#anyway I’m working on a WH Oc but like. it’s hard to draw with our hand fucked up

[echoingkarma]

Sorry for existing publicly today it will not happen again ( < thinking about looking for more pictures of the comfort blorbos to reblog)

[inkedeye2345]

Got on the wrong foot pt.2

Rise Leo x OC

(I will not do a recap cause I’m a lazy little mother fcker)

warning: bad grammar,cursing,at some point blood

sooo yaaaa ciao anyways so pt.2 i don’t trust anyone but you…

oc/kyles pov: I have been hanging out with Leo a lot and he told me about his brothers they sounded weird but who am I to judge but it’s been 2 weeks that we see each other, I was in bed I looked at the mannequin on my chair but man how I wish i wasn’t so crazy

My phone got a message and I grabbed my phone and opened it (Not dating yet and hold your horses they just met you simp a-)

Neon Leon💙: hello mi amor

Kyle: what’s up Leo

Neon Leon💙: wanna come over ;)

I never told him I was in the foot clan or even seeing big mama or being adopted by shredder but i didn’t want to be mean until he started to spam me

Neon Leon💙: helloooo

Neon Leon💙: don’t leave me on read

Neon Leon💙: come on amor. Neon Leon💙: mi amor pls answer me

Kyle: sorry Leo

Kyle: but ya I would like to come over but at what time exactly?

Neon Leon💙: Like right now

my eyes widened a bit,I heard someone tap my window i face the window and open it I saw him with a smirk “hola mi amor” “Leo you could of at least let me change” he nods his head and gets inside I look at him with confusion “what are you doing” “I’m waiting” “for what” I raise a brow “you~” he runs his hand down his non existent hair “you’re not going to watch me change Leo” he looked at me and nods his head

he closed his eye and kept a smirk on his face I rolled my eyes and grabbed my clothes

as soon as i dressed up I brushed my hair it was pretty long (ay to what were you thinking) I look at Leo “you can open your eyes now” he opens his eyes and stares i wave my hand in front of his face “Leo…Leo…LEO!!!” He snaps out of it and draws his sword out as soon and he hears my yell “WH-WHA WHAT”

I look at him and burst out laughing (Leo’s pov: I hear her laugh it was nice to hear a laugh I smirk “ready to go amor” I see them calm down and then we’re on our way out

(time skip)

this was there first time now that I think about it it’s hard to keep there pronouns she goes by she/them but she never told me about her sexuality but my brothers think I’m gay mostly Donnie (this is my headcannon pls don’t judge) we got to the lair and I look at them there eyes widened I see Mikey hug me out of nowhere “Leooooo” “hey Miguel”

I see Raph and he glares at me then Kyle “heyyyy hermano que onda!” I say it with my classic grin “Leo you said you were going to go get pizza with April” I look at him as a sweat drops down “so hermano we can talk about this right”

(time skip)

kyle pov: Leo got in so beating but I met Mikey and Donnie they don’t make me comfortable Mikey is to touchy and annoying but nice and Donnie’s mean tells me to shut up and to smart i don’t understand shit “Kyle~ what are you doing~” “i thought you were going to practice~” “Kyle why don’t you trust me” “Kyle~” “Kyle~”. “Kyle!” I heard Mikey yell my name I looked at him and he had a look of concern “you’re crying you good” I lift my fingers to my cheek and looked at my fingers seeing the water

I look back at Mikey and nod my head and I backed away feeling uncomfortable i put my knees up to my face as I wrap my arms around my legs I see Leo sit next to me and he looks at me with a smirk I chuckle I only trust him…he’s different from other people well….mutants the ones that I work with are just cruel I snap out of my trance and smile at Leo I see him turn red for some reason and he looks away

(30 minutes later)

Mikey was getting really touchy and Raph was just so tall I back away trying to get away and see Donnie I felt like I was trapped “hey Kyle you like drawing right come in my room I have paint and posca markers and canvases” I started to get very uncomfortable “sorry I have to go” I run away trying to find Leo,I see a portal open and fall in front of Leo “oh hey Kyle” “hey Leo…” I hug him he wasn’t surprised I was always clingy but he knew something was wrong “you okay hermosa” i look up at him

I felt my hart bumping fast and idk why my face started to get red “am I to handsome and awesome for you amor?” I hear him say that with a smirk and I giggle “sorry…idk why I just don’t trust your brothers…” “maybe because you aren’t used to them yet” I nod my head “give it time…like me your handsome best friend” I giggle “with no bitches” his eyes widened and gasps dramatically “Kyle how could you after everything I did for you”

I giggle “sorry i didn’t mean it” he looks away dramatically like if he was en el rosa de Guadalupe “you meant it kyle I will never forget this day” (he’s not kidding you’ll see on one chapter 🤭😏) “fine then” I smirk and cross my arms “no more bagel bites or Totinos party pizza” he shot his head at me “WHAT!?!?” I started laughing “NO I WAS KIDDING MI AMOR!” I started wheezing “STOP LAUGHING THIS ISNT FUNNyyYyYyYyYyyYyYy!” “I’m kidding” I started dying of laughter

(time skip)

Leo told his brothers about me not trusting them Mikey and Raph started to apologize but Donnie he didn’t give a fuck so he just said “sorry…” and left I thought about leaving but Mikey asked for a goodbye hug i hesitated and put my arms out and he hugged me he was so small he was like 4’7 I was only 5’3 he just looked so small (I suck at math and size shit so don’t judge pls)

I looked at Raph and let go of Mikey and Raph just waved bye but I ran and jumped and I hung onto his neck and he hugged me back (I feel like Raph would give the best hugs)

(time skip)

I got to my apartment and opened the window and got in and looked behind me and see Leo with a smug look “a goodbye kiss” I roll my eyes and kissed his forehead “that’s all you’re getting…stay safe and don’t do stupid shit bye Leo” I close the window and close the blinds and I swore I heard Leo cheering I chuckled and thought I could trust them.

What could go wrong…?

(I hope you like this one cause it sounded cringey 😀👍 and I was inspired by the song treehouse by Alex G, Emily Yacina and if you want me to make a pt.3 or if you have any other requests go ahead and ask me okay god bless you beautiful people)

PREVIOUS NEXT

[factual-fantasy]

Got 20 more asks, with some art this time! :}

Thank you! I’m very glad you like the way I draw them!

As to how I draw their glasses or any tips I have.. I just draw them exactly the way the show draws them, except they’re more square than rectangle.

Some tips?

Eyebrows go over the glasses, always. The little line coming down in the center of the glasses touches where the eyes connect. The bottom of the lenses go right about to the middle of the nose. Don’t make them too big, leave room for the eyebrows and the forehead. Make sure the glasses peek over the edge of the face, but don’t make them too wide, leave room for the sideburns and skin by the glasses arms. The glasses arms go right above where the ear connects to the head.

I would suggest looking up some references, from both the show and from other artists. My way of drawing glasses aren't perfect, but clearly they’re decent because you wanted to know how I draw them XD

Just do some research, look up some screen shots and try to redraw them. Heck, even trace them. Eventually you’ll find a way of drawing them that you like, like I did. :}

Oh! Thank you!.. But uh.. polite pass. I don’t drink coffee.. ●﹏●;

Thank you, for everything you’ve said.

I don’t think I’m okay anymore. I’ve been trying so hard to get my old self back, but its just not working. My energy, my motivation, my smile, everything, its just all gone. I’m so overwhelmed with all this doubt and uncertainty that I just don’t now how to function anymore.

Drawing is the only thing in my life I work towards and care about, and I am not exaggerating. But I’m loosing it. I don’t know how to do it anymore. I feel like pieces of my brain are slowly rotting away or something. I just fell awful and escaping to my little imaginary world isn’t working anymore.

Its like all the life is just getting sucked out of me. Although my new job is helping, I don't know if that’s going to be the cure. Peoples opinion of me weighs down so heavily on my shoulders that I hide my true self away in shame. I’m so afraid of being hated or upsetting anyone that you don't even know my real name.

I don't know what to do anymore. My memory is certainly getting worse and I have absolutely no drive to do anything other than drawing what so ever, and even THAT is starting to fail. I must be broken, like a shattered mirror, but I’m missing some pieces and don't even have a way to glue them back together if I somehow find them again anyway, so why even bother looking for them?

I just don’t know what to do anymore. Getting this job better fix it.

Of course! ♡ඩᴗඩ♡

Except for Big Blue. He’s “that guy is huge and can literally kick me to the moon” sized.

My Decepticons? In my brain soup currently. I haven’t found the energy or the motivation to draw them yet. 

In the story? They’re all aboard the nemesis as far as I have decided.

I actually don’t drink any hot beverages.. I don’t drink coffee, I’ve never had tea and hot chocolate makes my stomach queasy. I don’t even really drink milk. or sodas or anything else. I just drink water, only water. That’s enough for me.

As for the characters though? Well let me think... let me split it onto categories.

Tea drinkers:

Brown Suburban

Ranger 

Coffee drinkers:

Honda

A.T.Dragster

Hot chocolate drinkers:

Jeepy

White Truck

Miata

Beluga

U.M.Dragster

Both tea and coffee drinkers:

Escort

Suburban

Vega

Volvo

Green Truck

All of the above:

Beluga

None of the above:

Red Van

Hot Apple cider vinegar:

Bash Buggy

The primary reason why Bash Buggy was freaking out is because he was just scooped up off the ground out of no where.

He’s basically legally blind, so he didn’t instantly go, “Oh this is fine its just Brown Suburban.” He just went

Not that I can remember.. But I have made some AUs and I made a little brown puppy a part of one of them, does that count?

I have never played any of them myself.. but I have watched others play them and I have always liked watching them freak out over FNAF 2.

I also like FNAF 2 because it has almost all of my favorite characters in it. :} 

I believe Ratchet would’ve had to inject the Synthetic Energon into himself when Volvo wasn’t around, because Volvo certainly would’ve stopped him if he was there. Even if it meant wrestling Ratchet to the ground to get that stuff out of his hand.

But sadly, Ratchet would have been completely infected by the time Volvo would have been around. He would’ve probably found Ratchet on the floor when Raf was trying to wake him up.

At first he’d think that he was hurt, or had that same “heart attack” thing like Escort did. He would panic and try to wake him. Ratchet would stir and groan about them being so noisy or something. When Ratchet sits up and looks Volvo in the eyes is when he’d see it.

Volvo’s entire demeanor would change, and he’d just look devastated.

“Ratchet... y.. you didn’t...“ Raf would look up and ask, “Didn’t.. what?”

Volvo would be so overwhelmed with the realization of what Ratchet had done, that he couldn’t even really respond to Raf.

I cant remember the episode very well.. but I believe as the episode progressed, Volvo would be constantly following Ratchet around. He knows that this stuff very dangerous because its incomplete, but he doesn’t know what its going to do to Ratchet.

He would try to get Ratchet to chill out when ever he’s about to do something stupid, and would’ve been there to try and reason with him when he wanted to fight Bulkhead.

He would’ve been there when Optimus and the gang confronted them. Ratchet might’ve shot some nasty comment Volvo’s way and Volvo would’ve been hurt, but he also would’ve gotten a lot more worried about Ratchet too. Getting that nasty comment really just confirmed to Volvo that Ratchet’s lost it. The Synthetic Energon has taken over and he worries about what might happen next.

When he heard about Ratchet getting hurt and bleeding out, he freaked out of course. Him and the other medics would’ve patched him up and Volvo would watch over him. He’d hover around nearby and check his vitals more often than is necessary.

After Ratchet woke up and had that chat with Optimus that I think I remember him having.. I feel like he would make a point to find Volvo and talk to him about it.

Volvo may be a younger medic, but he’s still tough. Thing’s don’t get to him as easily.. well, not normally.

But when Ratchet first woke up? The look on Volvo’s face spoke volumes. The way Volvo acted out of character and practically became glued to Ratchet was concerning. He wasn't reacting to the situation in the way Ratchet believed he would.

When he asked, Volvo would respond with something along the lines of,

“When I saw the color of your optics, I knew exactly what you had done. And it.. it frightened me.“ Volvo would begin to look saddened.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen and I.. I just.. I didn’t know how to help you..“ Volvo would look hurt, and like a child honestly. This tough little medic was genuinely struggling to cope with the situation. 

“I now realize that.. I didn’t truly understand just how dire our situation is.. “

Volvo would fiddle with his hands nervously for a second. 

“I understand why you took that risk, but still it hurts to know that you felt the need to walk into something that dangerous for the slight chance it might make things a little better..“

Essentially, Volvo didn't really fully know just how bad their situation is. And seeing his friend risk his life like that really got the point across like a kick to the gut.

They’d talk it over and get through it at the end of the day, but now Volvo has a new perspective of this situation, and of Ratchet.

Glad to hear I’m not alone in this! :}

Despite its controversy and my personal saltiness towards certain aspects of this series, I overall genuinely really did enjoy watching the Bayverse movies. All of them.

The Bumblebee movie was fantastic, and I like Transformers: Prime. But that’s it, just those three. :/

Thank you for all the compliments!! :> I will do my best to keep these things up!.. Even though its becoming rather difficult..

Thank you! I worked very hard on it! ♡(இ﹏இ`｡)♡.

SPEAKING OF VEGAS DESIGN!!--

As I am writing this, all 16 transformer ocs are getting a make over. (mostly Jeepy) So keep and eye on this post! Because if someone wants to use them for references, the post could suddenly change and the old designs will be outdated! 

Don’t be so shy! XD These asks are fun! :}

Now Bash Buggy.. he wouldn’t actually register what you just did if you kissed him on the cheek.

The protective plating on his face has been peeled back so if you kissed him on the cheek, you would sting him a little and you would get a little bit of Energon on your lips.

He’d wince and look at you like?? What was that?? He cant see the Energon on your lips so he wouldn’t put 2 and 2 together.

But if you told him that you just kissed him on the cheek, he’d then get so confused and flustered. Like, “I?? Wh-.. but-.. thanks?? Uh??”

[alice1290]

Read All About It - an Ace/OC fanfic - Chapter 8

Working on Kinktober prompts tonight. 9 more to go for my challenge! Wanted to post something, so enjoy!

If you haven’t caught on yet, a lemon will be somewhere below the cut. ;) 

*I’d also like to note, I wrote this bit before I ever read or saw any of the pieces with Ace and Tama together... and because I love those two together, here’s a gif before the chapter.

~~~

Ace gave the order, whispered and passed along the deck in the shadows of the early dawn. Don’t fight back. Now they were tied up, bound by rope, as the starving villagers raided their ship for food. The food they could replace, but being bound on the shore was embarrassing. Her dignity was taking a huge hit. They could have easily defeated the villagers, or at least defended themselves.

“Now what, Ace?” she asked, watching the last man stroll down the gang plank.

He grinned beside her and stretched his legs out in the sand. “Well, we reached land again.”

Ashina pressed her lips together, glaring at him. “You’re lucky I’m tied up.”

Ace laughed and eyed the villagers finishing the last of the food they had taken. “Can you get free?” he whispered.

“Yes.”

“Good. Don’t attack.” Seconds later Ace burned away his ropes, his whole body lighting on fire, before the flames were quickly extinguished. He stood and the villagers visibly shook in fear before him and the rest of the now free crew.

“Can I buy you dessert?” Ace asked with a big smile.

“Wh- what?” one man stammered.

A little girl, no more than six years old, with violet hair rushed out of the crowd. “Please don’t attack! We’re just hungry!”

Ace just grinned at her. “Where are we, little girl?”

The small girl gasped and looked up at Ace, her eyes wide. “Amigasa Village, in Wano Country.”

“Wano Country,” Ashina repeated. “Now the awful storms last night make sense.” She knew of Wano. Her mother had told her about Wano when Ashina begged for stories of the Grand Line when she was a little girl. Wano was her mother’s homeland.

Ace just gave her a big grin. “This island is nice, warm, sunny, we should stay for a bit. Relax.” Ace tossed an arm over her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple.  

Ashina rolled her eyes. “Well, we’ll have to gather supplies and repair the ship before we set sail again, anyway,” she muttered. “Fine.”

She was curious about the island, the people, her mother’s past, but she remembered the look in her mother’s eyes when she spoke of Wano and wondered if it was wise to go looking for answers, or family. Knowing they had disowned her mother, she wasn’t sure she even wanted to look for any remaining family.

“What’s your name?” Ace asked the little girl.

“O-Tama,” she said quietly.

“O-Tama, can you tell us if there’s an inn around?”

“Or a bar?” Ashina muttered, making Ace laugh.

.

.

.

Ashina cracked one eye open, the feeling of being watched disrupting her midafternoon nap. Deuce stood over her and Ace, who was still sound asleep, his back against the large tree they sat under.

“Comfortable?” Deuce teased.

Under the shade of the tree, seated between Ace’s legs and resting against his chest, with his arms draped around, her she was extremely comfortable. Kotatsu, the lynx, was stretched out against Ace’s leg, also asleep. She gave Deuce a grin and a muttered, “He’s warm.”

Deuce rolled his eyes. “Banshee was able to scrounge up some lunch. Wake the Captain so we can all eat.”

Hearing that food was ready Kotatsu jumped up to his feet and darted off toward where the others were camped. There was no inn in the Village large enough to hold all of them, so instead they had found a spot near the shore, under a grove of trees to make a camp. They could have slept on the ship, but this was a fun, different adventure.

Ace grumbled as Ashina pulled away from his embrace. “Ace.” Nothing. “Ace,” she repeated, louder, shaking his shoulder. Still he did not wake. “Ace.” Ashina rolled her eyes and reared back, punching him in the arm as she shouted his name. “Ace!”

Ace jolted awake with a start, wide eyes looking around until they landed on Ashina. “What? What? Are we under attack?”

Ashina chuckled. “No, Flame Boy. Lunch is ready.”

“Oi, food!”

.

.

.

“Ashina I’m not going to fight you.”

“It’s training, I’m not trying to kill you, well not really. You aren’t going to hurt me, Ace.”

“But I could. I’m fire and your… not,” he argued lamely.

“I can use Armament Haki, Ace. If you don’t spare with me this is going to be a pointless training session. I love our crew and they’re getting stronger, but Skull is only good at sword fighting, he’s easy for me to beat in hand to hand. You’re my best competition. I’m not going to hurt you, either.”

Ace balked. “Ashina…”

“I’m tired of debating. Defend yourself or don’t but here I come!” Ashina lunged the next second.

Ace blocked the strong left hook she threw and dodged her low kick. “Ashina! Hey!” Ace continued to dodge and block her blows, but didn’t fight back as she assaulted him.

After a few moments of defending, Ace gave up. “Alright fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Ashina gave him a cocky grin and prepared herself. They clashed together in the clearing trading blows and kicks. Ashina used the trunk of a tree to springboard off, her powerful blow missed his cheek and his arms wrapped around her. They crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Ashina managed to gain the upper hand for a split second and pinned him to the ground by sitting on his chest.

“You aren’t using your Devil Fruit.”

“I can fight without it, I did for almost eighteen years,” Ace said. He flipped them both over, pinning her by her shoulders to the ground. “You’re feisty.”

Giving him a smirk, she said, “Don’t relax, Flame Boy. Who said we were done sparring?”

Ashina used her legs to launch him away from her. Ace landed on his feet as she jumped up to hers. They stared at each other for a moment, breathing hard, the second Ashina moved forward Ace did as well. Their fists collided together and he threw a punch as she swung her leg hard into his side. She ducked his fist and swung around to land an elbow. Ace couldn’t block the blow, and she went threw him as he turned to fire.

“You’re fast,” he said as they broke apart.

“So are you.”

Ace lunged and they traded kicks and blows. They used the landscape of the rocks and trees around them to their advantage, sparing in the air for a few seconds before they continued to trade blows, kicking up grass and dirt as they moved.

They both paused, breathing hard and eyeing their opponent. Clapping came from their left and they both turned to see little Tama standing several yards away.

“You’re so good!” she exclaimed as they straightened. She ran over to them and stared with wide eyes up at Ashina. “I’m training to be a Kunoichi, too! You’re amazing!”

Ace raised his eyes. “Kunoichi?” Ace laughed. “Ashina’s a Revolutionary.”

Ashina laughed as Tama looked confused. “But..”

Ashina ruffled her violet bangs playfully. “My mother was a Kunoichi. She taught me how to fight.”

Tama’s eyes and grin widened. “So cool! I want to become strong and go on an adventure! I want to be a powerful Kunoichi! I’m in training now! Will you train me?” Tama asked, excitement in her eyes.

“While we’re here we can train with you,” Ace said, drawing Tama’s eyes to him. He gave her a big, childish grin. “But, if we teach you to fight what can you teach me?”

Tama was thoughtful for a moment before she beamed a big grin up at Ace. “I know how to weave a kasa! I can teach you!”

Ace laughed and squatted down to be eye level with the little girl. “Deal.”

Ashina smiled as she watched Ace hold out his hand. The little girl looked at him with big, awed eyes, and then beamed as she put her little hand in his and he shook it.

.

.

.

Ashina was surprised how good Ace was with children. He was as taken with Tama as the little girl was with him. They played all day, a mixture of fun and training. She was a smart little girl, and she had a strong will and a big dream. Ashina thought of her mother and remembered training with her. Her mother had been a strict teacher, but she was loving, and it showed in the way she trained Ashina, making sure she was strong and able to protect herself.

Tama’s laughter rang out over the water and Ashina was brought out of her daydreams. Tama sat perched on Ace’s shoulders, as the pair strolled down the beach. In the shadows and fading light from the sun, Tama’s violet hair was darker. With big smiles on their faces, they could have been related; brother and little sister or father and daughter.

Ashina shook that random thought away. They were much too young for children and their lifestyle would never allow for such a thing. Her own father had not wanted to take her to sea for the year she had traveled with him, and she was thirteen then. A small child, a baby, on the sea would be unreasonable. It was much too dangerous, especially with Fire Fist’s reputation and bounty. Besides, the way Ace despised his father and his own bloodline, Ashina had doubts that the young man would even want to pass that on to another generation.

She couldn’t help but daydream about it though, and wondered if all women eventually dreamed up imaginary children with their lover. She could easily picture them. A little girl with black hair and green eyes, or a little boy with ruby hair and Ace’s gray ones. Either wouldn’t be complete without Ace’s freckles.

“Oi! Ashina!”

Ashina snapped out of her daydream to see Ace and Tama jogging toward her spot on the sand. Tama plopped down beside her with a big grin. “Tomorrow Ace-san is going to try learn to weave a kasa. Do you want to learn too, Ashina-san?”

“Sure.”

The little girl grinned as Ace sat down in the sand beside Ashina.

“It’s getting late, Tama,” Ace said, “Shouldn’t you be getting home?”

“Won’t your parents worry?” Ashina asked.

Tama didn’t frown, but her smile disappeared. “It’s just me and Hitetsu, he’s my master. He takes care of me and protects me!” she said fondly. “He won’t worry about me, though.”

Tama yawned and laid down on her back, resting her head on Ashina’s thigh. “I’m an orphan,” she said suddenly. “Did you know your mother, Ashina-san?”

“Yes,” Ashina said, smiling gently down at the girl. She brushed her fingers over her forehead, sweeping the violet bangs out of her eyes.

“Will you tell me about her? What did she look like? Did she have your hair?”

Ashina chuckled. “No. My father passed down his hair color. I have my mother’s eyes though, and my Papa says I look like her when she was my age. My mother had dark hair, like Ace’s, though maybe not quite so black. She was strong, a fierce, powerful Kunoichi.”

“She was from Wano then? Did you live on the Grand Line?”

Ashina tried to hide her sadness as she thought of her mother, but she smiled at Tama. “She was born here in Wano, yes, trained to be a Kunoichi just like you are, but she and I lived in the West Blue.”

“Is she still there?” Tama asked softly.

Ashina could feel Ace’s eyes on her as she answered. “No, Mama died when I was thirteen.”

“I’m sorry,” Tama whispered.

“Me too, but it’s okay. I sailed with my Papa and then I made new friends. I know my mother is watching over me as I make my own adventure.”

Tama sat up, gave Ashina a tight hug, and then scrambled over Ashina’s lap to crawl into Ace’s. Her little arms wrapped around his torso and her chubby cheek pressed against his chest. “What about you Ace-san?”

“I’m an orphan like you, Tama, although I do have two adoptive brothers.”

The little girl was starting to drift off, no doubt lulled to sleep from the warmth of Ace’s internal fire and the exhaustion of her busy day. “Will you be my big brother, too, Ace-san?”

Ace grinned down at Tama, patting her head gently. “Sure, O-Tama.”

When Ashina leaned in to place a kiss to his cheek, Ace looked at her with wide eyes. “You’re cute, Ace-san,” she whispered.

Ace gave her a big, boyish grin and Ashina giggled. “We should move off the sand, high tide will be rolling in soon.”

Ace gathered the little girl in his arms, who was now completely asleep, and easily stood. Ashina made a pallet of blankets for the girl beside the fire and Ace laid her down before covering her with the blanket Ashina handed him.

“Kotatsu, keep an eye on Tama,” Ace said, taking Ashina’s hand.

The large cat padded over to the girl and curled up next to her mat. Ashina smiled fondly at the sight of the violet haired girl and the lynx curled around her, before Ace pulled her away to their private tent.

.

.

.

Ace pulled Ashina closer, so she laid firmly against his chest, and ran his fingertips down her spine. She was quiet, ever since they came into the tent after talking to Tama, Ashina was… she was somewhere else. At least her mind was, and Ace wanted her to talk to him.

“Ashina… was your mother really from here? Do you have family here?” Ace asked softly.

She was quiet for a long moment before she rose up to look at him. “She was from Wano, born here, raised here, trained here to be a Kunoichi. She was going to work for the Kozuke family, who used to rule over Wano Country.”

“What happened?”

“She met my father. Wano was different then, Mama said, so Papa stayed, he was building his own crew then, and wanted her to join because she was so skilled. She turned him down. Over and over, Papa said, but he didn’t give up. Papa… I know my father holds no true romantic love for my mother, not the kind that would ever tie him down, he loves the sea, loves being a pirate, but they shared something. Whenever he came to visit us he always took care of Mama, he made sure we wanted for nothing, but then he was gone again.”

“Why did she leave Wano? You said you were raised in the West Blue, that’s where Shanks is from.”

Ashina hummed in agreement. “Yes. Papa was raised on the same island I was. It’s a nice little island, warm most of the year, mild winters.”

“Just your kind of weather,” Ace teased. He brought a hand up to brush her jaw before he pushed back a strand of her hair.

Her fingers traced his freckles and her eyes looked down at his chest to watch the movement of her fingers. “Mama found out she was pregnant. Her family disowned her, the dojo, everyone… they exiled her. They saw her pregnancy as a disgrace to all of her hard work, to herself. Kunoichi’s are trained to have self-control over their urges: hunger, tiredness, anger, desire. An unplanned pregnancy, and when she admitted it was with a young pirate, was the greatest shame.

“Papa took her away. He never said how he managed to leave the Grand Line, to turn around and take her away, but he did. She left with him willingly, and that’s all I know. Mama didn’t like to talk about it. I’m sure I must still have some sort of family left, one grandparent if not both, but I doubt they would want to see me. I don’t want to see them. They turned their back on her, their own daughter. How could they do that?” Her voice cracked.

Ace tightened his arm around her waist as he pressed his lips to her forehead. “I don’t know, Ashina. They sounded like horrible people.”

He brushed away the tears she didn’t know had spilled from her eyes with his thumbs. Ashina tried to give him a small smile. “Mama talked of fond memories of growing up, and she always promised me that no matter what had happened to bring her to the West Blue, she loved me more than anything in the world.”

Ace kissed her forehead again and tried to change the subject to brighten her mood. “You also said you sailed with Shanks. Did you really sail on his ship for a year?”

Ashina’s smile grew instantly and she nodded. “Yes. It made Papa a nervous wreck for the whole year until he finally took me to Baltigo. It was incredible.”

“Made you want to be a pirate deep down, didn’t it?” he teased.

Ashina laughed and pecked his nose in a quick kiss. “Maybe, but training with the Revolutionary Army was fun too. I learned a lot from them, grew stronger.”

“Didn’t I tell you before that you looked like a pirate?” he teased her again.

Ashina rolled her eyes. “That was because of my hair.”

“You’re a pirate now, Missus Spade.”

She stopped tracing patterns on his chest and jabbed a finger playfully into his ribs. Ace shifted, trying to move away from her jab, and they laughed together.

“It’s your fault I have a bounty.”

Ace held up a finger. “No. It’s the Marines’ fault. I didn’t start that fight. They did.”

“Because they recognized you.”

Ace shrugged. “The future Pirate King should be recognizable.”

Ashina grinned and leaned up to press her lips to the corner of his mouth. “Whatever you say, Ace.”

.

.

.

The day was warm as they strolled through the sparse market of Amigasa Village. Ace’s hand was holding hers, their fingers intertwined together as they weaved their way through the crowd. Ashina quelled the urge to tell Tama, who was running in front of her and Ace, to slow down. This was her village after all, and she was still within sight. She was fond of the little girl, and so was Ace, who easily accepted that he was now Tama’s big brother. The crew even seemed to keep a watchful eye out for the little girl when she was around.

The little girl was going to be heartbroken when they left. Deuce, Pinnacle, and Wallace had finished repairing the Spadille yesterday. The log pose had reset weeks ago, and whenever Ace said to set sail they would leave Wano and head deeper into the New World.

Tama wanted Ace and Ashina to meet Hitetsu, which was why they were on a midday adventure into the Village. The little girl had spent all of her time with them since seeing them training together in the forest, and Ashina was sure Tama’s master was worried for her, even if Tama assured her he wasn’t.

Ashina grinned as the little girl turned around to ensure they were still following her. Ace gave a big smile and a wave. Ashina’s smile fell away as Tama’s sandal caught on a rock. The little girl stumbled into a well-dressed man who sneered down at the little girl. Ashina surged forward as his hand raised, her arms wrapped around Tama’s little body, shielding her with her own as the man’s fist came down. It slammed into her shoulder blade. Ashina had been hit harder, but she still flinched under his heavy hand and Tama screamed.

There was no time to draw her katana before a fiery fist sent the man sailing across the street and crashing into a building. Ace scooped up Ashina, who held onto Tama, and took off running.

“Which way, Tama?”  

The little girl opened her eyes and shouted, “Turn left!”

Ace easily outran the few townspeople chasing them, but skidded to a stop at the sight of the large man standing in the middle of the street.

“Hitetsu!” Tama shouted happily.

“What are you doing with O-Tama?” The man gripped the hilt of his large sword and Ace quickly set Ashina on her feet.

Tama jumped out of Ashina’s arms and in front of them. “Hitetsu-sama, they are my friends! Ashina-san saved me from the mean man in the market and Ace-san ran away with us after punching the man. Ace-san is a fire-man Hitetsu! And Ashina-san is a Kunoichi, who’s really a Revolutionary pirate!”

Hitetsu eyed them suspiciously and then smiled at Tama. “Friends of yours, eh? Well, come on inside then.”

.

.

.

The only sounds that filled the air was the gentle breeze blowing through the trees and crickets chirping. The stars lit up the night sky. Ace traced patterns like constellations across the smooth skin of Ashina’s naked back. He traced the outline of the spade on her shoulder and then placed a kiss to the dip in her spine. She smelt like she always did, citrus and saltwater, as he trailed his nose up her spine, leaving teasing kisses on her skin. He brushed her hair completely over one shoulder, exposing the other. His fingers were gentle over the bruise the man had left on her skin, but flames licked at his back as he remembered the sight of Ashina being struck.

He had seen her fight before, and she always defended herself. Never had he witnessed her willingly let someone strike her. She had rushed to protect Tama from the blow, taking the impact herself. Ace had seen red at that point and was lucky he didn’t kill the man, although he still wanted too.

Ashina shifted under his touch, bringing him back to the present, and he nipped the curve of her shoulder before covering the bite with a wet kiss. “I didn’t like seeing you get hit,” he whispered in her ear.

The crew were all asleep, some in deep, drunken slumber complete with heavy snores, several yards away. Ace and Ashina were still laying on a blanket outside their tent. She shifted, turning to face him, and his hand slid over her hip, gliding across the small of her back to draw her in closer. Her fingers connected the freckles that were scattered across his chest and she pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat.

Tilting her head back she caught his eyes. “I’m okay. Tama is okay, I was worried about her. I was so angry when he raised his hand to strike her.”

“I wanted to kill him for striking you. No one will ever put their hands on you,” Ace swore before kissing her.

She was his and no one would ever lay their hands on her. Only he could touch her, and Ace wouldn’t dare hurt her. He needed her, and when she deepened the kiss, moaning softly against his mouth, he knew she needed him too.

Ace rolled to lay on top of her, shifting to rest between her thighs. He kept his weight off her with one arm pressed into the blanket covered ground near her head. The sundress she wore made it easy for Ace to slide his fingers up her bare thigh. The dress bunched as he ventured higher. She gasped as his fingers brushed over her breast and broke away from his mouth.

“Ace.”

He caught her green eyes and gave her a mischievous grin. “I learned from my mistakes the other day. I have a condom this time.”

Ashina giggled, but shot back. “You enjoyed yourself still.”

Ace groaned quietly, lips pressing against the curve of her shoulder as he remembered the feel of Ashina’s mouth around his cock. He rocked against her, letting her feel how hard he was right now, and she moaned, nails biting into his back at the sensation. Her fingertips trailed down his back and then back up his ribs. She curved her hands over his shoulders and then tangled one into his hair.

She tugged on the strands as she rolled her hips, grinding against him. Leaning up, she pressed her lips to his in a heated kiss. Ace swept his tongue over her bottom lip and then delved into her warm mouth. He warmed up his touch and ran his fingers back down her torso, gliding under the band of her panties before dipping between her thighs. He swirled his fingers around her entrance, coating her in her wetness before slowly sliding one finger inside her. She was velvet and warm and wet and it was this touch that made him wish they didn’t have to use condoms. The idea of getting her pregnant kept him from giving in to the fantasy of feeling her slick walls bare around his hard cock.

Ashina rocked against him and nipped his jaw. He caught her teasing smile and bright eyes. “Come back to the now, Flame Boy,” she whispered.

“I’m here,” he said, sliding a second finger into her and stroking that one spot deep inside her that always made her scream.

The sound was muffled by his shoulder as she pressed her lips to his warm skin. He withdrew his fingers then, wasting no more time, and sat up on his haunches. Her panties were the first thing removed, tossed over his shoulder, before he tugged open his belt. Ashina watched with hooded eyes as he opened his pants far enough for his cock to spring free. Ace fished the condom out of his pocket and opened it with ease. Ashina plucked it from his fingers and he watched with heated eyes as she rolled it down his length, squeezing his base in her hand.

Ace continued to watch as she guided his head between her slick folds. She used him to pleasure herself, sliding his cock up and down her slit. Ace groaned and jerked his hips forward, slipping inside her warmth.

“Ah.”

He slanted his mouth over hers, swallowing her moaned gasp as he pulled back and then glided into her again, sliding a little further. He rocked, going slow, until he was fully seated inside her. They both groaned and Ashina tilted her head back. Ace trailed wet kisses down the column of her throat, while her hands slid from his hips up his back. Her legs wrapped around his waist, swirling her hips to grind against him. They both moaned softly and Ace set a slow pace, enjoying the soft moans and gasps she made. Her breasts were pressed to his chest and their bodies were quickly becoming slick with sweat as they moved together.

It wasn’t long before she was starting to shake beneath him, her thighs quivering and her fingers digging into his shoulders. He turned his head, meeting her lips and her tongue slid across his. Ace slid his free hand down to her hip and then back up to caress her. She was clinging to him as he thrust into her. She moaned and broke awake from his kiss. Her lips peppered across his cheek before she licked the shell of his ear.

“Faster, Ace,” she whispered.

Ace complied and moaned softly, echoing her cry that she muffled into the curve of his shoulder. He could feel her clench around him, and then she was coming undone, toppling over the edge of ecstasy and bringing him with her. Her tight, slick heat contracted around him over and over as she moaned. He could feel the vibrations against his skin. He knew she was trying to be quiet since they were out in the open. Ace didn’t give a damn at the moment and moaned loudly as he released, his thrusts faltering for a split second. He slowed, lifting his head and pressing his lips to hers.

He peppered her face with kisses as he stilled, smiling as she giggled softly. Reluctantly he got to his feet to dispose of the condom and situate himself before returning to stand over her. She had fixed her dress, lest anyone wake up and see her, but was otherwise still stretched out on the blanket. She looked good in the moonlight, but Ace didn’t want to sleep in the open. Morning sex would definitely need the cover of privacy in their tent.

Ace bent and scooped Ashina into his arms. She stirred, wrapping her own arms around his neck, head tucking under his chin. Ace carried her to their tent, ducking inside. He laid her on their mat and stretched out beside her. He brushed her hair away and then pressed a kiss to the fiery spade on her shoulder. Seconds later he was asleep.

.

.

.

Tama’s laughter rang out in the open air as Ace set another kasa on fire. It was all on accident. He would get frustrated and the thing would burst into flames. Tama thought it was hilarious.

“Start over, Ace-san. Ashina is a natural!”

Ashina sniggered as Ace scowled, and Aggie and Mihar outright laughed at Ace.

“Ace, I want to sail with you a become a pirate!” Tama exclaimed.

“Tama, you’re five years old, aren’t you?” Ace asked.

She nodded and Ace smiled at her. “We’ll come back here when our pirate crew is even bigger.”

“Then will you lemme join your crew when you return?” Tama asked eagerly.

Ace nodded. “Pirates have to be strong! If you’ve become an enchanting Kunoichi by the time we come back… we’ll take you with us!”

Ashina giggled and Mihar laughed as he playfully scowled at his captain. “Ace! Does she really have to be enchanting?”

Ashina laughed, but smiled fondly as she watched Tama light up with excitement. “Then, it’s a promise!”

She jumped up front her spot next to Ace and said. “I’ll become the strongest Kunoichi ever!”

.

.

.

“Promise you’ll come back?” The little girl’s lip waivered as she tried not to cry.

“Of course!” Ace said, ruffling Tama’s hair. “You promised to become the strongest Kunoichi, and you’ll be a Spade pirate.”

“I’ll train extra hard!” Tama added and then wrapped her arms tightly around Ace’s legs.

He pulled her away and then squatted down to be eye level with her. “Good. Be careful, Tama, until we meet again.” Ace pulled her in to a hug then and the little girl threw her arms around his neck.

Tears welled in her eyes and she sniffled, but didn’t cry. Ace grinned down at her. “My little brother, Luffy, is a crybaby. Good to see my little sister is tough.” Ace ruffled her hair again and then tossed his arm around Ashina’s shoulders. “Bye, Tama!”

“Bye, Ace-san, Ashina-san!”

Ace gave orders as they set sail, but he stood and waved goodbye to the violet haired little girl until she disappeared from their sight.

“Where to next?” Ashina asked as she leaned into his side.

She could feel his lips press into her hair before he turned to look at the horizon. “Where ever the journey takes us. I’ll get stronger, and become the strongest pirate in the world.”

“Take Whitebeard’s head?” She remembered the words he’d spoken to her father about his goals. She didn’t mock him, merely questioning if that was still one of them.

“When we meet him on the adventure. Do you trust me?” he asked.

She didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

[iamwhelmed]

Win One, Have Two: Chapter 6

*rubbing hands together* Oh boy, I’ve been waiting for this one for awhile. If you’ve read some of my other fanfic, you might be familiar with the OCs introduced in this chapter ;) (I’ve been waiting for FOREVER to say that!) Anyway, hope you guys enjoy! Thanks for reading!

On AO3

On Fanfiction.net

“You’re insane!” Spender sighed. As a friend of Mina Zarei’s, for most of his life, he’d expected her to, well, “go off” on him, and he’d known what he was getting himself into when he called her and asked to meet immediately. That didn’t necessarily make handling her any easier. “Taking the train out of Mayview right now? It could take weeks to find your student! Maybe months!” She paced in circles around the street corner they’d met at, waving her arms around as she spoke. “And even if it doesn’t, I could manage all of two trips passed the barrier! A third trip if we’re feeling unimaginably lucky! And there are other agents, of much higher priority, that need to enter and exit this town!”

“I’m well aware. I’ll return the children home once the weekend is over. Should we not find Isaac by then, I’ll continue searching on my own. My mission is to save him, we can wait to find a way to bring him home.”

Zarei fell silent beside him. He exhaled and watched the cold of the air turn his breath to a white, rounded cloud, then tugged his scarf over his mouth. The temperature was beginning to drop in their neck of the woods, and it only worried him more. Bleeding? Wounded? And freezing? How could I let this happen…

“Fine. I will offer my assistance this once, and just this once.” Zarei scoffed and mumbled something under her breath, expression of disbelief along with some choice curse words, he thought he might have overheard. “You’d do well to keep in mind that Isaac O’Connor left Mayview of his own volition, Richard. He wasn’t kidnapped.”

His eye twitched. “He couldn’t have gotten outside the city alone.” He turned his sharp eyes on her, and she squinted back at him. “For all we know, somebody else left the note.”

Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped before it became firm, teeth grinding together. “You-- I know you are not insinuating--!”

“You just seem awfully intent on keeping me behind this barrier! Why would you have reason to be so darn difficult if you weren’t the one who aided in his escape!”

She leveled him with a glare, nose scrunching, corner of her lip curling like it was shriveling. Her aura swayed over her head, over her shoulders, but he remained unyielding, yellow creeping off of his skin. She seemed to think about something, he saw the thought process bubbling by like boiling water, before it evaporated, along with her aura. Her hands fell limp at her sides, and she shook her head. “I’m merely keeping our runaway in mind. That boy is no weakling, and he doesn’t want to be found. Experience or not, you’ll gain injury bringing him home.”

Spender deflated. His aura dissipated, and the tenseness, like bricks, over his shoulders crumbled away, along with the anger, the suspicion. He frowned at her, brows furrowing. “I’m sorry. I should have known you were only worried for my safety.”

She scoffed, and he couldn’t tell if the blush of her skin was a result of the cold air, or the natural wall of his old friend Mina Zarei. “Who says I was worried? You’re merely a patient, and it is my professional code to prevent and repair any harm that may come to you.” She sighed, and shrugged that conversation off. “You don’t need to apologize.Your paternal instincts have rushed you into a blind panic.” Spender hoped Zarei gave his colored skin the same cold-air excuse he’d given her, but he knew he felt heat rising to his face.

“Wh-what? Whatever do you mean?”

Zarei chuckled, readjusting her scarf so that it covered more than just the skin of her lower collarbone. She was smiling at him, sardonically, and that always meant trouble for him. “You’ve never been one to take a job leasuriley. Your intentions were never those of a mentor.”

He winced, and tugged at the collar of his heavy jacket.

Isaac stirred at the sunlight spilling in between two semi-closed curtains.

He should have had a headache, or at least a sore spot at the back of his skull, what with the blow to the head and all, but it was resting against what felt like a fluffy feathered pillow-- like the one he had at home. His eyes, that had been squinting at the light of the window beside the bed he laid upon, opened fully. Home? He couldn’t have been home? I’ve gotta--! He tried to raise one hand to his head, and found his mind was far more awake than his body; his fingers twitched, but his arm wouldn’t move. The near-constant nausea he’d been experiencing was but an extremely unpleasant memory, and the damp bandages that’d covered his body were completely dry, or maybe they were brand new? How long had he been out?

Isaac took a deep breath and urged his body to sit up. To his relief, it listened, and with will alone, he pressed the palms of his hands to the bed and raised his chest from the mattress.

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.”

He jumped, falling back against the bed with a yelp. He nibbled on the inside of his bottom lip, turning his head cautiously to the door at his right. A girl stood at the threshold, leaning against the wooden paneling as she tapped the butt-end of her pencil against a clipboard. His first thought was that she was a nurse, and that he was in a hospital of some sort-- but that didn’t fit. She wasn’t in the normal nurse scrubs, she wore no gloves, and he was sure the pleated skirt she was wearing wasn’t hospital-safe-attire. The biggest giveaway, more than her casual state of dress, was her age; she couldn’t have been any older than him, actually.

Her eyes drifted from the board to him, almost teasingly, if he was reading her smile correctly. “You had three different infections in your abdomen, arm, and eye, not to mention food poisoning, and you were halfway to death’s door when we found you. Blood loss and all that…” She set the board on the desk at the side of the door in stride, and approached him like he was an old friend, not a stranger. He instinctively curled up, pulling his body away from that side of the bed. She took a small pen out of her pocket, twirling it between her fingers before flicking on the light at the end. She held it over his eye, which he was just noticing was unbandaged, and he shut it. “Ah, ah! Don’t do that. I need to see. Open.” He didn’t know why, but he listened, and she took his chin in her free fingers and pulled the light back, and then pressed it closer. “You nearly lost your eye, ya know. Be thankful ya didn’t, you were awfully close to it.”

He resisted the urge to blow a raspberry at her. “Who are you?”

Satisfied with whatever it was she saw, she tucked the pen away. “Oh, whoops. Yeah, guess I should have said something earlier. Sorry, dramatic effect and all.” She gave him a smile, less teasing and more friendly. She smiled at him the way someone would had they been assigned partners for a science project, the way someone would smile if they were being introduced by a mutual friend. She held out a hand to him, nails suspiciously manicured for somebody who treated wounds… assuming she was, actually, responsible for his care. When he hesitated to respond, she reached out and took his hand in her own and shook it. “I’m Clara Appleby. Fellow spectral and nurse-in-training!”

Wait. Fellow spectral?

Isaac snatched his hand away, heart plummeting in his chest like she’d tied an anchor to it in a sea of- of-- fear, panic, paranoia. “Wait, how did you--? Does that mean you’re going to--?”

“Confine you to the bed for a few day’s rest?” She shrugged. “Whatever is best for your wounds which, by the way, are now wrapped correctly.”

He swallowed hard. Did that mean the woman from before was an agent of whatever secret gathering Spender had been a part of? Was she sent to capture and return him? No. It had to have been a coincidence. There’s no way I’m important enough for that…

“Was there” he leaned up a little further, enough to draw Clara’s eye, but not enough to warrant a scolding finger in his face. “Was there a woman involved? A woman who-- who found me? I remember--”

Clara was nodding before he could even finish, cupping one hand over her mouth.

“MISS ROSE!”

“-- a woman?”

His hands were on his ears even as the last words left him, and soon after, the booming sound of footsteps came clamoring to the door. Then she was there, bending over the doorway, heaving, the last face he remembered. Her leather jacket was falling off her shoulders, leaving one string of her purple tank up and one falling down the side of her arm. She had one hand on the hinge of the door and the other on her bare knee, and she looked exacerbated. “Clara, don’t you do that unless it’s an emergency!”

Clara shrugged. “Hey, new kid woke up! Said he wanted to see you.” She gave him another wave and parted through the door, the woman-- Miss Rose-- sliding in as she slid out.

Things were silent for a moment, and Isaac took that time to observe his surroundings, since this was, decidedly, not his bedroom (thank goodness). The walls were olive green, very different from the pale blue of his wallpaper. The room was small, and only fit the bed he was in, a glass-door cabinet-- filled with varying medicines, bandages, ointments…) at the foot of it, and a desk to the side, but it was homey, comfortable. He would have taken a glance out the window, but that would have required sitting up more, and he had a feeling, if the dull pain in his stomach was any indication, that to do so would mean a world of pain.

The woman-- again, Miss Rose, he probably should remember that-- looked to him, crossing her arms casually across her chest, using a hand to brush a strand of raven silk out of her face. “So, how ya feeling, kid? Isaac, right? I’ve seen you on the news--”

“You work for the people Spender works for, don’t you?”

Miss Rose seemed startled, she blinked, then snorted. “Richard Spender? No. Gross. Actually, I’m with a group called the Cousinhood. Heard of ‘em?”

“No…” Isaac turned away from her, setting one hand in his lap, at legs that still felt so tired and so weak, and the other at his wrist. “What’s the difference?”

“Well,” she came over to sit at the foot of his bed, crossing her legs, though her body was twisted to face him. “The people you’re talking about are the Consortium.” She set one hand at his leg, just above his foot, and he moved like she’d burnt him. He expected a look, a change in expression-- irritation? Disappointment maybe? She only smiled and retracted her hand. “Anyway, the people I work for don’t usually… like those people. But we coexist most of the time.”

Okay, so if she doesn’t have a reason to know who I am, then--? “How did you know I was a spectral?”

“I saw your aura when those police cars passed by.”

Oh. Isaac bit down on both his lips, red tingeing his cheeks. Miss Rose chuckled, and whatever embarassment he felt before skyrocketed well passed acceptable levels. He hated being in the activity club because of this exact feeling. Seemed he couldn’t escape it. Still, even if he didn’t end up in a hospital, or at home, surrounded by cops and paparazzi, he’d still be found, and by a spectral no less. The situation was just as bad as it had been before, except he’d been presumably stitched up, so physically, he supposed he was in a better position than he might have been before. “So, are you taking me back to Mayview?” He might have had a chance if he had to fight, at least a better one than he would have had fighting her earlier. He balled his hands into fists, legs tensing under the covers; he had to be ready to move.

Miss Rose hummed, placing one contemplative finger under her chin. “Well, that’s probably a good idea, as not taking you back may just add fuel to fire with the whole unspoken war we’ve got going on,” Isaac grimaced and shut his eyes tightly, he’d have to fight her “-- but who the heck cares? I mean, you ended up here for a reason, didn’t ya?” Wait, what? He turned his wide eyes on her, and when she reached out to pat his head with a smile, he let her. Her touch was soft, kind, warm like a mother’s. He’d forgotten what that felt like, to feel a hand that gentle on his head. His nose twitched, and Miss Rose tittered to herself. “Well, I should go help Crawford with dinner. He gets so pouty when he has to do it all himself. Come join us when you’re ready! I’ve got some people I want you to meet.”

He wasn’t wearing the jeans, shirt, or jacket he had been the day he left Mayview (for good reason, probably, they were covered in blood and worse), and when he glanced down at the blue button-up nightshirt and pants, it was odd to think about complete strangers undressing and dressing him-- even weirder to think about a girl doing it, if Clara had any part in piecing him back together. He’d stayed in bed for another hour or so, just laying there, resting. He wondered if they’d found his cellphone in his back pocket, and if they had a charger for it at all. It was silly, but some part of him still felt the urge to check the web for the latest episodes of an anime or two he’d picked up the weeks before he’d taken off. He’d missed an entire month of episodes, after all. Something cool might have happened.

It was the smell of dinner that gave him the will to get out of bed. He smelled pepper, and garlic, and cheese, surprisingly, thankfully, no meat. He didn’t know how to politely decline after all these strangers had done for him, turning his nose up at hospitality might have been hard. His stomach was growling at him, at he was reminded that he still hadn’t eaten anything for two days, let alone how long he might have been out. For all he knew, it’d been far longer than just two days. “Okay, c’mon Isaac, you can do this.” He took a few deep breaths, then pushed himself up off the bed. His abdomen was screaming at him, dull pain becoming heavy. He fought against it, squeezing his eyes shut as he pulled up, pulled forward. Eventually he came to a seated position, legs hanging over the side of the bed. There were slippers he hadn’t noticed before, and he gratefully placed each foot in either one.

He left the room and looked to both sides, finding that, to the right, there was more of a hallway to explore, one door across the hall from him, one to his right, and then another diagonal to that room at the very end of the hall. To his left was a twisting staircase and, if his nose was correct, that was the way to the kitchen. He placed one hand on the wall and took careful steps toward the stairs, taking in the decoration around him. The walls were a mustard yellow, but the paneling was wooden and white and polished. There were no pictures or paintings to speak of, but there was a coffee table with a neat vase, filled with a single lily, jutting out the top, alongside a picture frame of what appeared to be Miss Rose-- younger, his age. She was grinning to the camera with her arm around a tan boy, who seemed less than pleased to be snapping a picture. Between them, there was a smaller girl, still his age, but she seemed to-herself, bookish maybe. Wide-rimmed, rounded glasses did that to a person. It was the only picture in his line of sight.

He carried on down the stairs, hand clenching the railing so tight, he thought his nails might draw lines in the paint. Each step was slow, and scary, and quite a few times his body spazzed and his grip on the railing lessened. He paused, and took another breath, and continued. One foot after the other, until eventually he came to set a foot on the deep brown wood of what appeared to be the living room. A lime green couch sat before a stone-adorned fireplace, a small TV hanging upon the wall. There was a yellow carpet set below, and over it was another coffee table. This one was covered in neatly-placed remotes, some more pictures, which appeared to be of Clara and another kid, little older than them. There were two or three there, standing in frames beside a pile of teen magazines and, Isaac squinted, magazines with cars on the front? Huh. Behind the couch was a wide open floor with a large mat thrown down, probably for sparring, considering the spectral thing and all. And beyond that matt was the front door. He turned his head; the garlic and pepper and salt smell was wafting from the room to his right.

He pressed on to the kitchen, still careful, though he’d forgone his hold on the wall. The first thing he saw was a sliding glass door, leading to a wide open, grassy field on the other side of the room, and the rectangular dining table nestled between the open kitchen and that door. Clara was sitting at the very end of the table, legs crossed, as she occupied herself in deep conversation with-- whoever that was, the weird beanie-wearing kid sitting across from her. Closest to Isaac were the counters, fridge, and literal cowboy standing there piling a mixture from a bowl into hollowed red and green peppers. Isaac closed his eyes, pinched the back of his hand, and opened them again; nope, cowboy was still there, large hat, guns at either hip, large buckle, boots and all.

That was when Clara noticed him, and she briefly jumped out of her conversation to lean forward and greet him. “Hey! Miss Rose gave you the clear to get out of bed, huh? Get over here!”

Isaac glanced from Clara, to the cowboy, and sighed because somehow the weirdness of Mayview had followed him.

He padded across the tile floor to the table, and the stranger wearing the beanie twisted around in his seat, one arm slung over the back of the chair. His eyes were dark brown, the darkest Isaac had ever seen, and he had a smug, cheerful grin on his face when he offered him a hand. “Isaac, right? Hardy Deering.”

Isaac raised a hand, hesitantly, then went ahead and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Hardy, I guess.”

“Oh uh,” Hardy’s grin turned sheepish, and he tugged at the bottom of his beanie. “Deering.”

“Hardy.”

He turned and gave Clara a glare. She only grinned and reached over to pat the chair next to her. “Come sit by me!” Isaac turned to give the odd cowboy another glance before slowly carrying himself over to the seat. Hardy turned back around to face them, and Isaac took another second to glance around the room.

“So, um, what is this place?”

“One of the Cousinhood’s bases” Hardy shrugged “but to the rest of the world, we’re a small, independent boarding school.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow. “Wait, what? Why a boarding school?”

Clara leaned forward, setting her chin in her cupped hands. Isaac had her full attention, and he wasn’t 100% sure how to feel about that. He never had anybody’s full attention, let alone a stranger’s. Hardy seemed more casual, chiller maybe. More like Max. “I mean, if you were a normal person, and you didn’t know about all this spectral stuff” she waved her hand in a circular motion “wouldn’t you find it a little creepy that there’s a fully grown woman lugging around a bunch of kids she clearly has no relation to? It was either boarding school or orphanage.”

“And, if she finds a kid with abilities,” Hardy was toying with a pair of headphones, which were tangled around his neck like a necklace, fingers spinning one bud around and around. “Parents rarely want to relinquish all rights just ‘cause some lady wants their kid. Legal system doesn’t take too kindly to kidnap, so…”

“The Consortium has one, too.”

“The Consortium?” Wasn’t that the secret agency Mister Spender worked for? “Are you talking about the Activity Club?”

“Yeah! So you do know it!” Clara pointed at the cowboy with her thumb “When Miss Rose and Crawford heard about it, they figured they’d level the playing field and start collecting spectral kids, ya know?”

Hardy mumbled under his breath. “Start teachin’ ‘em young.”

“Wait,” Isaac glanced between the two, “So they’re basically grooming you guys to become Cousinhood agents? That’s-- something about that seems wrong!”

Clara looked to the ceiling, head bouncing back and forth as she weighed what he said with what she knew. “Yeah, but that’s why the Consortium does it, too.”

That’s not--! Isaac went to retort, but found that he really didn’t have anything to say. He didn’t know anything about the Consortium, and that was their fault anyway. Who was he to jump to their defense? Who was he even trying to defend? Spender? Well, I guess it’s my fault they were keeping information from me, anyway. It’s not my place to judge. I don’t even know who came up with the club idea. Sounds like it’s a new thing? He placed his hands on the table, moving to stand up. “I’m going to go to the bathro--” It happened fast, faster than he could catch. He felt something drift between his thighs, and when he glanced down, he found a steak knife, protruding out of the chair between his legs-- it’d barely missed. Isaac squeaked, and made a move to jump out of the way of any other sharp kitchenware flying his way, raising his forearms over either side of his head.

“You’re gonna sit your butt back down.” His eyes met the cowboy’s, and he was unsettled to see the sharp eyes of fatal intent staring back at him. He readjusted his hat, and gestured pointedly at the seat. “Dinner’s ready.”

Isaac alternated his gaze from the knife, to the man, then reached down and grabbed the handle of the knife, pulling it out with a little bit of force, before plopping back down into the seat. Content with that, the man returned to slipping on oven mitts before bending down to open the oven. Isaac only watched, mildly horrified, as a complete stranger, who only seconds ago played target practice with his limbs, pulled stuffed peppers from the oven and gave them a hearty sniff before setting them atop the counter to serve. Hardy leaned over, whispering to Isaac indiscreetly.

“You should see what he does when you don’t clear off the table.”

Miss Rose chose that moment to enter the room, running a towel over her head. She glanced over to Isaac, giving him a small, warm smile, and a wave in greeting. When she noticed the stuffed peppers were done, and the cowboy was using a spatula to place them on plates, she grinned from ear to ear and set the towel around her neck. “Smells delicious! Let’s eat!”

“Are you sure you packed everything?”

Max groaned, doing his best to stuff the already towering mountain of shirts and jeans and metal into his backpack. “Yes, Dad. I’m sure.” He’d noticed, with some curiosity and some irritation, that his father, in all his good intentions, had become much more accustomed to being a dad than he had in all of Max’s twelve years of life. In fact, he dared say he’d become too accustomed-- almost Helicopter Dad accustomed. It was almost like the monster attack on the school had changed him, freaked him out so much that he felt Max had to be in his line of sight 24/7, and though Max appreciated the overwhelming love and responsibility that radiated off his dad constantly now, he couldn’t help but be concerned his dear father was taking things a little too far.

“Your toothbrush?”

“Yes.”

“Your charger?”

“Yes.”

“Your--?”

“Dad, look, I’m packed! I promise!” Max sighed, slipping his arm through the sleeve of his bag, tugging the strap over his shoulder. His eyes met the anxious, dread-filled pair of his father, and it took everything in him to glance away, to not agree to stay home. This was too important. Isaac was in trouble, bad trouble, the kind he’d stayed up at night thinking about. “You should” he tugged the other strap over his arm “trust Mister Spender more. He’s been doing this a long time.”

“Max,” His dad came up behind, somehow managing to stuff his clothes and toiletries, which were still pouring over the side, into the bag, dragging the zipper up to secure the mess that was sure to spring on Max later, like a jack-in-the-box, when he readied himself for bed that night. “As much as I’d like to believe that this Mister Spender is a- a master jedi or something, I just” he set his hands on Max’s shoulders and turned him around so they were face-to-face, and Max wondered if he knew he was giving him the parental equivalent of puppy-dog eyes. “I just don’t know if I can trust this man yet.”

“Dad, I’ll be fine. We’re just going to look for Isaac!”

“And Isaac has weather powers, right?” Zoey came around the corner, holding a can of generic soda, popping it open with her thumb and pointer finger. “What if he tries to fry you?”

Max frowned and closed his eyes.

“We’re not even friends. We never were.”

He’d said it one second, and the next, Isaac’s fist, and Isabel’s hand, were taking up his entire vision. He blinked, and Isaac’s eyes met his. He could see the anger, the rage-- he watched it all fade away, like somebody had taken a needle to a balloon and watched the air drift out and deflate. Anger turned to guilt, and rage turned to horror. Isaac went from an unstoppable force of judgement and nature to a fragile, trembling boy. Right in front of his eyes.

Max opened his eyes. “Isaac wouldn’t do that.” Never again.

Twenty minutes later, after his dad had just about exhausted all of his probing questions (and Max’s patience), he’d walked his son out to the car. Max tilted his cap and said goodbye, walking around the front of the car to open the passenger door and climb in. Spender rolled down the window and greeted Dad Puckett with an awkward grin. Puckett smiled and said hello, just as awkwardly.

Spender went in for a handshake, Puckett went for a high-five. They both noticed, and slowly tried to transition into what the other was doing. Spender raised his hand vertically and Puckett moved to set his hand horizontally, and their hands just brushed each other. They pulled back, chuckling even though neither found the situation at all humorous. They both read the other’s mind and went in for a fist-bump-- only to miss by an inch. At that point, they both gave up the pleasantries and shied away.

“Max!” Ed called up to the front seat from the middle of the backseat, smushed between Dimitri and Isabel. “Dimitri is touching me! I wanna switch seats!”

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, turning from the window to his peer. “You’re the one with a finger in my personal bubble. ‘Sides it doesn’t work that way.”

Max leaned further back into the front passenger seat, slumping down for good measure. “I’m sitting as far away from you all as possible. I don’t want to risk your uncoolness slipping off on me.”

Dad Puckett smiled at his son, then exhaled heavily. “Mister Spender. I’m hoping Max will return in one piece.”

The gawky smile on Spender’s face fell to a frown, and he nodded to confirm he’d heard the word of a concerned parent. It was, after all, his job as a teacher. “I promise you, I will never intentionally put your son in danger.”

Dad Puckett laughed under his breath, raising a hand to run through the hair that was loose from his messy ponytail. “I don’t want promises you won’t put him in danger, I want your word you’ll keep him out of it, too.”

Spender blinked, and before he could process what Puckett had said, he was pulling away from the window. Silently, unsurely, Spender rolled the window back up, then lifted his foot from the brake. The car started with no problem, and drove away, leaving only Dad Puckett standing behind, watching as his son drove off.

“Stop the car!” Ed was in the middle of a fit, throwing his arms around the car in screaming like a child-- probably because it was making Isabel laugh, though Max and Spender were more or less feeling grinded by the noise. “I have to pee! I have to pee!” Isabel was cackling, holding her sides and bending over, and Ed was almost intentionally throwing his fists, softly, in her direction. She batted him off, but that made it all the more difficult to keep her giggles in check. Dimitri was unfazed, if he noticed Ed’s fake tantrum at all with his headphones on.

Spender groaned, fingers tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel. “Ed, please. We just left Mayview thirty minutes ago. It’s nine o’clock in the morning.”

Ed paused in his fit, setting his hands at his knees. “Okay, but no, seriously, I really need to pee.”

Spender slammed his forehead against the wheel, then looked back at the road. It took them a minute, maybe a minute thirty-seconds, but they came across a convenience store, empty and unburdened by cars and people, aside from a single truck pulled up near the employee entrance, and a police car parked by the front doors. He pulled into the spot furthest from the door, then gestured for everyone to get out. “Don’t take too long, children. Isaac is waiting for us!”

The convenience store was no more impressive than any that might have been found in Mayview-- even less impressive than the one Max lived in, actually. His convenience store had an entire upper floor with a sweet family room pit. Good luck topping that… not that there would have been much point in a convenience store being so impressive. People would stop by regardless. THe group parted, Ed to the bathrooms, Isabel to the slushy machine, Dimitri and Spender to the rows and rows of snacks, and Max, well, he wandered around near the front where the candy was. The two cops, who more than likely belonged to the car parked out front, didn’t appear to be checking out anything, and the cashier seemed a little more than concerned with whatever conversation the three of them were holding. Max, doing his best spy impression, moved his attention on the candy further back, inching his way to the candy at the front of the small aisle.

“That boy that came in a week ago, the one you called in?” Max’s ear perked. “We have reason to believe it was Isaac O’Connor.”

The cashier gasped, raising one hand to her lips, looking between the two officers with wide eyes. “Oh no, you’re kidding me… oh crap! I should have kept a better eye on him! I thought he looked suspicious but--!”

The other officer, who was taller and broader in the shoulders than the other, set a comforting hand at her shoulder. “Would you tell us what happened? We’re hoping you could give us some clues.”

“Well, nothing I haven’t already told the police! He came in near the end of my shift, and he went to the bathroom. I don’t think he came out, I didn’t see him anyway, but he was in there for a long time, and I didn’t really notice ‘til I heard him screaming.” There, her voice started to crack, her eyes started to water, and she did her best to hold them back, shaking her head and using the sides of her fingers to wipe away the salt gathering. “It was… it was the worst thing I’d ever heard. You know, you hear somebody scream like that in a movie, it’s scary, ya know, but-- but hearing somebody, hearing somebody scream like that in person…”

Max grimaced. Probably too much to hope he just ate something bad…

He made his way over to the salted snacks aisle, as fast as he could without looking suspicious-- for what? He wasn’t sure, but the whole spectral thing had him on guard, and none of them needed any extra attention. Spender had just taken a bag of chips off the rack when Max set a hand at his arm. Spender turned to look at him. “Oh, Max! Have you picked out something? This weekend is on me--”

“It’s Isaac.” He pointed, subtly, to the front counter, and Spender followed his line of sight. “He was here. She saw him. She…” he swallowed. Just thinking about it was hard. The imagination was almost always worse than the reality, but he wasn’t so sure at this point. “She heard him screaming. Bloody murder. Like h- he was being attacked or--!”

“It’s worse than I thought.” Spender frowned, and Max was sure he’d crushed the bag of chips in his clenched hand. “We need to move quicker.

Ed stepped out of the bathroom, wiping his wet hands on the sides of his jeans. Isabel came to his side, doing her best to stick a top on her already-overfilled slushy without making a mess for the one employee on the clock. She looked up at him, and he gestured to the bathroom stiffly. “I think that is the creepiest public restroom I have ever used, and I am including the one I used in that haunted house when I was five and a ghoul jumped out at me mid-flush.”

Isabel smiled at him, and sure she laughed, but it was forced, he could tell; he always could tell. He stepped closer to her, and held the cup still as she wrestled with the top. After a moment she got it on, and she thanked him, but that still wasn’t it. “So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong or do I have to start a tickle fight with you in public?” She blinked, and he narrowed his eyes. “Don’t test me, Isabel. I will do it.”

AGain, she laughed, but the usual charm wasn’t there. She frowned at him, then at the floor, fingers tapping along her large styrofoam cup. “Hey, Ed? Are you worried about Isaac?”

He frowned back at her, and tilted his head. “Of course I am!”

That must not have been the answer she was looking for, because she turned her head away, and didn’t bother to part the hair that’d fallen into her face. Ed took a step forward, setting a gentle hand at her arm, just below her shoulder. “Izzy, what’s wrong?”

“It’s just--” she paused, then turned to look at him, annoyance, annoyance at somebody and he wasn’t sure who, twinkling in the iris of her eye. “I’m not! I’m not worried about Isaac! Whenever I think about him, I ju- just feel numb! So what, he came back for us? Well, he was the reason we were in a cell to begin with!” Her voice was raised dangerously high, but not high enough he was super worried about it. A convenience store had to be one of the least embarrassing places to be a public disturbance, and the place least likely to have people take you seriously. Their conversation was likely falling on deaf ears. “I’m still mad at him! Even if he is in danger, is it really our problem? He left on his own!”

“Is that what this is really about?” She huffed and pouted up at him, and he tilted his head. “Because maybe, you’re covering up what you’re really feeling with what you’re used to feeling. Maybe you’re so worried about him, that you can’t help but repress it because you don’t know how else to handle it? You know, a defense mechanism.” Isabel stared at him, wide-eyed for a moment. Her lips parted, but she had nothing to say, and her mind was reeling behind her eyes, her expressive eyes where he could always tell what was running through her head. Then she set her slushy aside, on the sidebar where people usually added milk and sugar to their coffee, and leaped into his arms, squeezing him around the neck.

He started, falling back a step before catching her, hands set unsurely just below her shoulders. Something was different this time, and he couldn’t, for the life of him, piece together why it was that Isabel felt perfectly molded against him, why the tug of her arms around his neck were electric and intoxicating all at once, or why the hair that’d flown in his face, because she’d held him so suddenly, felt as soft as a steady stream of water against his nose. She balled her hands in fists at his back, and pulled him even closer. “I-Izzy!”

“Ed, thank you.”

His heart flipped, and he wasn’t sure his eyes could be any wider. He eventually figured out that his hands should have been at her waist, and he set them there accordingly. Before long, before it got weird, she pulled away, but not too far. She giggled and pressed a finger to his nose. “What’re you blushing for?”

“I-I’m not!” He said, as he started blushing even more.

[lubdubsworld]

The unfaithful Wife ( Jimin/OC)

Chapter 9

I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by three trucks. My entire body ached , my throat felt dry and nausea hung heavily inside me, bile right at the back of my throat and I knew that I had less than five minutes to get myself to the bathroom, unless I wanted to vomit all over the bedsheets.

I wasn’t a complete idiot. 

Even thought it had been five years , the symptoms were painfully familiar and just as bad as they had been then. 

My body was no longer my own. I was in for the worst ride of my life. Misery crept up inside me in a huge wave.

“Baby?” Jimin’s voice made me look up and I knew, taking one look at his face that he didn’;t even guess.  And that somehow just made things completely worse.

“I have never hated you, as much as I do at this moment.” I said clearly and he flinched.

 “I’m so-”

“Don’t apologize, Park jimin! I swear to God, if you apologize, I’ll honestly kick you in the teeth! A sorry is when you accidentally knock someone’s coffee down or step on their damn foot! Sorry does not make up for the kind of things you put me thorugh!!! ” I shouted, tears stinging. 

He flinched again and reached out as though to touch me , but i recoiled.

“Get away from me. i have to-” 

I stepped out of the bed and ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind me and emptying the contents of my stomach into the sink. 

“Are you okay?” He called through the wood and i clenched my fists. 

The urge to kill him was increasing by the second.

“Seokjin hyung is here....” He called out again, sounding very tentative and apologetic and I sighed. Splashing water on my face , I slowly washed away the remnants of make up and sweat and wiped my face down. 

i opened the door and smiled as i saw the familiar face. 

“Hi, Oppa...” I reached out to give him a hug and his arms went around me affectionately. I saw Jimin’s eyes dart to where his hands rested on my waist and I glared at him so firecely that he quickly looked away.

 Was there no end to this man’s irrational jealousy?!! 

"you still remember me" He grinned and i relaxed.

"Of Course. How have you been?" I smiled. Seokjin was Jimin's cousin, a top surgeon and a wonderful guy. He also owned one of the best hospitals in the country. I'd first met him at our wedding and then a couple times more at a few parties. He was one of the few people who had refused to make public statements about me whne the media had gone around interrogating all of mine and Jimin's acquaintances.

"I've not been eating right...The past few days have been a bit rough." I admitted.

"Yes, well certainly, that would explain a lot of things but the most pressing issue is that... you're pregnant." Seokjin grinned wide and happy.

Jimin went parchment pale next to me and i gave him a vindictive glare.

“Wh-What?” He muttered. 

“Pregant!” i hissed. “ You got me pregnant you arrogant son of a-”

“Language!!” Seokjin hissed glancing at the sleeping form of our son and I shut my eyes taking a deep breath. 

“I’m pregnant …”  I said shutting my eyes for a brief moment. When I opened my eyes, I caught Jimin desperately trying to rearrange his features to show guilt.

“Wait, are you smiling?” I said affronted.

“What!! No!! Minnie I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have…”

“Stop saying that…it’s obvious from your face that you’re not sorry at all about getting me pregnant.” I shrieked, grabbing an abandoned pillow and whacking him on the face.

“What..I mean…of course I’m sorry that you aren’t ready but…”

“But…?? Why is there a but…” I glared.

“But I’m happy that this time I’ll be around to see the baby grow.” He said quickly and I couldn’t even begin to understand his thinking. 

Sighing, I dropped my head into my arms. 

“Not a planned one? Well, no matter. You’re pretty healthy and with ample rest you should have no trouble carrying twins.” Seokjin perked and it was the second blow to my stomach.

 I went green.

My entire body went cold. My brain shut down completely and the next coherent thought just wouldn't form at all. It was like going underneath the ocean , the sound of rushing waves a faint echo while I struggled to draw in the next breath.

Jimin was spluttering next to me  

“Two…What the hell… you’re too small to have two kids in there…” He said in complete seriousness and I laughed in disbelief.

“that’s what’s bothering you?!!  “ i shouted and Seokjin wisely stepped out of the room. 

Jimin and I stared at each other for a second and the exhaustion in my body finally caught up. i moved to the bed and felt my anger deflating. I was just too tired of being angry at my husband. 

“I’m sorry.” Jimin said again and i sighed. 

“You do realize this still doesn’t change things between us. I’m still not sure if this will work out.” I said quietly and he sobered up.

“Of course. I’m so sorry, Minnie. It’s just that... when I see other men looking at you and wanting you... i feel like ... like I’m not good enough. That someday you’ll realize you can do so much better adn you’ll leave.  ” He whispered.

I gawked at him. 

“Does that make any sense?” I said furiously and he shrugged.

“You married me when you were eighteen, Min. I was sure that if you had , had a chance to meet a lot of men and date them, it might not have been me that you would have chosen to marry.”

“Oh, you idiot.” I said completely thrown by this humbling confession. What was wrong with men? ?Why did they have the most ridiculous thought processes.

“I’m being honest here. Don’t call me an idiot for the way I feel.” He said angrily. 

I sighed. 

“I’m not...i just... why do you have to be so unreasonable.” 

He settled down next to me and draped his arm over me.He still smelled like heaven. Still felt wonderful pressed up against me. The urge to lean in, to press into him and to just kiss him was overwhelming. 

Park Jimin was a jerk but apparently my body never got that memo.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were engaged to Mirae before me.” I said quietly and he grimaced.

“I never liked her. The night I first saw you, it was at her birthday party. You were wearing a nice lilac gown.” He traced my jaw with a finger and i sighed. 

I had a mild flashback to Mirae’s eighteenth birthday.

“I never saw you…” I said suddenly feeling a blush start up on my face as he kissed the edge of my mouth. 

. It was the bed. We were never used to talking on a bed. The bed had only ever meant one thing for me and Jimin.

“No, you didn’t. But I saw you and you took my breath away , sweetheart.” He whispered.

My face went redder and a silly little happiness bloomed inside me before I could tamp it down. God damn Jimin for knowing exactly what to say to make me forget why I shouldn’t be forgiving him. 

“I met your father later and it was just a coincidence that he happened to want to invest . I only ever met him to ask for your hand in marriage.” He smiled.

I grimaced. “ That’s so old fashioned.” I rolled my eyes.” You couldn’t come and talk to me first?”

“And look like a pedophile?? . I was twenty four and you were 18. That’s quite a gap.” He shrugged.

“You could have waited…” I pointed out, wrinkling my nose.

“And risk loosing you to someone else? No, I wanted you to be mine. Only mine. And I’m guilty of making sure that you had no way of escaping.”

I stared at him.

“Is that why you had such a hard time trusting me? Because you were always afraid of losing me?” I said suddenly , the cards falling into place with a rather rapid clarity.

Jimin looked away from me.

“it was stupid but, I …well all my friends they told me there was no way you would ever agree to be my wife. I mean, God knows I’m no looker… And well, I knew so many men, better looking rich men who would all have given their right limb to be with you. They told me as much. I was wary of not being good enough for you and…”

“Are you even listening to yourself… Jimin you’re gorgeous…what the hell is wrong with you?” I gaped at him.

Jimin hesitated.

“I’m not perfect. Will you forgive me?” He said softly and I sighed in defeat.

“To be perfectly honest I’m more miserable alone than I am with you. I’d rather have you by my side and be unhappy and leave you and cave in on myself. “ I whispered.

“I’ll never hurt you…I promise..” He said roughly and I shook my head.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” 

“Will you let me take care of you?” He whispered.” We don’t have to get married. We’ll leave Seoul.”

I stared at him.

“Leave Seoul..?”

“There’s a beach front villa in Jeju Do I’ve been working on. It’s completely isolated but fully fitted with all modern stuff. There’s hospital nearby and I’ve built a helipad anyway for emergencies. Why don’t we move there for the duration of your pregnancy?” He said very seriously.

It sounded like heaven but I bit my lips.

“Jimin…I can't just up and run away from the real world like that. I want my life here. .”

"Okay...Okay... We'll do it slow then. You need someone to take care of you...it's going to be hard being pregnant with Jin Soo to take care as well. ..." He begged.

I hesitated, still not sure. Sadly he was right.

“Trust works both ways, Minnie. I can tell you I’m sorry a million ways but it won’t work unless you trust me. You know I’d never hurt you intentionally…I never have… never will…” He said pleadingly and I nodded, not at all certain I was doing the right thing.

"I'll trust you. But if you hurt me again, it's really the end. And this isn't some sort of promise. I'm not committing to anything. " I said my voice trembling a bit.

The relief that flooded his face was oddly touching.

"Thank you babe, i love you so much."

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

A week later, I found myself alone as Jimin had been working overnight on a deal. 

I woke up feeling nauseous as usual. 

Groaning, I dragged myself off the bed, barely able to stay upright. The doorbell rang right at that moment and Jimin's annoyingly cheerful voice came through the home.

 How he could be cheerful,  after getting his estranged wife pregnant was just one of the mysteries of the universe i would never fathom.

"Good morning Sunshine!" He called out. He'd always been a morning person and I felt irritation well up. 

I'd done some research on carrying twins and apparently my mood swings and nausea could possibly double.

 Joy. 

I gripped the wall a couple of times, well aware that I was feeling too dizzy and really should be back on the bed before I crashed head first into the floor. But then Jin Soo's voice came from his room. 

He was up.

"Papa...Papa...it's Papa..." He whined piteously,  already clawing at the front door and I could hear Jimin laughing from the other side.

When I opened the door I was greeted by the sight of Jimin with bags of muffins, bagels and a huge bouquet of flowers. 

it was seven in the morning. Where did he even find flowers at this time of the day? 

The idiot.

 I opened my mouth to protest but was afraid I'd end up losing the contents of my stomach all over his thousand dollar shoes.

He took one look at me and went pale.

Stepping in he dropped everything in his arms on the floor and came straight for me.

"Babe, You look sick..."

He smelled like fresh baked bread and coffee and the faint lingering scent of fresh flowers. 

I went green.

I really couldn't stop myself, and ended up dashing for the bathroom at once, the attack on my olfactory senses making me vomit into the toilet bowl. My stomach cramped horribly, determined to expel any remnant of last night's dinner as well as bile. When it was over, I was sweating and Jimin was holding my hair away from my face. My vision blurred and I shook my head.

"Oh, God..." I choked out. I'd forgotten how bad morning sickness had been for me. Tears welled in my eyes and I let out a sob, remembering the absolute nightmare that my first pregnancy had been. I had no wish to go through it again at all. Now, thanks to my irresponsible husband , I was doomed to endure nine more months of hellish aches and soreness and sickness.

I wanted to kill Jimin. I really did.

I turned around to glare at him.

"I hate you." I said clearly and he went a few shades paler.

"I'm so sorry babe, I...I wish I could suffer for you... But..I can't.. Just tell me what I can do..." He begged. Sighing, I felt a little bad for my outburst. I gripped the edges of the counter and dragged my self up , ignoring Jimin's hand. I wouldn't make the mistake of relying on him completely again.

"I.. You'll have to take care of Jin Soo today... I need to get back to bed..." I said tiredly. Jimin nodded.

"Breakfast? For you?" He said worriedly and I shrugged.

"Even if I eat, I won't be able to keep it down. I'll get some after a while." I tried to take another step and my knees gave out. Jimin caught me just before I hit the floor.

"It's alright. Let me do this.." He said gently, pulling me up into his arms and carrying me to the bedroom. He placed me on the bed and tucked in the blankets.

"I'll make a quick run to the grocery store and get some fresh fruits . You should at least drink some juice." He said firmly. I could feel the exhaustion creeping in, weighing my eyelids down. I nodded vaguely and a second later fell asleep again.

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

"You're starting to show , I see." Seokjin said cheerfully, glancing through my ultrasound reports and blood work with a cheerful smile. I nodded, shifting around a bit on the seat. I was now 11 weeks along and already twice as big as I'd been with Jin Soo which made sense, considering there were two little ones in there. But this just meant I could no longer walk without being careful about knocking into stuff and the dull ache at the back of my spine was pretty much a constant.

I'd returned to work officially and Mrs. Min had even assigned two separate wedding events for me to cater to. One was for a fairly famous underground rapper called Min Yoongi and his partner, Jeon Jung Kook. Of course, same -sex marriages were still illegal in my country so it was more of a private ceremony with friends and family. A small crowd of less than 150. I'd already met the the slightly surly groom, Min Yoongi and his adorable fiance who literally radiated innocence and sunshine. The contrast had made me want to giggle on separate occasions earning glares from Yoongi. But i liked them and I looked forward to working with them.

"Yoongi told me you were helping out with his wedding . " Jin said with a smile and i startled.

"you know him?" I was surprised.

"We were in university together . Two years ahead of your husband. Kookie was in high school back then." He grinned.

"So Jimin knows them too?" I said pleasantly surprised.

"I'm pretty sure he knows them very well. He used to hang off Yoongi hyung's arm all the time when we were in college." Jin laughed fondly and I suddenly felt an unaccountable yearning to know all the little things about Jimin's childhood that he'd failed to share with me.

The door opened suddenly and as if summoned by my thoughts , Jimin toppled over the threshold. He'd finally gotten the deal done and had rejoined work the previous week. 

This meant that Jin Soo spent more time in the day care but I was planning on keeping myself occupied with work for a while.

 It would take my mind off the morning sickness and the perpetual weariness of being pregnant. 

Jin had told me that people just naturally had different kinds of pregnancies. Some ladies bloomed , had no morning sickness and glowed . Some of them, ended up crumbling in on themselves, losing weight and experiencing all the worst symptoms of Pregnancies.

I was just unfortunate enough to be one of the latter. 

"Am I late.. is it over??" He looked so excited Jin laughed out loud while I flushed.

"Jimin-ah... She's just getting a check up, not giving birth right now. Calm down."

"Still... I'd like to see my babies..." Jimin frowned, giving me a light hug and dropping a kiss over my head.

I sighed a bit, relaxing into his touch. The last two weeks had been a healing period of sorts for me. I still lived with Jimin and he spent almost all his time here, even moving in some of his office stuff so he could work from home. I didn't mind really, because honestly,  he gave me plenty of space.

"Well, I took a picture." I smiled and held out the little polaroid. Jimin studied it very carefully before nodding in satisfaction.

"Yup, a boy and girl and the girl looks like me..." He nodded happily and I gawked at him.

"How on earth are you seeing that in there?" Jin said in surprise .

"What? It's so obvious..." Jimin shrugged.

"Is he right?" I said stunned.

"Well, no one can possibly tell now. You're still in the early stages. But honestly, I suspected the same thing. " Jin looked flabbergasted. " But I've never had a parent accurately know the sex..." Jin looked completely baffled and Jimin waggled his eyebrows at me/

"Hear that babe? I'm a genius..."

I smiled shaking my head. " Is Jin Soo fine?"

"He's with his cousins. He's happy. Don't worry too much..." He said softly. I nodded, still a bit upset that i couldn't take full care of jin Soo. Without meaning to, my son sometimes roughed around with me a lot. After a few incidents of him accidentally kicking me in the stomach, Jimin and Jin convinced me that it was best to leave him with his aunt and cousins for a while. Carrying twins was always a risk, so I had to be extra careful with how much i worked.

"Jimin-ah...Your mother called me earlier." Jin said softly and I stiffened. So did Jimin.

"She wants to talk to both of you." He said softly.

I felt violent protest build up inside me.

"Thank you hyung." Jimin said politely before holding a hand out for me to take. I hesitated before taking it. Once we were in the car he quickly took my hand in his and squeezed.

"You don't have to come meet her..."

"I wasn't planning to. We're divorced now. I don't answer to your family anymore." I didn't mean to sound very rude but Jimin flinched.

"Can I take you out to dinner tonight?" He said after a pause and I sighed.

"I don't think that's going to work. I need to meet Yoongi and Jung Kook tomorrow for lunch ."

Jimin blinked.

"Wait, you're the gorgeous caterer?"

I stared at him in surprise.

"What?"

But Jimin was gripping the wheel tight enough to make his knuckles turn white.

"Fucking Kim Taehyung, I'm going to murder his ass!!" He gritted out.

"Who on earth is Kim Taehyung?" I said confused.

"He's Yoongi's younger brother and my classmate from college. He told me he's going to try to... " Jimin stopped and glared at me. " Are you flirting with other men now?" He snapped.

I stared in stunned silence.

"Are you out of your mind? I don't even know a Kim Taehyung..." I said shrilly.

"Well, he knows you. He told me he met you when he was out with Yoongi picking flavors for the cake. " Jimin stared at me accusingly and I wracked my brains to try and remember.

"Wait.." I frowned. " Does he have like dark hair with highlights?" I vaguely remembered the guy. I hadn't exchanged more than two words with him but he'd been genuinely excited with a wide boxy smile.

"See !!!  you do remember him.... DId he ask you out?"

"I'm just supposed to meet him for breakfast . With my clients. We may get some work done later..."

"Work?  what work? Do You like him or something?..." Jimin’s eyes bugged out  and i rolled my eyes.

"You're being ridiculous. I didn't even know his name..."

"Well, now you do. What are you going to do about it?" He challenged.

"I'm going to date him. " I snapped and then recoiled when Jimin snarled at me .

"Don't you dare..."

"Oh my God, I was joking you crazy person... I can't believe you think so low of me. Why would I date someone you knew..." I  rolled my eyes. My head was beginning to pound again.

After a few minutes silence he cleared his throat.

"You mean you may date...others?" His voice was very small and I felt a little lost.

"Jimin , I'm pregnant with twins. I have a five year old son. Dating is literally the last thing on my mind." I said softly and he looked even worse.

"I wrecked your life didn't I?" He said quietly and I felt genuinely bad. There was so much guilt in his tone that I felt weighed down by it.

"Don't blame yourself. You just... did what you thought was right. It's not your fault. Or mine. It's just... things happen sometimes , I guess. Bad things. To good people. We'll leave it at that." I shrugged.

"Still....we both know you don't really have a reason to stay with me..." He said softly and I didn't know what to say really.

"I'm here . Now. " I said finally.

But he didn't say anything else for the rest of the ride.

Later , in bed I thought a lot about what he'd said and what it meant for our relationship , going forward . In a way he was right. Our relationship wasn't what it was. Loving someone and being in love are two different things, really. I loved Jimin but I'd also fallen out of love, somewhere along the way. I liked him, I was attracted him but there were so many scars, so many fresh wounds, barely healed and still bleeding stopping me from taking a step towards him. It didn't help that he wasn't exactly being mature about the whole thing.

Was Jimin really insecure? Worried about losing people? Did that really give him the right to treat me with distrust though? Was it wrong of me to expect implicit trust instead of understanding that he was just naturally worried about losing me?

The questions led to more questions till my heart began to ache and my head grew heavy till I fell into a fitful sleep.

Hopefully, the kids would be something we could share together. Maybe, once he learned that I had no intention of pursuing anyone else, he would let go of his insecurities and begin trusting me.