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viking-raider · 4 years ago

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The Immortal Sky - Part IV

Summary: Henry tracks down people that could help him find you, not realizing just how close to you he is. You make it outside the wall of London, entering the wild expanse between it and Bristol.

Pairing: Henry Cavill/You

Word Count: 8,000

Chapters: I II III

Warning: PG-13 - Future!AU, Dystopian!AU, Language, Abuse of Power, Angst, Mentions of Violence and Drugs

Inspiration: I’ve always wanted to write a futuristic fic!

A/N: I would love to thank @wondersofdreaming for being a lovely beta and brainstorm buddy! You’ve kept me sane so many times! Please, Tell Me What You Think!!

“What do you know about Michail Keagan, Mr. Parker?” Henry said, sitting across from your twin brother's Supervisor at his assigned place of work.

“He's a fucking loser.”

The Supervisor laughed, shaking his head at the table between them. “He might spend a whole hour here for his shifts, other than that he's missing in action. I've reported him to the Council of Daily Operations numerous times, but they don't care because he still clocks in, despite it only being for that one hour.”

“So, he knows how to cheat the system.” Henry nodded, chewing on his lip, frustrated.

“Him and that equal loser friend of his, who's supposed to be working for us, but got himself transferred to his family's hole-in-the-wall restaurant.” Parker huffed, rolling his eyes.

“What friend?” Henry frowned, leaning against the table on his elbows.

“Theodore 'Teddy' Wang.” Parker replied. “He's a dishwasher for Wang's Take-Away.”

“Thanks.” Henry said, standing up and extending his hand to Parker, then made his way to the Chinese restaurant.

“Hi, how can I help you?” Jinyu asked from behind the register, smiling as Henry stopped in front of her.

“I'm looking for your son, Teddy Wang.” Henry replied, glancing behind her.

The smile on Jinyu's face melted away, she could tell by the way Henry looked and held himself that he was part of the Marshals Council. “He's not here today.”

Henry sighed, pressing his palms to the nicked counter top and leaned all his weight on his arms, bringing his piercing blue gaze to hers. “Mrs. Wang,” He said softly. “I'm not here to arrest your son, even if he's doing something that warrants it. All I want from him is answers to my questions. It's that simple, unless you and your son want to make it complicated.” He explained to her.

Jinyu stared at Henry for a long time, before rolling her eyes and pointing to the beaded curtain behind her. She knew if she didn't comply, Henry could make a load of trouble for her back at the Council, and she, her family and their business didn't need that. Henry nodded his head to her and stepped around the counter, parting the rattling beads as he stepped into the back of the restaurant and found Teddy there, doing what he was always doing; washing dishes.

“Teddy Wang?” He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, who wants--” Teddy started, setting the plate in his hand down and turned towards Henry, drying his hands on his filthy apron. “Oh shit!” He yelped, seeing the imposing Henry, and spun around, tripping over his feet, before catching himself on the edge of the sink and bolting out the back door of the restaurant.

Sighing through his nose and dropping his arms, Henry went after Teddy, quickly catching up to the kid in the trash filled alley, trying to scale a chain-link fence. He easily reached up, grabbing the back of Teddy's shirt and yanked him off the fence, before slamming his back against the grimy wall of his parents' restaurant.

“Look, I ain't got nothin'!” He barked at Henry, squirming.

“Is that so?” Henry smirked, deciding to have a little fun on Teddy's expense. “That's not what I heard.” He shoved a hand into the front pocket of Teddy's faded jeans. “Oh, what's this?” He grinned, pulling out a small, dime-sized bag from the pocket, a sky-blue powder inside of it.

“That's just Naproxen tablets, they must have gotten crushed.” Teddy gulped, looking like a caught sheep.

“Right.” Henry laughed, opening the bag and dumping it out onto the wet ground, then rubbing it out with the sole of his boot.

“Oh, come on, man!” Teddy whined, slumping back against the wall. “That's expensive.”

“Really? I thought Naproxen was only five creds?” Henry replied, tilting his head at the boy.

“One cred is too expensive down here, you'd know that, if you lived in this hell hole too.” Teddy sneered at him. “Marshal.”

Henry smirked at Teddy. “I wanna talk about Mikey Keagan.” He said, cutting to the chase.

“Oh fuck that!” He snapped, shaking his head. “I am getting tired of being roped into their fucking issues.”

“Their?”

“Yeah, their!” Teddy spat. “Mikey tries to rope me into his Running operations and his sister, the last time I saw her, she held me up at knife point, until I told her where her brother went.”

“When was this? That she held you up?” Henry asked, not buying his story about you holding him at knife point.

If only he knew.

“Eight or nine months ago.” Teddy replied. “Mike got into a fight with his parents about becoming a Runner for Jaxon Quinn, over in Sector Three of Bristol, and went down to the Thirty Sectors to stay with a friend. Issy comes by, a week later, and holds me up, until I tell her what friend he's staying with. Gave her shortcuts around the gates and everything.”

“What's the friend's name?” Henry asked, narrowing his eyes as he processed the story.

“Fynn Penmark.”

Henry looked Teddy over. “I'll let you off for having the Sub-Blue. But, if I ever find out you're in possession of it again, I'll make sure you're banished so far outside the walls of London, you'll be on a different fucking continent.” He threatened, pressing Teddy to the wall with a palm to the chest.

“Got it?” He hissed.

“Got it.” Teddy gulped, licking his lips and nodding his head, like a bobble-head.

“Good.” Henry pushed off of him and headed through the back door of the restaurant again.

“Hey, mister!” A boy on the street corner called out to Henry as he was unlocking his car.

“What!” Henry barked back at him.

“You lookin' for a girl?” He asked, and described you to him.

“That's her.” Henry nodded at him, leaning back against his car door. “What do you know about her?”

“What's in it for me?” The boy asked.

Henry chuckled, shaking his head. “What's your name, kid?”

“Oscar.”

“Well, Oscar.” Henry sighed, rubbing his forehead and carding his fingers through his hair. “What do you want for the information?”

Oscar looked around him and pointed back to Wang's Take-Away. “Lunch. She already got me breakfast to see if any of her family was home.” He confessed.

Henry half smirked at the little boy and finally recognized him, so you had been in the area within the last three hours. “Fair enough.” He agreed to Oscar's terms. “Information first, then lunch.”

“She's looking for her brother, says he's in some kind of trouble, didn't say what.” Oscar told him, fidgeting. “Then, she told the Chinese lady to give me some food, got some for herself, then left.” He pointed to the East, toward Sector Twenty-Nine's gate. “That way.”

“All right, kid.” Henry sighed, satisfied with the information and pushed off the car, going back into the restaurant and let Oscar get some food and a drink, before heading towards Sector Twenty-Nine's gate.

He figured you were going to go find this Fynn Penmark's flat, to see if your brother was there, or what Fynn knew about Mikey's whereabouts. Henry gave you credit, you would make a damn good Marshal with the level of forward-thinking and intuition you had going on, in the case of finding your brother. He was also relieved to know that his own intuition about your brother being in some kind of serious trouble was all so right.

Now, to find you and learn the rest of the facts on the matter.

It took some doing, but you finally found out where Fynn Penmark lived. But, as you approached the opening in the wall separating Sector Thirty and Thirty-One, your heart started to race and pound, hands shaking and palms sweating, it became hard to breathe. You stopped and pressed your hands to your face, trying to push back the terrified tears that streaked hotly down your cheeks. You felt like you were breaking loose.

“Are you okay?” A voice nearby asked.

You started, stumbling away from the concerned looking woman. “Stay away from me!” You barked at her, gasping for air.

The woman looked wildly at you, palms held out to show you she meant no harm, but stayed where she was standing. You stared at her, taking huge lungfuls of air, trying to fight off the dizziness clouding your brain and the bright, blinking spots in your eyes. Your tears finally stopped, but your hands still shook, and you could breathe a little bit easier.

“I'm sorry.” You apologized to the lady. “It's been a hard day.”

“It happens.” She replied, lowering her hands. “Do you need to get somewhere?”

“I know where I'm going, thank you though.” You assured her, even if it was possible she didn't mean you any harm, you weren't going to risk it, like you had the last time you were in these Sectors.

“I hope you find what you're looking for.” She told you, honestly.

“So, do I.” You nodded to her, politely.

You waited for her to go back about her business, before finding the opening and slipping through it, careful not to cut yourself again. Eric gave you point by point directions to the shabby building that Penmark lived in. You weren't surprised to find the lift in his building was broken, so you found the stairwell entrance and started mounting them to the twelfth floor.

“Flat 1283-A, Ms.” Eric's voice said through your headphones.

You found the dented and scuffed up door of Fynn Penmark and pounded on it, until he finally opened it. It took everything you had not to just burst out laughing. “Are you Fynn Penmark?” You asked, biting the inside of your cheek.

“Who wants to know?”

He was gangly, face pockmarked from severe acne, that he was still clearly suffering from, his greasy black hair fell to his shoulders, his filthy clothes might have fit properly, if he weighed more than a kilogram, and with the slightest intake of air, you could tell he hadn't showered in a while, he smelled ripe.

“I'm looking for Mike.” You told him, breathing through your mouth.

“I don't know any Mike.” He said, then slammed the door in your face.

Rolling your jaw, you started pounding on his door again.

“Look, bitch.”

“Call me a bitch, and I'll crack your head open with your own door.” You growled at him, heated. “I'm looking for Mikey, he's my brother. My twin brother.”

Fynn looked you over, then cracked a smile. “Oh, I see it now.” He chuckled, leaning against his door. “I haven't seen Mike in a week.”

“Do you know where the idiot's gone?” You asked him, folding your arms over your chest.

“His new handler, Knox Monroe, picked him up from here, as I said, a week ago, to take him to Bristol.”

“How long does it take to get to Bristol?”

“Depending on your transportation, anywhere from three hours to two days.”

“How do you take the three hour trip?” You asked, lifting a brow at him.

“Have someone with a car pick you up and take you there.” He laughed, still smirking at you. “And I'm sure you don't. So, you'll be walking, and that's the two day option.”

“Doesn't seem so bad.” You sighed, frowning at the thought of walking that far.

“Are you stupid?” Fynn snapped, suddenly agitated. “Have you ever been outside the wall? Have you ever seen outside the wall? It's not rainbows and puppies out there. It's a barren fucking wasteland with pocket groups, that are more like feral wolves than humans, that would jump you, rob you and leave you for dead; if they didn't kill you in the process.”

“Have you been out there?” You asked him, chewing on your lip.

“Countless times.” Fynn nodded. “I make the run to Bristol, at least, once a month.”

“Can you take me?” You asked him, hopefully.

“No.” Fynn shook his head at you. “I've already made my run for the month and I don't take tag-alongs.”

“Can you tell me how to get there?” You tried to persuade him.

“Why is it so vital for you to go after him? He'll be back in a couple months.”

“Because, something bad is going to happen to him, and I have to warn him, before it happens.” You told him, desperate.

“Like, what?”

“Can you help me or not?” You snapped at him.

“All right, fine.” Fynn huffed back, rolling his eyes at you. “Come in.” He sighed, pushing the door open for you.

You hesitated for a moment, but stepped into the trashed flat. Fynn pushed some stuff aside until he found an electronic pad and pulled up a map he used to get from London to Bristol, the most efficient and safest way he could, when he did have to walk there. You watched him fuss over it for a few seconds, before holding his hand out to you.

“Mobile.” He grunted, rolling his eyes again and snatched it from your hand. “I'm giving you my best directions there, with a couple of notes, should you need to stay somewhere. Whatever you do, and I mean whatever you do, do not travel at night. I marked several places along the way you can stay at safely or get supplies from, just show them this.” He pulled up a logo on your mobile, his interlocking initials.

“They'll know I sent you and accommodate you, for free, and know you can be trusted.”

“Thank you.” You sighed, taking your mobile back.

“Hey, Mike is a good friend, and he's saved my ass more than once. So, I'm just returning the favor.” Fynn sighed, rubbing his face. “I wouldn't want Mike bashing my head in for getting his sister killed, that's for sure.”

There was a strong knock on the door and Fynn got up to check the peephole.

“Fuck, it's the Marshals.” He snapped.

“Big fellow, shoulders wider than the door, curls and beard?” You asked, your adrenaline pumping.

“You know him?” Fynn asked, shocked.

“You can say that.” You gulped, glancing around. “Please, you have to hide me. If he finds me here, he'll stop me from saving Mikey.” You pleaded with him, clutching at his cold hand. “Please, Fynn.”

“Fucking Christ, you Keagans are a wily bunch.” He huffed, then directed you into his bedroom. “Be quiet and don't touch anything.” He said, pointing a finger at you, before closing the door and rushing to answer Henry's incessant pounding.

“What the fuck do you want?” Fynn barked at Henry, almost able to look Henry in the eye, glaringly.

“High Marshal Cavill.” Henry said, flashing his badge in Fynn's face.

“And?” Fynn huffed, unperturbed, he had dealt with far scarier people, both High Marshals and Crime Bosses before, and wasn't afraid of Henry.

Henry could see that Fynn wasn't frightened by him and his tired blue eyes darkened, before he grabbed Fynn by the shirt and launched him backwards into his flat, then stepped inside himself, kicking the door closed behind him. While Henry didn't usually employ rough tactics and overly abuse his power as a Marshal, he wasn't wholly immune to it either, he still had his flaws and prejudice from his status as a high born and position in London.

“Fynnch Oliver Penmark.” He growled at the Runner and looked around the utterly trashed flat, a scowl of disgust on his face. “Rumor has it, that you're a Runner.” He said, settling his eyes back on Fynn, who was using the cluttered coffee table to pull himself up.

“Vicious rumors.” Fynn huffed, brushing himself off. “That dumb brain at my work place has it out for me, so he keeps trying to report me to the Council of Daily Operations.”

“You certainly don't spend much time at work.” Henry countered. “What were you again? A floor licker?”

“A Janitor.” Fynn barked, scowling. “I don't want to spend all my time in a hostile environment. So, I do enough hours to appease those blood thirsty bastards at the Council, and get paid.”

“We'll see how long that'll last.” Henry replied, folding his arms. “All I have to do is give them one word and they'll cut you off and you won't have this hell hole to keep you cozy in anymore.”

“What do you want, mate?” Fynn sighed with a growl, he was starting to think you weren't worth the trouble Henry wanted to make for him.

“I had a visit with a friend of yours, Teddy Wang, up in Sector Twenty-Eight.” Henry said, pushing aside some trash by his foot. “He told me that you might know something about Mikey Keagan and his sister.”

“I haven't seen Mike, in a week, and I've never met his sister.” Fynn replied, taking a seat on a clear spot on his couch.

“Funny.” Henry hummed, frowning at him. “I had a little informant tell me that she was seen coming this direction, to see you.”

“Well, either that informant lied to you or she's lost her way. Because she's not here or has she been.”

“I doubt you would tell me, if she was.”

“Look, if giving you information on her would get you out of my place and my business, then I'd give it and her to you. But, I don't know where she is and I haven't seen her.” Fynn told him, annoyed. “You can look around, if you want.” He said, motioning around his pig sty.

Henry glanced around with a dirty look, then looked back to Fynn. “I know you're lying to me.” He hissed, his gut was screaming. “So, you either tell me, or I'll make that call right now and arrest you on top of it.” He warned Fynn, taking out his mobile.

“Jesus!” Fynn barked, jumping to his feet. “Fine! She came by an hour ago, looking for her brother, and said she was afraid something bad was going to happen to him, if she didn't find him and warn him about it. She wanted to know when I saw him last and I told her, just like I told you, it's been a week since I saw Mike.”

“What did she do with that information?” Henry asked, lowering his phone.

“She asked if I knew where her brother went.”

“And, where is Mikey?”

“Bristol.” Fynn said, deflating.

“Bristol.” Henry repeated, sighing. “What is Mikey doing in Bristol?”

“I don't-”

Henry grabbed Fynn by the shirt and yanked him against him, narrowing his glowing blue eyes. “Out with it, Slum.” He growled, harshly.

“He's a Runner.” Fynn yelped, now he was frightened of Henry. “He's been a Runner for the last two years, and he's going to Bristol so he can be trained as an Adjutant Runner for one of the top Crime Bosses of Bristol, Jaxon Quinn.” He babbled out, his eyes huge. “I gave her directions on how to find him there and she left soon after, to start that way.” He added without Henry prompting or threatening him.

“Fuck.” Henry barked, pushing away from Fynn and storming out of his flat, cursing all the way down the hall.

“You can come out now.” Fynn huffed, opening his bedroom door a few minutes later.

“How could you tell him all that!” You snapped at him, punching him on the arm.

“Oh, chill your heels.” He growled, rubbing his arm. “He thinks you're already gone and doesn't know the route you'll be taking. Besides, he's a High Marshal, he's not going to leave the wall for some girl. The Councils wouldn't allow it and even the craziest and most determined Marshals have enough sense not to chance it.”

“I could have just given you away, after all the trouble the asshole gave me.” He added, sourly.

“Thanks.” You grumbled under your breath.

“Hey, when you see your brother again, tell him he owes me for a change.” He called after you.

“Tell him yourself.” You snapped over your shoulder and slammed his door shut.

“She's fucking stupid.”

Henry growled, every muscle in his body was wound up and tight as he thought of you crossing the desolate waste outside the London Wall to Bristol. The danger that laid between there and London, and the even worse danger that lived and functioned inside the city of Bristol itself.

“She's out of her mind!” He kept mumbling, all the way back down to the car. “She's going to get herself killed!” He sighed, running both hands through his hair and making a bigger mess of his wild curls.

“What!” He hissed at his mobile rang through his car's AI.

“Is that how you address your Supreme?” Reyes asked, stiffly.

Henry groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “No. I'm sorry, sir. It's been a horrible morning.” He apologized.

“That Slave of yours keeping you up at night, Cavill.” Reyes laughed, his voice suggestive.

“Not exactly.” He huffed, spent.

“Well, either way.” Reyes sighed, sounding just as tired. “I need you to bring her in for her formal interview. The Council of Clerics have finally started the trials for the Trafficking.”

“Ugh.” Henry groaned, slumping in his seat. “Mother fucker.”

“Henry?” Reyes said slowly, hearing the sound of his voice.

“She's gone.” Henry admitted, regretfully. “I woke up this morning to her, gone. I've been trying to find her all day.”

“You lost her!”

“If you want to put it that way.” He mumbled, picking at his nails and feeling like he was getting scolded by his mother.

“Where is she?”

“Well, if I knew that, I would have her, wouldn't I?” He snapped back, forgetting himself for a moment.

“What have you been doing all day!?”

“Following every lead to find her that I could, Dylon.” Henry defended himself, exasperated. “I've been to her family home, her work place and even her twin brother's workplace, along with every one of their friends'.”

“And?” Reyes screamed, veins bulging from his forehead and neck.

“My latest Intel says, she's on her way to Bristol, to find her brother, Michail.” Henry sighed, his temples throbbing. “She believes he's in trouble, since he's an Adjutant Runner for Jaxon Quinn.”

“Are you telling me, your Slave, has a twin brother, that's a member of a top Crime Boss's business? The same Jaxon Quinn, that funds Twist's Trafficking?”

Henry swallowed, thickly. “Yes.”

“You realize, she's not only a top witness to Twist's operations, but Quinn's as well. She could help us bring him down, Henry! And you let her get away! How did you not know this to start with? Don't, don't fucking answer that. You know, if she gets there and Quinn realizes who she is-”

“He'll kill her.” Henry replied, his voice weakening.

“Has she left for Bristol yet?”

“As far as I know.” Henry replied, depressed on the matter. “I plan on going after her, Dylon.” He added, he had already made the choice to go after you, he didn't care what Dylon or the Councils said on the matter.

“You know, I can't officially back you in your decision to chase after a Slummer, Henry.” Reyes sighed, leaning against his desk and rubbing his own throbbing head. “But, as your friend and someone that wants to take down Twist and Quinn, you have my full backing.”

“What are we going to say when I don't come in for work, for however long it takes me to find and bring her back?”

“I want both of them, Henry. I want her and her brother. She's a witness and he's a conspirator in Quinn's business.” Dylon told him, bluntly. “I'll tell them that you are quite deeply undercover, trying to gain more info.”

“I'll need to go home and take Kal to Charlie's. I'll just tell him, I'm going undercover for a long while and will be back, when I crack the case.”

“That sounds fine.” Reyes nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. “Don't fuck this up, Henry.” He said, then hung up.

“Thanks.” Henry sighed, rolling his eyes.

You were careful as you made your way to the wall, knowing Henry was probably still lurking somewhere nearby, looking for you. You tried to stay in as well populated areas as you dared, hoping to dodge anyone working for Traffickers or getting spotted by Henry.

“Hey, do-”

“Fuck off.” You snapped as a guy approached you, not wanting anything he had to say or wanted from you, and picked up the pace of your walking.

It was starting to get late, after it taking all day to piece your way through the Sectors and follow your brother's footsteps. You probably would have been out of the city by now, if Henry hadn't showed up at Fynn's flat and took vital time interrogating him about you. You wondered how furious he would be to know how close to you he was in Fynn's place, and still didn't manage to catch you.

“We'd have to see each other again.” You mumbled to yourself.

The chances of seeing Henry again were probably pretty slim. After being gone for a little while, he would give up on trying to find you and go back to work for the Marshals and his life. A deep part of you throbbed though, you felt bad for leaving him like that, especially after everything he had done for you. He could have been an absolute monster and treated you like the Slummer that you are, forcing you to wear a Ownership bracelet and making you his proper Slave. But, Henry had been a complete gentleman to you, taking care of your every need and whim, it was almost like he had become your Slave. Then, the charging of several hundred credits to his account for the backpack and mobile, and the dress and jewelry for the party.

“He'll get over it.” You said, shaking your head. “He's a High Marshal, for fuck sake! He probably makes all that in a single case.” You huffed, rolling your eyes.

But, it didn't stop you from feeling bad for leaving him, without a single word.

“Take a right.” Eric's voice said, cutting into your train of thought.

Grunting, you took the quick right at his instruction. As you rounded the corner, you saw, several meters in front of you, the opening in the massive wall that encompassed the city and its citizens. The opening was one-third the size of the meter wide metal and rusted panel, a strip of dying light filtering through the four meter thick wall. Just a kilometer beyond that, was the first place you would be able to find shelter in for the night, then come first light, you would be on your way towards Bristol and your brother.

“Hey!” A harsh call barked behind you as you approached the gap.

You slowly turned and felt a hard lump form in your throat. It was a Beta Marshal, and he looked pissed. “Me?” You squeaked, pointing to yourself, sheepishly.

“Yes, you!” He hissed, face starting to go red with his anger. “Get away from the wall!”

“Why?” You asked, narrowing your eyes at him, heart pounding.

“Because, I said so!”

You took a deep breath in and out, turned on your heels and dashed for it. The Beta Marshal screamed for you to stop and come back, but you ignored him. You dove into the opening and shimmed along it, going as quickly as you could, having to turn sideways in a couple of places to get through. The Marshal was still yelling at you, wedging himself into the gap to chase after you.

The light got bright and brighter, despite the sun setting lower and lower, as you struggled through the opening to the outside world, until you finally popped out on the other side, a cool breeze rushing passed you, fresh and clean. You turned back to the hole and saw the Beta Marshal panting about halfway, then made a dismissive motion with his hand and started back inside London.

You were home free now.

“Eric, where's the first safe house?” You asked, grinning and feeling victorious, despite the hundred and eighty-five kilometers between you and Bristol.

“Head straight for an hour, Ms.” Eric replied a moment later.

With Kal taken care of by his family, Henry returned to the Marshal Headquarters, intent on following after you, but knowing he needed better information on how to navigate the world outside London to do so.

“Henry.” Martin grinned as Henry entered his floor in the headquarters. “How are you?”

“Not in the mood.” Henry growled, folding his arms over his chest. “I know you have a Runner in your lock up, Lukas Hadwin.”

“Um,” Martin blinked up at Henry, then turned towards his computer and typed the name into his computer. “I do! He was arrested two months ago and is awaiting trial with the Council of Clerics.” He confirmed, turning back towards Henry.

“I want him brought to a private interrogation room on my floor, in the next five minutes.” Henry told the Alpha Marshall, then turned on his heels and marched back up the three floors to his office, needing the walk to calm down some of his anger.

Four minutes later, Martin shoved Lukas Hadwin into the private interrogation room on the High Marshall's floor, and handcuffed him to the table.

“Get out.” Henry barked at Martin, throwing the door open, startling both Martin and the Runner.

“But, Hen-” He started to protest, but his blood froze in his veins seeing the look on Henry's face. “High Marshall, he's my arrest, so he's my responsibility.”

“I outrank you, Sidwell.” Henry growled back at him, the anger he had managed to walk off started boiling again. “So, when I tell you to get out of my fucking interrogation room, I mean, get out.” He hissed.

Martin licked his lips, sheepishly, his mouth drying up. “Of course, High Marshall.” He croaked, edging around Henry, for the door.

“Mr. Hadwin.” Henry said, reaching up to the camera in the corner of the room and turning it off. “According to your extensive file, you're a high ranking Runner for a Bristol Crime Boss.”

“Total bullshit.” Lukas barked, trying hard to keep the angry and outraged expression on his face, despite shaking in his jail issued trainers. “My bitch of an ex-girlfriend reported me to the Council of Marshals, telling you corrupt pricks that I was a Runner, because I broke up with her and refused to pay her flat fees.”

“Is that so?” Henry replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Then, what's this?” He asked, dropping an open file on the table and pointed to a section of it. “Says you and another known Runner were arrested in 2864, for possession of a large cache of Sub-Blue. Your little partner in crime blabbed about how you both worked for a lucrative Crime Boss, running the drugs between Bristol and London.”

“Was he lying?”

Lukas glowered at the report, but didn't answer Henry's question; which only increased Henry's blood pressure. Grabbing the back of Lukas's neck, Henry slammed his face onto the metal table, cracking the screen on the file, and rested an uncomfortable amount of his weight on Lukas's neck.

“Was he lying?!” He yelled, directly into his ear.

“No!” Lukas cried out, squirming, fruitlessly.

“What Crime Boss?” Henry continued to yell.

“Benji Hernandez!” He squealed, whimpering.

Henry pushed off of Lukas's neck with a huff, he had heard about Hernandez, he had heard about all of the big time Crime Bosses that ruled Bristol like the Council of Clerics and Royals ruled London. But, Hernandez was the cream of the crop. His family was credited with establishing Bristol and bringing it to the level, almost on par, with London through deep waves of crime, selling every drug they could get their hands on or manufacture themselves, their number one seller was unsurprisingly, Sub-Blue.

Many Crime Bosses and groups had tried dethroning the Hernandez Family, and all had failed. They had too much money, too much power and their followers, all across England, were loyal, to the death. A massive turf war had broken out several years back, the first conflict of the sort since the end of the fourth war. It had mainly broken out and was confined in Bristol, with pockets of skirmishes in London and the other major city of England, Chester, before finally being squashed. Dozens of people were killed and maimed in the four month long battle, and the Hernandez's kept their throne and were still stronger than ever.

The Hernandez's family, friends and their most distinguished workers were the only ones that lived in Sector One and Two of Bristol, everyone else lived in Sector Three to Sector Fifteen.

“How do you get to Bristol?” Henry asked, pacing around the table.

“It depends.” Lukas panted, rubbing the back of his sore neck.

“On?” Henry pressed.

“The size of the load.” He replied, groaning. “If it's a small load, I'll walk there. If it's a large load, then we'll be driven from a checkpoint outside London to Bristol and back.”

Henry quietly paced around the room, brooding on his next course of action. He knew, for a fact, you wouldn't be driving to Bristol, or knew someone, other than your brother, who was already gone, that could drive you there. So, you had to be heading for Bristol on foot. He debated how he would follow after you, he could take his car to find you, sure he could reach you faster that way, but the moment he managed to get out of the wall with it, his car's on board locator would alert the appropriate channels and they'd go after him.

Especially since going after you wasn't authorized and being done quietly. Leaving Henry with the same option you had been saddled with.

Walking

“How do you get from London to Bristol?” He asked and leaned against the table, across from Lukas.

“There's two routes to Bristol.” Lukas sighed, knowing if he didn't tell Henry the information he wanted, the High Marshal would no doubt beat it out of him. “One is only used if you have a car, because pit stops are few and far between, and you don't want to be caught out there alone, especially at night. So, staying in the moving protection of a car is the best way for that path, since it's longer.”

“The other?”

“The other, is the one that's usually used by Runners that are walking between the two. It's shorter, by several kilometers, but slightly more dangerous than the car route, since it runs through several mini-towns that people, who were either banished or choose to live out there, populate. Some of them and the mini-towns are friendly and benevolent, but most are not. So, if you don't know what ones to stop in, chances are, you'll end up dead and stripped clean of any valuables they can take back into the cities and trade for goods.”

Henry gulped thickly, and felt a cold sweat break out on his skin as he battled the anxiety of you being out there, alone, for so long. He knew it was critically dangerous out there, but hearing Hadwin talking about it and the things between the two cities made it abundantly clear it was even more dangerous than he thought.

“Are you all right?” Lukas asked, seeing Henry's scruffy face steadily grow pale.

“I'm fine.” Henry growled, getting a handle on himself. “How do you know this other route, you used to walk there?”

“It's been used by thousands of Runners, for years.” Lukas laughed, shaking his head. “But, it was recently refined by another Runner.” He added, tugging on his cuffs. “Fynn Penmark recently compiled a map of safe places that Runners can stay for the nights and buy supplies.”

What were the chances? Henry thought.

“You'll be giving me that map.” He told him.

“I can't!”

Lukas squeaked, frightened at the thought of a High Marshal having the map showing him where Runners were coming and going from, the places they stayed and people that aided their operations.

“They'll kill me, if they find out I gave it to you!” He protested.

Henry leaned across the table, bringing his face close to Lukas's. “Look in my eyes and ask yourself, if you think I give a fuck?” He whispered, his tone cold and calculated.

“Now, give me the directions.”

Lukas gulped and nearly peed himself from the energy brewing off of Henry, who didn't pull back as he gave him the directions for the route. Henry looked over the map, making a legend of the symbols Lukas had made along the way, marking places to sleep and get supplies, as well as places that should be avoided at all costs. Once he was satisfied and sure the Runner wasn't lying to him and had told him all he knew, Henry stepped out into the hall and by Martin, not exchanging a single word with him.

Returning to his flat, Henry felt the quiet throughout it, without Kal's barked greeting and you either watching tv or listening to music. He missed those noises and being greeted by the both of you as he got home from work or wherever he had gone. Sighing, he grabbed a bag and stuffed a few items into it, a change of clothes, a small medical kit and a few other things he felt he might need, then checked to make sure his service weapon was still secure to his hip. Knowing it was getting cold out, Henry took off his coat and shirt, and pulled on his base layer HAMR, long sleeve shirt to wear under his black, knit sweater, before pulling his lightweight down jacket back over that.

Slinging his backpack over his back, situating his beanie on his head and zipping up his coat, Henry went back out the door, locking it up and rode the lift down to the ground floor. He knew a place in Sector Four with a large enough hole in the wall that he could squeeze through and start his journey to finding you.

Taking his best guess and trusting his gut feeling, Henry made his way to one of the first safe houses on the map, that you would likely stop in for the night. He just hoped he could get there before you left. But, you had an almost five hour head start on him already. Since, he had to spend so much time pulling information out of Hadwin, plus the nearly a two hour walk around the wall to get to the closest point to the house, and where you nearly had a straight shot to it, then the hour to the mini-town.

Within an hour of you both leaving Fynn's flat, Henry had entered the Marshal's Headquarters to interrogate the known Runner, Lukas Hadwin, on how to get to Bristol, and you had reached the opening in the wall. While you finally reached the safe town and your room, Henry had been grilling Hadwin for a tense hour. For the next two, you took a much needed rest, and Henry finally finished juicing Hadwin for every bit of info he had, including the map Fynn had given you for the trip. He then rushed home, taking Kal to Charlie's and packing a bag to follow after you.

Henry wasn't afraid of the nearly three hour walk to the house, in the middle of the night. He could easily protect himself, both with his weapon and his hands, it was you that consumed all of his worry and fear. You had nothing to protect you, other than your wits, but those would only get someone so far, before running out and getting you severely injured, or killed.

“Please, just keep her safe until I can reach her.” He said out loud, looking up at the inky black sky and twinkling stars.

“That's all I ask.” He sighed, walking faster.

You were exhausted after running around London all day, running from Henry and a Beta Marshall, then walking non-stop for a solid hour to reach the first safe place on Fynn's map, just as the last rays of sunlight died behind the horizon.

“Who are you and what do you want?” A hard looking woman behind a makeshift counter asked as you entered the decrepit building that was marked as a safe place.

“I'm a friend of Fynn's.” You told her, approaching the counter and showed her Fynn's logo off his map.

“I guess you want a room then?” She asked, turning her back to you and grabbed a key off the wall behind her.

“I do.” You replied, sheepishly.

“This way.” She rasped, disappearing through a doorway.

You gulped and followed after her, following her down a long dimly lit hallway with rows of doors on either side. She stopped by a door in the middle of the hallway and jammed the key in the lock and opened it. Pushing it open, she handed you the key and went back down the hall, leaving you alone. You leaned into the room, flicking on the light and finding it bare, only furnished with a bed, a single chair and nothing else, not even a window.

Sighing and figuring it was better than nothing, you stepped inside, closed and locked the door behind you, even shoving the chair up against it, for added security, before sitting down on the squeaky and dingy bed. Shrugging off your backpack, you unzipped it and pulled out a package of food you'd brought with you, slowly munching on it, before making sure Eric woke you up as soon as it was light out, and laid back on the bed; using your pack as a pillow. But, it took you a long time to fall asleep, the room was cold and there were scratching noises happening all around you, making you paranoid. But, eventually your exhaustion won out and you fell into a fitful sleep, dreaming of your brother dying and Henry's voice calling out to you.

The time seemed so short, when Eric's voice sounded in your ears, and in reality, it had only been a mere two hours. Now, unknowingly, three hours ahead of Henry, you woke groggily and sat up, rubbing at your face, as you got up and pulled your backpack on. You removed the chair from your door and went down the hall to the front desk, finding the same lady there.

“Do you have a bathroom?” You asked her through a yawn and handed her the room key back, your bladder screaming.

She pointed to a door on the other side of the room and you went inside, grimacing at the filthy condition of it, but you really needed to pee, so you made do with it. Emptying your bladder, you looked at your map and found a supply store a mile up from you and headed that way, hoping for something decently hot, and was overjoyed to find a brewing coffee pot. You showed the supplier Fynn's mark, then filled a reusable cup with the hot brown liquid and roamed around as you sipped at it. Taking a couple more things of food, refilled your water bottle and pieced together something for breakfast.

“Thanks.” You smiled at the supplier as you finished your breakfast and refilled the coffee cup, before getting back on your way.

You made sure to follow Fynn's advice and the map, keeping your eyes to yourself and walking as quickly as you could to avoid trouble or attracting any unwanted attention. Everyone else around you did the same, there were very few people just standing around, those that were, begged for credits to buy things or trying to sell something else.

But, you ignored their harks and kept walking.

Once you were clear of the mini-town, you dared to have Eric put on some low music, the eerie quiet of the area playing on your anxious nerves as you headed for the next safe place, four hours to the north of your location. You decided to walk there as quickly as you could, then decide whether or not you could risk walking the extra two hours to the next one after that, without risking your own safety. Even though the sun had only just risen, you didn't want to play it risky or get cocky. If you did, and got yourself in trouble, you wouldn't make it to Bristol, hopefully in time to warn Mikey about potentially being in trouble, as Quinn's Runner.

“I'll make it, I know I will.” You assured yourself, pushing down the fearful anxiety. “I will.” You repeated, stubbornly, clenching your hands into fists. “I have too.” You added even softer, weakening to some of that concern.

“Have you seen this girl?” Henry asked, approaching a hard looking woman and showing her a photo he had taken of you and Kal, not that long ago.

“No.” The woman replied, shaking her head.

Henry narrowed his eyes at her, knowing she was lying through her missing teeth. Had he been in London, he would have simply slapped his badge on the counter and she would have sang like an Opera singer on opening night. But, he wasn't and that move would have sealed her lips up tighter than a crab's shell, and probably gotten him into a heap of trouble, wasting more of his time.

“Fine.” He sighed, turning away from her and heading back outside.

Glancing around, he spotted an elderly man standing at the corner, hands held out to every person that walked by him.

“Hey, old timer.” He said, walking up to him.

“Credit for a sandwich?” The old man asked, reaching his hands out to Henry.

“How about a sandwich for some information?” Henry asked, pulling a sandwich out of his pack. “Have you seen this girl?” He inquired, showing him your photo.

“Yeah, saw her super early this morning.” the old man replied, scratching his scraggly beard. “Just as I was setting up here, after first light, maybe three hours ago.”

“Looked in a mighty rush to be somewhere.” He added, nodding to himself.

“Thank you.” Henry thanked him and let him have the sandwich, plus an extra sandwich, just to be nice to the poor man, then started power walking away, knowing he was on the right path to find you and that the gap between you was steadily closing.

“I've got you now.” Henry smirked to himself.

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sueboohscorner · 3 years ago

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#Bull - Season 5 - Full Season Review and Breakdown

Bull - Season 5 - Review/Recap and Breakdown.

*********** Spoilers Ahead, Read This Review At Your Risk ***********

Hello and Welcome Back Bull Fans and Long-time readers of my content. I hope you are safe and well wherever you are in the world. I am so sorry again for being absent for most of The Bull coverage for 2021. that I suffer from serious mental health issues that i have only have started seeking help for again. Also i had a lack of motivation towards Bull. . Because I felt I was not connecting to the material that the show was producing. so i stopped watching it all together. Nevertheless, I re- watched the whole season of Bull recently and I thought that I would give my recent thoughts and opinions on the show and I will be ready for what i believe to be the last season of the show. Season 6, when that comes back in 47 days time. . And I have come back better and hopefully stronger than ever. When I last posted to this website and social media, it gave me some critical feedback about my work. In every review I post to my website or on this platform. I make note to my viewers of my content that it’s okay to give constructive feedback. Because I enjoy getting that type of feedback. Because it gives me the opportunity to improve and explore my mistakes that I have made.

If you want to let me know it is not to a standard or have made a mistake, let me know in the comment section below. As constructive feedback, no negative comments. Thank you to the people who are supportive of my work. As I continue to improve my writing & editing skills.

Please be consider it before you post that negative comments about it. Create Constructive Feedback Not Negative Nonsense that can create a dumpster fire.

Now before i move on to the regularly scheduled program of My Season 5 Review of Bull. I have attached a button were you can click to see my statement of honesty of where i dive further about the situation of my work and my lack of Bull coverage on this website. If you are interested to find out more click that button below.

The Character Development of Season 5 for Bull

Dr. Jason Bull (Bull)

During Season 5 of the show, we get to see more of the softer side of Bull and what he would do for his clients and his family. Which, over I think, was great to see MW play aside to the role that we have seen since his last days on NCIS. Which allowed for the moments that are small but remembered for the character. At the moment, I am currently satisfied with how Bull is developing, but I feel like there is something missing at the moment. I don’t know. Let me know what you think.

Benny

S5 of the show was the Best for Freddy. As it gave Benny more overall development. But it was a bitter note, as FR is leaving the show for good. As I could see more of this character in the terms of the personal and professional relationships and the overall development of Benny, breaking away from TAC and creating his own identity. I also kind of had this notion that FR was leaving the show or fashion. Because of how the character was being written and also some media interviews that some of the cast members did in preview for S5 of the show. I just hope that the Bull writer’s room give Benny a storyline that would suit the character from leaving the show. And I wish FR all my best for what to his next projects are going to be in the future.

Isabella (Izzy) Colon (Bull).

Issy has been a breath of fresh air in the show for S5 because it gave Bull and the TAC team more of a family-style feeling of what the actors and the writers are trying to create on-screen. This Season to me feels like a re-introduction of Issy, as we have seen this character, as a high-powered businesswoman to a mother and a partner to Bull. So I hope that in season 6, we get to see more of the softer side of her and get to see more of her as a new woman to work with or exploring a new aspect of her character.

Chunk

S5 for Chunk was to establish the character more in the show's canon, As FR is leaving the show, I believe that the writers of the show we’re working towards making Chunk the principal attorney at TAC or creating aversion that could step into that role overall. But from what the writers are creating, I believe we may see a new character come into the Business. I just hope that we get to see more of Chuck in the courtroom with Bull as a lawyer.

Marissa

S5 for Marissa, to me, was a mixed bag for me, as we got to see some closure on her former marriage and what other problems that are she faced in terms of her personal life. But in her professional life that we can see that is she on the top of her game. I just hope that we get to see more of Marissa and her high-school crush on a coffee date. Because I think they would be the second-best couple on the show, after Bull and Issy.

Taylor

Taylor’s Season 5 for Me was lukewarm in terms of character development because we only see glimpses of her personal life and but there was not much else that I would consider being developed. It is sad to they underrated this character in terms of character development. I feel like she has become the Chuck of earlier seasons of the show.

Danny

S5 for Danny, we finally got to see more of her in action in the professional work at TAC and in her personal life as we got to see more of her background come to life in the storyline about her dad. But I think I need to see more in terms of the background of this character because I believe she is one of the most even I would go as far as to say that is she is one of the most under-used characters on the show. I just hope that S6 gives her the best send-off or storylines for her actor.

As we move through the character development of this show’s 5th season, the audience gets to see where the characters that we have fallen for in terms of the relationships that they have or the people that play those characters. I just hope all the behind-the-scenes drama and in media can handle it in a way that still creates the show that we know and has loved since 2016. So with that, let’s move on to my next major section of this review, it’s that romance and relationship side to the show that the audience tunes in for.

The Relationship Development of Season 5 of Bull

Through the show’s run over the last 5 to 6 years, we have seen some great and solid relationships and we have seen some of not the best and in this section we are going to be having a look at those relationships in more detail and what I would like to see happen in the future season that is coming for this cast of relationships

Dr. Jason Bull and Isabella Colon (Bull).

Well, well, here we are again with my favorite couple again on this show. During S5 of the show, we got to see more personal side to this relationship that we have not seen in the past, as they got and were divorced. But we get to see a proposal and a wedding during the show’s 5th season. So I hope we get to see more of these moments of the couple and the little family moments. Because they have become the heart of the show, that MW was promoting in a TV insider interview for the preview of S5 of the show.

Bull and Benny,

Throughout Season 5 of the show, we get to see more of Benny breaking out from Bull’s Shadow and creating a new identity and name for himself by running for a job that he has been wanting to do for several years and their personal relationship has plated out with the crappy season 4 and Baby Bull. Now Bull is focusing more on the family side of his life. As much as I have been a fan of this friendship on - screen, I think there was more to be explored of how the two met and what lead to the downfall of the relationship.

As FR is leaving the show, we will not see more of that great friendship that they had, because of how the writers of the show, creating more of a separation between the two. But overall I have enjoyed this relationship and I look forward to seeing what they can do in S6 with the actor ultimately leaving the show.

Bull and Chunk

As word has gotten the news about FR’s departure from the show early this month. So the development of this relationship has been critical role in the relationship side to the TAC team to be handled in a good way for the show. Now this friendship/mentorship develops further into Season 6 of the show.

Bull and the TAC Team

Throughout the 5th season of the show, I believe that there was a change in the dynamics of the team. This leads to I believe the most significant development of some characters since season 3. with the likes of Taylor and Danny. I hope in S6 of the show that they continue these dynamics and create more relationships within. Because I think we can bring a new character into the fold of the show. Which would allow for a new way of thinking on the show’s principles cast, maybe.

Overall, the relationship development of Season 5 has been significant from the heart of the show, Bull and Isabella, and the relationship bombshells for Benny and Bull. Plus, the closure of some relationships that we have seen in the past comes to an untimely end. But I think that the Bull’s writers’ room of the show, continues to develop these relationships on the show.

I believe we are going to see more of a different type of show that we have not seen in a long time; I believe. On to the next and final section of this review. It is my overall thoughts on the season and what were my best, worst, and most cringe moments of the show.

My Final Thoughts and Opinions of Season 5 of Bull.

Season 5 of Bull, in my humble opinion, is one of the better seasons of the show in terms of relationship and character development. As well as the brief moments of drama and emotions that were thrown in there for a delightful mixture. But I think there was something missing from the show. Maybe it’s the chemistry of some actors or it was the external factors of the show that created a greater impact than needed. But

I also believe that we got to see one of the most internally developed seasons over the years, which I think that the show needed to bring back more of those small and little minor details. Overall was a very good solid addition to the canon of the overall story. And with that, I would like to talk about my moments of best and worst and mostly the very cringe parts of the show’s 5th season.

Best Moments of Bull Season 5

The little family moments that Bull and Issy have throughout the show’s 5th season.

Some performances that were developed and created by FR on the show were the best that we have seen in a long time from him. I just wish that we could have seen more of those in the future season to come

The relationship development was a critical aspect of the survival of the show for me. As help to see more of a change in the show's dynamics and created more of a universe in the cast of characters on the show.

I want to see more of Marisa’s high school crush and her relationship with Dave. Because I think it would well suit them for the show overall dynamics of the relationships that the writers are creating

The performances of the Show’s minor characters I have enjoyed this season are the following

Marisa in Season 5 Episode 4, going through her divorce episode and how that played out for her

Chunk in the courtroom in most of the episodes were some of the better performances that the actor have given over the years

Danny’s storyline of the death of her dad and how that ties into her overall character development going forward.

The Worst Moments for Me in the 5th Season of Bull

The moments of Bull S5 were the worst on the show. That some episodes had a case - base written into the storyline. It doesn’t match the overall story of the show. As I feel like they could have been written differently. Plus, the jump cuts are back and give me flashbacks to when I was watching Law and Order SVU over the past couple of months. I think that sometimes in a context that they can be well written but sometimes they can be off-putting.

The cringe moments of S5

These moments for me were the whole of episode 1. I don’t know why it is a cringe moment for me. I know some of my readers will disagree with me and say it is one of the better episodes of the show. Overall, there have been better premiere episodes of the show. I think this episode gave the audience of the show a sign of what the characters and the relationships were going to think and what the writers want to achieve overall in the show. if I ever go back and watch S5 again from the start, that is one episode I will not miss in seeing.

Overall, The 5th Season of Bull was critical and successfully added to the canon in the overall story of the show. There were some moments that were the best and some should have stayed in the writers’ room. I hope we continue to see this trend going forward in S6 and beyond. If the show has any more stories to tell.

This end of my overall review of Season 5 of Bull, Let me know in the comments section below or on social media. Of what you would like to see the coming seasons of the show. And what were the moments of the show that stood out to you as bad or very good?

Overall Rating for Season 5 of Bull is 7/10

Until Next Time I Will See You Later The Woman Who Writes.

#Season5 #Bull #CBS Bull #Dr.Jason Bull #Michael Weatherly #Freddy Rodriguez

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ukeishin · 4 years ago

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— HAPPY NEW YEAR’S

happy new year’s! 2020 was eventful to say the least. i’m so immensely proud of you for making it through the year. this year was difficult and the feelings you had and struggles you endured are valid. im really happy you’re here :)

2020 was difficult for me and i’d much rather discuss happier topics so let’s get into that instead lmao. i’ve been reading fanfic since i was 11/12 and i started writing this year. writing/english has always been one of my weakest subjects, but surprisingly i found that i really enjoyed writing (fanfic). i have met so many wonderful people this year that i wouldn’t have if i didn’t choose to start this blog.

— FOR MY FOLLOWERS

im not even gonna lie i have no clue why people follow me when i post such self-indulgent stuff 😭😭😭. however, i am so grateful that people enjoy my writing. every like/reblog/comment means so much to me. jdjdjdkssk i screenshot many of the nice tags and comments because they really do make my day <3 thank u so much for supporting me!!

— FOR MY ANONS

🦢.anon : i truly love interacting with you!! like i don’t even know what to say, i love when we just chat or we’re thirsting or we’re soft lmao. thank u sooo much for being so supportive of my writing (and my self-ships).

tetsuro 😸 : MOD OMFG U MAKE ME LAUGH SO MUCH. u don’t even understand, your responses always make me giggle and really make my day. thank u so much for taking time out of ur day to chat with me :)

iwaizumi.anon : eep i don’t know if mod will see this, but thank u so much for indulging me :) i don’t know what to say, but it really does make my day and I ALWAYS GET A STUPID SMILE ON MY FACE WHEN YOU SEND AN ASK IN JFKDHXXKS

— FOR MY MUTUALS

you all are so fucking talented im constantly in awe of the fact that you follow me. irl i am extremely shy and have a difficult time talking to people and making friends, but you all have been so kind. you all are SO gifted, it actually fucking blows my mind that you follow me. even if we don’t interact (because i am very shy still lmao), i love seeing you on my dash.

@atsutsuki : MY WIFE!!!!!!!!! sab you’re genuinely so sweet and i love u so much even if u do like piss (i don’t kinkshame). like im so happy to have u met u this year through pappy’s server :,) ur so funny and just the best

@velvesagi : jem 😫😫😫 deadass i love u so much and i love our convos. they’re so fucking weird sometimes lmfaoooo but even if u do clown me sometimes im very happy to call u a moot and a friend :)

@tetsurolls : jade when u followed me i was like uhhhhhhhh WHAT?!?!?!!?? i was shocked lol. you’re such a lovely writer, but an even lovelier person. you’re so sweet and nice and ugh u embody best girl >:(

@lovingsuna : clare you’re so talented i just needed to get that out of the way. you’re so kind to your followers and watching you interact with others is so sweet???? you’re just SO nice that it makes me all soft

@kemochie : NEA HOLY SHIT YOU’RE SO FUNNY. i fucking love your themes so much and i think it’s so sweet of you to make @hqpostoffice. i know those letters probably brighten people’s days and for u to just make that account for fun is so nice of u. also we need to thirst about kakashi together soon.

@cafemiya : ISSY BABY OMFG YOU’RE SO FJDJCJSJ I DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO PUT IT INTO WORDS. you’re so so so incredibly talented and i LOVE talking to you. like the energy you exude is so safe???? LMAO LET ME SHUT UP NOW FJFJSJ but i love u

@bjbex : bae im sorry for cheating on you 😫😫😫‼️‼️‼️ but to be serious lmao, you’re SO FUCKING TALENTED. ur femdom writings fry my brain and simply reaffirm how im not a sub. i go back and reread them all da time. ur so talented pappy ily

@kyovtani : zade baby your brain is so big and sexy. like literally all of your thoughts have me drooling. im not a fan of hard doms because im sensitive as fuck, but you got me thinking like hmmmm 🤔🤔🤔🤔 maybe that does sound nice lmao. just all of your ideas got me 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️

EEP IM GETTING LAZY NOW IM SO SORRY BUT @ ALL OF MY MOOTS IM LITERALLY IN LOVE WITH YOUR WRITING/ART.

#celeste.chats #im very grateful for everything.

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unfortunate-stranger-losers · 5 years ago

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All Those Things They Couldn’t Say - A Runaway Baudelaires AU

{ao3} {tumblr} {masterlist}

Chapter Thirty-Five - We lost our opportunity for “Home Alone”, thanks Jacques

Violet sat at the edge of their map, sketching while she talked. “Beatrice and Bertrand faked their deaths with Lemony’s help. He snuck them out of the city.”

“No.” Jacques shook his head. “No, Lemony was investigated at that time-”

“And he was smarter than you little shits.” Violet shrugged.

“Beatrice and Bertrand would’ve gone to our organization for protection.”

“Likely.” Violet rolled her eyes.

“They’ve been on the run the last fifteen years.” Klaus said. “And ended up with us.”

“Then Olaf found-” Violet shut her eyes a moment, taking a deep breath.

Isadora, noticing her discomfort, picked up. “Olaf found they were in contact with Lemony. That’s… how he died.”

Jacques didn’t say anything.

“He faked a telegram and summoned them to Lemony’s place,” Duncan said, “And then kidnapped their parents.”

“We escaped.” Violet muttered, reaching into her ponytail and pulling her ribbon out of her hair, wrapping it around her fingers. “Olaf’s been following us, killing anyone near us. We had to take Duncan and Isadora because they caught his attention and- and we can’t let anything happen to them.”

“We can’t keep running this time.” Klaus said.

“Kill.” Sunny nodded.

Klaus shut his eyes, and translated. “We have to kill Olaf before he can kill us and our parents.”

“Children…” Jacques said. “This is very serious. You should’ve gone to the authorities-”

“The police will arrest our parents and VFD sucks.” Violet said. “We are on our own. Olaf killed your brother, don’t you want him dead?”

Jacques stared at the paper beneath him. “All I know is Lemony died in a fire at Valorous Farms Dairy.”

“Because Olaf killed him to get to us.” Violet said.

Jacques sighed. “I can’t say I didn’t suspect… but I- I heard he may be heading this way, so I came to investigate rumors he was involved with the recent Paltryville riots.”

“Well, he is heading this way, we’re here and he’ll come for us.” Violet said.

Duncan hesitated, before pulling his commonplace book out. “Did you say Paltryville riots?”

“Yes.”

“Would… that include the death of Georgina Orwell?”

Violet and Klaus stiffened, and Jacques said, “How do you know about that?”

“Um.” Isadora said.

“Bitch.” Sunny sighed.

“Jacques, just leave Olaf alone, let us handle him or help us kill him.” Violet said.

“Violet, you cannot just kill him.” Jacques said. “We can have the authorities handle this. Justice will be served.”

“Justice is watching him die.” Violet said.

“Mr Jacques, with all due respect,” Klaus said, “You weren’t there. He told our parents he was going to torture and kill us in front of them. He will if he gets a hold of us. He needs to die, and so does everyone helping him.”

“Children, we can figure this out.” Jacques said. “Listen, we’ll just go to headquarters-”

Within an instant, Violet’s knife was in her hands again, pointed directly at him. “Call VFD here and Olaf will be the least of your worries.”

“Violet!” Jacques sighed. “Listen, I just think…” he looked pointedly at the Quagmires. “If you go to our organization, you might find… several good things.”

“VFD stays out of this.” Violet hissed. “We kill Olaf, we find where he stashed our parents, and then we leave. We get the Quagmires somewhere safe and then go back on the run until we figure out something to do, and you will not tell your organization shit because we have knives and a very angry disposition.”

“Frater,” Sunny said, which meant something like, “Also, Lemony wouldn’t want you to.”

“Children-”

“This is not open for discussion.” Violet said sharply. “The last time someone contacted VFD, two men died- Sebald and Montgomery.”

Jacques shut his eyes. “May I… speak to the Quagmires privately?”

“No, you may not.” Isadora said.

“We’re not splitting up for any extended amount of time.” Duncan said.

“And also, we should get going.” Violet said. “We’re going to set a trap in the second floor. Will you join us or are you going to hang out down here and mope?”

Jacques sighed and sat back. Then, finally, he said, “You really are just like your parents. Beatrice was just as stubborn, Lemony also wouldn’t let anyone get a word in edgewise, and you’ve got that spark in your eyes that Bertrand had when he had a plan.”

“And it’s a good plan.” Violet said, hiding a smile. “We’re going up.”

“Call us if you need us, Uncle Jacques.” Klaus said, picking up Sunny.

Jacques mostly kept to himself on the first floor of the firehouse, so the children quietly got to work on the second floor. They brought the map up with them, and eventually managed to drag the rulebook from the shelf and to the top of the firepole to toss down if need be. Duncan boarded the windows, Violet and Isadora marked several floorboards that would be easy to break, and Sunny banged on an empty beer bottle with a spoon and sang a rather repetitive song she’d written herself. While that was going on, Klaus went over their supplies, muttering and trying to find something good to set them up with.

“I think if we put a tripwire under the door-” Klaus began.

“We’re using the rulebook for the firepole, Klaus.” Violet reminded him.

“I know, I know, but we could probably use the force of gravity, put a rock on a high shelf-”

“Do you have a rock?”

“Violet,” Klaus sighed, “There are rocks outside.”

“We could attach Sunny to the wire,” Duncan laughed slightly, picking her up as she cheered and dropped her spoon, “And have her bite his head off.”

Sunny growled and giggled and waved her arms.

“Not risking it, but good backup plan.” Violet snorted. “Have you got the windows?”

“I think so. I’m not great with a hammer but I got the boards up.”

“It’s just slamming it into a nail, Duncan, don’t be an idiot.” Isadora said.

“Listen, I have no motor skills or upper body strength.”

“Have you considered not being a weak-ass bitch?”

Violet laughed. “Alright, it’s getting late. I’ll take first watch, the rest of you chill.”

“We can’t chill, we’re committing premeditated murder in self defense.” Duncan whined, giving her pleading eyes, which caused her to laugh quite a bit.

“Let’s just lure him here now and throw a knife at his head.” Isadora said.

“We don’t even know if he’s here yet.” Klaus reminded her. “And if we’re all tired-”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve got the drill.” Isadora sighed. She found her bag, digging out her blanket. “Maybe we could strangle him with this.”

“A rope would be better. Maybe we should’ve saved the one from Dark Avenue.” Violet said.

As she sat beside the rulebook, looking down the hole, Sunny turned her. “Woc?” she asked. “Are we sure we can trust Jacques?”

“Absolutely not, so the guard on watch has to make sure he doesn’t do anything idiotic.” Violet said. “If he comes up here make sure he doesn’t drag anyone off by the ankles.”

Duncan curled against the wall, smiling as Klaus sat beside him and leaning his head on his shoulder, settling Sunny on his lap. “I feel bad for him. Like, he must’ve been in there for a while.”

“Lemony was abducted as an infant, so, yeah.” Violet nodded.

“Why do you think he wanted to talk to us?” Isadora asked.

“You’re easier targets.” Klaus shrugged. “Two of you, less experience on the run, more prone to be friendly to the cult.”

“As if.” Isadora snorted.

“That’s enough chatter.” Violet sighed. “Everyone shut up and go to sleep.”

“Sing?” Sunny asked, looking up from Duncan’s lap as she grabbed his jacket and wrapped it over her like a blanket.

“Guard probably shouldn’t sing. Won’t help the guarding.” Violet said.

“I can sing, though.” Duncan giggled, wrapping his arms around Sunny and leaning more onto Klaus. “Our Father loved this one- It was such a fine spring day, down Lou’siana way, with fragrance divine…”

“And such magnificent regalia,” Isadora sang along gently, wrapping her own blanket around her._ “Oh, so fine, Azalea.” _

“Oh, what a lovely sight, in red, pink and white! Can’t help but believe…”

“That nothing evil can assail you, so naïve, Azalea…”

Violet sat at the edge of the hole and kicked her feet, hitting against the pole every now and again. She heard Jacques writing something down below, and the fading voices of the others slowly drifting off to sleep, but she kept herself focused on her watch.

Just keep an eye out, Vi. Keep them safe.

Violet knew she should’ve waken someone else up for a watch, but instead she sat by the hole for a while, enjoying the silence. Eventually she laid down on the floor, staring at the ceiling and trying not to fall asleep.

She failed pretty fast, but thankfully she was awoken by a door slamming.

As soon as she recognized the sound, she sat up straight, her hair flying into her face. She quickly tied it back, peering down the hole and listening. No noises. And no movements. Likely someone had gone outside. Probably Jacques… fuck.

She ran to the other children, quickly pushing them and darting between sleeping bodies until they all sat up, groaning.

“We have a situation.” she muttered. “Jacques has left the building.”

Klaus glanced around. “What time is it? Why didn’t-”

“Jacques has left the building.” Violet hissed.

Duncan turned to the nearest window, froze, and said, “I’m starting to see the downsides of boarding up the windows.”

Sunny gave him a look, crawled over to the firepole, and immediately slid down.

“Fucking- Sunny!” Violet shouted.

She groaned, and Duncan jumped to his feet. “You get the bags, we’ll get Sunny.” he said quickly.

Isadora and Klaus quickly nodded, and Violet ran to the pole, sliding down and running as soon as her feet hit the ground, her eyes darting around the room. She finally spotted Sunny crawling on a dusty, creaky chair in order to peer out the window.

Violet slid to a stop beside her, and Sunny only blankly looked up and said, “Issi.” “Jacques is just standing outside. I think he’s just chilling.”

“Sunny, for fuck’s sake, what did we say about splitting up?” Violet hissed.

Sunny shrugged, as Duncan ran to the window and checked the outside. “Yeah. He’s just standing there- do you think he’s sending a message? Waiting for something?”

“Ughe,” Sunny shrugged. “Maybe he’s just being a weirdo.”

Violet peered into the dark. “Maybe he’s trying to guard. May- shut up.”

They quieted, just as Klaus and Isadora slid down the firepole. Duncan gestured for them to be quiet, as Violet put her hands on Sunny’s shoulders and squinted. Another figure was emerging from the darkness, and Jacques started heading towards, holding his arms up. She caught a few muffled words- “remember… friends… do good again…”

“He’s talking to someone.” Violet muttered. “I’m gonna hazard a guess, he’s doing something really stupid and trying to talk Olaf down.”

“Fuck.” Isadora said. “We’re not ready.”

“I was hoping for the element of surprise,” Violet muttered, “But we can still-”

“He’s going to get himself killed.” Klaus muttered, his eyes wide. He stepped forwards towards the door, and Violet grabbed his arm and yanked him back. “Violet!”

“I’m not letting you die because of his stupidity!”

“We can’t just let someone else die for us- we can’t let Lemony’s brother-”

“He made his choice.” Viole hissed. “We just need to do our best to kill Olaf before anything happens to us. We-”

“Shh!” Klaus suddenly leapt forward and grabbed Violet’s shoulders, ducking her down. Duncan quickly grabbed Sunny and knelt down beside them, while Isadora backed up against the wall.

At that, Klaus gestured to a far, stained window behind the bar. Outside was another figure, walking carefully, clearly straining to hear a sound inside.

Isadora sunk to the floor, her face going pale as she shook slightly. Duncan crawled beside her, grabbing her hand, while the Baudelaires shared a look, as they heard shouting begin outside.

“They’re surrounding the house.” Klaus gestured. “If we go out to attack, one of them could grab us.”

Violet paused, and then signed, “Side door leads to the firetruck. We could get there and drive over him.”

“They’ll hear the door open.”

“We’ll have to run.”

“What if they jump over the fence?”

“We have knives, idiot.”

Klaus nodded, and Violet shot him an encouraging smile before reaching over and squeezing his wrist. She turned to Sunny, who was hugging Duncan in an attempt to comfort him. Violet gave her a thumbs up, and then gestured to the sidedoor. Sunny’s eyes widened in realization, and then she beamed.

Both of the older Baudelaires crawled over to the Quagmires, and Violet pointed to the door, and then to Isadora’s bag pocket that held the throwing knives. Then she held up three fingers, then two. The Quagmires nodded, but just as she lowered her finger to one…

They jumped as they heard the sound a shot- a harpoon gun, firing off. They heard a gasp and a shout, and Klaus let out a cry. Instantly, Violet grabbed his arm, hauled him up, and shouted for them all to move.

They were at the door in a matter of seconds, and Duncan curled around Sunny as Violet burst the door open and took off for the truck. They heard shouts, running footsteps towards the source of the noise… they likely had a few seconds before they found the broken boards and found their way into the fence…

“Throw Sunny into the driver’s seat!” Violet called, and Duncan gave her a quizzical look. “Just do it and then jump in the back!”

Duncan sighed and tossed the toddler, watching as she grabbed the window of the truck, hoisted herself through, and thumped onto the seat.

Violet heard something whish behind her, and ducked Isadora down as a dart flew over their heads. They raced to the back of the truck as more things flew their way. Klaus occasionally glanced back to the driver’s seat, where they saw lights start up. Just as they reached the back of the truck, the engine began, and Violet leapt up, almost hitting the hose, and lifted Klaus in first, waiting until she was sure he was ducking against the wall before helping Isadora up. She then reached down for Duncan, who was trying to climb up himself as Sunny started shouting back for everyone to grab onto something.

And just as Violet grabbed Duncan’s arm, starting to lift him, there was another whish, from the other direction, the one Violet hadn’t been expecting anything from. And in a flash, Duncan let out a piercing, pained shriek that made Violet’’s blood run cold.

“No!” Isadora hurled herself forwards, just as Sunny hit the gas.

The firetruck burst forwards, as Isadora and Violet gripped Duncan and hauled him up. Violet’s eyes darted upwards, just in time to see a figure atop the fence, trying to crawl over, reaching to grab another weapon.

No, no, no…

Isadora was screaming, and Violet whipped around as Isadora and Klaus pulled Duncan to the back of the trunk, trying to stop him from shouting so much. The car shook as Sunny burst through the fence, and Violet could hear shouts of people running away from it.

“Roundabout!” Sunny called. “We’re facing away from Olaf, I could turn around though!”

Violet glanced towards her sister, and then down at Duncan. Klaus’s panicked, shaking voice was telling Isadora to keep him down, and Isadora put her hands on Duncan’s back, tears already streaming down her face. Duncan, for his part, was doing his best to stay calm when he had a large, sharp dagger jutting out of his shoulder.

“I- I don’t think it hit an artery-”

“Could it have? Klaus, could it have-”

“Shut up! I need to- to focus! Duncan, stay calm, we’re going to save you, just- just-”

Violet shut her eyes, and then called to Sunny, “Keep driving! We need to get him somewhere safe!”

Sunny didn’t question, and the truck drove off into the night.

Violet gave herself a moment to process. Harpoon gun- Jacques was dead. She was sure of that. Olaf had shot him, and he or one of his henchpeople had just injured Duncan. Duncan… Duncan was going to need help.

Sunny was… not the best driver of the group, and the truck swerved between streets, almost hitting mailboxes and porches. Klaus was struggling to help Duncan in such conditions, saying something about laying down, try not to move, Isadora _hold him in place, _Violet I need a bandage, everyone stay calm.

It was a bit hard to stay calm, though, as the truck sped forwards.

#asoue #asoue netflix #a series of unfortunate events #runaway baudelaires au #asoue fanfiction #all those things they couldn't say #mine #my fanfic #the vile village

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isakvaltersmut · 5 years ago

Note

When Chris gets a call from Isak at one in the morning asking him to please come get him in this hollow voice, he knows it's bad. Issy is barely responsive until Chris has him at his place, and then Isak starts crying frantically & hugging himself, Chris holding him tightly so so worried. Isak tells him that he lost his virginity that night, had been pretty upset and went home with a random older guy who was too rough & he was hurting and & Chris is worried he's hurt inside cause he's in pain.

ooohhhh yeees ugh.

TW: implied non/dub-con; implied injury

Chris had known Isak for a while, and they were pretty close, Isak was well aware of how protective Chris was of him. So, Isak was also aware that Chris would do anything for him, but Isak would never ask for anything. And when Chris wakes up in the middle of the night, his phone blaring as he squints at the screen and sees Isak’s name, he knows that Isak needs help. He sits up quickly, answering the phone with a tired voice, and all he hears is deep breathing, and for a moment he’s worried Isak called him on accident.

But then he hears Isak, and he knows something is wrong.

“Chris, can you come get me?”

He’s already getting out of the bed, gathering his clothes quickly.

“Isak, are you okay?”

Isak doesn’t say anything, but then he speaks again, “Can you please just hurry?”

Before he can even say anything Isak hangs up, only a moment later sending Chris his location, and Chris practically runs out of the flat into his car, driving as fast as he possibly can just to get to Isak cause he knows Isak wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t something serious.

And then he sees Isak, he’s standing by the road, wearing only a hoodie and hugging himself, constantly shuffling and moving, jumping slightly when Chris pulls up next to him. But Isak doesn’t get in the car, he just stands there and almost looks through it.

So Chris gets out, moving towards Isak and carefully observing his reactions.

“Issy?” No response. He moves closer, placing a hand on Isak’s bicep, and that’s when Isak looked up at him, his lips slightly parted, his eyes void of any emotion.

Chris swallowed at that, worry creeping up on him as he turned and opened the car door, slowly pushing Isak towards it until he sat down, wincing and letting out a whine as he did so. Chris frowned at that before quickly getting into the car, looking over at Isak who was just staring right ahead.

“Isak, are you okay?”

Isak nodded.

“Are you hurt?”

No response.

Just as he was about to ask if he should take him to the hospital, Isak spoke in a low voice, almost whispering.

“Can we please just go back to your place?”

Even though he didn’t want to, was scared, Chris nodded and drove away, driving way too fast but not caring, he needed to get Isak inside and make sure he was okay. He kept sneaking glances towards him but the boy payed him no mind, still looking out with that void expression on his face.

Soon enough Chris was unlocking the door to his flat, letting Isak go through first, the boy taking his shoes off before Chris did the same. Isak walked towards Chris’ room, already knowing that he would be sleeping there but Chris couldn’t help but frown as he observed his friend walking strangely, almost as if he was in pain.

They went inside Chris’ room, Isak sitting down on the bed, looking at the covers and spreading his palm on them, and suddenly Chris heard a sob, and then it simply kept going and going and Isak tilted to the side and lay down on the bed, curling up in a ball and hugging his middle.

“Fuck,” Chris cursed before rushing over to him, laying down and pulling him into his chest. And Isak gripped his T-shirt tightly, pulling him closer and sobbing.

“Isak, sunshine, I can’t help you if I don’t know what happened.”

Isak’s sobs get louder, he shakes his head before taking in a deep breath.

“It hurts so bad, it hurts Chris.”

Chris rubbed his hand over Isak’s back, desperately trying to comfort him.

“Where does it hurt, sweetheart?”

But Isak shook his head again, still crying.

And then Isak finally said it.

“I-I had sex with someone.”

Chris tensed at that, his jaw clenching as he tried to stop himself from breaking something, cause it couldn’t have happened to Isak...

“Is, d-did you... want it?” He clenched his eyes shut, but he felt Isak nod his head and he let out a breath of relief, but Isak was still crying, something was still wrong.

“I was just so tired, I just wanted to feel good for once,” Isak let out a sob as Chris tightened his hold on him. “S-so I went to this bar and this guy walked up to me and we started talking. He was a bit older than me.”

Isak cried louder, whining once he tried to shuffle closer to Chris and Chris already knew what happened before Isak even said it.

“I went back to his place and we did it, b-but I don’t think I was ready, he only used one finger and there wasn’t a lot of lube, he pretty much went in dry.”

Chris clenched a fist, pushing his other hand through Isak’s hair to calm him down as he continued to cry.

“I-I didn’t want to say anything cause I thought he was doing it right, but then he went too hard, it hurt. A-and I just left afterwards, he didn’t even care.”

Fuck.

Chris went to move Isak away so he could look at him, see if he needed actual help, but as soon as Isak moved slightly he winced before crying once more.

“Isak, I need to take you to the hospital.”

Isak shook his head, letting out a sob as he hugged Chris tightly.

“N-no, I don’t want to.”

Chris let out a sigh, he didn’t want to force him to do anything he didn’t want to do, but he couldn’t let him do this, his heart broke as he continued to listen to Isak’s cries while he stroked his back, desperately trying to calm him down.

“I’ll be there with you, I won’t leave you. You might be hurt, sunshine, you need to go to the doctor.”

Isak sobbed loudly, pushing his head into the crook of Chris’ neck, but he didn’t answer.

“I’ll be there, right there next to you, I promise.”

Isak didn’t move for a few moments, but then he leaned back, looking up at Chris as tears streamed down his face.

“You won’t leave?”

Chris smiles at that, placing his hand on Isak’s tear soaked cheek and brushing the drops away with his thumb.

He leaned forward, kissing his forehead before whispering, “never.”

#anon #hc’s #chrisak #tw: implies dubious consent #isak wanted to have sex but the guy was just too rough #tw: implied injury

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heartbeatxyouniverse-blog · 5 years ago

Text

Bangtan’s Seven || Chapter 2

Summary:

This is for all who knows Ocean’s eleven. This is a BTS version of it. || Finally, Namjoon is free again and he is looking for revenge on who has betrayed him. With an old friend and the best team in Korea.

Pairings: Namjin/ Taekook/ Yoonmin/ Hoseok x Oc

Genre: romance, comedy

Warnings: none

Words:

Tag List: @ddaengyoonmin , @miko-miko-rin

Info: This story was written by Issy. I haven’t changed anything. Orignial translated by Kibo.

< Chapter 2 >

Seoul, South Korea

It was dark in the streets of Seoul when two black figures scurried through the backstreets. Finally they stopped in front of a heavy-looking iron door, opened it and entered the building. By the light of the hall you could finally see that both wore smart black suits.

"Who will we find here?" Yoongi asked skeptically. He could hardly imagine that someone from their circles worked in such a locality.

"An old friend of mine, I actually thought we would find him at the cooking contest we were with, but since he wasn’t there, he can only be here, the only thing he likes to do besides cooking is singing and here he can do it.", Namjoon explained to his partner.

"I know that undertone in your voice, was there more between you?", Yoongi knew Namjoon long enough to know that he was trying to hide it.

Furthermore, Namjoon was a bad liar in some areas.

"Maybe we flirted once or twice with each other," Namjoon finally admitted.

"Ah I understand. That was to your 'I do not need relationships' phase Hopefully, he isn’t annoying. ", Yoongi sighed, giving Namjoon a look that he don’t want to know about this, because Namjoon had already started to reply, so he closed his mouth again.

Both continued down the hall until they arrived in a larger hall. There were tables scattered all around the room. It looked like lots of rich people, who were sitting on their chairs watching the show on stage in the front of the hall.

The two sat down at a free table and followed the different performances, until a young man with black hair, in black suit entered the stage and sat down at the piano.

"Ladies and Gentlemen Mr. Kim Seokjin!"

When the first notes of the piano sounded, along with the gentle voice of Jin, Namjoon felt something like inner calm, but also regret that he had let Jin go.

"It’s so strange I definitely love you so much I wanted to adjust everything to you And live for you too But the more I did that I couldn’t handle the storm in my heart Underneath the smiling mask My true self is coming out I’m the one I should love in this world Me, who shines, my precious soul Now I finally realize, so I love me Though I may lack some things, I’m so beautiful I’m the one I should love (I’m shaking and afraid but I keep going forward) (I’m meeting the real you, hidden in the storm)"

"Is he?" Yoongi asked when he saw Namjoon's eyes.

"Yes, he's the best we can get for this job," Namjoon replied confidently.

He knew Jin, he was the best and Namjoon knew that Jin couldn’t say no. He would certainly agree. He just loved too much to prove his talent and beauty.

"Why did I want to hide My precious self like this? What was I so afraid of? Why did I hide my true self? I’m the one I should love in this world Me, who shines, my precious soul Now I finally realize, so I love me Though I may lack, I’m so beautiful I’m the one I should love I may be a bit blunt, I may lack some things I may not have that shy glow around me But this is me My arms, my legs, my heart, my soul I wanna love in this world Me, who shines, my precious soul Now I finally realize, so I love me Though I may lack, I’m so beautiful I’m the one I should love I’m the one I should love I’m the one I should love"

After the performance, they sat for a few seconds before Yoongi raise first. "Let's go and convince your friend."

"Yes.", Namjoon also raises from his chair. Together, they made their way to the backstage area and searched the wardrobe of Jin.

Found,they knocked briefly and then entered the room.

Jin sat in a chair in front of a large mirror and watched as they entered the room and closed the door behind them again.

"I've already recognized you in the audience, Joonie, have you changed your mind after such a long time, haven’t you?" Jin asked, turning to face them.

"I am Kim Seokjin, but Jin is quite enough.", Jin then turned directly to Yoongi.

"Min Yoongi.", Yoongi introduced himself.

"Well, actually ...", Namjoon began, but was immediately interrupted by Jin again.

"You are planning something I can see that ... and you need my help. What is it?"

Namjoon sighed. Jin could see through him even better than Yoongi, but that was no wonder in their shared past.

Yoongi grinned something about Jin's brisk way. He really wouldn’t have dared to simply interrupt Namjoon.

Namjoon knew Jin wouldn’t like it when he talked a lot more around the bush, so he decided to kick the plan out.

"We want to rob the Dragon Style Casino on the opening day."

Jin's eyes widened and his mouth opened. Even the great Kim Seokjin had no answer to this.

Namjoon could only have become megalomaniac. That was the only explanation Jin came up with.

"I haven’t heard good things about Kwon Ji-yong."Jin exclaimed after overcoming his speechlessness.

"I'm very serious about this and I'm well aware of the risks involved ... I want you with us Jin. You're a great actor, the best in this field.", Namjoon insisted.

"Joonie, you know, I didn’t really want to do anything like that anymore," Jin sighed.

"It's about a fair amount of money.", Yoongi intervened for the first time in the conversation.

"How much?"

"150 million."

"Oh!", Jin looked at the two with big eyes. That was really a lot of money and he could use it. Only enough to convince him to participate.

"I know you wanted to quit, but if you don’t join in, we'll have to find another one that's probably half as good as you. ... I've heard Kai has nothing to do at the moment, he might be better ...", Namjoon tried to manipulate him.

Jin thought. Namjoon's talk had pretty much scratched his ego. Kai was never better than he. He was just mediocre. Kai's abilities weren’t comparable to his own. What did he have to lose, except maybe his freedom, if he joined in?

"I'm in. When and where?"

"Two weeks here in Seoul at Yeouido Hangang Park.", Namjoon grinned and Yoongi handed Jin another note with the exact location.

~Jin joined the team~

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mowseries · 6 years ago

Text

Character Journal Entry: Cardinal

>ACTIVATING ANALYSIS PROGRAM

>SYNCING CROSS-REFERENCE GENERATOR

>EXTRAPOLATING MEMORY DATA

>PREPARING CONTINGENCIES

>KEYWORDS: ISSIMO, COUNTERSHADE, VIRUS, DARK, 06.30.2016T MEMORY DATA

>WARNING!

>RobotWhiteCell ALERT: 06.30.2016T MEMORY DATA HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CRITICALLY HAZARDOUS

>OK

>CONTINUE

>PROCESSING…

>GENERATING CONTINGENCY…

“There’s gotta be something we can do to fix this.”

“There is no ‘we’ to this, Cardinal!”

[He paced around the dark room a bit, quite serious and determined in thought.]

“Issimo, I told you I would help, and you’ll find that I’m not an easy man to get rid of.”

[The two of them were alone in an abandoned building of some sort. While it wasn’t an ideal location, it was away from prying eyes and hidden cameras—and also not near to any friends and family that could be placed in danger.]

“You’ve already died once from something like this! You don’t understand what they’re capable of!”

[Cardinal shrugged and held a hand out to the side, glancing up at the deteriorating ceiling.]

“I’m aware that Shade Fox is a melee combatant with some sort of sword, and could probably sic Maverick Hunters on my chass if it were more convenient than using Maverick cronies instead. And I know about the neural inhibitor, too. Nasty stuff, though I’m not sure that would work on a Robot Master. If it did, probably not to the extent it could on a Reploid.”

“ ‘Could’? Try ‘would’. If you got in his way, he’d have full authority to alert the entire HQ. You can’t fight all of them!”

[The prototype had to laugh at this.]

“This is not a laughing matter!”

[Cardinal turned and grinned, putting his hands on his hips.]

“I’m far stronger and more experienced than even you and Countershade give me credit for. When I’ve come prepared, I can hold my own even against a trap-filled den of high-ranking assassins.”

“I don’t want to put you in that kind of danger.”

“I appreciate that, because it’s not ideal for me, either.”

[He turned to walk back over to face a boarded-up window.]

“Look… we can’t do anything when he’s in a position to command the Maverick Hunters. If you got labeled as a Maverick, it’d cause all sorts of trouble. Trouble that wouldn’t go away even if you took him down later. And it still wouldn’t solve the problem with Dark…”

[Cardinal vented a sigh, his data becoming broody.]

“It’s really inconvenient not having an expert on Reploids near at hand. I’m positive Doc Cossack is capable of it, given that some seriously powerful Reploids are eventually to be added to the DCN series…”

“We can’t do one without the other. If we found a way to get rid of Dark, Shade Fox would eventually catch on. And he’s way too smart to be lured into any kind of trap…”

“Feh. I can think of at least three different ways to deal with the man that have a pretty good chance of catching him at unawares. Though granted, one of them is too risky to bystanders and also likely to be far more than I can afford….”

"Ugh, no, I don’t want this to get other people hurt in the process, that’s exactly what I’m trying to avoid here…”

“I know, I’m just sayin’. I have a lot of ideas on dozens of possibilities. It’s what I do. I know the whole ‘black-ops’ nature of the thing makes it hard, but it’s not impossible.”

[He heard Issimo stand up and start walking up behind him.]

“And yeah, I get that you don’t want to get other people involved. I know what that’s like, I’ve been there before. But I learned something from my last crusade—trying to take on such a big challenge by yourself can get you killed. However, we’ve got resources at our dispo—”

[Two things happened very quickly that cut him off extremely abruptly.

First, there was a crushing clamp as he was gripped just to the right of his neck. Something dug into his skin—]

>ERROR X05: UNRESPONSIVE/DAMAGED SOFTWARE DETECTED: RADIO System, WiFi System HAVE GONE OFFLINE

[—and immediately jacked with his transmitter and transceiver, disabling both his Radio and WiFi systems.

And secondly, a green light flashed before his eyes.]

gZZZGGHVVVhnn—!

[The energy beam slashed his throat, severing his audio cables and cutting into his voice box. The sudden onslaught caused an immediate reaction that carried through even before the stroke had finished.]

<DLN-000 has entered Lethal Combat Mode.>

[Unfortunately for his attacker…]

[Cardinal used TIME STOPPER!]

[…It didn’t do squat against his (relatively) old-fashioned mobility rigging.]

“-SKREEEEEEEEE—-”

[He broadcast a shrill screeching noise over his speakers as surge activated and began to repair the damage.]

[Cardinal used SKULL BARRIER! Cardinal used RAIN FLUSH!]

“-Grating and distorted, gradually growing more normal sounding- Bastard!”

[He whirled around sharply.]

[Cardinal used SUPER ARM!]

[He only saw the red eyes of the enemy that had overtaken his friend for a moment before the force of the blow sent him flying across the room.]

“You’ve made a BIG mistake, you ARROGANT IDIOT—”

[Cardinal used LEAF SHIELD!]

[He didn’t hurl the swirling shrapnel shield at his opponent. Instead, he grabbed one of the whirling pieces before the cloud started spinning too rapidly.]

“Did you REALLY think that a sneak attack would work so well on me?! Or did you just think I couldn’t emotionally differentiate you and Issi?!”

[Cardinal his teeth and raised the leaf high in the air. With a powerful lunge, he gouged it into the base of his own neck. It hurt like crazy as he tore at the cabling and rigging there, but it was enough to crudely remove the neural inhibitor from his person.

As soon as he did so…]

-PING!-

>RADIO System NOW ONLINE

>WiFi System NOW ONLINE

>SYNCING TO RMDC…

“DON’T BE AN ASS!”

[He still had quite a fair bit of time before Time Stopper wore out.]

[Cardinal used THUNDER BEAM!]

[More than enough time to send out a message to the RMDC while he blasted his enemy.]

<DLN-000 to RMDC-ALL>: > -PING!-

<DLN-000 to RMDC-ALL>: > -DLN-000 HAS ENTERED LETHAL COMBAT MODE AGAINST “DARK”, REQUESTING BACK-UP IMMEDIATELY

<DLN-000 to RMDC-ALL>: > -REQUESTED LINEUP: INTERIOR—MNN-008, DWN-024, MNN-007, PKN-005, DCN-008; EXTERIOR—FMN-006, MNN-009, FMN-008, MNN-003-

<DLN-000 to RMDC-ALL>: > -SENDING COORDINATES…-

[He could feel the (oddly comforting) simmering anger of the others as they reacted to the news immediately with pings of confirmation and acknowledgement.]

“I’ve already experienced first-hand the hard way on how what it means to deal with parasitic enemies, and it takes a lot more than THAT to disable me!”

[The precious luxury of Time Stopper was running out, but it had let him accomplish everything he’d really needed.]

“You’re out of your league, Maverick!”

[Before Dark could make a move as the Time Stopper wore off, he was lit up by a thin red beam.]

“And we’re going to take you RIGHT INTO SURGERY!”

>ANALYSIS COMPLETE

>CONTINGENCY HAS BEEN GENERATED AND IS NOW ON FILE

>PROCESSING…

#cje #singersaboteursoldierspy #codedhopes #sirensniper

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impressivepress · 4 years ago

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Lessons of war

Matisse is known as a joyful artist - and yet he painted the last century's most pessimistic painting, The Piano Lesson.

Modernist manifestos tend to be full of radical rhetoric, but Henri Matisse's Notes of a Painter is a precise, sensitive analysis of his own work in which he says that what matters to him is expression. He doesn't mean the emotion communicated by a passionate face, but that conveyed by the whole painting: "The entire arrangement of my picture is expressive: the place occupied by the figures, the empty spaces around them, the proportions, everything has its share."

The Piano Lesson, a 1916 canvas 8ft tall and almost 7ft wide that is one of the glories of Tate Modern's Matisse Picasso show, is a textbook example of what Matisse is talking about. In it Matisse's son Pierre sits practising at the family piano in the home Matisse bought in the Paris suburb of Issy-les-Moulineaux. Pierre is made to look younger than he actually was - he was 16 - as part of an ensemble of effects designed to heighten and distil feeling. The placing of the figures - one of them hallucinatory - is full of tension. Pierre seems oppressed by the scale of this big painting. Above him, a woman supervises his practice from a stool. Her blank, watching face is sinister, even when we realise that this is merely one of Matisse's paintings, his 1913-14 work Woman on a High Stool. Pierre is pinned between this phantom observer and the sharp spear of the metronome, whose violent point is repeated in the triangular fall of shadow that obliterates a quarter of his face.

Greyness dominates and oppresses the picture, and it perversely demolishes pictorial logic, as a depressive mood might distort one's sense of reality. Thus the same grey colours the view outside the window, the walls and floor of the living room, and even the torso of the woman on the stool - to the extent that it takes time to feel your way to seeing the room as a room, the window as a window. Only Pierre himself is a fleshy, human survivor of this miasma, along with tokens of life: the bronze nude in the corner, the candle on the pink piano top and, like a torch beam, the ray of green garden that cuts desperately across the grey world.

Everything about The Piano Lesson exemplifies Matisse's own description of his art perfectly, except that the mood it creates is opposite to the ones we associate with him - the unbridled joy of his paintings, the bliss of his paper cutouts. The colliding, fragile, not-quite-touching areas of green and pink in The Piano Lesson, the glimpses of Matisse's sensuous world, are the most painful of all - reminders of life like the stirrings of spring in TS Eliot's The Waste Land.

Eliot is not what we think of when we think of Matisse - nor any other of the 20th century's memorable visions of hell. While Matisse painted The Piano Lesson, Marcel Duchamp was at work on The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even, his allegory of modern love as masturbation; Giorgio de Chirico was imagining Europe as a dead afternoon in a depopulated piazza. Modern art, whose first stirrings had been rapturous - most of all in the fauvist art that Matisse created in the 1900s - was turning into a desolation. Matisse is generally regarded as having set himself apart from this anguish. His painting is seen as conservative in comparison to the subversion of Duchamp, Picabia and dadaism - the anti-art that rejected bourgeois civilisation because it had created the mechanistic mass slaughter of trench warfare.

And yet it was Matisse who created the most insidiously pessimistic painting of the 20th century: The Piano Lesson. In this completely unexpected painting, Matisse paints the death of his own art. Soon afterwards he left Paris, settling in the south and not really making a comeback until the end of the 1920s. It's an elegy for a way of life, one that Matisse felt no longer made sense - even though in The Piano Lesson he offers a last, desperate justification for the French bourgeoisie.

Or perhaps it's all a joke, a parody of modern art, a satire on its melodrama, a dismissal of Matisse's self-styled revolutionary younger contemporaries. The Piano Lesson is so full of references to creativity that it is often seen as an allegory for Matisse's art. Matisse identified with music, as is revealed not just by his fiery decorative panel Music and later his Jazz series, but also by the fact that he played the violin and sometimes a mechanical organ on which, as his biographer Hilary Spurling relates, he once delighted his students by performing the whole of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. He was keen for his children to learn, making Pierre play the violin as well as the piano - his picture Violinist at the Window also depicts Pierre.

The Piano Lesson may indeed be an allegory for creativity. Through the tedium of practice, you attain the power to create beauty - the tantalising erotic promise of which is in front of Pierre if only, instead of looking blankly bored at us, he would look at the bronze nude in the left corner, art made with effort, offering joy as work's reward. But there's something excessive, morbid, about the scene that seems to go beyond a rationalist interpretation. This could be mocking how Pierre feels, how, made to practise the piano for half an hour before going outside, he feels that all life's joy has been stolen while he has been in here, in a grey fog, so that even the woman in the painting seems like an evil oppressor. But his paranoia might also have a metaphorical, satirical quality. Like Pierre, Matisse's contemporaries, with their cubist and futurist rhetoric, look younger than they are, and their polarised vision of the world - revolutionary modern art confronting a dead cultural and social order - is paranoid, melodramatic.

The Piano Lesson is a painting about modern art, made in direct response to cubism. In the mid-1910s, as Picasso was turning away from the sombre colours and rigorous destruction of visual conventions of early cubism to create more playful, decorative cubist pictures, Matisse started to experiment with cubism's quasi-mathematical emphasis on structure in paintings such as View of Nôtre Dame (1914) - pictures that are odd, slightly funny, as if he were pastiching a style that he finds uncomfortable. His jagged portrait of his daughter Marguerite in cubist mode is also slightly absurd. The Piano Lesson is Matisse's most serious, successful use of cubist techniques to flatten and compress space. By learning from Picasso, Matisse is able to make his own living room seem a depthless conundrum of existential terror. And yet even here he is parodying Picasso, or rather parodying the lesser lights of cubism, the so-called salon cubists, who used cubist innovation as a signifier of the new, mixing it up with more conventional figuration in paintings such as Jean Metzinger's At the Cycle Track (c 1914). These pictures, charmingly, celebrate the modern world - bike races, planes, the Eiffel Tower - by scattering around cubist planar effects. And not only cubists. A slightly different version of the same rhetoric of the new was concocted as futurist painting.

In The Piano Lesson, Matisse reverses that rhetoric. He takes modern art's instantly recognisable tics and tropes - the planes of colour of cubism, its distortion of space and quotation of words in paintings, emulating signs and newspapers - but instead of making them into a celebration of the modern world's energy, he turns them into images of modern society's oppressive rationality. Most of all, he sees the discipline and militarism of modern society as becoming indistinguishable from private life. Matisse later told Picasso that during the first world war the rival French units of military camouflage painters had called themselves the Picasso and Matisse units. You might detect a shame here, a sense that modern art did not liberate.

The grey in The Piano Lesson is easily seen as a military grey. At the time Matisse painted this, his relatives in northern France were living under German occupation. Far from dealing overtly with the war, this painting suggests a world before the war - it might depict a French middle-class home at any time since the 1860s. The ordinary affluence portrayed here is made explicit by Matisse in his jokey inversion of the way Picasso incorporated markers of modern, street-smart life through beer brands or collaged newspaper headlines. Matisse makes the name of the piano manufacturer visible: Pleyel, a classy yet popular French manufacturer of pianos since 1807. It sets the painting back in time, as Pleyel pianos were associated with 19th-century music - Chopin was in effect sponsored by them, playing at their salons. Liszt, Debussy, Grieg and, contemporary with this painting, Ravel and Stravinsky (who helped design a new model) were also connected with Pleyel. In this painting, though, the brand signifies the typicality of the scene.

It is possible to view the painting romantically: as an assertion that this life, and Matisse's art, will go on. But the picture is chillier than that. It is more that the boy is being compressed, chopped into shape by society, forced to follow the metronome, to play in time, and offered in return the lure of the bronze nude. We're not so far after all from Duchamp's The Bride Stripped Bare. And Matisse goes further than the dadaists. Where they proposed using a Rembrandt as an ironing board, Matisse suggests that modernism - and its latest fashion, cubism - is itself part of the deadening cultural logic of industrial, capitalist, warmongering society. Matisse's older son Jean was taken into the army in 1917, Pierre in 1918.

The metronome in this painting is stone-coloured and looks like nothing so much as one of the pyramid tombs painted by Poussin (Matisse studied Poussin in the Louvre). It is death's beat, the march to the grave, that rules The Piano Lesson - the time the boy is forced to accept, and which Matisse, an arcadian subversive, spent his life trying to slip out of into the free realm of art. The fascination of this painting is that it shows Matisse's belief in art breaking down; he momentarily admits defeat, and in that moment says more about the 20th century than any of modern art's more generally cited apocalyptic statements.

~ Jonathan Jones · Thu 2 May 2002.

#matisse #the piano lesson #ww1 #art article #The Guardian #painting

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artbysarah98 · 4 years ago

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Part 15 Gold glowing shoulders

Masterlist

Part 14 You won’t get any sleep tonight (18+)

Taehyung

Taehyung slowly woke up as he heard birds chirping outside. A little ray of sunshine was seeping through the curtains shining in his eyes. He blinked a few times to get used to the light brightening the room. Taehyung turned his head left as he felt somebody snuggle into him. A smile appeared on his facial features when he saw his girl.

A snicker escaped his lips, but he quickly put his hand on his lips to stay quiet. Flashbacks of last night shot through his head. Her confession of who, or rather what she, is, but also their nightly adventures in bed. She looked so cute and peaceful that you would not say that she has gone through what she has gone through as a teen. Nor that she is not human, but a vampire and a hybrid, 'I guess that Namjoon and Vince-hyung are right to say that not everything is what it seems.'

'How many people, hmm...creatures that are like her, in a sense, have I met? I don't know if Ella likes to be called a creature. I should ask her for a better term of referring to her kind,' reminisced Taehyung with a frown on his face and shifted to sit up. He hissed in pain and felt his back, 'Ella has left quite some marks there. Maybe it was more painful than she showed on her face last night.'

His face reddened a little as he recalled that Ella gave him her first time. Taehyung still found it strange that no other man had shown that kind of interest in her before. It could be that Ella never noticed that kind of pursuit from a man until she met him and probably instantly felt what he thinks is their soulmate connection. He felt Ella tighten her grip on his abdomen as she hugged him tighter. Tae smiled as he looked down at her. A strand of hair fell on her face as she shifted her head a little on his chest. Just when he was about to place the strand behind her left ear, the peace in the room was disturbed. His phone started to ring, quite loudly. It surprised him that Ella hadn't woked up yet by the noise when his eyes flicked to her. Vampire hearing and all that.

Taehyung left out an annoyed sigh as he wanted to enjoy this peaceful moment. They reminded him that parts of his life are still like how they used to be, well aside from the fact of knowing that vampires and werewolves are real and a combination of both was clinging to him, ever since he decided to audition and became part of BTS. The band that at the moment is the biggest K-Pop band on the planet. He slowly maneuvered himself out of Ella's arms and replaced his missing space with a pillow.

The moment he got up from the bed to answer his phone, something made him stop in his tracks. Taehyung felt something pull on him. It urged him to look back at Ella, who was still soundly asleep. He smiled as a cute snore came from her mouth. The pull ebbed away but was he was still slightly able to feel it when he had seen that she was, safely, where he left her. Only a few meters away. Although he found it strange, Taehyung also remembered what Ella's mother had always told Ella. Ella's mom believed that they, her husband and she, were true soulmates as they regularly felt a pull between them.

'Maybe what her mom believed, what I believe is real?'

Taehyung shook up from the topic of soulmates being a thing by his phone that got a call again. Shaking his head in disbelief as he saw that several of his bandmates had called him already multiple times before he picked up.

"Hello, this is Taehyung-imminida."

"Ah, Taehyung-issi! You finally picked up," said Jin on the other side of the call. Taehyung rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and turned around to the clock on the wall. 11.45. He gulped as they slept in, even though putting on an alarm. They slept right through it. Not that it wasn't worth it. He then remembered Ella saying that she had an agreement with one of the stylists to cut her hair today, "We have been trying to reach you for two hours now."

"Yeah," heard Tae in the background coming from Jimin, but became more prominent as he got closer to the phone, "Is Ella awake yet? The stylist-noona said that she is going back to Seoul tonight. She leaves for the airport at 13.30."

"No, she is not awake yet. Wait a second."

Taehyung placed his phone on the nightstand and started shaking Ella on her shoulder. She moved her shoulder a little and rolled over on her other side. Tae huffed as he sat down on one knee and whispered in her right ear, "Ella, wake up. You're going to miss your haircut."

Ella sat up straight in bed as she glanced at the clock, "Oh shit!" Taehyung didn't even have time to say good morning to her as he saw her vanish in front of his eyes. Trying to comprehend what just happened, Tae rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times. Then he heard rummaging in the bathroom. A little confused, perhaps even frightened, Taehyung picked up his phone again, voicing his thoughts, " She just vanished in front of my eyes."

"What?" said multiple voices on the other side, laced in the same confusion that his facial features show.

"Ella shot up after I alerted her of the time, saying 'Oh shit.' I blinked once, and she was not there anymore. Upon hearing sound in the bathroom, I realized that she was still in our room."

"That is scary."

"No, it's not Hobi. It is brilliant!" said Kookie's excited yet impressed voice.

A chuckle escaped his lips when he heard Jimin muse, "I wish that I could do that."

"It would be an amazing gift for you. You would never pull a Jimin anymore."

"Yah!" came from Jimin, who could barely hold in his laugh. A little moment of silence passed before everybody started laughing.

Tae wiped a tear from the corner of his left eye, "Was there another reason you called?"

"Yes, Sejin-hyung just informed us that we are flying back tomorrow. He said we should enjoy our remaining time in Riyadh while we're here," said Kookie in an excited voice.

"Thanks for passing the message along," said Tae as his eyes glanced at the bathroom door, "I'm going to go now. Tell the stylist noona to come up in 30 minutes. Ella will be ready by then."

He heard a confirmation from the others that they would do so and hung up. Tae waved his fingers through his bed hair. Before heading for the bathroom, he folded the clothes that were spread out around the bed, laying them on the suitcases, and made the bed. Taehyung also turned over the sheets so that the spot where he came on last night was hidden from sight as well, 'Okay, that looks like there were no sex activities here at any moment.'

Taehyung opened the window to let in the fresh air, but actually did it to air out any remaining 'sex-smell.' He grabbed some clean clothes from his suitcase and headed for the bathroom. His intention; showering with Ella while she was still under it herself. After opening the bathroom door, Taehyung placed his clothing next to Ella's on the towel rack. Slowly, he tiptoed over to the shower. Taehyung opened the door and engulfed his girl in a hug from behind as he joined her inside.

"Good morning, my favorite hybrid in the whole world!"

A giggle escaped her lips, "Good morning to you as well. Correctly speaking, I'm the only hybrid in the world."

"It doesn't make you any less my favorite one," said Tae as he placed a kiss on her right shoulder. He noticed a mark as he moved back to his original position, "Did you always have this mark here?"

"You mean that strange-looking crescent moon? For as long as I can remember. Why?"

"Two things. One, I have one as well, also on the right side. Two, I think it was half of a heart."

"What?" was her confused reaction as she turned around in his arms, looking up to him.

"You can check yourself in the mirror, but the mark on your back isn't a moon anymore. It is a heart."

He saw her eyes grew wide as she scanned her shoulder in the mirror, "What the hell? Up until last night, it was a crescent moon shape."

She felt on her right shoulder with a frown on her features. Ella's face became serious as she looked in his direction once more, "Turn around. I'll check yours."

He slowly turned around as Ella continued talking, "Could this have happened because we had...Uhm, you know."

"I know...what?" said Tae, teasing smirk on his lips. He felt Ella lightly punch his shoulder. Taehyung looked over his shoulder to find her eyes. Ella was quite red, "You know...sex."

She looked away shyly. Taehyung chuckled, "You're still so shy after being so bold last night."

"Stop it," muttered Ella as her eyes focused on finding the mark on his shoulder. Upon hearing her gasp, he knew that the birthmark on his back changed into a heart too.

"Mine changed as well, didn't it?"

Wordlessly, Ella confirmed his question. He turned around to see her look flabbergasted. Taehyung saw her mind gearing to find an answer to this situation. She opened her mouth, but there weren't any words forming on her lips. Something inside him, however, seemed to connect dots.

"What if your mother was right all along?"

"No, no, no," said Ella, violently shaking her head trying to deny that possibility, "soulmates can't be a real thing. If it was or is, then why does the supernatural community know so little about it."

'Ah, so that is what I should call creatures like her. Supernatural.'

"Maybe it is unique, just like being able to write with both hands," said Tae as he pulled her close, "Let's just ask Vince-hyung. Maybe he can help."

Taehyung felt Ella nod against his chest. He rested his head on top of hers. They stayed like this for quite a while, and slowly the shower started to light up in a golden glow. The brightest spot, for his eyes, seemed to be coming from the heart on Ella's shoulder.

"Your shoulder is glowing gold light!" said both of them at the same time.

"I guess this confirms that soulmates are a thing, but it gives me only more questions," said Ella as she pulled out of his embrace to look at him.

"I think we can," said Taehyung looking a little bewildered. Ella placed a hand on his cheek. A soft smile on her lips. He covered her hand with his and leaned in to kiss her. Before their lips attached, Taehyung saw Ella close her eyes, anticipating the feeling of his lips on hers. A smile graced his lips before giving her what she was waiting on.

He slipped his tongue in, the second he felt her lips part, inviting him in. Instead of going for her canines, like he originally planned as he knew that it excited her, he sought out her tongue.

After a few minutes, Taehyung pulled away, biting her bottom lip in the process, whispering against it, "Go and get dressed. The stylist will be here in a few minutes."

She nodded and slowly detached herself from him. Before exiting the shower, she turned back to him, "I enjoyed last night."

He glad that the shower water was warm and gave him a red face because his face has become as red as his hair has been in the 'Save Me' era. He let the water run over his face trying to calm down. Once he felt that he could voice his thoughts again, he spoke up.

"How do you feel? Was I too rough on you?"

He heard Ella trying to hold back a giggle. Emphasize on trying to.

"Just how much of a damsel in destress do you think I am?"

"Uhm, I don't."

"And you shouldn't. I'm stronger than you and the others, my uncle included. He knows that I am."

Taehyung could hear the tone in her voice. He also felt his shoulder burn. As if it was angry. Both gave him a feeling that she meant it.

"Glad to know you agree with me."

"How did you -"

"Probably the same way that you felt that I meant what I said. Through a feeling on my shoulder."

"When I think this soulmate thing is becoming easier, there are just more questions forming in my mind."

"You're not the only one," said Ella in response. A ring came in through the bathroom door, which Ella had opened before they came to their current topic, "I guess that is the stylist."

"Surprise me," said Taehyung, a smirk gracing his lips as she left him alone. Already wondering what she would look like when he would join them after his shower. It excited him. A little too much. He wasn't feeling anything coming from his shoulder. Unfortunately, it wasn't giving any intel on her feelings or thoughts. Or Ella is trying her hardest not to give information away.

'That is if this soulmate thing works that way,' Taehyung rested his head against the shower door, 'My body caught up with my brain. Hopefully, the bond doesn't work that way. I don't know how I would feel if she knew what she is doing to me. At least, not right now.'

Taehyung glanced down, knowing he needed to do something about his painfully erected penis, 'Why does thinking about her make my body react like this? It never did with previous flings.'

'It has to be connected to us being soulmates,' thought Tae as he turned the shower on entirely. He hoped his moans would be less hearable from the living quarters of the apartment. Through the running water, he could hear the girls laughing. A smile graced his lips, 'It seems like they're getting along...and if they keep this up, they won't even notice the sounds I make.'

He leaned against the wall. The water slowly ran down his well-built body as he grasped his erection. A soft, strangled moan escaped his lips as he started pleasuring himself. Throughout the years, Taehyung has learned that trying to calm down didn't help him. A release was his only option since going out into the living space with a hard-on would be very embarrassing.

Taehyung was glad that he had learned how to give himself a satisfying orgasm in a short amount of time. Tae let out a snicker as he remembered the only time that he stood on stage with a hard-on in front of a stadium filled with ARMYs. Once, but never again, is what he learned thanks to that incident. His hand moved slowly, setting up a rhythm that he found pleasurable.

Soft moans and groans left his mouth as he looked down. The precum started dripping down over his length. Taehyung glided his hand over the head of his dick, taking the precum along with the movement, to lubricate his hand a little more. The water from the shower was not creating enough for his taste. The slipperiness from his hand combined with the water that continuously hit his penis made him speed up his movements.

"A-ah, Ella," fell from his lips in a rain of moans. He knew since she helped him jerk off for the first time in combination with the memory of last night, that helping himself get off would never feel the same again, "Ella. Ah, Ella."

His hand moved faster and rougher. Taehyung was close. Very close. "Like that, Ella, just like that. Argh, I'm so close."

The remembrance of her moans as he pounded into her last night excited him even more. He tried to go faster, but his orgasm hit him as he stroked over his length in that rhythm twice.

"Aah," left his mouth in relief as he felt his penis soften as his cum shot out in big, white strings onto the door. It slowly trickled down toward the drain. Taehyung held on to the handle of the shower to keep himself standing. His orgasm had made him weak in his knees. His eyes followed his sperm as he watched it being flushed away through the drain. Taehyung was exhausted from one orgasm, but his release felt euphoric.

'I haven't come this much, of a memory, while jerking myself off, in a long time,' thought Tae as he rested the back of his head against the wall behind him, 'I don't know if it's the bond or her, but it felt amazing.'

Laughter filled his ears. It seems that the ladies haven't heard him because they didn't ask if he was okay. The syllables of Ella's melodic laugh made him smile as well. Taehyung was glad that despite her past and all the events since meeting him, she could still laugh like that.

She was everything bodyguard Young had described in his stories and so much more. 'I'll keep you safe and happy,' though he determined, 'I'll be there when you need me to be. I just know that we will be able to get through anything the universe sends our way.'

His hand graced over his right shoulder, a boxy grin on his lips as he felt something emit from there. It seems that his last thoughts got through to Ella. Somehow, at least.

Soulmates and this bond between them still had many mysteries to it, but they would find the answers. He just felt that they would, as long as they believe in each other.

Almost forgetting the reason he went to join Ella under the shower in the first place, Taehyung grabbed the bottle of shampoo she had used before him and washed his hair.

He let the shower rinse his body of all remnants related to their nightly adventure. Well, all except for the marks made by Ella's nails when he thoroughly fucked her for the first time in her life.

Something had told him, most likely the bond they shared, to give her the most memorable first experience ever. So he did, but also let her explore what she wanted to while he was teasing. Although Taehyung had to encourage her to do some things that she was too nervous about, which was completely understandable.

Tae looked in the mirror as he dried himself off. His eyes glanced over every mark she made on his body. Secretly, he wished that he brought his phone with him when he grabbed his clothes. That way, he could commemorate this view forever.

A slight smirk hung on his lips. 'ARMY would probably lose their minds if they knew how dirty I actually am,' reminisced Tae as his fingers slowly traced one of the red lines created by her hybrid sharp nails. It slightly stung upon touching, as he expected, 'Or how much you excite me into thinking like this? Making me do those things?'

He tossed the towel in the washing bin and dressed. Taehyung was glad that he grabbed a dark shirt for the day. That way, the nail marks won't shine through his shirt. Tightening his belt, Taehyung made his way to the door, barefoot, as he forgot his socks and shoes in his hurry.

Upon entering the living space, he heard Ella say, "Thanks again, have a great flight. See you back in Seoul."

All in fluent Korean. She has changed so much since her arrival back in July. She sounded like a native to him. Could their bond have made it easier for her to learn his language? Or is she just gifted in the languages?

Taehyung didn't know, but it encouraged him to learn English fast as well. He strived to become fluent in her native language, Dutch, as well. Ella had assured him to take his time. "Don't rush it," was what she said to him when he told her that he wanted to learn her language as well. He wanted to be able to say what she meant to him when BTS would go back to the Netherlands again.

He slowly made his way to the bed and grabbed the clean socks and shoes he left behind. As he put them on, his eyes glided to his girl. Her hair was a little shorter but still over her shoulders. It was something else that caught his attention, though.

The stylist-noona had braided her hair in a fishtail braid over her right shoulder. Ella reminded him a little bit of Elsa from Frozen with that hair.

Deciding to test if their English lessons paid off, Taehyung voiced, "You look ravishing with that hair."

He saw a smile grace her lips as she turned to him, pushing the door shut, "Do I now? Well, thank you."

Her eyes glided down over his outfit, "You look very slick yourself. Exquisite as my dad would say."

She walked over to him and took place on his lap. A knee on each side, giving him no chance to escape. The look in her eyes held something predatory. As if she has caught her prey and got him where she wanted him.

He gulped, a little intimidated by the current situation. Slowly Taehyung laid his hand on her waist. They looked into each other's eyes, a silent conversation between them. His right hand reached up and cupped her cheek lovingly.

"I love you," said Tae as he leaned in to claim her lips. A slow, soft kiss was all they needed to know how much their love for each other was.

Ella pulled back from the kiss first, whispering against his lips, "I love you too." For a second, Taehyung thought he saw stars twinkling in her eyes. The golden light from their shoulders shone brightly. It illuminated the surrounding furniture.

"I'm glad we met the way we did," said Taehyung as his fingers lightly traced her soulmark, "I think that I would have never found you if we didn't, especially if soulmates became a proven thing. I might have gone insane by not knowing if I had already met them."

Ella's lips held a soft smile, "Who knows?" She pecked his lips afterward, "Soulmates are fated to be together, according to the definition of the word and my mother's words. Eventually, we would have found each other, but in a different way."

That made sense as their shoulders proved it. Everything in the universe made it so that they would end up together.

"Do you think the others might have soulmates as well? Or that there are other forms of soulmates as well? Like on a friendship base?"

"I truly don't know. Even in the supernatural world, soulmates are a rare thing. Some documents covering the topic exist, but there is no concrete proof. The possibility might be real."

He saw Ella's brows furrow as she thought about something.

"All of you believed that Jung Kook would be awkward around me like he is around various other women, right?"

"Yes," Taehyung had a feeling that she was onto something, "Do you think you might have a bond with him as well? But on a friendship level?"

A confused frown was on his face as he thought about it. He didn't know if he was happy about it, but Jung Kook is his best friend. So if it turns out to be so, then he would accept it.

"It might explain why he was so out of character for all of you. However, I have never felt a connection to him. Not like I felt something pull me to you."

Her eyes were shining as she spoke about the connection. It made Taehyung's shoulder started glowing a little brighter and feel fuzzy. Taehyung liked it when she talked about it. Actually, he loved it whenever she openly spoke her mind.

"Maybe we can find out? I want to know if they can see the light as we do. My mind is overflowing with questions."

Ella giggled at his enthusiasm and placed her arms around his neck. His attention, undividedly, went to her.

"Calm down, tiger. I have questions and curiosities as well, but, first I have to do something."

His brows furrowed in confusion, "What?"

"This."

A little taken aback, Taehyung felt her lips mold with his. He overcame his little shock, kissing her back. She pried his lips open and slid her tongue in. She chased after him, showing him that she could be dominant as well. It excited Taehyung even more.

His arms pulled her against his chest as he tilted his head slightly to increase her access to his mouth. Eventually, Ella pulled back. Both of them panted heavily. Faces flushed. Pupils enlarged just a tiny bit.

"Kiss-Kissing with you will ne-never get boring," said she in between pants as she laid her head on his shoulder. His hands slowly moved and engulfed her into a hug.

"Aah, why do you leave me breathless every time we make out."

A snicker escaped his lips. A smirk evident on his features as he smugly said, "It must be my amazing kissing skills that enchanted you."

That earned him a punch on the chest. Laughing so hard that he coughed while rubbing over the sore place. However, it didn't help. Taehyung felt her gaze on him. His eyes searched for hers. When they met, he could see that Ella didn't look happy.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," said Taehyung as he looked genuine. However, a slight smirk made it's way back to his face, "But, you must admit, they're a part of it."

Ella mumbled something under her breath.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that," said Taehyung using almost the same words he told her last night.

She let out a huff that he found adorable as she said a little louder, "Perhaps."

His face morphed into a pout. Taehyung moved Ella from his lap. He could see that she looked surprised at his reaction. However, he made up his mind. Tae wanted her to say that his skills were breathtaking. He stood up and walked toward the exit. His shoulder started aching as if it was sad or angry. Taehyung couldn't determine the difference yet. Yet, he felt as if he should turn around and apologize.

Before Taehyung could even make it past the kitchen area of the room, a pair of arms locked around his waist. Ella pressed herself against his back - something that excited Taehyung more than he thought he would, ever since the first time - as she almost screamed, "Okay, okay!! Your kissing skills are one of a kind, but maybe this bond between us makes the experience even more exhausting."

Taehyung turned around in her arms as she continued, "I can't remember ever feeling like that due to a kiss."

"Especially as a hybrid. I rarely get exhausted. Yet, I have been every time we've kissed," said Ella seriously while they locked eyes. Taehyung gave her a quick peck on the lips as he spoke, "Thanks for admitting that I have unique kissing skills, but you might be right. You leave me breathless as well."

He showed her a boxy grin as he saw her smile at him. They had reached an agreement whether it was the same didn't matter to him. Taehyung extended his hand for her, "Let's go out today!"

"Don't we have to fly back today?"

Popping the 'p' Taehyung responded, "Nope, we were given the day off. We fly back tomorrow."

——————————————————

His hand tightly holding onto hers, they stood in the elevator. Taehyung suddenly said, "I want to spend some casual time with my girlfriend sightseeing through Riyadh."

He saw Ella raise an eyebrow as the doors opened for them to enter the lobby. Her face said, 'How do you want to go sightseeing when people follow us almost everywhere we go?' Or it was their bond that did. Honestly, it started to confuse Taehyung.

However, her gaze wasn't on him when he heard or felt her question. His eyes followed her gaze over the comfy-looking couches and past the modern wallclock to the entrance. Now, he understood her worries.

Outside was a crowd of people. Fans and media alike. It seems that one way or another, their location has been leaked.

'There isn't anything we can do about this now,' Taehyung looked back to his girl. The worries and anxiety are visible on her features. Their fingers touched interlaced as he started pulling her along, away from the lobby.

It took her a few steps to catch up with him. When she did, Ella rested her head against his arm and sighed. It hurt him to see her so upset. To encourage her, Taehyung gave her hand a light squeeze. Then he placed his arm over her shoulders and pulled her entirely against him. His shoulder started feeling fuzzy. It made him smile. Well, he made the right move. Upon entering, he saw Jimin and Jung Kook waving from the left side. They sat at a round table decorated with a small lightened candle in glass. The glass was see-through colored blue and patterned wavey.

Slowly, the couple made it's way over to the boys. Jimin was still happily eating his food, saying good morning through a stuffed mouth. However, Taehyung saw JK's demeanor change in a matter of seconds. From enthusiastically waving to concerned, yet the thing that Taehyung noticed was that Ella and he didn't even look at one another.

'There is something similar between them to what I have with her as we expected, but does he know?'

He felt a pang of jealousy as he saw his best friend being so overly concerned over his girl. At the same time, Taehyung was also curious if his earlier questions about multiple soulmate connections being an option. Or maybe his bond was making him behave differently around Ella?

Jimin's voice got his attention as he spoke with his mouth full, "Tae*munch*Taehyung-ssi, where are y*munch*you with your mind?"

"Hmm? Sorry," said Tae while his eyes were still on the silent conversation that Jung Kook and Ella were having. It was as if they knew exactly how to understand one another, "My mind was somewhere else."

His eyes were not leaving the pair as he answered his friend. Jimin's eyes followed the direction Taehyung was looking in. For a second, it seemed like something ignited his mischievousness. However, Taehyung suspected that Jimin had a change of heart when he saw the sad gleam in Tae's eyes.

"You know, you two have something special, right?" this caught Tae's attention. He was about to speak up, but Jimin raised his hand to stop him from doing so, "I don't know if they have something similar, but the connection between you two is feelable in the room. Even now."

His eyes glanced over Ella, but she was chatting with JK about something vulgar. Completely different than the silent conversation that he had seen happening right before his eyes. The topic was her favorite killing method. Jimin and Tae crossed eyes as a chill ran through them, only by thinking of it. Disregarding their chat, Taehyung asked, "What do you mean? Perhaps better said in what way do you feel it?"

His head slightly cocked to the left. Jimin pursed his lips as he thought of a way to explain it. Taehyung saw his eyes light up, "Your face lights up every time anyone talks about her, but it turns into something dangerous when a comment makes you jealous or when Ella has a bad feeling."

Taehyung awkwardly scratched his left cheek as Jimin continued, "However, when you two are together, I don't know, it seems like there is a magnetic pull between the two of you. The others and I agree that it feels like electricity following the both of you. Guiding the pair of you to each other."

"It does feel like," said Taehyung as his hand grazed over the hidden heart on his shoulder. A little electric-like shock shot through Taehyung's hand.

"Is something wrong with your shoulder, Taehyungie?" came Jin's voice from behind him. Taehyung and Jimin looked in the direction that the voice came from and saw the rest of the members coming to join them. Jung Kook and Ella didn't notice anything, or it seemed that way in her case.

Taehyung shook his head, denying Jin's question, "No, there is nothing wrong with my shoulder. What makes you think that?"

"Well, you have been touching the same spot on your shoulder a lot lately. Somehow, it is always when the topic is on Ella," said Yoongi as he plopped down next to Jimin.

Taehyung and Jimin looked at each other, having a silent conversation with one another. Jimin nudging his head to the others in a way that said, 'Tell them.' Tae let out a huff and glanced at Ella. He was not sure if she listened in or not as JK was keeping her attention on him, but the comforting feeling emitting from his shoulder was enough to let him know.

The feeling made his entire body warm and made him feel as if he was floating on air. He got shaken up from that feeling when someone sat down on his left.

"Well?" asked Jimin, once again nudging his head to the others, who joined them.

Taehyung let out another huff, not feeling ready to tell them, but blurted out, "Ella and I are soulmates. Well, for what we know."

He looked at the men who he saw as brothers. They were glancing amongst each other, but none dare to say what they were thinking. Well, all but the one who missed his previous conversation with Jimin, Jung Kook.

"Does that mean that you are fated to be with one another?"

Tae heard Ella trying to hold in a giggle as she answered his question, "In the meaning of the word soulmate, it would seem so. However, even in my world, soulmates are a whisper. Something so rare that there is no proof of it. So, we don't know."

"The only thing we do know is that since this morning, specific marks on our shoulder glow up golden at some moments," finished Taehyung with the information that they did know about their situation.

"What does bodyguard Young think about this?" questioned Suga as he looked from Ella at the end of the table to Taehyung. As the others watched the pair, they met glances with each other.

There were no words said between them. Taehyung doesn't know what it looked like for the others, but for him, it felt like that look between them told everything. A warm, fuzzy feeling floated through his body as they seemed to 'communicate.'

In sync, they said, "No, he doesn't." Their eyes finally pulled away from each other. Before Taehyung set his eyes back on his hyung, his eyes flicked to the maknae of the group. Something irritated him in the way that Jung Kook looked at Ella.

'Maybe there are multiple kinds of soulmate bonds,' lingered on top of his mind as he suddenly felt a soft hand over his under the table. He didn't need to look down to know that it was Ella's hand. His soulmate's, who was trying to tell him that it is okay. Regarding how he feels about a 'possible bond' between his girl and his best friend.

Taehyung would stay true to his thoughts from this morning if it turned out to be true. He would accept it. No matter how hard it will be.

Taehyung let out a soft sigh before he moved his eyes back to Yoongi. His hyung looked in thought when he looked back. A silence hung over their table. Well, aside from the sounds of enjoying their food in front of them. Next to him, Ella only sipped on a cup of tea.

He wondered when she ate for the last time. Would she ever show him? Tell him? The people around them either thought she already ate or didn't pay attention to it. But he and the others knew better.

In the distance from the lobby, Tae could hear a child laughing while yelling something to their parent over the sound of the quiet business chatter of the staff and guests. The kid sounded so carefree. It made Taehyung feel a little jealous. Ever since their big break, globally, it has been impossible - or at least near impossible - for him to be that carefree.

He couldn't even walk Yeontan in the park without security, stroll around the city center or go to see their GangnamDol on K-Star road whenever he wanted. 'But if my life wouldn't be like this, then I would not have found Ella. Or it would have at least taken longer than it has now,' thought he as Taehyung shifted his hand to lace fingers with Ella, 'I think I'm starting to understand what Jimin said earlier. Something special is connecting us, even if we weren't soulmates.'

"I do think you should tell him. He deserves to know," said Yoongi-hyung before a mini smile graced his lips, "You look happy, Tae. Ever since meeting her."

"I am," was all he answered. He saw the eyes of his mates across him get bigger as if they saw something unbelievable happening, but what? When Taehyung shifted his gaze to Jin, Hoseok, and Namjoon at his side of the table, looking over his right shoulder, he understood what caused their reaction.

A faint golden glow was shining right through his jacket, indicating their soulmate bond. For him, it was part of his life now, but his friends saw it for the first time. Just like the pair this morning, they had never seen it in before.

'Maybe the glowing really started after we had sex?' thought Taehyung as his eyes went to Namjoon, who said, "That is going to get some getting used to."

He used his hands to slightly cover his eyes at the strength of the golden light emitting from their shoulders. Because Taehyung saw his eyes shifting between him and Ella, just as he wanted to look at his girlfriend, Hobi-hyung got his attention, "Do you have any control over this? People are starting to look in our way."

Taehyung looked around the room. He saw that the remaining guests in the restaurant, as well as the staff, were looking at their table. Well, that is something new. Looking at them for light shining from his shoulder instead of recognizing him from who he is.

"I don't think we can influence it, but when I tell my uncle, we can go and look up more information about it. The best idea might be to explain what is going on, but people might have difficulty understanding it," said Ella thoughtfully. Her face seemed determined when he looked at her. She really wanted to find out more about this.

Taehyung gave a squeeze in her hand that he was still holding, and she understood what he tried to say to her, 'You look sexy when you're determined to get to the bottom of something, but don't overwork yourself.'

Ella's eyes shot to him as her face became a little red, but showed him a thankful smile, 'I'll be okay. After all, I'm not going to do this on my own. Uncle Vince will help me.'

"Oookay, can you stop whatever you're doing? It is giving me the chills."

Before the pair could answer, Jin shushed the complaining Hoseok, "Hobi, you're going to have to get used to it. It is part of Taehyung's life now. Therefore it also becomes a part of our life."

With that, Jin stood up and asked, "Does anyone want to come along with me to the shopping center?"

Hobi and Jimin stood up and joined him, while Yoongi, Jung Kook, and Joon said that they had other plans for today. Jin's gaze shifted to the lovers.

"Sorry, we are going to do some private sightseeing," said Taehyung as he stood up and pulled Ella into a side-hug, "But have fun!"

"Shall we eat dinner together?" asked Namjoon. Everyone gave an affirmative to him.

——————————————————

Taehyung and Ella scrolled along the streets of Riyadh on their sightseeing tour. Their walk had been peaceful after they left the hotel via a side entrance to avoid the crowd of people wanting to see a glimpse of them.

To avoid being spotted, both of them were wearing a cap on their heads. The sunny weather was working in their favor as they could wear a pair of sunglasses to hide their eyes as well. Taehyung was used to attention even when he was on the streets for personal business, but he could see that Ella was a little tense. Even in a disguise that hid who she was very well.

'What can I do to ease her tension?' thought Tae as they passed a little café decorated with a sign that said 'Happarie Tet-a-tet.' The board made him stop in his tracks and also Ella, as they were walking hand in hand.

"What is it, Tae?"

"Are you thirsty?" asked Taehyung in return, a boxy smile on his lips as he pointed to the café. It was further away from the main street where they were walking. His eyes met Ella's face, who seemed more relaxed than before. Before he even got an answer, Taehyung dragged her to the café cause he knew it was what she needed right now.

"Don't we need to let your bodyguards know where we're going?"

"You don't need to worry about them. Those men need to be able to follow us in large crowds. They are watching us like hawks," said Taehyung as he opened the door for her, "Technically, they are also your bodyguards now. All members of the security team have been since we started dating. Even your uncle, who is now the others that went to the shopping center."

Ella looked at him in disbelief before she realized why she was so tense in the first place, making his statement very solid. Once the door closed, a bell was ringed, indicating to the owner that somebody had entered. Taehyung looked around the café. It had a vintage yet unique style.

All of the store's pieces of furniture are wood-carved. Even the chairs looked handmade, which gave the atmosphere a warm and loving feeling. The decoration was the finishing touch. It gave a unique feel to the café. All tables had four different chairs, and none of the sets matched each other. The table blades had different shapes as well. Some were straight like any other wooden table, yet others had a form original to them.

One table blade looked like it just came from the tree and screwed onto its footing. A few were in specific shapes, like cloud form, circles, and even a heart. Taehyung's gaze shifted to the menu. He didn't know if it was the entire menu, but it was on a chalkboard above the counter.

"Tae, you picked out a good place to have a rest," came from his soulmate, who smiled from ear to ear. The pair reached a table in the middle of the café. Aside from them, there was only an elderly couple sipping on their coffee while making small talk and a young adult reading a book at the window.

After taking out Ella's chair for her, he took his seat himself. They looked at the menu on the chalkboard, even though they had one in the stand on their table. A few minutes later, an employee came up to them.

"Have you been able to make your choice?" asked an elderly woman in Arabic.

"I'm sorry. We don't speak Arabic," answered Taehyung, showing off his improved English. Ella shook her head with a smile on her face. 'Show off.' That is what he clearly understood from his shoulder.

"Oh, foreigners. What can I get you?"

"I'd like a latte macchiato. What about you, Tae?"

"Tea with sugar, please."

The woman said they would get their order shortly after writing down their order. He watched the lady walk back to the kitchen as she gave their order to the staff.

"So, what were your plans when you wanted to go on this spontaneous sightseeing trip?"

The honey-sounding syllables, formed by his soulmate, brought his attention back. Ella looked at him with curiosity.

'Is she trying to read my mind, or could our bond be sharing secrets?' thought Taehyung as he saw her pupils enlarge slightly. Her gaze focused on him. She followed every move, from his gulping to the awkward scratch on the back of his head.

'He looks so delicious. Maybe if I ask him, he will let me taste his blood? Argh, why do you have to keep tempting me? Or is our bond enhancing what I felt when we first met and still feel now?'

"Am I that tempting to you?"

Tae saw her blink a few times. Then she became red. He folded his arms on top of the table and laid his head on it. He grinned at her blushing face, "I love that look on your face."

"Oh, stop it," said Ella as she tried to give him a light push on the top of his head. However, a waiter bringing their drinks interrupted her movement.

Tae snickered in his hands as he got up to make room for the waiter to place their order on the table. Ella had become even redder.

Judging by how she reacted to him, Taehyung guessed that she knew that he got information about her thoughts. He would have enjoyed it if she denied or fought back. On the other side, he appreciated her honesty.

After all, his parents always taught him that honesty and trust are the foundations that build a good relationship. Ella has shown him that by telling the truth about who she is and trusting him with it. Well, aside from the mind compulsion to keep the secret when he is with other people.

A waving hand in front of his eyes brought him back to Earth. When he looked at his girl, she shook her head, smiling.

"Where have you been?" Ella asked as she found his eyes. Taehyung scratched his head as he grinned awkwardly, "Sorry, I had something on my mind."

"I guessed as much."

"Did you say something?"

"I said that you never answered my question on what your plans were when you wanted to go on this sightseeing trip."

"I was thinking either the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre, which is a museum I have wanted to visit, or King Abdullah Park," said Taehyung as he took a sip of his tea.

"Both sound interesting. Maybe we can do both? I mean, we have enough time." Ella said as she put her coffee down.

Taehyung looked at his watch. Local time 13.20. She is right. His boxy smile graced his lips, "Why not?"

——————————————————

"Look, a fountain!" exclaimed Ella, excitedly as she dragged him to it.

Taehyung smiled at her fondly as he let her take him to it. They spend a few hours at the museum, and now they had finally reached the park.

Ella had discussed with him why certain pieces were underrated, while she asked for his opinion on some of her favorite artworks.

Taehyung learned through that visit that she was not only an experienced artist herself but also extremely knowledgeable on art. Ella had told him that her father taught her all that she knew of it.

'Now that I'm thinking about it, she does have a lot of art books in her room at her uncle's,' thought Tae as he looked at his girl leaning over the edge of the fountain, smile evident on her lips, 'I'm sure that I have also seen some of them laying around my place.'

Taehyung gave her a back hug, caging her in his arms, "Enjoying yourself?"

Ella's sweet laugh filled his ears as she answered, "Yes. I have had a wonderful time today!"

"I'm glad," said Taehyung as he rested his head on her right shoulder, "We rarely get to spend time together like this. There is always somebody that interrupts us, or I have a gem-packed schedule."

He felt Ella hum in agreement against his chest, "It is part of your job. That is why we should treasure moments like these. Before we know it, we are older, and BTS might have parted ways to start their own families."

Taehyung doesn't want to think about stopping BTS just yet, but he also knows that she is right. They all still have to serve their mandatory military service, and all of them are not getting any younger. At some point, they probably will have to put a dot behind the BTS career and continue as solo artists or redirect their career as BTS to something they can still do when they are in the forties.

He turned Ella around and looked into her eyes. At this moment, everything felt right. The easy-going environment, the sun setting in the distance, and the sound of moving water due to the fountain. Just the two of them, aside from the bodyguards that keep their distance, but are there to protect Ella and him in case something happens. Ella's eyes seemed to be sparkling, and the familiar pull was on them again.

Slowly, Taehyung leaned in and captured his girl's lips in a kiss. Slow, but precise. He was trying to tell her that no matter what would happen in the future, they will still be together. Not only because of their glowing shoulders, which Tae was certain off that he could feel. His soulmate-mark, which mistook for a birthmark all those years, started to sting a little. All previous times he sensed it, Taehyung didn't know what it was, but now it seems to be connected to the unbreakable bond he shares with Ella.

Taehyung also believed that they would still be together in the future. He can be himself around her. He knows that he can tell her anything if he needed to. Their lips moved over one another and turned into a game of teasing. When Ella tugged his bottom-lip and tried to pull away, he chased after her. Taehyung tugged her lip before pushing his tongue in.

'Her tongue moves so expertly. It's hard to believe that a few months back, Ella felt insecure when we kissed. Now she tries to take control and initiates kisses,' thought Taehyung as he fought her for dominance. His lungs started to burn for air, but he ignored it. Kissing Ella was just too addicting. Ella seemed to notice that Tae needed air and pulled away. This time she stopped him from chasing her lips.

"You need to breathe," said she in between pants herself. She rested her head against his and looked into his dark eyes. A golden glow illuminated her frame. It made her look even more perfect than that she already is. Taehyung let out a sigh as he pulled her against him, "I don't want to go back yet."

"We have to at some point."

Frustrated, Taehyung answered, "I know, but that doesn't mean that we can't walk back slowly."

Tae took Ella's hand and started tugging her toward the hotel. A boxy grin around his lips as he mischievously said, "As long as we're back by 23.00, it should be fine. We don't have to get up until 10.00 tomorrow, and we already packed most of our luggage."

He saw her shake her head as she couldn't believe his reasoning for spending even more time together. The shopping team had called them when they were halfway through the museum, telling them that they were on the way back to the hotel. In return, they informed them that they would need a little longer. That was three hours ago. Taehyung guessed that the others didn't wait for them with dinner.

"You're so clingy. How do the others tolerate this every day?"

"That is something they accepted over time," said Taehyung while taking Ella into a side hug.

——————————————————

Taehyung put his toothbrush back into his toiletry bag and fixed his hair with his hands. When he was satisfied, Tae went back to the main room. His eyes glided to the bed when Ella was already sleeping. She didn't even have time to close the curtains. He suspected that she passed out as soon as she laid down.

He walked over to the window, taking in Riyadh night-time one more time before closing the curtains. A smile graced his lips as he pulled up the sheets to join his girl in bed and saw that she was sleeping while wearing his shirt. It made his heart beat a little faster, and he felt butterflies in his stomach. Ella felt comfortable enough to claim one of his shirts as her own for the night. Aside from his hyungs, no-one does that. Not even past one night stands or flings.

Ella turned around and snuggled into his chest when he laid down next to her. It made his heart and stomach feel even more. Slightly, it also boosted his ego cause he knows that the others don't have someone that clings this close to them every night.

Everything was perfect, aside from the soft moans he could hear from the room next door. Taehyung doesn't remember whether it was Jung Kook's or Jimin's room, but it boosted his feeling of wholeness even more. He doesn't have to jerk himself of anymore every time he was hard. Now he could ask Ella for help.

He turned slightly onto his side and pulled Ella into a hug while closing his eyes. Slowly he drifted off to dreamland, and a smile evident on his lips.

Part 16 tba

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