#and brick is in his own seat just chillin

[unexpectedbrickattack]

Waitin for this damn plane to take off

[wittystiles]

The Bluff || Part 16 || Mitch Rapp

Author: wittystiles

Word Count: 2k+

Relationship: Mitch Rapp x Reader

Warnings: Cursing (last time i’ll use this one fuckin’ expect cursing tbh)

Authors Note: Well fuck me, it’s back. After taking sixteen months off and deciding this story was dead seven times, I’m Goddamn back. And so is this hot-steaming pile of dog shit known as The Bluff. I hope to Goddamn hell y’all like it. If you don’t - well - shove it. Feedback is THE MOST IMPORTANT okay, thank you! (-: I love y’all, thanks for chillin’ with me. Read this if you will. Thanks. ((also thank you to my lovely @ellie-bee242 for never giving up on this fic!))

Irene stared at Stan, face expressionless. If anything, she looked tired. She leaned back in her chair and brought her hands together underneath her chest, head resting against the plush leather backing. “She’s moving in with him?” She repeated in a questioning tone.

“Yes,” Stan said in a sigh. “What part of that was unclear? I said exactly what you just repeated, without the inflection you had, but same meaning nonetheless. She’s moving in with him. He’s going to live with her. They’re going to share a place. Their addresses will be the same. They’re cohabiting. I am running out of ways to rephrase this.” 

Irene rolled her eyes, “when will their union take place?”

“I don’t know their moving schedule. And ‘union’, come on Irene, no one talks like that.”

Ignoring the latter part of his response, Irene continued. “Could you find out?”

“No.”

Her dark eyes narrowed at the older man and contemplated the various ways that she could attempt to kill him with the pen sitting on her desk. She knew most would be thwarted the moment she tried them, however, and decided against any actual action. “So, while you had some information, you’re actually nearly entirely useless to me?” 

“I wouldn’t call myself useless, ever.” 

She shrugged, “do you have any idea where the two of them will be staying?” 

“Together,” Stan answered immediately. “That is what cohabiting means, after all.”

“You’re fired,” she blurted without thought. “I’ll figure out how to get this shit done without you. Mitch can have a new mentor, if that’s what you are at this point, Stan.” She stood from her desk then, grabbing a file off of it’s edge fast enough to knock over a cup of pens that was stationed near it. “You have given me enough headaches for a lifetime.” 

Stan stared at her in confusion, eyes trained on her face. “What?” He asked, finally processing her little blow up. “Knock it off,” he finally decided, reaching out to snatch the folder from her hands. She made no efforts to stop him, her breathing becoming long and deep. He didn’t think she’d gotten as angry as she had, but was clearly wrong, as he watched her calm herself down. “What is this?” 

He opened the folder, thumbing through the contents with little interest, eyes darting quickly over each page. “You’re sending him out?” Stan wondered, looking up from the pages in his hand to the woman who was now busying herself tidying up her pens. “You know he’s not going to go.”

“He knows he won’t have a choice.”

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing the folder. “Irene, give him some more time.” 

“He’s had over a month.”

“Let me remind you,” he leaned forward, holding the folder loosely between his legs, elbows resting on his knees. “He thought he was on assignment that entire month. (Y/N) was supposed to be his mission. He invested all of that time on her because he thought that’s what this big dumb organization was having him do. He even went and got those arms dealers, and his ass kicked, while in France. Give the kid some time with his new girlfriend.” 

The chuckle that left Irene’s throat startled Stan, made him sit up straight again in his chair. She slowly made her way around her desk, taking her seat in her chair without another sound. When she made eye contact with Stan he leaned back, cocking his head ever so slightly to the side in calculation of her. “She isn’t his girlfriend,” she finally said in a cool and even tone. “She is his handler. And when the time comes, I will remove her from his life. Is that understood? Don’t make this something that it isn’t Stanley. Don’t give some deeper meaning to the two of them. Mitch is a pain-in-my-ass agent who thinks he writes the rules, and (Y/N) is there to rein him in. Nothing more, nothing less.” 

She held no emotion behind her words. She could have been filling him in on the weather for the week in the same tone she used to remind him that they were manipulating Mitch’s life like he was a puppet on their string. He swallowed hard, suppressing the guilt that was gnawing at him like heartburn. “Irene,” Stan tried, using a voice he’d take with his own children. “Don’t be so cold. The kid’s falling for her.” 

“Which was the plan,” she nodded her head like she was proud of herself. Another hard swallow from Stan. “Didn’t you so sinisterly say that he was going to? We wanted this remember? We dealt this hand for him at the beginning of the game. Sure, we didn’t think he’d play into it so well, but hell, Stan. This whole charade couldn’t be going better for us if we wanted it to.” She smiled then, “lest you forget that everything that we’ve done, every little move we’ve orchestrated? They’ve all been your ideas. You know how to play Mitch like an instrument and he’s really performing beautifully for you. You should have some pride.”

“Yeah,” he nodded his agreement, unsure what else to say to the woman before him.

“Now stop with this nonsense, and go give him that file. Lets see how having (Y/N) around affects the way he handles another task. We saw that he was quick to finish the one in Paris to rush back to her. I wonder if the same will hold true now that they’re cohabitating.”

Stan stood from the chair, deciding not to share parting words with Irene. He checked the file a final time while walking out of the office, headed for the elevator. 

-

Mitch turned the corner to his apartment building sharply, seeing the older brick building come into view as his phone began singing loudly in the cupholder at his side. He blindly reached for it, answering it without hesitation as he pulled into the residential parking garage that wound underneath. “Going underground, I’m going to lose you.” He told the person on the other end of the phone, hanging it up without giving its signal a chance to be lost. He shoved the device into his pocket and searched around for a moment for a parking spot, stealing the one nearest the elevator. The older man that usually parked there was out of town visiting someone or doing something for the month, and he’d be damned if he let another one of the tenants get that spot. 

He killed the engine, pocketed his keys, and got out slamming the door behind him with a metal clang. The noise echoed off the walls of the garage and for a moment he remembered being in France and finding a car to steal. He wondered if the owner had ever recovered it. He’d been so kind as to leave it relatively undamaged at the mouth of a tunnel near the river. He figured if junkies or the homeless hadn’t absolutely dismantled it, the owner could probably still even use it. Baring they didn’t mind it missing at least the windshield, to Mitch’s fault. 

He walked the few steps to the elevator and jabbed impatiently at the button, waiting for it to light up. “Broke yesterday,” he heard a voice from his side say and he reached around his back reflexively for his gun. “Stairs are working though.” 

A brunette woman was approaching him, carrying two overfilled brown grocery bags in her arms. “Leasing office said they’d send someone down within the week to take a look at it. Wouldn’t hold my breath though.” The woman made to pass Mitch and he processed her as a non-threat. 

“That so?” He wondered, motioning towards the bags in her arms. “Let me help you,” he offered. She eyed him for a quick second before handing a bag over, wrapping both of her arms around the one she still held. “Mitch,” he introduced, opening the door to the stairs with his foot. She gave him a smile as he let her head through the door first.

She started up, her footfalls heavy on each of the metal stairs. “I’m Fiona,” she called over her shoulder as he followed her. “Moved in about a year ago. Met damn near every neighbor in this place, ‘cept you I guess. You new?”

“Lived here four years.”

She chuckled, continuing up. “You’ve lived here four years and this is the first we’re seeing of each other? What, you a recluse or somethin’?” 

“Or somethin’.” 

He heard her chuckle over the sound of her repositioning her arms around the bag. “Not much of a talker?”

His shoulders shrugged before he’d even processed the action, slowing his speed on the stairs to keep a relatively normal distance between her and himself. He wished absently that he’d not offered to help her, he could already be in his apartment by now. He needed to shower in a desperate way, and needed to still head out to the store to get something for (Y/N) to eat.

He frowned a little at the thought of her, of how she was so eager to thank him for cleaning. How small she had looked to him every time he’d peaked in to check on her. He wondered if she’d look that small in his place, too. If she’d still have the same soft light around her that she had in France and in her own apartment. Wondered if perhaps he couldn’t do her immediate harm after all. 

“Earth to Mitch,” Fiona called with a laugh. “Boy, you really must be somethin’ else, gettin’ lost like that. You okay?”

He nodded, “tired.” 

“You work the graveyard or somethin’? That's why you’re just gettin’ home at what -” she thought for a second. “Must be just after nine in the morning.” 

Mitch waited until they reached the landing at the top of the stairs to acknowledge her question with furrowed brows. “I was out, doesn’t matter. I’m tired now though.” He handed her her grocery bag, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “Have a good morning, Fiona. It was nice meeting you.”

He pushed open the door to the lobby of the apartment building and made a hasty retreat as she called a “yeah, you too” from behind him. He took the stairs up to the top floor two and three at a time, striding quickly for his apartment door. He withdrew his keys as he rounded a corner, freezing dead in his tracks. 

His eyes narrowed and his jaw set, fist clenching tightly around the keys. He closed the distance between himself and his apartment door, not further acknowledging the man leaning against the wall beside it. He let himself in and made to shut the door behind him, being thwarted by a boot wedged against the door jam.

“Now,” said the owner of the boot, pushing on the door until Mitch relented and opened it. “Is that any way to greet me?”

“This is my home, Stan.” Mitch sounded defeated. “You’re not supposed to just show up here. Remember? We’d agreed on that.” 

Stan laughed mockingly, shutting and bolting Mitchs’ door behind himself once inside the apartment. “No. You told me not to show up here, and I chose to ignore that. There was no agreement ever reached.” 

Mitch stopped himself from rolling his eyes as he crossed the living room to his couch where he sat down heavily, busying himself with unlacing his own boots. “Why are you here?”

“Came to give you this,” he dropped a folder down onto the counter in the kitchen, opening the fridge to look through its contents. “Jesus, it’s more barren in there than Irene.” Stan joked, shutting the fridge after. “You don’t even have a beer?” 

“I don’t drink much,” Mitch supplied, tossing his shoes to the side. “As much as I don’t appreciate unannounced visits, I have to get showered. So. If you wouldn’t mind seeing yourself out, I’ll look at whatever that is when I get a chance.” 

Stan shook his head, leaning back against the counter. “You’ll look at it now, Mitch.” 

There was a moment where Mitch contemplated not even acknowledging Stan. His bathroom was feet away and he could easily make it there before Stan could stop him. His foot twitched a little, ready for him to move. He rose to his feet, his brain willing him to head for the bathroom, but his body made its way to the kitchen where he picked up the folder. “What is this?”

“Christ, can’t you read?” 

Mitch glared down at the pages, figuring it better than glaring at Stan, and read over everything carefully. “Spain?” 

“Yes.” 

“In two days?” 

“Yes, fuck. It says all of this shit in black and white right there, Mitch. Why do you keep fuckin’ asking me?” 

“No thanks,” Mitch decided, tossing the folder to the counter. 

Stan boomed a laugh, picked the folder up, and smacked Mitch with it on the side of the head. “You don’t have a fuckin’ choice in this, runt.” 

Mitch’s jaw clenched, his eyes trained on the pages of the folder, his chest rising and falling with strain. He didn’t want to leave yet. Didn’t want a mission this soon. He had things to do, things to take care of. He had other pressing matters that needed tending to before anything for Stan and Irene. He closed the folder with the loud sound of pages slamming and tossed it to the counter. “I’ll be ready to ship out then.” 

~

I’m not kidding. Feedback would be fuckin’ sick, thanks y’all. I love you. Hope you enjoyed this! 

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[yanjuniverse]

Make This Feel Like Home - Wang Linkai

*this imagine depicts mentions of depression and destructive behavior.*

[a/n: ANOTHER linkai imagine you may ask? why yes. yes it is. inspired by this picture and the song Home by One Direction. CREDITS TO THE OP]

“Xiao Gui,” you peak your head around the corner of and see him sitting in a chair, chowing down on a tub of ice cream while staring at the view. “What are you doing, silly? I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Chillin’,” he nods before scooping up another spoonful of ice cream. “Want some?” You shake your head and scrunch up your nose. “Suit yourself. More for me then.” He happily pops the spoon back into his mouth and looks out at the view. “Come sit with me,” he smiles up at you. “It’s so beautiful out.”

“I’ll go grab a chair.”

“Nonsense,” he chuckles, pulling you down into your lap and locking his arms around you. “There. Even better than any chair,” he hums. You look down at him to see him absolutely beaming. “Told you not to be shy around me. We’ve been together too long for that.”

“Why are you in such a good mood today?” you ask, running your fingers through his hair. He shuts his eyes as he throws his head back, basking in the comfort you give him.

“It’s just...been a while since I just got to sit around and do nothing,” he explains, eating another scoop of ice cream. “S’nice,” the words slurred as he tries his best to melt more of the creamy dessert in his mouth. “Nobody yelling at me to get dressed and go somewhere. I haven’t even showered yet and it’s already,” he takes a glance at his watch, “eleven in the morning!”

“Linkai,” you smack his chest.

“I’ll go once I finish my ice cream,” he tells you, taking another bite. You look out at the scenery before you. There was a long, green grass and flowers. Butterflies fluttered aimlessly across the way. “You know,” he smacks his lips together, “it’s times like this where I’m glad that I didn’t do anything stupid when I was younger.” He whispers as the sun rays start to gently kiss his cheeks through the gaps of wood over the roof. “Everything is so beautiful, man. Do you think thirteen year old me would laugh if I told him nineteen year old him was making thousands on a song about unicorns?”

“I think you’ve had enough sugar,” you tease, trying to take the pint away.

“Hey! Paws off!” he whines, snapping his teeth together. You roll your eyes and continue to look at him. “Do you know what I want to do? Like, something I’ve always wanted to do for no reason at all?”

“What?”

“Go fishing.” His face is stone cold serious.

“Go fishing?” you repeat.

He nods. “You in the beginning of the Pixar movies where they have the little boy on the moon with a fishing rod? I have no idea why but it made me always want to try fishing one day. So I told Yanchen-ge about it and he gave me this cool ass bucket hat and a can of worms before we left.”

“We drove here with a can of worms in our car?” you cringe.

“Not just anywhere! Under your seat!” he laughs. You only rub your temples and shake your head, sighing at him. “Jie-ge said that he has a few fishing rods hidden in the shack behind this cabin. If you want, I’m going to the dock in a bit to see if I can catch something.”

His eyes are gleaming as he talks. They haven’t stopped since you got to Xingjie and Yanchen’s cabin in the middle of nowhere. Linkai was just so happy that he gets to spend a week alone with you. But to have a week alone with you in such a beautiful place? His eyes haven’t stopped sparkling since you guys pulled up.

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll come,” you say.

“Best vacation ever,” he grins, kissing you on the cheek. He pats your thigh, signaling you to stand up. He follows close behind, placing his half empty pint on the railing. He stretches his back and shakes his hair. “Do I really seem silly to you?” he asks as you two travel back into the cabin.

“You’re just...really happy,” you explain.

“Would you like me to be angsty and sad?” he raises his eyebrows as he opens the freezer. You shake your head at him. “Don’t eat my ice cream, okay? I don’t get to eat it a lot during promotions and I want some after dinner.”

“Who said I want any of your nasty ice cream?” you cross your arms.

“Rocky road is not nasty. You’re nasty,” he sticks his tongue out like a child. You roll your eyes at him once again as he shuts the freezer. He turns back to you and starts towards the bedroom. “Jie-ge was right,” he says, staring at the messy bed.

“Right about what?” you plop down on the sheets.

Linkai falls on top of you, pressing an obnoxious kiss to your kiss. He hovers about you, eyes still shining brightly. “This really is a place to fall in love at,” he whispers, searching your eyes for a second. After a moment, he pushes himself up from you and grabs his towel. “Lay there and look pretty. I will be right back. Don’t go falling in love with anyone else while I’m gone. Got it?”

“Got it chief,” you salute him.

God, you want to say. You want to ask Linkai if he’s even aware of how etheral he is. His entire being an enigma of emotions. You want to ask if he was lost. That stardust like his is too bright for this dim world.

Wang Linkai, I’m so proud of you, you want to tell him. But you’re partly sure he knows because everytime you start to say it, he’ll cut you off with a kiss.

He’s come so far. You used to think that maybe, he was sad because he was lost. He wasn’t where he was supposed to be as he aimlessly went through the motions, day in, day out. But you still remember that one night when the two of you were fifteen.

Fifteen, running around in the streets, young and wild and free. Linkai pulled you under a street lamp and told you that he feels at home when he’s with you. That you made this, whatever this was, feel like home. And he tells you that it’s not good to make homes out of people - that those are the kinds of homes to go down in flames the easiest. But he didn’t care. He would salvage you from the wreckage and write his name with the ashes as he built a new foundation.

And the thing is, Linkai felt the need to take care of you before he felt the need to take care of himself. He never realized that maybe you were a mirror of him but the more he built you up, the more he built himself up without even realizing. He made two homes into one the first time he ever kissed you. Since then, it’s been you and Linkai against the world.

You were there for it all - his rise to fame, his big break, his break down, his revival.

“I have so much living to do,” he tells you one night, tears staining his porcelain skin. “I don’t - I don’t wanna go. Not yet. Not when you’re still here.”

You weren’t a cure, you wanted to tell him. But he didn’t think of you as one. He thought of you as the catalyst - that if there was one person he would get better for, it would be you.

He stops his underage drinking by eighteen, throws his pack of cigarettes down the toilet and screams no more! to himself. Because not only does he have so much living to do, but you do too. And he built his home around you, brick by brick. He’ll be damned if he burns the one person who held him in his firey anger.

So he breaks the foundation under his own feet and builds his side of the house back up. He’s still not sure how to put some things together but he’ll learn. He’ll watch Xingjie and Yanchen, the two strongest homes he’s ever stepped foot in. He’ll see the way they pave their paths of life and he’ll hold on for dear life even when the ground seems to want to swallow him whole.

Then there’s Yankai. His not-so-little little brother. Yankai who is still building his home out of sticks and stone. He’ll teach him a structure or two. He’ll show him where he went wrong. He’ll guide him the same way Yanchen and Xingjie did for him.

And then there’s you. You, who has grown up so much since the first time you two met at twelve. The one who kept his head above water when his tears seemed to flood his room. The one who taught him how to plug up the holes in his row boat. The one he would rebuild for again and again and again.

He fell for you a little before he turned sixteen and when he kissed you for the first time, he realized how easily your bodies fell into each other. They were like puzzel pieces. He held on to you that night and never let go.

As Linkai exists the bathroom, singing along to some Kendrick Lamar song, bouncing around, you can’t help but feel so grateful.

“Thirteen year old you would definitely laugh if he could see this now,” you comment as he combs his hair back, still rapping along. You wrap your arms around his waist and rest your head against his back. “But if thirteen year old you could see you now, I think he would be in shock.”

“By my hair?” he asks as he shoves the bucket hat on his head.

“By you in general,” you reply.

Linkai looks at himself in the mirror. He still remembers all the nights he used to scream at himself until his throat was raw. He remembers how he hated to see his reflection.

“No more,” he whispers to himself, grinning. “If I’m not okay today, I will be one day.” Linkai detatches himself from you and spins around, tugging you along as he exists the room. “Come on! Those fish aren’t going to catch themselves!”

So you guys spend your entire afternoon there, on the dock, feet in the water, screaming along to whatever song came on shuffle. You make a comment that maybe the reason why the two of you haven’t caught a fish yet is because the music scaring them off.

“Nonsense!” he cheers before putting on The Little Mermaid soundtrack. You double over in laughter at the boy who tries his best at a Carabean accent, singing along once more.

“This is boring,” he says at one point, pulling down on the bucket hat. “I kind of want to go and see if there are even fish in there. I feel like Jie-ge was punking me out.”

“Then go check!” you laugh before pushing him in.

His body splashes into the lake. When he resurfaces, he whines about how you got his hat wet before grabbing your leg and tugging you in with him.

You guys spend an hour or so in the water before heading back home to shower and prepare dinner.

He’s singing along to the song still. You take a note that they’re not sad songs anymore. He’s jumping around to Migos, singing into the spatula in his hands and so full of life.

God Linkai, do you even know how far you’ve come?

The two of you eat your supper that was prepared all by him. It’s a stir fry and he pushes some of his meat onto your plate. “Eat a lot,” he tells you. “I still need room for my ice cream.” You roll your eyes at that.

When dinner is over, he pulls his treat from the freezer and watches you wash the dishes.

“I wish I could come home more often,” he says as you scrub the dishes. “I miss it. I miss you.”

When the dishes are finally finished, Linkai pulls you onto the couch with him and spoon feeds you his treat, smiling as you tell him random stories that pop into your head. When he finishes the tub, he places it to the side and sighs happily.

“Remember when I used to cry,” he says, eyes heavy with sleep. “You’d always bring me that ice cream when I was sad.” You play with a loose thread on his shirt, nodding along. “And when I was away, I never really go the chance to eat it.”

“Because you were so busy?” you ask.

“Because I was never sad enough to eat it,” he explains.

“Are you sad right now?” You look up at him and see that he’s already looking down at you.

“No,” he smiles. “I’m home.”

masterlist

[ikesenlemonadestandstories]

Plum Lucky

Alright everyone here’s the next treat for the Trick or Treat Halloween event! Like I said earlier all of the Tricks will be posted at 8am EST every day and all of the Treats will be posted at 8pm EST. I hope you’re looking forward to these as much as I am.

You should be able to find this and all of my other Ikesen works chillin’ like villains on my Master List!

WARNINGS: Due to the nature of these stories I would like to advise everyone to read at your own risk. The treats are typically fluffy but that doesn’t not mean they are necessarily safe. There may still be elements of horror involved. Please keep your own mental health in mind when reading.

@a-shout-to-the-void Request - Treat (modern), Kenshin, Vampire, Street 

Plum Lucky

It was your favorite route to work, the sidewalks were busy but never crowded, the architecture of the historic buildings was spectacular, and about halfway through the commute, the sidewalk was covered by beautiful trellises with all sorts of ripe fruit. A man as handsome as winter lived there, and from what you had caught of him on your way home he kept to himself and his garden.

One unusually chilly evening in the middle of October you were heading home much later than intended. Turning down all of the rides offered to you was starting to feel like a bad idea. Someone was definitely tailing you, and you were nowhere near your apartment. This was bad, very bad. Out of nowhere a hand shot out and pulled you behind a wrought iron gate. You almost screamed when a voice whispered in your ear.

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” Your blood ran cold who had just grabbed you?

You back was flush against a cold brick wall while a body flattened against you. You stayed quiet as the footsteps from your pursuers rapidly approached, stopping just beyond the fence you were hidden behind to try to figure out where you had gone. As their voices faded into the distance the man who smelled like burnt berries backed himself away. As he did you recognized him with a gasp.

“It’s you.” a whisper of a reply. “Thank you for your help.” his hard eyes took you in before he huffed.

“What is a woman doing walking around by herself this late at night?” Backing away from you further you could see his pale blonde hair reflect the moon as it glowed in the night. His skin the color of an expensive porcelain vase in both color and feel, smooth and chilled to the touch, his eyes were two different colors, one as blue as the ocean the other as green as his garden, bored into your very soul.

“I got off work late. I’ve never had a problem like this before.” you were embarrassed, you should have called a cab, or taken one of your friends offers to help you get home. “I’m sorry for causing you trouble. I’ll just call a cab and wait here for it if you don’t mind.”

“Of course I mind. I’ll take you home. Come.” it was a command you didn’t feel like you could refuse, something about the way he moved was demanding yet soothing.

���You garden is beautiful, it’s my favorite part of my commute.” you smile at him, and he stopped suddenly, pulling a few fresh fruits from above you.

“I figured, here.” holding the ripe plums out to you. “You stare at them every day. I’ve been meaning to ask if you want some.”

You took them as you followed him around the complex toward another stone building. He punched a code into the keypad, and the garage door began to make its ascent. As you sat waiting for it you popped plum after plum into your mouth, they were delightful. The perfect balance of sweet and sour, with just the right about of juice bursting from them as you bit down.

“These are perfect! Could I-” you paused realizing you may be intruding. “Could I come back again and try some more? I’ll pay you.”

He paused flinching at your request. You knew it was too forward of you. “Ah, sorry I didn’t mean to impose.” he turned eyes sad.

“No, it’s not that. I would be happy to share my fruit, but I would advise against it.” for a moment his eyes flashed red and his canines extended.

“You know. That’s something you should really show somebody after you dropped them off. Not before you ask them to ride your bike home…” you deadpanned trying to see the lighter side of a terrifying situation.

You heard a snicker behind you as a young man with sandy brown hair and deep brown eyes flashed into existence. “The young lady does have a point. You can’t just hint that we’re vampires and then proceed to walk her home Kenshin.”

“So you’re name’s Kenshin? Nice, I’m (YN).” feeling a little better now that you had names to faces. “I’ve never met a vampire before, are all of the rumors about you true?”

Kenshin let out an exasperated breath “No, not all of them.” he put the helmet down back on the seat of the bike. “Would you like to come in for tea?”

You smiled at the invitation, “As long as you promise that’s all we’re drinking.” A small smile registered on the second man’s face as Kenshin offered you his hand.

“Why are women of this time period so odd? I’m sure you taste weird anyway. Come in if you’d like, if not shall we be on our way?”

“Mhh~” you hummed and hopped towards his outstretched hand. “Let’s have some tea!”

[searchingff-blog]

Thursday, 9:00 a.m.

“I had the baby.”

Those four words were the only ones that danced around in Saint’s head as he boarded the first flight to Washington. He hadn’t heard anything from Cassi in months, and now all of a sudden she called to let him know she was pregnant. The first thing that came to his mind was the paternity of the child. Yeah, she more likely than not wanted him to be the father, but was it the truth? The one reason he stopped, and didn’t ask her was due to the pain in her voice. She needed him to be right there while she pushed, and she was scared. Her family was in the background, but she needed him.

It was crazy how life was playing out this year, and he couldn’t believe that he was getting the one thing from her that he always asked for, a kid. Under all the worry, haste, and just wanting to get there he was ready to step into fatherhood with no second guessing. It showed him that he was favored, and that he needed patience. The one thing he wasn’t going to bring up while in Washington was the fact that he slept with Azure. That would only make this great moment sour and potentially get him kicked out the room. Antsy was an understatement.

Cassi wasn’t thinking clearly when she left town without telling anybody where she was going. In all honesty she had no idea where she was going to go, so when she got to the bus station the first bus out was to New Orleans. She’d always wanted to go, and dive into the club scene and get shit faced. However, on this trip she had a bundle of joy that was stopping her from doing any partying. She stayed in New Orleans for about a week until she finally broke down. Being out there alone without Saint was a wakeup call, and with everything that happened she knew calling him would only make things more messed up than they already were. Instead she called her mother, and within a couple days she was in Washington.

Cassi had forgotten how being surrounded by family felt. The last time she ate a home cooked meal made by her mother was back in high school before she left for college. Paired with a hot meal was words of wisdom, and the first thing her mother told her was to call Saint. She wanted to badly, but in the back of her mind she owned up to the fact that she was sleeping with two different men raw. That was a part of the story that she left out, because that lecture was going to have to come another day.

When her water broke, and it was time to push she couldn’t. She needed the best friend that she’d taken advantage of for years. It was a reality check that showed her that she needed, and loved him more than she ever thought. She finally broke down when it was time to have the baby, and gave him call. After she made the call she planned on trying to hold out until he got there, but Amiyah Erics had other plans.

Sunday 5:00 p.m.

The last week had been a crazy one for Zeus. After he shot up the restaurant the crew was hiding just in case the cops came looking in their direction. Now he knew Gabriella never pulled the trigger off emotion, so her retaliation was going to take time and when she did hit back he was going to feel it. He knew what he was getting himself into when he killed all her people, but he was prepared to do what needed to be done to show a few people some manners. That’s the only reason he did what he did to Selena. He hadn’t ran into her personally, but the streets were saying how she was out walking like she was untouchable. He took the opening, and hit her family with a two piece. Not only did he take out the prince, but he also could do the same to the princess if they weren’t careful.

“I’m a step out for a smoke.” He got up from his chair.

The barbershop was starting to wind down, and the sun was getting ready to set. One of his soldiers had some information that he needed to drop off. Zeus walked over to the side of the building, and took a seat on the crate.

“Wassup.” He dapped him up.

“Shit, you know doing what I can to stay alive. How you feeling?” The soldier surveyed the streets as the two of them talked.

“Chillin, chillin. So what you got for me.” He lit his cigarette

He looked down at Zeus, because he was hesitant to give him the information that he had.

“Nigga speak. Don’t get shook on me now. If it’s that bad it’s important.” He looked up at him, and could tell by his demeanor that whatever it was it was going to piss him off.

“Well I had my people look into the whole snitch thing, and they found something.”

Zeus’ was intrigued.

“What they find?”

“Apparently you know the nigga. It’s Roman’s dad.”

Zeus’ heart skipped a beat. “What? You’re positive?”

“Yeah, they got him out in South Dakota on witness protection.”

A million, and one scenarios started to play in his head. The snake was right next to him the entire time he was searching for the culprit. He couldn’t believe that he told his dad about everything that happened that night. He knew Roman’s dad wasn’t made for the streets, but he thought by Roman being around him 24/7 that would have made him into a street guy. It looked like his plan backfired on him, and he was the cause for him being locked up.

“Who all knows this?” He took a drag from the cigarette.

“Just me, and my connect.”

“Aight, keep it like that. I don’t need anybody else finding out, and fucking my shit up. I need to handle this on my own.” He dropped the cigarette, and stepped on it. “Yall got eyes on him?”

“Yeah, he’s at his sister’s dudes house.”

“Aight, good work. I’m a definitely drop something off to you later. Also, be prepared to take a bigger role out here.”

“No doubt.”

The two men dapped each other up before they went their separate ways. Zeus was at a crossroads, because Roman was like his brother. This wasn’t a regular snitch that he could off for running his mouth. This was somebody that he let into his life, and vice versa. Their families were family, so he couldn’t sit in his mother’s face and act sad about his death. However, the streets had rules that needed to be followed or others were going to think they could get out of line. Zeus had a life changing decision he had to make, and he had to do it fast.

6:00 p.m.

Roman’s mind was going back and forth for the past couple days about what he was going to do about Monty. Each night around the same time he would park up the street from his house, and just sit in anger. Every time he saw him come, and go it would piss him off more. Everybody had blown up his phone to see where he was at, but that didn’t distract him. There were prices that people had to pay for their actions, and it was about time the bill collector started to make house visits.

He exited the car with the 9mm tucked away in his pants, and a brick in his hand. Roman thought about shooting him as soon as he opened the door, but then he thought about having fun with everything. Once he reached the door he rang the doorbell, and covered the peep hole. He heard from the other side him ask who it was, but didn’t answer. When he felt the door start to open he tightened his grip around the brick, and chucked it at his head when the door was fully open.

Monty had no idea what hit him literally, and right on impact it split his forehead open.

“Yeah bitch. Back in the house, and lets not try no funny shit.” He pulled the gun out of his waistband, and walked into the house.  

“Wait, wait. I know what I did was fucked up.” Monty tried to plead with him.

What he did to Gigi tore him up inside, and for the past couple days he wasn’t able to sleep at all. He nearly killed her, and  hadn’t gone to check up on her at all. What he did didn’t sit well with him so much that he took himself off of the case. Things got messy quick, and if they ever brought this to court everything would be brought into question based off of the act he committed in rage.

“This is what I’ve been waiting for. Please, plead to me why I shouldn’t kill you off right now? Go ahead, and tell me you had no other option.?” He laughed devilishly.

A small part of him wanted to hear what he had to say for himself. He wasn’t blaming Monty for feeling the way he did, but he left Gigi there to die. Even the him from before would have left her in some kind of shape to pick herself up off of the floor.

“C’mon man you can’t stand there, and honestly say you would have did different.” He walked backwards into the living room.

“That’s my sister, so at the end of the day you forced my hand. Did you expect me not to come after you?” He asked a rhetorical question. “How the hell did you not even know?”

“Have you seen you sister? That’s a women, and with everything that happened I can’t get her out of my head. I think I l-.”

“Man, don’t even give me that, I love her, bullshit. Love don’t do the shit you did. Have you gone to see your damage? When I went she was in a coma.” He stared at him intensely so he could feel the pain coming from his body.

“It isn’t bullshit. I really do love her. I was drunk, and wasn’t ready to accept the fact that I could love who she really was, and still be me.”

Roman could understand where he was coming from, but that didn't negate the fact that Gigi was his sister. He cocked the gun back, and Monty’s hands raised up.

“Wait, you can't pull that trigger.” He swallowed hard, and knew that what he was about to say was going to change everything. “I'm an undercover cop.”

“Nigga what? Shut that stupid shit up.” Roman wasn't here for the games.

“I'm serious. I was investigating the murder of Juan.”

“That murder has been solved.”

“Right, but when evidence goes missing people start to pay attention. Then Zeus got out on probation, and they started investigating it again. We know all about your dad, but from what I've gathered it wasn't your dad but you.”

Monty didn't want to give away his purpose for being here, but it was a life or death moment.

“You're a cop?” He was trying to process everything that was said to him.

“Yea.”

“Did G know?” He relaxed his grip on the gun.

“No, I wasn't supposed to get as close to her as I did.” He noticed Roman relaxing, and inched closer to the bookshelf.

“What the fuck?! Damn.” Without thinking he lowered the gun.

Monty saw his opening and took it. The hidden gun tucked on the side of the bookshelf he grabbed, and pointed it at Roman but not before Roman saw what he was doing, and pointed his gun at him.

“Nobody has to die here Roman. Let's work something out.”

Monty stared at him hoping he would go along with what he had in mind.

6:32 p.m.

“Look at my fucking face!”

The ambush happened about a week ago, and Selena seemed like the only one that was enraged about it. She knew Zeus was an idiot, but she didn’t think that he would ever come after her. Her mother told her she should keep a low profile, but with her career she figured nobody would suspect her involvement in the street war.  

“I know Selena, but we don’t kill children. That’s been the golden rule, think again.” Her mother sat at her desk looking over the many papers scattered across it.

“The golden rule?! You threatened to take his daughter, but now I can’t kill her. Are you fucking kidding me?” She was confused, irritated, and pissed.

She was always respectful to her parents, beccause she understood the power the both of them held. However, with this matter she gracefully crossed that line. She could tell it offended her mother by how slow her head raised.

“Siéntate, hija mía.” Gabriella took off her reading glasses.

Selena was going to try her patience, but went against it.

“Telling him we were going to take his daughter was a scare tactic. I knew that he was going to get paranoid, and take her out of town. Now being as smart, and three steps ahead of him like I am I had somebody follow his little family, so when I need to scare him again I can send him pictures of his family. I doubt I will need to now, because he has crossed a line that can’t be forgiven. However, you plan to take over one day so learning patience and being able to come up with the right move is vital. Retaliation right now is a must, but think of another way. Who else does he love dearly.”

Selena thought and thought about her mother’s question. Then it came to her, Azure. He loved that women like they were married. If anything was to happen to her he would lose his mind. There was just one problem, she actually liked Azure and knew she had nothing to do with this.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“She has nothing to do with any of this.” Selena said to her mother.

“In a war there are innocent casualties, and she will be one of them.” Gabriella pulled a burner phone out of her desk drawer.

“I won’t do it.” She stood up, ready to exit.

“If you don’t this empire will not be yours. Your father has been waiting for you to step up to the throne ever since your brother was killed. He’s waiting for you to make smart moves that matter. None of the irrelevant things you’ve been doing. Make the call, and I’ll make sure by tomorrow this empire will be yours and you will be sitting in my seat.” Her mother flipped the phone open, and offered it to her.

It was up to Selena to choose power, or an innocent life.

8:13 p.m.

What Zeus had to do was going to take a lot out of him. Coming from a family that wasn’t close, lovey dovey, or even spoke to each other frequently enough for them to know what's going on with him he considered the streets, and his friends his family. Now he had to possibly kill his brother, because he snitched on him. It was fucking with his head, and to make matters worse weed wasn’t helping.  

He drove down the street with his gun in the passenger seat. Taking the shot was going to chip away at his heart, and permanently leave a black mark. He wasn’t going to be the same person after this.

As he drove to Monty’s house he stopped at the top of the street. His house was surrounded by the police.

“What the fuck?” He put the gun in the dashboard.

When he looked up his mouth dropped open. Roman was being escorted out by police. Zeus was shocked as to what the hell was going on. He knew something was going on with his sister, but didn’t have the full details. A few seconds later Monty was walking out the house with a badge hanging around his neck.

“Yo I gotta be tweaking right now.” He rubbed his eyes in hopes that what he saw was going to change, but it didn’t.

There was something else going on here, and before the police noticed his car he made a u-turn and dashed off in the opposite direction.

10:00 p.m.

Azure, Hazel, and their mother were all in the living room playing cards. It was game night, and since they were younger the three of them always had it on Thursday. The energy was positive, everyone was laughing.

“But why are you cheating?” Azure said to Hazel, chuckling.

Hazel hadn’t told them about the divorce yet, because she wanted to have a good night with her family.

“Gurl you just suck.” She laughed along with her.

They were so wrapped up into the game that what happened next they would have never suspected.

A mirage of bullets pierced the house, and crashed through the window in the front room. The assailants continued until each one of their clips were empty before they speed off in the black SUV.

“NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” A voice pierced the night sky with an undertone of sheer terror.  

[cryinggameff]

Sixty Three

Cayden

I was in Jamaica working on a deal with some guys Sean had connected us with a while back. We had been doing small business with their niggas out in texas and we hadn’t had any real problems, other than the small feds issue but that was on our end, and it had been dealt with. My sources let me know people had stopped talking and the investigation was dropped. Randi was on on my ass to fix that one real quick, but i understood why.

Jamaica was beautiful though, i wished i was here to just chill, with my girl, not working. We’d spend the day on the beach, or in this big ass hotel room…fucking and everywhere. Most likely the second one. I promised myself to bring her some time.

Sean and Pat were both with me, and we were going to some meeting with the dude who was gonna supply shit. We were in our car on the way there.

“Like i told you, dude kinda crazy, so lets try and avoid any beef. I heard he be keeping niggas balls as torphies and shit,” Sean said, looking over from the drivers seat.

“I can respect that,” i chuckled. “Maybe imma start doing that, make yall niggas really fear me.”

“Thats some batty man shit,” Pat mumbled.

We pulled up to the building, which was some food place.

“They doing drug deals out of a restaurant?” I looked at Sean.

“Thats how it be here,” he shrugged. We walked in past the store front and inside there were lots of tables and plastic chairs. A group of people were gathered at the back near the register, two guys stood on either side of the table, body guards. They stepped up when we approached and my instinct was to be pissed off because the nigga knew i was coming but yet he had security in my face.

“He knows who i am,” i said simply. They looked back at their boss and then let us through. We sat down on the opposite side of the table.

“Sean, wa gwan my brotha?”

“Im chillin. Omarion, this my nigga Cayden. Cayden this the crazy dude Omarion,” Sean said. Omarion looked me over and i did the same.

“Texas right?” he said. I nodded. “You know i done business with yall in the past actually.”

“Word? When?” I asked. He leaned in, putting his hands on the table. He smirked in a way that really made me think he was crazy.

“Way back when, Red was running shit back then,” he said, tilting his head.

“That must have been a long time ago then,” i said nonchalantly.

“Shame what happened to him isn’t it?”

“Tragic,” i said. He burst into full blown laughter. I guess people really knew what had gone down. I smirked.

“I like your style Cayden,” he said. “This should be a good partnership. Lets get to the business then.”

“We got everything ready on our end. Just gotta see what we buying before we hand the money over.”

“Everything irie my brother, dont worry,  we got the best quality product. I got some coke and the weed for you to try, the rest will be here tomorrow when we do the drop,” he said, turning and nodding to one of his guys. The guy got up and went back to the kitchen then came back with a brick of coke and a bag of some rolled up blunts. He put them on the table. I opened the plastic wrapping and looked over the coke before passing it to Pat. I wasn’t about to try it because i knew i had a problem with the shit and Randi had threatened to leave me over it when we first got together. Doesn’t mean i wasn’t tempted though. Pat took a sniff while i lit the blunt. I knew the weed was gon be lit because everyone knew this was the place for the shit. I took a long pull.

“Damn,” i said, blowing out smoke. The guys chuckled and i took another drag.

“I told you my brother. So we good for tomorrow?” Omarion put his hand out. I nodded and shook his hand.

“We’ll see yall tomorrow,” i said, standing up. Pat and Sean stood up too.

When we got back to the hotel the first thing i did was face time Randi. It has only been 3 days but i missed her and i knew she was probably freaking out by now. She was clingy for a nigga. Her phone rang for a real long time before she finally picked up.

“Why the fuck it take you so long to pick up?” i asked, immediately wondering what she was doing. She moved the phone so i could see her face.

“Well i was sleeping,” she said, voice low. I could tell she had just woken up from her hair and her voice.

“You at the girls’ place?” I asked, not liking the idea of her being alone.

“No, they’re here, at the house, they watching a movie i think,” she said, brushing hair out of her face.

“You love watching movies, why you sleeping?” my brows came together.

“I was tired. Where are you?” She asked.

“My hotel room. Its real nice, youd love it here babe. Imma bring you one day.” She smiled.

“Okay,” she said, excited now.

“You look pretty,” i told her, looking at her messy hair and makeup around her eyes, i liked it.

“I literally just woke up, im pretty sure theres drool on my face,” she wiped her cheek.

“Nah. You look perfect.”

“I miss you,” she frowned.

“I know,” i said simply. She knew i was missing her the same if not more.

“Come home quickly, i need you…”

“Whats wrong?” I asked immediately. I already knew something must be up.

“Nothings wrong. I just love you and i wanna see you,” she said in a not so convincing voice but i let it go.

“I love you too. You gon be aight. Just a few more days. But you need to get out of bed and get outside. You even leave the house today?”

“Not really.”

“Get off your butt or im gonna send someone over there. Im gonna send Ty actually. He needs the key to my office anyway. You know where it is?”

“yeah i know,” she said. “Ill give it to him.”

There was banging on my door then and i lookd over. Sean and Pat stormed in and were making all kinds of noise.

“Nigga we going out,” Sean said. Pat grabbed my phone from my hand.

“Hey Randi. Cayden has to go now,” he said.

“Okay. Bring him back in one piece please,” she said.

“I promise,” he said.

“Okay, go play with you friends. I’ll talk to you later,” she said to me.

“Bye baby,” i yelled. Pat hung up and i sent him a mug.

“Dawg you not staying in this room. Grab yo shit we going,” he said. I groaned but got up. It would be a shame to leave jamaica without partying.

Randi

The last few days were very strange for me. I would go to sleep and when i first woke up id forget about the whole being pregnant thing, then after a few minutes as i really woke up and started my day id remember and be momentarily terrified. I mean i was terrified the rest of the day too because i still had no idea how i felt other than scared and i couldn’t even share it with anybody because Cay didnt know and wasn’t here. China and Jada were staying here right now and, though Jada sort of knew, i hadnt confirmed anything after the positive test, i couldn’t talk to them about it.  The crazy thing is that i was actually scared to the core to tell him. I couldn’t rationalize why on earth id be scared. That morning when i woke up i decided to call Dr. Williams office to see if she had an opening, and she did. So instead of going to the salon first thing like i usually did, i went there.  

She looked like she was ready to pop. Seeing her so sure and confident in her pregnancy and clearly over joyed about the prospect of having a child, i couldn’t control myself, i spilled the news because i had to talk to someone.

“Thats definitely some news,” she said, giving me a soft smile.

“It feels weird saying it out loud,” i said, running my hand up and down my thighs.

“This is the first time you’ve told anybody?” She asked, surprised. I nodded. “So Cayden doesn’t know then.”

“No,” i said in a guilty tone. “I found out at a bad time, he was leaving for work and i didn’t wanna make him worry or feel like he had to stay, so i kept it to myself,” i said.

“That sounds pretty stressful on you, dealing with it all on your own,” she said sympathetically. I nodded, biting my lip. “How are you feeling about it, whats been going through your head?”

“I dont think im feeling the things im supposed to be feeling,” i explained.

“You dont have to feel a specific way, you’re allowed to feel your own emotions. You can always say the truth here,” she tilted her head to the side.

“But i don’t want something to be wrong with me,” i said.

“Why would something be wrong with you?” she wrote on her notepad.

“Because im not all excited and happy, im just terrified. I’m even scared to tell Cayden,” i sighed.

“Being scared is normal. This is a big change,” she pointed out. “Do you fear how Cayden will react?”  

“No,” i shook my head, “its not that. Im not sure what it is,” i played with my hair.

“Whats the worst thing you immagine happening,” she tried instead. I paused for a while, picturing me telling him.

“I think its more to do with me. I dont want him to see my fear and be upset by my reaction,” i scratched my arms. She nodded.

“You think Cayden won’t be understanding of your fears and concerns?”

“I dont know,” i shrugged.

“You’ve been together for how long now, has he given you reason to think he wouldn’t be understanding of your story and how things may feel a bit intense for you?” I shook my head.

“Then maybe you should give him a bit more credit and trust that you can confide in him,” she put a hand on my knee. I nodded. I knew she was right. The fears were all because i was in my own head too much. I knew i was also generally high strung when Cayden was far away from me.

“You’re right,” i said, dabbing at a single tear that had escaped. Why did she always have me crying in her office?

“You’re very brave, dont forget that. Give yourself a break. You are a beautiful, strong, intelligent woman…and you will make a terrific mother.”

When she said the last part i really lost it, i don’t know why. I took the tissues she offered me and we just sat in silence for a little while, since my hour was almost up anyway. Once the session was done she gave me a long hug and told me to come in any time. I thanked her and then left the office.

When i got back home i was emotionally drained and just tired all together. Jada invited me to watch a Romcom which was my favourite, but i needed to lay down so i flaked and went upstairs to sleep instead and Cayden ended up calling me an hour into my nap and we had a short but nice conversation. Hearing his voice and seeing his face lifted my spirits and also made my stomach flutter in a new strange way. I couldn’t believe i was one of those girls who couldn’t go a few days without seeing her man, but it was different once you were married. We truly functioned as a unit, and taking him away was taking away part of me. He encouraged me to get out of bed though and i washed my face before going to join my friends downstairs.

“How you doing?” Jada asked, looking at me a little too intensely.

“Im good. I had an intense therapy session, im always drained after talking to Dr. williams,” i explained.

“We got you some food, i was gonna bring it up but i didnt wanna wake you,” China said. “You should eat,”

“Im actually starving. What you get?”

“Fried rice, its in the fridge” she said. My mouth watered immediately and i ran to the kitchen. Suddenly i was happy and feeling good about life as i warmed my food and grabbed some cutlery. I brought it to the couch and Jada flipped through netflix finding a new movie.

“A walk to remember?” she asked.

“Too sad,” i said.

“Jumping the broom?”

“Yeah i like that one,” i nodded. She pressed play and i made myself comfortable.

Later on in the day, Ty did come by just like Cayden had said. I let him in and asked him if he wanted something to drink. He said sure and followed me to the kitchen. I got him a can of coke from the fridge.

“How you doing nugget?” he asked. “You look down.”

“Im alright, i didnt sleep a lot last night. Im just tired,” i said.

“Can’t sleep cause yo nigga gon?” he guessed. I stuck my tongue out at him. “Yall so extra.”

“Don’t act like you dont be all pissy when Cole not here. We all have to put up with you until he come back on the weekend.”

“I dont get pissy,” he said real quick, face serious as ever.

“Ok,” i said in a ‘sure’ tone. He sent me a mug and drank his coke. “So what did you need again?” i asked, having forgotten what Cay had told me i was supposed to give him.

“The key to Cayden’s office,” he said.

“Right. Ill go get it, be right back,” i said. He nodded. I got up and left the kitchen to go up to the bedroom. The key was in some safety deposit box with a pin but it was our wedding say so i knew it. I unlocked the box and got the key while also lurking at everything else. There was some money, a gun, some keys, and an envelope. I grabbed the envelope and opened it. It was a deed for the house that had, apparently, been updated to have my name on it beside his. I couldn’t help but smile. I had never asked him to do that. Cayden had bought this house all on his own way before me. It made my heart skip a beat seeing he added my name on a legal paper listing me as an owner of the property.

“I love you Cay,” i said to nobody. I put the letter back where id found it and locked the box back up. I left the room and started for the stairs, jogging down them because id kept Ty waiting when i got distarcted. I was wearing socks though, and the stairs were polished wood, so when i put my foot on the next step it slid all the way past the edge and threw me off balance. I let out a little scream as i  slipped and caught myself on the hand rail before i could go tumbling down the stairs.

“Fuck,” I said, my heart pounding. Ty was now at the bottom of the stairs. I took the rest of the stairs slowly. My hand had somehow ended up on my stomach in a very non random way, i guess to protect it.

“You good?” Ty said.

“Yeah,” I said, trying to calm myself. “That was really scary,” i ran my hand up and down my lower belly. He looked down at my hand which was still on my belly, making slow movements. He looked at me like I was weird at first then he seemed to put things together. I went red.

“Wait…” he said. I quickly removed my hand and wiped the nervous sweat on my jeans. “Are you knocked up?” I didnt answer right away so that about confirmed it.

“Please don’t say anything to anyone,” I begged, closing the sweater I had on. He chuckled.

“Oh shit,” he said, looking at me like he was seeing me for the first time.

“I haven’t gotten to tell Cayden yet so don’t tell him please. I know you’re his best friend but im begging you,” i said desperatly.  

“Don’t worry, I won’t” he said in an understanding tone.

“If he asks how i am just say im good. I dont wanna worry him,” i said. He nodded. “Thanks,” I said, handing him the key. He took it and I thought he was gonna leave but he wrapped one arm around me and pulled me into a hug. This was the most affectionate he had ever been with me. We had a very brother and sister relationship. I mean he would mess up my hair teasingly or choke hold me but this was a real, soft hug. I didn’t know what to do.

“Be careful on the stairs aight?” He said. I nodded. He pulled away. He nodded and then went out the door. I knew I had to tell Cayden. I would feel horrible if he found out from someone else. I promised myself that would be the first thing i did when he got home. I just had to wait a few more days, and not fall down any stairs.

[themonsteroffice]

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTIONS

It’d be a while before I can make all the art for the deparmtments so here is a list of them with a brief description of what they look like. Because the reality in the building is so loose the Dreamons often warp their own deparmtments to suit their own taste and needs. The results can be a bit jarring for most as you can pass from a door into a meadow or even enter a graveyard, this place is full of surprises. Its long so this is under the read more:

Green Dept. When you enter the Green Dept. you find yourself in a pleasant but vast garden with a wide assortment of herbs and flowers, some for practical uses and others just add a gentle atmosphere. The soft scent and sunshine create a calming environment that would bring some ease to even the most troubled of minds. Beyond the garden looks to be a small wooden cottage covered in vines and flowers and inside is a cozy setting where the Dreamon, Greegori, is waiting to treat any physical, mental, or emotional wounds. Chartreuse Dept.  The area is dimly lit save for some neon green lighting that drapes just enough light on the setting so folks can see where they are going. There are various tables scattered along the walls leaving plenty of space in the center for a large dance floor. There are various platforms and levels in the place allowing for balcony seating for those who just wanna watch. A large stage takes up the entire back wall though half of it is taken up by wallhigh speakers ready to blast away when the party really starts. You can usually find the head Dreamon, Chartrand on the highest level in his private booth chillin when he isn’t playing the DJ. During business hours its a more quiet lounge-during afterhours its a huge rave.

Yellow Dept. The only deparmtment that actually looks like an office setting. Its filled with the usual cubicles, cabinets, and office supplies and wait  why is there a rhino beast in the middle of the aisle...and was there always a pool here? Geez. The yellow deparmtment is unassuming but you never know whats going to pop up one moment and vanish the next. Worst of all if you try to tell the head Dreamon, Yelloneus, about it he never acknowledges the literal elephant in the room. Yelloneus’ office is in the back behind the maddening labyrinth of cubicles, good luck getting there.

Amberose Dept. Everyone loves to dream of a beach day! Well everyone in the Amber deparmtment works at a beach day every day! Its quite literally a beach. Theres plenty of small shacks and huts to provide shade and quiet places for employees to work but they’re always welcome to take a break and splash around the water if they like! This deparmtment also hosts many visitors for meetings, what better way to deliver customer service and build a good reputation than taking people on a holiday when they were expecting another boring business trip! You can usually find Amberose all over the place makin sure folks are havin fun or playin a few rounds of beach volleyball. Orange Dept. Your tastebuds are going to go off the charts the moment you enter the orange department because the smell along coming from this kitchen is heavenly. This dpearmtment serves as  a restaurant for employees during the day and visitors at night. Get served fresh dishes from the head chef himself, Oranhamme, who is constantly in the kitchen cooking up something new. While he experiments in the back the many other chefs and bakers will be happy to fix you whatever is on the menu that day. On top of it all you have waiters and waitresses on hand to bring the food to you while you relax at the booth for your lunch break. The area is very warm and cozy made mostly of wood and brick, think of a rural setting. Vermillion Dept. When you walk into the Vermillion Dept. you walk into what looks like a full blown movie studio set. There are lights, cameras, and plenty of action as the head D’eye’rector Vermillinder is always shooting some sort of new advertisement or something. There are dressing rooms along the the stage for the actors and actresses to prepare for their next starring role. The set looks a lil like the glam era of hollywood back in the day, Vermillinder never did get over that era. The sets may seem a lil hokey at first but with Vermillinder’s magic it becomes an all encompassing environment that makes you swear you were actually there.

Red Dept.  The boiler room is Red’s domain. A winding hall of steaming pipes and tool closets. The deeper you go the hotter it gets until its almost unbearable. At the end of the road you’ll find the head, Reddington, stoking the Dream Furnace which takes up the entire wall. The heat is ungodly in this area so its best not to go here if you can help it, besides you probably dont wanna disturb the Dreamon’s whose temper is hotter than the flames he fuels.

Magenta Dept. Welcome to the lab, just dont touch anything. A chemistry setting isnt what you’d really expect when you think of a resources department but Magerite likes to take idea of chemistry between people a littler literally. There are all sorts of creations here, love potions, hate potions, platonic potions, to name a select few. While half the deparmtment has beakers and all sorts of mysterious fumes hovering about the rest of it is  more of a consulting area, clean and tidy for when you need to interview or file a complaint...not like anyone ever files complaints here, ever.

Violet Dept. The key to creating a successful business strategy is to have an environment that fosters enlightenment or so Violson thinks. One may not know whether they’re here to talk business or get their palm read. Theres all sorts of crystals and stones about the places and instead of tables and chair theres just a bunch of rugs and cushions. Gotta keep it loose to create the flow of creative energy. You can find Violson near the back behind the drapes usually meditating.

Indigo Dept. Off Limits Blue Dept. Blubert likes crystal clear communication throughout the building and his deparmtment is a good embodiment of that value. The area is clean and simple in its design overall. The walls are all a thick sturdy glass which allow everyone to see everything thats happening here at all times. Its also always a bit chilly in here like the air conditioner never turns off, bring a jacket. Teal Dept. A network of computer screen, holograms, and all sorts of tech. The area is lit mostly from the light of code flashing across said screens and there is always the dull whirring of machines doing heaven knows what. The head of this deparmtment, Tealing is usually zooming from one screen to another, typing away and making small touch-ups to the machines. It may be hard to get her attention as shes always fixing 100 problems at once.

[daigina-3]

Juliet and His Romeo

His only break of the day and Isak couldn’t believe he was stuck here. If it weren’t for fucking Sana holding Madhi’s weed over his head, or his stupid ass, shoving it down the first candy jar he spotted in Eva’s house- or even fucking Vilde for thinking it would be a good idea to start a revue group, Isak could be chillin’ in the cafeteria or the courtyard with his bros.

But instead he was here, in Nissen’s theater. Adjusting fake, plastic leaves that made up fake, plastic vines wrapping around the base of a fake tower made of plaster and wood.  

No wonder Sana had to blackmail people to join. Vilde was a nightmare as a director.

They met weeks before the other performances were even decided. As soon as Isak had shown up to the first revue meeting three weeks ago, Vilde had handed him a script and explained that they were doing Romeo and Juliet. She said they were doing it because it was a classic love story. Isak thinks it’s because they already had the balcony and costumes in the props room. But whatever.

The first week was auditions and stage hand sign ups. Vilde had almost bullied him into being Mercutio, because “you’d be perfect for it Isak,” but thank God he had wriggled his way out of that one and took a spot on the stage crew at the last second, meaning he didn’t have to attend the following two weeks of torture- stage hands weren’t needed for read-throughs.

That also meant that Sana withheld the weed from him even longer, claiming that he wouldn’t get it back until she knew he would take his job seriously.

The things he did for his friends.

So it was week three and Vilde wanted the tower decorated already, and Sana decided taking his job seriously meant forfeiting his social life to get it done before the next rehearsal.

Isak sighed, looking at the rough sketch Sana gave him, realizing he’d have to climb up the back of the tower and stand on the balcony to actually place the vines and flowers up there. So, he gathered the power stapler, the rest of the foliage, and the picture and headed up the questionably constructed wooden steps from behind the tower.

He got to it, placing and adjusting and stapling the vines and flowers just like the picture. Part of the way through, just when Isak thought he might jump off in boredom, he popped one earbud in and turned on his favorite playlist.

He was halfway through his favorite N.W.A song, rapping along, moving a bit more freely the more he got into it. He picked up a stray hydrangea and used it as a faux mic, bobbing his head and rapping,

“I’m in control of your mind and soul Don’t be afraid, just bust the moves,”

He stapled the hydrangea in place and a few strings of vines, draping them just so, even daring to move his feet and hips to the beat as he worked.

“So out your home, you’re on your own in the land of the unknown”

He was full-on bobbing at this point, his shoulders and his whole body moving in time as he laid down the rhymes along with the vines.

“It’s the dark side, the dirty-side It’s called-”

“Halla?” A voice rang out from below him and Isak jumped, dropping the flower in his hand, ripping the earbud out in the process.

“Shit,” he swore. That fucking hurt. He looked down to see who had caught him and how much he’d have to pay for their silence and- oh. Oh no.

It’s called the Panic Zone.

And shit, was Isak panicking- because bellow him stood Even, who picked up the flower Isak dropped, who was the lead in Vilde’s stupid play, who had just caught him rapping and dancing and maybe even singing into that flower… God, how long had he been there? Isak felt his stomach go tight in embarrassment and his face heat up.

“Halla,” Even said again, smiling from the base of the balcony, where he stood.

“Uh, hey,” Isak answered, not really sure what to do. “Just, um, setting up stuff.” He picked up another vine and placed it down, very much not looking in Even’s direction, trying to look unaffected.

“I can see that,” and Isak could hear the smile in his voice. Fuck, the last thing he needed was for Even, the cool, hot guy who was the leading man for fucks sake to be making fun of him right now. Or tell anyone what he saw later. Isak was really re-thinking that whole jumping off the tower thing right now. Maybe Sana would pity him and just give the weed back if he broke his limbs helping Vilde out, who knew?

“Do you mind if I practice in here? I came to run lines for tonight’s practice,” Even called up. Isak snuck a glance at him, only to find Even staring intensely, too intensely, his hands tucked in his back pockets and his blue eyes all but drilling into Isak.

Or maybe that was his imagination.

When Isak met his gaze, he raised his eyebrows expectantly.

“Uh, yeah, whatever, dude. That’s cool.”

“Cool.” Even shrugged off his backpack and dug around for a bit, produced his script, then began pacing.

Isak went back to work as Even’s deep voice rang through the theater.

“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east and Juliet is the sun!”

And oh, he was rehearsing those lines. And Isak wouldn’t care normally, but as Even continued Isak couldn’t help but think back to the first day of rehearsal, the auditions where he had first seen Even up close, had watched Even run this exact monologue. He had been so moved by Even’s quiet passion, apparent even through the archaic language, that he hadn’t taken his eyes off him the rest of practice.

And when he overheard Even mentioning to Eva that Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo + Juliet was his favorite adaption of the tragic love story, he may or may not have immediately downloaded it when he got home.

(and he may or may not have definitely cried a little.)

“Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,

Who is already sick and pale with grief,

That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.”

Isak was only keeping up an appearance of working at this point, stapler and vines in hand, but he was pretty sure he had stapled the same place four times so far. He just had such a good vantage point- he had never seen Even so up close before, only daring to sneak glances from across the room, looking away every time he got caught staring. And he must have had really shit timing because Even seemed to always catch him staring. Now he had a front row seat.

And Even was so expressive- his whole face was thrown into the performance, his eyebrows drawn in and a small smile on his face. And usually Isak thought this whole poetry and verse stuff sounded so fake and corny but Even’s words sounded so sincere- low and passionate, adoring and a little playful- like Juliet was really there, like Even was really trying too woo this girl.

“Be not her maid since she is envious.                                                           

Her vestal livery is but sick and green,                                                          

And none but fools do wear it.”

Even looked up and met Isak’s eyes. Every other time Isak had been caught staring he’d looked away, foudn any excuse to leave or try and pretend nothing had happened. But this time he held his gaze, looking down at Even.

Even was still rehearsing, as in it as ever, but something was a little different about his face, his demeanor as he looked up at Isak now. Something changed- a mischevious look, maybe, as he raised his eyebrows and quirked his lips, almost deviously.  

“Cast it off!”

And then Even was moving, he was propelling himself forward and before Isak could really register it- Even was finding footholds in the plaster bricks, sticking out from the tower and was he trying to climb up here?

“It is my lady, it is my love!”                                                                                  

He looked at Isak, who was speechless as he watched Even go, grasping at the flimsy plaster bricks that were jutting out from the tower and heave himself up. Isak told himself he was imagining the look on his face, the adoration, determination, the glee- but the hopefull little voice in the back of his head said this is for you. But that would be ridiculous- wouldn’t it?

”Oh, that she knew she were.”

Even broke eye contact only to search for more purchase on the tower.

Isak didn’t know what to do- what the fuck was happening?

“E-Even, what the hell?” He dropped the stapler and vines he had been holding and they fell at his feet with a thud. “Dude, you’re- you’re going to hurt yourself.”

Even only smiled more in answer, fond and warm, like he was in on a joke Isak just didn’t get. He went on, his voice straining with the effort of lifting his own weight as he spoke.

“She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?                                        

Her eye discourses. I will answer it.—”

Isak moved back as Even’s hand reached for the edge of the balcony, and he hoisted himself up so he was supported by his arms, the tips of his toes pressed into the tower to provide stability. He was only slightly out of breath as he said,

“I am too bold.”

And man, was he close. Isak had backed up, but now they were only a foot or two apart, and Even was still looking at him like that, unwavering in his… Whatever it was. Isak could feel the heat in his cheeks, probably bright pink by this point.

“’Tis not to me she speaks                                                                                   

Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,                                                 

 Having some business, do entreat her eyes                                                   

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.”

Maybe Even was making fun of him? Maybe he had been caught staring one too many times or maybe Even just took a sick kind of pleasure in fucking with Isak, seeing him flustered.

And man was it working. Isak’s heart was hammering in his chest. He thought he might stop breathing right then and there as Even pulled his whole body up, clambering over the railing and onto the small balcony floor, even closer to Isak now and inching even more so.

“What if her eyes were there, they in her head?                                            

The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars “

His voice was soft and impossibly intimate.

Isak was frozen this whole time, he couldn’t believe this was happening, was waiting to wake up or for Even to start laughing, to say oh, man, you should have seen your face! Waiting for some sign that this was a joke or a dream because there was no way Even was standing a breath away from him, looking into his eyes like a man possessed and reciting Shakespear to him.

Even raised his hand, slow and deliberate, maybe in case Isak would stop him- as if.

Even’s fingers brushed Isak’s cheek, so lightly, and Even was whispering now, low and breathy, his eyes still glued to Isak’s, searching, searching for something.

“Oh, that I might touch that cheek.”

And Isak almost didn’t feel real as he said, “I…uh,” he swallowed, licked his lips, and Even raised his eyebrows, looking so beautiful- God, and still so close…

“I think you skipped some lines,” Isak whispered- anything louder would break this moment, this magic in the atmosphere, and the last thing Isak wanted was for the warmth of Even’s hand, cupping Isak’s cheek, his thumb softly stroking the edge of his jaw, to disappear. Isak licked his lips again and he definitely didn’t miss Even’s eyes move down for a long second, following the movement before meeting Isak’s own again.

“I think,” he answered, still incredibly breathy and low and God so close, “You’re right. Maybe, uhm, you could help me practice?”

Isak didn’t answer him. “You could have hurt yourself. This thing is old, and not sturdy at all.” He tried to put some playful admonishment in the words, but it came out as more of a stunned whisper. Which was probably what Isak was right now, stunned.

Even smiled and Isak felt the air from his soft, breathy laughter his face. Even almost had him backed up against the frame of the balcony arch, and Isak felt the strange urge to put his hands on Even’s waist.

“Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes,” Even breathed, “Isak…” he drew his name out like he loved saying, and, fuck, fuck, Isak loved hearing him say it.

“Even,” Isak returned when Even didn’t continue. He knew he was staring at his lips, try as he might to keep his eyes on Even’s.

“Could you help me with this one line- I can never remember how it goes,” He was still moving his thumb along Isak’s jaw.

What?

“Uh,” Isak swallowed, and he’s so close to Even, he doesn’t want to play this game anymore he just wants to kiss him, feel their lips meet like he’s thought about, dreamed about, so many times. But he just can’t risk ruining this, being lost in Even’s eyes, the warmth of his hand on his cheek

“Su- sure, yeah. What is it?”

“Act one, scene five,” Even said and his other hand came up and then he was cupping Isak’s face in his hands. “Romeo and Juliet are dancing- and Romeo says then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take. What comes after?”

“I, I don’t know,” Isak answered and he doesn’t, but god he knew what he wanted to happen.

Even’s body moved to press into Isak’s just slightly, just enough, and his face becomes closer, too, so fucking close. Isak couldn’t stop thinking bout the distance, the lack of it.

“Ah, I remember now,” Even’s eyebrows drew down, as though he was thinking very hard, concentrating.

“What is it?” Isak asked, his voice barely there and God, how long have they been here, how long has this been happening? It feels like forever, like they’ve been in each other’s orbits for years and they’ll never break free enough to collide-

“They kiss,” Even said and suddenly it happened. His lips were on Isak’s, Isak’s lips were on his, and Isak’s arms were wrapped around Even’s shoulders, he pulled him close, so close, he was so warm, and Isak felt like he was going to float away.

They kissed more than that, pulling away to breathe and smile and kiss some more, and this, Isak thought, was the best kiss. Better than any he’s had, better than any he’s dreamed of, better than any kiss on any stage, in any script, ever.

“You should help me more often,” Even said an eternity later, when they’ve sunk down to sit on the wooden floor of the stupid fake balcony, the wonderful fake balcony.

“Yeah,” Isak nodded, smiling and smiling, running his fingers through Even’s hair, “Yeah, I could do that.”