#She just hated Riley and crossed her arms a lot

[bi-writes]

who to call to clean up after an "accident" than your sick and twisted military boyfriend? :D (dark!ghost x dark!fem!reader, 18+)

cw: dark!reader, dark!simon, horror movie vibes, graphic depictions of character death/murder, unhealthy relationship dynamics, one slip of daddy, smut, unprotected piv, simon "spit in my mouth" riley, reader and simon are kinda psycho :D

you've been so nice to her. really nice. you've let it slide off your back whenever she doesn't do her dishes. you pretend you don't notice when she borrows your shoes from the hallway and wears them out to dinner. you hide yourself in your room when she has her awful, loud guests over, and you have never once said anything about how she takes her sweet time in the shared bathroom in the morning and makes you late 2 days a week for work.

but this? this?

she needs to keep simon's name out of her fucking mouth.

"excuse me?" you say finally. your roommate is shrugging on her jacket to leave, her purse in her hand as she types on her phone, using it as a way to not make eye-contact with you. her long nails are tapping against the screen, and it feels like fucking drip water torture. "what the fuck did you just say?"

she sighs, irritated, rolling her eyes as she keeps tapping away at the screen.

"you're so dramatic, it was just a fucking joke."

"you know, i let a lot of things slide," you laugh, humorlessly, and you cross your arms over your chest as you follow her into the kitchen. "but you need to be careful what you say."

"i don't do anything except call it like i see it," she says, tossing her hair over her shoulder and looking at herself in the reflection of the mirror hanging on the wall. "you need to just...go out more. man like that isn't gonna stay for long if you don't give him something to go for. he's bored, you know. when you have him over here all the time. and i've totally caught him peeking at me after i shower, y'know."

"well why the fuck are you wearing nothing but a towel when my boyfriend is here, anyways?" you snap. "he's trying to be polite, he's a guest. what if i wore a fucking towel when you had your guy friends over?"

she laughs, poking at the edge of her lip to fix the gloss of her pout. "trust me, honey, no one's looking at you in a towel."

you step back, a little shocked. she rolls her eyes again, sighing.

"i didn't--"

"are you kidding me?" you retort. "you're the worst fucking roommate in the world, and i put up with all your bullshit, and now you're going to go so low as to insult the way i look just to make yourself feel better?" you make your way around the kitchen island. "you don't wash your fucking dishes, you steal my fucking clothes, you're always late on your rent so i have to spot you--"

"you know what, just because i'm fucking happy, and you're not, doesn't mean you have to take it out on me!"

"i am happy, you sorry bitch!" you cry. "i'm so fucking happy, you're the only thing in my life making me constantly miserable!"

"oh, shove it up your ass, you ungrateful little shit!" she snaps. "you're just so fucking insecure and hate me so badly just because simon would rather fuck a girl like me than have to spend another minute with--"

the crack of cast iron against her head shuts her up. it dents the side of her head easily, and her face smacks against the countertop before she crumples to the floor.

it's so fast. one minute, she's yapping, high-pitched voice straining your ears. the next, she's silent.

and she won't say simon's fucking name again.

you watch with bated breath as she folds into herself, her head hitting the hardwood last, a slow puddle of blood beginning to grow under the tendrils of her hair as your eyes move to the heavy pan you're still holding in your hands.

fuck, that's a lot of blood. god, you thought she was just full of fucking air.

you drop the pan once the rush of anger leaves your chest. it thunks onto the ground, and your hands shake as you see the specks of blood that are on the back of your hands, sprinkled over the shirt you wear. it stains your bare legs, even your toes, and you don't even want to look at the spray of it along the counters.

you should be crying, you think. you should feel bad. you're trembling a little, but you think it's just the adrenaline beginning to fade and not the guilt you know is supposed to be racking your insides.

you turn your eyes back to her. her eyes are dull. she doesn't move. it's so quiet now, utterly silent, and you take a deep breath as you take in the silence that you've craved for a long while now. you make your way quietly out of the kitchen, stepping over her body before going for your phone that sits on the coffee table in front of the couch.

you keep your eyes on her as you put your phone to your ear. it rings, and you tilt your head to the side as the blood begins to spiderweb under the kitchen table.

"'ello?"

you blink, looking towards the door. you clutch your phone a little tighter to your ear.

"simon?" you say softly. "a-are...are you busy?"

he hums lowly, chuckling, "no' at the moment, swee'eart, why?" he asks. "mmm...missed y'r voice..." you close your eyes as you hear the buckle of his belt. you try not to picture your giant of a boyfriend leaning back on his worn couch and shoving his jeans low enough to fuck his fist. "tolk t'me, luv...tell me 'ow much ya miss daddy."

you clear your throat gently, willing yourself to ignore the soft squelch of what you know is his hand around his cock, to not let it distract you from what's more important. "uhm...i liked the flowers you gave me, simon. t-they were beautiful."

the sounds on the other end of the phone quiet. you hear shuffling, and then a few moments later, the clink of his car keys.

"tha' right, baby?" he asks, and you close your eyes as you hear the front door of his flat opening. he's already on the way, already coming.

"yeah," you sniffle. "really nice sunflowers."

a yellow flower. he huffs on the other end of the phone, breathing a little easier.

"good girl," he murmurs, and then the line cuts. you set the phone down, making your way back to the kitchen and taking a seat at the table. you watch as the blood continues to curl over the floor. you make no attempt to help her; you just swing your feet under you as you look at her spoiled outfit, just grateful she isn't wearing your shoes or one of your jackets. you would hate to have to throw something out that she got all dirty.

there's a curt knock at the door ten minutes later, and then it opens. simon shuts the door behind him, cracking his neck by moving it from side to side before narrowing his eyes at you. you bite your lip, blinking, forgetting suddenly why he is here when he looks so fucking good. he's got a sweatshirt on under his windbreaker, worn jeans tucked into his boots; you like these jeans, his ass looks incredible in them.

"wot happened?" he asks. you stand, remembering your place. your lip starts trembling, and simon's eyes soften just a little. he's wearing his balaclava, hood up over his head and jacket zipped up, shadowing any true expression on his face. his gait sounds heavy as he lets his hands out of his pockets, coming towards you. when he steps into the kitchen, his eyes dart towards your roommate who's still on the floor, laid out unnaturally just by the oven.

he lets out a low breath, clicking his tongue under the mask. you hold your breath as you wait for his reaction.

"bloody hell," simon mutters, reaching up and throwing his hood off. you wring your hands together nervously, your eyes beginning to sting with tears. you brace for the accusations, for the inevitable terror of facing the music. simon is military, for fuck's sake, why the fuck did you think turning to him would be a good idea?

"i...i-i--" you start, looking up at him, and he holds up a hand, taking the side of your face into his palm before smoothing a gloved thumb over your bottom lip. you blink in confusion, not understanding.

"'s olright, baby," he shushes you, shaking his head. "don't cry."

"simon, i--" you sputter a little, gripping his wrist gently. "i just--i couldn't do it anymore, she just--"

he pities you. maybe you can explain. maybe if you tell him a warped story of what happened, he can help you. he must know someone. he must have important friends, he must--

he uses his free hand to move his mask up over his nose, and you lean into him when he bends, kissing you warmly. your eyes flutter shut, and you shuffle closer as he kisses you sloppy, kisses you hot. you mewl as he slips his tongue into your mouth, licking over your teeth and humming low as he pulls away. his eyes are flashing.

mmm. love.

"hmm..." simon licks his lips, smiling a little. he looks over you, almost pensive, his eyes scanning over your face before he settles back on your eyes. it's tender, the way he looks at you. romantic. "let's get this off of ya."

he reaches for the large shirt you are wearing, pulling it up and over your head. he crumples it into a ball before tossing it on top of your roommate, nodding his head behind you.

it's then that you realize simon isn't going to do the noble thing. he isn't going to call the police. he isn't going to turn you in, make you explain, he seems uninterested in knowing what really happened. no, he already knows what happened. but that's not important.

his pretty, perfect girl got into a little trouble. and he's going to make this go away.

"go on, luv. take a nice shower, yeah?" simon turns you around and pushes on your back gently. you suck in a shaky breath when he fondles your ass, pulling on your panties gently. "mmm...take these off, too."

you slip your panties down your legs, handing them to him.

"they have blood on them, too?" you ask, wiping your face, and he chuckles lowly.

"nah," he shrugs, stuffing them into his back pocket after taking a little sniff. "these are just for me."

jesus fucking christ, there's really something wrong with him. there's something really, really wrong with him.

and something wrong with me.

simon looks you up and down, his eyes catching on your naked body for just a few moments before he nods his head again.

"go on," he tells you. "before i get distracted." you pause for a moment, tilting your head back a little as he reaches out and cups one of your breasts in his big hand. you bite your lip, swallowing back a heavy breath as he flicks his thumb over your nipple gently. "greatest tits 've ever seen," he mumbles, scrunching his nose under the mask before he lets you go. "yeah, go on, baby." it takes everything in you to walk away when you see him reach down with that same hand and grip his bulge through his jeans, adjusting himself as he turns back to the mess in the kitchen.

when you shut the bathroom door behind you, you hear shuffling in the living room. the coffee table scraping. the couch being pushed. the rustle of the rug you have there. he grunts a little, and you hear his boots track from the kitchen back to the living room.

you turn the water on hot. you decide to take a bath, not looking at yourself in the mirror as you sink into the tub and plug the drain. you make the water scalding, and it soothes your sore muscles as you rest your cheek against the edge of the tub and stare at the door.

you're not sure how long you stay there. long enough for the water to nearly slosh over the edge of the tub and for simon to swing the bathroom door open, seemingly done with his...tasks.

he's taken his sweatshirt off. just a black t-shirt tucked into jeans, and there's a slight pant to his breaths that tell you he's exerted some energy. you notice he has his gloves still on, but before he touches you, he takes them off and tosses them into the sink.

"move over," simon mutters, starting to undress. you look up at him as he undoes the button on his pants, shucking his shirt off and into the corner before dropping his jeans. the water swishes as you sit up, and you swallow hard when simon kicks his boots and pants off, his cock hanging heavy as his mask is the last to hit the floor.

fuck, he's so pretty.

he has no regard for his size. he simply steps into the tub behind you, taking a seat. he looks comically large in your small bathtub, and you squeak a little as the water spills over the edge of the bath and wets the floor. he hums as he feels the hot water on his back. you don't say anything as his hands start to turn the water a little red. you just look up, away, at him.

you shuffle between his legs, tucking yourself into his space. you can't help but look him up and down, admiring his naked physique. he's just hot. big arms, thick thighs, sunburnt tattoos and scars cutting across his face. he hasn't shaved today, so there's some stubble along his jaw, but your eyes focus a little too much on his girthy length, heavy as it sits on his stomach and leaks a little there. his fat stomach, all solid and pudgy, such a nice place for you to rest your hands.

"you did good today," simon says finally. you look at him, and he tilts his head to the side. his approval makes your chest warm. "callin' me like tha'. wot a good girl you are."

keeping quiet on the phone is what he doesn't add out loud.

you purse your lips, trying not to keen at the praise, but it's hard not to when he reaches over and slides his hand over your shoulder, thumbing at your jaw.

"i-i didn't...didn't know what to do," you admit, and he clicks his tongue, shaking his head. you didn't know what to do, so you called him. level-headed enough to not do something rash and call someone else, no, you called him.

"mmm...tha's wot i'm 'ere for, luv," simon soothes you. "made such a little mess..."

you close your eyes. it's sick. deranged. fuck, it feels nice.

why don't i feel anything?

"i know. i'm sorry."

"nothin' ta be sorry about."

you slump into his arms, resting your cheek on his solid chest. you can feel his cock pulsing against your tummy, and you adjust yourself in the water, straddling him as you rest your chin on his pecs and look up at him through watery eyes.

you aren't sad. no. not sad at all. simon has shown you what he will do for the you. the lengths he will go. what he'll forgive just to take care of you. he's so capable, so understanding.

sick. twisted. mine.

"then i'll just say thank you," you mumble, grinding your hips slowly. simon hums, a wicked smile coming over his scarred face. he licks over his bottom lip, big hands gripping you by the fat of your hips as you grip the edges of the tub for stability. "say thank you to my big, strong man for taking such good care of me..."

he chuckles, his eyes lowering, watching your tits sway as you fit your pussy over his length and grind down on him.

"tha' so, baby?"

you nod.

"mhm," you whine. "how can i thank you, my big boy? how can i show you how grateful i am for cleaning up after me, hmm?" you bend at the waist, kissing him wet and warm, and he hisses as you suck his tongue into your mouth. he tastes like cigarettes, and normally you would curse him for it, but right now it tastes so much like him, and you lick around his teeth trying to taste more of that sweet nicotine.

"fuck--such a naughty little girl..." he snickers, reaching down. you sigh when he slides his big palms over your ass, forcing you to grind slower, the tip of his cock sliding through your folds leisurely. you grip the edges of the tub tighter, pressing down to give you more leverage to grind down harder. "make such a mess, oll the time..." you gasp when he presses into you just enough, the tip breaching your entrance and forcing you to squeeze around him, your cunt trying to suck him in. "olways needin' me ta pick up afta ya..."

you giggle, sliding your hands up his chest, gripping his shoulders for leverage as you sink down onto him. he grits his teeth as you do, his eyes focused on the way his cock disappears inch by inch until you're seated down in his lap, his length kissing deep and twitching excitedly. he always feels like a teenager again whenever you fuck--like you're the first pretty girl to ever wet his cock.

you cup his cheeks finally, smoothing your thumbs under his eyes as you bring his gaze up to meet yours. you swallow hard, looking down at him.

"i-i love you, simon," you breathe. he stills underneath you, his jaw clenching as he frowns just a little. you come a little closer, nuzzling your nose against his, your thumb falling to trace the outline of his torn lip. "i should've said it a long time ago...i-i..."

"heart's beatin' out y'r chest, luv," he mutters lowly. "'s olright...'m not goin' anywhere."

it's so disgusting. you should be fucking ill. you should be scrambling to the toilet, your breakfast halfway up your throat. you should be crying, emotional, begging simon to tell the cops that it was all your fault, because it is. he should've come here and made you do the level-headed thing and confess your terrible crime.

he shouldn't be here, sitting underneath you in your tub, cock-deep inside of you after helping you commit murder and then fucking clean it all up.

"what did i do?" you gasp, sitting up. you move to get out of the tub, but simon growls, putting two firm hands on your ass and shoving you back down on his cock, making you cry. "w-what did i do? s-simon, why don't i feel bad, why am i not sorry--?!"

simon tsks, feigning comfort. he juts his bottom lip out into a pout, mocking your little cries.

"oh, luvvie, don't start cryin' now," he chuckles. "don't start pretending like y'care."

uhm...

"simon--"

"no one likes a liar."

you're still trying to pretend, and he knows this. you're still trying to act how someone normally would react. someone normal, someone who thinks rationally, would never have picked up the pan in the first place. and even if they had, they would've scrambled, cried, picked up the phone and confessed, called an ambulance as they tried to get her to start breathing again, put both hands on her chest and tried to get her wake up.

but you didn't. you watched, unnervingly calm, as she stained the hardwood with her blood. you watched as her eyes glassed over, lifeless, and you watched as her insides began to paint the floor in abstract shapes as you gave it time to spread. and not once during that time, or waiting for simon, did you think to help her.

you didn't want to help her. and you certainly didn't think she deserved to get back up. maybe she hadn't done anything quite harsh enough to deserve death in someone else's eyes. annoying, overbearing, rude.

but it's hard to feel bad when she talked about simon. when she called him by his name. when you've seen her let her towel slip when he's in her vicinity, trying to coax him into her room when you're looking away.

you should've taken one of the throwing knives that simon hides in his boot and thrown it at her then, just for that.

"we're cut from the same bloody cloth, baby," simon says, almost accusingly. you grip the edges of the tub, trying to stand again, but he cants his hips and fucks up into you, drawing a frenzied moan out of you. you reach for his shoulders as he does it again, his tongue darting out before he licks a fat stripe over your pebbled nipple. "'s olright. 's okay, luv. don't worry. don't hafta get y'r hands dirty, swee'eart, i've got it."

"but simon," you whine, but all he does is shake his head. you don't have to put on this morality act for him. you don't have to pretend that you are sorry for something that you had every right to do, you don't have to explain to him why you aren't feeling the way you should be feeling.

simon doesn't care about how you should feel. he only cares about how you actually feel.

"she was in y'r way," simon grunts. "always bein' a bloody brat." he fists your hair and brings your mouth to his, groaning as you tighten around his cock. "'ow many times did she fuck ya over, baby, hmm? 'ow many times did she steal y'r fuckin' things, come outta the loo wearin' nothin' but her fuckin' knickers, yeah? 'ow many times?"

you kiss him, frantic, digging your nails into his pecs and dragging them angrily.

yeah. fuck her. fuck what she did to me, fuck the way she behaved, fuck her stupid face and her stupid attitude and her stupid little games.

"called ya names..." he's hitting your sweet spot now, making you cry from pleasure. your pussy feels so hot, squeezing him because you know he's right, and the way he fucks this time makes you think he really knows what you are and knows exactly how to get you there. "wot a fuckin' twat. deserved every bit o' it, baby."

you meet his eyes, dark and cruel. he's still moving, still holding onto your hips and drawing out little whines, but it's different suddenly, it's more. you nod, understanding.

simon is terrible. no good. his head isn't in the right place, maybe it never has been. you wonder, briefly, if this is what he does when he's at work, if these are the things that he's used to. maybe simon has been in service too long--maybe he doesn't understand that you aren't at war here, that you can't just kill and clean up, that you aren't in the field.

"she deserved it," you whimper, and he grins, all teeth, all mean.

"tha's it."

"she was such a bitch."

"fuckin' right."

"she got what was coming for her."

"nnghhh--fuck, baby, gonna make me fuckin' cum, tolkin' like tha'," he hisses. you practically smack him as you grab onto his scarred face, gritting your teeth as you glare down at him. his lips part, and you spit in his mouth as he fucks up into you, thighs hitting your ass with a wet smack that makes your head spin.

"and i'll get rid of the next bitch that so much as looks your way, simon."

the kiss is searing. hot, blinding, white noise fills your ears as he cums with you, stuffing you full as he cums hard, a pained groan leaving him as he collapses against the porcelain tub with a harsh thud. you follow him, chasing after him, kissing him between heavy breaths as you don't make any effort to move off of him. when simon opens his eyes, he can't help but smile.

he's never seen his reflection without a mirror.

[miniwheat77]

High School Sweetheart. (Ghost x Reader.)

!CW! Make a dentist appointment, this shit is so sweet you’ll get a cavity.

Summary: Ghost and reader are high school sweethearts who cross paths again.

This was a request, you can find the ask here.

Every day it felt like he was just going through the motions.

Wake up, do what Captain Price asks him to do, go to bed. Sometimes there’s an occasional mission in there. Other than that, that’s all he does. Ghost wonders how the hell he ended up here sometimes. It doesn’t take long for him to remember. He’s lived a shitty life up to this point, and if he’s not killing terrorists, he feels worthless. “We’re welcoming a new recruit, meet outside.” He hears everyone announcing it to each other, everyone filing out the metal exit door. He creeps up behind everyone else, standing in the back.

“Everyone, this is Y/N.” Captain Price announces. He freezes up upon hearing your name. You give a small wave and he recognizes you immediately. What were you doing here? You greet everyone, talking and joking with them. Soap is making small talk with Ghost until you approach. “Hi, I’m Johnny but you can call me Soap.” He reaches his hand out. “This is Ghost.” He nods to Simon. You give him a look of confusion. “What is your first name?” You ask. “Simon. Simon Riley. Long time no see.” He puts his hand out, and you smile. Pulling him into a hug instead. This takes Johnny off guard. He knows Ghost isn’t a hugger. “How d’ya know each other?” Soap asks. “We went to high school together. Used to date.” You laugh. “High school sweethearts ah? Small world.” Soap laughs.

—

Ghost wasn’t sure how you ended up here. Last time he checked, you were off to work in the medical field and he joined the military. Ghost is the one who broke things off, he knew he couldn’t keep you happy and stay in the military. He never thought he’d ever see you again, especially not like this. “Why don’t you talk to her? I see you staring at her all the time.” Gaz nudges him. Ghost shakes his head. “Not my girl anymore.” Soap chuckles. “That’s gotta sting right? She’s smokin hot.”

“Depends on who broke up with who.” Gaz laughs. Ghost rolls his eyes. “You two are annoying.” Standing up and getting rid of his unfinished meal. He was growing more annoyed by the day. He wishes you hadn’t said anything.

He had to admit, you were pretty skilled. Something he didn’t expect. He wanted to talk to you, he did. But he didn’t know what terms you stood on exactly, so he left it alone. He makes his way into the gym, finding you. You’re taking deep breaths, lifting up the weight you’re holding on the bench press. Ghost decides there’s no better time to approach. “Shouldn’t do it without a spotter.” He mumbles, standing behind you. “Yeah? Maybe I wanted to go out on my own terms.” You smirk, taking another deep breath, arms beginning to shake slightly. He rolls his arms. Crossing his arms. “You know you’re a lot- different than you used to be.” You groan. “Yeah, happens when you get old. You’re different too.” He laughs. “How did you end up in the military anyways?” He asks. “I was a paramedic for a while, switched to an ER Medical Assistant.” You put the weight back up on the rack, taking in a deep breath and sitting up. “Seen a lot of traumatic shit, couldn’t handle it.” He looks at you, confused. “So the military sounded like a better choice?” He asks. “No, I tried to switch to normal jobs. Tried being a cashier, receptionist, vet tech. Hated it all. I had a lot of pent up anger, had no outlet. Talked to a counselor, tried doing other jobs. So I started doing medical in the military. Hated that too, so I just switched to infantry. I see a lot of traumatic shit, but at the end of the night I don’t go home alone. It gives me an outlet.” You shrug. He nods his head. “What did you see that fucked you up so bad?” He asks, following you around through your work out. “There was a few things.” You shrug. “My first day, I had to do an STD draw on a 5 year old girl. Her mom left her in a crack house for a few days, had no idea what happened to her.”

“Maybe she got a hold of a dirty needle.” You shook your head. “No. I tried to explain it away, but you would’ve had to see the way she screamed when the male doctors got too close. I wanted to rip her moms fucking head off when I seen her.” You breathe. He nods his head. “I understand. What else?” He asks. You swallow hard. “Little girl was brought in. Had a brain aneurysm.” You breathe. Your voice was getting unsteady. “She was dead before she got there, but the doctor wanted us to do CPR for the moms sake. I did CPR on her until my whole body hurt, until I couldn’t handle anymore, and than some. That’s not what bothered me though.” He looks at you, look of confusion again. “It’s the way her mom screamed when the doctor told her she didn’t make it. Still haunts me to this day.” Ghost sighs. “Jesus Christ.” He mumbles. “I’m sorry.” You nod your head. “I’m fine. I mean I’m not but I have to be. Life is short, I just like to stay busy.” He nods his head. “What about you LT?” You smile, standing up. “What made you stay?” You ask. He shrugs. “I guess I like to stay busy too.” He shrugs.

—

“She likes to stay busy? She’s flirting with you, you idiot.” Gaz rolls his eyes. “What? No she wasn’t. She had just got done telling me some really traumatic shit. The hell is wrong with you.” Ghost rolls his eyes. “I’m telling you, if you’re as smart as I pray to god you are, you will get her back, and put that tight ass on lockdown before I do.” Gaz raises his eyebrows. Ghost rolls his eyes once again. “Another meal ruined again.” Ghost rolls his eyes. He decides to go off and find you, not finding you in the gym like he usually would, so he assumes you’re on watch. He’s correct. He makes his way up the watch tower, seeing you sitting at the top inside. “Hey.” He walks in. “Hey. Johnny is supposed to take over for me but not for another hour or so. What’s going on?” You ask. He shrugs, sitting down next to you. “Staying busy.” He’s short. “Ghost huh?” You smile. He nods his head. “You tell them how you got that nickname yet?” You smirk. Even behind the mask you can tell that he’s smiling. “Nah. Not yet. I won’t hear the end of it.” Simon hates this. You knew Simon. You always brought Simon out. Made him smile, made his stomach swirl. “Why’s that?” You ask. “They keep teasing me about letting a girl like you get away.” He laughs. “Ah, everybody makes mistakes. It’s fine that yours was me.” You smirk. He rolls his eyes. “Don’t get too big of a head over there.” You laugh, just like he remembers.

“You’re huge now.” You smile. “Huh?” He laughs. “You were built in high school, sure. But nothing like you are now.” You laugh. “Is… that a good thing?” He asks. “Yeah it’s pretty hot.” He looks up at you, eyebrows raised. “Thanks I guess.”

“Even tough women like to be manhandled, Ghost.” You chuckle. “Remember that for your next girlfriend.” He can sense the jealously in your voice. He slides his phone from his pocket, opening up his text messages. He opens his text chat with Soap, writing out a text.

“Don’t worry about taking over watch, I’m taking over for Y/N.”

“ ;) ”

“Fuck off, MacTavish.”

“ ;))))) ”

He rolls his eyes, sliding his phone in his pocket. “Sound a little jealous to me.” He smirks. You roll your eyes. “Me? Jealous? Really?” You smirk. He nods his head. “Yeah.” You laugh. “You’re ridiculous.” You laugh. “And you’re a liar.” He chuckles.

When the silence takes over once again, he thinks about it for a minute. “I’m sorry.” He mumbles. “For what?” You ask, looking up at him. “For leaving you alone. Making you go through all of that shit alone.” He sighs. You laugh. “I went a little crazy. If we were together you would’ve hated me.” You laugh. “Still, I feel bad.” You smile. “Well. We can always be friends. No sense in regretting something you can’t change.” You shrug. He nods. “Yeah. You know I think you’re a strong girl right?” He laughs. “I think you’re a strong guy too Simon. You don’t give yourself enough credit.” He rolls his eyes, thankful for the balaclava covering his face. His cheeks are too pink to look natural without it. “I’m serious. You did the best you could with the shitty hand you were dealt, and the fact that you’re still doing so good makes me so fucking proud of you.”

Somewhere deep down, passed the barrier he’d put up, those words sting him right to his core. Reopening old wounds he didn’t know he had. “Thank you. I’m proud of you too.” You smile. He can see the pain in your eyes. He knows he’s hurt you. He just hopes somewhere deep down, you’ll be able to forgive him.

—

Ghost doesn’t always take the time to realize exactly how lucky he is. His eyes scan the table, his captain, Gaz, Soap. They’re all sitting around him laughing at something Soap has said, eating their dinner. It’s the closest thing Simon has ever had to a family, and with you back. You flipped his world upside down. He’s in his head too much anymore, thinking. He’s so guarded, but somehow these kind people gravitate toward him. He just hopes if anyone has to die, he does first. He doesn’t want to suffer anymore.

He’s staring off into space, thinking about you. How you were together when you were younger. He thinks about the first time you had together. First kiss, first time. How nervous he was hovering above you, trying to keep you calm and reassure you. How much you trusted him. He always thinks about how calm he was when you were around. After fighting with his asshole dad, anytime he was stressed out and ready to give up, you were always there. Helping him back onto his feet. The times he couldn’t, you’d sit there. Right at rock bottom with him until he was ready to climb his way back out. You helped him every step of the way, and he left you alone. You did everything. Put your heart into his hands. And he shattered it. Stomped on it until it was nothing but fine grained glass. A powder. And you still picked it up. And placed it right back into his cold hands. Just so that he could throw it in your face and walk away.

He needs to stop before he gets upset. Instead, choosing to think about how beautiful you are. Back then, so carefree. He thinks about those summers you spent together, sun beating down on each other. Swimming together, being in love. Your smile. Your giggle when he said something dumb. He remembers how pretty you were, looking up at the moonlight with tears in your eyes because of something so dumb. A fight, a disagreement. He misses how simple everything was. He thinks about holding your hand, walking up and down the street before either of you could drive. He thinks about the stray kitten you had found and how much he tried to convince you not to take it home, but you did anyways. And he remembered how hard you cried when the cat got too sick to bring home from the vet. He held you close as you said your goodbyes.

He thinks about the time he first put on a skull balaclava and how you gave him the funniest look, narrowed eyes and a smile playing at your lips. “So mysterious. Your new nickname is Ghost.” You smile. And how he pounced you, pushing your back into the silk sheets, tickling you until you nearly cried, laughing so hard. How you pulled his mask up to kiss him, just like Mary Jane and Peter Parker.

He’s walking away from the table before he realizes his feet are taking him to your room. Carrying him even though his brain is somewhere else completely. He doesn’t even knock on your door, barges right in. Thankful you’re half dressed. He closes the door behind him, you look up at him in complete confusion as he closes the distance between the both of you. He’s pulling his mask off and ditching it somewhere in the room. “Simon? What are you do-“ his lips are on yours before you can even finish your sentence, holding onto the nape of your neck with both of his hands as he forces you back into the wall behind you. You melt right into him, and he’s so thankful you don’t push him away. You let him kiss you, body relaxing into his. When he finally pulls away, resting his forehead on yours, you’re panting. Taken off guard by him. “I love you. And I’ll understand if you don’t want to give me another chance. But I won’t fuck up again. I let you get away once, and I won’t again.” He breathes. A laugh leaves your lips, “Simon, I knew I was going to give you another chance the moment I see that fucking mask.” You giggle.

Maybe that stupid metaphor is right.

‘If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it was meant to be.’

[ponyosmom35]

sisters

Simon Ghost Riley x reader

Liability series chapter 8!!!!

synopsis: reader has a long-awaited conversation with her sister

warnings: angst, cursing, sisters fighting, ghost mentioned

link to liability series: https://www.tumblr.com/ponyosmom35/733401347573088256/simon-ghost-riley?source=share

MDNI

The medic hurried out of the cafeteria and followed after Emma once the conversation with Ghost had come to an end. She was tired of the silence, she needed this to be resolved so she could clear her head. No matter how much she hated swallowing her ego, she knew that the only way to get Emma to talk to her was to be the first to apologize. She opened the door to their and noticed Emma reading a book on her bed. Their eyes meet and rage fills the older sister's body instantly. 

"was I not clear when I said I have nothing to say to you?" Emma asks 

"that's fine, that means you can keep your mouth shut and listen to me" she says 

"I don't wanna talk about this right now just-" Emma starts, the younger sister cuts her off determined not to let Emma shut this down. "we are talking about this right now because I'm tired of the silence, I miss you" 

Emma's gaze softens slightly and she puts the book down, crossing her arms awaiting the apology. She sighs and sits down on her own bed, crossing her legs. "you were right about my behavior, I acted like a fucking idiot and I regret it. I put you in a compromising situation all because I let my ego get the best of me and that wasn't fair. You've done so much for me, and I'm sorry that I couldn't recognize that at first. After being here I see just how wrong I was, I'm so grateful that you got me this job, it's truly changed the way I view medicine"

"thank you for saying that" Emma says "It wasn't fair of Ghost to treat you like that, he can be a dick sometimes, so I can see why you were upset"

"speaking of, I apologized to him as well after you left. I thought about what you said and I don't want any bad blood between you and the team because of my words. He said it was forgotten but you know him, can't be sure" she smiles 

"he's a character thats for sure"

"I don't think I've ever met anyone like him before" she admits 

"I think he'd say the same about you"

"I doubt it- that man hates me"

"If he hated you then you would've been gone a long time ago" Emma says "I think he likes you a lot more than he lets on, we can all see the two of you"

Her breath hitches and she stares at her sister wide eyed "what?"

"it's obvious babe, you like each other!"

"what makes you say that?" she questions in shock 

"the way that he watches you, he's its like he's constantly checking on you. And don't think we didn't all notice how you stare at him when he's working out in the morning"

"I don't like Ghost! he's a dick Em!"

"a sexy dick" Emma points out

"he is undeniably sexy but that means nothing! a guy like that would never spare me a second glance, don't feed my delusions" she jokes 

"deny it all you want" Emma shrugs 

"I'm not here for sexy military men, I'm here to prove to you that I can do a good job"

"you have nothing to prove to me, I know how extraordinary you are"

"you mean that?" she asks

Emma moves over to her side and grabs her hand "I know how talented you are, that's why I wanted you here with me, I knew how many lives you'd save. we need you. I need you, and I'm sorry for my behavior this past week as well. I've said many things that I don't mean. I love you little sister, you're my best friend in this world and I'm so grateful to have you here with me" 

"I love you to Em" she says leaning her head on Emma's shoulder 

"I know that Ghost is packing at least 8 inches" Emma says breaking the sweet moment, she lifts her head and stares at her in shock as a blush creeps over her face. 

"oh my god you're blushing! I knew you liked him!" Emma says pushing her sister back "just imagine those arms lifting you up" she taunts 

"oh my god stop!" she laughs 

"don't tell me you haven't thought about it"

"obviously I have" 

"he's like a fucking greek god" Emma says 

"since when do you like men?" she asks 

"I don't but just because I'm a lesbian doesn't mean I'm fucking blind, that man is gorgeous, god took his fucking time on him" Emma says, causing the pair to laugh loudly. 

"his tattoos..." she trails off 

"he's stunning" Emma agrees

"I wonder what he looks like underneath the mask" she muses 

"I don't know, only people who've seen his face is the team. he won't even share his name with the rest of us"

"I wonder why"

"I'm not sure, all I've been told is that he's the real fucking deal, he's a living legend, a real ghost story. Most aren't even sure if he exits." 

"what do you mean?"

"anyone who's ever gotten close enough to see the skull mask is a dead man walking" Emma responds. the thought sends chills down her spine, goosebumps arise on her arms.

 "yet somehow you've yelled at him and managed to walk away unharmed, that means something"

"yeah I guess it does"

"all I'm saying is that you shouldn't ignore your feelings, just because he hasn't given you any signs that you'd expect doesn't mean he doesn't care. expect the unexpected with him, notice the little things" 

"I will" she nods 

Chapter 9: https://www.tumblr.com/ponyosmom35/734013605561974784/friendly-debates?source=share

[realityjoey]

REGULAR DAY (RILEY ANDERSON MC x EVAN BUCKLEY)

It was a regular sunny day in Los Angeles as Riley Anderson and her boyfriend, Evan Buckley, pulled into the 118 station together. They arrived in Buck’s truck, as usual, their morning routine set like clockwork—coffee stops, light banter, and a little flirting before the day began. Riley’s British accent filled the cab, her words lilting and teasing as she grinned at Buck.

“You’re just trying to distract me,” Buck said with a chuckle, glancing over at her as he parked. “Not that I mind.”

Riley smirked, leaning back in her seat. “Is it working?”

Buck gave her a mischievous grin. “Always.”

The moment they stepped into the station, the banter didn’t stop. Buck bumped her playfully with his shoulder as they headed inside, but Riley wasn’t the only one he had to watch out for.

“Oi, oi, the British invasion’s back!” Chimney called out as they walked in, his mock British accent terribly exaggerated. “Afternoon, guv’nah!”

Riley rolled her eyes, but her grin gave her away. “Oh, brilliant. Haven’t heard that one before.”

“Just trying to make you feel at home!” Chim teased as Hen and Eddie joined in, stifling their laughter.

“Tea break yet?” Eddie quipped, nudging Riley with his elbow. “Or is that just a stereotype?”

“Oh, Eddie, mate,” she said, crossing her arms with mock seriousness, “I’ll have you know we have tea on demand in the UK, whenever we like.”

Hen chuckled, “You better watch it, Riley. If you keep talking like that, we might have to start calling you the Queen.”

“Or Duchess,” Buck added, leaning casually against the lockers, a smirk on his face as he looked over at her.

Riley shot him a glare, but it quickly dissolved into a smirk of her own. She was used to it by now—Buck and the team had spent plenty of time ribbing her about her accent, her British customs, and now, apparently, her royal status. It was all in good fun, though. They didn’t know the full extent of her relationship with Buck—at least, not officially—but the teasing about them being inseparable never stopped.

The alarm blared, cutting through their banter, and immediately, everyone snapped into work mode. They were firefighters first and foremost, and when it came to the job, they were a well-oiled machine. Buck and Riley worked side by side as they tackled a minor car accident downtown, their efficiency and communication seamless.

But even then, the flirting didn’t stop. As Buck helped pull a driver out of their wrecked car, he glanced over at Riley, his face streaked with sweat and dirt.

“How am I doing, boss?” he teased, knowing she hated it when he called her that.

“Keep your head in the game, Buckley,” she shot back with a grin, even as she couldn’t resist the way her eyes lingered on him.

After they returned to the station, the rest of the day passed much the same—calls here and there, banter with the crew, and little moments of stolen glances between her and Buck that, despite their best efforts, didn’t go unnoticed.

“Alright, you two,” Hen said later that afternoon as they all sat around the table for dinner. “When’s the wedding?”

Riley nearly choked on her food. “What?”

“You two are always together,” Eddie said, grinning as he took a sip of his drink. “Not that we’re complaining, but come on. You’re basically a married couple already.”

Buck raised an eyebrow, glancing at Riley with a playful smile. “Is that so?”

Riley, doing her best to keep her cool, leaned back in her chair. “I didn’t realize you lot were keeping tabs on our social calendar.”

Chimney laughed. “Tabs? You make it too easy! The looks, the teamwork, the ‘oh, Riley’ and ‘oh, Buck’ every five minutes.”

Buck smirked and turned to face Riley, leaning in with a mock-serious expression. “What do you say, darling? Ready to make it official?”

“Careful,” Riley quipped, her British accent thickening playfully, “or I might just take you up on that.”

The table erupted in laughter, and Buck squeezed her hand under the table, hidden from the rest of the team’s view. Their relationship might be the worst-kept secret in the station, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. They thrived on the teasing, the constant back-and-forth, and even on the days when the job got tough, they knew they had each other.

As the night wore on and their shift drew to a close, Buck and Riley lingered just a little longer by the truck, out of view of the rest of the team. The teasing had died down, and it was just the two of them, bathed in the fading glow of the setting sun.

“Hey,” Buck said softly, his voice losing the teasing tone from earlier. “You okay?”

Riley smiled, her fingers brushing against his. “Always, when I’m with you.”

Buck grinned, leaning in for a soft kiss. “Good. Now, how about that tea break?”

Riley laughed, rolling her eyes. “You’ll never let that go, will you?”

“Never,” he said, pulling her in for another kiss, their laughter mingling as they enjoyed one last quiet moment together before another day began.

[aethelwyneleigh27]

Fancy seeing you here😳 (in the COD simping club)

I was thinking(horrible desicion but hear me out)

(maskedFem!reader with Simon Ghost Riley, sort of a 'enemies to lovers' but not really cause they are platonics that love-hate each other and they do get along just with a larger vocabulary.

BUt Ghost is kind of swooning over her? a wee bit?(respectfully, in the corner of the room with his arms crossed,silently and lethally tho)

With cero awareness of his feelings, how he enjoys speaking with her and finds her precense borderline rehabilitating, perhaps he thinks his amazement is normal cause she's once in a lifetime of a unit and; she's also a woman and he almost forgets they exist sometimes so he's just a bit taken back, perhaps his brain rebooting the info. That makes sense.

But it's been almost a year so why is her voice such a melody still? Why does he seem to search for her eyes during sunny days the most searching for the color of them? He's too attentive with her, always getting sucked into the banter far easier than he should when she's involved in it. Can he even blame it on men's hormones when he barely feels anything, much less in that department? Do the rest of the 141 feel that too? Should he feel bothered or at ease?

Like some juicy slowburn 😈. During a mission they're bantering about Gaz being bitchless or her drinking coffee with enough sugar to send Price into cardiac arrest, and she's ambushed out of nowhere on her sniping point, taken for interrogation swiftly after being knocked out.

Angsty sht of her informing the ordeal before never responding to her callsign again, Soap mumbling a curse and Ghost entering autopilot to prioritize efficiency and the guys are a bit amazed by how swift he was wiping out everyone on sight.(Jhon Wick looking ass)

Finding her on a table with her hands and arms tightly bound and being held still by two men as another one had already used a scaple to cut through the middle of her torso almost like he intended to perform a surgery on her whilst she was conscious and aware. Simon shooting the two men right between the eyes but for some reason shooting the guy with the scaple on both of his legs and planting a knife on his eye whilst Soap cuts the rope, she barely gets a word out when Simon cradles her shoulders with one hand, his touch careful. And his voice a lot more soft than he anticipated it to be."Are you alright?"

Evac comes, she gets stitched back together at the hospital and needs to rest till it heals over, everyone cheers and hugs, and Ghost comes to acknowledge his feelings(as much as he can) when he closes the door of his bedroom and the emotions finally hit him, autopilot is turned off and he stares at a wall for almost an hour.

She becomes subject of his nightmares for a little while, he's outside clearing his head when she walks in with insomnia, he's troubled by the relief of the sight of her alive and his solitude being interrupted by the cause of his troubles, nevertheless she's still a welcomed sight, always a welcomed sight. "Oh, fancy seeing you here" "Shouldn't you be resting" "You need the beauty sleep more than me tho, Lt." "*Scoffs*" ..... "Wanna see it?(the scar)" "I knew you were a man(your dickl?)" "Is that why you've been up my ass all the time?" .... "Alright show me" she lifts her sweater up, a barely closed scar from bellow her ribs to bellow her belly button, he doesn't mean to but he flinches at the sight, tensed shoulders and furrowed brows the sleep deprivation has him in less control than usual and she notices. Still, he's fine cause he's Ghost and casually comments "It's healing rather quickly" he looks away unable to stand the memory of it just yet, she pulls it back down leaning her elbows over the window, just two feet away from each other. She takes the thin black mask off from around her ears letting the cold night hit her face properly, he looks away instantly. "It's fine, nothing you haven't seen" he very reluctantly glances back "So, they said y'all only found me in record time cause of you Lt." she glances at him and he glances out of the window, if he looks at her now he's afraid he won't be able to look away, "Just didn't want you spilling your guts to em" she snorts and her small laugh fills the silence of the night, perhaps the one in his heart aswell

"Your savior privileges have been revoked" "Too soon?" "....Just in time Ghost" she tilts her head to look at him, he makes the mistake of staring back out of reflex and thank fucking god for the balaclava he's wearing, he keeps his eyes from widening this time, but not from softening,cautiously mapping her face with her explicit permission trying so fucking hard to not make it obvious "Could convince me im the one with the skull balaclava with how avoidant you are" "Who knows maybe you scare more without the mask" she yawns and into her palm eyes getting heavier quickly, he's really fucking trying to unglue his eyes from her, a silence ensues, she looks at him again and "Thank you, Simon" she smiles gratefully, her gaze anchored on his and- isnt she a bit embarrassed to be this outright? He certainly is, his face burns, his heart skips a beat, seems getting flustered does the trick cause he finally rips his eyes from hers she chuckles at his expense and before he can reply she's standing up slipping her mask back on "Sweet dreams lieutenant"

Or

Enemies(frienemies) to lovers(but not really cause Ghost just realizes he's fucked up™) with maskedfem¡reader. Ghost begins to question the nature of his feelings towards her and realizing he's in fact a bit too fond of her. Im not quite good of height differences so if you'll be using height as a factor to describe, can she be atleast as tall as Soap? The whole 'petite' or 'chubby' Isn't my thing at all aswell, i need this woman to be a ball of muscle hitting her chest like a gorilla lmao. That weird drabble i put there is just to give kind of an idea but honestly do whatever you'd like, the way he realizes can be through some jealousy, some kidnapping, her getting drunk and soap putting her on his back or whatever i just wanna see him getting the hibbie jibbies, the toe curler hair twirling disease 💀

Feel free to ignore me i know it can be annoying to get a whole ass fanfic in your asks, have a wonderful day i love your writing💕

If anyone is looking for that whole ass fic this anon sent me then here it is, a fucking masterpiece I tell you <333

Like I can definitely see an enemies to friends to lovers situation with Ghost and of course there's gonna be jealousy because what better way than to push someone's buttons with tension??

[kristinamae093]

Ghosted

Ghosted - Family Ties (Chapter Thirteen)

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach, but everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x f!MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N 1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found. Not beta'd.

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Tags - @choicesficwriterscreations

It's another long one 😬👉👈🥹. Listen I'm only slightly sorry, lol. A lot is happening here, LOL.

A few evenings later, what would have been a polo match in Portavira was canceled, and instead, a small, intimate memorial took place for Penelope near the water. The forecast for the day perfectly matched the melancholy atmosphere, as storm clouds rolled in and painted the sky in dark hues of blue and gray, the crisp breeze causing the temperatures to drop well below average. 

The nobility mourned alongside the family, but whispers of what happened and why spread like wildfire. An official announcement about her death was released, but the details were incredibly vague; they wanted to withhold that information until they had someone to hold accountable. Emmaline and Landon cooperated with Ray, who worked around the clock to find some kind of suspect or a clue to lead them to one.

Liam was confident Ray would promptly produce an answer. Olivia helped him scour the crime scene from top to bottom, but little clues remained. However, Penelope’s note had fingerprints on it and her body showed prominent signs of a physical altercation, all of which pointed to her trying to fight back. The coroner extracted DNA from underneath her fingernails and found bruising and discoloration on her forearms and shoulders. He concluded this case was a homicide, which didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. 

Every ounce of evidence was sent off for further analysis, and everyone anxiously awaited the results. The cross reference in the national security database would surely produce a name to match those fingerprints, and they hoped it would put them one step closer to unraveling the chaotic web around them. Ray looked at the surveillance system but found someone deleted the footage from the camera positioned outside of Penelope’s room for a certain period — no doubt when whoever took her life was inside. 

They had a time frame, which was at least a start, but that was the only thing they knew.

Ray did as asked and backtracked to look into Rhonda’s demise. Liam was correct in his assumption that most of the damning evidence was long gone, but they confirmed the legitimacy of the second report they found; Bastien’s fingerprints were indeed on the murder weapon. Although they remained unsure of where the brutality initially took place, Bastien would face charges of homicide — and more — as the story unfolded, and Liam intended to serve him multiple platters of cold, hard justice. He was being monitored at a local hospital under a continuous watch from three heavily armed guards and medical professionals. 

Liam told the guards if Bastien miraculously disappeared, they would face charges of aiding a dangerous criminal, even going as far as threatening to make them stand trial for treason. He didn’t use the term hate lightly, but he hated Bastien and was determined to make him stand before God and everyone to take accountability for what he’d done. His doctors had no choice but to put him into a medically induced coma while they tried to stabilize internal bleeding from Liam’s relentless assault, but when he woke, he would get moved to a permanent cell. 

They still knew who held that kind of control over Bastien, and that was Constantine. Liam avoided him at all costs in the short time since that revelation. He wanted to question him and knew he needed to, but he honestly didn’t know how he could remain calm and keep his head level, and this wasn’t something he could send Olivia to do; he needed to hear it, straight from the horse’s mouth. However, he genuinely didn’t want to hurt the man who gave him life, but if it came out that he harmed or acted against Riley, his body might react without a second thought and he knew that would not be pretty. Perhaps he should have kept his cool with Bastien to get more information, but he didn’t regret taking out some of his aggressions; if anything, it was a release he didn’t realize he needed. 

Since Ray was now officially investigating the homicides, Olivia took over the search for Riley and Tariq. She wasn’t as skilled as Ray in tracking missing persons but had some basic knowledge. Her results were the same as his — there were no traces of either. She contacted the airport and requested security footage for the date and time Bastien specified, but unfortunately for them, he told the truth when he said he dropped her off in a blind spot; the SUV wasn’t on camera and Riley was nowhere to be seen.

She watched the footage from every angle until the sun broke out and illuminated a nearly empty parking lot, but never saw a single sign of anyone relevant. 

They dissected the file ‘Operation Ghost’ from top to bottom for every detail. It held no other useful information, but enough to charge Bastien with murder and prove Riley did not disgracefully leave with another suitor. Technically, it was enough to clear her name, but it did nothing to ensure her safety or help them locate her. Her phone also received a thorough examination but uncovered nothing of importance.

Liam knew he could not wait any longer because time was of the essence, and they needed answers; he had to corner Constantine and demand an explanation. It crossed his mind more than once that his father could know something, but he shook it off, concluding there was no way Constantine would do something of that nature. In retrospect, he was the reigning monarch at the time of the incident; something of this magnitude couldn’t have gone completely undetected, especially if Bastien was involved. The thought alone shredded his fragile heart, but he pieced it back together with bandaids and pushed forward. 

Liam’s mental state was fluctuant, at best. He felt unending guilt for allowing all of this madness to happen, and that pit doubled in size with every passing hour. If he had been more attentive and alert from the beginning, none of this would be happening. Innocent lives were taken all too soon from a path of unrestrained fury, and he truly felt like that blood lay on his hands. Not to mention Riley’s heinous assault rested heavily on his conscience, creating wave after wave of remorse mixed in with soul-consuming rage. His out-of-body experience continued to taunt him; her screams and those vile chortles flowed through his mind on an insistent loop, taunting him with shreds of the truth, but he still couldn't put a face to that man's voice. And now, he had the added stress that she suspected he ordered her assault. He hoped she wouldn’t believe the lie, but without seeing her, he automatically jumped to the worst-case scenarios all the way around. 

They decided Liam and Leo would quietly pull Constantine aside and question him after the memorial concluded. There were only a few events left of the engagement tour, and now the wedding had much more at stake than only the future of the monarchy. It wasn’t a hunch they had confirmation for, but they just knew if they didn’t locate Riley before it was time for Liam to say I do, something drastic would happen. 

During the ceremony, Liam’s heart broke for the shattered remnants of a mourning family, but he couldn’t help but feel they were on the verge of a breakthrough. If his father was involved, this couldn’t climb the social ladder any higher, meaning Constantine could hold all the answers he desperately sought. He kept telling himself he would control his emotions regardless of what his father said, but everyone knew that was a lie, especially given his unfiltered and raw reactions as of late. Leo expected a knock-down, drag-out between Liam and their father, but he would stand beside his brother through hell and high water when it came down to it. 

As the service winded down, Liam made a bee-line for Constantine, who was deep in conversation with Godfrey and Adelaide, with Leo hot on his heels. He made it to the group and plastered on the politest smile he could muster, ignoring a glare from the duke. “Excuse me, but I need to speak with my father.” 

Constantine waved him off, barely even glancing in his direction. “Not now, son. I’m in the middle of a discussion.” 

Liam forcefully clenched his jaw and swallowed down the ball of rage forming in his throat. “I insist on speaking with you. It is urgent.” His eyes pleaded, but he didn’t make it too noticeable; just enough for Constantine to read because the last thing he wanted was to alert Godfrey and Adelaide. It took every ounce of willpower he had not to get irate and start screaming right then and there, but he was determined not to lose his head — at least until after his father answered some questions.

Constantine’s irritation rose, but he paused and observed Liam and within a second, his resolve weakened. For the first time in weeks, he truly took in his son and what he saw left him speechless; his sunken and darkened eyes with large bags underneath, his slouched posture, and he spotted Liam fidget with his hands, even though he tried to hide it. He knew Liam spent a few hours at the hospital recently, but since he was released so quickly, he assumed it was a farce, or someone being overprotective of the monarch. However, at that moment, he started to question his well-being.

Leo stood beside him, but wouldn’t look up to meet any of their gazes. Constantine heard he was around somewhere, but hadn’t seen him until the beginning of the ceremony. That wasn’t unusual, as Leo typically avoided his father like the plague, but he consistently interacted with Regina when he visited, and even she hadn’t mentioned him. His body language seemed nervous compared to the usual cocky demeanor Leo always wore, as he continuously bounced in place and mindlessly trapped his fingers against his thigh, raising multiple red flags.

Constantine had never seen his sons in such a way; the tension within them was palpable, making it impossible to ignore. 

He casually finished the rest of his wine, doing his best not to raise suspicion of their distress to the current audience. “Alright, boys, you have my attention.” He politely waved toward the lingering duke and duchess, before following Liam and Leo away from the crowd.

Liam silently led them down the beach, away from the surrounding commotion. While they walked, he racked his brain, trying to figure out the best way to approach this. When he ascended the throne, he never imagined it would lead him here — questioning the man he put on a pedestal his entire life about his one true love's disappearance. 

His heart pounded so hard in his chest that he was sure it would jump out at any moment, and the bites of finger foods he consumed tumbled in his stomach, threatening to reemerge. Every step crunched in the sand, the sounds echoing in the deafening silence. The ocean lapped against nearby rocks, but was the farthest thing from calming, white noise; every violent crash amplified the tension, the air nearly crackling from the combined stress and the distant lightning. 

They reached a small enclosure away from the gathered nobility and sat inside. As they did, Constantine quickly asked, “What’s going on? Are you alright, Liam? Were you in the hospital?” 

“I was, but that’s not important right now… ‘’ Liam trailed off, his voice soft; a stark contrast to the swell of emotions in his head. He remained silent momentarily before murmuring, “I need to ask you about something…”

“Alright, well, what is it?”

“Before I begin, will you promise to be honest with me? I — I’m begging you.” Liam pleaded, but wouldn't meet his father's curious gaze. His hands trembled violently, leaving him with no choice but to clasp them tightly in his lap. 

Constantine furrowed his brow. “I shall do my best, son, but what’s this pertaining? What’s the matter?” 

Liam glanced at Leo, his distress shining brightly, and his brother gave him a reassuring nod in return. He wanted so badly to believe his father was innocent, but deep down, he knew he wasn’t, and the thought alone made him fearful; he wasn’t sure he could stop the wrath that may ensue once the confession left his mouth, but he needed to hear it, regardless. 

With a deep, shaky breath, Liam began. “I think you know something about what happened with Riley. We know she didn’t leave with Tariq and the photos were fake. We found her things in Applewood with evidence to suggest she suffered an attack. Bastien has been working to cover it up and is responsible for that maid’s death — possibly Penelope’s too — to ensure this stays hidden. He confessed and told us you ordered him to engage… I don’t want to believe it, but I think he told the truth…” 

He sat forward but kept his vision cast downward, dread hitting the pit of his stomach like an anvil. “I need to know where she is. I don’t care about everything else, aside from the murders. Just — tell me where Riley is.”  

Constantine’s jaw dropped further and further the longer Liam spoke. Leo observed with a critical eye, but his father’s confusion only intensified throughout the story. Constantine was good at a stoic facade, but he was no actor and Leo knew all his little tells — he was genuinely shocked. However, there was guilt in his eyes; when Liam mentioned the scandal, Leo saw the flash in his gaze, but otherwise, he only showed bewilderment. 

“Liam… I —” Constantine started before he forcefully coughed, but quickly cleared his throat and tried again. “I admit to knowing of the scandal and her relocating back to New York, but I know nothing about the rest.” 

Liam’s vision turned crimson, but he squeezed his hands into fists and used every speck of restraint to deny the urge to act on his intrusive thoughts. “How? Bastien has been working to cover it up this entire time! I didn’t tell him to do that — you did, didn’t you?” 

“I — I did, son.” He stopped to take a steadying breath. “I told Bastien to bury the tracks, but I only approved the scandal and her returning to the States.” 

“You approved the scandal?” He repeated, his brows nearly touching his hairline. “What does that even mean?” 

“That’s correct —” Constantine admitted with his head held high. “But I assure you, I did not partake in any of these other things, nor did I know they were happening.” He sighed heavily when Liam and Leo merely stared at him, disbelief etched on their features. “Son, I knew how you felt about her — it was clear. If given the chance, you would have selected her as your queen, but I couldn’t let that happen…” 

“Why?” Liam demanded, his tone sharp and harsh. 

Constantine’s shoulders slumped, an air of melancholy clouding his expression. “I was afraid, Liam. Look at me — I’m withering faster than an apple rotting in the summer sun. I needed to do everything in my power to ensure you had a stable, capable queen to rule beside you.” 

Liam shook his head, the rosy hues in his complexion brightening with every sullen breath. His willpower teetered, hanging on by less than a thread. “Riley would have made an excellent queen. She thrived during the social season! She may not have been born royal, but she fit right in! Everyone accepted her! The people loved her!” 

“She was inexperienced, Liam.” 

“She could have learned everything she needed to know,” Liam bit out, his patience dwindling rapidly. Leo noticed and shifted in his seat, praying with everything in him that he wasn’t about to go postal.

“Inexperience equals weakness. I was protecting you.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Liam scoffed. 

“Liam, believe it or not, I only did it to protect you—” 

“So you made me turn my back on her to protect me? She’s in fucking danger because of you! I ignored her because you shoved this down my goddamn throat!” Liam yelled, not caring who heard.

Constantine winced at his volume but calmly responded, “I didn’t know she was in danger. Bastien told me—” 

“I don’t believe you. I can’t believe you.” Tears blurred his vision as his entire world came crashing down. He felt a fool for giving him the benefit of the doubt, but that was a mistake he wasn’t willing to make more than once. 

“Son—” 

“No, you — you’re not my father, not anymore. You threw my mother in my face so much, but look at you! What you’ve become would disgust her!” Liam seethed. “I should banish you right now for lying and betraying your own flesh and blood. Do I mean anything to you?!”

“You mean everything to me, son.” Constantine held his hands up in surrender but remained calm as a cucumber. “And I understand your anger, but I need you to listen to me for a moment—” 

“Fuck. You.” Liam growled. He got into Constantine’s personal space quick as lightning and grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him to his feet. “I hope you rot in hell, you spineless piece of shit.” 

Liam balled the fabric in his hands and bore his eyes into Constantine, who merely let it happen, but he didn’t recognize his son; Liam was nowhere to be seen, and he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what this monster before him was. He’d never seen him so worked up, but knew he needed to calm him down so he could plead his case. 

Leo approached and rubbed Liam’s shoulder, gently pulling him from his enraged trance. “Li, man —” He gave him a sad smile as Liam faced him. He understood his brother’s fury over the situation, but Constantine hadn’t even started talking. Until they got useful information from him, he had to keep his cool — for Riley. His eyes pleaded with him, but he breathed a sigh of relief when Liam’s features softened as if he got the silent message loud and clear. 

Liam turned back to his father and held his intent gaze for a long moment before he pushed him away with a firm shove. The former monarch stumbled, but quickly regained his footing. 

Constantine straightened his jacket and sat back down while avoiding the judgemental glares from his sons. He took a deep, shaky breath before he softly started. “Do you remember what happened to your mother? Did you want something similar to happen to Lady Riley?”

“Look around!” Liam bellowed, his face red as a ruby. “It is happening, and you fucking did it!” 

Constantine sighed. “I told you, I knew of the scandal and her departure — nothing else. I ordered Bastien to send her back to New York so you both could start over.” 

“She never returned to New York!” Liam and Leo yelled in unison. 

Constantine furrowed his brow. “... Pardon?” 

“Bastien told us he left her for dead in a parking lot after Penelope drugged her, with a plane ticket, but she never went inside!” Liam hastily explained. “She didn’t board, and Bastien told us he later received all her forms of identification in a sealed envelope. We have no fucking clue where she’s at!” 

Constantine’s mouth fell ajar. “Bastien told you this?” 

“Yes! Are you really trying to sit there and tell me you didn’t know any of this?!” 

Constantine remained silent for a long moment, gathering his thoughts, but both Liam and Leo noticed his anger escalating; neither was aware his elevating state caused his already labored breaths to shallow themselves further. His chest tightened and a strange discomfort erupted and traveled the length of his spine, but he shook it off as best as he could, and focused on the need to prove his innocence.

But Constantine was having trouble keeping his composure because he realized he'd been played and lied to — that was abundantly clear. Someone took matters into their own hands and ignored a direct order, and he was unwilling to take the blame for that. Bastien was at their disposal but even he disobeyed his wishes. 

They went rogue. 

As he took in the deadly determination staring back at him in Liam’s eyes, he realized it was time to come clean. Whatever happened that night did not go according to plan; not his plan, anyway. 

“Liam — let me tell you what I know because I did not wish for any of those things to happen. As a matter of fact, I strictly forbid them…” 

Lythikos, during the Winter Ball

Constantine retired to the king’s suite much earlier than normal. Usually, he would keep Regina on the dancefloor until both of their feet ached, but he just didn’t have the energy. He insisted she stay at the gathering, as it was still fairly early in the night and one of them needed to be in attendance, but he couldn’t withstand another minute. He was exhausted and found his lung capacity was nowhere near what it should have been; no doubt from his recent cancer diagnosis. 

Since Liam’s social season was in full swing, he knew he needed to step down and let him take the position of reigning monarch. He and Regina made the difficult decision together, after hearing his condition was fatal. However, Constantine realized in doing so, he would dump a world of responsibility on Liam’s shoulders, and he remained uncertain if he could handle the pressure so soon after taking on a role that was never meant for him. 

Regardless, the suitors all proved themselves capable in one form or another; some more than others. He hoped Liam would make the best decision for Cordonia when the time came, but knew his heart already belonged to a specific candidate. He wanted to forbid Liam from picking her but realized he would ultimately follow his heart. And, at one point, Constantine defied his father and married Eleanor; to speak ill of their hypothetical union would make him a hypocrite, and he knew that. He tried to convince his son to be reasonable and view the situation from a governance perspective, but Liam couldn’t see anything past his puppy love.

Just as Constantine was about to begin his nighttime routine, a sharp knock echoed throughout the room. He furrowed his brow, as everyone knew not to bother him after he retired for the night unless it was an emergency. He hastily dashed to the door and swung it open to find a familiar face on the other side. 

“Your Majesty.” 

“Hello…” Constantine answered unsurely. “It’s been a while…” 

“I’ve kept myself rather busy these days.” Constantine’s face contorted, but before he could press, they continued. “Respectfully, I’m in a bit of a pinch for time.” His company heartedly chuckled. “Do you mind if I come in? I have a proposition for you. One where we both get something we want…” 

Constantine eyed his visitor for a moment, but ultimately let them inside as his curiosity got the better of him. He ushered them to the seats situated around the fireplace and took one across from his guest, a thick silence filling the air. “What is this proposition you speak of?” 

His companion took a short moment to collect themself but soon began with utmost certainty. “It’s clear who your son intends to choose at the end of this… Lady Riley.” 

Constantine noticed the hint of distaste in their tone. “Yes, I believe that as well…” 

“And you’ve done nothing to stop it? You and I both know Madeleine is the one who rightfully belongs on the throne.” 

“Really?” Constantine challenged. “I’m not sure I understand why—” 

“She is a commoner, sir — nothing good will come from that for anyone.”

“I agree with you to an extent, but what am I supposed to do?” Constantine shrugged. “I’ve tried speaking with Liam about it, but he’s not listening.” 

“He’s thinking with the wrong head.” 

“I concur, but again, how am I supposed to remedy this situation? It’s not like I can send her home before he has the chance to choose her!” 

“Perhaps you can.” 

His visitor smiled, and Constantine had never seen such a chilling sight. “Pardon?” 

“I have a plan… We set her up.” 

Constantine’s interest rose. “… How so?” 

“We get her alone, send someone to her room, and have a photographer waiting to capture a scandalizing scenario… I’m not sure where just yet, but we can dispose and erase all traces of her after.” 

“Dispose?” Constantine shook his head when his comrade nodded, completely stunned by the suggestion. “No, we will not be doing that.” 

His guest winced. “Perhaps not dispose, but only ensure she leaves and can never return.” 

“And how do you suggest we do that?” 

“We detain her somewhere — perhaps use the tun—” 

“No.” Constantine sternly interrupted. “I will not allow you to do such things to her. Staging a scandal I could agree with, but I will not let you imprison her simply because of her origins.” He scratched his chin, deep in thought. “Perhaps a ticket back to New York would suffice, instead.”

“We can’t just send her back to New York! She will surely find her way back, or Liam will—” 

“If Liam is heartbroken, he will let his duty guide him; that’s the only way he will leave her behind.” Constantine returned but kept his vision locked on the floor. 

“We can’t simply rely on breaking his heart!”

“I know my son — he’s emotionally driven. If he’s devastated, he’ll keep going…” Constantine admitted in a low voice. He felt guilty about even entertaining the idea; to manipulate his son and the situation, knowing how he felt about Riley, but the past would always be there to haunt him and he couldn’t let it go, no matter how hard he tried. 

“... So, you’re agreeing to the scandal?” 

Lady Riley’s presence was pleasantly surprising and she had undeniable chemistry with Liam. In another universe, he would eagerly support their relationship. However, the throne was not to be taken lightly; it was a dangerous position that would put not only her but Liam at risk as well. He’d already lived through one assassination attempt and buried his mother after her demise, yet he still entertained the idea of letting a commoner rule beside him. He didn’t understand this weakness could bring Cordonia crumbling to the ground, taking his heart and man-hood down with it.  

Constantine briefly thought back to the torturous months after Eleanor’s death — how heartbroken and hopeless he felt. Those were the darkest times of his life, and he truly didn’t know how Cordonia wasn't brought to its knees then. He wanted to protect Liam from experiencing that type of pain at all costs. A harmless scandal and sending Riley back to New York was a decent option; he would ensure Liam continued for the greater good of Cordonia and, eventually, she would become a distant memory. 

His country and his son would be safe, and Constantine could rest in peace, knowing he did everything to protect what was important to him. 

However, he didn’t know if he could genuinely trust the person before him. The solutions they suggested were extreme, and he did not wish for those to come to fruition. On the other hand, he recognized his time left dwindled rapidly, and as it was, he physically could not make any plan come to fruition and he couldn’t step away at such a crucial moment either. He needed to ensure the transition from monarch to monarch went smoothly, especially after Leo's sudden abdication.   

There was no other choice than to take a chance and hope for the best. 

“Will you be present during the operation?” Constantine questioned with a curious eye.

“Yes, sir. I will make sure everything goes according to plan and they’re removed from the premises after.” The response came immediately, with not even a single second of hesitation.

“They? Who’s the other?”

“Lord Tariq — he’s the perfect candidate. He’s naïve enough to go along but still noble. The goal is to photograph them in a compromising position.” 

“Compromising how?” 

“That will depend on how the situation flows, I suppose, but something to disgrace her and make your son and the nation believe she left to be with Tariq. We’ll find a media outlet or something to leak the story and soon, her name will leave a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths — including Liam.” 

“And how will we enlist this photographer? We can’t do it ourselves — it’s too risky.”

“I'll request the aid of Lady Penelope.” 

Constantine’s brows rose. “And you expect she will agree? What will you offer in return?”

“Don’t worry about her,” His guest smirked. “I have my ways, sir… She will comply with the request willingly.”

After a moment of deep consideration, Constantine slowly nodded. “I can agree to this, but perhaps we should let her finish out the season to avoid raising suspicion.”

His visitor tensed. “Respectfully, I don’t see that as a viable option. If someone has the chance to get to her, they may convince her to stay. It has to happen before the end of the social season — at a random moment, without notice.”

Constantine stared off into the fireplace as he pondered that statement, but ultimately knew it was true. He could admit Riley was kind, funny, and incredibly smart, but those features couldn’t grant her the specific birthright she needed. He couldn’t let it happen; it wouldn’t end well for anyone involved, especially Liam and Riley. 

This had to happen. 

“I suppose you’re correct.” Constantine finally agreed with a heavy sigh. 

“She has to leave beforehand. It’s the only way we can make it work.”

Constantine bowed his head, overcome with a rush of various emotions, as their plan snapped itself into place. “... Alright, I’ll allow you to oversee the operation.”

“Marvelous!” His company grinned. “Perhaps you have a few guards to spare? Just to ensure everything runs smoothly… Maybe — Bastien?” 

“Alright — you have Bastien at your disposal to assist in whatever you may need and he will report to you, but he is to be in charge of Lady Riley’s departure at the end of the night.”

“As you wish, my liege… Just to clarify, you’re putting me in charge of this operation?” 

“I — am.” Constantine reluctantly agreed, but quickly added, “Do not make me regret it… Now, what of Tariq?” 

“I'll handle him. You and Bastien deal with the commoner.” 

“Okay, but neither of them is to be harmed in any of this, and I shall tell Bastien the same — do you understand?” He eyed his visitor critically, searching for any signs of ill intent, but found none.  

“I do, sir.” His guest snickered, a small notion the monarch didn’t notice. 

Constantine mindlessly nodded, sufficed by the answer. “This needs to happen fast — perhaps in Applewood, as it’s an older estate and it’ll be easier to have all of this go unnoticed.” 

“I agree.” 

Constantine inspected the person across from him once more, causing his cohort to shift in their seat. “Remember what I said — neither of them is to be injured, only removed — that is an order. And you had better make this quick and quiet — nothing that’s going to end up causing more harm than good.” 

“Understood, Sir… Now, what can we do about Duchess Olivia?”

“I ordered Bastien to ensure she went back to New York — safely, and he told me he did. I pushed the scandal on you because I assumed the plan came to pass as instructed. It wasn’t until this conversation that I realized they played me.” 

Liam couldn’t believe what he’d heard. It hurt him in a way he didn’t know was possible, to know his father acted against the woman he loved in such a way, even if he says his intentions were pure. Plus, the manipulation he suffered at the hands of the person who should’ve shielded him from the animosity shredded the frail remnants of their relationship. He felt the tear within his chest, as that father-son bond crumbled into a million pieces. He truly didn’t know who the man sitting across from him was, and couldn’t conclude if he could trust his confession. Constantine looked genuine, almost remorseful, as he spoke, but he knew his father could shift and mold himself to adjust to any situation.

That’s what snakes do best. 

“I don’t believe you,” Liam suddenly declared, breaking the tense stillness. 

Constantine’s shoulders sank. “Liam, I —” 

“No!” Liam shouted as he shot up from his seat to tower over his father. “You’re lying and I demand to know the truth!” 

“Look at me, Liam!” Constantine breathlessly pleaded. “What do I have to gain from lying at this point?! I’m dying! I never wished for harm to come to her — I only wanted to remove her from the situation—” 

Liam sardonically laughed. “Yeah, well they fucking did, alright!” 

“Liam, I apologize. I trusted the wrong person and—” 

“Me too — me too.” Liam shook his head, tears of rage burning his eyes. “How could you?” 

“Son —” 

“YOU LET THEM HURT HER!” Liam wailed, not caring if anyone could hear their altercation. 

“I didn’t! I specifically told them not to!” 

“But yet — you ordered Bastien to go along with it?” 

Constantine winced. “I did, but he never mentioned any of the additional things you speak of. I told him to cover up the scandal — nothing else. His job was simply to escort Riley to the airport and ensure it stayed quiet. Anything additional, he did under the supervision of someone who was not me.” 

“But you told him to clean it up?” Leo questioned. 

“Yes…” Constantine swallowed thickly, followed by a small coughing fit. He recovered quickly and continued, “But I didn’t know—” 

“Yeah, well, for once, Bastien understood the assignment — maybe even a little too well.” Leo retorted, completely blown away by Constantine’s admissions. He regained himself rather quickly, however, and a light bulb suddenly went off inside his head. “Have you ever heard the names Anton and Claudius before?” 

Liam froze, but centered his death glare on his father, watching for any waivers in his facade but  Constantine’s face only contorted, his confusion showcased brightly. “... Who?” 

Liam scoffed. “Keep lying and see what happens.” He laughed indignantly, his hands balled into fists at his sides. “I’m not playing these games. I want to know the truth, and I want to know now.”

“I am being truthful with you. Listen to me, Liam — I never should have gone along with it and I am so incredibly sorry,” Constantine pleaded, but as he finished, his lungs screamed for air. He inhaled deeply, searching for oxygen, and found just enough to continue. “I never should have agreed, but I was afraid, and I let that fear guide my decisions in the matter.” 

“I do not accept your apology! You–you’re a monster!” Liam yelled, his voice cracking on the last syllable as one lone tear traveled down his cheek. 

“I — I know, son…” Constantine hung his head. “I regret the things I’ve done, even more so now that I know Lady Riley is potentially in danger.” He hacked again, but then forcefully clenched his jaw. “I told him not to…” He grumbled to himself, which Liam nor Leo heard. 

His lungs burned with every shallow breath, and his pulse steadily rose, causing his hands to shake and turn clammy. He wanted to blame his sudden change in state on nerves for being caught, but realized it ran deeper than that; something was wrong. A tight sensation in his chest made him feel as if a weight sat on top, growing in pounds by the minute, and every breath seemed to do the opposite of what it should. His windpipe slowly narrowed, and the erratic thump of his heart was so forceful, that he felt it from the tips of his toes to his temples. 

Leo interjected himself. “You don’t know where she is? Or Tariq? Really?” 

Constantine didn’t answer but stared off into space with furrowed brows as he recalled conversations, while simultaneously trying to catch his breath and settle his elevating state. He and his conspirator spoke only a few times regarding the ordeal, but every time, they subtly asked for insignificant details regarding a specific location within a few of the duchies. He never thought much of it because the areas were abandoned, never used, and inaccessible; but it would be possible if someone knew where it was, and he’d practically given them a detailed road map to it. 

His eyes widened as he slowly turned to Liam and spoke just above a whisper. “The tunnels…”

“You mean that old wives’ tale about underground passageways?” Leo returned. 

“It’s not a tale, but very real,” Constantine replied, matter-of-factly. 

“And you think that’s where she is?”

“It's a huge possibility. If you go deep enough, the passageways lead to cells, almost like a hidden dungeon. Our ancestors used them as torture chambers when someone spoke out of line against the monarchy, but those accusations are mostly hearsay. He kept asking about it when we spoke, but I didn’t make the connection.” Constantine coughed again, trying his hardest to hide his rapidly deteriorating state. 

Liam’s heart rate involuntarily quickened, the light at the end closer than ever before. “The tunnels?” 

“Yes… If you believe Lady Riley is still in the country, I would almost guarantee that’s where she is if you haven’t found her by now.” Constantine answered through a wheeze, but neither Liam nor Leo noticed, as they processed this new information. 

“Where? Which estate?” 

“I’m not entirely sure which duchies still have one. A lot of the dukes and duchesses opted to have them filled with cement long ago to erase the remnants of what their ancestors used them for. All I know is they are only accessible through a hidden door, likely on the outside, but it won’t be easy to find without knowing what you’re looking for. It will take you underground, but the chambers will have concealed doors as well. I know for a fact the one at the palace remains open, but Portavira and Ramsford are closed.” 

“Why is the one at the palace still open?” Leo demanded. “And how do you know so much about this if you’re ‘innocent’?” He air quoted.

“My father’s father brought forth plans to fill it, but uprisings started and it got lost in the hands of time. As far as my knowledge of it, I was young and curious once as well. There is a book in the library that has a lot of useful information on it, and I know for a fact that it has not moved from its spot on the shelf.”

“How?”

“Maybe I knew in my subconscious that something wasn’t right, and I wanted to ensure it was there so I knew it wasn’t being used to gain access.” Constantine shrugged. “As long as it was there, I didn’t have to face the possibilities of what I allowed to happen, I suppose.” 

“Yeah? How’d that work out?” Leo rolled his eyes but centered his attention on Liam. “Applewood, maybe?”  

“Yeah… Yeah — that makes the most sense, right?” Liam responded, his mind racing a million miles an hour. Every muscle in his body shook as wave after wave of adrenaline rushed through him. “Perhaps I’ll send teams to all the duchies.” 

“Not a bad idea — knock ‘em all out at once, and we can’t leave any stone unturned. And I think we should check all of them, despite what he claims.” 

“I agree, boys,” Constantine hoarsely interjected. 

“Don’t even act like you helped us at all. You knew about all of this and never said a word to me about it! And you had Bastien fucking me around this entire time!” Liam bellowed. 

Constantine let out a slow breath and spoke in a low, quiet voice. “I understand you’re upset. However, I truly thought she safely returned to New York. Bastien mentioned none of these things to me, nor you. Granted, perhaps I should have stayed more on top of the situation. I was aware of the deaths, but you never told me there was foul play involved or that you suspected Bastien. If you had come to me sooner, I would have told you what I knew.” 

“Yeah, I bet you would have.” Liam huffed.  

“I would have, Liam. I never meant for this to happen — all I wanted was to ensure you and Cordonia would be safe after I’m gone. It was my duty as Cordonia’s king—” 

“No, it wasn’t! And you’re behind Olivia leaving too?” 

“She’s far too irrational to sit on the throne, Liam. I knew if you had her as an option, you would choose her.” Constantine’s face contorted as the knife in his chest suddenly twisted. He somehow pushed through it, but the pain only flourished, alternating between sharp, sudden jabs and a dull, throbbing ache. “You still tried to select her, but I assumed she would speak to you and not leave without saying a word.” He breathed, his face turning a bright shade of pink.

“I don’t understand something—” Leo spoke with furrowed brows. “Why was all Riley’s stuff in Applewood?” 

“I didn’t have any part of that. I was not interested in taking things from her — I only wanted her to leave.” He wheezed. Liam and Leo both continued to glare at him, but their fury and curiosity blinded them from seeing their father’s deteriorating state.

“One more,” Leo went on. “If you were behind the scandal, why’d you drop it during the coronation of all moments?” 

“That was the only hiccup in the ordeal that I knew of; the timing. I realized Liam would have an adverse reaction, but it was supposed to be released early enough to give him some time to let the general shock wear off.” Constantine rasped, and that’s when Leo finally took notice of his father’s struggles. Despite his sideways feelings, a surge of concern bolted through him. 

“Wow…” Liam spoke before Leo could address their father's state. He shook his head, tears of rage and devastation stinging the corners of his eyes. “You played me like a goddamn fiddle and I let it happen. You had everything planned out, down to my emotional needs.” He indignantly laughed, the sound sending waves of uncertainty through everyone. 

“I — I’m sorry, son. I regret what I’ve done, and I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me for getting caught up in this—” 

“Don’t hold your fucking breath.” Liam snapped. 

“I’m willing to do whatever I can to help you find her, Liam.” Constantine held a shaky hand over his chest as the pain intensified, momentarily taking his breath away. Leo rose to his feet, torn between his brother's wrath and his father's struggles, but Liam continued before he concluded what to do.

“How can I trust you? You knew about all of this! I think you know much more than you’re leading on, too!” 

Constantine’s mind raced so fast, but he tried with all his might to fight off whatever was happening within his body. “I’ve told you all I know, son. I will gladly assist you in any way possible from here on out.” 

“You’re going to be lucky if you don’t wind up in the infirmary next to Bastien, or worse,” Liam snarled as he slowly rose from his seat. “Who?” 

“Pardon?” 

“Who was it? Who came to you that night in Lythikos?” Liam stalked toward him with his hands balled into fists at his sides, his steps loud and menacing. He didn’t even notice Constantine’s struggles — all he saw was the monster who destroyed his life and decimated everything he’d ever cared about. “This is your only chance to come clean because if I have to ask again, you won’t like how I get the answer.” He scowled. 

Constantine stumbled upright and took another ragged breath, but realized he was no longer getting any airflow. He coughed, but his hands flew to his neck after, helplessly clawing at his throat. He suddenly gasped for air and grabbed at the front of Liam’s shirt, his knees buckling under his body weight. His eyes were nearly black as the dilation swallowed his iris, but his sclera was tinted with a bright shade of pink.

“What the—” Liam started, but soon recognized the problem. Constantine’s complexion somehow went from a shade of red to white within an instant, his gasps becoming more panic-laced by the second. One moment they were face-to-face, but the fear Liam saw staring back at him momentarily took him aback; it wasn’t a terror rooted around being caught, but something much deeper. His body tensed, the hands securely holding onto his jacket turning white and shaking from the intensity of the seizing. Constantine choked on his saliva, struggling for air, but soon let out an anguished, blood-curdling cry.

The next instant, Constantine crumpled to the floor, his entire body going limp.

Before Liam or Leo could register what happened, the guard stationed close by was already on site. The man spoke into his earpiece and summoned medical professionals to their location, a frenzy of lights approaching in the distance nearly instantly. Constantine’s eyes were open but nobody was home, and before too long, the man had no choice but to start CPR. 

Liam could only stand, frozen in place, unable to focus on anything else. He wanted to look away so badly, but couldn’t gather the strength. He felt every push against his father’s chest as if it were his own, and his pulse soon matched the rhythm of the compressions. An overabundance of emotions filtered through him; betrayal, fear, anger, regret, and guilt. Constantine shredded their bond into a million pieces, and he couldn’t find it within him to be sad; he desperately wanted to feel any inkling of remorse that his father might have just taken his final breath right before him, but he wasn’t, and that made him question if he was a monster in disguise all along, too.

He fixated on the fact that Constantine knew who did this and, right now, he wasn’t sure he would get to hear that tale. His heart yearned for Riley, but every time he got even a drop of information, he only met an abrupt wall. He’d almost grown accustomed to having the tiny shrivels of hope dangled in his face and then yanked away, but this time, he couldn’t simply shake it off and pretend like they had the situation under control, because they didn’t.

The abyss of insanity Liam teetered for so long pulled itself dangerously closer. His father had aggressive, end-stage lung cancer, and something like this should come as no surprise. But — for his clock to stop ticking at that exact moment seemed too convenient and at some point, the term coincidence just couldn’t apply anymore. Any other time, he wouldn’t have questioned it, but he instantly fell into a pit of madness as he internally debated the facts.

He couldn’t decide if this was nature taking its course, or a different force pulling strings. 

[midnightcrw]

Running away

Chapter 3

Anagapesis

Pairing: Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

Summary: Life really had it in for you. Just moving to a new apartment seemed to unleash a brand new hell

Warnings: Panic Attack

"I hate this," Grace huffed with a pout on her face, making her face appear rounder. This time her blonde wavy hair had been put up in a high bun with multiple vibrant coloured clips to push the stray strands out of her face.

Her usual skirt was nowhere to be seen as she wore blue washed-out jeans with a red knit sweater on, that engulfed her entire body. Her bracelets never seemed to leave her arms either since the first day.

Grace seemed to never have a bad looking day. She always put a lot of effort into what she wore and made even the most simplest clothes look outstanding.

"It's not that bad," you tried to sound encouraging, knowing that she was exhausted and probably wanted to quit. She had even once accidentally spoken too loudly around your employer, which ended up getting her into trouble.

"You're lucky that you still have this job, Grace!" The stern voice of your employer, Josephine, was heard as you bit your lip, not knowing how to react. It was still early, so only you, your co-workers and employer were present.

The lecture went on for minutes, which seemed more like hours at this point, and once Josephine thought that Grace heard enough of her rant, she left you all to yourselves.

"Old hag," the twenty-year-old girl had muttered under her breath, with both of her arms crossed. She had rolled her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows, making her green eyes look kind of intimidating, completely different from the way they would usually shone in their own unique way.

You just snickered quietly at her when she muttered quietly, or at least that's what Grace thought when the loud, agitating voice yelled, "I heard that!".

Grace turned her head towards you so quickly that you were almost afraid that she might have broken her neck at the process of it. "Well, you didn't have to clean every single shelve until she was pleased with the result," you followed her exaggerated hand gestures with your eyes, trying to hold back the smile that was slowly making its way to your face.

"I'm sure she made her way outside to collect dirt and put it into one of those yellow buckets she has lying around. She probably even scraped the streets clean just to throw the dirt onto these shelves, I just know it!" She pushed her round, black-framed glasses up her button nose in anger, making her look like a little chipmunk.

Not being able to hold back the grin on your face, you interrupted her before she could rant any further. "Maybe the shelves have always been this dirty. I never looked at them too closely. "

Grace narrowed her eyes at you in annoyance, "Nope, I always look at the shelves and they were clean yesterday. Like, nobody goes to the encyclopedia section, so why would the shelves there be dirty!?" Her arms moved around almost comically, even hitting the desk lightly in process.

It had been ten days since you'd moved, and you liked it here. Working at the library wasn't so boring with Grace around, having her daily shenanigans. It made your days by far more enjoyable since she never ran out of energy.

The only thing that was still questionable was the whole apartment complex thing with Amanda and Simon. Nothing too suspicious happened, but it still made you wonder what happened to make Amanda dislike him. Even some other people in your apartment complex didn't like him when you asked them for their opinion.

But Simon... Simon wasn't bad. He didn't seem to be a bad guy. Sure, he was questionable when it came to hiding himself from other people's eyes, but that shouldn't be a reason to hate him.

After your first conversation with Edith, you really tried to keep an open mind and not let others control your thoughts about him. And indeed, things did change.

You noticed little things about him whenever you two came across each other. His walk was something you hadn't noticed before, he walks silently, not a single footstep being heard. But the more you observed him, the more you realized that he didn't do it forcibly, it must have been a habit, but it looked strange to you. To see such a big man almost as quiet as a mouse, if not quieter than a mouse.

Simon's posture was just like Amanda's, absolutely perfect. Standing straight in a way you could only hope for. His head was always held high as well, never tilting down unless he saw you.

His body language told you nothing. It was a mystery, he was a mystery. It was as if he was hiding something. If he had also covered his hands up, you would have thought he wasn't even human.

His big hands would often times be inside his hoodie or pant pockets, only letting them be visible when he pulled his keys out to open the door to his apartment. Whenever you saw even the slightest glimpse of his hands, they would make you shiver slightly, not even knowing why. His hands looked pretty, even though they were obviously rough and calloused.

The pale, healed scars on them didn't make you any less curious. There were just too many scars for them to be accidents, unless he had a clumsy side to himself which made the corners of your lips curl up a little. Imagining him stumbling over his own feet was both hilarious and endearing.

You even looked forward to his little nods in greeting. You still hadn't heard a single sound from him, not even a hum or a sigh. Only his nods were the only indication you had to be sure that he had seen and heard you.

Daydreaming, as usual, didn't seem to be the best thing to do around Grace because she suddenly flicked your forehead. The flick stung a little, probably leaving a light red hue on your forehead.

Rubbing the spot, you glared at her "Why did you do that?". The young woman's face looked at you as if you were the dumbest person she had ever met. She even crossed her arms over her chest and had removed her glasses, which were now lying on the desk between the two of you.

"First, you ignored me when I talked about our 'lovely' boss," she continued, empathizing the word 'lovely' with her voice, "and second, you started grinning like an idiot, so I thought about either taking a picture or flicking your forehead to make you stop".

Happy with the fact that she had chosen the latter, she burst your bubble "And I did both of those things".

You just rolled your eyes at her.

This day had been stressful, probably more so for Grace, but also for you, because there were a lot of students here today. Probably studying for their finals, which didn't bother you at all, the problem was that they wanted to start an argument with you about the fact that there were no more seats available, which you had tried to resolve until you realized that nothing you would do would make these students happy, so you just sent them over to Henry, who also worked here.

"Since you ignored me, how about you tell me the reason for your smile?" Grace asked you while giving you a playful wink, already internally groaning at her.

In those couple of days, you had told her about Amanda and Simon. Not going too deep with the details, but just enough for her to not get worried, and you were already starting to regret it.

She would ask you about Simon every day, and the answer would be the same. "How's Simon doing?" She sounded all hearty, not caring at all about your lack of expression, already having guessed that it was about your next door neighbour.

Groaning, you put your face in your hands, slightly muffling your words "I don't know, kid." You really couldn't answer that question. There had never been a real conversation between the two of you.

And before Grace could open her mouth, you interrupted her, "How's Jake doing?" With this question, the young woman's face lit up. Her smile was almost dazzling. It was probably the biggest you had ever seen on her face.

Her eyes got a slight bit wider at the mention of his name, almost twinkling a little. Her pupils dilated, showing far less of her green eyes now.

"He's great - Well, I-I mean, he's doing great -" Before she could embarrass herself any further, you chuckled at her. It was obvious that she had fallen in love with this guy she had met three days ago.

From what she had told you, or rather swooned over, he was exactly her type. Light brown curly hair, tanned skin, tall, a little intimidating at first glance, but apparently, he was very sweet to her.

You were happy for her, but still a bit wary since it had only been three days, and you didn't want her to get her heart broken into a million pieces.

And while she continued her long talk about him, you heard a small notification sound coming from your phone. Ignoring it for the moment, you just listened to what Grace told you.

Her crush liked basketball, went to university, and so on. It seemed endless as she listed you all of Jake's qualities. In some of these listed things you teasingly jabbed at her, as she could only respond in a sheepish tone, far too engrossed with Jake to care about your little remarks about the "most perfect man who existed just for her".

What got to you, though, were the notifications. You still didn't look at them, ignoring them, wanting to give Grace some attention. At first it was just a single notification, but then it continued a few more times, leaving you a little confused, since you didn't really have much contact with others, except for a few of your family members.

Not bothering for now, you decided to look through them when your shift was over. You rubbed the back of your neck, which was a little stiff from not sleeping well last night.

Your shift had ended half an hour ago, and you finally made it to your apartment complex. The weather outside hadn't been too bad, just a little cold, but nothing to complain about.

The rest of your work day had just been filled with several students trying to find a place to study and listening to Grace's stories. Even though you never really thought that working in the library would be exhausting, it was indeed exhausting because today it was just you and Grace.

Your other co-workers had left earlier and your employer didn't care, as usual, and let you and Grace take care of everything else.

Eyes fixed on the stairs, you walked up while holding the railing. You thought back to your work day and remembered that you still had to go through your messages.

It wasn't long before you were on your floor, walking towards your apartment door as you opened the messages that had been sent, and that's exactly what you shouldn't have done.

You stopped dead in your tracks, as if someone had just pulled out a gun and pointed it at you. With no control over your body, your hand dropped the phone to the ground.

Normally, you would have picked it up to make sure the phone's display wasn't broken, but this time was different. You couldn't care less. You felt numb all over, unable to move an inch of your body the way you wanted to.

Your breathing accelerated, almost sounding like a panting. It was frantic, none of it seemed calm, you weren't calm. You couldn't be calm, not after this.

Please stop...

I won't do it again, I promise

I'll be better

Several sounds filled your head, all at once. This time you were able to decipher them and you wished you weren't able to. You wished for it to stop.

Your mind was filled with your cries and pleas. Tears rolling down your face, which you only noticed after your vision blurred.

Unable to stand upright, your legs already shaking along with your entire body, you fell to your knees. The pain of the fall didn't matter to you at all, you couldn't even feel it. You were sure you wouldn't even feel it if someone had punched you in the face.

Blinking rapidly, you looked at your hands. They were shaking just as badly, and as much as you wanted to hold on to your legs, to ground yourself to something, your hands wouldn't. They were shaking, but they never had the strength to hold anything, even when you desperately needed it.

Your mind was filled with so many noises and sounds that you didn't even notice a person looking down at you. You could only look at your hands in shock as you suddenly felt the ground vibrate beneath you.

The vibration continued until you could avert your teary eyes and look ahead of you.

It was Simon, on his knees on the ground. Had it not been for your current state, you might have been surprised. He probably had stomped on the ground to get your attention.

But what caught your attention were his brown eyes. It was the first time you had seen his eyes, even a glimpse of humanity other than his scarred, veiny hands. His hood had been pulled up a little, just enough for you to see them.

They were mesmerizing, his eyes hypnotic. They drew you to them, almost in want, in need. His eyes were trained on yours, never leaving yours, not even for a second.

And soon the sounds began to fade, the sounds of pure sadness and despair were gone. You began to become more aware of your surroundings, of Simon.

Still looking at his face, you noticed his dark blonde eyebrows, a pale scar running along the edge. There was no hair growing there, leaving him with a slit in his right eyebrow.

"I got you," Simon's deep voice rasped out. It was the first time you heard his voice and it was like a drug. Addictive in a way that no other voice had been for you.

His voice brought you back, made your trembling subside slightly, now you could actually move your body as you wiggled your fingers to get rid of the numb feeling.

Your heart stopped its relentless pounding against your ribcage and became a calmer beat. Even your panting had stopped, slowly breathing in and out over and over again.

"There you are," it sounded almost like a praise, you wanted to hear more but were too afraid to ask.

You were calm now, still a little shaken, but calmer nonetheless, and you even took in the tiny earthy and smoky scent of him. Usually you didn't like the smell of smoke, it gave you a headache, but this one was soothing.

Then realisation dawned on you. He calmed you down, he didn't even touch you, keeping his distance to you as he had made you feel at ease. It hadn't been overwhelming until you actually thought about it.

And with that, you stood up abruptly on wobbly legs and slammed the door as soon as you had opened it, leaving Simon all alone.

Would he think of you as pathetic now? Or pity you?

Taglist:

@ghostlythots

@kittyoonsstuff

[percyjackson-sofiafantasies]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟶𝟷

My 𝑡í𝑎 is not my 𝑡í𝑎..and that's okay.

𝙶reek Mythology. Something I don't really thrive on but do enjoy. I barely know anything about it, a 000.001 percent, maybe. I can only name so many devines, it's ridiculous.

I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself, let me introduce... Myself. I'm Seraphina Sofia Kilamary. As in Kila-Mary. Two completely different names morphed into one.

A lot of people get confused and even call me Calamari like it's supposed to be a joke! My friends told me it was... I never understood jokes.

Currently, I am sitting next to my best friends, Riley Gomez and Mc'Kayla Johnson. F.Y.I, the two are dating. Just for some context.

We met back in second grade, my first grade studying in the U.S after moving from Honduras. They're the only people I really trust and care for besides my dad and sisters.

❝Hey, wouldn't it be crazy if--❞ Riley started, getting my attention back.

❝No!❞ Mc'Kayla yelled, slamming her palm on the wooden table outside the school's backyard. ❝No more “what if”s.❞

❝Yeah, Rey,❞ I said, placing my elbow on the table, and leaning my cheek on my hand. ❝“What if”ing is my thing.❞ I said, my siren shaped eyes half closed.

Riley groaned, I understand what it feels like not being listened to. I always get teary when I'm excitedly explaining something just to get cut off and not be able to continue.

❝I'm joking,❞ I smiled, lifting my head up. ❝No, I'm not.❞ Is shook my head, my smile falling. ❝What is it you wanted to say?❞

Mc'Kayla sat back down, rolling her eyes, eyelids fluttering at the motion. It looked like she rolled her eyes way too hard, and if I did that my eyes would vibrate or something, I don't know how to explain it, but if you know you know.

❝Like I was saying,❞ Riley said, glaring at 'Kayla. The latter only crossed her arms, tired of all this Greek Mythology shit. And to be honest... So was I.

But if that was me - which is more often than not - I would want people to listen to me. ❝What if Athena turned Medusa into a monster to protect her?❞

That's it, I straightened my back, hands clasped on the table. ❝No. She cursed Medusa, end of story.❞ I leaned closer, whispering the last part before leaning back and turning my head away.

❝Oh, come on,❞ she said, leaning forward on the table, knees on the seat. ❝I'm sure Athena never cursed Medusa to punish her for what she did--❞

❝What Poseidon did.❞ I corrected, turning my head back to her.

❝Girls, I'm tired of this,❞ Mc'Kayla said, making us turn our attention to her. ❝what time is it?❞ She nodded her head up, looking from me to her girlfriend.

Riley took out her phone from her pocket, ❝12:19, why?❞ she looked up, pocketing her phone. I turned my head to Mc'Kayla, unclasping my hands and resting my palms on the table.

❝We got three minutes,❞ she said, standing up and swinging her legs one by one over the bench. ❝I gotta get to math.❞ She grabbed her bag, making Riley and I stand up and do the same.

❝Sucks for you to have math in seventh period.❞ Riley mocked, straping her bag over her shoulders. ❝I have it just in the middle.❞

I furrowed my brows, fixing the strap on my shoulder before hitting her on the back of her head, ❝Shut up!❞ I said, before snaking my arms behind my neck to lift my curls up.

Riley said "Ow!" as she rubbed her head, sitting back down. Mc'Kayla rolled her eyes before walking next to Riley and cupping her chin while pressing the side of her head to her own chest. ❝You're just mad you have math in first period.❞ Riley mocked, leaning into her girlfriend's touch, legs slowly swinging back and forth.

Nuzzling like a cat, I hate cats. I groaned before turning around and walking to the school's back door. This was like, the first and only time I skipped Study Hall. The girls followed quickly after.

❝Alright,❞ I started looking around the empty hallway. Most kids were in their classes, probably packing up, while some teachers told them the bell hadn't rung.

❝I have to go to Health Care,❞ I turned my attention to them, finished with fixing my bag strap. ❝See you two later--❞ just as they were about to say their goodbyes the speaker turned on.

❝𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦.❞

I sighed, turning my head back to them. ❝Your grandma coming to pick you up?❞ Riley asked, tilting her head to the side.

❝It's so not fair you get to leave early.❞ Mc'Kayla muttered, rolling her eyes with crossed arms. I chuckled, shaking my head. ❝It's my aunt, she's taking me to her daughter, JJ's graduation party.❞

I started to walk backward, waving before I turned around and headed to the office. I sighed, jerking my head to the side, moving a curly strand of hair behind my shoulder.

I don't really like parties, but I can tolerate the ones that are important to others, like Jaylin. It's amazing she graduated from High School, I'm still nervous about 𝘮𝘺 graduation.

You see (read), I'm a sophomore. And this year I have to get my service hours in. I never understood or will ever understand why they need us to do so. But at least babysitting is something I can put in.

I turned the corner, spotting my aunt standing on the other side of the hallway as I neared half of it. She was not in the main office but behind the main doors which is right there in the office. I'm sorry, I'm ready trying to describe VHS as I remember it.

I pushed the door open, letting it close behind me. ❝𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑎,❞ (Hi/Hello) she said, leaning to give me a hug and a kiss on my cheek which I returned.

❝𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑜 𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑠?❞ (how are you?) She asked, turning around and pulling the door open. We walked out after my aunt said a quick "Thank you!" To the person working at the desk.

❝𝐵𝑖𝑒𝑛٫ 𝑦 𝑡𝑢?❞ (Good, and you?) I asked, looking around before looking up at her. She sighed, looking around before crossing the road with me.

❝𝐸𝘩٫ 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑎𝑑𝑎.❞ (Uh, tired. - feminine ver.) She chuckled, walking around to the driver's side. I got into the passenger seat, dropping my bag to the floor, my legs on each side. All the while my aunt got in and closed the door, buckling her seatbelt.

❝Same.❞ I said closing the door before leaning back in the seat. ❝How are the girls? Still together I hope.❞ She asked, leaning forward in her seat, and twisting the car keys.

❝Ye𝐩, still going on strong.❞ I leaned forward, shifting in my seat. ❝Yourrrrr--uh,❞ she leaned back after hitting the gas pedal - or whatever you hit first.

❝Mm?❞ I hummed, lips presses together. I turned my head to her after pocketing my phone from looking at the time. ❝Your mom called.❞ She chuckled nervously, eyes flickering from me to the road.

I hummed again, crossing my arms as I exhaled. Me and my bonus mom never got along. She sent me to a Psychiatrist when I stopped talking to her for having two kids with another man. Like chu married to my dad, bitch!

And he doesn't know of it! Urgh, that's disgusting. I turned my head to the window, ❝What did she say?❞ I asked, trying to sound as polite as I could. I didn't want to sound rude to my aunt.

❝Uh, not--not her.❞ Aunt Rosabella said with a small chuckle. I turned my head to her, brows furrowed sadly. ❝Oh,❞ I said, eyes flickering down to the car floor. My arms loosening, uncrossing them.

Great, my biological mom wants to see me. She and I get along well. It's one-sided, though. She thinks we get along well. I don't, with her.

It's a long story and I don't want to spoil that right now. ❝Do you know why?❞ I look up at her, palms placed on my knees.

Aunt Rosabella sighed, eyes on the road. ❝No, but it appeared urgent.❞ She glanced down at me, her brows greased a little bit. ❝How are your teachers doing? Doing the job well, I hope.❞

My eyes flickered to the window. ❝Yeah, they're great. I'm just kinda sad Mr. Strickler had to report back to the military.❞

❝Oh, that soon, huh?❞ Aunt Rosabella sucked at her teeth, looking at the road. It was pretty empty today. No cars out. Nobody is out for a run. Which was usually what we saw.

A man running about with his dog. Two cars heading to the school, usually the nurses who switch shifts with the other two. But today seemed quiet. More quieter than the first two days of school.

I look up at Aunt Rosabella, she seemed tense, too tense. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, her shoulders were up, being pressed close to her head.

I furrowed my brows, my nails digging into my skin through my leggings. ❝𝑇𝑖𝑡í?❞ (Slang for 'Aunt' - Auntie) She shook her head, shoulders lowering, ❝I--I got a call from mister Brunner yesterday.❞ She said, evading my observation.

I hummed, eyes flickering from the window to her. ❝He suspects there might be another guest at the party.❞ She smiled awkwardly at me. I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment.

I opened them, smiling up at her. ❝That's nice. When will they arrive?❞

❝I don't know,❞ she said shaking her head and looking back forward. We were nearing our location. She glanced at me before looking forward, squinting her eyes in the distance. ❝Are Riley and Mc'Kayla joining us?❞ She asked, straightening. So far, we have made it without getting caught.

Listen (read), from here on out, things may sound crazy--too unrealistic. And I understand that. Trust me, I thought so too when I was ten (10). But the next paragraphs you are about to read will be shocking--unless you have a good idea of what will happen.

I applaud you for that.

❝Yes, but not 'till later.❞ I answered, looking out the window. ❝By the gods!❞ My aunt yelled, stopping the car. I yelped, having not put a seatbelt on I wouldn't have been pulled forward by gravity. Aunt Rosabella held me, twisting her body to keep me close before my head slammed into the car.

I started to hyperventilate, hands gripping her arm. ❝Wha--what's going on?❞ I asked, too shocked to move. My aunt softly pushed me back, she unwrapped her arms from me and got out of the car, leaving the door open.

I looked up, my eyes widening once more. I opened the door, leaving my bag in the car. ❝What happened?❞ I asked, it was a rhetorical question. In front of us was a flipped-over car. Its flames were dying. Aunt Rosabella got up from the ground, dusting her palms on her pants. ❝Nobody is in there. They must have made it.❞

She walked past me, opening the car trunk. I stood still, looking at the bloodsplashes. 'This couldn't be happening', a voice in my head said. I flinched when I heard the trunk door close. I turned around, taking a few steps forward. ❝Here,❞ she said, handing me a duffel bag.

I took it, shouldering it. ❝it has all you need. I even packed your pills, okay?❞ I look up at her, my eyes flickering to the tree on the hill. ❝Okay, thanks.❞ I nodded, my eyes getting teary.

I exhaled, ❝So this is it?❞ I asked, my voice shaky as realization sunk in. I look at the flipped-over car, that must be the new person coming to "the party." I looked back at her, blinking my eyes so my tears would fall and stop blurring my vision of the woman standing in front of me pretending to be my aunt, I forgot she wasn't.

❝Oh,❞ she wrapped her arms around me, getting teary as well. I wrapped my arms around her as well. ❝The others will take care of you, baby.❞ She said, caressing the back of my head.

I didn't want to leave her, leave my family. I knew Mc'Kayla - my cousin - and Riley - best friend/future cousin-in-law - would be here with me. But I would never be able to say goodnight to my little sisters. Not be able to hug my father or kiss him goodnight.

But it was for the best. I had too many monsters after me. Too many who suspected me of something...

We parted the hug, and Aunt Rosabella stepped back. She was glowing gold. She opened her mouth to say something when we heard a shrike echo. The glow dimmed, and my aunt Rosabella was now on alert. My shoulders tensed, and my hands and fingers twitched to cover my ears. But I didn't.

I actually liked the sound. Still do.

I turned around, squinting my eyes in the distance. ❝Sofi..❞ my aunt Rosabella whispered. ❝Sofi, get to camp.❞ She whispered, I could sense her presence behind me. How she got closer. She placed her hands on my shoulders, ❝Get to camp.❞

We could see a figure in the distance that previously looked like a tree. ❝Seraphina Kila-Mary,❞ the thing called. Its voice was deep and husky, but it had a familiar tone. ❝we have orders from our lord to take you under.❞

My brain was working extra hours to find out who this was. But it was also trying to figure out why a Fury was after her--me. ❝This should be impossible.❞ I whispered as my aunt Rosabella stepped in front of me. I gripped the strap of my duffel, slowly stepping back. I needed to get to Thalia, I would be safe there.

So, remember the "JJ's graduation party" thing? Yeah, that was a ruse. She graduated long ago. We just couldn't have anyone hear I was moving to camp for the whole year. Well, depends if danger ceases to exist.

I turned my head to Thalia, seeing her pine tree on the hill. ❝I have orders from my lady to not let you!❞ Aunt Rosabella yelled, her golden glow appearing. I could only see the back of her head, but I could tell her pupils had turned gold, her sclera turning black.

I knew this because it happened once. A Fury was after another demigod but got a sniff of me and attacked me instead. Aunt Rosabella protected me, tough.

...the demigod died.

She turned her head to the side, ❝Get to safety!❞ She yelled, I wasted no time to hear her speak as I ran to the hill. The Fury shrieked, turning to its original, terrifying form. I could hear the Fury shrike in pain, my aunt Rosabella groaning and grunting.

The Fury had lunged forward, using its wings to fly towards me. I kept running, not looking back. I don't have an understanding of what exactly happened in the battle but I can tell you this; Aunt Rosabella grew wings, pushing herself off of the ground and blocking the Fury's way. The Fury shrieked when her hands turned into claws, griping the creature's shoulders. The fury shook, flapping around as it tried to shake the woman off, clawing at Rosabella's face. The woman let out a groan as her head was slapped.

She turned her head to the creature, its wings flapping wildly. Slowly her body was morphing, a tail growing from behind her. Her dangling feet turned into razor-sharp claws, gleaming in the fading light. Her arms grew fur, wings rearranging themselves as her body shifted. Once the glow was gone she let out a loud shrike. Her mouth was replaced by a long beak. She lunged her head forward, pecking the Fury with her peak.

I had reached Thalia by that time. I panted, leaning on the tree, ❝Hey, Tha--Thalia.❞ I laughed breathlessly. I turn around, my eyes flickering from the sky to the two. Now I could see the figure of the guy who was after me. ❝Mister LaRosa!❞ I screamed, finally recognizing who was after me. ❝I thought he was sent by my mom to protect me.❞ I said lowly to Thalia, turning my head to the tree. ❝No wonder he never talked to me personally or even looked my way.❞

Aunt Rosabella dug her talons deeper into the Fury's shoulders. The Fury's eyes blazed with fury (no pun intended) as it tried to shake off the Griffin's grip. But Aunt Rosabella held firm, her feathers ruffled by the Fury's flapping wings.

The Fury unleashed a blood-curdling scream, summoning dark, swirling mist from the Underworld. The mist coiled around Aunt Rosabella like a living serpent, trying to constrict her. But the Griffin's lion-like body glowed with golden light and with a mighty cry, Aunt Rosabella spread her wings, beating them powerfully to dispel the mist.

The Fury stumbled backward, its claws swiping wildly at the air as its wings clashed with Rosabella's. The Griffin countered with a swift swipe of her beak, ripping through the Fury's dark robes.

As the Fury recoiled, its face contorted in rage, Aunt Rosabella seized the opportunity. Her wings flapped back, summoning a gust of wind. The gust slammed into the Fury, sending it tumbling down to the ground.

The Fury sprang to its feet, eyes blazing with malevolent intent. But Aunt Rosabella stood firm, wings spread wide, ready to defend against the next attack.

She lowered herself gracefully, and I could still see her elegant figure in the distance. ❝Your master, Hades, will not claim this soul today.❞ The Griffin sent by my mother declared, her voice like thunder. I sighed, a hand on my chest. I walked backward, curious about what they might say. But I didn't want to dwell on it. I had enough problems as it was. No need to find out stuff I don't want to hear. Nor did I care why Hades was after me. What was going on here? I had asked myself many times, but like I said, I didn't dwell on it at that moment.

I turned around, sitting down the hill. I laughed as I rolled down. When I was at the bottom, I sat up with a breathless laugh. I brought my hand up, moving my curls out of my face to the back of my head. I turned my head, I was in front of a big house, its name? Big House. I exhaled, standing up, using my right hand as support. I opened the door, eyes flickering around the dim place. ❝Sera!❞ The voice of a girl called. I walked in, closing the door behind me. ❝Hey, Annabeth.❞ I whispered, eyeing the figure sleeping.

❝You won't believe what happened!❞ The younger girl said. Her blonde curls bounced as she jumped up from her seat, setting the book down. She walked to me with a big smile. ❝I'm gonna guess he's our new camper?❞ I pointed at the drooling ravenette.

❝He killed a Minotaur!❞

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

(A little rant, sorry.) Disclaimer! I wrote this before getting to the chapter of Medusa and without finishing the book. I'm one of those people who see a fandom, watches some videos about it (TikTok/yt shorts), reads x readers on Tumblr, etc. before reading/watching the fandom. And I (personally) love it when I get spoilers.

Also, I'm so sad about Jason, Don't really know a lot about him. Heard he died. And he has dated Piper for like three years, right? But she's lesbian? I really need to finish reading this because I have to know how this actually goes.

I don't want to assume things, but I can't help it. I don't hate any of the characters so far. And I was so shocked when reading the Medusa part. Like, and I quote ❝“...I had a…a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident...”❞ I mean, I agree with the "bad woman" part. 'cause in the original Greek mythology (I hadn't realized Rick changed so much) Athena curses Mesuda for breaking a vow and desecrating Athena's temple. (Dind't she [Medusa] get r@ped?)

But why did she and Posidon have to be together in this? Is it because it was easier to explain to Rick's son? Either way, I feel bad for poor Medusa. In the original and in this. I kinda want to hug the creature. I want to become the creature. Also, kinda ironic. Perseus beheaded Mesuda in the original GM. While in Percy Jackson, Percy (short for Perseus) beheaded Medusa. Ironic, isn't it?

So far, I wanna judo-flip Annabeth. She's annoying. That's why I love her. She's precious. Grover as well. I love him. And I'm quite curious about what happened with Annabeth and him. I have a few theories. Maybe Grover failed to protect her? I mean, I feel like that's obvious. I wanna research like I have been, but I'll just wait and see.

Chapter two is in progress...

XOXO,

sofiafanasies

[forgottencerberus]

No Hound Can Outrun Ananke - A Soap x F!OC fanfic - Prologue

Decided to port my fanfic from AO3 to here as well, in case someone prefered to use this platform to read it ;0;

[AO3 LINK FOR THE STORY HERE]

Pairing: John "Soap" MacTavish x F!OC

Tags: Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Teasing, Flirting, Eventual Romance, Maybe eventual smut?, Getting Together, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Denial of Feelings, Generally NSFW due to a lot of reasons.

Warnings: Detailed depiction of gore, fights, torture, and struggles with mental health (majorly PTSD and anxiety). If any of these topics upset you, or hit too close to home, I ask that you please do not read this fanfiction for your own health.

READER DISCRETION IS HIGHLY ADVISED, MINORS DNI! THIS STORY WAS INTENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCE ONLY!!!

Please forgib any grammatical wobbliness, English is not my native tongue.

Summary: Romana "Cerberus" Hanlon was never meant to join the Mexican Special Forces, but faith deemed that she must. Tortured by her past, she is alive yet barely living as she tries to find her place again in life, both as a soldier and a person.Then one day, all is changed when she is put on a mission by Alejandro. She soon finds herself surrounded by new faces and dangers, and lost pieces of her that she thought were gone are slowly falling back into pieces. The question is, can she fully heal herself with the help of others, or is she destined to fall apart once again?

___________________________________________________________

“Thank you for your help, Alejandro. The sooner we can get our hands on Hassan and the missiles, the sooner we can celebrate.” Laswell’s voice was oozing confidence, but Alejandro knew well enough already that her spirit hid the feeling of concern deep inside. He also knew that even if she felt anxious about any situation, she would never show it. She knew better. A woman in her position had to be untouchable and emotionless so that no one could take hold of them in any shape or form. She has already mastered the art of that. “Sergent MacTavish and Lieutenant Riley will arrive tomorrow. The latter goes by Ghost and will wear a mask. Don’t ask why. I trust that you will be ready to leap into action upon their arrival. I have sent you our intel, but I suggest that your team also do some digging. You know Las Almas better than we do.” “No problem. I’ll put my best person on the job.” Alejandro was comfortably sitting in his chair, his arm crossed over his chest as he listened to Laswel’s words. His eyes quickly scanned through the documents and pictures that were delivered to him. He recognised the place, but it had been a while since he had been there. Ever since it became a part of El Sin Nombre’s territory, he was not a frequent visitor. Many things could have changed. He sighed at the thought. He would play with the others so many times there, and later, he and his team would practice there as well. Losing that area was a tactical failure, but the emotional value of it made its loss feel even heavier. As much as he wanted to do the intel gathering himself, he knew he could not. He had to prepare for tomorrow and ensure that by the time the two Task Force 141 members arrived, they would have everything they needed to find Hassan. “Good. Wishing you the best, Alejandro. If you need anything, you know where to find me.” “Of course. Stay safe, Laswell.” “You too, Alejandro.”

As soon as she disconnected, Alejandro cracked his knuckles and briefly stared at the wall on the other side of the room. It has been a while since something of this urgency and risk happened around Las Almas; usually, their hand was full with El Sin Nombre’s antics. Whoever they were, they had been getting progressively more and more aggressive with their methods, and the fact that they were now involved in the missiles made him feel just a smidge agitated. The streets were flooded with violence, and he hated seeing it that way. For a split second, he remembered his childhood. He would play pranks on all kinds of people or pretend to be a cowboy who would lasso every 'bad' guy he saw. The older kids often chased him for taking their toy guns. He would always outsmart them, and on the rare occasion when they managed to catch up to him, he would hold his ground and fight them off. He had a few scars left from those days, and whenever he saw them in the mirror, the feeling of nostalgia would entrap him in a heartbeat. He missed those times; they shaped him into the man he was today. Those days were behind him, and he hoped that his work would at least make sure that there would be kids like him growing up in Las Almas, ready to fight the good fight.

A small cough from the door’s direction took him out of his train of thought. “Ah, Rudy” He could not help but give the biggest, brightest smile when he saw it was him standing at the door. “Come in; we are already done.” “Good news, I hope.” Rudy smiled back at his colonel as he quietly closed the door behind him. “Could be worse. We have two S.A.S members coming in to help us with Hassan. The intel she sent me showed that he could be holed up in the old houses, the one at the mountains.” “The ones where we would practice?” “Exactly.” “I miss that place.” Rudy smiled faintly.

Alejandro slowly rose up from his chair, disconnecting the laptop that he was eyeballing until now from the charger, and held it out towards Rudy. His brother-in-arms took it without hesitation, carefully putting it below his armpit. “Give it to Cerbero. I want her to scout the place out for us, they might have set up extra security to protect Hassan, and I want to know if that’s the case.” “Oh, we are letting the dog out for this one, hmm?” Alejandro could not help but laugh at Rudy’s response. “She has been holed up for way too long in her room. It will do her good.” Alejandro remarked with a grin. “That is for sure.” Rudy nodded. The two soldiers left the room with heavy steps and went on their way without saying any more words. They have known each other long enough to be able to communicate without them at this point. They both knew what would happen in the upcoming minutes. Rudy would drop the laptop off at the “doghouse”, as they would call Cerbero’s room on the regular, and then they would meet again in the armoury. They would talk more there.

The path to Cerbero’s room was a tedious one, despite her office being in the same building. Rudy had to take several flights of stairs and then walk into one of the darkest places of the base, something that he was not particularly a fan of. Cerbero, however, loved the dark and isolation, something that the soldiers would constantly tease her about, all in good spirit, of course. When she first joined their team, Alejandro did not want to let her office be situated just above the basement. He did not want to make her feel like she was a prisoner with all the darkness and pipes, but she would assure them that this was what she needed to be able to work well. She’s got a proper room just for herself in the dormitory from Alejandro as a means to compensate for that cave of an office.

When Rudy reached the door, he could not help but notice the faint light leaking from under the bottom of the door. The room had no windows, and as a result, she always had the lights on whenever she was working, making sure that the Special Force’s electricity bill got some well-deserved attention. He gently knocked on the door three times, and when he heard a quiet “Come in”, he entered.

He was not at all surprised by the mess that was in there. Not like this room ever felt cosy, but its current state was certainly a lot more unorganised than it usually would be, which meant one thing. She was highly focused on her current task. Besides the rocking chair in the corner, and the several bookshelves that were hugging the walls so close that they might as well be the wall itself, the room only had two other pieces of furniture; one desk, and an enormous board that was hanging on the wall, filled with maps, notes and pictures, some of them being connected with one another via thick strings of yarn, in all kinds of colours. If someone random were to enter this place, they would probably think that this is a set for some sort of noire movie. The desk was similarly filled with papers of all kinds, and behind it sat a figure who felt minuscule in comparison to the desk. Rudy’s eyes scanned the board before he would open his mouth; he was quite simply fascinated by her dedication and her attention to detail. Everything had its own place; there was a method to the chaos that even he could see through after his observation.

After the board, he let his gaze drop to the woman in front of the desk. As usual, her head was hanging low, her shoulder-length brown hair dropping in front of her face in a few strands as she focused on a paper that she was holding. Dark circles were deeply embedded under her eyes, and an almost melancholic expression was sitting on her face. If he did not know her, he would have assumed that something was deeply troubling her, but by now, he knew that this was just her default expression. He understood why, however. She was sleepless, restless, and troubled by previous events, things that, even after the years, would still come back to haunt her and give her pain. He and Alejandro would always hope that one day they could see her be happy for longer than just a second, but that time has yet to come.

“Good morning, Rudy.” Her voice sounded a bit more tired than usual as she finally spoke up, but the faint smile curving just barely on the edge of her lips made it known that she was feeling just fine. “It’s two in the afternoon, Romana”, Rudy chuckled as he put the laptop down in front of her and then got comfortable in her rocking chair. “No wonder she wanted this here; it’s oddly relaxing”, he thought to himself as he gently started rocking back and forth. It made him feel like a grandpa, but if this is what it felt like to be an elderly person, he was looking forward to retiring. “Morning for me”, She mumbled under her breath, her accent just as thick as the day they found her. She has been living in Las Almas for many years now, and yet, her eastern European accent barely got softer. Rudy and Alejandro would always joke about it, saying that her mood was easy to read from it, as it would become stronger or weaker depending on how she was feeling. They were not wrong. “What’s this?” She asked with curiosity, her eyes reflecting the light of the monitor as she opened the laptop and quickly scrolled through everything that was on it. “Alejandro told me to give it to you. Intel on Hassan’s possible location, but we need you to scout the place out for us. In person.” Rudy replied, letting his eyes close just for a moment as he was trying to catch a few minutes of rest. He was up way too early and had been running around getting things done; his body yearned for this momentary rest. He knew that she would not mind it either; that chair was mainly used by the people who were visiting her office anyway. He always wondered why she wanted it there so badly, but after taking many trips, he realised that it was her way of giving people comfort in a place that undoubtedly felt creepy for most people. Whenever someone came here, they would immediately gravitate towards the chair just to try it out and then end up staying in for long periods of time. Romana only hummed as a response, her eyes drinking in all the information that was displayed right on the screen. Many minutes had passed before she would speak up again. “How is your head, by the way?” She asked, a hint of worry in her voice as she took her eye off the screen to look at Rudy. She could still see the bump on his forehead, but the stitches were hidden well by his hair. The medic of the special forces was one talented bastard who would always try his best to stew the soldiers together in a way that would leave as less scarring as possible. He should have been a plastic surgeon, not a combat medic. He would have made a lot more money, too, in that carrier path.

“It’s fine.” He smiled, letting one of his eyes open ajar. “You are still worried about me?” “Well, you are going out there to try and get him, no?” Rudy could not help but notice how she dodged answering his question but decided not to pry at it. He knew that he would not get an actual answer from her regarding her feelings. “No. I plan on just driving them.” He muttered. “Unless Alejandro asks me, I doubt this will change.” “It’s too personal, isn’t it?” She raised an eyebrow. “He almost killed you.” “He tried.” Rudy chuckled. “If not for Alejandro, I’d be a pile of ash.” “That would be unfortunate. Who’s amazing cookies would I steal then?” She let out a faint laugh, thinking about all the fantastic bakery items that Rudy made on the regular. She was addicted to them and simply could not get enough. Rudy has gotten into the habit of making one extra batch just for her, just so that she would stop asking for more. A fatal mistake cause now she had an entire batch for herself, and she would still be able to yoink one or two pieces out of the collective cookie bin, as they called it. “My recipe book is at the bottom of my bookshelf if you are wondering” Rudy stretched, slowly forcing himself to get out of the chair’s comfort, despite his brain yearning for its softness. “Thank you for the valuable intel,” Romana replied, her eyes resting on her friend’s face, scanning for any signs of pain as he moved. “I should get going myself. Based on what Laswell wrote, her soldiers should arrive at eight a.m., which means you would arrive at the house by ten. I have a lot of ground to cover until then and mountains to climb.”

She rose up from her chair slowly, stretching her arms above her head and leaning backwards, letting her bones crack in the process, and let out a satisfied sigh. She opened one of her drawers to take out one of the several throwaway phones she had. “Will you be staying there until we arrive?” Rudy asked, despite knowing the answer already. She would always linger around after collecting intel; she was a marksman for a reason. That was her method. She would scout, even sabotage if needed, and once that was done, she would take overwatch and would help the soldiers from a distance. “Naturally. Someone has to make sure our boys don’t get their heads popped off by enemy snipers.” She chuckled, putting the phone in her pocket. “I have to dress up for the occasion, though. Gotta look pretty for the outsiders if you know what I mean.” In all honestly, Rudy had no idea what she meant, so he just nodded with a smile on his face. He would find out what she meant later, anyway.

Rudy opened the door, letting her walk out first, like a true gentleman, before following her. Romana fiddled around with the keys a bit, cursing under her breath as it took her an embarrassingly long time to find the correct key to lock her door. When she was done, Rudy let her lead the way. It had been a while since he had seen her out on the field; a part of him worried for her, but he knew that he was a ferocious woman once she was on a mission and that she would manage this with no issues. They walked towards the Armory in silence, just enjoying each other’s company without any words necessary, just like with Alejandro previously. Eventually, when they needed to split up, they hugged each other and walked towards their destination. They both had a long night ahead of them.

[karahalloway]

Kiara grabbed her drink from the bartender and turned to make her way back to her table. She ran right into the big oaf blocking her way. Just standing there, arms folded like he owned the damned place. “Oh merde! Regarde ça, gros crétin ! Tu penses que tu es propriétaire de l'endroit ou quoi ? ”

“We need to talk.” The voice was deep, rumbly, sexy, familiar and oh so annoying.

It's Drake, isn't it? 😆

She glared up at him, “Well hello to you too. How have you been for the last three years? Oh, fine. How about you, Kiara? How have you been? I’m good. Nice to see you. What the fuck do you want, Drake?”

HA! Knew it!

“I’m here on crown business, Ki, you might want to listen. I don’t want to have to drag you into the embassy for questioning, but I will.”

Why does this sound so... dirty...? I don't know why, but I've noticed this with your Drake - everytime he issues any kind of command, it always ends up coming across as some kind of thinly veiled invitation 🥵 ...even if he doesn't mean it that way

“I may hate Riley, but I don’t hate Liam, or Cordonia! I would never do anything to compromise my country! You used to know that about me, Drake.” Her voice was full of recrimination.

Fair point.

Her voice was softer, lower, laced with bitterness as she said , “I thought we were friends.”

“Ki…” He trailed off as a sliver of guilt panged through him before his memories reminded him why he shouldn’t feel too guilty, “Friends don’t take bribes from people to come between them and the person they love!”

...but again, fair point.

“Oh, and they’re simple now?”

“Yes, they are.” He replied quietly, his face softening, “I love her, and she loves me. Her marriage to Liam is mostly political, though I know she loves him too and any idiot can see how much he loves her. Then there’s Max….”

“Doesn’t sound simple.”

Oh, trust me! It's a helluva lot simpler than it was!!

“I…wow. You do seem happy. Huh.” Kiara had never seen Drake Walker smile quiet like he was smiling, had never seen such tenderness in his eyes, or his voice, as when he spoke about her. Who was she to judge?

She held her left hand up and thrust it toward him. He took her hand in his and let out a low whistle as he took in the princess cut diamond on her ring finger that had to be at least ten carats. “That’s quiet an impressive stone. What’s your fiancé do? Rule a small country?”

She snorted, “Close.”

“Who was he? He looked familiar. And he seemed nervous. Is he someone you know well? Trust?”

A frown of confusion crossed her face, “Nick? He’s harmless.”

“Nick?” Why did that name sound familiar? “Nick who? Where’d you meet him?”

Feel like he isn't quite as harmless as he makes out... 🧐

“I asked Liam when he picked up that particular woman. Surprisingly he remembered her.”

“Right.” She still did not understand their relationship, any of it.

🤣🤣🤣

“Yeah.” Nick glowered, “I’ve met him once.” Fucking bastard didn’t even remember me!

HOLY SHIT! IT'S THE SAME NICK, ISN'T IT??! 😱😱😱

“I fucking hate him!” Nick snarled, “He stole my girlfriend! And he’s not even worthy of her! I don’t give a shit that he’s a king! So what? He doesn’t deserve her!”

...ahh... there we go - there's the motive! Hope Kiara is recording this

Drake stepped from the hallway back into the main part of the bar. He’d been listening from a receiving unit. Kiara had been fitted with a transmitter. The conversation was recorded.

Nick gave him a smug grin, “So? To prosecute me, you’d have to turn over those photos and you obviously don’t want them going public. Tell your friend to make sure the curtains are all the way closed next time.”

He had him there. Drake slid a glance over to Kiara, “You might want to look the other way.”

Drake's gonna twist Nick's arm, isn't he? Quite literally...

“Plausible deniability.” Drake said before reaching over the bar and dragging Nick across it.

“What the fuck?” Nick yelped as he crashed to the floor on the other side.

Hahaha I was close 😆

“Oh, I can and I will!” Drake told him with a smug grin of his own, “I have diplomatic immunity. I can beat the hell out of you, and nothing is going to happen to me. I can literally kill you, and nothing will happen to me. So, you might want to consider your next move carefully.”

Perks of being a Guard!

“No?” Nick laughed, “Are you sure? Maybe she’s just a gold digging wh-“

Drake’s fist connected with Nick’s jaw and Nick crashed to the ground.

Not surprised. At all 🤣

Nick brightened, “I’ll get to see Riley again?” I

Chris, he's hopeless...

“Who, Riley? Who did that to you?” Nick asked her imploringly, as if he would personally seek out vengeance for her.

Her eyes flicked to her husband.

“The greatest regret of my life.” Liam said.

“But…but you’re still with him! You….forgave him?”

“I did.”

Liam smiled softly, “Greatest miracle of my life!”

🤣🤣🤣🥰

“What about me, Riley?”        

“What about you, Nick?”

“Since the two you apparently have an open relationship, what about me? I can do it! I’ll share! Let me be part of whatever the hell this is you have going on!

“Because I don’t love you.”

“You did! You said so!”

“Did I?”

Nick thought for a minute, “Well….no, you never said it back…..”

*face palm*🤦‍♀️

She nodded as she squeezed his hand, “Then I’ll make sure Kiara knows not to tell anyone about this. Your business shouldn’t suffer because I broke your heart four years ago. Just promise me you’ll never do anything like that again.”

She let him off easy, methinks... But he seems to be genuinely sorry, so...

“I agreed to marry you for Cordonia’s sake and to protect the woman you loved! Do you remember that? You told me all about how you had to reject her to protect her blah blah blah and I agreed to give you a Cordonian arrangement, to look the other way while you made her your mistress. I agreed to a loveless marriage in order to serve Cordonia, give you a wife with proper lineage and protect your precious Riley but did you ever stop to consider what I was giving up? No, you just assumed I was a crown chaser! Then you repaid me by disrespecting me at every opportunity! You flaunted your relationship with Riley in my face and worse, in the publics! You didn’t even try to be discreet with your puppy dog eyes and longing glances and using the king’s guard to track your errant lover down every time she ran away from you! It was pathetic is what it was, and I was just expected to endure it!”

Ouch! But she has a point!

“I…I made a mistake! Ok? Is that what you want to hear? I was in love with her from the very beginning and I never wanted to choose anyone else! I felt compelled by circumstances to enter into our little agreement, and I hated every minute of it! Not because I had to be with you, but because I couldn’t be with her! I thought I could do it; I really did. Right up until the moment she walked through the ballroom doors of your estate on the arm of another man! I realized right then and there the enormity of my mistake, the colossal mess I had made of things, and I didn’t know how to fix it! I wanted out of our arrangement in that moment and every moment after, but I didn’t know how to go about it and still protect her, so I acted foolishly, I made one mistake after another and I embarrassed myself and you and I’m sorry for it, ok?”

👏👏👏 It's insane how much he's grown from the start, huh?😅

“Yes. That was an admission that you were a bumbling asshole and that it wasn’t me! That’s exactly what I wanted to hear! I mean, I already knew it, but I needed to know that you understood it! We can work together now.”

🤣🤣🤣

Unlikely Alliances 2: Closure (A Bad Romance Two-Shot)

Series: Bad Romance

Bad Romance One-Shots

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for series: [(Riley x Liam x Max) + (Riley x Drake)] + (Riley x Rashad)

Paring this chapter: Drake x Kiara (past), Riley x M!OC (past), Liam x Madeline (past)

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: none

A/N: The conclusion to how Madeleine got the press secretary job. In part one, Madeleine intercepted some compromising pictures of Liam that were missed by both the current press secretary and security. Riley promised her the job as long as she doesn't turn out to be involved with taking the pictures in any way. Drake is off to the states to chase down leads. Find part one here.

Word Count:  4,640

My other stuff: Master List.

New York, Drake and Kiara

Kiara grabbed her drink from the bartender and turned to make her way back to her table. She ran right into the big oaf blocking her way. Just standing there, arms folded like he owned the damned place. “Oh merde! Regarde ça, gros crétin ! Tu penses que tu es propriétaire de l'endroit ou quoi ? ”

“We need to talk.” The voice was deep, rumbly, sexy, familiar and oh so annoying.

She glared up at him, “Well hello to you too. How have you been for the last three years? Oh, fine. How about you, Kiara? How have you been? I’m good. Nice to see you. What the fuck do you want, Drake?”

She shoved her away around him and headed back to her table, her friends and the rest of her night.

He swooped in front of her again, “If you want to do this in front of your friends we can, but it would probably be less embarrassing if we do it in private.”

“Do what?” Her eyes traveled up to find his, hers filled with defiance.

“I’m here on crown business, Ki, you might want to listen. I don’t want to have to drag you into the embassy for questioning, but I will.”

“Questioning? For what?” She gaped up at him. His steely gaze met her stormy one.

“I told you. Crown business.”

Anger flickered through her eyes, “Oh, you’re here on behalf of your girlfriend! What the fuck does she want? I don’t work for her! I work for Liam!”

She tried to shove her way around him again. This time he grasped her firmly by the arm and pulled her to an empty booth, shoving her into it, then blocking her in with his body.

“What the actual fuck, Drake?” She seethed.

“I’m here on Liam’s behalf!” He hissed at her.

“Ki?” The voice was hesitant.

Drake glanced up to find a nervous looking man with ebony hair falling past his ears fidgeting next to their booth. Drakes eyes raked across the other man dismissively, “Can I help you?”

“Ah…” The man cleared his throat, “Kiara, is everything alright?”

Kiara’s gaze went from the man to Drake then back again, “I’m fine. Just catching up with an old friend.”

“You sure?”

Drake gave the man a mirthless smile, “She’s sure. She’ll come find you when she’s done. Bye.”

The man looked from Drake to Kiara and back again before nodding and reluctantly walking away.

“That was rude. You’ve always been rude, you know that, right?”

“You never seemed to mind before.” He smirked down at her.

She felt herself flush, “Fuck you! If you have legitimate business, spit it out or I’m leaving!”

Drake slid a photo across the table to her.

Her eyes flicked down in annoyance then widened in shock, “Who took this?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

A slow smirk crawled across her face, “What happened? Liam finally get tired of her shit? Decided to cheat on her? Good for him!”

“Someone sent this, and a few more like it, to the press.” Drake said through a clenched jaw.

Kiara’s face dropped, “Who would do that?”

“It wasn’t you?” His gaze bored into her.

She drew herself up in indignation, “How can you ask me that? Of course it wasn’t me!”

“You sure about that? You hate Riley. Some people would consider that motive.”

“I may hate Riley, but I don’t hate Liam, or Cordonia! I would never do anything to compromise my country! You used to know that about me, Drake.” Her voice was full of recrimination.

His eyes scanned her face, searching for clues as to the veracity of her statement, the purity of her intentions. He found nothing but honesty, and anger, there.

He pulled the photo back with a sigh, “Ok, I believe you.”

“Great. If there’s nothing else?”

“Listen. I’m sorry if I hurt you-“

Kiara’s eyes rolled so hard she was sure she’d see the inside of her skull, “Do not flatter yourself!”

Kiara’s pride had been damaged, not her heart. The feelings she’d had for him weren’t of the romantic variety. But he had hurt her. Her voice was softer, lower, laced with bitterness as she said , “I thought we were friends.”

“Ki…” He trailed off as a sliver of guilt panged through him before his memories reminded him why he shouldn’t feel too guilty, “Friends don’t take bribes from people to come between them and the person they love!”

She flushed with shame at the memory of how she’d obtained her job, but the stronger emotion was anger, “You told me you weren’t with her! You told me you didn’t love her! You told me she was a lying, cheating whore!”

“I….” His eyes dropped to the tabletop, “I did say all of those things. I lied to you, Ki. You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Except for the lying, cheating, whore part.” Kiara replied with venom, “That part was true.”

His eyes snapped up to her, full of fury and indignation, “Don’t talk about her like that!”

“You defend her, even now?”

“Especially now!” He leaned toward Kiara, lowering his voice, “I love her, Ki! I am still in love with her! I’m so fucking sorry I hurt you and drug you into our mess. I used you to hurt her and there’s no excuse for it. I didn’t think she really loved me back and I was lashing out and seeking comfort where I shouldn’t have. Things were….complicated back then.”

“Oh, and they’re simple now?”

“Yes, they are.” He replied quietly, his face softening, “I love her, and she loves me. Her marriage to Liam is mostly political, though I know she loves him too and any idiot can see how much he loves her. Then there’s Max….”

“Doesn’t sound simple.”

“But it is. We all love each other, my love for Liam isn’t romantic or sexual, but it’s there and it’s real. If you could see Liam and Max together, you’d know their connection is deep and it’s strong and I don’t quite get being in love with more than one person, but I can’t deny what I see on a daily basis. Liam loves them both, deeply. The three of them together….I’ve seen very few couples in my life that can match them for genuine affection.” He shook his head with a smile, “I’m happy, Ki! Happy to be a part of the family we’ve created, however unconventional, and happy to be so unbelievably blessed to have the love and attention of such an extraordinary woman! I know you don’t see her that way, but I do and isn’t that all that matters?”

“I…wow. You do seem happy. Huh.” Kiara had never seen Drake Walker smile quiet like he was smiling, had never seen such tenderness in his eyes, or his voice, as when he spoke about her. Who was she to judge?

“I am. How about you? Are you happy, Ki?” His gaze was honest and earnest as he peered into her eyes.

 “I am.” She gave him a tentative smile, “I love my job, New York agrees with me, and I’m engaged!”

She held her left hand up and thrust it toward him. He took her hand in his and let out a low whistle as he took in the princess cut diamond on her ring finger that had to be at least ten carats. “That’s quiet an impressive stone. What’s your fiancé do? Rule a small country?”

She snorted, “Close.”

Drake raised an eyebrow, “Who is it?”

“Gordon Price.” She answered.

“The prime minister of Terrana?”

“That’s the one.” She was glowing with satisfaction and happiness.

Drake gave her a real smile, “I’m glad, Ki. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks.” She said, withdrawing her hand. “So, you see, I haven’t been sitting here pining after you for the last three years, plotting my revenge on Riley. You think too highly of yourselves, both of you.”

Drake let out a wry chuckle, “Point taken. So, that definitely wasn’t Gordon Price earlier, the guy trying to come to your rescue?”

“No.”

“Who was he? He looked familiar. And he seemed nervous. Is he someone you know well? Trust?”

A frown of confusion crossed her face, “Nick? He’s harmless.”

“Nick?” Why did that name sound familiar? “Nick who? Where’d you meet him?”

“Here. He’s the owner.”

Drake looked over to find the guy shooting daggers at him from behind the bar. “So, his interest in you is just professional? It seems like more than that.”

“He’s sort of a friend. I’ve seen him a few times outside of this place.”

“Where?”

“He runs a catering business out of the back. He’s good. We’ve used him for events a few times.”

“Like what kind of events?”

“Most recently, I referred him for the welcome dinner the night before the UN Gala….” Her eyes widened. “You don’t think….”

Drake sat up straighter, “Ki, you saw the photo. It was taken at the hotel the night of the welcome dinner!”

“How do you know it was that night?”

“I asked Liam when he picked up that particular woman. Surprisingly he remembered her.”

“Right.” She still did not understand their relationship, any of it.

Drake turned to stare hard at the man behind the bar. Something tickled at the back of his memory. Nick…. Recognition suddenly flooded over him. He turned back to the woman next to him, “Ki, I’m going to need your help with something!”

“What?” She asked suspiciously, “Don’t forget, we’re not friends anymore.”

“I know and that’s on me. I’m sorry, again, I sincerely am. But Liam is your friend, right?”

“Yes…” She conceded carefully.

“So, what if I told you that you could help catch the culprit that tried to ruin him in the press?”

“I’m listening…..”

Fifteen minutes later Kiara approached the man at the bar, “Hey Nick.”

“Hey, Kiara. Everything ok with you?”

“I’m fine. I wanted the thank you for your concern. I could tell you would have intervened if I’d needed you to.”

Nick flushed, “Of course I would have! We’re friends and I don’t like that guy!”

Kiara feigned surprise, “You know him?”

“Yeah.” Nick glowered, “I’ve met him once.” Fucking bastard didn’t even remember me!

“How?”

Nick fidgeted, “Ah….mutual acquaintance.”

“Oh? Anyone I know?” Kiara tried for nonchalant as she stirred her drink.

“Her name is Riley.”

“Riley? Riley Rys? The queen?”

“I….don’t want to talk about it.” Nick finished drying the glass in his hand and put in up on the shelf behind the bar.

“So have you also met the king?”

“Once.” He admitted.

“You sound like you don’t like him.”

“I fucking hate him!” Nick snarled, “He stole my girlfriend! And he’s not even worthy of her! I don’t give a shit that he’s a king! So what? He doesn’t deserve her!”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because he fucking cheated on her!”

“How do you know that?”

“I saw him! At the welcome dinner for the UN gala! And again, the night after that and again the night after that!” He grabbed another glass and started angrily drying it.

Kiara was stunned. Drake had told her about Nick showing up in Cordonia after Riley’s engagement to Liam made international news. She still hadn’t thought him capable of what amounted to stalking, but clearly he had returned to the hotel on at least two more occasions after the event he was hired to cater. She decided to play dumb, provoking him was the best way to get an ill advised outburst, and possible confession, out of him. “Oh, no! Liam would never cheat on Riley!”

“He did!” Nick’s voice rose as he slammed the glass in his hand down on the bar top, “And I can prove it!”

“How?” She tried for calm, but didn’t quite achieve it.

“I….” He seemed to realize his mistake. He shook his head in denial.

“I’d like to know the answer to that myself.” Drake stepped from the hallway back into the main part of the bar. He’d been listening from a receiving unit. Kiara had been fitted with a transmitter. The conversation was recorded.

Nick’s face paled. Shit!

“It was you.” Drake stated, “You took the pictures and sent them to the Cordonian press.”

“I….” Nick’s eyes went wide as they flew from Drake to Kiara then back again. Resolve and anger hardened his features as he gave a careless shrug, “So what if I did? What are you going to do about it? It’s not against the law to take pictures, or to mail them.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. While there’s no law against photographing people in public places, these…” Drake tossed photos onto the bar that showed Liam and his companion inside a hotel room, “U.S. law says it’s illegal to photograph people in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. I’d say a hotel bedroom is one of those places. Wouldn’t you?”

Nick gave him a smug grin, “So? To prosecute me, you’d have to turn over those photos and you obviously don’t want them going public. Tell your friend to make sure the curtains are all the way closed next time.”

He had him there. Drake slid a glance over to Kiara, “You might want to look the other way.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Plausible deniability.” Drake said before reaching over the bar and dragging Nick across it.

“What the fuck?” Nick yelped as he crashed to the floor on the other side.

Drake pulled him to his feet then pushed him toward the storeroom, “We’re going to your house or wherever you might have any copies of these photos. I’m going to need your cell phone.”

“You can’t just-“

“Oh, I can and I will!” Drake told him with a smug grin of his own, “I have diplomatic immunity. I can beat the hell out of you, and nothing is going to happen to me. I can literally kill you, and nothing will happen to me. So, you might want to consider your next move carefully.”

An hour later Drake had possession of Nick’s cell phone, laptop and hardcopies of the photos in question. The two guardsmen he had brought with him to New York thoroughly tossed the apartment.

“Are you sure there are no other copies?” Drake demanded.

“I’m sure!” Nick answered.

“If these show up again, anywhere, I’m coming back here, and I will find you. You understand that, right?”

“Why are you helping him?” Nick glared at him.

“What do you mean?” Drake frowned.

“I mean……She tossed you to the side too! I know I was just a bartender back then, but I own my place now. What do you do? Whatever it is, it wasn’t enough, was it? But I guess it’s hard to compete with a king.”

“Riley didn’t marry Liam for his title or his money.” Drake said.

“No?” Nick laughed, “Are you sure? Maybe she’s just a gold digging wh-“

Drake’s fist connected with Nick’s jaw and Nick crashed to the ground. Drake knelt next to him, “I think you need to come with me.”

“Where?” Nick sat up, his hand going to his mouth.

“Cordonia.”

“Fuck no, I’m not going to end up in a Cordonian prison! That king guy hates me! He’s jealous of the connection Riley and I share!”

Drake snorted. “Right. That proves my point. You obviously need to hear it from her directly that nothing you do is going to pry her away from him. We won’t go to Cordonia though, you’re right. Liam would probably throw your ass in a cell and forget where he put the key.”

Nick brightened, “I’ll get to see Riley again?” In person, not just on TV or his cell phone.

“Come on, we’ll meet on neutral ground.”

France, Riley and Nick

Drake shoved the man forward through the door. He stumbled into the room and came to a stop in front of the king and queen or Cordonia. He lifted his head.

“Nick?” Riley’s jaw dropped. She spun toward Drake, “You didn’t tell me the culprit was Nick!”

Drake grinned at her like he was proud of himself or something, “Nice to know I can still surprise you.”

Liam looked around the room in confusion, “Your ex-boyfriend was spying on me?”

“He was cheating on you, Riley! I was helping you!” Nick yelled, pointing his finger accusingly at Liam.

She stepped close to Nick, cupping his face in her palm. He closed his eyes and leaned into it with a sigh.

“Nick, I’m sorry I hurt you.”

His eyes popped opened, “What?”

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I wasn’t exactly a good person back then. More to the point, I was shut down emotionally back then, in order to protect myself and I hurt a lot of people. I was careless with the hearts of others. I didn’t realize just how awful I was, how badly it felt, until someone shattered my heart into a million pieces.”

“Who, Riley? Who did that to you?” Nick asked her imploringly, as if he would personally seek out vengeance for her.

Her eyes flicked to her husband.

“The greatest regret of my life.” Liam said.

“But…but you’re still with him! You….forgave him?”

“I did.”

Liam smiled softly, “Greatest miracle of my life!”

Nick’s frown deepened, “But he cheated on you…..I saw him with those women….”

“No, Nick.” Riley stepped away from him, “He didn’t cheat on me because we have an agreement….an arrangement, that allows him to seek physical comfort from others when he travels.”

“But…why would you agree to that?” Nick shook his head.

Riley couldn’t help the smile that crossed her face or the way her eyes flicked to Drake. “I have my reasons.”

Nick’s eyes followed hers and took in the sappy grin that spread across Drake’s face as well. Understanding washed over him, “So…you two…you’re still….”

“Nick, I need you to understand that hurting Liam is the same as hurting me! You weren’t helping me. He’s my husband and I love him. I’m going to take his side no matter what. I’m asking you, for the sake of what we used to have, if you ever cared about me at all, please stop this. Don’t come after my husband again.”

“What about me, Riley?”        

“What about you, Nick?”

“Since the two you apparently have an open relationship, what about me? I can do it! I’ll share! Let me be part of whatever the hell this is you have going on!”

“Oh, Nick, no. I’m so sorry, but no.”

“Why not?” He sounded heartbroken and she felt bad for him.

“Because I don’t love you.”

“You did! You said so!”

“Did I?”

Nick thought for a minute, “Well….no, you never said it back…..”

“Could you give us a moment alone?” She asked the other two men.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Drake asked, glancing at Liam.

“I’m sure.” Riley answered.

“Ok, love.” Liam nodded to Drake, “But we’ll be right outside that door.”

Once they were alone, Riley took Nick’s hand, “I owe you so many apologies. I’m sorry that I was reckless with your heart. I’m sorry I ghosted you, that was unforgivable. I’m sorry that I didn’t return your feelings. I can’t be with you in any capacity Nick. I’m not in love with you but you obviously still have feelings for me so even if I were inclined to, I can’t have casual sex with you either, because that would be cruel and unfair to you. Surely you see that?”

He sighed as he contemplated that, “You never loved me?”

“I’m sorry, no. I shouldn’t have moved in with you. I liked you, Nick. A lot. But I had no clue what real love was, not back then.”

“But you found it immediately after me?” He asked bitterly.

A self deprecating laugh escaped her, “Yes and no. You have no idea the drama and trauma we all went through before coming out on the other side. It’s not a reflection on you. You just weren’t my person, but I know your person is out there, somewhere and I have faith that you’ll find her.”

He lifted his eyes to her, “Thank you. I think…I needed this. Closure. They aren’t the answers I would have liked, but they are answers and maybe that’s what I needed in order to move on. Being ghosted is the worst feeling in the world. It was a shitty thing to do. I deserved better.”

If he wanted an argument, he wasn’t going to get it, “It was, and you did.”

“Well, thank you for that. That…that actually makes me feel a little better.”

“I promise, it wasn’t you, Nick. It was me. I was the fucked up one. I hurt you and I’m sorry.”

“Thank you, Riley.” Nick smiled softly then his head jerked up, “Fuck! I guess I tanked my catering business by stalking your husband, huh?”

“What?”

“I own a bar and a catering business in New York now. The Cordonian embassy sometimes hires me, that’s how I spotted him at that dinner that night. Kiara knows now, so I assume that’s the end of my business. I’ll be blackballed.”

Riley considered that. “Well, yeah, clients aren’t going to hire you if you try to spy on and blackmail their guests, but if you’re truly sorry and can be trusted not to do it again…..”

“I am and I can, Riley! I promise!”

She nodded as she squeezed his hand, “Then I’ll make sure Kiara knows not to tell anyone about this. Your business shouldn’t suffer because I broke your heart four years ago. Just promise me you’ll never do anything like that again.”

“I promise!”

“Ok, Then no harm, no foul. But Nick, as sorry as I am for hurting you, if you come for my family again, all bets are off. I won’t be forgiving a second time and you don’t want to know the things Drake is capable of. Do we understand each other?”

A chill went down his spine as he stared into her eyes. Who was she? Maybe he hadn’t known her at all. He nodded in agreement, “We do.”

Cordonia, Liam and Madeleine

“It has been brought to my attention that in order to move forward with your employment, you and I need to hash out our issues.”

Madeleine tossed her blonde hair back with a smirk, “Riley made you come make nice with me, didn’t she?”

Liam flushed, “Ah…it was her idea, but she is correct. If we’re going to work together, we need to have at least a cordial relationship.”

“Nick wasn’t the only casualty of our bullshit, Liam. We both hurt people who got in the crossfire.”

“Yes, love, I know.” He agreed. Standing between him and Riley was not a smart place for anyone to be. Not then, not now, not ever.

“I think you have your own apologies to make to someone.”

“Sit down, Liam.” Madeleine invited.

Liam pulled out a chair and sat across from her at the well appointed table in the private dining room of one of Cordonia’s most prestigious restaurants. “Just water please.” He told the waiter.

 “Liam, let me just stop you before you begin. I know you didn’t love me; I didn’t love you. I never wanted to marry you; I was simply doing my duty to Cordonia. But….”

“But?”

“Yeah, but! You were one, a big one.”

“I…was?”

Madeleine stared at him like he’d just grown an extra head, “Seriously Liam? Were you so blinded by love that you couldn’t see what you were doing to me? To your own reputation?”

“I-“

“I agreed to marry you for Cordonia’s sake and to protect the woman you loved! Do you remember that? You told me all about how you had to reject her to protect her blah blah blah and I agreed to give you a Cordonian arrangement, to look the other way while you made her your mistress. I agreed to a loveless marriage in order to serve Cordonia, give you a wife with proper lineage and protect your precious Riley but did you ever stop to consider what I was giving up? No, you just assumed I was a crown chaser! Then you repaid me by disrespecting me at every opportunity! You flaunted your relationship with Riley in my face and worse, in the publics! You didn’t even try to be discreet with your puppy dog eyes and longing glances and using the king’s guard to track your errant lover down every time she ran away from you! It was pathetic is what it was, and I was just expected to endure it!”

Liam flushed, “I loved her, Madeleine!”

“I don’t care, Liam!” She hissed, leaning across the table, “I could have cared less if you were banging her every fucking night, discreetly! I gave you the fiancée you needed, and I would have made a good queen! I offered you an open relationship with no strings attached, and all I asked in returned was discretion! That you not embarrass me publicly, but you couldn’t even do that, could you? You didn’t care who knew that you were still in love with your precious Riley, did you? No. Which begs the question, why the fuck didn’t you just chose her in the first place?”

“I…I made a mistake! Ok? Is that what you want to hear? I was in love with her from the very beginning and I never wanted to choose anyone else! I felt compelled by circumstances to enter into our little agreement, and I hated every minute of it! Not because I had to be with you, but because I couldn’t be with her! I thought I could do it; I really did. Right up until the moment she walked through the ballroom doors of your estate on the arm of another man! I realized right then and there the enormity of my mistake, the colossal mess I had made of things, and I didn’t know how to fix it! I wanted out of our arrangement in that moment and every moment after, but I didn’t know how to go about it and still protect her, so I acted foolishly, I made one mistake after another and I embarrassed myself and you and I’m sorry for it, ok?”

A smile curved up the corners of her mouth, “Okay.”

Liam’s mouth went slack, “Okay?”

“Yes. That was an admission that you were a bumbling asshole and that it wasn’t me! That’s exactly what I wanted to hear! I mean, I already knew it, but I needed to know that you understood it! We can work together now.”

“Great!” Liam stood, “I’ll leave the official job offer and details to my wife. I’m not going to be the one to hire my ex. I’m not the PR expert here, but I imagine that would look a little….irregular.”

“Quite.” Madeleine agreed, “I approve of the offer coming from the queen. I can spin that quite nicely as two women putting aside their differences and coming together for the good of Cordonia. It should also put to rest any lingering rumors that I’m bitter or holding ill will over the broken engagement.”

He caught the accusation in her tone.

His voice was soft as he replied, “Madeleine, I am sorry. I realize that I damaged your reputation when I drug you through my crap that had nothing to do with you.”

“Thank you, Liam. I appreciate that acknowledgment.”

His lips quirked up into a smile, “Guess I’ll see you at the office.”

She smiled back and it was the first genuine smile she’d given him in years, “Looking forward to it.”

[ponyosmom35]

going home

Simon ghost Riley x reader

Liability chapter fourteen!

summary: reader bids her friends goodbye as she readies herself to go home and deal with the aftermath of her sisters death. Having to say goodbye to Simon proved much harder than she ever imagined.

Liability masterlist:

https://www.tumblr.com/ponyosmom35/733401347573088256/simon-ghost-riley?source=share

Simon walks into the base and hands his weapon to one of the soliders who took care of it. He pauses as he spots a familiar redhead speaking to a group of medics. He wasn’t expecting to see her again, he figured that she woud’ve left by now. Part of him was thankful that he was given another chance to say goodbye, another part wished she’d gone. Each time they spoke it was harder to push her into the back of his mind. He lingers in the area for a few minutes before her eyes find him. She hugs the medics and moves over to him holding her suitcase and bag in her hands. 

“didn't expect to see you here, thought you were leaving” he comments 

“got delayed” she says softly 

He noitces the sadness in your eyes, and the pain that's eating away at her “how have you been holding up?”

“I'm doing my best to keep my shit together” she admits sadly ”if one more person tries to talk to me about her I think I might scream, anyways how was the mission, seemed like you were in and out”

“it was just a routine operation. Not too much action or anything special” he says taking her bags and setting them on the ground. 

“I'm glad that I caught you guys before leaving” she smiles

“thought you already said your goodbyes?”

“one more can't hurt right?”

“alright, then, get to it” he jokes

“I am gonna miss you Simon, who else is gonna tell me the dumbest fucking jokes all day?” she asks, causing him to laugh.

“and you're gonna miss my brilliant sense of humor” he says this in a sarcastic, yet playful tone. “you just love to hear me talk, don't ya?”

“I like your accent” she admits,  mocking his voice

“oh, really? well you wouldn't be the first to find it charming and irresistible” he brags

She laughs loudly, playing it off as a joke, though she knew it was true. “yet another thing I'm gonna miss, your massive ego”

“a massive ego?” he questions, not even bothering to deny it “I mean, it's the truth, innit?”

“hand to god it is the truth” she admits 

“You might be the only person who can make me laugh at myself”

“someone needs to knock you down a peg” she says hitting his arm 

He leans back against the wall and crosses his arms, while maintaining a playful tone of voice, “ah yes, that's right, you used to be a real brat back then, didn't ya? thought you knew everything, and could teach me a few things” he teases

“I'm a fountain of knowledge” she shrugs 

“a fountain of pride, more like it” he teases, watching as you laugh “and a fountain of attitude”

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, all that from the most arrogant and stubborn man I’ve ever met”

“just 'cause I'm the best at what I do, doesn't mean I'm arrogant or stubborn, does it?”

“I hate to break it to you but, you might just be the most-” she is cut off by Soap sprinting over to them. He hops over her luggage and wraps his arms around her, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. Simon looks over to Soap and shakes his head, noticing his playful antics with her while slightly rolling my eyes, and grinning playfully to himself. 

“precious cargo suds!” she yells as she hits his back, trying to get him to set her down. Giggling at him. 

He continues to spin her, then sets her down on her feet. “ankle biter I thought you were leaving!”

“I'm leaving in ten, got delayed”

“Well that means we got time...for a game of hide and seek” He puts his hands over his face and starts counting.

“shut the fuck up, normally I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to hide from you but I'm gonna have to raincheck this time” she smiles sadly.

Soap drops his hands a sighs, placing a hand on her shoulder  “what am I gonna do here without you lass? who's gonna debate with me all day?”

“you'll just have to call me when you feel like getting verbally assaulted” she says making them laugh  “what I'm concerned about is nobody making sure you don't eat more than 12 tacos on taco Tuesday”

“12 is light work”

“you have to save some for everyone else!” she repremands, He starts rubbing the back of his head sheepishly and mumbles

“Yeah alright. I'll save some” He pauses for a moment and looks at her. his face is filled with worry. he then speaks in a more serious tone. “are you gonna be okay? should I be worried?”

“everyone keeps telling me I'll be okay eventually, I'm not sure right now. I think being with my parents is what's best right now”

“Yeah...Yeah. You'll be okay” He steps forward, and pulls her into into a hug. He holds her tight for a few seconds, and then let's go. The smile comes back to his face. “You're strong lass. One of the strongest out there. Trust me”

“thank you Johnny, I'm really gonna miss you”

“Take care of yourself alright? you know my number, you have any trouble or need anything at all, get in touch with me.”

“don't worry whenever I feel like fighting, you'll be getting a phone call”

“perfect”

“I've already got a list of stuff we're gonna discuss”

“A full list?!” he asks in shock

“ten topics and counting”

“God help me”

She leans up and kisses his cheek gently “ bye Johnny”

“Bye lass”

She spots Kyle walking through the base, he takes off his vest and she runs over to him. She wraps her arms around his shoulders. He holds her tightly and rubs her back. “Glad to see you haven’t left yet”

“Just saying my goodbyes” she admits as she pulls back

“I’m gonna miss you red”

“What are you guys gonna do without me?” she jokes

“Cry probably” 

“Me too” she laughs 

“When do you think you’ll be comin back?”

“I’m not sure” she responds 

“Take your time love, allow yourself to feel it”

“I’ll do my best” she nods 

“You’ve got my number yeah?”

“Yeah”

“I expect at least one call a week”

“How about two?” she smiles, he holds his heart

“How did I get so lucky?”

“Nobody knows” she smirks 

“Take it easy alright? Know that you’ve got people here who love you, anything you need you let us know”

“Thank you Kyle” she smiles as she hugs him once more 

“Miss you already kid” he murmurs 

“Save your tears for another day” she says pulling away as she sees Simon and Price waiting near her car. She walks up to them and Price sets his hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you for all of your work here, you’re presence here will be missed”

“Thank you sir”

“Take all of the time you need, and when you’re ready, you give me a call alright?” 

“I will”

“Don’t hesitate to reach out” he says before wrapping her in a quick hug. “I’ll leave you to it Simon”

She moves closer to him with tears in her eyes. He steps forward to meet her halfway, and embraces her tightly for a long, strong hug, letting her lean her head on his shoulder, as he comforts jer and rubs her back reassuringly, all while trying hard to hold back his own tears, and his voice shaking from all of the suppressed emotion, barely able to get out a few words.

 “It's alright…” he whispers in her ear “you remember what I said?”

“I remember”

“Good…” he pulls away and gently cups both sides of her face, making sure to look deeply into her eyes, noticing how red and swollen they are from all of the crying, and wiping away her tears with his thumbs. 

“don't be a stranger ghost” she whispers “make sure you don't forget about simon, he deserves a life too”

Simon nods, and opens the vehicle door for her. He looks at her once more before shutting it. He throws her luggage in the back and hits the tuck twice. He watches as they drive away. He does not move from his spot until the vehicle disappears from his view. There she goes, the only woman he’s ever loved. 

[chronomally]

"How can they save my dear, precious Riley?" Henrietta Akaba is the bravest woman in the whole world for having the audacity to tell such a brazen fucking lie to Declan, the only Akaba who actually cares about Riley

[cjsinkythoughts]

FATWS One Shot #4 - Best Girls, Good Guys, Hand Art, Joy Rides

Word Count: 1922

Warnings: Cursing, Implied PTSD, Mention of IED, Motorcycle Ride Without Helmets

Setting/Characters: Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014; Reader, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Sam’s therapy group, Lady at the Front Desk, Mentions of Peggy Carter and Riley

A/N: Here’s number 4! Like I said in the previous One Shot, I’m hoping to get TWS One Shots done today and tomorrow. Um, I don’t have a lot to say this time since I unloaded pretty much everything in the last One Shot. So, I guess that’s all!

This isn’t beta’d, as usual, so please excuse any mistakes! Be kind to yourselves and others! Enjoy this part, thank you for reading, and stay tuned!

FATWS Masterlist

cjsinkythoughts Masterlist

(PICTURE DOESN’T REPRESENT READER, JUST WHAT THE ART STEVE DREW LOOKS LIKE!)

“How is she?”

Steve nodded, taking the helmet he insisted on keeping for you in the compartment under his seat out and handing it over. What a hypocrite. “She’s fine. I guess. She…forgot. We were in the middle of a conversation and she…forgot I was alive.”

You gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Alzheimer’s is a scary thing. I’m sorry. It must be hard seeing your best girl go through that.” He froze, his wide eyes scanning you. You ignored his gaze, giving him the helmet back. You really hoped it didn’t come out as sad and spiteful as you meant it. You didn’t want to despise her, you really didn’t. You couldn’t. You had too much respect for her. She did help build the organization you worked for. You just hated the position you found yourself in. “We’re just going to the VA. It’s not too far. I’ll be fine.”

“No, honey. I don’t want you getting hurt-”

“I won’t, Steve.” You pushed back. “I’ve done it before in a lot more dangerous places than the streets of DC. Plus, I trust you. You wouldn’t let me get hurt, would you?”

His lips turned up slightly, his head shaking just enough. “No. No, I wouldn’t. Hop on, then.” He jerked his head to his bike, putting the helmet away before sitting down with you following his lead. You pressed against him, an arm around his waist, thighs squeezing his hips lightly. “Ready?”

“Mhmm.” You hummed, setting your chin on his shoulder.

The bike roared to life underneath you before you took off. You were never worried when Steve drove. Sometimes he liked going fast when you two go for a drive through backroads of Virginia for a weekend, camping underneath the stars. But when you were in DC, he cruised, fast enough that you could get pulled over for doing ten over, but slow enough that you didn’t have to shout over the rush of the wind combing through your hair.

He usually talked to you while driving, but he was quiet this time. You turned your head to study him. His jaw ticked ever so often, his eyebrows furrowed and those pink lips turned down.

You didn’t want to distract him, but you couldn’t help but lift your free hand, tracing his jaw from his chin to his ear before pressing soft circles into the hinge of his jaw with your thumb. “Are you okay? Did I upset you?”

“No. No, you’re perfect, honey.” He reassured quickly, moving around a car, side eyeing you for just a second. “I’ve just…there’s a lot on my mind. A lot I need to figure out.”

You nodded. “If you ever need me. I’m here.”

He grinned, taking your hand in one of his to press a kiss to the knuckles, eyes not leaving the road. “I know.”

“Tell me more about this Sam Wilson guy.”

Steve chuckled before telling you about his run the day prior and how he lapped Wilson a few times and their conversation afterwards. He was just finishing up when he parked in the parking garage of the VA, “and then Natasha drove up saying she was looking for a fossil she was supposed to pick up.”

“A fossil.” You snorted. “I’m gonna have to use that.”

He gave you a playful glare as you swung your leg around and stood up. Catching your jaw between his fingers, he chuckled when he squished your cheeks together. “Call me a fossil, honey, and I’ll tell Fury the only way I’m doing missions is if you don’t.”

You gasped, shaking your head. “You ‘ouldn’!” You slurred out, trying to talk with your lips pursed.

He gave a little giggle, gently making your head move up and down in a nod. “Oh yes I would.” He pecked your nose, letting go of your cheeks. “C’mon, dame.” You blinked after him as he started towards the elevators with long strides.

“You’re an ass, you know that?”

He smirked at you over his shoulder as you jogged to catch up, holding his hand out behind him. “C’mon. You know I’d never do that to ya.”

Narrowing your eyes, you snatched his hand and huffed. “Well…yeah. But still.”

Another chuckle left his lips, pulling you closer to his side as you pressed the button for the elevator, leaving a kiss on your head. You fell into comfortable silence after that, Steve’s thumb tracing patterns on your hand while you waited for the elevator to ding.

When it finally did, Steve had a pen pulled out and, as you entered the elevator, he pulled your hand up closer to his face, lifting the writing utensil to the back of your palm.

You didn’t say anything, merely looking around the elevator after pushing the level you were going to. It was something you found that calmed Steve; drawing. So whenever he was bored or anxious, you let him draw on your hand. He used to ask, but he stopped after you told him you’d never say no.

The elevator dinged and the doors open, causing Steve to stop inking up your skin and drop your still linked hands down to your sides, shoving his pen in his pocket. You looked down at the partial flower and leaves wrapping around your wrist, smiling affectionately. He really was a good artist.

The lady at the front desk told you where to go when you asked for Sam Wilson, which Steve did rather eagerly, making you laugh. He had told you about Sam’s want to impress her when he came in. Apparently he was with a group, but she said it was okay for you to go in as long as you didn’t disrupt anything. Steve thanked her, before following her directions down the hall and around the corner.

You heard them before you saw them. A woman was talking, telling a story of how she got pulled over the previous week. Steve leaned against a column to the side of the room, out of the way, putting his hands in his pockets. You let his hand go to allow him to do so, linking your arm with his and holding his wrist with your free hand.

“I swerved…to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED.”

You watched Steve’s reactions through the rest of the session. It wasn’t much longer - maybe ten minutes - before it ended. You had tried to convince him to go to one of these when he first got out of the ice, but he refused.

“I’ve already got you, honey. That’s all I need.”

And, yes, he did have you; your assignment was literally helping him with that stuff. But you still thought he’d benefit from it. Especially now since you had started going back on your own assignments. Maybe he’d start going to Wilson’s.

After the meeting, you and Steve walked up to the veteran who had just finished his farewells and started cleaning up the table at the front with brochures and things. “Look who it is. The running man. And who’s this pretty lady?”

You smiled, sticking out your hand, your name leaving your lips in an introduction. “Sam Wilson.” He shook your hand with a grin of his own. “Nice to meet you, cher.”

“You too, Sam.”

“We caught the last few minutes.” Steve stated, leaning on the wall again, keeping his arm linked with yours. “It’s pretty intense.”

You listened sadly as Sam told you two about his wingman, Riley, but you didn’t pity him. You knew what it was like to lose people and you hated the pity you received from others. You were glad to see he wasn’t beating himself up over it, even allowing himself to smile as the conversation shifted to his retirement. Steve was right; he did seem like a good guy. 

“Are you thinking about getting out?”

You glanced up at Steve as he answered “no.” You saw the hesitation in his eyes that flickered to you, before he met Sam’s again. “I don’t know.” Hearing Steve admit that he didn’t know what he wanted made your heartache. You wanted him to be happy, and the fact that he didn’t know what made him happy caused you to grip his arm tighter.

You, Sam, and Steve talked a bit longer, getting to know each other a little better. You even did the unthinkable and told him you worked for SHIELD when he asked how you two knew each other. Steve raised an amused eyebrow as your eyes widened, your hand slapping over your mouth.

“Holy shit. I can’t believe I just told you that. You can’t tell anyone.”

Sam laughed, shaking his head. “Don’t worry. My lips are sealed.”

You finally said bye when Sam mentioned needing to get back to work. Walking back towards the elevators, Steve chuckled and nudged you. “You warmed up to him quickly.”

“Ha ha.” You rolled your eyes, your face landing in your hands. “Oh my God. I’ve never told anyone that. Ever.”

“I told you. He’s a good person. Easy to talk to.”

“Yeah…speaking of,” you tilted your head up to him as you stepped into the elevator, the doors closing behind you. “Do you want to get out?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed thickly. “That’s not what I said. I just…I don’t really know…what to do.”

You pouted a little, tilting your head. “What would you’ve done in the 40’s? After the war?”

“I dunno.” He shuffled on his feet. “Be a lab rat.”

“Steven-”

“Forget it. Forget I said anything.” Your frown deepened, your arms crossing over your chest. “Please don’t.” He said softly, hands coming up to cup your cheeks, one thumb smoothing out your forehead while the other ran over your pouty lips. “Don’t be upset.”

You sighed, shaking your head. “I’m not. I, just…worry.”

He placed his lips to your forehead, hands slipping to your waist to pull you closer. “Well don’t.”

Your hands mimicked his previous position, holding his face, thumb brushing under his eyes. Your eyes caught sight of the barely started design on your hand, and your lips pursed thoughtfully. 

“What?”

“Drawing makes you happy.” He blinked at your words, confusion in those ocean eyes of his. “You said you don’t know what makes you happy. Drawing does. And you’re really good at it. You could be an artist or something. Like a tattoo artist. I’d go to you. I mean, look at this!” You showed him your hand. “It’s not even halfway done and you did it with a crappy dollar store pen”

He gave you a small smile. “I appreciate that, honey, but I don’t think I could do that day in and day out.”

“Even with new customers coming in every day, asking for different designs in different places?”

Giving a chuckle, he leaned into your palm, kissing it. “You really want me to think about this don’t you?”

You scoffed. “Duh!”

He shook his head, ducking down to press his lips to your cheek, before laying his forehead on your shoulder. “I’m okay right now.”

“Are you?”

“Mhmm.” He hummed, arms wrapping around you. “Because I have you. And you make me happy, honey.”

You hugged him back, face pressing into his neck. You were glad you made him happy. And as long as you made him happy, you’d keep this relationship the way it was. Even if that meant you’d never be his best girl. “You make me happy too, bubs.”

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

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All Works Taglist (Open):

@happygoreading​ @bibliophilewednesday​

[miyagihawk]

it's not an ask, but i don't know if i can send it on your chat, so... i saw your post about a song and a character from cobra kai and automatically thought of sk8r boi (avril lavigne) and robby 😩😩😩 have a nice day and don't forget to drink water 💞

THANK U FOR THE REQUEST i love this song sm

sk8r boi | robby keene x reader

warnings: swearing, some catcalling

summary: he was a skater boy! she said see you later boy! he wasn’t good enough for her! (hehe)

“Come on Riley, Mom wants us home by 6 and we still have to get stuff from the store,” you crossed your arms, annoyed at your brother. He ignored you, dipping down, wheels first, into the concrete bowl.

You shifted on your feet, feeling uncomfortable standing at the skate park with your ballet attire still on. You’ve just come back from rehearsal, and you had to pick up Riley because Mom was working a late shift.

“Shit Riley, I didn’t know your sister was hot. Qué pasa ballerina?” one of his friends winked at you, making you roll your eyes in disgust.

“Hey, do a little twirl for us princess,” another boy whistled and you glared at the group.

Pigs. Boys are pigs.

“Riley, let’s go,” you said firmly, turning away and heading to your car, leaving him with no choice but to follow if he didn’t want to walk home.

Your brother’s friend group of skaters hollered and whooped as Riley caught up to you, and you had to focus on your breathing to calm your anger. You hate being made fun of, but you reminded yourself that they were just a bunch of stupid, hormonal, punks.

“Your friends are assholes,” you commented, and your brother only nodded in agreement.

“Hey,” a voice called from behind you, but you kept walking, assuming that it was just another guy trying to poke fun at you.

“Hey, wait,” the person said again, this time grabbing your arm to stop you.

You turned around quickly, pulling away from their grip. “What?” you snapped, meeting a pair of calm green eyes.

It was one of Riley’s friends, the one with long hair. You don’t remember him saying anything to you earlier; he seemed to be quiet.

“I just wanted to say sorry. About them. They don’t know how to talk to girls, I promise they’re not that bad,” he said, holding his skateboard at his side. His genuineness surprised you.

“So you do?”

He gave you a confused look, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Know how to talk to girls,” you clarified and he chuckled.

“I know a thing or two. I’m Robby,” the boy stuck out his hand for you to take.

“Wow you’re good,” you joked. “I’m Y/N,” you took his rough hand in your soft one.

-

After that day at the skatepark, you couldn’t stop thinking about Robby.

You don’t know what it was about him. Maybe it was his glittery eyes. Or his pretty hair. Or the way he smiled with his whole face. Or maybe it was how he talked in a way that told you he was smarter than most people.

Maybe it was all of those things that made you daydream like a schoolgirl with a crush. And all you wanted to do was see him again.

“Jenny doesn’t even deserve the variation, I mean we all saw what happened last time. She almost fell off stage! Anyone but her should have it,” your friend Abby ranted, sipping on her milkshake.

It was after rehearsal and your friend group decided to go to a diner to get food.

“It’s clearly favoritism. She could do the whole routine wrong and Ms. Adams would still choose her. I think Jenny’s parents are definitely bribing her,” your other friend Vanessa added to the gossip.

The whole time, you were half listening to the conversation and half thinking about a certain skater boy. You couldn’t even control it; your thoughts always somehow drifted to him.

“Oh my god. Skaters,” Abby whispered, making you snap out of your daydream. You looked up to see a pack of boys coming into the restaurant, holding their boards at their hips.

Among them was your little brother and your heart raced as you recognized all of them.

It was like your overflow of thoughts about him had somehow materialized right in front of you. Robby.

Your hands started to sweat and you contemplated if you should hide or say hello, or just act like you didn’t see him.

You decided to go for the latter, and you slumped down in your seat to make yourself less noticeable.

“God, look at them. Skater boys are the scum of the earth,” Abby uttered, making a face of distaste.

“I would never date one. Even that’s below me,” Vanessa scoffed in reply.

You felt your cheeks heat up at their remarks, now feeling ashamed for your growing feelings for the very thing they were so disgusted at.

“Same,” you replied, despite feeling conflict in your heart. You looked over Vanessa’s shoulder to see him laughing with his group, and his happiness made your heart warm.

Before you could look away, his eyes met yours. You cursed internally at your ruined plans of trying to ignore him, but the damage was done. You shot him a small smile and a nod before returning your gaze back to your friends.

It took everything in you to not look at him again, especially with the feeling of his stare on you.

“Holy shit. One of them’s coming over,” Abby said in a hushed tone, your stomach dropping at her words.

You looked up to see Robby heading over to your table as you panicked on the inside.

“Hey Y/N,” he said as he approached, and you looked back at his table to see his friends watching.

“Robby! Hi!” you greeted nervously. “Uh, these are my friends. Abby and Vanessa. Girls, this is Robby,” you introduced them.

“Nice to meet you,” he nodded at them, and they waved. Their smiles were definitely fake, and you could tell how hard they were judging the boy in front of you.

“So, um, do you guys come here a lot?” you tried to make conversation, but the air was too awkward to be saved.

“Not really, our usual place was closed so we came here,” Robby explained, glaring at his friends who were starting to boisterously taunt. “I should go. Sorry about them. Again. Just wanted to say hey.”

“All good,” you laughed. “See you.”

As he walked back to his table your friends turned to you, mouths agape.

“You know him?! What was that?” Abby inquired, giving you a look of disbelief.

“He’s... he’s just my brother’s friend,” you shrugged, trying to play it off.

“Just your brother’s friend. He totally had heart eyes for you Y/N!” Vanessa nudged your side, making you shake your head in denial.

You rolled your eyes, but what she said gave you butterflies. “No way, I’ve only met him once.”

“Whatever, just don’t fall into the trap. You’re too good for a skater. They’re scum, remember?” Abby said, as she chewed obnoxiously on a fry. You found yourself suddenly annoyed at her.

“Yeah, of course. I would never,” you contradicted your feelings.

They were probably right. You don’t even know Robby, and you were from completely different worlds.

-

You told yourself that you would push away your growing feelings for Robby. But you couldn’t help but be excited when you have to pick up Riley from the skatepark. You couldn’t help asking your brother maybe too many questions about him, and you couldn’t help looking out for him every time you would go to the diner with your girls.

He would always talk to you, making you giddy for the rest of the day. You found yourself wanting to see him more and more.

“So how long have you been skating?” you asked the boy beside you.

You were waiting for Riley to finish so you could go home, but you let him take his time.

“I started when I was 11, but it’s been on and off,” Robby replied. “Have you ever skated?”

You laughed at the thought of yourself on a board. “Never. It looks cool though,” you watched as your brother skated off some stairs.

“I think you’d be good at it. I mean ballet and skating are pretty much the same thing,” he grinned at you, making you blush and look away from him.

“Ballet and skating couldn’t be more different,” you disagreed.

Robby shrugged. “Wrong. Both are centered around balance. Skating, if you think about it, is choreography. Sure we’re not as graceful, but it’s not as different as you think.”

You smiled to yourself at his wiseness. “I guess you’re right.”

There’s a moment of silence between you two as you both sat at the edge of the bowl.

“So when are we starting?” he spoke, making you tilt your head in confusion.

“Starting what?”

“I’m teaching you how to skate,” he answered nonchalantly, as if he wasn’t giving you a choice.

“What? I-I can’t skate,” you stammered. The thought of you embarrassing yourself in front of him made you want to puke.

“Which is why I’m teaching you. Come on, I promise I won’t let you hurt your pretty little ballerina face,” Robby smiled.

Your head suddenly felt dizzy at his small remark. Pretty. “I don’t know Robby...”

“Tomorrow. At 5. I’ll even take you to that diner you like after. It’s a date,” he said surely, making your cheeks warm up again.

A date? Your heart fluttered at the thought of him wanting to hang out with you. Alone. On a freaking date.

“Okay, fine,” you bit your lip, trying to hold back a huge smile. “But only because of the promise of food.”

-

“I hate you,” Robby huffed as he watched you effortlessly roll past him on his skateboard.

“I can’t believe you compared this to ballet, this is so easy,” you jeered, laughing at his defeated look.

“Oh calm down Ms. Black Swan, you haven’t learned any tricks yet,” he stood up, walking over to you. “I’m going to teach you an ollie.”

He grabbed the board and stood on it, leaning down on the edge with one foot so that the board was wheels up on the other side. “Just do that.”

Robby handed you the skateboard, and you copied everything he did. Except you lost your balance and the wheels slipped from underneath you. You grabbed onto his shoulders as a reflex.

Your breath hitched as Robby’s placed his hands on your hips to steady you, and your faces were inches away. He was so close that you could feel his breath and see the pattern of his eyes.

“Not so easy, is it now?” he said softly, still holding onto you. The air was now filled with a thick tension and you felt woozy from being so close to him.

“I... I guess not,” you fumbled over your words, feeling incredibly nervous looking into his eyes.

None of you were pulling away, and you weren’t sure if you should be the first to do so.

“Can I kiss you?” Robby whispered, making you breathless. You were sure that he could hear your heartbeat, because it felt like it was consuming you.

You only nodded, feeling speechless, and he leaned in to press your lips together.

It was everything you’ve ever dreamed of. And you dreamed about it a lot.

-

“You’re so much different from your friends. How come?” You chewed on a fry, questioning the boy sitting in the diner booth in front of you.

Robby tapped his lip in thought. “I don’t know. Maybe I just balance out the group. You’re different from your friends too. I mean I’ve only met them once, but I don’t think they like me,” he replied, and you cringed at the memory of your friends being so judgmental.

“That makes sense. And sorry about them. They can be... mean,” you apologized on their behalf, almost in the same way that Robby would for his friends.

“Speak of the devil,” Robby looked behind you, making your eyes widen. You turned around and there they were. Abby and Vanessa. You didn’t even care that they were hanging out with you; you were worried that they would see you with Robby.

You slumped down in your seat like you did when you were trying to hide from Robby before. “We should go now, right? It’s getting pretty late.”

Robby gave you a weird look, “Um... sure.”

“Y/N?” a dreaded voice called your name before you could make your escape.

You faced your two best friends. “Hey guys,” you said sheepishly as they walked up to your table.

“What are you doing with him? Oh my god, are you two on a date?” Abby gasped.

Vanessa joined in, “You said you’d never date someone like him. Oh come on Y/N, you know he’s not good enough for you. What happened to boys like him are below us?”

Robby’s face flashed with pain, but you were so selfish that you didn’t even notice.

“No- I- We’re just friends, I swear it’s not a date. I would never-” you stuttered, trying to save yourself, and you didn’t even think of Robby’s feelings at all. In the moment you only cared about your reputation and what your friends thought of you.

The boy you liked so much got up from the booth, throwing a wad of cash on the table. You felt your heart break as he walked away without a word and clenched fists.

You got up to follow him, but your friends pulled you back. “Just let him go Y/N. He’ll just break your heart,” Abby said coldly.

You ripped your arm away from their grip, running through the diner to catch up to Robby.

“Robby! Please, stop, I’m sorry,” you called after him, trying to keep up with how fast he was walking.

He ignored you the first time, increasing his pace.

“Please, Robby, can we just talk about it? I’m stupid, okay? Don’t go,” you pleaded, and he finally stopped in his tracks.

You’ve never seen his face like that, a mixture of anger and pain. The fact that it was directed towards you made you want to just melt away.

“You want to talk? Am I even good enough to talk to you? I’m sorry, should I be on my knees right now your majesty?” he said angrily, and you felt like crying.

You shook your head, “No, no Robby I swear I don’t think of you that way. I said things that I don’t mean and I’m so sorry. I- I just... my friends were saying all this shit about-”

“Just- just stop. You’re saying different things to different people, and I’m just supposed to trust you? And what, was I just going to be a secret? Look, I have to go,” he turned around to keep walking but you took his hand.

“I was going to tell them Robby, I like you so much and please, I’ll fix it. I’ll talk to them and-”

He cut your frantic rambling off again, “Y/N... I like you too alright? And I get it. I get wanting to fit in with your friends, even if you don’t agree with them. I learned from it myself. I just need time to think about all of it.” He sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

You nodded in understanding, but your heart was hurting. “I’m sorry,” you said one last time before he took off on his skateboard.

a/n: why was that sm longer than i planned... also sorry for any mistakes im too lazy to edit. there probably won’t be a part 2 because the song doesn’t have a happy ending lol hope u enjoyed!!!!

[dandylion240]

Jackson grunted “you don’t have to spare my feelings. I know what my daughter is like. She’s a lot like Riley but without a shred of empathy for others.”

Caiden hesitated a moment before asking the older man. “How much has she told you about what’s been going on?”

Crossing his arms in front of himself “ just that the whole world is against her. That everyone hates her and she wants to come home.”

[erstwhles]

"I'll tell him." Nate smiles, and the sound of her name cuts anything he wants to add short. As she goes and returns with her drink, he pulls out his phone to check the time. A notification from Liam sits at the top, but Riley's return and subsequent offer comes before he has a chance to read the message. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea—" The barista calls his name and his order slides onto the counter. "Here." Unlocking his phone, Nathaniel taps to start a new message and offers her his phone. "You wanna text yourself that way we both have the right number?"

He returns a moment later, drink carrier in hand. "I didn't mean to hold you up, but thanks for taking the time. I'll... hopefully see you around." At least if his next conversation with Liam goes anywhere. Of course, Liam has never been the easiest to talk to once he has made up his mind about something, but if nothing else, Nathaniel has questions.

When they talk over FaceTime that night, Nathaniel almost isn't sure if he should mention anything, but the earlier conversation is still circling through his mind.

"So, I ran into Riley today... She told me to say hi."

Liam pauses, adjusting his grip on the phone as he looks away from the screen. "Wait, you mean, like... Bruin's fan Riley?" Zander's Riley. The name almost slips right off his tongue, but there isn't much time to focus on that when, "Really? I mean I kinda figured I wouldn't be her favorite person to bring up?"

"Oh, you're not." Nathaniel scoffs, meeting Liam's eyes through the screen. "But she did have a lot to say about you. And about Zander."

Hearing the name spoken aloud is no better than saying it himself. Liam rolls his eyes, thumb hovering over the end call button. "Whatever you're about to say, I don't want to talk about it."

"Liam—"

"Nate."

Nathaniel narrows his eyes. "Oh my god. You know what, Liam? You've been putting this off for months, and I'd be okay with that if you were working through it, but you're just as fucking angry as you were when it happened, and it's making it hard to be there for you—not that I'm going to stop, but if I'm tired of watching you go through this, then I can't imagine how you're feeling."

"So what, you're an expert about this, now?" Liam says, dropping his gaze. "Can we just—I'm fine. Let's leave it at that."

But he should know his friend better than that. After all, it takes someone at least as stubborn as he is in order to keep up with him.

"I actually think I might know more than you, Li. At least I listened to what she had to say." The silence that follows is enough encouragement to continue. "I mean, that man made his friend drive all the way to the hospital just so he could see you. Because he was worried. Even though you were broken up. And! You were an asshole—your words, not mine."

"Can I—" Liam frowns, steadying his phone against his knees as he crosses his arms over his chest— "Since when are you team Zander? Where is this coming from?"

Nate sighs, rolling his eyes even after Liam's gaze falls away. "At this point, I'm barely on your team, so watch what you're saying."

Again, Liam falls silent as he takes in a deep breath and releases it in a sigh before, "I already told you. It wouldn't have worked anyway."

"Yeah, and you know what? This is the second time we've had this conversation, but Zander hasn't heard any of it even once. Does that really seem fair to you?" Nathaniel says. "I'm not saying not to be angry. Or not to feel any of that. I'm saying figure your fucking self out. Wouldn't you have liked an explanation before that article came out? He's done his part, and I don't have to agree with how he did it, but if you wanted to hurt him back—if that's what everything at the hospital was about, then I'm pretty sure you've done it. And by the way, if that's what that was... then you'd be right. That would have been an asshole move. So, I'm not trying to tell you what you should do, but I am saying that I hated seeing him hurt you. And from the way it sounded, Riley didn't like watching you do the same thing."

Riley scoffs, rolling her eyes. "You can say that again." She loves Zander, but being his best friend isn't always a walk in the park, that's for sure. "I tried to get him to reach out after he got a new phone, to send a message to Liam's insta or something, but.." She shrugs. "He didn't have much hope that Liam would see it during the season, so he wouldn't even try. He said if it was meant to be then something would eventually get them back in touch." Liam's injury had done just that, and Riley knows that's why he was so heartbroken after their talk in the hospital. Whether Zander had admitted it or not, he'd taken that as his sign that things were going to be okay, and when that hadn't been the case, it felt like his heart was breaking all over again. "I don't mind if you tell him," Riley says, a spark of hope igniting in her chest. Is Nate going to help? "You can even tell him I said hi if you want."

The barista calls her name and she goes to fetch her drink, returning to Nathaniel once she has it in hand. Her phone buzzes in her back pocket, and when she withdraws it she notices the time, which has somehow gotten away from her. "Shit.. I actually have to run, but.. Do you want to swap numbers, maybe?"