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whipped-for-kpop-fics · 6 years ago

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Valley of Vampires

Read on Ao3 here

Rumour has it that the house at the bottom of the valley on the edge of town belongs to a coven of extremely dangerous vampires that seduced and brutally murdered the previous occupants, two young women beloved by those they graced with their time yet never seemed to seek such attention from anyone. Perhaps that is why the coven chose them for their prey, they figured they wouldn’t be missed and that it’d be fun to win over two such independent women, at least that’s what the townspeople whisper.

To understand just how wrong the townsfolk have it, we need to go back the night it all started, the night that five beautiful men crossed paths with those two young women.

Considering the town wasn’t the largest in the county, it had an awful lot of night clubs and bars that were always buzzing with life, people travelling in from other towns and cities just for the variety of nightlife in this little, insignificant town which is why five men were drawn to it.

“Plenty of options, boys,” Hakyeon commented from where he sat at the bar, a glass of fragrant white wine lifted to his lips and posture as perfect as always.

“We should’ve come here sooner,” Jaehwan replied, eyes flitting over every single person that passed his view, searching for someone that piqued his interest.

“It’s a small town, we need to be careful.” Taekwoon reminded in that sweet, soft voice of his.

“Look at these people, hyung, the majority aren’t from here and probably can’t be traced back if they went missing.” Hongbin pointed out, motioning lazily across the sea of pulsating bodies. Taekwoon pursed his lips well aware of the fact but he didn’t want to agree in case it led to sloppiness.

“Let’s just enjoy ourselves and worry about who we take home in a few hours, yeah?” Jaehwan suggested clapping a hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder.

“We don’t exactly have a home right now,” Wonsik reminded and Jaehwan groaned.

“You know what I mean don’t be like this guys,” He whined wriggling dramatically like a five-year-old child sulking “Let’s just have fun, take those sticks out your butts you grumpy old fucks.”

“You’re supposed to be older than me” Wonsik reminded with a grumpy little pout.

“Hyung, I mean this is the nicest possible way but shut the fuck up,” Jaehwan spoke with a blank expression “Go get your dick sucked you grumpy old man and then when you’ve got some pep in your step, you can return the favour of the suck,”

“You talk like an idiot,” Taekwoon commented casually.

“I’m done with you guys, I’m going to go find someone better to talk to.” With that Jaehwan got up and walked off.

“Binnie,” Hakyeon started to speak gaining the youngest’s attention “Don’t you have that friend here, the one you made through that game you like?”

“Yeah,” Hongbin nodded, swallowing nervously “I’m a bit worried about meeting him, he said he brought friends along for moral support and I don’t want to make a fool out of myself.”

“Want hyung to come along?” Wonsik offered. Hongbin nodded shyly, he didn’t really like to admit he needed one of his friends by his side but he really did.

“Okay, kid, let’s go find your friend.” Wonsik grabbed his drink and slid off of his stool gracefully to follow after Hongbin.

“Any clue where he is?” Wonsik spoke into Hongbin’s ear as they roamed the club despite the fact he knew that his companion could hear him clearly already even over the pounding bass.

Hongbin turned his attention to his phone where his chat with the male was still open and waiting much like he was.

“Upstairs,” Hongbin nodded to the stairs to the side so they made their way over. There was a bulky man, clearly, security, stood there talking to a young woman with dark hair who seemed a little out of place in the club wearing a cute dress and her hair in ribbons while every other female in the building was dressed to impress, or more accurately, seduce.

“Can I help you?” The man asked gruffly staring down the pair despite being a good half a head short than them.

“We’re meeting someone up there,” Wonsik stated confidently.

“Who?”

“Sanghyuk,” Hongbin answered because Wonsik didn’t have the slightest clue. The security guard looked over his shoulder at the girl who was stood a few steps up behind him. She nodded so he stepped aside to let the men pass.

“I’m Mayumi, a friend of Hyuk’s.” She greeted softly, her presence shrinking the closer they got, clearly she was a shy one.

“Hongbin.” He replied politely, holding his hand out so she shook it quickly, looking a little awkward that she then had to shake Wonsik’s outstretched hand too. “This is Wonsik, my moral support.”

“We outnumber you,” Mayumi noted with a small smile. Hongbin tilted his head curiously. “Only by one, Noa, she’s waiting with Hyuk right now and honestly probably still has her hand up his shirt to distract him.” Both men’s eyes blew wide and Mayumi fumbled frustrated to explain herself. “Not like that! She has cold hands like all the time and likes to put them on his skin to wind him up, it’s not sexual she’s just weird!”

“Uh, okay,” Hongbin nodded slowly while Wonsik stared on amusedly, Mayumi was being adorably frustrated, Taekwoon would love to play with her.

“Let’s just, go.” She mumbled turning to lead the way up the stairs to the VIP lounge overlooking the dancefloor. Only a handful of people were in the room but the majority were stood up by the railing to talk and watch the mass of writhing bodies below.

“Finally!” The male sat alone on one of the leather couches exclaimed upon spotting Mayumi and then noticing the males following her, he shrunk back onto his seat. “Oh, hyung.” He smiled shyly. Hongbin smiled back and moved to talk to him leaving Wonsik stood up beside Mayumi who didn’t seem to know what to do with herself.

“I thought there was another?” Wonsik spoke trying to ease her tension.

“Yeah, she must’ve run off somewhere, she tends to do that,” Mayumi spoke peering around in search of her best friend. “You can sit if you want, I’m going to go find her, she can’t be far, you’ll have more fun talking to her than me.” Before Wonsik could argue that he was perfectly content talking to Mayumi, she had scuttled off.

Hongbin had sat beside Sanghyuk and the pair were talking away animatedly as if they had known each other for many years already, not just a few months over the internet so Wonsik sat on a separate couch to give them space and waited for Mayumi to return, even if he felt as if she wouldn’t without her friend.

“Hyukkie! Help!” Sanghyuk looked over at the blonde girl trying to balance a tray with drinks and bowls on.

“No.” He replied and turned his attention back to Hongbin who looked a little torn and guilty but that quickly changed when a packet of crisps flew through the air and smacked Sanghyuk in the face. He shrieked as it made contact.

“That’s what you get, you piece of shit.” She grumbled somehow succeeding in placing the tray on the coffee table before them.

“Oh, you must be Hongbin, right?” She asked and he nodded, standing up to hold his hand out in greeting to her. “I’m Noa.” she smiled widely, shaking his hand happily. “I’m glad you could make it! It’s about time Hyukkie makes a new friend and stops trying to get me to join his gaming sessions with Yumi because I’m shit at video games.” Hongbin chuckled and she smiled wider, happy that she made someone laugh.

“Are you the one I hear him talking to a lot?”

“You mean getting abused by?” Sanghyuk retorted.

“I am not your slave, Sanghyuk, don’t come to my house and take over my study to play your game and expect me to make your food and get your drinks.”

“Yep, it’s you,” Hongbin laughed “It’s nice to finally put a face to the voice.”

“I’d say the same but I’ve never heard your voice before.” She giggled. Hongbin suddenly looked past her and became a little less smiley.

“Oh right, let me introduce you to my friend, Wonsik.” Noa turned confusedly when Hongbin motioned behind her only to become face to face with Wonsik who was suddenly stood directly behind her in waiting.

“Oh, hi,” She greeted shyly, eyes dropping down when she saw him move. He was raising his hand towards her so she took it expecting a handshake but Wonsik lowered slightly while lifting her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles. Noa was almost certain she didn’t make an embarrassing noise at the action but her cheeks still flushed pink and her heart thumped.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Noa.”

“Uhm yeah, you-you too, Wonsik.” Suddenly Sanghyuk burst into laughter behind them and flopped over onto the cushions to prop his body upright.

“Uh, are you okay?” Hongbin asked, lifting his eyebrows at the actions of his new friend.

“She’s flustered!” Sanghyuk exclaimed. Noa’s expression dropped into something that made Wonsik step back a little fearful honestly.

“Just, give me a sec.” She spoke before turning and pouncing on Sanghyuk. He screamed as her hand flew down his collar to press cold fingers to the top of his chest.

“You fucker, learn to shut your mouth, little boy or I’ll have to see how pretty you look with a ball gag stuffed between your lips.” She warned lowly in a hiss that had Sanghyuk shutting up and nodding rapidly in agreement.

“I’m sorry, I’ll behave.” He rushed out quietly, trying to keep their conversation between the two of them.

“Don’t forget your place, little one.” Noa patted his cheek before climbing off of him to return to Wonsik who was then sat back on his couch but he suddenly didn’t look anywhere near as confident, fingers tapping on his thigh and his other hand fiddling with his empty glass.

Noticing his behaviour difference, Noa reached out and placed a hand on top of Wonsik’s in an attempt to be comforting but he flinched so she pulled back.

“I think I’m going to go dance,” She announced getting to her feet to give Wonsik space. His head snapped up from staring at the floor to look up at her with wide eyes. She smiled warmly, to try and relax him. “You can come and find me if you want but you’re more than welcome to stay here and relax, no-one is going to make you do anything, Wonsik, just have fun.” With that, Noa turned and left the upstairs area.

As soon as she was out of sight, Wonsik doubled over and put his head in his hand. Hongbin snorted out a laugh.

“Hm?” Sanghyuk questioned, looking over at Wonsik curiously.

“I think my hyung has a crush on your friend.”

“Good luck to him, he’ll need it, she’s hard to win despite always talking about how she needs a good hard fuck.” Wonsik groaned to himself and Sanghyuk didn’t hear but Hongbin certainly did and laughed harder.

Mayumi found Noa stood at the edge of the dance floor talking to a woman Mayumi hadn’t spoken to personally before but was pretty certain worked at the local infant school.

“Onee-chan,” Mayumi muttered, tugging on Noa’s wrist gently. Noa looked at her immediately not caring that she cut off mid-word with what Mayumi was pretty certain was some kind of weird flirting technique only Noa could get away with.

“Yeah, baby?”

“I’ve been looking for you.”

“Sorry baby, I’m all yours.” Noa excused herself from the teacher to walk off arm in arm with her best friend. “Have you met Hyukkie’s new friend?”

“Yeah, seems okay. Did you see the other guy?”

“Wonsik.” Mayumi hummed in confirmation. “He looks like a sugar daddy.” Mayumi snorted out a loud laugh at that. “Kinda wanna jump on that.”

“Then why aren’t you up there anymore?”

“He started acting weird, I think I made him uncomfortable by attacking Hyuk,” Another laugh from Mayumi “so I said I was going to dance and he could join if he wanted but, guess he’s happy up there or wherever he is now.”

“You don’t often invite people to dance with you.”

“I know but I felt bad and he is cute. I would happily dance with him all the way to the bedroom but ya know.”

By this point, they had reached the bar where Taekwoon still sat alone nursing his drink and watching those around him dance and enjoy themselves. He too was having a decent time but he didn’t want to dance, it wasn’t really his thing and he was always content sitting back while his friends wandered around.

“Hey look, found you a sugar daddy,” Noa joked having spotted Taekwoon or more importantly the expensive clothing and accessories he wore. Mayumi glared harmlessly at her friend but looked over curiously all the same. At the sight of Taekwoon, her eyebrows lifted in interest.

“He’s really pretty.”

“He is, just your type.” Mayumi didn’t respond but Noa knew she was right. “You should try and get his attention, he’s love to snatch up a cute little prey like you.” She teased nudging Mayumi’s side with a giggle.

Taekwoon had heard the whole conversation and wasn’t necessarily bothered by it, he had heard much worse and vulgar being said about him by all sorts of people over the years and in fact the two girls were talking almost politely about him, it was different for a nightclub so he was already intrigued by what the two girls talking about him so gently looked like and as soon as he heard one talking about the other as “prey” he had to look over overtaken with curiosity.

Mayumi was looking down at the wooden bar in front of them with pink cheeks from Noa’s suggestion but Noa was still looking at Taekwoon. Even when their eyes met, she didn’t shy away, she didn’t give him a suggestive look either like most women would she just smiled warmly at him, a friendly way and he relaxed understanding that she had zero intentions towards him whatsoever. He offered her a smile in response that made her’s widen happily and he chuckled to himself. His eyebrows lifted questioningly when she nodded towards Mayumi subtly then nodded to the empty glass in his own hand. He understood but was taken back by how blindingly obvious and confident she was when pretty much ordering him to buy her friend a drink. If it wasn’t for the shock, Taekwoon felt as if he would’ve followed her demand without question at that kind of concerned him.

“Hey hyung.” Jaehwan greeted sliding up to the stool between Mayumi and Taekwoon, throwing an arm around his friend’s shoulders. He noticed Taekwoon was staring off so Jaehwan turned as well to find Noa still looking at Taekwoon with that confident, certain smile on her lips even with the appearance and disruption of Jaehwan.

“Oh, and what is going on here then, huh?”

“Your hyung here was about to buy my lovely little friend a drink,” Noa stated. Mayumi looked as if she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole, barstool and all.

“You assume he has the money to spare to buy a stranger in a bar a drink?” Jaehwan spoke dramatically, putting a hand over his chest as if offended by someone many any kind of assumption whatsoever.

“His outfit could buy the entire building.”

“What are you suggesting, hm, that my dear precious hyungie here strips to pay for your friends drink?” Jaehwan teased, eyebrow lifted as he stared down Noa. She just giggled and he finally smiled, stepping away from Taekwoon and towards the girl with an outstretched hand. “Jaehwan.”

“Noa.” They shook hands, grins on both their faces.

“So should I strip and buy you a drink or is a dance also acceptable?” Noa eyed him up obviously, grin tilting into a smirk.

“Well, there’s no reason both can’t be achieved by the end of the night.”

“Well, let’s get this show on the road.” Jaehwan took Noa out onto the dance floor, both of them giggling the whole way.

Mayumi jolted when Taekwoon sat down beside her carefully.

“I’m Taekwoon.” He announced, fingers fiddling with his glass where he held it on the bar but still turned just enough so that he could politely talk to her.

“Mayumi.” She looked up at him to offer an acceptable greeting know Noa was no doubt at least watching their first interaction and would scold her if she didn’t look up to talk to the pretty stranger.

“So uhm, your friend is uh, forward.” He chuckled lightly and she nodded, a smile lifting her cheeks at the sound. “May I buy you a drink all the same?”

“Don’t feel pressured, it’s honestly fine she-”

“I want to. May I?” Mayumi thought for a few seconds, observing Taekwoon for any lie or hesitance but found none.

“Okay.”

So the two spent the rest of the night huddled up together, first at the bar before they moved to a more private booth upstairs to be heard better, talking softly about whatever they wanted while Taekwoon supplied the drinks all the while.

***

When the front door opened and a pair of feet stumbled into the threshold Mayumi and Sanghyuk ran from the kitchen to the entrance hall in a worried rush. Noa hadn’t returned home all night, sure they knew that she left the club with a guy but she never stayed out overnight like that. The pair thought something had happened to her.

But, she looked perfectly fine, not a single mark on her, not a hair out of place. Well, she looked perfectly fine if you looked past the look of pure rage on her features.

“Uh, Noa?” Sanghyuk questioned. “Are you okay?” Hongbin shuffled from into the hallway then, worried for the girl who came across as nothing but pleasant last night though upon seeing her now, he stepped back with a gulp, she looked as if she could break even the strongest of men with a flick of her wrist and he did not want to be on her bad side.

“I need my study, keep the fuck out, Hyuk,” she warned through her teeth, pointing a finger at him before stomping up the stairs after throwing her shoes and jacket down into a careless heap against the wall.

“What the fuck happened to her?” Sanghyuk muttered while Mayumi moved forward to tidy Noa’s small mess up.

“I thought she was getting laid, why is she so angry?”

“Whoever it was clearly did something wrong if she’s gone to her study,” Mayumi commented giving Sanghyuk a look.

“What does that mean?” Hongbin enquired cautiously, well aware that he was part of the friend group so he may not be privy to such information.

“Noa is like some kind of tech genius, she can get into any system connected to the internet and find pretty much anything no matter how deep it’s hidden,” Sanghyuk stated. Hongbin’s eyebrows reflected how impressed he was. “You know how I always use her computer because it’s super fast for video games?” Hongbin nodded. “It’s that fast because she’d modified it so much and basically built it from scratch so it’s powerful enough to get into systems the other side of the world in minutes. It’s probably one of the best computers in the world and I feel sorry for whatever guy fucked with her because she will make him pay big time.”

“We should probably leave, you know she’ll get mad at us if we do anything that could potentially interfere with her signal.” Mayumi reminded.

“Dammit, this house has the best wifi.” Sanghyuk sighed but trudged to the coat closet to grab their jackets while Mayumi got their shoes.

“Sorry, hyung, I’ll have to show you Yumi’s game another day.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Hongbin smiled reassuringly as he took his shoes from Mayumi. “I look forward to it all the same.” Mayumi smiled back at him, happy he genuinely wanted to see the online game she designed and made.

“It’s still in beta mode so there are bugs and shit to find and fix.” she reminded.

“It’s still great though, you’re going to be a worldwide best selling game designer, Yumes.” Sanghyuk enthused as he led the way out of the house, pausing on the porch just long enough to allow Mayumi to lock up behind them.

***

Three days later Noa finally emerged from her den to shower and change, looking angrier than she did before she entered the room that morning a few days previously.

Once she was cleaned up and in new clothing, she trudged her way downstairs and to the kitchen to find Mayumi and Taekwoon sat at the kitchen table talking quietly over coffee with smiles on their faces. They looked entirely absorbed in one another and it made Noa’s lips twitch up a little. Nothing made her happier than seeing her best friend happy.

“Did you do whatever you were doing?” Mayumi questioned upon hearing Noa enter. Noa just shook her head and stalked over to the fridge to hunt through it for something to refuel herself with. “Can I ask what you’ve actually been doing?”

“Trying to find the fucker that roofied me.” Taekwoon gasped at the words, not having realised that it was all that common for women to still get drugged at nightclubs.

“That’s terrible, did you find him?” He asked.

“Nope.”

“Seriously?” Mayumi was bewildered. “But you can find anyone even with just their first name.”

“I don't have that.” Noa slammed the fridge and turned to face them. Her skin was pale and dark marks circled her dull eyes.

Taekwoon frowned, that was not the same bright eyes woman he met those nights ago.

“I have no idea who I left with, nothing at all, I remember being at the bar and then dancing for hours with Jaehwan but after that, nothing.”

“Maybe he knows something,” Mayumi suggested.

“Maybe.” Noa ran her fingers through her damp hair, working out some of the knots. “Do you think you could ask him for me, Taekwoon?”

“Uh, yeah, okay, sure.” Taekwoon nodded in agreement. Both girls smiled gratefully at him. He felt sick.

“I’ve never hit such a dead end as this. I even went to Chungha for a blood test hoping she’d be able to find what they drugged me with but either it flushed out really fucking fast or it’s untraceable.”

“That’s even weirder,” Mayumi commented. Noa nodded. “What’re you going to do now?”

“Buy a shit ton of coke, I am drained.”

“Okay,” Mayumi giggled. “We’re out of ice cream, by the way.”

“I’ll get some,” Noa yawned and forced herself to move despite feeling as if her body was full of lead “I’ll be back later, condoms are in the cabinet.” She waved lazily as he left leaving the pair at the table red-faced and speechless.

With a trolley mostly full of multipacks of coke cans, Noa stood in front of the ice cream freezer staring blankly for a good ten minutes before she was disturbed.

“Noa?” She blinked and looked over surprised to see Wonsik stood there looking at her with a small, polite thought incredibly shy smile.

“Oh, Wonsik, hi.” She smiled tiredly back at him, eyes dropping to see a large watermelon in his arms. “Ooh, good choice I should get one.” She hummed to herself absentmindedly before looking back to the ice cream.

“Am I interrupting your thoughts?”

“Not really, what’s up?”

“I just wanted to apologise for being so weird the other night, I’m not usually like that and I don’t want you to think I don’t like you or something because I think you’re beautiful-I mean a good person and-”

“Did you happen to see who I left with that night?” She looked at him curiously. He shook his head. “Dammit, oh well, worth a shot.” Finally, she opened the freezer and pulled out tubs of ice cream until she had six different pots in her trolley.

“I’m not offended or anything, by the way about the other night.” She assured as she looked back up at Wonsik who seemed a little concerned with her behaviour and appearance but was too polite to point it out. “We’re good if you want to be.”

“I do.” he agreed, nodding rapidly. “I really do.”

“Cool.” She put her hands back on the handle of her trolley then paused to look up at him. “I think you’re beautiful too, by the way.” Wonsik felt his ears tingle with heat, something he hadn’t felt in years. Just as Noa was about to walk off down the aisle he spoke back up.

“Can I take you out sometime?”

“Like in the assassin way or the date way?”

“What?!” He sputtered and she giggled

“Either way, okay, meet me in the car park tonight at seven, I’ll wear a pretty dress for you, so take me somewhere nice.” That time, Wonsik let her walk away, a dopey smile on his face.

***

One date turned into two, turned into three, turned into Noa and Wonsik spending most of their time together, he even had clothes at their house and his own room- he had insisted on sleeping on the couch the first night he stayed and wouldn’t accept sharing the bed so Noa gave in and gave him the guest room Sanghyuk usually slept in as it was the only one with an actual bed in.

“Want to spend the night at a motel with me?” Noa asked during one of their lunch dates a cute cafe they favoured and visited multiple times a week.

Wonsik choked on his sandwich so Noa jumped up to rush around the table and wack his back to dislodge the food stuck in his throat.

“You okay oppa?” Wonsik nodded as he gulped down his water to soothe his throat. Noa sat back in her own seat and sipped at her apple juice.

“Did you really ask me to stay at a motel with you?” He asked when he was calm. Noa nodded. “I-I but we don’t I can’t-”

“Not for sex, oppa.” Noa giggled at Wonsik’s flustered state. He looked down thoroughly embarrassed. “You know I’ve been working on that new laptop?” He nodded, looking back up at her to try and figure out where the hell she was going with this. “I should be able to use that to access the motel’s system but it might take a while and I’ll have to be within a certain radius of the main computer for it to work. I’ve already booked the room I just wondered if you’d like to keep me company.”

“How many beds?”

“Just one but I won’t sleep, it’s all yours. I’ll be watching the software to make sure it works and catch any potential bugs that it can’t notice itself.” She shrugged. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, just thought it might be a nice change of scenery, it’s out by the woods the other end of town, really pretty views. I chose a room that will give us a good view of the sunrise.”

“Really?” Noa hummed, nodding in confirmation as he had bitten off a mouthful of her own sandwich. “You’re okay with spending the night alone in a room with me?”

“Sweetheart, you and I both know that it’s you that prevents us from doing that already.” Wonsik’s gaze turned down to the remainder of his food. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad,” Noa reached out to take one of his hands into her own. “We’ll go at whatever speed you’re comfortable with, Sikkie, I will never pressure you into anything even if I’ve wanted to jump your bones since I first saw you all those weeks ago,” He groaned softly at the thought because damn he wanted that. Luckily Noa didn’t catch his distressed sound. “Nor do I want you to feel bad or guilty for not wanting anything like that, you’ve never led me on, you won’t even kiss me so I have no false assumptions that you want to fuck me, it’s fine.”

“I do.” He admitted only to tense up. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Uh, it’s...why don't you then?”

“I just...it’s not a good idea, I’m not strong enough to control myself.”

“How hard do you go? Fuck.” Noa let out a breath at the thought of Wonsik fucking her as hard as she wanted him to. Wonsik could practically feel the arousal simmering in Noa’s stomach from across the table and whined into his hands. “Okay let’s not talk about this because you’re uncomfortable.” She cleared her throat and straightened up to gulp down some of her juice. “So, motel tonight? Yes or no?”

“I want to watch the sunrise with you,” Wonsik announced after a few minutes of Noa eating her sandwich in silence. She looked up to find him looking at her with such a warm, fond smile that her heart raced. “I’d love to spend tonight with you.”

“Okay, good.”

The motel wasn’t the worst that Wonsik had ever seen- he had seen a lot after all- there weren’t any mysterious stains on the mattress and the bedding smelled clean and the ceilings were free of damp patches and mould so all in all it was a pretty damn good motel.

“Make yourself comfortable, I need to get this up and running as soon as possible,” Noa announced motioning lazily to the rest of the room while she sat up to the little coffee table to start taking out her laptop from her bag.

Wonsik put down the duffle bag with their clothes in and kicked off his shoes to throw himself onto the bed and settle down.

“Oh, this is a decent bed.” He commented.

“Yeah, I noticed that last time,” Noa replied distractedly, hands working to type over her keyboard to set up the software she needed.

“Still can’t believe humans can stoop so low as to drug someone and leave them in a motel room all alone.” Wonsik seethed as he sat upright, glaring across the room at nothing in particular. His tone caused Noa to look at him.

“Humans are scum, oppa, we’ll always find ways to prove that.”

“You’re not.” He replied looking at her seriously. “You’re much better than them, don’t put yourself in the same group.”

“I don’t know if you realised, Wonsik but what I’m doing right now isn’t exactly legal and neither is my job.”

“It’s for good reason. You help people, you show the world the dirty secrets bad people have to help the innocent and defenceless.”

“I also steal money-”

“Never from anyone that doesn’t deserve worse.”

“Why do I get the feeling that no matter what I say you will still defend me?” Wonsik grinned. Noa laughed and turned back to her laptop “Crazy man.”

“You make me this way.”

“Stop being so damn cheesy, I need to work.” Wonsik would’ve taken her seriously and assumed she didn’t like his words if he couldn’t see the pink dusted on her cheeks,

Wonsik shuffled off the bed to sit beside her on the floor want watch her hands work slowly getting closer until they were side to side and his arm was around her waist, happy smiles on both of their lips.

Two hours later, Noa’s programme had finally found its way into the motel’s system despite many obstacles, the biggest being the lack of wireless internet in the entire building and immediate vicinity so Noa had to magically fix that without alerting any of the local providers that she was hacking their system to steal their internet while also making sure she didn’t make it available to anyone or any device but her laptop.

“Aha! I’m in!” She exclaimed dancing happily from where she sat on the sofa cushion Wonsik had made her sit on after his own butt had gone numb from sitting on the floor.

He looked over from the bed where he had been sat for over an hour watching a terrible film with horrendous effects that he somehow got sucked into.

“You are?” He scrambled over to watch in fascination, not that he could understand anything on the screen but he felt proud of Noa all the same.

“Hm, looks like all of that night’s footage has conveniently been wiped, either whoever drugged me is careful with his tracks or the cameras all coincidentally went down until the next morning.” A determined look crossed Noa’s features and her hands moved wildly over the keys, adding code after code and doing all sorts of tech-heavy stuff that Wonsik felt a headache coming on until she suddenly stopped and a loading screen appeared.

“What did you do?”

“I recovered the footage but only onto my laptop, it’s downloading everything from that night.”

“Wow.” Wonsik breathed out. Noa looked at him with a wide smile that quickly dropped at the intense look in his eyes. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

“I’ve been told but I’m not against hearing it again.” She answered, voice quiet as to not break the moment between them.

“You’re the most incredible woman, no person, I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, Noa.” She sucked on her lip as she blushed, always unsure how to take such meaningful compliments especially from people that mean as much to her as Wonsik. His eyes dropped down to her mouth, watching how her bottom lip slipped out from the gentle grasp of her teeth.

“Can I kiss-”

“Yes.”

So he did.

Their lips touched after weeks of tireless pinning. Wonsik had finally given in to his want and never wanted to stop.

Unfortunately, Noa had to pull back to catch her breath, chest heaving as she panted and turned so she wasn’t breathing in Wonsik’s face as if she had just run a marathon.

“Oh! It’s done!” She puffed so Wonsik looked over at the video that she had started to play. It was from the security camera at the front of the building that pointed to the car park.

“This is going to take such a long time, I have no idea when we got here.” She huffed in a sulk, lifting her hands as if she was going to do something but they dropped back onto her lap uselessly. “I can’t scan the video here, I don’t have the software, I’ll have to do it at home.” Wonsik opened his mouth to respond but just then a dark car rolled onto the screen and his blood ran cold. He knew that car.

“Uh, then why not just watch it at home?” Wonsik reached out to pause the video before the car even stopped- before anyone could climb out because he knew exactly who the video would show.

“I’ve been waiting for this for weeks, maybe I’ll recognise someone.” Noa tried to argue but Wonsik lifted his hand to cup her cheek and turn her face to him.

“I want to kiss you, Noa. The video can wait.” And who was she to argue? She nodded so Wonsik pressed their lips back together.

Wonsik knew he needed to do something but without being caught preferably ever but at least until the damage was done.

Even though he was very concerned about losing his cool, he licked at her bottom lip, urging her to part them so he could deepen the kiss and made certain he had all of her attention. Noa responded how he wanted and he almost groaned with bliss when her tongue touched his.

Wonsik wouldn’t help but get caught up in the kiss, turning further to face her and grip onto her body so she wouldn’t move, not that he thought she would, by the enthusiastic way she kissed him back. He never wanted to stop but he had to draw his attention away if only for a second, not putting his all into the kiss so he could silently knock over her open can of coke so it spilt over the laptop. Wonsik moved his hands to grab her thighs and turn her body entirely to him so that he could lift her up onto his hips. Noa squealed in surprise as she was lifted into the air, pulling her lips from his to look at him stunned earning a chuckle of amusement to rumble in his chest.

“You’ve been on the floor too long.” He explained as he got to his feet without losing balance or his grip on Noa.

“I won’t argue with that.” She hummed wrapping her arms around his neck and locking her ankles together behind his back. He sucked in a deep breath to calm himself before approaching the bed and placing her down on it, glad she unwound her limbs from him because his control was going to slip if she held him too close for too long.

“Please behave, I want to kiss you but that’s it for tonight. I can’t get wound up, okay, Noa?” Wonsik’s tone was serious so Noa nodded in agreement, he really did seem concerned and against sex so she was going to comply to the best of her ability.

To Wonsik’s elation, Noa behaved herself perfectly, she let Wonsik settle between her thighs but she didn’t move against him, she didn’t try to turn the kiss heavier, she allowed the slow sweet kisses he wanted and ran her fingers through his hair lovingly without complaint about the slow speed.

Eventually, they both grew too tired to keep it up due to the soft atmosphere they had created and get ready for bed where they cuddled up beside one another and fell asleep side by side for the first time.

***

An aggravated shriek jerked Wonsik away from his peaceful slumber.

“What the fuck?” He grumbled rolling onto his back so that he could lift his body up on his elbows and look over to the source of the noise.

Noa was perched on the edge of the sofa with her head in her hands, the sticky dead laptop still on the coffee table in front of her.

“Babe?” Wonsik muttered suddenly wide awake and feeling guilty knowing his actions the night before had caused her the frustration and upset she was suffering.

“It’s dead, my drink spilt somehow, must’ve been last night and the computer is dead.”

“Oh,” Wonsik kicked back the covers so that he could get up and sit next to her on the sofa. “Can you get the video back?”

“Slim chances.” Noa sighed heavily, dragging her hands through her hair as she straightened up. “But I’ll have to try, making a whole new laptop with these capabilities will take over a month, I already had this one mostly done when I changed its use for this. Half the parts I need are rare so there’s not even a certainty I can build another one anytime soon.”

Wonsik was torn between feeling broken for the girl in front of him and dancing internally with glee at the low chance of acquiring the video back quickly, that meant he had time to think up a way to make the video vanish for good.

“So what do we do now?” He asked after letting Noa wallow in her pain for a little while.

“Go home I guess. If there’s any chance I can get the video back from this computer the sooner I get started the better because it’s not an easy task.”

“Let’s get breakfast first, there’s that new tea place near here, right?” Noa nodded in confirmation. “Alright, let’s do that then, start the day right.”

“Okay fine, whatever but you’re paying.”

“Alright.” He chuckled never opposed to spending any money on his favourite person.

***

For a week straight Noa barely left her study, doing everything she could to salvage the computer while also ordering parts she needed to build a new one just in case she couldn’t save the video.

During this time she would appear to get food once a day and had to be disturbed by someone to force food into her hands other for the other two meals and at night to make sure she went to bed. Wonsik had actually taken up sleeping by her side to make sure she slept and didn’t pretend until she was left alone like they all knew she would.

But then suddenly after nine days, she started to lock her study so no-one could enter and blast music loud enough that she couldn’t hear if someone knocked on the door. She didn’t leave for food or to sleep and the fact her study had an en suite gave her no reason to leave the room either.

Day eleven led to Wonsik receiving a text from Noa telling him to stop coming over.

Later that same day Taekwoon told him that he received a similar message from Mayumi saying he wasn’t allowed to the house for a while but she would at least meet him somewhere else.

Hongbin even got a text from Sanghyuk stating that Noa and Mayumi’s house was off limits while she worked so they’d have to stick to the wifi at Sanghyuk’s apartment that seemed so far below anything resembling good in comparison to Noa’s.

Wonsik tried to respond to the text and to send her more to remind her to eat and sleep, get some fresh air and not overwork herself but he never gained a response.

At first, he wondered if her phone had died and she didn’t care enough to charge it but he joined Taekwoon and Mayumi for lunch one day and realised that wasn’t at all accurate, Mayumi had a call from Noa but the second Wonsik asked to talk to her and Mayumi handed the phone over, Noa hung up and refused to answer again, sending every call straight to voicemail.

Worry ate at Wonsik’s insides, Noa was clearly ignoring him and he couldn’t help but feel paranoid that she had somehow recovered the video and not told anyone, that she knew.

He hoped that she was just busy, that she considered him important enough to be a distraction from her work.

It wasn’t much later that Wonsik found out that Noa knew a lot more than he could’ve ever imagined.

***

After an afternoon of shopping for new shoes and jackets, Wonsik and Taekwoon returned to a penthouse apartment stock full of tension.

They exchanged a look as they quietly put down their bags before silently gliding through the apartment in search of an explanation. They both froze in surprise when they found the rest of their housemates sat in the living room with Noa, someone who had never been to the building let alone apartment before.

“Sit down, boys, we have a guest,” Hakyeon spoke and he seemed to be the only one that wasn’t on edge. Actually, Noa herself seemed pretty calm despite the hard look in her eyes.

“What’s going on?” Taekwoon questioned moving to sit on the last seat on the three seater couch in between Hongbin and Jaehwan.

Usually, Wonsik would sit beside Noa but Hakyeon was in the other seat the love seat contained so Wonsik sat in the armchair.

“Let’s get straight to the point, boys, is there anything you would like to tell me?” Noa asked, spinning her phone in her hand absentmindedly as she eyed the four males opposite her, not even glancing at Hakyeon. The others weren’t sure what that meant, were they suddenly a team or had she already gotten what she wanted from him? It was impossible to tell, neither gave the game away.

“Uh, no?” Jaehwan offered. Noa sighed disappointedly and lifted her phone to type on it, not caring that Hakyeon was watching what she was doing blatantly. Maybe they were in on whatever it was together, he did seem to understand what she was doing after all.

“Are you sure?” She challenged looking back up at Jaehwan. He nodded slowly. “Have it your way.” A firm press as if she finalised something. Jaehwan felt sweat prickle at the back of his neck. “Anyone else?”

No-one spoke up. Hakyeon patted her knee sympathetically and stayed silent as she worked on her device. Once she was finished she put it back down and looked at the four.

“I’ve frozen your accounts.”

“What?!” Jaehwan shrieked disbelievingly. “You can’t just fuck with our accounts like that!”

“Be quiet.” She demanded and he did, shrinking back into his seat.

“I gave you all the chance to come clean, I’ve already spoken to Hakyeon and he confirmed everything straight away so his account is untouched but he will not help any of you unless I say so.”

“What?” Wonsik muttered. “Babe, what’s going on?”

“Don’t babe me, Kim Wonsik.” He sucked in a breath realising that she knew, she knew who he was, who they all were. He had never told her his surname. “I remember you saying that you’re older than you look but 73 years old, wow, that’s a big difference.”

“Fuck, you know.” He rushed over, not hiding his inhuman speed to kneel in front of her and take her hands into his. “I’m so fucking sorry, Noa, I wish I could’ve told you what I am from the beginning but I couldn’t I-”

“I know that. That’s not what I’m pissed about. I understand telling someone you’re a fucking vampire is a big deal and not something you take lightly, I don’t blame you.”

“Then what’s this about?” Taekwoon requested bewildered. Noa looked directly at Jaehwan who paled, understanding that she had found something he had regretting doing to her.

“I’m so sorry, Noa, I didn’t think you’d find out.” He whispered ashamedly.

“And that makes it better?”

“No, but only because it’s you, you’re my friend, our friend. We need to feed to live, Noa, if it wasn’t you that night it would’ve been someone else that I took away with me.”

“I’m aware you need to feed but fuck, you wiped my mind of most of the fucking night! I thought I had been drugged and I was so fucking worried someone else would be drugged just like me and made to do fuck knows what!”

“I can give it back, you know.” He announced. Noa tilted her head. “I didn’t take the memory just, put a wall up I guess.”

“That’s dangerous!” Hakyeon hissed “What if she had gone to someone and they managed to remove the wall?! Our existence would’ve been out there for anyone to pick up on!”

“I don’t know! I didn’t think about it I just...taking out a whole memory can fuck with a human’s brain, hyung, I couldn’t do it to her, I liked her too much.” Jaehwan confessed pitifully.

“Give it back then, I want to know what happened,” Noa spoke. Jaehwan made an awkward expression. “What?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” She nodded even when he pointedly looked at Wonsik who was still in front of her. She just got up and stepped around him. Jaehwan let out a heavy breath and got up to hold her face and look deep into her eyes.

The events of the missing night snapped back into her mind and she gasped at the sudden onslaught of memories.

“Oh well, okay damn.” She muttered closing her eyes to try and ground herself. Jaehwan lowered his hands and backed off, eyes glancing between Wonsik and Noa waiting for the explosion he knew what coming. When she opened her eyes she somehow found Jaehwan straight away even though he had moved across the room to be near the door to the hallway and he knew it was about to happen.

“Do you guys always feed during sex?”

For a split second the room became eerily silent and the air still, then as quick as it started it stopped when Wonsik growled in rage and chased after Jaehwan who ran off, the pair becoming a blur as they flitted around the apartment, sometimes tumbling around the floor when Wonsik managed to catch the younger but Jaehwan was just that bit faster and managed to escape before earning too much damage.

“You better not have put your fangs in my best friend, Taekwoon,” Noa warned as she sat back beside Hakyeon, not at all paying attention to the pair causing a ruckus somewhere else in the apartment.

“No, I haven't.” He immediately responded, his eyes wide and serious, begging for Noa to believe him. “I would never do such a thing without permission, not to Mayumi.”

“Good now, an ultimatum for you two.” She looked between Hongbin and Taekwoon. “Either you fuck off out of the lives of my friends or you tell them what you are.”

“What?” Hongbin choked. “You want us to tell them we’re vampires?”

“Or leave. Those are your only options.”

“We can’t leave, you froze our accounts.”

“I’ll give you 20 grand each if you leave and that is it, you’ll have to find your own money from then on,” Hakyeon announced. “I love you both but Noa is very useful to me and although I trust that she wouldn’t be petty and release what we are to the world, I would still like to stay by her to keep her sated.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Taekwoon admitted. “I want to stay here, with Mayumi.”

“Then tell her.” Taekwoon looked at Hakyeon who nodded giving Taekwoon permission to do so.

“Okay, should I go now? Do you want to be there?”

“No, you can go now.”

“Wait, I’ll come too, Hyuk’s at your house, isn’t he, Noa?” Hongbin spoke as he got to his feet to stand beside Taekwoon. Noa nodded so the two males left.

Once they were gone Hakyeon and Noa broke out into hushed giggles, there was still a pair of tussling vampires in the apartment after all.

“How long do you think it’ll take for them to realise they still have full access to their accounts?” Noa mused in a whisper.

“Knowing these lot, a long time.” Hakyeon grinned at her. “You should call the other two back in.” Noa nodded and they both composed themselves before Noa called Wonsik and Jaehwan. They appeared immediately, both dishevelled with splatters of blood on their faces and hands but no open wounds. Vampire healing is incredible.

“Let’s talk money.” Noa motioned to the couch opposite her so both men sat down quickly. “Hakyeon doesn’t want to pay for you to live in his home so you are both homeless as of now.” They both gawped at him.

“How are we going to find somewhere to live with no money?!” Jaehwan exclaimed.

“That’s where kind Noa here comes in.”

“You can live with me and I’ll even give you an allowance,” she stated.

“There’s a but here, isn’t there?” Jaehwan sighed.

“You have to work for me and do everything I say, no questions asked whether it’s work-related or not.”

“You’re a hacker, how can we help?” Wonsik muttered.

“I’m thinking of taking more matters into my own hands, you two will be my muscle.”

“We’re your thugs then, basically.” She grinned and Wonsik having been so used to automatically smiling back at her had to fight his lips to stay straight but the pair opposite him saw them twitch with effort.

“Well, I’ve killed so this is fine with me.” Jaehwan shrugged carelessly.

“Wonderful, Wonsik?” Noa gave Wonsik her full attention. He frowned but nodded.

“Okay, fine, I don’t have a lot of options here, do I?”

“Well, I still like you-” He sat a little straighter at her words “So I’ll let you leave town with 30 grand if you never return and never contact anyone here again.”

“That’s not even an option, I’m not leaving you.” Noa blinked a few times then smiled softly, cheeks warm to the touch.

“When you’ve proven yourself to me, we can date again.”

“Okay.” Wonsik lit up bright and smiled happily. “I’ll work hard for you, Noa.”

“Good boy.” Noa got up so the two males copied. “Hakyeon and I have already packed all that you can bring with me to my house and put the cases in my car, let’s go.”

“Oh, okay.” Wonsik followed obediently as Noa left after saying goodbye to Hakyeon but Jaehwan hesitated.

“Come on little one, I’ve even found a blood supplier for you,” Noa informed. Jaehwan rushed after her, blood on demand sounded great.

That is how vampires came to live in the house at the bottom of the valley on the edge of town. They didn’t kill anyone to live there and they certainly weren’t the abominations the townsfolk gossiped about over the years but they did end up forming a new special coven with their human housemates.

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findasongblog · 7 years ago

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(Too) Many good acts: MAZ, Antiheld, Luke Noa, Bartleby Delicate, Giant Rooks and Josh Island at Fête de la Musique, Dudelange, 16.06.2018

Honestly, Mel and me agreed we’d like to be consulted next year about the timetalbe so we won’t have to make any difficult decisions 😜

While we had a list of acts we definitely wanted to see, we were ready to check out others in our „free time“. One that really impressed us was MAZ, which was quite a surprise as neither of us is into rap. It will probably never become a music style I listen to at home, but I really enjoyed his live performance. NOT a surprise that he was last year’s Screaming Fields song contest winner (Screaming Fields is a contest/festival for young Luxembourgish musicians). I didn’t really get into the swing of taking videos this time around (not many photos either, sorry 😳) , so here’s the official video for Future And Me off MAZ’ debut album Immortalisation.

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The next act on the main stage was more Mel’s choice, but I liked them well enough to already agree to see them again. I’m talking about Antiheld, a young 5-piece from Stuttgart who describe their style as „street cur pop“. A wee bit self-depreciating, this description already hints at their sense of humour / sacarcsm which is also present in their lyrics. They sure know how to get the crowd going and I expect their gig at the Kleiner Klub in Saarbrücken next January to be a sweaty affair... Not sure if other people in the audience knew their music better than me, but I definitely wasn’t prepared for Sonnenkind and the story behind it (singer Luca wrote it for a childhood friend’s funeral last year). A moving song which proves that Antiheld have more in store than „just“ feel-good music.

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The first decision to make was between Port Cities and Luke Noa. My plan had been to attend Port Cities’ performance on the main stage while Mel had already announced she’d rather go and watch Luke Noa on the folk & blues stage. As you can see, I followed her at some point. I don’t know what went wrong during soundcheck, but the bass for Port Cities was downright awful and I couldn’t stand it for longer than three songs 😞 Luke played with a band (The Basement Beats?), so here’s a video I found of them (?) on Youtube

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All right, I know it was my own fault: when writing the review of Koll an Aktioun, I complained about Josh Island and Tuys playling two different stages at the same time at FdlM and hoped it wouldn’t be the same for Bartleby Delicate and Giant Rooks – guess what happened!! 😭 Well, we could listen to Georges for half an hour at least. Tough to leave, but while we’re sure to see him a few more times this year, the same isn’t true for Giant Rooks, so...

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We were compensated with a front row spot and a tremendous performance by one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen (thought about it and really, they’re second only to Editors in my personal best-of-list). High quality songwriting (always catchy, but never boring or sounding one like the other) combined with such energetic live presence – so ready for an album and an extensive headline tour! First time I’ve seen a band being allowed to play an encore at a festival, and rightfully so. Let me share once more my video of Thunder that I took when they supported Mighty Oaks in Strasbourg (btw the video with almost the most views on my channel, only beaten by Bastille’s performance of Grip at Rock-A-Field 2015 😉)

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Yes, that’s right, we opted for Josh Island afterwards. Dudelange is Tuys’ hometown and we guessed their crowd would be big enough without us, suspicion proved right by the photos posted later on Facebook and elsewhere. Alas, we missed Tuys being joined on stage by Georges and Edsun, but you can’t have it all. Josh’s set was actually the perfect ending to the day, and he also had a surprise guest on stage. Couldn’t find out how to embed a video from Facebook, so here’s the link:

https://www.facebook.com/BeyondMeMusic/videos/1160363167439561/

Yeah, some more rap, go sue me ✌️😇😂

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kohakuhime · 7 years ago

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The Reluctant Guardian, ch. 16

Hi guys! Here I be with another update~! I wanted to take the time and thank those following this story for leaving comments or liking/reblogging - you guys are awesome~! Also, special thanks to @mpuzzlegirl for help with this update!

Disclaimer: this takes place post canon, and this refers to events that take place in an alternate verse. Michael, Carmon, and Isabel belongs to @mpuzzlegirl; Rowen, Sylvie, Ellie and the twins belong to me; and YGO and its associated characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi.

Michael could not help but feel a good degree of satisfaction at the surprise on Dartz’s face when he stepped through the front door, just as the sun started going down. He had clearly not been expecting them to actually have the television up and running when he returned, and yet when Dartz entered the house it was to find Sylvie placidly watching Bambi on what Sora had cheerfully dubbed the “frankenvision”.

“Do I need to worry about fires?” he asked, tipping his head at the haphazard wiring sticking from the back of the television.

“The twins gave it their seal of approval,” said Michael. He saw the skepticism on the man’s face and frowned, feeling defensive of his cousins. “Look, they don’t care if their inventions blow up in their faces, but they won’t endanger anyone else with what they put together.”

“Fair enough.” He looked around and raised an eyebrow. “Where are the rest of you?”

“After Sora and Claire finished the television they got bored. Rowen got them to wash the sheets for our beds, but the dryer’s rubbish and the twins nearly blew it up trying to fix it.” Michael pointed outside to where he could see Rowen directing the twins in stringing up clothes lines and hanging up the sheets.

“Ah.” A pause. “Rowen seems to take charge of them quite frequently.”

“Uncle Valon and Aunt Serenity both had to work once Aunt Serenity was off maternity leave, so Uncle Raph or my dad offered to watch them during the day. By extension Rowen also’s kept an eye on them over the years, so just by default—“

“They listen to him,” Dartz finished, rich amusement in his voice. “I take it he doesn’t realize he has that amount of influence.”

“It wouldn’t occur to him, no. Between that and looking after Sylvie, he just naturally takes over as,” Michael replied.

Dartz did not say anything right away. “Older siblings tend to watch after those smaller and younger than them, don’t they,” he said at last, and it was as if he was addressing more than one person. Michael snuck a look and noticed the faraway look in the man’s eyes.

Sylvie looked over in that moment and jumped. “Oh! Mister Dartz! You’re back!”

Dartz started, coming out of his thoughts to look down at the little girl. “Yes,” he said warily. “I’ve returned.”

“Did you want to watch this movie too? I’m sorry, I can start it over for you!” said Sylvie, rising from her seat.

“No, child, I had only stopped by for a moment. You do not have to restart your movie on my account,” Dartz said, perhaps too quickly.

Sylvie, caught comically in mid-motion, blinked at him. “Are you sure, Mister Dartz?”

“Quite. Please, take your seat.”

Sylvie returned to her seat on the sofa, shooting furtive glances at the man standing by Michael. Dartz did not seem to notice, at least not until he looked down at Michael and said quietly, “Is something wrong with my appearance?”

Michael tried not to smile. “She’s not looking at you, Dartz. She’s looking at your hair.”

“What about it?” Dartz’s hands seemed to twitch once more to his hair.

“She wants to braid it—right, little fey?” Michael added, grinning over at the younger girl when she ducked her head. “Sylvie loves playing with long hair and she’s been eyeing yours since she saw it. Ro’s got really short hair, and Claire’s is too fluffy to really do anything with.”

There was a violent flinch and Dartz’s features went slack, a stricken expression on his face. Sylvie had not seen it, as she had been staring down at her hands when Michael had spoken—perhaps a lucky thing, as the reaction would have worried her.

By the time Sylvie looked up, however, the expression was gone and replaced by another neutral mask. “I see,” said Dartz. There was something in his voice that Michael could not fully identify. “Is that so, Sylvie?”

Sylvie hesitated, and then offered a very shy nod. “Yes sir. I don’t mean to bother, and you can say no, but you have such long hair and I’d love to braid it…oh! But only if it’s okay!” she added hastily.

Dartz eyed her for a long moment, expression unreadable, and then slowly crossed the room to hang up his cloak. Sylvie looked momentarily crestfallen, but her countenance suddenly brightened when Dartz returned to the couch, sitting in the middle beside her. “I only ask that you do not make it hard for me to brush it out later,” he said simply.

Sylvie’s eyes lit up and then she hopped off the couch. “Thank you, Mister Dartz! I have to grab a couple things, and then I’ll be right back!” she announced happily, and before they could stop her Sylvie darted outside.

“That was…unexpected,” Dartz said after a moment’s pause. “Does she normally do that?”

“Sylvie? Not really,” Michael replied, hiding a smile. He was not being entirely truthful, as he had a feeling he knew where Sylvie had gone. “She’ll be back in just a moment, though.”

His smile faded and he sobered. Dartz was alone in the house with him—here was a chance to talk to him sincerely, without worrying about being overheard. “Dartz.”

“You want to know what has been happening beyond this place.” There was not a question in his voice—Dartz had known what had been on Michael’s mind.

“Our families…are they safe?” he asked without any preamble. “Kazuo, Mikomi? Aunt Isabel and Uncle Noa?”

“Safe but restless. They want answers and none are forthcoming. The same could be said for Rowen’s family, and for the twin’s relatives.”

“Do you know who’s doing this?” Michael asked, his voice hardening. “The person who’s behind all of this? The ones who…who killed our parents?”

Dartz did not immediately answer, but his lips thinned and his eyes darkened.

“You do, don’t you?” Michael persisted. His voice rose in spite of himself. “You know who’s doing this!”

“Rowen has already told you what you need to know—“

“No, he’s told me what you want him to know!” Michael burst out. “You know more than what you’re telling us! We aren’t naïve kids, we can handle this too!”

“I am not keen on recruiting any more child soldiers,” Dartz said sternly. “What I know is that you do not need to concern yourself about that information. You are removed from the situation and so this is not your concern.”

“Not my��not my concern?” Michael snarled. “Don’t you dare tell me I have to sit idly by while my parent’s killers walk free!” Dartz started and Michael continued. “Yeah, I figured it out. That was why you were so angry that night, wasn’t it—you found out that these men were the ones killed our parents!”

Dartz remained silent, though his fists clenched.

“What are you doing about them? Why haven’t you gone to our families with that information? You know who my uncles are, you know they could expose him in an instant!”

“He made Seto Kaiba disappear from the public eye with little effort. He was able to almost successfully kidnap you in broad daylight in a crowded place. Those maneuvers are made by someone who has the power to make anything he wants happen.”

“Your point?” Michael spat.

“Do you really believe your family safer if they know who it is after them? Do you think that, knowing the ones responsible for so much tragedy in your lives, they would sit still and allow him free?”

Michael stiffened.

“If he could make Seto Kaiba and Yugi Mutou disappear—both of which are more than well-known in Domino—what makes you think them safer for knowing? If it were me in this man’s position I would squash anyone who gave so much as the slightest inclination of knowing my identity. And believe me, I have been in that position.”

“They could defend themselves better if they knew the name of the man who’s hurt our family so badly!” Michael snarled. “They could find a way to expose him and get justice for our parents, or at least be on guard against him! My uncle is a Kaiba, and while he’s not Uncle Seto he’s equally as formidable!”

“And if they have a weapon that’s greater than your uncle’s technology or his influence? Something that no one can fight on equal terms? Something…magical?” The last word was spoken in great hesitance.

Michael frowned. “Magical? This guy has magic on his side?” he asked. His stomach clenched at the thought. What kind of magic would have Dartz of all people wary? Dartz, who had lived ten thousand years with magic at his disposal, was afraid of whatever this enemy had. Dartz, who had worked with the Orichalcos—

He blanched.

The Orichalcos.

“You understand, then.” Dartz’s eyes held a grim light to them. “If I involve them, I have no way of protecting them. Even as weakened as it is, the magic holds enough potency to still do great damage.”

“It’s supposed to be gone. Aunt Isabel…Mama, Dad…they said it was gone,” Michael whispered.

“It is not. What do you think I have been doing all these years in the aftermath of my defeat?” Dartz asked, something old in his voice. “I’ve been tracking down my Orichalcum, bit by bit, and destroying it. Yet somehow, in spite of all precautions I took, this enemy has an undetermined amount of it in his possession.”

“Awful careless of you to let someone get their hands on the stuff, don’t you think?” Michael asked severely.

Dartz did not contradict him. He didn’t get the chance to—the door opened and Sylvie bounded in, arms full of wildflowers. “I’m back again, Mister Dartz! I have some flowers too!” she added brightly.

Dartz stared, his composed mask breaking as he looked at Michael for an explanation.

“Sylvie also likes weaving flowers into braids and making flower crowns,” Michael replied, smiling in spite of himself. He looked to the younger girl and rose to his feet. “Sylvie, I’m gonna go help Rowen outside. We can finish Bambi later—I think you’ll be busy anyways.”

The little girl nodded and skipped over to Dartz, who was watching her warily. Michael wondered why a ten thousand year old king and former cult leader would be so intimidated by a little girl, but he pushed the thought away and stepped outside. Sylvie would be fine by herself, he determined—she would be too preoccupied by Dartz’s hair to remember her shyness.

Sora and Claire were currently in the tree above Rowen, happily swinging through the branches and leaving Rowen on the ground to finish hanging linens. Perfect for the conversation he needed to have—the twins didn’t know about the Orichalcos.

“Oh! Hey Michael!” Rowen looked over as Michael came down the stairs. The smile on his older cousin’s face faded at the expression on the other boy’s face. “Something wrong?”

“A minute?” Michael’s voice was grim. “Alone.”

Rowen nodded, glancing up at the tree before coming forward to meet Michael at the base of the stairs. He listened grimly as Michael relayed in a low voice what Dartz had told him, but he did not look surprised. When Michael finished speaking, the older boy folded his arms and sighed.

“Did he tell you?” Michael said quietly.

“No, but I suspected,” Rowen said flatly. He did not sound particularly pleased at admitting this. “Dartz made a comment a couple days back about having limited magic to shield us, and even as advanced as tech is these days it wouldn’t warrant something like this. Given our family history, there’s really only one magical force that would warrant so many precautions being taken.”

“Rowen—“

“I know. I don’t know what to do about it, though,” Rowen said. “If we were there in person with our families that’s one thing, but we’re in the middle of nowhere and magically trapped in this area. Dartz has some way of leaving here, and it involves the front door. I looked at the frame and the door itself this morning, but there doesn’t seem to be anything magical about it that I’ve seen.”

Michael nodded—he had looked at the door himself before. His eyes narrowed and his fists clenched. “He knows who’s doing this, and he knows they have the Orichalcos. Even if his magic is so limited, he should be able to outthink whoever’s doing this and should even be able to find his missing Orichalcum. Why hasn’t he?”

Rowen shook his head. “I don’t have an answer for that, only a guess, and I suspect it has to do with our remaining family,” he replied. “I will say this, though: whoever it is, they’ve got to be well-funded.”

“You’re thinking someone corporate, or someone wealthy?”

“Probably both, if we’re right. It just comes down to who it could be,” Rowen sighed, hands shifting to rest on his hips. “Dad wasn’t really connected to anyone in that setting outside of your uncle. Any ideas?”

“No. I never paid attention to that sort of thing, although I wish I had now. Even if I did, we can’t get a message out. So…how do you want to play this?” he asked grimly.

There was a whoop from the tree behind them and both boys jumped, turning to face it. There was no distress in that voice, though, and in fact when they turned it was to find Claire perched on a branch high above them. She was laughing at Sora, who seemed to have tumbled out of the tree into a disgraceful heap.

Rowen marginally relaxed, and Michael felt a fraction of the tension ease from his shoulders. It was hard to carry any sort of worry when watching the care-free actions of the twins.

“For now, Michael,” Rowen said quietly, and the red-haired boy looked to him, “for now we keep pressuring Dartz as much as we can. He’s the only one who can give or ask for help at this point.”

He paused. “We’ll also have to start looking to find a way home. We’ve been here and idle long enough. When he leaves tomorrow…we’ll have to try and get into his study again.”

+++++++++++++++++++

Rowen had not been certain what he would find when he stepped back into the house. He had definitely not been expecting to see Dartz sitting on the floor in front of the couch, with Sylvie happily weaving flowers into his hair and braiding as she talked. Michael had only left her alone for ten minutes or so, but he had not expected Sylvie to have braided as quickly as she had—nearly a quarter of his long hair had been plaited

“What’s your favorite Disney movie, Mister Dartz?” she had asked as Rowen came in.

“I do not particularly have one,” he replied evenly, eyes fixed ahead. When Sylvie’s hands paused, he added, “I did find their animated version of Atlantis rather…interesting, to say the least.”

“I haven’t seen that one,” said Sylvie, face scrunching into a frown.

“Perhaps your brother might have, or at least know where to procure a copy.”

Sylvie paused again. “What does ‘procure’ mean?”

“To obtain, or to acquire an object.” Dartz did not turn around, his voice rich with amusement when he sensed rather than saw Sylvie’s confusion. “It means he can get a hold of it.”

“Ohhh,” Sylvie said, expression brightening. “You use a lot of big words, Mister Dartz.”

“My vocabulary is quite extensive, yes,” he replied mildly. “And ‘extensive’ means I have a lot of fancy words at my dispo—to use.”

Rowen couldn’t help but crack a small smile. “You always talk so formally, even with kids?” he asked aloud.

Dartz slightly turned his head, his eyes shifting over to Rowen. He couldn’t move his head, as Sylvie was currently braiding, but there was a distinctly amused curve to his lips. “Me talk very fancy, yes,” he said, and this time Rowen let out a startled bark of laughter. Sylvie giggled, hands momentarily stilling.

“Hey, you tosser!” Claire called over the top of the pile of laundry in her arms, a note of genuine affection in her voice. She shifted the bedsheets over to a free arm and gestured grandly to the television. Sora was behind her, grinning just as broadly as his sister. “We got it runnin’!”

“I noticed,” Dartz said. He sounded impressed. “Very well done, you two.”

Michael, who had been behind the twins, moved over to the sofa and sat down where he had been before. Dartz’s eyes flickered, gaze moving between Michael’s too calm features and Rowen’s expectant gaze, and then he fixed his attention forward. Rowen moved out of the doorway and into the kitchen, deciding now was as good a time as any to start dinner

For a moment Rowen wondered if Dartz was truly watching the movie, and then the man cleared his throat. “Aside from getting the television to work and laundry, what else have you been up to?”

Michael’s disbelief had to have mirrored Rowen’s. His older cousin was not so subtly listening to the conversation. Was Dartz…was he serious? “Not much,” Michael said at last. He thought about it, and added a pointed, “We don’t have anything to really do around here.”

“Ah.”

A long, awkward pause followed. Sylvie continued to work on Dartz’s hair, not noticing the tension around her. Dartz’s hands twitched in what looked like a drumming motion, but paused when Michael looked at him. At length, Dartz sighed. “I never did fully master small talk.”

“Not even as a businessman? Isn’t that a crucial skill to have?”

“When modern day conversation consists of constant complaining about the stupidest of things, you tend to tune out the majority of conversations in that setting.” Dartz rose to his feet, reaching up into his sleeve.

Michael could not stop the snort of laughter from escaping. “Do you really keep stuff up your sleeve?”

“It’s convenient and certainly stops me from carrying a utility belt. Not much of a fan of belts,” said Dartz, sounding prim.

“Of course you aren’t. There’s a fun thing called ‘pockets’. You ever hear about them?”

“A pouch sewn into an opening on clothing whose European debut was in the thirteenth century. Practical and functional, but I do not particularly like them in my robes,” Dartz replied absently. He straightened in place, holding up a plastic bag. He did not turn around as he said, “I believe there was a movie you wished to see?”

Michael froze, recognizing the bag in the other man’s hand. He could hardly breathe as he reached for it though there was a tremor in his hands as he took it from Dartz. “You…how did you…?”

Dartz rose to his feet, startling Sylvie. He moved towards the kitchen, ignoring Sora’s snickers at his unfinished braided hair. “I believe there is a promise you made not so long ago,” he said to a very startled Sora. He looked over at Rowen and moved over to the stove top. “I will make dinner tonight. You have a movie to watch.”

Sora leaned over the top of the couch to peer at the movie that Michael had pulled out from the bag. “Dear Santa, I Can Explain? Oh wait, Mikey, is that the movie you wanted to see?”

“Yes,” said Michael, his voice soft and reverent.

Claire and Sora exchanged quick glances and then disappeared upstairs to put away the bedsheets. They returned within seconds, simultaneously leaping over the back of the sofa to sit on either side of their cousin.

Rowen took a quick moment to explain what he had been planning for dinner; he initially tried to remain behind to help, but Dartz firmly steered him out of the kitchen. “I know how to cook,” he said, sounding exasperated. “I do not require your assistance to make chicken.”

Michael had been wondering how to best break Sylvie away from her movie, as it was one of her favorites, but to his surprise the little girl had already taken out Bambi and was putting it away when he looked over. “Oh, Sylvie, you didn’t have to—“

“It’s okay,” Sylvie said cheerfully as Michael came over with the movie. “I can finish it later.”

Rowen ruffled her hair affectionately and then sat down; Sylvie hopped into the spot next to her older brother. Michael put the movie in and reclaimed his spot between the twins. There was a nervous flutter in his stomach. He’d seen his mother’s movies before, but somehow this movie felt different. His father was in this movie—he had not heard or seen his father, not since That Day, and he found himself almost impatient for the movie to start.

The premise was simple: a singer who was returning to her hometown for inspiration had found that her normally festive town had lost its Christmas spirit, and it was up to her (along with what the cover described as “Christmas magic”) to bring it back. That was his mother’s role, and as the movie started and she appeared on screen Michael’s heart ached. Mama had been younger then, but no less recognizable.

“That’s Auntie Carmon?” Claire asked, staring round eyed at the screen. “She’s so pretty! She always has been, mind, but still!”

“I agree,” Michael said, starting to smile fondly. Her smile was contagious and bright and he could not help himself. His mother had just arrived in the town, and Michael found himself scanning the crowd for his father. He knew his dad was in this movie, but just where—

He blinked, rubbing his eyes, and then he reached over for Rowen to sharply jab him. “Ro, big guy in the background, by the bookshop. The one with the brown hair.”

Rowen frowned, eyes traveling the screen until he found the person Michael had been gesturing to. “Yeah? What about him?”

Sora had seen what Michael had as well, though, and he let out a delighted yell. “It’s Uncle Raph!”

“What?” Rowen started and leaned forward, heart momentarily stopping.

In the kitchen, Dartz dried his hands and came back over to the sofa. “That can’t be right,” Dartz said quietly. He slowly sat down in the armchair, something unreadable on his features. “He didn’t like the spotlight and wouldn’t appear in a movie.”

Even as Dartz spoke said it, though, Rowen had recognized his father. In spite of the wig there was no mistaking the jawline, the physique, or his father’s eyes. Sylvie’s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands. “Papan! Rowen, it is Papan!”

“You’re right, lamb,” Rowen said, a huge smile spreading across his features. Rowen felt something in his chest loosen and his eyes softened. “I had no idea he even did this.”

Rowen’s father was not the only one of the surprise cast members. Moments later, a high school friend greeted his mother’s character and this time it was plainly evident who it was. Rowen’s eyes were overbright even as he smiled, and Sylvie’s voice was filled with joy as she cried out, “Mama!”

Michael straightened, eyes wide. Aunt Ellie had been in this too? How had he not known? There had been no mention of this on any of the forums he had looked through while trying to find a copy of the movie. It was an unexpected but ever so lovely surprise.

The scene shifted from Carmon arriving into town to a different location in the town. It was a Santa’s Workshop building that looked like it had closed down (probably playing into the plot), and stepping out of it in full elf costume regalia—

“DAD!” Sora crowed, a fist pumping the air as Claire squealed in joy. “RO LOOKIT, IT’S DAD!”

“Only Valon could look right at home in such an obnoxious costume and manage to not look downright ridiculous,” Dartz said, a note of exasperated affection in his voice.

Uncle Valon was carrying something in his hands, what looked to be a marble bag of some kind, and after a moment he bumped into the twin’s easily recognizable mother (”MAA! IT’S MA!” came the deafening roar). The bag fell onto the sidewalk just as his mother’s car pulled into the spot next to it. Ah—so that was what it meant by “Christmas magic”, thought Michael with a grin.

And it wasn’t even just Rowen’s parents or the twin’s family who were making appearances. A couple in the diner was easily recognized as Aunt Isabel and Uncle Noa. There, in a corner of a bookshop, was the twin’s Uncle Joey and Aunt Mai. And at last—at last—

“Dad,” Michael said, his voice soft as his smile grew.

His father was leaning on the counter, watching his mother move through the bookshop. The wig did little to disguise his father’s appearance. He was relaxed, smirking over at his mother when she looked over. “Truth really is stranger than fiction,” his father quipped. “Welcome back.”

Sora and Claire let out identical crows of laughter, and Michael found his vision starting to blur as he smiled. He didn’t care if the movie turned out to be cheesy or the plot overdone or whatever criticism some stuck up critic wanted to level at it—having his parents and his family in this movie made it all worthwhile.

Hi Dad.

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#kohaku writes #oc: rowen knighton #oc: sylvie knighton #oc: the twins #other's oc: michael #au: reluctant guardian

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endless-vall · 7 years ago

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About time - Dom x Jackson Modern AU fanfic

Summary: At Kenna’s wedding, Dom and Jackson are flirting relentlessly. While knowing each other for a while, through common friends, they never really hit it off. Kenna, growing tired of watching them dance around the topic, shoves Dom in Jackson’s way, and the rest is history. Author’s note: As requested by anon, here’s a modern!au Jackson x Dominic fanfic 😊 Since you didn’t specify any prompt lines, I just slightly continue my latest modern AU (about Kenna x Raydan). A big thanks to @dailyau for the prompts! I used: “It’s our mutual friend’s wedding and they keep shoving us into each other because we’re the only ones at the ceremony who are single” And slightly “The manager says the only reason the restaurant where we work at is popular is because people enjoy eating while watching our relentless flirting with each other but I swear to God we’re not flirting???” With a few alterations! Enjoy! *On a side note, I realized I always make Kenna the match-maker in my fanfics 😂 Rating: T.

“Hey, Will, looking good!” Dom winked his way. Jackson just rolled his eyes, hid a smile, and continued mingling with other guests. Dom grinned to himseld, until he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Could you be any more obvious?” Kenna asked, batting an eyebrow, with a teasing tone. “What are you talking about?” Dom questioned. “The obvious relentless flirting? Gosh, you guys always steal the spotlight with your flirting. And you can’t steal it today, it’s my wedding day, after all!” She scowled at him, punching his arm playfully. Dom gulped. “Flirting? What flirting?” He was oblivious. Looking around the party, Jackson caught his eye again. This time, he winked at him, and Dom felt his heartbeat quicken.

He looked back at Kenna, who was the most beautiful bride ever. In a beautiful, white dress, with glitter embedded in its fabric - who Annelyse, their fashion designer friend insisted on making by herself, Kenna was glowing. And not just because of the glitter, she was beaming whole, looking absolutely regal. She married the love of her life today, Raydan Lykel, who was running her florist shop with her. They were celebrating at the wedding’s reception, right now. “Don’t play dumb. Everyone’s noticed the two of you. You never give it a rest!” Kenna urged at him. “Just go talk to him, instead of getting everyone’s attention while throwing flirtatious remarks.” Kenna suggested. “I barely even know the guy.” Dom countered. It was true, he knew Will Jackson only through common friends, and barely exchanged a word with the guy. “And still you both hit on each other in every possible chance? Dom. Please. I know you two, and you’re always flirting.” Kenna raised an eyebrow, folding her arms over her chest. “We’re not flirting!” He insisted for a moment. Kenna gave him her cold stare, and he shrugged. “Okay. Maybe I’m flirting. But that’s just the way I talk... You know that. Anyway, that doesn’t matter, since he never flirted back.” Dom rolled his eyes, admitting. “He’s a shy guy!” She put her hands on Dom’s shoulders, shaking him lightly. “And while he was never the first one to initiate anything, he never left you hanging!” Kenna insisted. Dom sighed. “That’s not true. I just told him he looked hot and he just rolled his eyes on me? completely ignoring me? You’re just saying this since we’re the only single guests at the wedding.” Dom was onto her, eyeing her intently. “He was blushing at you, not ignoring you.” Kenna said as if it was obvious. She sighed, how could they be both so oblivious? “Now go talk to him, dummy.” Kenna said, turning Dom around, and giving his back a push, towards Jackson’s direction. Gulping, Dom continued making his way over there. He tried leanning on the wall seductively - unsuccessfully - making a complete fool of himself. Jackson did notice him, sitting not too far from where Dom launched his face into a wall, and burst into chuckling, placing a hand over his mouth. Dom regained his momentum, and leaned on the wall successfully by the time Jackson made his way over to him. “So, was the wall soft?” Jackson made small-talk. “Like a pillow.” Dom flashed a smile. Jackson replied with an amused grin. “Oh, is it?” He asked. “But, like, a really bad pillow. 10/10 would not recommend, actually.” Dom added, quickly, making Jackson laugh again. “Figured.” Jackson noted. They both stood by each other’s side for a while, an awkward silence falling between them. Dom decided he had to save the situation, or he’ll end up exactly where he started. That’s just when the idea came up to him. “Hey, you know, I’ve always wondered how you and Kenna met. I used to be her best friend when we where young, but as time passed we grew apart... Still, I know most of her friends pretty good, but you - I only see at parties and such...” Dom placed a hand over the back of his neck. “So...?” He added, watching Jackson’s face shifting to a thankful expression, that the conversation didn’t run dry. They walked over to a nearby balcony, that was surprisingly uncrowded, and leaned on the railing, watching the horizon and the beautiful colors the sunset was coloring the sky. “We went together to college.” Dom knew that, though he didn’t know how they clicked there. Kenna studied botanical studies and political science, since those were the things that interested her. The botanical studies were influenced by her mother, you could say, the least, so she could take over the shop. Kenna loved it, though, so he didn’t complain. “I met her in political science class, though we didn’t really kick that off till’ a party over at Claude’s.” Jackson continued. He told him about the part, about other friends he’d met from there. Claude, who later became Val’s boyfriend - they were dating for years now, Tevan & Zenobia, who were high school sweethearts and got married awhile ago, and Noa & Kailani, brother and sister that both went to college together. Dom nodded thoughtfully, thinking everyone over. “And... that’s pretty much it. We’ve been friends, even since.” Jackson shrugged. Everyone were busy living their own life, but they still invited each other out once in a while and celebrated holidays, and special occasions together. “Aw, Man. That party sounded sick! I wish I went there, too.” Dom bit at his lip. He went to a different college. It wasn’t too far away from Kenna’s, but he had other liabilities other than crashing Kenna’s parties. He did it, sometimes, just not that often. “Yeah, I think you would’ve liked it.” Jackson lingers just a second too long, when looking into Dom’s eyes. Dom realizes, maybe Kenna had a point. He proceeds to tell Jackson about his own college experience, about what he’d studied and about the friends he had made. Jackson listens eagerly, a smile curved on his lips. “One day we got into a huge fight over something so minor and stupid I don’t even remember what it was and Kenna actually called me a bitch! Can you believe that?” Dom told him a story from his past about his friendship with Kenna. Jackson side-eyes him with a little, devilish grin spreading on his lips. “Well, I guess you were barking up the wrong tree.” He says with a shrug. “No. Way. The infamous, major frowner, Will Jackson, just told a pun?!?” Dom wore a both shocked and satisfied expression. Both burst into laughter. “I guess you rubbed on me.” Jackson admitted. They continue talking until it’s completely dark outside, and the party starts to die out. A waiter passes by, offering them a glasses of champagne. Both took one, and clinked it against each other’s. “To?” Jackson questioned. “To us.” Dom dared offering. Jackson considered for a slight moment. That blush Kenna mentioned earlier crept once again into his cheeks, before he replied. “To us.” Clinking his glass again with Dom’s. They sip from the champagne, savoring it’s taste. The glasses are quickly emptied, and Dom throws a look over his back. People are starting to get going, and he has to steal one dance with Jackson before the band leaves, too. He offers a hand to Jackson. To his look of puzzlement, Dom explains. “May I have this dance?” Jackson’s hand finds its way to Dom’s hand, and they go back into the wedding hall. Swaying to the last song, they’re almost the only couple dancing. It feels like there isn’t anyone in the world, but them. Dom places his hand on the small of Jackson’s back, and Jackson leans his head against his shoulder. “Maybe it’s the champagne, but I wish I could stay in this moment forever...” Dom doesn’t hold back anymore. Jackson rises his head, looking into Dom’s eyes. It’s not puzzlement that surrounds his eyes this time, but affection. “Oh, it’s not the champagne, believe me...” he leans in. They seal the dance with a kiss. After the wedding’s over, and Dom catches Kenna’s satisfied look, they get a cab home together. Dom lives close to Jackson, so it’s no problem, at all. After they get out of the cab, Jackson fiddles with his keys. Biting at his lip, he looks up to Dom’s intense gaze. “What does it means to us?” He asks Dom. Dom shifts his gaze to a calm one, stepping closer to Jackson. “I... don’t know.” He tells the truth. “What do you want it to mean?” Dom questions back. Jackson’s expression isn’t clear for a few long moment. Then, he wears a smile. “I think, uh... I’d like to take you out on a date.” There’s deep crimson blush over Jackson’s cheeks, but he says that with determination. “Are you sure?” Dom is surprised it’s Jackson who initiated something this time. He blinks at Jackson, his fingers interlacing with his. Jackson smiles “It’s about time, isn’t it?”.

#playchoices #the crown and the flame #dom x jackson #dominic hunter #will jackson #playchoices fanfic #my writing #fanfic

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shotsoftruth · 7 years ago

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Sticky Notes, a Luke Hemmings AU

Part 1 / Part 2

Part 3

Noa’s alarm blared incessantly and she rolled to the other side of her bed, feeling around for the snooze button. Turning onto her back, she stared at the ceiling for a few minutes to psych herself up to getting out of bed. Ashton had told her he had a meeting with Luke today, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him again.

Ready or not, here he comes. She decided, hauling herself out of bed and putting her glasses on, dragging her feet as she went into the bathroom for a shower. She was not a morning person. The warm water helped to loosen her muscles, still stiff from sleep, and she stepped out much more awake and ready to face the day. With one hand she ran her fingers through her soaked hair and with the other she pulled up a playlist on her phone, attaching it to her bathroom dock (Yes, she had a dock specifically for the bathroom.) and plugging in her hairdryer.

In fifteen minutes her hair was dry and she was teasing volume into it with a comb, deciding against putting it up and shaping it into big, loose curls instead. Before returning to her bedroom, she put in her contacts, grabbing her glasses on the way out of the bathroom.

Humming the last song that had been playing as she got ready, she looked through the options in her closet, eventually deciding on a black pencil skirt and blazer with a red collared shirt underneath and black skinny tie. Not exactly big business attire, but not unprofessional by any standards.

Do I dare? She asked herself, eyeing her precious black Christian Louboutin platforms. They had been her first splurge as Ashton’s head consultant, she’d put everything she had into helping Ashton start his company and worked hard to be able to treat herself to those shoes. Thus, she saved them for special occasions. However, they’d give her the boost of courage she needed to face her boss’ awful business partner, so she pulled them down and set them on the table by her door- god forbid she leave them on the floor where Duke, her leonberger, could reach them and chew them to bits.

She ventured into her kitchen and started a pot of coffee before returning to her bathroom to put on her face, sharp eyeliner and red lipstick to match her shirt and the bottom of her shoes. I look rather impeccable, if I do say so myself, she thought as she wandered back into the kitchen, as if she didn’t say the same thing to herself every other morning. Humming, she poured her coffee into her travel mug and added a shot of caramel syrup and milk into it, grabbing a muffin from the bowl on her counter and stuffing it into a sandwich bag. She made sure to refill Duke’s food and water before going back to her entryway, throwing her phone and breakfast into her purse and putting on her shoes before exiting the house and going to work.

“Good morning Noa!” Ashton greeted Noa as she walked past his office. “You look very nice today!” She gave him a smile and a wave before opening the glass door to her office and entering, firing up her computer as she ate her muffin. Luke would be in at 11 AM with his consulting team and his lawyers, as well as a very important contract. This gave her two hours to get some work done before the meeting she was dreading so.

Ashton’s lawyer, Jack, entered the building at 10, giving Noa a wave before beelining to Ashton’s office, probably to give him legal advice on the contract they would be presented within an hour.

As the hour wore on Noa grew more anxious, unable to focus on her work as the meeting approached. Ashton’s company was successful, but this merge was definitely the biggest thing to happen in its short history. She could feel the buzzing energy throughout the building, practically listening to the “Did you hear?”s and “Luke Hemmings merger,”s despite the thick glass door and office walls cutting off the sounds from the rest of the office. It was all anyone had been talking about for two days, but as the hour of reckoning grew near Noa found herself tapping her pen incessantly on the glass surface of her desk rather than tapping her fingertips on her keyboard.

She jumped, distracted from her thoughts when her office phone buzzed. She looked up and into Ashton’s office, him nodding at her and picking up his laptop as well as some files. She gathered her own things and met him and Jack outside his office, the three of them walking to the boardroom, which was on its own floor and only accessible by the board members and consultants of the company. Ashton liked being in the open to all his employees, but there was far too much legal hassle for the boardroom the be walled and doored in glass like the rest of the office.

Ashton took his seat at the circular table and Noa took hers to his left while Jack started up the projector. Apparently the contract had been sent to Ashton hours ago and it was decided everyone in the meeting would be able to watch changes being made to the contract rather than dealing with writing in notes on a hard copy and retyping it.

Noa shot the consultant team group chat a text at 11:45 telling them to meet them and they were there within 30 seconds. Noa wasn’t the most conventional of people, much preferring to text her team rather than e-mail them for the small things.

“Nervous?” Amanda asked, taking her seat next to Noa.

“A bit.” Noa replied.

“We all are.” Ashton butted in. “Does the entire office not have anything else to talk about? All I’ve heard for two days is ‘Luke Hemmings-’ then silence once everyone’s realized I’m in the room. Definitely doesn’t help anyone’s nerves.”

“It’s nothing personal, Mr. Irwin.” Another consultant, Harris, replied. “It’s a small company so word travels fast, everyone’s just a bit excited about this recent development.”

“You should probably have a company-wide meeting about it when everything’s said and done. Or, at least send out an e-mail. A lot of employees feel left in the dark.” Amanda added.

“Alright. We’ll talk.” Ashton replied, standing from his seat. “If you’ll excuse me, I am going to wait in my office to greet our… esteemed guest.”

Noa let out a short laugh, as well as the rest of the consultants as they had heard of the bizarre power trip of a meeting between Luke and Noa. “Esteemed guest” didn’t even begin to cover what Luke thought of himself.

Everyone made small talk as they waited, most about weekend plans as it was Thursday and most of the office would be going out tomorrow. Noa watched as Luke stepped into the office with Ashton and four other people.

“Round table?” Luke questioned.

“Ashton hates sitting at the head. Something about everyone’s role in the company being equal.” Noa explained, closing the folder she’d been leafing through.

“Mr. Hemmings, you’ve met Noa Lexington already,” Ashton began and Luke focused on her, his baby blue eyes darkening to a sapphire with an otherwise unreadable expression. She gazed right back, giving him only a polite nod and quick, close-lipped smile. “This is my lawyer, Jack Richmond, and our consultants, Amanda Forest and Harris Lane.”

“Pleasure,” Luke replied. “I’m Luke Hemmings. These are my lawyers, Richard Smith and Charlotte Hugh, and my consultant, Olivia Tucker and her intern Evan Jones.”

Everyone took their seats, Ashton to the left of Richard and Luke to the right so they could watch the document be edited and printed directly from the computer to avoid any sabotaging. began going over the contract, the lawyers doing most of the talking unless one of the consultants caught something they did or didn’t agree with. Harris managed to crack a few jokes, easing the tension and earning a laugh from Ashton’s side of the table and even Luke’s lawyers, however Luke himself and Olivia remained deadpan and serious. However Noa could see a smile fighting its way onto Evan’s face, though he only sat and observed.

“Luke,” Ashton said eventually, well after the two CEOs determined they should be on a first name basis. “Lighten up mate, we want to get along with the people we work with, yeah?”

Luke looked taken aback, staring at Ashton for a short while before shrugging. “Different,” He said. “But alright.”

The work continued and Noa furrowed her brows as employees started to pop up in the text. “Wait,” She cut in. “All employees of Irwin Music Management previously at Hemmings Records are to transfer back to the record label?” She asked, reading the text

“Well, of course, seeing as the only reason you hired them was to get this contract.” Luke replied.

“No, absolutely not.” Noa said. “We value our employees, we did not hire yours because they are a pawn in trying to partner with you.”

“Mr. Irwin explicitly said in our meeting two days ago that he was stealing my employees specifically to grab my attention to partner with him. Now that he’s gotten what he wanted, I want my employees back in return.”

“Find new ones.” Noa replied sternly. “Mr. Irwin simply found employees he admired and wished to hire while trying to get in contact with your company. It also just happens to be the reason we’re on your radar, that’s not our fault. We keep the employees.”

Luke and Noa stared at each other for what seemed like forever, neither of them wanting to back down.

“Noa, this is negotiable-” Ashton started quietly.

“No,” She interrupted. “It’s not. They transfer, they lose their trust in both the companies. They’ll think we’re using them as pawns and Irwin Music Management is better than that. We hired them because we wanted them here.”

“Very well.” Luke said finally, after yet another drawn-out staring match, and Noa watched on the projector as Richard deleted that portion of the document.

Noa’s phone lit up on the table and she peered over at it.

Amanda: Is it just me, Harris, or could you have cut the sexual tension between Luke Hemmings and our lovely Noa with a knife just now?

Harris: With the staring they do? Absolutely.

This is highly unprofessional, Noa thought as she rolled her eyes at her phone.

Noa: Very funny. Shut up and listen to the lawyers.

Before long, the contract had been finished and both Ashton and Luke watched Richard print off two copies. Both were signed and the CEOs shook hands. “I’m glad we could come to an agreement, Mr. Hemmings.” Ashton said.

“Likewise,” Luke replied. “I expect great things from this partnership and your company, don’t let me down. Contract says I get your firstborn if you do.”

“Did you just attempt a joke, Mr. Hemmings?” Harris asked.

“Perhaps.”

“A for effort, it could use some work though.” Noa commented. “And stay away from Ella, you can have my firstborn if Ashton lets you down.”

Ashton cleared his throat to shut everyone up and turned his attention back to Luke. “Apologies, but is it alright if Jack shows you out? I need to meet briefly with my consultants.”

“Of course. Good luck, Mr. Irwin.” Luke said, grabbing his things, which included his copy of the contract.

“And to you, Mr. Hemmings.”

“Goodbye, Miss Lexington. It was great to see you again.” Luke added, his attention now turned to Noa.

“See you soon, Mr. Hemmings.” She replied.

The group exited and Ashton turned back to the consultants. “Alright, now that we’ve finished this,” He said, holding up his copy. “How do I tell the rest of the office?”

“I’ve got a sheetcake waiting in my mini fridge already, you just have to break the news.” Amanda said. “I had an intern pick it up this morning.”

“You are amazing.” Ashton said.

“Seriously.” Noa added, “I wish I’d thought of that.”

With the help of Noa and the rest of her team, Ashton had everyone in the small company occupating the large employee lounge area in no time.

“I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors,” Ashton started when everyone had settled down. “And some of you must’ve noticed Luke Hemmings popping in and out of here over the last few days. This is not a company merger, as some have been speculating. We simply partnered with Hemmings Enterprises to better the opportunities for both companies. I can promise it’s an excellent move for Irwin Music Management and we will be seeing the benefits of it in almost no time at all. A partnership with a large and esteemed company such as Mr. Hemmings’ has been a long time coming, as Noa and I have been shooting for one like it since we started the company…”

“Good companies have good partners.” Noa said simply, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes as she and Ashton went through yet another sleepless night of work at her shitty apartment as they didn’t have an office space yet.

“Partnerships like what?” Ashton asked, only half hearing the question.

“Like these.” Noa said, flipping her laptop around so Ashton could see.

“Companies like Hemmings Records?” Ashton asked.

“Probably not that one, but ones like it.” Noa said “Hemmings wouldn’t be my first choice, he’s living off of blood money and an inherited company. But if we were to partner with someone as big as that, it would do wonders.”

“One day we’re going to make a big partnership like that.” Ashton said. “We’re going to be so successful. You can pay off your student loans and get a better place, maybe even a big dog like you’ve always wanted. My wife won’t ever have to be the sole provider for me again, I can give her everything she wants. Even kids.” He continued. He’d been having an especially rough time at home lately, as he wanted nothing more than to give his wife kids like she wanted, but they just weren’t in a stable financial place to provide as parents.

“Yeah,” Noa said doubtfully. “One day.”

Clapping pulled Noa out of her thoughts and she realized Ashton had just finished speaking. He beamed at her and she gave a smile with equal enthusiasm back. Amanda cut into her sheetcake and passed it around while the office celebrated.

After about an hour, Ashton sent everybody back to work. Noa stepped in her own office and rolled her eyes when she saw a pink sticky note on her keyboard.

You look lovely today. Congratulations on the partnership.

-Jack

“What?” Noa asked, pulling off the sticky note in confusion. She thought it would’ve been from Luke again. Her computer lit and a message from Ashton appeared on the screen telling her there was something for her in his office.

“Your lawyer is flirting with me, Irwin.” Noa said when she entered Ashton’s office, dropping the note on his desk.

“Are you sure that isn’t meant for me?” He joked.

“Funny. What do you have for me in here?”

“I think one of Hemmings’ consultants or lawyers left this for you. It was left on the boardroom table. I don’t know, I didn’t look to see what it is.” He replied, handing her another sticky note. “Trade.”

“Ha, yeah, you can have Jack’s. I don’t want it.”

“He’s a pretty good looking guy, Noa.” Ashton said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“He’s so boring, Ash.” Noa said “Have you ever had an actual conversation with him? Outside of business? He’s like a robot.”

“Okay,” Ashton replied in a singsong voice, “If that’s what you really think.”

“Robot, Ashton.” Noa repeated as she exited his office.

The sticky note Ashton had given her were actually two sticky notes, she discovered when she sat at her desk once more.

Noa,

She peeled the two sticky notes apart, discarding the one that only said her name.

If looks could kill

(I am referring to both your ensemble and those glares you love to give me when I’m not giving you your way)

-Luke

She shook her head, amused, and shot Ashton a message on his computer.

Noa: Your business partner is flirting with me, too.

Ashton: Are you also sure that one is not meant for me?

Noa barked out a laugh, closing her messenger and getting back to work, the sticky note from Luke forgotten on her desk.

#luke hemmings writing #5sos writing #5 seconds of summer writing #5sos CEO AU #CEO!Luke #hemmatron #by yourbitchingirlfriend #sticky notes

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arielmagicesi · 8 years ago

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f/f Blue/Adam fic

I wrote Blue and Adam’s first meeting if every character in the books was a girl. There’s some canon divergence [obviously] and there’s some thoughts that are probably kinda offensive about the LGBT community, because it’s from girl!Adam’s POV and she doesn’t know everything.

Anyway. I hope you enjoy it!

Rose was talking shit about someone at school and Noa was cracking up, while Gansey was trying to point the conversation back to Glendower work.

“I think this could be a real breakthrough,” she said, looking irritated, since Rose and Noa were still laughing uproariously.

“That’s what Carruthers said when she discovered that you can wash your face,” Rose added, and Noa doubled over again.

“This coming from you,” Noa said. “Fucking… dirt goblin.”

“Yeah, but I can get away with it, I’m hot as fuck. Right, Gansey?”

Gansey let out a long sigh. “How about we focus more on the recording I found of my own voice on the ley line, and less on the washing habits of our classmates?”

“You’re no fun.”

“At least Addy’s paying attention. Right, Addy?”

Addy had not been paying attention, actually. She was going through the Latin terms in her head again, because there was a test tomorrow, and if Rose got the top score again, she was gonna fucking lose it.

“Uh, what did you say again, Gansey?” she said, a beat too late, and Rose said, “See? Even goody-two-shoes Parrish isn’t paying attention.”

Addy rolled her eyes. She wasn’t going to start shit with Rose today. Well, not again.

Gansey was looking disappointed, which set off a slight pang in Addy’s chest. It was just so hard to constantly focus on whatever was going on. Sometimes Glendower things had to take a backseat to schoolwork, didn’t they?

“I was saying,” Gansey said, “that I found the number of a local psychic, and I think we should ask them about the voice on the ley line.”

“A psychic?” Rose said. “Are we really going to waste our time there?”

“Hey, I’ve talked to legit psychics before.”

Rose folded her arms, but Addy knew damn well that she would go along with anything Gansey said.

“I think we should go,” Noa said. “It sounds fun.”

“Well, of course you’d want to go, weirdo,” Rose said, and Noa flicked their straw wrapper at her.

Addy began to drift off again. She hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night. There’d been a late shift, and then a metric ton of homework. When did she ever get enough sleep?

The Latin vocab. Fuck. She needed to get back to…

There was that waitress again. She was new, or she’d switched to the dinner shift recently, and Addy had seen her a few times. She didn’t know why the waitress was so fascinating, except that she wore weird clothes under her Nino’s apron, and her short choppy hair was covered in glittery hair-clips. And there was something fierce about the way she looked. She was just… really pretty. Addy guessed that meant she was jealous of the waitress, if she cared about her appearance, but this wasn’t really a look she wanted for herself. If anything, Rose should have been jealous of the waitress for pulling off the “edgy-not-giving-a-fuck” look so well.

She was glaring at a couple of Aglionby girls sitting in the corner of the room- Addy didn’t know them personally but she knew they were seniors and that they were insufferable about their wealth. One of them had brought a Starbucks cup with her into Nino’s, even though Nino’s sold perfectly good coffee. The waitress made a remark about the girls to one of her coworkers, and judging by the coworker’s dirty laugh, it wasn’t a pleasant remark. Addy’s face quirked into a smile.

“Fine, Gansey, we’ll go to the psychic if you want,” Rose said loudly.

At that, the waitress’ head turned sharply in the direction of their table. Addy quickly averted her gaze- God, that was so awkward, she’d been staring at her, that was so creepy.

“Parrish, what the fuck are you looking at?” Rose said. “You’ve been unusually quiet.”

“Nothing,” Addy said, way too quickly, and Rose followed her gaze to the waitress. Her eyebrows narrowed.

“Why are you staring at that waitress? You knew her from your old shit school?”

“I swear to God, Lynch, you are such a-”

“Don’t fight!” Gansey exclaimed. “Don’t. Fight. I’m sure Addy was just looking off into the distance, Lynch, you don’t have to make a thing out of it.”

Rose scowled.

“Actually,” Addy said, “I was looking at her.”

Rose’s scowl fell.

“Oh?” Gansey said, curious.

“Yeah,” Addy said, because damn it, why was she embarrassed about looking at someone? It wasn’t like it was something weird. “Yeah, it’s just- she was looking at us when Rose just shouted at the top of her lungs about going to the psychic. I told you, I think someone’s watching us.”

“So what, you think this waitress is a spy?” Rose said.

“No, I’m just saying- I don’t know, maybe she knows something.”

It wasn’t really a lie. She had looked over suddenly when Rose had brought up the psychic. Maybe she did know something.

“That’s interesting,” Gansey said. “I should go over and ask.”

Oh God, no. “I don’t think you need to do that,” Addy said.

“If she knows something, we should find out,” Gansey said.

“I don’t think she does,” Addy said quickly. “It was just a coincidence that she looked over.”

“No, come on, Addy, stop doubting yourself. Usually your hunches are right. Maybe she knows something. I’m going to go ask.”

“Gansey, no- Gansey- OK, just don’t be rude-”

And she was gone. Once Gansey put her mind to something, it was going to happen.

“Oh, this is going to be amazing,” Rose said, leaning back in her seat. Noa leaned forward, trying to get a good look at the incoming disaster.

“I love seeing Gansey interact with service workers,” Noa said. “It’s just a beautiful catastrophe every time.”

Addy put her face in her hands, her golden-brown hair falling around her and blocking her view.

“Whyyyy,” she groaned, and sank down lower into her seat.

Rose and Noa were cracking up. Addy risked a glance upwards. The waitress did not look happy. Addy couldn’t hear what Gansey was saying, but it was bound to be condescending and awful.

“Some of us work for a living!” the waitress said, loud enough to carry to their table. Addy groaned in embarrassment again.

“Your type of girl, Parrish,” Rose said.

“I, I didn’t say you didn’t,” Gansey said loudly, with a glance around.

“Who needs TV when you have Gansey disasters to watch?” Noa commented.

The waitress looked over at Addy, who tried to give her best apologetic look, and then looked back at Gansey and put her hands on her hips.

“Please let this end,” Addy murmured, just before the waitress shouted, “I am not a prostitute!” Rose and Noa exploded into laughter.

“How is this funny?” Addy said frantically, looking back at them, and then back at Gansey and the waitress, whose conversation was coming to a rapid end.

Gansey walked dejectedly back to their table.

“She’s not very nice,” she said, sitting back down next to Noa. “I don’t think it’s nice to yell at people like that.”

“No offense, Gansey,” Noa said, “but I’m like 90% sure whatever you said merited yelling.”

“Yeah, you accused her of being a prostitute?” Rose said.

“I didn’t!” Gansey said. “I don’t know why she said that! God. Let’s just finish our pizza, pay, and leave. I hope she doesn’t have anything to do with the psychic or the ley line, because I do not want to have to see her again.”

Addy’s shoulders fell. She wanted to see the waitress again. She didn’t know why.

“What’s her name?” Addy asked.

“Why do you care?” Rose said, oddly hostile. Well, Rose was always hostile.

“I’m going to go apologize to her,” Addy said.

“Don’t bother,” Gansey said. “I told you, she’s mean.”

Addy gave Gansey a look, the look that meant Gansey, I love you, but you don’t get to decide whether the waitress you just annoyed during her shift is mean.

Gansey sighed.

“I didn’t get her name,” she said. “She told me her shift ends in 30 minutes, though.”

“Why do you need to apologize to her?” Rose said.

“Why do you need to be an asshole all the time?” Addy said. “Why does anyone do the things they do? Here’s my share of the bill, I’m gonna get some fresh air.”

She dug in her wallet for a 5-dollar bill, then headed out.

God. Sometimes they were so fucking exhausting. They were great, actually, even Rose, who was insufferable, but they were nice enough to be friends with Addy, which was a lot. They were more interesting than any other pretentious, bitchy Aglionby girl, but in the end, they still belonged at Aglionby. In the upper class. Addy didn’t.

She walked over to the bike rack outside Nino’s, leaned against it, and sighed. It had been a long day- an early shift at the warehouse, four tests, an in-class essay for English lit [why did those exist again], not to mention having to rescue Gansey’s car from the side of the road. There was something admirable and adventurous about the whole thing, four girls being tired from their search for a dead king. That would have been a very Gansey way of looking at it, romanticizing the shitty parts.

Addy wasn’t big on romanticizing.

“Hey, excuse me,” said a voice from in front of Addy. She nearly jumped, then she startled again when she saw who it was: the waitress from inside.

“Oh God,” Addy said. “Oh, I’m so sorry, miss.”

The girl snorted. “Chill, it’s OK. I was just getting something from my bike.”

“Oh,” Addy said, and stepped aside.

The girl rummaged in the oversized basket on her bike, which was decorated with various colors of metallic paint. Addy shouldn’t have stood there staring at her, but she didn’t know what to do. She still wanted to apologize about Gansey.

“I-” she began awkwardly. The waitress looked up.

“Hmm?” she said.

Addy ran a hand through her hair. It was so messy and weird, she needed a haircut.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “For my friend in there- Jane. You met her-”

The girl’s face twisted into a scowl. It didn’t make her any less pretty.

“Yeah, I met her,” she said. “Her name’s Jane? Tell Jane she’s a fucking bitch.”

“Uh, well,” Addy said, messing with her hair some more. She was definitely turning red. This was so awkward. “I mean, she’s- she tries- you know, rich girls, they kind of- are clueless.”

The girl looked at Addy, a little puzzled, then her face cracked into a smile and she laughed.

“You’re telling me,” she said. “You’re,” she gestured at Addy’s uniform, “an Aglionby girl.”

“Oh,” Addy said. “Uh, yeah. I mean, I- I’m there on scholarship. I’m from Henrietta.”

“Ohhh,” said the waitress. “That explains why you’re being polite and not treating me like dirt, then.”

“Ha, yeah,” Addy said. “I mean- no. I’m being nice to you because uh, because you deserve to have people be nice to you.” God, who said things like that?

The girl smiled.

“What’s your name?” she asked, turning around and leaving her bike basket alone. “My name’s Blue.”

Blue. That was such an odd name. A nice name.

“Nice to meet you, Blue,” Addy said. “My name’s Addy.”

“Well, nice to meet you, Addy,” Blue said. “Thanks for apologizing to me. Your friend should apologize, actually, for being rude to me, but it’s nice of you to do it anyway.”

“No problem,” Addy said. She really, really wanted to keep talking to Blue. It was like when she first met Gansey: she wanted to be friends. A lot.

“Hey, before she started telling me that I owed her my time,” Blue began, and Addy groaned.

“Sorry, she’s an idiot sometimes.”

“Yeah, no shit- but before that, she said you were interested in me.”

Addy blushed.

“I didn’t mean that in a creepy way,” she said quickly. “When I told her- like I just wanted to know-” Oh, there was no way to explain this that didn’t seem weird.

“It’s OK,” Blue said, smiling. “I guess I’m interested in you, too.”

She bit her lip and examined her nails, which were covered in strange designs, and Addy felt her heart drop.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean, do you want to go on a date or something?” Blue said. “Not to Nino’s, obviously.”

The whole world stopped.

This was not something that made logical sense, but Addy wanted it.

She’d been staring at Blue for too long. She had to say something.

“Like what, a date-date?” she said, trying to play it off as a joke, because there was no way that this girl, Blue, who was funny and lightning-fiery and really pretty, wanted to go on a date with Addy. In Henrietta.

“Yeah, a date-date,” Blue said.

Addy wasn’t gay. She should have said that, that she wasn’t gay, because she wasn’t. Except that she’d never really been sure of that, and she had really liked girls before, and she liked guys but maybe she liked everything. She was that type of person, wasn’t she, who wanted everything. Maybe it wasn’t so wrong and dirty like she’d thought.

She didn’t think two girls dating was wrong. She wasn’t some Southern poverty stereotype of a homophobic bigot. She just… She thought anything she felt was wrong. Why did she feel that? Why hadn’t she questioned it more? She liked questioning; why hadn’t she questioned this?

Blue seemed to think it was OK.

Blue seemed OK. More than OK.

“Yeah,” Addy said. “Sure. What time?”

“Oh God, who knows when I’m free,” Blue said, as if it was no big deal that they were two girls arranging a date. Although she was smiling a little sheepishly, which was really cute. “I have a million jobs and my aunts always need me to do something or other. Can I call you?”

Now that Addy was doing this, she wasn’t going to screw it up.

“I’ll call you,” she said. She’d have to get Gansey’s phone or something, but she’d manage it. “What’s your number?”

“Ooh, it’s in here,” Blue said. She went back to her bike basket and pulled out a business card, which was odd, but everything about her was delightfully odd. She handed it to Addy, who was still looking at her hair and wondering what it would be like to run her hands through it. Also, her heart was going a thousand miles a minute, and she thought she was going to pass out.

“I’ve gotta get back inside,” Blue said. “My manager is probably going to wonder why I took so long to grab my water bottle.”

“Yeah,” Addy said.

Blue leaned in, and Addy’s entire mind went blank- Jesus Christ, was Blue going to kiss her? She’d daydreamed about kissing girls, but to have it happen in reality would be overwhelming.

But Blue just whispered in her ear, “Call me soon,” and then turned around and headed back into Nino’s.

Once Blue was back inside, Addy released a huge breath, and clutched her chest. She was hyperventilating. That was probably not good.

Everything was racing. It wasn’t like she’d never thought about this before- girls. It had always been a nagging little worry at the back of her mind, but she hadn’t wanted yet another reason for people to hate her, something else for her dad to scream at her in disgust. And she’d kissed Ricky Jones after school that time in the eighth grade and had enjoyed it, so she’d thought that settled it.

It didn’t stop her staring at girls and dreaming about them, but there were other things to think about it. Getting into Aglionby and getting out of Henrietta, to be specific.

Blue’s pretty face had done all the deciding for her. This was a lot to think about. She kind of didn’t want to think about it, and she kind of wanted to neglect her homework and only think about it.

First things first: she was going to find a way to get one of the others’ phones so she could call Blue, maybe tomorrow. How was she going to explain it to them? They’d probably be fine with her being- what, gay? Or what did they call it when you could like both, bisexual? They were always congratulating themselves on being progressive. Plus, Gansey was a trans girl, and weren’t gay and trans people part of the same thing, same movement or whatever? Or was Addy being offensive and clueless? At the very least, she’d always gotten kind of a lesbian vibe from Rose. Or maybe she was being offensive again.

They would be fine with it. They would totally be fine with it.

She looked down at the business card with Blue’s number on it, and her eyes widened.

Well, there was another thing to think about.

Sargent Psychic Services: 300 Fox Way, Henrietta VA

There was a lot she had to tell the others about.

#trc #bladam #blue x adam #raven girls #the raven cycle #i would put it on AO3 but that feels like so much pressure #plus i have too many fics on there i feel like people would be like 'ariel ffs!'#anyway hope you like it...

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dyde21 · 8 years ago

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Arcade

Hi! I shouldn’t have written this, I have actual work to be doing and Zelda to be playing. But I did. This is based off this answer from the amazing @schnee-dust-co and their answer HERE Basically their headcanons about JNPR in an arcade. I kinda couldn’t resist. If you enjoy this, give their post and blog some love as well. They seem pretty sweet and have pretty fun headcanons. Enjoy!

XxXxXxXxX

The hammering of Nora's fingers on the buttons was getting progressively angrier and angrier, causing the arcade owner to watch nervously from behind the gift counter. The old man usually enjoyed seeing the young students of Beacon go into his arcade. They brought plenty of Lien, and spare energy to burn. Nora however, he had learned to keep an eye on. She had a habit of being a little rough with the machines, but usually her partner Ren could keep her behaved. At the moment though, he seemed to be in a trance. They were side-by-side, dueling in Kingdom Fighter II Turbo. Nora's button mashes were quick, and a slew of inputs flooded the poor machine as it tried to keep up. Ren on the other hand, had hardly a wasted input. His character would perfectly respond to every move Nora made, beating her slowly but surely.

Their best-of-7 tournament was finally coming a close, 3 to 1 so far. With one final combo, Ren ensured his victory. Calmly Ren took his hands off the joystick, letting out a deep breath as the screen flashed victor. Nora on the other hand, stomped her foot angrily. She couldn't even accuse him of cheating, Ren would never cheat.

Unwilling to give up, she immediately dragged him over to her best chance of winning. Pinball. Random chance seemed to love Nora and she got pretty lucky in it. Putting in their change in side-by-side identical machines, the pair began.

Once again the arcade was filled with an unequal cacophonous roar of button mashing. One on hand, Nora seemed to think if she pressed the bumpers on the side fast enough, she might generate enough wind to push the ball more. Ren however, patiently waited and timed each press to send the ball exactly where he wanted it.

Nora's chaos was proving to be a fair match for his careful planning though. They were both down to their last ball, and Nora was in the lead by a solid 15,000. If Ren wasn't careful he would lose for the first time that day.

Never one to choke though, Ren focused properly. With some carefully timed bumpers, he activated triple ball. Nora's jaw drop as she saw Ren earn the bonus, his machine becoming a flurry of pin balls bouncing around as his score sailed past hers. She tried her best to stay in the game, but soon enough her machine read her final score. It was the second highest on the machine. Nora barely even flinched when she saw the number one spot read “REN”. Grudgingly she typed in her name for number two. “NOR”. It killed her every time she had to do that. Not because she once again lost to Ren, but because her name wouldn't fit! Why wouldn't it fit? Did all machines on Remnant have to only allow three characters? Was that party of the treat that ended the Great War?

Looking over, she saw Ren take the number one position on the machine, bumping her old top score to number two. The machines were new so they hadn't had a proper chance to lay claim on them, like the pair had every other machine in the building.

Ren and Nora had spent a lot of time stopping by arcades while growing up. They weren't able to afford much due to being orphans, but arcades were always a source of cheap entertainment, and most major cities had one. It was always a way to cheer up the pair as they wandered around. It had also been the birth of their rivalry in games and the legend of “REN and NOR” that every arcade seemed to have a record of.

Seriously. Why couldn't Nora fit? She had tried to come up with something cooler. ORA sounded like she was just yelling. NOA made her sound like a dude. NRA had it's own problems.

Vale's arcade had been quick to fall to Nora and Ren's conquest.

Jaune and Pyrrha had been skeptical when Nora and Ren insisted on bringing them to the arcade, but they were in awe when they saw the skills the pair possessed.

Soon though, Nora and Ren were the ones in awe. Their leader may have lacked in a few different fields; romantic insight, confidence, fighting experience. One thing he did not suffer from however, was a lack of dancing ability. This seemingly translated to Dance Dance Revolution.

Now Ren was practically divine when he played the game. It was always his favorite game, and he had most songs memorized. He made the steps look like a practical routine.

Jaune however, wasn't far behind. His movements were fluid, and practiced. He didn't make as many unnecessary flairs as Ren tended to, but his feet moved as fast as they needed to. Jaune had explained that his sisters all had enjoyed the game to some extent. They also enjoyed playing with their brother, which meant he would always have to run the gauntlet when he ended up at an arcade with his sisters. That lead him being very experienced in the game, and finding ways to conserve his stamina for the long haul.

Pyrrha happened to find her partner strangely attractive when she saw his focused face as his body moved gracefully through the fast techno song. His smile had set her heart fluttering, and she had struggled to find a proper excuse when he had asked her between rounds why her face was as red as his was from effort.

Speaking of Jaune and Pyrrha, they were currently off in the opposite side of the arcade.

Jaune had made the startling discovery that Pyrrha had never spent any proper time in an arcade. Upon reflection, it made sense. After all, training for tournaments her whole life, excelling in school, and being forced to keep herself “proper” meant that she couldn't afford to spend time in places like these. No, arcades had always remained a loud, noisy, yet inviting mystery she would pass by on the street.

Now however, she relished in the chance to go to one. The fact she was with her close friends only made her happier.

Her joy however didn't make up for the lack of understanding she had in them. Now Pyrrha was smart, but when it came to having a “game sense” she severely struggled.

They had started simple, ski ball. Not a difficult concept to understand. Jaune had explained it well. Just roll the little ball up the ramp, and try to get it into the cup with the faded numbers on it. He had demonstrated for her, earning a small sum of points.

Perhaps too eagerly, Pyrrha quickly paid for a round and tried it herself. Only, she found her ball had slammed into the back of the machine with a loud thud before it dropped and rolled into the bottom hole. Her face flushed as she glanced over at Jaune.

To his credit, he was trying to be considerate. He was biting his lip and looking away attempting to hold back his laughter. He knew she struggled at times with more “ordinary” tasks that her childhood had been devoid of so he certainly didn't want to tease her about it. But that didn't mean he didn't find it any less amusing, or adorable.

Never one to give up, Pyrrha quickly tried again. This time the ball failed to make it up the ramp before rolling back to her.

Glancing over, she saw Jaune hunched over, biting his fist as he waved a hand in apology as he snickered uncontrollably against his wishes.

Taking a deep breath, Pyrrha couldn't help but smile. She was having fun after all. The next try was solid though. She felt a rush of excitement as she saw the score slowly tick up. Glancing at Jaune like a child, she only saw his approving and friendly gaze.

Soon they were off to the races. Jaune won through sheer experience, but Pyrrha was starting to get a hang of it and her normal skills were starting to kick in.

Attempting to avoid falling behind, Jaune suggested a new game. However, as Pyrrha was walking off, he stopped her before pointing down. Her eyes widened as she saw tickets piling out of her machine. She just stared at them, before eagerly pooling them up neatly. She held them close as she looked at him with a beaming expression. She looked like a child on Christmas.

Jaune just gave her his lopsided grin, quickly stuffing his slightly larger stack of tickets into his hoodie. She didn't need to be aware of the difference in their earnings at the moment, not that she was one to compare her good fortune with others jealously.

They had tried a flurry of games next. They tried the whirlwind, where you press the button to stop the light rotating around a circle, attempting to land on a high-score. Pyrrha claimed that the interval was consistent and that it wasn't fair. Jaune hadn't fared much better, so he couldn't exactly argue.

They tried a racing game, which they both came in the two last positions because they were too busy laughing to finish playing. Apparently, neither Jaune nor Pyrrha should ever step behind a wheel. They were a hazard to all living creatures, buildings, and trees within a mile radius of them.

Air-hockey had been perhaps a little too intense for their casual outing.

Jaune's years of experience was soon matched up against Pyrrha's impressive hand eye coordination. Luckily the pucks were plastic to keep the field even. But their hands were a blur as the puck rocketed back and forth across the table, the score stopping at 2/2 as neither one was letting anything past their guard. However, Nora suddenly slamming her hands on the nearby air hockey table when she had lost cause Jaune to jump, letting Pyrrha score.

Their battle resumed, until another outburst a little later about “IS FOUR LETTERS REALLY SO DIFFICULT?” distracted Pyrrha who let her guard down as Jaune scored.

The final point went on for minutes as the puck ricochet like crazy. Perhaps a little too crazy.

A slightly too enthusiastic hit from Pyrrha send it flying off the table. Ren happened to be walking by, and his hand shot out like a snake, catching it as he tossed it back to them.

Pyrrha raised a hand awkwardly. “I'm sorry!”

Ren just smiled. “It happens more than you think. Do not worry.”

Jaune ended up winning that round, Pyrrha feeling too embarrassed to properly focus.

One game Jaune couldn't hold a candle to her though was a shooting game. Luckily it was cooperative, so they wont together but clearly Pyrrha's experience with her rifle transferred perfectly. Jaune's experience couldn't keep up.

They bounced around to various dexterity-based challenge games. Pyrrha was slowly getting the hang of how to work with these games with their unique lag and slight deviations from typical actions.

Jaune had never seen her laugh so much and he hoped he could see it more.

As the day was winding down, Pyrrha paused as they passed a machine. It was a claw machine.

She was staring at a particular plush in it.

“Try it.” Jaune offered.

Pyrrha's eyes widened. “How does this work?” She asked, not quite understanding how the strange buttons pointing up and right worked.

Jaune just smiled, still finding her innocence adorable.

“Okay. See you put some coins in here, and you get once chance. You hold the button to go right, when you let it go it stops and you can't press it again. Then you hold up until it's over the toy you want. You can't press it again once you let go though. Then the claw comes down and tries to grab a toy.” He explained.

Pyrrha stared at the machine with a new level of determination. She would have that plush. She would spend all her savings if needed.

Her first attempt hadn't gone so well. She had let go too early, failing to judge the distance back properly. Her second attempt had gone better, but it barely reached a foot. Her third attempt couldn't get a good grip. Her fourth one slipped out after it reached the top. Similar stories happened the following 6 times as well. Pyrrha rested her head against the glass with a defeated sigh.

“Maybe you should try for something else.”

“No.” Pyrrha said in a steely voice as she stared at her nemesis. Putting in one last try she aimed it perfectly. As it was raising up, she saw it start to slip.

Jaune had almost missed it, but he saw a faint black glow around the claw machine as the grip closed tighter.

“Pyrrha!” He accused.

Pyrrha's eyes widened, having used her semblance completely unthinkingly. The glow faded and as the claw swung back to normal grip the toy slipped and dropped down.

Pyrrha just sighed, pouting. She turned to Jaune, her lower lip quivering slightly. It was obvious to anyone just how disappointed Pyrrha was.

Jaune felt his heart break at seeing her.

“Scoot over.” He offered.

Pyrrha stared at him. “Can you...”

Jaune nodded. “I can.”

Pyrrha stared at him intently. “Jaune Arc, if you get it, I will give you a back massage when we get back.” Jaune's eyes widened. Both team JNPR and RWBY had found out Pyrrha could give amazing back massages early on. After a little while of both teams getting too greedy with requesting one from their friend who could never saw no, she had to stop offering them to her friends aside from special circumstances. She loved helping her friends, but it took quite a bit of time and the bribes were starting to get out of hand. That said, Jaune could usually find a way to get her to agree. But if she was offering one, there was no force in Vale that could stop him.

Pyrrha saw that same laser focus from Dance Dance Revolution in his eyes again. He positioned it perfectly as it grabbed it.

Pyrrha held her breath as she saw it start to slip. However, Jaune had grabbed it carefully so when it slipped, it's over-sized head was caught and it moved over the hole and dropped down.

Jaune grabbed it, holding it out to her with a warm smile. “You don't need to give me anything in return.”

Pyrrha slammed into him, throwing her arms around him tightly. “You're the coolest leader ever! I made a promise, I'll give you one later tonight.” She said with a smirk.

Secretly, part of Pyrrha enjoyed seeing the wonderful mood Jaune was in after her massage, and the fact he subconsciously would hang around her more often after wards

She crushed the plush her to her chest, already treasuring it. It was a little classic knight with a sword and shield. Felt blonde hair stuck out from underneath it's helmet as it stared ahead with a blue-eyed smile. Her little knight, won for her by her real knight.

Across the arcade Nora and Ren had reached a fever-pitch in their battle.

They were back at the Kingdom Fighter II Turbo. This time it was 3 to 3. As they battled, they were both down to one round left. Ren hesitated for just a moment. He knew if he won, it would never end. Nora wouldn't give up. Before he could decide if he wanted to throw the match, Nora had seized the opportunity and finished off Ren's character.

Victory flash for Nora and she let out a massive cheer that dwarfed the sound of the arcade.

Ren just clapped. “Well done.”

Nora grinned, booping his nose.

Walking over, they saw Pyrrha hugging a knight close to her chest.

“Did you buy that with your tickets?” Ren asked with a slight yawn.

“You buy things with your tickets? They aren't trophies?” Pyrrha asked, tilting her head.

Nora, Ren, and Jaune all face palmed. Moving behind Pyrrha and pushing her, Nora spoke. “Over to the counter now, Missy!” She ordered.

Pyrrha jumped, before marching over to the counter. She saw all the options littering the wall.

The old man quickly counted her tickets, giving her a stub.

Pyrrha looked at the options, unsure of what to buy. A lot of it was junk or children toys.

Nora had bought a massive load of candy, and Ren had given his to a little child who was struggling with the machines. Jaune had purchased a figuring set from X-Ray and Vav.

Pyrrha couldn't decide what she wanted until she looked over at Jaune. Realizing she wanted to give him a gift for showing her around the place, she studied the wall carefully. He had already gotten the figurines. After a moment, she had an idea. She wasn't sure how much he'd enjoy it though.

Leaning over the counter, she explained what she wanted to the old man. He nodded, reaching up to grab it and hand it to her.

Jaune smiled, leading them out of the place. “Ready? We should get back.” He offered.

Ren and Nora headed out while Pyrrha stood nervously in place.

“Pyrrha?”

Working up her courage she moved her hand from behind her back, offering the plush to Jaune.

Jaune stared at it in surprise.

It was a plush of a female huntress, that had a sword and shield as well. It sported a long red pony tail and a green-eyed smile. It seemed to be from the same brand as the knight he had won her earlier.

“I know it's not much, but I wanted to get you something. I thought if I had a knight to keep me safe, you should have one too.” She said sheepishly. “Sorry I mi-”

She was cut off as she felt it taken from her hand.

Jaune held it close to his chest, beaming. “I love it Pyrrha!” It was true. The fact she spent her first hard-earned tickets on a gift for him made him swell with happiness. Plus, it looked just like his partner. It was perfect.

He gave her a quick hug, before he raised his hands. After some careful work, he had moved it to his hood so it was rest in his hood, leaning over his shoulder like it was riding on it.

Pyrrha just giggled, before clutching her knight close.

Feeling thankful for the best day in a long time, the pair ran to catch up with Ren and Nora. They would have to bring RWBY next time.

XxXxXxXxX

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! Please do give the source of this idea some love. This wouldn’t have happened without them.

#rwby #arkos #Renora #team jnpr #pyrrha nikos #Jaune Arc #nora valkyrie #lie ren #I'm so bad at writing Nora and Ren #Their characters just elude me #That's why they dont get much love in my story #I love those two a lot #just trying to write them is a challenge for me #so they dont get many lines

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showingthroughtome · 8 years ago

Text

spit fire - chapter fifteen

all the things we thought we was losing

“Aw, he’s not coming in? I haven’t had a good Harry roast in a while.” Bethlyn asks when she exits the bathroom and sees Noa but no Harry, referring to all the times Noa had him over and she would make fun of him for something stupid. It was one of the best things about Bethlyn - the way she got Harry questioning himself with a few quick quips.

Noa felt a pang at that, then flipped over so she was facing the wall.

“No. He’s not coming in.”

read on 1dff - or below - story page

Practice gets harder after that. Well, a lot of things do actually, but practice in particular.

Every time her eyes land on Nina, Noa can’t help but imagine her and Harry together. She sees her fingers wrapped in those long curls of his and Harry’s hands running up her thigh - they’re both out of breath and panting. It’s been a week of these nonstop spiraling thoughts for Noa - kind of the same way her mind got when her mom wasn’t answering her calls. Although, after her last desperate call to her mom, Sarah called her the next morning, leaving her a slurring voicemail and assuring Noa that all that trying Harry suggested she could be doing was in fact nonexistent.

But anyway, practice is hell for Noa. She actually has to stand there and direct Nina while pretending her heart doesn’t sink at the sight of her. Noa thinks she does a good job not letting it show. Because not only does she experience moments of disgust and sadness when thinking of Harry and Nina making out in the library, but she also gets these undeniable surges of anger but doesn’t once act on them.

Anger at Nina and Harry and mostly herself.

She thinks that maybe if she would’ve told Harry how much she liked him then maybe he wouldn’t have kissed Nina. But then, maybe if Harry would’ve just been able to see that she gave him more of herself than she ever intended then he wouldn’t have kissed Nina. And then, maybe if Nina could’ve respected the fact that Noa was basically with Harry then she wouldn’t have let him kiss her. Or definitely wouldn’t have bragged about it in front of her in anatomy lab for fucks sake.

Noa, regardless of how much she fucking likes or dislikes anyone on the team, wouldn’t have kissed anyone she knew the girls were even remotely linked to.

That’s why, after holding her tongue for days and days and days, she breaks. She doesn’t mean to, but she does.

“Fuck? Nina!” Noa slams her hand down on the pause button of the CD player, stopping the music and displacing it enough to have it teetering on the edge of the bleacher. “Is it really that damn hard to remember the high kick after the toe touch? Really?”

“I lost count. Let’s go again.” Nina wipes a hand over her forehead and nods her head, not yet understanding how pissed Noa is.

“You lost count? Really? Seriously? How the fuck do you lose count enough to do a high kick while everyone else is doing a toe touch that you have not even done yet?” Noa punches every word out of her mouth with rage and fire. She can feel herself going too far, she can see that everyone’s gaze shifts up to her - all of a sudden, way more intrigued in her than the ground they usually stared at during breaks so they could catch their breath.

Nina’s jaw drops as she looks around the room, probably trying to confirm that everyone else can see Noa pacing with anger.

“It’s like you can’t do anything right anymore, Nina. What do I have to do to make sure you can do the routine in the right sequence? Draw it out step by step for you?” Her voice isn’t quieting down but getting louder. The hair on her neck is sticking out and red is all she sees.

“Excuse the hell out of me, Madame captain. Chill out.” Nina instructs, taking a step forward from her spot between Cara and Erin. “No need to have a bitch fit.”

At the same time, Farrah and Molly take two steps forward, knowing exactly where the root of this is really coming from. They both suggested multiple schemes to have Nina kicked off the team and out of school, insisting what she did was ‘next level betrayal type shit’.

Noa is shaking with everything she feels, her hands trembling and her heart racing. So many things pop into her head that she wants to say, and a million more actions suggest themselves to her. But then, out of nowhere, she feels her eyes sting - no tears forming but definitely threatening.

“Yeah.” Noa throws her head back and closes her eyes, breathing in deep and resetting herself right then - having no other way out of this situation, not really. “Let’s call it quits for the day. Good practice you guys.”

Just like that, she’s turning to the CD player, preparing it to go back in the storage closet.

No one else makes a move.

“What? We still have like 40 minutes of practice left.” Erin speaks up for everyone.

“Not today.” Noa doesn’t even look at them as she grabs her gym bag and makes her way to the closet. By the time she’s back out of it, only Molly and Farrah are left on the court.

“Noa,” Molly starts with a gentle smile. “Wanna go get something to eat with us?”

Noa continues her path to the door, having only one end goal in mind, or the only attainable one - her own bed and not some basketball players. “Nah. I’m good. Going to go have a smoke and write some of my English paper.”

She could smoke a quick bowl on her way and then write the paper while underneath her thick, warm duvet.

“You sure?” Farrah calls out as Noa reaches the doors.

“Yup. Positive. Thanks though!” She fakes a big smile over her shoulder and then adds, “See you tomorrow.”

—

The paper Noa decides to work on that day isn’t due for a couple of days so it doesn’t really matter that she is high as fuck as she tries to type some of it. It’s always been one of her favorite things to do - work on boring ass assignments while high and see the nonsense that comes out. Normally, it works out in her favor, leaving her with a sliver of a backbone to build off of.

This time, it’s not working so much. Which is a perfect example why she really doesn’t love to smoke weed when she is upset. Weed usually just heightens her mood, makes her feel good and fun and carefree. When she’s sad and smoking weed, she’s still carefree but she can sense the horrible feeling in the back of her mind and it just makes her think of that rather than the paper, ruining her high completely.

She’s staring at the white of her word document and thinking of what Harry is doing right at that moment.

It isn’t as if things have totally stopped between the two of them for the last nine days. Harry still texts her and she still replies. They talk to each other a little in class and have even had sex once in the back seat of his car late one night. But everything has just become… stilted. Harry looks at her with apologetic eyes but she can’t find it in herself to see the truth in them. She can’t manage to speak up the words neither of them ever said to each other nor can she find the reason why it feels like it’s all on her.

Now, they’re just two people who had something great that was tainted by miscommunication or distrust or fucking insecurity.

Harry texted her after his practice, asking if he could come over. Noa didn’t even respond. She’ll do that in a couple of hours, claiming to have been busy with the paper she isn’t even starting on. Until then, she slides the laptop from her lap onto her bed and opens up Netflix, finding an Adam Sandler movie to distract her from those spiraling thoughts.

—

Bethlyn comes in at 9:01, waking Noa with her computer still open in front of her, the screen now turned black. Barely being able to even remove the sleep from her eyes, there is a knock at the door.

If she had enough time, Noa still wouldn’t have thought to tell Bethlyn not to answer it. The room is lit up by more than just her desk lamp when the hall light shines in, the shadow of Harry casting over Noa’s side of the room.

“Hi. ‘S Noa awake?” He questions, peering in and around Bethlyn.

And Bethlyn, bless her damn heart, isn’t aware of all the blurry shit that’s gone down between them so she doesn’t know not to walk over and shake Noa’s shoulder. “Hey, Harry’s here.”

“Okay.” Noa sits up and swings her legs off the bed, sliding on her worn slippers and zipping up her hoodie to cover her lack of bra. “Hey.” She greets him as she closes the door behind her, giving them some privacy.

“Hey.” Examining her face, he bites his bottom lip, looking a bit off. “Would you maybe want to go get some dinner with me?”

“Umm,” Noa doesn’t want to get dinner with him. She can’t even look at him just like she can’t look at Nina without seeing things she is probably making ten times worse in her head. “I’m really tired right now, Harry.”

He nods his head up and down a few times before he sighs and bows it - like he’s deflating minutely. “You’ve been tired every night for the last week or so.”

“Rough time in my semester.” She shrugs and moves her hand for the doorknob, but waits to turn it for some reason. Maybe because when Harry shifts his green eyes back to her, they’re duller than normal. His lips are chapped red and bitten and she wonders for a second why he hadn’t thought to put any chapstick on when it’s this cold out.

Moving a hand to push his hair out of his face, Harry asks hopefully, “I’ll see you at the game tomorrow though?”

Of course. Where else would the captain of the cheerleading team be on game day? She wants to say (among various other things) but can’t with him staring at her like that - fragile and hurt even though he is the one who kissed someone else.

“Yeah, Harry. I’ll be there.” She turns the knob and pushes it open. “Bye.” Taking a step backwards, she watches him do the same.

“Bye, Noa.” He smiles at her name, charming and warm and awful. Awful because it almost makes her want to do the same as she crawls back into bed.

Noa felt a pang at that, then flipped over so she was facing the wall.

“No. He’s not coming in.”

—

As to be expected, Harry plays amazingly the next day and The Wolves win the game.

Noa rolls her eyes more times than she can count, anger returning when she has to watch him do so well for a second week in a row when she feels all muddled inside.

Molly and Farrah decide not to rush the court with the rest of team once they see Noa walking off to the locker room alone. Instead, they spend fifteen minutes talking her into going to the Sigma Kappa house before Noa realizes that she is denying a party because of some boy and agrees wholeheartedly.

—

“Noa!” Niall comes up to her, drunk as can be with beer in the red cup hanging out of his hand and a smile from ear to ear. “Didn’t know you were here.”

“I’ve been over here the whole time.” She motions to the couch Zayn and Molly are making out on. She recently just stood from it and began swaying to the dumb pop song playing, giving them some more space. “You seen Farrah?”

“Louis.”

“Of course.”

Niall grabs her wrist and tilts the red cup in her hand. “What? No drinking?”

“High.” Noa lifts the cup to her mouth and swallows the last bit of water left in it, then drops it on the table to her left. “How have you been?”

“Good. Classes are fine, thinking of dropping out though.” Niall shrugs like it’s not a big deal, laughing at Noa as shock surely covers her every feature.

“What the fuck? No! If you drop out, we’ll all drop out. It’ll be anarchy.”

Noa laughs at her own joke as does Niall - probably because of just how hilarious he finds the reference.

He gives her shoulder a playful punch, shaking his head, “No way, Noa. You’ll get that Dance degree and amaze us all.”

“Oh yeah?” Noa doesn’t believe that so much, mainly because she still doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do with the degree - cheerleading or actually dance? “What will I be doing, huh?”

Niall might have a good answer for her though. Maybe right now, as she is high and he is drunk, she’ll figure it out with one answer from him.

“Whatever the hell ya want, babe!”

Or maybe not. Noa’s shoulder slump and the hopes she grew in the last two seconds die.

“You’re no help, Niall.”

“Sorry!” He exclaims with wide eyes and then remembers something. “Oh! I talked to that girl!”

“What?” She grabs both of his shoulders and shakes him with enthusiasm. “How’d it go?”

“She’s in love with me. Gonna have my babies probably.”

“Oh okay. Get it, man.” Noa drops her hands only to lift one into a high five.

Niall graciously accepts, then, “Seriously though, we had a date last week and have another one tomorrow.”

Noa smiles genuinely for him and almost feels like a proud mom, remembering the party when he wouldn’t shut up about her - the one where Harry threw a fit because Molly told the guys he never went down on Noa before then, not that she is thinking of that.

“I’m so happy for you!” She gives Niall a big hug that kind of startles them both. She has never really been a hugger but for some odd reason, right now, it felt like the thing to do. And Niall doesn’t seem to mind it, returning with warm arms.

“Hey guys.” A voice approaches them, almost like the owner of it heard his name dart through Noa’s mind and had to come running over.

She slowly let’s go of Niall and turns to find Harry standing beside them. He’s dressed in raggedy blue jeans with holes in the knee and a white t shirt covered in a red hoodie. Nothing nearly as warm as her wool leggings and an oversized sweater she found at the Goodwill - though frumpy, still incredibly cute if she does say so herself.

“Hazza!” Niall beams like he is prone to do. “Thought you weren’t coming tonight?”

“Ah, you know I can never resist you guys.” Harry swooped an arm around his good friend and ruffled the blonde’s hair. “Is it okay if I talk to Noa though?”

“Please do. She hugged me. It was bizarre.” Niall chuckles and shakes his head, faking a shiver and nodding goodbye to them.

“You look cute.” Harry notes when they’re alone, stepping closer to her. And at least she can have one of her many thoughts confirmed by a voice other than the ones in her head.

“Thanks. I thought so.” She pulls the bottom seam of her sweater as far down as it’ll go, covering half of her thigh just for something to do other than look Harry in the eye.

Though, that doesn’t work for him today. He takes another step closer, moving his eyes into her line of vision. “You want to get out of here?”

He asks with too much hope - the hope of someone who has completely forgotten their disconnect. Or rather, he has the hope of someone who remembers the connection they used to have before the blur.

Noa remembers it too, it’s not like it could be so easily forgotten, but all the other stuff has just gotten too strong. All his anger about a phone call with Shawn and the kiss with Nina in the library was too much.

She pushes him back a bit, gently but certainly. “And go where?” She scoffs at the suggestion.

“I don’t know. Out of here.” The distance doesn’t deter him; he just sounds more urgent now.

“I’m having fun here.”

For the hour she has been here, she’s hardly stopped laughing. And she hasn’t talked to Liam once yet - even if she wanted to leave with Harry, she can’t before she says at least a hello to him.

“Come on. Let’s just go somewhere. Just you and me.” He pouts his bottom lip, blinking rapidly all cute and harmless. Then saying something he shouldn’t. “I miss you.”

Noa thinks she misheard him over the music until she realizes he isn’t moving at all, letting the words hang in the air between them.

“Oh really?” She raises her eyebrows.

“Yes. You know it’s true.” He slides a hand over her hip, holding her so she stays still as he gets closer.

“Harry.” Noa places a hand on his chest to keep some sort of distance. Because she doesn’t know it’s true. Or maybe somewhere in the back of her mind she does, but she isn’t sure what he misses about her.

“Noa. Come on. We’ll have so much more fun on our own. Come on.” He pleads again and holds out his other hand, offering it face up for her to take. “We can go back to my place.”

Noa wants to say no. She wants to be strong and go home on her own and not flake on herself at the first flash of emotion from him. If she could be as strong as she pretends to be, that would be really fucking great.

But apparently, Noa Cherry has no self-control. She takes his hand and follows him out, hoping that maybe Nina will stay a distant thought once she gets back to that apartment she misses so much.

—

They’re undressed within seconds of being in his place - Noa slightly more eager to just get on with it than him but he still pulled off her sweater in less than a second.

His hands are warm all over her as he guides them to the bed with her falling backward first. It gives her a moment to look at him like that - naked and wanting her - before he is once again too close to really see at all. And she has to take a mental picture of it because sure he’s wanted her before, quite frequently actually, but never like that. Never with eyes so hungry and raking her up and down over and over and over again.

He dives back to her, kissing her much slower than before - as if he’s had time to catch his breath and everything isn’t as urgent anymore. For what seems like almost too long, it’s like that. Just kissing and his hands resting on her - one wrapped around her side and the other finding her own.

“Noa.” He sighs over her mouth with his thick accent and languid tongue, sounding perfectly content to be on top of her in that very second.

“Hmm.” She’s too busy kissing him back to actually say anything of worth, not even his name. She simply slinks an arm around his back and pulls his lower half down so she can swirl her hips more easily - desperately trying to get as close to him as possible. So close she won’t even be able to distinguish between where her body stops and his begins.

Once she’s barely brushed her pelvis against his a few times, they pick up just a tad. Hands begin roaming instead of just sitting and lips star pressing to other places - his explore down her neck to her collarbone then over to her shoulder. A finger of his revels at the shiny silver barbells in her nipples but seem too hesitant, knowing the healing process isn’t complete yet. Just one touch has her preening with excitement though, and she gets a glimmer of anticipation for the future when they are healed.

Opening the space between her thighs, Noa pulls one leg around his torso then waits for him to fumble a condom on before she urges him in. As he fills her up, she bites her lip to keep from making the self-indulgent moan she’s suppressing.

It’s just the fact that he’s moving so lethargically is all. Every pump seems like a chore but a chore he can’t get enough of. A groan leaves his throat, making Noa feel like she needs to hold on tighter to keep from shaking with it.

She lifts her head off the pillow and begins peppering her lips on all the skin she can reach - his shoulder, neck, jawbone. If she had more will, she would be able to get to his lips. Instead, he reaches down for her and reconnects them at the mouth, all the while, never stopping the steady rhythm of their hips.

“Noa,” Harry whispers out of breath, moving back a centimeter at most and trying to make eye contact. “I’m so sorry.” He mutters with conviction.

The words sting nevertheless. He didn’t have to say them right then. He didn’t need to bring it up when they were like that - so vulnerable and bare. She turns her head and closes her eyes, too close to her climax to say anything coherent anyway. Biting on a finger as it washes over her, for the most part she holds in the whimper that’s begging to come out.

Harry places a few more pecks on her jaw before he moves off of her and onto his side of the bed, pulling the sheet over her body as he gets water for them both. As he comes back, he finds her on her side, facing the wall so he can’t see her scrunched eyes.

The sound of his rustling tells her he’s under the cover behind her but she doesn’t feel him. She feels his eyes on her skin where she’s letting her back sit exposed, but he doesn’t move a hand closer or try to get her to wrap around him.

And she’s thankful for it right then because it’s hitting her hard. After such a sweet time full of careful motions in a bed she’s grew so comfortable in, it hits her.

Harry kissed another girl. And maybe he is sorry and maybe he does miss her but he didn’t get her like she thought he did. She thought all that time they spent in this bed together and all the stories she shared would be good enough for him. She assumed Harry would just know that when she came to him with her mom issues or confided in him about her pre competition jitters or when she ate dinner with him every fucking night, he would just understand that he meant something to her.

How he ever thought everything she did give him added up to it being okay for him to kiss Nina, out of all people, Noa will never understand. All she feels lying next to the boy who completely stole her damn heart is total betrayal.

So she waits for him to fall asleep - his breath evening out and tiny snores escaping his lips - before she slips out of his bed and gets dressed. Putting on the bare minimum, she takes a look around the room, spots a flannel on his floor, and steals one of his good ones for the last time before she makes the cold walk back to her dorm.

#please please please tell me what you think #id love to hear!!#i am so nervous about where this is going #yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes #1dff #sf chapter

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fathersonholygore · 8 years ago

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Hulu’s The Path Season 2, Episode 10: “Restitution” Directed by Patrick Norris Written by Jessica Goldberg

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “Oz” – click here * For a recap & review of the next episode, click here. Sarah (Michelle Monaghan) wakes in her hotel room, alone. She and Cal (Hugh Dancy) spent a passionate night together. But what’s next in that regard? Do they empower one another to keep being awful? Well, she’s having a dream right now. She sees Marshall the farmer down at the buffet, where she starts pounding down bacon before almost choking. She’s actually right next to Cal, in bed. A strange dream, though with those involved in Meyerism there’s often something true in all their dreams. Abe Gaines (Rockmond Dunbar) brings all Sarah’s blackmail to his boss. They think it’s possible to bring down the movement, although many “morally reprehensible” people won’t get their just desserts, walking away for just a couple of the higher ups. Still, that’s the usual reality for many of these white collar crimes. Meanwhile, Hawk (Kyle Allen) is meeting up with Ashley (Amy Forsyth) for the first time in so long. He also downplays his relationship with Noa (Britne Oldford), that they’re only friends. Very clear he hasn’t gotten over Ashley, still holding onto strong feelings under the surface, and barely. Also there’s Eddie (Aaron Paul), still in contact with Sarah’s estranged sister Tessa (Alexia Landeau). They talk about the cult, as well as the Denier Policy. He wants a group of Deniers to walk onto the Meyerist compound and say: “We exist.” Yet Tessa doesn’t believe that it can happen, or she isn’t sure. The more Eddie talks, the more she’s convinced. But it still isn’t so easy.

Back with his mother and the cult deprogrammer, Sean (Paul James) is being pried out of the movement. All the same Mary (Emma Greenwell) isn’t there, and the deprogrammer casts further doubt on all the Meyerist bullshit. Sean is paranoid, worried, and who wouldn’t be? These people play hardball. Ashley and Hawk talk about their former relationship. Why she broke it off, got away. He has to run off, they’ve got to be back to the compound by sundown. Before that he tells Ashley about watching his mother onstage, that she talked about “self love” and things that weren’t related to Meyerism. Is he finally seeing the real light? That of TRUTH outside their cult? He and Ashley embrace with a kiss. Perhaps it’s the first step. Hypocrites Cal and Sarah speak about “transgression” that they’ve all experienced, meditating in a group for restitution. Helping others to find their own transgressive acts, to cast them out. What nonsense. Yet there they all are, meditating and thinking of their faults, all crying. And none of them will ever really face the truth, only the veiled truth in Meyerism. At the same time, Felicia (Adriane Lenox) guides Eddie through his own meditation. Felicia: “Rest. Tomorrow, we act.”

Sarah finds out Marshall the farmer died weeks ago. This is one of those strings of guilt that keeps tugging at her heart. I wonder if she’ll manage to get herself past all the horrible things she’s done. Can she make ACTUAL restitution, instead of feigned restitution in the form of Meyerist meditation? Not sure. If so, she’ll be going to jail. Straight up. Even if she doesn’t do it herself, Abe is on the case. And Cal, he’s got far more than just what we’ve seen in the series weighing on his shoulders. The fact Dr. Meyers molested him long ago is the bottom of the iceberg; what he’s done throughout the episodes of this series, what we’ve seen, is merely the tip. At the park Eddie gets to hang with his daughter Summer (Aimee Laurence). And it’s sad to see her worry about their family, dragged into all the mess of cults and the madness of her mother’s side of the family. Tragic. At home she isn’t too happy with her family and doesn’t want to do take part in their latest celebration, or whatever they do. Simultaneously, big brother Hawk is in bed with Ashley, suddenly falling farther from the movement yet hanging on at the same time; I’m interested most in seeing his arc, what’ll happen with this new development of Ashley showing back up in his life. Best of all is her influence, pointing out how Hawk’s only moved from the control of his mother to the control of Cal. She wants better for him, to make him see he can control his own life without needing others, even her. He can be his own man. During dinner, Tessa arrives, out of nowhere. She confronts everybody – her brother Russel, sister Sarah, her mom, her dad, everyone else. She likewise reveals she and Eddie are in touch. Nobody reacts too well, Hank (Peter Friedman) is devastated. Then Tessa tells everybody Sarah wanted to leave, too. Had her bags packed and everything. Nice; another family divide. This throws everyone into a mixed up place, even Russel, particularly considering the fact Hank sees his daughter fairly regularly and keeps it secret from others.

Sean later tells Mary about who the deprogrammer is, that she’s trying to get him back home, away from the Meyerists. Mary doesn’t like that he lied. He says he’d like to go home, with her. To make a life together away from the movement. “The only thing that‘s keeping me here is you,” he tells her. Love this shot – as they talk, essentially discussing life in a cage with the cult, their faces are captured through the bars of the crib they’re painting. Beautiful visuals. More revelations: Cal offered Ashley and her family a house to break up with Hawk. She says he is a bad man, that Eddie never would’ve done that to him. This confuses and frustrates Hawk, obviously. Never easy to see the world you know and love and bought into start crumbling around you. Regardless, Ashley’s only trying to help him. She has nothing to gain. It breaks her heart to see him entrapped by that insane cult. Eddie gets a visit from Sarah, a pissed off visit. He tries to tell her it’s all about fixing things, mending bridges. She wants him to let go of their relationship, she doesn’t want to move outside of her safe little Meyerist world; especially not after all the crimes she’s committed in the name of Dr. Steven Meyers’ movement. Next day with Felicia and Richard, Eddie tells them he doesn’t want all the responsibility of leading the movement in the right direction. He says he can’t do it. But it’s all left up to the Light, Felicia says. Everybody’s painting tiny coffins. They put their sins inside, to “relinquish” them, or y’know, whatever the hell they believe. Hank relinquishes the Denier Policy. Nicole relinquishes Sam Field a.k.a Abe. So basically, it’s a type of confession, in aid of their own souls. To cleanse themselves. To lie to themselves about their guilt, their mistakes. A couple good things: Mary agrees to talk with the deprogrammer for Sean, and Gab tells Hank she wants to see their daughter again. Cal uses this time to relinquish his mother, her ashes into the waves. To let go of her, all that she represents. Yeah, right. It’ll take far more than a bit of water to cleanse ole Cal. On the beach, Richard burns all the relinquishing coffins in the other half of their ritual. He remembers the one bearing Sarah’s sins. He brings it to Eddie, who opens and reads, discovering his estranged wife has been with Cal, though she’s willing to bear the burden of guilt for every other horrible thing she’s done all year. This is heartbreaking for Eddie to read. Necessary, to push him towards leadership.

What I love most about The Path is its resistance to tell a clean, happy story, where the families are likely to rejoice at the end and come together again. No, it isn’t like that. The Lanes are on the brink of all out destruction; hard to tell which of them will be left standing, or faithful, once all is said and done. Such a great show, excellently paced writing with plenty of drama and mystery to steer the ship. I don’t know what others are talking about when they trash the series. Spectacular show, that I hope will have another season despite however things wind up in the remaining episodes. The Path – Season 2, Episode 10: “Restitution” Hulu's The Path Season 2, Episode 10: "Restitution" Directed by Patrick Norris Written by Jessica Goldberg…

#Aaron Paul #Coffins #Cult #Deprogrammer #Hugh Dancy #Hulu #Meyerism #Michelle Monaghan #Restitution #The Path

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endless-vall · 7 years ago

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What If? - Part six & Final Chapter - Withlock fanfic

Summery: Withlock finds something that inspires him even more than traveling. Author’s note: This is the last chapter of my series “What If?” 😄 ** Did you guess who Withlock ends up with? ** While the previous chapter concentrated on Withlock’s journey and all his friends (”happy endings”), this one is centered about Withlock’s own happy ending. I emphasized last chapter his love for the road, but he could also fall in love along the way. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and of the entire series too! ❤️ Pairings: Withlock x Odette (OC), Withlock x Lia. Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five.

Withlock walked through the door to the foundry. Seeing his city bustling with people and improvements by the moment, brought a warm feeling to his heart, a feeling of sheer bliss. He walked through the streets, greeting people, until he reached the center of it, the city hall. As he paced into the building, Thales noticed him from the corner of his eye. Withlock smiled widely, when he saw the younger man wrapping up his conversation quickly, and then making his way towards him. “I missed you!” Thales wrapped him in a hug. “I missed you too.” When they broke apart from the hug, Withlock’s hands remained on Thales’s shoulders, and he wore a proud smile that seemed even slightly mischievous. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Thales was quick to question. “I knew you were up for the job!” Withlock enthusiastically called, and Thales chuckled awkwardly. “I wouldn’t say ‘up for the job’. More like ‘didn’t set anything on fire while you were away’ for the job.” Thales tried convincing him, but Withlock wasn’t buying that. After grinning at him, Withlock motioned for them to walk over to his (former) office. Although Thales didn’t know about that part, yet. “You grew out your hair,” Thales commented. It was true, while on his journey, Withlock didn’t have that much time or care to cut his hair or shave, and it was now about as long as Raydan’s hair was. He didn’t think about it, up until now, that Thales had mention it. “I did, didn’t I?” He strokes his hair, looking at his reflection at some window they passed. “I should cut it.” He decides to himself. When they enter the office, Withlock reaches for his backpack. He takes out a few finished notebooks with plans, blueprints, sketches, and ideas for new inventions for the city. Hopefully, for the entire world, too. He spreads the shits on his desk, and invites Thales to stand beside him. “I know it’s not really the souvenir you probably were expecting, but this is my gift to you from this journey.” Withlock says, while Thales watches wide eyed. “Are you kidding me? This... This is amazing.” He sounds in shock. he flips through the notebooks, knowing it would take days to go over everything that’s on this table. “This is the best gift you could’ve given me. As well as your guidance and friendship.” Thales says after taking a moment to compose himself and sound serious. That, and to Inherit the foundry. Goes unsaid. His last stop was Ducitora. He couldn’t wait to see Empress Lia again. He decided to take a boat, to sail overseas over to Marossi, so he could really get the entire experience. He headed towards Ebrimel, to Panrion, where Noa and Kailani were more than glad to give him a boat, and a crew, and wish him a nice journey.

Noa had married a nice woman some time ago, she gave birth to his son Nereus, but died shortly after giving birth. He was raising their son alone for a few years now, as the main ruler of Ebrimel, along with Kailnai as the “mother figure” in the baby’s life. While Kailani was just as much as Ebrimel’s ruler as Noa was, he was the calm, and composed one, so she let him handle most of the political affairs. Kailani never intended to settle down, and so she didn’t, but she was glad to help with her nephew. Rumor had it that Noa was now seeing one of his army’s captains, but Withlock wasn’t one to pry. He was just glad that Noa wasn’t doing as bad as he was when his wife passed away. His journey across the sea has went a little too fast to his liking. On one hand, he was glad he could see Lia so soon, but he also liked he calm and fresh feeling sailing gave him. He was standing on the deck of the ship, feeling the salty sea breeze meet his face. He could see Marossi not too far in the distance. As they came closer, Withlock shut his eyes, appreciating a few last moments of sailing. Suddenly, he heard a hawk’s chirping above him. Opening his eyes, he saw the hawk diving in front of him and drew out his hand, so the hawk could land on it comfortably. He recognized the hawk to be one of Diavolos’s. He took out the note that was tied to the hawk’s leg, and read it over. Felicia was quite the matchmaker, as it turned out, since she sent out a note in Odette’s name. - She won’t admit it, but Odette misses you greatly :) Was scribbled down on the note. Withlock’s face turned red, and his eyes shot wide open in surprise. He haven’t given Odette too much thought since parting ways with her. “Ey, mate” A fellow crew member called out to him. “You okay? Getting sea-sick? We’re almost there.” He commented on his pale look and red cheeks. “Uh. No... I’m fine.” Withlock tried to compose himself. “Just got some interesting news...” He murmured to himself. He patted his loyal companion, and gave him a treat, sending him back home without response. He planned to send word back later, and didn’t want to hold up the hawk for too long. Meeting land, they finally reached Marossi, and a familiar face welcomed Withlock to Ducitora. “Jorrin,” Withlock nodded, and the man nodded back. “Withlock. Welcome back.” He motioned for him to sit in the carriage that took them to the palace. Reaching the palace’s entrance, he saw a beautiful woman standing in the doorway and discussing something with a random servant. When the servant took note of Withlock’s presence, since he probably recognized him - he apologetically interrupted her, bowed his head, and pointed at his direction before turning to leave. Lia turned around gracefully, her white locks of hair flipping in the air to his direction. Withlock could swear his heart missed a beat. “Withlock!” her eyes shot open in surprise, and a wide smile spread on her rose pink lips. He was smiling back just as widely without even realizing, and jogged towards her. She met him halfway, and he spun her around in a circle, hugging her tightly. “ahem.” Jorrin coughed on purpose, but looked away as they broke apart, flushed from embarrassment and from getting lost in the heat of the moment. They only hugged each other, but Withlock’s heart was racing in his chest. “Oh, right.” Withlock bowed his head slightly towards Jorrin’s direction, thankful for the silent warning. Jorrin rolled his eyes, but seemed to like Withlock enough to overlook this. “Come with me?” Lia was composed now too, and invited Withlock for a tour around the castle. She extended her hand, offering him to take it in his. It wasn’t his first time in Ducitora, and not even the second. Withlock had visited Marossi from time to time in summits or regular political meetings that took place, but haven’t visited in a long while. “I’d love to.” Withlock smiled back, and took her hand, and they started walking towards the main entrance. Withlock shot a glance back, surprised Jorrin wasn’t following them, but rather let them go alone. Lia caught his look too, but just smiles sheepishly and said nothing. He was surprised, but hided a smile as well. After walking around the palace, they reached the throne room. It was now so different than Azura’s throne room. It was to be expected, obviously, but the feeling of warmness and sense of security it conveyed had made Withlock proud of who Lia came to be. He liked the ‘old’ her too, but also loved to see her progress. From a scared princess that listened to everything her mother said, to taking action and making the right choice despite being taught the opposite her entire life, to an outstanding Empress. The throne room was decorated with glistening chandeliers and flowers standing on the windowsills. “Annelyse would love it here,” Withlock murmured out loud. "I'd hope she would, she was the one that decorated it." Lia answered. “Oh.” He realized, and they both chuckled. “Ah! That reminds me!” He reaches into his backpack. Jorrin has already taken his luggage into his room, so he hopes what he’s looking for is in here somewhere. “Withlock? What are you looking for?” Lia wondered, bending down trying to peep. “This is it!” He took out the planter with the glass case that he got from Odette in Abanthus, with the beautiful, blue-hearted, snow white flowers. He finally got why he was so drawn to them. He held them in front of Lia, and suddenly he was mesmerizes by her beauty. The flowers were beautiful, there was no argument in that. But the nickle finally dropped, that, he found the the flower so breathtaking because it reminded him of Lia. Lia looked in awe. “They looks amazing, Withlock!” She smiled, a loving look in her eyes. “I know.” He hands her the planter. “They’re for you. They reminded me of you, in their breathtaking beauty.” He told her, before he could stop himself. An amused look spread across her face as she took the planter in her hands. “... What?” Withlock questioned when she just kept looking at him like that. “You think I’m breathtakingly beautiful?” She asked, in a teasing tone. “I... OH- I didn’t say that-- I... Yes.” He stuttered, blushing, and Lia burst into laughter. “Why, thank you. You’re not so bad yourself.” Lia blushed. Withlock decided to make the most of the moment, finally plucking up the courage. “Not so bad does not compare to the stunning, heart stirring woman standing beside me.” He didn’t know how to flirt, but he thought back to how Raydan swayed women, and the sentence came out on it’s own. It was Lia’s turn to blush. A deep red shade covered her rosy cheeks, and Withlock chuckled in return. “Did you just say that to make me blush?!” She hid her face with both hands, while Withlock kept giggling. “Not at all.” He took both of her hands in his, slowly pulling them down. They were standing closer now, face to face, hand holding and both, suddenly, very aware of their situation. “I meant... every... word.” He gulped, and Lia leaned in. He was sure she was about to kiss him, and could feel his heat beating hard in his chest. Just a moment away from the kiss, she pulled back and wore a sly smile. He narrowed his eyes at her, and both burst into laughter. After breaking the ice, both felt a little bit more relaxed. Lia showed Withlock to his room, and left him to rest. She had some duties to attend to, and he could use a nap. Well, at least he thought he could use a nap, since sleep didn’t come easy to him. He laid in his bed, and too many thoughts raced through his head. So instead, he took out his notebook, and started brainstorming ideas. Something good has to come out from that. Before he knew it, evening came down, and he was called for a meal with the Empress. After sharing a dinner, Withlock accompanied Lia towards one of the waterfalls of Marossi. The sight was stunning, and he offered her his hand. She gladly took it in hers, and, ignoring Jorrin glaring at their direction from not too far in the distance, pulled him closer towards her. “I’ve never been on a date before,” Lia confessed, in a shy tone. She was the Empress, after all, so it wasn’t too much of surprise. “Me neither.” Withlock admitted, making her look back at him, and a slight smile formed on her lips. They sat by the water for a while, Withlock’s hand over her shoulders, until he finally built up the courage and faced her. Caressing her cheek, Lia caught up on what he was doing, and before he could do anything himself, she planted her lips on his. It was merely a feather-like touch, but it was enough to send waves of shock throughout his body – and it wasn’t Lia’s lightning power’s doing. They pulled apart, blushing, leaving taste for more, but knowing this wasn’t the time or the place. And they had all the time in the world. “Will you visit again soon?” Lia asked, when he finally took off, half-convincing himself he had to explore Ducitora as well, and pay a visit back to the Foundry. Thales was sending more and more letters, he probably needed some help or guidance. “Absolutely.” He promised, taking her face in his arms and kissing her before he leaves. Jorrin wasn’t thrilled to be watching them, but kept a blind eye. Withlock didn’t even realize he forgot to answer Felicia’s (Or rather, Odette’s) message up until he exited the walls of Marossi. He figured he could visit Abanthus after going to the foundry, to apologize for ignoring their message, and maybe for giving Odette false hope too. While he and Lia didn’t rush anywhere with defining a relationship, Withlock realized he couldn’t imagine himself with someone else. - - - - - - - - - Withlock kept traveling around, but found himself always coming back to one place - Ducitora. And lately, he found himself doing so more and more often. It was a warm Sunday afternoon when he looked up at Lia, and blurted out “I don’t wanna travel anymore.” She blinked at him, with those big sparkly eyes. “But you love traveling.” She protested, knowing Withlock better than anyone. She was sitting on a wooden porch of the palace’s garden, Withlok lying on her bended knees. “There’s something I love more than that.” While saying in a simple tone, he stood up. Lia followed by with a confused gaze. “I found myself coming back here more than any place I’d visit.” It was true. Even though he still visited the Foundry, Ducitora was his main interest, and he’d stay there the longest. When he’d come up with a new invention, or get inspired by something during his hikes, he’d send the sketches over to both the Foundry and Marossi. “I want to come back here, I want to… stay.” This place became like home to him. Lia became like home. “I want to call this place my home, to settle down here, If you’d let me.” He got down to one knee. “Lia, will you marry me?” He took out a ring, a silver ring with a blue stone, that resembled the flowers he gave her a few years ago, that now decorated the entire castle. “Yes!”

#playchoices #the crown and the flame #withlock x lia #playchoices fanfic #what if?#withlock #lia #tc&tf #my writing #fanfic

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kohakuhime · 7 years ago

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The Reluctant Guardian, Ch. 10

Takes place post canon, and this refers to events that take place in an alternate verse. Michael, Isabel, Mikomi, and Kazuo belong to @mpuzzlegirl; Darien, Alana, Rowen, Sylvie, and the twins belong to me; and YGO and its associated characters belong to Kazuki Takahashi.

This update is longer to accommodate for the fact I was a week behind. Thank you for your patience!

+++++++++++++++++++

Brock Turner was many things. Ex-military, extraction specialist, security detail, and he even fancied himself decent looking and a good cook if someone asked (not many did).

He also knew that he was decidedly nervous about reporting to his employer. Not scared, but definitely feeling an edge of anxiety.

He and two other men stepped off the elevator in the executive wing, and Brock noticed the secretary sitting at her desk. He caught a glimpse of a black business suit and a matching black hat that her hair was tucked beneath.

That wasn’t the only thing that matched. He repressed a shudder as she turned dark, dead eyes on him. She gave him the heeby-jeebies whenever she looked at him. He wondered if she had always been so creepy—maybe that was why his boss had hired her. To intimidate those coming in.

Well, it sure was working.

“Brock Turner to speak to the boss about this afternoon,” he said.

She did not move immediately, and then after a moment to process she pushed a button. “Mr. Turner to see you,” she said. It gave Brock goosebumps at how flat and dead her voice was.

“Ah, yes. Be a dear and show him in, won’t you?”

“Yes sir.” She stood slowly, moving carefully and almost as if she was made of glass. She turned her attention to the men. “This way.”

Brock grimaced. Yep, definitely something off about her.

The three of them followed her into the spacious office. Lots of white leather and splashes of color in the tiles, and against one wall a large mosaic. His attention was more focused on the oak desk, however. The corner of Brock’s mouth turned down as he noticed the leather armchair turned away to face the panel windows. “You are dismissed, my dear.”

“Yes sir.” The secretary turned and softly closed the door behind her.

An uncomfortable silence fell after she had left. Brock cleared his throat, and after exchanging looks with his co-workers he spoke. “Hello, sir,” he said, biting back the ‘boss’ that had nearly slipped out. You always addressed him as sir, no exceptions.

“I trust this afternoon’s errands went well, yes? You have our new guests settled in comfortably?” The question was asked with a good degree of jovialness.

Brock hesitated. “No, sir,” he said at last. “The kids got away from us.”

Another pause, followed by a soft exhalation. “Ah. That’s terribly disappointing, Mr. Turner. I so looked forward to meeting with them. How did this come about?”

Despite the mild and genuinely disappointed tone his employer had adopted, Brock caught the undercurrent of displeasure and menace.

“There was a factor we did not originally include in the plan—“

“You were trained specifically for extracting people in your former line of work. You should account for anything to go wrong, shouldn’t you?” The rebuke was not spoken particularly harshly, but there was a definite edge in his voice now.

“Sir, we had everything planned. Tracking apps placed on their phones, finding their common areas to hang out or their so-called ‘safe point’, and any other way they had of escaping us. The only thing we did not account for was for a literal white knight to show up.”

“That sounds an awful lot like an excuse, Mr. Turner.”

“With all due respect, sir, this man was able to disappear and reappear at will. According to the team leader that went after the Gayle-Corazón boy, this stranger was able to even shoot green lightning at them. We can’t plan for someone who can teleport.”

A long pause followed, but this time the tension was gone. “Dressed in all white and could shoot green lightning, you say?” came the reply, and something close to real interest was in his voice. “And he could disappear and reappear at will?”

“Yes, sir,” said Brock, trying to keep the relief out of his voice.

Another pause, and then a gentle clap of the hands. His boss still had not turned in the chair, so Brock could only guess that it was a good sort of clap.

“Ha, so he’s here at last then,” said his employer warmly. “You are correct, Mr. Turner—there’s no amount of planning that will cover for him. I do not lay the blame on your teams. In fact, this little exercise did exactly what I wanted it to do.”

“Sir?”

“It got his attention. He’s going to start looking for us.”

“Is that a good thing, sir?” Brock asked uncertainly.

“In my book, I believe it is. We will worry more about him when the time comes—I do feel he would start looking for us the first chance allowed for him. I want all cameras in the city watching for him, and I want to be notified when he comes into the city.”

“Yes sir,” said Brock, inclining his head.

“In the meantime, I can imagine one Noa Kaiba will be exceptionally displeased that his family was endangered. Please let our cyber security division know that we need to tighten down security on any and all files we have regarding our current line of work. I want any such attempts to log in to our system shut down.”

The man on his left cleared his throat. “So far we’ve been able to shut down all outside investigations into our business. The Kaibas have so far not made a connection to us in regards to the latest expansions, but already this afternoon we’ve had to redirect and work overtime to divert Noa Kaiba’s intrusions into our mainframe.”

“Are you suggesting you are not up for the task, Mr. Carter?” There was something soft and dangerous in the question.

“N-No sir! Not at all!”

“Good. It should not be a problem then to cover our tracks for the day?”

“We already have our malware program uploaded into the city servers. All activity for the past four hours is being scrubbed even as we speak.”

“Wonderful! It seems you have it under control, so you’re dismissed.” A hand rose from the chair and pushed a button. “All right, my dear, please escort these gentlemen out.”

“Yes sir.”

The door opened behind them and the secretary stepped inside. “Come with me.”

Brock was never happier when he left the office and was back in the elevator heading back downstairs. That whole floor gave him nothing but the creeps.

+++++++++++++++++++

Darien was frightened.

The phone call had come in while he had been repairing the kitchen sink. One of Ellie’s friends, a Mai Valentine, had been on the line. Her voice had been calm but with an edge, carrying a sense of urgency. His grandchildren were missing and very likely in danger, she had told him grimly. They were trying to locate Rowen and Sylvie, but so far no one had found them.

Darien’s first instinct, his gut reaction, was to immediately return to Domino. He should have never left them alone. How could he have known, though? There was no way to prepare for a threat to the children, especially if he hadn’t known, and now…

There would be time for self-berating later. Now he had to get Alana and go back. Mai had assured him that those who knew the children were searching for him, but Darien did not intend to stay where he was while his grandchildren’s lives were in danger. Alana certainly didn’t—she was already searching in Ellie��s old bedroom for their daughter’s spare can of mace.

He had not even gotten his car keys when there was a movement from behind him. He had been expecting Alana to come find him, to let him know she was ready to go.

He had not expected the man in white standing in the doorframe.

Darien gave a soft gasp and staggered backwards. The other man’s hands rose in a placating gesture, gold eyes flickering under the hood. “I am not a threat,” he said quietly. The hands lifted the hood from his head, long teal hair framing his face. “I am here on behalf of your grandson. He requested that I notify you of his safety—he is not in any further danger from those seeking to harm him.”

Darien paused, eyes flitting towards the doorway behind the stranger.

“She isn’t downstairs yet and I’d rather not get a face full of mace. Please—a moment of your time.”

Darien studied the newcomer with a frown. The other man watched him patiently, his expression unreadable. Perhaps this man was not a danger after all.

“I’m listening,” Darien said slowly. “You said Rowen was safe.”

“Yes. He and his younger sister are now under my protection. The little girl is quite ill, but her fever was already starting to come down when I left them.”

Darien felt something loosen in his chest. There was a note of sincerity in the last sentence he couldn’t ignore; he wondered if perhaps this stranger understood the need for proof. “It would seem Rowen and Sylvie have a powerful friend looking out for them,” he said quietly, unable to hold the relief from his voice.

“Most would not consider me a friend,” said the man after a brief pause. “But I do not consider myself an enemy to them, either.”

There was a subtle weariness in his voice, and the man seemed…older in that one moment. He could not explain it if he was asked how, but Darien felt that this man was so much older than him in spite of his physical appearance. He looked as if he was from another time—and perhaps he was. A nagging thought was there at the peripheral of his mind, something Ellie had once told him.

It was not until he met the golden eyes, sharp and fierce and yet world-weary and knowledgeable, that Darien suddenly placed him. A name from a lifetime ago, from a story he’d only heard second-hand, reached him. “You’re Dartz.”

The stranger—no, Dartz—seemed surprised for a brief moment at being recognized. “I am,” he said at last, a question in his voice.

“Raphael,” Darien said simply.

“Ah. I should not be so surprised.”

“He never told me about what happened, not directly. He only ever spoke about it in detail with my daughter, and even then it wasn’t a topic of conversation that he brought up often.”

“I’d imagine not. Stealing souls is hardly a decent topic of conversation at the dinner table.” There was something wry in Dartz’s voice now. “You do not sound so upset at seeing me now.”

“I think there was a part of me that wondered if you would show up one day, especially now that he’s dead,” Darien admitted. “He was never sure if you had truly died after being defeated, though he never said as much. I could tell he thought about it.”

At the mention of Raphael’s death Dartz’s face spasmed the briefest of moments. Something clouded the gold eyes, and he looked so much older in that one moment. His expression cleared and he looked away. “I heard about his passing,” he said. “I had hoped he would live longer than this. Your daughter as well, though I never met her. No parent should have to bury their child—I apologize for your loss.”

A long pause followed.

“Rowen and Sylvie will be under my care until the matter of their safety is assured,” Dartz said at last, sounding brisk. “You need not worry about legal ramifications. Those have been settled for now. When it is safe for them to be returned, I will bring them back to you—no sooner, no later.”

“…If you aren’t their enemy, Dartz, who is?”

“That,” Dartz said after another pause, “is what I intend to find out. For now, I ask that you remain here. It would be safer away from Domino—“

“I don’t want to sit this out on the sidelines,” Darien said, interrupting Dartz. His own voice was calm and measured, but there was a hint of steel beneath the calm. “Those are my daughter’s children, Dartz. I won’t press you to return them if it isn’t safe, but I won’t stay out of this either.”

“It is ultimately your decision when it comes to your actions,” Dartz said quietly. “All I ask is that you do nothing that would leave your grandchildren orphans.”

There was a noise from behind Darien and he started. He turned to the kitchen sink, which was dripping water from the faucet still. He had not finished fixing it yet.

When he turned back to the doorway, Dartz was gone and Alana was in his place. “Darien?” she asked hesitantly. “I heard you talking…was someone on the phone?”

“…Alana, we need to talk.”

+++++++++++++++++++

Noa was beyond angry.

Isabel could tell even without asking. His lips were pressed together so tightly that it was an angry slash against his pale face. Twin spots of color in his cheeks, the dark flashing blue eyes, and the way his fingers viciously jabbed each key on the keyboard were the only other clues to his current emotional state.

She could not blame him. Any subject involving Dartz was a sore point for Noa.

He had been this way for nearly three hours, long enough for the sun to start going down outside. The moment Isabel had called him about the incident at the mall, her husband had cleared his schedule and shut everything down to start the search for his nephew. Mikomi had missed her recital, but given the circumstances Isabel knew her daughter could care less over a missed concert—she was more worried for both her brother and her cousin.

“Anything?” she asked, her own voice controlled and curt.

“Not a thing,” he replied, eyes never leaving the screen. “They turned all security monitors off in that quadrant of the mall for four hours—routine maintenance, apparently,” he added, voice rich with disgust. “As for the security guards, nothing extraordinary about them so far. I’m having custom search engines running for any common history between them, so we’ll see if anything turns up.

“Interestingly enough, it’s not just the mall that was down. More than half of the city’s surveillance cameras weren’t recording during those four hours—all cameras in areas where Sora, Claire, Michael, Rowen, and Sylvie were. That’s just a touch interesting in my books, so I’m running virus and malware checks through the city systems too.”

Isabel felt that it might be more than slightly illegal for Noa to be looking through their personnel files, and for him to be searching through the city’s surveillance cameras. She also found that, given the circumstances, she did not particularly care.

“What about the men who took Michael?”

“Kazuo identified one of them in this shot right before the cameras went down,” he said, and with another click a picture came up. Noa zoomed in on the picture and the man was brought into sharp relief. “Nothing outstanding about him. Close cut brown hair, shades and turtleneck, and what looks like an earpiece. Facial recognition software can’t place him.”

“Why not?”

“See the way he’s ducking away from the camera? He knows where it is, so he’s keeping his face turned. I can maybe pull a partial result, but not enough to identify him. Still, I have the most up-to-date software and programming—I’ll keep trying.”

Isabel’s phone started buzzing and she looked down at the screen. “Joey’s calling.”

Noa actually looked away from the monitor as Isabel answered the phone. “Joey?”

“Mai and I checked the workshop, and then the center in the park. There’s no sign of any of them. We found Rowen’s phone on a bus that runs the park circuit—the bus company called us since we were the most recent number outside of the twin’s.”

“Rowen’s phone was on a bus?” she repeated aloud. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Noa turn in his seat to face the computer, fingers flying across the keyboard. “What about Sora and Claire?”

“Alleyway by their workshop was covered from ground to roof with pink paint and glitter, and it smells like strawberries—nearly made me pass out because it was so strong.”

One of their smoke bombs, Isabel knew. The twins had been barred from using any of those except for absolute emergencies—it seemed they had deemed it a situation to use one. “Is there any other place the kids would go that you know of?”

“No. I’ve got Tristan and Ryou helping me look for them, and Duke’s looking too. Mai reached out to Rowen’s grandparents and they’re on their way. I’ve been trying to reach Yugi, but no dice. I’ve gone to voicemail every time I’ve tried to call him.”

“We aren’t having any luck reaching Seto, either,” Isabel said, frowning. “Same problem, except we shouldn’t be having it.”

Isabel heard Noa’s sharp inhalation and a triumphant noise from behind her. “Got you, Rowen,” she heard.

“Joey, I’ll call you back as soon as I know more—Noa’s got something. Keep trying to get a hold of Yugi.” Isabel hung up and came back to the monitor. “What did you find?”

Noa pulled up two separate windows across the monitors. “Whatever’s going on with the cameras must have missed the bus cameras. Here’s the bus stop nearest Rowen’s house,” he said, and he tapped the screen as Rowen came into view. Isabel’s stomach clenched at the blanket in his arms, a brief glimpse of Sylvie’s hair visible through the blanket. On camera, the teenager crossed the bus and sat down, attention going between the windows and his sister.

“He got on and he stayed on…fast forward a bit…and there, he’s getting off at the park stop across from the museum. He goes—hold on, pulling up park footage—nope, that’s where we lose the cameras. We know at least he got off in the park, but after that…nothing.”

Isabel frowned, leaning forward. “Noa, rewind back to where Rowen was on the bus,” she said. As the footage rewound she held up a hand. “What’s he looking at?” she asked, pointing to the screen. Rowen was looking over his shoulder and peering forward through the window.

“Likely at the vehicle that had been tailing him, Miss Corazón.”

Isabel froze at the voice. Noa stiffened in his seat, color receding from his face. Then, at the same time, they slowly turned to face the entrance of the office.

Dartz stood silently in the doorway, his hood pulled away to fully reveal his features. There were a few lines to his face that had not been there years ago, drawn features that showed the start of age, but it was the same man they had encountered years before—the same one who had caused so much misery in their lives.

Isabel had not realized she had moved until her fist was colliding with Dartz’s cheek and the man toppled backwards to the floor. She stood over him, fists clenched impossibly tight at her sides. Noa came up behind her, one hand on her shoulder as he too glowered at their unwelcome guest.

“I suppose I deserved that,” Dartz said quietly after a moment’s pause, one hand rising to his cheek.

“I’m so glad you’ve deigned that you warrant a punch to the face. How gracious of you,” she retorted. Isabel thought she could see blood in the corner of his mouth. Good. “And for the record, I’m married now.”

Something flashed in Dartz’s eyes, his gaze flickering as he put two and two together. “Apologies then.”

“You’re either really brave or really stupid to come here,” Noa said at last, ice in his voice. “I’m leaning more towards stupid, since your track record shows a distinct cowardice streak.”

The man at their feet slowly rose, taking a step back. Maybe it was out of caution, or maybe it was to respect the boundaries between them. “You look healthier,” he replied simply. His expression was neutral and composed, even as the blood pooled in the corner of his mouth and his cheek grew red. “The last time I saw you, Noa—“

“—I was yet another pawn in your gambit to take over the world.” Noa’s reply was hard and held an edge. “You brought me back from the dead simply to run I2 in Pegasus’s absence, maybe even to attack Seto and Mokuba if Alister failed. I wouldn’t know, since it never progressed to that point and Isabel thankfully stopped me.”

“Noa—“

“You’re the second man in my life who’s manipulated me, and the first was my father.” His voice was a venomous hiss. “Neither of you hold a particularly good place in my book, so you’d best have a damn good reason for coming back now of all times.”

Isabel heard the pain in his voice and her hand moved to squeeze her husband’s gently. Noa shot her a glance, returning the squeeze gently.

Dartz had not missed the subtle exchange and for the briefest of moments his expression softened, exhaustion and understanding visible in his gaze. It was gone as soon as it had come when Isabel turned a hard look on him.

“Where’s Michael, Dartz?” she asked. “What did you do with my nephew?”

“I believe your son gave you a message in that regard—“

“That is not an answer,” Noa snarled almost at the same time as Isabel said it.

Dartz’s eyebrows rose. “He said something similar earlier today, when he woke up,” he said. “I was surprised to see he has golden eyes, rather than his father’s.”

The last comment came without context or asking, but something in Isabel’s stomach unknotted. Dartz had done that deliberately—Michael was conscious, had to be conscious if Dartz could note her nephew’s features and behavior. “My sister,” she said quietly.

Something close to surprise lit his gaze. It was gone again, buried beneath the neutral mask. “I hadn’t known she was the boy’s mother.”

“For someone who appears to be all-knowing, you’re remarkably unobservant,” Noa said flatly.

Dartz’s expression closed. “I will be brief, as my presence is clearly an unwelcome one,” he said. “I came because I was asked by the children to tell you they are safe. They are no happier at their situation than you or I am.”

“Okay, so give them back then,” Isabel said coolly. “It sounds like it’s such a burden to watch after poor defenseless children.”

“When it is safe to do so, I will return them to their proper guardians. I have no desire for custody of the children, but at this time it is unsafe to return them to the city.”

Not safe to return the children? Isabel and Noa exchanged glances. “And why would that be?” Noa challenged angrily. “Give us one good reason why you can’t bring them back.”

Dartz did not look away from them. His eyes were dark and there was a flicker of exhaustion in his gaze. “There is only one reason I would have to return to Domino and risk your ire.”

Ice dropped down Isabel’s spine. “I thought it was gone, Dartz,” she said slowly. “There shouldn’t be any of it left.”

“That is why I am here—to find out what exactly is going on.” Dartz’s voice was very hard and dangerous, a threat hidden in his voice. “Until I know more, until the safety of those children is guaranteed, they will remain with me.”

“Oh, right, because leaving children in the vicinity of a viper is a great idea,” Noa said coldly. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

“And you clearly can protect them, since the children were either attacked in broad daylight or forced to flee their homes,” Dartz retorted, and this time there was an edge in his voice. “If this enemy is the same one that’s brought me here, they are better off where they cannot be found.”

“What do you want us to do? If you’re asking us to just twiddle our thumbs and do nothing—“

“It will be the same warning I delivered earlier tonight: do not do anything that would leave those children orphans,” Dartz cut over her smoothly. “That would mean doing any investigative work into the ones responsible. I will not have anyone else targeted,” he added, interrupting the starts of Isabel’s and Noa’s reply. “If someone must be a target, it will be the one they cannot catch.”

“Look, buddy, I’ve already got the ball rolling in multiple areas. Whoever this is probably already knows we’re onto them, so at this point there’s no point in stopping what I’m doing just because you say so.”

“I know I do not have that right, and I also know that I cannot ultimately stop you from proceeding with what you are doing. I need at least forty-eight hours, Noa,” Dartz said quietly. “Give me enough time to handle this on my own, or to at least gauge the situation.”

“Riiiight. Uh huh. And you are a fantastic one man army, aren’t you?” Noa asked.

Isabel felt the pressure in the room drop as the familiar rush of magic filled the air around them. Noa’s computer screens flickered wildly and the lights dimmed drastically. Dartz’s own expression remained mild, but the gold eyes were flecked with aquamarine.

“Do not forget who I am,” he said, his voice carrying a thrum of power that had not been there before. “I am perfectly capable of handling this on my own.”

The magic died away and the atmosphere calmed.

“Twenty four hours, Dartz.” Isabel’s voice was hard. “I’m giving it twenty-four hours where we do nothing, and then whether you want it or not we’re going right back to doing what we were before.”

Dartz studied them for a long moment and then sighed softly. “All right. In twenty four hours I will let you know what I have found. If you do any further investigations, I recommend you do them as quietly as you can. Do not draw attention to yourselves. You can protect against a physical threat, but not a magical one.”

Dartz started to turn from them. “I trust you will notify the remaining relatives of the twin’s whereabouts,” he said.

“Joey and Mai? Why don’t you do that yourself?” Noa asked testily. “We aren’t your servants.”

Dartz paused. “Because the last time Miss Valentine spoke of me, it was in Paradius before it fell and she promised castration with a rusted fork. I for one am inclined to believe her.”

He turned the corner before either of them could react. Isabel felt the familiar pulse of magic and she hurried out of the office—only to be greeted by an empty hallway. Dartz had gone.

“Noa…I think I know why we can’t reach Yugi or Seto,” she said grimly. “I think Dartz might be deliberately blocking any attempt to reach them.”

“You’d think that after he lost his source of magic he wouldn’t be able to keep up any kind of spell or magic. But of course he can.” Noa shook his head. “Give me technology over magic that can just BS everything any day.”

“It just means that he’s serious about keeping us out of this,” said Isabel with a sigh, hands going on her hips.

“And that is really going to stop us from getting involved?” Noa asked, a smirk on his face.

Isabel’s smile mirrored Noa’s. “Not even for a second.”

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#au: reluctant guardian #oc: darien monroe #oc: alana monroe #other's oc: isabel #noa kaiba #dartz

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