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mochikeiji · 4 years

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Rest Your Heart

↠ Pairing: Bokuto Koutarou x Akaashi Keiji

↠ Warning: TimeSkip AU! Over thinking, anxiety, angst to fluff

↬ Word Count: 2,052

Summary: Everyone has that one person who will always look after them and their well being. Bokuto has had enough of Akaashi torturing himself from all the papers and projects given to him. He didn't like knowing the fact that he was always drowning into an ocean of hardship and darkness, so he steps up his game into letting Akaashi take a break.

⇢ Day 5: Touch (cuddling, hand holding, huddling for warmth), Bed-sharing! @bokuakaweek2020

✎﹏

Working is tiring for everyone. It's even more exhausting to use your brain into thinking with good ideas. What's worse is that sometimes, people tend to force to milk out every bit of their brain juice in order to master and reach their own satisfaction in their work.

Akaashi was not a stranger to that description.

When you work as an editorist, like he is, it's automatically embedded in you that what you must submit it worthy to be read. Like a every writer, the common thing they had was content. Will it be good? Will it be read? Thousands, even millions of thoughts would swarm a single person for that matter. There mustn't be one speck of mistake in your work. Everything must be already there, written, revised and correctly formulated.

Dealing with this especially when you were assigned to take care of a big project from your seniors was a huge amount of pressure for Akaashi. He couldn't say he hated his job nor loved it. But he can tell that he wasn't happy knowing he wasn't taking care of his health anymore.

"Akaashi~ you're taking too long."

Luckily Bokuto was there.

"10 more minutes, Bokuto. I'll be done." he replies without taking his eyes nor hands off of his laptop. Still hunched over his desk, eyes squinting on each word he's typed in so far checking to see if there were grammatical errors or spelling errors that needed to be changed.

"You've said the same thing 6 times way back now, look," raising his foot, Bokuto points it out on their wall clock above his desk, "It's already 7:30 pm. You haven't even touched your onigiri!" Akaashi takes a small glance to his left side. The onigiri's were left cold and untouched for the past hour since Bokuto had bought home, "Seriously, you need to stop over working your self. One of these days you're bound to collapse.." He mutters the last past, not wanting to imagine his beloved Akaashi fall without him around to pick him up.

He hears a frustrated sigh coming from him. When your partner is stressed and you were just trying to help, it usually ends with the stressed one blowing up on the other one. Atleast, that's how other couples work.

"I'm sorry." not for both of them though, neither one would dare to hurt the other one. For one reason, Akaashi was just not the type of person you'd want to yell at, look at him, he's just a quiet, little man trying to pass by. Next is Bokuto, you can never yell at someone who looks like a child filled with innocence, and besides, he was right at this point for scolding him.

"The deadline is in 2 days time..I'm just terrified that if I don't submit something properly written, they'd stop giving me these opportunities." looking over his right side where a stack of papers were unorganized.

"So? Atleast you won't have to over work yourself. It doesn't matter anymore if you can't be happy and healthy." sitting up with crossed legs on the bed, Bokuto observes Akaashi from there, ready to attend to any needs and necessity.

"I'll be marked with a lower rank and get paid little..."

Bokuto knew how much Akaashi wanted to help him pay for their rent and other taxes ever since they've agreed to live with each other. Even though Bokuto had a lot of money in his pocket to aid them both, Akaashi simply doesn't want to be dependent on his lover and let him do all the hard work.

That's why he loved Akaashi so much. Even up until now he was still giving his all to him like in highschool.

His 120 percent in things.

Akaashi leans back on his chair, closing his eyes for a brief moment to gather all his thoughts to think properly. That gave Bokuto a chance to get up from their shared bed quietly as he walks up to him from behind. He wraps his strong arms around his neck from behind, placing a soft kiss on his forehead as he strokes away the frustrated tears now streaming on his cheeks.

"If it ever went down to that, I'll talk to your boss," moving his hand on both of his shoulder blades, he held the male down by pressing on the tight knots that had formed way back, "No objections, Keiji. You've been working hard, if they treat you like shit I'm complaining. There's no fairness." it was endearing to hear that coming from him. He had grown up to be a mature man than he was before. If Akaashi wasn't so frustrated he would've been crying from so much love coming from Bokuto.

He raises both of his hands, cupping Bokuto's smaller ones on his chest, "You're too nice to me." smiling sadly as he let's all pent frustration out with his tears, "I can never know what'll be enough for me to give you."

That was another thing that Bokuto was saddened about. The fact that Akaashi was an over thinker he'd often degrade himself to the lowest of all. To Akaashi himself, he was nothing more than a bother. A hindrance. But to Bokuto, how he wishes he could tell him he was more than enough and that he has given him too much even before.

"You're already good enough," tapping his chin with his fingers, he pushes his head a little, making his eyes flutter open, "I mean it, Keiji."

There was a short pause of silence. Neither one daring to move as they clung onto each other's love language and affection. Pretty soon, Bokuto found this opportunity as a good sign to lead him back to bed for a break. Removing his arms away from the seated male, much to his dismay, he grabs on the plate of onigiri's and walks to their shared bed, placing it on top.

"Come on, I'll eat with you."

Akaashi watches as Bokuto sits back down on their bed with his legs wide enough. Enough for him to fit and sit in between them, and pats the free space.

"But I have to fini—"

"Your dinner, yes, you're gonna finish your dinner. Now sit here!"

He can never say no when it comes to Bokuto whining. With a sigh, using his sleeves, he wipes away all the excess tears. Not bothering to take his glasses off, and stand up from his chair.

"I'm going to get im trouble after this." nesting himself in between Bokuto's legs and leaning his back on his chest. Bokuto hands him an onigiri along with his and watches Akaashi take his first, but small bite. He didn't have the mood to eat from his constant thinking which makes the owl haired male frown deeply.

"No, you're not. Have a little faith. I know you," taking a huge chunk of the onigiri in his mouth, "You always manage to make things work, that's what I love about you." Akaashi didn't like messy people, but he couldn't make any comment on how silly Bokuto looks and sounds with his mouth stuffed.

"Please don't chew your food while talking, Bokuto."

"And please don't be sad in front of the onigiri's, Kei. They have feelings too."

Hearty laughter filled the room coming from Akaashi. Bokuto savored every moment of it. His happiness was his happiness as well.

Watching Akaashi finally take bigger bites and chowing down like a starved man, hr let's him have all the onigiri's to himself, using an excuse that he was already full. He can see the way his eyes sparkled shyly as he took all the rice filled meals into his stomach.

"Hmm, you're getting kinda chubby there, Keiji," pushing his pointer finger on his cheek, he watches it squish adorably from his touch, "Not that I'm complaining. You look hot and cute." grinning when he saw his lips pout a little with his cheeks growing red, he couldn't help but pinch them.

"Bokuto please, I'm trying tk eat."

"I wasn't suggesting anything!"

Disposing the plate to their night stand, Akaashi wipes the side of his mouth with his sleeve, Bokuto hugging his stomach with his hands rubbing them.

"You're so soft, Keiji." he hums, squishing the baby fat from the smaller male.

"I need to get to work." he was feeling embarrassed. Had he really gained weight that much? Akaashi was taking a note in his mind that he was going to join Bokuto in jogging next time.

"But its late. And you need to rest." nuzzling his head on his shoulder. He really didn't want to see another one of those nights Akaashi would be sitting, hunched on his desk until sunrise.

Stroking his stomach to his chest, Bokuto whines a little when Akaashi tries half heatedly to break from his hold, "And I wanna cuddle you to sleep. It gets lonely when you always leave and work yourself to the bone."

There were times Akaashi would slip from his hold around 3 am to get back to work. During those times Bokuto would pretend to be asleep and wait for his return. And he got pretty upset he's reached until the birds started chirping. The bed was cold without him.

Akaashi feels the guilt rising from him as he remembers all those times he's left the older male. Thinking of what was more important, he forces the arms around his stomach down and turns his body to face him. Bokuto already had a sad expression on his face knowing he was still going to over work himself. It was already part kf his nature.

Until Akaashi wraps his arms around his neck and pushes him down to bed with him placed on top of Bokuto.

"I thought you were going back to work?" nonetheless, Bokuto wraps his arms tighter around Akaashi. He flinches when he feels him started to shake and his neck getting wet.

He was crying again.

Petting his head, Bokuto reaches out for his glasses, removing them and placing it gently on their night stand near the plate. He pushes his head deeper on his neck side, allowing him to cry as he whispers sweet words next to his ear.

"I promise, Keiji. You're already fine as you are. Please, let me take care of you."

He hears a choked sob escape from his lips, "You don't have to keep doing this if it doesn't make you happy. If you're doing this for me then I'm not hapoy if you're not." sniffling from his words, Akaashi listens to him, finding his body warm and home like feeling. His words soothing like a sweet lullaby.

"I don't care about anything, Keiji. I'm hapoy because I have you. But I'm more happier to see you happy and well."

Turning his head, golden eyes meeting teary gun metal ones, Bokuto swipes away the tears again with his thumb and places a small smooch on the tip of his nose.

"You're already enough for me and others. So please," pressing his forehead against his, they both closed their eyes, feeling their breaths close and their bodies warm with fluttering feelings, "Take a break for me."

Akaashi knows to himself sooner or later he'll crumble again like today. He knows to himself that he couldn't help but let his thoughts overcome his sight on things. But that didn't matter right now.

He was in his arms, and that's all he could think of with his presence.

"I love you so much." whimpering softly as he buries his face against his neck again. He felt so safe and secure woth Bokuto around. Loved. That everything around him got a little better. Brighter. It made him nuzzle even more into him and his small arms squeezing him.

Bokuto counters back the same squeeze of affection and kisses the side of his ear. His breathing soon slowing down and into a calm one before he hears soft snores from Akaashi.

"I love you too, Keiji. Sleep tight."

That day Bokuto doesn't sleep until 3 am. He has spent his night watching over him. Occasionally stroking his hair or back whenever he moves from his position.

He wasn't going to let anything ruin Akaashi and his peace for the day.

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fortheloveofkuroo · 4 years

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HAIKYUU AU:

Part 2 Part 3

Karasuno boys are having a sleepover in your place, their Manager!

It's almost midnight. They just finished their practice and getting ready to go home when a thunder suddenly strikes. The sound itself made the whole gym building shakes. Not so long after, a heavy shower of rain follows. Crap they might have to stay in the gym. But you, their manager feels bad for them. Of course you don't want the boys to spend the night over at the gym or the faculty room. So you decided.

"Come on boys! Let's have a sleepover at my house!" Their tired eyes glistened with hope. Some of them agreed but some of them decided to go home because they don't want to be a burden for you and their house are pretty close. That's what they said. So you, with the other boys proceed to go home and gets in your house. Luckily your parents are out of the town and your sibling is staying at their bestfriend's house.

After cleaning themself and stuffed their stomach with your homemade food, they went to bed. But, because of the lack of space reason. One boy have to share a bed with you...

1. Sawamura Daichi

The captain opposes the idea. At first.

"No no. We can stay and sleep at the faculty room. You don't have to shelter us (Y/n)." He said.

"Well does the faculty room is big enough? With Tsukki's and Kageyama's new height? I don't think so Daichi." You crosses your arm. Forcing your way in.

It's not the first time Daichi refuse to accept your help. Definitely not the last either. But what do you say? You're their manager afterall. You want to take care of them.

"It's fine! Come on boys let's get going-" "If you guys stay at the gym then i will too!" You smile. Daichi immediately (again) refuse.

"No! You cannot (Y/n)-san. What if you caught a cold?-" "That's what i'm saying Captain. What if the WHOLE team caught a cold? You wouldn't want that, do you?" You smirk while Daichi sighs. "Fine. Just one night."

Yas u win, eat it Daichi HAHAHAHA

The trip to your house isn't so bad. After all your house is the closest. When you all arrived the boys immediately gets in and.. wraked havoc.

"You guys! Where's your manner! It's not your own house!" He shouted while you giggled. "It's okay Daichi. Nobodys home except me. You all welcome to feel like it's your own house" You pat his shoulder lightly.

"Everyone can stay here for a while, i'll take a shower and cook for you all while you dry yourself. Don't worry it'll be fast!" You said while distributing towels to everyone.

While you make your way to the bathroom, you feel someone's eyes is staring at your back.

After you came back from bath, you start to cook for the boys. With Sugawara helping you.

Some of them to save the time decide to shower with more people or so. It did save time but it doesn't guarantee what your bathroom looks like after.

The hot homemade food are served. After the last one gets out of shower they all immediately eats. Because of their sports activity you used all of your groceries to cook for them. It doesn't matter though.

Daichi, who's kept looking at your direction didn't touch any of your cooking.

"Hey hey! Here, eat some. You'll starve at midnight if you don't eat dinner now." You pile his bowl with karaage that you just made. And you can't help but laugh when he got so panicked because it's too much.

Stomach already filled, it's time for bed. You divided the team. Some will sleep at your sibling's room, some will sleep at living room, and the others will sleep at the guest room. And then one boy will sleep with you.

"Um.. Due to lack of the space, one of you have to sleep with me."

At first Tanaka and Nishinoya immediately jumps out but Sugawara pulls them back.

"Since i'm the captain. I'll take care from here. I'll be the one who sleep with her. Because i don't trust any of you have a pure mind." He stares deadly at his teammates.

"Aah Daichi-san no fairr! What about you huh?? Do you have a pure mind too?!??" Tanaka and Nishinoya yelps and protest. But Daichi already kicked them off. "SLEEP!" he shouted while he shuts the door of your room.

You laughed. Seeing Daichi dicipline his teammates are hilarious and entertaining. You crawl to your bed and do a little stretch. While Daichi. Is frozen at his spot.

"Daichi? You okay?" He snaps out to reality and averts his gaze. "I think.. I should join the others at the living room."

It's his first time at a girl's room. YOUR room especially. Your scent is all over the place and he cannot take it.

Before his hand opens the door, your fingers already touches his arm. Sending him electric shock.

"Stay.." you asked. It's nothing like you. You usually sleeps by yourself. But the toughts of having someone sleeps by your side..

You help him set up the mattress. It's a good use now. Your bed always have that mini mattress below it and you never know what to do with it. After that you bounce to your bed.

"Well, Let's call it a night Daichi, G'night!" As you turn off the lights you notice that the moonlight is bright enough to lights up the entire room.

You wrap yourself in your blanket. Facing towards the wall. With Daichi below your bed. Somehow your heart can't keep calm.

"...(Y/n)?"

After like 30 minutes silence Daichi speak up. Finally.

"Mhm?" You turn towards him. Facing his side. As you turn, you notice his tired yet calm face in the darkness only powered by the moonlight. Your heart skips a beat.

"It's kinda chilly down here.. How are you up there?" He asked with his soothing voice.

"Yeah it is kinda cold. You want more blankets? I can get it-" "No.. Instead of.. Can you.. lend me your hand for a sec?"

You see no harm of doing that. So you extend your hand to him. Didn't even notice what's going to happen next. He suddenly pulls you down.

You yelp. But the second your body made a contact with his warm skin you automatically gets drowsy. It's so warm and nice.

His strongs arms wraps around your waist and the other hugging you close. You can feel his warm breath brushing against your forehead.

"..Good night (Y/n)." You felt a soft touch on your forehead. As you look up, Daichi's entire cheeks are already flushed. You couldn't help but only smiles as you two fall asleep.

2. Sugawara Koushi

This poor man.

Since he notices the thunder he knows that it will be hard for him to go home.

But when you offer him to have a sleepover. He obviously agreed. Because his house is well.. You can say pretty far but that is not the first reason why he agreed.

Right after he went to your house he got a little panick. He IS inside your house.

"Suga-kun? You okay? Can you help me a bit here?"

You asked for him to help you as he follows you to the back. You gave him a few towels

You noticed how soaked Sugawara is. You grabbed on of the towel and start to dry his grey hair.

"H-Hey! (Y/n) what are you doing??" "Drying your hair. Afterall you're the one who lend the boys your umbrella so you're pretty soaked. Can't let the mom of the group sick." You chuckles as you continue to dry his hair.

Little did you know his face is a blushing mess behind that towel.

After that short drying hair session, you continue to pass the towel then you take a bath.

"Guys listen. We're in (Y/n)'s house now. Please behave and control yourself." He advised.

"You should control yourself to Suga-san. Your face is red! Did you kiss or something earlier?" Nishinoya point out the blush that Sugawara get from you drying his hair and he snaps about that while the others laughs at him and receive special suga wack.

After your bath session, you want to start on your cooking but you realized you're cooking for a team. So you need a hand. And the first person that comes to your mind is..

"You need help?" Sugawara is already beside you wearing an apron with a smile on his face.

"SUGA YOU'RE AN ANGEL!" You cries as you hugs his arm. The others either have gone to bath or busy with themself so it's only you and him and the kitchen. Suga can't hide the fact that you need help to cook is an advantage for him

Even if it means he got the last turn to shower it's fine. As long as he spend time with you.

The menu is karaage and sauteed mushrooms with soy butter sauce.

"I hope they'll love it.." your hands stopped a while as you cut the mushrooms but Suga reassured you.

"Come on manager. We're sports team. Throw us anything edible we'll eat it!" He jokes. You both are laughing while throwing a little jokes as the food is getting ready.

And the last karaage is done. You're about to take off your apron but you notices it's stuck. You must tied it in a hurry and it gets tangled. Uh oh.

"Oh what's wrong?" Suga already takes off his apron when he sees you struggling with yours.

"It's stuck.. Will you, please?" You turn your back on him.

And what do you know. His mind is already in a panic state. "Sure.." His hand slowly reaches towards the tangled knot. His hands a little shaky because he can see your exposed neck and a little damp back of yours because of sweat.

He quickly untangle the knot. His focus is getting everywhere. Just a little more his hands are able to touch your waist. But you already turn around and faces him. "Thanks-"

His face is so close to yours. It's soo closeeee and you both just stare at each other. His hand suddenly pushed you to counter as his face suddenly leans towards you..

But before he could do that, Hinata suddenly barge into the kitchen.

"wOAAAH KARAAGEE!! Aah can't wait to eaaat-" Hinata finally notices that well, you and Sugawara having a moment.

"AAAAH I'M SORRY!!!" He bows at 90°, grabs a few piece of Karaage then rushes to leave.

While you and Suga just hides your face. If Hinata didn't barge in. Who knows what would've happen?

"You should shower.. Suga-kun." Your face is still red and your heart is still rushing. Sugawara nods then leaves.

Boy he is pissed.

He's pissed of himself. Because he ALMOST do something to you. He promised that he would hold himself.

After showering and a little time of scolding himself and gathering his self he gets out and joined you and the other.

You sits in the middle of Daichi and Asahi. The third year circle. Suga don't have any choice but sits beside Daichi. Once every while he glances over to you.

And he just realized that he's eating your homemade food.

"It would be nice if i can eat her homemade food like this everyday.." he speak to himself.

"HINATA BOGE! WHY DID YOU EAT MY KARAAGE?!" "YOU DON'T EVEN TOUCH IT!"

"Stop it you two!" Sugawara scolds the duo while giving themself his portion of Karaage. "There, fair and square now eat and don't fight again or you two will sleep outside." He grins.

Awe sugamama don't be so mean

You chuckle. You scooch over to him and gave him a piece of your Karaage.

"Eat up Suga-kun." You smiles.

Wowowowowowow Suga didn't expect that and he just shut up despite Nishinoya, Tanaka, and Hinata that's now fighting over the mushrooms.

"So, Nishinoya, Tanaka will sleep in my sibling's room. The first year will sleep at the living room. Here's the futon and the blanket. And ah.. Shoot the guest room's bed only able to hold two people.." you think of yourself.

You glances over the boys. Gather up your voice then..

"Um.. Due to lack of the space, one of you have to sleep with me."

And then silence. But as expected, Nishinoya and Tanaka already jumping out and ready to barge in your room.

"I'LL DO IT!" "NO YOU DUMBASS! STOP COCKBLOCKING ME TANAKA!" "STOP IT YOU TWOO!!!"

Sugawara, very unexpected shouted. He pull both of them to the back and walks towards you. Daichi is about to step onward but..

He realized that it's the only chance.

"YOU ALL STOP IT!!" Sugawara is now really flustered and hitting his juniors with his special wack while you only laughs. "I'll sleep with you. Is that alright?" You only nods.

You can hear Tanaka and Nishinoya shouting and complaining. "It's not fairrrr! Why is Suga-san gets to sleep with (Y/n)-san?! He told us to hold ourselfs!" Oh.. He told that to the others?

Still, you can't forget what a moment you guys had earlier in the kitchen. You're sure he was about to kiss you..

"(Y/n), i-i will leave the door open.. kay?" He smiles nervously. You nods. You helped him to parepare the mattress for him then climb to your bed.

"I'll switch the lights off. You're okay with that right?" He asked. "Sure go ahead"

When the lights cut off, you can hear his step slowly approaching you.

But, instead of getting to the mattress he just slides into the blanket next to your side.

What. In. The. World.

You're too flustered to react.

He's too panic and too scared to speak.

"S-Sorry! I tought it's my bed! Ahaha you know our room placement is very similiar so i just-"

"Sugawara.." He looks down only to found you, wrapped by the white blanket. Face flustered and cheeks so red like tomato.

"It's fine." You smiles. Slowly resting your head to his chest. Only to hear his heartbeat going so fast.

"Are you okay? Your heartbeat is so fast!" You chuckles. Then a pair of arms immediately shuts you up by hugging you tight.

"Shut up (Y/n).. I'm not okay." He said. "I've always wanted to do this.. Gah this is no good."

"Eh.. Why?"

"I'm a man too you know?! What if- What if i lost my composure.."

You place both of your hands on his cheeks. He can feel the coldness from your fingers stings his face.

"I trust you Koushi.."

At that time, he realizes. He promise himself. He will hold himself and make you his, first.

3. Azumane Asahi

JESUS

He's terrified of lightning and thunder lmao.

While Nishinoya is rolling thunder-ing and receiving his spike a thunder strike and he screams. Poor bby.

While a heavy rain is going on he know it's going to be troublesome to go home.

"Come on boys! Let's have a sleepover at my house!"

His eyes grew wide. Whot???

Daichi opposes your idea, so nah it can't be right?

rIgHT?!

Then next things he know he's already infront of your house. With the others.

Next thing you know, he was about to runaway.

"Asahi?! What are you doing?!!" You yell at him because he was about to jump from the fence.

"I-I- It's better if i go to my own home! I-I'm fine (Y/n)-san!" Then you and the other third graders helping drags him inside the house.

"It's fine geez! Make yourself at home."

Asahi. Cannot. Calm. Down.

He is at a girl's house. He never went to a girl's house so he never know how to react.

And it's you. Come on, everyone in the team got a crush on you.

After he got the towel, he let his long hair down and dried it.

You, who's back just to announce that you're going to bath secretly amazed. Asahi, with his long wet hair slicked back is actually... handsome.

"What do you wanna say senpai?" Kageyama interrupts you and snaps you out. "Ah right!"

When Sugawara told everyone to hold themself he quietly agrees. I mean how can a man, hold himself beside someone like you.

When you went out the bath, you never notices but actually everyone is staring at you as you come and collecting the dirty towel.

When you grabs his towel, he notices a familiar scent from you. Is it your soap? Your detergent?

"Okay you guys can clean yourself while i cook, don't run in corridors okay and don't make a mess!" You warn them.

While waiting for his juniors taking a bath, he sits with Daichi and Nishinoya.

"(Y/n)-san is so nice right, Asahi-san?!" Nishinoya nudge his sides while Asahi jumps. "A-Ah yeah.. I guess" he just nods.

You are indeed very nice in his mind.

He remember how you are the first girl that doesn't get scared when he first approach you (besides Shimizu ofc). In fact, you were so kind to him.

"It's kind of sad how we're going to graduate and leave everything to the second year. But i'm sure (Y/n)-san and Yachi-san will take care of the others." Asahi suddenly speak something about the future. Then he realizes that he just speak out loud about his thoughts.

"U-Uh! I dont mean to.." " You're right Asahi." Daichi agreed. "Aaah i will miss this moment!" Daichi stands up and stretch a little. "I'll shower. You want to join me? So it doesn't took so long?" Offer Daichi. Why not right?

Both of them walk to the bath, passing the kitchen where you and Suga is cooking. He could see you and Sugawara is having fun.

"Oi Asahi. The bath is this way. That's the kitchen." Daichi words bring him back. "Right. Sorry.."

When he enter the bath, he immediately look for something that familiar. Is it your soap? Or detergent? He feels like he smell that scent somewhere but he can't remember what is it.

"Woah we're all gonna smell like (Y/n) after this." Daichi laughs as he open a bottle of shampoo. And that's it.

Asahi's hand suddenly snatch that bottle. He know this brand of shampoo.

It was his shampoo too.

"I-It's.." "Hey! Don't snatch it like that, if you want just ask Asahi." Daichi snatch it back and shampoo his hair.

He's right. Right after this everybody will be smelling like you including himself!

After showering, Asahi went back to hang the wet towel and found Hinata shaken up. "Hey, what's wrong?" Hinata's confused af so he points back to the kitchen, wanting to say something but it's not clear.

Not so long, you're back with the food. After taking his seat, he didn't quite expect for you to sit beside him but oh well. He just sits there, quietly eating.

"Does it taste good, Asahi-san?" You asked with a grin. Your face is a little red from the bath and that makes him nervous as hell.

And he chokes. You panicked and hurrily gave him a glass of water. "Here! Drink drink!" While everybody only laughs and teased Asahi and you.

"You're too close to him, (Y/n)-san! He's nervous!" Shout Tanaka while chomping down his Rice.

"O-Oh sorry! I didn't mean to.." You genuinely feel bad.

Poor Asahi, he now feels bad for making you feel bad.

And it's sleeping timeee. You have decided which group and where they will sleep. But..

"Um.. Due to lack of the space, one of you have to sleep with me."

And he know he's not gonna spend a night with you so he just quietly preparing to move to the guest room.

"Asahi-san, i would like you to.. Um spend a night with me?" You asked.

And man his soul just went out from his body.

Nah just kidding. But really tho.

His heart almost popped off. Did he heard that right? "Y-You sure? I don't think it's a-appropiate! I'm not ready yet!-" "You just need to sleep with her Azumane Asahi. Nothing. More." Daichi and Sugawara suddenly already besides him, ready for lecturing him but fortunately you stopped both of them.

"We'll keep the door open, kay? Let me help you with that." You tought Asahi will be struggling to pull the extra bed below your bed because it's always got stuck but he pull it out just fine easy and pop!

You forgot that he is the Ace afterall. His power is beyond everyone.

You slam yourself to the bed and accidentally hurt yourself. "Oww!"

Asahi immediately jumps and check on you. "Are you okay?! (Y/n)-san?!" He seems very worried.

"It's okay! I just hit my face too hard hehe.." Asahi sighs, feeling a little at ease. "You should br more carefull (Y/n)-san-" "(Y/n) is fine Asahi-san." You cuts him, resulting him to be more flustered.

"B-But.." "Ah, did you use my shampoo- Wait everyone must be using my shampoo ehehe."

Ah, that one thing he wants to ask.

"Ah right, i didn't know that we use the same kind of shampoo.." his voice is small. But because of the space between you two, you could easily hear that.

"Yeah! Thanks to you though my hair grows so fast. It also repairs it so it's smooth and have volumee!" You thanked him. Wait what?

"Eh? Thanks? To me?" In this state Asahi is just so confused. Then you slides down your bed and sits on his bed.

"Don't you remember? On summer vacation the second and third grade is going to shop for groceries together then i asked about your shampoo because your hair is very pretty and i couldn't help myself to ask. Then you show me your shampoo!" You just remind the entire scene for him again.

"Ah right, you were so nervous to ask because you're afraid that it's rude." "Hey! Don't make fun of mee!" You jokingly punch his arm. "But really i love your hair though, it looks so shiny and pretty. If only i can touch it-"

You stopped rambling when you realize you were in the same bed with him.

Shoot.

"Ah sorry i ramble too much. U-Uh you should sleep!" You quickly climbs up but a hand holds your wrist. You turn around and saw Asahi, slowly placing your hand on his head. His face is definitely flustered, but he looks calm.

"You can.." he looks away, hiding his blush.

You smile, you sat on his bed once again. Pillow on your lap with his head on it. Your fingers running across his dark brown locks.

"Asahi.. Is there any reason you grow your hair?'

Asahi seems surprised. He didn't answer directly. He turns facing you and smiles. His big hand slowly slips a piece of hair behind your ear.

"Can i trust you?"

You nods. Grinning. "Of course you can trust me. I'm your trustworthy manager afterall!"

A smile bloom on his lips. You spend the night with Asahi talking and sharing your both deepest secret.

Wooo~ I will part this AU to three parts because it's so dang long hehe. Next part coming up!! Please look forward to it!

#haikyuu au #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu!!#karasuno #sawamura daichi #sugawara koushi #sugawara x you #sawamura daichi × reader #asahi x reader #hq asahi #azumane asahi

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pastelninjaimagines · 5 years

Note

This is so many letters but: A B D E G K M X Z for Obito please?✌️🥺✌️

Obito

Ahhhhh the og husband, yaassss

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Obito will follow you around like a goddamn lost puppy. Whatever you wanna do, whatever your hobbies are, you can count on him to wanna do them with you and try new stuff out. He’s adventurous so trying new things together is something he immensely enjoys. He really does like exploring new places, so if you like traveling than you’re a match made in heaven.

For a more modern au, he would loveeee to go on cross-country road trips. Just spend a couple weeks and see what there is to explore. Also amusement parks are an absolute must. Would also like something more low key like going to see a movie on a rainy day. And can you say board games? Bc this man is the king of board games. Watch him crushing it at monopoly out there

B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Ok so he loves literally everything about you. There’s nothing he doesn’t admire. Literally. Your personality, your looks. He loves it all and worships you like the god/goddess you are. A few things he admires specifically is your kindness and compassion. The fact that you overlook his flaws, both physically and personality-wise, and how accepting of him you are, literally blows his mind all the time. Sometimes he has to pinch himself to make sure that he’s not dreaming you up. Your compassion for him and for others is incredible to him and so endearing that it makes him love you more. As for a physical trait that he loves, it’s definitely your soft smile and kind eyes. Just the way you look at him sends butterflies in his stomach and makes him as giddily nervous as a schoolboy. You’re his precious sunshine and he wants to protect your beautiful smile.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

All this man wants is a peaceful, happy future with the love of his life DEAR GOD PLS GIVE THIS TO HIM he just wants to be happy!!! Like his top-tier fantasy is the two of you living in a decently sized house, away from others (but not too distant) living comfortably, maybe with a kid or two running around. Top-tier stuff fam, he’s gushy and pretty simple with his wants

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

So, he’s sort of a switch when it comes to relationship dominance. He likes his way and can be incredibly head-strong (an Uchiha gene), but he also wants to make you happy and often puts your happiness above his own. Sometimes these two opposing feelings conflict and he can feel a bit muddled, but he really does try to make everything an equal partnership.

G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?

Ok, Obito is beyond grateful for you. You brought softness and love back into his life. You taught him what it is to feel happiness again. Like, you were a gift he didn’t think he deserved. He fuckng loves you. He knows he’s beyond lucky to keep you around and he’s very aware of the color you brought to his dull, dreary existence. YOU ARE HIS TREASURE and he tells you literally all the time how blessed he feels that your paths collided. Trust me, he’ll never shut up about it. You’re very aware he’s grateful for having you.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

At first he had 0 (zero) idea what he was doing with kissing. Like homeboy was as inexperienced as you could possibly get. However, he’s a quick study. He picked up what was goin on. After feeling his way through the motions, he’s a damn good kisser. He just has a way of making your head swoon with just a simple kiss. Also neck kisses. He’s a fine connoisseur of neck kisses. Knows how to give em, and loveesss receiving them. Also if you kiss him on the nose, he’ll die of happiness.

M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

this right here kinda depends on whether we’re talking about canon Obito, or post-canon au Obito where he somehow lived lmao bc those two answers are wildly different. If we’re talking strictly canon Obito, no he has no desire to get married whatsoever. He’s sort of living in this quasi-reality state, and while he loves you, he hates tradition and thinks of marriage as pointless

Now AU post-canon Obito, hell yeah he wants to marry you! You put up with him? You love him? He’s putting a ring on you asap!

He plans this whole elaborate plan to propose to you that may or may not go completely awry. He imagines the moonlight filtering down, him leading you down a secluded that ends in the areas he set up to pop the question decorated ahead of time with glittering lights and an exorbitant amount of your favorite flowers. Now of course he couldn’t predict the weather. He was already nervous as hell, hands shaking, a cold sweat down his back. And just as he’s about to lead you to the flowery oasis he spent hours decorating, it begins to pour buckets of rain like heaven decided to let out a second flood. You’re both all dressed up, soaking wet within a minute, however you’re already at the spot, he’s got the ring in his pocket. He thinks to himself, fuck it, and gets down on one knee anyway. A little rain won’t stop him from asking you to share the rest of your lives together

Marriage with Obito is pretty blissful. Sure you’re both kinda outcasts (bc of his past and all) but you’re incredibly happy. His mission in life is to make you as happy as possible. And that’s what he does. He’s incredibly kind, pretty goofy and always keeps you entertained with his antics that normally go not-as-planned.

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

After you two have officially established your relationship, he becomes incredibly affectionate, most to the point where he’s borderline clingy. He was touched starved as all hell before you came along. Once he gets a little taste of affection he’ll be clinging to you when you guys are alone like a sloth clings to a tree. You’ll have to pry him off of you. It’s honestly pretty cute. Pls give him head massages it’s his literal favorite thing while you guys are cuddling together. He also really loves pulling you onto his lap and showering you with kisses. Just pls give him affection he deserves it.

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

It’s painfully canon how far Obito is willing to go for the one he loves. Will he start a world war for you? Yes. Will he consider ending the universe for you? Double yes. but in all seriousness, Obito loves you. He doesn’t wanna lose the best and brightest thing in his life. He would literally do anything for you and your safety. Because you’re his whole world and he wants to protect his sunshine.

#obito uchiha #tobi akatsuki #akatsuki #naruto #naruto shippuden #naruto imagine #fluff alphabet

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alvaar-aldaviir · 4 years

Text

First Bite (Vampire AU)

Based from this post. Because I can’t be trusted @ffxiv-writers.

Time Frame: Heavensward. No Spoilers. AU

Notes: A dumb vampire AU where the twins are older and dhampire’s. Vampires are the upper class and respected academics/mages in Sharlayan and so quite respected there, but wary mistrust everywhere else. Dhampire’s do not need blood to survive, but to replenish their magic. Everything else in the story is the same, more of an exploratory ‘what if’ because we ALL know vampires are kinda hot and I have no self control.

Just a self-indulgent bit of writing for that first bite scenario, after a heated battle against the Dravanians in early HW.

Cross posted to Ao3.

“You going to be alright?” Alvaar asked softly, studying the Arcanist still slumped against the side of the bed closer to the fire. He’d done his best to patch the larger holes torn into the long-abandoned cabin in the Coerthas Western Highlands, but even then the blizzard raging outside still blew frigid air through.

He wasn’t overly surprised when he only got a mute nod from the pale Elezen. Alphinaud hadn’t spoken much since he’d collapsed in the snows after a fourth abrupt bout with the Dravanian Horde during their scouting mission. With a barely breathing dhampire in his arms, unfamiliar terrain, and a storm rolling in, Alvaar had been given little choice but to try and hole up somewhere to wait it out. Finishing tacking up one of his spare oil skins over one of the shattered windows for insulation, he hopped down off a chair and moved closer. Tossing a few more logs on the fire and tugging the tipped over long table a bit closer to help reflect more heat into the sheltered alcove he’d made from what surviving furniture remained. It wouldn’t be the most lavish of accommodations, but there was plenty of wood to keep them from freezing to death and they wouldn’t be buried under snow. That would be good enough to get them through.

“Jerky?” he offered, holding the wax paper bag he dug out of his pack in offer. “Otherwise I might have enough stuff on me to cook something,” he continued, finding a seat beside him on the floor.

Still buried under the thick blanket Alvaar had wrapped him up in earlier, Alphinaud shook his head slowly, gaze fixed on some far-off point through the floor.

“You should eat something Alphinaud. And don’t start with a ‘only the blood of the living’ crap I’ve seen you eat scones and tea,” Alvaar chided.

“I eat solid foods yes. But it would be a waste right now. I won’t keep it down,” he murmured.

That made the Bard still before ducking his head to study him with concern. “You sick? You said earlier it was magic depletion. That’s a rest and eat well situation Leveilleur. I can do a broth or something instead?”

Again, he shook his head, seeming a touch more annoyed but breathing out a slow sigh before he winced with discomfort. “I... I’m afraid I didn’t account for this much difficulty in our travels. And in light of recent days and troubles it has been difficult to acquire fresh stock...” he mumbled.

Staring at him for a long moment, Alvaar finally piped in with a flat, “You need blood.”

The dhampire’s ears twitched, a faint flush coloring his face as he ducked his head. “I... I’ll be fine. It will be difficult, but I can make it until we get back to Ishgard. The shipment Urianger was orchestrating must have arrived by now.”

A long moment of silence stretched out between them, Alvaar chewing on another bite of jerky as he mulled it over before washing it down with a swig from his canteen and slapping a hand to the floor.

“Well, people got to eat,” Alvaar offered with a much calmer tone than he really felt. “It’s just a bit of blood, right? Nothing fatal?”

Alphinaud blinked at him in surprise, the first proper look Alvaar had gotten of him and the red of his eyes was a stark shift from the deep blue he was familiar with. It was enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck prickle uncomfortably, but he refused to let it show.

A few stunned moments ticked past before the Arcanist was nodding. “Y-Yes. I mean no, I mean... of course it’s nothing fatal I’m not savage,” he scoffed at last before his expression muted back out with a faint wince.

Alvaar studied him silently, noting the slightly hunched posture and the way the Elezen’s arms were wrapped at his stomach. He seemed almost sick from the Bards point of view, and in some manner he probably was. Alvaar was familiar with the feeling of starving after all, the gnawing almost sickening ache of an overly empty stomach...

“Then I’ll help,” he stated promptly. “Or donate, whatever you want to call it. What do you need me to do? Get a knife? Offer my neck? What?”

Staring at him in puzzled discomfort for a moment the Arcanist sighed heavily. “Nothing so dramatic... in fact I, well, I prefer drinking from a glass honestly that’s how I’ve consumed blood for years,” he mused aloud.

“... Holy shit do you just have fucking wine bottles of blood lying around in your fancy mansion in Sharlayan? Have you ever served it to a non-vampire?” Alvaar asked, tone purposely upbeat to keep them both distracted and given the nervously amused snort that escaped the pale Elezen it must have worked.

“In a fashion, yes I suppose so, and no. We’ve never mixed up the bottles. ... but a knife would be wasteful I think. It would also hurt more, and I would really rather... Just your arm please? If you’re certain...” he murmured, keeping his gaze lowered and obviously embarrassed and uncomfortable.

“Hey, what’s a little blood among friends hm? Sides, it’s better than the alternatives. I’d rather not see any problems today and, well starving sucks,” Alvaar murmured, holding his arm over after slipping it free from his coat and rolling up his sleeve.

The fingers that lightly gripped his wrist were eerily cold, enough to almost make the Bard flinch but he refrained given how guilty Alphinaud already seemed about the whole thing. And it wasn’t a big deal, it would be like a trip to the chirurgeons... just where needles were teeth... apparently...

“It’s been awhile since I’ve done this,” the Arcanist murmured, thumb trailing along the inside of the Bards wrist almost like he was measuring something. Then he was drawing Alvaar’s arm up even as he lowered his head, mouth opening wide and-

‘Have his canines always been that long?’ Alvaar wondered with a start, watching in morbid fascination as elongated canines set to his skin and-

“Ah!” he hissed before he could stop himself, gritting his teeth and still stubbornly staying put by force of will at the burning pinpricks he felt in his arm. The pain only doubled when the Arcanist jerked away abruptly at the sound.

“Sorry! Twelve above, sorry Alvaar I-” he apologized immediately.

“Don’t worry about it, just a reflex. Do what you gotta kid,” Alvaar cut in, lifting his arm a bit for emphasis. “Rude to waste food, right?” he joked.

The glower he got in return made him grin even as his heart was thumping instinctively with fear.

“I meant sorry because I haven’t done this in some time and I’ve sort of forgotten the steps...” the Arcanist grumbled, a faint flush of embarrassment on his face. “Just... don’t judge, it’ll help.”

Alvaar had been about to question it before falling silent at the wet heat of a tongue lapping over the wound. He winced again on reflex, but the sting was already fading to leave only the pleasant warmth of the man’s mouth against his skin.

“Oh... that’s, neat?” he murmured, still morbidly entranced by the whole situation.

Alphinaud made a soft sound, more to let him know he’d heard him than for anything else. Darker eyes flicked to the Bard pointedly as he lifted his head slightly. “Better?”

“Yea. It’s fine.”

“Good. ... Could you... oh, never mind,” he huffed.

“Could I what?” he pressed.

“I was going to ask if you could look away but somehow, I doubt you would,” Alphinaud mumbled sheepishly.

Blinking at him in confusion, the Bard snorted when it clicked. “Don’t bite people much huh?”

It earned a flat scowl. “Not particularly. Were things not so dire I would prefer to just weather it out but... with all of the fighting since we arrived, I’ve depleted my aether reserves. Even half vampires still have slower aetheric recuperation than most every other creature-”

“Not that this isn’t fascinating but maybe explain it once you’re done?” Alvaar cut in pointedly. “Honestly, I think it’s more surprising you’re not just fixated on my blood.”

“I am,” Alphinaud shot back a bit sharper than he meant and quickly looking away. “... It just... helps. To think about other things and not the fact I’m starving. Wouldn’t you pace yourself so you don’t make yourself sick?”

“... Would you get sick?” Alvaar returned, tilting his head a bit in puzzlement.

“I... no, but what could happen would be worse and I would rather it not happen.”

“Lose control you mean,” the Bard continued flatly, taking the faint flush on the other Elezen’s face as a yes. “Listen I won’t hesitate to punch you in the fucking face if you start gnawing up my arm. This buffet ain’t open and it ain’t free.”

“You say while insisting I hurry up and drink...” Alphinaud returned drily.

“And you should before my senses come back to me and I change my mind. That’s my draw arm I’m offering and it’s going to be a pain in the ass firing while injured.”

“You won’t be injured,” the Arcanist returned promptly before setting his teeth back to Alvaar’s arm and this time he barely felt a thing. Well, he felt something distantly, like his arm was locally numb and he registered the pressure, but he could still clearly feel the softness of lips and tongue against his skin and-

It was a little unsettling how those smut novels were rather on point. It was sort of... sensual wasn’t it?

Looking off abruptly, the Bard resolved himself to not think about it. It was just to help a friend. A very annoying prat of a friend that also happened to be a half vampire or dhampire or... whatever it was. Certainly nothing to get this bothered over. Unless…

“... Wait, there isn’t some passive enchantment shit is there?” he asked, looking back at the snowy haired Elezen. Who wasn’t listening and seemed rather intent on the whole blood thing now...

Shite.

“Hey. There isn’t some mind control shit in all this right?” he asked again, louder and tapping Alphinaud’s shoulder as he tried not to panic.

Thankfully, it got his attention, pulling away with a parting lick and wavering sigh. “Beg pardon?” he asked, blue eyes back to normal but dark and vibrant and honestly if Alvaar needed to find words to describe the soft breathy way he spoke and look he was giving it would be something akin to ‘hour two of marathon sex.’ The urge to ask if he wanted a cigarette almost overrode any sense of propriety.

His question dropped off his mind as he noted the clarity of his own thoughts against the warm and almost sleepy look of the dhampire sitting next to him. If anyone here was charmed it wasn’t himself… And hadn’t Minfillia mentioned something about the Echo protecting his mind from outside intrusion in the past? … Damnit. He wasn’t supposed to be the one panicking here.

“You okay?” he asked carefully after shaking himself free from the thoughts.

“Fine. Perfectly fine,” Alphinaud replied, finally seeming to settle fully into the present and glancing down to where his fingers were still curled around the Bards wrist before lowering a hand to his tome. The healing spell was faint, but still as quiet and warm as the times before as it sealed the two pinpricks of blood before he let go and shifted away a few feet. “Thank you, um, yes, sorry for that and not to be rude but please stay over there for a few minutes.”

“Okay,” Alvaar murmured slowly. “But you’re fine?”

“Absolutely.”

“And you’re not going to savage me...”

“Of course not.”

“So...?” Alvaar pressed after a few moments.

“.... What?” Alphinaud asked, giving him a wary look.

“I don’t get a critique on the vintage?” he joked.

“Alvaar don’t ask that...”

“Why not?”

“Because I really don’t enjoy hurting people contrary to public opinion of my kind and it’s a little hard to remember it when you taste that good,” he returned flatly before pausing, another faint flush coloring his face before he was hugging his knees to his chest in a sulk.

“.... You know I thought I would be... So, is it more like trying to pin down a liquid flavor or a solid flavor?” Alvaar continued anyway.

“We are not having this conversation Aldaviir.”

“I see how it is. Here I am, putting myself out on the line and-”

“Alvaar.” It’s said firmly but there was a touch of anxiety underneath, a note the Bard doesn’t miss in part because it’s reflected in the nervous gaze he’s getting. The glitter of ocean blue over the top of his knees where he’s still hunched over, arms wrapped around his legs and making himself as small as possible.

It’s not the first time he notices how naive and inexperienced the dhampire can be, but it is the first time he thinks perhaps the Arcanist may be more concerned over what makes him different than Alvaar ever was.

He blinks, meeting that worried gaze for a long moment before glancing away to study the fire instead. “You’re right, I shouldn’t tease you. I’m sorry that was out of line.” The quiet crackles of the fire and howling winds outside are the only thing to fill the minutes of silence that stretch between them.

“... How do you make jokes about it?”

The whispered question almost doesn’t reach Alvaar’s ears, but it does and he gives the Arcanist a puzzled look anyway.

“The people of Eorzea... They fear my kind. They only begrudgingly accepted any help from my Grandfather because the situation was so desperate, and they didn’t know what he was. Surely they might suspect it but they would never ask. The only ones here aside from the Scions that know what I am is you...” he murmured, carrying on when Alvaar remained quiet. “When my sister and I first arrived, we came across a caravan being overrun by bandits. The situation was so bleak, and the night was so dark, we had little choice but to use our powers to help them.”

Voice trailing off, the Arcanist buried himself a bit further into the blanket he’d been given. “They screamed. They called us monsters. When everything was over, they tried to kill us too. Alisaie said she wasn’t surprised. The ignorance of Eorzeans has always been a problem she said. But... I started to understand why.

“We don’t think of it much in Sharlayan, where vampires are accepted parts of society. Mortals donate blood freely and it’s preserved and kept openly. Many of the great advancements in aetherology have been made with mortal and vampire scholars working together. There’s no reason to be afraid of vampires because it’s taught to us from the day we’re born not to hurt others. Why would we have to take what’s freely given? We give back our achievements and research freely in exchange. We fight and work together. It’s a cardinal sin to turn someone into a vampire, or to willfully harm someone. Punishable by death or exile at the very least, a sentence that may as well mean death. But the people of Eorzea don’t see that. They only see us as monsters... as something approaching voidsent... So why don’t you? Why aren’t you afraid?”

Studying him quietly for a moment Alvaar pushed himself closer. Pausing briefly when Alphinaud tensed before carefully looping an arm around the Arcanist’s shoulders and pulling him into his side. Settling his cheek against soft white hair he blew out a faint sigh.

“You’re not a monster Alphi, you’re my friend. I made a promise to you and Tataru both when we fled to Coerthas. That I would keep you safe and protect you. I don’t make those sorts of promises to people I don’t trust and care about. What you are doesn’t change who you are right? As far as I’m concerned, you’re just a friend with some interesting dietary needs.”

Blinking at nothing in particular, the dhampire made a slight annoyed face Alvaar couldn’t see but could hear. “It’s vaguely insulting to hear you distill my troubles down to something so base.”

Alvaar gave a soft snort of amusement. “Sorry. Not my intent. It’s just... not a big deal to me personally Alphi. The world at large has its reasons, and I’ll admit I was wary at first but we’re really not that different. Sides, whatever you took I feel fine so it doesn’t seem that big a deal to me.”

“Your blood is... unusually aether rich,” Alphinaud commented after a moment. “It wouldn’t take very much.”

“No shit? Well, I barely cast magic anyway, so I guess that’s fortunate for next time,” Alvaar returned easily.

“Next time?” The incredulous look on the Arcanist’s face had the Bard trying extremely hard not to laugh.

“Yea next time. There always ends up being a next time for this sort of stuff. Gods, read a book Leveilleur,” Alvaar joked, pulling away enough to steal part of the blanket and readjust it over both their shoulders.

“What sort of books are you reading where there’s an invariable need to take blood from someone ‘next time?’” he persisted, frowning as he was once again pulled into the Bard’s side.

Ruffling fluffy white strands absently, Alvaar stretched out a bit, crossing one boot over the other and settling back against the broken bed frame. Leaning his cheek against Alphinaud’s head, he gave a faint squeeze of the arm around him. “Come on, quit fussing and get some sleep.”

“That’s not you answering my question Alvaar,” he complained.

“I have my sources. Now hush, we should get some sleep while we can.”

The Arcanist blew out an irritated breath but didn’t argue it further. Though he did make a reasonable effort by the way he shifted and the several bothered huffs he made as he got comfortable of letting Alvaar know he was beyond annoyed. It just made the Bard chuckle in amusement, again ruffling soft strands gently before closing his eyes and slipping into the easy light sleep that was waiting to claim him faster than usual.

It made him miss when the Arcanist finally eased into his side, shifting a bit closer into the Bard’s warmth before falling into a quiet sleep himself.

#wol #alvaar aldaviir #alphinaud #alphinaud leveilleur #vampire au #smells like writer's block #someone take my fanfic privileges away #now I'm writing vampires #friendly reminder Alvaar absolutely reads trashy romances #on the off chance anyone wants to run with this #go ahead. I'm unlikely to do much with it #oc #writing #mywriting

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banashee · 4 years

Link

Love comes on two and four legs

Bucky curses up a blue storm as he realizes he’s forgotten his umbrella at the therapist’s office - again. He knows he’s had the last appointment of the day though, so they’re likely closed by now, and besides, he is already halfway home. There is no use in going back now when he’ll be back again on Friday.

In a vain attempt to stay somewhat dry, he pulls the collar of his leather jacket as high as he possibly can, hurrying through the streets of New York in pouring rain. No one looks at him twice, which is a relief. He’s still kinda new to this civilian kind of lifestyle and when he’d first started therapy, he’d been an anxious wreck. Always feeling watched, uncomfortable in his own skin to the point where he’d refused to leave the flat on his own.

It’s been two years since then, and while there still is a lifetime of trauma to work through and he’s having his fair share of bad days, there is no denying that Bucky is generally happy these days.

Deep thunder rumbles in the sky, and the raindrops only get thicker - Bucky is almost running, but he is long since soaking wet.

“Seriously Thor, now? You couldn’t have waited for like 30 minutes or so?” he complains under his breath as another thunder rumbles. Then he takes a sharp corner and hurries past an alleyway.

Or at least, he wants to hurry, but then he picks up a small noise and stops in his tracks.

There it is again. A small, high pitched whine, coming from a dumpster.

Bucky frowns, stepping closer. When he opens the lid and the stench of New York garbage creeps up into his nostrils, but the meowing gets louder.

A second later, Bucky is ripping open the plastic bag where the noise is coming from and then, a tiny, dirty ball of fur looks up at him with large blue eyes. It just about breaks his heart. Carefully, Bucky reaches out and picks the kitten up into his arms.

“Oh, sweetheart. Who did this to you?”

Another, pitiful meow is the answer. When Bucky runs one finger of his flesh hand softly over the kittens head, it starts purring immediately.

“You’re coming home with me.” he decides, and wraps his new little friend into his leather jacket - suddenly, getting soaked through doesn’t look as bad anymore.

The rest of the way is wet and cold, but there is a purring ball of fur snuggled up against his chest and Bucky knows the kitten already stole his heart. Huh. So this is what it must be like to be Clint - he’ll give him so much shit for this, after years of Bucky accepting his tendency to pick up any animal that is abandoned or lost that crosses his way. Which is a lot.

But Clint is unable to leave anything to suffer without at least trying to help, and as much as Bucky teases him for turning their apartment into a foster home for strays on a regular basis, he loves him for it. He loves him for it because it shows how much he cares.

And now he’s picked up a stray of his own.

When Bucky opens the door to their apartment he does so with one hand and calls,

“Darling, I’m home!”

A blond head peaks up from behind a huge coffee pot.

“Hey Baby!”

Clint gets up from his spot on the breakfast bar and crosses the room to greet his boyfriend. He stops right before he goes for a hug and just pecks him on the lips before asking,

“What’cha got there?” while gesturing to the bundled up leather jacket in his arms.

As if on cue, the white kitten wiggles it’s head out and meows again.

“Found her - him? - I’ll go with ‘her’ for now - in a dumpster. Poor thing was screaming her head off in a plastic bag.” Bucky explains, and Clint carefully reaches out, letting the kitten sniff his hand before gently petting it.

“Poor baby. Who’s the bastard who did this to you, huh? I just want to talk.” he asks the kitten and once again, it’s purring under the touch. Clint smiles fondly. He’s always had a knack for picking up strays, and it sure looks like he’s finally rubbed off on Bucky.

It’s not like Bucky would be anything but wonderful and supportive. He helps to take care of the little and not-so-little critters, stays up all night if needed and he will make runs to the vet and to get supplies without getting told or a single word of complaint. He’ll happily do all that and much more, but until now, it’s always been Clint who turned up home with a creature in need. Dogs, cats, birds. One one occasion, even a ferret, which was quickly picked up by his very grateful owner.

Besides seething anger towards the people who are cruel enough to abuse and abandon animals and rapidly building up love for the kitten, this whole situation leaves Clint quietly gleeful. Oh, how the tables have turned.

“We still have kitten formula in the kitchen, do we?” Bucky asks, scratching the fluffy chin and smiles when kitty leans into his touch.

“Always.”

They’re well stocked up on animal supplies, prepared for unexpected fluffy or feathery visitors any time of the day.

“Wanna go change while the water heats up?”

Bucky has no idea how long the cat was left in that alleyway, but he’s sure she must be starving. So he shakes his head.

“I’m good for now.”

The milk is prepared in no time, and Bucky feeds it to her with a small syringe and special nips just for this purpose.

He’s always been fond of animals, and living with Clint and Lucky certainly has gotten him used to being surrounded by them. But right at this moment, something fierce and protective is burning in his chest. As the white, fluffy ball of fur is hungrily drinking the offered milk, mewling a little every now and then, and Bucky just knows he’s done for.

He’s had this cat for not even an hour, and he already knows he’d willingly kill and die for her - Clint looks at him, with a small smile and so much love, he clearly knows what Bucky is thinking right at this moment.

After all, Clint himself had beat up a bunch of assholes and then paid a fortune at the vet when he rescued Lucky from the very same asses he’d kicked that day.

No words are needed, but when the kitten is no longer hungry and Bucky is stroking her fur with so much care and a happy little smile, he takes a good look at him and another one at the cat.

Bucky looks soaked and cold, and he should have gotten out of his clothes much sooner. The cat, although dry, has dark spots caked in her fur. It’s a very sorry sight, the two of them.

Clint runs one gentle hand through his boyfriends long dark hair and his fingertips over the kittens head. He decides to break up this cozy round before all of them fall asleep right on the spot.

“Okay, I think Kitty here needs a bath and so do you.”

Bathing is not exactly the kittens favourite activity. She voices her disapproval with constant tiny meows while Bucky keeps apologizing over and over, reassuring the cat that it’s all for the best.

They seem to have come to a mutual understanding once she’s clean and wrapped into a fluffy towel. It’s been warmed up on the heater, and the sound of content purring keeps Bucky company while he steps into the shower himself.

When washing his hair with a conditioner, he can make out the sound of the doorbell going off, quickly followed by excited barking, a female voice and laughter. All of this can only mean one thing - Kate is here and she brought Lucky back.

Both of these things are great news, and by the time both Bucky and the cat leave the bathroom, she’s already sprawled on the armchair with her legs hanging over one side. She’s gesturing with her hand holding a mug of coffee while Clint nods along to her story, attention half on her and half on Lucky who demands belly scratches from him.

“Katie!” With a wide grin, Bucky reaches down to ruffle her hair. She hates this particular move. Most people would lose a finger for attempting this, but Kate loves Bucky and always lets him get away with it. So naturally, he does it whenever he gets the chance.

“Robocop!” Kate exclaims happily, catches his arm and pulls him down for a hug. Bucky needs to angle his body so the bundled up cat cradled in his other arm doesn’t get crowded.

“Good to see you. And careful there, we’ve got a visitor.”

The cat chirps at that, like she’s trying to say, “Hi, yes, I’m here!” and Kate scoots closer to take a look.

“Hello tiny one. Who are you?” Kate coos at the kitten, gently reaching out. Cautiously at yet another new human, the cat sniffs at her hand, then accepting Kate petting her.

About a minute later, three grown adults and one large dog are sprawled across the living room floor as they watch the kitten slowly emerge from the towels and start exploring her new environment.

Lucky seems to be interested, but remains calm. He is long used to meeting other animals, and so far, he has been gentle and well behaved with all of them. As time goes on, the kitten gets a little braver and walks straight up to the dog.

Lucky is crouched down to the floor with his front paws, back legs propped up and tail wagging. As the cat walks up to him, the message “come on, let’s play!” is written all over his face and he boops her with his nose.

The size difference is enormous. Lucky is a large dog, and although he is of gentle nature, there is a lot of strength packed into him. He might get overexcited and waltz into people, clear the living room table with his tail or tackle Clint to the floor whenever he comes home dead on his feet, but he knows to be careful when interacting with kids or smaller animals.

This kitten is literally the size of his snout. Despite this, she lumbers over and cautiously raises one tiny paw and quickly taps Lucky’s nose. He sniffs her, then gives her another boop with his nose. After a while of back and forth, he simply flops down onto the floor without a care in the world and the kitten curls up on Bucky’s lap again to take a long nap.

It’s been a long, long day.

When Bucky is curled around Clint that night, with Lucky by their feet and a little nest of blankets and a heating pad for kitty to cocoon into right next to the bed, he’s happy and content. Part of him is wondering, wishing… With a sigh, he falls asleep and the last thing he notices is the feeling of fur under his fingertips from where his hand is dangling off of the bed. Then a soft kiss to the sensitive skin on his neck, and he is out like a light.

The next day, first thing after breakfast, they make a field trip to their usual vet. While the kitten didn’t seem to be particularly unwell, they want to make sure she is all well as she can be - especially to think of the way Bucky has found her in the first place.

He’s done this countless times before, and yet this is different. Bucky finds himself even more concerned, even more protective than usual, but as it turns out, the kitten is as well as she can be. A little girl, mostly healthy although undernourished. With love, care, time and regular check ups, she will have a happy start in life, the vet says with a smile and sends them back on their way.

Both Bucky and Clint are relieved to hear this - as adorable as the first evening has been, both of them have been concerned.

“So…” Clint starts, pulling Bucky out of his kitty-watching-trance as they sit in the subway with the carrier in between them, “Do you know what you wanna call her?”

It only takes him one long look into the blue eyes and the fluffy white fur to decide.

“Alpine. I think she looks like Alpine.”

As if to agree, Alpine chirps and Bucky all but melts into a puddle. This cat has totally wrapped him around her paw and she knows it.

“I just-” he stops himself, but Clint looks at him questioningly. “I just hope whoever ends up adopting her likes that name, too.”

Bucky is pathetically proud that he sounds as calm as he does. He has fallen heads over heels in love with this little creature, and as much as he’d love to keep her, he knows they can’t keep every stray they find. Letting go means more space for more little lives they can save.

“Oh I’m sure he does.” Clint answers instantly.

“Wait, you already know…?”

“Of course. He’s kinda tall, dark hair, a bit grumpy looking. Metal arm,” Clint continues, and Bucky is left sitting there dumbfounded as he alternates between staring into his boyfriend’s eyes and into the cat carrier.

“...Real handsome fella, great abs by the way, and don’t get me started on-” Okay, so he’s definitely blushing now. Goddamnit.

“Oh my God, Clint, stop flirting, you’ve already got me. Can we maybe go back to the part where Alpine is somehow… Mine?”

The little old lady sitting across from them chuckles, shoots them a fond look and then pretends to look out the window instead of eavesdropping on their conversation. She is not nearly as sneaky as she might think - or maybe she just doesn’t care.

Clint blinks, then smiles. “Of course. You’ve found her, and I don’t think anyone would be able to separate the two of you even if they tried. Not that I’d want to. I love watching you interact with her.”

“Aww, how sweet.” the old lady coos, and Bucky can feel his cheeks heat up even more, but there are butterflies in his stomach. He didn’t think he could fall any more in love with this wonderful man next to him. He is well aware that he is probably grinning like a fool, but he’s too happy to care.

He is in love, life is good, and he’s a Cat Dad now. Taking the hand Clint is offering in his own, fingers intertwined, he remains mostly in silence for the rest of the ride home.

Really, what else could he possibly wish for?

If anyone would have told him a few years ago that this would be his life one day, he’d have thought it to be a cruel joke. But it’s very much real, and he couldn’t be more grateful.

“Lucky, we’re home!”

The announcement is entirely unnecessary, since the dog in question is already waiting behind the door, ready to greet his humans in the proper fashion he approves of - running face first into their legs and getting up on his hind legs to be able to reach their faces to lick.

“Hey, boy. Yes, I know, we’ve been gone forever.” Clint is rubbing Lucky’s ears just the way he knows he loves, and is rewarded with a sweet, absolutely content, open mouthed doggy smile and a wagging tail.

Bucky snorts - it’s not even lunch time, but try explaining that logic to the dog. It doesn’t stop him from petting Lucky just as much as always, because coming home here still feels like the best thing ever.

“Look, your little sister is back home again.” Bucky tells the dog while gently ruffling his fur.

With perfect timing as always, Alpine is strolling out of the now open carrier like she owns the world, then she patiently allows Lucky to lick her head a few times. She leans into the touch and flops down to the floor, completely happy where she is as long as Lucky remains close to provide a heat source.

Later in the day, Bucky naps on the couch with Alpine curled up on his chest. Her purring vibrates through him like a little motor, and while dozing off, he can feel something settle deep in his chest.

Bucky is on the way out of his therapists office once again when his phone vibrates with a new text message from Clint. He steps to the side in the hallway, because of course it’s pouring from the skies outside once again.

When he opens up their ongoing conversation, there are two new messages - a video, and a row of purple hearts and crying emojis. Nothing else.

He uses the wifi of the building to download the video, and when he lets it play, Bucky is about to melt into a puddle right there and then.

The video shows the cozy corner by the heater in their bedroom, and Lucky is in his usual spot in his fluffy dog bed. From the side of the frame, Alpine climbs into it and snuggles up right into the dog's face.

Alpine is as tiny and fuzzy as always, which never fails to steal anyone's heart.

But especially next to Lucky’s giant head and the way he grooms her until she’s got enough and simply wants to snuggle more has Bucky clutching his phone in a deathgrip, smiling all over and getting impatient to be home.

Before he heads off, he replies with just about the same emojis that Clint sent with his message, then Bucky forwards the video to Steve, Nat and Sam.

Another night, not long after, Clint walks into the apartment to find music playing loudly.

He doesn’t need to go far in to check what’s going on, because he can already see Bucky waltzing through the room with Alpine in his arms, looking like he doesn’t have a single care in the world.

Clint falls in love with him all over again, and he spends quite a bit of time just standing in the doorway, watching the scene in front of him with a besotted smile. He loves coming home to this - so much.

When Bucky sees him, he waltzes over, still holding Alpine in one arm, he pulls Clint close to dance with him - and who is he to deny a beautiful man his wish when he looks at him with so much sparkling happiness in his eyes?

It doesn’t matter that Bucky is in sweatpants and fluffy socks while Clint still wears his combat boots, carefully avoiding stepping on any toes. They’re simply living in the moment, as best as they can.

Lucky, sprawled all over the couch, just blinks his one remaining eye open to watch what the funny humans are up to now - then he dozes back off, content just where he is.

*+~

Prompt No. 27 - Little Sister

Notes:

This is the most adorable video. And it was my inspiration for writing this ♥

https://banashee.tumblr.com/post/626543621873795072/everythingfox-illegally-small-via

#banashee writes #marvel fanfiction #winterhawk #tw animal abuse

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tiny-maus-boots · 5 years

Text

The Howl pt 5

A/N: thanks to my bestie and beta for always doing the thing and also talking me off the metaphorical ledge...again. I kept the word like you said to. I still think I should have changed it but I’ll trust your judgement as I always do on everything except tv shows. You’re kinda suspect on that.... i’m kidding ilyan @chloes-yellow-cup

Stacie pranced around the bike with barely contained energy. Her wolf had enjoyed the excitement of chasing the vampire this far. Her whole life Stacie had always been able to outrun everyone and everything that wanted to cage her in and lock her down. Hunters, lovers, friends, packs....family. No one could ever come close to catching her before let alone push her to keep up. It was a new experience and she found herself liking it.

The rumble of the engine was loud and she gave a bark to get the woman's attention. It was silly because she couldn't actually speak but she didn't want to see her mate ride off without one last look. Sillier still because she didn't even know her name. They just hadn't gotten that far before the bond drew them together. The vampire raised a brow and smirked at her almost as if she'd heard her thought.

“You can call me Aubrey. I'll see you tonight puppy.”

Stacie sneezed and growled, one foot pawing at the ground in irritation. It seemed to amuse Aubrey even more but there wasn't any time to enjoy herself. The sun was breaking just behind them and she'd have to move fast to keep ahead of it. The bike roared off and Stacie watched for second before she darted off back toward town. She lengthened her stride and settled into the run through the forest, thoughts of her pack warring with the memory of looking up at Aubrey's pale writhing body in the moonlight.

Eventually Aubrey won out and she let her mind wander over every minute of their encounter. It was distracting enough that she narrowly avoided running into a tree or two before she broke past the forest. Stacie put her ears back and pushed faster wanting to make it home before the pack inevitably showed up. She knew they'd likely be angry at her for avoiding them all and missing a run on the full moon. Mating with Aubrey wasn't going to make any of that easier to bear either. Not that she would change it if she could.

Maybe it was just the magic of the bond but it felt right. Being with the vampire had felt like a home she never really had or wanted before. And maybe hours prior she might have scoffed at the idea that she'd feel this way, but she did now and that was okay. She wanted this...thing between them to work. A thought that should have been a little concerning at the very least. Stacie tucked it away to think on later as she slunk into the narrow alley behind her shop and leaped into the still open window.

As soon as her paws hit the floor she knew someone was there. Stacie padded to the narrow staircase in the corner of the office and stared up it. She sniffed the air then gave a disgruntled growl and headed up. Redd was laying in her bed in all his chiseled perfection, one arm spread over her pillow as he leaned against the headboard waiting. They weren't together. Not in the traditional sense of the word. He was tall and handsome with sandy blonde hair and abs to die for. And she'd slept with him. More than once.

Something she regretted deeply now. It wasn't that Redmond wasn't a good man, or wolf. He was, and he was strong and fast. Just never strong or fast enough for her to think of as more than just a comforting distraction. She knew he was hoping to be her mate, that most of the pack already considered him her mate but she didn't want him. Not like that. So she'd been distancing herself from the other wolf slowly but as the pack got more anxious for her to choose he became more persistent in his interest.

Stacie shifted reluctantly at the entrance to her room and breezed past the bed for the bathroom. He watched her start the shower and grab a towel before he finally spoke. His deep voice soft and amused as it fell from his annoyingly smirky lips that made her want to hiss her displeasure. Something she'd never done before but the thought felt oddly natural if slightly confusing.

“So who was she?”

She didn't answer as she stepped into the shower. It wasn't any of his business who she had spent the night with and as his Alpha she didn't owe him any damn answers. The fact that he dared to ask bothered her in a way she couldn't explain. Maybe because she wasn't quite ready to share her experience with Aubrey. Stacie stuck her head under the warm spray and huffed when she realized it was too hot for her even after being outside all night. She turned the nob to the right, adjusting it to a fine cool spray before placing her palms on the cold tile of the shower wall. It wasn't even close to the feeling of Aubrey's cool hands drifting down her body but it would do for the moment.

The door to the bathroom pushed open with a creak and she glanced over her shoulder at Redd. He crossed his arms over his chest and dropped his head to the side as he let his eyes roam up her body. It was a completely different experience from the night before with Aubrey and she turned away from him in naked disinterest.

“Pack missed you last night.”

“I know. I needed space.” And she had. That was why she had run off in the first place. She had wanted distance from everything that her pack demanded of her. And had run headlong into exactly what they wanted. Well. Maybe not exactly. Stacie didn't like the weight of Redd's presence, it felt choking and smothering and made her want to shift just so she didn't have to deal with it but she couldn't. She had a responsibility to her people and she was going to have to face them no matter how distasteful. “They'll be here soon enough anyway.”

Redd gave a grunt of agreement patiently waiting for her to wash her hair before he spoke again. “I know you know what they wanted to say. I'm sorry. Wasn't my choice but it's what the pack wants, what would make them feel safer.”

Stacie rolled her eyes at that. She was positive that he was perfectly fine with the pack's choice, he had made that plenty clear before. He must have read her disbelief in her silence because she could hear him raise his big hands and drop them to his sides in defeat.

“Look, Stacie...you've done a lot of good for the pack and the town but you're a runner. Every pack from here to Prague knows it. You think that's easy for us? Wondering if you're going to get tired of our home and our lives? Get tired of us maybe? Other packs can take care of themselves but this pack can't, and without you the pack goes feral. They want you to mate and bear pups because we don't trust you to stick around!”

It was the way he changed from 'they' to 'we' in the same sentence that caught her attention. Stacie turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He handed her a towel that she took with a snatch and a glare. Redd took the meaning and stomped out of the bathroom. She wiped the mirror and stared at herself for a long moment. She had always known he was ambitious and opportunistic but now she was starting to wonder exactly where pack got the idea that making her settle down with someone was binding her to them all.

Anger flashed through her dragging the growl up from her throat but it wasn't a familiar anger because it wasn't her own. It was a cold rage that trebled down her spine making her grip the edge of the counter as she tried to control the wolf in her. Her normally green eyes flared a deep honey yellow as her wolf rose before she could rein it in. The stone top counter crumbled in her hands as the beast roared up and for a second she was afraid the shift would happen no matter what she did but it didn't. Her wolf pulled right to the surface making her eyes flash the cold silver of Aubrey's vampire rage for the space between heartbeats and dropped back down leaving her gasping and weak kneed in the wake of it.

“Oh...whaaaat the fuuuuuck...”

She blinked at herself in the mirror unsure if she had actually seen it happen or if she hallucinated it. The amber of her eyes bled back to green and she leaned forward, nose nearly touching the glass as she gasped in her breaths.

“Aubrey?”

Stacie shook her head looked down at the counter. Damnit. She hastily cleaned up what she could, dropping the pieces in the trash bin and washed her hands. Something had happened that she didn't understand and she didn't have the time to figure it out now though she suspected it had something to do with her bond to the vampire. The wolf gave herself one last wary look in the mirror and took a settling breath. Whatever had just happened, whatever was happening, it would have to wait. She moved into her bedroom to dress quickly as the sound of the back door to her shop opening reached her ears.

She was just rolling up the sleeves of her lightweight flannel when Cynthia Rose appeared in the door way. Stacie felt the tired disappointment in her Beta and she sighed.

“I know.”

The other wolf didn't say anything but she didn't have to. Running off had proven the pack's point adequately enough. Stacie stroked a hand down the other woman's arm in a comforting pet and jerked her head toward the kitchen.

“C'mon, I'll get breakfast started, you've gotta be starving.”

Cynthia Rose's stomach rumbled its agreement and she chuckled. They walked hand in hand to the open kitchen on the other side of the loft. Redd was already brewing a pot of coffee and she nodded gratefully at him when he handed CR a mug. He might be trying to make her mate with him but she honestly believed he thought it was for the good of the pack. She trusted that he would protect and serve them as a good leader would and should.

Her bare feet were silent as she moved around the kitchen preparing mountains food. Wolves started trickling in sullen and hungry as she worked. They settled in pairs and groups anywhere they could sit as Stacie served out plates laden with pancakes, eggs and steak, delivering all of them with affectionate nuzzles and caresses. The reassurances soothed them almost as much as the food. She smiled as Angus leaned into her shoulder and helped gather empty plates.

She loved these people, they were hers and she had no intention of abandoning them. Even if the thought crossed her mind from time to time she had made her home here. Some of the wolves needed her more than the others. Like sweet Wade. Her eyes drifted over the members of her pack looking for a familiar hunched shoulder and dipped head. Not every wolf was here, many of them were outliers, they lived in Tongass and only kept a loose association with the pack. It wasn't a common practice to have independent wolves in your pack, it was dangerous to have a potential gathering of wolves outside of the pack's control in the same territory. It could lead to bloody squabbles over hunting grounds and ranks of dominance.

But Stacie hadn't worried so much about outliers forming their own pack. She wasn't going to force anyone's allegiance or push for conformity. That wasn't wolf culture, that was all human. So she didn't expect to see every single one of her people but definitely expected Wade. Stacie caught Redd watching her and she frowned slightly before jerking her head to beckon him. She reached out and tapped lightly on CR's elbow and trailed a hand along Angus' shoulder. They followed her down to the shop obediently.

“Anyone seen Wade?” They shook their heads in confusion and she sighed. “What about on the moon?”

Angus frowned and looked at Cynthia Rose then back to Stacie. “He usually sticks to your flank. I didn't see him last night at all.”

It wasn't an accusation at all but she felt it in her soul nonetheless. She should have been there last night she knew that. But if she had been she wouldn't have been with Aubrey. Stacie's brow furrowed and she gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. It was probably nothing and for any other of her wolves she wouldn't be concerned, at least not like this. But it was one of the weaker wolves and hers to protect. Thoughts of the rabid vampire that tried to kill her sprang to her mind and that fear made her heart race.

“I don't like it. Last night...there was something out there.”

Redd raised his head and eyed her curiously. “Something like what? Vampires? We can handle them just fine. That's your rule right? Keep the fangers away?”

She narrowed her eyes at the unexpected aggression but his face gave nothing away. Stacie nodded once and glanced at the other two. If they were to come up against one of those creatures alone they wouldn't survive it. She very nearly didn't.

“Something like that. It was stronger than anything I've ever seen. It was a vampire but...different. It was sick and unreasoning.” And the smell of decay had been thick and choking from the moment it opened its mouth. It was dead and rotting inside in a way that regular vampires were not. “I want the patrols doubled up around town, two to three in a group and we don't stay out of baying range. I have the feeling there will be more of them out there.”

“You saw it?” Stacie flicked her eyes to Redd's and nodded. He swallowed thickly, some of the irritation at her melting away quickly. “Did it attack you?”

She nodded once but didn't elaborate. It was better not to go into further detail about the night until she had time to talk to Aubrey about it. Instead she nodded to her strongest wolves and gestured to the door. They would obey her without question now that they knew there was something out there worth being afraid of.

“It's full day, I'll send out messengers to the outlier camps, in the meantime...find Wade. If he's hurt or lost he'll be scared, cold and hungry.”

They nodded and filed out the back door. Redd stopped before it swung shut behind him and leveled a sad eyed look at her. He knew that the chance of finding Wade alive was slim. Even if he'd survived the night without incident he'd likely be not survive the day in the wildness naked and stuck in human form. She turned away from the pitying look and took the stairs back up to the loft. Wade wasn't her only wolf and she had others to protect and care for now.

---------

It was late afternoon by the time the messenger had returned from the forest. She still hadn't heard from her Betas and her unsettled spirit was making her pack restless. They had stayed, filling her loft and garage with warm bodies, a low level tension running through all of them. She had done her best to soothe them with reassuring touches but worry was starting to gnaw at her insides.

The crunch of truck tires on fresh snow made her lift her head and stare at the open bay of the garage. Stacie walked out into the sunlight, blinking at the surprising brightness just as Redd's big old Chevy pulled into the alley. She knew something was wrong before she even got to the tailgate. CR didn't meet her eye and Angus...oh Angus.

Stacie could barely process the sight of him cradling Wade's blue tinged and stiff body. The quiet sobs louder than a concussive blast to her ears. She pulled herself into the bed of the truck so she could see for herself the worst of it. Her mind refused to accept the sight of her sweet and gentle Wade, face twisted in fear and pain. Her pack drifted out of the shop, surrounding the truck with murmurs and soft sobs but she couldn't see a single one. All she saw was Wade.

Stacie plucked a few twigs out of his matted hair, caressing his brow in a gentle caress of apology. “Oh Wade....no...”

This was her fault. Tears rushed up before she could force them back, they spilled hotly down her cheeks as she reached out to to cradle Wade's head to her chest. Grief hit her in a rush of guilt and pain and rage and she didn't even bother to stop herself with the wolf demanded control. Stacie tipped her head back and let it out in one deep and reverberating howl that echoed far past the edge of town to the forest behind it.

Around her the voices of her pack joined hers in an eerie song of mourning. Every wolf for miles would cry for Wade and she could already hear the echo of howls far into the woods. And though she didn't know it...miles away, deep within the catacombs, dead asleep in the full light of day, her vampire woke.

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scoobydoominuscoobydoo · 5 years

Text

The Meddling Kids in the Car

FF.Net & AO3

Darkness.

Silence.

Pain shooting through his leg.

And then he hears grunting, someone struggling to breathe; he can sense tears trying force their way to the front.

Shag realizes that the darkness is being caused by his eyes being shut.

When he does open his eyes he finds that the darkness is barely improved; his world being illuminated by a single car light above him.

It’s that observation that tells him he’s in a car, and after further investigation he can see that he’s cramped up in the back seat. That tells him this isn’t the Mystery Machine or any other form of big car, any small car never has enough leg room for him.

The next observation he makes is that the sounds of struggle from before were coming from the front seat. Shaggy directs his attention towards the front and only needs a moment to spot an orange turtle-neck.

“Velms?”

When he speaks his tongue feels like sand paper and the air is almost damp when he breathes it in.

How long has he been out?

His brunette friend turns to look at him and he sees her face light up, he also notices a large, purple bruise on her temple.

“Shag holy shit! I thought your were dead for a second there.” She says this with a chuckle in her voice and her eyes begin to tear up. She leans back in the driver’s seat and smiles brightly at him, making him worry that he had been out for longer than a couple hours.

Now that his brain is finally orienting itself he takes another crack at examining his surroundings.

“Like sorry to disappoint...” He says softly and earns another chuckle from Velma.

He can definitely confirm that they are in a small car.

And judging by the darkness around the windows it’s late at night.

They must be locked in the car or something because Velma was trying to force open the the driver’s side door. But cars can’t be kept locked from the inside, there should be a way for her to unlock it.

And why was it so damn hot?

Shaggy hadn’t realized it at first but it was definitely sweltering; sweat was dripping from his brow and his breathing had become labored.

Then he took a closer look out the window next to him - his blood went cold.

“Ve- Velma? Whe-Where are we?”

Velma stares somberly at him and takes a deep breath, as if trying to keep her emotions in check, “We’re underground. Buried alive.”

Hour One:

“What’s the last thing you remember Shag?”

Her words kinda echo for a second, he keeps trying to pull his body out of a state of panic because in a cramped area like this that could result in death.

How many hours had they been in here?

How many hours did they have left?

“Shaggy!”

He jumps and looks back at her, suddenly remembering that she had asked him something.

He runs a hand through his hair, “I-...I-uh....remember we were at the haunted amusement park looking for Ferdinand the Torture Clown and-”

“That’s not his name.”

“It’s a better name, don’t interrupt me or I’ll forget what I was talking about.” Velma rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, her version of admitting defeat.

“Like, thank you. And.... um Freddie had us split up. You and me plus Scoob - him and Daph?” She nodded and he continued, “So like, you and I were at the employee parking for the clown rental shop just outside of the park. You were on one side and I was on the other.” He looks down at his lap to sigh, he’s been short of breath since he woke up.

“I-.... I remember you calling me over to see something but.... by the time I got to where you were you were passed out and on the ground. Like, I didn’t even get a second to process before I heard a honk and saw bright lights. Th- That’s all I can remember.”

Velms nods, “That matches up with my memories. Somebody came up from behind right after I called for you and then clocked me in the head.” She points up to her lovely bruise, “And then they must’ve sauntered off and waited for you so they could run you over.”

“What?!”

Velms raises an eyebrow at him, “You know? Like with a car?”

“I got run over by a car?!”

“Well dur, did you think that nasty number on your leg was from me?”

Shaggy can’t believe his ears, he follows Velma’s gesture toward his left leg and instantly feels sick. It’s bent unnaturally and on top of the lovely mixture of dirt and blood its got going on, it’s also leaking some sort of pus that is making his stomach churn.

It’s right then that the pain coming from his leg registers, and it must show on his face because Velma steps in, “The adrenaline must’ve been distracting you from the pain...”

He groans, knowing he shouldn’t touch it but desperately wants to do something with it.

“Agh! I-Is is supposed to hurt this much?”

Velma bite her lips for a moment, “I-.....I don’t know. I’ve never been run over by a car.”

He glares at her.

“But it’s probably gonna get worse in these conditions.”

With that, he attempts to move in a more comfortable position, and the pain from the movement causes him to scream.

Hour Two:

“How much air do you think we have?”

“Judging by how long we’ve been in here, the size of the car and a couple hours to count the amount of time we were unconscious; I’d say five...maybe six hours at the greatest.”

“Like, fantastic.”

They’re silent for a few moments after that, and Shag finds that the quiet above ground and the quiet below are very different.

He’s hating the below ground one so far because it’s giving him the head-space to count out the minutes till his death.

And whenever Velma feels the need to break the silence, it feels so much louder now.

“Who do you think did this to us Shag?”

He sighs and gestures up toward the sky, however far up it may be, “I don’t fucking know- my best guess is our good friend Ferdinand but this seems like something above his pay-grade.”

A clown skipping around and turning off roller-coasters suddenly burying two teenagers alive seems like a huge leap. Leaps from dangerous pranks to actual life or death situations were rarely made, and Velma couldn’t picture their mask doing this.

“Yeah, I mean clearly this guy is trying to shut down the park because once it’s shut down the land will be at it’s lowest.”

“Like it’s always something with real-estate...”

This quiet is awful.

They can’t even hear bugs chirping.

No sign of life except for them struggling to breathe.

Velma takes another look towards their main problem, breaking the quiet once more, “How’s your leg?”

Shag also sends a glance its way, hating just how bad it looked, “Like it’s doing great, the pus is really coming along.”

Velms frowns at him and he can tell something is on her mind, but it’s something she’s gotta say gently. Otherwise she would’ve already blurted it out. She sighs before speaking, “It’s swelled up a lot in the past hour...”

“Well yeah, it did come face-to-face with a damn tire.” He musters up a grin, because he hopes that’ll help Velma deliver the bad news.

Her mouth is set in a grim line as she stares at his leg for a few more seconds, gulping as she replies, “I just hope it’s not because of infection....”

Shit.

He had forgotten that was a thing.

“And if it is?”

This time it’s Velma trying to summon the smile, her’s is far less convincing, “It’s gonna be a tough few hours.”

At that moment the only thing Shag can think is, ‘Don’t hyperventilate. Don’t hyperventilate.’

Velma can see that all over his face, “Shaggy if you start to panic then we’ll be out of air a lot faster.”

“You think I don’t know that?!” He almost wheezes that statement out, “Not like it matters anyway. We have no clue where we’re buried and there’s no way that Fred and Daphne will know that we’re under the ground!”

Velma bites her lip and looks away from him, wiping sweat from the bridge of her nose.

She’s not used to being the optimist in any situation, but neither is Shaggy. They both find that it’s impossible to put a positive spin on anything, but Shag’s leg isn’t doing too well and if Velma doesn’t bring the mood up he’s gonna start panicking.

She needs to distract him.

“Ou- There’s always the chance that Fred and Daph catch our guy, and if he’s the one who shoved us down here then Fred will get it out of him.”

He rubs his forehead and chuckles, “Yeah... if Daph doesn’t kill him first.”

She closes her eyes and smiles, “Indeed.”

Shaggy follows her lead and shuts his eyes, letting his head lean back against the window.

Pushing his hands into his pockets and letting his fingers trace over every item. He can feel assorted pieces of paper, candy wrappers most likely, his Commander Cool wallet from way back in grade school, that’s definitely a Scooby Snack in his left pocket. For the first time in his life, he’s starving but not in the mood to eat - won’t do much good in a dead body.

He’ll offer it to Velma in a minute.

Pessimistic as she can be, he knows that she has huge faith in Fred and is more convinced than him that their leader will be able to connect all the missing dots.

As smart as Fred and Daphne are, there are too many unpredictable details to make up for.

Suddenly, something pops into his head, he has a cell phone.

He releases his right hand to search his back pocket, relieved to feel the warm plastic at his fingertips. Shaggy grabs it and takes a good look at it; it’s surprisingly not cracked or scratched - at least there are no new cracks or scratches.

He presses the on button and sure enough, the screen lights up, instantly greeting him with Daphne’s bright eyes as Scooby licks her cheek.

She was cackling when the photo was taken, and as loud and extra as Daphne’s laugh could be, Shaggy couldn’t deny how beautiful she looked when she did laugh.

It provides some sort of comfort, in spite of the lack of reception he has.

Those violet eyes seem to relax every nerve in his body, he remembers choosing to make this his lock-screen. He had ran the risks through his head over and over again.

What if anybody sees?

What if Daphne sees?

What are they gonna think?

But, in the end, he lost the battle to those eyes.

Shaggy smiles fondly at the photo, almost forgetting he was in his coffin, but is interrupted by a gasp.

“You’ve had your phone this whole time?!” Velma cries out, forcing Shag to tear his gaze away from Daphne. “Like, calm down Velms, it doesn’t have any sort of signal.”

She stares at him for a moments before saying, “You don’t have the FM radio thing? It comes pre-installed in most phones.”

Shag raises an eyebrow at her, “And then we can do what, listen to the game? Radio and walkie-talkie are two different things.” Frowning, Velma bites her lip - trying to gather her thoughts.

Hour Three:

Their breaths are becoming shorter, he can hear just how shallow Velma’s inhales are, and the back of his throat is dry and burning.

Velms has already abandoned her turtle-neck as well as her glasses, which wouldn’t stop fogging up. “Fuck it, I’d rather make the choice to be blind.”

Shaggy had been spending the seconds alternating between looking at the picture of Daphne for sanity’s sake, and then looking down at the state of his leg.

Also for the sake of sanity, but in a different way.

Looking at Daph helped him feel at peace on his “deathbed” while looking at his leg reminded his that he would probably never see her again.

He had cut off the leg of his pants all the way up to the knee with a box-cutter Velma had found in the glove compartment, so as to better see the damage. It was safe to say it wasn’t healing in any way, the swelling had gone up noticeably as well as the pain.

Velms couldn’t really do much about it, just sigh and rub her forehead.

Neither of them saw much purpose in bringing up the bright-side, they had been here for a long time - long enough for reality to set in.

They had seen the last of the world just a few hours ago and now the last thing they were ever going to see was each other.

“Do you take me for granted?”

Velma lets out a soft “hmmm” before saying, “Yeah probably.”

He nods, even though she isn’t looking at him.

“But you can’t hold that against me.”

“And why ever not?”

She chuckles and turns back to squint at him, he knows that doesn’t help any, and says, “Shag, I have known you almost my whole life right?”

He nods again but isn’t sure if she can see that so he says, “At least.”

Velma smirks and continues, “In that time I have found there to be one consistent fact. Nobody thinks less of Shaggy Rogers than Shaggy Rogers.”

The sentence leaves him kind of winded, as if he wasn’t winded enough from the lack of air, and he’s left to ponder it. Velma turns back toward the front, she had said her piece and she had nothing left to throw out. Not like she had to worry about being sensitive with him, the only punishment she’d receive is him ignoring her.

Which works.

Silence being the last thing she remembers, the only peaceful moment in her life.

Shaggy is staring up at the car light, black dots appearing and fading with every blink, left to contemplate so many things and knowing that it won’t do any good.

At this point even the tedious ticking of a clock would be comforting, he was getting tired of listening to his own heavy breathing.

The glaring 57% battery life was mocking him, showing him how much time he had left with Daphne and Scoob before the screen would go dark and he’d never see them again. He heard Velma groan as she turned to look back at him, seeing her slide on her glasses through his periphiral.

“Shag what time is it?”

He didn’t answer, the 57% had just gone down to 56% and now Shaggy was thinking about mortality and how he didn’t have a charger to bring him back to life.

Velma rolled her eyes and leaned forward, yanking Shag’s phone out of his hand.

“Velms! Like what the hell?!” He attempted to grab it back but she was already out of reach, he winced as he leaned a little too far forward and his leg pulsed.

She raises her eyebrows, feeling bad for causing that pain, but keeping her tongue sharp, “I was asking you what time it was, I repeated myself like three fuckin’ times.”

Shaggy rolled his eyes and leaned back against the door, breathing through his nose and waiting for the pain to subside.

It wasn’t.

But it’s not like it mattered anyway.

Velma huffed and turned her attention to the phone, pressing the on button and wishing her skirt had pockets that would have been able to hold her phone. Sucking in a deep breath at the sight of Daphne looking back at her.

Without even looking at the time, Velma brought her gaze to her tall friend.

His eyes were closed as he concentrated on ignoring the pain.

Now Velma knew that a lock screen photo could mean anything, any number of things besides the one thing she’s thinking of.

But as she’s looking at Shaggy right now she can just feel what this picture means to him, why it’s there and why he’s been spending the last hours of their lives looking at it.

Daphne huh?

She can’t help but smile, because she’s learned a thing or two about Shaggy - but she’s also known a thing or two about Daphne.

Velma chooses not to say anything, deciding not to curse Shag with the information that he’s part of a doomed romance.

Hour Four:

They’re at the point where labored breathing can be changed to desperate gasps every few minutes, lungs panicking and searching for air before realizing the supply was just low - not gone.

Velma has been mentally counting out the minutes for the past one-hundred or so, resisting the urge to suck in deep breaths.

“Shags.... what is that?”

Her voice is so quiet, they haven’t spoken to each other for nearly forty-five minutes and he had almost forgotten what she sounded like.

“Like, what?”

He just barely wheezes that out.

“W-...What is that?”

She points to the car’s control panel in front of her, the small, grey rectangle resting on top of it to be precise.

“It’s a GPS.”

The earns a gasp as she leans forward in her chair and pops her glasses back on, “Oh my word I am so damn stupid! It’s been here the whole fucking time and I didn’t even notice it!”

Shaggy is surprised she can still summon the energy to shout, or be mad with herself.

He watches as she examines the device, tracing her fingers over each edge - clearly looking for something. She lets out a loud, triumphant laugh as her search merits pleasing results, he assumes as much at least.

“Care to share anything with the class Velms?”

With a grunt and a cackle, Velma crawls over to the passenger side and he hears the pops of the glove compartment being opened.

“This GPS is connected to satellite, real rich shit for sure. And as it just so happens, we have a little green van out there with a spunky navigation system that takes in almost any information sent it’s way.” She groans and slams the compartment shut as she turns her search to the small storage space between the driver’s and passenger’s seats.

“If I can remember the signal our good-for-nothing GPS is on than I could send out our coordinates or something whatever this is only a half plan.” She has yet to even look up at him, searching for he doesn’t even know what.

“Wait.... Velms even if we’re able to send out the longitude and latitude higgledy piggledy, how do we know Fred and Daphne will know it’s us? How are they supposed to know we’re sending this from however many feet beneath the earth’s surface?” Velma doesn’t answer, still not looking up from her goal.

And this makes him angry, the hairs on the back of his neck rising as he clenches his hands into fists.

Without thinking, he reaches forward and grabs onto the collar of Velma’s sweater, tugging her toward him, “Look at me!!! AaGh!”

He immediately withdraws and rubs at his leg, seeing that the redness that originally just surrounded the wound has now traveled up his leg and under his pant-leg. He can see the blood that was clotting now trailing down his calf and onto the seat.

Any form of movement sends Shaggy waves of pain and there’s nothing he can do but try not to scream. All of the pressing pain feels like fire in every place he can think of, this was like nothing else he’d ever felt.

Was this his body finally shutting down?

For now he bites down on his index finger as he feels tears stream down his cheeks.

His brain repeating over and over again, ‘You’re dying. This is it.’

It’s pushing against his skull with the force of a bullet and more than anything he wants to scream out for it all to stop.

‘I’m not ready!!!!’

That final thought just barely manages to be louder than the rest, not getting a repeat or an echo.

And it’s enough to leave Shag feeling cold; freezing.

“Shaggy... I-”

“I’m nuts about Daphne!” He sobs out, not even bothering to hold it back.

He almost feels like laughing at Velma’s silence, finally she has nothing to say, “I’m over the moon, crazy stupid in love with her.”

Amazingly, she still says nothing.

Shaggy chuckles and wipes the tears from his face, “Like, aaahh.... I love her voice and her laugh - oh my gosh do I love her laugh. And her eyes might as well just be some sort of stun gun for me. Sh-She’s so confident all the time and so smart - Zoinks she’s a genius, and I hate that she lets people talk down to her so much.”

He wonders if she’s staying silent so he can get all of this out, because he’s not really sure when this will stop, if it’ll ever stop.

He’s been holding it in for a long time.

“So-Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night ‘cause I’m completely terrified that she believes all the bad things people say about her.” His profession of love and need to start sobbing have been battling it out in his throat and it’s becoming really hard to even string words together, “Velms she’s so fucking amazing and..... I-I could never be with somebody as awesome as her but....”

The words won’t even come out anymore, just tears and shaky gasps.

Velma bites her lip as she sees the inner-turmoil that’s taking over her best friend.

She leans forward and lightly rests her hand on his uninjured leg, “Shags.... tell me what to do.”

Shaggy locks eyes with her and through his blurry vision he can see that she’s got a somber look on her face, her mouth set in a determined frown.

“I.....”

What does he want her to do?

No.

This is her asking what he wants, right now.

What he needs her to do to help that happen.

“I want to see her again....”

All it takes is that statement and Velma sends him a mischievous grin, clapping her hands together and turning back toward the compartment, “Right! So, as we all know most GPS connected to the car require the actual car to be running, and while the lights are on nothing else in the car seems to be functioning. Lucky for us though, this one is similar to Freddie’s - meaning it has-”

“A keyhole!” Shag jumps in and Velma snaps and points at him.

“Exactly. Unfortunately, even if we do unlock it - assuming we find the key - we’ll only have a few seconds of time to send out the message before the device shuts off again. These things have shit emergency power and seeing as we’ve been down here for maybe eight hours already it’s safe to say that it’s dead. After that we get zero redos. Got all that Shags?”

Shaggy gulps and nods, “Like no second chances, got it.”

Then a thought pops into his head, “Uh yeah, quick question ma’am. It shouldn’t be hard to find our GPS to send the message to but uh... how are we supposed to know where the hell we are?”

Velma stares at him for a few seconds before smirking, “Ah... that is where you come in my friend.”

“Me?”

She chuckles, “Yes Mr. “I have the nose of a bloodhound.”

“Wha-.. Uh-...I.... Velms, like we’ve been down here for hours and I haven’t smelled anything. Zip. Nada.” Velma simply returns this with another chuckle before replying, “Well you were a depressed loser for a wide percentage of those hours.”

He stares blankly at her before sighing, “Yeah... but- blaming my lack of smelling ability on my mental state has a wide margin for error don’t you think?”

“And do you have a better idea?”

Shag ponders that question for a second and then groans.

Closing his eyes, he tries to concentrate on every little thing his nose has been able to detect thus far. Dirt, sweat, blood, iron, the rubber from the tires; that’s as far out as his senses have been able to travel.

Sighing, he opens his eyes and looks at Velma, “Velms I-”

“Norville Shaggy Rogers, you told me that you - yes you sir, nobody else - wanted to see the love of your life Daphne Blake again. Did you not?” She’s crossing her arms and scowling at him.

Her words send a wave of heat over him and he looks down at his hands, “Like-”

“Yes! That’s exactly what you said! Don’t bullshit me like this, I have seen you pick out every single ingredient in my mom’s vegan lasagna without even tasting it. You were able to help us find a gas station in the middle of Vegas when the van broke down. You’re a freaking X-Man Shags!”

Velma’s eyes are practically glowing as she rants to him, he’s not used to her putting so much faith in him.

And then he’s thinking about Daphne, her perfect eyes being the only thing in the world he needs.

He closes his eyes again and takes as deep a breath as he can.

He’s back at the scent of rubber, weirdly enough, they’re definitely new tires, but he doesn’t think much of it - trying his hardest to grip onto something new. Flames of red and blue and orange dance around under his eyelids, each one something he’s already seen before; no what he needs right now is a new color.

It occurs to him that he probably looks insane to Velma right now, eyes closed and a constant sniffing.

Not like he should be feeling self conscious, he’s just trying to save their lives.

He almost jumps in his seat at the flash of purple appearing just in the corner of his vision. Not wasting another moment gripping onto the color and following it, trying to place what it is.

“Funnel cake.”

He hears Velma gasp, “So we’re still near the park?”

Shag lingers on the shade for a moment longer before nodding, “Yeah, no doubt about it, this is the same stuff from our park.”

Velma nods and bites her lip in thought, recalling that they only had one funnel cake stand in the whole of the park. “D-Do you think you can place how far from the stand we are?”

Shaggy sighs and rubs the back of his neck, “Like, I’ll try Velms...”

Slowly, Shag begins to climb the violet hue, trying his best to avoid getting lost in all the rivaling smells.

It wasn’t helping that the purple was just making him think of Daph and then his mind would start to drift, only being pulled back in by his desire to see the real deal in front of him again.

He’s not quite sure how long he’s been ascending the lavender rope for but it’s definitely been a slow going process because his inhales are shorter and require more effort.

Oddly enough, when he reaches the surface of what he’s assuming is the earth, Shag is completely winded.

And it takes no time for him to be absolutely drowned in a barrage of new colors, all of them trying to get him to look away from the purple. But he keeps his grip firm and tight, noticing that it’s definitely getting brighter and more intense in hue - he has to be close.

Suddenly, all the other colors vanish - being completely drowned in the ferocity of the violet. All Shag can comprehend is purple and he can practically feel Daphne staring into his soul, but this isn’t Daph - this is funnel cake. And it’s right on top of them.

He lets out a gasp and his eyes shoot open, Velma goes from bored and relaxed to alert in a second, “Did you find out where we are?”

Shag nods, still trying to catch his breath, “We-....We’re.....un- underneath.”

Velms raises an eyebrow, “Underneath....the funnel cake stand?”

He nods again, closing his eyes and groaning as he’s overwhelmed by the colors again.

“You mean....directly underneath?”

“L-Like we might be five or six feet below the surface, but we’re definitely underneath the stand.”

Velma is quiet for a second, crossing her arms as she processes the new information, “So....somebody knocks me out, runs you down, somehow takes down the entire stand, and then buries an entire car six feet under, and nobody noticed?”

Shag rubs the back of his neck in thought, “Like, wasn’t there a lot of construction going on? Because the park’s not up to code or something like that? I can’t remember what the lawyer chick said.”

Velms sighed, “Yeaahhh I kinda blacked out whenever she talked, remind me never to go to law school.”

“Noted.”

“Anyway, while you were going on a sniffing adventure, I managed to find the damn key to this stupid GPS. Now I just need to figure out the location of the stand in relationship to the Mystery Machine.” Velma is in super-detective concentration mode right now, meaning she’ll ask a lot of questions out loud but they’re all rhetorical and Shag should not attempt to answer any of them.

That’s Fred’s job, not his.

As he watches the one-woman show play out before him, a question from earlier pops back to the center of his brain.

“Uh... Velms?” She sends him an annoyed look but she stops mumbling to listen, “Again, if Fred and Daph can even get the message and know it’s from us and go to the tent, how are they supposed to know we’re buried under the crust of the earth?”

Velma’s eyebrows furrow and she nods, “Yes, that is an issue...”

She’s silent for several minutes before she snaps her fingers, “Of course!”

Without wasting a second, Velma leans forward and pops open the glove compartment again. Shag can hear her fishing around in there for a few moments before returning back in front of him, holding what looks like a black cord.

His eyes widen when he realizes what it is.

“Like...is that...”

“Yes it is. A USB hookup. And if I’m right....” Velma reaches over and grabs Shag’s phone from his hand, ignoring his protests, and lines up the plug-in with the phone’s charging port.

“Hah!” She laughs loudly, making Shaggy jump.

“This hookup is compatible with your dumb Android.”

“Okay, like not all of us wanna use a thousand pesos of our parent’s money to buy a phone that’ll break in two months.”

Velma rolls her eyes, “Shag... now is not the time for smartphone feuds. We have our lives on the line.”

“Wh-? You started i-”

“Ah ba ba! More pressing matters... how fast can you type on this keyboard?” Shag’s sighs and leans back against the door, all this action is helping him forget the fact that his leg is starting to look like a zombie’s leg.

“Uuuhhh..... thumbs like lightening. Why?”

“Becaaauuse...” Velma starts as she begins to plug the other end of the cord to the GPS, “I’m gonna need those lightning thumbs to type out some sort of message while I put in our location.”

Shag raised an eyebrow at her, “A GPS is able to send and receive text messages?”

“Shaggy, Fred’s GPS is capable of semi-sentient speech.”

“....Fair enough.”

Without a moment to lose, Velma begins to map out their location in her head, knowing she’ll only have a couple seconds to lock onto the Mystery Machine and then plot out the point toward the funnel cake stand. Meanwhile, Shaggy will have the same amount of time to type out some sort of clue to hint at where they were in the stand.

After maybe ten minutes of psyching up and hoping their thumbs would respond fast enough, Velma slowly inserts the small, plastic key into the keyhole.

Shags hand are shaking but poised to type like the wind.

Carefully, she turns the key until she hears a beep and the screen lights up, giving them a low battery symbol before giving them a map of their location.

The pressure kicks in as the beeping continues and Velma is suddenly looking for and sort of signal coming from the van, Shag jumps when a keyboard pops up on his screen.

He freezes up for a moment, completely forgetting what he was gonna type, the beeping sending blow after blow at his thought process.

It takes one particularly deep breath for him to remember his word of choice and to begin typing it.

And then, his screen is black.

Never giving him the chance to finish the word.

“Di-Did you get it?” He asks as he looks up at Velma, she’s panting heavily and gripping either side of the GPS. Her knuckles are white.

“I-....I’m pretty sure I got it, i-it was sent out to the nearest signal I could latch onto. I’m really hoping it was the Mystery Machine.” She says that with a breathless chuckle as she leans back in the driver’s seat, “What about you?”

He gulps and licks his dry lips, “I at least got half of the word....”

Velma chuckles again, this one extremely dry, “What was your word?”

Shag leans against the door again, trying to avoid thinking about how he might have ruined their last chance of survival, “Underneath.”

Hour Five:

Shag jolted awake.

He had been fading in and out for the past half an hour at least with each little “power nap” lasting around five minutes.

The last time he had shaken himself awake with a sneeze.

He wasn’t sure that was gonna help any with the oxygen deprivation but at this point Shaggy didn’t even care how much time they had left.

It was narrowed down to either they would be found by the rest of the gang.....

Or they wouldn’t.

Shag pretended that whole unconscious thing was just awful and he was trying his best to avoid it, ignoring all the different stories he’d experience with Daphne when his eyes were shut.

Damn it.

He should’ve stormed up and kissed the living daylights out of her ages ago.

If only the extenuating factor that Daphne may not need - better word - want to be kissed by Shaggy Rogers didn’t take him over.

He certainly understood that.

She could be dating superheros and models and gajillionaires, people born with symmetrical faces and everything.

In his opinion, he wasn’t nearly perfect enough to kiss her, but didn’t change the fact that he wanted to. He so desperately wanted to; lost count of all the times he had been lost in thought and just thinking how easy it would for him to casually blurt out, “Hey I love you. Yes you. In the purple.”

But as easy as it was to say, it was chained down - never to escape his mouth.

Because those damn eyes just terrified him so much when the moment was important to him.

Maybe she’s relieved that he doesn’t love her.

Maybe she really needs him as her friend and nothing else.

He really didn’t want to mess that up.

Groaning, he put those thoughts on the back burner and rubbed his tired eyes that were fighting off the temptations of sleep, and failing. Shag wasn’t sure when but eventually if he let himself fall asleep, he won’t be waking up.

It was at this point he noticed a faint beeping coming from somewhere next to him.

For a split second Shaggy wondered if he had already been rescued and was just hooked up to an IV, safe in a hospital above the ground.

But then, he opened his eyes and indeed confirmed that he was still in the God forsaken car.

The lights had clicked off awhile ago and refused to turn off, making it even harder to resist sleep.

Him and Velma had tried talking back and forth with each other to keep the brain stimulated or whatever. But they soon found it hard to talk and breathe at the same time, so they dropped that.

Luckily, that beeping had yet to stop and was doing a bang-up job of keeping him awake, and annoying the hell out of him.

He heard a shuffle and Velma’s exasperated groan as she sat up and said, “Okay what the hell is that?”

Shag winced as he leaned forward, his leg was completely numb at this point and he was glad the lights were off because otherwise he’d be too afraid to look at it. His eye trained toward where the beeping was coming from, spots of purple blinking in and out around his vision as his eye failed to adjust to the darkness. Gasping as he saw what he believed to be the GPS blinking red in time with the beeps.

A timer set for fifteen minutes in black text stood out over the red screen.

After a couple of seconds Shaggy realized it was counting down.

Down to what, he didn’t know.

Didn’t wanna know.

But for some reason he was still alive to know.

“Like... it’s just one thing after the other isn’t it?”

He said that with a bitter chuckle, leaning back against the door and groaning as he attempted to shift his leg, it hadn’t moved at all.

Velma clears her throat and for the first time in an hour, he saw her face. Well, the silhouette of her face against the blinking, red light. As she’s examining the GPS, her brow furrows and Shag can’t really tell whether she’s confused or troubled. The last thing he needed was for that look to be troubled, his life was already in jeopardy, wasn’t that good enough?

After a few minutes, Velma sighs and leans back into the seat, “This damn thing is connected to basically everything in the car, there’s no way for me to know what this thing is whining about...”

And thus, she begins to think out loud.

Shaggy leans forward some more, with the hopes of preventing sleep - however tempting it may be. Luckily, the consistent beeping in proving rather helpful in that regard.

It was grating to say the least, each beep acting as some sort of needle stabbing into his brain until all he felt was a light stinging. Putting his head in his hands, Shags groans out, “Aaagh why couldn’t this psycho just send us flying off a cliff? Or suffocate us with the damn airbags? But noooo, all our criminals gotta be “quirky” and add sort of fun twist to the horror. God I hate serial killers...”

Velma chuckles and Shaggy brings his gaze up to her, “What? Airbag suffocation is a clever one.” He raises an eyebrow at her before she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, “Whatever, I though it was funny...”

Suddenly, her face lights up, “Airbags!”

Shag sighs and leans back, “Yup, that’s what I said...”

Velma scoffs, “No you dweeb, that’s probably what the damn GPS is counting down to. Once it reaches zero I’ll bet you anything that it’ll activate the explosives in the airbags and blow up the car.”

Shag stares at her, after a beat of silence he says, “I’ll get in on that action, If it blows up and we like, die, then I owe you $50. But if we just suffocate to death due to a lack of oxygen than you owe me $50.”

“Hardy har smartass. The explosives won’t be enough to kill us.... But... they will probably blow a hole in the car, resulting several tons of dirt flooding in and drowning us. That might be a problem.” She leans back into her chair and sighs, Shaggy simply smiles and says, “Hey, so I’ll win the bet either way! Sweet!”

Another beat of silence.

Velma ends it, “Do-... Do you think Fred and Daph have started looking for us yet?”

She begins to twiddle her thumbs.

“I have no doubt in my mind...” He takes a deep breath, it comes out more like a wheeze, “But, like, it doesn’t matter anymore. We’ve only got like...”

He leans forward to look at the timer.

“Nine minutes and thirty-four seconds until the white light comes to pick us up.”

“Wow, I can’t believe you’re gonna die a virgin...” Velma smirks back at him.

He rolls his eyes and smiles, “Yeah poor me, at least I can die admitting I fell in love. I don’t see your phone wallpaper of a certain trapping enthusiast.”

Shaggy wishes the lighting were better in here because he can tell she’s blushing.

“We-Well I.... I would have....i-if that damn clown hadn’t stolen my phone...”

Velma looks down at her lap as she states this and Shag can’t help but grin, “Well... It’s no declaration of love, but it’s close enough.”

She looks up to glare at him.

She opens her mouth to say something but is stopped short by the unbearable *screeeeech* coming from directly above them.

Shag and Velma’s eyes shoot upward towards the sound, then looking back down at one another - eye widened in shock.

“That-” Shag licks his lips, not brave enough to admit that was what he thinks it was.

Velma on the other hand is plenty brave and finishes, “Was something scraping the roof of the car?”

Shaggy’s heartbeat has sped up to far beyond what is healthy, leaving a drumming in his head to meet the constant stabs of the shrill beeping. He feels like he’s about to throw up, or faint, or both at the same time, it’s almost as if he can every little thing and yet can’t make out what any of it is.

Another long, scrape sends his pulse up even more.

Velma only needs to register the noise for a second before she starts banging on the roof, “We’re in here!!!” Shaggy is almost impressed at how fast she was able to act because all he can do listen to the drumming in his head and stare as his shaking hands.

Velma jumps back when then hear a knocking from above, instantly she bangs up again, “Freddie?! Daphne?! This better be you two!!!”

He can hear her voice tremble as she keeps shouting out.

Whoever is over them is shouting back, but their voice is muffled and neither of them can make out a single word. They both stare at each other for a minute and Shaggy can see that she’s crying, something he rarely ever gets to witness. And then he sees her gaze flicker over toward the GPS and his skin goes cold, it only takes a second for him to swallow up all the needles in his throat before he gets on his knees.

Slowly and with a lot of trying not to cry.

Biting his lip he looks over at Velma who has taken off her glasses to better let the tears flow.

With determination, Shaggy pounds his fist as hard as he can against the cushioned roof of this God forsaken car, “Fred, Daphne!!! There’s a bomb down here!! Like you’ve gotta get outta here!!!”

A sob catches in his throat and nearly chokes him, but he forces it back down.

He can hear Velma pounding away as well, but he can’t even really hear what she’s saying.

But he can feel his knuckle getting bruised and the air being all but gone from the car, and his leg is just introducing him to a whole new world of hurt.

One that he certainly was not a fan of.

After several second of nonstop pounding, they both stopped, trying to contain their deep breaths. It was complete silence up top, no pounds back and no screeches to be heard, just the eerie beeping.

They were alone again.

Collapsing back against the door, Shag reminded himself that deep breaths were a luxury he could not afford right now.

Daphne was safe.

And that was all he needed to know.

Ever since the day he couldn’t look her in the eyes without being frozen in place, the attention toward Daphne’s safety tripled. Even now, while trapped in a car with no air left to breath and a bomb about to go off, all he could care about is the fact that she wouldn’t be caught up in it.

That she wasn’t the one stuck in the car for who knows how long.

The beeping seemed to get louder as everything else around his senses began to fade.

‘You can make it.’

‘She’s right there.’

‘You just have to survive a bomb blast and then you can fumble out the confession you’ve been waiting for.’

‘And then they’ll amputate your leg.’

He smiled as he continued to fight the battle of keeping his eyes open, seeing that Velma was putting up the same fight.

“H-” His throat was in agony from the sudden barrage of screaming it had to go through just minutes ago.

“How long-”

“Two minutes and fifty-something seconds...”

Well damn she still had her voice.

Normally, Shag’s voice never gave out like this; but after dealing with oxygen deprivation and holding back tears for several hours - it was safe to say he was down for the count.

He simply nodded in response and tried to sit up straighter, hoping that would scare the sleep away.

Two minutes becomes an eternity when you’re just waiting for it to pass.

And then, poof!

Or, maybe a better word would be “boom!”

At the last second, Shag’s eye had popped open and he realized that Velma was sitting right in front of the airbags.

“Vel-” He coughed, groaning as the coughing didn’t stop; leaning forward, he grabbed her arm and tugged toward the backseat. Her eyebrows furrowed for a moment, but then her whole face contorted in shock, “Aw shit!” jumping out of the driver’s seat and into the back.

She crashed right on top of his problem leg, but he didn’t even have the strength the talk - much less scream.

“Tuck your head in so you don’t get any shrapnel lodged into your eyes.”

He sighed and leaned forward to put his head between his knees, and not even a second had passed when the whole front of the car went “BOOM!”

Something something hotter than Hell itself slammed against his cheek, and for a few moments he heard sizzling.

One of his favorite sounds was being used for evil.

But it quickly stopped and fell from his face.

Shag felt Velma grab onto his wrist and squeeze, as they listened to the car settle. His ears were ringing and he was coughing up smoke and dust, and the heat around them had become so drastically intense that he could already feel sweat dripping down his face.

He opened his eyes and found that the air was out to sting them.

Groaning at the sight of dirt spilling in from the shattered windshield.

He heard Velma let out a cough before puling on his wrist and moving toward the charred, front of the car.

“Velma what-” The coughing fit interrupted him once again.

Velma turned to look back at him, he saw a small shard of the windshield sticking out of her forehead, “We know that whoever is up there digging us out has reached the top of our car, so all we need to do is dig our asses out and then pass out on the roof.”

Shag looked down to see the the dirt was already burying her knees, if they were gonna do this then they needed to do it now.

He immediately regretted that decision as soon as his mouth got filled with hot dirt.

Swimming in earth wasn’t exactly a breeze like swimming around in water.

Now that was something Shag was confident in, he had gone scuba-diving so many times he had lost count. But fighting an upwards battle against relentless dirt that needed to occupy every open space was too much. Especially since there was next to know fight left in his body to begin with, just the promise of daylight to caress him and purple eyes to haunt him.

It was a system.

Push up with all the strength he had and then stop, think about food and Scooby and the criminal that did this to them being thrown into jail.

And Daphne, of course.

And even though he was running on empty, he’d push himself up again - squeezing on Velma’s hand to tell her he wasn’t dead yet. And then she’d squeeze back.

He almost made the stupid mistake of opening his mouth again when his free hand no longer felt dirt, but open air.

It only needed to hang out there for a few seconds before felt someone grip onto it, hard, and begin to pull. Shaggy held on tightly to both Velma and the Savior’s hand as, sure enough, he began rise even faster.

And then all at once, there was the sun again, hanging over their heads and welcoming them back into the land of the living.

Shaggy instantly took a deep breath of air as he fell down onto the roof of the car.

Spitting out every last bit of dirt so he could truly appreciate the air he was taking in.

He could hear Velma coughing up a storm behind her and he left out a relived laugh that she had also survived.

Falling down onto his back, he smiled up at the blue sky and felt hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

And then a shadow loomed over him, not even giving him a second to recognize who it was before the figured began to ravish his face with kisses.

Dog kisses.

“He- Hey Scoob! I’m- I’m okay bud, I’m right here!” He reaches up to scratch behind Scooby’s ears, then moving to cradle the dog’s face in his hands. Squishing up his jowls and smiling at how cute he was, “You’re the best pal a guy can ask for. Did you know that?”

Scooby tilts his head and whines.

Shaggy smiles and fights off the sob in his throat, reaching down to pull that forgotten Scooby Snack out of his pocket.

The dog quickly begins panting and scoops the treat up from Shag’s hand, backing away as he swallows it whole.

He smiles again, before jumping at the feeling of somebody grabbing onto his now dog slobber covered hand.

His vision blurs for a second as he tries to focus on all that red, searching for those eyes he can lock onto.

They’re full of tears and kinda puffy, but they’re so happy to see him.

And he’s totally breathless once again.

But this lack of air is something he can deal with.

“I swear, nobody knows how to scare the living hell outta me like you do Shags.” She says it with a shaky laugh, but hearing her voice is enough to make him sob.

“I- I’ll choose to take that as a compliment.”

He gasps out before letting himself come undone.

Daphne giggles as she brings her left hand up to his neck, letting it rest on his cheek, he thumb barely grazing the nasty burn he just remembered he has.

It’s then that it all hits him.

He almost died.

Like if he were a few seconds too slow for anything, than he’d be dead.

And Daphne Blake is above him, squeezing the life out of his hand and stroking his cheek.

‘You need to tell her.’

‘Before she almost loses you again.’

Now that he has the chance to breathe as much as he wants, he finds that all he can do is hold his breath.

“Daphne.” He almost chokes out, lifting his right hand up to brush some hair away from her tear-stained cheeks.

“Shaggy.” She leans into his hand.

“I-”

‘Say it’

“I don’t think I can lose you again.” Daphne breathes out.

Before he can even think of anything to top that, she leans down and presses her lips to his. And through their actions alone, they both know.

They’re in love.

And the other finally can see it.

Her hands tangle up in his hair and he rests his hands on either side of her neck for support.

And they probably did that for several minutes but who’s keeping track of time?

It finally takes Freddie tugging on Daph’s shoulder to break them both apart.

“Daphne, the- uh... the paramedics are here...” He looks like he’s trying not to laugh as Daph slowly backs away, both of them out of breath and red and pretending they have no clue what just happened.

They hear Velma hoot from a short distance behind them.

As Shag and Velma are checked on the gurneys Fred and Daph give them all the details, details which they both already knew.

“And the dang GPS wouldn’t shut up! So then I figured that it was just malfunctioning or something.”

“Freddie, that thing is always malfunctioning.” Velma says as the medic checks her for a concussion.

“Yeah, like, weren’t we supposed to be visiting your uncle this week? Instead it brings us to a haunted amusement park of death!” Winces as they poke and prod his leg.

He hears Velma groan next to him, “Doc, when can I take th damn oxygen mask off?”

The paramedic clicks off his flashlight before saying, “When I say you can...” And then walking away.

Shag chuckles and then lets out a hiss as they try to move his leg.

Daphne bites her lip as she looks down at it, reaching for his hand and tangling their fingers together.

“Nasty right?” Shag jokes, looking up at her.

She gives him a glare that eventually turns somber.

“Just know that she’ll still love you, even with one leg.” Velma yells out, falling into a fit of giggles.

Daph’s face goes red and she rolls her eyes, “I don’t think she’s gonna stop doing that.”

He grins and gives her hand a squeeze.

Suddenly his eyes widen, “Oh! Oh- um do either of y’all remember the name of that lawyer chick?”

Velma jumps in, “Yeah, Shag and I were hashing it all out and we found out that she’d probably have the most to gain from this whole Ferdinand the Death Clown fiasco.”

Fred chuckles, “Ferdinand? I thought we agreed on Beebo?”

“Freddie that’s a dumb name and you’re dumb.” Shaggy says with a smile.

Everybody laughs for a few seconds, just trying to forget the past few hours and remember right now.

The five of them, still together.

“Wait...” Daphne says, “You two were buried alive for hours, and you both spent that time solving the mystery?”

Shag and Velma locks eyes, both bearing a confused look, “Well yeah...” Shag says as he melts into the pillows.

“What else were we supposed to do?” Velma says, eyebrows furrowed.

Daphne and Fred look at each other in astonishment.

Before Daphne snickers and lifts their joined hands up to her lips, pressing a kiss against his knuckles.

“Hey, once a meddling kid, always a meddling kid.” Shag jokes as he ignores the pink, shimmer lip gloss on the back of his hand.

A/N:

This legit took me like a month in total to write because work and school and writer’s block are conspiring against me.

This is based off of my favorite episode of the crime drama Bones, the episode is call “The Aliens in the Spaceship” and it’s a masterpiece.

Before Shaggy and Daphne, there was Hodgins and Angela and they are both very similar dynamic wise. What can I say? I have a type.

I’ve have a crime show addiction since I was young and my parents let me watch CSI with them.

And shows like Bones and Castle hold a very special place in my heart.

So I really wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite episodes from a TV show ever.

#scooby doo #shaphne #Shaggy Rogers #daphne blake #shaphne fanfiction #seriously i LOVE hodgins and angela to death #I would die for some hodgela/shaphne #treatment in any scooby incarnation #who do i need to pay to get some shaphne drame

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ageeksnerdyworld · 5 years

Text

Shameful in the Light

Characters: Zale Young, Bonsai Warner, Mayor Whiskers

Word Count: 5,870

Trigger Warning: Swearing, Drug Use (kinda), Death

A/N: The only thing I actually had inspiration for so here ya go... As always the Cyber World belongs to @voiceoflarka

Summary: Life tricks even the best of men into avoiding the truth. Often subconsciously their daily thoughts and actions only aide and abet. Burying a man deeper into his sins and his ignorance. But nothing, not even the deepest love, can keep the demons out forever. Click that read more if ya want...

~~~

The bed was cold. Cold and oddly comforting. The sensation pulled him down and silently begged him to stay. Beckoning like a siren's song from the deep. It didn't matter that one arm hung off the side. Or that barely a corner of the thick blanket covered his person. Or that he couldn't properly breathe with his face buried deep in the pillow. He would've gladly kept laying there and slept the day away.

But the force on his back had other plans. The motion, the light push, was far too familiar for him to ignore. His eyes slowly fluttered open; blinking against the sunlight. What sleep continued to linger, attempting to call him back, made his dark lashes stick to one another.

"C'mon Mayor Whiskers," he groaned. "It's too early for this, man."

"Mmrow," came the response.

Turning over onto his left side he pushed the gray tabby off his back.

Laying on his side Bonsai's face filled his vision. Despite events of the previous night, the state of her hair and makeup, she looked at peace. Her chest rose and fell in perfect time with her deep slumber. She was clutching the blanket close to her chest. He didn't want to wake her. He didn't want to bring the moment to an abrupt end. But at the same time he couldn't not touch her.

Reaching out he softly pushed a couple strands of hair out of her face.

She instinctively moved away; turning her head in the opposite direction of his touch. A quiet, annoyed, grunt escaped her lips. She flung her right arm over her face to block out the light.

"Mrrow," the cat called again. The annoyance in his voice was clear despite the lack of human speech.

"Chill out wouldja? I'm up, I'm up," Zale whispered.

Pulling the blanket off he swung his feet over the side of the bed. Mayor Whiskers took this as a sign and jumped off the bed. The cat hurriedly rushed out of the room. Zale took a few seconds to stretch before stepping onto the bedroom floor.

A low, very aggravated, meow came from down the hall.

"Fucking relax," Zale muttered to himself as he left the room.

Outside the open door he stood in the short hallway. From there he could see the front door to the apartment and the kitchen beyond it. There was the gray tabby cat; standing by the food and water bowls. As Zale walked over the cat rushed back to him and rubbed against his leg. Mayor Whiskers continued to walk with Zale to the kitchen. All the while airing his grievances with drawn out meowing.

Stepping onto the cold tile floor sent a shiver through Zale’s body.

The cat rushed to the spot, adjacent to the small kitchen closet, where his bowls were kept. Once again he started meowing with an annoyed urgency.

When Zale saw the empty bowls he sighed. Bending down he ran his hand along Mayor Whiskers' head before scratching the cat's chin.

"No wonder you're so pissed, huh, bud? You must be starving," he said.

Pulling himself to his feet Zale shook his head. This wasn't the first time either of them had forgotten to feed the cat. It wouldn't be the last either. Even so each time he woke to a hungry, thirsty, Mayor Whiskers his heart sank.

"Some pet parents we are," he muttered to himself.

Bending down again he picked up the bowl on the right side. It was a light gray with a red line along the bottom rim. Crossing the short distance to the sink he turned the faucet on. Letting the dirty, hot, water run for a few seconds he waited for it run cold and clean.

You think you can take care of yourself and her when you can’t even take care of a fucking cat?

He blocked the thought out as he filled the bowl with water.

“Here ya go, Mayor Whiskers,” he said as he set the bowl back down. The cat quickly lapped up the water. He was clearly dehydrated as he didn’t take a single pause for a good minute or two. And when he did finally take a second it was only to lick the excess water droplets off his mouth.

Zale turned back to the sink and reached for the cupboards. Gripping the old, rusted, handle as gingerly as possible he lightly pulled it. The cupboard didn't open but the handle came off in his hand. Sighing deeply he put the handle on the counter. Putting his fingers underneath the lip of the door he pulled. This time it opened. Reaching inside he pushed the other one open as well.

The sagging, nearly empty, bag of cat food sat sadly in the cupboard.

He took the bag out and set it on the counter, next to the sink, before opening it. The sounds must have alerted the cat as he quickly jumped up on the counter. He was circling the bag; sniffing and pawing at the paper.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Zale said as he picked the bag up again.

He took a couple of steps to the empty food bowl. It was the same size and shape as the other bowl. The only difference was the coloring; opposite to its twin. Red all except for a thin line around the bottom rim. Zale quickly filled the bowl and returned the bag to the cupboard. Mayor Whiskers took the short window for what it was and began eating.

The loud, crunching, sounds filled the small space. Zale knelt down next to the cat and began slowly running his hand along the cat’s back. A thousand yard stare overtook him as the thoughts, that he had blocked out earlier, came back in a flood of self-defamation.

Suddenly he realized that the crunching sounds had stopped. Shaking his head, knocking the fog out of his mind, he rose to his feet. He quickly walked back to the bedroom.

From the doorway he could see that Bonsai was still in bed.

She had shifted onto her stomach at some point. Her arms and legs were sprawled out over the mattress. Zale tiptoed back into the room as quietly as he could. Stopping at the foot of the bed he reached over and walked his fingers up her leg. Grunting quietly and annoyed she tried to kick his hands away.

"Morning, gorgeous."

"Go away," she replied; voice groggy and muffled. "I'm sleeping."

"You can't fool me, miss black eyeliner."

He crawled onto the bed; closing the space between them. Sitting on his knees he grabbed her hand and curled his fingers in between hers. Pulling her onto her back Zale leaned in and softly kissed her cheek. He let go and hopped off the bed once more. He crossed to the short dresser that sat a few feet from the door frame. Opening the drawer he grabbed the first thing he saw.

Pulling the shirt over his head, he turned to her and, asked; "Wanna head out?"

She nodded.

~~~

“Gonna tell me where we’re going, babe?”

Zale shook his head.

They had barely left the apartment before she began asking. And even after a few blocks, and a half-assed game of twenty questions, she kept at it. Zale continued to keep it a secret. His silence ticked her off more than the secret.

"Better be worth it,” she said with a bitter voice.

“Oh it is, trust me.”

Bonsai rolled her eyes and scoffed.

She wore an over-sized gray shirt under a red flannel. Layered on top was a light blue jean jacket. The fabric was distressed and faded. Various patches covered the surface in a randomized pattern. A pair of black fishnets covered her legs under a short, pale pink, skirt. Ends of the fishnets were tucked into the galaxy printed high tops which covered her feet. Days, maybe weeks, old polish colored her nails a deep black. Except for the top edges where it had cracked and peeled off. The aviator sunglasses on her face glinted in the afternoon sun. Her makeup was still a mess but she didn’t care.

And neither did he.

To him she was always the most beautiful person anywhere they went.

Like a moth flying dangerously close to a flame he caught himself staring and looked away.

But he was too late and she already noticed. Turning away from the passing cars she side-eyed him. Bonsai pulled the sunglasses down over the bridge of her nose. Looking him up and down she nodded approvingly.

“Mm-hmm.”

Zale chuckled and shook his head in embarrassment.

He mindlessly echoed her gaze and looked down at himself. His eyes glued to each article of clothing for a long time; analyzing every tiny detail. The old and discolored white t-shirt with its peeling black triangle. A pair of faded, over washed, black jeans haphazardly shoved into a pair of boots. Various sized patches of different materials covered the larger holes. One of the zippers had broken. It was stuck half open and the pull tab had fallen off. He wore an aging, and tattered, navy-blue hoodie. The hood covered his head; blocking his peripheral like a pair of blinders.

How in the hell did you get lucky enough to have her? Fucking look at yourself, dude. Look like you crawled outta the fucking dump. Probably smell like it too.

Zale started to zero in on the things he couldn’t see. The hard calluses on his fingers. Scrapes on his knees that burned painfully. Heavy, dark, bags under his eyes. Bruises, scabs, and strangely shaped dents covered his skin in various places. Fading veins, originally a deep oxford blue, were now barely visible. A few had died from overuse and turned black.

All with track marks to match.

Nobody’s gonna see 'em. Even if they did who the fuck cares? Mom? Dad? Cove? Fae? Don’t make me laugh.

As these thoughts ran through his mind he began picking at his sleeve.

Bonsai reached over, standing on her toes, and pulled his hood off.

Before he could fix it she ran her hand through his hair. Pulling her close he wrapped an arm around her. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Her long, wavy, black hair cascaded down his chest.

“This is it,” Zale said after a few minutes.

She peeled off him and looked around.

The couple stood in front of a bookstore. Its exterior was long and rectangular. Square transom windows ran along the top of the storefront; metal latticework spacing the glass apart. The square designs were echoed on the masonry pillars and the bulkhead. Two old fashioned street lamps hung from the top of the pillars; along the extended cornice. Everything that made up the storefront, that was not glass, had been painted a dark turquoise color. Large, square, glass panes sat on either side of the recessed entryway.

Display windows gave passersby a clear view inside.

Above the transom windows, and cornice, the facade was painted white. A sign was affixed to the building on the space. The nameplate shaped sign matched the turquoise color of the rest of the building. Painted on the stylized metal, in thin and sharp cursive, was the name of the store. Bright golden letters stood out against the dark black behind it.

“The Book Nook?” she turned to him and asked.

Zale dug into his back pockets; pulling out a Sharpie and a couple of pens.

He held the items out to her with a smirk. She took them quickly and opened the door. He followed close behind.

The interior of the store had a cozy, welcoming, atmosphere. Two or three tables were set up behind the large display windows. A deep, dark oak, counter jutted out from the wall not too far from the large window on the left-hand side. An elderly woman stood behind the counter. Her white hair was tied back in a neat bun; except for a few strands that had fallen around her face. She smiled at them as they entered but did not approach. Zale nodded at her as Bonsai rushed to the shelves at the back.

As he walked over to where his better half had rushed off to Zale noticed that not that many people were in the store. It was a bit late in the afternoon so it made sense. Most people, with normal lives, would be at work or school. Catching sight of Bonsai he quickened his pace.

She was standing near the back of the aisle; near the emergency exit. Book in hand she seemed to be intently reading whatever was typed on its pages.

But he knew better.

“Whatcha got there, B?” he asked as he stepped behind her and rested his chin on her shoulder.

“Some stupid self-help book,” she said; the disgust clear in her voice.

The Sharpie was in her hand; hidden under the spine of the book. Her brow furrowed as she searched for something. Flipping through the pages she finally found what she was looking for. The empty space under the title of the eighth chapter gave her a perfect canvas. With a delightful chuckle she pulled the cap off the permanent marker and went to work. It didn’t take long. A minute or maybe less and then she moved to place the book back on the shelf.

“Lemme see that again.”

“Enjoy,” she replied with a wink as she passed the book to him. She walked away and went about perusing the aisles once more.

He quickly flipped to chapter eight.

The chapter was entitled Horrors of Hate. But a dark, thick, line ran through the word “hate”. Above the text, in harshly scribbled handwriting, was the word “youth”. Under the title was a drawing of a girl’s crying face. Her hand was outstretched with an unclear object in her palm. The overall shape of the object matched a small hole in the girl’s chest.

Chuckling to himself and shaking his head he replaced the book.

He wandered through the store once more. Taking a red pen out of his back pocket looked around for the bookstore’s owner. Not seeing her anywhere near him he turned toward the nearest shelf just in case. He held the pen in between his fingers and hid it under the sleeve of his hoodie.

Randomly picking up various books he scrawled his own messages in the blank spaces.

Zale wrote stupid things that were funny in the moment. Short phrases like “doing a book burning? start with me” and “only read when high”. As he finished a small drawing of a dog pooping on the title of a rom-com piece of erotica he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Zay! Look at this,” Bonsai said as she shoved a book into his face.

It was a children’s graphic novel. The superheroes, in their brightly colored costumes, were fighting the villain. All of the typical violence that was associated with the heroes in question was nowhere to be seen. Or it was supposed to be as the book was for children. The heroes were supposed to talk the villain out of doing whatever damage they had planned.

Bonsai had taken it upon herself to fix the problem.

Red and blue ink turned a docile scene into a bloodbath. With the dialogue bubbles untouched the text remained the same. The juxtaposition of the flowery language with the added violence was hilarious. Now the scene ended with the villain, still claiming to be reformed, beaten and bloodied.

As Zale laughed she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“Thanks,” she said. “I really needed this.”

“Anything for you.”

She took the book from him and went to return it to wherever she first found it. He watched her go and smiled. After the night they had previously she was in dire need of a pick me up. Thankfully this did the trick.

He returned the book to the shelf and pretended to scan the rest of the books for another. After a minute or so of this miming he shrugged and walked away. Taking his time as he went he looked around for Bonsai. He knew that she couldn’t be far off as the place wasn’t very big. Walking around the store Zale felt the phone in his back pocket vibrate. He slowed to a stop as he took out his cell. A text came through from an unknown number. The message was a simple two word phrase.

In stock.

Before he could text back the phone buzzed again. The vibration was longer than the first time; signifying that a call was coming through. He pressed the green phone icon and put the phone to his ear.

“Howard Boulevard, green-gray,” the familiar voice on the other end said before hanging up.

~~~

The street was busy despite the odd hour. Most people should've been at work or school and yet cars practically flooded the street. Zale turned and gave Bonsai a confused look from under the weathered, dull, navy hood. She echoed his confusion with a cocked eyebrow. Turning back to the street they scanned the opposite side.

He felt her hand harshly squeeze his own.

A slew of parked cars lined the curb. A couple of bikes were neatly corralled by the edge of the sidewalk that turned down a narrow alleyway. But, mysteriously, only one appeared to have the engine on.

From this distance all they could see clearly was the profile of the car. Even with the bright lights above it was difficult to discern the color. They had no idea if this car belonged to who they thought. But already late they quickly rushed across the street. He held her hand as they ran; clutching it intensely. Like he was afraid she'd disappear if he let go.

Calm down, he mentally shouted to himself, nothing’s happened.

Slowing to a leisurely stroll once they reached the correct side of the street. Zale looked around for a car matching the color he was told. His head whipped around as he searched. A sharp exhale left his body when he saw it. Pointing it out to he lessened his grip on Bonsai's hand. She ran her hand through her hair; trying to shake out her nerves. As the couple walked the silhouetted shape of a person came into view.

The shape was leaning against the trunk; facing away from them. A thin reflection of the car's rear lights shined on the figure's dark jacket. Seeing the man's face Zale felt the tension leave his body. He heard Bonsai exhale a deep sigh of relief.

"Fuckin' took ya long enough."

Klynn Buffett was never a patient man.

He stood with arms crossed over his chest. An old, weathered, light gray jean jacket covered his chest. The sleeves were cut off in a very disordered manner. Fabric strands of varying lengths hung from the edges. He wore a white t-shirt underneath. On the fabric was an image of a skull; black on one side and white on the other. Behind the skull image was a series of pixels. Reversed coloring to the skull the pixels were of different size and shape. Dark blue jeans collected in a series of folds at his feet. On his feet were a pair of bright red street sneakers. The soles were white with black writing all over.

Klynn’s bright auburn veins cut through the dark.

Silver ink shone along the left side of his neck; illuminated by the car’s rear lights. Stylish filigree curled around his skin in an intricate manner. Inside the decorative ink was an image of raven feathers. Underneath the feathers was the Latin phrase; volenti non fit injuria. An impatient annoyance twisted his lips into a snarl. The emotion was perfectly reflected in his hunter green eyes. His white hair, shaved except for the top of his skull, was wavy and long. Swept to the right side of his face the curled locks covered his eye.

Zale shook his head and looked at the ground; "Sorry man. Lost track of time."

Kylnn scoffed. It was clear that he wasn't satisfied with that answer. But he pushed off the car and moved towards the front door. His dark eyes dug daggers into Zale.

"Gonna let it slide. This time."

Clutching the door handle Kylnn pulled it to open the door. It didn't budge. He chuckled and shook his head.

“You good, man?”

“Yeah,” came the struggled reply. “This piece of shit gets stuck all the time.”

Zale nodded and shoved his hands in his hoodie pockets. Bonsai moved closer and hooked her arm through his. Bonsai nudged him slightly. Looking over to her he gave her a questioning look.

“You ok?” he mouthed.

She shook her head.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. Without saying a thing she nudged her head in Kylnn’s direction. Then she motioned to the area around them. Zale took a minute before he understood. Clearing his throat loudly he took his hands out of his pockets and stepped in front of Bonsai.

“Kinda noticing your boys aren’t here, Kylnn.”

“Yeah, so? If yo...” he suddenly stopped; freezing in place.

"Let's go," Bonsai whispered.

"What? Why?"

Bonsai's pleading eyes shifted back to where Kylnn stood. They took on a deep look of suspicion. A sprinkling of fear lurked inside as well. She crossed her arms over one another and hugged herself.

"I just have a bad feeling. Please, Zay."

Zale chuckled, smirking, "For real? We've been buying off him for years, B. If he wanted to rip us off he woulda done it already."

She nodded reluctantly. Zale could see that she was still bothered by something. He didn't know what it could have been but he pulled her into a hug. Holding her close for a minute; hoping it would help ease her nerves. Uncurling from the embrace he held her at arm's length. Zale looked at her for a few seconds before cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her on the forehead and rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

"I’m never gonna let anything happen to you. You're my tree of life, B. This soul," he said; laying a hand on his chest.

“This soul is useless without you.”

BAM!

The sound of the car door slamming made the couple jump. Turning in the direction of the sound they saw Kylnn walking around the car to the front side. He winked at them as he passed. Bonsai’s suspicions grew but she kept them to herself. Her veins began to glow just a little bit brighter as if to echo her feelings.

Zale put his hand on her shoulder.

Another loud slamming sound rang through the night as Kylnn let the hood of the car fall back into place.

“Why, man?”

“Just part of my charm,” Kylnn said with a smirk.

“So, the whole thing with the door was--?”

“Lost track of where I put it. That shit happens to the best of us.”

Kylnn joined the couple on the sidewalk and he approached Zale. He held his hand out. Zale took it and pulled him into a man hug. The exchange only lasted for a few seconds before they let go. As their hands moved apart a small plastic bag was passed into Zale’s hand. He curled his fingers around it before shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets.

“Pleasure doin’ business.”

Zale nodded and wrapped his arm around Bonsai again. As they walked away he leaned to kiss her head.

~~~

Once inside the apartment he pushed the door closed with his foot. Turning around to lock it caused the paper bag to shift in the crook of his left arm. He shouted over his shoulder.

“B? I’m back!”

Shoving the key into his pocket he simultaneously kicked his shoes off. After that he turned around once more. Now facing the inside of his apartment he could see that everything was exactly how he left it. An open carton of milk was still on the table. The small stack of books that held up the broken table leg was still askew from when he rushed out.

Exhaling the breath he didn’t know he held Zale walked across the floor.

“I got you something,” he called to the empty air.

He thought that maybe she had taken a nap. She had done that ever since they’d known each other. It didn’t matter what the argument was about, or who it was with, she always ended them the same way. When he asked why she explained that she didn’t want people to fight for too long. He always thought it was sweet.

So he turned the corner and walked to their bedroom. He took a breath before quietly pushing the door open.

But the room was empty. The bed, a small mattress on a thin metal frame, only housed a few pillows and a blanket. The beanbag that sat in the corner opposite the bed was also missing it’s typical occupant.

Walking out of the room he made his way back. It was clear that the kitchen was empty so he didn’t bother looking. As he moved to set the bag on the counter he turned to his right; scanning the small living room.

There she was.

Bonsai was sitting on the sofa with her back towards him. Her long, black, hair cut off at the base of her neck by the back of the sofa. It was clear that she hadn't heard him. Zale smirked and crept over to the couch.

It was the perfect time to surprise her.

Walking on tiptoes he approached the sofa from the left side. Turning the corner she had fully come into view.

She wore the same outfit from earlier minus the aviators. Her arms were on either side of her person. Palms facing up her thin arms were quietly laying by her side. A bright green colored rubber band tourniquet hung loosely off her left arm. Barely past the crook of her elbow was a syringe. The plunger had been pushed all the way down.

The needle was still in her skin.

On the old, dented, and stained wood table was another tourniquet. It was a bright yellow color. Next to the tourniquet was another syringe. Empty. There was an old, burnt and bent, spoon on the other side of the syringe. Also empty. A lighter and a couple cotton balls also lay on the tabletop.

The small plastic bag also lay on the table.

Most of its contents remained.

Zale’s eyes rapidly darted from each item he saw, to the next, and back again. His mind couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It just made no sense. In a daze, unaware that he was even moving, he rushed to her side. His knees slammed into the floor and he ignored the pain. His bottom lip quivered in fear.

With shaking hands he carefully pulled the needle from her skin.

He tried to call her name but the sounds remained in his throat.

The pulse of her veins was getting slower with each passing second. Slow and progressively more faint. Deep black broke through the bright orange every few beats. Her breathing was shallow and rapid. It seemed like there was something blocking the air from filling her lungs. Every couple seconds she would choke on nothing. The edges of her lips were turning pale. And a blank thousand yard stare glossed over her eyes.

"No, no, no," he repeated; anguish heavy in his voice.

"C'mon, c'mon stay with me, B. You were right. You knew and I... Fuck. I'm so sorry."

She pressed a finger to his lips and shook her head. The message was clear. Nothing he could say would change anything. There was no point wasting what time they had left on apologies.

"Babe," her voice a choked whisper, "can you sing something for me?"

He nodded as the tears ran down his cheeks. Clutching her hand in his own, a hand against her back holding on, he could feel the heat leave her body. A whirlwind of emotions ran through his mind as he started to sing. It was quiet and shaky. Completely off tune. He didn't even know if he sang any actual words.

But none of that mattered.

She wanted to hear his voice and so she did.

Lifting his head he took a deep, shaky, breath. Only then did he notice that the gray tabby had sat next to Bonsai. He had been purring quietly.

"Don't go, B. Please."

But she was already gone.

Panicked, afraid, and in pure disbelief he grabbed her shoulders. Shaking her lightly he called her name again and again. She didn't respond. Her head jerked back each time he moved her. Her entire body was limp, although still warm, and didn't put up a fight. Couldn't. Her eyes were dull. Veins now entirely black. Running his hands along her neck he cupped her face in his hands; thumbing her cheek.

He sat there, sobbing, until there were no more tears to shed. The grief poured out of his mouth until his throat was raw.

Why? Why? Why? the question repeated with the rapid, fearful, pulse in his veins.

Kylnn.

Shoving his hand into his jeans he aggressively searched for his phone. Pressing the button on the back brought the dark screen to life. The black void was immediately replaced with a picture of the two of them. He quickly tapped out the code on the screen.

But his nerves got the better of him and the screen informed him that he messed up. Shaking his head he bit his bottom lip and tried again. And again. And again. The screen stayed on the picture, the digital clock changing, as if to taunt him.

He screamed and tightly grasped the phone in his hand.

Mayor Whiskers walked over to where Zale stood. He let out a quiet meow to get the young man's attention. Rubbing his head against his leg Mayor Whiskers started to purr again. The sound was usually low and comforting, but, not this time. In the dead quiet apartment every minor sound, that typically wasn't easily distinguished from the rest, was now obvious. The loud mechanical hum of the fridge. A dull, rattle-like, sound emanated from the air vents. The creaking sounds from the neighbors' walking around their apartments. Even the cat's purr was loud.

The overwhelming sounds pulled him back into the moment. He took a breath and tapped the screen one more time. The picture disappeared. It gave way to the slew of apps that covered an image of gray squares varying in size and shade. Ignoring every other app in view his thumb moved to the dark, blue-green colored, phone icon. Pressing the square brought up his most recent calls.

Without a second thought he pressed the first number in the list.

Putting the phone to his ear Zale found himself hoping that the call went unanswered. But his hopes were dashed as the phone abruptly stopped ringing.

"What did you do?"

"Huh?" the voice responded.

"What the fuck did you do, Kylnn?!"

"Look man I don't know what this--"

Zale cut him off; "She's dead. So, I'm gonna ask again and you're gonna give me an answer. What. Did. You. Do?"

The sudden change in tone was shocking. Violent threats, subtly hinted at through his words, went unspoken.

“Alright, alright, ya got me. I put a lil’ somethin’ extra in it.”

Kylnn paused on the other end as if he was choosing his words carefully.

“Thought you two woulda got hooked on the combo. That’s it. Scout’s honor.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Zale could practically see Kylnn shrug. He could, very clearly, see Kylnn lounging in whatever hovel he currently called home. The man was most likely sitting on a dirty and ratty couch counting his earnings. His phone would be held in place by his shoulder. Even in his own base of operations Kylnn always had his cronies around for protection. He knew that one of the many girls and boys Kylnn kept would be there too.

"I was gonna marry her."

“Well, look, I gotta go. Same time next week?”

Kylnn hung up before Zale could respond let alone tell him off.

He quietly sunk to his knees; no energy to scream nor tears left to shed.

The shock overtook him again and he mindlessly scrolled through his messages. Quickly finding what he needed he typed out what he could. He didn’t look it over. He didn’t care. He clicked send and let the phone fall from his hand as his body melted into the floor.

Barely a minute passed before the replies came in. His phone loudly buzzed as it vibrated on the floor. At first it was a few short notification buzzes. Then it turned into longer, drawn-out, vibrations. Calls began to flood in.

He didn’t look.

He didn’t pick the phone up.

He didn’t move even when his front door slammed open.

Zale stayed in that spot, frozen in place, until his band-mates, his friends, pulled him to his feet. Someone wrapped a blanket around him. Someone else was pacing the floor; loudly yelling into a phone. Zale vaguely took in what was going on around him. Even as he did everything began to blur and blend together. He swore she was fine. He knew that she hadn’t shot up without him.

“She wouldn’t leave me,” he said. “Not on purpose.”

“’Course not,” Zephyr said.

“It’s my fault,” he continued; ignoring what Zephyr had said. He stared out at nothing and pulled at his hair. “It’s all my fault.”

They tried to talk him out of saying that kind of thing. It wasn’t true and they knew that. Emery interrupted at one point to tell the others that the police were on their way. Running a hand through his hair he looked around the room and whispered.

“Bro? Wanna go out into the hall? Cops are gonna be here--”

Zale cut him off with his ramblings; “She didn’t want to. I said it’d be fine. Same guy as always. She didn’t want to and bought it anyway.”

“It’s not your fault,” Dexterity said as they put a hand on his shoulder and quietly guided him out.

“I bought it! I left her alone! I was gone for five minutes all because I had to buy her some dumb fucking mini cactus! I bought her a cactus and now she’s dead. It’s my fault!”

Dexterity didn’t respond and continued to guide Zale out into the hallway. Their hand continuing to rub his back. Looking back to the others they saw Zephyr and Emery standing in the middle of the living room. Both of them were looking around for things they thought Zale might need. After they grabbed a few things, water and snacks, they followed Dexterity into the hall.

Mayor Whiskers followed the group closely behind.

The three of them stayed by Zale’s side until the police arrived.

#my writing #oc story blah #idk what else to tag this as #tw swearing #tw drug use #tw death #ageekwrites #zale young #bonsai warner

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nowitsdarkfic · 5 years

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chapter two (black orchid)

My stomach is in complete and utter agony once she and I arrive at the doorstep: my hair is drenched and I’m freezing from the cold rain falling all around us. In the dim light, I can see her eyes struggling to remain open, but I made a promise with myself. The grass is starting to feel like a swamp, and I can tell the rain is making the leather rather slippery: I am almost dragging her once I stumble onto the concrete walkway.

I stop to push my hair out of my eyes to make out the shape of... a flower? I can’t tell.

I push my hair from my eyes again all while trying to keep her from sliding out from my arms. It’s like a neon light in the shape of a flower but I can’t be too sure of it.

What the hell is this place?

I hurry up to the doorstep, where I am met with a low awning: I duck my head and, once the rain is behind me and Maya, I give my head a toss back to rid of the wet strands of hair from my face.

Maya groans in her throat and shudders against my chest.

“Come on, Maya, babe, stay with me—“ I coax her, running her up to the front door. I press her head to my chest but since the leather on my jacket is too drenched, I have to lean back a bit to keep her from falling onto the hard ground. I try to knock on the dark heavy door panel but I can’t, otherwise I drop her.

So I kick the door with the sole of my shoe. No response. I’m about to do it again when this foxy girl sidles out from behind the darkness. Yellow light shines over Maya and me, and I blink several times to adjust my eyes.

She’s about a foot shorter than me with short scarlet red ringlets around her head and bright green eyes, and she has opaque skin as white as the impending snow, and as smooth as glass. She’s wearing a fitted black leather jacket zipped down to the base of her chest, a black miniskirt, and is barefoot. She gives her ringlets a toss back and flutters her eyelash extensions at me.

“Hey, handsome, what brings you to our little hub in the nub of New York?”

“Probably hypothermic, and starving, and I think something horrific happened to her,” I say in one fell swoop and a nod to Maya, and she gasps at the sight of her there in my arms.

“Oh holy shit!” She turns away from the door. “Lili! Lili, come quick!”

She returns to me.

“Yeah, come inside, come inside,” she encourages me.

I almost stumble ass over teakettle into the room from the wet soles of my Chucks, but I never let go of her. The girl gestures for me to bring Maya to a plush dark red couch nestled up against the wall, and I stagger forth a bit, but I catch myself in the moment. I lay her down on the cushions and I collapse right there on the soft shag carpet beneath her.

“Oh my God,” the girl pleads, clasping a hand to her mouth. A heavier woman with jet black hair tied tight in a bun atop her head skids into the room from the stairwell across from me.

“Morgan, what have I told you about calling me Lili?” she scolds her.

Morgan scoffs; meanwhile I can hardly lift up my head. Now I am starting to fade.

“Mrs. Hamilton, this guy and his girl here are—“ I couldn’t hear the rest of it. My vision blurs and falls out of focus as they fade out into silhouettes, both of which loom towards me.

I can feel them touching me and picking me up from the floor. Morgan sits me upright: I already know her fiery red hair through my hazy vision.

“—he said he’s hungry,” I hear her say: her voice sounds like she’s about a mile away.

“I bet he’s cold, too—“ adds Mrs. Hamilton. Her blurred silhouette turns away. “Cindy, go upstairs—”

My head rolls over onto my shoulder and I close my eyes. Like going to sleep.

And then I wake up to the heavy horse blanket wrapped around me and a whole group of girls, including Morgan and Mrs. Hamilton, gathered around me. The latter, who’s snuggled closest to me, brushes my hair from my face.

“There he is,” declares the black girl with the fledgling Afro to the right of me.

“Hey, hon,” she greets me in a Pennsylvania Dutch accent, “don’t scare us like that. We were kinda worrying about you there for a minute.” She hands me a large bluish white bowl of what looks like chicken noodle soup accompanied with a light silver spoon.

“You just make yourself at home here with us for a little bit,” the dishwater blonde across from me tells me.

“We’ll take good care of you,” promises the brown haired girl next to her, “—and her.”

I turn my head to make sure Maya is still laying behind me on the couch: they had removed her shoes and socks, and I could only see the tiny white stubs for feet jutting out from her slacks.

“Yeah, I hope she’s alright,” I confess, returning to the bowl in my lap.

I cannot seem to get the noodles and the chicken into my mouth faster as I almost inhale the first several bites of soup before me. I don’t even care if I dribble a little onto my shirt: I just want it inside of me.

“My goodness,” remarks Mrs. Hamilton, “poor thing, you must have been starving to death!”

“I pretty much was,” I confess, lifting my head to take a better look at her voluptuous figure. She’s a bit too old for me but I do like what I am seeing underneath that lush blanket brocade.

“I’m Leela, or Mrs. Hamilton. Only the select few call me Lili or Leah.”

“And by select few, you mean family and anyone who kisses your ass,” Morgan grumbles under her breath.

“Oh, stop,” Mrs. Hamilton scolds her, “obviously you met Morgan—that’s the Jackson girls, Lupe—“ She gestures to the brown haired girl who shows me a dainty little wave, “Louise, or Louie Louie as we call her—“ the dishwater blonde who blows me a kiss, “—Lizzy—“ the black haired girl with a silver nose ring and tattoos of Betty Boop and Jessica Rabbit on her shoulder who shows me a warm smile and flutters her lashes at me, “—and my daughters Cindy, who made the soup—“ the girl with feathery black hair and big sensual lips winks at me, “—and Gwendolyn.” The black girl to the right of me: and I tilt my head to the side at her.

“You’re her sister?”

“Half sister,” she elaborates. “Mr. Hamilton is my dad, but Cindy and I go by her maiden name.”

“Ridgeway,” says Cindy with a shy smile. I show her a sly grin as I pick up the spoon again.

“And do you have a name?” asks Lizzy.

“I’m Joey,” I introduce myself. “Joey Belladonna.”

“Ahh, we’ve got an Italian Stallion with us, girls,” declares Gwendolyn with a twinkle in her eye.

“Well, I dunno about that,” I shrug off, feeling the warmth return to my skin.

“Oh, come on, baby boy.” A devilish grin crosses her lovely face. “You’re as hot as the sun on the coast of Tuscany.”

“Oh, yeah, sis,” Cindy chimes in, leaning towards me, “you’re quite the—lush one, aren’t you?”

“Well, I’m also Native American, too,” I add, taking another bite of soup.

They all let out an eager gasp in unison and I am starting to feel better at that point.

“What—is this place, might I ask?” I lower my voice towards Mrs. Hamilton.

“Black Orchid,” she replies with a grin. “The finest, classiest, sexiest club outside of New York City.”

I swallow down another bite of soup before I understand what she’s talking about.

“Club,” I breathe out, feeling my heart skip a few beats, “I came to a strip club.”

“That’s right, baby doll,” Louie declares, and Lupe and Morgan giggle with each other. “We all were just headed home for the night because of the rain when you showed up.”

“Don’t tell us that’s your lady, though,” Cindy nods at Maya with an almost wounded look upon her face.

“Oh, no,” I assure her. “I was taking a walk when I found her in a storm drain bound at the ankles, and I wasn’t gonna let her die there.”

“Sexy as hell and a sweetheart,” Gwendolyn notes, her cheekbones filling out to resemble ripe plums.

“Em—well, if you ladies were headed home—and hopefully the rain’s died down, sounds like it has—”

“It’s snowing now, hon,” Mrs. Hamilton corrects me.

“It is? Well, fuck.”

“Slumber party!” Lizzy squeals, and I long for my bed right then and there. I have always loved falling asleep with my gullet full of food and in my own bed. But on the other hand, I suppose it is best if I do stay here for the night.

“I forgot to add, tomorrow’s my birthday,” I add and Mrs. Hamilton’s face lights up at the sound of that.

“Well, I’ll be screwed, blued, and tattooed—alright, girls! We’ve got all the more reason to spend the night. We’ve gotta do more than take care of this boy and help this young lady—we’ve got a birthday to plan!”

“I’ll get the cake!” Lizzy offers.

“I’ll help,” Morgan joins her.

“Gwen and I’ll find him a bed,” Cindy joins in, climbing to her feet.

“Louie and I’ll figure out what’s for breakfast,” Lupe proclaims with a wink at me.

“And I’ll get some beer,” Mrs. Hamilton says, rubbing her hands together.

Meanwhile, I return to my bowl of soup, which is quite big but I really don’t mind. I’d rather go to bed with my belly all warm than have every inch of me shuddering from that box of Mike n Ikes and melancholy. I take another bite before turning my head again to see her bare feet at the end of the couch.

It goes without saying that Maya and I are in good hands.

#chapter 2 #fanfic #fanfiction #heavy metal fanfiction #joey belladonna #anthrax #gothic horror #southern gothic #noir au #dark sci-fi #thrash metal #writeblr #blackened dark flowers #after the watershed #text

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jincherie · 7 years

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Inheritance | Pt. 2

Pairing: Yoongi x reader Genre: hybrid!au, fluff (later), smut (later later) Words: 1.7k+ Warnings: none in particular Notes: This one is a lot shorter, but as I said originally this whole thing was meant to be one massive oneshot/two-shot, and I’m just splitting up the segments and publishing them separately so it’s not a massive rushed mess. ❤

After your grandmother passed she left everything to you. Her house, her fortune, and apparently… her cat? The grumpy male hybrid you encounter at her house is anything but the tame housecat you’d expected to find. Fulfilling your grandmother’s last request to look after him becomes a lot harder when he seems to be avoiding you, and your dissatisfied relatives start stirring up trouble.

Prev. || Masterlist || Next

There was a voice grumbling from your side as you came to, your head throbbing and a cold sensation at the back of your head seeming to battle the natural heat your body produced. You groaned softly, wincing, and the grumbling stopped. Blearily you opened your eyes, having to wait a moment for them to adjust, before you forced yourself into a sitting position.

Blinking rapidly, it was a moment before you caught sight of the hybrid from earlier, and the second you saw him sitting in a chair beside the bed you were on you flinched, heartrate climbing instantly as you remembered his hostility and what had happened before you knocked yourself out. You could tell he heard your heart hammering suddenly, his ears flicking even from their position pressed back against his skull. His tail, thick and fluffy looking, was twitching agitatedly behind him. His hair was black and eyes dark as they glared at you, somewhat less hostile than before but still pretty damn angry looking. You tried not to show your instinctual fear, but you couldn’t help how you froze in your seat at the look in his eyes. You didn’t want to be afraid but he was projecting a pretty powerful, intimidating air and your natural instincts were telling you to run because this was a predator. Whatever animal was mixed with his DNA, you had no doubt it wasn’t just some ordinary housecat.

Gulping, you tried to disregard the urge in your lower belly telling you to run and instead went to say something. He beat you to it, however, with a low snarl.

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in this house?”

You were slightly taken aback. You could ask him the same question! What business could he possibly have in your grandmother’s house? Unless… Your eyes went to his feline ears and tail, sudden realisation filling you. Oh.

“I’m y/n, my grandmother left me this house.” You said, wincing as you brought a hand up to gingerly touch the back of your head. There was an icepack there, but even with the layer of protection it still hurt. “I came to make sure everything was okay here, and to fulfil a request she left me.”

Something seemed to spark in his eyes at the mention of your grandmother, but he was steadfast in his hostile glare. He seemed almost…territorial. It only worked to confirm your suspicions. You met his gaze, trying your best not to cower. “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name?”

The hybrid narrowed his eyes at you, before ultimately deciding there wasn’t any harm in letting you know his name. “It’s Yoongi.” He said plainly.

Not the name you were expecting, but you wouldn’t put it past your grandmother to give him a dumb nickname to make fun of his clearly less-than-sweet personality.

“By any chance,” you started delicately, averting your gaze for a moment before returning it to his own. “Did my grandmother call you Suga?”

Shock spelled itself across his features at your words, mouth dropping open the slightest bit at the name that passed your lips. He was quick to recover, but you didn’t miss the pain in his eyes that followed. He’d closed up once more, making you wonder if you’d really just seen what you’d thought you’d seen.

“Where the hell did you hear that? Why are you here?” he demanded angrily, arms crossed.

You let out a sigh, deciding it was simpler to just show him. You pulled your grandmother’s letter from your pocket, handing it to him with care. He looked at it in confusion as he plucked it from your grasp. “Please be careful with it,” you said. “It’s the last thing she ever wrote for me.”

He didn’t outwardly acknowledge your words but you saw how he handled the paper with care. A range of different emotions crossed his face as he read, and you could tell when he reached the part that had led to your arriving at your grandmother’s home and searching for a ‘cat’ named Suga. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and he looked like he was about to refute the words on the paper.

“To be honest I thought she was talking about an actual cat.” You admitted before he could speak, averting your gaze sheepishly. “I didn’t know my grandmother had a hybrid.”

“She didn’t.” Yoongi scoffed. Your gaze returned to his face, observing his expression. “She doesn’t—didn’t own me; I just live here.”

You saw the miniscule flash of pain in his eyes as he corrected himself and you knew that no matter the sort of relationship he claimed he didn’t have with your grandmother, the fact she was gone still caused him grief, much like yourself.

“Well,” you said, meeting his eyes. His anger had deflated somewhat since reading the letter and he was now much less intimidating. You were still wary, however. “If you live here, then I guess we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other. I’m planning on moving in.”

Your words seemed to rile the hybrid up. “I don’t need somebody to ‘take care’ of me.” He spat. “So don’t even think of—“

You shook your head at him. “I’m not moving in because of you.” You said, narrowing your eyes at him a little. “My grandmother left everything in this house to me, including the house, and my relatives are not happy about it at all. I wouldn’t put it past them to drop by and break in for what they want. I need to be here to make sure they don’t get anything, or break anything for that matter.”

The feline before you seemed to deflate once more, crossing his arms over his chest as he chewed his lip with his sharp, long canines. Abruptly he rose, almost making you jump, before he turned and began stalking out of the room. He reminded you oddly of a sulking child.

“Whatever.” You heard him mutter. “The room at the end of the hall is mine, so don’t go in and we won’t have a problem.”

And then he was gone, leaving you with a throbbing head injury caused, in part, by him, and a mind full of racing thoughts.

. . . . . . . .

Two days you’d been here with Yoongi. Two days you’d spent practically alone in this big house as the grumpy feline didn’t even attempt to leave his room. You were sure he snuck out when you were asleep to grab food from the kitchen, otherwise you had no idea if he was even eating anything besides breakfast. Thankfully, your grandmother had anticipated that should a situation arrive where she was no longer, well… with you, there would be no food for Yoongi, and being a hybrid he couldn’t go out without an ‘owner’ to get some (it was a dumb law put into effect years ago, you wondered how long it would take to abolish it). Considering that, your grandmother had arranged for food and groceries to be delivered once a week, ensuring that the hybrid she’d taken into her care did not, in fact, starve after she was gone. You had to stop and appreciate what a clever woman your grandmother was sometimes.

Even though Yoongi had yet to come out of his room during the day and interact with you, you still made an effort for him. Meaning, you’d been making breakfast for the both of you and leaving his in the kitchen for him to mysteriously snatch while you were out of the room, as you’d learnt he did yesterday. He was a tricky creature, but in a way you were enjoying learning about him bit by bit just from observing his behaviour. Your grandmother had already said he didn’t really like anyone, and that much you could see was true. He didn’t seem to like you much at all. He probably thought you were just like the rest of your family, and in a way you didn’t blame him for being cautious and slightly contemptuous. With the kind of relatives you had, you couldn’t ever afford to let your guard down.

Your thoughts were centred around him that morning as you made pancakes for you both. Yesterday had been bacon and eggs, and today you were switching it up. You were humming as you moved, mixing batter and readying the pan. At some points you’d quietly sing the words to the song playing in your head, but you didn’t know all of them and so at other points resorted to simply humming the tune. You were almost done, and just so happened to be singing softly as you retrieved maple syrup from the pantry, when there was a low voice from beside you.

“The pancakes are about to burn.” Yoongi’s low tone greeted your ears, causing you to spin around in fright, and gasp in horror when you looked to the pan and realised he was right.

“Ah, fuck!” You moved forward quickly, flipping the last of the pancakes from the pan and onto a plate. You shot Yoongi a sheepish smile, surprised he was even down here with you to begin with. He must have been hungry and able to smell the food. You had been cooking a fair while.

In reality he had just grown tired of being confined to the one room, even if it was by his own choice. He raised an eyebrow at you.

“Good morning.” You said with a smile, pushing his plate towards him. “Do you want to eat with me? It’s kinda lonely eating alone at the table in this big house.”

He seemed hesitant as he grasped his plate and utensils, eyeing the stairway before looking to the table in question and heaving a sigh. Without a word in your direction (he was grumbling quietly to himself) he simply moved towards the table, accepting your invitation. You couldn’t stop the smile from finding its way to your face. He was kinda cute with how he acted like he didn’t want to have anything to do with you, but would still accept your invitation to have breakfast with you.

Even though neither of you really spoke during the meal, the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It was almost… amicable. Neither of you said a word, merely enjoying the presence of another person in such a massive house.

Each morning after that Yoongi continued to come downstairs and join you for breakfast, making your heart warm and bringing a smile to your face every time.

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#yoongi x reader #suga x reader #hybrid!au #hybrid suga x reader #hybrid yoongi x reader #mini series #bts hybrid!au #hybrid!suga #hybrid!yoongi #my work #rbuns #inheritance #inheritance pt 2

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