#and it was WRONG but it worked????? when i brought up that our friends ex playing drakengard 3 was literally my first big red flag from her

[gu6chan]

most cathartic moment of my life was last night when me and my sister were yapping to each other about our least favourite pieces of media ever and i showed her ONE scene from DOD3 after bitching about it for like a million hours and she was just "okay i see why you think every dod3 fan is a horrible person what the fuck is this"

[adventuringblind]

Teach Me Part One

Max Verstappen x Reader Part Two

Genre: hurt/comfort (2.7k words)

Summary: Max helps our protagonist through a journey of sexual discovery. You know - after she's been assaulted... Don't worry though, he's got her (and her virginity).

Warnings: Attempted r@pe, BDSM in the wrong way, then it gets better, lots of discussions, Virgin reader, softdom Max, toxic ex, dom/sub, alluded to smut

Notes: I hope this is what le requester was looking for! I tried my best to get everything and I think I did! Really hope you like it and that it brings you comfort!

Side Note: My inbox is open if you wanna come chat with me because I'm going insane over here...

Masterlist // Request Form // My Website // buy me a Ko-Fi

Trust is something most people underestimate the power of. Trust is sitting on a chair and thinking it will hold you. Trust getting in your car and knowing it will get you to work and back. 

Trusting people is harder than trusting inanimate objects. It’s easy to come back from a chair breaking or a car randomly stopping. Humans take the trust of others and stomp on it. They treat it like a toy; something to be thrown away when they are done with it. 

She did trust once. She tried to give someone her love. It didn’t work out for her, and made her struggle to trust anyone after that. 

Max swings her legs back and forth on the counter. GP had come in not five minutes ago and told him to get down. But Max is like a cat, and refused to get off. 

She sits in a chair in the office area, preparing for debrief. Her fingers crossed it goes longer because that means right to sleep with her. Her boyfriend won’t have any reason to keep her up. Not when she has a race tomorrow. 

“Any plans for after the race?” 

Logically, there is no way Max doesn’t know her plans. They’ve grown up together; her and Max against the world. 

She shrugs. “I’m not sure. Probably just hanging out with my boyfriend.” 

“Boring, you should come out with the team!” The warmth on his features makes her want to melt. She’d much rather be with Max. Her relationship hasn’t been going well for some time now and she’s been trying to find something to repair it. Because she can’t bring herself to leave. He’s guilted her into staying; the fear of being alone outweighs wanting to leave him.  

“If I could find something to do with him, then maybe it would be less boring.”

Max Waves her off after the race with a grimace. She knows he hates the guy, but he also doesn’t even know the full extent as to why she hates him. Why she can’t stand being around him for longer then she has to. 

She’s alone in the room for a minute. Her boyfriend is still in the shower for the time being, meaning - she has time to indulge herself. 

It’s a stupid interest, really. Max had brought it up in passing; something he’d tried with partners. The one problem with being Max’s friend? His astute lack of knowing when enough information has been given. Still, the details of his experimentation through the years left her wanting to know more. 

Her recent search history has been her own exploration into the world of BDSM. It’s a stupid thing to look into considering the male she’s with isn’t the nicest about sex. No, he’s tried to coerce her a few times now. He comes to races with the intention of trying to get in her pants. It’s just not something she wants yet and she’ll continue to let him fuck her throat if it means holding him off from taking that piece of her until she’s ready. 

She’s caught up in her own thoughts, mindlessly scrolling something mildly more explicit. “Watcha looking at?” The obnoxiously placed male on the bed tries to crane her head to look at her phone. 

In her panic to hide the screen, she fumbles. His hands snatch it away from her and begin scrolling where she had left off. “It’s nothing-” 

“Actually, this is something. Is this all it takes to get you to let me in finally? Would you like to be owned?” 

She would like to tell him no. She wants to explain what she wants is to feel safe with someone; enough to let go for once. “Just something I was curious about, is all.”

“Whatever - don’t expect me to stick around much longer then. Maybe this will help us get back to where we were.”

She ends up with a bruised throat the next morning. Her peace offering to him since he was adamant about getting something from her. 

What she was not expecting the next morning to be woken up stuck to the headboard. Her wrists hurt more than her throat and the fear clouding her brain makes it hard to tell what’s really happening. She tugs at it, only to be stopped by a familiar set of hands. “Isn’t this what you wanted? I figured I’d indulge you.” He sounds nonchalant about all this. She’s not sure if that makes it better or worse. “Just relax, yeah? I’ll take care of you.”

It’s the way he’s eating her with his eyes. The sinister tone in his voice. She doesn’t want to be here. The more she tries to relax, the more she ends up panicking. His touch on her skin hurts more than she wants to admit. 

“Would you stop squirming?” 

“No!” She pulls harder at the stupid restraints around her wrists. She pulls until her hands start to slide out, bloody and burned, but it’s enough. 

The second she’s free, she’s flipping them. They wrestle as she attempts to flee, eventually able to slip her way around him and out the door. 

She’s barefoot, disheveled, her long shirt barely covering her ass. Not bare, thankfully, but pretty close to it. The adrenaline kicks in and she sprints to Max’s room three floors up and prays there is nobody around. Grateful for the early hour in the morning that this has occurred. 

Her knuckles hit the door with a bruising force. “Max! Max please open up! Max-” The door opens and she tumbles inside. Nearly hitting the floor, but Max’s quick reflexes are there to steady her. 

She clings to him, sobbing, the fear of what might have happened to her hitting like a punch to the gut. 

Max ends up getting her stuff for her. She can’t stomach the thought of ever seeing that man again. Let alone attempting anything intimate. 

Max lets her stay in his guest room for the time being. He doesn’t push for her to talk about it. Not yet at least, but she knows he’ll get impatient just like the rest of them. He’ll kick her out when she doesn’t give him what he wants. 

Max finds her out on his balcony four months into their new living situation. It didn’t help that winter break happened three weeks after the whole ordeal. It’s nice solely for the reason they drive for the same team. Otherwise, she’d hate being left here to wallow in her own self pity. 

Max sits himself on the side across from her. “Wanna talk about what’s going on in your head? I miss seeing you smile.” She can tell he’s nervous, his lip biting from childhood never went away. 

“Just thinking.”

“About?” 

He’s worried; can clearly hear it in his voice. He wants to know that she isn’t going to do anything crazy. “What happened, I guess.” 

“I’m here. If you ever want to talk about it - I’m here.” 

Maybe it’s the thought of Max having defended her for years now, or the safety she has always found with him. “It’s really stupid.” She drops her head into her knees. 

“Can’t be if it’s making you upset.” 

“He saw something I wa looking at on my phone the night before I forced myself into your room-” 

Max’s eyes go wide. “Alright, the only stupid thing about that is you thinking you forced yourself on me. You can come to me whenever and I’ll open the door.” He gestures for her to continue after his interruption. “What was on your phone?” 

This is the part where she runs if things go south. “Itwaslikesexstuff…” 

“Sex stuff?” Well, her original plan has failed. How he could have ever understood that is beyond her. 

“The - the kind that - you talked about?” 

His cheeks turn a bright shade of crimson red. “Curiosity, I presume?” 

“If you count the last two years as a curiosity phase, then sure.” 

“I’m - I’m so sorry.” 

She blinks at him. The words are barely sinking in as she watches him rub his palm against his neck and jaw. “Why are you apologizing?”

“Because I sent you - unknowingly, sure - down a rabbit hole that can be dangerous if you don’t know where to look.” His sad demeanor makes her want to hug him. “Was it something related to BDSM stuff? I swear if he hurt you I know where he lives still-”

“Max please-” The laugh raging through her is pathetic. “-As much as I’d love to see him get his ass handed to him, I think I’ll be okay in time. He didn’t rape me. Close to it, but I managed to get away.” 

“Oh fuck! Your wrists were busted! I should’ve known.” 

“Yeah well, I guess it gives someone else the opportunity to take my virginity-” Well, cats out of the bag now. She had meant it as a joke, something to lighten the mood. Now Max is gaping at her and she’s not sure how to feel about it. 

He slides over to her; their knees now knocking together. “Someone else, huh? Have anyone in mind?” 

“Had someone in mind for ages, but he wouldn’t feel the same.” Because he’s seen the worst of her. There is no way Max could ever love someone like her. Someone who struggles with intimacy-

“Try me. Because I think anyone would be lucky to have you.”

“What about you?”

“Especially me.” 

It’s a month after that where Max brings up the subject again. They’ve kissed and cuddled, but nothing aside from that. She has tried to suck him off. Her mindset being it would appease him for the time being but Max had refused. ‘Not until you are doing it because you want to, not because you think it’s your job.’

She wanted to lay there and cry. Which she might have, but fell asleep at some point. The subject hadn’t been brought up again until now. At the breakfast table of all places. 

“So, out of curiosity, are you still curious?” 

She drops her fork out of surprise. “I - I mean… yes? But I’m not sure I want to go through that again-” 

“Nope, never. What he did was wrong, plain and simple.” 

“But isn’t that what it is?” 

“It is about trust and safety. I’m going to assume you didn’t have a safeword?” 

No, because they didn’t even talk about it. She just woke up tied to the bed and was told to stay still. She settles for shaking her head no. Overwhelmed by the severe lack of anything that Max is talking about.

“If you want, we can take things at your pace, yes? I’ll show you what the bastard should have done.” 

And if that didn’t pique her interest, she doesn’t know what would. “Yeah I - I think I’d like that.” 

Max takes her out to dinner a week later. Her favorite, as usual, since it’s also his favorite (another perk of growing up together). He’s terribly sweet to her the entire night. Which isn’t that big of a change from normal - but Max is sassy and won’t hesitate to throw a sarcastic insult her way. 

“Are you alright if we talk about some things tonight?” He asks on the car ride home. “I would like to get a feel for what you might want to try in the future so I can research a bit.” 

“Yeah - yeah sure.”

Max collects her into his arms on the sofa. The stubble on his chin prickles her skin while he leaves playful kisses. The notebook he has resting on his (and hers by proxy) knee is flipped open to a blank page. 

“Okay, first up is safe words.” 

“To be fair, I know what they are and why they are important. He just didn’t talk to me about anything first…” 

Max hums. “And we’re still gonna talk about them!” He giggles when she groans. “Hey! This is the safety stuff I was talking about. Do you know the traffic light system?”

“Green is for good and red is for stop…”

“And yellow is for?”

“Pointless, is what I’ve read.” She shrugs.

Again, Max gapes at her. “On the contrary, yellow could just mean something doesn’t feel right or you need a minute to breathe. Not a full stop, but a slow down.” 

That makes more sense now. Curse the internet! She probably should’ve made sure her information sources were credible to begin with. “Yellow means wait a second.” 

“Secondly, it’s usually good to have multiple safewords. Red is one and the other I use is Mercedes.” 

She can’t contain her laughs. Nearly falling out of Max’s lap as she clutches her chest. “Mercedes?!” 

“Think about it! If Mercedes becomes a normal bedroom topic then we may need to rethink some things.”

“Fair point, but it’s still a bit funny!”

“Next thing on the list is how I personally like to conduct a scene.” The smirk plastered on his face makes her want to curl up in a ball and hide away. 

“Is it not the normal way?”

“To be fair - there is not a normal way. It’s just how I’ve come to enjoy setting things up prior. Like discussion beforehand is always a must.” 

“Like what we’re doing now?”

“Exactly!” 

They end up talking for hours on end. Into the morning until they are both passed out on the couch. Needless to say they don’t get any further than that. 

More daycare spent simply talking about it. Max takes care to make sure every detail is talked about. It’s the small things that she hadn’t even thought to consider earlier on. 

It becomes safer just by talking about it. Like Max has somehow made it less scary. Which could also just be because he keeps talking about safety. 

She explores in the way she is comfortable with. Small touches here and there, a bit of oral when she can manage. Max checks in with her almost too often. Specifically when she’d like him to keep his tongue where it’s at. He laughs at her frustrated huffs. They do the non-sexual side of things more often. Sometimes he takes things into his own hands, getting her on her knees. Nothing more than what she’s willing to do. 

It’s when she wins a race, high on adrenaline and soaked to the bones in champagne, that she feels the desire to go further. 

She attempts to jump Max’s bones when they are finally back in their hotel. “You don’t want to go celebrate?”

“Can’t I celebrate with just you?” 

“You certainly can, but I plan on taking my time if we’re doing this tonight.” The post race gravel in his voice has her swooning. 

“Please Max? I want you.” 

“I’m going to ask you if you’re sure a million times regardless.”

He pulls her in for a gentle kiss. It turns heated and eager quicker than anytime before. Her need to get her desperation across has Max pinning her to the wall. She squeaks in surprise, having not seen it coming. 

“Someone is eager tonight.”

“Are you going to make me beg for it?” 

“Not tonight, another time though.” 

He taps the bottom of her thighs. He lifts her like she’s nothing and sets her on the bed gently. “Shall we review?”

“Green for go, Yellow for slow, Red or Mercedes for stop.” 

God is he beaming at her. His knuckles caress her jaw. “Good girl.” 

Gone, she’s so gone for this man it’s not funny anymore. Not when he talks to her like that. 

Max takes care of her, runs his hands across her body and makes her shiver. He strips each article of clothing like she’s the most delicate thing he’s ever touched. 

“Color?” He says while leaning over her with no clothes between them. 

“Green.” 

The next morning is fuzzy. She’s not sure if it’s because she and Max were up until the early hours of the morning, or because she’s sore in places she didn’t know could be. It’s unreal how good she feels; how loved and wanted. 

She wants to stay here, frozen in this moment, watching the sun soak into Max’s skin. He’s breathtaking; always has been. 

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Max cracks a smile and stretches his arms out around her. 

“You’re a dork.”

“Ah, but you trust me enough to be your dork. Specifically yours; all this dorkiness is for you.”

She rolls on top of him. “Hey Max?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks - you know - for teaching me and making it special.” 

“You deserve is schat. I’m glad you trust me. That's a big honor and I’m grateful for it.”

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for my ruined relationship with my soulmate?

[Author's note: some details are purposefully ignored or exaggerated for unreliable-narrator purposes]

I (F) have been trapped in a hunger-games sort of situation for the past six weeks. The way it works is that we all got three lives, green, yellow, and red, and when we were reduced to red we were taken over by... a sort of bloodlust. We also shared our life force with another, a soulmate who felt every pain we did. If one died, so did the other.

When the game began, an acquaintance M (M) and I went looking for resources to share with our soulmates. We went somewhere sort of dangerous in search of rare materials, but we were careful and returned safely.

Afterwards, we went looking for our soulmates. We found them- mine was S (M) and M's soulmate was C (F). I had the strangest feeling that we were friends in some kind of past existence, so I thought I could trust them... but I was wrong.

S and C said we'd abandoned and endangered them. They didn't listen to reason when I tried to explain that we were being careful and we just wanted to stock up early. They said they chose each other as their soulmates, and left, and then M blamed me for everything and he left too, and I was so alone...

I tamed a wolf, Tilly. If they wanted to choose their soulmates, then fine, I chose Tilly. I built myself a lovely tall tower to keep an eye on everyone who might ever want to hurt me. Tilly had a little fall while I was working but she was okay, she came back as yellow! Good wolf, she would never leave me :)

I visited a pair of acquaintances, B (M) and R (M), to play a little prank on them, just for a minute. R accidentally angered a monster while chasing me, and he got killed, so I tried to protect the things he dropped from S and C, who wanted to steal it all. But R didn't appreciate my efforts, he said it was my fault he died and called me all sorts of names and banished me from his house!

I was really upset at S and C, so I decided to get back at S by purposefully letting myself get frostbite and making him have to heal us. I guess rumors of what I had been up to spread, because soon enough, everyone thought I was crazy. It wasn't even that bad, it was only a little tickle really!

Some of the other contestants organized a little party, and we played a game where one of us swung the others around with a fishing rod. Another pair, J (M) and E (M) accidentally got hurt too much and died, so as a joke I decided to take the fancy armor they dropped. I was going to give it back, but they killed me before I even could, and then S yelled at me again!

Everything descended into chaos after that. People started burning each others' houses down, someone brought a giant monster up to the surface. S, C, and I were forced to team up to increase our chances of survival, even though they kept criticizing me and calling me the "crazy ex" the whole time.

I bred Tilly with a wolf that S found, and soon enough I had a whole army of wolves to accompany me. But S was stupid and got caught burning down another pair's house so they killed him and then I was red.

I left S and C since they clearly didn't want me there, and tried to get the other reds to let me join them, but they kept calling me crazy and trying to kill my wolves. So I took my revenge on the reds, I killed them with my axe, whack whack whack, and my pack and I laughed and ate and cheered.

After that, it was just M, C, S, and me. M and C tried to kill me, but getting rid of them was easy enough. But... then I realized that Tilly was gone. M said she was corrupting me, but I wasn't corrupted! All of them were, for being so mean to me!

I didn't even get to finally have a proper fight with S like I always wanted to... he blew himself up and then it was just me for only a moment before I died too and...

...I don't deserve this. Winning.

Maybe I really am a monster.

I'm so lonely.

[aoioozora]

Simon.

Part 6

Chapters Masterlist

Character: Simon Riley / Ghost Content: Biker! Ghost x Fem! Reader, strangers to lovers, fluff, civilian au

Note: Plot twist resolves, Reader and Simon enjoy the rest of their evening, more sneaky Johnny and Lindsey, Alejandro makes an appearance, and a doorframe lean 👀 enjoy!

Tags: @cmbghost @gluttonybiscuits @paintlavillered @eatingtheworldsoffanfiction

“I wanna grab both your shoulders and shake, baby, snap out of it. Snap out of it,” sang Johnny as soon as Lindsey had finished narrating the tale of her best friend's failed relationship. 

“Exactly, he needs to snap out of it and stop bothering her,” agreed Lindsey, by this time used to her new friend's random bouts of singing. 

They were sitting in the same restaurant as their friends, far enough to be undetected and near enough to spy. Lindsey's eyes moved from Johnny's face towards her friend's table and saw that she gave her phone to Simon. 

“I reckon he's playing the boyfriend again,” Johnny spoke, also following her line of vision, “Ain't that no’ nice of him?” 

Lindsey huffed; she didn't like being proved wrong, but she had to admit it, and nodded slowly. Her eyes still remained on the duo they spied. 

____’s face paled and her gut wrenched and writhed when Simon had uttered the name, 

“Uncle John?” 

Simon looked at her with wide eyes, his jaw clenched tight. While it wasn't a look of malice or disgust but of pure shock and horror, she still winced at it and looked away at her trembling hands resting on her lap.

If she had a shovel, she'd already be digging a hole to bury herself alive. 

He raised his hand up to her and stood, indicating that he would return in a few moments and asking for her to wait. Without waiting for her approval, he hastily stepped out of the restaurant to speak to his uncle further. The watching spies saw the agitation and anger on Simon's flushed face as he strode out. 

Johnny let out a low yet solemn whistle as he turned to Lindsey. “This is no’ gonna be pretty,” he said, taking a slow sip of his drink. 

This only worried Lindsey as she looked at her friend, who was now forlorn in her seat, looking embarrassed and helpless. Lindsey longed to run to her and comfort her, but she sat still, not wanting to blow her and Johnny's cover. She anxiously gnawed at her lip and fiddled with her fingers. 

“Hey, dinnae ye worry,” Johnny offered her a reassuring smile, “That might look like a complete disaster right now but it'll all work out.” 

She raised a brow. “You sure are confident.” 

Johnny smiled as he looked out the glass doors of the restaurant, watching Simon face the road with the phone held up to his ear. He remarked, “Simon's the typa guy who wouldn't let anything get in the way of what he wants tae enjoy. He'll deal with it and call it a day.” 

Simon, outdoors by this time, was slapped by the cold wind and the spray of rainwater that it brought along. He turned sideways so that her phone wouldn't get wet. 

“Uncle, you cannot be serious,” he began with some difficulty. 

“First of all, how do you even know her? I never even told you about her… or anyone,” said John, sounding bewildered by this turn of events. 

Simon told him about it in brief. 

“And she told you about our relationship then?” he asked at the end of the account. 

“Just now,” Simon answered, inhaling sharply to keep his composure, “I can't believe you'd date someone so young. You're lucky she wasn't a minor when you dated her.” 

“I know, I know,” John sighed, “Look, when you're thirty-five and still single, it's hard, alright? I'm forty-something now and I still haven't found someone. At this point, I'm desperate.” He was unusually honest, but only because it was his nephew he was speaking to. 

Simon understood the point his uncle was trying to make and did admit that it was a tragedy, but that didn't stop him from snapping. “Desperate to the point that you'd bother your ex who clearly told you she wants nothing to do with you? And even back then, she was young and you were the adult. You should've known better than to date her! The fact that you told no one about this relationship is enough proof that you knew this whole thing was wrong! And who gives a fuck if you're desperate?” Simon inhaled sharply, his voice now sounding both pained and disappointed, “Don't you have morals, uncle?” 

Simon paused, now breathing heavily from his fiery speech, feeling his face burn. John, stunned by his usually quiet nephew's outburst, was silent on the other side, not having anything to say in argument. 

The young man continued, saying with a tone of stern protectiveness, “And besides, she's off limits now.”  

He could hear his uncle's pause even in the silence. He asked after a moment, quietly, “She really is your girlfriend then?” 

Simon's jaw clenched again. It was a lie, but he had to protect her. “Yes,” he said in a quiet growl, his voice resolute and firm. 

“I see,” he sighed, but it came out as a weary groan. “But it's a bit odd that she made no mention of her having a boyfriend when she refused me.” 

Simon paused at that. “I don't know about that but I think she didn't want to use me to get you off her back.”

“Hmm. It didn't even occur to me to ask her if she was taken.” 

Simon had to fight the urge to let out a sigh of relief. John was normally sharp, but occasionally forgetful, and Simon could thank him for that, or else she could've unintentionally blown his cover. He said, “Well, now you know she's taken.” 

John let out another sigh, a defeated one. “Alright, I won't bother her anymore.” 

Simon's lip twitched at this. He asked, “So you'll back off only when her boyfriend tells you to, but not when she tells you to?” 

John sighed the third time; Simon could almost see his uncle pinching the bridge of his nose like he always did when he was desperate or frustrated. “Simon, my boy, it's my mistake and I won't do it again. Look, you're my favourite nephew and I don't want to be on bad terms with you because of this, alright? I promise not to bother her anymore and we'll end it at that.”

Simon exhaled heavily, feeling his anger abate just slightly. “Fine,” he spat. 

“I hope it's not too much to ask but…” John began, but paused, unsure. 

“What?” 

“Since she doesn't want anything to do with me or talk to me, will you just pass one last message from me to her?”

Simon was about to refuse, but with how pathetic his uncle was sounding, he just couldn't. “What is it?” 

“Tell her that I wish her happiness in her relationship with you and that I'm sorry for troubling her so much.” He paused and then addressed him, “I know that you're more the man than I'll ever be, and you'll keep her happier than I have.”

Simon felt his heart melt at those words. “Right,” he said through his teeth. 

The call soon ended and Simon stood watching the rain for a moment, the phone clenched tightly in his hand. 

He felt a knot in his throat. Did his uncle ruin his chances with his crush? It was too much. He was tempted to blame his uncle, but it was partly unreasonable; how would either of them know about a future like this? And besides, if Simon really ended up dating her, how awkward would it be if he had to bring her to family gatherings and the exes met? 

He sighed heavily and ruffled his hair. “Thinking too far into the future,” he reminded himself. He stayed out a little longer to allow the cold weather to cool his warm face and then turned to enter the restaurant. 

He breathed in and out to compose himself, reminding himself to speak calmly, as he didn't want to worry her. When he finally neared the table she was sitting at, he saw the frown on her face and her furrowed brows as she stared at the pouring rain outside the windows. She immediately started when she noticed him approaching. 

“Simon, what happened?” she asked, her eyes eagerly following his every movement. 

“I spoke to him,” he said, sighing as he sat down, “He won't bother you anymore.” 

He might've sounded calm, but she could see the tenseness in his face. 

“He has a message for you. He's sorry for bothering you and he wishes you happiness in your new relationship.”

She nodded to acknowledge the message, and the two sat in brief silence. 

“This is the third time I had to pretend to be your boyfriend,” he began in a matter-of-fact tone, “My uncle had noticed that you didn't mention me when you refused him, but I managed to cover that up.” He paused, allowing her to let that sink in. “Tell you what, darling,” he shifted in his seat, “Let's make this consistent, alright? I'll pretend to be your boyfriend whenever you need me to. If anyone asks, you say my name. Do you understand?”

She nodded, pursing her lips. Simon had hoped that his logical suggestion would ease her worries somehow, but he saw that she still looked sullen with her downcast eyes and thoughtful look. “Are you very close to him?” she asked carefully, pulling Simon's jacket closer to herself. 

“Yeah,” he answered quietly. 

She felt her heart sink. Would her presence sour the good relationship the two had? His shock was enough for her to know that he was probably deeply pained by this. 

She was now also plagued by the same worry as Simon. Would he even consider a possible relationship with her given her past? She always believed that the past never mattered unless it had a lesson to teach, but in this case, it seemed like a vital decisive factor. 

The lady groaned and put her face in her hands. “This is so embarrassing.” The awkwardness of this whole situation cut so deep that she could feel tears threatening to spill. 

Simon truly felt sorry for her. He reached across the table and gently pried her hands off her face. One look at her glossy eyes gave his chest a painful twinge; he discovered that he hated to see this look on her face, and he'd do anything to wipe it off. 

“Yeah, it is, but try not to dwell on it, alright? If you think that I'm going to let your past relationship with my uncle ruin our friendship, then think again, because I won't,” he said firmly, gently holding her hands away from her face so she wouldn't hide again. 

Her interest in him made her hyper-aware of everything he did. The warmth and gentleness of his hands against hers. The intense, determined look in his eyes as he stared at her. Though her body internally reacted with excitement at this, she was also eased by his consolation. 

When he saw how his words had driven away the shadow of doubt from her face and allowed a gleam of hope to shine in her lovely eyes, he gave her a reassuring smile and let her hands go. “There we go.” 

She smiled involuntarily, although it was an embarrassed one. 

“Chicken tandoori pizza?” The waiter appeared by the table at the right time, holding the freshly baked pizza in a tray. 

The savory, spicy, and buttery smell of the pizza filled the air and the two watched eagerly as the waiter placed it on the table along with two plates, a bottle of ketchup, and little bottles of seasonings. Thanks to the sight and smell of the food, the embarrassed smile on the lady's face turned into one of utter, unbridled joy, as if nothing happened at all. Simon was relieved to see this and he smiled to himself, admiring her unintentional cuteness.

They served themselves the pizza slices and she began to eat daintily and carefully so as to not make a mess, but the deliciousness overcame her and she began scarfing it down ravenously like a dog that hasn't eaten for days, all the while singing its praises. Simon was amused to see how much she enjoyed the food, and his relief settled in firmly. Truly, there was nothing good food couldn't fix. 

After eating, Simon footed the bill despite her protesting, but he proposed a compromise where she could pay the next time they hung out. He was very persuasive, and she had to relent. 

They went to the arcade as planned, since Simon wanted to introduce her to his favourite games. And of course, their two spies followed them there swiftly, as Lindsey was keen on seeing this whole thing through. 

He taught her to play Counter Strike, first on single-player before the two tackled multiplayer together. She lamented about it being very hard, but Simon encouraged her and they played a few more times. 

They then played a racing game with actual steering wheels, and the lady bested Simon completely, which came as a surprise to both. 

“How are you so good at this?!” exclaimed Simon, staring at the ‘YOU LOSE’ slapped on his screen just above his crashed car. 

“I'm good at driving.” She winked at him, or rather attempted to; it came out as a blink. 

He chuckled. “Good at driving me crazy.” He thought to himself, finding it cute that she couldn't wink. “Well, I admit that I'm pretty bad at driving.” 

She laughed at this confession. “Really? Then it's ironic that you're a car mechanic.” 

He shrugged, smiling, “That's exactly the reason why I am one.” 

After playing a few more other games, the lady spotted a photobooth and pulled Simon with her to take some photos together. Simon wasn't much of a photo person, but he didn't need pulling; he was more than willing and happy to do what she wanted to do. 

They took four photos, all of them printed on a single strip of photo paper the size of her hand. Two copies were made for each of them, and she looked at them fondly. 

“This commemorates our first time hanging out,” she said with a grin as they stepped out of the booth. 

“We should visit a photobooth every time we hang out,” he jokingly suggested, only half serious about it. 

But she actually took this into consideration. “That's a good idea. I really like having photos like these to look back on, you know.” 

Simon immediately took mental note of that. 

“The only problem though,” he flapped the strip of photo paper to see what sound it made, “If we hang out a lot then we'll have too many photos.” 

“You're right,” she chuckled, “So, how about for special occasions then?” 

“Sounds good,” he smiled.

As they walked around the arcade looking for something else to play, the claw machine caught the lady's attention. Yet again she excitedly dragged Simon to it, and yet again, he didn't mind at all. 

While she looked through the glass box for her target plushie, Simon leaned his shoulder against the machine slightly, gazing and admiring her side profile and the focus in her darting eyes in the soft yellow lights. He watched as she put in a coin and started directing the claw to the farthest corner of the box, trying to pick up a little skeleton plushie. 

“Ugh,” she grumbled when the claw dropped the plushie so close yet so far away from the depositing hole. “I'm so bad at this,” she said with a frown, “I'm not spending another dime.”

“Here, I'll try,” Simon offered. 

She was about to move away to give him space, but he stood behind her before she did, and placed his hands on the joystick and buttons on the machine in front of her, essentially trapping her in between. 

“You want that skeleton doll, right?” he asked, leaning down slightly so that his mouth was just a little above her ear. 

She nodded, feeling her heart pounding in her burning ears. The closeness of his voice instantly reminded her of the “Good night, love” voice message he sent her only earlier that week. She breathed in and out to compose herself and not appear as though she was heavily affected by him. 

She would've watched how he controlled the claw, but she was far too distracted by his hands. They were huge, but that was to be expected of a tall, burly man who went to the gym six times a week. His nerves and blue-green veins popped out over his pale skin as his thick fingers managed the controls. The very controls were on her mid-waist level, and she couldn't help but consider what it would feel like if his hand accidentally brushed her waist as he pulled it away, or better yet, what it would feel like if he actually held her waist, circled it with his arm, trailed down to her hips and- 

“Yes, got it!” Simon exclaimed, interrupting her reverie. 

She blinked away the distant look in her eyes and heard the soft thump of the soft toy falling down the deposit hole. She watched as he brought out the skeleton plushie she wanted and handed it to her. 

“There you go. Got it on my first try,” he said with a proud, boyish grin. 

She accepted the plushie and grinned. “You're good at this.” 

“Yeah, I've always been weirdly good with claw machines,” he bragged. He moved to the machine again to try his luck, and this time, she moved away to avoid another heart attack. 

Another dime in, and out came a Charizard plushie in no time. He smiled a celebratory grin, and then handed the soft, cuddly Pokémon to her. “That's for you.” 

“For me?” she blinked. 

“As thanks for hanging out with me tonight.” He nudged the soft toy to her, urging her to accept it. 

She accepted it, holding both soft toys close to her chest. “Thanks, Simon.”

He smiled gently, feeling his endearment towards her increase. “No problem, darling.” 

The spies watched from a distance. Johnny was pleased; he never saw Simon smile and laugh so much in the presence of a woman or even in general. He was all smiles as he stealthily took his photos. 

Lindsey, on the other hand, seemed a little sullen as she watched her friend give Simon an adoring look as she cuddled her new gifts. Johnny noticed this and nudged her arm. 

“Wit's the matter, lassie?” he asked. 

“Nothing.” She looked away from the sickeningly sweet sight. 

Johnny looked at the two and then back at Lindsey. “If it really was nothing, ye'd be smiling right now.”

Lindsey shot an annoyed glare at Johnny, who was smirking at her. He playfully rolled his eyes. “Ye lassies sure love the word ‘nothing’ like it does ye any favours. It doesnae hurt to be honest for once, ye ken?” 

Lindsey also rolled her eyes, further annoyed by his playful directness. She decided it would be better to spit it out. “They look… Happy.” 

“Aye, they do,” he smiled, “Are ye jealous?” 

“Maybe.” 

“Because ye want something like that?” 

She hated how he read her like an open book. Or maybe she wore her heart on her sleeve. She didn't know which one. “Yeah,” she admitted quietly. 

Johnny saw his chance. “I can give ye that, if you'll let me.” 

She whipped her head towards him, making her long hair slap against his arm. “Uh, what?” She raised a brow. 

“I know ye heard me,” 

She narrowed her eyes at him and scoffed. “You're confident.” 

“Is my confidence a problem for you, wee lassie?” He asked with a smile. 

She looked away, as if considering it. “No… not at all.”

“Then what's stopping you?” 

“You're a stranger,” she said, knowing it was a weak argument. 

He rolled his eyes. “As if strangers can't be friends… or more.”

She shook her head and handed him her phone, the screen displaying the dialer. “Go on.” 

He grinned triumphantly. “Score.” 

Simon took ____ back to her place and offered to walk her to her door. It was late after all, and he didn't want her to go by herself. 

“Thanks for today,” she said as soon as they had stopped by her door. 

“No problem, darling,” he smiled, “So, here's where you live, huh?” His eyes turned to the door number to see what it was. 

“Yeah, you should come over sometime.” 

“Sure, I will.” 

The chime of the elevator echoed in the quiet corridors and out of the open doors emerged a slightly disheveled man in a suit. When he raised his head, he was met with the sight of his neighbor with Simon. 

“Hey, ____,” he greeted with a smile as he approached the two. He motioned with his eyes to Simon. “Your boyfriend?” 

“Yeah, my boyfriend,” she said, remembering their agreement, “Simon.” 

The gentleness on Simon's face was replaced with annoyance at the entrance of her neighbor. He was just a little shorter than Simon, black-haired and brown eyed, and just as muscular as the other. He held out his hand, a cordial and friendly smile on his face as he introduced himself, “Alejandro. Nice to meet you.” 

Simon took his hand and shook it firmly, nearly squeezing it as he narrowed his eyes slightly. “Pleasure,” he lied. 

Alejandro noted Simon's intensity, but only smiled wider. As soon as their hands let go, he gave Simon a pat on the shoulder. “Alright then, you two have fun. Good night.”

“Good night, Alejandro,” the lady returned, blushing a little bit at his last line. 

He walked past them to his apartment two doors away and disappeared behind it. The two looked back at each other. 

“Your neighbour,” he began. 

“My neighbour.” 

“Are you two close?” He glanced at Alejandro's door. 

She shrugged, leaning against her door to support her tired legs. “We're acquaintances at most.” 

“I see.” He raised his arm and leaned against the doorframe, allowing his shadow to fall over her, and for his honey eyes to darken. “If he acts weird with you, you know who to call,” he said in a whisper. 

Simon was naturally tall, but the gesture along with the shadow, his broad chest and shoulders made him appear larger and more dominant. Her stomach took no time to turn into a circus, her legs overcooked noodles, and her face a furnace. If she had any feminism at all in her, she could feel it evaporate. 

“He's fine, I don't think he'll do anything weird,” she finally answered, looking away shyly. 

“Hmm…” he paused, “But still, just in case.” 

There was a brief silence between them, and Simon stood up straight. 

“Also, don't worry about your ex. He won't be calling you anymore. I made sure of that.” 

She sighed, “I'm in your debt.” 

He chuckled, and ruffled her hair. “You don't have to be. I'm just looking out for a friend.”

“That means a lot.”

He shifted awkwardly on his feet, feeling a little fuzzy about what she said. “Now you better get back in and go to bed,” he quickly said. 

“Don't forget your jacket.” She took off his leather jacket, sad that she had to part with its warmth already. 

He took it and jokingly inspected it for any damage. “You've taken good care of it,” he said with a cheeky smirk. 

“Come on,” she rolled her eyes, laughing, “I know how to take care of other people's things.” 

“Good, because if you do,” he slung the jacket over one of his shoulders, “I'll feel like lending you my jacket more often.” 

“That's a win for me,” she now unlocked her door and attempted a wink again, but failed, making him chuckle. 

“Wait, before you go,” he paused and shoved his hand in his pocket, “Do you want a kiss?” 

She had to do a double take. “A what?” 

He pulled out a Hershey's Kiss from his pocket. “A Kiss?” 

She stared at the sweet treat in his hand and then burst out laughing. “Oh yes, sure. Thank you.” she said as she took the Kiss, her face burning with embarrassment for having misunderstood him. 

He smiled, also feeling his cheeks turn pink, thinking of the future possibility of giving her an actual kiss. “Right then,” he finally said, now stepping back, “I'll be off now.” 

“Alright, take care on your way back,” she waved at him, “Text me when you reach.” 

He chuckled at the role reversal. “Sure. Good night, my love.”

Her heart fluttered and a warm but shy smile pulled her lips. “Good night, Simon.” 

She closed the door and he walked away, both feeling more drawn to each other than ever, and relieved that her past relationship was not going to hinder what they already had and what they secretly wanted to have. 

As she entered her bedroom, she first took out the strip of photos from her bag and stared at it. While she was grinning and being goofy, Simon was more tame with his poses and smiles. When she had pinned it to the board over her desk with a magnet, she brought out the Kiss he gave her, unwrapped it, and popped it in her mouth, allowing it to melt on her tongue. It was a sweet way to end the enjoyable evening. An actual kiss would have been amazing, but this sufficed for now. 

She then took out the plushies she received and placed the Charizard on her bed, while the skeleton remained in her hand. She was glad that he didn't ask her why she wanted this particular one, because she wouldn't be able to admit that it reminded her of him. 

“My love, my love, my love.” His endearment echoed in her thoughts repeatedly, causing her another flutter. If his sweet words were a breeze, then she was a tree, ever fluttering and rustling gently, swaying hopelessly in love. 

“Don't take it too seriously,” she ended up reminding herself; he could have meant it cordially. It was only safe to assume that. 

She fell back on the bed, feeling the high she felt now settle down. Holding the skeleton plush high over her head, she stared at it, half wishing it was Simon who was hovering over her. She decided to name the soft toy,

“Simon.”

End of Part 6.

Part 7

Likes, comments, and reblogs are greatly appreciated! Also, leave a comment if you'd like to be tagged for future updates.

[pollymorgan]

Ex-Husband Negan Part 3

Warnings: Defloration, but in a good way.

Tense, Negan looked back and forth between me and the hallway, towards Gracie's room. Then he ran his hand uneasily over his face.

"Fuck, sweetheart, correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't you the one who always said I shouldn't use sex as a power tool?" he asked, with a slight grin on his face.

Innocently, I shrugged, "I would rather call it an offer."

I could clearly see the struggle in his eyes. "Okay, here's a counterproposal. You go ahead and make yourself comfortable, maybe even take off all those unnecessary clothes you're wearing, and in the meantime, I'll take care of the thing in Gracie's room... Believe me, I'll be with you in no time."

Angry, I crossed my arms in front of my chest, "Forget it, Negan... Either now, or never!"

"Never?" he asked sarcastically, "Darling, we both know that's not true. You need me, just as I need you."

He took a step towards me, and I would have instinctively stepped back, but the stairs were behind me, so I inevitably stood still. Negan's right hand came closer to me, and he began lightly stroking my collarbone with his fingertips, following the movement with his gaze. Of course, he noticed how I almost forgot to breathe under his touch.

"How often do you close your eyes when Steve fucks you and pretend it's me, huh? Tell me, I won't tell anyone..." he whispered.

I shook my head almost imperceptibly and looked at him in disbelief, then he leaned in and whispered with a gentle, gruff voice directly into my ear, "... but it annoys you every time that it doesn't work, that he can't make you feel things, that he can't touch you like I do, right? My darling, I know you better than anyone ever could. I was the first man in you... I'm the only one who has impregnated you twice... And only I can make you come so many times, over and over again."

His words hit me hard, because they held up a mirror to me that I didn't want to see, but at the same time, they sent warm electric shocks through my whole body.

A light slap on my butt brought me back to the present. "Well, off to the damn bedroom," he said firmly.

I grabbed his hand and led him down the dark hallway. After opening the door and turning on the light, I turned expectantly towards him.

"There it is... The same beautiful, slightly nervous smile as our first time." he noted.

29 years ago

While the other girls in my class cut out snippets from fashion magazines and glued them to their walls, my room was wallpapered with posters of various rock bands, and as our classmates tried to get into clubs with fake IDs, my two best friends and I were already thinking of another excuse for our parents to go to the next concert.

For almost two months, I had my first steady boyfriend, and since then, every day was even more adventurous. Not only the fact itself was super exciting, but he was simply the most exciting boy I had ever met. When we first saw each other at a small club concert, I was immediately head over heels in love with this guy that everyone there seemed to know. I was even more surprised when he came straight to me to talk, among all the pretty, older girls. That same evening, we kissed while the band played my favorite song. It wasn't my first kiss, but it was so different from anything I had felt before.

Although he was an absolute chaos and troublemaker who constantly got into fights and arguments, he treated me like a princess from the first moment. There was not a moment in that time when he didn't carry me on his hands and do everything to prove how important I was to him. I knew he had had quite a few, more or less, 'girlfriends' before me and often felt the eyes of the other girls on us when we stood hand in hand at a concert. And that always made me extremely insecure, but he assured me that it was different with me, that I was special.

Since our first meeting, we spent all our free time together.

During the week, we were usually at his house. His family was never there, and we had our peace, while my friends covered for us in front of my parents. So we had enough time to make out, listen to music, and philosophize about everything possible. I had never met a person before who was interested in the chaos in my head. Yes, who even understood it and thought similarly. With each similarity, I fell even more in love with this guy, even though I thought every time that there couldn't possibly be more.

So we were lying together on his bed again. My head was nestled in his armpit, and I watched him smoke while he stared at the ceiling. The fact that he just lit up a cigarette in his room impressed my 16-year-old self immensely.

Suddenly, he looked at me and grinned unmistakably, "You're looking at me as if I were some damn alien or something."

I felt caught, "Not at all... well, maybe a little, you are my boyfriend after all."

I gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. He then withdrew his arm from under my head to position himself sideways and prop himself up on his hand.

"Now you're looking..." I said defiantly, feeling my heart beating even faster.

"You are my girlfriend after all," he said amused and blew the last puff of his cigarette before rolling halfway over me to reach for the ashtray. His body was heavy on me, but I loved feeling him so close. In this position, he looked down at me and whispered softly, "And the most fascinating girl I know."

His gentle words and his strong body on mine evoked feelings in me that I had never experienced before. I wanted more of him.

His hand gently traced my waist, delicately stroking my breasts over my t-shirt. I loved it when he did that. My body trembled with excitement. Then he kissed me, a kiss that quickly intensified.

Suddenly, he rolled off me and pulled me with a swing. Now I was lying on top of him. We smiled at each other. Of course, I could feel how aroused he was by the situation, but I was too. After another kiss, I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Can I ask you something?" he broke the silence after a while.

"Mhh..." I dreamily replied.

"Have you ever pleasured yourself?" he asked bluntly, and I was glad I could bury my face in his shirt so he couldn't see how my cheeks flushed.

"Yes... I mean, yes..." I stammered awkwardly.

"Hey, is it embarrassing for you to admit that in front of me?" he asked, poking me in the ribs with his index finger, making me jump.

I looked up and met his beautiful dark eyes, which meant everything to me. He gently held my chin, so I couldn't lower my gaze.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing in this damn world should be embarrassing for you in front of me, especially not that, understood?" he said so emphatically that I could only whisper an 'okay.'

Reflectively, I bit my lower lip and then said softly, "I... I imagine it's you touching me when I do it..."

His hands trailed down my back and then settled on my buttocks.

"Wow, that's so damn hot," he exclaimed excitedly.

My body trembled slightly as I sat up and decisively took off my top. Now I was just sitting on him in my bra. "I don't want to just imagine it anymore, Negan. I want to sleep with you."

I had imagined so many times what it would be like and every day I thought that something more would finally happen between us than just kissing and a little fooling around. But he never took another step, and I was always too shy. Sometimes I even started to doubt myself because I heard stories from all sides about who Negan had supposedly slept with before me. But the Negan I knew was totally different from all those stories circulating about him.

"Do you really want that?" he asked cautiously, but I nodded decisively and opened my bra.

Negan's eyes wandered between my naked breasts and my face. "Fuck, you're incredibly beautiful... I just don't know what I did to deserve you..."

I leaned in towards him, and as soon as our lips met, a wild, passionate kiss ensued.

Negan rolled over again, so I was lying beneath him, then he took off his t-shirt and continued kissing me. Slowly, he pulled away from me and looked deeply into my eyes, while our noses almost touched.

"Please tell me if you don't like something, promise me... I'll stop immediately if anything makes you uncomfortable," he said decisively, his lips wandering over my jaw, slowly moving to my neck.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling on my bare skin. I loved it and at the same time, I felt a little scared because I was about to have my first time. What if it changed everything between Negan and me? I wanted it more than anything, but at the same time, I had doubts about whether it might ruin everything.

His kisses moved tentatively to my right breast. For the first time, I felt his lips on my delicate skin, and it immediately gave me goosebumps. My nipples hardened, even though I was feeling incredibly warm. My lower body tens ed up, sending tingles throughout my entire body. Restrained, I moaned as his tongue touched my nipple. He circled it slowly, making it so hard that it almost hurt. Then he gently sucked on it. He repeated the same with my left breast, and my upper body arched towards him. He looked up at me happily, "Baby, hearing those sweet sounds from you catapults me straight to paradise; no one on this planet is even close to being as sexy as you."

At his words, I couldn't help but smile and relax a bit more. His fingers lightly trailed down my ribs, tickling me in some places, making me twitch. Eventually, he reached the waistband of my pants and pulled them down slightly. He looked at me questioningly, and I nodded decisively, lifting my hips so he could pull down my jeans and panties unhindered. Now it was time; I lay completely naked before him, my thighs pressed together nervously.

"My princess, to make it feel good for you, you need to relax," he said, gently guiding his fingers down my inner thigh and slightly pushing my legs apart, just enough for his hand to fit between them. My heart raced, and I felt the blood pumping through my veins.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you, I promise! Just like I'll always take care of you," he said emphatically, looking into my eyes as his fingers gently touched my most intimate part. He ran his fingertips over it and then very lightly between my labia. Everything in me tingled like crazy, like the feeling of being in love, intensified a thousand times.

I closed my eyes, pushed my hips towards him, and at the same time, slightly spread my legs further apart.

Negan placed his large, warm hand on my lower abdomen while his right hand thoroughly explored my vulva. When he briefly touched my clitoris, I saw stars before my eyes; the feeling was incredible and incomparable. I felt one of his fingers circling around my entrance.

"Every inch of your body is perfect," he whispered, then slowly pushed his finger into me, kissing my knee, which was slightly trembling and bent next to him. When he added a second finger, I felt myself tightening around him.

"Does that feel good?" he asked confidently.

And my "Yes" came out louder than I had planned. I opened my eyes and saw him proudly grinning.

Unexpectedly, he leaned between my legs and placed a warm, wet kiss directly on my mound. Surprised, I reflexively closed my legs, holding his head. Only when the kiss ended did I relax again, and my boyfriend crawled over me to give me another kiss directly on my lips.

"You can tell me to stop at any time!" he said, looking deeply into my eyes as if searching for an answer.

"I trust you, Negan!" I replied, smiling at him somewhat unsure.

He immediately kissed my nose and then leaned over to the nightstand to get a condom. I didn't care that he had probably been with a hundred other girls in this bed; at that moment, I felt I was special to him. That everything was special. That we were special.

Negan took off his pants and boxers and positioned himself between my legs. I was so excited that I could barely look at his penis. Of course, I had seen male genitalia before; I knew what guys looked like down there. But in this situation, it was something completely different.

"You can touch it," Negan said amused, taking my hand to place it on his hard penis. My fingers gently stroked his hardness, and I watched as Negan followed each of my movements with his eyes.

After a short time, he took my hand and brought it to his mouth to place soft kisses on it. Then he placed it on his hip bone. "If anything is uncomfortable or goes too fast, just push me back... understood?"

I nodded nervously as he put on the condom. However, my hand on his hip wasn't even necessary. When he entered me, he was so gentle and patient that it just felt amazing. He leaned over me, placing soft kisses on my neck as he slid deeper into me. Then he whispered in my ear, telling me how beautiful I was and how good I felt.

When he was fully inside me, he paused in position, whispering so softly that I could barely hear, "I love you."

[therealcocoshady]

Recovery - Chapter 8

Eminem x FemReader (Y/N) fanfiction

Summary : Y/N reconnects with an old friend and her sobriety is seriously challenged.

Tags : Angst, Comfort, Fluff

CW : Bullying, Alcohol, Drugs, Mentions of nudity

TWO WEEKS LATER

To say you had a bad week would be an understatement. It was a terrible one : everything that could go wrong basically did, except for the moments you spent at the studio. 

As it often happened, you missed Simon terribly. You were feeling touch-starved, and you just missed being in a relationship. Granted, you had amazing friends, but it just wasn’t the same. Work wasn’t a piece of cake either. You’d had to attend several faculty events and, as was often the case in academia, almost everyone over-indulged on alcohol. You found yourself missing the days where you could party and dance the night away. You had never been much of a party-girl, but now that you were sober, you missed it sorely. You were supposed to work on your doctoral dissertation but found no motivation to work at all. 

Only three things were able to get you out of your bad mood : the few hours a week you spent at the studio, dinner time every evening with Talia and Jamal, as well as the perspective of seeing an old friend who was coming back to Detroit. 

Two weeks prior, after Marshall brought you back from the studio, you had received a text from an old friend named Cassie. She was the first person you befriended at Michigan State University, four years ago, when you were an exchange student. Your friendship was the living embodiment of “opposites attract”, as she was everything you weren’t : funny, easy-going, sociable, the life of the party. It was also a good partnership : you helped her study and she helped you socialise. She was the one who took you to some parties and showed you cool places in the city. In a way, she was a good influence : she pushed you out of your comfort zone. Whenever you were with her, you found yourself to be more bold. Unfortunately, you hadn’t seen her in a while, as she moved to another state to follow her then-fiancé, now ex-husband. Cassie had texted you to tell you she was coming back to town and that she’d love to see you. Generous as ever, she offered for you to spend a couple of days in her suite at a fancy hotel, promising you a good time and some spa. You were extremely happy to see her again. When she left, you had tried to keep in touch, but she seemed extremely busy. Now though, she was considering coming back to Michigan after a divorce and was actually in town for a job interview. 

Her offer for you to spend a couple of days with her was also a nice way to give Talia and Jamal some space. They would never admit it, but you figured they would appreciate spending some time at the house, just the two of them. There was only one drawback : Talia seemed a bit wary of Cassie. You knew she never liked her, but being the classy lady she was, she refused to drag you into their drama. She simply told you to enjoy yourself. 

On Friday night, you joined Cassie at her hotel, after she was done with her job interview. She seemed ecstatic to see you. 

Ma chériiiiiie, she shrieked as she took you in her arms. It has been so long ! 

I’m so happy to see you, you said sincerely. 

I have planned the most amazing weekend for the two of us, she said giddily. 

Really ? What do you have in mind ? 

First, we’re going to have a nice five stars dinner brought up to our room, and tomorrow, I’m taking you to the Spa, shopping and then, I was thinking we could go to a party together, she explained. 

That is a lot, Cassie…, you said. 

My treat, she assured you. Let my divorce settlement money be useful ! 

I can’t accept that. 

Of course you can ! You’ve done so much for me, baby, it’s time I paid you back a little ! Some people I know are throwing a party and you’re going to love it. 

You hummed. Cassie was a ball of energy, as always. You half expected her to be depressed because of her short marriage that just ended, but she was beaming with happiness. At dinner, she explained that she caught her husband cheating with a colleague. She got a lot of money from the divorce and was ready to move on. She had always been like this : always seeing the positive side of things. During the conversation, the talk shifted to your breakup with Simon, although you didn’t go into much detail as to why the relationship ended. Cassie was your friend but you didn’t want to either bore or worry her by talking about your struggle with pills. If you were being honest, you also didn’t want her to think poorly of you. As amazing as she was, you knew she could be a little judgy, at times. 

It’s a shame that you guys broke up, but maybe it’s better this way, she said. You can do better anyway. 

Do you really think so ? you asked as you bit your lip. 

Of course. I mean, he was great and everything, but I don’t know… You could probably do with someone a little more fun. He was always so serious, she said. 

I don’t know… I liked that about him, you said with a sigh. 

Of course you did, she continued. But I’m sure we can find you someone better. The party I’m taking you to tomorrow will be the perfect place for you to find a man. 

I don’t need to find a man, you scoffed. 

Of course you do, she giggled. It’s been months since the breakup. And knowing the good girl you are, you probably haven’t got any action since. You don’t want spider webs to grow in your vagina, now, do you ? 

You almost choked on your water. God, she could be so straightforward when it came to sex. Or any other topic, for that matter. Once again, she was the complete opposite of you. Anyway, you didn’t bother responding to her comment about the good girl you were. And you were absolutely not going to mention your movie night with Marshall. Thankfully, the conversation shifted once again to another topic. After all, the two of you had a lot of catching up to do. 

You barely got any sleep that night. Not that you weren’t tired from your week - you were actually exhausted - but you spent the whole time talking to Cassie and catching up on her life. This girl had a talent for making life seem exciting and glamorous. She always had things going on, always being the one with the most amazing stories to tell. You felt a little dull, next to her. 

The next day, you started by having a fancy breakfast in bed before she dragged you to do some shopping. The department store is where you noticed she was seriously intent on spending money. She kept on grabbing items, not even bothering to look at the price. Meanwhile, you failed to find anything. You either didn’t like it or it was out of your price range. Eventually, she decided to take matters into her own hands and initiated a makeover session with the pretext that you needed to look fancy for whatever party she wanted to take you to. Of course, it was Cassie, so you weren’t exactly surprised when she told you it would be extra. She insisted that you try on a Sandro black dress, even though you weren’t convinced. It was on the shorter side, with sequins and definitely showed a lot of skin. Not to mention that it was extremely expensive. You liked shopping and dressing up as much as the next girly girl, but you didn’t come from money, so spending $300 on a dress wasn’t something you considered. However, to her, it seemed like it was no big deal. She didn’t even blink when the sales assistant told her about the price. “We’ll take it”, she simply said, before asking for bags and shoes to match the dress. Once again, she spared no expenses. The shoes she selected for you to wear were from Jimmy Choo, costing almost $800, with a matching clutch that was just as expensive. She even went the extra mile and selected a pair of gorgeous diamond earrings to complete the outfit. She was extremely happy with the outfit. So much so that you didn’t really dare tell her that you felt ridiculous in these clothes. It was the least “you” outfit ever. “If Talia could see me, she would laugh in my face”, you thought. But at the same time, Cassie was so generous and confident that you wanted to give it a try. After all, maybe you needed to get out of your comfort zone. After the shopping spree, you went to get pampered at the hotel spa. You both got your hair done, as well as beauty treatments for the face and body. You had to admit it felt good. Plus, she seemed to enjoy giving you the princess treatment. To be fair, you also enjoyed getting it. It wasn’t every day that you could get a massage, a facial and a new hairdo. 

The both of you went back to the room to get ready for the party. You didn’t know much about it, other than the fact that Cassie was extremely excited to go. It was supposed to be held in an exclusive location, with “only the best people, food, music and drinks”. When you stepped out of the bathroom, she clapped and shrieked in excitement. 

You have never looked so sexy, Y/N !!! If I had your ass and your breast, I’d dress like that everyday ! 

You were glad she liked it, although you thought you resembled a Bratz Doll. You hardly ever wore makeup anymore, but there you were, with eyelash extensions, foundation, bold lipstick and, hell, even highlighter on your cheeks. Not to mention the outfit. “The dress is too tight, too short, and the heels are definitely too high”, you thought. 

Are we sure about the heels, Cass ? You asked nervously. I might break an ankle, here… 

You’ll be fine, she said. Plus, God knows I’m not one to criticize, but… You’re way too short to wear anything lower anyway. 

And there was the thing you liked the least about Cass : the way she would sometimes ignore your insecurities and dismiss them. Back when you were in school together, you couldn’t count the times when she would comment on your acne scars, your hair or even your weight. But she was your friend and you knew she meant well. It was her own way to care for you. She had your best interests at heart and she wanted you to be nothing but the best version of yourself. Besides, you knew that she was just as hard on herself. She was constantly under her own pressure to look good, do good and be with good people. But that was what made her thrive, so you figured that, maybe she was right. 

You look stunning and those basketball and NFL players are going to get in line to get your number, she said as she placed a strand of hair behind your ear. 

You look amazing too, you said with a shy smile. 

I know, she giggled. 

But wait… You mentioned… sports players ? Who exactly is going to be there ? Do you know them ? 

You’re getting in your head, baby, she chuckled. I know a few people. As for the others, it’s just a few friends we haven’t made yet. Anyway, I have something for you. 

She grabbed her handbag and took out a vial. 

I know how nervous you can get in social settings. This will help you relax. We are going to have the best night ever, she said with a wink. All you have to do is inhale this. 

She placed the vial in your hand and you looked at her, intrigued. 

What’s that ? You asked. Essential oils ? 

Almost, she hummed. Just trust me, ok ? 

Do you promise it’s nothing weird ? You asked as you bit your lip. 

I would never give you anything dangerous, she said as she rubbed your shoulder. You trust me, right ? 

You nodded with a smile. Of course you trusted her. 

Now, let’s have a glass of champagne, just the two of us before leaving, ok ? We didn't even toast to our reunion last night !!! 

I shouldn’t drink, you said as you avoided her gaze. I’ll have water but go ahead. 

Don’t be a boring, Y/N, she giggled. God, you can be such a dud sometimes. One glass, it won’t kill you. I’m going out of my way for you to have a great time, here. 

You felt your heart strain. You didn’t want to be ungrateful. After all, she was more than generous to you and she did go out of her way for you to have a memorable weekend. You didn’t want her to think you were a dud. Besides… One glass of champagne was ok, right ? It wasn’t as if she was handing you some pills or offering for you to snort cocaine in her hotel room. Plus, it was Cassie, of all people. You took a deep breath and sighed. 

Right. I’m sorry. Champagne sounds lovely, you said. 

She smiled and ordered champagne from room service. When it came, it wasn’t just two glasses : it was a whole bottle. Cassie laughed it off. You had your first sip of alcohol in months. You were never a huge drinker, but you had to admit you sort of missed it. You made small talk as you sipped on your glass and she told you that one of her motives to go to the party was to see a guy she had a small crush on. Some Pistons player, apparently. This made you smile. Cassie had always been quite the seductress, even though she got engaged and married quite young. She was the flirty type, even with you. This was part of her persona, and people were here for it. She was the very definition of irresistible. The girl you befriended, that you knew you could never be. You knew there was nothing wrong with you and, most of the time, you were ok with who you were. As years went by, you had come to appreciate being the rather shy, sometimes dorky girl next door who could be seen as quite cute when she made an effort. You would never be an ethereal beauty like Cassie and you were fine with it. Before you knew it, you were on your third glass of champagne. 

We’d better go, you said with a giggle. I’m on my third glass already. 

You’re right, we’ll have plenty of bubbles to drink when we get to the party anyway, she said. 

Not quite what I meant, Cass… 

Just enjoy the evening, baby ! Now, time for you to use that vial. Just put it close to your nostril and sniff, ok ? she directed. 

You nodded and did as she said. After you were done, she did the same. Less than a minute later, you were filled with a sensation of euphoria and relaxation. 

I don’t know what it is, but this is the shit ! You giggled. 

I know right ? If you feel anxious, just do that again. I promise, you will have a great time ! 

A car took you to the party. It was definitely a fancy event. You didn’t know anyone, but Cassie did, and she introduced you to some people. You ended up discreetly sniffing the magic vial a couple of times, taking some time to relax. Before you knew it, you were standing alone as your friend was in deep conversation with a handsome gentleman who, you guessed, was her crush. 

I can’t believe such a beautiful woman is standing here without a drink, a man said as he placed a glass of champagne in your hand. 

Thank you, you giggled. 

The stranger was quite handsome. He was tall, blonde, with gorgeous hazel eyes. He was dressed in a tux and arbored a charming smile. At that point, you were just a little tipsy and definitely relaxed. You greeted him with a smile and thanked him for the drink. 

May I say you look absolutely stunning, he complimented you. That’s quite an outfit.

Thank you, you said with a smile. You don’t look too bad either. 

I don’t believe we’ve been introduced, yet. I am Jared. 

Nice to meet you, Jared. I’m Y/N, you said as you extended your hand. 

You expected him to shake it but he took you by surprise by kissing it, which made you all giddy. You made small talk and he told you he actually played for the Detroit Lions, taking no offense when you confessed that you had no idea who he was, and that you didn’t watch a lot of football. 

So, what brings you to this fundraiser for the Detroit Sports Teams ? he asked. 

Oh, is that what the event is ? you chuckled. I had no idea. Actually, my friend Cassie brought me here. I was promised champagne and a great time. 

I’ll be honest with you, this fundraiser is mostly an excuse for people to drink and dance, he said as he winked. 

You chortled and kept on talking to him. He was easy-going and very sociable. You could tell he was flirting with you and you liked it. It was very flattering to have such a handsome man take an interest in you. You also began to feel more confident in the outfit Cassie had chosen for you. Some people joined the conversation. Apparently, they also played for the football team. All of these men were good-looking and you found yourself considering getting a season ticket for the games. You would have been more interested in sports if you’d known how great the players looked. Eventually, the conversation turned to sports and you took it as your cue to leave, figuring that if Jared wanted to talk some more, he’d find you in the crowd. You sniffed the vial again and found Cassie. People were starting to dance and she dragged you to the dance floor. Had you been completely sober, she wouldn’t have had a chance, but you were far from it now. Whatever potion she had you inhaling was working its wonders when it came to deprive you of your inhibitions. You were more confident in your moves than ever and you danced with her. The both of you were soon swarmed by an army of suitors and you gladly obliged them when they offered to dance. You were having a great time and it was the magic of Cassie : she managed to turn you into a lovable, sociable creature. Hell, you even gave your number to Jared who had found you on the dancefloor and begged for a dance. He promised to call but, unfortunately, he had to leave. You were having yet another drink and talked to Cassie when her face suddenly changed. 

Holy shit. How do I look ?! she asked. 

You look gorgeous, as always, you giggled. Why ? Is your crush here ? 

Better, she grinned. Look, it’s Eminem !!! 

You turned your head in a dramatic move and saw Marshall talking to a couple of people. He was wearing black jeans, sneakers, a black tee-shirt and the Saint Laurent jacket you liked so much. Far from the tuxedos some men were wearing, but definitely an improvement compared to some of his daily outfits and usual sweatpants. As always, you thought he looked amazing. You were shocked, though. He was the last person you expected to see here. 

He is even hotter in person, she squealed. I have to introduce myself. Come with me, she said as she dragged you across the room. 

Your heart was pounding but you didn’t have time to protest. He saw you arrive, hand in hand with Cassie and his eyes seemed to widen, not that you could be so sure because, at this point, you were drunk. But thankfully, you were also too relaxed to care, thanks to the stuff you had kept on inhaling. 

Hey, Y/N, he said as he gave you a quick hug, looking suspicious. 

Hey handsome, Cassie said seductively. I didn’t realize you knew our beautiful friend here. I’m Cassie. 

Hi Cassie, he said as he politely shook the hand she extended. Yeah, I know Y/N. 

“Or at least, I think I do.”, he added in a lower voice, still staring at you. You smiled at him but his comment left you puzzled. Of course he knew you. You were friends. Why would he say that ? You looked at him as Cassie talked to him, complimenting his music and telling him how insanely talented she thought he was, though you couldn’t remember her listening to hip-hop. Ever. 

Now that I know that you know Y/N, we simply have to hang out. Don’t we, ma chérie ? she said. 

Of course, you said shyly - somewhat uncomfortable that your friend was flirting with your Marshall.

Sure, he said with a blank face. 

I have to go to the bathroom, she said. Y/N, hold my glass, will you ? 

She quickly disappeared and you were left alone with him. You smiled shyly. 

I didn’t know you’d be here, you said in an attempt to make small talk. 

I didn’t know you would be here, he replied. What are you doing here ? 

Same as you, I guess, you giggled. 

I’m here for work, he clarified. 

Oh well, I’m not, you shrugged with a smile. Cassie took me here. By the way… She thinks you’re hot. 

You weren't too sure why you were telling him that. Probably because you did not have much inhibitions anymore. You couldn’t help but chortle at the absurdity of the situation. 

Good for her. Now… Care to explain why you’re clearly drunk and dressed like a ho !? He groaned. 

You opened your mouth to reply but found yourself unable to say anything. Did he just insult you ?! You were about to retort something when Cassie returned from the bathroom. 

Now, Marshall, she said as she took her glass from your hand without even glancing at you, I happen to be free for a dance. 

Yeah, he said. I…

He was cut by someone who came to him before he could even continue. You were still a bit stunned. Cassie, however, shrugged off and took you to the dance floor. 

You’ll have to get him to call me, she giggled as she resumed dancing. 

Y-Yeah, you said, still a bit stunned. 

Dance with me, baby, she said as she took your glass and placed it on a table. 

She took your hand and you soon forgot about Marshall’s insult. You were rolling your hips to the beat of the music. A man placed a hand on your waist and danced with you. It was very sensual and you found yourself a bit giddy and turned on, not too sure why. Cassie was doing the same with another man. At that moment, your soul had left your body. Or maybe you just experienced being raw and free for the first time in forever ? It felt like you were on fire. Cassie gestured for you to come closer. 

You’re having a great time, she laughed. Look at you, all sexy ! 

I feel great, you giggled. I’m super horny, too. 

That’s the poppers, she chuckled. Wanna drive them crazy ? 

Poppers ? Is that what she gave you ? Before you knew it, she was kissing you. You were a bit taken aback but returned the kiss anyway. You liked women as much as men, for sure, but you had never thought of your friend like that. Yet, you found yourself kissing back, because you just felt like it. You were turned on, having a great time, and she was gorgeous, so why not make out with her ? You were laughing as you broke the kiss. Before you knew it, the guy you were dancing with was kissing you. You giggled as you danced with him some more. You had never felt more beautiful and desirable. Your thoughts were interrupted when someone in the crowd grabbed your wrist. Marshall. He didn’t look too happy. 

Come with me, he said firmly. 

Not a chance, you giggled. I’m dancing here. 

No shit, he groaned. Just come, Y/N. 

So that you can insult me again ? I hardly think so, Em, you said as you rolled your eyes. 

That’s not a fucking question, he groaned on your ear as he pulled you closer to him. 

Before you could protest, he was holding your hand, walking you out. Cassie followed you. 

Where are the two of you going ? She asked. 

I’m taking her home, Marshall said curtly. 

Oh… then why don’t you take us both home ? She offered with her seductive signature smile. 

You were stunned and you looked at the two of them. Was she offering… a threesome ?! Your eyes were wide open wide and you felt like a deer in headlights. 

She needs to sleep, Marshall said. 

I’m fine, you groaned as he shot you a death glare. 

Whatever, Cassie said. We can figure out who does what when we get to your place, she added with a wink. 

Oh, I have it all figured out, he assured her. I’m taking Y/N home. You can catch a ride to… wherever it is that you’re going. 

You were about to say something but the room was starting to spin and you almost lost your balance. The heels were definitely too high. 

Careful there, Marshall said as he placed a hand on your waist to secure you. Come on, I’ll take you home. 

Whatever, Cassie sighed. Call me tomorrow, chérie ? 

You nodded and walked out as Marshall was holding you firmly by the hand. The cold, fresh air made you shiver and he sighed before placing his jacket over your shoulders. 

I think someone’s following us, you slurred. 

Yeah, that’s my security, he groaned. Look down, now. 

What ? You asked, a bit lost. 

Fuck. Just look down, he repeated in an annoyed tone. 

You did, as you thought that maybe he was going to show you something, but you saw a flash from afar. Someone was snapping pictures as you got out of the event. Your head was still ducked as Marshall led you to a van that was waiting. He helped you get in before entering the car as well, followed by the two security guards. You felt insanely small, as they were huge and took a lot of space in the car. He told the driver to go to his place. 

You’re not taking me home ? You asked. 

I’m taking you where I can keep an eye on you, he grunted. 

That’s totally unnecessary, you said blurringly as you rolled your eyes. 

That wasn’t a question. 

You sighed and looked outside the window. You threw a glance at Marshall, who was fuming, his fist clenched into a ball. Your head was still turning and you didn’t feel too good. 

I need to get out of here, you mumbled. Can you stop the car ?! 

Will you just shut up for one fucking second ?! He snapped. 

I’m gonna puke. 

Shit. Stop the car now, Marshall said to the driver. 

Immediately, the vehicle piled and you hit your head on the window. One of the bodyguards opened the door and you ran outside before puking on the side of the road. Marshall followed you and stood next to you. You were doubled up as he held your hair. When you finally stopped puking, you looked at him with teary eyes. 

I’m sorry, you mumbled. 

He rolled his eyes and shook his head before leading you back to the car. 

Do you hate me ? You whispered. 

No, he groaned. We’ll talk about it when we get home, alright ? 

God, my head hurts, you croaked. 

He sighed and gently pulled you so that your head rested on his shoulder. 

There.

Thank you, you whispered. 

The rest of the drive was silent and you were almost asleep by the time the car dropped you at Marshall’s place. 

Can you walk ? He asked. 

You nodded and took a few steps but almost collapsed. These damn heels had you feeling like a baby giraffe taking its first steps. 

Come here, he sighed before carrying you bridal-style. 

As you walked through the door, he carried you upstairs to a bathroom. 

You need to shower, ok ? There’s a bit of barf on your dress… 

Ok, you muttered. Marshall, I-I’m sorry. 

You were on the verge of tears and your bottom lip was quivering. His look softened a bit. 

You can barely stand so I’ll help you with the shower and the undressing, is that alright with you ? 

You nodded. He made you sit on the floor before helping you undress. You grunted as he freed your feet from the shoes. He fumbled with the zipper of your dress, which was apparently stuck. 

Fuckin’ zipper, he muttered. I should cut this thing. 

Don’t, you whined. It’s new. 

He groaned as he finally managed to unzip you. You were finally naked on the cold floor of the bathroom. The dress didn’t allow you to wear any underwear. You noticed his surprise, but he didn’t comment. In any other circumstance, you would have felt embarrassed, but you were too drunk to care. You were actually thankful he was able to help you get out of these clothes, as you wouldn’t be able to undress on your own.

Alright, now let’s get you to the shower, he said softly. 

You nodded and tried to stand. Although it was easier without the heels, you weren’t too secure. He helped you stand and led you to the shower. 

I’m going to take my clothes off. It’ll be easier. Are you ok with that ? 

You nodded silently, not really daring to look at him. As minutes went by, you were feeling more and more ashamed of yourself. 

Hold still. Don’t fall, he directed before taking his clothes off, staying in his boxers. 

He went back to you and held you firmly so that you wouldn’t fall before turning on the shower. The water was flowing on your bodies. You tried your best not to fall but Marshall had to hold you with one hand while helping you wash with the other. 

Fuck it, he grunted as he turned off the water. I’ll just draw a bath, ok ? 

He drew a bath and helped you settle in the huge bathtub. 

Are you alright ? He asked gently, concern all over his face. 

You hummed and he started to wash your back. 

You’re not getting in ? You asked. 

Don’t worry about me, he said. Try not to drown, alright ?

I’m just saying, you might as well get in. You’re all wet already. 

He shrugged and finally joined you in the bathtub, settling right behind you so that you rested between his legs, while holding you tight so you wouldn't slip.

You know you could have taken your boxers off, right ? 

We’re not doing that, he sighed. 

Just saying… I know what your dick looks like, anyway. 

He scoffed softly and resumed helping you wash. It was actually easier now that you were in the bathtub. 

Marshall ? 

Mmmh ? 

Do you hate me ? You asked under your breath. 

Yes. I loathe you. That’s why I’m taking care of you right now, isn’t that obvious ? He asked sarcastically. Of course I don’t hate you, Y/N. Why do you even ask that ? 

You said I was a whore. 

I didn’t say that. I said you were dressed like a ho, he corrected. 

You turned your head to look at him. 

What ? You’re going to deny it ? He asked with an eyeroll. You weren’t even wearing a fucking thong. 

That’s mean, you said. You can’t wear underwear with that kind of dress. Otherwise, it shows. 

Oh so that’s what makes it not a ho-dress ? He mused as he lathered your arm with soap. My bad, sorry. You definitely looked like a nun, then. 

You rolled your eyes. 

Why were you even wearing this thing ? He asked. 

Cassie said it looked good, you shrugged. I mean, obviously, you disagree, but… 

Never said so, he said. 

You said I looked like a ho !  

Once again… no one said hoes can’t look good, he chuckled. I mean… you sort of have to, if you’re a ho, I guess ? Otherwise you’re not a very good one. 

You let out a drunken giggle. 

So you think I looked good ? You asked. 

Yeah, the prettiest ho I’ve ever seen, he grinned. It’s just… it doesn’t look like you, you know ? 

Maybe it should look like me, you shrugged. 

What the hell do you mean ? 

I look better like this, you said. 

Nope, he replied as he shook his head. You don’t. 

You don’t think so ? 

I think you’re beautiful as is, and that you don’t need to look like a whore, a ho or whatever. Or to act like one, for that matter, he said. 

Hey ! 

He shrugged as he stared at you. 

Was I acting like a ho ? You asked sheepishly, suddenly unsure about the whole evening. 

I don’t know. I guess, sort of, he said. Seriously, though…What was with all the kissing and grinding like you were in heat ? 

I don’t know, you admitted. Cassie gave me that vial to sniff. It made me all light and happy and…horny. 

Seriously ? Poppers ?! He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. 

You swallowed dryly. 

She told me it wasn’t a big deal, you said. 

Let me guess, this genius is also the one who convinced you to have a drink ? 

… yes, you admitted. 

He groaned and shook his head. You looked down in embarrassment. 

I just wanted to have a good time, you said sheepishly. 

Yeah, because breaking your sobriety and making out with people is the only way to do that, right…? 

The comment about how you had failed to stay sober caused you to break into tears. 

I’m sorry, you murmured as you sobbed. I… I thought it wouldn’t count ? 

What ? He asked, confused. 

I mean, I figured that, it’s not pills, you explained as you kept sobbing. 

That’s not how sobriety works, Y/N, he said as he shook his head. You know better than that.

Tears kept on flowing. It felt like you would never stop crying. 

I fucked up. Everything. I’m a failure. I’m so sorry, you cried. 

Come here, he said as he pulled you in his arms. 

He held you and you rested your head in the crook of his neck, as you kept on crying. After a few minutes, you managed to calm down. 

Better now ? He asked. 

Yes. I’m sorry, you muttered. 

It’s ok to cry, he said as he stroked your hair. Now let’s get you dressed, ok ? I don’t want you to be cold. 

He got out of the bathtub first and helped you up. You were a bit more level-headed and managed to stand up. He wrapped you in a towel and told you not to move before disappearing for a minute, coming back wearing sweatpants. 

Put these on, he said as he gave you some clothes of his to wear. Let’s get ready for bed, ok ? 

You’re not taking me home ? You asked as you yawned. 

It’s late and Talia and Jamal are either asleep or having sex, he shrugged. So I don’t think we should disturb. Plus, you’re still shit-faced so I should keep an eye on you. 

You nodded and got dressed. His clothes were comfy. You also enjoyed the smell of his detergent - it was a smell you associated with him. You looked at yourself in the mirror. 

I look like a house elf in your tee-shirt, you pointed out. 

Come on Dobby, he chuckled as he shook his head. To bed, now. 

I can’t sleep in my makeup, you said. Do you have anything I could use to remove it ? 

He opened the cabinet door and managed to find some makeup removing wipes. You were wearing so much makeup that it took a while for you to take it off. 

You don’t need to use that much makeup, he pointed out. You look better without it anyway. 

I hate wearing it, you confessed. 

So… why the fuck do you look like a stolen car that’s been painted over ? 

I don’t know. I wanted to look pretty. Cassie convinced me.  I mean, I know I’ll never look as good as her, but… 

That’s true, he said. 

He looked at you and inspected your face, his fingers tracing your cheeks. 

You look better than her, he added. 

You felt yourself blush. You could tell he was being honest. It was the first time anyone ever mentioned that you looked better than Cassie. 

You don’t think she’s pretty ? You asked. 

Nah, she looks good, for sure, he said. But she looks too… whatever. Doesn’t matter anyway. 

It kind of does, though, you replied. 

Why is that ? 

She likes you. 

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

No she doesn’t, he said matter-of-factly. 

She thinks you’re hot and she wants you to call her, you replied. 

She likes Eminem, he explained. She has no idea who I am. I know she’s your friend and shit, but she basically threw herself at me, just because I’m famous. If I’d been a random guy, I’m not even sure she would have given me the time of day. 

You’d still be hot, you pointed out. 

He shook his head with a smile. 

Doesn’t matter, he said softly. I’m used to it, you know ? I can tell this type of thing from a mile away. Not to mention she was ready to drag her drunk friend into a threesome… 

It’s probably a misunderstanding, you said to defend her. I mean, she’s my friend, she wouldn’t�� 

I know it sucks to hear it, Y/N, but you became an afterthought for this girl as soon as she saw a possibility to suck my dick. That’s not what friends do. 

He sighed and rubbed your shoulder. 

Also, friends don’t give their sober friends poppers and champagne, he pointed out. 

To be fair she didn’t know I was sober, you said. I didn’t have the heart to explain that to her… I guess it’s my fault. 

He hummed and shrugged. 

We’ll talk about that tomorrow. I’m tired, you’re exhausted, and it’s time for bed, he said. 

You almost giggled when you heard the unintentional rhyme. He led you to the adjacent guest bedroom. You felt a bit sobered-up but he was right, you were exhausted. You settled under the covers as he sat next to you. 

Thank you Marshall, you said as you stared into his blue eyes. 

Oh so you’re calling me Marshall now ? He said with a grin. 

Well, that’s your name, you said confused. 

You called me Em, at the party, he said. 

Well people also call you that, you pointed out. 

You don’t. 

You shrugged. 

Yeah, so ? 

I don’t like it, he said. Not in your mouth. It doesn’t feel right. I don’t mind about the others, but… For you, it’s Marshall. 

Ok, you chuckled. I won’t call you Em if you don’t call me a hoe or piss me off, then. 

Deal, he said with a smile. 

Marshall ? You asked. 

Yes ? 

Can I have a hug ? 

He simply nodded and took you in his arms. 

What am I supposed to do now ? You asked. About this whole sober thing ? 

For now, just sleep, Y/N. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. When you’re completely sobered-up and well-rested, ok ? 

You nodded, thanked him and closed your eyes. You felt his fingers in your hair, gently stroking your scalp. It was all you needed to fall asleep.

[the-offside-rule]

Daniel Ricciardo - Does Your Mother Know?

Requested: yes

Prompt: Does Your Mother Know - Abba

Warnings: mentions of a one night stand

Daniel sat in the meeting room of the McLaren technology centre. He was out two days ago but couldn't shake that hungover feeling. "You'd wanna act sober Daniel, Zak is coming in soon." One of Daniel's engineers said. Daniel groaned and sat up, forcing a neutral kind of smile, hoping he came across as fully recovered. Daniel was full awake once he heard the door open and in walked the American with what looked like an assistant. "Alright, how's everyone doing today?" Zak asked in his usual chirpy voice. "A lot better today." Daniel lied. Daniel looked over to the assistant who looked like she had just seena ghost. "Who-" Daniel stopped himself from speaking further. Fuck. Surely this was a nightmare of some sort. No way she was here. "Oh sorry, I almost forgot. This is my intern for the month. She's acting as my assistant. Daniel, guys, this is Y/n Y/l/n." Y/n and Daniel stared at eachother and when they were required to look at something else, they still managed to glance eachothers way. 'This cannot be happening." Daniel thought to himself. "There is no way she is an intern here. No...fucking...way."

Daniel moved his way through the crowd, trying to make his way to the bar for another drink. His friends only brought him out so he could try get over his ex. It wasnt working. They insisted that he tried to make some moves on some girls but he wasn't feeling it. He wasn't quite ready to move on, which he thought was perfectly okay. But with how everyone was telling him he was wrong, he was starting to rethink himself. "Jack Daniels and coke." He shouted over the music. He finished the last dribble of his previous drink and set it down. "Oh come on! It's just sambuca!" He heard a girl beside him say. He turned to see a girl with four shots of sambuca and her three other friends laughing and telling her no. "We aren't drinking, Y/n. We're going back to our flats. There are these really good looking guys that want to get with us so we're not ruining this for us just so you can drink!" Daniel pulled a face at how rude they were being. "You don't ditch your mates for some dick!" The girl shouted, standing up for herself. "No? Well I'll gladly ditch you!" And with that, the other three walked away.

Daniel was confused. He's never seen such a second in his life. The girl turned back around and stared at the shots. It was like he could almost see her train of thought, whether she should down them all or chance asking for a refund. The girl then turned to him and gave a light hearted smile. "You'd hardly like to do some sambuca, would you?" Daniel chuckled and nodded out of pity. "Of course. Can't turn down free shots." She said two over to Daniel and kept two for herself. "Alright, ready?" He asked. She nodded and the two backed their shot. Daniel coughed as the sambuca tickled his throat, but when he turned over to the person he was doing the shot with, she had a straight face and ready to do the next. "Jesus, how do you not even make a face?" He asked, reluctantly grabbing his second. "I'm used to it. It just tastes like Bonjela." She insisted, clinking her glass with Daniel's. "Do you think you like it because you maybe drank too much?"

"I didn't drink too much. I never drink too much." The girl replied. The bar tender put Daniel's drink down in front of him and held out the card machine so Daniel could pay. He swiped his card along the screen and slid the bottle of coke over to her. "Drink this, it might make you feel better." He said. She shook her head and slid it back over. "Water makes you feel better. Not coke." She waited for the bar tender to come back and asked him for a glass of water which was gotten quite quickly. She started by taking sips. She'd been here way too often recently. "You're quite handsome." She said. Daniel was taken back by her sudden compliment. "Don't take it in a weird way. You don't even need take note of it. I'm probably drunk." Daniel laughed.

"You're very young, no?" He asked loudly over the music. The girl shook her head and drank the last of her whiskey. "Not at all! I'm 24!" She replied. Daniel chuckled. "Does your mother know you're out here trying to chat up drivers?" He asked. "Who says I'm trying?" Daniel let out a light hearted laugh. "There's that look in your eyes." He said. She looked confused. "What ever do you mean?" She batted her eyes. "Does your mother even know you're out?" He teases. "Im not not young."She paused. "But what mother doesn't know, won't hurt her." Daniel felt a smirk growing on his lips. "Care to dance?" She asked. Daniel looked around but couldn't see his friends anywhere. His gaze fell back onto her, before he agreed. "I can dance with you." He said. "We can do a lot more than dance." The girl tried to say it quiet enough, but Daniel had caught it. "What? You want to chat? Or we can flirt a little maybe."

Once the pair found a place to dance, Daniel pulled her in closer. "I know what you want but you seem a little young for that kinda thing." She groaned. "I'm not young. I'm old enough to know what I want and when I want it." Daniel looked at her through hooded eyes. She was driving him crazy. He couldn't bare remember the reason he was in the club in the first place, but he was more than happy to be there now. "Do you think we should go somewhere more private?" She asked. "Only if I get a name." She replied as quick as he asked. "Y/n."

"Daniel." He took her hand and led her out into the carp park at the back of the club, opening his McLaren sports car, and climbing in with her. From then on, everything was a bit of a blur.

"And that concludes our meeting." Zak announced, standing up to leave. Y/n stood up, holding her laptop into her chest and walking out quickly to avoid any further conversation with the Australian driver. Daniel caught onto this and chased after her, trying his bets to play it off as casual. His eagerness to speak to the intern earned some very confused looks from other engineers in the meeting room. "Y/n!" He called after her. "At least let me introduce myself properly this time!" Y/n spun around and looked at him blankly. "I knew you looked so familiar in the club. I knew I knew you from somewhere. I just feel so fucking dumb." Y/n said. "If it's any constellation, I feel stupid as well." Y/n arched an eyebrow. "Well I usually ask girls out first before I- well-" he paused. "You know what I'm on about." Y/n gave a light hearted chuckle and nodded. "Yeah, I get it. Ugh, this feels so weird." Y/n admitted. "It does. How about wr resplve it over lunch? Maybe dinner?"

Y/n didn't expect that but nonetheless, she played along. "Is this some half asked way of asking me out?" Daniel smiled. "Only if it worked." Y/n felt herself giggling like a school girl, leaving Daniel unsure as to what her answer really was. "I can do lunch." And so, Daniel walked to the canteen with the intern. Where will this take them? Who knows. I'm sure it can only end well though, right?

[rhodesrider]

Gone

Yandere! Cody R. x Black! Fem! Reader

Author’s Note: Now this is total different from my usual content I post. If you do not like this type of stuff which is obsession and murder, Please do not read.

Warning: Once again Minors DNI / 18+ Only, Murder, Unhealthy Obsessions, blood, weapons, psychological horror themes, mentions of cheating, mentions of sexual behavior

You have been warned.

~

“I don’t get why would he just leave…”

Y/N sighed after her sobbing for about a hour, she sat on her bed looking at the note looking over it once more. Seeing the writing was rushed and messy, like he was in a rush. Her ex now MIA left her note and she’s been worried since the sun was up for the morning time. She was so confused in top of that because he was find the other day, he bought her flowers, they went out and watched some movies. They were having a nice time for once besides just arguing and spending the night in separate rooms. But the next morning hit and she was hoping to see him next to her but instead she sees a single note. “Everything was fine…” her mind was clouded, she couldn’t think at all. Just more tears started to fall somehow she felt like it was her fault. She was probably asking too much of him to where he just leaves from being overwhelmed in their relationship. She heard her phone go off and glanced to the side seeing that it was her friend Cody, he was a mostly a busy man, but he always knew when to call. She smiled some and picked up the phone, cleaning her face some. “Hey Cody.”

Cody smiled as he heard her angelic voice, “Hey Pumpkin, you doing good today? You usually text me after I get off work to see how our days were.” She smiled at the sound of her second support, Cody has always been a good friend to her. He listens to her venting and gives the best advice. “I know, I’m sorry I didn’t it’s just…he’s gone. All he left was a note. Saying that “You’ll find better” and more stupid shit.” She sniffled and wiped her tears away with a tissue. Cody sighed hating to hear her cry, that’s the last thing he wants. “Did you try his cell?” He asked as he smiled going on another phone, holding it with black gloves and scrolling down messages. “I have and he left me on read. I don’t get what’s going on. Did I do something wrong Cody?” “No no angel, your perfect. He doesn’t know it and I don’t think he’s ever gonna know it.” He smirked. The phone he soon turned off making sure the tracker was off and all. “Give me one second please Y/N.” He put the phone on mute and smashed the phone to pieces on the ground. Turning her back of mute he brought his composer back. “But yea you didn’t do anything. I don’t know why he just up and left you both were having such a good time yesterday.” She agreed fully. As she continued to vent and figure out what’s going on, Cody just simply put her on speaker and walked over to an open space in his garage. He stopped in front of a man, a man that was tied up and drugged in a chair. He just smiled and muted himself again while she continued to vent and cry. “She deserves better ya know? And you can’t give her that. I saw you trying thou.” His gaze darkened. “That was precious. Trying to keep her from me, I’ve been nothing but a great friend to her. But you wanted to be in my way. “Baby I don’t know he gives me weird vibes.”” He mocked as he remembered the times hearing him speak ill of Cody.

He unmuted himself, “Hey Y/N, have you heard from him at all?” He sounded so concerned, it made Y/N worry. “No I haven’t, he even turned off his location.” She sighed as she went to the Ifind app and it was still buffering on his whereabouts. “How about I come over and if we have to I’ll go to the police station with you as well if nothing comes up in a day or two. He can’t just stop all connections with you.” The boyfriend looked at Cody with somewhat pleading eyes, Cody just smiling at him happy he’s finally able to get his chance. “Thank you Cody, I’ll let you know if something comes up.” “Ok sweetheart, talk later. I hate it when you’re upset, hopefully he has a very reasonable explanation for this.” As Cody said those last words he held up a gun. Examining it and the boyfriend’s eyes widened and wanted to scream. The drug isn’t letting him. Cody hung up and kissed the gun looking at the dude. “You know, her favorite color is Green. Did you know that?” The boyfriend shook his head fast trying to defend himself but soon was pistol whipped. “NO YOU DIDN’T YOU FUCKING IDIOT. YOU THOUGHT IT WAS PINK.” Cody screamed in his face in anger, turning absolute red. “You are a waste to her and she still cares. I want that, I want her to care about me like she does for a parasite like you.” He calmed himself, slowly putting the barrel to the boyfriend’s neck looking in his eyes with a darkened deadly glare. “You are nothing more than dirt to the woman. I’ve seen what you are to her. She took care of you and you do nothing for her. She begs for you to go out, but you’re too busy. Doing what exactly?” He scratched his head with the gun and looked in the corner. “Oh wait. Were you doing her?” He pointed the gun to the dark corner. The boyfriend fixed his eyes while he could and stared in fear.

A body.

It couldn’t be who he thinks it was. “When I met her she was easy, I can see why you fuck her. She melted in my hands. She was vile.” He had a disgusted look on his face. “I had to shower and get tested after giving her a good time and cleaning the blood out.” He hissed. “I have to make sure I didn’t contract anything, condom or not. I wanna stay clean for my princess.” He smiled and got up walking over to the spot turning on a single light, showing the rotting body. The boyfriend started to shed tears, seeing that he might not make it. Cody smiled walking back over to the boyfriend and looking at his tears fall. “Weak. You were never for her.” He put the gun down and started to walk up the stairs going back to his home. He closed the door and got the key locking it shut. He checked himself in a near by mirror and saw some blood splatter on his shirt. “Hmm we can’t have that.” He went to go wash and freshen up for Y/N, planning to comfort her. Just the thought of being in her presence made him warm inside, all he ever thinks about is her. And he needs her, if he doesn’t get her no one will. But Cody doesn’t think it could ever get that far. He knows she’s just blinded by stupidity and she’s gonna fall for him. “I love you so much baby.” He sighed in the shower, where he had a cover for his phone to watch cameras. He was watching Y/N on the bed looking at her phone, crying and clearly in distress. “I’ll be there soon baby.” He started to hurry up and finished his shower. He got ready and grabbed his keys walking out greeting his dogs, he went to the car after and rode off to her home. Ready to be of service for her.

The boyfriend in the garage sat in the chair wiggling trying to find a way out. He kept looking back at the body with flies, tears falling in fear. This man was dangerous and he was gonna be with Y/N. He had to stop it. He moved the chair some and hear a contraption go off. He looked around but was too late feeling his knee go in. He screamed to the top of his lungs but no one can hear him. Cody set up a trap and it was highly sensitive. He sat there defeated. Crying and pleading god, wishing he would have treated Y/N a bit better than before. “I’m sorry Y/N…” it echoed in his head as he passed out from the shock.

He’s gonna have her one way or another.

[sketchnskribbles]

A03 | Rectifying Fallacies

The rhythmic clacking of keys echoed through the main room of the hidden mesa base. The noise was level. Controllable. Soothing. A familiar presence. One of the few things that this organic planet had in common with his wonderful homeworld.

It brought a sense of ease that lulled him into the calm of a mindless task. A quiet chore that brought a peace that he could hardly find at any other point within this senseless war. 

A silent alarm popped up in the bottom right corner of his screen and he gritted his denta at the reminder that the children were nearly done with their last day of school before summer break. Because that was just what they needed. Sparklings underpede. 

He shuttered his optics, stretched his digits, and continued his current job. He only had a few short earth hours before the next two months. Which would be filled with youngling fun and fancy free. An absolute boon to the war effort, he was sure. Note the sarcasm. 

He pushed away the souring thoughts. They wouldn't serve anything other than ruin his mood more than it already was. 

He'd gotten back into his groove when a Deception proximity alarm screamed through the mesa. 

A window concerning the potential danger popped up in front of his work and he nearly threw one of his tools in a fit of rage. He didn't, as he was a fully grown cybertronian and he needed those tools.

He maximized the window and narrowed his optics at the information. The signal was unknown. Meaning that it wasn't of any decepticon that they'd been in contact with since they'd moved into this mesa. Magnificent. He wished yet again that they had access to Teletraan I. But Primus-only-knew where the Ark was in this blasted universe.

The bot sighed and notified his team of the disturbance. He got four acknowledgements and ETAs. The heavy pedefalls of his oldest and closest friend coming near brought down some of his frustrated anger. He breathed in a deep breath and closed out of all his open programs. Leaving only the map showing the signal.

Moving away from his monitors, he turned around to greet his Prime. "Optimus."

"Ratchet." The deep baritone welcomed back. The Prime settled his hand on his shoulder plating and giving it a comforting squeeze, as he walked past. He peered at the screens to oversee the tripped alarm and hummed in consideration. That familiar gleam of the infamous strategist brightened up his gaze. "It is of unknown origin."

"Indeed. A new menace to grapple with." The older bot rolled his eyes.

"Or… perhaps a weary soul in need of better allies?" The Prime retorted back with his usual bout of hope.

"As if any Con would understand the meaning of the word." The medic huffed. "You expect too much out of thieves, societal rejects, and ex-convicts."

For a moment, the taller bot looked surprised. Then pained. Ratchet felt a lurch at his spark when he actually took the time to analyze his words. 

He blinked and pinched the bridge of his olfactory sensor. There he went, shoving his pede into his derma. Again. "I… I'm sorry Optimus. That came out wrong."

"But full of truth." His leader gently chided. That look of disappointment never faltered. Ratchet sighed and looked away.

"I am sorry. You know of my past and how I was raised… but that is no excuse." Ratchet felt the familiar weight of his friend's servo land back on his shoulder. A comforting weight. Forgiving. The old bot looked back over to the younger mech. They smiled.

Optimus looked back up to the signal and then teasingly back down to the medic. "What do you say we scout out the signal together? It's rather close to being time for our charges to be picked up by their guardians."

"I'd say we're asking for trouble."

"Hmm, that doesn't sound like a no to me." Optimus had already inserted the coordinates into the ground bridge, powering it up. 

Ratchet felt the tell tale of a ping reverberate through him. One that he was sure was felt by the rest of the team. It notified the rest of their orders from the Prime, to retrieve their humans and to join them at base on standby at the soonest opportunity.

There were more pings that flew in soon after. Full of complaints and acknowledgments. They were happily ignored as the two walked through the gate. 

It led into a road through a forest of trees. 

From the position specified on their internal maps, they were about a couple hours away from the heavily populated city of Los Angeles.

It was honestly not too far away from their own home base in Nevada. Less than a day, even. Which was much too close for comfort in Ratchet's opinion. 

He followed Optimus through the trees. Their optics to the skies as they scanned for the source of the signature. It didn't take very long to find the jet. 

They heard the engine long before they caught sight of it. A worryingly familiar palette of purple and black made it ever obvious just who it was, despite the unfamiliar altmode.

" Skywarp." Ratchet growled, his optics narrowing at the jet above. 

He slipped a servo into his subspace and brought out a tiny gadget given to him by Wheeljack. The wrecker had created it on a whim and given it to the medic proclaiming that it needed to be "field-tested" by the team. 

He hadn't yet brought it up with Optimus. A fact that was backed up when the Prime looked down at the medic's arm cannon in confusion while Ratchet inserted the device within a small port that seamlessly opened up.

"...What is that, old friend?" Optimus looked back up to meet Ratchet's optics, wariness pooling in his own. The medic didn't hold the same concerns.

"Jackie said he needed this field-tested. So here it is!" His answer didn't seem to be to his leader's satisfaction.

"Ratchet… let's not be too hasty." A servo found its way over top of his weapon. With enough pressure to imply that he needed to put it down, rather than forcing him to do so. The medic rolled his optics.

"If all goes well, it'll merely incapacitate him. Not kill him. Wheeljack knows of how you operate and wouldn't dare to go outside of those bounds." Ratchet looked over to his old friend, the corners of his lips curling downward the slightest bit. "For all my misgivings with him, I know he respects you too much to do something like that."

With that said, the old medic took aim. An optic closed as he aligned the sights with the plane overhead. He took the shot.

The old bot turned around to smile with pride at his leader, as the plane stalled in the distance. Blue arches of electricity danced along Skywarp’s frame as he was forced down to the ground by gravity.

“I'm quite surprised you actually agreed to test it, old friend.” Optimus sighed and shook his head when the ground shook and a few of the trees ahead cracked and fell. 

“Oh, no. I've run test after test on my terminal on this thing. Also checked the power output and many other things.” Ratchet nullified with a shrug. “I kind of liked the idea of temporarily incapacitating a foe. Just too bad that some of the materials to obtain it are either expensive or hard to obtain.”

“Is that so?” Optimus began his trek forward toward the decepticon. His medic, right on his heels.

A03 | Rectifying Fallacies

[feelrush]

JADE CITY.

— dialogue prompts from jade city by fonda lee.

“what’s going on? you seem out of sorts tonight.”

“send me the bill for the damage. i’ll take care of it.”

“tell me, my friend. have you had any other trouble around here lately?”

“sitting out here alone? something the matter?”

“how am i still alive when they’re all dead?”

“what did you come for at this hour, anyway? spit it out.”

“you should have killed that man!”

“i fell asleep waiting for you, and in return you scare the shit out of me. where were you?”

“you’re the most important thing in the world to me.”

“i’ve forgotten the past. everything’s forgiven, now that you’re back.”

“ah, what to choose, pain or failure?”

“where are you taking me?”

“cancel the rest of the day’s meetings. i’ll be in my office.”

“wait here and don’t move until you’re called.”

“i’m sure you’re wondering why you’ve been brought here.”

“may i… ask a candid question?”

“i’ll wait for an answer, but not for long.”

“you have to pay attention every fucking second because i can’t always be there if there’s trouble, understand?”

“sometimes the old ways are not without wisdom.”

“can you drive? can you handle a gun?”

“i keep seeing you, but i don’t know your name.”

“do you have anything to drink? it’s still hot inside.”

“whatever it is you decide to do, i’ll support you. i’ve told you that before, and it hasn’t changed.”

“i’m afraid i’m paying you this visit out of a sense of great concern.”

“there needs to be a balance of power.”

“what do they think we are? hired thugs?”

“why the fuck are you here?”

“i knocked but you must not have heard me.”

“you look as if you could use a massage.”

“i visit here too often; it’s not safe for you.”

“i have a gun, and i know how to use it. i won’t be a burden. i can take care of myself.”

“we’ll talk about this later.”

“from now on, i’ll be sure to call out hello to you when i’m still well out of knife range.”

“what can i do to help?”

“if anyone tried to kill you, you deserved it.”

“what is wrong with you? you don’t know who you are anymore.”

“give me your blessing, or condemn me, but don’t wash your hands of me.”

“not ready to die yet. gonna quit while i’m ahead.”

“you work for me now, you understand?”

“i’m disappointed you didn’t accept my offer.”

“we can plan a wedding, a big one. pick a date. i was thinking soon—springtime, what do you think?”

“you can do anything else you want, but not this.”

“it’s not that i think you’re boring. it’s just that keeping watch over you isn’t all that exciting, you know.”

“and here i was, starting to think all our meetings were because you were working up to hitting on me.”

“where and how did you fuck up?”

“risk your own life how you like, but leave me alone to live mine.”

“i’m not a coward.”

“i’ve never asked you for anything, but i’m asking you now, to keep this secret.”

“you do a good job, you make a big impression, show just how valuable you can be—that’s when we talk for real.”

“you were fantastic out there tonight.”

“do you want to get something to eat? we can do it another time if you’d rather go out with your friends tonight.”

“please don’t kill him.”

“must you leave so soon? come back to bed. stay the night.”

“heaven help me. i’m going to kill them all.”

“betrayal, murder, and war have a way of ruining one’s plans.”

“i could still kill him for you.”

“i can kill my ex-boyfriends myself.”

“don’t look like that. like you think i’m disappointed in you when i’m not.”

“i couldn’t sleep and wondered if you’d be kind enough to join me for a cup of tea.”

“it’s been a long day, and i don’t think i’d be very good company right now.”

“but what’s the value of silly pride compared to doing what’s best for the people one loves?”

“expectations are a funny thing. when you’re born with them, you resent them. when you’ve never been given any, you feel the lack of them your whole life.”

“people are cruel. don’t tempt them with arrogance.”

“so long as i live, i’ll never turn my back on a friend.”

“get out of my sight! i never want to see you again!”

[luvsturniolo]

— ★ !! pierce

pairing : matt sturniolo x fem!reader

synopsis : you’re a tattoo artist. while working your usual shift, someone you didn’t expect to ever see again walks through the doors, asking for you.

a/n : my first story on here, i’m so excited !!

wc : 1.5k

you sigh, as you walk back over to your station. an old lady just left a few moments ago. she wasn’t exactly the nicest person you’d ever met seeing as she was grumpy and extremely rude while you were tattooing her. you knew it was your duty to do as the customer asks, but you were tempted to mess up her tattoo just to spite her. and if you didn’t know that would cause you to lose your job, you would have done it without a second thought.

“y/n!” you hear your coworker call from the front desk.

the building at which you work is separated into two sections – the front, where the workers book appointments and talk to customers ; and the back, where the tattoo artists do their job.

normally, you stay in the back and do about one or two tattoos per day. however, it's not uncommon for the artists to get called to the front. the people who work at the front desk sometimes need to ask about your schedule or if you can do certain tattoos.

"yes?" you ask once you get to the front of the store. however, before your coworker can even answer, your heart sinks to your stomach. standing behind the counter is your ex boyfriend from high school, matthew sturniolo.

the two of you have quite a rough past.

you dated for three years. your relationship was happy and healthy. to be completely honest, you thought matt was going to be the man you married. he never did anything wrong and was the most perfect boyfriend you could ever ask for.

but that was before you found out who he truly was. during your senior year of high school, you walked in on matt making out with your best friend.

after that, you stopped talking to both of them – including matt's two brothers, nick and chris. they didn't do anything wrong, but they were so similar to matt that it hurt to be around them.

"y/n." matt says as he stares at you with his mouth agape.

you manage a smile before saying, "it's nice to meet you, sir." matt's eyebrows furrow in confusion at your strange greeting. there's no way you forgot about him, is there?

"is there a reason i was called up here?" you ask as you turn to face your coworker with a professional smile.

"this man has been asking for you." your coworker explains. "he's refused to have anyone else do his tattoo except for you."

you look at matt with a curious expression on your face because now you're really confused. when you first laid eyes on him, you were hoping this was a mistake and he just walked into a random store. but now you're positive it was not a mistake.

"i don't know if you know the rules of our store, but you need to make an appointment ahead of time." you tell matt, continuing to act oblivious.

you don't want to say his name or address your past. because if you do, there's no turning back.

truth is, you haven't been able to move on from matt ever since you broke up with him. it's been two years since then, but you haven't been able to stop thinking about him.

you've tried dating other guys, but it wasn't the same as matt. you also tried experimenting with women. but nothing worked. everyone and everything just brought your mind back to matthew.

so you quit dating entirely. and you've never been happier.

"y/n." he says. "don't act like we didn't happen."

"sorry, sir. but i have no idea what you're talking about." you say, your voice shaking the tiniest bit. you quickly cover it up by clearing your thought and continuing. "if you can't make an appointment like everyone else, i'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

matt just stares at you, his gaze softening. you hold the contact, your eyes sharp but steady.

"y/n-"

"dawson," you call out your coworker's last name. "can you please have this man removed from our store?"

dawson nods before you calmly return to the back of the store. you don't stay to watch as matt gets removed. you simply close the door behind you as you walk over to your station.

you've been working here for a hear and a half and you've made tons of friends. including jamie – another tattoo artist whose station is directly beside yours. she watches you walk back to your area and after taking one look at you, she's worried.

"did something happen?" she asks you.

"i don't wanna talk about it." you respond.

jamie nods, not wanting to be nosy or anything like that. she's a good friend and is genuinely worried about you, but she would never pry something out of you.

suddenly, her attention is taken off of you and is placed onto a customer entering the back of the store. you don't care to look at them, assuming it's just the usual customer who's here for a touch-up.

"y/n, please talk to me." you whip around at the sound of matt's voice.

"how did you get back here?" you ask him, your eyes wide.

"i just explained everything to dawson." matt says. "he listened to me and now he understands exactly why i'm here. and i want you to listen to me, as well."

you glance toward the door, seeing dawson's blonde head peeking through the small window. you shoot him a glare and he quickly turns back around.

you suck in a breath, calming your nerves before crossing your arms over your chest. "why would i do that?"

"listen, i'm not going to force you to forgive me. but can you at least let me explain?" matt asks. "these past two years have been hell without you, y/n. i can't live with myself knowing that you hate me."

"good." you respond.

matt chuckles, "if it makes you feel any better, i didn't only come here for you. i do want another tattoo."

"no, that doesn't make me feel better." you tell him. "if you need a tattoo, jamie is really good and she's been working here for longer than me. you should ask her rather than pestering your ex-girlfriend that you cheated on."

"i didn't cheat, y/n." matt says. "she forced herself onto me."

"that's funny." you tell him, turning around and beginning to do something else. "it seemed to me like you were enjoying it quite a lot."

"you hardly even saw us." matt says. "you took one look at the situation and made a harsh judgement without a second thought."

"oh, so now i'm the one getting blamed for your fuck up?"

"no, i'm not blaming you. i'm simply explaining why you saw what you saw." matt says. "she pulled me away into an empty classroom and forced herself onto me. i tried pushing her off, but that's when you walked in. you saw me holding her because i was trying to shove her off of me."

"okay, well why didn't you explain all of this back then?" you ask him. "it's been two years, matt, why now?"

"you had a valid reason to be upset and i didn't want you to think i was making excuses for myself." he says. "i thought you would forgive me and come back. but when you didn't, i felt like a piece of me was missing ever since. it took months to find you here. and i'll do anything to make it up to you."

as you watch matt's expression turn into one of genuine admiration, you no longer see your cheating ex who betrayed you. you see the boy you fell in love with. the one you shared your first date with. your first kiss with. your first everything.

you didn't realize how much you missed him.

whenever you thought of matt while with someone else, you thought it was because your heart still ached from the betrayal. you didn't know you were actually aching for him to return to you.

"why should i even trust anything you're saying?" you ask him, your voice coming out softer than you wanted.

"because i still love you, y/n." matt says, stepping closer to you and reaching up to hold your face in his hands. "and i don't think i could ever love someone else other than you."

you lean into his touch, wanting to keep him here with you forever.

"i'm willing to give you a second chance." you say. "but i have a few conditions."

matt nods, "anything."

"don't expect me to forgive and forget everything so easily." you tell him, stepping closer to him until your noses are brushing. "you need to work for my love and prove that you genuinely want me back.

"of course, y/n." he says.

you press your lips to his, feeling everything click into place. this is where you're meant to be. this is is who you're meant to be with. this is perfect.

tags : @kasqnxx

[theweirdgoodbyes]

“C’mon, lemme help you. You’re breakin’ my heart.”

It’s a Thursday night, the Eagles are playing against the Patriots, and Babe Heffron is one miserable son of a bitch. He had called Bill for an emergency meeting after a particularly gruesome day at work, which including him chasing a student eloping out of the building and down the streets of Philadelphia in 15 degree weather. Why administration hadn’t listened to him about needing locks on his doors, he’ll never understand. Babe ended the day freezing, frustrated, and with a pile of paperwork. He loved his job as a special education teacher, and loved making a difference in young lives. But days like today always brought him back to their familiar spot, The Currahee, much needed beer in hand. One beer had turned into two, and then three, and then Babe lamenting his lonely existence as a perpetually single gay man.

“Pussy hound Bill Guarnere wants to help me pick up a guy? Has hell frozen over?” Babe asks sarcastically, pressing two fingers to the pulse in his neck, “Am I dead?”

“Shaddup. Don’t act like the guys wouldn’t go crazy over me.”

Babe leans forward, reaching out to pat Bill’s arm, “Oh, baby, you drive me crazy alright.”

Babe would do anything for Bill Guarnere. When they were sixteen, and Babe finally understood why he didn’t look at girls the way other guys did, he was terrified to tell Bill that he was gay. Bill, all rough edges and macho energy, had been his best friend since the first day of kindergarten. “You tryna play?” Bill had barked at him the moment Babe stepped into the classroom, still clinging to his mother’s legs. From that moment on the two of them were inseparable. The idea of losing Bill was scarier than anything he could think of, and it took Babe months and several pep talks in the mirror to muster up the courage. So one fateful night, as they drank some stolen beers on Babe’s childhood trampoline, Babe just blurted it out.

“Bill, I like guys.”

Bill was silent for a moment, before tossing his beer over the netting and rolling on top of Babe to envelop him in a giant hug. Babe hugged him back and fought back tears against his shoulder, comforted by Bill’s gruff assurances that best friends forever meant forever. Ten years later, here they are, still thick as thieves, and Bill is adamant that all of Babe’s problems will be solved by getting laid.

“Alright, ‘nough of the funny business,” Bill puts his hands up, as serious as he could ever be. “You want my help or not? I’m tired of listenin’ to you piss and moan over what’s his face.”

“Henry,” Babe sighs, thinking of his ex boyfriend. They had only dated for the summer while Henry was doing an internship in the area. He had gone back to Buffalo in August, and Babe’s love life has been bleak since.

“Yeah, Fuckface McGee, him. You were too good for him, Babe, didn’t I always tell you that?” Bill raises a furry eyebrow, forgetting that according to him Babe was too good for every boyfriend he’s had. He had also taken up the obnoxious but well-meaning habit of running every guy Babe had ever spoken to through the database at the police station, with something as small as a speeding ticket enough to make him concerned. “How long have you known me?”

“Too damn long.”

“And have I ever steered you wrong?”

Before Babe can open his mouth, Bill points at him with a shake of his head, “Don’t answer that. Take a good look around this bar and take your pick. Daddy’s gonna help you.”

Babe looks around the bar. It’s a freezing night in January, so it’s only regulars like him and Bill who have no better place to be. He scans past familiar faces until he sees someone he doesn’t recognize.

“Him.”

Bill turns to look. This stranger is sitting at the bar, eyes laser-focused on the game playing above him. Babe can’t make out the color, but can feel the intensity in them from across the room. He’s got a short crop of black hair to match his furrowed brows, a bit of stubble, and lips that Babe is very interested in seeing up close.

“That guy? The little one with the face?”

“He’s not little.”

“You think he’s on your team?”

Babe keeps looking at this handsome stranger, taking more of him in. His gaydar has always been horrible, highlighted by the confident kiss he had once given his buddy Welsh only to gently be told that friends is all they would ever be. Babe runs on the assumption because it’s 2024, and the world is a much more accepting place than it was ten years ago, that trying to hit on a straight guy isn’t the worst thing that could happen. The stranger is still wearing his coat, despite the stuffy bar air, arms crossed and hands tucked under his armpits like he’s cold. He’s found a lonely corner of the bar, and the drink in front of him is empty. He’s got an air about him that’s says “leave me the fuck alone”, and Babe sees him shake his head when the bartender goes over. Maybe he’s getting ready to leave, he thinks. Babe starts to second guess himself, and begins looking around to see his other options. Handsome Stranger’s mysterious vibe is intriguing, but the possibility of rejection would put Babe in the ground after his rough day.

“I’m goin’ in,” Bill stands up before Babe can protest and struts over to the bar, misplaced confidence oozing out of him.

Babe can only watch in horror as Bill plops himself down next to Handsome Stranger, sticks out a meaty hand, and begins to jabber away. He decides that’s all he needs to see and sets his sight on the nearest TV just in time to watch the Eagles make a touchdown. At least it’s a good day for the Bird Gang.

A moment passes and Babe finds the courage to look back at the bar. He sees Bill stomping back over to him, face contorted in a scowl that Babe is all too familiar with. The conversation cannot have gone in his favor. The guy is definitely straight, potentially homophobic based on Bill’s visible anger.

“What did he say?” Babe dares to ask. He puts his glass to his lips, praying for a miracle.

“First of all, kid must be fuckin’ blind because he took one look at me and says ‘Absolutely not’.”

Babe chokes on his beer, sputtering foam all over the table. He pounds his chest with his fist, willing himself to breathe through his laughter. It’s not often that Bill faces rejection, and the obvious wound to his ego is something Babe will savor for years to come.

“So I says, ‘Listen, toots’-“

Babe’s laughter is cut short and he groans, because of course Bill would make an ass of himself, and by extension, Babe. “Bill, no, you did not call him ‘toots’-“

“I says, ‘first of all, you ain’t my type, with the lack of tits and that pissy pout-“

“BILL!”

“-and you ain’t for me, you’re for the poor fucker sittin’ over here’”, Bill plops back down in his chair, shaking his head. He finishes his beer and sighs, like the interaction has exhausted him, “And then I walked away before I punched him in the mouth.”

Babe just drops his head down on the table. This isn’t the first time Bill has been an absolute beast in public, and it certainly won’t be the last. Babe’s minuscule dream of a night not spent alone has been dashed.

“You need a muzzle,” he mumbles to the wood, “I’m gonna have to tie you to the pole outside. Put up a sign that says, ‘please don’t pet me, I bite’.”

“Don’t be a prick. Can’t say I didn’t tr-“

“Hey.”

Babe looks up and Jesus Christ, Handsome Stranger is standing right in front of him. Although the bar is quieter than usual, the man had appeared with such silence that Babe wonders if he appeared out of thin air. He can barely believe this is real, certain that the guy was either straight or so repulsed by Bill that all hope was lost.

“Hey,” he squeaks out. Oh, Christ. He clears his throat and repeats himself, “Hey.”

The guy stares at him with those dark eyebrows still furrowed, like he’s looking at something under a microscope. Suddenly self-conscious under his unrelenting gaze, Babe runs his hand over his forehead, trying to rub away any red mark that might be left from slamming his head down.

God, up close he really is hot. His eyes are somewhere between blue and grey, complimented by the blue scrubs he’s wearing under his coat. Babe feels his cheeks turning as red as his hair, but unable to look away from those unblinking eyes. Over the hum of distant conversations and game commentary, Babe wonders if Handsome Stranger can hear his heart thumping out of his chest.

“You his friend?” He sticks a thumb at Bill, who immediately straightens up.

“His best friend, actu-“

“Give me your phone.”

Babe could fall out of his chair. There’s no way.

“My what?”

“Your phone. It’s right there.” Handsome Stranger points to where it rests on the table next to Babe’s glass.

“Oh, yeah, sure, here.” Babe scrambles to grab his phone and unlock it, handing it over quicker than he would like to admit.

The stranger taps at it and then quickly types something in and hands it back to Babe. He looks to see his contacts open, with a new addition: Eugene Roe. He doesn’t recognize the area code, explaining why he’s never seen this Eugene before tonight.

“Cool beans,” is all Babe can think to say because holy shit, he did not expect Bill to actually pull through with this. When he looks up again, Eugene Roe is gone. He looks to the door just in time to see it swing shut, catching a quick glimpse of white sneakers walking away.

Bill gives him a shit eat grinning and grabs his shoulders to give him a rough shake.

“Cool beans? What are you, fuckin’ twelve?”

“I panicked,” Babe defends himself. He can’t help but smile and looks back at his phone. He wonders if it would make him seem desperate to text him right now. Yeah, it would, he decides, maybe he’ll wait an hour-

Bill cackles, a sound that shocks Babe back into reality. “Never say I never did nothin’ for you, even though that guy is already on thin fuckin’ ice with me. Now go buy me a beer. The king is thirsty.”

Babe happily obliges, making his way over to the bar in a half-daze. While the bartender pours Bill’s beer, Babe looks back over to where his handsome no-longer a stranger was sitting. Eugene Roe, he thinks, who are you?

(Now posted on my ao3 with some edits! https://archiveofourown.org/works/53977666#work_endnotes)

[nicolesainz]

You are in love (CS 55)

Carlos Sainz x f!reader Summary: Carlos being the sweetest human alive, confessing how much he loves you, whilst having a chat with Lando and revealing past secrets Warnings: only damn fluff (inspired by ‘in between’ by gracie abrams and obviously ‘love story’)

"Man, I think you two have been stuck" Lando points to Carlos's arms with an eye roll following.

"What are you talking about?" Carlos was confused as he didn't understand Lando's supposedly joke.

"From all the honey dripping between ya" He lets out an annoyed tongue click and sips some of his coffee.

Carlos looked at me, wanting to hold back laugh and ready to respond to his friend with a snarky comment.

"I regret introducing the two of you. Well, it's all my mothers fault, so she's to blame" the Mclaren driver complains, scrolling through his phone, taking pictures of us.

"Remind me to thank her actually. I owe her for sending me to you. If it hadn't been for me moving to London, this may not had happen" I cup Carlos's cheeks, giving him a soft kiss.

"Well, it's Lando's mum and fate too! Maybe, well, not actually. I am sure our paths were aligned, that is why we found each other" Carlos holds me tighter and closer to his body, now on top of his lap.

"Since when did you become all cheesy and shit man?" Lando spits out, earning a giggle from me.

"You forget I grew up with three women in the house. Romantic stories, songs, books and movies were a Saturday traditions" Carlos explains as I envision a younger version of himself, sitting on the couch with his sisters and mother, watching movies which had happy endings between the main characters and my heart instantly fills up with sweetness.

"I think it's also because you are a lot in Italy. England hadn't gotten you this soft and sweet" Lando is true. Whenever Carlos isn't working but is still in Italy, we visit Tuscany and Verona. Carlos secretly wrote a letter to Juliet and stuck it in between the other letters, written by romantically helpless women. He still thinks I didn't see him, but I couldn't have a better vision of it.

Never in my life, had a man with such pure heart and feelings following it. Carlos is one of earths wonders and maybe fate did bring us together.

"Will it make you happy if I told you that he took me on a date to Bernabéu, so we could watch the semi finals between Real Madrid and Chelsea?" I say to the English man, with a smirk on my face.

"Did you? Cheeky man! Of course Real would be his first love. Sorry, Y/N, don't take this the wrong way" Lando burst out a loud laugh, holding his stomach.

"Please don't remind me of this day. I should have taken you somewhere else. I regret it" Carlos lowers his head and I still cant stop smiling. I raise his head, giving him a small pout and another kiss on the lips.

"You regret it because Real lost. Not because of anything else. Plus, I was an unlucky charm. My englishness erupted that day"

"And it's not true. I love you more than Real" he caresses my back and leans his head on my shoulder. I know he does. He has proven this more times than I can possibly count.

I can't think of a person I love more than Carlos. He brought me back to daylight after a really difficult period of my life and a heartbreaking departure of my ex boyfriend.

He had given me anything I could possibly ask for. He is an angel on earth.

"This is true. When I first introduced you too, not two months had gone by when he started asking me 'Is Y/N ever gonna visit again?', 'Will she attend another Grand Prix'. I was going insane. That's why I kept sending you tickets, hoping you accepted them. He wouldn't shut up"

Carlos may seem like tough and smooth on the outside, but on the inside he is the biggest sweetheart one can ever meet. So genuinely nice and humble. My heart stopped when I heard this part of the story I didn't know.

"You're not innocent either. You kept looking at his insta, asking me if he had a girlfriend or seeing anyone. Oh the nights I spent trying to convince you otherwise and praising him at your eyes"

My cheeks redden when Lando reveals this secret in front of Carlos. I don't really mind now that we are together. If we kept on hiding our feelings from each other, I would have felt embarrassed.

"Oh cariño! I only had eyes for you, since the moment we met. You took my break away and had to get to you somehow. All I knew was that I was determined to achieve this goal" Carlos exclaims, earning a childish giggle and grin from me.

Oh boy, I felt like a teenager all over again. Like the first time we met. My heart was fluttering as if I was jumping non stop on a trampoline. His words swooned me away!

“Being with you is the best choice I’ve ever made. Smartest, wisest and worthy of everything! I love you forever Carlos!”

My head is leaning on his chest, listening to the fast beating of his heart. I put my hand on my chest and the other on his, feeling the synchronicity of the two hearts.

It’s the most beautiful sensation in the entire world! Pure magic.

“Mi amor, I could never imagine a life without you. You are my life and hope you continue to be for years and years to come”

We share one final kiss before being interrupted by Lando once more

“I definitely ain’t third wheeling here, at all people! Please don’t let my presence interrupt ya”

Me and Carlos giggle, being removed from his lap but still holding hands.

Holding on to each other for as long as possible. Not wanting to lose one another.

[beautifulchris]

fate brought us together again — 20. embrace

⤷ pairing: bang chan x gn!reader

⤷ synopsis: after spending two years abroad, you come back to the only college that accepted you; the same chris goes to

⤷ genre: smau, college!au, exes to lovers!au, fluff, angst, humor, romance, drama

⤷ tw: swearing, yowon's antics (manipulation and general presence)

⤷ wc: 0,8k under the cut

“I’m telling you they’re gonna love it!” jisung exclaimed, nudging his friend in the arms.

“we’ll see. don’t be weird though when we get there,” warned changbin.

“I'm never weird,” jisung pouted.

the duo walked out of their major’s building and headed to the general building.

yowon, who was waiting by the entrance, slipped inside after the guys left and went to the studio where chris was. she opened the door without bothering to knock.

the noise, however faint, made chris turn around from his computer. he wasn't expecting his friends to be back so soon. when he saw the intruder, his suprised expression turned sour and he immediately got up. it was the first time she came all the way here.

she was wearing a shirt with a v collar and a short skirt. she was pretty, it was undeniable, but her personality spoiled everything.

“what are you doing here?”

ignoring his question, she walked closer. “chan, hey, what are you working on?” her voice was suave.

she was working hard on flirting with him, but all he felt was anger and disgust. it deeply increased after knowing why she was "friends" with you in the past.

“none of your business, yowon. please leave.”

he wondered why after all this time, she'd still try. he had rejected her more times than he could count and yet, she was here, invading his work element.

“come on chan, you won’t even let me hear a snippet of a song? they’re all so good!”

in all honesty, she listened to what, three songs tops? and she couldn't even name them if he asked.

“you can listen to them once they’re out, like everyone else does. now, i’d like for you to leave.” his voice was stern and he was slowly losing patience.

there was a slight change in yowon’s demeanor. “i’m sure you let y/n hear your songs before they were out,” she muttured. she straightened and spoke louder. “are you really still hung up on y/n? they selfishly left you for years and you’ve never got over them? now they’re back and you think they’d get back with you? I don’t understand you, the bitch didn’t—”

“never,” he cut her off, “disrespect y/n like that again.” he wasn't playing.

yowon scoffed. “they don’t deserve you. remember they're the one that left you.”

she turned around, opened the door and made eye contact with you on her way out. she stopped in her tracks.

“of course you’re here. I hate you.” she sent you a death glare and hurriedly left after realizing you weren't alone.

changbin was muttering insults her way until she was out of the building.

“y/n?” chris asked. you put your head in the doorway so you could see him. when his eyes fell on you, they softened.

“hi, chris,” you smiled timidly.

“have you been here for long?”

“enough to know she’s sick,” answered jisung as he walked in. “what did she want this time?”

“same as always. it baffles me that she didn't quit yet. haven't I been clear enough?”

“of course you were, her obsession is terribly toxic and it seems that she has issues dealing with it,” changbin explained, gently pushing you inside the studio before closing the door behind him.

chris turned to you. “I'm sorry you had to witness that.”

“I’m sorry you have to put up with her antics.”

“I can't shake the feeling she has something to do with our break up. am I wrong? she insisted on the fact you left me, like it was her doing. without forgetting our last conversation…”

you sighed, looking down. he was too smart, how could you ever hide things from him?

“we’re gonna give you guys space,” jisung suggested.

“yeah, we’ll wait in the hallway,” added changbin.

“you can stay,” you murmured. “it’s time I tell you guys the truth.” you sat on the leather couch and took a deep breath. “so, as I told chris, yowon was using me to get to him during the few months before I left…”

after you told them what happened before you broke up with chris, the latter sat next to you and put his hand over yours.

“y/n…”

“I can’t believe she would do all this—go this far—just to lose in the end,” jisung said.

“I can,” changbin spat, “some women are scary, man.”

“I would've tried long distance,” chris confessed. you looked up to him, losing yourself in his eyes full of love for you. “if it meant staying with you.”

the boys in the background had enough. they slowly but surely walked back towards the door until they were out of the room. this time, the faint sound of the door went unnoticed by chris.

“they were made for each other,” changbin stated.

the younger nodded and they left the building to join their friends minho and hyunjin in the dance studio, bright smiles adorning their faces. a loud high five could be heard in the distance.

back in the music studio, chris and you shared a long awaited embrace, taking in the warmth of each other and the fact you were finally reunited.

chapter 19 | masterlist | chapter 21

notes: what are we feeling? anyway, FIN. (just kidding)

networks: @kflixnet @k-labels @straykidsland @kwritersworld

taglist: @soobin-chois @exfolitae @linos-catnip @raethethey @q1sng @kangyounghyunhands @whyyougottadothatbro @amaranth-writing @nattisbored @adestayskz @rag-iii @liashinmenu @soulphoenix1618 @fangeekkk @borahae-reads @minhwa @jihanniee @misosick @jia-qian @sachisarkive @makayluvsaisans @skz-streamer open!

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 96

Ah, I see, so THIS is why Liam looks like a cute beatnik from a 50s jazz club ... oh boy ... he's brought back the German accent BIG TIME and it's giving me massive Caleb vibes ... meanwhile Tal's clearly having EVEN MORE fun with this ... oh my gods ... wow ... that's a DOOZY, definitely ...

Marisha (cracking up): "It sounded like there was more!" Travis: "I know!"

So ... yeah ... it was all SO HEAVY when we ended it last week ... the group is WELL on the way to imploding under the weight of what just happened in the night ... can they come back from this? This is SO WORRYING ...

Oh boy ... RIGHT BACK where we were at the end ... wow ... so it's just the two of them again ... O.O

Fuck ... now even LAUDNA can feel Delilah's starting to take over ... that's not good at all ...

This is starting to sound SO MUCH like Laudna knows she's not going to be around when this is all done ... oh man ... AND she's starting to think maybe that's A GOOD THING? Fuck ... no, really, NO ...

Imogen's trying SO HARD to keep this all together for BOTH OF THEM but I can feel her breaking too ...

Come on, Imogen, that's it, bring her back from the brink ... LISTEN TO HER, Laudna. She's the best thing in your life, and she feels the same way about you, luv. You need to buck up ...

Imogen: "I'm gonna miss our little cottage." Oh fuck ...

Ah shit ... the tissues ... yeah, that's how it is with ALL OF US right now ...

Crap ... that's right, Dorian's missed A WHOLE LOT, he doesn't KNOW about Delilah, not really ... oh, and also about IMODNA ... XD ... AND Chetney's threesome with Fearne and his ex ...

Oh yeah ... Bordor ... that was a whole bunch of wrong ... that took a whole lot out of ALL OF 'em ...

Ashton being all philosphical again abdout villains trying NOT TO BE ... yeah ... he's pretty spot on ...

Dorian: "CAN she be trusted?" Oof ...

Ashton: "You okay?" Imogen: "No." Ahston: "SHE okay?" Imogen: "No." Ahston: "Okay."

Laudna's just been having a good powerful MOPE while all of this has been going on ... yeah, of course she has ... oh FUCK OFF, Delilah. You're not welcome right now ... oh yeah, Fearne, great timing, snap her out of it!

Orym: "Are you all right? I didn't hurt you too terribly did I?" Laudna: "Oh, I think I can see a few ribs ..."

Yes ... please, come on you too, make up. You're FRIENDS, you mean so much to each other. MAKE UP. Yeah. That's it. Exactly that.

Yeah, exactly. Fuck Delilah, we just want our LAUDNA.

This is exactly it, yeah ... she's not alone, they're ALL carrying their own big mistake baggage, she's not alone in that ...

Awwwww ... Ashton's BIG SISTER Laudna ... I love it ... :3

Wow ... yeah, it may be a joke, but Chetney DOES have a point there ... Dorian's the one true innocent in the group now ... you poor sweet summer chaild ...

Nice move, Chet. Yeah, that works.

Oh, that's interesting ... yeah ... that pipe ... yeah ... that could be REALLY GOOD for Laudna right now ... go on, girl, take a puff ...don't be afraid, this can only HELP ...

And then Dorian comes in with the sweetest cap for all that ... awwww ... :3

AAAAAAND just like that Chetney's OUT. XD ... of course he is.

Spin the bottle? REALLY?!!! LOL ...

Wow ... not they're just getting ridiculous ... XD ... "Hammer time?" Yeah, that's the worst one yet ... "Chetney needs sleep"? Slightly better, maybe ...

More rest, at least ... which is needed ...

Liam'#s giving Orym a point of exhaustion for NECESSITIES ... of course he is ... wee selfless lad ... we love him but he does punish himself sometimes ...

THAT'S what the Gambler's Blade does? DORIAN!!! O.O

Essek is a bit ... MOODY this morning ... hmmmm ...

"I like pulp!" XD

Ah, so everything's ready for them ,then? Sweet ... cue gearing up montage ... LOL ... oh, and descriptions too ...

Hot Shots: Part Deux for Chetney ... XD

Oh shit ... that's right ... they're back from the Moon ... IS Orym a little different? And our boy's a bit toussled now ... yeah, that's CUTE, I'm sure ...

Imogen's wearing PANTS now? Okay ...

Dorian's wearing "THE SLUTTIEST SHIRT"! Cute ...

Nipple talk ... oh dear ... XD

Oh wow ... Laudna's kind of giving me some subtle Harrow the Ninth vibes right now ...with a touch of DELILAH too, which is ... worrying, just a little ... O.O

Ashley's alwasy SO GOOD at weaving a beautiful picture, she really is ... and a utility belt. Yeah ... :3

Ashton's rocking a CROPTOP right now? Awwwwww ... and a spike trade with Fearne, too ... cute ... ooooooh ... and "Smiley Day" ... oh man ... I love it ...

Matt makes a rather pointed "prepare your spells" statement that everybody IMMEDIATELY takes as SUSPICIOUS and I'm right along with them. What are you planning, Mercer?

Yeah ... that fucking bloody apron's just gonna leave a trail behind them THE WHOLE WAY ...

Divvying up stuff ... here we go, ten minutes of inventory bookkeeping while we wait for the game itself to start up again ... XD

Ah ... sucking up one Ring of Protection with the harness ... hmmm ...

Imogen's jealous of Essek's floating thing ... not surprising ...

Ooooh ... ExU: Calamity recap ... cute ...

A FEW tries? Oh, I don't like the sound of that ...

Wow ... they're all REALLY crossing their fingers ... XD

Rolling a D100? Oh fuck ... 14? Hmmmmm ... ouch ... oh, that didn't go well ... they went NOWHERE and took 11 points of Force damage each ... bugger ...

Second try ... ANOTHER roll ... 45? Okay ... SEEMS like the right place ... an abandoned encampment? Interesting ... oh, sounds like it's NOT where they should be, then ...

Lyrengorm? Where?

He can only do it ONCE MORE for the day? Bollocks ...

A final roll ... 61 ... MORE snow ... much colder ... Orym's ENTIRELY BURIED ... a particularly AGGRESSIVE mountain range this time ... some kind of VERY fancy castle ... oh, so we ARE in Eisselcross ... but we're not sure WHERE ... oof ...

Crap ... they've been spotted ... by SOMEBODY ... big lumbering somebodies ...

Undead ice giants? Yeesh ... yeah, better hide ... argh ...

Matt: "There's a reason you took a BOAT to Esselcross last time!"

And now it's time for a break ...

Do they run? Do they fly? WHAT DO THEY DO?!!! Hiding's obviously out of the question ... eep ...

A DISTANT Command on one of them? Risky, Imogen ... "HALT!!!" Oh, it doesn't work on undead? BALLS ...

And now one of them flung a rock ... BAIT & SWITCH!!! Nice save, Orym! Crunch ... STILL 26 points of damage ... ow ...

There's a whole BUNCH of 'em coming now ... AAAAAAAH!!!

Essek's trying a HIGHER level Teleport ... okay ... one more roll ... 48? Oh bollocks, Laura! This is so bad ...

DO NOT give Mercer ideas, Ashley! O.O

More snow ... elsewhere ... hmmmm ... Essek has no idea where they are ... great ...

Yes. Sniff the wind, Chetney ... the air is THINNER ... oh, they're AT ALTITUDE right now ... cute ... on a mountain, then ... that's just PEACHY ...

Oh, if they had something FROM Aeor? I mean THEY COULD just use a piece of FCG ...

Looking into Essek's memories, then ... O.O ... and a glimpse of Aeor ... it's all VERY dramatic ...

Aha, a specific anchoring point ... good idea ...

Laura: "Guidance? Will that help?" Matt: "No, but it's nice to have." XD

So, the Staff ... oh boy ... this could go SO BAD .... she rolls 99 for it ... well, that's ... potentially good?

A frozen woodland glade ... Huh?

Don't shoot the rabbits with your harp, Chetney. They'll only explode and that's not what ANYONE wants ...

An amber coloured dome of energy over them? Oh, yeah, that definitely rings a bell ... XD

At least it's nice and warm in here ... although they are in danger of getting buried under the snow before morning ...

Essek's just IMMEDIATELY going to sleep, then ...

Fearne, you're adorable ... :3

Chetney's going hunting. WITH THE HARP. Oh boy ...

And he shoots a boar? Oh, okay, I suppose that's too big to just blow up ... food!

There's a huge city out there? Hmmmm ... no chance that's Vasselheim, maybe?

Time for food, then ...

Another try at Teleporting, then ... roll AGAIN ... 53? Fuck ...

They land ON THE SLOPE of a mountain ... AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Another jump ... another roll ... 46? No, NINETY-six ... somewhere icy and cold ... oh, that's it, then. They made it ... phew ...

Yup, they're here. On the VERY EDGE of the ruins, then ...

Time for Stealth, then ... group check time ... oh boy ... fucking hell, Travis ... 41?!!! How the FUCK did you do THAT?!!!

Shit ... are those more of theose undead ice giants? Oh no ... gods, bo what to know WHAT these things are ... eep ... O.O

Going down into the gloomy underground darkness ...

ICE TROLLS?!!! Lovely ... yeah, just GO QUIETLY, please ...

It's getting STUPID tight in here ... this is NOT GOOD ... Chetney's going ahead to check the route ...

Oh, that's a DROP. Great ... now what?

So they have to climb down with the rope ... great ... oh, Chet wonders if he could ICE-CLIMB down? I really don't know about that ... oh, the Immovable Rod, that shoudl be helpful ...

Yeah, this couldn't possibly go wrong ... O.O

A ruined courtyard? Fascinating ... smelling for anything alive down here ... a clean must? Strange ...

So he's climbing down, then ... okay ... the others getting down will be ... INTERESTING ...

Oh yeah, some light might be helpful now ...

Bones? Frozen into the ice underfoot? Hmmm ... that could be ... problematic ... and some bodies too ... oh lovely ... there's SOMETHING unpleasant down here, clearly ...

Wait ... WHO is this? Oh ... FUCK ... shit! Oh, that is SWEET!!! Nice callback ... O.O

So, going EAST then ...

The Praesidis Ward? Hmmm ...

A giant cavern that was once a city ... weird ...

It's getting WARMER? Hmmm ...

Fearne has a point ... this DOES look like that weird ruined city in the cavern on Ruidus ...

Wait ... there's SCARY things down here to be on the lookout for? Way to bury the lead there, Essek ...

Yeah, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING, people ...

He became a FISH. Really? Fascinating ...

Another Group Stealth check ... generally good rolls once more ...

Skeletons? Lots of them? Great ... this place is like a necromancer's wet dream ... I really hope this isn't where Mercer's heading with this ...

Grim Psychometry? IN HERE?!!! Whoa, Chet ...

That is ... troubling and not terribly infomrative, really ...

Crap ... was that a troll?

Moving on, then ...

Weird creepy corpse ... which wasn't there LAST TIME Essek passed through ... charming ... it IS moving, but, like, RIDICULOUSLY slow? Oh, that's unnerving ...

Imogen, AGAIN, don't touch ...

Oh, this seems like a nice, fancy place ... but Essek's not taking any chances with it, clearly ... and somebody's been through here, too ... hmmm ...

HE did this? Interesting ... well, at least he hasn't lost his sense of humour ...

Another cavern ... more industrial environs this time ... fascinating ... and it's curving UPWARDS as it goes ...

The Genesis Ward ...

It just smells of metal and water ... okay ...

So we have a specific destination now, then ...

What, try to home in on Ludinus' Harness? Could that work?

Oh, so there really ARE other things moving around in here besides the group ... that's disconcerting ...

A tent? Really? Well THAT is a pretty major sign of life ... I think they may have found what they're looking for ...

Arcane Eye? Cool ...

Oh, so something happened here ... something VIOLENT, according to the blood ... and CORPSES ... Ruby Vanguard? Oh wow ... THAT'S interesting ... this was ... relatively recent, looks like ...

More of an eagele's eye view of the cavern now ... a big jagged hole in the floor, off in the distance ... great ...

Heading in to take a look at the tent, then ...

So the deaths happened within a space of DAYS, then ... it looks like they all killed EACH OTHER?!!! O.O ... whoever did this was ENJOYING themselves? Charming ... and one of them killed HIMSELF ... and apparently was very HAPPY when he did it ... that's just LOVELY ...

It's a pretty nondescript knife, Imogen ...

Grim Psychometry again, then ... oh boy ...

Oh, so the elf was the one who killed them all ... really violently, with SIGNIFICANT manic strength ... carves soemthing into his chest ... and then kills himself too ... wow ...

Chetney DRAMATICALLY unveils the elf's chest ... a sigil ... what is it, then? Ask Essek ... he doesn;t recognise it ... Laudna casts Eyes of the Rune Keeper ... no joy, it seems ... hmmmmm ...

Oh ... Laudna asks DELILAH if she recognises it ... great ... she doesn't either ... great ...

Don't take a pee on the arcane time dome, Orym ...

Something's grinding out there ... stone on stone ...

A group stelth check, but grading everyone individually as they hide? Oh boy ...

Two groups, then ... roill well, guys ...

It's VERY TALL ... oh boy ... that is DISTURBING ... that's like ... it's a hood, but it DOESN'T actually have a head? Ye gods ... and it has a VERY BIG HAMMER it's gragging behind it ... and there's LOTS of teeth in a maw in its belly ... well THAT noise was just unsettling, Matthew ...

Fuck ... a whole bunch of creepy translucent scorpion-like creatures seem to crawl OUT OF IT ... charming ... and they're searching the area ...

Laudna just gave herself away ... and they're all going RIGHT FOR HER now ... oh fuck ...

And THIS is where Matt chooses to end it ... but not before he gives us a look at the Battlemap for next session ... and it's MASSIVE ...

Oh, this is gonna be a SCARY encounter to start things off next time ... But it's the end of the month, so that's gonna be a FORTNIGHT'S wait ...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

[keep-the-wolves-close]

Steady Heart

Chapter 39: Black Sky

* Pairing: Slow-burn Kayce Dutton x OFC Stella Daniels

* Rating: M

* Warnings: language, angst, suicide, Malcolm Beck, injured character, character death, violence

* Word count: 6,110ish

I would love to give credits to @dameronscopilot and @deanscroissant for being sounding boards for me during this whole process, giving outsider insight, being cheerleaders, and allowing me to screech at them about things that have happened during the writing process. I seriously couldn't have gotten this far without y'all.

Author's note: Here we are folks! Season 2’s finale! I hope everyone is enjoying so far! I hope you love this chapter as well! Thank you for sticking around this long, and I hope you continue to follow along with the story as we head through onto season 3!

Gonna take a little break to get season 3 and season 4 worked on some more, so bear with me!

It was still early in the morning of the second day after his son was kidnapped and his best friend landed in the hospital. Kayce had barely slept. His father was meeting with the sheriff this morning. There was nothing more they could do until Donnie cleared the way.

Kayce chewed his bottom lip as he stared off into nothing. His son was kidnapped and god knows where and his best friend was laid up in the hospital unconscious potentially never to wake up, all because he let himself be convinced to leave the ranch. He knew he should have been there. He knew it might have made a difference, but the opportunity had passed him. Now they had to defend their home and right the wrongs that had been done to them.

He could hear Stella’s voice in his head. ‘We can’t be soft defending it.’ Being soft was exactly what they weren’t going to do. If he knew her like he thought he did, she’d be practically begging to blow them and everyone involved to pieces on main street for everyone to see so that the message was received.

Kayce’s stomach clenched again at the thought of losing both his son and Stella. Monica’s soft voice came from behind him. “Have you heard anything about Stella?” Even though she was fairly certain about the relationship between her almost ex-husband and his best friend now, Monica didn’t think Stella deserved to be in the current situation she was in. Especially since it was because she tried to save their son.

Kayce wiped his hand along his clenched jaw. He hadn’t heard anything from Ryan or Colby since yesterday. The last they had told Kayce, the doctors said Stella had covered her face just barely good enough. She had some broken ribs, one hell of a concussion. There would be a gnarly scar along her face once it healed. He assumed she was still unconscious. Kayce was surprised the kick that caused the gash didn’t fracture her skull. She was lucky it wasn’t worse than that.

He absently shook his head. “Nothing new. Still unconscious I’m guessing.”

“Can we go see her?” Monica hoped Stella would wake up.

“We have to get Tate back. It — it wasn’t — supposed to be this way.”

“Your father is gonna take a while talking to the sheriff. Let’s go see her. If she’s in this predicament because she tried to protect our son, it’s the least we can do.” Monica turned to look at Kayce. “Ryan and Colby shouldn’t be alone.”

Ryan’s leg bounced continuously and he chewed on the side of his thumb. He numbly stared at his sister lying in the hospital bed. He was terrified that she wouldn’t wake up. The doctors and nurses had tried to convince him that her body was trying to heal itself. That she will wake up when she’s ready.

Aside from the bruised and swollen face, she looked peaceful. Ryan couldn’t understand any of this. He could, but the extremes threw him down into a spiral. He prayed to whatever god would listen. His mind was taken over and he was reminded of when their dad was in the hospital. He felt as helpless now as he had then. There was nothing he could do. ‘Except make sure those motherfuckers pay.’

A light knock behind him brought his and Colby’s attention to the door. It was Kayce and Monica. He breathed out loudly and his shoulders dropped. Ryan waved them into the room, standing.

Monica caught sight of Stella and gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to believe it was real. “Oh, Stella.” She whispered. “Ryan, I'm so sorry.” Monica pulled Ryan into a tight hug.

Ryan leaned into her grasp for a moment, and tried to keep himself from crying. He didn’t know what to say. At this point, he didn’t think there was anything he could say.

Kayce stopped moving the second he could see Stella lying there. His heart was in his throat and his palms went clammy. “This was a bad idea.” Colby stood and placed his hand on Kayce’s shoulder to keep him from running.

“It’s gonna be okay, man,” Colby gave Kayce’s shoulder a squeeze, “from what I can tell, it looks worse than what it actually is.”

Ryan let Monica go and said to Kayce. “Every single one of those sons of bitches are gonna pay, Kayce. For Stella and for Tate.”

Monica stepped up to Stella’s side. She prayed silently. She knew Stella could pull through. Monica knew that Stella was strong and hard-headed. Just like Kayce. However, this time around she needed some help. Kayce stood there speechless, trying to catch his breath. Monica prompted him softly, “You can come over here, you know. It won’t hurt her.”

Colby gently tapped Kayce’s arm to try and spur him into motion. A look passed between the three men. It was a glance of retribution promised, but sorrow, and understanding. Both of the most important people to the men were hanging in the balance, and there wasn’t much they could do for either of them. Kayce’s steps faltered. If he went over and touched her, it would make it real. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to handle that.

Monica was reminded of when she was in the hospital from the distressed look on Kayce’s face. She waved him over. She would at least give him some comfort, disregarding the split between them. He made it to the end of what felt like the longest walk in his life even though in reality it was only a few feet. Monica switched spots so Kayce could be closer to Stella. She placed her hand on his back, letting him know the support was there.

Kayce felt his eyes sting, and his breath got caught in his throat. He choked on his own air. He leaned down and kissed Stella’s forehead gently. He whispered to her, “we’re going to get everyone single one of the sons a bitches who did this to you. I promise you that, sugar. None of them will walk out alive.” A few tears dropped from his eyes, landing on Stella’s face. Kayce lifted his hand and gently wiped them away.

Ryan watched the scene in front of him and felt his heart crack even more. Before he could get too deep, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Need you back at the ranch. A text from Rip read.

“Kayce, they need us back. I’m going to check in with the doctor and then I’ll be right behind you.” Ryan directed. He looked to his best friend. “Colby, can you stay with her so I know she’s safe?”

“Of course, man.” Colby patted Ryan’s shoulder. “If anything changes I’ll let you know.”

Monica gave Stella one last look and prayer as all three of them rushed out of the room. Kayce couldn’t bring himself to look back.

“Ryan, you take Monica with you. There’s a stop I gotta make on the way.”

“Kayce!” Monica called out. He snapped his head in her direction. She waved him closer. “I will not face this world without our son. You make sure you kill them,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry about that, Monica. If he doesn’t, I sure as shit will.” Ryan interjected.

••

Kayce pulled up to the M/T Beck Ranch to where Donnie’s deputies stood guard. He rolled the window down and the deputy closest to him stepped forward. He leaned out the window and asked, “how many in the house?”

The deputy shrugged. “Just him. As far as we know.” He placed his hands on his hips. “I need to see the warrant.” Kayce pulled the paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and held it up to the officer.

The deputy nodded. “Alright.” His boots crunched in the gravel as he turned on his heel and sat down in his patrol car. The other deputy followed his lead. The car started and they pulled away without any further question, leaving Kayce to do as he pleased.

He pulled into the drive, just far enough that he could remain undetected, but close enough that he didn’t have to run a mile to get to the house.

He ran up to the front doors crouched, and gently opened the first set. They squealed loudly in protest and he winced at the disruption of the silence. When no one came to look, he continued through the second set of doors.

He looked in the living room and didn’t see anyone. Panning around the room, he saw a hallway to the back right. Making his way through the mouth of the hallway, he looked through each of the rooms as he passed them by, finding no one.

He continued pushing toward the back of the house. He came to a set of stairs. He looked down then first, but running water caught his attention from upstairs. He raised his pistol to aim ahead of him and traveled up the stairs. He climbed slowly and grimaced when he reached the top as the floor creaked beneath his weight. He banked on the fact the running water would drown out his extraneous noise.

Moving further down the hallway, he could see a bathroom sink at the end. The water was indeed running, and the sound of paper rustling grabbed his ears. He strode up to the doorway and spotted Malcolm’s brother Teal sitting on the toilet. He lifted his pistol with surefire accuracy and popped off three rounds in Teal’s gut before he barely registered someone was there.

Teal slumped forward and groaned in agony, holding his hand to his stomach. Kayce kneeled down onto the balls of his feet, his face flat but pleased. Teal sputtered in fear seeing Kayce’s resolute face. “Where’s my son? Where is he?”

Teal tried to catch his breath. “I don’t know,” he growled out. Kayce shot him in the calf without blinking.

Teal screamed in pain. “Stop! Stop!”

“There’s a lot of stuff I can shoot before you die.”

“The — Montana Free Militia. They’re who we used. They got him.”

“Where do they camp?”

Teal huffed and puffed. “Base of the Crazies. The Crazy — the Crazy Mountains.”

Kayce’s face hardened. “You ever been up there?”

“Yeah. Up 284. Just before Diamond City. There’s a,” Teal started to cry, “there’s a little beat up house,” Kayce made peace silently with what he was about to do after he got everything he needed from Teal. “Behind a bunch of junkers.”

Teal leaned forward and moaned. “Oh fuck. I’m shot to shit.”

Kayce remembered Stella’s words about not being soft defending the ranch and the family that stood behind it. “Don’t you know about my family?” His face scrunched in disappointment. People really had thought they’d gotten soft. “You didn’t think we’d fight back?”

Teal was crying. “No. Nobody ever fights back.”

“Until now.” Kayce raised his pistol.

“No, please. Please.” Teal begged. “Not on the toilet. I don’t wanna die on a fuckin’ toilet.”

Kayce’s face softened briefly. “I promised the mother of my son, and my girlfriend’s brother, I’d kill you. All a man has is his word.” He squeezed the trigger and the kill shot knocked Teal back against the back of the toilet.

Kayce took a different gun, and angled himself as if Teal was shooting back. He rubbed Teal’s hand all over the grip, getting his blood on it, then placed it on the ground just beneath his hand.

He stood and went back the way he came in. He pulled out his cell and called his dad.

••

Ryan was sitting on the porch with Jamie and Beth. They’d wanted as much of an update as he could give them. “She’s got some broken ribs, a concussion, wicked slash across her eye, and she’s unconscious.”

Jamie sighed loudly. “Shit. I’m sorry Ryan.” Stella wouldn’t be in this mess if she hadn’t been trying to protect his family member. She shouldn’t have been there at all. He wished he would have heard something, if she’d called for them.

“She’ll wake up, Ryan. If there’s anything I know about her, it’s that she’s spiteful. She’s not gonna let some pussy of a man who comes to kidnap a child in the cover of nightfall take her out.” Jamie and Ryan stared at Beth for a moment. The softness from her shocked both of them.

John came out of the house on the phone and made his way down to the grass determined. “Okay, good.” John took a breath. “You’re okay though, right?” He visibly relaxed at whatever answer he’d been given. “Thank god. Come home.”

The trio scrambled off the porch to catch up with the leader. Beth asked gently, “what did he say?”

John reached into his vest and pulled out a letter. “You need to make an amendment to the trust, Beth.” He leaned closer to give her the letter. “Read this. Then do what it asks.” He grabbed her shoulder. “I know who loves me.” He glanced at Ryan. “I know who’s loyal,” and then back at his daughter. “I always have.” He walked back into the house to get ready for the fight that was about to take place. Not only for his grandson, but the revenge for one of his employees.

Beth opened the letter and skimmed over it quickly.

Jamie watched Beth closely. “What does it say?”

“None of your fuckin’ business.” She headed off to do what her father asked. She needed to go see Rip.

“I’m gonna go down to the bunkhouse to get ready. We’re moving on them tonight.” Ryan departed as well leaving Jamie standing there dumbfounded.

John stalked back out of his house toward Kayce and Jamie standing in the driveway. A large SUV pulled up the drive fast, and out came Mo, Chief Rainwater’s head of security. He shut the door and made his way around and said, “I was sent here to help.”

John went into the red shed next to the house and grabbed a bullet proof vest. He turned and gave Kayce directions. “Go get Rip when he’s done with Beth.” Before Kayce could object John said, “I can’t risk you, son.”

Kayce marched up the hill that led to the new cabin Rip had been gifted. Beth had walked by him, letting him know where to find the man in question. Rip was sitting on the steps to the house. “Whattaya know Kace?”

“Stella’s torn up. Still unconscious. Tate’s with a militia. In the Crazies.” He shook his head. “We don’t have any time.”

“How can I help?”

“It’s a big ask,” he adjusted his ball cap, “can’t attack a fortified position without knowing the strength of our enemy. In Afghanistan, we’d send an armored vehicle into ambushes. Draw fire to know how many we were fightin’.” Rip nodded and Kayce rubbed the side of his face. “We don’t have any armored vehicles. I’d do it myself, but,” he stopped himself. He hated that he was even asking something like this of Rip.

“I know. I’ll draw your fire.” Rip rose off the steps with a groan. He began his march back to the barn with Kayce trailing behind him.

••

Ryan, Kayce, Mo, and Handon pulled up in the cover of darkness to the little busted up shack Teal had told Kayce about. Rip and John pulled up behind them with a horse trailer. The three men got out of the truck and put eye black on their faces to make themselves harder to see. Rip and John jumped out and started to pull their horses out of the trailer.

Kayce put on his gloves and surveyed the surrounding area with Mo standing next to him. Handon made sure his sights were good. Ryan reined in his anger and held it for when he got the chance to take the motherfuckers who hurt his sister to meet their maker. Rip walked up with his horse.

Kayce asked Mo, “you want a rifle?”

“I’m best with my pistol.”

“Pistol won’t pierce armor.”

“I won’t be aiming at their chest.” Mo looked at Kayce. He fully turned to Kayce, taking in his camouflaged face. “Got anymore of that?” Kayce handed the eye black over to him.

Mo walked over to Rip and Dude. He looked at Rip and got his approval to bless the horse for the hell they were about to go through. He traced a circle around Dude’s right eye. “So he sees danger.” He drew some more sigils on his neck. “So he is sure-footed.” He made his way to the gelding’s shoulder. “So the bullets bounce off.” He finished by drawing some on the horse’s hind quarter. “So he moves fast.”

Rip tried to lighten the mood the only way he knew how, hearing Stella’s voice in his head making a joke. “You sure you don’t wanna draw on me some?”

Mo chuckled. “Won’t work on you.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Mo walked away and Rip took a second to say whatever kind of prayer he could muster up.

John and Rip mounted their horses and trotted over to the rest of the group. John fixed his collar. “You know, of all the days to ask this of you, I’m sorry it’s today.”

“I can’t think of a better day for it, sir.” They shared a look. Rip nodded.

“I’ll be coverin’ you on your right.”

“Yessir.”

John took off to swing around on Rip’s right side. Kayce waved everyone forward. “Let’s get in place.”

Handon stopped next to him. “You think they got night vision?”

“Yeah, and thermal. You can bet on it.”

Ryan, Handon, and Mo moved forward to take cover behind some rubble that laid in front of them. They needed to be able to see where the fire was coming from and how many shooters there were.

Rip leaned back and took in the sky one more time in the moment of peace before all hell broke loose. He thought of Beth. Of Stella. “I love you.” He spurred Dude into action. He was ready to cause a ruckus.

As soon as he galloped by a small building on his right, shots started flying through the air. All of the ground men rushed behind him.

Kayce yelled out, running forward, “Livestock Police! Drop your weapons!” They dropped several men and took cover in between reloading time.

Rip pulled Dude to a stop. John cantered up to his side and hollered. “Livestock Police! Drop your weapons!” John raised his rifle and took out another one of the militia members.

Rip climbed down off his gelding, taking deadly aim and took out another. John slid out of his saddle to join him. Handon placed one of the men in cuffs.

Kayce, Ryan, and Mo came to the actual house the militia were staying in and surrounded it. Handon and Ryan took the back. Mo and Kayce took the front.

Kayce opened the front door and ducked back quickly. A few shots rang out from behind the door and while the man was reloading, Kayce and Mo took their chance to charge inside.

Each of the four took to clearing the house. Checking every room they passed by for Kayce’s son. The foursome came to a back room and there were three people left. Ryan and Handon got two of the people in cuffs. One sat in almost a meditative position.

Kayce had his rifle aimed at the man on the ground. He checked the room off to his right and went back to the man on the ground. “Where’s my son?” The man just stared blankly at Kayce. “Do you know, where my son is?”

The man scoffed. “I sure do.” He placed a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger before anyone could stop him.

“No!” Kayce screamed. “Fuck!”

Back outside, John had just finished tying up one of the militia men that was still alive and he heard footsteps through the grass behind him. He grabbed his rifle and yelled, “hey! Stop!” He followed after the man running away.

The man that was running, turned and took a few poorly aimed shots at John, but John stopped him assertively with a round of his own. The man dropped to the ground. John stormed over to him, and he rose from the ground and took another shot at the patriarch. John squeezed the trigger again, hitting the man and making him fly back onto the ground.

He groaned in pain as John stepped closer to him. When John was almost on top of him, he realized it was Malcolm. Unbeknownst to John, the group he’d brought with him stood by the fence and watched as he stepped up to Malcolm.

“You deserve a lot worse than this.”

Malcolm rolled over to grab his gun, but John aimed his rifle and shot Malcolm’s arm. “Ah god! Fucking cocksucker!” He cried.

“There ya go. Get it all out you son of a bitch.” John retrieved Malcom’s weapon. “Now tell me where my grandson is, and I’ll getcha to a hospital.” He kicked Malcolm over. “You have my word.” Malcolm laid there crying. “Go on, scream. Scream till whatever makes you want to hurt a child, my daughter, my horse trainer to hurt me leaves you.” Malcolm rolled back over onto his back. “If there’s a heaven, and I sure hope so, this is your last chance to do something that just might get you in it.”

John sat down next the injured man and Malcolm spluttered. “You know, I think a lot about the ten-or-so years I’ve got left before there’s not much left for me to but sit around and reminisce. You on the other hand, have to cram a lifetime of reminiscing into the next thirty minutes or so. Or you could lay there, and not telling me where he is will be your last thought.”

Malcolm wheezed and John looked him over. He thought of his daughter and the atrocity of what Malcolm’s hired men put her through. “Not whoever you may have loved, or your brother’s ninth birthday. None of that shit. Your entire lifetime’s gonna be reduced to my grandson’s face. It’s up to you, Malcom.” The thought of Stella, beaten and bloodied, laid up in the hospital unconscious, for trying to protect his family. Doing the job he had asked her to do. ‘Until my dying breath, sir,’ whispered through his head and he shuddered. He prayed with everything in him that it hadn’t been her last breath.

Ryan and Kayce watched on as Malcolm twitched, trying to catch his breath. Ryan looked back at Kayce. “What’s he doin’?” Kayce shook his head and they both observed the moment before them.

John looked up at the sky while Malcolm sputtered some more. “That’s Jupiter up there, the bright one.” He shifted his focus back to the ailing man on the ground next to him. “Did you know that?”

Malcolm’s chest started to rattle. “Carter Meads. That’s his name. Whitefish, Montana.” He struggled to breathe as deeply as he could. “Whitefish, Montana.”

“I’ll call for a chopper. Get you to the hospital.”

“I ain’t gonna make it to a hospital.”

“Yeah well, I gave you my word.”

“I won’t hold you to it.”

“You want company or do you wanna be alone?”

“Alone.” Malcolm ground out. “I wi— wish we’d never met.”

“Yeah,” John laughed darkly, “I bet you do.” John made his way back to his men.

••

As the sun rose over the mountains in Whitefish, Montana, Sheriff Haskell’s truck and a squad car rounded the corner on the house where Carter Meads lived with their lights on. Kayce, Ryan, and Handon covered their backs down the hill from up top.

Donnie and his team loaded up on the porch, ready to ram their way in. They busted the door open and everyone filed in. They took out a few people in the front part of the house.

Going toward the back Kayce called out for his son. “Tate!” Ryan, Handon and himself made their way up the stairs.

Donnie had already made his way upstairs and opened a door in the back and immediately turned back to stop Kayce. “Kace! I need you to step back!” Ryan pushed forward. Handon held Kayce back as best he could. Donnie asked Kayce, “give my guys a minute. You don’t wanna see him like this.”

Kayce started to grapple against everyone in his way. Ryan was their last defense. Kayce busted through him yelling, “see him like what?!”

He broke through the wall of men and into the bathroom where his son was. Tate shrieked and he got up close to him, catching his focus and letting him know he was safe.

Donnie stepped up to the door and told Kayce, “we’ve got a trauma specialist on the way.”

Kayce hugged Tate and the boy finally calmed down long enough that Kayce was able to get him outside and into the truck.

The drive home was quiet. Ryan knew that everyone who had hurt his sister and kidnapped his friend’s boy was dead. A weight lifted off his shoulders knowing that everything had to look up from here. Now he just needed his little sister to wake up.

A small voice from Kayce lap startled everyone. “Aunt Stella tried to save me and they hurt her. Is she okay?”

Ryan’s heart shattered completely. They all knew Stella’s beating had to have been because she tried to stop the men. He kept the tears at bay long enough to look at Tate, who was hiding in between his father’s arms. “Yeah, buddy. She’s okay. And she’s gonna be real glad we got you back.”

Ryan, Rip, and Lloyd walked through the hospital entrance. Everything at the ranch was taken care of for the time being. Tate was home safe. Traumatized, but safe. Stella was safe, but Ryan didn’t know when she would wake up. If she would wake up. Ryan was thankful the other two came with him. He was grateful Colby was still here. That helped him shake the heebie jeebies off.

The men came up on Stella’s room. They braved themselves and entered. There were whispered curses from Rip and Lloyd. A nurse just finished taking her vitals. She smiled at the men, trying to bring some cheer to them.

“Her vitals are super strong, gentlemen. She wants to be here. She’s just gotta wake up.” She patted Ryan on the shoulder making her way out the door.

Ryan could do nothing but stand there and watch the love everyone had for his sister. Colby came to stand with him. It was at that moment that he knew they were with the right people. He leaned a shoulder on the wall to let Rip and Lloyd have a moment with her.

Lloyd walked up to her bedside. “Little bit,” Lloyd mourned. He reached out to grab her hand. “Those evil people are taken care of. Your brother and Kayce led the charge. You can come back to us now. Please.” He pleaded.

Rip joined Lloyd at Stella’s other side. He placed his hand on the top of her head after he removed his sunglasses. “Shit, Stella-belle,” he sniffled, “this isn’t the kind of trouble you were supposed to be gettin’ yourself into.”

Ryan moved into the room and took a seat next to his sister’s bed. He glanced up at Colby, “so what have they said while we were gone?”

Colby crossed his arms. “Basically what the nurse said before she left. Her vitals have been strong this entire time. Her bloodwork came back great. Her MRI came back with some swelling in her brain, but with the head trauma that’s to be expected.” Rip and Lloyd grumbled. “They have her on meds to help keep the swelling down. Her X-rays showed a few broken ribs, but thankfully nothing was punctured. She’s just gotta wake up.”

It was somber in the room for a few minutes. Lloyd sat next to Ryan. Rip still stood guard at her bedside holding onto her hand. Colby left to get them coffee and give them time to stand vigil.

Stella’s breathing picked up. Her legs started to rutch around like she was uncomfortable. Her hand squeezed Rip’s. Rip watched her intently. A scratchy mumble of, “it’s still better than meth,” uttered from Stella who kept her eyes closed.

Ryan jumped out of his skin and the chair. Lloyd quickly made it to the door, calling for a nurse or a doctor. Anybody.

Once Kayce was sure Tate was sound asleep he quietly told Monica he was going to go check on Stella. She wanted to object, but understood. They hadn’t heard anything from the three who went to visit her in a while.

“Just make sure to come back in case he wakes up,” she spoke softly to Kayce. He agreed and made his way downstairs.

John called out from his office. “Where are you going?”

“To check on Stella.”

“Kayce?” His father called his attention.

Kayce poked his head in through the door finally. His dad looked focused out the window, but worried nonetheless. Kayce supposed there were a lot of things he had to be worried about right now. “Yeah, dad?”

“I’m coming with you.”

John left no room for discussion. He stood, striding past his son. Kayce fell in line behind his dad. He wasn’t sure how to take this kind of response from him about Stella. In the past John would have asked for a report back on her. This time however, he was coming along. John knew it his fault she was in this mess to begin with.

Coming out of Stella’s room was a group of nurses. Kayce thought the worst. He stood outside the door, scared to enter. His heart dropped into the floor. Terrified of what he would find. John waited with him, uncharacteristically patient. The doctor walked out, almost running into them.

“Oh sorry! You picked the perfect time to visit, gentlemen. Go on in.” The doctor whisked off down the hallway.

Going in, Kayce could see Rip smiling. His shoulders relaxed seeing his gruff lead wrangler in a good mood. The two made eye contact and Rip motioned at Kayce and John to the others. When they rounded the corner, Kayce’s eyes casted to Stella first. There she was, sitting propped upright. Not as swollen, but still bruised. The gouge over her right eye most likely held together with liquid stitches was red and angry.

Her brown eyes peeked at him. She smiled shyly. Almost embarrassed to be seen so vulnerable. “Hey, cowboy. John.”

Kayce rushed past everyone to get to her. He leaned down and softly hugged her neck. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he kissed her on the top of her head and breathed deeply. “Jesus. Don’t you ever do that to me again, you hear me?”

“I thought I saw a few more greys on you.”

John, Rip, Lloyd, Colby and Ryan decided now was the time to give them a minute and backed out of the room to the hallway.

“I brought you somethin’.” Kayce said. He reached into his jacket pocket.

“Oh?” Stella questioned, trying her damndest to not raise her eyebrows.

Kayce pulled his hand out, surprising her with her spare pair of glasses.

“Oh my god you’re an angel! I’m tired of squintin’ at shit.” Slowly she placed her hand out to recieve them. Once she had them on and could see him clearly, she cleared her throat. The scratchiness hadn’t left yet. “You found Tate, right?”

“Yes we did. Your brother and I made sure we made a point to every single one of them.”

Emotion bubbled up in her throat. “Kayce, I tried to stop them. I really did.”

“We know Stella. Tate told us. I couldn’t be more thankful for you. What you tried to do for him.”

“I’m so glad you found him. I didn’t know he would see them attack me and come back. He must get that from someone else I know.” She paused to look at Kayce. “When he came back for me instead of running to the house like I told him… I lost all sense of rational thought.”

“I know, baby. I know.” He looked her over, deciding to take the seat next to her. He worried about calling her that. He didn’t want her to panic all over again like a few weeks ago. “I just wish it didn’t happen this way.”

Stella gingerly touched her fingertips to the cut that started above her right eyebrow and stopped on the apple of her cheek. “Yeah me too. It probably looks gnarly, doesn’t it?”

When she didn’t panic when he called her baby, he continued. “It’s beautiful. Just like you.” They didn’t know the men had come back into the room.

Her mouth dropped open. “These meds they’ve got me on must be hittin’ me real good.” She chuckled. She went quiet. Kayce thought she might have fallen asleep, but there was a look of contemplation on her face.

“What is it Stella? Is something wrong? Do I need to get the doctor?” Kayce began standing.

“No, no, no.” Stella reached out for his hand. “I was just thinking, and it’s a horrible time to ask, but if I don’t now, I never will.” Kayce waited for her to continue and gently rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand that didn’t have the IV port. “Did you really mean what you said the other night in the lodge?”

“There were a lot of things said that night, sugar.”

Stella had hoped she wouldn’t have to say it out loud. She sighed. “You said you loved me.” She adjusted her glasses, pulling her bottom lip in briefly. “Did you really mean that?”

Around the corner, the five men were about to shit a brick house. They all looked between each other with their mouths hanging wide open. This was not where they thought this conversation was headed. It wasn’t what they thought they were going to be walking in on.

Kayce thought about it. She hadn’t mentioned anything since, so he thought it was something she didn’t want to talk about just yet.

“By god Stella, yes. I meant every damn word.” He watched her as she mulled everything over. “You okay with that?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just been a lot.” She played with a corner of her blanket. “So when do you gotta go back? I don’t wanna keep you from your family.”

“Tate finally caught sleep. He should be solid for a little while. I do have to go back eventually.”

“But I’ll be here with you all night, Stellee.” Ryan announced as the men walked back around the corner.

“When they let me outta here, where am I going?”

“I’d like it if you would stay at the ranch for a little while longer.” Rip mentioned. “Just in case something isn’t feeling right, someone is around.”

“Can I stay somewhere other than the bunkhouse?” She inquired. She looked to her brother. “Please? For my own sanity?”

John finally spoke up. “Yes, you may. You have the pick of wherever you want. You say the word and I’ll get you a spot.”

Stella and Kayce shared a look of bewilderment. She smiled gently at John. “Thank you, sir.” She tried to straighten her face out to avoid stretching her skin. She grimaced with the movement of her skin. “I mean, John.” The bruises and the gash across her face were really killing her vibe for smiling. Even if it was for the simple fact that she was alive. She let out a sharp yawn.

John glanced at Stella and Kayce, then the rest of the men. “I think that’s our sign to head out for the night. She needs to rest. Ryan, you keep us updated, alright?” Ryan confirmed with a nod.

“Can I have a minute with Stella before we leave?” Kayce asked.

“Of course, Kace.” Ryan ushered everyone out of the room.

Kayce stood, still holding Stella’s hand. She watched him contentedly while he contemplated. He rubbed her knuckles. “Can I kiss you? I’ve never really asked.”

A small smile splayed across her face as far as she could without pain. It was probably the wrong time for this joke, but she couldn’t resist herself. “I dunno. Can you?”

“Oh you ass.” Kayce started to pull his hand away.

Stella gripped his fingers with a giggle. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Yes, please kiss me.”

He leaned down gently to her. He was almost afraid to hurt her.

“I won’t break, Kayce.” She whispered. Their eyes met finally in a collision of brown on brown.

He leaned forward and softly pressed his lips to hers. Time seemed to stand still. He had been so worried she was gone, he hadn’t been able to focus on anything else other than getting his son back and getting payback to the sons of bitches who did this to her. He pressed slightly harder, trying to melt into her. He hadn’t realized he wanted this for a long time until the thought of her being gone crossed his mind. Even long before Monica came along. Her partially dry lips, no thanks to the dry hospital air, opened with a gasp.

He backed up slightly thinking he’d hurt her. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, come back here. Don’t apologize. It’s just hard to breathe with a stuffy swollen nose and broken ribs.” She greedily reached for him. When his lips touched hers again, her eyes closed and she leaned into him. He trailed after her, but pulled away and straightened his back.

“I should go. When we get you to the ranch, you wanna stay in the lodge with me?”

“I think I’d like that.” She would appreciate the solitude, but would still be close to her brother, her horse.

“Wait, Abigail. Is she okay? Did you guys find her?”

“Funny enough she ran up to us first panicking, before we found you. We thought it was because everyone was running around.” He gazed down at her with a sad smile. If only he would have known before he found Stella. The memory tried to come back, but he blocked it. “So yes, she’s okay. A little spooky, but she’s okay. I’ve had Jimmy lookin’ after her. When he wasn’t, Rip was.”

Stella sat back with a sigh of relief. “Oh thank god.” She didn’t know what she’d do if something ever happened to that horse. “You go. Take care of your boy. I’ll be safe with Ryan here.”

Kayce squeezed her hand and went out to the hall to trade places with Ryan. The two shared a look, knowing that this would be a conversation had at a later date.

The three extra men that visited began to walk back out to their vehicles. John stopped, causing Kayce to pause. John faced Ryan. “Ryan!” The man in question stopped his journey through the door. “This is on me.”

Ryan’s face contorted into confusion. “What do you mean, sir?”

John looked down. “I mean your sister almost gave her life to protect my family. She earned that brand fully. This trip is on me.” John swiveled on his heel, and caught up with the other men, leaving Ryan standing there about to cry if he wasn’t careful.