a body landed on top of me. What the hell?

        “Kya?” Ezra and the Queen exclaimed at the same time.

         Oh, Fuck. I had forgotten that escape was pointless when Kya could just teleport to me. But, why did it take her so long? Oh right- the illusion. But, that should’ve only lasted a few hours. I suppose it didn’t really matter. 

       “Ezra? Luna?” Kya asked with the same incredulity as they had.

        “What are you doing here?” The Queen asked.

         “I got word from the guards that Raven had escaped so I teleported to her.” Kya explained. “And yes, after I sent them away to search for clues. I know how to keep a secret.”

         “Ezra! Really! I may be flexible enough to allow you to hook up with whoever, but I draw the line at escaped prisoners.” The Queen fumed. 

        “How was I supposed to know she was an escaped prisoner?” Ezra demanded. “She was wearing our clothes.”

         I felt Kya adjust on my back, sitting up so that she was straddling with her hands holding down my shoulders. “Why is she naked? Why are you naked?” She asked, neither Ezra or the Queen responded. Kya answered her own question. “Ezra? Really? You fucked my soulmate.”

        “You’re soulmates?” Ezra asked, surprised, but then grew angry. “And you don’t get to be mad at me for that Kya. One, I didn’t know, and two, you’re dating my soulmate.”

         The Queen cut off Kya’s response. “Enough. It doesn’t matter. How did you not notice her wings? She was naked.”

         “Well I noticed she had wings, the back of her shirt was cut but it was pitch black I couldn’t see the actual markings.” Ezra defended. “What’s so special about them?”

         In response, Kya pulled down the blanket exposing the rest of my back. “Look for yourself.”

         “Pteropine noctillionine...” Ezra muttered. “I assumed since her name was Raven that her wings were raven wings or at the very least black bird wings.”

        “One would think.” Kya commented. 

        “It’s not like I picked my own name.” I grunted. “Now can you get off me so I can change.”

        Kya began to shift, but the Queen stopped her. “Wait.”

        “Why?”

        “She might have something to her sleeve, or boot.”

        Dammit, why did the Queen have to be smart?

        “What do you know? She has another knife in her boot.” The Queen commented dryly.

        “Hey, that's my knife. How’d she get that?” Kya muttered.

       “How did she escape either?” The Queen asked. “Raven seems to infuriatingly only being more questions instead of answering them.”

       Tired of being pinned while naked I decided to take action. I summoned my wings, causing Kya to shriek and fall backwards as I spread them. I quickly grabbed my pants and slid them on before yanking my shirt over my head. I slid on my boots, noting that the Queen has removed the knife from the left one before standing and turning to face them with the corner of the tent to my back. 

        The Queen seemed satisfied that I was still trapped, and remained calm. “Why would you hook up with someone in camp instead of just leaving?” She asked.

        I shrugged. “My world was-is kinda falling apart I didn’t-don’t have the best judgment.”

         “Why is your world falling apart? The only thing you learned is that your king doesn’t care about you. That shouldn’t be that surprising.” Kya asked, genuinely confused.

         “Think about Kya.” The Queen said, answering for me. “She teleported her as night set while injured. Why? Because Solis always recalls his troops at the first sign of dawn, but I wait. She was probably surrounded and about to die, so her instinctual magic took in to save her and teleport her somewhere ‘safe.’ She ended up here, meaning that your soul link however small was the biggest one she had, meaning she’s alone. So if she thought the king was the only one who cared for her then it would be heartbreaking to find out that you really are alone and that no one cares about you.”

      Damn. The Queen was spot on.

      Ezra broke the silence that followed. “So now that you’ve psychanalyses your girlfriends soulmate what are you going to do with her?”

         “She’s just a soldier and has no information.” The Queen stated.

        “But, we aren’t killing her.” Kya added quickly.

         “Why? Because I’m your soulmate.” I growled. “You seem fine with torturing me and licking me in a cage, but mercifully killing me, no that’s too much.”

         “You tortured her?” Ezra interrupted, surprised.

         “Not directly.” Kya explained, as if that made it better.

        “No...” I drawled. “You just tied me to a tree in the woods at night at let the spirits have their way.”

         “Luna!” Ezra accused. “I thought we talked about this. No one deserves that. No wonder she was so weird about me touching her face and hands.”

         “Maybe if you talked to me more I would listen.” The Queen retorted. “And it’s a valid means of torture the sports can’t physically hurt them, so I don’t have to worry about them dying but they still inflict pain.”

        “There’s better ways to get information.” Ezra countered. “That’s why I and my branch exist. The spirits are just too evil. I would wish that upon my worst enemy.”

        “There’s no high road in war.” The Queen said loftily. “I don’t really know what to do with Raven. Kya really doesn’t need to waste her time and magic tracking down her every time she manages to escape. And, Kya doesn’t want her dead.”

        “You could just, let me go?” I suggested. 

        “So you can go back and fight for my enemy? No.” The Queen said flatly.

       “I’m not fighting for that liar anymore.” I hissed.

         “Will you fight for us?” Kya asked.

        “I don’t trust you either.”

        “What were you going to do if you escaped?” Ezra asked.

         I shrugged. “I haven't actually thought that far ahead. Maybe join some village somewhere.”

         “Honestly, I don’t see a problem with just letting her go.” Ezra said, shrugging.

         The Queen sighed. “Fine. Be gone by nightfall and don’t cause any trouble in your way out.”

         She turned and left and Kya followed.

         Ezra turned to me. “This was fun we should do it again sometime. Minus the Luna barging in part.”

          I raise an eyebrow. “I thought you just did one-night stands.”

        She shrugged. “I make exceptions.”

        “I wouldn’t be against it if you run into me again, but I don’t plan on coming back here.” I said heading towards the exit.

        “Understandable.” She said, following me out. “I’ll see you sometime then.”

        I nodded and turned the other way, taking off and flying above the camp. 

[texanredrose]

Balance

Long ago, in the ages before four seasons, there existed only two periods to mark the passage of time: spring and summer. In spring, everything grew renewed and life abounded, but summer would scorch much of it away to clear the path for more new growth the following spring. Raven, goddess of fertility, of growth and grain, oversaw these changes by charging her daughters with the duty of the season. Vernal, her adopted daughter, brought forth new life during spring, and Yang, her only blood child from Taiyang the sun god, burned it all away with the heat of summer. And so time progressed between two periods: life and death.

One day, while walking among the sunflowers in a field wilting from the intensity of her heat, Yang spotted a strange sight: a huge three headed wolf with white fur and blue eyes. Although she yearned to approach, the deity of summer’s heat couldn’t get too close, for fear of injuring the animal. Not that the wolf seemed to mind, bounding over to her with all the care of a newborn puppy, too bright eyed and excited by the world to be fettered by such concerns and- much to Yang’s surprised- its fur wasn’t singed. A cold aura encompassed the beast, shielding it from her heat, and she could pet it from noses to tail without so much as a whimper of concern.

“Hey, little guy,” she said, running her fingers through the wolf’s thick fur and laughing as one of the heads licked her cheek. “Where’d you come from?”

The wolf’s ears perked and it turned, leading the deity through the field and to a cave that lead down, deep into the ground. But it padded along, following a set of stairs down, and Yang followed too, all the way to a river with a single boat and a ghastly ferryman. Rather than enter the boat, the wolf turned, one head nosing beneath her arm while another looked at its back, and she climbed on so the wolf could swim across the river. The further they got from the cave’s entrance, the colder it felt, until the wolf’s claws gouged into ice to lift them out of the river.

Yang looked around, at the ice and the flurries whipped about on cold wind, amazed that nothing she touched here burned or wilted or shrank from her fire.

“Cerberus, there you are, I’ve been- oh.” Turning, lilac eyes fell on the master of this place, for it could only be the land of the dead she’d entered, and the tall woman facing her, clad in robes of white and blue, could only be Winter, Goddess of the Underworld. “Greetings.”

“Hi,” she replied, a smile claiming her lips. “I’m Yang, Raven’s daughter.” Like all the deathless ones, their names were known among each other, but Winter rarely left her domain, even when called by Willow, ruler of them all. “I don’t think we’ve met yet.”

“We are... certainly lacking a proper introduction. I’m Winter, Lord of the Dead.” The Goddess of the Underworld approached, holding out a hand. “Perhaps you’d like a tour of my domain? Very few have seen it.”

“Well, if you’re offering.” Hesitantly, she took Winter’s hand, surprised when the woman didn’t wince or pull back. Even her own mother could hardly approach, and when it came time for Vernal to walk the soil of Remnant and bring forth new growth, she hid beneath a mountain, slumbering until her season came again.

Slowly, they meandered through the Underworld, with Cerberus bounding around them. Yang saw firsthand the punishments that awaited those who angered the gods and the bliss of eternal contentment that awaited those who pleased them. The cold that seemed to permeate the Underworld wrapped around her, comforted her, and Yang found herself relaxing further into it the longer she stayed.

They eventually came to a small field, the trees frozen in full bloom with a thin sheen of ice across them, and beautiful pomegranates hanging heavy from the limbs.

“Wait.” Winter put a hand on Yang’s shoulder as she reached up to pluck one of the low hanging fruit. “Surely, you know the rules; any who eat of the land of the dead become part of it.”

“It’s not like I can die.” She shrugged, holding the fruit, which neither burned nor scorched from her touch. Usually, the only food she could have would be what was sacrificed to her at the alter in Vale, and the smaller shrines dedicated to placating her. They were always charred and blackened, tasting like ash in her mouth, and she yearned for the sweet taste of fruit Vernal spoke of so fondly. “Neither of us can.”

“Still, it will bind you here. It’s decreed by the Fates.” The Goddess of the Underworld frowned, her expression turning grave. “If you eat it, you won’t be able to leave. It’s... no small thing.”

“What about you?” Yang gestured with the fruit. “Can you eat it?”

“Of course. I am master here; I can come and go as I please, no matter what.”

“So why don’t you? Leave, I mean.”

“I have my duties to consider,” she replied, indicating the souls trickling in, directed by Winter’s servants to their appropriate places. “I not only watch over the dead but I keep the living from avoiding their end, or the ends of others. Mortals would not be mortal if they didn’t die.”

“That’s a good point.” With both hands, she squeezed at the pliant flesh of the fruit and twisted, splitting it in half and offering one side to Winter. “I’m guessing Cerberus isn’t affected by it either?”

“No. They are of the Underworld, as I am, and while they’re just as capable of acting in my stead on the rare occasions I do leave, I don’t think they like it.” Accepting her half, the Goddess took a small bite. “You didn’t cross the river using the boat, right?”

“No, Cerberus carried me across,” she said, turning to offer the other half to the wolf, breaking it into smaller chunks so each head could have a piece. In doing so, however, she picked out a few seeds and slipped them into her pocket, unseen. “I’m guessing that’s another rule?”

“Yes; a toll must be paid, and the ferryman’s a bit... lenient on what is acceptable payment.” She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s not proven a problem yet. I just would prefer if a fellow Immortal isn’t the first to test what might result from that.” An apologetic smile. “I’d understand if you’re a bit bored. I’m afraid there’s really not much to my realm. It’s... perhaps not as bright and warm as the Upperworld.”

“Honestly, I’m okay with that.” Yang slipped her hand into Winter’s again. “Do you have a throne down here? Like Willow does?”

The ruler of the Underworld nodded. “This way.”

Together, they went to a sprawling palace, where souls of the dead lingered, though there were only a few and each of them bore some manner of wound that refused to heal. Winter explained that some heroes chose to be put up in the sky while others dined with Willow; still others chose to dwell in the land of the dead, for those whom they treasured most would eventually go there, that they may watch over them even in death.

As they passed through a grand ballroom, with a chandelier made of ice and lit a ghostly blue, Cerberus began to growl, all three heads snarling as their hackles rose.

Yang quirked a brow. “Did a mortal wander down here?”

“No,” she replied, raising a hand to preemptively block the rubble sent flying as the wall of the ballroom exploded, Raven stepping through with fury written across her expression. “Cerberus only growls like that at uninvited guests.”

“Do not quote etiquette at me, Winter.” Red eyes burned with rage, for though she encouraged growth, she, too, was a Goddess of Death in her own way. “Now, return my daughter or face the consequences. When Willow hears you kidnapped her-”

“Mom, I came down here.” Putting herself between them, she tried talking her mother down, though unsure how she might fare. When roused, Raven’s temper rivaled only her own. “I was just curious; no harm done.”

“You say that, but all the while you’ve been down here, your heat can’t be felt in Remnant.” She pointed up, towards the world she’d left behind. “It’s as if you’ve gone to sleep and it’s not time for spring yet.”

Yang’s shoulders fell. “I didn’t know that.”

“Well, now you do.” Her eyes narrowed, watching Winter suspiciously. “And I find it difficult to believe you came here of your own will. This place is bleak and dreary, no place fit for a deity- no offense, of course.”

“None taken,” the Goddess of the Underworld replied coolly, setting a hand on one of Cerberus’ heads as the other two continued to growl lowly. “But I must ask you to leave. Only the dead and those with dominion over them may enter here.”

Raven’s expression pinched into one of anger- for was she not also one who commanded life and death? Such remained a point of contention between the two deities- before she turned, ready to leave the way she’d entered. “Yang, come.”

She frowned, looking back at Winter and sighing. “Okay, Mom.”

“You shouldn’t wander off during your season.” As they left the Underworld, she stayed far enough ahead of Yang that only the tips of her hair singed, and it hurt a bit to be ripped away from a place that didn’t seem disturbed by her presence. “You know how vital your role is.”

“Like you’re one to talk about responsibility.” She grumbled in response, though she looked away when her mother quickly glanced back her way. They’d didn’t agree on most things so it didn’t surprise her that she’d landed on Raven’s bad side again.

However, before she could reach the bank of the river, where Raven had forged a path of dirt to cross while the ferryman sat in his boat on the other side, Cerberus darted in front of Yang’s path. In the next moment, Winter appeared beside her, quickly dipping into her pocket and collecting the seeds she’d hidden there.

“I probably should’ve mentioned- there are no secrets in death.” She spoke softly, that Raven might not notice her daughter’s delay.

“I just wanted to plant them.” Yang gestured towards the Upperworld. “If they grow, then I could have the fruit, right?”

“The seeds are dead. They can only grow here, where death abounds.” Winter frowned, blue eyes darting towards the other Goddess’ retreating form. “I'm sorry, truly, but the Underworld is always open to you, if ever you wish to return.”

“Thanks.” 

Offering a small smile, she ran her fingers through the fur on Cerberus’ heads before heading across the bridge her mother made, the dirt dissolving behind her every step. The ascent went much quicker than the descent, and Yang found herself standing in the Upperworld once more, where her heat smothered all she surveyed.

As she had done many times before, Yang walked until all had burned away, wilting beneath her might, and clearing the way for Vernal to bring new life to Remnant. With her sister awoken, it came time for Yang to return to the mountain where she waited out the spring months, but she did not return there. Instead, she found the cave and the stairs, descending to the Underworld, so that her presence might not be felt in the lands above.

At the edge of the river, she acknowledged the ferryman and whistled, hoping Cerberus might hear- which they did, bounding to the other side of the river and immediately diving in, excitedly greeting her as soon as they’d shaken the water from their fur.

“Hey, buddy.” She chuckled, turning her head as three tongues tried to lick her at once, the weight of the beast quite nearly bowling her over. Somehow, she managed to keep her bearings until Cerberus calmed down, their tail wagging excitedly. “Mind if I catch a lift?”

Politely lowering their shoulder, she climbed onto the wolf’s back with ease, and they plunged into the river once more to cross it.

And when they came upon the bank on the other side, the two were greeted by a crowd of ghosts bearing baskets filled with various fruits that looked a bit past their prime and, in a flash of cool blue light, Winter appeared amidst them with a smile on her lips.

“Welcome back,” she said, gesturing to the baskets. “These were brought down from Willow’s garden. You... should be able to eat them.” Yang’s brows rose. She’d never been invited to the ruling Goddess’ domain; Raven went whenever summoned, and Vernal too, when she was awake, but Yang’s heat could be too stifling for comfort, even for an immortal. But she’d heard stories of the celestial fruits and meats offered to her, the ambrosia that bubbled from fountains, and hoped one day she might get to taste it for herself. “I’m afraid being down here subjects them to... well-”

“I’m sure they’ll be delicious,” Yang replied, sliding off Cerberus’ shoulder and grabbing the first one she could, biting into it quickly. The perpetual cold swirling through the Underworld shielded the fruit from her flames and the slight decay beginning to infect it only slightly diminished the sweetness of the juice as it dribbled down her chin. She hummed her appreciation while continuing to eat, unable to stop now that she’d tasted even a shadow of what she’d always dreamed. “What is this?”

“That’s a plum.” Winter smiled wider, waving over a few of her servants. “Here, there’s more to try.”

Slowly, she worked her way through the baskets as they walked to the palace, arriving in the dining hall, resplendent with even more baskets from the garden on high. Finally, her curiosity won out again. “How did you get all this?”

“I visited Willow, of course.” The Goddess of the Underworld winced slightly. “It was... long overdue, by her estimations, so she was rather generous with fulfilling my requests. Probably as encouragement to return.”

“Wait.” Yang paused, halfway through the rib of a pig and throwing the remainder to Cerberus, who seemed to enjoy the food just as much as the pomegranate from her last visit. “Did you only go up to see her because of me?”

“Well, Raven did make a scene about the whole fiasco, so I thought it prudent to tell my side of the story.” She tapped her fingers against the table, blue eyes looking away briefly. “Though... honestly, I probably wouldn’t have bothered if I didn’t suspect my mother’s garden to be resistant to my domain.” A shrug of her shoulders. “If Willow wished to berate me, she’d come down here herself.”

She couldn’t help the way her lips curled into a small grin, heat coming to her cheeks enough to overpower the cold in the air. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Of course I didn’t have to.” Winter smiled. “I simply wanted to.” Then she grabbed a goblet, fashioned after a skull with its mouth open in a never ending scream. “I’m pleased to see my estimations proved correct.”

Yang grabbed her own and lifted it in a toast, relishing the sweet ambrosia that slid down her throat as she drank.

For the whole time she was meant to sleep, Yang ate and drank in the Underworld, with Winter running up to her mother’s garden to fetch more periodically. Not that she didn’t do other things, of course; the two immortals wandered the Land of the Dead, conversing about everything they could think of during their walks. Winter spoke of the ancient histories- how Willow came to be, how she molded other immortals, every deity no matter how small- and Yang regaled her with the things she’d seen while walking the Upperworld- how mortals toiled yet found happiness amid their strife, how lush and lively everything looked in the distance before she arrived, how beautiful the stars looked on a cloudless night. 

But time did not stop. Eventually, Vernal returned to slumber and Yang had to leave the Underworld.

When the time came, the Goddess of the Underworld seemed the more reluctant one as they stood at the edge of the river with Cerberus just behind them. “You’ll return? At the end of your season?”

“Yeah.” She smiled, slipping her hand into Winter’s for the little time they still had together. “I’ll be back.”

“Part of me wishes I could walk beside you.” A frown tugged at her lips. “But I would just bring death, and not the sort your sister could reverse come spring.”

“It would almost be worth it to see the look on my mom’s face though,” she said, laughing at the imagine of Raven, thoroughly ticked off at having the debate settled once and for all. But the mortals would suffer for it and Yang had never been a vindictive deity; it wasn’t their fault she had these responsibilities, even if they benefited from them. “It’s almost time.”

“Very well.” Winter squeezed her hand briefly, a smile on her face. “I look forward to your return.”

Cerberus ferried her across the river and she ascended to the Upperworld with the wolf following close behind, only stopping when she reached the mouth of the cave. There, they sat, whining until she’d pet all three heads and then went on her way.

Several seasons passed. Each spring, Yang would descend to the Underworld, to dine with Winter amongst the dead with fruit, meat, and drink bargained for from Willow’s garden, and each summer, she walked Remnant alone.

Finally, she reached a crossroads.

“Is something on your mind?” Winter prodded midway through one spring. “Your thoughts seem heavy.”

“I know the rules and what it means to break them,” she said, idly tracing a pattern through the fur on one of Cerberus’ heads. “But I’m finding less and less reasons to follow them.”

The Goddess of the Dead tapped her fingers against the table, lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m guessing this is something your mother might not like.”

“She’ll be livid.” A shrug. “But I don’t really care.”

“Then... what’s holding you back?”

Lilac eyes cast around, at the dreary castle, and the dark and the cold, this place that seemed so at odds with the fire in her soul, yet also the only place she could claim to find peace. A home, as fit as any other. “I’m not sure if you’ll approve.”

Winter paused, grabbing her goblet and taking a long pull. Then, she sat back in her chair. “Will it make you happy?”

“Yes.”

A nod, then something occurred to her- almost an afterthought. “Will it threaten the immortals?”

“No.”

“Will it harm mortals?”

“... maybe.”

She nodded. “Then I see no reason to object.” A shrug. “Suffering is the plight of mortals and Willow’s done worse with much less consideration. Whatever you have in mind, you have my support.”

“Even if it means fighting my mother?”

“She’ll have to get through mine first.”

A smile curled her lips. “Alright.”

Then she got up, Winter and Cerberus trailing behind, and went to the field of pomegranate trees. She picked one of the fruit and split it in half as she did before, offering one side to the Lord of the Dead and the other to the wolf while keeping a handful of seeds for herself. At that point, it had to be obvious what she planned but Winter made no motion to stop her.

But she did ask. “Are you sure this is what you want? I haven’t anything to offer you haven’t already seen.”

“I’m sure,” she replied gathering the seeds into her palm. “All I really want is your company.”

“You have that, for a whole season-”

“I want more.” Yang felt a little silly saying it. She should be content with her duties, with the sacrifices and walking through Remnant year after year. But she couldn’t be, not anymore, not when she knew she could be somewhere with someone who actually enjoyed her presence.

For a moment, Winter watched her. Then, she deliberately dropped down to one knee and bowed her head. “Then all I have is yours. Become my Queen and rule beside me. Let this land become as much yours as it is mine, and I will remain by your side until the end of time.”

Without hesitation, she tilted her head back and popped the seeds into her mouth, swallowing them down whole.

In the next moment, Cerberus began to growl and bark, darting in front of Yang even as a familiar presence disturbed the peace of death.

“YANG!” Raven appeared, furious, red-black energy swirling about her as she stalked across the field. “WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?”

Before she had a chance to respond, Winter stepped up beside her and put up a hand, stopping the angry deity in her tracks. “You will address her in a civil tone or I will throw you out.”

“WHO ARE YOU TO GIVE ME ORDERS?”

“Master of this land for one.”

“And your new daughter-in-law for another,” Yang said, and she’d be lying if she didn’t relish the look of pure, unadulterated rage that flashed over her mother’s face.

“WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-”

“Immortal means you cannot die, Raven; it doesn’t protect you from pain.” Winter’s tone turned ice cold as a wind began to whip through the Underworld, the sound of a hundred thousand voices shrieking echoing from beneath their feet, where the souls of the dead congregated. “And I am well versed in that arena as well. Have you forgotten which of us is charged with delivering unto those who have earned them the punishments Willow hands down?”

“DO YOU THINK I FEEL FEAR?” Though she charged her daughters with the seasons, Raven could call upon the same powers, and from beneath her feet sprung ferns and vines, flowering and bearing fruit even amidst the Underworld’s death and decay. “HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHICH OF US CONTROLS BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN?”

Cerberus snapped at the encroaching greenery, pressing close to Yang’s side, and she felt a tendril of fear worm its way into her heart. She’d only made the comment about fighting her mother in jest; she honestly didn’t expect Winter to do so. But she could hear the muffled, distant sounds of a million soldiers marching, echoing up from the depths of the Underworld to join Winter in battle.

She managed a single step, to try and stand between them, diffuse the situation, but all turned white in that moment.

“What are you idiots bickering over now?” Sat upon a throne of clouds, Willow surveyed them with disdain in her expression and a carafe of wine in her hand. Her gaze flicked between Raven and Winter while the two stared each other down, left diminished in their capabilities now that they stood in Willow’s realm. Then her brows drew together. “And why did it suddenly get so much warmer- ah.” Her eyes fell on Yang with the weight of a mountain, just as blue as Winter’s but somehow sharper. “You. Yang, correct? It’s about time you came to this place.” Willow glanced at the others. “Do you know what’s going on between these two?”

“I... sorta caused it.” She admitted with a smile that faltered under the intense gaze directed her way. “I-”

“Wait.” And she stood, the ruler of the Immortal Ones, creator of all, her eyes narrowing as she peered and saw the truth. “Last I checked, you brought the heat of summer wherever you went as its patron; since when did you hold any dominion over death?”

“Since about five minutes ago?” Yang scratched at the back of her head, unsure how she might explain herself, but then she caught sight of Winter out of the corner of her eye. Steady, unyielding, and smiling gently- an encouragement and a promise that she would honor her word. Even in the face of one who could strip them of their powers, she would stand beside Yang. So she straightened up, tilted her chin defiantly, and met Willow’s gaze without faltering. “I ate the fruit of the Underworld. That’s where I belong now.”

“Over my dead body!” Raven snapped, obviously prepared to continue her advance but stopped when Willow held up a hand.

“You know the rules the same as I; if she’s eaten of the Underworld, she’s bound to that place.”

“You brought her here!”

“The rules don’t apply to me.” A careless shrug. “Consider it a perk of being the master of the world. A job you could’ve easily taken, mind.” Ignoring Raven’s glare, her gaze returned to Yang. “Did you eat the fruit of the Underworld to shirk your duties?”

“No,” she replied.

“Then why did you eat the fruit?”

“Because...” She trailed off, reaching for words, trying to articulate what had passed through her mind while looking around. Finally, it clicked. “It’s where I want to belong.”

“Meaning?”

“When I bring the heat of summer, I am a nomad of Remnant; I don’t belong anywhere. Until I met Winter, any time I didn’t spend bringing the fury of my season, I slept beneath a mountain.” Without looking, she reached out, calmed by the hand that found hers, fingers lacing between her own in a silent show of support. “After we met, I had a place to belong, a place that felt like home, just like you have this place. But, I’ve only been a guest, and I didn’t want that anymore. I just...” She turned her head to find Winter watching her, pride glinting in her eyes, and something else, something much softer. “I love her. And she makes me feel loved, too. There’s nowhere else I feel like that, so why would I want to leave?”

“I see.” Willow drank from her carafe and sighed, leaning back in her gilded chair. “And if I were to pull the seeds from you, revoke that which binds you there-”

“You would have to kill me first,” Winter said, stepping up and meeting her mother’s gaze with a cold fire, words edged with razor sharp intent. 

“Then the feelings are reciprocated.”

“She is my Queen.” Resolute, she nodded. “I’ll take her to wife, if she’ll have me.”

“Marriage. Such a charming mortal convention.” Willow sighed, massaging her temple. “But, an elegant solution, I must admit.”

“What possible solution could a marriage offer?” Raven snapped, all the fury of a spring storm gathering around her, lightning crackling along her hair.

“As Queen of the Underworld, Yang will be able to come and go as she pleases, since she’d be afforded the same dominion over the Underworld as Winter.” She made a vague gesture. “That would return us to the status quo, of course, but for getting me involved, you both will be punished.”

“I DIDN’T ASK FOR YOUR INTERFERENCE!” Yang winced, both at her mom’s shouting and at agreeing with her, for once.

“It’s too late to argue; I’ve already decided on your punishment.” Blue eyes bounced between the two. “Wait, we’re missing someone. Where’s that other whelp of yours?” With a snap of her fingers, she pulled Vernal from wherever she’d been to stand before her. “There. Now, with Winter and Yang marrying, that means our families are joined, which I’m not exactly thrilled about.” Willow shot a hard look at Raven. “However, they seemed pleased with the arrangement, so we’ll proceed accordingly. I do not tolerate laziness, which means all of you will have to attend to your duties accordingly. Henceforth, there will be four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter- and guess which one you’re going to have.” Her gaze moved to Winter at the ending line. “For three months, each of you will bring your season to Remnant. Spring, then summer, then fall- that’s you, Raven- and then winter, before the cycle begins again. That’s fair.”

A frown touched Yang’s lips. For half of every year, she wouldn’t be able to even see Winter? How did that constitute fairness?

She almost said as much before the hand still holding hers gave her a light squeeze, reassuring her. 

“Fine,” Raven said through gritted teeth, apparently mollified by the idea that Winter had additional responsibilities- and perhaps by the implication that her daughter would reap little benefit from the whole situation. “But nothing will grow in Winter.”

Willow smirked, then, that famous little curl of her lips that told mortal and immortal alike that they couldn’t see what she could. “We’ll see about that.”

With a snap of her fingers, Willow’s domain fell away, replaced by the comforting chill of the Underworld, Cerberus immediately pouncing upon Yang and whining, tail wagging viciously as two heads tried to lick her face.

“Easy, easy, down!” She laughed, noting the third head trying to bury in Winter’s chest, and they both managed to get the wolf to calm enough that they returned to all fours while running around them. “Winter, are you sure about this?”

“As certain as death,” she replied, gently cupping her cheek and drawing her into a soft, smooth kiss that soothed her worries. “Mother gave me more duties, yes, but she didn’t take away any of my power.” Then, she knelt down, calling her faithful hound to her. “Cerberus. You know what Mother has charged me with, correct?” All three heads nodded. “Will you walk Remnant in my stead and bring the winter with you?”

Three ground shaking barks answered her, and both of them began petting the wolf as thanks.

“Raven will be furious when she finds out,” Yang said, softly, as if her mom might be able to overhear.

“How will she?” Winter raised a brow. “She now bears a season, too. She won’t be able to walk on Remnant during a season other than hers and I’ll know if she sets foot in the Underworld, the same as you. There are many places to hide in death.”

A surprised laugh left her lips. She hadn’t considered it before but oh how delicious an irony it was. 

And so it fell that Remnant had four seasons instead of two and that the Underworld had two rulers rather than one. True to her word, Winter imbued Yang will all her powers over the dominion of death and decay, and held her above all others in her heart. After a few years of enjoying their time together, uninterrupted save for her three month forays to bring summer to Remnant, Yang began to think not of just which duties she’d been given but what other strengths she may possess. She carried the heat of her father; it stood to reason her mother had to give her something aside from responsibilities she didn’t want, right?

In time, they proved Willow’s wisdom sage, and proved there could be growth in Winter.

One of the many benefits, Yang found, to being the daughter of a fertility goddess.

[cametrouble]

↳  @mrbisected  //  continued.

he’s completely quiet as she speaks to him. eyes settle on the section of pavement to the side of him, unable to look back at her just yet. he’s okay at first, but then his hands begin to shake, and he reaches for his rings, wanting to be able to focus. he doesn’t want her to have any regrets, to feel bad for him - his fate is all his own fault. he will insist on this. if he wasn’t so stupid, he would still be alive, and none of them would have had to go through what they did. it is all on him, and he’s sure of it.

it is when she says that he didn’t deserve it that he actually realizes that he’s crying. sleeve of his sweater brushes across his face quickly, trying to wipe all the tears away, hoping that somehow, she won’t have noticed. he knows that those words are true - he didn’t deserve it. yes, he was stupid, he made mistakes… but people have made worse mistakes and made it. perhaps, he wouldn’t have done much with his life if he’d made it… but at least, he would have had the chance to become something.

again, he wipes his eyes, taking a deep breath. he doesn’t want her to be sorry. almost more than anything, he wishes he remembered her better, that his mind could dig up more things about her - and do it quickly. it would make it easier to respond. all he can truly remember is that she went to texas with them, she had a nice laugh… and that back then, he definitely loved her. a lot - even if they hadn’t known one another for too long. oh, and the fact that her name is nikki… he’s embarrassed about how long it took for that to return to him.

it takes awhile to speak. he wants to put himself together first, but his voice still shakes when he speaks. tears burn in his eyes, and he almost wants to turn away from her so she doesn’t have to see, but he stays where he is, feeling as if he’s almost unable to do it. he hasn’t felt like this in such a long time, feeling like he wants to tear himself apart for all the decisions he made, a hint of anger underneath the surface… but it’s largely blocked out by his sadness.

“you… you don’t have to be sorry, i promise,” for a moment, he looks her in the eye. hands grip the sleeves of his sweater, twisting them, pulling at them, knowing that it’s already well on its way to being ruined- this won’t make much difference, right? “it was my choice to go downstairs. i… i just couldn’t get away fast enough. i couldn’t fight him… i couldn’t do anything. i couldn’t even try.”

he utterly hates the fact he starts crying again. one thought sticks out the most - he was weak and useless in life, so of course, he’d be just as weak and useless in death, wouldn’t he? “i… i should be the sorry one. i am. none of you… should have gone through that. if only i could’ve gotten back to you. warned you… even if i still died, i would have done something right. i could have helped.”

one hand reaches out to take hers, the other reaching up to wipe away his tears, hoping they’ll truly go away this time. he shouldn’t be crying - this is all his fault after all, isn’t it? “you… you didn’t do anything wrong. i… i’m just happy you’re still here… that at least, you didn’t die too.”

the world around her has changed since that night, things once considered soft and safe being just a little too much of a reminder of what had been. dark corners and dimly lit streets bring her panic, her days at work now involving doing all that she can do avoid the frozen food section; at least, that’s what happens when she turns up. people know something happened, but she’s never really been able to bring herself to tell them about it, to open up about all that happened.

it’s still not the most comfortable thing to talk about with kenny, but it’s different with him. he knows what happened, knows exactly what went down in that house. even if he didn’t see the things she went through, he’d died there; that was a strong enough indicator that he had figured out the horrors of that place. she still finds it strange, sitting here next to a dead man, but it makes more sense to her for kenny to be there than it does for him to be gone. she can’t make sense of how things turned out, of how quickly their lives turned to chaos.

fingers brush over the fabric of her pants, subconsciously going over the scar on her leg. it’s not as bad as the one on her stomach, but far more noticeable than the smaller scar from where the officer’s bullet had scraped the side of her head. she’d been lucky. lucky that the cops in this town weren’t the best shots. the scars have taken a toll on her, leading her to change the way she acts and dresses just to hide them. hair hangs over one side of her face, skirts and pants never cutting off too far above the knee and crop tops are well out of the question. everything had changed.

head shakes at his words, the girl refusing to accept the way he thinks of it. “you didn’t do anything wrong.” spoken softly as she looks over at him, gaze soon dropping again. “you explored a room off the kitchen, you didn’t-- that’s not enough reason for... for that.” she still can’t really bring herself to say it, to speak aloud that he got murdered. it’s a strange and scary thing to have to think about, something she tries to just forget most of the time.

“it was our fault more. if we’d kept the music down, if someone had thought to check on you and your cooking..” if someone had cared enough to notice that he hadn’t popped up for a while. she’d never really forgive herself for all of that, for the way she’d so easily paid attention to everyone except him. sure, she’d paid some attention, but she hadn’t even noticed that things were wrong until she’d been confronted in the barn. 

she hadn’t even asked about kenny when she found heather, hadn’t even considered him. it could be chalked up to the fact that she’d just been almost killed with a chainsaw, but nikki can’t help but feel like it was just her being selfish. that whole day she’d been far too focused on herself and the things that she’d wanted, hadn’t thought much about her friends or her boyfriend, had simply been thinking about herself.

“you shouldn’t have- shouldn’t have died.” she looks up at him again now, steeled look to try to make a point, though it’s not as convincing considering tears were welling up. “no one should’ve-” but she doesn’t really believe that. she knows that she wasn’t a good person, knows that she did bad things that would’ve hurt people if they found out. she’d lost everyone that night - even if heather’s still alive and kenny’s still here - and she can’t help but feel like she deserved that. “i think...” there’s a pause as she sniffles slightly, hand squeezing his gently. “i think.. i was supposed to die.” it’s spoken as fact, as if it had all been planned out and she’d thrown the plan off. “i would be dead if that cop was a better shot.”

[sp4c3-0ddity]

The Art of Seduction

For @pidgeshipweek, Day 6:  Intimacy

Pairing:  Pidge/Lance

Summary:   Pidge's method in convincing Lance to confide in her is...unconventional. (Rated T, just to be safe)

Also cross-posted to Ao3

Sometime after Shiro disappeared, Coran suggested they develop their teamwork anew by using the mind-sharing headsets.

"Nope, not doing that," Lance declined quickly, immediately arousing Pidge's suspicions.

"Why not?" she quipped, smirking at him. "Got anything to hide?"

"Me?" Lance said in that faux nonchalant voice he did too well. He pressed his hand to his chest, eyes wide in indignation. "No, I'm an open book, Pidge. I'm just worried about you."

"...me?" Pidge said. That was not at all the answer she expected, whether or not it was true.

"Yeah," Lance said, nodding. "Remember what you were hiding last time we used the headsets? I wonder what else you could be hiding." Now he was the one that smirked, and continued sagely, "For all we know, you can reveal you're a shape-shifting slug."

"Shape-shifting...slug," Pidge said lamely, stunned by Lance's imagination...or lack thereof.

"Lance," Keith pointed out from his spot down the table, "it took Pidge telling us she was a girl for you to figure that out."

Lance scowled at him, blushing while Pidge snickered. "Maybe I'll be watching out for other secrets this time!" he retorted, pointing his spork at Keith.

Keith raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, then turned to her. "So, Pidge, are you a shape-shifting slug? It sure would be nice to have another half-human alien on the Castle."

Pidge grinned at him, surprised by the joke; Keith hadn't joked much to begin with, but his humor dried up even more since Shiro's disappearance. "Sorry to disappoint you, Keith, but I am not."

"Too bad," Keith said.

Pidge then glanced sideways at Lance, who still looked troubled, though he hid it well. He laughed at something Hunk said, but he had a faraway expression on his face as he played with his food rather than ate it.

Pidge sighed. If Lance had something to hide, she could easily find out what it was; she just had to do it in the hour or so before they did Coran's suggested exercise.

She decided her best bet would be to seduce Lance.

Pidge nearly choked on her goo as soon as the idea crossed her mind. Hunk helpfully slapped her back when she coughed, but she was too stunned by her own thought process to thank him.

Pidge? Seduce Lance?

She blushed furiously and hid her face in her hands before anyone else noticed.

"Pidge?" said Allura. "Are you all right?"

"Perfect," Pidge gritted out.

"You sure?" Hunk asked. "Your face is really red."

Which meant there was no point in hiding it. She looked up to see the rest of the table's occupants staring at her. "I'm fine," she lied. Then, she decided now or never, pushed her chair back, and stood. "Hey, Lance, can I talk to you outside?"

Lance dropped his spork into his plate, splashing goo onto the table. "What? Why?"

"It's important." He sat on Hunk's other side, so it was simply a matter of grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him out of the dining room.

He came easily enough, though when she looked over her shoulder he was utterly bewildered, his jaw slack with surprise, his eyebrows furrowed with confusion. And when Pidge opened a closet door and shoved him inside, following him a second later, he looked even more confused.

The space was so small, and they were so crowded into it, that Pidge felt his warm breath on her face when he said, "Pidge, I would love to talk to you, but why--"

Pidge grabbed him by the collar and jerked him down to kiss him.

She'd never kissed anyone before, and though deep in her heart of hearts she'd wanted to kiss Lance in particular for months now, she never thought she would get this far.

Oh, God, she thought, shoving him away from her, suddenly nervous and ashamed. "I'm sorry," she said as Lance straightened, rubbing his lip where she accidentally bit him. "I shouldn't have done that."

"No kidding," said Lance, looking down at her. "At least give me a little warning next time, won't you?"

That was not at all what she expected. "What?"

"Look, I know I'm irresistable, Pidge," Lance said, rubbing the back of his neck, "but if you want me that badly, at least tell me."

"I want to slap you," Pidge said, annoyed.

"I'm not really into that," Lance said nonchalantly. "But I could be for you."

Pidge blushed lividly. He was joking about her wanting him, and then he had the audacity to tease her like this? She crossed her arms, suddenly hating the crowded space. Why the hell had she thought this was a good idea? She should've known Lance wouldn't be seduced out of his secrets.

She decided to try for a blunter approach.

"What are you hiding, Lance?"

"W-what?" Lance backed away from her as far as he could in the tiny space. "N-nothing!"

"Yes, you are!" Pidge pointed at his face. "And whatever it is, it's bothering you and affecting your well-being, so either 'fess up or I'm going to dig in your head later whether you like it or not."

Lance snorted. "We're not that intimate," he said.

Pidge stood on her toes, holding onto his arm for balance as she tried to put her face as close to his as possible. "Lance, we regularly merge our brains to operate a giant sword-wielding weapon of mass destruction," she reminded him. "That's as intimate as it gets."

Lance stared down at her, eyes wide and frowning. He pinched his eyes shut then and mumbled, "This is a weird way for you to show you care."

"What?" Pidge said. "Of course I care! You're one of my best friends, and I just kissed you!" She hated that she blushed as she said it and was glad it was dark enough he probably wouldn't notice.

"Right," Lance said sarcastically, "because I remember you saying at the Garrison that you weren't there to make friends."

"That was then!" Pidge said, frantic. Had he really misunderstood her that much for this long? "Everything is different now!"

"Oh yeah?" Lance said, skeptical. "Then explain why you keep belittling me."

Pidge, floored, slumped, dropping his arm and stumbling away from him - which wasn't very far - until her back touched the wall. "I don't...I'm..." She rubbed her face; was she really that awful to him?

Yes, a small voice that sounded like a strange combination of Matt's and Shiro's voices chimed in her mind.

Lance wasn't Pidge's first crush, but the way she behaved towards him only proved that she didn't always handle her emotions well. "I'm sorry," she said, quietly. "You're right; I'm an asshole."

"Hey," said Lance, just as softly. He touched her elbow. "I wouldn't go that far. But I do accept the apology. And we are friends, you know; I don't dive for coins in a fountain for anyone."

Pidge looked up to see him smiling at her, and she cautiously returned it.

"And!" Lance said, looking uncomfortable all over again. "I wouldn't say no to kissing you."

Pidge narrowed her eyes at him. He wasn't acting suave (or how he thought suave should act); in fact, he looked...embarrassed, and a touch hopeful. "Why?" she wondered suspiciously.

"Because I like you?" Lance said, shrugging.

"Why?"

"Because you're..." Lance waved his hands, a rare moment of him being lost for words. "You're you, and--"

"No, I mean, since when?" Lance had given no indication that he might feel the same way about her.

"Since..." Lance shrugged. "I honestly have no idea."

Pidge was reluctant to just accept that; she needed a timeline, she needed to know why Lance, who fancied himself a ladykiller, liked her, a girl that he definitely mistook for a boy for the better part of a year.

"Is it...just me?" she asked.

"Oh, what do you take me for, Pidge?" Lance demanded, crossing his arms. "I'm not that big of an asshole."

Relieved, Pidge took the two steps separating them. "Okay, just making sure." She wound her arms around his neck and stood up on her toes, leaning her weight against him as she kissed him again, this time gentler and without an ulterior motive.

He made a funny surprised sound, one that made Pidge's face heat up all over again, but he held onto her waist and kissed her back enthusiastically. And as they kissed, Pidge couldn't help but muse that she never once imagined that her first - and second - kiss would be in deep space, stuffed in a three-foot-by-three-foot supply closet, and that it would be with the bane of her existence from the Garrison.

Oddly enough, that made the experience more intimate.

---

"Where are Lance and Pidge?" Allura asked once the rest of them were assembled in the common room for their telepathic linking. She looked at Keith, who frowned and shrugged, then at Hunk.

"The last time we saw them Pidge took Lance aside to talk to him," Hunk remembered. It had scarcely been an hour ago too.

Allura sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"They must've been distracted by something," Hunk defended them loyally.

"Yeah, you know how Pidge is, Princess," said Keith, smiling a bit. "And Lance."

"<And> it's a lot worse when they're together," Hunk added.

Allura, apparently deciding to take their word for it, frowned. "I suppose you're right," she said, "but they should've been keeping track of time."

"We'll find them," Keith suggested. "Split up?"

"I'll check their rooms," Allura said.

"I'll go down to the Green Lion's hangar," said Keith.

Hunk shrugged. "I'll go back to the kitchen and dining room and check that they didn't go back after we left." When Allura shot him a skeptical look, he said, "Don't worry, I ate enough earlier."

Keith laughed, but then he left for his desintation without another word. Allura followed him out, and then Hunk ventured down the hall to the kitchen.

They weren't there, but Hunk couldn't say he was surprised. And they weren't in the nearby dining room either. "I didn't find them," he admitted, activating the intercom in his helmet.

"I didn't either," Allura said. "Neither of them is in their room."

"Pidge is never there even when she's asleep," Keith pointed out. "Also they're not in the Green Lion's hangar."

Hunk sighed. He was starting to get worried. As he walked back into the hall, Allura mentioned checking the bridge, and his helmet fed her voice directly into his ears, so he almost missed a muffled sound coming from a nearby supply closet.

The mice? he wondered, reaching for the panel to open the door.

Lance tumbled out backwards, landing with a groan with Pidge falling on top of him. Hunk, stunned, watched her slump into him, her face pressed into his shoulder.

"Uh..." Hunk said eloquently, gaping at them.

At the sound of his voice, Pidge shot straight to her feet, face as red as the Red Lion. Lance, whose face was just as red if not redder, stood up slower.

Hunk took in the details:  their flushed faces, Pidge's askew glasses, Lance's missing jacket, their hair in disarray... "I knew it!" he said, pointing between the two of them and grinning triumphantly.

"Knew what?" Keith asked at the same time as Allura wondered, "Did you find them?"

Pidge's eyes widened with realization, likely because she heard their voices from his helmet's speakers. "Don't tell them!" she said quickly.

Lance, by contrast, wore a goofy smile and seemed too happy to understand what was going on. "Tell who what?" he said, looking at Pidge.

Hunk might have been more embarrassed at interrupting their makeout if he didn't feel so smug, which was why he told Keith and Allura, "I found them in the supply closet near the dining room."

Pidge groaned, hiding her face in her hands while the situation finally dawned on Lance, a comic look of shock crossing his face. "Oh, no," he said.

Allura, the closest, arrived first and immediately demanded, "Did you forget we had training? Why aren't you wearing your armor? What were you doing in a supply closet?"

Keith appeared before either of them could answer, his eyes widening as he took in Pidge's and Lance's appearance. "Do I want to know?" he asked.

"Probably not," Pidge offered, her blush fading.

"Yes," Hunk said, grinning.

Lance only hid his face in his elbow.

[sylvermyth]

Prompto’s Home for Zombie Pets

HEY LOOK I WROTE A THING.  Inspired by this post, this was incredibly self-indulgent and kind of a blast to write (and probably a bit ridiculous), and I really just love Prompto, so there's also that.  If you enjoy the fic (or love Prompto, or just wanna chat) please comment/reblog to let me know!  Cheers!  <3

Prompto’s Home for Zombie Pets

It wasn't—he hadn't done it on purpose, the first time. The spell had been scrawled on a scrap of parchment he'd found tucked into a dog-eared tome that he'd unearthed at one of the used bookstores (he'd already forgotten which because Iggy always insisted on visiting ALL of the bookstores) without any title or description of what the spell did. And really, he should've been tipped off when it called for a blood sacrifice, but magic was fickle and unspecific and "blood sacrifice" didn't always mean something had to die, so he'd tried it, anyway, nicking his finger just enough for a couple drops.

The rush of magic was unmistakable when Prompto finished the incantation—and really, his grasp of Latin wasn't that bad, and that should've been an indication, too—so he knew it had worked. He just didn't know what exactly "it" was until the chocobo chick dragged itself into the little lean-to he'd been using as his base. It was covered in dirt and only slightly more gruesome than it had been when they'd found the poor thing, mauled and gurgling blood in its final breaths, one wing dangling by a strip of cartilage. The rest of the guys had humored him when Prompto wanted to give it a funeral and proper burial in the yard. At least it hadn't had far to go.

Well, okay. Maybe he'd known a little what the spell could entail, but he hadn't been sure it'd work. Really.

And, okay, necromancy was definitely not something he'd ever considered taking up, considering the reputation, and it was probably a little unnatural, and gross (rotted corpses, ew), but Prompto wouldn't abuse his knowledge. He definitely didn't want an undead army, and didn't have any evil ambitions. He just wanted to be with his friends and have fun, and he didn't need a zombie horde to do that—they'd probably just get in the way, anyway.

And smell. Ignis would surely complain about the mess, and the smell. Noct and Gladio probably would, too, but Ignis would have a fit.

But the baby chocobo was just…it wasn't right for its life to end like that! Without having known the wonder of the world, or the joy of friendship. It totally deserved a second chance, and Prompto was happy that he could give it one.

Except, reanimating the corpse was the extent of the spell. Of that much he was certain. No idea how to fix the physical damage—but that didn't seem to be bothering the chick, in any case—and no way to put it back, if he had even wanted to. It stared at him with eyes that were brighter than he would've expected from something that had spent time being dead, expectant, somehow, and unfazed by Prompto's typical restless motion.

Of course, since Prompto had brought it back, he couldn't do anything but take responsibility. So maybe he couldn't exactly fix the injuries, but he could bandage them so they wouldn't offend the eye (and the precariously dangling wing wouldn't fall off) and by then, well. Since there was no turning back, he had to name it.

"Necrobo." Noctis lifted an eyebrow when Prompto introduced his new companion to the group (he'd had to—Necrobo followed him everywhere; it would've been impossible to hide her), but it was followed by a small smile. Noct was like that, sometimes: quiet, accepting. Letting Prompto's chatter speak for the both of them.

"You named it Necrobo, what the hell kind of name is that?" This from Gladio, but with a name like Gladiolus, he really didn't have room to talk. Even if it was a friendly rib. Prompto scowled (though really it was more of a frown, because Prompto could never get angry enough to scowl at his friends).

"Prompto." Ah, Iggy. Prompto's scowl (frown) deepened, recognizing the careful tone, the sharp eyes flicking over his chick, calculating. "Prompto," Ignis began again, adjusting his glasses, "you have a…chocobo."

Prompto rolled his eyes. "Yeah, duh, it's a chocobo. My chocobo." He crouched down next to Necrobo, beaming up at Ignis. "Isn't she awesome?"

Another of those looks. "Is it…sanitary?" Prompto huffed, but Ignis barreled on. "I mean, if you're going to keep her, you know you have to take care of her properly. I won't be cleaning a litter box or anything, either." Ignis's expression turned skeptical. "Will she need…a litter box? Food?" Ignis cleared his throat.

Prompto gathered Necrobo in his arms and stood, so he could stare Ignis down—or at least attempt to. "You mean, because she's undead."

Ignis frowned. "I realize she looks unhealthy, but I didn't mean to imply…" Noctis's snort was unmistakable, and Gladio looked stricken.

"There's no implying anything, Ignis; I brought her back to life myself! Somehow."

"As a zombie chocobo." Noctis's voice held a hint of amusement. "That's not exactly alive, Prom."

"Necrobo," Prompto corrected. "And she doesn't seem to mind! Do you, girl?" He was rewarded with a small trill.

"I'm not even going to ask," Gladio grumbled, raising his hands in defeat. "I'll be training in the yard. Noct! Let's go!" Gladio half-dragged a protesting Noctis in the direction of the training yard, and Prompto was left to continue his Ignis stare-down.

"I won't ask, either," Ignis said finally. "But necromancy is not something to be played with, Prompto."

Prompto pouted. "It's just a baby chocobo."

It was not, in fact, just a baby chocobo.

Necrobo didn't smell, as it turned out, at least, nothing worse than the smell of damp earth, and neither did she decompose any further than when she'd emerged from her grave—for which Prompto was eternally grateful, because he imagined that would be rather terrifying, and he still didn't know how to un-undead her (not that he had any reason to find a way, once the decomposition was out of the equation). She followed him around like a familiar, and even if she did act strange at times, he liked the company. Anyway, who was he to turn someone away just because they were different? That was just rude, and he was, after all, still responsible for her.

He still didn't want a horde of undead.

Just, Prompto felt incredibly bad for the baby tonberry that Noctis hit with his car, and it was too late for a phoenix down. Noctis felt bad, too, probably even worse than Prompto, but Prompto had been distracting him from the road, so it was really more his fault than Noct's.

And, okay, Prompto had paid some attention to his lessons, and he couldn't be sure that the spell was legit unless it was repeatable. Because he really wasn't, but it really was. Repeatable.

He tried to explain that to Ignis, who stared at him with narrowed eyes when Noctis extracted the undead tonberry from Prompto's side of the car. Necrobo poked her head from behind Prompto's legs, and maybe that didn't help his case much.

"You of all people should understand, Ignis!" Prompto knew his eyes were wide as he tried to make his case. "You're the most logical person I know."

"I named him Roadkill," Noctis said, deadpan.

"Right, he's got a name! We can't give him back now, Ignis. It'd just be mean. Heartless, really."

Ignis gave him one of his measured looks. "Just be careful. However you're doing it, there's not a lot known about necromancy, and there are reasons for that. Don't do anything stupid."

Prompto waved him off. "It's fine, Iggy, it's not like I'm trying to take over the world or anything."

"This is exactly how the end of the world starts," was all Gladio had to say, although he didn't otherwise protest the addition of another undead pet in their midst.

The next time—the next few times—were truly accidents. Prompto didn't even say the incantation, just, thought it in his head. Maybe he was also picking at a scab at the same time, and bled a little, but that was totally unintentional.

It became a bit of a collection, after that: all small or baby animals, cute, if a bit gruesome, hobbling or crawling around his apartment, and at least they don't require much care, aside from Prompto's attention, which he gladly gives. Nor do they make much noise (aside from the occasional breakable, but he didn't have many of those to begin with), so the neighbors don't complain, but his apartment has begun to smell a bit like a crypt, somewhere between earthy and musty.

Noctis remained amused by the whole situation, but Prompto started hiding his new pets from Gladio after the tonberry, and from Ignis after the unmentionable incident, so Prompto's apartment became welcome to Noctis only. Which wasn't really any different from before, since they tended to congregate at Noct's or in the palace grounds, anyway.

But that didn't stop Noctis from grinning at Prompto and pointing at the dinosaur skeleton in the Lucis Museum of Natural History. "Dude!" he hissed, "Can you imagine that fitting in your apartment, Prom?"

It was a little mortifying…but also possibly the coolest thing he could imagine using his necromancy for. But, "I'm really not sure it would work for something that big, Noct." He might've once thought that a corpse would need flesh to hold it together and move it, but nope, he'd tested that, too, and had a skeletal mouse he called Bones that liked to nest in Necrobo's feathers. "Or that old," he added as an afterthought. But Noct was making faces or eyes or something at him, and he was admittedly weak in the face of that. And curious. He was also very curious.

So he tried.

And failed.

Actually, it was the first time he'd failed, and that was…disappointing. So he tried again, and then frowned at Noctis, and that turned into a whole week of museum visits, all of the ones that had dinosaur skeletons rigged up.

He was more than a little bummed that it hadn't worked, because his cheerful mask slipped, and maybe Noctis didn't notice, but he caught Gladio frowning at him, eyebrows high and concerned, and Ignis gave him one of those shoulder clasps that meant he was there if Prompto needed him without the mess of words.

But even if Noct didn't notice (which was great, really; he was supposed to be the one normal thing in the prince's life), he still had the right idea for cheering him up.

"Maybe it's because they're old," Noct muttered. "But I bet you can handle something big." He wouldn't say where they were going when Prompto got in the car, or even after his incessant babbling, but Prompto grinned when Noctis parked a short way away from the catoblepas carcass.

"Dude, no way! That thing's huge!" Prompto gaped; it was possibly even bigger than some of the dinosaurs skeletons they'd seen.

"Right? So you gonna do it or what? C'mon, Prom, wow me."

Prompto made a strangled noise, half glee and half nerves, but he was totally going to do it. He was totally going to have a pet catoblepas, and it was going to be the best. "I'm going to name you," Prompto called to the still corpse, "I'm going to name you, uhm." He stopped his brainstorm for the perfect name to concentrate on the spell and pricked his thumb, and then he couldn't think at all as it actually lurched to its feet and "HOLY SHIT NOCT IT ACTUALLY WORKED!"

"Yeah. Good job, Prom. Never doubted you." Noct patted at him absently, his eyes fixed on the thing towering over them. Not that it was threatening, just huge, and Prompto had to admit he couldn't stop staring, either.

"Uhm, Noct?" Noctis hummed a response. "That's definitely not going to fit in my apartment. Just saying."

"Nope."

"Sooooo. What am I supposed to do with it?"

Noctis shrugged. "Put it back?"

Prompto's hands flew of their own accord, gesturing wildly as he rounded on Noctis. "Just, put it back? Really? Rude! I brought it back, I can't just go and kill it again. That's just mean."

"I mean, it was already dead, right? Just undo it."

"Just undo it," Prompto muttered, "like it's really that simple."

"You can undo it, right?"

"No!"

Noctis glanced over at Prompto. "What do you mean, 'No.'"

"I mean," Prompto's voice shrank, "I don't know how."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"We should…go get Ignis." Noctis started backing towards the car.

"It'll probably follow me if I leave," Prompto sighed.

"Oh."

Prompto rolled his eyes and dug his phone out of his pocket, his stomach sinking as he tapped the screen to call Ignis. There was surely a lecture forthcoming, but maybe if he didn't tell Ignis that what he wanted to put back was a freaking catoblepas, it wouldn't be so bad.

Of course, it was Ignis, and Prompto wasn't as clever as he'd thought, because Ignis's sigh sounded put-upon even through speakerphone.

"What could be worse than the coeurl cub?" And Prompto definitely hadn't told him about that one, so he probably also knew about the others that Prompto hadn't told him about, which explained the long-suffering sigh. Well, that was a conversation for later, he decided. Immediate problems first.

But leading with 'catoblepas' sounded like an awful idea, so Prompto launched into the explanation about the dinosaurs first, to which Ignis listened with…well, not undying patience. And by the end of the explanation, even Prompto wasn't convinced whether a catoblepas was better or worse than dinosaurs, but Ignis was on his way to their location, so that was…something.

The catoblepas was lumbering around at the edge of the water when Ignis arrived, with Gladio in tow. For back-up, probably.

"So, uh, guys…we aren't just going to fight it like a daemon, are we? Cause it's not…it's not mean or evil or anything. Just undead." Prompto offered a lopsided grin, eying Gladio's bulging muscles, the displeased tilt of his mouth. Ignis just looked mildly annoyed, which on him meant he was more likely pissed.

"No." Ignis's voice was clipped, and, yeah, he was definitely angry, but he was also holding out a piece of paper to Prompto, which, what was a piece of paper going to do about an undead catoblepas?

Prompto said as much. "How's a piece of paper going to help with an undead catoblepas?"

Ignis leveled a glare at him, but it was Gladio who grit out, "Maybe you should read it and find out."

And, "Oh," it was another spell. Except this one was clearly labeled with description and everything, and it didn't so much kill the undead as release them from the magic animating them, so it sounded…pretty clean and painless. "Okay. Yeah."

Ignis's voice softened. "Anyone with magic can do it, but I thought it better if you did it yourself."

"I—yeah. It's my responsibility." Prompto looked up at the catoplebas. "Sorry, big guy." The spell was simple enough, compared to the reanimation spell, and it certainly seemed like the catoplebas didn't even notice the magic leaving it. Like hitting the undo button, and Prompto turned back to his friends, eyes downcast. "I'm sorry, guys. I guess I got a little carried away."

Noctis had a crooked, guilty smirk on his lips. "I wasn't exactly helping you there."

Prompto smiled a little and pushed his shoulder. "Not you."

Ignis offered a gentle smile. "We know you Prompto. If you got any more carried away, we would've steered you right again."

Gladio clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I trust you. It's the undead I don't trust. If they ever get out of hand, I'm prepared to fight for the fate of the world."

Ignis snorted. "A chocobo and a tonberry are not going to destroy the world."

Gladio gave Ignis a scandalized look. "You say that now, but—"

Prompto's laughter cut him off. "Thanks. You guys are really the best."

"I thought I was number one," Noct protested, and Prompto swung around and pulled him into a hug.

"Yep. Number one pain in the ass."

"Hey!"

"Still," Prompto mused as they meandered towards the cars, "Is it because the dinosaurs are too old, or what? Cause it's definitely not a size thing. Inquiring minds want to know. Hypothetically. Although," he rambled, "now that I know it can be easily undone…"

Gladio looked alarmed at this. "No. Not even for a moment. No dinosaurs. No behemoths. No, nope, nada."

Ignis laughed. "I'm not surprised you couldn't get it to work on the skeletons we saw in the museum, Prompto, considering they were never alive to begin with."

Prompto and Noctis yelped in unison. "What!"

"Are you telling us dinosaurs aren't real? I don't believe you."

"They're real enough, but fossils are usually too delicate to be strung up as a skeleton like that. Usually they're kept in a vault instead. Not to mention the fact that many recovered skeletons are incomplete, so they must be reconstructed. Not that an incomplete corpse has stopped you," he added wryly.

"That's…still kind of disappointing," Prompto muttered.

"You know," Noctis confided, "there's some historical vaults in the citadel. We could look for a real skeleton."

Prompto grinned and threw his arm around Noct. "That's what I'm talking about!"

[eyoliam-blog]

Writing soulmate AU

    Every morning I wake up to a new surprise. Yesterday my arm was covered in vibrant red and purple flowers with singing blue birds. Today I woke up to music notes that seemed to make noise and beating hearts. I used to wonder how it got there, but it’s been happening for so long that I’ve just learned to accept it. The first time it happened I wondered if I was going insane, but everyone else could see it so I’m not imagining it. Then I started to think that I draw on myself while I sleep, but I never have anything to draw with near me and I can’t draw even a stick figure to save my life. So I thought that my little sister might be drawing on me, but she’s been at summer camp for the past few months.

   My summer has been boring so far. I’ve just been catching up on all the shows I used to watch and playing football with my friends. I’m glad that I don’t have summer school this year and can just focus on relaxing before school starts up again. I still have to go to work a few days a week, but it’s not that bad, I get to talk to people and get out of the house for a while. Still, The Scorpion has it’s limits for fun. Taking orders and giving people their food doesn’t exactly scream summertime fun.    

    I get home from work when I notice a note from my mom. She’ll be home late but I shouldn’t worry. She put the leftover pizza in the fridge. I decide to stay up and watch some TV when I notice that the drawings on my arm are gone. I stare for a few minutes. I’ve tried washing them off before, it never works, why did it come off now? My eyelids grow heavy with sleep as I forget everything I was worrying about.  

  A few more hours pass when I start to feel something touching my arm. What is going on? Is my mom home now? Is a burglar trying to steal my arm and sell it? I slowly open my eyes but there’s no one there. No burglar, no mom, no one, but the feeling on my arm is still there. I look down expecting to see a bug or something on my arm but instead I see a strong proud lion staring intently at me. It’s mane is fluffy and golden and it’s eyes scream strength. But it’s not done yet. Someone is drawing on my arm, but there’s no way someone is in my house right now.

   I quickly sit up and turn the light on. There’s no way this is happening. This is insane isn’t it? But I’m not insane, I can clearly see what’s happening and I’m obviously not dreaming. As the spots in my vision slowly disappear I notice that the lines on the lion are getting thicker and darker. Someone is drawing on my body, but how? How could they possibly be drawing on my arm without  being here? Is it a ghost? Finally it stops. Two slender brown eyes stare right through me. The mane looks like it’s moving as I go to look it up what’s happening. I can’t be the only one who has experienced this.

   After searching on a hundred different websites about drawings appearing on my body with no one around, I have nothing. No one has ever gone through this. Or at least no one on the internet. I’m about to give up when I notice someone on Reddit has asked about weird notes appearing on their arm. They say they will be busy doing something then feel someone writing stuff on their hand, even when there isn’t a person in sight. I scroll down and notice someone had sheet music and lyrics to songs appearing on their stomach sometimes. I look down and see someone asked, “What’s going on?” No one seems to know what’s going on or why.

   I tell them my story, about a year ago, a few days after my 16th birthday random drawings started to appear on my arm and they haven’t stopped since. I used to think I was insane or someone was doing it to me but everyone can see the drawings and no one is home when it happens. My eyes start to feel heavy and I can’t do anything else so I decide to just go to bed.

   When I wake up the next morning, my mom is shaking my arm, “Vincent, get up your sister is coming home today and we need to pick her up from the airport.” I move at slug speed as I haul my pants on and change my shirt. No time to shower or check my computer. We drive along in silence. No how was work or are you ready for school. She hasn’t even noticed the drawings even though it’s been almost a year. Finally she says something to me, “Do you have work today?” I nod. We don’t say anything for the rest of the trip so I plug in my headphones.

   Before I know it I’m at the airport and looking for my little sister Megan. My eyes are scanning the crowd when a guy runs straight into me. He falls down but I barely budge. “I’m so sorry.” he says. “I should’ve watched where I was going.”

   “It’s okay,” I stick my hand out for him to take. “Are you alright?” When he puts his hand in mine I notice a little bit of brown and gold marker peaking out from under the sleeve of his shirt.

   “I’m really sorry if this sounds strange, but could I possibly see your arm?” My heart starts racing.

   “Huh?” He looks down at his arm. “Um...sure I don’t see why not.” He moves his sleeve down to reveal a proud lion with brown slender eyes. The air seems to have left my lungs. I’m so confused. Is this happening to him too? Why does it look exactly like the lion on my arm? His voice pulls me back from my thoughts. “I’m a bit self conscious of my art, but I really like how this turned out. Hey, are you okay?” He gently touches my arm. “You don’t seem so good. Are you sick?”

   “I know this is going to sound crazy but just try to listen to me.” He steps back a bit. “Please, I know you have no reason to believe me, but just try to act like it’s possible.”

   “Um, I’m sorry but I have to go...I’m going to end up missing my flight.” He starts to walk away.

   “Wait!” I grab his arm and turn him around. “Look,” I take my jacket off to show him the same exact lion drawing in the same exact place. “I wake up every morning to new drawings. Last night I woke up and...felt someone drawing this on me, but there was no one there.”

   He grabs my arm and compares it with his. “You’re insane. Did you draw this? Did you just escape from an insane asylum or something? Do you really think you can trick me into believing you by showing me a drawing that looks somewhat like the one on my arm? I mean, how did you even know that I was going to draw this on my arm?”

   “Please” I say. “I know it sounds crazy. I wouldn’t believe me either but I can’t draw. At all. And it just...shows up! I wake up and it’s there. Please at least let me test something.”

   “What do you mean test it?” He looks around. “What are you going to do?”    My mind races, looking for an answer. I really didn’t think this through. Then the lightbulb flashes. “Draw something. Anything. If I’m not lying then whatever you draw on your arm will appear on my arm.”

   He looks at me skeptically, but agrees. He starts to dig through his bag and pulls out a bright red marker. He scribbles on his wrist and looks at me. I lift my wrist to reveal a heart. He looks down but shows me his wrist with the exact same heart. I freeze.

   “I believe you.” He squeaks. “How long has it been happening?”    “A little bit after my 16th birthday.” I mumble.    “Jesus. You’re only 16?” He looks at me.    “No I’m 17. How old are you?”    “I’m 20.” He says. “Almost 21. What’s your name?”    “I’m Vince-” I trail off as I notice a little ponytail bobbing around in the crowd. “Listen, I’m really sorry but I have to go, I promise I’ll be right back.”

   I run over to my sister. “Megan!” I grab her and swing her over my shoulder. “I’m never letting you go to summer camp ever again. Do you know how bored I was without you?” She laughs.    “Vinny!” she squeals. “Vinny put me down. I can’t help it you’re boring!”    “Did you just call me boring? You go away for a few weeks and all of a sudden I’m not good enough for you?” I put her down and brushed her hair out of her face. “Come on, mom’s waiting for us.” I swing her bag over my shoulder and look for the guy I was talking to but can’t find him. Great I didn’t even catch his name.

Kill me I just realized how much this sucks.