#LET HER SHOW OFF HER THEATER OUTFIT TASTE

[degreesofpetal]

Dates with the LIs (I wish we had more events)

Eden is fond of picnic dates. Dates you can prepare and take down quickly, dates that don't require you to enter the loud and dangerous city. She would have you prepare the food while she cleared out the debris from an area of forest. You'd set a blanket down and eat together, surrounded by the nature you prepared the food from. She'd caress your cheek, thumb trailing to your lip to wipe off the berry juice that coated them and sucking it off of her finger.

Avery likes expensive dates. He likes to show you off as his prize, and what better way to do that than to chauffeur you around in your expensive outfit in his expensive car, to the most expensive restaurants in the city? Most of your dates are more of a performance than anything else. The real Avery comes out once the night ends and he takes you home. Not to a hotel, but to his home. He'd take off your heels and kiss your calves, your thighs, your stomach. He'd thank you for being such a lovely guest, and help you into the shower. Then, the real date night begins.

Sydney likes study dates, away from the library where he spends most of her time working. He'd take you to a secluded part of the chapel gardens, surprising you with a beautiful spread of food and incense he undoubtedly borrowed from the church. The two of you would study together between bites of strawberries you feed each other, giggling quietly in your own little world.

Kylar wants you in her basement. Permanently. But she'll settle for dates in her house. You'd sit together up in her room that she cleaned up just for you, gaming together on her expensive PC. You don't know how she got the money for such a machine but you don't ask, and she let's you play on her spare laptop in return. When she inevitably beats you, she insists on kissing you to make you feel better, but her lips and hands wander. It's not her fault, she just can't get enough of you! She'd whimper and plead with her spindly fingers slipping down the waistband of your shorts for a taste of you.

Whitney isn't really a fan of dates. He's already letting you call him your boyfriend, what else do you want from him? But if you beg him enough, he'd give in eventually, and take you out to a restaurant. He'd sit across from you and trace your leg with his, eager to get out of there and get to the fun part- but he'd play nice. That is, until you start to tease him back. Then, all bets are off. Good luck walking.

Dates with Robin are a lot like when you were just friends. Robin loves you, and popcorn. So you go to the movie theater together, and sit in the auditorium together and watch movies on the big screen, shoving your faces full of popcorn and giggling at the scenes. You walk home hand in hand, and fall asleep peacefully in the same bed.

[sunny6677]

TOMS PHOTO ALBUM: FEBRUARY, 2010.

@catsockpuppet @mayisgoingnuts @goldenlavendered

2/5/10

"FEBRUARY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!! AND THAT MEANS IT IS TIME TO CELEBRATE LOVE!! THE VERY THING I HAVE BEEN SEEKING MY WHOLE LIFE!! WOWEE!! I DONT HAVE ANY PEOPLE TO COURT AT THE MOMENT, BUT ALAS, I SHALL CELEBRATE THIS TIME FOR ADORATION ANYWAY AND APPRECIATE IT FOR WHAT IT IS!! TODAY, I CREATED THIS LITTLE HEART THINGY—I JUST WROTE 'LOVE ME' ON IT BECAUSE I COULDN'T THINK OF SOMETHING MORE ROMANCY.. PERHAPS I CAN SEE IF SHOPKEEPER WOULD LIKE IT!"

"AFTER THAT THOUGH, I WENT ON OVER TO THE LOCAL CLOTHING STORE AND BOUGHT TONS OF COOL PRINCESSY OUTFITS!! AND I BOUGHT THIS CUTE LITTLE HEART CLIP TOO!! AND EVEN WITH THAT, THERES STILL SO MANY THINGS TO DO!! WAAAAHHHHHH—I CAN'T WAIT!!!"

2/10/10:

"HAVING NOT MUCH ELSE TO DO, I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND THEN CAME UP WITH AN IDEA: WHY DON'T I HAVE A PICNIC WITH SOME OF MY COMPANIONS??? SO AFTER COOKING A BUNCH OF EPIC FOODS, I CONTACTED SHOPKEEPER!! HE SEEMED KIND OF ANNOYED ABOUT IT, BUT HE DECIDED HE'D GO ANYWAY! WE AGREED TO MEET AT THIS ONE COOL SPOT AT THIS PARK IN TOWN AND HE ENDED UP BRINGING HIS MOVIE THEATER FRIEND AND HIS MONOTONE FRIEND ALONG WITH HIM! I ENDED UP TAKING THIS PHOTO WHEN I NOTICED SHOPKEEPER WAS STARING OFF INTO SPACE! HEEHEE.."

"SHOPKEEPERS FRIENDS APPEAR TO BE HAVING A GOOD TIME THOUGH!!! THE TICKET TAKER REALLY LIKED THE SANDWICHES I MADE... EEHEEHEE.. I'VE NEVER BEEN THIS HAPPY TO BE A FORMER CHEF IN MY LIFE!! PERHAPS IT'LL BE USEFUL WHEN I FINALLY BECOME A PRINCESS.. SHOPKEEPER ALSO TOLD ME THE FOOD WAS GOOD—THAT MADE ME SMILE A LOT!! I THINK I SHALL START COOKING MORE FOR HIM."

2/12/10:

"MADAME LILA WAS OUT AGAIN TODAY—SO I ENDED UP GOING OUTSIDE WITH HER SON AND JUST WENT AROUND TOWN TO VENTURE AROUND THE AREA—WE WENT INTO THE PARK AND HE TOLD ME ALL ABOUT THIS ONE SPOOKY BOOK IN CLASS HE'S READING!! HE'S VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERYTHING SPOOKY.. MARK MY WORDS, I SHALL ONE DAY GET HIM SOMETHING SO SPOOKY HE'LL NEVER HAVE TO CELEBRATE SPOOKY MONTH AGAIN!! (HE WOULDN'T WANT TO STOP THOUGH..)"

"WE FOUND THIS MUD PILE! HE SUGGESTED PLAYING IN IT DESPITE HOW MESSY IT WAS, AND I SAID.. YESSS!! OF COURSE WE SHALL PLAY IN IT, SPOOKY CHILD! SO WE JUMPED IN IT TOGETHER, ROLLING AROUND AND LETTING THE SQUISHY DIRT SPLATTER ALL OVER US!! HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME—HEEHEE! PERHAPS I SHALL SHOW THIS TO HIS FRIEND THE NEXT TIME HE'S PRESENT..! AND TO MADAME LILA!"

2/14/10:

"I CELEBRATED A LOT FOR THIS DAY IN PARTICULAR, THOUGH I WASN'T ABLE TO GET MANY PICTURES.. SHOPKEEPER APPEARED TO BE KIND OF BITTER WHEN I CALLED HIM THIS MORNING THOUGH, SO I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT HIM.. A GIGANTIC PINK COFFEE MUG, A BLANKET THINGY AND A MINI STUFFED ANIMAL THING!! AND ALSO A PUZZLE! HE WAS KIND OF QUIET ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK HE LIKED IT.. FOR SOME REASON, HE APPEARED KIND OF CONFUSED WHEN I GAVE IT TO HIM. I SAID THAT I GAVE IT TO HIM BECAUSE HES MY FRIEND AND I WOULD NEVER LEAVE HIM HANGING! HE JUST REPEATED '...I'M YOUR FRIEND?' LIKE HE DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SAYING, AND WHEN I SAID HE WAS, HE JUST WENT QUIET AND THEN THANKED ME. I WONDER WHY.."

"I NOTICED SOME OF THE NEW CANDIES THAT CAME IN TODAY THOUGH! THEY WERE AWFULLY PRETTY—A BUNCH OF PINK WRAPPED CHOCOLATES AND HEART SHAPED SWEETS. HE KIND OF NOTICED I WAS STARING, SO HE ASKED IF I WANTED SOMETHING. I SAID YES, SO HE SHOWED ME THIS SMALL HEART SHAPED LOLLIPOP THING—WHICH I IMMEDIATELY BOUGHT! IT WAS REALLY GOOD!! IT TASTED LIKE STRAWBERRY... EEEHEEHEEE.. CANDY ALWAYS APPEARS TO TASTE BETTER WHENEVER I BUY IT FROM HIS STORE. HOW DOES HE MAKE THINGS TASTE SO GOOD??????... I STILL HAVEN'T ASKED IF HE MAKES IT ALL HIMSELF! I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF HE DID. HOHOHO!"

[arjaandsimoni]

Revenge of the Rakshasa Prince

Actually very recently…

Isolde’s Toy Kingdom, Arcadia

Isolde was in another sulk. Something was keeping her bestie hidden from her, no matter what she tried she couldn’t figure out where that little runaway had gotten to.

“Grrr… I don’t wanna get a new bestie, I’d just finished breaking that one in…” she grumbled, snatching up the juice box her doll brought her and sucking it down angrily. It was made of hedge fruits and the dreams of children on Christmas eve of what the morrow would bring, though it really just tasted like fruit punch.

She looked up as she felt something… off. Someone was in her castle, someone uninvited.

Suddenly, the doors to her throne room were kicked open and the thing Isolde loathed most walked in: a grown up!

She sat up in her chair and gritted her teeth, recognizing them immediately. The hair, the outfit, all of it. “YOU! HOW DARE YOU INVADE MY LANDS! TOYS! KILL TH…” she began, then paused and looked closer, squinting at the newcomer, “Wait… no… its…” she sat back, looking genuinely shocked now. “YOU?!”

“Aye, ‘s right.” grinned the newcomer. “How’ve ye been cous?” she asked.

Isolde frowned, “I’m quite well, no thanks to YOU! Where have you been all these centuries?! Do you have any idea the trouble you caused for us?!” she demanded.

The newcomer sighed, “Aye aye… look, ah didn’t tell ‘em ta make th’ bloody thing. Feck I tried ta talk ‘em outta it! Moot point anyways, its all busted now.”

Isolde sniffed, sitting cross legged in her throne, her arms folded over her chest, “… and? Why should I care what happened to that stupid, ugly thing anyways?”

“Because that’s what th’ decision was aye? ‘No contact with th’ traitor clan will be permitted as long as th’ blade endures.’ No blade, no ban.” she replied, “Now stop bein’ a wee brat Isolde. We’re needed, got shite ta be doin’.”

Isolde let out a ‘hmph’ and turned her head away with her eyes closed, “Not. My. Problem! The Tuatha de Dannan were disbanded ages ago. What do I care about the pacts and decisions they made?”

The newcomer glanced at the TV one of her dolls was holding, then reached over and turned it on, flipping through channels (which actually showed different parts of the mundane world) until she found the right one, then pointed to it.

“That’s why.” she said pointedly.

Isolde stared at the screen, seeing what was happening. “… and?” she asked, “So some chunk of India will be under attack by a monster. What concern is this of mine? We don’t bother with India.”

“Because, ye wee brat, if ‘e gets back inta power, ‘e won’t stop at just India. Those buggers are ravenous as locusts. They’ll tear up th’ land until there’s nothin’ left, ‘n then they’ll spread out from there. Eventually, they’ll even reach th’ west. If th’ King reclaims ‘is power, there’ll be nobody left fer ye ta play with… do ye want that again?” she asked, “Well, Izzy?”

Isolde shuddered, her eyes suddenly going wide as she gripped her head. Those memories were long buried, but of course this one would know all about gathering intelligence on a target. “STOP! STOP STOP STOP! LEAVE THAT ALONE! THOSE ARE PRIVATE!” she shouted.

“Well?” asked the newcomer, tapping her foot on the floor.

Isolde sighed, “FINE! I’ll… I’ll help… but it’ll take four of us!” she warned, “One for each!”

“Ye just leave that ta me.” she smirked, turning to go, “Just be ready when I call ye.”

A few days later, a movie theater in downtown London.

Claire grinned, chewing away on her popcorn as the crowd around her shrieked and shivered. On the screen a young girl played with a stuffed bear she called Chauncey, but the game they were playing was decidedly sinister in nature… downright disturbing really. She was dressed seemingly normal, in a black teeshirt, leather jacket, jeans, and biker boots with a sturdy choker around her neck.

She paused to breathe in deep, then smirked. Mortals who wanted to be scared, who sought out things that frightened them. What a wonderful discovery.

She looked up as someone sat down in the seat next to her, then whispered, “Enjoyin’ yerself?”

Claire cocked her head at her, then whispered back, “Do I know you?”

The newcomer grinned, “Aye, ye do… think hard now…” she nodded.

Claire focused, then raised her eyebrows, “Oh… you. It has been quite a while, hasn’t it?”

The newcomer nodded, “Aye… er… sorry ‘bout th’ lads chuckin’ ye in Inishmore… no hard feelin’s?” she asked.

The Dullahan sighed, “Pointless. Inishmore is destroyed. I try not to think too much about the past.” she replied.

“Aye, well how ‘bout th’ future then? Th’ near future.” she nodded, pulling out a smartphone and opening a still image. It was a bit odd, it showed a shipping dock on an island in what looked like India… but there was a sort of image superimposed over it, showing a giant standing in the bay, but not entirely real… or perhaps not real yet.

The Dullahan looked at it, then at her, then back at it, then sighed, “And you want to do… what… that rite?” she asked.

“Aye, caught on quick did ye?” she grinned.

Claire shrugged, “It wasn’t hard, that thing is gigantic, we’d have to be just as big to fight it… that’s the only way I know of.”

“Aye, well, ye in or out?” she asked.

Claire nodded, “I’m in, it’ll make for an interesting day at least.”

“Good, just be ready when I call ye.” she nodded, then added, “Er… why th’ popcorn though? Ye dunnae need ta eat.” she pointed out. Dullahan were about as close to undead as some fae got. They subsisted on glamour alone normally.

“I find the texture pleasing…” replied Claire.

The newcomer shrugged, then got up and walked out of the theater as the Dullahan grinned at a particularly well timed jumpscare startling the audience, soaking up their fear as it did.

The next day, Champs de Nedge, Arcadia

Two guards stood outside of Lady Sera’s castle, as they always did.

“Bit nipply today eh?” asked the one on the left.

The one on the right sighed, “Congratulations Timothy, this makes the five hundredth time you’ve asked me that joke.”

“Cor… really? Do I win a prize?” asked the first guard.

“Aye, and here it is!” replied the second, smacking him on the head with his lance!

“OW! What kinda prize is that?” he asked.

“Booby prize, now shut yer gob. Someone’s coming.”

Through the snow what appeared to be a young woman trudged, heading towards the gates. As she drew close the guards slammed their lances together infront of her, making an X before the door.

“WHO GOES THERE!” demanded the guard on the right.

“Out with it lady! We ain’t got all day!” said the one on the left.

The newcomer looked between them, then said, “Lads, ye sure ye wanna pull that stunt… with me?” she grinned.

The two squinted at her, then immediately withdrew their lances and bowed low. “OH! B-beggin’ yer pardon yer ladyship!” sputtered the guard on the left.

“Aye! Deepest apologies! Didn’t recognize you under who you’re wearing! She’s right straight ahead in the throne room!” added the one on the right.

The newcomer laughed, “Good lads, you’ll go far here. Now just stay put and make sure nobody steals the gate, aye?” she smirked, walking inside and through the castle.

Eventually she stood before Lady Sera, the Queen of the Icebound Heart sitting regal on her throne.

“Ah, its you. I was wondering when you’d arrive.” nodded the winter fae.

“Aye, so… dunno if ye know whats goin’ on but…” began the newcomer, but Lady Sera held up a hand.

“Yes, my children have become involved. I will join your efforts.” she replied.

The newcomer hesitated. “… just like that? Dun even need ta explain it?” she asked, sounding suspicious.

Lady Sera breathed in, “… my daughter has told me that protecting one’s children from those who would threaten them is part of being a mother. I can hardly ignore a threat of this scale, now can I?” she asked.

The newcomer shrugged, “Aye, suppose ye cannae. Very well, th’ other two are all set. Just come when I call ye ‘n we’ll sort ‘im out right proper.” she nodded, turning on her heel and leaving.

“Wait… if I may ask… why only come to us now Morrigan?” she asked.

The newcomer stopped, glancing behind her, “ ‘cause I buggered up, ‘n this is how I fix it.” she nodded.

Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka

Indrajit laughed in triumph, looking out at the giant rakshasa standing in the bay. “TREMBLE AND WEEP SCION OF HANUMAN!” laughed Indrajit, “FOR KING RAVANA ONCE MORE WALKS THE LAND!”

Arja grimaced, her eyes wide. She could feel Ravana’s power from here, waves upon waves of it. The sensation was akin to being an ant looking upon the face of a human about to step on them. Ravana was powerful beyond reason and logic, even Carman hadn’t been this awful! He wasn’t even a foe! He was a force of nature itself! They may as well try to stop a hurricane!

Simoni clawed anxiously at the ground, still in her garuda form, “What are we gonna do?” she whispered to Arja.

Arja shuddered, “I… I don’t know… he’s… I have no idea! I don’t know of ANYTHING that can fight something like that! No wonder Rama used a mundane blade!”

Suddenly, a voice echoed out, so loud that Arja fell to her knees with her hands over her ears and Simoni had to change back to do likewise, Dawn hissing and folding her own ears back.

WHAT IS THIS? WHAT HAS BECOME OF MY HOME? THESE MORTAL MEN SCURRY ABOUT MY LAND LIKE INSECTS… WHERE IS MY CASTLE? WHERE ARE MY SUBJECTS?

The voice of Ravana echoed throughout the island, all around them they heard people wailing and panicking, several of the older or weaker ones even fainting or being struck deaf or dead outright from his voice!

“FATHER!” cried Indrajit, “It was the work of that coward Rama! He used a horrible weapon to imprison you, but I destroyed it! You are free once more!”

The heads of the giant turned towards them…

AH, YES, I REMEMBER NOW. THAT STRANGE ARROW HE HAD… IT STRUCK ME IN THE CHEST, THEN I REMEMBER NOTHING AT ALL. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?

“Too long father! Centuries! Let us rebuild your kingdom together, then we will bring all of India to heel under your glory once more!” replied Indrajit, rushing past Arja and Simoni as he ran towards the docks.

The two girls got to their feet, rubbing their ears, “Y-you said Morrigan had a plan?” asked Simoni.

Arja nodded, “That’s what King Hanuman told me…” she replied.

“Better be a good one.” nodded the garuda as she bent down and let Arja onto her back, flying off in pursuit of the rakshasa prince.

When they landed they found Nelen and the others a bit injured, but otherwise well. By now it was nighttime and Natasha, Nicu, and Tex had joined them… but right now the rakshasa weren’t paying attention to them. All of them on the docks were facing towards Ravana and kneeling, their heads bowed.

“Guys! Are you alright?!” asked Simoni as she landed.

“Yeah…” sighed Nelen, rubbing a sore spot on his arm, “Guess you couldn’t stop him huh?” he asked.

“Yeah yeah well no point in dwelling on it…” hissed Dawn, “How do we deal with THAT?! Unless one of us can pull a freakin’ megazord out of our asses I don’t think we’re going to!”

Sammi frowned, his rapier stained with rakshasa blood and his shirtsleeve torn, “That is an excellent question Dawn… I must admit I’m at a loss.”

“Yeah… me too…” whined Stephy as he stayed close to Tex, “I mean… that thing shouldn’t even be able to exist in this reality! How is it doing this?!”

“Sri Lanka.” replied Nelen. “Its Ravana’s former kingdom, something about the land remembers him and anchors him enough to stay… otherwise he’d need an avatar or something.”

“Aye, useful things, them avatars.” said a voice from behind him.

Nelen nodded, then his brain caught up with what he’d heard as he looked behind him. Standing there was a familiar person wearing baggy cargo pants with extra pockets, a black tank top over a chest binder, a pair of sturdy boots, and a long two-handed sword strapped to her back in a scabbard. They had bright red hair cropped short, and their body was spotted with scars here and there, a grin on their face. “Wait… LOREN?!" he exclaimed, "When the hell did you get here?! Is Clan Fullmoon coming too?”

Loren grinned at him, “Ooo, good guess, wrong though…” she smirked.

Sammi however took a quick step back from her, “Nelen… that is NOT who you think it is…” he said, almost awestruck.

Nelen looked between them, then glanced at Loren again, “Hang on, something about you does feel… off…” he muttered.

Loren grinned, “C’mon boyo, yer cleverer ‘n that… think… did ye just think ‘Th’ Maven’s Avatar’ was a fancy title?”

Nelen’s jaw fell open, “You’re… Morrigan?!”

She nodded, “Aye, knew we’d get there in th’ end. Dunnae worry, Loren is all in on this ‘un. After th’ mess with th’ manticore we knew shite was about ta hit th’ fan, so I had a wee chat with ‘er ‘n she’s lettin’ me borrow her body so we can do this.”

Simoni cocked her head, “We?”

There was a cracking noise, and two trees nearby bent towards each other, forming a natural arch… and through it suddenly was a swirl of glamour, and then the briars of the hedge, and three people walked out.

… at least, people shaped beings.

“Oh bloody hell, its mother…” whispered Sammi as Lady Sera strode out into the docks, looking around with distaste as if she’d just stepped in something.

“Hmph, I see you were not exaggerating the climate here Samuel… this is rather disgusting.” she frowned, her lip curling in distaste.

Next came someone none of them recognized, a woman in a black top, jeans, and biker boots with a sturdy black choker around her neck. She breathed in, and grinned wide, “Oh everyone in this town is terrified. What a feast!” she laughed.

Finally however emerged someone much smaller, someone who caused most of them to cry out in alarm. Sammi immediately drew his rapier as Nelen reached into his bag, Dawn hissing angrily.

Isolde, the Everblooming Rose, emerged and frowned at them. “UGH! THESE ONES?! This is who we’re saving?! Morrigan you jerk! If you’d told me it was them I’d have never come!” she shouted, stomping her foot angrily.

“Aye, ‘s why I didn’t tell ye.” grinned Morrigan. “ ‘sides, remember wut I did tell ye.”

Isolde took a deep breath, then stared at Stephy and stomped right up to him, her dress flouncing around her as she did. “Stephen Fullmoon. You are a HORRIBLE. WICKED. NASTY. TOY-BREAKING. FRIEND-STEALING. GIFT-REJECTING. BOY… and ONE day I will get repayment for every single time you’ve wronged me!” she snapped, then sighed, “BUT! If Ravana is allowed to do as he likes… this world just won’t be fun anymore…” she shrugged. “So, for now, you are safe from me.” she nodded.

Stephy was half-hidden behind Sammi, who had his rapier at the ready. Isolde looked at it, then she just rolled her eyes and walked away to a more open area of the docks. “WELL?! Are we going to do this or NOT Morrigan?!”

Sera and Claire walked towards her as Morrigan looked back at them, “Look, ye lot deal with Indrajit. We got Ravana, we just… need to pool our resources as it were.” she winked.

Then she went off to join the others… and as she did Ravana’s voice echoed again.

SO. THESE MORTALS HAVE TORN DOWN MY PALACE OF OLD, REPLACING IT WITH THEIR DISGUSTING HIVES? HMPH, TOO BIG A BOTHER TO PULL DOWN ONE AT A TIME…

The rakshasa king raised his hands above him, and they began to crackle with energy, and the water around his legs began to churn.

A GOOD EARTHQUAKE OUGHT TO CLEAR THEM OUT.

The others readied their weapons and spells as Simoni looked over, “Whatever they’re doing, they better hurry it up!” she whined.

Nearby, the three faeries and the goddess stood in a circle. They each took a deep breath, and then clasped their hands together.

“I am Isolde, Everblooming Rose, and I stand for Spring and all that blooms and grows.” intoned Isolde, and an unseen breeze swirled around her, raising a flurry of flower petals.

“I be Morrigan, Maven of War, ‘n I stand fer Summer ‘n all that burns hot in th’ land ‘n in th’ heart.” spoke Morrigan, and as if an invisible hand had lit a ring of gasoline around her legs, flames swirled up around her body!

“I am Claire, Dullahan Knight, and I stand for Autumn and for all that feel the chill of cold nights, long shadows, and creeping terror.” spoke Claire, and around her body a cloud of dry autumn leaves seemed to come from nowhere, swirling around her as she spoke.

“I am Sera, of the Icebound Heart, and I stand for Winter and for the ice without and within.” she spoke, and a swirl of frost erupted around her form as well.

Then, they all spoke in unison. “Let four be made one. Let the seasons become the wheel. We become the world, and the world stands against this foe!”

Then, they all seemed to break apart into the flower petals, autumn leaves, flames, and frost that surrounded them, the four symbols of the elements surging upwards into the sky as if to join together, forming a sphere of swirling magic and glamour in the sky.

This gave Ravana pause, the king releasing his spell before he finished it and looking over.

WHAT IS THIS? WHAT IS HAPPENING ON MY LAND INDRAJIT?

Indrajit scowled, staring at the sphere as it began to grow larger, and brighter, almost as if something was growing within it. “Father, I don’t know! I have never seen anything like this!” he called back.

The sphere grew bigger, and bigger, until it was the size of a building, and then it shattered and from within, and a pair of massive feet landed on the ground as a woman stood there, easily as tall as Ravana was! She had Isolde’s black hair, Morrigan’s green eyes, Sera’s face, and the powerful frame of Claire. She wore a leather shirt and a pair of leggings with boots and hovering behind her was a huge wheel, supported by seemingly nothing at all, with twelve spokes in it.

She glanced over at the group, then snapped her fingers.

WE ALMOST FORGOT…

It almost sounded like she chuckled, but she pointed at Aisha and gestured, and Claiomh Solias flew from its sheath towards her, becoming larger as it went! When she caught it the sword had become gigantic, but just the right size for her to wield it.

WHAT IS THIS? WHO ARE YOU?! demanded the rakshasa king as he glared towards her.

The woman turned to him, and in an eyeblink she was standing in the ocean, the sword held ready.

WE ARE SISTER TO MOTHER GAIA, SHE WHO WATCHES OVER THE TURNING OF THE YEAR. YOU MAY CALL US THE LADY OF SEASONS, AND WE ARE HERE TO STOP YOUR RETURN KING RAVANA!

The rakshasa king threw back his heads and laughed at this, as if he was told a particularly funny joke.

FOOL! I AM PROTECTED, NOTHING BRAHMIN CREATED BESIDES HUMANS CAN EVER HARM ME! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO DO?

The Lady of Seasons smirked at him.

WE ARE ALL OF THE FAIR FOLK, RAVANA. BRAHMIN DID NOT CREATE US. she replied, and for emphasis she stepped forward and slashed with Claiomh Solias!

Ravana roared and stumbled backwards, looking down at his chest in shock as blood oozed from the wound, then he glared at her and roared in fury, preparing to charge her down!

The group watched in shock as Dawn whispered, “… megazord…” then they looked up at a roar as Indrajit dove towards them!

“YOU DARE! EVEN AT THE MOMENT OF TRIUMPH YOU DEFY US! LEARN YOUR PLACE MORTALS! YOU SHOULD FEEL HONORED TO EVEN BE IN THE PRESENCE OF MY FATHER!” he snarled in fury, landing with a tremendous crash as the group scattered.

Indrajit straightened up, “I will let my father deal with your strange ally, as for this mortal rabble…” he took a breath, “MY RAKSHASA! HEAR ME! THE MORTALS OF SRI LANKA ARE YOUR’S! FEAST! FEAST TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT!” he shouted.

The rakshasa at the pier stood up, then looked between each other, grinning widely, then as one they began to charge up the path to the city and with a loud roar they ran for the buildings, and the humans hiding within them!

“SHIT!” snarled Nelen, turning this way and that, but it would be like fighting a frenzy of piranhas! There were too many!

Arja and Simoni had much the same idea. Even for the firebird it was just too big a force to hold back…

But as the rakshasa drew close to the first building a sudden rain of fire cut them off! Then another!

“HAHA! GO MY FRIENDS! Lets show them how sharp our talons are!” laughed a voice as Simoni looked up with a grin.

Descending from the sky was a flock of garuda with black feathers, astride them were vanara, but these ones had rich brown fur instead of gold!

“Its Elder Rodas and his flock!” she cheered, “Akul and Lakshimi must’ve gotten through to them!”

Arja grinned, “Yeah, and those vanara aren’t from our village! They must be his friends too!”

As they said this the garuda elder flew down past them, a vanara warrior riding on his back as well. “You kids take care of Indrajit! We’ll deal with his army!” he nodded, flapping his way back into the sky as the rest of his flock dived and threw flames at the rakshasa, driving them back from the buildings.

Indrajit roared in rage, looking between them all, then lashed out at Simoni. Nelen grabbed her and threw her to the side before he could reach her however. “MOVE!” he shouted, then he braced himself as his eyes became emeralds and his antlers grew, the hunt god taking over as he took the full brunt of Indrajit’s fearsome claws… skidding to a halt a few feet away.

He hissed, then looked down at his arms, then back at Indrajit. “That… didn’t hurt half as bad as I thought it would.” observed Cernunnos, raising an eyebrow. “Girls. How DID he release Ravana? What did he do?” he asked.

Arja and Simoni glanced at each other, “He stabbed himself in the hand with the arrow, then it broke and released both of them.”

Cernunnos grinned at this, “Really… that wasn’t very smart Indrajit.” he nodded, breaking off a branch of a nearby tree next to the waterfront as it became a spear.

The rakshasa prince took a step back, grimacing. He had almost massacred the entire vanara race, that blow should have left nothing but a stain on the ground!

“Arja, remember what happened to your mom when you destroyed Claiomh Dorcadas? Did she get her powers back?” asked Cernunnos.

Arja gasped in realization, “No! She didn’t! Simoni had to use the arcane blade’s fragment on her!” she grinned.

Dawn laughed, “HAH! Which means Papa Smurf here isn’t at full power! GET HIM!” she yowled as the others nodded, then rushed him.

Indrajit ducked around Cernunnos’ spear, then under Drusilla’s club, but as much as they tried to hit him they just got in the way more often than not! There were too many of them to be effective, and while his strength was lessened, he was still an experienced warrior!

Finally Arja shouted, “Leave him to me and Simoni! You guys go back up Rodas and his flock!”

The others hesitated, but nodded and ran towards the Rakshasa army as Arja and Simoni stared down the Rakshasa Prince. Arja flexed her claws, sparks flickering between the tips, as Simoni clawed at the ground with her talons, flexing her wings.

Indrajit glared, then charged again as the two dove away from each other. Simoni shot into the air and circled around, grabbing Arja in her talons and flying into the air, then releasing her and sending a blast of wind to encircle her. Arja channeled fire into it and her body became a falling meteor! Indrajit scowled and dove away, narrowly missing being struck by it as the blast from it cratered the ground where he’d been!

He slid to a stop, only for a burst of wind to slam into his back and cause him to stumble, which was all the opening Arja needed! She leapt forward, her hands engulfed in flames, and slammed her fist home into Indrajit’s face, scalding his skin and burning away part of his mustache!

“AUGH! YOU DARE STRIKE ONE OF MY CASTE?!” he snarled, “EVERY SECOND YOU LIVE IS AN INSULT TO ME CHILD OF HANUMAN!”

Arja just grinned and leapt into the air, landing on Simoni’s back. “Hah! You talked so big back home. Killed millions of vanara, but now you can’t even touch one?!” she taunted.

Indrajit gritted his teeth, then leapt towards them, ready to lash out with his claws again, but as he did the fight in the bay continued.

Ravana threw a burst of energy towards the Lady of Seasons, who parried it easily with Claiomh Solias, then she spun and slashed upwards, scoring his body across his chest from his right hip to left shoulder!

The king roared in anger and pain, and this distracted Indrajit. He’d never heard his father experience pain before!

Arja and Simoni didn’t hesitate, Arja conjured a wall of embers before Simoni who filled her wings with wind and flapped hard downwards, sending a superheated downdraft towards Indrajit who cried out and fell to the ground, his skin blistering where it hit him!

“Again?! AGAIN?! NO! I AM PRINCE INDRAJIT! I CONQURED THE DEVA THEMSELVES! YOU ARE NOTHING TO ME! NOTHING!” he bellowed.

Back at the city limits the rakshasa were being held back by the combined forces of Rodas and his flock, their vanara allies, and the rest of Arja’s allies. The people inside the buildings watched the battle transfixed, unable to look away but too terrified to go help them fight back the rakshasa invaders!

Most of them anyways… one of the windows cracked open and a gun barrel pointed out. The building was a police station, now mostly abandoned as the cops were pretty much wiped out at the pier… but the weapons locker wasn’t and had some weapons that were meant to kill (dangerous wild animals usually.) A young man held a rifle steady, trying to get a clear shot at one of the monsters… and suddenly a feline girl shot towards their target, clawing at the rakshasa's eyes and going to dart away, but the monster grabbed her by the tail! She yowled and stumbled, and the man took his shot!

The rakshasa went rigid, but the bullet hit right in the temple and shredded its brain! It fell on its side, releasing the cat-like creature as she looked around, saw him, grinned and gave a thumbs up, then ran back to the rest of the fight.

The man inside looked at the rifle, then at the fallen rakshasa. “… they can be killed? We can… fight them?” he ran around to the door for the small room he’d been hiding in, kicking it open. “EVERYONE! I just shot one of the monsters and it killed it! We can fight them!” he called out.

The group hesitated, but many of the younger members of it grinned between themselves. They were rather sick of being afraid, “Where did you find the gun?” asked one.

Outside Stephy conjured a blast of frost, causing a rakshasa to fall on it’s face as it slid on a sudden patch of ice that wasn’t there before as Tex stepped forward with a pump shotgun that crackled with electricity and unloaded a round into it before it could get up, the gunshot literally cracking like thunder! He sighed as the cards shifted back into a normal poker hand. “That’s another one spent! There’s still tons though!” he frowned.

Stephy nodded, “Yeah I know, but what else can we do?!” he asked, sending another blast of snow out at the army, causing them to slide and stumble into each other as the ground froze. It was a most effective strategy for him and Sammi to use here they’d found. Freezing the ground temporarily took little glamour, and the rakshasa had no knowledge of how to walk on ice. Their home was a tropical jungle, they’d never needed it before!

Suddenly several gunshots echoed through the area! The young man inside had shown his fellows where the armory was, and now anyone who could use a gun was doing so. Rakshasa roared in fury, stumbling from wounds in their shoulders, guts, or legs, or falling outright from headshots.

A handgun would do little, but these were .243 caliber Winchester rounds meant to kill dangerous predators in the jungles. Even a rakshasa couldn’t handle those! Every window that could be opened had a gun barrel sticking out of it as several young boys with practice on a firing range, a few older men who had military service under their belts, a couple retired cops, and one woman who lived out in the outskirts and had a rotten time with animals in her herb garden opened fire!

Several more rakshasa fell wounded or dying, then Drusilla snarled and clutched at her arm before bellowing loud enough to rattle the windows, “I’M ON YOUR SIDE ASSHOLE! WATCH WHERE YOU’RE AIMING!”

The gunshots paused for a moment, then a single voice called back, “… sorry!”

Back at the waterfront Arja and Simoni fought against Indrajit, the furious prince now sporting burns and scalding on his flesh, his face blistered where Arja’s fist had hit it. “You… all of this is YOUR fault! SCION OF HANUMAN! WHEN MY FATHER TAKES THE THRONE I WILL MARCH MY PEOPLE ON YOUR VILLAGE AND SLAUGHTER EVERYONE WITHIN IT!”

Simoni flew out of his reach, the garuda nodding to Arja, “I think its time we get out the big guns. Hot wings?” she grinned.

Arja grinned back, “Hot wings.” she replied, and together they channeled their power as, once more, the phoenix took flight!

Huge fiery wings spread over the battlefield as Indrajit swore and stepped back, then his eyes widened. Something was… different.

The bird wasn’t entirely normal flames now, the very edges of the wings, and the talons and beak, burned golden. The changes hadn’t gone unnoticed by the ones conjuring it either. Arja looked at her claws, which now gleamed like polished metal, and Simoni’s claws on her talons were now akin to polished obsidian, her wingtips going jet back, though the rest was still emerald green like before. “Whats happening?” she asked Arja.

“I don’t know… but I feel… stronger somehow!” she whispered, “Simoni! Go! We can take him!” she grinned as Simoni nodded, the firebird arcing downwards towards the rakshasa prince!

Indrajit glared up at them, feeling the power radiating off them, but he didn’t flee. Perhaps he was simply too proud to do so, or perhaps he truly believed he couldn’t be defeated… he leapt, trying to grab them, but the phoenix got him first!

The talons closed around him and he screamed in pain as the flames bit into his body. Not just normal flames either! The golden fire ate away at his power! It burned away any spells he tried to use against them! “NO! HOW CAN THIS BE?!” he cried out, “F-FATHER! GREAT KING! YOUR SON IS IN PERIL! I BESEECH YOU!”

As he did Ravana’s heads turned to him, but that was what the Lady of Seasons needed. She lashed out again, carving another mark from his left hip to right shoulder, leaving his body quartered from the chest outwards. NOW! she shouted.

She thrust out her sword and Ravana cried out as his body went rigid!

“By spring’s blossoms and growth, I bind you!” she said in Isolde’s voice, and as she did Ravana’s right arm erupted into rose covered vines, the thorns sinking deep in to his arms.

“By summer’s fury ‘n heat, I bind ye!” she said in Morrigan’s voice, and his legs erupted in flames so powerful the ocean could not quench them, steam rising all around him!

“By autumn’s chill nights and bitter winds, I bind you!” she said in Claire’s, and thorny vines burst along his left arm as well, but these ones had no blooms, only thick long thorns. Dry and thirsty for his blood.

“… and by winter’s frigid kiss and deep silence, I bind you!” she finished in Sera’s voice, and Ravana let out one final scream as all his heads were frozen solid in one go.

TO THE WHEEL OF SEASONS WE BIND YOU! ONLY ONE FOURTH OF YOU MAY BE REAL, SO YOU MAY NEVER BE WHOLE… BEGONE! commanded the Lady of Seasons as she slashed again, and Ravana’s body split into four quarters as all but the rose covered one faded away, the remaining arm crashing into the ocean and disappearing beneath the waves.

Indrajit stared in horror, all pain forgotten. “No… NO THIS CANNOT BE! EVEN RAMA COULD NOT DEFEAT HIM WITHOUT THE ARROW! MY FATHER IS INVINCIBLE! HE CANNOT LOSE! I CANNOT LOSE!” he insisted, thrashing in their talons as they arced out over the ocean.

“Everyone loses sometimes Indrajit…” smirked Simoni.

“Get used to it.” nodded Arja.

Then together they tossed Indrajit into the air, and the phoenix’s beak stabbed forward into the prince’s chest. He let out a cry of pain as his body erupted in golden fire, then he fell down into the ocean with a loud splash and a huge cloud of steam. He did not come back up.

The two waited for a moment, but when he didn’t come up they immediately made a beeline for where the rakshasa were laying siege to the city… only to find a lot of dead rakshasa. The ones who hadn’t died had all fled when they saw Ravana go down and heard Indrajit’s cry of pain and defeat. Without their leaders they were wild rakshasa again, and it served none of them to stay and be killed.

They landed near Nelen and the others, changing back as they did and jogging over. “So… its over?” asked Simoni.

Nelen was sitting on a bench on the roadside, wiping his brow. He was sweating profusely from all the fighting, but he nodded. “Yeah, I saw what they did to Ravana. I don’t think even he can come back from that.” he smirked.

Arja nodded, “Er… yeah, we saw that too but… what did they do?” she asked.

“Ain’t it obvious ye wee monkey?” said a familiar voice as Loren walked towards them. “Just me this time, Morrigan said ‘good job ye lot,’ but she ‘n th’ others had ta bugger off. Takes a lot outta ‘em bein’ one person like that.”

Arja frowned up at her, “Pretend for a second I didn’t grow up in Ireland okay? I have no clue what that was!”

Nelen took a long pull from a bottle of water, then looked at her, “They bound Ravana’s body to the seasons, then cut him to pieces. One fourth to each season. Only that fourth exists until the season turns, then it stops existing and another part appears. Ravana isn’t dead, but he can’t come back unless all his body is together, and that’s not possible anymore.” he nodded.

Arja blinked slowly, “So… he’s gone, like permanently this time?!” she asked, almost afraid to believe it.

Nelen nodded, “It’d take something insane to bring him back, something that’d alter the entire planet and how it works. Unless Indrajit can pull that kind of magic, he’s gone.”

Simoni giggled, “Then he’s gone. We used the phoenix on Indrajit and threw him into the ocean after he caught fire, and he was pretty hurt already when we did.” she grinned.

Then the group heard cheering and looked over to see several of the people who’d been shooting the rakshasa standing next to them with their guns, pictures being taken to post on social media.

Nelen sighed, “… well, I think that about does it for keeping the supernatural secret. Hard to miss a freaking kaiju battle…” he frowned.

Loren nodded, “Eh, Jennie knew it’d likely happen in ‘er lifetime Nelen. Ye cannae expect ta keep stuff hidden forever, especially nowadays. If it wasn’t us, it’d be a lucky shot o’ a pixie, or a guy gettin’ a photo o’ his friend gettin’ dragged off by th’ gentry, or somethin’…”

Nelen sighed, “I guess, just UGH!” he threw up his arms, “WHY US THOUGH?!” he snapped in frustration.

Dawn grinned widely, “… because. Just…” she spread her hands dramatically, “… because…”

Next Story

Previous Story

[drpg-global-archive]

DRPG - EVENT - NETHER ATTRACTION! LOVE LAB'S HUSTLING

1/5 Love Laboratory Danger?!

Informed of the danger to the Love Laboratory, Rozalin decides to reexamine the classic Love Laboratory routine, but...

Searching for a New Thrill

Rozalin: ...Something is missing. I'm still on great terms with Adell. Just yesterday we wore matching outfits. That is enough for me to be content... But since the incident at the Love Laboratory... I feel like ocasionally I want some new kind of stimulus, like a love event at the Laboratory. Both Adell and I are clumsy, but if the scenario is not too difficult, I think we could pull off the acting... L-let me try and ask Adell, maybe? No, no! What are you thinking?! To begin with, we have no idea for scenarios...

???: Master!

Rozalin: What are you doing here?!

Sweet Omega: One of the Group of Three at the Love Laboratory! Leave romantic school comedies to her! Sweet Omega!

Tria: Another one in the Group of Three! The forever pursued daughter of DeBrueck, Tria Izzy von Debrueck!

Merome Romero: Haunted houses are her main theater! She is Merome Romero! Long time no see, Master!

Rozalin: It's been a long time... I see that [Player] is here too... What's happened?

Tria: I'll tell you...

Sweet Omega: The Love Laboratory is in danger of shutting down!

Leaning Love Laboratory

Sweet Omega: We've put on everything from young school dramas to magnificent love stories set in space, to gritty adult dramas of love and hate.

Tria: We were a dream facility that catered to all sorts of tastes and preferences, where people could experience a range of love experiences. That was the Love Laboratory.

Merome Romero: Ever since the Super Overlord Love Cell got loose, rumors led to more rumors, and visitors stopped coming.

Sweet Omega: From here on, unless we attract customers, the Love Laboratory will be no longer exist!

Rozalin: It's gotten that bad? Why did you bring [Player] here?

Merome Romero: We thought that if [Player] asks you, Master, you would help us.

Tria: We met [Player] on the way here and got [Player] to come with us.

Rozalin: That's very calculated...

Sweet Omega: We just want to ask one thing of you. We want you to supervise a plan we came up with to get visitors.

Tria: The Dark Lord of love, with super love power! If you approve of it, Master Rozalin, we will surely prosper!

Rozalin: Don't call me the Dark Lord! I think you give me too much credit... But if it's [Player] and you who are asking. If it's just evaluating the plan, I'll accept. As I accompany you there may be a love event that suits Adell and me.

Tria: Thank you, Master! Let's get right to it and show you the first plan.

Sweet Omega: To get more variations, we swapped our standard stories among the three of us! First, I'll do Tria's story!

Stage 1 - Pre-Performance Warmups

Sweet Chase

Sweet Omega: I am Sweet Omega! I'm the daughter of the leader of an ordinary anti-Netherworld organization who likes bread! Till now, because of my family, boys at school were put off by me, so I couldn't have romantic relationships! I'm sick of living like this! To fall in love, I'm throwing away my family...

Prinny as a pursuer: Young lady! I've found you, dood!

Sweet Omega: Oh no! An organization underling already?!

Prinny as a pursuer: Wherever you've traveled there is cinnamon sugar for bread spilled on the ground, dood! We already know your destination, dood!

Sweet Omega: Oh, shoot! They're going to take me back home! Somebody, somebody help! Oh, it's [Player]! I'm so glad you're here! Take me to school! I won't let you say no! We're childhood friends, right?! "At the time, I had no way of knowing that this running away from home would develop into a conflict involving the entire Netherworld." What do you think, Master?! With this exciting escape drama, you'll surely fall in love, right?!

Rozalin: Well... I'm not sure where to start with what's wrong with it.

Sweet Omega: What? Really?! But I put all I hid... er, had, into it!

Rozalin: What is an anti-Netherworld organization? And was it necessary to run away from home while eating bread?

Tria: That couldn't be helped. I'm Sweet Omega, so it's a necessary item for her character developing.

Merome Romero: I wouldn't be her without the bread.

Rozalin: Really? So why is your acting so different from how you normalaly are?

Sweet Omega: It's a commitment to professionalism! Once on stage, I'm a heroine! I become the romantic comedy actress whom people are infatuated with!

Rozalin: Your spirit is admirable. Let's do the assessment for now. Who's next?

Tria: I am! I took Merome's "Oh no, I'm scared!" and arranged it tor eflect my own worldview! Second up is Tria Izzy von DeBrueck! Here I go!

Stage 2 - vs. The Underlings

Ghost Legion, Scary!

Tria: My attendant, [Player]. Thanks to you, I was able to get back to my father. This long-lasting tyranny... Now is the time to plead with my father for the freedom of the people of DeBrueck. Father.

Role of Orton (generic zombie): ...

Tria: What is that? Is it the rumored Ghost Legion?! What? Father has become the king of ghosts?!

Rozalin: The land of DeBrueck now has a problem more serious than tyranny?!

Role of Orton: Hahaha. It's too bad, Princess. This country has already fallen into the hands of ghosts. Don't worry! We'll draw your living blood, and make you one of us!

Tria: My father is pointing a blade at me?! I'm scared, [Player].... ♥ What do you think, Master Rozalin? Getting that scared will surely win people's hearts, right?

Rozalin: You don't have time to be scared! Hurry up and intercept the attack before they pierce your physical heart!

Sweet Omega: It's less of a love story and more of a boss battle in a dark fantasy.

Merome Romero: It's too scary to think of having my blood drained by a former family member, and being turned into a ghost!

Rozalin: My assessment... I think I should watch Merome's situation first and then do it.

Sweet Omega: Merome is doing my school story. Break a leg!

Merome Romero: O-okay! And third, Merome Romero! Here I go!

Stage 3 - vs. Ghost Legion 1 Stage 4 - vs. Ghost Legion 2

Merome, Awakened!

Merome Romero: I'm late, I'm late! If I keep up like this, I'll be late for school! *huff* *huff* I've got to run faster... I'm gonna be... late... *huff* Can't... keep... This... up...

Rozalin: Hmmm...? Whh-What's wrong, Merome? You've stopped running?

Sweet Omega: Merome is poor at exercise... If she push herself too hard, she might spit up blood, or her hands and feet might fracture.

Rozalin: You're risking your life for this event...

Sweet Omega: It's not over yet! Merome is also a member of the Love Laboratory's Group of Three! I know it's hard! I won't let you give up!

Tria: Yes, she's right! If there is a pursuer like the one after me, maybe you can run too, Merome!

Sweet Omega: That's it!

Rozalin: Is that ok?!

Sweet Omega: Evil should be done with haste! Merome! Beginning now, we are going to chase you! You must run away like your life depends on it!

Merome Romero: Whaaat?! How did it come to that?! Wh-What should I do?! I've got to run! But my feet might fall off! What? They're almost here?! If it keeps up like this, no events are happening, and I'll have my blood drained and be made an underling!

Rozalin: It's a chaotic view of the world...

Merome Romero: Since it's come to this, I have no choice but to intercept!!

Sweet Omega: Hey, wait?! That's battle manga! Stop! Stooop!

Stage 5 - Life-Threatening School Battle

Boss - Merome: We have no choice but to intercept!

The Next Business Strategy

Merome Romero: Uh... sorry. I panicked...

Rozalin: I don't care. Everybody has strong and weak suits.

Sweet Omega: Sorry Merome. I asked too much of you.

Rozalin: But it seems that new events where you swap your standard stories would seem difficult. What do you think, [Player]?

[Player] Supported the Love Laboratory! In the future, they might become big breakout stars as a new comedy troupe!

Tria: We are not comedians!

Rozalin: For now, you are almost like comedians.

Sweet Omega: Aaaargh! No, not yet! We have the next secret plan! Here it is... A new cast member joins!

Rozalin: Huh? You mean increase the number of people?

Merome Romero: Exactly. So far, we have had exclusively men as our audience.

Tria: If we are going to get visitors, we can't afford to be so measured.

Sweet Omega: For that reason, I think we should put men on the cast, and we will put on girls' comic-type romantic comedies, thereby attracting women visitors!

Rozalin: Hmmm. It sounds like a more realistic plan than the new comedy troupe mentioned earlier.

Sweet Omega: I've already called the first cast candidate. Let's go!

[nervousgardenerkid]

okokok second brainrot of the night (im thinking of sending in brainrots in either pairs or trios so i apologize for inbox spam i just love steve <3)

so im currently doing a theater internship under a stage manager and i love it but literally the food they provide is shit. like they only provide vegetables and gross bitter tea, white chocolate (the worst chocolate) and everything bagels

so imagine reader just complaining to steve about the shit food options at their internship and steve just breaking ten million traffic laws and driving as fast as possible to drop off actually good food for reader during the small window of time that is their break :)

i was working on the cheer manager one when i saw this and just had to write it!! i was in theatre and my director was a BITCH fuck you nina anyways here's a cute little blurb!!

fumes. you were running on pure fumes. you looked around the room and half of the cast were either half asleep, or bouncing off the walls thanks to the endless caffeine they've consumed. you let out a yawn and jumped as the auditorium door slammed shut.

“okay people, listen up!” your director shouted. you gulped down the bundle of nerves that were surfacing as she stormed on stage. you nudged the lead mumbling a sorry when she whined out.

“y/n, i'm so hungry, and sleepy.” she whispered.

“me too babe, they don't call it hell week for nothing.” you sighed out.

opening night was in five days and everyone was losing it. tears have been shed, fights have been broken up, and you swear if tiffany asked for her line one more time your director was gonna lose her shit. you weren't listening to whatever she was saying but you saw your hand moving across your notebook writing things down. even though everything was going in one ear and coming out the other you knew everything that was being said already.

“okay!” your director clapped. “who's ready to eat-”

the auditorium door was opened, heads turned and you let out a gasp when you saw steve holding five boxes of pizza.

-

“i mean seriously, who the fuck does she think she is?!” you shouted from the shower. steve was brushing his teeth as he grunted in agreement with you. you turned off the water and stuck your hand out, silently asking steve for your towel.

“so wait,” he said, handing you your towel and then rinsed out his toothbrush.

“today she fed you guys celery, stale bagels, and tea?”

“not just any tea steve! bitter tea!” you exclaimed stepping out of the shower. “everyone in the cast is starving for some real food and i swear if i don't get any food in my system i'm gonna eat her.”

-

“excuse me young man-”

“i'm so sorry miss, this must've been a prank call, gosh they already paid too. do you mind if i just leave this here?” you looked at steve’s outfit trying not to laugh when you saw he was wearing argyle’s work uniform from when the byers visited town.

“i've never even heard of surfer boy’s pizza.”

steve set the pizza down on the edge of the stage and sent you a wink.

“yeah we started in california but we're slowly expanding, anyways cheers to you guys! enjoy the pizza!”

the cast members, including you, all ran to the pizza boxes moaning and groaning and taste of real actual food. your director rolled her eyes telling everyone to go home and rest cause tomorrow was going to be a busy day. you snuck away with a box of pizza in your arms and met steve in the parking lot.

“babe how did you get here so fast?” you asked while kissing his cheek.

“when the byers were in town i went for a ride with argyle, he showed me a few things. apparently there's no traffic laws in california.”

you furrowed your brows. “i'm pretty sure there are.”

steve shrugged his shoulders. “doesn't matter, i'll break everything traffic law to get to you and make sure you're eating real food.” he pulled you in for a kiss and smiled against your lips.

“you taste like pizza, give me a slice.” he said while reaching for the box.

you snatched it away and looked at him like he had three heads. “i stole this pizza for me, not for you.”

steve put his hands in the air signaling he surrendered and opened the passenger door for you.

“you're scary when you're hungry.”

[watchmegetobsessed]

Never Have I Ever - Harry Styles (part 5)

uh ohh, part 5 baby! im quite enjoying this story so far and i have some fun things planned for it, so i hope you’ll stay with me for them! in today’s part, our fav new celeb couple takes it all the way, though i chose not to include the actual sex part, however im still treating you all with some dirty stuff so enjoy!

pairing: Harry x actress!reader

word count: 4.6k

warning: NSFW content

SERIES MASTERPOST

masterlist

New couple alert?

Harry Styles and Y/N Y/L/N have been spotted having lunch and grabbing coffee several times in the course of the past few weeks. All the outings looked casual and friendly, they gladly stopped for fans that approached them and the word has it that they’ve been getting closer to each other, though neither of them confirmed anything.

Harry Styles has been known to be single for a while now, only faint rumors swirling up sometimes, but none of them were proven to be true, the young actress is the first woman he has been linked to in a long time. Y/N Y/L/N has been focusing on her blooming career and has been single since her split from long time exboyfriend and fellow actor, Levi Hudson. The pair dated all through 2018, splitting in the beginning of 2019. Hudson has admitted their hectic schedules made it impossible to maintain their relationship while Y/N did not confirm anything.

Styles is going on his world-wide tour soon, while Y/L/N is currently between two projects. The young celebs seem to be enjoying each other’s company and fans have been quick to jump into speculations about their alleged romance, however there is no evidence as of right now.

“Thank you so much for your time, it was a pleasure to talk to you,” the young interviewer smiles at you, holding her hand out and you shake it with a warm smile.

“Thank you for having me! And I really like your shoes, by the way,” you point down at her electric blue pumps that you’ve been eyeing since the start of the interview.

“Oh, thank you! Got them from a vintage store,” she beams, a slight blush playing on her cheeks clearly a little starstruck from your compliment.

“Love those little stores.”

“Me too,” she giggles collecting her papers and notes. “Someone will contact you and your team soon about the photoshoot and I’ll email you a draft of the interview in about a week.”

“That’s perfect, thank you so much,” you nod at her grabbing your purse from the side table next to you. Grabbing your phone from the depth of it you smile to yourself upon seeing the text from Harry.

“Call me when you’re done with the interview Xx.”

You say your goodbye to everyone before heading out of the building. Lawrence is at the front waiting for you in the car and he greets you with a warm smile when you sit into the backseat. As he starts the car and heads back to your home, you call Harry, who picks it up after the second ring.

“Hey! How was the interview?” he beams brightly, his voice immediately making you smile.

“Great! This young girl did it and she had some exciting questions.”

“Sounds lovely. Can’t wait to buy a Cosmopolitan with you on the cover soon,” he says and you can hear the grin through his voice.

“Will look good in your hands for sure,” you chuckle.

“Right. So I have a question for you.”

“Go for it.”

“I’m doing this very small show at Beacon Theater this weekend, kind of a practice before the real tour begins and I was wondering if you’d be up to come. Would love to have you there.”

“When is it exactly?”

“Saturday at nine. I know it’s a short notice and I get it if you have something else going on, just wanted to ask.”

“I think I can make it work,” you smile, thinking back at what your day looks like on Saturday. “Can I bring someone?”

“Of course! Just let me know how many people so I can have the tickets sent over to you.”

“Thank you. It’s sweet of you to think about me.”

“You know I always think about you,” he murmurs and his voice sends a shiver down your spine. Crazy to think how much he can affect you with just his words, he just has a special spell on you, it seems.

“Still such a flirt, I see,” you chuckle, feeling your cheeks heating up as you hear his soft laugh on the other end of the line.

“For you, always.”

“Alright. I’ll text you about the tickets and thank you again. Can’t wait to see you perform finally.”

“It’s been due for a while now, right? Kind of promised you some tickets on Ellen, if I remember correctly.”

“You did!” you laugh thinking back at the time you met him. How funny that just one short game on a talk show led the two of you here. You have to thank Ellen though.

“Now I’m finally keeping my promise. Talk to you later then, Love. Have a great day.”

“You too, Harry.”

 You manage to convince Sydney to join you for the concert, she sounds excited when you ask if she had anything to do on Saturday. Seeing Harry perform before his tour kicks off is a thrill for her she wouldn’t pass on for anything, so she is really grateful that you thought of her as your plus one.

Harry has your passes sent over to your place on Friday and it comes with a bouquet of flowers as well as a card.

“Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. What’s your favorite song? I’ll make sure to perform it just for you. –H”

He never fails to make you feel like the only woman on the planet and you can definitely see why so many fall for him even without meeting him. The man has all the power to charm anyone with just a smile.

You put the flowers into a vase and leave them on your dining table before grabbing your phone and sending him a quick text.

“It’s Only Angel,” you simply write, hoping he’ll get it why you just wrote that. Luckily, he does.

“Straight to the setlist. Dedicated to You.”

 Finishing up the last touches to your makeup you bop your head to the song blasting through the stereo. It’s Only Angel, of course. You’ve had it on repeat all afternoon and now you can’t wait to actually see Harry perform it live.

Just as you are about to get changed, Syd arrives so you let her in with a beaming smile and when she hears the music upon walking into your place she cheers in excitement.

“Yes! This is such a jam!” she smirks, doing a little dance as you lock the door behind her.

“You look fantastic, Syd,” you tell her. The black short dress looks amazing paired with the lilac oversized blazer. Her makeup matches the same color and you are obsessed with the fishnet tights. She will surely make men wish she was into them.

“Thank you! Spent two hours figuring out what to wear, so I hope I look fantastic,” she giggles.

She helps you put together your outfit as well. Wide legged flaming red pants that make your waist look snatched, a black sheer top tucked into it with just a black bralette underneath. You already know Harry will be a fan of the skin you’re showing, you can’t wait to see his face when he finally spots you.

You quickly pack your essentials into a black Chanel purse along with stuff you need for a possible sleepover if things might take a pleasant turn, and you finish with everything just when the doorman calls up through the intercom that Lawrence has arrived.

“So, what’s the deal with you and him, if I may ask?” Syd questions in the car, not in a nosy way, more like a curious, friendly way.

“We are… getting close,” you say, tasting the word on your tongue. You haven’t labeled whatever you have going on with Harry, nor do you really know what it should be called. You’ve been trying hard to make time for each other as much as possible, making small lunch and coffee dates a regular thing. He came over to your place one evening for a movie and that’s the only time you were able to be alone with him, though nothing sexual happened. Yet. The real deal is yet to happen and if you are being honest you are running short on patience. It’s getting harder to hold yourself back and keep your hands to yourself as well when you are out with him, but you agreed to keep it lowkey out in the public.

Tonight, however, you have a feeling what you’ve been waiting for so long might actually happen and you can only hope Harry is planning the same thing. You are absolutely ready to bluntly ask if he wants to spend the night at your place.

“But you’re heading… somewhere, right?”

“I hope so,” you smile shyly.

“That’s amazing. I think you two are a match,” Syd smirks at you.

By the time you arrive to the venue the gates have been opened so people are busy getting inside, giving you the chance to walk inside through the backdoors without any fuss.

“Miss, Harry requested me to usher you to his dressing room when you arrive,” the girl at the door smiles at you with a clipboard in her hands and a headset covering her ears.

“Oh, alright,” you nod, turning to Syd. “You go ahead and get us a good place,” you tell her and she nods walking away with a wave as she heads up to the second floor that’s fully reserved for friends and family.

Following the girl down the hallway you are led to a room that has Harry’s name on it. She gently knocks on the door and a few moments later it flies open, revealing Harry in a colorful suit and a simple white button-down shirt. He looks breathtaking, hair fixed perfectly and the wide grin stretching across his lips when he sees you standing there.

“You’re here!” he breathes out, grabbing your hand and pulling inside, snatching you away from the preying eyes. Once the door clicks closed behind you, he is quick to press his lips to yours in a sweet welcoming kiss. Ever since your first official date he hasn’t passed on any chance to kiss you whenever you had the luxury of privacy to yourselves, which hasn’t happened too much, leaving you both with a growing hunger for each other every time you meet.

“Mm of course I am,” you smile against his lips before pecking them one last time and leaning back. “Looking great, Mr. Styles,” you grin, taking your time to wander your eyes down on him.

“Yeah? Like the suit?”

“Absolutely.”

“Well, I love your outfit as well. M’gonna have a hard time not thinking about you on the stage.”

“Please think about me,” you breathe out with a coy smile.

“Don’t fucking say that to me, you are giving me a hard time,” he groans and you just chuckle at the tortured look on his face.

“Sorry,” you mumble, but your face doesn’t meet your words. He squeezes your waist gently, pecking your lips in a rush before he lets go of you.

“I need to go over a few things before we start, so just go ahead and join Syd. Meet me here after the show?”

“Yeah, perfect,” you nod smiling. “Good luck out there,” you wink and he grins at you with bright eyes. His hands grab onto yours before you head out, pulling you in for one last kiss before you leave.

You feel flustered and you take a few deep breaths on your way up to the gallery to find Syd who managed to get an amazing spot at the front on the left side.

They offer everyone up on the gallery some champagne before the show starts and looking around you see a few familiar faces, but no one you specifically know. You stick with Sydney who is over the moon about the show and you are kind of sharing her excitement.

When the lights go down and the music finally starts, you can’t help but join in with the screams that fill the theater.

You’ve seen videos of him performing, in One Direction and solo as well. You’ve seen pictures and you’ve heard the words about how amazing he is on stage, but none of those live up to the actual experience. The sensation that takes over you just by seeing him appear on the stage as the whole theater chants his name as one, it completely sweeps you off your feet and for a second you wonder how you could live a life without this experience.

When his voice starts to flow through the massive speakers you need to take a deep breath, a shiver runs down your spine and you chug down the rest of your champagne so you could get rid of the glass and hold onto the railing with both hands because you feel like you need to ground yourself before you shoot into the sky.

Song after song, he performs perfectly, bringing every single person in the audience to that euphoric state they’ve been probably seeking their whole life. The experience is surely one of a kind, something you’ll definitely be thinking about for a long time.

Time seems to stop, though it cruelly carries on even when you forget about it completely. The concert is nearing its end and Harry takes a breather as he places his guitar to the stand behind him. You watch his every move as he walks back to the microphone, his gaze moving up to the gallery, roaming through the people until they find you.

“This last song is dedicated… to my Only Angel,” he murmurs into the microphone as the audience erupts, blows up at once and your heart skips a beat when his eyes linger over you for a little longer before the music starts to play.

You faintly hear Syd screaming next to you, probably aware that the dedication was addressed to you, but you can’t tear your eyes off of the man on the stage.

He nails it perfectly, looking like an absolute rockstar that he truly is and for a moment you can’t believe you have his attention and interest. How can such a precious and unbelievably talented man be in your reach?

Because I deserve great things in life, you tell yourself, a little mantra you’ve gotten around to repeat every time you found yourself doubting your success and happiness.

The concert eventually ends and though no one in the room desires the end of it, Harry leaves and you are abruptly brought back to reality.

“That was… something else truly,” Syd breathes out as the two of you linger around a little longer, trying to come down from the high you just experienced.

“Yeah. He is so fucking talented it’s almost unfair,” you chuckle running a hand through your hair.

“This tour will kill thousands of people all around the world,” she muses and for a moment, reality sets in and you realize that Harry will leave for his worldwide tour very soon, leaving you behind.

You get rid of the thought, not wanting to stress over something that’s not relevant just yet and you don’t want to ruin the evening either. Fears and stress can wait a little longer.

The two of you make your way backstage, walking into a bit of a chaos as all close friends and family want to congratulate to Harry and the band as well. Standing at the side you let everyone have their time, barely even seeing Harry in the sea of people in the spacious green room. Syd keeps you company as you wait and about thirty minutes later it seems like the crowd is starting to loosen up.

Harry spots you and excuses himself immediately from his conversation with a couple, heading in your direction with the widest grin you’ve ever seen on his pretty face.

“Congrats, that was mind-blowing,” you smirk as he reaches you, a hand curling around your waist as he leans down and places a kiss to your cheek, keeping it as moderate as possible, though you both just want to jump at each other.

“Thank you, Love,” he nods, a blush tinting his cheeks from your words. “Hello Sydney, so great to see you again,” he greets the girl next to you and they share a short hug.

“Hi! Loved the show so much!” she giggles in excitement.

“Thank you for coming.”

The three of you chat for a while before Sydney says she is gonna call herself an Uber, so after saying her goodbye she leaves you alone with Harry, as much as you can be alone with a bunch of other people around.

“I wanted to ask you something,” he clears his throat as his hand finds its way back to the small of your back.

“Go for it.”

“We are gonna grab a drink at some bar, but nothing over the top and I wanted to ask if you would want to join.”

“Sounds good,” you smile, feeling a little disappointed. This is not exactly what you wanted him to ask. Luckily, he is not done with his questions.

“Also… I-If it’s cool by you, I thought that… maybe you could come over?”

“Mmm, go over and do what?” you tease him, your smile stretching wider with each passing moment.

“I have plenty of ideas, Love,” he breathes out, making you laugh. “We could drop by your place if you need anything to stay over.”

“No need. Packed a bag,” you slyly grin at him, taking him by surprise clearly, but it’s surely a pleasant one.

“Always a step ahead of me, huh?” he smirks, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

It takes some time to actually leave the venue and head off to the bar with a close group of friends of him and the band. A secluded area was already reserved for you that has its own bar, so you could enjoy the evening without worrying about preying eyes of strangers or fans. You really weren’t in the mood to keep your distance from Harry, this way at least you were able to touch each other in a more intimate way without speculations swirling up immediately.

You get to know his band and some of his friends, they are all genuinely amazing people, but you weren’t expecting anything else. You figured he only surrounds himself with people like him. His hands often find your waist and he doesn’t shy away from kissing your cheek or giving your hips a gentle squeeze, just letting you know you have his attention and he appreciates that you’re there.

It’s nearing one am when the guests start leaving and soon enough you find yourself in the back of your car with Harry, heading to his place, while you try your best to keep your hands away from him. You wouldn’t put Lawrence through the trauma of having to see or hear something he shouldn’t.

But that doesn’t stop you from kissing, something you’ve been dying to do all night. Your hand rests on his thigh while he has an arm curled around your shoulders, keeping you tight by his side, delicately brushing his nose against your hair every time your lips are not connected.

“Thank you, Lawrence. I’ll call myself a taxi in the morning, have the day off,” you tell your driver who smiles in your way thankfully while Harry grabs your and his bags from the back of the car.

“Thank you, Miss. Enjoy your night,” he nods in your way as you shut the door closed.

You try to take your duffel bag from Harry, but he insists to carry it as the two of you walk inside his house.

“Want something to drink? Water, tea or something?” he asks, setting the bags down near his giant, comfortable looking couch. Your thoughts immediately wander to a dirty field, picturing him sitting on that very couch as you kneel in front of him, pleasuring him so good that his eyes roll back…

“Yeah, water please,” you say clearing your throat. Some hydration will come handy after the drinks you chugged down at the bar.

You follow him as he shuffles into the kitchen, grabbing a glass and a bottled water from the fridge for you, pouring some into the glass before handing it to you.

“Thank you. You have a nice place for yourself,” you tell him, looking around in his home.

“Thanks. Been working on it for a while,” he chuckles softly. “Feels a bit too big for just myself though.”

You finish the water and set your eyes at him, feeling your hunger for him grow with each passing moment. Placing the empty glass to the marble counter you take a step closer to him.

“You feel lonely often?” you question in a low voice. His eyes return to you and you are happy to see the same lust in them.

“Would say so, yes,” he nods, running his tongue over his pink lips before he reaches out and grabbing you by your hips, he draws you close to him. Leaning down his lips brush against the shell of your ear, a shiver runs down your spine when you hear his whisper in it. “Hope it’ll change soon.”

At a loss of patience, you grab his face and angle it perfectly so you can kiss him hard. And by hard, you mean real hard. He stumbles back from the force, but manages to keep his balance, returning the kiss just as vehemently as he receives it, a tug of war starting between the two of you.

His hands work fast on the sheer fabric of your shirt, pulling it out from the waistband of your pants, getting rid of it eagerly as his lips wander down on your neck, collarbones and chest. He easily turns the two of you around so you are pushed against the edge of the countertop, his hips pushed against you and it’s clearer that daylight just how excited he is to have you here tonight. Your eyes flicker over to the couch again and the desire to please him with your mouth just bursts, you can’t hold yourself back anymore.

So you push him away from you, grabbing his wrist and yanking him after you, heading towards the couch. You push him down and his lustful eyes follow every move of yours as you kneel in front of him and he realizes what you are about to do. He doesn’t stop you when you work to unbutton his pants, but his hand finds your chin and he pulls you up for a swift, but passionate kiss.

Once you successfully undid his pants he lifts his hips and you spare some time and energy, pulling them down along with his underwear, leaving him only in his vintage printed t-shirt as his cock springs free. You push your thighs together just at the sight of him, the way his eyes burn down on you, how his lips part when your gazes meet and the way he sucks on his breath when your fingers dig into his thighs near his crotch as you situate yourself closer.

“I believe I owe you an orgasm, don’t I?” you ask with a cheeky smirk before wrapping your left hand around the base of his shaft, giving it a gentle squeeze, just enough to get him even more excited. A whimpered moan slips from his lips and you lean closer, giving his cock a lick from bottom to top, wrapping your lips around the head as you swirl your tongue around it.

“Fuck hell!” he breathes out, clearly enjoying himself, hands fisting the cushion next to him, but you bet they’ll be buried in your hair soon.

You’re not an expert in the field of blowjobs, but it’s been your thing to come barging right through the door and jump the easy teasing whenever you were on your knees for a man. So with your hands fixed on his beautiful face, you sink down on him, his cock gliding into your mouth right until the tip reaches the back of your throat, earning the loudest moan you’ve heard from him. Shutting your eyes closed you keep him like that for a second until the urge to gag starts to set in, so you slide him out, your saliva dripping down his erection as your eyes meet his and you can tell you shocked him with your bold first move.

“Do that one more time and I won’t last for a minute,” he warns breathing heavily and you just smirk up at him before going into action again, this time only taking a smaller portion of him, pumping the base to make up for the lack of deep throating, but it appears that he enjoys just the simple part of it equally. As you keep bobbing your head, taking as much of him as you can without gagging, his right hand flies to your hair, taking a handful of it as he gently guides your head, keeping it in the rhythm that works the best for him and you happily let him do whatever makes him feel good.

When your free hand goes to gently massage his balls your name erupts from him in the most voluptuous way you’ve heard him call out for you. As if he just cried out for God himself.

“Y/N, fuck, I won’t last long,” he warns you, but that’s all you want. You need to see him come undone under your touch, you want to be the reason his breath hitches. Picking up your pace you see him whimper some more, head falling backwards to the back of the couch. It’s a heavenly view and you wish you could take a picture of his beauty as he enjoys himself on this intimate level. You’ve never wanted to please a man more than him and just seeing him in this blissful state makes you wet through your underwear.

When his breathing starts to get uneven, chest heaving wildly, you take all of him again, his head poking the back of your throat and you push your tongue against his length as you slide him out, picking up the same pace that you kept before, both hands working hard on him.

“Fuck! I-I’m gonna cum!” he warns again and just a few seconds later, you feel the evidence of his satisfaction spurt into the back of your throat, eyes falling on you as you give him one last lick before swallowing everything that’s in your mouth.

“Holy shit,” he breathes out pulling you up, eagerly kissing you without a second thought, his hands cupping your cheeks to keep you in place. “You surely know how to kill a man, yea?” he huffs making you chuckle.

“Think you can go for a second one?” you sheepishly ask, blinking up at him from under your long lashes.

“I’ll have enough time to recover while I eat you out like you’re my last meal,” he bluntly replies, and a moan almost slips from your lips.

“Show me what you got, Styles,” you challenge him and he doesn’t need more, he easily picks you up, wrapping your legs around his waist as he heads straight to the bedroom.

“As you wish, Angel,” he mumbles against your skin, peppering your neck and shoulder with featherlike kisses along his way until he throws you to his bed, ruthlessly tearing the remaining of your clothes off your body.

PREVIOUS PART

NEXT PART

[atalho-s]

Sweet Sugar

2 | Oh this town it's so electric

pairing: tom holland x reader 

warnings: swear words, underage drinking (not much tho, nothing descritive and nothing like “Skins” lmao), suggestive scenes in some chapters, not smut!! but minors be aware. Fluff/angst/drama/ Y/n and Tom being stupid teenagers with feelings.

words: 2.5 k

a/n: english it’s not my first language, sorry for any mistake!

Summary: Y/n has always been Harrison’s and Tom’s best friend. Since childhood they’ve always been close, but what happens if after a break up with her first boyfriend, she starts to feel something more about Tom?

PART 2! If you want to read Part 1 click here

Don’t forget to check out the playlist by @petesrparker​ created for the series! here

❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁

It was almost 7pm on Saturday and I was almost ready to go meet Tom before we went to the party. I had put on a stylish shirt along with a skirt (a little shorter than i usually wore) and a sandal with a medium heel. After finishing doing my outline, I take the bag with the gift and went down the stairs.

The day before I had found something in the mall, a chain with an amber stone as a pendant. The attendant of the store had told me it meant protection and calm, which I thought was perfect to give to Tom as a way to show that I was there to comfort him whenever he needed it.

As soon as I went downstairs my mother was already waiting for me to fill me with accessories (she always complained that I didn't "dress up" properly).

- You look beautiful! - She said putting a bracelet on my wrist and two rings on my fingers.

- Aw, thanks mom!- I said giving a kiss on her cheek. - I have to go, because I'm almost late, I don't know what time I'll be back, probably before midnight.

-Okay, If you need anything calls us and we'll go get you. - She said and I nodded waving to my father who was in the living room. - Give my birthday wishes to Thomas and a hi to Haz for me and take this pie to Nikki. - She handed me a bag with a pot as we walked down the stairs from the front door.

- Okay, bye mom! - I said and waved down the street.

After walking for less than 10 minutes I was in front of Tom's house, took a deep breath, went up the stairs to the entrance and knocked on the door. I heard some screams to open the door from the inside and a "messy hair" Harry wearing striped pajamas answered me.

- It's Y/n! - He yelled to the side. - Come in. - He said as he gave me space and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

- Are you ready to sleep? - I said pointing to his pajamas. - Actually it's time to children to be in bed, you're right. - and Harry stuck out his tongue.

- So funny. Since we're not old enough to go to the party with you guys, me, Sam and Paddy are going to play video games and watch movies, you know, boys night. - He said as if celebrating, putting a fist up.

- Got it. In fact, what I really wanted was to be with you guys watching movies, much better than a party. - I said as we arrived in the kitchen, where Nikki and Sam were preparing cookies.

- I doubt it, I can't wait to go out and have fun at night. Harry said and I shrugged.

- What can I do? I'm a old lady... - I laughed and greeted Nikki and Sam with a hug.

- I wish my children like to stay in home like you. -Nikki spoke as she took the cookie shape out of the oven.

- Well Nikki, I've already tried to get them on the right path, but they're too rebellious.- I said and Harry and Sam giggled. - My mother sent you apple pie. - I put the bag on the counter.

- Yay, your moms apple pie is delicious!- Sam said opening the bag and taking a fork to taste.

- Teenagers....I don't know what I do with these pests anymore.- Nikki said putting her hand on her hip and watching Harry and Sam fight to eat the pie.

- Did I hear pie?- Paddy came into the kitchen greeting me with our handshake, which I taught him since he was practically a baby, Paddy and I had our little bond, I was his defender when the older brothers made fun of him.

He stole Sam's fork and ran off as he and Harry ran after him screaming.

-Oh God…I don't deserve this.- Nikki laughed. - Honey, Tom is there in his room getting ready, if you want to go upstairs.

- Okay, I'll hurry him.- I said and she agreed, laughing. - By the way, you look amazing! I loved your outfit.

- Thank you Nikki! - I thanked going towards the stairs.

Once I got to the top I walked until I reached the end of the hallway where Tom's room was, knocking on the door.

- Tommy? Can I come in? - I asked and heard a "come in!" from the inside.

I opened the door and saw Tom in front of the mirror finishing his hair. He wore a basic white T-shirt and black jeans, along with a black all star with white laces. He looks beautiful, which made me miss a few heartbeats for a moment.

- Did you like it? - He asked turning to me and opening his arms looking at himself and then at me again.

- Perfect! I loved the all star- I said and he smiled.

- You not looking bad yourself either... New skirt? - He said looking me up and down making me feel my cheeks burning.

- It's old, but I've never used it, I left it for special dates.

- I felt honored now- he said and I laughed.

-Hey happy brithday! - I approached and hugged him feeling his delicious and intoxicating perfume. - Best wishes, I hope all your dreams come true. - I said still hugging him tight and closing my eyes feeling him kiss my cheek when we let go.

- Thank you mate, you and Haz are one of the best thinga in my life. - He said and I smiled seeing him smile back, and what a smile... Damn y/n! Stop thinking things that shouldn't be thought!!

-I have a present for you!-I said, delivering my bag in his hands.

- Yay!! - He got excited sitting on the bed to open it like a child on Christmas Day. -Wow!- he said taking the chain out of the box. - It's beautiful... Thank you so much darling, I love it! - and obviously I blushed even more with the pet name. Tom called all the women closest to him darling or love, which was normal, but whenever he said to me, for some reason, I felt a warm feeling in my heart...

- You're welcome Tommy, it's an amber stone to bring you protection and patience.

- Perfect, everything I need - he looked at me - I'll use it right now! It even matched my outifit- he said putting the chain around his neck and winking at me right after.

- I liked it, it looks amazing. - I said looking at him and he hugged me from the side.

- Hey, we have to go if we don't want to be late.- he said getting up and giving me his hand to get up too.

- Right. - I said, following him out of the room and down the stairs behind him.

- Mom? We're already going! - he yelled, taking the keys from the counter and Nicki appeared approaching.

- You two are rocking huh? Both look beautiful! My baby is already so grown... - she said squeezing one of Tom's cheeks making me laugh and he rolled his eyes.

- Mom...

- Okay, go ahead, and don't drink! Especially you young man - she said pointing at Tom with her intimidating finger. - And don't come back too late.

- Okay mom. I'm responsible.

- Yeah... I'm just more relieved, because the Y/n goes too, she's the only sane one of this "impossible trio." - and I made a face of "proud of myself", puffing out my chest.

-Ha-ha, yeah sure...- Tom replied and I hit his arm causing him to rub it pretending he was in pain.

- I'm the oldest and most responsible, Nikki is absolutely right. - I said and Nikki laughed.

- You said like you're very old, but it's only some months... - He start saying and I raised my hand ready to hit him again, making him shrink with fear. - Okay, okay... Now let's go, because we're already too late. - Tom said opening the door letting me through and we waved to Nikki.

We took an uber and arrived in 20 minutes in front of the party. It was a really nice house, Tom’s friend welcome us on the front door and lead us to the backward, into what appeared to be a small wood structure with a big window at the front, but when Tom and I walked in after passing the door, the place was a lot bigger than it looked. It had a lot tables around like a big saloon even with a dance floor and seemed to be very cozy. When we walked in you could hear an indie song playing in the background, which I really liked as it's one of my favorite styles. Passing through the door we already saw some familiar people seated, including Haz.

- Finally! The birthday boy arrived!- Tuwaine, one of the boys' friends, who eventually became mine too, stood up greeting Tom with a hug.

- Thanks mate.- Tom said returning the hug and greeting the rest of the people who were at the table and I went after him greeting them too.

- Good to see you here Y/n! I know you're not a big fan of parties.- Tuwaine said as I sat between him and Haz.

- Well, it’s what we do for friends, right? - I laugh looking at Tom who was talking to some friends from the school.

An hour passed and everyone was drinking and talking happily. Tom sat at the end of the long table a little away from where I was with Haz and Tuwaine, so the 3 of us were talking nonsense and joking together.

Until a group of 4 girls arrived together, one of them I could recognize as being Gracie, a girl from the school, I didn't know her very well, we were classmates, we did math together, but we never talked. And another face I knew well: Meghan. A girl who do theater with the boys and who was everyone's crush. Tom and Haz were always talking about her, but I had never talked to her for a long time, just the times I would meet the boys at the theater, we would say hello and goodbye and that was it. The only thing I knew was that Tom was in love with her since he was a child.

Obviously that made me a little jealous, which was ridiculous, because I didn't even know her very well and even though I felt something different for Tom for the past few months, it wasn't right for me to be jealous, he was my friend, that's all.

The girls approached the table and Tom got up to greet them.

-I'm glad you came!-I heard him say as he kissed Meghan's cheek and hugged the others. I could see Gracie looking in Haz's direction and look away quickly, which made me raise a curious eyebrow.

They sat down and I saw Meghan walking to the bar with Tom as they chatted excitedly. I looked away picking up my glass with a drink I didn't even know what it was anymore, taking a sip. I heard someone approaching and when I looked up I saw Gracie.

- Hi Haz! Good to see you. - She said and I saw Haz turn a little red.

- Good to see you too Gracie!- he said greeting her across the table.

- Do you guys know each other?- I asked looking from one to the other.

- Yes we did English together. - Haz said.

- You are Y/n aren't you? Do we do math together? - Gracie asked.

- Yes we do! Do you know Meghan too?

- Yes, she is a childhood friend of mine, as she said she was coming on Tom's birthday and didn't want to come alone me, Beverly and Paige came to accompany her.

- Got it, do you want to sit with us? - I said pointing to the chair in front of us.

- I wish, but the girls are already asking me to sit with them, we haven't seen each other for a while, you know, don't you want to go sit with us instead? - She said pointing to the other table where the other 3 girls were looking at her, calling her.

- It's a good idea. - Haz said and looked at me and Tuwaine who agreed, getting up.

So Gracie went in the front with Tuwaine behind her and me and Haz got a little further back, where I poked him.

- Why didn't you tell me you had a crush? - I asked like a whisper so that only he could hear me.

- It's not a crush... She's just a nice girl from my class, that's all. - he replied.

- Haz I know you.- I said and he rolled his eyes giggling.

We arrived at the table and stayed there talking and getting to know each other. The girls were really nice and cool, which I ended up getting along really well with them, especially Gracie, which was funny because we did a class together and we never even said hello to each other. In the meantime, Tom and Meghan had already returned from the bar with their drinks, where Meghan ended up finding a way to sit next to Tom at the other table, which I thought was a little weird, but I ignored it.

After a few minutes Tom approached our table.

- Hey guys, we’re going to the dance floor, do you guys want to?- he asked leaning between my chair and Haz.

Everyone ended up agreeing, getting up and following him to the dance floor, where Meghan and a few others at the other table were already dancing. The song Juicebox by The strokes starts playing, and everyone sang loudly. I was a little behind as I hated dancing, but I also joined in the singing, because Strokes was one of my favorite bands.

Soon after, the song Glockenspiel song by D.I.D started to play. We got even more excited and started jumping singing. I saw Haz approach Gracie, which made me smile, they looked cute together. So, I looked around and realized that I was in a corner alone, Tuwaine had already left for the middle of the floor super excited and the other girls were on the other side, talking to Marcos and Julian. I kept looking until I found Tom and Meghan, they were dancing very close and talking talking into each other's ears, laughing.

(Oh this town, it's so electric Since I got the feeling I can't shut down)

I lowered my eyes finding the ground very interesting for a moment, but I couldn't stand it and looked up again.

(Oh this town, it's so electric Since I got the feeling I can't shut down)

Which I regretted, because now they were kissing passionately.

(We are a mess, we are failures and we love it)

I felt my stomach starts to hurt, and my eyes fill with tears. Why did I feel this way? It was ridiculous and immature. Tom had already hooked up with other girls in front of me, why was it different now? Not understanding my feelings, the only thing I did was run away, I went outiside and went to the front of the house, leaving.

Maybe it was the drink? But I sat on a low wall and lowered my head to my knees and started to cry.

❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁ ❁

[horansqueen]

New Angel - Chapter 5

story masterlist [x]

chapter 1  ☆ chapter 2  ☆ chapter 3  ☆ chapter 4

NOTES

☆ written from Niall’s pov ☆ i don’t proofread, I never do, I hate it. ☆ AU comedy/fluff/smut/romance ☆ 2.5k ☆ i accept requests and ideas for this story, so message me in my inbox! ☆ if you want to be notified when this story is updated (or be taken off the update list) CLICK HERE

☆ you probably noticed that my chapters are shorter, which makes it tough because I feel like I can’t write everything I want to write in one chapter. so ill probably update this soon with the next chapter that will just be the continuity of this one.

NIALL

It took a few days before I received a text message from Summer who was inviting me to the movies. It was not really original but I was happy I'd get to spend some of my time with her. Millie had convinced me to go back to work and I had to admit that keeping my head busy was a nice way to get a break from my heartache. I preferred Summer to keep my mind off Grace but I would use every way possible to get over my heartbreak as soon as possible.

"You're not eating diner with us?" Louis asked, making me look up after playing with my keys.

"Nope!"

"Ah, you're gonna get laid." he just pointed out with a nod, making Millie chuckle near him.

I glanced at her and sent her a small smile before looking back at Louis and sending him a smirk. I wanted to joke and ask him if he was jealous but it would be useless since I knew he pretty much had sex whenever he wanted to. Instead, I just shrugged with an amused smile and raised my eyebrows.

"Hopefully."

"D'you need condoms?" he added to tease me.

"Naa, thanks, we're clearly not the same size."

Louis raised his hand up, showing me his middle finger and I started laughing, taking a few steps back, doing the same to him, my middle finger up in the air. I smiled more when my eyes met Millie's and I shook my head slightly.

"Not you Mills, you know I love you!"

She jokingly blew a kiss at me and I pretended to catch it and push it in my pocket, making her laugh. The only good thing beside Summer that came with the fact that Grace broke my heart was that I was getting close to my friends. I was always quite close to Louis, but this whole thing made me realized that we didn't talk much anymore, and we didn't hang out much either. Now that I was single (or something?), I got to spend time with him and I had missed him. Millie was also a good addition to my life. She was still slightly annoying but the more time i spent with her, the more I liked the side of her that made her say things the way they were. Her bluntness was refreshing. I felt like most of the time, everyone around me tried to be sorry for me, or would tell me what I want to hear. She was not rude, she just told me when I was going too far, or shook me when I needed to be, and I realized that true friendship was not pretending the people around you were perfect, it was helping them move on, grow up, and be a better person. Millie was doing just that with me.

"I guess you're also not going to be there tonight, or when we wake up." Louis added as I shrugged again.

"Hopefully." I repeated, making both my friends smile more.

"Have fun!"

---

The movie was boring but I spent the whole time glancing at Summer who seemed to be focus on the screen. I wanted to wrap my arm around her but I was scared of the message it would send so I decided not to. I also didn't dare kissing her for the same reason, and I took a mental note to ask her about the kind of relationship she was looking for on the same night. I just wanted to make things clear and get rid of that restraint inside me that made me think twice about everything I wanted to do or say.

Near the end, I stared at her as she reached very slowly for the popcorn, groping around to find it, and it made me smile. There was no doubt in my mind that I liked Summer and that I wanted to get to know her, I was just scared she was going to be some sort of rebound and I felt extremely guilty about it.

I don't know how the movie ended but when we walked out of the theater, she sent me a big smile and my heart twisted in my chest.

"So, did you guess that they would end up together?" she asked, making my lips part.

"Uh, no."

"Me neither." Summer admitted, raising her nose up slightly. "I'm not good at guessing these kind of things."

I pushed one of my hands in my pockets and chuckled, feeling slight embarrassed. I brought my free hand to scratch the back of my head and I glanced at her. "The truth is, I didn't really watch the movie. I was focused on you."

Her eyes got bigger with surprise and finally, her lips curled slightly to the left. I liked the way she was looking at me and I also liked how oblivious she was. She didn't see the way I looked at her, and she didn't seem to realize how pretty she was. Somehow, it made her prettier. Perhaps it was only because I was used to date confident girls who knew their worth and it was not a better or worst thing, it was just different.

"You really know how to sweet talk women." she pointed out before letting out a short laughter. "But I like it."

"Seriously. I mean it."

"Okay." she nodded, licking her lip before her eyes got smaller. I felt like she was studying me and I liked it. "Then how about you come over to grab a bite? That way you can spend some more time watching me?"

I let out a louder laugh than intended and finally nodded too. "That's a great idea!"

I drove us to her place when when we walked in, I let my eyes roam around. The apartment was small an decorated with pastel colors. It was clearly not the colors I would have picked but it was clean and welcoming, and it fitted well with Summer's bubbly personality.

"Okay, let's see what leftovers we have..." she said in a soft tone, opening the fridge and bending down to look inside.

I suddenly wondered if she did that on purpose but I just shook my head and closed my eyes for a few seconds. From what I knew of Summer, it was not the kind of things she did, but it reminded me that it was exactly the kind of things Grace would do, and I liked it.

"Pasta good for you?"

I opened my eyes when I heard her voice again and blinked a few times before nodding. "Yea, yea it's perfect."

She handed me a beer before putting the food in the microwave and started it. I took a sip of my drink as she turned around and leaned her butt against the counter. She sent me a small smile but I couldn't help and let my eyes move down on her. The necklace she was wearing was falling gracefully between her breasts until her navel but unlike the dress she was wearing at the club, her outfit on that day was pretty simple: a black pair of jeans and a pink shirt that molded her upper body perfectly. I was pretty sure she looked good no matter what she was wearing and it made me smile. She tilted her head slightly, playing with her hair falling down from her high pony tail down to the middle of her back and licked her lips.

"If you want I can tell you what happened in the movie while you stare at me like that."

I looked up and our eyes met again but when I saw her smile, I mirrored it and walked closer. "I'd rather know more about you."

Her amused smile faltered slowly, changing into a loving one, and she tilted her head just as the microwave beeped. She chuckled a bit and turned around, making a bowl for me and one for her, and we sat down at her table, facing each other.

"Okay, tell me what you want to know." she just proposed before taking a bite.

"Okay... age, last name, siblings?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and making her laugh as she chewed.

"You're right, we don't know that much about each other." she admitted with a nod. "We talked at the club but we quickly ended up in your apartment."

I smiled more. "I know you study in fashion and that you used to live with a few friends but that you recently moved here by yourself. I also know that you've only been in two serious relationships, one of them when you were still a teen, and that you've been single for two years. But I have no idea how old you are."

"Glad to know you can stare at me and listen to what I say at the same time!" she joked.

"I'm a multitask guy." I shrugged with a chuckle, making her laugh too.

"I'm 23." she admitted. "I have two older sisters, and my last name is Carpenter."

"Good to know. And apparently, you like romantic movies."

"Don't we all?" she asked with a shrug but chuckling when she saw me raising my eyebrows. "I mean, most of us want to find real love and live happily ever after, right?"

My smile faltered as Grace invaded my head again. I felt a wave of sadness invade me but when I looked up at Summer, I realized she hadn't noticed anything.

"Yeah, I guess it's human nature."

I tried to push my ex girlfriend out of my mind and we kept talking about each other for a while and when she got up to bring her dishes to the dishwasher, I followed her and helped her. She turned my way and looked up in my eyes as I felt my heart jump in my chest at the proximity of our bodies. She smelled exactly the same as she did wat the club. It was that perfume that lasted for 3 days on one of my pillows but I couldn't tell what exactly it smelled like. She started nibbling on her bottom lip while staring at me and I couldn't take my eyes off of her either.

"I want you to know that I normally don't do that."

"Don't do what?" I asked very low.

"Sleep on the first night." she confessed in a whisper. "But you're special, I don't know."

"Is that a good thing?"

Her lips curled and she chuckled, nodding slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. "Mhm, yes."

I was not expecting it but she got on her tiptoes and kissed me gently but firmly. Her lips moved against mine and I tasted her lip-gloss when my tongue ran on bottom lip. It was sticky and it smelled like strawberry, telling me that it was probably her favorite.

"Summer," I murmured between two kisses. "We need to talk."

"I know, but we can do it after."

Her arms wrapped around my neck and I kissed her deeper, pulling her closer. I don't know how we ended up in her room but I knew I went a bit too roughly when I pushed her against the door and she stopped me.

"How about we go on my bed?"

I nodded quickly and grabbed her hand, pulling her gently but quickly with me. I layed on top of her, grinding down against her as she whimpered in my mouth, and I couldn't help but tell myself that it felt even better than the first time. Her shirt and her pants ended on the carpet and I let my lips run down her neck, sliding between her breasts and on her stomach until I reached for her panties. I wanted to taste her, and I could tell how aroused she was just from the way she smelled, but when I pulled her panties down with two of my fingers on the sides, she tensed.

"Niall, please, not today, okay?"

My heart skipped a beat, hoping I didn't ruin the moment, and I moved back up to press my lips on hers. "Okay, anything you want."

"I'll remember that." she joked with a chuckle, making me smile against her mouth.

She grabbed my shirt and moved it over my head before her hands ran in my hair and down my naked back, making me feel the same burning sensation I had felt the first time and when I finally lied down on top of her naked, I realized how similar everything was.

"Summer, baby, you want to ride me?" I asked in a murmur, moving away slightly to look in her eyes.

Her lips parted and she held her breath but after a few seconds, she nodded and licked her lips. I lied down next to her but quickly sat back up, searching for my pants on the floor and grabbing the condom I had brought with me. I could feel guilty for even bringing it as if I expected to have sex with her but my mom always said 'better safe than sorry' and I would have hated myself if I hadn't brought one and didn't have the chance to do that again with her. I lied down on my back and when she straddled me, the sight made my dick twitch and my heart jump. She was hot and watching her move on top of me was definitely going to bring me to an orgasm fast.

I ran my hands on her thighs and when she moved on her knees to sit on my cock, It was my turn to hold my breath while my lips parted. She felt so good around me that I let out a low curse word and blinked a few times, trying to see her better as I became dizzy. She had a small shy smile and I let my hands slid up until her waist just to feel her skin against mine.

"Fuck, you feel amazing."

She started moving over me, riding me gently, and she bent down to kiss me again. I ran my hands on her, wherever I could touch, but she didn't move back her and stayed laying on me. I enjoyed the way her hips were moving against mine and when I felt myself reach an orgasm, I held her waist tighter. I felt her start shaking over me a few seconds after I came and when her body went limp on top of me, I sighed with a smile, running a few of my fingertips on her spine.

"Now, we have to talk." I repeated in a gentle tone, bringing my hand up to move her hair out of her face and press my cheek on the top of her head.

She remained silent for a few seconds but I felt her lips press on my chest and it made me smile. "Mmhm, we can talk now."

[reidmaybankstyles]

Little info about my blog!!

Who I write for!

Fictional characters.

Draco malfoy. ( note: I haven’t seen the movies in forever. And I’m currently trying to read the series so sorry if they suck!!)

Hardin Scott.

Peter Parker.

Criminal minds characters and actors.

Mathew gray gubler.

Spencer Reid.

Musicians/actors

Harry styles.

Shawn Mendes.

Tom Holland.

Harrison osterfield.

Hero fíennes tiffin.

cole sprouse.

Ross lynch.

Nick Hargrove ( actor in charmed remake.)

Outer banks.

Jj.

Topper.

Rafe.

Riverdale.

Archie

Jughead.

Sweet pea

The Vampire diaries

Stefen Salvatore.

Damon Salvatore.

Others.

Prince Edward ( the princess switch.)

Parker Caine ( charmed the remake.)

Peter kavinsky. ( to all the boys I’ve loved before.)

Wolfgang Novogratz.

Descendants.

Harry hook ( Thomas doherty.)

Ben ( Mitchell hope.)

Things I’m not comfortable writing.

Ddlg kink.

Rape.

Anything that doesn’t involve consent it doesn’t matter what it is.

Really big age gaps like 20 years.

Spitting in someone else’s mouth.

Things I am comfortable writing. ( kink wise I guess.)

Dom sub relationship.

Being tied up.

Toys.

Degrading.

kinfe kink.

Handcuffs.

Gun kink.

Public sex.

Bdsm.

Spanking.

Choking.

Hair pulling.

I’ll basically whatever your dirty minds come up with unless told other wise.

Prompts.

Don’t make me take you home and punish you.

I’ve never wanted anyone to fuck me this badly.

Your not going out In that outfit.

Don’t give me that look.

Would you just shut up and kiss me already?

Like what you see?

Try to stay quite, understnad?

We’re in public you know?

I didn’t know you were so sensitive.

Don’t be rough. There can’t be any marks!

I really don’t care. You still look hot, and I’m trying not to fuck you senseless right now.

Are you sure? Because once I start I might not be able to stop.

Make me.

Stop teasing me so much.

Your in trouble now!

Take off your clothes.

First one to make noise loses.

Mine.

You know, you always look much better when I mark you up.

You look so good with my hand wrapped around your neck.

How do you feel about adding another person to the mix?

You look good all soaking wet.

Are you sure that’s what you want? I could really hurt you.

If your going to act like a little brat then I’m going to treat you like a little brat.

I don’t care how good it feel. You better not cum till I tell you.

I bet you think your real cute, letting them out their hands all over you. Let’s see how cute you are when I get you home.

Touch yourself for me.

You want to have sex in a elevator? Challage excepted.

Why are you even wearing underwear? When you know I’ll tear it off anyway.

Since I’ve been good. It’s time I get a taste of you.

You wanna put what? Where?

Your ass or your breasts the choice is up to.

Show me how you play with yourself.

Using your teeth, is the the only way I’m granting you access tonight.

If you can’t sleep......how about we have sex?

Put that thing away!

If you interrupt me one more time, so help me god!

Tell me what you want.

Bite me! “ if you insist”

Could he make you feel as good as I do?

Your n not um, wearing a anything under that. Are you?

Are you trying to turn me on? Or are you just that oblivious?

You taste like fucking candy.

The only way your getting off is on my thigh.

You make a sound and it’s game over.

Just let me finish this level, and I swear I’ll go down on you so you cum like three times.

If I have to stop what I’m doing, you won’t be able to walk for the next week.

I could just pull your bikini bottoms to the side and no one would notice.

I haven’t even touched you, and your this wet.

You’re mine! Got it?

I love it when you talk dirty.

I’ll let you do anything, just touch me now!

I told you stay still.

I’ll be quite, I promise.

Oh Just shut up and fuck me!

You feel so good!

I want you inside of me.

I think I lien you better with a gag in your mouth.

Perhaps I need to remind you of your place?

I think I’ve make my intentions clear.

Be a good girl and spread your legs for me.

I’d like to breed you. 

Don’t worry. I’ll take good care for you.

Come on. Take it all on your own like a good little pet.

Think you can handle that much?

Let me show you what happens to beats who don’t follow the rules.

How do you feel about two at once?

I want it to hurt.

Don’t tempt me.

I want your cock in my mouth.

Wanna join?

Don’t forget who you belong to.

Come to bed. I can’t sleep without your hips pressed against me.

The only thing hotter then you orgasming is your smile.

You don’t belong in my bed. You being on a magazine cover.

I can’t believe I found a women who can cook, as good as she fucks.

Where do you think your going? Your body is for my eyes only.

Beg.

I’m going to fuck that pretty little mouth of yours.

I thought we agreed to share her.

It’s not my fault you keep turning me on.

Let me be your secret sin.

Looks like you had a bad day. Wanna take it out on me?

You know I get cranky, if I don’t get to eat you out atleast once a day!

You make fucking a religious experience.

Look at you. Stretched out and trembling.

If you want me like this your going to have to beg.

Don’t fucking touch what’s not yours.

You don’t need to cover up the bruises and hickeys. I’d like everyone to know your mine.

How quickly can you come?

I don’t care what you do just fuck me!

I’ll just have to cum inside you then.

Stop dancing like that, or I’m going to cum in my pants

You can’t tease me like that, and expect not to get punished.

We’ve been at it like rappits and your still horny?

Did you just look at me up and down, and bite your lip? Cause I’d you did. We are having sex right now!

Your ass is going to be seven different shades of red after that stunt you just pulled.

God damn it! Now all I can think about is you licking my cock like it’s that ice cream cone.

If I have to pull over you won’t be able to walk for the next week.

Try not to ruin your manicure when you dig your nails into my back.

I’m going to remember this moment when I’m jerking off.

I bought a few pieces of lingerie. Want me to model them for you?

Keep playing that video game. I want to see if you can keep focus while I suck your cock.

I took a few sexy photos. So you have something to masturbate to while I’m work.

Keep the lights on. I want to see your tits bounce up and down.

Don’t spend to much time on your hair. Cause I’m going to en yanking it soon.

Help me put the condom on. I want to feel your hands on me.

I looked at your naughty photos at work today. I couldn’t get rid of my hard on.

You’re to flexible for your own good.

I bought us a new Mattress. Since we wore out the old one.

If you keep fucking me this good. I’ll marry you.

I want you to be my wife. So I can do naughty things to for the rest of our life’s.

I love how the sexist women I’ve ever met, is my best friend to.

We’re the sexist couple I’ve ever seen.

I just showered but I don’t mind taking another one with you.

These are like smut challenges I guess.

Shower sex.

Striptease.

Threesome.

Phone sex.

Food.

Blindfolded.

Teasing only.

Blow job.

Dirty talk.

Places. ( which you can request also.)

Against a wall.

Dressing room.

The floor.

Kitchen table/counter.

In the shower/tub.

In a chair.

In a car.

In a pool or hot tub.

In the sea or on the beach.

In a closet.

Backstage

Movie theater.

Meadow of flowers.

On a plane.

On a train

Under the stars.

Besides a fire.

Other things I’ll write.

Werewolfxwho ever you choose.

Mafiaxwho ever you choose.

Vampirexwho ever you choose.

[one-more-offbeat-anthem]

omg emmy

what about your sonic college au dean and cas on a little date? aquarium? carnival/fair? drive-in theater lol to parallel the drive-in diner?

lol or this prompt "Excuse you, i can be as dramatic and ridiculous as i want, outside of work hours. You can't stop me"

you don’t even have to tempt me to write more in the sonic college au (by the way I've decided to write a like....fic-fic of them and their summer at Dean’s house) so I'm going with that and drive-in movie b/c there’s a drive-in where I live and it’s so fun!

The last weekend before finals and then, finally, summer break, everyone else is out at the bars, but Cas doesn’t drink and Dean wants to spend the last Friday night of freshman year with Cas, so they’ve got tickets to the drive-in movie theater on the outskirts of town.

On the way there, Cas has a thousand questions--why is this better than the regular movie theater? What if it starts raining? How do you turn just the headlights off on your car? What if--

Dean indulges them all, and then delights Cas after they park by revealing that there’s a duffel bag full of snacks in the backseat, including Cas’ favorite, cheese puffs (watching him eat them is borderline hysterical). 

The movie is Grease, which, Dean explains to Cas, is funny because it has a scene set at a drive-in. Most of the movie passes with their usual hijinks--sharing a root beer (since they’re already swapping spit via kissing, they’ve lost all reservations about sharing drinks), tossing popcorn at each other, Cas marveling at something new (this time, it’s movie musicals--he also, at one point, compares Dean’s Impala to the Ford De Luxe nicknamed Greased Lightnin’). 

By the time the drive-in scene actually comes up, it’s near the end of the movie, and they’re both sprawled across the bench seat, with Cas using effectively Dean’s entire body as a pillow. When Sandy stomps out of the drive-in, angry at Danny for trying to “get familiar,” Cas turns his head to look at Dean.

“Is this...too familiar?” Cas asks. 

Dean stares at him. “Cas, did you just make a joke?”

Cas tilts his head, considering. “I think I did.” He lets his head fall back onto Dean’s chest and they keep watching the movie. 

By the time Sandy shows up in her new, all-black and leather outfit to sing You’re the One That I Want with Danny, though, Cas is sitting up, staring at the screen outside the windshield with marked intensity while the music crackles through the car radio. 

“I don’t understand,” Cas says. “How could Sandy keep loving Danny, if he could only accept her when she changed herself?” He turns to look at Dean, and Dean’s hit with such a jolt of affection that he’s not sure what to do with himself, so he doesn’t reply. 

After the end credits roll, Dean switches off the radio and they shove their trash into the duffel bag. Since the Impala is on the longer side, they’re in the back of the drive-in and there’s a good amount of time until it’s their turn to drive out, so Dean settles into his seat, drumming his fingers on the wheel. 

“I have a question,” Cas says. 

“Shoot.” Dean knows that this question could range from who do you want to come to your funeral? to why do Twizzlers taste different from real cherries?, so he braces himself for anything.

“Would this be considered a date?”

“Oh.” Dean turns to look at Cas. “I guess so.” 

“Well, I enjoyed it.”

“Would you have enjoyed it if it wasn’t a date?” Dean quips.

Cas thinks on that for a second. “I think so, because I would still be with you.” He says it with such unadorned sincerity that it makes Dean let go of the wheel and tug Cas close to him to kiss him.

“Don’t ever change,” Dean says, and Cas kisses him back, and he’s pretty sure that whatever Danny and Sandy felt for each other in Grease can’t even hold a candle to this moment right here. 

[thiswasinevitableid]

Prompt #15 Danbrey if you're feeling up to it! (NSFW or SFW! Your choice!) Hope you're having a nice day :)

Thank you! I went with SFW

Prompt 15: Nymph

Normally, Aubrey would obey the “no fires” warning sign at the edge of the woods. Both because she’s all about respecting nature and also she doesn’t want another safety lecture from Duck. Her roommate needs to study in their dorm, and she really, really needs to practice this set of tricks for her show in a few weeks. 

The card and sleight of hand tricks go well, but when she segues into her fire illusions it all goes wrong. All her flash paper gets tangled in a vine that swears wasn’t there a minute ago and any time she generates so much as a spark a bunch of leaves fly into her face.

“Ugh, come on, work with me here.”

“No.”

She spins around and discovers a tree is talking to her.

“Please work with me here?”

Golden eyes appear in the trunk, “No. You’re using fire. In the woods. The very flammable woods. So, sorry, but as long as I’m around you don’t get to run around throwing sparks.” The voice moves closer and Aubrey understands her eyes were playing tricks on her; it’s a young woman about her age who, up until a moment ago, was camouflage against the tree trunk. Her hair fades from speckled brown to blonde, and her skin is broken up in markings of different colors. Aubrey vaguely remembers Duck telling her that was how some predators avoid being seen in the forest, and wonders if she should be worried rather than noticing how her audience of one looks cute even with her arms crossed in annoyance. 

“I’m sorry, I just really need to practice for my magic show because if I bomb it’s gonna suck and no one will ever book me again. So like, what if I promise to keep the sparks small?”

The woman shakes her head. Before Aubrey can react, branches reach down and pick up all her supplies, dangling them out of reach. 

“Hey!”

“I’m not giving them back unless you say you’ll stop with the fire.”

“It’s flash paper, it barely produces any sparks at all!” She jumps, misses her deck of cards, jumps again and promptly collides with her tormentor, sending them both to the ground.

“Oops.” She tries on her best smile as the woman blinks up at her. Pink flowers bloom up her arms, which is just so fucking cool.

“Are you, like, a wood nymph or something?”

“I’m a dryad, but I think humans just call anyone who lives in the trees nymphs, so that works too.”

“That’s amazing. I wish I could do real magic. Maybe not plant magic because of my whole persona, but any kind would be super rad. Oh!” she sits up, allowing the nymph to do the same, “I know, what if you stayed and watched me practice? That way if the sparks land somewhere they shouldn’t, you can just smoosh them out like you have been. Or we could take turns doing tricks? Not that, like, your magic is like a parlor trick, but more like we could each take turns showing off? What do you think?”

“I think…” the nymph toys with a strand of hair, which shimmers to light green as she walks past a new stand of shrubs, “I think I’m not doing a great job chasing you off. But I also don’t think I want to?” She gives Aubrey a shy smile, “will you do that trick with the rings again?”

Aubrey does a mental fist-pump as her supplies are once again within reach, “You got it.”

----------------------------------------------------

“Dani, look!” Aubrey holds the pet carrier up to the tree, “I brought my assistant to meet you.”

“Wrong tree, Aubrey.” The nymph appears to her right.

“Dang. I thought I was getting better at spotting you.”

“You’ve done it on the first try twice this week, which is better than basically any other human has ever done.” They sit on the grass, which thanks to Dani’s intervention no longer irritates Aubrey’s skin or has unwanted bugs in it. She reaches into the carrier, rubbing the white rabbit’s nose “this is Dr. Harris Bonkers, right?”

“Yep! Thank you for using his full name; he worked hard for the diploma.” 

Dani laughs in a way that suggests she understands this is a joke but not what the joke is. 

“Do you want to let him out? He could nibble grass while we talk.”

“Um, I mean, he’d love that. Right up until something ate him.”

“Here, I have an idea.” Dani twirls a finger, sending up walls and ceilings out of woven branches until she, Aubrey, and the rabbit are in a beautiful gazebo of greenery.

“Wow.” Aubrey whispers as Dr. Harris Bonkers leaves his carrier to happily munch the grass and clover. 

Dani scoots closer, “Hey, Aubrey, what’s your favorite flower?”

“I like, um, I think they’re called Penstemons? I also really like cherry blossoms but they’re not in-” The entire roof of the gazebo explodes in pink petals, “season.”

Dani winks, sending the walls into bloom with bright red and deep orange flowers, “they are now.”

----------------------------------------------------------

“Can I open my eyes yet?” The nymph sits on a tree-stump, fingernails still painted deep green from two nights ago. She and Aubrey spent until about two in the morning in the nymphs’ house, since she wanted to see how human sleepovers differed from dryad ones. Aubrey suspects they both played up how much cuddling between attendees was normal for the sake of being closer. 

“Not yet, lemme just get this--hah, okay, you can look now!”

Dani uncovers her face and daffodils burst through the ground at her feet. 

Aubrey smirks, spins in her new stage outfit: a satin, flame red top, black jacket, black skirt, sparkly red fishnets, and her Doc Martens, “ta dah!”

“Wow.” Dani sighs, but says nothing else, making Aubrey a little self-conscious

“It really looks good?”

“It looks amazing, fireblossom. No one will be able to take their eyes off you.”

The nickname makes Aubrey’s face match her shirt, “Are you sure you don’t want to come? We could, like, get you a seat in a corner or something so no one would notice you look a little plant-like.”

“I wish I could, Aubrey. But I’ve got work to tend to out here. Plus, I’d be so excited to see you up there, impressing everyone, that I’d fill the whole theater with roses before I knew what I was doing.”

“Good point.” Aubrey sags a little; she’s so pumped for the show, but all she can think about is proving to Dani that all her time practicing in front of her paid off. 

“Hey” Dani hops up from her seat, cups one of Aubrey’s cheeks and kisses the other one. It tingles, like rubbing a mint leaf between her fingertips, “good luck tonight.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The show goes better than expected. There are some hiccups in her first two tricks, but her friends are in the front row and cheer her on as she gets the hang of things. By the time she hits her fiery finale, she has the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand like they’re Dr. Harris Bonkers. 

“You did great!” Duck bear hugs her in the green room as Barclay hands her flowers. 

“Glad you think so! And, um, thanks you guys. It means a lot that you gave up your Saturday night to come see my act.”

“You know we’d never miss it” Mama hugs her, “we;re so proud of you kiddo, forging your own path like this.”

“And it seems we are not the only ones who enjoyed the show. Look.” Indrid holds up a second bouquet. Tucked among the pink blooms is a card reading “fireblossom.”

“That from the gal you were tellin me about?”

“Yeah” Aubrey cradles the bunch of cherry blossom stems, “she couldn’t make it tonight but, um, I hope she can meet you guys soon. I think you’ll like her. Especially you, Duck, she’s super into plants.”

“Right on. Now, who’s up for some celebratoryholyshit” Duck stops abruptly in the door, “y’all, come look at this.”

The venue has several windows, since during the day it’s a cafe. One of these windows, with a clear view of the stage, is wreathed in honeysuckle. Stranger still is the path of flowers and leaves trailing from the crosswalk, down the opposite sidewalk, and into one of the pedestrian only paths that leads to the green belt around campus. 

“Barclay?”

“Yeah, Aubrey?”

“Please put these in a vase for me.” Aubrey hands him her bouquets and sprints out the door, a rainbow of petals coating her shoes as she runs. Soon there are no streetlights to help her navigate, just the starlight and the river of greenery beneath her feet.

“Dani!” 

The nymph, coaxing an ailing Elm back to health, turns in surprise. Aubrey throws her arms around her, ever changing hair catching in her face and mottled green dress soft under her hands. 

“You came.”

Dani snickers, “what gave it away? The fact it looked like a meadow exploded downtown?”

Aubrey giggles, pulling back to bump their noses together, “Yeah. Just...what made you change your mind.”

The nymph caresses her cheek, fingers coming away glittering from her make-up, “I couldn’t stay away. I saw all the work that went into your act and, and I, uh, I’m also just so into you, fireblossom. I wanted to be there for you, even if I wasn’t in the room.”

Aubrey’s heart threatens to burst out of her chest. To keep that from happening, she pulls Dani into a kiss. The nymph laughs against her mouth, cups the back of her head and holds her there, teasing her tongue between her lips when Aubrey parts them. By the time they separate to breathe, the taste of orange blossoms is on her tongue and her fingers are tangled in gold-green strands of hair. 

“Um, you can totally say no to this, but my friends and I are meeting at Mama’s place to celebrate the show going well. There would only be a few of us, and they’re all pretty chill.”

Dani tucks a flower behind Aubreys ear, “I’d love too, fireblossom. But first…” she grabs Aubrey, spinning and dipping her into another kiss, so deep that the stars in her eyes outshine the ones in the sky. 

When the nymph guides her back up, both of them laughing in their embrace and all Aubrey can think to say is, “wow.”

[khadij-al-kubra]

Worst Impressions are the First (ch 7)

Main Characters: Logan, Patton, Roman, Virgil (Human AU)

Pairings: Romantic LAMP

Word Count: 5036

AO3

<=PREV

NEXT=>

Author’s (longer than usual but it’s for good reason) Note: *The Apocalypse—2020. Zoom in on a plague rat turned writer. She has survived thesis projects, getting a Master’s degree, burnout, writing and illustrating a children’s book, being a slave for the U.S. census bureau, months of overthinking anxiety spirals, and one or two incidents involving an asshole skunk. But now, battle weary yet unwavering in her love of art and love for her loyal readers, this onesie-clad tea slurping book dragon....has finally arisen from the ashes*

I LIVE BITCHES!!!!!!! And I am SO SORRY for taking so long!!! I’ve been hard at work, been editing like a mad woman, and I even have a beta now! The gorgeous and talented @humbletortoise So I  am OFFICIALLY off hiatus!!! *cue confetti canon* 

Also, one of the biggest reasons I’ve taken so long to update is because I’ve spent the past month or so essentially retconning the fuck outta this fic. I realized looking back at earlier chapters in this story that, although I was proud of them at the time and greatly appreciate the positive reactions, they were...not my best work. (shitty first drafts if I’m being honest) That’s because, at the time, I was trying to split my attention between writing this fic and working on grad school stuff, which resulted in my writing for this not being as best of quality as it could have been upon first posting. This story deserves my best, and so do all of you. So now I hope to give you that. 

I encourage you to go back and re-read the previous chapters up till now (trust me, they’re near unrecognizable to the first drafts, but in the best way). Or if you don’t feel like doing that, you can just continue on from here. totally cool. For the sake of convenience and my own sanity, I’ll attach the AO3 Link to this fic from the start. I may also start just posting chapter updates on tumblr but only have the link to the chapter and add my reader tags. Again, for the sake of my sanity because Tumblr is a bastard when it comes to posting fics. (Also PLEASE let me know if there are any tagging issues if anyone’s on my tags list; yet another reason i’m considering just linking my fics in the future)

Anywho, without further ado, at LOOOOOONG last, here is the next chapter!

Chapter 7 - (POV Roman)

When Roman had offered to walk with Logan to class, it was only partly out of an innate sense of chivalry; a side of himself that he rarely got to show on account of being a socially awkward gay disaster. Though mainly, he saw it as a chance to get to know his second soulmate better.

He certainly hadn’t expected two long minutes of civil but silent walking. Well, as silent as a stroll through their school could be with its usual racket buzzing around them. With a vocabulary as big as the continents of Africa and Eurasia combined, you’d think Logan would be more of a conversationalist. Alas. He merely walked in step with Roman. They glanced over at each other every so often, but Logan stayed tight lipped and seemingly impassive; fiddling with his bumblebee hair pin every now and again. Damn. Looked like he was going to have to make the first move.

Roman was bad at this. How did people usually…Oh yeah, common interest. That’s a thing. He wracked his brain for some sort of ice breaker. One that’d make him look cool and calm or, something, in front of Logan. He was a fairly decent student though not quite mathletes level. He could compliment his outfit maybe? Was that too forward? Too shallow? Maybe he could find common ground? That was as good a place to start as any.

“So! So uhh…What kind of music do you like?” Roman asked. Yeah, that’s good. Everybody likes music.

Logan glanced at him. “Can you be more specific?”

Roman’s brow furrowed. “I mean, like, your favorite genre of music to listen to?”

“Classical,” said Logan in a clipped tone.

“That’s cool. I don’t really listen to classical myself.”

Logan only hummed, his face neutral. Roman was really hoping for more than that. A few awkward seconds passed, then Logan spoke up.

“Are you perhaps a fan of the classic Sherlock Holmes novels?” He inquired.

“Um, I haven’t gotten around to the books yet, actually,” Roman said, scratching his earlobe. “I mean, I’ve heard great things about them. And I’m a big fan of the Robert Downey Jr. movies.”

“Ah. I see.” Logan said, giving him the judgiest side eye.

Come on, Roman thought. Give me something to work with. “Oh! What about theater?”

“What a frustratingly vague inquiry.”

“Well, excuse me for trying to get to know my soulmate a little better.” Ay come jode, work with me here, man!

Logan sighed. “While I understand and appreciate your intention, I believe ‘getting to know someone’ as you put it, requires a certain level of specificity. Anything less indicates a somewhat shallow level of sincere interest, and I greatly despise shallow conversation. That said, if you’re inquiring as to whether or not I enjoy theater, no. I don’t understand the concept of professional make believe, though I appreciate it as an art form. I assume you’re a fan?”

Is he seriously implying I’m shallow? Roman groused, pushing his red frames up the bridge of his nose. Ugh, forget it Roman. He’s throwing you a bone here. Take it.

“Obviously,” said Roman, gesturing dramatically. “I mean I’m no actor—Eesh. No. Yikes—but everything about the artform enthralls me. And I like all kinds of genres and eras of plays, from Shakespear to Ruhl, but musicals are by far my favorite, because like, there’s so much you can do with them design wise. I mean just look at how groundbreaking Hamilton was.”

For a second, Logan’s face actually softened, his eyes lighting up. But just as Roman thought they were finally about to make some progress, his stony companion was back to wearing that platinum puss.

“Ah. How… original.”

Roman blinked. “Are you saying my tastes are basic?”

“Well, yes.”

Augh! Okay. Yep. I don’t like him. Patton was going to be so disappointed, and Roman was too. He’d wanted so badly to get along with all his soulmates, but Logan was a snob! Way less intimidating than Virgil and his ilk, but still a jerk. I wonder if soulmarks can make typos or something? Thank the stars they’d already arrived.

Roman and Logan filed in with the rest of the class for seventh period. Somebody had the liberty of opening a window– the AC was still busted in this classroom– so for once there was actually a decent breeze cutting through the usual mucky Florida humidity. Still smelled like it would probably rain later. Good thing Roman had packed an umbrella just in case, Mom’s orders. His hair looked too good today to be wrecked by frizz.

Roman took a seat at his desk, running distracted fingers over the carved letters in the wood while he mulled over his predicament. Just look at him over there, thought Roman as he glared at Logan, not two rows away from him. Sitting with his hands clasped on the desk all smug—of course he’d be near the front—and with such disturbingly good posture. What is he, a robot? Who is he to call my interests basic, the NERVE! And okay, sure, like Hamilton, sometimes I get over excited and shoot off at the mouth. But great Zeus, does that guy show passion for ANYTHING besides academics? Roman blew a raspberry, plopping his head in his hands.

He always thought soulmates were supposed to get along, even as just friends for life. Balancing each other out, bringing out the best in you and forming a deep connection—that was the whole point. He sighed to himself. Cymbals clashed less than he and Logan did.

He was stirred from his brooding by the bell. Apparently Mr. ‘Call-me-Terrence’ Williams had materialized without him noticing. Okay fine, he should probably pay more attention, but he was having a crisis here.

“Afternoon everyone,” Terrence greeted in that measured, upbeat tone of his.  

He draped his navy blue blazer over the back of his desk chair and rolled his shirt sleeves to the elbows. Roman pitied the poor guy;  he had to teach sauna of a classroom all day. He could see the glisten of sweat on his teacher's smooth forehead as he wrote things on the board. Yet he still kept a pleasant attitude towards his students.

“Alright class!” Terrence started, “Today we’re covering the next section on the American Revolution. Specifically, the Battle of Yorktown...”

Roman mentally punched the air. My time has come. He opened his textbook to the right page but didn’t bother looking at it. He already knew most everything about Yorktown. Not just because he’d listened to the Hamilton soundtrack fifteen and a half million times, but also because he’d done actual research on the event and time period that the musical took place; There was always the off chance he’d get to stage crew or, heck, even dramaturg the show. He liked to be prepared.

“So the battle of Yorktown took place in 1781, but a great deal of its success was thanks to the French Allies. Many especially aided in fighting the British Troops surrounding New York. Now who can tell me where the French Soldiers first landed?”

Roman half raised his hand. He was pretty sure he knew the answer.

“Logan.” Terrence called.

Roman turned to Logan desk, where his hand was held high and mighty.

“The French Ally ships first landed in Rhode Island, then made their way to Chesapeake Bay,” said Logan, adjusting his glasses. Not even a hint of second guessing in his voice.

“That’s right!”

He almost missed the quick smirk on Logan’s frustratingly pretty face. Look at that smug—thinks he’s so smart...Okay yes, he is smart, but he doesn’t have to be a show off about it. Terrence continued through the passages, calling on a student every now and again to review. Of course, Logan got called on most and he got every answer right. Roman didn’t feel like raising his hand anymore.

“Of course there were many turning points in the revolution, but Hamilton’s return to the field for Yorktown was a key point.” Terrence continued on. “And keep in mind- this was a man who up till now had never been in a position of command before. Not to mention the mental strains he must’ve been under, especially having had to miss the birth of his son Philip, the first of three children he had.”

Wait a sec. “Well, that’s not right.”

Even though he’d muttered, apparently Mr. Terrence still heard him. “Come again, Roman?”

Shoot. “Um, I said,” Stop sounding timid, you know you’re right. “I said that was, um, wrong.”

The whole class turned to him. Oh great, history class has its eyes on me. Roman cleared his throat and tried to look taller.

“What I mean is: Hamilton had eight kids, not three. And on top of that, Phillip was born a few months after they won the Revolution, not during, so Hamilton didn’t miss the birth of his son. I mean sure, it’s a small thing, but the devil’s in the details as they say. Heh.”

Terrence gave the most insultingly bemused look. And Roman definitely heard a few kids snickering behind him. He glanced quickly at the culprits and felt his ears go hot. This is what he got for putting himself in the spotlight.

“Roman, I applaud you for participating in the class discussion,” Their teacher started gently, “but I’m afraid you’re wrong on this one. If you read your textbook close you’d see in the fifth paragraph where it mentions from one of his later letters—“

“Actually Mr. Williams, if I may, Roman is correct.”

Roman saw Logan at his desk, one hand raised while the other adjusted his neck scarf. Was the teacher’s pet actually… backing him up?

“It is a common misconception that Alexander Hamilton only had two children, even more so modernly, what with the musical having only named two of them. However Roman has clearly done his research on the plays historical accuracies, which is more than I can say for some.”

Logan shot a cool but scathing look at their recently snickering classmates and they withered. Roman fought the urge to point and laugh aloud. He did however stick his tongue out real quick. What? He could be shy and petty at the same time.

“My guess,” Logan continued, “is that this textbook edition is also either misprinted or outdated, judging by the publication date in the copyright section.”

Brows furrowed, Terrence looked at the textbook laid open on his desk. He flipped back to the front, before pulling out his cellphone—“I’m the teacher, I’m allowed to do this. You guys aren’t.”—and after what Roman guessed was a quick Google search, their teacher looked up. His eyebrows drawn in a ‘hm, well damn’ expression.

“Looks like you’re right, Roman. And thank you Logan for bringing to my attention about the textbooks. I’ll have to talk to the principal about hopefully getting some updated materials. But we’ll see how that goes,” Terrence, muttered the last part, though Roman was close enough to catch it. Terrence cleared his throat and moved back to the board. “Maybe if we call on assistance from the inside. Much like how the Sons of Liberty sent in Hercules Mulligan to spy on the British...”

“Perhaps if we knew of an immigrant who was unafraid to step in,” Logan said just under his breath.

No one else seemed to notice the reference, but when Roman did, he felt like a mini volcano about to burst rainbow lava. Apparently there was a lot more to his soulmate than first meets the eye; and now that he knew, Roman was determined to see more of it. The rest of class passed quickly and everyone filed out to the halls as the first bell for the last class period of the day rang. Roman made sure to catch up to Logan on the way out and staccato tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey, Logan?” He said.

When Logan turned, he swore time slowed down for a moment. The brilliant boy’s skirt flared around his waist, and somehow his skin glowed even under the dull, inconsistent school lights. His posture was erect yet natural, he could have been raised among nobility. Amidst the stench and clamor of loud sweaty students, Logan was as poised and striking as the goddess Athena. Oh...

“Yes, Roman?” Logan asked.

Roman gulped. “I uh, just wanted to thank you for backing me up in there.”

“Thanks are unnecessary,” Logan said. “I detest when someone is shamed by other students for speaking up in class, regardless of whether or not they have the correct information.”

“Well regardless, thanks for coming to my aid in the face of academic danger.”

“Dramatic, but my pleas—oof!”

A hurried passerby bumped into Logan from behind, rushing off with a half-assed ‘sorry’. Logan, caught off guard, stumbled right into Roman’s arms. The two looked at each other, cheeks filling with heat. Roman caught a whiff of something faintly floral on Logan, something natural– a lavender and honeysuckle perfume, perhaps. It was heavenly. They were still in the middle of foot traffic though, so he maneuvered them to the side. Which was tricky since Logan was still so close to him and also a good two inches taller with the heels.

“Well,” Roman flashed his pearly whites. “Seems you’ve fallen for me.”

Logan pulled away, but his lips quirked upwards in a teasing smirk. “Oh please, I merely stumbled into you.”

“Ah, but stumbling is the first step towards being swept off your feet.”

“Bold words from an abashedly charming homunculus in such an… eye catching ensemble.”

Did he call me charming!? He composed himself, “Hey, don’t let the sweater vest fool you. I may be short but I’ve got guns.”

“Aaah. But mind over muscle, as they say. Do you find yourself up to the task?”

“Only if it’s you, my brainy blossom.”

Roman’s class was in the other direction, but Logan didn’t need to know that. They walked through the halls, conversing. class was still in the next ten or so minutes, but Roman was having fun. Banter with Logan felt surprisingly easy. Natural like they’d been at it all their lives.

“By the way, was that a ‘Guns n’ Ships’ reference I overheard, pastel poindexter?” Roman asked.

Logan cleared his throat. “It… may have been, yes. I found myself unable to resist toppling the figurative dominos.”

“In other words, you seized the opportunity you saw,” Roman said, matching his own reference to the source’s cadence, which got a chuckle out of Logan.

“Precisely. Under more casual circumstances, I may have even recited Lafayette’s part.”

“You can rap? You can rap Guns n’ Ships? Like, the whole thing, no tongue twists?”

Logan stopped for a moment, turned to Roman. The taller boy cleared his throat, and after a moment wherein he seemed to mentally restrain himself, he simply adjusted his glasses.  “I have an appreciation for poetry.”

Roman blinked rapidly. Holy shit, he’s an even bigger nerd than I am. He definitely needed to see that at some point.

They turned a corner, stopping just outside of the science room. Some students were going in to take their seats, and the teacher was already making notes on the board. Logan pulled an AP Physics book from his backpack, but made no move to leave, much to Roman’s delight.

“So then,” Roman leaned against the eggshell wall, “How come you acted so indifferent earlier and called my tastes basic? Oh, and I think I remember you also implied I was shallow?”

Okay, yeah, he was still kind of salty about that. But then he saw the shamed look on the nerd’s face, and Roman wished he could have taken it back. Logan looked at his shoes then back at him.

“To be candid I was… hesitant to show the full extent of my enthusiasm. In case you thought I’d be—I believe ‘being the most’ is the term— it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve caused someone to lose interest in conversing with me due to informational overload. I nearly bored my Aunt Patricia to sleep once talking about a fascinating article on jellyfish. And considering how I blundered our initial meeting—“

“Pfft, ya think?” He mentally slapped himself again when Logan went tight-lipped and turned to go. “No, no, wait. I—I’m sorry. Truly. ...Truth is, I was no gentleman either. I’m not always great at thinking before I speak. It’s why I’m so awkward around people. Takes a while for my true charming nature to shine through.”

“Clearly. Still, you show a level of interpersonal aptitude that I, well, lack.” Logan fiddled with his hair pin again and a stray hair came loose. “Reading people and expressing emotions has never really been—It’s something I struggle with.”

Much as Logan tried to maintain his cool composed posturing, Roman could tell that this was something that really bothered him. He tried so hard to seem put together and confident and serious, but really he was just as awkward and insecure as anyone. Roman smiled softly and stepped closer to Logan, reaching up to tuck the loose ebony strand behind his ear.

“Hey, everyone’s got things about themselves they can work on. Including me,” Roman smiled. “And believe me when I say that I will never judge you for being passionate about something you like. So if you ever want someone to ramble about jellyfish or Sweeney Todd to or—I dunno, calculators or something?—I’m all ears.”

Logan’s cheeks went pink and he gave a hesitant yet sincere smile. “That’s...very kind of you, Roman. And coincidentally, I also greatly enjoy Sweeney Todd. The use of iambic pentameter and alliteration to give a succinct synopsis to the story in just the first sentence alone is pure brilliance.”

“Right!? I mean the man’s a mad genius. I’m dying to design sets for one of his musicals someday. Like last year? I came up with the concept of having the Sweeney Todd sets done in a way that highlights the class differences with the characters.” Roman went into a small three minute ramble regarding the specifics before he cut himself off abruptly. Logan was blinking rapidly, a look of mild shock crossing his feature. Roman nearly started sweating; Had he messed this up again?

“That… that’s ingenious”

Roman’s ears were burning. Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!

“Hey, Logan!” They both startled and turned to an impatient cheerleader with a ginger undercut and they/them pronoun pin shaped like a coffin. “What’re you doing just standing out in the hall, ya dork? Oh, hey Roman.”

“Uh. Hey, October,” Roman said, waving awkwardly to them.

“I told ya, Red, you only get to call me that when we’re working on a show.”

“Wait, October? Red? You two know each other?” Logan asked, brow arching.

“Kind of. They sometimes help out with costumes for the drama club,” said Roman. And they have terrible timing. I mean seriously Tobes, we were having a moment.

“Come on Lo, class is about to start, and you promised to go over my homework with me real quick beforehand. See ya ‘round, Ro.” Toby grabbed Logan’s hand and pulled him into the classroom. “You can fill me in on what you were doing with Red later.”

Logan followed his—apparently—friend into their classroom, but he shot Roman an apologetic look over his shoulder. Roman bounced a bit on the balls of his feet before following halfway into the room. Logan was in his seat with Toby showing him an open notebook. A teacher in a tight grey hair bun was writing on the board. Students at their seats were chatting, and some looked up at the short dork in red who burst in. For once Roman ignored them, his mind set on one last attempt at wooing his green skirted genius while he still had the nerve.

“Hey, Logan,” he said. “I’ve also got some great layout designs for an Into the Woods set. If you’re interested, maybe we can meet up after school and I can show them to you? Maybe we talk a bit more over iced lattes or something?”

“Excuse me, Mr. Prince, seventh period starts in five minutes,” said the teacher. “Unless you’ve suddenly transferred to my class, I suggest you stop distracting my favorite student and get going.”

“I’ll be gone in just a second,” he said. “Well?”

Logan smoothed the silky fabric of his pink scarf and said, “That sounds optimal, Roman. I’ll meet with you. By the first floor water fountain perhaps?”

Roman grinned. “I shall be counting the minutes.”

“Mr. Prince,” said the teacher with a warning glare.

Roman blew a kiss at Logan and then ducked out of the doorway. Was he embarrassed of himself? Oh definitely. Did he regret it? Absolutely not. He felt ten inches tall.

Now to complete the quest of making it to class in time. He slid off a shoulder strap to unzip his classic Mickey backpack, getting out the notebook and the relevant homework. He found them amidst the mess of spiral notebooks, granola bar wrappers, two textbooks and rainbow sticky notes. But something was missing from his folder.

“Where are those– it should be here.” He could’ve sworn he had his stapled the blocking notes in his folder. No, wait, the last place he saw them was— “Ah shoot! I left them in the tech closet again.”

Under normal circumstances, Roman would’ve grabbed them after school, but the auditorium was locked on weekends. He’d have to wait till Monday to get them and that just wouldn't do! he wanted to show Logan his notes today! I’ll bet David Korins never has these kinds of problems. Okay, okay. Still got four minutes. He could rush to the auditorium, grab the notes, and then head straight to class. I should have enough time, right? Right. Besides it was only Spanish Class, he was already pretty fluent after all those summers visiting his grandparent in Nicaragua. He spent most of class time dreaming up blocking notes anyway.

Despite not being totally convinced by his own argument, Roman immediately turned on his heel and started running in the opposite direction. After a teacher told him no running in the halls, Roman power walked through the halls with a skip in his step and a song in his heart, feeling absolutely gay in both senses of the word. Logan had actually called his idea ingenious! And the way those sharp eyes softened just for him- he would squeal if not for the fact that it would draw too many eyes to him. The halls were still filled with a few stragglers rushing to the last class of the day, and he was already trying not to get caught being late for class.

Now he knew how Maria felt in West Side Story. Y’know, before Act 2. Oh sure, they’d gotten off to a shaky start, but as the Bard’s adage on the course of true love said; and Roman felt it in his gut that this was certainly the start of true love. Not just with brilliant Logan but also with soulful Patton as well. He didn’t know how an awkward geek like him ever got so lucky in the soulmate department…Then again, there was still the matter of Virgil. So maybe not so lucky.

Roman touched his arm, remembered flustered yet flattering purple words. I know they both said Virgil is secretly sweet and I can sympathize with the terrors of closet town, but COME ON! Virgil? Really? That gloomy gladiator? There had to be a mistake in that. After all, Patton liked to see the good in everyone. Logan was much more of a skeptic, but he does seem to have a blind spot with sarcasm. Maybe Virgil was messing with them somehow. Even if he’s not a jerk jock, the guy’s still kind of a creepazoid; with his dark eyes and cheeta-esq gait and those probably huge muscles hidden under that bulky jacket and big hands...

His gay disaster train of thought came to a merciful halt as he reached the auditorium. Roman pushed open the doors, took a pause to breathe in the quiet comfort of this chapel of the arts. Okay yeah, chapel was maybe a little kind for the school’s auditorium which doubled as the drama Club’s rehearsal space/prop closet backstage/Mx Joan’s unofficial office because the school didn’t fund the arts programs enough. Even so this space was Roman’s sanctuary. The place where he could help create magic from the shadows, bring stories of those gone and living to life. Here, Roman found something of a community with his fellow backstagers, glee club losers, and budding thespians (the nice ones). So he loved every squeaky stage plank, every duck taped seat cushion and every speck of dust that floated in the spot lit air like fairies.

Mx. Joan wasn’t around for once, thankfully. Probably in the teacher’s lounge or rendezvousing with the school nurse or something. They were pretty chill and Roman knew he was their favorite student, but the choir director/drama club moderator/music teacher (this school really needs to fix its funding habits) wouldn’t have been too keen on Roman being deliberately late for class.

Roman walked down the aisle and to the side room by the stage. It was originally a janitor’s closet, but their club moderator transformed it into a ‘Crew Only’ Storage Unit… Okay it was still a closet, but with less bleach and more coils. This was where they kept important equipment for semester shows, like the lighting and sound boards, along with other supplies. Roman made a quick mental note to get more gaffer tape later, seeing their supply was low.

He looked through the small pile of scribbled and highlighted sheets with the lighting cues for the spring show. I’ve really gotta get a binder for these…Ah-Ha! Here you are! Roman pulled out the stapled sheets titled ‘Into the Woods Dream Set’ and carefully shoved them into his bag. Perfect timing too. He might just be able to make it to class after—

RIIIIIIIIIIING

“GAH!”

What the heck? He could’ve sworn he was alone in there, but that yelp just now said otherwise. Up close, Roman saw that the curtains were rustling, accompanied by sounds of heavy breathing and moaning, yet not a footstep to be seen or heard.

Holy SHIT, this place IS haunted! I KNEW that backdrop fiasco last semester wasn’t caused by cheap slit plywood. My supplies are the best quality allowance money can buy. Great Macbeth’s bloody knife, I TOLD Kai we should've sprung for a ghost light! Remus always teased him for being superstitious but look who’s laughing now.

He dashed back into the crew closet and grabbed the heavy push broom leaning in the corner. Roman Prince was NOT about to be caught unawares and possessed by the ghost of a disgruntled student without a fight. He would defend his domain of imagination!

Roman slowly climbed the stage steps, wielding his broom like a bow staff, turned the curtain corner where the noises were coming from and was about to release a war cry on the—

“Virgil?”

Roman nearly dropped his weapon at the sight of Virgil Alighieri—star athlete, object of his fears and supposed soulmate—curled in on himself trembling and crying.

His jacket was pulled over his head like a hood, yet Roman could see the tear stained face peeking out from underneath. Virgil’s eyes were squeezed tight, making the dark circles he’d never noticed before more prominent. There was no denying the athlete had muscle but he was more lithe—thin enough for Roman to wonder if the guy ate enough. Virgil’s trembling could rival a chihuahua, shaky hands clutching his knees, and he was clearly in the midst of a bad panic attack.

Roman had built Virgil up in his mind as being like some odd combination of Hades and Ares. The strong silent wolf within his pack of jocks, a surging thunderstorm just waiting for the right nerd to come along and piss him off enough to strike down like the bolt of Zeus.

Someone to be afraid of.

But now? Seeing him in this state, all alone and whimpering like a wounded animal...it broke Roman’s heart.

He set the broom down gently and carefully crouched down in front of Virgil. “Virgil,” he said softly. “Virgil, can you hear me?”

Virgil let out a breathy sob but otherwise didn’t seem to register him. Just how long had he been sitting here like this?

Roman was at a loss for what to do. Sure he knew plenty of people with anxiety but never saw someone having an actual panic attack before. He did know that if he didn’t help the other calm down soon, Virgil was liable to pass out. He’d never wanted to hug someone so badly in his life. Roman tentatively reached out a hand but stopped. What if touching him makes it worse? What if I startle him so badly he actually has a heart attack!? Maybe I should get the nurse. But I can’t just leave him like this.

He caught sight of the colorful soulmarks written on Virgil’s arm. Saw his own harsh thoughts: ’Dios mio, he’s staring right at me—like he wants to punch my face!’ 

Roman took his shame and forged it into steel. I won’t abandon you...my soulmate.

Virgirl’s let out a hiccuped cry, and this gave Roman an idea. Something from back when he was a child. It was probably stupid and a long stretch, but it was all he could think of. He readjusted himself so that he was now sitting right next to Virgil, making sure not to startle him. Roman cleared his throat, then as softly as he could, he began to sing.

“Come stop your crying, it’ll be alright.

Just take my hand, hold it tight.”

Roman one and carefully gentled his hand over Virgil’s. After a moment, he felt a light squeeze, and that encouraged him to keep going.

“I will protect you from all around you.

I will be here, don’t you cry…”

General Tag: @quoth-the-sparrow @altruistic-skittles @em-be-lievable @justisaisfine  @broadwaytheanimatedseries   @thekeytohappiness-is-you  @jynxlovesluck @queer-human-being  @phlying-squirrel @ab-artist @grey-lysander @a-valorous-choice  @xx-fandom-potato-xx  @impatentpending @book-of-charlie  @randomslasher @tinkslittlebelle @insanelycoolish @ironwoman359  @icecoldparadise @bluebloodstains @purpleshipper  @patchworkofstars @axyzel  @hissesssss @beautifully-terribly @pink-and-purple-flowers @thatsanswitch @6tick6tock6 @hanramz-the-fander @azlinne @helplesscreator @thestoryofme13 @bibbidi-bobbity-booyah  @accidental-sanders @moonstone-fox  @smokeyrutilequartz @madly-handsome @puns-and-patton  @notveryglittery @eequalsmcscared @safesandersides  @lizziepopanime @anxiously-unsatisfied-world @unikornavenger @humbletortoise  @backatthebein @mephonic @paperghastly @ravenclawangst @iamtrashcans  @loganberrysanders  @ierindoodles @a-new-witch-in-learning @punsterterry   @your-average-pangirl @goldteethandacurseforthistown  @dragonsight9  @gattonero17

Worst Impressions Tag:   @everphantom @wundergirllovesyou @im-awkward-go-away @reinefandoms @shadowenbynerd  @always-in-a-fandom @deadinsidebutliving  @somehowsnakesblog  @halfcrazedandrogynouswizard    @selectivereality @occasionally-pauciloquent  @donalev @princessbelix @justasadchildwithablog @megkir13 @cats-vetal-miking-vomit @karmels-stuff  @daughterofsomnus @soijusthavetoask @to-precious-to-process @kimolothecatt @gabe-killed-me-with-ace-cream @notveryglittery @loving-neko @corracii  @nerd-in-space  @absolutesandersidestrash @hanramz-the-fander  @minamishipsit-secondround  @i-read-by-lamp  @irrelevantbutsanders    @themultishipperchild @anonymous-by-design @analogical-mess  @marvelfangeek09  @incoherentfangirl  @mirror2thespirit @wherethewaterstarts-andyouend   @redundant-statements-for-400  @deathshadowrules  @basicmillennial @beach-fan  @withspaces  @cisnesincorbata  @merlybird500 @lovingcreatorstrawberry  @dante1138   @k9cat  @no-no-no-no-6   @sanderssidesvp  @sevencrashing @karmels-stuff    @kaioanxiety  @reblogged-anything @theotherella  @randomsandersides     @phantomofthesanderssides  @unisaurioamorfo     @fabulouswritingfanboyofdeath   @sniffingoutmywilltolive  @pippippippin  @shadowenbynerd   @sugarglider-s  @angels-and-dreams  @larry-angels   @hexdream18243  @itsthemoooooooooon   @ibasicallyjustreblogeverything  @stormblessedcastiel  @the-sweet-space-bi @bisexuallyinlove    @ijustreallylovesanderssides @everythings-coming-up-aces @loving-neko  @theunoriginaldaisy @dreamybluecupcake  @selectivereality    @soft-transboy  @veryvirginvirgil    @wowimsogoddamnoriginal     @shaeshaetheravenclaw @anxiousangel121 @cataclysm-al   @fanartfunart  @flufflerekt @floof-13 @mining-pup   @ofdismaldays   @b0y-guts @a-trans-ghost  @romantichopelessly @isaac-or-izzy  @quietwords-loudthoughts   @im-gonna-yeet-outta-here  @bunny222 @xxlithiumangelxx @tinyemogod  @edgy-gremlin @coloursintheblur  @i-have-n0-idea-what-im-d0ing  @damnitvirgil  @unicorndragon1-2-3 @littleladynightshade @peanut0303 @seeyoube  @why-should-i-tell-youu2  @idiot-anonymous @unicornofdarknessstuff  @winterswishing @wundergirllovesyou   @surohsopsisofclouds  @andreaissy  @neon-skates  @pumpkindotorgdotuk  @llamaly  @thetruthaboutthesun  @frankiprowsworld  @gattonero17  @kittykat3e  @i-willgo-on @theiwatobiicepic  @emiliopiccolo  @im-awkward-go-away  @singularthoughtofstatic  @notyourperfectmexicandaughter @la-dolce-vita-on-deck   @chocomiruk  @anianthe  @cause-a-gay-has-got-to-slay  @lunatatic @incoherant-ramblings  @09shell-sea09  @stormblessedcastiel  @zaisling  @im-a-solanum-lycopersicum   @r1ght-as-ra1n   @here-is-your-paper-trail-unicorn  @a-gay-treee @ambivalentanemone  @halfblood-demigods @tssidesfamily  @fightmedragonwitch  @anteonnix   @kai-the-person  @annoying-alien  @t0astyt0es   @astudyinfuckmylife  @respectmekaren @winterknight1087  @wewuzraw   @annoying-alien @dragonphantom13 @emiliopiccolo @theiwatobiicepic  @thefingergunsgirl @bluerosesbleedred 

[lisaleigh713]

A New Discovery

So a girlfriend of mine wanted to set me up with her brother.  She and I have been romantic with one another a few times but it was more a release that a relationship builder.  We both just needed to cum and we used each other to do so.  Diana’s brother Tim and I had met before but she thought he and I should go out.  

“Diana, you know how I am, if possible I am going to fuck him.  Are you okay with me fucking your brother?”  “Sure I am” said Diana.  Tim picked me up about 7 p.m. and we went to see a movie.  I love going to movies, as I can then play with his cock during the movie.  

The movie was about half full and he was a perfect gentleman.  He opened doors for me and let me go in first.  The little things mean so much.  Anyhow, we sat in the back top left corner waiting for the movie to start.  We shared some popcorn but we each had our own drinks.  He reached over to hold my hand and of course I turned in to him a bit.

I moved our hands now to my stocking clad legs and let, forced his hand up and down my silken legs.  He let go of my hand and placed his arm around me.  Okay, I thought so I leaned in to him then.  Of course I put my hands on his leg and began to run it up and down.  Each time I got closer to Tim’s cock.  Tim was squirming now.

I looked up at him, he leaned down and kissed me.  He could kiss!!!  But Diana could kiss as well.  He kissed me long and deep.  I gave every sign to him that I was available for anything he wanted or needed but I guess he just wanted to go slow.  

I thought, “okay, if he wants to go slow I will just let it build to some great sex later on.”  We watched the movie and since he was not going to heat things up in the theater I kinda got into the movie plot.  It was a good movie but lets see what else he had in mind.

It was getting late so he decided to drive me home.  We both got out of his car and he walked me to my door.  I invited him in but he politely refused.  He did say he had a lovely evening and kissed me but then he returned to his car and drove off as I walked in to my house.

I grabbed my phone and called Diana, “girl, what the hell?”  Of course Diana said “what?”  “Girl he kissed me but never once made a play for me.  I gave him every go ahead sign I could give but he did nothing.”  Diana apologized and said she would talk with her brother to find out what happened.  

I got out of my clothes, by myself, and crawled into bed.  I slept peacefully but awoke a bit horny.  I thought I would get up and cook something to eat.  My doorbell rang and it was Diana.  I opened the door and she came in.  She gave me a big hug and even a great kiss.  “I am just about to fix some breakfast, want some?”

Of course she wanted some, I am a great cook.  We both cooked and ate, then I had to ask “what the fuck is wrong with your brother?  Am I not pretty?”  Diana assured me nothing of the sort, her brother was just trying to be nice.  She asked, “would you give Tim another chance?”  Well he did take me out and I guess one more time wouldn’t be that bad.  “Yes, he can call me if he wants to go out again.”

Diana and I talked most of the day and even laid out by the pool a bit but she had other plans for the evening and needed to leave.  Within a few minutes Tim rang me.  “Lisa, I had a wonderful time at the movies and wondered if you would like to go out with me again?”  “Tim”, I said, “why don’t you come over for dinner and I will cook us something to eat and we can watch a bit on the tele?”  He responded positively so I advised to come by around  8 p.m.

Tim arrived promptly at 8 p.m.  I had just finished putting the final touches on dinner when he rang the bell.  I greeted Tim in an outfit I had spent several hours perfecting.

I had my long hair down in a loose curl.  My eyeshadow was a dark charcoal, my lips where a deep, wet, red color which would not rub off.  My mani and pedi were both a deep, wet, red color to match my lips.  I was wearing black seamed stockings with a cute garter belt with a red bow on the front.  My dress was black but completely see through and of course I had on a pair of 5” stiletto dorsey side cut pumps.

When I opened the door and he saw me he gasped slightly.  He was wearing a polo shirt and some dockers and his cock was beginning to grow.  He stepped in to my foyer and kissed me.  Food be damed I wanted him to fuck me.  I moved my hand down to his crotch and grasped his large cock.  He gasped again but did not pull away from me.  I took his hand and put it on my tits.  “Tim, I want you to fuck me right now.”  

I grabbed his cock and led him to the bedroom. I dropped to my knees, unzipped his pants, pulled out his huge cock and slammed my mouth on it forcing it down my throat.  He let out a loud moan and instinctively began thrusting his hips, fucking my throat.

I put my hand behind my back to let him know I am submissive but none of that seemed to matter much because within a couple of minutes he was cumming in my mouth.  Before I could swallow a single drop of his white sticky love juice, he pulled me up and shoved his tongue deep in my throat.

The majority of men, once they cum in a girls mouth does not want to kiss her until the girl has cleaned her mouth with something to drink.  Tim wanted to share his cum with me and him.  Tims kiss was extremely passionate but was slow and methodical.  I think Tim may be either gay or bi-sexual.

He said thank you and I thought, “well this is interesting.” I continued sucking on Tim’s cock but it was not getting hard.  “Tim, would you love to fuck my ass?”  He showed a bit of interest but not enough to get him hard.  “Tim, would you like ME to fuck your ass?”  Now his cock started twitching.

I laid Tim on my bed and grabbed a clean toy from my nightstand.  I told Tim to raise his legs as I grabbed some lube for his ass.  I lubed Tims ass and my toy.  This was a first for me as well, with a man.  I slipped the head of my dildo in his ass and let it set there for a minute or two.  Then I slowly began pushing this nice cock dildo in his ass.  He began to moan and then I hit the end of my toy.

I began fucking him with this dildo with one hand and playing with his cock with the other.  After a few minutes, his cock was hard and Tim was saying things like, “damn, fuck me harder,” “shove that cock in my ass,” and of course my favorite was “fuck me like a little bitch.”  I did as instructed.  As I was fucking him, I also started sucking his cock.  After a few minutes he moaned loudly and shot his cum into my mouth.  I immediately moved to his mouth and let his cum drip from my mouth into his.  He swallowed every drop of his cum.

I removed the cock from his ass, kissed the head of his cock and got out of bed.  He exclaimed that was the best sex he ever had in his life.  Of course I had to stroke his ego and say the same thing.  He got up and got dressed and met me in the living room where I had a drink prepared for him.

We talked a bit about his new found sexuality.  The conversation was actually pretty deep and very open.  I told him if he ever wanted to come over and have another session, now that we know, then please do as I will be ready to fuck him anytime he wants but next time I may not share the cum.  He did taste divine.  Tim hugged me and kissed me one more time and as he drove off in his car, I wondered if I could fuck Tim and his sister at the same time.

Love and Kisses

Lisa

[jeongyunhoed]

You’re traveling to another dimension It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity It is the middle ground between light and shadow, Between science and superstition It ties between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge This is the dimension of imagination

An ATEEZ Twilight Zone!AU (masterlist here)

A/N: So, I am kind of late. Like hours late. But! To make up for it, I bring you a more wholesome chapter of TOD (Because Twilight Zone does have very wholesome episodes, just not often haha) to take away from the emotional anguish presented by the previous chapters. Happy (Belated) Birthday Seonghwa!!

XVI. Last Two Standing (Seonghwa)

High noon. 

An empty desolate town, a shell of what was once a bustling city. The abandoned buildings were either halfway torn down or had vines and weeds creeping into the concrete. The same could be said for its streets that had bricks and debris scattered all over. It was a city that remained abandoned for what seemed like years.

There was a reason for the abandonment. It was once plagued by a devastating war that reached all corners of the world, but this place was lucky in the sense that people had already fled before it was brought to ruins. Almost everyone. 

A young woman stepped out from the piles of debris in the corner, her uniform that was once a visible navy blue had gotten shabby, patches of dust at the hem of her skirt and minor rips and tears on everywhere else. Her face was weathered, showing signs of having actively fought in the front lines, her AR-15 rifle slung over her shoulder. She had arrived after having hidden out at a fort that ultimately went low on supplies. She was a commanding officer of her unit, and arguably the only one left standing in the deserted remnants of a metropolis. 

She walked down the empty street, looking around at the displays of abandoned shops and residential areas. There was hardly a working car in sight, as some had either been looted for engines or simply crushed from blocks of cement that came from blown up establishments. It was deafeningly quiet, and she knew better than to let her guard down. The war might have been over, but she knew it was impossible that she would be the only one left. She knew very well she would not be alone. 

The more she walked down the street, the more she started to feel her body ask for nourishment. She had lived off hunting and roasting animals on fire before she arrived, and maybe now, she could get a taste of what properly prepared food was like. Whatever it tasted like, that is. She could hardly remember what comfort meant, what home-cooked food tasted. War was all she knew. 

She skidded to a halt when she came across an abandoned diner. Taking her rifle off her sling and poised to shoot, she made a quick scan of the area for any sound. She still had a good three rounds of ammunition left. Once she was sure there was no soul inside, she stepped in, immediately making a beeline to the kitchens to see if there was the source of nourishment she was hoping for. 

The presence of tinned food made her sigh in relief and she immediately took down a can of tomatoes, a can of peaches, and canned chicken. She felt like she was going to feast like a queen with this much food in front of her. She looked closely at the canned chicken, checking for its expiration date, nodding to herself when the date was a little far from today. 

She was set to open the can when she heard footsteps padding towards the room she was in. It was a man, also in uniform that looked just as tattered as hers. He had jet-black hair that had already fallen over his eyes from how long it seemed to have gotten. But it didn’t distract from the fact that he was handsome. But while he wasalso wearing a uniform and had his own rifle slung over his shoulder, she knew it was a different uniform. The uniform of the enemy. The uniform of the North. 

Putting the can down, she charged at him, the two of them getting into a tussle on the floor until he got the upper hand, his strength overtaking hers as he knocked her out unconscious. He got back on his feet, noticing the cans that she had set out on the table, especially the canned chicken she was supposed to eat. He opened the tin, devouring its contents as he glanced over at the woman’s unconscious figure every now and then. 

Having had his fill of the chicken, he stepped out, looking at the city before him. He hadn’t stepped in this part of the country before and thus everything looked so foreign to him, even as he could understand everything albeit in a slightly different way. He was also a commander of his unit, and from what he was seeing, he was also the last surviving member of his unit. Before he could take another step, the newspaper at his feet caught his eye, particularly the headline. 

EVACUATE! City Left Abandoned After Invasion

He picked up the newspaper, staring at the headline. There was no one left. It was just him, and the woman he knocked out in the kitchen. He dropped the paper and went back inside seeing the woman still unconscious. He took an empty can and filled it with water from the tap, splashing some of it on her face. 

She began to stir, eyes opening until she saw him standing several feet away from her. She got up, aiming her rifle at him. If it didn’t work, she had her knife. 

“There’s no reason to fight anymore,” He spoke. “We’re the last ones left. There’s no more war, no more armies, no more weapons of mass destruction apart from what we’re carrying. The only difference now is our clothes. Nothing more than that.” 

She stared at him, not quite believing what he said. 

“You can have the rest of that food,” He gestured to the cans on the table. She saw that the canned chicken was significantly finished. “If you understand me, you will put down that rifle of yours, as I already have mine.” 

She didn’t let up, and he could only sigh, figuring that they were best left to their own respective devices. As soon as he left the room, she put her rifle down to eat but not while glancing at the door every now and then in case he returned. She kept thinking about what he said. 

As soon as she finished, she quickly washed her hands and left, looking around for a sign of the man. She stopped when she saw him inside the barbershop and she stepped inside, watching him shave with the razors that were left behind. He stopped when he saw her and tossed the bar of soap towards her, and she caught it in time. “Wash your face,” He mumbled. 

She was still watching him as she approached the sink, seeing how she also needed cleaning up, she washed her face quickly, scrubbing away the dust and smoke. It was only then that she realized how the war seemed to have changed the way she looked, how the dark shadows under her eyes had become more prominent. She wiped her face with the towel he handed her while he watched her with a kind of curiosity he hadn’t had in a while. It was probably a long while since he last stood in the same place as a woman without them running away or cowering in fear simply because he was amongst those who were fighting. 

The two of them stepped out of the shop, once again taking in their dilapidated and abandoned surroundings. It made them think about what the place must have been before the war. Busy, noisy, but more importantly, full of life. As of that moment, they were the only lives. The silence between them was becoming less and less deafening, and he figured it was because she was slowly warming up to what he said earlier. They were no longer in a war, they were no longer fighting, much less see the need to keep fighting. 

They stopped in front of the abandoned movie theater, some of the letters on the marquee having fallen off, the rest of the letters hinting at what movie was being shown before the evacuation. 

A Fine Romance: A Story of Love in War 

How timely, he thought, catching her gaze the moment he glanced at her. Even with the slight changes, their language remained the same. As they approached the entrance, they saw a pile of skeletons, the remains of the soldiers that fought either with them or against them. As if on command, the two of them suddenly aimed their rifles at each other.

The two of them were prepared to shoot, but the man put his rifle down, reminding himself that there was no longer the need to do it. If they were bent on destroying each other, they probably would’ve done it from the beginning. She would’ve been dead in that diner. He walked away, slinging his rifle again over his shoulder. She quickly followed him, observing his every move. Even after cleaning up, she noticed how handsome he was. 

She stopped in front of a dress shop, seeing a white dress on display that had long sleeves and embellishments on the hems and sleeves. It was probably a dress that would’ve been perfect for a dance, or maybe a wedding, she thought. “Beautiful,” She muttered. 

He glanced at her and then back at the white outfit. Without another word, he broke through the glass, taking the dress off from the mannequin, and handed it to her. “Wear it,” He said. “It’s yours now.” 

She slowly took the dress from him, unable to hide the astonishment on her face at the feel of the fabric. Even when it was a little dirty in some places, it was still as soft and as beautiful. She went up into what looked like an office to change, hoping that it would fit her. It had been a while since she last wore something nice. 

As she was about to take off the jacket, she saw the posters plastered on the walls, reading what was on each one. It was all messages of the war, messages empowering those who read them to enlist, to fight, to shoot the enemy. She rushed out, rifle back in her hands as she aimed it at him again, but this time, she pulled the trigger. Once, twice, only to miss. 

He stared at her incredulously. How could she still think he was dangerous? Even after giving her the dress she had her eye on? Even after having told her that there was no need to fight, that he only sought peace. He sighed, walking away before she could shoot him any more. 

She watched him walk off, seeing him drop his rifle to the ground before leaving. They were better off apart. She looked back at the dress on the table and took it with her as she left the office, thinking to go back to the barber shop that had a slightly more comfortable chair. It was already getting dark and she needed someplace to camp in for the night, at least for the night. 

~ 

Morning had come, and the man stepped out of the room he stayed in, the room that was on the second floor of what was an old clothing store. It was there that he found clothes that suited him this time, finally rid of the military garb he had been wearing for as long as he could remember. He changed into the tuxedo he saw on the mannequin, slightly fitted in some places but he made it fit. As he stepped out, climbing down the staircase to look at the view of the run-down metropolis, he saw two cans of peaches on the railing. 

He scanned the empty street, immediately catching the gaze of a familiar pair of eyes from behind the truck. It was her. He had given up trying to convince her that there was nothing left anymore. “Take your war elsewhere, there’s no war here, there’s no enemy for you to fight here,” He called out. 

Before he could turn back, he saw her emerge from behind the truck, and his expression softened when he saw that she was wearing the dress. He took the cans and climbed further down to meet her in the middle of the street. He handed her one can. “Beautiful,” He said. A small smile appeared on her lips. 

“What’s your name?” She asked, her voice soft.

“I’m Seonghwa. Park Seonghwa,” He replied. 

“Ara, Kim Ara,” She said. 

“Beautiful,” It was his turn to smile.

[kaweeella]

The Torment Doll

Thank you @awxward for the character suggestion! I hope you enjoy it!!!

Warnings for violence!!!

~~~

Chikage stands in front of the Mankai theater building. He’s been planning this. The destruction of the company. Revenge for a wrongdoing.

All he needs to do is get in.

“Great! Welcome to the Spring Troupe!”

He’s in.

They go back to the dorm building. Is it really this easy?

“Meet the new member of the Spring Troupe!”

“I’m Chikage Utsuki. I work in the same company as Itaru.”

“Welcome, Shitty Elite.”

“Yuki!” Izumi scolds the boy. “At least wait.” This is gonna be fun.

“I’m the costume designer here.” He looks Chikage up and down before pulling out a pad and pencil and writing something down. “Decent outfit,” He looks up at him. “Take your glasses off for a second?”

“Okay…?” He does and Yuki writes something down. Chikage puts his glasses back on before Yuki walks away. He looks at what’s written on the pad and he reads “Costumes need glasses.”

Well. Doesn’t matter. He doesn’t need to worry himself with what they think. That’s not what he’s here for.

“Welcome, new esteemed friend!” He’s grabbed around the shoulders and his glasses almost fall off.

“Homare, please don’t scare away our new member.” Tsuzuru sighs.

Chikage pulls out of his grip and adjusts his glasses. Yuki’s comment definitely not getting to him.

That’s when he sees him. Who he came here for. Napping on the couch. Not a care in the goddamn world.

“Hey.” He greets the silver-haired man. Nothing.

“Oh that’s Hisoka. I’m Tsumugi, by the way. He doesn’t really do much besides sleep. Here, I’ll get him up so you can talk to him.” Tsumugi tosses a marshmallow and Hisoka catches it in his mouth before he even opens his eyes.

“Hey,” Chikage tries again.

“Oh… hi. I’m Hisoka…” Don’t try to be so casual about this.

“I’m Chikage. I’m going to be the new member of the Spring Troupe.”

“That’s cool. I hope you like it here.” … he’s asleep again.

It’s not surprising. Of course he wouldn’t want to blow his cover. Though after several days it starts to get on Chikage’s nerves. Not even when they were alone. He won’t drop the act. It’s infuriating.

One day while they were by themselves he’s had it.

“Alright December, stop playing dumb.”

“December…” He thinks for a moment.

“You don’t just get to turn your back on us like that. We were your family. August was your family.”

“August…”

“I’m sure you already know why I’m here. You ruined my family. Now it’s my turn to ruin yours.”

There’s a few seconds of silence before a small blue plush doll lands on Chikage’s head.

“What the-” He tosses it to the side. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll make you watch as everything you love falls apart around you. Just like you did for me.”

Chikage turns and leaves Hisoka to wonder what he said. Neither of them notice the doll glow.

The next day, Chikage puts his plan into action. Or at least he tries to.

As he leaves his room he sees the blue haired man, they never got formally introduced, grumpily scaling the building. He also sees a little red haired boy riding down the sidewalk on a skateboard before falling off and eating it. He doesn’t seem too concerned about it though.

Unimportant.

“Izumi, would you like to go shopping today?”

“I’d love to, but we have practice today.”

“Wait you said we’d have today off.”

“Sorry, we can go tomorrow.”

“Alright.” Just one more day then. Whatever.

He goes about the motions again. He’s not paying attention. It’s curry again. It was curry yesterday. He’s not complaining though. The others are, but he enjoys curry. Izumi makes good curry. He has to admit that.

The next day he leaves the room. The blue haired man scaling the wall again. The redhead skating and promptly eating it. Unfortunate.

“Izumi, would you like to go shopping?”

“I’d love to but we have practice today.”

“You said that yesterday.”

“Sorry, we can go tomorrow.”

Whatever. One more day.

He goes through the motions. Curry again. He loves curry but can’t it at least be something different? The past three days it’s been beef curry.

The next day he doesn’t see the blue haired man, but he does see the kid fall off his skateboard again. You’d think he’d learn.

He feels a sudden sense of danger before the blue haired man jumps down in front of him.

“Is it you?!”

“Is what me?”

“The time loop! I’ve been losing all my triangles!”

Time loops, triangle man that scales buildings, a whole troupe of thugs, what’s up with this place?

“Yeah, maybe it is. What of it.”

“I told you what of it! I’m losing my triangles!” Is that really it? “Who is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who’re you fighting with? The time loop will never end until you make up!”

“I’m not fighting with anyone. Everyone’s been pretty nice so far.” He lies like a rug.

“Then that means someone must be upset with you!”

“Is that how this works?”

“Yeah! You two will continue to loop until you get along! So who is it?”

“I have an idea.” He sighs. He goes upstairs with Misumi following behind. “Which one is Hisoka’s room?”

They go to the appropriate door and he knocks. Nothing.

“Homare said he’s gonna be out today, so it might take a while.”

“Not as long as you might think.” He leans down and starts to pick the lock. Click. “Alright December let’s talk.”

He’s still sleeping.

“Come on get up already!”

“Mng…”

He throws a bag of marshmallows at him. “Wake up, damnit.”

“What do you want?”

“Apparently we’re in a time loop.”

“We are?”

“You haven’t noticed the past three days being the same?”

“This is how most of my days go. I thought I was just having a good week.”

“God stop the act already!”

“I’m still not sure what you’re talking about.”

Chikage groans in frustration. “Whatever.” He quickly turns to leave.

Misumi watches in disappointment. “What happened, Hisoka?”

“... I’m not sure.”

“You guys have to make up soon, okay?”

“I’ll try…”

The next day Chikage leaves his room with a sigh. He sees the redhead eat it again. He also sees Hisoka leave his room and hop over the railing.

“Let’s talk.”

He stares wide-eyed. “Oh so you’re ready now?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright then let’s talk about how you killed August.”

“I didn’t-”

“You betrayed us.”

“I-”

“You ruined my family!” Chikage punches Hisoka, who stumbles back.

“Ah! Chikage! What are you doing?!” Izmui asks.

Omi goes from tending to Taichi to trying to stop their fight.

“I didn’t kill him.”

“Maybe, but you abandoned him. You abandoned us!” He swings again.

“I didn’t mean to-”

“Oh yeah, you accidentally faked your own death and abandoned your family!”

“Chikage-” Izumi starts.

“August changed what was in our flasks. I drank it and it-”

“Shut up already!” He punches him again. “You left him there to die. You don’t just get to go and make excuses now.”

“Chikage-” Izumi reaches out to him, which he turns and hits her over the head, knocking her over.

“Izumi!” Omi and Taichi rush over to her. Hisoka socks him in the head.

“Don’t hurt her. Punch me all you want, but don’t-”

“Oh is that how it is? How about this?” He kicks Omi in the ribs.

“Chikage what are you doing?!” Taichi scoots away.

“I’m putting him through the hell he put me through.”

With all the commotion everyone else came out to see what’s happening.

“What the fuck?!”

“Chikage why are you doing this?!” Sakuya asks, tears welling in his eyes. It almost hurt him to look at but no, he can’t grow feelings now.

As he sees the young boy start to cry, he feels a sharp pain, and the world goes black.

The next day he wakes up in the dorm room again. Outside he watches Taichi eat it again.

“Chikage.” Hisoka lands behind him. “Let’s talk properly this time.”

“Right. Sure.” He practically hisses.

“Do you have your flask?”

“Maybe. What about it?”

“Can I see it?”

“Why?”

“So I can show you that August changed them.”

“How so?”

“When I drank it, I blacked out and when I woke up I couldn’t remember anything.”

“You drank it?!”

“Yeah. Wasn’t even sweet.”

Chikage goes and grabs his flask, looking it over. He opens it up and smells it. He’s right. It’s not sweet.

“Hey guys.” Itaru and Citron join them. “It’s not even noon yet and you’re already drinking?”

“Fun! What is it?”

“Uh… not sure.”

“How do you not know what’s in it? Did you fill it while hammered?” Itaru laughs.

“I didn’t take you for an alcoholic.”

“Here, let me see it.” Itaru grabs it before either of them could react. “I know my alcohol.”

“Wait don’t-”

Before either of them can say anything, Itaru waterfalls it.

“Tastes kinda like whiskey.”

“Are you alright?” Hisoka asks.

“Yeah, I can hold my liquor.” He hands back the flask and pauses for a moment. “You know what? I’m not alright.” He falls over.

“It gilled him!”

Omi looks over from where he was attending to Taichi. “What happened?”

Chikage goes down to his side. He’s still breathing. His heart is still beating. That’s good at least.

“He drank some of Chikage’s stuff!”

“What is it?”

“According to Chigasaki it’s whiskey.” He attempts to lighten the mood.

Hisoka pokes his face. “Come on, get up.”

After a minute, Itaru stirs.

“Where… am I?”

“You’re alive!” Citron goes to give him a hug, but Itaru moves to avoid it.

“Who are you?”

“Citron!”

“Yeah that doesn’t help.”

“Does he have amnesia?” Taichi peers around Omi.

“Chigasaki.” Chigake kneels down beside him. “What do you remember.”

“That my name is Itaru Chigasaki.” He looks around confused. “What is this place?”

“It’s like when Hisoka first got here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah we found him sleeping at the front door.”

Is it really that easy? Did he even need to bother with a formal audition?

Chikage gets up and goes into his dorm, suppressing the urge to slam his head into the wall. He slams the door behind him, startling everyone.

“What’s up with him?” Itaru gets up with Omi and Hisoka’s help.

“We need to talk to Izumi.” Omi says, worried.

“Who’s Izumi? Do they know what’s going on here?”

“Alright let’s go.” Omi picks him up bridal style and carries him off, Taichi following behind.

Hisoka goes back to his room. Hopefully when he wakes up it’ll be this morning again. He hopes that Itaru will still have all of his memories. He can’t deal with ruining two peoples lives.

Chikage lies on his bed and sighs. He’s going to have to think about what that means, but not now. That’s a tomorrow problem. Because if he thinks about how Hisoka was telling the truth it would actually be tomorrow and Itaru would have really lost his memories.

Why does he care? Why does he care about what they think about him or how they feel? He came here to destroy them. So why does it hurt so bad?

As he ponders this, Chikage falls asleep. When he wakes up he immediately looks around for Itaru, who’s playing games on his little couch. Good.

“Hey dude.”

“Hey.” Chikage leaves and sees Taichi skate by.

Just before he falls Chikage grabs the back of his shirt.

“Oh! Thanks Chikage!”

“Don't mention it.”

Hisoka jumps down to his side.

“Chikage. Let’s talk.”

“Right.” He pulls Taichi to properly balance and lets him go.

“Oh is this adult talk? I’ll be going! Seeya guys!” He grabs his skateboard and runs off.

They stand in silence for a minute. They know they have to say something, they just can’t find the words. It stays like that until Misumi joins them.

“Have you guys seriously not made up yet?”

“Well we would have done it yesterday but if we did Chigasaki wouldn’t have his memories.”

“I didn’t realize you cared, Chikage.” Hisoka gives him a smug smile.

“I- well- I- yeah, alright? I do care. I guess these idiots grow on you after a while. Like a goddamn mold.”

“Yeah. And you can never get rid of them.” His smile becomes more fond.

“Come on, Chikage,” Itaru leaves their room. “We’ve got practice.”

“Well, see you around, you two.” Chikage and Itaru go to the practice room together.

“You’re doing great, Chikage!” Sakuya comments when they’re done.

His improvement is in part by doing this three or so times already and in part actually caring this time.

When they leave, Chikage finds Hisoka napping outside the practice room. Chikage stops for a moment

“Are you coming?” Itaru asks.

“No, I’m hanging back.”

Itaru nods and leaves. Chikage sits next to Hisoka. When they go by later they see the two napping on the floor together, peacefully.

[no6secretsanta]

Stay

Stay

From @pigeonsimba to @crowmunculus

The winter chill bites into Nezumi’s skin, tugging his hood back with icy fingers and nipping at his nose and ears until his whole head aches.

Well, aches more, as Nezumi already has a tension headache from clenching his teeth all throughout play practice. Why is it so hard for them to get it?

He knows No. 6 has never been a hub for the arts—that, in fact, until eight years ago, the arts and any other form of self-expression was illegal—but since the wall was torn down and the citizens of No. 6 and West Block were encouraged to mingle, Nezumi would have thought at least some talent might have managed to slip through.

But no. The whole group is a pile of steaming shit.

Nezumi has been working with the troupe for a little over half a year, and they are still as miserable as when he first stepped through the door and ripped their run-through of Into the Woods to shreds. He barely managed to whip them into shape before showtime, and he only deigned to intercede because he could not bear to see a musical butchered so thoroughly in front of a live audience. The end result was passable, but apparently so improved from the group’s prior performances that the actors begged Nezumi to stay on as their director.

Nezumi had been steadfastly against it, but Shion insinuated it might be good for him, and Karan started making obvious comments about how great Nezumi was at theater, and finally Inukashi cracked and told him to fucking agree to the job already so he could stop mooching off of Karan’s goodwill.

Nezumi viciously regrets letting himself be bullied into taking the position. The worst of the volunteers act with all the charisma of wooden dolls; the best are sycophantic hams who howl their lines into the audience and throw themselves upon the stage props like “drama” means “dramatics.” Nezumi wants to cull the whole theater, but he’s already invested so much time into it that he’s loath to start over with a fresh crop of amateurs.

It seems No. 6 will always be a seat of disappointment and frustration for him, no matter how nicely the city functioned now under the Restructural Committee. It’s nights like this when Nezumi wishes he was still on the road.

 When he was traveling the world with nothing but the clothes on his back and his knife at his hip, he only had nature and his thoughts to contend with. The land never disappointed him the way people did; though it tested him almost as much.

He had staggered, starving, over endless yellowing plains; been bitten and stung by animals and insects he hadn’t known the names of; his skin had blistered from trekking over golden hills of sand under the relentless sun; he had hallucinated from hypothermia and nearly died in the mountains outside No. 4.

But Nezumi had always been a survivor, and for every time he skirted death, he gained a little more appreciation for the world around him. It had power he could never wield, power the human race would never possess nor fully understand. Elyurias had shown him his first taste of the wonder of the unknown, however bitter that lesson had been.

 Alone in the wilderness, there is no one to blame but yourself if things go wrong. The elements are punishing, but they are impartial. The sun doesn’t burn him to show its might; the rivers’ currents don’t snatch at his ankles to bring him to his knees; the trees don’t shed their leaves to rob him of shelter and food. The elements don’t care whether he lived or died. Nezumi means nothing to them and they have nothing to prove.

Nezumi had traveled the world for seven years, and even though he knew there was more to see, there had come a morning when he woke and the stillness in his chest said that it was enough; it was time to make good on his promise and attempt to put down roots.

So far, Nezumi has done well to keep the wanderlust to a low murmur in his chest, but sometimes, the roots still feel like choking tethers. He misses the days when he only had himself to rely on, the freedom of knowing that if someone’s company no longer suited him, or a job grew stagnant, he could simply pick up and move on.

Nezumi’s pocket vibrates and the reverie slips away in an exasperated cloud of breath when he checks his phone’s lit-up screen. It’s Midori, the most veteran actor in the troupe and resident thorn in Nezumi’s side. The woman is a prima donna in every sense of the word, but that’s not why she’s on Nezumi’s shit list: prima donnas he could deal with, but Midori is a frustrating mix of loudly entitled and deeply self-conscious. She demands starring roles, only to repeatedly ask for praise and reassurance of her abilities.

He presses the silence button and stuffs the phone back in his pocket. He’s already late and he’s almost to Shion’s house, and he doesn’t want to exacerbate his headache or Midori’s fragile self-worth by spitting venom into a receiver.

Yet another thing to miss about wandering through the wilderness: no phones. Every mile walked in blessed silence.

Nezumi mounts the stairs to Shion’s apartment and fumbles to pull the spare key Shion gave him out of his pocket and shove it into the lock. The brass door knob is so cold the metal burns in his hand as he turns it and slips inside.

Only the lamp beside the couch is on, but the apartment is small enough that the soft light is enough to illuminate the whole space. The front door opens onto a neat little kitchen, and beyond that is the living room, outfitted with a small dining table, an armchair, and a couch and coffee table. Two long bookcases span the length of the back wall, their shelves and tops stacked with novels half pilfered from the underground room and half collected by Shion over the years. The heaps atop the bookcases are high enough that they block the windows behind, so in the afternoons, the sunlight has to steal through the crevices of the towers like a thief, painting irregular patterns on the laminate floors and over the thick-fibered rug that lays beneath the coffee table. The bedroom and bathroom lay off to the right, completing the tour of Shion’s humble abode.

It’s odd to enter the house and realize that it’s Shion’s home. It’s a far step up from the underground room, and certainly much nicer than any of the places Nezumi has lived in since.

Nezumi makes a cursory glance around the quiet living space, but he doesn’t see Shion. He frowns and checks his phone for missed texts or calls, but there’s only the ones from Midori.

Maybe he stepped out? Nezumi is more than a half an hour late, after all, but it would be very out of character for Shion to walk out when he is expecting guests.

The bedroom door is shut and silent, and Nezumi wonders whether Shion is changing. Or possibly he’s asleep, Nezumi considers drily. It wouldn’t be the first time Shion invited him over, only to pass out in the middle of the visit.

Well, if Shion did forget he invited Nezumi over, or accidently fell asleep in his room, Nezumi isn’t going to just turn around and return to his room at Karan’s bakery. It’s too freaking cold out and his stomach is growling like a wild animal, so Nezumi removes his shoes and pads into the kitchen in search of something small and quiet to eat.

A snatch of deep blue fabric catches his eye as he moves toward the cabinet to grab a bowl: a tie thrown over the back of the dining room table chair. Shion’s leather briefcase lays splayed over the table, its papers peeking out of the lip where the buckle isn’t fastened properly.

The corner of Nezumi’s mouth quirks up. He had always thought of Shion as a neat person—after all, Shion threw a fit about the state of the underground room and systematically organized the whole space, and only a neat freak would do something so pointless when they knew full well Nezumi was just going to come back and muck it up again. But after returning to No. 6 and reacquainting himself with Shion, Nezumi discovered that Shion isn’t quite as uptight as he thought.

Shion is by no means untidy, but he has habitual ways of making messes: clothes strewn over his bed, cartons left on countertops, reading glasses and mugs and paperwork abandoned on the coffee table for days before Shion remembers to put them away.

Maybe Shion had been more Type A when he was sixteen, and his time working in the real world has forced him to bend in the interest of saving time, but Nezumi has a different theory: Shion had been on his best behavior in the underground room because he had always thought of it as Nezumi’s home and himself a guest staying there.

Nezumi knows he hadn’t been an easy person to live with, and he can’t say with certainty that if Shion had left messes around the underground room that he wouldn’t have used them as ammunition to threaten and criticize Shion when he felt they were getting too close.

Nezumi presses his lips together as every slight, and scowl, and unkindness he’d shown Shion when they were kids flits through his memory. No, he hadn’t been the easiest person to live with, and despite Shion’s constant probing and declarations of affection, there had always been a wall between them—mostly of Nezumi’s making, but at least part of the distance between them came from Shion’s stubborn misjudgments of his character.

Neither of them understood themselves well then, and that had made it impossible for them to understand each other.

But that was the past, and Nezumi has learned not to hold onto the things he can’t change. He and Shion aren’t the same people now, and they have agreed to start from scratch. Still, he can’t help the surprise he feels when Shion acts contrary to his perceptions, or the pangs of guilt when memories of his past conduct rise unbidden to his mind.

Nezumi peers over the countertop and finds Shion’s shiny dress shoes kicked off against the side of the heavy coffee table. A fogged-up plate cover rests atop the table, laid upon a dish towel to protect the lacquer, and Nezumi abandons foraging for a bowl to investigate. He spots a tuft of white against the dark gray of the couch and realizes that Shion is not sleeping in the bedroom after all.

The couch isn’t long enough for him to stretch out, so Shion is curled on his side in the fetal position, half of his face pressed so snugly into one of the throw pillows that Nezumi suspects he’ll have the lines and seams imprinted on his cheek when he wakes. The top few buttons of Shion’s shirt are undone, as are the buttons at his wrists, the sleeves rolled back to reveal the pale skin of his arms. Nezumi’s gaze traces the edges of the red scar wending its way around Shion’s neck, following its path until it slips beneath the collar of his shirt. He looks peaceful, and Nezumi feels some of the tension ebb out of his head and shoulders as he studies the sleeping man.

It’s odd to think of him—them—that way, as a “man.” On the road, Nezumi always remembered Shion as he had been: cute and heartbreakingly earnest, with his fluffy white hair, big brown eyes, and even bigger ideas. Nezumi had found him equal parts endearing and maddening. But the years have shaped Shion into a man of consequence and elegance.

When he walks into a room, the gravity shifts in his direction; Nezumi’s seen it on televised programs and in person. People are drawn to Shion like bees to a brilliant flower, and Nezumi has never seen someone who’s able to resist Shion’s easy charm; everyone caught in conversation with him leaves smiling and murmuring praises, no exceptions.

Nezumi always joked about Shion being royalty, but he never imagined Shion might actually become No. 6’s new era prince. Calling him Your Highness and Your Majesty seem less like teases now than his actual titles.

But Nezumi doesn’t call Shion those nicknames anymore. The first time he slipped into his old habit, Shion had given him such a look that Nezumi almost excused himself from Karan’s bakery and skipped town again. Apparently, being part of the Restructural Committee has made Shion painfully conscious of how tyrannical governments can be, and he will no longer tolerate Nezumi referring to him as No. 6’s ruler, even in jest.

That’s new: being deferential to Shion. Nezumi isn’t sure whether he’s so cautious because he’s changed enough that he cares about getting into—and staying in—Shion’s good graces, or if it’s that Shion has just become that much more intense.

Shion’s always been too much for him to handle: too warm, too stubborn, too bright, too naive. Too human. The winter they spent together in the underground room was the happiest and most terrifying winter of Nezumi’s life. West Block taught him never to get attached to anything, because he never knew when it would be snatched from him. Nezumi didn’t know how to throw Shion away, and he didn’t know how to keep him safe, so every moment they spent together was like slowly drowning.

The time away from each other has worked wonders on Nezumi’s emotional growth, and he had thought he was ready to come back and face Shion as equals, but Shion is still too much for him. The important difference between now and then, however, is that Nezumi doesn’t want to run from the challenge. He doesn’t need to fight to live anymore and Shion certainly doesn’t need his protection, so that leaves them free to be human together.

Only, Nezumi is still learning how to fully be himself in front of someone he actually wants to see every day. A transient life doesn’t give one much practice on building lasting relationships. But he’s working on it, and this new, grown-up Shion doesn’t seem to be in a rush to prise him apart.

A yellow sticky note is stuck to the top of the plate cover, and when Nezumi cranes his head to read the cramped script, a smile steals over his face. The note says, “Wake me up before you eat!” The words “wake me up” are darkened and underlined several times, a warning that this isn’t a request; it’s an order.

Nezumi has ignored Shion’s verbal instructions to wake him many times before, so he’s not sure why Shion thinks emphatic notes are going to have more weight. God knows Shion needs the sleep. He’s up at 5:00 a.m., works until the sun is far below the horizon, only to come home and continue working. If he passes out on the couch from exhaustion, Nezumi figures he shouldn’t mess with the natural order of things.

But, well… Shion did invite him over, and tonight Nezumi is feeling like a little company.

So, he muses to himself, how should I go about this?

One time, he woke Shion by dropping a stack of books on the table. He thought it would be funny to see him jump at the loud noise, but Shion screamed instead, scaring the shit out of them both. Shion was surly with him for the rest of the afternoon, but he paid Nezumi back the next morning by sneaking into his room at the bakery at the ass-crack of dawn and dumping an armful of paperbacks onto Nezumi’s head before he skipped off to work. That was some cold-served revenge Nezumi hadn’t expected and wouldn’t soon forget.

Tonight, Nezumi decides he’d rather wake Shion gently, so as to avoid any vengeful repercussions.

He reaches for Shion’s shoulder and gives him a light shake. A low groan of resistance rumbles in Shion’s throat and Nezumi gives him another nudge. “Shion. You asked for this, remember?”

Shion’s brow creases and he burrows his face deeper into the pillow, until all Nezumi can see is the mess of his sleep-mussed hair. Nezumi’s mouth twitches. Cute.

The mischievous part of his brain tells him to blow in Shion’s ear, but the rational side knows better. Nezumi slips his fingers into the soft strands of Shion’s hair and gives it a ruffle. It’s criminally soft and warm against his winter-chilled fingers.

“Wake up, Shion,” Nezumi whispers, combing the snowy locks behind his ear. “I’m hungry.”

Finally, Shion lifts his head and squints at him. “Mm. Hey. Did you just get here?” he manages, just before a huge yawn claims him.

Nezumi slides his fingers once more through Shion’s downy hair while he’s too sleepy to really notice, then folds his arms over his chest.

Shion sits up and stretches his legs out in front of him, bumping his feet against the base of the coffee table. “How was work?”

Nezumi screws his mouth to the side, but his headache has dissipated and he can’t drum up the level of annoyance he felt on the walk over, so he answers with a blasé, “Fine. Everyone still sucks.”

Shion flashes him a quick, sleepy smile and nods at the table. “I made dinner.”

Nezumi plucks the fogged-up plate cover off the dish and discovers dinner is chili. “Finally got around to using that crockpot, huh?”

“It was really easy to make. You just throw the ingredients in there and time does the rest.”

“Mhm…. You know you’re supposed to refrigerate this, or keep it in the pot until it’s ready to be served?”

Shion shrugs. “It hasn’t been out that long.”

“It’s gone cold. How long have you been sleeping on the couch? Do you even know what time it is?” Nezumi glances over at the microwave clock.

Shion slants a look at him. “Time to stop being mean to me. I just woke up from a nap, and you know how I get when I’m woken up from a nap.”

Nezumi feigns a cringe. “Yes. All too well.” He takes the bowl and crosses the room to pop it in the microwave. 

When he turns back around, he finds Shion tidying the living room, heaping the dish towel, the plate cover, and his fancy work shoes into his arms before moving to the kitchen table for his tie and bag. He still looks half asleep. Nezumi leans back against the counter and watches Shion stumble around in the half light, his hands full of his mess.

For all that Shion has grown, he’s still very much the boy Nezumi remembers: soft and effortless and searching. Teenaged Nezumi had been a fortress, but Shion’s goodness always fleet-footed its way up the ramparts.

Shion’s quiet tenacity used to scare him. Now it feels like a blessing that someone cares enough to try to breach his walls. If Nezumi hadn’t had the memories of Shion’s warmth through the lonely nights of travel, he wasn’t sure what paths he would have taken, or if the journey would ever have led him back to No. 6.

Shion catches him staring and pauses on the other side of the island counter. “Why are you laughing at me?”

“I haven’t made a sound.”

“Your eyes are laughing at me.”

Nezumi snorts. “My, we really are in a bad mood, aren’t we?”

Shion’s shoulders drop and he sighs. “Yeah, sorry. Today was…long.” He shifts the heap he has collected in his arms and turns to the dining table, weighing his chances of success should he try to add the paper-laden briefcase to his horde.

“You should go to bed,” Nezumi says. “You look one object away from crumpling to the floor. I’ll clean up and leave once I’m done with eating.”

“No, I want to have dinner with you tonight. That’s why I invited you over. I just…” Shion hums in thought, still sizing up the briefcase. He clicks his tongue. “Oh, never mind. I give up,” Shion huffs, and dumps the collection in his arms onto the far end of the table to be fussed over at a time when he has more brain power to deal with it.

Nezumi chuckles, and turns to the beeping microwave to retrieve his food.

Shion settles himself in his designated chair, and Nezumi takes up the seat across from him.

“Where’s your bowl?” Nezumi asks. “You said you wanted to eat dinner with me.”

“Hm? Oh…” Shion colors slightly. “Right, well… I was hungry when I got home, and it was a while before you were supposed to come over, so I already ate.”

Nezumi raises an eyebrow. “And you were asleep before I even got here. I wonder why I came over at all. These are not the actions of a host looking forward to his guest.”

“I was looking forward to you coming over,” Shion insists. “I would have called you to cancel, if I wasn’t. And falling asleep was not on purpose.”

“It was on purpose enough that you had the forethought to leave a note to wake you up.”

Shion has no defense for that, apparently, and drops his gaze to the steam rising from the chili bowl. Nezumi bites down on a smile.

“I can make a small bowl for myself, if you want to eat together,” Shion offers, but Nezumi waves him off.

“Just keep me company and I’ll consider you forgiven.”

The chili is delicious, the perfect balance of spices and liquid consistency. But then, it’s Karan’s recipe, so of course it’s perfect.

When Nezumi first arrived in No. 6, he stayed in a room on the cusp between what used to be West Block territory and Lost Town. He remained there, alone, for a week, fussing over when and where and how he would announce to Shion he was back. He finally resolved upon visiting Karan first, since she was the mini boss in this situation.

Karan hugged him before he even finished reintroducing himself, and things snowballed from there. A month later, Nezumi found himself moved into Shion’s old room in the Lost Town bakery and having family dinners with Karan, Shion, Inukashi, baby Shionn, and occasionally Rikiga. The warm family atmosphere is at once disorienting, uncomfortable, and deeply satisfying. Being part of a greater whole appeals to a part of himself that Nezumi hadn’t even realized he had been missing.

The biggest perk of living with Karan, however, is that Nezumi has his pick of the most delicious foods and pastries imaginable. Nezumi has experienced some extremely novel, odd, and mouth-watering cuisines while traveling abroad, but Karan’s cooking could compete with the best of them. She makes simple things, comfort food, but every recipe is executed perfectly, and Nezumi would take common food made well over fancy dishes any day.

Shion rests his chin in his hand and says nothing as Nezumi eats. He looks more alert now. The glossy film of sleep has faded from his eyes, and Shion’s gaze is back to its usual level of penetrating. Shion’s ability to stare like he can see past all your bullshit directly into your soul hasn’t changed one bit. In fact, being a member of No. 6’s governing body seems to have made his perceptions more astute.

This is both a comfort and a cause of deep uneasiness.

“You must like it,” Shion says, “because you’re not saying anything.”

Nezumi spoons another bite into his mouth and chews on that comment. “I’m not sure I like what you’re insinuating. It sounds like you think I only talk to criticize.”

Shion straightens. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Fishing for compliments, then?” Nezumi shrugs a shoulder. “Alright. Karan’s recipe is really delicious. You must give her my praises.”

Shion turns face away and shakes his head, but Nezumi still catches the curve of his incredulous smirk. Nighttime sparring is Nezumi’s preferred type, because Shion is usually too tired to win.

“Deliver the praises yourself,” Shion says. “You live there, not me.”

“I compliment Karan all the time. But I don’t think it means as much coming from me.”

“It means a lot. Mom loves you.”

Nezumi hums a sound of assent and decides to be civil and ask, “How was your day, then?”

“Fine.” Shion leans back in his chair and folds his arms across his chest. “Everyone still sucks.”

Nezumi points his spoon at him. “Touché.”

Shion laughs lightly, but a moment later his face sours and he sighs. “Talking about work after work is depressing. Can we talk about something better?”

“I would love to, but I don’t think either of us do much else but work and read, Shion. And last time I tried to discuss literature with you over dinner, you told me to stop.”

Shion leans his elbows on the table and laces his fingers together, his expression serious. “You were playing devil’s advocate too much. I don’t get why people do that. If we’re having a discussion about something, I want to know your opinion, not an opposing opinion for opposition’s sake. And if it is actually your opinion, then don’t hide behind ‘playing devil’s advocate.’ Just be honest about it; otherwise, you come off as an uppity snob, parroting views that aren’t even yours just to pick a fight.” 

“…I feel like you’ve been sitting on that diatribe for quite some time.”

“I was thinking about it all week,” Shion admits. “People in the office do it, too, all the time, and it drives me crazy.”

Nezumi nods his head slowly. “Duly noted. Anything else you’ve been stewing on that you want to share?”

Shion’s expression goes quiet. His interlaced fingers tense, but he holds Nezumi’s gaze and says lightly, “No. That’s it.” 

The temperature in the room drops a few degrees. Okay… That’s concerning. Nezumi focuses on scraping the last remnants of chili from his bowl to mask his confusion. What did Shion have on his mind that he didn’t want to share?

Did I offend him?

Shion hasn’t seemed irritated or guarded around him lately, but then Nezumi doesn’t know him as well as he used to. Shion’s basically a politician now and is well-versed in evading uncomfortable questions and bending truths. But even though Shion has gained some important networking skills, he hasn’t changed that much in essentials; he’s still straightforward and fiercely opinionated. If Nezumi pisses him off, Shion lets him have it right then and there. So whatever it is, it’s a touchy enough subject that even Shion balks at mentioning it.

Does he want me to back off?

Nezumi’s stomach twists, and his appetite shrinks in the shadow of his thoughts. It’s barely been any time at all since Shion welcomed him back. He couldn’t be sick of him yet… Right?

Nezumi knew reuniting with Shion wouldn’t be seamless. They would have to relearn each other; they’re different now, and there’s no pretending that difference away when they’re in close quarters with one another. He had expected anger and hurt when he and Shion finally faced each other again, but Shion has shown him nothing but warmth. Shion’s emotions are more muted at twenty-four years old than they were at sixteen, but he is no less gracious or willing to throw open his home to Nezumi again.

Nezumi had been grateful for the warm welcome. It was proof that Shion still wanted him around, but he also recognizes that Shion’s willingness to try again merely meant Nezumi had gotten his foot in the door.

Nezumi knows very well he’s on probation.

The seven years of separation that had brought Nezumi so much clarity had apparently caused Shion a lot of pain. Nezumi has picked up enough from Karan and Inukashi to piece together the broken picture of Shion’s life in the first four years of their separation: anxiety, depression, periods of simmering misdirected anger. As happy as Shion’s friends and family are that Nezumi made good on his promise and returned—as happy as Shion claims to be—they have reservations about letting him slip back into Shion’s life. They want definitive proof that he’s here to stay, and will not make a ruin of Shion’s feelings a second time.

Nezumi thought he gave Shion that proof when he agreed to move in with Karan. He thought he’s shown his dedication through the family dinners, and casual conversations, and solicitude for Shion’s personal space over the last few months, but maybe he’s growing too slowly for it to work. Maybe for all the progress Nezumi has made he isn’t enough for Shion anymore.

In West Block, Shion needed him; he was marooned and uncertain, and Nezumi was his only support and source of information. But Nezumi isn’t Shion’s whole world now. Shion has work, and friends, and a mother who loves him, and he’s gotten by just fine while they were apart. Maybe he’s realized that Nezumi no longer fits into his life the way he used to.

“Nezumi? What’re you thinking about?”

Nezumi glares down into his empty bowl. He never wants to return to the angry, caged person he had been, but sometimes he remembers what a bitter hell it is to care about another person, and he wishes he could push away the feelings instead of letting them burn through him.

“Nezumi?” Shion reaches across the table and pokes his bowl with the tip of his pointer finger. “Are you alright?”

“Fine. Just thinking about what you said earlier, about being honest.” Nezumi pushes out his chair and stands. “Easier said than done sometimes.”

He takes the bowl to the kitchen sink and begins to wash it. Midway through soaping the spoon with the sponge, he hears Shion’s soft footfalls on the tile behind him. His presence pricks at the back of Nezumi’s neck like heat, but he keeps his attention on the sink.

“You can use the dishwasher, you know….”

“Old habit,” Nezumi answers. He rinses the spoon off, places it in the drying rack, and moves on to the bowl.

Stupid, Nezumi curses himself. Old habits indeed. He’s too old to be covering his insecurity with fits of pique.

And what is he so upset about, anyway? Shion hasn’t said he’s unhappy or he wants him to leave. He could be hiding something entirely different—he could be hiding nothing at all. Maybe Shion’s just tired. Maybe they’re both very tired and being weird for no reason and everything will settle itself in the morning.

Nezumi scrubs the bowl until the brilliant blue of the glass is completely eclipsed by soap.

“I made you mad,” Shion says like a revelation. “Why?”

Why? Nezumi doesn’t have to do any deep meditation on the question. He’s upset because he has feelings now and everything is inconvenient. Every one of Shion’s smiles makes him hopeful, and every frown and cautious reply sends his mind into a paranoid spiral. And although he’s in tune enough with his emotions now to acknowledge what he’s feeling, his stubborn pride is still an obstacle to expressing them.

So here he is, acting like a spoiled child about something that isn’t even confirmed.

Nezumi splashes a bit of water over the bowl and drops it onto the bottom of the sink with suds still clinging to the rim. He scrubs the water from his hands with a cloth and faces Shion.

“I’m not mad,” Nezumi mutters. “I’m…” Off balance. Terrified. Utterly inept. “Confused,” he hedges.

Shion bites his lip, his dark eyes wide and searching, and Nezumi tries not to sound like too much of an insecure fool when he says, “You lied to me just now. There’s something on your mind.”

Annnnd, now I sound accusatory. Nice. Shion doesn’t answer immediately and it makes the moment so much worse. 

Why did he have to be a masochist and call him out? He should have ignored the awkwardness and enjoyed Shion’s company instead. If Shion is uncertain of their relationship, he could have used tonight to convince him it’s worth giving them another chance. Instead, he’s forced Shion to tip his hand.

With every silent second that passes, Shion looks more uncomfortable and Nezumi wants to crawl out of his skin. He can’t stand the nervous tilt to Shion’s expression. Nezumi turns back toward the sink and runs the water over the bowl again, just to have a reason to escape Shion’s gaze, no matter how transparent.

“I didn’t want to bring it up yet,” Shion says softly behind him. The words trace a line of cold down Nezumi’s spine. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react, and I didn’t—” Shion pauses and clears his throat.

The bowl is clean, but Nezumi keeps the water running, staring down at the stream and dissociating while he waits for Shion to deliver the critical blow.

“It’s only been a few months, and I know you’re still settling in at Mom’s,” Shion continues. “I didn’t want to put too much pressure on you.”

Pressure? Nezumi’s racing heart makes it very difficult to think properly, but he vaguely realizes Shion’s words are a strange lead up to telling him to hit the road.

Nezumi flicks the faucet off and half turns to peer at him. Shion straightens when their eyes meet and a combination of relief and agitation flits over his face before falling into a guilty sort of apprehension.

“I was afraid,” Shion says. “I didn’t want to scare you away when things have been going so well.”

“Scare me away…how?” Nezumi is thankful he’s such an accomplished actor, because it allows him to deliver the question with completely calm curiosity. Internally, he is a mess of electricity. Shion doesn’t want to scare him away, which means Shion wants to keep him close. His heart is pounding so hard his head feels like it’s going to explode.

Shion opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again, then turns his burning face aside and fixes his eyes on the front door. He’s raking his thumbnail so deeply and incessantly against the second knuckle of his pointer finger that he seems in danger of rubbing the skin raw.

“I wanted to ask…” Shion mumbles to the door, “whether you might consider…staying here.”

Nezumi drums his fingers quietly on the counter but otherwise stays very still as he probes, “Here as in…?”

“Here. My house.”

The faucet releases an errant drop into the sink; the faint plop is thunderous in the silence stretched taut between them. Nezumi clears his throat and turns his body the rest of the way to face Shion straight on. Shion glances at him sidewise, probably trying to read his expression, but as Nezumi is keeping his face carefully devoid of emotion, Shion will get nothing.

Nezumi leans back, crosses his arms across his chest, and asks as casually as humanly possible, “You want me to stay over tonight?”

He’s pretty sure Shion doesn’t mean anything suggestive by it, considering they are not romantically involved anymore—yet?—but even as a platonic invitation it makes Nezumi’s breath catch in his throat.

Shion eyes Nezumi up and down, and although he knows Shion’s probably just trying to get a read on him, a flash of heat skitters over Nezumi’s skin. He shifts fractionally and Shion’s eyebrows twitch up in equal measure. Shion stops pretending to be fascinated with the door, and Nezumi has a sense that he’s given something crucial away.

“No. Well—not exactly,” Shion says. “I want you to move in with me.”

Nezumi’s mind sticks.

Move in. Shion isn’t trying to get rid of him. In fact, Shion isn’t tired of him at all. He wants to live with him again.

Which is…terrifying? Exciting? Baffling and blessed and wholly unexpected. Nezumi isn’t sure how to feel about this sudden invitation, because he hasn’t belonged somewhere in years. He had never thought he was the type to stay put.

Until Shion.

His whole impetus for slowing down and returning was Shion. They’ve been stuck in each other’s orbits since they were twelve years old, and Nezumi has finally reached the point where he’s ready to submit to the gravity of them. But that’s a two-way street, and Nezumi expected he would have to match Shion’s patience if he ever had a chance of winning him back. If he and Shion ended up together, this time it wouldn’t be an arrangement of convenience or necessity; it would be because they had chosen to build a life side by side.

And Shion is asking me to live with him again.

Nezumi realizes he’s been silent too long when Shion starts twitch and flutter, a telltale sign he’s about to launch into a nervous ramble. God, Nezumi is so grateful time hasn’t trained that quirk out of him.

“I know it’s kind of… Kind of quick, maybe?” Shion babbles. “And maybe it’s a little backwards, since we’re not…together anymore, yet, and people usually move in after they’re already together, but…” He flushes, but pushes through the stumble quickly. “But we’ve done it before, and it worked then, and I think it will work just as well now. Better, even. We’re older, and we both know what we want out of life—and each other.”

Not the most coherent speech, but Nezumi agrees with all the sentiments. Even so, he finds himself asking, “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Maybe it’s a dumb question in light of Shion’s confession, but Nezumi has to ask it. He has to hear the answer in order to quell the doubts bubbling up from the darkest parts of his mind, the parts that have grown quieter as he’s grown, but still whisper he’s not worth it, that he’s twisted and broken and taints any goodness that comes his way.

“I’m sure,” Shion says. “I’ve thought a lot about it and I realized something.” He takes a deep breath and stares directly into Nezumi’s eyes as he says, “I don’t need you anymore, Nezumi. I can get on just fine without you; I know that. But I want you in my life. And it seems like you want that too?”

“Yes.” Nezumi’s answer lacks Shion’s conviction, but it’s alright; Shion knows him well enough to realize he wouldn’t agree to something so serious if he isn’t committed. “I would like that.”

Shion releases a small breath. “So it’s a yes?” He slides a bit closer along the counter. “You’ll move in? You don’t have to. I know it’s fast and you’re used to being alone. I won’t be offended if you need more time.”

“I don’t. I’ve had plenty of time to think too, you know.”

“Right,” Shion laughs lightly. “Okay. Good.”

Nezumi and Shion smile at each other in the wake of their new understanding. Despite the wintry draft slipping in under the front door, the kitchen feels warm.

Too warm.

“I’m not as clean as you,” Nezumi blurts. Moving in together is fun in theory and Nezumi definitely wants to, but it’s only fair he be upfront about what Shion’s about to get stuck with.

Shion’s smile is incandescent. “I know. It’s fine.”

“And I’m told I still kick in my sleep.”

“I have a queen bed now, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I shower in the mornings, and it takes at least twenty minutes, so you’ll have to factor that in when you get up for work.”

“I shower at night, so I think it’ll be fine.” Shion pauses. “But twenty minutes is a long time. What do you do in there for so long?”

Nezumi ignores the question and launches into his next point. “You’re going to need more bookcases. At least two more. I have a shit ton of books; they barely fit in my room as it is.”

Shion glances at his back wall. “I’ve been meaning to buy more anyway.” He raises his eyebrows. “Anything else?”

A million other things, but Nezumi decides that’s enough for the moment. Shion’s eyes are wide and full of laughter and the bit of scar peeking out from his unbuttoned collar is all of a sudden very distracting.

“You better not change your mind about this,” warns Nezumi. “Once I move in, I’m not leaving again.”

Shion’s eyes flash. “Is that a threat or a promise?”

Nezumi can’t help but smile when he answers, “A promise.”

Shion lifts his chin and nods, evidently pleased. They regard each other shyly for a moment before Shion decides to diffuse the tension by announcing they’re going to watch a movie.

Ten minutes in and Nezumi pretends not to notice when Shion’s head starts to nod. Twenty minutes in, and Shion is back to being face-down on the throw pillow. Nezumi abandons the movie-watching farce and watches Shion sleep instead.

This is what I’m signing up for, Nezumi thinks, shaking his head. Night after night of Shion asleep and defenseless on the couch. He cards his fingers through the fluffy white hair at the nape of Shion’s neck.

He can hardly wait.