#One day I will draw the bell incident but not now unfortunately. I have a lot on my plate. Also I still struggle with his handwriting

[nillisaie]

Nilla is banned from wearing bells

[sykoangels]

Oh professor?

pairing: mutant!reader x professor!logan

warnings: age gap (everyone is 18+) slight dubcon , unprotected sex, degrading and praise, rough sex

notes: im surprised y’all liked the first part!! So since im nice i’m putting out part two! This is part one go read that first!!

It’s been a couple of days since the incident in Professor Logan‘s classroom. Something that hadn’t left your mind for a couple of days now all you could think of was that intimate moment you shared with him, it felt wrong because he was your professor, but also right and away felt like he could take care of you and pleasure you nobody else could.

So you made the executive decision to avoid him at all costs not because you were afraid of him or anything but because you didn’t want to risk your reputation or his reputation to be tarnished over some sexual experience. Many of the girls in your class found him attractive. They always said very sexual jokes about him and within earshot of you trying to predict things about his body and what he would do to you in bed, but you can only laugh along, pretending like you didn’t try to make out with him while getting calculus help 

Unfortunately, you had to come to class due to the fact you’re having a final today and not other than Logan‘s class. And the back of your head like he planned final this on purpose, but you know you were just being overdramatic because all of your finals were today due to the curriculum standards taking your final towards the end of the semester. Logan stood at the front of the classroom, his eyes scanning the rows of students. The room was filled with the usual chatter and rustling of papers, but his focus was on one person in particular. Y/N sat in the middle row, her head slightly bowed as she scribbled notes. He could see the tension in her posture and the way her fingers gripped the pen tightly. His heart ached with a mixture of guilt and longing.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and the room fell silent. Logan cleared his throat, his voice steady as he began passing out the test. But his mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of the previous day. The near-kiss, the knock at the door, the aching need that still lingered like an unfulfilled promise. He couldn't let it go on like this. He had to confront her, especially since he noticed the effect on himself and her. As the class progressed, Logan found himself glancing at Y/N more often than he should. Each time their eyes met, she quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink. It was clear she was just as affected by their encounter as he was. By the time the lecture was halfway through, he knew he couldn't wait any longer.

"Y/N," he called out, his voice cutting through the silence. "Could you come up here for a moment?" The room fell into an uneasy hush as all eyes turned to her. Y/N hesitated, her breath catching in her throat, before slowly standing and making her way to the front. Logan watched her approach, noting the way her skirt swayed with each step, the subtle curve of her hips drawing his gaze. When she reached him, he could feel the heat radiating from her body, the scent of her perfume intoxicating." Is something wrong, Professor?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Logan shook his head, his eyes locked on hers. " I need to talk to you. After class.”

He looked at her up and down noticing the cute pleated skirt she was wearing with a black t-shirt with a lace ribbon hem with you pulled into a slick black ponytail that was curled tightly. He had thoughts of just fucking you senselessly on his desk for the whole world to see but he keeps himself composed giving Y/N a cold and husky look as he motions for her to sit down. Y/N’s mind was bustling with several different thoughts. Logan was so vague about what he had to talk to her about, but she had a feeling it was about to kiss they almost shared a couple of days ago. She swallowed hard, trying to focus on the lecture, but her thoughts kept drifting back to that moment.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Students began packing up their things, chatting amongst themselves as they left the room. Y/N stayed seated, her hands trembling slightly as she waited for Logan to dismiss her. When the last student had exited, Logan closed the door behind them and turned to face her. "Come here," he said, his voice low and commanding.

Y/N hesitated for a moment before standing up and walking towards him. As she approached, Logan's eyes roamed over her body, taking in every detail. He could feel the heat rising within him, the desire building in his chest. He wanted her, and he wasn't going to waste any time. "Sit," he ordered, pointing to the edge of his desk. Y/N obeyed, her legs brushing against the cool surface as she perched on the edge. Logan moved closer, his hands resting on either side of her hips. He could smell the faint scent of her perfume, a mix of vanilla and something else that drove him wild. He leaned in, his breath hot against her ear.

"Do you know why I called you here?" he asked, his voice thick with lust. Y/N shook her head, her eyes wide with anticipation. "No, Professor," Logan smirked, his fingers tracing the curve of her waist. "I think you do doll.” Y/N looked up at Logan feeling her heart beat out of her chest. Logan held Y/N’s chin looking into their eyes before speaking. “I know you stare at me darling and that little stunt you pulled a few days ago. I was perplexed why my star student would need help with something as easy as my calculus homework. You just wanted private attention but couldn’t admit it.” Y/N nodded, her cheeks flushed with arousal and embarrassment. "Yes, Professor. I shouldn’t attempted to “

Before she could finish her statement, his lips were on hers, pressing hard against her mouth. Y/N gasped, her hands flying to his shoulders as he kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth with a hunger that left her breathless. She could feel his hardness pressing against her thigh, and she moaned into his mouth, her body responding to his touch. “Stop talking. Let me give you that private lesson you have been wanting” Logan said caressing her cheek. His hands moved to cup her breasts through her shirt. He squeezed gently, his thumbs brushing over her nipples, causing them to harden instantly. Y/N arched her back, pressing herself closer to him, her breath coming in short gasps. Logan's hands moved lower, slipping under her skirt to find the lace of her panties. He traced the edge of the fabric with his fingers, teasing her sensitive skin. "I barely touched you and you are already soaked. I didn’t know you were such a whore." he murmured, his voice filled with satisfaction.

Y/N whimpered, her hips bucking against his hand. "Please, Professor..." Logan grinned, his fingers dipping beneath the lace to stroke her clit. “What do you want darling? Come on tell me what you want with that pretty mouth of yours”. She bit her lip, her eyes pleading with him. "I want you...inside me.”

Logan's cock twitched at her words, and he quickly unzipped his pants, freeing his throbbing erection. He positioned himself between her thighs, his tip pressing against her entrance. Y/N gasped, her hands gripping his arms as he slowly pushed inside her. The sensation was overwhelming, her tightness gripping him like a vice. "Oh God," she whispered, her nails digging into his skin. Logan grunted, his hips thrusting forward as he buried himself deep inside her. He held still for a moment, savoring the feel of her around him, before pulling out and thrusting back in with more force. Y/N cried out, her body shuddering with pleasure as he pounded into her, his pace relentless.

"You like that, don't you doll ?" he growled, his voice rough with exertion. Y/N nodded, her eyes half-lidded with ecstasy. "Yes, Professor...so good..." Logan's hands gripped her hips, lifting her slightly as he continued to fuck her with abandon. He could feel his own release building, the pressure in his balls growing with each thrust. He wanted to make this last, to draw out her pleasure as long as possible, but the sight of her writhing beneath him, her cries of passion filling the room, was too much to resist.

“Come on my cock doll! I know a good girl like you can" he commanded, his voice hoarse with desire. Y/N cried out, her body tensing as she came hard around his cock. Logan followed immediately, his own orgasm ripping through him as he spilled deep inside her. He collapsed against her, his breathing heavy as he struggled to regain control. Y/N lay there, her body trembling with aftershocks, her mind reeling from the intensity of the experience. Logan pulled out slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. He reached down, wiping away the evidence of their encounter with his thumb before licking it clean.

"That was just the beginning," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Y/N shivered, her heart pounding in her chest. "What do you mean?"

Logan smiled, a dark glint in his eyes. "I have plans for you, Y/N. My precious star student. Why don’t you run along now. You have combat training in an hour go get cleaned up and I will see you in tomorrow bright and early dollface.”

Y/N quickly readjusted her clothes and got her stuff before scurrying out of Logan’s class with a slight limp from taking him. Logan let out a faint chuckle before putting on his readers and adjusting them before grading some papers.

🏷️ @shoyofroyoyoyo @seasonofthenerd @fictionalmen-dilflover @g0ldenstarr

[yukidragon]

Can you do a theory of how S.D.J got stuck in a tape? (Ik there isn’t much clues but I just wanted to ask) :)) Btw LOVE YOUR THEORYS!!! :D

Awww, thanks! I’m really happy to hear that you like my theories. 💖

Unfortunately, there is very little evidence at this time to create a solid theory about why Jack was trapped in the tape to begin with. I can, however, talk about what we do know about the tape so far and what my headcanons are.

I will be using some screencaps of the demo as well as images that were posted publicly on Sauce/Jambeebot’s public twitter before it was closed down, as well as links to the official Sunny Day Jack twitter. Gentle reminder to everyone - please don’t repost any of the private images posted on the Snaccpop Studios Patreon. The crew relies on those kind donations in order to make the game at all. Consider joining it instead, donating to the Something’s Wrong with Sunny Day Jack kickstarter, or just spreading word about this engaging game.

With that said, let’s start off with the tape itself.

An ordinary but old and cracked VHS tape with a sticker on it bearing the words “84′ Incident” written in smudged red marker. It’s pretty well universally theorized that the video tape captured Jack’s death, which appeared to take place during filming of the SunnyTime Crew Show. We get a shot of the incident itself here on the twitter page. (Pun not intended.) There was also apparently children on set as well who witnessed the incident, according to the actor who played Cloudy-Belle Sue.

We get a glimpse of this incident as well in the style of a children’s drawing on the title screen of the demo, along with a closeup of the tape.

After that, Jack was trapped in the tape for (presumably) almost 40 years. To him it was a place where he couldn’t dream, where he felt cold, and where he buried his old self as Joseph to fully embrace the role of Jack.

Then MC gets a hold of the tape, pops it in a VCR, and is introduced to a rather confused but relieved Jack... only they don’t remember that. They just woke up the next day and Jack was just... there. Now the tape won’t play again, so there’s no telling exactly what is on it.

Seems pretty standard with ghosts possessing something involved with their murder and haunting whoever interacts with it right, right? What I find interesting is Jack is always called a ghost(?) The fact that this is in question at all suggests to me that there’s something more going on with him than the typical ghost can’t move on from their horrific murder story.

I think the fact that this is in question plays a part in how Jack was trapped in and is still connected to the tape. There’s too few clues to be sure of how that happened, so it’s just left to pure speculation on our parts. All we can be relatively sure of is that it’s related to Jack’s death and the incident itself.

You know, let’s take a moment to examine Jack and what he can do now. Maybe it’ll give more ideas about how he got into his situation.

Jack is quite an interesting sort of ghost(?). While it’s tempting to look at another game involving ghosts made by SnaccPop Studios, the Groom of Gallagher Mansion, as a point of reference for how other ghosts are depicted, I’m going to stick with strictly SDJ-related sources.

Jack is solid to MC (unless they don’t want him there), and can be perceived by all their senses, but no one else. He doesn’t show up in mirrors or recordings. According to a line from the Patreon-exclusive virtual body pillow, Sleepy Time Jack, he has a heartbeat. He has bodily fluids such as spit, sweat, and semen, as shown in the demo. He feels warm to the touch, not dead at all.

Well, maybe not all the time.

Jack has the power to influence other peoples’ thoughts and feelings. It’s most obvious with MC, where we have seen instances where he seems able to outright read their thoughts/narration, but he was able to influence Nick’s mind to the point of nightmares, insanity, and self-harm. For the most part he can’t interact with others, but it seems there’s a way he can force it?

Or maybe Jack could be perceived by others... but he has a reason to choose not to exert that much influence on reality.

Maybe it’s because he’s not strong enough yet at the start of the game?

MC’s love seems to make Jack stronger. There’s a “piece” of him in a place others could never reach, and that piece of him grows bigger and stronger. The stronger it gets, the closer he gets to being “one” with MC forever.

I think that “piece” of him is inside of MC and is vital to keep him solid and real. I suspect that Jack might have a “piece” of MC inside him as well... one he can make even bigger by taking more from them and giving more of himself in return, as suggested by a quote from the “no” route.

I want him to re-write me in this moment. I want him to do what he wants to help me forget anything that isn’t him.

He’s taking some part of me...

Infecting me with some kind of fever... Some need...

And I don’t want to admit it...

But I want to surrender and let him fill it.

Although MC is under supernatural influence that makes them addicted to the feelings Jack gives them, it seems as though their wants and desires towards Jack play a key part in everything.

In the game, if MC keeps their distance from Jack emotionally, he gets “colder” to them, and it could get to the point that they can’t touch him anymore. I imagine, if they turned their back on him completely, they could make him disappear altogether.

The influence Jack has on MC is subtle most of the time, just really good feelings mostly. I theorize this is a supernaturally-enhanced sort of empathy due to MC having a piece of him inside of them (and likely vice-versa). I believe that’s how Jack can detect MC’s emotions in return and catch some of their thoughts. It seems this works both ways, as suggested by the “yes” route, where MC can sense things about Jack but is too caught up in the pleasure they’re sharing to really think about it much.

He was close.

He didn’t even need to tell me.

I suspect if MC knew how to use this power, they might be able to have more of an influence on Jack.

After all, it seems as though if MC is going through something like, say, the pain of a period or being drunk, Jack experiences these things too. At least according to a couple posts from the Jambeebot twitter.

(Again, keep in mind posts and art from Sauce’s twitter need to be taken with a pinch of salt when it comes to canon, as things can (and have) changed before the final product of the game.)

Jack himself says that MC makes him feel love, and he’s so happy to be with them. What if that’s why whenever MC spends time with him alone, they feel so happy? What if MC is literally feeling Jack’s love and happiness, which is why being around him feels so addicting? After all, isn’t it addicting to feel loved by someone so unconditionally?

It can be resisted as well, though even when they do in the “no” route, it’s a very weak resistance. MC is addicted to the warm and fuzzy feelings Jack gives to them, which Jack can intensify and doesn’t want to give that up.

I was suffocating in his embrace.

Something about the air was thick and sticky.

Like I was breathing cotton candy…

Like I was under a spell.

Jack even keeps asking in the “no” route if they can feel how much he cares about them, how good he can make them feel.

MC themselves admits earlier that they feel for Jack. He likely can sense that, which could be why he said they make him feel love.

There’s a strong emphasis here on consent and feelings, as well as pieces of both MC and Jack.

Also, before we move on, I want to quickly add that Jack might have the ability to manifest items as well. We know how confused MC was about blueberries appearing out of nowhere, but Jack could’ve snatched them from a grocery store or even snuck them into MC’s cart/basket when they weren’t paying attention so they eat healthier. However, what is harder to explain away is a full change in wardrobe that is distinctly themed around Sunny Day Jack and fits him perfectly. Somehow I don’t think MC bought that for him at the store.

As I’ve mentioned before in past theories when it comes to my own personal telling of the story, Sunshine in Hell, I think Jack has a piece of MC’s soul and MC has a piece of his soul in exchange. I think that whatever happened when MC watched the tape, it created a sort of contract between them and Jack, one that requires consent on both their parts. It requires that continual consent and for their bond to be strengthened in order to give Jack more strength.

It sounds almost like a ritual was performed, wasn’t it? Maybe Jack’s costume as a demonic incubus isn’t too far off the mark from what he is now.

Who knows... it might even be why MC is so tired lately.

(Though they could just be exhausted from being overworked by an uncaring boss.)

Which leads me back to the 84′ Incident. What if Jack didn’t simply randomly possess the recording of what happened because he couldn’t move on? What if his soul was trapped in that tape all this time? After all, he seemed so confused at the start of the game about what’s going on and what happened to him, which suggests he didn’t willingly go to, as he put it, hell.

The entertainment industry is a truly frightening place. Money, power, connections... they can bury so many secrets, even people and memories. There are rumors of unsavory things like crime rings and cults. The studio behind the SunnyTime Crew Show seems to have a dark side as well considering it buried the memory of the show and the murder of Jack under the threat of NDAs.

So now, let’s talk about LambsWork Productions. As I previously touched upon before when analyzing the teaser picture of an undead Jack looking in a mirror, the name of the studio is very interesting. A lamb’s “work” is to be sheered for its fleece, or butchered for its meat... sometimes both.

I think that LambsWork Productions was connected to a cult, maybe even built by a cult outright. I believe what happened to Jack to trap him in the tape may have been part of a ritual.

Jack was a teenage runaway who changed his name from Joseph, hiding his real identity. We don’t know how he was discovered by the studio, but he would be someone with no connections, and no family, maybe even no friends.

Who would look for him if he went missing?

This seems counter-intuitive doesn’t it? Jack was a famous actor with many eyes on him. So many people, kids and adults, loved him.

What the people loved was a character he played. Even when being interviewed, Jack had to stay in character. He couldn’t be “Mr. Haberdae” even when talking with a reporter who wanted to learn more about him.

The studio made a creation that was loved... and what if that was part of the ritual? What if Jack’s murder was planned all along? It would explain how they could so quickly and thoroughly bury all evidence that the show ever even happened if they were prepared to do it ahead of time.

Being loved and being willing plays a part in Jack’s powers. What if that ties into the murder? What if Jack, this fictional entity the studio made up, needed to have the love of countless people, and the distress and pain they felt from seeing him die, along with his death?

For what purpose? It’s hard to say, but Jack’s powers are nothing to sneeze at. For all we know, whatever MC underwent to be bonded to Jack by watching the video wasn’t actually meant for them... it was just the first time it actually worked.

After all... consent plays a part. If Jack didn’t consent to, say, his murderer getting a piece of his soul and control over him...?

Now we’re really going deep into headcanon territory here, and it ties into the tragedy of [Redacted] and the lover who used him. I will stress that my headcanons will likely change as more evidence comes out or as I work on it more before writing it into Sunshine in Hell, but I figure it might be entertaining to tell it anyway.

It goes like this: someone with a lot of pull and connection to LambsWork Productions, maybe even the owner in charge of it all, wanted supernatural powers. They were connected to the occult and learned of a ritual that would require the absolute obedience and enslavement of a soul, as well as love and innocence of children to create a servant that would do whatever they wanted.

What it required was a person who is utterly devoted and willing to submit to the caster. The easiest way to do that? Why, love and desperation of course. Find a person who has nothing and offer them a life they always dreamed of... they just need to be obedient, sacrifice more and more.

This person is pushed slowly to do more, give more of himself. He is pushed to act a certain way all the time, painted up as this new persona to further signify that he is no longer [Redacted] but the always helpful Jack. He needed to want to be this character they created... who they were going to make real with the ritual using his willing soul.

When the target is primed to be obedient and utterly addicted to needing the caster and everything they have to offer in every way imaginable, and is loved by many innocent children... that innocence is destroyed as part of the ritual by having them witness his death.

The ritual results in this creation that will do anything for their master... provided it is consenting on both ends. The victim doesn’t even need to know it was all a setup. In fact, it’s better he doesn’t know in order to ensure he’ll remain desperate in his new inhuman state.

The recording is the medium to create the connection to the new supernatural entity. There was just one teeny, tiny hiccup.

Consent.

The person who performed the ritual and wanted those powers wanted to make that connection, but Jack? Ho... they might have twisted [Redacted]’s heart to be desperate for their love and everything they provided, but Jack is far from stupid. Whether he started to suspect before his death and hid it, or he realized what was going on when murdered, who’s to say? Either way, he did not consent to his former lover taking a piece of his soul when the tape was played, and thus the ritual failed, no matter how many times they replayed his tragic death.

The tape was kept as a reminder, a snuff film for entertainment purposes until it gets lost or discarded in some other way. The culprit would have to figure out what went wrong, how to perform the ritual correctly next time... Or another member of the cult who learned of the ritual decides to try again, believing they know what went wrong.

Maybe the problem was relying on romantic love. What if the “lamb” to be sacrificed was someone who would have a stronger bond to the caster, maybe even more desperate for love and approval than a lover. Say, perhaps... a blood relative?

Actors sometimes join cults. If, say, Jean joined and found out about the ritual and wanted it to work out for himself, well... he does have a child from one of his sugar babies who wants to be an actor, doesn’t he?

What stronger love is there than a parent and child, especially a child who might have spent a lifetime wishing for his absent father’s love?

Well, Jack might argue his love for his sunshine is stronger. After all, unlike those monsters who damned him to the hell of the VHS tape for selfish purposes, they didn’t need him like Alice(/MC) does. They didn’t long for love as desperately as he did... and he was certainly so very desperate for even a speck of warmth after 40 long sleepless years trapped in a cold empty hell...

Soooooo... yeah. That’s the headcanon I currently have for what Jack is and why he was trapped in the tape. With how few clues there are, I’m not banking on this headcanon on being anywhere close to accurate to what’s going to happen in the game. Chances are very good that this headcanon will change and evolve as I get more ideas and more hints are dropped. Still, I find the idea to be fairly entertaining, and I hope you did too.

What does this mean for Jack, Alice, and their connection of souls via the ritual? I’m going to have to think about that a bit more, but whatever it was, it was something worth a hell of a lot of trouble for the studio to go through...

After all, Jack has a pretty impressive array of powers already, and they’re only going to get more powerful, maybe even manifest other unexpected ways we haven’t seen yet, as his love for Alice and hers for him grows ever stronger...

Of course, with an MC resistant to that love? Well... that might explain the glitches we see here.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic

[familyofpaladins]

Gonna give some details on that new au I've mentioned

Its a mha fantasy au inspired by the folk tale "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and so will be called the "boy who cried wolf au" maybe "bwcw au" if I want to shorten it

Basic gist is:

Izuku is a young orphan boy charged with watching over the sheep/other animals for the village, but it's out in the distant hills near the forest

Out in the fields there is a bell he can ring if theres a wolf attack or some other kind of trouble. That way the villagers can come deal with the problem

One day a wolf does show up, and poor little izuku rings the bell like crazy, but that only draws the attention to himself

But before any of the villagers can get there something else shoots out of the trees and scares off the wolf

Enter feral child barbarian bakugo >:3

Izuku, poor thing, is just 0_0!?!?! Because he's heard tales of the barbarians but has never seen/met one before (and they havent necessarily been Nice tales)

Rest of town starts to show up, and young bakugo runs back into the trees not even leaving a trace of him or a wolf being there

The villagers are all like "!??! What's wrong why'd you ring the bell???"

Izuku tries to explain that there was a wolf, and the adults look around and see jo wolf and then ask why he's lying

"I I-I I'm not lying!! There there was a w-wolf and and and then-"

"Look, kid. You cant just call us out here just so you can get some attention. Now only ring that bell if there's danger."

And then the adults leave, believing that there was no wolf at all, and just think that izuku got bored and then lied to not get in trouble

The adults dont really care much about izuku unfortunately. That's why they leave him to watch the animals by himself

After the adults leave, izuku tries to find the mysterious boy, but he seems to have disappeared into the forest and izuku still needs to stay and keep watch

Anyway. Then over the next few days the wolf returns and is usually chased away by bakugo

The adults never believe him

Izuku tried to tell them about the little barbarian boy. That was when the adults were SURE that izuku was lying, because where one barbarian is, the rest are sure to be close, and they'd know if barbarians where nearby. So izuku stops even trying to tell them about the other boy, but still tells them about the wolf!!

After the third or forth wolf incident, bakugo comes back out of the woods after the adults have left

They sorta make friends

Eventually the wolf attacks again, much more ferociously this time, and both boys have to fight, but they got the wolf!

They ring the bell for help, but no one comes (they actually didnt show up the last couple of times either)

Eventually the adults send someone put to check on the boy, and find their animals scattered and blood on the ground and no izuku anyway

The village then tells the tale of the boy who cried wolf, and that if izuku hadnt lied several times, they would have come when their was actual trouble, and the poor boy wouldnt have been devoured by wolves

But in actuality izuku left with bakugo :)

Anyway that's the first part of this au :3

[ffangirlingsince2001]

The Great Upheaval of Percy Weasley: Dangerous

Percy Weasley x OC

Summary: Classes begin and a past warning creeps into Elle’s mind.

Warnings: Language, making out, angst

MASTERLIST

Dangerous -adj.- the words you didn’t dare to say aloud but your eyes screamed without dignity.

***

The strange thing about snogging Percy Weasley, is that Elle seemed to notice him a lot more often. She was sure they had classes together before this year, but she had never cared to notice him. Now, she was in her third class of the day, and it was the third time she could spot his red hair at the front of the classroom.

And unfortunately for her wandering mind, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was late. The moment she wasn’t moving, or working, or doing something else to keep her busy, she was dropping further into a daydream that always managed to turn into a nightmare. That was how everything had been going since she arrived for her fourth year of Hogwarts. Now, beginning seventh year, nothing had changed. That was why Percy was so perfect. He was the perfect distraction, the final extra-curricular activity to completely fill up her schedule. He didn’t know it of course, and she wasn’t about to tell him, she just hoped he wouldn’t give up on their little agreement any time soon.

She wasn’t even sure he was going to agree to it. The night he had dragged her into an empty classroom, she hadn’t doubted his lie one bit. If she were McGonagall, she would have called her in too after getting a look at her schedule. Yet, it had been a lie, and now that little empty space she had been unable to fill with classes and studying and work was filled with Percy Weasley.

She snorted. Pretty, perfect, Percy Weasley was meeting her in dark classrooms late into the evening. Who would’ve thought the perceived worst of the worst would be fraternizing with the crown jewel of her class? Certainly not Elle Wilton, and she was one hundred percent sure neither had he.

Before she was able to drift further into the sheer shock of it all, Professor Lupin threw open his door and strode inside. She watched him with acute attentiveness from the back of the classroom, doing her best to not let her eyes stray to the boy sitting front and center.

“He’s kind of hot in an old dude sort of way, isn’t he?” Dinah muttered next to her and both burst into laughter as Elle pretended to gag. Their outburst didn’t go unnoticed and the stern, but kind eyes of their professor flitted back to their desk.

“We alright ladies?” The class turned to face them. Dinah blushed as Elle held in laughter, both shaking their heads quickly, doing absolutely nothing to convince the man. Thankfully, he was no Professor Snape, and simply nodded before returning his attention to the rest of the class. Their peers turned around as the man to speak, all except the head boy, whose attention seemed to linger on the girls a bit longer. She sent him a look, begging him to turn around before Dinah noticed, and for once in his life he listened to someone other than himself.

The class went better than most, and by the end she was feeling hopeful about the year (frankly, she was just glad it wasn’t another Lockhart). There was a quick pop quiz, just to see what they knew, and then he dismissed them without homework.

The two girls quickly packed up and began their rushed trek towards Transfigurations. While Lupin might have been late, after six years they were certain McGonagall wouldn’t be. Avoiding moving staircases and ghosts that wanted to have a conversation longer than the time they’d been dead, they burst through the doors with five minutes to spare. They made their way towards the same desk they had sat at for the past six years, when McGonagall called out to them.

“Not this year, ladies. Ms. Wilton, front and center.”

“What?” she yelled, jaw dropping, eyes wider than dinner plates.

“Now, there’s no need to yell. After the incident last year, I can’t risk it,” she tsked, but Elle wasn’t going to give up her beloved seat without a fight.

“The incident was nothing.”

“You turned your desk into a lion, which proceeded to chase Ms. Baker’s gazelle around the classroom before drenching half of my students in gore. I would hate to see what sort of incident you consider something, Ms. Wilton.”

“It was excellent transfiguration, professor.”

“Indeed, but we were making owls.”

“Professor-.”

“My decision is final, now please join Mr. Weasley.” Somehow, he had managed to slip in during their argument and was now sitting front and center, like every year before. Elle sent her a glare, but there was nothing more powerful than the stern look of Professor McGonagall. Groaning loud enough for everyone to here, Elle dragged herself forward, plopping down beside Percy.

He didn’t look at her, he didn’t need to for her to know that he was very aware of her presence. The way his entire body tensed was enough. She leaned into her hand and watched McGonagall return to her desk.

This was ridiculous, she had done things just as insane, worse even, and she had never been dragged to the front of the classroom. This was something else, and if Elle was making any guesses, she assumed it had to do with her schedule. Sadly, she dragged her fingers across the desktop, already missing the messages she and Dinah had carved into the desktop over the years.

It was stupid to be this nostalgic over a desk, but it was either sadness, or rage, and rage was far more likely to get her a month’s detention.

The lecture began, but she wasn’t really in a listening mood. She considered taking a nap, just to spite the professor, but Percy was having a coughing fit beside her.

“Are you dying?” she snapped quietly, a little harsher than she intended. However, he didn’t seem offended, merely nodded towards the parchment he was taking notes on. Scrawled in the top corner was a small note.

‘Astronomy tower, 9?’ was all it said, but the message was clear. She snatched his quill from his hand and draw a small smiley face beneath the invitation. He seemed to puff with pride as he took the quill back, returning to his notes.

And Elle couldn’t help but grin.

She was sure the grin would remain, for another hour at least, but McGonagall quickly swished it away with a few simple words.

“Ms. Wilton, I need to speak with you after your class.” As if the day couldn’t get any worse. The bell rang, and from her seat, Elle watched both Percy and Dinah leave out opposite doors. “Step into my office.”

“I don’t want to be late for my next class.”

“I’ll write you a pass.”

“I’d rather be on time.”

“Ms. Wilton, enter my office or face detention.” Elle considered detention, she really did, but she settled on standing and marching past McGonagall and into her office. She plopped into a chair and waited for the professor to take her own seat.

“Professor Sprout doesn’t like tardiness,” Elle announced. They both knew it was a lie, Professor Sprout hadn’t given a damn about tardiness since before Elle attended Hogwarts.

“I want to talk to you about your schedule.”

“It’s fine.”

“You’re taking ten N.E.W.T level classes, interning for Madame Pomfrey, and working Quidditch matches.”

“I said, it’s fine.”

“The homework load will be more than last year.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Then you understand my concern.”

“And I’m saying your concern is misplaced.”

“Ms. Wilton, I understand-.”

“You do not seem to understand anything! I have repeatedly told you it is fine; I understand the burden and I am willing to accept it. I will not fail, just as I have not failed every year before. So, please excuse me, I-.”

“Elle!”

Elle froze as she stood, turning to look at the professor who had not once used her first name. She waited for her to continue, to say anything after her uncommon lack of professionalism, but she remained silent, fingers clenched around the quill in her hand. Elle quickly left, throwing her bag over her shoulder as she sprinted through the empty classroom, boots pounding against the floor in tune to the angry pounding in her chest.

The rest of the day occurred without incident. Herbology was as interesting as always and Charms was a breeze, even Professor Binns held her attention. By the time her classes were finished, both her anger and the dinner tables had disappeared. She cut straight to the library, working until her eyes cried for relief and her mind bled.

Before she knew it, it was 8:55 and she was heading towards the Astronomy tower. The door was held open with a thin book that she casually swooped up before shutting it behind her, locking it with a swish of her wand.

“Percy?” she called into the emptiness, but there was no response. She peered around the corner and found him leaning over a stack of books, looking no different than she had mere minutes before. “Hey, Head boy,” she called again and this time he jumped in surprise, whipping out his wand to defend himself. “Woah, easy buddy, I come mostly unarmed.”

“Bloody hell, Elle,” he stammered, stowing his wand away once more as she laughed.

“That rhymes,” she said as she sat, still laughing at the petrified look on his face. He stowed away his books, glancing at her over his shoulder as he did so.

“What do you mean mostly unarmed?”

“My womanly wiles, of course,” she teased, licking her lips as she leaned closer.

“So completely unarmed you mean?”

“Is that sarcasm from the ever-serious Percy Weasley?” He only grinned and closed the gap between them. The newly familiar taste of tea with one too many sugars brushed her tongue as he kissed her.

Suddenly, the worries of the day took a back seat as he pulled her closer. She climbed over his legs and straddled him, never pulling away.

“Woah,” he muttered, wrapping his arms around her back. Their school robes punched together as they kissed, pulling them closer together. With annoyed fingers, she yanked his robe off, tossing it to a small heap beside his books. He tried to do the same but only succeeded in groping her chest. “Sorry,” he muttered, mistaking pleasure for discomfort as she let out a high-pitched gasp, startled fingers grasping his shoulders.

“No, no, you’re good,” she muttered breathlessly, shedding the robe on her own. His hands slipped down her back, tense fingers accidentally pushing against knots in her back. Not that she minded, a massage was a massage, even if it was on accident. His hands landed on the waistband of her skirt and something from the past fluttered between her legs. She didn’t know if he was aware that he was pushing the barely clothed apex of her thighs closer to his belt buckle. She certainly wasn’t going to tell him, not when she was having so much fun.

Testing the waters, she rocked her hips forward. Unlike last time, he didn’t pull away. In fact, he pulled her closer, pressing every bit of her against his chest. He bunched her skirt between his fingers, urging her to continue. When she moaned, he didn’t startle, only joined her when it was able to slip through his pride. It seemed that Percy Weasley was as fast a learner as he claimed. Not only was he a fast learner, he was a lot more respectful than she was used to (or preferred). His hands never touched the skin beneath her skirt or wandered to her chest, they remained firmly nestled in the folds in her skirt, only occasionally straying up her back. That would have to be the next lesson.

When she pulled away for air, dark pupils blown to ridiculous proportions. He was staring at her like she had the answers to questions he didn’t know yet, and that scared her.

That really fucking scared her.

“Elle,” he whispered, still panting.

“What?” she asked, but he didn’t respond, only kissed her again. She was glad, she was sure whatever was going to come out of his mouth would have been the last thing she wanted to hear.

Dinah had always warned her about virgin boys.

“They’re too good at it,” she always said, a proclamation of the unfairness, “They look at you like you’re some sort of angel, and then they’re proclaiming they’re love before you can get their pants unbuckled.” Elle had always rolled her eyes at that, but for a moment, she knew what it was like to be looked at like an angel.

Percy was different though. He wasn’t going to fall in love with her, that very idea was laughable. Percy was reasonable, and practical, and followed through with his outlandish goals.

Plus, he was only an average kisser.

And Elle was only an average liar, even to herself, because what he was doing was anything but average.

That night ended like the one before it; with a final kiss that left both wanting more (but nothing more than another) and Elle leaving him alone in the room of his choosing.

Dinah had no idea what she was talking about, virgin boys were as harmless as they came.

Taglist: @andromedasstarship​

[kurowrites]

I’m sure someone sent this to you already but ‘“You’re the one in class who has tattoos all over their arms and piercings and everybody’s scared of you and one day I catch you watching cat videos and doodling in the middle of a lecture and wow you’re a dork” AU.’ screams WangXian and I’d love to read your take on this! Thanks for all the amazing fics!

You were in fact the first to send this suggestion! And I agree, this is a very Wangxian thing. :3c

---

When Wei Ying joined Lan Zhan’s class for the first time, his appearance was followed by heated gossip and a badly suppressed uproar. Everything about Wei Ying’s appearance was eye-catching, from the long hair tied into a ponytail to the heavy black boots he was wearing. And while his mostly black clothes and the rows of piercings in his ears alone might have been enough to make him stick out like a sore thumb in the environment of an university classroom where most people wore button-down shirts and blouses rather than t-shirts, there were two things in particular that marked Wei Ying as an immediate outsider. The first was the piercing on his left lower lip that was connected to his left ear with a small metal chain. The second were the colourful tattoos sprawling down his slender arms poking out of an oversized t-shirt.

Lan Zhan himself couldn’t help but stare for a moment, his eyes wandering over the motives engraved on Wei Ying’s arms as he catalogued them. Halfway poking out of his shirt sleeve was what must be Guanyin holding a lotus flower. Delicate orchids were trailing along his elbow. Below that, a crane among pines. A dragon among drifting clouds was on his other arm. There were more, but before Lan Zhan could see them properly, Wei Ying moved, turned towards him with a crooked smile and a casual introduction.

The tattoos on his arms turned into a colourful blur as he moved, and Lan Zhan… was struck.

It didn’t take long for people to start spinning tales. The most popular was that Wei Ying got involved with crime at a young age and had been a member of a criminal organisation for the longest time. The stories differed, some saying that his father had been a triad boss, others saying that he got picked up off the streets by ruffians when he became orphaned. Whichever it might be, however, everyone was in agreement that Wei Ying was a dangerous person, and that it was better to stay away from him as far as possible. Many were offended that he was allowed to enrol in the university at all.

A person like that, at their prestigious university? Inconceivable.

But Lan Zhan knew that Wei Ying wasn’t here without reason. He might not be the image of a model student, but he had the academic qualifications to justify his enrolment. Even if it sometimes pained Lan Zhan himself to admit that.

Most students preferred to keep their distance from Wei Ying and only talk about him behind his back, which made Lan Zhan and Wei Ying more similar than he really liked. After all, most students kept their distance from Lan Zhan, too. If for entirely different reasons.

But their mutual unpopularity (if it could be called that) often led to them sitting close to each other during class. No one would sit next to Wei Ying on their own accord. Wei Ying, on the other hand, had no qualms seating himself in the eternally vacant seat next to Lan Zhan.

It was strange, the first time it happened. It wasn’t just the fact that no one ever sat this close to Lan Zhan that wasn’t family. It was also that the presence of Wei Ying next to him was completely different from anyone else. Lan Zhan had been taught how to sit properly from earliest childhood. Sit upright. Sit still. Be attentive. Don’t fidget.

Wei Ying was the complete opposite. It didn’t take five minutes for him to start moving around, slumping in his seat, trying to find a comfortable position for his limbs. Sometimes he went as far as slipping out of his boots, sitting cross-legged on the chair or tucking one foot under his leg. It drove Lan Zhan absolutely insane. How difficult could it be to sit still for one class? And how difficult could it be to not involve Lan Zhan in his disruptive activities?

It was hard to concentrate when someone next to you was constantly moving around. And whenever Lan Zhan dared to look over, he caught Wei Ying in some kind of activity that certainly didn’t have anything to do with the lesson at hand: sneakily eating snacks, watching cat videos or, perhaps the rudest of it all, just plain dozing. How he managed to follow the lesson, Lan Zhan didn’t know. But it was clear that he followed it, because the teacher had yet to catch Wei Ying off guard.

And then, when he was particularly bored, he would lob little pieces of paper at Lan Zhan. At first, Lan Zhan thought they were simple harassment for the sake of harassment, but after a sustained assault, he became aware that each of the papers contained a message.

The whole incident was caused by Lan Zhan making the unfortunate decision of looking over to Wei Ying’s side during the lesson, and catching Wei Ying watching cat videos on his smartphone. Lan Zhan sent him one of his particularly vicious glares, and turned back to the front to listen to the teacher. He only just caught Wei Ying’s shameless grin in the corner of his eye, an obvious sign that he wasn’t feeling sorry at all before he turned back to the video.

Lan Zhan was incensed. How could such a bad student manage to keep on top of this class? It was frustrating. It was… had no one ever put this young man in his place?

A few minutes into his quietly stewing anger, a paper landed on Lan Zhan’s desk. When Lan Zhan looked over, Wei Ying exaggeratedly mimed unfolding the paper.

Lan Zhan should really know better. And yet, he unfolded the paper.

Lan Zhan, are you more of a cat person or a dog person?

He crumpled the message with prejudice and glared at Wei Ying without bothering with a reply.

A moment later, another piece of paper landed on his desk.

Cat person, then. ;D

Wei Ying grinned shamelessly when Lan Zhan sent him another chastising look.

It didn’t take long, and yet another paper landed on Lan Zhan’s desk. This time, it was a terrible drawing of a cat.

Not good?

And then, seeing that it incensed Lan Zhan, Wei Ying started sending him different drawings of animals in quick succession, trying to guess his favourite. Of course, none of them were even remotely accurate, and all were terrible.

Snake?

Spider???

The spider was more than Lan Zhan could bear. He turned the paper around and finally wrote his first reply, scratching each word into the paper with force, as if he could force common sense into Wei Ying’s head that way.

Spiders have eight legs and four pairs of eyes.

Wei Ying only chuckled and quickly sent another reply.

Ah, so you do like them. :3

No.

Come on, tell me what you like!

Lan Zhan stowed the paper away to throw it out later on. He would never, ever give that kind of ammunition to Wei Ying.

It was not enough to discourage Wei Ying just yet, however.

Oh, I know. :3

A few moments later, a new drawing landed on Lan Zhan’s desk.

Lan Zhan stared blankly at the cute and surprisingly detailed drawing of a rabbit, evidently a very different quality from the earlier sloppy doodles.

Good, no? This is what Lan Zhan looks like, to me.

Lan Zhan couldn’t figure out if it was supposed to be an insult or a compliment. Before he could settle on one or the other, however, another message landed on his desk.

My tattoos were all designed by myself.

That gave Lan Zhan pause. Wei Ying’s tattoos? He had designed all of them himself? Of course Lan Zhan had noticed before that despite the fact that Wei Ying had many different motives on his arms, they seemed to fit together very well, building a cohesive, well-designed unit. But he had been so caught up in the unsuitability of having tattoos at all that he had never thought about whether the tattoos itself held any meaning or not. But if Wei Ying designed them–

His thoughts were interrupted by another folded paper.

I’ve noticed your looks.

Lan Zhan felt his ears burn.

He had always assumed that Wei Ying was either ignorant or completely uncaring of all the strange looks he was getting. But that couldn’t be true, now that he thought about it. It wasn’t like Lan Zhan was unaware of the looks he was getting, no matter how much he liked to pretend that he was above such things.

Before he could react to Wei Ying’s last message, however, the bell rung and announced the end of the class.

And Wei Ying, quick as a rabbit, was out the door before the teacher could even dismiss them.

---

From that moment onwards, something had changed.

Perhaps it was that Lan Zhan didn’t have the luxury of pretending that he didn’t care anymore. Perhaps it was that someone finally had him made take a long, hard look into the mirror. And he didn’t quite like what he saw.

He felt frustratingly out of control, the next time he deliberately sat down on the seat right next to Wei Ying, and the way Wei Ying smiled in return only served to drive it home that Lan Zhan had just made an irrevocable decision.

The course of his destiny, he had no doubt, had been altered.

Wei Ying had forced him to make a decision.

And Wei Ying, judging by the look he sent him, understood what Lan Zhan’s choice had been.

This time, once class was over, Wei Ying didn’t take off with the ring of the bell. Instead, he patiently waited until Lan Zhan had packed his things and was ready to leave (as patiently as Wei Ying ever did anything, that was).

When they left the classroom, together, Wei Ying softly bumped into Lan Zhan’s side and smiled up at him. Lan Zhan couldn’t fully read the expression on Wei Ying’s face, but he thought that Wei Ying looked happy, somehow.

“Do you like them?” Wei Ying asked.

He didn’t need to explain what it was that he meant. Lan Zhan understood.

“Hn,” he replied.

It was all he could say. He felt that both ‘You are very good at drawing’ and ‘I want to know where else you have tattoos’ were somehow inadequate and also inappropriate, so he remained quiet.

It didn’t help that the third thought that crossed his mind was ‘How would it feel if I kissed that piercing on your lip right now?’

Wei Ying, thankfully, took pity on him. He tapped at the delicate orchids at his elbow and said, “This is my latest one. I got it after the birth of my nephew.”

He smiled, clearly lost in a happy memory for one moment. Then, he looked up at Lan Zhan again, and his smile turned impish instead.

“I have a feeling I might be getting another one soon,” he added with a laugh in his voice. “And I think… it’s going to be a rabbit.”

The gods have mercy on me, Lan Zhan thought to himself. Where is he planning to put that?

He wondered if Wei Ying would allow him to know.

[guigz1-coldwar]

'An proposition' : an new chapter for "The woman with an strange name" is out !

Chapter Summary : After what happened in the saloon in the middle of the day, Bell is slowly becoming an important person in town but how Adler's gang is going to react to everything ?....

To read it on AO3, click here !

Taglist : @snowgoldwaylon , @clxudtea , @efingart , @smokeywhalee (If anyone want to be added, feel free to tell me, same thing for my main fic "Redemption of an Spirit in an Cold War')

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The Mayor's House

Adler....he was intrigued. It was an first time for him and he was intrigued. Not by everything he managed to build & to control, not by the conflicts he's been fighting for time to time, not by his own troubled past as an soldier in the US Army and his numerous fights he led but he was mostly intrigued by something....someone that arrived in his own town just yesterday and that she was already making noises...the woman with an dusty coat and an Colt Single Action Army : the woman who is called 'Bell'....

He was like that because firstly, that woman was an perfect stranger to everyone here but second, this woman kinda like to put an stand against his men. He saw what happened in that saloon : she got someone in gunpoint after breaking the nose of another guy. He wasn't really angry against that woman, he was just....curious. That curiosity was making him do an lot of thinking inside his office in the house he was now living, protected by his men all around.

"Russ'." An voice broke him away from his own thoughts as he was looking outside throught his window, on the chair of his desk. "Russ'" The voice repeated, now fully get attention of Adler, causing him to turn around to discover his lieutenant, Jason Hudson who has entered the room.

"Jason." Adler spoke up an little, breaking the silence as he didn't talk too much since the beginning of the day. "What do you want ?" He asked to his lieutenant as the latter got sit on the chair in front of his desk.

"Guys are worried, they didn't see you since you left the saloon last night." Hudson replied, sounding very worried about his friend but Adler shook his head.

"They shouldn't be like that, they know that I'm well." He refuted, thinking that this thought is useless for his men, he protected 24 hours an day by them and they should be worried ? Hell no ! "Jason, our men need to stay calm and no need to worry about me." He added, lookind down at his desk. "I'm not an bloody amateur." He cursed, clenching his fists on his chair armrests.

"There's also the situation about that woman in town." Hudson said, trying to get Adler's attention on the subject since he didn't want to talk more about it after the incident in the saloon. "Our boys doesn't really understand your view on the situation." He continued.

"I know but I ain't going to kill someone like that." Adler exclaimed, joining his both hands together. "This woman, what do we know about her ?" He demanded to his friend.

"As the receptionist told me, she arrived in the hotel and installed herself in it." Hudson started, gesturing outside. "He also told me that she was mostly talking with Azoulay since her arrival here, my men said that they saw the two an lot of time." He added to his sort of report to Adler.

"We will have to....."

"Sir !" An voice interrupted Adler in his phrase as the door was widely opened in an second like that without anyone actually knocking at the door and asking for permission to enter the room. "Sir, we got an problem !" He revealed, completely panicked, holding the door.

"You didn't learn how to knock here ?" Adler was sounding nearly angry by the rude attitude this man just did.

"I'm sorry, sir but this is important." The man apologized before taking an deep breath, looking exhausted like if the man ran for an very long time. "The woman....the stranger...she just shot Finn dead !" He revealed, causing Hudson to get up instantly from his seat as Adler...he stayed sit on his chair, an bit unsurprised to be honest...very strange as he just learned that someone killed one of his men...

"That woman shot him like that ?" Hudson protested, looking at the man with great curiosity.

"No, Finn saw her put her eyes again on Miss Park and Finn came in, to remind her of the rules in town but that did escalate quickly." He responded, removing his hands from the door and put it against the door frame. "She managed to draw two guns under her coat and killed him in an quick fire before she blast our private room." He continued as Hudson's eyes were like going in full concern. "As soon as she left the saloon that we took Miss Park with us and we came back here."

"That's enough for us to make an example, Russ !" Hudson claimed, angered about the whole situation about the woman in town but Adler shook his head again.

"Like I said last night, no retaliation is going to be made against that woman !" He reaffirmed again, raising his index finger to both men. "I'm going to have talk with that lady, to see what we can know about her." He explained as the man who bursted in, removed his hat.

"Sir...uhm...despite your orders, Finn has tried to poison her horse this morning but he failed, that's why she killed him as we thought." He told the two in an low voice and looking down at his feets, not wanting to met eyes with his two superiors.

"See, if we had retaliate, it would have gone bad and look what Finn received in return." Adler spoke up, not even saddened by one of his men death...he was always thinking that Finn was an idiot...she did unadvertantly get rid of an nuisance in his gang....."I will have an word with that woman tonight in the saloon, keep the men under control, Jason."

"Understood." Hudson nodded despite disagreeing in the inside with his friend before he left the room.

"You said that you wanted to see me ?" Another voice came in, an fragile & beautiful one....innocent & pretty...miss Park in person as she was crossing paths with Hudson, dressed in an typical red dress and her usual scarf around the neck.

"Leave !" He ordered in an harsh tone to the man who stormed in and who quickly complied to his order, leaving in no-time the room and closing the door behind him, knowing that this discussion was very personal. "I heard that this woman...." He started, finally going up off his chair to face his 'wife'. "She looked at you two times : one time at my presence and the other today....why ?" He questioned her in an serious tone.

"Do you think I have the answers ?" She asked him back, sounding very low but her words were unfortunately bad chosen as Adler suddenly grabbed her by the neck and put her back against the closed door, almost opening it wide open.

"Listen to me, lady !" He said, holding her neck firmly like if she was nothing. "I'm the one asking the questions and I'm annoyed on your time to time attitude with me so answer that very question." He continued as he was seeing tears coming from her eyes but he didn't care, he was the one to put fear in people, not the others. "Who is this lady and why is she looking at you ?" He repeated harshly.

"I don't know !" She pleaded, telling the truth but for him, she was lying, causing him to reinforce his grab on her. "Adler...I swear, I don't know her." She repeated, her voice almost choked by Adler's hands and her pleads was seeming to now work as he removed his hands from her.

"See, it always work !" He scoffed before he put his two hands on her face, forcing her for an kiss on the lips....an disgusting and ashamed kiss for miss Park as she didn't even move her lips at all as for me, he was trying to get inside her mouth with his tongue, wanting an deeper kiss but her obstination to not doing anything make him stop. "Go ! Back to your room !" He raised his voice at her after her refusal, opening the door widely and letting her go, feeling ashamed inside of her of her status before Adler closed the door behind her.

This is this town and problems has always been here for him : some other outlaws gang trying to sneak in town, the US Marshals that are trying to get his hands on hip despite making some 'donations' to some of them to let him be but the problem that he is facing these days was different : an woman....an stranger was coming in his town and she was defying his own authority he has established, she was intriguing and he wanted to know more about this woman....he IS the mayor to this town....

He want to know who is this woman....this strange woman....

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

That little stunt that she moved in that saloon today was giving too much questions for the citizens of Redemption....questions Bell was fully aware off at the moment her & her horse, Butterfly put their feets inside the cities limits but these questions....she would prefer to not answer them directly to everyone in town. This wasn't something she wanted to do and to avoid that to happen, she spent the entire afternoon in her hotel room, cleaning up her guns, filling empty mags of her pistols with some bullets she had in her satchel and taking some rest.

In fact, she wanted to know if Adler's gang were going to reprimand her for having killed that Finn in public like that but they never came for her...like she predicted in the first hours following that event. Of course, she didn't want to spent all day inside that room so as the night were falling down on the city, she decided to go take an little drink to the saloon....just that even if maybe all the looks will be on her, an little glass of whisky were needed for her.

Like she expected at the second she entered the saloon that some of the folks inside were having their eyes on her but she could see some differences from last day & earlier this day : there were no armed men, not even one and Miss Park wasn't here in that couch but these thoughts went quickly out her mind as she installed herself to the bar counter to take the glass of whisky she couldn't enjoy because of last day event.

"Seems the sheriff is coming." The bartender said after an few minutes after Bell's arrival as he was serving another client, causing Bell to peak her eyes quickly to discover the sheriff Azoulay, entering the saloon through its swinging doors before taking another sip of her almost emptied glass.

"Miss Bell." Azoulay saluted Bell with his hat as he arrived next to her.

"Sheriff." She greeted him as he installed himself.

"Hi sheriff, what can I serve you ?" The bartender asked him, moving in front of him behind his bar counter.

"Nothing, thank you." Azoulay politely refused any drinks right now....like Bell said last day, he was 'still in service' and that, it wouldn't do that. The bartender understood as he moved away from the duo as the sheriff wanted to talk with her. "You didn't came to see me after what you did to Finn." He started, having witnessed the events from his building.

"I wanted to have some peace." She replied in an low voice, now looking at her empty glass in her hands. "And also because I didn't want to brag myself about killing that guy, you know." She added to him and he understand by nodding to her.

"I'm still surprised that Adler didn't came to get to you." He told her in an surprised tone before she looked at him with an grin on her face.

"As I am too, kinda predictable." She affirmed, making an little laugh as the sheriff was now very curious about that thought she just had at the moment.

"Why did you think of it ?" He demanded in an serious tone, getting his arms on the counter. "Do you know Adler ?"

"No...I don't know him." She responded to him at the very second he asked that question, an feeling of disturbance inside of her. "It's just that people like him always want to know more about the problems they have before acting." She explained, giving her thoughts about the same people like Adler....like if she was in their heads.

"You must be very talented to know that." He said, having an little smile on his face before he looked around outside just behind her. "Well...speaking of the devil...." He whispered, getting Bell's attention to look outside.

As she look around, she could see the 'mayor' in town, the leader of his gang....Russell Adler, accompanied by some of his men including his lieutenant Hudson entering the saloon and their arrivals caused an direct silence in the whole main room like if the ambiance became like the one in the cemetery of the town. After she looked at them quickly, she turned around, her gaze back on her empty glass...she was now the only one who didn't have their eyes on Adler & his men and she was mostly...unimpressed. by them.

"I heard that....an stranger were in town !" Adler started loudly, watching at everyone as he was trying to find the person in question until he got his eyes locked on the only person that wasn't looking near the sheriff. "That...this woman...managed to defend herself against two of my men and killed just one today." He added as he was walking towards the bar counter, his men staying at the doors. "And now, I'm just near that person and I want explanations." He demanded, getting himself next to Bell, an arm on the counter, now awaiting for an answer.

"You're the man called Russell Adler ? The 'American Monster' ?" She asked back, not even looking at him as her index finger was making an round on her empty glass. "To tell you, yes, I did killed your man called Finn and also breaking his nose and finally threatening his friend with my revolver." She admitted clearly.

"So, you're not even ashamed of what you have done ?" He questioned and she shook her head like that, biting her lips.

"I did what's right, sir." She said in an low voice before she resigned herself to look at the man in the face, seeing his scars on the jaw and his look that could mean 'death incarnate' but nothing to her. "And now, you maybe want to...make an example ? To show that you're the leader ?" She exclaimed, curious.

"Let me see your gun." He demanded, moving his hand towards her.

"As you wish." She breathed, sounding annoyed as she took out her revolver off her holstler without questioning why he was asking this. "And don't forget these one too." She scoffed, deciding to take out her two Modele 1899 that she put on the bar counter under an stunned look by the sheriff and an little one by Adler.

"You have quite some pieces in here." Adler told her, putting his hands on the counter, looking at the three guns that she put on it but it was looking like he wasn't going to touch them, resisting the urge to have one in hands. "Can I ?" He finally asked.

"No !" She smirked at him, taking back her guns back with her. "You can look but you can't touch." She claimed after putting her two Modele 1899 back inside her coat, hidden from everyone as Adler was looking an bit angry until he could keep his cool.

"I like her !" He said loudly to his men that stayed behind him before looking back to her. "Listen, I have an proposition to you to make." He explained, wanting her full attention on him. "Why don't you....and our sheriff came by tomorrow in the evening at my house to discuss ?" He proposed to them as the two looked at each other an bit disturbed.

"Why...not ?" She whispered, her eyes back on Adler after Azoulay raised his shoulders.

"Good because you couldn't refuse it anyway." Adler proclaimed in an clear voice as he start to slowly walk away from the duo. "Don't forget that !" He added as an big advice as he was back next to his men before making an gesture that restarted the little ambiance of the saloon, everyone thinking that Adler was really going to make an example with that stranger but nothing, everyone went lucky this night. Even the sheriff couldn't really believe at all....

"Well...seems that we're having an invitation to attend !"

[musecharm-writes]

Bad Influence, Pt 2 (Steve Harrington X Reader)

Summary: Jonathan, Robin, Steve, and Nancy find out more about what happened at Melvald’s; you have your first shift at the general store.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

When Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, and Robin head to the Byers’ later that night, Joyce is there, making herself a sandwich and smoking a cigarette in the kitchen.

“Jonathan, sweetie? That you?”

“Yeah, Mom,” Jonathan replies. “Nancy, Steve, and Robin are here, too.”

Joyce appears around the corner, a look of surprise on her face. “Oh! Hey, guys! Sorry, if I had known you were coming I would’ve cooked dinner, or--or gotten take-out, or something. Will is over at Dustin’s tonight so I was expecting it to just be me and Jonathan--” She cuts herself off to take a pull from her cigarette.

“That’s okay, Ms Byers, me and Robin were gonna get pizza later,” Steve says politely. He’s always been good with parents, moms especially, and for whatever reason Joyce seems to like him. 

He assumes that Jonathan has never breathed a word to her about all the shit Steve used to put her son through, otherwise he’d probably be eating all his meals through a straw to this very day.

“Hey, Mom,” Jonathan begins, in a characteristically unsubtle fashion, “we were wondering if we could ask you about something.”

Joyce smiles, somewhat unsurely. “Okay,” she says, with a nervous little laugh, “ask away.”

Jonathan and Nancy share a look before Nancy says, “We were wondering if you knew anything about what happened at Melvald’s earlier today?”

Joyce’s eyebrows draw together, a furrow appearing like magic on a face that Steve privately thought looked too young for all the stress Joyce Byers carries with her. “How do you all know about that?”

“Steve and Robin saw it,” Jonathan says.

“Uh, technically only I saw it,” Steve corrected. “I’m still not quite sure what it was all about, though, we were too far away.”

Joyce nods slowly, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “Well… I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to tell you. Technically, I’m supposed to keep it kind of a secret.”

“We won’t tell anyone,” Nancy says, and Steve can tell she’s trying her absolute best to look innocent and wide-eyed. “We’re very curious, is all. And, honestly, a little worried that something bad is happening again.”

Clever play, Nance. They weren’t worried there was another impending apocalypse -- not really. She’s just trying to appeal to Joyce’s instinct to comfort.

Sure enough, it works; that furrow in Joyce’s brow deepens as her conflicted expression melts into a look of concern. “Oh, honey, no. It’s nothing like that.” She bites her lip, mulling it over for a moment, before she says, “Okay, if I tell you, you all have to promise you’ll keep it quiet, okay?”

They all give various answers in the affirmative.

“Someone -- a teenager, around your age -- tried to steal a carton of cigarettes from Melvald’s. I spotted them right as they slipped it into their pocket and started to walk away. Powell and Callahan happened to be there, stopping by on their way to the station, so they took the kid in.”

“Seriously? They tried to steal cigarettes?” Nancy asks, her nose wrinkling with her distaste. “God, that’s so stupid. I’m glad you caught them.”

Joyce sighs. “I feel a little bad for getting them in trouble. It seems like it’s just a case of a good kid making bad choices. I mean, I remember myself at that age…” She shakes her head, taking another drag from her cigarette. She walks over to the coffee table and flicks ash into the ashtray.

“I mean, you did the right thing though, right? Just because they’re some mixed up kid doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have to learn from their mistakes just like anyone else,” Steve says.

Everyone, save for Joyce, turns to look at him.

“...Why are you all staring at me like that?”

Robin puts a hand on his shoulder. “Probably because that’s the most intelligent thing that’s ever come out of your mouth,” she says, giving his shoulder a little pat.

“Hey!” Steve exclaims, but everyone else is laughing, and he can’t help but smile.

Even though he knows it can’t possibly be true, because he says intelligent stuff all the time.

--

The morning of your first shift at Melvald’s begins with your alarm clock, which you set the night before to go off at five. Unfortunately, it never actually went off; unbeknownst to you, one of the breakers had tripped in the middle of the night, which reset your alarm clock.

You wake up from a blissful sleep and roll over to see the blinking red 12:00 . For a second, you don’t comprehend what you’re looking at, and then when it sinks in, you scramble out of bed so frantically that you go tumbling to the ground, tangled in the sheets, yelling, “SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!”

You get ready faster than you ever have in your life, skipping breakfast and brushing your teeth in the kitchen sink while tugging on your clothes. As soon as you’re ready, you’re flying out the door, grabbing your bike, and peeling down the road that will bring you to Downtown Hawkins. You count your lucky stars that the only drivers out this early are the people driving to work.

When you get to Melvald’s, you chain your bike up at the bike rack and blow through the door like a hurricane, your cheeks bright red with exertion and your blood rushing in your ears. The tinkling of the bell over the door is almost mocking in its gentleness.

The store is almost completely empty except for a single woman in a uniform vest who appears to be pricing items. She looks over at you; you recognise her as Joyce Byers, the woman who caught you stealing the cigarettes.

“Oh! Hey,” she says, sounding surprised to see you.

“I’m so-- so sorry,” you pant, walking forward a bit to lean on the counter. “My… My alarm... didn’t go off, and I--”

She waves a hand. “Don’t worry about it. You’re actually early.”

You pause, your chest heaving, looking at her in disbelief. “Really?”

“Yep. By about…” She looks at a clock behind the counter. “Fifteen minutes, give or take.”

You let your head loll against your back. “So I skipped breakfast for nothing.”

Joyce smiled sympathetically. “‘Fraid so. Sorry. If it makes you feel better, Hop’ll definitely be happy about it.”

And, embarrassingly enough, it does make you feel a little better.

You’d like to say your first day on the job goes pretty well.

You’d like to say that, but if you did, it would be a lie.

It starts with the pricing gun, which miraculously stops working moments after Joyce leaves you to your task. She assures you that it’s just because the damn thing is so old and Gary refuses to replace it because of how expensive they are, which makes you feel a little better, but part of you still feels as though you broke it despite her reassurance.

Then, when Joyce offers you a break to go and grab lunch for the two of you from the diner, you almost lose the money she gives you thanks to a hole in your pocket that you hadn’t even realised was there. Thankfully, you’re able to make it with the cash still in hand, but the incident makes you so nervous that on the way back to the store you almost drop everything multiple times.

When you finally make it back, the store is unusually busy, so you’re forced to stow the paper take-out bags under the counter as Joyce attempts to teach you how to use the register. You frantically memorise as much as you can, and are somehow able to make it through the rush without missing a beat, but by the time it’s over and the two of you are able to take a load off, your lunch is stone cold.

“I’m sorry,” you say to Joyce, staring dejectedly at your cold fries. “I don’t know why I’m having such a shitty day today. I’m trying so hard but it feels like everything is going wrong.”

Joyce shakes her head. “Hey, no. It’s okay. Sometimes, you just have bad luck, no matter how hard you try. It’s not your fault.” She places a hand on your shoulder and squeezes.

You wonder why she’s being so nice to you, but you can’t work up the nerve to ask. Instead, you ask if there’s a microwave you can use to heat up the food.

Toward the end of your shift at around 12:30, Joyce calls you over from where you’ve been organising a window display and says, “Hey, would you mind going into the back and grabbing the boxes that have ‘ballpoint’ and ‘pencil - yellow’ written on them? I need to restock.”

“I’ll do it for you!” You blurt out. You can feel your cheeks flushing.

“Oh,” Joyce says, raising her eyebrows at you. “Okay. Uh, I’ll show you where they go and then that’ll be the last thing you have to do before I let you go for the day. Okay?”

You nod, too flustered to speak. You need Joyce to like you for reasons you aren’t totally sure of, and you hope with every part of you that you aren’t being too obvious.

Joyce walks you through restocking the shelves and then sends you on your way to retrieve the boxes from storage. They’re bigger than you thought they would be considering they’re just boxes of pens and pencils, but you guess it makes sense, since it’s not like the boxes are full of individual pencils and pens. There are three of them, standard sized cardboard boxes; you lift each one and find that you could probably carry two at a time, if you were careful. You stack the two boxes of pencils on top of each other on the ground, squat, and lift them up with a grunt of effort.

Now that you’re holding them, you realise it’s a little hard to see around the boxes. You have to angle your head awkwardly to peer around one side, which leaves you with a pretty big blind spot. You guess you’ll just have to trust that any customers nearby will be smart enough to stay out of the way.

You’ve made it almost all the way to the correct shelf before tragedy strikes again.

You glance down at the ground to make sure that there’s nothing you could trip over or slip on, and as you’re adjusting your grip on the bottom box, you hear a voice coming near you.

“--And stop nagging me! You’re not my mother, Buckley!”

Shortly following this is a shout of, “Steve! Watch where you’re--!”

You look up right in time to slam into someone.

The boxes fly right out of your hands. Boxes of yellow Ticonderoga pencils go flying, scattering across the floor. Some of the boxes even come open and pencils go rolling every which way. You end up flat on your ass in the middle of it all.

For a moment, you stare at the boxes of pencils all over the floor, gobsmacked. Once you’re able to tear your eyes away from the mess, you look up to find Steve Harrington looking down at you with his eyes as wide as dinner plates, but not one strand of hair out of place.

The two of you just stare at each other for a moment. Then, Harrington opens his mouth.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” he babbles, dropping to his knees and starting to pick up the stray boxes and escaped pencils. “That was an accident, uh-- shit, I swear I’m not usually this much of a klutz. I’m sorry, please, lemme help--”

“It’s okay,” you sigh, somewhat dejected. You’re probably going to have to stay after your shift ends to finish picking all this up and do what you promised Joyce. You glance at the clock and find your theory is confirmed, to your dismay. “I can handle it. It’s my job.”

“No, really, I…” He pauses after a moment, squinting at you. “Wait. Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

He has. The two of you went to school together for, like, your entire lives. That’s not what he means, though; he recognises you from yesterday, when he watched you get patted down and shoved in a cop car after making the dumbest mistake you’ve ever made in your life.

“We went to the same school for twelve years,” you say stiffly. Like hell are you gonna remind him if he actually forgot.

“...Oh,” he replies awkwardly. “Uh. Sorry. But, no, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere else. Did you used to hang out at the mall? I used to work there. Oh!” He snaps his fingers. “Wait! I got it! You’re the one who got arrested yesterday, right?”

Before you can answer, a girl you vaguely recognise as being a high schooler a couple of years your junior appears at Harrington’s side, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him with surprising strength and an almost enraged expression.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” She hisses at him, before turning to you with a sunny smile. “I’m so sorry about him, he’s chronically stupid. We’re going to go before he says another dumb thing, right , Steve?” She has him by the ear, now, and you have to admit it’s kind of funny; she’s a couple of inches shorter than him, so he has to bend down to keep her from tearing his ear off.

“OW! Yes , Robin, jesus! Let go of me, I’m leaving!”

As you watch them go, you can’t help but feel disappointed. You’d kind of wanted someone to help you pick up the pencils.

--

When Robin and Steve are outside of Melvald’s, Robin finally lets go of Steve’s ear, saying, “Steve, what have we talked about? About thinking before we speak?”

Steve scrubs a hand over his face. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m trying. It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Robin rolls her eyes. “I know, dummy. I had to learn it, too.” She sticks her hands in her pockets and glances back into the general store through the front window. “So, what was your angle with that whole spiel back there?”

Steve blanches. “What?”

“I mean , you’re not just nice to people for no reason all the time, even if you did something to them. So why were you being such a hardcore nice guy?”

Steve opens his mouth to say something and realises he doesn’t have any clue how to respond. He crosses his arms and shrugs, flustered. “I dunno. Maybe I just felt like it. What’s it to you?”

He starts to walk away, tired of the conversation, and Robin comes trotting after him, still yapping right in his ear. (He pretends to be annoyed, but honestly, his heart feels full to the brim with love for Robin. Before her, nobody has ever chased after him before.)

“Uh, you’re my best friend, dumb-dumb! That’s what it is to me! My nose belongs stuck right in your business!” She catches up to him and runs around to plant herself in his path, grinning broadly. “So, tell me what it is that has you so riled up.”

Steve gapes at her for a moment before shrugging again. “...I don’t know.”

Robin arcs a brow at him. “Seriously? You’re still not gonna tell me?”

“Robin, c’mon, I’m telling you I have no idea ,” Steve insists. He sighs, and lowers his voice. “Look, I just felt this weird… Urge to stay and talk? And picking up the mess that I caused anyway seemed like a good excuse at the time. Until I stuck my foot in my mouth, that is,” he sighs.

Robin gasps. “Steven Janine Harrington--”

“Not my name.”

“--Do you have a CRUSH?”

Steve feels his entire body burst into flames. He looks around frantically, saying, “Will you keep your voice down?”

Robin’s face takes on an expression of pure glee. “So you do! Oh my god, I didn’t think you were capable. So, are you going to pursue anything? Or are you more the brood-from-afar type?”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Oh my god, will you shut up? You’re such an embarrassment. This is why I never take you anywhere,” Steve says, walking off in a huff.

Robin chases after him, laughing her ass off. He’s glad at least one of them thinks the situation is funny.

[booknerdproblems]

Liberty Chapter 3

This chapter has a weird prose to dialogue ratio but here goes! It’s a bit of a filler chapter-the next one will be fatter, this is just a little fluff mixed with some setting up of plot!

Here is my main masterlist

Fifteen minutes into his first class, Rowan was already ready to write off the day. None of his friends were in his maths class, and he’d forgotten his book in the first-day rush this morning, meaning he couldn’t zone out with his nose in a book. 

Nervously, he pushed his thick-rimmed glasses up his nose, an unfortunate habit he’d picked up in social situations.

Rowan groaned quietly, trying not to draw attention to himself. The teacher wasn’t bad, but it seemed like she could drone on and on about the quadratic formula all. Damn. day. 

A small weight hit him on the back of the head, and he caught it to find a scrunched up ball of paper. He unrolled it, to find a ‘hey ;)’ in a neat, cursive script. He looked behind him, eyes wide, to find a blonde woman smiling at him. The smile seemed genuine enough; she was pretty, ice-blue eyes, pale skin, platinum blonde hair in a high ponytail. Still, there was something… cold about her, almost snake-like.

Rowan gave a shy, tentative smile back, inwardly cursing his awkwardness as red creeped up his neck. He turned back around, trying to focus, when a foot kicked his chair. Rowan ignored it, determindley trying to focus on the equation before him, but it persisted until Rowan pointedly shifted his chair forward, and he heard a huff from behind him. Gods, what was her problem? 

Luckily, the rest of the class passed without further incident, and Rowan was out of there the second the bell rang. 

-x-

Rowan speed walked down the corridor, the loud chatter and delicious smells from the lunch hall taunting him as he approached. 

After a couple of scans of the canteen, he finally found their table, and he gratefully slid into the seat beside Aelin, across from Nehemia and Fenrys, nodding to Brullo leaned up against the wall a little way away. 

Aelin grinned at him as he sat down, offering him a bite of her sandwich. He took it, considered, then immediately grabbed the rest out of her hand,

“What is in this thing?”

“Do you not like it?”

“No I LOVE it.” Rowan took another huge bite, and looked sideways at Aelin, who was watching him, amused.

“Emrys made it for me. He said, ridiculously, and I quote ‘you need to eat more vegetables.’” Aelin recounted incredulously. 

Rowan stared at her, deadpan for a beat, before saying, confused, “you do need to eat more vegetables. Emrys is right.” 

The whole gang often frequented the White House kitchens, the head chef, Emrys, keeping them all fed until he got annoyed and shooed them into the gardens.

“Wow. Betrayal. From my own best friend. I will have you know that I ate carrot cake the other day. Carrot. That's a vegetable.” Aelin sounded so proud of herself, but the expression morphed into horror as Rowan went to take another bite of her sandwich, “give it back, you’ve eaten loads, you buzzard.”

Just for the hell of it, Rowan held it above his head, way out of her reach, laughing at her outraged expression.

Aelin huffed dramatically, straining up to reach it, whilst hitting his bicep pathetically, pressing all of her body alongside his. Fuck. He did not think this through. Her face was an inch away from his as she hung onto his raised arm, tugging it fruitlessly. He could smell her perfume, jasmine and lemon verbena, feminine and elegant, along with her natural scent, wild and so naturally Aelin it was like wildfire. Luckily, he was saved from his damning thoughts as Lorcan came up behind the pair, grabbed Aelin’s sandwich from his hand, and took a bite of it himself, before plonking down next to Nehemia, who had been watching the pair amusedly. 

Aelin screeched at him, now half draped across the table in her mission to reach the sandwich. 

“Wow, this is good, Ace. Emrys made it?” Lorcan raised his eyebrows.

“Yes, you bastard, now give it back.” 

Lorcan laughed at her desperation, but took pity on the First Daughter, passing it back to her, not before he’d taken another enthusiastic bite. Aelin sat back in her seat, but not before scowling at Rowan, who simply pulled out a small bar of chocolate, and held it up, eyebrows raised. Aelin’s face changed in an instant, mollified, as she grabbed the chocolate, batting away Fenrys’ hands reaching for it.

Rowan drew out his own food, and immediately became engrossed in a conversation with Lorcan and Nehemia about whether the new science teacher was any good.  Somewhere along the way, Yrene and Lysandra came and joined the other ends of the group, the hall becoming busier and louder.

After about ten minutes, he heard a confident voice say his name, and felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He shifted in his seat, torso half turned to find the blonde girl from his maths class, standing there. 

“Um… hi?” He started.

She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder, and smiled at him with poisoned sweetness,“I just came to give you your calculator, you forgot it in the first lesson today,” she held it out to him, and he took it gratefully. 

“Ah, thank you, I must have rushed out too fast.” He smiled at her in thanks, and was about to turn back around when she spoke again. 

“Yeah, I didn’t get a chance to talk to you after the lesson,” she spoke as if they’d been friends forever, “you are going to the start of year party tomorrow?” 

Rowan didn’t even know there was a party, let alone if he was invited. “Um.. I don’t know...I don’t think I was invited,” he answered honestly.

She threw her head back in an over-enthusiastic laugh, and Rowan’s eyes widened in confusion and awkwardness, laughing once nervously. 

“Oh, Rowan, you are too funny,” she put her hand on his shoulder, and Rowan didn’t recall telling her his name.

She continued, “anyways, I’ll be at the party, so I’ll meet you there, yeah?”

Rowan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “Yeah…”

“Awesome, can’t wait!” She flipped her hair over her shoulder again, and sashayed away up to a small group of girls. 

Rowan frowned, and turned back to the table, shaking his head in bewilderment. 

He had another forkful of pasta halfway to his mouth when he realised Fenrys, Lorcan and Nehemia were all staring at him incredulously. 

He lowered his hand slowly, “What?” He asked nervously. 

“Dude,” Fenrys whisper-shouted, “that was Remelle.” He said the name like it was supposed to mean something to him.

“Okay…?”

“Remelle. Head Cheerleader. The girl everybody’s after. Wants to go to a party with you.”

“No… she was giving me back my calculator.”

Lorcan cut in, “No, man, she was flirting with you.”

“That was flirting?” Rowan’s eyes went wide. 

Lorcan took a deep, calming breath, staring at Rowan in confusion. “Yes, you nerd, that was flirting.”

“I didn’t even know her name!”

“She probably assumed you already knew it. Everybody knows Remelle.” Nehemia cut in calmly. 

“Not me! I’m new to society! Nerd, remember?” Rowan pointed to the glasses that were permanently perched on his head. 

“Oh Mala save me!” Fenrys threw his hands up in exasperation.

“But I don’t want to go to a party.” Rowan knew he sounded like a petulant five year old, and was totally okay with that.

Lorcan rolled his eyes, Fenrys sighed, and Nehemia looked at him pityingly. Rowan looked sideways at Aelin, who had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the whole exchange, and was staring at the table like her life depended on it.

“What do you think?”

Aelin looked up, like she was surprised he had asked her. Then she shrugged. Which wasn’t like Aelin at all. She always had something to say. 

“What’s wrong?” He furrowed his brows, concerned. 

She met his eyes, and smiled half-heartedly, “Nothing, buzzard, I’m fine.”

Tags: @yesdreamblog 

@morganofthewildfire 

@woollycat22 

@ireallyshouldsleeprn 

@faerie-queen-fireheart 

@in-love-with-caramel-macchiato 

@http-itsrebecca 

@stardelia 

@rockgirl321 

@queen-of-glass​

@bookworm232020​ 

@more-espresso-less-depresso-xx​

[lunetheaveragefan]

one day...

Finally, Chapter 5 is here! It’s been so long lol. I know I said it would be out last Monday, but finals week and the new semester were crazy and I kept forgetting to queue it up! This chapter does deal with some more serious topics, so please be mindful of that (more info in the warnings down below). Anyway, here it is! I hope you all like it! (Also I think I’ll be posting chapters once every other Monday, so hopefully I’ll remember to stick to that!)

A Sander Sides high school AU

Pairing: Prinxiety and some background Logicality

Summary: Virgil is used to being alone. He only has one friend, Logan. But when Logan makes a new friend, things begin to change as two more join their group. Roman, a boisterous theater kid, seems determined to destroy Virgil’s lonely, average life. How much will Virgil’s life change?

Warnings: Bullying; homophobia and homophobic slurs; description/scene of a panic attack; and swearing. (If there’s anything else, let me know!)

Word Count: 1678 words

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

CHAPTER FIVE

Virgil expected it to be a normal day. 

There were no signs that it was going to be important, so why would he think that it would be anything other than ordinary? Ever since Roman had joined them at the cafe, things had been going on as normal except for how he and Roman were actually talking now and then. And even that he’d gotten used to.

The day before, Roman and Patton had come to the cafe again, and Virgil was actually glad they did. Patton was still a ray of sunshine, but Roman seemed to be getting better. Or maybe he had been better all along, and Virgil was just now realizing it. Either way, things were changing, but not much and not necessarily in a bad way.

Yes, things were going good in Virgil’s world. 

That morning, Virgil got up at 6:45, right on time, and dressed in black jeans, a Panic! shirt, and his favorite sweatshirt. While checking his phone, he walked downstairs for breakfast. He ate his cereal and then went back upstairs to brush his teeth and finish getting ready. After making sure he had everything he needed for the day, he headed out, his mom’s voice telling him to have a good day from somewhere in the house. He drove to school without incident, although his usual parking spot was taken, so he had to park a few spots farther away. Logan was standing by his locker when he got to school, like usual. Just like every other day, they walked to class together, and afterwards, parted their separate ways: Logan to chemistry and Virgil to art. 

Things went according to the norm, following the routine that Virgil knew well. Life could’ve been a little more interesting, but then again, he didn’t find it entirely unpleasant. Even when Tommy and Timmy Wallace started making fun of him, it wasn’t that out of the blue. They had taken Roman’s place as the local asshole when he stopped being a bully at the beginning of high school and were set on making Virgil’s life hell.

Virgil’s standing at his locker, digging through his stuff, looking for a folder when Tommy sneers, “Oh, look, Timmy! It’s the emo cock-sucker.” Behind him, he hears Timmy laugh. Heaving a sigh, Virgil turns around, slamming his locker shut, only to find the twins almost nose-to-nose with him. Well, they would’ve been if Virgil wasn’t a whole head shorter than them.  

Glaring at them, Virgil says, “Get out of my way.” He’s carefully controlling his anger, making sure that he doesn’t explode. That would do no good.

“Aww, is poor baby Viwgil getting angwy?” Timmy mocks in a baby voice. He jabs his twin in the side, laughing. Tommy jabs him back. Unconsciously, Virgil’s hands ball into fists. You can’t get angry. You gotta relax. C’mon, Virgil. He grits his teeth, but because he was frustrated at himself, not angry at the twins.

Unfortunately, Timmy notices the actions and points it out. 

“Ahah! Are you gonna fight us, Virgil? Think you can win? Huh?” Timmy is up in Virgil’s face, so close, Virgil can see his spit flying everywhere when he talks.

Ignoring them, Virgil pushes past and starts walking down the hall. I can’t win. It’s a shot at his pride to walk away, but there’s no way he can beat the two star football players in a fight. I just have to ignore it. Virgil’s had a lot of experience being made fun of, but it never gets easier to face. It just gets easier to ignore.

“Hey!” A hand grabs Virgil by the elbow. It whirls him around so he can see the twins’ smirking faces. “Where you going, faggot? Thought you wanted a fight. Huh?” Heart racing, breath quickening, Virgil feels the panic building in him. Keep it under control. 

“Leave me alone,” he tries to say. Nothing comes out. Virgil can’t tell his body to move. Or walk away. Or do anything. The things running through his brain are going too fast. There, then gone. No, is the only thought that sticks.

Virgil sees their mouths moving, but can’t hear what they’re saying. Everything else is too loud. The pounding of his heart. His breaths, coming much too fast. Students talking, yelling. Lockers slamming. No. No. No, no, no no no nononononono. Why can’t the world just slow down. People bump into him. Every time, he flinches, drawing inward. Just have to make myself smaller. Timmy and Tommy are still talking. Virgil still can’t hear them. 

“Timmy! Stop!” a voice calls. This, Virgil hears. A hand reaches out to turn the boys away from Virgil. The only thing visible is wavy brown hair and tan skin. The twin’s shoulders block out everything else. He doesn’t know who it is. Doesn’t care who it is.

In four, he thinks, breathing in deeply. Hold 6. Out 7. He lets the air out in a cascade. Before he can begin hyperventilating again, he repeats the exercise. The noise of the hallway is too loud. His breathing won’t slow down. Come on, Virgil! Goddammit! Get it under control! 

The twins are still wrapped up in their conversation with Roman Princeford. He must’ve been the voice. But Virgil doesn’t have time to wonder why Roman stood up for him. Not while tears are flooding his eyes. Not while he’s fighting them back. Not while the din of the hallway is crashing around him. Not now. 

Virgil hurries out of the main part of the hallway and stands by the door to a janitor’s closet. The walls turn, forming an indent around where the door is, and feels almost like a shield. Trembling hands pull his headphones from his bag and slide them on his head. Tears blur his vision and his fingers shake as he fumbles for the video he’s trying to find. 

Finally, he finds it. The soothing sound of pouring rain fills his head. Soft piano drifts in the background. Dropping his phone on the ground and closing his eyes, Virgil pictures the rain streaking down a window. Slow and soothing and familiar. In 4, hold 6, out 7. Little by little, he starts to calm down, heartbeat returning to its normal pace, breaths slowing until the dizziness goes away.

He doesn’t know how long it’s been since he sat on the floor, but there’s a gentle tap on his shoulder. When he opens his eyes, Roman looks concerned. Pulling his headphones around his neck, Virgil begins to stand. 

“Are you o—Are you doing better?” Roman asks, looking almost awkward. Even though Roman helped him, Virgil almost scoffs. Of course I'm not okay, dumbass. He does have to give him credit for switching his words, though. And some part of Virgil doesn’t blame Roman for being so awkward. It’s a strange situation to be in. One Virgil wants to get out of. And fast. 

“I’m fine. I need to get to class,” he responds, voice tense and snippy. The bell hasn’t rung yet, but it will soon, and Mrs. Bartleman’s classroom is far away from Virgil’s locker. He slings his bag over his shoulder and leans down to grab his folder. 

Papers spill out over the ground, and Virgil realizes, too late, that he grabbed the folder on the bottom. Dropping to his knees to pick it up, he grits his teeth in frustration. A groan slips from his throat.

“What are you doing?” he snaps at Roman, who’d bent down to help. 

“Picking your things up,” Roman replies, looking at Virgil, seeming puzzled. Refusing to look at him, Virgil reaches out to grab more paper. He is sorry for being so rude to Roman just now, but his annoyance at Roman constantly trying to be the knight in shining armor combined with his embarrassment at what happened earlier doesn’t help his temper.

“The bell is going to ring soon. You’re going to be late for class.”

Roman must realize that Virgil’s trying to get him to leave because he stands up, leaving his stack of papers on the ground.

“Right. I should be going.” There’s something almost like hurt in Roman’s voice. Virgil looks up on instinct. Roman’s face is crestfallen, mouth turned downward, eyes sad. Guilt pangs through Virgil’s chest yet again when he sees. He almost takes his words back, but Roman turns away before he can. The metallic sound of the bell echoes throughout the hallway. 

“Fuck,” Virgil mumbles, reaching out to finish picking up.

Once the rest of the papers are back in his folder, Virgil stands up. He stares at Roman’s back, far down the hallway, distance increasing the longer he waits. The regret and guilt swirl into a knot in his stomach. Biting his lip, he takes a chance.

“Roman!” he yells, jogging down the hall. Roman turns around, and Virgil stops, even though there’s still a few feet between them. “Why did you stand up for me?” He steels himself for the worst. What if he blows you off? What if he says that he only did it to draw more attention to you? He takes the small amount of anger he still has left and directs it at the doubt. The thoughts, thankfully, shut up.

Roman scratches the back of his head and says, “It’s kind of a long story…” He looks up at a clock on the wall, frowning. After a second, his face lights up. “You have A lunch, right?” Virgil nods. “I’ll tell you then. My class is switching so we don’t have to go to lunch right in the middle of our test.” 

“O-okay,” Virgil stutters out, still wondering if he’s going to regret this. He’s still unsure if Roman actually means well, or if it’s just a long ploy that will end in Virgil being hurt. But I suppose it doesn’t hurt to ask why he stood up for me. 

And the crooked smile Roman gives Virgil right before turning and jogging away to class makes the risk almost worth it.

[adorethedistance]

Blue Blood (Part 1?) MCU AU!Sydney Novak x Reader

Requested by: Multi-muse-transect “Got a request, MCU AU Syd x Reader where said reader is a Kree which are a race of militaristic aliens that are at war with one called the Skrulls. The reader is a Kree refugee after their home was destroyed so the reader’s family settles on earth albeit undercover and had to learn earth’s culture while being Syd’s neighbors. Cue an incident in school where the reader got into a fight showing skills but is hit in the nose revealing they have blue blood with Syd witnessing it.”

Warnings: Swearing, fighting, violence, blood

Words: 1377

Summary: Jenny Tuffield takes your watch which is disguised alien tech, and as a result you kick her ass. It wasn’t really worth it because now your crush knows that you bleed a blue hue, but for some reason she’s not afraid?

“We just have to be as normal as possible, blend in the best you can”, was Dad’s encouragement for our relocation to Pennsylvania. As for Mom’s… it was far less comforting but far more practical, which I guess is what we needed. She rewired the communication hubs in our uniforms into C-53 time watches, and sent me and Dad off with a stern “Don’t lose it”. Seems easy enough. We’ve been settled for about a month and so far no slip-ups. So far no Kree fleets have returned to execute my parents for fleeing the war.

Part of the ‘blend in’ plan was for them to find jobs and for me to go to a ‘High School’; it’s the education center for kids my age in Earth-years, but all the material is child’s play. I mean, Earth’s physics are far more underdeveloped than Kree physics, since I learned Luminiferous Aether as a small child and they’ve just started learning it at 17.

Though physics has been a breeze, the best part of my day is the very last period: P.E. they call it. We do a bunch of different activities like run around a field, and throw balls through hoops... but that’s not the part I care about. I look forward to the end of every period, because when we go to our different locker complexes, everyday, I pass by this girl in my biology class: Sydney Novak. She sees me smile at her on my way to get changed and some days it seems as if she’s smiling back. Sydney and I haven’t really talked to each other but just getting to see her-to be near her-is all I need... 

Today is the same as any other. Shuffling back to my locker with the herd of other girls, I smile at Sydney and she watches me pass. The combination locks of the doors are practically useless since a rough pull would potentially break the old hinges. Taking the watch out of my locker, I set it down on the bench behind me and pull off the school-issued regulation crewneck. I picked out a black sweater and brown corduroy coat today since I woke up practically freezing. Hala is way hotter than Pennsylvania and I guess my body hasn’t adjusted yet. I wiggle into my blue jeans before struggling to shove my feet in my boots. Mom found this brand called Doc Martens where the boots have a huge platform under the soles. I think they’re pretty neat looking, and I like how they make me taller. After tying both laces I turn to pick up my watch from the red bench.

Oh no.

No... Where is my communicator? My panic begins to swell when I hear laughter behind me. The source of the noise is Westinghouse High’s infamous terrorist Jenny Tuffield. She’s laughing at me. In her right hand she holds up my communicator.

“This is a fancy little watch”, I gulp as she examines the face, “I think it goes with my outfit, what do you think?” Jenny spits my name as if it’s poison in her mouth. She’s fiddling with the cogs, and I hope she isn’t able to activate the pager. My anger begins to swell into a giant storm and I can’t remove the image of decking Jenny in the face from my mind.

Just then, the bell rings loudly, tearing me from my fantasy. Tearing me from my rage. “Blend in the best you can”, Dad’s words swirl around my mind as the other girls begin to leave the locker room.

“That’s not yours,” I swallow trying to keep my cool. My emotions have always gotten the better of me and I can’t risk compromising my identity--our identities--over the communicator. I just can’t. “Give it back.” She’s eyeing me like a snake, her fingers going for the dial. My anxiety overrides my better judgement and I lunge for the watch.

Jenny flips her torso so she’s out of my way, and out from behind the bench. Hopping over the opposing bench and my backpack, I skip forward on my left leg, nailing her in the ribcage with my right boot. She falters but recovers quickly and shoves me backwards onto the ground. Jenny moves to kick me, but I stop her force with my forearms, and gripping her ankle and her calf, I rotate it as far left as possible which causes her to turn her body with her leg. Once she’s facing the opposite direction, standing leg crossed over the other, I hook my right foot over her supporting ankle and pull my leg into my body as hard as I can. She falls face first onto the floor and in the commotion of me scurrying to my feet, she manages to kick me square in the nose. I double back in fear of bleeding--in fear of her seeing me bleed. Jenny gets back to her feet as well. Her bottom lip is cut open, and blood pools out of the gash. I sink down onto the ground desperately trying to conceal my face.

“You’re a fucking psycho!” She throws the communicator at me and storms out of the locker room. Her heavy steps grow distant, and as she reaches the exit she yells at someone else, “MOVE!”

Please universe, please let that unfortunate soul be leaving the locker room. I’m semi-blinded by pain and panic as I reach for my backpack. I hear a lighter pair of footsteps approaching. Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.

“Hello?” Fuck. My back is turned away from the voice but I know whose it is--who it is. Sydney calls my name tentatively upon seeing my disgruntled figure. “Hey, Jenny stormed out of here in a rage, you… you wouldn’t happen to know anything about that... would you?” I’m frozen in place, except for my hands which rush to apply pressure to my gushing nose. My eyes water from the stings of pain pulsing from the bleeding epicenter. Not now, Sydney please just leave.

“Hey, is everything alright?” She sounds so gentle and kind, part of me wants to turn around and collapse into her arms but I can’t. I’m stuck on the floor out of fear.

“Peachy keen my guy,” Who the fuck says that? Sydney draws closer to me and I can’t seem to move. Please just go away.

She steps around my backpack to face me, “Jenny’s kind of the world’s biggest dick so I-” Her sentence stops short when she sees my chin is smeared with dripping--blue blood. Sydney Novak has seen my face and now my family has to relocate. I break out of my trance and begin to back away as she stands still.

“You can’t tell anyone. If you do, I’ll have to move states and Yon-Rogg will annihilate my parents for being traitors and I don’t know what I’ll do if that happens!”

“Woah-woah-hey-look-I-I mean I won’t tell anyone,” She raises her hands in defense. “Promise.” My breathing begins to steady.

“...Okay...” As I’m about to walk away I feel Sydney grab my hand. When I turn to look at her, her hand retracts and her face flushes pink.

“Uh-if you need help, I’ve gotten pretty good at... cleaning up blood…?” She can tell she’s not making perfect sense but I think the gesture is sweet. What’s strangest is how little she has reacted. Our blood colors are opposite each other on the color wheel, how could this not be scary to her?

Ensuring that she has my trust, Sydney begins to walk me over to the detached sinks of the room. She grabs a few paper towels and neatly folds them into smaller squares. Sydney reaches to clean the blood off my face when we hear the snap of a locking door, the sound yanking us out of our mutual stupor. We both must have forgotten that Coach was in her office. Sydney’s eyes lock with mine as if to say, we can’t let anyone see you. She squeezes my hand tighter and the both of us sprint out of the locker room as fast as we can. As fast as Kree and humanly possible.

[treatian]

The Chronicles of the Dark One:  The Dark Curse

Chapter 162: Repercussions of Chaos

Pandora's Box. So named for the witch it once housed. Originally a creation of Light Magic, made by none other than Pandora's sister, it was meant to house the evil witch until they could find a way to bind her magic. But Pandora's sister had made a mistake in casting the spells placed on the box. Instead of trapping Pandora, it had trapped her and absorbed her Dark Magic, giving the thing a mind of its own and a craving for the darker side of magic. These days it could be used to trap almost any dark foe desired but only one at a time. It wasn't an object that he'd ever sought out actively for he knew it wasn't entirely necessary for the curse that was coming, but he did want it. He wanted it for the same reason he'd wanted Beowulf's sword so long ago. If magic like that had to exist, he'd rather it be in his hands than anyone else's. A box like Pandora's would need special protection being so close to him, just like the urn the Queen of Arendelle was currently housed in, but he could make sure that the proper precautions were taken.

It took only a single wave of his hand to summon the magic that he felt behind the door into his tower, he'd explore what he'd found later and confirm whether or not it was what he thought it was. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

"Well, well, well," he announced, applauding slowly and feeling guilty for every clap. When she looked up at him, it was apparent that she felt awful about what had happened. She was unhappy and he could easily see why, but it was for those very reasons that he felt as though he could have turned night into day! He couldn't be sure about what transpired here in the hours he was away, but no matter what it was, she obviously hadn't needed him to help her. She'd kicked her "friend" out all on her own. And what she'd said to him with the door between them, how she'd defended him…he felt so much prouder than he'd ever known he could feel. If he allowed himself to take this as seriously as the situation demanded, he might just cry, or worse…he might truly sweep her up into his arms as he'd wanted to earlier and work harder than he ever had to make her tears disappear.

"What an opportune time for me to return home. I had the chance to see some of what transpired with your 'friend.'"

"Rumple…" she swallowed and took a deep breath before pushing herself back up on her feet. For a moment, he almost hoped that she'd be unsteady and present him with an opportunity to reach forward and help her, but she did just fine on her own. Pity. "I'm sorry. I didn't…"

"That's quite all right, dearie," he assured her, summoning the magic he'd sent up into the tower into his hand again. Pandora's Box, that meant that this had indeed been a profitable experience for him, in more ways than one. "As it happens, I've had my eye on this little trinket for some time. Never was able to get my hands on it…but now your compatriot has delivered it right to me."

He was proud, but suddenly she seemed frightened, her eyes widened and she immediately spun around to look at the door behind her as if noticing the silence for the first time. What she was afraid of seemed perfectly clear to him even before she spoke.

"What about Samuel?" she asked quietly, looking at the box in his hands. "What will you do to him?"

"Don't worry, dearie," he dismissed. "I won't kill him. I promised you and wouldn't and I am a man of my word. I'm merely sending him somewhere…a bit less comfortable."

With a snap of his fingers, he sent Samuel to a lovely little swamp he knew of in the middle of Regina's Kingdom. Silence greeted the pair of them as soon as the boy was gone. His mind registered that there were only two people once more on the castle ground. The box was empty. Once again it was just him and Belle. As he always did lately, he felt like he had a million things to say to her. Where to begin was always the trouble.

"I suppose I should be grateful that you stopped him from relegating me to this terrible fate," he muttered, tapping the side of the box with his finger all the while wishing that he'd hear her use his name, not his full name, but merely his nickname again. "Rumple". Only a few people knew him well enough to use it. She'd used it before but only a handful of times and each time it made him feel like he'd somehow taken a step closer to her. He enjoyed that feeling. "I don't imagine there's much room to stretch one's legs inside this box. I'm quite touched by what you did."

"I hate to disappoint you, but I didn't throw Samuel out just to save you," she whispered after a moment. She took a deep breath and held her head high. "I did it for the people of the Enchanted Forest."

He smiled. Of course she had. He couldn't see her logic in that, but he was sure it existed. The woman never did anything if it wasn't beneficial to a greater purpose. She would be quite the dealmaker.

"Oh?"

"I wanted so badly to believe Samuel's story, but something about it didn't make sense from the beginning. And when he wouldn't give me a proper answer about what he'd been through, I went through his things. I soon discovered it wasn't a coincidence that I found him in the marketplace. I was just a means to an end," she shrugged.

How she could sound so upset while looking so strong was trait most royalty had. He used to think that it was drilled into them from birth so that they could elicit sympathy while ruling in the darkest of times. But watching it on her, he knew it wasn't something she'd learned. Her pride, just as much as the hurt she felt, were genuine. How anyone could claim to be her friend and put her in such a position that she would feel what she felt he couldn't understand. Samuel was lucky that he was gone, that she'd asked him not to hurt him, it was the only thing keeping him from killing him now.

"Samuel had a map to this castle and a drawing of your Dark One Dagger…"

She spoke those words and glanced up at him, purposefully studied his gaze. It took everything within him to keep his demeanor calm. This was the first time the dagger had ever been mentioned around her, the first time that he even had an inkling she knew about it. If it weren't for his magic grounding him, he felt like he might have toppled over. If he was calm and cool, if he didn't show his shock, then perhaps she would think it was all a lie. But would it be any harm if she didn't?

"That's when I realized…he was a mercenary. He came here to seize your dagger so he could control you with it. He and his men intended to use you to plunder the Enchanted Forest. There was no way I could let that happen, so really, it all went much beyond your well-being," she finished pointing a finger at his chest, a finger that he could have let touch him if he leaned in just a bit more.

"I see…"

He should have been terrified. He should have been considering all that she knew and how to get it out of her head so that the information could be safe again so that she need not know, and no one would threaten their lives for it again. But all he could do was hear her words in his head over and over. It hadn't been entirely for his sake…but it had been a little. He wasn't sure exactly what Samuel, or his notes, told her about the dagger, but if she did know what it did, what it could do to him, then she had protected him in a very big way. "Touched" didn't even really begin to describe it.

Suddenly she gave another big sigh and took a step back. Her heart skipped beats erratically, but it wasn't because of their proximity, it was a symptom he recognized of being sleep deprived. She needed rest.

"I think that's enough excitement for one night. I'm off to bed."

She didn't wait for his response, just began to move off to the dungeons leaving him feel entirely grateful that she'd come to that conclusion on her own and he wouldn't need to seek her out to tuck a blanket over her when she passed out from exhaustion.

"But first, one question…" she muttered before she'd gotten too far. There was a mischievous smile on her face that complimented her drowsy eyes impossibly well. "After everything that's happened tonight, do you finally trust me?"

It wasn't easy to catch him off guard, it wasn't easy for someone to ask him a question to which he couldn't readily think up some answer that would do in a pinch. However, catching him off guard seemed to be Belle's special talent. He could hear the remark in the back of his head, the words reverberated through his skull with the noise of hundreds of Dark One's screaming it at him, begging him to tell her that he didn't trust anyone. But he couldn't seem to get the command to speak past his brain.

"Never mind," she muttered, finally a blush blooming nearly as bright as her playful smile grew on her cheeks and chest. "I already know the answer…good-night, Rumpelstiltskin."

Did she? Did she really know the answer? He did, and that was the trouble. He did trust her. After all these months, after tonight's encounter, he had to admit that she might have been the first person that he truly trusted since his son. But this particular incident, assuring as it was, was also unfortunate for her. Because while he did trust her, it was that same trust that opened up the door for things like this to happen, for people to take advantage of her. This was the second time that someone had attempted to use her to get to him, she'd been lucky that she hadn't been killed both times, but she might not be a third time. He trusted her and that was exactly why he had to do something that he dreaded. He couldn't risk her.

"Belle!" he called before she could get much further. She stopped and turned to him expectantly, eyes battling the sleep her body needed. This seemed cruel, but it had to be done. Better now than later. He sent Pandora's Box safely back up into his tower and summoned her cloak into his hand. He hadn't removed the clasp yesterday. He should have.

"Whether I do trust you to come back from the marketplace or not, I clearly can't trust the rest of the world not to use your naivety to find their way into this castle and leave unharmed again."

He unhooked the clasp from her cloak then and used his magic to superheat the metal until it melted away into uselessness. Her face fell nearly as quickly as it did once she realized exactly what he'd just done.

"But-!"

"But!" he inserted quickly. He felt guilty. He felt probably about as terrible as she had when she'd chased her friend out of this castle. In truth, this wasn't her fault, she'd done nothing wrong, and that meant that he had a deep-seated desire to fix it for her. Looking at her tired face, thinking of her returning to her cell to sleep away her hard-won work, he could think of one thing that might help.

"If you'll follow me, I have something that might make up for it a bit; for the loss of your beloved village."

He didn't give her a chance to argue, though he did her let out a frustrated sigh as he led her out of the pantry, out of the kitchen , through the Great Hall and up the stairs to the second-floor room where her friend had recuperated all too well. He stood aside for her once they arrived and allowed her to venture inside and look about solemnly. Perhaps this room wasn't the best of his ideas, especially considering the history she now had with it, but when he remembered the way the sun had bathed it when he'd knocked on the door that morning, he couldn't imagine a more perfect spot for her.

"I don't understand," she stated, looking at him with confusion. "You want me to…clean it?"

"Obviously," he sighed, wishing that she could figure it out for herself so that he didn't have to say the words. If ever he wanted one of their silent conversations, this was a time. "And then I'd like you to stay in it."

"Excuse me?!" she exclaimed, surprise chasing her sleepless night from her eyes. She looked around the room, this way and that as if expecting to see it written somewhere. "You want me to…to stay here? Out of the dungeon? You're…you're giving me my own bedroom? A real bedroom?"

"Now, now, don't go and work yourself up over a practicality," he spat. "I'm nearly hoarse from screaming for you so often when you are reading in the library or down in the dungeons. This is far more suitable for you to attend to my needs and your chores in almost no time at all!"

"Thank you!" she breathed, looking around the room, her eyes glistening with unshed tears that he was rather grateful for. It was a lie, of course. All of it. But at least it allowed him to feel a little less like he was favoring her, even if what came to mind when he thought about his needs was less than chivalrous. He hadn't thought about how that might have been a problem until then. Now he couldn't get it out of his mind. He'd traded one problem for another. He just couldn't win when it came to her.

"I…thank you."

"Oh, don't thank me, dearie," he responded, trying to give her a mischievous smile of his own. "The dungeon shall always be there!"

[kaffeinic]

Caffeinic | Bang Chan

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Epilogue

Pairing: Reader x Barista!Bang Chan

Genre: Neutral // Angst Maybe? // Romance

Warnings: None

Preamble: You’ve been going to the same coffee shop for the past four years. You’ve ordered the same thing almost every single day, and you never, ever skip on that part of your morning. So, when Mrs. Park hired a new barista and the once serene café was suddenly flooded with people every second of the day, you were less than thrilled.

You stood outside of the cafe’s entrance, debating whether or not to enter. It has been two days since the date, and you had been actively avoiding the building. Unfortunately, you just ran out of coffee and really, really wanted the coffee that’s made here. You crossed your fingers, hoping that Mrs. Park was manning the floor this evening.

You flinched when the bell above the door trilled as you entered, hoping it didn’t draw any unwanted attention. You peeked at the work station, checking for any signs that Chan was in today. You cursed yourself for never having asked what his schedule was. You only saw Mrs. Park, who frowned when she saw you.

“Y/n, it’s been a while. Are you alright?” She asked, placing a mug on the counter. You nodded and smiled.

“Yeah, of course.” You replied. She cocked an eyebrow, scoffing.

“You are most definitely not fine, and I don’t appreciate being lied to.” She said, wagging a finger in your direction. Your eyes widened as you stopped in your tracks. “You haven’t been in for days and Chan has never looked more depressed.” Mrs. Park said. You looked down.

“It’s fine, I just didn’t want to come in.” You said. You weren’t lying.

“Then tell me why.” She said. You placed your bag on the bar counter, sliding into a seat.

“I really don’t think it’s my place to say.” You said. She looked down and laughed a little.

“That’s exactly what Chan told me.” She explained. “Tell me what happened.” You hung your head low.

“We just fought.” You finally said. She squinted at you, trying to find any indication whether what you said was true or not.

“Ah, I see.” She said, turning. She had grabbed the mug and hung it up behind her. “I was afraid this would happen.” She mumbled.

“Afraid what would happen?”

“That girl would do something to you two.” She said. “She seemed like trouble.” You let out a sigh.

“It wasn’t her. Chan lied to me.” You said. “Or, at least he broke a promise, which is kind of like lying.” You corrected yourself. Mrs. Park frowned.

“What did he promise you?” She asked.

“I really shouldn’t get into it.” You said. “It’s not fair for me to tell everyone about something like this.” You explained. She hummed and nodded, looking down.

“I had such high hopes for you two.” She said. “What would you like to order today, dear?” She asked. You told her your order, pulling out your textbook. You flipped through the pages, not really paying much attention to what they said. You heard the bell ring, signaling you that there was a new customer. You looked up to see Junseok.

“Hey, Y/n~!” He said, waving. He made his way over to you, smiling. “How’ve you been feeling?”

“So-so. What about you?” You said. He frowned, but understood.

“I’m doing alright, thanks. Can I sit here?” He pointed to the stool next to you. You hummed and smiled.

“Of course.”

He took his seat, placing his book bag on the counter next to yours. “I have a lot of studying to do.” He said. You could see three textbooks protruding from the open end of his bag. He wasn’t exaggerating.

“I felt that.” You said, laughing a little. “Which classes?” You asked.

“Anatomy, calculus, and biology.” He said. You raised a brow.

“Are you a medical major?” You asked. He nodded.

“Yeah. It’s always been a passion for me. What about you?” He asked.

“I haven’t decided yet.” You explained, sighing. “I really should, though.” Junseok chuckled at your exasperation.

“Take your time.” He said. You smiled at his kindness, nodding.

“Alright.” You heard footsteps coming from the employee room, looking up to see a very tired-looking Chan. He ran a hand through his locks, frowning.

“I’m ready to take over. You can go now, Mrs. Par-” He stopped in his tracks when he saw you.

“Thank you, Chan. I’ll see you in a few hours.” Mrs. Park briskly walked past all of you and to the stairs, smiling devilishly. Chan slowly walked over to the both of you, looking at Junseok.

“Would you like something to drink?” He asked. You could faintly see his teeth grit while he spoke. Junseok shook his head.

“I think I’m good for now, thanks bro.” He said.

“You can’t be here if you don’t order anything.” Chan’s voice had become lower, as if he was warning Junseok about something. It took a moment, but then the situation hit you; He was jealous. You rolled your eyes.

“I’ve been here a lot without ordering anything, and the café is pretty much empty. I think he’s fine, Chan.” You said, looking back down at your textbook. You scribbled a note and looked over to Junseok, smiling. He returned the gesture.

“I can order something if you want. It’s not a big deal.” He said. Chan huffed, whipping out a notepad.

“What can I get you?” He asked.

“I think I’ll get a macchiato.” Junseok said. “It’s been a while.” Chan nodded and scribbled the order down, turning away to brew Junseok’s coffee. You glanced between the two boys and sighed softly. It was going to be a long day.

The next few minutes passed peacefully, you and Junseok reading your textbooks and discussing, while Chan prepared the macchiato. The café received no new customers in that time, which you were thankful for. You sighed softly and closed your book.

“I think I need a break.” You admitted. Junseok looked up at you from his textbook, which had a large picture of what you could only imagine was some part of the human body. He nodded.

“I could use one, too.” He said. “Do you want me to take you home?” He asked. You shook your head.

“I’m fine. I think I can get there myself. It’s nice out.” You said. “I might want some more coffee before I leave. You can go if you want.” He hummed.

“Alright. Shoot me a text if you change your mind about that ride.” He said, gathering his things. You nodded and watched him exit the café.

“He didn’t even drink his coffee...” Chan muttered to himself as he took the half-full mug. You pursed your lips.

“I don’t always drink my coffee.” You said. “Just because he’s my friend doesn’t mean he can’t be yours.” Chan scoffed.

“He’s made it very clear he wants to be more than friends with you.” He said.

“I’ve made it clear that I don’t.” You retorted. Chan’s gaze never found yours throughout the entire conversation. “You-” You stuttered. “You don’t get to be mad at me.” You said. This time, he looked at you.

“I’m not mad at you.”

“You also don’t get to dictate who I spend my time with. Treating Junseok like crap isn’t going to help you.”

“I’m-” He said. “I’m not trying to.” He let out an exasperated sigh. “Is now a good time for you to let me explain?” He asked. You shook your head.

“You admitted to kissing someone after you told me you wouldn’t do anything like that with other people. I don’t want to hear it. No explanation is going to help you.” You said. He frowned and nodded.

“I’ll try again later.”

Most of the next twenty minutes were spent with the occasional customer coming in, the sound of the coffee grinder going off every few minutes, and the smell of mixed colognes and perfumes irritating your senses. You began get up after your umpteenth cup of coffee, but stopped.

“Chan?” You said. He perked up and looked in your direction. “I’ll let you try to explain.” You couldn’t leave what both of you had without at least letting him try to explain the situation. He smiled weakly and nodded.

“I had gone back to the party after bringing you home, mostly to hang out with Junseok.” He began. “We were messing around, watching all of the drunk people being idiots. One of them came up to me - I don’t even know her name - and just laid one on me. Apparently, they were playing some hybrid of spin the bottle and truth or dare, and she was dared to kiss someone in the room.” He looked at you and frowned. “That person was me. I pushed her away the second it happened, I swear.” He said. You looked at him, contemplating how to feel.

If he was telling the truth, then it’s more than likely that Seoyeon used the incident to split you two up. If he’s lying, which people aren’t unknown to do, then you’d just be falling into the arms of a playboy. You hummed, and nodded.

“Thanks for telling me, but I need to just think about it for a while.” You said. Chan nodded in understanding.

“Take all the time you need.” He said. “In the meantime, I’ll try to find a way to prove it.” He paused. “Why didn’t Junseok tell you?” He asked.

“I never told him about it.” You admitted. Chan raised a brow.

“I thought for sure that you would have told him.”

“It’s not my place to tell everyone about things that happen between us.” You explained. “Even if I’m hurting.” Chan’s gaze softened.

“I get it.” He said. “Will I see you tomorrow?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” You told him. He looked at his hands and grabbed a wet mug.

“Alright.” He said.

~

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I’ve been getting lots of positive feedback for Caffeinic and it truly makes me so happy to see how much you all enjoy this! Also, wow, we just hit double digits for the chapter count! Let’s have a party! 😂 Let me know if you would like to be put on my Taglist. As always, if you enjoyed, please drop a like and reblog for your friends to read! Have a nice day~~

* DISCLAIMER: I do not own any gifs/photos used in this post. I do own the written content. Do NOT repost/edit. *

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[glaciernps]

Interview with a Ranger

By Melissa Sladek

Chuck Cameron with pack horse Siyeh.

Experienced, knowledgeable, dedicated—seasoned. These words float through my head as I spend the day with long-time resource protection ranger Chuck Cameron. I often wonder what it is about Glacier that keeps folks coming back year after year. What is it about this place that creates such dynamic employees dedicated to protecting this landscape and all that lies within? For Cameron, as it is for many long-time Glacier National Park employees, it seems that working here means something more. Glacier’s beauty draws people in, but its essence seems to keep them here.

Glacier does have extraordinary qualities that make it special, but for folks like Cameron, those features are just a piece of the story. Chatting with him, I find that part of what makes this place special to Cameron are the memories—his memories. Memories of youth, memories of special bonds, memories of first-time experiences. This place allows for those memories to happen. For those memories to stand out. For those memories to last a life time. And they provide the fuel for creating the dedicated stewards that Glacier is known for.

Cameron begins his career in Glacier on the park’s trail crew.

Undoubtedly, Cameron is one of those stewards. Arriving in 1982, Cameron began his thirty-eight year career in Glacier on the park’s trail crew. For six years, he served the park and its visitors by clearing and maintaining trails, creating new ones, and even clearing the forty-mile boundary swath that separates the United States and Canada along the Waterton-Glacier border. After attending law enforcement academy, he switched gears and began a nine-year stint patrolling Glacier’s majestic Belly River area as a commissioned backcountry ranger.

He then moved to the Lake McDonald area, patrolling its backcountry for a season before being hired in 1998 to Glacier’s Bear Team—a team of law enforcement officers who dealt with wildlife issues, particularly bear-related incidents. The Bear Team also took care of routine law enforcement work—conducting traffic stops, enforcing rules, writing tickets—but they were given additional training in wildlife management, allowing them to work with bear biologists to move, capture, drug, and collar bears.

In 1998, Cameron joined Glacier’s Bear Team.

For twenty years, Cameron came back season after season, balancing his work in the winter on ski patrol, with his work protecting Glacier’s resources and visitors in the summer. Through the years, Cameron accrued unique skillsets, making him invaluable as a protection ranger. One of those skillsets includes search and rescue—one of the more challenging tasks rangers face. Cameron has been involved in most of the significant search and rescue incidents over the past four decades. He explains that these incidents become a mind game of sorts, piecing together where the lost individual may have gone and why…looking for clues as to their whereabouts. Cameron goes on to state that search and rescues are challenging, not just physically, but mentally—especially when the incident is a body recovery. Often, body recoveries mean family or friends are on scene, and seeing the impact on those who survive a tragic loss is one of the more difficult parts of the search.

I ask Cameron if there is a particular search and rescue that stands out in his memory. He reflects for a moment and begins to tell me a remarkable story. In 2008, a hiker on a solo, ten-day backcountry trip went missing. Once the hiker’s family reported him missing, park personnel and other search and rescue professionals began a search for him. It was quickly determined that the hiker never made it to his first campsite at Sperry Campground. Roughly 50 search and rescue personnel were sent to explore all trails on the hiker’s itinerary, but soon, an area of Glacier known as Floral Park became the primary focus of the search. After weeks of looking, the search was scaled back. And, although for most, the search seemed dead, Cameron informs me that for him, no missing person case is over until solved.

Cameron searches for the missing hiker in the Sperry Glacier Basin.

It is this attitude that allowed Cameron and fellow rangers to finally find closure to this case three years later. Cameron’s excitement level rises as he tells me of the remarkable series of events that occurred during the spring of 2011. Pulled over at Moose Country, an area along the Going-to-the-Sun Road west of Avalanche Campground, Cameron sat conversing with another protection ranger. A visitor who had just been exploring above Avalanche Lake saw the two rangers and pulled over. During his explorations, the hiker found a pair of long underwear along with a piece of blue nylon fabric buried in the gravel of a dry creek bed. Uncertain if these items were of any importance, the visitor asked Cameron if he wanted to see them. Instantly, a light flickered in Cameron’s brain. The location of the items and their description set off alarm bells of the missing hiker of three years back. Cameron took the evidence, and the next day went into the area described by the visitor.

At the base of a couloir, lying 3,000 feet below the top, Cameron and his co-worker found more evidence. More blue fabric (matching the description of the hiker’s windbreaker), cooking gear, sleeping pad—all items matching the contents of the hiker’s gear list. As the snow continued to melt that spring, additional pieces of evidence were found, including some of the hiker’s bones. Cameron surmises that the hiker either fell and died or got hurt and could not be seen by search personnel. But, he adds, “Without a doubt, if the visitor had not picked up the items or stopped to show them to him, this story may not have had an end.” An ending that is invaluable to not just the missing hiker’s family members, but also for those who, like Cameron, never truly stop a search until it is solved.

Listening to the many stories Cameron shares with me, I am transfixed by the breadth of experience and the interesting things Cameron has done throughout his career. But it’s his memories of the place, the wildlife, and the people that stir me. The early adventures of working and exploring in Glacier’s backcountry; the stories of bear captures—when everything went right, and when it did not; the feeling of a grizzly bear underneath his hands; the excitement and relief of finding missing hikers; and the life-long bonds Cameron established with fellow trail crew members during his first years in the park. These memories stand out. They are a part of Cameron, of who he is and why he is still here.

These days, he is doing what he enjoys most—protecting Glacier’s wilderness. In 2018, Cameron gave up his law enforcement commission and became the Lake McDonald backcountry ranger once again. Instead of traffic tickets and road patrols, his days are now filled with hiking the majestic terrain that caught his attention all those years ago. But the job is more than patrolling the trails. Cameron also maintains backcountry campgrounds, clears trails, pulls weeds, and educates backcountry users on rules, regulations, and leave no trace policies. Each day is filled with a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that his work protects the resources of this incredible place.

                                                                           ****

The last breath of morning falls away to the heat of day as Cameron and I step out from his truck and head toward the horse corral. Here the horses are enjoying their time off, and except for the occasional flutter in activity from those stating their place in the pecking order, they seem relaxed and perhaps hopeful for another duty-free day. Unfortunately for a horse called Siyeh, his number is up.

Tomorrow, Cameron will need him. He’s taking Siyeh and a couple of mules to haul out old campground materials from the park’s backcountry site at Fifty Mountain. Today’s preparation includes loading the manties (big pieces of canvas used by horse packers to wrap supplies in) for tomorrow’s adventure. Not surprisingly, Cameron harbors another skillset—the art of packing. He learned how to care for and use stock in the wilderness while working as the Belly River ranger.

Cameron loads up a mantie with supplies for his backcountry trip.

I watch as he quickly, but carefully wraps the rectangle piece of canvas around odd-shaped boxes and equipment, packaging it perfectly to keep the rain out. Cameron informs me that this skill is a bit of dying art for rangers in the field.  With higher visitation, more time is put into managing traffic incidents and problems in the park’s front country, making it less likely for rangers to learn skills such as these. He feels lucky that he has had such a diverse career filled with unique opportunities to help manage the park’s wilderness as he explains, “I’m always amazed that I have this job. I’ve never lost sight of how lucky I am. I’ve gotten paid to do a lot of really cool things in this park.”

After the manties are packed and ready for the next day’s journey, we head into the field. As we drive along the sparsely traveled, dusty Inside North Fork Road, Cameron reflects on his time in Glacier. In a way, his career has almost come full circle. He may not be forging new trails with his crew high up on a mountain pass, but he is still taking care of the park’s backcountry…trails, people, wildlife, and all. And, he is still making memories, not to mention revisiting old ones—of special times he has had with special people in a special place.

NPS Photos/Video

[Top image: Ranger stands next to a horse, smiling for the camera. Second image: Man in rain gear stands on trail holding a shovel. Third image: Ranger squats next to drugged grizzly bear. Fourth image: Man with backpack and ropes stands on a rock ledge. Video image: Ranger looks into camera. Fifth image: Ranger folds canvas material.]

[Video description: Video shows Cameron talking about his career in Glacier along with pictures of him throughout the years.]

[strsburn]

concussions and crushes

concussions and crushes

summary : in which the reader gets hurt during the Washington Monument incident and is not only sporting a crush but a mild concussion

see also : reader thinks peter doesn't like her, the way she likes him, but that is far from the truth.

pairing : peter parker x fem!reader

genre : fluff, fluff, and more fluff

words : 1,467+

side notes : I literally started writing this while I was watching spiderman homecoming today, like BOOM idea as soon as the elevator scene came on, inspiration struck and suddenly I've written over 1k words lol. Also this is kinda rushed so sorry not sorry for any errors.

also I changed things because I didn't want this to be an EXACT copy of what happened in the movie so don't be like "bUT tHiS dIdNt haPpEn iN tHe mOvIe"

_______________________________________

"You look like you got hit by a truck." The familiar dry tone has you looking up from your phone, meeting the eyes of a slightly amused Michelle Jones. 

"Thanks, that's the look I was going for today." You respond, sarcastically causing MJ to break into a grin. You had spent all of yesterday watching compilations of cats falling off of things, in hopes of getting rid of the nerves that plagued you due to decathlon the following day (today).

"So, what's got you all shaken up? By the way, don't move this would be the perfect sketch to add to my "people in a crisis" collection." MJ asked nonchalantly as she pulled her pencils and a sketchbook out. 

"Decathlon is today, and uh I'm just really nervous because well, Peter was the smartest person on the team, but now that he left everyone is counting on me and I don't know if I can do it." You rambled. MJ didn't even flinch as she continued to draw out your features that were pulled into a small frown.

"Y/n, you're one of the most intelligent people I know. You'll do fine, now hold still I'm almost finished with this sketch." Strangely enough these words were enough to put your mind at ease and you slowly relaxed into your chair, causing MJ to cheer as she could finally finish her masterpiece.

_________________________________________

"Alright we are now at our final question, which will determine who takes home the trophy for the state championship." You held your breath as the lady read the final question, you held hands with MJ who slightly bit her lip in anticipation.

Her eyes lit up when she realized she knew the answer to the final question and before you could blink her hand was hitting the silver bell on your table. 

"Midtown high?" The lady raised her brow questionably. 

"Zero." MJ stated in an obvious tone, her curls bouncing as she shrugged. The lady blinked in bewilderment as she re-checked her cards.

"That...is correct." Your team cheered giving hugs to MJ who tried to feign annoyance but the smile on her face said otherwise. 

You were able to sigh in relief as you realized it was all over and you could finally be at peace. 

"C'mon, y/n we are going to go and see the Washington monument." Liz called, waving you over, you nodded hesitantly and went over too afraid to remind her of your fear of heights. 

"See, I told you guys we didn't need Penis Parker." You heard Flash comment and you gasped just realizing Peter hadn't been at the event, despite re-joining the team a day prior. 

Your thoughts went back to the curly haired boy whom you had spoken to only a handful of times. He was rather awkward, and fidgety but he had a kind heart. You found it rather cute. Although Peter didn't seem to like you very much, if him running away everytime you initiated a conversation, was anything to go by. 

You were brought out of your thoughts by MJ who insisted she'd rather read than go to the monument that was built by slaves. 

"You sure? Do you want me to stay with you?" You asked her, not wanting her to be by herself. Unfortunately she waved you off, telling you to go have fun. You smiled and headed after Liz who was already taking pictures, despite the large sign stating that any sort of photography was forbidden. 

As soon as you were all in the elevator, you headed for the corner to hold on to the rail, your stomach in a knot knowing you were only going higher by the minute. 

You looked around in order to distract yourself when your eyes caught sight of a bright purple glow emitting from Ned's backpack, that only seemed to grow brighter as the minutes passed and you moved forward out of curiosity.

"Hey Ned, what's that purple-"

Before you could finish your sentence a loud boom rang throughout the elevator and you were slightly thrown back at the force as the ceiling exploded. Ned threw his backpack to the floor, smoke drifting from it and you pushed yourself closer to the wall, looking at the ceiling in trepidation. 

"Nobody panic, we are all safe." The tour guide said monotonously, not calming your nerves in the slightest bit. 

Just as she said this, the doors to the elevator slid open and officers began to motion you all to climb out. You decided to go last, too afraid to take any sudden steps. You watched as your classmates filed out. Leaving only you, Mr. Harrington and Liz. 

Just as the rest of you prepared to move, the elevator creaked and then plummeted sending you all to the floor. You screamed, your vocal chords straining at the pitch and volume as you felt your heart drop to your stomach. 

Just then, everything jerked to a stop and you looked up at the lack of movement your eyes widening when you came face to face with a familiar red mask.

"Hey, it's alright I got you. I got you." Spiderman reassured his white eyes narrowing as they focused on you. You could only nod, your hands still clenched tightly around the rail.

"Alright, move. Everyone out, faster people." Spiderman urged, you pushed lightly on Liz's back motioning for her to go first. She smiled in thanks trailing after Mr. Harrington who pulled her up. They both turned to you expectantly but you gasped as the elevator once again dropped, causing you to cry out as you fell, hitting your head on the rail, causing it all to go black. 

"Y/N!" You heard just as your eyes slid closed. 

_________________________________________

"Y/n, can you hear me?" 

Your eyes opened at the sound of your name and you moved to sit up, your head pounding. 

"No, no, no. Stay still, you have a mild concussion." You furrowed your brows at the slightly familiar voice and you squinted your eyes, trying to gather your surroundings. You turned to face Spiderman who gently held your hand in his, a paramedic standing by your side. 

"W-what? What's going on?" You mumbled. 

"You hit your head on the railing, when the elevator fell. I'm so sorry you got hurt, y/n." Spiderman spoke. Your eyes furrowed more in confusion as it all came back.

"How did you know my name?" The whites of his eyes widened at the question and suddenly Spiderman was speaking a mile a minute, saying he hoped you felt better, but unfortunately he had to go. Without another word, he shot a web out of his hands and swung out of the area, leaving you with the paramedics and a still slightly bruised head. 

________________________________________

"Hey, y/n good to see you're still alive. Had me worried, I'd have to draw a portrait for your funeral." MJ commented bringing you into a hug. You could hear the slight undertone of worry in her words and you smiled at her. 

"Thanks, MJ. Glad to be here." You continued to walk to class as she started to once again speak about some case of the black dahlia. 

You nodded and turned to head into English when you bumped into someone causing you both to let out sounds of pain. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry y/n." You met the eyes of Peter Parker, his cheeks burning in embarrassment. 

"It's alright Pete. Missed you at the decathlon." You smiled. 

"O-oh yeah, sorry about that. I was uh...sick. yeah like, super bad." He shook his head. 

"Right..well I'm glad you're okay now. See ya, Pete." You added after MJ pulled on your sleeve impatiently. You smiled at Peter before walking around him to class. 

Just before you could enter, you felt his hand wrap around your wrist.

"W-wait.."

You turned to face him, leaving MJ to slip into the class with an amused grin. 

"Yeah, Peter." You asked hesitantly. 

"W-would you maybe, uh like to go to homecoming with me? That is, if you don't have a date- not that you wouldn't! I mean, cause you're beautiful so I under-" 

He stilled as you carefully stood on your tip toes to kiss his cheek. 

"I'd love to go with you, Peter." You watched as his cheeks once again turned a bright red and he grinned widely.

"Awesome." 

You matched his grin, turning to enter the class. You knew you were more than late but at that moment you didn't care. 

"See you later Peter. Try not to run away from me this time." You said teasingly as you walked away from him, missing the small fist pump he gave as he watched you leave. 

Perhaps he liked you after all. You smiled at the thought. The day had turned out a lot better than you expected. Mild concussions and all.

[shijiujun]

[ENG] History3: Trapped Novel - Chapter Two

~6,500 words (proofread by @weilongfu​)

Translation Masterpost can be found here

Disclaimer: Translations are entirely mine - these are not official translations and some phrases have been changed for better English interpretation so you’ll definitely see better/different translations elsewhere. Also keeping in mind when we translated this we aren’t exactly thinking about the style of writing and this translation is as close to the novel as we can make it XD So yes, some parts may be a little awkward to read. And yes some teeny weeny details and words may not turn up in the translation because the Chi to Eng mind acrobatics didn’t work out. If you see asterisks, scroll all the way to the bottom for notes!

Full chapter below the cut

Chapter Two

The sound of a gun’s silencer echoes from inside a black sedan, and both Wang Kun Cheng and his driver are found dead inside with bullet wounds through their right temple, just hours after their meeting with Xing Tian Meng.

Time of death, 9pm.

Meng Shao Fei lies on his bed, thinking back to the meeting with Interpol during the day, where Team 3 and Interpol exchanged information on this case. Although Wang Kun Cheng’s men insist that the person who murdered their leader was Tang Yi, but as seen from Team 3 and Interpol’s investigation, there were no signs of struggle and fights inside the club where both parties met, and   moreover, Tang Yi has a perfect alibi.

As Wang Kun Cheng was shot at close range after he left the club, it is impossible that Tang Yi, who was at another location attending an evening gala dinner — they have CCTV footage to prove that he entered the hotel at 8.30pm and left only at 1am in the morning —  was the culprit for the murder. They aren’t ruling out the possibility of a third party committing the murder at Tang Yi’s orders, but the surveillance cameras in the area were tampered with and damaged before the murder happened, so before they can find further evidence and witnesses, Tang Yi is definitely not the culprit. However, he is curious about one thing… in the 48 hours after news of Wang Kun Cheng’s death was made known, Cambodia’s drug syndicate’s leader Chen Wen Hao immediately returned to Taiwan. Both Chen Wen Hao and Wang Kun Cheng used to be members of Xing Tian Meng, especially Chen Wen Hao. Xing Tian Meng is able to grow to its scale today because it was he and Tang Guo Dong who built the organisation up from scratch.

Even after Chen Wen Hao was sentenced to prison for 24 years due to the skirmish with Si He Hui, but during this time, the person who visited him most frequently was Tang Guo Dong. From this, it is obvious that they were very close to each other and had a deep relationship. If this was so, what reason would Tang Yi, who took over Xing Tian Meng in Tang Guo Dong’s place, have to go create trouble with Chen Wen Hao’s men, and even going so far as to kill the man?

Unable to sleep no matter what he does, Shao Fei finds himself leaving the bed and walking over to his bulletin board, filled entirely with profiles of people and information related to Xing Tian Meng. Staring at the drawing he made, he mumbles, “Four years ago…”

Four years ago, Chen Wen Hao immediately fled for Southeast Asia the moment he was released from prison, and his whereabouts have been unknown ever since until now with his return to Taiwan. Four years ago, Tang Guo Dong and Li Zhen both died on that hill, and no one knew why they met in secret, and there were so many rumors about Li Zhen illegally colluding with the mob. Four years ago, Tang Yi was shot at the scene and managed to live after many attempts at trying to resuscitate him. He became the only survivor of the incident, the only witness who possibly knows what happened on that day.

Meng Shao Fei looks at Tang Yi’s portrait sketch again, and asks it, as if he’s speaking directly to Tang Yi himself, “Aren’t you going clean with the mob? Aren’t you staying away from drugs? And didn’t you say you would never kill a person? Why are you giving up on your principles NOW? Why did you go touch Chen Wen Hao’s people?”

Shao Fei cannot think of any possible answer, and scratches at his head in frustration, pacing back and forth in his apartment.

The Tang Household

Standing at the balcony and looking into the night view in the distance, in Tang Yi’s hand lies a black, metallic lighter. He recalls what Boss Tang said to him eight years ago…

“Drizzle olive oil in the wok and circle it for two rounds? Can we do three rounds?”

At that time, Tang Yi had just turned 20 years old, and the thing he liked to do most was to bother Boss Tang in his space when he could, asking him to pass his cooking skills on to him.

“That’s fine too. The point is you have to make sure the entire wok gets the same amount of heat, that’s why we circle it,” Tang Guo Dong stands next to the stove, an apron tied around his own waist and guides Tang Yi to pay more attention to cooking as he smokes.

People always say that the lines on one’s foreheads represent the passing of time and age, as it catches up with you, and with every horizontal line therein lies a story that belongs to it, but in Tang Yi’s eyes, every mark on Boss Tang’s face is the culmination of both wisdom and duty. No matter how severe the problem is, once it lands in Boss Tang’s hands, the problem can be solved easily, just like no matter how complicated the cooking and recipes are, he is always able to handle it, all the while smoking at the same time.

In comparison Tang Yi is impatient in both his personality and cooking and thus, he deeply respects this man who is both like a father and teacher to him. He wonders if there ever will be a day, where he’s able to catch up to Boss Tang and this 30 year age gap, and from Boss Tang’s mouth hear-

I feel at ease leaving everything to you.

“Don’t smoke when you’re cooking,” Tang Yi says, immediately dropping the garlic and bell peppers he’s holding and snatches the cigarette pressed between Boss Tang’s lips.

The man whose cigarette was snatched away smiles a little helplessly, then crosses his arms and continues guiding Tang Yi, “After you put in the noodles, you need to stir it in the wok, otherwise it’ll stick to the base.”

Tang Yi looks at the food cooking in his wok and says, delighted, “It looks just like yours!”

“We’ll have to try the dish to know.”

Tang Yi tastes a spoonful of the food from the wok, frowns, then picks up the spicy sauce next to him and adds another half a spoon in, “Not spicy enough.”

Tang Guo Dong, who tried the dish at the same time, is frowning on the other hand, because of the spiciness he is tasting in his mouth. “Xiao Tang, you’re eating this so spicy?”

“Strange, why is it that no matter how I cook I just cook it the same way you do?”

“To govern a country is like cooking, have you ever heard of this?”

“No.

Tang Guo Dong smiles, then opens his mouth to explain, “All these years from handling and dealing with the gang’s every single matter no matter how big or small, I felt that, when we do things, we cannot be overly impulsive and rush into things, nor can we be complacent and passive. we have to think through each detail carefully in order to do things well. Take cooking for example, every brother is like an ingredient, you need to understand each ingredient’s taste to be able to put it in a dish, and then the taste of the finished dish will be the best.”

Tang Yi is intrigued by this analogy, and also curious about how Boss Tang sees him, he asks, “So which ingredient am I?”

“Lotus root.”

“Lotus root? Why a lotus root?”

“Did you forget the first time we met, how much dirt you had all over your body? Isn’t it just like the lotus root that’s just been harvested and pulled out from the soil?”

“Oh, so you detested me this much actually,” Tang Yi says, sulking as he brings the wok over to the person who’s plating dishes at his side.

The person most important to him just called him a dirty little runt, how could anyone be happy?

Tang Guo Dong laughs and takes out his cigarette box again. “Hey, Xiao Tang, you were born into unfortunate circumstances and grew up in a terrible environment, you managed to keep your spirit and character pure. I hope you never forget this, and that you don’t ever change.”

At this, Tang Yi returns Tang Guo Dong’s smile and replies, “I got it, Lao Tang. I will keep being like this.”

As long as Tang Guo Dong likes him like this, then Tang Yi will become the person that he likes, because to him, there’s no one else in the world who’s more important to him, more important than Tang Guo Dong.

“Actually, there’s another reason in persevering in cooking,” Tang Guo Dong adds somberly, taking off his apron and walking over to Tang Yi’s side, opening a wine bottle and pouring a glass for himself.

“What is it?”

“People like us who face death every day and are used to it, we don’t even know when we’ll die and go to meet our makers. If we can’t even deal with the basic necessity and function of eating in our lives, then what more fun in our lives can we have? So we have to be serious towards every meal, and that means also that we have to live our lives seriously.

“I understand. So when I’m done learning cooking from you, I’ll let you taste my cooking.”

“Done learning? You little shit, you only just learnt this little bit and you want to represent the Tang family and con people outside already?”

“I have confidence that I don’t need too much time to learn your ways.”

Tang Guo Dong puts up his thumb and praises, “Okay, you’ve got ambition. But if you want to take the wok and metals away from me, it’s not that easy!”

“I won’t disappoint you… although-“ Tang Yi looks at the failed finished product in the wok today, and laughs, “It looks like we still have to eat this not so delicious dish, let’s hope when we are done we won’t need a trip to emergency.”

Watching Tang Yi’s back as he picks up the plate and walk towards the dining room, Tang Guo Dong, who’s lived more than half a century, stops smiling, and in his heart, he makes a decision.

At a Japanese restaurant

The various members of Team 3 are gathered at a restaurant undercover as guests and wait staff for the ongoing investigation on Wang Kun Cheng’s death. They are currently surveilling a particular guest, who’s discussing business with another person.

Suddenly, a tall figure walks into the store, and once Shao Fei, who’s seated right at the entrance of the restaurant sees him, he stands up and brings the other person to a corner in the restaurant.

“Why are you here?”

Walking into the restaurant and stunned at seeing Shao Fei, Tang Yi abandons his original intentions for coming here and turns to leave.

“Since the police are investigating a case, I will not disturb.”

On the other side of the restaurant, Zhao Li An, who’s dressed as a waiter, is just about to run over to stop Shao Fei, but Zhou Guan Zhi stops him by holding onto his arm. He eyes Zhao Zi, indicating that they should continue as planned, or they will risk ruining the mission this time.

Shao Fei grabs onto Tang Yi’s elbow, staring right into his eyes and asks, “Since you’re already here, you might as well assist us on our investigation. Do you know a person called ‘Chen Wen Hao’?”

Tang Yi’s expression suddenly becomes stiff, and this does not go unnoticed by the cop who’s been hounding him for the past four years.

“Looks like we have the same goal, we’re here for the same person,” Shao Fei continues, his eyebrows raised.

“So you killed Wang Kun Cheng just to lure Chen Wen Hao back here. And for you, Xing Tian Meng’s leader who’s also trying to wash everything clean at the moment, to care so much about a Cambodian drug syndicate leader, there can only be two reasons. Firstly, you’ve made him come back because this was Tang Guo Dong’s mission for you.Or two, Chen Wen Hao has something to do with the double homicide from four years ago.”

Shao Fei’s guesses are so close to the truth, that in that moment, Tang Yi’s repressed rage emerges again — these four years, he has wanted to kill this person who’s only ever ruined all his plans countless of times, but countless of times, Tang Yi has also had to end his murderous thoughts towards this police officer.

Such action is out of character for Tang Yi — if Hong Ye and Ah De are unable to comprehend why he’s doing this, Tang Yi himself has no idea either.

“Have I hit the nail on the head, is that why you want to run?”

“I have nothing to say to Officer Meng,” Tang Yi snaps, gritting his teeth and turning away to leave the store.

He follows the stairs outside the restaurant to where he parked his car. His tone filled with anger, Shao Fei who’s only ever seen Tang Yi’s two sarcastic and cold expressions, is momentarily stunned. He breaks out of his trance, then rushes out of the restaurant to chase Tang Yi, his hand pressing against Tang Yi’s chest and stopping him from moving forward, his eyes incredibly sharp.

“I’m getting closer to the truth, correct?”

If he isn’t getting closer to the truth, why would Xing Tian Meng’s poker-faced leader make the effort of snapping at him?

“Officer Meng has his own mission that he’s not carrying out, and instead he’s here to obstruct my freedom again?”

“If my hypothesis is correct, then following you is the only way I can find out the truth.”

Tang Yi pushes Shao Fei’s hand away and walks over to the driver’s side to open the door, but Shao Fei grabs onto his wrist instead, slamming shut the door that’s just been opened.

“I’m asking you to leave, did you not hear me? These four years my tolerance towards you has reached a tipping point. Meng. Shao. Fei! Don’t test my patience!”

He pushes Shao Fei away, hard, and settles in the driver’s seat, shutting the door behind him securely. Unexpectedly, Shao Fei circles the car to the passenger side and unceremoniously sits inside the car, holding onto the brake.

“Tang Yi, if I don’t get my answers today I’m not letting you leave!”

Tang Yi points outside and shouts, “I’m warning you for the last time, get out of my car.”

“Hmph!”

Shao Fei turns to grab for the seatbelt, obviously having no intention to leave.

“You!”

Angrily, Tang Yi swings his right fist out to restrain both of Shao Fei’s hands, reaching to his back and grabbing the young police officer’s gun, that Tang Yi knows he has usually stuffed into the back of his waist, then pressing the muzzle of the gun to Shao Fei’s temple.

Just as Tang Yi is about to throw Shao Fei out of the car, the driver’s seat door is flung open from the outside, and reflex has Tang Yi moving the hand holding onto the gun towards the person outside, but his opponent quickly strikes at his hand, the gun falling to the ground.

Losing his most useful weapon hardly means that he has no other way to defend himself. He rushes out of the car with tight fists and immediately starts to land repeated blows on his attacker, who’s clad in a black suit. Shao Fei on the other hand is also facing a similar attack by a person wearing a black baseball cap and fighting him intensely.

Eventually, both Tang Yi and Shao Fei are forced into a corner by their attackers, pressed back to back. Unconsciously, they leave their vulnerable backs to one another, exchange a glance and then simultaneously attack. Punches and kicks going against the two men with retractable batons and knives, they are soon overpowered by the weapons.

“Boss wants you to meet him,” says the man attacking Tang Yi, pushing him to the floor and pressing a knife at his jugular.

===

As the black van follows along the left and right curves of the mountainous road, the occupants of the vehicle find themselves swaying from left to right as well.

“I can’t believe I’m handcuffed by my own handcuffs.”

Tang Yi side-eyes the man next to him, and scoffs, “It’s not like this is the first time.”

“Hey do you have to speak like this? If you didn’t take away my gun, would we be in this situation?” Shao Fei retorts, holding up his right hand that is currently attached to Tang Yi’s.

“Shut up!” warns the man seated in the third row of the car, one hand holding up a knife.

Tang Yi turns around to look at the man in black seated right behind them, and says, “Kidnapping a police officer is going to get troublesome for you guys.”

The man ignores Tang Yi; instead, it is the man seated in front driving the van that shoots both hostages a look through the rearview mirror, and smiles icily, “You should worry about yourself first!”

Their hands handcuffed together, Tang Yi taps Shao Fei’s pinky finger with his own, and once their gazes meet, Tang Yi gestures at Shao Fei. Shao Fei nods in understanding, then in an irritated tone, laments, “Why is it that when you guys do bad things you always run towards the mountains? It’s not that I want to comment, but this method lacks so much creativity that it really isn’t OK-“

Shao Fei yells immediately, after ensuring that Tang Yi’s right hand is creeping towards the handbrake of the van, “NOW!”

Bam!

Tang Yi kicks at the driver’s right arm, sending the man forward against the steering wheel, and at the same time Shao Fei leans forward to pull the handbrake up. The van strikes against the walls of the mountain and the impact stops the van immediately. Before the driver can react, Shao Fei has already moved into the passenger seat and with a kick, knocks the driver out.

He sees Tang Yi getting punched in the face by the other guy in the back, and Tang Yi, with his hand movement restricted, can barely defend himself against the attack. Seeing that the other guy is rushing towards Tang Yi with a knife in his hands, Shao Fei moves back to his seat and stands between Tang Yi and his attacker, getting a slash across his arm for his trouble. Then, they use the handcuff chains between them to trap their attacker’s wrists, and Tang Yi strikes the knife in his hands to the ground.

In the chaos, Tang Yi sees Shao Fei’s wound on his right arm, bleeding profusely.

And right in that moment, Tang Yi loses all composure and logic that he is so proud of. He swings his fist repeatedly at his attacker, and doesn’t stop even when his face is all bloodied from the impact of his punches.

“We have to go!”

Shao Fei is afraid that Tang Yi will just kill the man, so he opens the door and pulls Tang Yi, who has lost all control, out of the car. They give up on moving along the visible and easily trackable roads and instead choose to head inside the dense forest to escape.

In between the trees, four other men — their attackers’ accomplices who were travelling behind them in another van — split up to look through every nook and cranny of the forest.

“Damn it, they can really hide huh?”

“Did you find them on your side?”

“No.”

“You, and you, go that side and look.”

“Yes.”

They continue their search for an hour to no avail, and they do not realise that the Xing Tian Meng leader they’re trying to find is actually hiding behind a big rock, covered in green moss.

Tang Yi is using his entire body to protect and shield Shao Fei, until the noise grows faint and more distant from their hiding spot, only then does Tang Yi heave a sigh of relief. He turns around and crouches low to the ground, using the rock as a backrest.

Maybe it’s because fleeing for their lives is an intense sport, or maybe it’s because the both of them were suddenly so close to each other earlier, so close that Shao Fei can even catch a hint of Tang Yi’s cologne, Shao Fei feels his face heating up strangely. All he can do is raise their hands up, still cuffed to each other, to distract himself.

“If only we didn’t have this.”

“Who brought it here?”

Having just experienced a life or death situation, Tang Yi’s tone as he speaks to Shao Fei has changed somewhat from before. From being ice cold and distant, Tang Yi is now talking as if he would make fun of a friend.

Unable to retort, Shao Fei rolls his eyes instead, but in the next second see Tang Yi using his right hand to pinch at this left thumb, and just as he’s about to ask, he hears the sound of a bone being dislocated.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

With his left thumb dislocated successfully, Tang Yi’s hand leaves the restraints of the handcuffs, and then easily snaps his dislocated thumb back into its original place. Shao Fei can feel how painful that action just was just by looking, but Tang Yi just did it with barely a sound and a frown.

“This can also work?”

Shao Fei, with wide eyes, watches as Tang Yi just walks off with a shake of his hands, then follows the man to hopefully somewhere more suitable to hide at, a hand covering his own wound.

===

Ding dong ding dong!

“Ah Fei!!! Ah Fei are you inside?” Zhao Zi stands outside Shao Fei’s apartment door, one hand pressing at the doorbell and the other dialling Shao Fei’s number, but all he gets is Shao Fei’s voice message.

“This is Meng Shao Fei, if there’s anything urgent, please leave a message.”

“Ah Fei if you don’t pick up the phone, Boss is really going to throw me out!”

Zhao Zi’s pitiful complaint echoes down the empty stairway. After half an hour of no reply, all he can do is give up. He walks down the stairs, worried.

“I’m at the alley near Ah Fei’s house. He’s not at home and I can’t get through to him on his phone. Oh, okay. We’ll keep in touch. I’ll contact you guys after I find him. Okay, bye.”

Hanging up on the call with his team’s colleagues, Zhao Zi recalls how Boss always scolds him for not using his brains, and at the spur of the moment, he leaves his phone in his jacket’s pocket and pulls up the zip, then does a handstand and begins walking on the ground on his hands.

He giggles. He’s actually still pretty smart, as long as he make all the blood rush into the top of his head, and when that happens, his brain will begin to work at a higher capacity. Maybe he’ll be able to find a way to find Shao Fei like this even! Just as Zhao Zi smiles gleefully to himself, a pair of cool blue leather shoes step into his line of vision, and as his eyes follow along those long legs all the way up to see who this person is, he sees the man who he brought to the station previously. Tang Yi’s bodyguard, the man called Jack.

“Are you looking for me?”

Zhao Zi puts both his legs down and dusts his hands off, but Jack grabs him by the back of his shirt collar around his neck, and picks him up. “Let’s go!”

“Huh? What are you doing? Where are you bringing me to?”

Like a rabbit whose neck was just bitten by a wolf in the wild, Zhao Zi follows the man called Jack helpless, leaving the alley at Shao Fei’s house.

“What are you catching me for?” asks Zhao Zi later.

He doesn’t know when he was struck unconscious. All he knows is that when he woke up earlier, he found himself incarcerated in a dark room. In the room sits only a single lamp and the big bad wolf who caught him, and brought him here.

“Where did Meng Shao Fei bring my boss?”

Zhao Zi opens his mouth wide, surprised, and asks, “Ah Fei is really with Tang Yi then?”

“Are you pretending to be stupid?”

Jack, with a whole head of red hair, glares at the rookie police officer, his eyes tinged with a glint of danger and sharpness. Jack doesn’t know what tricks Zhao Zi is playing here, but he takes out his phone, and plays the surveillance footage from the camera at the Japanese restaurant’s entrance for Zhao Zi to see.

“They’re really together! I’m looking for Ah Fei urgently, do you know where they went?” He sighs. “Forget it. You definitely don’t know either, otherwise you wouldn’t have brought me here… Damn it, if we don’t find Ah Fei soon, it’ll be my turn to write 3000 words in my apology letter,” Zhao mumbles, standing up from the chair.

“Call him!” Jack commands, taking out his phone and presenting it to his ‘hostage’.

“I tried, but his phone is switched off.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I said, if I can’t get through to him, I really can’t get through to him.”

Jack holds onto his own phone, and coldly says, “Then give me his number, I’ll call.”

“I’m not going to give it to you! I’m a police officer and at the very least I need to ensure that my colleague is protected and safe, so I won’t give you Ah Fei’s number. I absolutely will not!”

Intrigued suddenly by this fearless boy, Jack circles around Zhao Zi, then stares at him head on, unnervingly.

“Even if you glare at me I won’t.”

Jack takes a step forward, approaching the boy who’s hugging his knees and curling into a ball on the couch.

“Even if you beat me to death I won’t.”

Bam!

Wrapped in fingerless leather gloves, that fist suddenly slams against the back of the couch, and the sound of something being hit echoes in the room.

“No matter what you do, I won’t!”

Zhao Zi is so afraid that he’s already covering his own ears, his entire body shaking in fear, and yet he still refuses Jack in a clear, loud voice.

Jack’s lips curve in a smile. He turns around and walks out of the dark room, and locks the door from the outside.

“Hey! Open the door! Open the door!! Don’t leave me here alone! Hey!” shouts the rookie cop at the top of his lungs as he strikes at the door, the rookie cop who’s not afraid of threats but is apparently, afraid of the dark.

On the mountains, in an abandoned structure

In order to hide from either Wang Kun Cheng or Chen Wen Hao’s men, both Tang Yi and Shao Fei chose to take temporary refuge at this abandoned house first. They started a fire earlier with the wood that Tang Yi found to keep warm, and it is the only source of light in the dark place.

“Can you really not help me open this?” Shao Fei asks, shaking the handcuff still attached to his right wrist.

Tang Yi sends Shao Fei a look, then stresses, “It will hurt!”

“Please, I, Meng Shao Fei, have survived even bullet wounds, will I be scared of this pain?”

Carelessly, Shao Fei reaches his hand over, but the moment Tang Yi grabs onto his thumb and starts to twist it, Shao Fei begins to yell out in pain, “It hurts! It seriously hurts!!”

“I thought you aren’t afraid of pain?”

“Stop twisting it!! Okay okay, I’ll just keep on wearing it then!” Shao Fei implores, his face entirely pale as he hits at Tang Yi’s arm to let him go.

Tang Yi smiles knowingly, as if expecting this outcome all along, and returns to his position by the fire. At this, Shao Fei steals glances at Tang Yi with astonishment, and mumbles, “Fuck. How can this not hurt? Does that guy have any pain nerves in the first place?”

Leaning against the wall, Tang Yi watches as Shao Fei picks up the unused wood and head towards the inside of the house, and he asks, “What are you doing?”

“The weather is so cold, I’m going to start a fire inside and at night we’ll sleep in there.”

“I’m going to take the first watch,” refuses Tang Yi.

It’s as if his rejection just erected a tall and cold wall between them both, but Shao Fei is already used to the way Tang Yi is, so he merely shrugs. He picks up the lighter sitting next to the wood, and says, “Up to you. If you’re not afraid of the cold you can sleep here by yourself, I’m going inside, and lend me this-“

“Don’t touch that!”

Suddenly, Tang Yi who was just a few seconds ago sitting next to the fire, snatches the lighter back from Shao Fei’s hands.

“Why are you so fierce? If you don’t give me the lighter how am I going to start a fire?”

Tang Yi does not reply, only picking up glowing branch from the fire and passing it to Shao Fei. He listens as Shao Fei’s mumbles return to where he was earlier, and as he looks at the lighter sitting in his palm, Tang Yi recalls…

Four years ago

“Here.”

After lighting a cigarette, Tang Guo Dong passes the lighter in his hand to the young man standing next to him.

“Why?”

“I thought you liked it?”

“No work, no reward,” Tang Yi places the lighter back in Tang Guo Dong’s hand, and seriously looks at the man. “What do you want me to help you with?”

Tang Guo Dong is stunned for a moment, and then he laughs, “”Xiao Tang, it’s really so hard to lie to you! I think you, too, know the answer to this question. Help to dismantle Xing Tian Meng, and start to move everything into legal businesses.”

“Aren’t you already doing that?”

“I need someone to continue doing it for me.”

Tang Yi frowns, and once again snatches the cigarette away from Tang Guo Dong’s mouth. “Don’t say that as if you’re going to die soon.”

“When you’re in this line of business, you must always be prepared for death.”

Tang Guo Dong exhales, then opens his left hand where the lighter rests in his palm. He asks, “So what is it? Do you dare take it?”

“Hmph. You failed at your request, so you’ve switched to challenging me instead?”

Tang Guo Dong laughs, taking the cigarette back from Tang Yi, and replies, “You’ll accept it, because you hate drugs more than anyone else. But to make sure you take care of everyone, you need to have money, that’s why no gang in the world will stay away from drugs. Since we’ve decided to call a halt to it, we must be prepared.”

“The person you’re meeting tomorrow… is there a problem?”

“No.. it’s just,” Tang Guo Dong shakes his head, then reaches out with his left arm and hooks it around Tang Yi, “Just treat it as a back up plan. Please. If one day I’m not here anymore, you have to continue with the work of washing Xing Tian Meng clean.”

Hesitantly, Tang Yi looks at Tang Guo Dong who’s speaking with so much emotion. Tang Guo Dong, who is both his father and teacher.

“Xiao Tang! Humans are really too weak, we’re always looking for excuses so we can escape, finding excuses so we can make mistakes, and even blaming our failures on fate, but we forget that for every decision and action we make, we have to pay its price. After all, the money we made from drugs is dirty money, and even if we survived long enough to earn the money, we wouldn’t get to spend it. I don’t want our brothers to live a life standing at the edge of death. I’m not afraid to be laughed at, but it took me a few decades to realise that the best life is one where we live normally.”

“What’s good about a normal life? We’ll only get bullied.”

Just like that year’s 12-year old Tang Yi and 10-year old Hong Ye, two children stranded on the streets, homeless — that was normal enough a life, was it not? But ‘normal’ didn’t feed them, and it would only ensure that they get bullied by children older than they, and if they didn’t meet Tang Guo Dong then, they probably wouldn’t have made it to adulthood. They definitely would not be like this now, having experienced the happiness of being doted on by someone.

Tang Guo Dong turns around, leaning against the railings behind him and thinks about the past. “Maybe the you right now won’t be able to understand, but some people, because of me, were robbed of the ‘normal life’ he should have had. I owe him too much, and in this life, I am unable to make amends.”

“Who? A woman?” Tang Yi asks curiously, looking at the man who, with every sentence, is becoming even more serious.

However, Tang Guo Dong has no intentions of answering that question, and instead just smiles. “One day there’ll be a certain someone who will make you understand what it means to lead a normal life, and what a beautiful feeling it is, to be able to lead this life. So, do you accept?”

The lighter is once against thrust under his nose, and this time, as Tang Yi looks at the wisps of white smoke in the air, he promises, “I promise you. If you’re not around anymore, I will still make sure Xing Tian Meng is washed clean, even if I die-“

“Hey hey hey! You’ve only got one life, don’t waste it.”

Tang Guo Dong tries to stop Tang Yi from saying such inauspicious words, but the 24-year old merely looks into the sky and repeats what the man just told him, “When you’re in this line of business, you must always be prepared for death.”

“You!”

Lines pulling at the edges of his mouth as he smiles, Tang Guo Dong looks at Tang Yi, doting.

“Lao Tang.”

“Hmm?”

Tang Guo Dong throws the butt of his cigarette on the ground and steps on it, then proceeds to light up a second stick.

“I want to ask you a question.”

“Nnn!”

“Why did you pick me? Xing Tian Meng has so many other uncles, and brothers, no? Even if you wanted to find someone younger, there’s still-“

“It can only be you.”

“Why?”

“Because only if I hand it over to you will I be at ease.”

Tears quickly fill his eyes and his vision blurs. Tang Yi looks away, because finally, he’s hearing the words he wanted to hear most.

I’ll be at ease, handing everything over to you.

On the mountains, in an abandoned structure

Tang Yi returns back to the present from his thoughts, only to see that Shao Fei is already lying on the wooden boards, prepared to sleep.

“I really envy you, you can sleep anywhere.”

Lying on the boards, Shao Fei covers his own body with his olive green jacket, as he removed the jacket earlier to treat his own wound, and says, “As human beings we need to be adaptable and take whatever comes, a young, rich master like you who can’t sleep without a bed will never understand.”

“Do you know how to train, to escape?”

Shao Fei looks at Tang Yi at his sudden, seemingly irrelevant question, not understanding why he’s bringing this up at all.

“You have to train when you’re young. First, you twist the thumb inwards. Wait for the bone to grow again and then twist it broken again. Grow, then break. You practice it repeatedly until you’re able to do it. I ask you, which rich master from any family grows up like that?”

Shao Fei looks at this man, who now seems so different from the man he imagined in his head, and asks, “Who forced you to?”

“No one forced me to, I wanted to do it myself. Being part of any gang… we are closer to death, and when you want to survive, you’ll force yourself to do a lot of things.”

“So it’s not that you can’t sleep… but you don’t dare to sleep?”

So when Tang Yi said that he would keep watch earlier, it wasn’t because he was distancing himself, or putting a wall back up in between the both of them, but because the man before his eyes doesn’t feel that he has a person he can truly rely on and trust.

At this sudden display of sensitivity from the usually impulsive and fiery character that is Shao Fei, Tang Yi is speechless. He then laughs wistfully, walking to where there should have been windows installed in this entire building. Leaning against the rusty surface and looking at the clear sky and moon, he says, “I’m only pretending to go legal with Xing Tian Meng, actually I am-“

Shao Fei gets up from where he’s seated and interrupts Tang Yi’s sarcastic monologue. Bowing, he apologises, “It’s my fault! I was wrong. I was too full of myself, to be so sure that it was you… Tang Yi, I’m sorry!”

Tang Yi looks at the man before him, and somewhere deep inside his heart, he is moved by Shao Fei’s words.

“Hey, I’ve already said so much, you should at least give me a response!”

“This is my first time seeing a monkey who knows how to reflect on himself.”

“Hey! Who are you calling a monkey? Let me tell you, even if you’re sincere in trying to wash Xing Tian Meng clean, I will be keeping my eyes on you. The moment you do anything illegal, I’ll still arrest you!”

“Keep your eyes on me?”

“Yes! Keep my eyes on you. Both eyes!” Shao Fei points his fingers at Tang Yi.

In that moment, Tang Yi’s mouth curves into a smile that Shao Fei has never seen before, and says, “Okay. Then I’ll keep on letting you keep your eyes on me.”

“Then I- I’m going to sleep. Good- good night…”

Suddenly, Shao Fei can feel his cheeks heating up again. He flees back to the corner he was lying at earlier, pulls his jacket over himself and pretends to sleep.