#and like yeah I had moments of insanity examining why it was fucking pride and prejudice he was reading in that one scene

[trashbatistrash]

,

[spiltscribbles]

Hamilton Friends AU  |  The One With The Engagement

Notes: Okay so this is so late, I beam the craziness f this summer. But a huge Thank you to the ever lovely @aswithasunbeamwho prompted me this perfect Friends episode to write in a Hamilton AU. You’re an amazing soul and I hope you enjoy<3<3

.-

“Your face looks weird.”

“Rude.”

“Just an observation,” Angelica, as appraising and blunt as ever, chides at Alexander with a probing finger to his cheek. In turn alexander just scowls her way and sticks out his tongue for good measure.

“She is correct my friend,” Lafayette, currently trying to balance a fifth book on his head after proclaiming that yes, in fact he is as graceful as any of those fucking Disney princesses, tacks on. “As if your face has gone all goopy permanently.”

“It’s like you’re staring at Eliza even though she’s not here,” Hercules clarifies with a shrug.

“You’re all awful people and I don’t know why I’ve ever agreed to be your friend.” Alexander huffs.

“We’ve gone and made him all sour,” Peggy snorts and Laurens begins to mimic his peeved off expression in-between his own cackles.

“Awful!” Alexander reiterates. “Awful, awful people.”

“Answer the question at hand loser,” Peggy charges on, standing up from the sofa and swinging her weight to her left hip, defiant. “Why do you look so eerily unbothered, so, un-Hamilton like. For Pete’s sake even when you’re happy you look like there’s a hundred different things that are annoying the fuck outta you.”

“Harsh.”

“Accurate.”

“Fine,” Alexander twists his lips in annoyance of getting caught out. “If I tell you lot you better swear on everything you own that you won’t breathe a word.”

“Mysterious,” Laurens leers.

“It is Burr, he has died a most awful death! This is the source of your happiness, no?” Lafayette accuses.

“Ah, erm…. Not quite yet?”

“Well get on with it then,” Angelica scolds with no real heat. “Some of us have actual lives to get too.”

“”Drag race is on tonight and me and Ange have got a bet going.” Peggy explains.

“Which I will win,” Angelica sniffs.

“Fine, fine,” Alexander harrumphs, long acquainted with the larger than life personalities of all the Schuyler sisters, his heart contracting and stomach swooping once thinking of one in particular. Of her long, dark hair, and impossibly bright eyes, and the way her smile makes it feel like Alexander’s floating in midair. 

Eliza.

She’s quite literally the most beautiful, brilliant, strong willed and even stronger hearted woman he’s ever known. She’s everything Alexander wishes he was and nothing but wonderful. He knows that, is positive, even if he concedes that she in fact is not an angel sent from the heavens above. Eliza’s not perfect just because Alexander swears she is. He knows that she is a bit of a clean freak, that she can get neurotic if plans aren’t followed through exactly as she had laid out. He knows that she was brought up oblivious to her insane level of wealth and that sometimes it takes full blown arguments for her to speak her mind instead of trying to spare him or anyone else of their feelings. Alexander knows all these small quirks and he doesn’t care because they only make him love her all the more. He loves Eliza more than the sun and stars and all the galaxies above combined, he loves her so much that somedays Alexander thinks his chest might crack with it. 

But it never does, and she’s always there, and what they have is everything Alexander has ever wanted, and Eliza is someone who he never thought he could have. All this to say that he has absolutely no doubts in his mind when he pulls out the small velvet box from his trouser’s pocket and opens it to reveal the sparkling engagement ring he’s spent months saving up for.

“wholly fuck,” Peggy balks, scurrying closer to snatch it out of Alexander’s grasp, Angelica right on her coattails.

“No way!” Laurens crowed the same time Lafayette let out a strange, indecipherable squeal that Alexander is almost positive was only partially in French, partially in English and  then a hodgepodge of other languages he’s never even heard before— all the books cascading down to the wooden floors  in a crescendo of thuds.

 For his part, Hercules just begins to tear up with a stiff lip and quivering hands. “Get the hell outta here.”

“You guys don’t like it,” Alexander asks with a shit eating grin.

“Don’t be cheeky dork,” Angelica reproves, never taking her eyes off the ring, swatting at Peggy to give her a chance to hold it.

“Don’t speak that way to your future brother-in-law,” Laurens snickers, claps Alexander on the back with an encouraging hug. “I’m so proud of you Ham, you’ve finally found the one.” 

Alexander gives his oldest friend— the man he once thought would’ve been his forever if they hadn’t had such contradictory views on what that meant— a watery smile. “thank you Laurens, but don’t get too excited, Betsey’s still gotta say yes.”

“She’s crazy about you,” Peggy says airily, waving off his worries with a lazy hand. “Of course she’s gonna say yes.”

Alexander bites down on a smile, casts his gaze to the floor so to hide his reddening cheeks. He’s still in such disbelief that this is his life. He’s got the world’s greatest friends, an amazing job that he actually enjoys, and now he might actually get to keep the dream girl. So far away from the lonesome days and hard nights of St Croix. Far away from dying mothers and flighty fathers and cruel brothers who never bothered to keep in touch. This, right here, these people, Eliza, the Washingtons, hell even Burr on a good day… They’re his family, the people he’d die for and who he’s sure would die for him too. What a strange feeling that is, to love and be loved. How strange it is that he gets to keep this sense of belonging, of balance.

“God, now enough with the sappiness,” Peggy gripes. “I can see it on your face Hamilton, and just because you’re technically my brother now doesn’t mean I won’t beat your ass if I feel like it.”

“Charming,” Alexander deadpans.

“I thought so,” Peggy says with a magnanimous grin.

“So what’s the plan? How are you gonna pop the question?” Hercules interjects from where he’s now examining the rose gold band and round cut diamond accented with sapphires. 

“I was planning to take her to that really posh French restaurant near fifth avenue that Laf showed us. Bets loves hearing me speak French,” he explains with a wink.

“My people’s language does arouse a certain, how do you say, sultry emotion.” Lafayette leers.

“For the love of God stop talking about having sex with my baby sister.”

“Right, ahem.” Alexander concedes. “Well after that I was gonna order us a bottle of her   favorite, ridiculously priced champaign.”

“We use to drink it when we’d summer in our villa in the South of France,” Peggy explains, totally impervious to how fantastical that sounds to Alexander.

“Friends with too many rich people,” Hercules mutters morosely, handing the ring off to Lafayette, face scrunched up in displeasure all the while.

“Do not hate us for our good fortunes mon grand,” Lafayette sniffs. “Especially now that Alexander is considered part of our lot after he and Eliza’s inevitable union. One that is written in the stars mind you.”

“What’s written in the stars?”

Alexander’s heart stutters to a rapid staccato just as soon as he sees the door to the apartment swing open, revealing a disheveled, but radiant Eliza strolling through, one perfectly manicured brow kinked. 

Before Alexander can take a breath, Lafayette impulsively stuck the ring— the symbol of his undying love and eternal devotion to Eliza— into his fucking French, snail eating mouth.

“Gross,” he hisses, to which Lafayette just tossed him the bird.

“Ah, the fact that Thundermist is totally beating Vivian October tonight,” Peggy blurts out in a totally high pitched voice. Jesus fucking Christ half of them work in politics and the other half are lawyers, save for Hercules whom’s perfectly content as the head of Ralph Lauren merchandize. But still, Alexander expected that they’d all be better at lying than this pathetic display!

He’s subsequently shown up the moment Eliza flickers her gaze towards him, a knowing smile blooming across her face that makes Alexander’s heart ache with want. He supposes it’s more the person who they’re all lying to rather than the act itself. 

“You and Ange need to stop making everything a competition love, it’s teetering on ridiculous.” She toots, tosses her and Alexander’s mail to the counter before excepting the peck he can’t help but offer her.

“You know how daddy is with his horses,” Angelica argues. “It’s in our blood.”

That just makes Eliza role her eyes, totally fond, before she excuses herself to change out of her pencil skirt and red bottom heals.

“Hey is there paint on your top?” Laurens asks, brows furrowed.

“Oh yeah,” Eliza blushes. “The kids had arts and crafts today at the orphanage and wanted me to help out so I just set all the paperwork to be done tomorrow instead.”

“THat’s my top!” Angelica squawks, affronted.

“It’ll come out,” Eliza shoos her off with a lofty tip to her head.

Once she’s shut the door on her to change, Alexander cuffs Lafayette on the back, hard. 

“This is the love you show me after I successfully kept your little romantic gesture a secret,” he harrumphs.

“Now I’ve got your French cooties all over it!” Alexander hisses.

“Many a men and women would have died to get my delightful French saliva within a ten mile radius of them.”

“We really need to talk about your ego one of these days,” Peggy snorts.

“I have Adrien as my wife and you lot are blunders in love, I shall not permit any judgment from any of you.”

“Hey, I’ll be joining you in that marital bliss soon enough,” Alexander contends, totally giddy smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

“Gross,” the remainder chorus in varying degrees of exasperation, dosed  in pride.

.-

Alexander’s really never had the best luck, most especially when it was the romantic sort. Before Eliza he’s never had a relationship that lasted over six consecutive months, or one that he didn’t constantly feel as if he had to garnish a facade of brilliance and magnetism that he’s never truly felt he had any right to own. Before Eliza Alexander never was able to picture himself settling into the domestic sphere quite so willingly. Never thought he would’ve yearned for quiet Sunday mornings in bed where Eliza’s head was propped up on his chest, and the early morning light would cascade atop her cheekbones and lips and glimmer in her hair. Those mornings where all Alexander could focus on was counting the quiet breaths she would let out and plotting out all the ways he could always make her look so at peace and lovely. Alexander never thought he would ever want the house in the suburbs with a large yard and rose gardens and everything his mother had tried to give him when she was still here. Alexander never had wanted it until Eliza came and he realized he could have it with her.

He remembers one particularly pitiful night towards the end of L2 when he had just cut ties with Cornelia Lotts because he had woken up that morning and had just not found her as interesting as the night before, which obviously meant he had drunken himself silly at some sleazy bar and tried picking up someone knew, just for the fun of it. Instead he was met by Angelica’s expectant,  irritated glower once he was three drinks in, telling him on no uncertain terms that the reason his love life sucked so hard is because he always went for the obscenely wealthy and tragically pretty folks that always infested ivy league institutions. The same folks with too large egos and too little self worth to ever consider having an actual relationship with someone outside of their social circle— A circle that the Schuyler family were the crown jewels of is what Angelica didn’t have to say but Alexander heard in screaming clarity all the same.

“Fuck you.”

“You wish loser.”

That was when she tugged him by the ear to get out of the city with her for the long weekend to clear his head. When he slept in her family’s country home upstate. When he had stumbled downstairs in the middle of the night to be face to face—for the first time— with the sister he’s seen millions of pictures of and heard even more stories about  by a beaming Angelica. The one who had just spent the year after graduating Yale in the peace corps. That was when Alexander’s heart had first swelled and he was a goner.

“Eliza.”

“Yes love,” Eliza smiles up at him through her lashes now, so many years detached from their first meeting. Years composed of unrequited crushes and tentative laughs that morphed into a strong friendship and shy words of sincerity. Eventually leading them to first kisses and first nights and all the in-betweens Alexander’s never gone through with any other relationship. Nothing else felt as vital, as permanent, as the one he shares with Eliza. Nothing else felt like it deserved his efforts in quite the same ways that he’s always known Eliza has. Nothing else has made him experience this distinct sort of want.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” she giggles, mouth partially hidden from the lip of the flute of champaign she’s nursing. “Is everything alright deer? You look a little pale.”

Alexander’s throat closes up and he rinses his hands with anticipation.

“Yeah, yes. Everything’s Perfect Bets, it’s been perfect for a while now… Honestly ever since you agreed to actually go out with me. You. You make things perfect.”

Eliza doesn’t answer him in so many words, just cups her hands around hiss face and kisses him nice and thorough. Alexander wonders if how she makes everything inside of him go golden with every press to the lips will ever fade.

He seriously doubts it.

“Now, let me get this out, okay?” Alexander begs, squeezing her hands with his own and kissing the tops of each of her fingers gingerly. 

“Oh, Andre.”

Alexander’s heart stills and the breath from his lungs escapes— It feels like something awful and freezing has just clutched his heart and rinsed it dry.

“No, Alex—- I’m Alex.”

That only makes Eliza role her eyes at him before nudging her head to where a ridiculously handsome, obviously well off man stands.

“Oh, yes…. erm that is Andre.”

“Maybe he won’t see us,” Eliza offers before he’s lead directly to the recently vacated spot besides them by a completely oblivious host.

“Maybe he’s blind now?” Alexander says hopefully.

“Lizzy Schuyler is that you?” 

Alexander curses every ounce of bad luck he’s somehow accumulated before standing up to exchange awkward pleasantries  and spending the remainder of the night refraining himself from knocking Andre/s lights out every time he stares a tad bit too longingly towards Eliza for his liking.

The pampered bastard.

.-

Still inwardly fuming while drinking his morning coffee, Alexander was accosted by someone cuffing him on the back of the head, hard.

He isn’t surprised to turn around and Find a surly looking Angelica glaring at him, hands on her hips and mouth curled in a distinctly predatory fashion.

“What happened last night Hamilton?”

“How do you know something happened?” 

“Well when I gushed to look at Liza’s hand this morning, instead of a rock on her finger she just looked at me like I was insane! I had to pretend I wanted to read her palm.”

“So confirming the insanity suspicion then?” He asks owlishly.

“Hamilton!” She says in a hiss.

“I couldn’t do it, okay.” Alexander snaps back, waspish.

“You chickened out,” Angelica accuses, depositing herself on the sofa besides him in the small cafe and snatching the muffin from his hand.

“No.”

“Then what? You changed your mind? My baby sister not good enough for you?” She needles, prickly as he’s ever seen her.

“Don’t be ridiculous Anne.”

“Then wh—“

“Andre showed up,” he blurts with absolutely no tact.

“No fucking way,” Angelica gapes, dropping the aforementioned muffin.

“I’m cursed aren’t I?”

“Kinda,” Angelica consoles with a pout, cradling his head on her shoulder.

“Ah oh, not a good sign.” Hercules observes once taking a seat with his own latte.

“Hamilton’s cursed,” Angelica informs him, matter-of-fact.

“Why this time?”

“Because Eliza’s fucking perfect ex-fiancé somehow showed up last night with his own date and sat there besides us looking all handsome and waxing all poetic and reminiscing about how he and Eliza were caught fucking in her childhood bedroom her sophomore year of college and making her laugh and I couldn’t get a damn word in edgewise!”

“Oh not the thanksgiving story,” Angelica winces.

“So I reckon you didn’t propose?”

“I was gonna do it tonight instead, but thanks to Mis babble mouth over here,” he elbow checks Angelica. “Eliza most definitely suspects something is up now.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault that you apparently committed some sort of horrendous crime in a past life.”

“Who asks to look at someone’s hands!” Alexander hurls.

“People who think their sister was just proposed to!” Angelica defends.

“It’s fine you guys, we’ve just gotta throw her off the trail a little. Make her think marriage’s the furthest thing from your mind.” Hercules placates. 

“Yeah, yeah Herc, you’re right.” Alexander nods, is thrown to alert the moment the cafe’s bells chime— indicating a new customer— and it’s Eliza’s soft timbre that rings in his ears.

“I swear, I don’t care what Laf says, French people are total weirdos.” She sheds off her jacket and assumes the seat in Alexander’s all too willing lap. “I walk into his place to pick up some papers I left there and the first thing he wants to see is my hand to see if it’s proportionate to his.” With a huff, she grabs the coffee mug from Alexander, face scrunching up adorably at the excessive amount of sugar he always mixes in. Totally oblivious to how his heart is pulsing and his face is infused a bright red.

“Oh— Hah, how weird,” Angelica titters awkwardly. 

“Why do you sound so strange Ange?”

“No she doesn’t,” Alexander quickly pipes in.

“Yes…. She does.” Her brows furrow, the smallest dent between her eyes telling Alexander that she’s suspecting something. “What’s going on?”

“We were just reading this article in the New Yorker is all,” Hercules explains, saving all their asses. “It’s making her worry about her relationship with Mr Big.”

“His name’s Church, stop comparing our lives to Sex In The City characters,” Angelica admonishes with no heat.

“Whatever Miranda.”

“So what’s this article that’s got you all frazzled Angelica?” Eliza asks worriedly.

“It’s about marriage,” Alexander answers instead, seeing his opportunity and plunging for it.

“Marriage?” 

“Yeah, just about how it’s a total scam. I mean think about it Bets, legally timing yourself to another person? Doesn’t that sound Orwellian to you? A ploy by the government just to get our money and to keep us in check if you ask me.”

Eliza’s frown somehow, impossibly, sinks deeper.

“That’s not what you think Alex, is it?”

“I mean, ah yeah—“ His voice most certainly does not screech like he was a character from Saved By The Bell. “I mean you know me Eliza. I mean marriage didn’t keep my dad around for my mom.”

He can’t believe he just used that card on her. He totally deserves to go to hell for that one.

“It doesn’t always have to end up like that hon.” She cards a hand through his hair, kisses his cheek gingerly. And yeah, eternal damnation here Alexander comes.

“Eliza like 60% of all marriages now days ends in divorce,” Angelica contends. “Can you even name a couple that hasn’t been separated at least once.”

“Our parents,” she sniffs.

“But is it worth taking that chance,” Alexander says, reminds himself of how happy she’ll be tonight after he pops the question, when Eliza shakes off the hand that’s trying to lace their fingers together.

“Yeah, Yeah Alex I do think it’s worth that chance! And you know I do!” She starts to get up now, properly mad. “I mean don’t you guys want to promise yourself to the person you love in front of all your nearest and dearest. Be bound to someone so intimately and permanently. To get to show off your love to the world to see!”

“Sounds kinda selfish to me,” Alexander counters and Hercules and Angelica mumble their agreements.

“Okay,I’m running late for work.” In a cloud of carefully concealed fury, found in the pinch of her shoulders and downturn of her lips, Eliza collects her bag and jacket before storming out. A quiet fury in total opposition to her sisters’ brash words and ear shattering shouts.

Alexander yet again reminds himself of her beaming face when she doesn’t dip down to give him the customary kiss goodbye. 

“This’s gonna workout just fine.”

.-

[toloveawarlord]

Behind the Times (Ch.1)

You can find my Masterlist in my bio!

“Where is it? Come on!” Aspen muttered, checking under yet another rosebush for her lost item. Her day had ended on a strange and painful note, all because she took a detour through St. James Park instead of her usual route home. A night patrolman had spooked her, and she strayed off the beaten path to avoid detection. Jail time was not on her agenda.

One moment, Aspen had been snaking around a large Oak tree, and the next, the ground bathed in moonlight had fallen out from under her, sending her spiraling down a seemingly endless void. A rosebush broke her not so graceful fall. Even after crawling out, thorns still stuck into her skin, in places she could not reach on her own.

There!

The item she desired rested safely beneath the twisted branches of the bush. Her sigh of relief caught in her throat as the glint of metal next to her neck caught her eye. Aspen craned her head around and followed the length of the sword up to its owner.

The man’s intense gaze nearly stopped her heart. “Citizens are not permitted in the garden. State your name and intention,” he demanded. His crisp white uniform had to be a military one, but none like she had ever seen. Narrowing his amber eyes at her hesitation, he pressed the cold blade against her neck, a silent warning.

Aspen gulped. He definitely meant business. “Aspen Lancaster, and currently trying to reach my cell phone.” Was he a cosplayer? Just messing with her? The sword looks real. So real that she couldn’t bring herself to ask him on the off chance that he decided to murder her for talking back.

“Your what? How did you get in here? This is for military officers only, and high-ranking ones at that.”

Aspen tilted her head to the side, away from the blade. “I have no idea where here is so—”

“Is this what you’ve lost?” A second man interrupted, wearing a slightly different, but ultimately from the same group, uniform. In his hand was her phone, no cracks in the screen.

“Yeah, actually.” She hadn’t even heard him approach, let alone dig it out from under the bush. The only thing left to find was the satchel that she’d lost in the fall as well.

“Edgar. We have more important matters. I’ll only ask once more. How did you get in here?” He asked, straightening the sword in her direction once again. It was unheard of for anyone to enter the garden, especially when the two armies had only concluded their meeting a mere half hour ago.

Aspen glanced down at the blade. “I took a thousand-meter fall into a rosebush. It’s a wonder I’m not dead. Can you stop pointing that at me?” She asked. Real or not, it was sharp and threatening enough to keep her immobile.

“You expect us to believe that?”

Edgar raised his gaze from the device back to her. “Now, Jonah, let’s be civil about this. I don’t know many who would throw themselves into an actual rosebush for a simple lie.” He took her hand to help her stand, steadying her before asking, “What is this device?”

Aspen glanced between the two officers. “You don’t know what a cell phone is?” She started to laugh, softly and forced, but their confusion cut it off. They had to be cosplayers, and damn good ones at that, not breaking character even once.

“You’re very strange,” Jonah said, returning his sword to its sheath. He had no intentions of letting her leave but deemed her unthreatening enough to put his weapon away.

“You’re the one carrying swords,” she retorted. Staring at them a moment longer, Aspen decided to play along, explaining the phone as best she could. “It does a lot of things. Smartphones are crazy cool. It has thousands of apps you can download. It can play music, take pictures…” She trailed off, watching the confusion spread deep across their features. “You really don’t know, do you? Are you some kind of anti-tech groupies?” Heathens. Who doesn’t like technology? It’s so convenient. Jokingly, she muttered, “What century is it?”

Jonah answered with his scowl deepening, “The 19th.”

“Huh?” Aspen blinked. He wasn’t actually supposed to answer… or answer with an absurd century that wasn’t her own. He sure looked serious though. “What the fuck is going on?”

“A lady shouldn’t use such language if she wants to find a suitor,” Jonah chastised. His eyes raked over her, a hint of blush on his cheeks. He hadn’t noticed her strange attire until now. The amount of skin that she was showing made him quite uncomfortable. Her top must have shrunk, covering only half of her torso, and he couldn’t figure out what kind of undergarment she wore that loosely hung around her hips and fell to the tops of her thighs.

Aspen nearly stumbled back when Jonah thrust his jacket at her, demanding her to wear it. “But why-”

“How indecent,” Jonah muttered, the heat still present on his cheeks. “Have some self-respect.”

“How about you throw out your outdated opinions?” Aspen replied but slid her arms into the jacket none the less. The temperature had dropped, and a cool breeze drew goosebumps across her skin. On her small frame, the jacket was much too large, but very warm. “Though, I guess I’m the outdated one… postdated? Ugh.” She rubbed her stomach, a soft grumble at her words. “What I wouldn’t give for postmate.”

Edgar propositioned her with a tempting offer. “Why don’t you come along with us back to our headquarters, and we’ll treat you to a warm meal. You can tell me more about this smartphone. I’m very interested to learn more.”

“How do I know you two aren’t psychopaths who want to murder me?”

“You have our word, as the Queen and Jack of Hearts. That is plenty reason enough,” Jonah said, an almost crazy amount of pride in his voice.

Aspen tilted her head slightly. “Those titles mean nothing to me.” She couldn’t find any ill-will behind the invitation, and if they were murderers, then they probably would have killed her already. This is a secluded spot. Though, the odds of coming back from a secondary location were slim.

Edgar chuckled lightly, finding her to be the most interesting thing to come to Cradle. “You’ll only get your item returned to you after we’ve had a longer chat. So, I believe it’s in your best interest to cooperate.” His kind tone didn’t match the clear threat underneath.

She couldn’t very well just take the phone back. Her strength equaled that of a toddler. Plus, swords. “Fine, but only because getting a new phone is damn expensive.” Her head turned to scan the garden. “But I also lost my bag-”

“We’ll have someone search for your other things. This way,” He motioned for her to follow after him, leading her out of the building with Jonah close behind.

Aspen stopped so abruptly that Jonah narrowly missed running into her. The streets were lively, even this late at night. Many things had caused her to freeze. Their clothes were old fashioned. Horses were being ridden. Horses were hooked to carriages. The fountain looked to be the only normal piece, save for the large glowing crystal that by all accounts was floating. What fresh hell is this place?

“What’s the matter now?” Jonah asked, drawing all the attention of those around them.

All eyes were on her, whispering and pointing.

This didn’t make any sense. The entire town couldn’t be cosplayers. “What century did you say it was again?” Aspen asked hesitantly, taking a step back only to smack into Jonah. This is impossible. Insane. She had completely lost her mind.

“The 19th. We should have Kyle examine you. You’re beginning to look hysterical, not to mention the cuts and thorns from your self-proclaimed fall,” Jonah said, putting his hands on her shoulders to guide her forward. Only a few paces away, two horses were tied, beautiful saddles adorning their backs.

“Oh hell no,” Aspen muttered. Her escape was effectively blocked with Jonah’s fingers digging into her shoulders to keep her from moving. Edgar had his watchful eye on her as well, as if daring her to try and run. And where would she go? This most certainly wasn’t the London she knew. “Nope. I am not getting on a moving animal. Human kind didn’t destroy the environment and create manual automobiles for me to have to ride a horse.”

“You don’t have a choice. You’ll be riding with me,” Jonah announced. He’d already hoisted her up into the air and placed her on the saddle before she could attempt to get away.

The horse shifted its weight. Aspen clung onto the horn of the saddle, her body slipping backwards. It’s not even moving yet! Her squeal of terror cut short as Edgar steadied her from behind. Saddles are slick.

Edgar couldn’t help the laughter that broke out as he gently pushed her back up. “The more you move, the easier it is to fall off.”

“I didn’t move! The barn animal did!” Aspen shot him a glare over her shoulder.

Jonah mounted the horse behind her, caging her in with his arms as he gripped the reigns. “I’m not going to let you fall, so calm down,” he said. The cool tone of reassurance had her racing heart calming in seconds. “My title may not have meaning for you, but I promise that no harm is going to come to you while you’re a guest at our headquarters.”

Each step the horse took, made her body more tense. “Why do you care?” She asked, casting a suspicious glance up at him. Her hands were tightly gripping the material of his sleeve, afraid to let go.

“I could see how frightened you were when we exited the Garden. However you got there, whatever your intentions might have been, it’s clear that you aren’t familiar with this area.” Jonah stared straight ahead as he spoke softly enough that no one else could hear. “But don’t expect any special treatment from me,” He added swiftly at the end.

He’s very contrary. “You’re actually really nice, aren’t you?”

Jonah turned his nose up, but the hint of pink on his cheeks gave away the truth. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Aspen bit back a laugh. Though still filled with fear and worry, she felt at ease for the first moment since she collided with a rosebush.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am in love with Aspen. I wanted to try a less serious fic series with a more humorous element to it. I didn’t have a suitor in mind for her when I started but I’m leaning toward Jonah now.

[redfoxwritesstuff]

Silent Song, Chapter 17

Well, Lovies. We made it. I gift this chapter to you on the day of Shopping and Food Coma Recovery in the US. I hope everyone that celebrated had a good meal. 

Warnings (yes, this chapter has them): We go into Hotaru’s past a bit. I feel it is important for the story to have some sort of understanding of exactly some of the things. This chapter talks somewhat coldly of some of the things Hotaru had to do to survive and some of the things she experienced. It may be triggering to some readers. As a list, this chapter will touch on topics such as child sexual abuse, pregnancy loss, still birth and infanticide. 

Chapters:

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16

    Chapter 17

    Hotaru lunged at Tony, holding him tight with her arms around his body as he held the violin out by its neck and the bow in his other hand. She nuzzled into him and he could feel the wetness of her tears through his shirt. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her, being mindful of the delicate things in his hands.

    Loki had to bite back the feeling of jealousy that bubbled through him at that moment. She was to hold him like that. Only him. She was to need him. Only him. It was then that Loki began to really understand that he had managed to lose his own game, well and truly.

    Instead of ripping her from the arms of another, he took the violin from Tony's hands and strapped it into the case before going back for the bow. Tony watched him over her shoulder as he turned the nut at the end of the bow, allowing the hairs to become slack before handing it over to the god.

    Tony knew he needed to talk to Loki, alone. He had words that needed to be said to give him peace. His acceptance needed to be voiced. Yet, the very idea of the conversation that needed to happen made him not just yearn for a glass of scotch but for the whole bottle. All in good time, it would seem.

   Loki spared him one last look before turning on his heel and leaving like a cold wind. Long strides took him past Natasha, who even now hung inside the room near the doorway, clear out of the room. It wasn't until he was half way to the elevator that he was sure he would not be followed. With a deep breath he allowed a shade to continue marching down the hall as he himself stepped through a shimmer and into the sorcerer's sanctum.

    Hotaru was sad to see Loki had left by the time she calmed enough to pull away from Tony. She craved his company and while she spent as much time with Loki it never felt like enough. Yet, time like this with her brother was rare, maybe even a first. She waved as Nat as she bowed out of the room, leaving her alone with Tony for what was honestly the first time.

    “Hey, Lil Bit?” Tony sounded unsure as she looked up at him.

    Her eyes, they looked so much like his mother's. She was so small. Still so very young. But that was a lie. She wasn't anymore. His little sister was a woman grown, even if he had missed out on watching it happen.

    No, that wasn't true. He got to see it in fast forward. As much as he had been trying not to see it, refusing to see it, it happened before his very eyes. At first he tried to say he had missed it, she had been a woman grown already. Yet when she was cleaned and dressed, she looked like a child in his clothes. Maybe she was frozen in time? Yes, that was insanity and yet he tried to convince himself that it was true. That she would always be the child.

    Yet it was happening now. As hard as he had tried not to see it, it was happening. As he looked down at her, she hardly looked like a child any longer beyond her short stature. Everyday she filled out more and more. What was once hardly more than skin on bones began to thicken, curves began to gather. It seemed to happen so fast, that she went from child to woman and in reality, it was. She still had so far to go, yet he did not look down at a little girl and he couldn't continue to pretend that she was.

    'Tony?' He swallowed thickly and Hotaru watched as his throat worked.

    “Come here, Lil Bit.” Tony pulled her into his arms and held her tight against his chest. “I need to say something. Or a few somethings, maybe. But I can't if I'm looking at you. So, just let me hold you while I talk, yeah?”

    Hotaru's hands were pinned against him, preventing her from doing more than twitching her fingers. She settled for nodding. She would have thought that being held so tightly, confined and restricted would have been unsettling. That it would remind her of things done to her in what sometimes felt like the distant past. Yet, it did not.

    “I've been babying you. And pushing you away at the same time. A talent I didn't know I had.” His laugh was hollow.

    “I've wanted to see you as nothing more than a kid, nothing more than my baby sister. And then I see you with him. All the things he has done, all of his sins and he has the nerve to smile at you and I hate him. God do I hate him. But not for the things he did, isn't that the weirdest? Not for New York. But because he has the nerve to smile at you. Because he dares to see you as sometime I tried not to see myself, a woman. I don't want to, but I've got to let you grow up. I have to because I can't stop it. I have to let you be happy and find your own way.”

    While Tony rambled on, she slowly worked her hands free from his chest and wrapped them around his back, holding him to her. She could feel the shaky breathing as each breath seemed to rip through his body. Here he was, pouring his heart out to her and she felt so very dumb.

    Hotaru didn't know what it meant to be a woman, what it meant to grow up or to be a child. All she knew was that she felt like somehow she was both. She saw in herself just a hint of what a woman was, a hint of the things she saw in the women on TV, in Pepper and Natasha. Yet she also sat cuddled with Loki, entertained beyond words by children's stories.

    “Do you love him?” Tony asked finally, still holding her to him. He felt when she shrugged and finally gave her room to pull back some. It freed her hands so she could write on him somewhere other than his back where he surely wouldn't be able to understand the writings.

     'I don't know what love is.' Tony blinked at the top of her head before asking Jarvis to translate. He was the worst at reading when she would write on him, regardless of where she wrote it.

    “You don't have to know, Lil Bit. You just feel it.”

    'How would I know?' She wrote first before changing her mind and writing again wile Jarvis spoke her words. 'It doesn't matter. He sees me as a child. He'd never want me.'

    “You don't see how he looks at you?” Tony scoffed at her. “I guess that's normal. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just keep doing what you're doing.”

    Hotaru nodded at him, unsure of what words she wanted or needed to say. It was odd having Jarvis give voice to her writing.

    'How will I know?' the question didn't even make sense in her head as she wrote it but her mind was jumbled, scrambled with emotions running raw. It seemed her world was turned upside down yet again.

    “Just follow your heart, Hotaru. We'll always be there for you, no matter what comes of it. We love you, the whole team does. I know sometimes I fuck things up, I'm good at that but I'll always be there for you. I will always love you and now that you're home, I'm going to do better, just be patient with me.”

    'I love you too.' Hotaru knew he needed to hear it, even if she didn't know what it meant to love. She knew she cared for him, she worried about him, his safety. She wanted him to be happy. Could what she felt for him be love? It wasn't the same as what she had felt for Loki. Was there different kinds of love? Could one love multiple people differently?

    “You'll figure it out. You're a smart one, us Starks always are.” Tony rubbed her back before pulling away. Before stepping fully out of her reach, he rubbed her arms. “I'll figure my shit out too, honest. I promise.”

    Hotaru felt good. She couldn't pinpoint why exactly. Perhaps it had to do with the things Tony had said to her. Or maybe the gift of the violin. Regardless of what it was, she felt good just so long as she stayed busy.

    It was when she would stop what she was doing that the nagging thought of her memories came back to her. Was it worth it to try to remember? More often than not, she tried not to. It was better not to stir up old memories.

    Yet, when night fell and she sat alone in the living space, she thought and tried to remember even as she knew better. The warmth of her mother's eyes would come quickly to mind. Hotaru remembered the pride in her eyes as she stood, being announced as the winner of some thing or another.

    She remembered wanting Tony to be there. The sadness of being cast aside in favor of college friends. The weight of the one person who's approval she so desperately wanted was too busy for his little sister and she remembered how that had hurt. It wasn't hard to remember how he so badly wanted their father's approval, even as he was ignored and pushed aside, never good enough.

    Yet those were not the only memories to come. They were far and few between. What she remembered most was the feeling of the mud, how it sucked her shoe off as she ran. The feeling of it between her toes as the rain slicked her hair down into her face. She remembered pushing at it angrily and hearing the sounds of the road, even as she couldn't identify what they were. She had to get away.

    She remembered the faces of the men who came for her. The way she was taken to a large house, washed and given a fancy dress and fed fine foods. The food was some of the best she had ever eaten. Hotaru thought these people were going to take care of her, protect her and take her home, take her to Tony.

    Then they took her downstairs. Men in masks pushed her around, examined her. She felt like livestock and it was terrifying. Silk ribbon was tied around her wrists, though she could never identify who had placed it.

    Fine clothes were ripped from her body as if they were worthless. She was shoved up on a stage, naked and violated. It was there that she was sold for the first time of many times. Tears fell down her face as she stood, being looked at like a piece of meat. People- no these were not people- they were animals, were shouting things that should have never been said to a child.

    Her mind jumped to the next horrible memory, the next thing she didn't want to remember. The woman's screams of pain, muffled by a pillow. They needed to keep her quite, if she made too much noise they would all be punished.

    It should have been a happy thing. It should have been a blessing. It was a curse for them, when that newborn baby slipped into the world. It would have been better if it had been born still, silent. This wasn't the first babe to be born by a slave in this house, it wouldn't be the last. None would live longer than a few hours.

    It was better this way, to dispatch it before the master found it. It hurt, what they had to do. It haunted them all each time they had to do it. They learned early on that it was better to do it themselves. Otherwise, the master would punish them. Master thought it was a failure on a slave's part to birth a live baby. That it was a sign that they took too much rest, too much resources.

    What Master would do to the baby would be worse. It would be painful. It would be a demonstration of power. It was better to free the baby from that pain, before it could come to pass. It was mercy. No one was going to come for them. No one was going to save them. Never would she forget the empty eyes of a newborn baby who had moments ago been so full of life, of promise. If only it had been born to a woman outside.

    Trying to remember was a mistake. She shouldn't have gone down this path. It was better not to try and remember. She just wanted to remember the good times, the happy times. She just wanted to remember Tony. But these cursed memories were mostly what would come to mind. Was she so cursed that she couldn't have back the happy memories.

    “Why do you cry, Little Light?”

    A cool finger first wiped her tears from where they collected on her chin, dripping onto her lap. She hadn't realized she had been crying, nor did she know when she had started. Large gray eyes blinked, pushing a wet tear free as they focused on Loki. His fingers ran up her cheek, wiping up the trail of her tears before he rested his palm on her cheek.

    If he would ever cease to be amazed when she leaned into his touch, he should be killed on the very spot. She was a blessing, an angel found in the dark. As she rested her cheek in his palm, he rubbed away the wetness under her eye with his thumb.

    'I was just trying to remember.' Fingers trembled as she wrote.

    “What did you wish to remember?” He was keeling on the ground in front of her, she realized, brows slightly knit together.

    'What love is. What before was.'

    “Before?” She surely must mean before she was taken. Before her life went off course. Before. It made sense, that she should have it compartmentalized in such a way.

    'I can't.' The words were sloppy.

    “Little-” Fingers worked over his arm, spelling out words and cutting him off.

    'I can't remember more than bits. All I can remember is after. I'm broken. Tainted. I can't talk. I've killed. I don't belong here. I don't.'

    His hand gripped hers plucking it from his arm and halting her rambled writing as he sat himself next to her. Strong arms pulled her into him, against his chest and into his lap. A groan tore its way out of his throat as the sheer warmth of her body seemed to sink into him. He could help her but in all honesty Loki wasn't sure if he was ready to see the things he would have to wade through to find the memories she wanted.

    “You are no more broken than I. You are no more tainted than I.” Large hands rubbed her back.

    'Everyone here saves people. You save people. I just-' Again he took her hand from him, holding it still and preventing her from saying more.

    “Everyone here has killed. Everyone here has taken a life. Some more than others. Each carries the burden, the guilt differently. Each had their reasons.”

    She tried to take her hand back, to speak more.

    “No. You will listen. I've killed. I'll kill again. I've killed a man in front of you, Little Light, have you forgotten? We are no better than you. Perhaps, lives taken isn't what this is truly about?” Finally she was allowed to write again.

    'I don't think I'll ever be better. Be good enough.' A sob tore its way out of her throat, silent as everything else.

    “Why?” He pressed.

    'I'm tainted.'

    “Because you are silent? Because your hands have blood on them? Or because your virtue was stolen?” To him, she was worth more than the purest maiden in Asgard, one of high breeding and intact virtue. She was worth more to him then all the princesses and queens in the nine realms.

    “Look at me.” He commanded her and it was in her very nature to obey. Some small part of him was pleased with how quickly she pulled back so she could look up at him.

    “You are everything.” Another tear spilled down her face and Loki was quick to wipe it away. Tears had no place on her face.

    “What could you possibility not be good enough for?” The words came from his throat as a whisper, not intended to be spoke aloud.

    'You' She didn't really mean to write it but somehow her fingers worked over his heart on their own accord. She held her breath, looking down. Looking anywhere but to him really as he sat, arms wrapped around her back.

    “Me?” One arm fell to her lower back where his thumb began to rub. It was a distracting feeling. His other hand moved under her chin, dragging her eyes to him. “These tears are for me?”

    When was the last time someone shed a tear for him? Was it when he disappointed his mother? Surely, she had no tears left by that point. Yet, in front of him this little woman, this dear light would shed tears over the idea of not being good enough for him.

    When she nodded softly he was floored. Now wasn't the time to think. Now wasn't the time to plot. Game pieces didn't matter. Who was around, where they were or the odds of being seen did not matter. Nothing else mattered. She cried for him.

    “Hotaru,” The gray of her eyes were swallowing him whole. “May I kiss you?”

    She didn't pull away from him. It felt like she was frozen in place. Loki watched as the pink tip of her tongue darted out, wetting her lips and his breath hitched. Eyes darted to his lips and she tried to remember if she answered him.

    His lips were on hers and if she had answered or not no longer mattered. They were soft against hers as his fingers uncurled from under her chin. Long fingers danced down her jaw and made their way to the back of her neck, tangling into her hair. She braced herself against his chest, feeling the rise and fall of it with each of his breaths

    A sigh pulled itself out of her chest, lips parting as Loki moved his thin lips against hers. One small hand made its way up his chest, bracing on his shoulder. The tickle of his hair on her hand made her want to feel more. She caught strands in between her fingers to find it was silky smooth and soft as silk.

    His tongue slipped itself between her lips and she expected to taste something. Yet it was the wetness and the coolness that captivated her. She found herself wanting for more, needing more. Breath came faster, her heart felt as if it would beat out of her very chest when he pulled away.

    “My Light, you are everything.” His thumb rubbed at her bottom lip, so petal pink. “I may have found a way to give you your voice back, should you wish it?”

    'Really?' Her eyes grew wide. It wasn't something she dared to dream of, to hope for. Already she had more than she would have dared to hope for.

    “It could be dangerous. I don't wish for you to be hurt but it is your choice to make. If you wish to try, we may.”

    Her fingers went to her throat, glancing over the stone that told him more than her face could. It told him of her hopes, her fears. It was that very stone that had pulled him to return to the Tower from the stacks of books he had been puzzling over with Strange. The drowning sadness that nearly stopped his breath. He had come to the Tower ready to kill a man, any man who had caused that sadness.

    It was almost disappointing to find her alone in the living space on their floor, Thor hovering uselessly in the hall letting her weep alone.

    “Little Love, regardless of if we do this or if this works I will want you, always. Trust in that.” Loki pressed when she tensed in his lap. Somehow, he had to decide how to press forward. How does one court a woman when he cannot even so much as leave the tower officially?

    'I want to try.' she finally write on his chest. 'How?'

    “I'll need time to prepare. When the time comes, Sorcerer Strange and I will do all the work. You but need to wait, Love.”

    'Tony will worry.'

    “That he will. He is your elder brother, Dear Heart. He'll always worry for you.” Loki ran his fingers through her hair as he spoke, soothing her.

    'Can we do it when he's gone?' Tony didn't deserve to worry. He already did so much for her. There was already too much weight on his shoulders. The pain in his voice, the way he clung to her was still too fresh in her mind.

    “That we can, Love. But you must rest while you wait. We need you strong if we wish for this magic to have a hope of working. Go, rest Little Light and I will see to it the preparations are begun.”

    Hotaru didn't want to go. Not without him. Yet she knew she couldn't have him in her bed again. It was an accident that it happened at all. Now that he was hers she didn't understand the rules, but she knew that she already wanted more.

    The desire for things she could not even put name to scared her and so it was better that she go alone, if that was what he wished. Yet her eyes settled on the thin line of his lips. She noticed how while both were thin, the lower was plumper. What she really wanted was to feel his lips again.

    They were cool under her fingertips. When she had reached up, she didn't know. Her mind was lost, adrift and floating away on a cloud. Loki reached up, taking her wrist in his hand and placed a soft kiss against her palm before nuzzling it.

    “My Love.” The words were spoken low, nearly a purr that caused her to lick her lips again.

    He should send her away. These things were things he shouldn't indulge in, not until he know how he wished to court her. Not until he spoke with her brother. While in the past he never cared for propriety this time it was different.

    Rather than let her hair pass through his fingers, he gripped it lightly, using it to guide her to him. Their lips met again and he could feel her sigh into the kiss. Would she mewl and whimper as his lips worked over hers, had she had a voice? As much as he didn't want to, he pulled away while the kiss remained sweet and chaste.

    “Go, rest. I'll check on you before the the hour grows too long, my Light.”

    With a nod, she got up though knees felt weak. Slowly she walked to the hall before sparing one last look behind her to Loki. His eyes watched her and when they met, she waved at him. Turning back around she nearly walked into Thor. With a bow of her head and a smile, she hoped he understood that she wished him a good night.

    “Retiring for the night, Little One?” Thor measured his voice, keeping it low enough as to not frighten her. If she would always fear loud voices, she couldn't say.

    Hotaru nodded to him and waved, eager to move on. Though it was earlier than normal, she was tired. The emotional toll that the day had taken was great and her eyes still burned from her tears. Once she calmed her heart, sleep would come easy.

    Before entering her room, she hesitated in the doorway. She could hear clearly the words spoken from the living room. Clearly, she could hear his voice, Loki's. It was soothing and rhythmic as he spoke. Though he was not speaking to her, she opted to leave the door open. His voice would relax her and help her sleep. She would just listen to it while she waited for sleep to claim her. Surely, he wouldn't mind.

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[taelaxies]

s e s s i o n s | conflict (II)

Remember I told you I’m not good with words? Well, your dress is not helping me. 

intro (I) • conflict (II) Summary: One final session? You could do that. Unfortunately (or not?), destiny had something else planned for you and your handsome fake patient. Genre: Angst || Warning: Mature language, mentions of sex. Pairing: Jungkook x Reader.

A/N: Second part of Sessions, with no numbers on the title because I’m too cool for that. Just kidding (or tried). I hope you enjoy it. ♥ Words: +3K

Google had solved many of his problems before: from the name of a song to ‘How to tie a tie?’. But when he typed “Is it possible to fall in love with your therapist?” and pressed search, Jungkook could not feel more pathetic.

He met you a little more than a month ago. He did not know anything about you, only the fact that you were not an ordinary therapist. How could he be in love with you? It made no sense. It did made sense for Google though, articles said that patients feeling love for their therapists were not that uncommon - it was easy to feel love for someone that listens to you and understands you.

Could that be it? The way you listened in ways Yoona didn’t.

Jungkook pressed his forehead against your door and waited. He had just finished practice and his hair was still wet from the shower he took thirty minutes ago.

He didn’t know exactly why he was standing there that night, not a session night, and especially after you had rejected him last time he saw you.

“What do you say about scheduling more sessions together? Just you and me?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Jungkook”

Well maybe it was just a professional opinion you had. It had to be, right? You could not even imagine how scared he was to ask you for more sessions, and how hurt his pride was after you said no.

He shook his head and stepped away from the closed door. You probably were not there and he was waiting for you to appear in front of him like an idiot.

Oh, but you were there.

You watched him give up and leave - from the peephole of your door, holding your breath even when you knew he couldn’t hear you breathing from the other side.

You were afraid that Jeon Jungkook was getting attached to you.

That could not happen, he was your friend’s boyfriend in first place. Second, you’ve been lying to him from the moment he met you. And third but not least important, you could not let yourself get emotionally attached to him too.

You messaged Yoona one hour later, after thinking what to do. You had to end the plan before things became more complicated. It should be easy, you thought, you had given Yoona enough information - more than what she had originally asked from you.

That’s why you were surprised when you heard her on the other end of the line, sounding mad at you for some reason.  “Why?! He’s been better since he talks to you, at least he isn’t playing games all the time.”

“Yoona, you know I’m no therapist right? I’ve already done what you wanted and I’m not feeling comfortable with this anymore. He’s a good guy, I’m sure you can fix things on your own.”

“Wait.” You heard her get away from the noise at the back, and you imagined she was at one of the sets from her new drama, “You said you’d help me, so you’ll do it. One more session. Find out the reason why we don’t fuck anymore, and your stress bullshit is not valid. And then we’re done.”

You rubbed your hands on your face and squeezed the phone against your ear. One more session? You could do that. After five sessions what harm would only one more do? “Just one.” You stated.

“Good. I’m at work, I’ll talk you later.”

From that day until that final session, you studied like there was no tomorrow. You kept your mind busy with books and classes, avoiding TV as much as possible - afraid that your fake patient’s handsome face would pop on screen. Or worst, your so-called friend.

Just like you had surprised Jungkook with your methods on his first session, he had a surprise for you this time.

He didn’t show up. He didn’t call. Nothing at all.

You should have felt relieved, you wanted to end all this lie anyway. But you were sad, staring at the empty red chair in which he used to talked to you about his life.

You waited. One hour. Two hours.

And then your phone vibrated on your desk.

Yoona (10:47 PM) Y/N! Forget about the session. I don’t know what you did but we have just fucked like crazy!!! Seriously you’ll be the greatest therapist ever.

Your eyes read the lines over and over again, trying to understand how you should feel about this. That was the point, right? Your friend getting her boyfriend back. Maybe he had realized how much he loved Yoona and that was what he wanted to tell you the other night he was waiting at your door. So, it was a good thing. Everything went according to the plan.

At least that was what you told yourself. If there was something you had learned from this, is that Jungkook was a good guy and your friend was… a possessive, insecure but pretty woman? Being her friend, you had never noticed it until now - how she controlled him and even controlled you, pushing you to your limits even when you did not want to.

But this situation, they fucking like crazy while you stayed alone in your apartment, was what it was supposed to be. You did a good job, whatever it was.

Yoona woke up that next morning with an undeniable satisfaction written on her features. Things were going exactly the way she wanted, and she expected them to be the golden couple again very soon. She bit her lip, remembering their wild night, and buried her face in her pillow.

Jungkook had already gone to work and she was about to do the same - it was late. Being an actress was her dream since she was a baby. Of course her dream did not include the diet, the gym and the media pressure - but she was happy anyway.

“You look stunning today, did something happen?” Her manager wiggled his brows at her. Minho had been her manager since the beginning and he knew about her life even more than herself.

She was getting her hair and makeup done, and glanced at her reflection on the mirror.

“I always look stunning.” Yoona giggled. “I think Jungkook and I are back on track. Last night was…” she rolled her eyes and her assistant tried to continue applying eyeshadow with a frown.

Minho’s eyes opened widely and a victorious grin lighted up his face, “Finally! We should arrange some events or photoshoots together. The therapy thing worked!”

“Yeah it did. But I think we should keep it private for now. Jungkook doesn’t like exposure and I don’t want to fight him right now that things are better.”

“Doesn’t like exposure!? He’s an idol!”

“That’s what he said to Y/N” she explained and shrugged.

But Minho was right, they hadn’t attended to events together since the beginning of their relationship so they should do it soon.

For two weeks, Yoona planned her next move and decided that the first person who should know about it was her savior: you.

It was a Friday night and you were buried in papers and books, studying for your next exam. Your eyes were tired, your hair messily tied up in a bun and your pajamas covered your body loosely.

There was a knock on your door and you prayed for it to be just the delivery guy.

It wasn’t.

“Oh girl, you look like shit.” Yoona examined your appearance from head to toe and gave you a pity look.

“Thank you, you know how to cheer me up.”

“Y/N, that’s why I’m here. May I come in?”

You nodded and stepped aside with a sigh. She entered and you closed the door behind her, quickly fixing your bun in the process. She looked like a supermodel as always.

The universe was laughing at you: you watched her take a seat in non other but Jungkook’s red chair. Suddenly you were afraid of being asked for another favor. You gulped and sit on your couch.

Yoona remained silent, maybe waiting for you to ask her how her relationship was doing. But you didn’t want to know how better they were because of your lie. Instead, you offered her a kind smile and asked, “Do you want some coffee?”

“Ah… I’m okay, thank you.” she pressed her hands together and crossed her legs, “I’m actually here because I want to invite you to a party! Take you out from this… nerd cave?”

A party? She was inviting you to a party? You cringed. “I like my nerd cave.”

“Oh please we are young and attractive and… Look, it will be something private, a lot of famous people there - but just friends. Maybe your future boyfriend…” she smirked smugly.

You arched a brow at the thought. ‘Famous people’? “So, Jungkook is going to be there?”

She nodded. “Yes, It’ll be our first event together in a long time. You know something private for him to get used to it again.” She explained like that was something obvious.

“Are you insane? You want him to know we are friends? Why would you invite your therapist to your private party? Think about it for a second. Terrible idea.” You stood up and made your way to your kitchen. You needed a shot of something strong but the only drinkable thing you had was coffee or water. You poured it on a mug and shouted, “Forget it, I’m not going!”

“Oh please! Y/N!” She watched you return with your hot coffee and a frown on your face. “Jenny said it would be a good idea to have a girls night again.”

“Jenny’s right” you agreed - you really needed a drink, “but that is not a girls night, it’s Jungkook’s and yours.”

Yoona sighed and finally admitted to herself you were right. She scanned all your psychology books and you, surrounded by them. “Maybe we should go clubbing?”

She said the magic words. You wanted nothing more than things going back to how they were. Having some drinks with your friends and listening to good music sounded like a good idea to you. “When?”

“Now? Look at you, wearing your PJs and studying about insane people a Friday night. I know a place, you should call the girls.”

You missed enjoying your time with Yoona, like you did before getting involved in her love life. You laughed at her when she chose a dress from your closet for you to wear. It was the shortest you had, you had worn it only once for a party. “Do you want me to get pregnant tonight?”

She burst into laughter and handed it to you, “I just want you to get laid tonight, no babies.”

The club she picked was what was called “VIP”, and people seemed to know her enough to give you and your friends ‘free drink’ coupons.

With a drink in your hand instead of your coffee, and a good looking guy dancing behind you instead of Freud and his texts, you felt like a young woman again. Jenny winked at you and raised her drink in your direction. You grinned and did the same, taking the final sip before your cup was empty. You didn’t know where Yoona was, since the place was full of people and your friends and you had lost each other.

The guy dancing with you offered you a drink, which you refused saying that you were about to buy yours and that you’d be back in a minute. You tried to break through the crowd towards the bar, with a coupon on your hand. After asking the bartender for a 'Sex on the Beach”, you turned around and waited for your drink with your back against the counter - scanning the club full of sweaty bodies and loud music.

You squinted your eyes at the sight of a wide back dressed in a black shirt that looked familiar. The man was at the tables section from the back, opposite to where Yoona had her own. The guy suddenly laughed and turned a little, allowing you to recognize his profile. You were ninety percent sure that he was Jin, from BTS. You knew him, everybody knew who he was. And the fact that Jin was in the same club as you, also meant Jungkook could be there too.

The bartender touched your shoulder and pointed his finger at your new drink. You nodded and gave it a long sip, feeling your heart panicking at the thought of Jungkook seeing you there. Or you seeing him. You didn’t know what was worse.

You needed to find one of your friends and tell them you had to leave. Or maybe just leave and text them later. Anyway, you had to break through the dancing crowd again - towards the exit this time. You finished your drink, leaving the empty cup on the counter and feeling ready to get out of there.

Walking between heated and probably horny bodies moving against each other should be considered impossible. One moment you were pressed against a woman’s back and then you were pressed against a man’s chest, as your feet tried to find the empty gaps on the floor for you to walk. It was hard to breathe, but you were halfway to the exit. You searched for any of your friends around you, but you couldn’t find them.

“Y/N!?” A male voice shouted from behind you.

Shit. You knew it. Your luck never changes.

You ignored the call and tried to keep moving, looking desperately for a way out.

And then you felt it; a pair of hands circling your waist from behind and holding you in that place. You looked at him and suddenly you felt the urge to run. Jeon Jungkook was looking at you, wearing a white shirt that sticked to his body because of the sweat.

He was saying something to you but you could not listen, partly because of the music and partly because your brain was in panic mode.

He touched your hand with his slowly and intertwined your fingers, pulling you in his direction and walking together all the way back to the bar. You couldn’t stop shaking your head, trying to let him know that you were not okay with that. You freed your hand from his clasp and he darted a confused look at you, with his lips slightly parted.

How many times were you going to reject him? Jungkook tried to take your hand again, but you did not let him do it. You had that short tight dress, unlike anything he had seen you wear before and it was driving him crazy.

He just wanted to talk to you. Seeing you outside the office and not in one of your sessions - in that same club, could not be coincidence.

He saw you turning around and trying to get lost in the crowd again, but he stopped you grabbing your wrist this time, and pulling you against his body. “I just want to talk to you, Y/N” he said loud enough for you to hear against your ear.

“We’ve talked enough!”

“I need another session with you!”

“You had one, three weeks ago! Then you didn’t came!”

“I need it right now, Y/N.” He said, licking his lips and glancing around nervously.

“What!? Now? Your girlfriend is here, you should go talk to her and not me, Jungkook.”

He opened his eyes in shock and his jaw clenched. He turned around, trying to reach the bar again, and taking you with him.

You stopped fighting him, tired and with your feet being killed by your heels.

It clearly seemed that Yoona was not the only one with contacts in this place, since Jungkook signaled the bartender that prepared your drink before and the guy nodded.

You two were now behind the bar, entering a room that you guessed it was a storeroom full of alcohol.

Had he been there with other girls before? You guessed not, he looked embarrassed - like the first time you saw him, it was a deja vu.

You could still hear the music from outside but it was easier to talk there. He cleared his throat and stared at you, his eyes eyeing you from head to toe just like his girlfriend had done hours before. “Remember I told you I’m not good with words?” he started, taking several steps closers and pushing you against the closed door. “Well, your dress is not helping me.”

 His lips brushed against yours, and you felt him hesitate before opening his mouth and devour your lips slowly. You froze, feeling something in your stomach you could not tell if it was because of the kiss or just the alcohol.   His hands travelled from your neck to your hair, suddenly gaining more confidence when he felt your lips responding to his. 

He interrupted the kiss and spoke - the words burning on his tongue, “We won an award last week. And you were the first person I wanted to talk to about it. I don’t want to play games anymore because you played with me. I fuck my girlfriend desperate to get you out of my head, because it scares the shit out of me. I think I’m losing my mind - so tell me, don’t you think I really need another session?”

 He stared at your glossy lips he had just tasted and then he met your wide open eyes, “You make me feel good about myself like no one does and I want to get to know you. Please don’t reject me again, I want to make you feel good too.”

 “Was that what you wanted to say that night? That night at my door?” you blurted out.

 “You were there?” 

You did not know what else to say, everything you were afraid of - was happening. Your sight blurred because of the tears, when you realized he really had genuine feelings for you. You, a liar.

If you told him the truth, that was going to be the end of his relationship with Yoona and you would never see him again. Part of you wanted that.

“Oh please don’t cry.” He pouted, “I don’t want to make you cry.”  It was you who did not want to make him cry. But you were going to.

[stay--satan]

Because he Jason Todd-it everything (PART II)- JASON TODD X READER

Check out the first part: I could say that I’m sorry but I can’t even remember how it happened -  PART I

You all asked for the second part HERE WE GO

"So how are we doing today?" "Do you have to make that question every single time?" "It's my job, Jason" He groans God he hated that woman with every single streinght "Yeah, fine." "So, what changed?"

What did changed? Where does he even start?

17 months ago he was over the moon living the life his parents dreamed that he had. Nice house, saving the world and coming home to his girlfriend was certain the best part of the day. But he had to Jason-It everything. Now he's sharing a dumb small apartment with his freelancer work friend, Roy, the entire freelance thing wasn't working as good as before (he's broke) and yes... No girlfriend. Because he Jason Todd-it everything.

The only reason he had been going to the therapist was because one of his clients owed him and he changed for a few sessions. Dr May is cool, but she could really stumb on his feet sometimes, always pressuring him.

"Are you still thinking about her?" she question for the thousand time "I told you..." "Yeah, sometimes you do think about her. But I want know why" "Why? I'm here for six months and you still wanna know why?" She removes her glasses cleaning in her blouse and stare at him "You are. You're still here after six months and you still didn't do anything to change that" "What do you expect me to do? Just knock on her door and tell 'Hi, I miss you'?" she glares again. Ugh "It won't work" "Why not?" "Because... I'm too late for that" he leans back on the couch exhausted "It's been almost two years. What am I supposed to do?" "What didn't you called earlier?" "Well" he wasn't gonna mention the whole thing where he drank his ass off after he left her and broke his entire house "She's not like that" And also because he was too pussy to do anything about.

He actually thought about after he sober up, but what was he thinking? That you would work things out? Pff, yeah "Jason... As your therapist and not the woman you saved from a abusive husband.." she takes her glasses off again to look at him "I must say you're not the same person you used to be. And after everything, I think you do deserve this. I mean, you don't even know how she felt"

It's true. He didn't even dared to look any of her social media after she deleted his photos. Every single crime on her area he would just sent anyone on earth to do the job for him and he completely changed his routine so he could not bump you anywhere."Just take a look at your routine. You're coming here right on schedule, you're sobber for almost this long and you're doing a pretty good job out there. Even if the world doesn't think that" "Good job doesn't pay the bills, Susan" he had to mock her first. He gently opens a cornered smile  rubbing his hands letting himself for the first time think about it.

Running to his bike, Jason shot a couple of times before hearing the police siren behind him. Sure he could stay but the problem was he was with a freaking bullet on his torso. Driving as fast he could back to the city, he contact Alfred but weirdly no one responds, he tries to Dick but he's not even in town, Alfred returns his call saying that he was also out of town dueing "Batman's Business" but he could send Tim in an hour. An hour driving he could be passed out on the floor.

Jason stops lifting his shirt, alright it doesn't look that bad. Taking off his gloves he removes the bullet himself so it would not go worse. He may or may not had screamed in pain but he'll never tell. It was still bleeding a lot and his house was at least 20 minutes away. He could try drive until he fall off the bike until someone call the hospital, but it's still looked like a bad idea.

Looking to the street sign his heart beats more faster now. How did he ended up there? After all those years? His vision is getting a little blurry and he is sure that the last thing that quiet neighborhood needed was some dirty vigilant bleeding on their clean sidewalk. Swalling the 1% of pride, he walks till the nice gray house at the end of the street. Sure she had moved from where they lived and now she had the money to buy a house this big she always dreamed of. He jumps of the fence, falling on the grass almost laying there forever, but he knew that would be more weird. So he just climbs to the window next to him.

"Why are you bleeding out on my floor?" The little lamp at the door goes on as the short haired girl step into the room in a hurry "It's just a scratch" he moves his hands like this wasn't a big deal "It really looks like a bullet hole" "For your information I already took the bullet out" "Jason are you insane?" She cross her arms pissed His smirk fades away finally getting into the serious matter "I'm sorry" "You came to die in my room and you're sorry?" "No" he coughs but still let out a chuckle "I hurt you in a way that I couldn't come back the next day apologizing." She stares at him and her tone now is more low and serious "I'm gonna get the first aid kit" "Please, Y/N..." she turns back to him. Now on her guest bedroom, sitting on her floor with the man she swore to never cry again "I-I'm really disturbed. I am, and I accepted that. Everything falled apart without you and I don't mean the material things but "You don't have the right to show up here after 2 years, Jason" "I know." he started to sound more careful before she kicked him out "I know. But I had to. I couldn't show up before being sure that I was ready to do this." Y/N is mute with her left arm holding her right elbow still not being able to look in his eyes "I spent the last 6 months in therapy." that news got her in surprise and he notices "I-I tried to make her write you a letter or something that could say how much I changed but appereantly I need your authorization for that" he chuckles again under his breath "But trust me... I did changed okay? Because I don't wanna Jason Todd-it like I did with us" "Jason Todd-it?" "Yeah, the act of being an asshole when things are pretty fine" "It fits"

She gives him a cornered smile now and go get the first aid before he pass out. Before Jason have a chance to look around the almost empty room, Y/N comes back and sit crossing her legs near him preparing everything. He lifts his shirt so she could take a look

"Surprisly it doesn't look that bad" she says examinating the wound "Yeah, Doctor Susan said it was one of the perks of not drink. The wounds heal better and don't bleed as much as they used to" Again, she is caught in surprise "Yo-You stopped?" "Yea-OUTCH" he groans when the burning alchool meet with his skin "Yeah, about a year ago"

The next moments are completely silent as she focus on his bruise and he closes his eyes trying not to focus in the pain.

"You actually got good at this" "Well, I don't do much of practice anymore but..." they smile to each other Jason smile is the first to fade away "I love you, Y/N" Now it's her turn "I know I don't have any right to be here, but I really do. You know that and I think you do too" "What makes you think that?" "You could easily cut the conversation and kick my ass out of here but you're still here..." he grins again 'Idiot' she thinks. Only him would be covered in blood and still grin like that to her "Jason It's not like..." "We can start over, okay? Slow again, then I could take you to Susan and she would explain to you..." "Jason" "... She has this idea that I lived in a bubble trouble and everything good that would come in my direction... "Jason" "... everything that comes in my direction I associate with a bad thing. But I'm better now and I'm willing to try harder for you"

She had stopped to call his name and he finish his sentence out of breath pulling his heart out like this. But before he could continue with the speech he had trained the entire week, his eyes met with something sparkly. There's no trail of emotion in Jason's face and Y/N had that face That pity I'm Sorry face

"He's a doctor, that's why I got better in the nurse skills" she gives a empathic smiles and honestly it kills him Like he hadn't a bullet in his torso a few moments ago, Jason stands up quickly grabbing his helmet again "You're not seriously angry because I didn't wait for you for two years, right?" "No" He grunts taking steps back "We can talk about this!" "He probably will wake soon and will get worried. Watcha gonna say 'oh my ex red hood boyfriend was bleeding on our carpet?'" "He's in duty tonight" He let's a sarcastly laugh come out "Of course he is" "Jason!"

"Y/N!" He repeats her alarming tone

They both stare close at each other in silence. Both holding back the tears but none dared to talk about it He knows that she's happy. That she's better. It wasn't like he was gonna pretend that he didn't stalk her until a few months ago.

He had seen the guy once or twice, he let himself thought that maybe it was a quick thing or whatever, but that stupid ring was screaming and laughing at his face. Screaming of how much she loved another girl and he loved her. About how he came home everyday and could see her face. Of how many surprises she had prepare for him like she did the last time they met and he fucked up. Of how much they talked about her ex cheating girlfriend and the doctor would hold her tight saying that this will never happen to him. Or worse, she didn't talk about Jason at all. Like he wasn't even a memory.

"I'm really glad that you are getting help" Y/N says after a minute of silence of their gaze "Yeah, me too." he turns back about to leave from the window

"Jason?" she says again now in more softly and lower holding him lightly by his arm "You should've come sooner" He glares at her back before disappearing "Yeah, the story of my life."

[written-daily-blog]

The Haunted and Abandoned Bunk House

 I never believed in the afterlife, paranormal or any kind of religion. I was always open minded though. If someone were to tell me about an experience, I would listen with respect. But I'm one of those people who have to see it, to believe it. What I'm about to share with you is the very reason for my sudden shift in transition, turning me into a believer.

 I live in Florida and I was seventeen at the time. This was during the cold month of July. Florida in July meant it would be raining for the next few months. My friend's and I would usually hang outside, being adventurous and getting into trouble, but the rain forced us inside. I pride myself with the belief that I'm an upstanding guy. I receive good grades and behave myself for the most part. But my friend Dylan isn't the best influence on me and we are always together. Like literally, his parents kicked him out and he's been living with us for awhile.  I don't mind it though, he's my best friend. If it weren't for him I would be the same shy kid who kept to himself and never left the house. My parents, however, didn't see him in the same light. But they didn't have the heart to see him roaming the streets by himself.

My folks were gone and it was me, Dylan and Dylan's friend, Cameron, sitting on the couch inside, watching a really bad TV show. I didn't know Cameron that well, but he seemed like a pretty cool guy. Dylan had told me that Cameron scares easy, after Cameron got up to use the restroom. He's one of those people who jump at any noise and would get startled by you coming up behind him, saying hello. Then he told me about this incredible idea that he had. Only, it wasn't so incredible. He said that he knew of this place that's supposedly abandoned and creepy as hell. He claimed that he checked it out before with some of his friend's. "It's totally safe," he said. He told me that we should all go there and give Cameron a good scare. I tried to remind him that it was pouring rain outside and that it might not be such a good idea. But he's very... convincing. When Cameron came out of the bathroom, Dylan told him all about it, except he left out the part where he mentioned, creepy and abandoned, and instead replaced it with, "It's a cool hang out spot where we can do anything we want." Cameron said, "Okay, sounds cool to me." I had a moment to myself where I said, "Shit."

     We left my parent's house and followed Dylan to this "Awesome place." But it was already two hours of us walking on the sidewalk of busy streets, having huge pools of water splashed at us from one side of the road as cars passed by. Then above us as the wind pushed the rain, falling even harder on top of us. I was pretty pissed that it was taking this long. I was completely soaked and it felt like I was carrying twenty extra pounds of weight. I'm a pretty small guy and I didn't work out all that much. I remember asking Dylan if we were almost there. He said, "Yeah we're here now," and bolts across the street like a maniac into oncoming traffic and stops at this horrendous looking tree line, gated off by rusted iron fencing. "Over here," this idiot shouted. Me and Cameron looked at each other and gave one another the same look of confirmation that Dylan was insane. We, like normal sane people, waited for the traffic to die down, then we crossed. The first thing I noticed was the huge sign smack-dab on the center of the gate that said "No Trespassing." I looked around some more at my surroundings. The dense and ominous trees had me feeling queasy. It looked like something straight out of a horror film. It was raining so hard, I couldn't see very far. It gave the illusion that there were an infinite amount of trees blending in behind the scenery. I said to Dylan, "Please don't tell me that we have to go in there. You never said anything about the woods." Dylan just said, "Come on. It will be fun."

  We had to climb over the fence to get inside. Yeah, I know we weren't supposed to go in there but we came this far and I'm soaked, so I just wanted to get under something that could provide a roof over our head. Dylan said that the place was just down this awful looking stretch. The entire walk through the trail was so scary. I kept hearing weird ass noises that were so plainly out of the ordinary. The entire adventure getting here was just the sound of the rain, wind, cars passing by and water hissing as it fell to rest after the street settled. So these other noises I was hearing were easy to pick up. They broke the norm.

  Dylan was leading into the woods, I followed behind him and Cameron was behind me. We had to walk in this order because the trail was extremely narrow. It used to be dirt but now it's mud. My shoes sunk into the soil and I had to fight every step of the way to dig them out. One of the weird noises that had me anxious was coming from behind Cameron. I looked back several times, every single time I heard it and asked Cameron if he was alright. I know I was pretty freaked out, so I can only imagine how he would feel. Cameron looked like the sound didn't phase him. Either that or Dylan never told me that he was half deaf. Because it was so loud. It sounded like we had a fourth person walking behind us in line. The other noises I was hearing came from the depths of the clustered woods. It was like a whisper, bouncing off of the wet bark and splitting into my ears from all angles. I gained some comfort when I looked ahead at the horizon and saw a little beat up bunk house, barely bound to its fixture, protruding from the ground. We all picked up the pace and made our way towards it.

  The bunk house was actually a lot bigger than it appeared from a distance. It was super old and grainy. There was a silver dumpster bin resting against the front left side, on the outside wall. I don't know what was inside of it, but it smelt really bad. I had a guess that someone was probably sleeping here during the nights. Some of the wooden beams that were supposed to hold the property up were hanging loosely. This looked like a suicide mission. The inside of the bunk house was pitch black but I could see on the border of the door frame that a mossy plantation has been consuming the building. It was escaping out of every crevice. At this time the rain had turned into a sprinkle. It allowed me to look up and examine the building more without being pelted in my face. The point at which the roof top meets had been chipped away, creating a big enough hole for the rain to sink into the wood panels. I had a fear of this building crumbling down on us. It seemed so delicate, so fragile, maybe it's ridiculous to think our movement would cause a vibration that would be undoing. But if you saw the state of it, you might even question your safety in entering.

  Cameron said, "I'm not going in there. This looks like a damn witch house." Dylan reassured him. Letting Cameron know that he's been here before. "I know it looks rather rugged but nobody will find us out here. You think other people would actually walk in the rain to get here? They don't even know about it. Let's just go inside and get out of the rain and smoke this weed I brought." Oh great... more illegal stuff. At least he admits that we aren't normal. Cameron finally gave in and surprisingly, he was the first one to enter.  Dylan went in. Then I went it. It was massive inside and dark. There was just enough light coming in from the ceiling to see what was going on. It wasn't your typical bunk house. Normally, inside a bunk house, there are beds along both sides of the vertical walls, in the main room of the house. Just a big spacious room of beds. But this place had multiple rooms. Like a hotel. Dylan took us to the furthest room. He went in while Cameron and I waited for him to give us some room to follow. While Cameron and I waited in the lobby we both heard the sound of footsteps, coming up from behind us. Cameron screamed like a frightened child and pushed Dylan into the room, running in behind him. I was scared too but I felt like Dylan was messing with us, trying to scare Cameron. I was looking at where I heard the noise. There wasn't anything there. It felt more like Dylan playing a prank on us, myself included.

  "Nah man. I want to go. This place is freaky voodoo shit," said Cameron. Dylan found it amusing. He was laughing while trying to flick the light switch on. He stood there flicking it on and off. His stupid grin went away. He said, "Huh, this light was working when I came here last time. I can't see shit." He started reaching into his pocket. The room we were in was very dark and had only one bed and a window. I really didn't understand why I agreed to this. I told Dylan, "Alright, I don't really want to be here and Cameron sure as hell doesn't either. You got us good. Can we please lea..." I was interrupted by a loud bang coming from the main room. Cameron was jittering in place, saying, "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god." Even Dylan showed some fear saying, "Dude what was that?" As for myself, I instantly thought it was one of the wooden beams giving way. I mentioned before how they were hanging. Dylan's hand came out from his pocket, gripping his phone. It was really dark but my eyes adjusted a bit. Dylan shined the flashlight from his phone into the main room. At that same time, we all saw a black figure move across the door frame, from left to right. "Holy fuck! Turn it off," Cameron screamed. We all backed up towards the window.

  Dylan placed his hand over the light. The room was dark again. This time my eyes were a little blurry from the quick flash on Dylan's phone, they had to refocus. I couldn't see anything at this point. Then, all three of us heard the light switch flicking, on and off. This was very disturbing because both Cameron and Dylan were standing right beside me, breathing heavily. White noise filled my ears for what seemed like an eternity, along with the flickering of the light switch, increasing in speed. Cameron kept repeating, "We're gonna die." I was light headed. It felt like I had just ran a marathon. Dylan decided to act bold and once again, removing his hand from the light on his phone, shined it at the door. As soon as the light revealed the wall that the light switch was on, Cameron ripped open the screen window behind us and climbed out, without hesitating. We could see very clearly that there was no one standing there. But the light switch was rapidly flickering. Dylan screamed and he too climbed out of the window, but not before saying, "Run, run, run, run."

  I felt like I was being held in place. But I wanted to see this. I have to see this. I was engulfed by darkness again. By myself. The flickering stopped. I thought my heart did too. Then a very loud set of footsteps rushed towards me. That's when I turned around and started to climb out of the window. The top half of my body was hanging out of the window and everything below my waist was still helplessly hanging inside the room. I could see Dylan and Cameron miles ahead. They didn't look back. A chill crept up my spin at the thought of this... thing... grabbing a hold of me. I started thrashing about, kicking my legs, trying to wiggle myself over the window. A cold-hard-grip grabbed my ankle and stopped me from kicking. I pushed away with both of my legs and was released, falling head first into the mud. I got up and sprinted like my life depended on it. It did. I caught up to Dylan and Cameron about twenty minutes away. I was so happy that I escaped with my life that I wasn't even mad at them for leaving me. My hands were shaking all over as I tried to dial for my mom to come pick us up. I sometimes look down at my ankle and have flashbacks.