#Kenzie can go fuck herself actually

[actuallygoingmentalwth]

Yeah sex is nice.

But have you ever been better at something that the bitch you hate LOVED?

[ewingstan]

Man can't believe Victoria is an anti-masker

Its interesting to hear how Victoria is frustrated by not being able to tell what people are feeling, considering how much of her narration is "I tried to keep a neutral face while hiding my mounting panic." I'm honestly surprised she doesn't regret going about mask-less; masks ability to hide emotions are probably seen as their second-biggest perk next to hiding identity. I suppose seeing yourself as a protector creates a desire for others to be transparent, so you can help them, without being transparent yourself, so others can't take advantage of your weaknesses or lose hope.

Given all that, no wonder Lisa "knows your soul from a glance" is so frustrating to Victoria. Not only is it impossible for Victoria to mask her emotions in front of her, but Lisa is notoriously difficult to get a read on despite being superficially open.

It kind of makes Victoria's affection for Kenzie puzzling, though. Maybe she sees herself in Kenzie. Paranoid, always seeking more knowledge and control over their surroundings, always trying to project over how they're actually feeling and put on a good face for others.

Oh fuck they're gonna make each other worse huh

[babyboibucky]

The Match - Part 8

Pairing: CEO!Bucky x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 2.7k

Summary: You get a preview of what it’s like to be working with Mackenzie.

Warnings: I apologize as there is no smut in here lmfao but there is a stubborn Bucky lols

A/N: The jitters just never go away whenever I post a new part for this ajkcnjasncakjcnakj I find this part boring tbh but uhh things will start picking up again in the next part I promise

The Match Masterlist || MAIN MASTERLIST

Bucky decided to push through with his partnership with Wilson Enterprises. It was a big one, so it definitely required the entire team's effort and perseverance. Apparently, this is the company's biggest, most major project yet so this was going to look really good in your resume. It would also provide you with more credibility to further excel in your career.

Except that Bucky actually hired a marketing consultant to take over the entire project as his revenge.

"Any questions? About the project or about Kenzie?" Bucky asked, standing in front of the conference room, next to Mackenzie.

You confidently raised your hand when no one else did. Bucky tilted his head, a tiny smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He knew you were affected, of fucking course you were!

"Yes?" he called out.

You stood up and sighed softly, "I mean this in the most respectful way, Mister Barnes." you said, emphasizing his name. "But as the head of marketing, what exactly is my role here? Given that Mackenzie was hired to spearhead the marketing aspect of this project." you said, giving Mackenzie a passive aggressive smile.

"I don't want to overstep on some boundaries here, that's why I'm asking. I just want clarity, that's all." you said.

Bucky was about to respond when Mackenzie stopped him, grabbing his arm and squeezing it before taking over the floor. You narrowed your eyes at how her slender fingers were wrapped around Bucky's arm.

"Honey..." Mackenzie started. "There's nothing to worry about, this is a collaborative work between you and I. So think of yourself as my assistant, someone to help me out with the project." she responded.

Bitch.

"I'm not an assistant, Mackenzie." you said, smiling at her.

Mackenzie laughed, "I'm sorry, my bad. I shouldn't have used that term. Oops." she said. "Although, I believe I have more experience in this area so maybe consider me a mentor?" she suggested.

Bitch!

Bucky cleared his throat, "If you have certain ideas, you can discuss it with her. She is a consultant after all. Given her impressive experience in the field, I'm sure you'll learn a thing or two from her."

The meeting was wrapped up by noon and you simply couldn't wait to get yourself out of the conference room. You didn't feel like talking to Bucky anymore in all honesty, not after what he was doing. You knew this was just to spite you, get you to cave in first and give in to him.

All the more that you wouldn't, especially not when he actually used your job against you.

Everyone started rushing out of the conference room, ready to head out for lunch. As soon as you reached the doorway, you overheard the short conversation between Bucky and Mackenzie.

"Hey Bucky, we still up for lunch?"

-

The bathroom was empty when you stepped inside and thank god for that because you couldn't hold back your emotions any further. Tears gathered in the corner of your eyes, not because you were hurt. Fuck no, you were angry and frustrated. So fucking angry at yourself for getting into this mess, at Bucky for being such an entitled prick, at the entire world for plotting against you.

You groaned in irritation as you wiped away your tears, sniffing as you looked at yourself in the mirror.

You worked your ass off for this job, for your position. You risked your dignity when you let Bucky fuck you. You weren't going to let someone take that away from you.

You quickly fixed yourself when the door opened, followed by the loud clacking of someone's heels.

"Omg, are you crying?" Beverly gasped, rushing over to you.

You snickered, "No." you lied, "My eyes are itchy." you huffed out before noticing that Beverly was holding a sandwich in her hand.

"Why did you bring your sandwich here?" you curiously asked.

Beverly shrugged, "The pantry's full and the other girls don't exactly seem to like me...so..."

You shook your head and sighed, "Come with me, let's have lunch out. I need to get out of this fucking place anyway."

"Yay, omg! I knew you were nice! You're like, the only girl who actually talked to me nicely." Beverly said, tagging behind you as you exited the bathroom.

"Oh, there you are!" Mark called out. "I was looking for you. Wanna grab lunch? Oh...who's this?" he asked, noticing the blonde girl trailing behind you.

"I'm Beverly! I'm Sir James' new secretary." she introduced excitedly.

You sighed, "Don't ask me why." you said when Mark turned to you with a confused look, still not sure what happened to Bucky's previous secretary.

"So, lunch out? With Bev?" you asked.

-

You were completely zoning out during lunch despite the ongoing conversation between Mark and Bev, something about yoga? You honestly couldn't care less, not when you were feeling so conflicted about your current situation.

Would Bucky actually go that far just to get you back? Or does he actually hate you for saying no to him and is basically using his authority to make your life a living hell?

"So I heard about the new girl." Mark said, that snapped you out of your trance.

"Huh?" you asked.

"I find it weird for Mister Barnes to hire someone when you're here." Mark pointed out. "I mean, are you okay with that or..."

You snorted, "Fuck no. Look, I'm not gonna be the bigger person here. I was offended as fuck." you admitted.

"Yeah, it's super weird because she was hired through Tinder or something. Is that even legal?" Beverly pointed out as she scrolled through her phone.

You and Mark turned to her abruptly, "Tinder? Wait, what?" you asked.

Beverly chuckled, "I heard them talking this morning and Kenzie was like, 'It's so funny that we matched on Tinder and ended up doing business there you know' and I'm like omg Sir James has Tinder and I have one too but I never saw him there, bummer."

"Motherfucker." you hissed out.

Mark made a face, "Are you okay?" he carefully asked. "You've been really tensed since last week."

Apparently, Bucky never deleted his Tinder and have been swiping right on women. And that's how he met Mackenzie who just happened to be a marketing consultant. Now you were just furious, was he fucking her too? Has he been fucking other women this entire time?

"Hey, Bev..." you said, a plan hatching inside your mind. "Can I ask you a favor?" you asked nicely.

Beverly nodded, "Um duh, you're basically my office BFF now."

"If you ever hear Mister Barnes and Mackenzie talk about hmm, I don't know...something interesting. Maybe about the project...me 'cause you know, I'm the head of marketing and Mackenzie’s in the same field...let me know, will ya?" you asked.

Mark chuckled nervously, "I don't know what's going on but isn't that an invasion of privacy?"

"She's not going to eavesdrop, Mark. She'll just...listen closely." you explained.

"Bev might get in trouble if Mister Barnes finds out." Mark warned.

You waved a hand, "She'll be fine, Mark. She's his secretary, she has to know everything. Besides, I'm not going to let her get in trouble, if she does then I'll take care of it."

Beverly squealed in delight, "Omg, you are not my office BFF. You're like my office mom! You and Mark are literally my office parents." she said, lifting her phone up in the air.

"Selfie! This one goes to the 'gram." she said, taking a quick photo of the three of you.

She then proceeded to edit the photo while you and Mark continued eating lunch.

"Bev, you should really put your phone away and eat first. We have less than half an hour left for lunch break." Mark called out.

Beverly groaned and rolled her eyes, "Way to get into the role, Mark. You're such a dad."

You snorted, "Yeah. Loosen up, daddy." you teased.

"Playing family after just one date, huh."

Bucky's presence in the same restaurant should've really intimidated you, most especially that he just witnessed you tease Mark like that. But you were too mad at him to even care, what was the point even? He didn't believe you even when you told him the truth that Mark was just a friend.

Why even try now?

"Hi Sir James." Beverly greeted happily.

"Mister Barnes." Mark acknowledged.

Bucky ignored them and kept his eyes on you. You didn't falter under his gaze and simply stared back at him with blank eyes. It's as if a staring competition took place when the both of you merely looked at each other, neither of you looking away nor attempting to do so.

"How was that date last Friday, Jim?" Bucky asked, his eyes still trained on yours.

Mark made a funny face at the name that Bucky called him but shrugged anyway. Before he could even respond, you decided to answer on his behalf. If Bucky wanted to spite you, you'd give him a taste of his own medicine.

"It was actually great. We might go on another one this Friday." you said.

"We are?" Mark asked in a whisper.

Bucky's hand landed on Mark's shoulder, "Don't count on it, Andrew. She's going to be doing a lot of work on Friday due to the project." he said through gritted teeth.

You shrugged, "Oh, but I thought Mackenzie's doing all my work?"

"I'm ready to head back, Buck."

Speak of the devil herself. Mackenzie weaved through the tables and approached Bucky, her face brightening up when she saw you, Mark and Beverly.

"Oh, hey you." she greeted you. "Look, I think we may have started off on the wrong foot earlier. I'm not here to take your job, just here to spice things up a bit. Improve your ideas, give Bucky some assistance." she chuckled, holding onto Bucky's arm yet again.

You fought back the urge to grab your glass of water and throw it at her face. As the saying goes, kill them with kindness. So you merely shrugged and extended an arm for a handshake.

"Of course. I would love to improve your ideas as well, you know. Just a healthy discourse between two marketing professionals. We good?" you said.

Mackenzie forced out a chuckle and reached for your hand, "We’re good. I look forward to working with you." she said before turning back to Bucky who was still gazing at you.

"Let's go?" she asked sweetly.

Bucky smirked at you before wrapping an arm around Mackenzie's waist, guiding her out of the restaurant the same way he did to you. You were too focused on Bucky's body language around Mackenzie that you failed to notice that Mark was watching you closely, your expressions and how you reacted towards Bucky.

"I think I know what's happening."

-

"You what?!"

"Shhh!" you hushed Mark and peeked out of the empty pantry to make sure the coast was clear.

Mark noticed the tension between you and Bucky and he came to a conclusion that the both of you dated at one point. He wasn't really wrong but he wasn't right either. So you decided to tell him everything, from the moment you matched with Bucky on Tinder until your last conversation with him last Saturday.

"I honestly thought you were dating, I didn't know there was sex involved. No wonder he had been calling me weird names." he said incredulously. "Was that you and Mister Barnes that Janet reported to the HR?" he asked, stifling his laughter.

You groaned, "Yes. Ugh, gave me a panic attack when I found out about that incident report." you said.

"Hey..." Mark called out. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this. Your secret is safe with me." he reassured.

You nodded, "I think it was about time that I told someone about us anyway. This whole situation is driving me crazy and I don't know what to do next. And I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess, I shouldn't have said that we were going out again. I don't want you or your job getting compromised because of our petty fight." you exhaled.

You had to admit, you felt so much better now after confiding with Mark. It somewhat alleviated the weight on your shoulders, knowing that there was someone aware of what you were going through. Who would've thought that this person would end up being Mark? You did have friends outside of work of course, but you felt like they all wouldn't really understand the situation.

Half would hate you for rejecting Bucky and the other half would hate you for even swiping right on him.

"Do you mind an unsolicited advice?" Mark asked.

"Not at all." you said.

"Ignore him. Don't let him or Mackenzie get to you. Do what you do best, you're great at your job and you'll be fine. That might get him to realize that you're not a prize to be won. And if he still doesn't see that, then that's his loss. You're more than just that hot marketing girl at work." Mark said.

You laughed at his last statement, "Hot marketing girl at work?" you asked, shaking your head.

"It's true. So if in any case you decide to ditch the CEO and move on, you know where to find me." he joked, throwing a wink your way.

-

You wanted to finish all your reports so you could focus on the huge project so you decided to work until around nine in the evening. The floor was already empty by the time you were done. Bucky seemed to be working too, given that he was still replying to e-mails at this hour. Wanting to get all the reports over with, you decided to submit it to him before going home.

During the elevator ride to Bucky’s floor, you couldn’t help but wonder whether he was alone in the office. Would Mackenzie be there with him? Even at this hour? Your grip on the folder tightened at the thought of catching them in the act.

But did you have any right to feel this way though?

Brushing off the thoughts, you exhaled loudly and prepared yourself for whatever it was you were to witness. Upon reaching the door to Bucky’s office, you slightly turned your head to listen to anything. It was quiet. No hushed whispers nor strained grunts-- they weren’t fucking, thank goodness for that.

You decided not to knock and just walk inside like you used to, reminding yourself of Mark’s advice.

Don’t let Bucky get to you.

When you saw Bucky hunched over his desk, typing away on his e-mails instead of bending a certain brunette somewhere in his office, you had to admit that you were relieved. He looked up and his eyes looked dead tired, you almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

“You should really learn how to knock.” Bucky called out, slamming his laptop shut.

“Look, Bucky. I was just rushing to submit these reports so I can go home.” you explained and placed the folder on top of his desk.

Bucky frowned, “I said to call me Mister Barnes.”

You huffed out, “I honestly don’t care, Bucky. I’m not playing your damn games anymore.” you said and turned around.

A hand on your arm pulled you back, harshly turning you around to face Bucky. He was fuming, as usual. At this point, you were no longer fazed.

“You think I don’t know what you’re trying to do?” he asked.

You clenched your jaw and pulled your arm back, “I’m not doing anything. You bring in Beverly or Mackenzie or whoever it is that you have up your sleeve. I don’t fucking care. I just want to focus on work.” you said and stepped away.

“And you should too, Bucky.” you added.

“I don’t believe you.” he said.

You sighed, your shoulders dropping from exhaustion at this whole shenanigan. “I’m done, Bucky.”

And with that you turned around to exit his office, leaving Bucky unsure whether you truly meant what you said. A victorious smirk graced your lips as you walked back to the elevator.

You were far from done.

-

The Match Special Tags:

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Everything Bucky Tag List:

@ddowii​​ @jessou893​​ @stealapizzamyheart​​ @bagelofthelord​​ @mxnt​​ @dontputyourfckingdrinkonmytable @jeeperky​​ @ohladymacbeth​​ @wildflowergubler​​ @supraveng​​ @twinerd14​​ @buckysmar @bakugouswh0r3​​ @sweetcoldharmony @wintersfilm​​ @charminivy​​ @amelia-song-pond​​ @iamvalentinaconstanza​​ @mcubqrnes @im-squished​​ @tcc-gizmachine​​ @sipsteacasually​​ @prettyintopeerpressure​​ @weloveyasmin​ @est19xxshit​ @bloodhon3yx​ @dressed-in-prada​ @lizette50​ @thatfangirl42​ @sunflowerbunny2​ @unmagically​ @okiegirl24​ @sugarpunch-princess​ @enlyume​ @vvipgotbb @slimeyderp​ @lyoongx​ @just-deka​ @nobody-will​ @jaziona92 @elisebuitron​ @dpaccione​ @suvikamahes98blr​ @buckybarneshairpullingkink​ @earthtonav @x-judyjude-x​ @nani-kenobi @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @belladonnabarnes​ @iloveangstposts​ @weenersoldierr​ @asemistablehundredyearoldman​ @reidbuck​ @lizzarooni​ @girlfriday007​ @bonkywobble​ @lost-in-the-stars03​ @its-yasbxtch​ @whoth3hellisbucky​

[paperjunk]

Life or Death - Chapter 10

Summary: Anger issues and memories of a horrific past biting at her heels, Kenzie Ames is pulled back into active service. Sent to Top Gun to help train a handful of Navy Pilots on how to survive their next mission, Ames’ resentment and anger may hurt her and those around her more than she knows if she can’t get it under control. Secrets weighing her down, Ames soon finds a Lieutenant’s persistent desire to know her maybe more than she can handle as the clock ticks away the time she has to make sure that not only do they come home, but the part of herself she left back in the cold, barren, tundra does too.

Author Notes: I am out of practice writing fanfiction. Sorry. This is an OC x Bradly Bradshaw or Reader x Bradly Bradshaw. All 3rd person pov.

Table of Contents: Will update as we go.

Chapter 01 | Chapter 02 | Chapter 03 | Chapter 04 | Chapter 05 | Chapter 06 | Chapter 07 | Chapter 08 | Chapter 09 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 |

Ames sighed in the darkness as she sat down on the cold, hard cement of an empty hanger floor, watching the SR-72's assent. The sound of the night was drowned out momentarily by the engine's roar, as were her thoughts of when Maverick had cornered her in a similar hanger several nights ago.

"You know," Ames' body jerked at Rooster's voice breaking the quiet that had seeped back into the air. She was going to put a bell around that man's neck one day if she got the chance. "I have never seen you in a flight suit or your uniform. Not even once," he said with a smile that could be heard in his voice if not seen by Ames' eyes.

"What do you want, Lieutenant?"

Rooster was beginning to see a pattern. 'Bradshaw' when she was friendly and 'Lieutenant' when she was annoyed or didn't have the energy to give two fucks. He wondered what it would mean if she actually used his first name and what it would do to him if she did.

'Hell would freeze over first,' he thought with a quirk of his eyebrow before he took a seat beside her in the dark hanger.

"You don't like being around us, do you?" He asked, eyes watching her profile.

“No."

Both of Rooster's eyebrows went up this time, and he nodded his head in understanding.

"At least you're honest," he replied, turning his eyes back to the moonlit sky.

Ames sighed softly. "I don't like being in small places...with people."

Rooster was genuinely afraid to speak, let alone move, for fear that she might stop talking if he did. In all this time, he had yet to hear Ames offer anything about herself, even when they had been alone, other than what she had told Phoenix the night before. Nothing more, nothing less.

"My PTSD is an eight on good days," she said, not looking over at him. "On bad days—I start looking for the exits, then I start counting the heads in the room...then I look for the most viable weapons."

PTSD? Rooster thought back to what Maverick had said about Ames. It had been the first day he had stopped trying not to look at her but began to actually see her.

"You're going to die," she said softly, and it felt as if only Rooster could hear her. As if the words were something meant for his ears and his ears alone. "And your pride won't even let you see why."

Rooster remembered a sadness sweeping over her face before a mask, he hadn't realized she had, slipped into place.

What was it that Mav had said?

"The sim she's got you running. It wasn't a sim for her."

Rooster had heard him that day but hadn't let what it might have meant for her to sink into his mind.

"I live my life by a very simple motto. Life or death. Fly or Die."

"Fly or die," Rooster said aloud, and Ames' eyes landed on him in the dark. "The sim for the Felons. It was a real-world mission for you."

"No mission," she said softly as she pulled her leg up and rested the side of her head against her knee. "Escape."

Brown eyes darted to the light scar on the left side of her upper lip, to the ones along the back of her neck, and although he couldn't see them in the darkness, he knew there were ones on the tops of her wrists, where her tattooed sleeves of large flowering buds and coiling black snakes, hid. He understood why she didn't want them to be captured—because she had. She may have escaped her captors, but she had returned to find she had left a piece of herself behind.

"Not as sexy as you thought, huh?" Ames said, watching his face. Her scars had been many a person's curiosity. But, aside from those higher up the food chain and her DOD-appointed therapist, no one else knew. He was the first and would very likely be the last.

"I still think you're beautiful," Rooster responded unexpectedly, and he felt immediately foolish. Not only because it felt like the phrase was a catch-all, but he had just told his Senior Officer that he thought she was beautiful.

'What the fuck did I just do?" He thought.

Ames chuckled, wishing she could see if the tips of his ears were going red again like they had that night on the beach and how they had back in the bar when he had been just a little too forward. Just a little too willing to risk it with other SO's around; and just a little too careless with his military career to reach out and touch her. She had forced herself to pull away and smile jokingly as her eyes caught Fanboy and Payback looking around the bar and felt the sudden vibration of his phone in his pocket against her leg as he had pressed his own against hers casually in the booth.  

"Beautiful...," she said quietly, and Rooster felt hesitation from Ames like a static charge in the air. "You don't know me, Bradshaw," she said in the darkness, lifting her head from her knee. "I'm seven layers of fucked up and have baggage for days..."

"I want to know you better," Rooster replied, interrupting her. "And who doesn't have baggage?"

"You say that now," Ames replied, and Rooster felt her watching him, gauging his response. "Wait until I try and stab you in the middle of the night because of a nightmare."

Rooster could have said any number of things to reassure her at that moment, but he couldn't stop his mind from latching onto what she had insinuated.

"In the middle of the night?" He asked lightly, trying to hold back a smile. Ames rolled her eyes with a sharp sigh of annoyance, turning her face away from him, which only made Rooster chuckle. "So, you think we'd be sleeping together at that point?"

Ames shook her head in disbelief, straining to stow her grin. "You would actively choose to lock onto that instead," she answered, refusing to look at him.

Shifting his legs as he still sat on the ground next to Ames, Rooster laughed. "For the past three weeks—" he started but was quickly interrupted.

"It has not been three weeks," Ames corrected, shaking her head again, feeling the heat of his body beside her as he moved closer.

"Okay, okay, two and a half weeks, you have been vigorously torturing me."

"Vigorously? What?" Ames' turned to face him as she laughed, her smile brighter than anything he'd seen from her before, and something raced up his spine, spreading over his ribs, and his heart tightened in response.

Rooster couldn't stop himself from smiling; he couldn't stop himself from leaning a little closer and smelling her perfume's now familiar scent. And he definitely wasn't going to stop himself from wondering what it would be like to wake up to the smell of her in his bed.

"You have smiled, touched, and flirted with me since day one."

"Touched? Flirted?" She asked, smile still bright. Rooster wasn't sure if it was in disbelief or amusement quite yet. "I have not flirted with you since day one."

"Yes, you have," Rooster replied, still unable to quit beaming.

"Oh my god," Ames said, pausing between each word with a laugh, rolling her eyes and turning away from him again as she shook her head.

"Didn't think I'd call you out on that?" He asked, licking his lips and watching her with a grin. "You have to take responsibility for me now."

So, Ames had been a little loose as of late with her flirting with the Lieutenant, and her own thoughts had wandered into dangerous territory several times, but that hadn't meant she was going to act on them. Since she first got back, the idea of a relationship was a joke. Much later on, though, Ames realized how lonely she had gotten. She had pushed away close friends. And family? Family did not exist for her. So, in the wee hours of the morning, with her eyes staring up at the water stain on the ceiling, she often wondered what it might be like to feel someone next to her again. To feel the warmth of a body taking over a side of her bed instead of her sleeping in the middle of it. 

Unfortunately, in the last few days, the man beside her, in fantasies of normalcy—had morphed into Rooster.

Feeling the shift in her, Rooster leaned in, fingers brushing her hair back from her face as he found he liked to do, and she turned to look at him. 

He had gotten closer, much too close. 

The smell of his cologne, a citrus top note of apple and lemon balanced against a hefty sandalwood, clung to her like mist hanging over the wet dew of an early morning sunrise. She wanted to lean into it, to take in everything that he was or could be, but her mind was battling against her body.

"Bradshaw...," his name on her lips was all it took for the hurricane inside of him to slip the leash of his mind. 

**************************************

A/N: I’m sorry for the cliffhanger. I didn’t plan on it. The chapter got away from me and was too long. I’m sorry! Though I will post the next sooner! Thank you for reading my little story this far!! It really does mean a lot!

[dreamwritesimagines]

Twisted 23 - Surrender [Spencer Reid x Reader]

A.N.: Thank you so much for your wonderful support my loves! Here’s the next chapter, I hope you will like it as well, and please let me know what you think of it! ❤❤ Ily, kisses! ❤❤���

Series Masterlist

Warnings: Murder, serial killers, violence, manipulation, mentions of sex, drinking, smoking.

Word Count: 4400

Summary: Secrets can’t stay hidden forever.

The possibility of you sitting with a killer who had sworn to destroy you was scary for sure, but thinking that the said killer could be much closer to you than you had thought was enough to make your blood freeze in your veins.

It was as if you were going through the same thing that had happened with your dad ages ago, but with a small difference;

Your dad had never tried to hurt you, but this time the killer was coming after you.

Spencer stood beside you as you exhaled the smoke of your cigarette into the air, your hands still shaky but you forced yourself to focus on the police and the FBI escorting people out of the building while he kept his gaze on you.

“You might be wrong though?” you managed to ask, looking up at him, “Right? Maybe it’s not—maybe it’s not someone as close to me?”

Spencer heaved a sigh, “We need more evidence, but you need to keep that in mind that it is possible. I mean— it makes more sense than it being just a stranger, don’t you agree?”

“I don’t agree that I’ve had the misfortune to be close with two serial killers throughout my life, no,” you murmured through frozen lips, “Maybe it’s me. Maybe I was doomed to survive one serial killer to be killed by another.”

“I will never let that happen.”

You took another drag of your cigarette, “I have a feeling the killer might end up not asking for your permission, professor,” you stated and turned your head when you heard the sound of heels coming closer. Mina ran a hand over her face, clearing her throat.

“I sent Kenz away from here,” Mina said and it didn’t escape your notice how she was deliberately avoiding giving any details, just in case. “We’ll regroup at mom’s place, you, me and mom.”

“Just us?”

Mina clicked her tongue, “All things considered,” she murmured, “So I’m not going to beat around the bush; we both agree that it’s not Kenzie right?”

You nodded, “Clearly,” you said and pulled your brows together, “Wait, we’re sure it’s not Kenzie but we still suspect each other?”

“I don’t know, do we?” Mina asked back and you shifted your weight, looking down at the cigarette in your hand.

“Mina, I don’t—”

“Listen, it’s not the place for this conversation,” she interrupted you, “Mom’s place, half an hour.”

“That might not be the best idea,” Spencer said, looking between you two and Mina scoffed.

“It’s not our first rodeo with a serial killer among us, Dr. Reid,” she said, “I already gave a list of my alibis to your colleagues, so did my mother. There’s nothing to keep us here.” She nodded at you, “Don’t be late, we have a lot to talk about.”

With that, she walked away from you two and grabbed her keys from the valet while you stubbed your cigarette.

“So did you check everyone’s alibis?”

“Yeah, at least the people close to you,” Spencer said, “They all look solid.”

You raised your brows, “But?”

Spencer clenched his jaw, “I need to go over all the files, all the recordings with your father—”

“I don’t think it’s my father who’s behind this. Not this time, and not at the cabin. He wouldn’t dare.”

He frowned, “Why do you keep saying that?”

“Well think about what happened the last time I-“ you snapped your fingers, “Right. You weren’t there.”

“What happened? Luke just said you walked away because your father got on your nerve.”

“That’s one way to put it,” you muttered and motioned at the valet to give him your ticket so that he could bring your car, “Listen, I gotta go. Mom is probably at home and Mina is going there and I can’t….I need to talk to them.”

“It might be dangerous.”

“Spencer, it’s my family we’re talking about,” you insisted, “I can’t— if I start suspecting them too, I have nothing left to hold on to.”

He opened his mouth to disagree but you saw Luke coming closer to both of you.

“Hey, Rossi says we need to get back to the office. Emily and Tara are already there,” he told Spencer and turned to you, “We need to stop meeting like this, trust fund baby.”

“Dude, you guys are the ones who show up and scream murder everywhere I go.”

Luke chuckled, holding up his hands and mocking surrender while valet pulled over in front of you.

“Here you go ma’am.”

“Thank you,” you offered him a small smile before you looked up at Spencer. “I’ll see you later I guess.”

“Call me when you get there, we’re also sending a car to your mother’s place and your place just to be sure.”

You nodded, heaving a sigh and Spencer squeezed your arm as if to assure you before pressing a kiss on top of your head.

“Be careful.”

“Hey I was trained by a serial killer, how many people can say that?” you tried to joke as you walked to your car, “I’ll be fine.”

You got into your car and valet closed it, then you started the car and drove off.

                                                 ***

The living room was completely silent in your mother’s house. In fact, the whole house was silent, the only noise was the constant ticking of the huge clock on the wall while all three of you sat still, waiting for someone else to talk. Your mother drummed her fingernails on the table, something she would reprimand you for doing if it were another time, Mina bit inside her cheek, her gaze fixed on the wall and you downed the whiskey in your glass, then filled it again.

“Okay,” Mina said and sat up straighter and looked between you, “I just want to say, if it was someone in this room this whole time, we can- I can fix this.”

“Jesus Christ, Mina!”

“You can’t possibly suspect-“

“We’ll say it was dad’s influence, we’ll call it trauma after-“

“Do you hear what you’re saying?”

“I’m just saying, if it is one of us, it’s dad’s fault.”

“It’s not one of us!” you insisted but then you turned your head when you heard the doorbell ring. The sound of heels came closer and Mina threw her head back as soon as Kenzie walked inside.

“Kenz, I told you to-“

“Yeah, spare me the bullshit, I came as soon as I made sure Lily was alright and safe,” she waved a hand in the air and you closed your eyes for a moment.

“Kenzie, you really shouldn’t be here.”

“Why? So that all of you can dramatically blame each other? I know how you guys get, there’s not an ounce of logic between the three of you.”

Your mom heaved a sigh and got the whiskey bottle from you, “What did Spencer say again?”

“That it was possible it was someone at our table. It’d make more sense than it being a stranger.”

“So either one of us, or Lincoln, or Nolan.”

Your mom gasped, “Nolan had nothing to do with that!”

“Just saying, it wouldn’t be the first time some man you loved didn’t turn out to be the man he pretends to be-“

“Mina, low blow,” you cleared your throat and your mother narrowed her eyes.

“I know it’s not him.”

“Then it has to be Lincoln.”

You let out a small laugh, “Dude, don’t you remember what he was like when we were children? He cried when he saw me scrape my knees and his mom had to take him away.”

“People change.”

“I’m pretty sure I’d know if one of my best friends were a serial killer, Mina.”

“He came late to the auction.”

“So did all of you!” you insisted, “You don’t see me blaming you- by that logic where were you?”

“Are you kidding me? My meeting took longer than I expected, go check my security camera footage. Where were you?”

“Mina!”

“I was literally talking to Spencer while it was happening!”

“Are you two seriously blaming each other?” Kenzie gawked at you and Mina shrugged her shoulders before turning to your mother.

“How about you mom?”

“What is this, an Agatha Christie novel?” your mother asked, exasperated, “Ask the driver, it took us more than an hour to get there because of the accident.”

“It could be anyone in that auction hall, yes, including someone in this room but they checked our alibis. Spencer said it was a possibility, not that it was certain,” you managed to say, “They still need more evidence and I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to start blaming the only people in my life that I actually trust.”

A silence fell upon you and Kenzie sat down beside you, then filled herself a drink as well.

“The moment we start blaming each other, we’re lost,” she said, looking Mina in the eye, “Your dad almost tore this family apart once, don’t let this copycat do the same. It’s not one of us and you know it.”

“No one is blaming you Kenz,” you rasped out and Mina ran a hand over her face.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, “Jesus, I’m— it’s just that… It fucks with my head.”

“You get used to it,” you sipped your drink and turned to your mother, “For what it’s worth, I really don’t think it’s Nolan either. I mean what are the chances of getting married to a serial killer twi—“ you stopped talking as soon as Kenzie kicked you under the table and Mina gasped, shooting you a look as you covered your mouth. Your mother stared at you, her jaw dropping and you cleared your throat, trying your hardest to come up with something.

“I mean—“ you stammered, “I’m drunk and I just saw Spencer being all hot and whispering in my ear after there was a murder so my feelings are all over the place, I don’t know what I—“

“Now that she fucked up first, I can say it.” Mina said, “Nolan will ask you to marry him.”

“I was un-fucking it!” You hissed and Mina scoffed.

“You haven’t un-fucked a thing in your goddamn life.”

“I can’t believe this is how I’m finding out about this,” your mother breathed out, still staring at you two and you let out a whine, burying your face into your hands.

“I’m sorry!” your voice came out muffled and Kenzie let out a giggle, patting your arm as you raised your head again, “I- well- my dad was a serial killer!”

“What is that, your out of jail card?” Mina asked, “The same guy was also my dad but you don’t see me giving out secrets and spoiling surprises.”

“When did he say that to you?” Your mother asked, sitting up straight, “Y/N, you’re telling me everything right now!”

“I saw my ex looking hot tonight and someone got murdered while I was flirting with him, I’m allowed to mess up once or twice!”

“That’s a strange way of describing your whole life.”

“Shut up Mina or I swear—“

“Y/N!”

“He asked for my blessing and I said yes,” you murmured, “So did Mina and Kenzie. But I think we all threatened him first, right?”

“Nope, you’re the creepy one in this group.”

“Yeah I think it was just you.”

“Fine! Okay, I threatened him first,” you admitted as your mother stared at you, “In my defense, I was also pretty drunk back then because of my break up with the love of my life, in case anyone at this table forgot—“

“I wish. Maybe I could try to forget it if you stopped talking about it for five fucking minutes though.”

“Babe!”

“And my serial killer father—“

“Having daddy issues isn’t an excuse to be a snitch, bitch.”

“Mina, stop insulting your sister for a moment,” your mother told her and turned to you, “What did he tell you?”

“That he has been in love with you for… I don’t know, centuries because he’s like a five hundred years old vampire.”

“He feeds on money though, not blood.” Mina pointed out, “I actually can see him as an evil lord somewhere, now that you mentioned.”

“Getting information from this family is a nightmare,” your mother heaved a sigh, “And?”

“And nothing. Make sure to get your nails done when he takes you on a dinner now that we all gave him our blessing but I’m so not planning your wedding, my client list is full.”

“Nobody buys that excuse Y/N,” Kenzie reminded helpfully and your mother shook her head.

“Oh but I can’t possibly—“ she heaved a sigh, “I can’t marry him yet.”

Instantly, all three of you turned to him with the same surprised expression on your faces.

“…Were you gonna hit it and quit it mom?”

Your mother pinched the bridge of her nose “Mina, what is wrong with you tonight?”

“I have no idea. Is this what being traumatized is?”

“Yeah welcome to the club, I’ve been here for a while,” you waved your hands in the air, “Mom, I thought you loved Nolan. Don’t you?”

“No, I’m completely in love with him!” your mother said quickly, “He’s the best man I’ve ever known or been with.”

“Meh, let’s not pretend the bar is—“ Mina started but stopped talking when Kenzie elbowed her, “Sorry. I’m just going to keep drinking over here to keep my mouth busy.”

“But?”

“Sweetie, I can’t get married when…” your mother gestured at you, “When you haven’t found a partner yet!”

You made a face, “Why did we teleport into Jane Austen times all of a sudden?”

“No, you know what people would say.”

“Since when does that stop you?” you asked her, “Come on, who the fuck cares what anyone thinks? They can all go to hell.”

“Y/N, I appreciate the thought but-“

“Mom,” you said, “I might just end up alone, okay? You can’t spend the rest of your life waiting for me to get married or find a partner or something just because of some stupid unwritten rule. Fuck those people, let them talk.”

“It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to have an actual wedding either.”

“Who’s coming up with these rules?” Mina exclaimed, “Mom, do whatever you want. This family threw appropriate out of the window long ago.”

Kenzie nodded fervently, “People will always find something to criticize, you can’t let that get to you. If you love him, go for it.”

“But wait for him to propose first, I have a feeling it’ll be the biggest ring I’ve ever seen,” you clinked your glass with hers and wiggled your brows, “Can I please be the one to tell dad though? I want to record the look of devastation on his face. I’ll make it my wallpaper.”

                                                  ***

The next day, you tried your hardest to focus on work. Even if Spencer’s words kept echoing in your ears, you couldn’t help but think that he had to be wrong.

Maybe he was. Maybe it was someone else in the hall, other than your family or Nolan or Lincoln. It was impossible for you to suspect anyone in your family, and Nolan and Lincoln had had more than enough time to be alone with you and hurt you, but neither of them had given you any sign of being dangerous.

Besides, you were sure that after spending so much time with your father, you’d be able to tell if it was someone around you.

Or at least you hoped so.

You took a sip of your rosé and bit inside your cheek, staring at your dinner table in the middle of the living room which now looked like something pulled out of a horror movie. You heaved a sigh, holding your hand over the various types of knives, the memory flashing in your head.

“Alright Petal,” your father tugged you by the hand so that you could get closer to the coffee table full of knives, “Let’s see if you studied like I told you, hm?”

“I have!” you gave him a bright smile before you bit at the stick candy and he raised his brows.

“Honey, don’t bite at candy, you’ll ruin your teeth.”

“No I won’t,” you said stubbornly, still holding the candy tight, “I’ll brush my teeth afterwards.”

He heaved a sigh and grabbed a blade off the table, then held it up.

“What is this?”

“A trench knife,” you said, looking at the handle that looked more like brass knuckles your father had shown you before, “You can hold it over your fingers so it’s better for…for…”

“Close combat.”

You nodded, still chewing on the candy and your father put it back, then showed you another.

“This?”

“Push dagger!”

“How do we use push dagger?”

“When you hold it in your palm, the blade is between your fingers.”

“So that…?”

“So that the prey can’t see it until it’s too late.”

He nodded, “You really did pay attention, Petal,” he commented and you giggled, rocking back and forth on the balls of your feet and turned the candy in your mouth as he held up another blade.

“This?”

“Butterfly knife!” you said and motioned at him, “I want that one.”

“Because it’s called a butterfly?”

“Daddy I love butterflies!”

He smiled, then grabbed another from the table, “Do you know what it is?”

“Another butterfly knife?”

“No honey, this is called a trainer, see?” he showed you, “I want you to practice with this first. It has no knife, so you won’t be cutting yourself until I say you can switch to an actual one.”

You clicked your tongue, twirling the butterfly knife between your fingers, the motion almost automatic. You had become so good at it when you were a child that you didn’t even need to think about how to flip the knife after all these years, your hands already remembered it.

“Trench knife, push dagger,” you counted slowly as the thunder lit up the dark sky outside, “Good for close combat, good for stealth….Stiletto, good for deeper wounds. Bowie is good for—“ you were cut off when you heard someone banging their fist on the door. You could feel your heartbeat getting faster and you flipped the butterfly knife in your hand, approaching the door but as soon as you looked through the peephole, your stomach made a happy flip.

“Spencer?” you muttered and opened the door, “What’re you—”

“Are you insane?” he cut you off, glaring daggers at you and you pulled your brows together.

“Huh?” you asked as he walked past you into the apartment and you closed the door before following him. He ran a hand through his curls, clearly the rain outside had made his hair even messier and he turned around to say something, but then got distracted.

“Why are you holding a butterfly knife?” he asked and you flipped it again before throwing it on the table and he frowned at the sight on the table.

“What the hell is this?”

“Uh, butterfly knife, trench knife,” you pointed with your finger as you counted them, “That’s a stiletto knife, that’s a switch blade, right next to it is a push dagger and the one over there is called—“

“I know what they are, why am I looking at them?”

You arched a brow, “Take a guess.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“What?” you let out a bitter laugh, “I’m done taking it lying down, okay? Last night was the last straw, if that copycat wants to come after me, I say let them. The man who they’re looking up to was the same man who trained me for my whole childhood, I like these odds.”

“Yeah?” he scoffed, his eyes narrowed in anger, “Is that why you threatened one of the most dangerous serial killers of our time?”

You tilted your head, “My father?”

He threw his hands in the air, frustration getting the best of him,

“Yes, your father!”

“So you basically ran all the way here to yell at me because I threatened my father?” you asked as you walked past him, then grabbed your wine glass and leaned back to the table, “Don’t worry professor, it’s a family thing. We’re impulsive. He’ll be fine, unfortunately.”

He ran a hand over his face, “What were you thinking?”

“To be honest with you, I kind of wasn’t thinking,” you pointed out before you took a sip of your wine, “How is he these days, by the way?”

“I’m glad you find this entertaining,” he said through his teeth, “Because I can assure you, this is not funny.”

“Oh come on, it’s a little funny.”

He took a deep breath as if he was trying to control himself, “You think threatening a serial killer with murder is funny?”

“I mean have you seen the look on his face? I don’t know if the video got that but—“

“Why did you break up with me?”

Well, Spencer had a way of taking you by surprise, that was for sure. You lowered the glass and blinked a couple of times, trying to pull yourself together.

“I’m sorry?”

“You heard me. Why did you break up with me if you were going to threaten a damn serial killer because he implied he might come after me?”

“I hope you know that normal exes don’t have these kind of conversations,” you tried to joke but he only raised his brows.

“Y/N.”

“Spencer,” you heaved a sigh “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think I do,” he said, his voice almost too low, “You just don’t want me to know what I’m talking about.”

“Listen, I know how it might look like but I can assure you I’d do it for any—“

“Garcia was with me while I was watching those tapes.”

Your eyes snapped up to his as your breath got caught in your throat. You swallowed thickly, painfully aware of how he was probably seeing all your tells but even that thought didn’t stop you from drumming your fingernails on the fragile glass you were holding, pursing your lips for a moment before you cleared your throat.

“What—um—what did she say?”

“You mean before or after she said you broke up with me to protect me even if I’m an FBI agent already working on this case?”

God damn it Garcia.

The thunder boomed outside again and you frantically tried to find the right words, but it felt impossible to do so. He took a step closer to you while you stared at him, completely frozen and you closed your eyes for a moment.

“Spencer…” you muttered as you opened your eyes again, “Whatever training they gave you, trust me, they didn’t train you for my father.”

“Is that why you said all that stuff back then?” he asked slowly, “When we broke up?”

“It doesn’t matter—“

“Yes it does.”

A sad smile pulled at your lips as you put your wine glass down, and shrugged your shoulders.

“I thought—um, I thought it I hurt you that badly, you’d never want to see me again,” you admitted, “So if you were away from me, you’d be safe. Away from my father, away from the copycat, away from all of this. Working on this case is not the same as being caught in this fucked up web, you know that.”

“You didn’t think you should’ve at least asked my opinion on this?”

“You would’ve said no.”

“Of course I would’ve said no!”

“Exactly!” you threw up your hands, “You might not care about your survival in this situation, but I do, okay? I love you too much to let you get hurt because of me—” as soon as your brain acknowledged what had just slipped from your lips, you stopped talking, your breathing getting faster while panic seemed to flood your system. He stared at you, a soft light appearing in his eyes and you shook your head at yourself.

“Fucking great,” you muttered, “Yeah, um you— I’m— it doesn’t matter. Do whatever you want to do with that information.”

You took a step to walk past him but he had already grabbed your arm and pulled you back. Before you could even ask him what he was doing, his lips found yours, letting that warmth shoot through your stomach into your whole system. The feeling was so sudden but so mind numbing that you thought Spencer was right before, this was definitely like a drug, an addiction. His fingers caressed over your neck while your body pressed against his like some sort of a magnet and a soft whine escaped from you as he pulled back slightly.

“Don’t run away,” he whispered against your lips “Not this time.”

You felt the tears rushing to your eyes. “Spencer-“

“I love you.”

“You shouldn’t,” you murmured before he stole another kiss from you.

“I love you,” he repeated, his hazel eyes locked in yours, “And I’m done pretending like I don’t.”

It was a bad idea. You knew it was a bad idea, you knew it would put him in danger, but none of that seemed to matter to you after hearing that he loved you. For some reason, you were convinced that you two would find a way, that everything would be alright as long as you loved each other, naïve as it was.

The happiness burst through you, wrapping you in a soft and warm haze as you reached back with one hand to sweep everything off the table, sending all the knives to the floor with a loud noise before you jumped to sit on the table. A small chuckle left his lips when you tugged at his jacket and he tilted his head.

“What, you don’t have a bed?” he taunted you and you grinned.

“The bed can wait,” you murmured as he dragged his fingertips up your bare legs to pull you closer to him, drawing a giggle from your lips before he kissed you again.

Chapter 24

[puckngrind]

Leave Her Wild: Chapter 17 - N. MacKinnon

Summary: MacKenzie hires Drew while Nate's season seems to ramp up.

Warnings: smut, swearing, human emotion, mention of injury, pandemic, I'm forgetting things as I didn't actually edit this.

Word count: 4,002

Series masterlist / Puck ‘n Grind’s masterlist

March.

Nathan’s strong forearms warp around Kenzie’s blanket. His lips find her temple. She moaned at his presence but kept typing away.

“Why are you out here and not in my bed?” Nate hops over the back of his couch to lay next to her. She looks over at him with a smile.

“Need to get the contract out.” Kenzie whispers her hands about the only thing exposed from the blanket burrito she created for herself. Nate’s hand tries to find the opening.

“Just tell me if you have anything under here or…”. Nate bites his lip as his finger tips find her unclothed core.

“Nathan Raymond!” She squirms lifting her hand to swat at him. “I need to finish this contract.” She leans down to kiss his depressed looking lips.

“You are actually letting me see it. That’s a first.” Nate eyes her screen then rolls his head to watch her.

“It’s Drew’s. You are gonna know anyway so it’s not a secret. He’s going out east to shadow me while you are in LA again.” Nate nods. “When I’m done you can press me against that window if ya want.” Kenzie clicks her tracking pad a few times. Nathan’s face shocked by her statement. “Mr. MacKinnon, your mouth is gonna catch flies if it remains open.” Kenzie barely takes her eyes away from the screen.

“I… I… Holy shit did you just? I mean. Damnit. I fucking love you.” Nate sits up. “You are forever keeping me on my toes Kenz. Never know what you are gonna say.” He gets up.

“I didn’t mean you had to move. I’ll be done in like 20 minutes. Please, stay.” Kenzie looks over at him. Her curls pointing in every direction imaginable.

“Well, that was hot as fuck and the only thing I’m gonna think about for the next 20 minutes so I’ll go play a video game and try to forget for now.” He kissed her lips making sure his hand was covering over his erection. Kenzie giggled at the sight of it. “You did that. You. I’ll be forgetting about the image you planted in my brain over there in the corner.” Nate grabs his discarded sweats from the night before as he walks away. Kenzie watches intently then goes back to working quietly humming to herself as she does.

She could hear Nate’s gaming rhetoric as she shut her laptop. With the blanket still fully around her, Kenzie toed towards him. He definitely didn’t hear her with his gaming headphones on. She in one swoop straddles him.

“Oh fuck. Kenz.” Nate’s eyes go wide. “Yeah bro, it’s my girl. I’m out.” Kenzie turns her head to see the live stream and the comments blowing up. Nate reaches around her taps a few things then removes his headset.

“You were…” Kenzie gulps and feels the heat in her cheeks.

“Streaming. Sorry, yeah. I should’ve told ya.” Nate’s hands graze down her back to rest on Kenzie’s hips. “Thankfully the blanket covered all of your body.” Nate’s lips attach to her neck.

“I… Nate…” Kenzie’s brain was running in overdrive as she tried to process.

“It’s okay. No one saw anything and there were only a few watching. Plus most everyone knows I have the best girl in the damn world.” Nate pulls Kenzie’s tense body into his chest. “Is your promise from earlier off the table now?”

“I turned on the fireplace so the windows wouldn’t be so cold.” Kenzie whispered the shock still apparent in her voice. “Do people record your streaming? Do you?”

“Sometimes. It’s super early and I didn’t announce anything so mainly just some Europeans stuck at home.” Nate’s words were comforting. “I mean, I don’t hate that they know you cannot get enough of me.” His laugh radiates.

“Funny Nate. That thing is off, right?” Kenzie turns her attention to his gaming set up. Nate nods. She slinks down to her knees pulling his boxers and sweats off with a little lift from Nate. Kenzie’s hand grabs the base and looks up at him. His eyes trained on her every move. Kenzie’s lips find the tip as she makes her tongue and hand meet. Kissing back up until she takes him fully in her mouth.

“Oh Babe.” Nate grips the sides of his chair while Kenzie works him. Her cheeks hollow then pops off him. She looks up with a smile.

“Shall I continue or do you want to finish over there? As promised…” Her finger motions to the wall of windows. Nate stands picking Kenzie up as he does. “Well that’s my answer.” She giggles as Nate grunts.

He presses her back to the window. Kenzie looks to the side to see the street below. Not a sole in sight being it was so early. Nate’s lips sucking on that spot above her collarbone that made Kenzie weak.

“No one can see us. There is a mirrored film on the outside, member?” Nate’s hands shift Kenzie’s weight easily making her shout out. “Now I can let you go and take care of business or….”

“Fuck me Nate.” Kenzie interjects. “Please!”

Nate shifts their bodies again so he can lower her right on his cock. His hips shift causing both to moan.

“You feel amazing Kenz.” Nate whispers in her ear as his hips snap again. “Please tell me you are close” he begs. Kenzie doesn’t say anything but wiggles her fingers in between their bodies to find her clit. Nate places one hand on the glass keeping the other at her ass to make sure she doesn’t fall. The two worked together to hit their highs. Kenzie’s back squeaked on the glass making the couple breathlessly laugh.

“How about we shower then go back to bed for a few?” Nate wraps his arms around Kenzie and stands up with her still attached to him.

“I can walk damnit.” Kenzie wiggles trying to use the sweat in her favor.

“Just let me carry you, my Love.” Nate kisses her to stop the protest.

"Do you think your cleaning lady will know that's my ass print on the window?" Kenzie looks back at the outline of her back on the window Nate just had her pressed against.

"I'll wipe it down later." Nate kept walking back to his room with a laugh.

The world seemed to be crumbling around them when March rolled in. Everything in the news was about shutdowns, the CDC recommendations, and what could happen in the US. Kenzie was packing up for her trip to New York where Drew was shadowing her.

"Maybe you should just cancel your trip." Nate watched her move from her luggage on laying next to him, to the closet then bathroom.

"Maybe I shouldn't go?" Kenzie placed her hands on her hips and looked down at him. It as about the only time she towered over him.

"Yeah, have you seen the news? You are going into one of the busiest cities for a meeting that you could do over a phone call." Nate looks up at Kenzie's not so happy face. "Kenz?"

"Why don't you not go to what, Vancouver, San Jose, and LA? What happens if you get stuck in Canada, eh? Your Canadian citizenship means shit to my country?" Kenzie bites her tongue in anger.

"Kenz, that's not what I meant." Nate shuffles to his feet and pulls Kenzie's tense body into him. "I meant, I'm worried about you. That's all." Nate brushes her curls out of her face.

"I'll be fine Nathan." Kenzie looks up at him, the annoyance still in her eyes.

"I know you will be fine. You are the strongest woman I know. You know what your dad told me when I first met him, right?" Nate moves so his forehead was pressed against hers.

"Nope." She pops the p remembering the conversation but not wanting to admit she was listening in.

"He told me to leave you wild. Let you be you. Don't try to change you or conform you to what I want. He told me that if I don't want you for you, I need to find someone else." Nate moves his hand to her jaw. "Here is the thing, I've done that. Well I think I have..."

"You have." Kenzie whispers.

"But I want to think that you need me sometimes. Would love if you sometimes let me take care of you. To let me be worried about you going to a giant ass city when a global epidemic is happening around us." Nate runs his thumb across her cheek as he lifts up to look MacKenzie in the eyes.

"Pandemic. And I do." She tilts her head into his hand.

"Do you?" He squinted. His hand sliding to the back of her neck.

"I do. I love you. You have let me be me and we've grown together, have we not?" Kenzie turned the questions back to him.

"We have. And if you want me to not play, I can stay back." Nate's fingers creep up her scalp.

"Nate, I would never ask you to not play for me." Kenzie leans into his touch. "Now if you don't stop I'd need to repack that bag because it will be knocked off the bed." Kenzie closes her eyes. Nate leans in to kiss her. The same way he kissed her in Washington when they weren't even dating yet. The way he kissed her when words weren’t enough. Like he was never letting her go. "Nate." She mumbled biting at his lip. His lips slowly pull away.

"Fine. I'll finish that later." He hums then hops back on the bed to watch Kenzie pack.

Drew and Kenzie flew into JFK as Nate and the Avs flew into Vancouver. She prepped him the whole flight, taxi ride, and dinner. Drew only got a break when they watched Nate play and lose in Vancouver. The late game and work caused both of them to fall asleep before the end. The next morning, Kenzie kicked Drew out to his room across the hall so they could have their first morning meeting that lead to the bigger one on Monday. After the meeting, Kenzie took off down the street without a word to Drew.

"Where are you taking me now? Do you realize it's Saturday? Talk about baptism by fire. Damn." He shouted with a laugh.

"This way. Lunch! Aren't you hungry?" Kenzie looks up then pulls her curl in between her fingers as she determines which way to go.

"Starving... but I always am." Drew grabs her hand. "Mac, slow down!" He pulls her towards him as a bike cuts the corner hard. Swearing as they do.

"Thanks Drew! I haven't been in the city in awhile." She looked both ways then popped into a small bodega.

"This is a grocery store." Drew tries to stop her again.

"Yup, this way." She points to a door that leads to a small restaurant that resembles Gus's pizzeria. She nods at the cashier then slips into the booth.

"Well that meeting was interesting." Drew finally blurts out.

"Yeah, think you can handle Monday? They might ask us to stay Tuesday too. Just depends really. You can back out. I'll find another position for you..." Kenzie bites her lip as her mind and eyes race.

"Mac, I'll be fine." Drew placed his hand over Kenzie's hand.

"Oh, yeah." She flicked at his palm. "Do you want to be called Andrew or Drew? I strictly go by MacKenzie if these type of meetings." She swished around her water in the glass looking at Drew's face.

"Drew is fine and I'm sure I'll fuck up and call you Mac. I'm gonna apologize now for that." He shifted his attention to the window and street. "How do you find these places by the way?"

"Gus taught me well and years of travel make me want to explore beyond the mainstream." Kenzie snapped her fingers at him to refocus on the meeting strategy they had.

"Boss lady Mac is maybe even tougher than running mate..." Her phone rings and Drew stops talking.

"Hey Nate!" Kenzie winks at Drew.

"Happy to report that my Canadian ass is back in the states." Nate chuckled, Kenzie could hear the chirps around him.

"Well I'm glad but you could've just texted me, ya know?" She bit her lip and Drew rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, just needed to assess how your meeting went and text doesn't help." Nate admits.

"Well. Drew is a pro but don't tell him that." She wrinkles her nose at him.

"Well tell him I said hello and to take care of my girl while you are there. I'll call you after we get off the ice in San Jose. Love you." Nate's voice was low and muffled.

"Love you too Babe." She hangs up the phone with Drew making gagging noises.

"I thought the honeymoon phase was over with the heart eyes and stuff... yet I just witnessed that. To the group chat!" He pointed up his finger as he started to text. He flicks his finger on his phone a few times with a crease in his forehead.

"Um, have we forgotten how to spell? M-o-s-i." Kenzie mocks.

"No, remember how to do that I just have a jump in my social media following. I maybe get one a week and it's usually someone wanting me to join their bitcoin team." Drew didn't look up from his phone.

"Hmmm. Well it could be a few things. You are now on my team's website and there was an announcement sent out to all current clients." Kenzie pulls her curl again letting it bounce in her face. "Let's finish eating and then head back to the hotel. M'kay?"

Monday's meeting was there before Kenzie and Drew knew it. Wild flowers showed up at her hotel room door with a note from Nate. She breathed them in then looked at the time. No way he would be up on the West coast and she knew he would answer if she texted him. The meeting was at two so she knocked on Drew's door to take a run. She giggled when he was already dressed to go.

"I know you Mac. Nervous energy means extra runs. Let's go. Could we do some site seeing on this loop?" Drew started at the stairs with a laugh that echoed.

"Shhhh! I like this hotel and they WILL ban me if you act up!" She hip checked him through the door. The city almost seemed abandoned for the Big Apple. Kenzie lead them bobbing and weaving through different areas so Drew could see the sites. She made him run up and down the library steps and snapped a picture when he did the Rocky move at the top. They were relaxed which is exactly what they needed.

The meeting went smoothly. Drew charmed the executives as Kenzie hit home the main points. She was thankful when the handshakes at the end were happening that she even had the idea of Drew joining her team. It was the right choice. She Facetimed Nate who was done with morning skate. Drew piped in to assure Nate they would stay up to watch the game even with the late start. Nate made Kenzie promise if she was tired or got wind they would need to meet the board again that she wouldn't stay up. She crossed her fingers and nodded before they said their goodbyes.

She knew the board would want to meet with them again. She was glad they booked their flight home Wednesday morning even though Nate would be home Tuesday. The email came right before puck drop.

"Tomorrow, 3pm. Same place." She plopped on the bed next to Drew. "How's the New York pizza?" She watches as he shoves more in his mouth.

"I still don't know how you do it with the food but this is amazing." Drew points to the screen. "I see your man." Kenzie's eyes find Nate easily. The focus had been on him. She loved seeing how cool and collected he was under presser. The calculated Nathan MacKinnon knew exactly how to get his team where they needed to be.

"They really do like talking about him, don't they?" Kenzie asks more as a rhetorical question.

"You know if Gabe doesn't resign he'll be Captain, right?" Drew answers.

"Where did that come from?"

"I've been doing some reading. That's all. Interesting stuff out there in the hockey media world. Lot's of what ifs. It's fascinating." Drew shrugs his shoulders. The two banter as the game goes on. In the second period Kenzie jumps off the bed.

"Where is he?" She gets close to the television searching.

"His line isn't out." Drew comments.

"NO! He's not on the bench. Have they said ANYTHING?" She looks over at Drew is scrambles to get his phone in his hand. "OH MY..." Kenzie puts her hand over her mouth as the announcer notices Nathan's absence on the bench. "Did he get hurt? He doesn't just leave. I need answers!" Drew's hands come to the side of her shoulders.

"Let's sit down and listen to them talk. I'm googling. Go ahead and text Nate. If he's in the room he might answer or someone else might." Drew moves with his hands still on Kenzie's shoulders. He has her sit on the chair then turns up the volume on the tv.

"The replay shows nothing out of the ordinary. Has he been dealing with anything?" Drew looked over. Kenzie felt all the blood leave her face.

"No, not really. I mean, bumps and bruises. A scratch here and there but nothing he's told me." She starts to type out a text as her phone rings.

"Hey Babe." Nate's voice is strained.

"Are you okay? Why are you not on the ice? I... I... I..." Kenzie starts to stand to pace.

"I'm okay. Can you hand the phone to Drew, Baby? Please." Nate grunts. Drew takes the phone from her hand.

"Yeah. For sure. Okay. Anything else? Yeah, that works. Don't worry about it. Hold on." Is all Kenzie heard before Drew was handing her the phone back.

"I love you and I'll see you soon. Okay?" Nate goes to end the call.

"I love you too Nate." Her eyes go wide as she sees Drew typing away on his phone. She ends the call and looks up at him.

"So I lied to your boyfriend." Drew announces. "Do you think I can handle this meeting alone?" He doesn't look up.

"What do you mean lied?" Kenzie waves her hand in his face knowing she doesn't have the strength to take his phone out of his hands.

"Well, I promised I'd keep you here and make sure you put your job first. He's heading home tonight and has a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning." Drew looks up.

"What the what?" Kenzie's mouth dropped open.

"Do you think I can handle the meeting?" Drew's voice was stern.

"I mean, yeah. It's to get to know you. And really, would be good to see you standing on your own." Kenzie breathed through her nose.

"Good. So pack what you need and I'm taking you to the airport. I just booked you a redeye back to Denver." Drew flashed his phone at her.

"You did what?" Kenzie feels the emotion in her throat.

"What do we need to pack here? What can I take or need? Let's move it Mac." Drew claps and the two step into gear.

Her flight felt like eternity. She found Mosi and a very tired Remy waiting for her at the airport. She hugged them both tight.

"Their flight should be getting in now. Where are we taking you?" Mosi squeezes Kenzie's hand.

"His place. I have a key." She whispered. The whole ride to Nathan's condo Remy and Mosi filled Kenzie's head with crazy stories. Mosi has so many classroom stories she could write a book. Remy had gone home for Mardi Gras and was reminiscing about the good times and when he first took Kenzie.

"Good luck Kenzie Lou." Remy wrapped her up and kissed the top of her head.

"Let us know if you need anything." Mosi assured her as Kenzie backed up from the car.

She made her way up to his place. It was dark so she knew she beat him. Placing her bag in his room she returned to the door opening. In walks Tyson and Cale with Nate staggering between them.

"Boys, I got him." She appeared out of the darkness of the hall. Tyson smirked at her. Nate's sad eyes couldn't quite focus on her. She closed the distance and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hey." She whispered.

"Why are you here?" Nate raises his eyebrow.

"You." She pecks his cheek and says her goodbyes to the boys. "Now, this injury. Is it hockey or sex related?" She smirks.

"Kenz!" He shakes his head at her.

"Both?" She laughs.

"I told Drew you needed to stay." Nate hobbles towards the hall.

"And we decided I needed to be here." Kenzie moves his arm around her neck while her arm slinks around his waist.

"Kenzie. Seriously, it's not that bad." Nate argues.

"Says the man limping."

"Yeah, yeah." Nate stops and turns towards her. He presses his hand on her lower back bringing Kenzie in close. "Thank you."

"Thank you?" Kenzie replies.

"Yeah, for choosing me." He dips down to kiss her lips.

"Oh, I wish the boys heard that sap right there!" Kenzie giggled into his lips.

"Yeah, they hear it all the time." Nate admits.

"I don't even wanna know, do I?" Kenzie starts to walk further down the hallway.

"Um, well..."

"Don't answer that Nate." She snaps. "Let's get you stripped from your flight and into bed, kay?"

"Oh, sexy talk there!" He drew out his words.

"Did they give ya anything at the rink, huh?" Kenzie felt his weight in her. She placed him on the bed to undress slowly.

"Yup but I don't feel it." Nate tires to take off his shirt but she finishes it.

"Sure ya don't. Let's just slip into bed. I'll make sure not to cuddle you too much. No funny business tonight." Kenzie slips off her sweatshirt and leggings. She slips under the covers with him in just her camisole and undies.

"You are gonna tell me not to touch you when you look like that?" Nate lifts up the covers. "Really?"

"Nathan. I'll go put on a parka or sleep in the other room." Kenzie's voice was stern.

"Fine. Light petting? Kissing?" He wagged his eyebrows. She pecked him on the lips.

"Good Night Nathan." Kenzie rolled over to turn off the light.

"Fine. I'll just spoon you." Nate cuddled in making a noise of comfort when he found the perfect spot. "Thank you again." He cooed in her ear.

"You keep saying that."

"I mean it."

"I know you do. Get some sleep Nate. We have a doctor to see in the morning. I love you."

"Fine. I love you too." He huffed before finding the rest he needed.

[lostgirlrewatch]

1x11 - Faetal Justice (gettin real tired of your puns, Michelle, jk I never will)

Written by: Peter Mohan

Directed by: Robert Lieberman

Original Air Date: November 28, 2010

Oops. I missed a week. Sorry :( I’m back with episode 1x11.

Dyson gets framed for murdering some Dark Fae, and the gang has to prove him innocent.

Hey, remember the club, guys? Remember what that was like? Also Vex is back. Yay.

I wish my kitchen looked that fancy. I can’t keep vegetables that fresh. Their setup only looks like it will produce tasty food, though, because apparently they can’t cook for shit.

I am excited enough to see Hale that I took this screenshot for no reason.

But anyway, Bo and Kenzi are of course investigating the crime, as they do, while Dyson invokes sanctuary back at the Dal. Which basically means that Trick clears the whole bar out and lets Dyson hang out there for some amount of time where the Dark Fae can’t immediately come after him for killing one of their own.

They end up back at the club that Dyson woke up next to, which is Vex’s club. They start to suspect Vex may have something to do with framing Dyson for the murder. I can’t imagine why.

Vex makes a comment about how “another killer in the room (Bo) adds to the excitement,” to which Kenzi fiercely replies that Bo isn’t a killer. Vex is skeptical, considering how many people she has killed over the years, and suggests that he and Bo compare “scores.”

That hit below the belt.

Evony arrives at the Dal to pick up Dyson, in spite of sanctuary, because she has decided that the rules don’t apply to her. “Just think of me as a VIP,” she says. “I do.”

What a queen. Listen, is she wrong? Do the rules apply to Evony? Need they?

She has such queen energy that I love every time she shows up, even if she does absolutely nothing except make snarky comments. You have to appreciate the dominating energy of the woman in charge of the entire darker half of the supernatural underworld. She eventually backs off though.

Meanwhile, to Bo’s surprise, Lauren shows up at the precinct to discuss the case with her and Hale. (Hale invited her, and didn’t think to tell either of them that the other would be there, because he has no idea what’s going on between them.)

Bo is still pissed as fuck. I didn’t bother getting a screenshot, but the glare she gives Lauren is just as withering as it was last time.

So Lauren does...science-y stuff, I guess. I don’t really listen to what she’s saying when she talks about her science shit. I think Lauren is suggesting that Dyson turn himself in to the Dark Fae, though? So they can compare bite marks or something? Okay, I just rewatched the scene. Lauren suggests that Dyson turn himself in and wait while they go through a whole forensics analysis of the scene to determine his innocence (not acknowledging the possibility that evidence against Dyson may have been planted). Bo is like, “fuck no.” Lauren claims that in spite of the fact that she and Dyson “haven’t always been on the best of terms,” she is “actually trying to help here.”

It doesn’t end well. It’s awkward.

Hmm...*narrows eyes* Wait.

Stick around, Lauren fans. You’ll love this. I’m analyzing Lauren.

Lauren’s solutions to problems are always very...clinical. They’re clinical without fail, often to the point of being...not good solutions.

Lauren’s solution to Dyson’s problem--being accused of murder--is to have him turn himself in so that they can run tests and have the evidence prove him innocent. This is such a clearly half-assed idea, I don’t even really know why she suggested it. This idea is like if you could not care less about Dyson or this entire situation at all but you were dragged into being a part of the brainstorming session and you were forced to contribute something. It scans as laziness. Like either Lauren’s brain is too exhausted to put any energy whatsoever into trying to help Dyson, or she actually doesn’t care about him at all and is only there out of obligation and because of Bo. Hm.

Lauren’s solutions to problems don’t just rely on science, I get she’s a scientist and those are the skills she brings to the table. She goes a step farther. Her solutions are always devoid of emotion. Think about why that is.

I mean, turning Dyson in to the Dark Fae is objectively a terrible idea, first of all because they would one hundred percent immediately string him up and torture him for information. (Which is exactly what they do later in the episode!) Lauren is not stupid. She’s a smart gal. She should know this. If she knows that Dyson would be tortured, why would she suggest he turn himself in unless she has absolutely no emotional investment in his physical or mental wellbeing whatsoever? Again, it’s a clinical solution that treats the people involved as though they are pieces in a puzzle.

Second of all, Lauren suggests they run a bunch of tests and rely on forensic evidence to determine whether or not Dyson is innocent. She says, “Hopefully [the animal hairs on the body] won’t match Dyson’s DNA, and hopefully we’ll get [the results] on time.” 

“That’s way too many ‘hopefully’s,” Bo snaps back.

Lauren doesn’t seem that concerned with whether the hairs do or don’t match Dyson’s DNA. I mean, “hopefully” they won’t, but she is content to take the risk, let the situation play out, and let the evidence speak.

But she is also completely ignoring the possibility that even if the evidence incriminates Dyson, it might have been planted there by whoever is trying to frame him. What then? There would be no way to prove that it was planted in time--the Dark Fae would instantly execute him, and no one could stop them because he’d be in their custody. Even a cursory review of Lauren’s half-assed, not-thought-out plan reveals that it’s past risky and more in the realm of stupid.

So you tell me. I’m more interested in hearing what anyone else has to say about her than writing what I think. What is the deal with Lauren? Why is she like this? Is she so cold and unfeeling that she doesn’t have any concern for the physical and emotional wellbeing of others? Does she just not give a fuck about Dyson specifically? Or is she so burnt out and exhausted by the mental strain of her job and her enslavement that she can’t summon any emotional energy whatsoever, and has to completely rely on cold logic to offer anything at all?

I said Lauren fans would like this because I was analyzing her, but I neglected to mention that I would also be dunking on her. Sorry if you were duped. I feel like I offered her a way out at the end there, though. Give me all your pro-Lauren arguments if you feel so inclined.

Anyway, Bo and Hale have a nice little mini-conversation afterwards. Hale confesses that he once thought Bo might be bad for Dyson, that she’d break his heart or he’d destroy himself for her.

He tells her he was wrong, and that she’s “the real deal.” How sweet.

The only witness to the crime is apparently this human girl named Porscha, who reminds Kenzi a lot of herself. Porscha is also young, on the streets, and a runaway from a bad home situation. 

I don’t really care about her or like her as a character, but I do appreciate that her presence prompts Kenzi to drop a few more tidbits of information about her past here and there. For instance, she mentions that she’s been on her own since she was 15, which seems like a long time but is actually only like four years because Kenzi is 19 and therefore a literal baby. 

More interesting is this exchange. Porscha comments that it must be nice that Kenzi and Bo have each other. Kenzi responds a little awkwardly. She agrees that it is nice, but then she says that she’s still getting used to it. She’s still getting used to “being noticed.” Because when she was at home, she says, it was always better to not be noticed. “That’s when things got ugly.”

Yeah. So as if we didn’t already know, Kenzi comes from an abusive home. A home that was so awful that it was better to run away and be on the streets at 15. Then she was completely alone for four years, and homeless for that entire time. 

Think about it. Living with Bo like this must feel so odd. Kenzi has never lived in a house with another person before where it actually felt like a home and she actually felt safe. The way she sort of averts her eyes, tenses a little bit when she says she’s still getting used to it (Ksenia is fantastic as always by the way) is such a realistic portrayal of a response to recovery from trauma.

The way I like to think of it is this. Going from being in a long-term traumatic situation to being in a safe and loving situation is kind of like putting a frostbitten hand in warm water. Warming it up is good, it’s healing, but when your hand is so used to being cold, warming it up is going to hurt like hell. Recovering from trauma is kind of like that. Good things can hurt, especially when you’re not used to them.

But it doesn’t hurt quite so bad for Kenzi that she’s ready to flee and go back to being alone the streets, which is what is familiar to her. It just seems like it’s mildly uncomfortable. And that’s good. Because it means she can get used to being loved and having a family.

Jesus, why am I writing these things every week, they’re so long. LMAO help

So the episode ends with the reveal that it was the bartender all along! GASP! Side note: the whole reason this episode happened is because this bartender, who is clearly an adult man (physically in his 20s or 30s but actually much older since I assume he’s Fae?) was apparently “in love” with the human girl Porscha, who, based on her conversations with Kenzi, is definitely supposed to be a teenager. And also based on her conversations with Kenzi, Porscha has even “stayed over a few times” at his place. Can you say creepy? Adult man taking advantage of a young girl on the street who has no family and nowhere else to go? Grooming her? Just saying.

In a moment that I find somewhat disturbing and rather cold, the main gang all walk out and leave the bartender to be (most likely) brutally tortured and murdered by Vex and the Morrigan. That’s him up there. I mean, I know the Dark Fae are a practically untouchable political powerhouse, and there’s not really anything Bo and the others could do, but still. They totally just left this guy to his death.

But significantly, the episode ends with Bo and Dyson sharing a kiss, as they reaffirm their feelings for one another, and seemingly enter an official romantic relationship.

Oh boy! How cute. :) I wonder what’s next for these two.

Surely not heartbreak and suffering?

Big plot developments of the episode: Bo and Dyson are (it’s implied) officially an item now. This is Bo’s first legit committed relationship in the series. #dybo #neverforgetwhereitallbegan #rip #F and respect to the two people and a potato chip who like this ship #will this actually tag this post

[skyystars]

oc info about all my ethermourne stuff below the cut, if anyones interested! it is. a lot. 

edit: after writing this what the fuck thats so much- if you have any questions about them please dont hesitate to ask but i would not blame you if you took one look at this post and ran HSJDFH there’s like 35 listed and thats still not all of them. zoinks

ethermourne is your typical dnd esque world. theres two kinds of people in the world, commonfolk and enchanted, and enchanted are people that can use various forms of magic. in the current story, a secret underground rebellion is going on against the kingdom, in order to free enchanted and bring justice to the world. theres a million and one characters here so bear w me. all characters belonging to my friends are marked with a *

on the black rock pirate ship,

captain shining - a fierce and protective leader. human. she’d do anything for her crew. commonfolk. damn near unstoppable with a sword. lifelong partner to orion ethermourne

johnathan bramwell - the first mate. human. quiet and reserved but goofy when he opens up. storm mage. lover of the sky- hates being in crowded areas on land. intelligent, loves to read and write letters. eventual boyfriend to nordwood thatch

aspen* (no lastname i dont think?) - boatswain. human. somber and stoic, a bit detached. big on family. half blind. ice mage. acts as a father figure to delphi

calvin - carpenter. old soul. human. does a lot of the heavy lifting for the ship. excellent storyteller. fire mage. usually brings some sort of wisdom or moral to someone on the ship.

nellie - cooper. human. misses her family, but has a heart of gold for the ship. scottish- often times hard to understand. ability to turn invisible. has a crush on tobi

galen* - doctor. timid and polite. wants to help people, will sacrifice his own health and safety to look after someone else. human(?). necromancer. arrived on the ship with enmea and quickly became like a brother to kaido

delphi - gunner. a young girl, easily excitable and a bit of a romantic. human. looks out for the people her age on the ship, acts sisterly to them. able to read a few moments into the future. 

kaido - navigator. young, free spirited, reckless. human. flight and telekinesis. eager to fight or find adventure. causes trouble. protects enmea like a younger sister, and is looked after by galen, who he eventually accepts as an older brother.

enmea* - powder monkey. goblin, steals and bargains with the crew for fun but never means any real harm. witty and sarcastic. illusion and misdirection magic. especially loves to bother bramwell and nordwood with her antics. 

faine* - cook. satyr. loves to be the life of a party. has lived many years and mostly achieved peace but like, loves to dick around. plantaemancer. has a big crush on aspen. 

nordwood percival thatch* - bard. half sun elf. cocky, expensive tastes, confidence, and flirty. magic can summon figures of light/magic to do his bidding/can impact emotions of people in vicinity. hopelessly in love with bramwell.

-

on land,

artemis ethermourne - the king of the empire. sun elf. main antagonist. commonfolk. younger brother of orion and husband to rietta

orion ethermourne - original leader of the rebellion. sun elf. warlock (jack of all trades), considered one of the most powerful of his time. was publicly executed by his brother when caught. left apprentice muriel in charge. partner of shining.

muriel becker* (murr) - aasimar enchanted. missing his halo due to an incident he doesnt mention. wants to become skilled in magic and art. raven symbolism- along with having his own companion raven, keeha. very tired and stressed. secretly dating amaris.

amaris hayles* (mars) - hunter/scout, commonfolk. drow/moon elf. dry humor, but a lot goes over his head. responsible and caring, looks out for much of the rebellion. doesnt talk much. dating muriel.

chevel troubleice - inventor, commonfolk. human. low self esteem but he’s Trying. interested in alchemy and learns more about magic through his teacher, murr.

evercon archer - enchanted rebel scout. wood elf. air magic. considers himself a loner. nomadic, feigns a know-it-all attitude. doesnt like cities. under technical responsibility of amaris. eventually falls for woodrow.

tuka archer - enchanted rebel worker. wood elf. fire mage. responsible for helping safe travel for other through the woods. fur trader. big social personality, loves people and doesnt care too much what anyone thinks of him. brother to evercon and eventual lover to phinehas.

phinehas* - aasimar. i assume hes enchanted but now im actually not... sure....???? omg. anyway he’s soft, kindhearted and a poet. loves to write and is into theater. level headed for the most part. in love with tuka, ex of murr but on good terms!! theyre still friends

woodrow jace andes* - enchanted tiefling bard. extremely sad but makes jokes to cope. sad jokes. the kind that make everyone else uncomfortable. necromancer. lives in a fucking dragon skeleton which is kind of badass. is embarrassingly soft for evercon.

vaughn hayles* - moon elf. idk if he’s enchanted or nah. protector, guardian, soft spoken. looks after a village, family means a lot to him (despite being unmarried). amaris’ dad.

elena bramwell - human, commonfolk, deceased. was small and determined. bram remembers her fondly, and recalls that she enjoyed music and dance, as well as having a talent for making flowercrowns and storytelling. bramwell’s mother. 

tobi* - tavernkeep. commonfolk. he is liddol and irish and knows how to play the banjo. has a massive crush on nellie. i love him dearly

-

on the sundancer pirate ship,

captain sylvan skybridge - enchanted human. light magic. is very tired but patient with his crew. false confidence has kept him going for almost a decade and hes not stopping now. only slightly concerned about... everyone on his ship

paige* - first mate. commonfolk witch, able to just barely cast spells and enchant objects. jack-of-all-trades, cunning, and incredibly clever at problem solving. mothers the crew if anyones in need. has a crush on michael.

michael grey* - doctor. commonfolk? enchanted? we just don’t know. a little disillusioned with reality. can see ghosts and has a small gang that follows him everywhere. sylvan and paige are the only crew members hes vaguely familiar with. has a crush on paige. **note: michael has 4 ghosts that follow him but im not listing them here just yet hh

ashton everett* - gunner. commonfolk human. fearless, exhausted of the shenanigans, genuinely just looking for a hot siren girlfriend and dismantling the monarchy. 

oscar* - boatswain. chaotic, will start a fight- but hes pretty terrible at getting himself out of trouble. needs tucked in at night. inseparable from lew.

lew* - boatswain. calm, collected, used to oscar’s antics. helps take care of the ship, has a turtle. 

rhubarb* - cook. human enchanted. plant powers. just trying to get along with everybody. don’t insult his cooking he’s trying his hardest. probably the oldest on the ship.

waverly* - enchanted human. like a bird selkie, can turn into a raven. spends a lot of her time this way. escaped from a traveling circus and joined the crew to help free others like her. 

cloud* - siren. tried to bring down the sundancers crew to prove herself, failed miserably and ended up liking them all. flirts relentlessly but is god awful at it. 

-

additional notes:

-some of them exist in a modern au, mainly involving bram/nord/mars/murr as a ghost hunting gang who always finds themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. bram and mars form a brotherly bond over time. in modern au elena is discovered to be alive. vaughn winds up falling in love with her (it is very cute).

-i often draw sylvan and captain ryan of the silent requiem. this pirate ship belongs to my friend sept and is placed in her own world, so none of that crew is mine ;w; most of their shenanigans are in a crossover state where a very sylvan begs ryan to teach him what to do as a captain, and ryan looks after him like a son (though he’d fucken deny it). young syl is far too curious for his own good and gets into trouble a lot. sorry dad

creds: galen, aspen, enmea, faine, nord, murr, mars, tobi, phinehas, woodrow, vaughn, and paige are all characters that belong to my friend bee. michael grey belongs to my friend jake. ashton belongs to my friend rueben.  oscar and lew belong to my friend kenzie. rhubarb belongs to my friend pasta. waverly belongs to my friend cal. cloud belongs to my friend sara. 

[its-3am-sadness]

getting lost up in the past— this is what I found

Friday February 1st, 2013:

ugh..im sitting in third hour..i wanna cry, but i cant theres to many people..

can anyone really save me? ..no.. noone ever can.. i just wanna be happy, truely always happy.. )': ughhhhhhhhhhhh! i gotta go..

Monday February 4th, 2013:

holy shit that was a longg weekend.. i almost cut saturday.. i got a new razor & everythingg.. Jake told me to go chuck itt in the snow, soo i did, but then on sunday i went & found itt.. soo i have itt in my ipod case like my other one.

I stayed up till 3 saturday nightt watching 'Enchanted' i love that movie now (: and i sent Jake a 7 and a 9 page text.. he was asleep though..but his best friend is a girl & i have nothing at all against that, i don't have a reason to hate her at all, i havent even met her, but i still am so super jealous.. i hate that they hang out and slepover together and i dont know, i trust him.. but look what happend with the last guy, i trusted him with all my heart, i never thought he would cheat on me and he ended up fucking his ex-girlfriend and lying about it.. im so scared.. i dont wanna be here.. i was thinking saturday & yesterday how i wish i was single just so i don't have to be so paranoid..but i love being around Jake that i wouldnt dream of ending it..

Shawntay said i should tell him about how i feel with him & his besty, but i idont wanna be the dumb bitchy girlfriend who is all 'you cant talk to girls-blahh blahh blahhk' shitt, ya know?? So ima just leave it to myself because i don't care..

im really trying not to cut.. Tabby (my ex's girlfriend) told me that it takes 21 days to break a habbit & we both last cut on the 22nd, soooo we'll see how that goes..

on wednesday it'll be me & jake's 4 months.. & next thursday is valenitines (how ever you spell itt) day and i wanna get him something.. hmm..

my tits now have names.. right one is Adam & the left is Ryder (:

I love him, my baby. <3 soo much.. </3

Wednesday February 6th, 2013:

today is 4 months with my baby!! i love him sooo much. dude. <3 he is so amazingg. i just want to push him in the snow and kiss him and be crazy. i am crazy about him.. like super crazy aboutt him. <3 i dont wantt him to be taken awayyy! ):

Hunter said he was going to ask me out last week on friday on the bus.. god he's a douche.. he broke my heart so many countless times and just left.. and my ex. my good lord, he is such a dick. im sick of them both fucking with my head and heart. ive moved on and it Shawntay's words 'have a new life with a better guy'.. god i love her. i dont know where i would be right now if it werent for her.. <3 i love you shawny'z forever <3

Friday February 8th, 2013:

well..i almost cut last nightt, i didnt but i was aboutt to.. im not taking my meds, im just throwing them in a bag & ima sell them.. they weren't working anyway soo..

Im seriously so sccared that Jake's going to leave me.. even though he says he's not going to an yada yada yada, but still.. im paranoid.. it's just who i am... i love him with all my heart though.. ya know??

im diguesting..im a whore..a damn slut.. in love with a guy who prolly cant stand me.. im fucking pathetic.. why..why..why would, HOW could anyone like me, or put up with me.. i mean, what the hell..im a little ugly bitch. a fat, pathetic, stupid, idiotic, loud, sluty little damn bitch...fuckkkkkkkk.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuckfuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuckfuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuckfuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuckfuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.fuck.

Monday February 11th,2013:

well..i hate myself. terribly. fucking. little. cunt. thats what i am. a fucking bitch. a pussy, more like a pair of balls.. pussy's are actually quite strong.. so im a pair of balls. GROSS!.. i like pussy better.. whatever. so anyway.. i hate how much of a bitch i am. im so mean to everyone. im not good enough for shawntay. i dont deserve jake and i feel like i treat both of them like shit.. i dont mean to. they're both my whole world..damn.. i couldnt live with out both of them.. i really couldnt.

Conversation on Saturday Night:

me: how isn't it? if you go then you wont have to worry about me.

Jake: ill worry more

me:no

Jake: yeah i will

Me:no

Jake: why cant i?

me: Because..you just cant. you shouldnt. its not worth it.Never. You should leave before you get hurt.

Jake: this isnt about right now anymore is it?

me: i guess not..

Jake: cause ive told you before im not leaving unless you stop loving me ima be here for you until you dont want me to and ima be with you till you break up with me, i love you and im gonna stay through thick and thin. you wont hurt me. You wont.

Baby i friken love you and i wanna be with you no matter what im yous i dont want anyone else but you and im gonna stay okay?

Me: i hurt everyone. i want to be with you. i am in love with you. but i am so hard and difficult. i push every single person away because i just tear people down. i dont want to do that. You are so amazing and that cant die.

how can i call that mine? that is a way to good for me kindda guy.. ive fallen in love with him. but he is way to good for me.

Tuesday February 12, 2013:

i almost cut last night.. i lost it and i started crying terribly. my mother is such a damn bitch. i cant handle her anymore.. she's having surgary on the 25th of this month.. but shes forcing me to appologise for being 'rude' to my brothers wife.. fuck that.. she told me i didnt appriciate anyone.. you dont tell someone who hates themself, who seriously cant stand to look at herself or hear herself, you DONT TELL THEM THAT THEYRE NOT FUCKING APPRICATIVE! what the hell.. so i have anger issues so i flipped out, not to her, just annonmusly over facebook & shes not even my friend on there so fuck her. seriously. and my mother is sticking up for HER, an not ME. bitch.. i have enough shit i dont need to deal with this, its from over a month ago.. i hate my mother.. she fucking came running downstairs screaming at me for taking something that i really didnt.. i didnt even know what she was talking about.. why... im always to blame. FUCK HER! god... she makes me want to kill myself. she thinks that i look up to her and that she's this perfect little angel and does everything for me.. but all she does is make me feel like shit.. i mean we have our moments that we get along an laugh an are friends. when we're friends we're totally fine, but than she turns in to over protective bitch mode.. i hate itt.. i dont wanna stay after school to get extra help.. and shes fucking making me. i hate it. i hate her. i want to get the fuck away. HELP ME! i need to be saved.

Wednesday February 13th, 2013:

theres not a lot of time to write here today...i only got about 3 minutes.. but damn.. i wanna die.. im not going to stopo myself tonight if i wanna cut. i gotta do it.. its to hard. my parents and my one brother are douches..they fucking dont know when to stop making me feel like shit.. i hate it. goddamn.. i cried so much last night.. i wish i were alone.. it'd be easier not to worry about hurting someone.. i hate myself. im absolutly disguesting. fat, ugly and just so gross.. i hate what ive become.. i cant stop myself. it's who i am now..

my razors fell out of my case this morning, it was scary i thought that someone was going to ask me what they were when i bent to pick them up.. i was so shakey.. i hate myself. ughhh. fuck. i hate everyone, my self the absolute most though.. good bye..

Thursday Febraury 14th, 2013:

well.. i stopped the 21 days last night.. 16.. 2 on my thigh, they're small. and the rest between my two arms. im such a fail..

Jake did the cutest thing ever.. he put a bunch of choclate kisses in my locker & taped it saying 'i <3 u' i keep blushing today.. i just told someone i like they're hat & he said he liked my face, i blush to much, i dont like him even, but it was kindda a compliment, soo.. *sigh* i hope shawntay doesnt get mad at me.. i told her i cut in our notebook, i havent told jake & im nott gunna unless he asks.. i cant tell him.. i HATE THAT THEY CARE!!!!!!!!! ugh... i just hurt eveyrone.. i make everyone want to kill themselves.......... FUCK.

ive been handing outt 'my little pony' valentines today.. only 4 gurls, and like 15 or more guys.. the girls are Shawntay, my friend Kenzie, Tabby & Heather. God.. all of them are so FUCKING gorgeous..ugh.. i seriously wish i could be even half as pretty as them.. Shawntay, everything about her is perfect, i wouldnt change a thing. Perfect long hair, flawless skin, perfect body.. McKenzie, she's in love, happy, so beautiful. Tabby, SO gorgeous, i find her easy to talk to and i think we could be pretty good friends. i love her hair.. i want it terribly. and Heather, her makeup, my lord is it always so damn perfect. no flaws to it, always perfect all the damn day long. She may be a bitch sometimes, but she's also hillarious as fuck. i could see me an her being better friends then we are, but not anything long-best friend. but damn.. i wish i were them..

Friday February 15th, 2013:

last night i broke down terribly and cried for hours.. i could stop. my douche fuck parents.. goddamn.. i wish i could just love them and call it good. but my mom comes down and bitches about facebook.. so now i have to delete it.. god. she controls every damn thing of my life.. she doesnt even know what tumblr is or instagram & she fucking wants me to delete them. HELL TO THE FUCK NO! dumbass. i hate her.. she ruins my life..

Tuesday February 19th, 2013:

okay..well this is reallly really stupid.. but on friday, i realized that with my ex boyfriend, he fucked her while we were together & i had sex with him countless times after.. so now i obviously did something wrong. it showed me how worthless i am & how much i seriously fuck people up..it's all my fault. i loved him wrong. i treated him like shit and look where that's gotten me.. im such a pathetic fucking fail of life. i hate myself.. im used and worthless. im the damn slut of the fucking family for fuck's sake!! my oldest brother just got married & the other just got engaged.. ugh..

ive been starving myself latley too.. it's kinda hard because i love eating, but ive been not eating lunch for about a week & i rarley eat at home soo..

[firesidefantasy]

road trip to hell: part two

part 1 | wip introduction | let me know if you want to be tagged

“Kenzi. Do you, by any chance, remember the day I found you ‘borrowing’ my hair straighteners?”

Kenzi went pale.

“Yeah?”

Kali grabbed her chin and gripped down hard. “I’m about to make that day look like a walk in the freakin’ park.”

“Woah, woah,” Toby stepped forward. He almost grabbed Kali’s arm, stopping when he remembered that he did value being alive. “Kali. C’mon. Is this really necessary?”

“Yes.”

Toby shrugged.

“Okay. I tried. Best be off then,” he grabbed Kai’s hand and turned to leave.

“Nice try.”

Toby struggled against the grip on his shirt, but Kali was infinitely stronger and she pulled him back. He was shoved back into the boot and Kali stepped back to stare at them both.

A sharp clinking sound accompanied the pull of a knife. Kali tapped it against her thigh and looked between them, as if deciding who would go first.

“You know,” Kenzi said, her voice trembling more than she’d care to admit, “Phillip is gonna be real unhappy if you kill us out here.”

“I’m not gonna kill you,” Kali brushed her off.

“He won’t be happy if you injure us out here either,” Toby chimed in.

“And if you send us back, he’ll know something happened and he’ll come after you,” Kenzi continued, “so it looks like you’ll just have to bring us with you.”

Toby glared at her like she was crazy. In fact - they all did. It was the exact same look Harlow had been sporting all night.

Kali flipped the knife in her hand.

“You can’t get a taxi back?”

“None around.”

“Can’t walk back?”

“We’d just call Phillip to pick us up, it’s miles away.”

“And I suppose you’re all too human to shadow travel,” Kali muttered.

“So that solves it,” Kenzi grinned. “Guess we’re coming with you. Alive.”

Kali looked between them.

“If Phillip ends up finding out about this, if any of you say a word to anyone, this knife will be lodged between your eyes before you can blink.”

Kali pointed the knife at each of them in turn.

“Yes Kali-”

“We won’t say anything-”

“Promise-”

Ten minutes later they were cruising down the highway at 100 miles per hour, pissing off every car they passed and driving to a symphony of blasted horns. Toby, Kenzi, Kai and Harlow were crammed in a backseat meant for three - and for the time being, they had the sense to shut the fuck up.

That didn’t last long.

“How long until we get there?”

“Can we stop for snacks?”

“I need something to drink.”

“Can whoever keeps touching my ass please fuckin’ stop?”

“Toby, move over!”

“Stop kicking me!”

“What the fuck was that for?”

Kali pressed down on the horn.

She didn’t lift it until the bickering died down.

Silence settled.

“Don’t think for a second that I won’t kick you out this car if you don’t stop acting like a bunch of five year olds,” Kali scolded. “We’ll get there when we get there, we’re only stopping for snacks or drinks when Lani wants them, and if you’re going to kick each other, do it quietly for fucks sake.”

Lani grabbed her water bottle and passed it back to Kai.

“Why does your girlfriend get special privileges?” Toby whined.

Kali glared at him through the rear view mirror. “Because she was invited.”

Lani knew that Kali wasn’t denying the girlfriend part of that question because to acknowledge it was to encourage it, but her heart skipped a beat anyway. She nudged her shoulder against Kali’s with a shy kind of smile.

Kali felt herself lose the desire to stab the idiots in the back of her car. A long sigh escaped her lips as she turned onto the highway.

“So where are we going?” Kenzi asked.

Lani snorted.

“Don’t bother Kenzi, she won’t tell you.”

“For real? Kali- where are we going? I’ll call Phillip and tell him you kidnapped us if you don’t tell-”

“Quit trying to blackmail me with that,” Kali snapped.

“It’s been working so far. Where are we going?”

“Looks like we’re going to some kinda forest,” Kai chimed up.

“At least she’s burying us somewhere nice.”

“Shut up,” Kenzi rolled her eyes. “Where are we going, Kali?”

“You better tell her. Princess doesn’t like being out of control for more than two seconds,” Harlow muttered.

“Oh shut up.”

“Where are we going?” Toby asked. “Looks like this place is closed, you’re gonna have to jus- KALI!”

“You can’t just drive through the barriers! Are you crazy?”

“What the fuck, Kali!”

“We have a right to know what’s going on!”

“Where are we going?” Lani asked this time, turning in her seat to look at Kali. “They have a point, we des-”

“Oh for fucks sake. You’re taking their side now?” Kali glared at Lani. “Eat your fucking candy and shut up. All of you.”

Silence settled.

For all of two seconds.

“Where are we going-”

“Kali you’ve gotta tell us-”

“What’s going on-”

“Where are you taking us-”

Kali slammed down on the breaks.

“There’s a portal to hell opening down here and I’m going to find it and go through it so I can finally escape all you fuckin’ cunt ass morons.” Kali looked around and glared at them. “If you have a problem you can get the fuck outta my car and walk home.”

Nobody said a word. Kali restarted the car and continued driving through the forest in silence.

“I need to pee,” Kai murmured.

“Fucks sake.”

..

“Can you even pee in the forest?” Toby leaned against a tree, eyebrows raised at Kai.

“Ye- yeah, it’s uh- yeah,” Kai nodded. “Magic and stuff.”

“Huh.” Toby considered that. “Cool beans. I’ll be over there.”

He wandered back over to Kenzi and Harlow. Toby hooked his arm over Kenzi’s shoulder and smiled.

“He’s all good. You too made up yet?”

“Nope-”

“Not a chance-”

“Fantastic,” Toby shook his head. “What do you think scary-eyes is up to, anyway? She said a portal to hell but I don’t know if I believe her.”

“Why wouldn’t you believe her?” Harlow asked, checking over her shoulder to make sure Kali and Lani were still on the other side of the road.

Kenzi sighed.

“Harlow- Kali has never told us the truth about anything in her life.”

“She’s a notorious liar. She told me we were going to Disney Land once, pretty sure we ended up at a drug swap exchange thing.”

“She told me we were going swimming once and then tried to drown me. And that she was going to straighten my hair for me, then burnt half of it off.”

“Is that what happened when she found you borrowing her hair straighteners?” Harlow asked.

Kenzi and Toby nodded solemnly.

Harlow shrugged. “She’s evil, I get it. Just seems like a weird thing to lie about.”

“I dunno- hey, do you smell burning?” Kenzi looked around.

“Yeah, I kinda do-”

“Guys? Do you smell that?” Kai jogged back over to them.

And then the car exploded.

tag list: @livingthelovelylife, @commasinsidequotes, @4kidsopfan, @thatworldinverted, @livvywrites @ravenpuffwriter @the-writer-turned-procrastinator @zevranwrites @lulumajestix @sapphicsyn @crypticsx@worldbuildingwren @dove-actually @igotablankpage​ @booksteastories

[dreamwritesimagines]

Twisted 14 - Sinking Deeper [Spencer Reid x Reader]

A.N.: Thank you so much for your wonderful support my loves! Here’s the next chapter, I hope you will like it as well, and please let me know what you think of it! ❤❤ Ily, kisses! ❤❤❤ 

Ps: Special thanks to Bea for helping me!

Series Masterlist

Warnings: Murder, serial killers, violence, manipulation, mentions of sex, drinking, smoking.

Word Count: 4180

Summary: Not every night is for sleeping.

All things considered, you were sure that you were supposed to be more stressed out than you were right now. The FBI still had nothing on the copycat killer that had sent you flowers, or any of the others that were running wild all over the country. BAU was working nonstop because there was more and more pressure coming from the supervisors and higher ups, and Spencer had told you something about the profile evolving but hadn’t gotten into details.

Not that you would ever ask him to, what you heard was more than enough.

Despite all that, whenever you were with him, you managed to feel almost…peaceful. It was so unfamiliar to you that it had taken you a moment to acknowledge what it was.

Happiness. Pure happiness, enough to get rid of the mind-numbing panic and worries about the future.

Or, as your sister had so eloquently put it, you were so, so screwed.

You took a sip of your mimosa, texting Spencer under the table, barely aware of the conversation taking place but you had to look up when you heard your name being called.

“Would you want to, Y/N?” your mother asked and you frowned.

“Hm?” you asked, your eyes stopping on Lily playing with her dolls by the corner of the huge living room before you looked at Mina and Kenzie, “Sorry, what were we talking about?”

“There’s this opera—“

“Nope,” you shook your head fervently, “No way. It’s Mina’s turn.”

Mina let out a whine, “I hate you so much right now.”

“She has a point,” your mother pointed at Mina, “Your sister was the one who came to the charity ball, you can come to this one.”

Mina heaved a sigh while Kenzie reached out to hold her hand.

“Babe come on, it could be fun.”

“Exactly!” your mother said, “Thank you, Kenzie. Besides, Nolan is coming as well, so we will be two couples there. Y/N, of course if you want you can bring Spencer—“

“I’m not exaggerating when I say I’d rather spend an hour in my serial killer father’s cell with Spencer.”

Your mother rolled her eyes and Mina tilted her head.

“Nolan Yates is coming too?” she asked, pinching the bridge of her nose, “I’m spending a whole night with the boss of my boss?”

“You two should get to know each other!” Your mother said, “Besides, there’s no harm in telling your bosses that you should become a partner already—“

“Mom,” Mina cut her off, “We talked about this. I will earn that position by myself, not because of anyone’s influence. Including yours.”

Your mother sipped her drink, “It’s as if you like struggling, Mina.”

Kenzie looked between them and smiled brightly, trying to diffuse the situation. “I’m actually pretty curious about him,” she said, “Since you’re a couple now, I just need to see what kind of a person he is.”

“There’s nothing to see, babe.” Mina murmured, “The guy looks like he spends millions alone on his beard care and wears bowties to bed.”

“Yeah but bowties are cool,” you grinned and a silence fell upon the table.

“I will get back to you sleeping with my boss’ boss in a minute mom but—“ Mina cleared her throat and turned to you, “I’m sorry, was that a Doctor Who reference?”

“Yeah,” you nodded, “I started watching it because Spencer likes it so much. It’s actually pretty fun, he said we could go to Sonic-Con next year if I want.”

“Comic-Con.” Kenzie corrected you helpfully and Mina blinked a couple of times.

“Jesus Christ.”

“I don’t get it,” Kenzie said, “I told you to watch it with me and you said, and I quote It has like one billion episodes Kenz, I don’t have time for that.”

Mina stole a look at Lily to make sure she couldn’t hear you before she turned to Kenzie, “Yeah, the difference is that you weren’t dicking her down.”

“Nobody is dicking me down!” you whispered, and your mother gasped, putting her mimosa glass down.

“Girls, not at the breakfast table!” she insisted, “Not that this kind of language is acceptable anywhere…”

“Yeah Mina, leave her alone,” Kenzie said, “I think it’s sweet.”

“What’s next? You will want to get a doctorate as well because he likes them so much?”

“That wouldn’t be so bad,” your mother mused out loud, “Y/N, I know the lovely dean of—“

“No!” you pointed at them, “No to both of you. And thank you Kenzie.”

Before your mother could say anything, Lily ran to you to climb into your lap.

“Hi there bug.”

“Can we play after brunch?” she looked up at you, making you smile at her before you pinched her chubby cheek, making her giggle.

“Of course,” you said, “Dibs on green unicorn.”

“I like pink better,” she nicked a piece of cheese from your plate, “Are you talking about your prince?”

Mina smiled into her glass, “Something like that sweetheart.”

“Lily, why don’t you ask auntie what you asked me the other day?” Kenzie told her and Lily nodded fervently.

“Can I wear pink on your wedding?”

“Whoa-“ you cleared your throat, “Lily, baby, there’s no wedding.”

Kenzie and your mother grinned at each other and turned to you and Lily but she looked as if she was confused.

“But if he’s your prince…” she trailed off and Kenzie cleared her throat.

“I would like to come up with a tamer version of that question,” she said, “When do we get to meet him?”

“Mom and Mina already have,” you said but your mother shook her head.

“That doesn’t count.”

“Because you treated him like you were going to hire him?”

“Oh you did the same to him as well?” Kenzie asked your mother, “I thought Mina would have a heart attack when you did that to me.”

“I honestly thought you would break up with me after that.”

You fixed the huge bow on top of Lily’s hair while she sat still in your lap, listening to the conversation.

“How about dinner?” your mother said, “It’d help us to get to know him better.”

“Nope,” you shook your head, “It’s too early.”

“Oh come on Y/N!”

“I will introduce him to you guys when I’m sure you can behave.”

“He has spent hours with dad, you do realize that?” Mina asked with a small laugh, “You think he behaves? The guy is a—“

“Mina.” Kenzie nodded at Lily and Mina stopped herself immediately but Lily had already heard it.

“I thought your dad was a bad man, mommy.”

“He is, baby,” she nodded, “That’s why he’s far away, remember?”

“Then why is auntie Y/N’s prince talking to him?”

“Because he catches bad people, bug.”

Lily gasped and looked up at you, her eyes shining with excitement, “Like a superhero?!”

“Mm hm, like a superhero,” you grinned at her and she fidgeted in your lap.

“When will I meet him?”

“Yeah Y/N, when will we meet him?” Kenzie batted her lashes and you pointed at her.

“That’s evil, you know that right?” you asked, ignoring Mina’s laughter, “Low blow.”

                  ��                              ***

Towards the evening, right before it was time to meet Spencer he had texted you, saying that they would be doing overtime at work. You were bummed, but you still texted back to tell him it was alright, that you would be going home and he could drop by whenever he was done.

After having dinner, you went to the couch with a bottle of wine and turned your laptop on to take a look at the files your assistant had sent you. Campbell wedding was almost done, Vincent had sent you a couple of new ideas to add into the theme, and you had to email back two pastry shops to confirm the wedding cake orders.

You were so lost in work that you had barely realized downing the half of the bottle and it was only when your phone started buzzing on the coffee table that you looked away from the screen of the laptop.

“Hi Lincoln,” you answered the phone, still typing your replies to your assistant and he took a deep breath.

“Hey,” he said, “Are you watching it?”

“Watching what?”

“TV. They’re talking about the copycat killers.”

“What?” you grabbed the remote to turn on the TV and of course, the first TV channel you found was already covering the story.

“The FBI has confirmed that the body that was found dead earlier today belonged to one of the copycat killers that has been—“

“What the fuck?” you murmured, keeping your eyes on the screen and he cleared his throat.

“Yeah,” he said, “I know it’s creepy but I mean…I don’t know, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Someone killed one of the copycat killers?” you asked, “That makes no sense at all.”

“Do you think it’s the same one?” he asked, “From the charity ball?”

“I don’t know,” you muttered, “Jesus Christ.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, “I didn’t know if I should call, but…”

“No no, I’m glad you did.” You muted the TV, then filled your glass again, “What’re you doing?”

“Just leaving work,” he said and you raised your brows.

“Linc, it’s eleven p.m.”

“I had to attend a meeting overseas.”

“Workaholic.”

“I prefer the term hard working,” he chuckled, “How about you? You weren’t sleeping, right?”

“Nah, I was waiting for my boyfriend,” you said, making him pause for a moment, “And checking client files. And drinking.”

“You’re lucky you can deal with your job while drinking, these sharks would pounce on me if they ever saw me like that.”

You took a look at the TV and typed in the copycat killer’s name into the search bar, sipping your wine.

“You’re being safe, right?” he asked you, “I haven’t heard from you for like a week or so, you’re alright?”

You pressed your lips together, trying to decide whether to tell him about the flowers or not, but in the end you decided not to.

“Family drama,” you said, “I’ve been running everywhere, and what with work and everything…Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be silly,” he chuckled, “Just wanted to make sure you were alright, that’s all.”

“I’m alright—“ you started but then looked over your shoulder when you heard the doorbell ring, “Gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“Sure thing, see you,” he said and hung up, so you jumped over the couch to rush to the door before you opened it to see Spencer standing there.

“Hey,” you smiled at him, standing on your tiptoes to kiss him, “Long day?”

He nodded silently and wrapped his arms around you, pressing you closer to inhale your scent.

“Hi,” he muttered into your hair, “Yeah. Long day.”

“I have wine?” you said as you pulled back, and closed the door after he stepped in, “I also have a bathtub even you could lose yourself in.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” he said and hesitated for a moment, “On second thought, do you have coffee?”

“Are you sure you want to drink coffee at eleven at night?”

“I still have some reports to go over,” he said, stepping into the living room while you put the coffee on and his eyes stopped on the huge screen that was still giving details about the copycat killer.

“You saw that huh?”

“Mm hm,” you watched him as he dropped his satchel and you went to sit down next to him on the couch. “I was checking the other news. That’s why you had to work overtime?”

He rubbed at his eyes and ran a hand through his fluffy hair as if it would help, “We thought the profile was changing but this whole thing just proves someone is trying to keep it stable.”

You pulled your brows together, “What?”

“The victimology didn’t match with the last two victims, and now one of the copycats ended up dead, probably the one who went rogue.”

“How did it not match?” you blinked a couple of times, “They all left a flower in the crime scene, no?”

“Well yeah, but the rest—“ he stopped for a moment, staring at you, “You never actually checked his victimology?”

“I never watched any of those interviews he gave after he was imprisoned, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Yeah, and those interviews are the reason why we still don’t have a specific suspect because everyone knows everything about him, and most of your family life,” he heaved a sigh, “But you know what his victims had in common?”

“They all bled out while he watched,” you crossed your arms, leaning back to the arm of the couch, “I know that. He liked watching that.”

“Your father never killed anyone outside his social circle,” he reminded you, “They were all wealthy and overly successful people, remember? That’s why it took FBI so long to find him, because the previous profile was wrong. They thought it was someone who didn’t have access to the same resources, the same wealth and status, and it was for revenge.”

“Yeah but Spencer, he killed those people because he is evil.”

“He killed those people because in his mind, he was creating this…perfect business environment. Most of the people who got murdered were either failing business people or people who failed to meet his expectations. He was very successful, he expected the same from everyone. That’s his victimology. The flowers on the crime scene, they were just his signature. Well, his signature and his small offering to you.”

You thought for a moment, then went to the kitchen to pour him a cup of coffee before walking back to the couch.

“I still think this is a bad idea professor,” you muttered as you gave him the cup and he smiled at you, then took a sip while you lit up a cigarette.

“So then,” you crossed your legs, “His victims were the cream of society and that means something? Other than the fact that he was a psychopath?”

“That means a lot of things,” he said, “So far, most of the victims had a higher status in society, it means that the copycats actually wanted to continue his legacy from where he left off. Maybe not the people who disappointed them per se, but until these last two victims, they all had higher financial status, either family money or with their own successful companies but last month, someone first killed a bartender and then a social worker. The only thing that told us it was remotely connected was the flower in the crime scene.”

“That’s why the profile was changing,” you muttered to yourself, “Okay. Is that normal?”

“No, not at all,” he shook his head, “It’s very unfamiliar. It did prove our multiple copycat killers theory but other than that, it was going to make things incredibly harder until…” he nodded at the TV and you pulled your brows together.

“Hold on,” you sat up straighter, your mind working nonstop, “Multiple copycats who are trying to continue that monster’s legacy, and one happens to taint that legacy by going rogue…”

“And he gets killed,” he finished your sentence for you, “Exactly.”

“It was one of the copycats who killed him?”

“That’s my theory.”

“So they’re not actually working together then?” you asked, exhaling the smoke, “Or- or- wait, you said there could be one copycat that was controlling the others, maybe they did it?”

Spencer took a sip of his coffee, “It could also mean that the leader wouldn’t want to take chances like this again,” he said, “Someone tainted the legacy, he might begin to believe he cannot trust anyone with that again.”

You let out a breath, stubbing the cigarette, “What does that mean then? For…all of this?”

“It means that someone cares so much about your father’s legacy that they’re ready to kill anyone and everyone over it, even their partners,” he said, “It also means that their whole operation is starting to crack. It’s only a matter of time someone makes a mistake and ends up getting caught.”

You massaged your temples, “Well, at least one of us can see the light at the end of this psycho murder tunnel.”

“You can’t?”

You shrugged your shoulders, “It feels like it won’t stop,” you croaked out, “It’s like… It’s like I can’t wake up without dread filling me. It’s always there, at some corner of my mind. The more I think about it, the more I feel like—“ you stopped yourself and Spencer frowned, putting his coffee down.

“What?”

“You don’t want to hear that, trust me.”

“Try me.”

“The more I feel like it will go on until the day I die.”

“It’s impossible for this case to take that long, Y/N—“

“I didn’t say it’d take long,” you took a sip of your wine and heaved a sigh before you looked up at him, the expression on his face almost hurting your heart physically, “Told you that you didn’t want to hear it.”

“Don’t say that.”

You forced a small laugh and got up from the couch, suddenly restless.

“You said it yourself,” you said, pacing in the living room, “His victimology. He went after the people who disappointed him, right? Can you guess who’s disappointing him right now by not turning into the monster that he is?”

“That’s not what I—“ he shook his head fervently and stood up from the couch as well, “No. No way. It’s his victimology, but none of the psychiatric evaluations or anything on his file, including the list of his victims suggest that he would go after his family. There was a reason why he never tried to hurt you or Mina or your mother even back then—“

“No I’m sure they’re safe,” you said, “But Mina didn’t get flowers, professor. I have.”

“If our theory of him being in contact with the copycat is right, it means that your father is involved as well—hey,” he stopped you from pacing, reaching out to hold your hands in his, “Listen to me. Whoever it is, they will never, ever touch you. I’ll make sure of that.”

A painful smile pulled at your lips, “Spencer, that’s not your responsibility.”

“It is.”

“FBI can’t—“

“I’m not talking about the FBI, I’m talking about me.”

You took a shaky breath and wrapped your arms around his middle, burying your face into his chest as you swayed slightly.

“Is it okay if we stay like this for a moment?” you muttered, shifting your weight from one foot to another “I don’t— I can’t sit still, I don’t know why.”

“Do you want to hear the reason why?” he ran his fingertips over your spine up and down, as if trying to soothe you and you nodded.

“Yes please.”

“You feel threatened, so your brain is trying to understand where the danger is coming from. It’s telling you to either stand or run away, so it’s pumping adrenaline into your system. We call that nervous energy.”

“That could be my stripper name,” you mumbled, making a chuckle vibrate deeply in his chest, “Tell me more.”

“The nervous energy happens when you’re under stress,” he said, “Our primitive brain is used to physical threats and it created this system in order to protect us. The threat you’re afraid of is not here, not physical, but your brain is still sending that energy to your limbs so that you can attack that physical threat, or run away to somewhere safe. It’s all a part of your defense mechanism.”

You hmmed into his chest, still holding him tight as if someone would take him away from you before you sniffled and pulled back to look up at him.

“You know, I think I got something you can’t explain with science.”

He raised his brows, “Debatable.”

“Do you want to bet? If I win, you’ll tell me what you planned for the next date.”

“What if I win?”

You wiped at your nose, “Tell me your price, professor.”

“There’s this conference on smoking and its effects on health next week, if I win you will attend that with me.”

“That’s a very indirect way to say that you hate my smoking.”

“I mean, it’s better if you see the effects in that conference, I think it’ll be good for you. It has five sessions, so it’s around….7 hours, including breaks.”

You blinked a couple of times, then nodded. “7 hours? That’s— okay. Yeah, I’m sure— I’m sure it’ll be fun.”  

A smile pulled at his lips, “Okay,” he said, “What is it?”

“It’s just,” you nibbled on your lip, trying to find the right words, “I was thinking and I realized something. I— I think it’s instinctual somehow, you can’t really explain it with science but when you’re here…” you paused, “With me, I mean, this whole panic dissolves. I feel safe, and it’s so unfamiliar that I don’t—“ you let out a small laugh, “I don’t know how to deal with that. I normally don’t feel safe, ever.”

A small smile pulled at his lips and he tilted his head, his warm gaze focused on you. You scrunched up your nose.

“Don’t tell me science can explain that.”

“Oxytocin.”

“God damn it!” you exclaimed, making him laugh, “Oxytocin?”

“Yeah, oxytocin. It’s a hormone that ensures that you trust people along with everything else. Basically, your brain— when you’re attracted to someone, your brain releases dopamine, so your serotonin levels rise and it produces oxytocin. It’s a big part of romantic attachment, it’s released during sex as well.”

You arched a brow, a small smirk flashing over your face and he pressed his lips together, a look of mischief appearing on his face.

“It strengthens fidelity as well,” he explained, “Seeing your partner as more attractive than others, and preferring to interact more with your partner than strangers.”

You clicked your tongue, “7 hours of conference, here we come.”

“It’ll be fun, I heard they’re bringing a real lung.”

“Can’t wait,” you muttered and entwined your fingers with his, “Well for what it’s worth professor, I have a lot of oxytocin for you.”

He cleared his throat, “Scientifically, one of the most important aspects of it is reproduction, in females it triggers labor and in males it moves sperm so having a lot of oxytocin can be—“

“Spencer, I’m trying to talk dirty in a scientific way!” you groaned, a fire spreading over your face because of embarrassment and you took a step to walk away from him but he grabbed your hand to turn you around and tug you closer to him, making you let out a whine.

“I feel like an idiot,” you murmured and he shook his head fervently,

“No, of course not,” he said, pushing your hair behind your ear, “Hey. I don’t know anything about weddings. So we complete each other if you ask me.”

You scoffed a laugh and looked up at him, your brows furrowed together, “You really think that?”

He nodded and you heaved a sigh.

“Okay.”

“And…for your information,” he swallowed thickly, “I have a lot of oxytocin for you too.”

A giggle you couldn’t stop escaped from you as he leaned in to capture your lips in a kiss, making your stomach do a pleasant flip. You wrapped your arms around his neck, your lungs full of his scent, making you dizzy.

“They’ll take away your doctorates for that joke, professor,” you breathed out as he pulled back, resting his forehead on yours while you raked your nails over the back of his neck gently.

“Worth it,” he murmured to your lips, leaning in to kiss you again, this time pressing you closer to his body and your heart started beating in your throat, a whine climbing up to your throat, desire filling your system faster than any other drug.

“Would you like to stay the night?” you whispered, and his eyes shot up to yours, both of you aware what you were really asking. He looked almost hypnotized by the sight of you in his arms and he blinked a couple of times, as if trying to focus before he nodded.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice hoarse and you took a shaky breath.

“Yeah,” you managed to say, your whole being consumed by this moment. “Yeah, I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

You could swear he could hear your heartbeat echoing through the room,

“No scientific explanation this time, professor?” you whispered against his lips and his fingers caressed the sensitive skin of your neck, sending a pleasant shiver from there to your whole body.

“No,” he murmured, leaning in to brush his lips against yours, “Not this time. Not for the lady who imparadises my mind.”

The lady who imparadises my mind.

That was how Dante described Beatrice in Paradise.

You stood on your tiptoes to pull him into a kiss, then tugged at his hand to lead him into your bedroom.

Chapter 15

[puckngrind]

Leave Her Wild: Chapter 8 - N. MacKinnon

Summary: Kenzie heads to her first game as Nate's girlfriend

Warnings: swearing, mentions of alcohol, family dynamics and smut

Word count: 3,735

Series masterlist / Puck ‘n Grind’s masterlist

Games.

The only noise in the condo was the sound of cabinets opening and closing repeatedly. The sun still wasn’t up and only MacKenzie’s phones flashlight was illuminating the kitchen.

“What the hell are you looking for Beautiful?” Nate’s raspy voice breaks the silence. Kenzie jumps and clutches her phone to her chest. “Nice shirt.” Nate adds taking in his playoff shirt from a few seasons ago while flicking on the lights.

“Thanks.” Kenzie’s eyes travel down his naked body. “Um. Well, I. Damnit Nate, why are you naked?” She presses her thumb and pointer finger to the bridge of her nose willing her brain to work. Nate closes the difference between them intentionally swinging himself as he walked.

“Why are you in my shirt?” Nate pulls her to him, lips ghosting her lips.

“I wasn’t sure if you had a roommate, or I don’t know house cleaner…” Kenzie places her phone on the counter.

“No roomie. I do have people that come in and out but not at 5am. So, again, why the fuck are we not in bed?” Nate’s hand travels down her back to grab her ass.

“You have whiskey somewhere?” Kenzie composes herself while Nathan laugh echoes off the walls.

“I don’t keep it during the season, no. Sorry, but why do we need it? Was sex that bad?” Nate’s other hand grabs a handful as well. His length presses against Kenzie’s body.

“The sex was fantastic. Your bed is comfortable. I just feel like I’m going to be hungover from the event and need a splash of whiskey in my coffee.” Kenzie’s fingers dance over his flexed arms. Nate laughs harder sending goosebumps over her skin.

“I’ve never heard of that before in my life. I have some migraine meds and a good snuggle before we have to get up.” Nate kisses her lips.

“Yes to meds but something tells me your other brain thinks snuggling is lame.” Kenzie’s hand finds his hardened cock and slides down to the base. Nate body twitches.

“Damn. Okay, meds, sex, then cuddles.” Nate breaks their embrace momentarily to grab a bottle of water and medicine for Kenzie then scopes her up to finish his agenda before they have to go.

A few hours later, MacKenzie was dressed for the day investigating the contents of Nathan’s fridge. “Your ass looks amazing in those jeans.” Nate’s voice made her jump.

“Damnit Babe. You need to walk harder or something.” Kenzie leans out of the fridge. “Thanks. I’m wearing this to the game tonight.” She shuts the door and does her normal spin and turn she does for Remy. Nathan takes in the tight navy long sleeved shirt, maroon vest, perfectly hugging skinny jeans, and ankle duck boots.

“Do you have any meetings with a young, handsome client today? If so, you will need to change or reschedule.” Kenzie shakes her head while Nate grabs her hand to twirl her around. “And I might need to move your seat out of my view.” He stops moving her to kiss her lips.

“Funny Nate.” Kenzie laughs. “Your fridge is, well… interesting.” She draws his attention away from her outfit.

“Um, well, diet plan. I’ve lived alone for some time plus I’m not home a lot.” He nervously bites at his lip.

“Interesting.” Kenzie replies. “So are we riding together, or how does that work? Want to go back to my place tonight or should we stay in our own places, or come back here?”

“You will be sleeping next to me tonight, regardless where. We can go to your place if ya want. Too many questions for this early Baby. Speaking of early, how’s your headache?” Nate runs his fingers across Kenzie’s forehead then tucks a stay curl behind her ear.

“Fine actually. I didn’t drink that much but worried when I woke up it would be a hangover kind of day. Maybe sex is another hangover remedy.” She smirks up at him.

“Anytime I can be at service.” Nate’s cocky grin made Kenzie jokingly groan. “Now let’s get you to work.” Nate swats at her ass then helps Kenzie finish up so she can head out the door.

On her way to the Pepsi Center via an Uber Nathan set up for her, MacKenzie runs her sweaty palms on her thighs nervously.

“Headed to an Avs game there Miss.” The driver breaks the silence. Kenzie nods seeing that he’s looking at her through the rear view mirror. “Good seats?” He questioned.

“Um, oh, yeah. A few rows up.” Kenzie taps her phone watching her google maps follow the same path as the driver is going.

“Oh wow! Yeah, the Mrs. and I never sit that close. Let’s hope they break this losin’ streak tonight against the Preds, yeah?” He looks back at her since they were at a light.

“You have no idea how much that needs to happen.” Kenzie half smiles. The drive continues and then he pulls up to the arena area.

“Okay, well enjoy the game, Miss… Miss.” He looks down at the fare’s transaction. His eyes go wide, “Miss MacKinnon.” Kenzie nods at the now nervous Uber driver as she hops out of the SUV and disappears into the crowd heading towards the entrances. Yanking at one of her braids she decided last minute to do last minute, MacKenzie is escorted to her seat. Four rows up. She needed to remind Nate that she does not need to be that close. A small tap on her shoulder made Kenzie snap out of her overthinking trance. Gabe’s wife, Mel was sitting right behind her. They talked a bit and she pointed out a few of the other friends and families sitting in proximity. The boys then came out for warm up drawing everyone’s attention. Nate skated around and waved before moving on to his normal routine.

Kenzie’s phone buzzes in her hand while she watches Nate shoot. Looking down she laughs at the amount of messages in the group text.

Mosi: stop looking so fucking nervous

Drew: And yes, we are watching and can see you when they focus on a player next to the glass.

Remy: killer outfit Kenzie Lou and I didn’t even help! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Wait did anyone help?

Mosi: all her, and the hair. Reminds me I need a hair day soon Mac!

Remy: she doesn’t have time to braid your hair while she’s getting all sexed up by that hunk of a man!

Drew: 🙈

Kenzie: O M G. You can see me on television?

Mosi: Yes but breathe friend. You look stunning and we are the only ones who know you are there for Nate.

Drew: enjoy the game Mac! Go grab a beer or two.

She didn’t even have to stand up. One of the girls dropped a beer in her hand almost like someone was reading her texts. She loosened up as the first period progressed when Nate scored towards the end of the period she jumped to her feet and started to dance without a care in the world. She makes eye contact with Nate. He’s laughing then points to the scoreboard where she sees the replay of his goal then cut to her dancing. Kenzie tosses her head back with a laugh then waves feeling her cheeks getting warm. By the end of the game, Kenzie had the Avs cheers down while watching the team score nine goals total securing a win finally. Nate points her direction the motions for her to turn around. “Follow me down so you can meet Nate.” Mel smiles seeing the interaction. It was a blur getting through the crowd and down to where Nate would be emerging from the dressing room. She was taking in the area when Nate’s arms wrapped around her.

“Hey there!” He nipped at her ear.

“Nice game Nate. Four points, right?” Kenzie turns to face him. Freshly showered, tie on but hanging around his neck, a mischievous look on his face. “What’s that look for?” She reached up to squeeze his cheeks together.

“You, here, in my space. It’s just. Yeah, it’s a good feeling.” Nate leans down to kiss her lips. “Let’s get out of here, m’kay?” Nate slips his hand into hers and leads Kenzie to his Jeep only to pin her to the passenger door. Kenzie slips a moan out with the way Nathan was pressing into her.

“Nate… we cannot celebrate your win here.” She runs her hand through his wet hair, grabbing a handful and pulling his head up from attacking her neck. He looks at her in silence for a moment then smirks.

“Who says we can’t?” Nate kisses her lips to muffle her disapproval. “Kidding, I don’t need the other guys seeing how fucking lucky I am. That's just for my eyes only.” He stands tall again, pulling at his tie as he opens the door for Kenzie. She isn't sure how Nate got back to her condo so quickly but before she knew it Nate had her pressed against the inside of her door.

"Nate." Kenzie tries to wiggle free. "Nate!" An annoyed rumble came from his throat.

"Yes, Kenz, I was fully enjoying worshiping your body." Nate places his lips back on her exposed skin, moving his hand under her shirt.

"Worship me in the bedroom. Pllleeeaaassseee." Kenzie moans unable to control how her body was reacting to Nathan's persist worshipping of her fully clothed body. "I'm hot." She wiggled her shoulders.

"Fuck yeah you are." Nate leans back to take her in. "And this look, He pulls at one of her braids. Hard to concentrate when I would spot you from the bench."

"I mean I am dressed for an ice rink." Kenzie laughs out. "And thank you, I guess I haven't really braided my hair in a few months." She ducks under his arm. "Come find me..." She smiles then takes off towards her room hearing Nathan's shoes hit the floor then feet quickly following her.

"Damn girl, you are quick!" Nate picks up Kenzie's vest and shirt from her room's entry way. Nathan looks around the room for her. She watches as he takes off his clothes still looking for her only moves when he spots her jeans next to the bed. Only in his boxers, Nathan leans down to look under her bed. "Kenz?" He walks around the bed and heads to the bathroom. She holds her mouth trying not to laugh. Nathan returns to the room then to her closet. "Kenzie. I'm horny as fuck. Where the hell did you go?"

"Oh, do I get more jealous sex then?" Kenzie whispers. Nathan is standing right in front of her. She holds her breath.

"Did you win every hide and seek contest ever?" Nate moves the clothes on the bottom rack only huffing out when it's just shoes he sees. "I know I heard you right here." He places his hands on his hips and drops his head back in defeat. Her eyes go wide as he spots her.

"Hi!" She giggles with a wave.

"How the fuck did you get up there and in the time it took me to take off my shoes and basically run down the hallway?" Nathan lifts his hands up to assist Kenzie down.

"I maybe tiny but I'm fast and I can climb literally anything." She reaches over to grab something. "Here, want me to wear this to bed?" She dangles down her Tkachuk jersey. Nate rips it out of her hands.

"I'd like to burn it but won't. Will you please come down here now?" Nathan stands on his toes and reaches up to her. Kenzie slides over to drop into Nathan's arms. He pulls her upright to wrap her legs around his body.

"Are you going to fuck me now?" She bites her lip trying not to smile at her own remark.

"Yes." He turns to head to her bed. Throwing Kenzie down in the middle of it. He crawls towards her losing his briefs while doing so. Kenzie sits up on her elbows to watch him.

"So, what does victory sex look like?" She cocks her head to the side to pull at her braid. Nathan kneeling at her feet. Without saying anything he slides off her panties that are already soaking wet. Moves his hands from the inside of her ankles to her thighs, spreading her legs further apart exposing her core. Kenzie takes a deep breath.

"You know, I feel like I played better since you were there." Nathan slithers down to his elbows, wrapping his hands around the back of her thighs.

"Yeah." Kenzie breathes out with anticipation. He blows gently where she needs him most. The sensation causing her back to arch a bit. "Nate." Kenzie's voice was needy.

"Hold on, let's try something. You know, since it's victory sex." Nate shifts his weight looking at Kenzie's contorted face. He taps her leg to get her to move. Still confused she does. He takes her place.

"Nathan? I'm wet but not that... um preheated." Kenzie admits. Nathan just laughs.

"I'm aware... sit on my chest." He pats himself then pulls a pillow down for his head. Kenzie does what he says. "Okay, now sit on my face." Nathan pulls at her legs towards his face.

"I'm sorry... you want me to, what? Where?" Kenzie braces herself attempt to stop Nathan from moving her.

"You heard me, sit on my face!" Nathan tries to pull her closer.

"Um, my thighs are not thin. I might kill you." Kenzie groans.

"Then I die doing exactly what I want to do. Come here." He pulls her with force. Kenzie hovers over his mouth, placing her hands on her knees to support herself. Nathan blows again through her core. "Not close enough Baby." Nate lifts up to press his tongue through her folds.

"Oh, fuck!" Kenzie yells out of pleasure. She grips tightly to her knees as Nate tries to lower her down further. She gives in and places her weight on him, feeling him thank her through her core. His tongue exploring as Kenzie starts circling her hips from the sensation. Nate pulls her legs further apart bringing her closer to him. Kenzie reaches out for her headboard to steady herself. Nate fucking his tongue up into her. She tries to not grind down but her body has other ideas. Eyes glued shut, moaning out his name, Kenzie feels her orgasm brimming. Nathan shifts her hips towards him causing his nose to rub her clit. "Oh. Nate. Nate. Don't stop." Kenzie's high crashes over her with another right behind it. She's shaking no longer in control of her muscles. She leans back feeling his painfully hard cock where her hand lands. She pushes the precum down his shaft making Nate grunt into her core. She moves off of his mouth to his chest.

"Kenz." He huffs out. She leans down to kiss his swollen, slick lips then turns her body. Kissing the tip of his member and sliding her lips down then back up his shaft. A slew of swear words escaping his lips. She cannot help but laugh at his reaction. "What?" She places her head on the bed next to his hips while laughing. "Cute, Kenz. What the fuck?" Frustration apparent in his voice.

"I was expecting something like, that's it, or fuck yeah but I'm not even sure what the hell you said. It caught me off guard. Sorry, let me continue." She shakes her ass in the air at him and she slaps it. "Oh!" She giggles.

"Don't move actually." Nate demands sitting up looking over to Kenzie. "Trust me, right?" He sits back on his heels.

"Always, Nate." Kenzie looks up at him from where her head is resting on the mattress. He slides behind her, lines himself up with her entrance and slowly lowers himself into her. She shudders as he bottoms out.

"You okay?" He places his his hands on her hips but doesn't move.

"Yes. Feels damn good." Kenzie rolls her hips into him then moans. Nate jumps into action. Finding a rhythm that Kenzie matches by pressing back into him. The room filled with moans, words of affirmation, and the sound of their bodies connecting. Kenzie grabs fists full of sheets feeling herself on the edge again. Nathan not letting up, his balls slapping her clit making her eyes water with pleasure. Nathan leans over, leaving open mouth kisses on her back as Kenzie still rocks back into him.

"So fucking good." Nate whispers into her ear then pulls her braids into one hand pulling lightly as he hits his high. Kenzie grinds into him then releases again. Their blissed out bodies crash to the mattress huffing and buffing. Nathan finds her lips. "Victory sex good?"

"Not sure, you might have to win again to see." Kenzie giggles kissing his lips then nibbles his lip. "Kidding. It was fucking amazing, Babe."

"Shower, then sleep, then morning sex..." Nate starts to get up.

"Fine, if we must." Kenzie fake annoyance makes Nathan laugh out. The two made out in the shower like they were in high school before actually cleaning each other's mess off the other. They dried off and found the perfect spots to spoon in bed before passing out. The next Nathan delivered on his agenda of sex before coffee.

"If this is our morning routine, I'm not going to need coffee before morning skate." Nathan runs his finger down Kenzie's naked body then cupping her breast in his hand. She looks back at him.

"Really?" Her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, you are better than caffeine." Nate's cheeks start to get rosy. She turns, rubbing his face, examining his expression.

"You are serious." She whispers.

"I mean, will I? No. Could I? Yes. We are good together." Nate puts his face in the pillow.

"Why are you embarrassed?" Kenzie pulls his chin so he's looking at her. His eyes saying more.

"Because these feelings are so fucking real." Nate wrinkles his nose with his words.

"Yeah, Nate. We are in a committed relationship. Feelings are real. What aren't you saying?" She sits up a bit. Nate shakes it off. "Come on."

"I just wish my schedule wasn't so fucking horrible. That we could go out on more dates. You know, like I had a regular job." Nate sits up with her.

"Well, my job isn't that regular either. I'll be in Seattle while you are gone on your Canada road trip." Kenzie starts to get up.

"Wait, you know my schedule?" Nate follows her.

"Yeah, I put it in my calendar. Did you know you are also in St. Louis when I am for the holidays." She winks at him.

"Are you fucking kidding?" Nate stands in her room just processing the information.

"And I only have half a day today so if you wanted to, you know... have a date, we can." Kenzie walks into the bathroom only calling out for Nate after she turned the water on.

After showering, Nathan got dressed in the sweats Kenzie washed for him and headed to her living room so she could finish getting ready in peace. Kenzie emerges a few moments later to see Nathan standing at her bookshelf. She watches his ass as he shifted his weight from side to side.

"See anything interesting over there?" Kenzie giggles.

"Um, yeah. Who are these people?" Nate turns holding a framed picture up to his girlfriend. A look of confusion on his face. Kenzie walks over to him.

"You really don't go on social media, do ya?" Kenzie laughs pressing a kiss to his lips.

"No, and especially not during the season. So?" Nate pushes the framed picture towards her. Kenzie smiles at him.

"Well, Nathan Raymond, that would be my family. You know, the ones who live in St. Louis." Kenzie takes the frame from his hand to place it back on the shelf.

"But..." Nate stares at the picture then back at his girlfriend.

"Yes, Nate?" Kenzie smiles while chewing her cheek.

"Um, are you adopted?" Nate uncomfortably asks.

"Ha ha. Nope, those are my biological parents." She grabs his hand.

"But..." He starts and stops. "Uh..."

"Are you looking for the phrase they are black?" She wrinkles her nose waiting for Nate to process.

"But you..." Nate looks Kenzie up and down.

"I look white?" Kenzie finishes his sentence. Nathan just nods. "Have you notices my coarse hair, wider nose, darker skin." She points as she mentions each physical feature.

"But your curls are blonde and I didn't notice your nose." Nate's hand come up to run his finger over the bridge of her nose.

"And my skin? You've already commented on how my routine is extensive." Kenzie leans into his hand that is now cupping her face.

"I... well, I'm a dumbass. I thought you used that self tanner stuff or something." Nate shakes his head out of embarrassment while Kenzie laughs.

"Not a dumbass, just not something I bring up. Hey, by the way, not white here. Massive identity issues when I was a teen to the point I was put into therapy." Kenzie half chuckles bringing up her past.

"I'm sorry Babe." Nate pulls her in.

"Well, at least you didn't find out when you met my family. What would've been awk-ah-ward." Kenzie lays her cheek on Nathan's chest for a second before moving. "Wait, we have time, yes? Come here!" She takes him to the guest room which was half unfinished from when Mosi lived with her. She had some pictures laying on the floor. "This is me." She ran her hand across the area. Nathan took the time to look at each one. Asked a question if he had one. Kenzie sat on the bed as he took in the most important aspects of her life. Then he got to one he actually picked it up. Pressing his finger to it then moving it over.

"Uh, Kenz?" Nathan almost coughs out. "Did you play hockey with Matthew Tkachuk?" He holds up the picture from her childhood. MacKenzie shrugs her shoulders. "MacKenzie Blackwood, did you PLAY hockey with the Calgary Flames player, Matthew Tkachuk?" He closes the space between them.

"Yes. Well, sorta. For a season." Kenzie affirms leaving Nathan's jaw almost on the floor.

[witchqueenofthemoon]

BODY AND SOUL Part 18 (Duncan Shepherd/Mackenzie Stone Millory AU)

BODY AND SOUL MASTERPOST

Author’s Note: Lots of little details for this part--which was a joy to write, by the way. I cried a little over some of the bits towards the end--to write something I love so much is truly moving again and again. I listened to Hozier’s INCREDIBLE new album, Wasteland, Baby! a lot for this part, a HARDCORE #Duckenzie album (Movement, As It Was, Sunlight, wowwwwowowowwww).The hook/lingerie stuff got pushed to 19, because I want it to be from Duncan’s POV/wanted us to see Kenzie in the lingerie through his eyes (for...obvious reasons), and also because when they get home (now at the beginning of 19 rather than the end of 18 as I originally planned) they’re gonna be too sleepy to have a long fuck since they’ve been at the beach all day/I needed something fun for their Monday night. So, that is coming soon. I wanted this part to be joyful and really fun and very romantic, and I think I succeeded with that. Kenzie thinking of her Momby playing John Denver during car rides is my nod to my own mother doing that very thing when I was growing up. A very special thank you to Diah (@impiorumrequies) who helped me with all of Pilar’s Spanish phrases (both she and Pat are my characters, not AUs). The picture Duncan takes of Kenzie in the house is based on the one @ghostwithangeleyes used for this Millory Honeymoon edit (I was actually the anon who requested that one, and I love it SO MUCH--it was a huge inspiration for this part too)--the original is a pic Billie posted on her Instagram here (I realized when I saw her bikini closer it had colored dots, not black ones, but whatever, I wanted Kenzie to have a black-and-white polka dot bikini, so I left it that way in the story). Both of the photos Kenzie takes of Duncan are based on actual photos of Cody: the second one here, and this one from his Instagram from when he was in Costa Rica at the beginning of this year (@hi-ilovedamien I may or may not be hoping you’ll make some Duckenzie Insta edits with them lol xoxo). Here are Kenzie’s cheapie sunglasses (I ordered them for myself lol). Here’s her wrap dress. Here’s her beach hat. Here are her sandals. Here’s her beach bag. Here are Duncan’s sunglasses in this part. Here are his Armani sandals. Here are his swim trunks. Here’s the buckling beach blanket--I want it so bad now, I might have to buy it this summer. Here is Duncan’s $200 Crate and Barrel picnic basket, which I also want really fucking badly now...but it’s $200 fucking dollars. Here’s their beach towels. Duncan’s jet is a Falcon 900LX, the same kind the Koch brothers have--since Beau Willimon based the Shepherds on the Kochs, I thought it made sense to give Duncan the same kind of private plane (Annette and Bill have their own planes, the Falcon is Duncan’s personal plane). The Shepherd Cape Cod house is something like this, though not quite--the Shepherds’ beach house is white and surrounded by a gate, and the interior is a little bit larger, the couch is longer, etc. I had to feature Hozier’s DINNER & DIATRIBES (also from Wasteland, Baby!) at the end of this part--a nod to @deanfinite including it on her BODY & SOUL playlist (thanks again for making that, darling--wow, what an honor!), and a song I will forever associate with Duckenzie now. As ever, those of you who are following along and showering me and Duckenzie with so much affection--I love you all.

Kenzie had been beyond surprise when she saw Tyler approaching her and Claire at their barstools, from the far corner of Jack Rose--the day had already been so surreal (this week has been the most surreal of my life and it’s felt like a year and like the blink of an eye at the same time), and her argument with Annette (Annette’s eyes flashing, Kenzie falling down into their dark well, blood chilling in her veins) was still humming in her nerves, making her jittery. Some days are diamonds, she thought of that old song by John Denver, Momby used to play it during car rides, some days are stone. I think today is both and diamond and a stone, and my whole life now seems to be days that are roller coasters of emotions. How can I be so happy and so upset and so confused all in one day? And so, so, so happy.

Tyler had looked good; he had looked clear-eyed and happy and she could tell that when his eyes fell over her, they held nothing but affection, and if anything, that was the worst part. I wish you hated me just a little, Kenzie thought as he leaned beside her chair, his shirt unbuttoned just-so. Because I know I broke your heart, even if you never said it. When she saw Duncan coming, Kenzie’s heart had lept into her throat--god, this probably looks bad, she thought, and she could feel the wave of jealousy coming off him as though it were literal heat, as though someone had turned a blast of hot air onto her skin, fluttering at her cheeks. His blue eyes had looked at her with smoldering attention, and Kenzie knew again, knew utterly, that Duncan was wildly, deeply, and utterly in love with her. It dipped its fingers, his love, down into the center of her, scooping her heart out and pressing it into his lips. And she hadn’t, not for a moment, wanted him to feel hurt. If only I could shield him from ever being hurt again, she thought, if only I could spare him pain, for I love him, and his pain is mine, and I can feel it in his gaze, and I know he doesn’t want to feel it, I know he feels guilty over his own pain, but I know he feels it just the same, looking at the man I used to love.

Later, in the BMW, she’d felt the raw rush of his pain again, her hands in his hair, his stubble, when he’d murmured “he still loves you” into her mouth and she heard the ache in him, the echo of his own words said so many times already behind it (I love you, Kenzie) and she’d wanted nothing more than to hush it away--Kenzie hoped with all her being that Duncan knew, in that moment, that he was the only one for her. I only love you. It frightens me too, she thought, but I would die for you, this I know, I’d do anything it took to be with you, I’d swallow my own pain a thousand times, because the hole you would leave, if I didn’t, would howl in me, it would rip time apart, because to be with you is my destiny, Duncan Shepherd, in this world and all the worlds to come and all the worlds that came before.

That morning she woke first--Duncan was sleeping with his head tucked down towards her, his hand under his chin, an eyelash on his cheek (she brushed it away, gently), and Kenzie wondered if this is how he’d looked sleeping as a child--every line of worry had faded from him, and his breathing was so small she’d felt a wild, tiny burst of fear until she noticed the breath from his nose stirring the small hairs on his arm. Someday, he’ll die, and so will I, and that makes every moment we are together precious beyond all words. If we’re all reincarnated endlessly, I think we are written into every lifetime, he and I. I think we will find each other every time. I think so. I don’t know how I know that. But I think I know that now. Kenzie leaned down over Duncan’s wondrously beautiful face, molded from the first clay, most divine, by the gods, waxing romantic and idealistic in their artistry, pressing her lips into the softness of his cheek. He stirred just a little, but didn’t wake yet, and she could see the delicate dip of moisture she’d left on his skin, glistening for a moment, then drying. Like an invisible tattoo. Kenzie got up carefully; me first today, she thought, and tip-toed to the walk-in closet, glancing long at her naked reflection in the huge mirror as she did (hair tangled, god, my hips are huge, my eyes look nice today though, they’re so bright lately, god, you really are in love aren’t you Kenz), struck again by its colossal beauty, heart hammering. It seemed to shimmer with a gold sheen in her eyes as she watched herself in it, throwing gold dust over her body--how odd, she thought, it must be a reflection from the frame. Some kind of trick of the light. This mirror is so strange.

Kenzie stopped as she went into the closet, heart falling down into her stomach and then catapulting back up into her throat--tears immediately pricked her eyes as they fell on all her things, organized so meticulously, across from Duncan’s perfect monochrome wardrobe.

Oh my god, he did this for me. I can see his love in this. He organized my things so carefully; by style and color. This is so beautiful. This is art. Kenzie felt as though she could see the aching sensitivity with which he’d touched her things; she felt she could go back and watch in her mind’s eye and see his face, the affection in his gaze as his fingers trailed against the softness of her clothes, lined her dresses and shirts carefully beside each other, touched her shoes with such care--her eyes fell on the heeled sandals she’d been wearing that night, a long, long week ago, the ones he’d untied, kissing her feet--oh, baby. You did this for me. You made this so beautiful and so perfect, for me. She felt a tear course down her cheek, and Kenzie hugged her arms against her naked belly, sniffing quietly so as not to wake him in the room beside her. I never thought, in all my life, I could feel so wonderful, so wildly, so completely happy. There’s so much joy in my heart when I look at this, I could dissolve into it like stardust.

She went to the drawers underneath where he’d carefully hung all the clothing from the standing rack; these drawers were organized meticulously too, oh my god, even my underwear, and she blushed. She shut the drawer, heart twinging, opening the one beside it, in search of her bathing suits--we’re going to the beach today, and not just any beach, Duncan’s private fucking beach at his Cape Cod house, fuck. She found them neatly lined alongside her bras (according to color, whites and creams blending into pink, red, gray, black), pulling out her favorite bikini, white with tiny black polka-dots, slipping the bikini bottoms over her hips, pulling the top over her little breasts, carefully tying the back with her arms crooked behind her (I bet he’ll like this little number, she thought, smiling down at it, loving its coolness on her skin). Then she rifled through the dresses he’d lined carefully above her, finding the navy beach-wrap dress with white flowers she loved so much and had worn on several vacations with Momby (one had been with Tyler, she thought, shivering a little, remembering last night and the way Duncan’s jealousy had thrilled her, made her anxious to be alone with him, to reassure him, I’m yours baby, all yours, kiss me, fuck me, touch every part of me, I’m yours, body and soul and fuck had they reassured each other, Kenzie could still feel the soreness in her ass where he’d penetrated her)--Kenzie pulled the dress down off the hanger and wrapped it around her body, pulling her tangled hair out of the back, stepping quietly out of the closet as she did. She glanced over at the bed--Duncan was still fast asleep, his closed eyes only vaguely visible over his back and the crown of his dark auburn-and-russet hair. My love, sleep a little longer, I love to see you so sweet and so quiet this way. She quietly padded out to the living room, her eyes falling on the roses on the coffee table; Kenzie dipped her face down, drinking in their rich scent, suddenly struck with sadness for the day soon to come when they would wilt; I’ll hang them upside down over our bed to dry, she thought, and then I can smell them at night and never forget how much he loves me, because their scent is his love, and so is the sight of them.

Kenzie moved on to the seldom-used dining room; she moved around the cherrywood table (in her mind’s eye Kenzie saw Duncan lay her down on it and pull her roughly onto him, between his legs, pressing needy kisses against her breasts--I can’t help it, she thought, smiling, blushing at no one, into her hand, I want him to fuck me on every surface of this place, in every corner and everywhere and always) to where a long, ornate chest rested in one corner--Kenzie opened it carefully, and her eyes fell on the telltale object she had hoped to find: a wooden picnic basket, painted white, with brown leather straps and gold embellishments. Ugh, this is lovely, she thought, pulling it out carefully and peeking inside--there where small white plates strapped to the inside of the lid, a cheese knife and a bottle opener between them, four wine glasses in sturdy compartments in each corner of the interior, a cutting board, napkins lined in blue and white, and several sets of cutlery. Kenzie wondered idly if he’d ever used it with another lover; selfishly, she hoped not. She gripped the straps of the basket and went back out to the kitchen, setting it gently on the black obsidian island. Kenzie went over to Duncan’s imposing black espresso machine, pulling two of the little copper espresso cups down from where they rested in the tray atop it, its shiny exterior winking at her in the sun streaming through the window over the sink as she pulled the portafilters out, carefully dispensing grinds into them from the grinder beside it, biting her lip, hoping the sound wouldn’t wake him; not yet. She glanced at her succulents that lined the window as the espresso machine ran two doubles into the cups silently, streamlined, sepia crema rising--there were a dozen plants in all, in their little terracotta and glass pots, each growing cheerfully, their green-and-red leaves seeming to wave at her, and she grinned. I love them there and Duncan said he loves them too. I’m so fucking happy. Who needs drugs when you’re in love like this.

Kenzie went to the fridge, pulling out the bottle of orange juice within, going to the cupboard; she noticed someone (maybe Duncan, maybe the housekeepers) had placed her cheap little glasses--most of them from Target--next to Duncan’s ornate Waterford glasses; the little one with peonies on it, the glass he’d pulled from her hand to crush her longingly against him the night he’d slept in her futon with her--was near the front. Kenzie pulled it down and poured orange juice into it; then, carefully, she gathered the three cups in her hands (the two with espresso clutched in one, a delicate balance of fingers, the orange juice in the other), and watching her footing in the long wrap dress, trod back to the bedroom. She watched Duncan’s back rise and fall, still fast asleep, as she carefully set the two cups and the glass on his night-side table--Kenzie pushed her hair over her shoulder from where it had fallen into her eyes, glancing at the silvery alarm clock (7:42) and then she climbed carefully onto the edge of the bed, her hands falling on his arm and along the back of his neck; then she pressed her face down into his neck and kissed him under his ear, her lips lingering, biting at his earlobe. The musky scent of him filled her nose, and Kenzie felt a twinge down between her legs; that smell kindled her need, brought thoughts of him devouring her into him in the watchful eyes of the mirror (that mirror) last night barreling to the front of her mind. Fucking her so good that she drifted into delirium just to think of it. Beloved, sharing all the secrets of your body with me, I never want it to end, my dearest love. Devour me again, and again, and always. Duncan stirred, turning towards her; his eyes opened, hazily, their blue fire piercing into her, snatching her breath as they always did. His arms lifted and immediately pulled her down into him, demandingly; his lips pressed into hers, his tongue probing into her mouth, and Kenzie fought to resurface from the depths into which she immediately plunged in his arms.

“Good morning, angel,” he murmured into her mouth, hands falling down the softness of the wrap dress, searching for the opening, finding it as her thigh came free; Duncan’s hand went up the incline of her calf and pressed between her legs to the smoothness of the bikini over the lips of her cunt, and Kenzie couldn’t stave off the burst of desirous laughter that erupted from her mouth as she facetiously tried to twist away--”Fuck, Duncan, baby,” she whispered into him as he continued to press his mouth into hers, “Good morning to you.” She could feel the weight of his cock pressing into her thigh under her knee; he’s always hard in the morning, always. “I made you an espresso. But I want some of your orange juice.”

Duncan pulled away from her with some reluctance, glancing over his shoulder at where she’d placed the various cups. He reached for the orange juice (she watched his eyes rove up to the mirror, as if surprised to see it in the daylight, then back down), taking a careful sip from his prostrate position (she also noticed his eyes fall down the peony print on it, affectionately), then handed it to her; as she took it, Duncan pressed his face into her neck, the sweet smell of the juice falling into her from his mouth, and sucked at the sensitive skin there. “You can have as much as you want, baby,” he whispered, and his fingers fell down to her thigh again, trailing there, greedy.

“Baby, be careful, you’re gonna make me spill this,” she giggled again, but Kenzie thought who cares, honestly, who cares, keep kissing me, baby, you’re so fucking gorgeous and I always want you to kiss me, fucking kiss me. She drank deeply from the glass as his mouth worked at her, then she turned her face back into his, letting her tongue press between his open lips, and Duncan moaned. “I’m gonna fuck you right now if you don’t stop that,” he whispered. Kenzie pulled away from him; “Is that a threat, baby?”

“It’s a fucking promise,” he said, pulling the orange juice out of her hand and pushing it back onto the nightstand, reaching back to press her, harshly, flush against him; Kenzie felt the hardness of his cock against her belly now, and she tried to steady her mind as he bit into her neck, his tongue flicking out to leave a wet little trail on her skin. “Baby, it’s almost 8, we should probably get ready soon, shouldn’t we?” Duncan groaned into her, resting his nose along the side of her face. “Ugh, yeah...I guess we should...maybe we should cancel the beach after all.”

“Aww, Dunny, no, I wanna go--” and Kenzie turned her face to nuzzle her nose into his, closing her mouth and pressing a soft little peck on his bottom lip. “I really wanna see your plane, too.”

“Aggh, okay, fine, baby,” Duncan pulled away from her reluctantly, sitting up in the sheets, rifling a hand through his sleep-tossed hair; even sleep-tossed, baby, it looks so fucking good, Kenzie thought, still in the pillow, her eyes falling over his graceful features. I wonder if I’ll ever look at you and not feel struck dumb by you, lost in your face, your eyes, your lips, you, baby, Dunny, my beloved, you. “Thanks for making me a coffee.” He reached over to the espressos, grasping both, handing one to her carefully; Kenzie sat up too, kissing him again as she pulled it from his hand. “I found your picnic basket,” she said, staring at him as she sipped at the bitterness, carefully, her other hand reaching out to trail along his arm. Duncan stared at her; Kenzie fought off the shiver she felt at his eyes. They look at me with devotion; those incredibly radiant eyes. Now I’m always caught in the gaze of a god of beauty. “It’s so lovely, I can’t wait to use it today.”

“I’d forgot about it, actually,” he smiled at her, finishing off the espresso, setting the copper cup back on the nightstand, his hand coming around to press at her thigh, eyes still intensely focused on her. “I’ve never used it before; I bought it a long time ago, on a whim; maybe someday I’ll find someone to use this with, I remember thinking. And it’s been in that chest ever since, for years.”

“I guess it was waiting for me.” Kenzie grinned at him, her espresso cup now empty, too. Duncan pressed his face down to her, the bitter taste of the coffee mingling between their mouths, her hand coming up to cradle against his hair.

“Kenzie, I was waiting for you,” he said, and she shivered a little, pressing into him. They stared at each other for another long moment; my sweet Hades, come out into the sun with me, Kenzie thought, and pulled away from him, climbing out of the bed. He whined after her. “Time to get up, baby,” she replied, turning her nose up in mock-severity. “You can kiss me on the beach.”

Kenzie went into the bathroom to where all her things were lined up on the sink opposite Duncan’s; she loved the picture of it, his minimalist bottles and jars, her colorful containers of perfume and makeup. She reached for her brush, pulling it down into the tawny tangle of her hair as Duncan came up behind her, now in a tight dark grey pair of briefs in the same style he always wore--his hands came around her in the mirror, drifting up to her little breasts in the wrap dress, and she grinned at him, turning her head to the side so he could kiss her jaw as she continued to brush her hair. He reached for his toothbrush and the tube of toothpaste on the counter over her shoulder, and Kenzie couldn’t help but admire him again in the reflection as she set the brush down; how lovely to spend the whole day with you, she thought. How lucky I am. But it isn’t luck, is it? It’s how things are meant to be. Me and you, baby. Kenzie admired the small dusting of hair in the center of Duncan’s chest, the fall of his belly (his bellybutton was concave, and Kenzie thought of her own, which pressed outward just a little), the trail of hair leading down into his groin, the coiled strength in his upper arms, the staggering loveliness of his hands, which looked always akin to something painted by Michelangelo, the gods’ perfect daydream of hands. Those hands on my body, what ecstasy, she thought, reaching for her own toothbrush.

“You know,” she said, staring at him through the bathroom mirror as she ran cold water over the bristles of the brush, “I’m wearing my bikini under this.”

Duncan’s eyes flicked toward her and rolled up a little, and he leaned down to spit into the sink, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and reaching for her, his hands (your fucking hands, love) coming up under her breasts to grip her ribs there, possessively. “Fuck, Kenzie. Don’t tell me that. We’re not going anywhere if you don’t stop it, baby. I’m gonna throw you on the fucking bed and fuck you all day instead.”

Kenzie made a face and stuck her tongue out at him, which was covered in toothpaste. He laughed at her, moving his hands down to the dip of her waist. Kenzie twisted away from him and he let go, reluctantly. “I told you I wanna go to the beach,” she said with mock severity. “Do as I say and get ready, Dunny.”

He pouted at her. “Fine, Princess Kenzie.”

Kenzie rinsed her toothbrush, grinning at him again. “I like that. Princess Kenzie.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him, teasingly.

“You are. You are my fucking Princess, aren’t you, baby.”

“Uh huh. And you’re my Prince.” He smiled at her (absolutely intoxicating, my Prince, my Hades pulling me down from a field of flowers into your dark smoldering kingdom of bones and pressing your ardent kisses into my body, baby) and went to the closet, his eyes skirting back over her as he did. “You should see the stuff people are saying online,” he said, turning away from her as she followed him out, disappearing into the walk-in, obscured from her for a moment.

“Like what,” Kenzie followed him into the closet, too, reaching for a pair of beige flat sandals with laces similar to the heeled sandals that rested beside it (those sandals he’d unlaced on that first night, pressing her into him and Kenzie knew her life was about to change forever, somehow, I knew) on her side of the shelves. She slipped them onto her feet (her toes unpainted but neatly trimmed--when Kenzie got a pedicure, which was very seldom, she asked for clear polish only), leaning down to tie the laces. Duncan glanced to her from where he was rifling through one of his lower drawers--then he knelt down, quickly, still in only his dark gray underwear, and gently pushed her hands away, carefully crossing the lacing over her ankles, the gentle caress of his fingers making her legs break out into goosebumps instantly, and Kenzie’s heart slammed against her breasts. He’s so wonderful. Fuck. Baby. You call me angel, but you’re my angel too.

He finished tying the laces (double knots) and looked up at her from where he knelt before her; Kenzie could see the devotion dancing in his gaze again, and felt frozen under it. How can you, Duncan Shepherd, be looking at me this way.

“Thanks, baby,” she whispered.

“They’re saying we’re the most beautiful couple they’ve ever seen, that you’re a princess, a queen, and I that should marry you. And I am inclined to agree.”

“Dunny. We’ve been dating for a week.” Kenzie’s heart slammed into her ribs again. In a colossal tidal wave of abandon, she allowed herself to indulge the thought for a few seconds; imagined their wedding, surrounded by a thousand flowers, imagined a flower crown around her head with crystals threaded through it, imagined how beautiful he would look, his hair falling so perfectly, his blue eyes looking at her with the same reverence she saw in them now, clutching her hands in a dappled sunset, surrounded by loved ones, pressing cake into his cheek, both of them laughing. Then she willed herself to bury these thoughts; god, could anything be so wonderful...Kenz, it’s already happening, you’re surrounded by wonder already, how is any of this real in the first place. Kenzie felt dizzy suddenly as Duncan stood up, his hands reaching for hers. He gazed down at her.

“I love you, Kenzie.”

“You’re still in your underwear, Duncan.”

“I don’t care. I love you.”

“I love you too, baby,” and she went up on her tip-toes (I just can’t reach you otherwise, can I, baby, she thought with a thrill) and kissed him. “Now, get dressed.” She turned her back to him, pushing away her needs and her disappointment and her daydreams of their imaginary wedding (I’m inclined to agree) and the allure of his blue eyes as he looked after her hungrily--time to pack us a picnic lunch for the beach, she thought, time to spend all day with you, in a dream.

------

It was about an hour later when they left the penthouse; Duncan was carrying the picnic basket now stocked with a picturesque array of foods from his seemingly-always-perfectly-stocked futuristic silver fridge, as Kenzie was starting to notice--clusters of wine-colored grapes, a wheel of white brie, tiny, round, crispy baguette crisps, several small cuts of cured charcuterie sausage, cold chicken, golden pears, little gherkin cucumbers--and another basket in his left hand, this one with two bottles of wine (a white and a rose) and a six-pack of Corona cerveza, which Kenzie had been delighted to find on the bottom shelf of the fridge (he does drink beer after all, reassuring her once again that he was indeed human) and one perfect green lime. Tucked under his arm were two luxuriously huge jacquard-woven cotton white-and-navy beach towels, which Kenzie had squealed in delight over when she found them in the linen closet in the bathroom. He had a different pair of sunglasses on today; these were round black Saint Laurent with very thin frames, and made him look like a famous musician to her, effortlessly cool--his shirt was a collared button-down Hawaiian-style with a print that reminded her of the dappled floor of a pool, and he was wearing navy blue Burberry swim trunks with a white tie around his abdomen, and black thonged Armani sandals--today Kenzie had noticed how well-pedicured his feet were in the sun, the prettiest feet on a boy I have ever seen, she thought, shyly. Kenzie tucked her hair behind her ear in the soft wind, glancing around--mercifully no paps, she thought, good thing because Harris has today off--shifting the buckled navy-and-white beach blanket she carried to her other arm, a slouching straw beach bag over her shoulder with sunscreen, one of her books (Jane Eyre), a cardigan, her phone, her earbuds, her cheap little round rosy-golden sunglasses, and her wallet. She clutched the edge of her straw beach hat in her fingers (it had a black ribbon around the crown) and smiled at him. Duncan gave her a little smile in return as they walked to the BMW, the sidewalk quiet today--the sky was clearest blue, with no clouds, and it was already quite warm, in the low 80’s. Samuel was idling there on the corner--as Kenzie looked up he came out of the driver’s side and reached for the buckled blanket she carried, grinning at her, lifting it carefully from her grasp. “Thank you, Samuel,” she murmured.

“You two look like you’re about to go to a photoshoot,” he replied, cheerfully. He was wearing dark sunglasses today and Kenzie could see her reflection in their shiny surface, her hair drifting around her shoulders, the dip of her wrap dress. “You are stunning, Miss Mackenzie.” She grinned at him, toying with the tiny rose-gold necklaces she’d put on today--three charms, a celestial sun, a crescent moon, and a planet with rings. Duncan carefully placed the two baskets in the trunk which Samuel had opened for them, then tucked the towels in beside them--Kenzie’s heart swelled to look at the beautiful things all lined up neatly there before Duncan shut the lid with a snap, beckoning her away from her thoughts and into the backseat as Samuel got back into the driver’s side. “C’mon, baby, the jet’s waiting for us at Dulles.” Kenzie slid in behind him, her hat in her lap, She looked up at Duncan--he was gazing at her (I’m always caught in his blue-fire eyes, licking at my skin) with a serene expression, and he reached for her hand, twining his fingers through hers.

“I’m so happy to spend the whole day with you,” he said softly, leaning down to kiss her. Kenzie’s breath caught in her lungs--my life is this charmed thing now, this beautiful dream, only it’s not a dream, it’s really happening, you’re really mine--at the scent of him, woodsy and musk, and she returned his kiss, closing her eyes, lost in the moment and the feeling of his hand on her cheek as the car pulled away from the curb, and the air smelled like sunlight and cool green grass, the windows down and the warmth on her skin. Samuel played Etta James again today--at last, the skies above are blue...my heart was wrapped up in clover, the night I looked at you...I found a dream that I could speak to, I dream that I can call my own…

-----

At the airport Samuel pulled into a designated area for cars near a lot where several private planes were lined next to each other, partitioned into a small bunker--”Come on, baby,” Duncan murmured to her, pulling away from the cradle of their embrace, where they’d been lost in the touch of each other on the way, leading her gently out of the car, his blue eyes glinting at her over the rim of his sunglasses--Kenzie let him pull her up, let him grasp the edge of her straw hat to carry it for her, his other hand holding hers tightly, and he led her to a jet on the end, white with red curving ribbons of color along the sides--900 LX, Kenzie could see printed on the tail, serial numbers along one of the side-engines. Its stairs were already extended to the ground, anticipating them--the pilot, who was white and middle-aged with a large nose, a dark brown mustache going gray around the edges, and squarish sunglasses was standing casually near it, sipping from a Fiji water bottle, a cigarette in his other hand, almost entirely smoked. He gave Duncan a little wave as they approached, and Kenzie noticed him look down over the dip of the sunglasses at her, smiling a little, curiously. His gaze was gray and friendly.

“Duncan,” he said cordially. “And this must be the famous Mackenzie Stone.”

“Pat,” Duncan said, nodding at him, then smiling down at her. “The one and only.” Kenzie shyly readjusted the strap of her beach bag. “I dunno about that,” she said, a mortified blush in her cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Pat.”

“The internet’s in charge these days,” Pat replied, cheerfully. “And it says you’re famous now. Welcome aboard, Miss Stone.” He inclined an arm toward the plane’s steps, and Duncan’s hand went to the small of her back, pressing her slowly toward them. Kenzie grasped the silvery railing, gathering the edge of her wrap dress in one hand so she wouldn’t trip, and stepped up into the plane; she glanced over her shoulder at Duncan, who nodded at her encouragingly. Inside, there were several rows of seats--7 rows in all, two seats per row except for the last, which was one long seat with two seatbelts. A woman of indefinite age with coffee-colored skin, in a smart white blouse and fitted black pants, smiled at her as Kenzie got to the top--she wore mauve lipstick and dark eyeshadow, and had her dark hair tied back in a glossy ponytail.

“Miss Stone,” she said, holding out a carefully manicured hand; her nails were dark red, and her smile was warm. Kenzie grasped her fingers, smiling back. “I’m Pilar, buenos días. I’m your stewardess today. Please do not hesitate to let me know if you need anything. I’ve been taking care of Duncan since he was five years old.” She had a very slight accent, a vague lilt at the end of her words. She glanced at Duncan, her eyes bright on him. “I watched him grow more and more handsome everyday.” Duncan looked away, clearly embarrassed at her flattery.

“Pilar used to slip me extra cookies when Mom wasn’t looking,” he said, then looked down at Kenzie affectionately. “My partner in crime.” Pilar laughed; it was a wonderful laugh, her head thrown back with abandon, the sound of it seeming to emanate from the pit of her belly. “Always,” she replied. “We’ve just switched to extra gin and tonics these days.”

“Speaking of which--” Duncan said, and Pilar nodded, grinning at him. “Claro, Duncan. Please get settled, I’ll let you know when Pat says we’re ready to go. Is Samuel here?”

“You know he is. I can’t seem to get him to take more time off, no matter how hard I try.”

Pilar looked down the stairs to where Samuel was carefully carrying their picnic baskets towards the plane; she let out a little squeal and carefully rushed down the steps on her black pumps, trotting towards him to give him a long hug; Samuel’s big white grin was visible from where they stood at the top of the steps. Kenzie smiled towards them; Samuel really is the best, everyone who works for the Shepherds is so wonderful. I never really realized how many people are constantly working behind the scenes for the wealthy. When Duncan takes over Shepherd Unlimited, we have to make sure they’re really being taken care of. Kenzie went through the side-door of the jet, hesitating over the seats; Duncan pointed towards the back, where the long seats were. “Let’s sit back there, Kenz, yeah?” Kenzie nodded and made her way there, setting her beach bag on the floor, sitting and looking up at him carefully. “Everyone is so wonderful, Duncan, everyone who works for your family, I mean. We have to make sure they’re all getting paid fairly. We have to make sure they have good benefits--when you take over the company, I mean. I’m just...so moved by everyone.” Kenzie pushed the apprehension she felt over being so forward with him away; surely, he must understand what I’m saying. He’s my dearest love and he will listen to me.

“I agree. Mom hasn’t been very transparent with me about that sort of thing and I plan to go over everyone’s salaries and benefits as soon as I take over for my Uncle.” Duncan sat next to her, reaching for her hand, taking his sunglasses off to look at her. Kenzie reached her fingers up to his cheek and Duncan turned his face into her palm, closing his eyes, as if the feeling of her alone moved him beyond words. Oh baby, she heard his mind push the sweetness of the emotion in it towards her, you are such an angel, I’ll do whatever it takes to deserve you. I have to. You deserve only the best of everything, including the best of me. Her heart ached inside his words; she was nodding to him before she realized. “We can make so many people happy,” she whispered.

“Kenzie. Listen to me. I want to make you and Madeline members of the board of directors for Shepherd Unlimited.”

Kenzie’s fingers were still on Duncan’s cheek and she gasped a little; he opened his eyes and stared at her, his gaze unflinching, and put his hand up against hers, keeping her fingers on him.

“Duncan. What.”

“Kenz. I mean it. Please say yes.”

“I--fuck, Duncan, I--”

“I know you can do this. You’re so brave and so brilliant and so kind. I need your help, baby. I need your help to make Shepherd Unlimited into what it needs to be to help people. I need you.”

At that moment Pilar stepped back on board the plane, carrying the picnic baskets; Kenzie could see her through the open pathway between the plane’s plug door and the seats, the curtain there pulled to the side. Samuel was behind her with the beach blanket and their beach towels, and he and Pilar were chatting amiably, not having noticed the heightened nature of the looks on Duncan and Kenzie’s faces or the way Duncan held her hand against his face. Kenzie let go of him and looked down at her bag, rifling in it for her phone, attempting to keep the other two from noticing her expression; her head was pounding, and she could feel Duncan’s eyes (blue flames) on her, feel the warmth of his emotions still, falling over her. Pilar and Samuel were slipping the baskets into a fridge towards the front of the plane, beside the door to the cockpit, and then Samuel waved to them; Kenzie smiled at him from her bag and Duncan gave him a little nod, then Samuel turned and kissed Pilar’s cheek in an affectionate gesture before he climbed back out. Pilar came towards them, and Kenzie fought to straighten her face, pulling her phone out of her bag and clutching it tightly in her hand. Duncan’s fingers came against her thigh, and his touch immediately began to soothe her nerves; it was medicinal, healing, and utterly trusting. The board of directors, she thought, dumbstruck. Me and Momby. Oh, my god, Duncan. Annette will actually explode.

“Pat says we’re ready to go,” Pilar said, her dark brown eyes shifting between them. “I’ll get you that gin and tonic as soon as we’re in the air, Duncan. Mackenzie--what would you like?”

“Umm,” Kenzie’s mind felt blank, like a chalkboard someone had wiped clean.

“I make a strong mimosa,” Pilar wiggled her eyebrows, sticking a little bit of her tongue between her very straight, white teeth.

“That would be wonderful. Thank you, Pilar.”

“You look a little green, mami. Do you get airsick?”

“Um, no, no, I don’t think so.”

Duncan squeezed Kenzie’s leg a little, his eyes on her with an expression of concern. I didn’t mean to bring it up too soon, they seemed to say, though his thoughts were indistinct to her right now. I didn’t mean to upset you. Kenzie slipped her hand under where his was against her thigh, opening her palm to him, threading her fingers into his. “I’m okay, just excited, I guess.”

“I have to say this--don’t get upset with me, Duncan, miho--but ¡qué parejazo!--you are a very, very beautiful couple,” Pilar said, and Kenzie could see the way the woman’s face was flushed with the sincerity of her words. “No wonder everyone online is so obsessed. Like a prince and a princess, ay dios mio. Like royalty.”

“Ugh, Pilar. Thank you.” Kenzie looked at Duncan as he said it and saw the blush on his cheeks, and his delighted grin at her sincerity. Pilar shifted her gaze onto Kenzie again, her expression tinged with both immediate affection and concern. You don’t even know me yet, and already you’re so lovely, Kenzie thought, a wave of appreciation washing over her. I think I have to do this. I think I have to accept what Duncan is proposing. I think I need to be on the board of directors and be fucking brave and fucking do this for him--for everyone. I can help everyone in the company if I do this and so many people who aren’t in it, too. And Momby will be there too, if she accepts. Why wouldn’t she? Annette may hate me, but Momby loves Duncan already.

“Thank you, Pilar.” Kenzie’s voice trembled a little, and Pilar leaned down to her immediately, grasping the hand Duncan wasn’t holding, her other hand coming up against Kenzie’s hair to rest gently on her shoulder, her face full of sympathy. “Mami, you are doing just fine. Don’t you worry. It must be hard to suddenly be in the spotlight this way. But I can see how much this boy loves you. In fact, I have never seen him this way. And es tan conmovedor...it’s very beautiful to see. You will be happy together. I can see that too. I’m gonna make you a very strong mimosa, and you’re going to have a beautiful day together.” Pilar squeezed Kenzie’s hand, then she straightened and turned to pass through the aisle, closing the curtain behind her. They heard an audible click and Pat’s voice fell into their ears from overhead. “Hey Duncan and Mackenzie, we’re all clear for take off, should be about three hours, skies are super clear and the wind is with us, don’t see any delays. I’ll check back in when we’re on our way down. Enjoy Pilar’s strong libations, Mackenzie, she’s infamous for them.” The loudspeaker clicked off and the Kenzie felt the plane drift forward. She snapped her seatbelt together, phone in her lap, and Duncan snapped his in turn beside her before leaning into the side of her hair, his lips pressing into her ear.

“Kenzie, baby, are you okay?”

“Mmhmm. I’m okay. I’m just...everything is...everything’s so…”

“You don’t have to explain, Kenzie. I love you.”

Kenzie lapsed into grateful silence, looking into his lovely face, her heart full. She sniffed a little, pushing her tears back; she could feel the plane drifting towards the runway, and her stomach did a somersault; I told Pilar I don’t get airsick, but I guess that isn’t entirely true. I feel sick right now. I feel overwhelmed in the wonder of everything again. Right now she felt as though her heart was trying to leave her body. The plane accelerated and she gripped Duncan’s hand harder; he leaned into her and her head fell on his shoulder, his chin coming gently against the crown of her hair. Kenzie closed her eyes as the plane went faster and faster, trying to concentrate on the warmth and pressure of Duncan’s hand; then she felt the plane lifting off the ground and the empty drift of its ascent into open air. She breathed out, slowly--she could feel Duncan breathing carefully, measuredly, beside her, feel the rise of his chest under the crook of her arm resting at his side. She thought of Pilar’s words, the sincerity in her eyes: you will be happy together.

------

A few minutes later they were still sitting quietly that way; Kenzie had been drifting inside the feeling of Duncan’s hand, the woodsy smell of him under her nose, the feeling of his jaw against her head, the slow incline of the plane; she opened her eyes as she heard Pilar come through the curtain again with a bar cart, upon which was a dish of round ice cubes, a plastic tumbler of gin and tonic for Duncan, and a plastic champagne flute of mimosa for her. Pilar handed Kenzie the flute with a napkin pressed to the side, her warm hand touching Kenzie’s fingers gently, then she handed the tumbler to Duncan with a napkin underneath it. “Enjoy, vida bellas. Call me when you want another.” She gestured to the round buttons on the far edge of the armrest of Kenzie’s seat, and then Pilar winked at her; Kenzie smiled up at her and nodded against Duncan. I love her. Pilar turned the bar cart back around as Duncan unbuckled his seat belt, carefully easing away from the soft weight of Kenzie’s head, pulling the tray on the back of the seat in front of him down to place his drink on it, then he turned to her and looked at her for a long moment--Kenzie held her mimosa, her fingers chilly on its icy, smooth surface, feeling frozen inside him. I’ll always get lost in his eyes. And not just because they’re so beautiful--but because they look at me as if I’m the reason for their beauty. And that’s what shakes me. She took a deep breath.

“Baby. Okay. Dunny. Duncan. I accept.”

“Kenzie.” The smile that broke over his face crushed into her heart like flower petals falling in a spring storm. “Thank you. Baby. Everything we can do. Everything we will do, together. With you by my side, I know we can do wonderful things with the company. Things that will help the world.” He reached for her hand; Kenzie felt overcome with the rawness of the emotion that drifted between them, and she smiled back at him, tears in her eyes.

“Baby, let’s take some photos today,” Duncan said, pulling his phone out of his back pocket, opening his camera. “I wanna save memories from this day. I wanna look back on them later. Our first full day together, no one else.” Kenzie grinned at him; this sweet angel. Duncan pressed his hand against her cheek for a moment, then moved it to angle his phone. Kenzie lifted the mimosa out to him; it caught the morning light through the plane’s row of small windows, and Duncan lifted his drink with his other hand, his index finger reached out as they clinked them together, tucking around the incline of her hand between thumb and forefinger; he held his phone up and snapped a photo. He held it up to her for her approval; Kenzie gazed down at it, loving the graceful shape of his hands and the desirous affection with which he’d reached for her, the dancing golden line of light reflecting off her flute. She nodded at him, cheeks burning. “Good, baby. Really good.” He grinned at her (the smile of an angel) and she watched him type, though he had his phone angled so she couldn’t quite make out the letters.

Kenzie opened the Instagram app impatiently on her phone in her lap; the first photo that popped up on her feed was the one Duncan had just posted. At the bottom he’d included a caption: Stealing away to a secret hideaway for today with @kenzielouwho. I am the happiest man on earth.

Kenzie’s cheeks burned, her heart full to bursting. Duncan reached out for her hand and she felt his face lean down to her, lips against her cheek. “I can’t wait to be alone with you, baby, really alone.” The whisper of his mouth against her made her shiver. She turned her face into him; into his mouth, this mouth that’s mine, this mouth that is a part of me as he is a part of me, as he is the other part of me, once lost in the darkness, now illuminated in the light. And what a bright light we are. What a brilliant light we will be.

“Dunny. I love you. I love you so much.” She looked up into his eyes; his were glittering with a sheen of moisture, and she breathed against him, her words soft, her hands caressing down his arms to soothe him. “You are my special one. The only one.”

He blinked, then closed his eyes and let out a little sigh, as if overwhelmed by her touch and her words. Kenzie watched as tears gathered along the edge of his eyelashes and she fought back her own, and concentrated, pushing her thoughts into him with golden fingers; the size of the love inside me for you is greater than I am; how can something within me be bigger than I am? But it is. I know it is. I wish I could show you, pull it out of me and let it fall over you, a weightless armor for you to wear, and wearing it, you’d always be fearless, and you would never need to cry about anything, Dunny, because your heart would know that mine holds it, always. I’ll love you until the stars fade and the universe is swallowed in darkness. I’ll love you with all of me, in every lifetime, with all of my body and every bit of my soul, forever.

--------

Kenzie had drifted off into sleep against him about an hour later; she’d been idly scrolling through Duncan’s Instagram, leaving hearts and starbursts and kiss emojis on his posts (red carpets and black-tie events and photoshoots and one that she particularly loved of him laughing on the deck of some opulent place, looking into the camera with the sunset fading behind him; Mom got my good side, he’d written below--all your sides are your good side, baby, she thought, you are the most beautiful boy I have ever seen). She tried to avoid the comments--they left her stomach in a ball of anxiety--but Kenzie noticed Duncan had liked and left hearts and heart-eyes and comments (my baby, I love you, you look so beautiful here, and so on) on almost all of her photos. She’d also noticed she had over a million followers now--yikes. As she did this, Duncan threaded his fingers through her hair quietly--he’d seemed unable to speak for awhile, lost in the intensity of his emotions, and she had pressed her head into the crook under his arm, that spot of mine, until she felt his breathing quiet and his body soothe under her touch, and in his embrace, eventually, she’d fallen into a slumber wherein she dreamt about finding a dead deer under a flowering tree; in the dream, she’d laid her hands carefully on its matted fur, and pushed life back into it; reversed time, her dream-self had thought, I pulled time back so it left the thing that happened in a future still unwritten and I brought the life back from the dark place it went into when the deer shuddered its death-rattle, and the deer had gotten up and walked away, and in the dream Kenzie had thought yes, that’s it, that’s the way of it, the right of it. But then she woke up--woke up to the sound of Pilar pushing the little bar cart back through the curtain, handing her another mimosa with her warm smile. When Pilar had left again, she sleepily leaned away from Duncan, setting her mimosa down on the tray in front of them, and he looked down at her affectionately, his phone in this other hand--Kenzie saw he’d been on sothebys.com, looking through the “upcoming auctions” section. My boyfriend is rich enough to casually browse priceless antiquities like he’s shopping on Amazon.

“Pat was just on the speaker,” he said to her softly, “We’re starting the descent into Yarmouth now. The drive from the airport is only about five minutes, and then we’ll be right on the beachfront, baby.” He trailed his large hand down her arm, then onto her thigh. “Were you dreaming?”

“Uh huh. There was this dead deer...I had a white dress and a golden headband with leaves on it--and I touched the deer and brought it back to life. It was so strange. The other day I had this dream where Claire was choking and I literally did something to open the skin of her neck and get the thing out that was choking her, and then she was okay. What the fuck does that mean?”

Duncan gave her a puzzled look, re-buckling his seatbelt. “That is weird. I’m no expert on dreams; I wonder if it means anything. Maybe we should go see a psychic or something,” and he grinned at her. Kenzie made a face and stretched; Duncan lifted his hand up to press it down her waist as she did, in a longing moment of abandon. “I keep thinking about last night, baby,” he leaned into her, whispering. “I keep thinking about that mirror and how it feels like it always belonged with us somehow, I keep thinking about how beautiful you looked in it--” Kenzie couldn’t help it--Duncan looked so beautiful, his hair falling in perfect waves, his eyes so impossibly blue, staring into her, the light shadow on his jaw, the curve of his cheek as the now-midday sunlight from the plane’s small windows fell against him, his straight nose and full lips and the way he reached for her with his beautiful, graceful hands, the tenderness and aching lilt in his voice--thoughts of last night fell down into her too, the musky smell of him as he had fucked her, filling her to the point of madness, the commanding voice he’d used to tell her to open her eyes, to watch them in their passionate embrace--and she forgot the strange dream in the space of a moment, her mouth coming up to his, lost inside the immensity of his arms (the greatness of my love for you angel is as vast as the universe and you fill me up so it grows more and more and its beauty staggers me), she heard his thought, tinged with blue flame. As the plane descended, they barely noticed--Kenzie felt his eyelashes brush against her cheek as he kissed her, pulling her into him, needy; and by the time it had landed and the steps had descended and Pilar came through the curtain to tell them they’d arrived, Kenzie and Duncan were breathing fiercely into each other, reality obscured by lust and Pilar’s strong drinks, mislaid in the scent and the feeling of the other, trying to resurface from the private place between them into whence they’d strayed in the space of moments.

“Mis amores, the beach is waiting for you,” Pilar said as they pulled away from each other, cheeks flushed and breathing heavy. “You can continue where you left off when you get there.” She was grinning at them, and Kenzie leaned down to grab her beach bag as Duncan pushed his sunglasses onto his nose, as if to hide the brightness of his eyes, the heavy vibration of their desire for her. He turned to Kenzie and gave her another kiss, this one a small peck, his mouth closed; wait till we get to the beach house, she heard him press into her, and the wave of want inside the thought made goosebumps break out on her skin. Pilar helped them carry their beach equipment down the steps, and there was already a dark SUV waiting for them, a service from the airport--they carefully lined the baskets and towels and blanket in the trunk with the driver’s help, and Kenzie slid into the backseat, Duncan behind her.

“We should be back by 5,” Duncan said to Pilar before he slid the door shut.

“Si, Duncan, Mackenzie. Enjoy each other.” Pilar grinned at them mischievously again and turned away to where Pat was having another cigarette--Kenzie saw him pass one to her as the car drove away. She reached for Duncan’s hand; so close to being alone with you in the sunlight, baby, she thought, and relief washed over her as he clutched her tightly. He was right about the ride being short--4 minutes and 50 seconds later, the driver was helping Duncan with the baskets and the buckled blanket while Kenzie gathered the beautiful beach towels in her arms, breathing in their freshly-laundered scent. The Shepherds’ beach house was a huge, classic white Cape Cod-style, with two decks and a wide driveway facing the street, enclosed by a padlocked gate that Duncan had hopped out of the SUV to press a code into as the driver pulled up. As the driver went through, Kenzie could see the white stretch of beach visible behind the house, and no other residences were close enough to spy--Kenzie saw two other similar houses about a two dozen yards down the street, but they seemed to either be empty right now, or their residents inside. Kenzie looked back at the house; and it seemed to look back at Kenzie in quiet contemplation, ocean-minded and easy. The driver placed the baskets on the doorstep and Duncan thanked him; Kenzie hopped up behind him as the man walked away and drove off. “He’ll be back around 5,” Duncan murmured to her, and used a keycard from his wallet to open the door. It swung to a living area with a long, expensive-looking brown leather couch and easy-chair, seashells and gold paperweights and books on the shelves, a stone-lined fireplace in one corner. Kenzie moved through it to the kitchen after him, where he placed the picnic baskets on a tasteful island in the center of the room (not like Duncan’s obsidian island, but nothing is as beautiful as that is). The kitchen had long counter-tops and a spotlessly clean dining table with seven chairs, and Kenzie could see a long deck through the window of a pair of sliding doors; she felt giddy at the wide stretch of sand she could see beyond it.

“Fuck yes!” She couldn’t help it--this is fucking great, she thought, rushing to the door of the deck, yanking it open, feeling the sea breeze cascade over her hair and cheeks as she did. Kenzie stepped onto the deck and hopped a little, up and down, with pure delight. She could see seagulls wheeling above them; long seagrass stretched along the beach in clusters, and the sand seemed impossibly light in the dappled warmth of the sun and the deeply blue sky. Duncan followed her out onto the deck, smiling at her with an expression of pure happiness--she couldn’t see his eyes for his dark sunglasses, but he laughed as she hopped up and down again, falling against him.

“Baby,” she said into him, breathlessly. “This is so beautiful. We should come here every fucking day.”

“I agree. Fuck work and everyone who isn’t you, angel.” Duncan gathered her against him and his kiss tasted like the sun, its warmth reaching into her and pressing around her lungs. “I think we should go down to the sand and eat lunch and lay in the sunlight.”

“Oh fuck yes,” Kenzie agreed. “I just wanna look at you for the rest of the day, baby.”

“Ugh, baby,” and Duncan leaned down to her again and his hands came to the tie at her waist, undoing it before she even thought of stopping him--his hands (those hands) slipped down to the bare skin above her bikini bottoms, sliding against the softness of her waist and belly, and his tongue went into her mouth, and Kenzie couldn’t stop the little moan that came out of her, the smell of him like sandalwood and damp earth, her hands coming around his neck. Duncan’s hands went down around her ass, clutching her there for a moment (last night how you fucked my ass and filled me up and came inside me there how you fucked me so fucking good baby) and he moved them further down still to grip her at the back of her thighs, lifting her into his arms, her head hovering above his, their lips still crushed together. Duncan carried her, kissing her, pressing her against him, back into the kitchen, then into the living room--Kenzie gasped as he threw her down onto the long leather couch, tossing his sunglasses onto the easy-chair, pushing the dress away from her body; he kneeled down to where she lay against one of the throw pillows, watching him with desire and delight, and pressed her legs apart, insistently, staring at her--then Duncan licked his lips and Kenzie let out another little moan; she brought a finger up between her mouth, biting into the pad of it, lost in his eyes again. Duncan grasped her bikini bottoms in his two long hands (those fucking hands, fuck) and yanked them down from her thighs in one strong motion; they pooled around her ankles and Duncan pulled them away from her feet, his lips kissing into her knees for a moment--then he pressed her legs apart harshly again, his lips coming up the inside of her thigh, slowly, carefully, with concentrated attentions--his tongue slid up the delicate, sensitive incline of the space between where her thigh met her hip bone and down to where the lip of her cunt began--Kenzie’s body shuddered with the knowledge of where it would go next, and she whimpered into her finger, eyes half-closed now.

“Tell me what you want, baby,” he whispered, and she felt his breath against the wetness he’d left on her skin. “What do you want me to do to you? Tell me. Command me.”

“Duncan, eat my pussy. Suck my clit. Do it right now.”

He groaned into her at that; Kenzie could see the mound of his erection under the thin fabric of his swimming trunks from where he knelt. He pressed his hands on either side of her thighs, wrenching her legs apart even further so her cunt was lifted up to his face, the lips of her vulva shuddering as her muscles spasmed in arousal; then he pressed his mouth against the bud of her clit and laved his tongue out against it, achingly slow. Kenzie shuddered violently; a prolonged moan erupted from the back of her throat, and she felt his mouth smile against her. He paused, his lips pressed into her, and Kenzie bit into her lip, hard, trying not to beg--but the sensation of him was too much to bear.

“Bay-beeee,” and she heard her own voice as if removed from it, as if floating beside herself, “fuck me with your tongue, Dunny, fuck me good with your mouth--”

Duncan didn’t need another prompting--he sucked insistently at her clit as her pleading bled out into whimpers again, his grip pressing her thighs apart, making her core ache with intensity and need. Kenzie could feel how wet her cunt was growing--she felt dampness leaking down into the pucker of her ass, felt droplets of his spit falling into the folds of her vulva. Duncan pressed his tongue into her clit again, then probed down into the canal of her pussy, then back up, and her hips bucked up into him, slowly, into his mouth, to welcome him inside her. Duncan’s blue eyes opened from where they’d been closed in concentration; Kenzie tried not to gasp as she stared into them, feeling dazed, bewitched in his stare--not every girl gets eaten out by a fucking angel, she thought, fighting to keep her gaze inside his, her heart fluttering wildly as the intensity of his attentions between her legs caused a hot, rising swell there, her orgasm already threatening to arrive full-force into his mouth.

“Kenzie, come for me, Princess,” he murmured into her, and Kenzie’s head fell back, her eyes falling up to the ceiling, unable to stop herself. Princess, oh my god. I am your Princess, baby. You’re my Prince, and I’m your Princess. She couldn’t help but feel a kind of carnal satisfaction at the word--I’m yours, your princess, now fuck me good. “Fuck your Princess good, baby,” she said, and watched his eyes come up from where his mouth worked on her, a promise in his gaze: oh, I fucking will. Suddenly she thought of the dress Morgan had sketched for her; the dress she would wear to the Gala, resplendent and divine. Wait until you see this fucking dress, baby, she thought. Your Princess all in gold.

Duncan sucked at her clit again, his fingers coming up demandingly to press the lips of her vulva away from the bud, and Kenzie shuddered, feeling the wave of her release riding up now--the most beautiful boy in the whole fucking world is pressed between my legs right now, sucking on my clit, and he calls me baby, calls me angel, calls me Princess, calls me divine, a goddess, and he wants me to come, and fuck, I’m gonna--

“Gonna come now, gonna come hard, baby--” And Kenzie’s hips bucked up harshly into his mouth now and Duncan continued to press his fingers into her so the lips of her cunt were spread under them and his mouth was pressed with careful immediacy around her clit, his tongue working into it as she moaned, her mouth wide and raised up, and his other hand came into the wetness that rushed out of her between her legs, fingers probing into her cunt to feel it spasm out her release in waves, her muscles clenching around him.

“Yes, baby, good,” he whispered into her, his breath on her clit making her shudder again and again as she came down. “I love how you feel when you come under my mouth like that, fuck--” He licked his lips (oh my god, those lips) and Kenzie pulled his face up with shaking hands, pulled his wet mouth against hers, tasting and smelling her own release on him--then she said “my turn baby, it’s my turn now,” and he moaned and she pressed him into the couch beside her and slid down, softly, between his legs, pushing the dress off her shoulders, undoing the tie at the back of her bikini top and tossing it to the floor, so she knelt between his knees naked for him, her cunt still spasming from the memory of her orgasm, kindling her desire to please him. Kenzie pushed her hair back, then her fingers went to the tie on his swim trunks, little fingers working quickly. “Uhh, Kenzie, angel baby,” he whined, and his hand came up to press into one of her little breasts, his thumb fondling over her nipple, his eyes (blue flames, storms, demanding) shining at her, all his attention focused on her, his mouth still wet from her. Kenzie reached down into the waistband of his trunks and her hand fell on his cock, thick and hard (so big, filling me up when he fucks me)--she pulled it out, gripping it tightly, as she moved her other hand down between her legs to slick the wetness from her orgasm over her fingers. Duncan watched her do it with hunger shining out of his beautiful eyes--”Fuck, Kenzie,” he whispered, and she shushed him, bringing the other hand, her fingers now soaked in her release, along the length of his cock, and using both her hands to lather it from the bottom of his shaft to the head, easing it into the sensitive hole there. Duncan’s head fell back and Kenzie felt the shudder in his thighs--then she dipped her head down brought her tongue over the head, bringing spit out of her mouth to slide down his length obscenely.

“I need you to come in my mouth,” she said, and she looked up at him, making sure to stare--making sure he saw the demand in them. “Fuck my mouth, Prince Duncan. Fuck my throat and come in my little mouth, baby.” He nodded (Prince Duncan, rapturous in his beauty), his lips falling open a little, and his hands came up to her head, gripping into her hair, gently at first, then more harshly. She slid her mouth down into his length, willing her throat to open and take him in--she gagged for just a moment, then felt his thick cock slide down into her throat until her lips were at the bottom of his shaft--Kenzie closed her eyes, steadying herself, then she moved back up and began to bob her head while he was still buried inside her --she felt Duncan lift his hips up into her, lost in her mouth, then back down, and into her again, so he was fucking her throat with slow, measured concentration--Kenzie closed her eyes, feeling tears gathering at the edges of her eyes at the intensity of his length inside her this way, but she continued to move her head, feeling spit drip down the side of her chin. Duncan reached out to wipe it away, and she looked into his eyes as he did--his were full of deep, coiled lust--but that same wildly ardent adoration of her twined around it, and Kenzie realized she’d stopped breathing. She lifted him out of her throat to gasp a breath out--then she plunged his length back down into her, and Duncan shivered violently, a deep moan tearing from his throat, and he said “Kenzie, baby, I’m gonna come in your mouth n-now, okay--”, his voice shuddering as he tried to hold back, and Kenzie nodded and pulled back so his cock was just between her lips, then she felt the wet heat of his release coat her tongue and the back of her teeth and a long rivulet of his white come ran down from the side of her mouth, drops falling on her knee, and her eyes fluttered closed as Duncan’s gaze went hazy on her, lost inside his orgasm, and he groaned as he watched her, his hand coming up to grip her throat gently, tenderly, but possessively, needy, his cock still delicately held in the front of her mouth as every drop shuddered out of him into her. He quieted and Kenzie swallowed, licking her lips--Duncan leaned forward and his tongue came out to lick his come from the side of her mouth where it had dribbled out, and then he kissed her, needy again, his mouth open, and she could taste both her release and his as they tongues came together.

“Fuck, Kenzie, that was fucking incredible,” he whispered into her. “Fuck, I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Duncan,” and she smiled up into him, loving the hair falling on his forehead and the soft feeling of his fingers under her jaw, falling down into her golden hair. She reached down to where she’d discarded her bikini top and pulled it back around her little breasts; searched for where Duncan has discarded her bottoms and slipped them back on, standing on post-coital wobbly feet. Duncan leaned back to look at her for a long moment, carefully, tenderly slipping his cock, now going limp, back into his swim trunks. Kenzie stuck her tongue out at him, wiping at the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, and he laughed.

“Baby, I wanna take a picture,” he said, pleadingly.

“Oh, yeah, Mackenzie Stone, covered in sex, here she is everybody!”

“Please, baby? You look so beautiful.”

“Fine.” Kenzie rolled her eyes facetiously as Duncan pulled his phone from his back pocket--he held it up to her and Kenzie struck a pose, hands on her hips, dipping her legs together, her mouth smiling open, her eyes skirting to the side on a whim. “There, that’s the best Instagram pose I can do.”

“It was perfect, look,” Duncan held his phone up to her after a moment--he’d posted it with the caption Princess of the beach @kenzielouwho followed by the crown, celestial sun and wave emojis and she felt raw under the adoration in his gaze as he looked at her. She glanced down at the photo. Aw, I do look sort of cute, she thought. “You’re just good at taking pictures, baby,” she murmured to him. Duncan shook his head. “No, you’re just really that fucking beautiful, Kenzie.”

“Ugh, give it a rest, Mr. Shepherd,” Kenzie turned, squinting at him over her shoulder. “Help me bring all this stuff out, I’m starving.”

“Yes, Princess Kenzie,” Duncan replied, his tone obedient and playful, and she felt a secret thrill; I love it so much. I love telling him what to do and I love it when he obeys me. He’s so fucking beautiful and he’s mine. I love his devotion. Kenzie slung her beach bag over her shoulder, tucking the towels under her arm and grasping the basket with the beer and wine in it in the other hand--Duncan grasped the picnic basket and the buckled blanket and followed her out onto the deck and down the little wooden steps to the side, where there was a path that led a short way to the beach. It was hot and sunny now and the heat felt good on her skin, soothing away the intensity of the post-coital comedown she’d felt inside. She set the towels down carefully on top of the basket and as Duncan set the picnic basket down beside it she reached for the buckles under his arm, helping him spread the blanket out on the hot white sand, lifting her face up to kiss him for a moment.

“This was such a good idea,” she murmured to him, and Duncan smiled at her, nodding, his sunglasses back on the bridge of his nose. “I love it here, I knew you’d like it,” he replied. “I love how hidden it is from everything, I don’t even think most of the paps know about this house. They don’t seem to know about the Deep Creek cabin, either. I can’t wait to take you there, baby. It’s so beautiful there.”

Kenzie sat on the blanket, contentedly, and Duncan came down beside her, crossing his legs and reaching into the basket with the drinks, pulling out the frosty bottle of rose. Kenzie opened the picnic basket and handed him the bottle opener and he worked on the cork as she brought the plates and cutting board out, placing food on it carefully; the grapes and cheese and cold chicken. She popped some of the grapes into her mouth--”Gimme one of those, baby,” Duncan said, and she pushed one between his lips; they lingered on her, kissing her fingertips, before he chewed and swallowed, pulling the cork out of the bottle with a satisfying pop.

“I sort of mentioned something to your mother the other night at Busboys,” Duncan said, looking at her over the edge of his sunglasses, pulling out one of the wine glasses, filling it to the brim and handing it to her. Kenzie gawked at it, unable to suppress her grin, grasping it carefully. “Sheesh, baby, thanks--and what? You mean Momby knows about the board of directors thing already?”

“Not in so many words, but I asked for her help--when I take over for my Uncle. I guess I wasn’t sure yet exactly what I meant. But now I know I want her--and you--to have some clout, the power to make decisions that can combat and overrule Annette. Because I know one thing, Kenzie--Annette is going to combat us with this every step of the way. She’s not going to let either of you come in without pushing back. So we need to be ready for that.” Kenzie handed him a fork, a knife and a plate, and he took them gently from her, nodding gratefully. She smiled at him and jabbed her knife into one of the cold cuts of chicken, lifting the whole thing up to her mouth and biting into it ravenously. Having sex all the time sure makes you fucking hungry, she thought, deliriously drifting in happiness. This chicken is like, the best chicken I have ever fucking had. Everything tastes so good lately. She swallowed, reaching over to her beach bag and slipping on her gold-framed round sunglasses, pulling out the bottle of sunscreen after it, placing it on top of her bag as a reminder while they ate.

“I’m not afraid of your mother, baby,” she murmured, and she reached out to brush a finger across Duncan’s knee as he poured some wine for himself.

“I know you aren’t, baby, but I am. That’s why I need you and Madeline so much. I have to completely restructure the way Shepherd Unlimited functions as an enterprise--I have to convince the other shareholders that this is what’s best for everyone. I can do that with your help, I’m sure of it. I know we can do it together.”

Kenzie pulled one of the pears out of the basket and handed it to him--he gripped it from her hand, his fingers trailing along hers before lifting it to his mouth, his teeth ripping a chunk out of it with abandon. Kenzie pulled a sleeve of the tiny baguette crisps out too and ripped them open.

“I understand, baby. That’s why I’m going to do it.”

“Kenzie, please know how grateful I am. I don’t ask you this lightly. I know it’s going to be a challenge. I love you, Mackenzie.”

“Duncan.” Kenzie handed him one of the crackers, gently. “I love you too. I know. And I love eating with you like this. I love sitting here alone with you on this beautiful beach. I love you and I’m here for you and I’m with you, baby.”

“I want to buy the Post and give Candice executive powers over the operations. What do you think? Are you okay with that? I want to protect it from my mother and I want to protect you and your coworkers. I want to dismantle the show and Gardner Analytics. And I want to shift the Foundation’s goals. I want it to become a real Foundation. One that nurtures.”

“The Shepherd Foundation for Arts and Sciences.” Kenzie breathed out the words before she even realized what she was saying--Duncan paused, and she couldn’t see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but she saw the coiled movement of his hand as it came down to his knee in thought.

“Kenzie. That’s perfect.”

“Thank you, Mr. Shepherd, I expect to be well paid. And tip your waitress.”

Duncan laughed; it was a real laugh, genuine and from the gut, from the well of his heart, and Kenzie’s own heart clenched to watch him; he’s so beautiful and we are so fucking happy when we’re together, I’ve never felt like this with anyone, and we are going to do so many wonderful things, and I could just die my heart is so full---of him, and everything we’ve already shared with each other, and everything we will share--the days ahead will be so full and no matter what, I know we’ll get through them, we’ll be together through all of it, I can feel it, like he wrapped a blanket around me in the cold, soothed me with coolness in the heat. My special one. My Duncan. Duncan leaned across the cutting board and pulled her against him; his mouth was sweet with rose and pear and grape and she ran her tongue for a moment against his teeth and he groaned happily into her.

“I’m gonna go fucking jump in the ocean,” Kenzie said. “It’s fucking hot out, baby.”

“Not if I catch you first.”

Kenzie hopped up to get away from him; Duncan reached out and the tips of his fingers brushed her ankle; she squealed and took off across the sand, glancing behind her as he came after her, discarding his shirt to the ground--Kenzie waded knee-deep into the waves, yelping as she felt his arms come around her, his lips pressing down into her neck, tickling her skin and making her writhe in his grasp. “Kiss me, baby, kiss me, Kenzie,” he pleaded, and she did, her sea-damp hands coming into his hair and pressing him into her, and then she pushed him harshly and he stumbled back into the water, falling under a wave. “Oh fuck, I’m gonna get you for that,” he sputtered, grinning and coughing. Kenzie screamed in facetious fear, grinning back at him as he caught up with her and dunked her under the next wave--she came up spitting the salty sting from her lips, her hair soaked down her back now, and moved out into the water away from him, kicking off to swim out a little; swim so he’d follow her, and he did; he did and his lips crushed into hers as they floated in the sunlight, the taste of the ocean on his mouth, and his hands finding her under the water, finding her body and pulling her into him, his eyes on her, reflecting the water, making her shiver at their beauty; she grinned at him and pressed her fingers into his torso, tickling, and he kicked away in the water, laughing again, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck as they trod the waves beneath and rained kisses into him, his sea-soaked hair and his eyelids and his nose and his mouth, reaching up to taste her in turn. Icarus, fallen into the sea to be with me. Poseidon, come up from beneath the depths to be with me. Apollo flown down from the sun, to be with me. Ares paused from his rage, turned to me. Dionysus, grapes on his breath, kissing me…my Hades, my beloved, pulled from the dark, warm in my arms, here on earth, with me. With me.

------

Kenzie sat cross-legged on the beach blanket, Jane Eyre open on her lap (she was about halfway through--she’d read it before but it had been years since she revisited it--Jane was about to find out about Rochester’s mad wife in the attic, and Kenzie imagined, wildly, that Duncan kept his own secret mad wife in a closet hidden in the penthouse somewhere), one of the big towels tucked around her back from where she’d used it to dry off, slathering her limbs in sunscreen, her gold-rimmed sunglasses at her eyes, her straw hat with the black ribbon on her head, her hair, now drying in the sun, blowing in salty, golden strands around her face. They’d cleared the food away from the blanket but the wine glasses still there, Kenzie’s tucked between her legs, a little left in the bottom, Duncan’s balancing in the sand, empty, one of the Coronas, half-drunk with a wedge of lime floating in it, beside it. He laid next to her, his pool-dappled button-down under his head, his eyes closed against the afternoon brightness; Kenzie gazed at him as she rubbed sunscreen on her thighs and the back of her neck (he’d rubbed some on his chest and shoulders and she had gently smoothed some over his face a few minutes ago, admiring his unblemished skin and the chiseled beauty of his features as he lay still, obediently); his fingers were resting on the toes of her right foot, crooked under her knee, and she couldn’t tell if he was awake or asleep.

His hair had dried in luxuriant curls, and it seemed lighter in the direct sunlight; almost golden like hers. She could see the light dusting of sand that had brushed into the side of his cheek, into his stubble, along the curve of his jaw--Kenzie almost felt like crying to look at him this way, in this angelic sweetness.  She pulled her phone out of her beach bag and opened Instagram, checking that the sound was off; I’ll take this one in secret, she thought, but I want everyone to know too, baby, I want everyone to know that you’re mine, an angel in my arms every night. She brought the phone down close to his cheek; Duncan didn’t stir, and she could see the small rise and fall of his belly in the quiet breeze. She brought the photo back up to her eyes; just his cheeks and the corner of his eyelashes, grains of sand, and the curls of his hair. He really does look like an angel. She posted the photo with three emojis: the angel, the heart pierced by an arrow, and the celestial sun. Duncan stirred a little, and Kenzie realized he really had drifted off to sleep, his face turning toward her, his other hand tucking over his eyes, the hand on her foot gripping tighter, as if in his half-sleep he worried she would leave. She leaned down and couldn’t resist the urge to press her lips into his cheek; it was salty and gritty with sand, but it still smelled like him; woodsy musk, sandalwood, jasmine soap, and that lingering scent underneath, the smell that was him, a smell without a name or description. Just him.

Kenzie glanced at the time; it was a little past 3, and there was still time to drift in this moment, his hand warm on her foot, the sun drying their sea-soaked skin. She thought let him sleep, drinking off the rest of the wine in her glass, topping it off with more from the bottle nearby quietly so as not to wake him, and went back to Jane Eyre. 

------

It was about half an hour later when Duncan stirred awake; Kenzie was on the last page of her chapter, munching on one of the tiny cucumbers they’d packed, and she looked up at him, her hand coming across to his hair, gently.

“Kenz, I had a dream too,” he murmured, pressing his fingers into the corner of his eye, rubbing it as she stroked his salt-kissed curls. She imagined him doing the same thing as a little child, felt sure it was something he had done his whole life (like the tick he has when he’s nervous, rubbing against his jaw and the bottom of his lip).

“Oh yeah? What was it about?”

“I was in pain...terrible pain. I think I was dying. I was on the ground and I couldn’t get up--I couldn’t feel my legs. I was talking to my grandmother..she looked different than I remember her, though, her hair was up, and Adelaide usually wore her hair down...I was begging her to take me into the house...I don’t know what house. I don’t know what I meant. I said, I can be with you forever. And she said...she said...go to hell. I couldn’t believe that. And then she left me there, in terrible pain.”

“Oh, baby, what an awful dream. It was just a dream, though. That never happened.”

“But--Kenzie. After she left. You were there. You leaned over me, your face full of compassion for me. You looked...different, but the same. Your hair was darker and down around your shoulders, a little bit shorter. You were all in black lace, but you had little gold jewelry--the kind you wear for real. And you leaned over me and you were soothing me. But you called me a different name. You called me Michael. And then...then I woke up.” As Duncan spoke he closed his eyes, as if to remember the images from the dream, and his hand came up to the crook of her legs where they were crossed. She grasped his fingers and kept her other hand in his hair, soothing through it.

“I’ll always be here for you, baby,” she whispered. “As long as I’m alive I will. I love you. You’re the only one for me.”

“Kenzie,” he opened his eyes and stared at her; they were clear despite his sleep. “You’re the only one for me, too. And I know that...I know it. As absolutely as I know the sun is going to rise in the morning and set the evening. As absolutely as a tide going in and out, or thunder coming after lightning…”

“That’s lovely, baby.”

“Still, all the same, I know it, Kenzie.”

She grasped his fingers; Duncan moved his head into her lap, and Kenzie pressed her legs closer together to cradle his cheek. “I wish today could last longer,” she said down to him, and he nodded against her, replying. “Soon we’ll go to the cabin and we’ll have days together, days to be alone together--I’ll show you the woods and we’ll make a bonfire, we’ll drink wine and fuck and watch the stars, baby.”

“Oh, Duncan. That sounds so wonderful.”

“I can’t wait, baby. I can’t wait to really get away with you for awhile.Today has just made me want it even more. This week is going to be so long. And the Gala is on Friday. My Uncle’s going to be there, too. If you think my mother is bad...just wait. And he’s dying. So he’s really his best self these days.”

“I’m not afraid of him either, Duncan.”

He pushed himself up on one arm, up into the crook of her neck; “I don’t doubt it,” he whispered. “You’re so beautiful and so brave and I love you so much. You’re my moonlight, baby, my Persephone, breathing life back into me when I thought I was dead...”

Kenzie could feel the waves of emotion coming off him, like an endless tide of warm shadow; could feel the confusion still huddled in the lining of his thoughts from the dream he’d had while he slept, and she felt drunk off it, drunk on him and the closeness of him, not just his body, but what was inside. Duncan looked at her for another long moment, pushing himself further up to sit facing her; his hand came against her cheek. He didn’t speak, but she felt the waves grow stronger for a moment; felt his desire to soothe her in all things, to protect her and care for her for the rest of her life, for as long as she would let him--it was like he was pressing his lips against the deepest part of her, and it was so intimate it made her want to scream in its intensity, made her want to scream in the ecstasy of the feeling of him touching the lining of her hidden self; a part of her no one had ever touched and she hadn’t even really been sure was there. But she could feel his invisible fingers on it, and it shattered her. She turned her face away from him, tears immediately coursing down her cheeks in a cascade of overwhelmed emotion. Duncan leaned towards her--”Don’t cry, baby, please don’t cry.”

“I’m crying because...I’m happy. Baby. I’m so happy. So happy, but the happiness wants to tear me to pieces, it wants to rip me apart. It’s so much; it’s so big. It’s like all of the world is inside it. When I look at you, it’s like I see the world too. The universe. Everything.”

“I know. I know.”

She shuddered; the tears wouldn’t stop now. Duncan pulled her against him and she let a sob fall into his bare skin; he held her that way for a little while, his hands in her hair as she cried, her tears falling along his arm, the sound of the surf and the seagulls in their ears, and Kenzie couldn’t be sure, but she thought maybe he cried a little too, cried so his tears fell against her hair and into the sand, though he didn’t make a sound.

------

Soon it would be time to go. Kenzie was putting her things away in her beach bag, a nostalgic melancholy already falling into her mood--work tomorrow, she thought, and the magick of this weekend over, at least, for now...I guess I shouldn’t be too sad, the magick that is between Duncan and I grows stronger every day. But the world keeps trying to get between us, doesn’t it. Well, I won’t let it.

She glanced up to where Duncan was sitting, his back toward the beach house, his face toward the ocean--he had his round Yves sunglasses and his shirt on again, and his expression was as melancholy as she felt; his arms were crooked around his knees, hair on his forehead, blown by the breeze over the sea, and his lips were almost closed, open tinily, almost imperceptibly, wistful. The sun was hanging low in the sky now, scudding behind some wisps of cloud that had appeared, throwing very small shadows over him. She grasped her phone where it lay near her bag--lifted it, and snapped the photo of him--a photo she would come to love fiercely in time, though she didn’t know it now. She added a black and white filter and was struck by the romanticism of it. Hades comes to earth, she typed, and spends a day in the sun with his Persephone. @duncanshepherd my heart belongs to you. She hit Share. He looked over at her, as if re-emerging from a dream; his eyes were concealed behind the sunglasses, and his thoughts were imperceptible to her right now.

“Ready to go, baby?” She asked, softly. He sighed a little and cocked his head to her. She cocked hers too, half-mocking, smiling at him coyly from where she kneeled in her bathing suit and sun hat. His melancholia seemed to lift at that; affection washed into his cheeks, and he smiled back.

“Today was perfect, Kenzie, wasn’t it.”

“Yes, Duncan. Today was perfect. I will never forget it.”

“Me either.”

-------

Pilar welcomed them, now sun-kissed and smelling of sea salt and sand, back into the jet with her deeply friendly smile--she gave Kenzie a knowing look as she took the picnic basket from Kenzie’s hands, and Kenzie wondered if Duncan had left any marks on her neck that she hadn’t noticed. Or maybe I just look really fucking happy, because I am, she thought. Duncan asked Pilar for another gin and tonic, and Kenzie asked her for a vodka tonic--after Pat’s cordial voice came over the speaker again to tell them they could take their seatbelts off, she brought the ice cold plastic tumblers to them, setting them gently on the tray in front of Duncan--Kenzie had pressed her earbuds in, her head on his shoulder, fighting the urge to sleep as her eyes fluttered closed. “So much sun makes you sleepy, reina,” Pilar commented, nodding to her affectionately. Kenzie nodded and smiled at her--she heard Duncan thank Pilar quietly--then a ethereal masculine voice with a lively guitar floated through her earbuds, blocking the rest of their conversation from her hearing...

Honey, this club here is stuck up / dinner and diatribes

I knew it from the first look of / the look of mischief in your eyes

Your friends are a fate that befell me / head is the talking type

I'd suffer Hell if you'd tell me / what you'd do to me tonight

Pilar walked away from Duncan, glancing at her affectionately again, her dark eyes skirting between them with that admiring glint. Like a prince and a princess. The song continued in Kenzie’s ears, lilting, choir-like chanting and clapping resonating.

That's the kind of love I've been dreaming of

Her eyes fell over Duncan, who was looking down at his phone. Instagram. He was on Kenzie’s profile and she blushed to see he’d noticed the two pictures she’d taken of him when he wasn’t looking. He expression was surprised, then shy, then he turned his face to her, eyebrows raised, and held up the one of him sleeping, sand on his cheek. What’s this, he mouthed, his eyes dancing. She smiled at him, timidly.

That’s the kind of love I’ve been dreaming of

He looked back down for a moment, going to the other one, of him staring out at the ocean in his dark glasses, a look of melancholy on his face. He held that one up to her too--his smile now seeped in emotion.

Now that the evening is slowing / Now that the end's in sight

Honey, it's easier knowing / What you'd do to me tonight

I love you, he mouthed to her.

I love you too, she mouthed back. Then he kissed her, and Kenzie closed her eyes, the music and the evening-soft touch of his mouth drifting into her, and she thought Eros carried Psyche into the clouds, again.

That’s the kind of love I’ve been dreaming of

That’s the kind of love I’ve been dreaming of

[kimsgoeun]

ღ (for any and all of our ships please?)

ღ for a first kiss between our muses.@dreamingincolor1x1

harley/lacey

The music blasted in the dark lit room of the bar. There were one too many bodies surrounding the bar for Harley’s liking, but it did give her an excuse to scoot a smidge closer to the pretty blonde who’d been making eyes at her all evening. She flashed the woman a flirty smile as her arm brushed hers. Just as she was about to introduce herself, Lacey hissed under breath: “These assholes won’t take no for an answer.” 

Ripping her gaze from the blonde, she turned towards Lacey and the two men harassing her. A cold smile crossed over her features. “I know boys are stupid, but do you really wanna be labeled as pathetic too?”

There was a look of surprise on their face at hearing her, but as most dumb men did, they quickly recovered. “We’re just trying to give your friend here a compliment.”

Harley rolled her eyes, unimpressed. Lacey was more than capable of defending herself, but having a couple of drinks in her somehow made her that much more annoyed with the male gender (and possibly a little more protective of her friend). “Well she’s not interested so you and your buddy can leave now.” 

The fucks shared a smirk. Harley’s hands clenched into fists, itching to do something dangerous and reckless towards them. Lacey’s hand came up to clutch her elbow and Harley turned and gave her friend an exasperated look. Life would be so much easier if she could just punch them in the face. 

The two women shared a look. Her lips extended into a mischievous grin. Maybe being dangerous and reckless didn’t have to involve her fists. Without thinking twice about it, and not giving much warning to Lacey, Harley reached out to put her hand on the back of the other woman’s neck. She swiftly moved closer to Lacey, closing the distance and pressing her lips to the other’s. Just as expected, Lacey’s lips felt soft against her and she tasted like mint and the mixed drink she’d been sipping on all night. Her mouth moved against Lacey’s, her hand tangling in Lacey’s hair.

Breaking away from the kiss, Harley’s eyes blinked open and stared at Lacey as she did same. For a second she forgot why it was she had kissed Lacey to begin with until Lacey’s gaze shifted away. “Well, we have sufficiently scared them away,” her friend chuckled. 

Harley laughed along with her and let her hand fall away from Lacey. “Guess we were too woman for them.” Her eyes searched the bar for the woman from before, but she had to be long gone after Harley’s little performance. Oh well. Her attention went back to her friend. 

“I think we deserve some shots,” she cheered, the kiss between them nearly forgotten. 

jesse/kenzie

The sun dipped low in the sky. As always the pair were somewhere they weren’t supposed to be because Kenzie had talked him into it. They were supposed to be at a dinner with their volunteer group, but instead they were on the hood of his car in the parking lot of some park Kenzie had directed him to. Still, Jesse couldn’t help but enjoy the little dangers he felt whenever he was with her–he couldn’t help but enjoy her and her company. Jesse was still half in awe that she was wasting her time on some boring, does-what-he’s-told guy like him. 

“So what are we doing here exactly again?” he asked, watching her from the corner of his eye. 

Kenzie shrugged, but gave no further response. 

It was in moments like these where he got worried. He didn’t need her to be talkative–he tended to talk enough between them sometimes–but he was still trying to figure her out. (Like why she hung out with him). It just made him a little nervous wondering if he was doing something stupid or if she was regretting bringing him along for whatever it was she was planning on doing. 

He glanced around. A couple of families were around and getting ready to leave. A few parents shot them looks before passing by. It was still much too warm out even as it became later in the evening. Aside from a few echoes of children laughing and parents calling out to them, it almost felt tranquil. Or as tranquil as it could be while his heart nervously thrummed in his chest. 

Somewhere along the way he realized he liked her. Jesse wasn’t sure how long he had, but he knew he did when some guy in their group had been badmouthing her and he wanted nothing more than to punch them in the face. No one understood why he was friends with Kenzie, and hell, he didn’t either, but he liked her. She was different. Fun. And he appreciated that she had no qualms about calling people out when they were being assholes–it was a trait he wished he had. 

Kenzie’s fingers tapped along the hood of his car, seeming to think over something before turning her body towards him and leaning towards him. 

Jesse’s eyes widened in surprise, faltering back and nearly falling off the hood. Finding his surprise amusing, she let out a chuckle. 

“What? Do I make you nervous?” 

Yes, his mind replied instinctively. He shook his head instead. 

“N-No.” Oh cool, I just sound like I am... 

Kenzie laughed. “Sure,” she replied, grinning at him triumphantly. 

Usually he’d have backed off and let her tease him. That was about eighty percent of their relationship, but he really didn’t want to just be that boring, does-what-he’s-told guy to her. He sat up straight, ignoring how close in proximity that brought him to her. 

Something flickered beneath her eyes, but he was too slow to catch it (or she was quick to hide it). The unsaid words seemed to float out in the open between them: Now what? 

His hand moved to a strand of hair falling into her face. He brushed it lightly behind her ear and let his touch linger along the side of her face. Kenzie’s expression seemed to shift to one of surprise, but she didn’t move away from him either. He took it as a good sign. But still being Jesse, he couldn’t help but ask, “If I kiss you, you’re not going to punch me, are you?” He was only half serious. 

She rolled her eyes and let out a laugh. “No.”

“Okay... Cool,” he breathed out, pausing. Jesse pressed his lips together nervously, trying not to let the small panic inside him fully erupt. 

Trapped in his thoughts for one second too long, Kenzie frowned in slight annoyance. “You know, I’m going to change my mind if you aren’t going to--”

Jesse cut her off with his lips against hers before she could finish her thought. It was probably better that way anyway. 

max/renee

Her hand shook as she sketched Renee. Her gaze flickered between her pad of paper and the woman sitting across from her. Drawing a portrait was usually easy enough for Max, but this was proving to be difficult. If she wasn’t blushing from when Renee smiled at her while she tried to work, Max certainly was blushing whenever she realized she was staring at Renee a little too long (even if it was to draw her). 

It wasn’t as if she really needed to look at her either, Max was sure she could draw her from memory, but Renee had insisted on posing–and if she were anyone else, the pose definitely would have looked ridiculous. The fact that she didn’t just made Max all the more speechless in her presence. Even now, Max was caught up in staring at the cupid’s bow of Renee’s lips. 

“How’s it looking?” 

Embarrassed, Max cleared her throat and met Renee’s eye. A small smirk formed on the other woman’s mouth and she wondered if it was that obvious what she had been doing. 

It probably was. 

Ripping her eyes away from a still smirking Renee, she looked over the sketchbook in her hands. It was nearly as breathtaking as the actual woman in front of her and thinking that made her nearly flush with color all over again. If it wasn’t apparent already she was crushing on the other woman, she had to think showing Renee this would prove with one hundred percent certainty that Max did. 

She nodded her head, nervous all over again to show Renee her work. “G-Good,” she uttered out. “I think I’m done.” 

Without a word, Renee bounded up from her spot and shuffled to the spot beside her on the couch. Their shoulders bumped and Max’s heart couldn’t help but pound a little harder feeling Renee’s thigh pressed against her own. Renee moved into her space, leaning into her and smiling as she looked over the sketch. 

Max turned towards her in surprise and then regretted the small movement a second later. There were only a few inches between their faces and now she had an up close and personal view of the woman’s profile. Renee’s eyes roamed over the page and Max swallowed hard when she saw her eyes light up in admiration for Max’s work. 

“It’s perfect! Honestly, I’m amazed you can do this still,” Renee exclaimed, her attention turning towards Max. 

She blinked in surprise and her mouth fell open as she tried to formulate some kind of response. Nothing. Her eyes fell to Renee’s lips once more. She really wanted to kiss her–would it be weird to kiss her? She had been thinking about doing it for weeks, but had always chickened out at the last second. Renee didn’t move away from her though, and it was stupid and cliche but Max felt like time slowed all at once. 

Don’t chicken out. Don’t chicken out. Don’t chicken–

Before she could completely doubt herself, Max pressed her lips to hers in a soft kiss. It only last a few seconds before she was pulling away, suddenly worried about Renee’s reaction to the action. Renee’s eyes fluttered open and she stared wide-eyed at Max’s face. 

“Sorry, I just I wanted to do that–I mean, I’ve been thinking about doing that…” she uttered out, feeling foolish over her rambling. “Sorry.” 

“Me too.” 

The two words made her heart soar in her chest. Max searched Renee’s face for any traces of discomfort and when she found none, she found herself feeling much bolder than usual. 

She kissed her again. 

[faegrifted]

DO THE SHIP LIST FOR AIRN AND KENZI

Send a ship & I will answer…. for @therisingtempest

Who is a night owl: Kenzi. I mean I’m tempted to say Airn just because he loves a good party and the beach parties of Mag Mell never stop but Kenzi has been honing her insomnia since she was a teenager so she’s the natural night owl.

Who is a morning person: Neither. Unless you count Kenzi’s usual bedtime being around 5am. It’s actually not till Airn brings her home and surrounds her with the rest of his hoard of living treasures that Kenzi finally started falling into better sleeping habits. Healthier sleeping habits. Mostly at his and her manor mates insistence and help.

Are they cuddlers: Loren literally has a tag for Airn titled AIRN THE OCTOPUS, Kenzi is just a very willing victim.

Who is the big spoon/little spoon: Just by going off their sizes and what an octopus Airn is normally he’s the big spoon. However, Kenzi can’t be bothered to give a good god damn about size difference and is a huge fan of jetpacking her bigger s/o’s. Airn is no exception. Bonus! - when things first started Airn was elated to finally have something he thought Kenzi wouldn’t argue as far as their relationship went. (“I’m taller, I’m older, it just makes sense, let me have this.”) but because she’s an enormous brat Kenzi would fuck with his spoon game by sleeping on her back just out of spite.

What is their favorite sleeping position: Any position that lets them feel completely surrounded and enveloped by the other. These two always wake up with legs tangled and arms around the other.

Who steals all the blankets: Airn probably got used to Kenzi kicking off all the stupid lush and down blankets that pile the captain’s bed. Her blood runs hot as it is and normally Airn curled on or around her is more than enough to keep her warm and cozy. On the occasion, he complains about being cold they either bring in the rest of the hoard to warm the bed or Kenzi brings back a sheet to wrap around them.

What they wear to bed: Next to nothing and even that tends to get tossed at some point either cause one gets too hot or cause it’s in the damn way.

Who likes seeing the other wearing their t-shirt: Kenzi is a professional thief you guys. She’s constantly knicking Airn’s hat to wear while she sashays her way round the Tempest or the manor. She also has a habit of stealing Airn’s discarded shirts from the floor to wear around in the morning 1. Comfy af. 2. She looks fine as fuck in them. 3. It’s fun watching Airn go from waking up to maul mode when he notices.

Who falls asleep mid-conversation: Kenzi. She may be the night owl but Airn is nothing if not a good listener and even if her words are sleep slurred you know he’s gonna hang on every word and go the distance to hear her out regardless how many times her mind topic jumps.

Who wakes up in the middle of the night with nightmares: Kenzi but not so much after she starts living at the manor full time. Even less when she’s sharing Airn’s bed. None at all if she’s between him and Gen.

Who accidentally punched the other in their sleep: Kenzi, and since Airn was trying to wake her up before she was ready it definitely wasn’t an accident.

Who can’t keep their hands to themself: Remember AIRN THE OCTOPUS? Airn is Fae, Fomoiri actually, and it’s pretty natural that he wants to constantly be touching the things he finds soft and pretty. Kenzi is both and while it took her a bit to warm to the constant affections she rather enjoys it now and will seek it out herself on occasion.

Who said “I love you” first: Neither. They are Afraid of Their Feelings ™. Or initially, that was the reason. They still haven’t but only because they have a thousand other ways of expressing sentiment without using those words.

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background: Kenzi. Airn doesn’t have a phone lol. She actually has a number of selfies she’s taken with the crew and harem of living treasures and of herself and Airn together. Sometimes they’re all that steady her when she’s away from Mag Mell for extended periods of time.

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror: Definitely Kenzi. Sometimes just a heart, often times where she went, and occasionally the last word in an argument :).

Who buys the other cheesy gifts: Definitely Kenzi. She’s constantly bringing things back from human reality to show him just to see his reaction XD.

Who initiated the first kiss: Kenzi did. She was trying to distract him long enough to pull the man’s own dagger from it’s sheathe during a ‘playfight’.

Who kisses the other awake in the morning: Airn and he doesn’t always start at her lips or face for that matter. It’s pretty common for him to start much lower actually. Kenzi tends to wake up purring because of him.

Who starts tickle fights: DEFINITELY AIRN BECAUSE HE’S ONE OF THE FEW WHO CAN GET AWAY WITH IS AND HE’S A SECRET SADIST THAT LIKES TO MAKE KENZI SQUIRM AND SCREAM.

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower: Neither. This rude af couple long got over  ‘asking’ one another to share space and time whenever they pleased. They know eachother well enough to know when the other needs their space.

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch: Considering work for them tends to consist of adventuring on the sea and discovering pretty things for Airn’s queen lunch for them is usually sharing a meal down in the galley or going hunting together which they like to count as a date.

Who was nervous and shy on the first date: Neither because what these two did definitely wasn’t what anyone would call ‘dating’. It was more a courtship of sorts if anything. ‘Dating’ in the traditional sense doesn’t make either of them nervous and neither of these two are shy. Genuine feelings of love and devotion and trust and the realization of them, however— completely different story.

Who kills/takes out the spiders: Kenzi has actually climbed Airn to get away from a spider and all the while screaming that he better not hurt the 8 legged intruder. The catch and release rule is golden with Kenzi.

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk: Like I said neither of them have said the exact words. But Kenzi has definitely drunkenly giggled and babbled her way through telling Airn that while she knows she’s a lot of work and how she knows she can pretty mean that Airn means the world to her.

[omicuddler]

Come Back Home: Part 3

Part 3/?

Clint Barton x Daughter!Reader

Summary:  After months and months of fighting, you finally made the decision to leave the Barton household. As it turns out, the two of you need each other and can’t function without peace of mind. But when circumstances arise, will you be able to make it back home?

Warnings: running away, kidnapping, some graphic scenes (violence)

WC: 847

AN: this is more of a filler than anything really, and it sucks oOps

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Your arms shook as you aimed the gun at Natasha.

You could see a million expressions flicker through Natasha’s eyes. Pride, worry, nervousness, and ultimately, betrayal.

“(Y/N)... I don’t understand. Why-why are you doing this? Clint loves you, sometimes even more than his own life. Why are you running away?”, you heard her voice crack as she asked you.

While her outside demeanor was calm and collected, Tony was worried, Bruce was scared, and Steve was confused. You couldn’t see Bucky in your periphery.

“If Dad actually loved me, he wouldn’t kick me out of the house, and he wouldn’t say that I..”, you were struggling to get the last part out. It was caught in the back of your throat like a bad aftertaste.

You faltered. Your gaze fell and your arms slacked as tears rolled down your face. After a few milliseconds, which seemed to go by more like minutes, you finally returned Natasha’s stare. Your eyes were red and tear stained.

“He wouldn’t say that I’m not his true daughter.”, you said through clenched teeth.

You saw Natasha gasp and look at you lovingly, “(Y/N)...”. She gazed behind you so quickly that you almost didn’t catch it. Almost.

By the time the movement registered in your head, you felt arms wrap around you and lift you off the ground. You also felt the ice cold feeling of metal on skin.

You wrangled, and kicked at your captor trying to free yourself, “Let me go!! I can fuck you up in a heartbeat!”, you yelled and screamed at the top of your lungs.

Bucky wouldn’t budge.

“Doll listen to me”, he whispered in your ear sternly, his grip tightening on you the more you struggled, “I highly doubt that you can ‘fuck me up’. You’re talking to a brainwashed and highly trained assassin for hire, dollface. You’re not going anywhere until you drop the gun and calm down.”

You kept struggling until you were to exhausted to continue. You let the gun drop with a clatter to the floor, and you hung your head in shame. Tears were still rolling down your face, “Why should it matter what I’m doing? My poor excuse of a dad doesn’t care enough to let me live my life even a little.”, you spat.

You felt Bucky’s grip loosen as you slowly descended onto the floor. You quickly distanced yourself from him, rubbing your arms trying to regain warmth and feeling. You could feel a bruise starting to form.

“(Y/N), let us take you home. We can talk to Clint... we can come to an agreement that would let you-”, Bruce tried to negotiate.

“No, Dr. Banner”, you snapped at him. He flinched, as did Tony and Steve.

You tilted your head to the side and took a step toward them. In return, the trio took a step back. You gasped, “Are... are you... scared of me?”, you asked quietly.

You turned to Natasha in shock, and she wouldn’t meet your gaze, “Nat why are you guys scared of me?”.

You tried to walk toward her and she distanced herself from you.

Your heart stopped. You felt like the world was crashing in all around you.

“Am I really Clint’s daughter?”, you asked with your voice barely above a whisper.

None of the Avengers would meet your gaze.

“FRIDAY, who am I?”, you yelled up to the ceiling. You can feel your heart pounding and you can hear your pulse in your head.

“(Y/N) (Y/M/N) Barton. Daughter of Clint Barton. Place of Birth: Sokovia. Parental Identities: Unknown. Origin: Classified”, the system replied.

“Override classified status, Legolas”, you said with dangerous certainty.

“Acess granted. (Y/N) is the result of illegal experimentations in Sokovia. The experiments granted her abilities that have the capacity for world destruction. Dr. Banner designed a formula to suppress her powers that must be administered once a day, every day at noon precisely. A failsafe was designed in the dire sequence of events in which Miss Barton does discover her powers.”

It was 11:57 AM

“Wh-what’s the failsafe, FRIDAY?”, you asked. But quite honestly, you didn’t want to know the answer.

“Elimination. Should Miss Barton discover and use her powers for world destruction, she should be eliminated on sight. All Avengers have agreed to follow this protocol. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

You collapsed onto the floor, sobbing.

You couldn’t believe it.

You were a monster, and the team was ready at a moment’s notice to treat you like one.

“(Y/N), please, this isn’t what it looks like...”, Natasha tried to plead with you.

“NO!”, you yelled. You felt the earth quake underneath you. You saw Tony and Bruce stumble and try to regain their balance.

You’re eyes widened in fear, and you looked down at your hands in shock and a dire realization.

You would be eliminated if you didn’t do something soon.

You just looked at Natasha with a look of disgust, hurt, and betrayal before you ran and jumped at the window, plummeting more than 50 stories to your fate.

Tags:  @flourish-et-blotts @phonegalhelp @elorajaii @dugan365 @ailynalonso15@bakugaming @phire23 @huflerin  @bellero @zutaraisbae @purplekitten30 @dutchlovergirl @the-winchesters-girl @void-imaginations @the-runaway-fangirl @kgbrenner @angelinaburns @kenzie---orisit @assbuttlikepie @bloggett