#SLAMS MY HEAD INTO THE WALL IM IN DESPERATE NEED OF EVERY MATERIAL IN THE SHOP.. BUT IM SO LAZY :SOB:

[milfmerlin]

we’re having a normal one

[hoshiwhxre]

hi, can you write a dom asahi smut including prompts #5 and #33? please and thank you 🥺🖤

Asahi ; Just Wait, Baby.

•~ #5; "do you like it when I touch you like that?" ~•

•~ #33; "good girl" ~•

warnings ; dom!asahi , f!ngering , slight!degradation , chok!ng , smut

{im sorry this is so late :((}

"Just wait, baby, I'll be done soon." One eyebrow cocking, Asahi glanced back at you over his shoulder, a set of dark orbs warning you to behave.

"I miss you," your fingers strayed to the hem of your skirt, and Asahi's lips twitched, gaze pinned on the lacy garter belt.

"I'm working," he purred, "don't nag me, sweetheart."

The slight warning on his tongue elicited a sigh as you shifted impatiently on his bed. Your sight filled by his relaxed figure, core clenching everytime he brushed his fingers through silky hair, you held back a desperate whimper. God, he barely had to do anything, and you were dripping with steaming hot arousal.

He was refusing to give you what you wanted - what you needed - so you took matters into your own hands. Literally. Seeing him so serious, concentrating hard on the song drawn across his computer, you couldn't help your fingers dancing down your stomach. Legs spreading, your head rolled back, stroking the damp material sticking to your pussy. Breath heavy, you watched through hooded lids as Asahi continued working, holding back whines while your touch slipped beneath your folds.

"Mhm," your teeth sank into your lip, spreading the slick over your sensitive clit, and Asahi's ears twitched, attention straying from his work. He glanced over his shoulder, his peripheral vision catching sight of your arched back and sprawled limbs. For a moment, his secret gaze held you, a warmth spreading through his veins with every desperate moan you attempted to stifle.

And then he was above you, fingers stretching around your ankles, yanking you to the bottom of his bed. You surpressed a gasp, melting under his piercing eyes, falling suddenly weak before him.

"Oh baby," he breathed, tutting, "did I say you could touch yourself? I told you to wait."

His palms grazed along your legs, long digits teasing the inside of your thighs, an authoritive stare still burning into your frozen features. Your breath was heavy, wanting nothing more than for him to be inside of you.

"I'm sick of waiting," you whispered, "I want you to fuck me."

"Ah...do you?" Asahi chuckled, bowing his head, "maybe I should punish you instead."

Shivers shot through your spine, his words consuming you, a familiar dizzying sensation crawling across your brain. His hips rocked against you, his thumbs digging so hard into your hips now that you were sure he'd leave bruises. The friction of his jeans brushing your soaked underwear was sending you crazy, and he pulled you closer, forcing you to feel every minute detail of the rough denim.

His eyes shone, a smirk painted across his lips, adoring how pathetic you looked just from this simple tease. Watching your grip twist into the bed sheets, Asahi allowed one hand to travel between your legs. You whimpered, pupils dilating as his fingers slipped beneath your panties, beginning to run a light stroke between the wet folds of your pussy. As soon as he grazed your clit, a sharp pleasure attacked your core, and you jolted in yearning.

"Asahi," you mumbled, "please..."

"Do you like it when I touch you like that?" he enquired, taunting you.

Your head bobbed erratically, hasty eyes silently begging him to satisfy your needs. He was always so mean in his teasing, dragging it out until you were on the edge of orgasm, and then fucking you into a trembling mess. But this time his expression shadowed sooner, and his mouth was sneering for you to "move, fucking move" up the bed. You obliged so fast it made him laugh - a deep, sadistic laugh - as he began to slowly unbuckle his belt.

"If you want me to fuck you," he began, slowly, "I want you to beg."

You whimpered, dampening your throat with a thick swallow, shaky eyes following as he crawled steadily into the mattress.

"Please, I need you," you strained, "I-I should have listened, I promise I won't do it again, please, Asahi..."

He was hovering above you now, a smirk encouraging you to continue.

"Try harder, angel."

You groaned, as his parted lips began to trail kisses from your neck gradually down to your lower stomach. His teeth sank into the skin, glancing up to see your lids droop, as his fingers hooked beneath your panties. Carefully, Asahi lowered them, following with soft pecks, enjoying the shudder of muscle ripple against his mouth.

"I want you inside me," you mewled, cheeks burning from arousal, his warm breath now fanning your pussy, "o-oh my God, fucking please--"

You broke off, his palm slamming against your throat, rising threateningly from between your legs.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" he snarled, abruptly thrusting two digits deep inside of you, "such a needy whore, look at you, fucking pathetic."

His scissored movements stretched you out, pressing hard against your g-spot to stimulate you, while his other hand pushed up against your throat.

"Can you handle it?" Asahi bent down, whispering into your ear, "do you want me to go easy on you?"

You quickly shook your head, arms snatching up his neck in a loose embrace, as you felt him retract from your folds. He reached down into his underwear, palming his cock beneath the cloth, gazing intently into your eyes. He loved the way your face twisted in pleasure as the tip of his cock licked up the arousal dripping from your entrance. The way a few inches filled you up so nicely, your body tensing, and he released a satisfied sigh as your walls clenched around his cock.

Sitting up, he was filled with an air of intense concentration, releasing your neck to steady himself on your thighs. And suddenly he was thrusting the remainder of his length deep into your guts, an immediate, rough pace dragging against your walls. You could practically trace each throbbing vein fucking into you, feeling his cock harden and thicken with every abrupt thrust. Your voice caught, fingers holding tight onto the pillow beside your head, as Asahi's hips snapped mercifully into your pussy, balls slapping against your skin he was reaching so deep inside of you.

Breathy moans passed your lips, body jumping against the mattress, his cock hitting that insanely perfect sweet spot with every magical thrust.

"Good girl," Asahi groaned, "take it like an obedient little slut."

You whined, desperately, hands snatching out to dig into his shoulders, dragging him close against your chest. His palms fell beside you, hips driving faster, and his teeth sank into your neck. Your nails snaked through his hair, your core rapidly firing up, feeling that overwhelming pleasure fast approach. Walls clenching around his cock, you cried out, feeling your head begin to haze with the familiar sensation. Asahi buried his face in the crook of your shoulder, panting against your skin, low grunts vibrating up your neck, as he felt you tighten onto him. His hips pistolled, his cock stretching you out pleasurably, heightening the pleasure that was soon to come.

"I-I'm cumming," you croaked, scratching down his back.

The announcement encouraged Asahi to fuck your harder, fastening on your red, swollen pussy with rough thrusts, and within seconds every muscle in your body was contracting at a rapid pace. You tensed, shuddering, as the knots building in your core pummeled against your stomach. Moans catching in your throat, silence filled the air, a sudden wave of intense, airy pleasure consuming your veins. Croaking his name, your body tensed to ride out the incredible high, thighs shaking against his waist, before collapsing weakly into the mattress. Breathless, Asahi slightly pulled back, your walls twitching against his cock stilled inside of you.

"Oh, princess, I'm not done with you yet."

[hammeredalcoholic]

im so sorry

killer queen/reader ; NSFW/18+

i literally had a dream about this and my mind would not shut up until i wrote it im sorry, this is so self indulgent 

“Killer Queen,” The words drifted from your lips, barely above a whisper. The Stand in question was quite literally sprawled on top of you, its hands playfully toying with your hair. You placed a hand on its head, softly scratching the spots behind its ears. 

This isn’t the first time that Queen has done this to you. It was quite frequent, being that every time Kira let his guard down at home, his Stand would immediately latch onto you. 

It was cute. 

It made you feel so loved, knowing that Killer Queen was essentially your husband’s soul, only more cat-like and emotional. Yoshikage wasn’t the most clingy person in the world, but the fact that his stand decided to cuddle up with you said practically everything. 

Plus, Kira was a busy man. He liked to keep up his routine, and sometimes, spending quality time with you wasn’t quite possible. It’s not that it mattered much though, he was certainly doing his best, and that’s what counted in your eyes. 

Killer Queen let out a purr, its hands moving away from your hair and towards your chest. Sometimes, Queen would fall asleep against your chest, meaning that Yoshikage was most likely dozing off wherever he was in the house. It always managed to warm your heart. 

But tonight was different. 

It was a subtle difference in how Queen was acting-- its eyes blown out and wide, curious. Its hands were no different, moving slowly down to your chest, watching as they ran over your breasts, softly kneading the material of your shirt. 

Killer Queen hadn’t done this before, despite being very touchy-feely with you. The stray gasp that left your lips caused the Stand to stop, its eyes quickly going to your face. It watched you silently, their hands still sitting on your chest. 

Your cheeks felt incredibly hot. 

Why was Queen doing this? 

And why was it bringing out such a reaction from you?

It’s not like you were touch starved or anything. Kira was a good husband, he took care of the many-- uh, needs that you had. But, if you were thinking clearly, it had been a week or so since you last had the chance to get your husband alone. 

Yoshikage had been working more overtime lately, as well as bringing home some paperwork to do.

Would it be so bad to indulge in this? 

Killer Queen was technically your husband’s soul, after all. 

In the time you were thinking, Killer Queen was studying every slight movement of your body. When you finally came to the conclusion that you could enjoy this, you relaxed back into the couch. Another tranquil purr was heard, followed by gentle gropes of your chest. 

Being slightly curious yourself, you let your hands slide up the Stand’s thighs, feeling the almost velvet like skin. The shiver that racked Killer Queen’s body surprised you, their eyes sliding shut momentarily. 

That’s when you remembered. 

Kira can feel whatever happens to Queen. Kira can also feel anything that Queen touches.

Did that mean your husband had been feeling you up this whole time? 

The thought alone was enough to make your thighs clench together. Killer Queen’s hands trailed lower, moving to slip under your shirt. Its hands traced your exposed skin, sharp claws scraping against your flesh. 

God, you could get used to this. 

Their hands quickly found your bra, then stopped. Its bright pink eyes sparkled with curiosity, before practically ripping the material of your shirt in half. 

“Queen!” You gasped, your hands gripping their thighs with fever. As soon as your bra was exposed, the curiosity in its eyes was back. A single clawed digit ran across the underwire, playing with the small lace bow that was stitched between the cups.

Your face quickly heated up again, watching as the Stand played with it, before dipping a claw under the material. Within moments, the article was ripped in half, falling loose on your chest. You let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding, before looking up Queen. 

Its soft pink eyes dragged across your breasts, almost studying them. Soon enough, it’s gloved hands were groping your skin, with the gentlest touch. You quickly bit your lip to quiet a moan, the flesh of their fingertips felt delicious. 

Your fingers gracefully felt their way up the Stand’s thighs once more, touching softly along the ridges in its skin. You briefly wondered if a Stand could even have genitals. It seemed rather nonsensical, they were only a figment of a person’s soul-- but you still wondered. 

You let your eyes run over the being on top of you, their bright pink eyes still focused on your chest. Despite the obvious cat ears on it’s head, Killer Queen was built like a human. A wide chest and toned abs, chiseled arms and legs-- oh.

It seemed like you had gotten your answer. 

Between the Stand’s legs, almost obscured by the belt it wore around their hips was its cock. It definitely wasn’t human, ridges lining the shaft and small bumps lining the tip. It was also decently bigger than your husband’s, from what you could tell. 

Killer Queen must have noticed your attention on it, as their hips pushed down and rocked against your pelvis. You didn’t even realize how worked up you had gotten until a harsh moan was ripped from your throat, your pulse practically thumping in your ears. They continued their motions, hands moving from your breasts down to your hips, claws digging into the flesh just slightly. 

Holy fuck.

You couldn’t help but open your legs, letting Queen have more access. It felt so good, pressing up against your clothed core deliciously. Before it resumed grinding against you, one of their hands quickly unclasped the belt, letting it fall to the couch with a dull thud. 

You didn’t know how much longer you could last. 

Thankfully, you didn’t have to wait.

Killer Queen’s claws gripped the waistband of your pants, almost tearing them right off your body. With minor adjustments, you managed to slip out of them, leaving yourself completely naked in front of them. 

“Killer Queen,” You barely breathed, your hands moving to grasp at their shoulders. 

You could feel your arousal practically dripping onto the couch, their eyes watching you like a hawk. Within moments your position was moved, Killer Queen flipping you onto your stomach. Their claws slowly traced your back, down to your ass, before pulling your legs apart. 

Arching your back just slightly, you tried hard not to let your excitement show, but when the tip of Queen’s cock teased your entrance, it was hard not to be impatient. You gasped at the feeling, the feel of its skin completely different and alien to you. 

Killer Queen’s hips leaned forward just slightly, pressing against your hole. One of their hands smoothed its way up your back, tangling in your hair and pressing your face into the cushion. Without even a second passing, Queen pressed into you, sliding it’s cock between your folds with extreme precision. 

It felt like heaven.

Gasps fell from your lips, only to be muffled by the couch. The small bumps and ridges felt amazing, rubbing up against your walls and pressing into all your sweet spots. They were stretching you, and a spike of pleasure ran up your spine from the burn.

You briefly wondered what Yoshikage was feeling. 

With a firm thrust from Killer Queen’s hips, that train of thought easily fell off the rails. 

The Stand didn’t wait more than a minute for you to adjust, pulling out their cock and slamming back in with rushed fever. You quickly planted your foot on the floor, desperately trying to meet their thrusts. 

Killer Queen’s hands moved to the couch cushion, its claws digging into the material. You couldn’t hold back your voice, letting out harsh whines with every snap of the Stand’s hips. 

You’ve used some odd toys before, but nothing has ever felt like this. 

“God, fuck, Queen…!” You almost screamed, their cock easily hitting your g-spot. With your loud whimpers and cries they continued to hit it mercilessly, digging its claws deeper into the cushion. You felt a familiar tingle in your abdomen, like a burning coil tightening, ready to burst at any moment. 

Yoshikage has never managed to make you cum like this. 

With another harsh thrust, your vision went white. Your orgasm hit hard, rushing over your body like a wave. Your legs shook under you, high pitched moans leaving your lips. 

You clenched hard around Killer Queen, and with a few more hurried thrusts, you felt something warm spread inside you. Did they actually cum inside you? How was that possible? 

Not having the energy to question any further, you let your body relax against the couch. Queen pulled out of you gently, its claws moving to softly run down your back. 

Hurried footsteps were heard from the hall, and you turned your head towards the door. 

Kira quickly came to the doorway, looking completely and utterly fucked. His pants were unbuckled, something staining the lavender fabric. Tie discarded and the first few buttons of his shirt were undone. 

His cheeks were painted pink, and blond hair tousled and sweaty. 

“I--” He started, this voice shaking and uneven. 

“I didn’t know that was possible.” You said, your body and mind too exhausted to really comprehend anything. Your husband’s eyes widened, before he ran a hand through his curls. 

“I didn’t either.”

[risottoneroo]

self indulgence, pt 9

a/n: well its getting close here boys....lets see what happens. im kidding obviously. i already know what happens i wrote it

warnings: canon typical violence, nonsexual nudity, demonic possession???, horribly sappy bullshit, emotional manipulation

You woke up in a hotel bed, with Risotto next to you. He was curled around you. You sat up. The moonlight streamed through the curtains, illuminating a white room. You stood. You were still in your clothes, and you sighed before stripping down. Your bag was under the bed, and you took it with you to the bathroom and turned on the shower. 

You kept the lights off. There was a window in the bathroom, and the moon was bright. Steam filled the room, and you stepped into the water. The door creaked open, and Risotto yawned as he stepped in beside you. “We couldn’t wake you, so I carried you here.”

You nodded, wrapping your arms around his waist. “Sorbet did scare me. He knows I have a Stand. I don’t think he knows what it is, but he knows I’ve been with Bruno and Leone. He’s been watching me.”

Risotto nodded. “He won’t say anything. He knows the unity of this team is too important to reveal anything big about you.”

You sighed, pressing your face to his chest. “I wish I would say I was confident in all this, Ris.”

He nodded, stroking your wet hair. “If we die, I’ll die knowing you love me.”

You nodded, closing your eyes. “I do love you. Does that make you happy?”

He nodded. “It makes me the happiest man alive.”

You looked up at him. “Why did you join Passione? You could have been happier.”

Risotto looked away. “I joined because I couldn’t keep my anger under control. I killed someone who deserved it, and this is my penance.”

You pressed your hand to his chest. You could feel his heartbeat. “I don’t think you feel very sorry right now.”

He laughed softly. “Or lately, to be honest.”

He sighed, resting his forehead on yours and closing his eyes. “I have been hoping that this- That you, are my reward. That I have served my sentence, that I am free.”

Risotto opened his eyes, staring into yours. “My only prayer for this is that if we are to die, that I die first.”

You swallowed back tears. “Why?”

He smiled, cupping your cheek. “Then, I would never have to live for even a moment in a world where you do not exist.”

You crumpled, tears running down your cheeks. “Th-That’s not fair- I love you too, Ris, you know that, that’s not fair-”

You sobbed into his chest, and he held you close as the water ran down your backs. 

You pulled back. “I need to get clean, Ris.”

He nodded, and you scrubbed the past few days off you, letting them run down the drain. You hopped out of the shower then, slipping between the fine sheets of the hotel bed and relaxing. Risotto walked out a few minutes later, smiling at you. “You look so pretty in the moonlight.”

You turned to look at him and reached out. He walked over and laid next to you under the sheets. You smiled and nuzzled into him, closing your eyes. He kissed your hair, and you closed your eyes to fall asleep again, on the chest of the man you loved.

The sun was streaming through the windows when you woke, and Risotto was stroking your hair. He smiled down at you. “Good morning.”

You nuzzled closer to him, sighing. “Good morning, Mr. Nero.”

He chuckled. “You only call me that when you want something.”

You nodded. “I want more cuddles.”

He was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Did you grow up in Sardinia?”

You looked up at him. “Yeah. I grew up on a farm.”

He smiled. “I grew up in Sicily.”

You chuckled. “We’re both from islands.”

He nodded, still looking pensive. “Tell me about your childhood. How did you end up in Passione?”

You frowned. “Well, we were simple people. I left home to work in the city to earn money. I lived above and worked in a little bakery, and that's where I met Doppio.”

Risotto sat up. “What happened?”

You closed your eyes, and you could still see his face. “I was seventeen, and he told me he was twenty. He told me he grew up here, too, and that he’d grown up on the opposite end of the island. He hadn’t been home in years. He was sweet and kind, and he came back every day until I agreed to go out with him.”

You swallowed. “I turned eighteen while he was courting me. I didn’t know who he was, he seemed so kind.”

Risotto clenched his jaw, and you continued. “We dated for a year, and when he couldn’t hide me any longer, he offered me a job. Well, he told me he had orders, and that I was to come to Venice with him. He explained his position: that he loved me, but he was a very important man, and that I was a liability.”

RIsotto closed his eyes. “Did you love him?”

You chuckled softly. “He was cute. He was a nice man, and a good boyfriend, but no. Not like I love you.”

You continued, “He told me he needed to put me somewhere that I could have protection, and he told me where I could go. I chose the brothels, because I enjoyed sex and fooling stupid men.”

You could see Risotto’s lips twitch at that. You smiled. “You were one of my first customers. After that, it turned out I was very good at what I did, and I rose.”

Risotto nodded. “And now here we are.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck. “Yep. Here we are.”

He kissed you, and you smiled against his lips. “Tell me about your childhood.”

He nodded. “Well, I grew up on the coast in Sicily. My hair and eyes set me apart very quickly from my peers, but my cousins always accepted me. My aunt often let me stay the night when my parents were angry.”

He took a deep breath. “My oldest cousin was killed by a drunk driver when I was sixteen. When I turned eighteen, I killed the man who killed him, and joined Passione for protection.”

You nodded. “That’s why you hate being drunk.”

He swallowed hard. “When I drink, I hate myself. I drank that night at your apartment because- Because I wanted to hate myself.”

You held him tight. “I love you.”

He hugged your waist, gripping tight. “I love you, too.”

You held him close, breathing in and out with him. Your skin was touching, and you felt yourself connecting with him, a bond that couldn’t be broken.

That day, Risotto wanted to go out and see your city. You were glad to show him, but almost as soon as you got to the street you used to work on, you found yourself in a crush of people. You turned to try and find him, but he was gone. You cursed yourself. How did you lose a nearly seven foot tall man wearing all black?

You grew more and more desperate as minutes ticked by, and then you felt a hand grab you and yank you into an alleyway. You yelped, and found yourself nose to nose with Doppio. He looked exactly the same. You gasped. “D-Doppio-?”

He cupped your cheek. “You look so beautiful, bella.”

You cringed away from him. “How did you find me?”

He smiled, tilting his head. “It wasn’t hard. You looked lost, so I decided to help.”

He pulled you further down the alley. “Are you just here for a visit? The boss says you’ve left your post without permission. If you don’t go back to Venice, we can’t protect you.”

You yanked away from him, and you felt a shadow pass behind you. “I don’t need your protection anymore.”

Risotto reached around you, grabbing him by his braid and slamming him into the wall. His head hit the wall with a sickening crack, and he dropped like a stone. 

You managed to drag him to a safe warehouse, where the rest of the squad was waiting with masks on. They were circled around a bright light, and you joined them to close the circle. Prosciutto cocked a gun, looking down the barrel to check it. “Took you about long enough.”

You sighed. “He found us.”

Risotto dropped Doppio unceremoniously on the ground and pulled on his mask. You didn’t. Doppio knew who you were. You pulled the bag from his head. He blinked against the harsh light in his face, and winced. “What do you guys want?”

Gelato answered smoothly. “Information on the boss.”

Doppio growled. “I’ll never betray Diavolo-”

Risotto chuckled, and Melone nodded. “So his name is Diavolo.”

Doppio gasped. “I didn’t mean to-”

In a flash of inspiration, you knelt down and touched his face. Your power flowed into him, and he smiled at you. “I- I’m sorry I left you.”

He grabbed you and hugged you tight, burying his face in your chest. You materialized your Stand behind him, and she placed her hands on his back, continuing the hypnotism. He sobbed into your chest. “I love you so much- He made me, he made me.”

You stroked his hair. Behind you, Risotto was clenching his jaw so hard, he felt his teeth straining. He knew you were doing this for the mission, and he kept having to tell himself that. You whispered to Doppio, “Who made you?” He shook his head, trembling and whispering, “D-Diavolo. He talks into my head, from a phone, and he’s always watching-”

You looked up at Risotto, mouthing “Get a Bible”, and he nodded, motioning to Melone and Pesci. They made their exit swiftly, and you rocked Doppio. “Shh, shh. He can’t hurt you. We’ll help you. I know you didn’t want to hurt me, but you did.”

Doppio sobbed, wetting your shirt. “I-I’m so sorry! He made me, I wanted to stay!”

He gripped you tighter, still crying. You shook your head. “I know, but you really broke my heart, Aceto.”

The use of his first name broke him, and he started sobbing harder. He was having a panic attack, and you had intentionally brought it on. If he was possessed, strong emotion would keep the demon from taking control, you thought. 

You were wrong. Doppio’s arms began to thicken, his spine lengthened, and his body grew. His hair came loose from the braid, and his grip on you became crushing. “You’re an insolent little whore, taking my sweet Doppio like that.”

You cried out, feeling your ribs cracking.

[dirtyahs]

A Day Spent with Councilman Kai Anderson. (Part 3.)

hi friends!! I got another Kai request so i just decided to combine those prompt requests into part three :) 

Thank you @slytherinintj13 for the request! I hope you enjoy <3 (i forgot to include prompt #18 tho im sorry)

Prompts: “You’re so fucking hot when you’re mad.” + “I dare you.”

Word Count: 2,778

People I think would enjoy this: @evanfuckingpeters @stellaholland @reaperprincess89 @whydonthumansfly

Warnings: choking, hitting, hair pulling, spitting, degradation, breathplay overall super rough kinky shit

You sighed as your hands moved through the racks of formal dresses, searching desperately for the right one. Just like most things, you put this off until the last minute and the council meeting was tomorrow night. You and Kai had been talking regularly since your last interaction and were getting closer and closer.

You found yourself falling asleep under a blanket with him, missing his touch when he got up to get more wine from the kitchen. You never thought you'd fall for someone as extreme as he is, but even though you disagreed with him politically, he was smart as hell and you admired his passion. Not to mention, the sex got better and better. He pushed your limits, but always respected your boundaries. You had never been able to find a partner that could be as rough as you wanted, but Kai did it with ease. Aftercare was a work in progress, but you expected that. He would awkwardly cuddle you for a few minutes, but soon enough get up to go work on something else. He was trying though and you did see an improvement. 

You had a few dresses slung over your arm as you made your way to the dressing room. You weren't exactly sure what Kai wanted you to wear, but you knew you wanted to tease him just enough. Maybe do a little harmless flirting to get yourself in trouble later that night. The first several dresses were terrible. They didn't flatter you right or just weren't as cute as you had initially thought. But after what felt like fifty different dresses, you found the one. It was black and velvety, thin straps crossing along the open back, low cut enough that it was tasteful, but still something that would drive your man absolutely crazy. You picked a pair of cherry red heels to match his tie and were on your way back to his place. You had been spending a fair amount of time there and he was surprisingly welcome of all of your things in his space. 

"I'm back!" You called into the kitchen, trying to hide everything you had just purchased - you wanted to surprise him tomorrow evening.

"How'd it go?" He gave you a quick smile before glancing at your bag.

"I found everything I needed." You grinned up at him, "But it's a secret until tomorrow." You smirked at him playfully, turning around to walk upstairs. He followed you, bringing his hand down against your ass teasingly.

"Why won't you just show me?" He whined, sitting on the bed you two had now gotten used to sharing.

"Because!" You started, "I just want it to be a surprise." You planted a kiss on his cheek, his hands instinctively trying to wrap around your waist. 

"I bought the sluttiest dress imaginable." You whispered to him, hoping he'd pick up on your joke. He did, pulling your body down on top of his.

"Yeah? Sounds perfect for my little whore." He growled, grabbing fistfuls of your ass with his words.

"Yeah, I'm going to flirt with all of the other councilmen, maybe show them how dirty I can be." It was fun to rile him up, it always made for extra rough, extra dominant Kai. 

“I dare you." He hissed, "See what happens." The day had gone by shockingly fast, and you had been in the bathroom for several hours. Kai was minutes away from breaking the door down and dragging you out by your hair, but you finished just in time. You took one last look in the mirror at your perfectly curled hair and "natural" smokey eye and smiled. You felt more confident than usual and you couldn't wait for Kai to see you.

"It's about damn time!" He huffed when he heard the bathroom door open, turning to face you, eyes immediately going wide.

"Perfection takes time though..." His tone changed quickly, his hands sliding over the velvet material hugging your hips.

"So this is okay?" You looked up at him, straightening his tie.

"More than okay. You're going to show up every old bat in that place." He smirked, making you chuckle. His young age had always been a point media tried to make to show his lack of experience. He had a high approval rating though. You thought it was because you'd convinced him to tone it down a bit, but he'd never admit that. You linked arms with Kai, him leading you inside the large, expensive looking dining hall. Everything was pristine and white, red and blue flowers adding pops of color on every table. It wasn't long before Kai had you two in the center of a conversation, mixing with other councilmen.

"Kai Anderson! It's great to meet you." An older man stuck out his hand for Kai to shake, giving him a big veneered smile. Kai responded with a firm handshake, immediately introducing you to the man.

This is my girlfriend, (Y/N)." Kai grinned, watching as you extended your hand also. You didn't have time to be shocked about him introducing you as his girlfriend. He'd never called you that before. You didn't think he had any interest in being completely monogamous, but that was going to be a conversation for later. This was your chance to get under his skin.

"It's so wonderful to meet you, sir." You flashed him a flirtatious smile, flicking your hair over your shoulder.

"Kai has always told me how much respect he has for a man like you." You gave him a sneaky look up and down, almost able to feel your "boyfriends" eyes boring into your exposed back. His hand met the skin on your back gently and you pulled back from the older man whose cheeks were now dusted red. "Beautiful girl you've got, councilman." He nodded before turning around to escape the situation. Never letting his camera ready smile fade, Kai leaned down into your ear, growling quietly,

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"You looked up with the best innocent doe eyes you could manage.

"I don't know what you're talking about." You couldn't help but flinch a bit when his hand tightened on the small of your back.

"Watch yourself..." He hissed, leaning back up to tower over you, his words sending a chill down your spine, the excitement rising in your tummy. The night went on, you continued flirting with the older men specifically, Kai's hands protectively touching your back the whole night. He continued introducing you as his girlfriend.You had been especially friendly to the councilman of a major city in Arizona, leaving Kai's side to bring him a drink, putting your hand on his shoulder when you talked to him, making sure your cleavage was perfectly visible. You could see the anger building behind Kai's eyes, constantly watching the clock to see when it'd finally be time to go home. The room had began to quiet and people started to fizzle out. It was down to you and Kai and a few other couples all sitting around a table.

"I think it's about time for us to head home." Kai said, linking his fingers with yours. Your heart was racing. You two said your goodbye's to everyone and you made sure to give a tight hug to the man you had been playing with earlier, Kai now visibly angry, forcing you to walk faster than you were comfortable with.

"I don't know what the fuck you think you're doing," He started, leading you outside without looking at you at all. "But the amount of disrespect you showed me tonight was unbelievable." He hissed, opening your car door for you still.

"Kai-" He cut you off sharply.

"I'm going to fucking ruin you when we get home." He growled quietly, closing the door a bit too hard after you sat down. The car ride was silent but you felt the heat between your thighs, trying to mentally prepare yourself for the harsh level of degradation you were bound to receive moments from now. Kai's jaw was clenched tightly, his knuckles turned white from his tight grip on the steering wheel. He pulled messily into the driveway, crooked as all hell.

"Get inside." He demanded and you weren't about to question him. You stepped out, heels clicking along the cement to the front door, walking inside before Kai. The door slammed so loud the walls shook. Kai's hand tangled in your hair, pulling you so your back was against the door.

"Do you think that was funny? What you pulled tonight?" He was yelling at you now, his free hand pinning your waist against the door.

"Kai I don't know what you're talking about." You choked out, but you knew damn well what he was referring to.

"Don't play dumb with me, (Y/N). Flirting with every man in that room? Bringing them drinks, hugging them before you left? You trying to whore yourself out to all the men with more money than me? As if I don't take good enough care of you?" His nose was almost touching yours now and his hands still held you tightly.

 "Kai-""Shut the fuck up." He hissed, his erection pressed against your leg he was so close to you.

"You're so fucking hot when you're mad." You smiled, watching his jaw clench once again, face turning red. He kicked your legs apart, hiking your dress up and touching your exposed core.

"So you wanted this? You wanted to piss me off." He hissed, "And now your pussy is soaked from me degrading you." In one sharp movement his hand crashed down against your cheek, a sadistic smile spreading over his lips.

"You want to act like a whore then I'm going to treat you like one. Get on your knees." You obeyed immediately, watching from the ground as he untucked his shirt and loosened his red tie, unhooking the clasp on his slacks, pushing them and his boxers down to his mid-thigh.

"Open." You did.

He smacked his cock against your tongue a few times, 

"You dirty bitch. You wanted to get me angry so I'd fuck you rough." With those words he forced his full length down your throat, making you gag immediately. 

"Oh what? Isn't this what my little whore wanted?" He hissed, pulling out only to slam down your throat once again, your eyes pinching closed to try and stop the tears from falling.

"Open your eyes. I want to see how pathetic and desperate you are." You listened, looking up at him as blackened tears fell from your waterline. He was fucking your throat now, snapping his hips forward rapidly.

"For such a dirty bitch your mouth makes such a good fuck toy for my cock." He was angry - genuinely angry. And it only aided to the wetness between your thighs. You gagged as he pushed balls deep, making him chuckle. One of his hands came down and pinched your nose so you couldn't breathe.

“I own you." He hissed, looking down at you."I own you. This mouth belongs to me, your pussy belongs to me, every breath you take belongs to me."

The tears were flowing now, your face was covered in watered down eyeliner, nude lipstick smeared over your cheeks. You tried to nod the best you could, watching his face twist with pleasure. What felt like several minutes had passed and he pulled from your throat and released your nose at the same time, making you cough and gasp, airways finally cleared.

"Get up." You looked up at him, fingertips shaking.

"Did you not hear me? I said get up, whore." He took a fistful of your hair at the top of your head and forced you up, making you cry out.

"You wanted this." Was all he said before tearing your dress down your shoulders, letting it pool around your feet, exposing your naked body, just in the red heels now.

"Get upstairs. I want you bent over the bed when I get up there." He shoved you forward by your hair and you nodded.

"Yes sir." Your voice was shaky. Your legs felt weak but you pushed yourself up the stairs, making your way to the bedroom and bending over the bed like he told you to. You left your heels on. Your breath hitched when you heard the door close behind Kai and he snickered to himself.

"So my little girl actually can listen." His hands slid over the curves of your ass, smacking firmly. You looked at him to see his tie in his hand now, shirt unbuttoned.

"Since you kept running your mouth tonight," He wrapped his tie around your head, "I don't want to hear you anymore." He tied it in a knot behind your head, gagging you to force you into silence.

"How are you feeling?" He teased, knowing you couldn't respond but you tried. A warped "good" came out of your throat and he chuckled.

"I'm going to change that." And he moved out of your line of vision. You knew exactly where he was though when he littered your ass with painful spanks, covering you in bright red hand prints. You cried out with every one, but it only made him laugh to hear your pathetic whines.

"Why should I fuck you, hm?" He hissed, running one long finger over your soaked folds.

"Please..." You tried, hardly audible with the makeshift gag in your mouth.

"Do you deserve it?" His hands were running over the burning flesh of your ass now, somewhat cooling the pain. You nodded quickly.

"You think flirting with other men makes you good enough for me to fuck?" His words cut through you, 

"The only reason I'm going to give you anything is to prove who you belong to. I'm going to fuck you stupid, bitch." 

He spanked you again, forcing more tears to fall from your tear ducts. "Understand me?" You nodded, your inner thighs soaked with your excitement. Your heart jumped when you heard him kick his slacks aside, followed by his shirt sliding down his arms and onto the floor.

"Regardless of you acting like a dirty whore, you're my dirty whore." He hissed before spitting between your thighs, sliding two fingers along your soaking wet folds. You whimpered but nodded, if you could speak you'd be begging for him to fuck you. You tried your best to grind your hips against him, trying to plead the best way you knew how in this situation. All he did was laugh before grabbing your hips to hold them steady before slamming every thick inch into your soaked pussy.

You arched your back, still managing a choked out scream even with the tie in your mouth. Kai gave you no time to adjust to him now deep inside you, but immediately began thrusting in and out with no mercy. It hurt, but in the best way possible and you didn't want him to stop. He was growling through clenched teeth, 

"Could any of those old bastards fuck you like this? Hm?" You shook your head in reply, fists clenching the white sheets beneath you.

"No sir..." You tried, but failed. You just about screamed when one hand pulled the knot behind your head, his red tie soaked with your spit falling out of your mouth.

"Talk to me whore, tell me what I want to hear." He took a fistful of your hair and pulled you up so your back was flush against his chest, his breath was hot on your neck.

"I'm sorry sir! I wanted to make you angry." You croaked, hands searching now for something to hold on to. "None of them could fuck me like you! No one could ever fuck me like you!" 

He smacked your cheek, smirking against your neck.

"Good girl..." He hissed, letting out a parched groan, suddenly spilling his load deep inside of you, each of you moaning in unison.

"I-I'm close too, sir." But with your desperate words, he pulled out of you abruptly, pushing you back down to bend over.

"You think you deserve to cum? After your little stunt?" He chuckled, watching as you collapsed onto your stomach, tears pricking at your eyes.

"Kai, I said I'm sorry." You whined, looking over your shoulder at him, he was shaking his head.

"Too bad princess, this is your punishment." He flahsed you a playful smirk and kissed your head, running his thumb over your cheek.

"Change and take this makeup off, I'll be downstairs with Netflix on. Maybe if you behave, I'll change my mind."

[fruitpunchninja101]

Perks of Coincidences Characters: Hanji Zoe x Levi Genre: Humor / Romance (AU)

Disclaimer: All characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended. 

____________________________________________________________________

A gust of frosty air blast trough every window in the city.The night was particularly calm and serene only to be interrupted by a loud explosion which pulled Nanaba out of her dreamless sleep.Swiftly,she put on her robes and rushed towards the laboratory downstairs.Upon opening the door,she found her best friend Hange crouched on the floor rocking back and forth,hands tugging on her scalp while wailing in frustration as droplets of blood and pieces of flesh slid down her face.Apparently,the pig's heart shes been experimenting on exploded while testing its limits.She approached her friend ignoring all the bits and pieces of gore splatterd on the floor and the tiled walls.Carefully,she crouched beside the brunette and placed a firm hand on her back making gentle circles to calm her down.

"You need to take a break" she whispered softly as she observed her friends face.Prominent dark circles formed underneath her eyes and dry cracked lips only meant that shes sleep deprived and dehydrated.No wonder her experiments are failing.

As if not hearing her,Hange fished a recording device from her labcoat pocket "Experiment number 65 failed"She murmured as she pushed herself off the floor.The brunette halted when she felt a quick pull on her sleeve.

"Hange!"The blonde raised her tone to snap her friend back to reality. "Nanaba?How long have you been there?" Nanaba let out and exasperated sigh while running a hand trough her scalp"fiteen minutes"she mentioned with mild reproach as she pushed herself upright.

Its the same cycle all the time.Hange losing track of time,missing meals and then the inevitable happens...something explodes.

Its been two weeks since Nanaba got enggaged,since then shes is in a perpetual worrying limbo for her friend.Hange tends to spend most of her days cooped up on her laboratory tinkering with god knows what,laughing creepily as she writes down notes.The blonde doesnt want her friend to hole up in her laboratory for the rest of her life.Her friend needed a good distraction. A new boyfriend perhaps?She asked herself as she guided the brunette to the sink stationed at the corner of the laboratory turning on the faucet and started helping her wipe the blood off her face.

"Whats up with that look?"The brunette asked her as she cleaned off her glasses.

"I need you to bring a plus 1 on my wedding day."Nanaba mentioned as she turned off the faucet.

"Sure,Ill ask Moblit if hes free."Hange inattentively replied as she pulled out paper towels from the dispenser mounted on the wall.

"No!Not your lab assitant Hange!A real plus 1...like a boyfriend or something."

The brunette simply crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave the blonde a questioning look."What this all of a sudden?"

Nanaba looked Hange dead in the eye and held both her shoulders."Hange,you need to meet new people.Once I get married you will be left alone and I worry about you." Hange can see how anxious the blonde was and she admittedly had the right reason to be.Hange knows shes not the most responsible adult especially when it comes to taking care of herself.Who has time to worry about trivial things such as showers and food when she could be saving lives by pressing on with her researches.The brunette took a deep breath.As much as she doesnt like where this conversation is going,she decided to help ease her friends concern by considering her request.

"Okay,how am I supposed to find a plus 1?"Hange replied with a soft smile.

"Oh I have a few Ideas..."

And thus began Hange's Blind date fiasco.

#

Its been three months since the pigs heart disaster.During that time Hange had been through six failed blind dates.Most of the guys she met run for the hills once the brunette starts talking about the morbid parts of her research.In her defense,she was never bothered by the fact that she scares people off by the aberrant details of her work.'Whats the point of spending time with someone who doesnt understand the importance of my contribution to humanity?'she recalled her usual reponse whenever Nanaba asks her to tone down her eccentricity.Shes unapologetically herself which is both her strength and weakness.

It has been three nights since Hange slept.At this point, shes literally sitting in a pile of garbage; dicarded pages from her past researches,bottles of booze,coffee and energy drink cans were disorderly spread across her floor. Suddenly,a loud thud echoed the room when the back of the door hit the wall.

"Hange what happned to you!?"Nanaba stood by the door and gave her friend distraught look.

"Hey Nanaba!"Hange sang out as she peeled her eyes off her laptop screen and gave her bestfriend a gleaming grin reasurring her that shes fine.

"Your assistant called me he said you havent left your office for three days." she mentioned with slight anguish as she desperately tried to shuffle off the mess splayed on the floor.

"Three days already?" Her eyeglasses sat slightly askew resting at the tip of her nose.Gently,Nanaba pushed them into its right place while tsking."Seriously Hange how did you become an adult?"

"Beats me."Hange chuckled as she stood up and streched her limbs for the first time in a couple of hours.She gave a sigh of relief as she heared her joints click into place and felt blood coursing trough her limbs once again.

"I brought lunch."The blonde mentioned as she settled a paper bag on Hange's desk.

"Whats the occasion?"

"Do I need an occasion to bring lunch for my bestfriend?"Nanaba responded as she walked towards the window opening it letting the sunlight slip trough the room. Despite the unquestionable concern the blonde has for her,Hange cant shake off the doubious vibe Nanabas throwing at her.She only uses the term "bestfriend" whenever she needs something. Seeing that Hange has her all figured out, Nanaba decided drop the act."Okay! okay! you caught me.You see,I set you up with Mike's friend at work."

"Not this again"the brunette said as she face palmed herself with the thought.

#

"You seem really hungry.Did you skip breakfast again?You look paler than before.Seriously Hange,You need to take better care of yourself from now on.Especially now that Im not gonna be around you all the time."

"Youre starting to sound like Moblit you know."Hange gulped swallowing the last of her food "Im gonna be fine.You dont need to-"

"I know youre gonna be fine,but youre still not getting out of this date.He's gonna meet you at Sina Cafe 2pm.He says hes gonna wear a black pullover sweater."

"Thats a pretty vauge description.Can't you just show me a photo of the guy?"

"No!That will ruin the surprise!I met with him last week,Hes a real sweetheart and handsome too!You're gonna love him."

"You said the same exact thing about the 6 other guys you've set me up with.None of them worked out.''

"Give this guy a chance...I have a good feeling about him"

" Whatever you say Nanabannana."The brunette tiredly responded.She knows this one is gonna be a disaster just like the other blind dates that shes been before.But shes doing this to ease her friends anxiety so shes going to try her best not to fuck this one up."Oh and by the way,I have a presentation for my research tomorrow so I might go over a few pages while Im there.You have to warn him."Hange added as she typed away from her computer.

"Can't it wait until after your date?"

"Science never waits for anyone!Besides,I'm pretty good at multi tasking."

Nanaba released a sigh of defeat.In the end,nobody can tear Hange Zoe away from her precious work.

#

Its 3:00pm and Hange's late for her date.So much for not fucking it up this time she thought.Clutching her satchel bag to her chest she used her right shoulder to push the cafe door open only to end up slamming against it.It took her a few seconds to realize her mistake,the door clearly says pull.Its as if the heavens are giving her a sign not to push throughthis date.A coffee shop employee opened the door and offered his hand to help her stand up."Thank you uhmm.." she pushed her glasses back to place in order to read the metal name plate pinned on the mans chest."Eren" she continued."No problem maam!"The kid smiled as he held the door open for her.Hange gave an apologetic shy smile as she entered and took in the welcoming aroma of rich coffee the cafe provided.Her eyes roamed around the place.The walls are lined with aged brick and provided fancy leather chesterfield sofas partnered with sturdy mahogany tables.Good thing the whole place practically screamed "This place is for serious adults.No whiny brats allowed".Which meant she doesnt have to deal with too much noise while working on her paper. She scanned the place looking for a guy that matched Nanaba's description.There he is,the only guy sitting alone in the whole shop.Wearing a black pullover sweater and jeans.His legs crossed while his brows were knit together,obiviously enthralled by whatever he's reading.Hange tilted her head to the side to peek on his book."Dark tower...nice"She whispered.She took a deep breath and flashed the biggest smile she can muster as she walked towards the man.

#

"Dad-a-chum? Dum-a-chum? Ded-a-chek? Did-a-chick?"

The raven haired man didnt repond but instead he peeled his eyes off his book and scoweld at the woman who inturrupted him.

"Lobstosities...Dark tower?"She sang out as she pointed on his book.

"I know what lobstosities are.I'm reading the fucking book."he responded matterfactly.

"Geez!You kiss your mother with that mouth captain grumpy pants?"She teased still beaming the most charming smile.

"Didnt your mother tell you thats its rude to interrupt people minding their own business?"

"Its also rude not to ask a lady to sit down...Mind if I join you?" Nonchalantly ignoring his cold response.

"Yes."He replied in a monotonous tone.Apparently,his answer had no use.Shes already pulling up a chair from the table accross them.She dragged it out across the room earning a screeching sound that obviously garnered looks from the other tables.He opened his mouth and closed it.Its not worth it he thought as he returned his gaze on his book. Hange sat infront of of him. She placed an elbow on the table and propped her chin on her palm.She stared at him waiting for him to say something about her tardiness.

"Well?"He mentioned plainly.

"Well what?"The brunette asked.

"Don't stare four eyes.Just do whatever you need to do."

Hange felt relief.It seems Nanaba warned him about her reports.Maybe,he was also forced unto this date.Either way shes glad hes cool with it.

"I wouldnt call it staring per se.Id like to call it observing.Dont be such a grump shorty I'm just analyzing if Im sitting with a nice person."

"Shorty?"He lifted his gaze from his book and stared at her one eye twitching with irritation.

"Just an observation,Averaging your eye level and shoulder height youre probably like...what?5'3?"

The man responded with a glare.Not even his closest friends dare exploit his insecurity in his face like that.

"And a half?"Hange added gingerly.But all she got was an angry stare "I'll take that as a yes!"She gave him a triumphant smile.

The raven haired man did not respond and continued glaring at the eccentric woman as she started setting up her laptop,struggling to detangle knotted cords.How was this woman able to mess up cables like that?Her efforts to straighten them out are only making her problems worse.His hands are aching to yank the cords away from her hands and detangle it himself.'Tch..pathetic'He thought.

"Now look whos staring"she mentioned without looking at him still trying to figure out how to solve her cord problem.He simply scoffed at her and got back to his book.When shes finally done wrestilng with the cords,the brunette bent to plug her laptop on the outlet on the floor and when she sat back up she hit her head under the table almost spilling the cup of tea sitting on top of it earning an exasperated sigh from the man infront of her.

#

Thank God shes done talking.Levi thought to himself.He started feeling relief when silence engulfed them for a while.He can finally get some peace and...nope.Shes done talking and moved on to murmuring accopanied by creepy laughter as she typed on her laptop.Levi rolled his eyes.He wasnt even reading at this point.Hes just staring on his book reading a sentence over and over desperately trying to block out everything shes mumbling.After a while,he gave up and shifted his attention from his book and glanced at her.

"Do you really need to mumble while doing that?"

"Doing what?" "Whatever it is that youre doing?"he said as he gestured to her laptop.

"Oh,this?Sorry!Its just I had this really interesting project.You see,Theres this animal that doesn't secrete feces and we are trying to figure out if it can help us improve bowel programs for paralized people or better yet,build better artificial organs." His head perked up a little.something about what she said piqued his interest and before he can even stop himself words came tumbling out of his mouth. "Theres an animal that doesnt shit?" He immeditely wanted to punch himself in the face when he saw her eyes lit up like christmas lights.'Goddamit Im supposed to shut her up not encourage her!'He internally berated himself. The raven haired man didnt hide his unwillingness to listen as the woman started explaining scientific things which he doesnt have any idea about.Still,he quipped and threw retorts to her statements every now and then. The brunette turned her laptop to him and showed him a photo.

"These babies are called Demodex Mites.They're microscopic animals that dont have anuses.They basically store their wastes inside their body till they die".

"Well thats a shitty way to live."He answered as he placed his hand on the rim of his cup took a sip of his tea.

"Wow,Is that a pun? I'd better write that one down. "she sarcastically replied as she beamed a smile. He ignored her and went back to reading. The brunette let out a small chuckle as she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear dug trough her remaining paper work.

They fell in a comfortable silence after that,with occasional mumbles from Hange from time to time which at this point Levi got used to and was able to tune her out.Hange tilted her head a little to take in his facial features.Dark raven locks in a neat undercut and pale blue eyes which hid behind his dark circles.Hes definately not the sweetheart Nanaba hinted at,but his snappy comebacks and dry responses amused her.

"You are staring again."

"I just realized that never got your name.Mine's Hange...Hange Zoe." She extended her right arm.

"Levi" He mentioned plainly.Staring at her offered hand."I'm not touching that.You just said youre working with shit animals"

"Well,technically they dont deficate so..."The brunette stopped herself midsentence when Levi gave him a look which she cannot place if its confusion or annoyance.

Hange pulled her arm away chuckling."Fair enough...No last name?"

"Why do you wanna know?"

"Why nice to meet you Levi Why do you wanna know.Thats a pretty uncommon last name"

"Youre the worst."

"So I have been told...You know what,I was very skeptical walking over here a while ago since I was late and all but good thing Nanaba set this up."

"Late with what? and who's Nanaba?"Levi asked her while his eyes were still on his book.

"What do mean late with what? and how come you dont know Nanaba?"

"Four eyes,theres 7 billion people on earth.You cant expect me to know everyone of them.And I couldnt careless with whatever it is you're late for."He shifted his gaze from his book to Hange.

"What?Wait!Aren't you here for the date?"

"We're on a date?"He raised an eyebrow.

A thousand questions ran trough Hange's head. but before she can even open her mouth Levi's phone rang.He held a finger as he answered the call. "I'm on my way."Levi responded to the person on the other line.The man looked a bit disoriented as he looked at her with outmost bewilderment with what she just said. Hange heared a faint click as the call ended.

Levi took a last sip of his tea and stood up."See you around four eyes"

"Yeah,See you around shorty"Hange responded faintly almost sounding like a whisper.Watching the man fish his car keys out of his pockets and leave the cafe.

Hange was left dumbfounded as the realization dawned upon her.She sat with a random stranger on a cafe and assumed he's her date.

_____________________________________________________________________

Hello Everyone!

This is my very first fanfic so it will be a bit rough around the edges.I'm very hesitant to post this since I'm not much for writing but I really want to practice and learn.Hey!Nothing ventured nothing gained right?I had this story idea in my brain for almost a week now and I just have to share this with my fellow LeviHan shippers out there!I wrote this on my phone so theres probably a lot of spelling errors etc.Please bear with me.Ill definitely try to transfer the rest of the chapters on a word document next time. I'll also do my best to update this every week.(I dont promise that but I'll try my best I swear.)

Contructive critisism is very much appreciated!(Please go easy on me.)Also,I'm not a native english speaker so theres that.

Check out chapter 2 on AO3 !

[blatherkatt]

Title: The Calm Is Terrifying When The Storm Is All You Know [Homestuck]

Chapter 26: Bottom of the Food Chain

Summary: There were two kinds of trolls who went to Earth: rich shitheads with too much money and free time, and desperate assholes who couldn’t survive on Alternia, even with the best efforts of the young Condesce. Karkat hated the planet almost immediately, but with his home planet too dangerous for mutants, he really didn’t have any choice but to hide out on this weird little diurnal planet. At least he’d be safe. Or so he thought, right before blundering his way into an accidental friendship with the son of an anti-troll terrorist.

Rating: M

Chapter Warnings: Abuse (physical and emotional), violence, gaslighting, really gross possessive/objectifying behavior, alcohol mention, mentioned terrorist activities; Illustrated 

Author’s Note: NO LIKE SERIOUSLY BE CAREFUL PLEASE. 

also for no particular reason im just gonna leave this here http://mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=005607 

FIRST | PREVIOUS | NEXT

It was the second day of helping Porrim move into her new building (about two hours’ drive away from the Lalonde hive — further than Karkat would have liked, but a lot more manageable than states away, at least), and Karkat felt like they’d barely made a dent in the fucking wall of cardboard still left to unpack.

The fabric was the fucking worst part. There was just. So much of it. And every time he tried to unpack it quickly, so he could maybe get back to the Lalondes sometime this sweep, he’d have some seamstroll looming over him ranting about how he needed to be more careful with that fabric it would wrinkle or tear, needed to be delicate with the lace, and all he could think was that it made no fucking sense to make clothes out of fragile material like that. Why make clothes out of shit that’ll wrinkle if someone looked at it funny?! What if the person wearing it got into a fight, or had to hide, or, fuck, got caught in a sudden rainstorm, then what? That’s a fuckin’ bunch of money wasted on an outfit that could never be worn again is what happens!

Kanaya seemed to find his very wise thoughts funny, which only pissed him off more.

(Alright, so, some of the fabrics were actually really pleasingly soft to the touch, and he could kind of get why someone would want to wear those, but at the end of the day, they just weren’t practical.)

He was in the middle of a tirade about how this billowy shit he was currently helping to unpack (and trying very carefully as he was instructed not to get his claws into it by accident, but the stuff was flimsy as hell) when Kanaya’s phone went off. It had been doing that all day and most of yesterday, so Karkat kept talking, assuming it was a text from Rose, but Kanaya frowned.

“That’s…odd,” she said.

“What, did Rose say something weird?” Karkat said, giving up and just dropping the flimsy fabric back in the box. He’d put it on the counter or something and leave it to someone else to deal with.

“No, it’s Terezi,” Kanaya said. “She says that she is going to…pick us both up shortly?”

“….What?”

“I think she might have texted the wrong number,” Kanaya said. “There’s nothing else, just that she’ll pick us both up soon.”

“Weird,” Karkat mumbled.

Unpacking retook precedent in his mind for the next thirty minutes, especially when halfway through he managed to capsize several boxes onto his head like a clumsy fucking sugar-high wiggler and needed to be rescued by Kanaya and several of Porrim’s other workers. He’d only just gotten free and resumed helping unpack when the door to the shop was slammed open, knocking the tiny dong shouter from its perch up at the top in the process. Karkat whirled around, a small box still held in his hands, to see Terezi standing agitated in the entranceway.

“Terezi? When did you get to New York?” Kanaya asked.

“Later,” she said, her cane tapping the ground in a nervous staccato. “Come on, we need to get you both out of here, Sollux has a hotel room with enough room for the three of you —“

“What? Why?” Karkat barked. Sharp points of anxiety were starting to dig into his guts, claw-like and scrabbling for a grip.

Terezi groaned. “Fuck, I figured you two would know already, the news sure jumped on it pretty quick.”

“Jumped on what?!” Karkat yelled.

“Dirk and Dave are missing,” she said. “Odds are, Strider’s in town.”

The box Karkat was holding slipped numbly out of his grip, hitting the ground with a distant ‘thud’ and tipping its contents onto the floor.

Terezi pinched the bridge of her nose. “This is exactly why I wanted a fucking protection detail, God dammit, he played us all for chumps,” she growled. Her words didn’t really sink in. Karkat felt…numb.

Porrim stepped out of the corner she’d been standing in. “Wait,” she said, “Why didn’t you have a — “

“Because my superiors are a bunch of highblooded dumbasses, is why!” Terezi screeched. “They think that they’re important enough that they don’t have to bother learning how humans work, which means they don’t understand why having Strider’s son is a big fucking deal, no matter how much I try to explain it, and they didn’t think he’d bother with trying to reclaim him, nevermind that this isn’t even the first time he’s tried, and now not only is my key fucking witness gone, so is his brother, and from what I heard from the local police over the phone, one of them’s probably hurt!”

A terrified whine tore out of Karkat’s throat. No. No, no no no no no —

“You two might be in danger,” Terezi said, pointing her cane between Kanaya and Karkat. “Fuck, we’re lucky as hell that you two weren’t there today, he would’ve killed you both — you especially, Karkat — and I have no idea if he knows you two were at the house or not, but I’m taking you into protective custody until further notice. Like I said, Sollux has a hotel room he’s already getting set up in, I’m gonna take you there and have a couple cops stationed outside at all times, it should be enough for now.”

“I’ll grab our things,” Kanaya said, her voice low.

Karkat couldn’t move.

Strider had Dave.

It was hard to say if it was because of the head injury or just because of how the lighting in the cellar kept it looking perpetually like dusk, but Dirk was really struggling to figure out how much time had passed since he’d been there.

He and Dave had both rested for a while, both sitting upright propped against the wall on different parts of the mattress. They’d taken turns keeping watch, or at least that had been what Dirk suggested, but the headache had come back and he’d had to cut his watch short.

Was it still the same day they’d been taken, or the day after? Fuck. He could tell that he was hungry, but that wasn’t enough of a marker for him to really judge by. He was so used to always just having a clock around (and checking the one on the cell phone in his pocket had only revealed that the phone was out of battery, because of course it was).

Dave had been gone when he woke up. He hoped that wasn’t too bad a sign.

Being anxious about it wasn’t going to help anything, though. Better to take stock of his surroundings, see what he had to work with and start working on an escape plan. First things first, he needed to check his own range of motion.

Attempting to stand up, even while using the nearby rack of shelves as support, quickly showed that mobility was not a thing he had a great deal of right now. Trying to put any weight at all on his leg, even with Dave’s makeshift splint, resulted in shooting pain up his leg fiercely enough that his other limbs gave out and dropped him right back onto the mattress.

Fuck. Okay. Walking wasn’t happening, then. That…was going to make escaping a lot more difficult. Worst case scenario, they’d be here a while.

(Worst case scenario, he and Dave were both trapped here forever and likely would end up dead, but he couldn’t let himself dwell on that outcome. Had to deny it with everything he had. He’d figure something out.)

When he heard the cellar door swing open and someone very lightly step down the creaky stairs, he expected it to be Dave. Hoped it was Dave. Maybe he’d been out and about, maybe he had a better idea of the layout of the building, could give Dirk a clearer idea of what he was up against —

It wasn’t Dave who stepped into view, though.

Dirk bristled as his father leaned casually against the wall.

“No need for that, now,” said the old man, infuriatingly calm. “Ain’t down here lookin’ for a fight, not that you’d be able to put up much of one in that state, anyhow.”

“Then what do you want, exactly,” Dirk said, not relaxing in the slightest.

“Thought we could talk for a bit,” said Derek, voice flat. “Just you ’n me. Feels like we never talk anymore.”

“Gee, I wonder the fuck why,” said Dirk. “Where the fuck is Dave, what did you do with him —“

“He’s just doin’ his chores, calm down.”

Dirk snorted. “Is that what you call making a fucking child do your dirty work? Chores?”

The old man tilted his head. “It’s what I call cleanin’ the fuckin’ house. Little twerp’s gotta earn his keep somehow, and he sure as shit ain’t earning it with his fighting skills. Got no use for a fighter who’s too chicken to take a life even in the heat of battle, but he can at least sweep a damn floor without fuckin’ it up most of the time.”

“And you took both of us because you were that desperate for a couple damn maids?” Dirk scoffed.

The old man sighed, and crouched down so that he was level with Dirk’s eyeline. Dirk pressed his back harder against the wall, meeting his father’s gaze as best he could through the dark shades.

“Here’s how this is gonna work,” the old man said. “I know how you work, you’re just like I was at your age, and I know you’ve been scheming away this whole time, tryin’ to work out some big plan to grab your brother and get outta here. But you an’ me both know you ain’t gettin’ anywhere on that leg. Not in a hurry, at least. So I’d advise you save yourself the trouble and drop that line of thinkin’.”

“The leg will heal,” Dirk said.

“True,” said Derek, “And when it does, you got yourself a choice to make. Because, see, you might get lucky and manage to get yourself outta here, but no amount of talkin’s gonna get your brother to follow you willingly. The little shit’s an incompetent pain in the ass, but he knows his damn place. And even if he didn’t, it wouldn’t particularly matter, because whether it be somethin’ you manage to talk him into, or your own little plot to whisk the two of you away, I can guarantee you there ain’t a single thing you can come up with that I ain’t prepared for.”

“Fuck you, you can’t keep us here forever,” Dirk spat, “Sooner or later I’ll figure something out, I’ll —”

“Your choice,” the old man drawled, “Is to whether you wanna come to your damn senses and join the cause,” and Dirk scoffed at that, amazed the bastard really still thought there was any chance of that happening, “Or if you’re content to remain on as a prisoner. You ain’t gettin’ away, because I know you, and you won’t leave your precious baby brother behind, and he ain’t goin’ nowhere, so them’s the options.”

“Like hell they are,” said Dirk. The cellar door clicked open and someone lightly traipsed down the steps, but Dirk was focused too intently on glaring at his father to notice.

“Ah, you’ll come around,” Derek shrugged. “In the meantime, I’m lookin’ forward to whatever yer first try might be. Sure it’ll be interesting. I’ve been wondering how the eldest is comin’ along.”

The words were hardly out of his mouth when Dave rounded the shelves and peered at them both, his voice stopping any reply Dirk had short.

“What’s…what are you…” he asked, hesitant.

Derek didn’t turn around. Dirk watched as his face changed ever so slightly from whatever vague condescension it’d had before back into full neutrality, utterly unreadable. “Me an’ your brother were just…establishing a few things,” he said. “Boy’s gonna need to understand how things work around here, after all.”

Dave hesitated a moment longer, and then stepped closer, his right hand clenching and unclenching into a fist as he spoke, his voice growing in volume as he did. “You — you said you’d leave him alone, Bro. You said if I fuckin’, behaved, did shit the way you wanted, you’d let him be, and I’ve — I’ve been doing every mundane bullshit thing you asked me to do!” Derek’s face settled into the slightest hint of annoyance as he turned his face halfway toward Dave, who kept talking. “Fuck, I’ve been cleaning this shitty old house all day, putting up with all kinds of bullshit from the rest of the goddamn Usuals, come on! Leave him alone, that was — that was the fuckin’ deal!”

The blow landed so quickly, Dirk didn’t even register what had happened at first; there was a loud crack and then the old man was standing, fully facing Dave, who was reeling backwards, his whole body spinning sideways with the force. His shades clattered off into the darkness of the cellar somewhere as Dave, now facing away from Dirk, leaned one arm against the wall, shaking.

It took seeing Derek lightly flexing the fingers on his right hand for Dirk to piece together what had happened, and at that point, Dave had already recovered enough to scramble to retrieve his shades.  

“Git t’ fuck back over here, I ain’t done with you yet,” Derek said. Dave mumbled something Dirk couldn’t make out, and scrambled back over, his shoulders hunched and trembling. Dave leaned back against the wall as Derek loomed over him, dead silent for a long moment. With just as little warning as the slap (if it could be fucking called that, Jesus), Derek’s fist collided with the wall above Dave’s head. Dave jerked, startled. “Fuckin’ look at me when I’m talkin’ t’ you,” Derek hissed, and Dave straightened up, still pressed tight against the wall but with his head facing towards his father (and Dirk could see the side of his face already looking red, see cracks on the lens of his shades). Derek leaned down slightly, his voice dropping so low and quiet, Dirk had to strain to hear it. “I didn’t say shit about leavin’ him alone, and I know for a fact I raised you better than to talk outta turn.”

“Sorry.”

Several bits and pieces of Dave’s behavior in the past five months snapped into place in Dirk’s mind, making a horrible sort of sense all at once.

“What I said,” he stated, every word seeming to drop on Dave like a lead weight, “was that I would definitely fuckin’ hurt him if you didn’t do as you’re told. This ain’t a fuckin’ bargain situation here, you ain’t got any fuckin’ leverage.”

“Sorry.”

“You damn well better be. He wouldn’t be here at all if you could be trusted to do what yer told without fuckin’ everything up.”

“Sorry.”

“Git whatever you came down here for an’ git back to work,” Derek said, finally leaning away and allowing Dave to scramble out of sight. He grabbed something from the shelves out of Dirk’s view, and Dirk then heard the stairs creak and the door click shut.

Derek started to follow after, but as he rounded the shelves, he shot Dirk a smug grin, as if to say, “told you so, kid.” As if he were fucking proud of himself.

Dirk felt sick.

To say Terezi was fuming would be a disgusting understatement.

Yesterday, she had hurried herself and Sollux onto a plane and flown to New York, and, after making certain that Karkat and Kanaya were safe, had been greeted at the Lalonde house by a very near worst case scenario. Rachel a sobbing mess, hitting the booze harder than ever, Rose deathly silent and cold, Dave and Dirk both missing, and Dirk’s sword laying abandoned in the sparring ground, which showed blatant signs of a struggle — ground quite recently heavily disturbed and fairly fresh blood staining one of the wooden posts. The backdoor had been unlocked and left ajar when the Lalondes and the local police had arrived. There were tire tracks some distance out in the woods.

Pyralspite’s keen nose had very quickly confirmed Terezi’s worst fear — one of the scents lingering on the sparring ground was that of Strider.

The question was, what would he do next? Would he take the boys back to Houston, or stay here in New York?

Earlier that day, there’d been a terrorist attack on a large apartment complex that offered cheap housing for recently-migrated trolls. The complex was located in Ohio, but in all other ways, the tactics shown in the attack were too familiar for it to not feel like Strider’s men, even if Strider himself had not been seen in the attack. It might have been a copycat, but Terezi desperately hoped that was not the case; the last thing they needed now was for new groups to gain traction following in Strider’s footsteps.

But if it was Strider’s men? She couldn’t be sure what that meant, in that case; Strider was a crafty one. It might have meant that he’d decided to make good on the thoughts Dave had voiced back in June, about moving things out of Texas; or it might be a mind game, a trick to  keep the police from tracking him back to his home state.

Today, she and Pyralspite were on their second round of trying to pursue Strider’s trail. They’d made some efforts the day before, but Pyralspite had grown overwhelmed — whatever vehicle had been used in this kidnapping had passed through many busy streets, and the scent trail was overlaid by so many scent-colors, both clashing violently and blending in deceptively with the one Pyralspite was attempting to track, that the little dragon was clearly growing frustrated and upset.

This wasn’t getting them anywhere, and Terezi knew it. She kept pushing her lusus, desperate for any lead at all, but the dragon eventually laid on the ground, paws over her nose to signal that she had lost the trail.

“Back to the drawing board, then,” Terezi muttered. Hopefully Sollux would have had more luck tracking footage from traffic cameras, but she wasn’t going to hold her breath.

She wasn’t going to give up, either. She’d find them if it took every trick she had.

Being stuck in this tiny ass house was getting to be increasingly tedious, especially since more of Bro’s goons were showing up. First lot had shown up this morning, six piled into one big van, and apparently another six were due to show up in a couple days. It was the Usuals, seemed like. Of course they were. Those assholes were the only people Bro sort of trusted. And they were absolutely fucking assholes, every one of them. Like, Dave really didn’t need any help figuring out his place at the very fucking bottom of the pecking order, but they goddamn loved to lord it over him every chance they got.

Even when he was just trying to do as he was told and get the fucking house clean and otherwise stay outta there way, fuckin’ Beardy’d take every chance he had to try and shove a leg out as Dave was passing by, and that one other dipshit with the fuckin’ stupid hunter’s hat loved to constantly try to get a rise out of him. Neither of them was actually fast or smart enough to be any trouble to Dave most of the time, mind, but it pissed him off that they tried, especially since Bro tended to allow the lower levels of it. Wouldn’t let anyone else straight up fight Dave or punish him, but being a pain in the ass was okay. “Keeps the little man on his toes,” as Bro put it.

Maybe he was tired of being on his toes all the time. Maybe his fuckin’ feet hurt, huh? Let him rest his goddamn feet already, c’mon, he had enough to do as it was. This house was old as shit and the polar opposite of clean, and these motherfuckers wanted him on his toes all over like a fuckin’ ballerina maid. Or something. Fuck.

As it was, he was currently in the process of cleaning the fuckton of dishes he’d had almost literally dumped on him. The guys who were here were clustered in the main room, talking about their current plans and apparently some raid that had gone down earlier that day (and hearing about it made Dave’s stomach drop — he’d always hated what they did to trolls, but before he’d just been able to not think about it much. Now? All he could think of was those buildings being full of people just like Karkat, scared and looking for peace, now stuck facing off against a new crop of people who wanted them dead for just existing), and it was only 3 in the goddamn afternoon  but they’d already broken out the liquor, because of course they had. And whatever they’d eaten for lunch (they sure as shit didn’t give any to Dave, fuck, all he’d eaten today was a granola bar Ben had snuck him) stuck to the plates like crazy, making getting this shit clean so he could go check on Dirk properly a huge pain.

God, his fuckin’ eye wasn’t helping. Ever since he’d gotten backhanded down in the cellar it’d been near swollen shut, and he hadn’t had the chance to check in a mirror, but he was pretty sure that enough of that side of his face was bruised that the shades weren’t hiding shit. They were cracked, too, which, fuck you, Bro, these were a gift from John.

That hit, though. Fuck. Strifing the guy had been one thing, but that hit had really been the shock he’d needed to get back into the swing of things. Ha, it was weird as shit to think that it’d been, like, five months since anyone struck him or threw something at him for being a fuckup.

It wasn’t right, he shouldn’t have hit him li-

It was his own fault, of course. He should’ve known, haha, he talked shit so he got hit. Back to the ole’ grind! Vacation’s over, kiddo, get used to it! Except of course he’d fucked it so bad that he couldn’t even go out in public anymore, which meant the only food he’d be given would be whatever they deigned to give him, no more buying his own shit, better be on extra good behavior to make sure he still had basic supplies! That’s what he got for being a dumbass and getting arrested, hahaha!

He was still shaking a little. Bro’d said earlier that Dave was going soft, and he was probably right about that. Spent so long living the easy life he’d forgot how things work.

(He didn’t want to be here he didn’t want to be here he didn’t —)

He was fine. This was fine. He shook the thoughts off and focused on cleaning the last two dishes. He just needed to get used to things again, then everything’d be back to normal. He was okay. Really, he shouldn’t have been surprised as he was. He’d been the dumbass who’d talked out of turn.

(He’d been so fucking sure that Bro had said that was the deal, though — shit, was his memory playing tricks on him? Fuck.)

There, last plate done. Okay. Cool. Awesome.

Putting that aside, he very carefully cleared his throat, ignoring the harsh glares of the Usuals as he spoke to Bro. Keeping his voice casual was a fight.

“Alright, dishes are done, I did everything else you asked,” he said. “You got any more shit I gotta do, or am I good to go?”

“Aw, why you so keen to run?” said the guy with the stupid hunter’s hat. Larry maybe? L-something. “Come on down here and regale us with the tales of your terrible time in the slammer,” he jabbed. “All cooped up and trapped in a nice big house, what a terrible thing they put you through.”

“Remind me again why you gotta keep your stupid little brother around?” said Beardy.

“Half-brother, technically,” Bro said. Oh, was that the story they were going with, now. “Can’t be leaving him with his mother. Woman’s a hopeless alcoholic, you know how it goes.”

Something about the way he said it made something in Dave burn. Fuck, he wasn’t even that close with Mom, but…was Bro seriously trying to imply that — Mom wasn’t dangerous at all, what the fuck! Well, okay, she could shoot pretty damn well, he’d seen that firsthand, but the drinking didn’t mean she was —

That fucking hypocrite, how dare he accuse Ray of being a bad parent when he was the one —

Dave shook his head, fuck, where did that thought come from. It was…fine. This was okay. He was okay. Just ignore it.

The other guys were all talkin’ up how fuckin’ generous a big brother Bro was now, anyhow, for taking in his useless little shit sibling to save him from that ‘wretched’ woman, and Dave was just waiting for Bro to please, please just let him leave the room. Let him erase this fucking conversation from his mind, please.

It felt like ages of him just standing there, squirming, before Bro jerked his head toward the hallway, signaling that yeah, Dave was done for the day. Dave couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

Getting back down to the cellar was a relief, although he’d have to find some way to set up a makeshift alarm for himself — no lock on the inside, and no way he’d be able to use his usual trick of blocking the door with a chair. He’d need to find some other way to make sure he knew if someone was coming down, even if that someone was Bro and his ninja stealth shit. But what the fuck did he even have to work with down here — Maybe some empty cans and string? Set up like one of those fancy bells that some stores had, except with cans, so every time the door opened even if slowly it’d still clank the cans together a little — yeah, yeah that could work. Fuck knew there were a lotta cans down here.

“Dave? Is that you mumbling over there?” Oh, whoops.

“Yeah, it’s just me,” Dave said, stumbling over around the shelves. He flopped down on the mattress next to Dirk, exhausted. “Hey, if you gotta pee or anything, lemme know now so I can help you before I hit nap city, I’m tired as — uh,” his rambling was cut off by Dirk tugging him into a sitting position and reaching for his face. Dave jerked away.

“Sorry,” Dirk said, “Didn’t mean to startle you, just  — shit, uh…is there a way for you to get some ice and a towel? Safely? Don’t do it if it’s gonna get you hurt more, but —“

Dave blinked. “Uh, there’s an old-ass freezer down here,” he said, “Would something outta there work?”

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Dirk said.

“And I think there’s a rag towel in the bathroom I can grab easy, I guess, uh. I’ll be right back, then?”

Dirk nodded, and Dave went and to fetched the things Dirk had asked for. There was a frozen bag of peas in the freezer, that should work, right? He handed the junk over to Dirk, a little confused, and sat back down on the mattress. Dirk gently reached out again, and pushed Dave’s shades up into his hair.

“God, your face is so fucking swollen,” Dirk said. He wrapped the bag of peas up in the thin towel, and carefully held it against the side of Dave’s face. Fuck, it felt nice, though. He hadn’t even realized how warm his face felt until just now, but, Jesus.  Dave leaned into his touch, unable to meet the worry in Dirk’s eyes. It was…it felt…

“It’s nothing,” Dave mumbled. “It’s fine, I can deal. I just…I’m outta practice. Gotta remember how this shit works. I’ll get used to it, it’ll be fine.” He really hadn’t meant to say quite that much out loud, oops.

“It’s not ‘fine,’ Dave,” Dirk said, bringing his other hand up to cup Dave’s cheek as he adjusted his grip on the bag of peas. “It’s fucking awful, this is — Jesus, can you see out of that eye at all, right now? No one should have to be used to this, what the fuck is wrong with him.”

…’Relief’ was the word he was looking for, Dave realized. Yeah. Yeah, relief was definitely what was flooding him right now, making him feel almost weak with how warm and soothing it was. Seeing Dirk this fucked up over what was going down, even if it was just one hit, seeing him taking it so seriously and being so worried and horrified and…It made him feel so, so much better about how hard a time he was having readjusting.

It wasn’t just him. If Dirk was this fucked up over this, then maybe it was okay that Dave wasn’t immediately able to readjust.

(Maybe it was a little bit okay that he kind of didn’t want to be here.)

The little laugh that bubbled out of his throat made Dirk’s frown deepen. Dave let his head drop onto Dirk’s shoulder, Dirk’s hands never leaving his face as he did, and just…laughed. Not loud, not frantic, just a quiet, helpless giggle.

Swallowing hard, he choked out, “Hey, is it bad that I’m kinda glad you’re here?”

The hand not holding the peas left Dave’s face, lifting and circling around to rub a small circle in between his shoulder blades.

“It’s okay,” Dirk murmured. “We’re…we’re gonna get through this, Dave, I promise. We’re gonna be okay.”

Another soft, near frantic laugh slipped out of his mouth. He didn’t say out loud that Dirk was operating on some seriously wishful thinking.

For now, it was nice to just. Not be alone.

[t0ngue-tech]

Love Me Again

“Letting you go was a mistake and I feel like an idiot. I didn’t realize the effort you were trying to put in despite your schedule and I let my selfishness get in the way of something beautiful.” 

↠angsttttty↞

word count: 3.3k

↠oneshot↞

♫ inspo: love me again - g.soul

a/n: HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUNGKOOK! i love him so much. he is such boyfriend material im crying. i biased him at one point too lol. i know angst isnt the best thing to upload on such a beautiful day, but i didn’t plan this until yesterday i swear LOL. also, i know this sucks but pls bare with me D: 

Jungkook flickered his stare from his phone to his empty shot glass. For about five minutes, he had been staring at a contact name and hovering his finger over it, debating if he wanted to press call.

“Taehyung, fill her up.” Jungkook hissed. The bartender spun around with a disapproving look on his face and refilled the glass with the caramel colored whiskey.

After downing the shot in one go, he pressed the call button and waited for the ringing to turn into the voice he desperately wanted to hear. Instead, he was given an automated voice saying that the owner couldn’t be reached and to leave a message at the tone.

Jungkook let out a sigh. “Y/n?” He began. “It’s me, Jungkook. I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I really need to talk to you…” he pressed his forehead on the back of his hand. “I just—I need to hear your voice, y/n. Please just call me back… please?”

Jungkook ended the call and before he could ask for another refill, Taehyung snatched the glass out of his hand.

“That was the third time you called her tonight and you had enough to drink, Kook.” Taehyung lectured. Jungkook just glared at his friend for a brief moment and turned away. “I called Namjoon. He should be outside right now.”

“Dude, what the fuck?” Jungkook groaned.

“You’ve had enough. Go home and go to bed.” Taehyung instructed.

It was only nine in the evening and Jungkook had no intentions on going home this early, but the last thing he wanted was for Namjoon to storm inside and drag him out. Jungkook slammed a couple of bills onto the bar counter to pay for his tab and walked out with his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets.

Jungkook quietly entered the car, and Namjoon’s eyes were glued onto him. Without saying a word, Namjoon started up the engine to exit the parking lot of Taehyung’s bar.

It had been raining for the past couple of days and for the first time, the night was clear. The cold air beat against Jungkook’s flushed cheeks which gave him a sliver amount of relief for the headache he was starting to get. From the bar to where they were, Jungkook didn’t receive any phone calls or text messages.

“Taehyung told me that you called her, again.” Namjoon spoke, but Jungkook remained quiet. “You have to stop doing that, you know.” When Namjoon glanced at his friend, his head was turned and staring at the passing city lights. “Jungkook, you know that y/n has—”

“Namjoon, I have a tremendous amount of respect for you, but I don’t need your fucking lip service right now.” Jungkook snapped and rubbed the space in between his eyebrows. He knew and he didn’t need anymore reminders. The car grew silent again and eventually they reached Jungkook’s apartment complex.

With a loud sigh, Jungkook released his seatbelt and raked a hand through his hair. The headache seemed to be getting worse and he couldn’t tell if it was from the alcohol or from thinking too deeply.

“Jungkook.” Namjoon said. “I care about you—we care about you. I know you don’t want to hear it, but you can’t keep doing this to yourself.”

With another deep breath, Jungkook closed his eyes and sunk farther into the passenger seat. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Also, you’re still going on Friday.” The younger was about to protest, but Namjoon cut him off. “Don’t attend the event for her, Hoseok is still our friend; do it for him.” He was right. Hoseok has been buy his side through everything and he didn’t have the heart to abandon him.

“Fine, but you’re helping me to my apartment because there’s no way I can make it up the stairs at the entrance.”

↠↞

Every spring, the Bangtan Dance Academy held a spring dance concert at the local theatre and Jungkook never missed a show. When Hoseok joined the academy, Jungkook and their friends attended a total of three spring concerts. The first concert Jungkook ever attended will always be memorable because that was when he first met you.

When the concert was over, Jungkook and their friends rushed to the back to congratulate Hoseok on a job well done. Not only did Jungkook congratulate Hoseok, he faintly whispered, “who was that girl you danced with for the first hip hop group?” Without a word, Hoseok grabbed Jungkook by the arm and led him farther towards the back where you were packing up your duffle bag.

“Y/n! I brought a fan.” Hoseok immediately embarrassed the both of you and Jungkook wanted to walk away. Hoseok excitedly nudged his nervous friend’s shoulder and waited until he said something.

“Y-You dance really well.” Jungkook’s voice shook.

“Thank you!” You beamed a smile that almost melted Jungkook onto the floor. “I’m y/n.” You stook out a hand and even if he was still nervous, Jungkook grasped onto your warm hand.

“I’m Jungkook.”

For almost a year, Jungkook took his time to get to know you well enough. He knew your favorite color, food, and even memorized your favorite coffee order. He knew about your pet peeves, the things that made you happy, your family and friends. Even if it took a while, it was definitely worth the wait because when Jungkook finally asked you to be his girlfriend, you didn’t hesitate to say yes.

The both of you dated a little over two years and everyday felt like a dream. You were perfect in every way possible and Jungkook knew he didn’t deserve you, but he didn’t want anyone else. Jungkook had dreams of becoming an athletic trainer and you supported him just like how he supported your dreams of becoming a professional dancer.

You cooked meals for him, woke him up when it was time for him to attend his classes, and you even joined him in the gym when you had time. Jungkook visited you when you had practice, watched you dance and if he had the time, he would wait patiently for you to finish.

When you officially became a choreographer for one of the hip hop groups, your schedule got busier. You spent a lot of time at the academy perfecting your choreography and if you weren’t there, you were at your part time job at the local library. Not only did it take a toll on your personal schedule, it created tension in your relationship with Jungkook.

Finding time had become a challenge as well as trying to stay up to talk to him on the phone. You didn’t expect to be that busy when you took the role as a choreographer. This caused a lot of arguments between the both of you and it was usually over the same thing; not being able to spend time with each other anymore. Eventually, Jungkook grew tired of the constant fighting and lonely nights and called it quits.

For months, Jungkook sulked and rattled his mind about whether or not he made the right decision. Months after it happened, Jungkook tried to text you and received nothing; your silence was his answer.

↠↞

It was a rainy Friday evening and Jungkook took shelter near the theatre. The recital wasn’t formal, so Jungkook wore a casual outfit that consisted of a white t-shirt, worn out jeans, and a leather jacket. He held a plastic bag that carried a box of sweets that Hoseok liked and beneath it was another small box of sweets with a red ribbon tied around it.

Jungkook patiently waited for Namjoon and Taehyung to arrive. He directed his attention to a side of the theatre that had posters of the recital plastered onto the wall. There was a boy carrying a bouquet of flowers and taking a photo of one of the posters. He was wearing a striped black and red sweater that seemed to appear big on his body frame and ripped denim jeans. At first he looked like a stranger, but his orange hair wasn’t that easy to forget.

It had almost been a year since Jungkook broke up with you and he’s been trying his hardest to cope with his feelings. He was on his way to the dance studio to drop off an extra pair of sweatpants because Hoseok forgot his at home. Jungkook was approaching the studio until he noticed your side profile instantly. He took cover behind one of the big trees that surrounded the building but peeked past the trunk to take a look at you.

Your hair had grown longer and was back to its natural color, black. You seemed to be looking happy and healthy, all of the things Jungkook wished for you to be since the breakup. He briefly looked away to gather strength to talk to you, but when he looked back, you were smiling at another boy.

He was just a bit taller than you were and had orange hair peeking from under his beanie. Jungkook convinced himself that he was just your friend, but it all changed when the boy handed you your duffle bag and kissed the spot in between your eyebrows. He watched as your eyes closed and stretched your lips into a soft smile. Jungkook remained in his spot until you parted ways with the other boy.

Hoseok danced in his denim pants that day.

The call of his name brought Jungkook’s attention to Taehyung and Namjoon who were sharing an umbrella. “Sorry for the wait, Taehyung took too long.” Namjoon side eyed Taehyung who was already glaring at him.

“I beg to differ. I said to buy Hoseok a grapefruit tart and you forgot, so we had to go out and buy one.” Taehyung retorted.

Jungkook listened as they bicker like they usually did. He looked back towards the posters and the mystery boy had already left.

“Ready to go in? The rain could start getting heavier.” Namjoon asked and Jungkook agreed silently, hoping to not run into the other boy.

↠↞

The recital aided in relieving Jungkook’s racing thoughts. Hoseok took center stage for multiple numbers and he even danced with you as well. Jungkook watched you with a heavy heart, but still made an effort to enjoy the recital.

Once it was over, the dancers entered the stage to take a bow and the theatre was filled with loud cheers. Jungkook clapped and tried to contribute with the cheering, but he couldn’t stop staring at you. Even at a distance, he could tell your eyes were shining and wore a big smile. Dancing was your passion and Jungkook felt as if he failed to completely understand that.

After the recital, the theatre was swarming with family and friends taking pictures and congratulating one another. Jungkook, Namjoon, and Taehyung had already agreed to meet where they usually did, right behind the curtains. Hoseok was wiping down his forehead with a towel when Taehyung ran in to throw his arms around his sweaty friend.

“Good job, Hoseok! Killed it like always! Here’s a little something I bought for you.” Taehyung handed him the small bag that contained mini grapefruit tarts.

“We bought. Stop taking all the credit.” Namjoon intervened.

“Thanks you guys, it means a lot that you all came.” Hoseok smiled brightly.

“Wouldn’t have missed it dude.” Jungkook handed him his box of sweets. “Too bad the others couldn’t get the night off.”

“Yeah too bad—hey, are those the brownie-cookie things? You better share.” Taehyung jumped beside Hoseok to get a better view of the sweets Jungkook bought for him.

“Taehyung, just buy your own. Your bar is not too far from the bakery.” Namjoon tried to pull him away from Hoseok.

“But they’re right in front of me now!”

“Tae—”

Jungkook watched as his cluster of friends bickered in a playful way. He looked over his shoulder to the small hallway that led to another small room where dancers kept their belongings. Without saying a word, Jungkook quietly stepped back to take his leave without being noticed.

Using his prior knowledge, Jungkook was hoping that you still waited in the backroom to cool off and he was right.

Your back was to your corridor and you changed from your last performance outfit to a hoodie and gray sweatpants. Jungkook hesitated to speak because he was afraid you would completely blow him off, but he took the risk.

“Hi y/n.” His voice soft and his hands were shaking, but you turned around and greeted him with a smile Jungkook never thought he would ever see again.

“Jungkook, hi.”

“You did great tonight, like you always do.” He took a deep breath and stepped forward, preparing himself for you to take a step back but you didn’t.

“Thank you so much. I saw you and your friends in the crowd. Namjoon’s pink hair is hard to miss.” The way you spoke to him gave Jungkook the same butterflies he had when you first met and those butterflies were suffocating him.

Silence fell for a short moment until Jungkook finally had the courage to say what was on his mind. “I’ve called you, but I can’t seem to get a hold of you.”

You bit down on your lip and rubbed the back of your neck. “I-I know, Jungkook and I just—”

“I miss you, y/n.” He blurted out.

“Jungkook…” you sighed, completely thrown off by his words.

“Hear me out, okay?” His words didn’t stop there. “I know I don’t have the right to say those words to you when I’m the one who broke things off, but it’s true. I fucking miss you and I’ve been a wreck these past couple of months.” Jungkook felt a vibration in his pocket and ignored it. “Letting you go was a mistake and I feel like an idiot. I didn’t realize the effort you were trying to put in despite your schedule and I let my selfishness get in the way of something beautiful.”

There were tears in your eyes upon hearing Jungkook’s speech. The words he said were everything you wanted to hear and more. But hearing it now wasn’t enough to patch up your wounds.

“You hurt me, Jungkook.” Tears fell from your eyes and the plastic bag he tightly held onto fell to the floor as he immediately stepped forward to wipe your cheeks. Words from the day you two broke up echoed in his mind.

“You don’t even make time for me anymore!”

“I know.” He whispered.

“You made me feel like a burden.”

“I get tired of waiting for you to get home too.”

“I know, y/n and I’m so sorry.” Jungkook’s voice cracked and held your dampened cheeks in his hands. He pressed his forehead against yours; he didn’t mean for it to happen, but the action came almost naturally. It took everything inside of him to not swoop down and capture your lips, tasting the saltiness of your tears and the familiar taste of your lips.

The day you two broke up was clear in Jungkook’s head. He remembers the harsh words you two exchanged, the tears you shed, and up until the moment you left his apartment. There was something inside of him screaming that there was no way you were going to start all over with him, but he had to hope.

“Y/n, I still love you. You were the best thing that ever happened to me.” Jungkook pressed on with his words, hoping that he could somehow reach you. “I know that dance is important to you and I also know that I was important to you too. I was just too blind to see that.”

You cupped Jungkook’s warm hands that cradled your face and slowly removed yourself from him, but not letting go of his hands. You squeezed tightly and locked eye contact with him.

“Jungkook, I’m happy where I am right now.” The softness in your voice made small cracks in his heart.

“Can’t you be happy with me?”

There was a wavering glint in your eyes, but you firmly stood your ground.

“Not as lovers.”

It was Jungkook’s turn to feel a stinging sensation in his eyes. He desperately wanted you to be his girlfriend again and every hope he had of that was shattered. He hid his face by staring at the glossy wood of the floor. The words he spoke didn’t reach you and he felt selfish for wanting to be the source of your happiness.

“B-But—”

“I want to be friends with you, Jungkook, I honestly do, but I also don’t think it’s safe to build a friendship with you at this moment.” Now it was you to wipe away the tears and rolled down his cheek. He didn’t want to cry, but his emotions flooded and broke through.

“I don’t want to be just friends with you.” He choked. You placed a hand on his broad shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

“I have to go.”

“No, no, please. Please stay.” Jungkook reached for your hands again. “Don’t go, y/n.”

“Jungkook, I have to. Jimin is waiting for me.” You spoke, trying to excuse yourself, but he kept his hold on you. “Jungkook…”

At the sound of the boy’s name, Jungkook’s heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. He had no right to stop you, but god, he wanted you to stay. His grip loosened and his arms slowly dropped back down to his sides. You reached back up to pat down his cheeks with the sleeve of your hoodie.

“Don’t beat yourself up anymore. You can find happiness again too.” You whispered sadly.

“I love you, y/n.” Jungkook whispered and lifted his head up to meet your eyes. They were glassy, but you blinked continuously to avoid anymore tears. The melody of your ringtone sounded off and for a second, you hesitated to pick up.

“Bye, Jungkook. I’ll see you around.” Before leaving, you caressed the damp skin of Jungkook’s face and softly smiled at him. You stepped back and answered your phone call. “Sorry Jimin. I’m heading out now.”

With a heavy heart, Jungkook watched you disappear out the back exit into the rain with your pony tail swaying back and forth. You were happy with where you were and he had to be happy for you too. But how could he when he wanted to be the source of your happiness.

The vibration in his pocket happened again and this time he answered.

“Hello?”

“Dude, where are you? We’re going to get pizza to celebrate!”

“S-Sorry Hoseok. I’ll meet you guys right outside.”

Jungkook ended the call and stared back at the back door you exited from. Watching you leave made him feel like he lost you all over again. He had to live with this regret and the knowing you found someone who made you happy. This was it and there was nothing more he could do. But the least he could do was respect your space.

Before leaving the back room, he noticed the box he failed to give you. It was flat on the floor peeking out of the plastic bag. He contemplated about taking it back with him or just tossing it out because it didn’t mean anything now.

It was all a metaphor; carrying all of his feelings with him or leaving it all behind. How could Jungkook possibly change your mind especially since you were already happy now. Finally he made the critical decision to pick it up and drop it in a nearby trash can.

It was really all a metaphor; Jungkook had to get rid of his feelings or else he was going to keep hurting himself. He walked out of the back room with heavy footsteps; walking away from it all.

♡ rae

[agent-kentauris]

d194-199

some of these days are reposted but, um. im really tired RN and i also edited a bunch of these and they are allpart of the same thing (rome museum mission) so...sorry!

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

Thursday, 3/20/2008, 16:50

Museum of Art

Rome

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

Getting a hold of my new PDA took an hour; sweeping the museum took a couple more. Fast-talking my way past a guard, and then checking out the ‘off limits to the public’ areas took another few.

I was halfway through an archived collection of old, dark paintings when Mina called.

“I’m in the museum,” I reported.

She hesitated, then the PDA screen froze, and video feed of the safehouse appeared.

“Mike, I just picked up something on the cameras…”

Madison, standing in front of the window, cradling her phone to her ear. At the front door, two armed men in suits and black gloves carefully pushing the door open.

Move, I willed her, already a knot in my stomach telling me it was pointless.

“It’s Marburg’s men,” Mina narrated, also pointless. I had eyes. “They have Madison.”

One man swung his gun at her, shouted something. She gripped the phone harder, lips moving rapidly.

“How,” I asked.

Mina hesitated again, a small intake of breath while the gunmen in the safehouse fired a warning shot over Saint James’ head. She jerked back. Afraid.

“She was calling the cops. They traced it.” Mina explained.

Madison dropped the phone. They approached her carefully. The feed jumped to them strong arming her out of the door.

Mina’d done some editing.

“When?” I asked.

“An hour ago.”

“Where’d they take her?”

“I don’t know,” Mina said. “But, Mike, we need to-”

“The mission, I know.”

People you care about will start to die.

She’d be fine.

She would be fine.

I’d honestly believed she would make it out okay. Somehow.

“The cops?” I asked.

“I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Thanks,” I said, and disconnected.

-

The rows of paintings never ended. The first time I found one of Marburg’s men standing at the end of an aisle, I thought things might be close to being over. Then I found another, and another, and I realized it was never going to end.

“Four hundred feet north,” Mina instructed. “No, Mike, other north.”

“Hard to tell in here.”

A yellowed light flickered overhead.

I ducked past another cross aisle, then doubled back. A few yards away, a wooden door was ajar, hard blue light showing through the cracks. A voice issued precise commands, faint at this distance, clearer and clearer as I got closer.

“And for all those who weren’t paying attention at the briefing,” the man said, “We have an insider man at the museum giving us access to the tunnel system that’s normally used for moving relics in the middle of the night.”

“Relics like your mom?” someone challenged, to light laughter.

“We show up,” the first man said impassively, “in the middle of the museum at Sigma point and move through at H hour plus two. Each team is responsible for keeping the museum crowd under control. Yeah, yeah, Jenkins, we know a night time mission would be easier, but the man upstairs wants broad daylight. So, he’ll get broad daylight. Again, do not, under any circumstance ditch your equipment thinking the blast will destroy the evidence. We’re counting on the authorities being able to analyze the slightest scrap of incinerated material, thus Vulture team placing the bodies. Stow your gear, and drop nothing.”

“That’s what she said.”

“Minimum safe distance, Jenny, is half a klick. I would suggest you get even farther away, as there’s going to be lots of stone thrown about the area, but you could use some stones, buddy.”

More laughter.

“Nice try,” said presumably Jenkins.

I went in shooting. If there was anyone in earshot, I hadn’t seen them. In the small space, with their weapons holstered, their guard down, laughter on their faces while they were talking about domestic terrorism? The four of them didn’t stand much of a chance. One got off a couple shots at me, but that was it.

“Where are the tunnels?” I asked Mina.

She searched while I picked my way over the bodies, towards the laptop hooked up to a projector.

“Working on it,” she said.

They’d left it logged in. Two clicks, and I had access to their email. Team movements, reports, encoded-

Madison.

Her name was in the middle of the email. I had to reread the first few sentences over and over before I could make myself understand anything.

From: Ops Team To: #JollyRoger Subject: Live Asset

Attn,

Slight change of plans. We have a live asset with us today, just in case our interloper shows up. Madison Saint James is to be taken to the evac point Phi and held until go code Orange. If she makes too much noise, she is to be sedated. Under no circumstance is she to be injured unless you hear a change of orders (and that comes from Marburg). If anyone tries any funny business with the live asset, they will be killed (Marburg’s words, not mine).

-Ops Team

The guilt ballooned up. If I’d let it, it would have taken over.

This was my fault.

She wasn’t to be injured.

She wasn’t.

“They’ve got Madison somewhere,” I reported. I pushed the guilt aside. Save it for later. Promise it that it could have me, later. Once I had her back.

I’d thought…well. They said she wasn’t to be harmed. I didn’t have time to do anything but believe it.

“Understood,” Mina said. “Sending the tunnel schematics to your phone. Get out of the archive, and go left.”

-  

The stairs down to the tunnels were damp and empty, except for the corpse of a museum security guard, lying half on the stairs and half on the landing above me.

“Mina,” I asked. “Is there anyone still in the museum?”

“It’s normal hours,” she reminded, a note of curiosity in her voice. “A few tour groups…security guards. It’s a light day for tourists, but that’s still a lot of people if the bombs go off.”

“I won’t let it happen.”

It didn’t look like the security guard had gone peacefully. Two bullet wounds in the chest, one across the temple. Someone had been in a hurry.

And had gone upstairs.

So the team had split. Why?

Footsteps, from up the stairs. I took a few steps back, and hidbehind the door.

A low grunt, and the sound of a body being dragged.

“Fuck this,” someone grumbled, in a whisper.

I peeked out. One of Marburg’s men was staring directly at me. He blinked, looked down at the body, and when he looked back up he was facing the barrel of my assault rifle.

He spread his arms, dropping the body. Then he pointed upstairs.

“Rifles make a lot of noise,” he said casually, and shrugged. “Sure you wanna do this?”

“Where’s the bombs?” I asked.

“There’s an exhibit in the North Wing on the Jingkang incident. There might be a few fire lance replicas there,” he said innocently. “Is that what you’re looking for?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I-” he said.

Muffled sharp gunshots from far up the stairs.

He went for the pistol on his belt. I shot him twice.

“Mike,” Mina radioed, “you need to hurry.”

There were too many stairs to run up them all, but no time to walk.

“What’s going on?”

“It…sounds like Marburg’s men are attacking the security guards.” she said. “Security’s outnumbered, they’ll be slaughtered.”

The lobby was designed to be pretty – a massive marble hall with arched ceilings and heavy staircases and large expanses of intricate marble tilework marking off café sections and waiting sections and a place for tourists to wait in line. I don’t think the designer had accounted for pitched battle. With no cover, and with Marburg’s men coming down the staircases, and with the element of surprise, security hadn’t stood much of a chance. Five of them were already on the ground, only a couple breathing. One guard had taken cover behind an errant and empty display case. She was firing at a man on an upper balcony clear across the room. Another guard was crouched in the café behind an Ale Salute vending machine, ducking out with a shotgun every few seconds to fire uselessly at the two men proceeding down the central staircase. A third slammed into the wall next to me, wrestling desperately with the arms around his throat.

The guard saw me. Marburg’s man didn’t. I dashed forward and locked the VCI in a chokehold. He dropped the guard and started tearing at my forearm with his nails. I yanked him back a step, the guard reached out and stole the man’s pistol from his belt, and then put three rounds in his chest. I dropped the body and we both traded a silent thanks at one another.

Then the guard stiffened and pointed over my shoulder. We hit the ground beside the dead VCI, and I winced as several rifle rounds imploded the marble wall above my head.

The guy on balcony was fumbling with a reload. The guard beside me got back to his feet a split-second before me, but I was faster with aiming. Our shots hit at the same time. The man on the balcony slumped against the stone balustrades. His rifle fell over the edge and clattered on the ground.

“Grazie ancora,” I said, out loud this time. He nodded back, mouth set in a grim line.

The guard behind the display case, free from the danger of Balcony Man, pulled out her radio and shouted into it. She and the guard in the café advanced at the same time centering and firing at the men coming down the staircase in one smooth motion. They didn’t need my help.

The shooting was over, for the moment.

They all turned at looked at me.

“Uh…” I said. I didn’t look the least bit official. I’d come from the goddamn tunnels with a bright gold assault rifle and I was in civvies. They looked at me all the same.

“Evacuate the civilians,” I ordered quickly, in Italian. “About half a, uh…”

Fuck was the word for klick? Fuck was the conversion rate?

“Half a kilometer,” I said. “Got it?”

They nodded, and scattered.

“Stay together!” I yelled at their backs.

The main staircase ended in a split, the East Wing to the right, and the West Wing to the left.

“Mina,” I asked, “you have any-”

The PA system in the hallway let out a small, rattled electric shriek, then settled into a staticky transmission.

“Agent Thorton,” Marburg announced magnanimously. “You made it – good, that makes things interesting. We have Madison. She’s being held in the west wing of the museum. My men have orders to execute her.”

He paused. The urge to shoot out the PA system was growing.

“That where your bombs are, too?” I challenged.

“No,” he said, “the bombs are with me – at the Crusades exhibit. You won’t have time to reach both. Either way…”

He paused again, the smile aggravatingly audible. “Someone dies.”

“Your right about that, Marburg. Why don’t you stay put, I’ll be right there.”

“Left or right, Thorton – your choice. Madison – or coming after me and the bombs. There’s not time for both.”

The whining static cut out, immediately followed by the whining static of my earpiece.

“Mike,” Mina said. “Madison – she’s in the wing to your left…but the Crusades exhibit is in the wing to the right.”

“I know,” I said. “I get it.”

If he was telling the truth. If he had her.

I assumed he was trying to play me. Like everyone else had been, lately.

“Which was should I go?” I asked.

“I don’t know, Mike – you’ll have to make the call. But I don’t think Marburg is bluffing.”

I did.

Or maybe it’s just what I’d wanted to believe.

-----

The East Wing was full of old Italian art, renaissance, by the look of it. I didn’t have much time to check. I was too busy dodging bullets and in one case, a throwing knife with the VCI’s wing and stars laser-etched into the blade’s base.

Another one sliced through the air and embedded itself in an already tattered canvas. I put the last of my rifle rounds into its owner’s chest, and took the knife with me. The edge cut through the edge of a painted blue robe a figure playing a lute. The canvas made a small tearing noise as I tugged the knife free.

Mina hadn’t said a thing through the whole fight, and she didn’t now.

----

“I’m picking up some interference on the channel,” Mina reported, shouting to be heard over VCI machine pistol fire. “And judging from the frequencies…there’s some proximity mines near your location!”

“I’ll keep an eye out!” I shouted back, trying to watch both the blatantly obvious yellow blinking mine on the column above my head, and the VCI approaching behind it.  

I had two seconds after jumping up and grabbing it to fling it towards the VCI, and dive away.

----

The smoking autoturret finally detonated, sending the throwing knife implanted in its guiding camera whizzing halfway across the room. The hilt was scorched, and the blade still radiated heat when I retrieved it.

-----

Security was dead. They’d clearly been left where they landed, falling down the marble stairs in the room. A few had made it to the centerpiece of the Crusades exhibit, a collection of massive brassy gold statues of elephants. There were bullet holes in the columns around the edges of the room. Indicators, maybe, of who they’d been fighting again.

The VCI were gone now. And when I approached the crates stashed in between the elephant statues, I could see why.

2:59:14.

The counter was decreasing rapidly. Another second ticked off.

The mess of wires the counter was nestled into was connected to a hell of a lot of crates.

Half a klick my ass.

“Three minutes,” I reported.

“Get ready for evac!” someone else shouted.

Too late, I realized several balconies were overlooking the center exhibit. And that’s where the VCI has decided to camp.

I fell, tucking myself behind the nearest crate of high explosives.

It didn’t help. They’d seen me.

Several bullets pinged sparks of the side of an elephant statue.

“Mike?” Mina asked.

“Working on it.”

I fired blind. No screams, still too many bullets coming for me. They fired, and I fired back. The timer counted down. We were going to die here. I didn’t know a thing about bomb defusal, not this kind, not – and Madison – and they kept shooting.

My rifle jammed with a sharp, harsh click I could feel in my bones.

Calm down.

“Mina,” I said, “Give me thirty second intervals – and in about a minute, I’m going to need you to talk me through defusing this.”

“Two minutes, thirty seconds,” she said. “Get me a picture of the detonator.”

“Copy.”

Clear the rifle. Hope it wasn’t serious. Tap the magazine back into place, rerack and fire over my head. It’s working, someone screams, dive roll out of cover while you still have a chance. Take cover again, this time behind the crates with the detonator. Fire. Stop, take the picture. Send it. Back to firing.

“Receiving,” Mina said.

Sneak a glance up. Nearly lose your head for it. Quick, think. There were two in front of you, for sure. But they’d be looking…

Turn around. He’s staring at through pistol sights. Hope his range is worse than yours. Swing around, fire at the same time. Are you dead? No? Good. Is he? Good.

“Two minutes,” Mina said.

“Two minutes, boys!” I shouted up at the last two. They might leave. They didn’t. Dedication, great.

Less shooting at me, though.

“Run while you still can!” I advised. “Half a klick! Think you can do that in two minutes?”

The shooting stopped slowly.

“Marburg will never know!” I said. “Unless you really think I can defuse these in, what? A minute thirty?”

“One forty-five, actually,” Mina pointed out.

They took off.

What were they thinking of me, right then?

“One thirty,” Mina said. “Are you ready?”

The first detonator was blinking, counting down quickly.

“Ready,” I said.

“We’re lucky. Do exactly what I say, quickly. We should have time.”

“Got it.”

“These are…” she said, then paused. “No, the design number don’t matter, just – okay. There should be four black buttons on the side. There should also be at least two wires on the left– three? Is it two, or three?”

“Mina?”

“Sorry, hang on.”

“Uh,” I said. “There are about a dozen wires.”

Silence, except for the detonator beeping. 59…58

“Mina?”

“Hang on.”

“We don’t really-”

“Okay,” she said calmly. “Forget the wires. There’s an override code that should reset the time. And another one to…I don’t know. Glitch the system, or something.”

“Should?”

“We can debate later; just do it. Leftmost button twice, third four times, second once, first twice-”

The beeping was almost drowning out her voice. “Slow down, Mina.”

“I can’t. Keep up.”

I tried, I really did. I got to the last one and was half sure the museum was going up then and there. It didn’t. The detonator skipped from 28 to 0, I had a miniature heart attack, and then the detonator switched off.

“Okay…” I said slowly, “I think-”

“There should be a second one in the opposite corner,” Mina informed me.

The heart attack was slightly less miniature, this time.

Running through the statues took three seconds; finding the seconds detonator another two. 23, 22-

“Hurry,” she said, repeating her instructions all over again and this time, I didn’t bother asking her to take it easy. I finished with all of one second to spare. It felt like an eternity. An empty one. No thinking, just sitting back against the dead crates, sliding to the ground, breathing. Not believing it was over. Who would I have to fight, to stop them from coming back? And just turning the things back on again? Fuck. They’d know by now, know the bombs hadn’t gone off, they’d be on their way back. Maybe I could organize security, or something, maybe – Madison had called the cops, though. They could-

Madison. Marburg had her. Marburg had her, fuck, fuck, where? Outside the museum, maybe? Anywhere in Rome. Anywhere in the world. I-

Footsteps. And her voice.

“Mike!” she shouted, talking fast, sounding stained. “Get out of here! Marburg is-”

Across the room and up the stairs, A VCI man in a suit caught up with Madison. He got her head in a lock and forced a hand over her mouth. Marburg strolled in behind them.

“It’s over!” I said. “Let her go!”

Madison mmphfd through the VCI’s hand. She struggled with him, even when he tightened her hold. She did. She tried.

Marburg gazed down at me. He took in the dead security guards, and the dead screen on the detonators, and the rifle strapped on my back.

He smiled.

“Do as he says,” he ordered, with a dismissive wave.

The VCI man pushed Madison away. She stumbled. She looked back over her shoulder at the lot of them, the VCI guard, and Marburg, and another one walking in. The two guards stared ahead impassively. Marburg kept his eyes on me.

Madison was looking at me, too. She was. How was I supposed to look away?

I nodded gently. She took a step, wrapping her arms around herself. She was wearing the same salmon colored blazer she’d been wearing the first day we met. She looked cold anyway.

I took a step towards her, and one of the guards pointed his shotgun at me. Madison shook her head. She looked backwards at Marburg again, then started down the stairs. She tried to smile at me. She didn’t have it in her; I didn’t either.

I was looking at her. I didn’t see it happening until it was too late.

“Deus Vult,” Marburg said quietly, the black and silver pistol in his hand.

He didn’t recoil with the shot. Neither did Madison. It seemed like just a noise, like we’d all agreed to pretend we heard a gunshot at the same time. The pistol shot sound happened, and Madison stopped walking. Her eyes widened. She looked down at the growing bloodstain showing through her jacket. She looked back up at me, with confusion, and questions, and uncertainty, and then her eyes went unfocused.

Her knees buckled, and she fell onto the stairs. Her body went limp, and slid a few steps more.

It only took me seconds to reach her. It didn’t matter. She was already dead.

Marburg sighed. “You brought it on her,” he said.

She lay facedown on the marble. I couldn’t bring myself to turn her head. Couldn’t touch her, couldn’t comfort her – not that she need me too – did she? Need me? Still?

I didn’t know if she believed in an afterlife. It hit hard. I didn’t even know if she wanted to be buried, I didn’t know anything about her-

Except that she wasn’t a spy. Couldn’t have been. Not with the way Marburg had- not with the way he- she couldn’t have been, couldn’t have been anything but afraid and calling the police to- and I- this was my-

No. “You pulled the trigger,” I growled at the fucker on the stairs. I had my rifle. One of Marburg’s men put a warning shot past my side.

Marburg had his pistol in hand and a neutral smile on his face. “Don’t blame me,” he said. “You made your choice.”

“Don’t give me that third party bullshit, Marburg. I’m-”

No. No, he wasn’t getting out of it that easy. No cops. No police. She’d wanted it but that, that was…over, or…should be? I didn’t know. I didn’t care. I was going to kill that son of a bitch and I was going to do it now.

He looked at me with raised eyebrows and an air of impatience.

He deserved to know. Deserved to feel it coming. Deserved to know.

“I’m gonna kill you,” I told him, smiled when he didn’t react, because it was going to be all the better when his new reality suddenly sunk in. “Quickly. Which is more than a coward who shoots women in the back deserves.”

“I may give you that chance, Thorton,” he said, clasping his hands together in front of him, gun disappearing into a holster. “If only to further your edu-”

His guard’s shotgun blast went wide. He hadn’t been expecting me to move backwards. An angry, impulsive rush up the stairs, maybe, and- and I almost did, it would have been so satisfying, but I had to live if I wanted to kill him. Backwards it was, dashing back and falling into cover behind a pillar, a wide view of the stairs and the body at the base- and-

Marburg’s men came hurrying down the stairs, laying down cover fire with shotguns. I shot blind. They survived it.

“I’m impressed,” Marburg shouted over the constant sound of shotguns, layered one after another, and return rifle fire, frantic, ill-timed, going to get me killed if I kept up like that.

“You stay focused,” he rambled, “carried out your mission, disarmed the bombs…”

I ducked back as a shotgun blast caught the edge of the pillar, and blew apart the outer layer of wood.

“…and left her for last. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Mike,” Mina warned, “he’s trying to provoke you.”

I didn’t care. I wanted it. I curled a finger around the trigger-

“Mike,” she said stern, absolute, angry.

Swallow the feeling. Force it down. Try to breathe-

“Oh, the choices an agent in your line of work has to make everyday…” he mused. His shoe soles tapping as he went down the stairs. If he touched her, if he so much as went near her…

“Did you think you had time? No, no, no. No, I was quite clear with you about that. You knew, Thorton.”

Another cold Thorton from Mina. A shotgun round from a VCI – Deus Vult – from a guard.

More of his footsteps.

“Maybe you thought you could be a hero, save her…”

He didn’t know a goddamn thing. I was going to tear the sick fucker apart.

“Agent Thorton…” Mina said.

His footsteps stopped. I glanced out in between shotgun shots. He was standing next to her body, pistol pointed at her head.

He glanced over at me and tsked. “It doesn’t work that way,” he said.

A round from a shotgun forced me back into cover. There was a single pistol shot, and I knew, I knew-

I came out shooting. He smiled. There was an awkward hole in the marble beside her body with the bullet casing right there, and he smiled.

“Shit, Mike, fuck-” Mina swore. “Get out of there!”

It didn’t matter. If they hit me. So long as I got him. And I did. I had him. He was smiling and he didn’t expect it, underestimation, distraction? Who the fuck knows, I had a line on his forehead and a finger on the trigger and in the distance, faint sirens, Madison’s sirens.

I froze.

I was going to choke. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t even see him. Except I knew I had the shot, I knew I did, I had to have had it. And I didn’t do it. I sat there shaking because the rifle was so damn heavy in my hands.

He smiled even more.

“I’m going to enjoy killing you, Thorton,” he said, and ran.

NO.

I went after him, the shotgun guards ducking out of cover. One went down, doubled over, the shock of taking a frisbeed assault rifle to the stomach, the other surprised enough for a second that I had a chance to tackle him, pull his shotgun free, bash his nose in with it and send him running in the opposite direction at gunpoint. The other one shot at me with my own damn rifle, the shots going too far to the left. I yanked it out of his hands.

“It does that,” I said.

I added several shots at his feet, and he ran too.

There were heavy metal security doors closing at the top of the exhibit. Marburg was already through them. I slid through at the last second, nearly having to roll.

The autoturret wasn’t smoking anymore. The room almost looked peaceful. Columns and art and pots on stands. It should have been full of tourists this time of day.

Noise from the back of the room, near the main exit to the exhibit.

“I expected more from a self-appointed hero,” Marburg said, voice echoing, sneer audible. “You are disposable and obsolete.”

I crouched beside the nearest cover, a large column with a painting on the other side.

“Says the corporate tool who answers to Leland,” I told him, concentrating, listening. Triangulating.

“I work for Halbech. You…”

He laughed. I could almost see where he was standing, almost…

“You’re a man without a country, Thorton. You’re me, twenty years ago.”

“What’s that in dog years?”

“Even if you escape, I know how your story ends.”

Got him.

“Keep talking,” I said. “Lets me know where to shoot.”

“Enough of this,” he spat, with sudden venom.

Let this work. Please.

I picked the right column, decorating it with rifle rounds, but he went running and I couldn’t do it. I fucking- I had him, I swear I did but I was dizzy. He ran off with only one token shot back at me, ran off and through the next security door, and I couldn’t and I was cursing myself because I was halfway across the room and I was never going to get there, and I was never- I tried, though, I-

“Mike!” Mina said, cutting through a steam of angry curses.

“Dammit, he’s getting away!”

“There’s nothing you can do now, Mike,” she said placatingly, gently, giving up. “Get out of there.”

She was right, and if I could stop feeling sick for a second I could move- I could-

“There’ll be another time,” she promised.

Right. And that was a fucking promise I could hold on to. This wasn’t it. I was going to kill that son of a bitch, I was, I swore it. I promised.

The sirens were louder now. The tunnels were still intact. An escape route.

I glanced back at the closed security gate leading to the Crusades exhibit. I couldn’t even go back to-

Don’t think about it, I thought.

Don’t think about it.

Just…don’t.

Okay.

I won’t.

“Heading out,” I told Mina, and headed for a side exhibit. “Get me direction to the tunnel.”

“Got it,” she said.

I ignored the sound of relief in her voice.