#but clam it's been a decade since you promised that side story

[trailshome]

Ahahah I bet y'all thought I forgot about the Hollond and Gale side story. I DIDN'T. I just haven't been happy with how it's been turning out. But I'm working on it and I'm hoping to get it out before the next update!

No spoilers but... Hollond is very grumpy.

[imaginesandideas]

I’m in love with my funster

a collection of snippets from your life with Roger

I did it! Here’s my gift for all of my lovely 1.3k followers and for sticking with me throughout this hell of a year. Hope you’ll enjoy, cheers! 🥂✨

it’s the last monday of the decade yay!!

writer’s note: read as separate stories or following chapters

~~~~~

“How was it!?” You jumped on the seat beside Roger, successfully scaring him shitless.

“Christ! You want me dead, huh?”

“Oh please. If I wanted you dead I wouldn’t have asked first.” You cheerfully exclaim while making yourself comfortable on a couch next to him. It’s the middle of the week and your dear friend of many years prior has just gotten back from a set-up date. Of course you’ve arranged it since he wouldn’t stop whining about how he longs for something more real than hookups he’s been having on the regular. And now you’re more than keen on hearing all the details.

“So?”

“So?”

“Stop mocking me Taylor! How was the date?!” You jump in your seat excitedly and he just stares at you with that doe-eyed puppy look on his face. If he only looked like that at that girl... she’d be his in a matter of seconds.

“Well, not great you know...”

“Ow.”

“Yeah. I mean, uh, she’s a fine looking lady, not stupid either. ‘S just that, y’know... I didn’t feel anything special.”

You inch closer to pat his back comfortingly. He’s your mate after all, you were really rooting for him.

“I’m sorry Rog. I’m sure-“

“There’s that other one though.” He doesn’t even sound upset and you barely can keep up with his changing spirit.

“Well okay then. Do I know her?”

“Partially. But I’m pretty sure you’ve heard a lot about her. I need to get her to come with me to that Italian spot they just opened around the corner.”

“Yes Roger! You already think like a romantic!” You nod enthusiastically but his eyes are so different. They’re hooded like he’s already planned something evil and you know you won’t be able to stop him if he actually did. 

And he keeps smiling sweetly. His whole aura is so bizarre. Like he’s an angel or a serial killer, that you can’t quite decide yet.

“What’s that look, huh? You need me to help you out with it or something?”

To your own surprise he laughs.

“Actually - yes. I mean, there’s no way a girl like you would agree on a date with me, so... maybe a tip or a trick for forcing her to go out with me would be nice.”

A girl like you. You shake you head and start thinking of ideas. But it’s really hard to focus with those dreamy eyes following your every movement.

And did he just compare a girl of his dreams to you?

“Okay, so maybe- no that’s bad. Hm...” You sit back with your arms crossed over your chest and he replicates it. Only he cannot seem to wash that look off his face. “Maybe tell her to give you that one shot y’know? And promise to fuck off later if she’s still not interested?”

“Would you give me that shot?”

“Yeah I guess? We’re friends anyway, so I couldn’t be mad at you forever if it turned out terrible.”

“Deal.” He sits up suddenly and before you can even react his lips are gently pressed to yours. When he pulls back your face is a mix of shock and perplexity. “See you at 6 tomorrow aye? Just dress nicely love. It’s our first date.”

 And he was gone. Before you could blink he was out the door, happy as a clam. It was adorable. And suddenly you’re left with the realisation that you’ve managed to miss all signs that he’s been sending your way for years, and that you’re set for a date that you don’t have an outfit for.

~~~~~

“Can’t we just cancel it?” Roger pleaded in between kisses he placed adoringly on the exposed skin of your plunging neckline. His hands running down your sides to change direction on your thighs, exploring underneath the material of your dress.

“Roger, they’re... a-already on the way.” You gasped out, encouragingly.

“What was that?”

“Huh?” you opened your eyes to meet his blue ones, so close you could note all the slightest shades of grey in them. And his brash expression.

“You don’t really want them to come now, do ya?”

Rolling your eyes and huffing ever so slightly, you gripped his forearms in attempt to push him away enough to roll off the couch, but he sensed your plans and laid on top of you, trapping your body under his own.

“Rog.”

“Oh don’t get upset on me now! What can I do? You look blinding today love, can’t help but wish they weren’t coming.” He was grinning, lewd gaze wandering down your throat, followed by trace of index finger. You let yourself sink back into comfort of the couch, let his worshipping eyes and fingers work their magic. You were soaked in a matter of seconds and that thin fabric between your legs was not enough to cover it up. Just like your dress was not enough to cover your decency as Roger dived in lifting the material to attack your thighs with his perfect teeth. And you could feel his swift, calloused fingers climbing up, building up the tension that begged to be relieved. So wrong, so inappropriate.

“Oh for fucks sake!”

“Shit! They’re here!” You whisper-yelled sitting up rapidly. The knocking intensifies with each passing second which only made Roger groan in frustration.

“Can we hide? Act like we’re not at home or something?”

“Oh Rogie.” You roll your eyes and gently push him off you and he lands on his back between the pillows, completely resigned. And visibly flustered.

Was it your fault? Yes. But you just couldn’t help the perfect opportunity and now it came around the corner and right to your doormat. Quite literally.

You were at the door in a blink of an eye, passing by a mirror to fix your disheveled hair and adjust the hem of your dress that rode up far too high to be considered presentable. Just mere seconds before, you were having a heated makeout on a couch, hands desperately seeking skin to skin contact. And now?

“Get up blondie! The quicker we wrap this visit up, the quicker we get to finish what we started.” He only responded with another muffled groan.

“I got rid of my panties if that changes anything for you.”

~~~~~

“I don’t understand why would you put so much milk there.” You glance up from your mug frowning.

“Why do you care? It’s my coffee not yours.”

Roger rolls his eyes leaning back in the armchair and folding back that newspaper he’s been passionately reading for the past hour.

“Yeah but what’s the point of espresso when you add so much milk to it?”

You chuckle and place the mug on coffee table that separates his armchair from the comfort of sofa you’re sitting on.

“First - it’s not so much. It’s cappuccino and it’s supposed to have milk in it.” You reach for blanket on the other corner of the sofa and continue your point. “Second - you drink way too much black coffee and I’m pretty sure it affects your moods.”

He sniggers at your exclamation and sits up straight. You know you just struck a nerve.

“I beg you pardon, love? I need it to function alright. Morning coffee, pack of cigarettes and newspaper is a inseparable set. It keeps my mind bright.”

You sigh tucking yourself under the duvet. There is no point in continuing the argument, but you know Roger’s restless nature will make him do that nevertheless. You gaze up to his awaiting your comment expression and even more antsy demeanour. His brows has ridden up ever so slightly, as if to signalise that he’s expecting some sort of snarky remark coming from you. Only you weren’t in the mood to fight so you just shrug instead reaching for the book you brought yourself to catch up on.

“That’s it? You’re not going to fight me on this? Prove your poor excuse for a point?”

“These are your habits not mine, I’m not about to throw a tantrum over your own life choices.”

“Y-you what?” If you’d dare to look up from your book you’d be able to see mouth-agape shock turning quickly into a deep frown topped with his brows and wrinkles forming a combination of waves. “What, now you don’t care about m-my life choices?”

“Not a bit.”

“Wow.”

“What?” Fed up you finally turn your head up and he’s up, arms at sides.

“You have someone else, don’t you?”

“Oh god. Roger Meddows Taylor, you’re really overdosing caffeine...”

~~~~~

“Roger what the fuck!”

“Surprise?” You were supposed to meet him at the airport. Regular welcome-home hugs and all that before you two would head home, eager to finally spend some time together. Yeah. Only Roger didn’t leave for tour this time, and knowing his bandmates you were about to spend the rest of the day hearing stories about all the dumb shit they’ve gotten themselves into.

You weren’t angry at Rog, they were his best friends after all. Only you couldn’t help but get that tingling feeling at the back of your head that one day they’re going to get themselves into some sort trouble. But in your most inventive dreams you did not expect this.

Your hands mindlessly reach out to touch the top of his head, expression depicting various stages of shock you were currently going through.

“You like it?”

“Wha-I, oh god. What were you thinking?!” You cannot help the bugging of your eyes as your fingers could barely hold the strands of hair you once could tug at so deliciously. The smooth, luscious golden waves were gone and instead you were met with much shorter, mullet-like rather irritating haircut. You survived the sideburns, you survived occasional wigs for gigs (and giggles). But this? This was too much. Now he almost looked like every other guy you’d see on the street these days. Almost. “Can you at least explain why?”

He sighs and pulls you closer by your hips, palms coming to rest above the curve of your ass. But you’re more than determined to receive a reasonable explanation, so you build a visible barrier with your arms crossed over your chest and brow raised expectantly.

“Can we discuss it later love? We’re in the middle of the airport.”

“What did you do?”

“_____, love-“

“Rog what was it?”

He sighs, his hands coming up to rub circles around his eye sockets. And you’re waiting. Impatiently waiting and observing how his skin is becoming increasingly red with each passing second. He’s embarrassed and it only makes the rate of your anxiety rise. And now there’s a small smile forming underneath the shadow his hands are providing. You don’t even know if you should be worried or maybe just as red as him.

“Are you going to tell me or-“

“There was a bet.” You’re being immediately shut up with his sudden response, the one you should’ve expected all along. He stretches his arms up and behind himself, and you hate yourself for losing your focus for a moment. Those arms have always been a huge distraction for you. His lips tighten to form a fine line curved around the corners. He’s fucking proud of himself isn’t he.

“And?” You blurt out as nonchalantly as possible, in a way trying to cover your chocked up swallow. You don’t need to let him know what he does to you just yet. Though he probably knows the tiniest details of your non-verbal expressions by now.

“I lost.”

“What a surprise.”

“Yeah.”

Somehow you can’t miss the feeling that you’re playing some sort of game for everyone to see. Cause if one would squint their eyes enough, they could notice the light heaving of your chest, the blush on his collarbone from beneath his shirt, the impatient dancing of his fingers against his thigh as he forces himself not to pull you into him roughly and devour your exasperation then and there.

From afar it looks almost silly, like horny teenagers who have lost their tongues and would rather have them tangled instead. Funny how despite the unexpected haircut you hated so much, he still has you by the collar. As if nothing could ruin him for you.

“Well, what was the bet about then?” You exclaim reaching for one of his bags - the small one, since you know he keeps the heavier stuff in the suitcase. Your eyes are bright as you look at him, the glint quite unmistakable.

His cheeks seem to glow as his grin widens and it’s the kind of smile you only see when he’s nervous or excited. Also when he’s worn out and panting next to you, but that’s a different story and your own cheeks heat up at the thought.

“Well... They teased me a lot about how I get letters and calls from you all the time.”

“Men.” You roll your eyes and he chuckles. His hands find their way back to your waist before he continues with a long intake of air.

“Aaand, umm, there was a bet that: since it’s a mates-only kind of trip, we shouldn’t contact our partners so much. And the rule was that if someone gets a letter, or a telegram, you have to read it out loud-“

“Oh fuck.”

“- or, there would be consequences.” Your mind is sweeping through dozens of things you wrote to him last week and suddenly you remember that one time you were oh so incredibly horny and slid into the envelope not only some not so subtle hints, but also some rather interesting pics you spontaneously took with your polaroid. Putting the two together was relatively easy. You gaze up at him shaking your head but he only clamps his lips and nods.

“I believe you didn’t read them, right? That’s why your hair is shorter?” He inhaled sharply.

“At first I read all of them-“

“Until when?”

“- until you started adding those pictures.”

“Oh thank god.”

“Cause there’s no way I would let them know how filthy my babygirl is.” He exclaims quietly, holding your chin up between his fingers to make you look at him. His lips almost touch your earlobe when he whispers “You can only make me hard like this, and nobody else.”

And maybe, just maybe, you could eventually love that haircut. Because you already love that entire head of passion, talent and wit. And some other things too...

~~~~~

“This is ridiculous. I’m not going out in this.”

“Come on Roger. It’s just for the video, right?”

“I’m not a bloody clown!”

He turned around from the mirror, hands on hips and discontent written all over his features.

If not for his grimace of disapproval he looked almost cute with those puffy sleeves.

White, smoothly folded furbelow reflected the light, slightly illuminating his cheeks. The doublet was beautiful, perfected in every detail, from silvery threads, through patchwork-like design combined with finest materials, to white enlarged cuffs. He looked... amusing to say the least. Not in a bad way, contrary to Roger’s personal opinion.

With perfectly curled, fluffy hair and what seemed like tons of hairspray he looked quite strutting.

“Stop looking me up and down _____.”

“But it suits you!”

“Don’t be silly.”

“I love your hair.” You say as your fingers gently brush the strands of hair above his forehead. Your fingers gently point at his cheek. “And that little pattern you’ve got there. Matches the shirt.”

You’re so focused on fixing the material on his chest that you miss that glint in his eyes.

“Oh, you really like it, don’t you.”

“What?” You look up and he smirks.

“Come on love, you’ve been checking me out all day. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

Crimson blush creeps up on your cheeks but before you’re able to respond you’re being interrupted by assistant director telling Roger to join the rest on the set.

Once the door is closed again he turns around with a huff.

“I guess you gotta go like this anyway.” You step closer and wrap your arms around his waist, not wanting to ruin the flounce around the neck. “It’ll be over before you even know it.”

“You’re probably right darling. And then I’m taking you, Mrs. Taylor, out for a fancy dinner.” He points out at you before leaning down to plant a quick kiss on your forehead.

“We’re celebrating something?”

You call out after him as he nears the door. He smiles.

“What? Can’t I, the most stupid looking drummer in the world, just randomly celebrate my amazing life with the love of my life?” You roll your eyes playfully but send him a flying kiss nonetheless. “And I’ll need a lot of drinks after this shitshow. I swear, this is going to be the most stupid music video ever made.”

“Okay okay, Mr. Rockstar. Just go! They need you.”

“Not more than I need you.” Roger teases, already standing at the doorstep. And that’s when you spot something that doesn’t feel right.

“Wait!” You call out and he pops his head back around the door.

“Yes love?”

“What about the shoes?”

“The shoes?”

“Your sneakers. Aren’t you supposed to wear something more... matching?”

„Oh fuck that! I’ve already sacrificed my sense of style today. They won’t take my sneakers too!”

taglist: @rogersdrumkit @rogersfalsettos  @cyborgfromthesupermarket @sabbrriiinnaa @wolverinesbeer r @simplyvictoria-93 @laubluered @ceruleanrainblues @shae-is-not-ok @i-am-sarah @imamazzellhoe @shishterfackisback @rockyroadthepastryarchy @tanya-is-dead @twistingrealityagain (and also @jennyggggrrr​ @juliarvra bc they were the ones to motivate me to finish these :’))

[wild-springflower]

First Impressions

I can’t get  past the theory of Buck’s dad being an abusive asshole. So, here’s a thing I wrote where the team find out firsthand! 

It’s a perfectly normal morning for the 118, nothing has gone catastrophically wrong yet and they are riding that shred of hope all the way through what is promising to be a good breakfast, if the smells wafting from the small kitchen area are anything to go by.

It had been a while since they’d gotten a chance to actually sit down and enjoy their meal, as they were being sent out on one call or another. Not that any of them would complain about their jobs, it just would be nice to enjoy non-microwaved food every once in a while.

Chim is in the middle of telling a story from his last call that both Eddie and Hen had missed, involving a guy who had dabbled, perhaps a little too much, in a less than legal substance, and had subsequently gotten his hand stuck in a toaster.

“So, we just walked onto the scene, and he starts screaming down at us to ‘hurry up!’ I mean, I thought he was dying based on how hysterical he was. And we get up there to find the guy had accidentally switched the toaster on while trying to get his hand out of it!”

Hen doubled over, not caring about laughing at some poor idiot who she knew was okay, because if he wasn’t Chim wouldn’t be telling the story. “Oh my god, no.”

Eddie shook his head, smiling and laughing as well, even Bobby gave a chuckle from his place in front of the stove. It had been a while since they’d all been like that, just siting and having a good time with one another. Except they were down one number.

Eddie’s thoughts had barely drifted to Buck when his phone buzzed, “Speak of the devil.” He said to himself, voice unheard over the uproar of laughter when Chim informed everyone that this moron forgot how toasters worked and didn’t know he could just unplug it to make it turn off.

Buck’s message was short, and to the point: Running late

Something about it didn’t sit quite right with Eddie, Buck was one for embellishing his texts with dorky emojis, or at least several punctuation marks too many.

“Well I guess it wasn’t that funny.” Chim commented, waving his hands in Eddie’s direction, “Yo, earth to Eddie.”

“He just got a text from his boyfriend, he’s a little preoccupied.” Hen heckled him.

“Buck’s not my boyfriend.” Eddie shot back immediately.

A devious smirk captured Hen’s lips, “Did I mention Buck? Chim I don’t remember saying Buck.”

“You most certainly did not say Buck.” Chim played along easily, smiling broadly at the expense of his teammate.

Eddie’s ears burned and he ducked his head in embarrassment but was thankfully saved by Bobby interjecting into the conversation before it could devolve any further.

“Where is Buck anyway?”

“Yeah, Buckaroo’s normally one of the first here.” Chim stated, looking around almost as if they had somehow just missed an entire member of their team.

Eddie shook his head, still looking at his phone, “He said he’s running late.”

Hen seemed to pick up on his unease because not a second later she was leaning towards him, all traces of her earlier jokes disappeared from her tone. “Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know, I’ve just got a weird feeling. I suppose we just wait and see when he shows up? We can always ask him if something’s going on.”

The others nodded, and as it turned out, they were not kept waiting long, as not ten minutes later a very tense looking Buck strode through the wide garage doors. He wasn’t alone however, a taller and older looking gentleman was following close behind, clearly agitated about something.

“You’ve been ignoring me for nearly a decade Evan you’ll have to grow up eventually.”

“I’m not-” Buck started, but quickly lowered his voice, “I’m not ignoring you. I just don’t have time right now; I have to work.”

Eddie stood from the couch and started slowly walking towards the stairs, he didn’t like the way his friend was acting, and the older man was setting off all sorts of alarm bells in the back of his mind.

“Oh, you have to work, do you? Big important firefighter that you are.” The man jeered, clearly amused.

The loud voice drew the rest of the team’s attention, and they all were glancing warily between each other and the scene unfolding before them.

Buck’s shoulders sagged, and he looked so exhausted it almost hurt. “Please, can we just not do this here?”

“Okay, then when Evan? When are you going to grow a pair and actually talk to me, because I’ve had enough of your constant excuses. So, when are we going to do this.” He shot Buck’s own words back at him like some sort of insult.

Eddie saw the annoyance turn to rage and a second later Buck was whirling to face the man, who Eddie had a sneaking suspicion was his father, the thought leaving a pit in his stomach.

Buck’s duffle fell from his shoulder and hit the ground with a dull thud, his arms spread wide, “I don’t know. Eventually! Okay? Just not right now! Sorry if the fact that I have a life is inconvenient to you!”

The man’s glare darkened, and the energy in the room turned almost electric. Then before anyone could really react, he had extended his arm in a devastating backhand that connected with a strong slap against Buck’s right cheek.

Buck seemed to just freeze, gasping slightly, watering eyes steadfastly refusing to move from the ground.

“Hey!” Eddie shouted, and not a moment later he was bounding down the steps, three more pairs of boots echoing behind him.

They weren’t there fast enough however, because by the time they got near their friend the older man already had the cuff of his shirt bunched up in a fist and was pulling Buck closer.

Buck’s breaths were coming in stuttering gasps, whole body shaking as he leaned as far away from the man as possible.

“You know better than to raise your voice at me.” He growled, voice low and threatening.

“Yes sir.” Buck whispered, the words seeming to fall off his tongue in a habitual monotone.

“Now what do you say?”

Buck swallowed thickly, still refusing to make eye contact, but when he didn’t respond immediately the man shook him by the collar and raised his hand again in a threatening gesture.

Eddie didn’t think it was physically possible for Buck to get any smaller, his voice a hoarse whisper, “Sorry sir.”

Eddie was on them a moment later, rage boiling in his stomach at the sight. No one, especially a father, had a right to make someone feel that way. “Let go.” He practically snarled.

“This is a discussion between myself and my insolent son. It doesn’t concern you.”

Eddie had opened his mouth to spit back fire at the man, but Bobby’s calming voice interrupted him first, “Actually it does. It concerned me the minute you stepped into my firehouse and physically abused one of my employees.” The way he said “my” sounded almost possessive, and Eddie was sure that wasn’t an accident.

“Now, let go of him before I have to get the police involved.”

Bless Bobby and his ever-present level head, if it had been up to Eddie alone, he would have socked the guy square in the jaw. He still wasn’t entirely sure that ship had sailed however, as the man had yet to release Buck and leave the station.

Several pairs of hands dove together with wonderful efficiency, Chim working to release the man’s grasp from Buck’s shirt as Hen tugged the shirt away and Bobby placed a warning grip on the man’s wrist.

They’d gotten Buck out of the man’s hold, but their friend seemed glued to the spot, vibrating terribly and blinking back tears.

Hen gripped his shoulders in her arms, gentle and reassuring, while Chim was rubbing his arm softly.

“You’re pathetic, you can’t even fight your battles on your own can you.” The man sneered, taking a threatening step forward and raising his fist.

Several things happened all at once. The moment Buck’s father moved Buck viscerally flinched, eyes squeezing shut in preparation of some sort of retribution. Chim’s grip on his arm tightened, and he was entirely ready to physically pull Buck out of there should the need arise. Hen stepped in front of him with a death glare, fully prepared to take a punch for her friend. But before she was in any danger of the fist connecting Eddie had intercepted the man’s arm and shoved it out of the way.

Bobby grabbed his phone from his pocket, Athena’s speed dial all queued up. “Chim, Hen, take Buck upstairs.” He commanded; voice strong but soft.

Buck’s feet shuffled with a gentle tug from his friends but one shout from his father had him clamming up again. “Evan Xavier Buckley, I did not give you permission to leave.”

“He’s not in your house, he’s in mine. And I give the orders around here.” Bobby said, “Chim, Hen, get Buck upstairs.”

“Come on buddy.” Chim whispered at the same time Hen softly cooed, “We’ve got you Buckaroo.” Their strong arms wrapped around his trembling form the entire way.

Eddie still stood, hands clenched in fists by his sides, and glaring icy daggers at the man. If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead ages ago.

“How dare you.” He hissed, rage turning to Bobby.

“How dare him?” Eddie scoffed, “How dare you!”

“Listen you petulant child, I don’t have the time or the patience for you.”

“So, what are you gonna do? Gonna hit me too?” Eddie mocked, stepping further into the man’s personal space. “Go ahead. Hit me, I dare you. Give me a good old smack, see what happens.”

A strong hand gripping his shoulder pulled his attention away and Bobby gave him a warning look, “Eddie, that’s enough. You head upstairs as well; I’ll join you all shortly.”

Eddie stood for a moment longer and just seethed, before he scoffed in disgust and turned his back on Buck’s horrible excuse for a father.

He heard Bobby, somehow still amazingly calm and collected, telling the man that he could either leave willingly or be escorted out, handcuffs notwithstanding.

Eddie stormed the stairs two at a time and started pacing angrily in front of the couch Hen and Chim had sat Buck down on. He looked completely shut down, eyes still staring almost vacantly at the ground as his body shook.

“God, who the hell does he think he is?” Eddie practically growled, “To think he can just come in here and get away with that?”

“Eddie,” Hen called, stern but quiet, “Knock it off.” And she gestured to where Buck was sitting, shaking somehow intensified.

With a pang of guilt, Eddie realized he had unintentionally scared his best friend even more. “Buck, hey I am so sorry.” His tone immediately shifted, and he knelt down in the least threatening way possible. “I’m not mad at you, I promise. Can I sit by you?” He was treating Buck much the same way he would treat Christopher when he was younger and still blaming himself for simple accidents.

It took a moment, but eventually Buck gave a halting nod of his head and Eddie was up and by his side in seconds, swapping out places with Chimney who went to retrieve the med kit; the broken skin directly on Buck’s cheekbone almost sent Eddie over the edge again.

“Is it alright if I put my arm around you?” He knew Hen was already all over the physical support area, but he felt the need to act, at least do a little something.

Buck’s nod yes was quicker that time and it made Eddie’s heart lift, if only slightly.

“Okay Buckaroo,” Chim called, announcing his presence long before he came into peripheral view. “I just need to clean that cut up a little bit, alright?”

“Um,” Buck’s voice wavered, his eyes scrunched tight, “Can you-just um, I need a minute okay?”

Chim’s voice was gentle with understanding, “Of course, you just tell me whenever you’re ready.”

“Yeah and we’re right here for you.” Hen’s words were accompanied with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder. She met Eddie’s eyes over Buck’s ducked head, seeing the sadness she was feeling reflected right back at her.

Buck tried taking several deep breaths to try and calm himself, they were all halting and uneven, but his shaking quelled a little, which was better than nothing. Finally, he opened his eyes again, but his gaze remained trained on the ground by his feet. “Um, Eddie? Can I-” He trailed off, but his fingers extended to where Eddie’s hand was gripping his thigh, just above the knee, and Eddie understood immediately what he wanted.

He didn’t hesitate for a moment, gripping Buck’s hand within his own, “Of course.”

Buck’s grasp was tight, and his hands were definitely still shaking, but the support seemed to give him the confidence he needed. He still didn’t look up, but he nodded, “Okay,” He gave Chimney the go ahead.

Chim crouched down slowly, trying to make sure Buck could see him, the last thing Chim wanted was to startle his friend with any sudden movements. “Alright, so I just have to clean it and then put a little butterfly strip on, sound good?”

“Let’s do it.”

Eddie felt Buck’s fingers curl tighter around his palm, and by the look Chim sent Hen, they hadn’t missed the change either.

“Okay Buckaroo, I’m gonna be coming in, just my hands with some antiseptic.”

Eddie took it as a good sign that Buck didn’t flinch as soon as Chim’s hands got near his face, he did hiss and pull back slightly though when the antiseptic wipe was applied.

“I know.” Hen hummed in sympathy.

Chim winced, the last thing he wanted was to cause Buck further pain, “Sorry bud. Almost done.” A second later he was gently pressing two ends of a small butterfly bandage over the broken skin. He rubbed his thumb across his lower cheek, and Buck smiled up at him ever so slightly. Chim smiled back encouragingly, “All done. I think someone deserves a sucker.”

“You have one?” Buck joked, although he sounded slightly hopeful.

Their conversation was interrupted as Bobby came trudging up the stairs, and any progress they seemed to have made disappeared as Buck reverted back into himself. He quickly pulled his hand from Eddie’s and ducked his head down, refusing to make eye contact.

Eddie stifled a disappointed sigh and moved his hand back to Buck’s knee, giving it a gentle squeeze to show his friend he was still there offering support.

Bobby saw Buck shrink from him and tried not to take it personally, he was the big authority figure of the station, he posed the most potential for threat no matter how small it was. The reaction still made his heart ache.

Bobby sat with a heavy sigh on the ground directly in front of the couch, eyes sad. He wanted to show Buck he was not a threat and getting below him in the least scary position possible seemed like a good place to start. His voice was gentle when he spoke, “Hey kiddo, I didn’t call Athena, but I can. She can help you press charges if you want, we won’t have any problem proving aggravated assault.”

Buck shook his head quickly, “No, no that would just-just make things worse. It’s fine, he’ll leave soon enough. I shouldn’t have yelled like that anyway.”

“Hey,” Bobby was quick to shut down that line of thinking. “First of all, this was in no way your fault. And no matter what you did, it did not warrant his reaction. You understand? You didn’t deserve that, and it’s not your fault that it happened.”

Buck bit his bottom lip, trying to quell the waves of tears pooling in his eyes once again. “God, I thought I was past that, past him. It’s been like seven years.”

Hen’s face crinkled in confusion, “Didn’t your dad say he hadn’t seen you in like, almost ten years.”

Buck just shrugged, as if to say, “that’s one way to deal with it”.

Eddie’s grip just tightened further around his shoulder, subconsciously pulling Buck as close to his body as possible. “Do you want us to call anyone? Maddie?”

At the mention of his sister’s name, Buck’s wide eyes shot up and zeroed in on where Chim was busying himself putting the antiseptic wipes away. “No! You can’t mention this to her!”

Chim blinked, before realization dawned, and a sad sigh rushed past his lips. “She doesn’t know.”

Buck shook his head as more tears followed the pre-paved trails down his cheeks, “You can’t tell her. Please Chim, she’ll only feel guilty and try to take the blame.”

“Seems to run in the family.” Hen gave Buck’s shoulder a gentle nudge.

He cracked a pitiful smile at that, and opened his mouth but Hen cut him off with a hand pressed against his lips.

“I swear to god if the next words about to come out of your mouth are “I’m sorry”, I’m-well I’m gonna hug you first but then I’m gonna be hella pissed.”

She pulled her hand away, and Buck almost cringed, not really sure what else to say other than, “Sorry?”

“Oh my-what did I just say!” Hen cried, all smiles, and pulled Buck into a tight embrace.

And if it lasted a little long or was a little tighter than was per usual, well no one was going to call them out.

When Buck pulled back his lips twitched slightly, eyes radiating silent gratitude. He sniffed and cleared his throat, “Well, Mr. Daniel Buckley ladies and gentlemen.”

Eddie gave an unimpressed shrug, “Ya know, as far as first impressions go, he left much to be desired.”

Buck barked out a wet laugh, the comment taking him by surprise. “You don’t say.”

[lokikingofasgardslover713]

Viridescent Odium: Ch.5

Aesthetic courtesy of @prettybubblesintheair

Masterlist

Viridescent Odium MASTERLIST

Bucky Barnes x Plus!Size Reader SKRULL

Warnings: Inferred rape, cuddly Bucky.

A/N: I promise! SMUT SOON! But not this chapter! We get some back story & some cuddly, angsty Bucky & reader.

Words: +2,500

Looking out the wall of glass, Y/N replayed the meeting with Carol from a month ago. Fury having to keep the two captains from ripping each other’s throats out, a meeting with the captains, Fury & Y/N. The curses Carol slung at Steve in a tone she hadn’t heard the space captain use since the Kree. The phone in her lap buzzing to bring her out of the memory. Bucky, he had been on her about getting out of the room other than training, missions & debriefings. Letting out a sigh, deciding to open the message.

Bucky: Twins just left, join me for a bite?

Y/N: Just ate, go on without me.

Bucky: It's sushi.

Y/N: No, I'm good, thank you.

After that Y/N tossed the phone on the couch to continue the staring contest with the tree line. It was now June, four more months of Tera left, which meant hell trying to avoid Bucky. Carol asking her to hang on till the delegates meeting in October, to help the Terans get through the pain of so many in one place. The phone buzzing, ruby orbs looking to the communicator that Carol had given her when she was there last, one that to get into contact with Stakar, actually hoping it would light up.

Remembering the moment, graduating the academy, Nova Prime making sure Y/N had a place at her side when becoming head of the corps.

“We need someone skilled in infiltration,” the delegate from one of the moons had begun, it had been so long she had forgotten the aliens planet.

“I have one ready to go,” Nova began, hinting to Y/N who stepped out the wood work, literally, everyone jumping but for Nova who looked at Y/N & smirked.

Carol had been standing with Nova when she revealed herself, the up-roar ear splitting at the fact Y/N had been in the room the entire time, a half breed that would betray them at nothing. An abomination that should be put out of it's misery, thrown out to the abyss or better yet sold to the collector to recuperate all the credits spent on her training. A hardened creature that tuned it out, till now, sitting & looking to the setting sun, phone buzzing again.

Buzzing, that was what it sounded like the day she was beat senseless, a Kree warrior snarling in pointed ear to just be still & let it happen. Noting but a whore, green skin marked with purple that made her skrull to the core, no amount of breeding could ever wash it from ones veins.

Another buzz, this time from the electric prod the Xandarian guard used to nock her to the floor because he had no chance to cripple her otherwise. Harshly drug to the delegate that asked Y/N be brought to her. Stripped bare to stand before the Sovereign leader that walked around Y/N, kept naked before her, studying her, degrading her, curious what it would take to truly break her. Nova the one to find the skrull out in the courtyard of the Nova Corps, beat senseless & naked, all after making the rank of general.

By all rights Y/N should hate everyone, questioning why she didn’t at that moment. Coming out of dark thoughts to realize that it had grown dark, tuning into the music that played low & realizing that it wasn’t what had been playing. Getting to numb feet slowly to realize she wasn’t alone, the music what Bucky played when he was in a nostalgic mood. Turing to the kitchenette, the soldier standing next to the table smiling at her, wearing jeans, t-shirt & a sheepish smile.

“I figured if you weren’t going to come out with me that I would bring it to you,” he admitted, finally stepping forward to reach out for green hand.

“Bucky… look. I know you…. I'm sorry… it want ever be as simple as it would if I was…,” Y/N began, unflinching as he took a shaky hand in a metal one to lift it up for them both to see.

“I know it is not simple doll… you don’t have to tell me… but I don’t care. Come on, let’s eat & watch a movie. It's Friday night, the others are in the common room watching a romantic movie. Figured we would watch something else,” he smiled, making it hard for Y/N to keep a straight face the moment Bucky took the hand he held to press the calloused palm to stubbled cheek.

“See? I don’t care. It changes nothing. Not the way you feel, you touch. It's just a color that the twins scream at the top of their lungs every time they see you. I mean, you handed Steve his ass…,” Bucky chuckled as he tugged thick frame close to wrap a flesh arm around ample waist to sway Y/N gently to the music while the hand he had laid on stubbled cheek slipped to his neck.

Filling the flesh that met the metal underneath the shirt, free hand going to his opposite shoulder as Bucky moved her gently around the room.

“I did hand his ass to him didn’t I,” Y/N smirked up at Bucky, not caring if fangs showed, now that she thought of it Steve had backed off a lot in training.

“That is the best thing I’ve seen in a long time,” Bucky laughed, slowing as the track changed, pulling Y/N with him to the table to pull the seat out & push it in as she sat.

The skrull unable to stop the smile that pulled at emerald lips, taking over once stoic features when the soldier lit the candles that sat on the table. Smiling at him as he finally took a seat, surprised she never heard him placing the plates & food out.

“Thank you Bucky,” Y/N smiled as he moved to begin eating.

“It's no problem doll,” he smiled, remembering how Ann had done little things like this for him, wondering why she did & now finally understanding as he looked at Y/N, he was falling in love with her.

“No, I mean thank you for not giving up…. including me…. For not….,” Y/N spoke kindly, still smiling at the soldier across from her.

“For not pushing you to the side…. Yeah it's not in me doll to give up on you…,” Bucky smiled hinting to begin eating.

It was a quiet night, even for the party that was going on in the common room. They all seemed quiet as Y/N & Bucky curled up on the couch in an attempt to watch another movie that only ended in the two sharing stories of battles & some to funny not to share.

Y/N pausing as a calloused thumb caressed along soft jaw. Bucky relaxed back on the arm of the couch, Y/N laying between his legs on her back, green hand cherishing over clothed thigh to look back, surprised when calloused thumb ghosted over bottom lip. Ruby orbs locking onto calming ocean blue eyes that sparkled with light from the tv screen.

The soldier releasing Y/N to turn in his arms to lay on his stomach, arms wrapping around thick middle to pull close to speak on beautiful emerald lips. Tongue darting out to lick parched lips as hot breath fanned over them, sending a chill down her spine she hadn’t felt in decades.

“Do you not worry I will hurt the twins,” Y/N began, so close lips tickled as she spoke.

“Doll, you don’t have it in you to hurt them. I may be a cold blooded assassin & you may be war skrull, but I am also a father. I know when someone is & isn’t right for us. And you, Y/N, are no threat, especially if you were wiling to come help me clean up chocolate syrup when it looked like they had smeared shit all over the place….,” Bucky chuckled, dying for a taste of her.

“Stay…,” Bucky breathed, the word he spoke to the skrull every chance he got.

Finally getting the courage to press his lips to hers, softer than what he could have ever imagined. Flesh hand going to the nape of soft neck to deepen the kiss, calloused hands snaking around to the back of his own to thread into auburn locks to keep him in place. Soft lips parting without prompting, tongues tangling as metal hand found the hem of her shirt to run up thick curves, making her gasp out at the coldness of it.

Thick frame sitting up further to get to her knees between his legs as he sat up, palming ample breast through offending bra as green hands traveled to the hem of his shirt, tugging it over his head, breaking the kiss long enough to fling it to the floor. Hot hands doing the same to repeat the process, falling back to each other to prolong the kiss as hands went to the buckle on his jeans, his own going to the yoga pants, starting to push them down when the cell phone.

“The twins,” he gasped out, breaking the kiss to hurriedly pull the phone out of unzipped pants, falling back to the arm of the couch, pulling Y/N with him to hold her to his chest before taking the video call, Y/N grabbing the throw on the couch to wrap it around bare shoulders.

“GREEN,” the twins squealed making Y/N realize she was in the picture, sure to smile & say hi, to the horror of the grandparents who kept mouths shut thankfully.

“Yeah guys, we’re watching a movie,” Bucky told the overly excited children who looked to be bouncing around all over the place jabbering that they wanted to come home & watch a movie with Y/N.

“Ok, clam down, I'm sure Y/N will come watch a movie with us when you get back, but it's bed time guys,” Bucky told the kids who asked for an Uncle Steve story.

“Oh no. I know that you have already had one, you’re not milking this tonight,” he scolded the two sweetly, Y/N looking up at the soldier, a smile on her face even when the kids complained.

“Ok,” both spoke in their small voices, “love you daddy, love you Y/N..,” the two chimed in, taking Y/N off guard to look at the screen with a nervous smile but retuning the sentiment before they hung up.

“See doll, even they aren’t going to give up on you,” Bucky smiled, laying the phone in the floor, hand going to soft cheek to pull her up to him once more.

“Can we slow down? Not that I didn’t enjoy the rush….,” Y/N began, the throw falling from bare shoulders, but not bothering to pull it back up, even releasing it to fall to the floor to lay flush to toned stomach.

“It's up to you doll, I’ll do whatever you ask except for give up on you, because that aint happen sweetheart,” he smiled, stealing a kiss, allowing Y/N get comfortable, surprised at how she fell into it, hands reaching to the nape of his neck once more to lace into auburn locks.

Y/N finally laying her head under his chin as metal & flesh wrapped around bare middle to settle down. Sitting quietly & listening to each other breath, not focusing on the movie while eyes began to flutter closed. The only thing the soldiers ever wanted was someone to keep them safe, so they could sleep through the night & get the rest they craved.

This time the knock on the door was easy, as if the person was trying to be courteous of the two occupants in Y/N’ room that had somehow made it to bed, tangled in limbs that didn’t want to unravel, still in last night’s clothes that were wrinkled beyond belief.

“I'm sorry to wake you,” F.R.I.D.A.Y began gently, “but Captain Rogers needs to speak with the two of you before he leaves.”

“Ok, hang on,” a gritty voice rasped out as Bucky attempted to untangle from Y/N who was wrapped tight around black vibranium that was warm thanks to the skrull curled around it that whimpered out as he removed it.

“Come on doll, you know he likes to get up before the ass crack of dawn,” Bucky joked, running flesh hand along a spine that relaxed the instant the warm appendage soothed over flesh that wasn’t covered in a sports bra.

“Yeah, yeah,” Y/N began groggily, finally letting go to roll to her side of the bed while Bucky got up, obvious he didn’t care if he wore a shirt, starting for the door while Y/N grabbed the closest thing at hand before heading to the door.

“Hey,” Steve began the moment the door opened, not surprised Bucky was the one to open the door, devoid of shirt with Y/N stepping next to the soldier in his wrinkled shirt, not meaning to look her up & down, damn maybe there was something to that thick body.

“You are leaving early,” Bucky began, snapping Steve out of it, hinting to the stealth uniform, going as far as to throw flesh arm around clothed shoulders, smirking when he realized she wore Bucky’ discarded shirt.

“Uh, yeah. I know I told you to originally help with training the new hires, but now I need you too,” Steve admitted, looking to Y/N who was wiping the sleep out of crimson eyes before it registered what he asked.

“Wilson not able to make it….,” Y/N began clearing dry throat to finally focus on the captain with a yawn, absentmindedly leaning into Bucky’ warm side, recalling how ever since she floored Steve the Falcon didn’t seem as inviting as he once was.

“No, he will be there to. I got word late last night that there were several more joining the group & didn’t want them to be overwhelmed,” Steve explained, cocking blonde head at how domesticated she looked.

“You think that is something that you would be comfortable with,” Steve actually asked Y/N who puzzled as if it was a trap.

“Um, yeah, I’ve trained recruits before on Xandar, this should be no problem,” Y/N finally spoke, looking up to Bucky then to Steve who gave a genuine smile.

“Good, thanks for bailing our asses out,” the blonde actually thanked Y/N before exchanging goodbyes & hurrying down the corridor.

“Something’s wrong with Steve,” Bucky began looking down the hall then back down to Y/N who puzzled at the soldier that was wrapping his arm around her tightly.

“What do you mean…,” she asked cautiously.

“I think you hit him too hard & jarred something loose,” the brunet laughed, both stepping into the room, Bucky looking over the curves that looked perfect under HIS shirt, stopping her the moment the door shut to pull her flush, crashing their lips together in a needy kiss.

“Get ready & meet me in the hall in 30,” he asked, watching pink tongue soothe over now puffy lips, a smile taking over as she shook her head yes.

Tags open! And re-blogs are ALWAYS welcomed!

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[prettyfunkyunorganized]

Sugar Daddy Hanzo part 12

Hi everyone! I’ll keep it brief because I’m very tired and very done, lol. Super stressed from school, so forgive my absence. I have along ass chapter for you though! Always feels good to write what I want. Sorry if my chapters have been off or slow recently, btw. My mind is just shot from juggling graduate school. Your ongoing support means everything to me, I want you to know that. 

Anywho, 3,070 words today! Enjoy. I also put a break halfway through since it’s so long.

The last surgery came and went just like any other, leaving you waking up with Hanzo on one side of your bed while your grandparents sat on the other. You smiled at the flowers perched on your side table. They were long stems covered with tiny yellow flowers you had called ‘pixie dust’ growing up. Here in the city, you never saw these dainty little plants, but back home they were everywhere. When you were smaller, you and your grandparents would run your fingers along the stem to pull off as many flowers as you could, then make a wish as you blew all the little petals into the air. Just seeing the vase full of your childhood favorite was enough to make you smile ear to ear.

“Good morning, or rather, evening,” Hanzo said as he noticed you were awake, setting his book aside.

“Hey,” you responded groggily.

“There’s my pumpkin,” your Nana chirped out, squeezing your hand. Your grandfather snorted in his sleep, but didn’t wake up.

“He could sleep through a plane crash,” you giggled.

“At least he remembered his neck pillow this time. Last time we traveled, he forgot it, and the chiropractor nearly lost his mind,” Nana chuckled. “But enough about him, how are you, my strong girl?”

“I’m fine,” you shrugged, “sore again, but I feel like I can take a deep breath now, so that’s nice.”

“I will go find a doctor,” Hanzo offered, heading to the door. Your Nana watched him leave then turned back to you excitedly the moment he was gone.

“Tell. Me. Everything,” she demanded giddily.

You grinned. Of course, you weren’t going to tell her everything, hell you couldn’t even tell her half of it, but you knew the old gossip wouldn’t let you rest until she had at least a few details.

“Alright, Nana,” you laughed, “I’ll tell you some of the good stuff. I met him at this fancy party a while ago, and we kinda got together. Trouble of it is, he sorta, um, dumped my friend to be with me instead.”

“Oh,” she said, lowering her voice as if every word you said was a precious secret, “well that’s complicated.”

“It was Lori. You remember Lori, right? The one who I was always covering for at work and driving home after benders?”

Nana’s face went sour. “Yes, yes. I remember you telling me about her. Never understood why you liked her in the first place.”

“Well, she helped me out when I first got to the company. Now I realize she was just using me, but still, that’s how it happened. We haven’t really spoken since I started going with Hanzo, though. That is, until she shot me.”

“She’s the one who shot you,” your grandmother reeled.

“Yeah,” you sighed, rubbing a sore spot on your chest, “that was her.”

“Good grief! What a jealous bitch!” You smirked at her swearing. As a kid, you had learned all your naughty words from grandma.

“I still can’t believe she went this far,” you groaned. “Hope they find her.”

“Oh they did,” your Nana said, “Hanzo said she’s been incarcerated and is going to be locked up for a very long time. Now that I think about it, he sounded very confident of that . . .”

“He probably made sure of it,” you murmured quietly.

“What was that?”

“Oh, nothing,” you said trying to put on a sweet smile. Nana didn’t need to know you were dating the sort of man who would throw money around and bribe officials to make sure you were safe. But you knew he absolutely would.

“Well, in any case, he seems like a nice man, if not a little quiet and scary at times.”

“You think he’s scary,” you laughed. He was, but it was different to hear your grandmother say it.

“Do you not?! He’s so grave looking with that angular face of his! And so somber! There was a rather unpleasant nurse in here a while ago who made a remark about ‘only stupid people get shot,’ and before your Grandad could start barking, Mr. Shimada there gave the fellow the most powerful look! Stopped the man dead and made him lose two shades of color in his face. Gave me the shivers, too.”

“He can be like that,” you admitted with a smile, “but he means well.”

“I get that impression,” your grandmother smiled. “He seems quite taken with you.”

“He is,” you nodded, “and I’m very lucky.”

“Not half as lucky as he is,” she said with a wink. “Although, I do wish he would open up a little. We’ve been sitting here for hours but he didn’t say much.”

“Gana-nana, opening up is absolutely not his strong suit.”

“Oh, but it’s just me! I’m a sweet old lady! Who wouldn’t feel okay opening up to me?”

“Someone who has a very complicated relationship with his own family,” you clarified.

“I see,” your Nana said, glancing at the door behind her. “He looks like the type of fella with some baggage. You just keep your priorities straight, alright? You are your first priority, and you don’t have to fix anyone.”

“I know, Nana, I know,” you chuckled. “You taught me that well when I was younger.”

“No grandbaby of mine is going to get roped into micromanaging a man like I did in my first marriage,” she said firmly.

“I’m doing my best,” you promised her.

A moment later, Hanzo and a doctor came in, prompting your Nana to smack your Grandad awake.  The doctor greeted you with a smile before launching into a summary of your progress. “Everything looks good so far. The tissue melded together quite nicely, your lung function is getting more normal, and you seem to be in good spirits.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, “I’m still sore and tired, but I feel like I’m getting there. Or maybe I’m just getting used to it.”

“Either way,” the doctor said, tucking her tablet under her arm, “I can’t see any reason you can’t go home now.”

“Really,” you grandmother asked worriedly, “so soon?”

“Yes. She’s been a model patient, and we have follow-up appointments scheduled, too, so I’m confident she’ll be fine. Should you need anything though, you can always give me a ring.”

“I’m not protesting,” you said taking the woman’s card from her outstretched hand. “Get me out of here!”

Your Grandad laughed. “You’ve hated hospitals since the day you popped out. Have I ever told you that story about the day your parents took you home?”

“Yes,” you groaned, “only a thousand times. ‘The minute yer momma stepped out of the sliding doors you clammed up and just looked around. Were quiet as a peep the whole way home.’”

You caught Hanzo smiling at your reenactment and wondered if you would ever hear stories about his childhood. Genji would probably happily spill the beans for you.

“Well if that’s the case,” the doctor continued, “hopefully you’ll feel better once you get some fresh air. However, once our pain medicine wears off, you might be feeling a little wiped out, so I recommend having someone at least come to check on you every once in a while if not stay with you a few days.”

“Maybe I should stay then,” Nana said, turning to her husband.

“You have to go? So soon,” you asked, your heart sinking a little.

“Rodriquez passed away last week. His memorial is the day after tomorrow,” your Grandad explained heavily. The name was familiar since he and your grandfather had been friends for decades.

“That’s awful,” you said shaking your head, “but you should both go to the memorial. I’ll be okay. The gals and Hanzo can look after me.”

“Oh, I don’t want to bother them,” your grandmother said with a wave of her hand. “I can stay.”

“It would not be a bother at all,” Hanzo finally piped up, “I had already planned on staying with your granddaughter should she need me.”

“Yeah, don’t take away my chance to make Mr. Fancy Pants here play nursemaid,” you joked, grinning at Hanzo.

“Well,” your grandmother hesitated, “it would be nice to be there for Rodriquez’s husband if he needs me. That dear man hasn’t been without his sweetheart for over seventy years . . .”

“Yes, go take care of him,” you insisted, “I’ll be just fine.” That, and you would rather spend your lazy days watching Hanzo’s handsome form take care of you instead of watching your Grandad rearrange your kitchen ‘the right way.’

“You just make sure those lady friends of your come over too,” Grandad said warningly. “I like that feisty one, and I want to make sure someone is scrutinizing this man of yours with a critical eye.”

“Marvin if you don’t cool it I’m never making you my signature alfredo sauce again,” your Nana snapped.

“Alright, alright,” the old man said, putting his hands up in surrender.

“Don’t worry, Grandad, Nicole is already on the job, isn’t she, Hanzo,” you smirked.

“She seems quite determined to find every possible fault in me,” Hanzo admitted.

“Good,” you grandfather muttered.

“Why don’t I go get a nurse to get you ready to go,” the doctor – who had been watching the spat with an amused smile – said before ducking out.

Not long after, you were bundled up in a pair of sweats and ready to finally go home. It was late in the day now, and you couldn’t help but notice you grandmother’s yawns.

“Nana, Grandad, did you get a hotel room,” you asked.

“Yes, but we can see you off to your apartment first. We’re fine,” the old woman replied.

“Speak for yourself,” Grandad said with a stretch, “I’m beat. Let this suit-wearing galoot take her home since he’s so keen on proving himself a good guy. We can come over in the morning and make the girl breakfast before we head out.”

“She’s out grandbaby Marvin! How are you not more concerned by all this?”

“Because I know just how tough our grandgirl is,” he said patting your arm. “We helped raise a hell of a young woman, and I know she’ll be okay.”

“Thanks, Grandad,” you said leaning over to kiss the top of his head. “And thanks for being a worry wort Nana, but I’m okay. All I want to do is sleep in my own bed, so you guys go hit the hay, too.”

“Oh alright,” she relented, “but you let me know if you need anything.”

“Yes ma’am,” you nodded, taking a step to Hanzo’s side.

“I have my car waiting,” he said offering his arm to you. You held his elbow and waved to your family.

“If you would rather be with them,” Hanzo began, “I will not be offended in the least.”

“No, no,” you said firmly. “I love them to bits, I do, but when I’m hurt or sick Nana starts hovering and makes it hard to relax. Grandad starts cooking way too much and destroys the whole house in the process. No, what I need tonight is quiet and you.”

“I am happy to oblige,” he said with a thin smile, opening the car door for you.

It felt like an excruciatingly long ride home, so the moment you were in the door you couldn’t help but scream, “Thank. Fucking. God!”

“You hatred of hospitals is . . . remarkable,” Hanzo said with a chuckle, locking the door behind him.

“Most things about me are remarkable though, aren’t they,” you grinned, leaning in to kiss him. This was the first time you had been able to properly put your arms around him since the two of you reconnected, and it felt fantastic. You buried your face in his chest and breathed in deeply. He always smelled clean and fresh, but now there was a tiny hint of antiseptic smell lingering on him, too. Fucking hospitals.

Hanzo kept his arms around your waist and smiled down at you. “Remarkable seems the most perfect way to describe you,” he agreed.

“It’s nice to be with you like this again,” you said softly. “I knew I missed being next to you, but I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed it.”

“I know precisely what you mean,” he hummed gracing his hand up and down your back. You shivered.

“How long did the docs say I had to stay away from ‘strenuous activity,’” you asked leadingly, kissing the sensitive spot under his jawbone.

“Two weeks so you may properly heal,” he replied, “and I will be counting down every hour.” His hands gravitated to your ass as he left a trail of kisses from your ear to shoulder.

“Don’t tease me,” you laughed, pulling away from him.

“Forgive me,” he said with a glint in his eye, “it is still my favorite way to pass the time.”

You turned toward your kitchen and ruffled your hair. “I don’t suppose I could convince you to grill me a cheese while I take a quick shower instead?”

“Of course I will,” he nodded, making his way to your fridge, “but be careful not to get your injuries too wet. I have had plenty of experience with the waterproof coating they put on bullet wounds these days. It is only waterproof to a degree.”

“Have you been shot before,” you asked from the bathroom doorway.

“You have seen my scars before,” he said with an air of apathy, “you know how extensive they are.”

“That’s true,” you said thinking over the first time you saw him with his clothes off, “guess I didn’t recognize any of them as a healed bullet hole.”

“I am glad you have not had much experience in that,” he said pulling a pan from a cupboard. You couldn’t help but admire his toned butt.

“Here I thought all your scars came from sexual exploits gone wrong,” you laughed.

“I must admit, a few of them are,” he shrugged.

“Oh I’ve got to hear about that,” you demanded before heading to wash the grime off of you.

By the time you were feeling clean and mostly normal again, the pain medication was wearing off, leaving your aches much more noticeable. You flopped onto the couch in your pjs and sighed, rubbing your stitches. Hanzo brought a plate to you a moment later and sat.

“Thanks, Hanzo,” you said blinking your tired eyes.

“Are you feeling worse now,” he asked, his arm resting on the back of the couch behind your head. You nodded. “What can I do?”

“Nothing,” you said simply, “I think I just need to sleep in my own bed. And the warm, cheesy goodness helps, too.”

He smiled wide. “I’m glad my sandwich preparation skills are still adequate. I do not cook as much as I used to.”

“You used to?”

“Yes, after I . . .  broke away from my family, I lived alone for a number of years on very little means, and so I had to learn to cook. You should have seen my first attempts. They were some of my most undeniable failures.” He grimaced as if he could still taste something burnt in his mouth.

“You’re so dedicated, though, I bet you did all the research and all the practice and figured out how to ace all your favorite meals,” you said worming a little closer to him.

He let out a loud laugh, “You certainly know my tendencies.”

“Will you make me something fancy someday,” you asked, taking another bite, “I’ll return the favor.”

“Anything you like,” he promised in a low tone, weaving his fingers into your hair. The sensation put you even more at ease, and your lids grew heavy.

“Hanzo?”

“Yes?”

“Will you stay here with me tonight? I know we can’t have any fun or anything but I – I’d . . . ”

“If you want me to stay I will,” he said with a small kiss to your forehead. “Anything you need, I am here.”

“Thank you,” you said placing your hand over your chest. “I just – it’s hard to feel safe and strong after what happened. I try my best to a confident woman and take care of myself, but after Lori . . . I just want someone close by. As much as I hated being stuck in that white room with an IV in my arm, at least there was a nurse call button and staff looking out for me all the time.”

“You will never be alone if you do not want to be so long as I am alive,” Hanzo sad firmly. “I could not be there when you were hurt, but I will do all I can to keep you safe from now on.”

You giggled, “You are a formidable guy. I’d be scared to fuck with someone I knew you cared about.”

“And I pity anyone who dares antagonize you once you recover. I have no doubt you will come out of this stronger than ever. It is just who you are, and one of the things I most adore about you.”

“You’re so good to me,” you smiled, kissing his arm.

“I will try to be deserving of you.”

“I know, and I will be, too. But no more trying tonight. I’m exhausted and I need some sleep. ASAP,” you groaned.

“Do you have fresh sheets for your bed,” Hanzo asked, standing.

“Yeah, in the top of the closet, but I don’t know if they really need to be changed yet.”

“Nonsense,” Hanzo said with a small frown, “few things feel better than fresh sheets. Finish eating, and I will make up your bed.”

“Thanks, my considerate man,” you beamed.

After a few moments of spacing out, you heard Hanzo call out to you.

“May I ask you for a favor,” he asked.

“Um, sure,” you hesitated.

“Remind me to but you decent sheets,” he said, a displeased lilt in his voice.

“Are you judging my bedding,” you laughed.

“Yes, my beauty, yes I am.”

“Fancy pants,” you chuckled under your breath. Despite Hanzo’s insistence that your sheets, pillowcases, and mattress all needed to be replaced, he still crawled into bed with you, letting you snuggle up as much as you wanted. With him pressed against you, the feeling of safety settled into your bones and allowed you to drift peacefully off to sleep.

@collinssie @watch-your-grammer @zarcake-writes @yesthisisbae @eebbapanda1@deercapitate @missbumblina@skyrina@justjaaaay@thewetbones@skyelentnight @ilovebva @punk-dork @cbrokeherboobs@sobanoodledragon@sydniesamm@honeyburger@knightofsexyness @queenoflabyrinths@speakingishard@iknowimcutethanks @ninevast @ivymarquis @sydniesamm@barbie-the-centrist @tumblertrash@angle0fthegourd@shaybae1997 @lillypet95 @rusty-potato @tt-nikithakppr @honeydew-do-you @kitties-and-unicorns @spookymf @seachelle-the-tideborn 

** please let me know if you would like to be tagged or removed from the tags in future updates and sorry if I missed anyone, I feel like tumblr is deleting my shit**

[queen-scribbles]

The Company of Shadows

@pillarspromptsweekly #18, Infiltration. This is sort of AU, where Tavi says Fuck It to ruling Caed Nua, leaves someone else in charge, and goes to help Aloth with dismantling the Leaden Key.

“I’m coming with you.”

The words were expected, as was the determination with which they were uttered. “Tavi, no.”

“Aloth, yes.” Tavi plunked down next to him, spinning the point of her whittling knife against the table. “It’s important, an’ I don’t like the idea of you goin’ alone. And I don’t mean it like that,” she hurried on, raising a hand to cut off the protest he was about to make. “It’s not a slight against any of your skills, I just think for as ambitious a goal as dismantlin’ the entire fuckin’ Leaden Key, you should have at least one person’s worth of backup.”

Aloth smiled knowingly, tracing graffiti carved into the tabletop with one finger. “And you think it should be you?”

“Gods, yes,” she said vehemently. “We work well together, you know I’m good in a fight, if it comes to that, and I can read souls. I figure that’ll come in handy for something like this.”

Aloth bit his lip. “All of that is true,” he allowed. “But subtlety has never been one of your strengths, Tavi. And that will be a rather important skill for this... venture. As will the ability to bite your tongue.”

Tavi was quiet for a moment, staring at the divot her knife was making in the table’s surface. “For somethin’ this important t’ you, I could work on both of ‘em.”

“You know better than anyone the Leaden Key is not a forgiving opponent,” he felt obligated to point out. “Your first slip up would likely also be your last.”

“Well, good thing I’m a fast learner,” she shrugged, twisting the knife again.

“What about Caed Nua?” 

“Steward’s run the place for decades, she can handle a while longer,” Tavi countered. “And Keya can be my representative or whatever . I fuckin’ pay her enough t’ do that, and she has a better temperament for mediating conflict and shit than I do, anyway.”

Aloth sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not talking you out of this, am I?”

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “No, dear. You’re not.”

<<>>

They left three days later, with a mostly thought-out plan and complete confidence everything would be fine while they were gone. Keya had accepted the ‘diplomatic representative’ role with alacrity and Tavi trusted her.

“Next stop, Defiance Bay,” she grinned, as Caed Nua faded into the distance behind them.

“I’m still not sure this is the best idea, Tavi,” Aloth sighed, adjusted the straps of his pack. “You’re rather well-known in the city, especially since the Dozens assumed leadership, and that’s detrimental to keeping a low profile.”

“It’s also the location of the only Leaden Key cell we know about,” Tavi countered. She raised an eyebrow. “Unless you know somethin’ you ain’t tellin’ me, city slicker.”

He shook his head. “No. I said no more secrets, and I meant it.”

“So we go back in through the catacombs--disguised of course--an’ if the Acolyte and her cell are still there we try to delicately question some people. If they aren’t, we see if they left anything helpful behind. Both are long shots, sure, but it’s all we fuckin’ got.”

“Better than nothing, at least,” Aloth agreed. “Anything that helps is good.”

“That’s the spirit,” Tavi grinned, reaching for his hand as they walked.

<<>>

The catacombs under Woedica’s temple were empty, the former Leaden Key enclave deserted. Tavi had been expecting that, if she was honest. The unrest in the city had citizenry on edge, which would work against a group trying to go unnoticed. Also, it had been long enough since she killed Thaos that a strategic withdrawal made sense. It was easier this way, anyhow. 

She and Aloth spent the next couple hours combing the enclave for anything useful, but came up empty until Tavi found a half-rotted corpse in the Acolyte’s former chambers. Enough of the soul’s essence clung to the body that she could get a fairly decent connection, and there was just enough in the lingering consciousness to the point them where they needed to go. Much as she disliked the idea of traveling all the way to fucking Mercy Vale, Tavi couldn’t deny it made sense as a location for the Leaden Key. So after one more night’s rest at the Charred Barrel, they were on their way.

<<>>

Mercy Vale was further along in its recovery from the Saint’s War than either of them expected. There were still signs, of course; the wooden skeletons of buildings not yet completed, a smaller populace than expected for a town  this size.

“Alright, who are we looking for?” Aloth asked, pulling the hood of his cloak higher in a gesture that reminded Tavi rather sharply of their first meeting, in another, far distant, village.

I hope this one has fewer belligerent drunks, she thought idly as she called up the mental image provided by the poor soul in the catacombs. “Um... don’t have a name, that would be too easy. Dwarven man, brown hair, clean shaven, eye patch.”

“Well, that’s distinctive,” Aloth said dryly. “If you don’t have the name, do you at least have an idea where to find him?”

Tavi snorted. “Where do you always find people? The tavern.”

“Oh, of course. Silly me to expect any deviation from the norm.” He reached out and grabbed her arm as she began striding down the main street. “You remember our plan?”

“��Course I do, city slicker.” Tavi patted his hand reassuringly, then shook it off. “Let’s go. An’ stop worryin’. If this group’s run by a cipher, they can probably pick up on that.”

“Right,” Aloth nodded. They made the rest of the walk to the tavern side by side in silence. A quick scan of the room when they arrived didn’t reveal the contact they sought, so Tavi asked the bartender.

“Aye, that’s Kendel,” the woman nodded. “Back in the corner, love. But he’s real picky ‘bout his comp’ny.”

“Warnin’ noted, but I’m sure I’ll convince him,” Tavi replied with a smile. She heard the bartender snort as she walked away, and briefly worried how much attention it would draw if they could convince Kendel to talk to them. “There he is,” she told Aloth, pointing toward the table the innkeeper had indicated.

The dwarf in question looked up as they approached, his remaining eye glittering dangerously. “What d’you want?”

“To talk to you,” Tavi replied, maintaining eye contact until he grunted and looked away.

“Well, then, state your name and purpose,” he said, tone surly, almost mocking.

The elves exchanged a look and then Aloth cleared his throat. “My name belongs to the gods and my hand to their service.”

Suddenly Kendel looked very interested indeed. He pushed aside his mug, the ale sloshing slightly. “And what company do you seek?”

Tavi had to bite her tongue to keep from answering with Aloth. “I seek the company of shadows, that our work may remain secret.”

The pattern repeated with the other two passphrases; Kendel asked, Aloh answered, and Tavi bit her tongue to keep quiet and play the new recruit even as her conversation with the Acolyte rattled around in her head.

Once Kendel was satisfied, he gestured at Tavi. “So what about her? Why’d she clam up?”

“She wants to join,” Aloth explained with a shrug.

“Even with what just happened in the Dyrwood?” Kendel probed. Seeing their blank looks, he leaned forward and explained, “Some elf bitch fucked up the Grandmaster’s plans. Some say she killed him, but I ain’t sure I believe that part.”

Believe it, asshole. “Even if that’s true, surely the gods still have need of you.”

“Right you are,” Kendel said with a nod. “As far as you joinin’ goes, I”ll hafta talk to our Acolyte; see if we’re even interested in bringin’ in new blood.”

“Of course,” Aloth said smoothly, squeezing Tavi’s hand under the table before she could protest at the delay. “Should we meet you here?”

“Nah.” Kendel jerked a thumb toward the door. “Take a room at the inn across the street. We’ll be in touch.”

<<>>

They took long enough to make good on that promise, Tavi was beginning to wonder if he cell had decided against recruiting now, or figured they were a threat. But finally, after two days of twiddling their thumbs and getting progressively more nervous, a messenger arrived with a short note. So short, in fact, it only contained a location and a time.

“Well, that’s promising,” Aloth murmured, toying with the scrap of parchment. “If they were suspicious, they would simply vanish like smoke on a breeze and we’d never find them.”

“So, what, we go to this meeting and they test me to see if I’m worth their time?” Tavi asked, running her fingernail up and down the length of a scratch on the table.

“Essentially,” Aloth nodded. “Mostly seeing if you have any useful skills or knowledge and how well you can keep a secret.” He looked briefly troubled.  “They won’t hold back, and I won’t be able to help you.”

“Got it.” She smiled at the lingering worry in his eyes. “I’m a big girl, city slicker. I can take care of myself, and withstand quite a lot.”

“I know. In most cases it’s just some questions anyway, so remember our story and everything will be fine.”

“Right.” Tavi cracked her knuckles. “Fine.”

It was. The Acolyte for this cell was male, tall enough Tavi briefly wondered if he was aumaua before catching a glimpse of dusky tan skin between his hooded masked and robe. He asked her some rudimentary questions, but she could feel him probing at her mind the whole time. She put up a wall of emotion to match her story--curious, seeking to best serve the gods--and prayed that it was enough.

The Acolyte didn’t seem thrown by what he found, and welcomed her as a sister and initiate of the Leaden Key. “Your first task is a simple one: attend the town meeting tomorrow, and report to me on the people’s attitudes.”

“Yes, Acolyte,” Tavi said blandly. “You want me to go alone or...?”

“Take him,” the Acolyte gestured almost dismissively at Aloth. “You two already seem to have something of a rapport, and a couple will draw less suspicion than a lone stranger.”

They both nodded and took their leave. Neither spoke as they climbed the stairs out of the basement, or made their way through the house.

“Well, that went well,” Aloth finally said as they walked down the street.

“What’s the point of havin’ us go listen to people talk?” Tavi kicked a pebble and watched it skitter.

“It’s an easy thing to give a new member,” Aloth explained. “As a test of ability and intent. I did the same thing many times when I first joined. And this sort of thing allows them to gauge if popular opinion is going the way they want it to.” 

“Alright, I guess that does make sense,” she admitted grudgingly. “Whaddya think they want public opinion to be?”

“Since I know them so much better than you?” Aloth said dryly. He smiled when Tavi rolled her eyes and bumped her shoulder against his. “Knowing the Leaden Key, almost definitely something negative regarding animancy. As to what angle they’re using, I haven’t the foggiest. I’ve no idea how much of an issue animancy could possibly be in a village this size, but I’m sure we’ll find out.”

<<>>

And find out they did. Not at the town meeting, or even the Leaden Key debriefing afterward, though a local thayn was a popular topic at both. It wasn’t until a few days later, when the Acolyte directed Tavi to slip into Thayn Yngmar’s house and switch some papers, that they realized he was housing and funding an animancer.

“The woman acts his wife in public,” the Acolyte explained disdainfully, “but in fact their relationship is of a different nature. Simply find this Esmy’s workshop and replace her research notes with these. Her work will remain fruitless for a good while.”

“Is anyone gonna get hurt?” the question escaped before Tavi could stop it, but fortunately fit her crafted persona well enough to not raise eyebrows.

“No one who wasn’t going to already,” was the cryptic--and not at all reassuring--reply.

But there wasn’t anything she could do about it. To get in good enough to truly dismantle this cell, she had to complete her task. Alone. Well, almost. The Leaden Key had someone in the household who could help a little, but she was going without Aloth, which she didn’t like. She hated the secrecy of this gods-damned organization. The Acolyte had simply said Aloth was ‘needed elsewhere’ and gotten huffy when she pushed for details, so she dropped it.

Now, as she followed a blond elven servant through the house, part of her was wishing she’d pushed just a little harder. She had a bad feeling twisting in her gut that something for one of them was going to go wrong. If she was right, she wanted to at least know where to stage a rescue. Hopefully she was just being paranoid, but she hadn’t survived this long by banking on hopefully. The secrecy was driving her insane.

“Here we are,” the servant said, tone reminding her far too much of her brother, as he gestured at a door. “The thayn and his animancer are out playing the happy couple for dinner with the mayor. So you don’t have to rush, but I wouldn’t dawdle either.”

“Well, with that in mind, you have any hints where she keeps her notes so I don’t have to search the whole fuckin’ room?” Tavi asked, looking the door up and down to check for enchantments.

“No.” He shook his head. “Mistress Esmy is very secretive. You’re on your own, I’m afraid.”

“Lovely.” She sighed and pushed open the door. “Does she keep a back up copy of her notes anywhere that I’ll need to find?”

He shook his head. “Too paranoid they’ll fall into the wrong hands.”

“Ironic. Alright, then.” She watched him walk away and tried not to dwell on the question she hadn’t asked. Why couldn’t you do this? She was pretty sure the answer involved her being far more expendable if she go caught.

Fortunately, she didn’t get a chance to test that theory. The switch went off without any issue, and was creeping out the shadowed back even as the thayn and his ‘wife’ returned through the front. In keeping with her instructions, she didn’t return to the Acolyte, but instead went “home” to the rented room at the inn. She pulled the curtains closed and locked the door before pulling a messy bundle of papers from under her cloak and spreading them across the table. All but two were Esmy’s original notes. Notes Tavi had been instructed to burn. The other two were from the altered replacement notes. She’d figured replacing the majority would still have the same effect, and now she had some proof of the Leaden Key’s dealings in Mercy Vale.

Aloth smiled tiredly when she showed him upon his return several hours later (enough she was starting to worry). “Is that your plan, then? Dismantle this cell by publicizing their sabotage?”

Tavi shrugged. “Why not?”

“Oh it’s a good plan,” he clarified, clearly fighting a yawn as he discarded his cloak and sat on the bed to pull off his boots. “It’s just... lighter on fighting than I would expect from you.”

“Yeah, I know.” She wrinkled her nose in pretended displeasure. “But most of the kith we’ve met in the cell don’t seem like bad people. I don’t wanna kill ‘em unless we fuckin’ have to.”

“And you don’t have an qualms about furthering their goals?”  he probed.

“Aloth...” Tavi sighed. “You know I’m not as settled on the animancy thing as you are. But even if I was a hundred percent in support of it, the way it’s bein’ handled here--in secret, with no oversight--is bad. I may not like that it won’t be fairly represented thanks to the Leaden Key’s meddlin’, but that doesn’t mean I fully fucking support it, either.” She ran one hand through her hair and focused on straightening the pile of papers. “‘Sides, I expect when we expose the Key’s activities here, we’ll also expose Thayn Yngvar an’ his animancer, so it’s worth waitin’.”

There was no reply or commentary from behind her, so she turned to see if Aloth had gotten lost in thought or something and couldn’t help but grin. He’d fallen asleep. Just leaned over until he was sort of laying on the pillows and gone out like a candle in a gale.

Tavi shook her head and tucked her hair behind her ear as she crossed the room. What did they have you do that wore you out so bad? She tucked her hand under his knees and shifted his legs up on the bed, which earned her sleepy mumbling but not much else. “Gods, I don’t remember the last time you were out this hard,” she whispered, tugging the blanket free from her side of the bed to wrap around him before she went back to the papers. She needed to find somewhere to hide them, and hopefully any others they found. This venture, keeping company with the very shadows they sought to undermine, was going to be risky.

<<>>

It took several harrowing weeks, four close calls, and at least two lost opportunities, but Tavi and Aloth did manage to scrape together a good sized collection of fairly damning evidence, amassed little by little on various endeavors. Thayn Yngmar had only been one person of interest to the Leaden Key. Mercy Vale’s archivist was a former animancer who still held favorable views toward the practice. Leaden Key agents had done much to subtly undermine the man, and Tavi had very nearly gotten herself caught collecting proof. That night had been the first one in a long time Aloth insisted on sleeping with one arm wrapped around her. Now, as they surveyed the collection of papers they’d built, Tavi could only think of one thing they were missing.

“We need somethin’ to prove who the Acolyte is,” she said as they bundled the evidence back up. “That’s the only way I can think of to be sure this cell stays wrecked once we’re done with it.”

“Tavi, you know how dangerous that is,” Aloth protested, straightening a stack of papers before folding them over and binding them with string. “We have plenty here to dismantle the cell; I don’t see why-”

“B’cause if we don’t expose him, he’ll just go to ground ‘til things are calm and start again,” Tavi shot back, raking hair out of her face impatiently. “If we’re gonna take down this cell, I wanna fuckin’ do it right.”

“I see your point,” Aloth conceded reluctantly, packing away the bundled evidence. “I just... you do realize what that will entail, yes?”

“Yeah,” Tavi nodded. “Infiltrating and searching his chamber in that basement without getting caught.”

“And we still need a lead of some kind to the next cell,” Aloth reminded her. “We haven’t found anything solid yet.”

“I know.” She sat next to him and squeezed his hand. “If there’s anything to find we’ll find it. The house is empty; we can sneak in whenever we want.”

“And if he’s there?”

“We sneak right back out an’ try some other time. There’s no evidence that he or anyone lives there. It won’t be that hard.”

“Famous last words.” Aloth smiled gamely. “Even if it would be, what choice do we have?”

“Exactly.” Tavi leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, trying not to dwell on the dangers inherent to their plan.

<<>>

Much to her relief, there were no guards posted, and no enchantments or traps that either of them could detect when Tavi and Aloth snuck into the empty house. She wasn’t sure if that was arrogance--thinking no one would look for them--or trying to make the house seem worthless, but it didn’t really matter. Still, they were cautious. Despite her growing impatience, Tavi made herself creep down the stairs only slightly faster than a snail, listening carefully for any sign someone was down there.

Given that it remain silent as a grave(bad analogy, Tavi) the whole way down, they relaxed slightly once they reached the floor. Still quiet, but with slightly more speed, they made their way to the room the Acolyte used. Tavi let Aloth take the first peek down the short corridor, and then did the honors of trying the door herself.

It was locked, of course. So she took the simplest route and broke the lock.

“What are you doing?!” Aloth hissed.

“Getting in the room,” Tavi whispered back fiercely. “Neither of us knows how to pick a lock, and this is our only shot anyway, so I don’t particularly care if someone knows we were here.”

He looked less than thrilled, but didn’t argue. Instead he nudged the door open. Both let out a breath they didn’t know they’d been holding when it was clear no one was in the room.

“Okay,” Tavi murmured, scanning the organized bookshelves and near-immaculate desk. “You search the bookshelves, I’ll take the desk, and we’ll both have to keep an eye on the door.”

Aloth nodded and both of them went to work. After a few minutes, he commented in an undertone, “Are we certain the Acolyte’s not a wizard?”

“Considering his multiple attempts to read my mind, yeah, I’m pretty damn sure he’s a cipher,” Tavi muttered, poking through a drawer. “Why?”

“There’s quite a collection of grimoires here for someone who’s not using them,” he replied.

She frowned, looking up from the desk. “Could he be both?”

Aloth bit his lip and pulled one off the shelf to page through. “That would be... unpleasant. But not unheard of. In theory, anyone could learn to be a wizard. And a cipher’s ability to focus would make it far easier for them. I don’t relish the thought of facing someone with both skills.”

“Was that your subtle way of telling me we should hurry?” Tavi said with a smile, closing another unhelpful drawer.

“It’s my subtle way of telling you perhaps we should just find a lead to another cell, turn what we have over to the authorities, and leave. Without unmasking him. I don’t think it’s worth the risk.”

After a few moments of thought, still furiously rifling through drawers, Tavi reluctantly nodded. “You’re right. As usual. Which isn’t fucking fair- Aha!” she crowed, pulling a small, folded slip of parchment from the back recesses of the drawer. “’Our brothers and sisters in Deadfire could use some help. Can the family spare aid?’ Here we go, this is promising.”

“I’m so glad you found what you were looking for.” The Acolyte’s voice rang in her head, but Tavi couldn’t see him.

She tensed, leaning over the desk, evaluating each item visible as a weapon and dismissing them all.  Behind her, Aloth had frozen as well, still paging through a grimoire.

‘You heard him, too?’ she mouthed, and he nodded. “Awful nice of you to be happy for me,” she said out loud, still trying to locate him.

“No trouble at all,” the Acolyte said smoothly, stepping out of the shadows at the far end of the short corridor and stepping closer. “In finding what you sought, you confirmed a suspicion of mine. So we both profited from your little venture.”

“Always glad to help out,” Tavi said glibly, mind racing. She was weaponless, and even if she had her sabres he was too far away--

A searing bloom of pain lanced through her mind, cutting off her thoughts as she dropped to her knees. She was dimly aware of banging her chin against the desk, Aloth’s cry of alarm, but they were a distant second to the agony speared through her skull.

Fucking ciphers, she groused internally, even if she couldn’t push the words past her lips. As she attempted to gather herself and regain her feet, another wave of pain pulsed through her head. Gods damn him!

Even as she struggled to push through the pain, Tavi could hear Aloth chanting something, and looked up just in time to see a crackling bolt of electricity fly from his outstretched hand. It hit the Acolyte’s chest with enough power to burn through him before rebounding off the wall and down the corridor. It slammed into a pile of dry-rotted crates, splintering them and setting the pieces ablaze.

“Nice choice. Guess he didn’t know you were a wizard,” Tavi managed as Aloth helped her to her feet. “Or he’d’ve made you put the grimoire down straight away.”

“That’s the spell I had it open to, and I worked very hard to keep that knowledge secret,” Aloth said, dropping the borrowed grimoire on the desk so he could tip up her chin. “You’re bleeding.”

“An’ the fuckin’ house is gettin’ ready to burn down,” Tavi retorted, running her tongue over her split lip. “Priorities, city slicker. Let’s get outta here an’ then we can worry about me.”

“Right.” Aloth nodded, his hand curling around hers as they hurried toward the stairs. Tavi gave in to the urge to spit on the Acolyte’s body as they passed, and Hylea’s tits did it feel good.

Old and dry as it was, the house kindled quickly, and the floor of the main level was already smoking when they emerged from the basement. Hand in hand, Tavi and Aloth hastily exited the building, warned the first locals they passed, and then hurried back to their room at the inn.

“Well,” Tavi said as she cleaned her lip, “guess we don’t hafta worry about unmaskin’ the Acolyte anymore....”

Aloth gave a sharp laugh. “That’s one way of lookin’ at the bright side, I suppose. We also burned down a house.”

“No one but us knows who did that,” Tavi protested. “An’ I’m pretty sure they caught it b’fore it burned all the way down. I know it wasn’t subtle, but it’s not like we did it on purpose, and it doesn’t tie to us, so the Leaden Key shouldn’t get suspicious...”

“Suspicion is in their nature,” he countered cynically. “But I do appreciate the we.”

Tavi shrugged. “We’re in this together, an’ you were protectin’ me. Figure we can share the blame.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Let’s get this shit dropped off with someone in authority and get the fuck out of here.”

Aloth grinned. “Feeling antsy already?”

Tavi shrugged. “It’s a long way to the Deadfire Archipelago. I’d rather get movin’ sooner opposed to later.”

He slid one hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in for another kiss. “They’ll still be there in a few weeks, Tavi. Better to do things right than fast.”

She smirked and rested her forehead against his. “You do realize how many different ways I can make that dirty, right, Corfiser?” 

“Yes, and I’m fervently hoping you won’t take any of them,” Aloth replied, taking a step back. “Even if we’re not in a hurry, we still have work to do.”

“That we do,” Tavi nodded, eyeing the pile of evidence on the table and praying silently the next time would go more smoothly. “Deadfire, here we come.”